DISCLAIMER:

THIS IS NOT MY NOVEL, MY ONLY PURPOSE IS TO SHARE THIS NOVEL!

PLEASE SUPPORT THE ORIGINAL NOVEL, THE AUTHOR, AND THE TRANSLATOR.

ORIGINAL AUTHOR/S: Ryu Hee-on & 류희온

One day…… a slave merchant mother brought in the female protagonist of this world.

“I’m really lucky today. I found a crashed wagon because of an accident on the way from the auction house when it slipped from the rain. Melody, look at this.”

In addition to the girl, her mother also showed off various jewelry and dresses from the carriage.

“It’s the belongings from the nobility in the capital, right? Right!”

Her mother was so excited when she asked, but Melody couldn’t relate to her joy.

No, she is feeling rather desperate. It’s the 11th spring since Melody was born as the daughter of a slave merchant in the world of the original novel.

The first chapter of the original, which she had hoped would never begin, started just like this. The beginning of the first chapter is as follows.

The five-year-old female protagonist lost her mother in a carriage accident and was taken away by a vicious slave merchant.

A vicious slave merchant and her daughter were the first villains to appear in the original, and their roles were simple. They caused anger and sympathy from readers by thoroughly harassing Loretta, the young female lead. At the end of the first chapter, the duke no longer appears after being perfectly punished. However, he could not have reappeared. The man who planned to kidnap the aristocrats and sell them as slaves was executed without trial.

“……….That is.”

Melody opened her mouth carefully, thinking of giving her mother some advice.

Although she is a villain, she is the only one for Melody.

“Is it not dangerous to bring things from the capital’s aristocrats?”

Melody’s words gradually subsided as she went back. It was because she is slightly frightened by the fact that her mother might get beaten for this. Still, the worries contained in her words were sincere.

…even though she’s faithful to the original, she’s just a little snorty.

“I’m sure they have plenty of things like these just up on the ceiling.”

“But the daughter.”

Melody began to persuade her again by looking at the small heroine who held her mother’s hand.

“I’m sure they have only one daughter.”

First of all, the title of the original novel is [The duke has three sons and one daughter.] It is clear considering that fans called it [Duke’s Four Children] for short.

“I don’t know.”

However, her mother is a villain again. She gave her answer to Melody.

“That’s the only thing nobles do, and they’ve got enough children to build up on the ceiling.”

Not only is it inappropriate to do it in front of children, but it is not funny at all. However, her mother fixed her stature and laughed at what she liked so much.

***

It was around the age of five that Melody remembered her past life.

At first, she didn’t know it was her previous life, but she was scared and cried. Because she is standing alone in a world where no one smiles. Once, she couldn’t stand it at all, she grabbed her mother’s clothes and stuttered and talked about scary memories.

「You’re a busy, but annoying baby.」

Melody didn’t talk anymore about this memory because she would be scolded greatly if she bothered her mother.

And unfortunately, Melody began to adjust little by little. It is because she realized one thing. The world that comes to mind is just the ‘past’ Melody. A few more years later, when Melody was about ten years old, the fragmented scenes scattered in her head, began to connect the concrete situations.

Melody skimmed through her memories every night as if she was reading a story. Melody in her memory is not an adult. Even when she grew up to be the tallest, she said she is only a fifteen-year-old girl. The girl is very troubled by money. Maybe that’s why, even in front of her peers, adults. Her old, wrinkled shoes that she saw when she looked down at the view in her memory often appeared. Melody wanted anyone to pat her on the back. But it never happened.

Perhaps there is no one to do that. She is always alone.

Even on her sick days, on nights when thunder strikes. The girl is often angry about this situation, and the way to release anger was mostly in the air.

“I’m sick and tired of it!”

Those were the remnants of her anger that lingered after she had been swallowed up with it, but the young Melody did not know that. She feels lonely whenever she cries alone. She thought. Still, the girl in her memory had one pleasure. It’s reading a book.

Melody naturally learned about the girl’s favorite book.

