Reincarnated into Two Bodies

Chapter 13: Skipping Out

Leila escorted me to the dining room. There, both of my parents were already seated.

I had a good recollection of their appearance, personality, how they treated me. But this was technically my first time meeting them.

Father—known by many as Duke Kyrat Sareid—was a man of dignity. He has black yet graying hair and a short yet glorious beard. He wore a distinguished dark blue suit which looked meticulously tidy.

Mother—Duchess Reina Sareid—was a woman of strictness. Her dark blue hair was tied in an elegant braid. She wore a simple yet elegant dress coated in black with blue accents all over, it was something you would wear for a party, not a family lunch.

Blue hair, huh? I guess that sort of thing is natural for a fantasy world, but it was still jarring—yet surprisingly natural—seeing it firsthand.

Chefs started pouring in from the doors, each holding a tray of their own. They presented a large assortment of food, the main dish being steak.

My mouth could almost drool just from the mere sight of it. The fact that Feyt was exhausted doesn’t help either. I couldn’t wait to just chow down on the meat, but of course, I am Carine, the daughter of a Duke, can’t just dig in willy-nilly.

We started our meal with a warm soup as an appetizer. It was good, but I felt that the soup Mom made was much better.

After that, it was a small plate of salad, which tasted surprisingly meh. Mayonnaise had not yet been invented it seemed.

The three of us ate silently. The atmosphere wasn’t tense or anything, it was just how things usually go during our family lunch.

It was still a surreal experience. The two people in front of me were my parents.

But the fact that I had three memories made it feel… strange.

“Carine dear?” Mother asked, turning her head towards me. “Are you alright? You haven’t finished your salad.”

“Huh?”

I looked down to see my salad still half-full. On the other hand, both Father's and Mother’s plates were clean.

“Sorry, I’ll continue.”

I began eating the salad at a slightly faster pace, trying my best to keep up the elegant facade.

“Carine’s clearly not well, Reina,” Father said, shaking his head. “Why don’t we cancel the dance lesson and let her rest her head for today?”

“That is simply impossible.” Mother took a sip from her wine glass, holding onto it as she spoke. “The instructor just arrived at this hour, and we cannot afford to disrupt the schedule. Moreover, Carine must prepare thoroughly for her Debutante.”

“But that’s not for another two years! What about her head injury? Surely she couldn’t dance with that!”

“I already had a chat with the doctors. It was only a bump, she’s been far through worse.”

“It’s hopeless to talk to you. I know you love to be harsh with your students, but Carine is our one and only daughter.”

“Which is precisely why I want the best for her!”

I silently ate my salad as the two continued to argue over my well-being.

“Oh, and speaking of harsh, when is Jonas’s next appointment?”

“Jonas? Ah, the one who hit Carine. Don’t worry, I plan on suspending him for a month and sending the medical bill to his house.”

Mother’s wine glass cracked under her nails. The air turned cold. “Haha, darling, surely you jest. Don’t you dare suspend him, make sure he attends class tomorrow.”

Father looked on worryingly. “W-why?”

“,” Mother said, a smile creeping onto her face, one that sent a shiver down my spine.

When I was done with my salad, I could finally eat the steak. But the air in the room was so thick, I could barely enjoy it.

I finished the steak faster than I expected, and I was actually thankful for it.

Father and Mother had finished their argument, with Mother coming out on top. Which means I still had to attend a dance lesson.

“Carine dear?” Mother called out.

“Y-yes?!” I almost yelped.

She leaned in towards me with a handkerchief, wiping the sides of my mouth gently. “You should eat with more care, my dear. Think about your dignity.”

“T-thanks, Mother.”

Almost instantly, the tense atmosphere softened and warmed around me.

“Tell me, dear. Do you need truly need rest?” Mother said, caressing my bandage softly.

Mother’s question was unexpected, it wasn’t like her at all to ask that. But I wasn’t going to let the opportunity slide.

The faster the dance lesson was canceled, the longer I could stay in the library and re

Leila remained silent for a few seconds before bowing. “Understood.”

Taking out a jumble of keys from her maid uniform’s pocket, Leila opened the library door for me.

“Thank you, Leila!”

With a gleeful yet elegant pace, I stepped into the library.