Chapter 39

***

Melody intuitively sensed that his ‘worry’ was connected to his early morning visit to the Duke’s residence.@@novelbin@@

Without saying anything else, she stood in front of him, waiting for what he would say next.

“Umm, I wanted to deliver this to Miss Melody.”

He handed her a bouquet so large that Melody had to embrace it with both arms. Its sweet fragrance tickled her nose.

“This isn’t a delivery I was asked to make.”

He quickly explained, perhaps fearing that Melody might misunderstand the flowers as being sent from someone else.

“It’s from me. That… over there.”

The postal worker belatedly took off his hat and placed it near his heart.

“I’ve been bothered about it. Since yesterday…”

His hand gripping the hat tightened slightly.

“I was worried that I might have hurt you.”

He did not explicitly mention what his mistake was, but both of them naturally thought of the same moment.

“Because you can deliver on any day.”

“That’s why I wanted to apologize.”

He slightly bowed.

“I’m sorry, Miss Melody.”

“Ah, I’m okay!”

Melody’s words came out reflexively without much thought. It was unusual for her to receive such an apology from an adult.

“It’s the truth! What you said wasn’t wrong.”

All these years, around the time when the yellow spring flowers bloomed, Melody had aged one more year.

She didn’t want to be newly troubled or hurt by something that had been the case for over a decade.

“Even if it’s true, there are things we prefer not to remember.”

When he apologized again, Melody nodded to reassure him that she was okay and to express her gratitude.

It was an issue that could have been overlooked, but she appreciated that he made a formal apology.

“Actually, I have a niece about your age. Maybe that’s why I felt more concerned.”

He brought up the topic of his niece without being asked, flashing a broad smile.

Even without further explanation, it was clear. He was probably the famous doting uncle in his family.

“And I might be overstepping by saying this.”

He wiped the playful smile off his face and looked at Melody seriously.

“It would be better to set a birthday you like. Just for the joy of having a meaningful day.”

“…..”

“Associating your name with a beautiful date and exchanging celebratory letters would bring joy. You can trust the words of a postal worker who has seen many such people.”

The postal worker’s carriage, glimpsed briefly, was filled with a large quantity of gifts and letters even today.

Melody briefly imagined how the unknown recipients of those cute envelopes and ribbon-adorned gifts might feel.

“Everyone has the right to enjoy special happiness on their birthdays, especially children.”

“I’ll… think about it.”

The postal worker, suggesting that Melody should let him know once she finds a ‘beautiful date,’ climbed back onto his carriage. It seemed it was time for him to start his work.

After the carriage departed, Melody, tightly embracing the large bouquet, returned to her room.

She placed the flowers on the desk and checked the bowl where she had kept the pine cones. The pine cones, soaked with water, were glistening.

While wiping off the moisture from their surface, she recalled the postal worker’s story shared moments ago.

He spoke of very ordinary pleasures.

Pleasures that, until now, Melody had never experienced.

Perhaps she never would.

“…I could just pick any day and make it my birthday.”

Thud.

Why? Without realizing it, Melody had let the pine cone fall to the floor.

It seemed something was making her uncomfortable.

***

“I need to find out something from my mother.”

Eventually, Melody went to the Duke and said so. It wasn’t about ‘meeting’ her mother, but about something she ‘needed to know.’

Though both implied meeting her mother, the difference in wording was significant for Melody.

The Duke didn’t ask what she wanted to know, nor did he confirm her intentions.

He just looked at Melody’s firmly closed lips and gave a short response, “I’ll prepare for it.”

And again, the day Melody went to the central prison came.

“But why are you accompanying me young master? The Duke is well now.”

Claude insisted on accompanying Melody, as he did before.

“I forgot that father has many ears in the mansion.”

“Huh?”

“It’s nothing.”

He brushed off the conversation and opened the carriage door.

“Let’s go.”

Melody followed his suggestion and got into the carriage, looking out of the window for a moment.

She saw Ronny and Loretta picking chestnuts under the chestnut tree.

“We’ll pick lots and eat together when Melody returns!”

Melody remembered the conversation from the morning and smiled faintly as the carriage started moving.

***

The journey to the central prison didn’t take long, and they quickly passed through the main gate.

