Side Story 2 – Chapter 2

 

* * *

 

“Well, of course, it’s very pretty.”

“I knew you’d say that. But why did Loretta say that?”

“What did my adorable little sister say?”

“That you might find this dress appalling.”

“Oh… dear.”

After pondering her words for a moment, he averted his gaze with a troubled look.

Loretta must have known that this dress would stir Claude’s intense, even desperate, desires for Melody.

“Claude?”

As Melody took a step closer, head tilted, he quickly put on a smile and faced her.

“What’s wrong?”

“I was just thinking about why Loretta said that. She truly is an adorable sister… Well, may I hug you for a moment?”

He naturally pulled Melody into an embrace, wrapping his arms around her waist.

He gently patted her white exposed back, as if offering comfort.

“Are you still bothered by it?”

With her head nestled against his chest, Melody asked cautiously.

Was he still dwelling on the events of the banquet?

“If you’re asking whether I’ve been worried all night that you might be hurt by those rude words, then yes.”

“You don’t have to worry about me.”

“No, it’s my duty to worry about you. You granted me that right.”

He lowered his head and kissed her soft hair.

“You’re my treasure.”

She was grateful for his affectionate heart.

Moreover, Claude never hid this deep affection, so very few nobles dared to be rude to Melody in front of him.

‘…But…’

Melody nestled deeper against his chest, letting out a soft sigh.

She had a worry.

One she didn’t want to tell anyone…yet.

 

* * *

 

A week passed, and a new year began.

To commemorate this special night, numerous events were scheduled in the capital, from the imperial banquet to the all-night festivities in the city.

On this bustling night, packed with people everywhere, Melody was accompanying Loretta to an audience with the Emperor and August.

“I thought Magician Evan would be here today.”

Loretta sat up straight in her seat, shooting a sharp glare at the Emperor sitting opposite her as he spoke with a hint of disappointment.

Of course, her inherent loveliness made even her forced frown appear adorable, rendering it completely ineffective as a threat.

“Well, perhaps?”

The Emperor, who considered Loretta a special friend, chuckled, unable to hide his playful expression.

His face held the innocence of a young man, a side he never showed to others.

“Why are you always asking about Evan these days?”

“Because he dislikes me. I seem to be drawn to those who dislike me.”

“That’s absurd.”

Loretta took a sip of the tea placed before her.

“Evan wouldn’t dislike anyone.”

“Is that so?”

The Emperor propped his chin on his hand, glancing at his cousin, August, sitting beside him.

“I’ve seen him glare at me on several occasions.”

“I’ve, I’ve seen it… more than… ten tim…es……”

August, stammering, quickly averted his gaze and closed his mouth as Loretta shot him a sharp look.

“There you have it, witness testimony. Admit it, Loretta Baldwin.”

The Emperor gave a sly smile, personally refilling her teacup.

“I ended up acting out a non-existent affection for your sake, and lost the heart of a competent magician in the process.”

“……”

“You are responsible for this grave injustice, so make that adorable Magician Evan like me.”

“I can’t control Evan’s feelings.”

“No, I think you can.”

“Besides, your premise is flawed. Evan is so kind and gentle…”

“I wouldn’t call the only man who glares at me in the entire palace ‘gentle’ but okay.”

The Emperor turned to Melody, who had been deep in thought beside Loretta.

“Speaking of which…”

He had been indulging in Loretta and Evan’s story while waiting for Melody to finish her contemplation.

Although it seemed like she was struggling to emerge from her deep thoughts.

“Ah.”

Noticing his gaze, Melody finally raised her head.

“I apologize, Your Majesty.”

“No, don’t worry. Your preoccupation is related to Claude Baldwin’s absence from the imperial New Year’s banquet, isn’t it?”

The Emperor carefully observed her expression as he asked.

He was genuinely concerned, as the capital’s most inseparable couple was acting separately.

Perhaps, at this very moment, nobles gathered at the banquet were spreading rumors about their absence, fueling their own baseless hopes.

That despite marrying a woman of a different status out of youthful passion, he would eventually realize their difference and seek a ‘proper’ marriage.

“He…”

Melody began speaking with a somewhat gloomy expression, making the Emperor even more anxious.

Could those foolish rumors be true?

“He’s with Edmund. Our son suddenly developed a fever.”

“Oh, I’m glad… I mean, of course, I don’t mean to say it’s a good thing our little Edmund is sick.”

The Emperor quickly corrected his unintentional blunder.

Thankfully, Melody didn’t seem to take it to heart. She probably didn’t have the time to, anyway.

Edmund Baldwin, their eleven-month-old son with chubby cheeks that anyone would want to pinch, had just started to stand up on his own.

During the Emperor’s previous visit to the mansion, he had witnessed Claude meticulously attaching soft cushions to every corner of the house to protect their increasingly mobile child.

It was natural for parents to care about their child’s safety, but Claude’s concern was considered a bit excessive, even for a noble.

“He’s personally tending to him, I presume?”

“Yes.”

Melody nodded softly, thinking of Claude back at the mansion.

He was probably pacing back and forth through the hallways, unable to put down their whimpering son.

He was the kind of man who wanted to do everything himself, even tasks that most nobles would entrust to a nanny.

‘Perhaps… it’s because of me.’

As a commoner, Melody had often envied children who received their parents’ care during her childhood.

Perhaps due to her upbringing, Melody desired to personally care for their child, and Claude readily accommodated her wishes.

Without a single complaint or objection.

He had stayed behind with their son today so that Melody could attend the audience with the Emperor without any worries.

“I could reschedule our meeting to another day.”

Melody shook her head with a smile at the Emperor’s apologetic words.

“You have your regional tour coming up soon. But thank you for your understanding.”

“Don’t mention it. For the sake of our adorable Edmund Baldwin, I’ll get straight to the point.”

The Emperor beckoned, and an attendant standing by the entrance of the audience chamber approached Melody with a prepared document.

“I’ve learned a great deal from the orphanage project you’ve been running at the Duke’s estate.”

“I wasn’t thinking of its business potential, Your Majesty. Nor was it about forcibly educating or enlightening children.”

Melody answered cautiously, a hint of wariness in her voice.

“I understand. I simply want to emphasize the need for everyone to have the opportunity to grow up in a decent environment.”

“If that’s the case…”

Melody nodded slowly, her gaze falling upon the document the attendant had handed her.

It seemed that the Emperor, based on the orphanage project report Melody had submitted earlier, had drafted a plan to expand it on a continental scale.

The sheer thickness of the document attested to the effort both he and August had put into this project in such a short time.

“The details are outlined in the document, so I would appreciate your feedback. I need the advice of someone with experience.”

“I’ll do my best to provide a response before you depart for your tour.”

“No, there’s no need to rush. I’ll gather more information during my tour as well, so perhaps… we could compile it together.”

The Emperor leaned forward, lowering his voice. Melody instinctively lowered her voice as well, intrigued by his suggestion.

“We… together?”

Melody’s role in this project was simply to share her experiences with the Duke’s orphanage project.

She had assumed that the competent officials under the King would handle the rest.

“That’s why I called you here today, Madam Baldwin. To ask for your opinion.”

The Emperor addressed her as Madam Baldwin, then quickly corrected himself with a shake of his head.

“No, Higgins.”

He even called her by the name she rarely heard anymore.

“What do you think about working as ‘Higgins’, my person?”