13
“Uuung… Ah!”
The child scrunched her nose in deep thought while hugging her teddy bear, then suddenly opened her eyes wide. Before the nanny could stop her, she jumped up and rushed toward Roze.
Round, light green eyes stared up at Roze. Startled by Flitta’s sudden action, Roze stood frozen, unsure what to do. Then she realized she was towering over the child and quickly dropped to her knees.
It was then that Flitta wrapped her arms around Roze’s neck.
That sweet, toasty scent unique to children filled her senses.
“…!”
Roze’s eyes widened at the warmth of the child suddenly clinging to her. The head maid and the nanny both gasped in surprise.
“I remembered.”
Flitta whispered softly, her short arms wrapped around Roze’s neck.
“You hugged me just like this. In the water.”
Heehee. The child grinned, proud of what she had recalled. Roze, who had let her arms hang by her sides, slowly raised them and tried to hug the child back.
Just like when she had jumped into the lake without thinking to save her.
Just like that day, when she had pulled the sinking child into her arms.
“Milady, please stand up right now!”
As if mocking the tender moment, the nanny’s sharp voice rang above her. The small body that had been in her embrace was pulled away by the nanny. Instinctively, Roze reached out, trying to grab Flitta.
But she caught nothing. Only the hem of Flitta’s dress brushed her fingertips.
“To think you’d embrace a lowly maid! I’ve told you time and again, haven’t I? You’re of noble Guenthers blood—you must behave accordingly. And yet again, you act so childishly.”
“I-I just… I was happy. Because Roze saved me.”
Flitta’s voice trembled with fear. Roze turned her head toward her. Held by the nanny, the child stammered as she tried to explain herself.
“And I was glad to see her…”
Flitta gave her reason with difficulty, but the nanny scoffed at her words.
“So you embraced a maid? Is that filthy blood something that can’t be educated out of you…?”
“…!”
Roze’s expression froze at the nanny’s scornful words. At the same time, the head maid snapped sternly.
“Madam Miguel, that was uncalled for! Shouldn’t you, of all people, be respectful toward the young lady?”
Only then did the nanny seem to realize they weren’t alone with Roze and Flitta. She flinched and shut her mouth. Then, awkwardly glancing around the room, she stepped back—effectively announcing she wouldn’t interfere further.
“In any case, I have fulfilled my duties. I’ll be taking my leave now, milady.”
The head maid gave the nanny a disapproving look before turning to Flitta and speaking gently. Flitta, clearly intimidated by the tense exchange, nodded hastily.
“Then I, too, will step out for a bit, milady. Well… you do have your own dedicated maid now.”
The nanny, seizing the opportunity, spoke again, not forgetting to throw a sarcastic remark at Roze. Roze could feel the nanny’s scornful gaze but didn’t respond.
Or perhaps she simply didn’t have the strength to.
Click.
The head maid and the nanny exited, and the door closed. Only Flitta and Roze remained in the room. A brief silence passed between them.
“…Uuung.”
Flitta looked at Roze shyly and stuck her thumb into her mouth. Then, startled by her own action, she quickly pulled it out and glanced up nervously.
“Ah! May I wipe your hands, milady?”
Roze, momentarily lost in thought, snapped out of it when she noticed the saliva on Flitta’s finger. Flitta stared at her, then held out her hand.
Looking at the leaf-shaped hand, Roze’s eyes wavered slightly. But she quickly steadied herself and took out a handkerchief from the pocket of her maid’s uniform.
Flitta quietly entrusted her hand and looked at Roze, then asked in a small voice,
“Are you upset?”
“…Pardon?”
Roze, still carefully wiping Flitta’s hand despite the saliva already being gone, raised her head in surprise. Flitta avoided her gaze and shook her head with lips tightly sealed.
“…?”
Roze saw the child pouting and looking dejected. But she didn’t ask further. She simply bowed her head again and gently wiped the child’s hand.
Delicately.
As if handling the most precious thing in the world.
Flitta’s gaze hesitantly returned to Roze. She looked at the maid kneeling before her, cleaning her hand.
The memory of nearly drowning was vague. Only the emotion from that moment lingered faintly.
Fear.
For young Flitta, that was the only word that fit.
She had been terrified—slipping on the wet lakeside and falling into the water, struggling in the depths. But more than anything, what scared her most was being alone.
Even as she cried for help, no one came. Not her father, not her nanny—no one.
“M-Mommy…!”
The last word she uttered while swallowing water had been “mommy.” A mother she couldn’t even remember. A mother who had left her. Yet, someone she longed for so much.
…And the one who had come for her was Roze.
Flitta looked at Roze again and spoke.
“Does it bother you? That you became my maid?”
Roze, still holding Flitta’s hand, lifted her head. She wondered if she’d heard wrong.
“…Does it bother me to be your maid, milady?”
“Mm-hm.”
She hadn’t misheard. Flitta nodded, hesitating, and added softly,
“Because I… I have lowly blood.”
Roze’s mouth opened—but no words came out. Not even a sigh. She was speechless.
Perhaps misinterpreting her silence, Flitta hunched her shoulders and continued in an even smaller voice.
“Everyone says it. The nanny, the maids… That when I make mistakes, it’s because of my mother. Because she was low-born…”
Sniffle. Flitta began to cry, rubbing her eyes with her small hands.
“But… hic, my mom wasn’t lowly. Because of me…”
“…Fl—milady.”
Roze almost said Flitta’s name but quickly corrected herself. She felt so sorry for the child blaming herself. Thinking of the hurt she might have caused her made Roze’s chest ache.
“I’m sorry if I upset you, sniff, but please don’t hate my mom. She didn’t… do anything wrong…”
“It doesn’t upset me, milady.”
Roze suppressed the tightness in her chest and hurriedly spoke. Flitta looked at her with tear-filled eyes. Roze gently wiped them with her handkerchief and smiled.
“I’m actually very happy to be by your side, milady.”
“…Really?”
A tear dropped from Flitta’s round eyes. Roze nodded as she wiped the tear from the child’s cheek.
“Of course. You’re such a lovable person.”
“…”
The child blushed at her words and fidgeted with her fingers. Seeing her, Roze smiled again and added,
“And please don’t believe those words.”
“…Huh?”
“About your mother. Anyone who gave birth to someone as lovely as you can’t be lowly. She must’ve been noble. Beautiful, too.”
Saying such things about someone else made her cheeks burn. But Roze wanted to boost the child’s self-worth.
How could people say such hurtful things to a child?
She felt genuinely angry at the nanny and the maids. It was unlike her usual mild nature. If they were here now, she might’ve confronted them directly.
The child looked far too used to being judged and shrinking back. Judging by the repeated mentions of her “lowly blood,” it was clear she had endured scorn before.
Even earlier, the nanny’s attitude made it obvious. While talking about noble blood, she had treated Flitta carelessly.
“…Really?”
Flitta’s face turned red as she asked again. Roze smiled gently and nodded firmly.
“It’s the first time anyone spoke nicely about my mom.”
Flitta rubbed her twitching cheeks with her palms, then grinned. With her sparkling green eyes, she looked at Roze and said,
“I like you, Roze.”
“I like you too, milady.”
Roze smiled despite the aching in her chest. She wanted to show only smiles to this child. And to make her smile—just like this.
Even if it meant giving everything she had.
