It was the daybreak. Today was the day of the Iphalleta House’s successorship competition result announcement.
It was early morning, but the carriages of many nobilities who were interested in the result were coming in through the mansion’s entrance.
“This is amazing. Morgared, Yusiel, Snowdrop, wow… Philisnion from the Duke’s family is here too.”
Sera, Iphalleta House’s maid, had been diligently preparing food. She couldn’t help but to mumble in excitement as she looked out the window and noticed carriages coming in one after the other.
“Well, we were expecting this much guests. Today is about deciding the successor of the Iphalleta family, you know?”
“Also, the situation at the Solia had been shaky lately, you know? There was the skirmish at the border, riot by the fanatics of the temple, and many other things.”
“In middle of all this, Count Stein is going to announce the successor for the Iphalleta house, the family that represents swordsmanship of the Solia. It is no wonder why many nobilities are interested.”
Sera looked out the window and counted the number of carriages, and other maids were having a conversation with her, each adding a sentence or two.
“Well then, who would become the successor?”
“Won’t it be Young Master Ryan?”
“Probably, right?”
“I feel that Young Master Lloyd had worked hard, but I can’t shake the feeling that he is not quite catching up to Young Master Ryan.”
“What about Young Master Riley?”
“Um… I am not sure.”
“He even received a medal of honor from the Solia Castle. Sera, you know about this well, right?”
“Um? Ah, I am not sure? I don’t know very well…”
All of her fellow maids’ gazes were directed at Sera. Sera, who was vacantly looking outside the window, flinched her shoulders a little and mumbled that she didn’t know very well.
“Actually… He has that Lazy-Sword title, so it will be hard.”
“Still, he is younger than Young Master Ryan and Lloyd, so that might be an advantage for him?”
“Perhaps. Madam Oluli was kicked out of the mansion because of that incident. You never know?”
“Ah, now that I think about it, that happened too.”
“There is Lady Iris too.”
Listening to her fellow maids talking, Sera flinched her facial muscles. She rapidly turned her head toward them and let out her frustration.
“Ugh! You guys, won’t you all watch your mouths?”
It was because Sera was the designated maid for Iris that they just mentioned.
“I… I’m sorry… Sera is here too.”
“This is Count Stein we are talking about. He won’t choose the successor based on something like that.”
“Yeah, you are probably right.”
“What do you think, Nainiae?”
The fellow maids turned their gazes away from Sera and now directed them at Nainiae, the dark haired girl who was diligently cleaning dishes.
“… Yes?”
“About the successorship! Successorship!”
“Nainiae, who do you think will be the successor?”
“Idiot. If you ask Nainiae, you know there is only one answer, don’t you know? Right, Nainiae?”
Nainiae had been hugged by all maids of the mansion several times since she returned. It seemed she was feeling awkward about the winter maid dress she received. She fiddled with the tip of the clothes and hesitated.
“Um…”
“Oh? This is unexpected. You are not answering right away?”
“Should I tell Young Master Riley about this?”
“Ah, ahhahaha.”
Nainiae watched the growing number of people outside. She also noticed the mansion’s atmosphere was turning into festivities as well. She carefully said,
“I am not sure? I…”
* * *
It was dinner time.
Most of carriages had arrived at the mansion now. Riley, who didn’t like the commotion, hid himself on the mansion’s roof corner.
‘Are you still thinking about your past life?’
Thinking about what the voice beyond the dimensional space said when he was at the Lower Solia, Riley crumpled his face.
“Who would think about such…”
If anyone asked Riley how it felt to be born again with the memories of his past life intact, Riley could have explained in a few dozen ways to say how filthy it felt.
“…”
Riley thought numerous times, dozens of times, that it would have been so much better if he was born without remembering anything.