I Possessed As A Childcare Extra Chapter 23

“Did you call me, Hillst….”

I spoke without thinking and then got stuck.

What should I call her?

Lady Hillstern? Like calling the unmarried Ines “Mrs. Miller” as a customary title?
But what if she says I’m mocking her for going through something once?

Miss Hillstern? That sounds too young.

Miss Hillstern… is absolutely not it.

Then maybe “Young Lady Hillstern”! But what’s the Empire’s word for “young lady”? I’ve never used it or heard it!

Or maybe, by romance-fantasy logic, “Lady Hillstern”? The Empire’s language isn’t English, but they use names like “Annie” or “Holly,” and “tea time” is “tea time,” so maybe “lady” is “lady” too?

None of them felt right.

What did that maid call Freda again? I struggled and finally remembered.

Lady Freda!

I knew you shouldn’t casually use a noble’s name. If so!

“…Lady Hillstern.”

My overheated brain sizzled after squeezing itself for several seconds. It seemed to be the right answer.

“You’re a child who listens well.”

Did she mean, ‘You really came just because I called?’

Freda held the pipe between her full lips. The hazy smoke scattered into the air.

“A commoner with no family name becoming a maid in a ducal house. Impressive indeed.”

“You flatter me.”

I had no talent other than reincarnating, but I pretended humility.

“Did it sound like a compliment to you?”

Do I need to bow my head and apologize if it wasn’t?

I held my trembling hands together when Freda asked again.

“Is it true that you made our daughter cry?”

“Umm… well, that…”

I couldn’t say, “Your investigation is sloppy! It was Tricen, not me, who made her cry!”

“How did it happen?”

I don’t know. I don’t know. Absolutely don’t know.

“I’m not really sure!”

I shouted bravely while half hypnotizing myself.

“Of course you wouldn’t.”

Her reaction was that of someone who clearly knew, but Freda only snorted. Did she buy it?

“You must see my son often.”

Ever since I became a maid, the people I saw almost as much as the young lady were the Tricen men. That was something anyone would know.

“The second young master comes every day…”

“What are you talking about?”

Freda cut me off.

“I meant Narkis.”

I had assumed she meant Leoni. So she refers to other people’s children as “our” son or daughter.

“The first young master visits the young lady every day as well.”

Even today, he came because she didn’t eat lunch, and I saw him at dinner.

“My daughter must be so lucky. ‘Because she has a father and brothers.’”

I wondered where she heard that—then remembered the young lady said it yesterday. Freda giggled as if it was hilarious.

Then she dropped something at my feet.

“I’m curious how Narkis is doing.”

It was a bracelet heavy with jewels. Maybe cubic zirconia, but I couldn’t tell. The way the light bounced off it wasn’t normal.

Was I supposed to pick it up?

I observed her expression and carefully lifted the end. She didn’t seem about to snatch it back.

Its weight made my heart jump. Please don’t let it be cubic. Please let me live for years off even one gem. Please.

Should I thank her?

Before I could decide, the maid grabbed my arm.

“See you again.”

“Ah, wait!”

The maid dragged me out of the room with a grip that wasn’t human.

“Come again tomorrow at the same time.”

“This isn’t even my normal off-duty time!”

Thud. I muttered at the mercilessly closed door.

“I might be late…”

Or I might not come at all… I swallowed the rest.

I came out alive and intact, but I had no idea what had happened.

All I had left was the jewel bracelet Freda gave me, saying she was ‘curious about Narkis.’ It was so blunt it was unsettling.

She wanted me to spy?

I couldn’t believe I was experiencing something I’d only seen in novels. Even if this was a rofan and I was Maid #1, did it have to follow clichés this hard?

Not even a proper cliché—she picked the wrong person entirely. Why choose an incompetent, parachuted-in maid like me?

The target was odd too. She wasn’t curious about the young lady, but about Narkis?

When it came to Narkis, there was far more I didn’t know than I did. What I knew, Freda surely knew too.

Anyway, I hadn’t spoken first, I denied everything even though all was revealed, and her reason for calling me was clear.

All I had to do was “watch,” but the sun had already set.

To get to Narkis’s room in the western end of the main building, I’d have to pass by dozens of people. Maid #1 didn’t know how to read footsteps or use darkness to sneak in.

A maid visiting a young master’s room at night… unless I wanted to tell every passerby, “Haha, I’m actually on a secret mission!” …I didn’t want to imagine the consequences.

I’d just do it tomorrow morning. I tucked the bracelet into my inner pocket and returned to my room.

Every step made a cheerful clink-clink sound. My pace grew lighter.

I didn’t know what Freda was relying on, but I decided to accept the gift gratefully.

I wouldn’t be spying, though. Narkis would handle himself.

The room in the center of the second floor of the main building was quick to reach.

