I had gone back to my room as fast as I could, while Carmila had gone to greet the Doctor and subtly delay him just a bit. After all, we didn’t have his expressed approval for me to even leave the room yet. He arrived just after I had set myself on the bed as if I had been there all day, and even acted as if Sophie and I were in the middle of a conversation.

—Good afternoon, Doctor —I said with my most polite smile after asking Sophie to leave us alone.

—Madame Dragonroot, let’s not waste time with frivolities —he said, placing his bag on the table next to my bed.

As always, this man had terrible bedside manners. Even so, I couldn’t complain, he was the best doctor I could afford. He was Maxwell Conrad, someone who could be called a prodigy even when he was only 24 years old. It was no surprise he would end up as the director of the Royal Academy in which Promises of an Enchanted Heart is set, some 15 years from now.

I have been calling him a doctor all this time, and while that was his official title and an accurate description of his job, he was a bit different from the doctors on my past life. For starters, his knowledge on medicine was roughly the same from my world before the industrial revolution. To make it up for this, he was a genius using healing magic.

—Now, show me your arm and hold it in place —he said, and I felt a shiver run through my back.

The unique combination of magic and technology of this world also applied to the instruments and tools everyone used, and that included medical instruments. For Maxwell in particular, the best way to check the condition of his patients was by using his familiar, Sylphie, which happened to be a phyton. I had almost passed out when he checked my vitals the first time, especially because he didn’t warn me at all, as for him it was nothing more than a stethoscope. But after several check-ups during my pregnancy, I had become accustomed to the snake. She was, after all, rather small and well mannered. I still had to look away and breathe slowly when it started to wrap herself around my arm.

—Your blood pressure looks fine —he said after what it seemed like an eternity—, your flow of mana is a bit erratic, but it is nothing to be alarmed. It should go to normal once you return to your daily activities.

—Does that mean I can leave the house?

—I don’t see why not, just keep using those gloves and facemasks for a month or so if you happen to go to the city, or somewhere with a lot of people.

I looked down, I was still wearing the gloves from earlier, and the facemask was resting on my neck. He didn’t seem to suspect or care about why I was wearing them inside of my room, though. I was just happy I now could move as I pleased, and I couldn’t wait to rub it in Carmila’s face. In a proper and lady-like manner, of course.

—Ah! —I almost yelled, as a thought crossed my mind—, what about Violett? Can I take her along?

The Doctor, who had been writing a report about my state, paused and directed his gaze towards me, as if processing what I had just said. His reaction wasn’t entirely unexpected, other noble woman in this world probably left their babies in the complete care of their servants. I knew the woman that had brought me into this world had done just that.

—Let me check how she is doing —he said and walked around the bed towards Violett’s crib, with Sylph still hanging from his arm.

I jumped out of bed and grabbed my baby, putting her away from him.

—Madame? Is something wrong? —he said, and something about his tone of voice made me return to my senses. He sounded genuinely concerned.

—N-no, I just… thought it would be easier if I held her this way.

—I see, thank you.

I breathed deeply and walked towards him. Sylphie immediately moved towards my Violett, and rested her head over her tiny chest. I was terrified, I wanted to close my eyes and look away, but I couldn’t afford to do it. The chances of her attacking Violett were almost non-existent; she was a familiar being, which meant it was bound to Conrad’s will. And if in the case it decided to attack, there was little I could do before it was too late. But I still couldn’t abandon my daughter. Before I knew, however, it was already over.

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—She is a very healthy baby, there shouldn’t be a problem as long as you cover her mouth as well —he said, petting Violett’s head.

—I’m so glad —I said, feeling almost as if I was melting from the relief.

Violet was waking up at that moment, perhaps because I spoke too loud or moved her a bit too much. She didn’t even look at me; she instantly tried to grab Sylphie. As expected of a future villainess, she wasn’t scared of a python. I moved a step away, and now she did direct a glare at me, but only to pout for not letting her play with her new scaly friend. I couldn’t help but giggle at her expressions, remembering too late that the Doctor was still on the room. He didn’t seem to mind it, and he left shortly after. After feeding Violett, I called Sophie and Carmila to inform them of his verdict.

