Episode 34
Maddie caught the falling nanny and gently laid her on the floor.
Astrid, who had been holding the nanny’s hand, suddenly felt it slip away and jolted awake.
Her already big, round eyes grew even wider as she slowly backed away.
Her slender arms, clutching her teddy bear as if it might burst, trembled like a leaf.
Tears slowly welled up in her clear eyes.
Now, the only ones left standing in the room were Maddie and Astrid.
Maddie raised both her hands as if to reassure the pale-faced child.
She crouched down slowly, ignoring the unconscious nanny, and made eye contact with Astrid.
“How old are you, Astrid?”
Astrid glanced nervously at the nanny before holding up five fingers.
“Five?”
Astrid shook her head.
Looking closer, Maddie noticed that only two fingers were extended from the hand holding the teddy bear.
Even in fear, Astrid seemed determined to get her message across.
Not five—seven.
“Ah, Astrid is seven. Don’t be scared. I came here to protect you. I’m not someone sent by Crocton, or the big boss of those bad people. I won’t even touch you unless you say it’s okay. I mean it.”
Astrid stared at Maddie suspiciously, then slowly nodded her head.
“You’re very smart. I just want to ask one thing. Did the nanny hit you?”
As soon as Maddie finished her sentence, Astrid vigorously shook her head.
“Really? But I saw scars on your palms and calves. And you’re wearing such thin clothes even though it’s so cold. You might catch a cold.”
At that, Astrid clenched her tiny hands into fists and trembled.
She seemed to be trying to come up with another excuse.
But unable to find one, she lowered her head and shook it even more quickly than before.
“Did someone teach you to always say no when asked things like this?”
Astrid hesitated for a moment, then barely nodded as if admitting the truth.
“I see. Then let me ask another way. Do you want to stay here until the nanny wakes up? Or do you want to come with me and read some fun storybooks? The ones here are all old and missing their endings, right? You must’ve been really curious about those endings.”
Astrid’s eyes widened.
Her large, blue pupils trembled quickly.
Her tiny, tomato-like lips parted without a sound.
“How do I know? I saw the drawer earlier. The books looked like someone had torn the endings out. Was it this nanny who threw them away?”
Astrid nodded and pointed toward the fireplace in frustration.
“She threw them in there, huh? You didn’t get to read the endings. That must’ve been so annoying.”
Maddie smiled softly and gently stepped on the nanny’s fingers.
A faint groan escaped from the nanny’s lips.
“Ugh…”
Astrid’s eyes grew wide. She quickly ran to Maddie, slapped her on the cheek, and grabbed her wrist.
Maddie let herself be pulled along by the small child.
Astrid led her to the wall furthest from the fireplace where it was cold and made Maddie sit there. Then, she lifted Maddie’s arms up high.
Maddie raised her arms like she was being punished and looked at Astrid.
“Oh, is this because I hurt the nanny? Are you punishing me? Do you actually like the nanny who breaks your toys and rips your books?”
Astrid looked at Maddie with wide, blinking eyes.
“How do I know about your toy being broken? I’m actually a psychic. I can hear your thoughts. They’re super loud. Like this big.”
Maddie spread her arms wide.
Astrid’s little mouth opened into a perfect circle.
“I’m really a psychic. That’s how I heard you crying out for help—‘Please save me!’—and poof! I came.”
Astrid’s face went round with astonishment.
Even her jagged bangs somehow suited her dazed and innocent expression.
Maddie grinned naturally.
She had simply seen the stitching marks on the teddy bear’s head, arms, and legs.
The fabric wasn’t worn out, but there were way too many stitched areas.
Maddie asked again.
“Did you hit me because you like the nanny? You wanted to punish me for hurting her?”
Astrid blinked rapidly, seemingly surprised by the question, then quickly shook her head.
“Then why? Was it because I did something wrong? Have you been punished like this too?”
Astrid covered her face with her tiny leaf-like hands and gave a small nod.
To keep from scolding the child, Maddie forced a smile and gritted her teeth.
“I see… But you don’t seem to talk much. So it’s not because of something you said, right? It must be another reason.”
Surprised that Maddie got it right again, Astrid nodded eagerly and stepped closer.
“Then why were you punished?”
Astrid carefully pulled Maddie’s hand and began tracing letters onto her palm.
“My goodness! You can write already? You’re a genius! So smart!”
A bit flustered by Maddie’s enthusiastic praise, Astrid shyly held up seven fingers.
“Oh, because you’re seven, you’re smart!”
Astrid nodded solemnly.
Despite being startled by Maddie’s fuss, she continued writing.
Crocden Uncle.
“…Did he hit you?”
Astrid shook her head.
“Then? Did he hit the nanny?”
Astrid lit up and nodded brightly, as if Maddie had solved a quiz.
Maddie smiled gently, playing along with the child.
“Ah! I get it! Crocton Uncle hit the nanny! And then after he left, the nanny would take it out on you!”
Astrid gasped and covered her mouth with both hands.
Then she covered her chest—maybe because she believed Maddie really could hear her thoughts.
It seemed Astrid now truly believed Maddie was a psychic and had forgotten to be scared.
