After spending a couple of days with his son, the Duke of Hessen was getting ready to leave the palace when Elsa Taylor, Daniel's nanny, came to his room with Daniel.
She was a beautiful woman with reddish-brown hair and brown eyes, the daughter of a small-country importer.
The kind-hearted Duchess had taken her in as her wet nurse after hearing her pitiful story of divorce and childlessness in her early thirties. Elsa bowed her head, clutching and uncurling the hem of her skirt.
“Your Excellency, I think it would be better if you stayed longer before leaving.”
"I have a lot of work to do. I plan to come back again, so please take care of him in the meantime, Mrs. Taylor."
The Duke of Hessen, dressed in a suit and wearing a fedora, smiled fondly and gathered a square leather suitcase.
Elsa's cheeks flushed at the sight of that smile. The servant carried the remaining luggage and followed the Duke. Elsa's eyes, watching the Duke depart, were filled with a kind of longing and fantasy.
What would it be like to be loved by him? It was something she always dreamed of.
Dreaming of remarrying a handsome and affectionate Duke was initially a far-fetched dream, but after the Duchess's death, hope has returned.
“Father, be careful on the way.”
"Yes, Daniel. I'll finish up quickly and come back to see you."
Elsa looked down at Daniel, who stood beside her, watching his father's back as he left. His face was sad, as if he were about to burst into tears, but he didn't throw a tantrum or cry.
“Yiung Master, don’t be too upset that he's coming again.”
“Yes, Elsa, I’m going to take a break for today.”
“Then I will change your clothes for you.”
“Yes, please.”
The young master treated everyone with respect and courtesy, expressing his gratitude and requests rather than taking orders for granted.
Respecting and showing manners to others regardless of their status is a basic quality of the spirit of gentlemanliness and noblesse oblige in aristocratic society.
Daniel, who was born a nobleman, was well-educated and had a good nature, so he did not show any childish tantrums or complaints, and her life as a nanny was not particularly difficult.
The Duke was also a gentlemanly man, kind to his servants, and her salary and treatment were quite good. Living as a wet nurse in the Duke's household was a far better option than living as a wife in some humble noble family.
"This is what true nobility looks like. My ex-husband was truly the worst."
Elsa shuddered as she remembered her ex-husband, the Viscount Medea.
He possessed great wealth, but lacked manners. His patriarchal nature led him to treat his non-Medean subjects with extreme contempt. He ignored her, verbally abused her, and resorted to violence against women. Ultimately, he divorced her, took away her children, and was driven out.
For Elsa, the upper world was an object of envy. A smile appeared on her face. If the Young Master treated her like a mother and followed her closely, perhaps the Duke of Hessen would view her differently.
Daniel, who was about to take off his clothes, suddenly remembered something and buttoned up his collar again.
“No, I want to go see Diana.”
“Prince. Do you like her that much?”
"When we're together, I think of my mother. Of course, she's not as kind as my mother, and she's a bit blunt..."
Daniel tilted his head as he rubbed his small hand over his chest. He hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to express his chest pain.
“My father was like that, too. He said it was surprising because she was exactly the same as when he first met my mother.”
“Did she meet the Duke?”
“Yes. We ran into each other by chance.”
Elsa's face was dazed. Even from a distance, she clearly had the same aura as the Duchess.
Even if you already have a fiancé, what if you change your mind?
Wouldn't she be more inclined to be courted by the Duke of Hessen, who had amassed a fortune through state-sponsored shipping, than by a man who had lost his fortune and title?
A strong wind of anxiety blew through Elsa's heart. Furthermore, Diana, though a mixed-race woman, had Medea's blood flowing through her, so she might prefer another Medea.
Elsa called the palace maid and asked her to take the Prince to the room where Diana was staying, then sat down in the Jacquard wing chair and closed her eyes.
Humans are cunning creatures, and they often exploit others' weaknesses and misfortunes to manipulate them or get what they want. She, too, was not without such feelings.
She thought that maybe she was more qualified to take care of Daniel and fill in for his mother's absence.
Daniel did not remain with the Marchioness of Wales, but continued to reside at Tempshire Palace.
So, whenever Noah was away, Daniel and I would often spend time playing dice together, reading books, and drawing pictures.
