I wanted to die.
The sun shone brightly over the streets of Reitzlake, sunlight flooding its pavements adorned by the blooming flowers which the shopkeepers and residents dressed like banners throughout the streets.
I wanted to die.
The aroma of chamomile tea leaves and the allure of freshly baked bread tickled and weaved around my nose, the delicate tones and nostalgic warmth lifting me from my fatigue and hastening forth hunger and thirst.
I wanted to die.
The gentle spring breeze brushed against my hair, bringing forth sounds of children laughing as they skipped among the streets, playing and generally being a nuisance before the cobblestone was filled with the meandering of a busy populace.
I wanted to die.
As I awakened to the world, I saw, heard and smelled a royal capital coming to life beneath the bright glare of an unforgiving sun. All around me, a sight from years past visited my eyes.
White plates filled with slices of carrot cake. Tea cups giving rise to a gentle steam. Small jugs of fresh milk. And several plates, tea cups and jugs which were empty, save for the crumbs that betrayed the gluttony of the only other person to share a table with me at present.
As the darkness lifted from my eyes, my senses were overloaded by the sight of Coppelia's smile as she sat beside me at a small round table decorated with a lily patterned tablecloth.
Her hands were on her cheeks, her elbows on the table as she eyed the people passing below from our spot atop a balcony.
The one I'd visited with my siblings. The last time we'd all been together.
Ah.
I'd shared that moment with Coppelia, hadn't I?
To think she'd bring me here in my last hour upon this world. What a fitting tribute to my legacy. To experience my last moments while looking down upon the peasantry.
Coppelia had done well.
Indeed, she looked pleased as she lifted a hand away and pinched at some of the figures passing below, as if she could squeeze them into paste between her finger and thumb.
I chose to ignore this.
Instead, I peeked past the wooden railing at the rows of shopkeepers fighting to remain relevant against the tide of competition.
They waved and shouted, advertising even the shoes they wore as they cajoled each new face, their voices hoarse despite the early hour. They would continue unabated for many more hours to come. When night came to the city of Reitzlake, its people rarely went to sleep.
And still—
I wanted to die.
“Tea, Juliette?”
I turned to Coppelia.
Having noticed my waking state, she proceeded to earn her place as my future handmaiden by offering me a plate of half-eaten carrot cake and a semi-fresh cup of tea.
I looked at both.
My next act was to place both hands over my mouth, holding back the vomit that had long disgraced any chance of me living a happy life as a member of royalty.
I wanted to die.
Truly, I wished this to be the end of me. Despite the fact that confusion swirled within my head, my feelings of remorse reigned even greater.
My last memory was not of my overwhelming triumph in the face of uncleanliness. It was not of my willpower made manifest to sweep aside the hordes of unkempt hoodlums as they encircled me like autumn leaves rotting in my orchard.
No, my last memory was of vomiting all over the floor.
And to make matters worse, I'd proceeded to succumb to the blackness that had swept me off my feet as much as any hoodlum.
Which is why—
I wanted to die.
“Coppelia.”
“Present~”
I nodded.
“Please end me.”
“Got it.” Coppelia lifted a menu. “So that's the parfait quintuple choco-banana mega special deluxe, then … ?”
“... If you're offering to end me with a parfait, then yes, why not. It does sound rather less grizzly than brute thuggery.”
“You've never seen someone pass on after eating a parfait, then. It's only nice for the first five minutes. And then it gets ugly. Fast.”
I leaned back in my chair. It hurt. Everything hurt. And so I valiantly faced the pearly blue sky as I allowed the burning sunlight to judge me. And hopefully burn away my memories.
“Coppelia.”
“Mmh?”
“I vomited.”
“Yes.”
“In public.”
“I see this is going to be an issue for you, isn't it?”
… Only if I allowed it to be.
Yes. Drastic measures had to be taken. There could be no other way.
Either I died. Or everyone else did.
“How many witnesses?”
“I like it when you sound ominous. Does it matter if they were also vomiting?”
I frowned in consideration.
“No, I believe I have reasonable deniability if they were unable to see anything over their own regurgitation.”
“In that case, just me and the other girl.”
“Lady Renise?”
