Chapter 1: Princess Mia...Be Spitting Facts

“Mmm... I think I might have eaten too much...”

Mia patted her tummy. A belch escaped her throat.

Hm, is it just me or...does my belly feel a little different...?

It was a little too plump for her liking.

Oh well. It’s probably fine. Chloe did say that winter is when animals stockpile food. It’s the same with me. I put on some weight during the winter, and I’ll slim back down later. That’s all it is. I’m just following the rhythm of nature. Probably.

Surely, when spring rolled around, she’d be back to her slender self. It was only natural. Probably.

Comforted by this somewhat dubious logic, Mia turned around and gestured for Lynsha to enter.

“All right, come on in.”

“Thank you very much.”

With a hint of nervousness, Lynsha stepped into Mia’s room. Then, she looked curiously around the room before pursing her lips with a frown.

“Hm? Is something the matter?” asked Mia, who retraced Lynsha’s visual steps but found nothing out of place.

Nothing out of place, nothing in poor taste... Nothing weird at all, in fact. Granted, I did want to put up a mushroom bed as decoration, but Anne wasn’t having it, so that didn’t happen. I’m pretty sure nothing’s out of the ordinary.

For the record, a bunch of sickle moon radishes—top half only—sitting in water on the windowsill definitely counted as “out of the ordinary.” This was courtesy of a book that had given her an idea about how to solve the empire’s impending food shortage. The idea’s feasibility notwithstanding, it certainly made for an interesting piece of decor.

Lynsha spent some time studying the inside of the room. Eventually, she placed her arms at her hips. “Well,” she said, nodding to herself. “I guess you really are a princess.”

Mia arched an eyebrow.

“I’m sorry? What do you—” She stopped, realization dawning as she glanced down at her own attire. “Ah, right. My clothes were...a little simpler when we first met. I suppose I can’t blame you for wondering if I really was a princess.”

One thought led to another, and she began to wonder if her contingency plans for a revolution in the empire were excessive. Maybe just changing into peasant garb would be enough to make a clean getaway.

“That’s...not exactly what I meant, but...” For a moment, it seemed like Lynsha would elaborate, but she ultimately shook her head before bowing respectfully. “Thank you very much for taking the time to speak to me today.”

“There’s no need for formalities. If anything, I should be thanking you,” replied Mia, grimacing as she glanced at the bandages around Lynsha’s head. “You got hurt because of Bel... I’m terribly sorry that happened to you.” She lowered her head. “If there’s anything I can do to make up for it, please tell me. I’ll spare no expense,” she added in a sober tone.

“Um... No, it’s fine. The wound isn’t too deep. It just bled a lot because it’s on my head.” Lynsha gave a tight smile and shook her head. “Honestly, the person I’m most upset at is myself. How is it that a little knock on the head was all it took to put me out of action? Ugh, it’s shameful.”

“I see... Well, I’m glad you’re not hurt badly, at least.”

Mia seated herself at a table, across which Lynsha did the same. Anne promptly showed up with two cups of black tea—the perfect beverage for post-meal chatter.

“All right. Let’s hear it then. What did you want to discuss?” asked Mia. “Oh no, don’t tell me Bel is in danger of repeating a year.”

“Bel? What— Oh, she’s doing fine. I think.”

“...You think?” Mia felt an unsettling sense of déjà vu at the hesitant response.

“Sh-She’s trying her best!” Lynsha hastily added. “She really is. So I’m...pretty sure she’ll be okay. Probably.”

“...Probably.”

Though Mia felt a growing certainty that Bel probably would not be okay, she refrained from further comment. Instead, she chose to trust that Bel would be okay. And Mia, well, she would slim down when spring rolled around. Both these things would prove true. Probably. Concluding the tangent on a note of extreme and arguably desperate optimism, she resumed the original topic.

“Anyway... If that’s not it, then what did you want to talk about?”

Lynsha didn’t answer immediately. She stirred her tea, as though appreciating its color. A sip and a breath later, she finally fixed Mia with a look of mustered resolve.

“Princess Mia, are you aware of milady’s...habit?”

“Her habit?” Mia blinked at the unexpected question. “Well, I’m sure she has plenty of odd habits... What’s bothering you, exactly?”

“She keeps giving people gold as a way of thanking them. A lot of it, actually,” Lynsha said in a flat, matter-of-fact manner.

“My! Are you serious?” Mia exclaimed, eyes widening at this revelation. “B-Bel has a habit of giving people tons of gold?”

“So you didn’t know. I thought so...” Lynsha shook her head. “Bel said she was pretty sure you wouldn’t be opposed to her doing it, so I figured she hadn’t asked explicitly.”

“She certainly hasn’t! This is the first time I’m hearing about such a thing!”

