Chapter 79
# 79
79. To You, Whom I Couldn't Erase Even If I Tried to Forget (3)
“I want to see flowers too.”
“No, you can’t.”
“Why?”
“Nanny will scold me.”
I got a lot of nagging from Nanny for going into the woods last time. Really a lot. I witnessed with my own eyes that a gentle person is scarier when angry. Nanny didn't raise her voice or say harsh words. She just grabbed both my wrists and scolded me softly.
“Nanny is scary when she’s angry.”
“Yeah. Nanny scary.”
Robert agreed with a serious face. I suddenly felt a sense of camaraderie.
“Ugly. One more for me.”
“……”
I wish he wouldn't call me Ugly. Just when I'm about to forget, Robert calls me that.
Pointing to a white flower with round clusters of seeds, Robert urged me to give it to him quickly. I narrowed my eyes and looked around once, then grabbed Robert's chubby cheeks and pulled them.
“Our young master, really.”
“Ugh, uh!”
Robert flapped his arms. I pressed down on his soft cheeks, pulled them, and made the corners of his mouth turn up.
“Are you going to call me Ugly again, or not?”
“Uuu, Ugly!”
“Are you going to call me, or not?”
“Hah, hahd, mah!”
“Are you going to call me again?”
A stick is the best medicine for an impudent child. But I couldn't give him a stick, nor could I threaten to spank his bottom like Nanny. So, I wondered how I could safely warn him and decided to pull his chubby cheeks.
Robert, who had been waving his arms, tapped my hands, and finally nodded reluctantly. I let out a breath and released his cheeks.
His plump cheeks were flushed red. Robert grabbed his cheeks and whimpered. I crossed my arms as if to say, go ahead and cry.
“I’m going to tell Nanny!”
“Go ahead. I’ll tell her too. That young master tried to ride the Iron horse statue without me knowing and fell off.”
“……”
“If Nanny finds out that the Iron horse statue hurt you, she’ll throw the horse away right away. Then you’ll be saying goodbye to horses forever. Right now!”
Actually, Vincent would be the one to throw it away. Maybe he's trying to throw it away right now. Anyway, someone will throw it away.
Robert shut his mouth, probably because my words worked. He had a sulky expression, but he couldn't argue, so he must have been thinking of riding the Iron horse statue again. How dangerous, did he think I'd let him?
I resolved to keep a closer eye on Robert from now on.
“Here you go, young master.”
Pretending not to see his dissatisfied expression, I picked another white flower with round clusters of seeds. Robert hesitated. He looked as serious as someone agonizing over the devil's temptation. When I gently shook the flower from side to side, his violet eyes followed the movement.
Soon, his small hand hesitantly grabbed the flower.
I chuckled and handed him the flower, then picked another one and blew on it. As the white seeds flew around, Robert widened his eyes and blew on the one in his hand.
When his eyes were filled with white seeds, Robert smiled brightly. He seemed to feel a little better as he giggled happily.
Just then, a breeze blew, and the seeds flew around even more chaotically. While Robert was distracted trying to catch the seeds with his hands, I picked a flower that was blooming near the woods.
I shook off the dirt and trimmed the roots. There weren't many flowers blooming near the woods. There was a limit to making a bouquet unless I went into the woods. This was the middle of the woods, so there was no garden either.
I could probably get about three big ones out of this. I'll have to send the rest with the letters.
Robert showed interest when I brought the flower clumps.
“Me too! Me too!”
“Shall we make a bouquet together with these?”
“Yeah!”
He expressed an unexpectedly active will. Before that will faded, I started making a bouquet with Robert.
I arranged the flowers I had picked in a pleasing way, and Robert gathered the flowers one by one with his small hands and clumsily made a bouquet. Of course, the shape was crude.
“Who is that for?”
“It’s for Mother.”
“Wow. It’s pretty. You’re doing a good job.”
I didn't forget to praise him from time to time. Robert smiled shyly.
The abundant and colorful bouquet was bigger than Robert's body. He's so greedy. Robert shook it around and examined it, then took out a red flower and put in a yellow one. His seriousness made him look like a bouquet artisan. He was so serious that I secretly laughed.
The second bouquet Robert made was as big as the first.
“Who are you going to give that to?”
“It’s for Nanny.”
“Nanny will be happy.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
Nanny was the type of person who would be grateful even if Robert spat out the snacks he was eating. I slightly tidied up the crudely made bouquet.
“Will you give it to Nanny yourself, young master?”
Robert's eyes widened. He seemed to be asking, 'Me?' I smiled and nodded. Then he hesitated, probably shy to give it directly.
When I exaggerated that Nanny would be very, very happy if he gave it to her himself, Robert finally nodded slightly.
It was getting late, so I made the last bouquet. This one was for a girl named Carrot. There weren't many flowers left, so it wasn't as fancy as the ones Robert made, but I tried my best. I combined red and light pink flowers to create a shape that a girl would like.
Then I became curious.
“Don’t you have one for Vincent?”
“Yeah. No.”
Vincent, you don't have one. I secretly chuckled.
