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Chapter 87: How Do You Do, Dear Ancestor?

Translator: LynneSuzuran

[Originally, we should have met when you were a baby, but a misfortune happened, my dear descendant.]
“Y-yeah…”

The assumed ancestor who suddenly appeared in the middle of night said that and laughed. Whoa-, this person actually existed? No, well, she was already dead, though.
Her blond and fluffy hair was so different from mine, and it seemed that it would feel soft to touch. According to Yuzuruha-san, it appeared that I wouldn’t be able to touch her, and I thought that it was too bad.
What she wore was a relatively old-fashioned frilly gothic lolita dress. I wonder if it matches my mother’s preferences?
But oh well, I wonder what I should think of her wearing that dress and being on top of the pillow where I lied my head on up until now? Is this person really my ancestor? It’s not something I can say out loud, though.

[Mu? What’s the matter? Were you too shocked that you couldn’t let out any voice?]
“…Ah, excuse me. Uhm, is it fine for me to address you as my ancestor?”
[It’s fine for you to use the words you’ve been used to. After all, I’m not lined up in the list of your ancestors for nothing. I know what happened to your body.]

Whoa.
I wonder just how much did she know, this ancestor? No, I have visited the grave during the summer, so perhaps she knew of it at that time?
No, well, there’s no need to think of trivial matters with a ghost as my opponent, huh? Yup.
…As I was thinking of it, the ancestor widened her eyes as if she was examining my expressions. Oh-, now that she’s getting closer to me to this extent, I can tell that her eyes’ color is a bluish purple just like Viola. Nah, just where am I looking at?

[…Hmm. You don’t seem to know me, do you? As a daughter of the Shiiya family, it seems that you still lack efforts in your studies.]
“Eh, ah, I’m sorry.”
[It’s good that you’re honest, but don’t just readily apologize like that. It will end up getting viewed as an empty apology.]
“I-I will be careful.”

The ancestor stepped aside and the tips of her clothes that seemed about to touch me—then just passed through me like that. Whoa, she is truly a ghost!
That’s not it… I see, I shouldn’t readily apologize like that, huh? I have to be more careful about that, then. Or rather, me not knowing her means that I’m still lacking in my studies, I wonder if this ancestor of mine is a public figure?

[I’m Shiiya Sumeragi Mikoto. I’m the one who poured the royal family’s blood to your bloodline, pleased to meet your acquaintance.][1. Mikoto is speaking with the ancient type of addressing herself, as in “Warawa”.]
“Haa… I’m Shiiya Seiren. Pleased to meet you, eh?”

Since she introduced herself, I also introduced myself. Then, I noticed.
Sumeragi, isn’t that Leo-san’s surname? Which means, this person is a member of the royal family? Then, she is surely a public figure.
The person herself has said so, that she was the ringleader who attached the right to throne successions for decades on me. No, saying that she was the ‘ringleader’ sounds bad, huh? Yup.
I have only heard of the story, but I didn’t know of her name. I was really lacking in my studies.
While I was in the middle of grasping things, my ancestor who seemed to be called Mikoto-san narrowed her eyes as if she just found something interesting. Ah, she strangely looked like Leo-san. Though the other party was a male, or rather, an effeminate man.

[You, it seems that it hasn’t been long since you returned to this world. Is it your first time hearing the name Sumeragi?]
“Eeh, well. Not even a year has passed ever since then, but I’ve met with the current first prince, which has the surname of Sumeragi.”[2. I just noticed. If they wrote Sumeragi using kanji, it’d mean “Emperor of Japan”. They’re writing this world’s names using katakana.]
[Ah-, that one. He’s supposed to come from my elder brother’s lineage, but why did it result in such a person?]

Such a person, huh?
Even from an ancestor’s point of view, Leo-san gave off that vibe, huh? I wonder if no such person existed in the past royal family? …There won’t be any, huh? If there was any, this person would say that Leo-san took after that person, for sure.

[Well, though his appearance and speech are like that, his ability itself is excellent, and that’s good, huh? The person that I’m seeing on this occasion is Seiren, it’s you, so…]
“Yes.”

Aah, as expected, that was the kind of treatment he received huh, Leo-san. Ever since he returned to the royal capital, there was just one occasion when his letter came, but ever since then, there was none at all. Well, since he’s the prince, it seems that he’s busy with work.
So, as for this ancestor who indeed came here to see me… wait, I’ve heard her name. How should I call her, then?

“Eh, uhm, how should I call you? I’ve heard your name, but you’re also my ancestor…”
[Hmm, just call me with how you’d like to.]
“Yes. Then, is ‘Mikoto-san’ fine?”
[I told you to call me as you’d like to. Since you don’t use ‘-sama’, this way of being addressed feels fresh, that’s good.]

