Chapter 6
Suddenly, he heard a stepping sound, so the Count raised his head and looked over towards the office entrance.
The butler had left the door open, saying he had something to bring. Though the footsteps sounded quite dingy.
After a while, the Count found the source of the sound and smiled.
"Brielle."
'Is he big enough to come into my office alone?'
He suddenly got uneasy and stood up. As he walked out to the front of his desk, his nephew pulled something out.
"Huh? You want me to eat this?"
The Count asked, but Brielle turned around and left as if he had finished his work.
Briel's goal was not to be praised by him, but to be praised by Marie.
[ T/N: Who needs Uncle when you got Marie? XDXDXDXD ]
"Awww, our Young Master. Did you run the errands well?"
The Count smiled lightly as he heard a voice outside and bit the cookie in his hand.
'Who brought this? It's really delicious.'
"Oh my God, Young Master!"
Marie folded the cloth diapers while humming a song.
Then, she looked back at Brielle since he went quiet, and she was surprised. Brielle was enjoying the rhythm.
'I'm sad because I didn't have a chance to play music for you in this world.'
She switched to a more exciting song then she saw him move faster.
"Sister, what are you doing?"
And at that moment, Ellie came.
The child saw Brielle dancing to her sister's song, so she showed off her hidden talent and performed a more energetic dance next to him.
She shook her head to the climax of the song. But perhaps it was too intense? She slightly bumped her head onto Brielle's.
Ellie was embarrassed and looked over to Brielle, but he wasn't hurt.
So, she rejoined as Brielle continued to dance with her.
The maid who saw the figures by chance grabbed her head.
'I guess we hired a strange child as a nanny… Still, the Count doesn't say much, so I guess it's all right to leave it like that?'
Marie was in trouble.
From now on, she needed to teach Brielle social skills, but she didn't know exactly what the culture of the nobility was.
'How do nobles make friends?'
Eventually, she concluded that the answer would not come out if she pondered it on her own, and went to the count.
"I have something to talk to you about."
"What…?"
The Count rose from his seat as he saw Marie coming to his office. It was her first time coming here like this, so he was worried something had happened to Brielle.
"Nothing's wrong with the Young Master."
Marie saw his expression and quickly continued her words.
"It would be nice if he had a friend of his age, but as you know, my family has been excluded from such things for a long time… I don't know how the nobles get to know other people."
"Ah… so that's the problem."
He tried to answer it as short as possible, but Marie could see it. It seemed that he was greatly relieved.
"What should I do?"
Marie, pretending she hadn't noticed, recalled the issue she had brought up.
"Hmm… usually you find a playmate or meet at a social gathering."
At his words, Marie pondered.
"You don't have any social connections either."
He wanted to deny that, but she was right, so he just coughed lightly. He had only two friends he often hangs out with.
He didn't enjoy being with many people since he was young, so he often ran away on social occasions.
"Some of my friends have babies the same age as Brielle, so let me talk about it."
" "It's great to have babies of similar age."
"Yes."
"Then, I'll go out."
"Take this with you."
As soon as her business was over, he caught her trying to leave the office. So, he pulled out something from his drawer and gave it to her.
"This is… what is it?"
"Open it."
She opened the box he gave carefully.
It was a brooch.
"Ellie said that there was a brooch her older sister bought when she took care of the master, though she didn't wear it because it was out of fashion."
"Ah…."
It was the brooch she was wearing when she got into this body.
While taking care of Brielle, the accessories would be taken off because it was dangerous, and Ellie remembered that.
'What will Ellie say if she knows her sister has changed?'
Maybe it's because both Ellie and Barry are young children who are hungry for affection. They accepted their sister's change too easily.
"Thank you."
In an instant, concealing her convoluted mind, she thanked him.
"Do you not like it?"
"Yes?"
He asked, misunderstanding her expression.
"I guess it might not be good enough because I chose it myself."
"Did you choose it yourself?"
Of course, he had been busy, so she was puzzled because she thought he had ordered his subordinates.
"Yes. But it's the first time I've ever bought a woman's brooch, so you might not like it."
"It's pretty. Really."
Even though he was busy, he gave her time. She turned to him, and she smiled out of gratitude. The brooch he presented was also her favorite.
"That's a relief."
He spat out the words as if he was relieved. Their conversation ended when the maid came to convey the news that Brielle had woken up from his nap.
"Unca, unca."
Brielle finally started calling the Count his uncle.
"Ye…s."
He was awkward as he didn't know what to do, but his face was full of smiles. However, his expression hardened again because his nephew said this.
"Get away, get away."
Brielle found the Count and Marie were stuck together for a while when they were choosing a fairytale book to read today.
From the side, she was laughing at his expression.
"Our Young Master. Come here."
When Marie hugged Brielle and put him between her and the Count, she saw his expression of satisfaction.
"I was looking at what kind of book to read to you today."
She added. "You've seen so many dragons, how about other animal books? Deer, tiger."
"No. Gon!"
( *Dragon )
Brielle couldn't speak skillfully, but he certainly remembered his favorite words. He still liked dragon because only those books about it were to the point of being torn apart.
"It is this book again today, after all."
By now, the Count and Marie both memorized the contents.
"Are there any children's books about dragons other than this?"
Still, Marie has already looked around.
"I don't know. Unless you're making a story yourself. Are you good at drawing, Count?"
She had doubts from his expression.
"How about making it?"
"Then, are you going to make a story?"
"Yes…?"
"No. Because I don't have that kind of talent." He turned his head as if he didn't want to talk about this matter anymore.
In the end, they had to read this book over and over.
"The dragon said…"
"Silly knight…"
As the book was worn out, now Marie and Count could read just by looking at each other's eyes.
