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The Reincarnated Thirty-Something Woman’s Otherworldly Reform Life

[Heading Towards the Future]

Translated by: ME

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

*****

For about three days after that, Magnolia and her party spent their time relaxing.

To rest their tired bodies, Magnolia took long naps, and in the evenings, they used the vacated kitchen and dining hall to make a new large jar of Sauerkraut each day, subtly staggering the completion times. She taught Dean his studies, and then she and Lily worked on patchwork together. Lily seemed to have greatly improved her skill, sewing quickly and finishing pieces smoothly. The skill honed through piecework at home was clearly not just for show.

During this time, there was no news from Paul or the Champmery, so she judged that they were waiting to see if there would be any dramatic changes.

——When I researched this in the past, I believe it was written that signs of improvement appear surprisingly quickly, but I investigated that a long time ago. Furthermore, there is no medicine; they are relying entirely on nutrition from food.

It is predictable that full recovery will take a certain amount of time.

(It would be so much easier if there was the internet...)

It was pointless, but she couldn't help sighing at the thought.

Since they were so bored, the three of them made the room sparkle.

They borrowed rags from the dorm mother and relieved their boredom by having window-cleaning races and comparing the sizes of the dust bunnies found in the corners of the room. The largest one was placed in a small box, with a piece of paper reading "Award for the Largest Dust Bunny in this Room" tucked in, and displayed on the ornamental shelf.

...A small act of spite directed at Ethan.

Hugo, sensing their need for distraction, kindly offered to guide them on a tour, but Magnolia refused, stating that their visit was strictly for treatment purposes. She suggested that Lily and Dean go, but they refused as well, perhaps out of consideration for Magnolia's feelings or in light of Ethan's past behavior.

In the middle of this, a messenger crow—not a messenger pigeon—arrived from Claude.

It perched on Hugo's arm during training, then walked over to Magnolia and Dean, who were practicing autonomously next to the training knights, detached the letter, and handed it over.

(I thought Grandfather's confirmation of arrival was awfully fast, but it was this.)

The letter stated that her actions were approved and that he would notify her as soon as he found out more, but he cautioned her not to let the situation escalate daily.

She somehow heard a massive sigh emanating from the letter, but she didn't want trouble either. When Magnolia pouted after reading the letter, Dean and Hugo smiled wryly.

***

Hugo was more than just impressed; he was astounded by the small Young Lady.

He had read the report afterwards, which contained speculation due to the lack of hard facts.

——The speculation was that since her existence was kept secret and she was ultimately taken in by her grandfather, she must not have been treated well at her original home.

Surprisingly, it seemed that the Margrave family itself had only recently learned of the existence of this mysterious toddler.

A spy named Gai, who specialized in stealth, happened to discover her and reported her existence. This confirms that her existence was strictly concealed.

She had just turned four the other day, but Hugo was surprised that she fully understood her current situation from the way she spoke, and yet she was not discouraged or defeated... he was astonished by her brightness and strength.

Even Ethan, it seemed, had revised his initial perception that she was merely a pawn sent to the West by the Margrave family.

He must have concluded that judging by the Young Lady's words and actions, she didn't seem to be manipulated by anyone.

——The question is, is there anyone who can manipulate her?

While she probably tries to take the surrounding situation and others' thoughts into account when acting, once she sets her mind on something, she will likely blast off, dragging everyone around her into the fray. Truly a member of the Gilmore family, both for better and for worse.

Excluding the childishness of her words when speaking, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was talking to an adult.

Yesterday, she seemed to have noticed him swallowing a sigh after a flare-up with his subordinate, and she gave him a look that was a mix of sympathy, pity, or perhaps shared understanding.

At the next meal, the dorm mother handed him a rabbit-shaped garnish carved from an apple, saying, 「This is for the Commander from the Young Lady.」

(A rabbit? ...It kind of looks like one, but...)

