There was nothing special about the 1920s.
At afternoon tea time, everyone was busy socializing.
Or, lazily leaning back in lounge chairs on balconies, drinking tea, eating biscuits, and watching the elegantly dressed ladies and gentlemen chatting as they passed by below.
Arrietty was dressed in fiery red clothes, wearing brown boots on her feet made from the fingertips of her father's kidskin gloves. She had always been reluctant to wear these boots.
After all, they could only 'borrow' one of those when someone was living in the house, and it happened to be winter.
However, today was different. Today was the first day she would meet the Queen.
For their first meeting, she had to appear in her best possible state.
The sewing needle tucked at her waist sparkled—the girl had spent half the night polishing it.
A dagger made from a small safety pin was strapped to the outside of her thigh.
A head of young coral-colored Red Hair was braided low down her back, swaying as she followed the girl up the curtains.
Pod took the lead, positioned above Arrietty.
He was getting older, fat, and weak; he could no longer handle climbing up and down curtains like this.
His daughter, on the other hand, was full of vitality.
This reminded the man of his own father, Old Pod.
He had been the same.
Glowing with spirits every day, he could easily perform movements other Tontatta Tribe members couldn't, his body as agile as a fish in Water.
It was enviable.
If the prophecy were true... No, it was impossible.
Pod shook his chubby head and whispered to his daughter below, "Come here, Arrietty, go up from here."
The father and daughter climbed the curtain to the windowsill. There, a nearly invisible transparent silk thread connected the window handle to the bedpost.
Pod took out a tiny iron handle and hooked it onto the line. With a kick of his short legs, he zipped across the small rope toward the opposite bedpost.
Arrietty followed closely behind.
The two tiny figures hopped up and down, taking a full twenty minutes to move from the living room into the bedroom before quietly scurrying toward the balcony.
The black tea in Sen Getsusa's teacup had already gone cold.
She had her eyes closed, reclining on a lounge chair in a light doze.
Her long eyelashes quivered occasionally, and a few strands of black hair brushed against her fair, slender neck.
The Sun shone squarely upon her exposed calves.
Her two small feet were tucked together, toes curled, appearing snow-white against her emerald-green nails.
Her deep sleep caused a patch of green moss to bloom beside her, the fresh scent of grass wafting through the air.
Dark red Poison Poppy Flowers tinged her flushed cheeks; they bloomed on the girl's abdomen, in her hair, on her collarbones, and at the corners of her mouth.
She was like a mannequin from a painter's brush, enjoying a dark and sweet dream, peacefully slumbering within an oil painting filled with emeralds and gems.
Pod's hair stood on end.
He turned his head only to find his daughter acting as if nothing were amiss, admiring the beautiful scene while whispering words of praise.
"Madness, this is madness! Arrietty, we're leaving right now! She... she! This girl... is a devil!"
Pod couldn't budge Arrietty.
The daughter turned around and looked at her sweating father.
"Didn't we talk about this yesterday?"
Arrietty reached out in confusion to wipe the sweat from her father's forehead. "I knew Grandpa was right! She is our Queen!"
"No! Don't you think... this, this is very strange!" Pod stammered.
At this moment, his title as a Master Craftsman had long since vanished into thin air.
If he had a choice, the man would rather face two... no, even three rats!
Anything was better than facing the sight before him.
Amidst his terror, the flowers and moss vanished. On the balcony, the girl kept her eyes closed gracefully, as if none of it had ever happened.
Arrietty tiptoed up the chair, leaped from a fork in the wood, and grabbed the edge of the table to climb up.
Pod gritted his teeth and followed his daughter up, filled with both fear and worry.
If she weren't his own flesh and blood, who would be willing to go rock climbing while nearly wetting their pants?
After a few hops, the father and daughter finally made it up.
They hid behind the teacup.
Arrietty pointed proudly at a potted plant not far away, right in the center of the balcony.
Its diamond-shaped stems were sturdy and resilient, and several Heart-shaped leaves had already bloomed in the afternoon Sun.
Pod had lost.
"This... how is this possible?"
Pod wiped his face and neck with his palms; he was soaked through.
Not far away, the plant that should have been withered for years was blooming beautifully in the man's sight.
If this plant had truly come back to life, then what about the prophecy?
Arrietty excitedly tugged at her father's hand, swaying back and forth; she wanted to climb to the edge of the balcony to admire it from closer up.
Unfortunately, the two of them couldn't find a path leading higher up.
At that moment, a crisp, unfamiliar voice bypassed the cup and reached the ears of the two Tontatta Tribe members.
"Do you want to go over there?"
It was over.
That was Pod's instantaneous thought.
Years of experience allowed this far-famed Master Craftsman to exert the strength and speed of his youth in an instant!
Like a chubby cheetah, he lunged out!
The man dodged an imaginary pursuit, performed a slide on the spot to hide under the cup's handle, then pulled out an iron hook and rope, hooked the teacup, and began a direct rappel down the line!
A harsh friction sound rang out at the edge of the table.
Within seconds, Master Craftsman Pod had completed a grand escape!
He neatly left the human behind!
Stepping onto the stone slabs of the balcony, Pod moved swiftly, dodging behind various obstacles (slippers, paintbrushes, paint tubes) before rolling behind another.
The well-trained Master Craftsman seemed to have regained his younger self, agile and robust. He rolled and dodged his way out of the balcony, stumbling along!
Then, the great Master Craftsman remembered something even more terrifying.
Because this matter was enough for his wife, Homily, to skin him alive.
Or saw him apart with a kitchen knife.
That matter was... where was his daughter?
Where was his big, braided daughter?
＆(x___x)＆... Mr. Pod, who had been too preoccupied with his own escape, slowly turned his head.
Sen Getsusa, her long hair flowing, sat up with sleepy eyes, her soft white pajamas revealing her delicate collarbones.
The girl rubbed her eyes, moved her slightly numb little feet, and tilted her head to examine the teacup in front of her.
Then, to Pod's absolute terror, she reached out, hooked the cup's handle, and gently moved the teacup aside.
Revealing Arrietty behind it.
Pod prepared to fight for his life.
Sen Getsusa and Arrietty stared at each other for a few seconds.
Pod was about to rush forward when he saw his daughter suddenly reveal a satisfied expression, nod, and twirl her right hand in the air.
Then, she bowed, performing a skillful knight's salute.
She even shouted loudly:
"Beautiful Queen, it is a pleasure to meet you for the first time.
I am your knight, Arrietty!"
Sen Getsusa looked completely bewildered.
Pod's mouth twitched, and he slapped his palm against his face with a'smack'.
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