No Evil Lady in the World (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 12

“Ridiculous. I don’t know what qualifies a mere maid, who has neither borne nor raised a child, to lecture me. Do you even know anything about children?”

Teacher Biman snapped sarcastically. It was true that she had neither borne nor raised a child, but it was not true that she knew nothing about children. The problem was, there was no way to convince Teacher Biman of that.

‘If I brought up stories about my past life here, I’d probably have to pack my bags and leave before the sun sets today.’

Meiana thought.

However, even without mentioning her past life, she was thoroughly experienced in caring for children. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that Meiana had practically raised her younger siblings single-handedly in place of their busy parents.

And what about her previous life? Since she was six, she had grown up with dogs and cats as if they were friends or siblings. Playing with them was just as demanding and labor-intensive as caring for human children.

Moreover, she often helped her mother, who ran a daycare, by playing with the children.

[Mom, I told you I’m busy! I’m not just playing at home!] [Who said you’re playing? Just come out for a bit. I have to pick up the kids, and the teachers need to prepare materials. It won’t even take an hour until the mothers arrive, so just stay until then.] [Sigh…]

Such instances were countless, Meiana thought.

The children who had to stay at the daycare until their parents returned from work ranged from three to seven years old.

She would sit on a small children’s chair, sewing while holding unfinished work, watching the children. But it was no easy task…

While making clothes for small dolls, the girls would shower her with attention, and soon even the boys, who pretended to be uninterested, would swarm around, making it nearly impossible to get any work done.

[Wow, why is the needle so pointy? Does it bleed if you get pricked?] [Why does this fabric have holes?] [Why are you putting jewels there?] [Do you glue them on? Can I try too?]

…That was her daily life.

Though her mother urged her several times, she never wanted to become a daycare teacher, so she never got certified, and her university major had nothing to do with early childhood education. But it was an undeniable fact that she had naturally become accustomed to caring for young children in that environment.

Meiana thought of all these things and slowly exhaled. She tried to calm herself.

Continuing to argue with Teacher Biman was foolish. Her task was to persuade her to stop hitting Ariante.

If only she were the kind of person who could be persuaded.

Teacher Biman said,

“Go fetch the Young Lady at once.”

“I will, if you promise never to hit the Young Lady again.”

“How absurd!”

Meiana frowned and glared at Teacher Biman.

“A mere serving maid, so ignorant of her place! The Young Lady must grow up to be a refined and virtuous lady, but you’re only making her habits worse—what a disgrace!”

But Meiana didn’t back down. No matter what Teacher Biman said, she had only one thing to say.

“I’m not saying this to teach the Young Lady bad habits. I want just one thing. Don’t hit her. Never. Hitting is not allowed.”

“Do you think you can meddle in my teaching methods and still keep this job? I’ll report today’s events to His Grace the Duke. Understood?”

Meiana clenched and unclenched her fists, letting out a heated breath.

“Fine, do as you please. I need to find the Young Lady, so I’ll take my leave.”

Teacher Biman glared at her with blazing eyes. Leaving the sound of a thrown switch behind, Meiana rushed into the room where Ariante had disappeared. As expected, there was no one there.

‘Of course she wouldn’t stay put.’

Meiana left Ariante’s room and began crossing the hallway. What started as a brisk walk turned into a run. The maids working nearby scoffed and whispered as they saw Meiana, but she had no time to react to them.

“Young Lady!”

The garden was vast, and the leaves, basking in the sunlight, were scorching hot. The gardeners had watered the grounds, but it was no use. The young trees, unable to withstand the blazing sun, drooped as if they wouldn’t bloom next year.

“Young Lady Ariante!”

Heading to the back garden, Meiana anxiously scanned her surroundings under the thick shade.

Even though the Duke of Valterminster’s garden was large, it was nothing compared to the forest extending from the back garden. If Ariante got lost in the woods…

A rustling sound came. At the same time, three or four curled leaves fell onto Meiana’s forehead.

“Oh, really!”

The moment Meiana shouted and stomped her foot, she looked up. Between thick branches, where the sky was barely visible through dense leaves, a small foot in a sock dangled out.

Meiana stared at the tiny foot, mouth agape. At the same time, she thought how foolish she must look if someone saw her now.

Her face was flushed from running under the sun, her throat hoarse from shouting. Sweat dripped from her forehead to her neck, her neat hair was disheveled, and she wore a dazed expression.

But, Meiana thought, what did it matter? She had found Ariante.

