"Good day to you."
I froze completely when I saw a real-life princess. In this life, I'm also a real nobleman's son, but inside I'm just an ordinary commoner virgin.
The greeting I had prepared flew right out of my head, and I showed a dumbfounded face that a nobleman's son should never make.
"Your Grace the Duke, welcome. Since I have not been able to visit you for so long, I am truly honored that you have come to see us like this," my father said, bowing.
"No, no, I'm glad to see you looking so well, Lord North General. It's because fine people like you serve that the rest of us can sleep soundly at night," the Duke replied with a smile.
"What are you saying? My work exists only because of your strong support, Your Grace. And yet only I receive praise, it pains my heart," my father said.
"Hahaha, you're too modest, Lord Fahrenheit. But more importantly, is this your eldest son, Eberhard?" the Duke asked.
Just as I thought the old men were exchanging their noble small talk (they seemed to genuinely like each other, so it was probably sincere rather than just courtesy), the conversation turned to me.
"Yes, this is my eldest son, Eberhard. He's an unpolished boy, but I would be very happy if you would take an interest in him," my father said.
"I've heard about him. They say he's been remarkably gifted since childhood. Every time rumors reach me through social parties, I'm impressed, truly worthy of Lord Fahrenheit's son," the Duke said.
"You are too kind."
I should probably greet him properly. Even I can figure that much out. I can't keep standing here dazed forever.
"It is a pleasure to meet you. I am Eberhard Karlheinz von Flensburg Fahrenheit, son of Karlheinz Klaus von Fahrenheit. I am still inexperienced, but I humbly ask for your kind regard," I said, bowing.
"Mm. I am Lagard von Bernstein, head of the Duchy of Bernstein, which borders the margrave territory your father governs. I am glad to make the acquaintance of a young man with such a future ahead of him," the Duke said.
"Those are undeserved words," I replied.
My phrasing should be fine like this! I don't know exactly how important a duke is, but his presence is obviously on another level. It's a dignity and composure and force that I couldn't reach even in a hundred years. Anyway, the weight of him is incredible. My old man feels pretty impressive too, but the Duke is even more so. Well, he does look about ten years older than my old man, so maybe that difference is just age.
Then the Duke called over the daughter standing behind him.
"Lily, come here," the Duke said.
"Yes, Father," Lily replied.
The girl called Lily walked up in front of us, gave an elegant bow, and spoke in a beautiful voice like ringing bells.
"I am Henriette Lily von Bernstein. I am the eldest daughter of the Duchy of Bernstein. I hope you will remember me kindly," Lily said.
"Thank you for your courtesy. Please treat us well, both father and son," my father said.
"N-nice to meet you," I stammered.
What am I supposed to say at a time like this? With the Duke, as long as I stay polite there shouldn't be a problem. But the other party is a six-year-old girl, the same age as me, and a stiff, formal greeting won't close the distance between us. Especially since she might become my fiancee. A more relaxed manner would probably leave a better impression. That's what I thought, so I deliberately answered softly, but...
"Fufufu," Lily giggle-snorted.
What came back was a laugh I couldn't quite describe. I can't tell if that was a success or a failure.
Seeing us like that, the Duke opened his mouth.
"Now then, we have important matters to discuss. You two go play together, it'll be a good chance to get acquainted," the Duke said.
He just threw a hard problem at me out of nowhere. You're telling me to be alone with a girl?!
"Is it all right not to have attendants with them?" I asked.
Nice assist, old man. At least if Alisa or one of their servants were with us, I'd feel confident the conversation could keep going.
But my old man's backup (?) was in vain, the Duke smiled happily and said:
"This is your estate, isn't it? Then there's no danger at all. Or are you uneasy about the two of them being alone?" the Duke asked.
"Of course not. ...You two, get along well," my father said.
"S-sure."
"I understand, Uncle," Lily said.
"Then let us go," Lily added.
"Y-yeah, let's."
It seems the Duke's family might be thinking more positively about this engagement ceremony. Standing suddenly in a pinch, that's what I thought as I tried to escape from reality.
✳︎
"W-well then, shall we go?" I asked.
"Shall we go", where?!?!
While mentally roasting myself as hard as I could, cold sweat seeped down my back as I turned toward Lily.
Seeing her up close again, she really was so cute and beautiful it was hard to believe she was of this world, I felt like I might be overwhelmed.
"I'd like to go outside. The garden I saw on the way here was so pretty, and I want to look around it a little more," Lily said.
Huh? That beautiful bell-like voice is the same, but her way of speaking has changed.
"Fufu, what I was doing before was my company voice. Father scolded me a whole lot and told me to learn it properly," Lily explained.
