Akuyaku Reijo Ni Koi Wo Shite

Akuyaku Reijou ni Koi wo s.h.i.+te – Chapter 3:
For the time being, my job is decided!

When I opened my eyes, I was in a different room than yesterday.

It’s the room where I was guided last night and was told that belongs to me.

There’s a bed, small desk and a wardrobe placed inside. Even with just that, it was a narrow room where there is almost no s.p.a.ce.

Because it’s similar to my former world’s room, I don’t really mind. The size of my former room was 4.5 tatami mats with comfort room included but no bathtub. It takes around 10 minutes from the station by bus and it’s a worn out apartment where the only redeeming feature was that it’s cheap.

— Those were memories from my former world.

Even though I have already given up my consciousness, why did I return? I tried both asking him and giving my consciousness away again but there’s no response.

It might be that he was just sleeping.
Yesterday was quite tiring after all, particularly to the mind.

That aside, that ojou-sama* was really the typical selfish ojou-sama huh? Even after doing what she pleases to her surroundings, there’s no one to voice out against her.

With that, I’m starting to worry as to what kind of woman she will grow up into.

Even though the appearance was pretty cute..

However, my appearance was quite lovely myself huh? Is it because of my former face? When she put make up and dressed me with female clothes, after seeing myself in the mirror, I was charmed without resistance.

Even though my body is just that of a child, it already brings such a charmi– What am I doing getting enticed by myself.

I’m not supposed to be a lolicon.

The other me really felt down huh?
Well, that’s the proper reaction for such.
You have endured well.

I also want to somehow stop myself from heading to the wrong path.

While thinking about these idiotic things and wasting my time, I suddenly heard a knock on the door.

Without even waiting for a reply, the door opened.

I thought it was the ojou-sama again but it seems it was the female attendant.

「Have you woken up?」

「Yes. Is there something I should do?」

「You don’t have to do anything. Just behave and remain on this room.」

「What do you…」

I wanted to ask something because I got curious with the female attendant’s way of talking but I gave up due to that cold gaze.

「How should we deal with you has yet to be decided. Because no matter what Vincent-sama and Ariel-sama says, the one to decide would be the master of the house.」

「I’ll stay here and be a pet?」

The other me aside, this turn of events is favorable for me.

「I fear that it’s likely that an existence such as yourself should never be in this house.」

Not because of the favor but due to disgust. The source of disgust of me was..

「Is it about… the heterochromia?」

「Yes.」

「Is it detestable to that extent?」

「It’s as you say, particularly for the aristocrats.」

「….Why?」

「I came here to tell the reason although it’s for Ariel-sama, I should convey it to you as well.」

「Please do so.」

「Did you know about the person’s eye color representing his attribute?」

「…No.」

Even If I try asking the one inside my mind, he is still sleeping. Even if I woke him up, I doubt he will know a thing about n.o.bility.

「….Well then, starting from there. There is a n.o.ble blood flowing down the aristocrats. The blood flowing to those aristocrats contains mana.」

So this is the reason why the other me thought that no one else can use magic other than the n.o.bility. Because the quality of the blood flowing is different. It’s something hard to understand for a modern man like me. Because blood is still blood, isn’t it possible to transfer it with blood transfusion, shouldn’t they just do that?

「For example, the royal family and the three great n.o.bility, As the name indicates, the attribute of the Grandfram royal family is fire. That’s why the direct descendants of them had red colored eyes. Naturally, the eyes of the king is the most beautiful scarlet color.」

Because it’s fire, the color is red. Truly easy to understand. Though the other colors have yet to be explained too, there’s still a part of that explanation that I didn’t understand.

「As the name indicates?」

「You.. you don’t even know that much?」

「It’s because I was raised in the slums.」

Well, the other me is.

With the female attendant being too surprised, she gave it a little thought but dismissed it anyway.

「That’s right isn’t it. You probably have never studied too. In ancient language, Granfram means 【Great Flame】 fitting the fire attribute.」

Isn’t it because the royal family’s attribute was flame that they’ve decided on that name– is what I thought but I didn’t put it in my mouth. I don’t want her to stop her explanation due to displeasure after all.

