Author: Yume Neiji

We traveled along the main road for half a day. There was nothing to do on the carriage, and for the first time in my life, I had a conversation with Paul-oniisan.

“Did Paul-oniisan get a fiefdom too?”

“Yeah. One ranch and two villages……”

Paul-oniisan doesn’t usually show much emotion so it was impossible to read from his expression whether he was satisfied with the territory he had inherited or not. However, considering the size of the earldom, Paul-oniisan’s share is insignificant. Most of the territory must have been in the hands of Alexei-oniisan. Maybe Paul-oniisan is unhappy, but I think it’s a matter that should be left alone.

The carriage began to climb a gentle hill.

“Do you know what my island is like?”

“I don’t know much about it. I’ve heard that there’s a small house built there.”

“Hmmm……”

I assumed I’ll have a house there of course. Moreover, I had imagined a place like a manor house. But from the way second brother talked about it, I guess it would be something smaller than that. It’s probably just an ordinary private house. But that’s okay. I don’t want it to be so extravagant, as long as I can survive the rain and wind, that’s enough.

Oh, wait. Maybe I’m going to live there alone? I was thinking that there would be someone there who would take care of me…….

“Are there any servants there?”

He stared at me for a moment before turning his gaze back to the front.

“Cedie, you are going to live on your own from now on.”

I see, so there are no servants.

Ah, the sky is so blue……

It’s so dazzling that it makes me want to cry. The carriage climbed the mountain pass, and the sea spread out below.

“I can see Gandalcia.”

When I shifted my gaze in the direction where my second brother is looking at, I saw a small island in the wide inner bay. It’s not too far from the coast on our side so it looked like it would be easy to cross by boat.

“It’s not a very big island……”

“Yeah.”

As far as I can see from here, the surrounding area is surrounded by sandy beaches and cliffs, and I can’t see a single house.

“Are there people living in such a place?”

“It’s a deserted island.”

“Eh……?”

“You haven’t heard?”

For the first time today, Paul-oniisan’s expressionless face, showed a clear expression. It was a look of  pity.

Yes, I think even the devil in hell would weep at this situation. I had imagined an island with a laid-back fishing village. No one told me that it was a deserted island!

I’m sure Mary, my wet nurse, and the others didn’t know it either. I can’t believe that it is a zero-resident territory. That sounds like the title of a well-written light novel, isn’t it?

Eh……? What is a light novel again?

It’s really strange. My memory is often clouded these days. It’s like memories from the past that I shouldn’t have experienced are coming back to me.

I hope I don’t have a strange illness…….

The carriage came to the shore with me still in a daze.

“You’ll have to cross over to the island from here.”

A path made of big rocks crashed by waves continues from the coast. Apparently, there is not even a bridge in my territory. It seems that once the tide is high, I will not be able to go to and fro the island. As I was unable to move, just standing there stupidly, Paul-oniisan called out to me in a gentler voice than usual.

“Do you want to come with me? If you want, you can work in the ranch.”

His kind words brought tears to my eyes, but I didn’t feel like doing so right away. It’s really hard to spend time on an empty island, but I want to see what the island is like first. Even though I am only 12 years old, I am the lord of that island.

“I’ll take a closer look at the island first. Can I give you an answer then?”

“I understand……”

Paul-oniisan didn’t hold me back, but he gave me a small leather bag instead. There were several silver coins in the bag.

“You can see the town over there, right?”

I could see a town by the sea far away. I can see a magnificent bell tower, so it must be a big town in its own right.

“It’s Lubon Town in the Simpson territory. There are many shops over there. If you have no other choice, you can buy something there to eat or something.”

“Oniisan……”

Suddenly, Paul-oniisan felt like a person closer to me.

“I was told that there are no dangerous creatures over your territory. But just in case, be careful. Have you taken care of your sword?”

I put my hand on the sword at my waist to make sure. The heavy weight strangely gave me a sense of security. As a child of a nobleman, I was also trained in swordsmanship extensively.

“Yes. I did.”

“Can you use offensive magic?”

“If it’s a fireball, I can.”

“If you can do that, there’s no need to worry. For wild animals, just shoot two or three shots of fireball and they’ll run away.”

Uh-, right. I have to worry about that as well. My outlook is still so naïve after all.

“I’ll be careful.”

“If you have no other choice, come to my ranch. I won’t provide you luxury, but I’ll make sure you can make a living.”

He gave me a small nod and then I watched as the carriage go. Only me and the ripples of the waves are left behind.

What will happen to me in the future?

The future seems to be as steep as the rocky path that stretched out in front of me.

“Eeeh!?”

When I looked closely, I found out that the rocky path is narrower than before!

Oh no, the tide is rising! I can’t stay here like this. If I don’t get to the house in the island today, I won’t even have a place to sleep tonight. I hurriedly lifted my heavy luggage and jumped onto the first rock that still stuck its head out of the water. Traveling along the lined-up rocks, I managed to reach the island of Gandalcia.

I fell on the way many times so my clothes and shoes were soaked. I sat down on the white sand and took a breather.

As expected, it’s a desolate island. As far as my eye can see from here, there are no man-made objects to be seen. There is a faint sign of a road, but the grasses are so bushy and tall that it seems difficult to walk through. There are also many lateral branches protruding from the trees along the road as well. If I were to maintain this place by myself, no matter how much time I had, it would not be enough.

I regretted coming here.

But—

Even though it’s such a terrible place, I somehow feel nostalgic. And although it’s my first time here, I feel like I’m somehow familiar with this area. In more complicated terms, it is like a déjà vu.

It felt like I was seeing a scene I saw a long time ago, a scene before I was even born. I looked around in search of something that would stir up my memory.

“…………”

But there is no way that’s true, right?

Perhaps I’m just too worried about the future and I’m having silly hallucinations.

Maybe I should have followed Paul-oniisan after all……

“No, no!”

I shouted loudly to encourage myself. I’ve only just arrived on the island, but I’m already feeling weak. At this rate I’ll just worry more about the future. I need to get moving instead of wasting my time crying.  

Alright, let’s look for the house that is supposed to be somewhere here for the time being!

“Urgh….…”

When I tried to stand up, I suddenly felt dizzy and then I fell to one knee.

Was it because I got stuck on the sand?  Or was it because the sun was too hot?

Maybe that was part of it, but the main reason was that the threads of memory that had been broken were suddenly connected.

—What was connected was a memory of my previous life. I can’t remember anything definite, but I recalled living in a country called Japan.

Then I came to realize it.

I remember it now!  

It’s not wrong to say that this island looks familiar. It’s very similar to the game I loved when I was in elementary school in Japan. The game was called Island Maker.

“Island Maker” is a so-called slow-life game, a game in which you develop an uninhabited island by yourself and enjoy island life. The player can develop the island by working hard at farming or going on adventures. Anyway, I feel like it was a game with a high degree of freedom. Similarly, the game was supposed to start with the player arriving on the island and finding his house.

Then, if I go this way…….

Relying on the memories of my previous life, I walked through the tall grass on a desolate road.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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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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