My Birthday

Beneath a sky where the sunset was slowly bleeding away, her carriage drew to a halt before the mansion. A woman stepped down from it, nobility woven into every line of her bearing, and the throng of servants waiting at attention offered their bows with practiced reverence.

"Welcome home, My Lady. You've worked hard."

"There was a particularly stubborn one this time."

Viviana slipped out of her coat and handed it over as if it were the most natural thing in the world. The old man received it with equal formality, a kindly smile settling at the corners of his mouth.

"Even so, he could hardly have been a match for you, My Lady."

"Well, of course."

Viviana gave a short, dry laugh and set off with her usual haughty stride. She had just come rolling home from a battlefield, yet she walked toward her study without the faintest trace of fatigue — as she always did.

Butler Alphonse followed in silence. The study that awaited them looked exactly as it always did: the same elegant desk, the same mountain of documents piled high upon it. With the same emotionless eyes as ever, she settled into her chair, reached for the cigarette that always lay in the same place, and set it between her lips.

A routine so repetitive it had long since grown tiresome. And so, as always, Viviana was about to light the cigarette without a moment's hesitation when—

Cough! Cough…!

Out of that endlessly identical daily life, the memory of a certain young woman's distress rose unbidden. Viviana paused, cigarette still in hand, then clicked her tongue softly and finished lighting it anyway.

"Still no word?"

At her question, the old man let out a brief sigh.

"No, My Lady. Not so much as a single letter."

"Hah."

The old man could not understand it. Why would a woman who had always stood so loftily above the world wait this desperately for a letter from a single young lady? The thought crossed his mind that perhaps the Merdelia Ducal House had somehow been caught by a weakness of hers.

"This is unlike you, My Lady. She is, at best, the daughter of a house already sliding into ruin."

"I know that."

Seeing the irritation flicker across Viviana's face, the old man said nothing more. A brief silence stretched across the study before he touched his chin, as though something had just occurred to him, and raised a new matter.

"Speaking of her, as it happens — I hear the Bland family is hosting a small gathering at their estate next week."

"What?"

"Word is that it is the young lady's birthday."

Viviana's eyes went wide. Then an incredulous smile curved her lips as she exhaled a stream of smoke. Through the haze, her violet irises glowed with a light both soft and faintly menacing.

"And they didn't invite me. Is that it?"

With those words she rose from her chair and left the study. Leaving the butler behind, she made her way to a secluded archive in a far corner of the mansion — and to the secret chamber hidden within it.

The secret room was sheathed entirely in pure white marble, a magnificent piano set beneath a vast window. Viviana seated herself calmly before the instrument, released a quiet breath, and slowly laid her fingers upon the keys.

The notes that bloomed from her fingertips filled the air with a deep, lingering fragrance. The piano's voice carried her profound emotion and her noble bearing alike, wrapping the chamber in sound. Even the smallest motion of her wrists held elegance, as though her ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠hands themselves were dancing.

"…"

Clang—!

Viviana drove her fingertips hard into the keys, and a jarring dissonance spilled from the instrument. She pounded the keyboard, eyes half-lidded, and let out a short, bitter laugh.

"Pfft. What am I even doing."

Alphonse had been right. To be jerked around by a powerless young lady, to waste her spirit like this — it was a pathetic situation, utterly unlike her.

She had barely met the girl a handful of times. Investing time in someone like that was a luxury she could not afford; the road she still had to walk stretched far too long.

If the young lady of House Bland wished to avoid her, then simply allowing it was the proper course. She herself had no reason to go seeking such a person out first.

The answer was clean and clear, and Viviana's eyes grew sharp again. The tightness that had been tormenting her chest vanished, leaving only a clean, unburdened relief with not a shred of lingering attachment.

"Still. There is one thing I ought to do."

That girl had tried to twist her around with those cunning, coquettish little words. She had dared to toy with the daughter of the Merdelia Ducal House — a woman even the Emperor himself did not approach lightly — upon the palm of those small white hands.

To seduce her with lies, and then to betray her in the end. That was a grave insult against House Merdelia. And Viviana's nature was not generous enough to simply let it pass.

"I always repay an insult in full, Young Lady Bland."