"…It lived happily ever after. The end. You have finished it again."
"Again!"
And the three had to fall into the forest of infinite repetition today. After giving up and rereading the book again, the two suddenly turned their heads towards the silent breathing.
Brielle was asleep.
"You must have been tired."
The Count carefully laid Brielle, who was leaning on his arm, down.
"You're really good at it now."
"Is that so?"
Seeing him that way, Marie spoke out of admiration. Compared to the first few times, there was a lot of improvement when she thought about it.
"Then, we should go out now."
He rose from the bed, turning off the candles. Marie, who also got up, started walking towards the door.
"Ack."
But because she was less adapted to the darkness, she hit her forehead against his shoulder.
"Are you all right?"
He lowered his head to look at her forehead that had bumped against him. A warm breath flew over her head.
Gradually adjusting to the darkness, his eyes were seen. 'It's too close.'
"I'm all right!"
She stepped back, making a loud noise without knowing.
"Ah… I'm sorry."
Only then did the Count walk away, realizing that he was too close.
"No. Let's go out. We'll wake him up."
'After all, a handsome man is dangerous at night.'
Marie stomped out of Brielle's room, grasping her heart.
"What is this abstract painting?"
Brielle was finally given a real pen. He started to scribble on every piece of paper he saw.
The person asking Marie right now was the Count, who became the victim of this incident.
He never dreamed of it. Surely, he would never think his nephew would scribble on the book he loves while he was sipping his tea. Marie witnessed the horror as she went to grab Brielle's snack and came in.
"Young master!"
The incident happened in an instant. The Count was not even angry and just had a vain expression. He then told Brielle to draw freely on the remaining pieces of paper.
Brielle, who was excited while making a strange laugh, was scribbling.
"I guess he doesn't have a talent for painting."
"What are you talking about."
Now saying that to a baby who was only nineteen months old, Marie thought he was absurd.
"He may be looking his own way right now."
"This scribble?"
"I know, it's too early to judge the scribbles."
The Count sighed as he looked as he couldn't even say a word, while his nephew covered the book with scribbles.
"Do these lines make something?"
He asked Marie, pointing to the eight lines Brielle had drawn on the paper.
"He must have drawn a dragon."
"What?"
He was really embarrassed, looking at these lines and not knowing where to find the dragon.
"Two horns, a body, two tail arms, two legs. Perfect."
"Huh."
He finally burst into laughter.
"Why are you doing that."
"You're really…"
His laughter was contagious, and she laughed, too. Even though she thought it was nonsense. Still, for her, everything Brielle was doing seemed special, so there was no big deal.
There was an animal of new interest to Brielle.
That's a horse.
Like the world Marie lived in, the horse was like a car.
Here, the toy that was popular with boys was the model horse, and it was Brielle's second favorite now. The first was still a teddy bear.
Next to Brielle, Ellie was racing with a horse doll.
"Which one of the two is going to win."
"Umm…"
As Brielle pointed to his left with his hand, Ellie let her horse in the right win.
"Again!" Angry Brielle challenged again, and he still was wrong again this time.
Berry, who was watching from the side, gave Ellie a good hit.
"Why hit me!"
"Don't play around with the Young Master."
When her brother spoke sternly, Ellie screamed at him, Brielle avenged her by swinging his little fist at Berry.
Barry didn't know what had happened to him at first. Ellie was also confused.
'What just happened?'
The two were looking at each other's faces and asking. However, when he saw Brielle next to him, it seemed that what they saw and felt was right.
"Young master!"
Ellie impressed that he had sided with her, hugged Brielle. On the other hand, Barry felt wronged.
'I just scolded Ellie, who makes fun of the young master.'
Brielle, who didn't understand the full situation, saw Berry as a bad person who hit his sister while she was playing with him.
And Marie, who was watching the situation, calmed the three, and this time she ran the horse race herself.
Of course, this time, she let Brielle's guess win.
[ T/N: Are they doing horse-racing bets at a young age?! ]
Chapter 7
The three people who played to their heart's content had a back-walking competition this time.
First, Ellie and Barry showed how to do it, then Brielle soon followed.
Marie was worried that he might fall down so she told them to go to the soft grass, but thanks to that, the employees were glancing this way.
Brielle, who grew up so quickly, was the hot topic in this mansion.
Every time he passed by, he waved at everyone, and the baby looked like an angel that came to bless time so it made the servants feel joyful.
In addition, he walks backward with such a flimsy step, so how could they not watch.
The butler didn't say much after seeing the employees since he already knew that they all had fallen in love with him. So, he couldn't say anything.
'You're having fun.'
Like a grandfather looking at his grandchildren, he looked at the three people standing on the grass with a happy expression.
'I was worried that the Young Master would be lonely when he grows up, but I'm glad he won't be thanks to the family.'
"Butler!"
Ellie, who saw him from a distance, waved her hand and greeted him. Brielle also waved his hand.
'Today, I'm going to bring the snack myself.'
The butler went to the kitchen and asked the chef for a special snack.
Marie was drawing and writing on a piece of paper. She wasn't making the fairy tale books she mentioned before, she was making simple cards since she wanted to teach Brielle more items and names, but she had no way of doing so. The things in the mansion are what he sees every day, so he would be bored.
So, she painted insects as she remembered them—butterflies, mantis, ants, and so on.
Though the first person to see this was the Count, not Brielle.
Coming to inform Marie that his friend and his son would be coming in two weeks, he found some strange creatures scattered on the floor. It was the second shock following the seaweed.
He teased Marie, saying he thought it was Brielle's drawing at first. It was revenge for laughing at him until now.
"No, didn't I draw it well? Look. Head, chest, stomach. Perfect! It's an ant."
