Chapter 21

 

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Shocked to see the Duke’s face in person, a visage he had only seen in portraits, the guard remained frozen, his foot still on Melody’s back. The Duke, unable to stand this, personally grabbed the guard’s nape and yanked him away. The guard, after being thrown to the ground, quickly prostrated himself in front of the Duke in fear.

“Your Grace…!”

His fear was evident; he had just been trying to make a deal with a criminal and expected punishment.

“My poor child!”

Mrs. Higgins, who had followed the Duke, limped toward the scene. She had been injured from being pushed by the elder but had refused treatment to come here. She immediately helped Melody up and began pointing accusatorily at the elder.

“Do you think you can do such things to someone’s precious child and get away with it?!”

“Precious?”

However, the elder was undeterred and mocked Mrs. Higgins’ words.

“Do you see that filthy criminal in the cell?”

Following his gesture, everyone’s gaze turned to Melody’s mother, in her wretched state.

“She’s a slave trader, the mother of this girl.”

He lifted his head slightly, as if expecting everyone to be shocked and feel betrayed since the Duke hadn’t revealed Melody’s origin. Perhaps, he thought, this could even be used as leverage against the Duke.

“Uh…”

Mrs. Higgins appeared lost for words, partially closing her mouth.

The elder smirked.

“Can you believe it? The Duke brought such a person and claimed her as a guest…”

“No, criminal sir. What exactly did you eat to give birth to such a cute daughter? I would really like to know.”

Mrs. Higgins, looking back and forth between Melody’s face and her mother’s in the cell, expressed her amazement at how dissimilar they were, remarking on the remarkable lack of resemblance.

“Mrs. Higgins.”

The Duke called her calmly, signaling her to not cause more disturbance. She bowed her head and embraced Melody’s shoulder, indicating she would take her back to the mansion.

“Let the child be.”

But the Duke did not allow Mrs. Higgins to take Melody.

“Your Grace!”

Despite her immediate objection, the Duke was unyielding. As a servant, Mrs. Higgins had no choice but to leave Melody there and withdraw.

The Duke carefully examined Melody’s condition. Scratches were visible on her knees and arms, and some swollen areas would likely turn into blue bruises by the next day.

“I’m sorry.”

He first apologized as an ‘interim guardian’. This was not something a child should endure. Melody shook her head, implying that it was alright.

“And I’ve brought something you left behind.”

He placed a pretty hat with lace on Melody’s head and handed her a purse full of money.

“This is a pot of gold.”

“Yes, a real pot of gold.”

He knelt on one knee before Melody. Her face was hidden by the wide brim of the hat.

“Melody. If you wish, you can leave this place with your mother. This money can help you.”

“If I… wish?”

“Yes, if only you wish.”

Melody almost said ‘but that’s illegal,’ but stopped herself. He seemed willing to turn a blind eye to everything for her sake. He was a generous man.

…What should I do?

As Melody pondered, biting her lip, the Duke continued, hinting at another offer.

“But, if you don’t wish for that.”

The Duke reached out to her. He didn’t say anything specific, but Melody understood immediately.

He was offering to be her guardian.

The choice was simple.

A stern but kind Duke, or a mother who never recognized Melody.

Anyone would choose the Duke. But Melody was scared.

“Duke.”

“Yes.”

“I might ruin everything.”

“I see.”

“Really. There’s a huge happiness waiting for you and Loretta in the distant future. That’s…”

“I’m not much interested in the distant future. Without you, my daughter will start crying from this evening. If it rains, she won’t stop at all.”

He sighed softly.

“Without you, you will start crying from this evening too. Isn’t that right?”

“Well, that’s true.”

“The Higgins couple will be sad too.”

“…”

“I don’t think I would be in a good mood either. So, it doesn’t seem like an atmosphere where great happiness is about to come.”

Having put it that way, Melody found herself without a response.

“Duke, I…”

Just as Melody was about to speak, a desperate voice came from the darkness of the cell.

“Melody! You’re not thinking of leaving me behind, are you? Right?”

Her mother had approached the bars again. However, she seemed afraid and didn’t step out despite the open door.

