A pinky promise

"I-I'm sorry, sister. I know it was stupid. But I missed you terribly, and I haven't seen you since forever. You stopped writing letters. I wanted to visit but the headmaster said you were busy. I suppose…I was afraid…that you've forgotten all about me."

-Maximillian Castus to Rosanna Castus, Routes 1-3

***

Maximillian almost passed out when he discovered the news.

"You passed?" Maximillian shrieked, vibrating with excitement. He had been rereading Rosanna's acceptance letter for a while now, stopping now and then to parrot the same words. He raised that trusty teddy bear of his and made a little show of ventriloquy. "You did it! We've always known you can! Big sister can do anything!"

Your big sister is in VERY BIG trouble if you don't shut up, Rosanna thought, watching Felicia Maure eat. The three of them had gathered for a 'celebratory dinner in the dining room, but it was clear from the very start that only Felicia Maure was eating, given the single plate arranged on the long table. At least Maximillian was granted a seat and some desserts. Rosanna was ordered to stand in waiting, 'out of courtesy' for her dearest aunt.

Some aunt this is, Rosanna cursed. 'Celebrating on my behalf' knowing full well I haven't eaten anything this morning. Congratulations, my ass!

"I don't know what tricks you've pulled on the Headmaster, brat, but don't you ever forget how this family took you in." Felicia Maure said in a low voice. "If it weren't for us, you and your whelp pf a brother would be out begging in the streets."

Rosanna glanced at Maximillian, who remained blissfully oblivious of their exchange. All he had to do was sit there and mind his own business, while Rosanna took the brunt of their wicked aunt's prejudice. It wasn't like she asked to be taken in, nor did she ask to be put into this body. She had nothing to be thankful for.

However, in such a short amount of time, said little whelp had evolved to something like a little 'brother', the same way Amelia slowly began to be 'Rosanna'.

For the past few weeks, she had learned the hard way how hospitable the Maures truly were. Tales ofThe Black Rose didn't lie when it said that Rosanna Castus had been abused, it was just that the actual game tends to gloss over this fact to make up for the genre. Behind the scenes, Felicia Maure did her best to exhaust Rosanna to the bone, doling out physical punishments from time to time.

Whether it was luck or tragedy that Amelia was used to it, she didn't know. Compared to the pains of modern world, this certainly seemed like a walk in the park, but this doesn't make Rosanna's abuse any less of an injustice, especially now that Amelia was all too aware that even the protagonists' body felt pain. The attacs against Rosanna, she could somewhat endure, but she would be damned if these scums laid a hand on the young boy, who had been Rosanna's saving grace when she woke up in this world.

Not on her watch.

"That whelp of a brother will decide whether you and your family will jail for child abuse," Rosanna said, keeping her gaze straight. Upon hearing this, Felicia Maure suddenly slammed her utensils down, spilling the drinks from the table.

She raised a hand in front of Rosanna. The fact that the young girl didn't flinch only seemed to make her angrier — perhaps she couldn't stomach the fact that her dear niece has learned to talk back, or that she dared to threaten her, of all people.

"Auntie, please no!" Maximillian cried from across the room, clutching his bear. There were tears in his eyes, and Rosanna's heart did that little twist again, as though the body remembered how it felt whenever it saw her little brother cry.

At that moment, Rosanna — no, Amelia had two choices: fight back and make it worse, or bow her head and help Maximillian calm down. Tales of The Black Rose never had any vulgar option such as the former, and Amelia was beginning to understand why.

She bowed her head to Felicia Maure. "My apologies, my lady. I-"

Crack!

Felica Maure dropped her wine glass to the ground, right in front of Rosanna. "You," she said pointedly. "Clean that up."

This bitch!

But Rosanna didn't dare meet her gaze anymore, afraid that something bigger than a wine glass might go flying this time. She immediately knelt and began picking up the glass shards. "Yes, my lady."