She complained so, but she was forced to admit defeat because he showed a painting demonstration directly beside her.
'No, why are you so good at drawing?'
Earlier, when Marie asked the butler what rank the Count had when he entered the management exam, the butler had just said one word.
'He ranked first.'
His voice was full of pride. However, that was also the case for paintings.
Marie quietly flipped her painting so it couldn't be seen.
He painted the insects and animals he knew, and as he stood up, he took the things Marie painted.
"Ah… no, why are you doing that?"
As he grabbed the things she drew and even turned it upside down, she stuttered to ask.
"It's just amazing, so I'd thought I'd collect it. It would be nice to show Brielle when he is a little bigger."
"No." Marie jumped and tried to steal the pictures she drew.
"You were originally thinking of showing this to Brielle."
"Now and the future is different!"
Marie's reaction was interesting. He stretched his arm to the ceiling so her hand wouldn't reach.
"That's cheap."
Marie approached him and jumped. However, her short stature was not enough.
Instead, she stepped wrong and fell into his arms.
"Ah!"
She was surprised, but the first thought she had was the paper that was in front of her eyes since his arm moved down to wrap her before she could fall.
"I got it!"
"What?"
His heart was beating from the warmth that flew into his arms, and his mind was filled with her as she casually retrieved her papers.
A smile caught on his face as he shook his head, wrapping his forehead with one hand. It was him who was no longer awkward with a smile.
[ T/N: .Already x1000 ]
After Marie put away her own drawings, she wrote letters on the Count's paintings.
What was fortunate was that she could read and write all the writings here, even when she just came into the book. She was dizzy at the thought of learning to read and write again.
'The writing here is too difficult.'
When she left, Marie went to find Brielle, who had woken up.
"Young Master, this is a butterfly. Butterfly. You've seen it in our garden, haven't you?"
After the picture card was completed, Marie grabbed Brielle and taught him this and that.
Brielle tried to pronounce the names of insects one by one after Marie with poor pronunciation.
"Buwerfly."
"Oh, you're good." She rubbed her cheek against Brielle's cheek.
"This…"
But looking at Brielle, who was getting bored and his concentration quickly running out, Marie eventually introduced paper folding.
"It's a waste of the drawings, but…"
Seeing everything the Count had drawn, crumpled, she was stunned.
Brielle started making unknown things, and the two's playtime passed like so.
Finally, it was the day that Brielle's friend decided to visit the mansion.
The child's name was Jayden.
"Young Master, a friend is coming today. His name is Jayden."
"Fwend?"
"Yes."
Looking at his own peers, she could see how much he was going to like it.
'The world of the Young Master will be a little wider.' She felt a little emotional as she thought that this would be the foundation of his social life.
While dressing him, Brielle asked, seeing Marie's expression changed.
"What's wwong, Maee?"
"It's nothing. By the way, your vocabulary has improved a lot."
His pronunciation has also become a little more correct.
'You're really growing day by day.'
"Marie, the Young Master's guest has arrived."
After her admiration, the chief maid announced Jayden's visit.
"Would you like to go down?"
"Hmm."
Marie grabbed Brielle's hand and finally went down to the first floor.
"Uncwe."
"Come on, Brielle. This is your friend Jayden."
With the introduction from the Count, Brielle and Jayden finally greeted.
"Hello."
Marie watched the process next to him.
'You're similar in height to the master.'
Seeing the two standing side by side, she thought they could be good friends.
The Count and Jayden's father went to the office, saying they had something to talk about. Eventually, Jayden's nanny and Marie were left in the parlor with two children.
"Young Master, can you show him the toy?"
She suggested that it would be a good idea to make a friendship between the two with the new trendy horse toy that would change the atmosphere as well. Fortunately, Jayden has been actively responding to whether he is interested in horses.
However, the problem happened in Brielle's room. The two of them played well with the toys, and when Jayden put his hand on his teddy bear, Brielle ran and took it away.
Jayden, who had the doll stolen before his eyes, began to cry, and eventually, the Count and Jayden's father ran in.
The Count was stunned by the situation before his eyes.
He gave up everything else as he was so attached to that teddy bear. The only people that could touch that bear were Brielle himself, his nanny, Ellie, and Barry.
"I'm sorry. The Young Master loves this doll so much."
Jayden's father smiled as Marie apologized on behalf of Brielle.
"No, Jayden doesn't have permission to do things like that, so it's all right."
Fortunately, he was an aristocrat with common sense. We tried to reconcile Brielle and Jayden, but it was to no avail.
The long-awaited Brielle making friends seemed to be a failure.
That night, Brielle fell asleep, and Marie wandered in front of the Count's office. When she thought that Brielle's social life had begun, a concern settled in her mind.
'The first day I woke up here, there was definitely a lot of money in the house where I went back to Ellie.'
It was after Marie had already received an order to kill Brielle. So, on the other hand, she was questioned.
'Why aren't they coming back for Marie? I didn't do my order.'
For a while, she looked around with anxiety, but so far, nothing has happened.
She hoped and hoped that this peace would continue forever.
But even though she hoped so, there was no guarantee that it would continue as so.
Until now, as she has been with him all day long, she has been looking for someone that can be bribed like Marie among other employees, since in the future, it was also impossible for him to stay so attached to her.
In the end, even though she couldn't tell the Count everything, she hesitated, wondering if it would be nice to give a little bit of warning.
"What is it?"
Marie, standing at the door, was startled. The sudden voice gave her a shock. The Count came out and opened the door.
"Count."
Unlike his usual dignified personality, the Count urgently asked about her hesitating voice.
"What happened to Brielle?"
"No…"
"So? What happened that you're here at night?"
