Arc-7 Ch-27

I continued washing the potatoes diligently, one after another. Even though the potatoes had been kept in a cool, dark place until just moments ago, dirt still clung stubbornly within the crevices despite thorough scrubbing.

The water drawn from the well quickly turned murky, once again obscuring the bottom of the bucket. It was time to draw fresh water yet again.

The work was laborious, but cutting corners wasn’t allowed. If this step were neglected, no matter how skilled the cook or how refined the preparation, an earthy aftertaste would remain and spoil the dish.

When it came to cooking potatoes, careful preparation was essential. That was a lesson my husband had drilled into me repeatedly back when we were engaged.

No matter how one looked at it, this wasn’t the kind of instruction a duke’s daughter would normally receive. Yet that very difference from other noble sons or members of the royal family was one of the reasons I’d been drawn to him, so I had no choice but to accept it.

Unexpectedly, such tasks suited my temperament quite well. Or perhaps it was precisely because I only did them on occasion that I could enjoy them.

Mothers among the common folk labor year-round without rest in order to feed their children.

If I hadn’t been born into the Redgrave ducal house, if I’d been born a commoner instead, what kind of life would I have lived?

He had originally been the third son of a baron’s family, with virtually no chance of inheriting the headship of the household. He would’ve had to take up some occupation to support himself.

In that case, even if I’d been born a commoner, we would’ve been evenly matched. I finally brought my thoughts to a halt at that point.

Lately, I’d been indulging in nothing but idle, pointless reflections, and I was beginning to feel disgusted with myself. I could clearly sense that I was fleeing from reality.

The idea of a body rejuvenated while retaining all one’s knowledge and experience was a familiar trope in fairy tales. I’d never imagined that such a thing could actually happen to me in real life.

Perhaps, in the distant past, there had been many such cases, and they’d gone on to inspire those stories.

In any event, no matter how desperately I searched my memories, there was no way I could recall how to properly handle a body that had reverted to around ten years old. And even if I could remember, there was no guarantee I’d be able to move it as intended.

For now, the one pleasant aspect was how light my body felt, something especially noticeable in my shoulders, waist, chest, and hips.

Just imagining how much fat my thirty-something body had accumulated was terrifying.

I’d heard that wild animals living in cold regions stored fat as a natural layer to protect themselves from the cold.

Was it really harsh nature, or was it instead living in temperature-controlled rooms, doing desk work without physical exertion, and engaging in constant social activity that had caused me to grow plump?

If my body ever returned to normal, I swore I’d absolutely slim down. And even if it never did, I vowed never to let myself become overweight again.

“Hahaue~!”

“What is it, Dylan?”

“Look at this.”

My youngest child, speaking in that adorable, lisping tone, held out a wooden bowl filled with hand-torn leafy greens.

Earlier, I’d instructed him to tear the greens I’d washed into bite-sized pieces. It seemed he was seeking praise for completing the task.

Ironically, among all my children, it was Dylan, whose ability to discern things was still immature, showed the least confusion over my rejuvenation.

Perhaps to a small child, a ten-year-old older sister and a thirty-something mother were both simply categorized as “grown-up women.”

“Well done. You did very well.”

I stroked his head again and again. Dylan squirmed happily in response. In that reaction, I could feel the blood connection he shared with Leon.

Once I’d finally finished washing the potatoes, I placed them into the bucket of water and opened the door to return to the kitchen together with Dylan.

The instant I did, a clamor of children’s voices crashed over me.

“Dried meat should be soaked in water first!”

“Putting it in straight makes it taste better!”

“Just throw everything into the mess kit already!”

“Why do I have to cook too…?”

“Stop complaining and peel those potatoes faster.”

…The house being noisy with children’s voices was simply a matter of numbers.

It definitely wasn’t because the educational policies of the Bartfort earldom were overly lax. I chose to think of it that way.

I’d instructed the children to prepare the soup ingredients. Yet while I was outside washing potatoes at the well, their progress had been minimal.

I didn’t want to admit that my youngest, Dylan, was the most obedient when it came to following instructions, but that was the undeniable reality. I had no choice but to accept it solemnly.

From the potatoes soaking in the bucket, I selected four of the smaller ones and tossed them toward each child’s head.

Every throw hit its mark. It seemed my younger body had exchanged raw muscle strength for heightened senses.

“…What exactly are all of you doing?”

I let out a sigh as I addressed them.

The moment they noticed my presence, each of them looked awkward and quickly averted their gaze.

Unfortunately for them, becoming smaller in stature wasn’t enough to make me soften my attitude toward my own children.

