HowDeadTL: Chapter 1 Part 18

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The Reincarnated Thirty-Something Woman’s Otherworldly Reform Life

[Noble Customs and Etiquette]

Translated by: ME

Treat me to a Ko-Fi to give me more motivation!!!

Lately, Rosa has started directly telling me not to leave my room too often.

Probably one of my parents, or maybe both—I don't know which—gave the order.

They say it's because it's the changing of the seasons and they don't want me to catch a cold, or other such contrived reasons.

But it's definitely a lie. Way too obvious~.

Maybe my scurrying around to the garden, the kitchens, and the servants' quarters was an eyesore, or perhaps there's someone they don't want me to be seen by.

「Keeping a child locked up in her room... it's bad for her health,」 she sighed, looking up at the clear autumn sky.

***

「Good day, Lady Magnolia.」

Lily arrived today in casual clothes.

Her floral-print muslin dress was very cute.

With her plain features and twin tails, she looked like she'd jumped right out of the American frontier era.

「Good day, Lily.」

I got down from my seat to greet her.

...For some reason, I upset Brian, so our sibling tea parties were canceled. Using that as an excuse to have someone to practice with, she occasionally comes to visit my room.

Honestly, turning a blind eye would probably be better for her sake.

She's a girl with a strong sense of justice, kind to the young (physically, not internally).

Since Lila is on duty today, it seems we can enjoy our conversation without worrying about the content.

「Aren't you scolded by Mother for coming sho often?」

「The Mistress has her favorite maids. She doesn't pay attention to the schedules of low-ranking maids like me~,」 she said, laughing cheerfully.

We savored the delicious tea and the head chef's special sweets while she told funny stories about her siblings, and I talked about the book on etiquette I recently read.

Apparently, at proper tea parties, they discuss art, social news, economics, and how to deal with rival factions.

But Lily was impressed by Magnolia's conversation, which seemed beyond her three years.

「You're very knowledgeable about many things, Lady Magnolia.」

「It's nothing much. There are things you can't undershtand from books alone. Speaking of which, I read about it, but I don't get the concrete example. For inshtance, what exactly do you need to prepare for a 'debut'?」

She was learning while she could—just in case she suddenly had to do it (though she doubted she would). Didn't it happen sometimes that people acted meanly, demanding you do things you hadn't even been taught?

Like, if a brother was born, being made to handle all the preparations single-handedly, directing things from behind the scenes. And if you failed or messed up, you'd be picked on relentlessly.

Both Lily, who was asked, and Lila, who was serving tea, stiffened for a moment.

Oh? Seems she'd touched on a forbidden topic.

「...Well, most debuts are held by the child's first birthday. You prepare luxurious celebratory clothes for the baby. You invite close relatives and families you are likely to associate with. For high-ranking nobles, who have many social connections, the number of guests tends to be quite large...」

「I shee. So it's a dinner party format?」

「No, since the baby is the center, it's usually a luncheon. For guests coming from far away who cannot return home the same day, a dinner party might also be held in the evening.」

「I shhee.」

Well, that made it perfectly clear why *she* hadn't had one.

...Not to mention the cost of Brian's debut party she had copied down recently, the effort and time required were enormous.

It didn't seem like the kind of event you'd hold for a child you wanted to keep locked up & were stingy about.

She had thought of it like the Japanese *Shichi-Go-San* ceremony, but its importance seemed to be on a completely different level.

「What happensh if you don't have one?」

「...Well... Since nobles understand its importance, 'not having one' is generally unthinkable. So, people would assume the reason must lie with the child.」

Lily answered with a dark expression.

So, since parents normally wouldn't skip it, the assumption would be that the child had some flaw.

「I shhee. What happensh to children like that?」

「For example, some whose weak bodies become stronger might have their debut later when they are older. Those who... seem unlikely to improve might live quietly on the family estate, or be educated in a monastery. For girls, they might be married off to a distant place.」

I see, I see.

「I think I heard that 'getting married from a monastery' ish considered a flaw itshelf?」

「Yes. Even if educated at a monastery, normally one would return home before marrying. So, marrying directly from there would be seen as proof that one cannot return home...」

Huh.

「I shhee~. Even jusht the debut alone involves a lot, doesn't it?」

「Yes... I believe it's a very important matter.」

Lily thought for a moment, then asked in a small voice.

「Lady Magnolia... you haven't received any formal education, have you?」

「I'm jusht learning shome shimple sewing from Rosa. I've ashked her to teach me shome mannersh too, a little.」

As she listened, Lily nodded softly several times.

「In Ascald, formal education usually starts around age seven, so it's not particularly strange that you, being only three, haven't started yet. Generally speaking.」

「Is that sho?」

「Yes. But, well, there's the matter of appearances. The higher the noble rank—Count and above—the more opportunities one has to go to the palace, and the higher the cultural accomplishments expected. So, the current situation is that many start early with dance, music, foreign languages, and manners.」

Magnolia nodded, urging her to continue.

「Moreover, since the Crown Prince was born five years ago, high-ranking noble families have been competing to focus on education.」

Ugh. Could it be she's the same age as the Prince...?

