Published: August 15, 2025
The next day, a white paella arrived at my room.
“I made this as an apology for yesterday. It’s a butter pilaf paella without tomatoes.”
“…Ah… thank you, it looks really delicious.”
I thanked her and took a bite. It was very tasty.
“I’m sorry about yesterday. Even though lady Marie and the others made it, I ruined it…”
“Not at all, don’t worry about it. I’m the one who should apologize.”
I apologized and took another bite. It tasted rather bland.
According to Nanny Ella, she had made the same dish and distributed it to Thomas, Adam, and Toppo. She stayed up all night for that. Her face looked pale, and she even had dark circles under her eyes. Yet, she was on the verge of tears again.
“But no one forgave me… They said, ‘It’s inevitable because of your condition, don’t worry,’ but no one ate the paella.”
“That’s because everyone was probably on duty. They’ll have it slowly for lunch later.”
“No, I’m sure they hate me now. I can’t blame them. No matter how much I apologize, I did something unforgivable…”
Covering her face, Nanny Ella burst into tears.
“…It’s okay. I’ll talk to everyone and ask them to forgive you.”
I comforted Nanny Ella and took another bite. Somehow, it had a terrible foreign taste, and I couldn’t swallow it.
Then, as I promised Nanny Ella, I spoke with the three attendants. I begged them to forgive her.
Adam fell silent and abruptly turned his back on me.
It was understandable — he struggled gathering the ingredients, and the taste of his mother’s cooking from home was spat out.
Even gentle Thomas didn’t yell, but apparently, he wasn’t ready to forgive.
“I will maintain at least the minimum work communications as a colleague, as before. But I won’t keep a distance so far we can’t hear each other’s voices.”
He spoke these harsh words and returned to his post.
Toppo laughed and forgave her.
“I’m not angry at all. You ate all of Toppo’s tortilla like it was delicious.”
After saying that, he pointed his finger at me.
“But, mistress, you have to be angry. Until you properly get mad, Toppo really doesn’t want to cook for Nanny Ella.”
…So I pleaded at least to treat her as a normal colleague on the surface and not to do anything that would hurt her.
They were employees of Granado Castle. Since I was the lady of the house, when I seriously asked, they had no choice but to comply on the surface. Knowing that, I apologized again and begged until the conflict was settled.
And then — Nanny Ella returned to her wet nurse duties as before.
She took care of my daughter. Yesterday and today, she held my daughter in her arms.
“Row, row, you guys, let’s set sail!”
The perfectly synchronized heartbeat of solidarity.
I see it — distant land beyond the waves.
“Move the ship forward, lads!”
A star-colored wake, the horizon painting dreams.
Steer the helm in search of gold coins.
— I lay on my bed, staring blankly into space.
Right next to me, Nanny Ella was singing a lullaby. Early in the morning, after finishing the night’s care, she came to hand over Lisa, who then started fussing. Lisa cried, insisting that Nanny Ella’s arms felt more comforting than mine… so, reluctantly, Nanny Ella was soothing her. For Lisa and me.
“Row, row, the sun has risen!
It’s the sign to set sail, raise the anchor!
I see it — the bitter, salty sea,
Sweat and tears of the sailors!”
A star-colored wake, the horizon painting dreams.
Steer the helm in search of gold coins.
“Stop it…”
In a tiny, tiny voice that no one could hear, I whispered.
That song… it wasn’t just an ordinary lullaby. It was a sailor’s ode to labor.
Only Lord Cyrus, the trading merchant, would use such a rousing song as a lullaby.
Why do you know it? Even before I asked, I knew the answer. Nanny Ella had eavesdropped on Lord Cyrus’s singing.
After that thought, I shook my head.
Calling it eavesdropping was mean. She was only nearby, listening to Lord Cyrus singing it to my daughter. Since she’s quick to memorize, it’s no wonder she remembered it after hearing it once through the door.