『The Duke has three sons and one daughter.』

For some reason, she is able to recall the story of the strange title more specifically than her memories. From the beginning of the story to the end of the crisis, to the beautiful end. Melody soon fell in love with the story. With exactly the same memories and emotions she had in her previous life.

‘Maybe in my past life, I wanted to tell this story to me now?’

Sometimes she thought like that. Without any reason.

“Or the villain with the same name as mine came out at first, so it might be because it’s interesting and my memory became clearer.’

Melody giggled by herself because it is an interesting imagination. However, it did not take long to enjoy reading interesting novels. One day, Melody picked up a piece of newspaper at the entrance of a village. She saw some of the same names in the novel on that small piece of paper.

“How could they be the same?’

After a brief confusion, Melody began to compare the world of 『 Duke’s Four Children』 with her reality one by one. And at the end, one short assumption has reached.

‘Melody, the daughter of the first slave merchant, is it me?’

She is a light villain who ends up being punished for bullying the female protagonist. Her mind went blank for a moment. In fact, there’s a similarity between the lonely memories of the past and the present life.

She had been thinking about it……… not really.

‘…to live in an even worse situation.’

For some reason, her heart was aching. It is both unfair and sad. But there is nothing she could do.

It’s just spitting out the remnants of anger in the air all alone.

「…I’m sick and tired of it.」

This moment of shouting the same thing alone is as lonely in her previous life.

***

Still, Melody could have a small hope.

‘Cause I have memories of my past life.’

Melody knows why she is punished.

This means, ‘If you get away with it, your life will be safe’. She ran to her mother right away.

“Mother, you have to stop working as a slave merchant! Otherwise, you’ll be in trouble!”

It is the advice given in preparation for punishment. Of course, I was scolded as expected.

“There’s nothing you can’t say to a hard-earned man! Get out of my house right now if you’re going to say that stupid thing!”

Melody gave up the first plan just like that. So a year later, my mother brought the heroine.

From then on, Melody’s second operation began.

“If you’re kind to the heroine, you might at least be able to save your life.’

However, there were two obstacles to the goal. First, her mother. Her mother has the mindset of a professional villain. Otherwise, she couldn’t be too harsh.

“Melody! I told you to keep it reasonable so it’s not noisy, when did you ask me to serve you like you did before?”

I swear I didn’t do that to serve you like a lord. It can’t be possible in the first place because of this poor situation.

Melody is just taking care of the child’s meal and handing her a blanket she needed for bed. Despite this explanation, however, her mother is generous with the evil spirit of the villain.

“You’ll be worse than this if you go somewhere else. Be thankful that you can get a smelly blanket.”

Amid the mother’s breathtaking misdeeds, Melody somehow tried to show kindness to the female protagonist.

However, apart from being kind, it is very difficult to build a good bond together. If she thinks about it, isn’t it necessary to have a “communication” between the person who gives, and accepts kindness?

‘But Loretta and I are so different……’

Melody is the daughter of a scary slave merchant, who grew up almost like a slave.

Loretta grew up being cute, under a kind mother. Even if everyone in the world shared a connection, these two seemed impossible. In addition, Loretta, who came to a strange place, is very scared of Melody’s mother, who was an old merchant, as well as Melody.

“Hey, Loretta.”

When Melody called out her name, the child ran to the corner and hid, horrified.

“Oh, there she is.”

I even added a useless explanation in case the child was surprised.

“I saw the name engraved on the small necklace you were wearing.”

Melody drew a round necklace with her fingers.

“It says Loretta. That’s your name, right?”

Alhough she already knew her name from the original plot because she had already read it, she said it because she wanted to have a short conversation with her.

Of course it didn’t work. The child was crouching as much as she could while facing the wall. Melody felt a little sorry for her as if she was very scared. She had decided to stop here for today.

“You’re hungry, aren’t you? I’ll put bread and milk here, so eat it when you’re comfortable. This is yours.”

She slipped out of the door, pushing the basket near the child.

‘I hope you eat well.’

The worried Melody looked slightly through the door and observed Loretta’s behavior.

