009

"How was your day today, honey? Feeling better?" Marquis Elandro asked as he finished cutting the thick, tender steak into bite-sized pieces and handed the plate to me, seated on his left side.

Marquis Elandro occupied the head of the table, with his wife Alisa on his right. The three of us shared a quiet dinner, the only sounds breaking the silence being the clinking of cutlery against plates, except when Marquis Elandro initiated a conversation.

I nodded slightly, feeling a mix of happiness and unease at receiving such attentive care.

"Mother brought three doctors to examine me after lunch, so I must be feeling quite well today," I replied, my focus still on the neatly arranged cutlery before me as I shifted my gaze between the fork and small knife, preparing to tackle the piece of steak.

Thanks to the memories that filled this body, I remembered all the etiquette and knowledge Eleanor had learned as a noble lady. I felt confident that my instincts would guide me as a refined noblewoman born into this role, diminishing the likelihood of any awkward social blunders that might raise suspicions in this kind of couple. After all, if I slipped up once or twice, they may attribute it to my recent accident.

Yet, I resolved not to lean too heavily on the idea of 'partial memory loss' as an excuse, for it could become ineffective over time.

'I can do this... It's just a matter of table manners, just more structured, no different from what I'm used to...' I repeated in my mind as if reciting an incantation.

'Please don't let my nervousness show...' I thought, finally grasping the silver fork and carefully piercing a piece of steak, chewing slowly and silently.

Marchioness Alisa smiled softly at my words, completely oblivious to my inner thoughts, before her glance shifted toward her husband. "Thank you for asking Doctor Rui to come. He mentioned he would consult several imperial knights who have had similar experiences to find safe treatment for Eleanor," she said.

Marquis Elandro nodded, satisfaction is evident in his expression. "Don't worry. Though he may seem timid and easily intimidated, his skills have been praised by the head physician of the imperial family. That's why he was promoted to head physician for the military forces."

'For someone who's timid and intimidated, why would he choose to serve in the military forces, where strong personalities abound and the pressure is relentless? Is it coercion from his superiors? Poor thing...' I mused, recalling my own struggles under a formidable boss.

I continued to listen silently, savoring the tender steak as I chewed, feigning disinterest in their conversation.

'He's still quite young; he's probably around the same age as my younger brother....'

The thought made me pause mid-chew, and suddenly the once-delicious flavor of the steak turned bitter on my tongue, creasing my forehead in unwitting distress.

'Has he eaten dinner yet? I hope he hasn't missed meals or resorted to eating strange foods here...'

Marchioness Alisa, seated across from me, perceptively noticed the subtle change in my expression and leaned in, her voice laced with concern.

"Does your head hurt again?" she asked softly, her tone trembling as she struggled to see her daughter in pain. Her motherly voice, rich with concern, lifted my spirits slightly, prompting me to nod obediently.

"... A little," I admitted, though the ache wasn't in my head but in my heart, as I missed my younger brother, whom I hadn't seen in five long years.

"What should we do...?" Marchioness Alisa asked, her voice quavering as she turned to Marquis Elandro, tears welling in her eyes.

Marquis Elandro gently patted Marchioness Alisa's shoulder, attempting to comfort his wife, who was softly sobbing with worry for their daughter, Eleanor.

"Let's conclude dinner for tonight. You should return to your room to rest, dear Eleanor. Don't worry, the doctor will come again tomorrow," Marquis Elandro said firmly, though a hint of anxiety laced his words.

With the head of the family's order, the kitchen staff swiftly began to clear away the remnants of our dinner, moving with practiced efficiency.

I paused, taking a moment to absorb the current situation, feeling the weight of my circumstances settle around me.

'Should I refrain from mentioning that my head hurts too often?'

The thought of another foreign doctor joining the previous three who had already examined me sent shivers down my spine.

I quickly got up from my seat and approached my parents, who were still watching me with anxious eyes.

"Though the pain relapses occasionally, it's just slight; there's no need for you to worry, Mother and Father!" I said, wrapping my slender arms around their shoulders. "Besides, I had plenty of rest this afternoon, and I really want to spend more time chatting with you both. It makes me sad to think our family dinner might end so quickly." I continued, adopting a pleading tone to capture their attention.

