TPMPHMHF 04

♡ Chapter 4 ♡

After making that decision in my heart, I looked at the princess.

Some newborn babies are wrinkled, but I guess a protagonist is different.

She was so cute I wanted to bite her.

“I can’t even take a picture of this…”

In a world that looked, at best, like the early 19th century, there was no way cameras existed.

“….”

In one corner of the bedroom, there was a pencil and a notebook—things a child couldn’t even properly hold.

I carefully opened the notebook.

<Day 1>

After writing the words, I started drawing lines underneath.

The scratching sound of the pencil filled the room.

Dozens of lines soon formed the shape of a baby.

As if she knew I was drawing her, the princess quietly lay there and stared at me.

‘It’s been a while since I drew something.’

I added shading as I thought.

I always wanted to keep learning how to draw…

but I had to give it up.

“Think good thoughts. Only good thoughts.”

I focused on the princess again.

“I think I drew it pretty well…”

It wasn’t like I had to show it to anyone.

But looking at the finished drawing made my heart beat happily.

“Would you like to see it?”

I asked the princess on impulse.

I still felt uncomfortable showing my drawings to others—but a newborn was fine.

She couldn’t judge whether it was good or bad.

Instead of waiting for an answer that wouldn’t come, I showed it to her.

“….”

Did I see that wrong?

The baby, who had been staring blankly at the notebook, slightly raised the corners of her lips.

“Now I understand why fathers in romance stories melt just from their daughter’s smile.”

♡ I Have to Stop the Princess from Marrying Her Dad

: Day 9 of Possession, Tutorial Day 8

“Why hasn’t he shown up even once?”

The Duke hadn’t appeared even once in a week.

Unlike the tutorial that should have ended in three days, it was still winter here.

During that time, I…

—Waaah!
—Why is the young lady crying? Please don’t cry.

…raised the princess,

♡SYSTEM♡ You drank a Mid-Grade Recovery Potion!

Stamina +50
Mental +50

…spent all my money on potions from Mary to recover my stamina,

—Hello, Mr. Harrington!
—If you ever need help, please don’t hesitate to call me!

…and worked hard to unlock side jobs.

Even ten bodies wouldn’t be enough.

“He’s supposed to be a romance novel dad, at least.”

I muttered while patting the princess.

Of course, I kept my voice soft and gentle for the baby.

Thinking about all the romance fantasy stories I’ve seen—

those “cold, distant fathers” always say they don’t care about their daughters,

but they still visit at least once.

“And at that moment, if she smiles…!”

Their frozen hearts melt instantly, and they become doting fathers.

From experience, I can say this:

“A baby’s smile is stronger than you think.”

After that, it’s just a matter of whether they pretend not to be overprotective or are openly overprotective.

But Duke Cromwell didn’t even give that chance.

He didn’t show his face at all.

If it weren’t for his insane looks, I might have already forgotten what he looked like.

Stamina: 40/100
Mental: 30/100

Looking at my status, I could only sigh.

I swallowed my pride and begged Mary for more potions, but—

—“I can’t give them for free anymore. The price of materials went up because of magical beasts… but I’ll sell them cheaper than the shop!”

Mary was a paid shop NPC even in the game, so I wasn’t surprised.

After buying everything I could, I was completely broke.

“When will I unlock a side job…”

You can get side jobs once your relationship with NPCs reaches a certain level.

Since affection needs to be at least 3, I’ve been talking to everyone—from the stable keeper to fellow maids.

“Still, today is payday.”

A precious 25 gold!

I had been staring at the system window since yesterday.

“Good morning.”

Right then, Mrs. Lester entered the room.

Ding!

As the day properly began, a familiar sound rang out.

♡SYSTEM♡ Weekly wage received!

Gold +25G (25G)

They say peace of mind comes from a full wallet.

Even though it was still small, seeing the number increase made me feel better.

“The young lady has grown a lot.”

Mrs. Lester handed the princess back to me after feeding her.

I thought she felt heavier because my stamina was low—

but it seemed she had actually grown.

“That’s a relief…”

“Babies grow very quickly at this stage. Before you know it, they’ll walk and talk… If only we could record every moment!”

Mrs. Lester’s voice became emotional.

I almost said I was recording it through drawings—but stopped.

‘No need to show it.’

I wasn’t good enough to show others anyway.

She often got emotional when talking about children.

‘The Duke should be like this.’

But it was hard to imagine him like that.

Still, her words gave me an idea.

‘What if I make him recognize her as his daughter?’

The Duke’s biggest problem was that he had nothing to do with raising her.

That gave the nanny full control—

but also meant there was no bond between father and daughter.

Considering he only appears during seasonal evaluations—

“That’s only four times a year.”

Even if you join battles, you wouldn’t meet more than ten times.

No wonder they could see each other as a man and woman instead of father and daughter.

But now, without evaluations, even those chances might disappear.

So the conclusion was:

“Maybe the reason he sees her as a woman… is because he never had the chance to see her as his daughter.”

To him, she was just a girl he brought home years ago.

Since he never raised her, he could see her that way.

“Then the answer is simple.”

Make Jeremiah Cromwell a real father.

Make him treat her like a daughter so completely that—

“If she proposes someday, instead of accepting, he’ll collapse in shock.”

Make him participate in childcare.

It was horrible to think about this for a three-year-old ending—

but still better than turning her into a child bride.

“First… I need to make him realize she’s his daughter.”

Let’s start with naming her.

✧ʚ .·:¨༺♡༻¨:·. ɞ✧

I dressed the baby in outdoor clothes and stepped out.

The princess smiled brightly, as if the hallway itself was fun.

“If we meet the Duke, you have to smile at him, okay?”

Just like you did to me.

That way, he’ll feel affection as family—and won’t marry you.

Building affection with NPCs isn’t complicated.

Just talk to everyone you see.

If I had money, I’d give gifts—but since I’m broke, conversation is my only option.

“If only it were spring, I could at least pick flowers…”

Another reason I went out often was the Duke.

He would never come to see his daughter himself.

Since my level was too low to visit him directly, I chose a simple strategy:

“Operation: Accidental Encounter.”

If he wasn’t always in his office, I would eventually run into him.

“Even though I haven’t seen him once…”

I hummed as I spoke to the princess.

She tilted her head, as if saying she didn’t know either.

In the hallway, instead of the Duke, there were other people.

“Lara, did you eat?”
“Cassandra, greet the princess first.”
“Okay, Jane. Hello, Your Ladyship.”
“She’s so cute. How did the Duke even find a baby like this?”

The maids gathered around me.

After talking to everyone for side jobs, I had somehow become the most well-connected person in the mansion.

“I’ll eat later…”

Of course, I couldn’t say she was picked up from ruins by the Duke.

The conversation quickly changed topics—

but it didn’t last long.

“What is all this noise?”

A voice I hadn’t heard in a week cut in.

It was the head maid.

“I’m sorry. I was just taking the princess for a walk…”

I lowered my head.

“You shouldn’t disturb others’ work.”

Her tone was displeased.

“I didn’t mean to. I apol—”

I couldn’t finish.

♡PROFILE♡

Name: Miriam Lynch
View Level: 2
Occupation: Head Maid of the Cromwell Duchy
Relationship: Superior
Affection (Lorelei): 0/10
Affection (Princess): 0/10
Notes: Embezzles the princess’s childcare funds.

My eyes locked onto the last line.