Chapter 91 – Conversation with an Ordinary Man

Despite only a wooden wall separating us, there was no typical peeking incident at the open-air bath, and after getting out, we took a break in the room for a while.

Since it was still early spring, it wasn’t just cool—it actually got cold at night—so neither air conditioner nor fan was necessary. Though we had bathed during the day, the gentle touch of the natural breeze was just right.

That said, fans in this era were still in their early stages. With almost no protective covering, their design made you not want to get too close. In this house, all they had was one of those huge two-bladed fans hanging from the ceiling.

So I relaxed alone in what was more of an engawa veranda than a sunroom by the window.

The men were in their own designated room, and the two wives weren’t here either, busy grooming themselves. Youko-chan and Shizu had gone to the kitchen in search of something cold to drink. Youko-chan had invited me too, but perhaps from being too tired, I didn’t feel like moving. So I asked Shizu to bring something back for me.

“Mind if I join you for a bit?”

As I sat alone, cooling off while absentmindedly gazing outside, a male voice called out.

When I turned around, there stood Uncle Genji.

(This is rare… Actually, this might be the first time we’ve been alone together.)

“Not at all. Please go ahead. What is it?”

I straightened up a bit from my relaxed posture and responded politely.

Because Uncle Genji openly avoids me, he’s one of the few in the family I don’t feel any sense of closeness with.

But now, something about him feels different. He’s not putting on a front—in fact, he even gave a wry smile at my demeanor.

“?”

“No, sorry. I just wanted to have a proper conversation with you at least once. Still… you really are mature. Unlike Gentarou, you don’t even seem like you’re trying to act older.”

“Thank you. But Gentarou-kun is really doing his best, you know.”

Even though I said that in support of him, Uncle Genji gave another wry smile.

“I know. I am his father, after all. But Reiko-chan—no, Reiko—you look at someone like Gentarou from such an adult perspective that as an adult myself, all I can do is smile awkwardly.”

“Yeah… I’m aware that I’m kind of precocious.”

“For someone like you, ‘mature’ is probably a better way to put it.”

Saying that, he gave yet another wry smile.

(What the heck? He says it’s just small talk, but is he here just to make snide remarks? That’s kind of childish, isn’t it?)

Starting to get a little irritated, I gave him a sharper look. In response, he raised both hands lightly in front of his chest, showing a non-hostile expression.

“No, I’m sorry if I said something that offended you. That wasn’t my intention. It’s just… to me, Reiko is too hard to understand. That’s why I was hoping we could have a chance to talk calmly like this.”

“I see. Actually, I also wanted to have a proper talk with you at some point, Uncle Genji. But… Uncle Genji, you were avoiding me, weren’t you? I heard you even told the others not to get too close to me.”

When I said that, with both a firm voice and a strong look, his expression shifted instantly.

He’s easy to read. And what he said next didn’t contradict that impression.

“Of course I did! You’re just too much of an enigma!”

(Ah, he let a bit of his real feelings slip out.)

Right after saying it, Uncle Genji clapped a hand over his mouth and made a clearly awkward face.

Rather than getting angry, I actually found myself intrigued by how easily provoked he was by a little pushback. But it seems our conversation will end here for now.

Voices could be heard from outside the room.

“Uncle Genji, let’s continue this conversation later. Also, please give me a bit of your time tonight.”

“A-All right.”

Flustered, and awkwardly trying to cover up in front of Youko-chan and the others who had entered, he quickly left the room.

And as I watched him go, I found myself feeling a bit more familiar—maybe even a little fond—of Uncle Genji.

(He really is just an ordinary person. Just like me. No… just like the me from before I was reincarnated. Someone like that must find it exhausting being at the core of the Ootori family.)

That night—while the others were still making noise in the hall, mainly the kids—I slipped out under the excuse of “picking flowers.” The safety of the facility had already been confirmed, so there was no need for Shizu to accompany me.

As I left, I briefly glanced at Uncle Genji. I thought that if he didn’t catch on, then that would be the end of it—but after a moment’s pause, he also headed to the restroom.

Once he made sure no one was around, he came out into the courtyard that spread out in front of us.

“Shall we continue our earlier conversation, but make it brief?”

“Y-yeah…”

Even though it was me, a little girl, who took the initiative, he still seemed hesitant.

Not wanting to drag the conversation out too long, I internally sighed, deciding that I’d have to push him a bit more.

“There’s nothing I can say as someone so ‘incomprehensible,’ is there? Or… would it be better if I gave you a proper adult-style scolding in response to what you said earlier?”