"So everyone gets made to learn manners after all," I muttered.
"I thought a 'study count' would be more scary and strong-looking, so I was surprised. To think such a cute kid was his son," Lily said.
"C-cute?"
"Can I call you Eberhard?" Lily asked.
"Just Hal is fine. Can I call you Lily too?" I asked back.
"Yeah, that's fine. Hal is kind of cute, isn't he," Lily said.
"Please don't call a guy cute..," I trailed off.
If it were some auntie relative saying it, that'd be one thing, but hearing it from a girl my own age (and six years old!) stings a little. If anything, I'd rather girls praise me as "cool!" Coming here, it seems my mother's baby face has kicked in in a direction I didn't want.
Still, I'm relieved she's more frank than I expected. If that company mode from earlier had kept going the whole time, I'd have been in trouble.
"Well, more importantly, if it's the garden, there are lots of places I want to show you. I've made some additions myself too," I said.
I've taken tons of walks in the garden with my mom since I was a baby. And once I could move around on my own, I built a whole bunch of secret bases in the back garden!1
No matter how old a guy gets, he loves secret bases and stuff like that. Since I'm a kid now, I can openly play like that, it's great. I definitely want to show Lily how amazing my secret bases are. And if possible, I'd love to build a base for the two of us together!
"Shall we go?" I asked.
Without thinking, I held out my hand, a habit from walking with my big sister and little brother (my little sister is still a baby, so she can't walk). This totally looks like a date, doesn't it?!
I panicked instantly, but having already held it out, I couldn't pull it back. So there I was, making a weird face, my hand half-extended, freezing up again, a completely confusing situation.
"Let's go!" Lily agreed.
But luckily, for Lily, who's still a child, holding hands with a boy didn't seem to be any big deal. She just gripped my hand back normally, and her soft, warm child's hand wrapped around mine. C-cute.
Even though I'm over twenty inside, my heart skipped a little. "That reeks of a crime"? Shut up, it's fine, I'm the same age too!
Trivia:
- Lily dropping her formal "company voice" the instant the adults leave is a small hint that she has already decided she can relax around Eberhardt, suggesting the Bernstein side is quietly steering this engagement.
- Eberhardt's habit of offering his hand without thinking comes from walking with his siblings, which quietly shows how much his old family life still shapes his new body's reflexes.
- The Duke's remark about sleeping soundly because of capable people foreshadows the border politics between Bernstein and the Fahrenheit margrave territory, where military strength buys a nobleman's peace.
Translation Notes:
1 ↩ Literally "secret base," a childhood fixture in Japanese media where kids build hidden forts and clubhouses. It carries a nostalgic, playful nuance that "secret base" preserves better than "hideout," which would sound criminal in English.
Notes:
• Eberhard - Young noble heir of the Marquis Fahrenheit Family, entrusted with the north as the Northern General. Reincarnated with memories of a past life and never had a girlfriend before. Nervous but composed, with adult mental age.
• Karlheinz - Karlheinz Klaus von Fahrenheit, Eberhardt's father and lord of a margrave territory. Close and genuinely friendly with Duke Lagard. Tries to assist his son during the sudden request to be alone with Lily.
• Lagard - Duke Lagard von Bernstein, head of the Duchy of Bernstein bordering the Fahrenheit margrave territory. Appears about ten years older than Eberhardt's father. Carries immense dignity and presence, and seems to view the engagement positively.
• Lily - Henriette Lily von Bernstein, eldest daughter of the Duchy of Bernstein. Six years old, beautiful with a bell-like voice. Switches between a formal company voice drilled into her by her father and a frank, cheerful everyday manner. Might become Eberhardt's fiancee. Young daughter of a duke, six years old. Cheerful and energetic with a tomboy side, though she carries herself with a proper young-lady air at times. Her speech is slightly babyish in places. White dress, grass-stained from play. Childhood friend of Haru.
• Alisa - Personal maid of Eberhard, hired by his parents. Originally a general servant before being officially assigned as his exclusive maid after being credited with discovering his magical talent. Taught him to read and write, including runes. Practical, watchful, and quick to scold him for reckless behavior. Servant of the Fahrenheit household who attends to Eberhard. Determined and efficient, ensuring he is dressed and prepared properly.
• Eberhardt - Reincarnated young nobleman, eldest son of Karlheinz Klaus von Fahrenheit. Inside he is an ordinary commoner man over twenty years old, but outwardly a six-year-old boy with his mother's baby face. Nervous around girls and prone to internal panic, yet genuinely eager to share his secret bases in the garden.