In her fourth lifetime, Rishe began serving the Duke’s daughter, Myria Clarissa Jonal about a year and a half from now.

She worked for the Marquis of Domana and had made friends with the young and mischievous children. Thus, she was asked to do the same for the Duchess of Jonal. It was there that she met eleven-year-old Myria.

Myria was demanding, and other maids kept her at a distance.

Her father, the Duke, was paralyzed due to an illness he had contracted a long time ago and was also prone to illness.

He cared for his daughter, who he couldn’t spend much time with. However, his means weren’t commendable, and he couldn’t cope with Myria’s willfulness.

As soon as Rishe arrived, the head servant’s first words were: You too must be careful with Miss Myria. She is a very difficult person to deal with.

But…

For the second time in her seventh life, Rishe met Myria for the first time, and looked down at her whirlwind of a hug around her waist.

Then a troubled-looking man emerged from Myria’s carriage.

“Myria, you’re being troublesome!”

His Excellency Jonal…

A man around his forties walked toward them, looking flustered.

With his blond hair brushed back and his mustache neatly trimmed, the man was Rishe’s former master. However, unlike what Rishe remembered, he didn’t have a cane now.

I had heard that His Excellency Jonal had an illness a long time ago.

In fact, it was within a year and a half from now that his body became paralyzed.

When he reached Rishe’s side, he first bowed politely.

“I’m sorry, young lady. My daughter is causing a ruckus… Come on, let her go!”

“NO, NO!!”

Myria screamed at the top of her lungs and tightened her grip. Then she buried her face in Rishe, who was supposed to be a stranger.

“Myria!”

“I hate you, Papa! You never listen to my requests, and yet scold me! All the trouble I cause these people is because you’re so mean!”

Arnold raised a brow when she shouted this.

Rishe deterred his attempt to move with a look before talking Myria’s small hair whorl.

“…Young Miss.”

“Don’t talk to me. Are you going to stand on my dad’s side too?!　You’ve never met him before. You don’t know anything about him, and you haven’t even heard what I have to say!”

“Young Miss, please take a look at this.”

“What the heck…!!”

Myria raised her head in annoyance and gasped in the next moment.

“…?”

Rishe spread out before her the handkerchief she had prepared.

When she showed her the white lace, Myria gave her a look of “I don’t understand.”

Aiming for that moment of confusion, Rishe crushed the handkerchief into her right hand.

She laid her left hand on top of her clenched hand and lightly kissed the back of that hand. She then tapped it and opened her hand.

“…Eh?!”

The handkerchief she had crushed in her hand disappeared without a trace.

In its place appeared a small stuffed bear.

The servants and knights buzzed in surprise. However, Myria, who witnessed it right in front of her, seemed to be more surprised than anyone else.

“W-W-Witchcraft?!”

Myria’s cheeks flushed red, and her big eyes sparkled. Rishe smiled and told her.

“No, Young Miss. This is called ‘magic’. It’s a token of your friendship.”

“R-Really?”

“Of course.”

When she presented the stuffed animal, Myria’s stubborn hands loosened.

Rishe crouched down on the spot and greeted her from a glance below her.

“My name is Rishe Ilmgard Wertsner. What is Young Lady’s name?

“… I’m Myria Clarissa Jonal, Papa’s daughter, and I’m almost ten years old.”

“Well then, Myria-sama…”

She couldn’t keep calling her “Young Miss” in this lifetime.

Rishe smiled a little sadly and handed her the stuffed animal that she had prepared for this purpose.

“I hope you like it.”

“Oh, I do.”

Myria shyly lowered her eyes, but still wrapped the stuffed animal in her hands and said with eyes turned away, “Thank you…”

“What a surprise! I never thought Myria could be so docile.”

Her father, Jonal, looked at her incredulously.

However, Rishe thought, Myria-sama is indeed a good, straightforward girl.

After meeting eleven-year-old Myria and being entrusted with her care, Rishe has always found her to be more innocent than her age.