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Chapter 07
Rain poured water into the washbasin with movements that showed not a trace of caution. The splashing water was cold.
If I asked for it to be lukewarm or slightly warm, she’d comply for a few days, but unable to overcome her laziness, she’d always revert to this. So asking was just a waste of breath. Since things would naturally improve once I got a new maid, it was better to just let it slide.
I barely wet my fingertips and wiped away the sleep from my eyes. Rain stared at me as if to ask, “Is that it?” Pretending not to notice her gaze, she withdrew the washbasin with a look of mild displeasure.
“Will you be eating in your room again today and then changing?”
“Yeah.”
“Then I’ll bring your meal right away.”
As expected, Rain left, slamming the door shut again.
Satisfied that at least there was no loud bang this time, I was about to check the quest again when—without any knock—the door swung wide open once more.
*’Wh-what?’*
It was an unexpected development I’d never experienced in any previous round, so I was startled—but then Rain quickly came back in and slammed the door shut again. Her expression looked urgent.
Even Rain had never been this rude before—so what was going on?
“Miss, did you do something to upset the second young master……?”
“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”
At her out-of-nowhere question, unfiltered words slipped out of my mouth.
I immediately thought, *Oops*, but Rain didn’t seem to care about that at all.
“The second young master is coming this way with a terrifying look on his face—Kyaaa!”
Rain was sent flying by the door flung open, slamming into the wall. But I had no time to worry about her—I couldn’t even look at her.
“……You.”
The one who had thrown my door open with all his might was Felix, his face even fiercer than before my death.
*’Why is that bastard suddenly coming here?’*
For a moment, I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me.
I can say with certainty—at the very start of a new round, this had never happened. Not even once.
No matter how much of an outcast I was in the family, it was unthinkable for someone to barge in like this early in the morning.
And yet, that unthinkable thing was happening right now.
From somewhere nearby, a horrified cry rang out—”Young Master Felix……!” One of Felix’s servants, who had followed him in shock after he’d rushed out in his sleepwear and flung open my door without knocking, had let out an involuntary exclamation.
I racked my brain to assess the situation.
Though I’m not particularly quick-witted, I’m not so dim-witted that I couldn’t figure this out.
*’So… he came back with his memories from the last round, didn’t he?’*
There was no other explanation.
And the reason had to be that hidden route I’d seen earlier.
*’So the hidden route is a group regression?’*
Seeing Rain, it didn’t seem like everyone was included. What was the criteria for the group regression? The main targets of the affection quest?
*’……If that’s the case, does that mean the entire family remembers?’*
The thought sent a chill down my spine.
Cold sweat began to trickle out.
*’Wait. What exactly did I do before I died?’*
Let’s see…….
I used dark magic—forbidden by the empire—to summon ancient monsters. I woke Kamotheus, a being with the power to turn the world to ashes in an instant. And not only that—I single-handedly shattered the Barderia family’s centuries-old reputation in the blink of an eye.
*〈I never once thought of you as family~〉*
*〈You can’t even remember the nasty things you said, yet you’re shocked by such trivial words—how hilarious~〉*
*〈Yep~ I broke the seal. I learned dark magic too~ You had no idea, did you~?〉*
*〈Every second with you was genuinely horrible. I hate you too~ So in the next life, let’s live as strangers. Okay?〉*
All the nasty things I’d spat right in the faces of my siblings, who were trying to evacuate me even knowing they’d face the guillotine.
*’……I’m screwed.’*
Hidden round or not, I was facing death from the very start.
Warning lights flashed wildly in my head.
I felt an insane level of resentment toward myself from just a few minutes ago.
*’Of course I said all that because I thought everyone’s memories would be reset this time too……!’*
Cold sweat poured down my back.
I absolutely could not let it slip that I remembered the previous round. If I did, it would be over immediately.
Right now, I’m just nine-year-old Nadiana in Felix’s memories—someone who knows nothing.
Dark magic? What’s that? Death God? Is that something you eat? What did I say to you? I don’t know. Anyway, I don’t know anything.
“Brother Felix? What brings you here so early in the morning……?”
