Chapter 135

 

* * *

 

“Hah.”

Finally ready, the boy took a deep breath, opening his eyes wide, and began crossing the bridge.

His steps seemed rushed for some reason.

However, on the steep arched bridge, the boy let out a “Phoo” breath and came to a stop.

“Ugh.”

After that, he made a very resentful expression and returned to Melody’s side again.

Then the boy swallowed another big breath and started crossing the bridge once more, just like before.

“What is he doing exactly…?”

Melody muttered in a soft voice, as there were a few other children doing the same peculiar behavior around them.

Of course, not all of them looked as serious as the boy wearing the large hat.

Most would just laugh and joke with their friends in the middle of the bridge, saying things like “It’s your fault I failed!”

But the act of going back and forth across the bridge a few times was the same, which was very curious.

“Actually, I had already asked the merchant about this when the children caught my attention,” Claude explained to Melody what he had heard.

“It’s an old local superstition. They say if you hold your breath while crossing the southern bridge during the festival and make it to the highest point, your wish will be granted.”

“Wishes will be granted?”

“Yes, any wish apparently.”

At that moment, the sound of raucous laughter rang out from the bridge.

It seemed a boy had successfully held his breath, jumping up and raising both hands triumphantly.

“Phew.”

In contrast, a dejected sigh could be heard from beside Melody. It seemed the boy in the large hat had failed again and returned.

Melody wondered if she should try to console him.

But before she could, the boy clenched his fists tightly and started heading forward again.

Soon, Claude and Melody also climbed up onto the southern bridge, following the child. The incline was steeper than expected and quite a long stretch.

Considering the effort required, it did make sense that children who could hold their breath and make it would be granted a special wish privilege.

Of course, most adults could likely do it without too much difficulty… but for a child around Loretta’s age, it would certainly be a challenge.

Melody turned back when they reached the highest point of the bridge.

The boy in the large hat seemed to have failed again, kneeling down with his body bent forward.

 

* * *

 

While the boy’s failure tugged at Melody’s heart, she could not bring herself to feel too sorry for the nameless child.

For she too had been experiencing a string of failures herself.

No matter how many more people flocked to the festival, making it increasingly crowded and chaotic, there were still no signs of anyone resembling Prince Samuel.

The endless days of trailing and searching had left Melody’s legs swollen, her feet blistered and bloody.

If not for the expensive ointments applied by the maids upstairs, she might have already become unable to walk at all.

“Actually…”

After five days passed and the final day of the festival loomed, Melody entered the parlor that night for a strategy meeting(?) with Claude and promptly flopped down on the sofa.

It was an unbecomingly unruly posture for a grown lady, but she simply had no energy left to remain seated properly.

Besides, she had no fear of Claude rebuking her manners, for during their stay here, Melody was meant to play the role of the lady while Claude acted as her servant.

Not that it would have mattered if no such agreement existed – Melody likely would have still collapsed like this.

“I think I’m going to die, Claude.”

Her whole body ached terribly, as if she had been beaten all over.

“Oh dear.”

Claude placed a warm water pouch on Melody’s legs.

“It’s just walking, but why is it so grueling?”

“Probably due to the strong sunlight. I had thought it might rain at least once during the middle.”

On rainy days, the summer festival would take a day’s break.

Of course, many would still gather at pubs to drink and dance even in the rain.

But Prince Samuel was not the type to enjoy such revelries, so if it had rained, Claude and Melody could have taken a day off from their search at least.

“Perhaps we should have tried visiting around Prince Samuel’s estate at some point?”

“While I share that regret, it’s best we avoid drawing too much attention to ourselves.”

But just aimlessly wandering around like this, would they really be able to find the male protagonist?

Melody felt a sense of vague despair.

Perhaps it was because she was too exhausted to have any mental room left.

‘But sir…’

Melody glanced at Claude.

He did not seem to notice her gaze, carefully pouring hot water into the rubber pouch.

‘Does not look tired at all.’

How was that possible?

The two had been moving together at all times, so it seemed unfair that only Melody was this fatigued.

“Hm? Why?”

