~Chapter 12~
“What do you want me to do?”
“Feed Rafi a bite of omelet, please.”
“…I thought I told you last time I don’t do that kind of thing.”
Johann looked completely stunned—what kind of nonsense was this first thing in the morning?
“And I told you before, you need to practice little by little. We agreed on it, remember?”
Leah’s calm reply made him look at her like he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
“I really want you and Rafi to get closer while I’m staying here.”
“What does this have to do with doing this kind of stuff?”
“You probably don’t remember, but when we lived in the cabin, you used to feed Rafi sometimes.”
“…And I’m supposed to believe that?”
He frowned like she was making it up.
“Yes.
If you start doing the things you used to, even without remembering, it might help you two reconnect.”
Then Leah turned to Raphaella.
“Rafi, do you remember how Daddy used to feed you stew before?”
Raphaella looked a little uncomfortable.
He looked like her dad, but he acted and felt like a totally different person.
That made her confused and distant.
“Yeah… Daddy did it like this…”
She didn’t even look at Johann—just stared at Leah as she mimicked feeding someone with a fork.
Leah smiled and patted her daughter’s head, then gave Johann a firm look.
“…Sigh.
Wouldn’t it be easier if we just started with something simple like a question?”
“If you can do the hard stuff first, the easy ones will be a breeze.”
She clearly meant to stop complaining and just do it.
Johann sighed again.
“You’re really going to guilt-trip me over the deal with my savior?”
“…Fine, I’ll do it.”
He picked up a piece of strawberry from Raphaella’s plate and held it out with the fork.
Let’s just get it over with.
“Say ‘ah~’”
Leah even showed him how.
“…Ah~”
He awkwardly copied her.
Leah looked away and smiled a little.
“…Mom.”
Raphaella hesitated for a moment, still unsure about this new “dad,” but she slowly took the strawberry and chewed it.
Johann watched her eat, mumbling to himself,“…Can’t believe I used to do stuff like this.”
He shook his head—he couldn’t imagine himself ever doing it, even if he had lost his memories.
“You used to say it was okay every now and then, even though I warned you you’d spoil her.”
“…”
“Your body might remember, even if your brain doesn’t.
You might get used to it again.”
He gave Leah a look like What nonsense are you saying now?
“We’re done now, right?”
“With the meal part, yes….”
“What else is there besides a meal?”
“Playtime.”
“…”
One challenge after another.
Johann had just returned after a long, hard winter of monster hunting and thought he could finally rest, but Leah wasn’t giving him any breaks.
She had shown up early that morning asking him to eat with them, and during the whole meal, she’d made one demand after another.
Now even playtime?
If I complain, she’s probably going to bring up the contract again.
Maybe fighting monsters was better than this.
It was easier than doing all this weird, uncomfortable stuff.
“…Work starts the moment I get home, huh.”
“Parents don’t get any days off,” Leah said cheerfully.
“Just one hour of playtime, right?”
“Yep.”
“I’ve got time this afternoon, so I’ll do it then.”
“Great.”
And that’s how Johann’s very long and exhausting breakfast came to an end.
—
After breakfast, Leah returned to the room with Raphaella.
“Rafi, how did it feel when Daddy fed you a strawberry, like he used to?”
She asked while brushing and braiding Raphaella’s messy hair.
“…Hmm, it felt a little like my real dad.”
“Yeah? I’m glad—even a little bit is something.”
“…Just a little bit.”
Raphaella mumbled while playing with her wooden bunny doll.
It was hard for Johann to bond, but maybe even harder for Raphaella—she remembered the real dad from before.
When someone forgets everything, there’s no emotional reaction to people they once knew.
But if you remember everything and the person is completely different, it hurts.
And maybe Leah felt the same.
—
After finishing Raphaella’s hair, Leah grabbed some potions she had made and headed to where the maids usually worked—just like she’d done all winter.
Raphaella promised to stay in the room and read a picture book until Leah got back.
‘Huh? Why isn’t anyone around?’
