Chapter 10

“…”

He answered with silence.

Figures.

The entire Empire had completely misunderstood Leta because of the way she behaved with the social skills of a brick, so there was no way Pell would simply believe me.

On top of that, he was probably wondering how much he could trust someone suffering from amnesia.

Wait… if he already knows I have amnesia, why ask me? Ah.

Suspicious little introvert. So he really had been suspicious this whole time. Back then, he hadn’t been making idle conversation—he’d genuinely wanted to know.

Though I couldn’t help wondering what exactly he planned to accomplish by being so suspicious, I decided to indulge my friend and play detective with him.

I shrugged lightly.

“I really just wanted to become friends with you.”

“…Is that so?”

“Yeah. As I’ve been resting, bits and pieces of my memory have started coming back… not everything, though. I don’t remember anything related to work.”

I deliberately emphasized the last part.

Work? Absolutely not. Never. I remembered nothing.

Crossing my arms into a big X, I continued.

“I’d never really liked anyone before. And… if you knew the old me, you know I wasn’t exactly easy to approach, right?”

“Well…”

Pell trailed off, unable to answer properly.

He’s too nice to bluntly agree.

I lowered my hands and scratched my cheek.

“The truth is… I’ve always been bad with people. Things kept going wrong because of it. I couldn’t say what I wanted, and my actions never matched my intentions… that’s all.”

“I understand.”

“Hm?”

Our eyes met.

With the same unreadable expression as always, he repeated himself.

“I believe you.”

Oh.

If Leta had heard that…

…Well, she probably wouldn’t have cried.

But any emotionally normal person would’ve burst into tears hearing such a line.

A warm feeling welled up from deep inside my chest.

This…

This was the joy of hearing your introvert friend say he trusted you!

“Pell!”

“…?!”

Unable to contain my emotions, I gave him a quick hug.

He froze solid.

Oops.

Can’t have my introvert panicking.

I immediately let go, laughed, and patted his shoulder.

“You’re seriously such a good person. I’m honestly touched. When I become a count someday, I’ll take good care of you. Don’t worry.”

“…Thank you.”

“That’s right! Got anything else you’re curious about? Ask me anything. I’ll answer everything I can remember!”

I was in a good mood.

I’d happily share information that was roughly 75% reliable—a healthy mixture of my own guesses, the original novel’s plot, and Leta’s diary.

The fact that I’d completely made up that percentage because it sounded convincing… would remain my little secret.

“Then…”

After that, Pell asked one trivial question after another.

Things so insignificant that I kept wondering why he was even curious about them.

I answered each one as best I could, relying on my rather pitiful imagination.

“And then?”

“Ah, well…”

Every now and then I worried that my answers might expose the fact I’d transmigrated into someone else’s body and get me dragged into some kind of exorcism.

But I couldn’t waste this precious opportunity to grow closer to my introverted friend.

Besides, he listened to every one of my clumsy answers with complete sincerity.

The least I could do was give it my best.

We talked until quite late before walking back down the hill.

“Good night, Pell~”

“Yes. Sleep well.”

Just as he’d wished me, I slept better than I had since arriving here.

After all, today had been monumental.

I’d become best friends with Pell…

…and I’d even secured a promise to have breakfast with my parents.

Clink.

Clink.

Clink…

“You two are awfully quiet while eating.”

Unable to endure even three seconds of silence, I spoke first.

I’d expected this family to be awkward…

But this was even worse than I’d imagined.

Let’s rewind to this morning—to the painful process of waking up.

“I’m dying…”

Breakfast was scheduled for exactly seven in the morning.

That meant I had to wake up at six just to make myself look halfway presentable.

A nearly impossible mission for me.

But somehow, I managed.

And so, Leta’s family gathered around the breakfast table.

“Good morning, Mother! Father!”

Good news.

I’d finally learned their names.

I asked Pell last night. At first he’d stared at me in surprise before remembering my amnesia and kindly telling me.

Father was Ino Apel Suspenter.

Mother was Harke Nisen Suspenter.

Though honestly…

In my head, they were already just “Dad” and “Mom.”

“…Morning.”

“Come. Sit down.”

At least they acknowledged my greeting.

I took my seat.

“…Isn’t this table way too long?”

I wasn’t even exaggerating.

They looked like tiny dolls from where I was sitting.

The enormous white dining table, draped in elegant linen, looked long enough to seat at least fifteen people.

It also looked absurdly expensive.

I wonder how much it—

No, that’s not important.

“Can you even hear me from over there?”

“Barely.”

The important part was that the table was an absurdly long rectangle.

My parents sat at one end.

I sat at the other.

Literally opposite ends.

“Can’t I sit closer?”

