Chapter 41:
Claude, who liked to learn and master something, perked up at the word teaching.
"First lesson?"
"Yes, when I first came as Claude-nim's nanny, you said you didn't like me, right?"
"Nanny, that's, actually……"
Claude shook his head in embarrassment. When he remembered the memory of crying and rejecting Sarah at that time, the child's eyes lit up with guilt. There was a sign of fear that Sarah would start to hate him again because of that. Sarah was still heartbroken that Claude was anxious about her relationship with people. She said, stroking the child's soft hair with one hand.
"It's okay. It was actually a good thing."
"Was it a good thing?"
"Yes. Since Claude-nim told me that you didn't need a nanny, I was able to decide that I should be a necessary person for Claude-nim."
"Didn't you hate me?"
"Not at all. I wouldn't have known how hard I had to try if you hadn't told me you didn't like Nanny."
Claude clutched tightly with a tickling feeling in his chest. The black threads that had been twisted in his chest unraveled one by one and began to take shape little by little following Sarah's voice. Little by little, the child began to take to heart his nanny's first lesson.
"I wanted Claude-nim to know that I'm not Claude-nim's enemy, but someone who will stand by Claude-nim's side."
He knew. He knew it when he saw Sarah, who showed up and talked to him when he was being bullied.
Ah, on my side, Nanny, who is on my side, came. It's okay now because someone who is on my side is here.
He still vividly remembered the moment when he felt completely relaxed and comfortable.
'Why did I think Nanny was on my side?'
Claude remembered. The face that smiled brightly whenever their eyes met. The warm and soft voice that she said she liked him whenever she had time. The arms that held him tightly until the end even in front of a terrifying sword and protected him. And he recalled the friendly gaze that looked at the tip of his lips so as not to miss what he was saying.
'Ah…..'
Claude opened his mouth and thought blankly. Nanny also told him. Nanny also expressed it. She told him that he was cute and lovely, and even if he said he didn't like her, she told him that she liked him. That was why he knew Nanny was on his side.
"I was able to know because Claude-nim told me what he was thinking. Knowing that, I was able to think of Claude-nim more, say I like you, and express more."
"...... So, will you understand if I tell you how I feel?"
"Absolutely! Please tell us what you think, how you feel, what you like, and what you dislike. Then we will know."
At Sarah's words, Claude took a deep breath as if making a decision. Sarah smiled slightly as he looked like he was making up his mind. But her smile didn't last long.
"I like Nanny. I don't dislike and hate you anymore."
It was because Claude's words made her heart drop. Sarah was speechless for a moment and looked at Claude.
'He said he liked me. Claude-nim said, he, liked me!'
When Claude moved her chubby cheeks with a cute face and conveyed her sincerity with a little shyness, Sarah's heart seemed to melt.
"Claude-nim is the best! I love you!"
Sarah couldn't stand it anymore and grabbed Claude tightly in her arms and rubbed his cheeks. The child's laughter was clear because she furiously rubbed his cheeks and her hair was itchy.
"Since we're in a good mood, shall we go on a picnic? Until Duke-nim comes back!"
"Picnic?"
"Yes, what do you think? I messed up Claude-nim's playtime, so let's have fun outside instead."
Before Claude could answer anything, Sarah jumped down from the top of the mansion. The servants, who were looking at the two people who climbed onto the roof of the mansion, screamed in surprise.
"Heok!"
"Claude-nim!"
At that time, a magic circle was drawn at Sarah's feet. Complex formulas and runes were engraved in the air in azure and flowed along the magic circle. At the mysterious and majestic sight, the servants only looked at Sarah, remembering that she was a magician.
"I'll play outside with Claude-nim for a while and come back!"
With Sarah's clear voice, the magic circle that shone from her toes swallowed the two of them at once. Surprised to see Sarah and Claude who suddenly disappeared with a great light, the head maid ran over there.
"No, what is this all of a sudden……!"
A piece of paper fell and fluttered over the heads of the servants who were wandering around looking at the empty space where the two had disappeared.
