Chapter 11
Brielle's third birthday has arrived.
This birthday party was held on a larger scale than before. They decided to invite all the important people in the capital and distribute bread for the poor commoners.
Marie looked at the finished party hall with Brielle with a deeply moved expression.
"Young Master, can you see it?"
Nobles had yet to arrive, but there were a fancy chandelier and a chocolate fountain for children in the center, and musicians were also seen preparing musical instruments.
Unlike Brielle's birthday so far, this birthday had a special meaning. It was to officially reveal that Brielle was the successor to the Count by holding a fancy party.
The nobles did not know that the young count would not get married and officially put his nephew in the first line of the succession, so the social world was disturbed for a while.
There were no nobles who would easily marry their daughters to the count because the children born of their daughters would not be the successors.
[ T/N: Get away, Brielle's uncle is for Marie only XD ]
Even though it is the chancellor who has risen to the best position, it has become difficult to obtain a reliable wife, so there are many words that he will regret it in the future.
However, when the Count heard such words, he laughed at those who thought it was pathetic.
Brielle's uncle and Chancellor of this kingdom, Kentrail Charant, was emotionless and cold on the outside, contrary to Marie and Brielle's perspective.
He often avoided everyone's gaze with his cool glance, where his unique emotions were never revealed.
In addition, shortly after he became the chancellor, Kentrail captured those who had stolen from the Government Treasury and further made him regarded as cold-hearted.
Kentrail told those who visited the palace, declaring that he had done nothing wrong.
"One last thing, I came here to save the Royal family's finances in this way. I think the treasury was almost used to fill the allowances."
That's all Kentrail said when he pulled out a double accounting ledger.
"I think he looks like he earned a living."
As if possessed by the appearance of Kentrail, a noble lady covered her face with a fan and said to the person next to her.
"What he does and the things he says doesn't seem to match."
One of the nobles, who was listening, shook his head and spoke.
"If you work together with him, you'll know."
Not long ago, he applied for a job to work under the Count, but everyone thought he was a fool because he had no work brain, and Kentrail had picked the wrong person.
Except for him.
The people next to him shook their heads at his words and turned their gaze back to the stairs where the Count would descend. There was still some time left until the scheduled time for the party, so everyone was waiting for the protagonist.
"By the way, has anyone actually seen Brielle?"
They were all curious. Since the Count's appearance was handsome and his brother, Kranteil, was also quite good-looking. So, Brielle's appearance was expected to be striking as well.
"Since that happened…"
It said that Brielle's father, Kranteil, and his wife, died in an accident.
"It was a pity."
They suddenly turned away when they realized that the sudden heavy atmosphere wasn't suitable for Brielle's birthday.
When the musicians finally began to orchestrate, Kentrail came in with Brielle.
Since the banquet was held in a banquet hall prepared within the mansion, the child was supposed to appear on this floor.
As Brielle finally climbed up the stairs and reached the ground, he noticed that Marie was checking her clothes.
Kentrail offered her to join the party with her siblings, but she rejected. When he made Brielle's clothes, he thought it was because of her clothes, so he wanted to order one for her, but still, she shook her head.
It seemed like he knew why, so he couldn't recommend more.
'Until this time, she was the person who took care of the child more carefully than anyone else, but I never really said a word of gratitude.'
He thought that at the end of the party today, he should convey his gratitude to her.
"Uncle."
At that time, Brielle had found Kentrail, he greeted with a pretty smile.
"I think you're ready, but you're not nervous?"
"Yes, I'm not nervous."
A few months ago, Brielle, who was anxious about the number of people who would be around him, fortunately, feeling a lot better.
"Shall we go now?"
As he held the hand of the child who nodded his head, Brielle tilted his head as if seeing something strange, pointed at his nanny, and asked.
"How about Marie?"
Kentrail turned his gaze at Brielle's words and looked at Marie. Rarely did a child appear at a noble's birthday party holding his nanny's hand, but he suggested it to her.
"Let's go together."
"Me, too?"
Marie was embarrassed. She refused to attend the party, so she didn't know he was going to ask her to go with him now.
She fell into this world one day, but suddenly, she knew common sense. Which nobleman would take the hand of the nanny and appear on such an important day.
"I'm fine. You two go out together."
Brielle looked into Marie's eyes. The child was wondering if she would be in trouble if he stubbornly asked her to go with him now.
Brielle soon understood her feelings.
Marie gently stroked Brielle's head. "I'll go with you next time."
As she stared with her eyes, which seemed to know all of Brielle's heart, she forced the child to turn.
"Then, master, please do well and come back."
Marie watched Brielle take Kentrail's hand and went down.
People were amazed. The child dressed in a white tailcoat had clear eyes that seemed to reflect faces that were looking at him, and a soft face like dough, lovely cheeks, his hair reflected in the light seemed to be sprinkled with fine gold powder.
If he had wings, it seemed he would be flying elsewhere.
Brielle flinched the moment when people's gazes stood out, but as he held his uncle's warm hand, he quickly smiled and bravely looked at everyone.
Marie looked at the figures from this floor and smiled bitterly.
Brielle and the Count's appearance was radiant. She felt anxious about whether she would have a place to stand, but she was feeling satisfied now. Marie soon erased the bitter smile and looked at Brielle once more before looking up at the ceiling.
Looking at that shining chandelier, she suddenly remembered before she came here.
Having lived for twenty-five years in her previous life, she always wanted to visit a place like this in a gorgeous dress. Even though she wasn't in the dress she dreamed of then, she didn't know she would achieve it here.
Marie rejected the Count's offer because she wanted to live a life that fits the purpose of entering the world. The role she was given right now was not to dress up in such fancy clothes and attend a party but to raise Brielle safely. So, she was satisfied with this much.
'If there weren't any traffic accidents that day, I wouldn't be here now.'
A traffic accident took place on her way to the daycare center after taking all the children. The driver, who couldn't see the car suddenly cut in front of theirs, had an accident.
She was reading this very novel on her cell phone before that happened.
