Description
When I opened my eyes, I became the nanny from a book I once read.
The nanny that kills the child she's tasked to care.
With her experience from her previous life, she saves the child and saves her own life in the process as well… but strangely the child's uncle keeps appearing before her.
"Uncle, uncle."
Brielle has started to speak to his uncle.
"S…sure."
Although the uncle's response is awkward, his face glowed with a smile.
However, his face hardened when his nephew said this,
"Step away. Step away."
That is what Brielle said when he saw the uncle and Marie (the nanny) together, who were deciding which storybook to read that day.
Chapter 1
It's a place where clouds are like cotton candy floating in the blue sky, and the sun shines as baby fairies whisper and chat. This is the mansion of the Count, the Chancellor of a certain kingdom.
Here, a baby with impressive cheeks that looked white and soft like a freshly made bread was smiling, touching his mouth and reaching for the elaborately made toy mobile. His hair, which was richer than the number of months, tumbled down as the baby's head moved.
"Our Prince Briel, are you up?"
And looking at the baby, the voice of the woman whose voice raised an octave more than usual filled the baby's bed and disappeared.
"If they had heard those words you say from time to time in the royal palace, you would have already been caught for treason."
Contrary to the woman, the voice of a low man filled the place, but unlike the blunt words, it seemed clear that the corner of his mouth was gently raised and smiling. The man appeared to resemble the baby, but it was a different impression.
"There are only three of us."
The woman lightly ignored him, carefully held the baby.
"How can you be so cute?"
As she shook his fluffy arms and hugged him, satisfactory laughter erupted from the baby. Then she saw the plump cheeks overflowing from the side view. His smiling cheeks rose up and turned red as he was happy.
After a while, she found the man standing next to her with enviable glances.
"Would you like to hold him once?"
"Me?"
Still clumsy to hold him, he stretched out his arms with a perplexed expression. She looked at it and handed her the baby.
"Am I doing this right?"
However, unlike her warm and cozy arms like a while ago, the baby burst into tears because of an uncomfortable feeling.
"No, you can't do that with your hands."
It would be nice if the baby were wrapped around him so that the baby could lean on his shoulders, but he didn't know what to do with the baby's hand in his armpit.
"But it's not easy to control my strength. What if I wrap him in my arm, and then Briel doesn't like it?"
She shook her head as she stared at his sturdy biceps that seemed to be several times her own.
'No matter how the novel was, this seems to be too much for me. He's not just a chivalrous knight, he's the Chancellor of a country…'
The Count's young master, who just turned six months old, hasn't started eating baby food.
"That's right, you eat well. Just one more bite."
The name of the little baby master, who never refuses food or does not have any trouble waking up in the middle of sleep, was Briel.
Unfortunately, not long after he was born, Briel's parents passed away, and he was adopted by his uncle, the Count.
"Are you going to burp?"
The woman who fed Briel wiped the corners of his mouth and gently hugged him, and patted him on the back.
'You are alive because of me, so don't forget me even when you grow up.'
The woman sighed unexpectedly toward Briel, who was tilting his head at her.
Her name was Marie, Briel's nanny.
'It must have been somewhat different from the original story.'
One day, she teleported into a novel and made full use of her career as a nursery teacher to become a perfect nanny.
She then twisted the original story, and she saved Briel, who had lived for only five months,
Even his uncle, the Count, who would become depressed due to Briel's death, lived a smooth life.
"Bri… No, Young Master. Since you have finished digesting, let's exercise."
Marie lowered her hold on Briel and turned him over.
'I almost called you, Briel. I would have made more mistakes if I hadn't practiced calling him Young Master with honorifics.'
She sighed.
'Come to think of it… The Count saw me flip you over for the first time and thought I was trying to kill you.'
She remembered the past when she was surprised by the sword that was drawn against her neck.
[This way, he can do the flipping himself. It's time for him to flip after months.]
He barely came to his senses after hearing her words and laid his sword down with an embarrassing look.
'I think I've misunderstood.'
When she thinks about that time, the situation was actually funny.
"Kung…. Bu bu bu!"
"You're having a hard time, Young Master. Then, let me pick you up this time."
How long has she been turning Briel upside down? The baby, raising his head and moving his reddish face, struggling with a sound. He then eventually managed to turn over by himself.
She hugged Briel on her back, sang him the lullaby for the yawning baby, and once again fell into her old thoughts.
'Am I in heaven?'
She was in admiration as she saw the look of the cherub in front of her eyes. This was the first time that a baby seemed to have a halo.
'But I guess I've lived well.'
The lake-like eyes stared at her, and at that moment, she slowly and without her knowledge, moved her hand towards the angel.
'It's warm.'
That was her first thought of touching the baby's cheek.
'…Do angels have body temperature like humans?'
Soon, realizing the strangeness, she looked around her.
Though thinking that she is in a paradise, it was a landscape that seemed to have resembled the Middle Ages.
'Is Heaven a Western Style?'
She was brought to reality when a woman opened the door.
You shouldn't judge people by their appearance, but she could hardly think that the woman who opened the door and came in, had the appearance of an angel.
"Oh, Young Master. What's wrong with you, you always used to stay still when I touch you."
'Young master?'
At that time, she turned her attention back to the baby. Then she saw the eyes still staring at her.
'It's clear.'
For a moment, she had forgotten her peculiar situation in which she was facing, and she was staring at him.
"Marie… then I'll go, so take good care of Briel. He won't cry even when you're with him, so I'll go."
'Marie… Briel… This sounds familiar?'
When she heard the sound, there were sentences that instantly came to her mind. It was the name of the characters in the novel that she used to read during rush hour.
It's not common to remember such interesting names, but she was different, having a job as a nursery teacher. She liked babies, so she chose a job as a nursery teacher, and she remembered almost every movie and drama and various novels when babies appeared. Isn't this the novel she was reading just before her death?
