Childcare Diaries

That night, too, Marie lay down next to Kentrail and had a conversation.

Since the day they started sleeping together, she slept with him about twice a week. Even though it was only holding hands, the two of them, who were so excited to get to know each other, were having a conversation about dates where she had lived before.

“So you see plays there, too?”

“Yeah. We date indoors and outside like that.”

“What do you usually do outside?”

Wanting to get to know her more, he asked a lot of questions. It seemed that Marie’s world was the same as they were different.

“Hmm… We take a walk in the park and also walk on a crowded street… There’s nothing special compared to here. Ah! Come to think of it, there are couples who go hiking from time to time.”

“You mean climbing a mountain?”

Kentrail, who always rode the mountain to train, was shocked that it could be a date spot.

“Yes, it can be a force that guides and pushes each other. Love sprouts more.”

‘Love sprouts…’

Her last sentence made him plan a mountain hike. It was because he wanted her to love him even more.

“Did you like hiking, too?”

At the question, Marie wanted to shake her head, saying she didn’t, but she couldn’t bear to say that when she saw his expectant face.

“Well… I used to go hiking at school sometimes.”

“You go to the mountains at school?”

Kentrail was startled because, except for the swordsmanship academy, there were very few schools that went to the mountains to do something like that.

“Yes.”

“…I see.”

Even there, he almost asked a childish question if her love had sprouted though he bit his lip and swallowed the words that came out. He decided that he would definitely go hiking with her.

A man in love had become childish.

* * *

Brielle was like a flying squirrel. Kentrail exclaimed in admiration for his nephew’s mountain climbing skills.

“Brielle, you’ll get hurt. Go slowly.”

Meanwhile, as she was a little tired, Marie slowed down, and Brielle started to lead. Looking at the child, she opened her mouth with a weary voice.

“I should’ve… done…some exercise.”

“Are you having a hard time? Would you like to hold my hand?”

Kentrail held out his hand with a worried face as he asked that, and Marie did not refuse his help. It seemed that she couldn’t go any further.

‘…Are all the mountains here so steep?’

Obviously, the mountains seen from the mansion or the town area were as low as the hills behind the neighborhood, so she was puzzled.

Marie, who tilted her head and tried to sit down on a nearby stone, nodded when he offered her to rest. Seeing that, Kentrail hurriedly stopped her and took off the jacket he was wearing and laid it under her.

“The stone is cold.”

“Yes, thank you.”

A cool breeze brushed through her hair, and her exhaustion felt better for a moment. Watching that, Kentrail handed over the water the chef had packed, and she hurriedly took a drink, probably because her throat was very dry.

He felt sorry for her for having such a hard time. It was because he had picked a high mountain with great effort.

He did what she said, which was a hiking date.

They guided and pushed each other, and love would sprout from it. However, since all the mountains near the Capital were low and she could easily climb them without his help, he deliberately came to a high mountain some distance from the Capital.

To hold Marie’s hand…

He was worried that his own childish idea seemed to be giving her a hard time. But as she rested and her face brightened a little, Kentrail, too, let out a sigh of relief.

“Marie, are you tired?”

Brielle sat down beside her and patted her leg.

“It was a bit difficult, but thanks to the Young Master, I am getting the strength now.”

“Hehe, that’s good.”

Brielle laughed as he took the water Marie handed over. As he drank the water and gazed at the nanny, she wiped the water off the corner of the child’s mouth.

“Thank you.”

Brielle, who felt good about her taking care of him, felt better.

“Then, let’s go up again.”

Kentrail looked warmly at the two friendly people before getting up.

“Alright.”

“Yes.”

The three looked at each other and smiled affectionately before they started to climb the mountain again. They didn’t know that Taylor, who was watching this while escorting them from behind, had suddenly become lonely.

* * *

The three climbed to the top. Standing there, Marie shouted ‘yahoo,’ and the two men followed suit, screaming loudly. Meanwhile, hearing the sound return as an echo, Brielle jumped up and down in wonder.

‘Miraculous. I really seem to have moved the European landscape from where I was.’

Drunk with the beauty of the natural scenery, starting with the trees, she remembered her overseas trip a long time ago.

“What are you thinking?”

“Ah. There is a place similar to this place where I was.”

“What?”

Marie chose not to tell him that she had traveled abroad. For some reason, it seemed that he would prepare for an overseas trip as well. He seemed like someone who wanted to share all of her experiences with him lately.

“But, uncle…”

When Brielle’s voice, which had been excited until just now, calmed down a bit, the two heartbroken people quickly looked back at him.

