Category: I Became the Sea Guardian’s Adopted Daughter

this chapter is brought to you by mio
as translator, proofreader and editor!

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Still, the mana that had been boiling inside of me when I was hitting the pillow had now subsided a bit.

I now felt refreshed, even though my stomach had felt hot, just like it normally did the day after I had drunk too much alcohol.

The problem was that I was so relieved that I had lost my strength and fallen asleep.

“You didn’t even end up giving me a gift!”

I suddenly woke up in the middle of the night and tried to wrap my head around it. At some point in time, the pillow, which had been beaten up by me for the crime of resembling Cassian, had been put away.

There was even a hammer on top of it. 

As if they had wanted to use it on Cassian too.

It was clear that my quick-witted maid, Azelta, had been the one to put it on top of it.

“Pfft.”

A burst of laughter leaked out of me. 

But would you even have been able to do such a daring thing if you were just an ordinary maid?

After all, the basic requirement to being a maid was to put things back into their proper place.

Well, to be fair, there had been something strange about Azelta since earlier as well.

Starting from when the other maids, and even the chefs, who she would constantly nag at, would respectfully call her ‘Miss Azelta’.

“She doesn’t seem to be just a maid, but at least a head maid…”

Or maybe she had another position.

I tossed and turned while deep in thought. 

Whether it was because Azelta had tucked the blanket up to cover my shoulders, sleep seemed to come as the warmth returned once again.

“Heup¹.”

I turned my body, which was facing the door, toward the window.

There were pillows on both my right and left, but whether or not it was because they had found out about my bad sleeping habits was still unknown.

“Mm, how soft!”

It was when I was rubbing a pillow against my cheek with a satisfied smile.

My eyes suddenly shot open.

“Weren’t my curtains shut?”

It was because bright rays of moonlight were now shining into my room.

There’s no way that Azelta would have made such a mistake, right?

It was when I suddenly got up.

— Knock knock.

I heard a sudden knock on the window. As if someone were trying to open it.

“What is it?”

As I slowly pulled my head, what greeted me outside was… 

‘Open up.’

There was a man with rather dark blond hair, mouthing something to me.

It’s you again??? 

It was none other than Cassian. 

To think that I’d open the window, did he think I was crazy? I whipped my body away from him again. Then, a voice came through the gap in the window.

“If you don’t open it, I might fall to my death.”

I wondered how his voice could squeeze through such a tight space in the window.

Whether you fall to your death or not!

I closed my eyes. Then, Cassian spoke up once again.

“I guess it can’t be helped if rumors about how your father killed his own brother start to spread then.”

What do you mean by that?

I jumped to my feet unconsciously and saw Cassian sitting on the windowsill, with a face that was trying to look pitiful.

“…”

At the same time, his objective was clear, just from his raised index finger.

“Passing the night together with me wouldn’t be nice, huh?”

However, it was obvious just by looking at that punk that he was the type of person who would only bring more trouble to us if I just left him as he was and eventually fell to his death.

“Sigh.”

I sighed deeply and got out of bed. Rabbit slippers were placed in its spot instead of the teddy bear slippers, which had suffered from stepping on that sandy floor.

“Heup.”

The window also had a handle that would spin at the bottom, so that even the young me was able to open and close it with ease.

Of course, perhaps because they feared that I would fall, the height of the window itself sat rather high up on the wall.

— Click. 

Cassian’s expression immediately smoothened out the moment the window was opened. I opened the window very slightly, then locked it in place once again.

That way, he couldn’t get all the way in unless he chose to break the window.

And if he broke it, Sir Rottier would come in.

“…”

I looked at the door to the hallway where Rottier would be. 

Should I call for Rottier?

‘Eyes like a beast.’

However, if I did, this punk would only begin to spout bullshit again, all the while never failing to make me feel uncomfortable.

I thought it’d be better for me to just listen to him quickly before kicking him out, no matter what the purpose of this fuss was about.

“I’ll scream if you come in!”

Cassian laughed when I said that.

He was a punk who had a strange talent that enabled him to smile widely, even with his face stuck on the window.

“Oh, I’d feel unpleasant if I ran into that beast-like thing too.”

He keeps calling Rottier a beast! But who’s really the one who resembles a beast more?!

Even if I didn’t… fully trust the people of this area yet, one thing was certain.

There was no one who made me feel as bad as Cassian.

It was the moment I had such an impression of him.

“I was just going to give you a present and leave. Here.”

Cassian reached his hand through the crack in the window and dropped some sort of stone.

—Thud, gureureureu²…

I stepped aside instead of going to receive it.

“Isn’t it fascinating that they’re sparkling?”

That was true. It was indeed a stone that shone with a strange light.

I could feel an unstable mana force from within the stone.

He probably wouldn’t have given it to me if he had known it was a mana stone. But naturally, it would’ve been troublesome if I revealed the fact that I knew it was a mana stone.

“What is this?”

“It’s something fascinating. Since there are a lot of strange, bizarre, and ominous things in this place.”

Cassian grinned. I’ll let the strange and bizarre things slide for now, but…

“Ominous things?”

Why are you giving me something ominous?

I opened my mouth in disbelief, dumbfounded, but Cassian merely stretched out his hand.

“Then, I’ll take my leave now, since my niece has already received her present.”

Cassian disappeared quickly, just like that.

Did you really stick to me so tenaciously, just to give me this one thing?

—Shut.

I scowled at the stone he had dropped after shutting the window.

“It’s not even made properly.”

Although the mana stone was a mana stone, it was a stone that had been ruined by abnormal mana.

This was widely regarded as a waste stone and was never used properly, even in my previous life.

In addition, if a mage, who was frequently around mana, accidentally came into contact with such an unstable mana stone, the mana stone could explode.

Although there’s no way a person who was in a world where magic was forbidden, would be aware of that.

Wouldn’t that guy have been aware of it if he was a mage?

“Ugh.”

I narrowed my eyes and backed away. 

Anything that was shiny or disappeared would definitely catch the interest of a child.

At least that would’ve been the case for me, if I wasn’t a mage.

I turned around without picking up the stone in question. 

—Flop! 

I flopped onto the soft bed and pouted. I’d have to ask Azelta to clean it up tomorrow.

She wasn’t a mage, so that mana stone wouldn’t explode.

“Wait, but!”

I jumped up abruptly, just as I was about to fall asleep.

The stone was a stone, but I couldn’t help but have a bad feeling!

Just what the hell are you up to, you fucker???

***

pls do not share this anywhere or the transmigration gods will transport u into boku no pico !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:

“This stone is…?”

Azelta, who came into the room the next day, was also curious about the source of the stone.

Her eyes sharpened for a moment, as if checking for any intruders.

“That mister gave it to me and left.”

Azelta paused at my words.

“Are you talking about… Cassian?”

“Yeah.”

Azelta narrowed her eyes.

“Did he open the window?”

“No.”

If that was the case, then I would’ve called for Rottier beforehand! I waved my hand dismissively.

“He only coaxed me to open the window, so I opened it.”

“Young Miss.”

Azelta turned to me. She looked quickly did a once-over of me, as if she were reading a book, and immediately let out a short exhale.

I knew what she was trying to say.

I waved my hand.

“He said he’d do something weird if I didn’t. So I opened it, just a little bit.”

I spread my thumb and index finger. 

Although the gap suddenly became too small since it was a child’s hand instead, Azelta seemed to be more concerned about something else.

“Do something… weird?”

It seemed as if I could already see all the dirty things she was already picturing, floating around in her head.

If I just left it like this, then Cassian would really seem like a son of a bitch, even more than I could even imagine. 

But still, did I really need to go and correct it?

“Young Miss, can you tell me what he said?”

That was when Azelta asked me as she approached me cautiously. Judging by the way she was holding both of my hands tightly, it was clear that she had some sort of misunderstanding.

“But if you don’t feel comfortable enough to, then you don’t have to tell me either.”

“No, it’s…”

It’s not that serious! 

In the end, I decided to save what was left of Cassian’s reputation, just this once.

But it wasn’t for that bastard though.

It was because I thought that Azelta would feel sorry for me if I let her imagination run wild.

“Last night…”

As I told her about that night, Azelta’s face changed bit by bit each moment.

“Are you saying that he was talking about His Grace, the Duke?”

“Yeah. So I just opened it for him.

I pursed my lips slightly. Of course I didn’t expect for Cassian to fall to his death as I said, but would a five year old know any better?

Azelta hugged me with a brief sigh, just as I was rolling my eyes.

“…!”

My eyes widened, startled by the sudden action.

“Azelta…?”

It seemed like ever since I had been reborn as Nassia, that this was the first time that someone had ever hugged me like this.

Although at first, I was startled and stiffened up, I slowly lowered my arms, as if I was melting in the warmth that was permeating through.

She clearly let out a sigh of relief.

“Young Miss. In the future, no matter what anyone says, don’t open the window so carelessly.”

Azelta’s hand, which was hugging my back, was hot. As if she were nervous.

It felt like a rather damp and humid warmth, different when compared to when she normally held my hand. Was it because her hands were sweaty?

“Although you were thinking of His Grace this time, His Grace is someone who is so strong, he doesn’t need Young Miss to protect him.”

Azelta continued to speak.

“That…”

Right, that did seem to be the case.

No, if Cassian had been someone who could harm the current Duke of Ether, then the position of the Duke of Ether would have gone to Cassian instead.

I already knew that. 

The reason I opened the window was because I knew Cassian would somehow still continue to bother me.

Rather than that, it’d be better to end it quickly.

If he were to harm me in any way, it definitely would have been loud enough for Rottier to hear, and if that were to happen, then Cassian would never have been able to walk away unharmed.

I, who had opened the window with just one word, had believed that Cassian wouldn’t be able to directly harm me in any way.

“He would never be able to harm His Grace. So Young Miss should value your own safety more.”

However, it wouldn’t have looked like that to Azelta.

She seemed to have been overly startled. As if something similar had happened before… 

“…Alright.”

Only after I had replied did she finally let me go. Then she fell to her feet in front of me, shocked. 

“I’m sorry, Young Miss.”

“Huh?”

Oh, you mean the hug?

I waved my hand.

“It was nice since it felt warm.”

I smiled bashfully. Azelta’s eyes widened at my words, then laughed silently.

But it was true.

Perhaps because it was the only warmth I had felt in a long time, despite feeling rather sour, my heart was still warm.

The wall around my heart that I had subconsciously built up sturdily ever since I came into this world, seemed to have melted a little without me realising it.

“Why… do you like me?”

“Because you gave me this.”

I suddenly recalled the image of Azelta, who had said that whilst holding out a piece of candy a few days ago.

I had thought that the candy friendship that had been formed back then would have only amounted to a simple favour.

Since humans were the ones who only looked after their own interests, and for that purpose, would even push their colleagues, whom they had experienced hardship and adversity together with, into boiling lava.

Just like Layton.

 “…”

However, the warmth that Azelta had shown me somehow had the power to dull the thorns around my heart.

Was it because this was the first warmth I had felt after five years?

I looked at Azelta.

“Give me a moment!”

Having said that, she ran out the door to talk to Sir Rottier with a serious expression on her face.

I could see Rottier’s face stiffening.

“…It is my responsibility.”

He looked at me and then lowered his head. I waved my hand. 

Perhaps because of Azelta’s warmth, his grave expression also seemed to genuinely touch my heart.

As if he was worried about me.

It was when I frowned slightly in that odd atmosphere.

I will guard you to ensure that there won’t be any intruders, even outside your window.”

Rottier said abruptly.

Isn’t this the fourth floor though? I turned to him.

“How? Perhaps… by hanging from there?

I smiled mischievously as I thought of Rottier hanging from the windowsill.

“If you want me to, I’ll do it.”

My smiling face instantly stiffened.

“Nope! It’s fine!”

However, Sir Rottier was still trying to enter the room, even now.

Ack! I had forgotten that Sir Rottier was such a serious person!

[1] 읏챠 is used to express mild difficulty, e.g. when you pick up something heavy, or when getting out of bed despite the fact you’re sleepy and don’t want to, w/ a motivating/encouraging sort of connotation.

[2] sound of [something] rolling.

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this chapter is brought to you by mio
as translator, proofreader and editor!

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“Then, when I turned twelve years old, I stopped looking for someone to be on my side. To be more exact, it was the very day I was trapped in this clam house because of my older brother.”

I clearly remembered what Duke Ether had said earlier. 

Was this the person who imprisoned the young Duke Ether in the clam house?

According to Duke Ether, this person wasn’t on his side when he was a child.

And apparently, the former Duke had passed the household to Ain, the current Duke of Ether, and not this man.

“My name is Cassian von Ether.”

The man smiled unpleasantly upon the appearance of Duke Ether.

He talked smoothly about things no one had asked to hear.

“You’ve already been deprived of the ‘von Ether’ name.”

That was how Duke Ether approached him. The cold gaze was completely different from the one he used when he looked at me.

The Duke Ether, who was rumored to even have cut down humans, since monsters often came in human form, would suit that sort of expression.

“How cold-hearted of you. How could I, who isn’t even a commoner, live without a family name, huh?”

Cassian looked back at Duke Ether with an eerie smile. 

Only then did the black shadow that had covered me disappear. I shot a glare at the back of his head.

Usually, it was common for the eldest son to inherit the family, so Cassian naturally would have protested against this unusual situation.

He wouldn’t have left such a person here, but what if he had no justification to take his life?

Then there was one answer.

He must’ve been banished.

Just from hearing the conversation between the two of them made it seem like he had been banished.

But why was this man, Cassian, here then?

“I mean, I now have a niece…”

Then, Cassian looked down at me. 

I took a half step away from him the moment his shadow tried to block out the light again.

Rottier’s sword firmly guarded me as I retreated back into the light.

“I knew you were getting married, but I didn’t think that you’d have a daughter first.”

Cassian laughed silently.

“You’re like a punk who grew up in the wrong order, Ain. Hmm?”

Then, he looked back at the Duke of Ether. 

Who was the punk who grew up in the wrong order? 

In other words, he was the one who was going to become the Duke, but Duke Ether stole it from him?

What’s with that disappointment¹ that seems like it’s breathing?

“In the absence of family events, access to the entire Ether estate is prohibited. Did you forget?”

Duke Yether looked at Cassian coldly. At that, Cassian stretched out his arms.

“If this isn’t an event, then what is it?”

And you’re pointing at me? 

Don’t tell me that ‘this’ is me? Do you treat people like objects since you’re already a useless son of a bitch²?

“Now that I have a niece, shouldn’t I give her a birthday present? After all, she’s been born again. Not on that Barony’s filthy floor, but reborn here.”

He grinned.

Was it just me or were they talking about my birth? Maybe not? 

This man had a unique talent of making others’ fist clench at every word that came out of his mouth.

“And before the banishment is withdrawn, I should at least gain some points first. Since children are weak to gifts.”

Then, Cassian turned to me and sat down. 

But you’re already totally screwed if you’re trying to gain points from me though? My own frowning face met Cassian’s brazen one.

It was the moment I was about to snap back at him.

“Step back, you’re making the child uncomfortable.”

—Drag!

Duke Ether suddenly grabbed the back of his neck and dragged him away from me.

Nice, Duke!

—Crunch, crunch! 

I could see pieces of the shattered shells that had lost their light, scattered under Cassian’s foot as he retreated.

“…”

At that moment, all my pent-up anger and frustration rose up. Even though I knew I’d be able to get those clamshells again, I felt overwhelmed by my emotions, perhaps because I was now a child again.

Argh, he’s dead!

If I had been able to use magic without any repercussions, it wouldn’t have been the shells that broke, but his fucking ankle instead!

It was when I clenched my fists.

“Your hands will get hurt, Young Miss.”

Azelta wrapped her fist around mine, as if she was worried.

“But it was the prettiest clam…”

All those who destroyed pretty things must be blown to bits! It was when I was about to puff out my cheeks.

“…”

I could feel Duke Ether’s gaze scan my surroundings.

He looked over in my direction for a moment before dragging Cassian away.

“You should come in and talk if you have something to say.”

“Oh, gosh.”

Cassian didn’t forget to chatter away, even whilst he was being dragged away.

“Are you going to ruin my first meeting with the child too? How could you not welcome more family members to a child who doesn’t have any family?”

He continued to pour out more unpleasant words as he gradually got further and further, and didn’t stop until the very end.

“Is that kid going to be raised like you?”

—Slam!

At those words, Duke Ether slammed the door of his office shut instead of answering.

***

pls do not share this anywhere or the transmigration gods will transport u into boku no pico !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:

Anger is bad for the body! 

Although I knew, I couldn’t help but burn with anger.

“Young Miss, are you angry?”

Azelta tried to sooth me as she returned with me back to my room. I nodded my head without thinking.

“Yeah. Really angry!”

What a complete motherfxcker! I couldn’t say that, so I had to find another expression to use.

In the meantime, I saw the hammer in the corner of my room.

The hammer I had used to break my candy.

“I just want to hit him once!”

I said while scowling at the hammer. I wouldn’t have any other wishes if I could just hit him with that once!

Azelta turned to look in the direction I was looking in, and then she burst into laughter.

“I’ll hit him for you later.”

“Really?”

“Yes, with that.”

Then, Azelta pointed to the hammer I was looking at.

R-Really?

Then I don’t think he’ll come out unscathed then?

Nevertheless, when she was asked with sparkling eyes, Azelta still nodded her head.

“Of course. I hate him too.”

Judging by what she was saying, she seemed to be sincere. Soon after, however, she knelt down again in front of me and brought herself to my eye level.

“So, Young Miss, let go of all your bad feelings. In here.”

She placed a hand on my chest.

“It’ll hurt if you keep bad feelings in here.”

“Oh…”

Although she wasn’t a doctor, what she said was surprisingly accurate. The mana that was circling around my heart was particularly sensitive to my emotions. 

“I’ll bring you something delicious instead!”

Azelta grinned, then clapped her hands.

“Bring it in!”

At that, the door clicked open as a trolley entered the room.

“That’s…”

Even if I look again after washing my eyes… 

“It’s porridge though?”

Are you scamming me right now?

It was when I looked up at Azelta in dismay.

“Not the porridge. The thing next to it.”

At my gaze that seemed to be saying that I had been deceived, Azelta quickly brought me what was next to it. It was a very small snack.

A snack that was the size of my palm.

“It’s a snack!”

But can I eat this? Didn’t I throw up after eating that candy?

I lifted my gaze to look at Azelta. Azelta nodded her head as if it were okay.

“It’s made out of easily digestible ingredients, so you’ll be able to eat it safely.”

“Wow!”

Although I haven’t escaped from the clutches of porridge yet, new food would always be welcome.

How could I live without being a foodie in this tough and difficult world?

Chew.

I took a bite of the snack and immediately closed my eyes.

“Mm!”

The sweet taste that spreads in your mouth! This feeling that melts on the tip of your tongue!

“How is it?”

Azelta asked me. I slowly opened my eyes.

“I taught the cooks a severe lesson and asked them to make something even more delicious in the future. Don’t you also expect it to become more and more delicious too?”

She asked me with a bright expression. 

…What else could I do but pacify her? I had to accept it.

Pout.

“I’ll look forward to it.” 

Then, I continued to eat the snack. But isn’t this so… delicious?

It still is easy to digest, right?

***

It seemed that Azelta and I were not the only ones who hated Cassian. 

Duke Ether naturally did, and it seemed as if Rottier and Doctor Delphiro were also both of one mind and tried their best to avoid him.

“His current location has been pinpointed to the garden.”

“The garden?”

