TBDS 09

Chapter 9

After swallowing the heat that kept rising inside me several times, I finally managed to open my mouth.

“Use this to buy some medicine and put it on.”

“…….”

I searched through my pocket and held out whatever coins my hand happened to find.

Bastian did not move at all. He only stared straight at my face.

His blood-red eyes, as if filled with blood, looked directly at me. His sharp gaze showed no emotion at all, and I suddenly felt a chill run down my spine.

When he showed no reaction, I forcibly stuffed the wallet into Bastian’s pocket.

“Go quickly.”

Then I gently pushed him away, and only then did Bastian flinch as if waking from a dream. In an instant, he disappeared into the crowd.

Without even saying thank you.

“Th-this is ridiculous! Miss! What on earth are you doing! To a sewer rat who isn’t even worth showing mercy to!”

The baker started shouting angrily a moment later.

“Why does it matter how I spend my own money?”

“Ugh….”

His dissatisfied face clearly showed the words, This is what happens when a young child who knows nothing about the world…

I knew that this was not a fundamental solution.

But no matter how grand and amazing the plan I had made for him was, if I ignored Bastian right in front of me, then who was that plan really for?

Words of pity and sympathy could not fill an empty stomach.

I knew that better than anyone.

‘I’m sorry, Adelaide. Things aren’t very good for me either…. But it’ll be solved soon! Stay strong!’

‘I can’t lend you money, but I’ll pray every day that your family can rise again.’

‘I’m disappointed in you, Adelaide. I never knew you were such a materialistic person!’

The painful memories that came to mind made my stomach feel uncomfortable.

That was when it happened.

“Adelaide? Are you all right? Your face is so pale…. What on earth happened here?”

Uncle Guillaume finally appeared after pushing through the crowd and asked for an explanation.

He must have been quite distracted by the toys, because he was wearing a ridiculous hat and holding a toy carriage and toy soldiers in his arms.

After hearing what had happened, Uncle Guillaume clicked his tongue once and patted the baker on the shoulder.

“Adelaide didn’t do it with bad intentions. And you did sell your bread, so you didn’t suffer any loss. So let’s just let it go.”

“Haa…. All right. Still, please make sure to warn Miss properly. There’s no need to show mercy to people like that.”

The baker glared one last time in the direction where Bastian had disappeared before returning to his workplace.

“Adelaide?”

“…Yes, Uncle Guillaume.”

“Let’s talk about the details when we get home.”

“You did well, though.”

Uncle Guillaume added in a voice so quiet that only I could hear.

“But next time, don’t step in yourself. Call an adult instead. You almost got hurt.”

“I’m sorry. It was the money my parents gave me to buy toys….”

Uncle Guillaume’s large hand came down on top of my head.

“I’m not going to scold you for that. I’m worried about you instead. I’ll buy the toys for you. Since you did a good deed, you deserve them.”

I silently nodded.

“We really do need a nanny.”

At my mutter, Antoine, who had been sucking on the toy soldier we bought last time, stopped and stared at me.

“Antoine, spit it out.”

“Te!”

Ah, what a good boy. Seeing how well Antoine listened to his older sister, he really had to be an angel.

What kind of angel, though….

Hmm….

An angel from a garbage dump…?

‘He’s an angel, so he can be a little bad at cleaning up his toys!’

I let out a deep sigh and began putting away the toys scattered everywhere.

This was the toy soldier we bought that time, and that was the bamboo flute from the East that Uncle Guillaume brought a few days ago.

On top of that, wooden blocks that were constantly waiting to attack people’s feet were scattered everywhere like land mines.

The servants worked hard to clean up every hour, but Antoine turned the playroom into a complete mess in an instant.

The reason was simple.

He was bored.

Playing was fun for a day or two, but even playing around the fountain and watching ants had become boring.

We needed new stimulation and endless dopamine.

I had begged Mom, saying that if we didn’t have a nanny, couldn’t we just go out with a maid instead?

But Mom was stubborn.

‘No! Something like that happened only recently…. For the time being, let’s stay home and play with Mom. Okay?’

With Mom looking so pale that she seemed like she might collapse at any moment, I couldn’t keep insisting.

Please, let us find a good nanny as soon as possible.

Just as I was offering up yet another prayer, I heard a voice.

“Adelaide, Antoine. Are you here?”

“Mom?”

The door to the playroom opened, and Mom came in with her pale face.

She was not alone.

At the unfamiliar face that followed her inside, Antoine and I only stared blankly at each other.

“Miss Bovines, these are my children. This is my eldest, Adelaide, and this is Antoine.”

A woman with shiny black hair elegantly tied up like a bird’s feathers was staring at Antoine and me with lapis-lazuli-colored eyes.

She looked to be in her late twenties or perhaps older, but because of her clear skin and straight posture, the title of lady seemed to suit her better than madam.

“Hello?”

I didn’t know who she was, but since Mom had brought her herself, I should greet her first.

I urged Antoine, who was hiding behind me because he was shy around strangers, and my little brother reluctantly followed me and bowed his head.

“Hellooo….”

His tiny voice was completely lacking in confidence.

“From now on, Miss Camille Bovines will take care of you instead of Madame Severine. So you must listen to her, all right?”

It wasn’t even a very long sentence, but seeing Mom close her eyes and breathe heavily, I suddenly felt my heart sink.

She really hadn’t recovered yet.

“Camille isn’t a noble, but she completed her studies at a girls’ school. She also spent time as Countess Roan’s companion and learned proper manners and refinement. She is an excellent lady. So always behave politely and learn well. Especially you, Adel.”

No wonder she seemed different from an ordinary nanny, starting with the way she stood.

Camille was closer to a governess than a nanny.

“I heard from Countess Roan’s letter of recommendation that she can not only read and write, but also compose poetry, play the piano, paint, embroider, and dance. I suppose it really is true that the Countess taught her like a granddaughter in her later years?”

Camille smiled elegantly and nodded.

‘Education….’

One of the things I regretted most after my family fell was that I could no longer continue learning.

“I look forward to working with you, Miss Bovines.”

“Please feel free to call me Camille. It is I who am honored to meet you.”

At the thought that I could finally satisfy my thirst for knowledge to my heart’s content this time, I already began to like Camille.

Aside from having a new nanny, Antoine needed a friend.

“Antoine, come here for a moment. Don’t you need a friend?”

“A friend?”

“Go over there to Mom and say, ‘Mom, I want to make a friend.’ Don’t tell her I told you to say it.”

Antoine obediently nodded and walked over to Mom, who was dozing in the sunlight. He tugged on her skirt.

“Hmm…? Antoine? What is it?”

“Mom, I want to make a friend.”

“A friend?”

“Did I do good?”

Antoine quickly turned his head toward me and smiled brightly.

Mom’s suspicious gaze followed him, but I desperately pretended not to know anything.

“Hehe.”

…Sigh. Still, he’s a good kid, so I suppose it’s fine.