The Eternal World - Chapter 4
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Chapter 4

Rosy’s discoveries

It's been two years since I started observing my family. That's right, during these two years I continued watching them. And I did it by utilising fully the standpoint of a child.

What I understood after these two years was as expected that same strangeness.

First- there was no such thing as a conversation between a couple. But depending on the situation there was a time when they made sure to act like a couple. It was when they had invited guests to the house. The guests with their fancy dresses and jewelry would gather, dance and enjoy conversing with each other.

Why do I know, you ask? Well, that's because I sneaked out of my room, of course. Surprisingly no one found out. Just like a s.h.i.+n.o.bi, stealthily tiptoeing.

On these evenings my parents would dance and talk with each other. They were playing the part of a married couple. At least it looked like that to me.

Also, when certain time comes she would invite random merchants to the house and would purchase a number of luxurious dresses with matching jewels, too.

Is our house really that rich?

In addition, mother would frequently leave the house by herself. At lunch to something like a tea party, at night at an evening party. There were a few tea parties held at our place too. Every time that happened luxurious desserts and expensive lacquer-ware were prepared. Every time she left she was wearing a different dress. I wonder if the reason for inviting so many merchants was that.

By the way I had the wet nurse secretly teach me the meaning of the word "tea party/chakai".

Also, the strangest thing above all else is that I have never seen my mother hug Oscar even once since she has given birth to him. Oscar should be the first born son and the successor to the family. Really, what's with a mother who has not went to see the precious successor's face even once.

On the other hand, the way she is treating me can only be called dotting. She hugs me frequently and even though it's one sided she talks to me too. She also buys me a lot of things.

And even though Oscar is two years old this year, we've not celebrated his birthday even once. Of course, my little brother was nowhere to be seen at my birthday party. As for father, he is always away because of work.

With that being the case, when I try to go to Oscar's room, the previously mentioned noh-mask maid is somehow always keeping her eyes on me so I can't get near. I haven't talked since that time I was two but even when I have meals with my parents, Oscar hasn't joined us even once. I've seen the wet nurse in pa.s.sing, so my brother is probably still having his meals in his room.

I the first place why can't I go to my brother's room?

And just like that for these past two years I haven't spoken a word to my little brother.

Even though we're brother and sister. Is this normal? Is this the common sense of this world?

The strange thing isn't only my family. There's something strange going on with the servants too. During these two years, with the exception of the noh-mask maid, the other servants have been changed so many times, that you can't count them on both of your hands. The recently hired ones of course but even the ones that have considerable service time too are changed. The maid that is taking care of me changes pretty often too. When I asked for the reason, I was told they politely left.

By the way I also asked the wet nurse what it meant and I found out that it meant that they have handed a letter of resignation. Aside of the noh-mask maid there is another attendant lady by my mother's side but she had also changed a few times. Also she is gone now. All of these people were young but they also asked for leave.

Both the maids and the attendant lady were young so I thought they left to get married but it looks like that's not the case. There was once when I caught a maid that was leaving and asked her for the reason but she refused to talk.

As I thought there is something strange but there was nothing more I could do.

When I felt the limit to my observation, out of nowhere light came flooding in.

When I was almost four a home tutor came. From that moment I could feel the amount of my knowledge growing. After all my cramped world was expanding.

My mother said that she had employed a first-cla.s.s tutor. With that teacher I started learning the alphabet and the history. The me, who had started her education as a lady, felt that the strange feeling I had was only growing stronger.

By the way the country I am living in is a monarchy called Rosenberg. The royal family's duke was on top followed by a marquis, a margrave, a count, a viscount, a baron, the n.o.bles with sacred professions (archbishops), and then the knights. Our house was given the peerage of a count. It seems that those with a rank of count and higher are called high n.o.bles.

I guess the cause of my mother's arrogance comes from that.

By learning the letters and the meaning of the words, I could tell just how filled with arrogance were the things my mother was saying. Let's talk about this another time.

Because I had high specs in this life, I sucked knowledge in like a dry land sucks in water. But I avoided showing that in front of other people. It's said that a skilled hawk hides its claws. A tall tree catches the most wind, they say. Through my daily observations I judged that standing out at this age would not be good and, so I looked for the proper degree of what to show so I wouldn't be praised, while listening to the lecture.

Of course, without neglecting my observation.