Episode 12: Caught a Cold.
I woke up in the early morning.
I immediately noticed that something was wrong with Ati.
Her breathing sounded strange. Her face was bright red.
I immediately jumped out of bed and ran to the housefolk in my nightgown.
The Marquis household’s personal physician diagnosed it as a cold.
He said that there were many things that happened yesterday at the Andreu Estate, and that her recent change in environment must have caused her to become exhausted.
I see.
Could it be that she was acting strange last night because of this?
I should have calmed her down instead of letting her get so excited.
I failed…
After the examination, Ati was lying in bed, her face red, panting heavily. There were even some tears in her eyes. She looked like she was really suffering.
I can’t do anything in times like this. I’m so useless… I wish I could take her place.
I’m sorry, Ati. I didn’t notice.
I’m a terrible mother.
As I thought this, I tried to approach the sleeping Ati—
“It would be best if Madam were not here, as the cold may be contagious,” Maggie, the Head Nanny, said, sliding between Ati’s bed and me.
Recently, I’ve been stepping in too much, so she’s been holding back, but this time she came forward as if she’d been waiting for this moment.
“It’s alright. I want to be by Ati’s side when she wakes up.”
I tried to get past her and approach Ati again.
But she circled around and blocked me!
So fast! What was that footwork!? You’re not just anyone, are you!?
I gritted my teeth and took a step back. This wall is thick. Is it impregnable?
“If Madam is here, Ati-sama will be happy and excited. Isn’t what she needs now is rest?”
“Guh…”
She hit me where it hurts.
Come to think of it.
I’m making the Head Nanny’s position a little precarious by being here.
I’m not helping with changing clothes or bathing, but I’ve been sleeping, playing, and eating with her, so her work must have been reduced by about half.
It’s only natural that she’d be hostile.
She poses a danger of isolating Ati and driving her into codependency.
Perhaps, if Ati had been burned yesterday, only the Head Nanny would have taken care of her selflessly, taking the first step towards dependency.
I can’t let my guard down around this woman.
However.
Is she really aiming for codependency from this point on?
There are still more than ten years until Ati gets married. If it’s such a long-term plan from so far in advance, it’s a very patient story.
So maybe—
“I understand. I will withdraw for today.”
I bowed my head slightly. Continuing,
“I am truly sorry that Ati, whom you have been taking such good care of, has caught a cold. I believe there were many areas where I was inadequate.
If you need me, please do not hesitate to call me.”
I apologized to the Head Nanny with the utmost politeness and left the room.
The Head Nanny, Maggie, has been taking care of Ati since she was born.
In other words, she has the pride and conviction that “I know Ati best.”
That’s right.
She’s been taking care of her since she couldn’t communicate, attending to her day and night with regular feedings, dealing with her crying fits, preventing her from falling and getting hurt, and preventing her from drowning in the bath, and after getting through the terrible terrible twos—
A woman who suddenly appeared from nowhere comes in and acts like a mother, of course, it’s not going to be fun.
For example, I can understand if I replace this with my younger sisters. If a caretaker suddenly appeared and pushed me aside with a knowing look, I would be irritated. I’d go and assert that I was the one who changed their diapers.
I remember the game.
The woman who made the Villainess Ati step up from dependence to codependence.
Ati depended on her as the only source of affection, and the Head Nanny satisfied her need for approval by being needed by Ati.
However.
I don’t think this relationship was forcibly twisted that way.
Considering Ati’s position and the Head Nanny’s position, it feels a little natural.
Until I came along, Ati had no one else to feel affection from except the Head Nanny.
For the Head Nanny, this job is the only way to find her own value.
So, the Head Nanny isn’t trying to win Ati over from the beginning, is she?
Rather, she really cares about Ati now and is sincerely facing her, isn’t she?
Uーーーーーーーん.
For Ati, it’s good to receive love from many people.
It’s not healthy to only receive it from one person.
So I’m not going to interfere with Ati’s every move. These things are best left to the right person, and it’s better to have various people give her love and care.
From me and the Head Nanny, and the Marquis, though he’s not very involved. That’s all for now.
Right now, there’s also a distance between her and the housefolk, so I’ll gradually close that gap and make sure she’s loved by many people.
I can work on that.
The problem is the Head Nanny herself.
Maggie only has the position of Nanny.
In other words, herself = Nanny. So, the Nanny’s position is in danger = her value disappears = she feels like she’s being denied, isn’t she?
However.
This is difficult.
In this world, there are very few paths for women to take, and all of them are thorny.
I can’t say something ignorant and irresponsible like, “There are other paths besides being a Nanny, so don’t find value in Ati’s dependence.”
If possible.
I want to raise Ati in cooperation with her.
I have many shortcomings and many things I can’t do.
Is there anything, anything?
A way.
….
Alright.
I made a strong decision and returned to Ati’s room.
“Yes.”
When I knocked on the door of Ati’s room, a slightly subdued reply came from inside.
“It’s Selene.”
When I announced my name in a subdued voice.
“Please refrain from entering.”
A curt reply was thrown back at me. No warmth at all.
Knock, knock, knock.
I’m telling you, I’m persistent.
I knocked on the door, but there was no reply.
Knock, knock, knock.
I’ll keep knocking until you answer.
Knock, knock, knock.
If my hand starts to hurt, I’ll use a tool, so I can knock forever.
Knock, knock, knock.
I’m starting to have fun.
Knock, knock, knock.
Should I make a rhythm?
Knock, knock, knock.
Should I sing?
Knock, knock, knock.
Come to think of it, when I sing, my sisters fly over and cover my mouth.
Knock, knock, knock.
I wonder why.
Knock, knock, knock.
Is it the singing voice of a goddess?
Knock, knock, knock.
Everyone is so captivated that they stop working.
Knock, knock, knock.
My singing is so sinful.
Knock, knock, kno—
“Please stop it.”
The door opened slightly, and the Head Nanny, Maggie, peeked out with an irritated face.
“I would like to talk to Maggie for a bit.”
I asked in a small voice, but
“There’s nothing to talk about.”
Bang.
No room for discussion.
I knocked on the door again, which had been closed again, and
“I’ll keep going until you talk to me.”
I warned through the door.
I waited for a while, but there was no reply, so I started knocking again.
Knock, knock, knock.
Click.
This time the door opened immediately.
“Ati-sama is sleeping. What if it gets worse because of the noise? Don’t you love Ati-sama?”
Maggie, who was very irritated and had a slight vein throbbing on her forehead, showed her face again.
“I’ll stop as soon as I can talk to you. This is a story for Ati’s sake.”
I pressed her without a gap.
The Head Nanny glanced back at Ati and said,
“Please wait a moment. I’ll call another Nanny.”
She said, and returned to the room once, leaving the door open.
Alright. I won.
Maggie, who had been replaced by another Nanny, followed behind me, keeping a little distance (looking very displeased).