You were the one who started this, young lady.

So I trust you'll understand if I cause a little trouble.

The morning was unusually bright and clear. The sunlight wrapped the earth more warmly than usual, and the birdsong seemed to fall into a deeper harmony.

Today, for once, there was no pain of her monthly cycle. With lighter steps than usual I left my room and pattered toward the kitchen, where a woman sat enjoying her tea in an atmosphere of quiet refinement.

The woman who loved "me" more than anyone else in this world. Her blue eyes curved into beautiful crescents as she welcomed me.

"Happy birthday, my daughter."

"Thank you, Mother."

I ran into her arms without a second's hesitation. Her embrace, always so full and generous, enfolded my face. As I nuzzled against her chest and clung to her like a spoiled child, something solid and weighty settled into my hands.

"A birthday present."

"Wow! May I open it?"

Mother smiled faintly and nodded. I opened the carefully wrapped gift box to find an amulet set with a small blue gem.

I stared at it, dazed. There was no elaborate ornamentation — it was almost plain — ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠and that very simplicity only made the beauty of the blue stone at its center stand out all the more.

The jewels other noblewomen had given me were surely far more expensive. And yet, for some reason, I felt that even if I sold every other gift I owned, I would never be able to part with this amulet — not even if it killed me.

"Don't misunderstand, Tina. The gem in the center is a mana stone."

"A mana stone?"

"Yes. When another mana stone of the same resonating frequency is nearby, it vibrates."

Mother carefully held out her hand. On one of her slender, elegant fingers sat a ring set with a gem of the exact same color as the amulet.

She tapped the stone in the amulet twice with her fingertip, and both the amulet and her ring began to vibrate strongly.

"I've been fretting over you more and more lately, Tina. I worry that something might happen to you. So I prepared this gift."

"It kind of… feels like a tracking device?"

"…Yes. If it makes you uncomfortable, you don't have ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to wear it. Or sell it at the market and buy whatever you like. It should fetch a fairly high price."

Knowing Mother's nature, this was a gift she had chosen with deep care and devotion — and yet she was telling me to sell it. I looked at her with a faintly sulky expression.

You silly mother.

You still don't know me at all.

Without a word I held the amulet out to her, turned my back, and sat down. I lifted my long, cascading hair and bared the nape of my neck to her.

"…Put it on for me, Mother."

Mother gazed at me in silence for a long moment, then carefully fastened the amulet around my neck. A slender silver chain and a glittering blue gem settled just below my throat.

I spun around in a full circle to face her and beamed. Then, as always, I threw myself into her arms.

"Of all the gifts I'll receive today, this is the one I like best. Thank you, Mother."

"Heh. You're saying that before you've even received anyone else's presents."

"No — I'm certain."

How could I possibly dislike a gem that so clearly held Mother's worry for me? And besides, I was going to sell all the other gifts anyway. This one alone would be my true treasure.

"I love you, Mother. I'll keep it with me always."

"I'm glad you like it so much."

"Hehe… ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of course."

After that we shared a pleasant meal filled with light, meaningless chatter. Then I had to move quite busily. I checked thoroughly that nothing was missing for the tea party meant to receive the young ladies who would soon arrive, and then checked again for anything overlooked.

Running about like that, time slipped past before I knew it, and one by one the splendid carriages began to display themselves before the front gates of the Bland estate.

As I stood at the window watching the young ladies gather one after another in the garden, a familiar presence stirred behind me.

"My lady, it seems all that remains is for you to make your entrance."

"Lenahel."

I turned from the window to look at her. Lenahel's eyes went round as she took me in, then a warm smile rose to her face as she laid a hand over her heart.

"I thought the guests outside were beautiful — but of course, my lady is the true star of the day."

"Hehe… thank you. I'll go out, then."

I offered Lenahel a greeting and descended the stairs with eager steps. With every step closer to the garden, the harmonious laughter of the young ladies grew clearer.

I paused for a moment and shaped a bright smile with two fingers at the corners of my mouth. After checking the reflection of that smile once in the mirror, I skipped lightly outside.

Toward the young ladies waiting for me.

Toward the gifts they had prepared.