Nanny returned a little late for dinner. She had only changed out of her going-out clothes and came straight to Robert's room, looking tired. Usually, Robert would run to her as soon as she opened the door, shouting, 'Nanny!' but he didn't do that today, so Nanny was puzzled.
“You’ve used them all up.”
“Yes. I’ve used them all, but there’s quite a lot.”
When I handed her a fairly thick bundle of letters, Nanny smiled happily.
“We also made bouquets. The young master made them.”
I handed her the two bouquets I had prepared as well. Nanny's eyes widened. Although the shapes were crude, Robert had made them throughout the afternoon. Nanny's gaze was warm as she looked at the crude bouquets.
“Are these for the madam and the count?”
“No. They’re for the madam and Miss Carrot.”
Nanny's eyes widened again.
“Nanny, Nanny.”
Just then, Robert pulled on Nanny's skirt. Nanny bent down to meet Robert's eyes.
“Yes, young master.”
“This is for Nanny.”
Robert held out the bouquet he had been hiding behind his back. There was also a letter stuck between the flowers. It was a surprise gift.
“Nanny, thank you.”
Robert kissed Nanny on the cheek.
Nanny, who was receiving the bouquet, was startled and her eyes welled up. 'Thank you. It's so pretty. What am I going to do.' Robert, embarrassed by Nanny's admiration, couldn't meet her eyes and tapped his toes on the floor. Then he turned around and slipped into the bedsheets.
“Thank you. I’ll deliver the letters well too.”
“Yes.”
Nanny couldn't take her eyes off the bouquet Robert had given her. She gently touched the letter stuck between the flowers and unfolded it to read. Her gestures were careful.
I stared blankly at her face, which was smiling as if she was about to cry.
“Oh my. There’s color?”
She asked, looking at the color of the letters written on the letter.
“Yes. It’s colored ink.”
“Oh my goodness. There’s ink like this too.”
“Is this your first time seeing it?”
“Yes, it’s my first time seeing it. I’ve only seen black ones until now.”
Nanny looked at the letter repeatedly as if she was amazed. Isn't it being sold? I had never seen colored ink except for one time in the past, but that's understandable for a commoner like me. Is it so expensive that even nobles can't easily buy and use it? If so, where did Johnny get this from?
“But I don’t know if I’ll be able to get a reply.”
“Yes? Is something wrong?”
“The madam has been busy again since yesterday, so it’s become difficult to see her face.”
Her face, which had been filled with emotion, became gloomy. I was dumbfounded. No, what kind of person is she? The only thing I've heard about Robert's mother so far is that she's busy, and very busy.
“Um, what should I do.”
Nanny muttered as if she was worried. I was worried too. She said a reply would come. I didn't feel good imagining Robert waiting for a reply.
Isn't there a good way to get a reply?
Ah, there is. One way.
“What if we tell the master?”
“To the count?”
“Yes. Wouldn’t he deliver it directly and get a reply to the letter?”
In fact, this was the most certain way. Nanny nodded slightly as if she agreed.
No, why today…….
I waited for the servant in front of the entrance to deliver the letters as usual. The only difference from usual was that there were a few more letters. But today, it wasn't just the servant alone. Vincent was standing right next to him. Thanks to that, I couldn't hide my embarrassment.
“You have a lot in your hands today.”
“Oh… yes.”
I glanced at Vincent and bowed deeply. Then I politely handed over the letters I had brought first. The servant took the four letters with a puzzled expression.
“What are these?”
“That’s……”
It was difficult to speak easily. I kept glancing at Vincent's toes.
Why did he have to accompany him today? After asking me to tell him about Robert's daily life, he hadn't shown his face. Honestly, there was no reason for him to come and see me. So I was living comfortably, but I was just embarrassed by his sudden appearance.
Nanny knows that I report Robert's daily life to Vincent. Because of this, I was going to ask the servant instead of Nanny, who was having a hard time talking to him directly. It was the most certain and accurate method. If I explained it well to him, he seemed like he would gladly listen, given the affection he had shown Robert so far.
Of course, it was also the least welcome method. Nanny hesitated whether she could even make such a request in a situation where she was indebted to him. I didn't want to be involved with him either.
But if Robert climbed on the Iron horse statue again and had a big accident, I, who was serving him, would be punished. I chose a safe method because I wanted to avoid such a situation, but I didn't know that a situation would come where I would need his help. Anyway, I had to finish what I had started, and I couldn't just let it pass.
I was relieved that I was just asking the servant to deliver the message.
One of the four letters was written by Nanny to ask for Robert's letter to be delivered. I thought it would be resolved well if I just delivered this… I never thought I would meet him in person.
I bit my lower lip and put my arms close to my sides, and something rustled. I rummaged through my pocket and found a few candies. Johnny had given them to me yesterday. He insisted on putting them in my pocket even though I said I didn't want them. He said it was quite sweet. Ah!
“W, would you like something sweet?”
“Yes?”
The servant widened his eyes at my sudden words. I held out the candy in my hand. I thought Vincent might listen to me in a good mood if he ate something sweet.
The servant looked back and forth between the candy and me and was embarrassed. Vincent, who was standing behind him, frowned.
