The Reincarnated Thirty-Something Woman’s Otherworldly Reform Life
[Interlude: The Worrisome Marquis's Daughter (Lady Daphne's Perspective)]
Translated by: ME
-Horizontal.jpg)
I am the Countess Daphne. In my youth, I served as a lady-in-waiting at the castle, but I left that post after my health failed following the birth of my second child.
Perhaps my postpartum recovery was not ideal, as I spent several years in poor health, but after recovering, I have been working as a tutor for the children of high-ranking nobles.
About two years ago, a request came from the Gilmore Marquis family to teach their eldest son, Lord Brian, basic knowledge, which I accepted.
The new king, who ascended the throne a few years ago, was blessed with a long-awaited royal child. This has triggered a rare early education boom across the country, particularly intense in the royal capital, with high-ranking nobles aiming to make their children the prince's confidants or the crown princess, and lower-ranking nobles aiming for them to be consorts...
Being four years older than the prince is a good age match, and as the eldest son of the Gilmore family, his entry into the prince's inner circle is almost certain.
Starting his education at the usual age of seven could even be considered a bit late.
—Well, considering he is the eldest son of *that* Gilmore family. Even if his education is delayed, perhaps the basics were covered beforehand, or he can easily catch up with astonishing ease.
The Marquis Gilmore family, known as the 'Martial Gilmores' and boasting a long history, is famous as a house that has produced generations of outstanding warriors. The former head, Lord Servas, now the Margrave of Azenda, is said to be among the finest commanders, even amongst the many warriors.
During the great war decades ago, he won victory after victory, and while still in his early twenties, he was called the 'Ever-Victorious Red Ogre' and the 'Demon General' due to his fearsome, overwhelming sword style, leading charges himself. This burly, red-haired giant, who seems unlikely to have been born from his ethereally beautiful mother, once praised as a beauty capable of toppling nations, was a very masculine, rugged-looking man, despite having quite handsome features upon closer inspection.
Contrary to his appearance, he was also known to be surprisingly scholarly and was a gentleman who loved music and art.
His son, the current Marquis Gilmore, Lord Gerald, is a strategist with a gentle-looking appearance inherited from his grandmother and mother.
He is a man who hides multiple schemes in his heart, and while not as strong as his father, possesses martial sword skills far surpassing those of the average knight. He is known as the 'Brain of Gilmore'.
It was said he might become chancellor one day, but he seems to lack ambition for promotion and has been evasively dodging such roles.
He calls himself the 'Ordinary Man of Gilmore', utilizing the fact that his younger brother, Lord Claude, adopted into the family at a young age, is called the 'Rare Genius' for his exceptional intellect and the 'Black Lion of Azenda' for his more-than-sufficient sword skills.
...The eldest son, Gerald, prioritized his role as heir so much that he simply put aside what he himself wanted to do.
Possessing similar exceptional intellect and sword skills, he hides his sharp claws and surveys his surroundings with cool, discerning eyes.
And then there is his son, Brian Chris Gilmore.
He is a lovely boy with his father's blond hair and his mother's lapis lazuli eyes—his mother being Lady Wisteria of the Burton Count's family, one of the so-called 'Three Flowers of the Social Sphere'.
As for his character... he is a 'perfectly ordinary boy'—easily bored, lacking concentration, and loving physical activity.
While he seems to have some talent for the sword, as befits a member of the Gilmore family...
...faced with a tutor for the first time, he showed visible nervousness, and his ability to memorize and ponder the material seemed utterly ordinary, rather difficult to call outstanding.
(...Well, it's probably just that those three are unusual, and this is the norm...)
Perhaps spoiled as the eldest son of a prestigious family, he is a somewhat arrogant boy who thinks himself special, though fundamentally honest.
Feeling slightly let down regarding the education of the Marquis Gilmore's heir, Daphne broke things down and proceeded to impart the necessary education.
The sound of a baby crying could be heard in the distance.
Brian turned his face towards the room where the baby was and sighed.
「......Annoying.」
「Is it a servant's child?」
Guessing from his dry tone, she asked, but the answer made her doubt her ears.
「It's my sister.」
Sister.
That would mean the young lady of the Marquis Gilmore family.
The top candidate for future Queen.
...She had never heard any news of a daughter being born to the Marquis Gilmore family.
Last year, there was talk in social circles when Lady Wisteria, unusually, did not make an appearance for about three months; it was rumored she was unwell.
She returned soon after, looking as healthy as ever, and the rumors died down, or so they should have.
Being naturally slender, her stomach wouldn't be very noticeable. By choosing her dress designs carefully, even if pregnant, it wouldn't be visibly obvious until quite late.
