IRGS 42

Chapter 42

I Regressed and Ended Up With a Son

Because I gave her my teacup? Because she liked the dress I was wearing? Because my taste seemed decent? Because I promised to keep our meeting a secret? Or because of all of those reasons combined?

I absentmindedly fiddled with the red book.

Somehow… this feels strange.

Before my regression, I had been surrounded by enemies on all sides and forced to fight alone. So I armored myself with hostility and constantly kept my guard up.

Of course, Bambi had been the exception. He was the only person I could show my true self to, the only ally upon whom I could pour all my kindness.

But this time was different.

No, things were changing.

I wasn’t exactly sure why. After all, so many things in this life had already changed.

Still, I liked these changes very much.

Knock, knock.

A knock sounded at the door.

Owen and I both looked up at the same time. When I answered, the door cracked open and a little boy poked his head inside.

“Mom—”

It was Arne.

The little boy who had become my son.

Perhaps the very beginning of all these changes in this life.

Arne had changed into his pajamas. His brown hair was still damp from bathing, making its natural curls more noticeable.

A smile automatically formed on my lips.

“Arne, did you finish your bath?”

“Yeees—”

He scampered over and plopped down beside me.

A pleasant scent from his bath products drifted from him.

Ah, it was one of my favorite fragrances.

“The bathtub was huge,” Arne said excitedly. “There were statues in the bathroom. And even a fountain.”

“Oh my, really? Did you find a robe and put it on properly?”

“Yep! There were folded robes by the entrance, so I picked the smallest one.”

“Good job, Arne.”

At my praise, the boy grinned proudly.

Arne never liked having servants help him bathe. He said it was more comfortable to wash and dress himself.

Maybe it was because he wasn’t accustomed to being waited on as a noble child.

Or perhaps the household where he grew up hadn’t been wealthy enough to employ servants.

Then again, he had impeccable dining manners and never seemed surprised by luxurious hotels or expensive restaurants.

In any case, during this trip as well, Arne had bathed and prepared himself on his own.

Most nobles would find that very strange.

But then again, neither Owen nor I could exactly be called ordinary despite being the eldest son of a duke’s family and the eldest daughter of a marquis family.

Arne sat on the bed swinging his legs.

He looked unusually cheerful, as if something exciting had happened.

My guess proved correct.

“Mom, you know what?”

“Yes, Arne?”

“When I came out after washing—”

“Mhm?”

“I saw a white bird outside the parlor window. It was really pretty and kind of big.”

A white bird?

That was unusual.

“I see.”

“But as soon as it saw me, it flew over and started pecking at the window.”

“Oh? Really?”

Instead of flying away from a human, it had approached him?

And it sounded like it was asking for the window to be opened.

That was one smart bird.

“Why do you think it did that? Did it want to come inside?”

“I’m not sure. I thought so too, so I opened the window.”

“…You did?”

“And then the bird came inside.”

What?!

“Arne… don’t tell me the bird is still in the parlor?”

Surely he wasn’t about to tell me that a wild bird was currently flapping around and wrecking the hotel suite!

But to my horror, Arne nodded cheerfully.

“Yep! Right now it’s fighting Popo in the parlor.”

“!!!”

I shot to my feet as though I had been sitting on a spring and immediately ran toward the living room.

What on earth was going on?!

I’d never heard of animals brawling in the middle of a luxury hotel suite.

Really, not a single day in my life could pass peacefully.

How was I supposed to catch a bird?

First I’d open the window and try to chase it out.

A net would be helpful.

There would probably be feathers everywhere, so we’d need cleaning.

And Popo couldn’t get hurt either!

As I hurried downstairs, Owen caught up to me in only a few strides and matched my pace.

“What do you intend to do?”

“Since we’ll have to chase it out anyway… I thought I’d assess the situation first.”

“Understood.”

His calm tone suggested confidence.

I asked just in case.

“Owen, have you ever caught a bird with your bare hands?”

“I’ve caught something similar before.”

Good enough.

Whatever it was, it sounded useful.

We rushed into the living room.

Thankfully, white feathers weren’t drifting through the air like snow.

However, the sound of frantic flapping could definitely be heard.

Judging by the noise, the fight seemed evenly matched.

I quietly approached, suppressing my footsteps.

