How Can You Pay Back The Kindness I Raised With Obsession?

“Eating cabbage raw is something no farmer would do. A beggar would not eat unless he starved to the brink of starvation and had nothing to see.”

“Then you can starve yourself until you die of starvation before you eat.”

It was the moment when he was in a fit of heat and was about to take away the plate.

“I’m not complaining at the table.”

“No, no. Brother said we have to eat whatever is served to us.”

The children scolded the Grand Duke.

“What are you guys saying?”

“But who doesn’t eat what they give you?”

“No, no. Who is it?”

The children dipped the pork cutlet into large chunks and dipped it in the sauce, dipped it with a fork, and smiled triumphantly.

“It’s against dining etiquette to hold and shake the fork like that.”

The Grand Duke finally talked about dining etiquette and finally grabbed a fork and knife.

“It smells good.”

Of course, as expected, he took a few bites and was silent.

“Rabbit food must have suited your taste, Your Highness.”

Eventually, he pointed out after the meal that he bought two more cabbage salads and ate them. The Grand Duke, who was drinking tea in front of a bonfire in the backyard on a chilly day, smiled bitterly and put down the teacup.

“I overlooked that you were the one who fed carrots to those picky kids.”

She smiled proudly at Daisy and the children playing in the yard. She thought that if Sir Daniel reported that she had taken the children by connecting the cabin to the closet, she would immediately ban it, but the Grand Duke’s reaction was unexpected.

“It’s a secret from everyone that the closet leads to the cabin.”

He seemed to think it would be useful in case there was another need to evacuate.

“Limit going out to float, but don’t forget to dress like commoners.”

Even that was not enough, so they allowed her to go out of the cabin. She had to say that it was really unconventional. Having obtained the extension of the contract and the relaxation of the rules, she mustered up the courage to make another request.

“If the dining table and dining room are changed to smaller ones…”

“Rejected.”

He was firm. So she had to enlist the help of Sir Daniel.

“At the Witch’s Hut, both His Highnesses seem to eat evenly without complaining.”

“… okay?”

“You don’t know the etiquette…”

However, Sir Daniel added unnecessary noise and stuck his nose in the finished rice.

“Then I will try eating at the cabin just once. Just to check if the cabin is safe! How about it?”

Did the added words make sense? The Grand Duke, who had been silent until now, suggested that we eat at the cabin first.

“Wasn’t it nice? Fouling and damage among family members without employees.”

“Miss Hazel, in case you forgot, the nanny is not family.”

“That’s not what I mean.”

She sat on a chair with her long legs crossed and glanced at the Grand Duke as she leisurely tilted her teacup.

“To be honest, the Grand Duke’s dining room and dining table are too big for the three of you to dine together. The atmosphere is just like a etiquette class.”

“Oh, right. You got it right.”

She was speechless for a moment, then came back to her senses.

“Isn’t that something you just have to practice and show when guests come? Even the children already know the noble dining etiquette.”

“There is a difference between knowing and doing.”

Frustrated and stuffy, she sighed deeply and crossed her arms tightly.

“Honestly, I think the reason the night-tolers eat unbalanced is largely because of His Highness’s fault for making mealtime an etiquette class.”

The Grand Duke stopped tilting the teapot over the teacup and cast a cold glance at her, but she did not give up.

“You eat happily, but if you keep nagging, won’t your appetite drop? Of course, mealtime is bound to be a bad time, and eating becomes a boring duty.”

The Grand Duke turned his gaze away from her and watched the children squatting in a corner of the yard doing something. Then, as if he had lost, he raised his hands so that his palms could be seen.

“Ok. As a test, I’m going to turn the dining hall into a small place this week.”

“Good idea!”

The moment she clicked her fingers, a piece of chocolate appeared on the Grand Duke’s dessert plate on the table. The Grand Duke turned a displeased glance at her from the almond-studded praline, and he said:

“Nanny, I am not a child.”

The Grand Duke, who had scolded her for treating him with a reward for being a good boy, picked up the chocolate and put it in his mouth.

“Can I remake that locket?”

How wasteful it was to find out that the locket was destroyed by the monster. Still, she was glad he saved his life.

“I would be grateful if you would do that.”

Uncharacteristically for a Grand Duke, he gently raised the corners of his mouth.

“However, only if Miss Hazel is not busy. There doesn’t seem to be any going out, so there’s no need to hang around your neck with the faces you’ll see every day for a while, so don’t be burdened.”