「Aqusmiar family means 【Sacred Water】,Fartilaz means 【Soil of Good Harvest】 consequently this family’s name means【Healing wind】. The royal family and the three aristocratic family completes the four elements. That’s how special they are.」

The attributes of magic are fire, water, wind and earth elements. Do they have light or darkness, or is it that they are just unaware of it? Even if I asked the female attendant, she might not know about it.

「In accordance with those attributes, they all have respectively different eye colors right?」

「That’s right. Now then, because you already understand the concept, let’s return to the heterochromia. About the source of the thought that heterochromia brings misfortune.」

「As the color of the eyes indicates the attribute, due to the person having two different eye color, the person can….not have both the element.」

「That’s right. The two element would contradict each other. Having the two elements will result into not being love by either.」

Again, another odd representation.

What do they mean by “not being loved” , even though the female attendant has a disdain look on her face again, this time I decided to ask her about it.

「By not being loved, you mean?」

「You don’t even know this as well…… The effectiveness of magic is affected by the intervention of the world, in other words the four elements. Being loved by those four elements will result into stronger effectiveness, the lesser affection means weaker effectiveness and if the affection is poor then it will result to none at all.」

「.. So it means that the four elements have will on their own?」

「The world itself has a will, And for the four elements composing that world, having a will is a matter of course.」

Perhaps the four elements are spirits. However, it seems the female attendant doesn’t know the existence of spirits. If she knows them, then it maybe that she is hiding it from me. That’s probably in accordance with the rules of the aristocrats.

「Which means because female attendant has blue eye color, she can use water magic?」

「Aa?」

It was my comprehensive blunder.

Judging from the way the female attendant reacted, this person cannot use magic at all.

「I’m sorry. It seems I’ve misunderstood. You don’t belong to aristocrat right?」

「I am an aristocrat!」

Another blunder.

It seems I’ve completely made her angry this time.
I relaxed my mind a little.
I apologize for thinking that I can just ask any question.

「…..Ignorance is tied to impoliteness. Even though it doesn’t concern you who is soon to leave this place anyway, just in case let me tell you. My family’s n.o.bility is that of a baron.」

Is it due to seeing me feeling down or maybe due to other reason, the female attendant continues her explanation even more.

I feel relieved.

「Aristocrats have hierarchy and the barons are on the lowest of part of that. But strictly speaking, there is a peerage rank called a baronet….」

From there, the female attendant’s explanation of this country’s aristocratic system felt like it went forever.

The aristocrats have a hierarchy and aside from the special rank duke that is directly connected to the royal family, the highest rank would be the marquises. I can’t really understand this parts properly but the duke is the retainer of the royal family.

However, although the duke has the highest rank in regards to the status, there’s an explanation about it being outside the realm of aristocratic system, but I couldn’t understand that part anymore.

Anyhow, the highest would be the Marquis followed by the Earl, Viscount and Baron. The marquises numbered to three and each one of them have their respective dominion which was the north, west and eastern territory. It was the vital point for the protection of the country.

The count under them have have their respective territories below the great three aristocrats. The territory they have would be near the center.

It seems the landma.s.s difference between the earl and marquises are enormously huge.

The three great aristocratic families are special in so many aspects.

The viscount on the other hand are used by the superior aristocrats Marquis and Earl and are often entrusted by to their own territories and/or castle.

The marquises would be the metropolitan governors, the earls were prefectural governor and the viscount would be town mayors. I manage to understand it in that manner.

Though it feels a bit different, but strictly speaking I probably don’t need it anyway so it’s fine.

Then about the female attendant’s baron family, it was not regarded as a n.o.bility in the truest sense and have no town nor territory because it is merely granted in honor. It’s a honorary position only granted due to achievements, the hereditary of that peerage are only allowed on one generation and will become a baronet.

Returning to the topic, commoners doesn’t have the ability to use magic. But even so, with the complexity of baron peerage, in order to have the ability to use magic, they had frequently repeated marriage with viscounts, so it’s not really guaranteed that they can’t use magic.

