Under the weak light of the oil lamp, I scribbled furiously.

  I felt that these few days, I keep hearing the same voice.

  “.……Hm……”


  After I finished writing, I set the pen in my hand down and stretched. It wasn’t a creaking sound, but something slightly heavier than that, resounding through my body.

  The moment my arms extended straight, my body relaxed against the chair, my arms lazily dropping to the chair’s arm. Although it was quite an uncultured way to sit, right now since I was alone it was fine.

  In this position where my field of vision had become lower, I picked up the document I had just written and stared at it……

  Yep. Today’s work was finished as well.

  Speaking of which……right, thinking of the fact that I hadn’t taken a single step out of this room since I entered it brought a bitter smile to my face.

  If Tanya hadn’t reminded me, I probably wouldn’t even have remembered to eat.

  When I was concentrating, I had the habit of ignoring everything around me. This was a trait that I shared with the previous version of myself before I had recalled all the memories from my past life. To say that it was imprinted in my soul was not an exaggeration.

  “.……Excuse me.”


  A knock at the door. Tanya walked into the room.

  “I saw that the light was on, so I guessed……you seem to still be working.”


  Tanya looked quite concerned and let out a sigh.

  I laughed at her reaction.

  Coming back from the capital, I felt that Tanya had changed. In a good way, of course.

  Should I say it was as if something troubling her had disappeared, or something tense inside her had relaxed……there was a certain gentleness to it.

  “Please forgive me for speaking out of turn, but you should rest. Perhaps I don’t understand how important your duties are……but what I do understand is that if you collapse from exhaustion again, that will cause any progress on them to slow down.”


  It’s just that she spoke in pretty much the same way.

  “Heh heh heh, you’re right, you’re right. I was thinking that it was about time to rest as well.”


  “That’s good to hear.”


  “But before then, I want to hear your report. I was thinking that you should have finished up by now, so I was waiting for you here.”


  “Then……I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to make you wait.”


  “I was the one who insisted on waiting. It’s fine. Show me the report.”


  As I read the file she handed to me, I listened to her explanation, which was filled with personal insights not recorded on the page.

  “.……I see.”


  I burned what I had read in the fire of the oil lamp. If there was a fireplace I would have used that, but unfortunately in the mild weather of this place, there was no such thing.

  Even so, there were plenty of files that couldn’t be read by anyone else. Especially in my study, where I carried out most of my work.

  That was why I poured some coarse sand into the vase that was set up at the front end of the desk, and threw the burning file in.

  “So it seems that there are people with those views……after all……”


  “.……It’s a pity. Humans are such capricious creatures. If they don’t have something unshakeable holding them down, they are even more so. So even the most uncorrupted organizations will have members who waver. There’s nothing we can do about that.”


  “Yes. I know that all too well……that humans are capricious. No matter what, I’ve experienced that myself. But it’s more than that, isn’t it, Tanya? You can say it out loud. When a little girl like me takes over, I’m likely to be looked down upon.”


  “That……”


  “Whatever, forget it. It’s not something we can solve by talking about. All right, Tanya. Go and gather everyone up. Location……hm. How about the newly constructed church?”


  “Understood. Do you really mean everyone?”


  “Yes. To be honest, after hearing your report, although I can guess what kind of actions those people will take in the future……I still want to see them again. Well, they probably won’t show up anyways.”


  “Understood.”


  “But either way, Tanya, it’s quite impressive that you could go into so much depth with your research. Have you been improving your skills?”


  “Of course. For you, milady. Plus, information is ultimately just information. It’s only because you trust me and use the information I bring to you that they realize their ultimate value.”


  True. Information is intangible. If it’s mistaken then it’s just a regular rumor, or a result of wishful thinking. To filter the truths from the mix and trust them is very difficult.

  “.……Tanya, to you, what am I?”


  “You’re the ‘unshakeable part of my existence’.……my pillar, my support.”


  “Is that so? Tanya, you will not waver. Because I can sense that, you’re as good as a second pair of eyes and ears. That’s why I can trust and use the information that you bring me.”


  “I am highly honored, milady.”


  “.……All right, I’m going to bed. Tanya, please help with cleaning up.”


  “Understood.”