A cold sea breeze swept in from the west, trailing the scent of brine in its wake as it blew past.
The distant melody of the crashing waves tickled his ears, while seabirds wheeled through the air above.
"The ocean...!"
Rest stood atop a hill, looking down at the sea stretching endlessly toward the horizon. A soft exclamation of wonder escaped his lips.
It was blue, and it was vast.
For Rest, this was the first time in either of his lives that he had ever seen the sea.
"It’s so much larger than I imagined... I'm amazed."
"It is, isn't it? I was also quite struck by the sight when I first visited," Celestine Crocus replied.
The daughter of Duke Crocus stood beside him, a fur coat draped over her light purple dress and a fluffy muffler wrapped snugly around her neck.
"I’ve heard that during the summer, some people come to the beach to play in the water or swim. Though, I must admit, most nobles don't make a habit of such pastimes."
"That’s a pity. I'm almost frustrated that it's already winter," Rest said with a look of genuine regret. "If I could, I would have loved to try playing in the water..."
In his previous life, Rest had been born in a landlocked prefecture. His parents never had the financial stability to take him on a seaside vacation, so he had never once laid eyes on the ocean. Even his middle school trip to Okinawa had been out of reach; his family was so poor they couldn't afford the travel expenses, forcing him to stay behind with tears in his eyes. It was a painful, bitter memory.
Now that he had been reincarnated, his wish to see the sea had finally been granted. His heart swelled with a joy that was truly exceptional.
Currently, Rest and Celestine were visiting a coastal region in the western reaches of the Aiwood Kingdom.
He hadn't come here on a scandalous tryst to cheat on his other fiancées, of course. Their true purpose was to visit the villa where the late Queen Dowager, Frederica Aiwood, had spent her twilight years.
By inheriting Rodel’s estate, the villa now belonged to Rest. However, he had come to see it for himself because of a nagging suspicion in the back of his mind.
(I can’t be certain... in fact, there’s a good chance I’m completely off the mark. But if my hunch is right, the Queen Dowager was a reincarnated person like me. And if she was, this villa might hold the evidence to prove it...)
According to the report from Celestine, who had been managing the settlement of the estate, the Queen Dowager had used an alias in the area surrounding this villa. That alias was a distinctly Japanese name—circumstantial evidence that she hailed from his world.
Following his encounter with Leonardo Gascoigne of the Council of Sages, Rest knew for a fact that other reincarnators existed. If the Queen Dowager was indeed one of them, he wanted to gather as much information as possible.
"Regardless... are you sure you’re alright with this? Guiding me all the way out here, I mean," Rest asked, turning away from the waves to look at Celestine.
She gave a graceful nod, her smile the very picture of a composed lady. A short distance away, her guards and butler stood waiting, keeping a respectful distance so as not to intrude on their conversation.
"I was curious about Her Majesty the Queen Dowager’s legacy myself. Besides, I’ve been buried in work lately and was in desperate need of a change of pace. It may not be the holiday season, but I intend to enjoy this brief excursion."
"I see... I’m glad to hear that. It puts my mind at ease."
For this trip, Rest was accompanied only by Celestine and the attendants of the Duke Crocus House. His other fiancées, Viola and Primula, were nowhere to be found. Instead, the twins had stayed behind to handle the mountain of administrative tasks on his behalf.
The development of the Subnock Plain—a dangerous territory known as a magical wild—was underway. The initial stages of exterminating monsters and establishing a protective barrier were complete, but the real work was only just beginning.
From here, they had to start the actual colonization. Roads needed to be paved and a town had to be built.
The Marquis of Rosemary—Rest’s father-in-law and his Yorioya—had already selected the ideal location for the first settlement in the new Count Clover Territory. The Marquis had even begun arranging the transport of supplies, and the Rosemary sisters had volunteered to manage the logistical chaos in Rest's stead.
"Well, it is a wife’s duty to support her husband’s work, after all," Viola had said.
"I’m just so happy to be of use to you..." Primula had added.
Rest felt a deep sense of gratitude toward them both. He made a silent vow to find a way to make it up to them.
"Shall we go, Rest? I will take you to the villa. Please, follow me."
"Right. Lead the way."
Rest cast one last, lingering look at the ocean.
(This area is part of my land now... Once summer rolls around, it might be nice to bring the two of them here for a vacation.)
With that pleasant thought in mind, he turned and followed Celestine down the hill.