As soon as I said it, I regretted it a little.

Just like how he said I was “incomprehensible” during the day, Uncle Genji was clearly scared of me. I could feel it from the way he looked at me.

And then I understood. No, I was able to understand. Uncle Genji’s behavior in the game too—his actions were driven by fear of me. No, not me exactly, but the original owner of this body, the villainess Ootori Reiko, or rather Reika Hououin.

On the other hand, Great-Grandfather didn’t think much of Uncle Genji at all. From what I’ve seen, his abilities are among the weakest in the family.
He does have a fair bit of ambition and a bit of initiative. But his actual competence doesn’t keep up with that at all. 

Technically, he graduated from the Imperial University, but it was through the peerage quota—so that speaks for itself.

In practice, he has no close retainers within the Ootori family that stand out. The few who are with him were drawn by status and money, and I’ve heard even Great-Uncle Zenkichi finds them hard to handle. I also heard he dismissed the aides assigned to him in childhood.

That’s exactly why he was placed as the nominal head of the Ootori conglomerate.

To someone like Great-Grandfather, it was the bare minimum of compassion—a way of telling him to learn through experience since he was still young, paired with a faint hope that he’d become a harmless member of the family.

But right now, he didn’t seem completely spineless.

He began by giving a small bow before speaking.

“I apologize for the thoughtless remark. It was disgraceful of me, especially to say that to a child. I really did just want to talk with you once. Even now, I came because I wanted to apologize for what I said earlier.”

“Yes. I’m not bothered by it.”

“Ah, yeah. So… since we’re here, can I ask you one thing? It’s something important.”

In response to those words, I look up at him from a diagonal angle, owing to our difference in height. Looking at Uncle Genji like that, he doesn’t seem afraid. But I do sense a probing sort of mood from him.

So I give a small nod, urging him to continue.

“Reiko, do you intend to stand at the top of the Ootori family? Do you… want to rule over the Ootori?”

(How am I supposed to answer that?)

Caught off guard by such a direct question, I pretend to hesitate. No—not just pretend. I actually think for a moment as I meet his gaze.

Was Uncle Genji’s question driven by his own ambition?

My father, Kiiichi, and the head of the conglomerate, Ryuujirou, are dead. My grandfather Kiichirou, who is my nominal father, has retired. If everything goes smoothly, until my future husband becomes the family head, both the position of the conglomerate leader and the family head could fall into my lap.

It would be hard for anyone not to feel ambitious in such a situation.

But as for me, I have no ambitions toward the Ootori family. If anything, I just don’t want it to collapse—I don’t want anyone to end up unhappy.

Besides, the Ootori Group is merely a means to an end for me—a way for everyone to avoid the worst possible downfall I know awaits us. I just want to be able to use it when the time comes.

And as the “Dreaming Miko” to the Ootori family, this sort of position should be more than enough.

If anything, I’ve already gone too far as it is. If that’s what he’s concerned about, then that would be admirable—but if that were the case, he wouldn’t be asking me this kind of question.

In other words, this man—unlike the other adults in the family—doesn’t seem to grasp that fundamental point.

(So, he approaches things from a completely different mindset.)

Having come to that conclusion, I chose slightly heavier words to fill the silence that had formed during the pause.

“It’s far too heavy a burden to carry permanently, but I think there will be times when I have to borrow it for a while. May I have your permission for that much?”

“Temporarily? For how long? Until you marry and your child becomes an adult? That’s basically saying you want to rule the Ootori, isn’t it?”

“Haa?! What have you been looking at all this time?! Why on earth would I have to carry the Ootori on my back for that long?!”

“Eh?”

Snapping back with that blunt, instinctive reply, I caught him off guard—he blinked in surprise.

He clearly hadn’t expected me to speak so bluntly.

But honestly, I hadn’t expected this either. I never imagined someone in the Ootori family could be this blind.

(Ahh, that’s it. I’ve decided. I won’t let this guy get in my way until my game is over. No—more accurately, I won’t let him be placed somewhere where he can get in the way. If a person this mediocre were made the head of the Ootori, all my effort—everyone’s effort—would go to waste.)

Once I made that decision, I felt my resolve settle. And at the same time, the darker part of me began to stir. I could feel it—my soul, my spirit, my mind, or whatever it is—being drawn in by this body.

After all, this man is one of the enemies of the original owner of this body.

So I declared:

“I don’t care what you’re thinking or what you plan to do—but don’t get in my way. If you do, I won’t show any mercy.”

If he wants to think I’m incomprehensible, then he can just keep thinking that forever.