Chapter 12
Chapter 12
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: Trampoline Betrayal
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Because it had only been four or five days since the nurse put a ban on cake, claiming I'd been eating too many desserts lately.
I explained the situation in a slightly sulky tone.
"Mariella no eat cake. Nurse say no eat."
"Why is that?"
"Because Mommy and Daddy eat cake too. Eat lots, teeth hurt..."
I thought I was being pretty serious, but Yasmin covered her mouth and let out a small laugh the moment she heard me.
"It's fine, miss. Don't worry about what the nurse says. If it's something you like, I'll give you cake or cookies or anything."
Eh?
The nurse was definitely higher up, though. Telling me not to mind what she says?
Yasmin came from the main house, so even if the nurse outranked her, it probably wasn't easy to just boss her around.
But if Yasmin ignored the nurse's orders, that would cause problems too.
'I want cake, though.'
Still, the nurse was my nurse, so her authority had to stand.
Ugh, all this weighing and considering was so tiring!
I was grateful for all the help from the main house servants, but thinking through the hierarchy and power dynamics between the main and branch families gave me a headache.
So, straight to the point it was.
Beating around the bush and overthinking wasn't my style.
"Listen, Yasmin."
"Yes, miss."
I tugged her hand, and she slowed her steps to look down at me.
"Betty quiet. Other maids quiet too. Because scary, don't hit. Explain words, they quiet, nyeh- have to."
Our eyes met as she made a strange expression.
After a brief silence, Yasmin nodded slowly, almost imperceptibly.
"I'll do as you say, miss."
I wasn't done yet.
"And I like nurse too."
I looked up at her with a warning not to ignore my nurse's words on her own, and Yasmin gave a troubled smile.
"You've grown quite fond of the longtime servants, haven't you?"
Her tone felt oddly chilly, mismatched with her expression.
As if I'd misheard.
We stood there, eyes locked for a moment.
Yasmin was the first to break the tense silence, glancing out the door.
"The young master is already out there. Look over there, miss."
Well, if Yasmin wasn't going to push the issue, neither would I.
If I were twenty-three, maybe I'd call her out on that creepy vibe, but as a three-year-old, it'd just come off as whining.
I followed her lead and poked my head out the door to change the subject.
"Baby! You're late!"
Dietrich, who had just leaped onto the trampoline with a boing, waved excitedly to greet me.
...This traitor!
We were supposed to play on the trampoline together, but he'd started without me?
Fueled by rising anger, I let go of Yasmin's hand and ran forward.
"Dietri!"
"Baby Ella, this is so fun?"
Of course it was fun!
"You play without me. Traitor!"
"Sorry, sorry. I'll help you up. Come on, let's play together."
Dietrich, who had been bouncing vigorously on the small children's trampoline, finally plopped down, stopping the vibrations.
Taking the chance, I struggled to climb up, and he grabbed my hand, yanking me onto it with a mischievous grin.
Something felt ominous?
"Wanna see something fun?"
"No?"
"Check this out. You can go as high as the nurse's head like this?"
"Nooooo!"
I'd just barely steadied myself to stand when Dietrich jumped hard, launching me up like popcorn.
"Dietri, wait...!"
"Look at this, baby! I can spin backward from here!"
Forget backflips or whatever—let me stand up!
Dietrich, totally hyped, showed off all sorts of tricks on the trampoline, drowning out my words completely.
For a good while after that, I tumbled around on the trampoline like fried beans.
I want to bounce on the trampoline too!
"Waaah! Nurse, Dietri, Dietri...!"
"It's okay, miss. I'll scold the young master good."
Dietrich's exercise-honed stamina showed no signs of giving out even after bouncing around for ages.
Which meant I'd rolled around like a bean on the trampoline until the nurse stepped in to save me.
'Infuriating!'
If I'd had my muscles, I wouldn't have tumbled around without balance like this!
Never once getting to bounce, just rolling the whole time!
After the humiliating tumble-fest ended, I finally burst into proper sobs in the nurse's arms.
"Young master, how could you play so rough without any regard for your little sister? I'm so disappointed in you today!"
Good job, my nurse!
"Ah, no, I didn't mean to, I just didn't know the baby was this weak..."
Did you just call me a weakling?
Me, a fitness fanatic from my past life who'd mastered every workout, getting called weak by a seven-year-old!
The injustice hit hard, and I wailed even louder, snot and tears flowing freely. Dietrich fidgeted, sneaking glances at me, then timidly reached out a hand.
I smacked away his attempt to wipe my tears and turned my head sharply. I could feel him sulking behind me.
"Sorry, baby. I'll give you all my snacks today. Don't be mad? Huh?"
You think snacks will fix this?
"Just that much for me to, sniff, forgive you, waaah...!"
"Ugh, sorry! I'll give you tomorrow's too—no, all my snacks this week. I just thought it'd be fun together."
Two rounds of 'fun' and I'd be jumping high enough to sightsee Seoul!
"You know how tasty Zeke's snacks are? He said he'd make apple pie this week—it's all yours."
Our sous-chef Zeke was famous for his desserts.
Despite his gruff personality that could make laughing kids cry, he'd climbed to sous-chef thanks to his desserts—especially his secret-recipe apple pie.
His sincerity shone through in offering them all to me, and as rational thoughts returned, my anger started fading.
The nurse, sensing my softening, quickly rocked and soothed me.
"Miss, the young master really feels bad. Right, young master?"
"Of course! I didn't mean it!"
"Then this time, hold miss's hand tight and play gently and fun?"
"Huh? Nurse, I can play with Ella again? For real?"
Typical straightforward Dietrich.
He must've feared a lifetime trampoline ban, because his voice brightened at what felt like permission.
...Well, first time on a trampoline, anyone might get carried away.
Especially thinking all kids had core muscles as sturdy as his.
"But if you make miss cry again, trampoline's banned for a week. Got it?"
"Obviously! I won't!"
The nurse carefully lifted me onto the trampoline first.
Dietrich scrambled up after like a monkey.
Tensing for another hard bounce, I saw him extend his hand.
Holding it, he bounced much more gently this time.
The trampoline swayed at a nice, steady rhythm.
'This is actually thrilling...!'
My mood flipped in an instant.
"Dietri, higher!"
My excited shout made him jump a bit higher.
"Yeah! Hold on tight!"
The rebound sent me even higher, and I burst into cackles like a crow.
"Kyaa! So fun!"
How long did we play like that?
Just as our energy was half-spent from all the crow-like shrieks and bouncing, the nurse called us.
"That's enough play for today. Time for snacks."
Snacks!
A table had already been set up in the garden somehow.
I spotted a couple servants pulling a cart loaded with snack plates.