Chapter 72

 

***

 

“I can’t exactly greet you with ‘how have you been?’ now, can I, Miss Melody?”

“Claude… sir?”

She stepped back slightly in surprise, and he, slightly lifting his gentleman’s hat, closed the distance again.

“Ah, am I frightening you?”

He asked, seeming disappointed, and Melody had no choice but to nod.

Claude Baldwin was scary.

Especially since Loretta had to keep confessing her ‘very, very love’ for Melody, or else he wouldn’t stop his wicked torment.

“So, Miss Melody is afraid of me.”

His expression still seemed disappointed, but Melody wasn’t fooled. She could clearly see a strange pleasure mixed in his voice.

“But why are you still here? Do you have some lingering attachment to this terrible store?”

“You saw…?”

“If you’re asking if I saw the clerk of this store committing violence against a guest of the duke, then yes, I saw it clearly. Do you need me to testify in court?”

“No, I won’t sue this store! And that wasn’t violent enough to be considered violence.”

Melody knew what real violence was, having suffered it at the hands of her mother. It hurt not just the body but also the soul.

“Um, how should I put it? Miss Melody… your tolerance range is too wide.”

Soon, Claude raised one hand. Was he thinking of hitting Melody’s forehead?

Startled, Melody quickly closed her eyes tight. She had momentarily forgotten his bad nature.

If she later questioned why he hit her, he’d probably laugh devilishly and say, ‘You said something like tapping on the forehead doesn’t count as violence, right?’

She tensed up, foreseeing this future as clearly as a painting.

“You shouldn’t do that.”

However, the hand that approached Melody didn’t hurt her.

It was slightly embarrassing, though.

Claude gently lifted the neatly arranged bangs on her forehead and stared at the spot that was revealed.

“What are you doing?”

“Paper edges can be surprisingly sharp.”

It seemed he was worried if even a thin mark was left.

“I’m not hurt. It doesn’t even sting.”

Melody quickly covered her forehead with both hands. He didn’t insist and withdrew his hand.

“Yes, it seems so. Fortunately. There won’t be too much of a scolding from father.”

“Me?”

“No, I will.”

“Why would you be scolded for me getting hurt?”

“It means I wasn’t much help, even though we met by chance. Miss Melody is our benefactor.”

“That’s nonsense. If that were the case, I would firmly state that the Duke has no responsibility towards me! Not even as much as a fingernail… no, not even an ant’s hair!”

At Melody’s declaration, Claude laughed. ‘This side definitely has a narrow tolerance range,’ he remarked.

“So, then.”

He looked back and forth between the store interior and Melody. He noticed the clerk picking something up from the floor.

“Are you going to stay here longer?”

“Just a bit more.”

“Staying in front of a store that insulted you, does that mean there’s still a little room for me to play my part?”

At his question, Melody’s eyes flickered slightly before she gave a broad smile.

“Actually, yes.”

Melody turned around to peek inside the store again. Through the glass, she saw the clerk, who had been intently looking at something, now turning towards them with a face that seemed about to faint.

“Hmm, why that expression? It doesn’t seem like she’s just surprised to see me.”

Claude, standing behind her, quietly asked this near her ear.

“That’s because…”

Melody pointed at the ‘ducal badge’ in the clerk’s hand.

“I casually dropped it on the white rug when I left.”

“Our guest from home is also quite clever.”

After his compliment, the panicked clerk rushed to open the door.

Melody and Claude stared at her with a smile, knowing it would be more intimidating to the clerk.

“Um, I… I didn’t realize who you were…”

The clerk stuttered and then opened the door wider.

“It’s cold, isn’t it? Please come in! I’ll prepare tea right away. I heard you’re in a hurry to find a dress for the banquet. Whatever requests you have, I’m ready to listen. Anything at all!”

Melody was actually about to turn around and ignore the clerk holding the badge, but seeing her slightly trembling hands and the stream of flustered words made Melody think it might not be right to ignore her just like that.

“Anything at all?”

“Yes, if you have a design in mind…!”

“A masterpiece that will elevate your styling with couture-like details, luxuriously crafted.”

