20. Recollection

This chapter is very short; it’s mostly just a summary of the events of the last volume from Geordo’s side of things. Still fun to take a trip down memory lane, but technically optional as a chapter.

This chapter is also almost not brought to you by Atelier Sophie 2, because I cannot put this game down.

TL: Toasty
ED: Toasty

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Geordo was troubled.
The duke, Geordo von Ernest, who took the post of leading the three ministries of Sorcery, Pharmaceuticals, and Medicinal Arts, is busy every day. Then, several months ago, his wife, Octavia gave birth to his second daughter and is absorbed in childcare, so he could not take care of his daughter, Lydia.
For Geordo, his family comes first, and this is an alarming problem. Someone from his house is reporting on the state of his daughter, but he became just a bit easy to unsettle and sometimes his attendant would have to confront him, it seems.
His daughter is worried about him, and does not say she is lonely or dependent on him. There is even strong pressure born in his house, but for not being spoiled, for her parents there is a limit to her loneliness. However, instead, in her place of refuge, it seems she ended up turning her dissatisfaction towards the servants.
More than self-aware of its own cause, he felt awkward scolding his daughter for her actions. For that reason, he can’t do it strongly. Towards the servants, he apologized deeply, and at every opportunity he was making apologies, but he understood he wasn’t reaching the fundamental solution.
If it’s the case that there isn’t a limit to how weak her father is, even if he was worrying, things he can’t turn a blind eye towards occured.

「This impolite maid, please fire her!」

He was about to go greet a newly hired servant. When he thought he was happy at his daughter coming to see him off, he had to pay for everything up until now.
His daughter now has a mistakenly high pride. Not having been able to fix that, and leaving it alone is his responsibility.
As one would expect, if he scolds her, she will not change, he thought, his chest feeling heavy, and incidentally, an unexpected voice descended.

「You, your personality is unbelievably ugly, huh?」

Surprised at the expression she isn’t used to hearing, but at the calm sound that contrary to the contents doesn’t have anything like ill will, surprisingly anger wasn’t gushing forward. It seems to be a criticism towards his daughter, but even pointing it out was the truth.
While Geordo’s reaction doesn’t catch up, a heavy dull sound echoes. She struck the son of his exclusive gardener, Dennis.

「……!?」

「Apologize.」

With the reason being that he doesn’t have a son, Geordo, until here, hasn’t gone easy on a male family member, he thinks, having that impression. However, although Geordo himself was brought up strictly, he doesn’t have any memories of his father raising his hand against him. The Baumgartner house isn’t the same, he thinks.
Seeming appropriately pained, with the situation where even a voice doesn’t come out, the boy, Isaac, is crouching over. If he looks at his cowering eyes, they were oozing dissatisfaction. However, there isn’t any anger in the situation. He, in his own special way, has his own correctness. What thoughts was he thinking, Geordo had a little curiosity well up.

「Just, now, what did you say……!?」

「You’ll have an ugly face when you’re an adult, with an ugly personality from the time you were small.」

「Wh……!? Who do you think I am!!」

Even losing her temper and getting mad, his daughter is cute, and while having those thoughts, Geordo decided to watch carefully, and again held back Dennis’ fist. His wish being transmitted, Dennis stopped raising a fist overhead while making a sullen face.
Also in that time, the boy calmly piled questions on his daughter. He, after conveying that he doesn’t think it’s good, neither pressing his own righteousness on her nor burningly condemning her, only asks.
However, at having blindly accepted the way things are up to this point, for his daughter who had been forced into a situation where she gradually had to think and answer for herself, there is a feeling of condemnation, he thinks.

「—but, what makes you great?」

「I, I am of the House of Duke Ernest……」

「Is the person who relies on their father to fire one maid really great?」

「……」

In the end, his beloved daughter, with only a sense of values that was blindly accepted, her words had failed. Even at the appearance of glaring, seemingly annoyed, at the boy, in contrast with how pitiable it is, she seems terribly cute.
When he thought about what he would do, the frail slap hit the left cheek of the boy.
His daughter, in her own way, at the situation that one way or another she couldn’t compete, wanted to oppose him, he thinks, but already a regretful facial expression is surfacing. At the understanding that is something like a poor move, her passions quieted down.
His daughter who up until now hadn’t wielded violence became frightened at the other’s response, but the boy even still was calm. 

「Resorting to violence is like recognizing your defeat.」

「!!」

He was thinking he is a boy with intelligence in his eyes, but even at only seven years old, he understands how to finish an argument and the foolishness of using strength. Although she is of higher social position, he is hit dozens of times by the younger girl, so by all rights he should be experiencing a proper sense of something like humiliation.
His wording has difficulties, but his posture that directly talks and doesn’t insult the other person by looking them in the eyes is blameless. At the appearance of the boy who is thoroughly calm, Geordo admires him.
Following his daughter who blushed and left in embarrassment or anger, when he apologizes concerning his daughter’s behavior, at the time he looked in Dennis’ direction, Dennis was silent and shook his head. Whether it was a result of strong loyalty to the Ernest house, or dealing with his son was sloppy, it was fine not to mind, that intention was conveyed. The unspoken words that were said to him were that even an apology isn’t necessary.
After he finished talking, the boy who seems to realize the potential of being scolded by Dennis, slowly and quietly looked up in Geordo’s direction. At his marvelous copper brown eyes, Geordo only floated a wry smile. He had made the boy just deal with a disagreeable role.

