I Didn't Even Want To Live, But God Forced Me To Reincarnate! Chapter 34: My Education (2)

After showing my remarkable ability that can even pa.s.s the queen's selection test, my parents and the tutors all trembled in horror.

"This child is... extraordinarily gifted!"

"How can it be, a four year old...?!"

"Hey, Lyrsama, could you tell us how could you do that? Were you especially trained all this time?"

The tutors all questioned me. My parents also stared at me with puzzled expressions.

[Oh yeah, I was trained to be the perfect example of a n.o.ble lady for 13 years of my life. Eh? Don't get me wrong, this is my second life. I was talking about my first life! Hohoho!!]

...wait, 'hohoho'? Who was it? It is definitely not the present me, and not the past me.

It was so out-of-character!!

But, I can't answer them like that!! I definitely can't!! What will they say about it afterwards? How will they judge me?!

More importantly... what will my parents think of a child like me?

They must think that the whole idea of their child... wasn't really their child—or rather, she was someone else's reincarnation... would totally be a revolting thought.

They must think that I—the soul of Reinst—took over the body of their child. I won't completely be their child that way, as I retained who I was, before even being born as their child.

...I don't want to be shunned, no, no.

I must hide this abnormality of mine, at all cost!!

...like h.e.l.l I could say this honest answer?

"Uh... I... somehow could grasp it. From what I've read. From what I heard. And from seeing the other n.o.bles around me... And no, I didn't get any kind of special training..."

As I said that, the tutors murmured and my parents were silent, thinking.

"Learning from her environment and the things she read and heard alone...? Seriously?!" A tutor shouted in her disbelief.

They still couldn't comprehend my results and answers. No indication of cheating, no way that could happen under their strict supervision. And no bribing.

"Lyra... wow... just wow..." (This is Dad, not Mom.)

"As expected of my daughter!" (This is Mom, she sounds just like Dad here, but that means she must be very proud of her daughter. She even claps her hands in happiness—before getting confused about how I could do all that)

Those were the lines that I heard from my parents after they decided to abort their "thinking" mode.

In the end, I was dismissed after the results were out.

At the end of the day, my parents didn't say anything but... they would surely be curious and even suspicious, right?

I am so prepared to their questioning at home, but what comes out of Mom's mouth during when we are home, surprises me.

"So, Lyra... you can choose : will you go through all the education of what you've shown that you're capable of, just in case... or not?"

Huh?

"...I can choose?"

"Yes, dear."

Where is my questioning, Mom, Dad?

But they don't seem to give me any follow-up questions after what were questioned to me at the castle.

Their gazes are fixed on me, and I don't sense anything negative from their gazes. They are fully waiting for me to answer.

"...Can I invest my time to learn other things?"

Dad and Mom smiled.

"Of course, dear, tell us what you would like to know." (Mom)

"Or you are also free to just enjoy your time to relax, you know." (Dad, with his typical spoiling att.i.tude.)

And that is how I won't have to relearn everything that I've already mastered!

But sometimes, I'd drop by in Luca's training session just to update my knowledge and to lit the fire of compet.i.tion in Luca's eyes.

"Khhhh---how can you know that? ...As the prince of this country, I won't lose! I will show you what I'm capable of when I'm serious! Just you see, this time I lost because I wasn't being serious at all!"

Or, any similar line.

It's quite fun teasing him!

Oh, and, due to my remarkable result especially in terms of the n.o.ble lady's education and training, the tutors highly recommended me to be the prince's suitor.

The king is interested in this possibility, of course!

I knew it!! The king's ulterior motive!!

That's why, he invited me and Dad to drink a tea with Luca...

(This is... definitely a set-up!! I can sense a danger flag from his invitation!!)

"Say, Cyan, what about betrothing my son to your daughter?"

"""HUH?!""" (Me, Dad, and Luca, in unison)

As I expected!!

"W-w-wait, t.i.tus. You said the other day that it wasn't your intention at all...?"

