Chapter 1. I'm screwed! (7)
Chapter 1. I'm screwed! (7)
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Throughout this life and my previous one.
I absolutely hated manual labor. In my past life, I was an office worker until I died, and in this life, I was a young lady of a ducal house, so there was no reason to move my body. I did do some training at my father's suggestion, but that was only in front of him; otherwise, I just lazed around.
But you can't escape the genes of a ducal family.
My stamina isn't exactly lacking. After all, I did do the training, and Rosalyn's body was incredibly healthy. I've never even had my figure ruined, so this DNA probably isn't from a normal human, but possesses some very fantasy-like attributes.
Come to think of it, they do say the family has dragon blood mixed in. It's in the game's settings, and in the knowledge I've learned in this world. It happened about 900 years ago, so there's probably only a drop or two of dragon blood flowing in me.
"Huu."
So, the reason I found cleaning difficult certainly wasn't because of my stamina.
To begin with, I didn't clean as diligently as the other maids. I'd hold the tip of a duster that I'd extended as long as possible, flicking it back and forth to dust, and if I saw a spider wriggling far away while clearing cobwebs, I'd freak out and jump. Then Erna, who had been watching anxiously nearby, would rush over and step on the spider or clear it away to get it out of my sight.
That's right. If I had to be specific, my role right now is closer to a nuisance than a help. If I had to be specific, I was just going through the motions.
It's a good thing I brought a bunch of maids in preparation for this kind of situation; otherwise, I might have just made more of a mess.
Plus, we arrived just before it became completely dark. Since it was time for the children to be quietly inside the orphanage, we helped clean the outside.
"Your Grace. I think this should be enough."
Father Arno, who had been watching from the side, spoke up.
Seeing the broom in his hand, it seems he wasn't just watching while I worked. Well, Father Arno wouldn't do something like that anyway.
"......."
I stepped back, still holding the duster.
I'm sweating for no reason. Rosalyn was horrified by the fact that she was sweating. Since she had a personality similar to a germaphobe, maybe she hated the sweat on her own body too.
But if I hadn't even worn arm covers, dust or cobwebs would have gotten on my arms, and I'd hate that even more. If I had to choose between the worst and the second-worst, there were no other options anyway.
"Thank you for your help."
Father Arno was the first to say that.
"Will this be of any help?"
I said, lowering the mask that had been covering my face. When I frowned, Frida quickly came to my side and wiped the sweat off my face with a handkerchief.
"The only thing this girl has done since coming here is just stir things up here and there. It's definitely not enough to be called a help."
"But you came all the way here, didn't you? At the very least, there is something people feel when they see that."
"Is that so?"
If Father Arno says so, it must be.
"Then, will I be able to go to heaven with this?"
At my snobbish question, Father Arno smiles bitterly again. Right. I know it's not 'like that'. If one could go to heaven with a single prayer or good deed, there would be no one in this world who wouldn't go to heaven.
"If it's not enough, I'll come tomorrow, too. It will be late, just like today."
"Your Grace. I don't know how many times you'll have to come."
I shrugged.
"But I can't just sit still, can I?"
"......My Lady. Did you arrive late because you were meeting with the mourners who came today?"
"That's right. Those who received grace from my father are as numerous as the ships floating on the Stella Maris flowing through the center of the Empire. Also, those who want to make various deals with the Artena Duchy in the future came to strike up a conversation with me while they were at it."
I curled up one corner of my mouth.
"And those who are measuring my value."
"There must be those who wish for marriage."
"That's right. I am the Duke of the Duchy, am I not? Even if I marry, I have no intention of changing the Artena family name, but there are many who think that's possible."
I let out a light sigh.
"There will probably be as many visitors to the Duchy as the time it takes to get here from the edge of the Empire."
There's an advantage to this, too.
Because those countless nobles visiting the Duchy will practically spend money like they're scattering it. Since the Artena Duchy, a vassal state, uses the Empire's currency, it's no problem at all that the incoming money is Empire currency.
