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Chapter 18 - A Winter Day’s Promise

Winter in the Tearmoon Empire was cold. Snowfall was common, making the

fireplace a treasured fixture of every household.

"Mmmfff... it's so cold..."

It was the last day of the year, and Anne was making her way down a palace

hallway, her breaths leaving faint puffs of white in the air. Outside, snow was

slowly descending on the frozen townscape. Many, if not most stores were

closed, but work inside the castle could afford no pause. Her fellow maids were

all busily tending to their usual tasks, and she greeted them with a quick hello

as she passed by. Finally, she came to Mia's personal chamber.

"Excuse me, Milady. May I enter?"

"Ah, Anne. Please come in." Seeing the figure of her maid in the doorway, Mia

put down her book and rose from her fireside chair. "How terribly cold you

look. Come over here and warm yourself up."

"Yes, I'd appreciate that," said Anne as she walked over and lowered herself

beside the fire. "Ah, this feels lovely. Thank you very much."

In the past, concerns over propriety and norms would have caused her to balk

at such an offer. However, after she was reprimanded by Mia, who considered

her reservation to be improper in and of itself, she'd learned to just comply

gratefully. In return, she made a solemn promise to herself that she'd repay her

master's goodwill with loyalty.

A comfortable silence descended on the pair as they luxuriated in the warm

aura of the fireplace.

Has she grown a little taller? I wonder...

A fond smile crept over Anne's lips as she regarded the young princess.

Sometimes, she couldn't help but see Mia as another sweet little sister.

"Say, Anne... Do you have a moment?" asked Mia all of a sudden.

Anne frowned at the strange question. Then she noticed that Mia's eyes kept

wandering toward the ceiling as she fidgeted in her seat. Based on experience,

she knew that Mia tended to display this kind of behavior when she wanted to

ask some sort of difficult favor.

"Yes? What is it, Princess Mia?" she replied in a curious tone.

"Well, you see... Next spring, I shall start attending school."

"I'm aware of that. Congratulations. I wish you all the best in your studies."

Amongst children of the nobility, the rule was that school began in the spring

of the year they turned thirteen. They would enroll in specialized institutions of

learning where they would gain the knowledge and competence required to

effectively rule their respective domains.

Anne already considered Mia a living saint. She could only imagine what a

magnificent young lady her princess would become with a formal education.

Though Mia hadn't even left yet, Anne was already looking forward to her

return.

"Thank you, Anne. The thing is..." Mia smiled briefly before her expression

clouded over. She remained quiet for some time. Then, as though she'd finally

managed to muster the necessary resolve, she took a deep breath and looked

up at Anne. "I'd like you to come with me. As my personal attendant."

"...Huh?" Anne stiffened in surprise at the question. "You want... me...?"

She had good reason to be shocked. Schools were a place for nobility, where

future dukes, counts, and barons gathered and mingled. There, noble children

developed the friendships and connections that would one day help them rule.

Anyone who stepped foot into these hallowed institutions, which produced the

very leaders of tomorrow, was expected to be on their best behavior.

Clumsiness would not be tolerated.

Furthermore, the school that Mia would be attending wasn't even in the

Empire. For a number of years henceforth, Mia would leave the comfort of her

castle and spend her days in the dormitories of her school. During her time

there, she was permitted to bring only one attendant, who would no longer be

able to rely on any of the other veteran maids for help.

"Um, Princess Mia, I'm... overjoyed by your offer, but are you sure about this?

About... me?"

The fact of the matter was that Anne wasn't a particularly capable maid. If

anything, she was more on the clumsier side of things. Though she was well

aware that Mia afforded her a great deal of trust and — to her deep gratitude

— some degree of genuine affection, it always saddened her to know that none

of it stemmed from her skill as a maid. As a result, she couldn't help but feel

that Mia would be better off taking someone more capable and experienced

than her.

Just then, she felt something warm engulf her cold palms. Looking down, she

was surprised to find Mia's tiny hands wrapped tightly around them.

"Um, Milady, you shouldn't... My hands are cold, so..."

"Listen to me, Anne. I said that I want you."

"Princess... Mia...!"

Anne felt a wave of hot emotions well up inside. Mia had believed in her,

offering her unconditional trust, kindness, and friendship. She'd given her so

much. It was a debt that should, and must, be repaid. Moved to the core, Anne

kneeled down right then and there.

"I'll try my absolute best, Princess Mia. I'll serve you with all my heart and

soul."

Phew. Well, am I ever glad I got that sorted out. Now I don't need to worry.

Mia let out a sigh of relief.

Awaiting her at the school where she was headed were her two greatest

enemies in her previous life. One was Tiona Rudolvon, an Outland noble who

led the revolution against the Empire and would later be venerated as a saint.

And helping her every step of the way was Sion Sol Sunkland, prince of the

formidable Kingdom of Sunkland. These two people, who were directly

connected to her gruesome fate at the guillotine, also happened to be her

classmates.

Being near people like them without an attendant I can trust... Why, the

thought alone is enough to keep me awake at night!

Content in the knowledge that she'd managed to avoid such a nightmarish

scenario, Mia welcomed the New Year with a considerably lighter heart than

before.

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