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SERIES: The Extra Guardian Has Missed Her Cue to Leave
CHAPTER: The Extra Guardian Has Missed Her Cue to Leave, Chapter 86
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Folding the paper and putting it back into the envelope, she spoke.
“It seems the governess who agreed to help us again this year, just like last, has lost her husband and will find it difficult to attend.”
Taking the letter she was handed, the Head Maid replied in a solemn voice.
“First, I will send someone to express our condolences.”
“Yes, you must.”
Jacqueline nodded and let out a long sigh.
The Head Maid gave a slight bow and left the room. It seemed she had many things to prepare.
“She's still so young, how could this have happened.”
Tapping on the armrest of the sofa, she voiced another concern.
“Then what are we to do? Who should we entrust with the role of governess for this year's Growth Assembly? Hah.”
Governess.
If taken by its original meaning, the word refers to a live-in tutor.
It is a profession that combines the roles of a teacher and a nanny, residing in the household to teach a noble child various subjects such as basic academics, imperial history, and fundamental etiquette.
However, in the context of the Growth Assembly, it seemed to be used with a slightly different meaning.
‘Is it a kind of supervising teacher? Like a housemother in a dormitory?’
As Eugenia mulled over the role of the governess, she mustered the courage to ask what she had been curious about all along.
“Noma-nim.”
“Yes? What is it?”
“What exactly happens at the Growth Assembly?”
Until now, she had deliberately not looked into it, firm in her decision not to get more involved in the children's lives, but things were different now.
‘The Grand Dame said she asked Enrique-nim to recognize Joshua and Selmia as part of the Ducal House of Herace's collateral family.’
Seeing how the mansion had been abuzz all day, it seemed that the matter had been approved.
‘Now that the children can enjoy their rights, they will also have to bear responsibilities.’
That was why she thought it would be better for her to learn more details, for Joshua and Selmia's sake.
As she looked at Jacqueline with an utterly serious expression, the Grand Dame slowly nodded.
“Yes. It is time you knew as well.”
She began to explain in a low, subdued voice.
“It is a kind of recital, you see.”
She had explained only that one sentence before her lips closed again.
When Eugenia tilted her head and looked at the Grand Dame, she could clearly see her brow furrow in an instant.
Jacqueline muttered to herself, as if forgetting she was in the middle of explaining things to Eugenia.
“I tried to stop him, but that boy Enrique……. Hah. Really. To think he'd consider such unnecessary things.”
She narrowed her eyes and clicked her tongue harshly.
Eugenia held her breath for a moment before cautiously calling out to Jacqueline.
“Noma-nim?”
“Ah, yes. My apologies.”
Realizing belatedly that she was not alone, Jacqueline apologized and resumed her explanation.
“In any case, it would be more appropriate to call the Growth Assembly a place of both presentation and learning.”
Eugenia listened intently to Jacqueline's story.
In short, it seemed to be a kind of selection test for the heir.
‘And a long-term one at that.’
The children of the collateral families who gather at this time show off the results of their studies over the past year.
At the same time, while they are gathered, the main family, the Ducal House of Herace, provides the children with an equal, high-quality education.
The story was that after observing them for several years, the child with the most suitable aptitude and skill to be the next head of Herace would be selected as the heir and begin their succession training.
“Since all the children of the collateral families attend, Joshua and Selmia will have their chance as well.”
Eugenia held her breath, lost in thought.
Having received this benefit midway, she thought the existing collateral families' wariness and opposition towards the children would be quite severe.
“Then, the governess you just mentioned…….”
“I was referring to someone who, separate from the academic teachers, manages the children's daily lives. Still, they can't be completely unqualified, so we invite a noblewoman who has experience teaching etiquette.”
Of course.
She had been right in her guess about that part.
As they are the children of noble families, it would be difficult for the servants to control them.
And it's not as if their parents would take responsibility.
Because all the collateral families are of similar standing, they would just raise their voices trying to one-up each other.
For that reason, if management were left to the parents, they would frequently just coddle their own children.
Nor could the ever-busy Enrique or Jacqueline get involved in every little thing.
Thus, they hire a governess to act as a sort of middle manager. To mediate disputes among the children and mete out appropriate rewards and punishments, so that they can engage in friendly competition.
