Chapter 106

 

***

 

The calm conversation lasted for a little while longer.

After checking the time, the duke informed the children that it was time to go back to sleep.

Of course, none of the children stood up immediately. They wanted to extend this rare moment of truth they had after several years, even if just for a bit longer.

However, the duke firmly shook his head.

“You can always demand the truth from me. I will do my best to respond.”

It was a promise that such times could exist indefinitely in the future. However, there was a condition.

“I would also like to have your truths. Even if it’s words of resentment, I’m willing to listen.”

Surprisingly, Jeremiah was the first to respond.

“There’s nothing to resent.”

Taken aback by his matter-of-fact tone, the duke was momentarily surprised but soon smiled.

“…Thank you.”

Just then, Loretta, who was asleep on Melody’s lap, mumbled in her sleep, “Water…fishy…” even smacking her lips.

Everyone tried to stifle their laughter at the adorable sound.

 

***

 

Reluctantly, the boys returned to their own rooms.

Melody was the last to leave because Loretta, leaning on her, had not woken up.

“I’ll take her, so you don’t have to wake her up unnecessarily.”

The duke skillfully picked up Loretta.

However, the fish doll that the child had been holding fell to the floor, and Melody quickly picked it up.

“Please let me carry this.”

The duke wanted Melody to return to her room as well but decided to lead the way without wanting to waste time on needless disagreements.

The corridor, now darkened, was brightly lit, which hadn’t been the case just a moment ago.

“It seems Higgins has done this.”

It looked like the lights were turned on in the corridor in preparation for the children returning to their rooms after their conversation with the duke.

“How did they know?”

As Melody asked, hugging the fish doll, the duke shook his head.

“I sometimes wonder if the name Higgins carries some kind of magical power. It’s surprising how well they anticipate our needs.”

Behind his honest admiration, there was a hint of concern.

“I didn’t mean to imply that you should feel burdened.”

“I don’t mind feeling burdened.”

Somehow, the feeling that someone was expecting something from her was reassuring.

“I’m also happy with the mission that came with the new name. I’ve never had something like that before.”

“It’s good to hear you’ve accepted it that way.”

At that moment, the two of them arrived in front of Loretta’s room. Melody quickly opened the door and darted to Loretta’s bed, gently lifting the thick blanket.

The duke carefully laid Loretta down on top of it.

The child, finding her embrace suddenly empty, flailed her arms in her sleep. Melody quickly placed the fish doll into her arms.

“Hooong…”

With a sound of relief, Loretta fell back into a deep sleep.

“…That’s a relief.”

Melody covered Loretta up to her chin with the blanket and smiled slightly.

After discovering the secret room in the ceiling, Melody thought it was a big problem when she encountered the duke in the hallway.

She was worried that it might cause conflict among the family members who had just started to get closer.

But the duke wisely used the situation to lead to a time of honest conversation with the children.

Now that the long-held questions had been resolved, the Baldwin family would protect each other, just like in the original work.

“So, it will definitely be okay.”

“Melody.”

The duke called her, and she quickly turned around. He was already waiting for her by the door handle, for Melody to come out.

“It would be best to return to your room now. It seems like morning isn’t far off.”

Melody checked outside the window. The moon was completely tilted.

“I’ll escort you to your room.”

Despite his kind offer, Melody somehow couldn’t move.

Was it because of the unusual time they had spent?

Or was it because of his earlier words, ‘I would like to hear the truth from you’?

Melody had something she had wanted to tell him for a long time.

She had been afraid of being regarded as a strange person and couldn’t open her mouth, but now the situation had changed a bit.

Melody had become a Higgins.

Protecting Loretta was no longer just a favor; it had become her ‘duty.’

“Melody?”

When he called her again, Melody, with a determined look, raised her head.

“I have… something to tell you, Your Grace.”

Perhaps it was because of her trembling voice. He didn’t stop her from speaking, using the time of dawn as an excuse.

He just nodded his head, waiting.

“This story, maybe.”

Melody took a step toward him.

“I thought you might not believe it, so…”

Finally standing right in front of him, she saw the duke make a bitter expression at the end of his quietly observing gaze.

“Melody.”

“…Yes?”

“Just say it. You don’t need a long introduction, I trust you.”

“I’m sorry.”

Melody immediately apologized.

“I didn’t mean to doubt your trust, Your Grace. It’s just that I… this is the first time I’ve ever talked about this. I’ve kept it to myself for a very long time.”