"…I want to tell you something."
After seeing her face, he told her to come inside. Then, without even calling a maid, he poured hot tea and handed it to her.
"Thank you."
"What do you want to say?"
"That's…the Young Master… did you choose an escort knight?"
"Knight?"
"Yes… I saw Jayden during the daytime, and it seemed like he was already having an escort knight."
"Did you come at this time to say that?"
"…I'm the type to forget about it, so I wondered if I would forget it again."
The Count burst into laughter at those words. Until this time, long after Brielle fell asleep, she still thought of the child. He laughed and thanked her.
"If it's an escort, I've been thinking about it. I was thinking of taking Brielle on a picnic. So, I need to hurry and appoint a knight."
"Yes, since he is still young, he's more likely to be exposed to threats. But a picnic?"
"Yes. I will go with a guard from the palace, so you don't have to look so worried."
'I'm glad then.'
Marie, who became worried instead of excited due to the word excursion, was a little relieved by his words that the guard from the palace would be there as well.
"When are you going?"
"Soon. I have applied for a long vacation."
"What?"
"Since I've been working hard, I should take a break."
"…Did something happen at the royal palace?"
The Count flinched for a moment. It's been a while since he had someone who cares about him so seriously.
Although there was the butler, he always displayed infinite faith, so he never asked what was going on at the Royal Palace on his vacation.
"Yes, I just really want to rest."
A gentle smile hung around his mouth while replying.
Chapter 8
For the first time, Brielle went on a picnic.
This was possible because the Count applied for an extended vacation.
When the Count said that he had to take a break because he worked hard so far, a person came from the royal palace and begged him to go to work.
Marie first realized that her employer was a great person.
The place they decided to go to was a park not too far away. Since Brielle was still young, they decided to go to a place that not many people would go to.
In the morning, the chef showed off his skills and prepared a nice lunch box, and Marie packed Brielle's extra clothes just in case. Marie seemed to have taken out all of her clothes because she wanted to choose the clothes that won't make her lose dignity, in case they meet people even though she cared more for their activities. And she finally dressed Brielle in something she liked. He was so cute that she hugged him unknowingly.
It wasn't just Brielle who was surprised by the park when they finally arrived. Marie was also surprised to see the park for the first time.
'It's huge. If I get lost here, I don't think I can even find an exit.'
Marie grabbed Brielle's hand.
"Young Master, you can't be separated from me today."
She couldn't feel relieved by just saying that once, so she repeated it two or three more times to Brielle.
The Count had previously listened to what Marie said and put a safety device on Brielle to track his location.
"Shall I put it here?"
The butler chose the flattest area and laid out a picnic mat he brought. It was a place with a large shaded tree.
Brielle sat there for a while, then pulled Marie up and asked to go over there.
Coming to such a large place, it seemed that he wanted to run and play to his heart's content.
"But I don't know the geography of this place…"
Seeing her hesitating, the Count approached and said.
"Then, I go too."
So, three of them went to the place where the trees were thicker.
As they stepped inside, the three felt cool, fresh air.
Brielle took a deep breath and ran, dragging Marie's hand.
"Young Master, you're too fast."
Marie, who would miss Brielle, put strength to her legs while holding his hand tight.
Though Brielle was too fast, in an instant, he released her hand and went ahead.
"Pl…ea…se… Wait…!"
Luckily, Brielle also stopped his feet when she was out of breath.
"Maee! Here!"
Fortunately, it looked like he stopped after seeing an animal. Marie quickly began to approach Brielle.
But at that moment. A gaze was felt somewhere deeper in the woods, and goosebumps rose along her spine.
"…"
She quickly looked around her, but finding someone among the thick, cramped wooden pillars was not an easy task.
"Count!"
She ran to Brielle, hugging him tightly, and cried out to the Count. Hearing the sound, the Count ran hurriedly.
"What's going on?"
"…I don't know exactly, but I feel like someone's watching. I don't feel good."
At that, the Count hurriedly looked around but couldn't feel any signs of people running away.
To reassure the two, he summoned the knights around him.
He then instructed them to look for any suspicious people.
The Count carefully reassured Marie.
In the meantime, Marie did not stop holding Brielle tightly.
Looking at her, the Count tried to get Brielle, saying he was confident.
"Uuunngg."
However, Brielle said he didn't want to go to his uncle, and he shook his head.
"Brielle, your nanny is having a hard time right now."
Still, it would be difficult because he was getting quite heavy now, but now the nanny's arm trembled in surprise.
Then, Brielle glanced at Marie's arm and gently embraced his uncle.
"I'm fine… I'll hug him."
However, not only did the Count not hand over Brielle, and even Brielle turned his head, saying that he did not want to go to Marie anymore.
Eventually, when the Count returned, holding Brielle, the knights said no suspicious person had been found.
Nevertheless, even when she heard that, a corner of Marie's heart couldn't believe it.
Brielle could now kick the ball with his feet.
When Barry exchanged the ball with Brielle, it was Ellie who was grumpy.
"I want to do it, too."
She said so, but the nasty brother doesn't let him in.
"Because he's going to play with me."
"No, he's playing with me now."
Watching this meaningless fight, Brielle found water sprayed by a gardener.
"That."
Ellie and Barry looked back and ran there as if they had a good idea.
That's how the fun water fight began. At first, the gardener was also stuck with the Young Master, so it was challenging to sprinkle water. But soon after, he was spraying water coolly at the children's laughter.
Marie looked at them, sighed, and prepared a towel to wipe them.
As she approached the three, she found the Count coming here from afar. Marie thought that the Count couldn't be doing that, but she thought he might not like them playing with splashing water like that, so she was about to stop them.
