“Why are you all just talking instead of getting up and moving?”
Elise clapped her hands and stood up. The women in the room looked at her quizzically.
“Why don’t we take a little vacation ourselves?”
“That would be great!”
Fiona immediately agreed. Regina also subtly set aside her embroidery hoop. All eyes turned to Ruo.
“…Where shall we go?”
With Ruo’s assent as well, Elise glanced at Fiona.
“Fiona, can you recommend a place?”
Not long ago, Fiona and Ruo had requested to be treated like Regina as Elise’s maids.
The two had expressed their wish to continue serving Elise even after assisting with the engagement preparations. Elise had said they could discuss it after the ceremony, but since she had taken a liking to the pair, she had started speaking more casually with Fiona and Ruo.
“Umm, there are so many great places. Have you been to the famous Shisha Lounge in Tetris? Ah, but you probably don’t smoke shisha? Hmm, then how about a Tetris-style cafe? They grind tea leaves and brew it in water. Have you tried that? Or there are places where people gather to play games – simple number games or picture puzzles that young folks frequent a lot these days. Or if not that, then…”
(TL: Shisha, also called “hookah”, is a type of tobacco . Using a smoking tool called a water pipe, you submerge the burning tobacco smoke into a fire dish, smoking the filtered smoke. Because the smoke passes through water and cools, it has a softer taste than regular cigarettes.)
“Hold on a moment.”
Fiona was becoming breathless with her explanations, so Elise stopped her. Fiona gasped happily.
“Since Fiona seems the most excited, it’s probably best if she decides where we go.”
“Wait! At least hear my opinion…”
Melanie hurried over in a fluster. Being pregnant limited where she could go–it was best to avoid smoky indoor places.
But Fiona ignored Melanie’s words, immediately raising her hand.
“I want to go play games!”
“What about the rest of you?” Elise looked at Ruo and Regina.
“I’d like to try it once too. What kind of games do they play? Do they gamble?”
“That would be gambling.”
Ruo gave Regina a pointed remark, making her shrug.
“If the patrol officers catch you, it’s gambling. If not, it’s a game.” Regina muttered in a singsong tone.
Ruo frowned, then sighed resignedly and looked at Elise–a clear plea for help.
“Regina, there may not be patrol officers there, but I’ll be present. I have a duty to uphold this country’s laws.”
“Ugh,” Regina let out a playful groan.
After agreeing to go play games but not gamble, the four excitedly prepared to head out.
Melanie, who had been sulking, belatedly got ready and joined them.
Regina feigned ignorance as she asked Melanie, “Are you sure you want to come? It might not be very fun for you. Why not go see a play instead?”
Melanie bit hard on the inside of her cheek.
She was paying a heavy price for her lies. She was a daughter of Duke Odilon, yet a mere maid had dared dismiss her like this.
It was all because of Elise. Because Elise did not respect her.
‘So much for pretending to be open-hearted–it was all a lie? Chase was right after all. Elise may not be a bad person, but she’s not a good one either.’
Would she really keep her promise?
Melanie’s inner unease began growing.
****
The five women thoroughly enjoyed themselves throughout. Even Melanie, who had started off lukewarm, eventually joined in merrily.
“I’ll sit this round out.”
As their group mingled with others, the number of game participants grew large. Elise politely withdrew at an opportune moment.
She watched the happily chatting and laughing people around her.
Recalling what she had read about Tetris back in Bedrokka:
[Tetris has no entertainment and the people are always ready for battle.]
‘Completely untrue.’
Tetris had its own unique culture.
Its people were loud and assertive, but not at all uncouth or violent.
The people of Tetris were passionate and honest in everything.
It resonated with Elise.
As her gaze roamed, it lingered on the back of Melanie’s head. Melanie embodied the quintessential Tetrian traits as well.
She could bluntly say if she disliked something, and readily apologized when she was in the wrong.
‘Her gravest mistake is pretending ignorance about it.’
Living together, Elise had grown accustomed to Melanie. But now, unlike before, she had doubts about keeping her so close by.
It was because Melanie was in communication with Chase.
Elise had learned this fact through Ruo.
One night, after everyone had retired to their rooms to rest, Ruo had come to see Elise again.
[Melanie met with the prince of Bedrokka.]
Ruo concisely explained when and where the meeting took place and how she had witnessed it, without elaborating further.
Presenting just the objective facts was so like Ruo.
Elise had thought Chase only associated with Bennet, but now he had reached out to Melanie too.
‘Why Melanie?’
Was strengthening ties with Duke Odilon not enough?
Since then, Elise had been surreptitiously observing Melanie, feigning ignorance. As Melanie was Duke Odilon’s daughter, Elise could not recklessly pry without causing issues. So she quietly watched and waited for clues.
Melanie had come to the palace to assist with the engagement preparations, but had little actual work. She would occasionally slip away from Karan’s palace for alone time.
Elise paid attention to who she met during those outings.
‘Once with Chase, once with Bennet, and twice with Duke Odilon.’
It was only people within the expected circles.
There were two reasons Elise was monitoring Melanie:
One, to see if she was conspiring strangely with Chase, and two, to locate the father of her child.
