The Main Family Is About to Die Out, so I, from a Branch Family, Am a Seed Provider (WN): Chapter 62

 

Chapter 62: A Quiet Story: Mashiro's Best Friend

 Knock*, knock*, A dry knocking sound echoed through the hallway as I hit the door with the back of my hand.

“Mashiro, are you there? I'm coming in okay?"

 I knocked on the door, but there was no answer, so I stepped into the room.

 Even though it was daytime, the room with the curtains closed was as dark as night. I had to strain my eyes to see Mashiro on the bed.

"Should I say good morning? Or good night?"

"...Sasha."

 So, as I call out to her while opening the closed curtains, Mashiro mutters my name with a slightly resentful expression on her face. I think she's asking me "what do you want?".

“I'm here to ask you out for lunch. Mashiro, you know, you've been cooped up for a long time now."

"..."

 The late afternoon sunlight shining through the window reflects Mashiro's image, who sits half-crouched on her knees on the clean sheets of her bed, returning my request with silence.

"No, I don't want it"

"Eh? Why not?"

"... I'm not hungry."

 Saying that, Mashiro nudges her face between her knees.

 But even though she said she didn't have an appetite, Mashiro's appearance was clearly thin to anyone's eyes.

 Her beautiful black hair, which was always silky and shiny, was shaggy, and there were dark circles under her eyes. Above all, her cheeks were slightly hollowed out.

 Seeing her like this, all the maids living in the mansion, including myself, were worried.

"But you might get some appetite if you eat even just one bite."

 Such deceptions cannot make Mashiro nod her head, and I rack my brains as to what to do...... but the truth is, I know the answer from the beginning.

 I guess humans can't move on unless they remove the cause. Even if that means pushing Mashiro further into a corner as a result.

“If the young master sees Mashiro right now, I think he will be really worried.”

"ーー!?"

 The effect is remarkable. I think it's rather too effective, but it's a good thing Mashiro looked up.

"You're so skinny, and if he saw Mashiro, who has lost all her weight and is about to collapse at any moment, he would be very, very worried."

 I know it's terrible even though I'm saying it myself. But I am one who is known for my inability to read the mood.

“………………He won’t.”

"Yes?"

 That's why it was enough to put a little bit of life into Mashiro's face.

 I asked her blankly in response to those words that were whispered.

"He won't worry about me."

"Why?"

 In response to my question, Mashiro bites her lower lip tightly and spits out the words that have been cluttered in her mouth as if she is trying to hold something back.

"Because he's... he's already... dead."

 With these words, tears fall from Mashiro's eyes.

 Her sobs echo through the room as she slumps down with her forehead against her knee.

 Mashiro's fiancée? It was just a week ago that we were informed that the young master had passed away.

 To be more precise, his death was confirmed by the return of the body of the knight Elfie from the imperial side, and the testimony of the soldiers who survived the retreat, I suppose. But that is another story.

 In the end, Mashiro is now in a state where there is a gaping hole in her heart, having lost the person she loved the most.

 But, as if they can only imagine what she is going through, the maids around her are at a loss for words, or should I say, they don't know how to treat her.

 Anyway, this is the essence of the problem Mashiro is facing. It's because the void created in her heart by the young master's death is too big, and the people around her can't heal it, so Mashiro has been suffering alone for a long time.

"Alright, alright."

 I pat Mashiro's head and gently hug her body.

 Mashiro, who originally had a slender figure, is now so thin that she looks as if she is about to break, probably because of the fasting she has been doing for the past few days. Actually, her heart is worn out from the grief of losing the young master.

"But, Mashiro."

 I talk in her ear as if I were comforting a young child as she sobs in my arms. 

“And if Mashiro dies, I think the young master will feel responsible for it, you know?”

"……Eh?"

"Isn't that right? If Mashiro died because of him, the young master would think it's his fault."

"!"

 Mashiro gasped. Mashiro's hand, which had been gripping around my arm, was filled with strength.

 Martyrdom.

 In the old days, when the system of nobles and knights had not yet been established in the old kingdom.

