Chapter 11: Fluvia Focuses on Mother and Brother

Although Beth had informed me that Father would be coming back to the Capital in a few days, a messenger from the Dellarose mansion in the Capital came to inform me that it was pushed back for at least a week.

… Father, you weren’t trying to skip out on work, were you?

Although he’s certainly not the responsible type, it’s also not like Father to purposefully avoid work that has to be done.

I wonder if something came up suddenly.

I’m interrupted from my wonderings with a certain ossan saying,

“Hmm? So it’s like that.”

Haa…

I turn my attention back to the conversation at hand and say,

“Yes, that’s how it is. Minister Wynchestor, I would have imagined that you would have been informed of Her Highness’ condition through more formal channels, rather than through an Earl’s daughter’s sickroom.”

“Fufufu, indeed Tyron. To think you’re troubling the Lady Fluvia to ask after MY condition.”

I have a bit of a headache.

Exactly when did my sickroom become a gathering place for the most influential people of this country?

Minister Tyron Wynchestor sniffed a little as Queen Henrietta, in her wheelchair, joined us for tea.

“As long as you haven’t died, it’s not like your condition will influence me too much.”

M-minister Wynchestor, I know you’re also a higher-up, but is it really okay to say that kind of thing to the Queen?!

Well, the two of them seem used to this kind of exchange.

I’m not dumb enough to join in with their level of interaction, though.

Just because those two are allowed to treat each other slightingly, it doesn’t mean that the daughter of an Earl can do the same.

“Hmph. This man never changes. Only interested in the things he’s concerned with. Lady Fluvia, it’s not too late to change masters. A cute and bright young lady will be ruined by this kind of man.”

Like I could do that even if I wanted to-! And don’t make it sound like he’s a bad playboy seducing an innocent lady!

“I will keep Her Highness’ advice in mind, though I think the benefits to learning from Minister Wynchestor will outweigh the bad points.”

Queen Henrietta giggled into her tea cup.

This 27-year-old Queen… that cute look and her coquettish actions still suit her even as she inches towards 30. It’s completely unfair!

I definitely couldn’t pull it off when I was that age – I mean, I’m eternally 20-years-old, right.

Ah, no, I’m 5-years-old.

“What a level-headed child. It would be good if my sons grew up this way as well.”

Her Highness said as she sipped her apple-ginger tea.

She’s really taken a liking to it, although it’s now made with steeping apple peels instead of boiling and straining applesauce.

“I have heard that there are times when someone with brain fever wakes up as a different person. If it’s such an excellent change as this, perhaps it would be good for my son to go through it as well.”

The Queen and I glare fiercely at Minister Wynchestor’s careless words, and the Queen slowly says,

“No matter how good the change, I would never wish for my children to go through such a trial.”

I agree wholeheartedly with her words.

Even if you promised my daughter all the riches in the world and everything her heart desires if she could survive such an illness, I would never, ever allow her to go through that disease.

Riches and leisures we can do without, as long as we were lively(genki) and had integrity.

Those are my true feelings.

Although I only understood it, finally, when my daughter had reached her teens.

Minister Wynchestor, completely ignoring the mood, shrugged and said,

“There’s no way I’m serious, is there? There’s no guarantee the change will be good, after all.”

The Queen and I exchange furious, ‘This man is hopeless’ looks before deciding to change the subject.

He reminds me of my former mother.

The Queen, on the other hand… I feel like she’s close to the ideal I tried to be for my daughter.

Only my daughter would be able to tell me if I succeeded.

My current Mother?

The over-indulgent parent I hoped never to be – but even though I say it, I can’t help but admit that I DO enjoy the doting she and Father give me.

I just need to be careful that it doesn’t spoil Brother and me rotten!

According to Beth, when Brother found out I could read, he threw a tantrum, and now he’s being taught reading by Instructor Dale as well as swordsmanship.

I suppose we should enjoy this strange eagerness to learn while it lasts…

Now when Mother and Brother come to see me, half the time is Brother showing me the latest sword techniques he’s learned and then insisting on reading to me to show off how much he’s learned.

Even though he’s supposed to be a lazy, good-for-nothing noble.

My family is breaking character~.

