Side Story 1: My Savior Loves Me So Much It’s Scary
THUD!
The carriage rocked and bumped its way to a stop. Yulisse opened her eyes to the sound of conversation somewhere close by and immediately wiped away the trail of drool in the corner of her mouth. She hurriedly looked about, hoping nobody had seen her unsightly display, but instead found herself alone in the carriage. That was almost worse.
“Oh no, I overslept!”
She threw open the door and stepped out, the ground crunching beneath her feet.
Crunch?
Her second boot came down before she processed what had happened, and it plunged even deeper into the ground with a more impressive sound. Whatever was happening, it was freezing cold. That was the first time Yulisse looked around and realized there was nothing but a crisp silver sheet, as far as the eye could see. It was snow, and an unimaginable amount of it at that.
“What…?”
“Oh, Yulie, you should see the look on your face!”
“L-Lord Raphael?!”
Her surprise was cut off as the prissy, spoiled wizard—or rather, her savior and master, Raphael, extended a hand to her. Raphael Feith Marshall was the son of a marquis and had characteristically long purple hair and a monocle. Though he seemed gentle and proper, he was an incorrigible playboy and sadist. Yulisse considered pointing out that a noble shouldn’t be taking the hand of a mere servant, but he hadn’t listened the last hundred-odd times she reminded him.
“Where are we?” she muttered instead as she pulled herself out of the snow.
She was sure they were in Urhalla when she fell asleep. She’d felt the gentle sunlight on her cheek despite it being the middle of winter and had drifted off at some point.
“We’re in northeast Urhalla, just past the Mimier Mountains,” the noble chimed. “The royal family controls this region by rights, but they’ve left House Marshall to maintain it. Now, guess why that is!” He winked coquettishly at her.
“I have no idea,” she instantly replied.
“Oh, come now, put a little thought into it!”
“It’s too cold to think.” Yulisse wrapped her arms tight around herself and shivered.
How is he not freezing in those robes? Let me guess, more magic?
“Ah!” He suddenly reached out to her, squeezing her hand tightly once more. “I forgot. Let’s head inside first.”
“U-Um… You don’t need to hold my hand; I can walk.”
“Don’t be like that!” He tightly interlaced his fingers with hers, making it impossible for her to break free. “Come, let’s walk together!”
She swallowed her discomfort and followed after him. His hands were always oddly bereft of warmth. That wasn’t to say they were cold, but rather, they were so oddly temperate it felt strange more than frightening.
Oh, and my hands are still warm from my nap, too… Would he think I’m lying if I said I was cold?
The two walked at the head of the group, with the other servants trailing behind them. House Marshall’s staff always seemed indifferent to her at best and no doubt resented her for her special treatment. Yulisse tried hard not to think of the eyes on her back as they walked in silence.
Many well-maintained hearths kept the sleepy, snow-laden mansion warm. Yulisse knew better after her two-odd years of manner studies than to rush to the nearest one to warm herself.
“My name is Yulisse Merrifield. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“Paula Tyler,” came the curt reply.
Before her was the head maid, an older woman with sharp eyes. Paula studied her carefully, from head to foot, eyes disapproving behind her glasses. Yulisse tried her best not to draw attention to the hem of her skirt, only half of which was soaked through by melted snow. The woman knew Yulisse’s past, no doubt—how she was born the daughter of a baron but was complicit in a plot to incriminate the crown prince’s fiancée, how she was stripped of her titles as a criminal and was now serving House Marshall to earn the forgiveness of the crown. After a long moment, Paula snatched up Yulisse’s hand in her calloused palms, pulling her attention away from her skirt.
“Eep?!”
She’s going to punish me, isn’t she?!
Yulisse had no idea what she’d done to deserve it, but she must’ve committed some faux pas. Nobody could possibly be kind to a criminal.
Paula grinned. “You’re beautiful…just wonderful! What a charming young miss! If the young master brought you all this way, surely you’ll be married soon, won’t you?!”
Yulisse blinked the tears out of her eyes in shock. “Um.”
“Ah, a love beyond your status… Reminds me of when I was your age! By the way, has anyone ever said you look just like my favorite book’s heroine? Star Maiden, it’s called.”
“U-Umm… Excuse me?”
“Well!” Paula’s eyes gleamed eagerly. “It’s the story of a peasant girl who receives the stars’ blessing, becomes a baron’s daughter, and enrolls in the Royal Academy!”
The older woman continued to give a surprisingly detailed synopsis of the book. It was clear she’d read it a good many times, but to Yulisse, the book was nothing but a cruel reminder of that miserable coming-of-age ball. She resisted the urge to run for the door.
“Then, you see, young nobles confess their love for the heroine, and—”
“I-I think I understand what it’s about now,” Yulisse interrupted. “Did… Were you not told about me?”
“Why should I have been? All I know is that the young master would be bringing his bride-to-be. Why, we’ve all been beside ourselves with anticipation!”
Paula didn’t even touch on Yulisse’s crimes, instead gesturing opulently around the entire hall. Yulisse strained her ears, but there wasn’t so much as a murmur from the neighboring rooms.