 After the death of the lord, the knights would follow in his footsteps and show their loyalty by committing suicide.

 The succeeding nobles would see this=, and the succeeding knights would also see their predecessors pledge their loyalty and become firmly loyal to the noble family once again. This was a rather frequent practice in the ancient kingdoms.

 However, when the war with the empire began, the number of knights required rose, and the system of martyrdom was banned by the nobility.

“Also, it would be very painful if not only the young master but also Mashiro were gone when she woke up.”

"That's..."

 It's not like she wasn't thinking about it, but Mashiro hesitated a little.

 It is true that the young master died in the last expedition. However, there is a person who came back alive. Moreover, it is said that the girl is the young master's younger sister, and not everyone that was with her was killed in the war.

 It is not wrong to think about the dead, but I think it is a little bit different to be obsessed with the dead and disrespect the living.

"But, I..."

"Yeah. I understand what Mashiro is trying to say. But..."

 Mashiro, who had been nuzzling her face in my arms, looks up and before she can say anything, I gently stop her. I understand, Mashiro. I'm only speaking from a third party's point of view, and I'm sure it sounds like a half-truth to those involved. But.

“I think it's selfish and cowardly, at least in my opinion, to chase after a dead person."

 The only person who is comfortable in death is the person himself. Those who are left behind will surely suffer. If it is a suicide in the name of martyrdom, the living will spend more heartbreaking days.

 Therefore, I reject what Mashiro is doing as a mere escape and a meaningless act.

"That's!!"

 And as a matter of course, Mashiro raised her voice, revealing her anger. Her expression of crying and anger, partly because she had been crying earlier, is not something that can be shown to other maids.

"Hmm?"

"..."

 But I stare straight at Mashiro. Then, her dark, jewel-like eyes, wet with tears, turn slightly to the side.

 I think Mashiro probably knows it too. And that's probably why he let her anger show.

“And if Mashiro dies and disappears, the young master will also disappear, you know? Not just records, but even memories."

"Eh?"

 I further tell her in order to fulfill my original purpose of getting the heartbroken Mashiro, who is holed up in this room, out of here.

“I don't mean to be rude, but you see, the young master, he didn't really accomplish much, right?”

 I laugh to myself, thinking that this is a terrible thing to say to the son of my employer.

 Mashiro just nodded her head in a very subtle way, but did not say anything, so I continued talking.

“There is no record of how the young master's life was, and in a few years it will be forgotten."

 Even if he lost his life in that battle, even though he had fulfilled his duty, it is just that. It will eventually be swallowed up by the flow of history and decay. It will disappear from everyone's memory.

"So if Mashiro dies, who can remember the young master?"

"...It doesn't have to be me."

"Do you really think so?"

 When I replied, Mashiro remained silent.

 Certainly, it is not necessary for Mashiro to be the only one to remember. Although she has not regained consciousness yet, Armes, the younger sister of the young master, could also play that role. In terms of influence, I think the young lady of that great noble family could also play that role.

 However, Mashiro, who has been with him since childhood, has a different weight to it. I believe that the time that the young master and Mashiro have spent together is a relationship that no one else can shake.

"I'm not telling you to force yourself to move on, you know? But isn't it wrong to throw everything away and run away?"

"..."

"That's why, Mashiro."

 Once again, as I gently hold her body, which seems to be about to disappear, I said to Mashiro.

"Let's go to the memorial service, okay?"

 A moment later. I felt the life force that had barely remained in Mashiro's body leave her.

“I don’t think the young master will be able to rest in peace unless you say your final goodbye.”

"――!!"

 And with a voiceless scream, she tries to push me away, to the point where I wonder where she got that strength from that weakened body.

 Mashiro reacted to the memorial service.

 It is a memorial service for those who have died in war and have not returned home, and is held by the relatives of those who have been left behind and those who are close to them so that their souls can safely reach heaven.

 And today is that day. The reason why this mansion, which is usually full of my colleagues, is not crowded is that everyone is out to see off the young master and grandma Elfie who didn't come back after the last expedition.

