I Possessed As A Childcare Extra Chapter 32

The long-stretching sunset beneath my feet faded away, and candlelight flickered.

How I ended up freely coming and going from the young master’s room around sunset, I didn’t know. Since it had become official work, there was no risk of rumors.

To be precise, it was the Duke of the North’s office, but it was practically Narkis’s room. He was handling all the real work in place of the Duke, who was busy with outside affairs.

Aeon was still away from the castle. He wouldn’t miss the young lady’s birthday, so he would probably return tomorrow.

“What about the relief supplies?”

Narkis asked as he rose from the window frame.

“I finished the inspection with Mrs. Miller.”

The young lady’s birthday banquet was held for only one day. There was no eve celebration, and the event itself was kept simple. The remaining budget was used for relief supplies.

Having decided to practice noblesse oblige, the young lady gave food and fabric to the people of the territory every birthday. She said that if she’d had money to spare in her past life, she would’ve become a philanthropist.

‘Since I was born rich, I might as well fulfill myself and build some virtue. Even better if it helps me survive.’

She said that, but it didn’t seem like it was for image-making.

The people of the territory even held a festival, calling her birthday “The Day of the Saintess of the North.”

“She’s truly remarkable. To ask His Grace for relief supplies as a birthday gift.”

When Brienne spoke in admiration, Narkis muttered as if to himself,

“My sister is sometimes too clever.”

Was that praise?

“Tell them to check everything once more before distribution.”

He meant to count each item one by one and make sure the numbers were right. Narkis put real effort into the relief supplies, since the young lady’s reputation was at stake.

“Yes.”

Since it wasn’t my job, I answered obediently. Hang in there, servants!

“Once the banquet is over, get plenty of rest. It’ll be busy for a while.”

Normally, January events ended with the young lady’s birthday. In the North, unless you wanted to freeze to death, no one held gatherings in winter. Even attending the young lady’s birthday was half a life-or-death gamble for nobles.

So the young lady suggested celebrating simply with family, but the council protested. They said if you were too cold to attend her birthday, you weren’t a true Northerner. Quite the devoted bunch.

“Did something else come up?”

I was wondering who had decided to risk their life, but an unexpected answer came back.

“We might go to Irendil.”

Irendil was the capital of the empire.

“The young lady too?”

“Our entire family.”

The whole family heading south to the capital? Were they going to start a war? In a non-childcare story, maybe—but not here.

“I won’t know the details until His Grace returns, but if we go to the capital, we’ll likely stay there. Until Edel comes of age.”

Most imperial nobles spent their teenage years in the capital, because they had to attend the Imperial Academy.

Attending the academy was a noble’s duty.

It let the throne keep important heirs as hostages, gather talent in one place, control both politics and high society, and collect money under the name of tuition. It was a perfect way to show imperial authority.

But the Tricen family had neither the duty nor the right to attend the academy.

Maybe the goal was to keep them from influencing the imperial family and central nobility. Giving them the title of “duke” clearly meant, “Just guard your land.”

But the current emperor used a different approach.

There were rumors that the emperor respected the previous duke. Others said he was fascinated by Aeon’s crazy personality. All kinds of stories circulated, but the young lady said she didn’t know much either—except that Aeon absolutely hated the emperor.

The emperor frequently sent imperial orders disguised as greetings, and Aeon visited the capital every two months.

Seeing how furious he got each time, it was obvious what the emperor wanted.

He wanted to become in-laws as soon as possible.

In the original story, that happened early through Narkis’s engagement to the princess. In this childcare version, things had stayed quiet so far. Maybe because Narkis had become obsessed with his sister. Or because he didn’t want to be separated from her.

Either way, what angered Aeon wasn’t a marriage proposal for Narkis.

They must have asked for the young lady instead.

Making the princess part of the ducal family and making the young lady part of the imperial family meant very different things.

Sending a princess to the North meant surveillance. Bringing the young lady into the imperial family meant borrowing the ducal family’s power. The former demanded obedience; the latter sought cooperation.

A shift from obedience to cooperation. Maybe, unlike the original story, attention had turned to the duke’s daughter whom the Tricen family cherished so carefully.

In the original, the imperial family didn’t want Serpin. They already held the upper hand by making a princess the future duchess, and they didn’t want double in-law ties. When the crown prince fell for Serpin, they interfered using her background and every excuse imaginable.