The child continued to be wary of her surroundings even after she moved away.

It was only after a long period of silence that she turned her head carefully to see if her anxiety had subsided. Loretta quickly found the basket of bread. As Melody said, she is hungry, so she started eating the bread right away.

Thank God.

Melody sighed with relief. However, the scene seems to have entered Loretta’s vision while eating bread.

The child hid herself in the corner again with the bread in her hand. Like she was running away from Melody’s eyes.

‘As expected, it’s too much.’

Melody’s efforts continued in the evening.

In the original story, Loretta would barely fall asleep in the old, hard chair in her mother’s room. Melody thought it is heartbreaking for a child to suffer such discomfort.

So she thought she would wait for her mother to sleep and bring Loretta to her room.

“You are sleeping in my bed again today. Okay?”

Although it is shabby for a noble lady, it would be much better than sleeping in that chair. The child looked at Melody and went up to the bed in her room. She wondered if she was sad. She always rolls her body in a circle and cries a little bit.

She began to curl, unable to cry her heart out, holding her breath.

‘What do I do? ‘

Melody reached out cautiously to comfort the whimpering child.

She had soft blond hair and her fingertip felt fluffiness.

Melody didn’t get any closer. She thought Loretta might be more scared, or sad.

Without being able to do anything, the child hid under the blanket

Maybe she noticed Melody was trying to stroke her head.

‘…but I’m a slave trader to Loretta.’

Melody only touched the air with her hand.

Walking away from her bed, she lingered vaguely near the wet window, but she couldn’t say good night.

* * *

Melody did not give up and tried to take good care of Loretta.

About two weeks later, Loretta began to give Melody a glimpse.

Of course, it’s only a few seconds, then she’d turn her head back right away.

Still, Melody is glad to be able to make eye contact with the child a little bit. She felt like she did a great job working so hard.

“Loretta, you’re hungry, aren’t you?”

Now, when Melody approached with a basket, she did not hide in the corner immediately.

However, the boundaries did not disappear completely, when their eyes met, she would run away and cower towards the wall.

Still, she is not as nervous as she was before.

“I put bread and milk here, so eat it when you feel comfortable.”

Melody left the basket behind and escaped from the room as usual. The child ate the bread right away. There’s nothing left. Everything was eaten.

‘Cute. She looks like a squirrel.’

Melody smiled proudly as she watched her eating the bread quietly.

Then suddenly, she met eyes with Loretta, who raised her head.

This time, it was a bit longer. For so long as the big eyes blinked several times.

Don’t tell me. Is this a sign that Loretta will be more open?

“Melody! Come here now!”

But soon after, the strange eye contact ended when her mother’s shout resounded from the outside.

“Sorry, I’ll go see my mother. You have to eat slowly okay?”

Melody stood up from her seat and asked, but the child bowed her head and gave no answer.

It rained again that night. Melody is very glad to see the rain cooling off the heat of the day, but on the other hand, she is worried.

“There are a lot of clouds. What if it becomes a thunderstorm.”

Melody is not too afraid of thunder and lightning.

But since she remembered herself being afraid of it in her previous life, she somehow began to feel the same way.

Just like the thought and mind of her mindset in her previous life.

The sky got a little darker. After hearing the snore in her mother’s room, Melody went straight to Loretta.

The child had been waiting for Melody, but as soon as she opened the door, she got out of her seat.

‘But these days, Loretta’s been snoring while sleeping.’

It may be proof that Loretta has become a little more relaxed.

“Come on, let’s go to my room and sleep.”

Even before her short words were finished, Loretta crept up in front of Melody.

“……… go on.”

It’s good to be close. The child’s face looked afraid of something.

Did mother bother her?

Melody was rather worried and brought Loretta to her room for her to lay in her bed.

The child immediately rolled up and began to sniffle.

Just like the day she first came here.

‘I guess something really happened!’

Melody is so ashamed that she didn’t even think about patting the child on the head this time.

‘What do I do? What do I do?’

