Chapter 9

As the cherry blossoms danced in the wind, Misaki opened the old diary and read the words of promise written there.

The path created in the forest was not particularly wide. Perhaps it could accommodate three people standing side by side. Fortunately, it was well-maintained, so there was little risk of tripping over tree roots. Although my sister mentioned it was a forest, the servants must have taken care of it. Small flowers were planted here and there to prevent boredom, and if you looked closely, you could see traces of logging. Thanks to this, the forest did not feel oppressive, and there were thoughtful touches to make it enjoyable to the eye.

Even after entering the forest, I was still bothered by Rinald's words, but there was no point in worrying about something he wouldn't answer.

"If it's not too much trouble, I have a question for you, Lord Rinald."

"If it's something I can answer, I'll do my best."

Fortunately, he doesn't seem to want to follow the prince's orders, so there's no need to push him away.

"As you know, I've been away from noble society, so I'm not well-versed in matters I should know."

To set the stage:

"Despite various people's schemes, I was wondering why it was my family and not the main branch."

"Of course, it's because he wants to be close to your sister."

"..."

"Miss Karen?"

"Ah, my apologies. ...I'm just surprised that you're answering so frankly."

"If you prefer, I can be more reserved, but I don't think you like such lies, and I doubt you'd be fooled by them."

"I appreciate your honesty, but... you've investigated me quite thoroughly, haven't you?"

"If it offends you, I apologize, but it was necessary."

...I don't like your overly polite way of speaking, but it's a bit scary to know that you've investigated my personality as well. I wonder what kind of information network you have.

"I'll consider this a step forward."

Rinald seemed pleased, his lips curling slightly, but I still can't quite understand his character.

"You must have heard my conversation with my sister. Was it because the prince brought you instead of someone from the main branch, the Dünst family?"

"I heard that your sister wishes to restore your status."

"Even so, Lord Rinald... or rather, the Rodenwaldt family, it seems a bit of a mismatch."

Kirsten's main branch is the Dünst family, which has a much higher social standing. To be honest, Kirsten is just average, while his family is a prestigious one, almost on par with the Grand Duke in terms of influence. If we're talking about logic, the match with Count Conrad is more appropriate.

"To be honest, I was surprised by how good a match it was, and I was wondering why the head of your family agreed to it."

"Hmm, you thought it was a good match?"

"Yes, it was so perfect that I thought everyone would envy me if I accepted it."

"You misunderstand. You should have run away from that good match."

"I'm not saying I dislike you, Lord Rinald."

I've already given up on being overheard. I wonder if he'll answer my question. Rinald fell silent, as if thinking, while I spotted a small pond ahead. It must be fed by underground water, and though it's tiny, the water is clear, with what looks like water striders floating on the surface.

"May we stop for a moment?"

"Of course."

Squatting by the pond, I saw my face reflected in the water. Rinald didn't seem to want to join me, standing back and waiting. I didn't intend to force a conversation.

The teenage girl reflected in the water wasn't unattractive. My hair, unlike my sister's, was straight and black, and my eyes were a bluish-green, often described as melancholic—more of a literary type. If I had wavy hair like my sister, I might have exuded more charm.

Dipping my hand into the pond, the water was colder than I expected, quickly robbing my fingers of warmth.

"From me..."

"Yes?"

"I can't tell you the details, but..."

But he seems willing to share some information. I continued to listen without turning around.

"Our family believes it's important to form a connection with Kirsten."

"More so than the main branch?"

Kirsten is always subservient to the Dünst family. Rinald then mentioned Count Conrad.

"If you're curious, you could ask Count Conrad to investigate the Dünst family."

"Count Conrad?"

"He may have been away from the capital for a long time, but his connections are still strong. He can find out their situation quickly."

...He's not telling me directly, so there must be some shady reason. Still, his hint is appreciated. I thanked him and stood up, then asked a question that came to mind.

"Could it be related to the fact that the prince brought you instead of someone from the Dünst family?"

Rinald's eyes widened slightly, but he responded with an ambiguous smile.

"By the way, I have a question for you."

"What is it?"

I didn't expect him to have something to ask me, but I was prepared to answer if I could.

"This... well, it's a personal question unrelated to this matter, so you don't have to answer if you don't want to."

Pulling my hand out of the water and shaking off the droplets, I noticed a handkerchief offered to me. I had my own, but I took it to avoid interrupting the conversation. While drying my hands, I thought he seemed charming.

"I was wondering why you accepted the marriage proposal."

