Chapter 2 – Anyways, let’s hear an explanation
For now, I adjusted my clothes so that I could move more comfortably, and with the lady…… no, I’ll call her my temporary mother for now, we walked out to the hall together. The old man, I mean, my temporary father, and the magician seeming older man also came along. Well, this is all temporary, I’ll figure out what to call them later.
Outside this room, was a tall middle-aged man that I think is around 40 years old, with compact, slick black hair. He seems to be wearing ordinary slacks, as well as a cardigan jacket reaching to his knees. His black clothes look good on him, and he’s fairly handsome as well.
Father looked directly at him, and introduced him to me.
“Seiren. This is our chief steward, Sylvester. He’s in charge of all other servants here.”
“My name is Sylvester. Seiren-sama, congratulations on returning safely.”
“……Oh, ahh, thanks.”
Since Sylvester-san was bowing deeply towards me, I panicked and bowed back at him as well. I don’t really know what a chief steward is though, I wonder if he’s some type of butler.
Come to think of it, he’s in charge of all other servants. That means, there’s more than one other servant here. Wow, they’re really rich, it feels like something straight out of an anime or drama.
“I shall guide you, please come this way,” and Sylvester-san led us down the corridor. Since it’s thickly carpeted everywhere, it feels nice to walk on. I mean, it’s so soft and fluffy that I’m not used to this feeling, though.
The ceiling is really high up, and supported by thick pillars lined up in a row, and the walls seemed to be made of marble. I can’t even see seams on the marble, I wonder if they cut the entire wall out of one marble block. Alright, they’re definitely really rich.
……Although I forgot momentarily, I noticed it again as I was walking. Aside from the fact that my uniform doesn’t fit me properly anymore, my shoes didn’t fit me properly now either, making it slightly more difficult to walk. Well, though…… I don’t think I need to keep my sneakers on here. I think my feet will get sore if I keep walking like this, so I took them off before continuing.
While I was busy with my own thoughts, we seem to have arrived. We pa.s.sed through a really thick wooden door that seemed like it would absolutely smash my fingers if I wasn’t careful, to a room that appeared like a type of drawing room.
This room was about as big as the orphanage’s cafeteria, and just like the halls, it was softly carpeted all over, with some sofas and a wooden table in the middle. The table looks heavy enough that it probably won’t budge even if I kick it.
Whoa, there was also a maid pushing a cart with a tea set on it here, wearing her black hair in pigtails with a maid uniform on. I’m guessing she’s not the only maid, there’s probably others as well.
There were large portraits hanging from the walls, and there were also ceramics and dolls lining the shelves. There was also a fireplace in the back. Ah, that’s right, this type of world usually doesn’t have air conditioning. No matter how I look, this doesn’t seem like my world. This seems more like what I was dreaming about when I was just a little kid. I’ve always wondered if I was born into the wrong world, if there had been a mistake somewhere.
Wait, no no no no. Calm down, Seiren Shikino. I don’t even know where I am or what’s going on right now.
“Please, have a seat.”
“Oh, uh, thanks.”
Since I kept standing while being lost in my thoughts, Sylvester-san prompted me to sit down. Ohh, this sofa is nice and comfy.
My mother and father (temp) sat down across the table from me. Although he arrived a little after us, the old magician also sat down in a chair diagonally across from me. Sylvester-san also moved about around us, making hardly any noise. Everyone seems to be getting along well in harmony.
The maid-san snappily prepared tea for all of us. The tableware had gold colored patterns drawn onto it against a white background, once again I wondered just how ridiculously expensive this must have been. The tea…… doesn’t seem to be something I’m familiar with, but it smells nice. It was also served with cookies…… I think it’s sable. I don’t know if there’s any differences, but that’s the feeling I get.
“Well then.”
After everyone had some tea, the old magician cleared his throat and looked around at everyone. I couldn’t help but correct my posture and sit up straight, but everyone else remained relaxed as he began talking. Seeing how unreserved everyone was acting, I definitely feel like this place is different from what I’m used to.