The dizzying sensations that she felt on her body came to mind on rainy days, like some sort of aftereffect.
Marie turned her gaze again, and this time, staring at the Count.
If she hadn't gotten into this body, she would say that by, now she would have destroyed the Kingdom.
Marie knew. Brielle's parents were not accidentally killed, and even the Count's father was killed by someone on purpose.
It was in the prologue of the novel that the dark hand tried reaching Brielle through Marie.
She continued to think, waving her hand to Brielle, who waved his hand at hers from below.
'So, I don't know the killer.'
That was what she was most, unfortunately, anticipated when she opened her eyes here.
It turns out that Brielle's temperament is similar to his uncle's. Not long after the party started, the children around him made him frustrated, so he was looking for a hole to escape.
As he rolled his eyes, he stared at Jayden, who thought the same thing as himself.
At first, the two felt quite awkward, not even remembering why they had fought before, but like children, they quickly resolved their awkwardness and reconciled.
Brielle and Jaden ran away while the other children's eyes were distracted by a chocolate fountain. Their destination was Brielle's room.
The Count, who did not know the child's heart, hosted the party by himself, and the parenting diary of Brielle's thirty-sixth month ended.
In the hall where the silence fell, Marie was sitting on the stairs.
It was because after she put Brielle to sleep, she could not fall asleep again. Marie took a bottle of wine from the kitchen and returned to the place where the party had been held.
"You look exhausted."
And another person who couldn't sleep visited this place.
"Count."
"It's cold, but you come out in that outfit?"
After looking at Marie's sheer dress, he finally handed over the robe he was wearing.
"You didn't listen when I told you."
He referred to when they were eating out before, walking around in thin clothes.
"Hehe."
As she smiled lightly, indicating she was drunk from the wine she had been drinking, readily accepted the robe.
"Do you sit alone and drink in a place with so many stairs?"
His speech was blunt, but in his words had a hint of worry towards Marie.
"I'm good with drinking."
That was true. However, that was in the previous life.
Since she became Marie, she has been taking care of Brielle and had never drank, so she mistakenly thought that she would be fine.
"Yeah. you look capable."
He sat next to Marie.
"Count."
"Yes."
He looked back at Marie calling him, raising her voice. Kranteil wondered whether she was initially like this.
"Keep your promise."
"About?"
He asked as he watched her hold out her pinky.
"Young Master Brielle."
As Marie said that, she recalled the appearance of the Count changing from how he was before when Brielle died.
He hugged his nephew's body and cut a knife mark on that pale cheek to declare his determination.
'He pledged his revenge, while grievously sorrowful. His once neatly arranged hair hadn't been cut and became unrecognizably long. In the chilling atmosphere, even the subordinates under him wouldn't dare to approach him.'
It was a sight that she can't imagine now.
Marie was saying that in case, worrying that the dark hand might reach Brielle again. On the other hand, Kranteil thought it was just because she was worried about the child as a nanny, just like the last time.
"Of course."
"Oh, seriously. We really have to protect the young master. Even at this moment, we don't know if someone is aiming for the Count."
"Yes, probably."
Having many enemies, Kentrail, replied with a bitter smile.
"Then, promise. Hold out your hand. Hurry up."
He didn't want to do anything against a drunk person, so he stamped out his hand.
"Thank you."
And he talked about his own feelings.
'Thank you for thinking of only Brielle even when you were drunk. If I were alone, it would have been difficult to raise a child like this, but thank you for being by my side.'
Without saying anything afterward.
Chapter 12
Brielle's birthday passed, and for a few days, there was a warm wind in the mansion. It was the same in the Count's office.
"Excuse me… Count."
The butler called him, but he was looking out, and he couldn't hear him. Eventually, he yelled after waiting.
"Count!"
The butler felt sorry doing so, but the master's condition was a little strange. Raising the tail of his mouth and showing a smiling appearance. Count couldn't even hear his calls.
Eventually, the butler came to Kentrail's side and checked what he was looking at, and his expression became strange. In the last few days, around this time, the scene would be the young master and nanny taking a walk. Every time his Master was standing by the window, he wondered if the reason was to see the two.
Once again, the butler called loudly, and finally, the Count turned back and asked what was going on.
"What you asked for last time is ready."
"Ah…"
He had instructed the butler to prepare a thick coat for women.
At first, the butler did not know whose clothes it would be for, so he stood there blankly for a while. Then, the Count said that it was for the nanny.
The Count seemed happy inside.
There was one more person who realized this warmth.
[ Ugh… What happened to the men in this house.]
Not long ago, the maid complained to the butler.
[ I didn't see any scented candles in the living, and all over the mansion, so I thought the Count had taken it all. Looking at it now, it seemed like he was trying to give it to the nanny… ]
But isn't she different?
'It's because Marie took care of the child so well.'
The butler thought lightly and brought the prepared coat into Marie's room.
The king gazed at the Chancellor standing before him.
"Is that how you work?"
Though he was quite nervous about the king's sudden visit, the Count continued to do his job normally. He had piles of paper in front of him.
"Yes."
He answered briefly.
Kentrail was in a hurry. Today, no matter what happens, he was determined to return to the mansion before sunset.
[ Uncle, come back early today. ]
As they saw him off, the image of Brielle and the nanny came into his mind.
He was in a hurry to leave, but the king suddenly visited…
"Are you busy?"
The word was spoken from the king, but Kentrail's eyes turned to the attendant standing behind, indicating them to pick things up so he could leave.
"I finished everything in the morning."
The unnoticed king eventually dragged the chair in front of him and even took a seat.
"Let's have a drink today. Sleep here."
If it had been someone else, they would feel so honored and agree. However, Kentrail hardened his expression and refused.
"No? Why not? You don't even have a wife who will greet you when you enter the house."
"So what?"
Even without a wife, he had his nephew and nanny waiting for him. Kentrail looked at the king with hasty eyes and said.
"I'm busy, so stop."
It was blunt, but the King laughed it away.
