TLNTAAM Chapter 16

A First Birthday Gift

For a moment I had nothing to say.

'Shouldn't His Majesty be taking care of me?'

That man will eat well and live well no matter what happens. Does it not feel even slightly off to say that? Are you not sensing anything here? Knight?

"Get some rest."

"Wait—Sir Knight!"

I pulled the slightly dented fruit from my apron.

"Please take this, if you'd like."

He looked between the fruit and me, then laughed.

"It got a little damaged from when you knocked me over earlier."

I'm not giving you this to get back at you! Please don't misconstrue my sincerity!

"Ah, that so? Thank you. I'll enjoy it."

He bit directly into the fruit right there.

"See you around, kid."

The man eating fruit in the sunlight, all white teeth and easy contentment, was really something to look at. I smiled and watched him go. It had started in irritation, but ended warmly. All the great power of sweetness and muscles.

'What does he actually do?'

If he'd been at the border, he must be formidable. Head of a noble house, knight—that meant aristocracy here. I repeated his name under my breath as I walked back to the dormitory. After some rest, the detox seemed to have taken effect—my legs were moving well enough.

'Let's go rest.'

There was another tasting shift coming. I walked slowly toward the room at the south end. It occurred to me that Nina's schedule, while sparse on paper, was staggered in a way that made it more exhausting than it looked.

'I think there are rest days...'

Who would even tell me about those. Probably Mary.

'But who does the tasting on rest days?'

Was there another tasting maid in this castle? There hadn't seemed to be. I tilted my head and opened the door. The small south-end room looked exactly as I'd left it. I threw myself onto the bed and pulled off my shoes, and felt like a person again.

"Please just end, today..."

Not bad, all things considered, but genuinely exhausting. I let out a long breath and rolled once across the bed.

The king and Sabina continued down the corridor. The experienced maid studied his expression as she always did. You had to look closely to notice, but there was something else mixed into that composed, handsome face.

Sabina quickened her step and drew alongside him. He glanced at her.

"What is it?"

"I thought you might have something to say, Your Majesty."

He laughed quietly and shook his head. Nothing important, the gesture said. Sabina began to step back.

"Does the confession compound work that well?"

She stopped.

"...Your Majesty?"

"The rabbit apparently found the truth serum entertaining. I find I'm curious."

Sabina couldn't determine what, precisely, had caught his interest.

"I'd like to have her take it in front of me sometime."

"Your Majesty—are you referring to Nina Cage?"

He nodded as if this were entirely unremarkable. The fine black hair caught the light and moved. Sabina maintained her composure, but the shock was considerable.

'Do you know what you just said, Your Majesty?'

Whether he registered her reaction or not, he continued.

"I'm looking forward to seeing what she says in front of me."

He dismissed her with a gesture—casual, like it was nothing—and she fell back a step, unsettled.

Only once the king's party was completely out of sight did she allow herself to exhale.

'What in the—'

She pressed her fingers to her forehead. The unease she'd felt before was becoming real.

'Nothing to be done.'

She was shaken, but she was a seasoned woman. Sabina was the king's closest attendant. She was loyal to him, and to him alone.

'I have no choice...'

She didn't like it. But there was work to do. She turned around and walked in the opposite direction from the king. Her steps were unhurried. Her pace was brisk.

I closed my eyes and the whole world went quiet. I pulled the sheets close and held them. Nina's habit when anxious—I didn't stop it this time. Rest hours, no one watching. I could let myself do as I liked.

'Children are children after all.'

I knew the behavior was childlike. I couldn't stop it anyway. Honestly, it was better for a child to live like one.

'Nina's life has been sad, when you think about it.'

This small person had grown up without ever being allowed to be young. I sighed and pressed my face into the gathered sheets.

I'm not sure how long I lay like that. Then a shoulder—being shaken.

I instinctively pulled away, and stopped.

'I have a single room. There's no one here.'

I shot upright in bed.

"Oh—"

I'd apparently drifted off for a moment; my voice came out hoarse. I looked at the person who'd shaken my shoulder and quickly bowed my head.

"Sabina!"

Clean looks, neat dress, the woman I someday wanted to share a drink with.

I was completely disoriented from waking so suddenly. She stood there looking at me without saying anything.

'Why are you just looking at me. That's unsettling.'

Things to do. I hurriedly smoothed down my skirt, which had ridden up, and climbed off the bed. She watched me scramble and said:

"Take your time."

"I'm so sorry. I must have dozed off—I didn't even know you were here."

"I came without warning. Don't worry about it."

True, but—she was essentially the head of all the maids. I went pale like a new employee greeting their CEO and rubbed my eyes.

"Are you feeling better? I saw you being carried by Sir Léomede earlier."

I smiled awkwardly.

"Yes. My constitution seems to clear things quickly."

"Dio is conducting research into your body."

That's his research into my body? All he seemed to be doing was running his own experiments. I still had grudges from the oil tree fruit incident.

