"When taking a look back at the history of our beloved Kingdom, it might be easy to forget that how it is now wasn't how it was hundred of years ago. For example, the Duchy of Lowugrace to the southernmost of the Kingdom was once was domain of the Vuvaria Empire, before it fell and split into three Kingdoms around 300 years ago. In a pivotal moment, the ruling Duke of Lowugrace back then chose to align his territory with our kingdom, to become one with us, and that has remained the case since."

A paragraph from the book "The Rich History of the Kingdom of Arixad", by Oliver Gaimley.

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Emilio's POV

Emilio had traveled far and wide until he finally reached Farnworth, located at the southernmost of the Kingdom. Farnworth, perched on the edge of the kingdom and kissed by the sea breeze, held a charm unlike any other that Emilio has ever seen. The salty air greeted him, the rhythmic melody of waves serenading the coastal town.

"Is that the sea?!" Emilio exclaimed, his eyes widening as he peered out of the carriage window, the vast expanse of the Mermaid Sea stretching before him—an awe-inspiring sight he had never beheld.

"Yes, it's called the Mermaid sea. It borders our kingdom to the south and east of it." Celestia explained matter-of-factly, her interest seemingly distant from the enchanting seascape.

"Mermaid sea? Why is it called that?" Emilio asked, feeling a little curious, his attention still on the sea though.

"Silly legends, that's all." Celestia answered, still not sounding interested.

Emilio had been traveling with Celestia and Harold for a couple of days until they finally reached Farnworth. It was much farther away than he thought.

Farnworth was a town of cobblestone streets and quaint houses adorned with colorful flowers. Fishing boats swayed gently in the harbor, a testament to the town's reliance on the bounties of the sea. The suns dipped below the horizon, casting a warm glow upon the town as Emilio absorbed the sights and sounds of this coastal haven.

This was like nothing Emilio has seen before. It was all too overwhelming, but it also wasn't lost on Emilio how all the townspeople were looking at the carriage wherever it went.

It IS a fancy looking carriage, I suppose that makes it stand out. I hope Celestia's house isn't too far away from here.

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Emilio ended up learning few shocking things when he reached Celestia's house, which looked closer to how he'd imagine a castle to be in his mind.

Celestia's estate stood majestically against the backdrop of Farnworth. Tall, ivy-covered stone walls enclosed the expansive grounds, giving an aura of seclusion and privacy to the noble residence. The manor's exterior was a harmonious blend of polished stone and ivy-covered walls, creating a visual symphony that spoke of both strength and grace. Stained glass windows, depicting scenes of historical significance and heraldic symbols, added a touch of color to the otherwise earth-toned exterior.

And if that wasn't surprising enough, he also found out Celestia wasn't simply just wealthy. She was more than that. As Celestia was coming down from the carriage with Harold's help, servants who worked at her estate approached her and greeted her.

"Countess Celestia! We're so happy you are back home from the capital safe and sound, milady."

Countess?!

Emilio gasped when he learned the truth, the truth that Celestia was nobility, and not just that, she was the Countess of Farnworth, the one in charge of this town which has taken Emilio's breath away.

All the servants turned to look at Emilio, confused at who could this boy possibly be. Harold quickly explained, though some still looked puzzled.

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Emilio found himself guided by one of the servants, a boy around his age, into a modest chamber within the Sterling estate. Though the room was not overly spacious, it boasted two neatly arranged beds and a window that offered a glimpse of the estate's surroundings.

"This will be your room....well, OUR room to be more accurate." The boy said as he guided Emilio in.

"Our room?" Emilio inquired, seeking clarification.

"Indeed. I bunk here as well. We're roommates now." the boy responded, still trying to reconcile Emilio's sudden presence. Emilio noticed the boy still looked puzzled.

Guess I can't blame him.

"My name is Alan. What's yours?" The 14 years old boy called Alan introduced himself. He had short brown hair and brown eyes.

"I'm Emilio. Sorry to come suddenly in like this." Emilio expressed, feeling a bit guilty about having to make Alan share his bedroom.

"Emilio, huh? I've got a burning question for you. How did you cross paths with Lady Celestia?" Alan's curiosity bubbled forth, etching intrigue on his features.

Emilio hesitated, a shadow passing over his expression. "It's not a tale I'm eager to recount, sorry."

"Fair enough. Can you share anything else about yourself, aside from your name? This whole situation is throwing me off." Alan pressed on.

"I can say this, I...didn't have any place to go anymore, so Celestia said she'd give me a place." Emilio answered, sadness filling his voice and face, which made Alan feel a little guilty for pushing out information from the boy.

