Chapter 38: Suspicion Toward the Third Daughter

Suddenly—but it had to be said—Ghislaine was no longer young.

She was turning forty this year. If she had chosen the path of a wife and mother, it wouldn’t be strange for her to already have grandchildren. In fact, my grandmother in my previous life had been around Ghislaine’s age when she welcomed her second grandchild.

It was an age when most people began to show signs of decline. That was why, when I got the rare chance, I wanted to help her relax—to gently wash that slightly hunched back of hers in the bath.

"Wow…! Your back feels like solid rock!"

"Heh, what do you think, Edith? I’m not over the hill just yet, am I?"

Her back was incredible—muscular and powerful, even more so than Mother Eris’s. To call her “aging” felt absurd. Just running my hands along her back, I could feel the strength she still carried.

Father once told me that, back when he served as the Boreas family’s tutor, he had asked Ghislaine to let him study her physique to create a training mannequin. He’d said that seeing her steel-like body had inspired him to train harder himself.

As someone who was once male—and as a swordsman—I wanted to be like Ghislaine too.

"Ghislaine… please stay just like this forever, okay?"

"Hm? Ah… well, I like who I am now, so I’ll do my best."

She replied softly, her tone warm. Surely, she would remain strong until the day I became a true swordsman myself.

I felt relieved. I’d feared that I might not get the chance to surpass her while she still wielded her sword. I wanted to stand above her one day—to repay the debt I owed as her disciple.

"You really look happy. Did you miss me that much?"

"Of course! I admire you, Ghislaine. Nothing makes me happier than being able to show you how much I’ve improved through my training!"

When I puffed out my chest and said that, she smiled at me—clearly pleased.

The next day, Ghislaine spent a little time in the garden chatting with Grandma Zenith before returning to Asura.

I can still picture the sparkle in her eyes when I handed her the lunch basket I’d packed—stuffed full of meat.

"All done, Lara. You were so good and quiet, weren’t you?"

"Aah."

The baby puffed out her chest slightly, as if to acknowledge my praise. This was our third daughter, Lara. She rarely cried or laughed, only making small sounds when she needed to.

Mother Roxy sometimes worried that she might have given birth to a child too quiet for her own good—but that wasn’t it. Lara’s eyes clearly held intelligence. She was calm because she understood.

"Lara… where did you come from, I wonder?"

"Uu."

She tilted her head a little and looked toward Mother Roxy. That was all—but it was enough. There was no mistaking it. She understood every word I said.

After watching how she reacted during my conversation with Ghislaine, I was certain. Lara was like me—a reincarnator. And I already had a good idea whose soul she carried.

While still in Mother Roxy’s womb, Lara had been targeted by the Human God. To protect her, a guardian beast had been summoned—Leo, a sacred being among the beastfolk. According to Ghislaine, Lara would one day set out on a journey with Leo, as a savior of the world.

Most likely, Lara’s true identity was the reincarnation of the Beast God Giger.

Unlike me, who had reincarnated by accident, the gods of this world intentionally carried their memories into new lives. Lara was probably born as the vessel of the Beastfolk’s deity.

With Father and Mother as her parents, she had both the talent and the perfect environment to grow stronger.

That much was fine. No matter what her soul’s origin was, Lara was still my little sister. As long as she wasn’t possessed by some evil god bent on harming our family, that was all that mattered to me.

But… would Lara feel the same way about us?

If she truly was the Beast God reborn, then to her, we—including Father—must seem like mere children. When she grew older, would she simply set off on a journey, never to return?

If that happened, Mother Roxy would surely blame herself. That was what worried me most.

Even I had a desire to one day journey to the mainland—to see how my family from my previous life was doing. By the time I arrived, my parents would likely have already passed away. But I still had to go—to settle things with who I used to be.

The maps of the Asuran continent didn’t include the mainland, but I knew Father had been there before. Someday, I would make that pilgrimage myself.

Still, that was all in the future. My real family was here, in this house. This was my home.

Would Lara one day come to feel the same?

As I pondered that, Lilia approached and gently patted my head.

"There’s nothing to worry about, Lady Edith. Lady Lara may be a quiet child, but she isn’t unwell."

"Lilia… what makes you so sure?"

"Hehe… because she’s just like young Master Rudeus was. I’m sure she’ll grow up to be smart and kind, just like him."

"Just like Father…"

So it was the bloodline, then. Father truly had been a prodigy—it wouldn’t be strange if he’d shown wisdom even as a baby. If Lara inherited that, it made perfect sense.

But that still didn’t explain how she could connect with Ghislaine or Leo. There had to be more to her than just talent…

Still, maybe there really was nothing to worry about.

If Lilia, who had known Father since his birth, said Lara was the same, then perhaps it was true. Even if our souls were different, the bonds of family would always connect us. That much would never change.

"Lara… I know you have a great destiny ahead of you. But while I’m here, please—let me protect you, okay?"

"Aaah."

It felt like she was reassuring me in return. There was a quiet dignity in her presence.

Strange as it sounded, she seemed more suited to be the head of this household than even Father.