Chapter 217

 

* * *

 

Melody changed her clothes with the help of a maid and pondered who this unexpected visitor could be.

‘There seems to be no one who would come all the way here to see me.’

She finished getting ready with that question in mind and immediately headed to the reception room.

As the antique door opened, she saw a woman standing alone, looking out the window.

After Wendel Benton set down the tea and withdrew, Melody stared blankly at the somewhat familiar person’s back.

Neatly tied up brown hair, casual travel clothes.

Melody didn’t recognize her at first glance.

But when the woman turned around and started with “Miss Higgins,” Melody was very surprised and brought both hands to her mouth.

“Re-Records Keeper!”

It was the very Records Keeper who had retired last fall in exchange for not recording Melody’s  shoes.

“It’s been a while.”

“H-how did you get here? No, I… It’s been a long time.”

As if amused by Melody’s inability to hide her flustered state, the woman laughed out loud.

“It’s awkward to call a retired person the Records Keeper. I’m Sherry Clemens.”

“Mrs. Clemens.”

“I’d prefer Sherry. Also, I don’t really like the title of Mrs.”

Melody immediately reflected her preference and corrected how she addressed her.

“I didn’t expect to meet you here, Miss Sherry.”

“Of course, actually, neither did I.”

“How have you been… No, we shouldn’t talk standing. Would you like to sit here?”

Melody hurriedly offered her a comfortable seat. She was so surprised that she had forgotten she should serve the guest.

“Thank you. But let’s talk like this. It would be a shame to miss such a magnificent sunset.”

She turned back around and gazed at the red sky spread beyond the large window.

Melody soon joined her gaze.

“I read the newspaper.”

Soon Sherry, not the Records Keeper, quietly brought up the topic.

“…Yes.”

Melody answered carefully, imagining her thoughts.

Perhaps she doesn’t regret retiring. Even if she records such things now, nothing particularly alarming will happen.

“I have no regrets.”

Surprised by the sudden answer, Melody turned to look at her.

“I mean it.”

“But…”

“Anyway, I neglected my given duty. Even if the situation changes, that fact doesn’t disappear.”

Melody felt a little ashamed at her uprightness for a moment.

How could she arbitrarily guess that such a person would regret her past decision?

“However, you are different, Miss Higgins.”

“Different…?”

“My telling you to hide yourself was just a temporary measure for the sake of peace.”

Melody nodded slightly.

“Now that His Majesty the Emperor has also awakened from his long nightmare, you don’t need to be bound by that promise anymore.”

“…That.”

“You can aim to be a Records Keeper again. It’s unfortunate that you’ll have to take the exam twice though.”

“I can’t do that! Because you, Miss Sherry…!”

“It’s not like Miss Higgins particularly asked me to do that, right? It was solely my decision to omit the records.”

Melody couldn’t dare argue further against her firm answer.

“I don’t know how to thank you for all this.”

“It’s only natural.”

“No, it’s not. You bestowed such grace upon me when we barely knew each other, and now you’re being considerate so I can live freely. You’re really… kind.”

“I just happened to want to do that. It’s not a big deal. Anyone has a basic desire to be a kind person.”

“Kindness is a ‘basic desire’?”

“When you give it, you feel a sense of fulfillment, so wouldn’t it be okay to call it that?”

Melody really liked what she said.

If it was a world where kindness led to basic desires, everyone would live in gentleness and affection.

“…I should also work hard to feel such joy often.”

“You’ll do well, Miss Higgins.”

“Oh, and there’s something I want to ask.”

Melody brushed back her loose hair and took a step closer to her.

“I’m curious how you knew I was here.”

“Hm?”

One of Sherry’s eyebrows rose slightly. She seemed to not have expected Melody to ask such a question.

“S-sorry, did you happen to send me a letter?”

“No, that’s not it.”

She seemed to ponder for a moment but soon grinned.

“It seems I’ll get to satisfy my basic desire again.”

“Pardon?”

“Claude Baldwin found me.”

“The, the Young Master did?”

“Yes. I thought I was perfectly hidden, but perhaps he knew from the beginning that I was staying in the duchy.”

“You were… in the duchy?”

“Yes, all along.”

Naturally, Melody was reminded of when Claude came and suggested a place to stay.

