Chapter 244: The Twins's New Routine with The Nanny

Harper arrived at the apartment in the middle of the morning, just as they had agreed.

Lydia greeted her at the entrance and invited her inside. Liam, who was finishing packing his bag before heading to the guild, appeared behind her.

"Good morning. Ready to get to know these two little ones' routine?" he asked.

"Of course!" Harper replied with a smile.

"Although I admit I'm still curious to see what other surprises they might have in store for me."

Liam glanced toward the blanket where Lionel and Liana were playing with their toys.

"I hope they behave a little better today."

"Liam!" Lydia scolded him playfully.

"What? Lionel ate the remote control yesterday."

Harper burst out laughing.

"Don't worry. I won't let them eat anything they shouldn't."

Liam gave her a grateful look. Then he said goodbye to both women and bent down to kiss his children.

"Behave yourselves, little ones."

Lionel responded by waving his arms. Liana, on the other hand, reached out and touched her father's cheek.

Liam froze as the baby's fingers brushed against his face.

"Well... more or less."

Lydia gave him a kiss before walking him to the door.

"See you later. And don't worry, we'll be fine."

"I know. But call me if you need anything."

"I will."

After Liam left, Lydia returned to the living room with Harper.

"All right, let's start with the most important things. I'll show you where we keep the children's supplies and how we organize their schedules."

Harper nodded attentively.

Lydia explained where the diapers, clothes, blankets, and products they used to care for the twins were kept. She also showed her how to prepare their bottles and which foods they could start trying, although most of their nutrition still came from milk for the time being.

"The main thing is not to worry if it seems like there's too much to remember at first," Lydia told her. "You'll get used to it with time."

"I can imagine. Every family has its own routines."

"Exactly. And since Liam and I will be away, I want you to feel comfortable here. If you need anything, you can ask my copy."

Harper looked at the Lydia standing beside them.

"Can your copy stay here the whole time?"

"Yes. As long as I don't use up too much of my energy, she can remain active and help with the children."

The copy smiled.

"Besides, I can take care of some household chores while Harper gets used to the routine."

"That would be really helpful," Harper admitted.

"Although I don't want to depend on you too much. I also want to learn how to do things on my own."

"And you will," Lydia replied. "I don't expect you to know everything on your first day. What's important is that you learn to recognize when you need help."

Harper approached the blanket and sat beside the twins.

Liana watched her curiously, while Lionel shook a rattle.

"Can I play with them?"

"Of course."

Harper picked up a toy and gently waved it in front of Liana. The baby tried to reach for it, and just like the previous day, her arm stretched several inches.

Harper smiled without moving away.

"I think I'm starting to get used to this."

Lydia chuckled.

"That's good. It still surprises me sometimes."

"Really?"

"Yes. Even though I know she can do it, I never know when it's going to happen."

Liana managed to grab the toy and shook it enthusiastically.

Harper praised her as if she'd just accomplished something extraordinary.

"Very good! You did it!"

Lydia watched the scene with a smile. Harper didn't just seem comfortable with the twins' abilities; she also had a natural way of interacting with them.

It was exactly what they needed.

◇◆◇

While the children played, Lydia showed Harper the rest of the apartment.

She explained how the appliances worked, where the cleaning supplies were kept, and which rooms she could use. She also pointed out the contact phone Liam had prepared for emergencies.

"If anything happens, you can call either of us. Even if we're in Antarctica, we'll try to answer as soon as we can."

"I understand. And if neither of you can answer, I can always ask your copy for help."

"Exactly."

Harper fell silent for a moment, lost in thought.

"Does it feel strange knowing you'll be so far away from them?"

Lydia looked toward the living room, where the twins were still happily playing.

"Yes. Much more than I expected."

"I can imagine."

"But I also know I can't stay home just because I'm a mother now. I want to help with this mission, and Liam understands that. The only thing I'm worried about is making sure the children are okay while we're away."

Harper nodded seriously.

"I'll take care of them as best I can. I promise."

"I know. That's why we're so grateful you agreed to help."

Harper smiled and briefly lowered her gaze.

"I'm glad you thought of me."

Lydia looked at her curiously.

"By the way, Liam told me you're still working as an independent hunter. How have things been going lately?"

"Pretty well. I've participated in a few raids and taken on some smaller jobs, too. It's not as stable as being part of a guild, but I like having the freedom to choose my own missions."

"And are you still living alone?"

Harper shook her head.

"Actually, I'm living with Steve now."

Lydia blinked.

"With Steve? The Steve who used to go into dungeons with us?"

"That's the one!"

"I had no idea you were still in touch!"

Harper laughed and tucked her hair behind her ear.

"Yeah, we've been keeping in touch for months. And recently, we started dating."

Lydia's eyes widened in surprise.

"Really?"

"Yes. We've been together for two months, and a few weeks ago, we decided to move in together."

"That's wonderful!"

Harper blushed slightly.

"Steve is a great man. He's always been very considerate, but ever since we got together, I've realized just how much I can rely on him. He's patient, understanding, and knows how to make me laugh whenever I'm in a bad mood."

"I'm really happy to hear that," Lydia said sincerely.

"Besides, he wanted to see you both, too. When I told him Liam had messaged me, he was really happy. He told me to send you his regards."

"We'd love to see him, too!" Lydia replied. "It's been a long time since we last talked to him."

"We could arrange something once all this is over. Maybe a dinner. Steve always says we should get together again."

Lydia smiled.

"That sounds like an excellent idea."

A small surprised noise came from the living room.

Both women turned around.

Lionel had dropped his rattle and was now trying to reach a doll near the table. Before Harper could get up, Liana's arm stretched out and grabbed the toy.

Harper stared at the baby.

"Wow! Looks like she doesn't want her brother to go without a toy."

Lydia chuckled.

"Seems that way."

Harper approached the little ones and handed the doll back to Lionel.

"But we have to share, okay?"

Lionel took it with both hands and began shaking it.

"I think we're going to get along just fine," Harper commented.

"I think so, too," Lydia replied.

◇◆◇

When it was time to feed the babies, Lydia showed Harper how to prepare their bottles and how to hold each baby while they drank.

Harper listened carefully and then practiced with Lionel, while Lydia's copy helped with Liana.

At first, the young woman was a little stiff, worried about doing everything correctly. But she soon began to relax when Lionel settled comfortably in her arms and started drinking peacefully.

"See? You're doing great," Lydia encouraged her.

Harper smiled.

"I'm glad he hasn't complained."

"If something bothers him, he'll let you know."

"That's one thing I'm already sure of."

Lydia sat beside her and watched the twins. She felt she could finally stop worrying about every little detail.

Harper still had a lot to learn, but she was willing to do so. More importantly, she seemed to genuinely care about the children.

When Lionel finished eating, Harper carefully settled him against her shoulder.

"All right, little one. Now let's help you burp."

Lydia looked at her with a smile.

"You're already starting to look like an expert."

"Don't exaggerate! I'm only just getting started."

"But you're doing really well."

Harper returned her smile gratefully.

Lydia glanced toward the window, where the morning light was beginning to fill the living room.

The mission was drawing closer, and there were still many things to organize. However, seeing Harper with her children, she felt some of her worries beginning to fade.

They couldn't know what awaited them in Antarctica.

But at least, when the time came to leave, Lionel and Liana would be in the company of someone who was already beginning to feel like part of the family.