Chapter 4:
Rosetta's Training
THE IMPERIAL PALACE on the Capital Planet spanned the entirety of
a continent. The palace and its grounds contained the royal family's living
quarters and all necessary facilities, making for an unusual sight. The
entire continent was covered in buildings, from one end to the other.
Hundreds of millions of people lived and worked there.
Rosetta, who'd gone there for her etiquette training, gazed up at the
sky from a hallway window. The Capital Planet's sky was fabricated, but it
was beautiful to look at, nonetheless. Being encased inside a protective
metal shell, the Capital Planet benefitted from an environment perfectly
calibrated for human life. There were no natural disasters, and since the
weather was artificial, it was even planned ahead day by day on calendars.
On the Empire's Capital Planet, everything was perfect, and people who
didn't live there dreamed of doing so.
But on that perfect Capital Planet, all Rosetta could think about was
Liam.
"Oh, I wonder what Darling's doing right now..."
Serena had chosen her former workplace for the location of
Rosetta's training. If the young woman trained in the Imperial palace, no
one would ever be able to doubt her skills. Many other noblewomen also
came here for etiquette training, and even those who trained as maids often
had backgrounds of high standing. There were many stories of men flirting
with maids while they went about their cleaning duties, only to find out
that they were girls from very reputable and noble families.
The plan was for Rosetta to spend at least three years at the palace,
learning how to be a good wife for Liam, before returning to House
Banfield's domain after her education was complete.
Rosetta sighed. "There's something about this planet... I just don't
feel at ease here."
She turned away from the window and had just resumed her work
when some girls who had recently reached adulthood approached her.
They all wore less-than-friendly smiles on their faces above their maid
outfits.
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One of them remarked, "My, what is the heiress of House Claudia
doing in a place like this?"
The leader of the group was the daughter of a marquis, and her
lackeys were daughters of viscounts. Every girl in the group was of noble
blood. While they were little princesses back at home, however, here they
were all just maids.
"Well, I'm taking my break right now," she replied.
Rosetta, who had graduated from primary school and looked like a
high schooler, was surrounded by a group of girls who looked like they
were only in middle school.
The marquis's daughter spoke down to Rosetta. "It's a bit
embarrassing to be sent out for training at your age, isn't it? Normally,
you'd have been done with it a long time ago. Aren't you at all ashamed to
be here?"
The girls teased her and enjoyed her reactions. The other two
giggled, obviously hoping to make Rosetta feel even more ashamed. Most
of the girls here for etiquette training had only just reached adulthood, so it
was indeed uncommon to see girls of Rosetta's age pursuing the same.
"I have my reasons. I hope you'll understand."
Rosetta was trying to respond in a civil manner, but the marquis's
daughter crossed her arms, unsatisfied.
"What's with that attitude? How about getting all humiliated like
you used to, instead of pretending you're okay with this? You know you're
trash, so why don't you act like it?"
The leader had probably seen Rosetta shamed at some gathering in
the past. She was teasing her like everyone used to, but Rosetta maintained
her calm attitude.
"I am a maid in etiquette training right now, but I am also Lord
Liam's fiancée. I cannot shame my future husband."
Rosetta's response put the lead girl into an even more foul mood.
"Liam, eh? Sure, I've heard his name a little bit lately, but he's still
just some noble out in the sticks, right? A fitting husband for you, I
suppose. I know something else about him too. That fiancé of yours is
fighting with House Berkeley, isn't he?"
Rosetta knew about the conflict with those dangerous pirate nobles,
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of course, but didn't reveal her concerns.
"What about it?"
"Do you think he'll make it out of that alive? I don't know how safe
you'll be either."
When Rosetta started walking away from the three laughing girls,
the leader called after her.
"You're running away? I knew the women of House Claudia were
duchesses in name only. If I were in your shoes right now, I'd stand up for
myself, because I have this thing called pride. Then again, if I was in your
shoes my life wouldn't have any worth, so I'd probably just lay down and
die. People who don't know when to quit are just awful, aren't they?"
Rosetta bit her lip at the suggestion she had no pride as a noble.
I have to bear this. I can't drag my Darling's name down with me.
Rosetta despondently got back to her work, and just then, a silver-
haired woman approached. She was Cattleya, one of Serena's
granddaughters. Cattleya herself was a maid of a higher rank and Rosetta's
superior. She also happened to be Rosetta's etiquette instructor.
From down the hallway, Cattleya noticed the three girls tormenting
Rosetta hadn't sensed her presence yet. "Not those girls again."
"Miss Cattleya." Rosetta curtsied when Cattleya stopped before her.
Cattleya looked back at the noisy trio of maids with an annoyed look
on her face.
"One might think we didn't teach our maids not to wield their social
status like that here."
