Chapter 11

As soon as I entered the mansion, I parted with Siegfried.

It was because it had been a long time since the head of the family, Siegfried, had been away from the duke’s family, so there was a mountain of things that needed to be taken care of right away.

“I’m ashamed to leave you alone as soon as I bring you to the townhouse,” Siegfried said, looking very sorry.

“It’s okay, don’t mind me!” I shook my head quickly, saying I was fine.

I’m sure he will mind me anyway, too.

‘I can’t be a troublesome child.’

First of all, all three warriors have declared that they will be my guardians for a while. I don’t have to worry about being kicked out right away, but….

‘To continue to receive protection in the future, I have to work just as hard.’

I clenched my fists.

I had only one goal.

Being a child that is nice, obedient, and useful.

‘Only then will I be able to grow up safely under the protection of the three warriors without being hated by them.’

Okay.

Make a good impression with the warriors and skip this and that until I become an adult!

As I was making up my mind, I suddenly thought of the middle-aged woman I had just met.

‘But…… Why does she hate me so much?’

The cold gaze that looked me up and down, and the deep disgust that crossed over her face.

‘That person and I met for the first time today. Is there any reason to hate me?’

The biggest problem is that the maid seemed to have a very high status among the servants. If I am hated by such a person, there is a high possibility that my comfortable life is likely to be ruined ….

At the moment when I was lost in thought–

“Hello, miss.” A voice as soft as cotton called out to me.

‘What?’

Startled, I glanced back.

A young girl, still older than me and neatly dressed in a maid’s uniform, smiled softly at me.

“My name is Nora. We met briefly earlier, right?”

Oh, right.

I saw her among the servants earlier!

At that time, I was distracted by the middle-aged woman who was glaring at me fiercely, so I couldn’t recognize her right away.

I quickly bowed.

“Nice to meet you. I am Tatiana!”

“Don’t mention it.” Nora, who shook her head, continued softly, “I have prepared the bath water for you. After taking a bath, I will guide you to your room.”

“Thank you very much!”

Ever since I entered the empire, I always went to the inn to wash myself.

Still, because I was in the carriage for a long time, I had no choice but to be in a very dirty state.

‘Wouldn’t I look a lot better to the people in the townhouse if I’m washed clean and looked neat?’

Such a calculation was made.

On the other hand, Nora smiled brightly at how she interpreted my twinkling eyes of desire.

“Then shall we go to the bathroom?”

“Yes, yes!”

I dutifully followed Nora’s footsteps.

‘Wow, what a nice scent.’

When we arrived at the bathroom, which was neatly finished with pure white tiles, the scent of roses wafted through.

I guessed that the scent was coming from the big bathtub over there…..

As I was sniffing, Nora touched my shoulder gently.

“I will help you take off your clothes.”

“Huh? Why?”

I looked up at Nora with a puzzled face.

Then Nora was rather puzzled and looked down at me.

“Hmm? Because I need to help you take a bath…….”

“You don’t have to wash me; I can wash myself.”

For a moment, Nora looked taken aback.

Hey, why is that face like that?

Somehow it seemed that she didn’t quite understand what I was saying, so I added an explanation.

“Nora is busy. So, I won’t bother you.”

“…..….”

While closely observing Nora’s expression while I said that I immediately stiffened my shoulders.

Because I’m a child who won’t reach out. I don’t bother adults. I thought you would be delighted…….

Somehow, Nora’s face clouded like a dark sky!

‘Why the hell are you making that face?!’

I broke out in a cold sweat.

Did I say something wrong? But I’ve been washing up all this time by myself. So, it doesn’t matter at all if I don’t need help, right?

“Miss.”

Nora slowly squatted down, made eye contact with me, and asked a question.

“How old is the miss this year?”

“Four years old.”

“You are four years old…….”

Nora, who had been mulling over my answer, soon smiled broadly.

“Did you say that you would wash alone even though you are so young? I’m so proud of you. But…….”

Nora, who was blurring the end of her words, drooped her shoulders.

“If the Miss does not allow me to attend the bath, I am out of work.”

“What?”

“Of course, I can’t force you if the Miss doesn’t want to, but… ….”  Nora put on a sad expression and slowly lowered her eyes.