Felicia Maure scoffed. Then, without another word, she slammed the door shut behind her.

Rosanna stared at the broken glass that lay across her feet. She always berated the heroine for being a pushover, but she supposed there was no harm in playing the long game. Soon, Rosanna Castus would grow up and return the favor tenfold, with flying kisses to match. She had already passed the examinations —all that was left is to attend school and graduate.

The original Rosanna Castus was too lenient. Amelia Sola would show this world how it's done.

***

Dearest Rosanna,

I can only hope that this letter finds you in privacy. If not, then I suggest you do, for I will be disclosing important information that I can no longer relay once we meet on campus.

First and foremost, my deepest congratulations on your admittance. With this, we are one step closer to fulfilling our agreement. You may have noticed that I sent you a little gift to celebrate this occasion. I would deeply appreciate it if you wore it.

Second, please be aware that I can no longer assist you once you begin your classes. So far, I have arranged your room for the dormitories, as well as Secretary Diana's duties once she begins her role as Maximillian's tutor. As promised, we'll make sure that no harm comes to him while you are away. We will also make sure that your brother receives the finest education we have to offer.

Third, and most importantly, I hope you remember the terms of our agreement. I have given you everything you need to get into the Academy, which means it is up to you how well you use these resources. I have given you pointers for the entrance examinations and still, you manage to fail. I have never seen a score more abysmal than your paper.

Please work hard on your studies. Elizabeth cannot have an idiot as her daughter.

Sincerely,

Sir Horace Pryor

P.S. Also, it goes without saying, but do not speak to anyone regarding the examinations. This is the last time I'll pull any strings to help you, child. From here on out, you're on your own.

***

Rosanna stared at the letter in disbelief. She couldn't believe that the protagonist halo extended this far — to think that the Headmaster himself would cheat the system just for her! But then again, this was the same man who provided her the answers beforehand, so she supposed the lines were already blurred from the very start.

The letter came from the box that was delivered to her along with the acceptance letter, which explained why the messenger was so adamant about handing it to her personally. As a precaution, Rosanna made sure to open it in the confines of her room, where her little brother slept in a separate bed across from her.

Rosanna's quarters were different from the room she woke up in. This one was smaller and less fancy, but it held pictures of their family — of the real Rosanna's parents before they died. According to Maximillian, everything in this room was all they could salvage after the 'bad guys' took their home away.

The game never exactly said why that had to happen. At first, Rosanna thought that forced eviction was just another way to spice up the drama in Tales of the Black Rose, because Rosanna Castus needed a reason to move into the Maures. But a few weeks of the investigation told Rosanna how the 'bad guys' that confiscated their house were actually affiliated with a wealthy powerhouse, the Mirandes.

She also learned that Elizabeth, the person mentioned in the Headmaster's letter, was Rosanna's mother — a former Imperial Scholar that directly served under royalty. If she had to guess, then the Headmaster and Elizabeth Castus were connected somehow.

She stared at the Headmaster's gift lying at the bottom of the box — a simple silver necklace with a sapphire pendant. Could it really be just a 'congratulatory' gift? Or was it a reminder of how Rosanna failed so spectacularly, that the Headmaster had to manipulate her results too?

We are one step closer to fulfilling our agreement, he said. Not once in all routes did Tales of The Black Rose mention any of the sorts. The reason behind her parents' death, the confiscation of assets, and Rosanna's obsession with getting into a certain Academy, job prospects be damned — all of it was left rotting in a gaping pit of plot holes, covered up by the mere thought of having to date handsome men.

The original Rosanna Castus winked at her from one of the picture frames — with a finger held against her lips as if they shared some kind of secret.

Who WAS Rosanna Castus? What did she want from Amelia?

***

Months and days went by, and Rosanna still had not spotted the rest of the Maures.

It was another one of the burning questions she held in mind, along with Felicia Maure's skittishness as the day of Rosanna's departure for Cyrilla Academy approaches. She kept calling Rosanna to her study on several occasions, looking like she wanted to say something, only to end up sending inane requests and treating Rosanna like an errand girl.

