Chapter 17

I tilted my head slightly and spat out the words.

"What kind of investigation?"

The attendant bowed his head slightly.

"We will conduct a thorough investigation into your predecessor."

"Ah, I see. But... an investigation needs witnesses, right? It looks like I'm the only one who can do that. I've been using this building for quite a while on my own."

The young whale child was soon secretly taken away by his parents.

Since such things did happen, I was left alone.

Ah, of course, the reason I brought this up is...

'If you don't call me to testify, you'll just bury it, right?'

You don't actually intend to investigate; you just want a good answer right now.

"That, that's right. There will be a time when I need to ask for your help, Calypso..."

"Sure, I don't mind. Other children might have been harmed, after all."

The maid had been here for a very long time before I arrived.

So there might have been more to it.

'After all, a person who beats children should never be left alone.'

Suddenly, Charon flashed through my mind, but I quickly shook off the thought of his self-inflicted fate.

I glanced at the attendant and gently grabbed Misa's skirt.

I wanted to hold her hand, but I couldn't reach.

"And as I said, the nanny will be this person. This is just a story, right?"

"......Yes."

"It's fortunate that the main house will conduct the investigation. I need to tell Dad!"

"......"

The attendant returned with his shoulders slumped.

'Your role is to monitor this place. You should take responsibility for your negligence.'

* * *

Misa looked at the small Calypso, who was holding her skirt, with a bewildered expression.

She was clearly a whale, with slightly upturned eyes, but her large, round, and innocent face gave off no sharpness.

Moreover, she was so beautifully adorable that it was rare to see such a child in a lifetime.

But how well she spoke...

'They said she's a genius.'

How surprised I was to see this small princess speaking clearly on the first day.

The child was now looking at me.

"Since it's come to this, please take good care of me, Misa."

"......"

Strangely, Misa felt that this princess seemed to have known her for a long time.

But she quickly dismissed the thought.

'It must be an illusion.'

How could a mere three-year-old have met her before?

Misa shook her head inwardly.

"Yes, Princess. I will do my best to serve you."

The important thing was that this small princess had chosen her.

Misa decided to focus on this.

Once sent to this building, her role was to take care of the young whale hybrids, but unfortunately, there was only Calypso in this building.

Moreover, Misa didn't want to miss the opportunity to be the nanny of such a lovely baby princess.

'Hmm, she's quick-witted, after all.'

Calypso judged that Misa was not the type to lack perception.

After all, those who lack perception find it hard to survive in war.

From her long survival in the previous life, even if not in her direct unit, she could be considered to have quite good senses and social skills.

Calypso didn't want to become the head of the family as in the previous cycle, but meeting the white whale twins today changed her mind.

'I remembered. If I had received support from the white whale family in the previous cycle, things would have been easier.'

Among the whale hybrids, the white whale hybrids were particularly intelligent.

However, most of the white whale hybrids died in an incident before Calypso returned to the family.

The culprit was her eldest uncle's son, Bayan.

As a result, the surviving white whale hybrids all left this land.

'At least I don't need to gather talents for the family or the war as in the previous cycle, but...'

She felt the need to have talents by her side before she left this place at the age of ten.

'The only thing I'm worried about is one thing.'

The maids the attendant left behind were from the main house.

What if they bullied Misa?

In fact, this was one of the reasons she designated Misa as the nanny, a higher position.

However, Calypso's worry became meaningless after three minutes.

"Kyaa, Princess Calypso is so cute!"

"Wow, your eyes are really big."

"I've already heard about you while working. They said you're really smart, and how can you speak so well...!"

"Me...?"

"Kyaa, your voice is so cute."

"Look at those adorable little hands."

These people with their faint silver hair showed no sign of stopping their chatter.

Thus, Calypso had to push aside the thoughts of 'she will definitely be picky' and 'territoriality.'

'...What is this? It feels like I've come back to my class after being absent.'

Moreover, she had never received such treatment in her previous life, so she was quite bewildered.

After a while of their excited exclamations, Calypso finally learned their identities and names.

"Mackerel?"

"Yes! We are mackerel hybrids."

"This one and I are sisters."

"I'm a clan friend who grew up with them."

Their hair colors were similar, and they were all mackerel hybrids.

One of the most common types of hybrids among aquatic animal hybrids, they were generally diligent, gentle, and kind.

'If this is true... I don't need to worry about Misa getting along with them.'

Even though she had just become the subject of rumors and attracted attention, her reality was that she had no influence.

Still, to smile so brightly must mean they are genuinely happy to meet her.

"You said you're from the main house?"

Their names were Aya, Bjo, and Dede.

Aya and Bjo were sisters, and Dede was their neighborhood friend.

The maids were newly impressed.

"Wow, Princess, you really speak well!"

"Are you really a genius?"

"Hey, how much did the rumors spread?"

The maids looked at each other.

"They said you're an incredible genius."

"Yes, it was really surprising news even to us hybrids. I've never seen anyone speak so well at three years old."

"Right, right. Even Lord Velus and Lord Atlant weren't this good, right?"

"Right, right!"

Seeing that the conversation was about to start again, I calmed them down.

"Okay, this is Misa, as I mentioned earlier. She's my nanny."

"Yes, Princess! She works here, right? Nice to meet you, I'm Aya."

"I'm Bjo!"

"I'm Dede."

"Ah... I'm Misa."

"Speak informally, since you're the nanny!"

"Ah, I used to be a maid too..."

The mackerel sisters were so friendly that within a minute, Misa and the maids knew each other's family relationships.

'Even now, they're talking about what fish she picked up at the coming-of-age ceremony...'

Considering it took less than two minutes for them to become so familiar, they had an incredible ability to connect with others.

Calypso felt refreshed.

To have such maids in this cold whale family was surprising.

Even if they were hired for their social skills, it was a believable ability.

"Then, everyone, stay here. Ah, Misa can show the three who came today around the building and their rooms."

"Eh, where are you going, Princess?"

"Should we go with you?"

"No."

Calypso shook her head firmly.

"I'm going to see Dad."

The maids looked at each other with wide eyes.

Goodness, they said you were talking to Lord Pierre. It's true!

So the rumors were true?

Calypso was amazed at how quickly she could read their facial expressions.

"Everyone, come back and see."

...Still, the thought of the place becoming a bit lively made her feel good.

* * *

A few days later.

After finishing elementary education and returning home, I seriously reflected on the past time.

No, my recent life isn't bad.

It's really not bad.

But...

'Is it okay to live like this?'

I looked at the mountain of clothes in front of me and thought quietly.

My recent routine was very simple.

First, I go to elementary education. After all the education is over, I come home.

I stop by the house, eat the snacks prepared by the maids, and go to Pierre's house for work (sort of).

This was the repetition of my daily life.

Good, it's more peaceful than any other cycle! Calm! Plus, I'm the top of the class!

I'm very satisfied with all of this.

"Master."

There's only one thing.

"Hey, weren't you living alone in this building?"

"So what?"

My face slightly twisted.

I couldn't understand at all. That's because...

"Then, where did all these clothes come from?"

"There's a standard allocation of maids' and attendants' uniforms for a building."

"Are these them?"

The lack of a response from Pierre generally meant yes.

No wonder they all looked familiar and were black.

"Do I really have to wash all of these?"

...Again, no response means yes.

'Is it just my imagination that the training is getting more and more insane?'