Princess Mia, reasoning
Rustle rustle…
Mia’s body was shaken by something. She moaned and rubbed her eyes.
Hmm… did I fall asleep? I feel like I had a very scary nightmare…
Mia slowly opens her eyes… and sees the ghost face of a girl looking into her…
“Hnnggh-”
Again! Mia was about to fall over and faint. But…
“Uhm. Could you stop pretending to be asleep?”
Huh? Did I just now hear a voice?
Hearing that voice, Mia stopped. Then she observes the girl she was terrified of. The girl was gazing up at Mia. Her face had a poor expression, and she seemed to be apprehensive.
Ah, this child … isn’t a ghost.
Mia guessed. Mia’s common sense said that ghosts wouldn’t be apprehensive. At the same time, Mia reached out and touch the girl’s hair. The sticky liquid on it…
This red liquid is …
Now that she has seen it closely, it was too red to be blood…it is
“Oh, I see, this is… the sap for writing on a whiteboard.”
Hearing this, the girl tilted her head a little and gave a confused look.
“Uhm, I don’t know what it is, but I tipped a container over. But please don’t worry. I made sure to clean it up properly.”
The girl answered in a polite tone.
“I see, that’s what happened…”
Mia chewed her lip while thinking.
Well, of course, I knew from the beginning that she wasn’t a ghost, but a normal human being … but, of course, I knew that there couldn’t be a ghost… But who, in the heavenly moons, is this girl?
With her ragged appearance, the girl would fit right in with the people of Newmoon District. Her matter hair looked like it hadn’t been brushed for a while. The abundant rips and holes in her dress made it look more like a frayed rag than an article of clothing, and the limbs protruding from it were unhealthily thin.
A starving child who snuck into the academy.
This was Mia’s impression of the girl.
“So, what exactly did you come here for?”
“… I think you dropped this, so I came to give it back.”
That said, the girl held out the pair of indoor slippers that Mia had been wearing until a while ago. She had lost them when she was scrambling back to her room.
“Well, you came here just to deliver these?”
When Mia asked, the girl shook her head a little.
“No, that’s not all. I want to ask a favor.”
A favor? Does she want some food? Mia wondered, although it seems to be her own desires.
“Please don’t tell anyone that I’m here. Please.”
With that said, the girl bowed down. Hearing that, Mia…
Hmm… I know what you are playing now!
After a brief moment of thought, Mia’s mouth spread in a devious grin. At a glance, the girl looked like one of those townsfolk who could no longer stand being in poverty. In her desperation, she’d even managed to knock a container of sap over onto herself, covering her in sticky red liquid. This made this girl look even more pitiful…. But no! This girl was only pretending. Mia, in her infinite wisdom, has seen through her act!
St. Noel’s security isn’t so lax that random poor people could wander in.
It’s hard just to step on the island. In addition, the school itself boasts a security system that is more like a fortress than an academy.
That means that this child is a person who can escape from strict security.
Moreover, Mia already noticed that she called herself “I” (TN here: the girl uses ボク = Boku in referring to herself. It is commonly used by men. The normal way would be to use ボク, = watashi. But English only has the word I. So, a bit lost in translation.)
She was a girl no matter how you look at it, but she uses the boy’s way of referring to herself.
This means that she has experience pretending to be a boy. The only reason she would do that… is to lie about her identity.
Until then, Mia could only think of one kind of person who dare to sneak into St. Noel’s, and who would be successful in doing so… It is no other than the members of the secret society who aims to destroy the world.
Chaos serpent! Hah! Nice try but you can’t fool me. I’ve foiled your disguise.
Mia’s reasoning is plausible! Although her conclusion was wrong because of flawed insight, still, it was plausible.
Hmm, you didn’t waste your time showing up. Too bad, I’ll send you directly to Rafina.
Proud and haughty of her accomplishment, Mia snorts and glares at the girl.
Well, now that I know who you are, you don’t really scare me anymore. Though come to think of it…
No matter how young this girl is, she may be strong because she was able to infiltrate the academy. If so, it is a good idea to pretend to be deceived and deceive her as well. The brain of the tactician Mia is on a roll! Hopefully it won’t roll downhill and off a cliff.
“I know that terrible things will happen if people find out that you’ve been letting me stay here in secret, but even so, please, please don’t tell anyone.” The girl pleaded.
“Fufufu, of course,” Mia said with a gentle smile, “I’ll keep your secret.”
“…Really?” The girl looked surprised at Mia’s answer.
“More importantly, are you hungry?”
Mia picked up a small box on her desk. The contents of the box are cookies. In Mia’s room, emergency food (=snacks) is stockpiled in case of emergency. This is to ensure that it is possible for her to survive a three-day siege (= weekend of not going out her room).
Moreover, the cookies are not just ordinary cookies. As a result of the investigation that Mia ordered Anne to do, these cookies were judged to be the best tasting ones that are available at a low price.
Fufufu, if you eat this when you’re hungry, you’ll surely be hooked. Then I will have you.
However, the girl shook her head a little.
“No, thank you for the offer but I’m not hungry.”
“Huh? But …”
“It’s true. I am not hungry.”
As if to deny the girl’s words, a sad rumble was heard coming from her stomach.
“…………”
Mia stared at the girl silently. The girl did not change her expression, but rather puffed her chest in a show of confidence.
“I’m not lying. And to prove it, I’m willing to swear upon the name of my grandmother, whom I hold in the highest regard.”
My, your grandmother’s name isn’t worth very much to you, is it?
Mia resisted the urge to roll her eyes as she held a cookie.
“Take one. No need to hesitate, okay? You see, there’s plenty…”
“But… I was told that food is scarce and precious…” The girl said, staring at the cookie as if spellbound. “… Besides, I have trouble you enough by asking not to tell anyone about me.”
But having said that, the girl’s gaze is still glued to the cookie. As a test, Mia tried to move the cookie in her hand from one side to the other. The direction of the girl’s face kept on following it.
“…I can’t ask another favor…especially food…”
Mia threw a cookie towards the girl. The girl snapped at it in the air with her teeth! Tears slowly filled her eyes as she greedily chomped on the cookie.
“Oh, it’s so delicious…” Then, she stared at Mia, her benefactor, “Are you some sort of goddess of charity and compassion?”
She said while sniffling.
Well, well. This girl’s a real sucker. Mia snorted inwardly.
Seeing that her foe had taken the bait, Mia put on her most amiable smile.
“There’s plenty, so don’t hesitate. For now, cookies are all I have; but tomorrow morning, you’ll have something decent to eat. And …” Looking over at the girl’s body, Mia nodded. “You need a bath.”
Even if she’s going to send her to Rafina, she can’t send her in such a dirty state.
Rafina might feel sorry for her and be lenient. She looks so miserable right now, even I feel sorry for her.
It was at that time. The door of the room opened.
“Oh, Mia-sama, I’m glad you’re back.”
It was Anne who was standing at the doorway. She looked relieved upon seeing Mia’s face. It seemed that she was worried and had gone looking for her.
“Yes, I went to the bathroom. You came at the right time, though. Do you mind preparing the bath?”
“I don’t mind at all milady, but… who is this girl?”
What should I say?
Mia looks at the girl, worried a little. When…
“Huh…, Anne? You mean Mother Anne? And now you just call her milady, Mia-sama… eh? Then that means…”
The girl looked confused at Anne and then at Mia.
“Well …?”
Mia, on the other hand, looks just as confused with the little girl’s reaction.
Author’s Note:
By the way, I’m very sorry to everyone who thinks there will be a love-angle, but Miabel is a little girl.
I’m not a lolicon.