'I can't miss this important time together to gather more information about this family member!'

Elandro and Alisa exchanged glances, contemplating my words. They recalled that, before the accident, Eleanor had kept her distance from them due to her attendance at the academy.

After a moment of silence, Marquis Elandro nodded in agreement, ensuring his wife felt the same.

"Let's move to the family room in a moment. I'll have some maids prepare the fireplace and Eleanor's favorite snacks," Marquis Elandro instructed the butler, standing respectfully behind him.

"Yes, My Lord."

As my father gave additional instructions to several male servants, I found myself being gently led away from the dining room by my mother who had taken my thin arm in hers, guiding me toward the family room.

No longer in tears, Marchioness Alisa smiled slightly as she began reminiscing about Eleanor's childhood while we walked, our arms linked in the corridor.

I listened with interest, nodding at some clear childhood memories while frowning at parts I couldn't recall. Luckily, Marchioness Alisa was too engrossed in her storytelling to notice my confusion.

"Mom remembers particularly well the time you fell suddenly from that big tree," Marchioness Alisa said, pointing to one of the large glass windows lining the corridor. Through it, the expansive green scenery of the garden was visible, hinting at its grandeur and meticulous upkeep by skilled gardeners.

Following her gesture, I spotted the large, lush tree that stood out among the thick greenery, artfully arranged into a maze-like garden. I felt a pang of admiration for the artistic vision behind it.

"… Wasn't that tree a bit too big for me to climb when I was little?" I asked, unable to contain my curiosity.

Marchioness Alisa chuckled. "I thought so too! We were all confused at the time. We panicked because you didn't react at all. Thankfully, after a few minutes, you finally cried out because of a scrape on your knee."

My eyebrows twitched as I sensed something odd about her story, but I swallowed my questions for now and decided to continue listening to Alisa's tales of Eleanor's childhood—stories that felt a bit too distant for me to fully connect with.

As we walked, I chose to look ahead while Marchioness Alisa held my hand. Soon, we encountered a familiar figure standing alongside another, listening intently.

"Elandro." Marchioness Alisa smiled as she recognized him.

When he heard Marchioness Alisa's voice, Marquis Elandro stopped speaking to the male servants and quickly instructed them to disperse. He nodded at us, then walked over to embrace us both warmly as we entered a cozy room.

"Come in. Everything has been prepared; we can relax comfortably inside."

After settling in, we found ourselves on a large, comfy sofa in front of a warm fireplace that radiated comfort against the chill of the foreign night.

I sat between my parents, hugging a soft cushion like a doll. Marchioness Alisa, on my right, resumed sharing Eleanor's childhood stories, skillfully feeding me cookies as if I were still a child. Marquis Elandro, on my left, nodded along, a small smile gracing his lips as he watched the joyful interaction between the two women.

"Little Eleanor often cried when Eiser and Alger left her at home, wishing to go to the palace with them. However, you forbade it, making Eleanor cry even more, and ultimately scolded the two of them for secretly trying to bring her to the palace without our knowledge." Marchioness Alisa reminisced with a warm laugh, recalling the childhood of her three children.

I listened intently as my mother mentioned the names of the two men who were the older brothers of the body I inhabited: Eiser and Alger!

During dinner earlier, I noticed two empty chairs and remembered that the Eleanor I possessed had two older brothers. Both brothers also appeared in the novel's original plot, where they played significant roles, and Eleanor's memories of them were quite vivid since they were siblings.

Still, I wanted to hear more about them directly to gain a clearer picture.

Marquis Elandro frowned, clearly displeased as he recalled the story. "I need to scold them firmly so they'll never dare to do that to Eleanor again."

"It's alright, dear; that just shows how much they both love their little sister," Marchioness Alisa reassured him, shaking her head gently.

I glanced at the two of them while quietly nibbling on cookies.

'At least I'm sure that Eiser and Alger genuinely care about Eleanor. That aligns perfectly with the original plot,' I thought, nodding in satisfaction at this information that matched my expectations.

"By the way, this afternoon, Alger sent a message stating that he would return to the capital by tomorrow afternoon at the earliest," Marquis Elandro said, deliberately shifting the subject.