Chapter 22

Chapter 22

“Let’s go see the play.”

After eating red bean bread, she glanced at the place where Ellie was pointing at and saw a play about the love between a man and woman in full swing.

“Let’s go.”

This time, the Count hugged Ellie and headed towards the location together, with Brielle on the left, Ellie on his right arm.

“It must hurt your arm.”

“This is fine. Besides, these little ones wouldn’t be able to see the play if I didn’t do this.”

As there were so many crowds, Marie could barely even see the play with herself with her height. Fathers were even seen carrying their children on their shoulders.

She eventually turned her gaze to the stage, knowing that she had no choice but to watch the play in this state. It was a typical love story, which seemed the same here or where she lived before. So, Marie focused on the play for a while, but a problem occurred. Suddenly, an intense love scene began to appear.

Seeing so, Marie hastily moved her body in front of Kentrail and covered Brielle and Ellie’s eyes.

However, something she didn’t think about happened. While she was busily blindfolding both kids, she was standing in front of the Count. As the embarrassed woman lifted her head, Kentrail and her gaze met.

‘In a scene like this…’

The distance was so close, he could even hear if she gulped, but she couldn’t let go of her hands that were on Brielle and Ellie’s eyes.

The moments, which may have been a few seconds, felt like an eternity. The two eyes did not lose contact.

Well, until the two children brushed Marie’s hand away frustratedly.

***

The social world had been bustling after a long time.

It was because of the king’s misdeeds. Those who knew thought it was because of the Count since he was someone who wouldn’t tolerate being teased in front. So, everyone thought, surely it was him.

Inviting all the children to the Royal Palace. The king who decided to keep his word was also a great man.

Most excited of all would be the nobles since it was an opportunity for them to have the king get a good eye on their children. It was rare for children who had not yet officially prepared for the social world to be invited to the Royal Palace again.

Thanks to that, the etiquette teachers and dress room designers were busy and fully booked. The children couldn’t possibly wear the same clothes that they wore when they first visited anymore. So, they had to adjust their clothes. In addition, they must also correct their tone one by one in case the children may make a mistake in front of the king.

“An invitation came to you, too.”

Kentrail, who received the invitation letter the butler handed, told him to throw it away without reading it.

“We don’t have to go.”

“Shouldn’t you go? Wasn’t it because the king hugged Brielle the other time…”

“Ah…”

The butler laughed at the thought of the king holding all the children one by one.

“Then, would you go back to work after receiving this invitation?”

“I’m not certain. I’m thinking of taking a little more rest this time.”

Even though his master said that he wanted to take a break, in reality, he wasn’t at all because the Count was doing all the housework even when he was home. The butler hopefully wished the young master to grow up quickly, so he would be able to help the master at least a little.

“What about Brielle?” Kentrail asked.

“He is with the tutor.”

“The nanny, too?”

“No.”

At the butler’s words, Kentrail nodded once.

‘These days, he’s asking where the nanny is every time the young master has a class. Why is the master so curious about her?’ Nearly a month after this question was repeated, the butler couldn’t help but be questioned.

“Where is she?”

“She went to the terrace where she usually rests and reads a book.”

“I should go read the newspaper as well.”

Obviously, the butler was flustered. As soon as Kentrail woke up in the morning, he would always glance at the newspaper first thing. Regardless, the Count headed to the terrace even with the butler’s concerned face.

His favorite terrace was just opposite Marie’s, but gazing out the window, he could visibly see the terrace where she was resting. Ever since he had accidentally seen her sleeping there, whenever he heard that Marie was reading a book, Kentrail would head straight to this place.

“She’s sleeping again today.”

Most of the time, she would be dozing off like that, whether she had a book with her or not.

“Butler.”

“Yes.”

“Tell the maid to cover her with a blanket.”

Even though the butler, who wanted to say something, saw Marie sleeping on the other side of the terrace. He went outside without saying a word.

Shortly thereafter, a cozy blanket was covered behind Marie’s back.

The maid, who was running errands at the butler’s order, removed her book and supported her neck with cushions. There was a mixture of her personal interest. Usually, it was said that the maids and the nanny would usually be in a nerve war, but she was grateful that there was nothing like that with this nanny.

Rather, she was quite likable by many because several people had heard that she treated the maids as in good regards.

So, even though the maid thought she didn’t do much, she was glad it was good enough that she could at least do this for Marie.

***

“Huh?”

Marie got up from her seat and picked up a blanket that was falling to her side. Though she didn’t know who did this, Marie was grateful.

‘Even the cushion…’

It seemed that it must have been one of the maids who were sorry for her. Marie glanced around to find out if the maid was around, but unfortunately, she couldn’t find anyone.

‘Is the young master still in class?’

Some time had passed, so the class should be over soon.

‘In the beginning, Brielle would tell me to stay right next to him whenever he was in class, but nowadays, he tells me to wait somewhere else instead.’

As she climbed the steps, immersed in her thoughts about the reason why Brielle changed his mind, she was intercepted by someone else. It was the butler.

“Butler.”

“Are you busy?”

“No.”

“Then, let’s go out for a minute.”

“All right?”

Marie hurried her steps, wondering if he had anything to tell her secretly. However, the direction was a garden, oddly enough.

“Why are we coming here?”

“That’s… It’s a good day, but it’s too lonely for me to walk alone.”

Anyone could tell it was a sudden excuse.