'To call me Marie…'
As she turned her head once again towards the baby's face, she felt goosebumps on her back.
'This body I entered has the role that would kill that baby.'
It wasn't enough to be transported into the book, but she was frustrated to have this role.
'How can I return to my world?'
At first, she thought about it for a week. When she woke up, she fell asleep with anticipation that she would return to the original world.
However, the reality was cruel.
It was Briel that caught her eyes when she was tired of the continued frustration.
'What will happen to Briel when I leave? Don't tell me he's going to die…'
When that thought passed, she got goosebumps.
'That's not possible.'
The baby, sharing his warm warmth from his own arms, no longer felt like a person in a book.
'Yes, maybe the reason I came here is to save Briel.'
She found a reason to live in the world in the book.
Therefore, she was forced to give up on returning to her original world after the time when Briel was supposed to die.
That was already three months ago.
"You are here."
Even today, the Count, who had gone to work at the royal palace, returned to the mansion.
Although he seemed to look around at the entrance inadvertently, Marie noticed that the Count quickly looked at Briel's face.
"Bu bu!"
And at that moment, Briel, who was glad to see his uncle, tried to hug him with a loud voice.
The Count, who turned his head reflexively, stepped up to closer to his nephew and carefully extended his hand.
"No, Young Master."
But between them, a solid wall was blocking them. It was Marie.
She turned around, holding the baby, and said to him.
"Wash your hands first, Count."
The servants who looked at the nanny talking, with no hesitation toward the master, had their eyes wide open, now turned their heads away from the nanny, pretending not to hear it.
Knowing that the nanny's words weren't wrong, the Count simply sighed and headed to the bathroom.
"Then let's have fun until the Count comes out."
Briel laughed with her, just like when he had looked at his uncle. The Count, who was heading to the bathroom, paused at the sound of Briel's laughter, turned back, and looked at him with a sad expression.
Without knowing that, Marie and Briel headed to Briel's room on this floor to play together.
In this place where baby toys are not available, Marie mostly played with the baby using her body.
Now it was blowing raspberries.
"Boo!"
Briel was smiling wide as he grinned in a good mood.
"Are you having fun?"
Marie, who was putting her face on the cheek of such a baby, raised her head.
"Don't just stand there, come here."
When the Count came after washing his hands, he was hovering outside the door, unable to get in between the two.
He, who loves Briel more than anyone else, did not know how to properly express his affection unlike the one in his eyes.
'It is natural that you are still new to childcare.'
At times like this, Marie had no choice but to come out and call him. Then, the man walked up with a bright face.
When his uncle approached him, Briel made a different babble.
"Boo! Ma! Boo! Ma!"
After seeing his nephew's cooing, the Count still distanced himself, so she made the suggestion that it would be okay.
"Let's play peekaboo."
"What? What is that?"
By now, maybe Briel could do a peekaboo.
"Look carefully."
Marie, who hid her face behind her hand, suddenly shouted, spreading her hands.
"Peekaboo!"
Briel laughed out loud.
However, the expression on the face of the count standing next to her was fading.
'…You want me to do that?'
From morning to evening, he made only a slight impression at the royal palace, and his eyebrows that were usually emotionless frowned.
Marie didn't even notice his inner conflict and urged him to do it quickly.
'Honestly…'
He may not have understood the conversation between her and the Count, but Briel looked up at him with anticipation, and he sighed. Then he closed his eyes tightly.
He gave a speech to an official who brought a report that didn't appeal to him all morning, but now the person is gone, leaving only a nephew fool.
(T/N: XX-fool, example a daughter fool, is when someone is obsessed with their daughter or nephew in this case to the point that they can act like a fool haha.)
"Peekaboo!"
Briel felt his efforts, and he smiled the brightest smile he had ever shown.
"Did you see that?"
He looked puzzled yet thrilled by his nephew's reaction. It seemed that he couldn't believe that he caused this intimate smile.
"Let's do it again."
He didn't wait for an answer and did it again.
He seemed to forget that Marie was here. As They fell into a world of their own.
And the butler, who was watching, turned away from the door, wondering if there was anything to be done.
Chapter 2
✱ Translator & Editor's Note: We changed Briel's name to Brielle~ so if you notice the changes, it's because we didn't make up our mind before. *hide*
"Now, let's practice walking today."
"Me too, me too, big sis!"
Next to Marie was Ellie, who had her short-hair tied in ponytails, and her cheeks were red.
Ellie is Marie's second younger sibling, whose age gap is quite large, and was one of the decisive people that made her enter the Count's as a nanny.
They had lived together in the county a while ago, and there were times when she said she wanted to take care of Brielle.
'It's dangerous.'
There were no baby mats from where Marie had lived before, so Brielle could fall and hit his face.
"He can't fall down, so if you want to walk, let's hold hands next time, okay?"
"Tsk."
Ellie, who wanted to do it but was upset that Marie said no, had a budging look for a moment
"Young Master, you've got a lot of strength in your legs now."
His stiff legs gave strength, and his butt with a diaper, slightly sagging, spontaneously triggered her smile. In addition, the pants, which were slightly loose, are now full of the flesh of the legs.
"Big Sis, I want to look too."
Then Ellie pressed Brielle's legs with her fingers carefully.
"Ooh."
Through the fluffy pants, he didn't feel anything, but Ellie admired it.
And even if these reactions were exciting, Brielle held Marie's hand tightly for a while though it was quite difficult.
His chubby buttocks were slicking and twitching forward.
The baby was exhausted and gave up halfway, but he went ahead and strove toward the goal with his face reddened.
"Oh my, you've come this far."
Brielle's goal was his nanny. Marie, who was organizing the cloth diapers for a while, smiled at the baby that had approached her.
It was finally his lunchtime. Brielle would sometimes come to see Marie when he's hungry.
As she quickly put the diaper down and hugged him, the baby's mouth burst into laughter from satisfaction.
"How can you be so lovely?"
