Chapter 6

"......Lady Reia?"

(......What?)

"Milady Aurelia..."

Someone called her name, and Aurelia—

"......Daaaaaah!"

"Aaaaaah!?"

She had leaped up with a fierce battle cry, and the presence of Natalia, who was about to open the curtains, let out a scream and rolled over.

(This development... Could it be, the fourth life?)

The first time, it was suicide.

The second time, it was murder.

And the third time... it was an accident.

All of them were the outcomes after she had tried hard to be loved by Raul.

If she had to repeat the same time four times, what Aurelia should do is—

"......Natalia!"

"Y-Yes, what is it...?"

"I... will live as I please!"

She clenched her fist on the bed and thrust it towards the ceiling.

This time, she wouldn't fall in love with Raul... and wouldn't even get engaged.

If she didn't get engaged, Aurelia should be able to choose her own life.

(And this time, I will welcome the day after that night of the 18th birthday ball!)

Whatever curse it might be, she wouldn't lose.

...Aurelia had renewed her resolve, but with the young lady suddenly changing in the morning and Natalia screaming, her parents and brother rushed into her room for the first time since her second life, suspecting she was ill.

"Dear Reia. We have been thinking about your engagement recently."

"Is that so?"

"Yes. The candidate we are considering now is Lord Raul from the Gertrude family—"

"I don't want to, Father."

"Huh?"

On the evening of the day Aurelia started her fourth life, during the family tea time, Aurelia rejected her father's proposal with a full smile.

(In the past, when asked the same question, I would have replied, 'As you wish, Father,' but... I don't like what I don't like.)

It seemed that after repeating her life multiple times, Aurelia's personality had deviated significantly from her original one.

Her father, who had always been a quiet and unassertive daughter, was trembling in shock and confusion at her words, not out of anger but out of surprise.

"W-What's wrong, Reia? To refuse so firmly..."

"Is it not allowed?"

"N-No, it's not that. If my daughter has developed independence, I am happy, yes."

In the end, he accepted it easily because he was lenient with Aurelia. Even if she said, "I want to train and become the strongest female warrior in the kingdom," he would likely nod if she begged him.

Her father looked to his wife, Aurelia's mother, for help. In terms of children's education, the mother was more suitable than the father due to her personality.

The mother took a refined sip of tea and smiled at her daughter.

"To be so clear... Reia, you have never met Lord Raul, have you?"

In her past three lives, not only had she met him, but she had even punched him in the face by the end. But as her mother said, the current ten-year-old Aurelia had never met Raul.

(Back then, I was so shy, and when Lord Raul was kind to me on our first meeting, I got completely carried away...)

Now, thinking back, Raul probably intended to discard Aurelia once his family's finances improved, and he was just toying with the naive young lady.

She almost smiled wistfully but quickly reined it in, instead floating a ten-year-old's innocent smile.

"No, I haven't. But I want to find my future husband myself."

"What about Father!?"

"You should be quiet. ...We are happy that Reia is becoming proactive. Besides, the Pelle family is well-off, so there's no need to be picky about your marriage partner."

Indeed, if the Pelle family were in financial trouble like the Gertrude family, they would have to be more careful about their daughter's marriage.

But the Pelle family was secure for at least the next eight years, and her brother Reinhardt was a reliable person who would marry a wonderful young lady in seven years, ensuring a bright future. There was no need to be overly selective about Aurelia's marriage partner... ideally, they would like to form a connection with a slightly higher-ranking noble family.

(In my first life, I didn't understand any of this...)

Aurelia, who had to repeat her life four times due to some karmic reason, was fortunate to retain the experiences from her previous lives.

The etiquette and manners from her first life.

The social skills from her second life.

The knowledge and broad perspective from her third life.

She wanted to make full use of these in her fourth life.

...Aurelia was filled with hope, but her mother's expression was not so favorable.

"But, Reia, who has always been afraid of others and hid behind Reinhardt, can you really find a fiancé on your own...?"

"W-Well... I'll try my best!"

(I-I see. If I rush too much, I might be suspected.)

She had no intention of telling anyone that she was living her fourth life.

Actually, once—during her second life—she had hinted at it to her brother. But recalling his twisted smile and the fact that he had consulted their parents about whether Reia was cursed, and they had taken her to a church for exorcism the next day, she decided not to complicate things or create rifts in the family.

So, Aurelia tugged at her brother's sleeve, who was silently drinking tea.

"Brother, I want to find my future husband. But I'm scared and don't know much... Can you introduce me to your friends?"

"Of course, I will help you. I want you to have a marriage without regrets."

"Thank you, Brother!"

"If Reinhardt is with you, it will probably be fine."

Her mother smiled in relief, perhaps reassured by the presence of her reliable son. However, her father still looked uncertain, chewing his cookie with a troubled expression.

"But... if we focus too much on Reia, Reinhardt's search for a fiancé will be delayed. You've already been making excuses to avoid it."

Reinhardt looked uncomfortable, as his father's words were valid.

...But Aurelia knew.

(Brother has always liked his future sister-in-law. But she has been ill recently, and her family hasn't considered the engagement...)

The future sister-in-law would recover next year, and Reinhardt would finally bring his lover home to meet the family at the age of fourteen.

Of course, the current Aurelia had never met her future sister-in-law and was unaware of her brother's secret lover.

(But, Brother will be fine.)

"I won't be a burden to Brother. Besides, if Brother finds someone he likes, I will support his love this time!"

"Reia..."

Since Reinhardt and his future sister-in-law were almost certain to be together, what Aurelia could do was... avoid actions that might destroy their future. But since Reinhardt had successfully married even after her third life, there was no need to worry.

Seeing that Aurelia was on his side, Reinhardt looked relieved, and her father, who was weak for Aurelia, reluctantly agreed.

(...Alright! I will avoid the engagement with Lord Raul!)