Chapter 8

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.