Chapter 17

Chapter 17

“Yes?”

Marie was about to visit the office after dinner time had passed, following the order of the Count who called her.

And there, she received an unexpected offer.

“I have to ask Berry as well, but I think your opinion would be important, too. If you disagree, you may put your word to it, so I’m asking you first.”

‘Academy…’

Could there be a greater opportunity for Barry, when the family almost fell? Due to the enormous tuition, the academy was a place where even ordinary families could only send the eldest son. But it was the Count’s suggestion that he would send Barry.

“…I know it’s a great opportunity, but…”

She lifted her head slightly and looked at him.

‘I knew that Berry had a talent for swordsmanship, though…’

Barry ran little errands at the Knights, and he’s growing his dreams there, so Marie thought he could become a knight if he hoped, but the knights who left the academy differ from the hospitality.

She doesn’t mind, but it was something she had to accept when considering the child’s future.

“Taylor said that. Barry has a lot of talent.”

When Taylor’s name came out, she thought that the Count was not making such an offer out of mere favor.

“If Berry says he’s going, I want him to go to the academy.”

It was a thing to be grateful that wherever he went, he was given the opportunity to learn.

“Then, call Barry and ask.”

Kentrail caught her trying to bring Barry and turn her body.

“You…”

Marie looked at him as he called in a hesitant tone.

“Isn’t it hard to take care of Brielle?”

Kentrail called her unknowingly because he didn’t like seeing her turning her back.

“Yes. Though for me, it’s fortunate enough to be able to take care of him.”

Her clear eyes were telling him that the words were sincere.

“All right.”

Kentrail has been very grateful to Marie recently. The day he first went on a picnic with Brielle, the nanny wrapped him around her and was on the lookout for someone, even though she didn’t know what was going on.

It was she who first suggested that he post an escort for Brielle.

From the moment he knew that there might be a force that killed his brother, there was a time when he thought about these moments, and his heart would flutter.

‘If it weren’t for the nanny…’

“Don’t push yourself too hard. Talk to me anytime if there’s something on your mind.”

Laughing at his words, Marie remembered he looked a little loose, on Brielle’s birthday. Kentrail began to tease her, sometimes getting so close then quickly distancing himself.

***

All of Marie’s family was in the best mood right now. As Barry’s academy admission was confirmed, everyone at the mansion gave their congratulations. Except for only one person.

It was none other than Brielle, whose mouth was slightly protruding and reminiscent of a carp.

Barry has been wandering here and there for days in search of a place to stay, and he finally found Brielle sitting in the bushes of the garden.

“Young master.”

However, Brielle didn’t even answer his words, and he was pouting.

Barry sat next to him casually.

“Have you been here for a while?”

“…”

“Are you not going to say anything to me?”

Instead of answering, Brielle looked down.

“Why is our young master doing this?”

Barry, who was complaining to Ellie, said tenderly to Brielle. Maybe it’s because he’s much younger than Ellie. In Barry’s eyes, the young master was still like a baby.

“Brother…”

In addition, he was so grateful that Brielle sometimes called him an older brother.

Maybe because he felt the warm gaze from Barry, Brielle finally raised his head. Tears were streaming down his cheeks.

Barry reached out his arms and hugged the young master. His warm body went into his arms. The appearance of the master he saw the day he first entered the mansion remained with Barry as time passed.

“Do you feel disappointed for me to go to the academy?”

Brielle just hugged Berry. He wanted to stop him from going, but he couldn’t because Brielle knew how great of an opportunity it was from his tutor.

He was just sad. It was sad that he had no choice but to complain about his brother’s departure.

“Young master…”

Now, he will have to take swordsmanship class alone, and the person who will fight with him wouldn’t be there unless it is Jayden, and the person who returned to the garden every time he struggled in the mansion will disappear.

Barry’s clothes got wet from Brielle’s tears. For Brielle, who was still young, a brief separation was so painful.

As he looked straight into Brielle’s eyes, Barry said.

“I’ll come back as a great knight. Then, will you be my master?”

“…”

But Brielle had no answer to that.

“Do you not like that?”

The young master shook his head.

“Not that… I’m not good enough…to become a master.”

At that, he hugged Brielle again.

“What do you mean by that? You’re such a friendly and warm person. That’s enough to be my master.”

In front of someone like Barry, Brielle knew what it was like to be ashamed as an incomplete person for the first time in his life. He also felt the feeling of wanting to become a great person. Still young, Brielle doesn’t know the criteria for being good, but he decided to be like his uncle. Then, he would not be ashamed of becoming Barry’s master.

“I will definitely be a person who is worthy of brother.”

So, little Brielle got his first Knight. It happened at the Count’s house, where there was still warm energy.

***

Even today, the Count worked at the Royal Palace until late at night, and only left work at night. After the long vacation, he was still busy.

As he entered the mansion where the darkness fell, his heart sank. However, there was a person who waited for him other than the butler.

It was the nanny, Marie.

“You haven’t slept yet?”

It’s been a long time since she’s been awake until this time, so he asks abruptly. No matter how much he saw, it looked like she was waiting for him.

“You just got home?”

“Yes, what’s going on?”

“No, I just couldn’t sleep, so I was talking to the butler because he would be awake.”

