"The Idea of a Woman Stealing Someone Else's Partner is Ridiculous," I laughed. But After Being Reborn, I Became a Victim of Such a Woman. However, My New Fiancée was Absolutely Amazing. - Episode 3

Right now, I still have time.

But when I saw my father looking around the room, I understood—he was silently telling me to pack my things.

I nodded and returned to my room.

The dresser I use, the writing desk, the kimono, the futon, even the cushions—all were hand-me-downs from the main family.

That woman sold everything—my dresser, my kimono, even the keepsakes my grandmother left me, the kimono and obi, the vase my grandfather passed down, the hanging scrolls—everything, all gone.

And then she spread rumors that I was just like her, an unfaithful woman! That idiot and that fake sweet-talking woman!

Since my textbooks and brushes are at school, I pack my personal belongings into a furoshiki.

The only things left are my birthday presents from my father.

A boxwood comb, a hairpin, a pocket watch, and a silk ribbon.

Even though money was tight, he never forgot to give me a birthday present. I can feel his love in that.

If only I wasn’t me, would we have been able to live together as a normal father and daughter?

But honestly, my father was already pretty strict with me as his daughter. If I had been his son, I can’t even imagine how much stricter he would have been—it’s scary just thinking about it.

But… what am I supposed to do after leaving this house?

Technically, the central noble families—known as the “Kouzoku” in my past life—are aristocrats.

I won’t be left out in the cold, but being forced to leave home with just one year left before graduation is unsettling.

Because of that wretched old woman, that fool, and that fake sweet girl… why do we have to suffer like this?!

I lived quietly, without causing trouble—this makes no sense!

“Haah… Well, I guess I just have to take things as they come.”

The next morning, I helped Mrs. Ito, the maid of the main family, prepare breakfast.

Mrs. Ito n is also from a branch family of the Kujou no Mori house.

She loves to chat, and naturally, the topic turns to yesterday’s “former” fiancée party.

“So, the young lady from the Shirakubo family stole the Arisugawa prince? Oh my, oh my.”

“It seems that because of my mother, people spread rumors that I, too, had loose morals. As if I even have time for such things.”

“That’s absolutely ridiculous. You help me prepare breakfast like this, you listen to an old woman like me ramble… and if we look at your school records, there’s no way you’d be involved in such things.”

“A… ah, thank you.”

It really does matter how you live your daily life.

Even someone like Mrs. Ito, whom I only see in the mornings, says this to me—it’s such a relief, I could cry.

Maybe I’ll be okay even if rumors spread?

No, that’s probably too optimistic.

But there’s nothing I can do.

I heard that the only way to erase rumors is to cover them up with an even bigger scandal, but honestly, I’d rather spend my time studying spirit arts than digging up dirt on that stupid couple.

“Spirit arts are fun to learn! Depending on how you combine words of power, you can do all sorts of things. If we could use them in daily life, everything would be so much easier… but my teacher frowned when I suggested it, saying that spirit arts are too sacred to use for everyday matters.

If we don’t make spirit arts more accessible, won’t the declining spiritual power of the noble families just get worse? In fact, I was told that my spirit energy is quite strong precisely because I use spirit arts regularly.”

“The meals you prepare contain a lot of spiritual energy, too. Even the cooks in the main family can’t match that level.”

“Really?”

“Yes,” Mrs. Ito said, picking up one of the rice balls I had made for lunch.

She seemed to think about something for a moment, then clapped her hands with a smile.

“Could I take two of these rice balls? My son is in the subjugation squad, and apparently, a big one showed up. If he has food with high spiritual energy, it will help him a lot.”

“A big one… do you mean a Makayou?”

“Yes… The small ones appear often, but this time, it’s a mid-sized one. There are two people from the Suzurugi family in his squad, so they say it’ll be fine, but… I can’t help but worry.”

“I understand…”

Makayou are creatures that form when the excess energy from the bound entities inside barriers leaks out, turns into miasma, and escapes to the outside world.

Even if they are born far away, they are drawn toward the capital, trying to destroy the barrier.

Even if they start small, the capital area is full of miasma, which they absorb to grow… or sometimes, they devour each other, developing intelligence.

The latter case is rare, and even if they gain intelligence, it’s usually at the level of a three-year-old child.

People still worry that one day a Makayou with adult-level intelligence might appear, but in the thousand years since the barrier was created, it has never happened.

Still, even the small Makayou, which are considered weak, are monstrous.

For ordinary people without weapons, they are terrifying.

Even I was shocked by how different my new body felt compared to my past life.

Especially when it comes to menstruation.

I knew about it from health class in my past life, but I never imagined it would be so uncomfortable and painful.

And it happens every month—no matter how necessary it is for childbirth, it’s just too much.

Washing underwear soaked in my own bl00d is depressing, and the smell bothers me, too.

Sometimes, the day before it starts, my chest feels tight and painful, I get a slight fever, and my body feels heavy.

Honestly, I was lucky to be a man in my past life.

Besides, in this world, noble-born men are legally required to serve in the Makayou subjugation army for three years after graduating from the academy, unless they have a special reason.

That means even that idiot will be drafted next year. Heh…

“We can live peacefully thanks to the Makayou subjugation force. If my rice balls can be of any help, I’d be happy to make them.”

“Thank you, Mai. I’m sure my son and his squad will be much happier with food made by a young girl like you rather than by an old woman like me. I’ll make sure to properly thank you later!”