So, she must have stayed home for the noticeable final month or two and returned to society shortly after giving birth.
(She really does love the social sphere, doesn't she...)
She muttered deeply within her heart.
Even so. Calculating the timing, the child must be nearly one year old soon.
In this country's nobility, it's common to hold a grand presentation when the child is between six months and a year old.
(I wonder if there's some... inconvenience...)
Childbirth is a life-or-death matter. That goes for both mother and child.
One could say the child faces even higher risks due to lack of physical strength.
It's not uncommon for there to be accidents or inherent developmental issues.
In such cases, the presentation might be skipped, citing frail health.
「......Is that so? Congratulations. Is your little sister well? Does she resemble you, Lord Brian?」
When she asked cheerfully, he, who seemed bored with studying, latched onto the conversation.
「Nah. It's not really something to congratulate. They say her face resembles my great-grandmother. She has ibis-colored eyes. She cries a lot, so I think she's healthy.」
「————」
Ibis-colored eyes, and his great-grandmother—that would be Lady Azelia, the mother of Margrave Azenda.
His explanation was somewhat lacking in detail, but if taken at his word, a healthy girl resembling Lady Azelia would likely become a beauty surpassing her mother with ease.
The princess from the perished northern kingdom, whom her grandparents and parents all praised to the skies.
Lady Daphne's thoughts drifted to a far, far distant past.
After her country was destroyed and she was about to be confined in the harem of a certain country, numerous nations intervened.
A beauty capable of toppling nations, who literally stole the hearts of important figures from many countries across the continent.
Fearing the escalation of disputes over the former princess, it's said they gathered those who claimed 'I am the one' and decided her fate through a martial arts tournament.
The one who splendidly won the position of her husband, pushing aside the many fierce warriors, was the Gilmore Marquis of two generations prior.
However, the Marquis, considering her circumstances, told her after winning that she didn't have to marry him; she could hide secretly, or if she had nowhere to go, live quietly in his territory, and if she found someone she liked, she could marry that person instead.
Touched by the Marquis's kindness, the princess married him as promised, was blessed with a child a year later, and lived happily...
'The Knight Marquis and the Fairy Princess' is still a popular play.
It's unclear how much is pure reality and how much is mixed with fiction.
But she knew that, being petite with a youthful face, when standing next to her son, she was consistently said to look more like an older sister than a mother.
When Daphne was nine, she was invited with her mother to a tea party. Tired of the spiteful exchanges among the women, she sneaked away from the table. Walking through the Gilmore family's garden, she was startled to see large feet protruding from between some low shrubs.
Fearing someone was unwell, or worse, dead, she cautiously approached and found a large red-haired man sleeping soundly, snoring loudly.
(Lord Servas of the Gilmore family...?)
Despite being a noble, and the eldest son of a Marquis family at that, his sleeping form was audacious—sprawled on the ground, snoring loudly.
(So, while I thought he wasn't at the tea party, he was here taking a nap.)
She sighed involuntarily.
But he was a huge man. Remembering his mother, Lady Azelia, whom she had met for the first time earlier, she felt the mystery of life.
Lady Azelia, said to be thirty, was an ethereal woman who could have passed for her twenties, or even her teens if one underestimated.
Slender, delicate arms, a willow waist that seemed ready to break. A face one could call innocent without exaggeration. Hazy pink hair. A small face with large, ibis-colored eyes—
「Ser~! Servas—!!」
A voice like rolling bells could be heard from afar.
Just as she wondered if she should wake the man before her and was about to call out to him...
「Enemy attack!!」
With a low groan, the large man sat up with a start.
「Eek!?」
「Hm?」
Seeing the small girl before him, he blinked his unexpectedly gentle-looking dark brown eyes.
「...Oh? Did you escape the tea party too? Did you get lost?」
He laughed in a low, cheerful voice, stood up, and roughly brushed the grass from his clothes.
The height difference was immense... far greater than expected. She found herself gaping, craning her neck back as far as she could to look up at him.
「Ah—, Ser!」
He must have spotted the head that popped out from the shrubs. Hearing a voice tinged with anger, she heard a small 'Crap' from somewhere quite high up beside her.
「Hey! You, what are you doing, slacking off!?」
In a complete change from her usual greetings (though her voice was cute), Lady Azelia came running up, stomping loudly, and threw a full-force right straight into her son's solar plexus.
「Guh!」
「...!?」
Stunned by the unexpected situation, she covered her mouth with both hands, frozen in silent surprise. Lady Azelia then pulled out a stick-like object from behind her dress (Where was it stored?) and, jumping up, went *pokkon*, hitting Lord Servas on the head.
