High Autumn Skies and an Unpleasant Encounter
The sky stretched high and clear, carrying a cool breeze from afar that brimmed with the rich scents of well-ripened grains and fruits. Autumn had arrived.
Once again this year, the territory enjoyed a bountiful harvest without any major accidents or incidents. A sense of ease and peace flowed so gently that even complete strangers felt comfortable sharing a piece of fruit or a loaf of bread.
“Phew… I can finally breathe a little easier.”
Father had been incredibly busy, organizing festivals to ease the accumulated toil before the harvest and preparing all sorts of provisions for the coming winter, all to let this pleasant atmosphere linger a while longer. Yet he accepted it as perfectly natural and worked without a single complaint. The sight filled me with genuine respect.
The old saying claims that when the officials handling state affairs are busy, the people beneath them can live comfortably… I couldn’t quite remember where I’d heard it in my previous life, but it made perfect sense now. Mulling over that ancient wisdom, I busily brought another spoonful of the even more abundant and luxurious dessert to my mouth.
Under those high skies, the season in which not only horses but people too put on weight drifted by at a leisurely pace. Then an invitation arrived from a noble whose lands bordered the Lorelei Territory.
“Well, this is… It looks like I’ll have to make an appearance this time.”
Father’s face showed clear annoyance after reading it. Though it was nominally a gathering to celebrate the year’s rich harvest together, he immediately saw it for what it was: an opportunity for the eastern nobles to network and strengthen ties.
I smiled at the sight. Father was a noble who took no pleasure in extravagance or in exchanging idle chatter with his peers.
“Then it would be best if we all went together.”
“I suppose that would be wise.”
I had assumed the matter had nothing to do with someone as young as me, but I blinked in round-eyed surprise once I caught up to my parents’ conversation a beat late. Mother turned toward me, reached out, and gently stroked both Rene’s hair—as she remained focused on her dessert—and my own. She added that it was about time we began meeting other nobles and their children.
“Ahem. Since we might cause some kind of accident, it would be safer for us to simply stay home and guard the house…”
“Hehe, René. There’s no need to overthink things like that.”
It might have been prejudice on my part, but the idea of noble children being spoiled rotten and utterly lacking in manners made me try to quietly slip away. Mother simply offered a soft smile.
She said it was only natural for young children to get into mischief, and that she trusted the two of us not to cause any real trouble. All sorts of objections rose in my throat, but when I saw Rene’s eyes sparkling with excitement beside me, I quietly nodded instead.
“In that case, we should go tomorrow to have dresses fitted for the party.”
“Ugh… Can’t I just wear something decent I already have?”
Learning that I would have to dress up for an event I already disliked made my face twist in distaste, but Mother’s answer was crisp and left no room for argument.
With nowhere left to run, I finally surrendered and accepted it.
“Lady René, it would be nicer if you dressed up a little more…”
“This is plenty. Really…”
The next day, after breakfast, we dressed with extra care and climbed into the carriage bound for town. The large ribbon decorations and cumbersome clothes had put me in a foul mood, but that vanished the moment I saw the bright faces of the people passing beyond the carriage window.
“Did you see something fun?”
“It’s just that everyone walking by looks so cheerful.”
Rene, who had immediately taken an interest in me, broke into a bright grin that mirrored my own smile. Mother watched us sisters with an affectionate expression, then had the carriage stop at a suitable spot rather than ride all the way to the shop. She walked with us through the lively streets filled with easy laughter.
“Whoa… There are so many people.”
Rene looked around in open wonder, saying it was her first time walking through streets like this. A few steps behind us, the servants and a sword-bearing escort knight followed, but I gripped Rene’s hand tightly—her face was overflowing with curiosity—just in case.
On the way to the shop, passersby recognized us at once from the color of our hair alone and bowed their heads respectfully. We returned the gestures with slight nods or raised hands, then continued sightseeing the festival-bustling streets until we finally stepped into the clothing store that was the goal of our outing.
“Welcome. We’ve been expecting you.”
The owner greeted our mother and daughters with impeccable politeness. Apparently informed in advance, she promptly brought out the prepared fabrics and displayed them.
“This fabric was imported from the south. Once it’s made into clothing, the texture is truly wonderful.”
“Let me see… Oh, it really is soft and lovely.”
Since we were the ones who would wear them, I paid proper attention while choosing the material, then selected the dress designs.
“René. Don’t you think this one is a bit too plain?”
“I like this one.”
Even though my body had become that of a girl, the experiences of having lived as a man in my previous life still lingered. I had no desire to wear frilly, ostentatious clothes for everyone to gawk at, so I stubbornly chose the simple design.