“First of all, Seiren-sama, I’ll begin with an explanation about yourself?”
“……Alright.”
I nodded at what the old magician said. At any rate, I also want to know what’s going on. Really, I have no idea how I got “involved” in all this to begin with.
“Seiren-sama. I believe that your real name should be Seiren Shiya. These two you see in front of you should be your parents. Mondo-sama is the current head of the Shiya family, and this is his wife Maya-sama.”
“Since you’re saying he’s the head of the family, this must be quite an amazing family.”
“Yes. The Shiya family is the lord of this region.”
Seiren Shiya. He’s saying that’s my name.
And, that these two people in front of me, are my actual parents.
Honestly, I don’t even know what to feel about all this, or whether I should begin addressing them as mother and father.
I wonder if I can even say mom and dad out loud, me.
So it seems they’re some sort of n.o.bles. I wonder if he means the type with a lot of land and villagers working for them. And, I’m supposed to be the child of such a family.
I still don’t feel like it’s real yet. Or rather, it feels more like this is all a mix-up or misunderstanding of some sort.
If it wasn’t for the baby ring being evidence, I’d really think that was the case.
“Since your parents were a bit older than average when they were finally able to have you, they were extremely overjoyed at the birth of Seiren-sama.”
“……”
As he said so, I couldn’t help but take another look at my presumed parents. My father’s expression seemed slightly stiff, but mother seemed to be smiling very happily.
Ahh, so she’s very happy. So maybe I do have parents that love me. The orphanage director had always treated me very well, but even so I had always felt like parental love would be something different.
“However, something happened about one month right after Seiren-sama was born. When your parents and your nanny left you alone for just a short period of time, you disappeared from the room, no, from the entire mansion. You were wearing clothes embroidered with your name on it, and this baby ring at the time you disappeared.”
“……Mm.”
Oi oi, this is a little too much to take in for me right now, I’ll just keep it all in mind. Indeed, this does sound like the situation that I was found in by the orphanage. Everything seems to fit.
Then, I realized. My name was embroidered on my clothes. That’s why I was called Seiren. That the name Seiren written in the language of this world, was also readable on Earth.
……As I thought about what it all meant, Sylvester-san and my parents suddenly all lowered their heads towards me.
“I’m sorry Seiren, if only I had been able to be with you at that time……”
“No, it’s my fault that you were neglected. My apologies……”
“It’s my fault for not having any servants around you. Even though I know that I shouldn’t be forgiven no matter how much I apologize, I still wish to say that I’ve truly sorry, Seiren-sama.”
“……Um, it’s okay……”
Mother, father, and Sylvester-san all spoke up at once. I’m troubled that they’re all trying to apologize to me. Although I mostly understand their story now, I still haven’t come to terms with it.
And so, I’ve grown up properly to be 18 years old, and I’m in front of my parents now.
Even if I say that, what’s with this situation.
The only daughter of a really well-off family went missing, when she was only one month old. Everyone involved back then seems to be here now, other than the nanny, and they’re all really nice people.
And of course, that would have been a great blow to my parents. Or to anyone else for that matter, if their only daughter went missing.
“……Even so, finally, finally, we were able to find you today.”
“Roughly speaking, that’s what happened. I hope that this explanation shall suffice.”
During all this, the old magician had his eyes almost closed, and kept nodding at me. Well, I can hear the finer details later, and I understand that they’ve gone through a lot because of all this as well.
Although.
“……So, you’ve been searching for 18 years? For me.”
“Of course! Since my cute child’s been missing for all this time!”
Although it was a question I asked hesitantly, I got a reply almost immediately. Those eyes seemed to be looking at me strictly, but there was a nostalgic feel to them as well.
……Somehow, it feels like I’m really relieved inside.
Without any logic to it, for some reason I’m convinced that these are my real parents. It’s the same feeling I have towards the orphanage director on my original world.
It seems that I do have a family I can belong to.
For some reason that I didn’t fully comprehend, my chest felt warm inside.