§
I relaxed in Her Grace’s bath and let my mind drift back to the subject of anime maids.
A hetaira such as I would not normally contemplate such a subject, but while I was maintaining Her Grace’s [Blood Effigy] in Huade, wearing her image while she returned to Sky Ocean, I could not ignore the contrast. A trio of much more conventional maids were standing by, awaiting my orders as I soaked, after all.
I already mentioned this, but when Dilorè carried Ceria into Sky Ocean, our maids from the Fairy King’s Castle were wearing some decidedly anime-influenced clothing. Which is to say, start with a sensible Atian or Victorian maid outfit and then cater unashamedly to a severe case of teenage male hormones.
The maids certainly perceived their clothing to be maid uniforms in the Atian fashion, but not even the maids of the Pendor estate in Atianus wore costumes like those! Unless perhaps Mother inflicted such on her maids in her bedroom for entirely non-maid-service-related activities.
Basic black dirndl-like bodice, fringed with a frilly trim, rising only barely enough to sufficiently cover the important bits while leaving the entire upper back exposed. Black flared skirt with matching trim barely reaching mid-thigh. ‘Oxford’ shoes with strangely high heels over black stockings with white ruffle tops not quite rising to the hem, leaving bare skin and garter straps exposed.
That last part would be a shock and a scandal in Atius. No skirts are ever that short in Atianus. Even the skirts or culottes of woman laborers and adventurers, who shorten their clothing for freedom of movement, will at least reach within a few inches of the knee.
White gloves covering the arms up to mid-bicep held in place by black garters with more white ruffles. A peculiarly modest black collar with white trim, especially curious because it had no connection to the rest of the costume. An expanse of bare décolletage and shoulders separated it from everything else.
And finally, a perfectly normal white ruffle comb for the hair.
One could clearly say what part of a real maid’s uniform each element of this came from, except the white gloves, which were wholly inexplicable. But nothing at all of the resulting costume was practical or sensible for a working maid. What it was, was Robert’s favorite cosplay, from a particular anime that he liked.
Simply dwelling on anime and other elements of Robert’s memories sends me slipping towards Tiana’s personality, and that was entirely my intention. I’m actively seeking to develop the ability for Tiana to be both here in Narses and in Sky Ocean. There’s a very basic resistance when I approach her personality, but every time I become less my ancient self and more the modern ‘Sen’, I find myself teetering on the edge of it, on the verge of becoming the ‘second instance’ of her that we need her to have.
Fan Li encourages me to keep trying. Using Robert’s memories as a back door is her idea. The worst that can happen if I fail is that I and Tiana accidentally swap places for a bit. If it happens, Fan Li will quickly step in to help us sort it back out.
The most dramatic thing that can happen is that I, Lydia, become absorbed into Tiana’s personality, in the same manner that Robert has already done.
No, this is not a bad thing. It would be a very good thing. While I know that the idea distresses Her Grace, it does not bother me in the slightest.
I would much rather become her, with the memories of my life in Athens, and live on as an integral part of her. I don’t know why the possibility of my independent persona disappearing distresses her. After all, I’m dead, and it was not Robert’s extinction when it happened to him, because Her Grace is still him. In the very same vein, it would not be my extinction, because she would also be me.
I put that thought aside and considered what would happen now.
In Sky Ocean, Kanon was now guiding Ceria and Oberon to the Training Hall for their ‘lovers’ holiday’. We had no idea what sort of trip it would be. Kanon and the Curator were planning it for them. But Her Grace missed the princess, although she wouldn’t admit it, and she wanted to spend time with her Servants living there. She also wanted to be there to welcome Chiara and Melione, whom Dilorè was now shuttling through the portal, so I would keep up the Lady Tiana act for a few more hours.
If I were to go out and encounter Lady Mireia or His Royal Highness, I think I would have to confess my identity. I suspect I wouldn’t be able to fool them. But for now, I remained safe. Her Grace insisted that Lady Mireia and His Royal Highness share breakfast alone as a couple, extending their private time together into the morning.
And she made sure I should have only very light duties to attend to. She arranged for me to take care of bathing, during which I enjoyed a lovely bonus, an Atian breakfast of crumpets and jam served by the pretty bath attendants sharing the tub with me. Her Grace even made sure to avoid the tea I still have no taste for, substituting juice.
Time had worn on, though. Bath and breakfast now complete, I stood and allowed the maids to towel me off. I would not achieve union with Tiana on this try.
My light duties continued though. Today, the dressmaker would alter a few more of Mother’s dresses to fit Her Grace’s pregnant form, so that her morning consultations were pushed a bit later into the day, hopefully until we swapped places again.
On the face of it, Tiana’s mother had a ridiculously large wardrobe for a woman with no need for clothing. But she enjoyed designing and making the real, physical dresses that she reproduced with her raiment. Everything she wore as Sasara existed somewhere in the physical world. Only her ‘fairy clothing’ as Deharè existed in raiment form only. No dressmaker could physically reproduce them, so they were direct products of her imagination.
But since the new lady of the castle and her beloved companion, His Highness’s new concubine, both needed wardrobes equal to their positions, they were slowly divvying up Mother’s massive collection, except for certain pieces which Benedetta and Terese selected for display at Mother’s memorial shrine. Of course, her enormous kimono collection required no alterations, but the Duchess and her husband’s concubine needed modern clothing as well. Like modern Japan and China, modern Dorians only use their traditional clothing that resembles wafuku or hanfu for special occasions.
