CHAPTER~36
“M-Mela, why are you here…?”
At Mela’s sudden appearance, not only I but everyone present wore the same stunned expression.
No one knew where she had been, but Mela suddenly appeared and, like a flying squirrel, swiftly grabbed Reia’s clothes.
“…Hngh!”
Mela scrunched her face tightly as she struggled to pull Reia upward with all her strength.
But at this rate, it was obvious that both of them would be seriously injured.
I rushed forward, thinking I had to save them.
The moment my feet touched the river, the icy current stabbed into my body, biting deep into my bones.
“M-Madam!”
Loren chased after me and tried to stop me, but I pushed through the rushing water without a thought.
Just a little more, and I could reach where the children were.
Just a little more….
And then it happened.
“Huh?”
With a sharp cracking sound, the tree branch holding Mela finally gave way.
Mela’s and Reia’s bodies tilted downward.
“No, Mela!”
Shrill screams of horror tore through the air from all directions.
Thud!
A dull, violent impact echoed in my ears, followed by a whirlwind of dust rising for no clear reason.
Everything happened in an instant, too fast to do anything.
“Mela, no. Mela…!”
My heart clenched painfully at the thought that I couldn’t protect Mela.
If only I had been a little faster, this wouldn’t have happened.
A wave of self-loathing gnawed at my entire body.
“No… it’s because of me….”
Tears poured out uncontrollably.
I couldn’t bring myself to look directly at the horrific scene.
My legs gave out, and my body swayed unsteadily.
“Madam! Please get a hold of yourself!”
If Loren hadn’t caught me from behind, I might have been swept away by the violent current.
“…Madam. Ahead—Miss Mela is….”
Loren’s startled voice reached my ears.
Unable to muster the courage to look, I squeezed my eyes shut.
But the reactions I heard felt strangely off.
No one was screaming in despair or crying.
“That’s impossible. What is that?”
Most of them sounded shocked by what they were seeing.
I slowly opened my eyes and turned my head toward Mela and Reia.
“……”
I was left utterly speechless by the sight before me.
A transparent barrier, clear like droplets of water, was enveloping the children.
Just like the day I first met Mela.
The barrier that had been floating gently in the air softly lowered the two of them down.
Thanks to that, neither Mela nor Reia was hurt.
I stood there in disbelief until I saw others rushing toward them, and only then did I come back to my senses.
Supported by Loren, I hurried toward the children.
“Mela!”
“Mom!”
Mela waved her hand energetically, wearing a bright smile.
The moment I reached her, I pulled Mela tightly into my arms and held my breath for a long while.
Mela’s body felt unusually warm today.
“Thank goodness, truly…. Thank goodness no one was hurt.”
“Mom, are you crying because of Mela?
I’m fine!
I told you not to worry!”
Even though she must have been frightened, she tried to comfort me instead.
With a trembling voice, I gently scolded her.
“Why do you keep saying you’re fine?
How could I not worry when you and Reia almost got hurt….”
“……”
Mela fell silent, blinking her eyes.
She only fidgeted with the hem of her clothes.
“Reia, are you alright too?”
I carefully loosened my hold on Mela and spoke to Reia.
Reia looked flustered, her eyes darting around before she slowly nodded.
Then, her eyes gradually reddened.
I reached out to pat her head.
At the same time, a faint breeze blew past, brushing her hair aside.
For a brief moment, Reia’s nape was revealed, showing a faint mark.
No—more precisely, it was a mark in the exact same spot as Mela’s.
Since when was that there?
I need to check it more closely.
Just as I was about to step closer.
“…Miss Mela certainly has a remarkable talent, doesn’t she?
Miss Reia, come here at once.”
Grimora suddenly appeared and lifted Reia into her arms.
“And what a coincidence this is.
Miss Mela suddenly appears and helps Miss Reia like this.”
“So.
What exactly are you trying to say, Nanny?”
Hearing the hidden implication in her words, I asked coldly.
Grimora continued in the same gentle tone, deliberately provoking me.
“Oh my, did I misspeak?
You don’t look well, Lady Evlyen.
But isn’t it strange?
Two people with no connection suddenly appearing like this….”
It sounded as though she was accusing us of orchestrating everything.
My temper flared instantly.
Just as I tried to rise and argue back.
Artemene’s voice rang out.
“Reia!
My granddaughter!
Where are you?!”
Artemene came rushing over and pulled Reia into her arms from Grimora.
Only then did Reia burst into silent tears.
Come to think of it, I hadn’t heard Reia’s voice even once.
I had thought she was simply timid, but no matter how much I spoke to her, she never replied.
At that moment, the bell necklace said to belong to Reia flashed through my mind.
Wait.
Didn’t she not have that necklace when we were in the garden last time?
And then—
“Ghk!”
“Speak clearly, Count Leella!
Why was my granddaughter with your daughter?
What did you do to her?!”
Everything happened so suddenly that I couldn’t stop her at all.
“Aunt, please, just listen to—”
“This was your doing, wasn’t it?
I said from the start that you were suspicious!
You suddenly appear at my estate and now this!”
“Ghk—Aunt, please!”
Artemene’s grip was incredibly strong.
She was even more than ten centimeters taller than me, and soon my legs were dangling helplessly.
“Lady Artemene…!
Please stop!
Let go of her, please!
Miss Mela saved Miss Reia!”
“Silence!
How dare you spout such nonsense!”
Loren tried desperately to intervene, but it was no use against Artemene’s fury.
“Don’t do this to my mom!”
“Mela, quickly… get away from here….”
My throat tightened, and breathing became increasingly difficult.
Am I really going to suffocate like this?
Just as that thought crossed my mind.
“……”
The atmosphere suddenly turned eerily cold and quiet.
Even the pressure around my neck began to fade.
“I intended only to observe.”
“……”
“But it seems you have crossed the line this time, Aunt.
This is enough.”
At that voice, I barely managed to open my eyes.
A familiar profile came into view.
“D-Duke…?”
Frezen Decart was standing there, his arrival unnoticed.
He was gripping Artemene’s wrist tightly.
“What is the meaning of this?
Release me at once, Duke!
This is utterly disrespectful!”
Despite Artemene’s furious shout, Frezen did not back down.
“Disrespect goes both ways, Aunt.”
“Duke!”
He tightened his grip further, forcing Artemene to release me.
I barely managed to escape as the strength left her grasp.
“Mom, are you okay?”
“Yes.
I’m fine.
What about you, Mela?”
“Mela’s perfectly fine!”
I collapsed to the ground, and Mela immediately ran over and threw herself into my arms, asking anxiously.
I wiped away her tears as she looked on the verge of crying.
“……”
At the same time, my eyes briefly met Frezen’s.
It was only for a split second, but his face was stiff.
As if he were angry.
Yet the look in his eyes when he gazed at me was inexplicably warm, making my heart ache.
“You know as well, Aunt, who saved Reia.”
Frezen continued calmly, his expression unchanged.
“Or is it that you refuse to acknowledge receiving help from others?”
Artemene ground her teeth, seething with rage.
“Are you trying to lecture me, Duke?
The late Duke would never have raised you this way!”
“No.
He did not.
But neither would he have reprimanded me.
Protecting my family is not a wrongdoing.”
As he said that, Frezen stepped in front of Mela and me.
At his next words, my heart began pounding uncontrollably.
“So I will not forgive anyone who lays a hand on my daughter or my wife.
Even if that person is you, Aunt.”
Standing before us, shielding us, he looked more dependable than I had ever seen him.