‘It's a much more important role than I thought.’
The governess would observe their daily lives and write evaluation reports, which would also be referenced later in the assessment of qualities for heir selection.
It was more than enough to control the children's behavior and any potential backlash from the parents.
‘Since it's a position only a noble can hold in the first place, the children wouldn't dare treat or ignore her carelessly, as they might a servant.’
As Eugenia's thoughts continued, Jacqueline muttered in a faint voice, like a sigh.
“Lady Haljan did such a good job for several years. But to think she would suddenly be unable to come like this.”
Jacqueline sighed again and again, as if her worries were great.
“It is incredibly difficult to find someone qualified and cultured.”
“Please don't worry too much, Noma-nim.”
Eugenia comforted her with a gentle smile on her lips.
“The Ducal House of Herace is a prestigious family, so I'm sure you will be able to find a wonderful person soon.”
“Yes, we must. Thank you for the comfort, Eugenia.”
If only this child's status were a little higher.
With the thought that it was a true shame, Jacqueline smiled at her.
* * *
A few days later.
Rumble!
Startled by a clap of thunder so loud it seemed to shake the very earth, Eugenia looked out the window.
Though it was only noon, it was as dark as evening.
Tap, tat-tap, tap.
Fierce streams of rain were beating violently against the window, and a moment later, ‘Flash!’ the sky lit up.
Unable to tear her eyes from the ever-changing scenery outside the window, Eugenia's hands tensed.
“Eugenia, you've ruined it.”
At Jenny's remark, Eugenia finally turned her gaze back to her hands and frowned.
“Ah……. Ah, this is useless now.”
It was a herbal moxa stick she had been making by combining new herbs.
Its shape was so ruined that there was no way to reshape it, so she ended up crumbling it apart.
On damp days like these, they didn't dry well anyway, so she didn't feel motivated.
Eugenia muttered as she wiped her hands.
“It's been raining so much these past few days. It seems especially bad today.”
“It's always like this during this period. It pours like a torrential downpour.”
Jenny replied nonchalantly.
“Is that so? Then how long does it rain?”
“This year, I wonder. I hear it rains for a whole month in other regions, but not here.”
Lying down, Jenny folded her fingers one by one before finally giving an answer.
“Hmm, ten days to a fortnight at most? That's how it usually is.”
“So it comes down short and heavy.”
Jenny cackled and nodded.
“That's a good way to put it. Short and heavy. That's right. It really pours.”
Just then, the bell pull rang.
It was from Jacqueline's room.
As if it were a matter of course, Eugenia gathered several things and rose from her seat.
Jenny, still lying down, waved at her.
“Take care, Eugenia.”
* * *
Climbing the servants' staircase, Eugenia frowned and muttered.
“Ugh, this needs to be wiped again with a dry cloth.”
The floor and stairs were soaked with water because of the rain.
This was bound to happen, as many of the servants worked both indoors and outdoors.
There was a mop next to the stairs, but it was already completely waterlogged.
She figured that even if she tried to wipe the stairs with it, it wouldn't be wiping so much as adding more water to the water.
“I'll have to wipe it down with a wrung-out cloth on my way back down.”
For now, Jacqueline's summons was the priority.
Eugenia carefully climbed the stairs, her hands full.
But with just the last flight of stairs to go, she let her guard down for a single moment.
“Agh!”
Of all places, she had stepped on the very edge of the stair.
The wet sole of her shoe naturally slipped, and her body quickly lost its balance, tipping helplessly backward.
‘I'm going to fall backward. What do I do!’
With her hands full, she couldn't even think of grabbing the railing.
Flinching in anticipation of the coming pain, Eugenia squeezed her eyes shut.
It was then.
A presence appeared in front of her, and someone reached out, wrapped an arm lightly around the small of her back, and pulled her toward them.
A rather firm arm and a powerful strength.
It was a man.
As if Eugenia's weight were nothing, the man steadied himself and supported her body.
In an instant, her body, which had been tilting backward, was righted, and she regained her balance.
She was no longer falling, but from the shock, her heart was pounding like crazy.
Held in what was nearly an embrace by the man, she steadied her breathing with her eyes still closed, then slowly opened them, glancing back.
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