Before I knew it, my father’s funeral was over. The chief mourner was my eldest brother, Alexei. I have two older brothers. Alexei-oniisan, the eldest one, and Paul-oniisan, the second oldest. However, that being said, I don’t have much contact with them. Alexei-oniisan is more than twenty years older than me and Paul-oniisan is more than ten years older. They didn’t seem to be interested in children, and even though we lived in the same mansion, I never really exchanged greetings with them.
Three days after my father passed away, I received a summon from Alexei-oniisan.
Alexei-oniisan sat in father’s chair in the study. Right behind him is Sebastian, our head butler. Apparently, it has been decided that eldest brother will inherit the position of the Earl. I was left out of the loop from the very beginning, but it didn’t bother me. I had never thought about inheriting the title.
I guess I was called to discuss my future.
Maybe I’m going to enroll in a boarding school in someplace where I’ll get ready to enter society. It’s a routine course for the second and third sons of nobles after all. I’m nervous to leave the mansion I’m used to living in, but it can’t be helped, I guess.
Until now, I have been surrounded by servants and have done it without any inconvenience. However, from now on, I will have to take care of myself. Well, I’m kind of prepared in my own way.
—However, Alexei-oniisan said something I never expected.
“Cedie, you’re already thirteen, aren’t you?”
“No, not yet. My birthday is in three months.”
“Hmmm, that means you are about thirteen years old. Thirteen is an age where you can do well on your own.”
Oniisan, where are you at that age? I’m not even 13 years old yet in the first place…….
I swallowed the urge to talk back. After all, we are disciplined to listen to everything the other person has to say.
All right, let’s listen to what Alexei-oniisan has to say first.
“Fortunately, you are prudent, and I heard from your tutor that you are doing well academically. In other words, you can do well in society.”
You don’t even have common sense Oniisan. Don’t you know what has the private tutor been doing? I think this is bordering child abuse.
“Uhm, Alexei-oniisan, what do you mean?”
“I’m going to give you a fiefdom so you can live there from now. I’m sure you’ll be able to make it as a lord there.”
I looked at Sebastian, the head butler, but he elegantly averted his eyes.
As elegant as a butler can be……
This autumn at the age of twelve, I found the lame puns more painful than usual. I never expected to be kicked out of my house so suddenly. But it seems that there is no one on my side. I can’t just go against my eldest brother, who now succeeded as an Earl. Well, even if there are some who feel sorry for me, they can’t stand by my side as they don’t want to lose their jobs. Even I can’t go against my elder brother.
There’s even a saying that goes, “Wrap yourself up in long things.”
Eh? Was there such a saying here? I think it was a saying from some other place……
But setting that aside, I think it’s strange that at the age of 12, I could understand that accepting things in life is the key. Anyways, let’s think about the future a little more positively. I’m not going to be thrown out naked, I’m even going to get a territory.
“Where’s my fiefdom at?”
“It’s an island by the sea. It seems like a nice, laid-back place.”
It seems that the small island called Gandalcia will be my territory.
“Where is the island located?”
I wanted to know more, but Alexei-oniisan waved his hand as if to signal the end of the conversation. It is a gesture of rejection that even a child can understand.
“Sorry, but I have a lot of work to do this afternoon. I’ll have someone explain the details to you. You will leave tomorrow morning.”
What a salty, light and spicy attitude..… I did not feel the slightest brotherly affection in him!
……Well, I guess there is no point in expecting that from Alexei-oniisan.
And so I was kicked out of the study and the next day, I will be even kicked out of the mansion.
Gandalcia Island is on the border with the neighboring Simpson territory. In other words, it is on the edge of the territory, a place with no shred of development whatsoever. It was said to be about a day’s walk from here. I’m not sure if I’ll be able to make it, but I’m also a little hopeful.
After all, Gandalcia has the same name as the utopia in fairy tales. Flowers bloom in all four seasons, crops are abundantly fruitful, and spirits and people help each other and live happily together. That is Gandalcia. The book I bought for myself came with illustrations of an arch of roses, grapes and figs in the bushes, and the smiling faces of the happy residents. It would be nice if Gandalcia, which I would be managing, would be like that.
After I finished packing, I went to bed with such a sweet dream.
I guess I have to say goodbye to this bed too….
I couldn’t stop crying that night and couldn’t sleep until late at night.
✲✲✲
I packed my luggage to the brim, so my small travel bag was heavy. I am now about to say goodbye to this mansion where I had lived since I was born. I stand in the wide hallway and looks around. Everywhere is full of nostalgic memories from childhood.
“That big pot…. I remember using it for hide and seek in the past. If I sit in the back, no one would find me.”
“Yes, yes, you did……”
Mary, my nanny, burst into tears. There are more than 50 people living here, but she is the only one who came to see me off.
I guess even a rat abandons a sinking ship. But, isn’t that a bit cruel?
“Cedie-sama, don’t blame the others. They really want to see you off, but Alexei-sama forbade us to do so.”
From Alexei-oniisan’s reasoning, it seemed that he didn’t want me to have any regrets.
“It’s all right Mary. But, Mary, are you going to be okay? You broke elder brother’s orders.”
“You don’t need to worry about me. It’s really hateful. To expel little Cedie-sama like this is really….”
Mary’s voice trembled and she covered her face with her hands as she sobbed. I knew it. Mary came to see me off despite being punished by brother. And yet, she is still thinking about me……
“I’m fine, so you can go now. I’ll write you a letter when I’ve settled down.”
I left Mary behind and started running. If I didn’t, I would cry. Crying would make Mary even more worried. I couldn’t let the heart of the person who had taken my mother’s place from a young age suffer any longer.
After running for a while, I looked back and saw that the mansion was quite far away. I can’t even see Mary anymore. As I stood dumbfounded, a wagon stopped beside me. Surprisingly, it was my second brother, Paul-oniisan, who called out,
“Get in. I’m going to my territory too. I’ll give you a lift.”
Maybe this is the saying, “If there is a god who throws away, there is a god who picks up.”
Paul-oniisan had a blunt attitude, but his words were appreciated by me, who is carrying a heavy luggage. I hadn’t had much contact with Paul-oniisan up until now, but his arms are strong. He pulled me and my bag up easily, and somehow, I felt a sense of security.
This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.
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It seems its mostly Alex who is the jerk. Not the whole family.
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