TMIAP Chapter 6

Monica closed her mouth briefly before opening it again.

"'Why did I come?' That's rather disconcerting... Lizzie!"

Why did she come. She truly hadn't expected such a response from an old friend—someone she'd shared hardships with at the orphanage.

Monica had just...

Just.

'No...'

No. Monica corrected her thoughts.

'I couldn't really have been unaware.'

Of course not. Monica decided not to deceive herself. Lizzie had been hostile toward her from the moment she first saw her. Starting with that rude "your."

'She must have recognized me then.'

It would have been the same for Monica. Lizzie, too, had recognized in that instant that she was the girl who had once been with her at the orphanage.

If she hadn't recognized her, she would have referred to Monica with appropriately polite words. That was what young ladies of the upper class did.

"As you can see."

Monica swept a glance around, then looked back at Lizzie pointedly. Lizzie still stared at her with furrowed brow.

"I received a letter of introduction and came to be governess to Martinael Mollette... your brother, isn't he? That boy. I didn't know you'd be here..."

"Cut the lies. What are you scheming?"

This time it was Monica who furrowed her brow. Lizzie crossed her arms and opened her mouth.

"Yes, I recognized you. Monica Orphen."

"..."

"I was going to pretend I didn't, but since you insisted on calling me that, I suppose it's only polite to acknowledge you."

"Lizzie."

Monica called her name carefully. Lizzie cut sharply across Monica's words.

"My name is Liella. Liella Mollette."

"Ah, yes. I'm sorry, Liella."

Lizzie—no, Liella. Monica deliberately spoke the name gently.

Liella was showing a sharp attitude, as though Monica had come here with some ulterior motive.

"Why are you here?"

"..."

Though she was being interrogated abruptly, Monica wasn't particularly flustered. She decided to understand her old friend.

Wasn't it so? If someone living surrounded by a magnificent mansion, kind adoptive parents, an affectionate younger brother, and beautiful dresses suddenly had an orphan friend appear after ten years, anyone would be disconcerted.

Monica was grown-up enough to understand such things.

She herself loathed the surname Orphen so thoroughly that she didn't even want others to speak it. So Lizzie, too, wouldn't be pleased to have a friend who revived old memories.

"I have no ulterior motive. You seem to be under some misapprehension, Liella. I simply came here on a recommendation."

Just then, Monica remembered the letter of introduction in her bodice.

The moment she took out the introduction she'd kept in her worn handbag, Liella snatched it up swiftly. Her gray eyes read from the top of the letter downward.

"Hmm."

"A friend I worked with as a nurse recommended I take her place, so I came here. Surprised? I was too, when I first saw you—"

Rip.

Monica's face turned ashen mid-sentence. Liella had torn the letter of introduction in her hands. Monica cried out in shock.

"Lizzie! What are you doing!"

She reached out without thinking, but Liella had already torn what she held a second time.

"Give it here!"

Monica belatedly tried to retrieve the torn introduction from Liella's hands. But Liella gritted her teeth and resisted having it taken. In the end, their clumsily tangled fingers did the damage.

"Ah!"

Liella's nails had scratched Monica's hand. The thin chemical lace gloves were far too open-weave to completely hide a noble young lady's long nails.

Monica shook off her hand at the burning pain. Blood immediately beaded on her reddened, swelling hand.

Monica looked at her hand, then shifted her gaze to Liella as though dumbfounded. Liella likewise shook out her hand with a grimace.

Her glove—a large hole gaped at the tip of the second finger of her right hand. Apparently the nail had torn the glove while scratching Monica's hand.

"It hurts..."

Saying this, Liella's gaze fell on Monica's red hand. Her face showed confusion, as though she hadn't meant to draw blood.

But when Monica's gaze reached her, Liella lifted her chin pointedly.

"What impressive lies."

"You—"

"And I told you my name is Liella. Monica Orphen."

Only then did Liella scatter the pieces of introduction she'd been clutching onto the floor.

The scraps of paper, torn into four pieces and crumpled, fluttered weakly. The paper quality hadn't been very good to begin with.

"My introduction!"

Monica sank down without thinking and gathered up the torn pieces.

Letters of introduction were normally taken by the household butler to verify the source. They would check the introducer's seal or identity against what was registered with the authorities. It was standard procedure, since immediate verification was impossible.

'I should have given it to Mistress Oraingne...'

The pieces in her hand could probably be read if fitted together.

But the moment she imagined gathering the torn introduction and presenting it to Mistress Oraingne, Monica felt the absurdity of it all.

Who would employ someone who came with a torn letter of introduction?

Even kind Madame Mollette would be appalled. Monica thought that far and looked up at Liella.

Liella was looking down at her irritably, but when their eyes met, she spoke as though she'd been waiting.

"Whatever scheme brought you here after ten years, give it up. You won't even get started."

Monica's brow narrowed. Liella's tone was too quick, like someone being pursued.

Before Monica could understand what she meant, Liella continued.

"Who do you think would employ an orphan? A nurse, no less."

"..."

