Grennith's Diary (11/07/2013)Follow

The one-and-only wonderful funderful Fremilla here, ready to liven up your day!

What's that? You don't remember me?

How could you forget the most memorable face in all of Ulbuka? We even had a moment together outside the gates of Castle Adoulin. You were looking for Arciela...

Come on! Honestly, I don't know how that couldn't get your memory a-movin'.

Even if my lovely countenance doesn't spark your memory, though, this nifty-shifty item here should at least spark your interest.

"...What's that?"

"Cynthia, just because you asked to look doesn't mean you can rip it out of my hands like that! Proper etiquette dictates that you wait for me to give my approval and let me hand it to you. People's property isn't the teat of a wetnurse, you infantile brute."

"Hey, this is Grennith's diary..."

"That would be correct. It details the daily events of our tyrant of tidiness and timeliness way back twelve years ago when she was but a maiden of sixteen. Coincidentally, that's almost the same age as we are now!"

"Twelve years ago...I was only three."

"No one asked you, Cynthia. Perhaps it would be better for you to take a page out of Grennith's diary and shut your trap until you're spoken to. Now then, there's a particular entry around the time she first entered into servitude at the castle. Does that interest you at all?"

"Yes...but I wouldn't want to test my luck."

"Test my luck? I think you mean tear the lid off some delicious tidbits of information. How can you balk at a chance to read the innermost thoughts of a young Grennith? Perhaps she even pens a few paragraphs on her exploits in the field of love!"

"Maybe, but I certainly didn't have you in mind when I wrote those entries."

"Eeek!"

"Fremilla! Get over here this instant!

"G-G-Grennith! How long have you been here?! Uh, I mean you've got it all wrong! Please, not the whip! Anything but the whip!"

"I told you it was a gamble."

Peruse the yellowing pages of Grennith's diary to discover what her life was like when she first came to Castle Adoulin.

Grennith's Diary

Like many who have come before me, I entered into service for the Order of Adoulin at the age of sixteen.

As maids to one of the most influential families in the west, we must perform a veritable cornucopia of duties. Though none of us has ever set foot into Ulbuka's hinterland, I won't hesitate to say that our work is as hectic and demanding as that of the pioneers, with the castle halls as our battlefield.

...Hm, perhaps that is a tad hyperbolic, but I still stand by the fact that there's more to our work than meets the eye, especially during the busy periods.

To add to the combat imagery, we have a genuine drill sergeant in Eryphonia, our 80-year old commandress. She likes to joke that "I'm on my deathbed, so I have to make sure you're all worthy of carrying on in my stead before I kick the bucket!" but seeing as how she still has the energy to keep cleaning for a few more decades, I can't help but feel embarrassed by my own lack of discipline.

At any rate, my point is that this is my inaugural diary entry because I've had neither the time nor the will to write one up to this point, so chaotic has my life been.

In truth, this may be the first time in weeks I've even laid finger to quill, which I suppose raises the question: Why now? Because of a little incident that served as a respite from my trying schedule.

Master Ygnas has just turned twelve, and while I was under the impression that children were their worst at two years of age, he does his darnedest to give credence to having the phrase be changed to "terrible twelves." He always returns from playing outside covered in mud, and never seems to tire of having me chase him throughout the castle and over the extent of its grounds. I'm not the only one who has to brave this battle of endurance, either, as many of my coworkers report scraping their knees and tearing their blouses in pursuit of that fox-like youth.

His mischief even sets Eryphonia to sighing, despite the fact that she's lived long enough to see the worst from multiple generations of the Adoulin family.

What worries us the most, though, is that Ygnas's rambunctious nature will rub off on the princess, who is currently at the impressionable age of six. The last thing we need staining our records as caretakers is to have little Arciela grow up a tomboy. Therefore, Eryphonia has taken it upon herself to hire the most knowledgeable tutor of civilities on the continent. We all pray her efforts will bear fruit, but that may indeed be all we can do at this point...

Enough with the digressions. I described Ygnas's character in length so that I could set the scene for this particular episode. Like many active children, while he loves to paint his clothes and himself in the most natural of earth tones, he absolutely loathes removing them by taking a bath.

