episode_0131

“… … Yes?”

I guess I didn’t understand what I said properly, or my brain refused to accept it, but I looked at Mel, who was looking at me with a blank expression, and said it again.

“Pretend you didn’t hear anything. You’re asking where Mia is.”

Even though Mel heard me, she just trembled in place and didn’t respond.

Is my body frozen with fear, or is my body unable to keep up with my brain because I am simulating what will happen in my head?

Well, it doesn’t really matter either way.

“If you won’t tell me, I’ll have no choice but to go find it myself. I’m waiting here and I’ll be back soon.”

“Ah… … . Now, wait… … .”

I started to climb the stairs, passing Mel who was reaching out for me.

If I didn’t know anything, I would have had to go all over this large villa to look for it, but if I knew the personality of Mia and her brother, who care so much about their family, there was no need to wander around here and there.

Mia should be with her mother by now. And since Mel was told to treat Mia’s mother with the utmost respect, she will probably be in the guest room, not the guest room.

The only guest rooms in this villa are the four rooms on the second floor. If you wander around a bit, you’ll find it right away.

“Lady, wait a minute… … . Please wait a moment!!”

When I heard Mel’s shout from behind me, I stopped walking up the stairs for a moment.

“Is there something you want to say?”

“Letter, where is the third letter… … . Let me tell you. So, please don’t touch that kid… … !”

At those words, I quietly turned around and made eye contact with Mel, whose face was contorted as if she was about to cry.

When I was with Hermel, I at least felt a little bit of sympathy or pity for the others. Now, I didn’t feel anything when I saw that face.

Rather, it worked out well. Because there is no need to be needlessly tired. After standing blankly for a moment, I slowly blinked and called Mel.

“Mel.”

“Yes… … .”

“You kept your mouth shut, even preparing for death. If you said you would tell me the location of the letter now, did you think I would say, yes, I’m so glad you told me now?”

I said that and looked down at Mel.

“Is there any reason why I should believe you? How are you going to prove that the letter you gave me, saying it was the third letter, is real?”

“That’s the seal of sealing wax that sealed the letter――”

“Do you think the seal of the sealing wax you already tore off is evidence?”

“Well, then, if it is the Duchess’ handwriting written in the letter――”

It’s my mother’s handwriting.

I chuckled and shook my head.

“You may have copied your mother’s handwriting and wrote something completely different. I do not remember? You once imitated your younger brother’s handwriting and wrote a letter to the pharmacy. What did you say then?”

I said, smoothing the polished and well-polished railing with my hand.

“When you worked for another family before coming here, you had to imitate the master’s handwriting in order to steal money, so you got used to it――?” Did you say that?

okay. That was the reason I stopped trusting Mel.

Stealing money? By copying the owner’s handwriting? Although it is not revealed on the outside, it is tantamount to betraying one’s master.

Isn’t there a saying that people cannot be rewritten? It was all because of this that I kept putting Mel on a leash and not giving her any details.

what… … . There were many other reasons, such as the fact that he was a person who had not had much of a relationship with me in the previous episode, the willingness to risk his life to make a contract, and the desire to go to a high place at all costs.

Anyway, for various reasons, I didn’t trust Mel from the beginning.

“… … .”

And if I really trusted Mel, I would have opened my heart like I did when I was with Hermel.

“Ah… … . iced coffee… … .”

While she was lost in thought for a moment, Mel looked down at her hands, fidgeted with them, and muttered.

“Then… … . then… … . No, this is… … . iced coffee… … .”

Mel slowly lowered her head, muttering something over and over again, as if she had broken down.

It would be useless to say more now. I’m tired of seeing reactions like that now.

I looked at Mel, who was sitting on the floor and crying, for a moment, then turned around and went up the stairs.

“What can I do to prove it? … ?”

It was a small sound, like ants crawling, but it was because everyone except Mel and I was asleep in the villa. Even that small, crawling voice could be heard clearly in my ears.

