Chapter 27 – Mother and daughter

It’s now the first summer since I’ve enrolled in magic school. It’s not as long as the summer vacation at school in my previous life, but this magic school has summer vacation as well. And so, during summer vacation, most of the students will be returning home instead of staying in the dorms.

As for me, Katarina Claes is no exception, I’m also returning to our family mansion.

And so, at home, I kept practicing my anti-destruction countermeasures. I had the gardener Tom-san help me improve the toy snake so that it would be easier to throw, I read some more books on agriculture, and I’ve become an expert in working on my field. However……

“After all, I really want to see the real thing~”

When I said that, Keith who was next to me looked at me strangely.

“……What on earth is it this time?”

“A field! I want to see an actual field!”

“……Field? A real thing, isn’t there one here already?”

Keith was pointing at the field that was slowly beginning to invade the Claes family garden, and was looking at me even more dubiously. I protested “no, that’s not it!”

“I’m not talking about a field like the one I’m making here as a hobby in this garden, I want to see a real, gigantic field that was created by a farmer!”

“……What?”

“Of course! Just in case, if I have to become a splendid farmer!”

As I puffed out my chest proudly, Keith was shaking his head while holding it.

“……Man, I don’t even know how to comment on this……”

I kept insisting to Keith who seemed helpless for some reason that I wanted to see “a real farmer’s field,” and was able to get his permission.

And so, a few days after I got his permission, with Keith accompanying me, we went to observe some farmers’ fields while remaining incognito. The reason being, if we didn’t go incognito and a duke’s daughter suddenly wanted to visit some farmers’ fields, the farmers would all be really shocked and mother would get angry – that’s what we took into consideration.

And so, in order for people to not find out I’m a duke’s daughter, I dressed myself like a merchant’s daughter would, and headed out to get a look at the farmers’ fields that I had wanted to see for so long.

“As expected, a real farmer’s field is the best~~ the size and magnitude are on a completely different level~~”

After finis.h.i.+ng my tour, I was in a really good mood, and I was enjoying the scenery outside the horse-drawn carriage that we had borrowed from a merchant despite the b.u.mpy ride. At first, all there was to see was only a huge field, but gradually, I was able to see some buildings in the distance.

“W, what’s that?”

“Ahh, that’s the town.”

Keith who was also looking outside the window told me the answer.

“So there’s a town in a place like this, eh.”

Since I had been too excited about getting the chance to see a field in person, I hadn’t been paying attention.

“That’s right. If I recall correctly, it’s the town where Maria Campbell-san grew up in.”

“!?”

It can’t be, this just happened to be the town where Maria grew up…… Indeed, although I had heard that it was a small border town, I never expected it to be this one right here.

Is that so~ So this is the town Maria grew up in~ Hmm, come to think of it……

“Could it be that, Maria’s also here right now? I think that she said she’ll be returning home for summer vacation as well?”

“Come to think of it, I think she did say that…… You couldn’t be!?”

“I’m going to go look for her!”

“………As I thought……”

And so, I managed to forcibly persuade Keith somehow into going to town by saying “it’ll be just for a little bit” even though he kept insisting “it’s bad if you do this because it’ll be a bother.”

Just like I heard from Maria, this border town was quite far from the capital and not a very large town at all.

Because of that…… It’s good that I was spirited…… But I need to think about how to find Maria’s house…… When we asked the people in town we were able to find out immediately.

Just like the town I lived in during my previous life, I got the feeling that it was a town where everyone knew everyone.

And so, Keith and I arrived at Maria’s house unannounced.

“Yes? Who might you guys be?”

The person that appeared at the front door was a beautiful lady. She looked quite similar to Maria, and was probably related to her in some way.

“Um, my name is Katarina Claes, and I’m Maria-san’s friend. Would Maria-san happen to be here?”

I greeted her as energetically as I could, and she seemed very shocked for some reason.

“……She happens to be out for a bit right now…… I think she should be back soon, but…… If it’s alright with you, would you like to wait here for a bit?”

And so, the lady invited Keith and I into the house.

The Campbell family lives in a very ordinary house, but, it was a very clean and well-kept home.

The lady introduced herself as “Maria’s mother.” Just as I expected, she was related to Maria. But really, she’s such a fragile beauty that even my own mother can’t compare. I’m sure that no matter what, Maria’s mother would never be able to have an ugly daughter.

And then, Maria’s mother brought some sweets and some tea to what was probably their family dining table.

“Are these something that Maria-san made?”

When I saw the sweets and asked that question, her mother had a very surprised look on her face again.

“……No, it’s something I bought in town. ……Uh, is that child still making sweets?”

“Yep. Maria-san’s really good at making sweets, I’m always asking her to make them for me!”

“……You’ve had sweets made by that girl before?”

“Yep. They were really delicious!”

When I said so, Maria’s mother lowered her face, and mumbled in a very weak voice “I see.”