“Mmh.”
I nodded. All of a sudden, inklings of life began seeping back into my battered soul.
I blinked, feeling the sunlight no longer burning my face, but gently rubbing against it. I was no longer nauseated by the aroma of lukewarm tea and half-eaten carrot cake. And the sound of laughing children … no, that was still a public nuisance.
Taking in a deep breath, I sat up and fixed the ribbon around my shoulder cape.
Then, I elegantly sipped at the cup of lukewarm tea while ignoring Coppelia's leftover cake. Better. Presentation was never secondary. The fact I'd disgraced myself was no reason to let standards fall even further.
More importantly, if it was just Coppelia and Lady Renise, then my shame was one I could bear with! After all, Coppelia was sworn to secrecy and Lady Renise was …
“Wait. Where is she?”
“I think she was arrested by a prince.”
“Oh.” I nodded slowly, before offering a long pause. “... Crown Prince Roland?”
“Probably.”
“I see.”
… Why, in that case, she was destined for a fate worse than death! What joyous news!
Neither she nor Coppelia would betray my confidence!
Everything will be fine!
Refreshed with the knowledge that my unseemly act of public disgrace could still be buried, I took another sip of lukewarm tea, then smiled as I turned to my loyal future handmaiden, whose potential salary would be raised not as a bribe, but as a gesture of goodwill for her meritorious service.
Then, I decided to broach an important topic.
“Coppelia … how did I get here?! What do you mean Lady Renise was arrested by my bro—by the Crown Prince?! What happened last night?!”
My teacup dropped with a clink as I looked in horror around the balcony.
This wasn't the Rimeaux Estate! This wasn't the docks! This … This wasn't even night!
How much time had passed?!
“Oh, right, well, after you vom—”
“I-I'll pay you double!”
“... After you vom—”
“Triple!”
“After your energy was expended following your noble triumph against the foul vermin which threatened the safety of the royal capital, the soldiers from the garrison arrived, alongside Prince Whispers-Really-Loudly. The soldiers stood there looking really disgusted for a while, then played rock-paper-scissors to decide who would go in and actually start arresting people. I carried you to a place of sanctuary to avoid having your face and the stuff dribbling out of it presented for the world to see.”
I reached out my hand and gently cupped it around the fair clockwork doll's.
“By ensuring my dignity, you have done the realm a great service. I will not forget this, Coppelia.”
“Don't worry. I won't let you forget~”
“But the Crown Prince … why was he there?!”
Every word I'd heard about Roland was concerning his passivity!
Why was it that he was suddenly in the Rimeaux Estate?! Had he finally been forced into action? Why would he not have moved earlier? Why, it's patently undeniable that his authority was weakened by this delay!
Ugh. My instincts as both his sister and a princess told me he was playing a dangerous game, even so far as politics was concerned. Yet he was the Crown Prince, destined to lead this kingdom one day. And that meant his concerns were starkly different to ours.
Even so!
No matter the outcome, so much turmoil in our streets did not suggest strength! Had I not been here, there'd be no telling what would have happened! Both a dryad and an errant member of nobility would be loose! That was two blood sucking villains!
“I have no idea why princes do anything,” said Coppelia, much more honestly than anyone else I could have asked. “Maybe he was busy doing illicit things in the castle until now?”
“C-Coppelia!” I pulled back in shock, turning my head left and right. “That is … you must not … that is treason to even suggest such a thing!”
Coppelia picked up a slice of carrot cake and nibbled at the end.
“Ouzelia,” she replied between chews. “I'm untouchable.”
I didn't know which was more cause for ire. The fact that she was eating a fresh slice when she'd give me leftovers, or that I'd have to explain to her the many laws regarding lèse-majesté that she was still subject to.
… I was also somewhat irked by the fact she'd carried me away and I hadn't been awake to experience it.
I sat back in my chair and sighed.
“You're a visitor, not a diplomat. I advice you to speak carefully regarding what you say about the royal family. Even should they show you boundless leniency, they are beloved by the people. A mob might very well seize you.”
“Oh?”
Coppelia glanced at the crowd below. She stopped chewing just to put on a mischievous smile, looking every bit like she was considering saying something highly questionable.