Brielle was pleased, and Marie rubbed his cheek.
That was not the only change in the seven-month-old Master. A month ago, when she put him on his legs, he used his strength and stood still, but now he was able to move his legs with a thud.
"The Count will be very thrilled to see you grow up."
Although he is just his uncle, Brielle seemed to have one of the best figures in the kingdom, with her Count uncle's tall genes mixed in.
Unfortunately, the baby is growing fast, and the Count has not seen Brielle for days.
He seemed too busy reading the books and was unable to leave the palace since it was the end of the year as well.
"Young Master, let's surprise the Count when he comes."
Brielle wiggled as if he knew she was talking about his uncle.
The black horse came running through the night.
"You're back."
The Count had finally returned to the mansion after finishing his work.
He nodded his head to the butler and asked as he walked with urgent steps.
"Is he sleeping now?"
It was already late, but he still asked anyway because the baby's sleeping time was unstable.
Even though the subject was missing, the butler knew at once who his Master was talking about.
"He's sleeping."
However, the answer that he heard was not what he wanted to hear. He was visibly disappointed, expecting That Brielle would be awake.
"I see."
Though there was someone welcoming him. It was the nanny.
"You're back."
"Yes… How is he doing?"
"That's right. The Young Master is sleeping soundly now, so if you go in quietly, it would be all right to take a quick look."
When the Count arrived at the mansion, Marie was smiling happily as she watched him enter through the window.
Even if she doesn't show it much, the love for his nephew shows through his quick pace entering the mansion.
And, as she finished her words, he took off his cold cloak and stepped cautiously toward the room where Brielle was sleeping.
"He seems to have lost some weight."
As his eyes adjusted to the darkroom, he caught the baby's figure a little more clearly. Obviously, the belly that popped out slightly stood out, but he seemed a little slimmer.
He told Marie, who was standing next to him while taking in the face of his nephew whom he hadn't seen for a long time.
"Because he's becoming more active."
When she saw him responding with a slightly different look, she looked forward to seeing Brielle wake up tomorrow.
'Tomorrow, you'll be even more surprised to see how much the Young Master has changed.'
The Count continued to watch his profile as Brielle was sleeping in the dark, then, unknowingly, stretched out his hand toward the bulging cheeks.
"Wait a minute, Count."
But his hand was blocked by her again.
"If you touch him with your cold hands, he'll wake up. You didn't wash your hands yet, didn't you?"
"Haa…"
He had to just be content with just looking again.
Marie smiled at the Count, who followed her words well.
'I think it's the Count who lost weight.'
Although for Brielle, it was because he was running around, the Count seemed to be tired from the work in the Royal Palace.
'But he has become even more attractive.'
As he lost weight, his features were more visible and he looked more masculine.
"What's wrong?"
She thought he couldn't notice her gaze since it was dark, but Marie was embarrassed when the Count turned his head and asked.
"Ah… No. I have to sing a lullaby for the Young Master."
Realizing how clumsy the excuse was to sing a lullaby to a baby who was already sleeping, she bit her tongue slightly.
"…"
When the Count went silent, Marie took a sigh and started singing her lullaby with a little hum.
The Count turned his gaze, following the nanny to her hand patting Brielle's chest. Her face reflected from the moonlight was visible. Although she was tired from taking care of Brielle, the smile on her face was very warm. Enough to make even his heart flutter.
He didn't know that he had a pretty crescent smile on his own face looking at her.
Marie felt a warmth on her stomach, and she naturally embraced it.
'Ah, so comfortable.'
She fell asleep late, and her body shriveled from the cold of dawn, but she was feeling cozy.
"Bu bu!"
'Huh?'
However, when the familiar sound was heard from the warm feeling, she opened her eyes and was surprised.
"Young Master. How are you here…"
When he was sleeping, she had put a blanket on the floor instead of the Western-style bed. Afterward, she made the walls out of soft cushions, and Brielle grabbed them a few days ago to stand up, and today he seemed to have escaped.
"Did you sleep well?"
After greeting, she asked Brielle with a strict face.
"You shouldn't come over like that. You might hurt yourself."
She laid a thick blanket around him so he wouldn't get hurt in case he fell, but she could still picture Brielle's face as he snuck around and fell wrongly.
"I have to pay more attention to this."
However, Brielle complained passionately after seeing her expression.
"Bu bu. Ru. Bu Bu. Ru."
Marie, who was unfamiliar with Brielle's behavior, smiled as if she had done something wrong, then the baby's babble stopped.
"Now, it's time to breastfeed."
Since Marie did not give birth to a child, of course, this was something she couldn't do.
There is a separate nanny who feeds Brielle every morning, a middle-aged woman named Erin, whom Marie saw when she first opened her eyes here.
She couldn't take care of Brielle because she also had her baby, and Brielle was the Count's successor, so he couldn't just leave him to anyone. It was then that Marie, who had the experience of caring for her younger siblings and a fallen aristocrat, entered the mansion.
Erin mentioned how Brielle rejected Marie initially, so she didn't know how hard it was for her.
Then Brielle suddenly became attached to her, as he was worried about changing his nanny. And that was the day she possessed this body.
"Bu-"
Brielle, not wanting to be separated from Marie, struggled for some reason.
"It'll be just a minute. Young Master."
However, he couldn't overcome Erin's power, so he had no choice but to breastfeed quietly.
"Brielle, does he eat baby food well?"
Erin, who was feeding Brielle, asked Marie with a breathless voice.
"Yes, I'm giving him food that is mostly made of cabbage."
"That sounds great. It's a big deal because my kid doesn't want to eat them."
"Is this the first time?"
"Yes."
She has two sons. The first one was four.
"Well… Then why don't you try making the child's favorite shape into food?"
"Favorite shape?"
"Yes. So if he likes horses, it could be shaped like a horse, and if he likes bears, it could look like a bear."
"Oh, that sounds like a good idea."
