The Villainess Is Shy In Receiving Affection - Chapter 24

“Melody.”

Mrs. Higgins called Melody to turn around again.

“Yes?”

“Did you hear that the Big Young Master is coming tomorrow?”

“Ah… no.”

Melody shook her head with a slightly subtle expression. In fact, she hadn’t heard that news yet, but she thought it was time for him to come. It was his role to help Loretta safely adjust to life in the capital.

“He is like the mirror of a noble’s son.”

Melody answered ‘That’s right’, but immediately shut her mouth that wasn’t supposed to answer. Fortunately, the old man didn’t notice her acting strangely.

“Bring tea to the Big Young Master. He will definitely drink tea in the afternoon.”

“Bring him… tea?”

“The Duke also said it. ‘Give her a small errand’ so that you can help.”

“Once… a day?”

“Of course only once! Do you think I would even give you a fake invitation to enter this mansion? This is not an easy place to enter.”

Melody also knew that. It was clear that it makes one proud to be the Duke’s servant.

“Melody,” the old woman called the little girl in a strict voice, “You are the Duke’s guest.”

“….”

“You need to learn the poise that suits him.”

“Then I need to learn that from a teacher if that’s the case.”

The Duke ordered for Melody to be treated as the ‘Duke’s guest’ in the mansion after the incident caused by the Elders. All servants had to show her respect to prevent the same thing from happening again. Melody also started learning simple etiquette in order to show the attitude meriting that kind of treatment.

“O-of course, that wouldn’t make me a dignified person.”

“Will you learn it all at once? You have to keep up with the great example.”

“You gave me permission to bring tea to the Big Young Master to show that?”

“Hmph, right. Although a rough-and-tumble amateur like you can’t even go near the Big Young Master’s toes.”

“….”

That was so true, Melody didn’t answer. Because she always thought it was difficult even with etiquette classes.

“It seems you have no confidence. Stop now if you are not willing to learn.”

“Oh, that’s not it! Though I have that little confidence…” Melody wiggled her hands for nothing and said, “I’ll do it anyway.”

“Even if you don’t have confidence?”

“I-I won’t know unless I try!”

Melody struggled to answer brightly. In fact, it was better to be taught rather than to learn ‘etiquette’ by just observing others.

“It’s enough that you know. Since you learned etiquette, you should know that I will hang you upside down from the zelkova tree if you make a fuss and go against the Young Master!”

Her threat of hanging from the tree was scary, but she somehow felt that there was a warm concern mixed with it. Melody hugged the old woman’s shoulder as if wrapping her.

“Thank you, Grandma. I-I will do my best!”

The old woman jumped up, startled. But she didn’t even have time to yell at her when Melody suddenly said “Oh, I’ll be late to the etiquette class!” and hurriedly left.

Mrs. Higgins looked at the door where Melody had disappeared. ‘She’s an unpredictable lamb’ she muttered to herself and lay down.

* * * 

When they heard that Melody would be in charge of the Big Young Master ‘Claude Valdwin’s’ afternoon tea, all the maids screamed ‘Kyaah, I envy you!’

“Big Young Master will certainly show Miss Melody the virtues of a gentleman.”

“Because he is kind to everyone.”

“Above all, he is so mature that you won’t even think he is 15 years old.”

“He’s already handsome now, but he’ll definitely become more handsome when he grows up….”

Melody slowly nodded at the maid’s words. Of course, she already knew such basic information that the maids didn’t know.

First of all, he was the older brother who liked his sudden younger sister. He played the role of a perfect older brother who loved Loretta, adored her, and endlessly showered her with affection.

However, his true face was revealed when Loretta grew up and started dating in earnest.

‘…He drove away the men around Loretta with only his bloody eyes.’

As much as he usually had a strong image of kindness, his scary eyes made it even more effective. Half of the young men that pursued the beautiful Young Lady Loretta couldn’t overcome his gaze attack and had to give up.

Readers who read this were like, ‘Our Loretta can’t get married with this…! Aah, that’s so good! Give us her marriage! Older brother Claude, cheer up!’ (Melody actually hit the ‘Like’ button on that comment.)

So probably, his ‘true face’ won’t be revealed unless Melody is willing to ‘marry’ Loretta.

* * * 

It rained briefly at dawn when Claude returned to the Duke’s house. Butler Higgins quickly opened an umbrella and held it over him as he got out of the carriage.

“You’ve arrived, Big Young Master.”

“It’s been a while. Higgins, give me the umbrella.”

Higgins refused, but Claude took the umbrella himself. Of course, he didn’t forget to share it with Higgins.

“I am okay.”

“I will be in trouble if Higgins gets wet and catches a cold.”

The 15-year-old boy smiled kindly at the butler he respected.

Higgins looked at the boy who had grown to his own height and muttered in admiration, “You have really grown up a lot.”

