The sensation of being swallowed by the heat, slowly being eaten away from the edges, was the same as before — a feeling I knew well. Just like last time, I tried to concentrate my consciousness as best I could and struggled against the heat, attempting to push it back.
I haven't made any books yet!
I tried to recall the method I'd used to break free last time and attempted to gather the heat toward its center, but unlike before, the sheer volume of heat was far too great.
I pushed and pushed, but instead it pushed back, nearly sweeping me away.
You're so annoying! Get lost! I'm not planning to die like this!
Heave-ho! As I bravely tried to shake off the heat surrounding me, suddenly the heat began getting sucked away in one direction all at once. Just like in a vacuum cleaner commercial where enormous amounts of dust go WHOOSH, the Self-Eating heat around me was vanishing.
Go ahead and disappear!
I shoved more heat toward the vacuum cleaner, stuffing it in as if cramming garbage into the bag. Watching the heat decrease more and more was satisfying, and as I kept sending it off, somewhere something went POP! and burst.
At the same moment, the movement that had been sucking in the heat came to an abrupt halt. When I tried to send more, it came right back.
Huh? Did the vacuum cleaner break?
I somehow had the feeling I'd gotten carried away and overfed it, breaking the thing.
...Did I do something bad? What do I do?
While the heat that had suddenly decreased drifted about lazily, I was at a loss for a while. Of course, there was no one to explain the situation to me, and no other beings existed besides myself.
It seemed like I'd been saved, so I'd think about it later.
Since the heat volume had gone down, I might as well clean up quickly. Unlike before, I pushed inward on the Self-Eating heat, which felt like it had been cut roughly in half.
Suppressing the reduced heat and putting a lid on it wasn't difficult. Like cramming unwanted stuff into a cardboard box and shoving it into a closet, I squeezed it all together and pressed it into the center.
Wrapped in the sense of accomplishment of finally being done, I slowly felt my consciousness rising to the surface.
When I opened my eyes, it was yet another world not in my memory.
Seriously.
My body was completely drained from the battle against the Self-Eating, but my head was crystal clear, so I was pretty sure this wasn't a dream.
Where am I?
First of all, it was dim. I initially thought it might be dusk, but the darkness was only at the top of my vision — from my feet, a faint light was seeping in.
So visibility was maintained, and I could see that my bed was surrounded by a deep green, languidly draped fabric — something like a canopy filling my entire field of view. The bottom half near my feet seemed to have the curtain drawn open.
It wasn't delicate, fluttering lace like a princess's — it was a thick fabric designed entirely to block others' sight, covering a canopy bed. Whoever could afford to use this much fabric had to be wealthy.
Could it be — had I finally reincarnated into the standard noble template?!
The bed material was completely different from my own. Instead of the straw I usually slept on, this had a soft material topped with warm woolen sheets and a thick, warm comforter. The fabric felt wonderful, and it was incredibly comfortable to sleep in.
Back in my life as Isono, I'd had a spring mattress with feather quilts and soft luxury blankets, but a year of living here had apparently overwritten most of those memories. Rolling my body side to side, wriggling my head around — the pillow and comforter didn't rustle, and no stray pieces of straw poked through the sheets to prick me. I found that almost strange.
Straw futons were warm too, you know. Once you got used to it, you could sleep through being eaten by fleas and mites. Once you got used to it, that is.
Ugh, it had been so long since I'd had a comfortable futon like this. I wanted to stay in bed even longer.
The bed I shared with Turi was so narrow I had to be careful even turning over, but this bed was wide enough to roll around freely.
Rolling toward the edge of the bed, I spotted a chair and a small table at the bedside, along with an extinguished candlestick. Everything was something I'd never seen before.
However, by rolling around, something completely familiar came into view — my own hands and hair.
I reached out my hands, tugged at my hair, and confirmed that my appearance hadn't changed at all from when I was Mine.
...So it wasn't reincarnation. Then where on earth was I?
I tried to search my memories for what had happened before I lost consciousness. Come to think of it, right before I passed out,
"...Oh — could this be the Guild Master's house?"
He'd mentioned that they had a Magical Tool that could deal with the Self-Eating heat, so this was almost certainly the Guild Master's home. The level of luxury made sense now.
"Excuse me, is anyone here?"
My body felt heavy and I didn't want to get up, but I should at least assess the situation. Still lying at the edge of the bed, I sluggishly reached out and tugged at the curtain-like fabric hanging down.
Perhaps my voice was heard, because the curtain swayed and a stranger stepped inside the canopy.
"Ah, um..."
"Please wait just a moment."
"Huh? Oh, sure."
Unable to understand what was going on and unable to move, I waited while wrapped in the blanket. My body grew warm, and drowsiness crept over me.
Oh no, I'm getting sleepy again.
Just as I was starting to doze off, I heard a door open and close, followed by quiet footsteps approaching. Like when I'd been dozing off in class and snapped awake at the sound of the teacher's footsteps, my consciousness came flooding back.
