Chapter 33

***

Melody recalled the way her mother’s eyes sparkled as she gazed upon a purse of money. As a child, Melody had yearned for her mother’s gaze to be directed at her with the same intensity.

“I did my best… but it didn’t work out.”

No matter how diligently she prepared her mother’s meals, cleaned the room, or tried to appease her moods, her efforts to receive affection were fleeting.

“Even if my mother tries to give me what she couldn’t back then, I wouldn’t welcome it.”

The time and effort that had crumbled away wouldn’t return.

It would only slightly improve her mother’s mood.

“That’s why I won’t go.”

Melody spoke softly, clutching the hem of her dress.

“I don’t want to get hurt anymore.”

The Duke could see the firm resolution etched in Melody’s eyes.

While he was pleased with her decision, it also weighed heavily on his heart.

This was a matter that even adults would ponder for days. Yet this young child had reached a conclusion in mere seconds.

She must have been so deeply wounded, both physically and emotionally, to make such a decision.

Humans are truly fascinating, the Duke thought. Even in the muddiest of circumstances, they have the strength to grow like jewels.

“Thank you.”

The Duke suddenly uttered, then quickly shook his head.

It was strange to thank a child for saying she didn’t want to be hurt anymore.

But Melody smiled slightly at his awkwardness.

Well, at least the child smiled.

“Then I’ll go and sign that you won’t accept it.”

“The Duke will do that?”

“Yes.”

“May I ask where you’re going to sign?”

“Hmm.”

The Duke hesitated for a moment but then explained everything.

“Your mother is currently in the central prison. Do you remember the large bell tower we saw in the city before?”

“Yes.”

“The central prison is beyond that. It’s where nobles who have committed serious crimes or prisoners close to execution are held.”

He added a bit more about the prison.

It had much better living facilities than other prisons.

But it was also closely guarded by the Emperor’s knights and their retainers.

“The place that oversees the last requests of the condemned is there as well.”

“So you’re saying you’ll visit the prison?”

“Not exactly. It’s an office space near the prison. You won’t encounter your mother, so don’t worry.”

“What happens after you sign?”

“The knights will take the document to your mother. They will inform her that the request has been canceled.”

Melody nodded slowly, he hoped that was a sufficient explanation.

“Then, let’s go with that. Quickly prepare winter clothes for Loretta and yourself…”

The Duke discreetly pulled out a catalog from a fancy store that he had secretly prepared. He thought it might be a good distraction to discuss something completely unrelated to their serious conversation, like clothes, knowing that the topic they were discussing might dampen Melody’s spirits. The fact that he had gone into a shiny girls’ clothing store with a red face and asked for a ‘winter catalog’ was to remain an eternal secret.

“Duke.”

But before he could fully present the catalog he had painstakingly obtained, Melody called out to him, seemingly recalling something all of a sudden.

The Duke was startled and quickly hid the catalog behind his back again.

“Uh, yes?”

He was so flustered that he broke into a cold sweat.

“Is it possible for me to do it? The signing, I mean.”

“You want to do it yourself?”

Of course, it was possible, but… The Duke looked at the girl, her fists tightly clenched, with a worried gaze filled with concern.

“Actually, I left some records I transferred in the library recently.”

The Duke was aware of that. After all, Claude had proceeded with it after first obtaining his permission.

“I was so happy about it. It felt like I, as I am now, have been forever enshrined in the letters of the library. So, I…”

Melody’s voice trailed off slightly.

“I want to complete that document with my own hands. I want to leave my current resolution there forever.”

As she spoke, a strange conviction filled her, as if the moment she wrote it down, she would be able to step out of the shadow called ‘mother.’

“Of course, that’s if such a thing is allowed.”

“There’s absolutely no problem with that.”

It would be a proud symbol for Melody. There was no desire to prevent it.

“I’ll prepare so you can go as early as tomorrow.”

“Thank you.”

Melody bowed gracefully, as she had been taught by her tutor.

Children learn everything so quickly, and Melody already seemed skilled at such things.

It would be nice if they could grow up a bit more slowly.

“Well, it’s time for your tutor to come, so I’ll take my leave now.”

“Alright.”

After Melody left the room, the Duke realized he hadn’t mentioned the existence of the ‘catalog.’

…How should he give her something like that?

He stared at the adorable catalog, lost in deep contemplation.

