Chapter 42 : Extra 4 : Melodia and Dietrich’s Date

This chapter is set at the beginning of the story.

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On one calm afternoon, Dietrich-sama summoned me to his office.

“It’s Melodia Nonoire.”

“Hm. Come on in.”

This was the first time Dietrich-sama ever summoned me so I was feeling slightly nervous. Dietrich-sama was a duke with royal blood flowing in his veins, although he was in the form of a dog. If it wasn’t for my strange power, there was no way someone like me could meet with someone of his standing. 

Dietrich-sama stared at me with a mysterious expression on his face.

Did something happen? Or maybe he finally realized I’m a wolf beastman, a Lou Garou?

My heart kept on beating so fast. The silence felt so painful. As I held my chest with my hand, Dietrich-sama’s expression turned grim. The silence had been going on for far too long. Unable to endure it any longer, I asked Dietrich-sama.

“E-Excuse me, is there anything I can help you with?”

“Ah, sorry.”

Dietrich-sama showed an action that looked like a dog taking a deep breath before he spoke in a suspicious manner. 

“Erm….. That…. Ehem…. Melodia.”

“Ye-Yes.”

“I…. Will you….. Please go on a daaaaaaaaate with me?”

“Wha….. What?”

“I said… Daaaaaaaaate.”

“Daaaaaaaaate, is it?”

“That’s right.”

What is daaaaaaaaate?

A question mark was floating on top of my hand. I thought about it for a moment before I finally realized Dietrich-sama meant to say ‘date’, as in, going out for a date with him.

“Umm… Perhaps, that’s the reason why you called for me?”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

I felt like my knees were going weak. If it was ‘date’ he wanted, he shouldn’t have prolonged it and just went straight at it. I took a fleeting glance at Dietrich-sama. He looked somewhat embarrassed. 

Maybe this is why he was taking his sweet time and looked somewhat fidgety earlier?

I felt like sighing deeply now.

“Where do you want to go?”

“Mostly to the garden.”

“The garden…”

“The winter roses are beautiful so I was thinking of taking a walk while admiring them.”

Apparently the Fenrir family had planted an improved version of winter roses in their garden. Certainly, just looking at them from the window, I could see that they were beautiful. They must’ve looked even more beautiful if I saw them up close. 

But… But still… I doubt taking a walk with Dietrich-sama when he looked like a dog like this, would count as a date. To a stranger’s eyes, I’d look like I was taking my dog for a walk instead. 

“Is it… A ‘no’ after all?”

Dietrich-sama’s ears were flatted on his head and his eyes looked a little moist as he stared at me. When he begged me while looking like that, there was no way I could refuse him.

“I understand. Umm… If it’s alright with you, I’d love to join you.”

“Melodia! Thank you so much!”

And so, I made a promise to go on a date with Dietrich-sama.

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Three days later, the day for my date with Dietrich-sama. Ruri-san woke me up in the morning and told me to take a bath.

“Umm… Why a bath?”

“Today Melodia-sama is going on a date with the Master so I think it’d be better to get you all dressed up.”

“Oh, yeah.”

“We can’t never know what’s going to happen after the date after all.”

Just what is there to happen after going on a date with a dog?

I was exhausted though so I didn’t have the energy to quip back.

Ruri-san brushed my hands until my skin was all sparkly. After I finished with the bath, she wiped my body and thoroughly dried my hair. She generously applied a scented oil that made both my skin and hair so glossy and shiny. The make-up was beautifully done too. 

“I’ve brought a new dress for today.”

“Huh?!”

“It’s a present from the Master.”

Apparently the dress was called “a commemorative dress for me and Melodia’s first date”. I really couldn’t fathom the mindset of a noble. I put the dress on albeit I was still feeling confused. My hair was carefully braided and gathered to the back of my head. Ruri-san then finished the look by tying a silk ribbon at the end. 

“The Master is waiting for you at the garden gazebo.”

“Wh-Why he’s there?”

“He wants to meet up with you there.”

“I-I see…”

Why does he want to meet up when we’re literally living in the same mansion?

I still had about 30 minutes before our promised time. Since I still had plenty of time left, I took a look at the garden first, specifically at the gazebo that would be our meeting place. 

Upon closer look, I could see a white dog waiting in a straight sitting pose. 

“He-He’s already there!!!!”

And so, I panicked and quickly went to the gazebo. When I looked at the window, the gazebo looked pretty close but it was actually quite far in the garden. It took me about 15 minutes to reach the gazebo. Although I was breathing heavily, I finally managed to catch up with Dietrich-sama. 

“Oh, Melodia. You’re early.”

“Ha… Haaa…. I-I’m sorry to keep you waiting.”

“Not at all. I actually just got here too.”

He was lying with all of his might. It made me wonder just how long he had been waiting here. I should ask the nearby servant after this. 

“Let’s rest for a while here.”

When Dietrich-sama gave his signal, a maid appeared out of nowhere. She then poured me a glass or grape juice. I was feeling thirsty so I accepted the glass gratefully and then gulped them all down in one go.

“You’re a good drinker.”

“!!!”

I was taken aback when I heard Dietrich-sama’s remark. It made me return to my senses. Of course it was deemed as uncivilized to drink everything in one gulp. 

“I-I’m sorry. I should’ve drunk it in a more elegant manner.”

“No, I think you should just drink it as you please. I really don’t mind it.”

“Dietrich-sama…”

“After all, I’m like this anyway.”

A glass was placed in front of Dietrich-sama and the maid poured the grape juice into it. Dietrich-sama then started to use his tongue to lick the juice from the glass.

“I have to drink like this because I’m a dog. I can’t drink like a normal human.”

“Th-That’s true.”

“That’s why, Melodia, you don’t need to mind it either!”

“Dietrich-sama….”

Which reminded me, Ruri-san did say that Dietrich-sama felt ashamed of his appearance when he was eating and drinking so he never showed it to anyone else. Maybe he purposely showed it to me so I wouldn’t mind my manner much.

I could feel an aching pain in my heart when I realized that.

“Now then, I think it’s about time for us to walk around the garden.”

“Yes.”

The winter roses in the garden were truly beautiful. Dietrich-sama looked like he truly loved roses. He was well informed about roses and I enjoyed listening to his explanation.

After an hour of walking, our date finally came to an end.

“Dietrich-sama, I really had fun today.”

“I-I see! I’m glad to hear that!”

From Dietrich-sama’s expression, I could see he really felt relieved. 

“U-Umm… Melodia.”

“What is it?”

“Can I ask you to go on a date with me again?”

“Yes, sure.”

“Thank you. I appreciate it.”

For that reason, we also had decided on the second date too. Just to be safe, I also reminded him not to give me a new dress again.

“Then what about a necklace or bracelet?”

“Those are no good too.”

It seemed that Dietrich-sama still wanted to give me something no matter what. Well if that was the case then I had one suggestion for him.

“You can take one flower from the garden and give it to me.”

“Are you fine with just that?”

“Just that is fine for me.”

“I see. Then I’ll start looking for the best flower on the night before our date.”

“No! You don’t need to spend so much time looking for it!”

How do I say it… It was like Dietrich-sama didn’t know how to act moderately. Needless to say, I ended up laughing because of how he always took things to the extreme. 

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T/N: It’s so cute to see their date in the early period~ (ﾉ´ヮ`)ﾉ*: ･ﾟ