Erin was dubious about whether this would really work, but she thought that there was nothing wrong with trying because Marie's words could be true.
Didn't she raise her two younger siblings anyway, too? In some ways, it seemed like she was a parenting senior rather than her.
"Huh? You're not eating anymore?"
Suddenly, Brielle, with his two front teeth, rejected Erin and reached out to Marie.
"Boo! Boo! Ah! Ah!"
When Marie, who was answering Erin's questions and giving her the tips for raising her two younger siblings, held Brielle and patted him on the back to help his digestion, the Count came to the room.
He was on vacation today as he wanted to spend more time with his nephew. Of course, he had to see the work being pushed back in the office instead.
"Count."
When she found him and called out, Brielle's head turned.
"Bu!"
There was a smile on the count's face as he was calling him.
"Have you been having fun?"
Since he couldn't hold him, he touched the baby's little hand, resting on Marie's shoulder instead. His soft touch was very addictive.
Brielle laughed as well, as he enjoyed it.
"Huh?"
Then he discovered something new about his nephew.
"Did you see that?"
"Yes. He already has teeth."
The Count was stunned by the growth of his nephew.
"I've been so careless."
He reflected on the fact he had not known until now that Brielle's teeth were growing. No matter how busy he was, there was nothing more precious to him than his nephew, and he regretted missing it.
When Marie heard a sound from her side, she usually said nothing since she wished he would cut his work back a little. So she prepared something to relieve his fatigue.
"I have one more thing to show you."
"Huh?"
"Look."
She carefully lowered Brielle to the floor.
Then Brielle briefly pushed his butt back and sat down on his own.
"!"
Even though his nephew, who sat on his own, stretched out his hand and asked for a hug again from Marie, but the Count's face contained a more joyful expression than when he became the Chancellor.
'Who the hell says you're rude.'
Marie looked at his face, and she thought to herself.
Chapter 3
"Bu bu bu!"
Brielle stretched his arms toward Marie, his plump feet were tapping excitedly on the floor.
He knows that the familiar bowl Marie brought with her was snacks.
"Wait a minute."
As she lifted the bowl aside for a while to support him with a pillow and ease his posture, his head moved along.
"Today I prepared an apple."
The Young Master Brielle's snack changed every time. Among them, Brielle's favorite was sweet and sour fruit.
When he opened his little mouth, she put the fruits in his mouth. He frowned a couple of times and scrunched his nose, then blinked his eyes.
"You're so cute."
Marie shed an exclamation without knowing it.
She thought that he would stop eating after Brielle turned his head and made an expression that seemed to think about how this taste exists in the world.
"Bu bu!"
However, Brielle seems to be addicted even when he frowns after tasting the sourness.
At the sign of his quick request, she took another spoonful and put it in his mouth.
Then he was unsure of what to do next, so he closed and opened his eyes over and over again.
"Is it delicious?"
"Emm! Emm!"
Now in his eighth month, Brielle was trying to convey his opinion in words other than the usual babbling.
"Yes?"
Marie couldn't understand what Brielle was saying, so it was up to her to interpret it.
"Now, this is the last one. Ah~"
Brielle opened his mouth like a baby bird and squeezed his eyes from the sourness.
'It's too bad that I don't have a camera.'
Marie shook her head, as she was disappointed to know that these cute faces would only remain in her head.
Brielle's head flipped to another side, after finishing the bowl.
As soon as he finished eating his snacks, it was time to take a nap.
Marie gently hugged Brielle and hummed an unknown tune.
'Soon, it would be good to start playing music or something…But there's no way to do that here…'
At that moment, it seemed as if Brielle knew her thoughts because the sound of his breath formed a harmony with her song.
"Count."
The Count had increased the amount of time spent in the mansion after seeing Brielle sitting alone. He decided that he might not be able to see the precious features of his nephew before he grows up.
However, he had no choice but to work at the mansion. He lifted his head at Marie's call.
The spontaneous gaze turned to his nephew in Marie's arms. He looked at him with a huge smile that caught her eyes.
"Please come here for a minute."
In a hurrying voice, as if Marie had something urgent, he hurried over without getting a chance to greet Brielle.
He didn't know, but Marie was urging him because she had been waiting for today.
"Where are we going?"
She didn't even answer him, but he took the lead as they got closer.
"Hey… Why…"
"This is a movable bathtub. Come closer."
Marie said, leaving him bewildered as she began to strip Brielle's clothes.
"Are you giving him a bath?"
The Count asked in front of the bathtub he arrived to, expressing curiosity.
"What is this?"
The bathtub didn't just contain water. Something black was floating around in it as well.
"Seaweed."
Marie said out in the tone that it wasn't much, but a subtle expectation was revealed. She prepared it for Brielle, and when she imagined him playing with it, she was more excited than him.
She wants to give Brielle a tactile play like everyone else had at the cultural center previously, but she was struggling to find a way to give it to him. She kept pestering the count because she wants to help Brielle's development at an age where people are starving outside. She was more worried that she was using food.
That's when she finally found it while snooping around the kitchen, in anticipation that there would be food that wasn't used.
Seaweed ends.
She didn't expect much as this was a western background in the Middle Ages. There was such a difference in how things are in the book.
Marie asked the chef, and he mentioned throwing away the seaweed ends, so she took it with her. Then prepared a moveable bathtub.
She didn't know how much time the Count would have in the mansion, worrying about the seaweed going bad.
After learning that he was working at the mansion, she decided to pour water and prepare it.
It was her plan to get the Count and Brielle a little closer by playing tactile games together.
He was dragged in without knowing anything. His mouth widened at the sight of the nanny, who put seaweed in the bathtub. He was also at a loss for words when she responded so casually.
"What are you doing now?"
The last time when he saw Brielle practicing flipping, he pulled out his sword and felt extremely embarrassed. So he decided to ask first this time, restraining his emotions as much as possible.
"Tactile play."
"What…? Tactile play?"