“Just kidding~”
I closed my eyes and rubbed my temples. When I opened them again, I smiled, wondering what had just permanently escaped my memory.
“Thank you for seeing me to safety, Coppelia. This balcony was a tactful choice.”
“I agree. The cake is super soft. Just like your cheeks.”
“Hmm?”
“Just like your cheeks as the sunlight pours upon it, illuminating the natural radiance of your skin.”
“Y-Yes, well … I wouldn't quite put it like that, but I do have notably fair skin, yes. More importantly, the matter of you carrying me—”
“Done. That was your one-time deal.”
“This … This is not a negotiation! If I'm to experience being sped away in the arms of my retainers, then it should be done while I can witness it!”
“I'm an assistant librarian. The most I should be carrying are my precious books, held precariously in one hand while I consume snacks and drinks with the other.”
The more I heard about her library, which was patently little, the more I was convinced it was a reflection of chaos itself.
Still, it wasn't her skills as a librarian I needed. It was her capacity for strength. Specifically, when Apple finally met his match in weight.
Fortunately for both, neither were going to need to test themselves against a mountain of fallen weaponry and hoodlums today.
Not while Roland was finally there.
At least I hoped so. I certainly wasn't going to be lifting anything.
“We've no time for tea and cake,” I said, pouring myself tea and seizing a plate of non-eaten cake. “Lady Lucina's plotting was put to rest and the Crown Prince has now assumed his responsibilities. Our presence in Reitzlake is no longer required.”
Coppelia smiled as she waved a fork around. It didn't even have anything on it.
“And where is it required now, then?”
I looked to the horizon.
“North. To the Wovencoille. To our forests. We head to our northern territories. If the fae have come, then I intend to meet them.”
The Wovencoille. A vast stretch of ancient forest cutting across the length of the continent from west to east like a sweeping river.
Some said it was the most beautiful wonder of the world. They would be wrong, since they'd never met me. But what was undeniable was the mystique and simmering powers it contained, for it was the gateway to the Fae Realm.
A gateway that should never be crossed. In either direction. If the fae came, then questions would need to be asked. And boots stomped.
Coppelia followed my purposeful gaze.
“That's east.”
“Oh … ohohoho! I-I knew that! Something in the eastern horizon caught my eye ...”
I turned north. Properly this time. Maybe.
“Come, Coppelia! Foul deeds awake! We must put to rest the evil that plagues this kingdom!”
“I thought the fae weren't evil, though?”
Evil was a matter of definition.
Our lumber industry was vital. Housing, shipbuilding, furnishings and just about all common goods … every facet of our economy relied on a stable supply of timber. Including bed makers. If the fae wish to disrupt it, then they disrupted my ability to order a new bed frame every fortnight.
That was unacceptable!
“If they seek to invade our kingdom and prevent our wanton logging of their former ancient homeland, then what they are do not matter to me. They will be viewed as foes and treated as such.”
“Yay, yay~ we're going to overturn more furniture!”
I winced, saying nothing. An exceptionally large pile of overturned furniture spoke louder than anything I could have said.
Instead, I chose to masterfully redirect the troublesome conversation by saying nothing at all. I sipped the lukewarm tea, then glanced down at the busy street below, no longer plagued by the laughter of children.
I would return soon. I hope. And perhaps with all my family in attendance. We did have quite a bit to speak about.
The sound of my tea cup clinked as it came down.
However, I did not rise from my seat.
Instead, I studied the clockwork doll sat opposite me.
Hmmmm.
There was much to work on. She was far too cheeky and brazen. And the fact she didn't know how to make tea was a serious impediment to her future career prospects.
Nonetheless, Coppelia had proven herself to be a capable at least partially loyal future handmaiden. As such, she deserved to know who her employer was.
“Coppelia.”
“Mmh?”
She tossed a carrot cake into her open mouth. All of it. Whole. I shuddered and hesitated, before proceeding.
“There is something you should know about me.”
“What is it?”
I placed my hand to my breast.
“My name isn't merely Juliette.”
Coppelia stopped chewing her carrot cake. Mostly because she swallowed it whole.
