Chapter 83

"Since I have the memories of my past life, I think I should make better use of them!"

The moment Mary's eyes sparkled and she began to speak, in stark contrast, Addy's eyes clouded over like a dead fish. His long-standing intuition told him that nothing good would come of this.

But indeed, Mary does have memories of her past life that others don't. These memories, which suggest that this world is a game she played in her past life, would likely get her committed to a mental institution if she told anyone. Still, as a unique set of knowledge, these memories have value.

To put it simply, they are original. A perfect example is the migratory bird rice bowl shop that has quietly become a trend in the northern region. Whether this idea came from her past life memories or from Mary's inherent sense, it's not clear, but Addy lacks the courage to confirm it.

In any case, since she has the memories of her past life, she should make better use of them! Mary's confident expression made Addy, who was drinking tea, put down his cup and speak up.

"Make better use of them, you say?"

"Yes, exactly! It's a waste to keep them as just my own memories!"

"Make better use of them, right?"

"...Yes, what are you trying to say?"

"Well, in the end, they were effectively used, but originally, you—"

"Be quiet!"

"No more, no more!" Mary raised her voice, and Addy, understanding that his point was made, deliberately covered his mouth and said, "I apologize."

The reason Mary glared at him so fiercely was that she had tried to use her past life memories to bring about her family's decline, but ended up being adored by Princess Alicia, which elevated the Albert family to a position on par with the royal family. From an outsider's perspective, this might seem perfect, but considering Mary's original intentions, it was the complete opposite.

With no way to justify or follow up on this situation, and unwilling to admit failure, Mary cleared her throat and changed the subject. She needed to think about how to make better use of her past life memories. While stepping on Addy's foot, which was grinning, she pondered.

At the same time, she furrowed her brow, as her recent past life memories were not as vivid as before.

"Are the memories fading?"

"It's not that they're fading, but more like I'm gradually forgetting them."

Originally, Mary had no interest in her past life or the game's Mary. Even as the memories of her past life flowed in, she never lost herself or thought differently from before. She had no intention of conforming to or resembling her past life or the game's Mary.

"I am Mary Albert. No, I am the only Mary Albert."

"I appreciate the memories of my past life, but I have no intention of sacrificing my thoughts or personality for them."

Perhaps because of this mindset, the vivid memories of her past life gradually faded. Especially the memories of her past self faded quickly. She couldn't recall her personality, the life she led, or the characters she aimed for in the game. No matter how hard she tried to remember, there was no sense of familiarity.

"It's the same as the game," she said, recalling a line that once made her shiver, but now was just a memory of conversations with Alicia and Patrick.

"It's not my memory to begin with, so it's fine to forget, but it's a waste, isn't it?"

"Indeed, that's why you should use them before you forget."

"Exactly. And by talking to you, they'll remain as memories rather than just recollections."

"Good idea," Mary said, sipping her tea, and Addy nodded in agreement.

His intuition still told him that things wouldn't turn out well, but her argument had a point. Whether or not the memories could be effectively used, they were valuable as knowledge of a different culture.

"So, what kind of memories do you have?"

"Well, I tried to recall something about you. I remember that in my past life, your job was popular."

"My job?"

"Why is that?" Addy asked, surprised.

Indeed, being a servant is a well-paid job compared to most. Working for a noble family like the Alberts would ensure a life without financial worries. However, being a servant means serving others, and the gap between servant and master is significant. Some servants are treated like objects by cruel masters, though this is not the case with the Alberts. Still, the stories from other servants are quite dramatic.

—Every time he heard such stories, Addy deeply appreciated the generosity of the Alberts, especially Mary. Recently, he has been showing his gratitude by hugging Mary, kissing her cheek, and then pushing her onto the bed, where he has a 30% chance of getting hit in the side.

Given this, Addy tilted his head, not fully understanding why his job was popular in Mary's past life. He found the job fulfilling and was proud of it. He had intended to serve Mary for life from the moment he first met her—though her reaction to his declaration was unforgettable. If given the choice of any job, he would choose this one without hesitation.