"Do you know that you have changed a lot?"
The Count frowned in his brow at the word.
"Before, when I asked if there was anyone who would welcome you, you only replied that you would work all night."
At that, Kentrail flinched his fingertips as he handed over his papers.
"…"
"One of the officers said that these days, you've been laughing by yourself."
He often thought of Brielle's cute behavior or Marie's face and smiled. Kentrail was always the one with an expressionless expression, so people around him were surprised.
"You love your nephew so much, but I can't wait to see how much it will be when you have your own children."
"…"
"Well, there are rumors that are circulating in the social world these days. They said your nanny is competent."
Hearing so, Kentrail now raised his head and looked at the king.
"Where did you hear such rumors?"
He somehow became uncomfortable hearing the story about Marie coming out of another man's mouth. Kentrail convinced himself that he was afraid that the rumor would grow like a snowball, and the nanny would then get caught in a scandal.
The Count controlled his mind to pay attention as the king looked closely and smiled meaningfully. Looking at him, the king decided to step back and disappeared with the attendant.
The Count's mansion was busy. The gardener picked and gathered pretty flowers while the maids cut off the leaves of the flowers. The chef was also working hard to bring out the most delicious foods.
Because today is Kentrail's birthday, he seemed to have forgotten about it himself.
Until now, the people in the mansion, who had just quietly brushed off the master's birthday, became so busy after Brielle's question.
"Marie, when is your birthday."
After his own birthday party some time ago, the child asked her.
"It's still far away."
Specifically, she didn't know when her birthday was. There have been times when Ellie and Berry have said it, but she couldn't remember because she was embarrassed for a moment. Marie hastily turned her back.
"When is uncle's birthday?"
He asked the chief maid standing next to her. Come to think of it, Marie didn't remember ever celebrating the Count's birthday since coming here.
The chief maid's face suddenly turned pale because she remembered the master's birthday just only a day ahead.
"Tomorrow…"
The same goes for Marie and Brielle, who were flustered by the maid's words.
She hurriedly rode a carriage to the store and picked out a present. And starts preparing for the party before the Count returns today.
"Would he come in early today?"
Brielle held his plump cheek with one hand and asked Marie.
"He said he would."
Although his uncle had never broken his promises, Brielle continued to look out of the window, glancing at the mansion entrance, worried.
Marie's heart was touched, and she hugged the child tightly.
"Shall we go out to meet him?"
"Okay."
The two went out to the entrance with excitement, hoping for a startled count.
Kentrail succeeded in leaving the palace before sunset.
He stopped in front of a prominent store on the way back to the mansion. Even in the daytime, it was an impressive store with faintly leaking lights from the incense candles.
'She'll like it.'
Not long ago, as the nanny was smelling a scented candle in the parlor, he recalled her little smile. Although he told her to take it to her own room, the girl refused.
The owner, who found the Count looking at the place for a long time, ran out of the store.
"You want to buy some scented candles?"
The owner thought, unlike his bulky size, he seemed to like things with such delicacy and recommended various scents.
Kentrail hesitated for a moment with the thought that she might not receive it. However, the hesitation was short. Somehow, the things in the mansion seemed to be rejected because they were expensive, so it appeared that she would somehow accept this scented candle that wasn't relatively expensive, as the middle class used them.
The thought of wanting to see her smiling from the scented candle he presented her made the cells of his body awaken, though Kentrail tried to rationalize it.
'Because she's my nephew's nanny, I could give her something like this. It's hard to take care of the child all day, so you need to be relaxed to take care of Brielle better.'
"What fragrance do women like?"
Only then, the owner, who was crazy about the idea of him giving a gift, recommended two to three items, which were the ones that sold best in the store.
After contemplating what to do, Kentrail finally picked up all the things the owner had recommended. The Count got on the horse again with a paper bag that didn't suit him.
"Uncle!"
"Brielle."
Kentrail was happy and unfamiliar seeing Brielle, who welcomed him kindly after work. He even came out to the main entrance.
But in the past, Brielle has never had such a reaction to him. Brielle was delighted that the event had not failed, but the Count did not know that.
"You are here."
"How are you?"
"Good."
Marie looked at the two people happily. They walked side by side and brought up a bunch of stories. She could see the butler from a distance telling her to take her time, so she walked slowly.
"Aren't you cold on the way back here from horseback?"
His ears running through the wind are going to freeze.
"It's something I always do, so I'm used to it."
And at his somewhat insensitive words, Brielle grabbed his uncle's hand. This is because, at the level of the child's eyes, his hands, like his ears, were red.
He originally wore his gloves, but since he came out of the scented candle store, his heart was rushing, and he just ran.
"It's cold."
Having said so, his nephew began to warm up his uncle's hand with his warm breath. It was Kentrail's heart that melted more than his hand.
With a bright smile, he suddenly hugged Brielle and walked.
"Uncle, drop me off!"
Now, Brielle was struggling when treated like a baby, but to no avail. So, he entered the mansion, where the employees were excitedly waiting.
It was the first time the butler saw his master's face like that.
Perhaps astonished, the eyebrows that sometimes frowned like a habit opened up.
"This…"
In front of him, there was a three-tiered cake with white whipped cream and fruits, and various petals were laid in the mansion. It was obviously a party atmosphere.
"Happy birthday, uncle!"
And, for the first time, Brielle, who was in his arms, spontaneously kissed his cheek.
'Oh, birthday.'
Kentrail had completely forgotten his birthday after his parents and brother passed away. It was in contrast to him remembering Brielle's birthday and always celebrating it.
"Congratulations."
Marie laughed at his side and handed the cufflinks that she had chosen for him.
He took it by surprise, and he looked at the two. His look passed by Brielle, who looked at him with his naughty smile, and his gaze finally reached her.
Kentrail kept thinking about this face until he bought the scented candle, but now, Marie, who congratulated him, looked much brighter than he imagined.
"You have to put it on."
