Chapter 5

 

***

 

As the rain stopped and under the clear blue sky, the girl walked home, thinking about her mother. Her mother would likely receive severe judgment as in the original story. Was it because, despite everything, she was the only family Melody had? She felt a bit regretful for not having prevented this situation, even though she knew it would happen. Of course, her mother never listened to her, so there was nothing she could do.

Melody sighed softly, pondering what to do next. The doctor’s offer was a good one. Following her, a respected person in the village, would be a great opportunity, certainly better than dealing with the aftermath of a slave trader mother. Yet, somewhere in her heart, a strange feeling stirred. Remorse, perhaps. It seems she had grown too fond of the sweet Loretta. The thought of wanting to take care of that child further troubled her. Maybe because she knew what the future held for her: family troubles, getting hurt by the male protagonist, injuries from evil forces, poisonings…

Thinking of the significant other in her life, worrying about both the good and the bad that might happen to her, concerned her deeply. How did she come to care this much? Then a moment naturally came to mind:

“Don’t worry, baby. Your sister will take care of everything!”

Melody cherished the child who patted her head with small hands and showed genuine affection, something even her own mother hadn’t done.

Remembering these moments made her smile inadvertently. Perhaps in the future, when facing hard times, she would recall these times like a secret candy stash. Thinking of this, her gratitude for Loretta resurfaced, like an everlasting sweet candy. ‘I wish I had been nicer to her.’ The last thing she gave was a wound from a broken dish. Even in their poverty, she could have given much more.

She soon arrived near her house, paused, and looked around, checking for any well-dressed people, as the doctor had warned. Fortunately, there was no one. Her house stood unchanged, unusually quiet. Approaching it, her heart raced. Hesitating at the firmly closed wooden door, she might have instinctively known that confirming the emptiness of the house would deeply hurt her.

She closed her eyes tightly and pushed the door open. Familiar smells of the house hit her nose, and she opened her eyes slightly. The scenery was unchanged. Her mother must have been taken away without much resistance. The dinner they were about to have still lay on the table, thankfully the broken dishes were cleared.

Then, silence.

‘She really left.’

With that thought, foolish tears flowed from Melody’s eyes, even though she had fled to the doctor’s house, leaving Loretta behind. Wiping her eyes with the damp sleeve of her dress, but soon her arms were over her eyes, crying uncontrollably. Eventually, Melody collapsed on the spot, wailing.

She knew they would part, but she didn’t want it to be like this.

At least she should have said goodbye.

Or warned her about the future dangers!

She was so engrossed in their fun times, foolishly distracted…!

Stupid Melody.

Useless Melody.

Her mother’s words were not wrong at all.

Her cries grew louder, her empty mind still not accepting reality, thinking, ‘If Loretta were here, she would have comforted me.’

“Why are you crying, Melody?”

Yes, she would have asked like this, surely offering comforting words.

“Who made Melody cry! Loretta will go and scold them!”

Yes, she would have said something like that. That’s our Loretta…

“…?”

Melody stopped crying for a moment and lifted her head.

Loretta was there.

With a face full of worry and not knowing what to do.

“…?”

Is this an illusion? The kind that appears because she missed her so much!

This is a world inside a novel, so couldn’t such phenomena occur?

Melody wanted to touch the child in front of her immediately.

But at the same time, she didn’t want to.

If it turned out to be an illusion, this kind comfort might disappear.

“Did Melody stop crying?”

At the child’s question, Melody shook her head. There were still many tears left.

So, just a little more.

Just a little longer like this…

“It’s okay for Melody to cry, because Loretta will take care of everything!”

Saying so, Loretta opened her arms wide and hugged Melody tightly.

The small body that came into her arms was very warm.

…Warm?!

It’s warm, it’s really warm!

Melody, with trembling hands, placed her palm on Loretta’s back.

“…Loretta?”

“Yes, Loretta is here.”

Loretta was really here! Truly here!

Maybe it was the shock. Melody’s unstoppable tears suddenly ceased.

Instead,

“Hiccup.”

She started hiccupping. Normally, she would look for water to drink, but right now, Melody didn’t want to move from this spot.

“Hic.”

“Is Melody okay…?”

