331 328. Ever since that day.txt (2/2)

It's a criterion for being able to wear better clothes, get a better job, and live in a better house. It's not just about money, but also about the totality of things that are indefinable, like connections and power. The value of a person's life, so to speak. That's the most important thing, I was taught.

I wrinkled my brow and chewed on that mama's teachings, desperately trying to figure out how to be the 'best'.

'It's okay ....... She's my daughter, she'll be able to do it .......

Mum pats me on the head as I grow up one more time.

Her palms are warm and I feel alive. That happiness creates in me the determination to live up to my mama's expectations.

-- and from the next day, I began to follow my mom's work from a distance, looking for her.

I decided that the best way to do this was to imitate my mom, not my coworkers.

First of all, Mom was a different person when she was working than when she was talking to me. It was as if she was wearing a mask, playing the role of a woman who was a bit out of place yet charming.

You could tell just by looking at her in between jobs that Mom was a to-the-point person.

Mama didn't take her job as a maid of honor seriously.

Her work is slow and very sloppy. But because of the personality she was playing, the people who were fast and good at their jobs loved Mama.

Whenever there was a problem, there was always someone to help her out. And Mom would return the thanks and the person who helped her would be satisfied.

Definitely more efficient in terms of time.

As proof of this, Mom was able to spend more time on other things because she was out of her own business.

So, what Mama was doing there was to patronize the powers that be in this mansion. Extremely naturally, she would make contact with the master of the mansion and his sons, get them to remember her face and leave a firm positive impression.

Of course, there were others who tried to get in with the landlords in the same way that Mama did, but frankly, they were too different in terms of what they were born with (skills).

Mama had an abundance of feminine charms as well as a talent for seducing people. Furthermore, unlike the other maids of honor, she had my share of pay. Because she could afford to take care of decorations and beauty, she had acquired a beauty that was unrivaled.

She made the most of her good looks, and as if to say that this is her true self, she was vividly misleading the opposite s*x - especially her near-aged husband and her heir apparent son.

Indeed, this would be the best way to go about it.

It's also very efficient in terms of increasing my value as a woman.

Does Mom want me to do the same thing?

As I recall, the owner of this mansion, Viscount Kaikwola, has six sons and four daughters. If I become the mistress of one of those six siblings in the future, Mama's life will be secure.

She will be able to be more flexible with her money than she is now. Since I don't have any money to spend, all of it will go to Mom.

I'm sure my mom will be very happy. I'm sure she'll praise me.

So what I have to do now is...

Lagné?

The boy who was training his sword in the garden of the mansion turned to me.

Perhaps what I should do now is to befriend this meek boy with brown hair and eyes just like me - the fifth son of the Kaikwola family. He is the closest in age to me as far as height is concerned. His name is Riel Kaikwola. He is intelligent and vivacious, and is rumored to have a bright future among his brothers.

I walk up to him, covered in sweat, and hand him what I've prepared.

...... Uh, here's some water and a change of clothing.

'What?　...... Oh, thanks. I thought it was time to end it. Ragné, you've learned well.

Riel props his sword up against a nearby tree, changes into the clothes I brought with me, and dips his mouth into the jug. Then, after taking a breath, he speaks to me as he takes care of me in a worthy manner.

'But then again, Ragne is always so close to you all of a sudden, isn't he? Even with this, I think I'm hiding and training ....... How do you know where I am?

'It's that ....... Take a good look at Rielle-sama and think carefully about ....... That's all.

She imitates her mom and wears a 'mask' of her desired 'ideal' as a 'mask'.

She will be a hard-working but slightly timid and unsure girl.

Then Rielle's face blushed a little. However, she quickly mends her body as a nobleman's male and returns the dialogue dressed up with her red face.

'...... Look carefully and think carefully, huh? Ragne, that's not something you can do very often. You should be more proud of yourself.

No, I don't think I've ever--

Don't patronize yourself. I have no doubt that you're a wonderful woman. In my opinion, you're the best of all the maids.

Honestly, it feels so good to be praised like this.

I know how it feels to have my mom starting to come alive.

But I'm a little worried about his knotty condition.

If he were older, I'm sure he would be more cautious like an aristocrat, but at his current age, he's not very competitive.

It may be that he is more appropriate for his age, but he is likely to be deceived by someone other than me. You'll need to get your wits about you and lead them to believe in me.

'See. Anyway, Ragne, chest out!

I feel a strong favor from Riel.

I smile back softly at that and weave a few words that I think he'll like.

'Yes, thank you ....... Your kindness, Riel-sama .......

...... Ah, ah!

It's a good response.

It will be hard to be Rielle's wife, but I think I can at least be his favorite mistress when he grows up. If I can build up a lot of things in the present, and trick him to the point of irretrievability, this man can be used.

I picture such a future in my mind.

This is the scene of me accompanying this boy for the rest of his life in the Kaikwola family compound.

I will never have to worry about food, never work to the limit, never be short of money. And yet, I will be pampered by the people around me, while at the same time taking advantage of them. Such a wealthy life...

That life would make my mom laugh all the time.

She would be with me every day, not just once a month, and she would pat my head every night.

She would never say the words ”I shouldn't have had a baby” again.

Even when it's not just the two of us, he treats me like a daughter. I'm sure--!

I spent my days thinking about this and continuing to flirt with Rielle.

Following my mum's example, I worked harder to develop my relationship with him than my work as a maid of honor. And I would report back to him once a month when I was alone with Mom.

”-Hmmm, not bad. That's my girl. ...... Great job, Ragne.

He praised me for taking in my fifth son.

It's a relief to know that I wasn't on the wrong track.