He held Brielle in one of his arms, and he stretched out the other arm that was not holding Brielle toward Marie, asking if she could do it for him.
"Me?"
She glanced at the butler, but when the Count urged her, Marie put the cufflinks on with a careful hand.
"Thank you. I'll wear it well." He raised his arm and looked at it.
"I'm glad you like it."
"Here."
To Marie, Kentrail handed the paper bag he was holding in his arm before holding Brielle.
"What's this?"
"I just bought it."
"What?"
Looking inside, Marie recalled that a few days ago, the Count watched her smelling the scented candle.
'I never thought you'd remember this.'
"Today is the Count's birthday… Can I have this?"
"Why does that matter. Just give if you want to give, receive if you want to receive."
"I'll use it well."
Marie said that and quickly embraced it, filled with thoughts of wanting to go to her room and smell it.
'These scented candles are so pretty.'
Kentrail was happy to see her expression. In contrast, Brielle rolled his feet in his arms and expressed dissatisfaction.
As soon as she entered her room, Marie held the box that was handed by Kentrail in her arms and leaned against the door.
'I thought my heart was going to burst.'
She tried to pretend to be as calm as possible, but her heart, which swelled after imagining how delighted Kentrail would be from the birthday party, began to burst as she saw him handing her a scented candle and smiled.
'I don't even know how I felt when I said thank you.
It was so weird. She had never felt like this for the past three years. Is it because she was always watching the master, and the time spent alone with him has increased? Or maybe it's because time has passed, and it's hard to conclude that this is the world in a book anymore?
It felt as if she was finally starting to feel alive and actually living in this world.
'Ah…'
It seemed so. Now, everyone around her was no longer a fictional character. If even one person disappears, she will be in the sense of loss.
But through her feelings, an eerie knock resonated like the sound of tapping on the window.
[ T/N: If they don't marry soon, I'll riot. ]
Chapter 13
Marie turned her head slowly at the eerie feeling she had felt before she could even calm down. She had a hunch that the reality of the hand that reached Brielle finally came to him.
She got up from her seat and moved her body towards the window. Then, she stuck to the wall as much as possible and gently opened the curtains. Outside, it started to rain. Marie takes a deep breath and sticks her face out a little more. It seemed like she could see a shadowy figure over the wall. Unfortunately, it was dark, so she couldn't see in detail.
She opened the window, confirming that no one was right under her own room.
Transparent raindrops fell one by one, obstructing her view. Marie took the courage to stick out her face a little more.
She was right. Someone was looking at this place.
Marie was shaking by the window. The feeling of encountering it herself and reading it from the book was completely different. The soft goosebumps climbed up her back and made her head stand upright.
As she grabbed her trembling mouth, she made a quavering voice and called out the invisible opponent.
However, as the rain flowed down, the other person disappeared as the two eyes blinked.
"Sister!"
Ellie, much younger than she was now, called Marie.
There were scars on her cheek where she was hit, but Marie was not interested in her sibling. Rather, she looked at the child with a cold gaze and went into her own room.
Ellie, who was standing near, hesitating to approach her sister, looked at the closing door and sighed little with an expression of resignation. It was a sound that didn't match her little mouth at all.
The child was blaming herself for everything, not her sister.
'I'm not doing my sister any good, so it's no wonder she hates me.'
It was too harsh of a thought for a child who wasn't grown properly yet.
She had a small physique and would easily fall or get hurt while playing with the children in the neighborhood, and sometimes even beaten by a son from a wealthy noble family just because she was a fallen noble. However, Ellie never got angry at Marie. Instead, she sometimes tried to hide this because Ellie was afraid she didn't want to be abandoned by her sister. Being abandoned once, it remained as her trauma.
On the day the rain poured down, Ellie stood outside in the cold. She didn't have the key to enter the house so he was shivering while waiting for her older sister and brother, but all day long they did not return.
The aunt next door, who saw her in the rain and suffered from the cold, let Ellie stay in her house for a day. She was talking to her husband without knowing that the child was listening as well. The main content was that Marie would take the money and throw away little Ellie, but only take the useful Barry.
However, the world wasn't easy, and two days later, Marie who had stolen money and valuables, quickly returned with Barry. That caused a hole in Ellie's heart. Even though she was injured, she couldn't say she was hurt because it might bother her sister, so she waited alone to soothe the pain until her brother returned.
Marie was that kind of person. Although she was entrusted with her two younger siblings, it was not because she had any sense of duty or responsibility. After the death of her parents, they had nowhere to go, so they were just staying together.
That's why Berry, the quick-minded brother between Ellie and Marie, solved everything among themselves to avoid offending Marie as much as possible.
Though one day, her older sister changed. She, who had not interested if they ate or not, had bought bread, meat, and even snacks and came home. She then let her siblings eat to their heart's content.
"Sister… I can't eat because I'm full."
Her little stomach, which had never eaten like this, quickly filled up, and Ellie felt like her throat was full of food.
"Eat, anyway. I told you I had a hard time getting this."
Marie lifted the spoon and put food into Ellie's mouth, who was trying to run away.
Even when she saw the child vomiting, she waited with an expressionless face. Then, pushed the food back in.
She had a reason for everything she did.
It was when she saw the announcement that the count was recruiting a nanny.
She wrote in the introduction as if she had raised her two younger siblings, and Marie, who was a fallen noble, got the opportunity for an interview more easily than she thought.
However, according to the rumors she had heard, there seemed to be tough competitors. Veteran nannies must have applied.
So, Marie decided to take Ellie and Berry to the interview. She planned to somehow feed them well for a month before the interview to make them look healthy.
In the end, she, who had fed her younger siblings without a break, succeeded in gaining a little weight for the children in a month, and at the age to stand out because of their cuteness, she shook the hearts of those who were interviewing.
In Marie's opinion, it was the only moment that her two younger siblings helped her.
The reason she tried to go to the County as the nanny was in line with the reason she left Ellie before. As a ruined aristocrat, she couldn't abandon her usual spending habits. Although her parents and the house became difficult, she became more and more bold as no one tried to control her, let alone cut her spending, so it eventually disappeared.
