522 - IF: If I Reincarnated as Myself. But, Something About My Surroundings is...?
Since this is an IF story, please enjoy it as a gag. This time, there are meta-comments within the work.
The first thing I thought when I let out my first cry of "Ogyaa" was the rather foolish impression, Did I do it again?
I was born with an "Ogyaa."
Yes. I was born.
And, since I had enough consciousness as "me" to form the impression that I had "been born," it meant that I had reincarnated again while retaining the memories of my previous life.
...Ah, it is the Erath language.
I did not understand it in my previous life, but now I can tell from the moment of birth. The words being exchanged around me are the Erath language I learned as "Tina" in my previous life. Thanks to that, in this life, I was able to understand my parents' conversations from infancy.
...A little girl's voice. Is it "Big Sister"?
Apparently, in this life, I was born into a home with an older sister. I am not an only child, and I am someone's "younger sister" again.
...Hmm? No. It doesn't seem to be "Big Sister."
The girl seems to be calling me "young lady." My parents seem to be saying that she does not need to call me "young lady," but she does not seem to be listening.
...Huh? Did she just say Kalisa?
Did I mishear? While thinking so, I strained my ears to listen to the conversation between my parents and the girl. The noise of my first cries was loud and made it hard to hear, but as a baby, I could not yet stop crying of my own will.
"—But is it really alright? You were the one looking forward to this child's birth the most, weren't you?"
"Yes. A 'name' is the first gift parents give to a baby. Please let the Master and Mistress give the young lady her 'name,' rather than a mere nursemaid like myself."
As the words continued, saying that it was enough for her just to be able to take care of the young lady, I desperately wanted to confirm the girl's face. It seemed a nursemaid named Kalisa was nearby. The previous life (Tina) inside the infant (me) was fussing, seeking "Kalisa."
...My eyes... my eyes... won't open!
Sadly, an infant's body does not move as one wishes. I wanted to open my eyes right now and confirm that "Kalisa" was not my (Tina's) "Kalisa," but it seemed I would have to wait a while.
It was three days after my birth that my parents named me "Christina." I was so surprised by the name being too perfect that my infant eyes flew open. Then, my parents looked at my blue eyes and rejoiced, saying they were the same color as my mother's. Apparently, my paternal grandmother's eyes were blue.
Once my eyes could open, I was able to confirm Kalisa's face as well. The identity of the person claiming to be Christina's nursemaid, Kalisa, was, no matter how I looked at her—no, she was ten years younger than the Kalisa I remembered—but she was Kalisa. The red hair and black eyes were the same as the nursemaid Kalisa from my previous life (Tina).
Since not only the name but even the facial features were the same, I began to vaguely realize that something was strange about this life. No. In truth, I had noticed something was odd when I heard my parents' names. I had simply been pretending not to notice, thinking there was no way, it was just a coincidence.
...Did I reincarnate as "my previous self"!?
What is this called again? I wondered while fixed to Kalisa's back by a carrying strap.
I think taking care of an infant is usually the job of the biological mother or a wet nurse, but in this life's house, my mother and Kalisa are taking care of the infant (me) as if they are competing for me. I wonder if a servant (maid) can compete with the master (mother) for the infant (me), but it seems Kalisa is not a servant or anything like that.
I had to guess from my parents' conversations, but this Kalisa is a "pushy nursemaid." Apparently, she pushed her way into Meiyu Village one day, saying she wanted to take care of me, or something like that. Since she pushed her way in, she does not need a salary—taking the form of being a servant (maid) but not a servant, she sometimes competes with my mother for me, and today during the daytime, Kalisa had won the right to take care of me. I wonder if that is alright, but if it means my mother can rest slowly after childbirth, I suppose this is fine in its own way.
...Ah, I remember now. I think reincarnating into oneself is called something like a loop story or a time leap story.
Which means, I might have indeed reincarnated as myself (Tina). My father's name is Salo, and my mother is Chloe. I was named "Christina," and my father seemed to want to call me "Chris," but Kalisa pushed through with "Tina." As an infant (me), "Tina" was better than the unfamiliar "Chris," so when I was called "Chris," I ignored it, and when I was called "Tina," I acted charmingly. Thus, in this life too, my nickname seems to have been fixed as "Tina."
