"Young Master Ijekiel...?" The young boy with snow colored hair seemed to have shriveled into a ball, cheeks darkening in embarrassment at being caught. His tiny hands that were clinging onto my skirt dress just seconds before had quickly let go, the toddler retreating backwards a few steps.
"—Young Master Ijekiel!"
In the strangely empty hallway I had been walking in, there was the echo of a servant calling out to him. Ijekiel jumped a bit, nervously darting his eyes from one way to another as the voice became louder. Promptly, the nearly three year old child had decided on scurrying behind me once again, clinging to my long skirt.
"Young Master Ijekiel, where are...!"
The servant rounded the corner, and then spotted me and the small child's attempt to hide. She looked very familiar, but I couldn't quite figure out why. Her short desaturated maroon hair was tied up into a ponytail, descending into small poofy curls behind her neck. Because of her uniform dress, I could tell she was of the same job as I was placed in, which meant she was a caretaker.
Ah. She must be Ijekiel's nanny. I hardly ever saw her, only glimpses in the hallways from time to time as our schedules are busy enough, however...
"You are... Kristina? I'm so sorry for the trouble," she apologized before glaring slightly at Ijekiel. "And you—Young Master Ijekiel Alpheus! What were you thinking, sneaking out during nap time?!"
I arched an eyebrow.
"Sneak...?"
"I had put the young master to nap in his bed, and not even ten minutes later, he had disappeared and thrown that manor into a panic! Do you know how much trouble you have caused?!"
I winced a bit at her scolding tone and then glanced down at the shrunken toddler. His tiny hands tightly grabbed onto my uniform skirt, pressing his face into the fabric as if to hide. I pressed my lips together, glancing back up to his Nanny.
"I understand your frustrations, but yelling at the young master, who is a mere two year old child, will not help him learn to know what he did was wrong. In fact, continuously using that tone of voice will only make him resent and become afraid of you." I paused, looking at my senior in the eye. "I'm sure you don't scold him like that often, of course... right?"
Her fingertips twitched just a bit as her body stiffened. I trust that she most likely doesn't physically abuse him or use any vulgar words. After all, she is the nanny of the Dukal House of Alpheus' only son, so the Duke and Duchess would have chosen carefully, however...
I glanced back at the golden eyed boy, who was still hiding behind my long skirt. Judging from Ijekiel's actions from the rising tone of the Nanny's voice, she scolds him quite often. A two year old child would not cower behind the back of someone just at the appearence of their caretaker, nor would they choose to run away the moment that caretaker left the room.
"Oh? Have you found Ijekiel?"
A familiar tranquil voice echoed throughout the hallway. Immediately, the toddler snapped his head up and then released me. Ijekiel's light footsteps quickly went past his Nanny and leapt into the woman's arms.
Instinctively, I brought my hand toward my chest and bowed.
"Mammy," the child rasped, eyes wide and cheeks lightly flushed. The Duchess laughed, shifting her hold on the boy more comfortably.
The Duchess glanced up toward me and Ijekiel's Nanny. "Erith. Kristina. Good afternoon to you two. I deeply apologize for the trouble my Kiel has caused."
"The Duchess has no need to apologize for anything. It is our duty as servants of the Alpheus Dukedom that we are to care for the Young Master at all times."
YOU ARE READING
A Lovely Princess and her Faithful Servant
Fanfiction'Who Made Me A Princess' was a popular manhwa and novel about a girl named Athanasia who had reincarnated into the world of the novel, 'A Lovely Princess'. In A Lovely Princess, Athanasia was unable to gain the affections of her tyrant father, the e...