Later, she got into debt, and when her debt reminder began, she took only her remaining money and ran away, dragging Berry, who insisted he had to go with Ellie.
She, however, lost almost all of her money that she had to come back.
And that was when the dark hand reached her, who finally became the nanny…
Mary, who couldn't sleep in the horror of the night, sat in one place and recalled what she had read in the past. And next to her, Brielle was sleeping without realizing her feelings.
'Brielle.'
As soon as it was bright, she slowly raised her hand and touched Brielle's soft cheeks.
She then moved her thoughts to Ellie. She had just confirmed that Ellie was sleeping well before coming out.
"Hmmm…"
Brielle frowned for a moment when he felt the touch. He then raised his little hand and brought it to his eyes, rubbing them, revealing his pupils.
"Ma~rie."
Seeing Marie in the morning put him in a good mood, revealing a dimple folded only on one cheek.
"Did you sleep well?"
"Yes, when did you come?"
"Just now."
Marie laid down next to Brielle, where he is still lying. Then, he clung to her side and rubbed his face against her arm.
"Are you still very sleepy?"
"No, because I like Marie."
The words, warming her heart, once again she stroked Brielle's head. As she feels the warmth flowing through her hands, she is organizing last night's thought in her head. As usual, a disturbance appears.
"Sister! Young Master!"
It was Ellie who opened the door, entered without knocking. When it happened, her head was messy.
"Ellie!"
Brielle greeted her with a jump, raising his upper body.
"You have to knock before you come in."
Ellie, who laughed at her sister's nagging, came to the place where the two were.
"What about Barry?"
"Your brother has already gone to the Knights."
It was Berry who lived more diligently than anyone else.
"Then, shall we start the day?
Marie, who struggled with a bright smile and pushed away the dark thoughts, said to the two children.
"Hmm!"
She looked closely at the laughter caused by the two children who matched well as if she wanted to keep the image in her memories for a long time.
"Brielle."
Brielle raised and lowered his arm once toward Jaden, who had come to play.
"What."
Jaden wanted to see without pretending to know what his friend was focusing on. Brielle was drawing something diligently.
"This… No way…"
"How's it? Is it similar?"
"Is it a monster?"
"Hey!"
Brielle had been drawing for an hour on his own, but he became angry when he was treated like this. A monster?!
"What is it?"
"Teddy bear."
Jaden looked as though it was absurd. 'That cute doll that is only covered in brown color?' Even if he painted with his feet, he was certain he would be able to draw better than this.
"How does it look that way?"
"Look here. Shiny eyes, cute nose, dainty mouth."
"Haha. I guess this is the meaning of your standard of shiny, cute, and dainty."
Brielle got sour. He suddenly felt like he was losing interest in painting.
What is the reason he was drawing so hard? It was because of his uncle. One day, the nanny took something out of the box and showed it.
"Do you remember this?"
The insects that his uncle painted were pretty good.
"Isn't the Count really great? There's nothing he can't do sometimes."
Hearing that, Brielle began painting without her knowing. The reason was because he wanted to hear Marie saying that there was nothing he could not do, too.
"Why are you so sullen?"
Brielle covered the paper and looked at Jaden, bothered.
"I don't know. Why is my uncle good at everything?"
"Hey. Are you bragging about that?"
The country's Chancellor, Kentrail, in a way, was also Jayden's object of respect.
'Besides, he is the one who acknowledges my father as much as he does his work.
But Brielle didn't want to answer, so he just hugged the teddy bear that was next to him.
"Still, isn't there anything your uncle can't do?"
At those words, Brielle's eyes sparkled.
"What is that?"
"Love! He's still single."
"Ah…"
Brielle had no choice but to admit.
He once listened to what the adults around him were saying and was depressed at the thought that it was because of him.
It was Marie who realized how he felt, so she immediately corrected his thoughts as soon as she heard him talking about it.
"It's just that…the Count's standards are high."
"Is it really not because of me?"
"Of course… Rather, thanks to you, he should be popular? I mean, to live with such a cute little angel."
Marie even kissed Brielle's cheeks lovingly. So, this was entirely his uncle's problem.
"However, if the Count gets married, aren't you the one in trouble?"
"Why?"
Brielle wondered what would be the problem if his uncle gets married.
"I mean the nanny. Now you can do anything on your own, too. So, if your uncle gets married, wouldn't the nanny have to leave?"
There were many cases where the nanny quit when the child was older.
It was a special case of Marie, who is still working. So, rumors spread around about how well the nanny took care of the child, and so on.
"No way."
Brielle, who cried so, ran towards his uncle in the office.
"Uncle!"
"Brielle."
The door popped open following the sound of thumping steps.
A smile grew on Kentrail's face, who discovered Brielle, his nephew, who had visited after a long time.
The officer standing next to him quietly stepped back, thinking that it would be time for the count to rest his expression.
"Uncle, don't you have a lover yet?"
"Huh?"
He was embarrassed by the sudden question from his nephew.
"A lover? What do you mean all of a sudden?"
"Never, e~ver, you shouldn't get married until I'm all grown up."
"Where did you hear this?"
He asked carefully, examining whether Brielle had heard something hurtful.
"Say yes, just say it."
Fortunately, it didn't seem so. He nodded his head for now.
"It's a promise."
And Brielle went out, leaving only the words behind. Kentrail stared at the back of the child with an absurd expression.
'As soon as I heard about a lover, I remembered the nanny.'
He fell into deep agony over the thoughts that came to him without his knowledge.
Chapter 14
"Young master."
"Feed me this."
It was Marie who was embarrassed as she looked at Brielle, who suddenly did something he didn't usually didn't do.
'You're so childish.' These days, he hated being treated as a child, but it seemed that his mind had changed.
"Okay, say ah~"
Though she didn't hate it, Marie gave him a bite. However, Brielle's behavior continued for several days.
"I want to sleep. I want to sleep with Marie."