Again, I hesitated.
“Please do not be alarmed. However, you may curtsey if you wish. You see, my true name is Juliette Contzen. And I am the Third Princess to the Kingdom of Tirea.”
In response, the clockwork doll smiled lazily at me. She planted an elbow on the table, her cheek to her hand.
“Yeah, I sort of guessed that.”
I blinked.
“You … You did?”
“Yep.”
“How?”
She thought for a moment, then shrugged.
“Probably after the first time you went … 'ohohoho'?”
I covered my mouth in horror.
All this time, I had no idea … that Coppelia was so perceptive!
Could it be that beyond the gluttony was a mind that saw more than food? To see through my masterful subterfuge, did she possess an insight keener than even the most wisened of sages?
My, how wonderful!
The day may have begun horribly, but it was already turning around quickly!
“Then I was right to choose you as my future handmaiden,” I said, as proud in my people reading skills as I was in Coppelia's intuition. I rose from my seat, brimming with enthusiasm. “Come, Coppelia. Though my identity is now your secret to bear, know that the state of our relationship remains unchanged. You will continue to be by my side, ready to heroically sacrifice yourself at a moment's notice.”
“Okie~”
Satisfied, I prepared to depart—then immediately froze.
“Coppelia, how did you acquire the funds to pay for this tea set? I recall it being rather expensive, the last time I was here.”
She lifted up a small sack of coins.
I peered closely at it, wondering which of the merchants below Coppelia may have robbed. Then I recognised it to be Lady Renise's meek, but passable offering for our prodigious services. I brightened up at once.
“I came across it by accident,” she said.
“Excellent!” I replied, nodding in satisfaction. “It was what we were due.”
“Oh, okay. In that case, I stole it when she wasn't looking.”
“Then it wasn't theft. It was acquisition of payment. And we can do better still.”
I felt at my bottomless pouch, empty of anything to trouble its magical properties.
All except for a dryad twig.
It was time to face the denizens of the Fae Realm … but first, I needed to visit the Adventurer's Guild.
They owed me crowns. And I didn't intend to let them to get away with a single one.
I wanted to die.
The sun shone brightly over the streets of Reitzlake, sunlight flooding its pavements adorned by the blooming flowers which the shopkeepers and residents dressed like banners throughout the streets.
I wanted to die.
The aroma of chamomile tea leaves and the allure of freshly baked bread tickled and weaved around my nose, the delicate tones and nostalgic warmth lifting me from my fatigue and hastening forth hunger and thirst.
I wanted to die.
The gentle spring breeze brushed against my hair, bringing forth sounds of children laughing as they skipped among the streets, playing and generally being a nuisance before the cobblestone was filled with the meandering of a busy populace.
I wanted to die.
As I awakened to the world, I saw, heard and smelled a royal capital coming to life beneath the bright glare of an unforgiving sun. All around me, a sight from years past visited my eyes.
White plates filled with slices of carrot cake. Tea cups giving rise to a gentle steam. Small jugs of fresh milk. And several plates, tea cups and jugs which were empty, save for the crumbs that betrayed the gluttony of the only other person to share a table with me at present.
As the darkness lifted from my eyes, my senses were overloaded by the sight of Coppelia's smile as she sat beside me at a small round table decorated with a lily patterned tablecloth.
Her hands were on her cheeks, her elbows on the table as she eyed the people passing below from our spot atop a balcony.
The one I'd visited with my siblings. The last time we'd all been together.
Ah.
I'd shared that moment with Coppelia, hadn't I?
To think she'd bring me here in my last hour upon this world. What a fitting tribute to my legacy. To experience my last moments while looking down upon the peasantry.
Coppelia had done well.
Indeed, she looked pleased as she lifted a hand away and pinched at some of the figures passing below, as if she could squeeze them into paste between her finger and thumb.
I chose to ignore this.
Instead, I peeked past the wooden railing at the rows of shopkeepers fighting to remain relevant against the tide of competition.
They waved and shouted, advertising even the shoes they wore as they cajoled each new face, their voices hoarse despite the early hour. They would continue unabated for many more hours to come. When night came to the city of Reitzlake, its people rarely went to sleep.
