Chapter 39: There Is No Counterattack From The Supporting Character

Where did this story begin?

For the first time, I remembered the moment I woke up in Triviache’s old bed. In the gloomy dawn, I woke up hastily following the woman who had slept with me crumpled up. A cool bathhouse where you had to stand side by side and pour cold water over.

The morning in the kitchen started with hauling pigs to be slaughtered. Everything was familiar but unfamiliar. As I moved my body habitually, she realized that all of this was not mine. It was frightening and unfamiliar, as if I had fallen all alone in a new world.

I lost my voice overnight. It wasn’t that I didn’t understand the language, but I kept my mouth shut. The employees thought I had lost my memory.

They said that I had had a terrible fever for a few days, and the aftermath was pitiful. It is impossible for a fever to get transmitted, so they said that I was being cared for in a solitary room for four days.

I remember them saying that the next day, they thought I was okay because I was having less fever.

However, in that situation, a lot of changes happened to me in just one day. The first thing that came to my mind was a book titled 『The River Where the Sun Manoeuvres』, and the thousands of futures I had read through that book flowed into my head.

And I was not in that future. Why is it so? After much deliberation, I came to the most plausible conclusion. The reason I didn’t exist in the future was simple.

It’s because I’m not from here. That’s why my name, body, and everything around me seems so unfamiliar.

But nothing changed. Because I had an expectation that I might be able to increase my value a little more by using my future memories.

However, contrary to my expectations, the future I saw went wrong several times. Also, at the center of it were strange beings that I had never heard of before.

They appeared at the center of the empire like a comet and attracted everyone’s attention, but they were all forgotten within three months. Would it have changed if I had been there? No, it couldn’t be.

Because.

There is no counterattack from supporting characters.

Due to this, I had been holding my breath, and met Richton at the end. This was the same as Azmaria’s argument.

‘I couldn’t believe it at first. To be the Azmaria of the Will family……’

‘Do you have any memories of Agrane Karold?’

At my question, Azmaria shook her head with a determined face.

‘I don’t just have memories, I am trapped in this body and I am definitely Agrane.’

‘Then where did Agrane’s body go?’

‘……I do not know.’

Azmaria grabbed her forehead and bowed her head. An unsure and miserable voice from her echoed through the room.

‘There are a lot of memories that I haven’t been able to get back. I’m slowly remembering it, but… As long as I am trapped in this body, it would be correct to assume that the original body is dead.’

Her wet eyes stared at me with a sad smile.

‘I’ve been very lonely all this time. How hard was it for me to get here…..Susan, I’m so glad I got to meet you.’

I was sure when I heard that. Azmaria had the same memory as mine about Agrane. No, maybe she had more memories. The reason she was afraid of Wilhelm was that she knew the past of “Agrane raised as a dog by him” like me and considered herself to be the Agrane.

Shit.

‘Susan?’

The crazy heartbeat rang my head. I breathed heavily and calmed my lungs. Azmaria held my hardened hand with all her might. I felt extremely bad. I struggled to put up with the desire to shake off that hand. Hang in there. There’s nothing good about losing her.

‘I’m sorry, lady. I’m suddenly dizzy… I need to rest a bit.’

‘Oh no, I talked a lot in front of a sick person. Take a good rest. We have plenty of time to talk.’

The door was closed. It took a long time for Azmaria’s footsteps to be no longer heard. Even after the noise in my ears disappeared, I stared up at the ceiling for a while. I’m Agrain. And Azmaria argues that her previous life was Agrane.

What kind of thing is this?

***

“…That’s why you’re worried about who to leave the work for. No matter how much I think about it, Susan, there’s no child as quick-witted and as good at work as you are.”

A quiet kitchen with darkness after the day. At Mrs. Fiora’s voice, I shook off the memory of three days ago and slowly collected my thoughts. The wine in the glass was tasteless.

“Can’t you save more people?”

On the night of the reward vacation, one maid and one handyman did not return. According to the testimony of people around them, the two often left the mansion every dawn and returned together, and they probably fled to a distant place. This was because it was clear that the woman’s biological mother— Mrs. Fiora would not allow marriage with lame man.

Mrs. Fiora was surprised, but she quickly came to her senses in half a day. She seemed to firmly believe that her daughter would soon return to Ingord. How long can a young woman live with a lame man?