"I want you to read a fairy tale book."
"I want you to wash my face."
By this time, she felt that this might be a problem.
"Count."
"What's going on?"
So, she went to see Kentrail.
"These days, the young master is acting a little weird."
"Ah… that."
He already heard from the butler. At first, Kentrail was worried as well, but there was no reason for that. When Jayden and Brielle were playing together, the escort knight next to them found out the cause. Hearing it, he didn't realize how much he laughed.
'That's why I said that.'
Anyway, both kids seemed to be misunderstood, the one who said such a thing and the one who believed it.
Marie sees the count's smiling face, and she wonders if it's all right to allow it to pass lightly.
"Do you know the cause?"
Instead of answering, he just laughed.
"Think of it as a cute tantrum. It's temporary."
He could see her tilting her head at his meaningless words.
'Lover…' He kept chewing on the words Brielle threw. There was only one person that came to mind every time he thought of it.
Kentrail unconsciously looked at Marie's fingertips.
Marie had been having nightmares, and she wasn't in a good mood when it rained that day. She felt like her head was going to explode, searching for a solution to this issue. So, after the rain that had been pouring for a few days had finally stopped, water droplets were visible everywhere in the garden as they were sliding down on a blade of grass.
Then, she ruffled the grass and sat down with her knees bent in search of the prettiest flowers. As a refresher, she planned to make bookmarks for Brielle, who reads these days. As she sat among the flowers, Marie felt her head becoming clearer. So, she closed her eyes and enjoyed this moment.
"…"
How long must she have been doing that, Marie, who raised her head, was surprised?
"Count."
Kentrail was looking down, right next to her.
"Since when…"
At Marie's question, he was terribly embarrassed.
He didn't know when he had been looking at her like this. Just in the middle of the road to the training ground, there was a garden, and on the way, he found the nanny. Marie had sat still in one place, so Kentrail stood by her side with urgent steps, worrying if she was in pain.
However, she seemed to be basking in the sun without even feeling his presence. He even forgot that he had turned his head and looked at her. It wasn't like him. He wasn't even aware of it until she turned her head and looked at him.
"…"
Marie had awkward feelings towards Kentrail. Whenever she lit the scented candle he gave her as a gift, she remembered him and often thought of him all day long, wondering whether or not to tell him what the recent events.
She saw his hand reaching out in front of her. On Brielle's birthday, even then, Kentrail stood up on the steps of the hall after the banquet and reached out his hand toward her. Marie couldn't even make eye contact, and she cautiously got up from her seat, holding his hand in the same way as that day. The heat that she hadn't yet felt in her drunkenness was finally coloring her fingertips.
"Marie."
Brielle called her. The child was now growing even more. Even so, she felt like his appearance was the same as when he was a baby, but just a little taller.
"Young master."
"Really?"
"Yes?"
When Marie saw Brielle's face full of heartache, she couldn't get a sense of what was being said.
"Did you really give this to him?"
She was wondering what he was talking about and she realized Brielle was talking about the bookmark she gave to Jayden.
When she made the bookmarks, Marie realized that it was too much for Brielle to use on his own. Since whenever she saw the flowers brought from the garden, she remembered that moment again, and as a result, her mind went elsewhere. In the end, she asked the butler to give it to the Count, Brielle's tutor, and Jayden.
"Young master has a lot anyway."
"Not enough."
Talking with his arms folded, it seemed like he was very grumpy.
As a child, Brielle sticks to Marie like a gum, so it was natural that he wanted to monopolize her attention. It was so cute that Marie gently pressed his cheeks with her hands.
"Don't do it."
Contrary to his words, his eyes were full of laughter.
And Jayden, who was staring at Brielle, clicked his tongue.
He got close to him somehow, but he still thought it was weird. He was close to the nanny as well, but not that much.
'He's not the only one.'
There is another one in this house. Jayden recalled what his father had said.
[ This is the first time I've seen such an insensitive and self-centered person, who is never interested in other people, none, to become like this. Besides, what kind of poison was applied to his tongue. ]
It was dissatisfaction with his friend for not sending a letter on his birthday, but it was not a complete lie because Jayden heard the Royal Palace officials sometimes swear when he followed his father there.
However, the Count, talking to that nanny, was a completely different person. No, seeing how Kentrail and the nanny chose Brielle's book together, it would be difficult for anyone to believe that.
When Jayden first saw it first hand, it was enough to rub his eyes. He told his father and even got scolded for lying. That's how unbelievable it was.
Jayden sighed and thought he would rather not witness this, so he left Brielle's room to go home.
"Young master."
"Ellie."
The friendship between the two was still the same.
Ellie started taking off the children's shirt little by little. However, perhaps because of her short stature thus, it was vague to say that although she was taller than Brielle, so it was ambiguous to say there was a significant height difference compared to their age.
"Did you grow again?"
She went behind Brielle, measured their height, and got upset.
"What the hell are you eating without me knowing."
She asked her sister, but he didn't seem to be eating more than her.
Although they couldn't be together at the dinner table between the Young Master and Count, the food served there, and the food served to them were not entirely different. Ellie knew that because when the Count wasn't eating, the Young Master insisted he didn't want to eat alone and was with him.
'But why… Is it genetics?'
Next to her, she looked back at her sister, who was cleaning up the toys Brielle was playing with. 'Yes… That's for sure.' Her older sister is also less than the average female height.
Ellie got upset and tiptoed up, pretended to be taller than Brielle.
Brielle glared at the opponent in front of him.
'Why is he holding that again?'
It was Eujes, the tutor, who was holding the dried flowers bookmark from Marie.
…Yes, he failed his second management exam again. This time, he was late for studying all night, and at this point, the Count condemned him, saying that he was not eligible for office.
Brielle was again taking lessons from the best talent for another year, but he only grew dissatisfied.
Eujes kept blushing whenever he saw Marie.
Ellie said. When you like someone, you can't help but keep looking at them and remember their face. So, when he told Ellie about this, she said, it seemed that his tutor liked Marie and Brielle got even angrier.
