Chapter 159

 

* * *

 

The most perfect and beautiful combination connecting from 10 to the highest number, back to 1 again, was laid out before his eyes.

It was the most powerful combination in this game.

“…Huh?!”

The moment he let out a surprised sound, cheers and applause erupted from all around.

“My goodness! I won! I won for the first time ever!”

He rushed over to Melody who had advised him to play and grasped her hands, jumping up and down on the spot.

“See? Those were once-in-a-lifetime cards!”

Melody laughed and nodded along with him.

“Yes, it was amazing.”

“You’re the amazing one, my goodness you must be the goddess of fortune incarnate!”

In his good mood, Stewart returned all the wager money to the gentleman and young man he had played with, and treated everyone who cheered him on to a round of drinks.

Now there was no money left in his pockets.

His financial state had become the same as if he had lost the game, but his mood was completely different.

 

* * *

 

It was an hour later when Stewart came to his senses.

On a bench in ‘Norris Riding Park’ near the club, he clutched his head.

“…I must be crazy.”

To fling three months’ worth of entertainment funds into the air like that!

No, even before that, to return all the money he won with such incredible cards!

He suddenly lifted his head to glare at Ronny and Melody standing before him. With an indignant expression.

“Why didn’t you stop me!”

“What did you say?!”

Ronny shouted back at him, eyes narrowed.

“Eek.”

Stewart quickly lowered his head.

“Ah, no. Never mind…”

“Did you even consider what would have happened if we hadn’t found you?!”

“…Uh, um. Well.”

Intimidated by Ronny’s frightening gaze, he shrank his shoulders pitifully as he answered.

“I, I would have been sent to a m-monastery…”

“And yet you have the nerve to get angry at us for not stopping you from wasting money?!”

Ronny’s argument was quite correct, so Stewart hurriedly stood up from his seat.

“Thank you for your help. Miss Higgins, Young Master Ronny.”

Melody gave a small nod to the deep bow of gratitude he offered.

Judging that to be sufficient thanks.

But Ronny didn’t seem to think so. He took another step closer to Stewart.

Frightened, Stewart flinched and backed away, but soon found himself blocked by the park bench, unable to retreat further.

Ronny’s threatening gaze as he stared intently at him continued.

“Y-Young Master…?”

When he stammered out that question asking why Ronny was looking at him like that, Ronny’s brow furrowed even more.

“You know…”

From a distance so close their faces nearly touched, Ronny finally opened his mouth.

“…I was wrong last time.”

Taken aback by the unexpected words, Stewart was simply stunned.

“It wasn’t right of me to treat a guest visiting the mansion that way.”

Perhaps it was the discordance between his polite words of apology and his menacing expression.

After hesitating for a long while, Stewart awkwardly bent his waist.

“Uh, um. Then I apologize as well. Young Master.”

In response to the rushed apology he offered, Ronny raised one corner of his lips crookedly.

“I’m not the one you should be apologizing to, you know?”

“Ah.”

Of course, Stewart immediately concurred with Ronny’s words. He quickly turned to face Melody.

“Um, well.”

Stewart struggled to open his mouth, then hastily stopped and picked up the flower bouquet he had set on the chair.

Feeling like he should hand over something while apologizing.

But the roughly handled flowers had leaves falling off here and there, or limply bent stems.

“……”

Realizing it was unsuitable as an apology gift, he tried to put the flowers back down.

“It’s alright.”

But Melody soon stopped him.

“Huh?”

“It’s fine. If you put them in a vase and take good care of them, they’ll recover much better. So.”

She extended both hands with a smile. Likely meaning for him to hurry up and apologize while handing over the flowers.

“Um, well. I caused you trouble in many ways.”

He held out the flowers again.

“I’m sorry. Truly.”

Unable to bring himself to see Melody’s reaction, he surreptitiously turned his head away.

“Heh heh.”

Melody accepted the flowers with a laugh, and Stewart awkwardly fiddled with his hair before speaking again with difficulty.

“It may sound funny for me to say I’ll let you know in return.”

“…?”

He briefly surveyed the surroundings. He seemed to be sharing something cautious.

“Miss Higgins.”

“You can call me Melody. But what did you want to let me know?”

“Alright, Melody. You can call me Stew too. Anyway, do you know why there’s a pretty long period between the Records Keeper exam and results announcement?”

“Huh?”

“I knew you wouldn’t know.”

He rubbed his chin for a moment before lowering his voice further.

“They take time to verify. Whether you’re a suitable person to be a Records Keeper.”

“That’s…”

Melody had also received some advice after the exam ended. They told her to avoid causing any problems if possible.

“You probably already know, but once you become a Records Keeper, you can see and hear anything inside the Imperial Palace.”

“That’s right.”

“So until the exam results come out, you absolutely can’t do anything even slightly suspicious. Anywhere at all. Since someone might be watching.”

“…!”

Melody could only stare at him with wide eyes, unable to answer.

“Judging by your expression, looks like you’ve already gotten into quite a bit of trouble.”

“Ah, no I haven’t!”

“That’s a relief then. Anyway, if you have any other questions about the exam, contact me. Fortunately, my family has that kind of information in spades.”

