Chapter 35: CH 35

The cold words of Gilbert froze me. It doesn’t matter if it’s just me…… I was upset that Bonita, the best maid, seemed to have been devalued because of me. Hmm, that young brat,.

I was frustrated because of that young brat and started to attack the plate again with a fork. Perhaps she was worried, Bonita came behind my back and whispered something that only I could hear.

“If you can’t eat it, you don’t have to eat.”

I shook my head softly. Bonita couldn’t be blamed. As I kept eating, I couldn’t feel the good taste. Ugh, there’s still a third left.

“Eating all the food given to you is a courtesy towards the chef.”

Yeah, that’s right. Of course, I feel sorry every time I left out food, so I went to the chef as much as possible and apologized. Each time, I remembered the good laugh of the chef who said he was sorry he couldn’t control the quantity because he had big hands. All the employees of the Conler family are so nice.

But the employer looks like that.

I could feel Bonita fidgeting behind me. Bonita, who hates leaving food the most, looks worried so I thought I should eat more. Rex was staring at me with worried eyes, too.

Eventually, I finished all the steak and garnish. I filled my stomach to the point the dessert couldn’t fit in. I felt like my stomach was upset because I forced myself to eat, so I tapped my chest without anyone knowing.

“This evening’s dessert is a berry pie.”

The chef who came out to the dining room to clean up the dishes and serve dessert looked surprised at my dishes. Then he put his hand on my shoulder for a moment and sighed deeply.

“There’s something strange on your berry pie. It’s my fault.”

“Oh, it’s all right.”

“I’ll serve you a more special dessert for breakfast tomorrow.”

I nodded furiously. I thought Bonita went to the kitchen and told the chef. Gilbert also just put a fork in the pie and no longer interfered. Looking at the gently cut section, the berries on the cream looked so delicious.

I looked resentful at my stomach. Why are you so small that you don’t let me eat dessert? After the meal was over, I got up from my seat carefully. Ugh, my stomach is so full and my back hurts.

***

“Are you okay?”

As I went back to my room, Bonita asked, slowly stroking my back. I nodded lightly to offset Bonita’s worries.

Bonita, who helped me wash my face and changed into pajamas, gently stroked my head while I was lying on the bed. I felt sorry for Bonita who couldn’t leave my side because I was feeling uncomfortable but Bonita looked even more sorry. Ha, this unending sorries.

“The Grand Duke will come back the day after tomorrow.”

“Oh…….”

“The coast is farther than I thought, so it will take some time to come and go.”

Bonita’s expression was not good, so I became serious. Why? Will there be a problem if he doesn’t come back soon?

“If Hestia were here, you wouldn’t have had to force yourself to eat.”

“No……. Gilbert wasn’t wrong either.”

“From tomorrow, we’re only going to put in the right amount. This happened because Tom and I wanted to increase the amount of food you eat…….”

I think the reason why the chef and Bonita didn’t intentionally reduce the amount of my meal was because they thought I would eat it all one day. It’s refreshing to see **R=VD here……?

[T/N: **in korean it means realization.]

“I’ll eat a lot later, so don’t worry about that.”

“Oh, I hope that day comes soon.”

Bonita’s smile became a little more comfortable with my words. I laughed like that as she kept rubbing my hands until I fell asleep. It felt comfortable. Bonita kept rubbing my hands like that for a while, little by little I drifted off to sleep.

“…… Master Gilbert wasn’t such a cold person, but he became strict with himself after the Grand Duchess’ death.”

He’s not just strict with me……?

I tilted my head at Bonita’s words.

“He thought, since he is the eldest, he needed to be perfect. As the eldest son, I think he thought he had to do his part. He is very strict with his other younger siblings.”

Being a C-Eldest son is as hard as being a K-Eldest daughter. Gilbert is 15 years old now, so I can’t imagine how heavy his responsibility is as the eldest son.

[T/N: K-장녀만큼 = Korean Eldest daughter. C-장남도 = I’m not sure about the C but maybe Conler’s Eldest son.]

“The direct line of Conler…… Their energy is hard for the general public to endure, so we often hire employees from the same circle as Lucas and from families who have served them for a long time like us. So, I was lucky enough to be able to take care of young masters from a very young age.”

Somehow it occurred to me that the employees of the Conler family were more loyal than I thought. He’s been nicer to me than I thought.…. I think I also saw in the setting that when Mary in the novel acted like a disgrace to the Conler family the employees got angrier.

It was Bonita who had seen Gilbert for a very long time, so her affection seemed quite different. The voice that talks about Gilbert……I envy Gilbert. Gilbert was loved more than I thought, but I guess he didn’t know.

Bonita hugged me tightly as I lay down, perhaps feeling my wistful eyes.

“I love all the children of the Conler family.”

I’m receiving a lot more love than I thought.

***

“Ack!”

Bonita, who checked Mary’s breathing sound, fell asleep and left Mary’s bedroom after rearranging her bedding. And as soon as she came out, she was surprised by the silhouette next to the door.

“……… Master Gilbert?”

She was surprised twice because of the identity of the person. It was none other than Gilbert standing in front of Mary’s bedroom. Despite the age of fifteen, Gilbert was already at eye level with her, she wondered why Gilbert was standing in front of her.

“Why are you here?”

“………, that’s.”

“Were you looking for me? Do you feel uncomfortable sleeping?”

“Oh, it’s not like that.”

Gilbert caught Bonita, who was about to run to Gilbert’s bedroom right away. Gilbert couldn’t easily open his mouth with Bonita’s expression, asking why he was here. There seemed to be some hesitation.

Bonita noticed that he was fiddling with something she looked down because he seemed to be holding something with his hand, it was a small bottle of green liquid.

“That’s…”

There was no way a maid who was in charge of childcare didn’t know what that was. What Gilbert had in his hand was a medicine that helps digestion. It was late now, so the clinic in Conler castle must be closed, he must have gone to Dr. Edward himself and received it.

“Our young master, you’re still the same.”

Bonita managed to wrap up a burst of laughter.

It must have taken a lot of courage for Gilbert to come here with that medicine, but he didn’t want to make Gilbert feel ashamed by laughing for nothing.

Even though he tries to be strict like his father, Grand Duke Estin, it seems that his innate kindness is inevitable.

No.

Bonita remembered Estin’s face, which turned white when Mary was sick. He even asked to bring the most valuable medicine in the Britina Empire. Now Gilbert had the expression of Estin on his face at that time. It’s not that Gilbert is trying to look like that, it’s something he’s born with. Bonita felt like she’s ready to die because of the young man in front of her. How did this little young man grow up like this? She thought she wouldn’t be ashamed to face Helena.

Gilbert turned his eyes and handed over the bottle as he felt Bonita alternately looking at him and the bottle in his hand.

“If the fragile thing gets sick for nothing, it would be difficult.”

Fragile…?

He thought the miss, who ate a little less, was vulnerable. This father and brother can’t stand the child looking vulnerable. Indeed, the precious youngest, who was lost for nine years, came back so skinny, he must be worried. Bonita received Gilbert’s bottle of medicine with great pleasure.

“Thank you, young man. Fortunately, she just fell asleep comfortably.”

“……I’m glad to hear that.”

“Just in case, I’ll keep this medicine and let her take it when she wakes up.”

“She is foolish to eat all that”

You told her to eat it, right?

Looking at Gilbert’s back, grumbling as if he had finished his duty, Bonita grabbed the bottle in his hand once again.

“Maybe the older brother and the youngest will get along better than I think.”

As expected, I think Miss Mary’s influence on this castle is quite big.