And still—
I wanted to die.
“Tea, Juliette?”
I turned to Coppelia.
Having noticed my waking state, she proceeded to earn her place as my future handmaiden by offering me a plate of half-eaten carrot cake and a semi-fresh cup of tea.
I looked at both.
My next act was to place both hands over my mouth, holding back the vomit that had long disgraced any chance of me living a happy life as a member of royalty.
I wanted to die.
Truly, I wished this to be the end of me. Despite the fact that confusion swirled within my head, my feelings of remorse reigned even greater.
My last memory was not of my overwhelming triumph in the face of uncleanliness. It was not of my willpower made manifest to sweep aside the hordes of unkempt hoodlums as they encircled me like autumn leaves rotting in my orchard.
No, my last memory was of vomiting all over the floor.
And to make matters worse, I'd proceeded to succumb to the blackness that had swept me off my feet as much as any hoodlum.
Which is why—
I wanted to die.
“Coppelia.”
“Present~”
I nodded.
“Please end me.”
“Got it.” Coppelia lifted a menu. “So that's the parfait quintuple choco-banana mega special deluxe, then … ?”
“... If you're offering to end me with a parfait, then yes, why not. It does sound rather less grizzly than brute thuggery.”
“You've never seen someone pass on after eating a parfait, then. It's only nice for the first five minutes. And then it gets ugly. Fast.”
I leaned back in my chair. It hurt. Everything hurt. And so I valiantly faced the pearly blue sky as I allowed the burning sunlight to judge me. And hopefully burn away my memories.
“Coppelia.”
“Mmh?”
“I vomited.”
“Yes.”
“In public.”
“I see this is going to be an issue for you, isn't it?”
… Only if I allowed it to be.
Yes. Drastic measures had to be taken. There could be no other way.
Either I died. Or everyone else did.
“How many witnesses?”
“I like it when you sound ominous. Does it matter if they were also vomiting?”
I frowned in consideration.
“No, I believe I have reasonable deniability if they were unable to see anything over their own regurgitation.”
“In that case, just me and the other girl.”
“Lady Renise?”
“Mmh.”
I nodded. All of a sudden, inklings of life began seeping back into my battered soul.
I blinked, feeling the sunlight no longer burning my face, but gently rubbing against it. I was no longer nauseated by the aroma of lukewarm tea and half-eaten carrot cake. And the sound of laughing children … no, that was still a public nuisance.
Taking in a deep breath, I sat up and fixed the ribbon around my shoulder cape.
Then, I elegantly sipped at the cup of lukewarm tea while ignoring Coppelia's leftover cake. Better. Presentation was never secondary. The fact I'd disgraced myself was no reason to let standards fall even further.
More importantly, if it was just Coppelia and Lady Renise, then my shame was one I could bear with! After all, Coppelia was sworn to secrecy and Lady Renise was …
“Wait. Where is she?”
“I think she was arrested by a prince.”
“Oh.” I nodded slowly, before offering a long pause. “... Crown Prince Roland?”
“Probably.”
“I see.”
… Why, in that case, she was destined for a fate worse than death! What joyous news!
Neither she nor Coppelia would betray my confidence!
Everything will be fine!
Refreshed with the knowledge that my unseemly act of public disgrace could still be buried, I took another sip of lukewarm tea, then smiled as I turned to my loyal future handmaiden, whose potential salary would be raised not as a bribe, but as a gesture of goodwill for her meritorious service.
Then, I decided to broach an important topic.
“Coppelia … how did I get here?! What do you mean Lady Renise was arrested by my bro—by the Crown Prince?! What happened last night?!”
My teacup dropped with a clink as I looked in horror around the balcony.
This wasn't the Rimeaux Estate! This wasn't the docks! This … This wasn't even night!
How much time had passed?!
“Oh, right, well, after you vom—”
“I-I'll pay you double!”
“... After you vom—”
“Triple!”
“After your energy was expended following your noble triumph against the foul vermin which threatened the safety of the royal capital, the soldiers from the garrison arrived, alongside Prince Whispers-Really-Loudly. The soldiers stood there looking really disgusted for a while, then played rock-paper-scissors to decide who would go in and actually start arresting people. I carried you to a place of sanctuary to avoid having your face and the stuff dribbling out of it presented for the world to see.”
