“Teral Burmont, are you sure?” asked Ki dubiously.

  “It's hard to be wrong about this. The description I got fits the girl we met at that Burmont ba.” Mom made a tired expression and leaned gently against the back of the couch.

  Oh, that reminds me, I never mentioned anything about that, did I? Although there's not much to talk about that either.

  About mid-summer of the same year I celebrated my first birthday, we received a letter from t Burmont, noting when a ba would be held to celebrate his promotion to t. Since I could not attend because of my age and Zenya was not ied, we had to stay home with Ki. From what I heard that day, Mom told Ki she should not attend because it would be “troublesome” if she did. I didn't quite uand it then, but now I deduce that they wao keep Ki from jumping in to break that guy's neot literally... I hope.

  I don't know much about what happehat day, only that my parents returned exhausted. Dad seemed upset, Mom particurly exhausted, and Sarka was fused and happy. And, although I'm not sure if it's true or just specution from the maids, I heard that girl, Teral, had a rather strange versation with Sarka. Those same maids thought that she and Nisire were either “fighting” over my sister at the party or that Teral proposed to my sister directly. Whatever the real reason, it was a day they had all decided o mention.

  “But, if it is her, it doesn't make sehat girl didn't act like someone who could throw a tantrum in a store, let alone if she knows the business has es to our family and the Nazzik's.” Ki picked up her tail and began to preen it, thinking deeply. “She didn't seem like the reckless type who would look for trouble with us.”

  “That is precisely why I decided to tact our dear daughter-in-w. This ot be a mere ce. Besides.” Mom left me on the coud went straight to one of the shelves on the wall opposite where we were sitting. There, she picked up a small wooden box, barely the size of her hand, and carried it back. “Do you remember this?” she asked, handing it to Ki.

  My seother opehe box and, seeing its tents reacted, having remembered something. “Ah, the fake mana stone.” She said, taking a small pearl the same size as the one I had seen Mom show Aunt Kar. But it looked much more... dirty? Cloudy? I wouldn't know how to tell, it just seemed like it was especially low quality pared to the ones I'd seen Mom handle.

  But wait, Fake mana stone? Did they find a way to recreate them?

  “Yes, the one you gave me two years ago. We were supposed to have stopped all those fakes by now, but just a few days ago I received a small report from Lalbart that they had found a smuggled carriage carrying a rather rge batch of these.”

  Ki hahe object ba, who set it down oea table in front of her, the into deep thought before looking Mom in the eye and asking with a grave expression. “Do you think the two are reted?” Mom nodded. “What makes you think that?”

  “It's not a simple thought. Katari me a Ken-”

  “A what!?” Ki asked aloud, incredulous and with an accusatory look.

  “Wait, wait, it's not what you think, I swear, honey!” Mom started waving her arms, desperate as she unsuccessfully tried to expin what seemed like a big misuanding. But, just before Ki could ask anything else, we heard a couple of knocks on the door and Tina's voif us that she arrived and that tea and snacks were being brought. Ki narrowed her eyes and, keeping her gaze on Mom, permitted them to enter.

  Pushing a small trolley with a couple of cups, two teapots, and a good number of slices of nut bread, Seria entered and immediately began to prepare everything as Tina introduced herself in front of my miving them her usual greeting, although only Mom decided to nod.

  There was a long, tense sileween them, in which Ki never looked away from my muilty and nervous, uo meet Maki's gaze, to the point that some sweat was f on her forehead. fused as I was, Tina merely bowed her head slightly, waiting for either of them to speak to her.

  By the time Seria finished p the tea, including a cup for me, the silence had already bee incredibly heavy and unfortable. Seeing that perhaps it was best for everyoina ordered Seria to stand down and guard the door, to which she only gave a slight bow a out.

  The moment the door closed, Ki, finally, looked away from Mom, but this time, it was Tina who got her full attention.

  “Tina. Did you know that Lana received a Ken from Katarina?” she asked, looking at her with eyes that warned her that she wasn't allowed to hide anything from her.

  “Ah, the one from the other day?” the maid replied as if my seaze was a mere breeze passing through the trees.

  “Tina!”

  “Irna! Since when have you bee her lover!?”

  “I'm not! I'm telling you it's a misuanding!” Mom stood up frustrated and not knowing what else to say.

  It was easy to see the problem, a clear ck of unication, and while it was somewhat amusing to see her get a bit of a euppance for not speaking up, I didn't want this to provoke any fights between them, so I had to intervene.

  “Don't fight,” I said, and all three females froze and looked at me silently.

  Ki was the one who finally gave in, sighing and telling Mom that at least she'd listen to her, although she'd have to do it on her knees on the floor.

  To summarize, a Ken is a kind of letter messaging service almost entirely exclusive to lovers. It's a well-known service among high nobles, famous for keeping their letters secret, though it's mostly used by unmarried heirs rather than married people. Even Mother was relut to use such a service, but, given how extremely reliable it was for keeping her ts anonymous and the tent of her letters, she decided it was worth doing. Besides, Katarina was the one who sent the first letter, so she didn't have much choice.

