Childcare Diaries - Chapter 37

“Shall we have a dictation quiz today?”

“Ugh!”

The time that Brielle hates the most has come. The tutor, Eujes, quit and the teachers who taught him were repeatedly changed. But, after the teacher recently quit, there was a gap in hiring new people.

She couldn’t neglect Young Master’s studies, so Marie decided that she would do what she could, even if it was minimal.

“Can’t we do it next time?”

“No, we can’t.”

For Brielle, who speaks advanced vocabulary, his dictation was oddly out of control.

“Sniff!”

He tried to fake weeping, but it didn’t work with him.

“Write down the wrong sentence ten times. You’re not leaving the room before that.”

Brielle, who was obsessed with playing chess, has been busy playing with Ellie these days. There was nothing more painful than not being able to go to play.

Marie began to dictate while Brielle wrote the words on the paper as he whimpered.

He got two out of ten wrong. The language here was also quite difficult for Marie, too, so this was something she was learning along with him as well. Though she made him strictly write ten times that were wrong.

Brielle lay on his face and began to write, stomping his little feet.

Small round letters were embroidered on each piece of paper. It was Marie’s favorite handwriting. She was secretly collecting Brielle’s dictations every time he made a mistake. She would later show it when he grew up and he had a handwriting similar to the Count, unlike now. She wanted to let him know that there were times like this.

“Done!”

Brielle cried out brightly as he pressed the red spot on his elbow that was hurt from writing as he was lying on his stomach.

“Let me see…”

A piece of paper was held in Marie’s hand.

“Good job. You can go and play.”

“Yes.”

The sound of the small footsteps hurried away. It was obvious where he was going. It must be Ellie and her room, which was right next door.

“There, you and Ellie have fun and play chess.”

The play materials of the two children, who had not been able to leave the mansion for a long time, never dried up.

‘I want to give Ellie a proper education…’

As her worries as an older sister deepened, now she seemed to have time to decide Ellie’s course.

*** 

“I want to be a teacher.”

Marie was astonished. She didn’t know Ellie had such clear dreams.

“Is this a sudden dream for the future?”

“No, I’ve been thinking about it for a long time.”

“Really?”

“Hmm.”

There was a school that local children went to even though it was not as big as the academy.

There she studied literature and also learned enough liberal arts to go to a vocational school. The younger children were usually left at school instead of their working parents and spent a lot of time playing there. Since Ellie entered the mansion, she also had been there for about a year.

“I want to take care of young children like the Young Master.”

Marie remembered her own past. She herself had raised her dream like that. Because of her aptitudes and dreams, which she later discovered, she gave up being a kindergarten teacher. Still, instead, she became a nursery teacher.

She was more fond of Ellie, who had the same thoughts as her.

“Why did you come up with that thought?”

She wanted to hear the reason why her younger sister dreamed of such a future.

“Being with the Young Master, I can see how much you love and care for children. And, seeing what my sister is doing, I know how rewarding it is.”

At that, she hugged Ellie tightly.

“You know that you have to study a lot more for that?”

“Yeah. Don’t worry. But, sister, wouldn’t it be better if I came in as a maid?”

The children who come in as maids start working around Ellie’s age. She said that if she started working first, her family’s financial situation would improve, and her sister would be able to stand more confidently in the County, so she had a lot of troubles alone.

“Why are you thinking like that? I want you to do what you want to do.”

“But… to stay here…”

Ellie sighed and said so. She said that the Count had brought their younger selves here, though she would have to leave this place once she was able to stand on her own.

“Who told you to worry about such useless things?”

The person who heard Ellie’s voice and responded was Kentrail.

“Count…?”

The two were startled by the sudden voice. It seems that the door, which she thought had been closed tightly, was slightly open.

“Even if you’re not staying in the mansion, lock the door during bedtime.”

He was checking Brielle’s room but was worried that they might not have locked the door properly due to the light leaking from their room, hence he came to the door and heard Ellie’s words and interrupted the conversation.

“Yes, I was going to check one more time before going to bed.”

Nodding his head at Marie’s words, he looked at Ellie.

“You can stay here forever if you want. You don’t need to look at that kind of thing. Did someone say something unworthy to you without me knowing?”

“No, Count.”

Ellie quickly denied it.

“Yes…Still, a maid—why did such a story come up all of a sudden?”

It seemed that the Count had heard from the middle of the conversation or that he had not heard that Ellie wanted to become a teacher.

At his question, Marie asked Ellie with her eyes, if she could say it. When the child’s permission came, she answered.

“Ellie says she wants to be a teacher in the future.”

Kentrail turned towards Ellie at those words. The child sat, restless, fearing that he might laugh at her own dreams.

‘What if he says it’s impossible because of my lack of learning?’

Sitting next to her, the Count opened his mouth.

“That’s a great idea, Ellie. You’ll be fine.”

“Really?”

Ellie was thrilled that the most brilliant person she ever knew would tell her that. It was as if her dream had come true.

