Author: Shizuku	Original Source: Syosetu	Word Count: 3126 characters
Translator: Nomad	English Source: Re:Library	Word Count: – words
Editor(s): Robinxen

A pair of voluptuous lips touch a bottle and start downing the wine inside.

I’m here with Aria to tell her about Akane’s death, as she’s Aria’s mother. I may have already come to terms with it myself, but I still feel like the least I can do is let her berate me for it.

“I see, so you actually came from the same world as Shuma. And you used to be a male there…that’s a surprise.” After drinking the whole bottle, Aria’s breath stinks of alcohol as she speaks.

“Did you know that Shuma came from another world then?”

“Yes, I did. I mean, Shuma met me as an Iron Spider and he probably thought I couldn’t understand his words, so what did he do? He just kept telling me all sorts of things. How he came from another world, that things considered fantasy there were real here, that he beat up someone in the guild who was trying to pick a fight… And then he even started talking of Ophelia, and wouldn’t shut up about her until they got married…”

Aria speaks of her memories with a nostalgic voice.

“But well, I always kept everything secret, so I guess it’s fine in the end? There’s a lot of things I never told Shuma, and I doubt he told me eeeverything too.”

“But…because I always did things so recklessly, Akane…” I always acted without thinking, saying that I can’t feel pain or that I can just repair myself, but in the end, that made Akane want to act the same way.

“Natalia, why do you think she decided to leave this cave?”
“I mean, it was time for her to leave the nest…”

Akane told me that one time when Clarissa was translating.

“Yes. She grew up and left the nest, and me, her mother. She became independent, deciding for herself how she wanted to live the rest of her life. And that goes for her decision to travel with you, and to sacrifice herself to save her companion.”
“I… Olivia told me the same thing.”
“Well, there you have it.”

Aria says that and grabs the next bottle and closes her eyes as she opens it.

“I’ve had countless children like her who left the nest. I’m sure plenty of them have passed away already. And…it’s not like I don’t feel anything for them. But it’s just life, and responsibility. I mean, the same happens with humans all the time, that’s what becoming an adult is all about, isn’t it?”

Taking responsibility for oneself, huh. Hearing that is rather painful, considering I always kept running away from my own responsibilities until Ruri stepped in.

“While it’s sad, there’s no need to get depressed over it. Or at least I doubt she would’ve wanted that.”
“…Okay.”

I thought I had already accepted what happened, but after talking with Aria about all these things, I start to get annoyed at myself for being so indecisive.

“Let’s leave it at that. But tell me, there’s that thing Mir mentioned about you and Olivia, how’s that going?”
“About that… Well…I guess we’re officially dating, or at least we’re lovers…”

Aria suddenly changes topics, and I start to stammer as it’s something that still makes me embarrassed.

“Then go and let her lighten your load. Whenever you’re feeling down like now and you can’t do anything about it, it’s best if you just allow the person you like to coddle you for a while.”
“Coddle…I mean, that seems a bit foreign to me, since I used to be a guy…”
“Honestly, I can’t imagine or picture you having a more masculine and dominant role, but what are the dynamics between you two actually like?”
“I mean, wait…huh?”

I’ve interacted with Olivia as my lover a bunch of times since we left Reibana, but now that I think about it, I’ve never been treated like a guy.

I lost track of time so I don’t know how long I’ve been here, but I was talking about a lot of things so it’s probably been a while.

“Well, I’ll come back another time, father, mother.” Saying that, I get up and turn away from their graves. I start walking back to the building, but I notice Clarissa and Erika violently digging out the garden.

That instantly makes me think of Natalia’s enraged face. Mother prepared the garden so it would naturally grow medicinal herbs, and Natalia often uses them to make potions. But more than that, it’s a very sentimental place for her. I really feel like Clarissa and Erika both know how scary Natalia can be when she’s angry though.

“Oh, Olivia. We got some herbs here.”

As I go to stop them, Fan Yen calls to me. I turn her way and see that she’s carrying a large bundle of herbs.

“I’ll separate them into different categories now. Should I just give them to Natalia when I’m done?”
“Eh? Yes, please do so. But wait, what are Claire and Erika doing then?”

If they saved the herbs then I guess Natalia won’t get too angry, but I still don’t understand why Clarissa and Erika are messing with the garden.

“They’re doing Akane’s part. She’s the one who plowed the soil here, wasn’t she?”
“I see.”

Usually, Akane would use her earth magic to plow the soil, and then Erika planted the seeds. But Akane isn’t with us anymore, so Clarissa and Erika are making up for it.

“Oh, there’s Natalia too.”

Fan Yen says that, and I also see Natalia entering through the outer gate.

“Heeyyyy, Nata-”

Just when Fan Yen tries to call to her, Natalia starts heaving as she heads to the garden.

“Oh no! She’s already made the wrong assumption!”
“Wait, Natalia! This isn’t what you think!”

I run to Natalia with Fan Yen and somehow manage to restrain her so we can explain what’s going on. Also, is it me or did Natalia get stronger than before?

“Hahh… I see. I really thought you were destroying the garden again.”

Clarissa and Erika shake their heads from side to side so fast it almost feels like their necks will snap. But I get it, Natalia is terrifying when she’s angry.

“I’ll let you two take care of the garden then. Let me know if you need anything.”
“Woof!”
“Sha!”

Hearing that, Clarissa and Erika nod, though they’re still trembling.

“Thank you for gathering the herbs, Fan Yen. I’ll take care of them now.”
“Ah, don’t worry about it. It’s not like I have anything else to do, so they’re perfect to kill some time. Just go inside and have a cup of tea or something.”

Fan Yen tells her that and goes to a corner of the garden, where she sits down and carefully selects the herbs. Natalia stands still for a moment, debating on going there too, but she knows Fan Yen will turn down her help, so she just gives up on it.

“Oh well, I guess I’ll go make some tea. Would you want some too, Young Lady?”
“Yes please.”
“It’ll be just a minute.”

We go inside and I sit down in the dining room while Natalia goes to the kitchen. After a short time, Natalia arrives with a teapot and some cups. She starts pouring the tea into the cups as steam rises from it.

I take my cup and give it a try, the taste of tea spreading through my mouth. Natalia’s tea is always really tasty.

“Ah, right. There’s a letter from Miss Annabelle for you.”

Since the mansion is hidden in the woods, all correspondence is handled by Bamel’s adventurers’ guild. I went there earlier while Natalia was visiting Aria, since we needed some supplies, and I wanted to have my rank reassessed too.

Natalia has kept in touch with Miss Annabelle and Chris since I graduated, so she gets letters from them from time to time, usually discussing alchemy or their ideas for magic devices.

But Natalia is seen as a monster by others, and Servants aren’t recognized recipients of letters, so everything is under my name.

I give her the letter and she reads it carefully.

“What?!” After some time she shouts in shock.

“What happened?”
“I’m sorry. It’s just…this is so unexpected…”
“What is?”

Natalia places the letter on the table for me to read, and I lean over to check it.

“Let me see…” There’s a short greeting, and then a wall of text.

The effectiveness of mana catalysts.
By taking advantage of mithril’s mana conducivivity and mallabity…
…mana enriment of patchways in automous…

I don’t even know how to read these words! All of this just sounds like gibberish to me!

“Young Lady, look below.”

I do as she told me and skip over the research and study part.

‘I’ll go pay my respects to my Master’s grave next break.’

“Miss Annabelle will come visit!”