She began bouncing on her feet, smiling brightly.
“What else? How else were you punished?”
Still kneeling, Maddie extended her left leg and kicked a large box.
The heavy wooden box tipped over and crashed into a cabinet along the wall.
The cabinet shattered, along with all the plates and teacups inside.
Startled, Astrid leapt back and slapped Maddie’s cheek again and again.
Then, she looked around and picked up a rusty pair of scissors by the fireplace.
As if it were the natural thing to do, she snipped off a small lock of Maddie’s hair.
Ah, Maddie thought, so that’s why her own bangs were so messy.
Astrid, holding the hair in her hand, hesitated for a moment, then tightly shut her eyes.
With great determination, she grabbed Maddie’s cheek and tried to pry her mouth open.
Of course, she wasn’t strong enough.
But Maddie obediently opened her mouth.
Astrid placed the hair in Maddie’s mouth and clamped it shut with both hands.
“Mmm, mmph.”
As soon as Maddie groaned, Astrid pulled her hands away in surprise and opened Maddie’s mouth again.
Feeling guilty, Astrid hurriedly pulled the brown strands of hair out from Maddie’s mouth and lowered her arms.
Still not feeling forgiven, she looked around and handed over her teddy bear.
Maddie gathered the remaining hair in her mouth with her tongue, stood up, and walked toward the unconscious nanny.
Then she spat.
Ptooey.
With a moist sound, saliva and strands of hair dripped onto the nanny’s cheek.
“Tada. No more hair in my mouth.”
Spitting inside the house wasn’t okay—and spitting on the nanny was definitely not okay.
Astrid looked torn. Should she slap Maddie again or not?
Just then, Maddie’s expression suddenly turned icy.
She walked to the window, peeked through the curtain, and gritted her teeth.
Her face, just moments ago full of warmth, now looked cold and unfamiliar.
But when she turned to Astrid, she smiled as before.
“Astrid, want to see something cool? Magic.”
Astrid clapped and jumped on the spot.
Despite all she had gone through, she could still sense warmth in others.
She hadn’t lost her innocence.
Maddie looked down at her gently.
“Good girl.”
‘…?’
Astrid blinked up at her.
Maddie responded with a real smile.
Her eyes curved, her nose wrinkled slightly, and her cheeks lifted in a wide grin.
Astrid couldn’t help smiling back.
“Okay, Astrid. Close your eyes and count to ten. When you open them, I’ll have changed clothes—like magic! Really!”
Maddie led her to the fireplace and sat her down, returning the teddy bear to her arms.
Astrid’s gaze flicked anxiously between the nanny and Maddie.
“Why? Afraid the nanny will wake up? Don’t worry. I think… she’ll be out for about 30 more minutes. But if she wakes up, I’ll rush back in and make her go back to sleep.”
Astrid reluctantly nodded, but tears soon began to fall like fat drops.
“You’re really scared to be alone, huh?”
Maddie knelt and looked into Astrid’s eyes, taking her hand.
Then she started singing along with the melody from the music box.
“Pinky promise, let’s promise, Maddie promises to come back to Astrid.”
Astrid’s cheeks finally reddened in relief.
She tightly grasped Maddie’s finger and swung their hands up and down.
Maddie clutched her chest.
“Ahh! Astrid is too cute—I’m gonna die!”
‘…!’
Maddie rolled on the floor, and Astrid jumped up in shock.
“Just kidding! I’m fine! Haha!”
The flickering firelight lit up Maddie’s radiant smile, which spread to Astrid too.
Astrid’s lips curved gently upward.
“Not scared anymore, right? Just ten seconds, okay? I’ll be right back. Trust me. I do know magic!”
Maddie thumped her chest proudly.
Astrid slowly closed her eyes.
Maddie exaggerated her voice playfully.
“Hey! You’re supposed to close your eyes after I give the signal! So sneaky!”
Astrid giggled and covered her mouth.
She began folding her fingers one by one.
The door opened, and sounds of rustling grass filled the air.
Alone in the room, Astrid hugged her teddy bear, worried the nanny might wake up.
The teddy bear had always been by her side.
But deep down, she knew it couldn’t really protect her when she was in danger.
The little girl folded her fingers and slowly counted in her heart.
…Six, seven, eiighhhht, niiiine-and-a-half…
Just before tears could spill again, a voice called out.
“Tada! I’m back!”
Standing before her was someone dressed all in black—just like the assassins from earlier.
Astrid shot up.
It looked like the same assassin woman had returned.
Her face turned ghostly pale.
Just as she tried to run, the figure removed her hood and mask.
“It’s me.”
Recognizing Maddie, Astrid pouted and began playfully punching her.
“Haha! Surprised? I totally tricked you! Ooooooh, I’m a ghost!”
Maddie tickled Astrid’s side with glee.
Astrid squirmed and stomped her feet.
Her face was now filled with pure, innocent joy.
Finally, she looked like a child her age.
“Let’s go, Astrid.”
Astrid quickly shook her head in fear.
“Don’t worry. I’m really good at escaping. I’m a magician and a psychic, remember? Just trust me a little.”
Astrid’s bright blue eyes flickered nervously from side to side.