If what Lynsha said was true, then Mia had a serious problem on her hands. As the saying goes, a squandered coin a day keeps the guillotine coming your way.

...No, there’s definitely no such saying, but the point stands.

“Are you sure Bel’s been doing that?”

“Yes. I’ve seen her do it a couple of times already with the allowance you give her.”

It was true that Mia had been supplying Bel with a handy sum of money in case of emergencies, but...

I never knew she has a habit of wasting money! What’s the point of me working so hard to save money if she’s just doling it all out to people?

More baffling was the reason behind this behavior. What in the moons would drive Bel to do such a thing? The future she’d come from was certainly not one where gold coins could be handed out as reward. In fact, nobody went around giving out money like that, future or not. Where had she even learned to do that?

“Milady did mention it’s something she absolutely has to do, no matter what...” said Lynsha with a troubled frown.

Mia let out a frustrated grunt. “Absolutely has to, you say... Hmm, I think it’s time for a talk.”

The day following her talk with Lynsha, Mia decided to get to the bottom of this situation. She didn’t want to summon Bel to the palace, but that meant she’d have to head over to where Anne’s parents lived. A look out the window dissuaded her of this option. It was snowing, and snow meant cold. Mia didn’t like the cold.

“Hm... I guess I can’t hide Bel forever. Maybe I should take this chance to introduce her to father...” She mulled over the idea. “I mean, I could ask Miss Rafina or even Sion to accommodate her, but if I want her to be able to move around in the empire, I should at least get father to acknowledge her existence. I can tell him she’s my sworn sister. Or, since she gets along well with Rina, I can ask Duke Yellowmoon— Oh, but it’s dangerous there with all their poisonous herbs and stuff. Maybe the easiest way is to just have her be a commoner and stay at Anne’s place for a while. Hmm... These are all things I’ll have to talk to her about.”

Having come up with enough reasons to justify summoning Bel to the palace—and mask the fact that they were really just excuses not to head out into the cold—she made up her mind. At the end of the day, Mia just wasn’t the type to see snow and feel an urgent desire to dive into its fluffy embrace. She much preferred diving into bed. So, she asked Anne to go fetch Bel.

“I do wonder though... What’s gotten into her? Why is she wasting so much money?”

Bel was supposed to have been raised by Anne and Elise, and taught by Ludwig.

“Plus, she told me she deeply admires her grandmother Mia, aka me. If she admires me, then it makes no sense for her to reward people by giving them gold coins.”

That was the prodigal’s method. It reflected a certain philosophy—that every problem could be, or at least should be, solved by throwing money at it. Mia knew all too well where this line of reasoning led. The more one relied on money to solve problems, the more their need for money would balloon. There was no limit to it. It was a hard lesson for her, earned after much sweat and toil trying to find food during her famine days.

Ludwig, ever the proponent of rational approaches, could theoretically view it as a means to an end. Mia couldn’t imagine him telling Bel to act like that though. The ethical implications surely would have made him think twice. As for Anne and Elise... They were more the types to blow their top if they ever caught wind of Bel’s little habit.

It couldn’t have been taught. This was something Bel had come up with on her own. These were the thoughts that occupied Mia’s head as she directed the stand-in maid to prepare enough sweets and hot tea for her, Bel, Anne, and Lynsha. Securing supply lines was a tactical imperative, and Mia was becoming quite the accomplished tactician...at least when it came to acquiring sugar. With plates laid and cups mounted, it was all quiet on the munchies front as she awaited the arrival of her guests.

Eventually, there was a knock on the door.

“Excuse me, milady.” Anne bowed. “I’ve brought Miss Bel.”

“Ah, good. Come on in.”

Mia welcomed the three arrivals into her room.

“Thank you, Anne. You too, Bel and Lynsha. It must have been cold out there. Let’s get you warmed up first with some tea. We have sweets too. Feel free to try some,” she said, gesturing toward the table.

“Wow! The cakes look delicious! Thank you, Miss Mia!” exclaimed a delighted Bel.

Mia regarded her granddaughter with a gentle smile.

After satiating her stomach with a generous amount of tea and sweets, Mia turned her attention to Bel.

“By the way, Bel, I happened to hear that when you head out to the market to go shopping...you’ve been handing people gold coins and telling them to keep the change as thanks?”

“Pardon the interruption, Princess Mia, but I’d like to mention that I’ve also been handed silver coins as thanks before,” said Lynsha, who produced the evidence. “These were given to me by milady the other day when I was hit over the head in the forest by that old witch. She told me it’s repayment for everything I did for her... So I’m giving it back to you now. I don’t want to be thanked or repaid like this. I already receive a salary directly from Miss Rafina for what I do.”