We were just taking a walk in the garden together. I pointed to the winter buds sprouting on the birch tree and explained to Daniel.
“This is winter bud. New buds will sprout here soon.”
“If buds sprout, does that mean spring has come?”
Daniel wanted to see it up close, so I tried to hold him in my arms, but it was too much effort. I'd been doing hard labor around the house since childhood, so even though I was naturally strong, my wrist joints couldn't have been unharmed.
“Oh my, I don’t have the strength to sell.”
As I was rubbing the back of my neck with a sad expression, I turned around when I smelled the familiar scent of fresh flowers.
Queen Grace, wearing a purple satin dress and a hat, was watching us, accompanied by her maids of honor. As we hastily bowed, the Queen smiled beautifully at us.
“What were you doing?”
“I was showing the winter snow to the Young Master.”
"I guess you wanted to show him up close. Our pretty Young Master is growing faster than his peers."
She must have seen me struggling to lift the Young Master while groaning.
“My Queen.”
When Daniel called out to her, his eyes sparkling with crimson, the Queen's brow furrowed with a different meaning. Her expression was one of utter blushing beauty. Covering her mouth with both hands, the Queen, her cheeks flushed, lifted Daniel into her arms with ease.
“Yes, can you see it now?”
“Yes. It looks like a sharp pen tip.”
The Queen would just lick Daniel and act like he was melting and eating him like a sweet candy.
Whenever the maids and ministers pass by Daniel, they make expressions of loveliness and give him high-quality chocolates and caramels, so he must be a pretty boy loved by everyone.
I had to attend another hellish tea party, and on this day, the tea tasted particularly bitter. It was partly because the unsightly Princess Erita was there, and partly because her hair was the most disgusting thing.
"Princess, you've cut your hair. Is short hair the new trend for Medea?"
The women complimented the princess's transformation, adding their own comments. Her hair, which had previously reached her waist, had been cut short, slightly longer than mine.
It's a very unpleasant situation because the dress is similar to the type I like to wear.
Fortunately, the Queen was there, so Princess Erita didn't bother me or cause any trouble.
“Miss Diana, how did you meet your lover?”
The woman sitting diagonally across from me smiled brightly and asked, perhaps because she felt a little closer to me.
The woman who asked the question blushed brightly. There's nothing more enjoyable than hearing someone else's love story. I hesitated for a moment, unable to say, "I was kidnapped," before opening my mouth.
“We met by chance.”
The Queen's face hardened slightly at my answer. She picked up a stick of black tea sugar and, as if nothing had happened, made a gentle face and muttered,
“It was a coincidence.”
What's with that uncomfortable expression as soon as the Noah story comes up? It's true that the Princess looks like she's eaten a ton of salt, but...
Was the Queen really considering me as her lover? Her sly gaze and caressing touch always left me suspicious, so I couldn't shake off my suspicions. With that first question, the women's questions began to pour in like a torrent.
These are trivial personal details, such as whether the ring you are wearing was an engagement gift or how you received the proposal.
As time passed, their faces brightened and they seemed to be enjoying themselves, but my mental power was draining in real time, and even my consciousness was fading. At some point, it seemed like I was just saying random things.
After the tea party, which was like an interrogation, I saw Noah waiting outside the door to pick me up as if it were a given.
Princess Erita, who was the first to step out, passed Noah as if nothing had happened. Without even glancing at her, Noah approached me, his gaze fixed on me.
He bent down towards me and tilted his head leisurely.
“I think we should go back to the mansion.”
"Why?"
“Why, didn’t I tell you there were too many annoying things here?”
“Could it be Daniel?”
“He’s just annoying. I like it when he says whatever he wants.”
Noah's stiff lips softened, and he smiled. He didn't seem to particularly dislike Daniel.
“Um... I understand.”
I nodded and agreed to follow his words. He'd boasted about his commitment to social interaction, but in reality, I was so exhausted that I'd been waiting for him to say it.
I went to the Queen with Noah to tell her that I was leaving, but she insisted that I attend her weekly tea party regularly.
“Now that you're Medea’s person, I think it would be good to attend the monthly ball as well.”
This must be the Queen's obsession with me. I gazed at her face, as pure as jade, with eyes that shook in confusion.
"Yes..."
The next day, I met Daniel and told him I was returning to the mansion. The pretty boy looked as if he had lost everything.