And the Kingdom's currency, too. The currency itself is different, but the Kingdom also uses gold, copper, and silver coins. The Empire's magic coin, the Artifex, is not compatible with the Kingdom's at all, but if it's the currency below that, there's no problem in accepting and hoarding it.
"......."
And, Rosalyn was finding that fact very unpleasant.
It should be a procession of mourners, but smiles are blooming on the faces of the Duchy's commoners. Even if he was a respected Duke, he was ultimately the ruling class. If there's money coming in right now, and if the person above leads this land without any major setbacks in the future, they won't care at all who it is.
Perhaps that's one of the reasons why Rosalyn 'went wrong'.
"So, you mean Your Grace came here only after all the official meetings were over. You must be tired."
"I'm glad you understand."
I answered primly and handed the duster to Frida, who was next to me.
And only then did I remember that the Arno in front of me was Frida's uncle, and I shuddered. What kind of expression would Arno make if he saw me working his niece like a servant?
But Father Arno was lost in deep thought without any expression of being bothered.
"If the work is done, I'll be going now."
"Yes, Your Grace. Then I will be waiting for you tomorrow as well."
"I promised, so I will come. Though it won't be any different from today."
At least the way Father Arno looks at me has changed a little.
Good. Shall I continue to accumulate good deeds for a while like this? Later, when the Empire is taken over by the Demon King's forces, Arno will be one of the people who adds strength to the Church's forces and will be a person who can convey the undistorted situation.
While I'm at it, if the Saintess or the Hero comes, I'll have them meet with Arno.
Good. It's a perfect plan.
I thought about this while dragging my tired body back to the Lord's castle.
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Rosalyn came the next day, just as she had announced. However, at a later time than the day before.
Naturally, as before, she covered all her arms and legs.
Father Arno pulled weeds around the monastery with Rosalyn. Although Rosalyn's eyebrows twitched non-stop at Father Arno's words, she still pulled the weeds. She acted openly slow as if she really didn't want to do it, and handed the pulled weeds to the Knight Commander following her as if throwing them.
And the next day, too.
Perhaps because there were more people requesting an audience, Rosalyn came at a late hour the next day as well.
"It would be troublesome if a maid aimed for my neck."
The only people next to Rosalyn, who gave such a strange reason, were Erna and Frida.
Father Arno cut wood with such a Rosalyn. It was materials for repairing the orphanage bought with the five gold coins Rosalyn had handed over.
As soon as she heard what to do, she almost had a spasm, and although she looked like she wanted to say she didn't want to do it several times, Rosalyn did the work. She committed extreme sabotage and only made one wooden board during those few hours, but that wooden board could be used to repair the orphanage wall the next day.
Rosalyn came the next day, and the day after that.
Fortunately, there was always work that could meet Rosalyn's 'expectations'. Every time Father Arno gave her work, Rosalyn would have a fit, scream, groan, and pass most of the work on to the attendants who followed her—
—but anyway, she did the work. Sometimes using her own money if necessary.
The Rosalyn Father Arno knew was not that kind of girl. She was someone who would make all sorts of excuses to put off even studying scriptures, and treated everyone in this Duchy as if they were servants beneath her.
Such a girl is somehow 'volunteering' while grinding her teeth.
"Today, we are going to clean the latrine."
"Ugh."
It wasn't that she had seen the latrine herself, but just hearing Father Arno's words made Rosalyn retch.
Even Erna, who was by Rosalyn's side, and even Frida, who had come as a maid, had their faces stiffened.
However, Rosalyn herself—
"Fine!"
She shouted that, in a voice that was almost a scream.
"I'll do it, okay, I'll do it!"
And even just approaching the latrine, she would make a fuss, look inside once, run far away, come back, and eventually vomit all sorts of things on the floor, twist her body saying she absolutely couldn't do it, and shed tears from both eyes—
Even while making that fuss.
Somehow, she cleaned it up a little. Holding the tip of the cleaning tool that she had extended long, somehow.
