I Didn't Even Want To Live, But God Forced Me To Reincarnate! Chapter 173: Revisiting The Treasury

"Eh? Did you just arrive as well? What a coincidence!"

Nicole, who was still talking with Ein in front of the Treasury Room, noticed our presences and greeted us.

"Nicole-san, h.e.l.lo," Mom curtly greeted her.

"Ophelisan, it's good to see that you're doing well."

Then, Nicole's gaze made its way to... who else could it be? Me.

"Lyrchan, long time no see!"

"Aunt—Nicole-san, it's good to see you again!" I posed as an ordinary girl and tried to put my sincerity.

Well, it can't be helped, I'm still a bit not sure how I should face her...

"It's just the two of you?" Mom suddenly asked.

"Me? Yeah, it's just Eine and me now."

"Why, isn't it rare? I heard that your husband attended meetings and other social pleasantries more often than you. And it's even more usual to see you two together than just you alone."

...Mom oddly spoke a lot!!

I mean, Mom isn't the type of someone to talk a lot to someone she's not so familiar with... Now I'm curious if Mom and Nicole have some kind of relations.h.i.+ps—I mean, in terms of their occupations or positions...

"Haha, that's true. Clyde's out for another business meeting, so I'm the only one coming now," Nicole laughed.

"...No, even if he can attend, I will also be here. It's a crucial matter after all. And if push comes to shove, we'll have to join hands again and...," Nicole continued, but she then left her words hanging.

"...You're right. As the Head of the Royal Magician, I will do my best to a.s.sist."

"Likewise."

I can't stand it anymore.

"Uhm... Mom, do you often do collaboration with Nicole-san? What's that about?"

"Hm? Yes, Lyra. She is the head of the Loera family, after all."

...Mom, thank you, but that didn't answer my question at all.

Nicole chuckled as she seemed to see the big question mark on my head.

"Because I am the head of the Loera family that is also a direct bloodline of the Loera family... Well, you already know that my husband is married into my family. As I'm in that position, I also act as some kind of an advisor when needed. That is the special duty of the head of the Loera clan. As your mother is the Head of the Royal Magicians, if the next course of action taken requires her cooperation, we will have to work together."

I was almost distracted by Nicole's fluid explanation!!

Wow, she has really grown up! Back then, she couldn't really explain things this well to others! She just thought that the others would understand what she understood...

When she talked about things I (Reinst) didn't really understand, I didn't bother to respond and nod them away... She would then sulk and tried to explain in a horrible way!

That sure brings back memories...

"I see... thanks for explaining, Nicole-san!"

"Haha, anything for you, Lyrchan. Aah, I'd like to have a daughter as well...," Nicole suddenly lamented.

Do your best, Nicole, Clyde! You two are still young, so I'm sure you can do it if you try!

...Or is it not only a matter of trying hard or not?

"Big sis Lyra, big bro Alt and Clavis! Let's go, let's go, I wanna see the Treasury Room!!" Ein then came to me as if he was a dog wagging its tail.

"Ein, don't rus.h.!.+ What about Luca and the others?"

"They're all already inside! We're the last batch!!"

"What? Already?!" Alt-nii was surprised. He then looked at Mom and said, "Mom, can we go inside now?"

"Yeah, sure, I'll open up the room for you."

Mom seemed to be emitting a special magic essence that triggered the door to Treasury Room to open.

"Thanks, Ophelisan. You saved me the trouble of using my special access."

...Eh?

If I remembered it correctly, Father didn't have access to Treasury Room even if he was the Duke of Grabberton.

Is this also one of the Loera family's privileges? Well, they're highly intelligent and good at managing wealth, so I guess I see yet another connection...

On the other hand, I know that the Grabberton family holds access to military power, Hartmann family holds access related to the magician army (and now, it's probably to the spies as well).

As for the Fumitsuna family... They're living near most conflict areas and have to manage skirmishes often, so they're granted special access to weaponries or the likes of it... and that they are permitted to request for both militant and magician armies' power if needed.