“You’re going...?”
"I've been here too long, so I have to go now. But I still plan to come back often."
As expected, his red eyes flickered and tears welled up. Daniel, who had been holding back tears, puckered his lips and finally burst into tears.
“Why do we have to break up?”
"It's not a breakup. We live close together, so I'll be visiting you often."
"My father said he'd come to see me often, but he never did. That's why I don't believe him. Did I do something wrong?"
Oh, my goodness. Seeing the Prince, with his sad story, like "He said he'd come after ten nights of sleep!", makes me feel uneasy all over again. It's heartbreaking to see a six-year-old already so aware of his feelings.
"Absolutely not. Stop crying, you said you wouldn't cry anymore, right? I'll stop by here once a week."
“Really?”
"Sure."
The child who was crying in sorrow hugged me tightly.
"Diana, no, Sister. Can I come see you whenever I want?"
"Sister!" My heart aches when I hear the title "sister" from a child who is about twenty years older than me.
“Of course. You can come anytime.”
I held the sniffling Prince in my arms and comforted him for a while before returning to my room.
Noah was leaning back on the sofa, reading a book, when he saw me and jumped up. Just as I was about to tell him that Daniel had cried when I told him I was leaving, he put the book down on the table and asked first.
“Little Hessen must have cried a lot when he heard the news that you were going back.”
“Yes. He's still a child. I feel a little bad when he cries.”
“Yeah. Is the Prince pretty?”
“These days, kids are pretty.”
In the past, I'd been indifferent to children, but these days, I've noticed the children brought in by noblewomen. While some were sullen and sullen, most were well-educated, polite, and kind, and I found them all adorable and pretty.
“Do you want it?”
I tilted my head at the question, which was so vague. Was he asking if I wanted Prince Hessen? I looked at him with puzzled eyes, wondering if he was suggesting we sever ties and adopt.
“What?”
Noah smiled lazily at my question. His nonchalant response left me deeply flustered.
“I mean, kid. I think you like it.”
My heart clenched as the voice suddenly lowered, and my shoulders slumped. The slight blush at the corners of my eyes seemed especially distinct today.
No. I've felt this way for a long time, but those eyes are really strange.
She was a beautiful woman with reddish-brown hair and brown eyes, the daughter of a small-country importer.
The kind-hearted Duchess had taken her in as her wet nurse after hearing her pitiful story of divorce and childlessness in her early thirties. Elsa bowed her head, clutching and uncurling the hem of her skirt.
“Your Excellency, I think it would be better if you stayed longer before leaving.”
"I have a lot of work to do. I plan to come back again, so please take care of him in the meantime, Mrs. Taylor."
The Duke of Hessen, dressed in a suit and wearing a fedora, smiled fondly and gathered a square leather suitcase.
Elsa's cheeks flushed at the sight of that smile. The servant carried the remaining luggage and followed the Duke. Elsa's eyes, watching the Duke depart, were filled with a kind of longing and fantasy.
What would it be like to be loved by him? It was something she always dreamed of.
Dreaming of remarrying a handsome and affectionate Duke was initially a far-fetched dream, but after the Duchess's death, hope has returned.
“Father, be careful on the way.”
"Yes, Daniel. I'll finish up quickly and come back to see you."
Elsa looked down at Daniel, who stood beside her, watching his father's back as he left. His face was sad, as if he were about to burst into tears, but he didn't throw a tantrum or cry.
“Yiung Master, don’t be too upset that he's coming again.”
“Yes, Elsa, I’m going to take a break for today.”
“Then I will change your clothes for you.”
“Yes, please.”
The young master treated everyone with respect and courtesy, expressing his gratitude and requests rather than taking orders for granted.
Respecting and showing manners to others regardless of their status is a basic quality of the spirit of gentlemanliness and noblesse oblige in aristocratic society.
Daniel, who was born a nobleman, was well-educated and had a good nature, so he did not show any childish tantrums or complaints, and her life as a nanny was not particularly difficult.
The Duke was also a gentlemanly man, kind to his servants, and her salary and treatment were quite good. Living as a wet nurse in the Duke's household was a far better option than living as a wife in some humble noble family.
"This is what true nobility looks like. My ex-husband was truly the worst."
