K-Eldest Daughter Possessed a Childcare Novel

“I’m sorry, Lady Belladi. The seasons have changed but there’s no furniture! I just changed it to my liking……!”

“Okay, I’m not blaming you. With Mother being sick, there was no time or means to purchase new furniture.”

In this society, it was customary for the mistress of the house to redecorate the mansion to match the new season.

The higher the nobility, the more it was considered a virtue to dispose of previously used items and purchase everything anew.

‘Though redecorating only meant changing things like curtains, carpets, and fabric decorations.’

For your information, Mother found redecorating the mansion quite bothersome, so our mansion always had a similar atmosphere.

Still, it used to be decorated with colors matching the seasons…

‘Since Meldor said he liked black, the interior has been dark, all year round.’

Moreover, with Mother collapsing last year, redecorating the mansion was out of the question. As a result, even though it was already early summer, the house was still gloomy.

I shook my head as I looked at the dark brown drawing room.

‘The mansion already feels dreary, and with this interior, there’s no hope.’

It seemed like a good opportunity to revamp the mansion’s interior. Something bright and fresh, suitable for the upcoming summer.

‘Let’s change it dramatically so that the servants don’t have time to feel down.’

I pointed my finger at a standout line in the catalog’s new items.

“From here to here, order everything. We’re going to completely transform the mansion, so make sure to order enough of everything without missing a thing.”

As soon as I finished speaking, Rover opened his mouth.

“But! You can’t order furniture on your own without the Duke’s and the Young Duke’s permission, ugh!”

“Of course, Lady Belladi.”

Emily, who had worked by my side for a long time, stomped on Rover’s foot with her heel. Then she smiled softly.

“If we order quickly, you can receive everything within a few days.”

“Alright. And Rover.”

Rover, grimacing slightly from the pain in his foot, looked bewildered.

“Yes, yes?”

I tilted my head slightly as I looked at Rover.

Under my gaze, Rover, still quite young, flinched and lowered his head.

“Didn’t your father Charles teach you what happens when you raise your voice in front of me?”

“Well, um…”

Two years ago, Charles, the head butler of this mansion, retired due to illness.

There was much discussion about his successor, but at Charles’s earnest request, Mother chose his son and assistant butler, Rover.

Rover originally assisted Meldor and Father, so he was more mindful of them than of me.

I had naturally accepted this and tolerated his occasional impudence, but now I had no intention of doing so any longer.

“If you want to work as the head butler of this mansion, you need to learn to read the room. Mother, the mistress of the house, has passed away. So, who will be responsible for the mansion now?”

“That’s…”

“Father? How could someone busy with external affairs care for the interior? Then Meldor? What could he do when he’s already overwhelmed with swordsmanship lessons?”

As I spoke with a sneer, Rover’s face turned pale.

“Answer me.”

I dropped the smile and spoke in a commanding tone.

“Who will manage this mansion from now on?”

“… you, Lady Belladi.”

“Then if I say I’m ordering furniture to redecorate the mansion, whose permission do I need?”

“N-no one’s! I made a grave mistake, please forgive me!”

As he spoke those words, I finally relaxed the tense atmosphere.

Then I took the catalog book from Emily and slowly started flipping through the pages.

“Good. Now, Rover, prepare as many people as you can.”

“Yes, ma’am!”

“Emily, inform the maids as well.”

“Yes, Lady Belladi.”

“You’re dismissed, both of you. I’m tired.”

At my words, they politely bowed and left the drawing room.

As the drawing room door closed, I saw Rover sniffling and Emily patting his back.

“For a moment, Lady Belladi was scarier than the duke.”

“It’s okay, Rover. As long as you’re careful, Lady Belladi won’t say anything.”

Once the drawing room door was completely shut, I sank deeply into the sofa.

“Winning over the servants, huh…”

The servants were overseen by the head maid and the butler. To win over the servants, you had to know how to manage those two first.

Emily, who had been with me for a long time, was practically already mine…

‘The remaining one is Rover.’

He didn’t play a significant role in the original story. Unlike Zeppelin, there wasn’t much information about him…

Well, it wasn’t a big deal.

‘Winning over someone like Rover is easy.’

I was certain.

The mansion’s servants would soon be working exactly as I wanted.

***

A few days later, the furniture I had ordered arrived in front of the mansion.

“That sofa goes to the drawing room on the fourth floor.”

“Yes, Lady Belladi!”

“This tablecloth to the dining room.”

“Got it, Lady Belladi!”

“Where are the curtains for the third-floor hallway?”

“Here they are!”

“Good, everyone, move quickly!”

“Yes, Lady Belladi!”