“It doesn’t take long to draw, so it’s okay.”

“Instead, this time I’ll pay for the re-production and painting.”

“You don’t need to do that. If so, the favor becomes work.”

It means that she hated it because she cared about a gift being an outsourced work. When the Grand Duke reached for the teapot again, she lifted it first with magic.

“I can do this much. Miss Hazel is a babysitter, not a maid.”

“I’m just doing it while I’m filling my cup.”

Her glass was less than half empty, so she pretended to fill it up. She asked, tilting the teapot over the Grand Duke’s empty teacup.

“Anyway, isn’t it hard because you have a lot of work?”

She asked because she was worried, but the Grand Duke was staring at her suspiciously.

“Why are you like that?”

“That is what I want to say. Miss Hazel, what are you doing these days?”

“What am I doing?”

“You treat me like a child.”

It’s child care. She was just trying to be nice. A little while ago, she was annoyed by the sound that the food was not good at the head of the table, but after hearing the pitiful story the other day, she couldn’t just look at the Grand Duke with a nasty look.

As a head of household at a young age, there were many hardships.

When her grandmother passed away, she was already an office worker, but she still felt that everything in the world was bleak. She did the same, but wouldn’t the Grand Duke be more desperate? Did he have to take care of his two younger siblings in this huge estate? Even if he didn’t show it on the outside, how hard was it on the inside? That’s why she was just trying to take care of him, but he felt as if he was being treated like a child. It’s too much.

“I am a Grand Duke. Thank you for saving my younger siblings’ lives, and maybe mine too, but I don’t want you to see me as a weak child.”

Did he hear what she saw sadly? She guessed it hurt his pride.

Hmmmm, embarrassed, she cleared her throat and lifted the teacup.

“For a witch who has lived hundreds of years, His Highness is a child. No, it’s a newborn baby.”

It was only then that the Grand Duke’s expression, which had been hardened, loosened, and she heard a peek and a laugh. She immediately changed the subject.

“How is the monster subjugation going? Ah, I’m not asking because I’m worried about Your Highness.”

Again, the Grand Duke, who laughed, leaned back in his chair and opened his mouth.

“It’s going smoothly. The soldiers will be finishing up and returning soon.”

“Then you’ve built the ball again. Does the emperor give you a prize or something?”

“Well… It might be said to have at least some loot.”

“Is that all?”

A bitter smile passed across the Grand Duke’s face, who did not take his eyes off the children.

“I thought they would hold a banquet at the imperial palace to congratulate the public.”

“Wow, the imperial palace banquet.”

In her admiration, the Grand Duke smiled bitterly as he raised the teacup.

“You don’t like banquets?”

“Because as soon as I get home, I have to leave again.”

“Ah…”

“I’m thinking of making an excuse and putting it off.”

“If it’s because of the children, can’t you go together?”

She remembered the last time at the monster subjugation ceremony where Luna was envious of wanting to go too, so she asked.

Luna told her the story of her visit to the imperial palace on New Year’s Eve whenever she had a chance. It seems to have left quite an impression, but unfortunately the Grand Duke only allowed them to go to the imperial palace during the New Year’s Day.

“Uh… It must be boring for the kids.”

“Luna said she wanted to go to the imperial palace?”

“…Luna is still young.”

Was there an age limit for going to the imperial palace banquet? For some reason, she noticed that she had asked a difficult question, so she didn’t ask any more.

“You can’t go outside the fence, boys!”

The conversation naturally cut off as the Chestnuts climbed the fence.

“There is a rabbit over there.”

Luna whispered, pointing to the bushes beyond her fence.

“There are rabbits in the mansion too.”

The Grand Duke pointed out that a few days ago, they had started breeding rabbits in cages next to the greenhouse.

“Even rabbits should eat lunch quietly. Come here, do not disturb them.”

After the attack, he became a bit sensitive. He invited the children who wanted to go out into the forest close by.

“Oh, it’s cold.”

She rubbed the red-ripened cheeks with her warm hand.

“It’s cold, so let’s go inside.”

On this cold day, she washed the children who played so hard that they were sweating and took a nap. Luna, who had fallen asleep while reading a book next to Luca, was picked up by the Grand Duke and carried to Luna’s bedroom.

“Sweet dreams.”

He kissed the sleeping Luna’s forehead and pulled her up.

“I should take a nap, then.”

Passing between the bed and the Grand Duke, the back of her hand grazed. At that moment, the Grand Duke called her.

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Translator Note:

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