Chapter 4
Episode 4
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"Master, I've found a coachman!"”
The servant who introduced himself as ‘Aristelle’ had found a coachman faster than expected.
Aristelle was the Young Duke's aide. He was a gentle-looking man with striking long, sky-blue hair.
He seemed to be on good terms with the Young Duke, often speaking in a tone that subtly teased him. However, the Young Duke would only respond with a brief show of annoyance.
And standing beside him, looking shyly at the floor, was a boy.
“Hello. I am Gilbert, the coachman.”
He had common, curly brown hair and eyes of a similar color.
A man with an innocent impression, who looked like he had just reached adulthood.
Oh, there are coachmen in this rural area after all.
He said he had grown up in an orphanage since he was young and had no surname.
My situation is quite similar to his…
“Bestia, grab on.”
The Young Duke, who had lightly climbed into the carriage first, extended his hand to me.
“Ah, thank you.”
I took his hand and easily settled into the carriage.
“The road is rough, so it could be dangerous if you sit on the other side. Come sit next to me.”
It might be awkward, but it’s better than falling and causing trouble, right?
As soon as I sat down, I heard a deflated chuckle from beside me.
But perhaps it was my imagination, as the Young Duke stared straight ahead with his usual stiff expression.
My restless heart settled for a moment, and the young coachman announced the departure.
\ \ \
“……Excuse me. Young Duke.”
“Yes. What is it, Bestia?”
“Is the carriage always like this…?”
Even if I had never ridden in a carriage before, this was very strange.
It was shaking to an unbearable degree!
As I nearly fell off several times, the Young Duke, who had been preventing me from falling, remarked subtly.
“Beth, it seems the road is rough because it’s a country road.”
“Th-then, is there no other way? I’m feeling really unwell right now.”
“It will probably be difficult to find another coachman around here. So…”
Was he thinking of changing transportation? Or would he tell me to travel separately?
Whatever it was, I just wanted to escape this shaking quickly.
He patted his thigh and said nonchalantly.
“Sit on top of me.”
Right, has anything you’ve ever done been ordinary?
“That’s a bit…”
“If Bestia gets hurt, I’ll be the one my father scolds.”
Given how the Duke fussed over even the smallest of injuries, that seemed plausible.
Still, sitting on top of someone I met for the first time today… I might suffocate from awkwardness.
As I hesitated, he shamelessly scooped me up like a princess before I could refuse.
“Young Duke, this position is a bit… much.”
“It can’t be helped. Just think of me as a handsome sofa and sleep.”
“……What?”
I debated whether to be taken aback by the word ‘handsome’ or to point out the word ‘sofa’. However, the Young Duke spoke first.
“I am quite good-looking, Bestia.”
…No. It’s not wrong, but why does it sound so obnoxious?
I found him annoying as he shrugged nonchalantly, but I felt much more at ease.
…Besides, it’s more comfortable than I expected?
It even smells nice…
A scent that felt strangely comforting and familiar.
…Familiar? What about it?
“……Bestia?”
As I pondered why I felt that way, the Young Duke’s voice echoed from above my head.
I’m insane.
How long has it been since I said it was too much, yet here I was, pressed against him, sniffing the air.
Looking up, he was flushed crimson from his neck to his ears, as if he were angry.
This makes me feel like a complete scoundrel!
To break the awkward atmosphere, I asked him.
“……I heard the Duke was looking for a book called ‘Titonos's Diary.’ May I ask why?”
“There’s no particular reason. Let’s just say it’s an extension of my hobby of liking gods.”
For a hobby, it seemed quite serious and rather extreme…
It was well-known that House of Duke Russell had believed in gods since ancient times.
Exactly when they started doing so was unknown.
Above all, why were they obsessed with gods who didn’t exist?
“Is that diary related to gods?”
“Yes. Strictly speaking, it is the writing of a human who interacted with gods.”
Ah, I had seen a few rare books like that before, the kind that are hard to find even in temples.
Books based on myths.
But in this world where gods don’t exist, all of it was mere fiction.
“Is it perhaps a book of monetary value?”
I felt a surge of expectation, wondering if it was a valuable book if the Duke was looking for it.
“There are hundreds of volumes, so it probably won’t be worth much.”
I’m ruined. When will my life ever escape this mountain of debt?
And to think that a novel written as a diary could amount to hundreds of volumes. Did they just spend their life writing diaries?
