Chapter 26: 26 24． Kinito Ume

While I was working in the garden, Master Heinz, the butler, came to see me. I've visited him before for physical training, but this is the first time he's come alone. He usually follows the duke.

"Master, what's wrong?

Master raised his eyebrows slightly for a moment. I think it's a habit because he always shows it when I call him.

Even if it's for my father, I always ask him first. Because of my father's reticence, it seems that the maids and others, even though they are colleagues of the Ernst family, find it difficult to talk to him. So it's easier to talk to them if I ask first.

In the same vein, I did the same to Master, but it may have been unnecessary because Master was fine with it.

"Master Gerald wants to see you. Please follow me.

"What, me?

Another first. The duke wants to see me. I thought it was for my dad, but it's for me.

What did I do wrong?

I was surprised, but I followed my master. As I follow him, I think about the possibility of being called.

Have I soiled or torn the clothes I borrowed for dance practice? Or is it that if I borrow them, I should wash them myself and return them? But I'd rather leave it to the professionals (maids) than to me to wash such good quality clothes. Or maybe the existence of the garden for self-study has been discovered. No, if that's the case, it's the Baumgartner family's problem, and my father should have been called.

I don't remember being summoned, even in my previous life, except for being summoned to the staff room or the student guidance office by a teacher.

So I can only assume that I will be scolded. But I don't think I've done anything good, but I don't think I've done anything bad either. I hope so.

I was ushered into a reception room for visitors. There was not a speck of dust in the room, and the furnishings were elegant and expensive. I cleaned off as much dirt as I could, but I wondered if I could enter in my work clothes.

I'm here.

Excuse me.

The master let me in, and as I bowed and entered, my eyes met the Duke's on the sofa across from me.

I'm sorry to disturb you at work, Isak.

"No.

The duke greeted me with a smile that was as comfortable as ever, even with the flowers on his back. On the other side of the duke, facing away from me, is another person sitting on the sofa. It seemed to be a reception room, because he was expecting a visitor. But I don't understand why he would call me when he's expecting me.

As I was puzzling over this, the person who had his back to me stood up and turned around. It was someone I knew.

"Long time no see, Isak.

I hadn't forgotten the nobleman who smiled a little unsurely, wondering if I remembered him.

"Sir Daniel?

I'm not sure what to make of this. I was a little relieved to see that. I hadn't expected to see him again, so I wondered how he was doing.

It was good for me to see Daniel again, but I didn't know why he called me.

The Duke invited me to the single sofa between them, so I sat down in front of him and put my hands on his lap. The maid, who was casually waiting, made a cup of tea for me and left.

"Um, ...... is this a secret?

I'm not sure what to say, but I'd like to know. The Duke and Daniel widened their eyes slightly. I wondered what they were so surprised about. The maids are backing away, and the only one standing in the way is Master, who is absolutely adamant. I can tell that this is something that needs to be kept secret under the circumstances.

As I was sipping my tea, the Duke affirmed.

That's right. I want you to keep it a secret from Dia and the others. Can you do that?

"Depends.

The Duke asked with an unusually wry smile, to which I answered honestly. I don't know if I can do it if I haven't heard anything about it. I don't know if I can do it if I haven't heard anything..." The Duke narrowed his eyes in amusement at my answer.

You're right. Then ......

Gerald, I'll talk to him.

At Daniel's offer, the Duke relinquished his right to explain.

I have told you, Isak, that my wife is ill.

Yes.

I need your help to cure her of her illness.

I was not expecting that. What can a kid like me do to someone who's mentally ill? I was just a stupid student in a previous life. I'm not a licensed counselor, and I've never even studied to be one.

What do you say, ......?

I want you to pretend you're my son.

I don't get it anymore. Daniel's eyes are serious and sincere. But why bother asking me, a commoner?

Seeing the confusion in my eyes, Daniel lowered his eyebrows apologetically.