Though unfortunately, the female attendant let go of such opportunity.

Although being displeased, the female attendant explain up to that part.
It’s probably because she is a gentle person.

The conclusion of this talk is, the thicker the bloodline the better effectiveness of magic they have.

Especially for me whom is already a commoner and with my heterochromia symbolizing fire and water which is an even more worse combination would be definitely be impossible.

My short lived dream of using magic had vanished.

With the ears of me who was feeling down, I heard the phrases similar to what I’ve heard yesterday

Because the one screaming yesterday was right in front of me, this time it’s probably a different person running those words off. Because it has also entered the ears of the female attendant, she began to held her head down.

It’s the arrival of the selfish ojou-sama.

「Rion! Come with me immediately!」

「Yes?」

「Quit being absentminded! This urgent you know!?」

The selfish ojou-sama seems to be in a hurry and as to what is happening, there is no mistake.

「Ariel-sama, just what is happening?」

「It’s about father and the others overlooking Rion!」

「Ah.. that is.」

For me this is not really something urgent after all, I’ve already heard about being driven out from the female attendant.

「They said the way to deal with such sinister existences should be disposing them! I won’t permit such a thing!」

「…Eh?」

「If they see how Rion looks, surely they would reconsider! Because Rion is such a beautiful pet after all!」

「……….」

「Come with me immediately!」

「O-okay.」

With the complex feelings coming to my mind, I followed the back of the ojou-sama.

I do hate being a pet but I hate getting killed more!

Because the destination room is quite far, walking towards it takes forever.

Because the room I resided in was probably one of the rooms for the servants, the room of the family should be considerably distant.

With that in my mind, we kept on running in the hallway.

The ojou-sama in front of me seems to be having a hard time, I wonder why is this ojou-sama this desperate? For a pet like me, running to the point of almost out of breathe.

Even though she’s an aristocrat–

The last feelings doesn’t belong to me.

It seems the other one inside of me have woken up. I don’t really have any particular memories about aristocrats. But even so it seems I have come to hate them.

I understand this feelings well.
Those who have nothing harboring unpleasant feelings for those who have everything, even I have felt this as well.

It’s about coming to resent the unfairness of the world.

「W-We should be near.」

The gloomy feelings were instantly extinguished by that voice, although she had the face seemingly in pain, the ojou-sama won’t halt her running.

Am I that much of an important pet– while thinking about it, I couldn’t help but smile bitterly at the irony.

「We’ve arrived…. haa, haa, haa.」

The ojousama adjusted her breathing as she held the door. I don’t know the reason why she won’t immediately enter the room.

「Wait a bit longer. Is my hair disheveled?」

「A little.」

「Fix it.」

「Okay..」

It seems she was concerned about her appearance. Is it something that all aristocratic woman will fuss about?

Even though she is still out of breathe, the ojou-sama was trying to straighten things perfectly. This is probably something called “correcting one’s self”.

Although having a little bit of hesitation, I fixed her disheveled hair in order. Sweat was also starting to show on her forehead. Letting go of the hair that was tucked together, I took the hem of my clothes and wiped her sweat.

It seems this kind of thing is no good because the gaze of the ojou-sama became even more intense.

「H-have you not brought handkerchief with yourself?」

「Yes.」

「Well then, use this.」

She presented the handkerchief that she took out from her purse. Receiving it, I wiped the sweat on her face.

The ojousama was quietly keeping her eyes closed. The way she closed her eyes tight, her childishness has seemingly increased.

「How is it going?」

「Yes. It’s adorable.」

「I-Is that so?」

「Yes.」

「…Well then it’s fine. Let’s proceed.」

With one final deep breath, the ojousama went towards the door. Gesturing her hands as she was about to knock.

「Don’t kid around! Something that I have picked up belongs to me!」

We heard a voice inside the room.

The familiar voice belongs to the boy of long ago.
However, saying that a person belongs to him, why is these two siblings capable of such thoughts.

