K-Eldest Daughter Possessed a Childcare Novel

“… I’ll take care of that myself.”

My father answered in a curt voice without even looking at me.

His hands began to move again.

‘Of course he will.’

I bowed my head and left his study.

As I came out, Rover, who had been waiting outside, asked with a curious expression.

“Did the conversation go well?”

I glanced back at the study and carefully chose my words.

“Yes. Father always considers my position, so I’m grateful for that.”

I had just complimented him earlier, but he immediately ruined his image. Asking something like that right in front of the study… how thoughtless.

‘Well, that’s why he’s an easy target for someone like me.’

I spoke to Rover in a gentle voice.

“Are you going to keep waiting here, Rover?”

“Oh, yes! But I can escort you to your room!”

“There’s no need. I can go by myself. Good work.”

“Understood, Lady Belladi, ouch!”

I stepped hard on Rover’s foot before heading to my room.

‘Since he allowed me to renovate the mansion, it means he’s entrusting me with all the internal management.’

This meant that the salaries and employment of the servants were up to me.

‘I’ll use this authority to keep everyone, including Rover, under my control.’

It felt strange. Everything was going according to my plan.

‘I always had to give up my presence and desires because of Meldor…’

Alexander, the Spirit Sword, Zeppelin, Mother’s greenhouse. And now, even the household affairs of the mansion.

Now, they were mine. I had taken them.

I couldn’t help but feel a swell of pride.

With light steps, I headed to my room. Since I had come without a maid, only the sound of my footsteps echoed in the hallway.

Tap, tap.

The quiet hallway was softly lit by lamps and moonlight. As I walked leisurely, the view outside the window caught my eye.

The fifth floor where Father’s study was located had a good view of the expansive garden of the Alton duchy. It was quite different from what I saw from my room, and the excitement in my heart started to fade.

‘Get a grip. Don’t be satisfied with this.’

The central building where the direct line of the Alton duchy lived was this main building. Each member of our family used an entire floor as their private space.

The first floor was for welcoming guests, so it was excluded.

According to the family hierarchy, the top floor, the fifth, was Father’s, the fourth was Mother’s, and the third was Meldor’s.

And the lowest, the second floor, was where I lived.

I had tried not to be too discontented with this fact before. It was natural that Father, the Duke, Mother, the Mage, and Meldor, the heir, were above me.

But now it was different.

I didn’t like that someone still lived above me.

I was still in a low position.

‘Don’t forget. To escape from here, I must desire more than what is given to me.’

For example, taking over the fourth floor that lost its owner, beyond the greenhouse?

Or perhaps, it wouldn’t hurt to take over the fifth floor as well.

Thinking about it, I still had a long way to go.

‘But I have no big worries.’

I was confident I would enjoy even the process.

My face reflected in the arched window wore a confident smile.

***

The study after Belladi left.

Theodore couldn’t concentrate on the documents at all.

He put down the pen he was holding and sighed deeply.

‘I’m tired.’

Leaning back in his chair, Theodore stared at the photo on his desk. It was a family photo taken a few years ago at the urging of his wife, Dohemia.

Dohemia sitting on the sofa with Meldor in her arms.

Belladi and himself standing beside them.

Theodore gazed intently at his wife’s beautiful smile.

“I don’t know how to deal with the children without you.”

A lamenting murmur escaped his lips.

It was his wife who had bridged the gap between him and the children, but now she was gone.

Theodore found it quite daunting.

“I used to spend time with Meldor occasionally…”

Murmuring as if speaking to the picture of Dohemia, Theodore shifted his gaze to the young Belladi. The child, who looked just like him, was smiling quietly.

Lately, Theodore had been increasingly concerned about Belladi.

Specifically, since his wife’s funeral. From then on, his daughter had changed significantly.

The eyes that used to sparkle when looking at him were now dark and lifeless. Even her smile felt different from before.

Oddly enough, realizing this brought back forgotten memories of his past actions.

‘Was I too harsh on Belladi alone?’

Theodore was a very busy man as the Duke of Alton and had no time to take an interest in parenting.

Meldor, being the heir, caught his attention somewhat, but Belladi was always outside his sight.

As a result, Theodore felt awkward and distant from his own child.

‘But even considering that, I was excessively strict.’

