The Villainess Is Shy In Receiving Affection

Chapter 192

* * *

It wasn’t easy for Melody to settle down in Belhold.

Fortunately, there were few people who showed hostility towards outsiders right away, so it was okay to stay there, but there was little progress in finding a job.

Come to think of it, it must have been very reluctant to readily give a job to a young person who hadn’t properly revealed their identity.

While spending such a frustrating time, Melody ended up briefly taking care of Mindy, the daughter of the innkeeper she had somehow become close with.

Mindy was a girl around Loretta’s age, who admired Melody’s noble behavior and often imitated her.

The two quickly became close, and soon Melody started tutoring Mindy a little bit.

On various subjects from math and history to art.

And when a few more days passed.

A man came to the inn looking for Melody.

He introduced himself as ‘Wiley Neal’, a ‘worker at the temple that takes care of Belhold and the surrounding areas’.

After that, he asked if it was Melody who had personally taught Mindy.

“Yes… Did I do something wrong?”

Melody asked that very cautiously, because the temple had an educational program teaching the village children.

“No, no. Of course not. Please raise your head.”

He waved his hands and quickly conveyed his business.

“I was just surprised that Mindy is showing interest in studying for the first time.”

He told her that Mindy had changed enough to help other children’s studies in recent days.

“Mindy said she heard you wish to settle down here. If it’s alright with you, would you consider helping out at the temple?”

Although he used the word ‘help’, when she heard the conditions, it was closer to ‘recruitment’.

Although the weekly wage was low, the fact that meals and a place to live were provided was very attractive.

However, it was a bit concerning that the relationship between the ducal family and the temple had not been very good in the past…

“If it’s alright with you, would you like to go meet the priest? He’s very curious about you!”

At Wiley Neal’s invitation, Melody immediately got up from her seat.

She didn’t want to miss such an offer in a situation where she had nowhere to go.

* * *

After Melody left, Loretta, who had been staying only inside the mansion, suddenly started moving actively recently.

As the vitality of the past began to circulate on her face, Ronny quickly called in a portrait painter. Saying he had to paint that lively face right now.

“Come to think of it, Miss. You ordered a new dress yesterday, right?”

The portrait painter would sketch Loretta for thirty minutes a day and have a friendly conversation with her.

“Yes, that’s right. It’s just altering a pre-made one because it’s urgent. And I also bought new boots and riding clothes.”

“It would be nice to paint you riding a horse later.”

“Mm-hmm, that’s a good idea. If you paint me like this, all modest, won’t everyone think I’m a liar? I’m never well-behaved.”

Loretta swung her legs on the high sofa, and the painter chuckled for a moment.

“I’m not simply drawing the features of the young lady sitting on the sofa. If it were that, there would be no reason to sketch while having a conversation like this.”

“Then? What are you drawing?”

“What I want to capture is the young lady’s unique liveliness. So that anyone looking at this painting will vividly recall the young lady as she is now.”

“Can you draw liveliness?”

Loretta wiggled her bottom as if it was a bit difficult to sit for a long time.

“Yes, I can draw it. We can draw anything.”

At the words ‘anything’, Loretta thought of what she longed for.

Things like Melody’s warmth and Evan’s kindness. Could such emotions also be drawn as a painting?

“How can you draw warmth and kindness? What color is it? What shape is it?”

The painter put down his pencil for a moment and poked his head out next to the easel.

“It seems the young lady also has someone she wants to draw.”

“I’m not sure. But at least paintings can be seen and touched, so I think that’s good.”

“Anyhow, I’ll have to tell the young master.”

“…Huh? What?!”

Loretta asked in surprise, and the painter answered with a smile.

“I think while I’m drawing, the young lady should also draw. The warmth and kindness.”

* * *

To sum it up, the painter was a liar. At least that’s what Loretta thought.

No matter how hard she tried, no warmth could be seen in the portrait she drew of Melody.

No kindness could be glimpsed in the portrait she drew of Evan either.

Still, Loretta really enjoyed the time she spent drawing them alone.

How were Melody’s eyes shaped again?

What was the shape of Evan’s nose?

She really liked being deeply immersed in such thoughts.

‘I’ll definitely show it to Evan when he comes to visit later!’

Although she couldn’t draw it prettily, Evan would surely be happy. Because she thought of him as much as she put time into the painting.

Finishing the painting appropriately, Loretta washed her hands clean and went down to the kitchen.

Usually, she wasn’t very interested in kitchen work, but now the situation was different.

‘Because Evan is coming here.’

When Loretta frequented the Magic Tower, Evan used to share his snacks with her.

So this time, Loretta thought it was her turn to share her snacks with him.

And if possible, she wanted to add a little more specialness by making those snacks herself.

Even if it was something simple.

“You know.”

Loretta earnestly begged the kitchen maid with her hands clasped together.

“Are there any snacks I can make?”

“You want to make them yourself, Miss?”

“Yeah… I want to try making them, would it not be possible?”

“Of course it’s possible!”

The maid smiled brightly and wrapped a small apron around Loretta.

