The Villainess Builds a Department Store - Chapter 4

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Villainess Establishes a Department Store

Chapter 4

Kidnapping? Could it be kidnapping? Call the police immediately!

We must inform the master quickly!

Wait, what about the young master? Is the young master safe?

Urgent footsteps clattered along, then the large door burst open.

“Young Master Antoine! Are you safe… Gasp!”

The servants’ pale gazes flew toward Antoine’s bed.

However, what was there wasn’t a sleeping child, but a girl leisurely sitting with her back against the bed.

“Ah, Miss…?”

To the servants who discovered her and were shocked, she gave a light smile and raised her finger to her lips.

“Shh. He’s still sleeping.”

Her blue-violet eyes slid downward, pointing at the blanket.

Soft breathing sounds.

A round black silk hill was slowly rising and falling up and down.

Small, warm breathing sounds continued in rhythm with the hill’s movement.

Adelaide gently lifted the blanket.

When Antoine’s figure sleeping with an angelic, peaceful face was revealed, only then did the servants furrow their brows and let out sighs of relief, patting their chests.

* * *

The Viscount and Viscountess Charmeuze were united through an arranged marriage like other nobles, but their relationship was as tender as love that transcended social status.

No, they could tell what the other was thinking just by looking into each other’s eyes.

‘You do it.’

‘You speak first.’

‘Isn’t this a mother’s role?’

‘How is this an ordinary matter? At times like this, the father should step forward!’

‘B-but I’ve never tried scolding before…’

‘Then what about me? Do you think I carry a rod around every day?’

When words failed him, the husband finally pretended not to see his wife’s signals and looked away.

In the silence, Viscountess Charmeuze, Eleanor Argent de Charmeuze, glared at her husband with disbelieving eyes.

‘Charles Brodé de Charmeuze! Are you really going to be like this?’

Eleanor deliberately poked her husband’s side firmly.

At the unexpected surprise attack, her husband trembled like an earthworm hit with salt water and looked at her.

Now it was her turn to ignore him.

* * *

‘They’re so affectionate, really.’

Watching the silent play unfolding before my eyes, I naturally let out a sigh of relief.

My resolution to meet my parents with a smile unfortunately ended in failure.

How could I possibly smile brightly in front of these two with their extremely serious expressions?

We were called to the head of house’s study right after breakfast.

“Ahem, hmm. Adelaide. Leaving your bedroom on your own without telling the adults first. Why did you do such a thing?”

“Antoine was crying but no one came, so I went.”

“No, what about the nanny? Why did you go?”

“The nanny wasn’t there. According to my younger sibling, she said she’d be back when he woke up, but just in case, I slept with him.”

“What? The nanny? No, setting that aside. Then you could have pulled the cord to call other maids!”

“Taking care of children is the nanny’s role, so if other maids came, I thought the nanny would be in trouble… I’m sorry.”

Actually, I had completely forgotten in my rush to comfort Antoine first.

Though it was an excuse I hastily came up with, my parents just looked at each other’s faces without saying much, then let out long sighs.

“There’s no need to apologize. Rather, thinking of another person’s position even in such a situation is praiseworthy. It seems we should hear the nanny’s story as well.”

* * *

Upon hearing that the mistress was calling for her, Madame Severin bit her lips and spun around in place.

‘I’ll definitely be fired!’

Her heart felt like it would burst from the despair and anxiety that made everything go dark.

‘Why yesterday of all days. Not any other day, but why did that girl have to interfere yesterday!’

Madame Severin glared at the door as if Adelaide were there, grinding her teeth.

Usually Adelaide was indifferent to her younger sibling, beyond indifferent to the point of being cold.

Even before when Antoine woke up crying from sleep, Adelaide never paid any attention.

If anything, she would get annoyed and tell them to quiet him down quickly.

But yesterday, not only did she go to comfort her younger sibling herself, but she slept with him, causing the estate to be turned upside down from morning.

Of all days, on the very day she had left her post!

In any case, she couldn’t ignore being called by the mistress.

Finally arriving at the study where the family would be, Madame Severin reluctantly moved her unwilling hand to knock on the door.