He had intentionally been cold and harsh with his words, always scolding Belladi first whenever there was a conflict.

Theodore was genuinely curious.

Why did he act that way?

Because she was the eldest?

Because he had high expectations since she resembled him?

Theodore’s thoughts continued like a chain reaction.

In fact, he knew that Belladi had a talent for swordsmanship. He had considered teaching her the sword but met with his wife’s opposition.

-Belladi with a sword? What if she gets a scar… and then her husband doesn’t love her? A woman must be loved by her husband.

Belladi was the eldest daughter of the Alton family, and there weren’t many who could ignore her. In any case, it was no longer a time when husbands could disregard and mistreat their wives.

Dohemia, however, had grown up in poverty in the North and later lived in the forest with the spirits of the snow.

She had spent her childhood in a world completely cut off from information and was utterly out of touch with the changing times.

‘… I was no different.’

Back then, he had also thought there was merit in Dohemia’s words.

Even though the times were changing, he judged that there was no need to teach dangerous things to Belladi, who wasn’t the heir.

So, Theodore knew of Belladi’s talent but didn’t teach her the sword. He even went further by excluding her from the successor’s lessons she loved so much.

-Meldor is the heir and younger, so we mustn’t miss the critical time. But Belladi has always been capable on her own and mature enough to understand us. She doesn’t need the successor’s lessons.

Dohemia had said this, and he had agreed with her. So, he ignored Belladi’s first outcry of protest.

After that, Belladi didn’t express her opinions and kept her mouth shut.

Every time Theodore saw his daughter like this, he felt a vague sense of melancholy. And he didn’t like this feeling at all.

‘I didn’t want to feel tired even at home.’

Maybe that was why he avoided looking at her and focused on outside matters even more.

‘… still, what’s the use now.’

The past was already gone and couldn’t be changed.

In any case, the children were all raised by their mother. It would be laughable to start meddling in their affairs now.

Even if Belladi seemed a bit strange, there wasn’t any real problem.

‘Besides, she’s grown up enough.’

Theodore himself had made all his decisions and learned responsibility from Belladi’s age.

According to his wife, Belladi had always been a child who could do everything on her own. So, she would surely grow well on her own now.

‘This unease I feel is just part of the process.’

Thinking that, the words Belladi had just said kept ringing in Theodore’s ears.

-Don’t stay in the study for too long. Get some rest.

Though his daughter seemed different, she still cared about him.

That made Theodore felt strangely unsettled.

“I should have responded kinder…”

Muttering to himself, Theodore soon stopped his idle thoughts.

He wasn’t someone who had the leisure to play a loving family game with his daughter. He had the Northern part of the Empire to take care of.

Theodore picked up his pen again and tried to focus on the documents.

***

As soon as I was entrusted with the management of the mansion by my father, I set up my study as a makeshift office.

Previously, Mother had entrusted the management to Charles and Emily, so there was no proper office on the fourth floor.

‘It’s a pity, it was a good chance to move straight to the fourth floor.’

Well, this wasn’t the only opportunity.

I reviewed the documents Emily had reported to me, understanding how the mansion operated. Fortunately, it wasn’t difficult, and I quickly grasped the flow.

While I was focused, there was a knock on the door.

“It’s Rover.”

“Come in.”

The door opened, and Rover entered, holding a pile of documents I had requested.

“These are the papers I have handled on my own.”

I put aside the papers I was reading and looked at the ones Rover handed over. The reports were more organized than I expected.

‘He’s more meticulous than I thought.’

Without a word, as I looked through the documents, Rover cleared his throat and opened his mouth cautiously.

“Ahem, I haven’t been the head butler for long, but I was rigorously trained by my father in writing reports.”

“It seems so. Well done.”

Rover looked proud at my praise.

I paused as I continued flipping through the documents and pulled out one page, scrutinizing it closely.

“An account of private expenses?”

“Oh, that!”

Rover beamed.

“I made that especially for you, Lady Belladi!”

“What is this?”

To my question, he replied with a bright smile.

“I thought you might be too young to handle internal management. Since you may lack a sense of the mansion’s budget, I’m here to help!”

“… okay?”

“Yes! Now that you will be managing your private expenses, you can note your expenditures in this and give it to me!”

I raised my eyebrow slightly at his words.