CH 37

Chapter 37 Apple Pie and Lady Attendant (3)

Translator: Tseirp

The next morning after spending the night without Nonna.

“When Nonna isn’t around, should I live like when she’s not around?”

I reset my thinking and ran Aleg in the morning, and my meals were simple, focusing on nutrition rather than taste. In my spare time, I devoted it to making black wigs. The wig will be ready soon.

In the evening, after I finished working as an assistant, I visited Miles’ house. I wanted to confirm something.

“Oh? What happened?”

“Miles, can I request for a training partner? I haven’t trained with my brother in a long time.”

“Oh, okay. Anything you’re good with?”

“I have a dagger with a blunt edge.”

“Then I’ll use a mock sword for swinging practices.”

Miles’ practice sword looked heavy and it looked like it would break my bones if struck squarely. The conversation progressed smoothly before the greetings were finished. I could tell that Miles was excited because it’s been a long time since he’s had a match.

“Okay, anytime is fine.”

“Okay, let’s start!”

I ran towards Miles and jumped as Miles held his practice sword in front of him. I kicked Miles’ back around his left shoulder as I spun around.

Miles, who was kicked, regained his posture and turned around while swinging his practice sword. I dodged the sword at the last moment and immediately set up my dagger.

I slipped past the sword that was swung down at me multiple times and then channeled my strength into a side sweep at Miles’ flank with my dagger. When Miles was winded for a moment, I wrapped my left arm around Miles’ neck from behind and at the same time precisely touched my right-hand dagger on his forehead.

“Okay, I’ve cut out both your eyes.”

“You got me! Can I have a rematch?”

“As many times as you want.”

After that, the five-minute matches continued. Miles was at retirement age but was still that skilled.

If he was in active duty, I would not have been able to compete with him.

Both of us were breathing heavily, and sweat was pouring down our eyes. While adjusting my breath, Miles spoke to me.

“What happened to that girl?”

“She’s staying at another house.”

Before I could finish speaking, Miles attacked me. I tried to parry it with my dagger but failed! My right hand felt numb.

While pushing back the sword with all my might, I kicked Miles’ right hip, which was his dominant leg, with my left foot.

“Guh.”

I spoke to Miles, who let out a groan while breathing heavily.

“Actually, I was aiming for the crotch area.”

“An old man’s hip joint is the same as any vital point.”

“Acting like an old man at times like this.”

It was kind of funny and I started laughing.

“Wait a second.”

“Hey, it’s the truth?”

“I can’t stop laughing.”

“Have you finally recovered?”

“Yeah”

“Then would you like some tea?”

“Yes!”

Miles didn’t ask anything. After drinking tea,

“Come back anytime. I really enjoyed it.”

He saw me off with a smile. Eighty percent of that time energized me too. I was able to confirm what I wanted to confirm.

I immersed myself in work every day.

Master Clark was dejected and occasionally gave me looks of reproach.

“I understand what you want to say, but I value Nonna’s feelings.”

With a wry smile, I tried to persuade him.

“I would never let Nonna go.”

“Thank you. Nonna will be delighted to hear you say that.”

Even so, Master Clark had a dissatisfied face.

I did morning runs and horse exercises every day. There were many things to do if I looked for them.

Since the black hair wig was completed, I decided to cut the length of the wig to the length that touches the shoulders. I tied up the hair in small bundles and cut it. Since I had a short haircut, I decided to make a wig for a child with the leftover hair. With the remaining amount, I could only make a hairstyle for a boy with short hair, but I worked while thinking that it would surely look good if Nonna disguised herself as a boy with black hair.

And thus, six days passed. Tomorrow was the night when Nonna will decide her future.

I was awakened by a small noise. I remove the dagger from the cloth bag attached to the back of my bed. The dagger was a double-edged dagger for interpersonal combat.

I slipped out of bed and stood barefoot by the door.

The doorknob was slowly turned from outside.

Of course, it was locked. As I listened, the faint footsteps moved toward the kitchen window.

What should I do?

After some thought, I went to my bedroom and slipped out the window. I thought about stabbing them in the rear the moment they tried to enter through the kitchen window, so I circled the brick house, held my dagger, and went around the second corner.

Then there was Nonna who was struggling to force open the kitchen window with the help of the moonlight. Nonna was wearing a pure white nightgown with plenty of lace sewn into it. Her feet were in delicate white slippers of silk. I hid the dagger around my waist before calling out.

“What are you doing?”

“Wah! You scared me!”

“I’m the one surprised. What are you doing at this time of night? … Anyway, come in first.”

“Yes~”

We went into the house, I turned on the lamp, and wiped the dirty soles of my feet. Nonna had taken off the nightgown that she wore in the living room.

“I hate this, the lace is itchy.”

“Out alone at night dressed like that. It’s like asking a bad person to attack you. I’m glad you came back safely. Why did you do this?”

Dressed in only her underwear, Nonna said, “Wait a minute,” and entered her room, bringing her favorite light blue flannel pajamas.

“You know”

Having said that, she put on the soft flannel pajamas over her head. Then, buttoning it up, she explained her reason.

“My room was locked today. Also, they called me Dolores. They also told me to call them father and mother. I don’t like it. I’m not Dolores, and those people aren’t my parents.”

I was sorry for the Baron and his wife, but I thought (That was what happened after all).

“So how did you get out of the mansion at this time of night? If the door was locked, I’m guessing it wasn’t through the corridor.”

“I hung from the second-floor window on the railing and let go. When I fell, I made sure to roll on the ground. I did as you taught me!”

Seeing Nonna’s proud face made me burst out laughing. It was the way I was taught to do it only in case of emergency. Nonna desperately justified her actions.

“Locked is an emergency. Replacement for a dead child is also an emergency.”

Somehow a weak smile welled up. I warmed the milk, added a little honey, and handed it to Nonna. Nonna drank little by little while cooling it down.

“You knew it was a replacement for a dead child, didn’t you? I think them locking you up is certainly terrible. But you know, you could have not agreed in the first place.”

“At that time, Mrs. Eva was distressed. When Mrs. Eva is distressed, she would squeeze her handkerchief. She was squeezing her handkerchief back then too. That’s why I went. They told me I could refuse too.”

Oh my. Did Nonna also notice Mrs. Eva’s condition?

“Have you ever seen Mrs. Eva distressed?”

“I have. When I was knee-kicking Master Clark, Mrs. Eva came into the room and grabbed her handkerchief.”

Wait wait wait.

Knee-kicking Master Clark? Eh eh?

“Wait a minute. When did you ever knee-kicked Master Clark?”

“I did. He asked me to show him how to do it. Vicky, it’s okay. I didn’t say ‘I did it like this, followed by this, and then this!’ and I didn’t show him everything.”

What have you been doing that I don’t know about?