Good location, but the room opposite belonged to Aeon, which was nerve-wracking. Since the young lady was the childcare-story protagonist, I had no choice.

I exchanged greetings with the guards watching the young lady’s room in Kyle’s place and went into the room next door.

“Your steps are quite slow.”

And I nearly had a heart attack.

“Eugh…!”

A gloved hand blocked my scream.

A pitch-black figure stood before me.

My heart was pounding wildly—so at least it hadn’t stopped.

As I breathed into someone else’s glove, my eyes adjusted to the darkness.

Luxurious wood, fabric, and the smell of metal blended together. It was definitely not perfume.

Narkis blinked his red eyes and slowly shook his head.

He must mean to be quiet, right?

When I nodded, his hand dropped away. I sucked in a deep breath and spoke quickly.

“The young lady’s room is the one next door, you know?”

“I came to see you.”

Narkis answered bluntly and crossed his arms.

“I told you to come to me.”

“Um… I’m sorry. It was late, so…”

“And what does that matter?”

“Uh…”

Does he really not know? While I hesitated, Narkis continued firmly.

“Today ended safely, but something could have gone wrong.”

Well, sure. At fifteen, maybe he wouldn’t think that far ahead.

“From now on, you absolutely must—”

Maybe I’d jumped ahead a little, but if I got tangled up with a boy four years younger than me like that, I wouldn’t be able to show my face anywhere. Ines might not even give me a recommendation letter.

But maybe it was just my imagination.

It had been strangely quiet from a moment ago.

“Annie.”

“Yes?”

Out of nowhere, Narkis called me and stepped closer, one step at a time.

“If you’re going to think about something else while I’m talking.”

“Huh? No, that’s—!”

“Why don’t you try practicing?”

“You misunderstand! I was listening!”

His sharp red eyes curved into a gentle smile.

“I-I really was…!”

Pinned like a puzzle piece between the corner of the wall and the door, I slid down.

“I’ve said this many times, but you—”

A quiet voice dropped onto my forehead.

“—can’t lie.”

“Wow, me…?”

“You can’t hide your expression either.”

“I see…”

You stop lying! How can you see my face in this darkness?

Your features still look sculpted and sharp in this gloom! You look like a talking marble statue and it’s terrifying! Meanwhile, you probably can’t even tell where my nose or mouth is!

“Say it.”

My internal protests cut off instantly. I swallowed hard.

“S-say what…?”

Narkis placed his right hand beside my ear. Okay, I get it. Don’t move this way?

If I move the other way, that side will be blocked too? Then I’ll be trapped in your arms?

Fine, fine, I get it! I understand why you’re doing something like a wall slam!

I didn’t move an inch and huddled with my hands on my chest.

Narkis whispered slowly.

“What were you thinking to make you smirk like that?”

“Did I smirk? Wow…”

A person can smile a little sometimes!

“You did. While I was talking about your safety being in danger.”

“Right, my safety…”

Is that really something to interrogate this close about?! I can’t even breathe, you!

“N-no, young master!”

Maybe I was oxygen-deprived. My words spilled out before they could reach my brain.

“You were worried about me? As expected of you, young master!”

“……”

His mouth shut tight. Does anything work on him?

Right when I thought that maybe the hypothesis wasn’t bad, Narkis abruptly turned away and stepped back. Amazing.

“Why on earth would Edel like someone like you…”

It was loud for a mutter, but I pretended I didn’t hear.

His sigh followed.

“Tell me what Hillstern said.”

“Yes…”

See? You should’ve just gotten to the point from the start, instead of acting scary.

“She said she was curious how you were doing.”

When I relayed it exactly as I heard, Narkis asked again.

“She really said that?”

“Yes. Maybe she misspoke? What could I possibly find out about you?”

Maybe she meant to talk about the young lady but slipped? Narkis didn’t answer for a long while.

“We’ll know once we see.”

“Ooh.”

“You do as Hillstern told you.”

“Yes, I shall—huhhh?”

I almost agreed without thinking!

“I—young master—me—what?”

“Did you receive compensation?”

“Well, she gave me something, but… huh?”

Is my jewel bracelet really the important part here?!

“She wants me to—to spy?!”

I barely managed to ask, and he replied calmly.

“She’s not telling you to be a real spy. You only need to tell her what I did with Edel. There’s nothing else you could find out, anyway.”

So he was saying I should meet Freda again. Absolutely not!

“Young master, I don’t think that’s a good plan.”

“Perfect timing, then.”

“Perfect…?”

His red eyes blinked twice, and he asked as if surprised:

“Are you angry?”

Are you kidding? Of course I am!

“As if I could be. It’s just that, as you already know, I cannot lie and I cannot hide my expressions, so I believe I am not suited for such a role.”

…is what I said while bowing as politely as humanly possible. Damn.