TBMRB 03

Chapter 03

“But, Butler, we’re short-staffed too…”

“Enough! The master will be returning soon if you just wait a little, so why is everyone making such a fuss?”

The butler, who had once again cut off the guards’ complaints with a sharp rebuke, happened to meet Mariella’s frightened gaze.

The fierce expression he had been using to intimidate the guards melted away in an instant.

“Ahem. Anyway, that’s how things stand, so all of you should go back.”

Waving his hand to send the guards away, the butler quickly approached Mariella.

The youngest young lady of the household, who was only three years old.

She was even younger than the butler’s own grandchild whom he had left behind in his hometown, and this little girl had been forced to grow up without her parents from the moment she was born.

“Young lady, what are you doing here?”

“Ralph bwought me hewe. But then the butler got mad, so I got scawed and hid hewe.”

Perhaps she was still a little frightened, because Mariella awkwardly avoided his gaze.

The butler opened both arms toward her.

After hesitating for a moment, Mariella carefully transferred herself from Ralph’s arms into the butler’s.

The reason the butler was particularly sensitive about the security of the mansion was because he feared that people who had gotten a taste for stealing valuables might someday harm the young children of the family.

What if those bad people kidnapped our young lady and demanded a ransom…?

The butler shuddered at the horrifying thought that came to mind.

Mariella, who had been playing by pressing her nose against his shoulder, widened her eyes.

“Butler, awe you cold? If Mawie-ella hugs you wike this, you won’t be cold, wight?”

Until the master returned, the butler, who was effectively in charge of the entire mansion, had to protect the young lady and young master somehow.

Watching Mariella hug his neck tightly, the butler strengthened his resolve even further.

Then Mariella began chattering into his ear.

“But now the butler can’t cawwy Mawie-ella anymore. Because…”

“Because you’re as heavy as a barbell now?”

“Barbell?”

“You said it yourself before, young lady.”

“I said somethin’ wike that?”

Once again, Mariella opened her round eyes and questioned him.

Barbell?

It definitely sounded like a familiar word, but whenever she tried to clear her mind and think about it properly, nothing came to her at all…

As Mariella fell into confusion, silently moving only her lips, the butler eventually burst out laughing.

“This old butler will carry our young lady even if she becomes as heavy as this entire mansion, not just a barbell.”

“Really? Our butler is supew stwong!”

Even though our young lady sometimes said strange things, she was still adorable.

I must make sure she grows up safely and well.

The master was away, and the mistress had passed away, so I must do my very best. More than before.

As the butler renewed his determination and his eyes shone with resolve, he failed to notice Dietrich staring at them from the other end of the stairs with an envious look before abruptly turning away.

In truth, the guards did have a point.

The butler had lashed out at them because he was furious that even the mistress’s keepsakes, which had been stored in the deepest part of the mansion, had been stolen.

But it was true that they were short on guards.

Then I have no choice but to add what little strength this old body has and join the night patrols.

Late in the dead of night, the butler slipped a light outer garment over his pajamas and came out into the hallway, walking slowly.

I changed the place where the valuables are stored.

Previously, they had been kept in the mistress’s toilette room, but the thieves had already figured out that location.

So, with the help of several trustworthy servants, he had moved the expensive items elsewhere and hidden them in the archives room.

But I can’t trust anyone completely…

He had needed help because he could not move everything by himself, but there was no guarantee that a thief had not infiltrated the mansion.

Therefore, he had no choice but to inspect the area secretly.

The butler walked down the hallway without making almost any sound, then cautiously turned the corner.

The archives room was located across from the bedroom wing where the young masters stayed, separated by a single staircase. It was a space that had originally been intended to serve as a classroom for the children.

An empty room where no one would think to look for valuables.

The door is properly closed.

Perhaps changing the location really did keep the thieves away.

The butler opened the door to the archives room slowly, a satisfied expression on his face.

That was when a servant who had just been opening the door from inside to leave saw the butler and immediately went pale.