"Yes, it is good for muscle development. It is good for emotional development too."
"How do you play this game…"
He frowned, it was something he hadn't imagined.
"It's like this."
She then restrained Brielle from dipping into the bathtub.
"You just have to let the Young Master go into the bathtub and let him play with seaweed. Though it would be better if you play with seaweed next to him."
"Ah… no, but…"
Upon listening to Marie's explanation, he realized that it was not a dangerous game. He knows that seaweed isn't harmful, but he hesitated to dip his nephew, Brielle, in the bathtub.
"Oh, look at this."
She hugged Brielle briefly, pulled out a small piece of seaweed stalks from the bathtub, and made eyebrows for Brielle.
"How is this?"
Brielle was curious about the slick sensation, and he removed what was on his eyebrows with his hand. Then he shook his arms back and forth.
"Then, let's start."
Marie carefully handed over Brielle and finally put the baby into the bathtub.
"Bu bu!"
As he felt the warm water, Brielle laughed, raising his voice.
"Here, like this. Count, try it."
Marie, who finally settled Brielle in the bathtub, gave a piece of seaweed to the Count as well and demonstrated it for him.
He looked at the seaweed in his hand.
"If Brielle likes it, I guess it shouldn't be a big deal."
Following Marie, he rubbed the seaweed on his nephew's body. Brielle's babbling, as he twisted his arms because of the tickling, grew louder.
"You like it don't you?"
She unfolded the handkerchief, which she had placed next to her, soaked in warm water and covered Brielle's upper body.
"Why…"
"To not lower his body temperature."
"Ah…."
He reflected on her careful attentiveness. While he was struggling with the problem of rubbing only one seaweed, the nanny was playing with Brielle.
The Count splashed water lightly in front of Brielle, and the excited baby struggling with his arms towards him. Thanks to this, some of the water in the bathtub splashed on him.
"Are you okay?"
His shirt was soaked.
Marie, who handed the towel that was placed next to her, blushed when she saw him with a white shirt soaking wet.
'When the hell did you work out separately?'
He didn't look like someone sitting at a desk all day. The towel in her hand lost its direction as she hurriedly turned away her eyes. Marie's hand reached past his hand and went closer to his shoulder.
"Ah…"
Marie, now trapped in his arms, became embarrassed.
"I'm sorry."
He also was at loss for words due to his embarrassment and didn't know what to do. Marie barely came to her senses from the sound of Brielle's laughter that was so different from the subtle atmosphere between the two.
"Ahem."
He coughed and hurriedly started playing with Brielle again. The Count and Marie's faces were red. Brielle started splashing water on them.
"What are you making?"
A few days have passed since she played the tactile play. When Ellie came to Brielle's room, she asked after seeing what Marie's making.
"A Doll."
Specifically, it was an attachment doll. It was a little late when she thought about when an attachment relationship began, but she wanted to make sure her diligent hand made it for Brielle. She used his nap time to make it, though it took much longer than expected.
"Oh my… is it for the Young Master?"
Marie, who secretly laughed at Ellie's words, stroked Brielle's hair. She was a precocious child, but when she looked at him like this, it was clear that he was like any other child.
She suddenly saw Brielle turn her gaze from her sewing.
"Yes."
Ellie, who asked her lightly, thought how cute Marie was by just answering without saying anything else. She saw the child's cheek bulging.
'She's going to cry. Enough with the pranks.'
"The bear is for the Young Master."
"Yeah?"
Ellie's face turned to her since what Marie was making now was a rabbit doll.
"Then… is this?"
She said after Marie gave her a bright expression. A Voice full of expectations turned to her.
"Of course, it's yours. But I'm going to make it bigger, so you have to wait a little longer. Will you wait?"
"Yes!"
She could see how excited Ellie responded by waving her head.
When Marie first came here and went to the house where she lived with Ellie, she remembered the shock she received Somehow in the house, the younger siblings only have clothes that are much like rags. She didn't have a single doll.
She, who possessed Marie's body, felt sorry for those children, but she hadn't thought of making a doll like this because she had been caring for their food and clothes with the money earned from the Count.
When she looked at Ellie now, her tears swelled. She quickly wiped it away so the child wouldn't see them.
"Were you scared at night?"
"Yes. Though it was all right because the knights are protecting from the outside."
There was another thing that surprised her when she came here. Since Brielle was young, she had to spend almost all her time at the Count's, during which her younger siblings were left at home.
After learning about that, Marie asked the Count if she could stay with her siblings in the employees' quarters, and he replied that he was willing to do so. In addition to that, he instead even gave a room on the same floor as Brielle rather than the employees' quarters.
This allowed Marie and her three family members to stay in the mansion.
Marie recalled her gratitude towards the Count and went back to sewing.
A crisis came into the daily lives of Brielle and Marie.
The cause was diapers.
"Now, Young Master. Let's lie down."
"Boo! Boo! Ru! Ru!"
As if he knew, just laying him down to change his diaper would cause him to fuss.
Even now, he turned and was running away in a crawl. Considering how quick he was, it was enough to just chase and go round and round the room all day.
"Young Master, look at this."
So, Marie's method was attracting attention with beautiful objects. Fortunately, Brielle loved his teddy bear. So, he was still hesitating to see the doll while running away.
"Now, shall we lie down with the bear?"
And Erin, who was waiting next to him, snatched the baby boy.
"Boo! Ah! Boo!"
Brielle was embarrassed and angry, trying to struggle, but Erin's strength was strong As usual. In the end, he was forced to lay down and change diapers.
Brielle shook the bear in front of him and started at Marie with a fierce look. Though, it was useless.
Marie, looking at her Young Master, who had a serious look, with affection and gently patted him. She could see him turning his head away. As Marie and Erin burst into laughter at the sight, Brielle's brow creased a little deeper.
At times like this, he looked very similar to his uncle, the Count.
"Okay, you're done."
