Chapter 13
“Goodness, I’m so tired. Why does one day feel this long?”
I just want to see Fleur.
Dealing with my employer is exhausting. Ah, my energy is completely drained.
I mean, if he was the one who stopped me, shouldn’t he have led the conversation? Why was I the only one talking? Sigh. I thought I was going to age ten years in one night.
Because of that, how much useless nonsense did I end up saying? I was just rambling endlessly. Ah, I want to dig a hole and hide.
‘Still… why didn’t he nitpick anything for once?’
Did some sudden “loneliness of a leader” hit him, and he needed someone to comfort him?
‘Don’t tell me… he just wanted someone to talk to?’
No. That can’t be it. It must have just been a special case today. He’s a busy man, after all.
‘Or was my reaction to the bonus too lukewarm?’
Every time I tried to stand up, he stopped me. And again. Anyway, it was strange.
I barely managed to end the conversation by using the excuse that I was worried Fleur might wake up.
‘Next time I receive a bonus, I should react more enthusiastically.’
“Young Master~ how do I look?”
I showed Fleur my hair, where I had pinned the bonus gift Morgan gave me yesterday.
It felt like a tiny galaxy had spread across my head.
The hairpin shone even more beautifully once I wore it. I liked it very much.
“Pretty. Marisel is pretty no matter what.”
“Aww~ Thank you, Young Master~”
I hugged Fleur tightly and gently swayed her from side to side in my arms.
Fleur really loves being hugged like this.
We made a promise. We would only hug like this when we are alone.
If someone else found out, they would be shocked. Especially Morgan—he might faint.
He might say I dared to treat the heir of the Grand Duke’s family so casually, like someone beneath him.
“This was a gift from His Highness the Grand Duke. It’s all thanks to you, Young Master.”
“Why? Because of me?”
“Well… because you started speaking again. He was so happy that he gave me this gift. Actually, you should be the one receiving the present. But I got it instead. I want to give you a gift too. What would you like?”
Fleur’s eyes sparkled at the word “gift.”
Who knew how far his imagination wandered, but his expression changed dramatically—bright, cloudy, dramatic.
“You don’t have to tell me right now, Young Master. Think about it carefully and tell me later.”
“Okay. I’ll tell you later.”
Freed from the burden of deciding, Fleur looked much more relaxed. Seeing that peaceful expression gave me a strange sense of joy.
“Hmm, Young Master, is there any gift you want from your uncle?”
“…A gift?”
Fleur lowered his head and mumbled softly.
Unlike before, his eyes drooped, and a crease formed between his brows. He looked troubled.
Even after some time passed, his tightly pressed lips did not part.
“Is it because you don’t know what you want from your uncle? Or because you think he won’t listen even if you tell him?”
“……”
Is it hard for him to say? I should change the question.
“Number one. There is a gift you want from your uncle. If that’s right, nod your head. Okay?”
Fleur nodded.
“Number two. You’re afraid to say it because you’ve never asked for something you wanted and received it before. If that’s right, nod. If not, shake your head.”
Fleur nodded again. Just as I expected.
He wanted to get along with his uncle. But if he asked for something and got rejected, it would hurt deeply, so instinctively he was afraid.
The pain of disappointment is proportional to the size of one’s expectations.
It broke my heart that someone so young already understood the weight of disappointment.
A child should be filled with hope, not fear of rejection.
‘Fleur. I will make sure your wish comes true.’
“Young Master… Morgan, your uncle, cares about you very much. And your uncle is different from your mother and father. Ah! I’m not saying they were bad. Just that they think differently. For example, your uncle allowed you to bake cookies, didn’t he? See? He’s different, right?”
Fleur thought for a moment, then blinked his large, clear eyes and nodded.
“Then shall we try saying it now?”
After a brief silence, Fleur looked determined.
“…I want to go on a picnic with Uncle.”
Gasp!
A picnic? With his uncle? That difficulty level is way too high.
That busy man—what he lacks most is time…
I felt troubled. The very first wish was already high-level. What should I do?
I couldn’t boldly promise something and then let the child be disappointed again.
‘My shoulders feel heavy…’
“Young Master, since that involves matching your uncle’s schedule, how about we go together later and ask him? If you tell him directly, I’m sure he’ll gladly try to make time. But he is very busy, so we might have to wait a little.”
