Chapter 1. I'm screwed! (2)
Chapter 1. I'm screwed! (2)
No,
No, no.
Not yet, yeah.
I haven't cut off the Parish Deputy's head yet.
The exact date wasn't given, but it must be a time infinitely close to the main story of the original work. I'm not a corrupted being yet. Just a bratty fifteen-year-old girl.
So, let's try to stay calm.
"......Your Excellency, Duke of Artena?"
Once again, that incredibly heavy title flows from their lips.
Can't I do something about that first?
Of course, by the laws of the Duchy and the Empire, it was standard for the title to pass directly to the legitimate heir after the biological father's death. Whether it's a woman or a man. Though there might be different cases after marriage.
"......Ah."
I swayed.
"Young Miss!"
Seeing me sway, the maid quickly ran over and supported me. Perhaps because she was in a rush, her form of address changed. Back to the one she used before. At least for me right now, that was a bit more comfortable.
But that comfort lasted only a moment.
Soon, my body began to tremble.
My head turned completely white, and my teeth chattered. Tears welled up in my eyes.
Right. Father died.
Yesterday.
Suddenly.
I loved Father. Isn't that obvious? 'Rosalyn von Artena' becomes a 'spoiled brat' raised under a 'great father'.
If I had to give a logical reason, there would only be one.
He was a father who was kind to those around him, competent at his work, and had good relationships with neighboring territories, but he had one flaw.
He cherished his daughter terribly. A bit too excessively.
He gave me everything I asked for. Even when he knew it was my fault, he covered for me. He turned a blind eye to the fact that my abilities weren't outstanding.
The title attached to the end of my name is the result of that. Großmeister des Blutrosenordens. A mere fifteen-year-old, a girl without calluses on her hands, who still sleeps hugging a teddy bear at fifteen, is a 'Knight Commander'. And a Knight Commander of an order created solely for that girl, at that.
......Right. Until the moment he died, Father truly loved his daughter with all his might. That is why 'I' clearly loved Father.
"......."
And, if I hadn't had the memories of my past life, which was a 'fully formed personality', I probably would have grown up exactly as that rude, overconfident self. And on top of that, even more twisted because of Father's death.
Fear and sadness.
Perhaps that is the reason I awakened the memories of my past life? Or maybe I'm just delusional from the shock of Father's death.
"Young Miss?"
At that voice, I slowly turn my head.
That 'eroge' was also a 'strategy game'. In particular, it was a 'grand strategy' that was ambiguous in many ways when it came to highlighting individual characters.
Naturally, the 'past life' me doesn't know about this maid's information.
But the 'current life' me does.
The niece of the highly renowned Parish Deputy within the Duchy.
Frida von Hagen.
One of the vassal families within the Hagen Barony Duchy.
The Hagen Barony is a family that has continued for quite a long time within the Duchy's long history. Since it is a family created by receiving a fief directly from the Duke, it wouldn't be strange to call them 'direct vassals'.
And a wonderful clergyman capable of being a 'Parish Deputy' was produced from that family—
And every time I saw that clergyman, I teased him by calling him 'baldy'.
As a bonus, when I talked to Frida about that uncle, I called him 'Uncle Baldy'.
"......."
He was a somewhat stereotypical clergyman who had shaved the middle of his head like a medieval monk, and I even said to his face, 'Aren't you just becoming a clergyman because it fell out anyway? You're not popular, right.' To someone who was one of the family's prides.
No, the hair isn't the problem here, is it!? What did I do to a representative of the Church!?
"......Hic."
Adding to that, I would swing my sword anywhere, claiming to be a Knight Commander, and broke expensive vases in the hallway several times.
And every time, I framed Frida for it.
"......Sa,"
"Sa?"
"Save me!"
"Ah, Young Miss!?"
As I shouted while clutching my head, Frida was extremely flustered. Of course she would be. Because she hadn't done anything.
The fortunate thing is that she seemed to view this as a kind of 'delirium'. At least she didn't seem to think I was trying to frame her for something strange again.
"Young Miss, please pull yourself together! Hey! Over here! The Young Miss is having another delirium......!"