Still, it probably ended in double in-law ties anyway. It would be a cliché where love overcomes even the emperor and empress. After all, the male lead was surely the crown prince.

No matter how much the Tricen family loved Serpin in the original, it wasn’t a childcare story.

What genre was it again? Contractor of the Spirit King, so… an overpowered power-fantasy? The title and the content both felt far from the romance fantasies I used to read, especially since there was no possession or reincarnation.

Well, it was the “original story.” Having an original story inside a possession story would be too much.

In the childcare version, with all kinds of idiots holding things back, even double in-law ties seemed far off.

If the Tricen family visited the capital together while marriage talks with the crown prince were ongoing… it sounded like war, but that wouldn’t happen in a childcare story.

A childcare family heading to the capital. A place full of fresh noble youths.

There was only one thing the young lady would do there.

Choosing the male lead.

It was early, but it was a childcare story.

“You don’t seem bothered.”

A low, gentle voice cut into my thoughts. Only then did I realize how long I’d been silent.

“Yes?”

“You’re leaving your hometown.”

Should I cry? I gave a vague answer instead.

“Well… it’ll be a bit lonely, but I’ll adjust quickly.”

Narkis stepped down from the window frame. I felt him approach silently across the high-quality carpet.

I kept my eyes on the floor.

In my lowered view, I saw his chest wrapped in fur. At twenty, Narkis could no longer be taken in at a glance.

“You talk like it’s someone else’s problem, Annie.”

His voice, unlike before, was gentle and unreadable. I flinched, but I wasn’t a green rookie maid anymore.

“If the young lady goes, I can’t exactly stay behind.”

“I suppose not. If you plan to be buried with our family.”

He still remembered that? It wasn’t a comforting kind of trust.

“When we go to Irendil, I should see the lilacs. They say the whole city blooms.”

“Every spring, it’s covered in lilacs.”

Narkis answered even my random comment seriously, then asked,

“Do you like lilacs?”

“They’re flowers you can’t see in the North. Might as well enjoy them while I can.”

I probably never would. As a fifth-year maid, I could lie like this without blinking.

“Annie.”

“Yes, young master.”

It was never a good sign when Narkis suddenly called my name. Had he noticed?

“I told you not to bow your head to me.”

Did you? I remembered something about not being afraid, at least.

I didn’t understand why he disliked servants acting submissive, but it wasn’t hard to comply.

I slowly raised my head. The view hadn’t changed much—only his broad upper body filled it.

To see his face, I’d have to crane my neck. Surely that wasn’t what he wanted.

“Thank you for your consideration.”

I greeted him with my eyes lowered. Narkis replied slowly.

“You’re welcome.”

I waited quietly until he told me to leave.

Even though it was the young lady’s birthday, Serpin didn’t appear.

Once tomorrow passed, I would leave the Tricen family.

 

 

****

 

 

Narkis felt a sense of unease.

“Annie.”

“Yes, young master.”

So he said something that hadn’t been part of the plan.

“I told you not to bow your head to me.”

It was the first time he had ever said it out loud.

Annie calmly lifted her head.

Narkis became certain. Annie was strangely obedient.

“You may go now.”

“Good night, young master.”

Once he felt certain, everything felt unfamiliar. Hadn’t she always just given a brief bow before?

He stared at the door Annie had left through for a long time when an unnecessary comment reached him.

“You could’ve told her it was a dress you picked yourself.”

“Be quiet.”

If he’d said something that foolish, the reaction would’ve been obvious.

“She’d hate it.”

“Miss Annie might not dislike you as much as you think, young master.”

“Do you really think so?”

“Should I answer as a friend?”

“No. Don’t answer at all.”

Contrary to his wishes, Brienne didn’t stop asking.

“It’s Miss Annie, right? The recipient of those letters you always wrote.”

“That never happened.”

Three years at the academy. Three years at the institute. They’d spent a full six years together. There was no way it hadn’t been noticed, but he denied it firmly.

“Why didn’t you send them?”

“She’d hate it.”

It was only natural. There was no way he could send letters filled with feelings that couldn’t be delivered.

Even after so many years, one thing hadn’t changed.

Annie avoided him. For some reason beyond mere difference in status. Narkis still hadn’t figured out why.

“……But just now, she didn’t.”

He muttered as if replaying it, then his thoughts stalled. Was it really only just now?

‘Since when did her attitude change?’

No matter how he searched his memory, he couldn’t tell. One thing was clear—it wasn’t the first time.

He needed to confirm it.