“In any case, I think he wants to meet the Young Miss.”

The face of Rottier, who was speaking, was rather displeased.

And when I heard it, I also felt displeased.

“Young Miss, how about going to the rear garden today? Although it’s a lot more spacious than the garden, there are still many places for you to rest.”

Azelta stealthily suggested that to me.

“Alright. Let’s go to the rear garden!”

Nearly ten people, including me, Azelta, Rottier, a few maids as well as Delphiro, who was there to accompany me on my walk in case of an emergency, headed to the rear garden.

However, despite our efforts, it was all futile as Cassian was still waiting there.

“Oh, I thought you’d come this way, since you wouldn’t have gone in the direction of the garden.”

I clenched my fists when I saw that brazen face.

“His Grace must have already commanded you not to come around the Young Miss.”

Rottier revealed his displeasure. Cassian carelessly approached me, as if he couldn’t see him.

—Schwing!

Rottier’s sword had been unsheathed halfway. Cassian made an exaggeratedly startled face.

“You wouldn’t want the precious young miss’s eyes to be tainted with the sight of blood, would you?”

“…”

Rottier stopped at those words.

No, Sir Rottier! If it’s the blood of that punk, I think I’ll be able to bear with it!

My true feelings seriously nearly slipped out of my mouth. Meanwhile, Cassian had now turned to me.

“I came because I have something to give to you. Ain’s eyes are also on me, so I won’t be able to stay with you for long.”

Do you even still place any importance on Duke Ether in your eyes? I looked up at him with my arms crossed.

When I was an adult, threatening my opponent was fine, but doing so in the form of a child was… 

I had to struggle to try and cross my short arms in a cool way.

“I won’t accept it.”

So when I spoke with such a confident (?) posture, Cassian looked at me, as if he hadn’t been expecting that.

“Why? I might give you something good.”

“I won’t take what Mister gives me, no matter how good it is.”

No matter how good something was, if it was given by a bad person in the first place, then it was bound to be bad.

I turned my head away. 

Then, I heard Cassian’s voice.

“If you argue with me and live like that, you’ll lose all your friends.”

I almost choked on what I heard next.

Is that something you should be saying to a kid? Speechless, I turned to him.

“I have a lot of friends though?”

At least I seem to have more than you? I pointed toward Azelta, Rottier and Delphiro.

Cassian, who had been following my fingertip slowly, turned his gaze back to me.

“Those things aren’t friends.”

Those things? I frowned.

That expression he used clearly meant that he didn’t treat Azelta, Rottier, etc as human beings.

“Especially that beast-like punk…”

He narrowed his eyes as he looked at Rottier. Then he laughed.

“I don’t know if it’s because you’re still young, but in this world, there are definitely some people who should never fit in.”

So in other words, Rottier is that sort of person?

Why? Because of his magic eyes?

He’d been going on about beast-like eyes or something, but I still didn’t like anything that punk said.

Just how shady and filthy was your life for you to be afraid of those with magic eyes?

I glared at him and enunciated each word extremely clearly.

“I’ve finished listening to your self-introduction.”

“What?”

Then I turned on my heel and walked away from him.

“Let’s go, my friends!”

I spoke as if they had all heard me and headed back to my room.

Naturally, I didn’t look back, whether it was for Cassian or whatever else.

. 

. 

. 

. 

After Nassia had left. 

Cassian blinked with a dumbfounded expression on his face for a moment.

“…Self-introduction?”

Looking back on the words of his new niece, he immediately recalled what he had said. 

“There are definitely some people who should never fit in.”

So she was saying that the person who should never fit in was him, right?

“Huh.”

Cassian sighed for a moment before bursting into laughter.

“She has a rather sharp edge for a five year old child.”

He thought he was about to get cut.

In an instant, the smile disappeared from the face of the rambling Cassian. 

***

“I’m going to take a rest. I’m in a really bad mood!”

The little miss of the house said that and locked herself in her room.

Azelta, Rottier, and Delphiro, who remained outside the door, faced each other.

Azelta especially couldn’t take her eyes off the door she had closed.

“…Self-introduction?”

She burst into a different sense of laughter from Cassian. Wasn’t the way their Young Miss kicked out that uninvited guest so satisfying?

“Anyway, even if he’s here for a family event, his stay here can only be extended up to 24 hours. So all you have to do is keep the Young Miss away from him in the meantime.”

That was when Rottier spoke up. He was talking informally to the two of them, unlike when he was in front of Nassia.

“Right. We just need to block him for 24 hours. His mental state won’t be very beneficial for the Young Miss.”

Delphiro was the same, twirling his index finger next to his temple in response to what he said. It was when it was time for Azelta to respond too.

—Poof! Poof!

“…?”

A mysterious sound began to be emitted from the room. 

Rottier’s hand reflexively went to the handle of his sword.

However, he tilted his head to one side once he read the presence in the room.

“The only one in the room is the Young Miss.”

“…?”

At those words, the doubts of the three people deepened even further. So just what on earth was this sound?

Don’t tell me?

Azelta rolled her eyes and opened the door only slightly.

Through the gap in the door, the eyes of the three people simultaneously headed toward Nassia.

The Nassia in the room was… furious.

“My clam necklace!”

—Poof! Poof!

Among the pillows she was hitting fiercely at, was a pillow that was embroidered with a rather dark gold color which resembled Cassian.

Even if it was clenched tightly, the fist, which was at most, the length of an adult’s index finger, slammed into the pillow hard.

“You bad guy!”

Delphiro and Azelta covered their mouths at the sight. 

Although I knew you were angry and needed to release it right away… 

…It was just too cute. The way she hit the pillow with that tiny hamster-like fist. 

Even her lips, which were tightly clamped together, were cute.

“…Did you stuff the inside of the pillow with something soft?” 

While the two of them were holding their breath, Rottier asked in a voice that seemed to pour cold water on the atmosphere.

Azelta nodded her head.

“Of course. It’s the finest grade of cotton.”

Then. 

The gazes of the knight, the maid, and the doctor all met. Similar thoughts were floating around in their minds.

…Sometimes, there should be a place where people can vent their anger out.

They watched the little miss’s hamster-like fists hit the pillow consecutively, one after another, and quietly closed the door.

[1] 패드립 is made up of the words ‘패륜적, depraved’, or ‘패밀리, family’ and ‘드립, meaning joke’. it refers to vulgar jokes often insulting members of your family or those in a high position of authority. take ‘yo mama jokes’ or ‘son of a bitch’ or ‘motherfucker’ for example. the insult is usually aimed at the parent rather that the person you’re insulting.

[2] see above footnote.

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AHHHHHH NASSIA WAS TOO CUTE IN THIS CHAPTER !!!!
just everything abt her, the way she was so sassy toward cassian and kept cursing at him in her head, the way she felt offended on behalf of rottier and said she at least had more friends than cassian, and the way she just punched the pillow and pretended it was cassian HGDLSKFJSFDJ
HELPPP i was literally the same as delphiro and azelta when i read that part AHHHHHHHH

this chapter is brought to you by mio
as translator, proofreader and editor!

AND…!
by tyler m who bought me a kofi! ଘ(੭´꒳`)°* ੈ‧₊˚

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When I returned to the mansion, I was completely exhausted. It was fatigue that wouldn’t go away, even if I stretched.

Just like those days when I had been on the battlefield the whole day in my previous life, it felt as if my whole body was drained of energy.

Only then did I realise that I had been too anxious in front of the Duke.

It was only natural. 

In an instant, all the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end, so how would I be able to remain calm?

—Knock knock. 

Then, I heard a knock on the door.

“Huh?”

Rottier put me down on the bed and asked.

“Should I open the door? It’s Delphiro.”

I didn’t think you’d be able to see through the door just by having magic eyes.

I looked out the door and nodded, as if I were confirming the result.

“Yeah.”

Sir Rottier gestured to someone at my words.

“Open the door.”

As soon as he spoke, the door swung open.

“Young Miss!”

And there was Delphiro, who expressed the words ‘I’m furious!’ with his whole body, looking down at me with his hands on his hips.

“If you don’t rest from now on, then…!”

After stopping by my room for three consecutive days, he looked very angry.

Ack! It’s the doctor’s nagging! I guess I can’t avoid it in this life either!

“I’m going to add some very bitter herbs in your porridge!”

However, what he said was a little different from the nagging I had heard in my previous life.

Delphiro left behind such a threatening statement and left in a huff.

Though of course, I saw his expression change into a smile as he turned the corner in the hallway.

Well, it’s easier to be a child at times like this.

Still, I decided to keep the doctor’s word in mind. If it wasn’t for that magic circle, I wouldn’t have gone out in the first place anyway.

You can only live a long life if you listen to the doctor. …There’ll be no use if you get caught for being a mage. 

“Delphiro must have been very angry!”

Azelta, who was always bright, had a very pompous expression on her face with both arms outstretched.

Her brown wavy hair fluttered gently as she said with a smirk.

“You have to rest from now on. I’ve tried that herbal porridge and, urgh!”

She frowned and wrapped her hands around her shoulders.

“It’s bitter, isn’t it?”

Azelta said as she shivered, acting as if she couldn’t even begin to imagine the intensity of it.

“So you understand, right? You shouldn’t go out!”

At Azelta’s words, I nodded my head again and again.

“O-Okay.”

I hate porridge, but I hate bitter porridge even more! 

It looked like I wasn’t going anywhere for a while. 

As Duke Ether said, if monsters were going to appear in the area called the Sea of Fog, then… Then nothing good would come out of meeting those monsters in my present state.

“These monsters will appear right beside you without you even realising it, and will approach you in a more familiar form than you think.”

I had no intention of ignoring that chilly warning.

“I know, Azelta.”

As if Azelta couldn’t feel at ease, she had to get my confirmation several times before going to arrange my bed.

“Mm, it’s been a long day…”

I muttered as I heard the sound of the lights go out. 

In the dark, I blinked my eyes for no reason.

In my previous life, whenever I couldn’t sleep, I’d use magic to make a light and play with it until I went to sleep, but if I did that now, I’d only face a refreshing death penalty.

‘…But if being a mage automatically makes you face the death penalty, what on earth am I supposed to do to make a living then?’ 

I, who had become an honest and hard working five year old child who was currently worrying over my future career path, quickly fell asleep.

*** 

pls do not share this anywhere or the transmigration gods will transport u into boku no pico !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:

After going out for a rather long time.

Nassia did nothing but sleep for two days. 

For Nassia, who was still young and had been confined to a room for a long time already, this brief ‘trip’ seemed to have been too arduous for her.

“…”

Ain glanced down at Nassia, who was sleeping. He, who wasn’t able to approach any closer to the child when her sparkling brown eyes scanned her surroundings warily.

When he had first made eye contact with the eyes of the child who had come in a carriage.

‘…!’ (Nassia)

That gaze that looked up at him. That gaze which was only filled with defenses.

This child, which had matured and become an adult prematurely, seemed to have a vague idea of what happened to him.

Having been in a mansion with only adversaries, then being sold into another enemy household again as well.

So the child didn’t trust anyone in this place. Even Azelta, who treated the child tenderly and intentionally attached herself to her, didn’t manage to melt her heart.

Ain narrowed his eyes.

The child would also need time as well. When Nassia herself, and no one else, thinks this is a safe place for her to be, only then will the child release her hold on her defenses. 

But before that happened, the child’s vigilance would only increase if he tried to intentionally approach her.

The reason why he was so sure of the fact was simple.

Since he himself, Ain von Ether, was also like that when he was younger.

—Plop.

Ain set down the cloth pouch he was holding next to the child. The thing that he had prepared to ensure that the sand wouldn’t fly away was a ‘gift’ he had prepared to give to Nassia personally.

He looked at the gift. 

He didn’t know if Nassia would like it or not. His childhood wasn’t one of childish innocence, and he had few chances to see a child in this land of monsters.

What’s more, he, whose duty was to sweep the battlefield, had no idea how to deal with a child since he never had the chance to.

…At least that was the case, until a few days ago. Before he had impulsively decided to take Nassia in as his adopted daughter. 

—Huu, huu. (the sound of deep breathing). 

The eyes of Nassia, who was sleeping, would occasionally quiver. It was such a pitifully small movement.

Ain reached out to the child unconsciously.

“Hnggg…”

At that time, Nassia tossed and turned in the bed. 

Perhaps she was having nightmares. The child was curled up on her side. Like a hedgehog who curled its body into a ball and bared its thorns.

Those thorns weren’t sharp enough to hurt people yet. Rather, that thorn would prick its owner, Nassia, instead, if it breaks.

So Ain withdrew his hand that was about to reach her. 

Today was not the time either, not yet.

It would be fine to talk to her when she fully understood that he was her ally.

Thinking so, Ain took a step away from Nassia. 

Then, he suddenly recalled Delphiro’s words.

“It seems as if her time at the Barony was even more painful than we thought.”

A child who wasn’t used to having things of their own. There mustn’t have been anything that was made solely for a child in the Barony.

Something a child might like… He looked back at the sleeping Nassia, who was barely managing to hug a pillow the size of himself and turned around.

He closed the door silently and gestured to the knight with his head bowed.

“I want a stuffed toy to be made.”

At his words, the knight’s eyes widened.

“If it’s a stuffed toy, then…”

A bigger one would be better. 

He had heard that the children of the aristocrats in high society had something called a stuffed animal.

The stuffed animal that the child carried around throughout their childhood also represented just how much the child was loved by the family.

Thus, there were also cases where the stuffed animal was inlaid with a bunch of jewels.

Such a toy shouldn’t be too small. He looked back toward the room where Nassia was sleeping and said.

“In the shape of a hedgehog.”

“A hedgehog… you said?”

The knight blinked. 

Why a hedgehog so suddenly out of the blue?

First of all, no one even knew what a hedgehog looked like in this sea of fog.

They only knew that there were a countless number of thorns, like a sea urchin.

“I’ll review the drafts myself when they’re brought to me.”

However, since it was the head of the household’s order, he’d have to collect as much data as possible.

“I’ll prepare them as soon as possible.”

The knight’s expression became serious. Ain turned away from the knight upon hearing that answer.

“…?”

The knight thought that the head’s face seemed to look brighter when he turned around. That face, which was always so cold.

…Was it just an illusion? 

*** 

I overslept since two days of sleep wasn’t sufficient enough for me.

No one woke me up until the sun was already high up in the sky.

“You slept so soundly that I couldn’t wake you up.”

Azelta said as she opened the window wide late into the morning.

The translucent white curtains fluttered with the wind outside.

As I stared blankly at it, I saw an unfamiliar object in the new chest of drawers that was made according to my height.

“What’s that?”

I pointed toward it. I rubbed my blurry eyes since I just woke up, and when I looked at it again, it was some kind of clam or shell.

“A clam…?”

Of course, it wasn’t a big clam like the clam house. 

The shiny clams were the size of my palm. 

There seemed to be dozens of shells, each holding a few grains of white sand. 

It shone brightly as soon as the midday sun touched it. The shiny pastel shells were very pretty.

“Wow!”

But was the fog still not near the mansion yet?

Taking a glance out of the window, the sky seemed to be much clearer than yesterday.

Although it was much darker than the sky I had seen in my previous life, it was extremely clear according to this town’s standards.

The area near the Sea of Fog seemed to be dense with fog, so did all the fog go over there?

I tilted my head slightly and picked up the clams. Azelta smiled widely.

“It was brought to you by the Duke while you were sleeping.”

At those words, the strength in my hand slackened. A seashell fell on to my duvet.

Pardon? Who did you say brought it?

“Wh-Who?”

“His Grace, the Duke.”

Azelta said it once more, not a crack in her smiling face.

Why is that person doing such a meticulous and considerate thing?

I recalled his cold gaze from last night. My heart turned cold once again.

…Did he really not notice that I was a mage? 

“Yesterday, he told me to tell you that he was sorry for entering the Young Miss’s space without permission.”

Then Azelta told me quietly.

“He picked these up himself!”

Those words really made my body falter. 

It was extremely difficult to imagine Duke Ether searching through the white sand near the sea of fog and rummaging for shells.

Next to them were also elixir herbs that hadn’t yet dried up.

After touching it a few times, the vitality in the leaves was conveyed vividly to me.

A gift, since he didn’t think his apology was sufficient.

It was also a much better gift than the shield candy this time.

This white sand and elixir herbs weren’t something that would reveal that I was a mage, rather, it was just something a little kid would have liked. Especially since the shiny shells were really pretty.

“It’s really pretty!”

An excited voice automatically came out of me. I was in a good mood already.

It really didn’t seem as if I had been caught as a mage yet.

In addition, although the pretty shells I received this morning wasn’t a magical item, it was pretty enough to be made into a collection.

“Alright!”

When I started to become restless on the bed, even the duvet, pillows, and shells that had fallen on my legs started to jump up and down.

Several grains of white sand that were in the shell flew away and glistened in the morning sun.

“Do you like it?”

Azelta, who seemed to be in a good mood, asked while organising my surroundings. I nodded.

Then, I spied a piece of candy in her uniform pocket when she leaned over.

Come to think of it… 

“Hang on, Azelta.”

I stretched out my hands to her. And sneakily dragged over the elixir herbs toward me.

When I was young, I seemed to have been able to weave such long grass into string.

One by one.

Perhaps because of my small hands, it wasn’t an easy task.

If my hands were an adult’s, then I would’ve been able to weave it much more successfully, but with my tiny hands, I was only able to, at best, create a string that barely connected.

“Hmm…!”

Still, it seemed quite satisfying to me since I had worked so hard on it. I carefully hung the seashells in the middle of the string.

Gifts are meant to be exchanged!

Since I had been given such a pretty thing, how about giving one to Duke Ether?

“…”

Then I frowned, trying to imagine him wearing a shell necklace around his neck.

…Would it really be alright?

However, I couldn’t ignore him since I had been given a gift.

Although that ignorantly large candy was rather troubling, it was more worrying that I had already wiped my mouth¹ after receiving a gift before.

Moreover… 

“Then, don’t stay for too long.”

He didn’t seem to be a bad person.

I got up as I remembered what Duke Ether had said yesterday.

Although I still couldn’t quite trust that they didn’t want anything from me, I still wanted to accept his goodwill in expressing his sincerity to a five year old child.

So I should show you some goodwill too!

“Azelta! Let’s go!”

—Thump! 

I jumped out of bed proudly like a general. My shoes were, of course, my teddy bear slippers.

“Where to?”

Azelta’s eyes widened at my words. Regardless, I had diligently gotten out of bed and stood up already.

Although I didn’t like the way I toddled around, I was walking like a general in my own way.

“Where should I take you?”

Oh, I forgot to tell you where I was headed to.

Realising that I was getting too ahead of myself, I told Azelta.

Realizing that my motivation was ahead of me later, I told Azelta.

“To the Duke!”

At times like this, should I call you dad? However, it was still a word that didn’t seem to belong in my mouth. 

*** 

Sir Rottier followed behind me naturally as I moved. He seemed to be following me since he was in charge of escorting me.

Sir Rottier had been suffering in front of my door all day and was now my accomplice (?), so should I give him a necklace too?

“Hmm…!”

I looked down at the necklace in my hand. The shell part was carefully supported with my other hand.

Perhaps because of my small hands, no matter how well I twisted the elixir herbs, the string just didn’t seem to be strong enough.

When I stealthily glanced back, I saw Sir Rottier’s neat appearance. As my steps slowed down, so did his as well.

Although it didn’t look like I could hang it around his neck, perhaps I could put it on top of his head, like a coronet?

