Chapter 136

 

***

 

“I heard there will be quite a spectacle on the last night. Especially when they shoot off the fireworks, everyone takes off their masks and blesses each other.”

At Claude’s story, Melody clapped her hands together excitedly.

“That sounds fun.”

“Doesn’t it?”

“But I’ll be tired, so I’ll stay back here. It would be awkward for me to tag along on your date.”

“…?”

Suddenly Claude looked at her with a puzzled expression, so Melody asked again for confirmation.

“You did mean you were going on a date, right?”

“…Yes, I did mean I was going on a date.”

“That’s good. Tell me how it went later… Ow!”

Before Melody could even finish speaking, he firmly tapped the bottom of her foot with the rubber mallet.

It didn’t hurt, but she was a bit startled since the force was stronger than before.

However, it also felt strangely more refreshing.

Thump, the mallet struck her foot again.

“Haah.”

“Another weird sound.”

“Ugh, you can hit a bit harder I think.”

“Really now! This lady…!”

Even though a date was coming up the next day, he seemed to be in a foul mood for some reason.

Perhaps he realized that striking feet with a rubber mallet did not quite befit his dignity.

 

* * *

 

The morning came as usual on the last day.

Though Melody had groaned “I can’t move anymore” just the night before, her body felt light again come morning.

Thanks to the hot water packs and miracle rubber mallet.

After leisurely eating breakfast in bed and changing into a new dress with the maids’ help, Claude came to see her.

It was a bit earlier than usual.

“I’m going to stop by Briggs Company for a bit. Will you wait at the mansion in the meantime?”

“If it’s for business, shall I come with you?”

“It’s just to pay a quick visit, so it’s fine. Rest a little more. You must be tired.”

Grateful for his consideration, Melody nodded for the time being.

But after Claude left first, she suddenly felt restless. Even if resting at the mansion, she couldn’t just lie around in her outdoor dress.

She also felt an odd unease.

What if the male protagonist came out to enjoy the festival with his father in the meantime?

In the end, she got up from her seat.

When she told Wendel Benton she would be going out, he immediately prepared a carriage for her.

Without her even asking, he also sent a servant to pass the message to Claude.

“Thank you.”

“It is only natural. The last day of the festival is the most joyous. I hope you have a wonderful day.”

He saw Melody off with a gracious smile.

As she boarded the carriage, she recalled what Wendel had said.

The last day.

Those desperate words naturally carried an earnest weight.

‘Even if it’s something trivial, I hope I can find out something.’

Soon the carriage came to a stop. As always, the coachman let her off at the south carriage stop.

From atop the steep arched southern bridge, she could see the quiet street below.

For now there were only a few diligent merchants laying out their wares and people yawning as they cleaned the streets.

“Did I come out too early?”

Melody muttered awkwardly. Still, her heart felt lighter than idly waiting at the mansion.

‘I don’t see that boy either today.’

She meant the small boy wearing the oversized hat.

Ever since spotting him on the first day, Melody had run into that child here every day.

Each time, he tried to make his way across the bridge while holding his breath.

He must have really wanted his wish granted, always sparkling determined eyes.

‘Maybe he succeeded yesterday?’

For some reason, Melody hoped he had. Though a nameless boy, she had grown a bit attached from their daily encounters.

A refreshing breeze blew then.

As if answering Melody’s good premonition, it felt like an invigorating wind.

However, some unpleasant words drifted in with that breeze.

“Liar!”

Melody’s gaze naturally turned toward the shrill cry.

Below the southern bridge, by the riverside, she saw a group of village children gathered.

Melody immediately frowned.

She realized at once what those children were doing.

Her steps unconsciously quickened as she made her way down from the bridge. Up close, she could see them more clearly.

They were surrounding and taunting a lone young child.

“My mom said you were actually abandoned by a gypsy.”

“What else could it be? Are you saying our parents lied?”

“The village has been having bad luck because of you. It’s ’cause that cursed gypsy child was left behind.”

