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Chapter 10
“Teddy, young master!”
Someone called out my father’s name and stepped out from between the servants. At that moment, Grandfather’s gaze also reflexively turned toward the voice.
“N–N–Nanny? H-how are you here…?”
“Oh my goodness! Young master! You’re alive!”
In the original story, she was mentioned only in a single line—bundled together with retired servants without any specific description.
Cecilia, the retired servants, and those who had once received small acts of kindness from Magnus that he himself no longer even remembered.
Each of them repaid that kindness in their own way.
They risked their lives to create that opportunity. Thanks to them, Magnus was able to escape the imperial capital without being discovered by the imperial army.
The small woman dressed in ordinary clothing—someone you could see anywhere—was the card I had borrowed.
At the same time, she was the nanny who had raised my father and his brothers. As expected, my father looked extremely surprised but also subtly pleased to see her.
After all, she had raised three children from infancy. Even Grandfather wouldn’t be able to treat her carelessly.
Glancing back, I saw Grandfather watching both the nanny and my father with unreadable red eyes. When their eyes met, he even nodded lightly in greeting.
The young attendants who had looked ready to rush forward and stop the nanny suddenly pretended nothing was happening.
The nanny held my father’s hand for quite a while, gently stroking it without saying anything. My father avoided her gaze and awkwardly scratched his cheek.
“Travel safely. This nanny always prays to God for you. Just stay healthy… healthy… Don’t get hurt. Stay safe.”
“What do you think I am, a child? I’ll be fine, Nanny.”
“To me, you’re still the young master.”
“…I’ll be going.”
“Wait! You should greet the Master as well!”
“What?”
“Surely you weren’t planning to leave on such a long journey without saying a word? I certainly didn’t raise you that way.”
“Well…”
Thank goodness. I sighed inwardly.
It seemed Müller had delivered my message properly.
“If you leave without saying goodbye, you’ll regret it.”
“Why would I regret it?”
“Are you sure you won’t?”
“Of course! …Of course.”
For a moment, conflict flickered across my father’s face.
I didn’t miss that moment and stepped forward in front of the nanny.
“…Hello.”
“Young Master Teddy, who is this…?”
“…Irina. My daughter.”
The nanny’s eyes widened.
“Oh my…” she murmured repeatedly in admiration.
The tense atmosphere that had felt like a tightly stretched string dissolved instantly with her warm reaction.
“You wouldn’t embarrass this nanny in front of your daughter, would you? Come now. Miss Irina is watching—you should set a good example.”
I felt as if a tight knot in my chest had loosened.
There was only one thing I had to do right now.
I forced the sleepiness out of my eyes and replaced it with bright determination. My father tried to endure my sparkling gaze, but his face gradually twisted before finally sinking.
“…I will go.”
“This nanny’s hearing isn’t very good these days.”
“I’ll be going now! Happy?”
“Well done.”
“I told you to stop treating me like a child…!”
Despite his words, when the nanny gently patted the back of his hand in approval, the corners of his mouth twitched upward.
And her gentle yet irresistible command extended even to Grandfather.
“Master?”
When she addressed him, Grandfather flinched slightly and stiffened.
The servants had turned pale and were watching his reaction carefully.
Perhaps they hadn’t intervened not only because of Grandfather’s silent permission—but also because they were too shocked to react.
“…Those things originally belonged to you. So bring them back before it is too late.”
His tone was blunt and businesslike, devoid of affection.
But the sentence—they originally belonged to you—carried the meaning that he acknowledged my father.
My father seemed to understand that too; his expression shifted subtly.
“Müller. I’ll leave the rest to you.”
Grandfather said that and immediately turned around, heading back into the main building.
Now that the goodbyes were done, there was no reason for him to stay.
Still, the way he walked away looked strangely hurried—almost like he was running away.
As soon as Grandfather left, the heavy tension that had weighed down the air lifted like a balloon.
Only then did the servants begin chattering again while moving the luggage.
At last, the luggage was loaded, and only my parents needed to leave.
“Irina. Listen to your grandfather and behave yourself, alright?”
“Mom and Dad, don’t forget that I always love you.”
“We love you too, our daughter.”
It was painful to let them go, but now I truly had to.
After hugging each other tightly one last time at the door, my parents climbed into the prepared carriage.