My eyes were on Sir Rottier’s head. Looking at his shining hair in the light of the hallway, I made eye contact with Sir Rottier.

“Hmm, no.”

I turned around again.

“…?”

I could see Sir Rottier tilting his head, as if he had unintentionally heard my inner thoughts.

Although I had slipped up, I still steadfastly kept walking.

Even cold water should be served first to one’s elders².

It would be better to give one to Duke Ether first.

Between a junior and senior, it had been Duke Ether who had given the shells and elixir herbs as gifts, so wouldn’t it be more courteous to give it to him first?

“Young Miss, you’re going to fall!”

As my excited steps had sped up, Azelta followed me anxiously. I shook my head.

“It’s alright!”

My stamina and physical condition had improved a lot since the start, so I wouldn’t fall at this speed. Moreover, it was a carpet so soft you wouldn’t even be able to hear the thud of my fall if I did.

Now, after passing this hallway, it would be Duke Ether’s office.

It was when I turned the corner thinking that. 

—Thud.

“Ouch!”

Something large and black in front of me collided into me. It was like a wall or a pillar.

Why was there a pillar sticking out in the middle of the hallway?

I clutched my forehead and looked up. And made eye contact with a man.

“Huh…?”

His blonde hair was much darker than that of Duke Ether. 

If Duke Ether had clear blue eyes, like that of the open sea, then this one was a bit more murky overall.

Especially his eyes.

Blue eyes, as bottomless as the deep sea, that seemed as if they could devour people, looked down at me.

…Their faces were extremely similar. If it weren’t for their eyes, I would’ve suspected that Duke Ether had dyed his hair. 

However, his expression was different.

How could a face look so cunning?

He was a man who had a face that resembled an older Duke Ether, one that had gone down the wrong path.

It wasn’t as if he was originally ugly, rather, he was still quite good-looking.

However, my preference still leaned towards the bright blond hair of Duke Ether. And for some reason, facing this person was extremely uncomfortable.

Why was that?

I discovered the answer before I even had to wrack my brains that hard, as I watched him raise the corners of his mouth. That forced smile was exactly the same as that of Layton, who had betrayed me in my previous life.

—The exact moment I had that thought in my mind.

“I heard that I had a new niece.”

The man suddenly bowed his head towards me. 

The silhouette of the tall, grown man obscured the lights and covered my entire body with his shadow.

Unlike the Duke’s, it was an ominous and dark shadow, like storm clouds.

“…!”

I unconsciously stepped back. It was because of my instinctive fear. This man really seemed to be capable of harming me. 

It was the moment his breath brushed against me slightly. 

I sensed a strange smell in that unpleasant and damp breath.

…The smell of mana? 

In a world where magic is forbidden, a mage…? 

My eyes widened.

Don’t tell me…?

— Clack. 

One of the necklaces I was holding lost its shell. The iridescent shells that had fallen were dyed in the man’s shadow and lost their pastel hues.

Oh, it was the biggest clam that I had been saving for Duke Ether… 

As I stepped back, the man took another step closer toward me. The shell shattered underneath his large black shoes with a crack.

“My niece doesn’t seem very happy to see me.”

It was when the man laughed like a snake. 

Sir Rottier’s sword blocked the gap between the man and me.

“Young Miss is uncomfortable.”

Sir Rottier’s scarlet magic eyes shone. The man looked into those eyes and showed his undisguised displeasure.

“Where are those beast’s eyes of yours looking?”

What do you mean beast? Do you know just how pretty Sir Rottier’s eyes are?!

It was when I was about to lose my temper.

Somewhere behind him, the door to the office swung open. It was Duke Ether who came out of the room.

“Rottier. Don’t sheath your sword yet.”

The Duke, who had a colder expression than I had ever seen before, stared at the man in front of me.

It was the second time I had ever seen such a chilling look.

The first time had been when he had seen the knights from Baron Lebouire the day I had been sold.

And the second time, right now.

“I thought you were a monster since you approached us covered in fog.”

Duke Ether paused for a moment before continuing.

“Brother.”

As if he was very reluctant to call him that.

I opened my eyes wide. 

This man is Duke Ether’s older brother?

[1] refers to when you merely wipe your mouth after a meal; rude and inconsiderate.

[2] there is a proper order to everything, respect your elders.

---

ayo i know ain’s brother is meant to be evil but like,,,, why’d the artist do him so good,,, hOW DO YOU EXPECT ME NOT TO SIMP WHEN ANTAGONISTS ARE DRAWN SO MF FINEEEEE IM BARKING LIKE IM FERAL RN BARK ARF WOOF WOOF ARF ugh im down bad rn #pray4mio

also i love how nassia didn’t even get mad when her (now) uncle made her drop the shell she saved for ain, but the MINUTE he brings up rottier’s magic eyes, she’s ready to unleash HELLFIRE on him AHAHAHAHA
the way it’s magic eyes > ain rn LMAOOOOOO

also delphiro is just the biggest sweetheart, SO MF SWEET he’s so genuinely concerned about nassia he even went as far as to threaten to add bitter herbs into her porridge AHHHHHH

this chapter is brought to you by mio
as translator, proofreader and editor!

---

“Nassia?”

Duke Ether was looking accurately my way.

What? Can you really see me?

I stopped moving involuntarily. I’m definitely using invisibility magic though?

When I raised my hand to check, I could only feel the movement of the mana fog surrounding my body.

You can see me?

Of course, those who reached the very pinnacle of swordsmanship would sometimes be able to grasp the movement of those using invisibility magic. 

According to their words, their figure wouldn’t be completely visible, but rather, the air around them would seem as if it were pulsating.

However, Duke Ether was looking very clearly at me. To the point where we even made eye contact.

…How? 

If you really could see me, then that meant that he was a monster among monsters.

It wasn’t that there weren’t any other monsters in this land, but rather, that Duke Ether himself was a monster.

I slowly made my way towards the large clam where Duke Ether was. And as expected, Duke Ether was indeed following me with his eyes.

He can really see me.

“…Duke?”

Duke Ether nodded slightly at my voice.

He was sitting, leaning against the adductor muscle table inside the clam.

“Ugh.”

I grabbed the bottom shell of the clam and struggled to get over the railing. 

After getting across, I looked over at the Duke and saw him retracting his hand.

…What? Were you trying to help me over? 

No, if you wanted to help me, then you should’ve helped me instead of being so awkward.

“…”

A silence more awkward than the Duke’s hand which had been withdrawn with a tremble passed between the two of us.

The Duke opened his mouth.

“…Is this your space?”

I think it was our first time talking while standing so close to each other, ever since we first met.

I shook my head tremblingly.

“No.”

To say it’s not my space wouldn’t exactly be right… Of course, I did try to use it as a hideout at one point, but I can only use it as a hideout if no one else knows about the place.

Now that the knights and even Duke Ether knows about this place, there was no way it could be used as a hideout anymore.

I shook my head.

“It’s yours.”

It didn’t seem to be wrong since it was still in the Duke’s territory. I said in a small voice.

It was because that low-pitched voice had sounded rather cold for some reason.

Most of all, it felt as if I had been stabbed. 

When I looked toward Duke Ether’s feet, I could see the magic circle I had drawn with white sand that he had stepped on.

It was the magic circle barrier that I had put in place in order to know when an intruder had entered.

As expected, it had been Duke Ether who had torn the barrier and entered.

If the barrier I had made was a stronger barrier than prevented others from intruding, and if it had been that one that was torn, then I might have experienced a mana backlash in the mansion and already left for the afterlife.

Cold sweat ran down my temple. It was only natural since my neck had nearly been lost before I could even YOLO or anything. 

‘Did the Duke notice that I was a mage?’

There’s no way you couldn’t have noticed it after seeing the magic circle… No, if it’s been a long time since magic has been banned, then you may not even know what magic is like.

Furthermore, there was a knight with obvious magic eyes roaming around in the mansion, so perhaps… 

Then the Duke opened his mouth.

“—I just came to a place I knew.”

For something that was said after a bout of silence, it sounded rather bitter.

I lifted my gaze slightly and looked up at Duke Ether. 

Duke Ether wasn’t looking at me, nor the inside of the clam shell, rather, he seemed to be gazing far off into the distance.

When I turned my head to follow his gaze, I saw something strange.

“Huh…?”

I couldn’t exactly see it.

What was there originally? 

Although there was rather dense fog when I first came, now, however, it was so thick that it was hard to determine what was there or not.

It was only when I lowered my gaze and looked from up close that I could barely make out that the sea was hidden by the fog.

Thanks to the thick fog, even the boundary between the sky and the horizon was rather unclear.

Even if something suddenly appeared from there, I didn’t think I would even realise until I heard a sound.

Somehow, I got goosebumps all the way up to my neck.

“Why did you bring sand here?”

I hesitated and looked up at the Duke again.

If anyone else was watching this, they’d also think I was being interrogated right now.

However, unlike his firm tone, there wasn’t anything bad about the expression on his face.

Are you just asking because you’re curious?

“It’s white and pretty, so…”

I couldn’t say that it was sand containing mana and that I had brought it because I was greedy.

Duke Ether tilted his slightly and turned his gaze toward the elixir herbs next to him. His gaze seemed to roughly ask why I had brought it too.

“—That too.”

My voice slipped out quietly. 

Since the elixir herbs had dried up and didn’t look pretty at all, even to me.

But of course, elixir herbs are meant to be dried up and ground like that.

“I see.”

Fortunately, Duke Ether seemed to believe me without any doubt.

It was clear that he didn’t have any prejudice towards the aesthetic standards of others.

I found it awkward to look at his face, so I turned my gaze to the sand.

I intended to erase the magic circle by pretending to collect the sand.

It was when I was sweeping the soft clam shell floor like a carpet for some reason.

The sand, which had already lost its magic power, slipped effortlessly from my hands into a white heap.

“If you want to have this place as your space, you can have it.”

I paused. There was no mention of magic at all.

I could feel his gaze on me. A cool gaze.

It was a strong energy that seemed to be able to stop the surrounding atmosphere in its tracks with just its force.

“Heok…”

It was too powerful for my weak body to withstand. Taking a deep breath, I listened to what his next words were.

“But not for a while.”

Did I end up getting caught as expected?

The hand that gripped the white sand suddenly lost its strength. White sand trickled down between my tiny fingers.

Am I getting executed? Then what should I be reborn as in my next life?

If possible, I’d like to be reborn as the healthy daughter of a wealthy family… no, actually, I just want to be reborn as a house cat!

“Over there.”

Where is that place? The place where I’ll be hanged?

When I looked at the place the Duke was pointing to, it happened to be toward the sea’s side.

“Monsters will soon come flocking out of there. The Sea of Fog is much closer than it seems. If you just listen, then…”

He shut his mouth for a moment. 

As he quieted down, even our surroundings seemed to get eerily quieter.

As soon as the sound of sand falling from my hand ceased, I then really heard something in between the silence.

—Shwaaaa… 

It was the sound of the waves. My eyes widened.

“—You’ll be able to hear the sea. The monsters of the Sea of Fog will emerge from there.”

Duke Ether looked down at me. Our eyes met. 

He didn’t seem angry, nor did his eyes look like they were looking at a death row prisoner who would soon enter the gates of death either.

Instead, it was just as usual.

Did you not notice the magic…?

“Is it really dangerous?”

Isn’t it your job to block the monsters from this town?

People who carry swords, or even those who possess magic eyes, would be able to live without worrying about this sort of mana fog, so what are you worried about?

Duke Ether nodded his head at my question.

“Those monsters are cunning, unlike the monsters just on the mainland.”

He listened to the sound of the sea for a while before continuing.

“I’m not sure how much you know about monsters, but they probably aren’t what you think they are.”

He said as he got up from his adductor muscle desk.

“These monsters will appear right beside you without you even realising it, and will approach you in a more familiar form than you think.”

It was an eerily calm and creepy warning.

He took a step forward.

He circled around where I had collected the sand and got out of the shell. Then, he looked up at the ceiling, and said.

“So it’d be better for you not to come here too often.”

Having said that, he turned away.

“Lastly, I’m sorry for intruding into your space without permission.”

I really couldn’t sense any emotion in his calm voice.

I brushed off the sand and got up. I really couldn’t make sense of it, even after I had gotten up and looked at him.

Duke Ether.

He was the duke who held the strongest power in the country.

Well befitting his reputation and title as the ‘Sea Guardian’, this sea of fog, as well as the land surrounding the sea, all belonged to him.

In fact, this land was pretty much nothing less of his own little kingdom.

I couldn’t even imagine what this sort of person was trying to gain from saying sorry to me.

Mages are forbidden in this world anyway, right?

You wouldn’t use a mage who’d face the death penalty if they were caught, right? Perhaps it would even damage the reputation of the Ether household.

Moreover, my status was now a princess of the Ether Duchy. If it was the Princess who was a mage, then even the entirety of the Ether Duchy could be implicated too.

Since being a mage was equal to death.

So then why in the world did you take me in? Just what are you going to use me for?

“Duke.”

Although according to etiquette, I should’ve called him ‘Your Grace’ instead, my habits from my previous life kept jumping out.

Duke Ether, who was walking, paused in his steps. 

Originally, I wasn’t intending on asking him directly. However, in the end, I thought it’d be for the best if I just said it to him straight.

I was really confused, so I needed at least a clue or something to slip out.

“Why… did you accept me as your family?”

It wasn’t a question that a normal five year old would ask. However, I had no choice but to ask.

There was no way to find out, no clues, and above all… 

‘If you’re just going to use me like how I was used in my previous life, then I wish you’d just hit me with it quicker.’

Just get hit on the back of my head, stumble, then shake it off and get up.

As long as I don’t have to die in this life. Wasn’t that the case?

I looked at his back with complicated thoughts.

Soon after, Duke Ether turned his head to me.

The brief moment he looked back at me seemed like an eternity.

The expression on Duke Ether’s face looked complicated. 

However, his face showed no intention of taking advantage of me.

He was looking right into my eyes. Then, he turned around and came back to me. 

To be precise, he was sitting on the rim of the large clam shell. 

He started talking like that, without entering the calm fully.

“When I was a kid, I called this place the clam house.”

I widened my eyes at those words. 

If this place even had a name to it, then that means you already knew about it, right?

Then was this place actually famous? Was it a tourist destination?

“If I’m being honest with you, I actually don’t know if you’ll understand,” he said. “The reason I came to this clam house as a kid was because I didn’t have a single ally to turn to in the mansion.”

He paused for a while, before looking into my eyes and saying.

“Just like you when you were in the Barony.”

“Oh.”

A brief exclamation was bound to come after those words.

Thanks to the fact that I was still young, my skin quickly recovered, the blue bruises on my arms and neck now only yellow traces. It would all disappear soon.

“When I was little, I wanted someone to be on my side. Whether it was a maid that was just going down the hallway, or a knight guarding my room, it didn’t matter who it was. But there was no one like that. I was the bastard, the illegitimate, and of course my older brother, who seemed to be the next duke, hated me and naturally rejected me too.”

He tilted his head slightly, as if lost in thought. Upon hearing it, I realised it was an extremely dark childhood, but there didn’t seem to be any other emotion on his face.

“Then, when I turned twelve years old, I stopped looking for someone to be on my side. To be more exact, it was the very day I was trapped in this clam house because of my older brother.”

Duke Ether pointed to the adductor muscle desk. 

Oh, so that’s what it was.

It seemed that somehow, every time I touched the desk, the clamshell would appear to shut.

“Ever since then, I felt as if I had lost something. I focused only on developing my own strength. After that, my father chose me as the next duke, and my brother had to leave the mansion. Then, I fully established myself as Duke Ether, and then… I met you.”

His gaze brushed past my wrist for a moment and then fell away from it.

“I don’t know whether it was greed or impulse. To you, who seemed almost identical to me when I was a child. I thought I could give you what I couldn’t have when I was a child.”

Duke Ether rose from his seat.

“It seemed like a pretty good deal to me. You would have the opportunity to get away from the Barony, and even get revenge if you really wanted to, and I thought I might be able to gain something I’d lost as a child through you.”

That low voice had the power to captivate the attention of others.

I had forgotten to collect the sand, and before I knew it, I was hooked on his story.

Hey, excuse me, but is this something you can even say to a five year old child?

No, although you’re free to do so, a normal five year old would ask what you meant.

However, I wasn’t in the mood to ask.

The lips of Duke Ether, who continued to speak, curved into a smooth arc.

“Did that answer your question?”

The Duke who was talking, shook his head slightly.

“No, even if it’s much later, if you still have questions you want to ask, then please do so. I can give you an answer whenever you want.”

He seemed to belatedly realise that he had said something that was too difficult for a child to comprehend.

Hell, it seemed like he really didn’t know how to treat a child, just judging by that huge shield of a candy.

Was it because he had lost his childish innocence when he was young, just as he had said?

“Then, don’t stay for too long.”

He got up once again. Then, he walked away again.

He seriously didn’t even say a single word about the magic circle.

He didn’t seem to have noticed. 

Well, to be fair, this was a world where magic had already disappeared a long time ago, and furthermore, a lot of strange occurrences that happened around here were thanks to the mana fog. So he wouldn’t have noticed.

“…”

Breathing in a sigh of relief, I looked at his back profile.

‘I can give you an answer whenever you want.’

Perhaps it was because the voice of Duke Ether, who had said so, was more tender than I expected. His words seemed to linger in my mind.

He didn’t seem to be as cold-hearted as the rumors said he was.

Moreover, everything he had said was too realistic to have been made to deceive a five year old child.

“Really…?”

I muttered as I watched him disappear into the fog. 

Although I knew I shouldn’t trust people too easily, I felt somewhat relieved. It was a strange feeling of relief, the first time I’d felt such a thing ever since coming to the Ether Duchy.

***

pls do not share this anywhere or the transmigration gods will transport u into boku no pico !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:

At some point on the way back, the knight, Sir Rottier, started following me.

As soon as I left the clam house, he suddenly appeared from who knows where, and escorted me by my side.

Did Duke Ether call you? 

I almost used magic without realising he was there.

“I’ll escort you to the mansion,” he said in a low voice.

“Alright. Let’s go together!”

There weren’t many opportunities to see those pretty magic eyes from up close.

In addition, when I saw Duke Ether’s reaction earlier, it seemed as if he didn’t know what magic itself was.

This was a world where you wouldn’t even notice magic, even after encountering it and seeing it firsthand yourself.

So even if he could see the mana in my heart, he wouldn’t think it was strange.

So if that was the case, then…? Then it means that I can enjoy looking at these pretty magic eyes with peace of mind!

It was the moment I reached out to him.

“Then, please excuse me for a moment.”

Rottier held me and lifted me up. 

At first, I thought he was just going to escort me back, but it seemed as if he meant that he’d lift me up and carry me to my bed.

I was able to fully appreciate his scarlet eyes as I lay in his arms.

They were clear eyes that really seemed to sparkle like jewels. I had never seen such clear magic eyes, even in my previous life before.

All of them had possessed magic eyes which had turned cloudy with greed.

He didn’t even seem to mind that my white sandy hands left white handprints all over his black uniform.

Rottier, who had been walking like that for a while already, glanced down at me.

“…?”

He kept walking and didn’t meet my eyes, but then sneaked a peek down at me once again.

Why?

“Do you have something to say to me?”

Rottier spoke in a slightly awkward voice when I finally asked him.

“You’re overexerting yourself, even though your body hasn’t fully recovered yet.”

That’s… true, but there was an urgent situation here!

It was when I was about to leave more white handprints on his clothes.

He spoke suddenly.