If they thought that a child’s appearance meant I lacked authority, then I’d simply make them behave accordingly.

“…Leah tried to put the dried meat straight into the pot.”

“Soaking it every time takes forever! Putting it in with the raw meat saves time.”

“Vegetables are the same. It’s easier to just boil everything together.”

“I hate peeling vegetables and chopping meat… This isn’t something a young lady should have to do.”

“I thought it’d be better to cut everything to the same size.”

Why was it that my third daughter, Melanie, and my youngest son, Dylan, were earnestly carrying out the preparation, while their older siblings showed such wildly different attitudes and methods?

My children, who carried both my blood and Leon’s, were so individual that treating them equally was exhausting.

I’d wanted to finish cooking before Leon, who was acting separately, returned. At this rate, though, the outlook was troubling.  Expecting too much from one’s children is nothing more than parental arrogance. However, failing to equip them with even the bare minimum skills for self-sufficiency and basic social conduct is also an excessive form of neglect.

“Melanie, if you cut the soup ingredients too finely, they’ll lose all chewiness once boiled.”

“Yes.”

“Lionel, the dried meat is meant to make broth, so rinse it at least enough to remove the excess salt and spices.”

“I leave it entirely to Mother’s discretion.”

“Leah, cook the raw meat separately from the dried meat. Remove the bones and skin, then lightly sear it to bring out the flavor. Don’t throw away the trimmings; they can still be used for broth.”

“Understood.”

“Ariel, if the soup turns out poorly because of your sloppy cooking, you’ll take responsibility and eat it all yourself.”

“Why me!?”

“If you don’t like that, then don’t cut corners. Remember that every reckless action eventually comes back to you.”

“…Yeees.”

“Roxanne, it’s true that noble young ladies are in a position where they don’t need to cook in order to eat.”

“Then!”

“However, being in a position where one doesn’t have to cook isn’t the same as having no need to possess cooking skills.”

“I don’t quite understand what you mean.”

Among our children, Roxanne holds the strongest pride as a noble young lady. That in itself isn’t particularly blameworthy.

However, that pride rests on the assumption that the Holfort Kingdom will enjoy a long era of peace and that the class system will remain firmly intact.

This world contains countless things far beyond our imagination that bring chaos. One such example is the lost item that rejuvenated my body.

Moreover, for Lionel and Ariel, the war between the Holfort Kingdom and the former Fanoss Duchy occurred before they were old enough to remember. For the other children, it happened before they were even born.

Those who’ve never known war fail to understand the value of peace and instead long for conflict. Those accustomed to luxury lose the ability to judge true worth and drown in greed.

Looking back, one of the main reasons the Holfort Kingdom before the war had grown so corrupt was the arrogance of the nobles who clustered around the center of power.

Precisely because we’re now in this unusual situation, away from our territory and mansion, there are lessons I can impart to the children.

“The only reason nobles are respected is because their ancestors rendered service to the royal family and were granted titles and land as a result. Never forget that your own existence isn’t inherently noble.”

“What does that have to do with us cooking?”

“Who do you think produces the food you eat every day? Have you ever considered who prepares your meals?”

“Father!”

“Hey, someone cover Dylan’s mouth.”

“I refuse. The heir, Lionel, can do it.”

“Don’t push every annoying task onto me.”

Dylan’s innocent response loosens the atmosphere in the room.

It’s true that Leon is quite an eccentric noble. He takes every opportunity to personally lead agricultural work in the fields.

Using him as the standard for Holfort Kingdom nobles would definitely be a mistake. To young Dylan, his father Leon is the very image of what a noble should be, which makes explanations difficult.

In any case, Dylan can be dealt with once he grows older. Right now, it’s more important to explain things to the other five children who are already past ten.

Explaining things while cooking makes my hands less steady, but such opportunities are rare, and the cooking must continue regardless.

I hold a small knife that even my shrunken hands can manage, peel the potatoes, and speak at the same time.

“If you’re constantly waited on by the people of your territory, it’s easy to mistakenly believe you’re inherently superior. If you stuff yourself with rare delicacies and refined dishes while surrounded by beautiful things, you lose the ability to judge the true value of anything.”

“Is that why you’re telling us to cook for ourselves?”

“There are other reasons as well. During the war before you were born, many nobles were stripped of their titles not only because of battlefield failures but also due to their usual misconduct. The fates awaiting the sons and daughters of those fallen nobles were miserable.”

“For example?”

Roxanne wore a displeased expression, while Ariel’s face showed intense curiosity toward the tragic ends of those noble sons and daughters.