Those three were used to being treated like princesses back home
and weren't accustomed to this new environment yet. Many girls like them
here behaved in the same way they always had, even though they were
supposed to be mere maids now. However, here, their family's standing
was of no consequence.
Cattleya went on, "Well, I could scold them and they'd probably
shape up, but... Rosetta, you should try solving such matters for yourself."
"Huh?" Rosetta was alarmed to hear that Cattleya didn't plan on
disciplining the girls.
"Think about what you should do, and deal with it on your own. If
you can't handle situations like this, you're going to have a lot of trouble
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in your future. I'll back you up, so show me what you can do."
As she watched Cattleya walk away, Rosetta pondered what to do
about the three girls.
Am I being tested right now?
There were several ways she could go about shutting the girls up.
The situation would be solved in an instant if she relied on Liam's
influence, and she could even get back at them that way. Though, if she
had to go running for help like that, would she be a fitting duchess for
Liam?
I can't exploit Darling's power. If I did that, I'd be just like them.
And really, I can't seek revenge against children who haven't even
graduated from primary school.
That would be like a high schooler getting back at a middle
schooler. Even if there was a reason for it, she knew what society would
think, and how it would reflect on Liam. She couldn't harm Liam's
reputation.
In that case, I'll just do as Darling would. I'll face them head-on!
I'll do such good work here that everyone will have to see me as the
perfect maid!
Optimistic, Rosetta had made up her mind to be the best maid she
could.
***
With neither Liam nor Rosetta around Brian had become lonely
back at House Banfield's mansion. During his breaks he kept sighing over
and over, and Serena was growing annoyed every time she saw this.
"Stop being so depressing."
"Even Lady Rosetta is gone now. She always brightened things up
here. I'm lonely without them here. And Master Liam is still away at the
military academy... It's like there's no life left in the mansion."
"It's nice and quiet now. Once it gets busy again, you'll long for
days like this."
Brian was worried about Rosetta. He was worried about Liam too,
but he had faith that Liam could make it through any problems he had on
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his own. Rosetta, however, was a different story.
"Is Lady Rosetta well?"
"I left her with my granddaughter, Cattleya, and I have every faith in
her. Lady Rosetta will be fine."
Cattleya had Serena's stamp of approval as a person Rosetta could
be left with.
"I'm worried she might be bullied by the other girls there for
training. You know how it can get a little...nasty between young girls."
Having served House Banfield for many long years, Brian had seen
many such ugly conflicts between women. That was what made his
worries so acute.
"Ever the faint-hearted one, aren't you?" Serena said to him. "That
very thing is part of what Lady Rosetta needs to learn. It's all just part of
her training. You have to understand that."
Serena was well aware of the type of situation Brian feared. Being
that the palace was her former workplace, she knew what sorts of things
went on, and had sent Rosetta knowing full well that some people there
would approach her with ill intent. If Rosetta was to become a duchess one
day, however, the girl had to be able to handle such matters.
"Cattleya will have her eye on her, so don't worry."
"That's not the only thing I'm worried about. Our feud with House
Berkeley has cooled down all of a sudden. That gives me a bad feeling."
After several years in which the two families furiously competed
with each other financially, House Berkeley abruptly backed off without
warning. This sudden lack of aggression actually made Brian more
nervous.
"Do you think they've given up trying to best us?" Brian asked.
"I'm sure they haven't," Serena stated. "In fact, indications are the
Berkeleys are preparing for an actual war now. Lord Liam is expanding his
army as well. I'm sure they both intend to settle things once and for all."
"What? Master Liam is expanding his army because he saw a war
coming? I thought for sure it was just a whim of his."
Serena was utterly exasperated with Brian. The butler had been at
Liam's side longer than anyone, and therefore should have known not to
underestimate Liam's foresight. "Are you serious?" She couldn't help but
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let her true feelings seep into her tone.
Does he just have good enough instincts to start building up his
army right before House Berkeley got serious? Or did he see this coming
from the beginning? Either way, he's entirely too competent as always.
What a frightening child.
In the future, Rosetta would have a tough time standing at the side
of such an imposing person, Serena mused.
***
Meanwhile, having graduated at the top of her class, Tia had
become a lieutenant. She should have gone on to a period of practical
training next, but she'd been exempted under special circumstances so she
could work on the reorganization of the Empire's patrol fleets. To this end,
she'd been given her own office, where she was busily putting together a
fleet worthy of Liam.
"There's a discrepancy with the number of ships and personnel in
the 4,989th Patrol Fleet..."
According to the documents she presently studied, the fleet in
question should have consisted of thirty ships, but some of them must have
defected because now there were only ten. Correspondingly, there were
fewer personnel than there should be, as well.
"These last ten ships aren't even in good enough condition to reuse.
