Chapter 51: The day [Ryuko Kaida] was born.

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Translator: Soafp

Happy 1 year anniversary!

[Rushia/Ryuko Pov]

　I am Ryuko Kaida.

　I am the granddaughter of Kogen, the chairman of the Kaida Group.

　This is a story from when I was still [Ryuko], not [Rushia].

　It was my fifth birthday.

　I was sitting next to my grandpa …… in my mourning clothes.

　In the mansion that was my home, there was a group of people in attendance, also dressed in black.

　Today, …… the funerals of my father and mother were being held.

“…… Did you hear that Ryuko-sama’s parents died in an accident?”

“……They said their plane crashed.”

“…… Poor Ryuko, she’s only five years old.”

　I could hear the whispering of the attendees.

“…… What about the Kaida family?　Ryuko-sama is a girl, you know?”

“…… because the next head of the family, Suekawa-sama, died before delivering a baby boy. ……

　Suekawa Kaida.

　That’s my father’s name.

“…… Kogen-sama is very old, and Ryuko-sama is a woman.”

“…… May be the end of the Kaida family.”

　I was the only child of my father.

　The Kaida family was an old family, and it was decided that only boys would inherit the family.

　In other words, …… I could not be the head of this family.

“Ryuko.”

　Grandpa smiled reassuringly and hugged my body.

“You don’t have to worry about a thing. Leave everything else to your grandpa, and live your life as you like. Don’t worry about the house.”

　Grandfather told me to live the way I want.

　But I couldn’t …… do that.

“No, [Grandfather]. I can’t do that.”

“Ryuko ……”

　…… From that moment on, I stopped calling Grandfather “Grandpa.”

　It was because I could no longer be a child.

“The Kaida family is not finished yet. It’s not a problem if I get a husband and give birth to a baby boy.”

“Ryuko……, but …… that would be taking away your freedom, wouldn’t it?”

Marry a man and have a child.

　Just to keep this family alive.

　As my grandfather said, it meant the disappearance of myself as an individual.

“You are a woman and still a child. I want you to live a free life, not tied down to a house. Be happy with the man you love.”

“Then what will happen to this house?　I’m the only child of my father’s …… Suekawa, you know?”

” We adopt children from other places. ……”

“You can’t allow the Kaida bloodline, which runs through this family, to die out, can you?”

　Grandfather was silent.

　He gave me a gentle hug.

“You are stubborn …… Just like Suekawa, your father. I’m …… sorry.”

　And so, as Ryuko Kaida, I was burdened with the fate of living as a mother, only to give birth to the next head of the family.

　After that, I threw myself into my practice.

　This was something I volunteered to do.

　I was taught tea ceremony, Japanese dance, manners, and other knowledge and education necessary to be a woman of Kaida.

　I devoted myself to the practice day in and day out.

　…… Because if I stopped, I would be crushed by grief.

　But before …… I went to bed, I always cried.

“…… why, …… why.”

　I was always crying like that.

　Why was I born in this family?

　Why should I be burdened with such a fate?

　I had no reason to be born, no reason to live.

　It’s not just the fact that I was born into the Kaida family, or that my parents died, or that I’m going to give birth to the next head of the family, that I can’t do anything about …….

　Just as the apple you throw falls to the ground, so does the sun set at night.

　I had given up on …… the idea that my existence here and now was a fate that could not be changed.

The way I live, the meaning of life, everything about me is given to me by the heavens.

　The woman of the Kaida family.

　The granddaughter of Kogen.

　The people around me, and even myself, look at me that way.

[As expected of Ryuko-sama!　You are very good at it!]

[As expected of Kogen-sama’s granddaughter, she’s magnificent!]

　No matter what I do, everyone says so.

　I’m Kaida’s girl, so it’s no wonder I can do it.

I’m respected by everyone because I’m the granddaughter of a highlander.

　…… I wonder who in the world will see me as me.

　No matter where I go or who I meet, I am seen and treated as a member of the [Kaida] family, not as me.

　Even my grandfather, my only immediate family.

　He looks at me through colored glasses as the poor granddaughter who lost her parents.

　Grandfather, , Niekawa, and the other servants.

　They are all kind to me.

　…… They just treat me with excessive gentleness, as if they were touching a boil.

　Someone. I want someone to see me as I really am.

　I want someone to treat me as a normal girl.

　I have longed for that many times.

　But no matter what I did, no matter who I met, I was always just Ryuko Kaida.

　It’s been about ten years since my parents died.

　I was 16 years old and in high school.

“Young lady, I’m here to pick you up.”

　A huge limousine was parked in front of the school.

　The one who got out of the driver’s seat was a big man in black, Saburo of the Niekawa family.

　The Niekawas have been our servants for generations, and Saburo is my bodyguard and driver.

“Thank you.”

　I asked Saburo to open the door for me and sat down inside.

　Saburo starts the limousine.

“Young lady, today’s schedule is …….”

“Tea practice, right?”

“Actually, your tea teacher has an emergency.”

“I see. ……”

“Yes. So, now that you’re free, what do you want to do?”

　When asked what to do ……, I was at a loss for an answer.

“…..What am I going to do?”

　I curled up on the seat.

“You’re not going out with your friends or anything?”

“…… Saburo, we both know what you’re saying. I don’t have any friends.”

　The granddaughter of Kogen Kaida .