Was it just his imagination, or did the combination of a severe middle-aged man and a cute apple garnish somehow feel malicious if he thought too deeply about it?

...Indeed. Contrary to her cute appearance, this Young Lady has a real punch to her...

He looked closely at the skin carved to resemble pointed ears and the white part of the body, thinking it looked like a sheep that had just been shorn, and he bit into it with a wry smile.

He felt his face involuntarily soften at the crisp texture and the refreshing scent of the apple.

***

Unless the dining hall is full, Magnolia, Lily, and Dean make a point of eating in a corner.

This is partly due to the ease of tidying up, but also out of consideration for Ethan, who can watch them easily, and to observe the state of the garrison knights.

Complaints and grumbling are inevitable everywhere.

Whether the superiors work hard or the subordinates work hard, as long as people are gathered together, dissatisfaction will never disappear. Things that can be fixed are easier and faster to solve if they are nipped in the bud while small.

As she chewed and moved her small mouth, she could hear various whispers.

...However, the unit seemed to be well-managed. It appeared the Unit Commander, the hard-working man who played the fool, somehow maintained a firm grasp on the Western Garrison Unit.

Since they ate in the corner, knights who probably had children of similar ages would constantly bring over snacks and treats for them. They thanked them with smiles.

A smile costs nothing.

On one occasion, when asked her age, she showed four fingers while saying she was four. When she was praised for being good at it and smiled wryly, Hugo and Ethan, who had been watching from a distance, also smiled wryly. The facade of the toddler has completely peeled off for them, so they must find the sight of her being treated like a young child amusing.

It was during lunch on the fifth day since arriving in the West when a knight came to relay that a visitor had arrived and was asking about a desirable time for a meeting. She asked the knight to tell the visitor that if now was convenient, they could meet immediately, and if approval was granted, to guide them to any available meeting room. Though they should originally be received in the parlor, they were only borrowing this space.

She looked to Hugo and Ethan, who also nodded.

She furiously began stuffing and chewing her food to finish quickly, and the two who had already finished eating sat next to her with astonished looks.

「...You are a Young Lady, so you should eat slowly. Your cheeks are so puffed up.」

「Leftoverth are unforgivable!」

「What proverb is that from...?」

It was from a certain ninja anime. She nearly said it, swallowing it down with a mouthful of bread.

「We will go ahead and receive the guests. Please take your time getting ready and follow us.」

She could sense the underlying message: You are a Marquis's daughter, after all.

(My apologies...)

Lily and Dean sped up their pace to follow suit, but they were seasoned nobles, whereas Magnolia's spirit was that of a commoner. She finished eating at overwhelming speed, drank her tea, greeted the dorm mother, and returned to the two men.

「Thinth you thaid I can eat thlowly, pleath check if the Sauerkraut we made can be brought out when you are done, okay? Altho, I want you to bring the thmall jar for the thample, a plathe, and a few theth of forkth.」

Saying this, she followed the knight who had just come to inform her of the conference room's location.

Lily and Dean nodded while still chewing.

The disgusted faces of Plum, Sebastian, and Claude—who would think they all had terrible manners—flashed in her mind, but she promptly ignored them.

***

When Magnolia entered the room, four people were present: Paul and his mother, Ernest, and the accompanying gentleman.

Magnolia was truly relieved to see Paul, whose bleeding marks on his face and hands were gone, and whose complexion was much better, though he was still thin.

「Young Lady! Thank you so very much for everything!」

As soon as she entered the room, she hurried over to Paul and his mother, who had stood up and bowed.

「Thank goodneth! You've gotten tho much better!」

「Yes. We were astonished; he began to recover little by little starting the day after you taught us... We wondered if we should inform you sooner, but we decided it would be less troublesome for you if we waited until he had recovered somewhat and confirmed that the symptoms wouldn't return. Please forgive our discourtesy, and once again, thank you for saving his life. Truly, thank you.」

Paul and his mother bowed deeply.

