As usual, Laura was with Joshua from morning until evening. It was quite a task to be with such an active child all day, but since there were others to help, it wasn’t too difficult.

“Nanny, read this for me!”

Of course, taking care of a child who needs the same thing repeated several times could be a bit tedious. Laura unfolded the fairy tale book that had already been read seven times.

“‘Hazel is a stag beetle, a nice big stag beetle, very hard and nice.'”

“It says here. Stag beetle.”

Joshua’s tiny fingers quickly traced the illustrations. It had been repeated seven times already, but Laura’s eyes widened as if for the first time.

“Oh, look, here’s a stag beetle. ‘Hazel has a very big, wonderful jaw……'”

“This. This is the jaw.”

“Then where is our prince’s jaw?”

“Here!”

“And where is the nanny’s chin?”

“Here!”

Joshua pointed to Laura’s chin and giggled. It was then that a knock sounded on the door.

Turning her head as the door opened, Laura was startled to see a familiar face through the open door.

“Huh, Marquis?”

Joshua’s head jerked up at the mention of the Marquis, and he sprang to his feet and ran to Eric.

“Uncle!”

“Oh, my little prince, you’ve grown so much.”

Eric scooped the child up as he ran toward him. The child burst out laughing.

“Uncle, prince.”

“Oh, I haven’t seen you for so long, I should give you a kiss first. Our little prince, you’re so naughty.”

Eric tapped his cheeks, and Joshua quickly kissed him. Eric, as if in return, lifted and moved the child here and there playfully. However, his body, still not fully recovered, soon sank onto the sofa. Joshua pulled Eric’s coat, urging him to continue.

“Again. Again.”

“Oh, uncle is tired.”

“No. Do it again.”

“No, I can’t, I can’t.”

Eric lay back on the couch. Joshua flopped down on his uncle’s stomach. Eric buried his face in his hands and glanced at the clock.

“Don’t you usually take a nap around this time? It seems like it’s nap time.”

“I was going to read him a book and put him to bed, but he’s been avoiding naps lately.”

“Oh, Your Highness, what if you don’t take a nap? Babies need to sleep.”

Eric chuckled and patted the child on the bum. Joshua pouted his lips.

“I’m not a baby.”

“He doesn’t like the word baby these days, not even the word tiny.”

“Huh, well, let’s just call the baby a baby… … .”

“I’m not a baby.”

Eric said exasperatedly, and Joshua jumped up and punched him in the chest. Eric let out an exaggerated yelp and then giggled.

“Why? Do you want to grow up quickly?”

“Yes.”

“What do you want to do when you grow up?”

“I’ll be a stag beetle.”

Eric’s eyes widened at the bold declaration.

“Wow, a stag beetle? That won’t be easy. What will you do when you become a stag beetle?”

“Well, I’m going to fight with my mother.”

“Oh, but she’s already married to your father.”

“Well, I’m going to fight with my nanny.”

“No, the nanny is…….”

Eric quickly looked back in Laura’s direction. He coughed loudly when their eyes met.

“…Nanny will be a grandmother when His Highness grows up.”

“It’s okay”

“Oh, you don’t mind being a grandmother? How sweet, really.”

Eric giggled a few times, then slowly patted the child on the back. Joshua whimpered a little, as if he wanted to play with his uncle some more, but he was tired from the morning’s ball game and soon drifted off. Eric gently placed the sleeping child in his bed.

“…… He had grown so much since I last saw him. His arms and legs are getting longer.”

“That’s right? It hasn’t been that long since he got his clothes fitted.”

Laura said as she draped a blanket over Joshua’s stomach. Eric glanced at her.

“So, what happened with the Viscount?”

Norten Hale, who had threatened the imperial nanny and insulted the empress at the party, was currently detained by the guards on his way to the lodging of Countess Ingrid.

Laura laughed, a little embarrassed.

“It seems like it’s going to be resolved well. Her Majesty has denied my brother’s accession to the throne… He’s probably dying right about now. It will be chaos for our parents too.”

