Chapter 11

Her heart ached at the sight of the child’s tearful eyes.  

Where in the world is there an easy farewell?  

At times like this, she needed to be firm.  

She spoke coldly.  

“Not anymore. Ray, your family is Duke Conver. So now……”  

“Liar! As, I’m disappointed! I don’t want to hear you anymore!”  

Ray didn’t wait to hear the end of his words, shouted, and ran to his bedroom, slamming the door shut.  

The sound echoed in her ears.  

What should be done with this child?  

A sigh escaped both her and Neil simultaneously.  

Just then, the front door opened, and Duke Bryce Conver entered.  

Judging by his expression, he seemed to have a rough idea of Ray’s state.  

“So…… what do we do now?”  

She didn’t expect him to have a clear answer, but she had to ask.  

While exchanging bewildered glances,  

Clip-clop, clip-clop, clip-clop—  

Loud hoofbeats were heard from outside.  

Looking out the window, she saw a carriage with white and gold decorations and soldiers in black armor.  

It seemed to be the Imperial Knights who had barged in yesterday.  

“Gasp!”  

She inhaled sharply in shock.  

She remembered the guilt of evading them last night.  

Of course, she felt justified, but they wouldn’t see it that way.  

“It seems they’re from the Imperial family. I’ll calm Ray, so please deal with them, Duke.”  

She left the uninvited guests to Duke Conver and moved away from the window.  

* * *  

Bryce sat again on the bench in front of Isabella’s stone grave.  

This time, he was with Princess Stephania.  

The Princess spoke first.  

“There’s no longer a need to wander around, curious about her whereabouts. But thinking of her lonely end brings tears to my eyes.”  

Stephania spoke in a voice that seemed ready to cry.  

“There’s no need for that. Although I, as her husband, couldn’t be there at her end, Ray and Miss Astrid were with her. Ray said today that his mom wouldn’t have been lonely.”  

“Ray……. He seems like a brilliant child. I want to meet him soon. He’s your child, after all. If it’s alright, may I meet him today?”  

Stephania hesitated a little, placing her hand on Bryce’s.  

Bryce gazed at the delicate white hand resting gently on his.  

He thought it didn’t match his large, rough hand.  

He slowly withdrew his hand, placing the small white hand back on her knee.  

It seemed gentle and kind, but it was a polite refusal.  

“The child was very surprised. Even as an adult, I’m bewildered by the situation, so imagine how confusing it must be for a seven-year-old. It’s a world-turning event.”  

“Oh dear……. You must be worried.”  

“Yes. So, we both need time to adjust to this new environment. Once we’re a bit more accustomed to the situation, I’ll invite you, Your Highness.”  

Stephania’s golden eyes trembled weakly at Bryce’s gentle refusal.  

She didn’t misunderstand his words.  

It wasn’t the first time he refused her request.  

But she couldn’t help the pang in her chest.  

Still, she had to smile in front of Bryce.  

He had said her smile was beautiful.  

Stephania forced a faint smile and spoke.  

“Oh…… I see. I wasn’t thinking. I’ll return and wait.”  

“Thank you, Your Highness.”  

Stephania struggled to keep her lips from trembling.  

* * *  

The next morning.  

‘How did things turn out like this?’  

She sat in an unfamiliar room.  

The room was larger than the entire cabin, with elaborate wallpaper featuring various floral patterns against a teal background.  

‘This is the room I’ll be staying in for the next year…….’  

She looked around the room with a disinterested gaze.  

Yesterday, she, Duke Conver, and Ray had a long conversation, and eventually, she came to the Conver Ducal House with Ray.  

As Ray’s nanny.  

It was a one-year contract.  

From a job perspective, it was a losing deal for her, but there were several reasons she had to accept the offer.  

First, Ray had insisted he couldn’t enter the Conver Ducal House alone without her.  

Second, surprisingly, Duke Bryce Conver agreed with Ray’s opinion.  

He judged that the sudden change of environment would be an unbearable ordeal for young Ray.  

The Duke offered her a generous salary.  

Third, she could spend mornings and evenings with Ray, and live as an apothecary during other times.  

She judged that moving her residence to the Ducal House wouldn’t significantly change her life.  

It seemed advantageous, especially since delicious meals were provided.  

