Chapter 20

Chapter 20

“You are here.”

It was Jayden and his father, Baron Jake. They were wearing bright colored clothes as usual.

“I think you’re late.”

“Since I came in just before you entered, it was safe, to be honest.”

Baron Jake, speaking with a smirk expression, was a target of nobles’ shunning in a different sense than Kentrail.

When he announced the marriage, so many were surprised. It was because he, who was only a baron, took a descendant line from a Marquis. It was even speculated that Baron Jake had hidden a lot of wealth since there was no reason for the Marquis to marry his daughter to a Baron.

In their eyes, Baron Jake was just an ordinary man. Rather, in terms of his personality, he was a person they wanted to avoid and didn’t want to be associated with because his clothes were outdated.

However, after breaking everyone’s thoughts, Sailey, the Marquis’ precious daughter, actually fell in love with him.

Kentrail also knew about these details because the Marquis had come to ask him to please stop Baron Jake. The thought of how much he agonized with it disappeared.

Eventually, he let go of his daughter.

Even though Jayden is a child of the Baron, the reason everyone was being careful was because they couldn’t ignore the Marquis’ background.

“What about your wife?”

Baron Jake, who was stabbed by Kentrail’s question, avoided his gaze and drooled.

“Hello?”

During this conversation between the uncle and father, Jaden and Brielle stood side by side to talk about events that happened since they hadn’t seen each other.

“…So, if my mother doesn’t go to my father right away…”

These were subjects that would make Baron Jake faint if he heard it. He couldn’t even imagine that his son would have witnessed the scene of the couple’s fight.

“Two young master masters. Nice to meet you.”

There were people who approached through this gap. Mostly, they were people who wanted to get acquainted with the Count or Baron, but they came to the children who seemed relatively gentle because of their uncomfortable personality.

Needless to say, Brielle’s angelic appearance and Jayden’s big eyes were slightly drooping down, giving off a feeling of a delicate little boy.

“Hi?”

The two treated the people with as much courtesy as possible while being wary of people they had never seen before. Before coming to the event, Brielle suffered through the hardships of learning manners.

“Ho-ho, my daughter also attended today. How about if you dance together after a while?”

“I’m…”

“Ah…”

Kentrail and Jake had already hinted to the children that they could slip away with their age as an excuse.

“Yes…”

Voices filled with regret came and went. A lady found her child who was playing and brought her to them.

“My daughter, Isla. Is it your first time seeing her?”

“It’s nice to meet you.”

“Hi.”

The girl dressed in a light pink dress was dragged away while having fun, so she wasn’t too pleased.

An hour went on. One by one, they began to introduce their own children to them. By now, Brielle and Jaden’s greetings were about to run out.

“That’s enough.”

It was Kentrail who saved the two children. He was in the back, hoping to see how far this situation would prolong, and decided to interrupt when his nephew’s facial expressions were getting worse.

“Ah…Count.”

Those who looked at his face suddenly thought of urgent matters that had to attend to.

“Oh, look at me. I left the shawl in the carriage, and I need to get it”

“Is it my turn to say hello to the king…?”

People quickly disappeared. Brielle blinked his eyes and looked up at his uncle.

‘Why?’

The child’s eyes began to grasp the mood. The people seem to be going away because they are scared of his uncle, but he couldn’t figure out the cause.

“Haa… I came to avoid that side and this side…”

This is why Kentrail hated the social world. They will use everything they can to achieve their goal, regardless of whether it is a child or an adult, if it is profitable.

***

While the queen was away, Kentrail took Brielle to the podium to greet the king. He was just going to say hello and leave.

“Oho, you’re finally here. I’ve been waiting for you to say hello.”

Brielle looked at the king once and greeted him in an elegant manner, with his left foot pulled back, and his one arm folded forward. Indeed, he learned from a person with the best courtesy in the kingdom.

“I guess this kid is Brielle. Come closer.”

He looked back at his uncle to see if it was okay to go. Then, he took courage from Kentrail’s slight nodding gesture and approached the man who sat on the throne, wrapped in all sorts of jewels.

“Uh?”

The reason the child suddenly made a surprise sound was because the king lifted him up and sat him on his lap.

All the nobles around them opened their mouths and looked around. Even though the king is sitting on the throne, how could someone sit in the same place as him?

The Count quickly took his nephew away with an angry expression.

“You must be joking.”

His low voice echoed in the banquet hall.

‘How…’ The king, who has no heirs yet, picks up Brielle and sits him on his lap. How could people not know what that means?

If the current king, who has no brothers and no cousins, couldn’t give birth to a child. It was more likely that he would adopt a child, which made the surroundings more fussed.

“Don’t be too angry. Brielle is cute, so I only wanted to hug him once.”

The king spoke in a rather casual way, but it was already after all the nobles had seen the act. After the count, who thought he was in trouble, hurriedly skipped greetings to the king, he took Brielle and got out of the place.

***

Refusal to speak.

Currently, Kentrail was stuck in the mansion and was not going work at the Royal Palace.

Outside the mansion, an official dispatched from the palace was blocked by the knights, so they couldn’t get inside and were stomping their feet.

After they visited on the king’s birthday, this atmosphere continued. Marie asked everyone around to figure out what had happened, but she still did not know exactly. It was through another party, Brielle, that she learned about this incident.

“Marie.”

“Yes, young master.”

“Is uncle angry at me?”

“What?”

She wanted to know what all of this was about because the Count was a man who never got angry with whatever Brielle did.

“In the palace…”

Listening to the child’s story, Marie gritted her teeth.