He was being cautious. It was a sensitive question, as expected. I had already explained to Camille that it was because we were raised together, but that didn't seem enough.

"Considering your initiative, that's not enough... I suppose it's a bit tactless. So, you don't resent your mother?"

"Resent... that's not quite right."

"Then, are you sad?"

"Perhaps at first, but..."

Should I answer? After some hesitation, I decided to continue. I had never talked about my mother forgetting me to anyone like him. My siblings and friends all knew the situation, so they never asked, and I never brought it up.

"What can I say? If she had shown any reaction, even if it was dislike, it would have been different."

When I was fourteen, my mother forgot me, and she never remembered me after that. If she had any unconscious dislike of me as the third child, or if she saw me as a symbol of infidelity, she could have hated me. But she never did.

When we passed in the hallway, she would say, "Good morning, it's a nice day," or "Hello, you look energetic today." She shared her sweets with me and never stinted on expenses for me. There was no harassment. She just didn't treat me like a parent would treat her other children. To her, I was like a daughter from another family.

The main reason I recovered quickly was my mother from my previous life, but seeing her every day made me accept it.

"She didn't recognize me. Because she didn't, she could be indifferent, and because I was a stranger, she could be kind. Seeing that, I realized it was wrong to throw a tantrum and say, 'I'm your daughter.'"

The matter was settled between my mother and me, but others didn't approve. When I explained that I didn't harbor any hatred, Rinald nodded with interest.

"I see. I understand your situation, but..."

"Yes?"

"I'm surprised."

"Huh? Is it surprising?"

Rinald seemed genuinely impressed.

"No, I apologize. At your age, it's understandable to resent your parents. I even thought you might have had rebellious feelings towards them."

No, no. It's just that I don't want to be tied down by marriage and the country. I couldn't say that, of course.

"...That's understandable."

"I don't want you to be upset. From what I've seen and heard about you, I felt this assumption was incorrect. That's why I asked. Please forgive me."

"I'm not angry. I just wanted to confirm what others think."

I wanted to return the handkerchief, but I wasn't sure if it was appropriate to return a used one.

This... should I wash it and return it? As I was hesitating, I noticed Rinald looking up.

"What are you...?"

Following his gaze, I saw a drop of water hit my cheek, and then it started to rain.

"A passing shower?"

The sky had been clear, but now it was covered with thick clouds.

"Miss Karen, this way."

"Ah!"

Rinald guided me to the base of a tree with dense foliage, which provided better protection from the rain than the path. The smell of wet earth filled my nose as we watched the rain-soaked ground.

"This is a long passing shower. Will it stop soon?"

"I hope so. Since it was sunny just now, it should be fine. In any case, everyone knows we went out without coats. They'll bring us some soon."

Incidentally, in this world, there are no umbrellas. There are cloth parasols for sun protection, but in a world where sword fighting is the norm, they never became popular because they occupy a hand. Without polyester or nylon, the main protection against rain is thick coats treated with water-repellent chemicals or plant juices.

When I was young, I thought making umbrellas would be profitable, but when I suggested it to my siblings, they asked, "Will you carry it yourself?" and the servants said, "It blocks the view and takes up a hand, which is scary." They usually stay home on rainy days because heavy rain can cause fog, making it dangerous to go out.

As I was lost in these sad memories, water started dripping from the leaves.

"...It's not stopping."

We hadn't been waiting long, but it was about the right time for Rinald's attendants to catch up. The beautiful woman standing beside me frowned slightly and crossed her arms, but there was no sign of anyone coming. The sky didn't look like it would clear up soon. It might not be just a passing shower.

"There's no choice. It doesn't seem like it will stop soon, so let's run back."

Fortunately, we hadn't walked far. I could borrow clothes from my sister, and Rinald was wearing a thick coat. If we ran, he wouldn't get too wet. As I took a step, I turned back, and suddenly my vision went black.

"Huh?"

"Excuse me, but this is the only way to keep you dry."

He had wrapped me in his coat. Despite the fabric, the close contact with a man's body was unexpected... and my cheeks were hot. Rinald couldn't see my face, which was good, but...

Still, I'm technically married, you know.

"Be careful not to fall."

We started running together, but I noticed something. Rinald had been calling me "Miss Karen" all along, never "Countess Conrad."

...I don't think there's any deep meaning, but this person is hard to understand.

As we ran through the forest, the rain started to weaken. At this rate, we wouldn't need the coat. To avoid getting too close, I tried to move away, but then—

"Lord Rinald?"

