The Armelia mansion was our family home, situated in the capital. In it resided my father, who could never be away from the capital due to his position as Prime Minister, and my mother, who had followed him there. Constructed of reddish-brown bricks and adorned with white pillars, it was far more extravagant than one might expect of a second home. From knowledge of my past life, I was aware this was quite the mansion, but the main house in our territory exceeded this one in more than a few ways. I entered and walked through the entrance hall, treading upon red carpet as I made my way to my room.
I’d been thrown out of the academy. I was mortified. The shame naturally quickened my pace. Upon reaching my lovely white and pink room, I breathed a sigh of relief. I sank into the sofa and felt just a bit at ease. My battle with the last boss was imminent. I needed to destress.
My personal handmaid, Tanya, burst in with tears in her eyes. “My lady!”
“Oh, Tanya. I just got back.”
Tanya was born a commoner, but she had mastered etiquette and had refined features to match. Not a hair of her complicated braids was ever out of place, and I often thought her appearance could make any heart keen. The simple navy-blue uniform suited her to a T.
“How can you be so calm? I’ve been tearing my hair out in frustration!”
Seeing her tear up for my sake warmed my heart. At the same time, I felt quite guilty to have caused her such worry.
Tanya was born in the slums, like so many others. As a child, I’d often sneaked out into town, and in the course of my adventures, I had brought her into my household. Back then, the weight of the title of a duke’s daughter had weighed heavily upon me. It had been difficult to find anyone to simply chat with, given my family’s place in noble society. Not even those within my household could serve that role. So when I picked a commoner girl up off the streets that day, it had been for the awful, selfish reason of wanting someone to talk to. However, Tanya had been so grateful to me that she ended up becoming a perfect servant. It would not be an overstatement to call her my sister.
“Well, calm yourself, Tanya. It’s not yet time to drown ourselves in sorrow.”
“Of course. Forgive me. The master should be returning this evening.”
Tanya was a quick thinker and adaptable, to boot. Her tears vanished into thin air as she regained her composure and delivered the information I desired.
“I see. Then get me a drink to settle my nerves, would you?”
“Yes, my lady.”
She made to leave the room, but I opened my mouth to stop her. “Tanya?”
“Yes, my lady?”
“Thank you.”
Very wordy, I know. But it was all I could think of. Thank you for worrying about me. Thank you for crying for me. So many emotions crammed into those two short words.
“If I may be so bold, my lady: I serve you, not House Armelia. Thus, I shall never forgive Prince Edward for betraying you, even if he is of the royal line. And no matter what may happen between you and your father, I shall always be on your side.”
“I’m a lucky girl, aren’t I?”
“Not at all. I’m the lucky one here. And I think you would do well to remember that those within this household who share my position feel the same.”
I had, in my youth, actually elevated six commoners into our household. Ever since I was a little girl, I’d been considered quite the oddball. Instead of presents, I’d ask my parents to take in orphans such as Tanya. At first my parents resisted, but seeing as I never asked for anything else, they eventually gave in. Every year since, I’d invited another orphan around my age off the streets and into our home.
None of this information was provided in the game. Perhaps even though my previous life’s memories hadn’t yet awoken, they had still influenced my actions. In any case, my chats with my friends were precious because they allowed me to momentarily forget the burden of my title. As the years went by, outside pressure had forced us to draw a clear line between our roles as mistress and servants. Even so, they were each invaluable to me.
“I appreciate you saying so, Tanya, but please, I want you to think of your own happiness first and foremost. That goes for the others as well.”
Tanya looked at me, puzzled. Her expression would, to an outsider, appear utterly blank, but our years together had taught me how to read her.
“It was my selfishness that dragged you into this rigid world,” I said. “If you wish, you may take your leave whensoever you desire. In fact, it might be prudent to reconsider your futures now—”
Unbelievably, Tanya cut me off. “My lady, please don’t say such things anymore. I should have died that day, all those years ago. But it was you, and no one else, who saved me. Ever since, my life has been yours. The day I leave your side will be the day I die…or the day you deem me unnecessary.”
“Well, then I suppose it’s until death do us part.”
I tried to make a joke, but Tanya didn’t budge an inch. In fact, she smiled happily. “There would be no greater happiness for me.”
“All right… I understand your feelings. I really am a lucky soul. But there is more than one form of happiness, Tanya. So please don’t forget what I said earlier.”
“As you wish, my lady.” Tanya reluctantly nodded.
If I was to be stripped of my status and banished to a nunnery, I didn’t want her to share my fate. She was too important to me. But I got the sneaking feeling she’d come along anyway. I really had to win over my father, didn’t I? For Tanya’s sake, to say nothing of my own.
My determination renewed, I sipped the tea Tanya prepared for me. Divine, as usual.
As I started to relax, another servant knocked on my door. “My lady.”
“Come in.”
This time, the head maid, Elulu, entered. She managed all the female servants, and as expected, her maid uniform was impeccable. “Pardon me, my lady. The master is calling for you.”
“Oh, already? I was told he wouldn’t be back until evening.”
“He returned early upon hearing of your situation.”
“Well…” I sighed. Ugh, where had that resolve gone? My stomach was all in knots.
“If you don’t mind my saying, my lady, I believe any reprimand from your father on this count would be unnecessary, to say the least.”
It shocked me to hear this from Elulu, who was normally so strict.
“The household is on your side, my lady. So hold your head high when you go to meet the master.”
In the story I knew, Iris was described as a villain. But as I combed through my memories, I confronted a different truth: one where she—I—had built a deep relationship with her family’s servants, one founded outside the strictures of class. In other words, I had berated the protagonist for being “merely a baron’s daughter” not because her rank mattered to me but because my love for Prince Edward had driven me to terrible jealousy. I was slowly beginning to feel less dissonance with the “Iris” part of myself.
Right. After all, right now, I’m Iris. I had to make “Iris” happy for my own sake.
My determination restored, I followed Elulu to my father’s study, Tanya close on my heels.
“We’re here, my lady.”
“Thank you, Elulu. Tanya, would you wait here as well?”
“As you wish.”
I’d arrived at the battlefield. The thick, heavy door loomed before me. I swallowed and steadied my breathing. Then I knocked.