Chapter 11

Maxim could hardly believe the situation unfolding before his eyes.

“…Aunt?”

And it was the same for Elena, whose eyes flew wide open at those words.

“A-Aunt?”

“Oh my.”

The only one calm right now was Hazel.

Hazel looked back and forth between Elena and Maxim.

Maxim, who had just returned from work, tried desperately to make sense of the situation.

Why on earth were people who should be in Rebunto here?

Maxim glanced at Elena.

She had only been pacing about like someone for whom crossing Kress Bridge would be a disaster.

‘She got out.’

In any case, it seemed only Hazel could sort out this situation.

Hazel gestured to Madame Greta, who oversaw the mansion.

Madame Greta approached Hazel with good sense.

“Leana, you’ve eaten candy, so what should we do now?”

“Brush my teeth?”

“That’s right. We’ll be having dinner soon, so what else should we do?”

“Um… since we came in from outside, we should wash our hands.”

“That’s right, correct answer. Madame Greta, this is Leana. Leana, this is Madame Greta, who manages this mansion.”

“Hello! I’m Leana.”

Leana bowed her head deeply.

Seeing the white, soft Leana, even Madame Greta’s stern face softened.

Reading Hazel’s intent, Madame Greta took Leana’s hand.

“If you go up to the second floor, there’s a bathroom. Shall we make lots of bubbles in warm water?”

“Really? Bubbles?”

“Of course!”

Leana, thrilled as if she had arrived in a land of dreams and hope, went up to the second floor.

Elena stared blankly at the scene.

What was this, and how was this happening?

Maxim… Aunt?

That would mean Maxim was Hazel’s nephew… Maxim’s father was siblings with Hazel. Hazel was a princess, so…

Elena, stiff and refusing to think, worked her brain desperately.

Forcing herself to recall the imperial family tree, Elena blinked.

Elena’s mouth slowly fell open.

Staring at Maxim in shock, Elena’s thoughts raced.

That means, that means…!

“Your Highness the Prince…! Gah!!”

Elena hurriedly covered her mouth.

Then, flustered, she rummaged through childhood memories and dredged up the etiquette for addressing royalty.

“E-Elena of the Joseph family greets Your Highness the Prince.”

“Oh my, look at this child. Maxim, look at her. Elena is so unlike the young people of today.”

Maxim narrowed his eyes.

From the way Hazel spoke, it seemed she had known Elena for a long time.

Judging by the intimacy between them, Hazel already seemed to like Elena.

“Aunt, why on earth are you here? If you came to Andres, why not go to the imperial palace?”

With a foreboding feeling, Maxim spoke stiffly.

He had no leisure to accept Elena’s greeting.

As if it were the most natural thing, Hazel smiled brightly.

“Didn’t you tell me to help Elena? You know she’s looking for a governess position, don’t you? So I plan to stay here and look into it. Elena and Leana too, of course.”

“Aunt!”

He wanted to ask who on earth had permitted that, but seeing Elena pale and fidgeting, he could not bring himself to say it.

Maxim bit his lip hard.

If the coachman who had once urged Maxim to give Elena a ride had seen this, he would have been deeply moved.

Elena, behind Hazel, was dripping with cold sweat.

Elena was currently retracing everything she had done.

What mistakes had she made? Had she been too rude to Maxim? No, Maxim?!

This mouth!

Elena slapped her lips with her palm.

How dare she call the prince Maxim!

And that was not all.

Thinking back, it seemed she had even talked back cheekily.

Elena stared at Maxim with a face on the verge of tears.

Why had he not told her in advance, leading to this situation…

No, perhaps it was her own fault for letting her guard down despite knowing her life was a minefield.

“Anyway, are you going to keep us standing like this? This old woman’s legs are starting to ache, so let’s sit down and talk.”

For someone who looked so robust, Hazel’s words carried no credibility whatsoever.

But they could not very well stand and talk like this either.

“Come in, Maxim.”

Watching Hazel act as if she were the mistress of the house, Maxim could only grit his teeth.

* * *

“You still haven’t told this child that I’m your aunt. I thought you would have, Maxim.”

“…There was no reason to.”

I never thought we’d end up entangled like this.

Maxim swallowed the rest of his sentence.

His throat was dry, and he was on his several-th glass of water.

Hazel patted Elena’s hand.

“Still, you should have told her. How surprised the lady must have been.”

“I was surprised too. That you would come barging into this mansion with Elena, Aunt.”

“I didn’t know things would turn out this way either. Anyway, it’s a good thing, so cooperate. You wanted to help Elena too, didn’t you?”

Maxim pressed a hand to his head.

He had, indeed.

Elena resembled himself.

Unable to escape a suffocating, choking situation and fretting endlessly—that was exactly like him.

So he had only wanted to give her one breathing hole.

That was the greatest tolerance and kindness he could bestow.

If he had known it would lead to this, he would not have meddled in the first place.

Maxim glared at Hazel, the culprit behind all of this.

“That may be so, but.”

“Then shouldn’t you take responsibility like a man? Surely you, who have even been knighted, aren’t going to say one thing and mean another? Your father would be deeply grieved to hear of it.”

Maxim rubbed his face.

Hazel tapped Elena’s hand.

“Elena, go and rest from your journey. I think I have more to discuss with Maxim.”

“Yes, madam!”

Thank you for letting me escape this place!

Elena nearly said it aloud.

Watching the deer flee with a much-relieved face, Maxim let out a hollow laugh.

Just who was the one who wanted to run away?

“Aunt, why don’t you be honest now. What is your scheme?”

“Scheme? I told you, I just want to help Elena.”

Hazel elegantly sipped her tea.

As befitting a princess, she was full of cunning inside.

Maxim ground his teeth.

“Where on earth did you meet that fortune-teller?”

“Why?”

“Because I’d like to make sure they never do business again.”

“Oh my, this boy. Don’t be so fierce. How desperate do you think we were to go to a fortune-teller? Your mother worries a great deal too.”

“We? Ah, so Mother was an accomplice as well.”

“Ahem.”

No wonder she had enthusiastically pushed his back and sent him to Rebunto.

The family’s representative? Since when did such a thing exist?

“It won’t be that woman.”

“How do you know? Life is unpredictable. Don’t be so certain.”

Maxim ran his tongue along his teeth.

He desperately craved a cigarette.

But opposing her here would not make Hazel take Leana and Elena and retreat, either.

Maxim tapped the table with his long finger.

And yet, to throw Elena out…

He was the very one who had said he would help her.

“Anyway, we’ll be staying here for a while, so keep that in mind.”

“Do you actually intend to look into governess work?”

“Of course! But before that, she’ll need clothes to wear… and her hair and skin need tending. And I think she should take dance lessons again… and I think she should learn piano again too. She’s perfect in languages from doing translation work, but she’s probably grown a bit clumsy in other areas. And I plan to add a few lessons in refinement.”

Ah-ha.

So she was not going to find Elena a governess position—she was going to find Elena a governess.

Hazel smiled slyly.

Maxim was dumbfounded and clicked his tongue.

“Don’t tell me you’re being stingy with money? Child, what are you going to do with all the money you earn? People need to know how to be generous too. If it really pains you, I’ll use my own money, so don’t worry.”

“Yes. Please do.”

“Huh?”

Hazel’s eyes flew wide open.

She had not expected such an answer.

Maxim regained his composure and leaned back on the sofa.

“You said she’s your guest, so you can take responsibility, Aunt. Use your money for all the things you mentioned.”

This time, it was Hazel’s turn to be speechless.