Magnolia was overcome with a mix of profound relief and joy, and she couldn't find the words to answer.

「...Pleath raithe your headth. Let me thee your healthy face? Are there no painful partth anymore?」

「No...!」

Paul was also overwhelmed, his voice slightly tearful.

「Then, pleath continue the current dietary therapy until the unwellneth dithappeareth completely. If you thtop too thoon, the unwellneth might return. Unleth you eat an exceethive amount, the unnecessary portion thould naturally be exthcreted from the body, tho I think it would be good to continue the inthethtion for a while.」

Magnolia stated the precautions and took Paul's and his mother's hands to encourage them.

「I am truly glad you recovered. Those who were being treated on the ship have also recovered considerably, just like Paul. This is thanks to Young Lady Gilmore.」

Magnolia turned back to the gentle-voiced Ernest.

「That ith wonderful. I wath worried thinth I couldn't thee their condition... How ith the perthon with the thmofht thevere thymptomth?」

「Fortunately, he has also shown recovery, and has recuperated to the same level as the others who had early symptoms. So I believe he will soon return to his original state.」

Hearing that, she breathed a sigh of relief. She hadn't known how severe his case was, so she had been anxious about whether the same treatment would suffice.

「The Thauerkraut that we gave you firtht thould be ready to eat thoon, tho I wath going to thend a meththage to athk about the thituation. We have a batch we made afterwardth, tho would you like to take home what you need?」

When Magnolia said this, Ernest smiled and nodded.

「That would be a great help. Could I pay for the first batch and today's batch combined?」

「Yeth. We have three large jarth the thame thize ath the firtht one we gave you, but how many would you like to take?」

「If possible, I would like to take all of them...」

「Underthtood.」

Claude had written that since it wasn't yet formally commercialized, Magnolia could price it as she liked, but suggested she not price it too high and observe the market if profit wasn't the goal. It was meant to be a prototype, a sample, an experiment.

Magnolia showed him an invoice she had made, imitating the receipts she had received when shopping.

「Sincth thith ith not a formal chale ath a product, this ith what we athk for.」

Looking at the price, which covered the cost of ingredients and the vegetables and fruits she provided, Ernest frowned and looked troubled, but then he said something to his accompanying gentleman, took out his pen, and added one zero to the figure.

「!」

「We received extremely valuable information this time. Honestly, even this is not enough.」

「But, it ithn't a formal product yet...」

「That is exactly why. It is a product no one else knows about, isn't it? And one that cures Sailing Sickness. I can buy it for more than this, but I cannot buy it for less.」

Saying so, the heavy leather pouch was placed on the table with a jarrl sound.

As Magnolia pondered what to do, Lily and Dean entered the room.

「Thiss batch wath made on the chame day ath the firtht one we gave you. Ath you can chee, the cabbage incheid is yellowith, and the pickling liquwid is chlightly cloudy, indicathing lactic acthid fermentation, and thiss means it's complete. Pleath shtore it in a cool, dark plathce, not at room temperature. If you store it for a long time, if you divide it into chmaller portion with dithinfected clean jars and uthensilth and keep it from touching the air until uthe, it will be hard for germth to enter.」

While explaining, she opened a jar and portioned a little onto plates, handing them out to everyone in the room.

「If you don't mind, pleass taste it. Ath you can shee, it is done if it has an adequate sourneth. If it turns too brown or hass a strange chmell or taste, it is chpoiled and cannot be eaten. Eating it raw, ath a saide diss for meat or sausage or mithxed in chaladth, will keep the Vitamin C from being dethtroyed. Altho, it was sometimes used as an ingredient in soupth, but in that case, it ith best to cook it for a sort time to keep the nutrientth from being dethtroyed.」

Each person brought it to their mouths, checking the smell and confirming the taste.