I know it's a lot to ask. I know I'm asking a lot, but I can't seem to get my wife to see reality on my own. ......

"Reality?

Our son died last year.

A chilling sensation passed through my chest. A chill went through me. His young, leafy eyes cast a shadow and told me he would be my age if he were still alive.

For my wife, who had always been unable to bear children, our son was like a miracle. He was a sickly but cheerful, laughing child, and my wife and I loved him very much. Now that she has lost him, she can't accept that he is no longer with us.

That's what Daniel's wife said was wrong with her. When Daniel's son was born, the doctor had told her that she would not be able to have another son, and it was a great shock to her.

Daniel, who had been clenching his fists and talking as if he was in pain, looked at me and softened his expression.

I was surprised when I saw Isak.

"Yeah, .......

He looked so much like my son.

Apparently I have the same hair and eye color as Daniel's son. It's not that we look exactly alike, but that we have a similar vibe.

It's true that my hair and Daniel's are the same color, but it's a common hair color, so there's nothing strange about it. The color of his eyes is not unusual either, it's a common color.

Words of denial came to mind, but I couldn't say them because I knew it wasn't something superficial like that. Her eyes were filled with a mixture of nostalgia and sadness, and I didn't know what to do.

I don't know what to do. I don't know if he noticed me, but he looked away once.

I thought that if Isak, who looks like my son, could talk to me, I might be able to admit my discomfort and begin to recover.

Daniel smiled at me, trying to reassure me that he would not force me to talk to someone who was insane, because it was painful. I felt a pang in my heart when I thought that Daniel-sama was doing that every day without running away.

But I have to be prepared to accept it.

I thought about it properly and took a breath. I looked Daniel in the eye and said.

I can't pretend to be your son.

I can't pretend to be your son.

"Well, ......

"But I would like to go visit your wife.

Daniel rolls his eyes. The duke seemed surprised.

I'm me, I can't take someone else's place. But maybe talking to someone outside the family will help. I'm not going to be able to smile in front of your daughter if I don't do anything when I know Daniel's in so much pain.

When I suggested that we meet if I didn't have to pretend to be his son, Daniel asked unsurely.

"Are you sure, ......?

I don't want to pretend this never happened.

I was the one who approached the ghostly Mr. Daniel first. You have to take responsibility for your actions.

Thank you, .......

Daniel laughed with a look of tears on his face.

The duke, who had been elegantly drinking his tea in silence, put his teacup on the saucer and looked at me.

"So, can you keep this a secret?

"Yes.

I nodded my head. I'm sure there are external considerations, such as not leaking the ugly news to others, but more than anything, I know that the Duke doesn't want his precious family to feel sad.

I don't want her to cry either, so I won't say anything.

After that, the Duke and Daniel made me promise to visit her only once a month and to tell them as soon as I felt pain or disgust.

A few days later, I was in front of Daniel's mansion that he had told me about. Daniel tried to send a carriage to pick me up, but I politely refused. Whether it was the Ernsts or near my house, it would only make me look bad.

If I'm not mistaken, Daniel seems to be the type of person who is too kind to be careless sometimes.

When I said my name at the front gate, a servant politely led me inside, as if he had heard my name.

Master Daniel welcomed me with a kind smile and led me to his son's room. Under Daniel's direction, the servant opened the closet, and there was an array of clothes.

He said, "I've been sick a lot, so I haven't worn many things. Would you like to wear them?

I forgot to ask, what is your title, Daniel? ......

Marquess?

I'll wear it.

I'm not sure if it's a good idea, but it's a good idea. I'm sure you're not the only one.

It would be rude to dress like a commoner when meeting a marchioness. The Ernsts know I'm an apprentice gardener, and I'm on their property, so it's fine, but if I'm rude in someone else's house, I'll get the Ernsts in trouble.