He didn’t know why he was feeling this way. Kentrail regretted the fact that she was not waiting for him. ‘This is ridiculous.’

He knows that wasn’t her intention, but he was more than happy that one more person welcomed him.

Marie is relieved that the lights in the mansion are mostly turned off, making her own face difficult to see. She must have blushed her face at the excuse that she came up with.

Recently, she had been told by the butler that the Count had come into the mansion late at night. So, when she couldn’t fall asleep today. Marie went down to the first floor and saw the butler, so she talked to him. Therefore, what she said wasn’t exactly wrong, but it seemed like a whisper in the corner of her mind, asking if that was just an excuse. In fact, in her heart, she was hoping to meet the Count.

“What about Brielle?”

“Asleep. Would you like to see him?”

“Sure.”

Even these days, when he returned from the Royal Palace, Kentrail would gently open the door and went to see Brielle.

“He’s sleeping with his stomach up.”

His skin became visible. It was impressive that Brielle’s stomach, which had been slimmer before, became plump again.

His face, reflected in the moonlight, carried a smile that seemed happy about whatever good dreams he was having.

And because of his cute appearance, the Count’s mouth rose up to his ear.

He lowered his shirt with a careful hand and covered him with a blanket. Kentrail could see him nodding and talking in his sleep. He then raised his hand and patted Briell’s chest. He also naturally learned how to treat him.

When the Count came out of Brielle’s room, Marie handed him a cup of hot tea.

“It’s a tea that relieves fatigue. Eujes said that.”

“Who?”

“Tutor Eujes.”

He made an expression after not drinking tea for four weeks.

“Let’s sleep.”

“Okay, good night.”

The Count simply looked back and glanced at Marie as she was going.

***

Finally, Berry left for the academy.

Ellie sent his brother off, hugging, and Marie was sad not to see the child for a while.

Brielle clearly changed his attitude in class. In the meantime, he was looking for Marie and joked occasionally, but now he focuses on his class and enthusiastically asks questions.

The Count was watching Brielle’s swordsmanship class from a distance happily.

The butler sighed from the side. No matter how much he looked at it, the master’ treatment was excessive.

‘Even if Barry has a talent for swordsmanship, you’re sending him to the Academy instead.’

There might be a reason for it, but the butler thought so since he doesn’t know.

Kentrail wasn’t ignorant of the butler’s thoughts, but his thoughts were firm. Although Barry had a talent for swordsmanship, he had to learn swordsmanship a little more systematically to protect his family.

‘It’s better since most civilians couldn’t afford it. So, he can learn in a good environment.’

That was what he felt.

“Uncle!”

Brielle, turning his head as he felt the gaze, found Kentrail and shook his arm. He approached him slowly, and he quickly looked around to see if Marie was around. He saw her glancing at them in the shade of a tree in the far distance.

The Count’s head turned back towards his oncoming nephew.

“You have improved a lot.”

“Hehe.”

Seeing that Brielle waved his arm shyly, he seemed to have no help in complimenting. The white cheeks were colored red from the heat of the sun. Then, the nanny came to them with a cold towel.

“Young master, cool your cheeks.”

“Hmm.”

A quick greeting to the Count, and she wiped Brielle’s cheek with the towel. Kentrail watched Brielle’s class until late that evening.

***

Another emergency was caught in the County.

This time, it was not because the only young master was sick, but because the master had a cold. Watching Brielle’s class wearing a thin shirt, he started coughing unusually. Though he just dismissed it. Although he was the one who repeatedly worked overtime in the royal palace for the last few days, so it was natural that he would catch a fever along with his accumulated fatigue.

“You’ve been overdoing it…”

Marie was nagging at the Count, clicking her tongue, after seeing the young master looking at his uncle with an anxious expression.

“To a sick person…now…”

He had no energy to answer, and Kentrail laid back his body that had been raised halfway.

“Marie… What’s wrong with uncle?”

As she sat down toward Brielle, looking at his teary eyes, she gently wiped the tears away so as not to hurt his eyes and said.

“It’s all right. The physician said that if he takes a break for about three days, everything will be better.”

“Really?”

“Of course.”

Marie was the first to discover Kentrail, who was covered in a cold sweat. She came to see him and asked if he wanted to take a morning walk with Brielle. She was worried and thought something terrible had happened.

However, after she realized that it was just a cold and flu, Marie recommended the Count to take this opportunity to cut down on his workload. She was more concerned about Brielle seeing her anxious, so she was deliberately showing a bright attitude.

The maids next to them glanced at the nanny. ‘What if he told her to get away because of his tough personality?’

Contrary to the words, it was Marie who stayed with Kentrail until the end.

She only sent Brielle up to the Count’s room once the cold had passed while constantly changing his towel and sitting next to him.

Then, when she heard a groan, she checked his fever once more before changing his sweaty shirt.

No matter how familiar she looked at the idols’ abdominal muscles on TV, Marie tried to look away from Kentrail as her face slowly turned red. However, the heat on her face did not go away, so she was looking at her fingertips.

Perhaps thanks to her nursing, the next day, Kentrail’s fever subsided a lot.

Upon hearing the news, Marie shook her head when she saw the Court Officials coming to see the Count.

‘How much do I have to restrain myself from eating a person?’

Since she was just a nanny, it was disappointing that she had no authority to block the official.

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