🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 9
I Reincarnated as an Extra in a Parenting Story
The laundry room was full and wouldn’t let us in. And that’s where the hot water came from.
Seeing Holly’s red hands, I felt a twinge of resentment toward the Mage Tower. If they had the technology to make hot water gush out, they could have at least made a washing machine too.
“If it’s tea poured by the young master, I can take it myself. Ah, of course, only if it’s cooled down!”
Of course, Holly’s nonsense wasn’t the Mage Tower’s fault—it was mine.
She had been called in just because she was close to me, while a mountain of leftover chores loomed over us. No wonder her mind was on the verge of breaking.
Even though I had said I could do it alone, Holly refused to leave. She said I wouldn’t be able to come back before sunset on my own.
‘You know ghosts appear around this time. You’d be scared to go alone.’
Even though she said that, I knew she stayed for my sake.
“You’re really brave, though. How can you say that to the young master? Ah, if it were me… I would have fainted the moment our eyes met…”
Holly sighed deeply, pressing her forehead as if dizzy.
Since she said she liked the burly, beastly type, it wasn’t romantic—it was admiration.
I smiled bitterly.
“Yeah… I should’ve just fainted…”
I hated that I was a coward who regrets things after doing them.
“Annie, I like how you seem like you wouldn’t, but you’re secretly thick-skinned and brave.”
“I hate it… I hate that about me…”
“No, no. I mean it, I like it.”
Splashing, Holly paddled along in rhythm, defending my fragile self-esteem.
“Holly…”
Tears welled up, but I held them back—I didn’t want to break down in sobs like three years ago.
Sniff! Yeah, today I’m not alone!
“Never go anywhere and just live with me forever!”
Holly flat-out rejected my obsessive, almost possessive proposal.
“Nope! I won’t! I’m going to live with a burly, beastly man!”
And the only person that fit that description in the vicinity was one: Holly’s father, Uncle Will.
He was nearly two meters tall, with a frame capable of hiding two adults, yet Holly was looking for a man bigger than her dad.
“There’s no one like that! Such a man doesn’t exist!”
“Kya-ha-ha!”
Unaware of my inner thoughts, Holly laughed lightly, shaking my shoulder vigorously.
“What man? What are you talking about?”
Her pure voice, asking without prior thought, could only belong to one person we might meet at the laundry.
“Wow, it’s Kyle, who’s half a burly, beastly man!”
“Huh?”
Kyle emerged from the bushes like a deer, blinking his blue eyes.
Holly shook her head, genuinely pitying him.
“Geez… tsk, tsk. I wish you’d eaten more while growing up. What are you going to do with that stick-like body?”
By Holly’s standards, it wasn’t normal—but Kyle was far from stick-like.
He was tall enough to make you look up for a while, with a thick neck, broad shoulders, and long, solid limbs—a perfect candidate for a knight.
Though hidden by clothes, his muscles must be impressive. By Holly’s standards, maybe not enough.
Kyle chuckled nervously, timidly rebelling.
“I’m not done growing yet.”
“Then eat more, would you?”
“I’ll try.”
Kyle sat next to me, naturally picking up the brush.
Come to think of it, I wasn’t really alone three years ago either—Kyle was there.
“Do the two of you wash such a big thing together?”
Even when asked as a casual greeting, I answered gloomily.
“Yeah…”
“Why do you scold our Annie like that?”
“Me? Did I?”
Kyle asked in surprise, approaching with drooped eyebrows.
“Sorry, Annie.”
“No, it’s okay…”
I really need to fix my habit of shoving my face into problems first. Today, I avoided his uncomfortable gaze and bowed my head.
“It’s my fault…”
“No, no. Annie’s not at fault. Shush.”
“What’s wrong? Did something happen?”
What could I call it?
I had bolted from Narcisse’s room, carrying a rolled-up carpet as I ran.
‘Annie, running in the hallway? You’re not in your right mind! Why are you carrying a carpet?’
At times like this, Ines would appear like a ghost, and I’d pant as I reported the situation. Most of it was nonsense.
‘The young master Narcisse spilled all the tea in front of you?’
Ines, surprisingly, understood the essence.
‘…Alright, you’ll have to wash that. I’ll lay out a new carpet, so go. You should take Holly with you.’
A shadow of worry appeared on Ines’s usually strict face. She had been the head maid since Sarah started working and had watched me grow up.
‘Watch your words and actions, understood?’
Ines held my hand and repeated her warning.
Gradually, reason returned, and I realized: it was certain now.
I’d not only been targeted by the “parenting story” older brother but also earned his dislike.
I stared at Kyle’s reflection in the water. His bright blue eyes remained clear despite the ripples.
‘Master Narcisse doesn’t keep people he dislikes around. If he hated you, you’d be dismissed.’
When Kyle said that, I had thought he was being nonchalant. But if he’s right, and I’ve become someone he dislikes… what now?
“Annie, is it hard to talk about?”
“It’s nothing, really…”
I felt sorry for worried Kyle, but I didn’t have the energy to bring it up again.
“When does summer end?”
Narcisse, who attended the Royal Academy, only stayed here during summer break, except for big events.
Even though my answer was off-topic, Kyle answered dutifully.
“Huh? In a month and a half?”
“A month and a half left…”
Kyle, who had been watching me closely, continued brushing the laundry instead of asking more questions.
“If we want to finish this today, we have to hurry.”
“Yeah, let’s finish quickly and grab the leftover snacks from the dining hall.”
We finished the laundry before sunset. I sent the snacks I had secretly grabbed from the dining hall to Kyle, and Holly and I completed the remaining chores.
By the time lights-out came, I collapsed onto the bed. I curled up under the covers, listening to Holly’s even breathing as she fell asleep immediately.
A month and a half…
Would I last until then?
Maybe I should just get the recommendation letter tomorrow.
Sigh… Miss…
What do I do? Miss’s older brother hates me. I should probably find another ally.
Even though I had sobbed myself to sleep, Narcisse didn’t come looking for me starting the next day.