She was so embarrassed, so she just looked around and decided to open the window.

It’s raining a little, but the cool wind may blow and comfort Loretta’s heart.

Clink.

When I opened the window slightly with my hand, the moist wind blew and shook the curtain.

She can hear the cool sound of rain, and I’m sure it’s a good consolation for Loretta…

“Heuk, hiiiinnnnggg…”

No, it didn’t work. It seemed like her crying got louder.

Melody quickly closed the window again. Loretta’s cries were also reduced as the rain hit her less frequently.

‘Huh?’

Why?

Even though thunder and lightning are scary, the sound of rain is very ticklish.

Melody still approached the child slowly. Then soon she remembered what her mother said.

That’s what she said on the day she first brought Loretta.

“I’m so lucky today. I found a wagon that slipped in the rain on the way from the auction house. Melody, look at this.”

Rain…

‘It was raining… when she came huh.’

It was a sad day, Loretta’s life was completely reversed.

Melody finally seemed to understand why Loretta wrapped herself with the blanket.

She must have tried to run away somehow from this constant sound of rain when the scary accident happened.

‘What should I do?’

Melody closed the window and closed the thin curtains, but the sound of rain is still resounding into the room.

‘I don’t want her to hear scary stuff.’

Melody approached Loretta’s side after much thought.

She reached for the child again. However, her fingers were not able to reach her and were only bending awkwardly.

Did she feel any signs of anxiety? The child’s body crouched smaller.

“I-I’m sorry!”

Melody quickly clasped her hands in surprise. But soon Loretta found out that she didn’t shrink because of her.

The sound of rain is getting louder. The sound on the window is probably similar to what she heard in the carriage.

“You’re scared a lot….aren’t you? You see, I’m afraid of thunder and lightning too, so I cover my ears like you each time.”

Maybe it’s because of the urgency. Melody’s mouth is talkative.

She had never told anyone this before.

“You know, I’ve never said this to anyone before. If you cover your ears with your hands, you might not be able to hear it anymore.”

“So, put your hands here and here.”

Unlike usual, it was rather amazing that Melody continued talking to her for a long time.

Loretta, leaning against the corner of the bed, turned slowly and looked towards Melody. Still with her small hands covering her ears.

Relying on the light from the small candle, the two faced each other.

Just like they did during the daytime.

“Uhm, So…”

Melody took courage and took both hands to Loretta’s ears.

“How does it feel being like this?”

“……”

“Doesn’t the sound of the rain sound a little smaller?”

Melody tried to smile at Loretta, whose face was covered in tears. She hoped she’ll feel at least a little relieved.

“…I-It’s still the same.”

However, the answer that came back after a long time was rather different from what Melody expected.

“I-is that so?”

Melody felt ashamed and tried to pull back again.

However, as Loretta was about to cry again when her hand dropped slightly, she quickly covered her ears together as if she were covering her child’s hand.

“It’s not ringing anymore, is it?”

Contrary to her concern, Loretta’s face looked a little more relaxed.

“That’s a relief.”

Melody whispered so quietly. Soon the child moved slightly backward.

She then gives Melody some space.

Melody did not decline her kindness because standing by the bed and covering her ears hurt her arms.

It is a small bed, but it is enough for two young and small girls to share.

“Loretta.”

Melody softly called the child’s name.

She thought she might not be able to hear her, but Loretta’s frightened eyes stared at her.

“It’s okay. Chapter 1 is very short.”

“……..?”

“Well, I mean.”

‘How should I explain this?’

Although the two are lying in one bed like this, they are actually in a bizarre situation.

Melody is destined to have such a needy life from before she was born in this world, till now.

But Loretta was different. This short chapter is a light passage to win the reader’s favor.

Her small hands will be filled with happiness and luxury that Melody can never bear to hold.

“So I mean… It means that Loretta will be happy soon. I know it.”

“Don’t be afraid, and let’s go to sleep.”

Did Melody feel the same way? Loretta nodded quietly.

As time went by, the sound of rain grew stronger and stronger.