Although Beth quietly confided that Instructor Dale has to hunt him out and drag him to his studies quite often.

“Instructor Dale has to be quite strict with Milord Fedor. But Milord Fedor does the work once Instructor Dale gets him settled down.”

So Brother is that type, huh?

Unwilling to work, but tries hard when he has to.

… Is it normal for children to pick up new things so easily?

Eh?

Could it be… Brother is actually a bright child?

From how my daughter talked about him, I thought Yabukoi’s Fedor was exactly the iconic greedy, evil, and dumb noble’s child though.

… Don’t tell me, Yabukoi’s Dellarose Mama and Papa spoiled him so rotten that they completely ruined his potential as well…

I was worried that Mother would interfere with Instructor Dale’s discipline of Brother, but it seems like it’s okay.

When I said that lightly, Beth kind of made an awkward face and,

“Th-that is, Instructor Dale threatened to leave if Lady Estella continued to come to the lesson grounds and interfere with his methods…”

Mother almost fired him on the spot, but Brother threw a fuss, since he had actually gotten attached to Instructor Dale.

“I want to learn from the best!”

Since Brother could see the effects of the teachings of Instructor Dale, he got mad at Mother for trying to send his teacher away.

And of course Mother caved in immediately.

Mother…

I want to bury my face in my hands in embarrassment.

Well, I understand wanting to spoil your children, but this is…

I wonder how to bring up the idea that over-spoiling your child will only cause him to become rotten.

Well, for now…

“… Wow! The cat killed the evil ogre and saved the other people and let his master marry the princess!”

Taking advantage of Brother’s obsessions with knights, I’m telling him stories like Puss-in-boots and Robin Hood.

Although there’s the danger of him becoming a “For Justice!” kind of guy, well, he’s only 5-years-old, so this is okay for now, right?

Fairytales and hero stories were originally for instilling morals into children anyway, right?

Yeee~s, knights and strong warriors should only exist for the sake of the weak and distressed~. Only things earned with hard work are admirable~.

… Am I brainwashing my older brother?

… I’ll properly think about the end results later, but for a 5-year-old boy, running around with the dreams of defeating evil should be fine.

I think.

At least he’s not dressing up in body tights and yelling, “Transform!” (hen~shin!)

Anyway, with the story-time, where Brother sometimes reads me books (although pretty slowly and fumbling over the words quite a bit) and I tell him other stories, a few side-effects came out.

Like, fostering our sibling relationship.

Mm. Naughty children are cute.

The way he’s excited when he gets praised and full of jealous ambition when compared to others is cute.

I can’t help but think about when my daughter was his age.

They’re similar after all.

I made a lot of mistakes raising my daughter, so this time around I want to do better.

Although, he’s my brother, not my child. There’s also the idea that I’d like for MOTHER and FATHER to actually raise Brother, not just me.

Nn… acting like an older sister figure should be fine.

Although I’m the younger one it’s only by several tens of minutes, so perhaps it’s alright.

For now, since I’m still stuck in the House of Healing, I’ll leave Brother to you, Instructor Dale.

Forgive his tsun-tsun tendencies, he’s actually a good child!

—

“… Mother, is something wrong?”

A few days later, Mother, Brother, and I were visiting the House of Healing’s inner courtyard.

Beth and Mary are waiting on us.

Un. The maid and attendant get along well.

Beth is a thin, tall, and somewhat timid woman while Mary is wide-hipped and broad-shouldered with a strong personality, but despite their differences they seemed to click immediately and began giving each other tips on waiting on nobles.

Well, in Mary’s case she was giving advice more along the lines of nursing than being a maid, but in this world the distinction between nurse-attendant and maid-attendant isn’t so black and white.

Well, in this country, anyway.

Fedor, after showing off his swordsmanship with a branch (as expected, swords, even wooden ones, are prohibited in the House of Healing), was worn out and sleeping peacefully on the grass using my lap as a pillow.

By the way, the wheelchair is now used as backup in case I get tired.

I’ve graduated to walking on my own-!

Although I usually end up returning to my room on the wheelchair.

… At least there’s some progress in my physical rehabilitation.

