Chapter 118
I Hope It Will be A Memory That You Can Also Take Out (1)
At Derek’s invitation, all the Count’s family went to his estate. Only Barry, who left for her girlfriend’s estate, was missing.
“Wow, the trees are so tall here.”
It was a height that was incomparable to the trees in the Capital City. Hearing Brielle’s words, Ellie nodded as well.
“I learned at school, it’s because of the temperature difference.”
“Temperature difference? Wow, Ellie seems to have gotten really smart in just a few days.”
Brielle, who was mainly taught as the heir of the family, and Ellie, who went to the school and learned her basic knowledge, sometimes knew different fields.
“Ahem, I’m kind of like that.”
Meanwhile, Marie and Kentrail burst out laughing as Ellie folded her arms and held her head up. After Barry’s graduation ceremony, they changed to a slightly larger carriage so it was possible for everyone to gather and ride in one carriage.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you.”
Everyone nodded at Marie’s words. As the King has been replaced, Derek’s position in the family has improved as well as the elders of the family also recognized him as a member of the family. That was why he invited them.
“Yes. I’m glad to hear he was doing well.”
A smile crept across Kentrail’s face.
While Derek called his Master, to him, the two were friends and when his friend was doing well, he felt good as well.
Knock, knock—
While they were talking, a knocking sound came from outside the carriage. When Kentrail opened the window, Taylor peeked out.
“Master, the knights of the territory are here to meet you.”
Taylor said, pointing forward.
Kentrail immediately ordered the carriage to stop moving. With a squeaking sound, the dark turquoise carriage stopped, and he, Marie, and the children got out.
“Hello, Count Charant. I am the commander of the knights here. The Lord wanted to come out to meet you personally though the monster subjugation schedule was scheduled, so I came instead. We’re sorry.”
He bowed his head. Kentrail took a step towards the commander.
“It’s fine.”
Kentrail nodded his head as if he understood. It seemed that the head of the family was away, and Derek couldn’t come out to meet him.
“I was told to serve you with all my heart. We will protect you.”
“Yes, thank you.”
The knight commander turned his head and greeted Brielle, who was standing behind him. Then, he glanced at Marie over Ellie. His gaze lingered on Marie for a moment.
Seeing that, Kentrail and Brielle’s eyes became fierce in an instant.
“You can guide us.”
Perhaps that was why. Kentrail spoke in a lower voice than before.
“Yes.”
The knight commander quickly withdrew his gaze and led them.
The castle where Derek lived was built to be used as a fortress during wartime. In the carriage, the children saw the castle and opened their mouths to say the same thing.
“…I’m scared.”
“It’s spooky. I don’t think I can sleep alone.”
Marie and Kentrail held the children’s hands.
Even though she didn’t express it either, Marie was also taken aback by the atmosphere so different from the Capital’s Royal Palace.
‘Maybe, it’s too dark…’
For some reason, it was a place that matched perfectly with the black clothes Derek liked to wear.
“Are the Count’s estate like this?”
Brielle’s head also turned to his uncle at Marie’s question. Conceivably because he had never been to the estate, the child’s face was full of curiosity.
“No. It was a southern granary, so the fortress has a slightly dark atmosphere. Still, it’s not like that in the stronghold. I went there sometime.”
Hearing his uncle’s answer, Brielle looked relieved. He would have to manage that place, too, because if it looked like this place, he was a little scared.
“There, that’s Derek.”
Everyone gathered at the window where Ellie had pointed.
Derek was out there waiting for them.
“Oh, really. Though… the clothes…”
Brielle swallowed the words. It was because unlike when he was with them, he didn’t fit in as he was wearing fairly bright clothes. Meanwhile, not knowing what they were thinking, Derek opened the door of the stopped carriage.
“Welcome.”
Then, he spat out a greeting.
Kentrail got off the carriage and held Derek’s hand.
“Long time no see.”
Derek smiled at his greeting. In the Capital, most of them had hardened expressions but seeing them here, it was fortunate that they had more relaxed expressions.
“Hello?”
Derek looked at Kentrail and turned his head at the sound next to him. It was Ellie. And beside her, Brielle was waving his hand, and Marie nodded as well.
“Long time no see.”
He gazed at the children who had grown up. It seemed that a little over a year since they separated had been such a long time.
“I came, too.”
The next moment, a man jumped out from the side of the carriage and greeted him.
“Sir Taylor.”
The two, who were awkward at first, became close through many adversities together. People thought it was strange that two people with completely different personalities became friends.
“The room has been prepared.”
The butler of the estate intervened in the atmosphere where they would seem to be spending the whole day outside the castle.
“The chef prepared lunch carefully. Please unpack and come down.”
At his invitation, everyone started to enter the castle.
“Derek, this is a gift.”
After lunch, as they were sitting in the parlor drinking tea, Ellie held out something to Derek.