Her lips, about to call the child’s name loudly, closed tightly. She had no idea how Ariante had climbed the tree, but she needed to get her down before an accident happened.

But even if she told her to come down a hundred or a thousand times, Ariante probably wouldn’t listen. After a moment of thought, Meiana put on an exaggerated voice and said,

“Oh, what’s this?”

She saw the small toes in the sock twitch. Holding back a laugh, Meiana reached up and tickled the sole of Ariante’s foot with her fingertips.

“What’s this strange fruit?”

The branches rustled more loudly. Leaves fell, and the small foot shrank back as if trying to escape Meiana’s touch.

“Hmm… I should pick this strange fruit and make it into a dessert for tonight. The Young Lady would like it. Our Young Lady is so stubborn, she won’t even look at a dessert unless it’s something new…”

“Liar!”

A sharp voice burst through the leaves. At the same time, Ariante’s small body, clutching the branch with both arms like a monkey, spun and hung upside down.

Meiana’s appearance wasn’t much to look at, but Ariante’s was truly a sight. Her ribbon was gone, her curly blonde hair was completely tangled, and hanging upside down, it drooped and swayed in the breeze.

Her silk socks were torn from climbing the tree, and red scratches were visible on her soft calves. But what stood out most to Meiana was the still-swollen back of her hand. Beneath the puffy skin, small red bruises dotted the surface.

“Liar.”

Ariante snapped. Meiana sighed, drooping her eyebrows, and crossed her arms with a mock stern expression.

“When did I lie?”

“You just did. Saying I won’t look at a dessert unless it’s new.”

“That’s true, isn’t it, Young Lady?”

“No! I like chocolate cake!”

Meiana nodded slyly.

“Sure. But you don’t eat it if you’re in a bad mood, do you? If you keep being so fickle, the chef might only make carrot cake from now on.”

Ariante’s pale face crumpled in displeasure. Pouting and twitching her lips, her body suddenly dropped.

“Young Lady!”

Meiana screamed, catching Ariante’s body in her arms. But Ariante hadn’t fallen completely. She had only let go of the branch with her legs, her hands still firmly gripping it.

“I don’t like you.”

Ariante said. Meiana held her to keep her from falling, then smiled and met her eyes.

“Then who do you like, Young Lady? Miss Kosha?”

“No way!”

“Then Steward Joslin?”

“No!”

Meiana moved her lips, pretending to hesitate. Then, with a deliberately shocked expression, she said,

“Then surely not Miss Beinti?”

“No! That meanie, I hate her! I hate her the most!”

Ariante thrashed. Her small foot accidentally kicked Meiana’s shoulder.

“Ouch!”

Caught off guard, Meiana flinched. It didn’t hurt since Ariante wasn’t wearing shoes and hadn’t aimed, but it startled her.

The moment Meiana let out a low cry, Ariante’s eyes widened in shock, and she curled up her knees. The branch swayed precariously.

Mumbling, Ariante said,

“I didn’t mean to.”

“I know. It didn’t hurt much.”

“Then why did you yell?”

“Because I was surprised. Come on, Young Lady, come down now. Your palms will get all scraped. Tree bark gets so rough in the summer.”

Meiana stretched out her arms and firmly held Ariante’s body. Ariante seemed to hesitate whether to listen, but after glancing at the shoulder she’d kicked, she let go of the branch.

“See, I knew it. We need to put some ointment on this.”

Ariante’s palms were a mess with small scratches. Meiana checked for thorns, then let Ariante cling to her neck.

“Hold on tight. You can’t walk without shoes. Where did you leave them?”

“I threw them in the lake.”

Meiana let out a chuckle and looked at Ariante.

“Those looked like very expensive shoes. Glossy green satin with diamond buckles. You threw them in the lake?”

“I don’t like wearing shoes.”

Ariante muttered.

Meiana looked down at Ariante’s dangling feet in her arms.

Small feet. Far too delicate for hard-soled, heeled shoes. It made sense that Ariante threw them off whenever she could.

Though it meant mending torn socks or stockings all night…

“Well, good. Thanks to you, Young Lady, the fairy living at the bottom of the lake got new shoes.”

“Don’t lie. There’s nothing under the lake.”

“No way. Under the lake, there’s all sorts of things. Fish, pebbles, and fairies too. Maybe even a mermaid. In that big lake in the forest.”

“Joslin said all that’s just made-up stories.”

“Steward Joslin said that because she doesn’t know better.”