I was born in a small island nation called Lamdarb Kingdom.
It was far from other countries, and the land was small, so there were no conflicts; we lived peacefully.
My family was the same.
Papa and Mama did the work of making tea leaves; my little sister Mary and I would sometimes help.
“Papa, Mama, listen! Reina! Today at school I was praised for having lots of magical talent!”
“Oh, is that so. Then Reina can become a great mage.”
“Me too! Mary will be like onee-chan!”
“Will she now. You two both take after Papa — outstanding — so you’ll get even more amazing!”
“That’s the one thing that isn’t true.”
“Don’t say it like that, Mama~!”
Mama pushed Papa back by the face as he tried to hug her.
But she wasn’t truly hating it. She’d whispered it as a secret — that she was just embarrassed to do it in front of Mary and me.
“Ahaha! Mm~, but you know, Reina doesn’t plan on becoming a mage.”
“Eh~, why? What a waste.”
“Because…… Reina wants to build a happy family like Papa’s and Mama’s!”
”…… Papa.”
“Yes, Mama…… Reinaaa! I love you!!”
“Mama will hug too!”
“Mary too, friendly with onee-chan~!”
Sharing the day’s stories, the food we ate together was so delicious.
I was happy. I never doubted that we’d accumulate these days and grow up.
Until that devil came.
Roaring flames hung in the air everywhere.
Crying voices came from all directions.
Huh……? What am I doing……?
“Mary…… cough! Cough……!”
When I tried to speak, my throat burned hot, painful — words wouldn’t come.
Water…… I want water……
Following instinct without thought, I went outside to draw well water.
There was a woman.
”…… Honestly, if you’d handed it over sooner, the island wouldn’t have ended up like this.”
The woman spat at her feet in a foul mood; at them lay the charred bodies of Papa and Mama.
“Papa……? Mama……?”
I came close and touched their faces. They were rough, and they didn’t answer.
“Hmm……? Oh, it’s you. So you’re Reina.”
“W-who are you……?”
“It doesn’t matter. Hmm…… not bad — for a first one, suitable enough. Decided.”
Saying things I didn’t understand, she grabbed my hair and tried to drag me off.
“O-ouch! Let go!”
“Ahh, kids are so noisy. Be quiet.”
“Papaaa! Mamaaa!”
No matter how I screamed, they wouldn’t save me.
Because they were already dead.
The two grew smaller as I was dragged off. But suddenly the dragging stopped.
“No…… one-chan…… don’t take her……”
Mary had grabbed the woman’s leg.
”…… Children really do resemble their parents.”
“Everyone…… together…… being friends…… is my dream……”
“Is that so. Then go wait with Papa and Mama first.”
“Ah.”
The air in front of me flashed. When I opened my eyes, Mary was with Papa and Mama.
“Aaaaaaaaaa!!”
I don’t remember anything after that.
When I woke, strange machines were embedded in my chest and abdomen.
From that day, my life as a vessel for Floné-sensei to transfer her soul back into began.
First, I was told to change my first-person pronoun to watashi. I didn’t want to be hit, so I obeyed.
Next, lots of machines were placed inside my body so my flesh would remain eternally young. I didn’t want to be hit, so I obeyed.
After that, I underwent experiments daily as a candidate vessel.
Sensei often called me trash, defective — but unlike the others she’d brought, she didn’t dispose of me.
Probably because I was the most obedient.
I didn’t cry, scream, or rebel.
I hated pain, so I threw away all my emotions.
Sensei was supposed to have saved Lamdarb Kingdom from a Demon-race assault as a hero.
In the photographs, the King I’d never seen was shaking her hand.
When I first brewed tea, Sensei praised it as passable.
After that, I studied to brew delicious tea.
I was never praised by her.
She said my blank face was creepy, so I always wore the same smile.
She hit me, saying that was creepy.
But I wasn’t disposed of.
If I cast away the parts that were Reina, I wouldn’t be discarded.
The meaning of my life switched, all of it, to be for Sensei.
Eating for Sensei. Studying for Sensei. Playing the apprentice for Sensei.
For Sensei, for Sensei, for Sensei……
Sensei had found a vessel to replace me.