An Unforgettable Name
Today, as always, I sat down to a meal with Mother. Compared to a year ago, the spread laid out before us was considerably more abundant.
"Ta-da. A gift for you, Mother."
I smiled as I showed her the blue gemstone I had received from Lady Shari-one. It looked expensive at a glance, so I was certain it would help with the family's debts.
I thought Mother would be pleased—yet contrary to my expectations, her expression grew endlessly dark.
"…Tina. Lately, society has been calling you the Pet Young Lady."
"That's right. The high-ranking ladies all find me adorable."
Thanks to that, I had been able to receive all sorts of jewels and dresses I never would have enjoyed in my original lot in life. Of course I could not sell them right away, but in about three years I could dispose of them all and ease the family's debts.
"…You are my entire world, and it pains me to see others treat you that way."
Her sorrowfully sunken blue eyes clearly revealed that emotion. From a mother's perspective, it was a natural worry. Some people found me pretty, but others called me a spineless, servile creature. Mother must have disliked those gazes.
"Tina. This mother of yours will somehow work hard to pay off the family's debts… so I just want you to grow up properly."
"…"
A faint smile escaped my lips at Mother's incorrigible stubbornness. How could someone who already worked until she nosebled every day possibly work any harder? Really, Artasha was far too kind a mother.
I quietly rose from my seat and approached the opposite side where Artasha sat. Settling onto her soft lap and embracing her, her watermelon-sized breasts warmly enveloped my body.
"T-Tina. It's mealtime right now, so restrain yourse—"
"Don't worry, Mother. I don't care one bit what others say."
Being scorned was already something I was thoroughly used to. I had no pride left to wound in the first place, and even if it did put me in a bad mood, thinking of the jewels I had received let me laugh it off easily.
"And all the people who say bad things about me can't utter a single word in front of me. You saw what happened to the young master of the Crown Viscount family last time, didn't you?"
"…"
It had been one day at a ball. The young master of the Crown Viscount family had suddenly approached and confessed that he had fallen for me at first sight. I had politely refused, but his pride must have been wounded by the rejection, because he spat curses calling me a whore no different from a brothel prostitute.
To cut to the conclusion… that man would probably never appear in high society again. I had forced out some tears and run to Mardian, and a furious Mardian along with the other young ladies had delivered his punishment in my stead.
Since then, no one had dared to openly insult me to my face. Of course there were still plenty who sneered, but their gazes were none of my concern.
"You're worrying because you want me to grow up happy, right, Mother?"
"…Yes."
"But Mother. I want to grow up happy together with you."
I wrapped both arms around Mother's nape and pulled her toward me. Looking up with sparkling eyes, Mother's eyes trembled and began to greatly agitate.
"…Even so, Tina."
"Eit."
Peck.
I left a small lip mark on Mother's pure white cheek. Mother could not finish her words and briefly froze. At her dramatic reaction, I chuckled softly.
She always does this.
Even though I had given her cheek kisses any number of times, Mother still got greatly flustered every time I showed affection.
"T-Tina."
Peck— peck— peck.
I left light lip stamps on Mother's forehead, neck, shoulders, and ears—everywhere except her lips. Whether it was effective or not, Mother said nothing more after that.
"Please just bear with it a little longer. I want to pay off all the debts and live happily and prosperously together with you, Mother."
"…Haa, all right."
Success.
Mother, who had been looking at me with complicated feelings, reluctantly sighed and nodded. Honestly, I wondered if it was okay for me as a man to act so coquettish, but since it was Mother, maybe it did not count. Besides, I had never put my lips on anyone else but Mother.
With elegant motions, Mother twirled pasta onto her fork and held it out in front of my mouth. When I opened my tightly shut lips, she gently placed the pasta into my mouth.
"There's a banquet this week to celebrate the Third Princess's marriage. An invitation came for you as well, Tina, and since it's the imperial palace's will, it would be best to attend."
"Yes, then I should go."
If I fell out of favor with the imperial palace, no matter how much I was doted on, it would be over, so it was better to go if possible. And who knows—maybe I would receive another jewel this time.
"Since the necklace is a gift… it would be good to wear it to the next banquet."
Mother left a short kiss on my cheek, then hung the accessory in her hand around my neck. Briefly gazing at the blue gem shining at my throat, I beamed brightly at Mother.
"As expected, Mother is a genius."
"…My daughter."
I know why those high-nosed young ladies cherish Tina so much.
It is simple.