Lynsha smiled at Bel as she pressed the silver into her small hands.

Mia studied Lynsha’s expression. Yes, she’s definitely a little angry.

The way Lynsha’s smile wasn’t matching the glare in her eyes was actually sort of terrifying. Not wanting to court trouble, Mia decided to join her in questioning Bel.

“Well then,” Mia continued. “Would you like to explain yourself?”

“Oh, uh, sure,” Bel nervously started. “It’s because...”

Bel looked quickly at Anne and Lynsha before leaning into Mia’s ear.

“The people I gave gold coins to are the people who helped me a lot when I was younger. I felt like I had to thank them somehow, and the most valuable thing I could give them was gold, so I used that,” whispered Bel.

“When you were younger...”

Mia crossed her arms.

I see... So this was during the civil war future of the empire, and the people running these stores must have treated her well during that time.

In her future world, Bel was both a fugitive and a powerless young child. Even if she deeply appreciated the kindness shown to her by others, she had no way of repaying them. Gratitude toward others and the desire to give back to them...were emotions Mia knew all too well. She’d received so much from Anne, and she hadn’t been able to give back anything in return. The regret she’d felt when the guillotine blade had fallen was as vivid now as it had been then. Had she possessed anything that day... Anything she could part with—even a broken chip of gold—she would doubtlessly have tried to press it into Anne’s hands as recompense.

Therefore, she sympathized with Bel. Resonated with her, even. Yet...

“Money carries the same value for everyone,” Bel maintained. “It’s easy to use, and they can spend it on whatever they want. It’s the best thing I can give to show my thanks.”

“Bel...”

“Also, there’s no guarantee I’ll ever meet them again, so I make sure to repay any kindness I receive on the spot.”

And at that, Mia finally recognized the source of Bel’s penchant for extreme charity—a deep-seated fear buried in the core of her psyche. Insisting on repaying kindness on the spot was exactly what one would do...if they didn’t believe in their own permanence. It was a preemptive approach, meant to keep her debts of gratitude constantly repaid so if, or maybe when she disappeared, she wouldn’t leave behind any regrets.

The world Bel had seen... The life she’d lived... It was not one that allowed for the insouciance of “I’ll thank them tomorrow.” And this very understanding had likely been a costly lesson she’d learned after numerous instances of “If only I’d said it then...”

With this heartbreaking context in mind, Mia couldn’t help but groan in frustration. She wanted to lecture Bel about her spending habits, but no combination of words seemed fitting. That left her no choice but to change her approach.

“Even so... I still object to your method of using money to repay everything. I think your belief that money carries the same value to everyone is wrong,” Mia insisted. “Not everything can be solved by money.”

It was...an incredibly sensible statement. Doubly incredible due to the fact that it was said by Mia. Maybe the moon was blue. Who knows?

“Really? Am I...really wrong?” Bel didn’t seem entirely convinced. That didn’t surprise Mia. While valid, her statement had no oomph, for it was borrowed wisdom. Words that did not come from the heart could not move hearts.

Well, Mia thought with a frown, she’s sure turning out to be a tough nut to crack.

She popped a sweet snack into her mouth, but to her dismay, no persuasive wisdom emerged in return.

“Let’s move on for now, then. Bel, I plan to introduce you to the emperor today.”

Lacking a viable way to coax Bel away from her spendthrift tendencies, Mia decided to change the topic.

“Huh? So I’m going to meet my great— I mean, your father?” asked a surprised Bel.

Mia nodded solemnly.

“That’s right. You’ll be meeting His Imperial Majesty Matthias Luna Tearmoon.”

She folded her arms in a pensive pose.

But now that I think about it though...this might be a little difficult.

For all his...bumbling, the man was still the sovereign of the great empire of Tearmoon. She couldn’t just stroll up and tell him to say hi to his great-granddaughter. That meant Bel would have to, at best, be the daughter of a commoner. At worst, she could end up attracting suspicion.

“I’ve never heard of father being attacked by assassins, so they probably have strict measures in place to prevent any attempts. I doubt he’d agree to meet with someone whose background is a complete mystery. Ugh, what can I say to trick him...?”

She brooded all the way to his office.

“Excuse me, father. Do you have a moment?”

“Ooooh, Mia! Of course I do! What’s the matter?”

Mia’s father, being the emperor, was generally a busy man. There was a brief period before mealtime, however, when he often reclined in his office. The reason for this lull in his day was simple. Circumstances permitting, he always tried to dine with Mia. As a result, he scheduled all official business—meetings with the imperial council, reports from the moon ministries, and whatever else he had to do—in such a manner that he’d be done well in advance of his mealtimes. For him, no bliss in the world was greater than enjoying a conversation with his beloved daughter over a meal.