Why was it that among all my children, this eldest daughter alone seemed like she’d stubbornly survive no matter what situation she found herself in?

While thinking such things, I finished peeling the potatoes and placed them into the wooden bowl. There were still many left in the water bucket, so I needed to work quickly.

“There was almost no decent work available for young ladies whose only asset was their bloodline. Especially daughters of ruined noble houses. They were regarded as nothing but sources of trouble. Unable to find proper employment, most ended up working in brothels.”

“What is a shoukan*?”

[T/N- I used romaji version here but it's like brothel.]

“Dylan, you don’t need to know that yet.”

“Ehh~”

“Even among them, only a very small number managed to entertain customers well enough to become a noble’s lover or concubine. The rest, once they aged and could no longer attract clients, were cast out of the brothels. They lived in miserable conditions, fell ill with no one to care for them, and many died one after another.”

“And this is your countermeasure?”

“The high-ranking noble daughters who’d always left all personal matters to servants fell the fastest. In contrast, even lower-ranking nobles who had the ability to support themselves and solid interpersonal skills were able to accept reality calmly and adapt. If anything were to happen to our earldom, it’s a mother’s duty to equip you with at least some ability to be self-reliant.”

I spoke with an air of self-satisfaction, but the truth was that I’d only reached this way of thinking after becoming engaged to Leon and having children.

Looking back, the me of that age, roughly the same as my current shrunken body, was certainly talented, but I was also unbearably arrogant.

I was capable, yet I believed my sole reason for existence was to fulfill my role as the duke’s daughter and future queen. Anyone who obstructed that path became my enemy, regardless of who they were, and I’d attack them without hesitation.

It’s truly ironic, but without that broken engagement, I’d never have broadened my perspective as a human being or as someone involved in governance.

Considering that I’m now living a happy life despite being entangled in troublesome affairs, it’s difficult to see happiness when falling from an enviable position. Yet it does exist.

All I can convey to them now, as their mother, is that if you don’t grow arrogant because of status and instead cultivate yourself, you can survive any circumstance.

“This is a good opportunity. Learn at least enough to protect yourselves in an emergency, and to prepare proper food.”

“Mother…”

“What is it, Melanie?”

“I understand what you’re saying, but could you please peel the potatoes a little more carefully?”

"....It's peeled properly, isn't it?"

"The peels are too thick. By the time you're done, the potatoes have shrunk to about two-thirds of their original size."

"But I've removed the sprouts properly, and there aren't any bits of peel left behind, right?"

"At this rate, I think the smaller pieces will fall apart during cooking."

"Failure is also experience. And I'm not clumsy. I'm simply not yet accustomed to this shrunken body."

Melanie is rich in academic knowledge and possesses an excellent memory. Because of that, she notices even the smallest discrepancies and points them out without mercy.

Here I was, trying to impart some valuable motherly wisdom, yet thanks to Melanie picking at every trivial detail, my dignity as a parent was thoroughly undermined.

A faintly oppressive atmosphere began to drift through the room. I wondered how on earth I was supposed to reprimand the children from this point onward.

"Everyone~, sorry to keep you waiting~"

The door opened, and a drawn-out voice echoed into the room as a green-haired female elf set a large number of packages down on the floor.

She was Yumelia, the mistress of this house.

"It took quite a bit of effort to borrow the tableware, but I think I managed to gather enough for everyone."

"I'm sorry for putting you through so much trouble. I'll be sure to repay you properly later."

"Please don't worry about it. I was instructed by the assistant to take care of all of you."

"Even so, I can't allow your kindness to go unacknowledged."

"I also brought additional food supplies, and some sweets for the children."

"Sweets?"

"Stop that, Dylan. Sweets are for after the meal."

"Ehh~"

"You lot too! Finish cooking before you take a break!"

"Yeees"

The half-hearted replies from my children made my head ache.

Still, spending time like this with the children once in a while wasn't so bad. In that sense, perhaps I should be grateful for my shrunken body.

It was a shame Leon wasn't here at the moment. He was still desperately working to restore me to normal.

All I could do was prepare warm, delicious food for when he returned. That reality filled me with deep frustration.

※ ※ ※ ※ ※

The wind rustled through the trees, and sunlight filtered between the leaves, warming the skin. The tranquil air carried the solemn austerity of a sacred place.

After finishing the meal, the children freely did whatever they pleased inside the house.

A house of ordinary size was far too small for me and six children. In the mansion of the Bartfort earldom it would've been manageable, but here the sheer presence of the children felt suffocating, making it impossible to relax.

