Bonus Short Story

Rainy Day Companion

It was raining that day in Flür.

The long rainy season always made me depressed. But you’d feel that way too if you were up to your neck in training! Rainy days meant dance lessons, and martial arts practice, and fencing practice...

A gloomy mood had been hanging over me since I’d looked out the window that morning.

“I want to try just taking it easy sometimes.”

“You’re always taking it easy.”

“Am not. I’m always running around cleaning, doing laundry, and gardening.”

“I do believe you said that you preferred physical activity to embroidery and calligraphy.”

“...touché.”

“I mean, it’d be nice to just relax with a book or something, once in a while!”

I couldn’t argue with Dahlia’s logic.

“That probably would be lovely, yes. You just haven’t had the time for that recently.”

“Exactly!”

Mr. Fisalis has filled the cottage with books, but he never reads those, either.

What a waste.

“That reminds me, a new book was supposed to have arrived. It was only just released recently, but it’s really popular, I hear. I’m not sure if it’s in line with your tastes, though, Madam...”

Books are added as needed to the library in the main house. On one such occasion, a book that I might like was added to the shelf in the cottage.

“Oh, not at all, I’ll read anything! A trendy romance novel? That sounds interesting.”

I was mature for my age, so I was not interested in real-life romance, but reading about it in a book was fun. That is to say, romance novels are essentially fantasy.

“I’m pleased to hear it. It has already been placed on the shelves in the cottage, so you may read it at any time.”

“That’s where I’m headed, then!”

“Huh? Madam? What about your fencing practice!?”

“Save it for the next rainy day!”

Cut to me fleeing for my life from a grueling fencing lesson. I booked it to the cottage, leaving Dahlia in shock behind me.

I have to hurry! Before Rohtas catches me!

I quickly found the title Dahlia had mentioned.

I’ll spend today with this book.

I sprawled out on my bed, set myself to Couch Potato Mode, and started reading.

Once upon a time, in a kingdom far away, there was a man from a well-to-do family and a poor woman.

The woman entered into a contractual marriage with the well-to-do man.

One might assume the woman married him for his money, but in truth, the man already had a lover.

“Hm?”

Even so, the admirable woman made friends with the servants, and slowly grew accustomed to the grand estate.

The wealthy man developed feelings for the woman.

Although he created a fake marriage so he could continue to live with his lover undisturbed, the man found the penniless woman so charming that he left his paramour.

“Hmm?”

There were many twists and turns along the way, but they eventually came to understand their feelings, and fell so deeply in love with each other that no one could ever come between them. The end.

“Hmmmm!?”

I finished the book and tossed and turned on the bed.

This is just like our story! It’s too freaky to just be a coincidence...!

As I lay on my bed, questioning reality, I was startled when someone opened my door.

“Vi? Are you still reading it... Vi! What’s wrong!?” It was Mr. Fisalis, home from work. I didn’t mind that he came to say hello, but he nearly scared my socks off.

“Welcome home! Sorry, I was completely absorbed in reading. Would you believe—” I explained why I was in such a state on my bed when he came in.

“—that certainly does sound like us...”

“What a coincidence! It’s giving me chills.”

“I don’t think our love story is special enough to be made into a book, though.”

“Special?”

“Yes.”

Indeed, I was sure that the life I led was in no way connected to romance or a love story. But...

Little did I know, I was a protagonist!