Episode 6
To head out to the garden, Susan brought my outdoor shoes and said,
“Fufu, my lady, you really are fascinating.”
“Hm?”
“There are times when you suddenly act incredibly mature, but then at moments like now, you’re endlessly adorable.”
“Mature, huh…”
That must be because I regained memories of my past life and returned in time.
Before reincarnation I was an adult, and before returning, I had been ten years old. Setting all that aside, anyone would probably grow up fast after learning they were a bastard child.
“I grew up early so I could lighten your workload, Susan.”
I giggled and changed the subject. Susan gave me a slightly subtle look, but didn’t say anything more.
I put on my outdoor shoes and walked around the garden once with Susan. But unfortunately, the bird we were looking for was nowhere to be seen.
“Hm… I don’t see it.”
Its silver-white body and long tail feathers were a blazing, fiery red. It was so striking that it was impossible to miss. I pushed aside the shrub where I had placed the basket with the baby bird.
“Is it there?”
“No… it’s not.”
Even after it healed completely, the bird would sit here, chirping shrilly to call out to us. It was like a meeting spot. But now it wasn’t here either.
“Do you think it went far away?”
“I just hope it hasn’t gotten hurt again.”
I dusted off my skirt, trying hard to hide my disappointment. Just when Susan and I were about to return to the room—
“Ow, ow ow! Oh dear! I’m dying!”
A scream came from behind the mansion. But it sounded so forced that anyone who heard it would only be bewildered.
“Because of young master Carsian, I’m dying! Oh dear, oh dear!”
I asked Susan with a grim expression.
“That voice… isn’t that Bill?”
“Yes, it sounds like him.”
Bill was said to be the next head butler, and he held the most influence among the servants. And Bill was also the villain who used to torment Carsian before my return in time.
Before Susan could stop me, I ran toward the corner of the mansion.
“Ah—my lady!”
Susan called out belatedly, but I turned toward the path leading to the stables. Somehow I knew they’d be there. Of course—Bill and another servant, Ron, were standing there.
“Ow, ow… I’m dying…”
“As expected of the count’s son, who trades across seas swarming with pirates. Such boldness! Admirable, truly. No wonder he can hurt someone like this and stay shameless.”
Blood dripped from Bill’s leg as he leaned on Ron’s shoulder. I looked at Carsian, who was blocked by the two of them. He held a rake—whether it was meant as a weapon or not, the end of it had snagged Bill’s pant leg.
I didn’t know what was going on, so I observed for a moment. Carsian gripped the rake tightly and said,
“You’re the ones who did this. You barged in and grabbed the rake from me…”
“What? What are you talking about? Are you saying we snatched the rake while you were passing by, then got hurt on our own, and then handed the rake back to you?”
Ron raised his voice loudly, as if trying to gather witnesses.
Carsian clenched his fist tighter.
“It’s… the truth.”
“Oh dear, oh dear! Everyone! Look! Here! The son of Count Raumdisel, who trades at sea, is lying without even blinking!”
Carsian sounded genuinely distressed, his voice trembling, but Bill kept crying out dramatically, as if he’d been waiting for this moment. I could see Carsian shrinking at the noise.
Ugh, those damned Bill and Ron!
“What should I do? The marquis personally entrusted me with something tomorrow, so I have to leave the mansion, but now I’ve hurt my foot… and by young master Carsian’s hand, no less.”
“What do you think the marquis will do if we tell him this?”
Bill and Ron were completely in sync. Before them, Carsian’s face went pale. If this incident reached his father’s ears, he’d get scolded terribly—just like before I returned in time.
That’s right. Before my regression, Bill and Ron used this same self-injury trick to torment Carsian. And sure enough, there was a recording magic tool on Bill’s chest. Judging from the red glow, it was already recording.
Then they’d soon bring up *that line*…
“My lady.”
Susan had reached me by now. I felt her arm wrap protectively around my shoulders as we listened to Bill.
“Apologize. Kneel before us, beg for forgiveness, and we’ll let it go.”
As expected—it was identical to before my regression. Bill and Ron clearly wanted to record Carsian bowing his head and laugh about it later. But Carsian was the male lead of this world—he was not someone who would admit to something he didn’t do.
