Welcome to the Rose Mansion - Chapter 22
Richelle sighed and pressed the seal on the letter. She had been pondering what to write, delaying the completion of her response. If she hesitated any longer, she might end up sending the letter next week.
The mansion, where the servants cannot—or rather, ‘should’ not—leave, had a mailbox installed for them. Every Wednesday was the day the postman visited. He always delivered a week’s worth of mail in one postal carriage, then lightly emptied the not-so-heavy mailbox before leaving the mansion.
After ensuring the ink was dry, she neatly folded the letter and placed it in a rose-scented envelope. Even the minor paper provided to the servants in Bertrand was of the highest quality. Richelle felt a strange sensation every time she touched the smooth paper she could never have used even during her father’s lifetime.
After finishing the letter, the scent of roses lingered on her fingertips. Richelle washed her hands clean and prepared to go to the children’s bedroom, adjusting her outfit.
The current time was seven in the morning. Breakfast would arrive at eight, so she had to wake the children and get them ready before then.
As Richelle checked the time, her gaze slid to the mirror decorated on the mantelpiece. There, a woman with sunset-like hair loosely tied, blinking her large green eyes, was standing.
“Hmm…”
Richelle took a step toward the fireplace and peered into the mirror. She touched her cheeks and pressed on the freckles scattered across the bridge of her nose.
Richelle, who resembled her father more than her mother, was not an extraordinary beauty, but she had a pleasant appearance that easily garnered favor. Especially when her eyes, full of summer’s greenery, sparkled with laughter, her face brightened like the morning sky, making it a delightful sight.
She flexed her mouth muscles a few times to loosen them and displayed a natural and comfortable smile on her face. It was time to start her day.
Neat steps passed through the door and headed down the corridor. Right next to Richelle’s bedroom was the children’s room, and right next to it was the bedroom of the young Otis twins. Richelle’s work always began by knocking on the door of the twins’ bedroom.
“Penny, Nero! It’s your teacher. May I come in?”
Since it was for work purposes, permission was not necessary. Richelle counted to ten in her mind before opening the door.
“Teacher!”
A burst of high-pitched excitement hit her ears, followed by two heavy things flying towards her, bumping into Richelle’s stomach. Richelle let out a small groan and embraced the children.
“Be careful. You might get hurt.”
“Hehe.”
The children nuzzled their faces against Richelle’s stomach like well-fed cats, then simultaneously lifted their heads. Facing two pairs of identical black eyes, Richelle’s heart melted.
The Otis twins, Penny Otis and Nero Otis, were the most adorable children in the world. Richelle had met many children while working as a teaching assistant, but she had never seen children as lovely as these.
The black eyes staring at Richelle sparkled like obsidian. Their rosy cheeks were so ripe and peachy that she was almost tempted to nibble on them.
She gently stroked the children’s platinum blonde hair, laughing softly. The soft hue was more exquisite than the clouds in a sunset sky.
Though they were indeed the troublemakers she had heard about, this was typical behavior for eight-year-olds. Therefore, the twins’ mischief did not become an obstacle to Richelle’s love for them.
Richelle gently touched both children’s cheeks at the same time. The twins liked everything to be done fairly.
“Good morning. Did you sleep well?”
“Yes! Good morning to you too, Teacher!”
Holding the excitedly jumping children’s hands, Richelle led them to the bathroom. She helped them wash their faces, dried them off properly, changed their clothes, and did not forget to tidy their hair.
Normally, this would be the responsibility of a nanny or a nursemaid. However, surprisingly, the twins had neither a nanny nor a nursemaid. When Richelle asked the children about the whereabouts of their nanny, the only responses were that they never had one.
Before Richelle’s arrival, the children’s daily routine consisted of rolling around in their pajamas in the children’s room and running around the garden. No one worried about the children, and no one took care of them. The maids did not act without orders, so there was no one to wash the dirt off their bodies.
Therefore, when Richelle first met the twins, they looked more like dirty stray puppies wandering the streets than the offspring of a noble family. Richelle was so alarmed that she immediately requested a meeting with Madam Otis.
However, the response she received from Madam Otis plunged Richelle into even greater shock.
