Chapter 21

Chapter 21

A scream rang out in the quiet County, and when he heard this, the first person to go straight to the source where the sound was heard was Brielle. Frightened, his face while running to the source was pale white.

“Ellie!”

The child ran toward Ellie, who screamed in with an anxious voice.

“Young master.”

When he got there, Brielle flinched for a moment. He saw Ellie screaming while standing on the table.

“What’s going on?”

First, he asked as he examined the room carefully.

“A bug!”

“Huh?”

“The bug is over there!”

As he followed Ellie’s hand and turned his gaze, a bug that appeared to be a cockroach was flying around. Brielle had never seen such a big bug.

His heart started to beat rapidly along with Ellie’s, but he pressed his fears. Didn’t he make a promise to Barry? He decided to be a great master.

‘It’s just a bug.’ He closed his eyes tightly and threw the book next to him, aiming at the cockroach. The book quietly flew away, wrapped up the bug, and fell to the floor.

“Sigh…”

“What a relief.”

Both of the children who saw it swept their chests, feeling relieved.

“Ellie, call me again next time. I’ll catch bugs anytime.”

Brielle, with his elated voice, looked at Ellie.

“That’s great. Brielle.”

However, the answer came from somewhere else. It was Kentrail’s sound coming from in front of Ellie’s door.

Kentrail, who had already heard Ellie’s scream before Brielle threw his book, was watching the scene. He wondered what his nephew would do, and in such a sudden moment, he was just watching, thinking that it would not be bad for Brielle to develop his coping skills in an unexpected situation.

Even the knights who jumped up at the scream pressed their laughter to the situation in the room.

“Count…”

Finding him, Ellie called the Count with a cautious voice. Her face turned red, and she couldn’t even think about coming down from the table.

Brielle also slowly turned back and looked at his uncle. The child’s eyes were shaking with embarrassment for throwing the book in order to catch the bug.

“Good job, Brielle.”

He said in an exaggerated voice, as Marie used to do when trying to cheer Brielle up.

“Really?”

“Yes. Flying bugs are tricky opponents. It’ll be difficult to catch even with swordsmanship.”

He turned his gaze back and pressed the knights to agree.

“That’s right. Young Master.”

Only then, a smile circulated on Brielle’s face.

“I have to go and help Ellie.”

At that, Brielle held his hand out so Ellie could come down from the table. Although he was too small and didn’t exactly help much, the sight was so beautiful.

Quietly leaving the room, Kentrail ordered the knights to eradicate the bug.

***

“Count.”

The flowers were in full bloom as they boasted their beauty, and the zelkova tree that could be seen in the distance seemed to give a refreshing feeling just by looking at them. In front of all that, she called him with a kind voice that she, who was dazzling more than anything else, once called Brielle.

Dressed the way she usually never does, she was more beautiful and fragrant than any other flower. And unconsciously, he kept taking steps towards her.

At last, the moment Kentrail and Marie were about two fists apart.

Keugh—

She stretched out her feet and hit him in the abdomen.

‘Why… At such a good moment.’ With a blow stronger than expected, he took a quick breath. For a moment, he looked at her with a brutal glance, her attack followed once again, and he opened his eyes wide.

“Uncle!”

Kentrail only realized then that it was a dream. It was his nephew’s little feet that were hitting his stomach.

“Brielle.”

“Hehe, you’re up now.”

Waiting for him to wake up since he entered his bedroom, Brielle must have initiated a physical attack directly.

‘Is it possible that I had such a dream yesterday after seeing the butler and the nanny walking tenderly in the garden?’ She wasn’t guilty of any crime, but his face burned.

“Huh? Uncle?”

Brielle raised his little hand and placed it on his forehead. Then, he lifted his forehead and brought it to his uncle. He tilted his head slowly as he wasn’t really sure.

“It’s a little warm.”

“It’s okay. It’s because I just wake up after sleeping.”

‘Was it because he had suffered from body aches and lied down again,’ thought Brielle. Easily reassured, Brielle asked once again.

“Really.”

Eventually, he lifted his upper body and leaned on the bedside. Kentrail stroked his nephew’s head, and a laugh of satisfaction came out. He felt that the tip of Brielle’s hair, who had just washed his face, was damp.

“What about your nanny?”

“Marie is still sleeping.”

Come to think of it, it seemed that dawn had not yet risen properly. Although the curtains were down, it was still dim, and the sunlight did not shine in the room yet.

“Why did you wake up so early? Did you have a nightmare?”

“No, I just couldn’t sleep well.”

Brielle’s vocabulary has increased rapidly these days.

“Is that so? Then, would you like to sleep some more next to uncle?”

“No. I woke uncle up because I wanted to play.”

“What do you want to play with?”

The purpose of Brielle’s visit was to ask him to play. Marie said that as she taught children at this age, they love to play with their bodies. For example, he was riding on his legs now. Kentrail couldn’t understand why this could be fun, but seeing his nephew liked it, he enjoyed himself as well.

“Uncle, more~ ​​more~”

He put Brielle’s belly on his feet and pulled his legs toward his body.

“Hehehe.”

