Chapter 15: Rafina’s Invitation

As soon as classes finished, Mia made a beeline for Rafina's room which, despite housing the daughter of the most powerful person in Belluga, was located in the same dormitory as Mia and the other girls. Rafina didn't live far from the academy, and it was perfectly possible for her to commute from home, but she saw the importance in having frequent discourse with the next generation of leaders from across the continent and chose to reside in the dormitory.

"Come on, we're going in," Mia said to her granddaughter, who was hiding behind her back.

Bel looked up at her with an expression stiff from nervousness.

"Um, Grand— I mean, Miss Mia, are you sure this is okay?"

"Well, that depends on you, doesn't it? As long as you don't slip up and call me 'grandmother,' I'm pretty sure it'll be okay."

"Hmmmph, you're such a meanie."

Mia pushed the pouting Bel out in front of her and knocked on the door.

"Excuse me, Miss Rafina."

"Ah, come in Mia." Rafina welcomed her with a smile before quirking an eyebrow at her companion. "My, who might this be?"

"She... is actually the reason I'm here today. May she come in with me?"

"Well, I certainly don't mind, but..." She frowned. "You've left me in a bit of a predicament. I only prepared enough teacakes for two."

"My! That certainly is a predicament!"

Genuine concern clouded Mia's expression.

Once they were inside and comfortably seated, Mia was profoundly relieved to find that Rafina managed to produce another portion of teacakes, which she set down on the table and offered to Bel together with a cup of black tea. Then she held her own cup to her nose and drew in a slow, savoring breath before addressing Mia.

"So, you were saying?"

"Well, you see... About that..."

Mia didn't immediately answer. Instead, she put on a bit of a show, pausing to sip her tea as though she were reluctant to answer. The tea had a sweet, calming aroma of flowers, which was perfect for her purposes. Going with the flow, she let out a deep breath as it soothed her nerves.

"This girl, um... She's actually my younger sister."

With calculated hesitance, she gave the answer she'd prepared in advance, speaking in a tone that suggested she'd very much appreciate it if Rafina didn't pry.

"Huh. Well now. I was under the impression Tearmoon only has one princess..." Rafina said with a frown.

Mia inclined her head in a conspiratorial nod.

"And you'd be right. Officially, I'm the emperor's only child, so, you know..."

Unofficially, Mia was still the only child of the Emperor of Tearmoon, but anyway...

I'm sorry, Father, but I'm going to need your reputation to take a hit for me.

She trailed off, leaving the words unsaid but the intent obvious. Her wink-and-nod approach also had the effect of suggesting that the topic was awkward and she'd rather not talk about it. Fortunately for her — her story was so full of holes that it would fall apart at the slightest probe — the astute Rafina picked up on the cue immediately and spared her from further inquiry.

"Ah. Of course. Hardly surprising for the sovereign leader of an empire, I suppose. After all, if something were to happen to you, and you were his only heir... Goodness, the thought would keep him up every single night." She nodded to herself in understanding before turning to Bel. "I see. So this is your sister. She does resemble you quite a bit, now that I've gotten a good look at her. And what's your name?"

"Ah, I'm sorry for not introducing myself earlier. My name is Miabel Luna Tearmoon. I'm glad to make your acquaintance, Empres— Ow!"

Mia gave Bel's foot a silencing stomp, covering up the ensuing yelp with a loud interjection of "Ohoho, isn't she just the most adorable thing?" Then, she promptly changed the subject.

"Anyway, I'd like to ask you a favor, Miss Rafina. Would it be possible..." she said, placing a hand on Bel's shoulder, a hint of nervousness entering her voice, "for her to enroll in this academy?"

Being a student of Saint-Noel Academy was a privilege in and of itself. There were plenty of people in the Tearmoon Empire with no shortage of money or status who couldn't gain admittance. Conversely, so long as Rafina deemed them worthy, it was entirely possible for backcountry nobles like Tiona or even commoners to attend. Mia was used to getting her way by throwing her imperial weight around, but even her metaphorical girth had its limits; this was not a problem she could solve by brute political force.

"So, you wish to enroll your sister here..." Rafina shot a quick glance at Bel. "Well, I can hardly turn down a request from a friend."

"Thank you very much, Miss Rafina."

Mia let out a relieved breath and inclined her head in a bow of gratitude. This amused Rafina, who giggled a little.

"Oh, Mia, I hope you're not auditioning for any stage plays today, because your acting thus far has been terrible."

"...Eh?"

"Honestly, Mia, do I really look like the kind of person who would pry? If you wished to keep your circumstances private, you could have just said so instead of talking in such a roundabout manner. Though, I suppose it's reflective of how much you care about her, which I find wonderfully endearing."

Rafina gave Bel another lookover and politely tipped her head at her.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miabel."

"Ah, um, the pleasure's all mine, Miss Rafina. Oh, and please call me Bel."

There was still some lingering tension in Bel's voice, but her demeanor around Rafina was growing more relaxed. Seeing that the two had broken the ice, Mia figured that her work here was done. She reached for the teacakes.

"By the way, Mia, there's something I'd like to discuss with you as well. Do you still have some time?"

Seeing that Rafina wasn't done with her, she reluctantly retracted both her hand and gaze from the teacakes.

"Of course, I hope I can be of assistance. What would you like to discuss? Is it about... them?"

The only issue that seemed both important and relevant enough right now was the Chaos Serpents, so it surprised her when Rafina brought up a completely unrelated topic.

"No, it's about something else. You see, the student council elections are coming up soon..." Slowly, Rafina looked up from her lap and straight into Mia's eyes. "And I'd like you to join as a member."