How the Regressor Loves the Reincarnated

18. Even a single step is big if two take it.

1.

In my previous life, I had a thought every time I saw the unlucky characters who live buried in a mountain of documents, which often appear in media such as novels and cartoons.

No matter how true it is, isn’t that a bit exaggerated after all? It wouldn’t be that the people below didn’t work.

My past self who dared to have such thoughts, apologize to me right now…

To be sure, this was not an exaggeration at all. It was only after I felt with my whole body what it was that there was no end to the paperwork to be processed.

The title of duke is generally the highest in aristocratic society.

If you dare to argue, there is a half-dead title of grand duke, but the current situation is that the two ducal families of the Barthes Empire rule over a vast territory that can be called a duchy. Only the pattern was a Duke, and if you look at the actual position, in fact, it was no different from a king who served the emperor.

Isvant in the east, Ludmeier in the south, Izeria in the west, and Loschwitz in the north.

Among these four great lords who boast of high authority, Isvant is the one who controls the enormous territory bordering the Belleton Plain in the east, and Isvant, the owner, is the one who finalizes the big and small matters of such territory and then handles them. Duke’s duties.

However, until my father, who is currently recuperating, gets better, I, his successor, had to represent the Duke of Isvant.

There was a lot of work going on while my father was out on the plains, so the reason why there was a mountain of paperwork on my father’s office desk…

Yeah, that wasn’t too surprising. That’s not to say that I wasn’t happy about it.

It’s been about a week since I was buried in a mountain of documents like that.

“Tell me you want to live…”

Actually, the work wasn’t that difficult. One of the reasons to receive successor education from an early age is to prepare for such a situation.

But people sit still all day looking through documents and this is approved. This is the opposite People are dying because of this. In my previous life, I was not even given the opportunity to get a job, so I lived without knowing it, but after going through reincarnation, I should say that I felt like I was experiencing an office worker experience.

“Why do I have no brothers…”

Adele, who recently stayed in the system and had frequent meetings and conversations, had a brother who was 5 years old.

Shien Ludmeyer.

He was not the owner of exceptionally great military power, but he was the successor of Ryudmeier, whose position was so solid that there was no disagreement.

If someone with overwhelming talent like Adele is born into the Ludmeyer family, which can be said to be basically like a knight’s family, the composition of the successor will be shaken. No matter how rare it is for a woman to lead a family, Adele’s talent was enough to bring even that into the realm of possibility.

Nevertheless, it was easy to guess that Xian Ludmeier’s position was solid and unwavering, that he was a competent person.

Of course, she hasn’t met him yet, but that’s why Adele, who hated Luke Isvant from the previous episode, who was her wretch, always praised her eyes when she talked about her brother. I think it’s clear that there will be.

In the end, that’s what I want to say.

I wish I had an older brother who would take care of these troublesome paperwork for me. At least, if I had a younger brother, I would save my future troubles…

No, I guess that’s a bit like that.

I knew that it was an over-the-top grumbling. The high-ranking people up there must have taken pity on my short-lived life in my previous life, and I have been reincarnated as the heir of a family that knows where I go. What more do I dare to ask for here? It’s not the position I chose to be the heir to the duke’s family, but it’s right to endure this as evil.

Smart-

My thoughts, which I continued ignoring the documents waiting for my eyes to reach, are stopped by the sound of knocking on the office door. A heavy, middle-aged male voice followed.

“This is Julius Fritz. May I come in?”

“Come in.”

The one who stepped into the office as the door opened was Sir Julius Fritz, a knight from Count Fritz, one of Isvant’s vassal families, and the leader of the Isvant knights.

Sir Julius’ eyes turned to the tower of papers, and then a look of pity flew towards me.

I don’t know if it’s because of that or if this was the original purpose, but Sir Julius comes with a sad expression on his face and bows his head moderately.

“I’m sorry, youngster. It’s probably because I’m not good at supporting my lord properly. I have committed a mortal sin.”

What is excessive immersion…

“No. It’s not your fault. So calm down first, Sir Julius.”

“Ah, yes…”

The corners of Sir Julius’ mouth twitching as he raises his head in a hesitant reaction catches my eye. Should I say that he is trying to hold back his smile?

“…Doesn’t it suit you that much?”

“…”

Sir Julius silently closed his eyes and nodded sadly. Anyway, I don’t think that kind of reaction would have come out…?

“I see. After all, isn’t it lacking in the dignity of a father…”

“Well, it’s a presumptuous statement, but I don’t think you should be heartbroken because I may have felt that way because I’ve been watching you grow up from the sidelines since I was a child.”

“Aha… Maybe so.”

The wound won’t go away even if you give me a bottle and medicine, Sir Julius.

“Kuhm. Rather, as you expected, a report came up that the scouting party had picked up suspicious movements among the orcs. Fortunately, we have just completed the reinforcement of the frontiers that you ordered earlier, so even if they attempt a large-scale looting, we will be able to stop them.”