As the scary Erin let go of her hand, Brielle hugged and buried his face in his teddy bear.
Chapter 4
One of the most significant changes in the Count's mansion recently was that the Master, the Count, was able to stop by the Young Master's room twice a week before heading to bed.
He had visited the child's room often before, so it might seem that there weren't changes, but unlike before, he stayed in the room for quite a while.
Even today, a smile was spreading on the butler's face, guarding the door as the Count visited Brielle's room. And the reason was the Master reading books to the Young master.
"The little dragon asked the baby."
"Boo!"
In the room, as the count flipped the page, Brielle screamed and pointed to the dragon drawn in the book.
"This is a good dragon."
And on the other side, Marie was sitting and explaining.
'Because you already like dragons so much, I think you'll collect all dragon dolls when you become a child.'
She started at Brielle, who was looking at the book with his eyes twinkling.
The Count also looked at his nephew cutely for a while, and after enough time had passed to appreciate the painting, he turned to the next page.
They spent time this way because Marie had to bring some things home for a while so the Count looked over his nephew.
Originally, another maid or butler tried to take care of Brielle, but they couldn't because he would cry whenever he was with a stranger.
Eventually, at the request of the butler, the Count came personally to take care of him.
However, only thirty minutes later, he regretted the decision. He couldn't take his eyes off him. He had no idea that the baby was so fast, and if he took his guard off, it might cause an accident.
He felt naive when he just considered Brielle only cute before.
Since he had a job to deal with, he had to bring Brielle to the office. When he grabbed the drawer and opened it without closing it, Brielle would try to find his fountain pen, which the Count had forgotten about it, to put in his mouth.
"Brielle, what if it gets stuck in your mouth."
The stern expression that would make the senior official tense up did not work with this cute rascal.
Next was the bookshelves turn. He would grab the shelf, stand up, and begin to pull out the nearby books one by one.
He held his nephew cautiously, just in case Brielle would catch a heavy book.
And at that moment, when Brielle looked at a picture in a book that was opened, he shouted.
"Boo!"
At first, he was worried if something's wrong with his nephew, so he called the butler right away.
The butler, who did not know what was going on, ran out to the Master's order, and at that moment, ran into Marie, who had returned to the mansion.
Marie, who heard only the words the butler, ran to them with a pale, worried expression, worried that something had happened to the Young Master.
But it turned out that he was just pointing to the dragon in the book and struggling with excitement.
The count's face seemed to be white, as he appeared to be in a temporary panic.
Soon after, Marie, who had taken Brielle from the Count, told him to have a glass of cold water and get a hold of himself. His face turned red after seeing the situation had been cleared.
Marie smiled as she looked at him.
She passed by, smiling brightly to pretend as if she didn't know the Count's agitation, but she was aware of the reason he became so terrified.
The death of Brielle's parents, which was nothing more than an extra in the book, was not described in detail, but it was stated that it was an accident on the way to see the Count. Brielle was also at the site, and if the Count had arrived at least a little later, he would have passed away along with his parents. Perhaps that is why the Count always worried about Brielle being injured by a minor mistake.
'Even now, if the Young Master coughs a little, he would make a worried expression.'
Her thoughts that perhaps he had a big wound left on his heart passed over her.
Another month passed by.
A new change came with Brielle. Now Marie can't leave him in the dark. He observed wherever she went, even when she only lifted her butt from her chair.
"Young Master, I need to go to the bathroom."
However, there is no way that the young Master would accept these words. Marie sighed while watching him run away. She then said to the maid.
"I'll be right back."
However, the maid felt like a storm was coming from him. She couldn't handle Brielle crying and kicking his legs.
'No, where is the one who was always calm next to the nanny?'
The maid sighed, regretting that she had said that she would look after him for a while.
"Marie! Hurry up!"
Eventually, the maid's scream rang, and when the bathroom door finally opened, Brielle laughed lightly, as if he had been doing so on purpose.
'You must have a double personality.'
The maid who saw that appearance shook her head and quickly left Brielle to Marie and disappeared.
As she only tilted her head, she heard a sound again.
"Maie."
It was real. The first thing Briel said was calling for her.
Is there another moment more exciting than this?
Whenever she felt afraid of falling into this strange world, it was Brielle that Marie relied most on. He is the precious life she protected. Whenever she recalled that, she had a reason to live here.
As if he knew her heart, Brielle gave her a gift.
And finally, after hearing the news that Brielle was talking to her, the Count visited his nephew's room after work.
He stood with expectations. However, Brielle turned back.
In the eyes of Brielle, who became increasingly attached to Marie, the Count was stuck continuously with her, and Brielle did not like him.
Whenever his uncle visited to see him, it was natural for his nanny, Marie, to be there.
"Oh? You are here?"
"Yes, finally Brielle is speaking properly."
.
Marie looked sorry. Though it was like a gift for her, she thought it might be a little sad for him.
"Young Master, did you properly greet the Count?"
She squeezed in between the two, and Marie hugged Brielle, who was sitting in the middle.
"Now, you have to say hello, Young Master."
Brielle turned his head and turned away from him.
"What's wrong with you. Well, you did a great job seeing him off this morning."
Marie, who was embarrassed to say that Brielle only waved his hand excitedly to see him going to work in front of the Count, was sweating, and she had to change the subject in a hurry.
"Marie."
At a distant voice calling herself from far away, she quickly approached.
She looked, and the toys were scattered around again.
It was Ellie, who stood there grumpily.
Ellie broke the toy that the Young Master was playing with first.
As a result, Brielle was shocked, dazed, and rushed toward the toy.
The two's tagging began again today.
At first, Marie warned her that she shouldn't do that, but she left it because it made her laugh as the two played with it.
"Ah… I'm sorry."
In the end, it was Ellie, who apologized to Brielle because her leg was caught, but Marie knew.
She knows that Eli walked slowly on purpose.
"Come on, both of you eat the snacks."