And so, a bit later, the door opened, and Maria came home with a shopping bag.

When she saw us sitting there at the dining table, at first, she was really surprised, but……

“I thought that I wouldn’t be able to see Katarina-sama during summer vacation, but I’m so glad that I got to see you now!”

She was really overjoyed.

And so, we lost ourselves completely chatting without caring about the time, and before we realized it the sun was already setting, and we left Maria’s home in a hurry.

Since we were incognito today, we weren’t using a horse-drawn carriage from the Claes family, but a merchant’s instead, as expected they were hesitant to wait for us in front of a commoner’s house, they were waiting for us instead in an open area a bit away from the house.

“I’ll send you and the horse carriage off” is what Maria said, and I replied “up to here is fine, really.” It’s already time to be preparing for dinner, we’re alright but Maria really should be beginning her dinner preparations.

“Katarina-sama, Keith-sama, troubling yourselves to come all the way out here today to a place like this, thank you very much.”

“Mmm. Us too, suddenly visiting without notification, I’m sorry.”

“I’m really sorry about my nee-san that never thinks about anything. The next time we visit, we’ll definitely properly contact you beforehand.”

After that exchange, Keith pressured me saying “come on, let’s go home,” then Maria’s mother who had remained silent all this time suddenly rushed up to us. Then –

“……Uh, please, I leave my daughter in your care from now on as well.”

Maria’s mother lowered her head deeply as she said so. The beautiful mother that seemed so much like Maria was lowering her head with a really serious expression.

“Of course, I’ll be in her care as well from now on.”

I also lowered my head as I said so.

Then, this time, we finally got on the horse-drawn carriage and left in a hurry.

In a small border town, far away from the capital, I grew up as the most beautiful woman in town, loved by everyone.

As the years pa.s.sed, I ended up marrying an energetic and reliable man the same age as me, a guy who was very popular with the ladies by the name of Campbell. Everyone around us blessed our marriage, and a couple of years later I gave birth to a lovely daughter that looked a lot like me. I named my lovely daughter Maria.

I had a wonderful husband and a lovely daughter, I was spending my days filled with happiness.

However, my blissful daily life, came to a sudden end……

My daughter Maria activated her magic powers……

“Magic” isn’t technically a rare thing in this country. However, those with magic power were almost all n.o.bles. Since there were almost no commoners with magic power, whenever a commoner child was born with magic power, it would be whispered that it must have been the result of an affair with a n.o.ble.

Of course, such a thing never happened. I’ve never betrayed my husband, there’s no mistake that Maria is my husband’s daughter……

But even so, rumors that I was an adulteress began to spread in our small town. At first, my husband was saying “it’s alright. I trust you,” but, as the rumors kept getting bigger and spreading further…… Before I realized it, he would hardly ever come home.

Everyone in town that had always been so nice to me before, was all keeping their distance from me.

At some point in time, I had become afraid of looking straight at others, and would always walk with my head down.

Even though I had been so fortunate…… Why, how did it come to this……

If that child…… If only she didn’t have magic…… If I never had her……

Before I realized it, I was shocked at how I was developing a grudge against my own young daughter. My daughter hasn’t done anything wrong…… Even though I know that…… But even so, I had to control myself…… I desperately avoided my daughter’s eyes as much as I could.

And so, even though my daughter did nothing whatsoever, she found herself in these circ.u.mstances, and still completed the housework perfectly, and got excellent grades at school.

Everyone was praising her as special, but behind her back they were calling her an illegitimate child of some n.o.ble, or saying that she must have cheated with magic somehow.

Several times as well, people said that they would like to adopt my daughter. If only I nodded in agreement…… I’ve thought so many times if everything would become much better…… But in the end, I wasn’t able to agree to it.

The no-good mother who always averted her eyes from her daughter who was desperately trying to smile with all her might…… Even though I know I’m a foolish mother…… Even so, I’m unable to let go of my daughter.

I’ve actually already realized it. Just how hard-working my daughter that’s being praised as a genius is…… How desperately she’s always trying……

At seeing the way she was…… My resentment was fading…… But…… I continued to avoid her gaze, I was scared of looking straight at my daughter.

If, my daughter doesn’t forgive this mother of hers…… I might look into her eyes and see only hatred and disdain……

And so, in the end, without being able to look my daughter in the eye…… My daughter turned fifteen, and went off to magic school.

Without my daughter there anymore, the house has become very lonely and quiet.

My daughter finally returned to the house again during summer vacation. She had a much brighter expression than when she had left for school.

What exactly could have happened to my daughter in these months……

A few days later, I found out the cause.

“Yes? Who might you guys be?”

One day during the afternoon, a boy and girl about the same age as my daughter were standing there knocking on my door. Although their clothing was something that merchants’ children would often wear, they appeared very dignified.