Elsa shuddered as she remembered her ex-husband, the Viscount Medea.
He possessed great wealth, but lacked manners. His patriarchal nature led him to treat his non-Medean subjects with extreme contempt. He ignored her, verbally abused her, and resorted to violence against women. Ultimately, he divorced her, took away her children, and was driven out.
For Elsa, the upper world was an object of envy. A smile appeared on her face. If the Young Master treated her like a mother and followed her closely, perhaps the Duke of Hessen would view her differently.
Daniel, who was about to take off his clothes, suddenly remembered something and buttoned up his collar again.
“No, I want to go see Diana.”
“Prince. Do you like her that much?”
"When we're together, I think of my mother. Of course, she's not as kind as my mother, and she's a bit blunt..."
Daniel tilted his head as he rubbed his small hand over his chest. He hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to express his chest pain.
“My father was like that, too. He said it was surprising because she was exactly the same as when he first met my mother.”
“Did she meet the Duke?”
“Yes. We ran into each other by chance.”
Elsa's face was dazed. Even from a distance, she clearly had the same aura as the Duchess.
Even if you already have a fiancé, what if you change your mind?
Wouldn't she be more inclined to be courted by the Duke of Hessen, who had amassed a fortune through state-sponsored shipping, than by a man who had lost his fortune and title?
A strong wind of anxiety blew through Elsa's heart. Furthermore, Diana, though a mixed-race woman, had Medea's blood flowing through her, so she might prefer another Medea.
Elsa called the palace maid and asked her to take the Prince to the room where Diana was staying, then sat down in the Jacquard wing chair and closed her eyes.
Humans are cunning creatures, and they often exploit others' weaknesses and misfortunes to manipulate them or get what they want. She, too, was not without such feelings.
She thought that maybe she was more qualified to take care of Daniel and fill in for his mother's absence.
***
Daniel did not remain with the Marchioness of Wales, but continued to reside at Tempshire Palace.
So, whenever Noah was away, Daniel and I would often spend time playing dice together, reading books, and drawing pictures.
We were just taking a walk in the garden together. I pointed to the winter buds sprouting on the birch tree and explained to Daniel.
“This is winter bud. New buds will sprout here soon.”
“If buds sprout, does that mean spring has come?”
Daniel wanted to see it up close, so I tried to hold him in my arms, but it was too much effort. I'd been doing hard labor around the house since childhood, so even though I was naturally strong, my wrist joints couldn't have been unharmed.
“Oh my, I don’t have the strength to sell.”
As I was rubbing the back of my neck with a sad expression, I turned around when I smelled the familiar scent of fresh flowers.
Queen Grace, wearing a purple satin dress and a hat, was watching us, accompanied by her maids of honor. As we hastily bowed, the Queen smiled beautifully at us.
“What were you doing?”
“I was showing the winter snow to the Young Master.”
"I guess you wanted to show him up close. Our pretty Young Master is growing faster than his peers."
She must have seen me struggling to lift the Young Master while groaning.
“My Queen.”
When Daniel called out to her, his eyes sparkling with crimson, the Queen's brow furrowed with a different meaning. Her expression was one of utter blushing beauty. Covering her mouth with both hands, the Queen, her cheeks flushed, lifted Daniel into her arms with ease.
“Yes, can you see it now?”
“Yes. It looks like a sharp pen tip.”
The Queen would just lick Daniel and act like he was melting and eating him like a sweet candy.
Whenever the maids and ministers pass by Daniel, they make expressions of loveliness and give him high-quality chocolates and caramels, so he must be a pretty boy loved by everyone.
***
I had to attend another hellish tea party, and on this day, the tea tasted particularly bitter. It was partly because the unsightly Princess Erita was there, and partly because her hair was the most disgusting thing.
"Princess, you've cut your hair. Is short hair the new trend for Medea?"
The women complimented the princess's transformation, adding their own comments. Her hair, which had previously reached her waist, had been cut short, slightly longer than mine.
It's a very unpleasant situation because the dress is similar to the type I like to wear.
Fortunately, the Queen was there, so Princess Erita didn't bother me or cause any trouble.
“Miss Diana, how did you meet your lover?”
The woman sitting diagonally across from me smiled brightly and asked, perhaps because she felt a little closer to me.