Rinald suddenly stopped, and I almost fell. Through the gap in the coat, I could see the room where my sister and the others were—

"What's...?"

Before I could react, he quickly took off the coat and covered my head. As I was confused, his hand slipped under my knees and lifted me, causing my body to tilt backward. I braced myself to fall, but his arm around my back supported me.

"Huh, huh, huh?"

"There's a large puddle."

Huh? A puddle... that's enough to lift me?

What is this guy? Thanks to the coat, I couldn't see anything, but this is dangerous, right? No, it is!

Calm down, calm down. My vocabulary was failing me. First, I needed to relax my stiff body, but...

"Ah, I can walk by myself!"

"Be quiet."

"Yes."

I obeyed reflexively. He must be well-trained. I thought he was fit, but he carried me without any difficulty, and his body didn't waver. He wasn't just muscular for show.

In the end, I was carried all the way back. I didn't want to think about the looks we'd get when we returned. Rinald's people, this wasn't my fault. Look, even Rinald is calmly accepting a towel... Wait. Why are the servants already waiting?

My question was also Rinald's. His long hair dripped water, and his thin lips asked about the slow response.

"Moritz, Nika. You knew we were outside without raincoats, right?"

The tall man and woman in black uniforms stood straight. The man with narrow eyes in his thirties explained calmly.

"I apologize. The prince ordered us to stop bringing them."

"The prince?"

"Yes. Through his guard, but we couldn't disobey the prince's orders."

The man's gaze shifted to the servants of my sister's house, and I followed it. The servant bowed deeply and explained that they had prepared towels and were waiting.

Their consideration was appreciated, and it was very helpful, but the problem was the prince. He was a headache.

"...I'm sorry. I'm really sorry."

I was a victim too, but I felt a bit guilty because of my sister. Maybe she couldn't refuse the prince either...

I was dry thanks to Rinald's coat, but he was soaked.

"I'm used to getting wet because of my job, so don't worry. You should be more concerned about yourself. It's still cold this time of year."

"That's true for you too. I'll borrow clothes from my sister, but you can't do that... This is a good excuse to leave. The prince won't ask you to stay if he sees you like this."

He's taking advantage of the situation, but my guilt doesn't disappear. I need to borrow clothes from my sister, and to get him to leave quickly, I'll finish the greetings. Even if the rain stops, the ground will be muddy, and the shoes my sister lends me won't be suitable for long walks. I'll have to give up walking and borrow a carriage.

"I'll go greet them."

Rinald was still wet, so I wanted to explain the situation. I knew the way to the room, but there was a guard at the door. When he saw me, his eyes darted around and he stiffened.

...What's with this attitude?

The middle-aged guard approached me and spoke in a very low voice, looking around.

"Please leave. The prince and Lady Gerda are in the middle of a conversation."

"Why? I need to see my sister—"

"Please be quiet."

"But—"

At that moment, a woman's scream came from behind the door.

The guard and I froze, but he recovered faster. He closed his eyes and looked up as if praying to the heavens.

—It's been heard, he seemed to say.

I couldn't move. That was definitely my sister's scream, but the intermittent sounds that followed were not just screams.

They were the kind of sounds made by a man and a woman in bed... the kind of night exercise, if you will.

And this is the guard of Prince David, not the king, but the king's son, Prince David!

...Ah, he was trying to stop me from hearing this.

I couldn't speak, and the guard gestured for me to back away. My determination to see my sister had vanished, and I followed his instructions. Just as I was about to leave, a voice called out from behind.

"Miss Karen, aren't you going in?"

No—! Rinald, bad timing!!!

My near-death spirit was awakened by the mission to stop him, and I was in sync with the guard.

Back away together! As I was indicating this with my actions, another woman's seductive moan reached my ears.

The guard and I froze, clearly understanding the meaning.

...This is a huge scandal. If it gets out, it will spread through the country in an instant. The king will be furious, and while the prince might be spared, my sister will not. In the worst case, the family could be destroyed. My mind was filled with images of the execution of relatives.

Moreover, hearing my sister's such sounds is... well, difficult as a younger sister.

I didn't know what to say to Rinald. I couldn't even speak. The sounds were so clear through the door that any conversation would reveal our presence.

The guard put a finger to his lips to signal silence, and I nodded repeatedly, grabbing Rinald's hand and pulling him away. But was this man even capable of tension?

Rinald didn't panic or show surprise like me.