Nevertheless, Loretta’s breathing sounds gradually stabilized.

She then heard her going to deep sleep. Soon after, Melody fell asleep.

The rain continued until morning. However, the two girls did not know that it had rained for so long.

***

After the night of them sleeping together, Loretta seemed to have opened her heart to Melody.

“It’s Melody.”

She had a poor pronunciation, but she called her name.

“Eat together with Loredda.”

She told her to join her for a meal that she secretly ate alone.

Melody spurred the operation, ‘Be kind to Loretta.’

She gave her delicious snacks without her mother knowing and brushed her hair beautifully.

She picked up an abandoned newspaper on the street and read the letters together. Of course, she only read for a moment, and soon she played folding paper into pear shapes.

Two weeks later, Loretta and Melody became completely close.

As evidence, Loretta began to follow Melody around.

She would copy whatever Melody does and laugh when they met eyes.

And when she couldn’t see her mother, she would quickly come up and hold Melody’s hand and say, “This is what you used to say.”

“Melody, I really like chu.”

Her shy confession is so cute that Melody couldn’t calm down her twitching mouth.

Wouldn’t the Duke forgive Loretta when he picks her up and while hearing this from the female main character?

No………. that’s just a delusional imagination.

Considering the achievements her mother has made so far, it won’t be easy.

Is she going to be beaten…?

It’s going to hurt a little bit, but… it’s a much better result. There is nothing to say compared to the original.

Alright, let’s try to keep the crime as low as possible until the Duke comes.

At least we can avoid death! Loretta gave me a big hug, saying, “Melody, you’re so beautiful.”

She’s such a nice girl. I patted her on her small back, saying, “You pretty little girl.”

“I hope my little girl gets home soon…”

Her blunt but fair father, and her other siblings will all love this child. She’ll soon forget a house like this, where one side of the roof is rotten and tilted, and even the spider webs are empty and dusty.

“Home…?”

Melody was lost in thought, and asked the child in a small voice.

“Yes, home. You want to go too, right?

The child nodded quickly and asked the question again.

“Melody, too?”

“I already live in my own house. This is my home.”

The child’s eyes opened widely at Melody’s answer. As if she was really shocked.

“Uh, uh…?”

While Melody was super flustered. Tears filled the child’s eyes, and soon began to flow to the floor.

“Is Melody and Loretta’s home, ugh, different?”

When Loretta shed tears in unexpected places, Melody became speechless.

“Uh, t-that… is.”

No, of course our house is different! You’re the main character, I’m the daughter of a villain! More than that, you knew this isn’t a house in the first place!

Oh, come on, you can’t just bawl like that for a mincely thing!

“O-of course it is different…”

“Wahhh!”

Now the child sat on the floor and began to wail loudly. If she’s not with Melody, who’s going to cover her ears in a scary carriage?

No, I never stopped her from being scared in the carriage.

She only stopped her from feeling like that in my room a few times on rainy days. Still, Loretta kept on crying. Like forgetting that this house is different from Melody and that there is a place where Loretta should be living in. Perhaps the cry was heard, Melody’s mother ran from afar.

I was so worried that I might get in trouble.

“You can’t watch a child properly, huh? There’s never a day when this house is quiet! How come you’re old enough and you’re eating well but you can not do anything right?!”

I’m in a lot of trouble, as expected.

“Noisy, can you shut up this instant! You effing child!”

Melody covered both ears so that Loretta wouldn’t hear it because she was screaming loudly at the crying child.

The mother glared at the two children and went into the room.

“Are you all right?”

When she asked her with both of her hands off of her ears, Loretta shook her head and dug into Melody’s arms. She must have been very surprised by her mother’s scolding.

“Heung, if Loretta and Melody’s house is different, I don’t really want it…”

……no, it’s not my mother, it’s the house.

***

“Good news, Melody.”

My mother, who returned drunk, delivered bad news all of a sudden.

“That kid, he’s trying to bring more money than I thought. Isn’t she a golden pot?”

“… A golden pot?”