The ancestor—no, Mikoto-san who brightly laughed—I’m not sure why, but she appeared to be very delighted. It might only be my imagination, though.
However, when I try to think of it, I see. To ordinary people over here, just by hearing the name Sumeragi, they’d understand that the person is of the royal family, so it’s obvious that they’d use ‘-sama’.[3. -sama is more polite than -san, and is usually used to address someone of a higher standing, like the king or the royal family members, the lords, etc.]
As for me, I first saw her and knew her as my ancestor, so it’s like, uhm… rather than using ‘-sama’, I feel like using ‘-san’ is more suitable, so I tried addressing her like that, though.
…I also used ‘-san’ to address Leo-san, but as expected, I think I couldn’t switch to calling him with ‘-sama’ next time meeting him, huh? It seems like he’d laugh while saying, “No, Seiren-chan, just call me Leo-san-!”

Anyway, I slept just like that. The ghost, Mikoto-san seemed like she didn’t particularly need to sleep, and after saying, [You can’t sleep if you see me, right?], she went to another room and said that it was so I was able to sleep well.
When she went out of the room, she only slipped out through the door, so I was reaffirmed that she was indeed a ghost. Escaping from the reality… as expected it was fine to do so in this situation, huh?
Then, the next morning.

“Seiren-sama, good morning.”
[Hey, Seiren, I understand that it’s cold, but hurry and wake up.]

Why did you come to wake me up together with Alica, Mikoto-san? …and she looked to be enjoying it, seriously.

[Hohoho, I’ve been looking forward to do this when I returned to the present world-. Alica was still the same as ever, too.]
“No, no. For some reason, whenever Mikoto-sama was returning here, it was also the day when I was in charge.”

Speaking of which, Minoa-san also said it yesterday. She said that her timing was bad so she couldn’t meet the ancestors, but Alica-san has met the ancestors a few times.

“Oh well, that’s fine, though. Good morning, Mikoto-san, Alica-san.”
“Oh my, you’re not using ‘-sama’?”
[I allowed her to. Sometimes, being addressed normally like this is also fun.]
“Understood. I will tell everyone of this.”

Alica-san and Mikoto-san’s compatibility seemed to be good. The way they talked seemed to be close enough. Aah, but well, if the maids who accompanied me got a bad compatibility with my ancestors, then I’d be troubled. Especially when it is a world where you can directly speak with them like this.
Ah, speaking of compatibility.

“What about Minoa-san?”
“She’s currently taking the hot water… Ah.”
“I’m sorry for being late. Seiren-sama, good morning.”

Minoa-san who didn’t see the ancestor walked in while bringing a bucket… then, her feet stopped. Aah, she pulled one of her leg, it’s bad.

“Minoa-san, morning. That person is my ancestor.”
“What?!”

Oh, as expected. Just as she was about to drop her body balance, she stopped at my voice. That was close-.
Though Yuzuruha-san had said that we won’t be able to touch them, if Minoa-san carelessly attacked, Mikoto-san would slip through her and my room would suffer from the damage.
I’m fine with that, but if things really turn out like that, Minoa-san will surely be depressed. Yup, that is certain.

“S-Shiiya’s ancestor has really come?! Please forgive my rudeness!”
[No, no, you were only a little bit surprised, so I didn’t mind. Or rather, just go and quickly pass that hot water.]
“Y-yes, here I go!!”

For some reason, Alica-san and I were being stupefied and only watched the exchange between the relatively calm Mikoto-san and Minoa-san who started to panic. I mean, we didn’t want to interrupt imprudently.

“…It’s good that the hot water didn’t get thrown away, right, Seiren-sama?”
“…That’s right-.”

Alica-san suddenly pointed that, but well, that’s certainly true.
Then, the safe hot water that didn’t get thrown away was brought over to my place by Minoa-san.

“P-p-p-p-please excuse me, Seiren-sama, I have brought t-the hot water.”
“Yes, thank you, Minoa-san. Mikoto-san also said that she didn’t mind, so well, calm down.”

As I received the hot water and wiped my face, I tried to speak a few words to appease Minoa-san. Minoa-san nodded and said, “Y-yeah…,” and straightened herself in a fluster.

“Mikoto… Your Highness Mikoto!!”
[It’s all good. Since I became the bride of the Shiiya family, I was no longer ‘Your Highness’.]

Ah-, at a time like this, I think that social status is quite troublesome.
Even if she didn’t throw the hot water, Minoa-san was still depressed in the end. Surely it was because she was troubled over what she should do, since the Shiiya family’s ancestor was also a member of the royal family.

[More importantly… Alica, is this your colleague?]
“Ah, yes. Just like me, she’s also exclusively serving Seiren-sama, her name is Minoa. Hey, Minoa, go and greet her properly.”
“…Y-yes! I’m Minoa and I will certainly take a good care of Seiren-sama.
[Hmm, Minoa, is it?]

Mikoto-san sat down at the edge of the bed. The edge slightly sank, but I think that it was only my imagination.
Then, towards Minoa who was bowing her head, perhaps she was smiling gently at her. Then, she called out to her.

[It’s a matter of course for you to be alert when you see an unfamiliar face inside your master’s room. You’re an excellent servant, so don’t mind it too much, okay?]
“…Your praise is more than what I deserve.”

In a word, she was praised, but Minoa-san was seriously depressed. When it’s tea time later, I wonder if we should eat something sweet?
It would be good if she could recover with that.