Chapter 75

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 75

Chapter Title: The Count I Met Again (5)

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Fortunately, after that day, I didn't see Vincent anymore. He didn't stay here; he only visited occasionally. Unless he went around meeting every servant one by one, there was no point of contact between him and me. Just seeing him from afar or brushing past him in passing. He didn't remember me, and I wasn't about to do something stupid like pretending to know him.

The probationary period was three months. Anyway, once that was over, I'd have to leave this place. Better this way. Since this wasn't the Stella Count's residence but the Bellunita Count's estate, I couldn't stay here any longer. This wasn't the annex where I'd lived in the past or the main mansion, and the butler who had threatened me wasn't here either. For now, it wasn't dangerous, and I'd almost gotten used to it without realizing.

I reminded myself again why I'd run away from this place. What the hell was going on now? I didn't know, but it didn't matter anymore. I wouldn't settle here. When the time came, I'd leave. It might be fine now, but who knew when or where the butler might spot me.

Less than two months left. Alicia would do everything she could to stay, so I could just leave on my own then. This place wasn't one I could settle in, but it wouldn't be all bad for her to live here going forward. I had no intention of getting hired on, and even if they offered, I'd make an excuse about not fitting in and leave.

Whether I wanted it or not, the end would come.

I needed to save up as much as I could until then.

'Anyway, he doesn't need me anymore.'

My place in this mansion was truly gone now. I brushed off the bitterness with a smile. What had I even been hoping for? This was for the best.

But life doesn't go the way I think it will. Our encounter continued in a different way.

"Young Master?"

I opened the door to attend to Robert as usual, but the room was empty. The nanny had gone out early that morning, so I'd handled his morning and lunch alone. In the short time I'd gone down to the kitchen and back, Robert had vanished.

But I knew right away where he was.

I spotted Robert grunting as he tried to climb onto the horse-shaped iron frame. I'd wondered how he could get up on something even I struggled with, but he was using his little feet to step on the square base supporting the frame's legs and leaping up. It was clearly not his first or second time.

"Young Master!"

At my shout, Robert startled and turned his head. Spotting me, he looked unusually flustered. At the same time, his awkwardly perched body slipped, and I rushed over to catch him as he fell. That had been close.

"D-Don't scold me."

"I won't."

I let out a sigh of relief and lifted Robert the rest of the way up. Seated on the saddle, he grabbed the horse's neck and glanced at me warily. He knew what he'd done was something he wasn't supposed to. Of course he did—the nanny freaked out and stopped him every time. And yet, he never said he'd come down.

He wasn't the type to listen when told not to do something anyway. Telling a kid not to only made them want to more. Besides, I'd recently learned there was a reason Robert kept climbing up here. Like wanting to be the first to spot someone emerging from the vast forest beyond.

In times like this, it was better to play along a bit and soothe him.

"Next time you want to come up here, just take me with you."

"You won't scold me?"

"No. Let's go up together."

I grunted as I climbed up behind Robert. His round violet eyes turned back to look at me. I held the horse's neck with one hand and Robert's small body with the other. As expected, the height gave a wide view out the window.

Robert's gaze fixed on the scenery beyond. Watching his face constantly searching for something felt strangely poignant.

"What do you see?"

"Trees. Grass too."

"You can see flowers too."

"Yeah. Flowers too."

"What color are they?"

"Yellow."

"Are there red or white ones?"

"Yeah."

His little head nodded. I tossed out trivial questions about how pretty the sky was, the state of the soil, what the trees looked like. Robert answered each one faithfully. I hoped this would help him forget his longing, even if just for a moment.

"Hey, ugly."

"......"

"Ugly."

"Yes."

"Is Mother coming?"

I grimaced for a moment before quickly smoothing my expression and looking down at Robert. He was still staring out the window, blinking his big eyes vacantly.

"Yes. She's on her way."

"Really? She's coming?"

"Do you miss her a lot?"

"Yeah. I miss her this much."

Robert spread his arms wide in a circle, as if showing the size of his feelings. He could wait patiently, he said with a smile. Seeing him like that made my heart ache. I pulled his small body into my arms and patted him.

"You miss her but hold it in and wait so well. You're such a good boy."

"Am I good?"

"Yes. Very good."

"Then I don't have to get down?"

