Chapter 4 – Part 2

“I kindly request that you refrain from directly approaching my brother.”
 
When she had visited the teacher before, she heard that it was true that the count’s son had been scarred, but it wasn’t such a deep wound from the beginning. With appropriate treatment, it could be fully healed.
 
When she had the means to pay for legal advice, she went to see a lawyer. Even if they decided to press charges from their end, they assured her that it wouldn’t escalate into a serious lawsuit since it involved children.
 
The count may have heard something similar from his lawyer. What would they have thought if they were advised that all they could get from Liese was an unsatisfactory settlement?
 
Wouldn’t they have been too angry to accept it and want to pay her back in some other way? Which was what Liese was worried about now.
 
Count Smith’s eyes narrowed frightfully.
 
“What does this young lady take us for? Do you think we came to school dressed like this in broad daylight to harm your brother?”
 
“Then why are you standing in front of the school waiting for someone even though your son was absent?”
 
They fell silent, as if struck in the heart. Soon, the Count displayed hostility.
 
“You, it would be wise to be careful with your words.”
 
“I know that my brother has done wrong, and I must apologize again and again.”
 
Liese continued, trying to keep her voice from trembling.
 
“But, Count, my brother is ten years old. I won’t ask what you and your wife were trying to do with a child only ten years old, but isn’t this a matter that should be handled as guardian to guardian?”
 
Count Smith’s eyes narrowed and his upper lip curled up. His hand flew into the air, clutching the white envelope. Sensing danger, Liese hurriedly struck out with her arm, but the count’s hand was a little faster.
 
“…Ah!”
 
A sharp pain shot through the tip of her eyebrow. Only after the envelope of money clattered to the floor did Liese realize that the count had struck her in the face with it. The sharp tip of the paper had cut her skin, and she felt a steady pain.
 
“A young woman like you…!”
 
The Count, now revealing his true nature, glared at Liese defiantly.
 
“Yes, I came to warn your brother that he’d better watch his back in the future, and if he thought he’d get away with scratching someone else’s precious son in the face, he was mistaken. Was that wrong? Is it wrong to be prepared when someone attacks without cause?”
 
“There are many witnesses, dear.”
 
“I was just trying to show her who we are and make sure she knew what she was getting herself into, so she wouldn’t dare crawl up on my son, you little sh*t!”
 
Liese bit her lip and glared at the Count and Countess, wondering what would have happened if it hadn’t been her and the usual frail nanny picking up Charlie. She didn’t want to think about it.
 
“If venting your anger by raising your hand against me will make you feel better, go ahead. But leave Charlie alone. If you come after my brother again, I won’t stay silent.”
 
“You impudent woman!”
 
Count Smith raised his hand again.
 
“What do you think you’re doing!”
 
A familiar voice came from a distance. Ian was running toward her, straw hat in hand, his face pale and red.
 
“Liese, are you okay?”
 
Ian reached out with both hands and grabbed Liese’s cheeks in a panic.
 
“You’re bleeding!”
 
Ian turned his head sharply and glared at Count Smith in horror.
 
“What are you people? Are you insane?”
 
“If you don’t know anything, stay out of it! This girl’s brother…”
 
“None of my business? I’m calling the police right now; don’t even think about getting out; stay right there!”
 
“What? Who are you to call the police, yelling at me!”
 
“Stop it, Ian.”
 
Liese reached out her hand to restrain him, but he didn’t stop, angry to the bone.
 
Liese closed her eyes tightly in misery. It would have been better if they’d gone to court, but that was only because of the bundle of money she’d received from the Duke. She didn’t even want to know how much worse it would have been if she hadn’t had the money.
 
“My dear, stop now, the teachers are coming out.”
 
“What, Lieselotte Brennan, I’m sure I remember your name well enough to know you’ll regret what you’ve done today!”
 
The Count let go of his grip, and Ian returned the favor.
 
“You’re the one who will regret it! If you dare to approach Liese again, I’ll make sure you’ll be eating gruel in jail!”
 
“Th-this…! People who don’t know the meaning of dignity!”
 
“Go on, my dear!”
 
The commotion was cut short by the Countess of Smith dragging her husband away, her face ripe for the picking. Ian screamed for help, but Liese grabbed his arm.
 
“Stop, Ian. Charlie is coming out soon, so let’s not make a scene.”
 
“That crazy guy put his hand on you; damn it, I’m tearing him apart!”
 
Ian ruffled his hair in anger. He grabbed Liese’s face again and peered at the wound.
 
“I don’t think we let this slide. Let’s stop at the hospital first, get some bandages, and then go report him.”
 
“No, we don’t need to go to the hospital or the police.”
 
“What nonsense is that?”
 
Liese ran a hand over her stinging brow. A tiny drop of blood seeped into the dense print. She’d have to look in the mirror to see, but thankfully it wasn’t deep enough to warrant a visit to the hospital.
 
It was only a paper bag, and it was strange to be beaten with something so shallow and have a serious cut. But inside, she felt tattered, like she’d been axed again and again.
 
“You have a cut on your face, Liese!”
 
Suddenly, Liese was faced with another problem. The celebration at which the Duke had demanded her presence was just around the corner.
 
The Duke had invited all the best people in Bachmann, and she couldn’t go with a band-aid.
 
The thought of a man who wanted a scarecrow that looked like it belonged there made my head spin.
 
“Aren’t you going to tell me what’s going on?”
 
Ian’s hands gripped Liese’s shoulders as she lowered her eyes helplessly. She was too weak to blush at her humiliation in front of him. Liese spoke quietly.
 
“Charlie got into a fight with that couple’s son. It wasn’t intentional, but he ended up with a cut on his face… Things escalated, and I went to see a lawyer too. They said it wouldn’t become a serious dispute since it involved children. Maybe they heard similar things from their side too.”
 
“So, all these grown-ups came here for revenge against Charlie?”
 
“It seems so. They wanted to threaten him, warning him to watch his back.”
 
Liese’s mind raced, imagining a disaster she didn’t want to think about.
 
“I’m relieved that I was able to pick up Charlie today. I can’t bear to think what would have happened if the nanny had come instead of me.”
 
Frowning, Ian was silent for a moment. Then he bent down to pick up the envelope of money that had fallen to the floor. He carefully smoothed out a corner of the crumpled paper bag and placed it back in Liese’s hand.
 
“Here, take this first. You brought this, right?”
 
Liese clutched the envelope tightly in her sweet, trembling hands. Ian let out a long sigh as he watched her fumble.
 
“Why did you try to endure this alone, knowing such circumstances? Couldn’t you have told Mr. Brennan….?”
 
He remembered Liese’s grandfather in his hospital bed and gave a small, hollow cough. Liese, frozen by the storm of events, said nothing.
 
“No. From now on, when you pick up Charlie, come with me. If you can’t make it, I’ll come by myself. I don’t have a job and I’m free. I’m free when I’m done with the orchard, so I can do it.”
 
“Ian….”
 
“Even if you say no, I’ll come as I please.”
 
Liese knew it was too much of a favor, but she couldn’t refuse. She never knew when the Duke might call, and Ian seemed like the only one who could be Charlie’s temporary guardian.
 
“You understand, Liese?”
 
“…Then, it might be bothersome, but I’ll have to rely on you for a while. I’m really sorry for always being indebted to you.”
 
“Don’t say that.”
 
Ian looked down at Liese, who stood there in a daze.
 
Both of them had been so distracted that they hadn’t even realized the children were rushing out the door. A small child stopped in the middle of them.
 
“Sister?”