TMM 8

“I have reported you exactly as you are—a well-mannered and upright student.”

“Thank you.”

“And taking that into account,” Fran continued, “won’t you come with me to see the clock tower mirror? You want to know your future too, don’t you?”

Alicia’s thoughts raced as she searched for an answer, then voiced the conclusion she reached.

“Wouldn’t that mean I am doubting His Highness?”

Fran let out an exaggerated sigh.

“You really are stubborn. The matter of Mariabelle and His Highness is gossip throughout the academy. You know that already, don’t you? Lily and the others make sure you hear it.”

The fact that even a senior like Fran knew struck Alicia hard.

“Does that mean… Her Majesty the Queen has heard as well?”

“Unfortunately, I am not the only student assigned to watch over you. I don’t know who the others are, but there must be someone in your class. At the very least, reports have reached her that you are diligent and high-achieving, yet looked down upon by your friends.”

Alicia felt utterly crushed.

Only moments ago she had been so embarrassed she could barely breathe. Now she was hurt too deeply to feel anything at all.

“Please… give me time to think.”

“I’ll knock on your door three times at five minutes to two, one week from now. If you don’t come out, I’ll take that as your answer. With a stepsister like that, you must have it hard. If it were me, I might have run away from home already.”

With that, Fran rose from her seat and left.

Her words pierced deeply into Alicia’s heart.

Until now, Alicia had told herself she must never think of Mariabelle as a bad person.

But to Fran, Mariabelle seemed to be an unpleasant presence.

And yet, Lily and the others had chosen Mariabelle over Alicia. And Joshua as well.

For the next week, the mirror in the clock tower never left Alicia’s thoughts.

At first, she had no intention of going. Yet lately, she had not seen Joshua at all.

He seemed to be attending the academy, but their paths never crossed, and Alicia’s unease only grew.

No matter how deeply Alicia cared for him, Joshua’s heart likely did not hold her at all.

Surely it was more pleasant to be with Mariabelle, with her gentle and charming smile.

At last, the one-week deadline arrived.

As Alicia walked down the corridor, her mind tangled with thoughts of that night, a voice called out to her.

“Elder Sister!”

Just hearing Mariabelle’s voice made Alicia’s heart sink heavily.

She knew they were the same age, and yet the way Mariabelle addressed her felt unbearably false.

She understood she should not hate Mariabelle. The reason Alicia was being looked down upon lay in her own gloomy, timid nature.

It was not the fault of bright, sociable Mariabelle.

“What is it, Mariabelle?” she replied, forcing calm into her voice.

“Elder Sister, I’ve come with a message from His Highness. He says we should have afternoon tea at the palace together this Sunday.”

“Really?”

Alicia’s lips softened into a smile before she could stop herself.

It had been so long since she was last invited.

She pushed aside the doubt of why the message had come through Mariabelle.

Then Mariabelle spoke again, and Alicia froze.

“What should I wear, I wonder? It’s my first time having tea with His Highness at the palace, so I don’t know what’s appropriate. Would a day dress be all right?”

“…Were you the one who was invited?”

At Alicia’s words, Mariabelle’s eyes widened in apparent surprise.

“No, of course not. I’m just coming along with you, fufu. Joshua-sama said he would show me around the palace gardens.”

She answered in a sing-song voice, laughing brightly.

Alicia had never once been given a tour of the palace during her tea gatherings. And just now, Mariabelle had said “Joshua-sama,” not “His Highness.”

A sense of foreboding crept over her.

While Alicia had been avoiding them, the situation seemed to have worsened even further.

She grew sick of her own timid nature, always running from what frightened her.

And she found herself envying Mariabelle’s effortless innocence.

(In the end… I really am jealous of Mariabelle.)

“I see. That sounds lovely. Mariabelle, you should consult Mother about the dress.”

Managing a smile, Alicia answered so.

That night, a beautiful full moon hung in the sky, and Alicia sat by her window, staring intently as it climbed higher overhead.

Then, three knocks sounded at her door.

She glanced at the clock.

It was five minutes to two.