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chapter 2
“Why should I go through all that trouble just based on your words? What does it matter whose child it is?”
How does it not matter?
Putting aside the fact that I absolutely opposed a playboy male lead, anger surged up inside me.
The beauty asked in a trembling voice:
“Did I make this child all by myself?”
Her voice rose in an emotional outburst.
“I didn’t beg you to stay with me even after I found out I was pregnant! Do you have any idea how cruel it is for a woman to raise a child alone…? You couldn’t even imagine it, Your Grace!”
If Aeon were even remotely human, he should’ve at least offered child support.
“So you’re saying you need money?”
He wasn’t human. Of course he should give money, you bastard.
“If you’re the child’s father, take responsibility.”
The beauty responded more gracefully than I could. Well, if she started cursing, her head would roll.
After a moment of silence, Aeon finally spoke.
“Money or the child. Choose one.”
Is he insane?
“If you choose money, I’ll give you an amount you’ll never see again in your life. But the child dies.”
It’s your child, you bastard!
I almost shouted, forgetting my status as Maid No. 82.
“You didn’t expect me to acknowledge it as my child, did you?”
After shamelessly declaring he wouldn’t take responsibility for the child he created, Aeon turned to leave.
“If you understand, take your child and go.”
“…Give me the money.”
Her voice trembled, but her pronunciation was clear.
The beauty spoke each word firmly.
“I don’t need that kind of child either.”
Aeon sneered.
“As you wish.”
Don’t act like you knew this would happen after forcing her into that choice, you piece of trash!
While I screamed internally, the beauty was dragged out of the reception room by Rupert.
She didn’t look back at her child even once, but her steps were unsteady and heavy.
There was no time to feel sympathy.
Aeon strode toward the baby left alone on the sofa.
Wait—hold on.
Even if this is some medieval-like world…
A baby who might be his own child.
Such a tiny newborn.
He’s going to kill it? Seriously? Right in front of us?
This wasn’t in Maid No. 82’s life plan!
I couldn’t do anything without orders. All I could do was wait for the moment to pass—head bowed deeply, holding my breath. Holly, standing tightly beside me, sniffled faintly.
Aeon extended his large hand toward the baby.
Don’t. You don’t do that. No matter how much of a bastard you are, a Northern Duke doesn’t do that!
I’m dropping out! Whether he’s the male lead or not, I don’t want to watch this romance fantasy anymore!
How do I quit reality? Help me, God of transmigration!
No matter how desperately I searched, no voice echoed in my head.
Why? You gave me my dream job!
You even gave me the stamina and core strength of a twelve-year-old!
Was that the end of my transmigration bonus?
Sure, I did receive more than enough… but still, this isn’t it!
I couldn’t run. I didn’t even have the courage to move.
Would closing my eyes even help?
Tears welled up at the corners of my eyes.
“Da-ddy!”
And then, a miracle happened.
The newborn—who had only just seen him for the first time—recognized him perfectly as “Daddy” and burst into innocent laughter.
Giggle.
“…It’s smiling.”
“Abu-aa!”
“Without even knowing its fate.”
Aeon, who had stopped his hand midair, lifted one corner of his lips.
Only then did a genre I hadn’t considered occur to me.
The kind where he tries to kill his own child, but then goes “Interesting” or “How peculiar” and lets it live…
This childcare story’s father type was “It’s smiling.”
My legs gave out, and I grabbed Holly’s arm. I could feel her trembling hands clutching back.
“I’ve seen enough blood today.”
Making a pathetic excuse, Aeon turned away. The next day—and the day after that—he didn’t kill the baby.
And after a month, he gave the child the name “Edel.”
The servants, completely charmed by the youngest lady of the Trisen Ducal House, began calling her “the spring sunshine of the North.”
Blonde hair and green eyes. Sunlight. Warmth. Any southern-sounding word would do as a nickname.
I realized it was a childcare story, but it still had nothing to do with me.
Whether someone became a doting fool over her in just a month or not, my life was made up of cleaning and laundry.
Busy just trying to survive, Maid No. 82 couldn’t afford to get caught up in episodes like “the first meeting of father and daughter.”
Better run before incidents start piling up. With a letter of recommendation!
Seven years after making that vow—
I ended up digging my own grave.
In my previous life, I won an award at a speech contest when I was seven.
All the kids who participated spoke loudly and clearly.
Around the time I had just graduated college, my seven-year-old cousin once said this:
“My dad said Auntie is dumb, so even though she graduated from a Seoul university, she can’t get a job.”