“Rather than going to secretly climb a tree, please call for me instead.”

“Huh?”

Tree? 

I blinked and suddenly recalled the tree in front of my window.

Indeed, if you think about it with common sense and don’t know what levitation magic is, it’s only natural to think that I climbed down the tree instead. Though the problem is… 

“…Then, will you help me every time?”

It was the fact that there was no way this stiff, rule-abiding knight would be able to help me out.

Sure enough, Rottier stiffened at my words. 

No, I didn’t want you to stop on our way back just to answer me.

As I blinked and looked up at him, Rottier looked down at me with a serious expression on his face.

And then he said to me, with a face that seemed to have a lifetime’s worth of determination.

“Yes, I will help you.”

It was an extremely serious face! And it was a calm voice too!

That was undoubtedly sincere. No, but why is this knight suddenly like this?

“Really? You aren’t going to tell anyone?”

When I asked with twinkling eyes, Rottier paused. Then he said cautiously.

“…No, I must report it to the Duke after the matter’s been completed, no, after we’ve set out.”  

That’s doing it secretly? Secretly? Despite it not being funny, I burst into a fit of laughter.

Sir Rottier, you really are incapable of lying! 

It seemed like you had to be of that level to possess such clear magic eyes.

If you’re only going to report to the Duke, isn’t that pretty much spilling everything?

“But I can keep it a secret from everyone else. For example,” he paused a bit and said. “Like from Delphiro.”

“Oh.”

That was a rather tempting proposition. I nodded.

“Okay. Promise. You have to sneak me out secretly next time!”

I held out my pinky finger. Then, I realized that he couldn’t hook his pinky with mine since he was holding me with both hands.

“Um.”

It was when I was about to lower my pinky awkwardly. He lowered his head and placed his forehead lightly against my pinky.

“Huh?”

He said to me, who was still surprised.

“It’s a knight’s pledge to keep his promise.”

Silver hair that gently touches my pinky. It was when I widened my eyes slightly.

“Then I’ll hurry back so you can rest.”

“Okay.”

He started walking again, as if nothing had happened. 

For this knight, who couldn’t lie, offering to help me sneak out was a deviation from his normal character.

Why are you helping me? 

Of course, nothing came to mind, even after I had contemplated over it for a while.

---

AHHHHHHH i love that we’re fleshing out on ain and nassia’s relationship and him opening up to her about his troubled childhood is slowly allowing her to put her trust in him !!!

i rlly like how everyone in the ether mansion is working hard to lower nassia’s wall that she builds around herself due to her trauma (both from her previous and current life) and i’m really excited for when she finally decides to trust them!

on the other hand though, i think i’ve mentioned this so much already but i love love LOVE the fact that we can see nassia’s thought process despite her being in a child’s body, but then we can also see the people around her and their perspective on why they think such a young child has a mature personality hehehe

the fact that she considers the fact that what ain is telling her is too complex for a five year old to comprehend and that they would normally ask questions but she’s too lazy to ask shows that her thought process is extremely meticulous and complex and you can just tell that she is hellbent on surviving and protecting herself in her unfortunate circumstance.

AHHHHHH ugh i love this novel SO FUCKING MUCH HSDFLKFSDJ.

this chapter is brought to you by mio
as translator, proofreader and editor!

---

Sir Rottier came a little closer to my room ever since I spoke to him on that day.

He really came a little closer to me, as if the distance between us would reflect the distance of our relationship.

Now, when I opened the door of my room, I could now see his back profile instead of just the hem of his clothes peeking out from behind the wall. 

Yet at the same time, he never once looked at me. He merely stood there like a statue.

But I wanted to see those pretty magic eyes again.

“Does Sir Rottier not take any breaks?”

Azelta shook her head at my words.

“He takes breaks from time to time. Shall I call for another knight if you don’t like Sir Rottier?”

She must’ve interpreted my words as wanting to get rid of him. I shook my head vigorously.

“No, I like his pretty eyes.”

As a mage, you can’t help but be instinctively drawn to such pure magic eyes.

Had it not been for the situation where I had to hide the mana surrounding my heart, I would’ve already tugged at the hem of his robe to come closer and play with me.

And if I do it, it’s okay, since I’m just a little girl!

Whenever I look in the mirror, even I think I look cute, so no matter how much of a heart of steel Sir Rottier has, if I just pull at the hem of his robe, even he won’t be able to bear it.

If only my heart was in a good condition… 

I stared at Sir Rottier’s back with regretful eyes. 

Above all, I had become curious. To think that there’d be a family that would naturally inherit magic eyes!

Although it seemed as if the people here didn’t seem to like magic eyes very much, it would be an even stranger occurrence for a mage like me not to take an interest in such a family.

I already thought this place was rather strange, with mana fog filling the streets of this neighbourhood, but to think that were even families that were born with magic eyes?

It was a town that became more and more charming the more layers you peeled off of it, like an onion.

“As long as you like it.”

Azelta laughed at my words. Unlike Marie, she didn’t seem to have any prejudice in her eyes.

Does Marie just hate magic? I tilted my head slightly.

“Do you need me to get anything?”

Azelta leaned over and asked me. I nodded my head right away.

There were so many things I didn’t know. So first of all, I need to understand more about this world.

I needed to know exactly what sort of world I had fallen into in order for me to decide where I would escape to later.

Although it was rather heartbreaking to think of leaving this golden paradise of a land, perhaps there was another one out there. Just judging by the fact that there were no mages here, it was clear that there was definitely someplace better.

“I want to read a book.”

Bring me a book about the climate and vegetation of every continent in this world… I couldn’t just say that, so I slightly modified my words.

“One with a lot of pictures and words! Pretty pictures! A picture of a tree! A picture of the sky!”

It would be rather bothersome if they only gave me picture books, so I spoke in circles.

“So you wanted to read books!”

Azelta clapped one and beckoned Marie outside. 

When she asked Marie to bring me some books, she also brought a small toy box, thinking I’d be bored while waiting.

Inside it was a cute hamster-shaped stress ball that looked good to squeeze, as well as a necklace with several large gems. It also seemed quite shiny.

Is this real? 

I picked up the necklace with a blue jewel attached to the gold string. 

It was when I was contemplating whether to bite it or not.

“Here it is.”

It was a book that broke a rather emotional moment.

I’m sure the jewels weren’t going to go anywhere anytime soon anyways… so I turned my attention to the book I was planning to use for my escape from the mansion. 

[A look around the continent with Ms. Fairy.]

…It seemed like it was a book for a kid, but there was nothing I could do about it. 

I happily took the huge book and opened it. 

—Thud.

The sound of the huge hardcover book hitting the floor resounded clearly. The book I had thought I wouldn’t be able to fully hold, even with my arms wide open, was lighter than I expected.

“Ooft.”

With a small exclamation, I flipped the book to the front page. And when I saw the first line in the very first book I read, I came to a complete stop.

[Portrait of His Majesty, Milian I, who first banned magic]

You banned what? I opened my eyes wide in astonishment.

Banned magic…? 

There could be some places that banned it.

Yes, that must be it. Just one or two places on this vast continent… 

I continued turning the pages of the book, trying to stop my foreboding thoughts.

Now that I think of it, it was rather weird. I had never seen a mage in this vast mansion.

It was a strange situation. There were no mages in this land where monsters often appear.

No, aside from there being monsters here, you’re telling me there are no mages in such a place where there is this much mana fog, where elixir herbs grow so abundantly?

—Flip. 

I tried not to seem too panicked or urgent and hurriedly scanned the bookshelf. The next page of the book had a little more text than the one before.

And in that article were things I never wanted to see.

[His Majesty, Milian I, could not tolerate the tyranny of the mages for any longer and banned the use of magic on the continent.]

[There were some mages who said, “We should only ban magic that is harmful to people!”, but His Majesty completely banned the use of magic~]

I wanted to hit the fairy who was drawn with a bright and happy face.

Oh no, the use of magic is banned? Why?

Then what happens when you use magic?

[Since then, all those who use magic have been put to death.]

Is it even alright for a sentence like ‘death penalty’ to be written so cheerfully in a children’s book?

I felt the blood drain from my face in an instant. 

[There are also bad mages who use magic in secret! Such people will definitely be found and defeated by the imperial family! So, children, don’t worry~]

The chapter ended with content that was not reassuring at all.

I couldn’t contain myself in shock. 

Do you get executed just for being a mage?

Thankfully I hid the fact that I had mana.

I didn’t want to be taken advantage of as a mage like I had in my previous life, so my plan was to simply hide my mana until I found out why the Duke had purposely brought me into his household.

But if it was like this, then I’d have to totally revise my plan.

It looked like I just had to hide it for the rest of my life!

If I had unknowingly bragged about my magic, then I would’ve been executed in a bright and happy way!

I barely endured the pain of my tightening heart. 

That was when it happened.

—Crash! 

It felt as if something had fallen apart in some corner of my head. 

To be more precise, it was the feeling of someone touching the string attached somewhere on my body.

This was talking about someone going inside that huge clam.

In other words, someone might have discovered my magic. 

My face turned blue. 

In addition, the barrier was pierced with a fairly powerful force.

“Argh…!”

It was like the force of a horse in iron armor had crashed into a solid wooden door. That sort of feeling had been transmitted to me intensely over and over again.

However, all the maids were watching me, and I couldn’t run away without reading the books.

Furthermore, even if I didn’t know who my opponent was, if they really discovered my magic, what would happen if they found out?

Before I could even enjoy YOLOing, I’d meet the end to my early life on the execution grounds!

I gulped thickly.

.

.

.

The impact the book had on my senses was too impressive. But I can’t show that, of course.

“I feel tired after reading. I want to sleep.”

That’s how I easily got time for a nap.

And after the maids all cautiously left after saying good night, only then did I slowly reopen my eyes.

“I almost fell asleep.”

You can’t give me such a soft pillow and blanket! I pushed my star-shaped pillow aside and clenched my fists.

Wake up, wake up! 

Then I glanced outside.

“Rottier…”

At the end of the hallway was Sir Rottier, still standing there, as still as a statue.

“Ha, let’s go get something to eat! It’s driving me crazy!”

Although someone broke into the large clam a while ago, nothing has happened so far, so the opponent may not have discovered the magic circle, nor reported that there was a mage somewhere.

Therefore, it’d be best to erase any trace of the magic circle which was drawn on the clamshell as soon as possible.

In order to do so, I’d have to sneak out like last time, but of all things, there just so happened to be someone who possessed magic eyes here.

It’d be useless to try and use invisibility magic and try to sneak past them since they’ll be able to see right through it.

Then there was only one way left. 

After repeatedly confirming that no one was in the room, I reached out to the window. 

—Creak…

Just as my hand brushed the window, I pushed it to one side. There was a small sound that came from the window opening, as the cold wind from outside swept into the room in an instant.

‘I’m just going to go and erase the magic circle!’

Having strengthened my resolve, I accepted the mana fog that was coming from outside.

The eyes of someone who possesses magic eyes looks distinctly different, so if there was someone else like Sir Rottier outside, then leaving and returning just as I was would be the end of the story.

But if not, then I’ll use invisibility and levitation magic to get out before erasing the magic circle! 

All of a sudden, my body came to mind. At the same time, I quickly started to run out of breath.

“Urk…!”

Hang on, just a bit longer! 

My body floated out of the window quickly. 

My heart still tightened despite the fact that I used the mana fog instead of the mana surrounding my heart to cast the magic.

I couldn’t fly for too long. 

I jumped out of the window and quickly fell to the floor. 

As I had leapt out rather urgently, the speed of my descent was rather quick, but it wasn’t enough for me to get injured.

—Tip tap.

My footsteps were also a bit loud. 

I froze, spooked, but fortunately enough for me, no one seemed to come find me.

As I inhaled deeply, I felt my chaotic heart start to calm down. After exhaling a bit, I got up once again.

“Okay…”

I muttered in a barely audible whisper and kept moving.

Anyway, since a lot of people had seen the huge clam last time, I had given up on my dream of using it as a hideout.

However, it’d be rather troublesome if I were to get executed because of a hideout or something.

Let’s just quickly erase the magic circle! 

As I started to make such a resolution over and over again and walked towards the large clam at a fairly brisk pace, I was then suddenly flustered by two facts.

“…!”

One was the fact that there were still unwelcome guests inside the clamshell.

The other was due to the fact that the unwelcome guest was Duke Ether. 

*** 

pls do not share this anywhere or the transmigration gods will transport u into boku no pico !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:

What did I want when I was little?

It was a thought that Duke Ether had been thinking about frequently lately. 

It was a rather out of character concern for him, but there was no helping it since it kept popping into his mind.

“…”

Recalling the story of that huge candy that he had heard of, Duke Ether silently kneaded his temple.

She had crushed it with a hammer and shattered it into eight pieces, then given it out to the maids and knights.

For some reason, the gift he had given her was not given to his daughter, nor to himself either, but rather to other people.

Strangely concerned, he shook his head.

Rather, what bothered him even more was that his daughter probably didn’t even like his gift very much.

Above all, seeing as she had vomited after eating the candy, it was clear that her body may not have been able to accept and digest it yet.

“…”

Then as expected, it would be better to get her something else other than things to eat. 

Ain brushed away his stray thoughts and picked up a few documents that were cluttering the table. 

It was something he always had to deal with around this time of year.

[Fog Movement and Route Tracing Report] 

Just like previous years, the moving fog would soon envelop the entire mansion. 

And when that time came, monsters would always crawl up from the sea of ​​fog. 

He was well aware of the fear that came with having your entire self being obscured by the mist, the only sound audible being the sound of breaking through water.

And of all things, apparently this time, the place Nassia had been discovered was near that sea of fog.

There was said to be an abnormally large clam nearby.

The knights had reported that they were unaware of ushc a large clam existing, but it was a place he was well aware of too.

It was the place where he had first witnessed monsters as a child. 

So he knew just how firm and solid that clam was. 

His little daughter didn’t know it yet, but if you looked closely at the clam after it shut again, you’d be able to see countless numbers of rough gashes on its shell.

The monsters in the sea of fog who disguised themselves as humans were the ones responsible for the claw marks left behind as they approached him countless times in order to harm him.

The young him had trembled with fear inside that closed clamshell.

 That, too, was just around this time as well.

“I hid the sword you wanted there.”

He had thought that his older brother who laughed at him like that, seemed to be especially friendly that day.

None of the knights or servants, who laughed slyly next to him, had told him that he wasn’t supposed to go there.

Of course, all those who had done that, with the exception of his older brother, were now in the next world.

“…”

Ain got up as he gripped my sword. 

Of all things, it was actually that clam.

How did Nassia know how to get there? Just what caught your attention?

He thought he needed to know that. He looked back over his desk before leaving the room.

Reports from those who had been investigating how Nassia had been treated in the Barony had all piled up.

All of them were according to his expectations. The Barony had not treated Nassia like a human being.

Simply because she was sick. 

The doctor who had first diagnosed Nassia had said that she’d be able to be cured with just a few medicinal herbs. 

However, like idiots, none of the servants in the Lebouire Barony could remember the name of that herb.

“…”

After reading that report, Ain clearly felt the ticklish feeling he always felt whenever he thought of Nassia split into one of anger.

However, other than anger, his heart still slightly tickles whenever he thinks of that child.

Just what is this?

He wanted to hold onto and lead that little hand a bit more, and give her whatever she wanted… More than anything else, he wanted to see that small little face smiling brightly.

He thought he could— he thought he could watch that sight forever.

He didn’t know what this strange feeling was, this feeling of wanting to hug her tight, as hard as he could, even though he knew he wouldn’t even be able to exert any strength from his fingertips in fear of crushing her.

“…it would be better to wait for the results of Delphiro’s medical examination first.”

Having made up his mind, Ain left the room. 

It wasn’t that he didn’t think of going directly to Nassia and asking what happened with the clam.

However, she was a child who had grabbed her heart in surprise. It might sound more like an interrogation to a child with a weak heart.

Moreover, she was still a child who was extremely wary of her surroundings, like a hedgehog.

In the end, the only way was to find out for himself.

“Hedgehog…”

She really resembled a hedgehog. A child who was curled up with their thorns bristled.

It was only a small and fragile thorn that didn’t even have the ability to scratch him, but he still had not even the slightest intention of breaking that thorn, or even of grabbing her.

He hurried towards the sea of ​​fog. 

. 

. 

. 

The clam remained the same as it was before. Just like how he remembered it in his childhood.

Even the dried out adductor muscle, as well as the slight illuminating light that appears when the shell is closed.

This was what he had hung up as a child. Picking up strangely sparkling things around him and hanging them up.

Oddly enough, they were still hanging from the roof of the shell, not having dimmed even the slightest.

He hit the adductor muscle again. Then, the clam opened its mouth once again.

The damp air from outside flooded in once again.

“Just why did Nassia come here?”

Why did she come here when there were so many other more fascinating places around here?

Perhaps this clam had the power to lead children towards it.

Come to think of it, even when he was young, he too, wanted to get out of the house and have his own room somewhere else. 

Then it really might have the power to lead a child like that… 

It was when he was trying to understand Nassia and stepped forward.

—Crunch. 

There was the sound of something being stepped on under his feet. 

After removing his shoes, he found that there were mounds of pure white sand piled there. In one corner was a bundle of weeds that had clearly been gathered by someone too. It was as if they were collecting a treasure.

“…?”

He leaned over and touched the grass. The grass, which had already lost its vitality and dried up, was staying in place without being blown away thanks to the strange force which was surrounding the clam.

“…”

This strange occurrence was rather common around here.

If it were a mage, they’d be able to tell you about how this huge clam had come into existence, and why the wind can’t seem to blow the grass away. However, he had no intention of committing a crime out of mere curiosity.

It was a crime to use magic.

Although he was accustomed to taking lives with his sword, he still hated the mages who tried to wreak havoc on the world arbitrarily and wrung the magic out of people’s bodies without feeling any sense of guilt. 

—Tip tap tip tap! 

That was when he heard it. 

A small figure was approaching from far away. The sound of the measured footsteps was getting closer and closer.

However, the approach was rather slow, considering the fact that the sound of their footsteps was rather quick.

That meant that it was a child with a small stride.

And there was only one person around here who could walk like that. 

He turned toward the sound.

“Nassia?”

The sound of footsteps stopped abruptly.

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ain, i believe the word you’re looking for is cuteness aggression GSDFLKJDFSJFD

HAHAHAH ALSO HEDGEHOG NASSIA GIVES SUCH A CUTE IMAGE IN MY MIND IM IN LOVE

i stan how understanding and empathetic ain is to nassia ugh

this chapter is brought to you by mio
as translator, proofreader and editor!

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“I’ve never seen such a large piece of candy either.”

What Azelta had said with a smile didn’t seem to be a lie. I nodded.

“Me too! Candy…”

I almost said that I thought the candy was as big as a shield out loud.

I was reminded of it once again. Reminded of the fact that Nassia de Lebouire was a child who had never seen a shield, nor a piece of candy before, let alone a piece of candy as big as a shield.

“It was huge! It was about thi~s big!”

I spread my arms out to form a big circle.

“So it was. You’ll be able to eat a lot of delicious food in the future.”

Azelta smiled and tucked the soft blanket just below my neck to cover it.

The blanket became stuffy to the point where I started to feel hot, so I removed my hand from inside the white blanket for a bit. 

My small hand peeked out from beneath the white blanket. I grabbed the ends of the blanket and looked up at Azelta. 

“So, you have to rest until then. Otherwise, you won’t be able to eat the delicious food. The doctor also said that I could give you lots of tasty things if you get enough rest.”

