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Translator: uly
Chapter: 7
Chapter Title: Diet Begins
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Juliet Karennina.
No, starting today, Rubettria Diorus.
In that other world, I had lived a busy life 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, but I had never once felt tired.
A hectic daily routine was my happiness, and I despised wasting time. Since I had already crossed a river I could never return from, shedding tears for just one day was enough.
To live on as Rubette from now on, and to repay the debt I owed Rubette, I absolutely had to change this wretched life of mine—no matter what. And to do that, I couldn't afford to waste even a single moment.
'Fortunately, Rubette was quite the erudite one.'
She had barely stepped outside the house, holing up in her room all day, reading books nonstop.
She studied diligently so she wouldn't hear complaints about being a disgrace to the family.
'She even mastered subjects a noble lady wouldn't normally need to delve into deeply.'
It wasn't so much passion for learning as having too much time on her hands.
She had read every book on politics, economics, society, and culture—not to mention keeping up with the daily newspapers to stay informed about the wider world.
She had never properly participated in high society, yet she was an expert in social etiquette and dance. That said it all.
'I'll make good use of all that hard studying you did. For your sake.'
After a brief mental thank-you to Rubette, I thought.
'First things first.'
My motivation was burning bright.
'I'll shatter the insane hierarchy in this house that Molga Diorus has been manipulating.'
The household staff bought off by Molga were all on her side. And my two older brothers, raised under her thumb since childhood, had no idea about her true nature.
The only one who might help me was Father, but unfortunately, he had his own issues.
'He's lost his mind. He's clinging to life when he should've died.'
My father, the 8th Diorus Duke, Leonard Diorus.
To put it kindly, he was an exceedingly romantic man. To put it harshly, there was no one more irresponsible.
It all started with his overwhelming love for the Diorus Duchess—my late birth mother—who had passed away when Rubette was four.
After Mother died, Father became utterly emotionless, abandoning all his duties as head of the house and merely existing, too stubborn to die.
Locked in his room 24/7, drowning in alcohol, it was harder to see his face under the same roof than to pluck stars from the sky.
As a result, for the past ten years, we three siblings—still so young—had essentially been raised by Molga.
'That said, Father didn't completely ignore his children...'
If I had to compare, the duke was the kind of father who wouldn't dote endlessly on his only daughter but would hand her a limitless black card on her birthday, telling her to throw a party with her friends.
In that other world, I was someone who often felt exhausted from the affection not just from family but from everyone around me, so a father like that would actually be welcome...
'But Rubette truly needed love and attention.'
Rubette had closed herself off from her indifferent father, and the Diorus Duke paid little mind to his silent daughter.
'It's truly hopeless. There are no memories with Father at all. Less than with strangers.'
On top of that, he was fated to drink himself to death before even turning forty, estranged from his daughter.
"Miss, is the food not to your taste?"
"Huh."
Lost deep in thought, I snapped back to reality.
Rebecca, the maid with her ash-gray hair neatly tied back in a single ponytail, stood by the breakfast table she had personally set up in the room, wearing a worried expression.
'Rebecca...'
With my recovered memories, the young girl before me looked different.
Amid the household staff who turned a blind eye to the demons' abuse, this kind maid was the only one who had cared for Rubette...
'It makes me angry.'
On the day of Rubette's sixteenth birthday, a horrific incident erupted—one I didn't even want to think about, let alone speak of—and from that point, she decided she could no longer ignore the abuse. Bravely, she resolved to report it to the duke, her father.
That was the beginning of the tragedy.
Molga got wind of it beforehand and had Rebecca seized and beaten.
Molga's voice, whispering as she showed me the gasping, near-death Rebecca.
"You wicked little girl. Lillia and Riki even brought their friends to celebrate your birthday—you should be grateful. And you try to run off and tattle over a little prank between friends?"
"G-Grandmother. I-I wasn't going to tell..."
"How dare you lie? You spilled everything to this stupid maid bitch, didn't you?"
"I only told Rebecca. I had no intention of telling Father..."
"This maid was on her way to report to your father's room, and I barely dragged her back—what do you mean?"
"I-I'm sorry..."
Rebecca was thrown into solitary confinement.
"Grandmother, please let me see Rebecca. I was wrong. I was wrong, so..."
