CH 30

Chapter 30: Young Mistakes

It was one afternoon when Mrs Kerney knocked on the door.

“Melissa.”

I, who was in the midst of writing my novel, stood up straight as if waking up from magic.

“There’s a letter in front of you.”

“Letter?”

I asked back with a blank face. Because I couldn’t think of anyone else who could send me a letter.

It was only a while ago that I received Tobias’ letter. Even if he sent a letter as soon as he arrived at the Lunoa Principality, I think it would still be on the sea.

Viola, who said she needed time to think, would not send me one either. It’s been a while since we met, but if she has something to say, she won’t send me a letter, but come in person, as always.

I also made a frightening guess that the stalker wrote down new requirements, but if it was an unknown sender, Mrs. Kearney wouldn’t have spoken in such a casual way.

“Thank you.”

I accepted the letter. Mrs. Kearney, who smiled, glanced at my desk and left the room with a quiet step.

Soon the door was closed, but my bewildered lips slid open. This is because the name of the sender on the envelope was very unexpected.

“Brickhouse?”

I hurriedly opened the envelope.

I forgot to speak for a moment.  How urgent would it have been to send me a letter like this? Even this……

“Tear marks?”

It is not surprising that Viola did not meet him. But my one and only best friend wasn’t only distancing herself from Jacob but also me and her family.

How incredibly anxious this fact makes me. I know how bright and energetic Viola is, even more so…….

I have no idea if Jacob is the arrogant type, but what if Jacob really did have to say something that Viola must hear? There may be some closure to this situation.

Whatever it is, Viola has to overcome the past and move forward again. That’s all I want.

With that in mind, I sent a concise reply stating the date and place to meet him.

* * *

When I pushed down the heavy wooden door, an old stone staircase to the basement appeared. It would have been nice to meet at the Antris coffee shop, but there would be nothing bad about being careful.

While rubbing my cold palms together, I went down the stairs and pushed the thin curtain in the doorway with the back of my hand. I could see the white dust rising.

Then someone called me.

“Miss Collins.”

“Ah!”

Jacob was sitting at the table near the door. Since when has he been waiting?  There is still a lot of time left for the scheduled appointment…..

When Jacob jumped up, a big shadow casted over me.

“Thank you so much for your time.”

Jacob looked so emaciated that it was hard to believe that he was the same person I saw at the last victory ceremony. His voice was very cracked, and the copper-coloured face, which had a healthy light, looked very dry.

I sat in front of him with an awkward face. There were already two cups of coffee on the table.

“No, but the coffee…….”

“I ordered them both. The employees here rarely come back to take orders.…. It hasn’t cooled down because it just came out, so please drink it if you don’t mind.”

As he said, steam was rising faintly from the coffee. I know well that the server here is not very sincere. The last time I broke my glass…….

“Oh.”

I automatically thought of the stalker. This was because I remembered what surprised me when I saw the red tassel here the other day.

Just because the stalker did not appear himself and just because I was not at Antris, there is no guarantee that his hands and feet would not reach mehere in Libre.

He even made a gruesome threat, referring to Tobias. So, wouldn’t the scene of I and Jacob trigger him?  Why the hell didn’t I think of this?

I should never harm Jacob. He’s not even directly related to me or meets me regularly.

“Ahem, ahem.”

I hurriedly cleared my throat. Then I said it out loud the loudest I could say.

“Hello, Mr. Brickhouse, my best friend Viola Graham’s lover! It’s my first time seeing you separately like this! Do you have any questions about Viola?”

“…….”

When I suddenly made a loud noise, the surrounding area became quiet and curious gazes rushed in. Of course, the silence was very short, and Jacob, who was embarrassed, was still blinking.

My face heated up after seeing that expression, but at least I felt at ease. If the stalker was watching us, I’ve succeeded in protecting the innocent Jacob.

I quickly opened my mouth, pretending to be fine.

“You live in Piccom, and you know the coffee shop in the capital well.”

Jacob tilted his head with a face saying, ‘Was Miss Collins had this personality?’ but answered in a calm tone.

“I’ve been here several times.”

However, with the words that followed, his expression collapsed again.  I could see his green eyes getting wet.

“…with Viola..….”

“Oh…”

Right, that’s why we were meeting today, he needed my help regarding Viola.

I asked straightforwardly.

“Mr. Brickhouse, do you have something to say to me?”

“Yes. To Viola…… I was hoping you could pass on my story.”

It was strange to see Jacob touching the teacup with his big shoulders curled up, but his eyes and voice showed sincerity.

But I had already heard everything from Viola.

“……There’s nothing wrong with listening.  But I think you should know that I’ve heard everything from Viola.”