「I see... It's delicious as it is, but it seems like we could arrange it in many ways.」

「It looks like a good snack with alcohol, too.」

「Since this is alcho a component that tends to be defichient in the ucual diet, I think it will help with health, not jusct preventing Chailing Chickness, even if you eat it regularly.」

Not only Ernest, but his attendant, Hugo, and Ethan were also impressed.

Magnolia met the eyes of Lily and Dean and smiled broadly.

「To be so delicious and also prevent or treat Sailing Sickness... We will certainly try to incorporate vegetables and fruits into the crew's diet from now on.」

「Yeth, I think thith is alco subject to fressness, tho I think it would be good to buy chome whenever you stop at a port along the way.」

「Thank you once again for your numerous valuable stories.」

Ernest bowed again and made a neat formal gesture. The accompanying gentleman also bowed his head with Ernest behind him.

「My thanks also to Lord Ducasse and Lord Berlioz for accommodating us by taking our circumstances into account.」

Hugo and Ethan returned the knights' salute.

Afterward, they handed over the Sauerkraut, and while exchanging pleasantries about whether the amount was too much or not, they saw him off to the carriage.

「I cannot accept any more payment, so please use this for your future business.」

「...Then, I will accept your kindneth...」

The matter was settled with Magnolia forced to reluctantly concede.

「Actually, I have received an order to return home from the merchant guild headquarters. I came to say goodbye, thinking we would not meet for a while.」

「My, ith that tho...?」

「Yes. We had delayed our return due to the outbreak of Sailing Sickness. Since recovery is in sight, we plan to return first and combine it with our report.」

「First?」

Ernest nodded.

「Yes. Those who fell ill are scheduled to remain here until their symptoms improve. I have instructed them to report the recovery status to Young Lady Gilmore and the Knight Order as well. If you need to contact me for anything, you can contact the Champmery anchored here, and while it might take a few days, arrangements have been made for me to receive the message.」

He was young but handled things well.

Magnolia watched Ernest off with admiration.

「Well then, Young Lady Gilmore, everyone. Thank you very much for all your help. I look forward to the day we can meet again, and please take care.」

「Mr. Ernetht and everyone at the Company, pleath be careful on your voyage home. I am looking forward to the day we meet again.」

Ernest got into the carriage and left with a smile.

「...An order to return home, huh...」

Hugo murmured while watching the carriage leave.

「Ith thomething bothering you?」

「No. The Champmery Company is definitely a large guild in Ignis, but I doubt he is really a merchant guild member.」

「Ith it hiss mannerism and speech?」

Hugo nodded at Magnolia's words.

「Well, one who travels between countries for work wouldn't be unusual for being proficient in many languages... but his manners and gestures are not things you acquire overnight.」

「He ith probably a noble. And a high-ranking one at that.」

「Most likely. Originally, the class disparity in Ignis is looser compared to the major powers.」

「...Diplomacy ith thuch a bother.」

Hugo laughed softly at her tone, which was one of genuine distaste.

「But you are in a position to bear that, aren't you?」

「No.」

Magnolia looked up with her crested ibis-colored eyes at Hugo, who was far above her.

「I am jutht Magnolia.」

She smiled, staring into his tawny eyes, which said nothing.

「If that were my plan, I wouldn't be here. Fortunately, the heir to the Margrave family ith Big Brother Claude, and the Gilmore family ith Big Brother Brian. The leading candidate for Queen ith Latdy Gardinia! I am free!」

Hugo watched the backs of the Young Lady, Dean, and Lily, who were walking fast—no, running—with a troubled expression.

「Alright! Let'th get this thtart-up going!!」

「「Ooh——!!」」

Under the autumn sky where withered leaves danced and scattered, the voices of the small Young Lady, the young valet, and the young maid, who had punched their fists into the air, echoed loudly.

(............Hey, hey, what are they planning...?)

The hard-working Commander, who had been indulging in an ephemeral moment of ennui, took long strides and chased after the trio, who had enthusiastically spoken of something dangerous.

*****

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