Chapter 105: What Should I Do?
I looked out at the garden from the mansion window. The wintry desolate garden still had some dark evergreen trees and a few small year round flowers. There was a greenhouse to the east of the garden, that had flowers blooming inside, but no flowers decorated the mansion during the year.
“Nii-syama. noth here yeth?”
It’s nearly time to pick him up. Tomorrow is the start of the weekend, so Nii-sama will return from the dorm. I decided to go to the entrance.
“Leila-sama, where are you going?”
“Wewcome Nii-syama.”
“It’s still too early.”
I froze instantly. This person is my newly attached maid since I returned to the mansion; her name is Natalie. She wasn’t a person from our mansion and was introduced by the Remington House. I wonder if she’s in her late twenties. Apparently, she had lost her husband early and chose to become independent.
The Remington House introduced her to my House because of what had happened with Hannah, to deny that they had any involvement in the incident, and to show that the relations.h.i.+p between the Remingtons and Albans wasn’t bad. She took care of their youngest daughter and understood how to raise a n.o.ble child.
But, if this were Hannah, then she would say, “I don’t think he’s back yet, but do you want to go and see?” She always knew what I wanted and accompanied me. I sighed because I hadn’t noticed this.
“Buth, I shthiww wanth tho go,” I said and headed to the door. Natalie opened the door without saying anything in particular.
When I went out of the room, a large man was standing there. On his waist was a sword, no a Rhodolite sword.
“Leila-sama, where are you going?”
“The enthrance.”
“Understood,” he said and followed the two of us. I sighed again as if I didn’t notice.
When I returned home, a lot of things had changed. No, not a lot. It was when all the servants were gathered at the entrance to welcome me back, and I tried to go to the second floor. The stairs that I climbed with Otou-sama were the same, but Otou-sama stopped me when I tried to go east.
“Lei, the room you’ve been staying in now has a large balcony, so it’s dangerous. I prepared a new room for you next to mine in the west wing, so that will be your room from now on. Luke’s room is nearby too.”
“Ai!” I replied cheerfully, and the room I was taken to was a cute light pink room which was a bit bigger than my old one. A big bed used by adults, and a small, low one was placed to the right of the room.
“There are stairs so you can get on and off easily. I made it bigger because I’ll also sleep with you.”
“A-ai.”
Well, this much is okay for a Four Marquis House.
“You’ll be having breakfast and dinner with Otou-sama from now on, so make sure to get up early.”
“Ai. I wowe up properwy in Weshther.”
I got up properly and went to work. Though, I was only building blocks at the place where Alistair and Bart worked.
“I see,” that was all Otou-sama said. Then, he explained the room and put me down. Apparently, he doesn’t want to hear much about Wester. By the way, he’s been holding me ever since I came back.
“I also gave you an exclusive maid and guard. The guards will alternate between a few people, but you only have one main maid. You’ll probably remember them all straight away.”
“Guard?”
I understand giving me a maid, but why a guard?
“We haven’t caught the people who kidnapped you. I also heard that you were kidnapped in Wester. I don’t think you would get kidnapped again from the mansion, but I decided that it would be alright for you to have a guard until you get a little bigger.”
“Eh, umm.”
“You don’t want them?”
“Annoying.”
Otou-sama laughed.
“The hunters could guard you in Wester, but it isn’t the same here. They won’t get in your way, so can you put up with it for my peace of mind?”
“Ai…”
Nii-sama also told me to be careful because it’s easy for people to kidnap me. It can’t be helped if it will put them at ease.
“And, this is Natalie, your exclusive maid. She will inherit the work that Hannah did. I heard that she took care of their youngest daughter, so she’s fine with babies.”
“Ai. Nathawie.”
“Yes, Ojou-sama. My name is Natalie. Pleased to meet you.”
“Nice tho meeth chu.”
A soft aura transmitted from the guard when I said that, but Natalie didn’t smile. She probably didn’t want to come here. However, Otou-sama didn’t seem to notice.
The next day was the weekend, so I spent the whole time with Otou-sama and Nii-sama. I was able to go to many places in the mansion and garden that I couldn’t before because I was too small. I had fun. However, Nii-sama returned to the dorms once the weekend was over, and Otou-sama had work, so I quickly ran out of things to do.
I saw Otou-sama off and returned to my room, but I didn’t know what I should do until noon. There were new toys and books in the room, and they’re alright for a baby to play with. But, I couldn’t hear Brendel’s voice as he talked to the customers who came to the shop, and there were many people in the shop even though I was in the back, that’s why I could secretly play with the magic boxes.
I glanced up and saw that Natalie was staring at me. Otou-sama probably chose her because she didn’t look like Hannah. Chestnut hair and light brown eyes. She’s more beautiful than cute. Let’s ask this person to play dress-up with the Rug Dragons. No, that’s awkward.
I sighed for the first time since returning to the mansion.
Alright, let’s go outside. I stood up.
“Nathawie, go ouths.h.i.+de.”
“Ojou-sama, it’s already cold outside.”
“Wear coath. Ith’sh fine.”
“Really?”
Natalie gave in, so I put on my new poncho and went outside.
“Ojou-sama, where are you going?”
“Ouths.h.i.+de.”
“It’s freezing outside.”
“Coath. Ith’sh fine.”
The guard outside also stopped me. I slowly walked down the stairs by myself and took Natalie and the guard out to the garden. I walked steadily around all the places I could see from the window. At the beginning of spring there is gra.s.s, insects and sometimes lizards. It was a fun garden where I wandered around with Hannah.
However, the gra.s.s was withered now and cleaned up. Still, the green gra.s.s which was still growing was neatly groomed, but they weren’t long enough to even make a whistle. It was almost winter, so I couldn’t find any bugs either.
Even if I catch a bug, no one would laugh and get angry at me.
I wonder what I should do. I could only stand in the cold wind at the beginning of winter.