Chapter 45
Melody was stuffing things into her bag when she lazily pointed to the desk with her chin.
“What are you doing?”
Anna asked as she placed a huge stack of books on Melody’s desk.
“I’m going with the expedition. I just… can’t sit still.”
Melody wanted to see it with her own eyes. Had she really changed the future? Could they save people? Would Deonis and his knights all return safely?
“To the place where monsters appear?!”
“I see monsters every day.”
“Dead ones and alive ones aren’t the same, you know.”
Anna clearly didn’t understand what was going through Melody’s head.
“You make magic tools, you chased the Crown Prince out, and now you’re going to chase monsters too? How can you do all that?”
“Because it’s something I can do.”
Melody’s answer was calm. She had spent more time outside the holy barrier than inside. Life within the barrier still felt strange to her.
Anna looked at her in a new light.
“You’re really something, Miss Melody. You do scary things like they’re nothing. And you enjoy your work no matter what people think.”
Anna’s hands stopped playing with the needle she was holding.
“I just follow orders, really. The reason I became your maid was because no one else wanted to.”
That made sense. Being assigned to a commoner magic tool maker probably wasn’t anyone’s dream. When Melody first came to the mansion, other servants hadn’t even tried to hide their dislike. Anna being so kind was the surprising part.
“Anna, you’re so hardworking and dependable.”
“Are you saying I have no talent?”
“You’re kind and caring. The kindest person I’ve ever met.”
“What kind of terrible people have you been around?”
“I mean it—you have so many good qualities.”
Anna blinked slowly, then gave a shy smile.
“Well, it’s nice to hear that… from the smartest person I know.”
She laughed and added playfully,
“You make magic tools so easily. Though… you’re kind of strange.”
“It would’ve been perfect if you left out the last part.”
“Well, the most important part always comes last, they say.”
Just then, a knock came at the door. The head steward entered with a serious look.
“Ahem. His Grace the Duke sent this. He said it’s a new machine.”
“A new machine? From the Duke?”
Under his direction, a large object covered in cloth was placed in her workshop. The steward coughed awkwardly, maybe embarrassed by the earlier tension.
“Please, take a look.”
Melody frowned.
Did he really think sending a machine would make her change her mind about going on the expedition? She wasn’t that simple.
“Please tell him that things like this won’t change my decision—”
She grumbled as she yanked the cloth away—
“This is… the Crystal Sorter that’s still in testing at the Academy!”
The moment she saw it, her annoyed expression melted into shock.
The Crystal Sorter was a machine that removed impurities from crystal ore, measured its magical energy, and sorted it into categories based on how it could be used. It was incredibly useful for magic tool creation.
“They said only one is made per year! Even the High Temple couldn’t get one!”
She ran her hand over the smooth metal. The shimmering beauty of the machine made it impossible to look away.
Watching her reaction, Anna whispered to the steward.
“Looks like she likes it.”
“That’s a relief.”
“The Crown Prince probably hoped for this kind of reaction too.”
“That, too, is a relief.”
They shared a quiet look while Melody remained completely focused on the machine.
“I need to test the crystals I’ve already prepared!”
She ended up spending the whole day working with the new machine. She even started building a new version of the magic-nullifier with the selected crystals. It wasn’t until the next day that Anna finally pushed her out the door.
“No matter how busy you are, you need to take a walk!”
“The sunlight… it’s so bright…”
Melody walked through the garden path. The sun was almost too warm.
“But doesn’t it feel good to be outside?”
“Right now, my crystals should be done sorting…”
“You can check them when we get back. It’s not like the crystals are going to walk away.”
“…Fine.”
As they rounded the garden, they heard shouting from the training ground. Under the shade of a tree sat Rohan, and beside him stood a scruffy dog baring its teeth.
It was Goblin.
The dog barked furiously at any knight who passed by.
“Goblin hasn’t changed.”
“He’s gotten a bit better. Now he only bites people who get too close to Rohan. He’s practically a personal guard dog. Not many in the castle could beat Rohan anyway.”
“That little thing trying to protect someone… Kind of impressive.”
“Right? He’s actually really cute.”
Anna laughed, then cautiously brought up a topic again.
“I don’t know all the details, but… I think the Duke made that decision because he was worried about you.”
“I know. But no one knows the world outside the barrier better than I do.”
They’d said being used to danger doesn’t make it safe. But it does make survival more likely.
Melody had lived outside the barrier for twenty years. It didn’t make sense to say a baby monster was enough to risk her life.
“Guess it’s really just because he doesn’t like Ryan. And… I can understand that.”
She even wondered if Deonis had secretly hoped Ryan would get hurt. Still, she couldn’t bring herself to blame him. Ryan had done more than enough to earn Deonis’ dislike.
“But still, how could I just sit and watch if I know someone’s going to get hurt right in front of me?”
“…You’re right.”
Anna didn’t look fully convinced. As they walked again, she pointed toward the training ground.
“Oh—there’s the Duke.”
Melody looked up and saw Deonis coming out of the training ground. He wore a gray training outfit with red cloth wrapped around his arm.
But… as she looked closer, it wasn’t red cloth.
It was white fabric, stained with blood.
“He’s hurt!” Anna gasped.
Melody immediately walked toward him. She saw Deonis try to hide his arm under his cloak when he noticed her.
He was clearly planning to avoid her until the expedition left. He had made himself bleed just to do it?
Her chest tightened with a sharp discomfort.
‘Just because I saved Ryan?!’
Was he avoiding her because she saved someone he hated? That was too much.
“Greetings, Your Grace.”
“Out for a walk?”
“Yes, I was just about to head back.”
While Anna and Deonis exchanged a few polite words, Melody stared silently at the arm hidden under his cloak. She finally spoke with a sigh.
“You’re hurt.”
“It’s nothing serious.”
He turned, ready to leave. But Melody reached out and grabbed his sleeve.
“Let me treat it.”
This time, Deonis didn’t refuse her.