When Molga finally visited after three days, as Rubette begged like a dog, she smiled and showed her Rebecca...
"Re-Rebecca...?"
But she was already dead. After three days and nights without treatment or even a sip of water.
"That girl died so pathetically because you flapped your mouth needlessly."
As Rubette watched in shock while the cart carried away the corpse hastily covered with straw, Molga warned her.
"Our sweet Rubettria. If you don't want to see innocent people dying pointlessly, watch your behavior from now on."
Already shrunken from ongoing abuse, Rubette thought.
'Yes... It was because I acted like a fool that Rebecca died. I should've just stayed quiet like always, like a dead mouse...'
In the end, Rebecca's death made Rubette seal her lips even tighter and shrink further. What a maddening situation.
"Miss..."
"Oh, sorry. I was lost in thought."
Rebecca's eyes widened at my response.
"Have your memories returned, by any chance?"
"Hm? Oh..."
Just yesterday, the young lady had spoken to her formally as if seeing her for the first time, but now she was casually friendly overnight. Rebecca must have thought my wandering mind had finally come back.
Not wrong, really. I smiled and nodded.
"After a good night's sleep, my head's clear as day. Thanks for worrying."
"Phew, what a relief. I specially asked the head chef to prepare only your favorite dishes today, so eat up."
"Mm..."
I eyed the intimidating spread on the table with dismay.
At the center was a whole roasted turkey. Right in front of me on the side plate were two thick slabs of lamb, next to a salmon steak, and a half-filled glass of white wine to pair with it.
Meat, fish, and fowl all together? At 9:30 a.m., for breakfast?
'You've got to be kidding.'
It was absurd, but I—Rubette—had always eaten like this. Who was there to blame?
"Um, Rebecca."
"Once you're done, I'll bring buttered buns slathered with blueberry compote. It's made with fresh blueberries from Camilla Farm, harvested just the other day."
"Yeah, got it, but..."
"Oh! Why the face? Not in the mood for jam on bread today? How about a chocolate cake piled high with macarons?"
She winked with a pistol-like cheerful gesture.
I could see her tearful effort to act extra bright for the young lady who had attempted suicide and was feeling down.
Still, no meant no.
I appreciated Rebecca's thoughtfulness in preparing such a grand breakfast, but I waved it off.
"Sorry, pass it all on. Since it's already prepared, take it and eat it yourself."
"Pardon? You're skipping breakfast?"
I stood, stretching slowly as I said.
"Starting today, I'm losing weight."
"..."
Glancing back at the silent Rebecca—yep, as expected. She blinked her ash-gray eyes with a strange expression, then hurriedly nodded.
I could read her mind plain as day. 'How long will our miss's three-day diet last this time—days, or just hours?'
"I see. I'll set it aside then. Let me know if you get hungry later."
"That won't happen. It's not starving—it's adjusting my diet."
"Your diet?"
"Yeah. Starting today, I'll do an hour of fasting exercise in the morning. So set breakfast in my room at 9:30 after that. Half an apple and a bowl of oatmeal."
"Y-Yes?"
"No paper and pen? Want me to repeat while you write it down?"
Rebecca blinked her big eyes, then rummaged in her maid uniform's front pocket, pulling out a small notepad and pen.
I began again.
"Breakfast at 9:30. Half an apple and a bowl of oatmeal."
"Y-Yes!"
"Lunch at 1:00. Bring the day's regular main from the dining hall, but tell the head chef no seasoning. Like this..."
I pointed to the lamb and salmon steak on the table.
"No sauces on steaks like these."
Next, the massive turkey.
"No salt on poultry dishes."
"But it won't taste good then?"
"It's fine. How do you lose weight eating all the tasty stuff?"
"W-Well, that's true, but..."
Flustered yet diligently jotting it down, Rebecca continued.
"And just one dish—no need to overdo it, and no wine. Cut out all flour-based foods completely. Obviously no bread, so from now on, no need to make compote in jars this big every week...!"
I stretched my arms wide to show the size, grimacing.
"...And also."
I dragged over the snack bundle I'd tossed behind the bed. The junk food Rubette had wrapped up tight under the tablecloth.
Thud.
Setting it at Rebecca's feet made a rustling sound.
"W-What's that?"
"My snacks, the ones I was munching on every minute while hiding them. Throw it all away."