“B-Butler, this is… Well, there was some cleaning left over from during the day that I hadn’t finished…”

The man’s words trailed off.

He had noticed the butler’s gaze falling on the bracelet sticking out from his pocket because he had failed to put it away properly.

After a brief silence, the man shoved the butler aside and ran out of the room.

Why did I have to get caught today of all days?!

He really had planned to stop stealing and leave this household after today!

If he could just sell this bracelet, he would be able to repay all the debts he owed and escape.

But why had this damn old man suddenly decided to go on patrol tonight of all nights?!

The servant was about to run down the stairs when he felt a powerful hand grab him.

“How dare you try to run away!”

The butler, whom the servant had underestimated because of his age, had already chased after him and grabbed his arm.

“Everyone, come out! Quickly!”

His voice was surprisingly powerful.

The butler immediately raised his voice and called out to the mansion’s employees, realizing that he would not be able to restrain the young servant for long using only his own strength.

To the thief’s increasingly sensitive ears came the sounds of one door after another opening.

“Let go of me!”

Even as the servant struggled desperately, the butler never loosened his grip on his arm.

“I said let go!”

As the servant fought back, his voice grew louder and louder.

Naturally, even a child who was sensitive to loud noises could hear it, and it did not take long for the sleeping Mariella to suddenly open her eyes.

Suspicious sounds!

Still drowsy, Mariella blinked several times before first checking outside the window.

Through the gap between the curtains, the world outside was still pitch-black.

“At night, you have to sweepy. You have to close your eyes and keep your mouth shut tight to be a good little girl.”

Her nanny had definitely said that when she put Mariella to bed.

Who is talking instead of listening to the nanny?

Mariella, who was hugging a pink rabbit doll the same color as her hair, carefully laid the doll down in her place on the bed before cautiously opening the bedroom door.

“Everyone, come out quickly! Ralph! Ian!”

That’s Grandpa Butler’s voice, isn’t it?

Mariella opened the door as if almost hanging from the doorknob and poked her face through the gap.

The noisy sounds were coming from the staircase leading downstairs.

The butler must be angry again!

Even earlier today, the butler had called the guards together and gotten terribly angry.

I have to save him!

Whenever the butler got angry with a scary face, his eyebrows raised thisss high on both sides, he would immediately soften whenever he saw Mariella!

The same went for her nanny.

They were both very scary when they started getting angry, but whenever Mariella stepped in, they could never stay angry for long in front of a three-year-old baby. They would quickly put on smiling faces instead.

Mariella proudly stuck out her belly.

If I do this, Mawie-ella is cute!

She did not know why everyone was so angry, but nighttime was when everyone was supposed to sleep.

So I should tell them to stop being angry and go to bed now.

Even so, loud noises frightened her, so Mariella gently covered her ears with her palms as she cautiously approached the stairs.

The closer she got to the staircase, the louder the commotion became.

“Let go of my hand!”

“I’ll never let go! Do you even know what kind of keepsake that is? Do you know how our mistress died on the battlefield…!”

“You stubborn old man! Move!”

And then it happened.

The two men, who had been struggling with each other beside the stair railing, suddenly became entangled together and fell straight over the railing.

Thud!

A terrible sound that seemed to pound directly against the ears.

“Urgh…”

Mariella stood there dazed for a moment, staring blankly into the air as she heard the old butler’s groan.

Servants and maids who had come out after hearing the commotion caused by the butler and the thief came into view—some screaming in horror, others rushing toward the blood-covered floor.

There was definitely a… thud…

As if entranced, Mariella leaned her head over the stair railing.

What she saw was a red floor.

The sound of the impact repeated over and over in her ears.

A loud sound… and someone died.

Someone died…

No. No, that’s not it.

The sound of brakes being slammed on in a hurry and the impact of crashing into the guardrail suddenly swept over her body, making her vision spin.

I died.

Mariella’s face went deathly pale.