When I refused to yield, Mother let out a short sigh and respected my decision.
“But Rene and I are twins. Is it really necessary to measure us separately like this?”
Later, while the owner took our measurements with a tape, Rene tilted her head in confusion. The owner gave a wry smile and explained that even twins could have differences. Only then did Rene nod in understanding and fall quiet. Mother stroked my hair with an expression heavy with meaning.
The following days passed without incident. When the ordered dresses finally arrived at the mansion, we tried them on ourselves to make sure nothing felt strange or uncomfortable.
“Haah… As expected, there’s more satisfaction in dressing up girls than boys.”
A few decorations that hadn’t been present during the fitting felt slightly annoying, but the dress itself was wearable enough. Mother watched Rene and me with a deeply satisfied smile.
From there she began deciding which hairstyles would best suit the dresses, and she kept us changing outfits until the sun had completely set. We experienced firsthand what it felt like to be living dress-up dolls.
“It looks wonderful on you.”
“Mother. Isn’t this a bit too short compared to the ones for Rene and René?”
“How splendid.”
“…Thank you, Mother.”
Next, the formal suits Arlan and Aran would wear to the party arrived. We climbed back into the carriage and set off for the neighboring territory where the event would be held.
Beyond the window we saw farmers already preparing for next year’s crops, children running about with bright laughter, and hunters striding proudly with well-fattened game. The autumn scenery of this other world was so pleasant that I never felt bored. When we reached the neighboring territory, its unexpected splendor left both Rene and me wide-eyed.
“We are truly delighted that the Marquis of Lorelei has come.”
“Not at all. I must apologize for being so busy that I rarely show my face.”
Upon arrival, we took rooms at an inn. That evening the friendly-faced Count visited, and we exchanged simple greetings. The white-haired, elderly Count suggested we stay at his mansion instead of the inn, but Father politely declined, saying we could not remain long and did not wish to impose.
“Then I shall see you at the party.”
“Yes. Thank you for coming to greet us.”
After the courteous exchange between Father and the Count, the fatigue from the long carriage ride caught up with us. Rene and I fell asleep as if we had fainted.
Once we grew tired of lounging around the inn, Rene spotted Aran heading out with a few escorts and servants. Her eyes lit up, and she immediately began pestering Mother, saying she wanted to explore outside too.
“René said she wants to go out as well!”
When Mother showed no sign of giving permission, Rene dragged me into the matter. I widened my eyes in surprise, but she neatly ignored my reaction and continued whining. In the end Mother, unable to withstand the pressure, allowed us to go—on the strict conditions that we stay close to the servants and escorts and return before sunset.
“Yay! Thank you!”
Watching Rene jump for joy on the spot, I could only sigh and begin preparing to head out.
We changed into the most decent clothes we had brought and left the inn. The different atmosphere from Lorelei Territory quickly captivated us, and we wandered here and there, taking in the sights.
After walking for quite a while, we rested our tired bodies on a bench. Suddenly, voices from not far away made us turn our heads reflexively.
“How dare a wretch like you soil my clothes?”
“I swear I didn’t do it on purpose… Ack!”
Good grief, how can they look like such perfect extras?
Maybe it was because this world was based on a novel. A group of children who, from their clothes and behavior, were clearly young nobles were picking pointless fights and harassing passersby. I clicked my tongue inwardly.
These were exactly the sort who would grow up to become third-rate villains at the academy that served as the story’s setting—brats who relied on their meager status to act arrogantly and eventually get crushed. While I was lost in such idle thoughts, one boy with a face so sour it looked like it had been drawn that way ordered what appeared to be a servant or guard to drag over a child much smaller than himself and hurled the poor thing to the ground.
“No, that’s…”
No matter what, treating a young child like that was unacceptable. I frowned, ready to step forward—when Rene, who had already hopped off the bench, strode briskly toward the commotion. The rest of us quickly followed after her.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing!”
Ignoring us completely, Rene raised her sharp voice at the group of troublemakers.
The ill-tempered little brat and his followers whipped their heads around at the unmistakable tone and narrowed their eyes at us.
“Wait, that hair color… Gasp.”
“Who are they? Do you know them?”
“Y-young master, we should leave this place immediately.”
“Why should I run away…”
“If you don’t go right now, you’ll be in serious trouble.”
A few of them had quickly recognized us by our hair color and were already slinking backward. The others tried to signal them with footsteps and awkward coughs, but the densest ones failed to catch on. Instead they smiled with nasty glee, as if they had discovered a brand-new toy.