Serious Pajama Talk Between Grandmother and Granddaughter
What a mysterious dream…
Bel thought while enjoying the pleasant heat of the bathwater that relaxed her fatigued body.
She was about to be caught by her pursuers when she was swallowed by a light. The next thing, she was in a strange building. A very large, and luxurious building like a castle. Surprised by the sudden change, Bel immediately hid.
Looking back… it might have been a waste to spend most of my time hiding.
Had she known from the beginning that it was a dream, she would have walked around a little more. At the very least, she would have scrounged around for some more food; being hungry for so many days had been terribly unpleasant and…
I might have been able to meet Mother Anne sooner as well. Also…
In front of Bel was Mia Luna Tearmoon. Her grandmother who commanded unwavering respect by everyone she knew. And whose death was sorely missed by everyone.
Her appearance has a resemblance to that of Bel, but…
“I, your grandmother whom you admire will never let it end.”
…Unlike Bel’s, her voice was charged with a soft but steady confidence that manifested in the form of a gentle, reassuring smile. There was a quiet power in that smile that touched Bel’s heart, and she felt herself unconsciously gravitating toward its enchanting pull.
Ahh… So, this is the Great Wisdom of the Empire…
When she first encountered Bel, she offered her cookies without a hint of reluctance. When Bel refused, she had tricked her into eating them anyway. And as if food wasn’t enough to show her generosity, she even brought Bel here for a bath.
The grandmother that I have always respected… is everything I hoped she would be. Warm… Kind… Dependable… I wish I could have met her earlier. That way, we could have had more time to talk…
At first Bel thought the dream was a little scary. But now it had become a wonderful dream, and she was having so much fun. To her surprise, she felt happy – so happy that for the very first time in a very, very long while, since the death of Mother Anne and Mother Elise. The day of their deaths was the day that fun ceased from her world. But now, she found herself once again laughing.
Maybe… Maybe this is because I never let go of my name’s pride. Because I held onto it until the very end… and as final reward, I am allowed to have this beautiful dream…
A final reward…
Bel realistically knew that her fate was already sealed. Once captured, a girl of imperial blood like her would not be allowed to live. She didn’t know if she will end on the guillotine or die in a different, horrifying way…
When she thought about it, her body trembled with fear…
If possible, I want to be in this world a little longer…
This world was warm and gentle world. A happy world where her loved ones are still alive… and welcomed her with open arms. She sincerely wished in her heart to be able to stay in this world forever.
However, contrary to Bel’s wishes, the scenery in front of her began to become hazy.
Her dream was ending…
No matter how much fun she may have, all dreams come to an end. People can’t stay in their dreams, even if they want to stay forever.
Grandmother …… I was so happy to have met you.
Then, Bel’s consciousness melts into the white steam…
“Ah……”
When she woke up, Bel noticed that she was crying. She hurriedly wiped her eyes. The dream is over. What is coming is a brutal and painful reality. She fell into the hands of her captors, and now she is in a desperate situation. A hopeless situation. Resistance was clearly futile. But even so… She prepared herself to struggle. They weren’t going to get her without a fight. But then she suddenly noticed…
She was lying in a fluffy, comfortable bed. When she looked down at her body, it seemed like her clothes had been changed…. The clothes she was wearing were fluffy and of very good quality. Besides, it has the faint scent of flowers which was very nice.
I …… What’s going on?
“Oh, are you awake?”
There was a girl sitting on the bed and looking down at Bel’s face. She was still lit by the faint moonlight before dawn. This moonlight emphasized her beautiful shining platinum hair.
“My? What’s wrong? Why are you weeping… our Bel seems to be a crybaby.”
She leaned over and gently wiped the tear on the corner of the Bel’s eye with her fingertips. She is…
“Mia, Grandmother …?”
“Mia-neesama!” Mia said in a slightly moody voice.
How rude! To think that I waited for her to get up, and that’s the first thing that comes out of her mouth!
Mia lied down next to Bel, angry.
“Uhm, where’s Mother Anne?”
“It’s about time to start preparing breakfast in the cafeteria, so I asked to go down and prepare an extra portion for you. It’s too early to get up. We’ll rest here a little longer.”
“Eh? In the same bed with Gran… I mean with you, neesan?” Bel’s voice seemed to be uncertain, and she shrank away a little. “I-I wouldn’t dare do that…”
“Well, I can’t exactly prepare a bed so suddenly for you, can I? I guess you can use Anne’s bed in the meantime…”
Bell followed Mia’s gaze and looked at the other bed in the room.
“What about that? But Mia-neesama weren’t you sleeping in that one a while ago?”
“…Nope. Definitely not.” Mia didn’t look at her as she answered. “Anyway, there is something that I was meaning to ask.”
With that said, Mia lifted the blanket over their heads. Two little girls sneaking under it, completely private. Then, after making sure that the voice does not leak out, Mia asked Bel again.
“Bel, could you tell me what in the heavenly moons happened to you? I mean, when I first found you, you didn’t look like a member of the imperial family.”
Tattered, poor clothes, unmaintained hair, thin body… Far from being a member of the imperial family, she was in a miserable state, not even comparable to a daughter of a lower noble.
“The Tearmoon Empire, the imperial family… what happened to me and my children?”
At Mia’s question, Bel hushed. There was a long silence and Bel finally opened her mouth to answer in a quiet whisper.
“There is no Tearmoon Empire … anymore.”