However, it was quicker for the Count to jump into the water than her voice.
"Ah, uncwle!"
Now, Brielle, who called the Count with fairly clear pronunciation, ran away from his water attack.
Marie prepared an additional towel for him.
The only one standing with an absurd expression was the butler, who had entered the mansion with the Count. Three years have passed since he worked under the Count, but he's never seen him play with children like that. He thought it was good for him to know how to smile that way.
Before long, Brielle's second birthday party arrived.
This time, unlike the last time, they also visited Brielle's mother's house. However, the child continued to hide behind Marie and popped out only his head as seeing them after such a long time felt unfamiliar.
The place where the child's mother is located is a long distance from the capital, so it took a tremendous amount of time to get to this place once, and the expenses were also costly. So, they made a big decision and came this time.
Marie looked up at Brielle hiding behind her with his mother's family in front of her.
"Congratulations, Brielle."
It was a dragon doll that brought the child out of hiding.
It was a gift prepared by the child's maternal grandfather, who previously had a letter hinting about what Brielle liked.
"You have to say thank you."
Marie said to Brielle, who was quietly trying to get the doll from her side.
"Ta…nk…u"
Brielle then put his hands on his navel, bent and straightened his body for a moment, and together with the child's inaccurate pronunciation, the maternal grandfather smiled and stroked Brielle's head.
"Thank you for taking good care of our grandchildren."
"No."
When he greeted Marie, he said she had done a good job, even shaking her hand.
"It must be hard to take care of a little baby."
"I didn't even think it was difficult because the Young Master was so gentle."
After that, the two exchanged several conversations in this way. Brielle looked at the two and grabbed Marie again with his hands on the doll.
"Teddy."
It seemed like he wanted to put the dragon doll next to the teddy bear.
"Excuse me for a moment."
"Yes, go ahead."
As he watched his grandson take the nanny's hand and carefully climb the stairs, he secretly wiped his tears.
'Daughter, I'm glad Brielle grew up so well. He's got nice people by his side and he's growing without any problem.'
Brielle's maternal grandfather went to the Count and thanked him.
"Ellie."
The Young Master called Ellie, who came.
These days, she's playing outside with other kids of the same age. And she said it'd been a while since she visited the Young Master.
"Young master."
Ellie was still a Brielle fool. She looked around the room to see if there was any change.
"Oh, teddy bear is wearing clothes."
"Yes, Maee did."
"Oh, sister made it."
Looking at it, she remembered that her older sister was working hard sewing fabrics. Marie was her older sister, but she thought she did really great when she saw this.
'Even if it's your job, you don't need to do the trivial things.'
Ellie shook her head and clicked her tongue. Brielle was staring at her movement, who later did it in front of her Marie, and Ellie, who taught him, was scolded greatly.
"Let's go slide."
It was play equipment that was installed a while ago in the garden following the shape that Marie said.
"Yay."
Both of them affectionately held hands and headed to the garden.
Meanwhile, the servants were standing and looking at the Young Master again because he was walking with two chubby legs that were so adorable, even though he had stopped toddling.
And when they got to the garden, Ellie pointed to the slide and said to Brielle.
"Then, the Young Master first."
The gardener smiled happily, looking at Ellie, who always gave way first.
Ellie, who did not know such a gaze, carefully pushed Brielle from behind as he sat down.
Brielle could go down alone, but he always waited for Ellie to push him like this. He smiled as he was enjoying it and went down slowly.
"Now, I'll ride."
Brielle rose from his seat without hesitation. He was just learning the concept of concession and patience these days.
At first, he cried since he wanted to keep riding, but he learned that he had to wait after Marie's firm discipline.
He stood by the slide, and he watched Ellie ride.
Brielle wanted to be close to her, but Ellie said it was dangerous if she came down quickly, so he had to be a little far away.
A change took place in the Count's dining room. A much higher chair was placed than the usual one, which was for Brielle.
At first, Brielle wandered here and there when he wanted to eat, but after Marie persuaded him with his bear, he eventually sat down to eat.
Though the fork was still too heavy to use by himself, so Marie had to feed him.
'I can't help it because there are no baby or children's cutleries here.'
And another change was the Count. From now on, as soon as he heard Brielle was going to eat meals in the dining room, he would be eating a full meal with him as well.
The person who was excited about this was the chef. He began to exercise all kinds of skills.
"Will the Count give it a try?"
Marie asked the Count rather than hoping for food that looked good. The butler next to them was startled and tried to stop Marie.
There was no case of the Master directly feeding a child's meal.
But the butler was immediately blocked by the Count. He wanted to see Brielle eating the food from him like a baby bird.
"Now, Brielle, try this."
Both the butler nor Marie realized for the first time that the Count would have such a friendly voice.
"Let's eat in one bite."
But Brielle had a bulging look, and when Marie urged him, he opened his mouth as if he couldn't help it.
"You eat very well. Then, one more bite."
Eventually, when Brielle turned his head, the uncle and nephew feeding session ended.
Chapter 9
The Count decided what to eat out with Brielle for the first time. There are many foods that Brielle couldn't eat yet, but he had ordered something specially made for children to eat at the restaurant. He said it was all right to take Ellie and Barry as well, but Marie refused. She was worried that she might come under fire.
Originally, it was impossible for Marie to share a table with Brielle, though it was possible thanks to her status as a noble at one time.
When the Count told her to eat out, he said dinner was chilly, and he noticed that the child was wearing a few layers of clothes.
He started nagging Marie when he saw she was wearing a thin dress.
"Get your clothes on, too. Don't just look out for Brielle."
"I'm not cold."
However, the nanny was too calm, and eventually, she moved when he brought up Brielle.
"Then, what will happen to Brielle if you catch a cold?"