“That could definitely be called luck out of misfortune. First of all, I want you to work a little harder until your father gets better, Sir Julius. Maybe I won’t even have to wait until then.”

When I look away from Sir Julius, who looks puzzled at my words, I see a letter sealed in wax with the seal of the Ludmeyer family that has not yet been opened.

Looking at her movement in less than a week, you may think that a nobleman is a woman who is not good enough. The last time I saw Adele’s face was only 10 days ago, but the thought of meeting her again brought a smile to my lips.

Of course, the letter could have contained something different from what I thought. With a probability of about 10%.

“Sir Julius, if a knight who has risen to the level of Master comes to support you, it will be enough to fill your father’s vacant position, right?”

“…Um? Based on the standards of His Excellency, Count Serenis, whom I have met before, it can be considered sufficient. However, I don’t think it will be easy to invite a great person of the level of a sword master, let alone within the empire, even if you turn your eyes to the continent.”

“Is that so?”

I nodded at Sir Julius’ words and opened the letter. The corners of my mouth went up in reverse as I read the contents, but I had no idea how my smile would have looked to Sir Julius when I reached the end of the letter.

“When my father opens his eyes, there is something I want to show you first.”

P.S. I have no way of knowing what tricks you lured my daughter into, but you’d better be prepared for the moment you injure that precious skin.

“Supply and demand of those mutant orcs.”

“I’m sure you wouldn’t really want to show me something like that. If your lord sees it and your heart stops, the boy will continue to process the papers you are handling now…”

“Of course I am joking, Sir Julius. So please refrain from such horrible words.”

After folding the letter paper finely and putting it back into the envelope, I look out the window of my office and see a clear sky without a single cloud. For some reason, the first thing that came to my mind the moment I saw it was her blue eyes, which were stained with worry. I wanted to erase that worry so that her darkly colored eyes could find peace like the clear sky.

Adele. Do I dare to pretend to know this feeling you draw from me?

2.

Facing the faces of her older brother and the two parents who remained in her memory, Adele had to strain herself to hide her overflowing emotions. She kept them from noticing the difference between the self they knew and the self she had lived her decades longer. So that she doesn’t feel uncomfortable with her changed self.

Even though she knew at least that there was absolutely no way she could do it.

“During my stay in Jedo… It seems like I made some pretty good friends.”

Would it be Adele’s misunderstanding that Duke Ludmeyer’s teeth were grinding for a moment?

“Yes. It’s good to see your face after a long time, my dad.”

It was only then that Duke Ludmeyer realized that he had not even exchanged greetings properly and threw out the words of a quiet questioning.

“Kheo hum. Yes my daughter This father also sees her daughter-in-law’s face for the first time in a while, and she is about to shed tears of emotion. I grew up very pretty because I resemble your mother…”

To the extent that even the most scandalous thieves are seduced.

Duke Ludmeyer, who swallowed the back remarks, laughed haha-huh, then stiffened at Adele’s words that sounded like thunder from the sky.

“A good friend? Well, Luke is a good friend… So far.”

“What, what?!”

As Adele turned her head to the side with a shy smile, Adele’s cheeks turned red like persimmon, and her older brother, Xian Lud Meyer, who had never seen her younger brother like that in her life, opened her mouth wide. .

The image of a young girl in love so perfect that no one can doubt it. However, this was in fact an insurance policy for Adele in case she failed to completely hide her change.

“Oh, my daughter is finally going to climb the stairs of adulthood, Charles.”

“Keah!”

If it had been just such a clumsy performance, there was a high probability that she would have failed to fool her mother, Roselia. However, that was when all of this was actually acting. Does it make sense to hide a lie within the truth?

“Has her mother been well? Didn’t her daddy upset her?”

“Well, of course. And if Lee made me upset, how could I be laughing like that?”

“…He is like that too.”

“So, when will we be able to see our son-in-law’s face?”

At Rogelia’s words, a sound that sounded like pain leaked from Adele’s throat. Befitting a woman positioned as an apex predator with no rivals within her family, Roselia’s arrows had no mercy.

“And Shien. At how old are you, shouldn’t you soon catch up with a true daughter-in-law? Is it really because of this mother’s mood that you think that your sister will hold the ceremony sooner?”

“Grunt. Mother, please… I still have two years to spare, so can you trust me a little more?”

“Yes… My son will take care of himself. Who’s son Rather, Adele, what is your answer?”

Adele, who laughed at her sweaty brother, makes excuses with a puzzled look at her target, who has turned into herself again.

“Ah, for now, we are just friends, friends.”

Looking at her father, Charles Luth, who let out a sigh of relief after hearing her words, Adele added.

“I don’t intend to be friends forever.”

Adele smiles brightly at Charles Luth, who seems to have fainted while standing, at Roselia, who looks at her with a proud expression, and at Cien, who looks at her with a confused expression.

“Because I think I can do it without him.”

It was the day before Adele requested dispatch to the Duchy of Isvant.