"I'm here for you.

When I opened the front door, I saw the young lady with a smug look on her face.
The maid, Katrin, wearing a hooded cloak to protect her from the rain, was holding an umbrella behind her to keep her dry.

What are you doing, young lady?

No one would think that the lady of the house would surprise the servants' hut on a rainy day. Does the Ernst family, like the duke, have a habit of making surprise attacks? The distance from the duke's mansion in the middle of the grounds to this hut at the end of the grounds is a good workout. I think her stamina is going beyond that of a young lady because of me.

You said you were free during the rain. That's why I came to teach you to read.

Apparently, the young lady was also unavailable for tutoring due to the rain.
Since there was no point in standing around talking, I led them to the living room. We didn't have any towels, so I gave them two hand towels that I had already laundered, and Katrin wiped the drips from the daughter's hair and the hem of her dress before wiping her own wet spots.
I urged them both to sit down on the sofa, which was smaller than the one in the lady's house, but Katrin refused and stood diagonally behind the lady.
I resigned myself to the fact that this was my profession and called out to her again.

You've come a long way. You've come a long way. It's amazing that you can walk this far.

It may seem strange to praise a young lady for her stamina, but I pat her on the head because I know she has worked hard despite the rain. I'm sure you've heard of it, but I've never heard of it.

....... It's no big deal.

I'm sure he was trying to be arrogant, but it was obvious he was embarrassed because he turned over with his cheeks stained.

Wait a minute, I'll make some tea.

I'll do that.

I'll make you a cup of tea.

"You're my guest today, Katrin-san.

Refusing her offer, I went downstairs to the kitchen. I went downstairs to the kitchen and stopped by the warehouse where my father was maintaining the equipment.

"Dad, I'm going to make some tea.

He nodded slightly as he checked to see if the rope was untied.

All right.

When I got to the kitchen, I boiled some water and brought out four mugs.
I'll use the freshest tea leaves I can find.
The tea leaves in the house are basically herbal tea. My mother makes tea from herbs she gets from her work. Since I only have homemade tea leaves, I can't do much more than pay attention to expiration dates, even with my daughter.
When I took the lid off the airtight jar, I could smell the scent of lemongrass. I turned off the heat of the boiling pot and put the appropriate amount of tea leaves directly into it. This is the only way to brew tea because I have minimal cooking equipment. Cover the pot and let it steep for a while, then pour the tea through a tea strainer into a mug.
I put the mugs on a wooden tray, give one to my father, and go back upstairs. When I opened the door, the young lady who had been looking around cowered. It's not like she was looking for a pornographic book, so there's no need to be so scared. In a previous life, I would have panicked.

Sorry to keep you waiting. I'm not offended, you can look at it as you like.

It's not that trivial. ......

You wanted to say that you didn't, but since you asked my permission, your curiosity got the better of you and your daughter's gaze shifted to her surroundings again. I wonder if she's curious enough for her age to be excited about coming to a place she doesn't know.
As I recall, she became the Ernst family's personal gardener after her great-grandfather's generation, and the duke at that time built this hut for her. I guess my great-grandfather was also a big man, and the ceiling was so high that my father didn't hit his head. Or maybe it was built in the same way as noblemen's mansions usually have high ceilings.
I don't know what's so unusual about the place other than it's small, but I'm glad the lady is enjoying herself.
I put one mug on the table in front of her and handed the other to Katrin, who was still standing.

Thank you.

After confirming that Katrin-san received the mug, I went to drink tea from the remaining mug. But I felt her eyes on me and stopped.

"What is it?

I looked up at Katrin, who seemed to want to say something, and hesitantly opened my mouth.

"Aren't you going to sit down ......?

I can't sit down when there are people standing around.

