Home/The villainess's personal maid is very good at her job/ch 22

Episode 22

Click. Julietta's index finger pointed toward the gloomy Kendrick's villa.

"So. Why were you spying over there, little one? What could you possibly get from that haunted house-like place?"

"……"

Struck squarely at the heart of the matter, the child could only blink without answering.

At that moment—

Plop. A white envelope fell from Geron's pants pocket.

"My lord. Here—"

"Ah!"

As Janet reached out to pick up the letter, the child moved faster and retrieved his own item.

"Ooh……"

He looked at the dirt on the white envelope with somewhat upset eyes, then carefully folded it and tucked it back into his pocket.

Janet watched closely.

'Is that why he came here?'

To leave that letter at Kendrick's house?

But her thoughts didn't continue further.

Round golden eyes looked up at Janet with a betrayed expression.

"You said you weren't scared……"

Oh, dear.

"You're not scared."

"……Li, liar……"

The child's lips pouted out.

Though they were half-siblings, that expression reminded her of Julietta.

"You have some nerve, saying that to my handmaiden, little one."

"My Lady."

"What. Did I say something wrong?"

At Janet's restraint, Julietta turned her head with a hmph.

Yes. Now the two looked exactly alike. Anyone could tell they were siblings from afar.

A smile crept to Janet's lips.

"Lord Geron! Lord Geron, where are you?!"

A call came from afar, searching for the child.

The child, who had been pouting sulkily, raised his head and stood up.

After stamping his feet anxiously, he turned and ran off.

And promptly fell.

"Ah!"

The child fell flat forward with a small cry. Startled, Janet hurried over and helped him up.

"Are you alright?"

"……Ooh……"

Instead of answering, the child dropped chicken-dropping tears.

Janet patted his back and gently brushed the dirt off his knees.

"Fortunately, you're not scraped."

"It, it hurts……"

"Falling always hurts."

At her gentle yet firm answer, the child blinked.

"You have a surprisingly blunt side."

"I do?"

"Yes. You."

Toss. Julietta pulled out a handkerchief and handed it to Janet.

"Use this to wipe it off, or don't. Up to you."

At her clumsy tone, Janet chuckled.

Just as I thought—she really isn't a frightening person.

Just as Janet finished wiping the dirt off the child's knees with the soft handkerchief—

"L-Lord Geron!"

With a shrill cry, someone rushed over and pushed Janet aside.

Whoa.

Fortunately, Janet had good balance and didn't fall backward.

She only dropped Julietta's handkerchief.

However—

"You……!"

Instead of apologizing, the person pulled Geron tightly into her arms and glared fiercely at Janet.

Then that gaze turned toward the person behind Janet. Toward where Julietta stood.

"What is the meaning of this, my Lady?!"

What is the meaning of this?

She was the one who wanted to ask. What was this all about?

Did she really think Julietta had done something?

Swallowing a sigh, Janet stepped between the two and spoke.

"I was helping the young lord because he fell—"

"He fell?! My lord!"

The middle-aged woman who shrieked examined Geron's body thoroughly, and upon discovering his reddened knees, was greatly shocked.

"Good heavens! On these precious knees!"

What a set of lungs she had.

Still so vigorous.

'Is that woman Geron's nanny?'

That was likely the case.

Instead of his birth mother, who was away recuperating, he was being raised by a nanny.

'But she seems rather high-strung.'

Cradled in his loud-nanny's arms, Geron's eyes rolled helplessly.

His hands gripping her collar trembled visibly.

'Is that why the child is particularly timid?'

She seemed to recall hearing that children raised by overbearing parents tend to have high anxiety.

With high anxiety, they either become extremely timid—

"What a joke. Anyone would think we pushed him to make him fall."

Or they grow up like high-strung guard dogs.

"……!"

At the sarcastic tone, the nanny glared at Julietta with furious eyes.

But only for a moment.

"U-ugh……"

"Oh, my! There, there, my lord! Nanny is here! You were very frightened, weren't you? Don't worry now. I'm right here with you!"

At Geron's whimpering, the nanny hoisted him up.

Wrapping her arms around him as if to hide him, she glared at them once more.

"Please be more careful from now on."

"Careful? I've said all I need—!"

Just as Julietta was about to snap back, Janet shook her head.

Julietta's lips moved a few more times as if in protest, then she clicked her tongue and turned her head away.

But her discomfort was evident. Being misunderstood for something she hadn't done was clearly infuriating and unjust.

Of course—

"Madam Joanna."

Janet was equally angry.

The reason she had deliberately stopped Julietta was that she didn't want her to suffer further in this situation.

'If she throws a tantrum now, this will really become her Ladyship's fault.'

Rumors could spread that she had deliberately tripped her youngest brother.

It might be a bit of an overreach, but anticipating even that overreach was part of a handmaiden's duty.

Straightening her back, Janet stared directly at Joanna and spoke.

"Please apologize to my Lady."

At Janet's firm words, Joanna's brows shot upward.

"And why should I apologize?"

"Isn't it your duty as the nanny to ensure the young lord's safety?"

"Are you trying to lecture me now?"

"No. I'm merely saying what I must say as my Lady's handmaiden."

Shaking her head, Janet continued clearly.

"Just as it's your duty as the nanny to protect the young lord from wandering alone, it is my duty to defend my mistress when she is unjustly accused."

Janet's tone was extremely polite.

But her gaze as she faced Joanna was sharp.

"Shouldn't you not blame others for failing to protect the young lord?"

"……!"

"My Lady and I only found Lord Geron alone and looked after him. When he fell after being startled by your voice, I was treating his injured knees."

"How can I believe that……!"

"If you don't believe me, ask Lord Geron directly."

At Janet's words, Joanna bit her lip tightly. Her uneasy gaze turned to the child's round head.

"……Is what this handmaiden said true, my lord?"

At the careful question, the child nodded.

"Mm……"

Mumbling, the child's finger pointed to the handkerchief on the ground.

"……She wiped it with that……"

At Geron's barely audible voice, Joanna gasped.

After staring down at him with a peculiar gaze, Joanna slowly nodded.

"……I see. So that's how it was."

Catching the quiet murmur, Janet spoke again with renewed strength.

"Has the misunderstanding been cleared up now?"

Julietta, who had been watching with bated breath, came to stand behind Janet as if nonchalantly.

Ahem.

Raising her chin, she sent a silent message.

'Hurry up and apologize! You were mistaken!'

Her wide eyes seemed to shout just that.

Joanna checked Geron in her arms once more, then let out a deep sigh.

And—

"I apologize for the misunderstanding. I was rash."

Bowing her head readily, she offered a sincere apology.

Her shadowed face held no anger or shame—it was a truly heartfelt apology.

"I was overly agitated because his lordship had gone missing. Please forgive my rudeness."

Julietta stared at Joanna in a daze.

'What's this? Why is it so easy?'

A situation that had ended without a fight—— no, that had been a sort of fight, hadn't it?

Anyway.

She found it strange that a misunderstanding had been resolved so peacefully.

That the other party had apologized without her having to force them into submission.

"……My Lady?"

"Oh, uh, yes."

At Janet's call, Julietta snapped out of her daze.

Arms crossed haughtily, Julietta tilted her head slightly.

"I'll let it slide this once. But be careful from now on."

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