"I will go get changed."
She laughed as if the situation was absurd and let out a sigh.
'Now, it seems that the stage where he simply thought of her as a nanny has passed.'
Their bonds deepened even further.
"Right, Brielle?"
When asked without context, Brielle tilted his head.
When they arrived at the restaurant, the butler had all the food ordered and ready.
"Today, I can feed Brielle, so don't worry and eat a lot."
The Count said to Marie.
"No. I'm a nanny, and it's definitely something I have to do."
"It's also important to show Brielle the way to eat deliciously."
When she listened to him, Marie turned her gaze to Brielle, and she saw him looking at her with sparkling eyes.
"Then, I'll try one bite first."
She was astonished the moment she brought the food to her mouth. Before she got into the book, Marie thought she had been to a lot of restaurants, but it couldn't compare to the restaurant here.
But funnily, every time she put a bite into food, Ellie and Barry appeared and disappeared in her mind.
'I'm afraid that the nobles who watched the Count taking care of our family like this by any chance would make strange rumors, so I left them behind, but I regret it.'
After deciding to make sure to eat with the children later on, one of them focused on eating again.
"It's really good."
The count looked at her eating deliciously with a heartwarming smile.
In the meantime, Brielle looked at the two alternately.
Clatter—
And not far from where they were, there was a sound of a fork dropping.
"What's wrong, honey?"
"Th…at's the Chancellor, right?"
"Oh right, it's the Count. But who's next to him?"
Seeing the Count's gentle smile, the secretary working in the palace rubbed his eyes several times, doubting what he was seeing. Then, when his wife had seen the same thing, he opened his mouth wide.
No, who the hell is he with?
He remembered exactly what the Chancellor did to him yesterday with that distinctive stiff look.
The queen's palace budget was less than last year, so people are on their way to find the chancellor with a report that the queen was full of resentment.
"Ha, you're full of energy. Are there idiots who can't remember that last year was a famine? How did they become the officials of this Royal Palace? I don't think the queen asked you to post this report because she visited the relief center and released the grain generously. Did you agree with this report?"
It was a momentum that forced them to swallow their saliva without answering.
For such a person to act so friendly, it's like they have a double personality. Unfortunately, in his current seat, the people in the seats next to him were hard to see because of the pillars in the center.
He could get up from his seat and see them up close, but he didn't want to pretend to know his boss in a place like this, so he just pulled slouched down in his seat.
"Now, young master, do you want to try on your own clothes?"
Usually, people in the aristocratic family had attendants who took care of their clothes, but Marie deliberately encouraged him to wear his clothes by himself in order to increase his independence.
"I'll try putting it on the teddy bear first. Look carefully and follow it."
"Hmm."
"First, sit down and put one leg on, and then, you put the rest in. After, you get up from your seat you pull it in like this, and you've worn it all.
"I'll do it."
After Brielle, who said so, sat down in his seat, he tried to put his feet into a hole to fit one leg in as Marie did. However, contrary to his mind, he kept staggering his body, leaning to one side. Eventually, he looked at Marie with tears in his eyes, she clenched her fists and told him to cheer up, but it didn't help him.
"Try it again."
Brielle continued wearing the clothes again thanks to the support from Marie. With his cute staggering and wriggling with his chubby legs, she smiled quietly as she looked at him.
Marie praised him as soon as he succeeded in putting one leg in.
"Well done, you're well dressed. Shall we try the rest?"
Encouraged by her compliments, Brielle, as if in good mood, shook himself up, struggling to fit the rest of his leg in.
And not knowing that Marie pulled his pants from behind at the last step, Brielle rolled his feet, liking his success, ran to the teddy bear and hugged it.
"Shall we go to bed, young master?"
She waited while Brielle hugged the teddy bear for a while, and Marie told Brielle good night. Marie then picked up a pillow and lay next to Brielle. She gently patted Brielle's chest.
"Maee?"
He still preferred to sleep with Marie, so Brielle asked, in case she would leave in the middle of the night.
This is because, to some extent, after Brielle grew up, she returned to her room when he fell asleep.
"I'll watch you fall asleep."
"No. I won't sleep."
Brielle puffed up with his eyes wide open.
"Even if teddy is next to you instead of me?"
No matter how much Brielle likes the teddy bear, it was rejected because it was not comparable to Marie.
"You need to sleep well for your growth…"
She had no choice but to sleep together that day. It was because if she lied, it was almost certain that he would not sleep the next day.
Then, Marie thought about it and made a suggestion, which was enough for the butler to move.
"Shall I ask the Count to put him to sleep?"
However, before the butler moved back, Brielle firmly refused.
"No!"
Brielle, who outgrew his baby shirt, needs new clothes.
"Count, I don't have any sense in the clothes of the Central aristocrats, so if a designer comes, would you like to see it with me?"
At breakfast, Marie asked the Count for a favor. He quietly ate the soup but continued to glance at his nephew's altered appearance, which caused him to answer Marie's question a bit late.
"Yes."
At his positive response, she secretly sighed in relief. She had lived in the twenty-first century, so the clothes here were an unknown world to her.
'When should I have looked closely at medieval European clothes?'
Until now, Brielle's dressing room had all the clothes available for the next few months, so Marie put him on the most active clothes. He doesn't know how much thought she puts into the clothes she chose for him to wear to the picnic. It looked pretty good in her eyes, but objectively, she didn't know if it was.
'Because he is cute and lovely, any clothes would suit him…'
He filled his chubby cheeks with cookies for dessert and Marie looked at Brielle with a motherly smile as she handed him juice.
"Hmm?"
And whether Brielle felt such a warm gaze, he turned his head and smiled just by looking into her eyes.
