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Is this a childcare story? Chapter : 09
“Why are you acting like that, Jerome? Do you know her? She doesn’t seem like someone from this village.”
Meria, who knew nothing, simply shrugged, but Jerome’s face was unusually pale. He had remembered something from a few days ago.
A mysterious guest who secretly visited his parents’ mill. A handsome middle-aged man who handed over a sparkling gold coin and requested several sacks of grain to be milled.
‘I-I’m sure Dad said this after the guest left. That the person working at that villa was sent on errands by a noble. The grain was so high quality that it’s top-grade stuff you can’t even find around here…’
Back to the present. That very same middle-aged man was now standing at a distance behind that small kid. His expression was extremely stern and intimidating.
Not only that, but there was also a knight wearing a neatly tailored uniform with a sword at his side.
‘Jerome, don’t you dare try your usual tricks on the guests. I heard they’re the butler of some high noble in the capital. If you mess up, we’re doomed! You might even get dragged away by scary soldiers!’
The moment Jerome accidentally made eye contact with the knight, he remembered his father’s urgent warning.
He quietly stepped back and whispered to Meria.
“T-that kid… no, the person behind that kid. He’s the butler from that newly built villa…”
“What? What did you say?”
Meria also flinched at those words.
There were already plenty of frightening rumors about the mysterious noble family living there, just as there were admiring rumors about the mansion itself.
The two children, who had been so confident in front of Miela just moments ago, quickly shrank back in fear and became quiet.
“How dare they treat Miela like a thief.”
Meanwhile, Isstin muttered coldly in disbelief. He had clearly seen Miela being cornered and misunderstood earlier.
“Hey, wait! Who are you to just jump in and—”
Meria tried to shout at him, but Jerome stopped her. His voice was small but urgent.
“Be quiet, Meria. Can’t you see? That kid is from the villa too. If he isn’t one of the important people the adults were talking about, then what is he?”
“What? You mean… d-don’t tell me… a noble?”
At those words, Isstin flinched slightly, but he kept a straight face.
“…Of course I’m not a noble.”
If Miela hadn’t been watching, he would have caused a scene and properly taught them a lesson so they would never act so petty again—but he only thought that to himself.
“What? If you’re not a noble, then why are you acting all high and mighty, you little kid? How funny.”
Now that he wasn’t a noble, Meria immediately changed her attitude and snapped in anger. Isstin’s lips curled slightly.
“But the young master I serve is a noble.”
“Y-young master?”
“Yes. And that young master quite likes Miela.”
He was now very used to using the imaginary young master as a shield.
Well, if you thought about it, it wasn’t even a complete lie, so it was fine.
“What?”
Not only Meria and Jerome reacted, but even Miela, who had been quietly watching, was shocked and pointed at herself.
“M-me? That’s impossible! The young master likes me?”
“Yes.”
As Isstin nodded, Miela panicked.
“W-why me…? I’ve never even met him.”
“I told him about you, and he said you seemed interesting.”
“I-is that true?”
Miela’s face lit up.
Meanwhile, Meria and Jerome frowned in frustration.
“How is it possible that a dirty, ragged kid like Miela could be liked by a noble young master?”
“Exactly. It doesn’t make any sense. Are you lying just to protect her?”
At their words, Isstin simply shrugged.
“Believe it or don’t, I don’t care. The important thing is that I came here under the young master’s order to take Miela. He wants her to have lunch at the villa again today, just like yesterday.”
“What? Miela was really invited to the villa?”
Their eyes widened.
“Of course. And the clothes you accused her of stealing were actually a gift to Miela. Right, butler?”
Isstin turned around and asked.
The butler, who had been quietly observing without intervening, nodded calmly.
“That is correct. I guarantee it on my honor.”
“Th-this is ridiculous…”
Meria and Jerome stared at each other in disbelief.
Ignoring them, Isstin kept his gaze fixed on Miela and smiled. He held out a small hand.
“Now that the misunderstanding is cleared up, Miela. Let’s go. It’s almost lunchtime.”
“Y-yes!”
Miela, slightly flushed, took Isstin’s hand.
‘Ever since Mom died… this is the first time I’ve had someone on my side.’
She had always been alone. Even when Meria and Jerome, and the other village kids mocked and bullied her, no one ever stepped in to defend her.
She had always wished that at least one person would ask if she was okay. She never dreamed that wish would come true so suddenly.
‘Maybe Titi… is an angel sent by Mom in heaven to grant my wish…?’
Meanwhile, Meria, who had been blankly watching the two children walk toward the villa under the escort of a strong knight and a dependable butler, finally exploded in frustration.
“Hah! This is ridiculous! What’s so special about that dirty little rat that a noble young master would invite her?”
“Yeah. I kind of want to go to the villa too. Maybe I should’ve gotten closer to Miela… then I might’ve been invited too. Sigh.”
Jerome kicked the dirt absentmindedly and muttered to himself. That made Meria furious.
“Are you joking, Jerome? Do you have no pride? What are you even saying?”
“Hmph, can’t I even joke? It’s not like I was planning to grovel to her anyway.”
Despite Jerome’s protest, Meria snapped back angrily.
“Oh really? Weren’t you just about to crawl on the ground begging, ‘Please take me too!’?”
“What? Say that again?”
“Yeah. I should tell the others too. That you actually wanted to be friends with Miela. How perfect, how perfect! Hmph!”
Laughing mockingly, Meria ran toward the village.
Jerome’s face turned as red as a tomato, like he was about to explode, as he chased after her.
“Hey! That’s not true!”
And just like that, the fragile friendship between the two children—who had always teamed up to bully Miela—began to crack.
After entering the villa, Miela was once again guided to a different place, and her eyes widened again.
“W-where is this…?”
A grand chandelier, just as luxurious as the lobby, hung from the ceiling, and a large long table dominated the center.
Using her limited imagination, Miela guessed this might be a place where nobles gathered to talk.
‘What was it called again? A… meeting hall?’
But the next moment, Titi gave a completely different answer.
“This is the dining room.”
“What? Dining room? This big room?”
The only dining place Miela knew was Nancy Auntie’s inn-restaurant in the middle of the village.
That place only had two tables, each barely big enough for four adults to squeeze in.
But this long table alone was at least three to four times larger than Nancy Auntie’s place.
‘It’s so big that the whole village could eat here together! Does Titi eat lunch here every day? With the butler, the head maid, the knights… and that so-called young master?!’
Even if everyone in the villa gathered, they still wouldn’t fill half the table.
Only then did Miela begin to understand why she had been invited.
‘So it wouldn’t feel so lonely if there was at least one more person.’
Isstin, unaware of her thoughts, tilted his head slightly.
“I wouldn’t exactly call it big… I mean, it’s just designed in case there are many guests.”
He quickly corrected himself, worried it might sound like he was bragging.
Of course, there was no chance that many guests would ever visit this villa built for rest. It was simply a regular dining table engraved with the emblem of the Valroir ducal family.
“I see. But I’m the only guest right now.”
“One person is fine too. Sit.”
“Okay.”
Soon, a lavish meal was placed in front of Miela. It seemed even more abundant than yesterday.
“Wow, it’s delicious!”
“Good. Eat slowly so you don’t get a stomachache.”
Watching her, Isstin felt a warm feeling spread through him like a fireplace.
But the peaceful moment didn’t last long.
Suddenly, noise came from the hallway, followed by hurried footsteps. The dining room door opened, and the head maid shouted:
“The lady of the house has arrived!”