「Vincent-sama. This is not the time to be selfish.」

「Which part of this is being selfis.h.!.+? You are tossing out my property out of your own accord! This is something to be angry about!」

「However, there is a problem about the thing you’ve picked up.」

「There’s no such thing!」

「He is an orphan of the slums. What are you going to do feeling obliged to such a thing? You should normally be thinking that you are getting advantaged of.」

That’s why you have to resort into killing, isn’t that too extreme. My outward appearance is just that of a child, no- even the one inside is still just 18. I don’t understand why you are so vigilant about a kid like me.

「I don’t feel any obligation at all!」

「But, however weren’t you saved by him?」

「I never said something like that! I was not saved! I was even the one who saved him!」

「…That is.」

「That’s why I don’t feel obliged in the slightest. The one who should feel obliged was him.」

Though the reasoning is absurd, perhaps this is the way of the boy to protect me under his wing. Even though the other me disagreed, I still think that it’s something like that.

「He also had a heterochromia.」

「It’s not like it’s contagious!」

「It’s not about that!」

「Well then, what is this about?」

「It’s not safe to just easily get closed to someone whom you know neither his name nor his origin!」

「He is Rion of the slums.」

「That’s not what I mean…」

Right after that small muttering, without even waiting for him to complete his reply, the ojou-sama proceeded to knock on the door and entered.

I wonder about this in regards to manners.

「Ariel-sama…」

The man who was talking the boy spoke with a troubled voice. Is it about having to face a formidable opponent, I don’t really know the reason behind that reaction.

「This is Rion. You already understand who he is and where he came from right?」

The declaration of the Ojou-sama beat down the argument.

「Ariel-sama, pardon me but that is not what I meant.」

「It is wrong to judge a person without even looking at him yourself.」

「Well that indeed is correct, however.」

The line of sight of the man went towards me. Not just the man alone, the sight of everyone in this room was turned towards my direction.

Is the man comfortably sitting on the sofa the marquis?
Is the beautiful person next to him the wife?
Because the two resembles the ojou-sama, there’s no mistake.

Sitting in front of the two was the boy and the others were standing at the back of the marquis.

「You, what are you called?」

「Rion, is what they call me.」

「What I’m talking about is your real name.」

「Ryou.」

「W-what?」

「Ryou.」

「…….」

「Please call me Rion.」

「….I understand.」

I wonder why Ryou is hard to comprehend. Maybe when I communicate with nihongo, the words that comes out is different.

「Where are your parents?」

「I don’t have one. They have died when I was still small.」

「… How did you live after that?」

「Consuming garbage, I still can’t work with this age afterall.」

「So, you have never worked?」

「I have done home ch.o.r.es but it’s not an occupation.」

「Well then, where did you learn to speak that way?」

The man threw that question as if he had triumphed. It seems he thought that he had obtain proper evidence. It seems thinking that using keigo* would give better result was a mistake on my part.

「From my parents who died.」

For the time being let’s lie with an innocent face.

「What do your parents do for a living?」

「I do not know. Because we’re in the slum area, my parents have never spoken about their jobs.」

This is the truth and not just me. The jobs of those in the slums are most-likely shady so not telling their jobs to their children seems to be the norm for the parents due to that.

「When did you lose your parents?」

「I was around two years old so I don’t really remember the exact date.」

「Are you telling me you do not remember the day your parents died?」

「Even if you tell me that, I do not even know what the current day is.」

Due to being raised in the slums, fabricating your ident.i.ty is really easy.

「What’s the cause of death?」

「I don’t know, when I woke up they have already died. It’s not something unusual in the slums.」

「What do you plan to do after this?」

Although his wariness has increased to me who didn’t show even a little bit of being shaken to the seemingly interrogation exchange, it seems he had arrived into a stalemate or it’s probably around that. I somehow know what kind of answer he want from this question.