“Then who will receive the title?”

“I don’t know. Actually, the Empress said she’d like me to take it over, but…… I don’t think it would be worth it to inherit a failing family.”

“That’s true.”

Eric nodded slowly.

“But still, because I saved the prince before, Her Majesty said she would grant me a new estate and an honorary title for now.”

The honorary title was a standalone title that couldn’t be inherited. It didn’t come with a separate territory, truly just an honorary title. So, it wasn’t a significant reward considering what she had done to save the prince.

“Oh, just an honorary title? It’s not even inheritable.”

“That’s enough for me. Anyway, I don’t even know how to manage a territory if I had one.”

“That’s something you’ll have to learn.”

“Well, since His Highness will receive a proper title when he comes of age, I’ll just take my time until then. I really don’t know anything.”

Eric winced at Laura’s words, but he wasn’t much for interfering in other people’s decisions, so he let out a short sigh and nodded.

“Ah, well…… I see. By the way, I’ve been wondering something.”

“What is it?”

Laura asked, and Eric quickly gestured to her. Leaning over, he put his mouth next to Laura’s ear.

“I mean, when are you going to hook up with me?”

“……?”

Laura turned her head in surprise at Eric’s question. Eric pointed to the sleeping Joshua and put his index finger to her lips as if to silence him.

“No, didn’t you say that yesterday? You said you seduced me.”

“…….”

“But I don’t remember being seduced. Unless it’s the other way round.”

Laura didn’t answer. Seeing her blush, Eric snorted in response.

“By the way, I thought you were being sincere when you said you didn’t remember, but you remembered exactly how I told you to punch me in the mouth if I was mean, and to come to me if you were lonely.”

“Well, that’s, Marquis…….”

“You tricked me so badly, huh? Is it okay for a nanny to deceive people like that? I’m tingling in the back of my head, now.”

Eric tapped his own head as he spoke. Seeing that, Laura muttered timidly.

“No…… I was just embarrassed, too. Since Marquis seemed so disgusted and didn’t want it…”

“Ha, so it’s my fault now?”

“No, then whose fault is it? You’re the one who kept blabbering on and on about how nothing happened between us!”

Laura vented her frustration, but Eric waved his hand as if he didn’t care.

“That’s enough, go ahead and flirt with me.”

“No, why would I?”

“Oh, you haven’t even proposed yet, how can you just move on like that? You really want to take advantage of me.”

Eric said it triumphantly. Laura’s mouth dropped open in disbelief, but she quickly stood up and began to tidy up the books and toys that littered the couch and floor.

Eric stood close by her side.

“Why are you tidying up when you’re not supposed to, it’s what maids do anyway.”

“Well, are you going to stay here? I’m busy.”

“The prince is asleep anyway, and you don’t have anything else to do, so why don’t you start by wooing me?”

“…….”

“You don’t want to, then how about I seduced you instead?”

“…….”

“Alright, I got it. If you can’t do it, I’ll do it then.”

Hearing the inevitable tone in his voice, Laura turned her head away. Eric was crouched down, watching her. When their eyes met, he smirked.

“Let’s date, you and me.”

“…….”

“Not if you don’t want to.”

It was a casual confession, like an invitation to go for a walk. It was a confession that made her laugh out loud.

“No, Marquis, you don’t give flowers when you ask a girl out? That’s so unromantic.”

“Ah, I should have seduced someone to know. Wait a minute. I’ll get you the best one from the Rose Palace.”

“Oh, forget it.”

Laura turned her head in disbelief. What an insincere confession. “Not if you don’t want to” she thought, who says that in a confession?

“It seems like you’ve already crossed the line with that smile.”

But Eric was right, her lips were already forming an arc. What’s so good about a confession that’s nothing like what she dreamed of?

“……Who crossed the line?”

Laura pouted, her lips forming a smirk. Eric laughed out loud.

“Well, who else but you.”