「Thank you, Isaac.」

For this reason, he conveyed his thanks.

「No…… your dau…… I humbly apologize for saying whatever I wished to your gracious daughter.」

Having a self-awareness of the roughness of his speech, he apologized. However, he received a lesson from the boy. He thought not of the conveying of rightness he already knew here, but looking over his shoulder, he was made to think about the rightness. Geordo, who had the impression that he must amend the situation by scolding, feels he obtained a bright light.
Concerning Geordo, from when Lydia was first a child, it couldn’t be helped that the method of raising her was like groping around blindly. Even so, he thought it was impossible for this young boy to have studied childcare. He only felt ashamed at the weakness of her two parents.
Even if the central part that was given a reference was conveyed, his steward would urge him to go to work. Geordo, complementing his daughter’s natural cuteness, said goodbye to Isaac, Dennis’ son.
Certainly this incident, for his daughter inspired by this change, would grow well from it. He should make the best of this chance, Geordo thought in the middle of the carriage on his way to work.
However, the next day, a change already appeared.

「Good morning, father.」

「Good morning, Lydia. You’re up early today, aren’t you?」

Although Geordo goes to work early in the day, Lydia was waiting for him in the entrance hall. Yesterday’s self-assuredness changed completely, and as for any tense energy, there is none.

「If it would be most fine with you, may I humbly have some of your time……?」 [T/N: Formal tense. I hate trying to convey it.]

At the seemingly anxious, same colored eyes raised at him, Geordo gently smiles back.

「I don’t mind, you know.」

「Um, Katherine from yesterday…… the matter of the maid, um……」

After dropping her gaze for a moment, tightly gripping her small hand, Lydia raised her head.

「I will withdraw my request……! However, if it’s Katherine’s desire, please let her step down from being my personal maid and appoint a different one.」

Lydia, who collected herself, understands her own father hasn’t fired a maid. However, she prepared to report her own faults to her father.
Geordo gazes in amazement. His pupil, faintly trembling while admiring her, is filled with determination. He was thinking there is a change, but this is extremely fast.

「I understand. Katherine has not done something bad. Does that relieve you?」

「Yes.」

She understands Geordo’s words, and Lydia who finally relaxed, caused him to smile as she sighed with relief.
At his beloved daughter’s reaction, Geordo looked fondly at her and patted her pale blonde hair.

「Dia, that was admirable.」

Lydia, preparing to be reprimanded, opens her eyes and keeps them open. After a moment, she understands that she was praised for the bravery to face her mistakes, and when the feelings of relief or happiness don’t arrive, the feeling of embarrassment at yesterday’s behavior, her body temperature rose.

「……I am sorry for having troubled you.」

「Dia is a good child, isn’t she? Additionally, if it’s for Dia, I’m happy to even be troubled. It’s unforgivable for me, for sure, to make you have such lonely feelings.」

At his wet pupils, emotions gushed forward, and Geordo held his beloved daughter close. Lydia smoothly reaches out her hand towards her father’s back, and tightly grips. And then, at her father’s apology, in the middle of his arms, shakes her head.

「…..Geordo-sama.」

When Geordo was enjoying embracing his daughter after such a long time, from his butler who was holding back, a voice emerged. At the time of departure, while also regretting it, Geordo released his daughter from his arms.

「Then, I’ll be going. Dia.」

「Have a good day.」

At his daughter who looks shy, he again frantically holds down the urge of wanting to hug his daughter, and Geordo faces the carriage waiting at the main gate.
Incidentally, when he left the door, there was a voice from behind.

「Father! Is it okay if I see you off again……!?」

Pausing, with a smiling face Geordo looks over his shoulder.

「Of course.」

Lydia, who transmitted her feelings with a feeling of do-or-die, had her face shine.
On the opposite side of the closed door, Lydia isn’t aware. That immediately, overcome with emotion, Geordo fell to the ground.

—then, some time after.

「Thank you, Isaac!」

「……!? Wait, Duke-sama, today, what in the world is wrong!?」

Given a surprise attack of thanks, as ever, the reason he is thanked is unknown by the boy who is a gardener’s apprentice, and he lets out a scream.

「Dia is also cute today!」

With a dazzling smile over his whole face, at the contents he was informed with, the boy who is a gardener’s apprentice is dumbfounded.

「Haa. That’s good, right……?」

「Ahh.」

It was your help, says Geordo, who tells his thanks countless times. Because he was there for him, now there is happiness every day.
He understood he was only doing as he pleases, not having any kind of intent like that. For this reason, Geordo could give his thanks countless times.

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Not much to say, it was nice to see Geordo’s perspective on things for a bit. Next time, we get to meet a new character.

So, I know I was going to try to go bi-weekly, but my schedule shifted again because I got switched projects at work, so my schedule is all out of whack, plus my moving schedule got all screwed up. I’m going to wait for things to stabilize before I make any huge commitments. But, if I think a chapter is good to go at the 2 week mark, you’ll see it go up, but you can expect me to still stick to the usual 3 week schedule.

I’ve decided to keep going on this translation as well. I didn’t see a ton of people clamoring for me to switch to a different work, so we will chug along. That, and I haven’t found any other works I kind of want to translate right now.

As always, see you all next chapter!

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