Chapter 3

***

“I wish our little one could go home soon…”

With her stoic but fair father and differently tempered older brothers, all of whom would shower this child with immense love. This decrepit house, with one side of the roof sagging and spider webs gathering dust, would soon be forgotten by her.

“Home…?”

Lost in thought, Melody was brought back by the child’s quiet question.

“Yes, home. You want to go, don’t you?”

The child quickly nodded and asked another question.

“Melody too?”

“I already live in my home. This is my home.”

Melody’s response made the child’s eyes widen, as if she had received a shock.

“Wha-what…?”

As Melody flustered, tears welled up in the child’s eyes and soon started to flow.

“Melody and Loretta’s home, sniffle, different?”@@novelbin@@

Caught off guard by Loretta’s tears from an unexpected source, Melody was at a loss for words.

“Well, that…”

Of course, the homes are different! She’s the protagonist, and I’m the villain’s daughter!

Besides, she knew this wasn’t her home!

Oh, really, what am I supposed to do if she cries over that!

“Different…”

“Waaaah!”

The child collapsed to the floor, wailing.

Complaining that without Melody, who would cover her ears in the scary carriage.

…Well, there was no carriage. I did cover her ears a few times in the room on rainy days, though.

Nevertheless, Loretta continued to cry.

As if she had forgotten that Melody and she originally had different homes, and Loretta had her own place to live.

Hearing the cries, Melody’s mother rushed from afar.

Worried about being scolded,

“Can’t you even take care of a child?! There’s never a quiet day in this house! What good are you if all you do is eat and age?!”

…And as expected, she got a good scolding.

“Shut up! Can’t you keep your mouth shut, you wretched girl?!”

As her mother yelled at the crying child, Melody covered Loretta’s ears so she wouldn’t hear.

Her mother, looking exasperated, glared at the two children before entering her room.

“Are you okay?”

As Melody removed her hands, Loretta shook her head and buried herself in Melody’s arms, clearly frightened by her mother’s shouting.

“Uuuh, if Loretta and Melody’s homes are different, sniffle, I don’t want that…”

…No.

It wasn’t the mother, but the fact they had different homes that was the problem.

* * *

“I have good news, Melody.”

Her mother, drunk, came back and delivered what she claimed as ‘good news’.

“Looks like that child will bring in more money than I thought. Isn’t she a real pot of gold, huh?”

“…Pot of gold?”

Loretta echoed her mother’s words, inquiring what it meant.

Surprisingly, her mother kindly explained.

“It means a money bag. A bag full of a lot of money.”

Even though the explanation was technically incorrect.

“Anyway, Melody, you must take care not to let her get hurt or sick until then. The people coming to get her won’t like that.”

Melody felt a bit hurt but nodded vaguely.

“Do a good job for once. Be grateful I’m raising such a dumb daughter like you.”

“I’m not dumb, Mother.”

Despite not receiving formal education, Melody could read quite well.

Some of the adults in the village even came to her for help reading newspapers, so she knew she wasn’t dumb.

“What? Are you saying I’m the dumb one?!”

“No, it’s not that…”

“Don’t talk back to me! Keep acting up, and you’ll be punished!”

Her mother grabbed Melody’s hair forcefully before retreating to her room.

Melody rubbed her sore head a bit.

Well… it’s always like this.

Those with bad luck end up worse off even when they fall; that’s just how it is. Even in a novel world, I’m stuck with a role like the slave trader’s daughter.

But at least I’m smart enough to find a way to survive, as long as Loretta’s father doesn’t kill me.

“Melody.”

Suddenly, the little Loretta, who was beside her, pulled on her skirt.

With a worried face.

“Melody, does it hurt?”

“Hmm.”

Melody shook her head and crouched down to face the child.

“It doesn’t hurt.”

“Melody, your head was hit.”

Loretta rubbed the spot where Melody’s head was struck, even blowing on it gently.

Melody, feeling unexpectedly cheered up, chuckled.

“Such a pot of gold.”

And she hugged the little girl tightly. Even without using any fancy perfumes, the child had a pleasant scent.

Ah, the scent of the protagonist.

“…Loretta not a pot of gold.”

But Loretta rubbed her face against Melody’s shoulder with a troubled voice.

“Why aren’t you a pot of gold?”

“Um, actually.”

Fidgeting, Loretta slipped out of Melody’s embrace and glanced toward her mother’s room, as if watching out for something. Then she whispered in a tiny voice.

“Actually, in Loretta’s pocket… there’s no money.”

The child put her hand into her small pocket and fumbled, looking distressed.

“There’s no money… so I’m not a pot of gold.”