He had told her it would be good to go to the duchy.

‘Could it be, for the sake of this meeting…?’

Although Melody had been staying in the capital for Loretta’s sake, she always kept her promise with the Records Keeper in mind.

“Then, did you come all the way to Kristonson for me?”

“Of course not. I happened to be trying to cross the border. Summer and fall are good seasons for travel. Of course, I had no intention of meeting Miss Higgins before leaving.”

Sherry recalled the young Baldwin who had come to find her.

He, the pride of the Baldwins, willingly bowed to Sherry Clemens, who held no position, and earnestly asked her.

To meet Melody Higgins.

 

“The world has changed, so she’ll know she can be free now too.”

“…You may know, but Melody Higgins values promises.”

 

Claude bowed to her several times, making the same request. Even though it wasn’t something he needed to plead for so desperately.

“He was deeply concerned about you. A very kind young man.”

“I see… I didn’t know. The Young Master didn’t say anything…”

No, saying she didn’t know was just an excuse.

If Melody had just asked for a reason when he recommended the duchy, she could have found out right away.

It wasn’t that he didn’t say it. Melody just didn’t properly listen to him.

“Anyway, Melody Higgins. From now on, please live freely. Nothing will stop you.”

When Sherry offered her hand with that greeting, Melody quickly grasped it.

“I hope you have a good trip too, Miss Sherry.”

“Of course, shall I tell the young Baldwin that I have completed my mission?”

“You… will?”

She nodded as if it was obvious.

Melody couldn’t bring herself to refuse and barely nodded.

A little later, Wendel Benton came to the reception room and suggested Sherry have a meal before leaving, but she declined, saying she was in a hurry, and left the Briggs mansion.

 

* * *

 

“Melody Higgins values promises.”

From what Sherry told her, Melody realized two things.

One was that Claude cared about her.

She couldn’t be sure if his feelings were the same as before… But at least it didn’t seem completely different.

And the other was.

That there was also an unfulfilled promise between them.

“I wrote to never look for me.”

 

“Please protect Loretta. You have to make that child the happiest child in this world.”

 

…Could it be that he still kept that promise in his heart even now?

‘It couldn’t be helped.’

Because they didn’t know the situation would change that much.

He did his best in his position to handle all situations. So even if the promise was a little off, there was no reason for him to blame himself.

‘But the Young Master isn’t the type to simply nod like that…’

Melody sat at her desk and sighed deeply.

She had to write him a letter as Sherry had asked, but she had no idea what to write.

As she was just staring at the blank paper, Wendel Benton came again. Asking if she’d like to have a warm tea before going to sleep.

“I’m fine. Instead, could you prepare some warm herbal tea for Loretta?”

“Of course, I’ve already prepared it for the young lady.”

“Thank you.”

“Well then, I’ll take my leave.”

As Wendel Benton was about to bow and withdraw, Melody unknowingly called out to him again.

“Wait!”

“Yes?”

But when he looked at her, asking what the matter was, she had nothing to say.

Wouldn’t it be weird to ask him for advice on how to write a proper letter to improve her relationship with Claude?

“Ah, are you perhaps having difficulty writing a letter?”

Noticing the blank paper on Melody’s desk, he grinned and took out a package from his bosom.

“In that case, I definitely recommend this product!”

What he took out was an item Melody was well aware of. Because Loretta had already bought it.

“As you may know, just by placing your palm on it, based on your body temperature and heart rate, a sincere sentence is completed (with a 1% probability)! It’s the ‘Ghostwriter Stationery’! Of course, we provide one sheet for free so you can experience it.”

He placed a sheet of stationery on the desk.

“If you use it yourself, you’ll be surprised by the bluntly honest sentences that appear. It’s a popular item that everyone is dying to buy after seeing its efficacy once.”

He gave a meaningful smile and left Melody’s room.

“…What nonsense.”

Melody grumbled and placed her hand on the paper. She was just going along with it for the sake of it.

“If it was this simple to ghostwrite, no one would have trouble writing letters.”

Soon, black ink lines began to bloom from her palm.

Melody slowly removed her hand and checked the sentence completed considering her body temperature and heart rate.

 

[Please kiss me.]

 

Blushing, Melody quickly put away the paper.

“Th-this is just a ridiculous defective product!”