The Reincarnated Young Girl Is Adored by the Spirits She Helped in Her Previous Life
The next morning, as usual, I was eating breakfast in the dining hall.
“Delicious, delicious!”
I delicately grasped a roll with my left hand.
With my right hand, I held a fork, elegantly stabbing a piece of ham and eating it hungrily.
“It’s so good!”
Sui was also eating just as eagerly as I was.
Loa was on the table, munching on meat and boiled eggs.
Dau, Koruko, and Carro were eating from plates placed on a platform on the floor.
The reason Loa was the only one allowed to eat on the table was that he was a dragon.
Dragons had to be treated with respect.
“Sara, that’s not how you hold a fork.”
“Like this?”
“Yes, that’s right. Well done.”
“Hehe.”
Meanwhile, sitting next to Marion, Sara was learning table manners.
She seemed happy to be taught by Marion and was smiling.
“…Sara has it tough, huh?”
She was so little but had to be well-mannered.
“Here?”
“Hm? Well, I’m naturally well-mannered.”
Was it an innate sense of refinement? My elegance was undeniable.
“…Actually, maybe I should practice hiding my grace for emergencies.”
At this rate, if I ever needed to hide my identity and blend into the city, people would immediately recognize me as a noble lady.
It would be too late by then.
“Woof, woof.”
“Yeah, I should probably eat a little more aggressively.”
“Luria, what nonsense are you saying?”
Mother let out an exasperated sigh.
“Hm?”
“Luria, you are not refined.”
“Huh?” “Woof?”
Suddenly, Mother said something completely unexpected.
I was so shocked I froze.
Even Dau, who had been watching me, thinking how elegant I was, seemed surprised.
“Luria, Sara. We’ll return to the main estate before lunch today.”
“Oh! We’ll see Father?”
“Yes.”
Sara looked a little nervous.
“And starting today, both of you will study proper etiquette.”
That made sense for Sara.
She was always well-behaved, but baronial and ducal etiquette might be different.
That’s probably why Marion was hastily teaching her the proper manners of the ducal house.
“Huh? Do I need that? Munch.“
I muttered without thinking.
Since I was raised in the ducal house from birth, I should already be well-versed in its etiquette.
“Are you serious? Of course, you need it.”
“No way? Munch, munch.“
I elegantly ate my roll with my right hand and gracefully used a spoon with my left to eat my omelet.
“First of all… stop trying to eat both at the same time.”
“Huh? But it’s faster that way?”
“You don’t need to eat quickly.”
Mother sighed deeply.
“I thought it would be fine to teach you proper lady-like manners later…”
“I think that too?”
“Woof, woof.”
Even Dau barked in agreement.
“But now, we don’t have that luxury.”
“Huh? No way!”
“Yes, exactly that.”
There was only one reason why someone like me, already renowned for my good manners, would be forced to study etiquette further.
“…An engagement?”
I was the daughter of a great noble house. It wouldn’t be surprising for me to be engaged at five years old.
“Woof~ woof~. Pii~”
Dau, looking distressed, placed his chin on my lap and whined.
He must have been worried that if I got married, I’d leave him behind.
“…Don’t worry. I’ll take you with me, and I’ll make sure the engagement gets called off.”
I whispered to Dau.
Even if I couldn’t break it, I wouldn’t give up on bringing Dau and the others with me.
“Woof!”
Dau wagged his tail, showing his determination to help.
“…First, Dau will… leave a huge pile of poop at their house…”
“Luria. We are eating.”
Apparently, Mother had heard me whispering.
She seemed genuinely angry.
“Sorry.” “Woof.”
Mother sighed again.
“Gilbert and Lydia aren’t even engaged yet. There’s no way you would be.”
“Oh! That’s true!”
“Woof~”
Dau looked relieved.
“Then why do I have to study manners?”
“Is that really so strange? Honestly, the fact that I let you do as you pleased until now was the exception.”
Mother looked at me gently.
“Actually, your grandfather has summoned you.”
“My grandfather? You mean the King?”
My maternal grandfather had already passed away.
My mother’s family was now headed by my uncle.
That meant my only living grandfather was on my father’s side.
That was none other than King Gastone Olivinis Farnese.
“Yes, the King. His Majesty is strict and intimidating. You must be polite.”
“Whoa.”
“Luria, listen carefully.”
Mother looked straight into my eyes, so I returned her gaze.
“The King shows no favoritism, even to his own grandchildren. He has no hesitation in using blood relatives as political pawns.”
“Whoa.”
I had no idea he was that kind of person.
Maybe that’s why Father had kept me from meeting him.
“If he thinks you lack proper etiquette, he might even decide to raise you himself.”
A daughter with poor manners couldn’t be sent off in a political marriage.
So, the logical conclusion would be to educate her personally.
“Yikes. That would be bad.”
“Yes, it would. So, you need to learn the level of manners expected of a five-year-old noble.”
“Okay.”
That said, if I ended up being seen as a perfectly mannered noble lady, that would be bad too.
That would make me the ideal pawn for a political marriage.
“Finding the right balance… is hard?”
“It’s not difficult. Even if you try your best to be polite, you’ll never be perfect, Luria.”
“What do you mean?”
I wasn’t sure what Mother was trying to say.
“Luria, do your best.”
Sara looked at me worriedly.
“And Sara.”
“Yes?”
“His Majesty has summoned you as well.”
“Eeek!”
Sara was so startled she dropped her fork.
