HowDeadTL: Chapter 1 Part 8

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The Reincarnated Thirty-Something Woman’s Otherworldly Reform Life

[Encounter with Father]

Translated by: ME

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

It took me several days to read through the textbooks for both the lower and upper divisions of the Academy.

Whether it was fortunate or not, the content of subjects like the national language, arithmetic, and natural sciences was roughly at an elementary school level, or at best, a middle school level. One could say there was no real challenge to it, but it was very good to know that once I read them, I could remember everything without needing to review, and there were no problems.

For subjects specific to this world—history, geography, territorial administration, and law—it seemed I would need to learn them from scratch. However, since the expected academic level isn't particularly high, I think I can manage well enough for general knowledge by reading the textbooks a few times. After that, I can slowly work through the necessary related books.

However, I thought foreign languages would require a bit more effort, so I've been attending Countess Daphne's lessons more frequently for subjects that can't be fully studied from books alone, like manners or foreign languages.

As for the more cultural subjects like literature, poetry, and philosophy, in this environment devoid of physical entertainment, their textbooks have simply become enjoyable reward reading. It feels like reading novels, poems, self-help books, or essays.

And since they're a reward, the information enters my head on its own, even without me trying to memorize it.

Three months have passed like this. Time flies, and a season has gone by since I woke up here.

The season has imperceptibly shifted, about to change into autumn.

I've stopped thinking about whether or not I can return, and for now, I have no choice but to shift my focus to tackling the problems right in front of me.

Occasionally, my thoughts drift aimlessly—wondering how my family and workplace in Japan are doing, what happened to my apartment room... what happened to my body over there...

But thinking about things I can't change by my own will is, in reality, pointless.

If I don't concentrate on the things I *can* do right now, I feel like I might lose my mind.

***

Lately, it seems the maids have come to see me as an eccentric, "the kid who loves studying," and when I'm not infiltrating my brother's lessons, I've taken to holing up in the library.

I do bring books back to my room, but since taking out too many overly specialized books would arouse suspicion (though I'm already a sufficiently odd little girl), it's mainly to read them in the library.

Since I'm quiet, they probably use it as a break for themselves, and I'm grateful to be left alone, even if from a distance.

Being watched closely by someone all year round is suffocating.

***

Suddenly, I heard unfamiliar footsteps and the sound of the quiet door opening and closing.

A faint scent... a fragrance my memory recognized as Green Note... wafted closer.

(Who is it?)

Instinctively, I sandwiched the book I was actually reading between two dummy books and opened the top one.

The corner of my eye caught the realistically drawn illustrations of various beans on the open page.

「...Oh? Magnolia?」

His softly wavy, pale blond hair, like melted soft gold, was tied back. His slightly drooping, brown double-lidded eyes indeed gave him a gentle, refined appearance. Combined with lips that seemed perpetually curved in a slight smile, he even looked somewhat placid at first glance.

Marquis Gerald Silas Gilmore. Magnolia's father.

Perhaps due to his warm coloring, his elegant—not overly ornate—brilliance, and his soft features, the father I was seeing for the first time since the Japanese Magnolia awakened (?) looked younger than his age. As per my memories, he was quite handsome.

To put it in terms, he resembled a healing-type, handsome idol starting to gain a more mature air.

His voice felt slightly higher-pitched than expected for his age, yet it was a smooth, calm tone. A handsome voice. The quintessential prince voice, you could say.

(A father of two with a prince's voice! It's not the voice of an old man!!)

However, his beautiful brown eyes weren't smiling at all. Slightly narrowing his eyes, he let his gaze run over the books in Magnolia's hands, as if probing.

「...Father? It's been over three months. Good day to you.」

I performed a formal curtsy, lacing it with a hint of sarcasm.

He surely wouldn't think a three-year-old's words were meant sarcastically.

「How studious, reading books?」

As he spoke, he placed a large hand on Magnolia's head.

Despite his gentle appearance, it was unexpectedly firm, a thick, large man's hand.

Magnolia discreetly confirmed that the middle book—a legal commentary—was hidden, then turned her face back to her father.

「Yes. I'm looking at books about beans and vegetables.」

A gardening book.

I kept picture-heavy encyclopedias, the kind a child might plausibly look at, on hand for when Rosa or, just in case, anyone else came by.

「They look delicious. What else are you looking at?」

I pushed out the bottom book.