“…Eat where you are.”

Without even lifting his eyes from his plate, Father gave the order.

Seriously?

Were they openly trying to maintain emotional distance?

As the maids carried over carefully prepared dishes, they happened to make eye contact with me—

—and immediately started trembling.

Why are my parents fine, but everyone else reacts like that whenever they see me?

Was there something about Leta the novel had never mentioned?

Was she really such an irredeemable villainess?

At this rate, I’d have to spend all my time researching her past.

Or maybe…

I should learn stealth and secretly sneak into the servants’ quarters.

…Actually, that’s not a bad idea.

Once I found a dog hole or some other escape route, I’d sneak out and look for an adventurers’ guild or something.

I vaguely remembered seeing something about that in Leta’s library.

Curse my terrible memory.

Well, what could I do?

That’s just how I am.

Still…

If there was one thing I excelled at…

It was making friends.

Like this.

“Leta! Return to your—”

“If I eat all alone, I feel like I’ll get indigestion. I’d rather sit next to you.”

No negotiations.

Just brute force.

I immediately picked up my salad and marched over to Father’s left side before sitting down.

We could’ve eaten like this from the beginning.

Why was I the only one being isolated?

“…”

“This is much better! Isn’t eating together so much nicer?”

My parents were stunned.

Meanwhile, the maids had to carry every dish they’d originally placed at the far end all the way back.

Feeling bad for making them work twice, I smiled gently.

“Thank you.”

Crash!

One of the maids dropped an entire plate.

“I-I’m so sorry…”

Good grief.

If I thanked them twice, someone might actually die.

I swear to heaven, I only bent down because I wanted to help.

“Gah…!”

Thud.

She fainted.

Seriously?

“I’ll take care of it instead, Miss.”

“…Okay.”

A rabbit-like maid hurried over, quickly cleaned everything up, then dragged the unconscious girl away.

I turned back toward my parents.

Apparently they’d found the whole thing fascinating, because both of them were staring at me without blinking.

When our eyes met, I laughed awkwardly.

“Haha…”

“Eat.”

Fair enough.

Let’s eat.

But…

Was I really expected to eat nothing but vegetables for breakfast?

Where was the meat?

Maybe it’ll come later.

I reached for one of the many forks on the table—

Only for Mother to immediately correct me.

“So you truly did lose your memory. Even your table manners are a disaster. That fork is for meat. The salad fork is the second one from the left.”

Oh.

She’s right.

But how was I supposed to know that?

I’m a modern Korean.

I know absolutely nothing about Western noble etiquette.

I’d gone to a fancy restaurant once because of a rich friend…

But even that wasn’t nearly this complicated.

So I confidently gave her a thumbs-up.

“As expected of Mother! You figured out I’d forgotten all my manners because of my amnesia! Amazing!”

“…Forgotten your manners…? What are you talking about?”

“Ah, it’s just an expression.”

A Korean expression.

Even if I explained it, she wouldn’t understand.

Mother paused for a moment before gracefully taking another bite of salad as if nothing had happened.

“I’ll assign you a tutor.”

“…What?”

While I sat there dumbfounded, she elegantly dabbed the corner of her mouth with a napkin and continued.

“We don’t know when your memories will return. Rather than waiting indefinitely, it would be faster to build new ones.”

“Uh… Father?”

You’re the one who insisted I should focus on resting!

“…I agree.”

“…What?”

Betrayal.

How could you?

And look at him.

After saying that, he shut his mouth as if the conversation was already over.

“Fulfill your responsibilities as the heir. I’m not asking you to take on every duty immediately. At the very least, learn the basics. Two weeks should be sufficient.”

“…What?”

Mother calmly gave several instructions to the head maid beside her.

The head maid nodded, took notes, and quietly left.

Meanwhile…

I sat there frozen, like a raccoon that had just had its cotton candy stolen.

Grrrr…

My stomach growled.

Well, hungry or not, I still had to eat.

Since my manners were apparently hopeless anyway, I might as well eat however I wanted.

Just then, a plate of steak was placed in front of me.

That meat looks so tender I could probably cut it with a spoon…

There’s the spoon.

It cuts!

It actually cuts!

Wow.

Tender enough to slice with a spoon?

Whoever cooked this deserves a raise.

I happily devoured the steak while marveling at it.

“…This is serious…”

Mother muttered under her breath.

I let the comment go in one ear and out the other.

Even if she said that…

The only thing on my mind was becoming friends with all the introverts in this mansion as soon as possible.

Studying?

You’re asking someone who got transmigrated into a novel because she kept procrastinating on assignments during her senior year and read fiction instead?

You’re asking someone who’s been putting off writing her graduation thesis?

Please.

Just kill me instead.