Anyway, as Brother has finally quieted down, I have a chance to have some mother-daughter time.

Estella Dellarose, although she’s a noble’s daughter through and through, has a complete inability to hide the thoughts on her face.

Is that okay in high society?

Although a normal child might not have noticed her uneasiness, well, I’m not exactly one, am I?

“Hahaha… Mother is alright…”

Mother caressed my hair, focusing her nervous gaze on me and Brother, instantly transforming it into a warm, tender gaze as she watched us.

Although she’s a nervous, high-strung woman, the type that I found difficult to deal with in college, her love towards her children is no lie.

And from her, I felt the ‘warmth’ of a mother from for the first time in both lives.

“Mm. But Fluvia thinks Mother is thinking about something interesting. Can Mother tell Fluvia? Fluvia wants to hear something new.”

Somehow, in front of my family in this world, I still switch to a more childish way of speaking.

Is this the rumored “special treatment towards family members?”

I think it’s a little different though.

Although I don’t want it to become a habit, I DO like being doted on…

“Fufu, I guess it’s been hard on you, my dear Fluvia. You’ll be coming home soon, so be strong for just a little more.”

Ah, no, I wasn’t intending to complain… well, whatever.

I listen eagerly as Mother continues,

“Hm… Mother is worried about buying a new dress.”

We both know that THAT’s not really what she’s worried about, although Mother thinks she’s managed to trick me.

I’ll play along anyway.

“New dress?”

“Mmhm. See…”

Mother hesitated a bit, then said,

“Mother has to go to an important party soon, so Mother is just little worried…”

Ah. I see what she’s worried about now.

“But Mother is pretty, so all the dresses will be pretty on Mother?”

That’s not actually what I think. As someone into fashion design, I feel like swallowing my tongue.

Mother would be very pretty in dresses that show off her long, willowy body, but unfortunately, that’s not the style right now.

“Ah… But Mother’s very tall… so…”

She’s even taller than Father, after all.

“And I’m so pale…”

“But Mother’s like a lily, so it’s pretty!”

“Fluvia-!”

“?!”

Mother hugs me suddenly in delight, waking and startling Brother.

“Ah, I’m sorry, Fedor dear!”

“Mother, I was sleeping!”

As Mother tried to soothe the pouting Fedor, I have Mary help me up into the wheelchair.

After having Mary inform Mother and Brother that it was time for lunch, I beckoned and said,

“Beth, come here.”

“Yes, Milady?”

“Other than the dress, is there anything else Mother is worried about for the party? For that matter, what is the party?”

“Ah… that’s… for the recovery of Her Highness, Queen Henrietta, it’s a celebration.”

I see. That is a big occasion.

“Lord Dellarose will also be attending, so he was prohibited from coming over currently.”

So that’s what it was.

Father wasn’t allowed to make an interim trip.

It’s more efficient to wait and get everything done in one visit to the Capital, after all.

“As for what she’s worried about…”

Beth hesitates, watching Mother trying to convince Brother that it was time to leave.

Even though he hated coming over at the beginning.

Taking advantage of Mother’s distraction, Beth whispers,

“The roughness of her skin, what’s acceptable perfume, cosmetics, the limpness of her hair, her height, especially compared to Lord Dellarose, her figure…”

So… everything.

“I see…”

Oh dear. This will be a bit rough.

Although I feel that Mother is pretty in her own way, rather than a matter of appearance, this is going to be a matter of confidence.

A noble lady, tall and proud… I want Mother to show off her elegant and beautiful side, but self-confidence will have to play a large role in this.

Let’s see… how shall I go about tackling this problem?

—

Extra

In Yabukoi, Fedor Dellarose never became interested in becoming a magic knight and preferred to chase after things that gave him enjoyment.

Because he was never interested in becoming stronger, he became fatter and fatter and grew to detest physical exercise. As such, he was relieved when Estella Dellarose sent Instructor Dale away and refused any other martial instructor.

Without Instructor Dale’s influence, Fedor never realized the pleasure of learning and ended up mistreating all his tutors, refusing to do his lessons and sending them away one after another.

Fedor Dellarose couldn’t read even the simplest of books until he was 12.

He became known as the most dimwitted noble of his generation.