Chapter 116

 

***

 

Ronny, visiting Jeremiah’s room for the first time, looked around restlessly but eventually found his gaze returning to Melody’s face.

A new wave of concern washed over him.

“You… you’ll wake up after two days, right?”

Why do ominous thoughts spread so quickly in all directions?

Ronny was frightened at the thought that she might never open her eyes again, just like Loretta had once been.

‘That can’t happen.’

He was surprised to find his worry so deep, somewhat similar to the concern he felt for his father or brother.

‘Maybe this feeling is because I’ve seen Melody put in a foolish amount of effort…? To study so hard, only to sleep through the exam day.’

At the end of his continued worries, Ronny recalled what Jeremiah had mentioned earlier.

The story that a true kiss of love from a beloved could awaken Melody.

Of course, he still thought it was nonsense.

‘But, if it really could wake her up.’

Melody would be able to take the exam she had worked so hard for.

Suddenly, her small lips caught his eye, moving slightly with her breath.

What should he do?

This method was fraught with too many issues.

It wasn’t simply about shedding the garment of ethics.

He would have to be prepared to be hated by Melody, and Ronny found he could not muster such a resolve.

“I really want to pass. It’s my own desire, but… it’s also to repay those who raised me.”

Melody’s past words echoed in his mind.

Remembering her determination brought back his agony.

He wanted to help Melody by any means, but the method was…

‘Only a kiss.’

He rubbed his burning face repeatedly, then mustered a little courage to glance around Melody’s lips.

‘Pretty….’

He was unaware of such thoughts crossing his mind when, without a knock, the door burst open.

“Ah!”

Ronny screamed involuntarily, stepping back several paces in shock.

With a face turned pale.

“…!”

Who would do such a thoughtless thing as opening a door without knocking!

Ronny leaned against the window side, looking through the casually opened door.

“…Loretta?”

When Ronny called out to the figure standing in the doorway with a trembling voice, the child-like a rabbit tilted her head and then hopped towards him.

“Brother?”

With a face that seemed to question why he was so startled.

“You…! You know, if you enter without knocking, you won’t become a fine lady of the capital, right?”

He tried to maintain his composure, but his lips trembled from being overly shocked.

“But.”

Perhaps Loretta noticed his demeanor was different than usual.

Despite the terrifying threat that she wouldn’t become ‘a fine lady of the capital,’ Loretta took a step closer to him, lifting her head bravely.

‘Could it be… did she see?’

Ronny desperately hoped she hadn’t noticed him staring at Melody’s face, or more precisely, her lips.

“Brother.”

“Uh… Yes?”

“You did something.”

“No, I didn’t do anything!”

Ronny blurted out, and truthfully, he hadn’t. Not even his breath had touched Melody’s lips.

But Loretta didn’t seem convinced. Her large eyes sharpened.

“I saw it!”

“Guh, that’s…”

From a distance, it might have looked that way. From afar, a tragedy looks like a comedy… or was it the other way around? Maybe that’s irrelevant?

Loretta furrowed her brows, sensing something odd as Ronny panicked.

“Why so surprised, brother? Are you now embarrassed about entering my room without knocking?”

“…Huh?”

“You said entering without knocking would prevent me from becoming a fine lady of the capital. But you were the first to do that.”

Loretta tightly grasped Ronny’s hand, which had turned cold from nervousness.

“So, you can’t become a fine gentleman of the capital, right?”

Ah, that was the story.

Ronny nodded repeatedly at his kind sister’s words.

‘Thank goodness… Really, thank goodness.’

Soon after, Jeremiah returned to the room, followed by Loretta.

Ronny expected their father or the Higgins couple to follow behind him, but there was no one else behind Jeremiah.

“Adults?”

Ronny asked, and the answer came from Loretta.

“Huh? Why would the adults need to come?”

“Didn’t you get my letter?”

“I did. It said Melody had fallen asleep like a princess who ate a sleeping apple. So, I came.”

“…?”

Ronny narrowed his eyes and stared at Loretta, who seemed oddly happy, not fully grasping the situation.

“Did the letter reach Father or the Higgins?”