The shadow on Fleur’s face lifted, and hope blossomed again.
‘Ugh—so cute.’
I want to protect that smile no matter what.
‘Boss. I guess I’ll be seeing you again soon. Sob.’
I finally received my salary.
Now I could treat Porle, Mary, Jeffrey, and Abelin.
“For a company dinner, grilled pork belly and soju are perfect!”
‘Pork belly… how unfortunate…’
Wait—maybe soju isn’t possible here, but grilling pork belly might be?
We could just put a grill over charcoal in the kitchen or outside. Even if we can’t perfectly recreate the dipping sauce, we could manage with sesame oil and vegetables as side dishes.
Fleur could join too. It would make a good memory. For drinks, we could prepare juice for him.
Hmm—a barbecue party. Not a bad idea.
‘I should go see Jeffrey.’
Marisel left Fleur’s room, where he had just fallen asleep for his nap, and headed to the kitchen.
“Chef Jeffrey~ have you been well?”
Whenever she entered the kitchen, it was filled with warm and delicious smells.
At the familiar and welcome voice, Jeffrey stopped chopping vegetables and turned his head.
“Oh my, Miss Nanny, you’re here. Of course. I’ve been very well, thanks to you.”
“Oh dear, you flatter me. I don’t know where to put myself. Hohoho.”
“Oh! Miss Nanny!”
Abelin also stopped what she was doing and hurried over.
“You’ve been well too, Abelin?”
“Of course, Miss Nanny. Ever since that day, strangely, many good things have happened. I think you must have brought good fortune to the Grand Duke’s household. Everyone says the atmosphere here has completely changed compared to before.”
“…Really?”
Marisel was momentarily confused by the unexpected news.
‘The atmosphere changed because I came? And in a good way?’
“That’s right. Since you arrived, this place feels lively again, like a place where people truly live. Everyone says so in greeting. Ah! Was that too rude to say?”
Jeffrey suddenly worried he had spoken too freely, as servants usually did among themselves.
“No, not at all. When I first came here, I also wondered whether this was truly a place where people lived. It felt so desolate. So don’t worry.”
Marisel waved her hands to show she truly didn’t mind. Only then did Jeffrey sigh in relief.
‘As expected… she’s special.’
“But Miss Nanny, what brings you to the kitchen today?”
Jeffrey asked with a more relaxed expression.
“Ah! I came today to make an inquiry, a suggestion, and to seek your wise advice. Hohoho.”
Marisel smiled as she remembered her true purpose.
“I finally received my salary. So I want to have a small party with our Cookie Six. But it’s a bit unusual, so I need your help.”
“If it’s something I can help with, I’ll gladly assist. Please tell me.”
Jeffrey’s eyes sparkled at the word “unusual.”
“I need quite a lot of thick bacon. We’ll grill it over charcoal, so we’ll need charcoal too.”
“Thick bacon? How thick?”
“Hmm… about this much?”
Marisel gestured about one centimeter with her fingers.
“Ah… that’s possible. Do you need anything else?”
“Of course I do…!”
With a playful face, Marisel explained in detail the additional items she needed—grill grates, kitchen scissors, meat tongs, ingredients for a dipping oil sauce, and vegetables.
After listening to everything, Jeffrey scratched his head.
“I honestly have no idea what you’re planning to do, Miss Nanny. But I will prepare the ingredients as closely as possible to your request.”
“Thank you, Jeffrey. As long as you prepare the ingredients, I’ll take care of the rest. Just enjoy the food.”
Since becoming a cook at the Grand Duke’s household, every dish had always passed through Jeffrey’s own hands. He had never imagined someone else cooking for him.
And now, a meat party. On top of that, a noble lady personally preparing and serving it—it was the first time in his life.
He had already experienced something special once. Yet, not long after, Marisel was planning something unusual again. To Jeffrey, she truly seemed extraordinary.
Moreover, Marisel never looked down on commoners.
In many ways, she was a special person to him.
“Hahaha. It seems days like this come more often than one might think. Then the important thing is to choose a day when everyone can gather.”
“I’ll speak with Butler Porle and gather everyone’s opinions.”