Since it would be difficult to get a large sum by selling the books, I should keep the fact that I possess ‘Titonos's Diary’ a secret.
His goal is to marry me, so he might try to prevent me from finding my biological parents and clearing my debts.
No matter how much I tried to think positively, my shoulders slumped involuntarily.
Money is always the problem…
After a brief silence, the Young Duke murmured softly.
“Still… some blind fool obsessed with gods might buy it for a high price.”
Surely that blind fool isn’t my father…?
After that, the Young Duke, perhaps finding my constant chatter annoying, patted my shoulder several times perfunctorily.
For some reason, I felt my eyelids growing heavier and drifted off to sleep.
\ \ \
‘Really… …there’s nothing.’
What? What are you saying?
My consciousness was hazy as I struggled to open my eyes.
The entire world was blurry, as if veiled in smoke, an alien space where the boundary between floor and ceiling was indistinguishable.
Yes, when I recall memories from my past life, I often find myself standing in a space like this.
But the memories that return are only fragments, like puzzle pieces.
That’s why, when I wake up, it’s difficult to figure out who my past self was.
‘You must not meet… You will again…’
‘Being foolish has its limits. Don’t go there. You must go to…’
What on earth are you saying? If you’re going to tell me something, tell me everything! This is a communication error!
My past life memories surfaced in a bewilderingly jumbled mess.
The woman’s voice, echoing in my head, made me feel unpleasant.
In my dreams, she seemed more intent on scolding me than helping me.
Still, if there’s a good thing about being reborn, it’s being able to use Healing Magic, and…
…and being able to do anything I want in this space when I occasionally have dreams where memories of my past life surface.
Perhaps thanks to my past life knowledge, things that are impossible in reality are possible here.
Maybe this too…
As soon as I thought it, the object I had in mind popped out with a ‘pop’ sound.
‘Titonos's Diary.’
I had tried to peek at it in the warehouse, but it was all in ancient script from beginning to end, so I couldn’t read it at all.
With trembling hands, I opened the first page of the diary.
Loving a life with a different lifespan is the act of a fool.
What? It actually translates?
…Could I have read ancient languages in my past life?
Or did I live in a much more distant past?
But my joy was short-lived; as soon as I deciphered a single line, I woke up.
For some reason, cold sweat covered my body, and goosebumps prickled my skin.
I felt like I had taken a step closer to some unknown entity that I shouldn’t approach.
“Bestia, are you feeling unwell?”
“Ah, no. I think I just got a little warm.”
“……”
The Young Duke just looked at me without saying much, then carefully set me down.
“We’ll be staying here tonight. Aristelle will guide you, so follow him.”
“What about you, Young Duke?”
“I’m going to speak with the coachman for a moment before going in.”
Indeed, his skills were so poor that I, who had never ridden in a carriage, found it strange.
Because of that, I had to move almost as one with the Young Duke, whom I met for the first time today.
Will he bring another coachman, or look for other means of transportation?
Then I’ll be able to travel more comfortably starting tomorrow!
Still drowsy, I forgot my unease and followed Aristelle’s guidance to the lodging.
\ \ *
I’m insane. Why did I volunteer to drive all the way to the capital!
It’s been less than a month since I learned this, but I stepped up when I heard they needed a coachman urgently.
I lived in an orphanage from my childhood, which I don’t remember, until just before I became an adult. That’s why I was determined to earn a lot of money…
I was tempted by the amount and made a big mistake.
I wonder if he got hurt?
Why did I really do that? He looked like a young master from a noble family!
Will I be dragged to a secluded place and beaten?
“Hey, you.”
Before I knew it, the young master was looking at me, arms crossed, with a blank expression.
My spine shivered at his cold gaze.
This is bad. Forget the payment, I should have run away immediately!
“Your driving skills are excellent.”
“……What?”
Do nobles in the capital mock people like this?
“Do the same tomorrow.”
“What do you mean by that…”
Tomorrow? Wasn’t I going to be fired right now?
“You are an outstanding talent.”
With a perfunctory touch, he patted my forearm a couple of times and handed me a thick pouch.
“This is your pay for today.”
It was more than ten times the original pay.
“No. That’s impossible! How could I possibly accept such a large sum…”
“Join our family, and I’ll give you as much money as you want.”
“Uh, um…”
Before I could finish speaking, he turned his body towards the lodging.
Was I actually good at driving?
To be continued in the next episode ▶