Lots! Azelta mimed a large circle with her hands while she emphasised that word. Just like I had before.

As expected, Azelta was also someone who knew how to deal with children. I nodded.

“I’ll make sure to rest.”

Of course, although that didn’t mean I was giving up on making my hideout… Still, it seemed like I had no choice but to hunt for a gourmet meal in a life where I could only eat porridge.

*** 

pls do not share this anywhere or the transmigration gods will transport u into boku no pico !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:

The secret to living a long life is to listen to the doctor.

It was one of the sayings I remembered from my previous life as a pushover.

It was also something I had forgotten since I never had the opportunity to see a doctor properly ever since I was reborn as Nassia.

“It’s definitely better.”

I thought as I shook my blanket. 

After eating and sleeping for several days in bed, I felt a noticeable improvement in my body. 

Especially from my blurry vision.

I thought my vision was blurry because of the fog, but the only reason I wasn’t able to see properly was because of my fatigue.

“You don’t have to worry too much. Just make sure you eat and rest properly. Sometimes, I can’t see very well either.”

Delphiro repeatedly stressed that it was fine. In short, he said that my body was just overworked, and that I’d get better soon with proper rest. 

However, seeing his haggard complexion while saying that, it felt as if Delphiro was the one who was truly overworked.

Excuse me, could I perhaps now see in front of me?

As my vision became clearer, I started to see things I couldn’t see before.

For example, the back profile of the knight who was guarding the hallway just before my room.

“Huh?”

To be more precise, it wasn’t his back profile, but rather just the hem of his clothes.

“Azelta.”

“Yes, Young Miss?”

I pointed to the hem, no, the knight who had remained stationary in the same spot, like a stone statue, for several days.

“Who is that person?”

Although he was a knight who was protecting the mansion, what I wanted to ask him was something other than that.

What sort of person stood there without eating or sleeping for so long?

At first, I thought they were rotating who stood guard since I couldn’t see their faces.

However, even if you kept looking, they wouldn’t change. If it were another person alternating with them, there would’ve been a slight difference, but no such thing happened.

It was already the third day.

“Ah, that’s Sir Rottier.”

Azelta looked in the direction I was pointing in and said.

“Is he just going to keep standing there?”

“Yes. Since he was ordered to stand guard over there.”

Then, she suddenly beckoned to a maid who was passing by.

“Marie, go and call over Sir Rottier for a bit.”

“Yes.”

Ack, that doesn’t mean I want to meet you though!

However, Marie quickly approached Sir Rottier. 

Finally, the hem of his clothes, which had not moved for several days, moved. 

A young man with silver hair and scarlet eyes turned towards me. 

He seemed to be sticking his head out from behind the wall.

As soon as I made eye contact with those scarlet eyes for a moment, I felt a strangely familiar feeling.

“Huh?”

What is it? 

However, when our eyes met, the knight bowed, then disappeared back behind the wall.

Then, I slowly approached my room with Marie’s guidance.

It was a knight who was wearing a uniform underneath a breastplate and shoulder armor, both of which looked extremely heavy at first glance.

Although his shoes also seemed to be made out of some sort of heavy iron, he was still able to walk toward me without making a single noise. 

“Wow…” 

How is he walking like that?

Azelta laughed at my astonishment.

“Isn’t he a dashing knight?”

I wasn’t admiring how cool he was, but he was handsome. I nodded my head.

As he continued to draw closer without a sound, I once again had a slight impression of that strangely familiar feeling.

Then I finally realised what it was when his eyes met mine again. I opened my mouth involuntarily.

“Those eyes…”

I had said that because those scarlet eyes of his were gleaming slightly.

Others may have simply thought that it was only brighter due to the reflection of the light, but as a mage, I recognised it immediately.

Those are magic eyes, aren’t they? 

Instead of instilling mana into the eyes to procure abnormally good eyesight, they were eyes which lost their vision for a short while once the person was tired.

There seemed to be a rather large amount of monsters in this area, seeing as there was a Magic Eye here, in the mansion, when instead, they were normally only seen on the front lines as scouts.

“…?”

I stopped at that thought.

Wait, those who possess the magic eyes were also extremely sensitive to mana.

Those familiar with mana would be able to see the mana surrounding my heart.

“Heok.”

I took a quick breath. 

It was to somehow grab a hold of the mana which was flowing freely around my heart.

Since I couldn’t be caught as a mage when I didn’t even know why the Duke brought me into his household in the first place yet. 

“Urk.”

As soon as I tried to control the flow of mana within my body which had not fully healed yet, a familiar pain in my heart reappeared.

Azelta looked back at me, startled.

“Young Miss, are you alright?”

“Yep, yep.”

I nodded briefly a few times. Meanwhile, Marie and Sir Rottier arrived in front of me.

“Young Miss? How about we come and find you a little later if you’re not feeling too well?”

Marie asked in a worried voice.

“…”

Sir Rottier’s scarlet magic eyes looked down at me. 

I was certain. I could see the mana in his eyes.

“Nope.”

Now that I had seen the owner of the magic eyes, I couldn’t back out now.

Aside from having to hide the mana around my heart, magic eyes also had another function. 

Mages like me can read the memories that magic eyes have seen. That was the reason why magic eyes were constantly in the limelight and received attention for being a scout.

“His eyes are rather fascinating, aren’t they?”

Azelta asked me, perhaps because I had been staring into Sir Rottier’s eyes for too long.

Startled, I lowered my gaze.

“Yeah, it sparkles.”

“…”

Sir Rottier remained silent until the end. It was as if he were a stone statue.

I looked up at him, who was wearing iron shoes and his such and such heavy armor, again.

When I made eye contact with him, I tried to see the memory again.

“His eyes are inherited. Everyone in Sir Rottier’s family has the same eyes.”

What did you say? Magic eyes were inherited? My eyes widened.

Are you saying that such clear magic eyes were not artificially created? 

The images captured by Sir Rottier’s magic eyes looked extremely vivid to my eyes. A pale, white fog, and a large clam was able to be seen as well.

And in it, I… Oh, you even saw me slam my fist on that adductor muscle desk.

Seeing as to how small I look, he must have been watching from afar. 

No matter who it was that was watching me, it still caused my cheeks to redden from embarrassment.

No, but I thought that no one would’ve been able to see since I used invisibility magic, but to think that there’d be someone who possesses magic eyes!

To someone with magic eyes, no matter how invisible or blurry it was, it’d still appear extremely clear to them.

“…My name is Rottier Diaz. Master has ordered me to escort the Young Miss this time.”

Sir Rottier’s hardened voice rang out. 

When he blinked briefly, his magic-filed scarlet eyes disappeared for a moment.

His eyes were so clear that they couldn’t possibly be compared to those that were artificially made.

That’s why I said it without even realizing it.

“Wow, how pretty…”

Oops, how rude of me to say that in front of that very person!

At a loss, I could still see Sir Rottier’s eyes widening.

“Young Miss seems to be fine with Sir’s eyes. Thank goodness.”

Azelta said with a smile. 

No, but what’s wrong with magic eyes? Was it because they felt guilty or did they find it unpleasant…? I nodded, trying to catch a hold of the mana around my heart.

“It’s really pretty. It’s my first time seeing something like this. It’s like a jewel.”

It’s my first time seeing such a clear Magic Eye. I looked into Sir Rottier’s eyes again. 

Sir Rottier seemed a little embarrassed and lowered his head.

You really are a silent knight, aren’t you, Sir Rottier?

I laughed out loud.

“I’ll be in your care from now on.”

I suddenly held out my hand. My hand barely reached Sir Rottier’s waist. 

Sir Rottier hesitated, then grasped my hand.

Then, he looked at the hand that was holding mine, clad in black leather gloves, then took it off and held my hand again.

It was a warm hand. Well, naturally, since he is also someone who possesses clear magic eyes.

I can’t even begin to imagine how good your mind must be to even be able to keep your magic eyes so clear. 

“…I will devote my entire heart and body to you.”

The twinkling jewel-like eyes closed in front of me. Rottier bowed his head deeply. 

He seemed a little excited. Although there was no change in his expression, I could see it in his eyes. Mana that was bouncing around happily.

Then, I looked at Marie with a probing gaze. Now that I think about it, Marie distanced herself from Rottier earlier, as if she was having a bit of trouble dealing with him.

Do the people around here not like people who have magic eyes? I cocked my head to one side.

It was only after a few days later that I realised why Marie had behaved the way she did.

***

Rottier Diaz.

The eldest son of the Diaz household, the family with cursed eyes. He was someone whose only value was that of being a knight.

Most of the people around him also treated him as such.

In the Ether mansion, apart from Delphiro and Azelta, whom he had grown up closer to ever since they were children, everyone else was shocked when they saw his scarlet eyes and avoided his gaze.

Some even gave him looks of contempt. 

These eyes, which were also called a beast’s eyes, showed things that others normally couldn’t see.

Therefore, the people of the Ether Duchy which was also known as the unknown land and the ‘gateway to the continent’, were all still afraid of his eyes.

However, they all acknowledged its usefulness. 

Since they were still able to see through everything, even if the entire land was tainted with the cursed fog. 

So, his only use to them was as a knight.

“Isn’t it natural for him to dedicate his loyalty for the rest of his life since he’s a beast with cursed eyes?”

Even the knights in the same company as him didn’t hesitate to talk behind his back.

So to Rottier Diaz, the Ether mansion was a place where his master, who he was meant to serve, his two friends, and enemies were.

‘It’s like a jewel.’

…But recently, things have changed slightly.

— Click. 

Today was Rottier Diaz’s day off. 

Since it was an off day which was only a day long anyway, it was common for knights to simply rest in the knights quarters in the mansion.

However, Rottier was the only one who never stayed in the knights’ quarters on his day off.

Since he had someone he had to take care of.

“Brother!”

Perhaps it was because he heard the sound of the door open, since the child who ran to him and hugged him, disregarding his pale, bloodless face, was his younger brother, Frey Diaz.

The same scarlet-colored eyes as Rottier sparkled and looked up at him.

“How have you been? How is your body?”

This was the only time Rottier, who rarely interacted with the people in the mansion, became particularly talkative. Only when he was with his younger brother, Frey Diaz.

“I’m fine.”

Frey’s smile while he was saying that didn’t look too good. Although he had only run from the bed of his room in the mansion to the front door, the sound of his wheezy breathing could still be heard.

“You should go and rest.”

Rottier lifted Frey up. Then, Frey shook his head.

“No, I’ve only just come out to the front door for the first time in a while, so I want to see the outside too.”

Rottier paused at his words. The fog he had walked past today was rather thick.

It’d be better for them not to go out.

On foggy days like this, these eyes of theirs see more, which tires them out quicker.

‘Wow!’

At that moment, what came to Rottier’s mind was the face of the mansion’s innocent young miss.

“…The fog is thick.”

Frey smiled bitterly when Rottier said that.

“Then it’d be better for us not to go out.”

If things had gone on as usual, Rottier would have nodded his head and walked back inside the house. However, today was different.

“No.”

— Click. 

Then, he opened the door, picked up a pair of slippers from inside the house and put them outside. Then, he helped his brother, Frey, put them on.

“Huh?”

Frey blinked, as if he didn’t know he’d be able to go out. Then he smiled brightly.

“I’ll just walk around and won’t tire myself out. Is that alright?”

“As long as you want. Since I’ll be by your side the whole time.”

Rottier answered in a light voice. Then, Frey turned to look back at him.

“But Brother, did something good happen today?”

Two pairs of scarlet eyes met. 

Rottier’s younger brother was a child who was forced to mature too early. It was because everyone he met had been wary of him, since he had magical eyes, ever since he was born.

He was a child who learned how to distinguish between the feelings of others and hide from them before learning how to like them. 

As a result, Frey became extremely sensitive and quick at recognising how others felt. Even the feelings of the dense Rottier, whom he himself didn’t even recognise.

“Does it look like something did?”

At Rottier’s words, Frey nodded his head.

“Mmhm. Did something good happen?”

The appearance of his younger brother who was finally able to venture out after a long time and smiling innocently, resembled someone in the mansion.

Rottier recalled the words she had said. It was the first time he’d heard it ever since his friends had told him when he was little.

“…I heard that I was pretty.”

“Huh?”

Frey laughed.

“They said Brother was pretty?”

The child’s excited laughter echoed all around. Rottier shook his head.

“Not me, but my eyes.”

Frey’s laughter stopped like a lie at those words. The child had his eyes wide open.

Frey, who had scarlet eyes, the same eyes of a beast that Rottier had, knew just how much people hated their eyes.

“Who?”

“The new young miss of the mansion who just came.”

At that, Frey’s eyes widened into circles. Rottier messed up his brother’s bright silver hair and said.

“They said it’s like a jewel, and it was pretty.”

Frey blinked his eyes slowly. Then a smile slowly appeared on his lips. 

The emotions that permeated his lips, cheeks, and even his eyes, soon formed a bright smile.

“I want to hear that too.”

That compliment.

Frey’s scarlet eyes sparkled.

---

IS THIS FORESHADOWING WHO THE MALE LEAD IS BECAUSE I’M ALR SHIPPING FREY AND NASSIA HgnsdflkdfGNSDLFKJDS WHY ARE THEY SO CUTE AHAHHAHAHHAHHHHHH

god everyone in this novel is so fucking fine I’M CRYING THO FREY AND ROTTIER DESERVE ALL THE LOVE AHGSDLFJDSF SOBBING RN

this chapter is brought to you by mio
as translator, proofreader and editor!

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After giving his commands, Ain looked out the window as he watched Rottier leave. 

He suddenly recalled the dark bruise that was on the wrist of the young child.

A clear sign of abuse. 

There must’ve clearly not been a single ally the child had within the Barony.

A child who was suddenly brought into the world into a place with only enemies.

It was natural for her to be wary of her surroundings. Ain nodded slowly.

“…”

But what could possibly warrant for her to go outside with that weak body of hers?

Ain suddenly approached the window out of curiosity.

Was she close enough to be seen from the mansion’s window? 

He, who possessed sharp eyesight, gazed off into the distance.

It was then.

“Your Grace, it’s Knight Serrat.”

Another guest had come to his office. It was a different knight this time.

Ain knocked on his windowsill a few times without even pulling the bell rope. His subordinate, who had good hearing, quickly entered the room silently in response.

Ain von Ether was someone who hated being disturbed.

Although the somewhat sharp reaction made Knight Serrat rather nervous, fortunately, the news he had brought was of interest to the Duke.

“A message has arrived from the Lebouire Barony.”

Those who wore iron masks on their faces. 

Ain turned his cool gaze toward Serrat.

“What did they say?”

Serrat pondered for a moment whether he should report the news that he knew would anger his already furious master.

However, his worries were short-lived. 

Since it was troublesome for a subordinate to judge the value of the information they were reporting.

“…They came to ask about when they should consolidate the marriage vows.”

—Crack. 

At those words, the windowsill that Ain’s hand was touching cumbled with a harsh sound.

*** 

pls do not share this anywhere or the transmigration gods will transport u into boku no pico !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.wordpress.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:

The Sea of Fog that surrounded the Ether Duchy in the south was terrible. It moved according to the seasons, from place to place within the Duchy territory, but never disappeared.

Hence, this was the period when the fog was more heavily concentrated around the ‘Sea of Fog’.

In other words, it could be considered as good news for the knights from the Lebouire Barony who had come to find the Duke once again. Thanks to this, the knights of Baron Lebouire who had come from the mainland, never encountered any of the fog.

“What did the Duke say?”

When Serrat, who had gone to deliver their message, returned to the drawing room, Baron Lebouire’s knight’s face was flushed red.

Even if the two families were now connected by marriage, they couldn’t afford to relax their guard within the realm of Duke Ether, who was rumoured to be able to cut down any creature that emerged from the fog as the guardian of the sea without even lifting an eyebrow.

“…”

Instead of answering, Serrat, the knight who had just entered the room, stepped back from the door and remained silent. 

Then, from behind him, emerged the Duke of Ether.

“…!”

Baron Lebouire’s knight jumped up in surprise. Despite the sudden movement, Duke Ether didn’t even spare him a glance.

“It’s something to do with our household, so it’d only be right for me to give you an answer in person.”

Ain glanced at the Baron’s knight once. 

Just as he had said, if they were talking about courtesy, then the person who was originally involved, the Baron’s eldest daughter, Asily de Lebouire, should’ve been the one to come here.

However, they didn’t even show up.

The corners of his lips rose.

“So, you said you wanted to know how the marriage vows were going to be handled?”

In response to his question, Baron Lebouire’s knight nodded, thinking that this was going smoother than he thought it would.

“Yes, the Baron sent me to consult you on what we should do. I’m the Commander of the Lebouire Barony’s knights, Carron.”

Commander? In all honesty however, the Lebouire Barony didn’t even have more than 30 knights though.

Ain immediately erased the name which was not worth remembering from his mind.

“It seems that the knights who were here before didn’t report the news back properly.”

“Oh, they didn’t make it back.”

They didn’t make it back? Ain, whose eyebrows twitched slightly at those words, immediately understood the situation that had occurred.

Shortly after the Baron’s knights had left the Ether Duchy, several unrecognizable corpses had been found in the forest. 

It was probably them.

Those guys who couldn’t even defeat the weakest of monsters with the forest were knights?

Duke Ether gave a short laugh.

He spoke in a dull voice to the Knights’ Commander who seemed to be totally unaware of anything.

“Nassia has already become a member of the Ether household.” 

At those words, the Commander’s eyes widened.

“What are you talking about when the marriage vows haven’t even been finalised yet?”

Ain didn’t even bother to sit at the table to greet his guest. 

He walked around the sofa at a leisurely pace and stopped in front of the Knights’ Commander, Carron.

His cold gaze fell on Carron.

“I don’t know where you heard of such an absurd idea. The fact that I would’ve been willing to welcome a five year old child as a bride. I wonder, to the extent that makes me want to pay a visit to the Baron.”

“…!”

An aristocrat always needed the permission of the fief lord to enter the territory of another noble family, no matter the difference in status.

In that sense, Ain’s words could be considered as a declaration of war. 

Although Baron Lebouire wouldn’t be able to deny him entry since he had called it a visit, he couldn’t comprehend it any other way when he heard it said in such a cruel voice.

“I’ll just go according to whatever Lebouire wants. As my daughter, Nassia will never leave this family again. Not until the day that child decides to throw away the Ether name.”

At those words, Carron, the Knights’ Commander, opened his eyes wide in shock.

“Then please, I hope that you’ll deliver this news safely to the Baron.”

Then in a particularly low voice, he said.

“That is, if you can get back in one piece, of course.”

At those words, Carron’s face turned blue. 

Ain left the drawing room without even listening to his greetings. 

Then, there was only silence, leaving Carron alone in the drawing room.

***

“Ahhhh!”

It took some time to calm the heart that was painfully complaining about the shock. I let out a strained breath.

The sight in front of my eyes was more beautiful than I expected, and I was able to regain my composure since contrary to what I had expected, nothing else had happened.

“Is this the inside of the clamshell?”

At first, I thought there was only pitch-black darkness that blocked everything ahead from sight.

But at that moment, a faint light gradually emerged from within the shell. 

As if it were hung from the ceiling of the room, a scarlet light lit up the inside of the clamshell. 

Seeing the adductor muscle desk I had seen earlier in the misty fog looking like this exuded a different sort of atmosphere. It almost felt like I was in the secret cottage of a mage, deep within the woods.

“Wow!”

However, there didn’t seem to be any sign of people here as I looked from here to there.