  Most of the letters that had bee, though short, were mainly versations about moves they should make, the status of suppliers under Katarina's care, important partners and ers they should target to join the business or sell their products to as well as situations that might arise or business erying to attack them in some way. That's why Mht up the subject.

  “That st letter Katari me mentiorange movements among some families, especially in the north a. And that carriage carrying traband, where do you think it was headed?”

  Ki sighed and one of her hands began to massage her temples, answering in a voice, partly exhausted partly relieved. “Toward Burmont's territory.”

  Mom nodded in response. “It 't be a ce. The weirdest thing, by far, is that the people carrying that traband didn't even care much that they'd been caught. It was as if that had been their goal all along.”

  “Could it be someone is trying to frame them?” asked Maki, ging to a more serious expression.

  “I thought so at first, but now that Lady Teral has dohis...” They remained silent for a long while, p what or who could be behind all this. Somewhat oblivious to it all, Tina had moved o me, helping me drink my tea and feedihe nut bread pieces. They were quite good.

  Soon after, Ki poured herself a cup and took a sip looking immediately calmer, although she maintained a slightly sad expression. Mom, from her kneeling position in front of her, was about to stand up when Ki's voice stopped her abruptly.

  “You should have told me from the beginning.” She said in a slightly sad tone. Mom immediately lowered her head and apologized.

  “I'm sorry. At the time, I thought it would be a oime thing, but, the more letters came, the more I decided to dey, and, well, I didn't want you or Hal to think I was cheating on you.”

  “Then Hal doesn't kher.” Ki sighed, shaking her head from side to side, clearly disappointed. “And in the end, it ended up happening what you didn't want to happen because you decided to keep quiet.”

  “Lana, you o realize that I'm starting to get ahat you're stantly keeping things from me,” Ki growled, gring at my mother, who seemed to be hit especially hard by every word, looking ashamed.

  “...”

  “We'll talk about this aime. In the meantime,” My seave me a meaningful look. “Nita.” She said, surprising me by how intense her void look were. “Don't you ever do anything like that to your future partner! When you get married, if I find out that you treat them this way... Do you uand me?”

  I eechless, thinking, what the hell are you saying to a 3-year-old girl? But, seeing the urgen her gaze I nodded several times, so she could be sure I uood.

  “Was it necessary to say that to the child?” Mom added with sadness and a hint of shame in her voice.

  “You two are too simir, how could I not worry?”

  “Simir...? What do you mean by that?” replied Mom, feeling attacked.

  “Lana, look me in the eye and tell me, don't you find it curious that 2 of the 3 people you've fallen in love with are Teriants?”

  Mom had to look away at the irrefutable logic that had just been thrown in her face.

  “A's not fet that this naughty little one knows a little Kibi girl whom she mao “tame” from day one. See what I'm getting at?”

  T-tame?

  Now, let me tell you, this is a clear attae. The fact that I also averted my gaze from Ki has nothing to do with what she said. I swear. I just found the bookshelf across the room iing. I'm an i girl who is being sndered here!

  ...

  Anyway.

  When Ki finally fave Mom and allowed her to return to her pce, they decided to drop the subjeentarily and merely enjoy tea and snacks. Thankfully Tina put aside her maid role a bit. Of course, with my mother's explicit permission, they had a rexing versation. When we all finished eating and drinkiina called Seria, who gathered everything up aired, taking the little cart with her and leaving us again. With that, the serious versatiourned.

  “So, this is why you want t the little Burmont,” Ki said, stroking my hair. After eating, I sat on her p, using her chest as a soft pillow.

  “I want to firm how much she knows and if she doesn't know anything about this, something I'm almost certain of, I at least hope she find out something herself.”

  “Hmm, since when do you puch trust in her?” hummed Ki, somewhat surprised and amused by Mom's words.

  “I don't want to hear that from you. You were the one who first pced her trust in that child.” A small smile tugged at my mother's lips as she uttered those words. “Besides, one of us had to be o her, especially after you told me about that deal you offered her.”

  Ki shrugged, sn with a small chuckle. “She's a good girl, ho and a bit clumsy, but kied. She's exactly what Lara o grow up.”

  “Speaking of which,” Tina interjected from her position across from us. “What was the deal you made with the young Burmont girl?”

  “I old you?” asked Ki, receiving a denial from Tina. “I see. I must have fotten. Well, it wasn't anything too plicated. At first, I just wao test her out to see if she was a good fit for Lara, but the more I talked to her, the more I realized that the girl fit in quite well with the family.”

  Ki began to expihing that had happened between them sihat day.

