The Villainess in the Childcare Story Doesn’t Hide Her Personality - Chapter 19

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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“You’re the one who worries excessively.”
I answered in a tone that made light of the matter.
“I haven’t remained attached to the Finance Ministry all this time simply through luck. I’ve never given them a pretext to drive me out.”
After all, even that all-out strike had resulted in nothing more than a demotion.
Of course, it was a position designed to force me out, but as long as I didn’t leave of my own accord, no one could ever compel me to go.
“Helping the Marquis Family’s daughter is the same as rebelling against the entire aristocratic society. You know that as well as I do, Tessa.”
I furrowed my brow.
“I would have helped Timothy even if she were a ferryman’s daughter.”
“Exactly.”
Cain Inkaris’s voice carried a bitter undertone.
“You see nobles and commoners as equals. That’s precisely the problem.”
“….”
It was true.
No matter how much I studied or worked, no matter how many times I bowed my head to the Imperial family and nobility as an Imperial Bureaucracy official, I could never forget modern society.
That attitude couldn’t be hidden, no matter how hard I tried.
It was only natural that many viewed me as an eyesore.
But I simply couldn’t bring myself to say, “I’ll be more careful.”
‘I don’t want to live that way.’
I had witnessed with my own eyes a powerless girl being abused—how could I simply stand by?
If such incidents continued in the future, I would never be able to turn away.
Cain looked down at me with a steady gaze.
“I’ll report that Timothy’s enlistment was initiated by me. While I was troubled over the matter of a successor, I happened to encounter the Marquis Family’s daughter, recognized her talent, and took her as my successor… How does that sound? Quite plausible, isn’t it?”
“…I suppose so.”
I reluctantly agreed.
In my heart, I wished the Marquis Family would receive proper punishment, but no matter how hard I tried, such a thing would never come to pass.
The Child Protection Bureau was merely a hollow institution, after all.
‘And doing as Cain suggests would be better for protecting Timothy as well.’
The Marquis Family wouldn’t want to stand in opposition to the Commander-in-Chief of the Empire.
Moreover, it would be far better for their reputation to say their daughter was chosen by the Commander-in-Chief than to admit she fled home after being abused.
“I’ll handle the Marquis Family myself, so don’t worry about anything and return to the Capital. Please, just don’t cause any trouble. All right, Tessa? Please.”
Despite the lightness in his voice and the ridiculous expression on his face, undisguised concern shone through.
“I’ll do my best.”
Cain stared at me intently, then released a deep sigh and covered half his face with his hand.
“You really are just the same.”
“….”
“Let’s go. I’ll have a carriage prepared.”
Despite considerable time having passed in conversation, Timothy still stood in that same rigid posture from when we had left.
Even Cain Inkaris seemed taken aback by the sight.
“Didn’t I tell you to rest?”
“I was resting.”
Timothy answered calmly.
“This is a resting position.”
“….”
I felt the urge to say something, but Timothy’s guardian was not me—it was Cain.
I was merely someone fortunate enough to have helped Timothy.
‘Cain will… be able to become a good guardian.’
An ideal guardian?
That’s absurd.
But at the very least, he would be far better than the Marquis and his wife. After all, Cain Inkaris, despite being frivolous, impulsive, and possessing a sinister edge, was not fundamentally a bad person.
However, there was one thing that troubled me….
‘Of course, it would be Cain’s parents.’
I met Timothy’s gaze and spoke gently.
“Listen, Timothy. If it were possible, I’d like to stay here and help you adjust….”
“Do, do you have to leave?”
Timothy spoke as if it were nothing, but he couldn’t hide his reddening eyes.
“I have things I need to do.”
No matter how much Cain helped, I couldn’t predict what other moves the Marquis Family might make.
I naturally had to report the situation to Director McGuffin and discuss countermeasures.
…Though I wasn’t sure how cooperative the Director would be with me.
“In any case, write to me often. I’ll write to you often too.”
“Tessa, you must find it troublesome….”
“Not at all.”
I spoke with conviction.
“So you must send me a letter at least once a week. Understood?”
“Y, yes, I’ll try.”
I held the uncertain Timothy in a tight embrace.
Wishing that the new future awaiting the child would be peaceful.
* * *
Only once I was back in the carriage did I finally have the space to think.
‘What… is this?’
Until now, I had simply assumed I was possessing a character from “The Black Scourge.”
Even when certain settings didn’t quite fit, I thought my memory was simply wrong.
But to discover it’s also connected to “To Those Who Drove Me to Death”….
Moreover, the way memories of each work surfaced was far from ordinary.
‘It wasn’t a natural recollection. Memories from both novels suddenly struck me like lightning, and then they all came flooding into my mind at once.’
There was only one conclusion I could draw.
‘I’m living in a world where the contents of two novels are mixed together….’
How could such a world even exist?
Separate from my bewilderment, I had no choice but to accept it.
Because I was living in exactly such a world.
I had wondered if perhaps these were connected stories sharing the same world, but it was clear that each novel existed in a completely different world.
If that were the case, then could it be that the future in which Grand Duke Cardicha commits treason has already changed as well?
After all, the Marquis Family didn’t even exist in “Poison of Hatred,” so it made sense.
‘But I can’t be certain, so I shouldn’t let my guard down.’
When I returned, I planned to visit Princess Melissa again and observe the Grand Duke’s movements.
However, the problem troubling me wasn’t limited to that alone.
‘No matter how much Cain Inkaris has made Timothy his heir, the Marquis and his wife are still Timothy’s biological parents and can still control his future.’
And.
‘Surely there are many other children being abused besides Timothy. I want to have the power to protect those children.’
By rights, I should already possess such power.
I am the Vice Director of the Child Protection Bureau, after all!
The problem is that it exists in name only.
It would be easy to give up and say that since it was always this way, this is normal…
But I didn’t want to do that.
The moments when I could only remain silent while watching Timothy suffer abuse right before my eyes had left scars in my mind.
‘Surely there must be some way.’
As I pondered earnestly without finding any obvious solution, the carriage arrived at my residence before I knew it.
Though I had only been away for about a week, the sight of letters piled high in my mailbox left me momentarily dazed.
‘What on earth…?’
But the moment I checked the senders of those thick envelopes, my chest tightened.
The senders, written in crooked handwriting, were all “Princess Melissa Cardicha.”
‘Ah, Princess Melissa.’
I had clearly told her that exchanging letters would be difficult for a while, but it seemed her longing to see me was so great that she had written every day.
And nestled among those letters was a single missive with excessively elegant and precise handwriting.
Though no sender was written, the red seal of the Grand Duke’s house alone was enough to tell me immediately who had sent it.
Goosebumps rose on the back of my neck.
‘…Surely not.’
Achilles Cardicha had never harmed me thus far, but as a mastermind in the terminal stages of paranoia, there’s no telling what he might do.
With trembling hands, I opened it.
Contrary to my expectations, a rather bland single-line letter emerged.
[My sister is looking for the Vice Director.]
Even in such a serious situation, I couldn’t help but smile.
It was an utterly shameless and brazen summons, with the Grand Duke having completely abandoned all pretense of dignity.
‘No matter how much of a mastermind he is, he’s clearly a complete fool when it comes to his sister.’
And it was also clear that Princess Melissa missed me very much.

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