But he couldn't understand why a servant would be popular in a world where there was no such social hierarchy, and anyone could choose any job they wanted.

"So, your job was popular?"

"Yes, but... it's more like... girls were infatuated with servants... or something?"

Mary's explanation was hesitant because her memory was vague. Even now, Mary couldn't fully understand why servants were popular.

Still, she tried hard to recall and suddenly her face lit up. Yes, she remembered.

"Yes, your job was popular because it was 'moé' in my past life!"

"Moé!?"

"Why!?" Addy exclaimed.

Mary, feeling good about recalling her memory, didn't notice Addy's fear, thinking he was worried about spontaneous human combustion. "It's a good thing," she continued.

From what she remembered, 'moé' was used to express admiration or affection. In the game, all characters were depicted as attractive, and players often used 'moé' to express their approval. Especially, among the upper-class characters, Addy, being a servant, was particularly 'moé'.

"Your job is 'moé'."

"Is it that... inexperienced servants burn? Or if you fail an exam, you end up burning...?"

"No, the more perfect the servant, the more 'moé'."

"The more perfect, the more they burn!? That's terrifying."

Anyone would be afraid to hear that their job in another world is described as fuel. Addy, being an excellent servant, was especially fearful. He had been thoroughly trained and educated to serve the Albert family, and his skills were far above average.

Mary, too, initially found his reaction puzzling but then realized that being 'moé' might not be a pleasant experience.

"Right, maids are also 'moé'."

"They burn brightly... that's terrifying."

"Yes, it is. Being called 'moé' can be problematic."

"It's not just problematic; it means burning."

"True, but in a way, it's an honor."

"Honor! Burning!?"

"Yes, it's a kind of status. In my past life, being 'moé' could make you rich."

"Like a human sacrifice..."

Addy muttered, somewhat convinced but still uneasy.

In his interpretation, in Mary's past life, people could gain benefits by offering and burning human resources. The better the resource, the greater the benefit, and the person being offered would take pride in it. In this world, it might seem inhumane and terrifying, but in Mary's past life, it was normal, and being chosen was an honor for a servant. Families might also boast of their wealth and status based on the quality of their servants.

It was a strange concept, but thinking about it, it made sense. A servant might joyfully offer their life for the family they served, having been recognized as excellent.

"I see, that's how it is," Addy nodded again.

"Is it like a ritual or something where they burn?"

"Yes, and there are also specialized cafes."

"Cafes for burning! What if the fire spreads to other customers?"

"Don't worry, they're specialized. Only customers who are into that kind of thing go there."

"Hmm, the more I think about it, the more terrifying it is."

"In those places, they shout 'moé'."

"Of course, they shout because they're burning."

"I remember, they would shout 'moé!'"

"Why do they narrate their burning? But you're right, it would be scary if someone burned quietly."

"But some people who seem calm are actually burning intensely."

"They must be burning so much they can't even speak."

"I see."

"What a terrifying concept..."

Shivering, Addy took a sip of the tea Mary had made. It was slightly bitter, but it was the sweetest and warmest tea in the world, made by his lifelong master and beloved wife.

Deciding to pour the next cup, he reached for the teapot, which was at the perfect temperature, and sighed.

"Servants burning is completely useless knowledge."

At least in this world, a burning servant would bring no benefit and could even cause a fire.

"Right, saying servants are 'moé' doesn't mean much here."

Mary sighed as well, because in this world, servants and maids are just jobs and not a source of excitement.

They nodded in agreement and sipped the tea they had made for each other.

In the end, they concluded that this knowledge couldn't be effectively used. Mary quickly pushed the memories of 'moé' to the back of her mind, and Addy tried to forget the terrifying story by changing the subject.

And so, they started talking about something completely unrelated, like the quality of the beef steak served last night, and the memories of 'moé' quickly faded away.