The Villainess Is Shy In Receiving Affection - Chapter 50

“Though, it is definitely alright with me.”

“Pardon?!”

“I meant having a relationship of sharing secrets. You don’t like it?”

She naturally didn’t like it, so Melody shook her head vigorously with a disgusted expression on her face.

“I’m going to feel hurt if you reject it like that.”

“B, but you’re going to use that secret-sharing relationship to order me around later!”

In a low voice, he murmured, ‘You’re not falling for it.’ For some reason, it sounded as if Melody was telling him she wasn’t going to listen to his mischief.

“I won’t fall for it. Even today, you’re making me work like this. I’m sure you’ll give me another record to transcribe tomorrow.”

“I won’t give you one.”

Melody was surprised at his words, as if he was telling her not to worry about it.

“Did that surprise Miss Melody?”

“Of course!”

Claude is basically kind, but he had never once hesitated to use Melody’s manpower.

“You gave me work yesterday, the day before that, and the day before that as well.”

Even on the day Melody’s mother was executed, she went to find Claude to work as usual as if it was just any other day.

“Hmm, I thought Miss Melody was quite mature. You’re a lot more innocent than I thought.”

“…?”

“I didn’t know that just because you’ve been doing it so far, you’d have such a cute idea that you would also continue doing it tomorrow. If I’m honest.”

“Ah.”

Understanding the current situation, Melody nodded her head slightly.

“I’m sorry. Thinking of it now, the Young Master’s situation had slipped my mind for a while.”

He only came back to the Duke’s house at the Duke’s request – as a temporary guardian to look after Loretta.

“You… forgot…. Miss Melody doesn’t hold back when saying cruel words.”

“You’re going back to the academy, right?”

“Yes. I will be leaving tomorrow morning.”

Melody stared at his face for a moment after he answered.

“Tomorrow morning?”

‘I will be leaving tomorrow morning,’ was undoubtedly one of the lies Claude had told in the original story. In fact, he would leave the mansion in the very early hours of the morning, before the sun would rise.

However, he lied to Loretta by saying that he would leave the next morning, so that the little girl wouldn’t wake up too early because of him. The good child Loretta would want to see her beloved older brother off in the morning.

So Claude used this lie to show that he cared about Loretta in his own way. Although, considering the fact that Loretta was very sad the next morning, it didn’t sound like a very good idea to lie like that despite his good intentions.

“Yes, tomorrow morning.”

That’s weird. Considering what Claude had been doing to Melody, she already thought he would say something like this:

‘I told my little sister that I will be leaving in the morning, but I will actually leave before dawn. Miss Melody, you can see me off if you want.’

Of course, adding these words:

‘I don’t expect you to see me off in a grand manner. Just remember that I made some contributions to Miss Melody’s birthday. I am also quite proud of it.’

She thought he’d say something like that with a devilish grin on his face.

“Your reaction is weird. I thought Miss Melody would like it. Since you’ve been busy because of me.”

There was no good or bad problem with Claude telling that lie to Melody in particular. It was just weird that Claude told Melody the lie he was supposed to only tell Loretta out of consideration.

“Oh, no. I’m just a little… worried.”

“Worried?”

“I think that Lady Loretta will be upset tomorrow morning. Quite a lot at that.”

Especially if she finds out that Claude had slipped away overnight.

“I’m sure she will be. I’ve never seen such a sweet child before.”

Whether he understood the hints Melody had given or not, Claude just nodded his head.

“Besides, the fact that she doesn’t want to be without me is the same for me as well.”

“I know. Is it hurting your heart that you’re leaving her behind?”

“Yes. I’m worried about a great number of things since I am leaving behind our little miss. I don’t think she’s adjusted to the capital yet.”

“Don’t worry. The Duke is with her and Young Master Ronnie too.”

Melody was about to add, ‘I will be here as well,’ but she stopped just in time. Because Melody, who doesn’t know anything about the circumstances of nobles, won’t be able to help Loretta to ‘adjust in the capital’.

“I know, so I’m not too worried about it.”

As he said so, he began to focus on his book again, so Melody had to also move her pen.

* * * 

Dawn the next day – no, it was closer to the night than that.

Claude got up and immediately washed his face before getting dressed. Only a few people he was close with at the Duke’s household knew that he was leaving including the butler Higgins, and the Duke, his father. There was actually an unavoidable reason he had to leave at this hour.

He had an interview with his professor in charge of the report he had sent by mail last time. Considering the time he had to travel to the academy, he absolutely had to leave now so he could make it in time.

‘Actually, I was planning on leaving yesterday.’