Just having Tina by their side is fun and joyful. Even someone as blunt as myself cannot stop smiling when with Tina, and when she shows me affection, my quiet heart is dyed with happiness.
And the other young ladies must feel this emotion the same way. That Tina's appearance is beautiful and her personality is lovable is an objective fact that anyone would unanimously resolve upon.
But she is excessively beautiful.
That worried me as a mother.
Originally, I never had such worries.
But around a year ago.
From a certain moment, Tina's personality completely flipped. The child who was originally quiet and of few words had now become a seductive yet lovable woman who sometimes made even me, her family, get flustered.
Tina said she matured after reading a book about a mother's love, but what kind of book would one have to read for a person to change so mischievously?
So I was afraid.
Right now the other young ladies look at Tina with the gaze of looking at a pretty and pitiful animal, but one never knows when that favor might turn into lust.
Even I sometimes get so captivated by Tina's charm that I forget she is my daughter—how much more so for the young ladies.
And at that time, would Tina really be safe from the hands of those high-ranking people?
"…I need to work harder."
I clenched my fist and steeled my resolve.
Just paying off this mountain of debt as soon as possible was the only way for Tina's and my happiness.
"Whoa… amazing…."
I muttered softly as I blankly stared at the banquet hall. It was on an overwhelmingly larger scale than any ball I had attended so far. Everywhere was filled with shining gold. Various musicians were displaying their talents here and there, and one by one famous nobles were dancing in time with them.
The interior was so splendid it felt radiant, and the ceiling sparkled with countless golden star shapes resembling stars. At the center of the banquet, a gorgeous chandelier boasting its brilliance was surrounded, and the candles on the chandelier brightly lit the space even in the middle of the night.
…So it really is a place toasting the princess's wedding, huh.
The imperial family is not the imperial family for nothing. How many places in the empire could hold a banquet of this scale? I wondered if I would have been happy if I had transmigrated as royalty. But thinking carefully, then I would not have been able to meet Artasha, so that was out.
"Tina."
A familiar voice flowed into my ears. I immediately put a smile on my lips and turned my head. Brightly shining red eyes were directed at me. The woman had sharp eyes, but that further highlighted her charm as a villainess.
"Lady Mardian!"
"Fufu."
Without hesitation I ran into her embrace. Mardian accepted me with a shallow smile and embraced me with both arms. In that posture, she gently stroked my head, then brought her mouth close to my ear and whispered softly.
"Come out to the garden later."
"…Yes."
At her sticky voice, my body instinctively trembled. Mardian smiled seductively at my affirmation, then roughly squeezed my butt once in secret and walked out as is.
"Ugh…."
This sadistic villainess.
She's probably going to do that kind of thing again.
Not even a pervert, seriously.
Annoying.
If I had transmigrated as a high-powered royal, the one writhing under me would have been Mardian. But the reality was that I could not.
And I could not even hold a grudge separately. The reason I could survive like this in high society was entirely because of Mardian's active support.
So just endure a little.
Physical pain is momentary anyway. All the acts Mardian had done so far were harsh, but not unbearable.
It would be the same this time.
I took a short breath and opened my eyes brightly. Rather than standing still like this, it would be better to greet the young ladies I knew.
While I was exchanging hugs with the young ladies who welcomed me, that was when it happened.
From a certain moment, I could feel that the surrounding atmosphere was unusual.
Looking around, everyone regardless of age or gender was murmuring while looking at the hall's entrance.
I followed their gazes to the entrance. The huge hall doors plated in gold opened, and the knight guarding the front lowered his sword into a formal stance and shouted loudly.
"The Young Lady of the Merdelia Ducal House enters!"
With his words, a woman appeared from the entrance. She was clad in a dress dark as the night sky, her hair dyed jet-black, and her eyes radiated amethyst light.
The woman who suddenly appeared in the banquet hall immediately captured everyone's gazes. Even though the woman was simply walking, an unconcealable nobility and an aura that one dared not approach were seeping out.
Tension, respect, wariness, jealousy.
While the nobles looked at the woman with various gazes, I blankly blinked my eyes and repeated her name.
"…Merdelia?"
It was a far too familiar name.
A name that could never be forgotten, either.
Viviana Merdelia.
The sole descendant of a Ducal House who had reached the pinnacle of swordsmanship.
A monster who swept away enemies with overwhelming martial prowess.
A figure who would later be born as the empire's hero.
Or who would bring about the empire's destruction with her own hands.
And.
One of the two protagonists of the game Princess Raising Simulator.