　He is the only immediate family member of the chairman of the Kaida Group.

　My classmates distanced themselves from me.

　Naturally.

　I’m the daughter of the most powerful family in Japan.

　I don’t think they would want to get close to someone like that.

　They probably thought that if they were displeased with me, they would not be able to live in Japan …….

　That’s how influential the Kaida group and your grandfather are in Japan.

“Don’t you want friends?”

” …… don’t care. I’ve given up.”

　I stared blankly at the drifting landscape outside.

　Then …… Saburo said something like this.

“Young lady, would you mind accompanying me on a little shopping trip?”

“Shopping?　I don’t mind, but …… where are we going?”

　Saburo turned around, smiled and said

“Akihabara.”

　This was my first visit to Akihabara.

” Young lady, come here, come here.”

“A-ah, …….”

　I was confused by the sheer number of people.

　I had been practicing every day without a break, and I had never gone anywhere for fun.

　I had never had the opportunity to come into contact with the outside world, so this was my first encounter with the downtown area.

“Well, Saburo ……, what are you going to do?”

“It’s the release date of the Light novel I want.~”

“vel, no…..?”

　I had never heard that word before.

“Light Novel what’s that?”

“Oh, I knew it ……!　Follow me, Young lady.”

　Saburo took me to a bookstore called Merombukusu.

　It was a bookstore with a store in the basement.

　As soon as we entered, a peculiar smell hit my nostrils and I frowned.

“Young lady, you can’t go to that area.”

“Eh?　Why not?”

　There was a banner that said, “18 Forbidden,” and the area was divided into sections.

“It’s a zone for gentlemen only.”

“Haa……”

　Saburo beckoned me to come over here, and I came to a certain area.

“This. This is a light novel!”

　What Saburo handed me was a book called “Digital Masters”.

“Digital Masters ……, authored by Kamimatsu ……, is this a light novel?”

“Yes, that’s right!　It’s a very popular work on the Internet, and it’s finally been published in book form!　I’ve been wanting to buy it.”

“Fuun. ……”

　I couldn’t understand most of what Saburo was saying.

　As I flipped through the pages, I realized that it was a novel.

“Would you like to read it, young lady?”

“Eh, ……?　No, I’m good.”

“But you’re not busy today, are you?　Then read it!　Let’s share the emotions!”

　Impressive.

　Saburo said he could cry reading it.

“Can a novel make you cry, ……?”

“Of course!　Exciting, thrilling, and naughty, …… novels are great entertainment!”

　I still couldn’t understand a word he was saying.

　But …… he seemed to be really enjoying himself as he talked about it. ……

　If it can make you feel like that, …….

“…… I think I’d like to read it.”

“Okay!　I’ll get it for you, young lady.”

　Before hurrying …… to the cashier, Saburo went into the section of the store that was forbidden for 18.

　In a short time, Saburo came back after paying.

“Sorry to keep you waiting!”

‘What were you doing in that “18 section” when you were so late?”

“I was choosing a side dish!”

“Side dishes……?　Do they sell lunchboxes?”

“It’s a side dish that only gentlemen can eat. Come on!　Let’s go home!　And don’t tell my sister, Ichika.”

　We got into the car and left.

　A book …… [Digital Masters] was given to Saburo.

　He gave me a copy of the book [Digital Masters], which was labeled as the first volume, and I looked it over without thinking.

“Digimas is really interesting, you know!”

“…………”

“The author, Kamimatsu, is a god!　He writes amazing works that make you cry, laugh, and get excited, and he writes them at a very fast pace.”

　…… I was shedding tears like a waterfall.

　For a while, I couldn’t think of anything else, and I was just dumbfounded and immersed in the aftermath of the story’s creation.

“W-what the matter?!　Young lady!

“…… No, I’m sorry. It’s just …… I’m just …… impressed. ……”

　Digimas was a tremendous work.

　Even though I had never been exposed to anime, manga, or any other form of entertainment, I was able to …… enjoy it.

　I was able to read and enjoy that piece.

　A lot of emotions flowed into my heart.

　I was able to cry, laugh, and get excited about ……, as Saburo calls it.

“It’s really …… wonderful …… this light novel thing …….”

　While reading this story, I was liberated from being Ryuko Kaida.

　I was emotionally invested in the main character, Ryo, the heroine, Chobi, and the other characters in the story, and I was on a journey of adventure.

　Only when I was following the characters with my eyes, I left reality and had the best time in my imaginary world …….

　Oh, how …… wonderful …… light novels are.

“Did you like it?””

“Oh!　Saburo, do you have any more?　More of this stuff?”

“Of course!　I’ve got plenty in my room!”

“I see!　Let me read them!　All of them!”

“Okay!　All right, now that we’ve decided that, let’s get on with it!　I’ll lend you all my best of my best novels!”

　Thus, I, who was none other than Ryuko Kaida, became interested in light novels.

　I asked Saburo to lend me some novels, and I was hooked.

　In particular, Digimath was my favorite.

　……As a woman of Kaida family, I was destined to be born and die as the mother of the next head of the family in my gray world.

　It was a true, divine work that gave me color.

　I’ve read the book version, which I let Saburo buy for me, and I’ve also read the web version up to the latest episode.

　I can’t wait to read the rest of the story. ……

　And somehow, I came to think this way.

“I want to write a novel like Digimas. ……”

　This led to an encounter with a man who would later change my fate forever.