Sensing new troubles ahead, she unintentionally furrowed her brow.

「Young Master Brian seems to be receiving the standard education... Considering that and his work situation, perhaps the Master has some plan in mind...」

「Work shituation?」

「Yes. Initially, the Master was strongly expected to be assigned to the administrative department. But, citing his territorial duties, he... requested assignment to a... less demanding post... The Gilmore family traditionally served extensively in military affairs and held key positions. The fact that the Gilmore head chose a civil official post was surprising enough, but since he was also known to be very capable, everyone thought he would likely become Chancellor someday.」

Whoa, so Father was a much bigger deal than she thought.

And Lily was more well-informed than she imagined.

「Well, his official service and inheriting the family headship happened almost simultaneously, and since he was young, people apparently accepted that it must be difficult for him. But the palace was in an uproar over the adjustments, and honestly, it seemed quite unexpected...」

「You're very well-informed, Lily.」

「It was a shocking event among my parents' generation. Also... my father is a lower official in the personnel department.」

「Oh... I'm causing trouble for not jusht your Mother, but your Father too...」

She understood.

Lily gave a wry smile.

「Somehow... he might not intend it that way, but...」

「But what? It's okay.」

Lily seemed to hesitate, her words vague.

「I think... the Master might be trying to distance himself from the Royal Family.」

「Distanche...」

Yes, Lily nodded slightly.

Hmm...

「...Are there any young ladiesh from Duke familiesh who are around the Prince'sh age and could marry him?」

「Currently, the only unmarried children in Duke families are males. The others have married into influential foreign families or into domestic Marquis houses. Well, more could still be born.」

「Then, who are the shtrong candidatesh for the Prince'sh conshort now?」

Lily held her breath before answering.

「By family rank... I believe it would be you, Lady Magnolia... but...」

「I'm hidden.」

「Yes.」

「And the next?」

「The head of the Marquis houses—the Steizen family's Lady Gardinia, I think. She is one year older than you.... I've heard her family, already looking ahead, is providing her with consort training.」

Magnolia carefully considered and pieced together everything she had just heard with the current situation.

「Our family rank... isn't the Gilmore family fourth among the Marquises?」

「Ah, that's true on paper. But effectively, the Azenda Border County is also part of the 'Gilmore family'... so in practice, the Gilmore family is treated as equal to a Duke family.」

Good grief.

It seemed there was a troublesome hierarchy even within the same rank. According to the 'Noble Directory' (which was like a noble registry), the Gilmore family was listed fourth among Marquis houses in the Ascald Kingdom. So, while they might have avoided an official promotion in rank on paper, in reality, they couldn't escape the equivalent status...

A Border Count is actually considered equal to or higher than a Marquis, not a regular Count.

So both are daughters who should have the backing of a powerful Marquis house (or its equivalent or higher)... If it became known that one was deliberately prevented from having a debut, forget public opinion, were there any penalties? Probably not?

...This is... It seems she's been dragged into a more troublesome situation than she thought.

*(Wait, does this mean if I'm found out, I'd be in a slightly dangerous position?)*

Surely Father understands this and is hiding her deliberately.

Does Wisteria just dislike her so much that she'd skip the debut on a whim (she hoped that wasn't it)?

He's making a conscious choice, right (she hoped so)? ...Father, if your wife doesn't seem to understand, you *are* properly explaining it to her, right??

She had a really strong预感 (premonition) that if they were discovered (and her parents suffered for it), she'd be intensely resented (by Wisteria).

And Lord Gerald, intending to avoid all that, must absolutely be planning to do *something* regarding Magnolia.

「…………」

「Lady Magnolia?」

「Ah, yes. I think I need to rethink my future plansh and how to deal with thish.」

「「…………」」

Even Lila, who had been strictly playing the wallflower until now, seemed unable to avoid reacting to Magnolia's words. Both women were dumbfounded and frozen for a moment.

***

I mean, it's basically confirmed I'm under house arrest, right, Dad?

If he wanted me dead, he'd have done it long ago, so he probably intends to keep me alive.

—Then why go through all this trouble?

—Because there's a return, a benefit, that outweighs the trouble.

He turned his back on a path that could have led to Chancellor. He's crushing the possibility of his daughter becoming the Crown Princess. As Lily said, he probably wants distance from the Royal Family. That's almost certain.

*(Well, maybe he thought I seemed like a spaced-out idiot, unfit to be Crown Princess. But what's the reason for skipping the debut, a noble's common sense, even at the risk of the family's complete loss of face? Is there a reason to avoid the Royal Family to that extent? Or am I bait to gain some powerful advantage?)*

...That damn bastard of a father~~ (Angry)!!!

I really want to punch that smug face of his!

「「Lady Magnolia... your face... it's making a terrifying expression...?」」

I mean, who can I even consult about this?! There's no one. Absolutely no one.

The road ahead is fraught with difficulty. I'm completely lost in a fog. Isolated and helpless, surrounded by enemies on all sides!!

Didn't someone say God doesn't give you trials you can't overcome?

How the heck am I supposed to solve this problem??

*(This is way beyond what a three-year-old can handle...)*

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