“Yes. Who else would be a teacher if she wasn’t a smart and kind kid like you?”

“Hehe.”

The child laughed out loud. Marie stared at the scene with a smile.

“I’ll give you a tutor after this period is over.”

Marie and Ellie were surprised at that. The two of them quickly came to their senses and were busy refusing.

“It’s okay, Count.”

“But, you said you want to be a teacher?”

“Yes. Although I’m not on the academy’s side, so you don’t have to give me a tutor. I can do it myself.” Ellie spoke clearly.

“If you ever need my help, just tell me.”

“Yes. Thank you.”

After the three of them talked a bit more about Ellie’s future, Kentrail and Marie went out into the hallway.

“I was really surprised. I didn’t know that Ellie would have thought about her future so firmly. I guess she thought she would always remain the way she was.”

He smiled at Marie’s face as if reflecting on it.

“Me, too. Looking at Brielle, he still looks like a baby. I’m afraid he’ll fall while walking even though he’s climbing trees now ”

The two faced each other. Brielle’s appearance was still like a baby to Marie. It was as if she could see him toddling around because of his diaper.

“I’m glad they both seem to be doing well, though.”

“Yes, Barry as well. It’s all thanks to the Count…”

At that, he turned his head in embarrassment.

“You did more than me.”

“Ah, no, thanks to the Count.”

It was like a couple praising their children and encouraging each other.

“…Do you have a dream? There, you said you had a job looking after children. Is there anything else you want to do here?”

Marie’s eyes widened at his question.

“…Dream?”

After coming here, she was desperate to save Brielle, and since then, she has been taking care of the children, unaware of the passing of time.

Even in the world she lived in before, the job that best suited her aptitude and the job she chose to get was a childcare teacher, so she couldn’t even think of another dream.

“… I do not know.”

“Think about it. The children are growing more and more.”

With that said, Kentrail wished they could still stand side by side in Marie’s dream.

*** 

Kentrail entered the palace after a long time. In the meantime, he was afraid of emptying the mansion, so he had wasted his vacation. The king, knowing his circumstances, gladly gave in.

“Chancellor.”

“Long time no see.”

It was Biddle who had endured the past five years under him. Even though he was of commoner origin, the Count saw that he was bright, and he who was just a minority official had moved under Kentrail.

While he was away, most of the work was done by him and only the approval was left.

Looking at the approval documents, Kentrail was satisfied that his eyesight did not seem to be wrong. He was sincere and without great greed. He stated that there were no unfair profits in the filing that he checked.

“It must have been difficult.”

“No. Are you all right? I’m more concerned about your health than I am.”

Biddle asked, seeing that the chancellor, who had been working for a long time, had lost more weight than himself, who was constantly working overtime.

Because of his status as a commoner, it is difficult to know what is going on with the Count, but from the news he picked up, it seemed that something bad was happening.

“It’s not a big deal. I look like this after I neglected to eat because I didn’t have an appetite.”

“Yes…”

He nodded as he looked at the superior, who didn’t want to reveal what was going on.

“Then, I must report to the King. Are you going, too?”

He was startled by Kentrail’s next words. He never even thought that a commoner like himself could go to an audience with the King.

“How dare I…”

“Isn’t this all done by you? I just checked and stamped it. So, you’re qualified.”

“However—”

Even his words were something enough to be grateful for. When he worked elsewhere, it was natural for his superiors to take over what he had done. Oftentimes, they didn’t even commend him for his ordinary hard work.

“Don’t worry. Trust me and follow me.”

He was shaken by the firm words of his superior. If it wasn’t now, there wouldn’t have been such an opportunity for a commoner like him.

Eventually, Biddle started walking down the long corridor following the Count. And, while walking along the hallway, his arms and legs move in the same direction with tension.

*** 

The large, greased heavy door was opened without a creaking sound. On a high podium, a man was sitting.

Biddle seemed to be choking under the pressure of the throne. He felt the presence, even though he didn’t dare to raise his face to see the King.

“Your Majesty. I have submitted your request.”

“Oh, you’re finally back, Chancellor.”

Even so, his superior, who spoke without hesitation, seemed great.

The King raised his voice a little as he was happy to see him.

“Yes, this is a document that has been approved for urgent matters.”

The chaplain, who was next to the King, walked over and accepted the papers the count had handed him. In Biddle’s ears, only the sound of his own saliva gulped due to tension continued to be heard.

Did they hear his subtle voice? After receiving the paperwork he was handed over, the King asked the Count.

“Who’s standing behind you?”

“He is the one who took over the work while I was away. I brought him here because I thought His Majesty would congratulate him on his hard work.”

“My name is Biddle.”

He trembled and answered.

“Biddle? Which family are you from? It’s the first time I’ve heard of it.”

“I am a commoner.”

Biddle had a sense that something was coming to the conversation between the king and his superior. He was nervous as if a thunderbolt would fall, asking if a commoner would set foot here.

Both his hands were trembling.