"You have to wipe the crumbs."
As she wiped him with the handkerchief next to her, Brielle put one of the cookies in front of her mouth.
That was Brielle's favorite cookie. Whenever Ellie asks for it, he would always run away with it.
"Marie, come out with the young master. The designer is here."
Finally, in the afternoon, someone came out to measure Brielle's clothes. It was a requested visit from the most famous designer in the Capital.
The count had already arrived as she entered the parlor with the young master at the words from the maid.
He was looking at the fabrics that the designer showed and slightly frowning, but Marie and Brielle stood at the door because she was unfamiliar with the sharp atmosphere.
'This is a new atmosphere.'
Marie thought that this is what the Count looks like, working at the Royal Palace.
Did he feel the presence of these two people? As he raised his head and looked at them, the Count changed in just a single glance. He even gave off an atmosphere that felt somewhat hazy.
This change from the Count was most clearly felt by the designer who was showing the fabric from the side, but when she looked at the young master, she realized why the Count had no choice but to change.
'That figure, the cuteness and loveliness…'
And she looked at the woman holding the young master's hand. She seemed to be the young master's nanny.
At first, the designer treated her with the same attitude she did to the nanny of another mansion, but as time passed, her attitude gradually changed.
It was natural that the two dear men in this house were totally looking at her.
"Because he is still young, he can have a little more than a fancy silk…"
When the designer stopped talking and looked at the count, he wasn't even seeing the fabric she was pointing to. In the end, the Count decided that the nanny should keep an eye on instead.
"Do you have any colors you have in mind?"
When the designer asked Brielle, he said, pointing to the color of the fabric Marie had picked up at first.
"This, this."
Given this situation, the designer was able to naturally confirm the position of the nanny in this house.
Time passed without knowing that Marie alone would make all of Brielle's clothes as she wished.
The atmosphere in the mansion subsided. The reason was none other than because Brielle had caught a cold and had been suffering for several days. The sound of the child's cough hurts everyone.
"Have some porridge young master."
Marie sat next to him, glanced at Brielle's forehead, and made the child lean on her body. She blew the porridge to cool it down.
"Marie…"
Carefully, she put it to Brielle's mouth, but he shook his head and refused.
"One more bite. You have to take medicine."
Marie, showing all sorts of cuteness, pretend as if the spoon was a dragon, and took the porridge to his mouth.
"Hmm…"
In the end, having succeeded in taking a bite and repeating this behavior ten more times, he was given the medicine.
Chapter 10
And that night. When Brielle was in his dreams and Marie, who was by his side, fell asleep as well, Brielle's door was quietly opened.
It was the Count who came through the darkness. Before he put his hand on his nephew's face, he was afraid he would wake him up from the coldness, so he warmed his hand once in a blanket and measured the heat.
'Fortunately, the fever went down a little.'
He carefully moved the hair on his nephew's sweaty forehead and looked at Marie this time.
A little while ago, she was holding the child's bottle and had a towel in her hand.
The Count quietly removed the wet tower and pulled the blanket around her feet to cover her.
"Uh…um?"
He tried to be as quiet as possible, but he woke Marie up.
"Count?"
"Are you awake?"
"Uh? When did I fall asleep?"
As she got up from her seat, she quickly measured Brielle's forehead from the heat.
"Hoo. His fever has gone down."
"Yes, your back and shoulders must have hurt. You seem to have been in that position."
It was only after listening to him that Marie realized her back and shoulders hurt.
"It's a little bit." She replied, turning her waist to the side.
"If it's not burdened, I'll massage your shoulder."
"What?"
Her eyes widened.
"I'm a civil officer, but when I was in the Knights, I learned how to loosen muscles."
"But, Count, how can you t…"
Though contrary to her words, it was so tight that she was preparing to get a massage.
"Then, let start."
"Ugh."
As if the Count's words weren't false, she felt the muscles in the area where his touch had passed getting soft.
"Why were you in the Knights?"
It was not in the book.
"Usually, the younger boys went into the Knights Templar, but I quit right away."
"Why?"
He didn't say much about it. He just focused on loosening her shoulders.
'From the contents of the book, it seems that he didn't have a talent for swordsmanship.'
Marie fell into her own thoughts.
Brielle was unraveling all the animals that Marie had once folded.
"Oh, young master."
These days, as small muscles were developed, these movements became possible.
"Marie, this."
There were insects that the Count had previously painted.
"Do you remember what it is?"
"Ant."
Rather than remembering what Marie had thought before, he was referring to what he had seen some time ago while playing with Ellie in the garden.
"That's right. Ants have six legs…"
It was when Marie was talking a little more about ants.
"Why?"
Brielle's attack had begun.
"Well… it's an insect."
"Then, this?"
He pointed to the mantis next to it. That's how the parade of constant questions began. As soon as she ran into her limit, Marie quickly passed the attack to another person.
"Let's go ask the Count."
In Brielle's eyes, his uncle, who had a lot of books, was the smartest, so she asked him to do so.
After welcoming both of them in his office, the Count turned white in thirty minutes.
Even he, who spoke without hesitation in the Royal Palace, was speechless by his nephew's continuing questions.
"Barry."
Now, it was Barry who played best with Brielle.
These days he loved to play with his body, so Ellie couldn't play because her body was weaker than Barry.
Even now, Barry was carrying Brielle like a plane.
Ellie said she was jealous of the two boys, so instead, she studied what she could do to Brielle.
Today, she had decided to make a flower necklace, and she was completing the round shape by weaving wildflowers, so her fingernails were filled with grass.
"Oh! Look at this, young master."
The two boys playing turned to Ellie at her fuss.
However, Brielle wasn't pleased about it.
