Chapter 2

2021/9/25: I rewrote it entirely because it was too embarrassing to reread. I have also revised the first episode, so please be sure to read that as well.

At the age of four, the young duchess, Takaishi Akiko, felt relieved that the 66 nylon synthesis experiment she had conducted on the spot had gone well.

"Thank goodness... If I had failed here, I probably wouldn't have been able to intervene in the Russo-Japanese War."

While leisurely winding the nylon, Akiko said such things.

"If I can do this much, Father will surely start to listen to my ravings? Grandiose delusions? Well, actually, they're not, but he should start to listen more. I don't know who the professors at Tokyo University were at this time, but they will surely be astonished. It's made from water, coal, and air, and is stronger than iron and finer than a spider's thread, right?"

While the historical sales pitch is somewhat exaggerated, the excellence of 66 nylon lies in its physical properties. The strong intermolecular interactions created by the amide bonds and the good packing due to the linear molecular shape result in high crystallinity, giving it high heat resistance, strength, and gas barrier properties as a resin.

"The fact that it is useful as a fiber is also convenient for Japan today. At this time, Japan's light industry is mainly based on raw silk, so it's easier to transfer knowledge and equipment for making other resin products."

The fine fibers feel good to the touch but are prone to damage. The tensile strength of nylon is about 50% higher than that of silk, which is why nylon is often used in stockings and other items that require fine threads, as it is less likely to break even when the fibers are thin.

"Most of all, the fact that it can be synthesized by interfacial polymerization is too strong. If it required harsh chain polymerization conditions like other resins, it wouldn't have been invented so quickly. Even though I did it myself, this is a cheat."

Of course, 66 nylon has its weaknesses, such as being prone to performance degradation when it absorbs water, being weak to salts, and having a large deformation. It's not an all-powerful material. Still, she understands these points well, having worked with it extensively in her previous life, which was over 100 years in the future.

"But still, how did I, who worked in a resin company in the Reiwa era, end up as a duchess's daughter in the Meiji era..."

Akiko sighed as she stirred the glass rod, thinking about the supernatural phenomenon that science cannot explain.

---

A different day from yesterday.

A different tomorrow from today.

Work repeats, marking the passage of life,

Yet, he worked hard.

But his mind and body could not endure it—

(Well, it's not like I was hypnotized or hallucinating... If I have to describe what happened to me, I can only say, 'I thought I was dead, but I ended up as a duchess's daughter...')

In the house of the Takaishi family in Honmura-cho, Aza, Tokyo, in a room of a large house befitting a ducal family, a young girl—Takaishi Akiko—was desperately trying to make sense of her situation, feeling as if her head might explode.

(To summarize the situation, today is January 15, 1899, the 32nd year of the Meiji era. I... no, I am a two-year-old girl who just turned two yesterday, the youngest of four boys and two girls. Father, Kiyotsugu, is an army officer who loves horses despite being in the infantry. Mother, Junko, is a typical woman of this era. The oldest brother, Nobusuke, is a good boy who shows me bird books and talks to me about various things...)

After being reborn in this world and regaining her senses, Akiko, despite the limitations of being a young child, investigated her situation and evaluated her family in this life.

(I'm really glad I was born into the best possible family. Father is delighted rather than creeped out by my fluent speech at this age, and Nobusuke is smart and kind. But even though the Takaishi family is a ducal family with a lot of money, I've never heard of them. I know they are part of the Fujiwara lineage...)

The Takaishi ducal family, to which she was born, is one of the five regent families descended from the Fujiwara clan, a prestigious lineage. If it were a family like the Konoe, a name that appears in textbooks, Akiko, a hardcore science person, might have been more excited. But for her, who only studied Japanese history B in high school, there was no particular sentiment.

"Well, if I haven't heard of them, they probably didn't fall into ruin or anything, and they probably lived comfortably until the Second World War."