“How can I get it in a situation where guests are coming in two days right now? Those who are chased by time are bound to cause problems. Furthermore, Ingord’s maids were chosen from generation to generation… Don’t you know?”

I knew it roughly. Usually, knights and maids of venerable families are made to vassals. It was the same with Ingord. Usually, the vassals marry another vassal of the householder. They supported the owner’s family from generation to generation and lived as a part of it. Mrs. Fiora’s husband was also a former deputy commander of the Black Hawk Knights.

“In the end, I have to choose one of the maids. Not a single child caught my eye……”

“Is she the maid who will marry Lord Kasen?”

Kasen was the youngest son of Madame Fiora and a member of the Knights of the Black Hawk.

(T/N: Mrs. Fiora has two kids, one is that maid and the other is Kasen)

“Is there any more? I’d like to take you, Susan, but I think you’ll marry Sir Kean.”

I had no intention of marrying the knights here. Even more so, if it was Kean, I was going to live my whole life single.

“It remains to be seen.”

She couldn’t show her anger towards the maid, so all she had to do was smile with an unknown look.

“But I know that Kean is an outsider.”

“Right. Just like you, his Excellency suddenly brought him here one day. Trust me… Everyone thinks it has something to do with His Excellency’s difficult childhood.”

Richton’s hard childhood. Was his life as a dog wrapped up that way? Shortly after she had finished speaking, Mrs. Fiora let out a long sigh.

“Haa. I’m drunk, so all the words come out. I’ll have to close my eyes for tomorrow. You, too, go back to the annex.”

Raising her head, she raised her body from her chair with a slow movement. I pondered for a while. During my stay in the annex, the amount of time I had to inspect Richton was significantly reduced. Azmaria, who claims to be Agraine. And I, who has lived as Agraine for several years in this 『The River Where the Sun Manoeuvres』. To know what was the truth, I needed an eye to look at him.

“How about Mary?”

As she was going to leave the kitchen, she turned her head to me. This was just a simple offer. I spoke in a light tone as much as possible.

“She’s young, quick-witted and obedient. She does a pretty good job.”

“That kid is too small. I’m worried that something bad will happen while having a baby.”

“Just because one is tall doesn’t mean they are healthy. Look at me. Even though I’m noticeably taller among the maids, I’m still like a beggar every day.”

Mrs. Fiora shrugged her shoulders with an unreadable look on her face. I took a last sip of alcohol from where she left and returned to the annex. I also couldn’t taste anything.

***

The next morning, after lunch, I said lightly to Mary, who sat with her knee bent at the back door to smoke.

“Make sure to be seen well by Mrs. Fiora and Lord Kasen.”

At first, Mary didn’t seem to understand me. But she was the fastest-witted maid I knew. Sure enough, she soon threw out the cigarette with a surprised look and put her face right in front of my nose.

“Is it because there is an empty seat…. You recommended me. Right?

Her voice was as high as it could be.

“Why me, not you?”

While saying the next words, Mary lowered her voice. She must be in her own infinite world of imagination. It was obvious what kind of picture Richton and I were rolling around in this child’s head, even though I couldn’t see it. Honestly, isn’t it false to say that it’s completely wrong now?

“I’ve only brought it up. The rest is up to you.”

Mary bowed to me with a face that couldn’t hide her emotional feelings.

“T, thank you. I never imagined I’d get this favor.”

“As you know, Mary. I became a body to serve the next Duchess.”

“Yes. I also heard that Lady Azmaria’s trust in Sunbae is great.”

To be honest, Azmaria’s trust is not enough to be considered complete trust. The only thing I showed her was that we were in a similar situation.

“No. This is more like an act of harassing me. She noticed the relationship between me…. and the duke.”

“Oh.”

At the short exclamation, I noticed that she didn’t had any doubt about my lie.

“I need your help, Mary. I’m alone here. You’re the only one I can trust.”

Mary nodded with a serious face.

“Of course, I’ll help you. No one can intervene between sunbae and his Excellency. She can’t interrupt.”

What desires does Mary satisfy by observing me and Richton? A love between a man and a woman that can’t be achieved? Or a dramatic rise in status?

“…Thank you for telling me the secret.”

I let out a long breath and plastered a melancholy smile that I made with all my might. Even if I don’t try it, I think I have a gloomy face.

“It is something that I have to say instead.”

Don’t thank me. It’s not you but me who should be thankful.