CHAPTER~03
A Promise That Cannot Be Kept
Airi smiled faintly.
“Will this be enough for travel expenses.”
When she placed the jewelry box directly into her hands, Dona’s expression became a mixture of joy and bewilderment.
“……Why are you giving me this.”
Watching the hesitant Dona reminded Airi of the day they first met.
When she had just entered the Imperial Palace, Dona was the only one who stayed by her side out of the three maids Michael had assigned to her.
Airi only learned later that the reason Dona continued serving her, despite everyone else avoiding Airi, was because of money from her fallen household.
“You’re the one who needs money more than I do, Dona.”
As if struck at the core, Dona remained silent, and Airi gently added,
“Rather than me, who stays shut inside the palace doing nothing, you’ll be able to use this much more meaningfully.”
When Airi once asked why Dona stayed beside her when she had no backing at all, Dona had replied with a weary face.
‘Because I need money.’
Dona’s family had collapsed under debt, and every family member except Dona suffered from a hereditary illness.
Even after her parents died despite the enormous medical expenses, Dona still needed medicine for her one remaining younger sibling.
In a human society where working women were scorned, the easiest way for Dona to make money was to sell herself as a bride.
Yet instead of leaving her young sibling behind to marry into another family, Dona chose to miss her marriageable years and remain a maid.
That was why Airi had forgiven Dona all this time, even knowing she touched her belongings.
In the end, among the three maids, Dona was the only one who remained by Airi’s side.
“I don’t need your pity, Your Majesty the Empress.”
After a long silence, Dona finally spoke.
“Stealing the jewels was… yes, I’m sorry.”
“I intended to return them later.”
Despite being caught, Dona quickly regained her composure and grew brazen.
She had been like this from the moment they met, and Airi found Dona’s consistently sharp personality oddly comforting.
It was far better than those who smiled while stabbing you in the back.
“But am I truly so pitiful that I deserve pity from the Empress.”
Even at the mockery implying that Airi was in no position to pity anyone, Airi simply met her gaze calmly.
Whenever she grew angry, Dona had long used biting sarcasm like this.
“This isn’t pity, Dona.”
Shaking her head, Airi placed her hand gently over the back of Dona’s hand.
“I know you haven’t been able to visit your sibling because you’re looking after me.”
Dona was momentarily speechless.
“I’m just grateful.”
“You couldn’t return home because of me.”
As Airi continued speaking, the anger distorting Dona’s face gradually eased.
“You were the only one who stayed by my side.”
“So I wanted to give you something.”
“Like you said, I have nothing else.”
Nearly a year had passed since Dona last returned home.
Although she hired people to care for her sibling, it always weighed on her heart that she could not be there herself.
“I was just thinking of you.”
“The same way you’ve been thinking of me all this time.”
Dona stopped taking leave to visit home after the other two maids quit.
“But now I can manage many things without you.”
“So you can go with peace of mind.”
Dona’s fingers, clutching the jewelry box, trembled slightly.
After staring at Airi for a long time, Dona muttered,
“It’s not like I stayed because I was worried about you, Your Majesty.”
A short sigh followed.
“I never believed the rumor that you’re from the Siren clan.”
Dona set the jewelry box down and pulled Airi into an embrace.
“Someone this foolishly gentle couldn’t possibly be a monster.”
Dona’s rough yet warm arms wrapped tightly around her.
Leaning her chin on Dona’s shoulder, Airi listened to her words.
“I just couldn’t trust it.”
“A so-called princess coming to the palace without a single maid.”
“Unable to even use tableware properly.”
“You reminded me of my sibling, who can’t do anything alone.”
“So I was just…”
“……”
“Just angry.”
Airi silently patted Dona’s shoulder.
She had long known that Dona’s sick sibling was about her age.
“Ignore what others say, Your Majesty.”
The one who deserved this unconditional love and trust had never been Airi.
“You’re not a monster.”
“I know that.”
Airi knew it well.
“If anyone dares to say otherwise, I’ll beat them senseless.”
“So bring them to me.”
Listening to Dona’s fierce declaration, a faint smile formed on Airi’s lips.
“You’re a very expensive and reliable mercenary.”
At the joke, Dona replied, “Of course,” and patted her back once.
“You know better than anyone how expensive I am.”
Even so, Dona placed the jewelry box back without opening it.
Only after Airi handed her a large diamond brooch did Dona finally accept it.
“Thank you, Your Majesty the Empress.”
“You can take everything.”
“No.”
“Even if you can’t attend this year’s banquet, you must attend next year.”
“You’ll need something then.”
Dona took out a pendant with a blue gemstone and placed it around Airi’s neck.
“If His Majesty the Emperor sees you dancing beautifully,”
“He’ll feel something too.”
Just giving her one jewel made Dona gentler.
What value could such a sparkling stone truly hold, that the world had made Dona so sharp-edged.
Yet there were countless things in this world more precious than life itself.
“When I return, let’s practice dancing together again, Your Majesty.”
After fixing the necklace so it wouldn’t tangle in her hair, Dona held out her little finger.
Airi stared at it silently.
‘Someday, when I become good at dancing, I want to go to a ball with you.’
A long-forgotten promise suddenly surfaced.
“Your Majesty, why are you spacing out.”
Dona’s sharp voice snapped Airi out of her thoughts.
“Sorry.”
“What were we talking about.”
“We were saying we’d practice dancing together again.”
“Ah.”
Dona pushed her little finger right in front of Airi’s nose.
“It’s a promise, Your Majesty.”
Hooking her finger around it, Airi replied,
“I promise.”
Perhaps feeling guilty about the jewels, Dona insisted on staying until today.
Airi pushed her to hurry and pack.
Left alone, Airi continued embroidering the handkerchief she had tossed onto the desk.
The needle pricked her finger.
A bead of red blood formed.
Airi stared blankly at it.
When her hands stopped, old memories rushed in like dizziness.
‘Thank you, Airi.’
That gentle voice shimmered like sunlight.
It was the day she gave Michael the first handkerchief she embroidered.
Michael cherished the handmade gifts Airi made.
Even beneath the sea, Airi had been skillful with her hands.
Though walking was difficult, crafting was not.
But at some point, her vision began to blur.
She often forgot what she had been doing.
Why was I embroidering again.
Unable to remember, Airi set the handkerchief down and opened her notebook.
Only one task remained.
Preparing Michael’s gift.
After all, only one week remained until his birthday banquet.
Her hand suddenly stopped.
Old written conversations filled the page.
— Why do you write your name as Miguel, but pronounce it Michael.
— My mother was from the Holy Romenburg Empire.
— That’s why.
— Michael.
Airi traced the letters gently.
— You can remain just as you are, Airi.
The memory of that night lingered.
