Chapter 3

Inside the running carriage.

I was looking out the window with sparkling eyes.

Opposite me was—

“Young Miss, don’t sit too close to the window. The carriage is running.”

Masha watching me with a worried look.

Originally, I was going to go out alone today.

But Masha, who heard me say I would go out inexplicably said,

“How could I send the Young Miss who is only 10-year-old outside alone?”

She looked so sad when she said that, so how could I say no….

‘Rather, it would have been great if I recalled all the memories of when I was around 15.’

Then, it would’ve been alright even if I went out alone or did all sorts of activities, right?

Thinking so, I soon shook my head.

‘…No. It’s already late by then.’

When I’m fifteen, Older Brother Gabriel’s brainwashing would have already progressed considerably.

It would be also around that time when Older Brother Noah lost one arm.

‘Come to think of it, now was the perfect time.’

After all, the time when I discovered the magic stone mine was the best time.

Since this was the time where I could still change everything and prevent it from being the same as the original ending.

“It may be dangerous because this place’s road is still not organized.”

At Masha’s worried words, I nodded gently.

“Okay. I’ll be careful, Masha. Thanks for your concern.”

“…! N-no. It’s my joy and reward to take care of the Young Miss comfortably!”

Phew. Masha, too, is really…

How is she going to live in this harsh world if she’s this nice?

‘As expected, I’ll have to protect Masha from now on.’

Just like Masha reminded, I stepped back a little and sat down, before once again looking out the window.

‘Ah, so this was what our territory was like again.’

The place which became the background of the original novel, [The Ending Can’t Be the End of the World].

Namely, the ‘Rata Empire’ of the Western continent where I lived was a huge country.

‘It’s enough for me to say that about a third of the entire Western continent was the land of our empire, right?’

Even in the original, it was not a small country.

It was all because of the previous emperor that the land became as wide as it was now.

He fought so many conquest wars to the point that conquest was rumored to be his hobby.

That’s why, the Marquess of Cartier, who had the most outstanding swordsmanship in the Empire…

Namely, my biological father also had no choice but to go to war that often.

‘But people ridiculed my Father as the Emperor’s Dog, right?’

“You bad people.”

At the words that I spit out while unknowingly pouting my lips, Masha made a face of gasping.

“Y-Young Miss? Why are you suddenly saying something bad….? B-by any chance, is the carriage uncomfortable?”

Ah. It looks like Masha was scared that I would suddenly be mean again like before.

Let’s make her feel at ease.

“Emm. It’s not that, but looking at our territory reminds me of the bad things people say about Father.”

“Yes? What did people…”

“People saw Father and said that he’s ‘the Emperor’s Dog who can’t even take care of his own house properly’.”

“…!”

Surprised by what I said, Masha shouted.

“Young Miss! Just from where did those words…! The former marquess wasn’t such a person!”

“Right, that’s right! Even though Father only prioritized going to the battlefield and didn’t take good care of Older Brothers and me, he wasn’t like that.”

Nodding, I continued to talk.

“In the first place, it can’t be helped because His Majesty the late Emperor ordered Father to stay on the battlefield. Father is his subject, so how can he disobey His Majesty’s words?”

At my words, Masha sweated a lot.

“T-that’s right. The former Marquess was away for a long time under the order of His Majesty the late Emperor, it was never because he had no interest in the Young Miss….”

“Of course, I know everything, too. Those people cursed at Father, because they were jealous of him for making so many contributions on the battlefield.”

But the problem is…

“But what Father got from being cursed so much was not much. Rather, because he was away from home often, he couldn’t take good care of his territory.”

‘No, I mean, if he fought so hard and won like that, he should’ve come back receiving something!’

But my biological father, who was only good at fighting, didn’t get much from the Imperial Family.

He did get a few medals, but…

‘There’s no big benefit for that other than a discount for watching a performance!’

Even if I thought about it again, it was something that made me angry.

‘If you fought so well and made so many contributions, you should have at least gotten some land, Father!’

When I burst into anger at someone who was already no longer alive, Masha said.

“S-still, we respect the former Marquess because he worked hard to protect the Empire.”

I nodded my head.

“Yup. However, other people swear at Father as ‘a dog of the Imperial Family who is only good at fighting and has a complicated relationship with women and even has a dirty personality’.”

“….”

“Ah, come to think of it, I’m really worried about Older Brothers. My Older Brothers look a lot like Father. Especially, Older Brother Noah who resembles him by having complicated relationships with women, so, huft.”

“….”

“No matter how I think about it, I think I’ll have to harshly scold him once I get home and make him calm down.”

“….”

“Turns out there’s a lot that I have to do, huft.”

I let out a deep sigh and shook my head.

‘Really… I’ll be very busy in the future.’

First of all, keep an eye on Older Brother Noah so that he doesn’t do anything weird.

And then, help Older Brother Gabriel from behind so that he can focus on marquess matters.

Making a business that sells, of course, the magic stone that came out from the magic stone mine, as well as other business items.

‘And make a lot of money from the business and let our family walk on the flower path.’

When I clenched my fist, thinking about the most important thing to do.