Even as I studied the light with my eyes that were sensitive to mana, it didn’t seem as if it had been made by a person.

Although I didn’t know the fundamentals of how it worked, it was still obvious to me that it had been created naturally.

“Great, I’ll make this place my hangout then!”

It was extremely to my liking.

Although I had been slightly shocked when the shell had suddenly closed, if I was able to leave again, then I thought that there’d be no better place as a hideout than here. I touched my heart with a hand.

—Badump… Badump… 

It still seemed to be alright.

“If my condition’s like this, then using some simple magic that uses materials should be alright, right?”

As I sat on my knees, it felt as if I was sitting on top of a soft carpet instead of the floor.

Seems like the inside isn’t as hard as I thought.

“Hehe.”

The feeling felt nice for some reason, so I let out a laugh.

Like a child playing with dirt, I filled my hands with white sand. There wasn’t much sand that could be held in that small hand which could barely grasp an adult’s index finger fully.

Still, this much should still be enough! 

—Chachacha…  

As the sand touched the floor, a strange echoing sounded, like an instrument. I drew a magic circle with the sand while listening to the pleasant sound.

—Fwoosh! 

As soon as the mage finished drawing the magic circle, it responded immediately.

As the mana fog around it was extremely thick, it was obvious that it had absorbed the mana from its surroundings.

—Flash! 

As the bright light that seemed to appear blue flashed by, the inside of the shell returned to its scarlet colour once again.

“This should be enough to know if someone else comes here.”

The magic I had used was magic that drew a boundary.

Magic that prevented all others from any access at all was risky since there was a chance that they would be able to sense it.

“Alright…”

Since I had no intention of revealing that I’m a mage yet, then this much should be adequate.

Although it’s a place that I’d like to make my base, I still had to check, just in case. Whether or not people really didn’t come here.

This magic would help me with that.

Clap clap. I shook the sand off my hands and crept back toward the adductor muscle desk.

The elevated part of the white desk was wider than I thought, so much so that I would be able to be enveloped by the shadow of the muscle adductor if I just crouched down.

I saw my teddy bear slippers peeking out from underneath the hem of my dress as I entered into the shadow.

Was I so short that I couldn’t even reach the top of the clam’s shell?

“…”

I sneaked out from underneath the desk and reached a hand toward the top of the clamshell.

“Hmm…”

The scarlet light seemed to almost reach my hand, floating up and out of reach.

It was such a gently swaying movement, and for some reason, it made me want to go towards it.

“Come on!”

It was when I had for some reason, wanted to hold onto it in my hand and jumped up high, using my arm to push against the muscle adductor desk next to me.

—Clack!

At an unexpected moment, the clamshell suddenly burst open.

In an instant, the lights suddenly went out and the mana fog covered my vision.

No, rather, to be precise, the black shadows of people beyond the mana fog were surrounding the clam I had been in.

“—We have to break open the shell, oh, Young Miss!”

Are these the monsters from the Sea of Fog that I’ve only ever heard of?

Before I could even be surprised, Azelta suddenly popped out from within the shadows.

“Young Miss!”

“Heok.”

What’s going on? I didn’t know that my wide eyes could get any wider.

Truthfully speaking, I was much more surprised than when the clamshell had suddenly closed.

My shoulders trembled along with the squeezing pain in my heart.

“Hic.”

Hiccups seemed to be too big of an activity for this tiny body.

My whole body shook violently. 

*** 

She seemed to be extremely shocked. I was brought back to the mansion half-conscious.

“You don’t know how shocked I was when I found out that you disappeared. Especially that clam…”

Azelta hugged me and placed me on the bed. Even then, my shoulders were still shaking with hiccups.

“That clam became abnormally large after absorbing that strange fog. It’d be better off for you not to go near those things.”

Fog… That seemed to be referring to the mana fog.

It seems like you don’t know that it’s a mana fog, seeing as how you dared to call it a strange fog.

Azelta, who was always smiling, looked at me with a serious expression on her face. 

As if she was genuinely relieved, Azelta sighed, her eyebrows no longer furrowed.

“I immediately informed His Grace as soon as I discovered you were missing. Do you know just how much I was worried about you, Young Miss?”

Her sighing seemed to be filled with real concern.

I looked up at Azelta’s face. There was not a single smile on her face, which normally always had one. 

It was a kindness that I had never received from the Tower of my previous life, which I had dedicated my whole life to.

On the contrary, rather, although I constantly tried to protect the people of the Tower, not one single person ever tried to protect me.

It wasn’t just that they had no intention to do so, rather there was no such goodwill to do so either.

Looking back, even before I had died by being stabbed in the back, that life had simply been a continuous cycle of weak acts as a pushover. Since I had been the only one to take on missions to dangerous locations without receiving any compensation in return.

Everyone had pushed me to the brink of my limit, simply because I had been the strongest in the Tower.

‘It’s fine, right?’

‘Since you’re the strongest out of all of us.’

All while praising me to the skies with those words on your lips.

However, Azelta was different to those guys.

Azelta didn’t even know I was a mage, let alone an archmage. This was a kindness and goodwill that was offered to me, even though there was nothing that could be gained from doing so.

It was an unfamiliar and ticklish feeling. Just why in the world? 

Anyway, the only thing that guaranteed my status and identity was Duke Ain Ether’s [I acknowledge her as my adopted daughter] that he had said.

Even so, you’re still running around like this just for me?

Hearing the sound of my slightly rough breathing, I unconsciously called out for Azelta.

“Azelta.”

“Yes, Young Miss.”

Azelta, who had been called, answered in a clear voice. I looked at that face which was stained with nothing but worry still.

“Why…”

Why are you working so hard, just for me?

However, if I phrased it like this, I’d be found out as being someone who is far past the age of five.

Having a new understanding of my situation again, I swallowed back my words with difficulty and asked.

“Do you like me?”

Even though I had asked like this, Azelta still seemed to understand what I was trying to say.

Her eyes widened, and her usual bright smile appeared immediately.

“Of course, since you gave me this.”

She pulled something out of the large front pocket of her maid uniform that was beautifully wrapped in paper.

I had already somehow gotten used to seeing that pizza shape. That…

“…Candy?” 

Azelta nodded her head at my words.

“Yes. Since you gave me such a precious thing, I have no choice but to serve you with all my heart.”

When I heard that, I widened my eyes and burst into laughter.

“Is this a candy friendship?”

As expected, I conveyed the meaning well!

I winked involuntarily. Azelta also winked, as expected and accepted it.

However, I didn’t miss the hidden shadow behind Azelta’s happy face.

It must’ve been because of some other reason. However, it didn’t seem to be the time to ask now.

Who did I end up giving all the candy to?

I thought as I watched Azelta put the candy back into the pocket of her uniform.

To make a rough guess, since they had probably been the people who came to my room that day, then I had probably given it to a few maids, Azelta… oh, and a few knights that had passed by my door.

So I had given it to eight people. 

I never thought that there would be a day when the people who had received the eight pieces of candy would one day later be collectively called under the name, ‘The Order of Eight Candy Pieces’.

---

god ain looks so fine in that illustration. ALSO YES HEALING NASSIA’S TRAUMA I WANT TO SOB

this chapter is brought to you by mio
as translator, proofreader and editor!

---

The wheezing sound of my breathing sounded annoying, even to my ears.

“Huuu.”

However, I took a deep breath, then exhaled. 

I should try and follow the doctor’s advice. As expected, I would always feel better after I sat down and rested whenever I was out of breath.

I looked around quickly. 

Fortunately, the maid named Marie, who replaced Azelta by my side while she was gone, didn’t seem to be too quick-witted.

She, who was cleaning the things outside the room while I pretended to be asleep, couldn’t find me hidden amongst the things in the room, since the room was too large.

Although the servants would be thrown into chaos the moment they knew I was gone, I couldn’t take that maid with me.

Couldn’t that maid have been planted for surveillance purposes? Nothing could be trusted until I found out the true intentions of Duke Ether.

Above all, once the servants in the Duchy got used to me, there’d inevitably be more eyes on me as well.

So, if I wanted to scout out my surroundings, the sooner I did it, the better.

“Huuuuu.”

I let out a deep sigh. Although I seemed like a child to others, I am not a child.

In my previous life, I was a person who had even experienced having to jump out of a window and use levitation magic, all just to escape from the maids who were chasing after me, one after the other.

That’s how much I liked being alone. Now, I needed that time even more.

“Aren’t you going to follow me?”

Since Duke Ether was accustomed to swords and warfare, maybe he saw the mana in my heart and decided to adopt me as his daughter.

Of course, if I had been merely a pushover in my previous life, I would’ve just gotten comfortable in my new life. 

Regardless of whether you approached me because of my mana or not, I would’ve thought that helping me after I said I needed help would be the end of it.

However, this life is different. 

First, I needed to find out Duke Ether’s true intentions! 

I raised my fist as if I was cheering myself on, and strode forward. For some reason, it seemed to be closer towards a toddle than a stride forward, but I tried to ignore that.

—Squeak! Squeak!

My pink, fluffy indoor shoes with teddy bears on it squeaked everytime I walked forward. So I was extremely cautious with my steps.

At this rate, I wouldn’t be able to take a look outside.

“Huuuuuu.”

Shortly thereafter, I ran out of breath again. 

I thought to myself while catching my breath. Thanks to the fact that I had slept soundly in a good environment and had been managed strictly by a doctor for half a day, my physical condition had been much better than when I was stuck in the Barony.

In addition to that, Azelta had said that she would serve me a tasty meal.

…Although of course, today would only be porridge though. Still, it couldn’t be compared to the meals I had eaten in the Barony.

During my time at the Barony, I had been confused to the point where I didn’t know whether the soft thing that touched my lips was mold or bread.

Since they couldn’t kill me openly because of the honour they held as an aristocratic family, they instead hoped that my disease would worsen and I would die.

‘Dying without making your family spend any more money is the way to be filial, my lady.”

That was also what a maid had said. 

Oho, why should I be filial to that damn family?

As a result of me doing the utmost to survive, although I was sold off as a five year old bride, I entered the bridal room as an adopted daughter instead of a bride, so it all seemed to have worked out well so far.

“First of all…”

However, that didn’t mean that I could relax just yet.

What I needed right now was my own space. 

It wasn’t just because I liked being alone. 

If the intention I discovered after confirming why this household has brought me in as their adopted daughter is a sinister one, then I find the right timing to escape. 

And to do that, I would need to scout out my surroundings first.

They’d notice it if I went too far, so even if it’s just closeby, I should still look around.

And if I get caught? 

All I had to do was just say that I wanted to come out because I was bored, like a child. After all, wasn’t it coming from the child who had lived their entire life trapped?

It wasn’t strange of me to want to explore.

“…”

Thinking that way, I suddenly frowned. 

Those five years where I had been imprisoned weren’t even easy for me, who possessed the consciousness of an adult.

Most of all, was the abuse that was inflicted on the mind and body of a child.

That wasn’t something that I, who was already weak with an incurable disease and inability to control my mana appropriately, could deal with.

So, my body always shook violently whenever I heard the sound of a person’s movements near me. 

Since that was how the aching pain in my young and fragile body had permeated greatly through me.

“…Well first of all, I don’t think that sort of thing will happen here, so it’s okay for now.”

I struggled to comfort myself. 

Although my time as an adult had been longer, my body still trembled when the large shadow of an adult fell upon me.

It was an instinctive fear. 

Fear that an opponent, whom I wouldn’t be able to defeat with my own strength, would hurt me.

“Damn it!”

Shaking off my dark thoughts, I took a step forward vigorously again. 

A place full of fog.

My head seemed to feel clearer once I took a deep breath.

“This fog…”

Although I had been thinking about it since before… I stretched my hand out into the fog that was so thick, even the lamps lit for nighttime were obscured.

This fog, that was so dense I could touch it, carried a familiar feeling.

“Isn’t this a mana fog?”

Then there must be a place where this mana comes from… I followed the fog as if I was possessed.

The darker the fog became, the more I could feel the mana.

Although I still couldn’t use the mana in my heart since it hadn’t settled into its proper position yet, this was a place where mana without an owner, was everywhere.

“Heavens, what is this?”

The deeper I walked into the mana fog, the more I couldn’t shut my mouth. All my complicated thoughts had already been pushed into the other corner of my mind.

“Wow!”

An exclamation came out automatically. 

This grass that grows like weeds! 

A bunch of grass was held joyfully in my outstretched hand. This was a herb that was a vital ingredient in producing an elixir that would be able to restore mana.

It was difficult to obtain properly since it was a medicinal herb that only bloomed in places full of mana, but here, it was growing everywhere like it was a weed

“To think that there would be such a treasure trove here!”

My hum came out naturally. 

I slowly made my way through the fog, forgetting about my resolution to not go too far.

What kind of magician could turn away when they saw such a thing? Huh?

I wanted to pick up this whole coast and put it all in my pocket.

“To think that such treasure would be scattered all over the floor, no way!”

After wandering around the treasure trove of nature, I came to a conclusion.

My life’s goal. I’ve decided!

“YOLO!”

This life would not end as stupidly as my previous life. 

It was a life that had ended by being stabbed in the back while giving my utmost to trying to save others. In any case, betrayal was the only return you’d get for trying to save other people.

Did I still want to live senselessly like that after dying such a death?

Although I didn’t know why I had been reincarnated, it was an opportunity.

It was also an opportunity to come to this treasure trove of a land.

Plus, what the hell was wrong with this world? There wasn’t even a single mage in this treasure trove. In other words, three was no competitor.

My body is a bit weak?

Becoming a mage was a piece of cake, as long as I gained some stamina and just learned how to control my mana.

Then, let’s just stay here until then! 

With such material and wealth at hand, becoming the youngest argemage was not just a pipe dream anymore.

“This is heaven, it’s heaven!”

I ran all over the place. 

Sand that was full of mana was kicked around by the teddy bear slippers and flew everywhere.

*** 

pls do not share this anywhere or the transmigration gods will transport u into boku no pico !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.wordpress.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:

It;s clear that there are no mages on this continent. I came to that conclusion after looking around for a while. 

How could such a paradise exist! 

It hadn’t been too long before the hem of my dress had been filled with elixir ingredients and white sand.

Although my hands were shiny and chapped from the white sand, it wasn’t an unpleasant feeling.

Rather, my heart was content. 

The white sand had mana that was of high purity enough to use as a material to make magic stones, which were able to hold a lot of mana at once.

Then how about the elixir herbs that were on top of it?

Naturally, it was even visibly shining due to the rich amount of mana in it.

“Wow…”

I looked around with sparkling eyes. Then, I ran to a place where there seemed to be a thicker concentration of green light.

Here too! There too!

“Elixir herbs!”

It was an elixir herb heaven!

I pulled out more of the green elixir herbs and gathered it in my arms.

If the mages of the Mage Tower I had been in saw this place, their eyes would’ve rolled back into their heads.

So what about the Sea of ​​Fog? So what about the monsters? 

If the mages of the Mage Tower in the world I had been in were in this world, it was clear that they would’ve blocked off all the monsters from here and a mountain of mages from all over would kneel and pray just to move here for the sand and herbs here.

In addition, the mana fog that I breathed in every time felt as if it were full of mana. I could fell the mana surrounding my heart responding sharply to the fog.

“Huuu…”

Although completely accepting all of the mana in the mana fog here was still difficult because of the burden it placed on my body, with the amount of mana floating around in the air, even now, it didn’t seem to be too much of a problem for me to use a small amount of magic.

—Whoosh! 

The fog that was surrounding me moved as I closed my eyes and drew in the mana. 

I just covered my body with the fog.

—Fwoosh! 

It was a simple invisibility magic. 

When I opened my eyes, I saw a cat wandering around, looking in my direction, with round eyes.

“Meow, mraow!”

As I turned around and made a cat sound, the cat’s eyes became even rounder. 

The appearance of the cat turning its head rapidly to look around since it couldn’t seem to see me after pricking its ears was cute.

Although I want to pet you, I’ll do it later since I’m a little busy right now.

Above all, cats were animals that were bad for the heart.

Since they were so cute.

—Tap tap tap! 

Although I had made fun of my shoes before, the sound of my footsteps were soft. 

This was because of the mana fog that was surrounding my feet to reduce the sound of my footsteps.

“Huuuu…”

My heart became more comfortable since I was using the mana that surrounded me instead.

As if freed from an old shackle, the mana around my heart began to spin vigorously to try to escape.

“You can’t yet, not yet.”

Since the mana within you could also notice the mana surrounding you, you had to leash it carefully.

I’ll use you a lot later, my mana friend.

“Huh?”

It was not too long after I had wandered for a few more minutes with a lively heart.

As I passed by about a dozen or so knights and maids, the places I walked past gradually became less crowded. 

And that place was in an area where the mana fog was particularly thick.

“Wow…”

The people here seemed to hate the mana fog, whether it was because they had a prejudice against it, or whether they didn’t know the true nature of the mana fog, but I didn’t.

The rich mana welcomed me back, as if I had returned to my hometown.

“Huu,”

Taking a deep breath, I noticed a strange object caught at the edge of my vision. 

Was that… 

“…A clam?” 

Although the clam was indeed a clam, it was an incredibly huge clam. Were all things here like this, with candy as big as a shield, and a clam the same as well?

However, this clam was too large to pass over so carelessly. 

It was a clam that was so big that it seemed as if it could naturally fit children like me in it, not to mention tall adults such as Duke Ether.

“What sort of thing would be so big?”

I quickly approached it, my eyes sparkling in curiosity. My only regret was that I couldn’t run because of my weak heart.

Thanks to this, the appearance of the clam was slowly revealed.

“Wow…”

The first thing that entered my vision was the large outer shell of the clam. The white and shiny backing of it seemed to shimmer in the background in pastel tones, even in the fog.

Furthermore, the lower shell that it led into seemed like a bar that was half my height.

Although this was just the appearance of an enlarged clam, I felt a lot of pressure when I actually became smaller than the clam.

“I hope it’s still not alive.”

Although there was no way that a clam could be alive inside if there wasn’t even any clam meat, coupled with such a shell for a house, the possibility of there being a clam despite there not being any clam meat still couldn’t be completely ruled out.

After all, isn’t this a place full of mana fog? No matter what unusual situation occurred, it still wouldn’t be considered strange for a place like this.

—Knock knock. 

I tried to knock on the back of the shell with my knuckles.

“…”

Of course, nothing happened. After all, there was no way the clamshell could react on its own.

It seems like I was beginning to think more like a child since I had become one.

I peeked inside the clam. 

The white sand and elixir herbs I was holding in my arms slipped inside the shell of the clam a little, but it was alright since I could quickly collect it later again.

“Come on!”

Perhaps it was hard to move like this since a child’s head was heavy.

After struggling for a few minutes, I finally got inside the giant clam.

“Wow!”

Unconsciously, I let go of the hem of my dress that was filled with sand and elixir herbs.

“Cough! Cough!”

Although the white sand had flown away, there was something in this place I couldn’t take my eyes off of, even as my heart was shaking violently from my fit of coughing.

It was none other than a giant adductor muscle!

“What the heck is that?”

I held my wheezing breath back and slowly made my way toward the adductor muscle.

The clam shell, which had dried up a long time ago and whose appearance was like the base of an old, white tree’s trunk, seemed as if it was a desk.

The height was also a little lower than my face, which was just the right height for a desk.

“Wow!”

Is this really a desk? Who used it? 

No matter how much I thought about it, it didn’t seem to be like that. 

