# 70
70. The Maid and the Young Master (4)
'He's still young, after all. And with his personality... you know?'
'Yes.'
When I nodded, the nanny made a face of relief.
Robert sometimes wanted to go outside. Except when he was throwing a severe tantrum, the nanny mostly managed to coax him. Probably because it was dangerous.
But thinking about it now, Robert might have wanted to go to his mother. Because he couldn't go, maybe he couldn't even ask for it.
Well, that reckless attitude of his was probably the biggest reason.
"Ugh, my head hurts."
The back of my head throbbed. I think I had a brief dream... But I was certain I had tumbled down the slope. Fortunately, the soft fallen leaves blanketing the ground cushioned the impact.
Thinking up to that point, I bolted upright.
"Young Master!"
I was about to look around for Robert when I found him lying right next to me. But his eyes were closed, which felt ominous. I pressed my ear lightly against his chest and heard a thumping heartbeat. Only then did I let out a sigh of relief and survey the surroundings.
The hill above was quite far away. It seemed we had rolled quite far down. It was too remote to expect anyone passing by to discover us. In the end, I had no choice but to climb up myself.
I staggered to my feet. My whole body was covered in fallen leaves.
While brushing off the leaves, I suddenly spotted something through the branches opposite me. Something like a pale building... Without realizing, I moved toward it. Fallen leaves crumpled under my feet with a rustling scream. My heart beat strangely.
Just as I was about to push through the bushes blocking my view.
"Waaah!"
Robert came to his senses. I was startled and rushed to him immediately. I thought he was crying, but that wasn't it. He looked like he might cry, but he only blinked his violet eyes without shedding any tears.
"Young Master, are you alright?"
"...Fun."
"Pardon?"
"It was fun!"
Robert smiled brightly. Then he bolted up and pestered me to do it again, not even noticing the leaves stuck all over him. I was so dumbfounded I was speechless. Still, it was a relief he seemed fine.
Robert insisted on rolling again, but I firmly refused and grabbed his hand to climb up. The path was quite steep, so by the time we reached the top, we looked like a complete mess.
I brushed the fallen leaves from my hair and body and tidied Robert's clothes as well.
"Are you hurt anywhere?"
"It hurts here."
A small hand pointed at his knee. His knee was scraped and bleeding. He must have hit a rock while rolling down the slope.
I panicked and examined Robert's knee.
"Does it hurt a lot?"
"It doesn't hurt."
"But you just said it hurt."
"Yeah, it doesn't hurt."
So does it hurt or not? His face was clear without a hint of a frown. I sighed in relief, thinking he might truly not be in pain.
I untied my apron and pressed it against Robert's knee. He frowned slightly but didn't whine like usual. I was actually a bit surprised by his unexpected patience. During that time, I tore my apron and wrapped his wound.
"Shall I carry you?"
Robert's eyes went round. But he couldn't easily answer and hesitated. He looked almost shy. His different reactions from usual made this little kid somehow feel cute. I let out a soft laugh and turned my back.
"Come on, get on."
Then Robert hesitantly leaned against my back. I supported his bottom firmly and stood up.
"Wow! Woaah!"
Robert hugged my neck tightly and bounced. I could feel his excitement. I gripped his plump little legs securely and took steady steps. The child repeatedly exclaimed in wonder—Wow! Woah!
"Do you like it?"
"I like it!"
"We're going back like this."
"Yeah!"
Honestly, my whole body ached from rolling down the slope, but the exclamations from behind weren't unpleasant. I quickened my pace in case he changed his mind midway and insisted on something else. The distance from the mansion had grown quite far before I realized it.
"Next time, come with Nanny."
"Come again?"
"Yes, come again."
"What about Mother?"
I was momentarily at a loss for words. Robert's clear voice was cheerful.
"Come with Mother too?"
"Of course. Let's go together later."
"When is Mother coming?"
"Later."
"When?"
"When the Young Master eats well and stays healthy."
I added that she would come if he didn't throw tantrums, didn't throw things, and didn't ask to be placed on the iron statue. Of course, all of that was my wish. My humble wish was for him to please just stay quietly and safely in his room.
"You're lying."
Robert immediately caught my lie. Sharp for a kid. I pretended not to know and continued speaking.
"It's true."
"You're lying."
"It really is true."
"Mother's not coming! Even if Robert is good, even if I miss her..."
His clear voice quickly turned melancholy and mumbled.
What words should I bring up at a time like this? I still lacked eloquence and was clumsy at comforting. That hadn't changed even after five years.
When I fell silent, Robert also stopped talking and buried his face in the back of my neck. The child, as clever as he was, read the atmosphere well. Somehow, that tiny face seemed like it would be gloomy.
"Do you miss her?"