Owen followed silently behind me.

The fox and the bird apparently hadn’t noticed us.

Crouching behind a sofa, I carefully peeked over it.

Oh my god, it’s true!

There really was a bird in the room.

But something felt strange.

That bird that had just failed to land a hit on Popo…

It looked familiar somehow…

Ah!

“Gugu!”

At the sound of its name, the white pigeon turned toward me.

At the same instant, both the pigeon and the fox froze.

The pigeon recovered first.

It spread its pure white wings and flew directly toward me.

Then it landed elegantly on my shoulder.

As though its battle with Popo moments ago had never happened.

Look at this little rascal.

When I glanced at Popo, the fox wore an expression of deep injustice.

Come to think of it, Popo and Gugu had never gotten along in my previous life either.

The tension immediately drained from my body.

Thank goodness it wasn’t the worst-case scenario I’d imagined.

Though I certainly hadn’t expected to see Gugu here.

“Gugu, how did you get all the way here?”

I stroked the bird several times.

Its feathers were soft and well cared for.

When I lightly poked its forehead in reprimand, it huffily turned its head away.

The nerve of this bird.

“Sophia, do you know this bird?”

It was Owen, tilting his head curiously.

He was still standing behind the sofa.

I nodded.

“Ah, yes. This is Gugu. He’s a carrier pigeon I used to use.”

“Quite intelligent. Did he come all this way searching for his master?”

“You could say that.”

Though, strictly speaking, Gugu wasn’t actually my pigeon.

He belonged to Bambi.

We used him whenever we needed to communicate about assassination requests.

It wasn’t exactly the sort of thing that could be entrusted to a postal service or household servant.

Besides, Gugu was exceptionally smart.

No matter where Bambi and I were, he could always find us.

He also knew exactly when it was safe to reveal himself and when it wasn’t.

Proof of that was the fact that he had never once appeared while I was with my father, the marquis.

And even now, he’d convinced Arne to open the window before entering.

Wait.

If Gugu, Bambi’s pigeon, was here…

Then could it be…?

Bang!

The parlor window flew open with a loud noise.

Without realizing it, I had thrown it open myself.

And beyond the enormous glass doors leading to the balcony—

“…”

There was nobody there.

Of course not.

What was I even thinking?

This place was three days away from the capital by carriage.

Why would Bambi be here?

Turning around, I saw Owen approaching while carrying something in his hands.

Apparently he’d stepped out briefly.

“What was outside?” he asked.

“Ah, nothing.”

I quickly shut the window again.

Though I couldn’t help feeling disappointed.

Looking at what Owen was carrying, I saw it was a metal birdcage.

Many nobles traveled with carrier pigeons.

As a result, hotels often kept cages available for them.

He must have gone to fetch one.

He worked fast.

Gugu obediently entered the cage.

Once Gugu settled down, Popo quickly relaxed as well and curled up on his designated cushion.

Water poured from the faucet into the bathtub.

I was alone in the bathroom.

I’d told the servants I intended to bathe by myself.

As expected of a luxury hotel’s suite, even the bathroom was extravagant beyond belief.

The bathtub, larger than a queen-sized bed, gleamed brilliantly with gold.

Floral-scented bubbles floated across the water’s surface.

My mind felt strangely dazed.

Was it because I’d seen Bambi’s pigeon?

The moment I saw Gugu, I’d unconsciously hoped Bambi was here too.

The only ally I’d had before my regression.

My person.

…First, I’ll bathe.

Then I’ll think.

I reached for the knot of my bathrobe.

“You’re taking that off?”

“Hm? Well, I need to if I’m getting into the tub.”

“Are you sure that’s okay, Sophie? I don’t mind.”

…Okay?

Wait.

I was the only person in the bathroom.

Then who exactly was talking to me?

A chill ran down my spine.

I felt as though my neck creaked as I slowly turned.

Calm down, Sophia.

Just stay calm.

Very slowly, I turned around.

And sitting atop the head of a pure gold statue of Polyo, the god of valleys and springs, was a man.

Black hair.

Red eyes.

Pale white skin.

Black clothing wrapped around his entire body.

Perched atop the god’s head with a mocking grin, as if ridiculing the deity itself—

“…Bambi!”