Chapter 10
Chapter 10
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 10
Chapter Title: Peace at Last
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Has peace finally come to our home?
Dietrich's relentless workouts over the past two weeks deserve most of the credit. He threw himself into it without a single sign of fatigue.
"You tiny thing, daring to look at your big brother with such admiring eyes?"
Dietrich reached out and ruffled my hair messily.
Our relationship had improved a bit, but this kind of casual touch was new, so I widened my eyes in surprise.
Dietrich cleared his throat a few times and straightened his expression.
"What?"
I raised my hand and mimed rubbing my head.
"Wha? You jus' patted my head like dis, Ditwi."
"I-I know how to say thanks too, you know!"
Was that his way of saying thanks just now?
From Dietrich?
The same Dietrich who used to stick his tongue out at me, call me ugly, and scowl every time he saw me?
Dietrich, who had been watching my shocked reaction, pursed his lips in a mix of awkwardness and embarrassment.
"I finally say thanks, and..."
Looking up at his flushed face, I couldn't help but start giggling.
"You weally thankful to me?"
"N-No, not even a little!"
"You said a teeny bit you wewe thankful earwier."
"No, I didn't! That... that was the other servants! The ones who take care of me—they said thanks, so I was just passing it on!"
"The sewvants said thanks?"
"Well... 'cause I go to bed early now. No more begging them for pillow fights."
Must be because all that extra energy from working out gets burned off.
With Dietrich staying out of trouble and behaving, the staff's attitudes had softened too.
Before, they'd chased him around all day, leaving dark circles under their eyes. Now, they looked much brighter.
"Anyway, Ditwi. Am I still ugwy wight now?"
Dietrich's shoulders twitched as he grumbled.
He sneaked a glance at me, gauging my reaction.
He knew he'd messed up, so I deliberately slumped my shoulders and pouted sadly.
"Mariella's a wady ugwy giwl? Me being ugwy makes da wowwd so hawd..."
I kept up the gloomy expression and sighed dramatically. Dietrich fidgeted, his face turning pitiful.
"Being Mariella da ugwy giwl makes da wowwd weally hawd..."
"N-No, you're not that ugly!"
Dietrich waved his hands frantically to deny it. Seizing the moment, I teased him mischievously.
"Then how ugwy am I?"
"You're like... uh, yeah! You look like a chipmunk. You know chipmunks? The ones that eat acorns, with cheeks all puffy like yours."
A chipmunk? Why a chipmunk of all things?
The curtain incident flashed in my mind. I furrowed my brow and stared at Dietrich.
"Ditwi, you still ob-sessed wif flying squiwwels ow what...?"
"Ugh... stop bringing that up. The nurse taught me people can't fly like flying squirrels."
Dietrich's embarrassed explanation cracked me up, and I burst out laughing.
As I laughed, Dietrich, who'd been peeking at me, started pouting, then joined in with a grin.
We laughed together like a couple of goofballs for a good while.
"Is wowking out fun?"
Instead of teasing him more, I asked about the exercise he'd gotten hooked on lately.
"Yeah, totally! Running till you feel like you're gonna die hurts, but then you feel amazing. Don't you know?"
How could I not know?
Long-forgotten memories washed over me like gentle waves, lapping at the shores of my mind and receding again.
I loved exercise.
I loved making other people healthier and happier through it.
The first time people came to the gym, wracked with pain from all sorts of issues, then came back beaming after treatment, saying they felt so much better. Hearing their thanks.
All of that was wonderful.
Watching people who'd been depressed from injuries regain their function and brighten up through training—it was the best.
That's why I became a trainer.
Dietrich wasn't injured or anything, but lately, exercise had boosted his confidence sky-high.
Every time the staff praised his form, he'd redouble his efforts...
Seeing him like that sent a thrilling tingle from my waist down to my toes.
The thrill of accomplishment.
The joy of helping others with what I'm good at, watching them improve because of me.
As the memories ebbed like waves, my confusion slowly washed away.
For the first time, I thought maybe this second life wouldn't be so bad.
Living by helping others with what I do best...
Lost in thought with my mouth shut for a long time, I noticed Dietrich sneaking peeks at me.
"Ella, you don't like that I said you look like a chipmunk? Chipmunks... aren't they cute?"
Maybe Dietrich doesn't hate me as much as I thought.
The idea was so funny, I kept bursting into laughter.
Hoo.
I took a deep breath in and out, putting on a solemn expression.
In my right hand, a sky-blue outfit. In my left, a white one.
To Kiki or not to Kiki—which outfit suits her best? That is the question.
Kiki was the name of the rabbit doll I slept with every night.
Named after "rabbit," of course.
Right now, I was in the middle of a life-or-death dilemma over what to dress her in today.
The nurse had made so many cute outfits with her skilled hands—too many choices.
I'd narrowed it down to the two that seemed perfect for Kiki, but I was stuck.
But both are so cute!
"Hmmm."
"Miss, are you dressing Kiki? Shall I help?"
"No. This is my job."
I drew a firm line, and Betty, who was sitting beside me folding my clothes, chuckled softly.
"To me, the white one looks prettier."
"Weally?"
Looking again at Betty's suggestion, the white outfit sparkled with tons of rhinestones—gorgeous.
I usually kept an adult mindset.
But when cute toys caught my eye or emotions surged from surprise, my three-year-old brain would bubble up.
Probably because my brain wasn't fully developed yet...
Urgh.
Betty and the other maids giggled as I sat there, unable to decide between the two.
"You girls. It's been ages since I told you to help the miss change."
The nurse scolded them as she entered, but the maids stood firm.
"But Nurse, look at her. How could we interrupt such a cute dilemma?"
"Miss, what's troubling you?"
"This... Kiki's cwothes..."
The nurse barely stifled a snort.
Then she remembered why she'd come and composed herself.
"You can worry about Kiki's clothes later. First, you need to greet the new staff."
New staff?
I gently set both outfits on Kiki and turned fully toward the nurse.
The maids had brought a pretty dress they'd picked out.
"The servants from the main estate already passed the front gate."
"So many?"
"Yes. His Grace must have been generous."
The nurse reached out and neatly curled my hair into ringlets.
"Don't worry. If those guys so much as bother our miss, Betty here will step in!"
"Betty."
Hm?
Betty doesn't like the main estate servants much?
Even as the nurse warned her sternly, Betty pouted defiantly.
"But the main estate folks might act all high and mighty. They've always looked down on us because of the bad blood with His Grace. Even when they came for Madam's coffin last time..."
"Nothing you shouldn't say in front of the miss!"
Only after the nurse cut her off sharply did Betty finally shut up.
Madam's coffin—Mom's? What happened then?
I wanted to ask more, but the nurse gave no opening.
"Now, miss, it's time to receive them as the lady of the manor."
By the time I stood at the entrance with the nurse, the new servants from the main estate had already arrived.
They bowed crisply upon spotting me.
"Greetings, miss."
Dietrich, who seemed to have greeted them already, turned and waved casually.
It was a rainy afternoon, the downpour like needles.
With so much luggage, they must have rushed without umbrellas—the new hires were soaked through.
Most were guards, but there were also ten servants and maids for the manor, including a butler and the resident physician.
"I am the newly appointed butler, Gerard Meyer. I will serve you both to the best of my ability."
The butler stepped forward and bowed again.
His bow was precise as a blade, and through his wet clothes, the outline of his solid frame showed...
His eyes gleamed sharply. I quietly slipped behind the nurse.