“Hm, hm, hm!”

Masha, who coughed like clearing her throat, said.

“Uhm, Young Miss. Didn’t you say you were going to catch, ah, no, meet the management deputy candidate?”

“Yup, that’s right.”

“But, this is just a shopping district, right? Shouldn’t you go to the side where the Merchants Association is to meet someone who can become a management deputy?”

Oo, Masha. You’re sharper than I thought?

As expected, she was worthy of being my head maid, exclusive maid, and the maid who attends to me.

Although I only had one exclusive maid who was Masha.

“Yeah. If it’s as usual, it is right to go there and obtain a person.”

Nod. Nod.

I nodded and agreed.

“But what I want is not there, you know.”

There were quite a lot of Imperial nobles who did business.

Some nobles who were born with a commercial sense ran their own business’ management personally.

However, those who did not have business skills or started their businesses late had a management deputy first.

‘That’s why people usually bring in executives of merchants’ associations in each region or experts who are popular in the capital.’

Jay, the fraud would be beaten by Older Brother Gabriel by now.

As expected, his disguised identity was a management expert who was successful from the Capital.

Anyway, it’s not like one could obtain a management deputy just by going to any place…

The carriage that I rode stopped in front of a bookstore whose sign board was worn out.

“Young Miss. Are you sure this is really your destination?”

It was natural for Masha to look confused.

But I confidently opened the carriage door and jumped off.

“Yup! Masha, wait here for a second.”

“Yes? However, Young Miss.”

“It’s okay, it’s okay. I’ll be right back!”

A few more times, Masha said that I couldn’t go, as if she couldn’t let me go alone.

However, once I thought about the other party that I would be meeting, it was still better for Masha to stay here.

“Wait here for a second. Ah, no! Not here, but go to a nearby cafe for a while. Now, here. I’ll give you my allowance, so you can buy a cake. The strawberry cake at the cafe over there is delicious.”

“No, Young Miss. That’s not it—”

By forcing the money into Masha’s hand, I stood at the door.

All right. Then, let’s go in now… Huh?

Jump. Jump.

I tried running towards the doorknob, which was a little higher than what my hands could reach.

…I can’t reach it…?

No, but I’m 10 years old! Although I’m a littleeeeeeeee shorter than the others! Even so, I’m still 10 years old!

‘Just why in the world can’t I reach this…’

Ah, right.

So I guess this door has no choice but to have the handle on a place higher than other places?

‘Because the owner of this store is a bear hybrid…!’

The doorknob, which had been tailored to match the owner, was a little bit, just a little bit higher.

…Even so, if it was only that much, wouldn’t I be able to reach it if I ran as I jumped? Let’s give it a try.

Jump, jump!

Jump. Jump…

“….”

“…Heup.”

Is it because of my mood that I heard the sound of someone desperately holding back their laughter from behind…?

I turned around with my hands still stretched out toward the doorknob.

“Uhm, Masha, the door, can you open it for me…?”

At my words, Masha was unable to hide the tips of her twitching mouth, and with that I got off from the carriage.

Unlike me, she, who opened the door easily, said.

“Please come back safely, Young Miss. I’ll be waiting.”

I nodded at what Masha said with a big smile.

As I quickly entered the door, I felt like I heard a shout from behind.

‘Nob— What is she saying?’

Uh, Masha’s words to herself were not important anyway.

My face, which was the youngest of the Cartier Marquess Family, in the future would be that of a great merchant owner…!

“Welcome.”

I was shivering in shame, but a nice voice entered my ears.

Moving my head in the direction of the sound—

‘Ah, so it’s that person.’

I could see a solid and dignified body of a man sitting in a rocking chair.

A build a little bigger than that of a normal person.

Skin with a subtle brownish color.

A face that seemed to avoid eyes unintentionally when encountered while passing through the road, and cute ears on top of the head.

…He was scary, but cute.

“Hello.”

I lightly pulled the hem of my dress and greeted him with light courtesy.

At such a greeting, the bookstore owner looked slightly surprised.

No matter how lightly I dressed up, there was no way that it didn’t show who I was from my outfit.

‘Above all, my hair and eyes are not that common either.’

However, the bookstore owner quickly erased his surprised expression and calmly said.

“There are not many things that the Miss may like here. Are you sure that you came to the wrong store?”

I recognize who you are.

And this is not a place for you to come.

I smiled at the words that held such a meaning.

“No. I came to the right place.”

“This is a small bookstore that mainly deals with boring specialized books.”

“It’s not the books that I came for. It’s you.”

“…What does that mean?”

The bookstore owner looked at me with puzzled eyes mixed with wariness.

Of course, he’d be like that.

Who wouldn’t be flustered if a child who suddenly appeared told you that the child had something to do with you?

What was worse, is if you were someone who had some kind of secret, then even, even more would one be worried.

“Tezent Poe, the smuggler.”

The name of the bookstore owner which was called before he could even introduce himself. No, that famous smuggler Tezent Poe’s eyes opened wide.

I smiled at him and declared.

“I’m here to appoint you as the distribution deputy for the magic stone mine of the Cartier Family.”