Childcare Diaries - Chapter 45

Kentrail and Marie were inside the mansion, looking out.

“Barry has grown so much. As soon as it was daytime, he went to practice, he was really mature.”

“I know. He could’ve rested a little.”

Marie grunted because she felt sorry for her brother. Kentrail stared at it. She had a cute upper lip that came out whenever she grumbled.

‘What was I thinking?’

His face turned red, and he quickly looked out the window. He resented himself for the fact that he seemed to be getting sly.

“What’s wrong, Count?”

Marie asked at his suddenly hardened expression.

“It’s nothing.”

Contrary to his expression, his tone was so soft that Marie smirked at him.

“Come to think of it, aren’t you allowed to wear something like an accessory now?”

“Ah…”

Brielle grew up to some extent, so it was okay to use accessories. However, wearing nothing has become a habit.

“As expected, did you not like the brooch I gave you before?”

“No. I really liked it.”

At Kentrail’s words, she hurriedly denied it.

The brooch was well placed on the corner of the drawer. She liked it, though she couldn’t help but think of Ellie, who would have told the Count, thinking of her real sister.

“I wanted to give you this.”

He took her hand, as Marie recalled the brooch she had in her room. Then, Kentrail gently put something in her hand.

When she opened her hand, an adorable necklace lay there.

“This… It’s really pretty.”

“I purposely bought a small piece of jewelry. In my mind, I wanted to get the biggest thing in the jewelry store, but I don’t think it’s your taste.”

“Can I have it…”

She couldn’t take it easily, and she hesitated.

“Of course.”

Kentrail said it would be a good fit. And then, he swallowed the words he couldn’t bear to say. He tried to say if they could wait for this situation to end with a confession. Still, he couldn’t…

Ellie and Barry had an unexpected accident, and he was the only one who could have done more than that. But, what is a future promise? He couldn’t be so selfish. He was able to be satisfied with just being able to convey his heart this way.

“Thank you.”

Marie held the necklace dearly.

“Could you please…?”

“Yes”

Going to Marie’s back, he bowed his back to fasten the necklace to her neck. His breathing reached her ear.

Her heart beat faster.

Outside, Brielle was excitedly swinging his sword. The Young Master was nowhere to be seen at this moment.

*** 

“Is he up?”

Kentrail went to the basement. It was the place where the criminal who tried to harm Ellie was arrested. The air that flowed inside the room was horrible because of the rusty moisture.

“Yes. But…”

The knight commander looked hesitant. His face was contorted in the light.

“Report.”

“Look at this. It was what he had.”

He came with something he had left on the table. It was a plaque used to instruct the secret business.

‘This pattern is…’

“Did he submit it directly?”

“No, it came from a search process.”

It was the pattern from the Queen’s family, his uncle’s family.

“Did you show this to him?”

“Yes. He admitted that he had received the instructions there.”

“…He has a light mouth.”

“Yes?”

“Compared to the rat that sneaked into our family, his mouth is too light.”

“Oh…”

In addition to that, to answer who gave the order to you, to put a plaque like that openly. It was like he wanted to be suspicious.

“Let me take a look.”

“Yes, this is it.”

Kentrail entered the basement, passing some criminals. They crouched every time the Count moved. As he reached the end of the basement with a gust of wind, he saw a man wearing a shackle.

‘It’s not a knight. Rather, it’s closer to the mercenary.’

These were the things that were revealed in their sitting posture and attitude.

‘To have the County’s plaque.’

He recalled Derek’s report. None of the maids and attendants who entered the palace were aware of this plan.

‘When my uncle visited the Queen’s Palace. Did he do something, then?’

“Raise your head.”

At Kentrail’s words, the knight entered the cell and grabbed the prisoner’s head.

‘It’s the first time I’ve seen that face.’

Carefully, he peered into his face.

“Do you recognize me?”

The person only shook his head. When he thought of Ellie, he felt like kicking it himself.

‘There is someone else to punish the criminal.’

In the end, Kentrail turned around and walked out.

*** 

“Butterfly!”

“Wrong.”

Brielle’s voice rang out. Meanwhile, Ellie, who sat in front of him, drew something and lifted it up.

“Dragonfly.”

She held out her sketchbook, and Brielle got it right.

“How does that look like one?” Siege looked at it and asked Barry.

“That’s what I want to ask.”

They were in a competition now. The game was presented by Marie. One person draws a picture, and one person sees and guesses it, so Brielle was guessing it.

The team that got the most questions right and won can decide to make a wish from the team that lost.

There was only one reason why Siege was involved in this childish game. It was to obtain a wish from Brielle, whom he had been aiming for before.

Siege and Barry were sure they would win. There was almost a ten-year age difference between Brielle and Ellie, and it could not be said that there was a small difference in age with Ellie.

From the pictures, they also thought they would be much better off and knew a lot more words. So, they accepted the challenge with confidence.

The only thing that surprised them was the fact that Ellie and Brielle had become knowledgeable by playing in the mansion.

Both were then reminiscent of each other and matched with wit rather than skill. Like the dragonflies, it was the racket that was drawn that they used to catch it together.

The winner, of course, went to Brielle and Ellie. They got 9 out of 10 questions right.

The two held hands and jumped from their seats.

Barry and Siege had no choice but to grant their wish, as they looked so cute.

“Tell me. What shall I do?”

They struggled. Marie wondered what the children would wish for.

The mouths of Ellie and Brielle, who had been discussing for a long time in the expectation of everyone, opened.

“Carry us all day. You must never leave us on the ground.”

