I Possessed As A Childcare Extra Chapter 36

“I am deeply honored…”

“Honored?”

“I will treasure it as a family heirloom for generations.”

“For generations, huh. I suppose I don’t need to worry about your family’s future.”

Narkis returned my words to me with a bright smile. If that smile meant he held grudges, then I was doomed—because I was the one who’d blurted out something completely irreversible first.

Why did I say something like that?! The future of the grand ducal house? Marriage? Even the elders don’t say things like that?  That basically means I called him an old fossil, doesn’t it?! Why did my sanity come back so late?!

“I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“For making a scene.”

“I’ve seen worse.”

…Should I be relieved?

“Since you asked me, I’ll ask you too.”

Narkis paused before continuing.

“What do you plan to do?”

This was the moment to deploy every bit of etiquette I’d learned.

“I’m not sure what you mean.”

Polite. Precise. What on earth are you talking about?

“I’m asking if you plan to settle down.”

Should I dress it up with flowery language?

“I regret my own meager insight for failing to grasp your intentions, Young Master.”

“So…”

Why was he hesitating?
It felt like our positions had somehow reversed.

“I’m asking if you have plans to marry.”

I desperately needed my online friends.

Title: My boss asked about my marriage plans
Body: I don’t think he’s trying to fire me. I asked first while drunk, and now he’s asking me back. I’m quitting alcohol.
But my boss is the chairman’s sonㅠㅠ
He’s not married himself, so why is he asking me?
Is it okay to answer honestly?
Shouldn’t he ask if there’s even a man first?

All useless. I was stuck in a romance-fantasy world with no internet and no smartphone.

If a maid made a drunken mess, the young master had the right to remain silent.

If the young master made a sober mess, the maid had to answer.

“…Um. Not for the time being.”

“So, none.”

The way he repeated it was oddly thoughtful. Was he planning to bind me with a lifelong servant contract?

“Irendil is full of troublesome people, but it’s safer than here. The weather’s clear and warm.”

Narkis changed the subject and looked out the window— at a view completely different from Irendil.

“Edel may remain there.”

Was he considering the young lady’s marriage?

“What would you like to do?”

The question caught me off guard. He asked as if I had a choice, and I almost believed it.

“I’ll naturally stay by the young lady’s side.”

My place was already decided. At least until I left Tricen.

“If it’s Edel, she’ll do what you want.”

He was right. If I said being a maid didn’t suit me and I wanted other work, she would understand.

Of course, that was just an excuse. I couldn’t exactly say I wanted to avoid getting dragged into her fate.

Narkis continued calmly.

“If you like Irendil, you could stay with her… or return here.”

Letting servants choose their workplace— not bad benefits, honestly. I hoped those staying behind enjoyed them.

“There’s no way I’d leave the young lady behind.”

Narkis fell quiet. Maybe I sounded too soulless.

“We can’t leave the territory unattended forever. Someone will have to return.”

Then he added something unexpected.

“The Grand Duke is still His Highness, after all.”

Meaning Aeon should eventually return north.

Logically, that made sense.

In a childcare story, though? Not a chance. As long as the young lady was in Irendil, the whole family would stay together.

So why bring this up now? Why tell me who had to return?

“……”

“……”

The silence stretched.

The snow-covered scenery was tranquil. The noise of the banquet didn’t reach us.

I fixed my gaze on the full moon peeking through the clouds.

“The weather cleared up.”

With moonlight this bright, it was obvious.

“Yes… it did.”

Standing in a hallway at night, talking about the weather with Narkis.

It reminded me of the past. Five years ago, we’d just walked aimlessly.

Back then, even past lights-out, summer nights weren’t as dark as this.

I never thought I’d watch the moon with him like this again. Thinking it might be the last time made me feel strange.

“I only heard much later.”

When Narkis spoke again, I had a feeling we were thinking of the same day.

“The ghost that appeared in summer.”

The dark window reflected us like a mirror. I hoped I couldn’t see my own face. I didn’t know what expression I’d be making.

“It’s been gone for quite a while now.”

The aftermath of violence wasn’t something he’d want to remember.

That night five years ago, I worried I might’ve stolen his refuge.

Every night on lights-out duty, I circled near his bedroom, afraid he’d look for somewhere else to sleep instead of the cleaning closet.

I couldn’t easily ask if he was okay now.
It wasn’t my place.

“I’m glad you grew up healthy, Young Master.”

I regretted it the moment the words left my mouth. I shouldn’t have said that either.

“Annie.”

He’d called my name countless times before, yet this time felt different.

