I’m completely full now.
After that, I sat between my father and mother and listened to what they had to say.
The gentleman in his fifties with the same blue hair and emerald green eyes as Alexander-sama was the current head of the Bayerlein Duchy. In other words, he was the Duke.
And, incredibly, my mother was apparently the daughter of the Bayerlein Duke! This shocking truth is overwhelming!
My mother was kidnapped when she was thirteen and had been missing ever since. Her real name was Hermina, but her status is listed as Arusha.
When I heard this, I learned that the name of a person’s status disappears when they suffer memory loss. It seems it’s replaced with the name they are given afterward. In some cases, even their blessings might change. I almost shouted, “Is that really true?!”
Since it had been twelve years, I thought there was a good chance it could be a case of mistaken identity, but that possibility was cleared up.
First, my mother’s resemblance to the Duchess—her mother, who would be my grandmother—was striking. My mother inherited her grandmother’s golden blonde hair and translucent, emerald-green eyes. That alone might have been a coincidence, but there was a decisive clue.
My mother had a star-shaped birthmark on her right chest. It had been there since birth and remains there even now. The Duke asked my father to confirm it. Well, my father must have seen the mark, and I, who had been breastfed, also recognized it. In other words, it became clear that my mother had indeed been the daughter of the Bayerlein Duke.
The reason Alexander-sama had been staring at my mother wasn’t because he was infatuated with her beauty, but because his long-lost sister was right there. He immediately sent a messenger to his father, the Bayerlein Duke.
The Duke traveled four days by horse-drawn carriage, but used the Duke’s fast ship to get here. It was the ship docked at our mansion. This ship was used by the Duke’s family to communicate with the capital in emergencies and didn’t have the luxurious fittings you’d expect for someone of the Duke’s stature. The Duke apparently boarded it almost immediately after receiving the message. This shows how sincere his feelings for my mother are.
“Toma . I’m your grandfather. Let me see your face clearly.”
Even though I was suddenly called “grandfather,” I wasn’t sure how to respond.
“Toma .”
As I was at a loss, my father gently pushed me forward. I guess that meant I should speak.
“Um… I’m Toma .”
“Hm. Karl Axel Bayerlein. You resemble Hermina from her childhood. Heh heh.”
The Duke had tears in his eyes and hugged me. It was a firm hug, but it must have been filled with emotions.
“I had long since given up on Hermina. But now, to find that my daughter is alive and I can hold my grandchild like this… What a joy.”
His voice trembled with kindness. The family in this world, aside from my real father, who was called ‘Oyakata-sama,’ are all wonderful people. I’m so grateful for that. This must all be thanks to Deuro-sama. I can only be thankful.
The Duke then hugged Ziegwald after me, and Ziegwald started crying, which made the Duke a bit troubled.
Surprisingly, Alexander-sama seemed good at soothing babies, as Ziegwald stopped crying and smiled. The Duke kicked Alexander-sama in the shin, but I decided to pretend I didn’t see that.
The busy day finally came to an end, and early the next morning, Lord Dardale came to visit.
“Hehehe. Duke Bayerlein, it’s been a long time.”
“Lord Dardale? You’re still alive?”
“After not seeing you for so long, that’s the greeting I get?”
The two of them seemed to know each other.
One was a high-ranking noble who represented the country, and the other was a cardinal at the heart of the temple. It wasn’t surprising they knew each other, but they seemed to be on bad terms.
“Sigh, this again? Please stop. We’re in front of children, you know.”
The two of them were glaring at each other, and even Alexander-sama seemed exasperated by their behavior.
Alexander-sama told me that these two had been teacher and student when the Duke was in school. At that time, the Duke had always questioned the teachings of the temple, and he often debated with Lord Dardale.
The most intense moment occurred when my mother was kidnapped. Lord Dardale told the Duke that his faith in the gods wasn’t enough, and he should pray harder. As a devout believer in the gods, Lord Dardale probably thought that praying would bring my mother back, but I think he shouldn’t have said that.
It’s like telling someone with a wounded heart, “It’s your fault this happened.” Those words only deepen the wound. Perhaps such words are a common tactic in religious discourse, but I strongly believe it’s wrong to exploit someone’s emotional vulnerabilities like that.
Whether you believe in the gods or not, there are people who suffer unjustly. If it’s the work of the gods, I wouldn’t offer them any prayers. A divine test? Who asked for such a trial? Don’t impose your trials on others; it’s nothing but trouble.
After this incident, their relationship became even worse.
In my past life, I suffered mentally and physically. Then, I encountered a despicable fake god and was trapped in a dark space, but Deuro-sama was the one who rescued me.
The only person who helped me was Deuro-sama. That’s why I don’t trust anyone else’s words.
If you want someone to believe in you, if you want them to have faith in you, you shouldn’t take away from them. You should give. Only a few perverts would want to receive trials.
I just want to live happily. And now, I’m surrounded by kind parents and good friends, and I’m truly happy.
This is the life Deuro-sama has given me.