「...It's a flower book.」

This was also a dummy. I also had insect, animal, and fish encyclopedias on the shelf.

I looked through each of them a few times early on to learn vocabulary, but I haven't opened the one about insects since.

「I see. There are no picture books here, are there? Perhaps they're in Brian's room?」

「... It seems so.」

Since there were none in my room or the library, I had thought this might be a world without children's picture books. But they did exist.

Given to the eldest son, but not to Magnolia.

My, oh my.

It's a bit late to be surprised now, but that's incredibly blatant treatment (from an adult's perspective), huh. I cursed inwardly.

「Father, are you off work today?」

Trying to pull the old man's attention away from the books, I made small talk.

「I took leave from my duties at the castle... I have piled-up work concerning the territory, you see.」

He let out a small sigh.

「That must be difficult...」

I recalled the territorial administration textbook and the book on Territory Management I read the other day.

The Gilmore Marquisate, I'd heard, was relatively close, about half a day by carriage from the royal capital.

I wonder what it's like. Is it urban, or full of nature? Or perhaps an industrial area?

Being a Marquisate's territory, it must be huge.

Management probably never goes exactly by the textbook. I imagine that even if most of it is delegated, coordinating and supervising everything must be tough. I mused on these thoughts as if they were someone else's affair.

「…………」

My father in this world lowered his gaze, as if struggling with some thought.

Once again—I reaffirmed that he truly did not love his daughter.

His face, which was smiling just for form's sake, perhaps because he was dealing with a child and let his guard down, made it completely obvious that he wasn't smiling at all.

His light brown eyes held no warmth.

...Why does he dislike Magnolia so much?

(Did the previous "me" do something?)

The Magnolia in my memories was a vague girl who met and spoke with almost no one except the maids.

I think perhaps, due to having so little interaction with others, her emotional life had become impoverished.

And first of all, she's only three years old. She lacks the physical strength or ability to do anything "outrageous."

I wondered if she had broken important documents related to his work or some family heirloom, but after all, that heavy oak door to her room was impossible for a small child to open, even if she tried to go out.

She hardly ever went out. A child who met neither her brother, her parents, nor any relatives, let alone friends her own age.

————Was she under house arrest————?

「...You must be very busy. Please do your best with your work.」

I chased away the darkening thoughts for now. Whether I wanted to investigate in detail or get more deeply involved, I needed a bit more information first, so I gave a parting pleasantry.

「Huh?... Are you leaving already?」

「Yes. I mustn't disturb your work.」

He nodded, "Hmm."

「...When I have some time, shall we have a meal together?」

He showed a bright smile, but one that didn't reach his eyes at all, and placed his large hand on my head again.

***

Daisy, who had overheard the conversation, smiled happily and said, "You'll be having lunch with your father, won't you!"

Seeing her so delighted about someone else's affairs made me feel uncomfortable.

Well, I'm sure the maids find it strange too.

Daisy is a good, honest girl. If the little child she's involved with is treated as worthless by her family, she should be concerned.

(She must have been raised loved by her parents, I suppose.)

She believes that children are bestowed with unconditional love from their parents. She must be inwardly puzzled by the state of the Gilmore family.

But that belief holds true for the majority, not for everyone.

In reality, not everyone is overflowing with maternal or paternal instinct, and not all parents can shower their children with unconditional love.

Sometimes, even unconditional love can, over time and without the person even realizing it, transform into conditional love.

It's common for hearts to change without one even being conscious of it, due to common sense, life circumstances, or factors one takes for granted.

Distorted family relationships, sadly, exist in every era and every world.

They existed in Japan too.

(Fortunately, the lingering memory of being loved by my Japanese family—whose faces and names I can't recall—is my salvation.)

That's precisely why unconditional love is both beautiful and precious.

「No... I think it was probably just a social nicety. He didn't say 'today,' and he seemed busy.」

Magnolia replied with disillusioned eyes.

「That's not true at all! Even if he's busy, he would surely make time for a meal with you!」

Insisting earnestly, as if trying to convince herself since the Marquis himself had said it, she vigorously styled Magnolia's hair for lunch.

...No, no. If he would "surely make time for a meal," I think he would have done so within these three months.

***

Sure enough, when the time came, no summons arrived. Much later, Daisy, unable to bear it any longer, went to check. She returned, carrying the lunch that had been left for her in the kitchens, her head hanging in dejection.

At last, I've had an encounter with Father!

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