Chapter 92

The two children who had been called by Kentrail had their heads bowed, knowing that they were wrong.

“So, you mean you sneaked out again?”

“…Sorry.”

“Am I so unreliable?”

When Kentrail uttered words that were self-mockingly, Barry hurriedly denied that it wasn’t. At the same time, Siege supported Barry’s words and explained.

“I just wanted to solve it myself, as it was a matter related to my brother’s death…”

“Yes, I was going to tell the Count as soon as the outline of the matter was established. I listened to the people who came just recently and was going to let you know.”

With a sigh, Kentrail nodded and asked the children to sit across from him. The forgiven children quickly took their seats.

“So, what did you find out?”

“Ah… that’s why we focused on finding the things that remained rather than finding the person who left the body.”

It was a good shift in thinking.

Kentrail nodded his head as if it was quite right. Then, having gained courage, Berry continued again, “So, I told them to find it. If they find any items or know anything, I will give them gold coins.”

“Did they have any items?”

“No, they didn’t. However, there were people who kept looking around in search of something.”

“Who is looking for what?”

“I think it was more noticeable because it was a person who kept ing and going after the body was found.”

“Who is it?”

“Although they don’t know for sure, they remembered the person’s description. And, this is… the thing that person dropped.”

It wasn’t Jaz’s items, but it was definitely helpful.

“This…”

Kentrail took it and frowned. It was a royal palace official’s card. Without this, they would not be able to go to work. It meant that he would now have to find someone who had recently reissued the card or went absent.

“You did a good job. Thanks to you, things will get easier. It must have been frustrating because you were told to stay at home when you can do more.”

As if to think for a moment, he patted the sofa with his fingertips.

“I’ll tell Taylor if you want to be part of what knights do, go. Instead, don’t forget to take care of yourself first.”

The two children’s faces brightened at those words. Then, Siege, whose face became dark for a moment, asked.

“Count… I-I’m sorry, but can I stay here a little longer?”

“It doesn’t matter to me, though it would be difficult for you to stay here when you haven’t fully settled down as the Lord yet.”

“The land is entrusted to someone I can trust.”

With Siege’s firm answer, he told him to do as he wished. Kentrail must have thought of it as an estate’s Lord, despite it being small.

“Thank you.”

“Yes. Tell Taylor about the description they saw. Ask them to draw a picture based on that.”

“Yes.”

And so, the two kids left, and Kentrail called Taylor to take charge of the matter.

* * *

Marie was tying her hair up. She always had it bundled up, so it was nothing special.

‘But, my hair is really long. I have to cut it.’

She pondered for a moment.

‘I want to go short… I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone here with short hair.’

However, if she cut it, she might regret cutting it for nothing. She was repeatedly untying and tying her hair when she heard a knock.

“Yes.”

This knock must have e from someone she knew well. Even though she didn’t open the door again, it was Kentrail who came in.

“What were you doing?”

He asked as he looked at her sitting in front of the dressing table.

“I was tying my hair.”

“Really? Can I help you?”

He walked over to Marie before standing behind her and waiting.

“The Count…?”

Marie hesitated and handed him the hair tie in her hand. She wondered if he would be good at this too.

“What style would you like to tie it up?”

“Tie them together as normal.”

“Now that Brielle has grown, wouldn’t he like to try out a different style?”

She asked him to do what he could.

“Okay then, I’ll show you my skills.”

He pondered over the hairstyles he had ever seen. Still, nothing es to mind at all. It was probably because he had never looked so interested in other women. The hairstyle in his thought was fixed in the style that Marie always had.

“…I don’t know.”

“What?”

“What other styles are there?”

It was the first time she saw him bewildered by something he didn’t know.

“There are things the Count doesn’t know.”

Kentrail was captured by a strange feeling.

“I know…”

When it came to getting things done, he did it without hesitation. When people asked questions, he responded quickly, and there was nothing he couldn’t do with his artistic flair. However, it was funny and strange that he was so troubled with only one thing to tie her hair up.

“Are you okay with the classics?”

