Chapter 26

This is the end of the three-year-old chapter. From the next chapter, it will be the five-year-old chapter.

A week after Carol joined us, in the afternoon.

Today, as usual, I was training in the courtyard with Daru, swinging a wooden sword.

"Hunnu, hunnu, cha-cha-cha-cha~"

"Wafu, wafu, aaaaauuuu~"

As I swung the wooden sword, Daru, as usual, swung the wooden branch he was holding along with me.

"Kyu-kyu~"

Carol, along with the birds, watched us with a somewhat exasperated look.

"Hunnu! Hunnu... huu... that's enough for now."

"Wafu! Wafu!"

After a while of focused training, Daru and I were drenched in sweat and finished our training.

"Hmm? Where did Carol go?"

"Wafu?"

Carol, who had been watching us just a moment ago, was nowhere to be found.

"Lost?"

"Wafu?"

"Hey, birds, do you know where she is?"

"Hohoh?"

The birds looked away, as if trying to avoid the question. They seemed to know but weren't going to tell us.

"Hmm? Is she playing hide-and-seek? Daru, let's find Carol."

"Wafu!"

Daru and I started searching for Carol.

"Is she over here? Hmm~"

"Wafu!"

"Oh, Daru, good job."

Daru, using his sharp nose, found her easily.

"Let's see..."

In front of Daru's nose was a fairly large hole. It would be difficult for me to get through, but Carol could easily fit inside.

"Carol? Are you hiding in the hole? Carol, come out!"

"......Kyu?"

When I called out, Carol's face appeared from the hole.

"Did you dig a hole...?"

Prairie dogs have the habit of digging holes in the grass and living in them. Carol must have been unable to suppress her instinct.

"Will you... get in trouble...?"

"Kyu?" "Wafu?"

Carol seemed to shiver, thinking she might get in trouble. Daru's tail moved slowly, showing his unease.

It's a delicate situation. Normally, digging a hole in the courtyard would get you in trouble. But since it's Carol's instinct, it might be forgivable.

I stood over the hole and looked around. The trees, flowers, and objects in the courtyard created a blind spot.

"Will we get caught?"

"Kuru~" "Wafu~"

Carol seemed relieved. Daru's tail movements became more vigorous as he relaxed.

"Hmm... what's left to do..."

"Kyu~?"

"...Let's clean her secretly. If she's covered in dirt, she might get in trouble."

"Kyu-kyu"

I hid Carol in my clothes and climbed onto Daru's back.

"Daru, let's go back to my room."

"Wafu"

Back in my room, we have a bucket and can get hot water.

"Okay, let's get some hot water."

I've never prepared hot water myself, but I've seen the nursemaids and maids do it, so I should be fine.

"Is this it!?"

When I turned the lever on a high place, a magic device started and hot water came out. I don't understand how it works, but that's what the maid said.

"Daru, don't move. I'll stand on your back."

"Wafu"

I put Carol on my head, climbed onto Daru's back, and turned the lever. Cold water suddenly gushed out from the faucet.

"Uwah, it's cold! Fgyaaah!"

"Kyafu" "Kyu-kyu-kyu"

Daru and Carol and I were all drenched in cold water. I tried to turn the lever back but fell and couldn't reach it.

"Uphuph... it's cold"

"Luria, what are you doing!"

"Saved" "Wafu..." "Kyau..."

The nursemaid rushed over and turned the lever back for me.

"Luria, you shouldn't touch things without permission."

"Sorry" "Wafu" "Kyu"

When I apologized, Daru and Carol also apologized. I felt bad because it was only my fault.

"Daru and Carol aren't to blame. It's my fault."

"I'm not angry."

The nursemaid smiled gently at me.

"Luria, what were you trying to do?"

"Well, I was trying to wash off the sweat, and Carol was dirty, so I wanted to wash her too..."

"I see. Please wait a moment."

The nursemaid quickly moved and turned on the hot water for us.

"To get hot water, you need to move this lever first, and it's difficult to adjust the temperature, so you shouldn't do it alone."

"Okay"

"It's a promise, okay?"

"Okay"

I can't win against the nursemaid. She helped my mother raise me with her milk.

Especially right after I was born, she took care of me all day when my mother was near death.

She is undoubtedly one of the most important benefactors after my family.

The nursemaid's name is Marion, and she is originally a distant relative of my mother.

While washing me, Marion murmured.

"Taking care of you like this will only last a little longer."

"I'll miss it."

A nursemaid can only do her job if she can produce milk. Therefore, my nursemaid has a child around my age.

Of course, the infant mortality rate is not low, so there are cases where the nursemaid's child has died. However, I've heard that Marion's child is growing up healthy.

"I'll miss it too."

"But Marion's child must be even more lonely, right?"

I can't stop it because I know that. Marion can't see her own child every day because she's taking care of me.

"I want to meet Marion's child too."

"......If the master and mistress allow it, anytime."

"Okay."

The nursemaid's child is called a nursemaid child, and the noble child raised by the nursemaid is called a foster child. In other words, I am the foster child, and Marion's child is the nursemaid child.

Nursemaid children often become the closest confidants of the foster child. In fact, the nursemaid children of my older brother and sister often spend time together, studying and training.

I have met my brother's nursemaid child during sword training and have had my sister's nursemaid child read me picture books. However, I have never met my own nursemaid child.

The reason is clear.

I was attacked right after I was born.

If the nursemaid child had been nearby during the attack, they might have been caught up in it. Both my father and mother are concerned about this.

"I think it's time to let me meet her."

Even at three years old, I am still not allowed to go outside the courtyard. My father and mother still seem to be trying to minimize the number of people I meet.

"Hmm. The master values Luria very much."

"Okay."

Still, it feels like they are being overprotective.

"Hmm~"

"Again, you're making that difficult face. The master, mistress, and this Marion all love you very much. Please be at ease."

"Okay! Luria likes Marion too."

"Thank you."

Three days later, my dear nursemaid, Marion, resigned and returned home.