“Yes, I expected it.”

Jacob, who hung his neck down, continued.

“….Thank you for listening.”

The story that started like that had the same content as what I had heard from Viola, but also something different.

First of all, it seemed to be true that he had a child. The story of a three-year-old son who was sent to the Brickhouse family by his ex-lover, who had vanished at will, was no different from what I knew

“But she, Anne, didn’t say anything until the day before she disappeared.”

“…….”

“I didn’t even know Anne had a child…… Anne’s death, the child who suddenly appeared as my son…… Everything was a shock.”

Jacob, who wrapped his head in pain, sighed deeply.

How hard must it have been? I couldn’t even fathom. Sometimes it feels like life is closer to fiction, his life seems to be no exception.

Nevertheless, I still had my doubts.

“How could you not know that you and your lover had a child?”

“She and I…… as for how one makes a child…….”

Jacob’s voice trailed off but upon remembering his objective, continued in an earnest voice.

“Miss Collins, we were too young”.

“…….”

Jacob added that he left the child with his cousin for family reasons, but his cousin also lives in Pecum, so he visits whenever he has time and tries to play the role of a father.

I was rather stunned.

“So now…… Are you saying that it’s not your child?”

“I thought it was ridiculous at first, too. The child looked exactly like Anne, but there was no similarity to me. By the way…”

Jacob paused for a moment before making eye contact with me.

“The child’s eyes were exactly green like mine. The moment I saw those eyes, I said he was my child.… I thought I should protect this little kid.”

“…….”

“Anne’s family can’t afford to raise a child. So it was clear that if I refused, he’d be abandoned.….”

“It sounds like you were willing to take care of him because you loved her.”

Jacob dropped his head as if collapsing at my cold answer, but I didn’t stop.

“Even though she’s a departed person, the memories of true love will never fade away.  Eventually, the traces left in your heart…..”

“No, Miss Collins.”

At that moment, his green eyes pierced my eyes.

“Now that I think about it, it was never love.”

“I beg your pardon?  Now, if you say it like that, you just look cowardly.”

My sharp voice surprised me. No matter how thin and vain one’s love was, I had no desire to witness it’s ruin.

But Jacob had a calm face, as if he was cold-headed.  And the emotion in those eyes was very hot.

“Anne had been sick for a long time. She desperately longed for me…… I just decided that I had to take care of her. At that time, I believed that was the right thing to do and my only option. I was so young.”

(T/N: he’s saying he felt pity and guilt towards her—sympathy isn’t love but being young he confused the two)

“…….”

“I can tell you clearly. For me, true love is a person who will devote his or her entire life…….”

Just like Viola. He whispered. The clumsy confession was even quite reverent.

I wasn’t sure if his words were true or fake. But his earnestness, trembling shoulders, and even the air surrounding him eagerly persuaded me.

It’s harsh that he’s not even given a chance to talk again. I hope at least this pure sincerity should be conveyed.

“Okay, Brickhouse.”

That was the conclusion I made.

“Actually, it’s been a while since I met Viola, too. She said she needed time to think. She’s having a hard time, as well.”

“Oh…”

The corners of Jacob’s eyes began to get wet with the dark light again.

“However, I’ll try to visit her this evening right away. I’ll try to persuade Viola so that your sincerity can be conveyed.”

“….Will you do that…?”

He cried like a child, not fitting for his large body. He added with a trembling sound.

“Please… Please comfort Viola, Miss Collins. So that she doesn’t get hurt too much…….”

“…….”

Viola and Jacob were the ones who made me want to believe it again and again, even for me who was skeptical of love. The story of the two always made me feel something shiny.

So, I really wanted to be of help.

“Yes, I will.”

However, after parting ways with Jacob and returning home, I could not find Viola.

It was because what occurred, made me think once again that life felt more like a novel than an actual novel.

“Melissa!”

In front of a simple two-story house made of red bricks, stood the starkly dazzling white, huffing horses. The carriage, decorated with sky blue and gold, which are symbols of the royal family, sparked.

It was an incomprehensible sight.

“Mrs. Kerney, what is this…….”

As soon as I tried to ask Mrs. Kerney, who was running with a troubled face, the royal official standing next to the carriage approached me.

“Miss Melissa Collins?”

“Yes, I’m Meli—.”

“Get on the carriage.”

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“……What?”

Why do I have to get on the royal carriage? My eyebrows were narrowed down naturally due to the strange situation that happened suddenly.

Mrs. Kearney stood, stamping her feet, and inside the window, I could see the anxious faces of my mother and Julia.

And at the words of the official that followed, I even forgot to exhale my held breath.

“It’s the order of the prince to bring you to the palace. Right now.”