I can drink like this," I laughed, and Katrin lowered her eyebrows in annoyance. When I looked at her, she was peeking out from the back of the sofa with her eyes fixed on me. She's clearly sulking about being left out.
What do you want me to do with your eyes? I asked Katrin, and she sat down next to the couch, where the young lady was pounding on it. After checking that, I sat down on the sofa opposite her. It's ridiculous to be afraid in a commoner's house when the master doesn't care about you. It's on the duke's property, but no one is watching, so it's fine.
The young lady begins to drink her tea with satisfaction. Katrin sipped from her mug and let out a small sigh of relief. I'm glad I could relieve some of your tension.

It's delicious.

I'm sure you'll be happy to know that I'm not the only one who's a little nervous. I was relieved to hear the affirmation of two people with such discerning palates.

I'm glad. Mom will be happy.

The young lady raises her eyebrows a little, as if caught by my words.

It is true that the tea leaves produced by Isak's mother are good, but the way the tea is brewed is important.

I'm not sure why I didn't just accept the compliment that was sent to me. I smiled happily at her.

"I'm flattered.

"It's an honor." "Not even close to Katrin's, though.



"Don't compare me to a professional.

She replies with a wry smile. Katrin, who was being quoted, sipped her tea quietly, slightly embarrassed.
After taking a breath, I asked her how she was going to teach me the letters. It was raining and I couldn't bring any books with me because they would get wet, and Katrin didn't have any of those things with her when she came to visit.
She pulled out an unsealed envelope from her sleeve, where white lace was peeking out from the waistband.

Here it is.

I was more curious about the structure of the dress' wide sleeves, which came out like the embers of a kimono. What, do you have an inside pocket?
My gaze never left the envelope but the place where it came out, so the lady became numb and thrust the envelope in front of me.

Open it now.

Oh.

I took the envelope with a serious white blade and pulled out the contents from the seal. Inside were two sheets of letter paper. When I opened them, I found a row of handwritten letters.
It is the alphabet of the first language of Arbentroth. As I recall, there was a second language used in the surrounding countries, and a classical language like Latin. The only common people who can speak the second language are cross-country merchants or inhabitants of border areas. Normally, knowing only the first language is not a problem. Classical languages are only heard in chants, so they are fine for now.
The first one is capitalized, and the second one is lower case.

"You have beautiful handwriting, young lady.

I'm seven years old and my hands are small, but your five-year-old daughter's hands are even smaller. I'm sure it's hard for her to hold a pen, but she doesn't seem to be stumbling over the lines. I wonder if she also practices calligraphy. I am genuinely impressed.

As a duchess, it's a matter of course.

The young lady's cheeks were a little red as she asserted that it was a matter of course. She's happy.
She's going to teach me how to read this alphabet today.

And teach me how to write it, too.

"Yeah, ......, but...

No problem.

The young lady didn't bring any paper or pen, so she was confused. I told her to wait a moment and went downstairs to the storage room to get what she needed. I get everything ready, ask my father's permission to borrow it, and go back upstairs.
When the young lady saw me return with a stick-like object in a shallow wooden box, she seemed to have no idea what I was talking about, and Katrin-san had a strange look on her face.
I didn't want to put it on the table, so I put it on the floor next to me. They peeked at it to see what was inside, and it seemed to be even more confusing. The wooden box, which looked like a wide bottom tray, was covered with soil, and there were just two wooden branches and a T-shaped wooden tool. Because of the soil, it could not be placed together with the table with the tea.

What are you going to do with it?

"I'll do this.

Hold the branch and move the tip of the branch against the soil, so that the part of the branch that has been dented becomes a line. Now, with a T-shaped tool, use the long side of the thin rectangle at the end of the handle to stroke the area around the line, and the soil will level out. This is just like scribbling on the ground. I'm just substituting a germination tray and soil preparation.
The young lady was silently amazed as if she had seen a breakthrough. Ms. Catlin nodded her head in agreement.

I didn't do much. ......