Robert didn't join in my sentiment. He shrewdly grasped my intention to let him ride a bit then get down. I was impressed by his cleverness as I forced a smile, unable to answer. Robert just giggled again and looked out the window.

"Robert."

A sudden call made me look down in surprise. When had he... Vincent was standing there. I froze at his appearance, while Robert beamed and called out, "Vincent!"

Vincent frowned.

"I told you it's dangerous."

Anger laced his voice, and Robert's face fell. He buried his face in my chest, pretending not to hear. Watching this, Vincent's scowl deepened. His sharp gaze pierced me, so I quickly turned my head to stare at the horse's head instead. Never mind the kid—having me up here with him was embarrassing too.

Soon, a sigh reached my ear.

"It's dangerous, so come down."

Vincent reached up a hand. I tried to lift Robert off me. He kicked and struggled, refusing to come down. I finally pried him loose and carefully lowered him. Vincent caught Robert's small body and pulled him into his arms. Then he promptly flicked his forehead.

"It's dangerous, so stop climbing up. If you do it one more time, I'll throw you away."

"That's mean!"

"It's not mean; it's justified."

"Justified?"

"Yeah. You're mine, so I can do what I want."

Great words for a child. I looked down at Vincent pitifully as he threatened Robert. Telling him not to climb again because he was "his" made Vincent look like the most pathetic man in the world.

I wiggled to prepare to get down myself when a hand suddenly appeared. Vincent, having set Robert on the floor, extended it to me too.

"Grab on."

"Pardon?"

"It's too high to get down alone."

Flustered, I looked back and forth between his hand and face. He beckoned once. Urged to grab it quickly, I steadied my trembling heart and slowly took his hand.

The warmth enveloping my palm was hot. It was nothing. He was just helping because it looked hard for a woman to get down alone. It was basic courtesy for a gentleman. Reminding myself of that, I jumped down to the floor.

It really was high. My body felt weightless. Like plummeting into an endless abyss. In that terror, I squeezed my eyes shut and lost my balance.

But a soft sensation enveloped me. Instinctively, I hugged onto something. When I snapped my eyes open, golden hair swayed at chest level. My legs dangled in the air.

I'd ended up grabbing his head and clinging to him.

"Ack!"

I yelped and let go, my body swaying backward. He hurriedly wrapped an arm around my back to steady me. To regain balance, I had to grab his head again. I nearly yanked his hair out. A groan came from below, and I panicked, pulling back.

"S-Sorry."

"Just stay still."

His face was right below me. The world spun.

"P-Put me down!"

"Wait. I'll put you down now..."

"Put me down now! Please, hurry!"

I begged to be let down. I thrashed as much as Robert had earlier. But the more I struggled, the closer I pressed against his body. His breath hit my nape, and I couldn't take it anymore. My heart pounded wildly. The spinning world made me nauseous.

After all that fuss, my body finally lowered. When my feet nearly touched the ground, I couldn't wait and hopped down. But as I let go and he released me, our movements tangled, and I lost my balance completely.

My panicked body toppled backward. The moment Vincent reached to grab me, my raised leg kicked right between his legs.

A sickening thud echoed.

His body soon doubled over. Seeing that, I fell back and smacked the back of my head against the iron frame.

This time, a gasp escaped me. Stars burst in my vision.

After seeing twenty stars, my senses returned. I rubbed my stinging head and recalled the sensation at my foot as I sat up. Vincent was hunched over on one knee. Robert, having witnessed the whole disaster, blinked and crouched beside him, peering at Vincent.

"Vincent, does it hurt?"

"......"

Vincent said nothing. His bowed head spoke volumes. My heart pounded for a different reason.

"M-Master?"

"......"

"Are you okay? Right?"

"......"

No response still. I took a step closer. Dread filled me. N-No way, it wasn't that bad, was it? Had I ended the Bellunita line?! Despair gripped me at the tragedy when sudden laughter erupted.

"Ahahaha!"

Joelli stood behind us—when had she arrived? Beside her were wide-eyed Alicia and grim-faced Jonny. Amid them, only Joelli clutched her stomach, doubled over in hysterics.

"You."

Vincent slowly raised his head. His pale face fixed savage, flashing eyes on me.

"Who did you say you were?"

I gulped dryly at the question spat through gritted teeth. To reiterate, I absolutely hadn't imagined a reunion like this.

Not at all.