While I'd slipped outside alone to gather my thoughts, Dylan followed after me. I didn't refuse him and allowed him to do as he liked.

With a relieved expression, Dylan, now drowsy from being full, leaned against my shrunken body and soon began breathing steadily in sleep.

"He sleeps very soundly."

"He must be anxious because I ended up like this and Leon isn't here. He clings to me more than usual to ease his loneliness."

"....You really are Lady Angelica, aren't you?"

"It's only natural that you find it hard to believe. I'm still bewildered by it myself."

Yumelia, who'd spoken to me, was holding several plates. She'd probably just finished distributing meals to the guards stationed near the house.

Although her manner was gentle and unhurried, Yumelia, unlike most elves, harbored almost no prejudice toward humans.

That much was evident from the fact that she was sheltering us in her own home.

The refuge Leon and I had chosen was the elf settlement where the village elder resided.

At first glance, using an airship to leave the Elf Village seemed like a good plan, but if we were surrounded before reaching Bartfort territory, our escape routes would be even fewer than on the ground.

Moreover, our combat capability, including the airship itself, had clear limits, so resistance would also be limited.

On top of that, if the kingdom's army or temple forces arriving from the capital came searching, we'd lose the initiative entirely.

We'd also considered sending only the children away, but if they were captured, they'd obviously be used as hostages.

Using that lost item might make resolving the situation easy, but it was a dangerous drug capable of transforming not only the Holfort Kingdom, but the entire world.

I didn't even want to imagine the collapse of the world beginning because of me.

With that in mind, the person we sought cooperation from was the village elder's assistant.

Regarding this incident, the village elder's faction had already begun moving to resolve matters and had requested our cooperation as well.

Since his wife had been reduced to such a state, Leon had apparently negotiated directly. Shelter us, so we can crush whatever scheme the former village chief and his group are plotting behind the scenes.

I'd felt that request was far too rude, but surprisingly, the assistant accepted Leon's proposal.

At the very least, it became clear that the village elder's faction genuinely desired coexistence and mutual prosperity with humans. They promised to shelter us in this settlement.

Even so, staying close to the village chief, the leader of the elves, would inevitably draw attention no matter what.

After weighing all of that, the place ultimately chosen for concealment was Yumelia's house.

"The children are very lively, aren't they? This is the first time my home has been so bustling."

"I'm truly sorry again. They're usually much calmer, but they seem to be getting carried away right now."

"Please don't worry. If anything, it keeps me from feeling lonely."

"....he don't have to try to restore my body, you know."

"Eh?"

"If I simply accept this rejuvenation, or even accept living forever in this unchanged form, then the family would no longer be placed in danger."

"Are you serious?"

"Half of me means it seriously, and the other half.... I don't even understand myself."

"Living as the only one who doesn't age in your family is painful."

Yumelia's eyes, as she said this, were filled with deep sorrow.

The gentle atmosphere from before was gone. In its place stood a being who possessed both intellect and the mystique one only hears about in legends and old tales, a mysterious demihuman.

Here was clearly someone entirely different from the elves steeped in materialism and contempt.

"Do you know of Kyle, Lady Angelica?"

"I saw him quite often nearly twenty years ago when I was at the royal academy. He's now Olivia's exclusive servant after she became the saintess. I remember people whispering behind his back that it was inappropriate for a commoner to employ an exclusive servant."

"So that's how he was treated after all. In his letters, he only ever wrote that he'd found a good master."

It was a hollow, dry laugh.

I could vaguely sense the resignation and regret it carried. This didn't seem to be an ordinary story.

Right now, I was overwhelmed with my own problems and would've preferred not to let my mood sink further, yet strangely, I felt no urge to refuse.

How tiresome this feminine habit is, being drawn to gossip and other people's misfortunes.

"Kyle is a half elf, born of elf and human blood."

"No way. They actually exist?"

"Until quite recently, half elves were despised even by other elves. 'They are living proof of an unforgivable sin, so don't bear them. If a half elf exists, other elves can't become exclusive servants.' That was the reasoning."

"....I see. So that was the situation."

In the former Holfort Kingdom, it had been fashionable among nobles to employ elves and other demihumans as exclusive servants.

Though called servants, in most cases their actual role differed little from that of male prostitutes or courtesans.

It was tolerated for unmarried noble daughters or sons to keep demihuman exclusive servants precisely because people believed that no matter how similar their appearance, different species couldn't produce children.

But what if an exclusive servant impregnated a noble daughter, or a noble son impregnated his exclusive servant?

