Chapter 11: A world with magic
After that, for several days, I continued my life of sleeping and waking up on the bed. During those days, the middle-aged maid, Maya-san, would come to my room from time to time and talk to me about various things. Perhaps she was trying to be considerate of me.
For someone like me, whose memory only contains experiences of modern everyday life, I didn’t know how to respond to an older maid who was taking care of me. So, I simply answered with a “Thank you” and bowed my head. And every time I woke up from sleep, I hoped to wake up as Reiko, but that never happened.
And as I woke up still as Rachel, I examined the information around me for the past few days and contemplated what the current situation was like.
There was no electricity, no air conditioning, and occasionally, I could hear horse carriages outside the window. From this situation, it seemed like this was a society similar to medieval Europe, and it was certain that I was a noblewoman. However, it was unusual to be called by my full name or title inside the house, so I didn’t even know how much of a noble I was or what my surname was, let alone my family name.
With no further information available as it is, I found myself in a deadlock where I couldn’t do anything without taking some action. So, I decided to speak to Maya-san, who had come to check on me.
「Um, uh… Maya-san.」
「Yes, what can I do for you, Rachel-ojousama?」
It was rare for me to initiate the conversation, so Maya-san responded with a smile.
「W-well, it seems like I’ve lost my memories…」
At my words, Maya-san’s smiling face quickly changed.
「Rachel-ojousama… To what extent have you lost your memories?」
“…I don’t even remember anyone’s faces or names…”
As I answered Maya-san, who was peering into my face, she exclaimed, “Oh my!” and started to look flustered with a distressed expression.
“R-Rachel-ojousama! Please wait a moment!”
Maya-san bowed deeply and hurriedly dashed out of the room.
I couldn’t help but feel sorry for Maya-san’s flustered state, but I couldn’t just continue without knowing anything. Since I only had memories of Reiko, I had no choice but to confess that I had lost my memories. Without doing so, nothing would start.
However, after telling Maya-san about my amnesia, instead of the usual check-ins every 30 minutes, it seemed like it had been two or three hours, and Maya-san still hadn’t appeared. I began to wonder if confessing my amnesia was a mistake. Just as I was thinking that, there was a knock on the door.
Maya-san led the way, followed by a man who appeared to be my father, addressed as “Master,” and a woman in a white robe. Then, the Master approached right beside the bed.
“Rachel, is it true that you have amnesia?”
“Y-Yes…”
Though it was merely a confirmation, the Master’s tone was firm, causing me to feel a bit intimidated.
“Do you know my name?”
It was quite rude to admit, but since I had only been addressed as “Master,” I didn’t know his name, even if he was the most important person in the house and my father. So, I replied with my head bowed.
“…I don’t know.”
Upon my response, the Master closed his eyes tightly. Then, after a moment, as if resigning to something, he opened his eyes and turned to the woman in the robe behind him.
“Can you handle this…”
“Understood, Stave-kyou*.” (TN: Lord Stave)
Since I didn’t know how to address nobility, I wasn’t sure if “Steve” referred to the Master’s name or the family name. However, when the woman in the robe responded to the Master as “Lord Steve,” she stepped forward towards me.
Seeing my earlier uncertainty about not even knowing my father’s name, the woman in the robe smiled reassuringly at me.
“Don’t worry. You’ll be fine soon.”
With those words, she waved her hand over me, muttering something under her breath. As she did so, her hand began to emit a pale blue glow.
‘What!?’
My eyes widened at the shocking sight. It wasn’t something she was holding that was glowing—it was her hand itself!?
Seeing my reaction, the woman in the robe lowered her hand.
“How is it?”
The Master addressed the woman in the robe.
“Please wait a little longer.”
The woman in the robe responded as she took out an object resembling Sun Wukong’s headband from her cloak and placed it on my head. She then raised her hand again and began chanting something. Suddenly, a magical circle materialized in the air above the headband.
Such a sight had never been documented in the modern world where Reiko lived. It looked like magic straight out of a movie or a video game!
I was bewildered by this shocking reality. I had been wondering if I had time-traveled to medieval Europe, but in the history I knew, there was no record of visible magical technology.
So, what was happening? One word floated to the forefront of my mind:
‘Reincarnation in another world.’
Could such a thing really happen?
Was this truly not a dream?
As these thoughts swirled in my mind, the woman lowered her hand, and the glowing magic circle above my head vanished.
“Is she cured?”
The Master questioned the woman. However, she made a regretful expression and shook her head.
“Even with holy magic for healing and mental magic for analysis, there were no results… I couldn’t find any clues.”
“I see… it won’t come back…”
The Master closes his eyes and looks up to the sky. Then, he exhales, lowers his face, and softens his expression.
“I’m sorry for making you come all the way here. I will pay the fee as promised, so don’t worry.”
“I’m sorry…”
The Master thanks the woman, then turns to Maya.
“Maya, please teach Rachel about her surroundings and about this house. Can I ask you to do that?”
“That’s easy, Master.”
Maya answers with a confident look. Then, the Master turns to me.
“Rachel, I know you’re suffering because you’ve lost your memory, but you can learn again. Do your best.”
“Yes, I’ll do my best…”
I felt a little forgiven by the Master’s soft, gentle smile.
