Dear Diary, nothing much is happening, and it's perfect.  I really am living my best side character life.  My days are filled with breakfast with my parents, short, frigid walks in the garden to get some exercise (it’s too cold for leisurely horseback riding currently), and meeting up with my friends.  This is perfect. 

It's odd though.  I do find myself missing Carmine.  Maybe it's because Arianna and Emma are still being courted (they deny it, Diary, but it's true).  Maybe I am starting to feel like I'm ready to find a husband and settle down. 

I'm not alone.  I still have Martina next to me when we all run into Sir Stronner or Lord Darl.  Although I wish for her sake that I didn't.  That neither one of us would be left alone, I suppose. 

On that note, we have decided that Emma is actually being courted.  She maintains that he's just being polite, as he does to everyone.  It's not true though.  Well, it is true that he's polite to everyone, but he’s especially so to Emma.  He's not out there asking other ladies for two dances within the same ball. 

While we're still uncertain to the depths of her affection, we've decided that Emma is actually at least somewhat interested in him.  There was one time recently that she asked an attendant to wait a few minutes before calling her carriage when we exited a shop.  We stood in the cold while she had a conversation with Lord Darl, who had been standing nearby the shop’s entrance.

When we finally got in the carriage, she insisted that she was only being polite, to keep him company while he waited on his carriage.  We wouldn't be surprised if he had also secretly waved his carriage off for a few minutes after seeing Emma was there.  We nodded silently to Emma, while casting each other conspiratorial looks.

That was the point that we were absolutely sure that Emma was smitten with him.  Until then I wouldn't have written Lord Darl's name in your pages, Diary, because I didn’t think he’d stick around long enough for me to care to remember his name.  But I'm certain that I'll bring him up again in the future now, now that I know Emma doesn't desire to be rid of him.

I’m not saying that they’ll definitely get married.  Time will tell that still.  Only that Emma finds his company pleasant right now.  Martina, Arianna, and I haven’t started planning her marriage and (at least) three children, yet.  Maybe soon, but for now we’re still waiting to see how their relationship develops.

With each time we run into Sir Stronner or Lord Darl, it seems to remind me of how I used to run into Lord Carmine.  Maybe I should try to meet someone at the next ball and start my own romance.  I don't want a romance with Carmine, but maybe I think about him in those moments in the absence of anyone else.  For Millana's sake I should probably start thinking about it anyway.  This is the time when she'd be seeking marriage. 

I think Alvize's letter has me feeling ready to take the next step into adulthood too.  All his talk of paperwork, budgets, and balancing ledgers. It reminds me of college, and my accounting studies.  I think I miss it.  Just like Alvize and balls, that's not a sentence I ever thought I'd pen. 

It's not that I don't enjoy my time at tea parties and balls, but Alvize was right in his description of them, it does feel frivolous.  I'm just lazing around and I lack productivity.  It's enjoyable, but it also feels meaningless.  I find myself wanting to work sometimes, to feel like I'm contributing to society and not just being lazy and allowing everyone to do everything for me. 

I suppose that's also why I'm starting to feel like it's time for me to pursue marriage as well.  There will be responsibilities that come with that.  The wife has to do her own part in managing the estate and the budget. 

When I first found myself here, it was all new, and I had a lot to learn (or catch up on, since Millana used to have that knowledge).  I had studies, and was learning a new social system as well with every interaction that I had.  Now I feel like I have a good grasp on it.  I can curtsy and follow proper etiquette.  I know how to buy the plethora of new ball gowns and tell them to charge it to my family.  Even if I still don't enjoy or agree with all the etiquette of this world, I know how to play along. 

I'm ready to do more.  I'm not used to idling.  It feels like it's been a nice vacation and I'm ready to get back to real life.  And if this is a dream I can't wake up from for now, I need to move on to real life here.

But enough about that.  I'm not trying to complain to you, Diary.  Like I said, my side character life is perfect.  No drama, just the way I like it.  It might could be better, but at least it’s not worse.  At least I’m not a main character.  I’m Millana Hapsum, exactly who I want to be in this life.

I wrote back to Alvize, since he'd asked me to.  I'd hate for you to have only one side of the conversation, Diary, so I've copied my reply down for you as well.  I'm new to having a brother, so hopefully I've teased him the appropriate amount.  It seemed like something Millana would do.

I’m sorry if this entry seemed a bit of a downer, Diary.  I don’t mean it to be.  I’m so happy for Arianna and Emma.  I’m afraid I haven’t sounded like it, but I really am.  And surely Martina and I will find suitors soon as well.

There haven’t been any big events recently, so it’s mostly been outings with my friends, or small parties.  In a month we’ll reach a new year and there will be a huge ball to celebrate.  All the nobles will gather together then.  The pool will be much wider for Martina and I to find someone.  So there’s a lot to look forward to then.

I really do have the best family and friends, and I’m so grateful for them and want the best for them.  And now that the story’s back on track, everything should be fine.  I don’t think the story actually went into what happened with Millana and her friends, since they were side characters.  I don’t think it even named Millana’s friends.  She only got the mention because of her one line.  And I know it didn’t say whether Millana got married or not.  About Millana I would have remembered.

Still, how could our story end poorly?  We’ve begun so well, and we’re not important enough for the story to have described any hardship for us.  I’m sure that just like Arianna and Emma, we’ll all find suitable matches soon.

That’s enough of my ramblings for today, Diary.  I’ll keep you up to date on future happenings as the ball draws near.  Getting ready for balls is a huge event, especially for the large ones, so I’m sure there will be much to tell you soon as we start preparing.