I stood there like a statue, watching until the carriage carrying them became a tiny black dot disappearing beyond the long road through the vast garden and the mansion’s gates.
“Oh dear. The morning air is still cold.”
Something warm was draped over my shoulders—a cashmere shawl.
When I turned around, the nanny who had just handled both my father and grandfather without the slightest hesitation was standing there.
“Oh my, such familiar faces gathered here. You must be Miss Irina?”
“Hello, Mrs. Kellen. It’s nice to meet you.”
“Oh my, how polite…! You may speak comfortably. So, Miss, you were the one who called for me?”
I nodded shyly.
The request I had made to Müller wasn’t difficult.
“Is there any retired servant living nearby since my father ran away from home?”
“There is the nanny who used to care for the young masters.”
“Then please tell her my father has returned. Tell her he’s leaving this morning, so if she wants to see him, she must come now.”
“What? But Miss, the young master’s return is supposed to be—”
“A secret until he comes back, right? But she’s the nanny… She must be more worried about him than anyone. Would it still be impossible?”
“The Master won’t like it very much.”
Even so, Müller seemed troubled by the words “she’s the nanny” and faithfully carried out my request.
“Early this morning Müller suddenly knocked on my door, so I thought something had happened to the Master! It’s fortunate old people like me don’t sleep much.”
When I glanced sideways, I met Müller’s eyes as she happened to be looking this way.
She gave a small bow to the nanny and me before walking over.
“Thank you for coming, Kellen. I’d like to chat longer, but I must show Miss Irina to her room.”
“Oh dear! I almost held up someone so busy.”
“Yesterday was the busiest day. Goodness, I stayed up all night preparing the Rose Room.”
“The Rose Room? You gave that room to the young lady? My goodness… what on earth is going on? I came at dawn because you asked if I wanted to see the young master—and look what I got to witness in my old age!”
“I know. More people should come see it.”
Müller chuckled quietly. It was the first time I had seen her treat someone so warmly.
“Oh, Dr. Floren will be visiting today. Would you like to see him as well?”
“The doctor is coming? Is someone in the mansion sick? Surely not the Master?”
“He’s coming to see Miss Irina. And while he’s here, it might be good for the Master to have a checkup too.”
There was no need to mention my supposed terminal illness here.
“Then perhaps I will stay.”
“Your old room is still there. And the chef’s cooking hasn’t changed either.”
“Oh dear! That would be a problem if his skills haven’t improved! Miss Irina, I’ll take my leave now. I live not far from the mansion, so please visit sometime. You’re always welcome.”
The nanny winked at me.
She was warm, lively, and kind—like a friendly grandmother next door.
Now I understood why Grandfather hadn’t stopped her earlier.
If someone like her were the nanny, anyone would trust their child to her.
“Well then, Miss, shall we go?”
Müller had already returned to her professional composure.
“Um, Müller.”
“Yes?”
I thought carefully about the right words for this situation.
“…Does Grandfather think I’m four years and one month old rather than fourteen…?”
Müller gave an ambiguous “Hmm.”
Looking at the room before me, it was understandable.
Rather than a Rose Room, it looked more like a room for rose buds—or even seedlings.
At least the pink wasn’t painfully bright.
The room Grandfather had given me was decorated with warm ivory tones, accented with rose gold and soft pink. It almost felt like the air itself smelled sweet.
Looking closer, rosebuds were carved into every furniture handle.
There were roses along the edges of the white lace bed canopy, rose vines where the walls met the ceiling, and one of the bay windows was even shaped like a grand rose window you’d see in a cathedral.
That part was fine.
The real culprit that made even Müller look uncomfortable was something else.
“…The Master instructed that the young lady’s enjoyment be the top priority.”
Müller avoided my gaze as she explained.
Where we were both looking…
was a mountain of toys.
Had Grandfather raided every toy shop in the imperial capital overnight—or maybe an entire factory?
“Enjoyment,” huh.
That wasn’t bad.
Especially when the toys were expensive and luxurious ones I had never seen before.
But there was a problem.
“…I think I’d be too scared of breaking them to actually enjoy playing with them.”
Every single toy looked so delicate and high-quality that it belonged in a technology exhibition rather than a child’s playroom.
