The Villainess Is Shy In Receiving Affection

cause she is so surprised.
Melody never stopped crying.

Instead.

“Heuk.”

She kept getting hiccups.
At times like this, she had to find water, but Melody didn’t want to move at the moment.

“Heeuuk.”

“Melody are chu alright…?”

Loretta hovers around Melody as she feels worried about her.
Melody nodded passionately.
She still had hiccups and a little pain near her heart.

“Heeuuk.”

And then her hiccups popped out once again.
In front of Melody, a water bag made of leather came out too.

Because of this splendid appearance, she thought she should call it “His Majesty’s Pocket,” not just “Pocket.”

Melody also looked at His Majesty’s Pocket, while she was having a hiccup.

Then the water bag got a little closer to her.

“Drink it.”

He’s giving orders in a solemn voice.

Of course, no matter how solemn a pocket is, it cannot speak human language, so Melody looked up and checked the person who told her that.

“…!”

She then fell back in surprise.
Perhaps any other readers who read 『The Duke and Four Children』 would have done the same.

The immediate counterpart with His Majesty’s pocket is the Duke of the Land, the father of Loretta!

‘H-he really is exactly the same as the cover page—!’

He’s the cover of volume one! Who had a stiff face and held Loretta and his sons!

Thanks to the cover, he reminded her of the nickname “The father who had lots of children.”

Melody looked at the Duke’s beautiful face for a long time and realized two things.

One, she was so surprised that her hiccups stopped, and the other was that she had to fill her stomach quickly.

She leaned down quickly.
Almost like sticking herself to the floor and then,

“I-I-I’m sorry!”

She barely cried out, but Melody felt as if she could feel the blazing gaze over the top of her head.

She’s really sure he is.
He was the one who clearly understood what is right and wrong, and punished what is wrong, and the slave merchant is, needless to say, wrong.

“That’s…”

The Duke spoke slowly.

“Apologize for what?”

“Well, my mother and I lived on slave trade.
And that’s… ”

“It’s illegal.”

Melody replied, “Yes,” in a grieving voice.

“There will be a proper punishment for the crime.”

I see.
Melody realized why-unlike the original- the Duke is in this town until today.

It would have been to punish Melody for being an accomplice in the slave trade.

Glad to hear that.
Melody breathed a sigh of relief.

If she hadn’t come on her own like this, she would have done a great disservice to the doctor who did her a favor.

What a punishment it is.
What’s wrong with that? I hope it’s not the death penalty.
The Duke spoke again while Melody was briefly lost in her thoughts.

“Then, when your mother’s punishment is decided, I will send someone to tell you.”

“What?”

Surprised by the Duke’s proclamation, Melody looked up at him.
This is because it is strange for him to only talk with her about the punishment of “mother.”

“Well, am I going to get the same punishment as my mother?”

The Duke slightly frowned at her earnest question.

“Did you even offer your mother a slave trade?”

“Oh, no, by the time I grew up, she is already in slave trade…”

The Duke did not add any further explanation, but Melody is able to understand what he was trying to say.

She didn’t participate in this because of her choice, so she wouldn’t be punished.

“…T-thank you.”

She fell flat on the floor again.
She felt a little sorry for her mother, but she thought she was so happy to escape from death.

“Well, then… why are you-?”

Maybe it’s because she is not going to die.
Melody had mustered a bit of courage, so she dared to ask the Duke a question.

Isn’t it strange? This is where the Duke, who thought she would take her daughter to the castle.

“The slave merchant’s daughter is still young, so we should give her a place to live.”

“Maybe I’ll have to live without my mother from now on.”

“That’s okay with me, though.”

“That’s okay for me, Your Grace.
I am already eleven years old.”

“I’m strong, I cook.
I can read a little bit and get along with the villagers.”

Loretta approached her brightly and agreed to her explanation.

“Melody ish smart, she read the newspaper to Loretta!”

However, the Duke seems doesn’t like the idea of leaving a small child alone like this.

Every child needs protection.

However, Melody greatly appreciated the Duke for making her avoid any kind of punishment.
So Melody decided to say something to reassure him.

“And the village doctor told me what it would be like to learn.”

“I see.”

The Duke nodded as if he had now understood.

Village doctors are usually respected by the residents.
So she is the most reliable person to leave an orphan in charge.

“So, are you going to be a doctor in this town in the future?”

When asked by the Duke, Melody briefly thought of herself as a doctor.

She thought it’s a good thing to be respected.

It is a little strange.
To be honest, she couldn’t imagine it.
It feels like something’s on her mind and said.

“Oh, well, the doctor said she likes me, but… ”

“What about you?”

“Pardon?”

“I asked what you thought about this.
I don’t know if you really want to be a doctor in this town.”

“That’s…”

Melody mumbled and eventually failed to give him a proper answer for that.