"W…What about the nanny?"
Every time he visits this place. When Marie, who usually guards the door, could not be seen, he asked Brielle. Eujes was a really tactless person and even encouraged him to be angrier.
"Why are you looking for our Marie?"
Brielle's vocabulary was so strong that he was able to use the word 'you' with the tone he learned from his uncle, the Count.
[ T/N: this makes sense in the Korean raw, so he used a 'you' pronoun equivalent of that usually used by an older person to a younger person. Brielle asserting dominance XD ]
Whenever the Count's officer was scolded, Brielle was there by chance.
"No… I just didn't see the person who was always there, so…"
Brielle didn't like what Eujes said in a depressed voice.
'Our Marie cannot be given to such a timid person. Never. No, I can't give her even if you're not timid.'
"Barry."
Brielle's next class was swordsmanship. The Count sponsored Marie's brother. It was an opportunity to learn swordsmanship with Brielle.
This was an unconventional treatment, but for Barry, it was a golden opportunity.
The title was to attach Barry as Brielle's escort, but that was only an excuse, as there were many outstanding knights in the mansion, but neither the knight leader nor the other knights thought that this opportunity was unfair to Barry. It was the result of the child's sincere errands to the Knights. The final conclusion was to test his skills once in order to become a regular knight in the future.
"Young master."
Berry greeted him, and Brielle clung to his side.
It was because he was glad to see Berry after a while. The swordsmanship class was held twice a week, so it was only three days.
However, it was no help because Brielle was busy doing various classes, and Barry and Ellie do things separately. In order not to be a nuisance, Barry moved his feet more diligently than before, attending the knights, and Ellie planned to do what she could do in the mansion when she would be a little bigger.
"Cough."
And the knight, who was appointed to teach the lesson, watched the two and coughed in vain. It indirectly meant for them to get away and get ready for class.
Becoming Brielle's mentor, he was the Count's most promising knight.
"Then, let's start."
Class finally began, and Brielle had to cut across motion dozens of times, and Barry had to repeat a hundred strokes at a straw. For the two who are still novices, this was a lot of work.
And when the two were done, Marie appeared with something to drink.
"Good job."
After giving the drinks to the two children, she even wiped their sweat with a towel. Then, she handed a drink to the knight, and Brielle witnessed that scene again.
'Who are you looking at and smiling!'
The nanny, who was so pretty in his eyes, was also pretty in the eyes of others.
As he looked at the knight, Brielle looked at him with a sense of hostility that could not be seen by the teacher.
Chapter 15
A cold wind blew. At the end of the year, the city was full of sparkle. Then, the darkness settled down.
In the meantime, one change has come to them. The escort knights appointed to protect Brielle were organized. Marie, who couldn't tell the truth about everything, just told Kentrail that she saw a suspicious person hovering around just outside the mansion window. Although there was an existing escort, creating a group altogether was a countermeasure.
Leaving them hidden behind, Brielle and Marie were standing affectionately, looking at the shops side by side.
"Isn't this prettier?"
She was looking around various music boxes to choose a gift for Ellie's birthday.
"That's right. Ellie likes yellow, so let's go with this."
She had been choosing for a while, so after discussing it with Brielle, Marie finally decided to choose the first one. After that, as it was a present, they asked the owner of the store to wrap it as carefully as possible, then they kept looking at another music box.
Although it was a rather expensive gift, when she thought about how Ellie would enjoy the present, a smile caught on her lips.
And at that moment. Marie caught the figure she accidentally saw out of the window before, she felt as though she was going to faint.
'How… How he…'
She saw a big wound under the eyes of a stranger, and recognized it at once. Behind Kentrail, he destroyed the kingdom, and he was the one who played the greatest role.
[ The man who uses the longsword in the kingdom became Kentrail's commander. And without hesitation, he cut off his enemies with his right arm. The reason didn't matter to him. There was no hesitation if it was the order of his master. Maybe when he was young, he was persecuted because his eyes were different from others, and he got a scar on his face, as well as his distorted personality… ]
He had the same appearance as described in the book, so there was no way she couldn't recognize him.
"Marie. What is it?"
She hurriedly lowered her head and Brielle's voice. Marie's facial expression was weird, and Brielle was trying to turn his head toward where Marie had looked.
"It's nothing. It looks like the wrapping is done."
She quickly turned Brielle's gaze away, but anxiety remained on the side of her chest. 'Would the original story be completely distorted because Brielle was alive… Why is that person in the capital?' Perhaps the Count brought him in, her heart tightened and released.
As she held Brielle's warm hand to suppress her nervousness, the child laughed as it was a good thing for him.
'Please, don't let this be a problem.'
She looked back at the place where he stood before, trying to hide her anxiety at the signs of the original storyline that continued to appear, but no one was there anymore.
Marie didn't realize since she struggled to conceal her feelings., that Brielle's eyes were turning to a family outside the window.
The Count greeted his guest. It was Derek that Marie saw in the shop.
"How long has it been?"
There was a reason Marie was startled to see Derek. It was because he was a mercenary in a foreign country, Alvarito. The original storyline mentioned Derek returning to the country at Kentrail's call, asking for help so he could avenge Brielle, and by now he has made an oath to his lord.
Even though Brielle is alive, he must be in Alvarito, but the reason he found the Count was surprising because Kentrail asked for him like in the original story.
"You're still the same."
Derek's eyes were warm only to the Count, despite his stern face.
"…The Count looks good, too."
"Is that so."
Kentrail, who has a softer impression thanks to Brielle and Marie recently, must have felt incredibly different, as he hadn't seen Derek for a long time.
"Let's sit down for now."
The count said, pointing to the sofa in his office.
The atmosphere that had been bright at the reunion after a long time quickly changed to a heavy one, and the butler standing next to him had noticeably moved away as well.
"The reason I asked you to come is because of the reason in the letter."
"…"
Those words made Derek's face stiffer.
