T K H C

🍁 Chapter 15

“Madame DeJoue, do you sing, by any chance?”

“Oh, no. I don’t even know what a song is.”

“Then, Madame Berna…”

I caught sight of Madame Berna’s dress disappearing behind the doorway. She has always stayed by Carol’s side like a shadow, but now she left her charge behind and ran away.

Ah, really… Anybody would be better than me.

What should I do?

“Wouldn’t it be best to do it yourself, my lady? This is a gift that you’ll be giving,” said Madame DeJoue.

“You know that I can’t sing at all.”

“It should be fine. Your voice, at least, is beautiful.”

I turned to Carol again. “Carol…”

“Hmph!”

“Ughhhh…”

I held my head in my hands, regretting that I had ever come up with this useless idea. If I sang, I wouldn’t chase away his nightmares. I’d create them.

It should be fine, right…?

I sighed. I took a deep breath, pulled myself together, and tapped on the pendant five times.

I can do it!

***

In the end, the recording went okay. There was nothing difficult about the process, since the pendant was the one doing all the actual recording.

I stared at the box in my hands uneasily.

For the past week, I kept redoing the recording. Finally, the pendant for the prince was finished.

Though Madame DeJoue was laughing so hard that she cried… and Madame Berna said it was perfect as a morning alarm… Well, I tried my best.

The carriage was well on its way to the palace.

Wasn’t it going too quickly?

It was the same carriage, horses, and coachman as usual, but I still felt that we were going faster than usual.

Will it really be fine to give this to Julien?

“Julien sure is lucky,” Carol said.

Carol had been repeating that phrase the whole time. She was planning on taking it for herself if Julien rejected the gift.

“I thought you said I couldn’t sing,” I said.

“It’s true, but… having it is better than nothing!”

…Wow. Thanks. That was such a comforting thing to hear.

The carriage rolled to a stop.

“Are we already here?”

I sighed and headed over to the garden with Carol. The Empress greeted us as usual, then excused herself. It was only Julien and us left.

Since I’ve started to interfere, the prince’s face blossomed under the devoted care of his maids.

He became even prettier.

“Hi!” Carol greeted enthusiastically.

Julien nodded in return.

‘Asshole,’ Carol mouthed. Julien responded by raising his middle finger.

However, I did not see this exchange as I was still fiddling with the box.