Chapter 14

After a while.

“I know very well that my aunt has taken care of my townhouse in many ways until now,” Siegfried spoke politely. “I appreciate that you are concerned about the books, but in my opinion, the child is more important than a few books.”

“…… my Lord?”

“Of course, as my aunt said, a child can accidentally stain a book while handling it. But I can handle that much,” Siegfried said as he drew a line gently but firmly. “So, I’m trying to give a little more priority to the child I’m supposed to look after than the books.”

Wow.

My eyes sparkled.

Taking my side while being polite to the other person. What an impeccable speech!

“The food is getting cold. Please finish your meal.”

Siegfried raised the spoon with an elegant movement and invited the countess.

“…… Yes, my Lord.”

The countess bit her lip and grabbed the tableware.

I smiled inwardly.

You’re a good talker, my warrior! You’re the best warrior!’

Well, after that, a pleasant mealtime ensued.

After going so much of my life without proper access to sustenance, I was invested in eating and drinking like no other.

I scooped chicken out of a cream stew and messed around with it, and layered jam and butter on white bread.

“Wow.”

It was like heaven when I took a bite of the soft white bread.

‘Wow, it’s so good!’

Oh my, is it okay for me if I can’t help it but smile at this wonderful taste?

When I was grinning–

“Tatiana.”

Siegfried, who was sitting in the top seat far away, called me.

‘Hmm?’

When I looked back at Siegfried with my eyes wide open, he tapped his lips.

“There’s jam on your lips.”

Oh!

I hurriedly tried to pick up the napkin, but Countess Ghiberti moved a little faster.

“Oh my gosh, Miss.”

Right next to me, a hand holding a napkin came out of nowhere.

“I will wipe it for you.”

Contrary to the gentle way of speaking, the movement of the napkin rubbing the corners of my mouth was quite rough.

‘Hey, it hurts?!’

The corners of my mouth felt so bitter that tears welled up in my eyes.

Soon after, the Countess took away the napkin and she smiled brightly.

“Okay, it’s clean.”

“Yes…….”

‘Ugh, I think my lips are chapped…….’

I secretly glared at countess Ghiberti, while I was touching my sore mouth with a tearful face.

Are you going to keep bullying me like this?

‘No, let’s hold it in.’

Today is my first day at the townhouse. Right now I have to look like a good child somehow.

I suppressed my anger and pushed the jam-covered bread into my mouth.

***

“I’m sorry, Tatiana.”

As soon as the meal was over, Siegfried jumped up.

“I think I must get up first.”

“It’s okay!” I quickly shook my head. “Thank you for eating with Tati!”

“You’re saying all sorts of things.”

Siegfried clicked his tongue briefly.

“You should finish your meal slowly and take a good rest today.”

“Yes!”

As I smiled brightly to look as gentle as possible, Siegfried followed me with a light smile.

Then, he quickly walked out of the dining room.

Then.

“Stop using these utensils now.”

The countess stole the children’s cutlery from me!

“Because it’s much better to get used to adult tableware from the beginning.”

…… What?

I looked back at the countess.

All of a sudden? Was there any real reason to adapt to adult tableware already?

If you just waited until your hands got a little bigger anyway, it wouldn’t matter if you used them from then on, right?

This is completely irrational! A ridiculous power struggle!

But instead of returning the children’s tableware to me, the countess crossed her arms and glanced at me.

Well, I’m not going to back down until I’m done eating….

“…….”

I looked down at the leftovers with blank eyes.

‘No, I can eat it.’

With a firm determination, I grabbed a heavy spoon.

With the aim to eat as cleanly as possible, I carefully dipped my spoon into the stew.

‘No… … Why is this too heavy….. ?’

I managed to grab it, but it was so heavy that I couldn’t move the tableware properly.

Still, I tried to take a bite somehow, so I opened my mouth.

Plop!

“…….”

I looked down at the spilled chicken and cream sauce on the tablecloth with cloudy eyes.

Then, the countess clicked her tongue and muttered as if she wanted me to hear it.

“She doesn’t know how to follow table etiquette at all, and she eats profusely. I can’t look at it because it’s vulgar, really.….”

Be patient, you must be patient. It is said that you could avoid murder if you endured three times.