I hastily scrambled off the bed, where I’d been awkwardly perched.
Widening my already harmless-looking eyes as innocently as possible, I began my act of being flustered.
Felix’s dark eyes flickered with a sharp, chilling intensity as they briefly scanned me, then he strode forward, his red hair flowing behind him.
Then he reached out his hand—?
*’Wh-what?’*
Was he planning to eliminate me preemptively, judging me as some future villain?
Or was he just that furious?
Or had he seen through my act?
*’No! In this body, I can’t properly use magic or dark magic!’*
Screaming internally, I covered my head with my hands—the only means of protection I had. Then, reflexively, I squeezed my eyes shut and curled up.
But no matter how long I waited, Felix didn’t touch me.
Curious, I cautiously opened my eyes—and saw Felix staring at me with a shocked expression.
*’……He wasn’t going to attack me?’*
As I watched him warily, Felix’s hand hovered in the air before eventually falling back to his side.
“……You were sweating so much, I was just checking on you.”
Oh, I see.
*’So from his perspective… I just massively overreacted, didn’t I?’*
Even though Felix had never directly used violence against me, I’d just turned him into a domestic abuser who’d raise his hand at any moment.
*’Then why did you have to reach out so menacingly……’*
I cautiously straightened up again.
A suffocating silence hung in the air.
Had there ever been such an awkward moment with this guy before?
“You… surely you don’t think I would……”
Felix started to say something, then stopped and clenched his teeth. I could almost hear them grinding.
To be honest, I’m extremely vulnerable to unexpected situations. Since I didn’t have the appropriate response programmed into my head, naturally I couldn’t output one.
So how had I handled such situations in the past?
I didn’t do anything.
Before I could even try to smooth things over, my affection would plummet and I’d die.
So I’d always strategized by avoiding anything that might provoke anger in the first place.
In the end, I couldn’t find a solution and remained silent.
At least the fact that I was still alive meant my affection hadn’t been completely destroyed.
Or maybe the hidden route had changed the quest parameters as well.
“Hah. Right, that’s it. That’s how it was. Of course it was.”
While I kept my head down, Felix suddenly muttered incomprehensibly to himself and ran a hand down his face.
Fortunately, the terrifying intensity from before had subsided considerably.
He was probably feeling incredibly deflated right now. I’d pissed him off with my harsh words, and I’d even been the cause of his death—yet I didn’t remember any of it.
There was no point getting angry at someone like that. The other person wouldn’t understand—he’d just look like the crazy one.
*’Anyway, he’s awfully quick at accepting reality.’*
I found it a bit surprising. Wouldn’t most people spend at least a day wondering if it was a dream or reality?
The Barderias really did seem to have something different from normal people.
*’……But why am I the exception?’*
I must have messed up the genetic combination badly back when I was a cell.
As I entertained useless thoughts, Felix spoke again.
“Never mind. Get some rest.”
Felix turned and headed for the door.
His steps, always light and confident just like his personality, now seemed heavy and listless.
But I suppose he can afford to look like that. He’s usually too excessively spirited anyway.
He’s the epitome of simplicity, so he’ll be back to his old self in a few days anyway.
After confirming that Felix had closed the door and left, I immediately called up the quest window.
I’d been anxious ever since the hidden route appeared, wondering what had changed.
—
**[Synchronization]**
0/100
Goal Success: Restoration of Time
Goal Failure: Return to the Beginning
—
First, that incomprehensible quest was still there.
*’How am I supposed to clear it when I can’t even figure out what raises the score……’*
I let out a small sigh and swiped past it.
—
**[Raise your family’s affection to 10]**
If affection drops to -40, it will be automatically considered a failure.
Kallion Barderia: 80/10
Gwyneth Barderia: 10/10
Felix Barderia: 73/10
Kairos Barderia: 55/10
Goal Success: Reward – ‘5ml of Memory-Stirring Perfume’
Goal Failure: Death
—
*Ding!*
—
**[Goal Success!]**
The item ‘5ml of Memory-Stirring Perfume’ has been awarded.
