Chapter 50

***

“Of course, it’s okay with me.”

“What?!”

“It means we’d be sharing a secret. Do you not like it?”

Obviously, she disliked it, so Melody vehemently shook her head with a look of disgust.

“If you reject it like that, it makes me feel hurt.”

“But, you’ll just use the secret as an excuse to make me do your bidding later!”

He murmured in a low voice, ‘You’re not falling for it.’ It almost seemed like he wanted Melody to hear it.

“I won’t fall for it. You’re making me work even today. And I’m sure you’ll give me other records to handle tomorrow.”

“I won’t give you any.”

His words, as if to reassure her, took Melody by surprise.

“That was supposed to surprise me?”

“Of course!”

While Claude was basically kind, he never hesitated to exploit Melody’s labor.

“You gave me work yesterday, the day before, and the day before that.”

Even on the day Melody’s mother was executed, Claude came to her as usual and made her work.

“Hmm, I thought Melody was quite mature. But it turns out she’s quite naive.”

“…?”

“I didn’t expect you to have the cute thought that just because it’s been happening up to now, it will continue tomorrow. Honestly.”

“Ah.”

Melody seemed to finally understand the situation and nodded slightly.

“I’m sorry. I had momentarily forgotten about your circumstances.”

He was only at the Ducal house temporarily, at the Duke’s request.

As a temporary guardian to take care of Loretta.

“You forgot… Melody, you make cruel remarks so casually.”

“You’re returning to the academy, aren’t you?”

“That’s right. I’m planning to leave tomorrow morning.”

At his reply, Melody found herself staring intently at his face.

“Tomorrow morning?”

It made sense because ‘leaving tomorrow morning’ was one of the lies Claude told in the original story.

In reality, his departure from the mansion was scheduled for an excessively early hour.

However, he told Loretta he would leave ‘in the morning’ so the little girl wouldn’t wake up too early on his account.

Kind-hearted Loretta, having grown fond of her big brother over a short period, would want to see him off.

So it was Claude’s way of being considerate to Loretta, even though it was a lie.

Considering how sad Loretta was the next morning, it didn’t seem like such a great idea in hindsight.

“Yes, tomorrow morning.”

It’s strange. Considering what Claude usually did to Melody, she didn’t expect him to say this.

“My cute sister thinks I’m leaving in the morning, but actually, I plan to depart at the crack of dawn. Melody, if you want, you can see me off.”

Of course, he added this too.

“Don’t expect a grand farewell. Just remember that I played a small part in finding your birthday. I’m quite proud of it.”

I expected him to say something devilish like that.

“Your reaction is odd. I thought you’d be quite happy. After all, you’ve been quite busy because of me.”

It wasn’t a matter of being happy or not. It was just strange that Claude, who had told Loretta a lie out of consideration, was doing the same to Melody.

“Ah, no, I’m just… worried.”

“Worried?”

“I think Miss Loretta will be very upset tomorrow morning. Very much so.”

Especially if she finds out that Claude had stealthily disappeared during the night.

“That’s true. I’ve never seen a child as kind as her.”

Claude, seemingly not understanding the hint subtly dropped by Melody, just nodded.

“Besides, it’s not easy for me to leave either.”

“I know. It’s hard to leave our lady behind, isn’t it?”

“Yes. I’m worried about leaving her, considering she’s still not fully adjusted to the capital.”

“Don’t worry. The Duke will be with her. And so will Ronny.”

Melody almost added, ‘I will be there too,’ but stopped herself. She, who knew nothing about the nobles’ affairs, didn’t think she could be of much help in Loretta’s ‘adjustment to the capital.’

“I know. That’s why I’m not overly worried.”

As he said this and returned his focus to the book, Melody, too, had no choice but to resume writing.

***

The next day, or rather, at a time closer to night,

Claude got up, quickly washed up, and dressed.

Only a few close servants, Butler Higgins, and his father, the Duke, knew he was leaving at this hour.

There was a compelling reason for his departure at this time.

That afternoon, he had a meeting with a professor regarding a report he had sent by post.

Considering the travel time to the academy, he had to leave now to barely make it to the meeting.

‘Actually, I was supposed to leave yesterday.’