After groping for a while, he managed to recall the hairstyles his mother had once done.

“Great.”

Marie readily accepted. She was looking forward to it. As she looked at him through the mirror, she could see a frown on his forehead as he concentrated. She smiled a little to herself. He was cute when he was struggling.

“Ah…”

He even pulled her hair the wrong way while tying it up.

“Are you okay?”

Startled, he took Marie’s head in his arms and rubbed it for a while.

“Yes, the pain is gone now. Please, do it again soon.”

“Yes.”

His hand movements became more cautious.

“I think she did it like this…”

Looking through the mirror, it looked like he was tying it in a low-bun style. After trying it a few times, she realized that he was tying her hair with a confident hand.

“It’s done.”

After a while, he took his hand from her hair.

“All done?”

Marie quickly looked into the mirror and looked at the back of her head. When she couldn’t see very well, she even checked with a hand mirror on the dressing table.

“So pretty.”

A moderate volume in the back of her hair made her face appear smaller.

Meanwhile, Kentrail felt rewarded by her bright smile. As he looked at her hair, he remembered his mother. If he or his brother had been a daughter, she would have tied their hair. He remembered her regretting it.

“I think I can do well if I have a daughter.”

At his words, Marie glanced back.

“Yes?”

“I’ll tie their hair up and pick out a dress for them.”

“….”

Her face reddened as she looked at him, imagining a daughter between him and her.

“Hmm… You should tell your future wife.”

She spat out these words to him out of excitement.

“I am doing it now.”

“…I see what the Count is doing.”

“If that’s the case, you know what I mean.”

Seeing him jump up, wonder spread across Marie’s face. She then remembered what happened during the song coupon the other day and took a step back.

“I didn’t mean that.”

“That’s what I sounded like.”

With a mischievous smile, he pulled her into his arms, snatching her away.

* * *

Caveran frowned. His face was red in embarrassment, probably from anger.

“You mean you still haven’t found where it is?”

He yelled at the knight standing in front of him.

“Forgive me.”

The knight flinched in fear of what was to e. It was because he knew the character of his master. Again, as expected, a sharp object flew at him. He felt blood dripping from his cheek. He couldn’t wipe it and continued to listen to what Caveran had to say.

“You don’t know what we’ll all be like if that opens its mouth? Are you saying we should all die together now?”

Caveran couldn’t help but slam an object down on his desk this time.

“….”

“Where did the traces end?”

“The North. But, since the area is so wide, it takes time to find it.”

“Ha. The North.”

He began to wander. There must be a guess somewhere.

“Get me a detailed map of the North right now!”

“Yes.”

The knight ran out before he would face another outburst.

‘…Like a rat.’

His eyes twinkled as he regretted not being able to deal with it before.

‘I have to deal with this quickly.’

He didn’t like the inpetent knight, and the nephew who made him nervous was even more an eyesore.

* * *

When Brielle headed to the training ground to practice swordsmanship, Marie was cleaning the child’s room. Rather than leaving it to the maids, she was more fortable doing it herself.

‘The room is also clean.’

The child, who had developed a habit of putting the toys he was playing with, was not easily distracted. He sometimes even cleaned up the crumbs after he had finished eating.

‘I’ll make him a cup of cocoa or something later.’

She brushed off the quilt, thinking proudly of the child. She then began to fluff the pillow.

‘It’s strange, I felt it a few days ago, although the weight of the pillow seems to have changed. Am I too sensitive…?’

Marie brought it out to replace it with a new pillow. When she then accepted a new pillow from the maid, she certainly felt strange.

“Wait…”

She handed Brielle’s pillow back from the maid and took it to her room, feeling like she had to check it out.

‘It shouldn’t be a big deal.’

Sitting on her bed, she began to take off the pillowcase. Then, something fell to the floor.

‘What is this…’

Marie picked up a small object beside the wad of cotton. When she opened something wrapped in a white cloth, she saw white powder.

Her heart was pounding.

‘It may be what was mixed with the flour then.’

With that in hand, Marie hurriedly started running in Kentrail’s direction.