I Didn't Even Want To Live, But God Forced Me To Reincarnate! Chapter 151: Turning Seven

After that, time seemed to move by so slowly, yet so quickly. So hectic, yet so peaceful.

Nothing out of the ordinary happened, but each and every day felt so precious and colorful, unlike the grey and suffocating world that I also saw with my very own two eyes. However, the pair of eyes I used to view these two worlds were also different. Perhaps, all I needed to do back then was to exchange the eyes I used to view the world (literally). (*°∀°)

Or perhaps I still felt that my days were colorful despite the hectic days of being a special cla.s.s student due to my past life's knowledge...

Speaking of which, I spent my time peacefully during Luca's seventh birthday, perhaps thanks to the event that happened on his sixth birthday or due to the fact that I was together with Iris and Carbuncle too.

Still not accustomed to n.o.ble parties, Iris was a bit nervous, but she was fine. On the contrary, since we had to hide the fact that Carbuncle was actually a dragon from all the n.o.bles present, Carbuncle was portrayed as "the curious commoner friend" that we all befriended at school.

I felt my heart skipping a beat when I heard those insensitive n.o.bles who didn't even have the ability to control their voices' volume...

'What do we do if Carbuncle was enraged due to their comments?! It would surely be disastrous!' so I thought as I recalled Carbuncle being a prideful one.

Surprisingly, Carbuncle pa.s.sed by those insensitive n.o.bles without even changing her expression. But after she walked away from them...

"Ouch!"

"Hya?!"

"Kya!!"

"..."

When Carbuncle arrived near me, I heard her chuckling and muttering, "Serves you right!"

"...What did you do?"

"Hmm? Nothing, just giving them some electric shocks!"

"..."

Meanwhile, those n.o.bles...

"What was that?!"

"Was it static electricity?"

"But that hurt!"

The n.o.bles then were fussing about the electric shocks they received, but none of them suspected Carbuncle. After all, Carbuncle didn't even show any suspicious movement when she pa.s.sed by them, and she did that after she walked quite a distance from the n.o.bles.

Lesson learned: Never mess with Carbuncle!

Other than that incident, Luca's seventh birthday pa.s.sed by without a hitch. Iris' birthday was on Day 1 Month 5, but perhaps since she was an illegitimate child, her birthday wasn't celebrated in a n.o.ble party... Only her sixth birthday was celebrated.

Their reasoning? Well, since Iris was living in Harmonia Academy's boarding house, it would be hard for her to make a trip home.

But... they didn't even hold any kind of celebration for her. I meant, some of the n.o.ble children who were living in the boarding houses also preferred their birthday to be held in the school area, with most of the guests were their friends and relatives who visited. Only a few of them preferred their birthdays to not be celebrated at all.

No problem, though! In exchange, we held our own birthday celebration with Iris, though!

I would never forget Iris' happy face as she said, "I never expected that I could celebrate my birthday so warmly like this again!"

"Even if your birthday isn't celebrated by Sorreil family, we will always celebrate it like this, Iris!" I answered.

"Eh? N-next year and the year after that, too?"

"Next year, next next year, next next next year, and until when I have to return, I will also celebrate it with you!" Carbuncle added.

"...," Iris cast her eyes downward. After a short moment, she raised her face and smiled, "Un!"

...Let's pretend we didn't see your slightly red eyes... yes, let's not ruin a happy occasion with tears...

Thank goodness we heard of Iris' birthday from Harvey and planned her celebration like this. Else, I wouldn't find out and still thought that I'd get an invitation from Sorreil family for Iris' birthday later on...

And finally, it was my turn to have a birthday celebration!

Seven was always my favorite number, so I was happy I could taste my seventh birthday again... despite there was nothing special going on during one's seventh birthday.

As always, I couldn't sleep well the night before my birthday. I kept imagining how I should act upon meeting my past acquaintances again! Especially my past family!!

I couldn't guess if they'd come in full set again like my sixth birthday, or if it would just be Father and Domi or Father alone... Yup, though it was kinda "mandatory" for n.o.bles to attend other n.o.bles' parties, if they had certain conditions that obstructed them or if they came from a faraway place, they could decide to not attend or to just send representatives. Especially if it wasn't someone's sixth birthday, coming-of-age ceremony, wedding ceremony, and other special occasions.

Judging from my past family members' personalities... Mother who cared a lot for her image would most likely come. Domi as the future heir should be urged to come with Father. Clyde's mother... I didn't really know her... can't guess. Clyde... and Nicole... ugh, they were the heads of Loera clan now, so obviously they'd come... One of them, at least.

...Judging from Clyde and Nicole's reactions last time... They'd definitely come together again.

And my conjecture was correct.

Day 25 Month 7 Year 977, I was reunited with my past family members again.

"Happy seventh birthday, Lyra."

Domi accompanied Mother, coming right behind Father. Father had always been a man of a few words, so after giving me a greeting, he stepped behind to let Domi and Mother give their greetings.

"Ah... uhm, Domi...-san, thank you for last time on my sixth birthday..."

"No problem, but I can't do it every year for you, okay?"

"...Okay, thank you!"

...Did Domi see me as a naive child that was expecting to see another duel again?!

Even I could understand that the duel between him and Yuzuru last time was a very rare scene!! Hmph!!!

Perhaps Domi inherited Father's personality, as he didn't bother continuing our conversation and Mother took over the conversation. Mother congratulated me for turning seven and tried to flatter and flaunt me to gain my and my family's favor. I was her daughter, so I knew more than anyone else that this was just her "front".

Seeing Mother's figure once more, the same questions started to pop out in my curious mind again. I felt a little bit suffocated due to my mixed feelings, but I felt like this time was better than last year, when I saw her again for the first time ever since I was reincarnated.

Occasionally, Mother would try to involve Domi to the conversation, in order to have Domi curry our favor as well. Domi was... uhm, how should I put it... Domi reminded me of my past self. As Reinst. These reactions... this... "expresionless" face.

Yeah, I saw how Domi and the past me were really blood-related siblings, raised under the same circ.u.mstances.

As I looked at their backs after our conversation ended, I couldn't help but be worried of Domi's future.

Does he also think that his life is boring?

Is he burdened by others' expectations, especially Mother?

Can he truly feel "alive"?

Does he know that there's a lot more in life that he can enjoy?

I thought that since Domi was Mother's pride and joy, he would gain Mother's love and turned into a bright child that would radiate his happiness. ...and a bit spoiled.

However, it seemed that I was quite wrong. Despite him showing more consideration to others compared to me as Reinst (as viewed in my birthday last year), he made quite the same face as I did.

I was too engrossed with living up to Mother's expectations and carrying my family's pride and honor that I forgot to build meaningful relationships with others. That I forgot to really enjoy life. I realized now that I was too burnt out with all the training and fulfilling others' expectations that I forgot about "myself".

Though Domi and I never really bonded, he was still my younger brother. Despite me envying him ever since he was born, I didn't want him to feel how it felt like when you lost yourself.

But circ.u.mstances didn't allow me to indulge myself in this thought. People still came to talk to me, the star of today's party.

And then...

Here comes, Clyde and Nicole!!