He had so much fun staying in the mansion recently that he delayed the time as much as possible, and he ended up having to leave at this hour.

‘Still, it’s kind of sad.’

He smiled bitterly as he looked up at the crescent moon rising in the sky. When he first heard that he had to go back to the estate at his father the Duke’s request, he thought that it was just troublesome.

Claude also has some friends who have little sisters, but they would only talk about them as if they were the most horrible creature in the world. So when Claude heard that he had a little sister, he didn’t expect much. He certainly didn’t expect that he would change his mind in such a short amount of time.

He finally picked up his bag. Now that he was all set, he was going to go and say goodbye to his father.

“…Huh?”

However, he noticed the edge of an envelope sticking out from under the gap of the door. Who left it here? He opened the door and picked up the white envelope waiting on the floor. When he opened the envelope that didn’t have the sender’s name on it, he found two letters.

[Loretta loves Brother Claude very, very much~!]

The first letter on the first page with crooked handwriting was Loretta’s. This time, the ink was smeared a little because it was folded quite hastily. Claud thought that it was lovely of her. It seems like she wanted to send the letter to him quickly.

He stared at Loretta’s letter for a long time, and soon checked the next one. Unlike Loretta’s letter, there was fairly neat writing this time. He knew who it was even without reading its contents. This one had Melody’s handwriting.

[I am writing this letter because I am afraid that I might not be able to get up at the time of your departure.]

With those opening words, Claude recalled how strange Melody looked yesterday. Maybe she knew that he was lying. He didn’t know how she noticed it, but Melody was sometimes strangely sharp.

[I was on the verge of giving up on finding out my birthday. I thought there was no other way. But I was very happy that you let me know that there is a way, and there is still a way.]

Actually, she has good luck. There are a few days when ‘unusual’ situations get tangled up like that on the same day. So, finding her birthday means that Melody’s luck also played a role to some extent.

[Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.]

Still, Claude didn’t hate to be thanked by Melody. Actually, he was a little upset that Melody didn’t give him a thank-you letter a while ago.

[I will probably remember this every birthday and will continue to be thankful to the Young Master.]

There were also the plain words of thank you’s and well wishes filled with concern.

“Young Master.”

Was he worried that I would be a little late? Suddenly, the butler, Higgins, came to his room.

“I’m sorry, I was just seeing you off.”

He quickly put the letters with the heartfelt well wishes of the two children in his bag to keep them safe. Higgins looked at Claude’s happy expression and smiled slightly.

* * * 

Melody jumped out of bed even before the sun rose. Judging from the darkness covering the surroundings, it seemed like it wasn’t dawn yet.

She quickly changed into simple clothes and ran to the front door without even washing her face.

“Miss Melody.”

There, the butler, Higgins, stood alone.

“My, you ran out without even combing your hair.”

He took a comb out of his jacket pocket and arranged Melody’s messy hair.

“How about Young Master Claude?”

Grandpa Higgins turned his head and looked toward the garden when Melody asked him. The carriage he was riding on was passing through the main gate.

“I was too late.”

As Melody answered with a sad face, Higgins began to braid Melody’s hair in several sections.

(T/N: Aww, that’s so sweet of Grandpa Higgins~ I wish my Grandpa is also doing that for me [jealous, jealous])

“Even so, the Young Master was very happy that the Lady and Miss Melody saw him off.”

He was probably referring to the letter Melody and Loretta had secretly brought over to his room before they went to bed. But Melody simply wanted to convey how she was grateful for him, in case she didn’t wake up in time. In fact, she still had some things she was thankful to him for that she couldn’t put into the letter.

While Melody was feeling regretful, Higgins curled the braids and pinned it over her head.

“You don’t have to be too sad. I’m sure Miss Melody’s heart has been fully conveyed.”

“Is that so?”

In response to her answer that still sounded anxious, Higgins held out a small, folded piece of paper from his pocket.

“Do you want to see it yourself?”

“What is this?”

“This is the Young Master’s answer to Miss Melody seeing him off.”

Melody accepted the finely folded piece of paper. Unlike usual, Claude’s handwriting was a mess as if it would fly away at any moment. He probably didn’t have the time, so he could care less about his handwriting as he was scribbling quickly.

[Leaving the painful snow behind, I hope it will be a warm day when the yellow spring flowers bloom.]

Melody stared at the letter and had a question.

‘Is this about my birthday?’

She wrote ‘Thank you for finding my birthday’ in the letter for him, so he was probably talking about that. Wishing for Melody’s future to be filled with yellow flowers, it sounded just like a blessing.

… It’s probably only my imagination.