I reached out my hand and gently cupped it around the fair clockwork doll's.
“By ensuring my dignity, you have done the realm a great service. I will not forget this, Coppelia.”
“Don't worry. I won't let you forget~”
“But the Crown Prince … why was he there?!”
Every word I'd heard about Roland was concerning his passivity!
Why was it that he was suddenly in the Rimeaux Estate?! Had he finally been forced into action? Why would he not have moved earlier? Why, it's patently undeniable that his authority was weakened by this delay!
Ugh. My instincts as both his sister and a princess told me he was playing a dangerous game, even so far as politics was concerned. Yet he was the Crown Prince, destined to lead this kingdom one day. And that meant his concerns were starkly different to ours.
Even so!
No matter the outcome, so much turmoil in our streets did not suggest strength! Had I not been here, there'd be no telling what would have happened! Both a dryad and an errant member of nobility would be loose! That was two blood sucking villains!
“I have no idea why princes do anything,” said Coppelia, much more honestly than anyone else I could have asked. “Maybe he was busy doing illicit things in the castle until now?”
“C-Coppelia!” I pulled back in shock, turning my head left and right. “That is … you must not … that is treason to even suggest such a thing!”
Coppelia picked up a slice of carrot cake and nibbled at the end.
“Ouzelia,” she replied between chews. “I'm untouchable.”
I didn't know which was more cause for ire. The fact that she was eating a fresh slice when she'd give me leftovers, or that I'd have to explain to her the many laws regarding lèse-majesté that she was still subject to.
… I was also somewhat irked by the fact she'd carried me away and I hadn't been awake to experience it.
I sat back in my chair and sighed.
“You're a visitor, not a diplomat. I advice you to speak carefully regarding what you say about the royal family. Even should they show you boundless leniency, they are beloved by the people. A mob might very well seize you.”
“Oh?”
Coppelia glanced at the crowd below. She stopped chewing just to put on a mischievous smile, looking every bit like she was considering saying something highly questionable.
“Just kidding~”
I closed my eyes and rubbed my temples. When I opened them again, I smiled, wondering what had just permanently escaped my memory.
“Thank you for seeing me to safety, Coppelia. This balcony was a tactful choice.”
“I agree. The cake is super soft. Just like your cheeks.”
“Hmm?”
“Just like your cheeks as the sunlight pours upon it, illuminating the natural radiance of your skin.”
“Y-Yes, well … I wouldn't quite put it like that, but I do have notably fair skin, yes. More importantly, the matter of you carrying me—”
“Done. That was your one-time deal.”
“This … This is not a negotiation! If I'm to experience being sped away in the arms of my retainers, then it should be done while I can witness it!”
“I'm an assistant librarian. The most I should be carrying are my precious books, held precariously in one hand while I consume snacks and drinks with the other.”
The more I heard about her library, which was patently little, the more I was convinced it was a reflection of chaos itself.
Still, it wasn't her skills as a librarian I needed. It was her capacity for strength. Specifically, when Apple finally met his match in weight.
Fortunately for both, neither were going to need to test themselves against a mountain of fallen weaponry and hoodlums today.
Not while Roland was finally there.
At least I hoped so. I certainly wasn't going to be lifting anything.
“We've no time for tea and cake,” I said, pouring myself tea and seizing a plate of non-eaten cake. “Lady Lucina's plotting was put to rest and the Crown Prince has now assumed his responsibilities. Our presence in Reitzlake is no longer required.”
Coppelia smiled as she waved a fork around. It didn't even have anything on it.
“And where is it required now, then?”
I looked to the horizon.
“North. To the Wovencoille. To our forests. We head to our northern territories. If the fae have come, then I intend to meet them.”
The Wovencoille. A vast stretch of ancient forest cutting across the length of the continent from west to east like a sweeping river.
Some said it was the most beautiful wonder of the world. They would be wrong, since they'd never met me. But what was undeniable was the mystique and simmering powers it contained, for it was the gateway to the Fae Realm.
