Summoner's Second Chance

Chapter 10

The sun is already high in the sky when Melody's eyes fluttered open. She sat up and stretched her arms high as she yawned, momentarily forgetting her position as a member of a noble family. She scanned around the room and remembered that she had fallen asleep in her brother's bedroom. Her cheeks turned into a slight pink color as she once again scanned the room, but this time, looking for her brother. She heaved a sigh of relief as she realized that her brother wasn't there to see her unladylike behavior.

She pushed herself off the bed and walked looked around her brother's room. His messy tables were littered with quills, empty ink bottles, and books. She picked up one book that caught her eyes, and starts reading. After a few pages, she closed the book, and sighed. "Brother... so you've been hiding your skills from us..." Sadness creeps into her heart as she felt that her brother has been untruthful to not just her, but everyone in the family. She ponders why his brother did not tell anyone about his achievements in the past.

Melody put the book down and walked near one of the window to calm her heart. She pushed the window open and felt the gentle breeze of spring winds against her face. She looked around the garden, a place where she used to spend her time with her brother. It has been three years since Melody was taken in by the Redfate family, and not once in those three years that she had felt loneliness. Of course she missed her own family every once in a while, but it will always be cured when her brother's gentle voice reached her ears.

The door behind her swings open and Melody turned her body to the door. She then saw her brother, carrying a tray with a teapot and a pair of cups. Trace's mouth curled into a warm smile when he saw his sister standing near the window. "You are finally up, Melody. I thought you are going to wake up a little bit later." Melody pouts and crossed her arms. "It is true that I sleep longer than most, but I have slept for a couple of hours before you came back home!" Trace put down the tray on his bedside table and turned to the still upset Melody. "Do you want to join me?" Melody kept up her angry front, but it only lasted until her brother poured darjeeling tea to the cups. The smell was enough to make her forget that she was angry with her brother, and she sat down on the chair in front of her brother.

"Melody, you were the one that brought the letters for me, yes? Thank you." Melody shook her head and took the cup. "Pay no mind to it, brother. I was on my way to meet you when I saw the messengers." Trace smiled and drank the tea he poured for himself. "Still, you could've just walked by." Trace stood up and approached Melody. He pats his sister's head with a smile wider than before. "But then again, helping others is natural for you." Melody held her brother's hand, and pressed it against her cheeks. "I couldn't help it... I inherited that from you, didn't I?" Melody returned her brother's smile, and Trace nodded, with a smile as gentle as the morning sun.

"Now then. Melody, would you like to come with me? The letters were addressed to me, but I do think that it is okay to bring you with me. If you're free, would you like to come with me?" Melody nodded without hesitation. She knew that she needed to go to the academy today, but she is already very late for that, so she decided to come along with her brother instead. "In that case, you might want to change." Melody looked at herself and noticed that the dress she's wearing is a mess. She was sleeping with them on. Melody nodded and walked out of the room. Trace drank all of the tea in his cup and waited for her at the hall.

"Did you wait long, brother?" Melody appeared not long after Trace arrived at the hall. She was wearing a beautiful pink gown with white collars. Trace smiled and shook his head. "No, I didn't wait long. Shall we go then?" Melody nodded and walked one step behind her brother. They walked along a crowded street, filled with nobles. It is already noon, and everyone are out to enjoy the warm spring sun. Trace looked around with a slight smile on his face. It is a truth that Trace dislikes nobles, particularly the ones that flaunts and shows off their wealth, but it brings warmth to his heart everytime he saw a place not devoid of life, for it drives away the memory of him wandering the remnants of the world alone.