Only then did Monica instinctively grasp what Liella's hostile attitude meant. It wasn't merely that Monica was unwelcome. Liella hated her.

No, not even that...

She'd sometimes seen this attitude from soldiers on the battlefield.

Those who screamed at the merest touch to their wounds, who refused even to let anyone approach. They threw things at the nursing soldiers, kicked at them. Not because they disliked the nurses.

Because they were afraid.

And Liella, too, feared her.

'But of what, exactly?'

Monica couldn't understand Liella.

What battlefield soldiers feared were wounds and combat. They were frightened of the war that had injured them, afraid that if their wounds healed, they'd have to return to war.

But what could Liella possibly have to fear?

Monica grew curious, but had no time to think about it before opening her mouth. Fury swept through her entire body.

"Why are you talking like that, Lizzie?"

Liella's face crumpled at once.

"My name is—"

"You were an orphan too, Lizzie Orphen."

Liella's face went pale.

"Shut your mouth."

Monica had never known a person's expression could change so quickly. Monica rose with the torn pieces clutched in her hand and took a step toward Liella.

"No, I can't do that. I understand you're not particularly pleased to see me. But what do you think you're doing to someone you haven't seen in ten years?"

"...You may have fooled Mother, but you can't fool me, Monica."

Liella whispered rapidly, her face gone greenish.

"You... you came looking for me."

Came looking for her. And what followed was in a very small voice.

"You came to find me."

An almost extinguished, feeble sound. So quiet that unless one listened carefully, it was barely audible—but Monica caught the words.

What Liella feared. The meaning behind her abrupt demand to know Monica's scheme.

Good God. Liella apparently thought Monica had come here deliberately looking for her.

Liella's wavering gray eyes searched for somewhere to settle, finding nothing. Monica drew a deep breath. Then she extended her injured hand and grasped Liella's left arm.

Liella, who had been standing with her arms crossed, flinched and tried to shake her off, but Monica didn't release her grip and said quietly.

"Don't tell me what you're afraid of is—"

At that moment.

Knock knock knock—a cheerful rapping sounded.

Both of them turned toward the door in confusion. The person who knocked didn't identify herself and opened the door at once. It was Madame Mollette.

"I'm so sorry, what was I thinking! I forgot to get your letter of introduction—"

And the lady's eyes went round as she looked around the room.

"My goodness. Have you two become friends already?"

Her gaze rested on Monica's hand gripping Liella's arm. Monica released her hand in surprise.

But Madame Mollette's attention had already shifted elsewhere. She began looking for the boy who should have been here.

"Where has Martinael gone?"

"Ah, Martinael went to his room for a moment."

It was Liella who answered quickly. Concealing her flustered state perfectly, Liella smiled kindly and continued.

"Mother, did you tell Anby to clear away Martinael's blocks? Martinael saw the scene and was fuming so much I couldn't even stop him. Isn't he in his room?"

"I wondered! The door was standing wide open! But Martinael wasn't there."

"Then poor Anby must have finally bested Martinael today."

"Oh, that child, really. How could he leave his teacher behind! Liella, you should have stopped him at least."

Liella softened her brows and rolled her eyes, as though she'd utterly forgotten the confrontation she'd just had with Monica.

With an expression like nothing so much as a thoughtless noble young lady, Madame Mollette wrinkled her nose with an "Oh dear." Liella's face was full of mischief. Madame Mollette's expression wasn't genuinely angry either.

And Monica watched it all in a daze. Small talk that Monica didn't understand, known only to the two of them, continued.

"It can't be helped. You know how absorbed Marty is in those blocks."

"Oh, I shouldn't have bought them. Five hundred pieces, honestly. I should have anticipated what a disgustingly large number of things that would be!"

Madame Mollette clenched her small fist to show her feeling. Then, as though suddenly remembering, she exclaimed "Ah!" and looked at Monica again.

"I keep forgetting. I'm so sorry, Miss Monica. That wasn't what I came to say. Could you give me the letter of introduction you showed Mistress Oraingne?"

"...Ah."

Monica looked down at the floor in flustered confusion. There lay the torn pieces of introduction she'd dropped while gathering them.

Madame Mollette laughed uncomfortably and added again.

"I should have taken it earlier. I'm so forgetful these days, after having two children..."

Monica was doubly confused. Having children?

She withdrew her gaze from the floor and looked toward Liella.

But Liella Mollette, who had once shared Monica's surname, lifted her chin as though to say, "What do you expect me to do about it?" Even so, her gray eyes went back and forth between Madame Mollette and Monica. Two or three times.

The trajectory of those wavering eyes was very brief, but Monica glimpsed every emotion within them.

Confusion, terror, fear and panic. The contradictory shamelessness that those who've erred commonly possess.

And as those who err commonly do, Liella was the first to open her mouth. To seize the advantage.

"Mother, the thing is—"

In that moment, everything felt futile to Monica.

"...I'm sorry, Madame."

"Yes?"

"I accidentally damaged the letter of introduction."

The lady's eyes filled with bewilderment.