***

But the very next day.

A very regrettable incident occurred in the Duke’s house.

Exhausted from relentless pressure from the Emperor and his retainers, the Duke eventually fell ill and was confined to his bed.

From dawn, the family physician visited, and the entire atmosphere of the mansion became somewhat heavier.

So, Melody internally thought that her schedule to visit the central prison might be postponed.

“Take your time to get ready. I’ll be waiting for you at the entrance, Miss Melody.”

That was, until Claude insisted on accompanying her to the prison.

There was no particular reason to refuse his kindness, so Melody quickly changed into her outing dress.

When Melody hastily finished preparing and ran down to the entrance, the carriage was already waiting for her.

“I thought I told you to take your time.”

Claude said as he climbed into the carriage first. With the assistance of Grandfather Higgins, Melody climbed in and replied.

“Thank you, Grandfather. I’ll be back soon. And Sir, I did take my time coming out.”

“Did you?”

As Higgins stepped back a few paces and bowed, the door closed and the carriage smoothly started moving.

“I thought you were in a hurry, seeing you run out with gloves and a parasol in your hands.”

Melody, with a somewhat playful smile, quickly put on the lace gloves she had been holding.

“They’re suffocating… these gloves.”

“That’s true. Moreover, my gloves are completely black.”

He showed her his hand clad in pitch-black leather gloves. They looked sleek and luxurious, but seemingly uncomfortable regardless.

“The lace gloves seem trivially uncomfortable in comparison.”

“Right?”

“But they do look very nice.”

“They are indeed. My father gave them to me for my last birthday.”

As Melody gazed at the gloves with sparkling eyes, he willingly took off one glove and handed it to her. As if to say, examine it to your heart’s content.

Melody felt the softness of the glove, then slipped it over her right hand. It was loose, with a lot of room at the fingertips.

Claude was only four years older, so she hadn’t expected much difference.

“…When will I grow to this size?”

“Judging by your words, Miss Melody, you seem eager to grow up.”

He gently pulled the glove off her hand.

“You don’t need to rush. Miss Melody will grow up soon enough. It’s just a matter of enjoying a few more birthdays. Speaking of which.”

After putting the glove back on his hand, he added a gentle question.

“When is your birthday?”

“…What?”

It was a perfectly ordinary question. A social question often asked among acquaintances.

But seeing Melody’s perplexed response, it seemed… it might not have been the best question.

Claude recalled Melody’s past circumstances. Although he didn’t know much.

He had heard it was quite difficult.

Of course, having lived a comfortable life as the Duke’s son, he couldn’t fully comprehend what ‘difficult’ meant.

“Oh, no.”

Claude, unusually flustered, tried to rectify his question.

Of course, there was no way to retract words once said, so all he could do was string together a series of negations.@@novelbin@@

“It’s not that, I mean…”

“It’s spring.”

“…What?”

This time, it was Claude who responded with a confused reply.

“I was born in spring.”

So, that meant.

It seemed she didn’t have an exact date recorded.

“So on the day when the yellow spring flowers bloom, I would add one more year to my age.”

Would it be rude to say that it’s ‘romantic’ to a young girl?

In any case, Claude found himself at a loss for words for the first time in a very long while.

He was struck by the realization that he knew nothing about Melody.

After pondering, he could think of only one thing to say.

Fortunately, since it was the beginning of winter, they could have a birthday party together once the cold passed, on the day the yellow spring flowers bloom.

“When winter passes…”

But just as he managed to say that much, the carriage stopped.

Surprised, he looked outside and realized they had arrived at the entrance of the central prison.

Claude sighed softly and took out a document from his pocket.

It was the one the Duke had written when he had offered to go in his stead.

The knights and retainers at the entrance took the paper.

“Confirmed. Young Master Baldwin.”

The retainer received the document back from the knight and handed it over.

It was time for the carriage to move again.

But the retainer who handed over the document didn’t step back from the carriage window, staring intently at Melody’s face as if he was piercing through it.

What’s going on?

Claude’s face clearly showed his displeasure.

How dare someone brazenly peek inside the carriage of the Duke’s family. It was not just a lack of manners but an excessive breach.

Just when he thought he should find out which knight’s retainer this was and formally address the issue…

“…Mel?”

The young retainer cautiously addressed Melody.

With a voice that seemed to stir up a very old, cherished memory.