As the servant man took my measurements with a measuring strap, he looked a little reluctant. As I wondered what was going on, he walked over to Master Daniel and gave him an earful. The blinding look in his young, leafy eyes made me curious.

"Is something wrong?

No, it seems the one my son was wearing is a bit small for Isak. I must have misjudged how fast he was growing.

It's not my clothes, so it could be that way, but the fact that the clothes are small makes me sound happy, like I've grown a lot taller. But then again, Leo, who is one year younger than me, is also a bit shorter than me.

Wouldn't it be rude if I met you like this?

No, it's fine if you're in the house. ......

If you're not wearing any clothes, you're going to have to ask permission to see her as she is. He said something to the servant man and had him get me a set of clothes from his son's closet.

Daniel smiled apologetically as he brought the brand new clothes to me.

"My wife got it for me. Since there's no one to wear the sleeves, I thought I'd just have to get rid of it. ......

"What a waste.

I thought for a moment that the aristocracy didn't have the concept of reuse, but then I realized that if I were to give it away to someone else, it would cause them to inquire why. It may have been difficult to regulate information around this area when tailoring this dress.

"Can I borrow it?

"Yes. Practical goods are meaningless if they are not used. It's better than wasting them.

Mr. Daniel is a nobleman, but he seems to value things. I, a commoner, like that. Many of the furnishings in the mansion are in subdued colors, and the paintings and other decorations are minimal, with gentle landscapes. You can see Mr. Daniel's personality in the interior decoration.

I took him up on his offer and borrowed some clothes to wear. I went to my son's room to change, but I found a photo frame in his room and looked at it for a while. It showed Mr. Daniel, a woman who looked like his wife, and a boy who looked to be about the same age as me. Looking around the room, I see that the owner of the room has kept it in a state of readiness to return at any time.

I wonder if it was like this for a while after I died.

I was Taichi Tanaka, a Japanese man in a previous life. My family must have been surprised by my sudden death. I can't confirm what happened after I died, but I feel this when I see the place where my family disappeared.

I felt something choking in my chest. Once again, I look at the calm boy in the photo who doesn't look like me.

"Is he just like me?

He left his family behind. That's all we have in common except for the color of our hair and eyes.

Sorry to keep you waiting.

When I left the room after changing, Daniel was a little surprised to see me waiting for him.

"...... looks good on you.

I was about to say something else, but swallowed and said so as he gently lifted the young leaf-colored jeweled clasp of the tie.

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Thank you.

I thanked him, though I thought my impression was a bit filtered. The clothes looked as expensive as the duke's hand-me-downs. No matter what I do, the clothes are dressing me.

Daniel's wife's room was not far from his son's room. Master Daniel knocks and calls out to her.

Annika, I'm coming in.

He waits for a few beats, and when he sees no answer, he opens the door. Inside the room, there is a woman sitting on a bed. She was looking at the glass door facing the garden, and then slowly turned her head to look at him.

"Eli, as......?

The name was muttered with a vague, dreamy look in her eyes. It must be your son.

"Elias!　When did you come home?

His eyes shone as he focused on me. The happy voice is not directed at me. It's not me in her eyes.

I was horrified at the sensation of someone else's presence being painted over me. But when I saw Daniel looking at me with concern, I held it in. Don't worry, Daniel knows that I'm me.

I took a single deep breath.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Isak Baumgartner. This is for you.

He walked over to the bed and bowed. I walked up to the bed and bowed, and presented a bouquet of yellow and white hyacinth lilies and orange lanterns behind me. In place of the hazel grass, she added a flowering plant called "hoka".

It's so beautiful. "Well, they're beautiful, but do you have any flowers like this at home?

This is from the mansion where I work. I asked my father to give me some.

Oh, my God, you're old enough to call Daniel that, you're old enough to act bad.

Annika, Daniel's wife, smiles broadly. Yes, it's a very bad conversation.

The maid prepared a chair for me and Daniel-sama to sit on, so we sat there and talked.