The woman who asked the question blushed brightly. There's nothing more enjoyable than hearing someone else's love story. I hesitated for a moment, unable to say, "I was kidnapped," before opening my mouth.
“We met by chance.”
The Queen's face hardened slightly at my answer. She picked up a stick of black tea sugar and, as if nothing had happened, made a gentle face and muttered,
“It was a coincidence.”
What's with that uncomfortable expression as soon as the Noah story comes up? It's true that the Princess looks like she's eaten a ton of salt, but...
Was the Queen really considering me as her lover? Her sly gaze and caressing touch always left me suspicious, so I couldn't shake off my suspicions. With that first question, the women's questions began to pour in like a torrent.
These are trivial personal details, such as whether the ring you are wearing was an engagement gift or how you received the proposal.
As time passed, their faces brightened and they seemed to be enjoying themselves, but my mental power was draining in real time, and even my consciousness was fading. At some point, it seemed like I was just saying random things.
After the tea party, which was like an interrogation, I saw Noah waiting outside the door to pick me up as if it were a given.
Princess Erita, who was the first to step out, passed Noah as if nothing had happened. Without even glancing at her, Noah approached me, his gaze fixed on me.
He bent down towards me and tilted his head leisurely.
“I think we should go back to the mansion.”
"Why?"
“Why, didn’t I tell you there were too many annoying things here?”
“Could it be Daniel?”
“He’s just annoying. I like it when he says whatever he wants.”
Noah's stiff lips softened, and he smiled. He didn't seem to particularly dislike Daniel.
“Um... I understand.”
I nodded and agreed to follow his words. He'd boasted about his commitment to social interaction, but in reality, I was so exhausted that I'd been waiting for him to say it.
I went to the Queen with Noah to tell her that I was leaving, but she insisted that I attend her weekly tea party regularly.
“Now that you're Medea’s person, I think it would be good to attend the monthly ball as well.”
This must be the Queen's obsession with me. I gazed at her face, as pure as jade, with eyes that shook in confusion.
"Yes..."
***
The next day, I met Daniel and told him I was returning to the mansion. The pretty boy looked as if he had lost everything.
“You’re going...?”
"I've been here too long, so I have to go now. But I still plan to come back often."
As expected, his red eyes flickered and tears welled up. Daniel, who had been holding back tears, puckered his lips and finally burst into tears.
“Why do we have to break up?”
"It's not a breakup. We live close together, so I'll be visiting you often."
"My father said he'd come to see me often, but he never did. That's why I don't believe him. Did I do something wrong?"
Oh, my goodness. Seeing the Prince, with his sad story, like "He said he'd come after ten nights of sleep!", makes me feel uneasy all over again. It's heartbreaking to see a six-year-old already so aware of his feelings.
"Absolutely not. Stop crying, you said you wouldn't cry anymore, right? I'll stop by here once a week."
“Really?”
"Sure."
The child who was crying in sorrow hugged me tightly.
"Diana, no, Sister. Can I come see you whenever I want?"
"Sister!" My heart aches when I hear the title "sister" from a child who is about twenty years older than me.
“Of course. You can come anytime.”
I held the sniffling Prince in my arms and comforted him for a while before returning to my room.
Noah was leaning back on the sofa, reading a book, when he saw me and jumped up. Just as I was about to tell him that Daniel had cried when I told him I was leaving, he put the book down on the table and asked first.
“Little Hessen must have cried a lot when he heard the news that you were going back.”
“Yes. He's still a child. I feel a little bad when he cries.”
“Yeah. Is the Prince pretty?”
“These days, kids are pretty.”
In the past, I'd been indifferent to children, but these days, I've noticed the children brought in by noblewomen. While some were sullen and sullen, most were well-educated, polite, and kind, and I found them all adorable and pretty.
“Do you want it?”
I tilted my head at the question, which was so vague. Was he asking if I wanted Prince Hessen? I looked at him with puzzled eyes, wondering if he was suggesting we sever ties and adopt.
“What?”
Noah smiled lazily at my question. His nonchalant response left me deeply flustered.
“I mean, kid. I think you like it.”
My heart clenched as the voice suddenly lowered, and my shoulders slumped. The slight blush at the corners of my eyes seemed especially distinct today.
No. I've felt this way for a long time, but those eyes are really strange.
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