Usually, there would be maids here and there, but today it felt empty.
Thinking it was odd, Leah headed toward the servant hall, where the staff usually hung out during breaks.
As she got close, she heard someone yelling inside.
It was the head maid, scolding the other maids.
“…Just because that woman gave you a couple of silly potions, you all change your attitude like that?”
“……”
“How many times do I have to tell you? She’s not a real guest!”
‘So that’s why she and the others have been treating Rafi and me like that…’
Ria sighed softly as she stood quietly outside, listening without meaning to.
“I hope none of you disappoint me again.
Got it?”
“…Yes, Head Maid.”
“And some of you—I’ve got my eye on you!”
The head maid glared at a few of them.
“Oh, and Mari, I heard the laundry method changed.”
“Well, um, Leah taught me a really good way and it works so well that—”
“Forget it.
I don’t care how amazing the mountain-folk method is.
Go back to the original way.”
“…Yes, ma’am.”
Mountain-folk method?
If you mix just a little of my potion in the water, the laundry comes out so clean…
The laundry staff had really liked it.
Hearing all the gossip about herself made Leah feel a bit down.
“There’s a lot to do today, so let’s hurry and get started,” the head maid clapped three times, sounding satisfied.
‘Ugh, I wasn’t even trying to eavesdrop…’
Just then, Leah bumped into the head maid right outside the hall.
“…Didn’t know you liked to snoop,” the woman said, looking her up and down.
“Oh! I was just coming to hand out some new potions…”
“New ones? Like what?”
“For hands, to apply—”
Leah started answering before realizing, but it was too late.
Like a hawk, the head maid snatched Leah’s pouch and pulled out two bottles.
“If you’re offering, I’ll take them.”
And just like that, she turned and walked off without another word.
“Ugh, that woman….”
Mari, one of the maids, muttered angrily from inside the servant hall.
“Shh, Mari.
People could be listening,” Pola warned her.
“She treats Leah so badly, but always takes the potions without fail. It’s disgusting.”
Leahh, did you hear that?”
Young Helen came up to Leah, looking concerned.
“I’m okay.
Don’t worry about it,” Leah replied with a gentle smile.
Some of the maids were annoyed that they got scolded because of Leah, and they stormed off without even taking the potions she brought.
‘I guess I’d be annoyed too if I were them…’
The head maid probably couldn’t say anything to Leah directly, so she took it out on the lower maids.
Leah understood that—and still handed out potions to the ones who stayed.
“Don’t let it get to you.
They just don’t have a choice.”
“When the head maid picks on us, there’s not much we can do.”
The remaining maids tried to comfort Leah.
“Besides, the current head maid…”
“Mari, keep your voice down if you’re gonna talk about her,” Pola warned.
“What, it’s not like we’re lying.
Everyone knows it.”
Mari grumbled with crossed arms.
“…That head maid only got the job because Lady Carolina kicked out the old one and put her in.”
“Huh?”
“She used to be Carolina’s maid from the Sprecher family estate.”
When Johann’s sister got seriously sick and Lady Carolina took over managing the house, she kicked out the original head maid and replaced her with her own servant.
Things got worse after that.
The new head maid—Daria—used to be just like the other maids, but now she acted like she was royalty.
“She thinks she’s all that just because she’s Carolina’s right hand.”
Pola sighed.
“She used to be just like us,” Mari added, folding her arms.
“Mrs. Pendler, the old head maid, was a really kind person…”
“Strict, sure—but fair and understanding.”
They clearly missed her.
She was from a loyal vassal family of the duke’s house.
“If only Lady Penelope wasn’t sick…”
“What kind of illness does she even have that no one can cure it?”
If Penelope got better, the Duchess could take back control of the household.
Then the old head maid could come back, and maybe things would return to normal.
“Um… what kind of illness does the Duke’s sister have?”
Leah finally asked what she’d been wondering.
“Should we tell her? Lady Penelope….”
Pola hesitated, thinking about whether she should say it.