It seemed she needed to prepare her heart, so the duke just nodded his head and waited a bit longer.

Melody’s lips twitched several times as if she was going to start her story, but then she closed her mouth, tilting her head as if she thought it wasn’t right.

“Actually… I knew.”

And after a while, the girl started her first sentence.

“That Loretta is definitely your daughter.”

“That sounds like the story you told me on the carriage ride to the capital.”

At the duke’s response, Melody had a blank look on her face for a moment, as if she thought she had made a mistake. “That, that’s.”

After a moment of hesitation, the child brought up another story.

“There were many other things I knew as well.”

“Such as?”

“That the people of the vassal families would not welcome Loretta, about the people of the mansion… and also.”

Melody continued her story with extreme tension.

“That the duchess possessed the Physis constitution and decided to leave because she loved the children too much. I knew it from the beginning.”

“From the beginning?”

“Yes, even before I met Loretta. From a long time ago. I already knew a lot.”

To prove her point, Melody mentioned a fact that came to mind.

“The night there was an explosion in the mansion. You couldn’t carelessly call a doctor or a magician, so you personally treated the duchess.”

The duke nodded his head, looking bewildered.

After that, facts that he had not told the children continued to flow from Melody’s mouth.

“When removing the glass embedded in her back, the duchess spoke of her decision to leave, and you quietly shed tears.”

“…”

“The duchess herself found a place to go. She left you with a request ‘never to try to find out where I am after I leave.’ And you…”

“Kept that promise.”

“Though you regretted it later.”

“…Yes.”

The past events and emotions Melody conveyed were all true. Naturally, the duke was compelled to ask, “How?” out of sheer astonishment.

“There were records.”

“Records?”

“Yes, records about Loretta. I read all of them. Though it was a long time ago.”

Where could such records possibly come from? Who would have written them? Was it even feasible?

The duke suppressed the flurry of questions rising in his mind and looked at Melody.

“I don’t know how this all happened. But when I first met Loretta in person.”

Melody paused to glance back at Loretta. Her rounded form under the blanket looked adorable.

“I thought maybe I could be of help. Despite various things going awry.”

The duke was momentarily speechless at her astonishing confession.

“So… that was it.”

After a moment, he quietly spoke.

The ‘records’ Melody mentioned were still a mystery to him.

Yet, realizing that Melody took them as complete truth, he was reminded anew of the child’s innocence.

“Didn’t you think to use that knowledge for your own benefit?”

The secrets of a noble family could be converted into something as tangible as cash anywhere. If true, they would have been valued even more highly.

Of course, it was unlikely that Melody, still a child, could think so far. Even if the information was accurate, it would have been hard for a child to convince others.

Nevertheless, the duke was amazed by the child’s pure intention to ‘help Loretta.’

“I am using it for my benefit now, being in such a wonderful place.”

Melody tilted her head slightly and smiled shyly.

The duke found himself stroking her head, feeling a mix of admiration and guilt.

“Until now, I’ve been trying to piece together the records on my own. But…”

Perhaps due to Melody’s presence, things occasionally went awry.

Fortunately, it was only the affairs within the mansion, so it was manageable, but things were bound to change in the future.

“There will be things beyond my control.”

“So, you decided to talk to me about it.”

“Yes.”

Judging by the brisk response, Melody seemed to have decided to share everything as a ‘Higgins.’

Then, as the Duke of Baldwin, he had a duty to seriously consider this astonishing story.

“Thank you. It must have been difficult to talk about.”

“I’m more grateful to you. I thought… you would see me as strange. No, not that I don’t trust you, but it’s just… too, fantastical.”

“Yes, it’s a difficult story. So, if possible, I would like to have time to verify and examine it in various ways.”

Melody nodded slightly. She could cooperate with that as much as needed.

“And, what is it?”

At the follow-up question, Melody replied, “Pardon?”

“About the ‘things beyond your control’ you mentioned.”

“Ah…”

Melody’s expression hardened for a moment.

Like before she began her story, she hesitated and struggled to continue, then after a while, she started to speak.

“Loretta… resembles the duchess.”

“Hm?”

“That means.”

Just then, the sound of Loretta rustling in her sleep could be heard. Both of their gazes briefly turned in that direction.

“…”

After a moment of silence, Melody cautiously resumed her conversation.

“Loretta is.”

With eyes full of concern.

“…Physis.”