I'm sure it's not something that would get that much of a reaction. But I wonder if people who haven't thought of it would be so surprised. What is this kind of thing, Columbus' egg?　Scales from the eyes?
I just practiced it because it was quicker to see, but it made me feel like I was showing off a trick, and I can't help but feel uncomfortable.

I don't know if you're actually that smart.

What do you mean "actually"? It's just the wisdom of the common man.

You've got to make do with what you've got.
I'm sure you're not the only one who's seen paved cobblestone streets, marble floors, and manicured lawns, so the ground wasn't your first choice. On the contrary, my neighborhood has dirt and gravel roads, and I can find any stone I want that can be written on like white chalk. I bet she's never played rock-paper-scissors before.

I wish she could come to my house for a visit. ......

I'm sure she'd enjoy playing with me and the other little kids in the neighborhood. I can think of many games that she would enjoy, but I can't say what they are.
I can't guarantee her safety as a child.
It's essential to have an escort when a young lady goes to a low standard of living downtown on her own. She's pretty, and her pale gold hair and pale blue eyes make her stand out, so even if her identity isn't revealed, there's always the risk of kidnapping.
How nice it would be to be able to say something cool like, "I'm here for you. There is a part of me that wants to put on a vain face. But the memory of my previous life almost stops me from doing so. I can't underestimate the danger that has not disappeared even in such a peaceful Japan.
All I want is for my daughter to do something childlike, but it's so difficult.
I feel a little frustrated at my own helplessness.

"What's wrong?

"Hmm. It's nothing.

The young lady tilts her head at my strange silence. I smile at her and cover up my inner thoughts.

"Why don't you just look at this example and write it down?

I ask her how to read the letters and repeat writing and erasing one by one.


As soon as you start writing, you'll be pointed out.

"You're writing in the wrong order!

I was told that I would remember better if I wrote out loud, so I wrote while reading the words.

"Your pronunciation is wrong!　You need to use your tongue more .......

He points it out again. It's called advice.

"Make it more rounded. ......

"Spalter, young lady.

What?　Huh, people are so ......!

I was joking, but the girl who was trying so hard to teach me turned red and angry.
Oh no. I'm going to cry. Or real lightning will strike.

"I'm sorry!　I'm too dumb to understand what you're saying. Come on, girl, write with me.

I'll write while you look at it, and I'll give you another branch. She puffs out her cheeks once, staring at me knowingly, then takes the branch and bends down next to me.

You really are an idiot, aren't you?

"Yeah. I'm lucky to have a smart girl.

"Of course.

I guess I'm not so smart after all, as I smiled at the disappointing treatment.
The two of us arguing about this and that was more like playing than studying, and it was fun. My daughter also seemed to enjoy the sensation of writing on the soil, and her eyes were sparkling.
Once I got a passing grade from the young lady and was able to write, it was just a matter of getting used to the repetition, so I made them some more tea and practiced by myself.
The young lady, who had been drinking tea and watching me, was slumped over, her eyelids about to fall down, and she was consciously trying her best to lift them. The only sounds in the room are the intermittent scraping of the earth and the drizzle of rain leaking from outside. The sound of the rain, which should be damp and unpleasant, is now comforting.

You can go back to sleep if you want, young lady.

When I call out to her, practicing her letters, "I'll wake you up when it's time to go home," she shakes her head loosely, as if in disgust.

I'll wake you up when it's time to go home," she said, shaking her head loosely in disgust. "I'm not going to sleep with you, .......

But she doesn't seem to be resisting Katrin's efforts to gently remove the mug from her hand so that it doesn't spill. Her eyelids close completely with the sound of Ms. Catrin placing the mug on the table.
Then Katrin sat back down on the couch and the vibration caused the young lady to lean back against her. After a slight sign of weakness, Katrin gently guides your daughter's head into her lap to help her sleep. Once, the young lady twitched slightly, which worried Catrin, but she was relieved to hear her breathing soundly after a few beats.
She curled up like a cat.
I let out a smile and Katrin-san let out a small laugh at the same time. We looked into each other's eyes and laughed inaudibly.
I went back to practicing my letters, being careful not to wake the young lady.

