Episode 7
Eleonore looked down at Becky with a slightly surprised expression.
“You were worried? About me?”
At her question, Becky nodded while tears kept falling from her eyes.
“Of course! Ah, you must be tired, so let’s go back to your room first.”
Becky moved to escort Eleonore. The knight at the door, probably following Hekit’s orders, also walked behind them.
Becky glanced back several times at the knight, clearly bothered by his presence, but she wisely didn’t ask about him.
After walking for a while, the two finally reached Eleonore’s bedroom again.
Inside the room, the tray and teacup that Eleonore had earlier asked Becky to bring were still on the table.
Looks like no one entered the room.
Eleonore left the knight standing at the door and went inside with Becky.
“Miss, are you okay?”
As soon as the door closed, Becky asked with a trembling voice.
“Okay? What do you mean?”
Eleonore asked back while sitting on the edge of the bed.
Her tone sounded a little careless.
Her mind was full of thoughts about the conversation she just had with Hekit, who might be sent to watch her, and how she could use the “restart” ability again.
“But something big just happened!”
Becky said, starting to cry again.
“I was so worried that something might happen to you!”
Eleonore looked up at Becky with a confused expression.
“Even if something happened to me, you wouldn’t be fired from the Grand Duke’s house. So what exactly were you worried about?”
Becky looked shocked at those words.
“I… I wasn’t worried about you because I might get fired!”
“Then why?”
“Well…”
Becky hesitated and lowered her head.
“I… I just hoped you wouldn’t get hurt, Miss.”
Eleonore’s face stiffened at those words.
Why is she acting like this? She was worried about me?
It felt strange for someone to worry about her. At the same time, it made her feel very uncomfortable.
Was Becky always like this? Ah… in my previous life I didn’t pay attention to the servants, so I don’t remember.
Just as Eleonore lightly bit her lip because of the strange feeling rising inside her—
Ding!
A sharp sound rang in her mind.
It was the same cheerful notification sound she heard when the restart happened.
I didn’t even raise my voice, so why?!
Eleonore tensed her whole body, preparing for the pain that usually followed.
But the pain never came.
Instead—
[Chance for rehabilitation!]
[Try saying “thank you” to someone who cares about you.]
[Reward: ???]
…What is this?
“Chance for rehabilitation” was a message she had never seen before.
But she didn’t think long about it.
If I follow the instructions of this notification, I can avoid the pain. And maybe I won’t have to restart either.
Besides, it said there was a reward, even if she didn’t know what it was.
Eleonore cleared her throat, trying to say a word that felt unfamiliar to her.
She looked up at Becky, who was standing beside the bed.
Then she slowly opened her mouth.
“…Thank you.”
“Ah!”
Becky gasped in shock.
Tears filled her eyes again, but this time for a different reason.
“M-Miss?”
“What?”
“Did you just… say thank you to me?”
Becky’s eyes were full of tears.
Seeing Becky so touched by just a simple sentence made Eleonore even more uncomfortable, but she nodded.
“Yes, I said thank you.”
“Ah… sob… Miss…”
Becky cried while her shoulders trembled.
“Why are you crying?”
“You said thank you to me… It feels like the past month has finally been rewarded…”
Becky wiped her tears with her sleeve as she answered.
“…Let me ask you something.”
Eleonore looked at Becky quietly and spoke in a low voice.
“Yes, Miss.”
“Why are you worried about me?”
Suspicion and caution flickered in Eleonore’s eyes.
“If you want money, it’s useless. I still don’t know how much personal allowance I’ll get in Putitz.”
“Huh?”
“Or if you want power in the Grand Duke’s house… look somewhere else. I’m only trying to survive myself.”
Becky’s eyes widened.
“M-Miss?”
“If it’s not money or power, then what is it? Are you a spy sent by someone? Are you here to watch me?”
“No!”
Becky shook her head quickly.
If this continued, Eleonore’s misunderstanding would only grow worse.
“Then why are you worried about me? You’re only a temporary maid anyway. No matter what happens to me, it doesn’t really matter to you.”
That was true.
Becky was just someone hired by Hekit.
After the official wedding, the new lady of the house usually replaced the servants.
That was why Eleonore barely even recognized Becky’s face after returning.
“Well… I…”
Under Eleonore’s sharp gaze, Becky lowered her head nervously.
She looked like she was debating whether to say something or not.
I knew it. There must be some hidden reason.
Just as Eleonore thought that—
“Um… I don’t know if I should say this, but if you promise you won’t get angry…”
“I won’t get angry. Even if it’s one of those three reasons, I’ll just accept it.”
“You look very similar to my older sister.”
“…What?”
Eleonore made a dumbfounded sound. She had never expected that answer.
“What did you just say…?”
“You promised not to get angry!”
“I’m not angry! I’m just confused about what you mean…”
“My sister was in a situation similar to yours.”
“A situation like mine? What do you mean?”
Eleonore asked sharply without realizing it, and Becky shrank a little under her gaze.
“…I won’t get angry. Really. So tell me honestly.”
Becky hesitated for a moment and then spoke again.
“My sister and I grew up in an orphanage. She worked very hard raising me when I was just a baby. Because of that… she couldn’t trust people.”
Eleonore was speechless.
I… can’t trust people?
She hated people, but she had never thought about it that way.
“So when I first met you, I thought you were similar to my sister and wanted to serve you well. I also missed her.”
“Then go back to your sister.”
“My sister… died a few years ago. During a monster attack…”
“Oh.”
Eleonore felt momentarily flustered.
There was one topic she was very sensitive about.
Death.
Because she herself had experienced death once.
“So maybe that’s why I feel attached to you. You remind me of her.”
Becky said with a small forced smile.
For some reason, Eleonore couldn’t look at her directly and turned her head away.
What is this?
Eleonore clenched the hand resting on the bed.
What is this feeling? Why does my chest feel so sore and tight?
Eleonore frowned. She didn’t like that painful feeling.
But she couldn’t ignore it.
The aching feeling turned into a strong emotion inside her chest.
And it made her open her mouth to say one sentence.
That sentence was—
“…Thank you.”
Becky’s eyes widened.
“Miss? What did you just say…?”
“I said thank you!”
Eleonore sighed and rubbed her face, realizing that the feeling wouldn’t disappear unless she said it.
“Even if you were just reminded of your sister… even if you only overlapped me with her… thank you for worrying about me.”
Eleonore said clearly.
Now she finally understood why she should thank Becky.
“Miss…”
Becky looked at her again with teary eyes.
Just then—
Ding!
Another notification sound rang out.
Eleonore frowned.
What now? I already said thank you twice!
She stared irritably at the empty air where the message appeared.
[Quest Complete!]
Another message she had never seen before appeared.
[Reward: The “Restart” function has been activated.]
[Would you like to save this moment?]
[If saved, when “Restart” is used, you will return to this point.]
[→ Yes / No]
This time Eleonore’s eyes widened.
Save this moment? If I save it, I’ll return here when I restart?
So I can control the point where the restart happens?