“I’ll do anything… … . Please, let me know… … . If you want me to bark like a dog, I will bark. If you want me to take off my clothes here, I will… … . So, please, at least that kid… … !!”

“… … Haha.”

You make the same mistake again and again and apologize in the same way again and again. I will do anything. Please tell me what to do.

It’s annoying to see things go on like this. How many times have we already tried to get away with something like this? If this goes on, are you going to deal with it this way again next time?

“Ha.”

That’s not even funny. Who do you see as a pushover?

I climbed a few more stairs and picked up the vase decorated on the stairs.

“Mel.”

“Yes… … ?”

I was disgusted by the voice that seemed to have even the slightest bit of hope.

I lightly threw the flower pot at her.

The vase floated in a large parabola and fell downward.

Clink――

It broke with a dull sound.

The broken pieces left cuts on the back of Mel’s hand and cheek, and the water inside poured out everywhere, soaking the carpet.

And the flower pot that was in the vase was torn by fragments of the bottle and was a mess.

“Baby, Mr――?”

“If you return the bottle, and the water and flowers in the bottle, all back to the way they were before, I will believe you.”

“Well, isn’t that impossible!”

I frowned as I looked at Mel, who was screaming in frustration.

“Okay. It’s impossible. Spilled water cannot be picked up, and a broken bottle cannot be put back together. Even if you put it back on, it can’t go back to its original appearance. The same goes for flowers.”

He quietly stretched out his hand and pointed to the broken vase in front of Mel.

“The broken bottle is what you did, the spilled water is my faith, and the flower is what you were trying to protect. Your actions ruined everything.”

“I did it wrong. sorry… … . Wrong! I, I did everything wrong!!”

“If I asked you to forgive me because I was wrong, did you think you would forgive me? under. And, you said. No matter what dirty things you do, you won’t betray me. But now you’re trying to betray me? Why, now that I think about it, it doesn’t seem right? Do you think choosing me was a big mistake? Do you feel like you’ve crossed a line that shouldn’t be crossed as a human being?”

Mel chewed her lip and lowered her head.

“It was all your choice. I definitely said at the time, ‘If we just keep our mouths shut, we can get over this.’ But what did you say then?”

“Ah… … .”

“Answer me!!”

The sound was loud enough to deafen my ears.

Mel flinched at the sound and answered in a tearful voice.

“I’d rather die… … . I will stand on your side… … .”

“Ha, you’re making a very blatant leap? In front of it.”

“… … The lady is a thorough person… … . If you’re not sure… … . They’re going to kill me… … .”

“Okay. Even though I gave you the chance to quietly move on, you thought that way and said you would stick to me. Isn’t that right?”

Mel didn’t say anything at my words and just grabbed the hem of her skirt.

I looked at Mel for a moment and sighed.

“Okay… … . At that time, I didn’t know it would turn out like this… … . You could say that. okay. Who knows what the future holds? Even I am uncertain about the future.”

“… … .”

“But, Mel. You know that? If a person makes a choice, he or she must take responsibility for that choice. Even if it’s the worst outcome.”

After saying that, I wiped my hands and went up the stairs again.

“If you understand, don’t say a word and just sit there. I want to rip you into pieces and mix it with Mia’s breakfast, but I’m just holding back because I don’t want to play into my mother’s tricks.”

Having said that, I stepped onto the second floor, and the moment I walked straight into the long hallway extending on both sides.

I suddenly opened the door and ran into Mia who came out.

Mia’s condition when she came out of the room was literally a mess. Her hair was frizzy because she hadn’t combed it properly, and the clothes she was wearing were tilted to one side because the first button was wrong.

He was probably startled by the commotion earlier, so he quickly changed his clothes and came out.

just as expected. Mia, who opened the door and came out, couldn’t come to her senses and just stared blankly at me, blinking her eyes slowly.

“It’s been a while. Mia.”

I said that with a grin.

“Ah.”

Mia’s face rotted rapidly.