“You’re cursed! Devil’s spawn!”

Amid the mocking voices, a faint murmur could occasionally be heard. ‘No…’

“My wish not coming true is your fault too. You kept messing around on the south bridge, so you got cursed!”

The child who had cheered in victory on the bridge not long ago seemed enraged that his wish had not been granted.

When the boy raised his arms excitedly, Melody hurried over to the children.

“Will you stop that?!”

Startled by her booming voice, they all turned around in surprise.

Melody narrowed her eyes menacingly and put on her most stern expression to appear frightening to the children.

It seemed to work, as they began backing away slowly before turning to flee one after another.

Left behind was a small, frail boy sitting alone.

The deep shadows of the bridge obscured his appearance.

What should she do?

Complex feelings welled up in Melody. She had stepped forward reminiscing her own childhood.

But actually approaching the child felt difficult.

He might feel embarrassed being seen like this, just as Melody used to feel.

After pondering, Melody decided to get a bit closer to the boy.

She worried he might have been injured.

“Excuse me.”

At Melody’s words, the boy’s head shot up.

The moment their eyes met in the shade, she could see his appearance more clearly than the hazy silhouette from their daily encounters.

His arms and legs bore many scratches and bruises, possibly from the children’s abuse that morning. His clothes were tattered and…he was missing a  shoe.

The pitiful sight pained Melody’s heart, but concern was not her only feeling.

She was utterly astonished by the color of his hair.

A pale pink.

Without realizing it, Melody reached her hand out toward the boy’s hair.

Beautiful like a summer rose…

“Ah, um.”

Startled by Melody’s attempt to touch his hair, the boy hurriedly snatched up the hat lying nearby and firmly pulled it over his head.

It was an oversized navy hat that nearly covered his entire head.

“You!”

Melody called out to the boy in surprise. For it was the same child she had encountered on the bridge these past days.

How had she not noticed until now? As she looked again, only jet black hair peeked from under the hat’s brim.

It seemed he had applied something like soot to conceal that remarkable hair color.

The boy lowered his head dejectedly, crouching down.

Then without warning, he suddenly took off running in the direction the other boys had fled.

“W-wait a moment!”

Though Melody called out urgently, the boy did not stop at all.

Even missing one  shoe, which must have made running difficult.

‘What should I do?’

It would be simple to chase after and grab the boy, but she worried bystanders might look at them strangely.

She did not want to attract the soldiers’ unwanted attention through any misunderstandings – perhaps for the sake of the potential male protagonist.

Just then, Melody noticed the boy’s  shoe drifting lazily along the river.

“Your sh-shoe!”

When Melody shouted and pointed it out, the boy turned back in surprise.

Melody recalled how worn down the heel had looked on his shoe earlier.

While noble children always had more  shoes than they could wear, it was not the same for ordinary children raising up.

Most made do with a single pair over many seasons.

So for children, their one pair of  shoes was quite precious – something Melody understood better than anyone.

‘Wait there, okay?’

Conveying that with her eyes to the boy, Melody dashed into the river after the drifting  shoe.

The high heels and long dress were a bit cumbersome, but the water was shallow enough to wade through without much issue.

“Th-there!”

Then the boy who had fled came rushing over to the riverside, shouting out urgently. At the voice warning of some danger, Melody spun around.

“Hm?”

At that moment, her foot struck against a large submerged rock.

The boy must have been trying to alert her about that hazard on the riverbed. Just a bit too late.

“Ow!”

Her foot scraping against the rock’s rough surface was one thing, but worse, she lost her center of balance and kicked off one of her own  shoes.

“Ah, I’m so…sorry…!”

When the boy made to rush into the river, flustered, Melody quickly held up a hand to stop him.

All he could do was shift his weight awkwardly.

Melody checked the location of the  shoe again. She had expected it to drift far away, but luckily it caught on a rock jutting from the water for now.

Though teetering precariously in the current like it could wash away again at any moment.

Melody hiked up her water-logged dress above her knees and made her way toward it.