"Oh... I see. And remember, it's Lady Celestia. You can't just call her by her name!" Alan interjected, attempting to shift the conversation's focus.

And that was the start of Emilio's days as Celestia's servant.

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Two weeks passed by.

Emilio's life as a servant didn't start out easy, as he had a lot of learning to do. He first had to learn where everything in the estate was, which wasn't easy on him as he had never been inside a house so big before. The estate felt lie a maze to him.

Sometimes Emilio was tasked with small errands, such as fetching items from the local market or delivering messages within the estate. He loved whenever he had the chance to go outside the estate and take a good look at Farnworth. He found it a very beautiful town.

If only my family could have seen it...

Other times Emilio found himself doing tasks such as cleaning or taking care of the horses. He nearly never found himself having free time, but he didn't mind as it helped take his mind off of things he'd rather not remember or think about at the minute.

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One thing Emilio soon realized was that he nearly never saw Celestia. He knew that as a Countess she must be busy, but he wasn't expecting to nearly never see her like this. The two haven't spoken ever since he arrived at Farnworth.

I shouldn't think about her for now. I mean, if there is anything I should be thinking about is what I should do from now o-

"Emilio! I think you wiped that window clean enough already!" Alan shouted from behind Emilo, snapping him out of his thoughts.

"Oh!" Caught off guard, Emilio halted his cleaning and turned to face an irritated Alan.

"What's on your mind anyway?" Alan asked, his expression a mix of curiosity and annoyance.

"It's nothing!" Emilio quickly answered. He was sure Alan knew he was lying.

It's not like I can tell him I had his Lady Celestia on my mind.

"Whatever," Alan dismissed with a sigh. "I just came here to tell you that you're needed in the garden. Now."

"The garden? Right away?" Emilio inquired, intrigued by the sudden summons.

"Yes, right away! Get going!" Alan snapped as Emilio started moving in a hurry towards the garden.

He had no problem finding his way to the garden. The garden was a lush, vibrant oasis, with a variety of flowers, trimmed hedges, and meandering pathways. The fragrance of blooming flowers filled the air, and the distant sound of waves crashing against the shore added a serene backdrop. It was a beautiful place and Emilio loved whenever he had the chance to come here.

When he got there, he found two knights who served house Sterling and older lady he had never seen before who looked to be at her late 50s. From the way she dressed Emilio could tell she was someone important.

The older lady looked distressed as the two knights tried to calm her down.

"Where is it?! Where?!" the lady wailed, her distress palpable as the knights attempted to console her.

"M-Milady, please calm down!" one of the knights implored, his words falling on deaf ears amidst the lady's anguish.

"Where could it be? Let me go!" She screamed, trying to break free from the knights' hold on her.

What's going on?

Emilio was both puzzled and a little worried as he approached them.

"Hey you! There you are!" One of the knights shouted at Emilio once he saw him. Emilio hurried towards them.

"What's happening? Who is-" Before Emilio could finish speaking, the other knight cut in.

"She lost her ring somewhere here in the garden. Go help the other knights look for it as we try to calm her down!" The knight quickly explained.

"A-Alright!" Emilio quickly answered as he wasted no time to start searching.

I would have liked to know what the ring looks like, although I doubt many lost rings are lying around here in the garden.

The garden, though a spectacle of beauty, presented a challenge with its abundance of foliage and scattered flowers. Emilio, undeterred, delicately sifted through leaves and petals, his focus unwavering. The distant rhythm of waves against the shore seemed to underscore the urgency of the task. He spotted a knight every now and then also searching the garden for the missing ring. It made him feel a little better knowing he wasn't the only one searching.

Just who is that lady though? I suppose that can wait for now.

As Emilio scoured the garden, he marveled at its captivating allure even in the midst of an unexpected mission. The vibrant colors and intricate designs of the flowers, coupled with the neatly trimmed pathways, created a spellbinding tapestry. Yet, his concentration remained steadfast on the mission at hand.

Observing the knights attempting to console the distraught lady, Emilio pressed on, determined to aid in the recovery of the precious ring. Suddenly, a glimmer of gold caught his eye nestled near a bed of roses. Carefully navigating the thorns, he retrieved a small, ornate ring, its golden surface glinting in the sunlight. Emilio had never touched something so expensive looking before.

"I found it!" Emilio exclaimed, rushing back to the lady and the knights.

The lady's eyes widened with relief as she beheld the recovered ring. The knights stepped back, allowing her to embrace the precious item, a relic of cherished memories.