...Even so?
Was my house in Meiyu Village like this? I observed the inside of the room over Kalisa's shoulder. Overall, there was a strange sense of incongruity, as if it had become tidier or brighter.
...Is it because the nursemaid (Kalisa) is here, so the cleaning is more thorough than in my previous life?
There was a sense of incongruity with the tidy house, but since my memories of Meiyu Village in my previous life are fading, it might be my imagination. For now, I set those thoughts aside and spent my days. Regardless, as an infant, I cannot go anywhere on my own. Even if there was some incongruity, I cannot investigate it until I am satisfied.
Ignoring the slight incongruity, I spent my days peacefully. One and a half years passed in the blink of an eye, and when I began to go outside the house by clinging to Kalisa as she hung the laundry, I found further incongruity.
...Somehow, the scenery of the village feels... different?
The shapes of the mountains and trees are the same as those in my memory, but I feel the houses in the village have become subtly tidier. Or rather, there are more houses or extensions than in my memory. If it were someone else's house, it could be my misremembering, but for my own house, the difference is clearly apparent. My house in this life is larger than the house in my previous life, and the exterior is also neatly arranged.
...And I feel like there are people who are subtly afraid of Kalisa...?
The women I encounter at the laundry area are not like that, but adult men are different. They clearly watch Kalisa from a distance. In fact, even if they are walking from the other side of the road, once they notice Kalisa, they either turn back the way they came or dive into the shadows to hide.
...Kalisa, what did you do while I wasn't looking!?
Thinking of that, I looked for the village chief Jacob, but within Kalisa's range of movement—which is also my range of movement—I never saw the village chief. I wondered if it was alright for a "village chief" to be like that, but apparently, the village chief is not the "village chief."
Rather, Meiyu Village was not a "village."
This village I was born into in this life is not a village, but seems to be called "Meiyu Town." Traveling merchants, who in my previous life came perhaps once every six months, apparently come to the town about once a month.
...And, Father was the town mayor.
I felt like asking what happened, but it would be impossible now. My articulation is still too poor, and I cannot converse smoothly with others.
However, I can roughly guess.
The reason the village chief is nowhere to be seen and Father has become the town mayor is likely because Father can read and write. Most of the residents of Meiyu Village should have been people who could not read or write. It is a natural flow that a person who can read and write is chosen as the representative.
...No, where did the village chief really go?
When I turned three, an event occurred that was clearly different from my previous life. A younger brother was born to me.
Apparently, without harassment from the village chief, I had a younger brother at age three. A new discovery in this life. Perhaps it was just that they could not be born, but I might have had younger brothers or sisters in my previous life too. Village chief, I seriously cannot forgive you. (But I feel I should not think about the fact that I still have not seen him even after three years since birth.)
Father tried to name my younger brother "Theo," so I opposed it with all my might.
"Theo" is not just a common name, it is too common, so let us choose another name.
...Also, in this kind of story, the name "Theo" is a death flag (T/N: meta-comment).
On my fourth birthday, Kalisa gave me a hand mirror as a present. I had wondered where the money came from for Kalisa, who refuses salary from my parents because she wants to monopolize me, and she told me that she earns pocket money by selling goods to traveling merchants. Since these goods were bobbin lace, also known as Aurelian lace, I think this Kalisa is a "cheat with previous life knowledge" Kalisa. No wonder the surroundings are strange in various ways. Meiyu Village was magically remodeled by Kalisa and became Meiyu Town.
...Huh?
Staring at my own face reflected in the hand mirror, I tilted my head at the incongruity. The black hair with slightly curly ends, the blue eyes, and the cute features were the same as those of my previous life (Tina) in my memory. Despite being the same, there was a strange sense of incongruity in my face reflected in the mirror.
"...Kalisa, is there something strange about my face?"
"The young lady is always perfectly cute."