Approaching Rosalyn, who had become exhausted after the cleaning, Father Arno spoke to her.
"Your Grace. If you have time, may I request an audience?"
When he asked that to Rosalyn, who was sitting on a table and chair brought out from the carriage by the servants, Rosalyn, who had eyes like a half-dead person, looked at Father Arno.
"......When?"
"Anytime is fine."
"Then come at a suitable time tomorrow. I will set aside the time."
Unable to hide her expression that she was truly sick of it, and looking as if she were afraid of what he would say next, Rosalyn answered like that.
"Thank you, Your Grace."
Father Arno bowed his head and answered.
Can the fear of death change a person that much?
Or is there something else?
Half out of pure curiosity.
Half because of the future of this Duchy.
Arno thought he should find that out.
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I had managed to turn Arno's thoughts around to some extent.
There was one problem.
The Rosalyn inside me was extremely hating and loathing Arno.
Until now, Rosalyn didn't 'loathe' Arno. He was an annoying human, and a human with a funny hairstyle. If it weren't for my memories of my past life, I probably would have thought he was nothing even now.
And since he was nothing, she probably chopped off the head of a man who was a 'Parish Deputy'.
Rationally, I know that Arno didn't make me do the work to torment me, but Rosalyn's personality is not easy. It was work she did because she said she would do it herself, but at the same time, she was burning with rage at 'Arno who made her do such menial work'.
......Still, it was bearable. I was relieved by that fact. At least Rosalyn had that much patience. If I didn't have the knowledge, I wouldn't have been able to endure it this much.
"Your Grace."
Arno, who entered the reception room at the appointed time, bows his head deeply toward me. He was much more polite than at the orphanage. It was a sign that he respected the Duke's authority, as it was the Duke's office.
"Would you like to sit?"
"Thank you."
When I said that, pointing to a chair, Father Arno approached. Frida, my personal maid, pulled the chair out slightly, and Father Arno sat down and said, "Thank you."
"What brings you here? Is there something you want to request?"
Is it about the orphanage problem? Maybe the cost of repairs was higher than expected.
"Your Grace."
Arno looked at me quietly and then opened his mouth.
"Isn't it hard to come out to volunteer every day?"
"Wouldn't it naturally be hard?"
Rosalyn said, as if throwing the words out.
"You made me do such things, didn't you? I almost died in the middle. If it wasn't for the fact that I said I would go and do it first, Father Arno's head might have been cut off."
No, what are you saying, Rosalyn.
Thinking about how 'sawayo' still pops out of my mouth, I was still scared of Father Arno.
To be precise, to the Church behind him.
But if I just vomit out my complaints like that, wouldn't all the good deeds I've done so far be over?
"So, you mean you were coming out forcibly even though you didn't want to, and doing the work because I told you to? And you're only doing such work because you're hoping for a reward in the afterlife."
"Didn't I already say so?"
"Hmm."
Father Arno paused for a moment and then continued.
"Do you think the volunteer work you did is hypocrisy?"
"Wouldn't it be? But if you put it that way, all the good deeds I do are hypocrisy. This girl has never done anything like a good deed. So I don't even know, and that's why I'm just trying to do good deeds somehow."
"Is that so. Does that mean it's an act you do out of a sense of duty, even though you don't want to."
Why is he saying this?
Ah, is it because of what I said earlier about openly not wanting to do it? Is he trying to say that hypocrisy is not very useful and the volunteer work I did was meaningless, so I should stop coming?
No, well. Honestly, it didn't help much and I caused more trouble, but.
I was wondering if I should change my plan, but Father Arno opened his mouth with a smile on his lips.
"Then my actions would also be hypocrisy."
"......I didn't hear you?"
"Because I am also taking care of the children even though it's not something I particularly want to do."
Father Arno said.
"Because I hate young children."
"Huh?"
I made that sound without realizing it.
No, I mean.
Is what this person is saying right now true? Is that something a person who has lived as a monk for almost his whole life and raised an orphanage for a long time would say?
What is he trying to say right now?