“I’m sincerely grateful for that. Stew, please contact me too if there’s anything I can help with. Other than card games, that is.”

When Melody offered a handshake as she said that, he clasped her hand and shook his head with a shrug.

“I swear I’ll never do that again. There’s no way such a combination would appear twice in my life.”

He exchanged greetings with Ronny as well and excused himself, departing first.

Melody and Ronny also headed towards the ducal carriage waiting near the park.

“Ronny. Aren’t you tired?”

“I am tired.”

“We went around to various clubs all morning after all.”

“I’m not that tired from just…”

He stopped mid-sentence and lowered his gaze for a moment. Worried if Melody might be wearing uncomfortable shoes.

“Hey, you know. If you’re really tired, hold onto my arm…”

“Ta-da! I anticipated this and wore super comfortable shoes today. Wanna see?”

Melody kindly lifted her dress slightly to show not only the shoes but her ankles as well.

Flabbergasted by her absurd behavior, Ronny abruptly withdrew the arm he had been offering and started walking towards the carriage at an incredibly fast pace.

“Ronny? Why are you doing that all of a sudden?”

“You don’t need to know!”

“Ronny?”

When Melody chased after him and grabbed his arm, he widened his eyes and shouted.

“Why are you grabbing me?!”

“Well, I want to go back together with Ronny.”

“……”

Though he was still frowning, he did not seem particularly displeased as he did not shake off her hand.

“Let’s go a bit slower!”

“No way, didn’t you say you’re wearing comfortable shoes?”

Even as he gave that ill-tempered response, his pace became much more leisurely than before.

“Thank you.”

“You’re being a bother, really.”

Melody just laughed even at his snide remark accompanied by an eye roll.

“Even if you say that, it seems like Ronny is always helping me. Slowing down your pace, searching for Stewart together, and even organizing books with me this morning.”

“I have no choice, since you’re a Hi…”

Embarrassed, he unconsciously tried to answer “Since you’re a Higgins” but ended up closing his mouth awkwardly.

“That’s right, I’m a Higgins.”

“……”

Ronny briefly bit his lip firmly.

“But somehow, I had a feeling that even if I wasn’t a Higgins, Ronny would still treat me kindly. Of course, it’s just my arbitrary thought from a moment ago.”

“Think what you want.”

Just then, some children playing in the park passed by in front of them. The sound of innocent laughter approached and quickly receded.

Ronny shifted his gaze from the children’s retreating backs to Melody.

She was still looking at the children.

“It’s not… wrong.”

At the answer he managed with difficulty, Melody’s head began turning towards him slowly. With the corners of her mouth raised high.

Feeling unnecessarily embarrassed, Ronny hastened his steps for a moment. Of course, it didn’t even last five steps before he slowed down again.

 

* * *

 

Ronny did not say much in the carriage returning to the ducal residence.

Seeing him with his eyes tightly closed, Melody judged he must be belatedly overcome by fatigue and did not disturb his rest.

As she vacantly gazed out the window, the anxiety she had suppressed began rearing its head slowly.

“You absolutely can’t do anything even slightly suspicious.”

The warning that wouldn’t leave her mind.

Melody naturally recalled meeting August and Prince Samuel in Kristonson.

It wasn’t simply the fear of failing the exam because of that incident.

What made her tremble was a much more dreadful imagination.

The words “Since someone might be watching.”

‘Could it be the reason there’s been no particular contact from Prince Samuel so far is…’

Perhaps someone monitoring Melody reported to the Emperor. Especially regarding August’s existence…

Thinking that made her palms break out in cold sweat.

‘I wish I could at least confirm they’re safe.’

She briefly closed her eyes and rested her head against the window.

 

* * *

 

When Melody returned to the mansion, joyful news was waiting for her.

“Melody!”

That news was delivered by Loretta who happened to be near the entrance.

“You know, I heard Father and Grandpa Higgins are coming back.”

“Ah, really?”

Since it was clearly happy news, Melody asked back in the brightest voice possible.

But Loretta seemed to see right through her complicated feelings.

“Melody, did something bad happen? You look sad somehow.”

Voicing her worry, Loretta glared suspiciously at Ronny standing blankly behind Melody.

Of course, he did not let his little sister’s impudent gaze slide.

“Hey,  do I look like someone who would do anything bad to her?”

At his retort, Loretta pondered something for a moment before soon nodding.

“That’s true. Big brother doesn’t have the guts to do that anyway.”

“…!”

Ronny was so flabbergasted he wanted to bop Loretta on the head right then.

Of course, he couldn’t actually do that to his small, precious sister, so he could only clench his fists and tremble.

“Ronny treated me well. And I’m alright, Loretta. Thanks for worrying.”

“But Melody.”

Loretta touched and fiddled with her face and cheeks here and there, at a loss for what to do.

“Your hands are cold too, and you look like you’re hurting.”

“I’m probably just hungry since I couldn’t have snack time with Loretta today.”

Melody answered in a light tone and squeezed Loretta’s shoulders with a smile.

“So, how about we go in and eat some sweet snacks together? My lady doctor?”

“Ah…”

But this time, Loretta’s expression turned troubled for some reason.

“Um, actually. I’m… going to the library now.”