Episode 2
As everyone in the room stood dumbfounded, the old man was the first to regain his senses, hurriedly leaving with the Maid. It seemed he was going to report to someone named Ukari-san.
The armored man remained standing at attention. I suppose he’s here as a guard.
There are many things I want to ask, but there’s something I should do first.
“Hmm, so this is my face…”
I steeled myself and approached the mirror mounted on the wall, where the figure of a noble-looking boy, utterly unlike me, was reflected.
Well, maybe “noble” is a bit of an exaggeration… He’s got a nasty look in his eyes. He’s got a noble aura, I guess.
But this pretty much confirms it.
It seems I’ve become someone named Geld. “Possession” might be a more fitting term in this case.
The original me slipped, hit my head, and died. And then I took over the body of this young Geld after he got whacked on the head. Something like that, I guess.
It’s not something easily believed, but since it’s actually happening, I have no choice but to accept it.
Even if someone told me, “From today on, you’re Geld-kun,” I don’t think I’d just say, “Yes, I understand.” Maybe it’s because I was sure I was going to die when I hit my head back home. Instead of being confused about becoming someone else, I feel more like, “I get a second life? Lucky me!”
As for what to do from now on, I really have no choice but to pretend to have amnesia. After all, I don’t know anything, so it’s practically the same thing.
In that case… I might need to act a bit arrogant.
Judging from the attitude of those around me, young Geld probably holds a fairly high position. A spoiled brat, huh?
It would be extremely unnatural for a boy who’s been fawned over as “Lord Geld, Lord Geld” since childhood to suddenly become polite just because he lost his memory.
I don’t think they’d suspect that someone else has taken over, but after seeing that magic-like thing called Pefu, I can’t say it’s impossible. It’s better to be safe than sorry.
“Hmm… Hmm?”
I’d been thinking while staring at the mirror, but the more I looked at my own face, the more something bothered me.
This face, or rather, this appearance, feels familiar somehow… but not really…
The semi-long blond hair. The reasonably handsome features. But with those nasty eyes, there’s not a hint of freshness about him.
I thought he looked noble a moment ago, but he gives more of an impression of an unlikeable small fry who wants to throw his weight around…
Unlikeable… Geld… Pefu… A wealthy merchant… No, a noble…? Geld the noble…
“Ah.”
It hit me. It finally hit me. A noble, Geld. And Pefu. It’s a game. I’m in a game world. That’s right, the weird name of the healing magic was memorable.
The title is, let’s see… What was it again?
Huh, that’s strange, I can’t remember at all. Did Shino-chan’s punch knock it out of my head…?
It’s the thing I was holding in my hand right before I died in my previous life, or rather, the moment I died. It was something Legend, I think? No, Eternal… No, Legend something… Anyway, that’s it.
I’ve completely forgotten almost all the characters, including the protagonist, but I remember Millie and Geld.
I don’t remember the scenario at all, but I do remember that Geld kidnaps and imprisons Millie.
After all, this noble with the unlikeable face is the one who gets to violate Millie in countless ero doujinshi. Constraining the reluctant saint Millie in a dimly lit Basement and doing all sorts of things to her… but that’s not the point. Or rather—
“…I, I, I’m Geld!? Of all people, Geld!?”
“Lord Geld!? Please, regain your composure!”
I couldn’t help but shout about becoming the legendary rapist, and the armored man put me in a bear hug, but that’s not important right now.
After all, Geld is… well, if he’s just a rapist, he can at least have some fun.
In reality, he’s probably plotting something, but he gets defeated by the protagonist… and probably dies. That’s all he was… I think. I seem to recall reading something like that in those Millie articles… I think.
No, at this point, what happens to Geld doesn’t matter anymore. There’s something much more important.
“At least make it a game I remember…! I just saw it a moment ago… and I still can’t even remember the title! I don’t remember anything!”
“Lord Geld! Please, please! Calm down!”
“How am I supposed to do anything when I don’t know anything…? Ouch, hey, that hurts! Okay! I get it! I’ll calm down! I’m calm!”
This big guy, still wearing his clunky metal armor, is bear-hugging me and trying to calm me down by squeezing me even tighter. With the corner of his armor grinding against my spine, I can’t think straight at all.
I was released after writhing in agony for a while, but I don’t have the energy to make a fuss anymore. Or rather, so much has happened since I woke up that I might have been in a constant state of panic while trying to appear calm.
If I think about it calmly, I just have to avoid kidnapping her. Even if I don’t know the scenario, Geld, as a minor character, has nothing to do with it.
I just need to relax in this mansion and wait for the protagonist to go on an adventure and defeat some final boss… was it a demon lord? Anyway.
“Ah… so, um… your name. What’s your name?”
“My name…? Ah, I am Gasso.”
“Okay, Gasso. There are a few things I’d like to ask you.”
“Yes, of course.”
Hmm, he’s stiff.
I’m sitting sloppily on the sofa because I’m tired, but Gasso is standing at attention again.
Being treated with such formality by a stern-looking man who’s probably around thirty makes me feel like I’ve become someone important.
I need to be careful not to get carried away… no, maybe I should get carried away a little. Gasso doesn’t seem to notice anything strange about my attitude. Let’s make this the standard.
So, in the time before the old man returned, I first asked about myself. About Geld…
All I could find out was that he’s the second son of the Waslein Family. That’s it. He doesn’t know anything else about his personality, such as his skills, hobbies, or social relationships.
Next, I asked about the Waslein Family. They seem to be a fairly powerful noble family who rule over the fertile plains in the northwestern part of the kingdom.
The family consists of his Father, Stepmother, older brother, and me. My real mother apparently died of illness a few years ago. And there’s also an older sister, but she got married off about two years ago.
“I see… well, it’s good news that I have an older brother. That means I can spend my time relaxing.”
“…Well… that’s… um…”
Gasso, who had been answering everything fluently, suddenly became hesitant.
I honestly don’t want to hear it, but I need to know this.
“…Is there something wrong?”
“No… Lord Geld is currently the heir apparent… so relaxing might be…”
“Hmm? Is my brother in poor health, or is there some other reason?”
“No, Lord Amono, the older brother’s… um, his mother’s position is…”
“Ah… I see. One of those things.”
It must be a difficult topic for Gasso to answer. My brother was born to a concubine or something like that, huh?
“Hey, Gasso. Could it be that my brother and I don’t get along?”
“I couldn’t say… From my perspective, well, it wasn’t what I would call a friendly relationship…”
“Ugh.”
I asked about my relationship with my brother on a whim, and Gasso, who had been looking directly at me the whole time, quickly averted his gaze and gave a mumbled, unclear answer. I can pretty much guess what’s going on just from that. How troublesome…
As I was wearily thinking about how to deal with an encounter with my brother, I heard footsteps outside the room. The old man must be back.
“Lord Geld. Lady Ukari, the Family Head, requests your presence.”
“…Okay.”
It’s time to meet my Father. I don’t want to go…