You know, .......

After a while, Ms. Katrin called out to me in a whispered tone.

Yes.

It was louder than the rain, so it reached my ears without any problem. I reply at the same volume.

"Thank you for that time.

I know exactly when that time is.

"No, my actions may have made Katrin's situation worse. I'm sorry I didn't think it through.

"Oh no, ...... I was too scared to explain myself. That's why I was so happy that you, a complete stranger, pointed it out to Lydia for me. ......

I was surprised by what he said," Katrin said, covering her mouth with her hand in amusement.

I got a fist bump from my dad.

It hurt like hell," she said with a wry smile, and then Katrin, seemingly remembering, shook her shoulders in further amusement.
I'm glad we can laugh about it.
After laughing for a while, Katrin apologized for laughing at me and started talking.

I'm not as good as my sisters, so my father had trouble getting me a wife,......, and unlike my brother, I couldn't take over the family,....... If I had lost my job at that time, I would have caused trouble for my family.

If I had lost my job at that time, I would have caused trouble for my family," Katrin said.
The young lady once told me that Katrin's Lehar family is a baronial family. In other words, there is no estate. That's why they usually send their children out of the house except for the one who will inherit the family. Daughters are either married off or sent to serve a higher rank. Political marriages are preferred in order to expand the network of people, but it seems that Katrin's father abandoned her because of her freckles, so she chose to serve him.
I think he's a horrible father, but it's not uncommon for children to be treated as tools in the noble world. The fact that Katrin doesn't question this treatment suggests this.
Hypothetically speaking, what would have happened if he had been fired at that time? He would not have been able to find another job with the reputation of being fired from the duke's house, and he would have been sent away to a monastery because he could not fall into the commoner category. The kind duke might have done something about it, but Katrin's character would likely have left her even if that had happened.
I heard that Ms. Cathrin is five years older than the young lady. It's hard enough to be a nobleman when you have to worry about whether to get married, get a job, or get ordained at that age.

...... So I'm happy to be in Master Ludia's service now.

The jade eyes softened as they reflected the girl on his lap. It's like a flower has bloomed, framed by her dark hair.
The thin golden hair is gently stroked as if touching a broken object. The two of them, so different in appearance, looked like sisters.
After that, I saw the results of her efforts to change.
It may have been a bad thing if you take that moment alone, but it was a necessary catalyst for the two of them to become what they are today.

I'm glad.



I didn't do anything, but I'm glad to see that the two of you worked hard to come together.

You look like a daisy.

"What ......?

I've never seen you smile before, Katrin. When she smiles, it's like a daisy blooming.

It's a common flower with a wide variety of varieties, but when it blooms, it gives off a gentle color that makes people feel at ease.

I'm sure you're not the only one who can't get a wife.

She's healing and popular. In a previous life, carnivorous girls were in vogue and we men were frightened by their gruffness. It's no exaggeration to say that Yamato Nadeshiko was extinct in those days. Men's mentality is so weak that it's no wonder so many of them run to two dimensions.
There is a great demand in Japan. I am sure that there are many men who seek healing in this country as well.

There must be many men in this country who are looking for healing.

I'm sure there are many men in this country who want to be healed. I told her that I meant it, so that there would be no misunderstanding, but she turned her head and whispered something that sounded like a denial in a voice weaker than the sound of rain. I couldn't hear her, but she seemed to think I was flattering her.
Is this what you call reserved? I had never seen this kind of reaction from a girl in my previous life, so I finally understood the meaning of the word. Well, in my previous life, I was always joking around, so there was no way that the other person would have shown that kind of behavior.
Katrin didn't seem to be interested in talking any further, so I went back to practicing my handwriting. I occasionally looked over to see Katrin stroking her hair, as if she was comfortable to the touch, and the young lady sleeping peacefully. A peaceful time passes.