A gateway that should never be crossed. In either direction. If the fae came, then questions would need to be asked. And boots stomped.
Coppelia followed my purposeful gaze.
“That's east.”
“Oh … ohohoho! I-I knew that! Something in the eastern horizon caught my eye ...”
I turned north. Properly this time. Maybe.
“Come, Coppelia! Foul deeds awake! We must put to rest the evil that plagues this kingdom!”
“I thought the fae weren't evil, though?”
Evil was a matter of definition.
Our lumber industry was vital. Housing, shipbuilding, furnishings and just about all common goods … every facet of our economy relied on a stable supply of timber. Including bed makers. If the fae wish to disrupt it, then they disrupted my ability to order a new bed frame every fortnight.
That was unacceptable!
“If they seek to invade our kingdom and prevent our wanton logging of their former ancient homeland, then what they are do not matter to me. They will be viewed as foes and treated as such.”
“Yay, yay~ we're going to overturn more furniture!”
I winced, saying nothing. An exceptionally large pile of overturned furniture spoke louder than anything I could have said.
Instead, I chose to masterfully redirect the troublesome conversation by saying nothing at all. I sipped the lukewarm tea, then glanced down at the busy street below, no longer plagued by the laughter of children.
I would return soon. I hope. And perhaps with all my family in attendance. We did have quite a bit to speak about.
The sound of my tea cup clinked as it came down.
However, I did not rise from my seat.
Instead, I studied the clockwork doll sat opposite me.
Hmmmm.
There was much to work on. She was far too cheeky and brazen. And the fact she didn't know how to make tea was a serious impediment to her future career prospects.
Nonetheless, Coppelia had proven herself to be a capable at least partially loyal future handmaiden. As such, she deserved to know who her employer was.
“Coppelia.”
“Mmh?”
She tossed a carrot cake into her open mouth. All of it. Whole. I shuddered and hesitated, before proceeding.
“There is something you should know about me.”
“What is it?”
I placed my hand to my breast.
“My name isn't merely Juliette.”
Coppelia stopped chewing her carrot cake. Mostly because she swallowed it whole.
Again, I hesitated.
“Please do not be alarmed. However, you may curtsey if you wish. You see, my true name is Juliette Contzen. And I am the Third Princess to the Kingdom of Tirea.”
In response, the clockwork doll smiled lazily at me. She planted an elbow on the table, her cheek to her hand.
“Yeah, I sort of guessed that.”
I blinked.
“You … You did?”
“Yep.”
“How?”
She thought for a moment, then shrugged.
“Probably after the first time you went … 'ohohoho'?”
I covered my mouth in horror.
All this time, I had no idea … that Coppelia was so perceptive!
Could it be that beyond the gluttony was a mind that saw more than food? To see through my masterful subterfuge, did she possess an insight keener than even the most wisened of sages?
My, how wonderful!
The day may have begun horribly, but it was already turning around quickly!
“Then I was right to choose you as my future handmaiden,” I said, as proud in my people reading skills as I was in Coppelia's intuition. I rose from my seat, brimming with enthusiasm. “Come, Coppelia. Though my identity is now your secret to bear, know that the state of our relationship remains unchanged. You will continue to be by my side, ready to heroically sacrifice yourself at a moment's notice.”
“Okie~”
Satisfied, I prepared to depart—then immediately froze.
“Coppelia, how did you acquire the funds to pay for this tea set? I recall it being rather expensive, the last time I was here.”
She lifted up a small sack of coins.
I peered closely at it, wondering which of the merchants below Coppelia may have robbed. Then I recognised it to be Lady Renise's meek, but passable offering for our prodigious services. I brightened up at once.
“I came across it by accident,” she said.
“Excellent!” I replied, nodding in satisfaction. “It was what we were due.”
“Oh, okay. In that case, I stole it when she wasn't looking.”
“Then it wasn't theft. It was acquisition of payment. And we can do better still.”
I felt at my bottomless pouch, empty of anything to trouble its magical properties.
All except for a dryad twig.
It was time to face the denizens of the Fae Realm … but first, I needed to visit the Adventurer's Guild.
They owed me crowns. And I didn't intend to let them to get away with a single one.