He had delayed as long as possible because he enjoyed his time at the mansion, which resulted in him leaving at this hour.

‘Still, it feels a bit regretful.’

He looked at the thin moon rising in the sky and smiled bitterly.

When he first heard his father’s request to return to the Ducal house, he thought it would be ‘a bit bothersome.’

Claude had friends with sisters, and most of them spoke of their sisters as if they were the most dreadful creatures on earth.

So when Claude learned he had a sister, he didn’t have high expectations.

But his feelings changed dramatically in such a short time.

He picked up his bag, having finished preparing. He intended to say farewell to his father.

“…Hmm?”

But then, he noticed the edge of an envelope peeking out from under the door.

Who left it there?

He opened the door and picked up the white envelope lying on the floor. Inside the unmarked envelope, there were two letters.

[Loretta loves big brother Claude so, so much!]

The first page, with its crooked handwriting, was clearly Loretta’s. The ink had smeared a bit, probably because she had hastily folded the letter. Claude found this detail, among others, endearing, as if it conveyed her eagerness to deliver the message.

He stared at Loretta’s letter for a while before moving on to the next page, which displayed much neater handwriting.

Without reading further, he knew. This was Melody’s handwriting.

[I’m writing this letter because I’m worried I might not wake up in time for your departure.]

At that first sentence, Claude remembered the slightly odd expression Melody had the previous afternoon.

So that was why.

She must have realized he was lying.

He wasn’t sure how she had figured it out, but Melody occasionally had an uncanny sharpness.

[I had given up on finding my birthday. I thought it was impossible.

But you told me there was a way. That there was still a path left, and I was really happy.]

In truth, it was fortunate. It was rare for such ‘uncommon’ circumstances to intertwine.

So, finding her birthday was, to some extent, thanks to Melody’s luck as well.

[Thank you, sincerely.]

Still, Claude didn’t mind receiving Melody’s gratitude.

Actually, he had been a bit upset recently because Melody hadn’t given him a thank you letter.

[Every year on my birthday, I’ll remember this and be thankful to you.]

The letter continued with more words of thanks and a polite wish for him to take care.

“Sir.”

Was Butler Higgins worried he was running late? The butler had come to find him.

“Sorry, I was just receiving a farewell.”

He quickly tucked the letters, filled with the children’s feelings, into his pocket.

Higgins, noticing Claude’s happy expression, gave a slight smile.

***

Melody sprang up from her bed before the sun had even risen.

Judging by the darkness, it seemed it wasn’t even dawn yet. She quickly changed into simple clothes and rushed to the entrance without even washing up.

“Miss Melody.”

There stood Butler Higgins, alone.

“Oh, you ran out without even combing your hair.”

He pulled a comb from his pocket and began tidying Melody’s disheveled hair.

“Where is Sir Claude?”

As Melody asked, Grandfather Higgins turned his head towards the garden.

The carriage he presumably boarded had already passed the large gate.

“I’m late.”

As Melody responded with a sad face, Higgins started to braid her hair into several plaits.@@novelbin@@

“Even so, the young master was very pleased to receive the farewell from the young lady and Miss Melody.”

He was probably referring to the letters Melody and Loretta had secretly left the night before.

But that was simply a brief expression of gratitude, just in case Melody didn’t wake up in time.

In truth, there was still more gratitude left in her heart that she hadn’t managed to express in the letter.

As Melody expressed her regret, Higgins skillfully twisted her braided hair into a bun atop her head.

“You need not be too saddened. Your feelings have surely been conveyed adequately.”

“Is that so?”

Responding with continued concern, Higgins produced a small piece of folded paper from his pocket.

“Would you like to see for yourself?”

“What is this?”

“It’s Sir Claude’s response to your farewell.”

Melody took the neatly folded paper. The handwriting was unusually rushed and messy, unlike Claude’s usual script.

Apparently, he had been in a hurry, writing swiftly without much care for penmanship.

[May the days of sore eyes pass, and warm days with blooming yellow spring flowers arrive.]

Melody gazed at the letter, harboring a question.

‘Is this about my birthday?’

Since her letter to him included words of gratitude for finding her birthday, it likely was.

Somehow, it seemed like a blessing, wishing her future to be full of yellow flowers.

…Probably, it’s just her imagination.