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The Reincarnated Thirty-Something Woman’s Otherworldly Reform Life

[Meanwhile, in the Royal Capital]

Translated by: ME

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

*****

Gai’s crow arrived right in the middle of a tremendously tedious job—the kind I’m summoned to the Royal Capital to perform once every few months. Like me, Gai uses crows for communication. They are intelligent, difficult to capture, and no one pays them much mind whether they are flying or perched, which makes them very convenient.

I was staring out the large window, searching for an excuse to slip away from the evening party I was forced to attend, when I saw a familiar crow perched on the terrace railing, watching me.

The royal family requires lords who don't serve at the castle, or their representatives, to present themselves for a fixed period to demonstrate their loyalty. It’s likely a way to keep powerful nobles in check... but I fail to see the point of constantly summoning people from the remote borderlands they are tasked with defending. Do they honestly believe it’s only the knights who do the protecting, while Servas and I are merely decorative?

(If they wanted to keep us in check that badly, they shouldn't have granted us the territory in the first place...)

To make matters worse, the Kingdom of Ascald enters a massive social season from winter through spring. At this time of year, the capital is transformed into a gaudy stage for the gathered nobility.

Naturally, the House of the Margrave of Azenda participates in socialites' affairs only to the bare minimum. This is the season when many lords gather, so the true priority is participating in the numerous parliamentary sessions. We only attend social gatherings hosted by the Royal Family or those requested by individuals we cannot afford to snub; otherwise, we have no time for such things.

—Or rather, even if we did have the time, we’d claim we didn't. But this year, we truly are swamped.

Furthermore, attending these soirees means I am almost guaranteed to run into that girl’s mother. Even today, I found myself sighing as I watched my sister-in-law flitting about the venue, draped in an excessively flamboyant gown.

(...Her daughter is a penny-pincher who utilizes even the bone scraps, yet the mother is the polar opposite.)

—No. One uses food, the other uses people. They both utilize things to the very marrow (though the daughter isn't satisfied with just the marrow; she grinds the bones into powder to use them without leaving a trace!), and they both devour everything down to the offal (though in the daughter's case, it's literal)... In that sense, I suppose they really are mother and daughter.

I twisted my mouth into a grimace and reluctantly unfolded the letter.

Beautiful, flowing script was packed tightly onto the small slip of paper.

「I am sorry to bother you while you are so busy. How is the Royal Capital? Actually, for the elderly woman who cannot do heavy labor or standing work, I would like to ask her to do the needlework I mentioned the other day. I wish to procure scrap fabric and thread from the Campbell Trading Company’s workshops, so could you please send a letter asking them to spare someone to proceed with the arrangements? It’s urgent, so I sent a crow instead of a horse. I know you are busy, Big Brother, so please address your reply to the Margrave’s estate.」

At this time of year, if a private message arrives from the Margrave’s estate... nine times out of ten, it involves that girl.

「...Is that girl trying to kill us by piling on even more work?!」

The House of the Margrave of Azenda is currently very busy. "Incredibly" would be a better word for it. It isn't just the guilds and the estate; the various associated workshops, unions, local farmers, and the people of the slums are all operating at full throttle.

「She certainly comes up with one thing after another...」

I flicked the small letter with my finger in mock irritation.

「...Is something the matter?」

Hugo, looking unusually formal in his noble attire, approached soundlessly. He had been watching the young heir from a distance and grew concerned when he saw him slip onto the terrace alone, so he had followed him.

...While there are few who could best Claude in a duel, it is the duty of the Gilmore Knights to protect the members of the main family. One can never rule out the possibility of being overwhelmed by sheer numbers.

Hugo, a man in his early thirties, possessed an air of refined, mature dignity, complemented by his dark brown hair. His sturdy, knightly build and features that favored majesty over sweetness made him stand out among the crowd of effeminate noblemen who looked as if they had never held anything heavier than a pen.

Despite his somewhat unapproachable aura, he was actually quite tolerant and gentlemanly, which made him surprisingly popular with the ladies.