“Um, my name is Katarina Claes, and I’m Maria-san’s friend. Would Maria-san happen to be here?”

The girl with tawny hair was the one who spoke up, and the boy next to her also lowered his head in greeting.

……Maria’s friends…… I was very shocked to hear those words. That’s because, ever since she’s had magic power, Maria would be ostracized by all the other children…… She didn’t have any friends.

“……She happens to be out for a bit right now…… I think she should be back soon, but…… If it’s alright with you, would you like to wait here for a bit?”

Honestly, they probably have rather high social statuses, and I was wondering if it was alright for them to be here at a house like this, but…… Even so, I definitely wanted to be as hospitable as possible to these people who were calling themselves Maria’s friends.

There’s no way around it because our small house doesn’t have a guest room, so I invited them to our dining table, and they sat down without making any sign of a displeased face at all. And so, I brought out the best tea in the house, and the best sweets I had bought in town. Then –

“Are these something that Maria-san made?”

The girl suddenly asked me this question.

“……No, it’s something I bought in town. ……Uh, is that child still making sweets?”

“Yep. Maria-san’s really good at making sweets, I’m always asking her to make them for me!”

“……You’ve had sweets made by that girl before?”

“Yep. They were really delicious!”

The girl was smiling as she said so.

Several years ago, my daughter had desperately practiced making sweets in order to bring them to school, on the day that she did so, she returned with her eyes completely red, and after that, she’s never made sweets even once……

That daughter of mine that always forces herself to smile before me, holding back her tears inside…… This no-good mother doesn’t have anything that she can give you……

Finally, you’ve made some friends that will eat the sweets that you’ve tried your hardest on……

A bit later, when Maria returned and saw the visitors, she smiled so happily. It was a blissful smile almost as if she hadn’t seen them in many years.

In just a few short months, my daughter’s gotten friends and is now able to laugh so happily…… My daughter’s changed –

I don’t have any excuse to always be like this as well……

At this rate, with my head always down, without being able to meet eyes with my daughter…… Before long, my daughter might be moving out and leaving me……

I have to change too –

Dusk approached, and the visitors were leaving, when I suddenly picked up my steps and chased after them. Then –

“……Uh, please, I leave my daughter in your care from now on as well.”

I lowered my head deeply. Then, the girl smiled and said –

“Of course, I’ll be in her care as well from now on.”

She also lowered her head in response.

And then, after watching them disappear from our sights, I looked at my daughter with my eyes wide open. How many years has it been since I looked at her properly –

My daughter’s eyes were wet…… Also, my vision was a little blurry as well……

I didn’t see hatred or disdain in my daughter’s eyes…… It was surprise…… And happiness that was reflected there……

It might not be possible to return to the way we used to be all at once…… But even so, as time pa.s.ses little by little…… If I can get back the daily life from before……

I walked over to my daughter who was standing still with wet eyes, and hugged her trembling body. My daughter’s tiny body…… Before I knew it, has already become the same size as mine.

Unexpectedly, I was able to meet Maria, what’s more I was also able to meet Maria’s beautiful mother who looked so much like her, I was really happy.

And so, the horse-drawn carriage arrived at the Claes mansion, and I was in such a happy mood that I ran straight into the front entrance. Behind me, Keith was saying “nee-san, if you run into the house wearing those clothes……” which I couldn’t hear at all, because I was in a running mood and it didn’t reach my ears.

And then, when I pa.s.sed the front door…… Standing right there like a guardian deva king, was my mother with a villainous face similar to mine, with tight, upturned eyes.

“……Uh, uhh, mother……”

“Welcome back. Katarina.”

Mother was smiling as she said so, but her eyes weren’t smiling at all. There was clearly a disturbing atmosphere about her.

“You’re wearing some very interesting clothes there.”

“Uh, uhh, these are……”

I started panicking because I had run inside while still wearing merchant clothes, but……

“Well, I’ll listen very carefully in detail about your interesting clothes later…… Katarina. Today, when I went to the n.o.ble wives’ tea party, I heard a very funny rumor, perhaps you’ve heard of it?”

“……Funny rumor?”

“That’s right. A very funny rumor. It’s a story about someone creating a field on the venerable grounds of the magic school.”

“…………”

“What’s more, it seems that the person making the field is a student, but would anyone really be making a field at a school where all of the students are n.o.bles only?”

“…………”

“Hey, don’t you think it’s a really funny story? And, when I heard this story, for some reason, even though I couldn’t believe it, only one person came to mind – Katarina, how about we talk a little bit more about this in my room.”

And so, I was dragged into my mother’s room, and couldn’t escape her harsh lecturing for three whole hours, I was banned from sweets, and also banned from working in the field as a really severe punishment.

Well, after this I’ll just get Keith to help me, somehow or other I’m going to successfully complete that flower garden I’m making at school……

And so, my summer vacation ended.