Promise

This morning, I woke up earlier than usual, took a quick bath, changed into clean clothes, and dashed down the stairs at full speed to have my breakfast. If I had waited half an hour, I knew Maa would have been in my room waiting to wake me up but I was too impatient to allow that.

There was a reason behind all this unresteness on my part.

The reason I awoke earlier, prepared myself faster than usual was because yesterday I had finally received Maa's permission to enter the library. And today, I would be finally allowed to access my wish.

Was the library worth that much excitement?

Of course, it was, at least for me.

The library has always been the most enigmatic space in this house. Not only is it the largest room in the manor, but it is also the only room to which I, as well as everyone else in the manor, have been denied access.

The reasons I couldn't get into the library were for two main reasons:

First, I didn't have the key, and the one having refused to give it to me because, Two, I was too young to be allowed in by myself. It wasn't just me, It was the same for everyone, even Maa herself stated that she never set foot inside the library. The reason being their social standing. Only the owner of the house, "which I presume to be my father or grandfather," and the nature and purpose of the room.

When I asked Maa about it, she explained that having these kinds of rooms is quite common for nobles. These rooms are kept close to keep valuable items. So for it to be locked, I was certain, inside that library there was bound to be something of interest

It's been over a year since I first expressed my interest in the library to Maa, but because of my age and the fact that I didn't even know how to read I was almost instantly denied my request, claiming that an illiterate had no place in a library. Months have gone by since, the me of today is not the same as the me from months ago; she can no longer use my illiteracy against me.

So, two weeks ago, I came back to Maa to ask for the key to the library since, now that I can read, and I was, well, independent enough to be left on my own, at that point, there was no reason to keep me from using it.

Her response: No.

Why? because apparently I was yet too young.

I was expecting this level of reluctance from her, which is why I, immediately, devised a different strategy.

Instead of politely asking, why not show her openly how boring I was in this house? After all, it was nothing but the truth. Proof of that, if someone were to ask me what to quote from "Nobility and Powerhouse" I would be able to do it flawlessly. That's how much I had read "Nobility and Powerhouse", I had read it so many times that I knew it backwards and forwards.

With Maa's lessons being a not particularly thrilling activity, I always end up, after we had finished, falling asleep in the middle of the day, and having got enough sleep during the day, it's a nearly impossible task to sleep when bedtime comes.

I'd often find myself falling asleep near dawn, only to be woken up less than two hours later by Maa, who expected me to take a bath, get ready for breakfast, and then attend her lesson, and repeat the cycle..

Every day was the same torturous circle.

So the strategy I came up with was simple. It consisted of me falling asleep in the middle of her lesson, waking up late, and going on a mini-hunger strike, rinse and repeat the next day.

And though, It wasn't very effective at first, it gradually wore down Maa's defense. It took me thirteen days to obtain her approval. So I believe I was justified with my excitement.

It was thirteen days of hard work, and today I will be given my well-earned reward.

"May I know where you are going in such a hurry ?" Someone called.

I recognized that voice as Maa's.

Dressed in her usual governess attire. She was about to take the stairwell when I arrived.

If I had to guess, she was already on her way to my room.

"Good morning, Maa. I was feeling a little hungry this morning, so I came here to eat breakfast a little earlier than usual." I had already reached the ground floor by the time I said those words.

Being shorter than She was, I had to raise my head to meet her gaze and esquissed a smile.

"I see." She then reached into her pocket for a blue handkerchief, extended her hand toward me and started wiping out my still-dampened-frombathwater hair.

"Winter is getting closer by the day. The Young Lord should avoid walking around with your hair this wet."

"Understood," I said, mustering up my cutest smile.

"There you go." She announced as she folded and reinserted the handkerchief into pocket. "You said you were hungry; breakfast is yet to be ready, but it will be in roughly half an hour."

"No problem, I can wait."

Maa went to the dining room after hearing my words. Most likely to prepare the cutlery for me. Following her to the room, I took my usual seat at the large table. The dining room was just like most rooms of this house, a large room, with on its middle long wooden table and a beautiful chandelier hanging from its ceiling.

It's been years now, and as far as I remember, I've always eaten at this table on my own. I remember having often invited Maa to join me but she had always refused.

"Manner and Etiquette, was it?"

After a few minutes, leaning back in my chair, bored, I closed my eyes and let my mind wander aimlessly.

It was a short while after that I heard Maa's footsteps, coming back from the kitchen where she went, I didn't mind it much but when I realized that she stopped next to me, I couldn't help but ask, "What is it?"

"Young Lord, I have something to tell you," she said with a serious tone— well, her tone is always serious, but today it seemed more serious than usual.

"Oh~What might it be?"

"Yesterday, I received a letter from the main house."

Huh, from my family then.

I always knew that Maa received and was sending letters to them, but she never once mentioned the contents of those said-letters to me.

"Oh~and?"

"They called me back to the main house to help them with something I can help with."

"How much time do you think it will take?"

"Three months at most."

"Three months, huh?"

Now that I think about it, if she does leave, it will be the first time in my life that I will be without her. Sure I will miss her, but this is an opportunity for Maa to wean herself off of me. And an opportunity for me to do the same.

"... Young Lord?"

"Ah~ Sorry Oh you were saying ?" "I said that I would leave tomorrow."

That’s fast! Too fast.

"I see, I guess it can't be helped. Don't forget to bring me a souvenir.."

"Yes, Young Lord, I won’t."

"More importantly, I hope you didn’t forget our deal yesterday?"

"Was it really a deal? Young Lord, I believe, does not fully grasp the concept of making a deal; it is supposed to be a fair trade in which both parties exchange something of equal value. What you did over the last few weeks was more akin to blackmail than a trade."

"I get access to the library, and you get a healthy and motivated Young Lord. It's quite a fair trade if you ask me. "

I glanced at her face and saw her with a warm smile on her face.

"I will be missing you, Young Lord for the next three months."

"So will I you, Maa, so will I" I confessed.

"But just because I won't be there doesn't mean you can do whatever you want."

"Of course, I'm going to be a good boy. Did I ever act like a spoiled brat?" She looked at me suspiciously but didn't comment on it.

"I will grant you access to the library, but you must promise me that you will never skip breakfast, lunch, dinner, or sleeping time. Can you do it?"

"I swear by Djeem the Accursed's authority that I will never skip or miss breakfast, lunch, or sleeping time," I said, raising solemnly my right hand.

"Good." She said satisfied with my performance.