  After a versation with Nisire, she realized that the girl was quite capable, not only in her way as a knight, which seemed to be going quite well, but she was also quite clever and thoughtful. The only thing that, in her opinion, she cked was maturity and experience. Because of that, Ki thought that giving her a test that could help her improve those aspects could potentially help her, it might even help Sarka overe her plexes and that tendency to isote herself that she's had for several years.

  The deal went like this: Nisire, for the 5 years, was to keep the retionship with Sarka stable and solid, with minimal tact. Maki intehat both could support each other without being depe on each other, and by giving them retively little time together, they could get used to their individualities, but always knowing that they could help each other. There was more to help them in that regard, of course, but that was the short version of the matter.

  Because Sarka had to return to the academy and Nisire mao find a p the knightly order she wao join, the Tana Order, Maki gave them 2 more years, however, it seems that Nisire refused that extension, something that impressed my seother, raising her opinion of the girl.

  Apart from that, Ki also gave her other ditions, one of these being to fulfill a series of achievements within that time limit. She had to prove that she could ehe order as one of the top 30 didates, aer the reserves ihan 2 years from the time she ted. She also had to bee a regur member before the end of those 5 years, 7 acc to the ge. In addition, she had to be reized by every family member, including myself.

  So far, she had already gaihe reition of Dad, Mom, and Zenya. The only ones who had not given explicit approval were Ki and me, in a ere the most difficult. Me, because I'm not supposed to know anything about all this, and Ki because she'll only accept her until the promised time is up. From what I tell, though, Ki has already aowledged her almost pletely and has only kept her mouth shut out of fulfilling the deal because she wants to wait until the st mio make sure Nisire won't let herself fall out.

  “So that's the way things are,” Tina said nodding. “But I see that everyone has already accepted her so... When will the e be made official?” hummed the maid, looking cheerful.

  My two mhed in plicity. “For now, let's wait and see how Sarka behaves. If she seems to have matured after these 2 years, we will annouhe e year. And if everything goes well, we would like to hold the wedding on any date after Nita's fifth birthday.”

  “Of course, things should be like that...” Mom tinued. “But now that this situation has arisen, we o be sure she's not involved in any way.”

  “Do you think she-?”

  “No.” Ki replied, taking the floor.” We know she wouldn't do something like that. But, knowing what her father is like, he could have ordered her to do something that might uionally implicate her, and she would be the perfect scapegoat for him.”

  “I see. Given his closeo Lady Sarka, he could toss all the bme at her by alluding that she wao seduce the Baelian heiress to get information about the mana stones and make a profit from it.” Tina shook her head, looking a the clusion she had e to. Ki and I shared the se, instead, Mom put it into words.

  “That is precisely why I summoned her to the mansion. I o be sure that she hasn't been ordered to do anything or been involved in any other way. Sarka would be devastated if something like that happens and it could destroy the trust she's mao build up during this time.”

  Ki sighed and gave Mom a hug from her positioo her. I was in the middle of both of them, so in a way, I was also part of that hug, something I took advantage of to hug them both. I received a warm smile from my mothers for that act.

  “So” Tina annouanding up and pg herself before us. “When Miss Burmont shows up, I offer to be with her.” Tina curtsied, elig surprise from my mothers.

  “Of course,” Mom replied with a big smile. “I couldn't ask for ater.”

  With that topially settled, the versation moved on to other things. Ki told Mom what had happened with Ameli and what she chatted about with the other maids, including Felia. Mom thought for a moment, trying to clude something about what happened, but, in the end, she couldn't e up with anything and just told Ki that, if she saw or heard anything, she would help in whatever way she could. I didn't want... actually, none of us here wanted a repeat of the previous situation. Tina, who had been the first to report it that time, seemed quite ed, but Ki assured her that she would not let things happen again, and that was exactly why she was ag now that the first signs were appearing.

  Tina thanked her deeply for that.

  After that, we talked for a long time, and yes, I say we were because I took the opportunity to tell Mami things myself and hear from her some more, including my request.

  “Mami, I stay with you this week?” I asked her somewhat fearful that she would turn me down.

  Mom was surprised by my sudden request and looked at Ki who just shrugged and told her that if she had the time, she should accept.

  Hopeful, I looked at her once again, this time with my sad puppy dog eyes that I hadn't gotten to use in a while. Mom fell silent for a long moment, sidering or perhaps calg whether she had the time or the possibilities.

  “I guess, other than that meeting with Nisire and ohat might e up depending on her response, I have enough time on my hands and not too much work these days. So, sure, why not? It's been a long time since I've spent quality time with my little baby.” And with those words, I immediately jumped up and down at her, overflowing with happiness and relief.

  We ughed together for a while, pying and chatting more until it was time for dinner. We had a rather nid delicious family dinner, and faster than I would have liked, it was bedtime. To my surprise, Mom took me to sleep with her and Dad in her room, whially never happened, but even Dad was more than happy with the idea.

  That night I slept amazingly well, feeling my parents' love again.

  FivesZeta