It was a childish wish. Barry and Siege thought it was easy. So, he said he would gladly do it.

‘It must be quite difficult.’

However, Marie, who knew Ellie and Brielle well, was drawn to the scene where they would regret it later.

“Then, take us to the garden!”

Brielle had Siege, and Ellie had Barry.

Those who became human horses began to move.

*** 

The employees glanced at them today as well. After all, Ellie was needed to bring life to the mansion like this.

“Hurry. Brother Barry is faster.”

Siege laughed at Brielle’s rushing. He had been shaking and hanging from his neck, and now he was telling him to rush.

Still, Siege moved quickly to satisfy his desires.

“Hurry up, brother. The Young Master is almost here.”

This time it was Ellie. She kept urging behind Barry’s back, though she doesn’t know when this became a race.

“Now, are you talking about this place?”

Finally, they reached the garden and approached under the big tree.

“That’s right. Let me sit on a branch.”

Barry sat Ellie on the toughest, most curved peg branch. One after another, Siege brought Briel along.

“What is this treehouse?”

Siege, who had placed Brielle on a branch, asked, examining the tree. He responded excitedly to his question. It was the first time to show the existence of this treehouse to outsiders.

“This is the house my uncle made!”

The thick wood was coated with varnish, and it was resistant to rainwater. Brielle quickly climbed the tree and climbed up to the treehouse, as if boasting to Siege.

“He is a very kind person.”

“Look. Did I say that the public opinion was wrong?”

At Siege’s words, Barry spoke.

He couldn’t help but acknowledge Barry’s words.

“Yes.”

In addition, both Barry and Ellie showed their trust and affection for the Count. It was both parties.

As Siege looked around, he noticed that her grass had turned green as the snow was about to melt. The sky was blue. The treehouse that existed there really looked like something out of a fairy tale.

*** 

With Barry returning, Marie’s free time increased dramatically.

Unable to waste this time, she headed to the library.

‘As I study more about this world, I may come up with something.’

She walked through the long hallway and reached the door of the library. Then, she looked around. After the previous raid, it became a habit to be vigilant before entering this place. Marie couldn’t help but think about the situation at that time.

‘And, is Ellie okay?’

When she thought about it, Ellie came to mind.

‘As an adult, I suffer from trauma at something like this. However, was she pretending it’s okay…’

She decided to go to Ellie after only reading the book she was about to read and opened the door to the library.

The peculiar smell of books filled the tip of her nose. It was a bit hot inside with the warm sun shining down on it.

“Let’s see…”

She smirked and decided that she had to see it, so she set out in search of the book.

“I think I saw it around here.”

She was passing by as she looked for books to read to Brielle. What she was looking for was a book containing the families of aristocrats.

This book was not needed until now, as Marie, who became a fallen nobleman, was rarely asked for the family tree, patterns, or titles of the nobles, but after hearing that the queen’s family was the most likely candidate to kill Brielle, she was just thinking of finding out what kind of family this is.

“Here it is…”

It was an old book that was left untouched, so it was dusty.

“Blow.”

Marie, who had blown away the dust, opened the book. There, the details were arranged in markers.

“Too many.”

The problem was that the book was written in too small a font. It seemed unreasonable to read them all today.

‘Let’s take it and go.’

She took it with her and looked at it later. Kentrail has said before that she could take any book she wants and go check it out.

With such a heavy book, Marie came out of the library.

*** 

“Isn’t that too much?”

These were the words of Marie, who went to the library to see Barry and Siege, who were still holding Ellie and Brielle.

The two didn’t seem to realize how difficult this wish was until then.

Marie, who initially saw Siege and had rejection towards him, has now grown fond enough not to worry about Siege. He was the one who saved her brother, so she thought that she couldn’t be vigilant. There was no need to turn him into an enemy because the Count didn’t even mind.

“Yes. I never really thought Ellie would be this heavy.”

At her brother’s words, Ellie, behind him, pinched his back.

“Why are you saying that to a lady?”

Then she saw the snack that Marie had brought, and her eyes lit up.

“Sit down and eat some of this.”

Then, Ellie and Brielle went down from their brothers’ backs and sat down on their chairs.

“Ha. I think I’ll live now.”

Although he did not express himself like Barry, Siege also agreed. He didn’t know the younger siblings were so scary.

“It’s been a while since you got better. Are you really okay?”

As Marie was looking at Siege, Brielle, who was sad, looked at him worriedly. “It’s okay. If it felt unbearable, I would have been honest.”

Upon hearing this, Brielle sighed in relief.

Seeing the plump cheeks change with the mood swings, Siege’s eyes lit up.

Brielle’s cheeks, which had been emaciated because of Ellie, had recently swelled up again with sweet treats.

When Brielle looked away for a moment and then turned his head back to the original position, something pierced it.

“Huh…?”

His exclamation came out belatedly as the little boy was trying to understand the situation. When he turned his eyes, fingers were there. The culprit was Siege, whom he had ridden on all day.

Brielle would have been angry at any other time, though he hasn’t been able to do it so far because he was sorry that Siege was carrying him. So, he just stared at him with his eyes.

Siege was satisfied, not paying any attention to those eyes. It was much softer and nicer to the touch than expected. He wanted to press it one more time, but looking at his eyes, it seemed impossible.

Marie looked at this scene with dismay. She knew it well. When she saw Brielle’s cheeks, she wanted to press them, and when she pressed them again, she wanted to press more.

Marie’s hand was itching. But, Brielle would be really angry if she even pressed his cheeks here.