You look a little pale. Have you eaten enough ......?

You don't have to worry about me. You don't have to worry about me. Elias is growing up, you should eat a lot to keep up your strength.

I eat a lot of ...... food, so I'm fine.

He stroked my hair as if to express his appreciation, but I'm not that soft. I'm just fine with my father stroking me roughly.

But it's hard for me to keep speaking in honorific. I'm trying to keep up with Annika's enthusiasm, and I'm afraid I'm going to end up sounding like a jerk. Daniel-sama looks at me with a bit of amusement as I stumble to speak.

If you don't like it, you don't have to eat it, but I made some carrot pound cake. You can have it at ...... if you want.

"Oh, Elias cooked that?　Did you burn yourself?

It's okay, just try a bite!

I took out a piece of pound cake and gave it to Annika-sama, saying that I had tasted it properly. Annika took the pound cake and stared at it for a while, puzzled, then put it in her mouth and ate some.

It's good.

It was just an impression. But I wanted to hear her say what she felt.

"Good.

I smiled, relieved that I hadn't lost my sense of taste. Daniel had told me beforehand that he had started to leave food on the table, so I prepared a hearty pound cake.

I'm glad you like it. I'm glad you like it.

Seeing me smile, Annika froze as if she had frozen. After a moment, she blinked and started laughing again.

"So you had the cook help you. That's a relief.

Oh no, I guess not. It seems that any inconvenient information will be falsified. I knew it wasn't going to be that easy, but I was frustrated that I couldn't have a conversation with him at all.

There was no point in being frustrated, so I pulled myself together and offered Daniel another slice of pound cake.

"You can have a slice too, Mr. Daniel.

"Are you sure, ......?

Of course. Can I have a slice, too?

Yes, of course.

I'll have a bite.

After confirming that Daniel had received the food, I clasped my hands together and took a bite for myself. After chewing it thoroughly, I said to myself.

It tastes better freshly baked, after all. It tastes better freshly cooked too, doesn't it, Annika-sama?

"Yes, it does. ......

Annika-sama was puzzled, but answered reflexively. Oh, that was a bit like a conversation. Annika-sama was dumbfounded, but ate the pound cake little by little. I thought that she looked like a hamster eating in slow motion.

Daniel looks at Annika with a blinding stare. Then he smiled as if something had loosened. Daniel took a bite of the pound cake and turned to me.

It's delicious. Thank you.

"Thank you.

I chuckle. It's a small thing, but it makes me happy. It's a small but happy thing. If you accumulate this kind of happiness, you may accumulate the strength to live. Well, that's all I can do.

After that, I talked for about an hour with Annika, who consistently treats me as Elias, even though it's not a conversation, and after I changed into my original clothes, Daniel treated me to tea in the parlor.

The maid also made me a cup of tea when I ate the pound cake, which was nice because I was thirsty from all the talking. The milk tea was soothing to my throat.

Isak, what would you like as a reward?

"Yes?

I'm doing you a favor by asking me a crazy favor. Even though you're an apprentice, you're already working and I'd like to pay you handsomely.

You're right, it's taking up half my day off. But I'm doing it because I want to. I don't do things I don't like.

I don't want to be paid, but I'll think about it. If it's going to be a long game, it might be easier to change my mind if I think of it as a part-time job talking to Annika.

I'll take Daniel's word for it.

"Then let me see your garden!

"Garden?　My garden isn't as big as Gerald's, and it doesn't have any rare flowers, but ......?

I'd like to see it. It's not every day that I get the chance to see a garden created by a gardener other than my father!

The garden that we saw from Annika's room earlier was also beautiful, with the greenery arranged like a landscape painting in anticipation of being cut off by the glass door. I'm interested in gardens created by other people.

I had the opportunity to visit the residence of another nobleman. There's no way I can't take advantage of this opportunity. I stared into Daniel's eyes.