She had been worried that Isaiah, having heard the news, might rush out to confront them at the gate, but fortunately, no such incident occurred.

“Mel, you’ll keep your promise, right?”

If only she had known, she wouldn’t have made that promise with Isaiah.

Melody regretted making that hasty promise.

‘I must apologize when I see him next.’

Impulsive as he is, Isaiah might be angry with Melody. Or perhaps, he’s already upset.

The carriage stopped in front of the building. An employee politely greeted Melody to guide her.

“Are you okay?”

As Melody was about to step down from the carriage, Claude, sitting opposite her, quietly asked her. Judging by his not specifying ‘what’ was okay, he seemed to be inquiring about her overall mood or situation.

“I’m fine.”

“You’re brave.”

After genuinely admiring and complimenting her, he extended his hand.

“If you need, I can accompany you.”

“Young master?”

“It might be useful.”

Melody considered where he might be of use.

He certainly looked the part of a ‘nobleman’s son,’ so anyone in the prison encountering him would likely think twice before mistreating Melody.

Maybe even her mother would… behave a bit more modestly than if Melody were alone.

However, Melody gently shook her head.

“I’m sorry. I won’t use you, young master.”

“I understand. I don’t particularly enjoy sharing my mother’s stories either.”

Claude withdrew his hand.

“Then, I’ll wait in the carriage.”

“You’re not going to the waiting room?”

“The waiting room is too comfortable. Here is quite uncomfortable.”

“…”

“So, Miss Melody. Remember that I am waiting in discomfort.”

His words implied: don’t let your mother dominate the conversation. Get what you want swiftly and concisely and return.

“You have a strange way of encouraging people.”

“I realized that tender encouragement and assistance are often forgotten.”

That was a veiled reference to letter writing. Indeed, until now, neither Melody nor Loretta had sent him a proper letter.

But unaware of this, Melody just tilted her head slightly.

Wondering where he got hurt to be acting out like this.

“Anyway, I’ll be back.”

Melody hopped down from the carriage energetically, harboring only a vague feeling that everything would turn out alright.

“Hello.”

Soon, a young woman waiting near the entrance approached Melody with a friendly demeanor.

She was wearing the same uniform as Isaiah, making it easy to identify who she was.

“Are you a squire of the knight?”

The woman laughed and confirmed Melody’s guess. Her healthy, tanned face somehow brought Isaiah to mind, which was reassuring.

“Yes. And I’ve been assigned to guide Miss Melody. Please, follow me.”

The woman started walking ahead, and Melody briefly looked back at the carriage.

Claude was still sitting in an uncomfortable position. When their eyes met, he slightly waved his hand.

‘Is he signaling me to go in?’

Not wanting to fall too far behind the guide, Melody quickly followed the squire.

She passed under an arched ceiling with its doors open. The knights and squires present courteously made way for Melody.

Wasn’t anyone going to check her identity?

“There are three checks in total.”

Noticing Melody’s curiosity, the squire leading the way held up three fingers.

“You’ve already passed the first one at the entrance, right?”

Melody nodded.

She had gone through the identity verification process there, just like the last time she reunited with Isaiah. She had worried about what to do if she encountered Isaiah at that spot again… but fortunately, they didn’t cross paths this time.

“Just two more checks to go. Please, come this way.”

Entering through the door the squire had opened, they found themselves in a small office. There was a desk in the center, surrounded by bookshelves stuffed to the brim with documents.

Though it seemed like a fairly ordinary office, there was one unusual feature: a solid iron-barred window facing the entrance. It appeared that any outsider had to pass through this office to get into the prison.

“Please present your documentation.”

The man sitting at the desk spoke, prompting Melody to hand over a white envelope that the Duke himself had prepared for her.

The man quickly checked the contents and returned the documents. It almost seemed like he hadn’t really read what was written inside.

“Checked. But wasn’t Claude supposed to accompany you as a guardian?”

“The young master is here, but…”

Melody was about to say, ‘He’s waiting in the carriage,’ but the employee spoke first, interrupting her.

“He’ll come in a bit, then. Understood.”

That’s not right.

Melody wanted to correct him, but she was startled by a ‘clank’ sound and lost her train of thought.

The firmly closed iron bars had opened.

“Please, come this way.”