“Is that so? I wish it were. Because I want to be a nice guy like Higgins.”

“You can’t be a bad guy like me, Young Master.”

“Don’t insult the man I’ve admired for fifteen years, Higgins.”

“Aigoo, stop it. Someone will hear you!”

Higgins made a rare disgusted tone and hurried into the hallway. It didn’t seem like he hated it, looking at the slight smile on his face.

Many servants of the Duke’s family greeted him as soon as he followed him into the large hall. He even called the names of those who were close to him and greeted them in a friendly way.

“What about my father?”

“He was held back in the meeting room on his way to meet Young Master.”

“Is it time for Ronnie and the new Princess to sleep?”

“If you’re talking about the Young Lady, she’s indeed asleep. She’s still young. Oh, and besides the Young Lady, we also have the Duke’s guest.”

“Father’s guest?”

Higgins quickly told Claude about Melody in response to his question – briefly.

“She’s… a rather unusual guest.”

“You will come to like her, too. She’s a lovely person.”

He only smiled instead of answering Higgins.

* * * 

Melody visited Loretta in the morning.

Now, on non-rainy days, Loretta would sleep alone in her room. Perhaps it was because after Ronnie teased her by saying, ‘You’ll be treated as a baby for the rest of your life if you can’t sleep in your room.’

Knock, knock. She knocked and waited on the door, but it was quiet beyond the door today.

Maybe she was still sleeping. As Melody paced worriedly, a maid passing by told her of Loretta’s whereabouts.

“The young lady is in the garden with the Big Young Master.”

“Big… Young Master?!”

Melody asked, surprised. It was because she heard that he would be arriving this afternoon.

“Perhaps he was curious about Young Lady Loretta. He moved up his schedule and left.”

“Ah.”

That’s what it is if it was Claude – he was amazed by Loretta and tried to always keep her next to him. Though Melody was curious about the new character, she didn’t want to disturb the siblings’ first meeting, so she decided to just quietly go back to her room.

However, the maid told her about Loretta’s words as if it just came to her mind.

“Oh, yes. The Young Lady asked many times when will Melody wake up.”

“Me? Why?”

“I’m not so sure, but maybe she wanted to show off Miss Melody to the Big Young Master?”

“No way.”

Loretta has nothing to brag about, so why not brag about Melody?

“I told you it’s true, because she likes Miss Melody the most. Oh, right.”

The maid came out of Loretta’s wardrobe carrying the large-brimmed hat as if she had just remembered something. It was the same hat the Duke had given her in the past.

“Young Lady will love it if Miss Melody brings this to her. The sun is getting stronger these days, and she went out without wearing a hat.”

That’s difficult. For Loretta’s skin health, you should block UV rays.

Melody took the hat the maid gave her and went to the garden. It was a large garden, but finding Loretta wasn’t too difficult. Because the places that children like are limited.

She was at the small fountain today. Melody called for Loretta but didn’t approach and stood far away to watch the scene unfolding in front of her.

Claude and Loretta – the two of them were really beautiful.

Loretta softly smiled with a slight soil on her cheek. The friendly older brother spoke by lowering his height to match his younger sister’s eye level. Their pale golden hair swayed pleasantly everytime the wind blew.

“Melody, Melody!”

At that moment, Loretta found Melody and jumped to the spot. It seemed that she was very satisfied with meeting Claude seeing that light step of hers. She looked like she was enjoying it.

As she had learned from her teacher, she greeted them politely and immediately approached the two of them. Of course, she didn’t forget to use respect for Loretta.

“I brought the hat that the Young Lady forgot.”

Melody bowed in greeting.

“I am staying here with the Duke’s grace. I am Melody.”

“I’ve heard about you. It’s alright, you can raise your head.”

When she looked up slightly per his instruction, he was still sitting in front of Loretta, looking toward Melody. Thanks to that, their eyes met immediately.

“….”

Even though Melody knew it was not proper etiquette, she couldn’t take her eyes from him. She knew that he was the most outstanding boy in the capital when she read the original story, and that he would grow up to be a wonderful young man in the future.

‘I knew…’

As if it was something new to her, she realized it when she actually met him in real life.

“Um, do I look so weird? So surprised that you opened your mouth?”

At his playful words, Melody quickly covered her lips with Loretta’s hat she was holding. She didn’t notice it since she was busy admiring his clear features, but her mouth was really agape.

“Th-that!”

Melody had an almost crying expression and tried to make excuses, but he smiled and stood slowly from his seat.

“You are an interesting person, Miss Melody. Nice to meet you.”

Claude took one step closer to her and bowed lightly.

“I am Claude.”

She didn’t know why, but Melody was embarrassed and averted her gaze then held out the hat abruptly.

(T/N: Yay, another Claude in my collection [bunny happy noises])