"This is?"
"Head maid-nim! Look at this!"
One of the users who picked up the paper rushed in.
[To May. Claude and I are going on a short picnic. He's always had a hard time during playtime, so I want to make good memories. By the way, those young masters cannot be used at all. I think the butler and the head maid must have felt well this time too. There are things that you have seen and heard as well, so please tell them all of those. Very circumstantial. In detail.]
Ronda, who read what was written in neat handwriting on the paper, handed it over to May, who was next to her.
'Can I really say everything?'
May recalled in her head the atrocities of the noble children who tormented Claude tenaciously and skillfully just like her older brother and older sisters one by one. Perhaps the words that came out of her mouth would reach Duke Ambrosia's ears. Her whole body shivered in thrill at the thought that the fate of those cheeky children that had come here lay in her mouth.
"I'll tell you when Butler-nim comes."
Ronda's eyes narrowed at May's words. She didn't like May very much. However, she couldn't ignore the letter Sarah left behind. Ronda quietly beckoned for other servants to call Veron.
"By the way, Countess Millen seems to have gotten a lot more comfortable with us."
Ronda recalled Sarah's reputation for being called Lady's Textbook until six years ago for showing off her elegance. Was the reputation wrong or did she have a different ego as a magician? She didn't know which of the two was the correct answer, but one thing was clear.
"Let's clean up the garden until Claude-nim returns."
"Ash, I have to clear the room first. If he comes back from playing with Nanny-nim, he will boil down soon."
The people of Ambrosia had already adapted to her. Even though their Little Master Claude and his nanny Sarah disappeared with a flashing light in the air, they returned to their daily lives calmly. Indeed, Sarah Millen quickly permeated Ambrosia.
"Veron, we need to prepare a homing pigeon."
As she watched Veron approaching her, she decided to do what she had to do. She was amazed that she was not worried about Claude, who disappeared with Sarah.
***
"Alton Estate is near the monster forest. You can't send First Prince-nim to such a dangerous place! Does Second Prince-nim really intend to push his older brother to that very dangerous place?"
"What do you mean Alton Estate is where the dead live together? Then all the people of the Empire living in Alton Estate are then living in extremity!"
"But isn't it true that it's dangerous? It is a place that is attacked by monsters several times a year!"
"Don't worry, First Prince-nim won't even step out of the safe castle. Second Prince-nim had everything in mind, so he chose it there."
"What else can I say if it's not exile? What will First Prince-nim do there?"
"Do you think that First Prince-nim is going on vacation now? He's definitely going to get punished! Shouldn't that be enough to appease His Majesty's anger?"
The aristocratic meeting was nothing short of a battlefield. The Emperor ordered the First Prince, who had a major accident, to stay in a remote land for the time being to cool off his head. This decision was made with the intention of studying abroad and taking a look at the lifestyle of the people outside.
Up to this point, it seemed that the Emperor had not completely given up hope for the First Prince. It was because he showed a glimpse of his desire to come to his senses a little more. However, the nobles were confused by the fact that the treatment of the First Prince was completely left to the Second Prince.
'You should take good care of your older brother. So that you can live a peaceful life for the rest of your life. From now on, I will neither recognize nor hear from your older brother. However, I hope you will treat your older brother with compassion.'
The Emperor's command sounded like he would entrust the throne to the Second Prince in the future. Therefore, the nobles on the side of the Third Prince, who were fighting for the throne with the Second Prince, were anxious to catch the clues by any means with a burning heart.
Emotions grew stronger and sharp criticism came and went at the fingertips pointing at each other. As it was a meeting where the Emperor and the Imperial family did not participate, the level of the remarks also crossed the line. But there was one strange thing.
"......"
While the shoutings were coming and going, their gaze was directed to the Duke of Ambrosia from time to time, who sat alone in his thoughts at the head of the table.
"......So, the Second Prince-nim treatment……"
"That's……"
As Ethan Ambrosia's silence lengthened, the voices of the nobles gradually diminished.
"......"
"......"