Stranger's Handbook

Chapter 10: Young Lady’s Secret

There was a God after all!

To read people’s minds……What’s with this ‘against-the-rules’ type of magic!

However, I can survive with this! It’s quite scary to be allowed to do something like this….it sure is…….

But, let’s continue with this advantageous story! If this magic can truly read people’s minds……

I have to test it first.

“I’m sorry to interrupt, young lady! It seems to me that she misunderstood you.”

Sooo, how do you answer, young lady?

“?……..She…….misunderstood me?”

‘What? A misunderstanding? What did she misunderstand? Just stay out of this! I am really worried about that girl!’

As always, she looked down on me when she answered.

But, I most certainly heard her thoughts! If that’s the case!

“I am sorry! But I know perfectly well how worried you are about this girl. However, I think that she misunderstood your words from before and now she believes you despise her and, together with her family, she’ll be disposed of, isn’t it so?”

I glanced at the maid and she was nodding at my words with a poor expression.

“Oh! Is that what you understood? What a troublesome child……”

‘Ah! It happened again……I always become like this……The more I want the kind maids to cherish me, the more it doesn’t happen……’

After hearing her words, the maid’s face looked rather worse.

……..Hmmm? So the young lady happens to be misunderstood on a daily basis?

Moreover, I can’t read other minds, except for the young lady’s……..What’s the meaning of this?

“Good. You may all take your leave. Let’s pretend this incident never happened. I don’t intend to punish anyone. You can feel at ease and return to your duties.”

The maids answered simultaneously to my master’s words and left the room.

When only the three of us were left, master continued like this:

“Why did you think she misunderstood Bea’s words, care to answer?”

He is completely expressionless…….His eyes fixed on me.

“Bea, she’s………overflowing with the abilities of the dark attribute…..It’s not an exaggeration to say that she was blessed by the god of darkness. However, because of this…..the other people….well…..”

He had such a painful expression.

The young lady had a proud and haughty attitude, but she also looked somewhat lonely.

‘I didn’t want something like the dark attribute…….Why do I have to face such a destiny……

I’m sure this person hates me by now……If grandfather told him to marry me, there’s nothing he can do……’

I see, I see. I finally got it!

This young lady, because of the god of darkness’ bestowed blessings, she’s easily misunderstood by others!

The words she says backfire and people get the wrong idea……

“Yes, master. To tell you the truth, after I lost consciousness during the training with the light magic and woke up to the sight of the young lady, I unleashed my light magic unconsciously and stared at her. When I did that, I felt the unbelievably strong dark magical power that young lady is clad in.”

“I see. Continue!”

“Yes. I unleashed all my light magical power then. I truly didn’t want to lose to the young lady’s talent in magic. ‘I can also have the same amount of magical power as the young lady….no, even more’ is what I thought. I was jealous of her magical abilities. I feel ashamed to have thought this…….”

It should be all right up to this point. Let’s try a little further.

“Urm, how should I put it…… I felt like she was protected by something. When I looked at the young lady from that perspective, I……..”

“I won’t get mad. I want you to answer honestly.”

“Y…yes. I thought that she…….. is a fragile, delicate and kind person…….”

My master’s expression was serious, but the young lady……she looked somewhat very angry.

‘Fragile and delicate!? First time……It’s the first time someone told me that……..This person also called me kind……….?’

Oh, you felt embarrassed, didn’t you, young lady.

With that expression, people can’t really get that normally…….

“That’s why, I could not believe such a gentle young lady would do anything to harm the maid, so I thought it was a misunderstanding.”

I waited for the answer while sipping some of my tea.

It’s gonna be ok, right? It’s still safe, right?

“Fuuuuu”

After a very long sigh, for the first time, master looked at me with a gentle smile.

“There are extremely many dark attribute users who are often misunderstood. Even though everyone knows it, an extravagantly strong magical power calls for a very strong compelling power as well. And my daughter possesses an exceedingly strong magical power. In this case no one can tell whether it’s the fault of the dark attribute or the fault of her personality.”

He caressed her hair and continued.

“The dark attribute is in the family lineage of the Frontier Count’s Household. Since I’m also a son-in-law, I was astonished at first. As you could guess, I’m also a light attribute user. That’s why, I tried everything I could to keep this child from getting hurt. This child is not in fault, I am the only one you must blame. I wanted people to think that.”

So the mean expressions and words were all in favor to protect his daughter……?

“But now I can feel at ease. I was able to meet someone who has even more talent for the light attribute than me. You can understand this young girl better than anyone else. I think you could make her happy.”

The smile on master’s face when he said that was indeed very gentle.

I felt my stomach shrink from the pressure……

I feel a strange sense of closeness between us now, master……

‘Father, I can’t believe you were thinking such things…….I am so sorry! Forgive me for thinking that you were a coldhearted and terrible parent!’

Hmm….That’s what the young lady thinks. Her face looks awfully depressing instead…..

“That’s why, Bea. I will ask you to cherish him!”

“Y….yes, father.”

‘Really? Doesn’t he think that I’m an awful woman? Won’t he neglect me?’

Yes, now I have to end this story in a cool manner!

“Young lady, I know very well that you are a kind girl. I won’t do anything that might sadden you and I will cherish you dearly. Please, you don’t need to worry!”

I smiled and the young lady looked at me with her favorite expression, like watching a piece of garbage………and answered.

“I see. I don’t know the livelihood of common people. If you can’t make me experience that, I will be troubled. Besides, you’re a stranger from another world, right? You’ll have to learn so many things until our marriage. But, you can leave aside aesthetic sense. That would be too depressing.”

‘I would be delighted to marry him! But…..I heard this person came from another world. I wonder if he finds me pretty? I grew up like a princess, so I can’t even cook……In his world, the wife makes the food, right? I’m sorry, it’s impossible for me! That’s why he has to understand this world better until the moment of our marriage and don’t blame me, okay? Ah, will this be all right? I am worried…..’

…….So this is how the transformation occurs?

You’ve been through a lot of hardships…..I feel so sorry for you, poor thing!

“Yes, this is great, Bea!”

More than anything, I’m glad that master’s happy too.

“But, you know?”

Hm?

“I am truly worried about your current magic skills and world knowledge……..You have to become a worthy partner for my Bea!”

The smile my master wore when saying this had the same atrocious expression as the old Frontier Count’s…….

‘Something like becoming son-in-law….it’s a lie, right?’ I was sipping some black tea while thinking this.

…..and wet my pants a little bit……….