As Brielle’s peculiar laughter filled the room, the tail of the butler’s mouth lifted as he stood at the door as well.

“Fun?”

“Hmm.”

The two people who got closer to each other sometimes wandered around the mansion, dangling on each other, shocking the attendants.

The two men got along well from dawn and kept doing this until Marie arrived.

***

The count kept his promise. After asking Marie to call Ellie, he finally decided to go out tonight. Brielle was in a hurry to make his preparations first, then stood at the entrance to the mansion and rolled his feet.

“Young master.” Ellie, who found Brielle from a distance, ran and called him.

“Ellie.”

Both were dressed thin in the warm weather.

“How about sister?”

Marie would always be next to Brielle’s side, so when her sister wasn’t visible, she asked.

“She went to call my uncle.”

It was more accurate to say that she went to rush him because it was faster to go and get him in person than to ask the servant.

“Uncle.”

On the second floor, Brielle, who found Kentrail and Marie coming down, beckoned them to hurry, raising his hand. So, they all got on the carriage and set off to the market. Next to them were two escort knights running on horseback, escorting the carriage.

***

Everyone in the market stared at the big white carriage with curious eyes.

It looks like the carriage which a nobleman would ride, and it has the pattern of the family they saw somewhere. People’s eyes were fixed on a child who stopped and got off the carriage.

‘Such a cute-looking child.’

Some of them recognized Ellie, who followed Brielle. When her sister said she was working at the Count, everyone guessed it was the count’s carriage.

However, the curious gaze only stayed for a while since it was common for nobles to appear at festivals that lasted a week after the king’s birthday. Everyone was busy doing their business.

When Brielle first got out of the carriage, he flinched at the attention he caught but was relieved when Ellie grabbed his hand. In addition, everyone quickly turned their eyes away, and his shoulders slowly relaxed.

After the tension was relieved, the market that caught his eyes was fascinating. They were all decorated with flowers of the same kind, cheerful music was playing everywhere, and the streets were filled with people drinking alcohol and drinks. Some were even dancing.

Not only that, people of all ages, men, and women, who enjoy the atmosphere seemed to come out with friends and families. There was also a lantern rising above the darkened sky.

Excited, Brielle pulled his hand from Ellie, who was holding it.

“Let’s go quickly and play.”

“Wait.”

She caught Brielle in a hurry. Ellie then looked at her sister and the Count. Only then was she allowed to go, and the child held hands with Brielle.

“I want to dance, too.”

She didn’t know how grumpy Brielle was when he heard through Ellie that Marie had met and danced with Eujes at a festival some time ago. He even secretly danced with Marie and Ellie.

But now, he saw and knew that the dance was nothing more than a flimsy pretense.

“Wow.”

It was amazing. Everyone is doing the same movement alternately. Ellie, who gave Brielle a chance to adapt, finally jumped into the crowd.

The two were very excited.

As Marie stood with a warm smile, the Count said he could dance with her. He had already heard from Ellie that the tutor and Marie had spent a good time together.

“No. It’s okay just to watch the young master dance.”

“Why do you think I brought the knights’ escort today?”

He took Marie’s hand and stepped through the crowd.

“Huh? Count.”

As he began to dance skillfully, Marie made a quaint expression.

“When did you learn this?”

“I came out with my brother sometimes.”

Listening to the Count’s words, she could see that his elder brother had a fairly modest personality. Maybe he didn’t come out once or twice, just looking at the natural way he hung out with the people next to him. He was good with a fast tempo, slow tempo, and particularly skillful.

While looking at him, Brielle pulled Marie’s hand when he came to her side.

“Young master.”

“Hehe.”

He was really excited, the two chubby cheeks fluttered and blushed, and they were bright as if he had been touching his cheeks. Brielle seemed to be short of breath, but he didn’t seem to want to rest.

Seeing this reminded her of him bouncing to match her music. He was so cute back then, but now, he was charming.

However, she couldn’t see Ellie next to him, so she looked around. Then, she saw her holding the Count’s hand. Maybe it was because they had been around each other since they were young. The two seemed closer to each other. Now, there was not much awkwardness.

And at that moment, Marie made eye contact with Kentrail again.

‘Why does the world look so slow?’

His smile, the flicker of his eyes, and his trembling eyelashes were so clear in Marie’s eyes.

Eventually, only after dancing three more songs, the four people came out.

From then on, they started searching for food. In case she would lose the children in the crowd, Brielle was hugged by the Count, and Ellie caught her hand between Kentrail and Marie.

“Oh, it looks like the whole family came out.”

The owner asked at the store where she first went to eat chicken. Before Marie was embarrassed to say no, the Count asked for a big one.

He knows how to say that?’

It was the first time she saw him like this. Marie began to enjoy and continued to listen to him.

‘No one remembers us in the midst of so many people.’

“Mom.”

Maybe that’s why Brielle and Ellie went one step further.

“Uh?”

She was just confused and answered. The owner of the store selling buns told her why the daughter and son were so similar to their mother and added one more bun for them as a gift.

Marie looked back in case the Count would feel awkward, but he was just laughing.

The festival, being among the lively people, and the relationship brought them closer together.

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