"Claude-nim?"

Sarah hurriedly ran towards Claude's place. She saw Claude lying on his back, surrounded by other children.

"Oh my God, Claude-nim! Are you hurt? Why didn't the servants take any action……!"

She lifted Claude up without caring about her dress being wrinkled.

"Nannyy……·"

Then Claude wrapped his arms around Sarah's neck and hugged her tightly, in a voice full of tears.

"Heaven! What's going on?"

"I don't know. I don't know."

Claude shook his head, tightening his arms even more and hugging Sarah. Suddenly, thousands of thoughts rushed through her head as she soothed Claude, who was complaining while acting like a child. Maybe he was sick somewhere, or he was sick from eating something wrong. Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to lie down in the middle of this party hall. Sarah's expression quickly turned into worry.

"Sarah, what's going on?"

At that time, Ethan, who was observing the dynamics of this side from afar, felt something unusual and approached.

"......Huu."

Claude cried slightly when he saw Ethan approaching him in Sarah's arms. When Ethan and Sarah came to him, the sadness of being alone among strangers rushed in.

"Uaaang!"

So, contrary to the original plan, Claude burst into tears of sadness.

"What’s going on! Heaven!"

Sarah was surprised and looked at Ethan, soothing Claude. Ethan was also surprised as his eyes were wide open and looking at Claude.

"First of all, there is a lounge that was given to Ambrosia for exclusive use by the Imperial family."

Ethan took over and hugged Claude for Sarah, who seemed even more surprised than him. At that moment, the ring on Ethan's finger shone with a strange light. Ethan, noticing this, narrowed his forehead and hurriedly walked out of the party with his long legs.

"Sir Harper, call the doctor."

"Yes. My Lord."

At the same time, he didn't forget to give Jade instructions.

"Oh my. Young Lord Ambrosia seems to be sick somewhere."

"Didn’t he look fine until recently?"

"Even though he looked more mature than a child……, he's still a 6-year-old kid."

The people left at the party murmured and talked about Claude. Sarah left those people behind, hurriedly followed Ethan, and asked May who was following her.

"What happened to Claude-nim while I was away?"

"Ah no…… He just didn't like being alone."

May left out the statement that Claude had instructed her to disturb Sarah and the flirty man. Sarah nodded her head but quickly followed Ethan.

"Hic. Hiic."

Claude, who entered Ambrosia's lounge, sniffled as if he had calmed down a bit. Ethan took a handkerchief out of his pocket and handed it over to Claude. Claude was just holding the handkerchief Ethan handed over in his hand.

"Claude-nim, What happened? Where do you hurt?"

Sarah gently pulled the handkerchief out of Claude's hand and asked, bringing it to his nose. Claude, who blew his nose coolly, shook his head and replied.

"Noo……"

"Claude-nim, do you remember when I said you had to tell others so other people can know how you feel?"

"Yeah."

"You have to tell me so that I can know and listen to what Claude-nim wants."

"......"

At Sarah's words, Claude kept his mouth shut for a moment. It was Ethan who could not stand the silence and opened his mouth.

"If anyone has bullied you, please tell me."

"......Father."

Claude looked up at Ethan as if he had been moved by the gentle voice that had a firm resonance. But at the following words, Claude's face stiffened.

"I'll quietly erase that person from your life. I can promise you that."

"Duke-nim!"

There are things you can't say to a child!

What he said to Claude in such a caring and soft voice was very brutal and bloody. Sarah, who did not want to tell Claude that she had already erased him from her life*, was appalled and stopped Ethan.

"Don't say scary things like that. Let's hear from Claude-nim first."

".......I understand."

Ethan quietly nodded at Sarah's words and looked at Claude. It was a gaze that felt like he was going to wait for Claude to speak first. That gesture was very reassuring. Claude stuttered and opened his mouth.

"You know……, is Nanny getting married?"

"Pardon?"

Sarah's eyes widened at Claude's sudden question. Sarah looked up at Ethan unconsciously. Ethan also looked at Sarah, perhaps surprised by Claude's words, and said.

"Sarah, are you getting married?"

"Me?"

Sarah, who suddenly looked like she was getting married, pointed her finger at herself and asked back.

"Why am I getting married?"

"Nanny……, what if Nanny marries the ugly uncle over there?"

"Who is the ugly uncle……"

A few faces of aristocratic men who were already fading in Sarah's memory came to mind and then disappeared. Compared to Ethan Ambrosia, all the men at the party were just ugly uncles, so it was difficult to pick someone specific.

"If Nanny marries an ugly uncle, she can't be my nanny."

"What are you talking about? Why would I get married? I'll be by your side for the rest of my life."

"But everyone over there says they want to marry Nanny."

"Pardon?"

"They said if they marry Nanny, they can get a title and property. And because Nanny is pretty, at night…..."

"Claude-nim!"

Sarah, whose face turned pale blue, covered Claude's mouth. Her terrified gaze lost its focus and wandered dizzily.

"Claude, do you remember who said that?"

Then Ethan asked in a chilly voice. Claude looked at Ethan with tears in his eyes and shook his head. Ethan looked at Claude silently for a moment, then raised his hand and stroked the boy's head.

"Don't worry. I'll……, take care of it."

"Take care of what!"

Sarah felt like she was really going crazy, so she could only grab the hem of her dress to calm herself.

'What are they talking about where all the kids are listening……!'

There are things adults can say and things they can't say in front of children!

Sarah was sure that the nobles had deliberately spilled those words next to Claude. When she thought of Claude burst into tears because of what they would have said to look at the reaction of a young child for fun, she couldn’t help but grit her teeth.

"Don't worry, it's all nonsense. Adults who are not mature enough are not ashamed of lying through their teeth."

"Huu……"

At Sarah's words, Claude felt his emotions rise up again. Come to think of it, he had never had doubts about Sarah coming to him. It was because she said she liked him from the beginning and because he said he liked her. So, of course, he thought she was by his side. But here, as he overheard the nobles, Claude realized something very small.

'Countess Millen is still young and beautiful, so why not meet the father-in-law and make a fresh start?'

'I don't know what she’s doing as a nanny to Young Lord Ambrosia. That bullshit play will be over soon.'

'She seems to be taking care of her friend's son for a while. Countess Millen's age is now just the right time to get married and have children.'

'She who will lead Count Millen’s family will not spend much time on this.'

As they said, Sarah was young and pretty. From the moment she entered the party, young men and knights who wanted to talk to Sarah were lined up. If Sarah liked one of them, she would marry that person. Sarah would no longer be Claude's nanny.

'Then I'm not Nanny's baby anymore. Because Nanny will have a real baby.'

Claude, who realized it by saying that, was now able to see why he found the men who had been talking to Sarah annoying. They made him realize that it was not natural for his nanny to be by his side. That was why he hated them and was annoyed. Now, just looking at those men, it seemed like anyone could take his nanny away.

"I don't want to lose Nanny……"

He really hated having his nanny taken away by someone else.

__________

T/N: The part with (*) is translated incorrectly. I’m not sure who erased who from whose life, so please don’t think too much about that sentence.