Just as she leaned back in her chair, feeling relaxed, Akiko caught herself on her own words.

"Until the Second World War..."

The Second World War. For Akiko, it was a detestable war where Japan paid for its past mistakes, was trampled by the Allies, and her dreams in her previous life were severely limited.

(Tracing it back, I can't say that I didn't end up in my dream company and die from overwork because of that... It makes me angry just thinking about it... I studied so hard and even got a master's degree, but I couldn't get into an aircraft manufacturer or a materials company.)

The period when Japan was banned from researching and developing aircraft by the GHQ was precisely when propeller planes were evolving into jet planes, the worst possible timing. This dealt a devastating blow to Japan's aviation industry, which has yet to recover even in modern times, and she was a victim of this.

"...I will change history. Since I was born as a lady so adorable that even I am amazed, I will make Japan a technologically advanced country that even America can't match, and enjoy a fulfilling life as a beautiful girl."

With renewed determination, Akiko gazed at the ceiling, pondering her options. She considered her abilities, the power of her family, and the strength of the country, evaluating whether she could use all the resources at her disposal to solve the current problems and improve the country's situation better than in the historical timeline.

"...But... I'm not sure if I can do it well. It might be a one in a thousand or one in ten thousand chance, or even worse. Still..."

Feeling more confident, Akiko jumped off her chair and pointed at the air with enthusiasm.

"Even if the odds are astronomical, I can't just sit and wait for death, knowing the future."

"...Akiko, what are you doing?"

"Ah!?"

Akiko, who hadn't expected anyone to be watching, turned around in surprise at the sound of the voice.

"Nobusuke...? Um, nothing..."

Despite her two-year-old appearance, her inner self was in her thirties. Being caught in a middle school syndrome was embarrassing.

---

"Ah, I ended up remembering unnecessary things..."

Akiko, who had been lost in thought, blushed when she remembered being caught by her second brother, Nobusuke. Shaking her head to shake off the embarrassment, she tried to regain her composure, muttering to herself.

"...I'll miss the convenient and entertainment-filled life in the Reiwa era, but this Meiji era, where I can do as I please with my reincarnation cheat, isn't bad either. Since I was born in this era, I won't let Japan become a Japan like in the historical timeline, where it is left behind and unrescued."

With renewed resolve, the reincarnated duchess's daughter continued to wind the thread. The nylon, continuously spewed from the glass bottle, showed no signs of stopping anytime soon.

---

A few days later, Akiko was called by Kiyotsugu and asked to recount her memories of her previous life.

"...This is the history of my previous life, the path this country has taken."

After recounting how her world's Japan navigated the tumultuous era of the Meiji, Taisho, and Showa periods, Akiko respectfully bowed to her father in this life.

"...But, it's not guaranteed that the flow of history will follow the same path."

Even she didn't know, but the very existence of Takaishi Akiko had already deviated from the historical timeline. Even if she did nothing, the history might not have followed the same path as her previous life.

"No, what Akiko has told me is a plausible story. Indeed, our country will undoubtedly clash with Russia in the near future, and we lack the technological and production capabilities to break through. It makes sense that we would resort to imperialism to cover up these shortcomings and incur the displeasure of the leading European powers."

"...Do you believe me?"

While she had hoped for this outcome, she hadn't expected her arguments to be taken seriously, and Akiko gaped in surprise.

"I can't tell if what Akiko is saying is true. But I can see that Akiko has the thinking ability of an adult, presents a convincing argument, and is genuinely concerned about the country."

"I'm not that capable a person..."

Blushing, Akiko looked away, and Kiyotsugu gently placed his hand on her head.

"It's wonderful that you can think so much at your age. ...You must be tired today. Let's talk about what you want to do for this country another time."

"Okay..."

Feeling relaxed after being petted, Akiko yawned and obediently returned to her room. While it felt too good to be true, she had successfully gained the support of a "duke" who is also an "army officer."