The child cried a little.

“What’s wrong, Brielle? Does your leg hurt?”

When he shook his head, Marie leaned over quickly and met Brielle’s eyes.

“Hhhngg. Marie…”

“Young Master, why are you like that?”

Her concerns increased.

“That…”

Even though he said he was not hurt, Kentrail hurriedly checked the child just in case. Thankfully, he couldn’t see where the child was hurt.

“The clouds…”

“What?”

“I’m above the clouds, why is there nothing?”

“Ah…”

For a moment, Marie and Kentrail were at a loss for words before they bit their lip and started laughing.

Even though Brielle was serious, the two found this situation funny.

“Huh?”

As the two turned their heads without answering their words, Brielle glanced at them alternately.

“That…”

Today, Kentrail had destroyed his nephew’s innocence. The reason why Brielle was excited about the mountain hiking was he thought that he was going up above the clouds as he thought he had reached the top.

A long time ago, when Brielle was little, lying in the garden with Ellie and looking at the clouds, he said they looked like whales.

“Brielle… Originally, no one could live on the clouds.”

When Brielle cried again at his uncle’s words, Marie looked at the child with pity and then hugged him tightly. It was both cute and pitiful, so she and Kentrail waited for him to calm down, repeating smiles and consoling.

And so, the three of them made another memory.

* * *

Marie and Kentrail started to descend after shouting ‘yahoo’ countless times to raise Brielle’s mood again and enjoyed the mood at the top.

“Brielle, you have to watch your feet. It’s more slippery on the way down.”

“Do not worry about it, uncle.”

Kentrail, who was watching his nephew walking cautiously with a happy face, hurriedly called to Brielle in a small voice.

“Look over there, Brielle.”

A squirrel was climbing a tree where he pointed.

“Huh? It’s a squirrel.”

The squirrel that Brielle had seen in the park when he was little was flying around in the mountains this time.

“Woow…”

Marie also raised her head to watch the squirrels wandering around.

‘In the park, I was nervous when I saw the Young Master running towards the squirrel, but now, I can enjoy this moment like this.’

Seeing her expression, Kentrail carefully joined their fingertips. He must have known what she was thinking. Before Brielle could see it, the two people quickly let go and took the child, heading down towards the carriage.

* * *

Perhaps he was tired from his first hike, Brielle fell asleep in the carriage. Even the rattling ride did not disturb his sleep.

“I’ll sit next to Brielle.”

“No.”

Kentrail, who saw his nephew lying on Marie’s knee, said that he would change the position because her legs were going to go numb.

“I’m really fine.”

He sighed as she insisted. Brielle used to be stubborn like that.

“Yes. If your leg hurts instead, you have to tell me.”

“Yes.”

Marie replied dryly as she stroked the fine hair. Kentrail frowned, knowing she wouldn’t tell him even when her legs went numb. The next moment, she glanced up and smiled broadly when she saw his expression.

“Why are you smiling?”

“I like it when Kentrail worries about me.”

At that, his expression softened. He changed his expression and mood so easily.

“Actually, today… I had one concern.”

“Concern…? What is it?”

He hardened his expression, realizing that she had troubles he didn’t know existed.

“I was worried about what to do if I sweat too much while hiking today.”

Kentrail looked at Marie with an expression that was asking why. It was something he couldn’t understand.

“Isn’t it natural to sweat when climbing a mountain?”

“…I wanted to look pretty to you.”

“What?”

Hearing her answer, he asked back while barely able to hear her small voice. He then leaned over and urged her to speak again.

“I wanted to look pretty to you since we’re dating.”

Kentrail’s eyes widened as he wondered if he had heard it correctly. Soon, his face bloomed when he realized that he had heard correctly, and he marveled at how she could make him feel so excited.

“Didn’t you hate it when I sweated after swordsmanship training?”

“It can’t be. I just thought it was cool.”

There were times when her heart trembled when she saw him sweating after returning from swordsmanship training with the knight commander or Taylor.

“Me, too. So don’t worry about such nonsense.”

While the two looked at each other and laughed, the expression of the person who was on Marie’s leg became unbearably cold.

“…So, that means you two are dating.”

A cold, frosty voice soon broke through the friendly atmosphere of the carriage, and Marie and Kentrail froze.

“Brielle?”

“Young Master…”

It was the end for the two, who were careless because they thought Brielle was sleeping. The child started to cry once more. Hiking in the morning, which was just exciting, turned into the worst for him.

Upon arriving at the mansion, Brielle ran to the room and locked the door.