「Really! I hold a tea party for you because you only come home occasionally!!」
She kept jumping up, hitting him *pokkon, pokkon*.
「Oww, I said it hurts! ...Mother!!」
While complaining of pain and protecting his head with both hands, he continued to be hit without trying to evade, perhaps willingly accepting the scolding.
The tip of the stick had a decorative stone carved into the shape of a fist. Could it be...
「...A fist...?」
She inadvertently muttered. Hearing this, Lady Azelia, who had been scolding her son with her elegant brows sharply raised, stopped her upraised hand and peered over her large son's shoulder.
「My, Lady Daphne? What's the matter?」
She asked in a completely changed, gentle tone.
Surprised that her name was remembered, Daphne gasped softly.
「My apologies. Being unfamiliar with such events, I thought to get some fresh air in the garden. I got lost, and your son found me and was guiding me.」
The two looked at the small girl with surprised expressions.
It seemed she had quickly concocted an excuse to protect the young man being scolded before her.
The two exchanged glances, smiled slightly, and then—
「Is that so? It seems my slacker son was of some use, that's good. Are you feeling alright?」
The moment she confirmed Daphne's small nod, she looked sharply up at her son.
「Servas, please show Lady Daphne around the garden. If she seems recovered, please escort her back to the room, alright?」
「Yeees.」
Despite the polite language, the familiar interaction between the two, reminiscent of a commoner parent and child, made her blink in surprise.
Seeing off Lady Azelia as she hurried back to the tea party—
「Now then, little lady. May I have permission to take your hand?」
Bending at a ninety-degree angle to meet her eyes, he respectfully offered his large hand.
Hesitantly placing her hand on his, he gave a wry smile at their height difference as he straightened up.
「Hmm, a proper escort seems impossible.」
Servas, a giant likely over two meters tall, looked at the owner of the head that reached only to his waist, said 'Pardon me,' and in an instant lifted Daphne with one hand, seating her on his shoulder.
「Eek!?」
It was high. Incredibly high. She instinctively clung to his neck, then gasped and hurriedly let go.
Lifted as lightly as a piece of luggage—
「Now, could you indulge me a little longer for a break? Thank you for shielding me from the drill sergeant earlier.」
He smiled, relaxing his rugged mouth, set in a masculine bone structure, his shortly cropped hair reminiscent of a soldier's.
(...A bear...)
His calm brown eyes reminded her of the dark brown teddy bear in her room. A big, strong, but kind-hearted bear friend.
Striding leisurely deeper into the garden, an orangery came into view.
Reaching out as if familiar with the place, he plucked two or three oranges and offered one to Daphne.
「You must be thirsty? Can you peel it by yourself?」
His face, smiling in a playful manner so as not to frighten the little girl, was unexpectedly very sweet.
————Like an orange held in her hand. Refreshing, sweet, and a little sour.
It was the scent of a faint first love for a nine-year-old girl.
*****
After that, she never heard anyone speak of the Gilmore young lady again, and she felt inwardly anxious about the uncharacteristic behavior of the young Marquis Gilmore... until one day, the very young lady she was concerned about came flying into her view.
The young lady, now three years old, was a beautiful little girl.
She looked so much like what one might imagine Lady Azelia looked like as a child.
Perhaps due to little interaction and conversation with others, the sounds she made were clumsy.
But the content was unbalanced, completely opposite to the sounds—intelligent, with rational eyes.
Yet, in response to the small considerations Daphne showed, she would break into a delighted, beaming smile.
One could sense that the young Marquis was trying to distance himself from the Royal Family.
Now, when those with sharp instincts were gradually distancing themselves from the Royal Family and those full of ambition were scheming to get closer.
What would become of the little princess?
Perhaps her meddling advice to the Marquis was a mistake, as shortly after, she could no longer see the young lady.
(...Was speaking up a failure...)
The Marquis's daughter, confined deep within the mansion, behind a solid, heavy door.
The princess with her noble, exquisite beauty.
Would she be able to meet someone who, like her great-grandmother, would seize her away and risk their life to protect her...?
On such an autumn afternoon, when a certain lady was feeling heartache...
...The supposedly noble young lady, it appears, was internally cursing with coarse, unheard-of vulgarities, while seemingly starting to work out, aiming to smash that door down herself!
Thank you for reading. If you want to help my hobby please download and install LDP9 with my link down below. Just Click the small yellow LDPlayer Banner.
OR
Subscribe to my YouTube Channel
-Horizontal.jpg)
No comments:
Post a Comment