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.