As the maids dried me, my hand rested out of habit on the protruding home of my little tenants. I knew they were actually with Tiana in Sky Ocean at that moment, but the illusion that they were here with me in the [Blood Effigy] was very real.
<It’s our spiritual vessel providing the strength, but they each have their own [Blood Effigy] within the one you wear,> Fan Li noted. <In a manner of speaking, they are indeed present with you. Or to be more accurate, they are no less present than you are.>
“The dressmaker is waiting for Her Grace in her dressing room,” Genette called through the door.
“We’re just about done with her,” Syl called back while the chambermaids used ornate combs and a magic tool resembling an Earthly blow dryer to dry my hair.
“Shall we put it up for you, Your Grace?” she asked as she turned back to me. “You won’t want to leave it down when the little ones are born, so it would be good to experiment now with other styles.”
I smiled at her and said, “Certainly.”
Tiana likes keeping it in a simple ponytail, but that absolutely would never do with babies around. She didn’t want to cut it, so she needed to get used to buns and beehives. That was my very legitimate reason for agreeing. It certainly wasn’t because I personally am in the habit of keeping my hair up, in the fashion of my hometown.
<Absolutely not,> Fan Li agreed with a chuckle.
I was seen through.
The dressing room has a door directly from the bath, so they brought me there in just a chemise. But as I walked, a bit of Fan Li’s memory leaked over to me. She was currently the one monitoring Bruna’s [Blood Sigil], and the fairies had just returned at breakfast time to report some strange news.
I felt a chill, and realized it was from Tiana, who had just caught the same news.
“Your Grace?” Genette worried.
“It’s nothing,” I assured her.
But it most certainly wasn’t ‘nothing’. So I hesitated, then said, “I would like to sit down and rest a bit.”
“Absolutely, Your Grace!” the dressmaker agreed, and hurried her assistants to take the current garment off me. Syl and Genette hustled me over to a chair.
“Do you need to lay down?” Genette worried.
Ah. Thanks to the robust vitality of this fairy vampire body, I had forgotten that women in the second half of pregnancy are supposed to be quite fragile and weak. Fairies, vampires and Elders suffer no such problems.
I smiled my apology to all the worried women surrounding me.
“I’m fine, everyone,” I assured them. “I simply need to rest a bit. I also have something to think about. Fetch me some more juice and take a few minutes break.”
Despite my assurance, Syl remained glued to my side while Genette went to see to the juice.
I patted her hand on my shoulder, then closed my eyes and concentrated on the [Blood Sigil].
Then, Her Grace quietly slipped into my thoughts, and I found myself back in Sky Ocean.
§
“… so you didn’t actually speak with them?” Arken was inquiring when I began listening directly.
“I did not, Sir Arken,” Lady Serera confirmed. “It appeared more prudent to remain in stealth and gather what information we could.”
“I did try to disguise as a mortal for a bit,” Lady Feraen noted. “I didn’t learn anything concrete.”
“These were actual, living people, not ghosts?” Ryuu asked. “During the last time we were in town, we did run into ghosts.”
“Priests have already blessed those and sent them on, Mr. Kowa,” Princess Amana answered. “Mother ordered it done months ago.”
“Anyhow, we most certainly saw living, breathing human beings,” Lady Feraen affirmed. “The population was rather sparse for the size of the town, but they seemed to be carrying on normal lives in it.”
I wished I could see expressions at that moment. All I had was audio and a weak [Fairy Sense] that Fan Li added to the blood technique. I wanted to know how many were as astounded to hear this as I was.
Well, possibly only Ryuu, as the only one who saw that literal ghost town with me, before. But where could these people have come from?
<Bruna, ask what they mean by sparse,> I sent. <How many are there?>
I should explain, Fan Li worked with Bruna on the train to learn how to communicate with the sigil, so although she jolted slightly, she wasn’t confused about who was speaking to her.
“What does sparse mean?” she asked. “Like only half the houses inhabited?”
“Much fewer,” Serera stated. “Closer to one in ten.”
Good. So they weren’t close to the population size that would set off the trap, yet. But…
<I need to tell them a few things, Bruna. Ryuu’s not bright enough to ask the right questions. Tell them they should call me.>
<Can’t I just say you told me, and pass it on?>
<It’s too complex.>
“Maybe you oughta report this right away to Lady,” Bruna suggested. “I mean, to Her Grace. She came here before, after all.”
The group was quiet for a bit. Then Lady Serera chuckled, “Ohohohoho… I wondered why Her Grace held you back. You said she asked about Lady Ceria, but she also asked you to be our conscience, didn’t she? Are you expected to ensure we keep her updated?”
Bruna didn’t answer, so I suggested, <Say yes.>
I could sense her scratching her head like she does, then she admitted, “Yeah, something like that.”
After another pause, Brigitte said, “That woman needs to never mind us and just take care of herself! She’s pregnant, for Heaven’s sake!”
After another of Lady Serera’s light chuckles, she observed, “I don’t think Her Grace can decouple quite so easily, Miss Brigitte.”
The discussion after that only consisted of various sounds of agreement, and ended with Serera stating, “Very well, then. I shall call her.”
