Until all the nobles had left, I kept watching Richard’s back for a long time. There was a nagging feeling like something was off. But putting all that aside… Strange. Why is my heart suddenly racing like this?
Throughout all the times I’ve been reincarnated, I’ve had countless faces and names. Each time, I was thrown into a new world. So, paradoxically, nothing was new to me anymore. Once, I forgot the name of someone I loved in a certain world. It was the same with the one I hated in another world. Even the process of forgetting precious memories felt natural to me now.
…Hmm. How should I put it? From the moment I met Richard, I felt an indescribable emotion. It was a sad feeling like I had forgotten something I absolutely shouldn’t have.
“What do you mean by that, Master?”
“That maid just told me earlier. Is Butler saying it really wasn’t your doing?”
But there was no time to be lost in thought.
“Yes, of course. How could I have known the questions the guests would ask in advance?”
I overheard a conversation between the butler and Dave behind me.
“Even if I had known, you know I wouldn’t have secretly given away the answers.”
“Well, that’s true, but…”
I didn’t expect Dave to rat me out to the butler so quickly!
“But that maid clearly told me so!”
“Sepiana, what on earth is master talking about?” The butler, who seemed to be listening in disbelief, asked me.
“Huh? I-I don’t know either. I’m not sure what master is saying…”
“You definitely gave me the right answer! How did you know what the nobles were going to ask? And how did you know the answers?”
I planned to feign ignorance until the end.
“Reveal your true identity at once!” Dave, with his face flushed, shouted abruptly. “Are you really a maid of our household? Or are you actually a spy from another family?” His large eyes, glaring at me, were full of suspicion.
“I’m not sure what you mean…”
But I had no choice. If I admitted it, he’d surely demand to know how I knew.
“Ha, this is impossible! Unless you’re a spy, how could a mere maid like you know things I don’t!”
“Wait a moment, Master. Even if Sepiana said so, this isn’t something to be angry about.” Just then, the butler spoke to Dave.
“As Master said, if a ‘mere maid’ knew something that you didn’t even know, wouldn’t that be more of a reflection of Master himself?”
It was a polite but firm reality check.
“…”
Dave, whose face had turned red all the way to his ears, glared at me.
It was really a mess because of helping him. Still, I considered that, from the perspective of the young Dave, his pride must have been wounded.
“Yeah, that’s right. It’s all my fault! Just like everyone says, I’m the curse of the Everet family.” Dave’s gaze fell to the floor. “Ever since I was born, misfortune has plagued my family. If only I hadn’t been born, none of this would’ve happened.”
In the end, the tearful boy burst out of the room and ran away.
“Master!”
“Butler, please leave him alone. Master needs some time to think by himself.” I stopped the butler from following Dave.
It’s time to start over from here. When the protagonist changes, the story changes. In other words, if Dave changes, so does the original plot.
Now that I safely passed Viscount Rawls, it was time to handle Dave. I couldn’t just keep indulging Dave’s stubbornness and tantrums forever.
“Sepiana, Sepiana!”
But that evening…
“Have you seen master? He’s disappeared.”
“What?”
Through the butler, unexpected news came.
“He’s disappeared? All of a sudden?”
“He hasn’t been seen since he stormed out of the meeting room. It’s been a long time…”
Dave had vanished. I thought he’d come back on his own after some time alone.
“I’ll go look for him.” I immediately grabbed my cloak. “I think I saw master in the garden near the annex earlier.”
He’ll be where he appeared in the original story.
I made an excuse, but I already knew exactly where Dave would be. It was the place that always appeared in the male lead’s memories during hard times in the original story. That place had to be ‘that study.’
* * *
“Master?”
As expected, my prediction was right.
“It’s already dark. Why are you still here?”
This secret spot was filled with memories of the late countess and Dave. As soon as I opened the door, I saw a small shadow. There, hiding in the corner, was Dave, curled up.
“Master, is that you?”
My voice echoed softly in the quiet underground study.
“Today’s meeting ended successfully, and everyone’s happy. Even the butler and the head chef.”
At the same time, I cautiously approached Dave.
“Were you upset because I helped you earlier?”
“…”
Like handling a sensitive kitten, I moved slowly and carefully.
“I didn’t mean to ignore you or deceive you with any ulterior motives.”
“How did you know I’d be here? Even the butler doesn’t know about this place…” Dave, who had been burying his face in his arms, muttered.
“I guess it was just a hunch.”
Well, from Dave’s perspective, I must have seemed strange and suspicious.
“Just like what happened in the meeting room earlier, it’s the same now. Not because I’m a spy, but just a hunch.”
“Liar.”
“It’s true.”
But at least Dave didn’t push me away as I came closer.
“Huff, there’s a secret I’ll share only with you, Master.”
I lowered my voice as if sharing a great secret.
“You might not believe it because I look so young, but I’ve actually lived for quite a long time. Much longer than the butler. Once you reach this age, you just know certain things.”
“…”
At that, Dave slowly raised his head to look at me. But maybe it was too difficult a concept for a young boy to grasp. His eyes seemed to ask what on earth I was talking about.
How should I explain this? I can’t just tell him I know the original story. After thinking for a moment, I spoke again.
“Master, do you know the word ‘reincarnation’?”
“What do you take me for! It’s when you’re born again after you die.”
“Yes, that’s right. You travel to another world and experience different lives.”
Dave’s eyes narrowed. He was still suspicious, but a hint of curiosity appeared on his face.
“If we’re talking about reincarnation, I’ve probably lived longer than the butler.”
“…Wait. So you’re saying you’re some kind of reincarnator?”
More of a possessor than a reincarnator, but whatever. That wasn’t the important part right now.
“Yes. Ah, Master mustn’t tell anyone about this. It’s a secret just between us.” I nodded exaggeratedly. Sharing secrets was the quickest way to become close, after all.
“Well, I’m not saying I believe you, but… does that mean my mother and father have been reincarnated too?”
“Huh?”
Looking down, Dave asked. “If reincarnation is real, does that mean my parents have been reborn somewhere too?”
“Ah… that’s…”
“Then they’ve probably forgotten all about me.”
For a moment, I couldn’t say anything. I had only been trying to get closer to Dave, but I hadn’t expected him to think this deeply about it.
“No, that’s not true. They’ll remember you.”
I quickly reassured him. But the truth is, even I, after living through countless lives, don’t really know. Where they might be now, or what kind of life they’re living.
“People dear to you are remembered not by your mind but by your soul and heart.”
But there was one thing I was sure of. Even if they were reborn…
“So even if their faces and names change, and even if their past memories fade, those traces don’t completely disappear.”
Setting aside the original story, I sincerely wanted to tell Dave. That no matter how much things change, the traces of them in his soul won’t vanish. But for some reason…
Duke Richard.
As I spoke about traces left on the soul, that name suddenly came to my mind again.
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