Melody quickly recited exactly the part she was asked to read from the catalog earlier.

…even though she didn’t understand its meaning at all.

She was worried that if the rumor spread that the ‘guest’ of the ducal house couldn’t read, it might reflect poorly on the Baldwin family.

Of course, the clerk easily understood why Melody was saying this, remembering how she had scolded her for not being able to read.

“Ah, uh, that… I’m sorry.”

“It’s just to avoid any misunderstandings. Actually, I only have one wish. I want a dress that makes me happy.”

“What?”

The clerk asked, puzzled.

“It’s my first banquet dress. It will probably be something I cherish for the rest of my life. I want it to be filled with good memories.”

That’s why she couldn’t buy a dress from this store. Unpleasant memories had already tainted it.

“It’s my fault for not looking the part, so I guess it was unavoidable.”

So she could understand the clerk’s mistake. Although, hitting her on the head was a bit too much.

“I’ll return the errand fee. Please give me back the badge.”

Melody held out the coin the clerk had given her. The clerk hesitantly placed the badge in her hand.

“I’m truly sorry. I sincerely hope you’ll visit our store again… I’ll be waiting.”

The clerk bowed, and Melody, after some thought, nodded in response.

If there was something she had learned from the Duke, it was to be generous with sincere apologies.

“Of course, I’ll come back!”

Melody replied cheerfully.

“There were some buttons that I think Miss Loretta would like!”

The clerk, raising her head, managed a smile and warmly invited her to visit again anytime.

 

***

 

“You forgave her quite easily.”

A few steps away from the store, Claude commented with a bit of complaint, readjusting his black gentleman’s hat on his head.

“I wondered what the Duke would do.”

“The Duke, my father?”

“Yes, he’s a generous person. If someone is genuinely sorry, he probably wouldn’t press the issue further.”

Claude pondered how his father would handle the situation.

Somehow… he felt the store might have closed down if it were up to his father.

“Um.”

“Right?”

“Well, it’s clear we see different sides of Duke Baldwin.”

Melody asked what he meant, but he dismissed it with a smile, saying it was nothing.

“Now it’s my turn to take action.”

“To take action?”

Melody tilted her head in confusion. His action was already enough.

The clerk had been more apologetic in front of Melody because Claude was standing behind her, supporting her.

Probably with a very intimidating face.

He had the perfect face for the role of a devil.

“Miss Melody, we can’t just go back like this.”

“But we don’t have any other reservation…”

Shops in the capital require reservations even for a brief visit to choose clothes.

Of course, a lady of Loretta’s high status could visit a store anytime she wanted, but Melody’s situation was different.

Claude suggested an alternative with a shrug.

“There’s a store that has been trying to impress me lately. Let’s go there.”

“If it’s a store trying to impress you, sir, do I have to get fitted for a gentleman’s suit?”

“My goodness, Miss Melody.”

Perhaps amused by her question, he laughed heartily, bending over.

“An interesting suggestion, but let’s save that for another time. It would be a waste.”

“A waste?”

Was he implying it would be a waste to showcase such a funny sight at a small party? How many people did he want to embarrass Melody in front of?

“And the place trying to impress me is a ladies’ clothing store.”

“Why would they…”

She wondered why they would try to impress Claude, but the answer came easily.

“Sir.”

“Yes?”

“How much do you actually go around looking at dresses for Miss Loretta?”

“I don’t go around looking. I send a letter once a day to check if any new fabric or decorations have come in, that’s all.”

“…Why would you do that?”

At Melody’s question, he proudly smiled the smile of a devoted brother and pressed his hands to his heart.

“It’s my duty to choose the best clothes for Loretta, who shows a new level of cuteness every day. Besides, all the beautiful things in this world should rightly belong to Loretta.”

“And how exactly did you manage to become the top student in the midst of all that?”

“There’s no reason I can’t. A day has 24 hours, after all.”

Melody felt a bit sorry for the numerous students studying alongside him. She wondered how frustrating it must be to lose the top spot to someone distracted by his sister’s dresses.