With geographical and special abilities considerations, I think their privileges are well thought. It's also a way for the royal family to do check-and-balance.

The only ducal house with no access to combatant power is the Loera family, then? But it seems they have other important special privileges as well...

After the door opened, the first thing that entered our vision fields was... Fenix, obviously.

"Wowww!! A phoenix!!"

Since this was his first time seeing a phoenix, Ein couldn't hide his excitement.

"Fenix. I'm entrusting them to you again," Mom instructed Fenix to take a good care of us, again.

[Leave it to me].

"!! Is this how phoenixes communicate?" Ein was so impressed.

Mom and Nicole couldn't stay for too long as they should be preparing for their meeting soon, so they bid us farewell and walked together to the meeting hall...

While it surprised me and made me a little bit uneasy how Mom and Nicole seemed to be on a good term, it made me happy to know that Mom also has friends other than her fellow magicians!

...Yes, with how they interact, they can already be considered as friends... right?

Well... that means, by this standard, I also have to admit that Nicole was indeed Reinst's friend.

"Lyra, you're finally here!" (Iris)

"Well, well, the one who especially requested for this Treasury Room to be revisited is finally here." (Carbuncle)

"Altaire, Clavis!" (Guess who? It's no one other than Harvey).

As I glanced at my friends one by one, I suddenly noticed one thing...

"LYRNEEEE!!"

The red-haired cute little girl flew into my arms.

"LETICIAAAAAA!!"

I welcomed her enthusiastic hug and rubbed my cheek to hers.

Time flew so fast, and Leticia is now four years old.

Contrary to how Luca was at 4 years of age, Leticia is 100% an angel.

It amazed me that they were even 100% blood-related siblings!

"Princess Leticia is also here?" Clavis asked. He didn't get to meet and interact with Leticia that often.

"Yes, she insists on tagging along no matter what," Luca bitterly smiled like it couldn't be helped.

"Wolfie~♪!" Thankfully, Leticia seemed to remember Clavis.

Meanwhile, Ein was totally engrossed with Fenix that I needed to drag him to where we were gathered.

Then, Luca introduced Leticia to all of us, and Luca introduced our friends (who're meeting her for the first time) to Leticia.

When Ein took notice of how I pampered Leticia and how Leticia was so attached to me, I felt like it sparked a hint of rivalry in him... like... because he also saw me as a big sister figure...?

And just as it felt like they were about to compete on who's more attached to me...

[Ahem, kids. Before you start, there are rules here that you must abide. Even if you've come here before, let me remind you again.]

Fenix suddenly announced as she menacingly flapped her wings.

[If you don't follow the rules...]

Fenix seemed to be more intimidating—HEY, WE'RE JUST CHILDREN!!

Due to the intimidating aura, all of us spontaneously quieted down and took a step back as our attention was focused on Fenix.

The ones with less courage took several steps back.

Oh, Carbuncle was an exception as she only leisurely looked at Fenix, without moving an inch. Iris was hiding behind such a creature—I mean such a dragon.

Luca and I still took a step back reflexively. But well, no matter how extraordinary we were, we couldn't compete against a dragon.

Alt-nii also took a step forward with Clavis—Clavis' ears and tail were standing stiff in alert. Harvey was between the two of them as he took a step slightly behind.

Ein spontaneously let go of my hand and stepped back as well.

The most unexpected one would be Kiri's reaction. Could it be that he finally became braver? Or could it be because of the fact that Leticia was, hiding behind him, that he tried to act brave?

Being Luca's close aide, it was no wonder for Kiri to be a very familiar person to Leticia. I remember one of Leticia's childish pranks is to tease or surprise Kiri—as Kiri's reaction when something surprises him can be so amusing at times.

Well, that's good if it can push Kiri to grow more to be someone who can follow in his stepfather's footprints.

I feel like a mother watching her son grow up... Sniff...

[...Focus your attention to me and listen to my every word.]

As if she noticed that I started to daydream, Fenix said once again.

Okay, sorry, sorry! My mind is back to the present, now!

Come at me, rules!!

Go on, Fenix!!!