Facade of the Wisdom of the Empire
“Wwaa… granddaughter? You mean like the daughter of my child?”
Mia was so dumbfounded that she had to confirm the basic definition of the word. The girl’s physical similarities to her were undeniable, but still…
This should have been impossible, but Mia had experienced too much to dismiss such a thing. If Bel was really sent by the Chaos Serpents, then she wouldn’t have to make such a crazy lie. In the first place, it is a story that is never heard of even in fairy tales: jumping back in time and coming to the past. The only thing Mia came up with was the almost similarity of her own experience.
Therefore, Mia could believe Bel’s words.
“That means… Miabel, you …”
“Oh, call me Bel, grandmother.”
Bell said with a shy smile.
“Okay. Then call me by my name as well.”
“Yes, I understand. Grandmother Mia.”
A groan came out of Mia’s throat. Mia was 20 in the previous timeline. And now, nearly three years had passed since her reincarnation. Excluding maturity, Mia would be twenty-two or twenty-three years old.
But that wasn’t old enough for her to be called grandmother. She might be able to accept Mother, but the “Grand” part is just too much.
Mia approached Bell, waddling through the water. Then she silently grabbed Bell’s delicate shoulders and smiled at her.
“If anyone asks, Bel, I am your sister, and you will call me Miss Mia.”
“Eh? But grandmother…”
Mia leaned over Bel, bringing her face so close their noses almost touched.
“Sister. Do. You. Understand?”
“Eh? Huh? But, oh, it hurts! Your fingers are digging into my shoulder…”
“Okay. Let’s practice. Repeat after me, Bel. Mia. O. Nee. Sa. Ma.”
“Mia… onee … sama?”
Bel’s voice trembled with fear but she was able to finished her sentence. And so, Mia released her.
“Well, unto more important matters… Bel, would you happen to have gotten your head chopped off by a guillotine?”
“… Huh?”
In response to Mia’s sudden question, Bel blinked and then she giggled.
“Ahahaha, that’s such a weird question, Mia-oneesama. Are you saying that someone can continue walking around after being guillotined?”
Yes, indeed! Mia thought, but she can’t really say it out loud. I see. So being guillotined is not exactly a condition to be able to leap through time… but then again, her time leap is different compared to mine. Maybe this is something else entirely.
At that moment, a memory came back to Mia.
Awhile back, I wished for some guidance. Something like the bloody diary. Could it be that this child is…
Mia looked towards Bel whose smile had turned sad.
“But maybe Mia-neesan is right.”
“Hmm? What are you talking about?”
“Actually, I was on the verge of being caught. I was so sure that I will be captured, and then I fainted. When I wake up from this dream, as neesan said, I will probably find myself on the guillotine.”
Then Bel stared straight at Mia.
“But I’m glad that the last dream I had was such a fun dream. I’ve always wanted to see my grandmother… I mean sister.”
Then Bel smiled a little. It was an awkward smile, as if a child wasn’t used to smile was forced to do so. It was endearing, but also heart-wrenching.
The next thing she knew, Mia had her hands wrapped around Bel’s.
“It’s okay, Bel”
Mia looked straight into Bel’s eyes.
“It’s okay. This dream of yours wont end. I, Mia Luna Tearmoon…, no.”
Mia gently shook her head, then smiled gently and confidently.
“I, your grandmother whom you admire will never let it end.”
To reassure Bel, Mia lifted her chin slightly.
“So tell me what happened? Why were you, a member of the imperial family, being chased?”
“that is……”
“that is?”
Mia gulps and waits for the words that follow. But … before Bel could continue talking…
“Ah… my head …”
Suddenly, Bel’s body swayed and collapsed into the water.
“Hey, Bel!… Oh, the heat must’ve gotten to you.”
Mia hurriedly lifted Bel’s body.
“Let’s get you out of here.”
Mia tried to get Bel out of the bath tub.
“Oh, oh?”
Mia immediately noticed that her head felt light and the room seem to be swimming. Thinking about it, Mia had been in the bath much longer than Bel.
“I-I feel a little dizzy…”
Mia’s body swayed and falls down on the floor of the bathhouse.
“Oh… the floor feels good…”
A few minutes later, Anne returned to the bathhouse and was surprised to see Mia and Bel splayed on the bathhouse floor.
Fortunately, Bel, fainted first. And so, she wasn’t able to witness to inglorious sight of her respected grandmother rubbing her flushed cheek on the cold floor. Her unwavering admiration for Mia remains unblemished, and the great façade of the Wisdom of the Empire was safely preserved.
Congratulations, congratulations!