Mia found the experience bothersome at times, but that wasn’t important right now. She instructed Bel to wait outside the room and walked in herself.

“What fine and rare fortune is this? You’ve come without being summoned!” The emperor beamed at her. “Will you be joining me for lunch today?”

“Uhh, well, yes... But more importantly, there’s someone I’d like you to meet, father.”

“Oh? Someone you’d like me to meet, you say? Might this be that friend of yours that you’ve been showing around?” the emperor asked with an affectionate smile as he scratched his chin. “I heard she’s a young girl who bears more than a passing resemblance to you. I’ve been meaning to get a look at her myself.”

“My, you certainly keep up with the news, don’t you?”

Mia was impressed by her father’s response.

I wonder if he’s keeping tabs on everyone who comes into the Whitemoon Palace... Hm, I never knew father valued information so highly. Maybe he’s not as clueless as he seems.

...Thought the person who, in the previous timeline, was raked over the coals by Ludwig for not knowing the name of even a single dignitary who visited the palace. Thanks to that, she was now well aware of the importance of acquiring information in advance. The visceral trauma of the experience made sure of that.

“Ho ho ho, of course I do. Did you think I’d be so irresponsible as to leave your friend circle uninvestigated? Your classmates, members of the horsemanship club, the student council, even your dorm neighbors—I’ve researched them all!”

The emperor puffed out his chest like a child who’d just told his parents he’d gotten all his homework done early. Mia’s face twitched as she struggled to maintain its civil facade.

“I-I see. Well, uh... Good for you. Anyway, I’d like to introduce her to you. Oh, before that,” said Mia as a thought suddenly came to her, “pardon the abruptness, father, but would you happen to have any children I’m not aware of? Illegitimate children, for example?”

It wasn’t a particularly clever thought, born more from indolence than wisdom. She just figured that if he did have some spurious offspring, she could just make Bel one of them and be done with it. It wasn’t that she was having trouble finding a suitable identity. A girl she picked up from the slums, or the daughter of a foreign noble...there were plenty of ways to pass her off. An illegitimate child was just the easiest solution, since it’d validate the “younger sister” setup she was already using.

Unfortunately...

“Definitely not. That is a physical impossibility.”

...Without the slightest hesitation, the emperor shook his head.

“Oh? Why’s that? It’s not like I’ll get mad at you, you know? As emperor, it’s only natural for you to be thinking about successors. And if you, you know, had a little fun in your younger days, I can totally understand that too, so...”

“Well, that’s very nice of you...but the issue is that I’ve never known any women other than your mother.”

“...Huh?”

She stared agape at her father, who grinned wide at her.

“In a word, woman came before women. Before I had a chance to acquaint myself with the wonderful world of skirt-chasing, I’d already fallen head over heels for your mother. It was love at first sight. Now that I think about it, I probably could have fooled around a little more. Bah ha ha ha!”

Uhhh, so how exactly is a girl supposed to respond when her father comes out to her about having no experience with women other than her mother? Laugh? Cry?

As his daughter, Mia wasn’t sure how to process this new information about her father’s callow and single-minded fascination with her mother. While she was wrestling with her feelings, the emperor stepped out of the room unprompted and looked around.

“Oh ho, so you’re the one. Intriguing. There’s definitely a good amount of Mia in you,” he marveled. “What’s that? Your name is Miabel? Moons! Even your name is similar. Ho ho ho. If Mia had a child, I bet she’d look just like you.”

The two hit it off immediately. Within seconds, they were happily chatting away.

“Wait, wha— Father! You can’t just...walk up to her like that!” Mia huffed. “I know she’s my friend, but show some caution, please.”

Faced with her father’s unreserved acceptance of Miabel, Mia couldn’t help but feel a hint of concern for his personal safety. The Chaos Serpents weren’t the only ones who’d enjoy a good stabbing of the Tearmoon Emperor. Plenty of other assassins shared their interest.

“Caution? What need is there for caution? Mia, you are wonderful. Therefore, anyone who looks like you is wonderful,” the emperor said, as if he’d just demonstrated an irrefutable mathematical proof. “The fact that she looks like you is reason enough for me to trust her.”

“I-It is?”

“It certainly is. Why wouldn’t it be? Yes, you can’t judge a book by its cover, and that applies to people as well, but you are not people! You are Mia! Only the harmonious presence of both inner and outer beauty can produce the absolute jewel that is you!”

He let out a hearty laugh.

You know what? For the first time in my life, I am in awe of father. And also a little terrified. At this rate, I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s seriously considering building a giant golden statue of me or something...

The emperor might have thrown caution to the wind, but Mia caught it and promptly added it to her attitude toward her father.