NOVEL WEB Chapter 219
“Seeing Rivette get praised, I guess it’s alright to completely leave the dressing-up of our daughter to you now. It seems you’ve become quite adept at styling others. You were whining about not being able to do it at first.”
“I didn’t whine, really…”
It was just like any other day, riding in Harane’s car back home. Usually, Harane acted all cold, but for some reason, she was being a bit more amiable today.
Part of me was thrilled, thinking my efforts were finally being acknowledged, but I couldn’t shake off a certain feeling of unease.
Unlike the big mistress, the little mistress only loosens up when there’s something to gain from it.
She wasn’t one to do favors without expecting something in return. I had a feeling she was going to demand something from me…
I had no idea what she might ask for this time.
“If you’re doing that, then it is whining, Blanca.”
Harane started by teasing me, asking if I’d thought about learning to drive.
I had worried about this same thing before, but I never expected it would actually come true. Up until just now, I thought she wouldn’t push this far.
…Yet, here we are. I mean, I’m a maid, and while I am effectively tied to this house, isn’t it a bit much to expect that from me?
Sure, I got my salary of 600, but I have free room and board, entertainment, and my rights respected. They say they won’t overwork me…
Wait a minute. With all this, shouldn’t I be bowing and scraping regardless of whatever tasks they throw my way?
Thinking about it, even though I’m technically bound here, I’m actually getting better pay and treatment than at most jobs. No, scratch that, I definitely am.
This kind of job is hard to come by elsewhere. I had just taken it for granted, but they definitely had no obligation to treat me this well.
And yet, given how well they treat me, it wouldn’t be strange for me to devote myself in return…right?
As I pondered all this and adjusted my attitude, I ended up saying something I didn’t really mean, in a sort of flattery.
“Stop with the insincere compliments, Blanca. I saw your face just now, looking sour about why you should even learn to drive.”
I should have managed my expression better. Harane roasted me a bit for my laid-back attitude but also acknowledged my progress.
“Thanks, but… don’t we already have a driver? Of course, it’d be nice to have more people who can drive.”
Out of pure curiosity, I asked, and Harane answered that there was, of course, a driver.
“But I can’t keep bothering you like this forever, you know? I have my own time to think about, after all. I want to enjoy things easily, if possible.”
Not just that, but she mentioned I would also be expected to help when moving Lapiz around in the future.
I just can’t shake that feeling of ominous premonition. What if I end up having to take care of kids later on?
While I thought that to myself, Harane looked at me suspiciously, asking if I was having impure thoughts.
“I wouldn’t dream of it!”
“Good, good. Whatever you were thinking, don’t let it cross your mind again. It won’t happen, got it?”
Harane jokingly threatened me, but she did seem quite fond of me now, initiating various conversations.
Most of the topics revolved around her daughter, Lapiz. She had recently seemed a bit unruly or maybe had picked up some bad habits.
Even though she was subtly pressuring me, I couldn’t help but think about how much our relationship had improved compared to her earlier silence.
“So, I’m relying on you more than anyone else to stay close to my daughter. I want her to grow up in the right way and not go down any strange paths. Be her role model.”
“I’m always watching her as a role model, my lady. It’s just that the young lady doesn’t look like she’s even trying…”
“Then you need to exert yourself more. You’ll have to work hard. I feel like I’m piling my responsibilities on you, but…I hired you for this reason.”
“Ahaha…”
I awkwardly laughed it off, but if it keeps going like this, I wouldn’t be able to breathe, so I changed the subject a bit.
“So, how did the young lady come to dream of being a hero?”
I already knew the story from Lapiz, but I was curious how she had explained it to the family.
With a slightly prickly tone, Harane shared a story she recalled from a long time ago, saying it was something unforgivable about her daughter.
It was the kidnapping incident Lapiz had told me about. Harane recounts how Altera had turned absolutely furious, like heaven and earth had flipped, and Lapiz was rescued unharmed, but back then, Lapiz was terrified of the grandmother she’d never seen before.
“You know, mother… she lacks a bit in careful consideration. So after dealing with the enemies, she couldn’t even go to Lapiz, just a bundle of nerves.”
At that moment, a hero whose name she couldn’t even remember had reached out to Lapiz, saying it was okay.
Only then did Lapiz relax and return to her family’s arms.
“Even now, we don’t know who that hero was. Whether it was something transformed by father, or someone he just happened to meddle with. No one knows for sure.”
If even her mother can’t remember, it’s certainly not someone ordinary.
Harane was confident that was the reason Lapiz had come to admire heroes.
She wanted to be like that hero who reached out a hand, saying everything was fine during that paralyzing moment of fear.
“My situation is a bit different from that story.”
“Well, a child who had seen something so frightful wouldn’t remember. I’m sure your grandmother thinks she did everything.”
Harane figured that Lapiz had been too terrified and, given how long ago it was, the memory might have become muddled along the way.
“Is that so? That’s possible. I envy the young lady. If a hero had appeared for me, perhaps I could have pursued being a hero with such integrity.”
“That’s something we’ll never know. But it seems you already know the answer to that, don’t you?”
I asked myself, could I really become a hero?
……
Well, that’s a mystery.
—–
“Hmm…”
“You seem to be deep in thought, young lady. What’s got you so distracted from morning? Is it because of the new semester starting?”
As I was brushing Lapiz’s hair and applying makeup to her face, she had a contemplative expression that made me tease her a little.
But Lapiz replied it wasn’t anything like that, and it was a rather serious matter.
“The thing is… I still haven’t decided on the office for my internship this semester.”
“Still haven’t decided? No way! Didn’t the master create a one-person office just for you this time too?”
“That was the plan, but… I can’t stay under grandma’s wing forever.”
Lapiz said she wanted to get out on her own, but thought it might be tough and shared that reason with me.
“And I can’t keep listening to her pampering me endlessly. If I become a hero, I’ll definitely need to work with people I’ve never met before. I’ll have to communicate with them, make plans… So, I want to learn how to fight alongside others.”
But then, as she expressed her desire to grow in her powers, I playfully swatted her on the neck with my tail, pointing out it was a bit greedy.
“Is that so?”
“You’ve got two experts right here, don’t you? There are instructors who care for you more than anyone else. So let’s put that aside for now and just learn how to coordinate with people.”
“That’s… true!”
Lapiz had a simple solution that she could just learn it at home and thanked me for pointing it out, resolving to go somewhere with unfamiliar faces instead.
“It seems like you will be the next top hero, given that strength and enthusiasm you have, Invictus will soon be in your grasp.”
“That’s going a bit too far, don’t you think?!”
Lapiz exclaimed, waving her hands around while her mood seemed to perk up as if she was a dog wagging its tail.
“Ouch, that hurt.”
“Ah, I’m sorry…!”
There were a few mishaps with her tail swing, but I had gotten used to it now, so it didn’t hurt as much as before.
“Anyway, make sure to choose the right office, young lady. I doubt there are any big shots lurking around, but you never know, there might be someone who’d want to take advantage of you.”
“Oh come on, really? I’ll still keep that in mind.”
We had made a light-hearted pact, but I still thought it’d be better to check things firsthand and be sure.
If I found that the place Lapiz was interested in was not up to snuff, I’d have to tighten the reins a bit.
All to ensure she wouldn’t get hurt by anyone.