The Reincarnated Villainess Whose Romantic Trauma From Her Past Life Is Too Strong Is Sweetly and Painfully Doted On by the Prince of the Neighboring Country - Chapter 38

—Even without money, the days continued to pass.

Before his high school entrance exams, Ryuto, now a third-year in middle school, seemed to worry about the Makita family’s financial situation. He declared to Chieri and her grandmother, “I’m not going to high school. I’ll start working once I graduate middle school.”

“Ryu-chan, not going to high school…? Are you worried about money?”

“…………”

Ryuto replied to his grandmother’s question with a tight-lipped silence. Both Chieri and her grandmother understood that this was a silent affirmation. Upon seeing Ryuto’s reaction, her grandmother looked to Chieri as if asking what they should do.

This grandmother was at her core, a truly kind person, but she was a sheltered “lady” from a wealthy upbringing. Back when her grandfather managed the house, she had never known financial struggle, and even after they became poor, Chieri had been the one to handle all the financial planning.

Thus, whenever a problem involving money arose, she relied entirely on Chieri.

Chieri didn’t resent this. In fact, she was grateful to her grandmother for never complaining about their impoverished circumstances despite her upbringing, and for always making sure the atmosphere in the house remained bright.

Sensing her grandmother’s gaze, Chieri took a small breath and spoke to Ryuto across the low dining table.

“…I thought you might say something like that, Ryu-kun.”

He was a boy who felt guilty even about buying new clothes because he was so conscious of the family’s finances. It was easy to imagine him suggesting he skip high school.

“I appreciate the sentiment. But we don’t live in that kind of era anymore. So, as long as you don’t hate studying or school, my wish is for you to go to high school at the very least.”

As she spoke, Chieri pulled a flyer from the back of a drawer where she kept important documents and slid it in front of Ryuto.

On it were the words: High School Tuition Support Fund System.

“I looked into it beforehand. Nowadays, the government provides support so that children who want to go to high school can study properly.”

Ryuto stared at the paper Chieri had gently pushed toward him, a faint tremor of agitation visible in his eyes.

“…To be honest, I’d much rather see you become a fine adult by going to high school, then university, and getting a job at a good company, rather than having you force yourself to work as a middle school graduate just to repay us.”

Chieri spoke calmly, without being pushy. This was her hope, not necessarily Ryuto’s. If he truly, from the bottom of his heart, hated school and didn’t want to go, she had no intention of forcing him.

However, living with Ryuto every day and seeing his life in middle school, Chieri knew that he didn’t dislike school or studying at all.

“Even I was allowed to go to high school. …I didn’t make nearly as many friends as you have, Ryu-kun, but I’m still glad I went. Looking back after it’s over, your time as a high schooler isn’t something you can return to just because you think, ‘Oh, I should have gone.'”

“………………”

“And this is just my own personal selfish desire, but I really want to see you wearing a high school uniform and just being a high school boy.”

When Chieri finally showed him a soft smile at the very end, a single drop fell onto the clenched fist resting on the boy’s lap.

One drop, then another.

From the boy’s bowed head, teardrops began to dot the back of his hand and his knees.

Eventually, Ryuto desperately struggling to hold back his rising sobs and unable to speak gave a small, firm nod. Seeing this, Chieri felt a wave of relief and gently stroked the shoulder of the boy who had become like a brother to her.

No one could truly know how much Chieri’s heart was eased at that moment.

(…Thank goodness. A good kid like him shouldn’t be forced to live a life consisting of nothing but holding back and enduring.)

As she stroked the shoulder of the boy who was finally crying openly in front of them for the first time, Chieri felt this from the bottom of her soul.

However, it never even occurred to Chieri herself that she, too, was someone who should have had an adult tell her those very same things.

Then, about half a year passed.

Atop a cramped shelf in the Makita house, a family photo of the three of them standing together in front of a large sign reading “Entrance Ceremony” came to be displayed. No one else in the family knew that Chieri had been on the verge of tears when she set it there.

This morning, as always, Chieri woke up earlier than anyone else, got dressed, and stood in the kitchen to make lunch boxes for herself and Ryuto.

The life was poor, but a calm and warm time certainly flowed there.