After leaving Brielle and Ellie playing with Erin for a moment, she went to the kitchen and boiled some sweet potatoes.
"Now, take it yourself and try it."
She peeled the sweet potato and cut it into small pieces. She was worried about the culture that was reluctant to old crops, but Erin's reaction seemed to deny such culture.
'That's good. Looking at it, this place is a bit far from the perfect Middle Ages. Well, it's a useful world.'
Marie looked at Erin as she put the sweet potato spilled by Brielle into her mouth. She was also eating sweet potatoes naturally.
"Isn't it good to just feed the Young Master? He's spilling a lot."
"I think it's better if he eats snacks with his own hands, as it becomes a kind of tactile play for him as well."
Erin just laughed at Marie's words. Sometimes thinking that Marie did that because she had parenting education methods she did not know about.
While the two were having a conversation, Ellie was blowing up the sweet potato for the Young Master to cool it down. She tried putting it in her mouth and burned her tongue.
"Oh, it's hot."
"I'll cool it down for you."
Even if Marie said she would cool it off for Ellie, it was no use because Ellie wanted to look like an older sister in front of the Young Master.
"I can do it."
Ellie, speaking firmly, blew again on Brielle's sweet potato.
As if he could see into their heart, the second person Brielle called out to was Ellie.
Brielle, who had his bangs tightly tied up, was rolling a ball bigger than his own fist.
"Young Master, please come here."
"Here, here."
Today, besides Ellie, there was one more boy.
He was Marie's first brother, Barry. If Marie and Ellie had the same eye color, then Marie and Barry had the same hair color.
Now growing enough to roll a ball back and forth, Brielle was in trouble as he tried alternating between two.
And every time he moved, his tied hair shook along as well. The maids' heads shook back and forth to see more of the Young Master's face following his shaking head.
Ellie thought that Brielle would definitely give her the ball.
'I've been here for a while, so he'll give me the ball.'
She even sacrificed her tongue to blow his sweet potatoes and sleep with him every night. Ellie grinned at Brielle.
While Barry played the game with the teddy bear made by Marie, she herself thought that he didn't play with him as often as Ellie, so it would be fair to have this kind of benefit.
'There is a doll in front of him, so Brielle will roll the ball here.'
The two children were nervous and swallowed their dry saliva.
But the winner was not both. It was Marie that suddenly appeared.
When Brielle saw her, he threw his troubles elsewhere and immediately rolled the ball at her.
Ellie pouted her mouth more than ever, and Barry simply returned the teddy bear to its original position at the appearance of an unbeatable person.
"Oh, Young Master. Now you're rolling pretty well."
Marie smiled while holding Brielle, who had approached her but wasn't able to roll the ball to her.
It was the winner's smile.
'Huh, cute kids.'
It was the thought that came as she saw the two standing next to her with resentful faces.
Chapter 5
Finally, Brielle's first birthday arrived.
The Count's day had already begun early in the morning. The protagonist of the day, the Count, Brielle's uncle woke up early in the morning and came to his nanny's room, Marie.
"Are you ready?"
"Yes. Is the Count ready too?"
"Of course."
The two-headed for the entrance of the mansion side by side.
Then he lit a candle that the butler had brought. It was an event to pray for Brielle's health that began early in the morning.
Typically, a fancy party would be held for the only successor, but the Count decided to celebrate with the people of the mansion quietly. The butler was disappointed, but he followed his Master's words.
And the decision was also in favor of Marie. Instead of the flashy lights and food, she made nutritional meals just for the Young Master.
It was not the high-ranking nobles that the Count invited to Brielle's dinner birthday party. It was Ellie and Barry. Young Ellie did not know yet, but Barry knew how great it was to be invited to this central aristocrat's birthday.
Even if it's just cakes and food that were prepared by his sister.
And the Count's decision was right. He could tell just by looking at Brielle's face. It would have been difficult if he had spent his birthday surrounded by strangers, but the people gathered here were just laughing for good.
He laughed at the Count after seeing him as if he knew that today is his birthday.
The Count quietly grabbed Brielle from Marie once, floated him high in the air, and gave him back to her.
"Okay, this cake is the highlight. I made it with all my heart and soul."
The chef confidently came into the dining room with a cake. The butler quickly put a candle in it.
"Let's put out the lights together."
Then, on behalf of Brielle, who had yet to be able to put out the candles himself, the Count suggested to Marie to put out the candles together.
"Me, too?"
She was stunned because she didn't know he would ask her to put out the candles together.
"Come closer."
At his urging, Marie approached him. And the voices of the people counting one-two made the two faces closer.
'It's too close.'
Marie felt her heartbeat grow louder.
'I'm sure everyone can hear.'
In her arms, she could feel Brielle watching as she got close to the Count.
As she briefly glanced at Brielle, the Count peered at Marie. Her eyelashes reflected from the candles on the cake were beautiful.
[ T/N: .already ]
"Three!"
Thanks to Ellie, who counted three loudly, among others, he got to his senses. Marie also hastily turned her head toward the cake again, and she blew the candles.
"Congratulations, Young Master."
At Marie's greeting, Brielle replied with a kiss.
"Oh my."
From the side, the maid looked at her with envy because the Young Master's service was limited to only Marie.
And the young Ellie, who witnessed this scene, was going to try to get a kiss from Brielle too.
It was small, but joyful. Brielle's birthday is over.
Marie saw Brielle was fast asleep, so she sneaked out.
Today was a day of great significance to her as well. In the original story, Brielle didn't reach his 1st birthday, but because of Marie, he made it to his first birthday. Her heart was pounding. It was the day when she finally accomplished her first goal when she entered the book.
'You just need to grow up like this.'
She had written down her childcare diary, hoping that the Young Master will continue to grow safely as she wished as her first goal.
'I don't think it's going to be easy to go to sleep in my room like this. Should I have a cup of coffee?"