I tilted my head, suspicious. Sabina let out a small sigh. She looked troubled. Why does this woman look like she has something weighing on her?

'I can guess why.'

Because of me.

"I'm sorry."

The fault lay with the dear king, but I was a maid, and cleaning up the aftermath fell to her. And Léomede had mentioned Sabina had dealt with the maid staff. Even with authority, keeping everyone quiet required goodwill.

'Her reputation earns the compliance.'

The maids knew her particular combination of forthrightness and accountability. That was why they followed her.

"Nina."

Sabina lightly touched my short platinum hair.

"The palace is a frightening place."

I nodded. I know. Of course I know. I know why the original Nina died.

"A strange one, too."

She really did only say true things.

"Nina—do you still want to do well here?"

I answered without hesitation.

"Yes!"

"I see. You haven't changed."

I've been here a few days. How would I have changed? Good or bad—which way? What were you worried about, Sabina?

"Strange. I thought everything through, but seeing you now, I wonder why I worried."

"I—I honestly don't know what you mean."

"If you don't know, don't worry about it."

Which made me worry about it more.

The more she talked, the less I understood. I turned it over and couldn't find the end of the thread.

"For now—make sure you bathe every day."

"Pardon?"

"Wash carefully and thoroughly. Would you like a bath attendant?"

Why is it bathing all of a sudden? And attendants—maids are supposed to be the ones attending, not the ones being attended to!

"I can bathe myself, but why are you suddenly—"

"Nina. Living in the palace, there are things that have to be done even when they don't make sense."

I'd heard this before. It sounded exactly like something Mary had said.

'Just do it and don't ask?'

Bathe?

"Am... am I dirty?"

My hygiene isn't adequate? I hurriedly checked the collar and cuffs of my maid uniform. Moving around meant some inevitable dirt, but I'd been diligently sending everything to the laundry—the visible parts looked fine.

Do I look like a grubby alley dog even now? Have I been walking around looking unkempt?

"I'm so sorry! I'll wash thoroughly!"

From today, I will scrub every last corner!

"No, Nina. That's not it."

I'd already started flipping my hem looking for evidence before I caught myself. Sabina sighed and patted my shoulder.

"If you were truly dirty, do you think His Majesty would keep touching you?"

"Oh!"

I clapped my hands once. The dear king did touch me rather freely, come to think of it. My cheeks. My nose.

'Is it my clothes?'

I checked my uniform—and only now noticed the collar had gone loose.

"My collar's come undone. How untidy."

Sabina shook her head and pressed the collar flat.

"This one was too large. We'll fit you for a proper one."

"Thank you."

"If I'd known it would come to this, I'd have fitted you from the start. I never imagined you'd catch His Majesty's eye."

Neither did I. How did it end up like this.

"In any case, that's not why I said to bathe."

I wanted to ask why, then, but I kept my mouth shut. The atmosphere said I should.

"And Nina—take this."

Sabina produced a small book from her apron. A little worn, but solid—well cared for. I took it and read the title immediately.

『Customs of Iberia』

This was possibly exactly the book I needed most in the world right now.

'Sabina. Starting today I'm devoting myself to you.'

An administrator this thoughtful toward even the lowest-ranking staff! I was freshly in awe of the dear king's judgment for putting this woman in her position.

"Thank you so much! I've been worried I'd cause problems just from not knowing things—this is really, truly, thank you."

"It's the book I first read when I came here."

So Sabina had come from somewhere else too. She'd risen through ability alone, as an outsider.

"There are actually quite a lot of people from elsewhere in Iberia. So don't think of coming from outside as something to be ashamed of."

How did she always know exactly the right thing to say. I genuinely felt tears coming.

"Then Nina—make sure to bathe well. And—"

Sabina smiled gently and tucked a loose strand of hair back from my face.

"Happy birthday."

I blinked.

"...Pardon?"

Today was Nina's birthday? I quickly counted on my fingers. Thinking about it—it was around this time.

"Didn't you know?"

I held the book to my chest and smiled awkwardly.

"Things have been... hectic lately."

I'm sorry, Nina. It was your birthday. I'm sorry. I've been so consumed with surviving that I didn't think about it. You'll forgive me, won't you—you were always so kind.

"At the orphanage, birthdays were never really anything."

That was why it was so easy to forget. It wasn't an important day. Nina had no memory of ever receiving a gift.

I looked down at the book in my arms. Worn. Precious beyond measure.

"This is the first birthday present I've ever received."

I said it smiling. Sabina let out a small breath and ran her hand once over my hair. She said only get some rest, and turned to go.

I placed my hand where she'd touched my head. That woman was genuinely good. Someday I hoped we'd be close enough for that drink. Truly close. She was the head of the household and I was the very bottom rung, which made it seem far away—but still.

When she disappeared from the room, I lightly ran my fingers over the book in my arms. The rough texture of the cover traveled up through my fingertips.

"Thank you."

No one was there to hear it.

I said it again anyway.