Loretta asked, imitating her mother. Like she was asking what she meant by that.

Her happy mother kindly answered her child’s questions for some reason.

“It means a pocket of money. A pocket full of money.”

The problem is that it’s the wrong answer.

“Anyway, Melody, you have to be careful not to hurt or hurt her until then. ‘Cause the person who’s gonna take her won’t like it.’

Melody is a little upset, but she nodded roughly.

“You better do it well. I would really appreciate raising a stupid daughter like you without abandoning her.”

“I’m not stupid. Mother.”

Melody is able to read some of the letters, even though she is not formally trained. Some adults in the village brought Melody a newspaper or something to ask for help, saying, “How do you read this?” and she knew she wasn’t stupid.

“What? So I’m stupid?!”

“It’s not like that… but.”

“Are you talking back to me now? If you keep bothering me like that, I’ll get in trouble!”

Her mother clenched Melody’s head hard and dragged her into her room.

Melody touched her tingling hair a little.

Well, this is how it works. Unlucky people will break the back of their head even if they fall forward. Even after a long time, she plays the role of a slave merchant’s daughter.

Still, she’s smart enough, so if she’s not killed by Loretta’s father, she’ll open up a way to make the ends meet.

“Melody.”

Suddenly, the little Loretta went to her side tugged at the hem of her clothes. With a worried face,

“Merody, are you hurt?”

“Nuh-huh.”

Melody shook her head and lowered her posture for a moment to face the child.

“It doesn’t hurt.”

“Melody, your head is pounding.”

Loretta rubbed Melody with her small hand a little for a while. She even blew on her with her lips

Melody somehow felt better and laughed out loud.

“You golden pot.”

She hugged the child tightly. This child smelled good even though she didn’t use anything special. Oh, it is probably the scent of the heroine.

“…Loretta is not a golden pot.”

But Loretta rubbed her face against Melody’s shoulder in a voice that seemed to be in trouble.

“Why are you not a golden pot?”

“Well, you know, I just don’t like it.”

After wriggling out of Melody’s arms, Loretta glanced briefly at her mother’s room. Like she’s reading her head. And whispered in a very small voice.

“Oh, in fact, Loretta’s pocket… doesn’t have any money…”

The child put her hand in a small pocket on her clothes and mumbled awkwardly.

“I don’t have money so…I am not a golden pot.”

Oh, what should I do? I wanted to tell her the right meaning of the golden pot, but she is so cute while fidgeting in her pocket. I’d like to keep an eye on her.

“Well yes, you really are.”

After a long time, the child took a round pebble out of her pocket with her hand. She used it to grind grass at our playhouse yesterday afternoon. On one side of the round stone was the grass that we cut from that time. Judging from the fact that she carried a common pebble in her pocket, she probably liked the house play quite a bit. Melody stroked Loretta’s head and asked,

‘Shall we play house?’

“Yes! Loretta will do it. Melody is the baby.”

Well, she doesn’t know why she keeps making her the baby. Anyway, Melody took advantage of Loretta’s good mood and decided to check out one thing that had been bothering her.

“Hey, who’s gonna do the mother?”

“Mother?”

“Yes, Loretta’s mother.”

Melody gulped in nervousness. She was wondering if Loretta would cry at the word “mother.” But the child seemed to be feeling better than she thought. However, she tilted her head as if it was difficult to fathom and put her fingertips on her lips.

“Loretta, you don’t know anything, right?”

Melody looked at her with a worried face, but Loretta smiled and repeated the same words again.

“Loretta will be the sister. Melody is the baby.”

Melody couldn’t say anything else, so she just nodded for now.

“Yes, the baby doesn’t have to worry. I’ll do it for you!”

Even though Loretta is so confident, I’m worried about her current reaction. But the original story didn’t say that Loretta lost her memory of her mother.

‘Everything will be alright…right?’

Probably because Melody’s worried face didn’t disappear, Loretta jumped up and hugged Melody. With the warmth that is transmitted to her, Melody let go of the anxiety that had tightened her heart for a moment.