I moved smoothly among the massive amounts of boxes, listing the furniture and their locations. Following my instructions, the numerous servants bustled about, carrying items.

Thanks to this, there was no time for the servants to dwell on Mother’s absence. I wouldn’t give them a chance to.

“If you finish within three days, you’ll get a special bonus!”

“Yes, Lady Belladi!”

The mention of a special bonus made the servants’ eyes sparkle.

They started unpacking the cargo and moving the selected items to their places with even more urgency.

Amid the incredibly busy scene, with everyone relying entirely on my orders, I felt a peculiar sense of satisfaction.

‘Haa, just like during the hunting competition… I guess this is my nature.’

When I gave orders according to my plan, people moved to execute them. I really liked this sight.

Before becoming aware of my reincarnation, I had never given such grand orders to the servants. I always had to stay silent, watching my family’s reactions.

Maybe that was why this moment felt more enjoyable.

‘Is this why everyone craves power?’

Father must have felt like this every day.

Just then, Father and Meldor were out, leaving the mansion empty.

Without the lion, the fox ruled, and I roamed the mansion freely.

‘If the fox’s position is this fun, how enjoyable must it be for the lion?’

With that in mind, I headed to the mansion’s annex to tidy up there.

In the annex was a large glass greenhouse, which Mother had cherished most. Father had gathered flowers from all over the world for Mother, who loved flowers.

He had paid particular attention to the crystal pillar in the center of the greenhouse and the magical sapphire adorning it.

The sapphire held preservation magic, allowing flowers to bloom beautifully all year round.

‘Why do mothers in fantasy novels all love flowers?’

I preferred jewels over flowers. Especially those like the sapphire embedded in the pillar.

If I were Mother, I wouldn’t have made this greenhouse but rather turned the entire annex into my own jewel storage.

‘… hmm? That’s not a bad idea.’

This greenhouse was accessible only to those whom Mother invited. Hence, Meldor spent much more time here than I did.

Thinking about that made me sick.

‘A place full of memories of Mother and Meldor…’

In truth, this place also held painful memories for me.

I still vividly remember that time.

Just like now, in the lush early summer.

That day, at Mother’s invitation, Meldor and I were having tea in the greenhouse.

As usual, as soon as Mother stepped away, Meldor started picking on me.

-You have such clean hands, don’t you?

Just as Meldor said, my hands, which hadn’t undergone tough training, were clean, while his hands, always roughhousing, were full of small cuts and calluses.

It was the same now.

‘Meldor will never know what these clean hands meant to me.’

Normally, I would have responded appropriately to his provocations, but that day, I wasn’t in a good mood either.

So, no matter what he said, I just ignored him, which seemed to irritate him even more.

-How dare you ignore me?! Let’s see if you stay still after this!

Angry, Meldor used an attack spell on me. It wasn’t strong, but it was the first time he had used magic in a fit of anger.

Fortunately, I also knew basic magic, so I instinctively deflected his spell. As a result, both of us sustained minor injuries.

He got a small scratch above his ear.

I got a bruise on my right arm from the magic.

‘Meldor seemed quite shocked, having used magic on me.’

Fortunately, besides our injuries, the greenhouse didn’t suffer significant damage.

Feeling relieved for protecting Mother’s greenhouse, I glanced at Meldor. He seemed frozen, realizing his mistake.

At that moment, someone ran towards us.

-Meldor!

Mother, pale as a sheet, dropped the flowers she was holding and grabbed Meldor’s cheeks.

-Oh my God, there’s blood here! Meldor! Are you hurt anywhere else?!

-Well, um…

Meldor hesitated, looking at me.

I sighed and spoke to Mother.

-Meldor used magic on me, and I was blocking it, so things got a bit out of hand.

-Belladi!

At my words, Mother hugged Meldor tightly and yelled.

-How could you, as an older sister, hurt your younger brother?!

-He attacked me first. I was just blocking it.

-What kind of dangerous magic could a child just starting to learn magic use?!

The words Mother said after that, I didn’t really want to recall. They were mostly about how I should always take care of my younger brother, no matter the situation.

Even at my own expense.

Mother did show me affection, unlike Father. But she was too clear about her priorities.

‘I could never surpass Meldor in that order.’

The only time she got angry was when Meldor was hurt or in pain.

During those times, she completely erased my existence from the order.

‘No moment was as bitter as that.’

That day, Mother treated Meldor’s injured ear and then kicked me out of the greenhouse.

Through the closing greenhouse door, I clearly saw Meldor looking at me while being held by Mother.

After that incident, Meldor no longer hesitated to use magic on me.