Loretta worriedly hovered around her. Melody nodded fervently, despite the hiccupping causing a bit of pain near her heart.

“Hiccup.”

And when she hiccupped again, a leather water pouch suddenly appeared in front of Melody.

It was so elaborately made that it seemed it should be called ‘Your Highness the Pouch,’ not just a ‘pouch.’

Melody looked at the pouch while hiccupping again.

Then the pouch moved closer to her.

“Drink.”

Commanded a stern voice.

Of course, even the most solemn pouch couldn’t speak, so Melody raised her head to see who had spoken.

“…!”

And she was startled, scrambling backwards. Any avid reader of “Duke’s Children” would have done the same.

The person holding ‘Your Highness the Pouch’ was the Duke of this land, Loretta’s father!

‘So close, he looks just like the cover…!’

The cover of the first volume where he was holding Loretta and his sons with a stern face!

It suddenly reminded her of the readers’ nickname for him, ‘Daddy of Many.’

Melody, after staring at the Duke’s handsome face for a while, realized two things.

One, she was so surprised that her hiccupping stopped, and the other was that she needed to prostrate herself quickly.

She hurriedly bowed down, almost sticking her body to the floor.

“I, I apologize!”

Melody managed to squeak out an apology, feeling the burning gaze on the top of her head.

Of course, that made sense.

He was a person who clearly distinguished right from wrong and punished the wrong, and a slave trader, like her mother, was undoubtedly in the wrong.

“That is.”

The Duke slowly began to speak.

“For what are you apologizing?”

“I, my mother and I survived by dealing in slaves. And that is…”

“Illegal.”

Cutting her off sharply, Melody answered in a barely audible voice, “Yes, it is.”

“There will be a proper punishment for that crime.”

As expected.

Melody realized why the Duke, unlike in the original story, was still in the village today.

It must have been to punish her for assisting in slave trading.

Thankfully, she thought, relieved. If she hadn’t come here on her own, she might have caused trouble for the doctor who had been kind to her.

But what could the proper punishment be? She hoped it wasn’t death.

While Melody was lost in thought, the Duke spoke again.

“Then, when your mother’s punishment is decided, I’ll send someone to inform you.”

“…What?”

Surprised by his words, Melody dared to look up at him. It was strange that he only mentioned her mother’s punishment.

“Will I receive the same punishment as my mother?”

At her earnest question, the Duke slightly furrowed his brow.

“Did you suggest to your mother to start the slave trade?”

“No, no. By the time I was old enough to understand, she was already…”

The Duke didn’t add more to his explanation, but Melody understood what he meant.

She hadn’t chosen to be involved in the trade, so she wouldn’t be punished.

“Tha… thank you.”

She bowed down again, almost sticking to the floor. She felt a bit sorry for her mother, but was too happy to have escaped death.

“Then, why are you here…?”

Perhaps it was the relief of not being sentenced to death. Melody gathered some courage and asked the Duke.

It was strange.

She had thought the Duke would immediately take his daughter to his castle.

“A child of a slave trader is still young, and she needs a place to stay, doesn’t she? Maybe from now on, she’ll have to live without her mother.”

“If it’s that, I’m fine…”

“Fine? You’re only eleven years old.”

“I’m strong, I can cook. I can read a little, and I get along well with the villagers.”

As she explained, Loretta came over to agree.

“Melody is smart! She reads the newspaper to Loretta!”

But the Duke seemed uneasy about leaving such a young child alone.

Every child needs protection.

Yet, Melody was deeply grateful to the Duke for sparing her from punishment. So, she decided to say something to reassure him.

“And the village doctor suggested that I learn to work with her.”

“I see.”

The Duke finally nodded as if he understood.

Village doctors are generally respected by the residents. Thus, they are trustworthy people to entrust an orphan to.

“So, do you plan to become this village’s doctor in the future?”

At the Duke’s question, Melody imagined herself as a doctor.

It seemed like a respected and good thing to do.

But it was strange. Honestly, it was hard to picture. There was a feeling of something nagging and awkward.

“Ah… well, the doctor said it would be good, but…”

“And you?”

“Me?”

“What do you think? Do you plan to become the doctor of this village?”

“Well…”

Melody hesitated and ultimately failed to give a proper answer.