No matter how much that damn cousin repeated those words like a parrot in front of the kid, by the age of seven, a child could clearly pronounce words like “dumb” and “Seoul university.” He even pronounced “employment” perfectly, syllable by syllable.
But our young lady, now seven years old…
“Daddy! You came?”
…had serious pronunciation issues.
“Edel waited only for Daddy!”
On top of that, she referred to herself by name.
“Why were you waiting for me?”
“To eat dinner wif Daddy!”
“You could have eaten first. You must be hungry.”
“Edel’s okay. Food tastes better when eating wif Daddy.”
And apparently, I was the only one who thought this was a serious problem.
The young lady beamed brightly under the affectionate gazes of the doting father and the servants.
“Edel’s not a baby anymore, so I can wait!”
She was a child, but not at an age where her pronunciation should be that poor.
She recognized her father before even turning one.
She was raised being called a genius.
So why had only her speech development stopped?
I tried to stay away from this childcare story, but as Maid No. 82, it was hard to completely avoid the young lady wandering the mansion.
Every time I heard her childish speech, I felt uneasy.
It wasn’t because I disliked hearing it. If that were the case, Holly—who still used her childhood speech habits—would bother me too.
It also felt off to just brush it off as a cliché of childcare stories.
Because it looked like a child trying to earn love.
The Carter couple raised Annie with unconditional love and devotion.
But Aeon?
He tried to kill his child before she was even one year old, then changed his mind—
Because she was adorable.
Because she smiled brightly and acted cute whenever she saw him.
Had she ever thrown a tantrum?
Every time I saw the young lady being lovable to everyone, everywhere, I was reminded of my past life.
I was a daughter who got scolded just for breathing—for being cold and not cute. I tried to be loved, but at some point, I gave up.
Only after experiencing the Carter couple did I realize:
A child should be loved simply for being a child.
A child is born without choice, into weakness. Surviving in an unfamiliar world is already overwhelming. The effort should be the adult’s responsibility.
But what if the young lady had chosen to become lovable as a survival method?
No matter how old the soul inside was, no matter the reason, whether she was the protagonist of a childcare story or not—my K-daughter DNA engraved into my soul surged up.
You’re making your daughter beg for love? Aeon Trisen, you unqualified parent! May you go bald before your twenties!
I hoped it was all just my misunderstanding.
That she wasn’t trying to earn love.
That she was simply a lovable child.
If that were true, none of what followed would have happened.
“Hi! Were you cleaning?”
The protagonist encountering Maid No. 82 cleaning a guest room wasn’t supposed to be an “episode.”
“Yes, my lady.”
I bowed my head and waited for this ordinary moment to pass.
The only spring sunshine in the North kindly asked even a mere maid:
“What’s your name?”
“Annie.”
“How old?”
“Nineteen.”
“Mmm, I saw you while passing by. I wanted to talk to you.”
“It’s an honor.”
Please refrain from dangerous statements. Maid No. 82 does not want to get involved with the protagonist.
“Should Edel help? It’s hard doing it alone, right?”
“No, it’s alright.”
If you clean, Aeon will come cut my head off.
“Mmm? Edel’s good at cleaning though…”
“It’s really fine.”
“Then Edel will give you this.”
She held out both her tiny hands, filled with chocolates.
Chocolate was a luxury here. I’d only ever eaten leftovers she didn’t finish. For a moment, I nearly lost my mind seeing so much at once.
“Thank you.”
But I accepted them calmly. Please leave now.
“Annie… do you dislike me?”
“…Pardon? Me? Dislike you, my lady?”
That sounded like something that would get me assassinated in my sleep. Startled, I raised my head—
Golden, softly curled hair like it held sunlight!
Emerald eyes sparkling like jewels!
Long, dense eyelashes!
Chubby cheeks and rosy lips!
A fairy in a flowing blue dress stood before me!
Oh my eyes! Is she really spring sunshine? She was dazzling like direct sunlight!
There’s no way something like this came from Aeon.
The moment I realized her mother must’ve done all the work, her beautifully defined features—unbelievable for a seven-year-old—crumpled sadly.
Ugh, my heart! This is definitely my fault!
The shock of seeing her face up close for the first time was overwhelming. Feeling like the worst villain alive, I blurted out:
“No? Absolutely not!”
“But you don’t even make eye contact wif Edel…”
“Me? No way. I’m just not allowed to look directly at you!”
“And you don’t want help… you don’t like chocowate either… sniff…”
“That’s not because I dislike you!”
“Sniff… it’s not?”
What do I do? If I make her cry, I won’t survive the night!