“This…”
“This is a return for the gift you gave me before. I heard you gave it to sister, too.”
Hearing her words, Kentrail’s eyes went to Marie, asking if that was true. At the same time, Brielle put on a gloomy expression saying that Marie was too popular. She only got it as a bonus, but she laughed when she saw the two uncle and nephew reacting like this.
Even in their eyes, she was the best, so it was a relief.
“Thank you.”
When Derek opened the gift box, it contained ornaments that could be attached to a sword.
Perhaps he really liked it, he said he would wear it right away on the sword he was wearing.
“I’d like to show you around the estate right away. But since you’ll be tired, why don’t you go out with me tomorrow?”
Kentrail nodded his head at Derek’s suggestion. While he was fine, Marie and the children would be overwhelmed.
“You can look around the castle instead. I told the butler, you can go anywhere in the garden or greenhouse.”
Ellie and Brielle, who would normally have been excited about visiting the castle, were somehow quiet. It was when Marie glanced around the children as it was strange.
Ellie asked in a low voice.
“Well… Derek. Please don’t be offended and listen.”
Derek wondered what the kid was trying to say so carefully.
“Here… at night…would something come out?”
She asked because it reminded her of a scary story she had read in an old book. It was the time when Brielle was just staring at Derek’s mouth as he was curious about it, too.
“Oh? At night, someone walks around.”
A voice came from right next to Brielle. It wasn’t Derek’s voice.
The children looked around in amazement.
There, the butler they saw earlier was grinning. As the children gazed at each other with frightened eyes, Derek gave the butler a look that said he was uselessly joking, somehow the butler emphasized once more that it was true with his serious face.
“Sister.”
Ellie came to her sister, holding her pillow. Marie looked anxiously at his sister’s trembling voice.
“I’m afraid I can’t be alone.”
It was clear that the butler was playing a joke though the children seemed to believe the story.
“I’ll sleep with you.”
“Yes.”
It seemed that she had even brought her pillow to stay with Marie, even though it was still far from bedtime.
“Hng. I already miss the mansion.”
It was the first time Marie had seen Ellie so weak. The child who ran through the mansion wearing a cape in place of Brielle went somewhere, leaving only the child who was holding on tightly to her sister’s warmth.
She stroked Ellie’s hair.
Because it felt good for her to depend on her sister. As she grew up, Ellie, who tried to do anything by herself, was admirable although it had been a long time since she fully relied on Marie.
“Are you that scared?”
“Of course. What if I’m sleeping and it’s watching me?”
“Then, sister should kick them out.”
Marie said, tickling Ellie’s side.
“Haha, it tickles. Stop it.”
The child who had been frozen finally relaxed her expression.
“I don’t know how the Young Master is doing.”
Marie spoke in a voice full of concern. It was because Brielle was clearly as frightened as Ellie.
“He said he would stay with the Count.”
Kentrail and Brielle were assigned to the adjoining room, so it seemed that way.
“Yes, Ellie. Sister will protect you, so don’t worry about anything and just have fun.”
“Yes!”
Ellie, clinging to Marie’s side, answered livelily but that didn’t last long.
They ate dinner together.
The meal prepared with care by the chef was well suited to the tastes of Marie, Kentrail, and the two children.
“This is delicious.”
Brielle seemed to like the omelet among them and quickly emptied a plate.
“Should I ask the kitchen to prepare more? Would you like some more?”
When the butler standing next to him asked, the child shook his head.
“It’s okay. I’m already full.”
Laughter bloomed on the table because of Brielle tapping his belly.
“Does anyone else want something more?”
“No, I ate too much.”
As Marie laughed, she added that the chef’s culinary skills were top-notch.
“The chef will like it. When you’re full, how about taking a short walk through the garden? This place is famous for flowers that bloom only at night.”
“Oh, is that so?”
When she put on an expectant look, Kentrail invited her to take a walk.
“Okay. Shall we all go together?”
Marie was peering at Brille and Ellie.
“Leave the two of them here for a while. The special cocoa here is really delicious. I’d like to serve them.”
The butler said he would give the children cocoa and suggested that the two of them go.
“Ah…”
It was when Marie, who didn’t like being separated from the children, was evasive about the words.
“It’s okay, Marie. Ellie and I will be drinking cocoa here.”
“That’s right. I’ll take care of them.”
When Brielle and the butler said that again, she couldn’t continue her words.
“Then please.”
In the end, Kentrail was the one who accepted the offer instead of the hesitant Marie. On the other hand, Ellie didn’t want to part with her sister, but the Young Master said it was okay so she couldn’t be stubborn and clenched her fists.
‘It’s kind of strange.’
She looked at her sister, whom she couldn’t see as she left the place with the Count. Derek soon left the dining room as well, saying that he had work at the mansion.
In the end, Ellie, who was with the butler together with Brielle, was only swallowing a gulp.
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