"I don't know if Isak is greedy or not.

Daniel smiled at me as if he had lost his patience.

As he led me into the garden, my eyes lit up. Slowly, but unconsciously, I looked everywhere.

Daniel, there's a goldenrod in bloom. The moonflowers are also smelling good!

Just as Daniel had said, the garden seemed to have a lot of greenery. However, there were flowers blooming in many places, so that we could feel the change of seasons in one place.

Maybe it's strange for me to be excited by a garden with a calm atmosphere. But I get excited. It's interesting to learn about other people's gardens.

"This arrangement is so that I can watch the moon while looking at the moon tachibana. The scent will reach the room here. ...... Oh, and the jam made from the fruits is delicious, too. Do you like moonflower jam, Daniel?

When I turned around, Daniel was stunned. Oh no, I was talking by myself. I honestly apologize for getting carried away.

I'm sorry.

No, it's okay. ...... I completely forgot about what was blooming in the garden. ......

It's just a reminder, Daniel said, bending down to put his hand on the goldenrod. A nostalgic gaze falls on the goldenrod flower.

"Elias used to tell us what was blooming now.

"Did he like flowers?

I don't know. He could only roam freely in our garden and in the stories in the books.

Daniel's expression twisted painfully, as if he had been forced to endure it.

You said she had a bright smile, didn't you?

That's not a lie. I guess he was a guy who was good at having fun even when it was limited.

"Oh, ...... laugh all the way to the end and you'll feel better soon. ......

"Wow, that's pretty cool.

Daniel rolled his eyes at my comment.

"Cool. ......?

"Yeah. It's not possible for anyone to die smiling. And you didn't give up on living until the end, did you?　Isn't that super cool?

I think it's really amazing.

In my previous life, I couldn't laugh when I heard that I had only a few days to live, and I didn't feel like trying to live. I was just scared.

On the other hand, Elias, Daniel's son, is strong. He's a man who can survive to the end. I respect that.

"............ Oh, yes, .......

I'm not sure if this is a good idea or not.

"Elias von Wiet is our pride.

After smiling proudly, Daniel sobbed. I was a little surprised, but I stroked his head until he stopped crying. That was all I could do. He must have been so busy supporting his wife that he could not cry for a long time.

Seeing Daniel crying made my heart ache. It made me realize how stupid I was in my previous life. I should have stuck it out until the end. The reason I didn't immediately think of talking to my mother or asking someone for help was because I was being stupidly stubborn. No, not like a fool, a real fool.

Daniel and the others are the ones I ran from and wouldn't look at in my previous life. Now I want to face them without looking away. I don't think it'll redeem my previous life.

Elias is too cool.

To have my parents proud of me is a world of difference from my last life. I feel like my stubborn father would call me a disgrace for causing trouble for others.

I felt so pathetic that I wanted to laugh.

After crying for a while, Daniel smiled a little shyly and thanked me. I, who hadn't done much, shook my head.

I left Daniel's residence, the Marquis of Wirt, and by the time I arrived home, it was evening. I opened the door flanked by potted silver plum blossoms.

"Mom, I'm home.

"Welcome home, Zak.

I'm relieved to see her eyes reflecting me as me. I've been so uptight. I realize that now.

She stopped what she was doing to prepare dinner, walked over to me, and kneeled down so that we were eye to eye.

I tilted my head, not understanding her intention. I should be the one to go over to her and help her with dinner.

She looked me in the eye and put me in her arms.

"What's wrong?

"Hmm?　What's wrong?" "Hmm?" "You look like you've been working hard.

I asked her curiously, and she replied, her palm around my back caressing me. I buried my face in my mother's shoulder, feeling the warmth of her palm, her arms around me, and her heartbeat.

I was filled with a feeling of great regret.

"...... Mom.

Hmm?

I'm going to live longer this time. ......

Yeah.

She stayed like that for a while, not caring that her shoulders were wet.

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