Fran is now three years old.
I still clean the entire mansion every day, just as before.
The plan to clean the entire mansion is still far from completion. This house is just too big. There are multiple buildings, including the main residence, detached residence, servants' quarters, government building, and knight's quarters. Some areas are even off-limits to me, so it's impossible to clean everything within one or two years.
But I won't give up. I do what I can.
I accept being called a "tomboy princess" by the maids. Cleaning is more important than such things.
However, I'm not satisfied that I'm not allowed to spend much time with my little brother. I understand that I can't be a bad role model, but I should at least be able to behave well in front of him, right? He's still small and fragile, so I won't make him cry or anything.
By the way, my ladylike education has begun recently.
As a noblewoman, I need to learn proper manners. My mother says it's important to learn correct etiquette before developing bad habits. I wonder if it's too late for me since I already have the habits from my past life?
When I thought about running away from studying, my mother scolded me.
I'm not just a child, but a daughter of a duke. Because I'm more fortunate than most people, I have more obligations to fulfill. Learning manners is one of them. I have to set an example for others.
My mother, who speaks as if it's natural, is so cool.
I want to become like my mother... no, like my lady.
But my lady is busy. She manages this entire mansion, arranges tea parties with the other ladies, helps my father, and has to go give milk to my little brother several times a day.
So, she can't just dedicate all her time to my education.
As a result, I still have plenty of cleaning time.
"Miss, the tea is ready. Please come to the gazebo today."
On that day, as usual, I was cleaning when the maid called for me.
It's tea time, which is also snack time.
If my mother was here, it would be time for the etiquette class for the upcoming tea party, but apparently, it's just me today.
I can't just leave when you call me. As my maid, you lead the way even if it's a familiar path right next to us. Your graceful posture as you walk is so beautiful that I try to follow your example.
Oh wow, this is Fran. I'm surprised.
It wasn't that long ago we were playing pretend cleaning together, but ever since she became my attendant, she's been continuously receiving training to become a proper maid. Although our goals differ as the daughter of a duke and a potential sidekick, she's far ahead of me in terms of manners.
Apparently, my father has officially notified her of her position as my exclusive attendant recently. She was originally being trained for that position, but once her future was secured, her attitude changed.
She hasn't become a full-fledged maid yet, but she's certainly become a proper one.
Also, according to Tetra, Fran has some kind of rivalry with me. Because of my quick learning abilities from my mother's teachings, I'm considered a talented child even though I'm just applying the manners I learned in my previous life. Fran feels a sense of competition with me.
It's so cute, isn't it?
Even in the living room, Fran stands behind me with a dignified look.
I miss the times when she used to look enviously at my snacks while I was eating, which she no longer does since she's grown so much. But I feel like something is missing from her Fran-ness.
"Fran, since your mother isn't here today, would you like to have tea with me? It's lonely by myself."
"No, thank you. I am your attendant, so I will have it later."
She cannot eat or drink alongside me as my equal, which is correct but also boring.
Although Fran seems to have forgotten, she is allowed to be my friend as well as my attendant. Therefore, if we draw a line between public and private, we can have casual conversations.
Also, since my mother isn't here, today's snack is private. If she were here, I would have been scolded by the other maids just for inviting Fran. My mother is kind, but she isn't the type to spoil people. The maids are also firmly instructed.
So, I continue to seduce Fran.
"Today's snack is strawberry condensed milk. You liked it, right Fran?"
"----"
You just swallowed your saliva, didn't you? Your eyes keep glancing at the strawberries.
By the way, I came up with this way of eating them myself. Even though strawberries and condensed milk both exist, there wasn't a culture of combining them for some reason. I heard that condensed milk was always kept in the kitchen for my snacks, so I begged for it last spring.
It's not like I'm cheating with knowledge or anything. I just wanted to eat it.
I thought my parents liked it too, but my mother showcased it at a tea party for the ladies as last year's trend, and my father let them make sweets with this combination, adding value to the strawberries in his territory.
The power of the nobles is amazing, isn't it? I wonder if I can be like that too.
This year, the increased production hasn't caught up yet, and it seems that the price of strawberries has skyrocketed. So, as a daughter of a duke, I may not be affected, but Fran shouldn't eat too many strawberries.
"Fran, tell me your thoughts on this year's strawberries. Here, open wide----"
I offer Fran a spoonful of condensed milk-covered strawberries.
It's totally out of character for a lady, but the maids don't say anything. They seem to let it go as they suspect I'm doing it on purpose to test Fran.
"Mou!! The young miss is always teasing me! I'm working right now!!"
Finally, Fran erupts.
She pouts after firmly putting a strawberry in her mouth. That's how Fran is, after all.
As someone who is three years past thirty, I adore Fran for trying to act like a grown-up even though she's still young. But as Fran's older sister, she doesn't like being teased by me, so she tries to keep her distance.
I'm sorry for being mean.
But Fran is mine, so I won't let her go.