Once, she caught the lady furiously writing letters, crumpling them, and starting another. Countless drafts that ended up in flames. Rosanna had no idea what the hell she was having trouble writing about, but it was amusing to watch her aunt struggle. Felicia caught her once and slammed the door shut in her face.

It reminded Rosanna of her former boss in another life.

She also managed to befriend some of the maids, who had been surprised to find Rosanna Castus speaking to them AT ALL. Apparently, the old Rosanna didn't even bother to talk to any of the staff despite their attempts to reach out to her — something Amelia thought to be terribly out-of-character for an MC.

"We have always felt bad about the madame's treatment towards you, my lady." The head maid, Belinda, bowed her head. "But as her servants, we are helpless to do anything about it. We hope you can forgive us, Lady Rosanna."

Rosanna had told them it was nothing personal. She meant it, in every sense of the word. While the actions of the old Rosanna remain a mystery, the new one understood the rules of the jungle — survival always came first. It wasn't like Amelia Sola didn't throw anyone under the bus in order to keep a job.

Relieved at her response, the servants ended up helping her out in many of her tasks, making life somewhat easier in her remaining days with the Maures.

When the day of her departure finally came, it was the servants who helped ready her carriage and promised that they would look after Maximillian as well.

"Your parents would be proud of you, my lady," Belinda said, handing over Rosanna's luggage. Everything she owned was packed in one small suitcase — surprisingly convenient if it weren't an indicator of how little she actually owned.

She could only smile and thank Belinda. Rosanna wouldn't know what her parents thought about all this, both in this world and the other.

Maximillian came up behind the head maid, clutching his teddy bear. The young boy tried to hide it, but Rosanna could see his eyes shining, desperately trying to hold back tears.

Now this was something.

"Why are you crying?" She asked jokingly. "I haven't even left yet."

Maximillian was not the perfect little brother Rosanna had thought him to be. Aside from being a crybaby, the young boy tended to cause trouble for his big sister, either by saying the wrong thing in front of the wrong person or knocking things over due to his hyperactivity. Rosanna had lost track of how many times she had to cover up for him.

"Please take care of yourself, sister." The young boy sniffled, this time clutching the hems of her dress. "Don't stay out in the cold. Don't forget to eat your meals. You-you should go and make friends. Write me letters. Promise me."

The young boy held out his pinky, in a gesture that Rosanna knew all too well. For a moment, she thought something had gotten in her eye. What has gotten into this boy all of a sudden?

"Max, what are you—"

"Promise." The boy insisted. Like this, Rosanna could only wonder how the old one could forget about her brother so easily. In the middle part of the story, in every route, Maximillian had always been destined to die in the hands of unknown kidnappers. The old Rosanna had moved on from that incident over and over, choosing a life of happiness instead of seeking justice for her parents and younger brother.

How could she forgive anyone who hurt this little boy? How could she even let anyone hurt him in the first place?

"Promise me you'll stay safe," Rosanna held out her pinky. "You won't talk to strangers, you won't leave the house without permission or anyone accompanying you. You won't believe any stranger who claims that I've sent them to fetch you."

Maximillian seemed to be overwhelmed by the oddly specific instructions, but it wasn't meant for him anyway. No — Rosanna was looking at Belinda the entire time she was talking, hoping she would get the message. The head maid nodded.

"Alright, I promise." The kid agreed, linking their fingers together. Rosanna ruffled his head.

"Good boy. Now save your tears, you'll be getting a tutor of your own. Do your best so you can come with me." Rosanna reminded him, before finally stepping inside the carriage. She snuck one last glance at the mansion and wasn't surprised to see that Felicia Maure had refused to see her off until the bitter end.

"Take care, sister!"

"Safe travels, Lady Rosanna!"

Rosanna waved them goodbye.

And so it begins.