It would obviously interfere with inheritance and political marriages. In the worst case, it could even lead to family feuds or the destruction of the house.

The simplest way to prevent that was to avoid hiring demihuman exclusive servants altogether. Yet in the Holfort Kingdom of that time, the occupations available to demihumans were extremely limited.

The most lucrative job for elves was becoming an exclusive servant. Half elves posed a disadvantage to that line of work.

It was only natural that their existence would be concealed.

"I was employed by a noble and ordered to perform such acts. After it happened several times, my pregnancy was discovered."

"....I see."

"I was immediately dismissed from the mansion and had no choice but to return to the village, but everyone opposed me giving birth."

"This is a sickening story."

"I'm sorry."

"You've nothing to apologize for. The ones at fault are the nobles with rotten hearts and the kin who shun the child about to be born."

My own pregnancies and births had been blessed by everyone around me.

Yet in this world, countless children are brought into existence without being wanted by their parents.

Ironically, it's often those who were once nobles but fell into ruin, and who, without proper contraception, sank into the wretched environment of prostitution, who end up causing such tragedies.

Rulers must take such issues seriously, considering the potential for them to develop into crime or epidemics.

Above all, as a mother myself, I couldn't hide my anger at the circumstances that allow such things to happen.

"Even so, I wanted to give birth. Clinging to a child might make me a failure as a mother, but...."

"Don't be ashamed. No mother should ever reject her own child."

"The Kyle who was born was a good boy. Even though our life was poor, he never complained and always helped me."

"He sounds like a splendid son. You should be proud."

"But I realized something. If he stays with me, Kyle will suffer. And if I stay with Kyle, I'll go mad."

Yumelia's tone grew stronger, and the conversation turned dangerous.

Yet I felt no desire to flee. Intuitively, I understood that I mustn't miss what she had to say.

She was earnestly trying to convey something to me.

"The lifespan of a half elf isn't so different from a human's. Their growth and aging proceed at the same rate."

"....I see."

"Even when Kyle becomes an old man, I'll still look almost exactly as I do now. I don't want to watch him die, so I refuse to live with him. I'm a terrible mother."

"Don't torment yourself over it. Just thinking of my own children losing their lives is enough to make my heart feel like it'll tear apart."

"When our savings ran out, he became an exclusive servant. Even now that he serves the saintess, he continues to send money back. I wish he'd forget about someone like me and live for himself and the saintess."

"He truly is a wonderful son."

"Yes. In his letters, he wrote that doing so makes him happy, so I shouldn't worry."

Her voice began to tremble, and Yumelia's words grew muffled. She was probably crying.

I hesitated to look at her face. Surrounded as I was by a loving husband and children even in this situation, anything I said would offer no real comfort.

While stroking the hair of Dylan, who slept leaning against me, I thought of Leon, who wasn't here.

"....I'm sorry. I ended up telling you such a boring story."

"Don't apologize. It was meaningful time for me as well."

"So.... please.... um.... Lady Angelica, don't give up on returning to normal. Being able to spend time with family is truly happiness."

"....Yes. I appreciate the heartfelt advice. I'll engrave it in my heart."

The unexpected story made me realize just how weakened my own heart had become.

Perhaps the mind really is dragged along by the body after all.

For now, at least, I decided I wouldn't give up on finding a way to restore my rejuvenated body and would think positively about it.

Otherwise, I'd have no way to face Leon, who was desperately running around for my sake.

As I vaguely thought about that, a rustling sound, different from the rubbing of leaves, reached me from the surroundings.

When I looked toward the source of the noise, I saw a familiar man approaching.

It took me several seconds to realize that he was my husband.

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Authors Note

┻━⁠━━━━⁠━━⁠━━━⁠┻

This chapter focuses on interactions between Angie and the children, and between Angie and Yumelia.

In the original work, there's little interaction between Yumelia and Angie, with more focus on Marie and Olivia, so I went with a flow where mother Angie bonds over shared topics.

I cut the children's meal scene, and the flirting between Leon and young Angie is postponed to the next chapter.

P.S. At the requester's request, Gamjasak sama, OooArikui sama, Pizzasea sama, and MIDNA sama have kindly drawn illustrations for this work.

Additionally, the insert illustrations previously drawn by 9430 sama have been posted on pixiv. Thank you so very much.

Gamjasak sama Pixiv

OooArikui sama Pixiv (R18 warning)

Pizzasea sama Pixiv

MIDNA sama Pixiv

9430 sama Pixiv

I would greatly appreciate any opinions or impressions, as they'd serve as encouragement for future chapters.