"Yeah. But I'm supposed to bear it."
"Why?"
"Mother is busy. She's very busy. So I shouldn't complain."
I had thought he was just an obnoxious little young master, but he said something quite remarkable. But to me, who knew Robert's situation, it sounded rather sad.
Come to think of it, Robert never threw tantrums about missing his mother or wanting to go see her. Even though he clearly longed for her, he never showed it once. He just waited quietly. Not knowing when his endless waiting would end, Robert silently accepted that wait.
Did that little head of his contain various thoughts of his own? Robert knew well what he could say and what he shouldn't. Just because he was young didn't mean I should only see him as a child.
'It's because he's lonely.'
'But he's a good child.'
The nanny and Joelly must have already known this side of Robert? I now wanted to nod slightly at those words I had wanted to refute when I first heard them. Though it was unfortunate that I became the target of his tantrums.
"The Madam must miss you too, Young Master. Very much so."
"Really?"
"Of course."
"Then why doesn't she come see Robert?"
"She's doing something very important, so she can't come yet."
"Is Mother a great person?"
"Yes. She is a very great person."
Then Robert let out a bright laugh. He seemed pleased by the praise for his mother. He was so excited his body bounced, and I had to adjust my grip.
"So you can wait patiently, right?"
"Yeah, Ugly."
Ugh, not the 'Ugly' again. My soft heart instantly hardened. I understood there was hidden loneliness and that he was a good, composed child, but he was definitely sly too.
"Robert is okay."
Robert rubbed his face against the back of my neck. His hair tickled my skin, making it itch. It's okay, it's okay, his young voice came softly.
"You'll stay with Robert...?"
Robert suddenly asked. Anxiety was contained within it. I paused my steps for a moment before walking again and parted my lips.
"Yes. Ugly will stay by the Young Master's side continuously."
Then I felt a small nod from behind. I let out a soft laugh. I wasn't sure if he understood my words properly, but I thought he probably did.
The atmosphere suddenly drooped. This wouldn't do. At times like this, there was a method. When I was young and carrying my sibling on my back, there was something I did when their mood sank. I adjusted Robert securely on my back and ran forward. Bright laughter erupted from behind.
"Do you like it?"
"Yeah! I like it!"
Empowered by that voice, I ran even harder.
The distance closed, and we soon arrived near the mansion. By then, all the strength had left my body.
"Hah, hah."
I bent over and panted heavily. I couldn't even stop Robert, who was on my back, from shifting and climbing down.
It was while I was catching my breath for a moment.
"Robert?"
An unfamiliar voice suddenly rang out. Immediately, a presence was felt. Who could it be at this hour? In my effort to lift my gaze, the first thing I saw was a small body running quickly. And a tall man lifting up the small body running toward him.
Golden hair catching the sunlight swayed. Below it, vivid emerald eyes curved gently. A tall man with a sturdy build in neat, unrumpled clothes—the moment I saw that man's face, my mind went completely blank.
Why... Why are you...
"Vincent!"
Robert smiled broadly and rubbed his cheek against the man, Vincent's face. Vincent smiled back with an affectionate expression.
"You seem to have grown even more since I last saw you?"
"Nanny said I got taller!"
Robert answered cutely, raising both hands up high. Vincent let out a small laugh. His face with eyes crinkled in a smile looked comfortable.
Watching that sight, I realized one thing.
I'm looking.
My eyes...
While I froze in surprise, he noticed another presence and turned his head. Questions filled the emerald eyes fixed on me. He scanned me up and down before tilting his head slightly. Golden hair fluttered in the wind.
"Who is this?"
My heart dropped at the smooth voice. The face clearly visible before me, this current situation—they told me this wasn't a dream.
"Ugly!"
"Ugly?"
"Yeah. She's Ugly."
He looked at me again. Only then did I clasp my trembling hands together and bow. Seeing his shadow cast on the ground, my heart pounded violently. Unable to hide my confused mind, I bowed my head even deeper. I swallowed dryly and struggled to part my constantly trembling lips, but no voice came out.
"Is she someone who recently came in?"
"...Yes."
I barely managed to utter a single word and clamped my mouth shut. The top of my head prickled. A brief silence passed before he spoke again.
"I see."
That was it. Soon, his footsteps faded away.
Only then did I lift my back up.
"Where's Mother?"
"Mother didn't come."
Then Vincent stroked the head of the disheartened Robert and coaxed him. I could feel his affection for Robert. It was such a tender sight. Watching the two of them, my vision kept blurring. A single tear finally rolled down my cheek.
How could this happen? It wasn't that I hadn't imagined reuniting with him. Sometimes I imagined our reunion like a dream. But nowhere in those imaginations was a scene like this.
Vincent Belunita.
It was a reunion after five years of him not knowing me.