“With that money, we can live very happily. We can stop selling slaves! Do you think I wanted to do this? I did it because we had no money, and I had to feed and clothe and raise you.”

As her mother moved closer to Melody, the Duke raised his arm, signaling the knights to stop her.

“It’s okay, Duke.”

Melody, stopping the Duke, immediately turned towards her mother, ignoring the hand extended by the Duke. A smile of joy appeared on her mother’s face.

“My daughter! My treasure! I knew you would come to save me.”

“Mother.”

“Yes, how much is in that purse? Did you count it?”

As Melody shook her head, her mother’s expression soured.

“Always like this since you were young… no, never mind. That’s my job. Give me that purse. With it, we will live happily ever after.”

Her mother confidently extended a hand, and Melody just gazed at her.

‘Her beloved daughter.’ Her gaze was solely fixated on the purse.

“Okay.”

Melody replied and slightly lifted the purse.

“Live happily with your beloved daughter.”

Then, closing her eyes tightly, she threw the heavy purse violently.

The slightly open purse burst open, spilling golden coins everywhere.

The sound of coins scattering echoed throughout the cell.

“My money!” her mother cried out desperately, reaching out. But instead of catching the purse, a coin painfully hit her on the nose.

“Ouch!”

She clutched her pained nose but quickly grabbed the coin that had fallen on her.

Instinctively clutching the coin tightly, she then started berating Melody.

“Have you gone mad?! What, huh?!”

Fortunately, the scolding didn’t last long as she became engrossed in collecting the scattered coins.

“Crazy girl, do you know how much this is worth? Look at these shiny ones. Aren’t these gold coins?”

Her face, smeared with a continuous flow of nosebleed, lit up with a happy smile as she gathered the coins.

Melody, having watched her mother who no longer spoke to her, turned back to the Duke.

“Looks like my mother also found her real daughter today. Just like you, Duke.”

“Since personal property isn’t allowed in prison, the guard will soon confiscate her loot.”

No sooner had the Duke finished speaking than the guard snatched the money and securely locked the prison door.

Her mother, having lost the money in an instant, looked around bewilderedly and then began screaming at Melody.

Stupid. Pathetic. Worthless.

Her mother’s words were just vulgar insults, causing Melody’s cheeks to redden in embarrassment.

Soon, the guard shouted, stopping her mother’s tirade.

“That’s harsh.”

The Duke frowned. Although he wasn’t the kindest father to his children, he had never said such things.

The thought of Melody growing up hearing such words made him feel uneasy.

But Melody, instead, just shook her head with a smile.

“I know I’m not stupid, Duke.”

“I know that too.”

“I’m not foolish enough to make a pathetic decision in this situation.”

“I know that as well.”

Melody hesitated, thinking about the original story.

The fact that a different ending from the original story might unfold still scared Melody. But the thought of Loretta searching for her from tonight onward brought a similar fear. Melody would surely miss Loretta too. And she would miss the others she had met in the Duke’s household.

As Melody hesitated, the Duke reached out his hand again and asked a familiar question.

“What do you think? Will you come to the Duke’s house, or not?”

The same question he had asked when they first met. Perhaps him asking in the same way was a signal that he hoped for the same answer as before.

‘Although that’s unlikely…’

But she chose to believe so. Otherwise, out of sheer embarrassment, she wouldn’t be able to say anything and would just stand there foolishly.

“I’ll… go.”

Melody recalled the answer she gave on that day.

“I want to go.”

She didn’t miss a single breath between her words, remembering everything.

“If the Duke permits.”

As she finished, the Duke smiled a little. It was a smile she hadn’t seen before, a kind gesture, as if patting her on the head for doing well.

“It’s decided then. Let’s return.”

He replied with the same answer as before and firmly held Melody’s small hand. The Duke’s hand was large and warm, soothing Melody’s anxious heart.

A few steps later, Melody asked again, slightly fearful.

“Duke, are you really okay with this?”

“I heard you were smart.”

Goodness. The Duke was crafty, using their previous conversation as a response again.

Melody pouted slightly and then walked a bit more to match his pace.

“Of course, I’m smart!”

She replied cheerfully, and he nodded as if to say ‘that’s what I thought’.