Oh, what to do.

Melody wanted to explain the true meaning of ‘pot of gold’, but Loretta’s troubled fumbling was too adorable. She felt like just watching a bit longer.

“But there is something.”

Then, after a while, the child carefully pulled out a round pebble from her pocket with her small fern-like hand. It was from when she was playing in the mud yesterday afternoon, using it to crush grass. The pebble still had some grass stains on one side. Given that she carried this common pebble in her pocket, it seemed she really enjoyed the playtime.

Melody stroked Loretta’s head and asked if she wanted to play house.

“Yes! Loretta will be the sister, and Melody will be the baby.”

Hmm, Melody wondered why she always ended up being the baby.

Nevertheless, seizing the opportunity while Loretta was in a good mood, Melody decided to clarify something that had been bothering her.

“Then, who will be the mother?”

“The mother?”

“Yes, Loretta’s mother.”

Melody swallowed nervously, worried that mentioning ‘mother’ might make Loretta burst into tears.

Surprisingly, Loretta seemed fine but looked troubled, tilting her head back and forth.

“Loretta doesn’t know much about that…”

Don’t know? Melody looked puzzled, but Loretta just giggled and repeated her previous statement.

“Loretta will be the sister. Melody is the baby.”

Melody had nothing else to say, so she just nodded.

“Yes, don’t worry, the baby. The sister knows everything and will take care of it!”

Despite Loretta’s reassuring words, her response was somewhat worrisome.

After all, the original story didn’t mention Loretta losing her memories of her mother.

‘Is she really okay?’

Perhaps sensing Melody’s concern, Loretta suddenly jumped up and hugged her tightly. Melody let go of her worries for a moment, comforted by the warmth.

“Melody, I really like you.”

* * *

The incident happened one night as autumn approached.

Melody was preparing dinner for her mother when she accidentally broke a plate.

The fragile plate shattered on the floor, scattering pieces everywhere.

Hot soup splashed onto Melody’s leg, causing a stinging pain, but that wasn’t her main concern at the moment.

“Melody!”

Startled, Loretta rushed over and slipped on the soup, falling right onto the broken pieces.

“Loretta!”

Melody quickly helped her up, praying the little girl wasn’t hurt.

But as always, it seemed her prayers went unheard.

Blood was streaming from Loretta’s palms and knees.

‘What do I do? What if she’s hurt more? What if it hurts her?’

Fearing the worst, Melody couldn’t help but tear up.

“You stupid girl, are you crazy?!”

Her mother’s scream came then. She had heard the plate breaking and rushed out, immediately scolding Melody.

“I’m sorry… I’m so sorry. Mother. It’s my fault.”

Melody immediately apologized, her mother’s words barely registering.

She was overwhelmed by the sight of Loretta’s tender skin torn and bleeding.

“Why are you standing there like an idiot! Call a doctor right now! If she gets a scar, you won’t get away with it!”

A doctor, yes. They needed a doctor.

Melody ran out without even grabbing her coat.

The drizzling autumn rain was annoying, but she didn’t slow down.

Regret filled her as she ran through the rain.

When the plate broke, Melody should have first warned Loretta.

Better yet, she shouldn’t have broken the plate at all. It was all Melody’s fault.

By now, Loretta was probably in pain, crying bitterly. And outside, it was raining – the rain that Loretta so feared!

‘Just wait a little, I’ll bring the doctor soon.’

As she rushed, a fancy carriage, the kind a high noble might ride, sped past her. But Melody didn’t notice it.

* * *

“Doctor!”

“Melody? What brings you here… oh no, are you hurt again?!”

The village’s only doctor, Mary Mullern, who was warming herself by the fire, got up quickly to check on Melody as she burst in.

“What in the world happened to you?”

Melody’s leg had wounds from the shards of the broken soup plate.

The skin was red and looked burned.

“Come, sit down. Let me see your injury.”

The doctor fetched her tools from the cabinet and motioned for Melody to sit.

“My goodness, your last wound hasn’t even healed yet. Has your mother been drinking again?”

Dr. Mullern clicked her tongue, shaking her head. The villagers had agreed not to sell alcohol to Melody’s mother, considering she was a slave trader with a difficult personality, and the potential for accidents when drunk.

Despite the village’s efforts, it seemed she still managed to find alcohol to drink.

“No, it’s not that. I’m fine!”

“Fine? What are you talking about? Look at your leg.”

Dr. Mullern tried to lead Melody to a chair, but the girl stubbornly resisted.

“Doctor, it’s not me. It’s Loretta… the child at our house, she’s hurt!”