The beef steak she had that day was exceptionally tasty.  

Fourth, she was given significant decision-making power over Ray’s upbringing.  

While Ray would undergo training as the sole heir of the Conver Ducal House, she promised to actively incorporate her opinions into Ray’s life and education during the one-year nanny contract.  

She was essentially tasked with helping Ray adapt to the Conver Ducal House for the next year.  

Considering various aspects, it was quite a decent contract.  

“Alright, just for one year, just one year.”  

In fact, she didn’t mind having a ‘one-year’ grace period either.  

No, she was rather pleased.  

Thinking that she could practice parting with Ray over the next year made all decisions easy.  

There was nothing she couldn’t endure.  

No, correction.  

Something she couldn’t endure had just appeared.  

It was the tailors who barged in like a bolt out of the blue.  

“What on earth is going on?”  

“Well, you see.”  

Housekeeper Vanessa scrutinized her with a sharp gaze and spoke.  

“You’ll be staying at the Conver Ducal House as Young Master Ray’s nanny for the next year, correct?”  

“Yes, but?”  

“You may not know, but there’s much talk about your attire, Miss Astrid.”  

Huh? What is she talking about?  

What’s wrong with my clothes?  

They’re practical and have excellent storage!  

She glanced down to reassess her appearance.  

She wore clothes typically favored by common men.  

It wasn’t common for women to wear pants, but it wasn’t unheard of.  

Women who frequently traveled on horseback wore pants.  

Like her.  

Something unknown began to boil inside her.  

Regardless, Vanessa continued.  

“We called the tailor to ensure you dress appropriately while serving as the nanny at the Conver Ducal House.”  

“…….”  

“Of course, the cost of the outfits will be covered by the Ducal House budget, so you needn’t worry.”  

Ugh, she couldn’t just take this lying down.  

She raised her voice.  

“You know well that I’m also working as an apothecary. I need to ride a horse to commute, and that attire is comfortable for that!”  

“I’ve already considered that. The Ducal House will provide a carriage for your commute.”  

Vanessa’s face was smug, her chin raised defiantly.  

She immediately headed to the Duke’s office.  

Vanessa’s old, skinny body couldn’t block her way.  

“Miss Astrid, what’s the matter?”  

The Duke seemed busy with stacks of documents on his desk, but he had time for his only son’s nanny.  

“I want the freedom to choose my attire.”  

She got straight to the point, her words coming out with a huff.  

“Sorry, but I can’t help with that.”  

“What? What do you mean……?”  

“The dress code is specified in the contract for all employees of the Ducal House. I can’t make an exception just for you.”  

Oh……?  

Was there a dress code in the contract?  

A disgruntled sound escaped her.  

“How could that be? I don’t remember that.”  

“Perhaps you didn’t read the contract thoroughly. Check it again.”  

“Ugh! This!”  

The Duke returned his attention to the documents, and she hurried back to her bedroom.  

Inside, Vanessa and the tailors were sitting neatly, waiting for her.  

They watched her silently.  

She pulled the contract from the desk drawer and checked it.  

The Duke was right.  

There was a clause about wearing appropriate attire as an employee of the Conver Ducal House.  

“Damn! I couldn’t see it properly because it was written so small!”  

She blamed the small print for his failure to read the contract thoroughly.  

“Ugh. This is annoying!”  

“Miss Astrid, it’s also stated in the contract that you must use proper language within the Ducal House.”  

“No way, that can’t be in the contract!”  

She checked the contract again.  

Vanessa was right.  

Seeing her face contort, Vanessa chuckled.  

It was the smile of a victor, and she felt utterly defeated.  

“Now, shall we take your measurements? Tailors, please hurry.”  

“Yes, understood, Housekeeper.”  

At Vanessa’s word, the three tailors began to move in unison.  

Six hands approached her, removing her clothes except for her undergarments, and started taking measurements.  

Completely powerless, she had to entrust her body to them, her face pale.  

‘What kind of contract is this?!’  

On the day of the contract, yesterday, her mind was a jumble, and her heart was restless.  

The densely packed text of the contract was hard to see clearly.  

So she only skimmed the bolded parts and signed, leading to this mess.  

‘Ugh…… Damn it! This is dirty and petty.’  

Cursing inwardly was the only small comfort for her hollow heart.