"Oh, thank the heavens! I thought I had lost it forever! I can't live without it!" the lady expressed, her distress transforming into joy. She didn't even pay Emilio any attention. He wasn't sure if she even realized he was standing there.

"Lady Beatrice, it might be for the best we take you back to your room now." One of the kights suggested.

"No! I don't want too!" Beatrice objected, still holding onto the ring with all her might.

"But-"

"I said I don't want too!"

Should I say something? Should I leave them be? I'm not sure what I should be doing here.

Suddenly, someone else stepped into the garden. Someone Emilio has wanted to see.

"Mother, there you are." Celestia spoke as she slowly approached the group, looking calm. "I've heard you went out to get some fresh air."

"Yes, I don't wish to spend all day in my room." Beatrice said as she turned to look at her daughter. "Now have your knights here let go of me!" She snapped.

Celestia remained silent for a moment before she spoke.

"Mother, the doctor is here. How about you and I go on a stroll in town once he's done checking up on you?" Celestia suggested, attempting to calm her mother.

"I told you I'm feeling fine! I don't want to see that doctor!" Beatrice screamed again.

"Mother, please. If not for me, do it for father's sake. He would want you to check up on your health."

"...Your late father would want that, yes." Beatrice said, her voice carrying a hint of sadness as she glanced at the ring she held in her hand. "Alright, I'll go see this doctor." She agreed, and the two knights escorted her away, leaving Celestia and Emilio alone.

"I'm sorry I saw that, Ce-, Lady Celestia." Emilio corrected himself as he spoke.

I feel like I was in the middle of something I shouldn't had been part of.

"There is no need to apologize. If anything, I should thank you. It seems it was you who found mother's lost ring, right?" Celestia asked, smiling. Emilio had never seen her smile before, and he couldn't help but think what a beautiful smile that was.

"Yes, it was I. You already knew about that?" Emilio asked.

"I was told mother lost her ring here in the garden, so I rushed over. I was sure she was causing trouble to the knights. I worried for them and her." The older woman explained.

"....Is your mother alright?" Emilio asked, feeling a little hesitant to voice his question. "You said something about a doctor earlier."

She's..." Celestia hesitated, her lips parting before closing again; Emilio had never witnessed her at a loss for words. "She's not well mentally, as I'm sure you've gathered. The loss of her husband, my father, was something she could never recover from." Celestia explained, sadness casting a shadow over her face.

"I'm sorry for asking." Emilio apologized.

"It's fine. As someone who servers the Sterling family, you'd have figured this out sooner or later."

"I see....Your mother is lucky, I can tell you care for her." Emilio said with a smile on his face. He hoped Celestia would smile back, but she didn't.

She instead turned her back and said "She's the only family I have left. Here in this mansion anyway."

Emilio wasn't sure how to respond to that. He wasn't expecting Celestia to tell him more about herself, though he supposed that was also something someone who servers the Sterling family will find out eventually, though he was still shocked.

"I have to go now, though now that I found the chance to talk to you, I should ask you, how are you finding life here so far?" Celestia inquired, still keeping her back to Emilio.

Pausing for a moment, Emilio considered his response.

"I'm learning and experiencing a lot of new things. Most of the time, I'm very busy, but I don't mind. I'm also enjoying getting to know the others." he answered honestly.

"So you don't regret coming here?" She asked another question, and this time Emilio didn't need to pause before he responding.

"No, I don't regret it."

" I see. I hope it stays that way." Celestia spoke in a somber tone as she started walking away, leaving Emilio alone in the garden.

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That night, as Alan and Emilio called it a day, reclining on their beds, Emilio recounted the day's events to Alan.

"So you finally met Lady Beatrice. Had I known her ring was missing I'd have gone to the garden with you." Alan said, his voice carrying a hint of fatigue.

"Alan, the way you said that makes it sound as if you know much more about Sterling family than I do." Emilio remarked, his tone also tinged with weariness.

"Of course I do. This is my third year serving them."

"....Is there anything else everyone knows about but me?" Emilio asked.

"What's sparking this sudden interest?" Alan responded with a counter-question.

"Well, it doesn't feel pleasant being kept in the dark about something that seems common knowledge to everyone else..."

"There's actually one thing I assume you're not aware of, though I'm a bit torn about whether I should be the one to spill it or not..." Alan admitted, displaying a sense of internal conflict.

"Alan, tell me!" Emilio urged.

"Well....You see, Lady Celestia's younger sister is Queen Tricia, wife of King Aricad II, meaning Lady Celestia is the King's sister in law."

....Huh?