When I was muttering to brainwash myself–

“Well, general manager.”

Someone cautiously opened her mouth.

That person…….

‘Nora?’

My eyes widened and I stared at Nora.

“What?”

Countess Ghiberti raised her eyebrows and looked at Nora.

At that fierce gaze, Nora stiffened her flinching shoulders.

But–

“Since the miss is still young, it would be inconvenient for her to use adult tableware.”

“Therefore?”

“Um, I guess it’s better to use children’s tableware now…….”

Nora spoke clearly, albeit with a trembling voice.

But if Ghiberti had such a commonsense personality, she wouldn’t have bothered me like this in the first place.

“Who dares to ask me to take back my order?”

Countess Ghiberti glared at Nora with a fierce look.

“Who told you to put the children’s tableware here in the first place?”

“I-It’s me.”

“Who are you to bring tableware of your own will?”

“…….”

At the insulting remark, Nora blushed and bit her lip.

The countess sarcastically asked to hear it again.

“What are you going to do if you raise the child too much and she thinks she is a real princess?”

“Manager, that’s……!”

Nora, who had been contemplating, tried to stop the countess somehow, but the countess didn’t budge.

“How long do you think she will stay in this townhouse?”

I opened my mouth wide.

Wow, how could you change your attitude like that as soon as Siegfried left? No matter how bad you feel, you’re saying everything!

Meanwhile, Nora freaked out.

“Manager, the Miss is listening!”

“Who cares? Tell her to listen.”

Countess Ghiberti shrugged her shoulders and looked down at me with a sidelong glance.

“She wouldn’t even understand what I’m talking about anyway.”

…… Hey, I have ears too?

No matter how much I look like a four-year-old kid, how can you look down on people like that in person?

“Well, still.”

Nora tried to protest somehow.

“Who are you to tell me what to do?”

Countess Ghiberti only shot Nora fiercely.

“…….”

Nora eventually had no choice but to keep her mouth shut.

“Anyway, clean the tablecloth that the kid soiled. Okay?”

The countess, who shot back sharply, left the dining room like a cold wind blew.

Nora stared at me with pitiful eyes.

“Well, Miss.”

“Uh?”

“What the general manager just said now, I mean…….”

“It’s okay, Tati doesn’t even know what she was talking about.”

It was really okay, so I gave Nora a grin.

Don’t worry too much, that kind of power struggle is nothing compared to the Devil’s Castle!

“…….”

But Nora’s face only faded more and more.

‘Sigh.’

To change the heavy atmosphere, I pulled Nora’s collar as if I didn’t know anything.

“You know, Nora.”

“Hmm?”

“I want to be a polite person. How do you eat like this?”

I pointed to the numerous tableware lined up on the table.

Nora then bit her lip, then opened her mouth resolutely.

“My lady, you are not rude.”

“…… Uh?”

“Don’t pay attention to what the manager says. You haven’t even learned it yet, so how should you know how?”

Then she took a spoonful of cream stew and held it out to my mouth.

“The tableware for adults is too heavy, so I will feed you today.”

“Uh…….”

“Can you say ‘Ah’? Mhh?”

“…….”

It was a bit embarrassing for some reason, but I quietly opened my mouth.

‘It’s because I can’t ignore Nora’s sincerity, it’s not because I’m a child!’

I resolved to hold back the shame in the face of her sincerity.

Meanwhile, Nora, who put food in my mouth, smiled at me.

“Do you like it?”

“Yes!”

I nodded broadly.

Siegfried said, ‘It will taste better than what Cesar cooked’, and it was a dish worth being confident about.

Hmmm, is this the work of an expert?

***

Waiting for Tatiana to finish her meal, Nora carefully picked up the child.

Nora thought the poor little thing must have been very tired from the accumulated fatigue after such a long trip, so she thought walking around the spacious mansion would hurt the girl’s legs.

Tatiana quietly fell into Nora’s arms.

By the way–

Shhhred. 

As soon as the child grabbed Nora’s collar, it tore open.

“Ugh.”

The contemplative Tatiana froze in place.

“Oh, your clothes are torn…….”

“It’s okay, Miss!”

Nora waved her hands in a hurry.

“Never mind. It’s not the Miss’s fault.”