It had been a really long time since the young lady, who always stayed quietly in her room, came to her smiling like this.

“The eldest young master told us to help with anything that would encourage you, Miss. What kind of snack would you like to make?”

Loretta recalled the snacks she had received from Evan every time she went to the Magic Tower. Milk, chocolate cookies, and star candies.

Milk could be excluded since it was just bought, and cookies seemed a bit difficult.

‘Candy would be good. If I put it in a glass bottle, Evan can take it to the Magic Tower. Plus, it’s very pretty.’

“You know, by any chance.”

Loretta fidgeted with her hands.

“I’d like to make pretty candies and put them in a glass bottle. So that you can take one out and eat it when you’re tired or exhausted.”

“Oh my, that’s such a great idea. I know a simple way to melt sugar and make it look like jewels. Are you going to give it to the young masters as a gift?”

“Ah, no!”

“Oh… then?”

“Well.”

When the maid asked for details, Loretta became a bit troubled.

‘If I had known this would happen, I should have just said I was giving it to my brothers.’

But she couldn’t coldly say ‘You don’t need to know’ to the person who was going to help her make the snacks.

‘If I say I’m giving it to Evan, it might be revealed that I frequented the Magic Tower…’

While pondering, Loretta noticed Isaiah Mullern passing by nearby.

When their eyes met, he called out ‘Captain!’ with just his mouth shape and saluted her with a bright face.

Watching this, Loretta suddenly had a good idea.

“You know… I’m going to give it to Sir Mullern.”

But because she wasn’t used to lying, Loretta’s face turned unspeakably red.

However, the maid, who misunderstood it a bit differently, stared down at Loretta with a slightly surprised face.

It was a face that looked like she couldn’t believe it.

“When you say Sir Mullern, you mean that person over there right now? Isaiah Mullern, who is standing guard preciously holding a bean sprout pot.”

When the maid showed signs of suspicion, Loretta put strength in her eyes and nodded.

“Th-that’s right.”

Loretta saluted slightly towards Isaiah.

He was very happy and threw the bean sprout pot high up, then spun around on the spot and caught the pot again.

The maid, who was watching that ridiculous appearance as if it was unbelievable, carefully asked again as if to confirm.

“…You’re saying you’re making candy yourself for ‘that kind of’ person, Miss?”

“Yes!”

The maid buried her face in her hands for a moment and muttered in a small voice.

“I thought you would have thoroughly high standards, Miss…”

That was understandable, since Loretta had three excellent older brothers around her.

Moreover, since they all poured love onto their only younger sister, the maid had thought that Loretta would definitely give her heart to someone who wasn’t an ordinary man.

No, Isaiah Mullern was definitely not an ‘ordinary man’ in some ways.

But if asked whether he was suitable for a young girl’s pure and earnest first love, that was absolutely not the case.

“What’s wrong with Sir Mullern, he’s amazingly cool! Look over there, he just threw the bean sprout pot and spun three times on the spot before catching the pot.”

Loretta giggled and pointed outside the window.

When the maid looked out too, Isaiah was acting very cocky while holding the bean sprout pot.

He seemed quite satisfied that Loretta found it fun.

Although it was commendable that he would do silly things for the precious young lady, the maid still didn’t like him.

First of all, wasn’t he too frivolous?!

“He threw the pot again! How many times will he spin this time?”

The bean sprout pot went up so high that it was no longer visible from the window.

While excited Loretta ran towards the window, Isaiah quickly spun his body and stretched out his arms above his head.

Intending to catch the pot.

But this time, it didn’t go as he thought.

Bam!

Soil scattered from the sky, and the pot shattered at his feet.

“……”

Isaiah blinked his eyes with soil and bean sprout stems on his head.

“…Ahh!”

He realized he had broken the captain’s pot again and turned pale.

But seeing Loretta laughing out loud, he soon started laughing along with her.

Loretta leaned her upper body far over the windowsill and shouted in a lively voice.

“See, Sir Mullern is so cool! It’s only natural that I want to make special candy for him!”

Loretta now expected the maid to answer, ‘Yes, that’s right, Miss! So I’ll help you make the most delicious candy in the world!’

But somehow there was no response from behind her.

Thinking she might not help her make candy, she turned around and…

“…Huh, Claude?”

Next to the maid was Claude, who had come at some point. With a pale face.

“Lo-Loretta.”

He slowly opened his mouth, trying to smile.

“Yes?”

“Who did you say you were making what for? I must have misheard your pretty voice because I’ve been gloomy these days and my ears have gone strange…”

“Aha.”

Loretta clapped her hands and smiled brightly.

When the maid asked her the same question a little while ago, it was awkward because it was her first time lying, but now it wasn’t particularly difficult.

Since it would be okay to actually make more to give to Isaiah while making it anyway.

“I’m going to make special candy for Sir Mullern. Because Sir Mullern is a very, very cool person!”

At her confident answer, the kitchen maid was seen making a very worried face.

She seemed to be dreading something, but Loretta had no way of knowing what she was so worried about.

Of course, what she was worried about was Isaiah Mullern’s lifeline.