As the second son of the House of Earl Ducasse, he too had been summoned to the capital by his parents for the social season. He was being pestered to stop wandering about and find a marriage partner at last.

And then there was Claude, the man known as the "Black Lion of Azenda." His black hair and black formal wear accentuated his impeccably handsome, small face. Though he was a master swordsman on par with Hugo, his tall, slender frame made him look almost delicate at first glance.

While his habitually calm and collected personality often caused people to mistake him for being older, standing next to Hugo at nearly twenty years old, he still retained a somewhat boyish air.

「...It’s Magnolia. It seems she intends to increase the workload yet again.」

When I showed him the letter—a small scrap of paper that looked more like a memo—while sighing and furrowing my brows, Hugo gave a troubled smile, noting his superior's foul mood.

「............ The Young Lady certainly has a lot of stamina for someone so small.」

「That girl goes to sleep the moment she has a spare second. The other day, she climbed into the carriage and was out in three seconds!」

I held up three fingers for emphasis.

While I was busy running through the complicated details of our meetings in my head, the very person responsible for those complications was sleeping soundly beside me the moment she sat down. I have no idea how her mind works. And that was right after such a heated discussion, too.

—The girl must have hair growing on her heart. Thick, coarse bristles, no doubt.

I had felt a sudden surge of annoyance and gave her a quiet flick to the forehead while she was out... but she had only rolled her head to the side as if bothered by a fly and continued to sleep with her mouth wide open.

「...Well, she is still a toddler. It's the age where one needs naps.」

「Furthermore, she intends to devour every bone and organ.」

「............ It is good that she isn't a picky eater, but she is surprisingly ferocious compared to her appearance.」

Perhaps because he was the son of one of the many Earl houses or because of his position as a unit commander, Hugo always seemed to carry the air of a middle manager. While offering non-committal words and nods, he narrowed his eyes slightly as he pictured the little lady who was currently turning the territory upside down—and who seemed to be doing the same to this normally cool-headed young man.

「...This is no time for laughing. Once these transactions begin, the stage moves to the western region. It’s a guarantee that we’ll be dragged along with her.」

「...I suppose so.」

Hugo’s smile deepened as he realized he couldn't take his eyes off the Young Lady, who likely had no idea how much she was shaking things up.

***

The young noblewomen were watching the two men converse with intense, burning gazes.

「...Haa. What a feast for the eyes...」

「Truly. I wonder what they could be discussing so earnestly...」

If Claude were to tell them, "We're talking about a toddler who devours bones and guts," they would likely receive a horrifyingly grim answer.

The ladies, entirely oblivious to such things, watched with flushed cheeks and moist eyes as if they were caught in a romantic breeze.

「They make such a picture, don't they?」

「Neither of them has a single romantic rumor. I wonder if they’ve already chosen the person of their hearts...」

「...Oh? Have you not heard the gossip?」

As the conversation among the young ladies heated up, another lady interjected.

She meaningfully covered her mouth with her fan and slowly looked from side to side. The other ladies mimicked her, hiding their mouths as well.

「It is said that they both possess a nature that makes them unable to love women.」

「「My goodness!!」」

「「No way!!」」

「「Eeeek!!」」

Excited responses met the whispered words. The noise of the soiree was loud enough that no one would notice a few raised voices. However...

「Wait, tell me more about that!」

A passing lady turned her head with incredible force and closed in on them. Immediately, another lady joined the circle.

「I’ve heard about Sir Hugo and Sir Ethan...」

「「「Oh my!!」」」

「「I knew it!」」

「They do look so good together...」

The young ladies let out feverish sighs.

If the three men were to hear these baseless rumors and the outrageous false charges being leveled against them, they would likely roll their eyes into the back of their heads.

As for the men themselves, they returned to the floor while letting out sighs of a different nature. When Claude and Hugo were met with the heavy, lingering, and intensely passionate stares of the assembled ladies, a chill of pure dread raced down their spines.

*****

The narrative jump between 1st person and third person, I hope it's not too confusing.

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