 Normally I would have had to join them, but there was a real possibility that Mashiro would have died later if she missed this day, so I'm staying at home and trying to persuade her.

"No, no, no! I'm definitely not going!"

“Even though it is to see off the young master?”

 I know I've thought of this before, but I think it's a terrible question.

 But if I don't do this, the void in Mashiro's heart will never be filled. Even if it is a rough treatment, it is necessary to at least close the gap, just like a wooden bucket with a hole in it will not fill up with water even if you keep pouring water into it. Mashiro's heart will remain empty forever.

 But my feelings would never be able to reach her. Mashiro slips out of my arms and resists, covering herself with the bed sheets in an attempt to get away from me.

 The memorial service lasts until sunset. Even though it is just past noon now, I honestly don't have much time to push and force her like this.

 As I was thinking that.

"Excuse me."

 Right now, even the servants, including the current head of the household, have left the mansion. However, a girl appeared from the other side of the door that was suddenly opened…… No, to be precise, there was another person behind her.

 Mashiro also noticed its presence and suddenly stopped moving. Ah, a chance. I took away the bed sheet that was acting as a cover.

 However, Mashiro was distracted by the girl who had entered the room. But that was natural. Because the person was......

"It's been a long time, since before the expedition?"

"...Ritia, Ojousama?"

 Yes. Ritia, the daughter of the fregrance family, which is famous for being one of the five great nobles of the kingdom.

 She has long blonde hair and beautiful jade green eyes. Her soft, yet crisp eyes are the same as always, but I think the reason I feel a little uncomfortable is because she is dressed in a black dress instead of her usual red outfit.

"Um?"

 And before I could ask her anything else, Ritia Ojousama went to us.

"..."

"..."

 More precisely, Ritia Ojousama, who stopped in front of Mashiro, didn't even utter a word, and the two of them just exchanged glances.

 ……Come to think of it, or rather, when you think about it, isn't their relationship not only complicated in many ways but also extremely troublesome? When they took a bath together (although it was only to wash Ritia Ojousama's back), we already confirmed her subtle fondness for the young master...... mainly due to me.

 But what's different from that time is that Ritia Ojousama is now aware of the relationship between Mashiro and the young master.

 Mashiro was a concubine and had a pure relationship that exceeded the customs of nobles.

 On the other hand, because of the crisis of the main family, Ritia Ojousama is probably the one who is most associated with the young master.

 The scene of carnage, that would probably take place in front of my eyes, I feel like I'm going to suffocate.

"I heard you weren't at the memorial service."

 And the young lady muttered those words quietly, and I could feel Mashiro's body tremble an unknown number of times.

“…It doesn’t matter if I don’t show up.”

 In response to Mashiro's excuse, Ritia Ojousama's's eyes narrowed a little sharply and she began to speak as if she were admonishing her.

"That's a problem. If you're the concubine of the next head of the family, you should go. And you should make offerings to those who followed him. That is your role.

"...I don't know, that kind of thing."

 If it were just for that reason, Mashiro would have long since moved on, so the young lady's words would not resonate with her. But.

"Can't you see that you're going to lose something important again while you're being so unfaithful?"

"Wha!?"

 The level of care that Ritia Ojousama uttered, for Mashiro, is not just pouring salt in the wound, but a stab in the back. The lack of care is such that even I, who was not related, unintentionally pull back and said, "Uwa......".

 But Mashiro didn't seem to be so concerned, and instead of crying or getting angry, she just quietly muttered.

“You don’t know how I feel. Moreover, due to family circumstances, that he..."

 Mashiro responded with a harsh answer, that words from the Far East region where Mashiro was born instantly came to mind.

 I'm not sure if it was Mashiro's competitive nature or what, but I still pulled the same "uwa......" on that one.

 However, the maid who was near Ritia Ojousama was different, and she tried to move.

"It's fine, Glass."

 But Ritia Ojousama had already stopped her with her hand, and the person called "Glass" raised her eyebrows in disapproval.

"I don't really care. It's true."