"Mine, you're awake?"
The curtain fluttered, and pale cherry-blossom-pink twin tails peeked through. A figure carrying a lit candle stepped into the canopy.
"...Huh? Frieda?"
"Yes, it's me. How much do you remember about your situation?"
Frieda set the candle on the stand and sat down in the bedside chair. Sensing she wanted to talk, I started to sit up, but Frieda held me down.
"This time's heat must have been quite a strain on your body. You should stay as you are."
"Thanks. But if I lie down while we talk, I'll probably fall asleep..."
When I pushed myself up and sat on the bed, Frieda smiled wryly and said, "You shouldn't overdo it."
"So — my situation, right? I remember being at Benno's shop when the Self-Eating erupted and I was engulfed. ...The heat was so intense I couldn't handle it alone, but then it started getting sucked away somewhere. Frieda, was that you?"
Nothing like that rapid decrease had ever happened before. I was fairly sure she'd used the Magical Tool Benno had mentioned, but that raised a worrying question — had I just broken an expensive Magical Tool?
While the blood drained from my face, Frieda — the complete opposite — nodded gently several times with a soft smile.
"You're mostly correct. I crammed as much as I could into a Magical Tool that was on the verge of breaking. The Magical Tool did break, but I think Mine's Self-Eating heat has been significantly reduced. How does it feel?"
"Really good. But Magical Tools are supposed to be expensive..."
I asked with a pale face, and Frieda gave a very pleased grin as she told me the price.
"Yes. What just broke was two small gold coins and eight large silver coins. Benno said you would pay, Mine, but can you really afford it?"
When Benno had priced the additional information for Rinsham, he must have known the cost of this Magical Tool. Otherwise the figures were far too precise.
Huh? But wait, initially he'd quoted two small gold coins for the information fee. Wouldn't that have been short...
Sensing some discrepancy in Benno's words, I nodded toward Frieda.
"...I can pay."
"You really had that much? ...I missed my chance to take you in."
Frieda's eyes widened slightly in surprise, and she puffed out her cheeks with a hint of dissatisfaction.
"When you couldn't pay, the plan was to register you at my shop. Grandfather told me he'd informed Benno the Magical Tool cost one small gold coin and two large silver coins, so I was certain you wouldn't have enough even with advanced warning. Benno outmaneuvered me by a single coin."
I had turned down two small gold coins — good job, me! And Benno, who'd jacked up the information fee to the very last moment — truly a masterstroke!
If I ever took a job at a shop that set traps even with someone's life on the line, my delicate stomach would develop a hole!
As I sighed in relief, Frieda pouted her lips slightly.
"The Magical Tool just now was like scooping up water that was about to spill over from a cup. The water inside the cup isn't gone — as you grow, the amount of water will increase again. Do you understand?"
"Yes."
One year ago compared to half a year ago. Half a year ago compared to a month ago. A month ago compared to now. The Self-Eating heat had been growing steadily harder to manage, and after having it absorbed by the Magical Tool, it was calm again. It had decreased considerably, but it would grow again — and I knew that better than anyone.
"The troublesome thing is that the water increases faster than the container grows. So I think it will probably take about another year before it fills up again."
Because we both had Self-Eating, I could feel in my bones that Frieda's words were correct. When I nodded, Frieda adopted an expression deliberately emptied of emotion and spoke flatly.
"So, Mine. Think carefully and choose. Will you live as a kept prisoner of the Nobility? Or will you live with your family and let yourself rot away like this?"
"Huh?"
Frieda looked at my blinking eyes with a troubled smile.
"Magical Tools are fundamentally owned by the Nobility. Grandfather, upon learning of my Self-Eating, used his money to buy up broken Magical Tools that were worthless to the Nobility, so we still have a few in our house. But if you search elsewhere, I don't think there are any left."
"They're worthless and broken, and they still cost two small gold coins and eight large silver coins!?"
My eyes went wide, and Frieda blinked several times before tilting her head slightly.
"If you think of it as the price of a life, it's not all that expensive, is it? A properly functioning Magical Tool would require large gold coins. A Commoner with Self-Eating who wants to live has no choice but to sign a Contract to work solely for the Nobility, buy a Magical Tool, and spend their life as a kept prisoner repaying that debt."
The way Frieda explained it as though it were perfectly natural made me realize — Frieda herself must have received this same explanation over and over.
"...Could it be, Frieda too...?"
I asked if she had signed a Contract with the Nobility and purchased a Magical Tool, and Frieda smiled — a smile like a flower blooming.
"Yes. I've already signed a Contract with a Noble. I'm permitted to stay here until I turn fifteen and come of age. After the coming-of-age ceremony, I've been decided upon as a Noble's concubine."
"Wha—!?! You — you actually understand what 'concubine' means when you say it?!"