"Maybe this might be dangerous. So, I'll leave it to your choice. Can you do it for me?"
"…"
To a very natural question, Derek offered the sword he was holding instead of answering.
It was the only light in his difficult life. He heard the news that Derek was going to Alvarito as a mercenary, and he ran a long distance on a horse at once to stop him. Kentrail was the person who always stood by when he faced prejudices when he was younger. Count Kentrail was that kind of person to him.
Kentrail got up from his seat and received the sword as a knight's oath. Even though he was only a mercenary, not an official knight, he was a man who deserved this treatment.
"Thank you."
This time, Derek would be by the lord's side and he would be serving him from today. To reveal the deaths of the parents of the young master, the master's older brother.
Kentrail thought his brother's death was an accident. There were some doubts, but taking care of Brielle, who barely returned alive from death, was more urgent. Thus, that was his priority for the year or two that had passed.
The child grew up.
On Brielle's third birthday, watching him politely greet the people who were invited to his birthday party, the grieving and sadness subsided.
'My brother should see this.'
So, after he separated with Marie that day, he headed to the room with his brother's portrait.
His older brother was in the picture. Kranteil, who was six years older than him, was no different from a father to him after their parents died. He still remembered the occasion when the sun lit his brother's face, and he smiled at him. When Kentrail looked at his brother who was bright like Brielle, he felt as if the light of the world was gathering with them.
Kentrail slowly raised his hand and stroked his brother's portrait.
'Will Brielle look like you when he grows up?'
Sometimes, he would be worried that his nephew would resemble him who didn't smile much. Unlike his brother, he can't make such a smile, but looking at Brielle now, it seems like he was too worried about it. Brielle was a child who laughed better than anyone and had a kind heart.
Kentrail knew very well that everyone who worked in the mansion would look at the child's smile and be at loss.
However, this was a portrait he had never shown to the child because he was worried that the child would lose his smile when he saw this portrait. He should show it when Brielle is a little bigger, and the child can bear this pain. That was how he decided.
"…Brother."
Kentrail called his brother again this year as well. He was trying to put the portrait down on the seat slowly with emotions swelling in his heart.
Something caught on his fingertips.
He put the portrait frame behind him, which he had never thought of turning, and looked at the area where his fingertips touched.
There was a piece of faded paper protruding.
Kentrail began to open the back of the frame with a careful hand, and he could feel that his brother's death was not just an accident. He blamed himself for not thinking of opening the frame until now.
From then on, he began preparing secretly without anyone knowing.
Unaware of this fact, Marie and Brielle returned to the mansion and headed to the room where Ellie was.
"I guess Ellie would like it?"
Brielle held her hand in a voice full of excitement and shook it.
"Of course."
If it were Ellie, she would be happy no matter what gift they gave. Although she was sorry she couldn't do a grand birthday party since this wasn't their home, Marie thought she'd do the best she could do for Ellie today.
She asked a passing maid to confirm that the child was in the room, then Brielle and Marie knocked, and opened the door.
"Huh? Sister, young master."
When they, who had disappeared without a word, came to find her, Ellie made a puzzled expression.
"Ellie, what were you doing?"
"I was asleep because I was exhausted while looking for my sister and the young master!"
She was upset that she was left alone, so the cheeks were puffing out with air. After seeing it, Brielle was excited just to imagine that Ellie would soon be surprised.
Ellie expressed her dissatisfaction by raising her arms and placing them on her waist.
At that moment, the sound of footsteps was heard.
"Ta-da~!"
Barry came with a cake made by Marie by borrowing the kitchen in advance.
"…"
Ellie was embarrassed, she was seen frozen as she was. When she saw the cake, her heart moved. Finally, water filled with sparkles began to accumulate in her eyes.
"Come on, blow the candles."
Barry, who became a little blunt as he got older, spoke to his younger sister in a grunted manner without telling her not to cry, but a little hint in his voice was full of affection.
"Huh… Huh…"
After holding back her cries, Ellie finally blew the candles on her cake.
"Congratulations, Ellie!"
And Brielle handed out the gift that he had prepared with Marie.
"This…"
On behalf of the unaware Ellie, Marie winded up the box. Then, a clear tone filled the room.
"I love it!"
She heard there was something like this before, but Ellie's eyes were wide open when she saw it for the first time.
Marie felt her heart warming with the reaction. Then she cried and hugged the tiny body that jumped into her arms.
Her body was relaxed, but her head felt like it was going to burst. That was Marie's situation right now. Brielle was busy taking his classes, and she, not a maid, but a nanny, had nothing to do with the work in the mansion, so she just had to watch Brielle from a distance.
There was no one nagging her.
Though in her head, there was a man named Derek, whom she had seen that day. There's nothing wrong yet, but Marie couldn't just be comfortable. However, there was nothing she could do about it right now.
How much time has passed. In the distance, she saw a person jumping and waving his hand. It was Brielle.
"You saw?"
It was enough to know how loudly they were talking from far away, and what they were talking about as well.
Instead of an answer, Marie got up from her seat and drew a circle with her arms. It was a victory after competing against his friend Jayden while taking the swordsmanship class.
His white cheeks were full of excitement, as if he wanted to show off to her more.
'I wonder why he likes it so much?'
And the one who was watching was the knight, Brielle's sword teacher.
His name is Taylor. Although he was a commoner, his efforts and talents combined, let him reach this position. Fortunately, he looked at Berry without prejudice.
"Can I go in for a while and then come back?"
It seemed that Brielle's plan was to go directly to his nanny and show off to her.
"Hey. Do you wanna brag to the neighborhood that I lost?"
Jayden was angry. Since both of them had a great desire to win, it was obvious that he would be ready to beat Brielle next time.
"Well, why. You did win last time?" Brielle said.
The two were winning alternately, so no matter who wins this time, the tumult continued.
"Oh, yeah, brag about it."
Taylor and Jaden shook their heads as they watched Brielle run.
What is the charm of that nanny? The two fell into trouble.