Once the time comes to wash off the dirt of the day, he's nowhere to be found. The duty of chasing him through the castle fell to me today, and I was all the more nervous since it was my first time ever undertaking this most hated of tasks.

That the Order of Adoulin remained slightly elevated in stature compared to the others even after the monarchy was abolished and the council erected in its stead exacerbated my fears. For someone of common birth such as myself, simply walking through the halls of this majestic estate could cause one's legs to buckle under the grandeur. Yet I knew that I couldn't allow myself be floored over such trivial things as appearance and décor if I wanted to prove I was worth my salt.

After finally grabbing hold of the elusive child, I endeavored to remove him from his vestments and force him into the tub. It was imperative that I finish the task in time for the boy's dinner, but that was looking increasingly impossible as time ticked by.

Eventually, I knew I would be foregoing my own supper to ensure Ygnas would be ready for his. That was no reason to rush him out in an unkempt manner, however.

"And make sure to wash behind your ears, too!" I chided sternly from the other side of the curtain surrounding the tub. I was completely exhausted by this point and could do nothing but plop down in the corner, catch my breath, and savor the momentary calm within the eye of the storm.

Once I had regained a modicum of composure, I set out Ygnas's change of clothes, prepared the next few buckets of hot water with which to reheat the bath, and tentatively inquired, "Is the bath hot enough for you, Master?"

"Yeah, it's perfect."

"Splendid. I've taken the liberty of setting out your change of clothes, so please call for me when you're finished."

"Alright. ...By the way..."

"Yes, Master?"

"What's your name?"

"Grennith, sir."

"Grennith, you're pretty fast. You're the first maid to ever catch up to me."

"Well, I did always place first when we raced back at my home village."

"Hmmm..."

"I may not be the most well-rounded housekeeper here, but I am confident I can outrun everyone in the castle."

"I wish I could do that."

"Be fast...?"

"Be the best at something. Melvien and Margret are both about the same age as me and they're both better than me at everything. I'll never be able to stand out as long as they're around."

Every maid serving the Adoulins knows the names of those two individuals. The phrases "child prodigies" and "geniuses" are constantly used to describe them, and they are indeed incredibly close in age to Ygnas; Melvien is two years his elder while Margret is only one.

"Eryphonia always tells me 'You just have to find something that you and only you can do, and then do your best at that,' but I don't know..."

That's as fitting a piece advice from a veteran maid if there ever was one, I remember thinking even in the heat of the moment.

"If it makes you feel better, I might be fast, but it's not like I'm proficient at anything else."

"That's not true. I overheard Eryphonia talking about you just the other day."

"Hm?"

I swear that my heart skipped a beat when he said that. I couldn't believe Eryphonia would bother to mention my name to anyone. Perhaps Ygnas had misheard?

"She said that this year's crop of maids has the most potential she's seen in recent memory. She wouldn't compliment you like that if all you had going for you was your speed."

"But she said 'this year's crop.' She could be referring to any number of people, and I could be the worst of them all."

"True...except that you're the only new maid this year, Grennith."

Just then, I heard droplets of water plink against the flooring and the rustling of a curtain. I screamed in surprise and covered my eyes with my hands. Peeking through the crack between my fingers, however, I saw that there was no cause for concern, as Ygnas had covered himself with his washcloth.

"Where's my change of clothes?"

"R-r-right here! Sorry to keep you waiting, Master!"

How utterly embarrassing—I was completely flustered by a boy four whole years my junior.

"I guess I could change even with you here, but do you really want to watch?"

"I'm s-s-sorry! I'll leave immediately!"

In my haste to flee the room, I slipped and just about fell head-over-heels onto the cold, hard stone floor. More vivid to me than my fall, though, was Ygnas's voice as he laughed his head off at my clumsy display.

Up until that day, I had contemplated quitting numerous times. I just couldn't endure the stress any longer. Hearing that Eryphonia expected great things from me, though, gave me a second wind. It felt great to be recognized for all my hard work and have someone place their faith in me after all I'd been through.

As for Ygnas, he still doesn't get showered with the same sort of accolades that Melvien and Margret do, but he is indeed trying hard at what he does best. Hopefully he receives the same second wind he imparted to me and he gets the recognition he deserves.


Story : Miyabi Hasegawa
Illustration : Mitsuhiro Arita