‘Why is he doing this? The butler’s not someone who would do this normally. Well, I have no choice but to go with him.’

Desperately wanted to know the reason he called her, Marie pretended to go along with his reason.

‘I can see the young master’s room well from here, so he should call me when the class is over.’ Marie continued with those thoughts, but the butler words averted her attention.

“Thank you.”

“Yes?”

“I think I should tell you while I have this opportunity. The master and the young master have both been laughing a lot thanks to you.”

“No. Butler is really the strength to both of them.”

“Haha. Let’s both support them, then.”

“Haha.”

After, the butler concluded, but he continued to ramble about matters endlessly.

“Yes.”

Marie walked behind him, responded with a cheerful voice. Kentrail, who had told the butler to hold off Brielle’s class until she was done taking a walk, was watching the scene on the terrace with a gentle smile.

***

“Are you free tomorrow afternoon?”

At dinner, Kentrail asked Marie.

“Afternoon? Yes, I’m free.”

“Good. I was hoping we could go see Brielle’s furniture together.”

Brielle, who was taller now, had to get everything from his desk, his chair, and to his bed. The Count called the carpenter to the mansion last time, but this time, it seemed that he was planning to look around in person.

“All right.”

Marie replied, thinking about the furniture Brielle needed.

“Brielle, you have to go to your swordsmanship class.”

“But I want to go, too.”

Brielle, who was listening to the conversation between the two, interrupted.

“You have class.”

“I…I’m good, so I can take a day off.”

Kentrail burst into laughter at his confidence.

“Who said that?”

“Marie and Eujes.”

They were all subjective figures.

“So that means you have to work harder.”

However, the Count, who was a nephew-fool, was no different from them.

“Chi.”

Brielle bulged his cheeks for a moment and opened his mouth. Though he stared at the chocolate cake and smiled again straight away as if he had already forgotten about it.

***

The next day.

Marie checked her clothes. ‘I’m just going out to see the young master’s furniture together, so why am I so worried.’ She didn’t particularly like her hair, which was usually finely combed, was sloppy today, and the color of her usual clothes seemed too dull.

Eventually, after glancing back and forth, Marie left her room without liking it.

“Have you been waiting long?”

“No.”

She had heard from the butler that the Count would be running a little late, but Marie still came out quickly. Her impatience made her hasten her steps.

“And I’m trying to get things done quickly…”

The officer, who was leaving Kentrail’s office, heard his voice and murmured. ‘He had done his job much more concisely than usual, and he’s trying to finish it sooner… The Count even rechecked the work meticulously when he told me to get off work early today.’ The officer, who thought so, went out with a delightful face after finishing his work quicker than usual.

Watching the interrupter disappear, Kentrail spoke out to her in a slightly friendlier voice.

“Lunch?”

“I… Did the Count eat yet?”

“No. Let’s go out and buy some sandwiches from the streets.”

Kentrail could have asked the chef to prepare the food, but he wanted something different.

“Yes, let’s go to a place I know well.”

It was a place where she sometimes would buy snacks with Ellie on the days she wanted to eat them. Though there was a lot of ketchup, that was the charm of the street food.

“But…are we going to walk?”

“Is the furniture store far away? The store I was talking about is just a little walk away.”

Originally, it was planned that they would go by carriage or on horseback, but Kentrail, who wanted to increase time spent together with Marie a little more, chose to walk.

“It’s a little far, but not too far to walk.”

“I’ve been wearing comfortable shoes on purpose, so it’s fine.”

The brave answer went out.

“Let’s go together, then.”

He approached Marie in the distance with a sigh.

“Ah…yes.” With a wry smile, she went closer and stood next to the Count.

“Well, if you think I’m going too ahead, you can grab my sleeve.”

“Yes?”

Maybe she thought it was a joke, Marie laughed. It had been a while since she laughed like this.

‘I have only seen her smile quietly these days. Now, she’s laughing with her mouth wide open.’ His mood improved in an instant.

“Do you think I’m the young master?”

“You guys are similar in my eyes.”

“You’re making fun of me because I’m short, aren’t you?”

As he laughed silently, Marie clung to his side and continued to grumble.

“I am not small, but the Count is big.”

“Yeah… I guess so”

“Because it’s true.”

A stranger who saw them would have mistaken them for lovers. And so, the two headed to the sandwich shop, matching each other’s steps.

Along with the crunchy texture of cucumbers and carrots, sweet potatoes were circulated in the mouth while the meat was in charge of the end’s taste. The ingredients of the sandwich were pleasing to the taste of the two men and women.

“Is it delicious?”

“It is.”

Marie gazed at the Count who was eating the food from the store she introduced, and she, for no reason, became happy as though she had made it herself.

‘Looking at it, his lips look a lot like the young master’s.’

When eating something delicious, Brielle, whose white cheeks would swell like a squirrel storing food in their cheek, while Kentrail ate slowly, even though it may be seemingly different from the subtle raise of the tail of their mouths, were the same.

‘Same with the white skin…’

“Something’s on my face?”

Perhaps because she was staring at the Count too intensely, he asked as he wiped his mouth with his hand.

“No…”

Although Kentrail just peered suspiciously at Marie glossing over her words, he swept his lips once more with his tongue, still believing that something was on his face.

‘Heuk…’

Like someone who saw the things they should not see, Marie turned her head away because her face was turning bright red.