"Yeah, but everyone's been recommending that idea to me. I'm also interested in becoming in-laws with you!" The king's eyes were suddenly lit.

"...," Dad went silent and his gaze went very far away.

"W, w, what?! What are you talking about, Father?" Luca asked.

"Well, it's a good idea, son. You got to be with Lyra all the time, that way!"

...King-sama, please stop encouraging your son...

He may accept that offer with how our relations.h.i.+p is, right now.

He really did enjoy my company.

I started to sweat bullets and got all fidgety. My face also turned stiff, thinking about the future.

It's not that I hate Luca, but I can't say that I love him, as well. For now, he's just a friend.

If we were getting engaged but then in the future, he finds someone else he truly loves or if I were to be attracted by another man, what will happen?

Needless to say, I was really used to killing my own feelings, but I never really felt love before, so I don't have the courage to say that it will be fine.

Being betrothed to the crown prince is a heavy burden!! I can't afford to make any mistake!! Any mistake made could even get me (or even my family) accused of lese majeste.

Still, I tried to keep my composure.

Lyra, recall the high degree of submission that you've acquired as Reinst... Yes, just like that, keep calm... don't think. Your fate is not really in your hands... Let it go to the flow of fate...

Why is it hard to regain my way of thinking and life back then as Reinst, now, after years as Lyra?!

I think I could pretend to be calm, but... it might not be as perfect as it was.

I felt that Luca stared at me for quite some time, before he finally spoke.

"Nah, Lyra is my friend! Don't say anything weird, Father!"

At his words, I breathed out in relief. And Dad was very astonished with the unexpected answer.

Be as unexpected as it may be, but it works in my favor, so... I'll gratefully accept it!

"Hmm? And here I'm sure you would agree with this idea, Luca! That's too bad..."

"I, I'm still four, Father! Should we be talking about my engagement now?"

"Well, I thought you are fond of Lyra to that extent. After all, I also want you to get married because of love, not only for the benefits it might bring to our country. But if you say so, then let's not talk about this anymore."

"...Thanks, Father. I will definitely consult the matter to you in the future, when the time comes. But for now, stop your weird suggestions!"

Dad's stiff expression finally loosened after hearing that.

What an eccentric king.

Since he was engaged to his wife by his own choice, so that might affect his way of thinking regarding his son's betrothal.

It's rather unusual for n.o.bles to get married out of love, but that's a good thing that the king is on the "Marriage of Love" faction!

Yes, promote that romance!! It shouldn't be restricted to books and shows, it should be spread out to the reality!

...realistically speaking, it should still be hard though if a n.o.ble wants to court a commoner.

Also... from Luca's reaction, he doesn't seem to view me that way at all. Yes, yes, I am just his friend, after all!

Besides, we're only kids!! Too early to talk about romance.

My mental age is worrying me, however. There's no way I'd be attracted to kids, but hey, physically, I am also a kid. If I were to love somebody around my real mental age, we would have a wide age gap, don't you think?

Like, my mental age is only a few years younger than both of my parents, I believe, if I counted the age gap right.

Though I don't deny that my mental age seems to have regressed a little bit, due to me getting used to acting in accordance to my physical body's age.

The body affects the mind, besides the mind affects the body?

I can't decide if it is a good thing… or a bad thing?

Ah well, let's just enjoy my second childhood~!

Anyway, how does a normal child spend their childhood...?

Back when I was still Reinst, I spent my childhood with... studying and training?

Since I wanted to gain my mother's praise and love, at all cost...

Huh? Is that what a normal child does during their childhood?

Could it be that...

I didn't have a good childhood in my first playthrough?!

So, my mental age regression is because deep down I want to reclaim my lost childhood...?

I can speculate all I want, but I can't prove if it's correct or not.

...Living a life where you can do what you want to do seems nice, though.

And I have taken my first big step by refusing to repeat all my studies.

Let's not have any regret in this second life!

And that's how I finally get to establish my goal of life at four years old* (*second playthrough).

To finally live my life to the fullest, this time.