“M-Mistress. Did you call for me…”

* * *

The person who opened the door and entered was a middle-aged woman as thin as a broomstick.

Her dried-up eyes without a trace of life looked exactly like well-dried fish.

“Madame Severin. I heard about last night’s incident. Let me get straight to the point. Why didn’t you come when Antoine was crying?”

Unlike ordinary servants, nannies held a position respected by both servants and employers, as they raised the master’s children and future employers.

Mother was also using polite informal speech to Madame Severin, who was taking her place.

Though her voice carried unmistakable anger.

“…It was discipline.”

The answer, or rather excuse, she barely managed to utter was ‘discipline.’

“Young Master Antoine will inherit the Charmeuze Viscountcy following in the master’s footsteps. If I run to such a person every time he cries after waking from sleep, it will only ruin the young master’s future.”

“…”

When Mother showed no reaction, perhaps interpreting it as agreement, the nanny straightened her back and lifted her chin high.

“A person destined to inherit a noble house must naturally learn patience and restraint. There are no exceptions even for young children. No, it must start from childhood.”

Ah, that stub… I remembered upon hearing those rigid words.

Madame Severin was a former teacher at a boarding school attached to a monastery.

And boarding schools of this era were places where students were imprisoned in the prison called school for the crime of being students, waiting for graduation as their release.

In short, that woman was saying she would give Spartan education to a mere four-year-old child.

“That’s… that may be so… But you could have at least told us beforehand…”

“Madam. You were the one who trusted me and completely entrusted Young Master Antoine’s discipline to me.”

When Mother showed an uncertain attitude, she didn’t change her expression at all and instead tried to shift responsibility to Mother.

I was dumbfounded by her shameless attitude of ‘when did you trust me to handle it, and now you’re interfering?’

“Let me speak clearly while we’re at it. Sugar and sweets will only corrupt the young master’s soul, making it dull and raising him as a weak boy. Toys are the same. A boy playing with dolls! To become a fine soldier or official in the future, he should be busy memorizing history and ancient languages from now on, yet how long do you plan to indulge the young master’s whims, Madam?”

“But Antoine is still young…!”

“To raise a child properly requires edification, and for proper edification, one must not spare control and the rod. Since Madam treasures the young master so much, I’ve been accommodating until now… and this is the result. Good heavens, the young master who will inherit the viscountcy has become a spoiled child who can’t even sleep alone!”

Stop. I can’t listen to any more.

“Spoiled?”

Ha. A short scoff accompanied by a firm voice struck Madame Severin’s ears like a storm.

“Good heavens, what should a four-year-old do if not act spoiled, act senile! No, what if a young child gets hurt sleeping alone? How many cases are there of children dying from suffocating on pillows while sleeping face down! What if he falls from the bed and breaks a bone! It’s fortunate the weather is warm, but what if it were winter? What if sparks flew from the fireplace? Huh? What would you do then! If something happens to the child, will you take responsibility?”

Drip drip.

Coffee flowed down from Father’s mouth as he had been silently watching the situation with a frown while only tilting his teacup.

Ow, that must be hot.

‘Living long enough, even difficult customers become helpful someday.’

Among the seasonal training sessions, there were methods for dealing with what are commonly called difficult customers.

Each time, employees would perform as if possessed.

Who knew those memories would be so helpful like this?

But I wasn’t particularly grateful.

Please live long and prosper with chronic illness.

“Th… This is all for the young master’s sake.”

Madame Severin, her face burning red with shame, made one last desperate claim.

Pfft.

I couldn’t hold back any longer and burst into laughter.

Once it started, the laughter quickly turned into blatant, mocking guffaws.

“Are you mocking my disciplinary methods right now?”

Madame Severin’s breathing became rough.

“Ah… my stomach… Nanny, do you really think that? That it’s for Antoine’s sake? Really?”

“Miss Adelaide!”

“What do you think Antoine’s future will look like?”

Wiping the tears from my eyes, I leisurely leaned back against the sofa.

Before I knew it, the corners of my mouth had hardened into a rigid line.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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