~Chapter 34~
I came to the baron’s mansion when I was twelve and lived here until I was seventeen—five years.
There were some small repairs during those five years, but no one ever added a new door to the parlor.
The mansion originally belonged to Duke Benjo and was used as a villa.
The duke had seven townhouses in the capital for the social season, and this mansion’s location—just outside the capital—was always awkward.
Still, sometimes Duke Benjo and his wife would stay here for a bit…
“The duchess went missing about five years ago…”
That was around the time the duke gave this mansion to Baron Roten.
It was basically a gift, not a sale.
Looking back at the door, I felt something was off.
Everything else—the parlor’s walls, the little kitchen’s location, the fancy decorations—was just as I remembered.
But the west door looked strangely old. At least 15 or 20 years old.
But I was sure they’d removed the door long ago.
“Am I seeing things because I’ve been sick for days…?”
Really, you have to be healthy. I sighed and walked to the window.
When I pulled back the curtains, sunlight poured in so brightly it hurt my eyes.
“Huh? This is where the freesia garden should be…”
Baron Roten had poured money into preserving it, hiring a mage to cast preservation magic, so white freesias bloomed all year. Usually.
“But why aren’t there any freesias now…?”
I tilted my head, staring outside.
Had someone changed the garden while I was out?
In the blazing noon sunlight, lush grass covered the whole backyard.
No matter how I looked at it, this wasn’t the freesia garden Baron Roten was so proud of.
“Kyaa!”
A shrill scream snapped my attention to the backyard. A swing, decorated with flowers, was swaying back and forth.
Creak, creak…
It wasn’t empty. There was a girl on it.
Maybe late teens… a girl with her hair up screamed and laughed as she rode the swing.
She gripped the ropes tight and shut her eyes, screaming over and over.
“Marianne! Are you going to keep the swing to yourself?”
“May, you said you’re scared of swings!”
The girl called Marianne laughed brightly, not looking scared anymore.
“You should be careful, you’re about to get married.”
“It’s just a swing! What’s the big deal?”
Marianne teased lightly. The other girl, called May, turned her head just enough to show her profile.
May hid her mouth with the back of her hand, trying not to laugh.
“I’m going to be the empress someday. Of course I should be careful.”
“The bed is more dangerous than the swing.”
“Mari! You’re too much…”
May scolded Marianne but was clearly enjoying herself.
I watched them, mesmerized.
‘May and Mari…’
I think I knew who they were. Empress May, who married Emperor Purka.
Mari was probably Marianne, the duchess, since this mansion belonged to Duke Benjo.
Marianne kept swinging, then pulled May toward her.
May hesitated, but finally joined her, and the two girls laughed together on the swing.
There was no one else around. Both were noble ladies, so usually a maid or knight would watch over them.
Even riding the swing, May kept her back straight, busy smoothing out her skirt. She seemed very concerned about manners and dignity.
Marianne, in her dress, kicked her legs with energy. She seemed mischievous and lively.
Judging by their ages, this was before May became empress and Marianne became the duchess—when they were both young ladies of their families.
They both got married about twenty years ago—May to Emperor Purka, Marianne to Duke Benjo.
So this must be before their weddings. As I watched them on the swing, something surprising happened.
Marianne looked around, then leaned in close to May.
No one was watching, but she whispered anyway.
She bowed her head, her elegant brown hair falling forward…
…and kissed May on the cheek.
A gentle, simple kiss.
Cheek-kissing used to be an old custom for family or close friends, but after a terrible plague two or three hundred years ago, people started avoiding physical contact.
But then something happened that made me cover my mouth in shock.
Marianne touched May’s back—and kissed her passionately.
At first, May looked surprised, but she didn’t pull away or leave.
The kiss was brief, and they soon separated.
“If His Majesty finds out, neither of us will be safe. Right?”
Marianne gave a bitter smile. May gripped her dress tightly.
“His Majesty knows. He actually said he was glad.”
“You’re joking, May! Glad?”
“He said at least I wouldn’t end up with a man, so he was relieved. I told my father the truth, but he said the engagement could never be broken.”
May’s eyes filled with tears. Marianne soon started sobbing too, and the two hugged each other for a long time.
“I wish I’d been a maid. Then we could’ve been together and been happy every day…”
“Mari, if you were my maid, you’d quit in a day. You know my personality is the worst.”
“I know… sigh, never mind. What’s the point in talking about it now? We’re both getting married.”
“Does the duke know? That the woman he’s going to marry loves me?”
“Probably not.”
“Even if he did, it wouldn’t matter. I’m going to be empress, so it’s hard to get rid of me.”
May let go of her dress and said,
“The duke must be disappointed. If I were a maid or from a weak family, he could have gotten rid of me right away.”
“He doesn’t seem that bad…”
“Are you taking his side in front of me?”
Even then, the two kept bickering playfully.
I was in shock watching it all.
It made sense, though. I’d never actually met Marianne, since she’d gone missing five years ago, but she was a famous duchess known for her charity and was respected by the whole empire.
Who would have guessed she was Empress May’s former lover!
They’d hidden it perfectly. There weren’t even rumors in the gossip magazines, or anywhere in society. Not a single hint.
‘Wow… This is shocking. How did nobody know? They’re so bold out here.’
I didn’t know if Duke Benjo was even staying at the mansion back then.
Still, it didn’t make sense. Both girls were engaged—to the emperor and a duke.
Yet here they were, kissing deeply in the backyard of the duke’s townhouse.
They probably told the maids to give them privacy, but still—a servant or knight could walk by at any time.
The worst case would be the duke himself catching them.
“Ugh… I don’t understand any of this.”
Even when I woke up in bed after fainting in the rainy garden, I remembered having a strange dream…
I vaguely recalled Dr. Vincent, called a devil…
Emperor Purka, obsessed with conquering the west and eternal life. The man who shouted he’d never give up his son…
‘Hardin Lenister… Noah’s father.’
My memory got fuzzy after Hardin roared at the emperor in the throne room.
I felt like I’d seen something huge, but couldn’t remember what.
Black water pooling on the floor, then black wings and something shining blue…
‘I don’t know. I think I saw something not human.’
The memory was hazy, and thinking harder didn’t help, so I stopped.
‘Anyway, I clearly remember Emperor Purka, Dr. Vincent, and Hardin Lenister. And what the emperor wants.’
It didn’t feel like a normal dream—maybe it was a glimpse of the past.
Was there a reason I was seeing and hearing events I never lived through?
Maybe I have a special power… Eh, probably not.
‘If I did, I’d be flying around by now.’
The only unusual thing was that I came from another world—and was now living in Solia’s body.
And that I’d died six times and was now living for the seventh time as Solia.
“Well… it’s a common setup, right? Turns out I’m actually a great saint.”
…I tried to brag, but sorry. I had no holy powers at all.
“I’d rather be a witch.”
A wizard, a sword master—those would be nice.
Or a taekwondo or jiu-jitsu master! Or maybe like those famous comic heroes.
Life would be easier if I were strong—except, I don’t want to go bald just to be powerful.