"But……"

 Glass-san balked at the response. Also, as if to hide her irritation, Mashiro, who was standing next to me, gripped my sleeve tightly and forcefully in a position where the young lady could not see her. This... it's a loan item, you know? But what should I do?

"Well, it doesn't matter what someone who is depressed and didn't attend the memorial service says to me."

 Ritia Ojousama replies as if she doesn't care about my trivial concern.

"Well, if you're the concubine, you should at least be able to fill in for the absent head of the family."

"It doesn't matter now."

"Oh, really? I don't think there's anything irrelevant if you're going to enter a noble family, though?"

"I told you, it doesn't matter now."

 I don't think I can follow the words exchanged between the two of them. But from the outside, what the young lady is saying is a good argument. Especially the representative of the head of a noble family without a legitimate wife.

"Besides, I already have nothing to do with the nobility."

 But for Mashiro, this role is meaningful only when the young master is present. And yet.

"...Are you serious about that?"

"...Yes."

"I see."

 For a moment. The sound of Ritia Ojousama's voice changed to a cold, tense one, unlike before.

 She was not angry, not admonished, but just offended by Mashiro's words? Somehow it sounded that way.

"Glass."

"Yes."

 After a few moments, Ritia Ojousama lightly turned on her head and spoke the name of her attendant.

"Let's go. We have to go back to the memorial service soon."

"Understood."

 And then, brushing off her golden hair with a hand, she walked to the other side of the door, not exactly back the way she came.

"U-um, wait!"

"What?"

 I called out as quickly as I could, and Ritia Ojousama looked back at me with a grim expression on her face.

"Your purpose from coming here is..."

 I still haven't been told the purpose of Ritia Ojousama's visit here, or rather, I haven't been able to ask her because I didn't have a chance to talk to her.

 I have a rough idea of what it is, based on her exchange with Mashiro earlier, but I don't think a young lady of a great noble family would go out of her way to visit.

 And since Ritia Ojousama said earlier that she was returning to the memorial service, she must have at least met with the head of the family. But she dared to come to this castle where almost no one is around except for us?

 I ask this because my curiosity is piqued in a bad way, wondering if there was something important they would talk about. I'm not sure if it's important or not...... But I'm also a bit caught up in the conversation between Ritia Ojousama and Mashiro.

"It's nothing."

"Eh?"

 However, what came back from the young lady was such an anticlimactic answer.

"R-really? Nothing?"

"It's nothing... by the way, who are you? This girl's maid?"

 To Ritia Ojousama, I couldn't help but think to myself, "Ehh......?" I pulled away. She didn't remember me. Well, then.

"Cough*."

"W-what?"

 I said it in as bright and innocent a voice as possible, while not only the young lady but also her maid and Mashiro, who was standing next to me, looked at me.

"Do you perhaps like our young master or something?"

"Ha? Wait, eh? Ah, ahh!? At that time!"

 Then the events of that day, which had been locked away in her memory, came to mind, and Ritia Ojousama screamed while pointing at me.

 I think I'm a little too surprised, even though I said so myself. Well, I'm glad you remembered.

“B-because of you, I had a hard time that night…!”

"Eh?"

 This time I tilt my head at Ritia Ojousama's words. That night? Our contact was only in the bathroom, right?

"W-well, that's fine."

 After saying that, the young lady cleared her throat to hide her slightly blushing face. Did something happen between you and the young master?

“If that's all, I'll be going."

"N-no, but, Mashiro is..."

 Mashiro, unable to look at me, pulls the sleeves of my clothes.

 I silently ask her if that's okay with my gaze. Since a noble, a young lady from a top-class noble family, came all the way here, there must be a good reason for it. I don't think it's a good idea to just leave it alone without asking. And perhaps...

"..."

 Mashiro doesn't seem to have noticed, but I can get a rough idea by looking at Ritia Ojousama's face.

 Perhaps there was something. Strictly speaking, there was, but there was no longer any reason to mention it. And I can guess that it was because of Mashiro's words and actions.

"If you know, please don't ask me."

"...I-I'm sorry."