Marie tried to go to the kitchen, relying on the sparse lights hanging in the long hallway. She found a brightly lit room.
'That…'
It was a place that sometimes, the Count would enter alone.
'Is he still up?'
Marie thought if she were drinking coffee alone, she would ask if the Count would want to drink one as well. Though what she saw got her emotional.
The Count was crying in the room where the door opened slightly, looking at his brother's portrait.
"Brother… I don't know if I'm raising him well."
His lost voice pierced through Marie's chest.
"I miss you. It would have been nice if you got to see Brielle laughing like that."
'Ah…'
[ T/N: Who is cutting onions! ]
Perhaps what he prepared for his brother on Brielle's birthday was to show how happy his nephew was.
Only then did she understand why the Count had a small birthday party.
Marie quietly stepped out of her spot, and she soon went into her room. She then revised her childcare diary, which she had written.
"I want to do it!"
Ellie's loud voice rang across the garden.
The child who remembered the promise to walk hand in hand when Brielle could walk came running, screaming from afar.
Now, finally, Brielle is walking in earnest.
"You have to be careful."
Marie handed Brielle's hand to Ellie.
The two clasped hands tightly and strolled through the garden.
As they walked over to where the flowers were in full bloom, the corner of Marie's mouth rose by itself.
She can also see that Ellie had kicked the stone in front of the young master and opened the way.
"Ellie."
As she liked it, the Young Master called her name with all his heart.
"Then kiss."
Ellie, who remembered Marie receiving it before, held out her cheek.
However, Brielle turned his head coldly. With an expression that they weren't up to that point yet.
"Wow."
When the two of them went around the garden, Marie prepared a drink.
When she handed cups to the two sitting on the bench, Ellie was admired when she saw the Young Master drinking alone.
But the reaction was so funny.
The kid did not even think of drinking her drink, just watching Brielle drink his.
"Ellie, you're thirsty too."
It was only then that she could see the kid drinking her drink so badly.
'I can't stop you.'
There was never a day when a smile would leave Marie's lips with the two lovely figures.
One day when Brielle saw a long stick, he started drawing something on the ground.
'What is he drawing?'
After she had been thinking about it for a while, Marie realized that it was now the time for Brielle to imitate someone else.
'Oh my… Are you imitating the Count?'
"Young Master, are you imitating the Count?"
Brielle nodded his head as if he understood her words and continued what he was doing.
"Ellie, can you go to the Count's office and bring him here?"
"Yes, I got it."
Ellie, who was watching Brielle with Marie, got up from her seat and ran to the office.
'Anyway, for the matter of the Young Master…'
Her younger sibling's back moved quickly without any signs of annoyance. Some time had passed.
After a while, the Count followed Ellie with a dazed face.
"What's going on?"
"Shh, look over there."
She whispered, just in case Brielle might stop what he was doing if he heard a sound.
The Count followed Marie's hand, moving his gaze, and finally saw the action.
"What is Briel doing…?"
"He's imitating the Count."
"Me?"
He stopped acting, perhaps he could hear them talking, and Brielle approached them. Marie hugged Brielle and tried to take his stick away carefully.
"No!"
Then he said 'no' and hid the stick behind him.
"Hoohoo, you must be imitating the Count. I think he is doing that when he sees the Count signing the documents."
Only then did he understand what she meant. He smiled.
"I'm proud of you imitating me, but I can't say that it's a good thing. I can't let you suffer being a royal officer in the palace."
He shook his head, who was still buried by work. Marie also sympathized with the dark circles in his handsome eyes.
"Now, Young Master. Let's play doctor."
The next day, Ellie took the rabbit doll that Marie had made and came to Brielle.
"Uwoo?"
Ellie said, pretending to turn her rabbit over and place an injection in her bottom.
"Now that it got the injection, it will be fine."
She then brought her rabbit back to life, this time overturning Brielle's bear.
"Now, try it."
"…Uwooo."
Brielle wiggles his little hand, and he grasps the stick. Ellie passes him over and puts it on his doll.
"Oh, I think it's all better already."
Ellie pretended to be his teddy bear and spoke to him. And she, this time, went over to the playhouse.
Marie watched the two play.
Brielle probably doesn't understand all of Ellie's actions, but he seems to be imitating her because he likes what she does.
"Oh my, Young Master."
Marie looked at Brielle and then suddenly approached him.
"Your molars are coming up."
She was sure she didn't see it in the morning, but it was quite up when she looked closely.
"But I'm glad you are not sick from this."
When Marie let him go, Ellie said again.
"We are playing dentist now."
Fortunately, this place was mixed with the Middle Ages, but the clinics and dentistry followed the modern style.
"Ellie, if you want, play brushing your teeth."
However, because medical technology was not as advanced as in modern times, prevention was more important than anything else. Marie decided the direction of play, thinking that it would be better to be a little more productive even if it's only playing.
Then Ellie, who didn't want to brush her teeth, ran away into her own room.
Brielle, who was left alone, looked at Ellie as she ran away.
"One-two, one-two."
Marie and Brielle were standing between the steps leading up from the first floor to this mansion floor.
Brielle, who finally climbed the stairs, still preferred to hold Marie's hand.
"Now, let's be on our way."
A sound that can make one think they're climbing a high mountain range there.
'You're supposed to do this for babies to get motivated.'
"Oh, good job."
Marie, who raised her voice a little more, hugged Brielle once and pulled out a cookie from her bag. It was made of fruit, so it doesn't matter if Brielle eats it, but today's goal was to run errands.
"This is for the Count. Do you understand? Good luck."
Although his office was right in front, it was the first time for Brielle to run an errand.
It was all right to do some light errands, but whenever Marie tried to make him run errands, the butler would appear and do it on his behalf.
He was still watching them closely on the first floor.
Marie shook her head at his excess loyalty and pointed Brielle's hand to the direction.
"There, go in there."
When Marie let go of his hand, Brielle looked back at her, then stepped forward.