—With that being said, there won’t be any excuse for me or Violett to leave the house, right? —I said, trying to not let my smugness show too much.

—There will be not one —Carmila said with resignation.

—YOSH! —I said, pumping my fist.

I held Violett on my arms and spun a couple of times.

—You heard that? We can go outside! We can go to the lake, and to that nice restaurant in the city. And once the greenhouse is all clean, we can work on it together, isn’t it wonderful? Ah! But we need to go to the market’s district to get everything we need, tools, fertilizer, seeds…

—Madame —Carmila interrupted—¸ I’ll prepare for your outing, but perhaps would you reconsider leaving it until tomorrow.

She was pointing towards the window behind me, from where the sky was visible. There were still a few hours of light, but it took an hour to reach the city from our property, and every shop would be closing or closed already. Even if there would exists a 24-hour convenience shop like in my old world, it would be too dangerous for a mother and her baby girl to roam the streets at that hour. I ended up agreeing to delay our visit to the city, but I barely slept that night due to the anticipation. The next morning, I was up and doing some light exercise even before Sophie came to wake me up. Carmila was already waiting me when I went to the dining hall for my breakfast.

—Madame, everything is arranged for your departure —she said—, we can go as soon as you are ready.

—Oh! Then I better hurry up! —I said, attempting to eat as fast as I could.

—Please take your time to enjoy the food the kitchen staff did with all of their hearts.

—… yes.

—Also, it might be improper to go to the city with the clothes you are wearing now.

—What is wrong with my clothes? —I said, before really looking at them.

I was still wearing what I could only be described as pajamas. I had been wearing clothes like that since at least a month before delivering Violett, so I had gotten more or less accustomed to wear them all day by that point. I had to agree I couldn’t wear those outside, it would impact horribly on my reputation, which I didn’t really care for, but it will eventually also affect Violett. She might grow to hate me if I embarrassed her like that.

—I will not let you down, Violett; your mama is going to be a proper example of what being a noble lady is! —I said with conviction.

There was a problem though; I never have had much on the sense of style. In my previous life I only wore office attires for my job, giving the impression that I was a proper adult, but on my free time, I just wore whatever I had clean. And after being reborn, it was the job of the attendants to choose what I had to wear.

—Isn’t this a bit too much? —I remember having said once when I was young, getting ready for a tea party.

They had made me wear a dress full of ribbons and jewels, as well as made me wear all sort of accessories; necklaces, bracelets, and earrings, all equally sumptuous. My hair was also too stylized, with even more accessories on it. I looked like a wedding cake.

—Of course not, young lady —they said, as always.

And, to be fair, I didn’t look too out of place among the other daughters of the nobility. I still feel too stiff and awkward to talk with anyone outside of people I already knew.

But one day, we got a new employee, Sophie. She was even younger than me, but from the very start, she was able to see that wearing those kinds of clothes made me feel uncomfortable.

—Madame —she said to my mother on another occasion—, please allow me to choose the attire for the young lady this night. My family used to run a tailor shop, I’m confident I’ll be able to coordinate a dress that allows her to have more confidence.

—Hmmm —my mother looked at us with disdain—, do whatever you want, you are old enough to carry your own reputation.

Those words made me shiver, since I was a kid, I had been told I was carrying the legacy of the Dragonroot clan. Any mistake I would do, I would bring shame to our family. But Sophie just smiled.

—That means we got her approval!

She fulfilled her promise and chose a dress and accessories that made me look elegant and formal, with a minimalism approach. I hadn’t wanted to let her effort go in vain, and I did feel better wearing that, so I tried my best to fulfill mother’s expectations and talked with a lot of people, making a few connections that I would maintain even to this day. Neither mother nor the other attendants bothered us after that.

—Sophie —I spoke in the present—, will you help me choose my clothes today as well?

She smiled.

—Of course!