Elise knew who the father was, thanks to information from Karan, but could not find him.
Either the father had fled, or Melanie was hiding him. Elise leaned towards the first hypothesis.
‘What a pity.’
If her hypothesis was correct, then Melanie was quite pitiful too. As a daughter of Duke Odilon, she could have lived luxuriously, but meeting the wrong man had derailed her life.
“I can’t continue anymore. My stomach is hurting too much.”
As the game ended, Melanie got up, holding her belly. She made sure everyone knew of her pregnancy.
Elise had been about to fetch Melanie a drink, but changed her mind.
A boisterous group approached, naturally drawing Melanie’s gaze. She froze stiffly, seeming to have spotted something.
Elise followed Melanie’s line of sight. At its end stood a well-groomed man.
A man so rigid, he appeared carved from plaster.
****
Carefully raising her heels, Elise trailed behind Melanie.
‘That’s him.’
Elise thought, watching the man turn a corner into an alley.
The man who had frozen at the sight of Melanie. The man Melanie avoided, fleeing from.
Unless he was Melanie’s creditor or the father of her child, there was no other explanation.
Elise had been about to catch them in the act, so Melanie couldn’t make up excuses.
Worried they might enter an inn, but perhaps mindful of prying eyes, Melanie led the man into a secluded alleyway instead.
Elise paused at the bend, pricking up her ears.
“When did you return to Tetris?” Melanie lowered her voice, a mix of annoyance, agitation, and hurt underlying her tone.
“Not long ago, Melanie. Have you been well?”
“Well? Why did you suddenly stop all contact? You promised to get in touch once you were settled!”
“That’s…the investment didn’t go so well…”
“Don’t tell me you lost all the money I gave you?”
The man nodded. Melanie clutched her chest. He had hidden from Karan that she had given him funds, and that he had squandered it all.
“But you should have contacted me! Didn’t you think I’d be waiting?”
“That’s why I came back. To find you. I had no proper place to stay either… But then you had entered the palace. What could I do?”
The man, previously silent as Melanie vented, finally raised his voice slightly.
“You could have sent a letter!”
“And then what? What could you have done? The money you had was the last I gave you, right?”
“Buck! You think I didn’t look for you because I had no money?”
Ha. Buck ruffled his hair in frustration.
“Melanie, think about it. I’m just an ordinary man with no title. For us to be together, what do we need? Money, of course. But we both have none. Can we be happy that way? I love you, but I didn’t seek you out for your own happiness.”
His justifications were so nonsensical, they were hard to listen to.
“Let’s end this here. Because of you, I’ve had to live abroad with no prospects. I did my best, you know.”
Buck turned to leave. Melanie, biting her lip, shouted out.
“I’m pregnant with your child!”
Finally hearing the words she wanted, Elise’s mood still did not lift from rock bottom.
“What? Pregnant?”
Seemingly caught off guard, Buck staggered in shock. He furiously wiped his sweaty face and tugged at his hair.
“Impossible, you’re lying right? Melanie, you can’t tell lies like that. I’m saying this for your sake.”
“I’m not lying. If you don’t believe me, we can go to the doctor together.”
“You…Is it really my child?”
Buck uttered words he should not have.
“You…you’re doubting me? How…how can you doubt me? You were my first! I only…I only slept with you…”
“Alright, let’s say it’s true, Melanie. Are you going to have that child?”
The question cut Melanie to the core. In the future she had envisioned after becoming pregnant, there were no scenarios without the child.
Whether raising it alone, becoming Karan’s concubine, or reuniting with this man–the child was always present in Melanie’s imagination.
She had lived recklessly, but at this final juncture, Melanie had intended to take responsibility for her actions.
Yet this man…
Melanie staggered, suddenly feeling lightheaded from the rush of emotions. Her abdomen seemed to cramp too.
Swaying dizzily, Melanie braced herself against the wall. Even seeing her state, Buck made no move to help.
Witnessing his abrupt change in attitude, Melanie began doubting even the loving times they had shared.
“Melanie, we can’t make this work. You know that, right? Isn’t that why you sent me away in the first place? Okay, let’s say I completely give in, and you have the child. How will you and I live? By begging?”
Buck shook his head vehemently.
“Let’s get rid of it. I know a back-alley doctor. You have some money? Ah, nevermind, he takes jewels too. That necklace you’re wearing should cover it. Let’s go, Melanie.”
Buck reached for Melanie, but she backed away to avoid his grasp.
“Don’t be stubborn!”
Buck roared, his voice thunderous. Melanie felt an immense threat in that instant. A sickening cramp gripped her lower abdomen as she crouched, clutching her belly.
“Don’t come near me, don’t do this…”
Though Melanie was drenched in cold sweat, Buck did not stop.
“Stop the acting, Melanie.”
As Buck approached the curled up Melanie in the dead-end alley, he froze.
His pupils dilated massively. A stinging sensation ran down Buck’s back.
“Touch that woman, and you die.”
Elise had a blade pressed against Buck’s back.
H3nye qui babado forte 🤭Thanks for the chapter 👋😁🇧🇷BR