"You're sleeping well.

I'm going to have to wake her up soon," I said, breaking up the practice, but seeing her smiling face as she slept, I couldn't bear to wake her up.

I was up later than usual last night. ......

I'm not sure what to make of this. I wonder why I stayed up so late. Sleep is vital for children. I'd eat dinner, take a bath and fall asleep like a dead battery.
Ms. Catlin senses my question and tells me with a glance. Her gaze stops at the letterhead in my hand.

I couldn't give up until I was satisfied.

The letters of the alphabet are neatly written. It would be a miracle if a little girl could write so many letters without making a single mistake. Even if you don't see it, you can imagine her trying her best to write them all beautifully.

She must have worked very hard.

I'll take good care of it.

I smiled with happiness. I'll treasure it.
But it's even harder to wake her up when she knows it's my fault. As I was hesitating to wake him up, a call came from behind me.

"Zaku.

"Hey, Dad.

When I asked my father what was wrong, he looked out the window. He looks out the window and says, "The sun will be going down soon, so you don't want me to leave? Yeah, I know that, too.

"...... Zaku?

Then, before I could wake her up, she woke up with a sleepy look in her eyes.

"Good morning, sweetheart.

"Good morning, sir. ......, is ...... Zaku?

Rubbing her eyelids, half-awake, she asks me about an unfamiliar sound.

"My nickname.

I wonder who it came from. Probably my father, a man of few words, was the first. Before I knew it, I was known as Zaku to my parents and neighbors.

"Zaku. ......

"You can call me that too.

"You can call me that, too.

"Are you sure ......?

"Yeah.

I walked up to her, nodded my head so that we were eye to eye from below, and she smiled like a flower blooming.
Then, she wakes up and freezes. Then he shook his head.

"No, you're not. ......!

What?

Something seems to have gone wrong, but I don't know which it is. I don't know if there's anything odd about the exchange.
I was a little surprised at the smile you just gave me.
I don't know, but after a moment of discomfort, the young lady regained her composure when she noticed Katrin and her father's presence.
She approached her father to say hello and thank him for interrupting her, but the difference in size was that of a bear and a red hood. It didn't help that the young lady's shoulders bounced a little when she saw her father. It's intimidating to look up at him from a child's angle. I've seen every little kid in the neighborhood cry at the sight of my dad, as if it were a rite of passage. My father is not a Namahage.
At any rate, the young lady who got a little spooked, probably because she's a duchess, deserves praise.
Unwilling to be frightened, my father kneels down and raises his eyes to the girl's level.

"Young lady, I'm sorry for the trouble my son has caused you.

What? Am I bothering you?

I looked at my father, but he ignored me. I think my father favors the Ernst family more than me (his son). I mean, he's my employer. Maybe his is respect, a feeling I still don't understand.


No, but I did put her through a lot today, so I guess I'm in trouble. My father's assumption was not entirely wrong.

"This is no big deal.

"It's no big deal.
I'm not going to tell her that I was tired and asleep earlier. If I say it at this time, I'll probably get thunder from both my father and the lady.
I tried to walk her to the mansion, but she refused, saying it was okay because Katrin was there. I'll see her to the door at least.

Now, if you'll excuse me...

Miss Katrin bowed quietly as she spoke.

"Oh. Watch your step and go home.

She waves a hand.
Before she turns on her heel, I call out to her.

"Thanks for this, lady.

I lifted up the letterhead, which I had reinserted into the envelope, and thanked her. She immediately turns back on her heel.

"Don't treat me badly. Zaku.

I chuckled at his voice. I know you'll take good care of it, but I don't trust you.
I look away until the shadow of the umbrella disappears behind the rain.
It might have been my imagination, but I thought the lady's ears were a little red because she immediately hid behind the umbrella.