It was because the part of the clam that connected to the bottom of the clamshell really seemed to resemble an adductor muscle. Even despite it being dry.

Above all, the smell of the sea was extremely pungent inside the shell.

“Okay, I’ve decided on this place!”

There was no one around. I banged my fist on the adductor muscle desk with a happy heart. 

—Rumble! 

And after a while, my eyes became round. 

Because that clamshell had closed with a loud bite.

In an instant, my surroundings became dark. 

***

“Your Grace, it’s Knight Rottier.”

There was a guest who had come to Ain’s office late at night. Ain pulled on his bell rope without a word. Then, he cocked his head slightly.

The one he had called for had clearly been Azelta.

Rottier entered the office with silent footsteps.

“What’s the matter?”

There was no way he had come without meaning business. Ain looked at the knight while holding a quill.

“Your Grace, Lady Nassia is gone.”

He had a frigid expression on. Ain narrowed his eyes and looked at him.

“Has the location been confirmed?”

“Yes. According to your orders.”

Knight Rottier looked out of the window into the distance and continued.

“Since she might feel uneasy with people constantly following her around, I’ve been secretly guarding her, all the way to a place where there aren’t that many eyes on her, however, she seems to be going further and further away.

“In which direction?”

“Near the Sea of ​​Fog.”

At Rottier’s words, Ain paused. Then, Rottier immediately said.

“It isn’t time for the monsters in the Sea of Fog to appear yet.”

 “—However, you still can’t let down your guard.”

Ain’s frigid words cut in. 

The reason he could remain such a staunch guardian of the Sea was because, even during an unlikely or wrong time, he was always prepared to face the danger. 

Rottier bowed his head.

“I understand. Then, shall I put a guard closer to the lady then?”

“No, I’ll go and personally—.”

Ain, who was about to get up, suddenly stopped. He thought of a child who, like himself when he was young, had a set of thorny spikes like a hedgehog, in order to protect himself from his surroundings.

If he attached someone to her now, as if he was monitoring her, that child would only run farther and farther away.

He knew because he had also been like that.

Above all, if he went to follow and protect Nassia now, wasn’t it just like he was openly revealing to her that he had been watching her all along?

She, who resembled how the young him had been, wouldn’t believe in such a sudden favour. So it was necessary for him to approach her very slowly.

“Just strengthen the perimeter. Since there are no monsters that rise from the ground or fall from the sky, all you need to do is clean up her surroundings… As long as there are no urgent situations.”

“Understood.”

The loyal knight bowed his head. 

Then, he looked out of the window with his master.

By now, the young miss, who was standing on guard with her thorns brandished to her surroundings, was sneaking around in the Sea of Fog.

All the while thinking that no one had noticed.

Rottier suddenly recalled the appearance of Nassia, who was sneaking out of the mansion. 

Her appearance of sneaking out of the mansion, as if she was the world’s best villain and was doing something very bad, was so absurd to Rottier, yet he couldn’t keep his eyes off of her.

As long as she was Nassia von Ether, there was nowhere in this region where she couldn’t go. 

He thought of those eyes, that despite being wary of their surroundings, still couldn’t hide their curiosity.

Although she was full of childish curiosity, her physical strength wouldn’t be able to support that, so the young miss would get tired out very quickly.

“…”

Just like his weak younger sibling.

She was a young lady who he had to keep an eye on. Rottier narrowed his eyes.

---

ugh one of my favourite things about this series is that you can clearly see the reasoning behind nassia’s actions which are all backed up by her experiences in her previous life, and also just the way duke ether empathises with nassia due to his own experiences as a child.
the way he acknowledges and realises that there are certain things he can and can’t do and what will ultimately push away nassia who doesn’t trust him at the moment is just GOLD.

although he wants to get closer to her, he acknowledges the fact that she is emotionally not ready yet and decides to take it slow. he knows he wants the best for her but knows that she won’t trust him that easily. all because he also experienced the same things when he was younger.

UGH I FUCKING LOVE THIS STORY HALSDKFJDFJ

this chapter is brought to you by mio
as translator, proofreader and editor!

---

Unable to hide my embarrassment, my fingers continued to fidget around the edge of the candy.

“Then, after I finish preparing everything, we’ll conduct a more thorough examination. Young Miss, please don’t overdo it in the meantime, and I recommend you stay in bed as much as possible…”

As he pleaded with me, he seemed to come to the realisation that I was a child filled with a lot of curiosity.

“When you have a hard time breathing, you should just sit down and rest here, and get Azelta to do the moving for you.”

I nodded at his words.

“Okay.”

He finally left after nagging for quite a long time.

Phew, as expected, a doctors’ nagging is too scary.

—Click.

When the door finally closed, I climbed off the shield… no, the candy I was sitting on. Azelta smiled brightly.

“Would you like some?”

“Yep!”

I’m so curious about whether this can be eaten or not!

Happy with the fact that the doctor had finally left, I nodded furiously as Azelta pulled something out of the drawer.

“A-Azelta…?”

With a big smile on her face, what she was holding in her hands was nothing but a hammer.

***

“Urk!”

Even whilst Azelta wiped the vomiting Nassia’s lips, she still couldn’t believe the situation happening in front of her eyes right now.

It was just a piece of candy. 

However, that piece of candy had caused too big a shock to the smally body of Young Miss Nassia.

Her pink hair shook weakly. She completely emptied her already empty stomach..

“…Then I won’t eat any candy for now.”

She said weakly. She looked visibly disappointed. 

A sick child.

Furthermore, that child, who did not complain one bit, kept squeezing Azelta’s heart.

“It would be a good idea for you to eat porridge for now in order to take care of your health.”

Azelta held Nassia’s hand tightly. Even her tiny hands were affected by it.

Her hand kept wrapping around Nassia’s hand, again and again. Nassia’s shoulders drooped forlornly. Upon seeing this, Azelta’s heart seemed to drop too.

“Only porridge…?”

“Yes.”

As soon as she replied like that, even Nassia’s gaze dropped down. Azelta then opened her mouth unconsciously.

“I will try my best not to only serve you porridge.”

“Huh?”

Nassia’s eyes widened in surprise, her gaze turning to Azelta.

“I’ll tell them to send you something yummy too.”

Azelta unwittingly said it without realising it herself. Even though she wasn’t a doctor, she also knew that Nassia’s ability to digest food was very weak.

She would only be able to eat meals that had been specifically chosen.

However, she couldn’t just let her eat nothing but porridge. If that was the case, then what exactly was the difference between this place and the Lebouire Barony?! 

Azelta, who had yet to realise the fact that the food she had been given during her time at the Lebouire Barony was worse than she had imagined, was set ablaze with motivation without even realising it.

“I’ll go inform the chefs and be right back!”

She even rolled up her sleeves on her way out. As Azelta was on her way out of the room, a maid in the hallway, Marie, widened her eyes in surprise.

“Miss Azelta?”

“Take good care of the Young Miss. I’m just popping over to the kitchen for a bit.”

Her expression was as determined as the one she had just before stepping into battle. 

— Click. 

It wasn’t long after Azelta had closed the door and left the room.

—Bang! Crack!

A brutal sound was heard from within the room.

 “…!”

Surprised, Azelta burst into the room, breathless.

“Young Miss!”

Then her gaze landed on Nassia, who was holding the hammer which had made the sound.

“Just what…”

The hammer was a dangerous object, so she had put it in a drawer which was high up, but she didn’t know how it had been taken out.

No, more than that, rather… 

“Are you alright?”

It was when Azelta asked. Nassia smiled brightly. 

Was it because of the light, or the blush? Those small white cheeks seemed to be full of vitality.

“It’s a present!”

What she had suddenly brought out was a piece of candy, split into portions that looked like pizza slices.

“…!”

Sparkling brown eyes, and even a tiny hand that held out a piece of candy. 

Azelta couldn’t breathe for a moment. 

The hammer was still held in the other cute and tender hand. Though it was at best, only used to straighten herself and keep her from falling off her bed.

A rough hammer in that tiny, fragile hand. 

Even the appearance of her trying to support it seemed to be painful for her arms. It seemed as if she would be swept off her feet if she kept struggling with it like that.

The moment she thought so, Azelta suddenly grabbed both of Nassia’s hands.

“This is how you hold it.”

The candy was set aside for a moment. Nassia, who was now able to grip the handle of the hammer properly thanks to Azelta, blinked.

“If you don’t hold it like this, you’ll end up dropping it on your foot.”

At Azelta’s words, Nassia blinked a few more times before smiling at her.

“Thanks!”

Azelta came to her senses after being dazed at the sight of her. 

Just what did I just teach the Young Miss? It was as if she was possessed by something.

“…Thank you for the candy.”

Azelta quickly picked up the piece of her candy. Nassia smiled prettily.

“Yep! Enjoy!”

Not only was she not disappointed at not being able to eat it, rather, she even used a hammer to share it.

Wasn’t this clearly showing how she was too mature for her age?

Azelta grabbed the candy and bowed her head.

“…?”

Meanwhile, Nassia cocked her head in confusion. 

What a kind maid.

She seemed to have known all about how to hold a hammer too.

It was a rewarding gift for all the hard work she had put into stacking the pillows. As expected, you should give presents to pretty adults!

She smiled wickedly(?) as she watched Azelta slip the candy into the front pocket of her maids’ uniform.

Anyhow, it seemed like the gift was working properly.

*** 

pls do not share this anywhere or the transmigration gods will transport u into boku no pico !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.wordpress.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:

Acily de Lebouire. 

The eldest daughter of Baron Lebouire. She was a young lady who just turned 20 this year. 

The Duke of Ether was lost in thought as he looked through the investigation report Azelta had compiled of Acily’s personal information.

“…”

It was a mistake. It was a mistake he normally wouldn’t have made.

He had obviously thought that Baron Lebouire would be in possession of common sense.

He didn’t think it would’ve mattered whether the young lady had come from the Baron’s household, or any other household, even when the marriage offer had come in.

After all, there would be no bride who would be willing to come closer to the Sea of Fog anyway.

No matter what their status was, as long as they could come and endure the conditions here, he thought it would’ve been fine.

That’s why he had so readily accepted this marriage proposal which had come to him so easily.

In accordance with imperial law, only documents with the emblems of each family were exchanged between the two families, not the marriage vows, which would be sent after the wedding.

He had thought that the reason the bride’s name hadn’t been written there was merely to abide by the custom of writing marriage vows together after the wedding.

“Five years old.”

A five year old bride? According to common sense, he had of course thought that the one coming to be a bride would be the twenty year old Acily.

However, Baron Lebouire had very clearly deceived him. Perhaps it had been pre-arranged with the imperial family in advance.

He had to admit that he had been careless. He brought the edge of the marriage proposal to the candle.

Looking at the burning paper, he recalled the girl who had now become his daughter.

She, who had been Nassia de Lebouire, had now taken on the name of Nassia von Ether.

“An adopted daughter…”

He hadn’t had any intention of adopting a daughter, even a few days ago.

However, he couldn’t send the girl back to her family as she was.

The black staining her wrists was a clear sign of abuse. It was obvious what would happen to her if the young lady returned to the Lebouire family.

In addition, she had quickly pulled out her hand from his when he had attempted to inspect the wound.

The child’s clearly very defensive appearance seemed as if it was stabbing him deeply with an awl.

Of course, if he had ignored it, then that would’ve been the end of it.

“…”

Instead, it could’ve just ended with him accusing the Lebouire family of deceiving the Ethers and waging a territorial battle on Lebouire.

That way, House Ether’s honour would be restored, and he would once again, board a boat to the Sea of Fog.

To go and prevent the monsters from breaching the Sea of Fog.

However, strangely enough, he wasn’t satisfied with that. It was something that really wasn’t like him.

“…”

He couldn’t take his eyes off the trembling child’s eyes. Even the hand he had held for a moment had a tremor that couldn’t be hidden. A young child who came with a body that found even standing on its own two feet too tiring.

Her tiny hands and tottering steps didn’t suit this dangerous place at all. 

To him, who had grown up in the Ether Duchy’s lands, and was brought up and lived as a guardian of the barrier separating the Sea of Fog and the mainland, the appearance of Nassia was seemingly foreign to him.

The fragile appearance of a young child. However, those eyes of hers were different. Ain clearly remembered those brown eyes that looked up at him.

Sparkling eyes… As if he was holding a jewel that didn’t suit him within the palm of his hand.

So he couldn’t touch it, nor could he let it go. 

He couldn’t understand the feeling that tickled his heart the moment he met Nassia’s gaze.

“…”

It resembled the anger he was familiar with, but at the same time, it was an infinitely unfamiliar feeling.

He had wanted to try shoving his hand into that fluffy looking pink hair and ruffle it up.

Had it not been for her wary eyes, he might’ve even done that.

Those eyes were too sharp for a five year old child to have. It was the eyes of those who knew too early, the path they’d have ahead of them.

Those were not the eyes a child could have. 

Only then did he vaguely understand why he had made such an impulsive offer.

Ain von Ether. 

As the illegitimate son of the former Duke, he was someone who had gradually developed his own strength and defeated his older brother, who had constantly disregarded him, and become the heir to the Ether Duchy.

His father, the former Duke, had ultimately chosen him over his older brother for the prosperity of the family and the protection of the southern coast. 

As a result, the Ether Duchy had grown in power to the extent where they were put in check by the imperial family. However, his older brother, who had left the family, was still aiming for the Duchy.

“My older brother was too strong to be weak, but too weak to be strong.”

Duke Ether narrowed his eyes.

If the Lebouire Barony had done that to Nassia, then… 

They also seemed to be cruel to the weak, just like his older brother. The traces left on Nassia’s body were proof of that.

If that was the case, then shouldn’t Nassia be given a chance as well?

A chance for revenge. 

The power to pay back that terrible time.

“…”

He wanted to give that child the chance that he never had.

Duke Ether understood too well the young desire that yearned desperately for someone to extend a hand in help. It was a desire that had been trampled upon and buried deep within his heart.

An older brother who bore the expectations of everyone and he, who was a bastard disrespected by everyone.

He had buried the feeling of wanting someone to help him with his own two hands while drowning in his own tears one young day.

It was the day he had abruptly come to the realisation that no one would be coming to help him.

“She said she’d even be fine being a maid.”

He reflected on what Nassia had said when asked to be his adopted daughter. Even so, she must have desperately wanted to get out of the Lebouire family.

A child who already had the eyes of an adult. 

A child who was constantly on guard, with thorns surrounding her like a hedgehog.

That child had unexpectedly drawn in him, who didn’t know how to treat a child.

“…”

Although he had given her a present in order to convey his feelings of wanting to get to know her better, he wondered if she liked it. Had he conveyed his message of being her ally well?

It was when he was thinking so.

“Your Grace, it’s Doctor Delphiro.”

There was someone knocking on the door of his office. Ain pulled on the call rope silently.

Click, the sound of the door opening came along with Delphiro, who quietly entered the room and bowed his head.

“I’ve come after seeing Young Miss Nassia.”

At Delphiro’s words, Ain raised his head and looked at him.

“How’s the condition of her body?”

Delphiro bowed his head deeply.

“It is as Your Grace expected. The heart is atrophied to such a degree that performing proper functions is difficult. As if it’s been clamped down by something. We will conduct a more thorough examination later in order to see whether it’s due to psychological abuse, or if it is because of other reasons.”

Ain nodded his head slowly. There certainly seemed to be a heart problem. Delphiro continued while gauging his reaction.

“However…”

Ain raised his head again. Seeing as he was speaking cautiously, he seemed to have discovered something even more serious than the heart problem.

“It seems as if her time at the Barony was even more painful than we thought.”

Did something else happen? Ain narrowed his eyes. 

Delphiro lowered his head and said.

“She seemed to have a lot of experiences with having things taken away. She was holding a shield when I entered the room.”

“A shield?”

What shield? Ain frowned.

“Yes, it was a shield glittering with a variety of bright colours. I thought it was a toy when I saw it.”

“…”

He got a sense of what it was once he heard him say it was brightly coloured.

“Was it perhaps also covered in a paper wrapping?”

“Yes, whoever has such a strange hobby of wrapping that in paper, I don’t… know… who… it is… but…”

Delphiro’s words slowly faded away. It was after seeing Ain’s expression.

“…Is this something Your Grace knows about?”

“No, keep going.”

It was a gift he had given after receiving news that young children liked big and sweet things.

He had come to the conclusion that it would be rather burdensome if he were to personally hand it to his adopted daughter, whose eyes would tremble whenever their eyes met, so he had decided against it.

However, for some reason, the conclusion had seemed odd.

“…Anyway, she was desperately trying to cover that thing.”

“Cover?”

Ain’s frown grew deeper. Delphiro nodded his head.

“Yes. Children who have been abused or have experienced having a lot of their things stolen or taken away often display such attributes.”

“A lot of their things were stolen you say…”

Ain nodded slowly. Delphiro spoke with a serious face.

“Yes. She also seemed to be extremely wary of her surroundings as well.”

“That’s what happened.”

Ain nodded slowly. He seemed to understand. 

Nassia’s childhood  closely resembled his own. That’s why he couldn’t turn his eyes away from her.

From him to Nassia, he knew what she would need the most in her childhood.

“Call Azelta.”

He ordered. For a child who desperately wanted to protect the few things that he or she had, you just had to let them know that there would be a lot of things for them to enjoy.

---

omg hELPppPPP things i’m living for in this chapter:

1) the way azelta is alr head over heels SMITTEN with our cutie nassia

2) the way our girl nassia used a hammer to smash that damn lollipop and bribed tf out of azelta and her not realising it hSDLFKJDSFJFD

3) azelta teaching nassia how to hold a hammer hSDLFKJSDFJ

4) BACKSTORY OF AIN ASDLFKJSDF IT’S SO HEARTBREAKING plus him relating to nassia too :’)
THE WAY THEY UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER AHHHHHHH HELPLSDKFJFD SO WHOLESOME

5) plus the misunderstanding abt the shield/candy hNGLSDKFJDFSJ
pls the way dr delphiro went oop— the minute he realised it was a present from the duke hGNSLDFKJFDSJ

6) THE WAY WE CAN LOOK FORWARD TO HIM SPOILING TF OUT OF HER HGLSDFKJDF THAT LAST LINE WAS SO CUTE HELPPPPPP

7) DILF AIN LOOKS SO FINE IN THE ILLUSTRATION DADDY sorry DADDY sorry DADDY HALSDKJDFS

in conclusion, I FUCKING LOVE THIS STORY, GN SEE U IN THE NEXT UPDATE HASDLFKJDSFJ

this chapter is brought to you by mio
as translator, proofreader and editor!

---

The person belonging to the Lebouire Barony trembled. 

However, as the owner of a huge liver¹, even if his voice was trembling, he was still able to spout out bullshit.

“The Ether…Dukedom has already accepted the proposal.”

He said as he lifted up a document bearing the seals of both families. 

The Duke brushed his bangs aside with his white gloved hand. Bright blonde hair was swept aside, revealing a face full of anger. 

My eyes widened.

The sharp jawline, as if someone had painstakingly carved it with care, was enough to grab people’s attention.

It was the same, even when one was looking up from the bottom due to the height difference. 

Wow, aside from his personality, he’s unnecessarily handsome.

“I won’t ever forget this joke of a marriage which Lebouire played on Ether. As for the Lebouire Barony’s Young Lady…”

Surprisingly, the Duke was a person who could even treat a five year old child as a young lady. I came to my senses after spacing out from admiring his jawline.

“…”

Then, his gaze fell on my neck. Then, it headed to my wrist holding the bouquet. 