"Do you not like it?"
Ellie looked at the look of the young master, and her face drooped as she was inwardly disappointed.
Then, as if Ellie got caught in his heart. Brielle gave up, bowed his head, and gave his neck.
"Hehe. I'll tie it beautifully for you."
Barry and Marie, who were watching Ellie from a distance, were dumbfounded.
It was because the acting was so obvious.
Brielle now began preparing to study in earnest.
It was decided to start with reading numbers, but his education was thoroughly entrusted by a tutor.
Of course, Marie could have taught him the basics, too, but she was like his mother, so his concentration quickly broke.
Teddy bear was sitting next to a chair made to match Brielle's height.
"One two…"
While Brielle got his education, Marie sat outside the door in her chair, reading a book or knitting.
Brielle, who initially cried and blew up at the thought of separating from Marie, now knows that she is always guarding outside the door, and his anxiety has subsided a lot.
"Young Master, I'll write the name of the Count."
The tutor offered to give Brielle the name of his uncle so he could be interested in studies, but it was rejected.
"Write Marie."
"Yes? Ah… yes."
He recalled that she was the nanny sitting outside, after wondering for a while who it was.
He started working here a while ago and was a senior graduate of the academy. He took the management appointment exam, but because he had an upset stomach that day, he failed. So, until the next exam, he decided to teach at the Count's house like this.
He glanced out the door, thinking of Marie. It was strange that a pretty cute-looking lady was being a nanny, and it was because he thought that her personality would be great because Brielle followed her well.
Though he didn't know that Brielle's cheeks are swelling.
"I don't want to."
"Yes?"
"Stop."
The tutor panicked, not knowing what to do, and barely began to soothe Brielle. Suddenly, he felt puzzled all of a sudden.
"Let's just add one letter."
"No!"
Marie, surprised by the sound, jumped in.
"Young Master, what's going on?"
Then, the tutor's face turned towards Marie, and when she saw the scene, Brielle grabbed Marie's hand and pulled her.
She looked here and there, wondering if the tutor had done a physical punishment on Brielle when she hadn't seen it, but fortunately, he didn't. With her eyes, she asked the tutor what was going on, but he shrugged his shoulder once and made a gesture of not knowing.
In the end, this situation had to end with neither the tutor nor Marie's understanding.
Brielle finally took off the diaper. After Marie patted his butt with such a ritual, fascinated, she asked the maid for a cup of cocoa, which he liked.
"Here you go."
Brielle sticks out his tongue and gently savors the cocoa. He begins to drink when the hotness is gone.
"Marie's?"
"Mine is here, too."
Whenever he ate something delicious, Brielle always took care of her as well. She was so proud that Marie gently stroked Brielle's red cheeks.
'You have exceptional skin as well.'
All of the children's skins at this time were like that, but Marie felt that Brielle's was more special.
"Huh?"
And as Ellie walks into the room, she finds the two of them drinking cocoa, and runs towards them.
"Look!"
As Ellie moved around, she circulated around the two, showing signs of taking her cup at any time, Marie huddled.
"But I asked for mine, too."
By this time, she always came, and so she asked for hers.
"Huh? Did you?"
Ellie was ashamed of herself, putting her hands on her cheeks, and she didn't know what to do.
"Ugh."
Whenever this happened, she was still young, so Marie held Ellie in her arms and shook her.
"Sister, I'm choking."
Tak—
And when they heard the loud sound of the cup being put down, the two women looked ahead.
Brielle was looking at them with her grumpy expression.
"Hehehehe."
With a strange smile, Ellie clung to Brielle and hugged him tightly.
Marie planned to make cookies with Ellie today. She wanted to spend time with Ellie as she had been on vacation for a long time. She just remembered that some time ago, Ellie was envious of the cookies that were made by a mother to a child her age at the market.
After getting permission in the kitchen, she came to the room with the flour and breadcrumbs she had obtained.
And Brielle, who is now with her on her vacation, of course, was wondering how the sisters made cookies together, he kept watching.
"You should try it, too."
He originally wanted to do it together, but after touching it once, Brielle just wanted to look instead.
"Then, would you like to shape it?"
One of the cookie frames that came from another country recently was horse-shaped. Marie thought Brielle would like it, so Marie told the chef in advance.
"Here you go."
Marie grabbed the young master's hand and pressed down the dough together as if stamping it.
"Oh, it's cut nicely."
When Ellie did it next and said he was good, then Brielle's storm began.
After the dough was baked well, Marie chose only those that came out in a good shape and wrapped them neatly to give it to the Count.
"This is for Barry."
And the rest was reserved for her brother. She knew that if the child found a cookie, he would jump up from his sleep.
Giving Barry's share to Ellie, Brielle and Marie went to the Count's office.
"Count."
When Marie appeared in his office with Brielle in her arms, he looked grim as if he had not escaped his last nightmare of Brielle's constant questioning.
"We're not here for that today."
As she, who seemed to know his mind, smiled once and stood towards him, Brielle held out the cookies in his arms.
"This time, we made it ourselves."
"We?"
"Yes, the young master shaped it himself."
"I see."
He looked at the finished cookie as if it were amazing.
"When did you grow up like this?"
He had been feeling that way these days. It was regrettable and commendable that Brielle was growing.
He thought that Brielle would be old enough to get out of his arms one day when he woke up overnight.
Marie looked at his expression and put Brielle in his arms.
"Uh?"
"It's not too late now. You just have to increase the time you spend with him and tell him you love him."
"Ah…"
"Therefore, you two are sleeping together today."
At that, Brielle's head turned towards Marie.
As if asking how could this happen, she said with a smile.
"Have a good time, young master."
She stepped out after giving Brielle to the Count.