‘How can a man called a king…’ At first glance, it seemed that he would use Brielle.

“The Count is not angry with the young master.”

“Then… It’s not because of me that my uncle doesn’t go to work?”

“Of course. It’s just that there are people who he doesn’t want to see, so he doesn’t go out.”

His uncle was in a bad mood because Brielle was suddenly held by the king at the palace, so it was understandable that he misunderstood.

“If you’re worried, come to the office with me.”

“Can I do that?”

“Would you like to go find him some snacks?”

The butler, who they met in front of the office with a teapot and snack from the maid, greeted the two with a very delightful expression.

“Go in.”

They knocked in a hurry and followed the butler who opened the door. After entering the room, they saw the Count on the sofa with his eyes closed.

“Shh.”

Brielle touched his nose with his finger, moving sneakily in fear of waking his uncle.

Marie, who came in after him, carefully lowered her tray, which she had brought to the table. Looking around, it seemed that he was looking at the papers earlier because there were white papers on his chest.

She picked up the blanket on the other sofa, gently removed the papers from his chest, and put a blanket over his body.

“I’ll be here until my uncle wakes up.”

At Brielle’s words, Marie went to the bookshelf on one side of the wall and pulled out a book that the child could read. They were children’s books that have been placed some time ago.

“Here you go.”

“Yes, hehe.”

As he sat on the sofa opposite where his uncle was lying on, holding a fairy tale book, Brielle, who had been reading it for a little, began to doze off.

Marie carefully took the book out of his hand, laid one of the cushions on his neck, and laid him down. She then walked up to the window and pulled down the curtains to block out the sunlight that may hinder the two of them from taking a nap.

Standing there, looking at the two asleep, the smile won’t leave her face.

***

Marie was staring at Kentrail in horror. She wondered how she got herself in this position.

Clearly, there was a time of peace, but it was one knight who brought the eyes of the storm.

Knock, knock, knock—

Kentrail, awakened by the knocking sound, put his arm on his forehead for a moment to figure out what was going on and blinked his eyes slowly. Then, he smiled after he found Brielle, who was sleeping on the opposite side.

Marie had been looking at him and Brielle before knocking. She glanced at him with a vague look as she was waiting for the right timing to let Kentrail know that someone had knocked on the door.

Knock, knock, knock—

The knocking sound was heard again.

The Count finally raised himself up and told the person to come in. His voice was a little huskier than usual.

“Count, I think you must meet the official from the Royal Palace…”

There stood a knight of the family. It seemed difficult for them to continue to block officials from the palace since he was just a knight standing up against the official, who accepted the king’s order.

Kentrail sighed deeply and told him to bring those officials in.

“…Count. I’m going to wake up the young master.”

It was only then that the Count, who turned behind to the source of the voice, found Marie.

“Have you been standing like that? Doesn’t your leg hurt?” He got up from his seat and gestured at Marie for her to take a seat.

“It looks like an official will be coming, so I’ll be leaving.”

“It doesn’t matter. I think Brielle is also in the middle of his sleep, so just stay here.”

However, when Marie didn’t budge, he went closer to her, carefully grabbed her shoulder with a gentle hand, and sat her on the sofa.

With no time for Marie to stand up again, the official came through the open door.

“Count.”

Once when the Count was not feeling well, it was the official that came to visit.

“What’s wrong, did you come to get my resignation?”

Kentrail said as he pulled an envelope out of his desk drawer.

“No.”

The official who saw the writing on the outside became contemplated and waved his hand.

“Then?”

“I just came to deliver the letter from His Majesty.”

He took the envelope out of his arms and delivered it to the Count.

“I will do anything.”

With what was written on it, Kentrail pondered.

“All right, then tell him to do this. Invite all the children of the same age as Brielle to the Royal Palace and tell him to hug them in the same pose.”

“Yes?”

The official opened his eyes wide as he could believe what he had heard, so he asked again. Marie shook her head while sitting on the sofa.

“Really…will you come back to the palace only if he does that?”

“Yes, go to His Majesty and tell him.”

“I’d rather…ask for another condition.”

“Do you want me not to keep going to work?”

“Ah, yes.”

Kentrail’s strong would eventually lead the official out.

“Count, can you really do that?”

“I don’t care.”

Marie asked, looking worried about him.

“Wouldn’t His Majesty be angry?”

“It wouldn’t be worse than my anger at him trying to use Brielle.”

Hearing so, she bit her mouth. Kentrail, who didn’t want her to see his eyes, changed the subject.

“Is that for me?”

“Yes. I think it would be good if you eat it with the young master.”

“He’s still sleeping, so let’s drink it together.”

The Count, saying so, crossed over to the sofa and sat next to Marie. ‘The young master is lying on the other side, and he’s only just sitting here, but why am I nervous?’ Marie rebuked herself once.

“Well, this was delicious.”

He reached up to Marie’s hand and put a piece of candy on it.

‘Why is it so hot?’

His fingertips seemed to burn the area he touched. As she stared at the candy, Kentrail took the candy back and unwrapped it.

“Eat it.”

‘Uh?’ Marie was puzzled by the candy in front of her. ‘You mean, to take it to my mouth and eat it?’ She couldn’t decide what to do but eventually took the candy and put it in her mouth.

“Thank you.”

“It was nothing.”

Perhaps because there was candy in her mouth, he gazed at her as she mumbled as though she was adorable and drank the cold tea quietly.

This situation continued until Brielle woke up from his seat. And they didn’t realize that before Brielle got up, his eyelids were shaking.

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