Chapter 35

After the maid helped me take a bath, I ate a lot of snacks.

"Today, I'm going to Father's place."

Feeling sleepy after eating so much, I tried to stay awake. I climbed onto Daru's back, taking Carol and Korko with me, and headed to Father's room.

"Father!"

"What is it, my dear Luria?"

"Luria wants to study."

"You're already studying reading and arithmetic, right?"

I started learning to read and write and do calculations when I was three, and I've been continuing that. Now, I can read quite a bit from encyclopedias. Also, I can do multiplication and division with two-digit numbers.

"I'll continue studying reading and arithmetic. Luria wants to study history too."

"History, huh."

Father hesitated for a moment, then stared intently into my eyes.

"Father?"

"No, nothing. History, huh."

"Yep, history."

"Why do you want to study history, Luria? Do you want to hear stories about ancient heroes?"

"Hmm, not really. I'm more interested in the relationship between the Church and the royal family."

"…………!"

Father's eyes widened.

"What's wrong, Father?"

"No, nothing... Why do you want to know about the relationship between the Church and the royal family? And why history, of all things?"

"Hmm..."

I thought for a moment, organizing my thoughts. I don't think I need to hide what I'm thinking from Father. Of course, I can't say something like "I'm a reincarnated person."

"If the Church becomes too powerful, it seems like a lot of bad things could happen."

"That's... true."

"Also, I think you can't understand the relationship between the Church and the royal family without knowing history."

"That's indeed true."

"That's why I want to know. I asked the maid teacher, but she said she didn't know."

Father looked at me intently after I said that.

"Alright. I'll teach you after dinner."

"Huh? Father will?"

"Yes. Is that okay?"

"It's not that I don't want to... but aren't you busy?"

"It's fine."

"Okay. See you later! Thanks, Father."

I don't know why Father is teaching me himself, but I'm grateful for the help.

◇

After dinner that day, Father came to my room with a butler. My room is actually a study room next to the bedroom.

The butler brought a cart loaded with many books and placed them on the desk.

"Thank you, I really appreciate it."

"Thank you!"

Father thanked him, so I did too. It's only natural to thank someone for carrying heavy books for me. When I bowed, Daru and Carol also bowed slightly. On the other hand, Korko was sitting on the desk, closing her eyes; she might be sleepy.

"No, it's nothing at all."

The butler bowed deeply and left.

"Thank you, Father."

"It's fine. It's because you're my dear Luria."

"But I didn't expect Father to teach me."

Father is always busy.

"It's a highly political topic."

"Hmm?"

"Also, it's something that concerns you, Luria."

"Me too...?"

I didn't understand what Father meant by saying it concerns me.

"Don't tell anyone else what I tell you, okay? Can you promise that?"

"I can!"

"You're a good girl."

Father smiled, patted my head, and then sat down. My room has a nice desk and chairs that even adults can sit in. Of course, there's also a chair that's just the right size for me.

"What should I start with... Luria, come here."

"Okay."

Instead of sitting in a chair, I sat on Father's lap.

"Koko."

Korko climbed onto my lap, so I petted her.

"Let's see. I'll start with the beginning of the Farnese dynasty. That's the best way to understand the relationship between the Church and the royal family."

"Thank you, Father!"

"Okay, which one should I use?"

Father hesitated for a moment, then chose a book and opened it.

"Wow~"

It was filled with tiny text. Daru sat on the floor, Carol perched on the desk, and Korko watched from my lap, as if they were reading along.

"It's a difficult book. Luria, you can't read it yet, so I'll explain."

"Please do!""Woof""Kykyu""Koko"

Two hundred years ago, a great disaster occurred, and many people died. Despite this, the Holy Royal Family not only failed to take any action but also tried to squeeze more labor and wealth from the people.

"The number of people who died due to the Holy Royal Family's misrule was even greater than those who died in the disaster."

"...That's terrible."

"Yes, it was very terrible."

While listening to the story, I also glanced at the book Father had opened. He seems to think I can't read difficult books, but I can. I noticed a word that caught my attention.

"Seijo?"

"Hmm? Good job, you can read it."

"I can! What's Seijo?"

"Occasionally, a daughter beloved by the spirits was born into the Holy Royal Family."

"Wow."

It seems the royal family was called the Holy Royal Family because a holy maiden was born into it.

"But this Seijo, did she do bad things?"

"You can read such a difficult book? You're amazing, Luria."

"Hehe."

Father praised me and patted my head with his large hand, making me blush.

"The last holy maiden of the Holy Royal Family, as recorded here, is said to be a fake."

"A fake?"

"Yes, after the day the church was destroyed by divine punishment, she stopped performing miracles and could do nothing during the great disaster."

It seems this holy maiden was the princess who bullied me.

"In the end, she was stoned... No, let's not go into that. She was punished by the people."

Stoning is a very cruel punishment, where people throw stones to slowly kill someone. Father seemed to consider that it wasn't appropriate to tell such a cruel story to a five-year-old like me.

However, I already know about cruel punishments.

In my past life, the holy maiden herself taught me about them. Of course, not out of kindness. To scare and bully me, she described the details of cruel punishments to me when I was young. After seeing me cower, she laughed and threatened to use those punishments on me whenever she wanted.

That night, I was so scared that I hugged a goat and fell asleep while Loa petted me.

"Hmm."

I hugged Father's arm tightly. Korko, sensing something, chirped "Koko" and pressed her body against me.

"What's wrong, Luria? Are you sleepy?"

"No, I'm fine. I'm not sleepy."

I'm not scared now. Maybe it's because Father is holding me. Also, Korko is close, and Daru and Carol are watching over me.

"I want to hear more!"

"Okay, let me know if you get sleepy."

Father patted my head and resumed his explanation.