「I have never thought about it. I did not have the time to think about it yesterday.」

「…then how about thinking about it now?」

「Right here? Is it really needed?」

「What!?」

「The things I want to do is my own problem. Though it may seem a bit rude, it doesn’t concern everyone here.」

「… Do you mean, you don’t want to be meddled by this family?」

「I do not understand the question. What kind of answer do you wish for? If it’s about not wanting to be involved, then it would be better for the answer to come from that way.」

「That is…」

This man probably has no authority to answer. That’s why by finding faults in my answer, he would let the surroundings have the judgment.

Though worse case scenario I might get killed, I just cant really seem to stand this man.

Anyway, I don’t want for things to go this man’s way.

「It seems my son has been in your care.」

Suddenly, a voice was raised coming from the man sitting on the sofa. Because he said that he was his son, as I thought the marquis was him.

「Would it be rude to say that the same goes to both side.」

「The same?」

「I have saved your son from being taken by kidnappers and as I fell unconscious when we were about to escape, the one who saved me was your son.」

「I see. So it was give and take.」

「Yes.」

「Then, you have the freedom to do what you want next. I can even send you home.」

「「Father!」」

When I thought that the matter is already settled, the two siblings have simultaneously voiced out. I have forgotten about the two who opposed it. Though I am calm, as I thought maybe I am still agitated.

「This thing belongs to me!」

「That is correct, This is our pet.」

Because my life has already been spared, I want you to stop that talk already.

「However. For this to be your pet, isn’t it too big?」

Marquis, even you!?

「It’s fine. Since it always do as I say and most important of all it’s beautiful.」

「…..Well, that is indeed correct. However, it’s too early for Vincent. You must grow a little bit more.」

「Why?」

「That’s….. That’s just the way it is.」

I wonder what is Marquis talking about? I feel like he’s misunderstanding something.

「That’s right. Besides, the partner must not be a kid or mother cannot approve of such a thing. Well, I could probably agree if it had reached the marriageable age of this household.」

From here, the words of both parents were complimenting each other. However, as I thought something is strange.

「Indeed, if it’s like that. Well however, even if the other is that much beautiful, for her to become Vincent’s concubine, she must have a certain degree of peerage.」

「If it’s just a mistress then it’s good.」

「I see. Mistress huh? If that’s the case.」

Were they convinced now? Or rather, what’s the difference between concubine and mistress? Wait, this is not the time to think about that! There’s an even bigger problem.

「Umm..」

「What is it?」

「I am a boy though.」

「……whaat!?」

I didn’t make my gender clear but even though your daughter is making noise, is it actually not that important to that degree?

Or is it that the gender of the orphan you picked up doesn’t really matter?

「Well then, what are you going to use him for Vincent?」

「What for? A lot of things.」

「….isn’t it as an attendant?」

「Well, something like that.」

「I see. However, we already have an attendant.」

「Ah, if Vincent-sama desire it as such, I will withdraw from being an attendant.」

The guy who was interrogating me before said so.

So this guy was an attendant.

Considering that, he’s quite ahead of himself and besides, what is he being so happy about?

「Well then, what are you going to do from now on?」

「Because I would be troubled losing a job, if possible I’d like to be Erwin-sama’s attendant instead. 」

「Erwin? being a full time attendant of Erwin..」

I heard an unfamiliar name from the mouth of the Marquis. Because this is a talk about attendants and the like, is he perhaps another sibling of the two?

「Well, that’s fine I guess. However, he must undergo a training to be this child’s attendant and as to where we will leave that into….」

「In that case, I shall see to that. I will be the one handing the position over as well after all.」

「That would be good, Well then….」

The marquis began steadily staring at me, as for the reason…. I already know.

「It’s Rion.」

The marquis doesn’t seem to be considering me worth worrying about.

「That’s right. Rion, from today onwards you are now Vincent’s attendant. Endeavor yourself in Vincent’s well being.」

「Yes…. Eh?」

How did it end up this way?

Isn’t this talk about driving me out of the house.

By being attendant, doesn’t it mean that I would be residing here forever?

Why?

Saying that the discussion is now over, I was driven out of the room but while looking at the back of the Marquis and his wife, that question still kept repeating and repeating on my mind.