Why did he say it like that?

“I’m glad it was you who found me.”

I turned as if enchanted.

The northern winter night illuminated Narkis.

Since when had he been smiling at me like that?

Thud.

It felt like falling from the top of Moonmist Castle straight to the ground.

Not just a feeling— my heart dropped.

It began to race uncontrollably.

In an instant, it swallowed all my senses.

“Annie.”

“I—!”

I had to run.

“My head—! It hurts!”

“It hurts?”

“I’ll head inside!”

“…I was—”

“Good night!”

I ran without looking back.

After turning two corners, I reached my room and locked the door immediately.

“Huff… huff…”

Clutching my heaving chest, I screamed silently.

“Aaaargh…!”

I almost kissed him! I thought I was going to be executed! A maid who rubbed lips with the young master and survived? No way!

“Aaaah!”

Was I insane? Was it the bottle-chugging?! If I ever chug again, I’m not human!

“…Ha.”

I collapsed, burying my face in my knees.

The warmth of my skin seeped through the dress.

My drunken habits were not randomly kissing people.

That man already charms people just by standing still— and he had the nerve to smile like that right in front of me?!

I thought I’d gotten used to watching him grow up over the years. I’d seen him smile plenty of times. He even smiled when angry!

But that smile just now wasn’t normal.

It was the kind of smile you only see a few times in your life— the kind you see in dramas, even in your past life—

A seductive smile.

The one Jessie used on Kyle.

Why would someone who already seduces people just by breathing do that?!

…He probably just smiled normally. A man beyond human standards happened to smile at the wrong moment, and I lost my mind.

What did he say again?

That he was glad it was me who found him?

“Haaah…”

I was the one who should be glad I ran before kissing him.

If I’d died there, it would’ve been humiliating.

I stripped off the dress Narkis had personally chosen and collapsed onto the bed.

Medieval-style makeup didn’t need chemical removers. I decided to wash properly in the morning and slipped my hand under the pillow.

I couldn’t feel the letter of recommendation.

 

 

***

 

 

Early winter, just a few weeks before the young lady’s birthday. When I asked for a letter of recommendation, Ines wrote it calmly.

“If you wish to leave, then you should.”

“Thank you, Ines.”

“Wherever you go, live well. Don’t draw the attention of those above you. Understood?”

“I’ll remember that.”

I expected a long lecture about the virtues of servants, but… Ines might have cared for me more than I thought.

Holly reacted like she’d seen it coming.

“You always wanted to leave this place.”

“…Was it that obvious?”

“Did you ever try to hide it?”

Leaving the North also meant parting with the Carter family. This wasn’t an age where travel was easy like in my past life, and commoners rarely had holidays.

Holly didn’t seem upset.

“Be careful around others. Especially the eldest young master.”

The fact that she named him specifically made it seem like she had guessed why I was leaving.

The young lady’s twelfth birthday had long been my deadline. If Serphin didn’t appear by then, it meant the young lady was definitely the protagonist.

But then, the letter of recommendation disappeared.

I felt under the pillow again, finding nothing, and an uneasy feeling crept in.

Had the door been locked? I couldn’t remember whether I’d opened it with the key when I rushed in earlier.

I lit a candle and searched the room, but nothing turned up.

It wasn’t like I was leaving immediately, pushing through the northern cold. I could always ask for another letter—but the fact that it vanished on the very day I’d set as my deadline bothered me.

It didn’t make sense that someone stole it. What would anyone even do with someone else’s letter of recommendation? Pretend to be me and get hired?

A high-ranking noble’s maid had a known name and face. It would be exposed with even a little digging. It made more sense to get a recommendation under one’s own name.

Even after daylight came and I searched again, it was nowhere to be found.

Was it really stolen?

By whom?
And why?

While going about my morning duties with that uneasy feeling, Oliver came to the young lady’s room.

“Miss Annie. Young Master Narkis is calling for you.”

There was no need to wonder why he’d want to see me in broad daylight, when I’d usually see him after sunset anyway.

Just as predicted, sunlight poured in through the office window. Brien was nowhere in sight.

Narkis, who had been looking out the window, slowly spoke first.

“A maid came to see me at daybreak.”

When Narkis turned around, my head lowered on its own.

“She handed this to me and asked to become Edel’s maid.”

Flutter. I heard the sound of paper being waved.

His low, clear voice came closer.

“She said that someone preparing to leave without their master’s permission wasn’t qualified.”

I remembered Reina telling me to watch my surroundings carefully.

“That maid was sent back home. Her name was… Cynthia Danbury, I believe.”