The Kalisa of this life has a few screws loose. It is not that she lacks screws or that they are loose, but she is a high-firepower Kalisa who blows the screws away as soon as one tries to tighten them.
...But something is strange?
I think something is odd, but I tilt my head, not knowing the identity of the incongruity. There was incongruity, but I am originally a carefree person. Since there was no particular harm, I eventually forgot about the incongruity and never remembered it.
It was after I turned six that I realized the identity of the incongruity. Apparently, someone who had doubts about the development of Meiyu Town has begun to probe whether there is a reincarnated person here.
...Eh? Which one? The Japanese person (me)? Or Kalisa, who developed Meiyu Village?? Who do you have business with???
If the one probing is royalty from the Ivizia Kingdom, it is not that harmful—though it is mentally quite exhausting—but if it is a spy from the Zoogari Empire, I would like them to leave promptly. I have no good feelings toward that country.
"Let us assign a guard to the young lady!"
"A guard?"
This runaway maid (Kalisa) has started saying something again, and I look up at Kalisa from atop my father's lap, who has frozen. Kalisa's chest, which was flat right after I was born, has now approached the size of her previous life. In other words, a plump, large-breasted beautiful girl is complete.
"...Kalisa. Tina might indeed be so cute that one would instinctively want to kidnap her, but isn't hiring a guard a bit too exaggerated...?"
"It is fine. The cost is all national expense, so it is tax (free)!"
You do not call taxes free. That obvious retort from my father was cleanly ignored.
...And, as expected, this Kalisa is a "cheat with previous life knowledge" Kalisa.
Although nothing in particular was asked until today, she is a Kalisa who knows that I have a previous life where I lived as a Japanese person. If one does not choose the wrong person to rely on, it is easy to ensure the safety of a reincarnated person like me. That is likely the thought behind her statement.
"Let us send a letter to the Gurnol Knight Order and have them assign a guard to the young lady!"
"First of all, where did the Gurnol Knight Order come from?"
"I have connections with the Mondays Knight Order as well!"
"Yeah, as usual, Kalisa does not listen to others when Tina is involved—"
"I will write a letter to Lord Leonardo immediately!"
"Hmm? Leonardo...?"
At the sound of my father's voice, which held a mysterious ring, I shifted my gaze from Kalisa to my father. The name "Leonardo" was given by my father. There must have been something he remembered in the sound of "Leonardo."
...Come to think of it, was Leonardo-san already a knight when I was born?
Since I have no way of contacting him now, I have not thought of trying to contact him until now. In this life too, it seems I will become involved with Leonardo in an unexpected way.
Once Kalisa decides, her actions are fast. I do not know about this life, but in my previous life, she was a Kalisa raised by a capable house governor (Iridal). She is a skillful, super maid. She immediately sent word to the Gurnol Knight Order requesting the protection of a reincarnated person, and in less than a month, a black knight appeared in Meiyu Town.
"Ah, it is Leo!"
Spotting Leonardo's black hair as he dismounted from his horse in the distance, I happily ran toward him. From my head, the obvious fact that this was our first meeting in this life had slipped away as I ran with my arms wide open.
"Leo—"
I demand a hug. However, my arms, spread with that feeling, were firmly caught by Leonardo, who should have been a first-time acquaintance. Just as I felt his hands slide under my arms as they once did, I was lifted up with a natural gesture, and our eyes met.
The eyes of Leonardo, meeting for the first time in this life, were—
...This person, he is not Leo! He is the Divine King!!
The face and clothing were certainly the same as Leonardo's. However, only the pupils, which should have been black, were a blue that hid a mysterious brilliance.
...Also, this blue! One of my eyes was this blue too!
The identity of the incongruity from the day I first looked in the mirror was finally revealed. Both of my eyes are certainly blue, but only one eye is a subtly different "blue."
And, if one eye is "blue" and it is a girl—
Q. What happened to the invisible village chief?
A. Kalisa "He is living normally as Villager A."
I made a thick-yet-thin book. Those interested, please take a look at the activity report or the production blog.