Belatedly noticing her gaze, he asked as he sealed the pouch’s opening with a metal clip.

“You don’t seem tired at all.”

“Me? Of course I am.”

He placed the finished pouch on Melody’s ankle.

“I’m very tired too.”

“Lies. Where exactly are you tired?”

“My eyes.”

The corners of his eyes crinkled into a smile that did not seem one of joy, but rather looked to be expressing reproach towards Melody once more.

And yet, Melody was certain she had done his eyes no harm whatsoever.

If anything was at fault, it was his own antics.

“That’s because you keep glaring fiercely at the village youths whenever you cross paths. Why do you keep doing that?”

“You know, I didn’t realize I could be this childish myself.”

He shrugged and began filling another pouch with water.

‘If you know it’s childish, why keep staring them down?’

Melody tried guessing his thoughts arbitrarily, but the moment the warm pouch was placed on her lower back, she forgot everything else.

“Haah.”

“…Don’t make weird noises, Miss.”

“But it feels so refreshing. Claude, move the pouch up a little higher for me?”

At her request, he let out a small laugh.

“Yes, yes. As you wish. It seems you’ve already adapted to using me as a servant.”

“Huh?”

Melody started to sit up in surprise, but he gently pressed down on her back to keep her lying down.

“Stay put. I didn’t mean it offensively. Just that you’ve adapted remarkably quickly.”

Of course she had.

Still lying down, Melody recalled the past five days.

Claude had embodied every virtue a ‘fine servant’ should possess.

Without being asked first, he took care of all needs diligently, and maintained an ever-humble attitude towards his thorough work.

Naturally, Melody’s life became significantly more comfortable, and it was not particularly difficult to adapt to such convenient ease.

‘I’m almost worried about how accustomed I’ve become that I’ll dread returning to the capital.’

The servants at the ducal residence had always strived to take care of Melody’s needs as well.

But somehow, it never felt as effortlessly reassuring as when Claude did it.

‘Perhaps it’s a sense of vengeance for all the torment he’s inflicted that makes it feel so satisfying.’

“If you wish, I could continue to serve you like this even in the capital.”

“Don’t say such nonsense. It would undermine the dignity of the ducal family.”

“A little thing like this won’t diminish our dignity that easily.”

He then began lightly tapping the soles of Melody’s feet with the ‘miracle rubber mallet’ they had purchased from Briggs Company.

This product claimed that striking fatigued muscles would alleviate exhaustion, and its effects were nothing short of ‘miraculous’ indeed.

Having experienced these benefits firsthand, the two had already declared intentions to purchase about thirty more of these miracle mallets.

The merchant then offered a bulk discount – buy forty and get five more for free.

Claude, ever the avid shopper, readily accepted the offer.

‘While I suppose sir has a penchant for overspending…’

As Melody watched Claude diligently tapping with the mallet, back perfectly straight, she found it impossible to envision any sense of ‘ducal dignity.’

“It’s probably best you don’t serve me like this back in the capital after all.”

“I suppose so.”

Fortunately, he did not insist further.

“You did say we have three more days we can stay here?”

“Yes, but with the festival ending tomorrow, I plan for us to depart at dawn the day after. We can’t linger too long before returning to the capital.”

“So that means… tomorrow is our last chance.”

Melody buried her face in her arms and let out a deep sigh.

“Don’t worry too much. There’s always next year.”

“If I had known this would happen, I should have read more carefully about how old he was when he last spent happy times with his father.”

The prospect of coming back yearly to scour the festival grounds seemed utterly dreadful.

“It’s pointless to start regretting it that way.”

He replied in a leisurely tone, still rhythmically tapping with the mallet.

“In that sense, I plan to stay at the festival until evening tomorrow.”

“You mean to search until the very end?”

At her determined answer, his mallet tapping finally paused for the first time.

“…No? We had an agreement, didn’t we?”

“Huh?”

Melody lifted her head to look back at him again.

Perhaps having been watching her already, their eyes met directly.

“That I would spend time with a fine lady other than Loretta.”

Ah yes, they had made such an agreement.