“I didn’t do anything wrong. You’re the ones lying.”
“Oh? That so? Well then, we’ll just go to the marquis.”
Bill seemed intent on seeing how long Carsian would cling to his pride. His eyes said, *You’re nothing. Let’s see how far you get.* Carsian flinched the moment his father was mentioned.
That was when—
“Then how about this? Yes, even if you’re poor, you’re still the son of a count, so I understand—you wouldn’t want to apologize to lowly servants like us.”
“It’s not that I don’t want to apologize! It’s just—this isn’t something I did…!”
“Enough. Then drink this. A drink of reconciliation.”
Cutting him off, Ron walked to the nearby well as if he’d been waiting for his cue. He picked up a bowl lying on the ground, scooped up water from the bucket, and held it out to Carsian.
“Oh my…!”
Susan covered her mouth in shock. I didn’t need to ask what it was. I already knew.
Just like before my regression, it was dirty water.
That well was where the maids rinsed dirty rags. Meaning the bucket Ron used was filled with filthy water. They reused the same water to save supplies.
“Drink. It’s just water. Or what—do you refuse to drink something from a mere servant?”
Ron thrust the rag-washed water right in front of Carsian’s face. Carsian recoiled, backing away.
“Drink it. Or bow your head.”
Bill quickly closed the distance, grabbing Carsian’s shoulder and threatening him.
“What do we do? Should I call the head butler?”
“No. Even the head butler doesn’t like Carsian. Even if things calm down for now, Bill and Ron will just torment him again. We need to settle this ourselves.”
I told the trembling Susan coolly.
But how?
I didn’t have a perfect solution either. Then I spotted the recording magic tool glowing red on Bill’s chest.
Ah. That’s it.
“Susan, stay here.”
“Yes?”
I didn’t answer. I simply rushed out.
“What do you think you’re doing!”
I clenched my fist and shouted sharply. In an instant, Bill, Ron, and Carsian all snapped their attention toward me. I walked toward Carsian and said,
“I heard everything. What do you think you’re doing?”
“Ha—seriously.”
At my words, Bill straightened up, releasing Carsian’s shoulder.
Their eyes clearly said, *And what is this now?*
“If you heard everything, then you should know. Young master Carsian hurt me. And I have to leave tomorrow.”
“And on top of that, he won’t apologize, and he won’t even drink a glass of reconciliation… water. So as adults—even if we’re just servants—we’re teaching him some manners.”
“So our bastard chil—no, sorry, our young lady should mind her own business, alright?”
They must have called me “bastard” behind my back so often that they slipped up in front of me.
Bill snickered and waved his hand dismissively, but I didn’t blink.
“But Carsian said he didn’t do it.”
“Huh?”
“And he’s right. *You’re* the ones who did this to him.”
I pointed at Bill’s injured leg and Ron’s bowl of filthy water. Ron suddenly burst into laughter.
“Pff—ha! My lady, do you seriously trust young master Carsian’s words? Like some fool? His father is a braggart who claims he’ll make trade routes through pirate-infested seas. You think the son would be any differ—”
“Yes. I believe him.”
I cleanly cut off Ron’s words. Carsian looked at me in shock.
Instead of looking at him, I stared straight into Bill and Ron’s eyes.
“I believe Carsian.”
When I spoke without a hint of hesitation, the two flinched.
They were bullies who bowed to strength and preyed on weakness. So I had to show them I wasn’t weak—I was someone they should fear.
“Isn’t it strange? My father, the master of this estate, trusted Count Raumdisel enough to take in his son. Because Count Raumdisel *will* return alive. And yet you dare say such nonsense—are you calling my father a fool?”
“T-that’s not what we meant…!”
“If not, then what?”
As soon as I invoked my father, the two immediately fumbled like idiots. But proud Bill refused to back down so easily.
“F-fine. Let’s say you believe him. But will other people? Look! The rake he’s holding has Bill’s clothes caught on it! Is there clearer proof than that?”
Ron quickly backed Bill up.
“That’s because you forced the rake into my hands!”
“Then you should’ve dropped it! Why hold onto it?”
Carsian protested, but Ron answered smugly. I could hear Carsian grinding his teeth.