That's right.
Yesterday, after hearing that Father had passed away, I smashed all sorts of things. Now I see it. Things are missing from where they should have been. They must have cleaned up the broken and torn items while I was asleep.
Perhaps because the memories came back so suddenly, it feels like a typhoon is blowing in my head. Various emotions are swirling around randomly. To the point where I can't control them at all.
My body, trembling almost as if in a seizure, was suddenly lifted up.
And I was laid down on the bed as if half-thrown.
"Knight!?"
I hear Frida's voice in shock.
"Lady Frida, your reaction is excessive."
A voice a bit low for a woman.
I know this voice too.
Erna.
The commoner-born Vice-Knight Commander. The person right below me, the 'Knight Commander'.
But—
Quite naturally, I ignored and looked down on this Vice-Knight Commander a lot because she was 'commoner-born'. If she hurt my body even a little during sparring, I would scream and yell, and make her swing her sword without rest until I won.
"......."
Hmm.
At this point, I'm actually becoming calm.
Of course, the sadness that rushes in when I think of Father remains, the immense skepticism I feel about my life in general remains, and I keep thinking that since it's come to this, wouldn't it be better to trust in the power of magic and attempt a reroll.
But at least I could judge calmly.
I am screwed.
"......I'm screwed......."
"Young Miss!?"
As I muttered while staring at the ceiling and shedding a single tear, Frida shouted.
It's probably because I used 'words a Young Miss shouldn't use'. Since she had scolded me for it many times before. She really is an amazing person. Even while being despised like that.
"......."
No, despised?
Despising the daughter of a baronial family right below the ducal family? Are you sane, past me?
I buried my face in the bed.
"Young Miss......."
The kind-hearted Frida called me pitifully.
"......Both of you, please leave."
I said.
A tone I had never used before. Two people who had never once made me feel afraid.
But now, the story is different.
There are only enemies around me. Enemies I created.
......Father has died, so who knows when I might die?
It's natural to be terrified.
Erna, the Vice-Knight Commander, seemed to turn around and leave the room without a moment's hesitation.
Frida lingered a bit longer, trying to say something, but eventually, with an expression that she didn't know how to comfort me, she answered quietly, "Then, I will take my leave," and left the room.
The door closed again.
"Ugh."
I felt a bit like vomiting.
What now?
What should I do?
Such thoughts kept swirling in my head. The materials I organized are still on the desk, but as things are now.
"......."
Perhaps, I kept doing that and fell asleep again.
*
Still, I have to hold the funeral.
What moved me was, nonetheless, the faint 'duty as a noble' inside me.
At least, isn't the person Father? A father who loved this kind of me with all his might.
I decided not to say things like that love made me who I am here. It probably isn't Father's fault. Probably. It must be the fault of my own nature. In my past life, I received over ten years of basic education and was able to develop a decent character, but in this world, it wasn't so.
......If it had been a peaceful era, I might have somehow survived with that personality.
But not in this world.
With Frida's help, I wore black clothes and attended Father's funeral with a black veil over my face.
Father, lying inside the open coffin, was sleeping peacefully.
What was the cause of death? I don't know. At least there were no external injuries, so he didn't die from being stabbed by something.
Natural causes? Just an unfortunate heart attack or cerebral hemorrhage?
Well.
I know what will happen in 5 years.
I know the fact that the Empire, which looked fine at first glance, was actually being eaten away by demons from the bottom up.
And, that the first thing they did was to erase 'loyal subordinates' and 'capable people' one by one. As background knowledge of that game.
"......."
Father was probably part of that culling too. The Duchy is sandwiched between the Empire and the Kingdom.
If so—
"......I must take revenge."
I muttered quietly.
Who heard it?
Well, at least this muttering was the muttering of 'Rosalyn'.
The muttering of Rosalyn, who would vent her anger and mutter profanities even at things that couldn't be found fault with. It probably wouldn't be a big problem even if someone heard it.
It's just that I said those words sincerely.
I don't know who it is. But, even if I die within 5 years.
At least I will catch that bastard— and get rid of them.
I swore to myself in front of Father.