Although the Baron’s maids had obviously covered the bruises with makeup, there was no way anyone who possessed a good eye wouldn’t have noticed it.

The bruises that were scattered here and there from someone forcibly pulling at it.

The Duke, who was looking at the work of the Baroness, opened his mouth.

“Will you excuse me for a moment?”

The question flew over my head. I nodded involuntarily. 

Strangely enough, he was someone you were unable to take your eyes off of.

His eyes met mine as he reached out to me.

A certain scent came from him as he came closer to me. Although it was a scent I didn’t have the chance of smelling in my previous life, it was still one that I clearly knew.

It was the scent of a seafarer.

He raised my hand carefully with his somewhat sunburnt hand, perhaps because he had been out in the sun for too long. 

It was a strong-looking hand of someone who frequented the sea. Contrasting greatly with my small hands.

“…”

The closer you get, the better you’ll see. The blue bruises on my wrists, and the wounds that littered my neck and other parts of my body. 

They were all insignificant wounds when compared to the tightening pain of my heart anyways, so I had ignored them.

However, the feeling of a stranger looking over my injuries felt sudden and unexpected, so I pulled my hand away abruptly.

“…”

Silent, he turned his gaze to Baron Lebouire’s knight.

“I’m curious as to just what kind of family the Lebouire family is.”

At his words, the Barony’s knight began to showcase just how big his liver was again.

“If you send the carriage back like this, the bride will become a young lady whose engagement has been broken off, a divorcee, essentially.”

Judging from his firm voice, it didn’t seem to be a trick he had come up with himself.

It had probably been something he’d been told to say if the Duke of Ether tried to break off the marriage.

“…A divorcee?”

I could see the absurd expression on Duke Ether’s face more visibly since it was right in front of me. Minute cracks appeared in his sculpted face in an instant.

I tilted my head slightly. 

The expression on Duke Ether’s face was cold. A stiff face. 

Contrary to what I thought, is he not completely trash after all?

“…”

I could see the strong hands which had been toughened through training with a sword. Duke Ether turned his gaze back to me again. My own appearance was reflected in his eyes. 

Duke Ether opened his mouth.

“The Young Lady of the Lebouire Barony will be accepted as a member of the Ether household.”

What did you say? We’re really getting married? 

As expected, the trash still seemed to be trash. I was dumbfounded and was about to open my mouth due to the ridiculousness of it all.

“If the Young Lady accepts, as my adopted daughter.”

Not as your wife? But as an adopted daughter? Why? 

I mean, it’s a good thing, but… 

I had no choice but to pause.

There was no one who would suddenly do a good thing for other people in the first place.

That was something I had already realized in my previous life. 

Layton, who said that he wanted to kill the dragon together, simply because it was an evil dragon, had been… a former colleague of mine in my past life, that traitorous bastard, who said he would merely raise his sword to slay the evil dragon without asking for anything in return.

As soon as such a person killed the dragon, he pushed me over the lava and killed me. 

All in order to monopolize the honor one would receive as a dragon slayer.

“…”

As expected, there’s no one who’d do something good for someone else without anything in return.

Even so, wouldn’t this be better than going back to the Lebouire Barony though? 

If I refuse this offer here, I’ll be left with nowhere to go. 

If only I could’ve used magic, I would’ve just stuffed it and gone on my own way, wait, but none of this will matter until my body’s condition improves.

“…”

Had I been thinking for too long?

My surroundings were already filled with a strange silence. I separated my lips which had dried up from shutting my mouth for too long.

“I’ll do as you say.”

An adopted daughter, anything, it didn’t matter to me. Wouldn’t I be able to heal my body’s condition as long as I could get away from the Lebouire Barony?

“It doesn’t matter to me, even if I have to become a maid.”

A child’s voice came out, trembling unintentionally. 

Ah, my voice is shaking since my stamina is so weak. 

I had an impression of my heart tightening up in pain. In an instant, my vision narrowed and my body tilted forward. 

Wait, am I really going to faint after just saying a few words?

That’s why I couldn’t see what sort of expression the Duke had made at that moment.

***

pls do not share this anywhere or the transmigration gods will transport u into boku no pico !! this translation has been stolen from mioscorner.wordpress.com, pls only read there i’m begging u :kneels:

It’s soft. 

That had been my first thought as soon as I came back to my senses. 

The feeling of a fluffy cotton pillow wrapping around my back. A soft blanket to hug whilst you toss and turn in bed next to me.

“Ah.”

My surroundings became busier at my movements.

“The Young Miss is awake!”

“Someone let Delphiro know!”

Oh, I thought nobody was there though? 

The moment I opened my eyes, I immediately forgot what I had been thinking.

“Wow…”

The room was huge. The ceiling which was decorated with splendid gold leaves made me think of my past life. 

Of course, it wasn’t my room in my previous life. It was a spacious and splendidly decorated room, just like the rooms of the imperial family I had the opportunity to enter in my previous life. 

I stared blankly at the room and met the eyes of the maids. The maids all bowed their heads politely.

[From now on, Young Lady Nassia de Lebouire will be treated as tYoung Lady Nassia von Ether in this mansion.]

Those had been the only words proving my place in the mansion, but the servants were still polite.

Then someone suddenly poked their head out among the maids.

“Do you know where this is?”

My startled heart gave a short squeeze of pain. I answered after quite some time.

“…The Ether mansion.”

The still hazy mind interfered with my thought process. Thanks to that, a rather blank voice came out.

“I’m Azelta, a maid who will be serving Lady Nassia in the future.”

The maid who introduced herself as Azelta, bowed her head.

“Yes. I’ll be in your care then.”

Then came some surprising words.

“There’s no need for you to speak respectfully to people like us.”

“Ah.”

It was a habit I had forgotten. 

In the Mage Tower where I had been in my previous life, it had been basic respect for us to speak formally to each other.

Although my habits could have disappeared since it had already been 5 years since I’d reincarnated into this world, the servants of the Lebouire Barony had never once conversed with me.

Since they could’ve been infected.

Thanks to this, I had become an excessively formal person. 

I nodded my head slightly.

“…Yes.”

At my involuntary response, I shook my head.

“I mean, o-okay.”

After I had corrected it with a small voice later on, Azelta smiled sadly, as if it were a pity. 

She willingly knelt down in front of me on one knee. Her disciplined appearance looked more like that of a knight rather than a maid.

“I called the doctor to come earlier, so he’ll be here soon.”

Doctor? 

Those words reminded me of my childhood. 

The doctor who had diagnosed the incurable disease seemed to have no knowledge of magic. It seemed that I could take this opportunity to tell whether that doctor had been a quack, or whether this world just didn’t know anything about magic.

“You don’t have to be too nervous. Now,”

My expression must have looked slightly crushed at the thought of the doctor I had seen before. 

Azelta opened the top compartment of the drawer next to me. The drawer was too high for a small child to use.

“Ah, all the furniture in the room is going to be new.”

As I lifted my head up, at a loss, Azelta seemed to be at a loss for words. Even so, she still said in a very small voice.

“…Since we never thought that the Baron Lebouire would be that much of a crazy bastard.”

Even though she had said it in an extremely small voice, I was still able to hear her since I had focused all my attention on her.

Actually, it didn’t seem as if the Ether Dukedom knew about it either.

Based on the Duke’s reaction earlier, he must’ve thought that Baron Lebouire would definitely send his first daughter, who had just turned 20 this year.

I thought of the brat who was my older sister, who looked at me as if I was a pile of trash every time she passed by me and happened to see my face.

It’s true that I was an illegitimate daughter, born through Baron Lebouire’s one night of amusement.

However, that hadn’t happened because I wanted it to though?

The fault lay with Baron Lebouire, so I wasn’t sure why they were treating me like this.

“Now, please take this.”

Whilst I was sulking inwardly, I belatedly discovered that something huge had been thrust in front of me.

“…!”

I realised for the first time that it was possible for people to jump when startled. Azelta also hesitated upon finding this out for the first time.

“Are you alright?”

Azelta held on to me, who clutched at my heart. 

The gigantic thing she was holding was dropped onto the bed with a plop.

“I’m fine.”

However, it was inevitable for me to control my facial expression. Azelta turned back to the maids.

“Get Delphiro, quickly—.”

“Don’t.”

I narrowly let out a breath.

Whether it’s Delphiro or Piero, there was no way they’d be able to cure it right away anyways.

This was a pain that would only disappear when I was able to handle my mana and my stamina improved.

“…Young Miss?”

Azelta paused as my little hand grabbed onto her uniform. They can’t cure it anyways, so there’s no point in calling for a doctor… I couldn’t say that, so…

“It doesn’t hurt anymore.”

I said while trying to control my facial expression as much as possible. 

However, perhaps because it was a child’s face, it wasn’t easy managing my expression.

To the extent of just presenting a twisted smile. Azelta’s face darkened slightly upon seeing that sort of expression.

“It’s really okay.”

I turned my head, ignoring the pain in my heart. 

The gigantic thing she had shoved towards me was something wrapped in a paper wrapper. There was also a stick below it.

“But this…”

“…The master had urgently asked for it to be given to the Young Miss. Since he had heard that little kids liked sweet things.”

Having said that, Azelta looked at me. She seemed to want to make her master, Duke Ether, seem like a good person.

“…I see.”

As I moved slowly, the pain in my heart improved a little. 

As I reached out, Azelta quickly put the object in front of me. 

A somewhat huge object I didn’t know was so large it was capable of covering my face and even my shoulders.

Something sweet? Did you prepare a chocolate gift set? Then why is there a stick? 

—Riiiip.

As I tore the paper, I was bewildered upon seeing the something lavishly decorated with all kinds of pastel tones.

Judging from when I touched the half-open paper package, it seemed like a flat object.

“Hngg.”

Struggling to hold it by myself, I even had to enlist the help of Azelta to tear open the paper.

Then, I suddenly reached enlightenment.

“…Candy?”

Is this candy? Isn’t this a shield?

I stared blankly at the huge candy that was polished so cleanly, even my reflection was able to be seen clearly in it.

Then.

“Young Miss, it’s Doctor Delphiro.”

“Gasp.”

A doctor? What would happen if I held such a giant candy in front of a doctor? 

Having suffered from a doctor’s explosive nagging in my previous life, I hurriedly tried to cover the candy with the paper wrapping.

—Click.

However, the paper was small and the child’s body even smaller. 

The door opened, and I made eye contact with the doctor as I was almost draped over the shield of a candy.

“…”

“…”

The doctor who made eye contact with me looked a little perplexed. 

His gaze traveled from the piece of candy I couldn’t even cover half of, then came back to me again. Then, the doctor bowed his head deeply.

“…I’m the Ether family doctor, Delphiro.”

I sneakily covered the candy with my back and stood up. 

The candy, a little shorter than my height, was still less than half covered. In the end, I half gave up and fully welcomed the doctor. 

Then, I greeted him in a hesitant manner.

“Hello.”

A small voice came out. The doctor looked at me and asked hesitantly.

“May I take a quick look at you?”

For a doctor, he sure is a cautious mister.

I blinked a few times. There was no nagging, as if he had not seen the giant candy yet. 

I slowly moved the candy behind me and nodded.

“Then, excuse me.”

Delphiro approached me with a relieved face. 

Then whilst looking at me as I sneakily hid the candy with the blanket behind my back, he said.

“You’re already very brave, considering you resemble the master.”

Huh? Brave? Delphiro laughed awkwardly when I blinked.

“Could you release the shield for a moment?”

Ah, so it looks like a shield to mister too, right?

I pushed the candy back with a reluctant expression.

“I heard you collapsed today. Miss Azelta, no, Azelta said that you grabbed at your chest.”

Delphiro put the stethoscope in his ears and handed the end to Azelta. Azelta smiled apologetically.

“Excuse me for a moment, young miss.”

This was a household that asked to be excused a lot.

Azelta, who had the stethoscope in her hand to warm it up, pulled back my nightdress and brought the stethoscope to my chest.

When did you change my clothes? I looked up at Azelta in amazement.

“Delphiro is not trying to threaten you.”

No, what would a doctor get from threatening me? Azelta held my shoulder with one hand, as if to comfort me.

“Oh.”

Even though it had been warmed up, the stethoscope was colder than I thought. 

As I shivered, Azelta gently patted my back. Her hands were warm.

“Well…”

In order not to look at my body, Delphiro, who had turned his gaze away from me and only focused on the sound, gestured toward me. 

As Azelta removed the stethoscope from my body and organized my clothes, Delphiro pulled the stethoscope out of his ears.

“Although I don’t know what you’ve heard from the Barony Lebouire in terms of diagnosis, it seems to me that the young lady’s condition is weak in nature, no, your body has been a little weak since birth.”

He spoke, choosing words that were easy enough for a child to understand. I blinked my eyes and nodded my head.

“That’s right.”

“You knew? Then about your treatment…”

I had no choice but to say the apologetic words to Delphiro, who would ultimately be angered by my words.

“There was no treatment.”

“Why—”

Delphiro, who was about to ask why I didn’t get treatment, stopped. I knew that he had been looking at my wrist for a brief moment. 

A bruised wrist. Traces of abuse. 

There was no way a child who had been abused could ever have received proper treatment.

“I see. Then I’ll be the one to administer your treatment.” 

Delphiro said with a laugh. He stretched out his hand.

“Soon, you’ll be able to walk around without getting sick!”

Although he was so sure, I was still reluctant. 

No matter how much a doctor… if a doctor who listened to my heart and couldn’t feel the flow of mana, there was no way they would be able to cure my illness.

“…Just, as long as I’ll be able to play.”

I know you won’t be able to fix it anyway. 

I’ll be able to control my mana if I gain enough stamina to just walk around. With that in mind, I concluded my words. 

At that, Delphiro stopped and stiffened at my words.

“You shouldn’t give up, young miss.” 

Then he said in a very serious voice.

“Huh?”

I think you’ve misunderstood something? 

I met Delphiro’s eyes. 

At the thought that I had said something I shouldn’t have, my trembling eyes met Delphiro’s which were burning with will.

“Although I don’t know which doctor you saw or what he told you, this Delphiro will do it for sure!”

Did it perhaps look like I had given up on life after being told how much time I had left to live?

Seeing the doctor’s motivation burning so intensely, it seemed certain that that’s what had transpired. 

As I stole a glance at Azelta, as expected, Azelta was also looking at me with her eyes drooping slightly. 

Uwahhh, no! I said no! 

But actually, it’s because my heart is surrounded by mana, and as long as my body gets better, I’ll be able to take care of my mana! I couldn’t say that. 

In the end, I nodded my head with a reluctant face.

“O-Okay.”

***

“This Delphiro will definitely do it!”

Delphiro was emphasizing that without even realizing it himself. 

A child should do whatever they want.

Begging for something they want with their outstretched little hand.

That was a child’s privilege. 

However. 

The appearance of a child who had given up on everything. 

Those eyes that seemed to want to go play and showed curiosity one by one. Even though it was clearly visible, this little young miss was diligently trying to hide it. 

It felt as if something was still tugging at his heart. 

That young child who had resembled the cherry blossoms that bloomed brightly in the spring in the inland, had struck his heart and burst into it. 

He was going to lead that little hand, to see what she wanted, and do whatever she wanted!

“If the young miss ever gets sick, even in the slightest, you have to tell me right away!”

Delphiro was burning with motivation. 

Upon receiving that gaze, Azelta realised the fact that he had already been fascinated by this small and pitiful young miss.

“I understand.”

Azelta replied. Then, she looked at Nassia. 

Azelta. 

She was once known as a maid of the Ether mansion. 

However, what she had done originally had been a little different. 

She had been the first to remove any foreign substances from the Ether mansion. 

That foreign substance could have been a person or a monster from the sea of ​​fog. 

Due to this, Azelta was sensitive to even the smallest signs of presence and was good at adapting to a variety of circumstances.

She had never thought that she was lacking in abilities, and had been proud to have been taken in by a master with such exceptional abilities like Duke Ether.

However. 

Now, Azelta’s confidence in her abilities was starting to waver a little. She recalled what had occured a little while ago.

‘It doesn’t hurt anymore.’

Having said that, Nassia von Ether, the little miss of this mansion, was throwing her a task. 

A small, fluffy hand like cotton candy seemed to touch her heart. The way she had tried to control her facial expression whilst saying it was okay was never that of which should belong to a five year old child. 

As if she had fallen into an enemy camp with no one to trust around her, the child was using those small hands to build a wall around herself.

“…”

Those pink eyebrows which were slightly inclined toward her nose had been drawn in a straight line. a straight line with the pink eyebrows slightly inclined toward the nose. Lips that were set firmly shut in a straight line. 

It was a determined expression, but… 

Those small puffy cheeks had disrupted that determination. 

Since she had suffered during her time at the Barony, unlike other children, she didn’t have much of a chubby face.

However, if she could eat more of the things that were delicious, rest well, and live like other children, those cheeks of hers would become chubby and plump as well.

‘It’s really okay.’

It was so cute to see her little mouth twitching when she said that. 

Azelta almost clutched her heart at her pitiful yet cute appearance. 

Originally, she had been Azelta, who didn’t trust anyone she had seen for the first time.

It was Azelta’s duty to eliminate the foreign substances in the mansion, as well as to doubt anyone and everyone.

However, everytime Nassia shook her pink hair, her own tightly locked heart also seemed to shake.

Heavens.

Without realizing it, Azelta shrugged inwardly.

‘Are all children like this? They aren’t, right?’

Although she had seen children of that same age since her friend’s younger brother had a child born to her parents in their later years, she had never seen the sort of child who could’ve caught her attention like that.

Just a little earlier. When Nassia’s twinkling brown eyes had looked up at her.

‘Azelta?’

A distinctly sweet voice, as if were a sweet candy rolling towards her, knocked on Azelta’s ear. 

It was a huge problem.

The moment those brown eyes turned in her direction, Azelta seemed to be able to grant any request. 

She was so cute that she made people soft and mushy. 

Heavens! It was a really, really big problem. 

Azelta struggled to regulate her own heart. Her duty was to doubt. 

Even though the Head has adopted her as a daughter, you must not lower your vigilance until you can withdraw all your suspicions. 

Her eyes flashed. She then asked,

“…Would you like some more candy?” 

Anyhow, it looked like she was screwed now.

[1] a huge liver refers to someone shameless, thick faced, not scared of dying.

---

OMG THIS CHAPTER IS LITERALLY EVERYTHING I COULD’VE DREAMED FOR THE FLUFF THE FEELS THE ANGST THE CUTENESS AHHHHHHH the way fl is misunderstood since she’s lived another life before and how much the doctor dephiro and azelta (bless them) are already smitten with her ASDFLKJDFSF

i might’ve shed a few tears when i read the line where dr delphiro said that a child’s privilege was to beg for what they want with an outstretched hand bc ugh YES you only have so many years of childhood before you’re forced to grow up, especially aristocratic kids with their fucked up families, best doctor goes to dr delphiro gn.

honestly i hope that fl is able to open up to the ppl of the ether duchy, pLUS I WAS LIVING FOR AZELTA’S FANGIRLING OVER NASSIA’S CUTENESS AHHHHH PLUS THE HUGE LOLLIPOP ILLUSTRATION THANK YOU BOBA FOR THE ILLUSTRATIONS HASDLFKJSDJDFS

tbh idk why i tled this all in one chapter, it was literally 4000 words but stupid me forgot to check whilst i was tling hASDLFKJDSFJ gn this whole chapter literally purified my angry soul after i tled reincarnating as my husband’s mistress AHHHHHH gn this series is so cute, enjoy ♡