She shook her head lightly in response to his question.

“No. I received it on my way back from class, after saying goodbye to the professor.”

“This is crazy.”

Ronny briefly pressed his forehead. It seemed like it would be faster for him to explain the situation in person.

“Where’s Melody?”

At Loretta’s question, Ronny casually pointed towards the bed with his chin and straightened his disheveled clothing.

“Jeremiah. I’ll leave Loretta here for a bit. I think I need to go back to the mansion.”

Jeremiah immediately nodded in agreement to Ronny’s hurried words.

“Understood. Don’t worry and…”

But he froze mid-sentence, his mouth agape.

“What’s wrong?”

“No, it’s just…”

A strange reaction followed, his gaze fixed over Ronny’s shoulder.

Since Melody was sleeping in that direction, Ronny, filled with apprehension, turned around, fearing something worse had happened.

“…!”

And there, indeed, something worse was happening.

Loretta’s lips had clearly touched Melody’s and then separated with a soft, unmistakable sound.

It was clear enough to not be misunderstood, so Ronny screamed and rushed over, grabbing Loretta by the waist and pulling her back.

“You, you! What are you doing?! Where did you leave your ethics and morals?!”

“Huh? But this is how she wakes up, right? Isn’t that why you called me?”

“Don’t joke! Waking up from a true love’s kiss, that’s nonsense!”

“But.”

Loretta pouted her lips and slightly lifted her chin.

“It actually happened.”

“What?”

Ronny lifted his head in disbelief.

Melody, who had awakened from her sleep and was half-opening her eyes, was stretching and yawning.

“See? It was the power of my love.”

Loretta said, escaping from Ronny’s hold with a victorious smile.

“Melody, did you sleep well?”

Loretta, with her arms wide open, rushed towards Melody and hugged her tightly.

Both of them looked incredibly happy as they embraced each other.

Beside them, Jeremiah was gleaming behind his glasses, furiously jotting something down.

He was clearly delighted to see a method from ancient records realized before his eyes.

“…This doesn’t make sense.”

However, Ronny was still not in a good mood, feeling as though he had been duped.

He couldn’t pinpoint exactly how or by whom.

“Ronny?”

Perhaps because of his strange expression, Melody cautiously called out to him, prompting Ronny to burst out in frustration.

“Melody! You’re a liar!”

“Me?”

But when she asked back, seemingly confused, Ronny found himself at a loss for words.

 

***

 

Ultimately, the uninterrupted deep sleep turned out to be greatly beneficial for Melody, leading to another night of pleasant dreams.

The next morning, she woke up feeling much lighter than usual.

After finishing breakfast at her usual time, Melody dressed in comfortable clothes. Just as she was checking her bag, she sensed someone approaching the door.

It wasn’t unusual to hear footsteps in the bustling corridors of the ducal mansion, but now it sounded like several people were whispering just outside her door.

Was there something going on in the corridor?

Worried, Melody slightly opened the door.

The people outside were startled and stepped back.

“Me, Melody!”

They all called her name.

There were people Melody cared about.

Loretta, the Higgins couple, Ronny, the Duke, and the friendly servants and maids.

“Oh, everyone…”

Melody started to ask, “Why are you all here?” but then shrugged it off.

It wasn’t hard to guess why these kind people had gathered here.

“Thank you.”

Thus, she quickly offered a response that matched the kindhearted sentiment.

“I hope we haven’t disturbed you.”

The Duke was the first to speak up, expressing his concern. It seemed he was worried that gathering around someone about to take an exam might have an adverse effect.

“I’m grateful, really. If you hadn’t gathered like this, I would have gone to visit each of you.”

‘It would have been enjoyable in its own way,’ Melody added with a bright smile.

“Moreover, I wanted to thank you separately for the exam information you provided yesterday, Your Grace.”

“It wasn’t anything significant.”

“Not at all! Just knowing that information in advance made me so happy.”

After her conversation with the Duke, Loretta gave Melody a tight hug.

“Melody, you have to do well and come back, okay?”

“Yeah, I’ll try to make it satisfactory.”