Even my mum, who pats my head, looks relieved and blurts out.

'And yet, the Kaikwola family ....... That was surprisingly anticlimactic. I guess it's because we're in the middle of nowhere with no political disputes .......

From the way he spoke, it can be seen that Mama had a good enough handle on it.

I don't know if it's the master or the legitimate son, but if I can win the favor of either of them, Mom's life will be safe even if I fail.

I narrow my eyes and rejoice from the bottom of my heart.

Now I will have what Mama wanted.

I won't have to go back to my life in that cabin.

As I was hugged, I knew it was the end (the goal).

This is how Ragne got her smiling mama back and they lived happily together until death - I felt so accomplished that a sentence came into my head.

The ”wish” is fulfilled.

Naturally, there are no ”regrets”.

The end is fine.

There is no more to come.

If I can end it here, my mom will be a kind mom forever.

I believe that from the bottom of my heart.

But it won't end here. If you ask me, this is the way of the world. Unlike the characters in the story, 'people' can't end until they die. No matter how many times I say, ”Enough,” it's not an option.

It wasn't until two years later that I felt the rest of the story clearly.

It was when both Rielle and I were getting close to adulthood in body.

At that time, the relationships in the house had progressed, and Mom was now the head chamberlain. Unfortunately there were a few deaths on the way there, but that's a common occurrence in this world.

Anyway, mama and I had risen to the point where we could be called the 'best' of the samurai women.

That day, Rielle, who was aiming to become a fine knight in the garden of the mansion, was being instructed by a retired knight who was a swordsmanship instructor prepared by the Kaikwola family.

I was right beside him, watching over him in good health. Naturally, I didn't miss a day of flirting with my fifth son, Riel, who was the best target.

And, coincidentally, my mama, the head chamberlain, was also working in the garden that day.

She was preparing for a tea party at the request of the Mistress.

The instructor, who came from the far south, was an old but dignified man, and his instruction was strict and intense. Rielle had a lot of talent, so the instructor's enthusiasm was quite high. Most importantly, being in front of me, Rielle was full of motivation.

It happened when the training content moved from 'Swordsmanship' to 'Magic'.

Rielle's magic, which possessed more magic power than she had imagined, was out of control. The fire magic bullet 《Flame Arrow》 makes the skin on Rielle's right arm pop, and it flies through the garden.

I watch its trajectory.

I see my mom's figure ahead of me.

In a moment, my body was moving.

''--!

It was all instinct.

The retired knight's pointers I've seen over the past few months. With that memory in mind, I ran out and manipulated the magic power on my body. The magic power that shines like the surface of a lake, which I have been unconsciously refining since childhood, is gathered in my left hand.

In the face of my mom's crisis, my concentration is stretched to the limit.

Like a flowing cloud, everything in the world feels slow.

Like drawing a line, I can fully grasp the trajectory of the magic bullet.

I know the best way to move my body to block its trajectory.

I reached out my left hand - and paid off the magic bullet.

With a short burst of sound, the magic bullet is deflected from its trajectory and flies up high into the sky and disappears.

After witnessing this, I immediately look at my mom. I look at my mama, who is suddenly falling on her buttocks but has no wounds, and I am relieved.

'Hah, hah, hah--. Yo, thank goodness ......--

Naturally, Rielle, who immediately released a magic bullet, runs up to me while shouting.

''La, Ragne!

A pale face confirms that I am safe. An even more pale looking instructor then approached and grabbed me by both shoulders.

'Daughter, I'm at .......'

...... Huh?

The point man wasn't worried about the injury, he was looking at my left hand.

He looked at my uninjured hand and opened his eyes and muttered to himself.

'The movement you just made, this magic flicker ......'

Rielle was forced to ask a question, not because of the maidservant's concern, but because of her unusual appearance of instruction.

''Could it be that Ragne has magical powers too ......?

Emotions swirl in my chest as I hear the word.

I know the word 'magical power holder', even if I am a country samurai. It's a clear proof of 'qualities', and that alone is more valuable than someone who doesn't have magic power.

Due to morality, no one would speak of it, but it clearly changes the value of life.

The instructor took a big deep breath and then explained in one breath.

''Rielle-sama, it's not so unusual to have magical powers. What's important now is to deal with it earlier. It would be difficult even for me to gather magic power in my hands with such fluency. Honestly, I would like to take this girl to the Priestess right away. If I'm not good at it, she might have enough 'qualities' to become a Knight of the Great Holy City just like Riel-sama.

”La, Lagune is ......?

Rielle looked at me with excitement.

Her expression was one of pure celebration, amazed at the hidden talents of her favorite maidservant.

Naturally, when you are a magician, your options for professions and ways of life increase dramatically.

All along, Rielle had said that it would be hard to leave me when she goes to the great holy city in the center of the mainland one day, but when I become a magician, depending on how I use my time from now on, I can become an escort - if not an escort, then an aide to take care of the personal affairs of the nobles! Possibly.

Rielle looked like she was about to take my hands and jump up and down at any moment, but honestly, I wasn't ready for that. It wasn't Rielle that was important to me - it was

'Ragne to be a knight of ......, the Great Holy City?'

My mom was behind me, her face even more excited than Rielle's.

She looked amazed, congratulated, and looked like she was going to start singing and dancing at any moment.

I know this because she is my daughter. This is the look on her face when her mama's desire is overflowing. Her ambition, which she thought had been exhausted by all these years as a maid of honor, was now rekindled.

A shiver runs down my spine.

I could feel Mom's values and priorities changing radically right beside me.

At the same time, I also felt very strongly that the challenge of being the 'best' that should have ended was being resumed: .......