Chapter 376

Thus the Oath is Not Concluded

“What might be this most important topic, Mia-sama?” Speaking for the group as a whole was Esmeralda.

Mia responded by taking a slow sip of tea to try to relax.

Unsweetened milk tea really doesn’t measure up, does it? At best, it tastes only half as good.

Her thoughts were certainly free of anything pertinent to the conversation. After taking a long breath, she was finally ready to talk—about why she had scheduled a meeting at this location on this particular day. She did, in fact, have a compelling argument.

“My, Esmeralda, I assumed you would know of all people. Don’t you recall that I requested that you organize a tea party?”

She referred to a promise that was so long ago but still so clear in her mind when she questioned, “And what I wished for us to swear together? I want us to take an oath together to serve the empire. What empire though? What kind of empire are we going to pledge our allegiance to?”

Her query alarmed her audience.

“What...empire...?”

The whispered remarks came from many different mouths. Their features were troubled because they had just learned the terrible foundation upon which this empire had been built. It was made to shed tears of pain over the lush, crescent-shaped terrain. Civil conflicts would break out, gallons of blood would be shed, and the nation as a whole would experience a devastating end as a result of the anti-agriculturalism blight. How could they pledge allegiance to such an evil ideal?

Esmeralda was the only composed noble among the alarmed nobles. She had already caught a peek of Mia’s main ideas regarding the island.

Mia glanced around the room before giving them a slow nod.

“I am aware of your thoughts. You’re correct, too. We would be crazy to swear allegiance to such an empire.”

The last word was spat out. Her head had once rolled as a result of her scorn, therefore there was excellent justification for it. She had put up with Ludwig’s never-ending nagging while working through sweat and tears in an effort to right the empire, only for it to fall apart in the end. Saying that she had a strong resentment would be an understatement, given that the first emperor was the underlying cause of this unsettling development.

“Preposterous.” She echoed, fighting the impulse to start stomping around the floor in an irate tantrum, “Truly and absolutely preposterous!”

She eventually regained control and exhaled deeply.

“But the point is that I’ve already made up my mind. And I have the intention of dismantling our ancestors’ absurd setup. Regardless of the oath they made, it is now over and over with.”

As she spoke, she glanced at Rafina. She had originally called her here in order for her to hear this spiel. The idea was to make it clear that she had formally broken any vows she had made to the first emperor. Therefore, going forward, she would have nothing to do with any nobles acting foolishly to carry out the first emperor’s orders.

“Not just the Yellowmoons, though. As you are no doubt aware, every Tearmoon noble who ascends to the position of head of his house is required to swear an oath to serve the empire. All of those oaths are now formally declared to be invalid by me, here and now. You are no longer required to swear allegiance to the empire.”

“What? However, Your Highness, that is...” Sapphias, startled, blinked at Mia, who discreetly grinned back at him.

“I do have a request for you, though. I request that you take a fresh oath with me after your previous responsibilities have been cancelled.”

“A brand-new oath?”

“Yes. Not an old one that will send our moon-shaped country into tears of pain. I want a new oath where we swear allegiance to an empire whose aim is the peace and prosperity of everyone.”

Mia slid her eyes shut. Her subsequent statements carried more weight because of the pause.

“And by all, I mean. Not just all nobility, but also all the people under the empire. We will strive to create a Tearmoon in which every person who lives in our moon-shaped country weeps with happiness, covering the crescent. That is the empire to which I beg your allegiance. And that is the pledge I want you to make with me.”

Thus, Mia’s wish was made clear. A country exists to ensure the welfare of its citizens. That should be obvious. However, some nobles defined “people” in a way that left out the general populace. These nobles have just their own financial security in mind. Additionally, they were more than happy to trample their prey in the process.

However, that wouldn’t work. Mia was acutely aware that these lords were essentially a guillotine magnet—she previously had the scar to prove it. If she let them do their thing, she would soon find a terrible wooden figure moving very quickly in her direction. She made it clear that her dominion will exist for the prosperity of all of its subjects by saying so explicitly. It was the icing on the dishonest discourse cake, making sure no one could purposefully misunderstand what she had said. Additionally, it was to prevent her from ending up in that coffin.

“Of course, this would be a personal, secret oath that we would take. Normally, His Majesty and the current leaders of each house would have to make a covenant like this and each of them would have to swear the oath in turn, but—”

Esmeralda abruptly got up and walked over to her, interrupting her.

“Mia-sama, please.” She knelt down and lowered herself. “I, Esmeralda Etoile Greenmoon, do hereby swear this oath with Her Highness Princess Mia Luna Tearmoon.”

Mmm, Anne’s black tea brewing skills are improving.

In a serious voice, Ludwig said, “First, I must offer my sincere compliments for your performance at the Clair de Lune. It was genuinely inspiring. I never imagined the Four Houses could come together in such a way.”

Mia grinned happily.

“Oh please! It’s not a much, really. Additionally, collaborating with the Four Houses will make future challenges much simpler.”

She was relying on the support of the Four Houses to fight the starvation, despite the Rafina-focused propaganda. It couldn’t hurt to instill a sense of urgency among them. Ludwig’s compliment was only the cherry on top. However, the icing was delicious, and she was eager to gulp down more of it.

“The imperial color you wore on top of the majestic way you wore it... My eyes were... so unbelievable. My chest tightens with emotion at the remembrance even now. Wonderful, Your Highness... amazing in every way.”

Mia couldn’t help but feel that Ludwig’s unbridled joy was a touch off-putting as he proceeded to gush.

“...Uh, just to make sure we’re on the same page, I assume you’re referring to the dress I wore? The one that Anne prepared for me?”

‘The imperial color’ I’m curious as to what he means by it.

“Indeed. Nothing makes me happier than to know that our hearts are in the same place in terms of aspiration and vision.”

“...Huh?”

Mia gave him a blank stare.

Our hearts are in agreement? Exactly what is he talking about?

She received a strong nod from Ludwig, as if to allay her concerns.

“You can be sure that many people in the empire want to see you in power, Your Highness.”

“...Huh?”

He spoke with growing zeal as he fixed intense eyes on her.

“Our top priority right now is seeing you become empress. My colleagues and I are prepared to go above and beyond what is required to see it through. Balthazar has already offered assistance, and I’m working to enlist the aid of my classmates who studied under Master Galv. I’ve also compiled a list of promising officials from the several moon ministries.”

“...Huh?”

Under her feet, a tidal wave was developing, and it intended to carry her all the way to the imperial throne.

Thus, a fresh oath was taken in the presence of the moon and stars, forging a fresh path for history’s current to follow.

“Uh...”

Even Mia, who took great pleasure in her esophageal prowess, found this abrupt chain of events difficult to handle. However, there was no such reservation in the gullet of fate. She and her misgivings were both consumed by it, sending them hurtling down the new route. Where would she end up amid these raging waters?

Only time would tell...

Author’s Note:

We are closed next week.

Part 4 is scheduled to start on March 9th.

I would appreciate it if you could meet me again.

This ends the arc ‘A New Oath Between the Moon and Stars”

Next would be the arc ‘To the Moon-Led Morrow’