 I wonder if she caught me glancing sideways at her. No, but it's not a good thing to make assumptions. I wonder if I should tell Mashiro that I noticed this......?

"Sasha?"

 I feel a little disappointed, but since it leads to my original goal of "filling the hole in Mashiro's heart," I guess it can't be helped.

"You know, Mashiro. Probably, Ritia Ojousama have something she wanted to talk to Mashiro about?"

"Talk about?"

 Mashiro gave me a slight look of disgust, but she still seemed to listen to what I had to say.

"Yeah. It's also a very important one. Not me, not the master, not the knight, but an important one that she can only tell to Mashiro."

".........I didn't say that much."

 You're being a little too loud, main family's young lady. I'm helping you, so please don't interfere.

"Only me?"

“Yes. Only to Mashiro. But, you know, with Mashiro right now, she probably thought she couldn't talk about it, you know?"

"......But that's just a request to go to the memorial service anyway, right?"

"If that's the case, I'm sure she can just use a more aggressive way. Mashiro is just a commoner, after all."

"That's true... but"

 Mashiro glanced at Ritia Ojousama. After all, the other person is a nobleman who is in a top position in this country. The commoners, and even the other nobles, are nothing more than a crowd.

"What do you think we are?"

 ……I heard a voice that sounded like it was angry, but I didn't dare touch it, put my hand on Mashiro's shoulder, and said.

“Since Mashiro is the one and only childhood friend and concubine of the young master, you have to make sure you get it right. Besides..."

"……Besides?"

 I smile as evilly as I can, yet in a pleasant tone of voice, I utter a fact.

“Mashiro, I don’t think it would be a good idea to just let her go back, saying whatever she wanted, even though she's a cheater for taking the young master~”

"ーー!"

 After a moment. I felt an unfathomable amount of tension in Mashiro's body. However, what is different from before is that the light has returned to the eyes that look at me.

"I-I'm not a cheater!?"

 The young lady who received it perfectly, blushed bright red as she defended herself in a panic.

"Eh, but even though there were circumstances, it is you who had taken him, right?"

"W-wrong!? I-in the first place, he and I are, well, anyway, it's wrong!"

“Then, do you really like the young master?”

"T-that's, um..."

 Where was the momentum from a moment ago? The maid, Glass-san, who was standing by her side, sighed unbeknownst to the young lady, who was at a loss for words even when she tried to deny it. Well, I think that's the answer to the question.

"..."

 Mashiro looked at it and remained silent. It's as if she knew that much even if she didn't say it. but,

“(Thank you, Sasha)”

"Hmm?"

 I could not understand Mashiro's voice, which was so unclear.

"Ritia Ojousama."

"W-what?"

 Mashiro gets off the bed and steps forward toward the young lady.

"Ojousama, I have a request. Would you be willing to tell me about it?"

 And then, she told the main family's young lady.

 Although I can't see the expression on her face, I'm sure it was what Ritia Ojousama wanted.

 Because at Mashiro's words, Ritia Ojousama was smiling fearlessly.

...

“I'm sorry, Sasha. It must be really hard for you too."

 A few hours after the visit of the Fregrance family's daughter.

 The sun was beginning to set and the sunlight shining through the window was beginning to cast a slight shadow. Mashiro, who was sitting on the bed, said so and took my hand.

"You don't have to worry about it. I'm not proud of it, but I'm used to this sort of thing."

“I don't think that's something you say with confidence. It's not something you get used to."

 Mashiro smiled. Well, a death of a loved one is sure hard to get used to. Like a deadly poison.

 This time, Mashiro's heart was damaged by such a deadly poison that no one could heal. A fatal wound of the heart, that is, with no hope of healing.

“Well, if there's something on your mind, you can consult me. I've been told to mourn so I'm rather free right now.

"...That's not exactly free, you know? Or rather, won't they get angry?"

"If I get scolded, that's that."

 But I can at least share the pain.

 Because I think that is the only thing I can do after losing my grandmother Elfie.

 That's why I stay by my best friend's side for today.