Chapter 4: When It’s Your Second Life, Can You Even Eat Vegetables You Hate?

While heading toward Citrine’s study, Faustina was stopped by Ludmila.
Assuming she was about to be lectured anyway, Faustina unleashed everything she wanted to say first.
Ludmila, who likely never imagined her daughter would talk back, turned pale and froze on the spot.
Taking that chance, Faustina hurried to the study.

Inside, Citrine was glaring at some documents with a serious expression.
When he noticed Faustina, his face softened as usual, and he set the papers aside and beckoned her closer.

“What is it, Fana?
At this hour.”

“Yes.
I have a favor to ask you, Father.”

“A favor?”

If she were to say so herself, Faustina still did not have many material desires at this point.
After becoming engaged to Bernhard, she had wanted many jewels and dresses to become a woman worthy of him, but—

“There is an animal I would like you to buy for me as a birthday present.”

“An animal?”

Faustina explained that after reading the illustration and description of a call duck in an animal encyclopedia, she had desperately wanted to welcome one into her life and had come to consult him in advance.
Citrine made a troubled face.

“Hmm.
I see.
Keeping an animal and enjoying interaction with a living creature is a good thing.
However, Fana, you intend to take care of it yourself, don’t you?”

“Yes.
Since I’m the one asking, I want to take care of it myself.”

“But you must undergo queen consort training, Fana.
That is why you go to the castle so often.
On top of that, there are your regular lessons with tutors, etiquette, and dance practice.
There would be no time left for you to care for an animal yourself.”

At Citrine’s words, Faustina lowered her head.
Now that it was pointed out, he was right.
At times she went to the castle every morning for training, though it was currently on hold due to the queen’s busy schedule.
Her days were already filled with study and lessons, leaving no free time to care for an animal.

As Faustina felt dejected at her own shortsightedness, Citrine gently patted her head, his pale yellow eyes meeting hers.

“There’s no need to be discouraged.
The fact that you wanted to care for it yourself rather than leaving it to others shows a wonderful attitude.”

“Yes…”

“That reminds me.
Would you like to go to Mistle Lake sometime?”

“Mistle Lake?”

It was a large lake located about three hours away by carriage from the royal capital.
Because it was managed by the state, it was kept clean, and rare animals that lived only around Mistle Lake could be found there.

“If the timing is right, we might see swans resting their wings.”

“Swans?
I’ve only ever seen them in books.”

“It may feel novel to you, since you rarely leave the capital.
While Their Majesties are attending a ceremony in a neighboring country, I’ll have one day off.
Let’s go together then.”

“Yes!
What other animals live there besides swans?”

“That’s something to enjoy discovering once we arrive.”

“That’s true.”

Her birthday present request had failed, but she gained a wonderful promise in its place.
After Citrine patted her head again and said it was a promise, Faustina left the study in high spirits.
She walked down the corridor practically radiating joy, as though flowers might bloom around her.
Coming from the opposite direction was her younger sister Elvira.

“My, Sister.
You seem to be in a very good mood.
Did something happen?”

Seeing her sister’s cheerfulness, Elvira tilted her head in curiosity.
Faustina replied without losing her bright mood.

“Yes.
Father promised to take me to Mistle Lake.”

“Mistle Lake?”

“You should come too, Elvira.
We might see a beautiful lake and animals we’ve never seen before.”

“I’ll pass.
I’m not very interested.”

“Is that so?”

Faustina honestly felt it was a waste.
Since they rarely left the capital, the outside world should have felt fresh and exciting.
Of course, they would be accompanied by Citrine and several servants.

Faustina did not know what Elvira truly thought of her, but she cherished Elvira as her younger sister.
In her previous life, she had only seen her as the hateful woman who stole the heart of the man she loved.

After parting with Elvira, Faustina returned to her room and pulled out the notebook with [All About Faustina] written boldly on the cover.

Inside were records of the many misdeeds she had committed in her previous life, along with when, where, and what had happened.
She continued writing down everything she could remember.

“‘Yelling at Elvira in the guest room and lashing out at His Highness’ hasn’t happened yet since I haven’t encountered it.
Next is ‘At His Highness’s birthday party, Elvira wears a cuter dress than me, gets praised by him, and I get jealous and ruin everything by throwing grape juice on her’…
His birthday is two months from now.”

‘I only got polite compliments,’ she thought gloomily.
She also remembered the difference in Bernhard’s expression back then, even if Elvira’s praise might have been mere flattery, and shook her head.

The next morning, the entire family gathered for breakfast.

In the Wittgenstein household, no matter how busy they were, breakfast was always eaten together.
Lunch and dinner were often missed by Citrine due to sudden work.

Elvira made a sour face at the carrots she disliked and tried to avoid them with her fork.
Kane, seated beside her, admonished her.

“Elvira.
You have to eat properly.
Being picky isn’t good.”

“B-But…”

“If you grow up with picky eating habits, you’ll be the one who suffers.
Is that okay?”

“Ugh… I-I’ll try.”

With a reluctant expression, Elvira speared the carrot with her fork and put it in her mouth.
She swallowed it in several small bites.

“Well done, Elvira.”

“Yes, Mother.”

“Faustina, you too—”

Today’s breakfast included carrots, which Elvira disliked, and broccoli, which Faustina disliked.
After praising Elvira for eating her disliked vegetable, Ludmila turned to Faustina, expecting the same avoidance—

“Munch… gulp…
What is it, Mother?”

Faustina was calmly eating broccoli with dressing on it.

“N-Nothing.
You’ve learned to eat broccoli properly too, even though you disliked it.”

“I decided to reduce my picky eating.”

With that, she put another piece of broccoli into her mouth.
Thanks to remembering her previous life, she did not dislike broccoli as much as before.

‘When I actually eat it, the texture and taste aren’t that bad.
Next time, I’ll ask them to add sliced onions to the salad too.’

Citrine nodded in satisfaction at Faustina eating broccoli happily and Elvira making an effort with her carrots.
Kane looked at Faustina in surprise, then assumed she had begun to gain a sense of responsibility due to her engagement to royalty and gently patted her sky-blue hair.

“Please don’t pat my head during meals, Brother.
Rinsue styled it so nicely, and it’ll get messy.”

“Ah, sorry.”

“Honestly.”

Did he really understand?

After that, breakfast ended without incident.

Today was another day Bernhard was scheduled to visit.
After breakfast, when the head butler informed her, Faustina simply replied, knowing Elvira would probably be there again anyway.

When the head butler announced Bernhard’s visit, Elvira’s expression lit up with a radiant smile.

At that moment, their thoughts were as follows.

‘As usual, I’ll peek briefly, ignore it, shake off Rinsue, and run away.
…Parsley is bitter.
So even in my second life, there are still things I can’t eat…’

‘Yes!
Today is the day Lord Bernhard is coming!
I have to dress up properly to welcome him.
Sister won’t come anyway, so it should be fine if I go, but the head butler is so mean.
He says I’m not allowed to.’