‘Is that so?’

I glanced at Nora and nodded as if I couldn’t win.

“Well, if that’s the case, just a little bit of help ….”

“Thank you, miss!”

Nora smiled again.

Ugh, I feel like I’ve been tricked. That couldn’t be it, right?

Feeling suspicious, I took off my clothes with Nora’s help.

And–

“Oh my gosh…….”

Nora was speechless for a moment, looking shocked. Then she hurriedly corrected her expression and got up.

“Well, shall we go into the bath first? You’ll feel better if you soak yourself in hot water.”

Um, does it look that ugly?

I glanced down at my body.

A slender, ribbed body and thin forearms as slender as dry branches.

Well, my body was somewhat weaker than my peers. Still, I’d gained quite a bit of weight while traveling with the three warriors…….

“May I wash your hair?”

“Yes, I’d like that,” I nodded.

After that, Nora washed my body meticulously.

She poured warm water over me, followed by a gentle scrubbing with soap, and then washed off the soapy water.

Her hands were cautious and caring, so somehow my heart was a little moved.

‘It’s the first time… … something like this happened.’

I just wiggled my fingers.

The warriors cared for me in their own way, but since I was a different gender, they couldn’t take care of even the smallest things, like bathing.

So, I guess it really was the first time I’d been taken care of like this.

“Okay, all done.”

Lastly, Nora, who dried me with a towel, put me in a bathrobe. She hugged me to pick me up and headed to the powder room right next to the bathroom.

“If your hair is wet for a long time, you will catch a cold. So, I need to blow the water away as quickly as possible..….”

She murmured anxiously and wrapped my head in a towel.

The hand that dried my hair was soft.

But that was just for a while.

“Oh, my gosh.”

Nora looked down at my hair with a troubled face.

It had to be because of my hair.

The hair that had never been taken care of and grown up on its own, it was a mess just by brushing it off with a towel.

“…… Your hair is very damaged.”

Nora, who unconsciously put on a pitiful expression, hurriedly smiled at me when our eyes met through the mirror.

“Don’t worry too much. I’ll brush it so well that it doesn’t get tangled.”

“Yes!”

Nora brushed my wet hair carefully.

Meanwhile, while Nora was preoccupied with my hair, I subtly asked about the middle-aged woman I had just met.

“By the way, Nora.”

“Yes?”

“The servant who greeted Siegfried earlier. Who is that?”

Then Nora’s hand as she combed my hair slowed down a little.

“Oh, do you mean Countess Ghiberti?”

“The Countess of Ghiberti?”

I raised my ears.

“Yes, she became His Excellency’s aunt. After the death of the former count, she became the general manager of this townhouse.”

Hmm.

I rolled my eyes in thought.

The flow of the original work was roughly like this.

After the three warriors went to subdue the demon castle and Siegfried died unexpectedly, Siegfried’s title was handed over to his cousin.

‘But this time Siegfried came back alive.’

Siegfried’s return, then, wouldn’t be great news, at least for his other cousins ​​who coveted the title of duke.

“Then does Countess Ghiberti have no family now?”

“No, she has a son. He inherited the title of Count Ghiberti.”

“But why doesn’t she live with her son and work as a general manager?”

“Well, the head of the household went to subdue the demon castle, didn’t he?”

Carefully untangling the ends of my tangled hair, Nora quietly continued her explanation.

“Apparently, since the head of the family has been leaving the townhouse empty for a long time, she volunteered and asked if he needed someone to manage it.”

Hey, isn’t that a little strange?

I tilted my head.

As described in the original work, Siegfried’s father was alive and well.

‘Of course, the relationship between the two is the worst.’

Anyway, what I mean!

In other words, there is no need to manage the Orlean townhouse even when she is an aunt because the previous duke could send someone himself.

Nevertheless, Countess Giberti volunteered to enter the townhouse as the general manager. It’s as if she wouldn’t miss the opportunity to get involved with the duke’s family…….

‘Hmm, do I think too twistedly?’

But then.

Thud!

The door opened violently without even a knock.

“Are you still not ready?!”

Countess Giberti, who stormed into the powder room, looked at me and Nora alternately with an annoyed gaze.