I couldn't believe those words were coming from the mouth of this adorable little girl. My jaw flapped open, and Frieda looked at me with surprise.
"...That reaction. So Mine, you do know what a concubine is?"
"Well, concubine, concubine..."
Those weren't words a six- or seven-year-old child would normally know. And to say with a straight face that she understood the meaning and that this was her predetermined fate was beyond belief.
"They also discussed making me a second or third wife, but apparently a formal wife brings complications with inheritance rights and the ranking among wives. Especially since our family has more money than even lower-ranking Nobility, Grandfather said it would likely cause unnecessary friction."
"EEEEEK! Guild Master! What kind of thing is that to tell a child?!"
I couldn't help but shout, and Frieda looked at me with a slightly sterner expression.
"Mine, this isn't someone else's problem. If you choose to live, you'll be living in the world of the Nobility. If you can't navigate it well, you might be killed for some other reason even with a Magical Tool. Information is crucial for protecting yourself. When things are kept hidden, you're the one in danger, you know?"
"I'm sorry. I was being thoughtless."
My peace-loving, soft-bubbled Japanese mentality still hadn't budged. This was a different world from the warm, comfortable one where I'd lived so serenely.
Frieda smiled wryly at my apology.
"Don't worry about it. My case is quite special. Grandfather is the Guild Master and does business extensively with the Nobility, right? People who want connections, people who come asking for support — I was able to choose an arrangement that was favorable for myself and my family."
"Favorable arrangement...?"
I tilted my head and asked, more out of the flow of conversation than anything, and Frieda opened her mouth with an expression that said, "What a great question!"
"I can have a shop in the Noble District. Not a room granted within my husband's mansion or a separate annex — my very own shop. The shop fees and living expenses come out of our pocket, but it's the same as having a branch in the Noble District, and it means I can do business I'd given up on because of the Self-Eating. I'm so excited!"
Frieda laughed with a sparkling, radiant smile.
Her whole being radiated how thrilled she was about her bright future, and I was the one who felt flummoxed.
"...I see. Frieda, don't you think about marrying someone you love?"
"Oh, Mine. What are you saying? Marriage is decided by the father either way, isn't it? You might choose from among several candidates, but you're still marrying whoever is decided upon."
"Oh... right."
Ah, my common sense, which was this place's nonsense.
Come to think of it, marriage partners were chosen by fathers. It was entirely about ties between families.
"So, the family is satisfied with having a base in the Noble District. I'll have to turn over thirty percent of sales to my husband, but I'll have my own shop, and by keeping physical distance from my husband, I can stay away from troublesome matters. For me, it's a very good deal."
Being told about a future as a concubine with such an adorable smile — even knowing our common sense was different, I felt conflicted.
"But for Mine, there are no advantages from the perspective of the Nobility, are there? My life might be one you'd envy even for my position as a concubine. Think carefully and choose a way of living that you won't regret even a little."
Ah, right. I also had Self-Eating, so I needed the protection of the Nobility to survive.
That meant: before the Self-Eating heat reached saturation again, I needed to decide my own path.
Be kept by the Nobility, or die together with my family.
"Thank you. I'll think about what to do. It was good to hear the details."
"Yes, there's no one around Mine who really understands, is there? If you have concerns about the Self-Eating, come to me. I think we're the only ones who can truly understand each other."
Self-Eating was such a rare condition that very few people knew about it. Having someone I could consult was genuinely reassuring.
"I've imposed on you enough. I should be going."
I could tell the room was growing steadily darker. It must be getting close to sunset. I needed to hurry home or my family would worry.
When the conversation ended and I tried to get off the bed, Frieda pushed me back down.
"I've already contacted your family, so it's fine. Please rest."
"Huh?"
"Your family was here until just a while ago today as well."
"Today as well? How long have I been unconscious?!"
I hadn't expected the date to have changed. When I stared wide-eyed, Frieda brought a hand to her cheek and tilted her head slightly.
"You were brought in just before noon yesterday, and today the sun is already setting. You were quite depleted, and it took a long time for your consciousness to return after the heat subsided. Even after you woke up, they decided to keep you here until the day after tomorrow's
All sorts of arrangements had apparently been made behind my back. Just imagining my family receiving those reports made my stomach hurt.
"Tomorrow morning
"Thank you, Frieda."
"Before you talk it over with your family, think carefully about your own opinion. ...If you're feeling better tomorrow, let's make those sweets we promised."
Frieda stood with a crisp movement, took the candle, and quietly left. My field of view plunged into darkness.
I'd meant to chew over what Frieda had said and think about various things, but my body craved rest. Even sitting up, my eyelids drooped heavily.
If I burrowed feebly into the blanket, there was no resisting the comfort, and my consciousness sank with a soft thud.
I'm sorry. That was false advertising.
Frieda has already signed a Contract with a Noble.
What choice will Mine make?
Next time, she finally interacts with Frieda.