[TKOSINM] 233 – Count

“...Count.”

As he greeted him, the butler’s eyes widened. At the familiar voice, he bowed deeper. His face was full of rage, but when he rose again, that emotion disappeared in the wink of an eye.

“I’m sorry for suddenly visiting without any notice beforehand. I came here because I heard my sister’s condition has worsened...”

The Count’s voice faded as a familiar figure standing behind the butler caught his eyes as he was speaking.

“…Irene.”

“…Greetings, Count Chase.”

As Irene greeted him in a distantly formal manner, she shuddered.

“I didn’t know that she would be here too….”

“…The letter was originally meant to be sent to the Duke’s wife. It is natural for the right person to come.”

The butler answered in a monotonous voice. In other words, the Count of Chase was not welcomed at this place.

Count Chase understood the meaning of his words at once, but he did not rebuke him. He considered it was a given for the butler to harbour resentment against him. The Count stared at Irene wordlessly for a few seconds, then requested the butler.

“Will you guide me to my sister?”

“...”

“I just want to see her state.”

At the muted butler, the Count added. The butler’s pupils wavered. Was it okay to take this man to his mistress? Did this man even deserve it? The man who abandoned his mistress as she was dying...

But soon, the butler remembered his duty. His duty was to manage the mansion and take care of its owner. No personal feelings should be involved. What he had to do now was to serve the guest who had paid a visit to this humble estate.

“Sir, I shall show you the way. Follow me.”

“Thank you.”

The butler bowed, agreeing to guide him. The footsteps of the Count, following the butler’s, stopped in front of Irene.

Irene wanted to hold him and ask the question that was stuck in her mind then. But in the end, she decided to back down for the time being and would find him for a talk after this.

“Irene.”

“Please make some time for me before you go back. I want to ask you something.”

“That is the first thing you say when you see your father after a long time?”

“Please.”

“…I am going to leave right away tomorrow morning. Come find me before then.”

“I will.”

When Irene answered briefly, the butler side-glanced at Noel standing next to Irene and passed by the two.

When the butler and the Count had left, only them remained in the hall. Irene sighed relievedly.

I was so nervous…

It was a little funny when she got nervous from trying to hide her anxiety, worrying he might somehow see through her thoughts and feelings. Anyway, she was glad that she was able to manage her facial expressions well.

It was only then that Irene’s tense breathing throughout this nerve-racking encounter eased. Irene looked pensive as her gaze directed at the door through which the Count had just left. As Noel grabbed hold of Irene and gently pulled her away, Irene looked at him, surprised.

“You must be tired because you have to worry so much about this County in the morning, so let’s go back to our room.”

Irene hesitated at his suggestion but eventually nodded. She was not tired, though she did want to clear her mind before talking to the Count.

Irene returned to the room with Noel. When they got to the room, Noel sat Irene down and gave her some tea. It was brewed with leftover tea leaves, so the flavour was not savoury, but the green tea was warm enough to calm her stirred interior.

Irene smiled quietly at the warm energy that spread gradually through her body. Noel, looking at Irene, got up from his seat, swept her up into his arms and carried her to bed. Irene yelped a little at his abrupt action and bashfully clung onto him.

“No, Noel?”

“Aren’t you tired?”

“N-no, I’m not tired...”

“Didn’t you not sleep before you had to get up? You only need to meet the Count in the evening, so get some sleep before that.”

“It’s fine, really….”

“I will be by your side.”

“...”

Puzzled, Irene cast her gaze over him frantically at his reckless behaviour. However, Noel was stubborn, as if he had no intention of backing down. Irene, who was bewildered, quickly opened her mouth carefully.

“Then…can you please do me a favour?”

“Of course.”

Although she was taken aback by his instant reply without even listening to her request first, Irene plucked up the courage to say it.

“Please sing a lullaby.”

“...Pardon?”

At Irene’s astonishing request, the determination he had just shown was nowhere found. Only embarrassment remained.

Giggling at the sight, Irene repeated.

“A lullaby. Except when I was very young, I never heard them. So, I want to hear Noel’s lullabies.”

Actually, she just wished to hear Noel’s singing, but it was also true that she had never heard a lullaby...

When I was small, I couldn’t sleep well because I was afraid of the night.

Irene’s room was always dark and empty. It felt like something would pop out every night, so Irene would always cover her eyes and ears as she sang herself to sleep.

As the same life pattern repeated, she could no longer fall asleep without a lullaby…