They haven't been maintained in the slightest. At least, we can remove the
weapons systems, but the soldiers' morale and training levels are so low
that I don't know what to do with them."
As Tia pondered the problem, a female knight who had graduated
from the academy and finished her practical training stood beside her. Tia
considered her a close comrade who had been with her through tough
times.
Tia continued, "I don't think we can expect much from any of this."
"I see..."
From their investigation of the patrol fleets, they had found that
roughly sixty percent of the soldiers assigned to them wanted to leave the
army. These people would probably get job training and be handed off to
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other employers just like that. But giving them that training and lining up
civilian jobs for them would also cost money in itself.
Tia's adjutant narrowed her eyes at the numbers. "So this is why the
Empire didn't want to reorganize their forces. It's like no amount of
money is ever enough."
It was easier to prepare new fleets than reorganize old ones, so older
fleets and soldiers had basically been abandoned. Despite this, Tia had her
orders from Liam.
"Our mission is to make these resources usable. Lord Liam has
given us an ample budget to do that job, so we'll figure it out."
If they wanted to make use of soldiers with poor morale and
inadequate training, the first thing they had to do was let them have a
break. Then, they could be retrained and outfitted with new equipment.
Liam had given them enough of a budget to build several fleets, but the
problem was he hadn't given them much time to work with. Still, Tia
smiled.
"These orders were given to us, not that fossil woman. We'll do this,
whatever it takes."
Her adjutant held her head up high. "Yes, ma'am! I wonder what
Lord Liam is thinking, though. We're in the middle of a conflict with
House Berkeley. Preparing patrol fleets that won't contribute to our main
fighting force doesn't seem logical."
Tia felt the same way, but she and the other knights who worshiped
Liam always told themselves, "If Liam's doing it, there's a good reason for
it!"
"It is strange...," she admitted.
Liam was probably the only noble who'd ever put this much money
into a fleet he was only going to be making personal use of for a short
time. What meaning could it have? Tia thought maybe the two of them
were reading too much into it. And what Tia eventually, and rather
forcefully, came up with was a conclusion that was far too convenient for
them.
"With this much money, he should really be increasing House
Banfield's forces... No, wait. I get it! So that's what it is! Of course, Lord
Liam!"
Tia stood up from her chair, grinning, and her adjutant asked, "What
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is it?"
"This plan does have a reason!"
"Huh?"
Tia felt that she understood Liam's aim. "This is all a plan to lessen
House Berkeley's future power and lead to Lord Liam's influence in the
Imperial Army!"
"How so?"
"Look at this data. A large number of patrol fleets have abandoned
their mission and fallen to piracy. That means they're potentially future
allies of House Berkeley."
The way Tia saw it, Liam's plan was to reorganize the Empire's
patrol fleets, and in the process, prevent more defections that would likely
swell House Berkeley's pirate ranks. And as a result of this, the fleets put
together by Liam would have inevitable ties to House Banfield. If he laid
the right groundwork now, the Empire would likely assist him in future
conflicts he had with House Berkeley.
"House Banfield alone has limited forces to draw on against
Berkley's greater fleets, but the Empire will back Lord Liam with
reinforcements if he does this for them. It's a brilliant move!"
Tia's adjutant gaped in surprise at Tia's fantastical thinking. "I
never imagined he was thinking that far ahead."
Having come to this conclusion, Tia double-checked the budget she
had to work with. "With this amount, we can put together a really solid
force. And Lord Liam will be able to maintain his influence in the Army in
the future. We've got to give this our all."
Tia was even more motivated now. Deeply impressed by Liam's far-
reaching designs, she felt her devotion to him soar to even greater heights.
"We'll get rid of those garbage pirate nobles, and we'll even clean
up some of the waste inside the Empire. Oh, Lord Liam is so high-
minded!"
Her adjutant agreed wholeheartedly. "He's truly a peerless, wise
ruler, isn't he?"
For a few moments the two of them basked in their feelings with
flushed cheeks, the adjutant remembered something she felt that she
should make Tia aware of.
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"Lady Tia... I wasn't sure if I should report this to you or not..."
"What is it?"
"There's actually a comic series being produced about Lord Liam
right now."
"Oh? On the Capital Planet? Well, that's wonderful—I'll have to
check it out. That's strange, though... I should have heard about it already,
considering how much I try to keep on top of news about Lord Liam."
"Well, it seems to be going around in rather secret circles."
"Oh my! That just makes me more excited to read it."
Tia looked at her adjutant expectantly, suspecting she already had a
copy of this comic herself. Her eyes sparkled with girlish excitement.
"I don't know if you're going to like what you see..." Her adjutant
then turned and used her tablet to project the comic onto a blank wall of
Tia's office.
When she saw the comic, the childlike smile faded from Tia's face.
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