POLDER
I STARTED CLEANING MY HOUSE THE DAY I WAS DISMISSED FROM THE LIBRARY.
I FELT THAT IF I STAYED STILL, A DEEP DARKNESS WOULD CRAWL OUT...
.AND SWALLOW ME WHOLE.
GRANDMA'S ABSENCE STILL WEIGHED HEAVILY ON ME...
...BUT I COULDN'T JUST CRY THE DAY AWAY.
NOW THAT I'VE BOUGHT A PRESENT FOR THE PRINCESS...
COME IN.
PROFESSOR!
OLIVIA? WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE AT THIS HOUR?
SHOULDN'T YOU BE AT WORK?
OH, RIGHT. I DIDN'T GET THE CHANCE TO TELL YOU.
I'VE BEEN FIRED.
FIRED?
WHAT IN THE WORLD HAPPENED?
THEY SAID THEY WERE DOWNSIZING DUE TO FINANCIAL ISSUES...
BUT WHO KNOWS? MAYBE I DID SOMETHING WRONG.
THE CENTRAL LIBRARY HAS FINANCIAL PROBLEMS?
THE WEALTHIEST LIBRARY IN POLDER?
IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE AT ALL.
A HEROLINGTON GRADUATE HAVING THIS MUCH DIFFICULTY FINDING A JOB?
IT'S AS IF THEY'VE MADE A PACT.
ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT FINDING ANOTHER JOB NOW THAT YOU'VE BEEN LET GO?
I AM... AFTER I REST A FEW DAYS.
BUT HONESTLY, I'VE ALREADY BEEN TURNED AWAY BY MOST OF THE COMPANIES IN THE CITY.
SO I'M THINKING OF GETTING A JOB AT A SCHOOL OR AS A PRIVATE TUTOR.
THERE WILL BE AN OPENING FOR AN ADJUNCT PROFESSOR SOON.
THE COMPETITION WILL BE FIERCE.
ALSO, IF THE COURSE IS CANCELED DUE TO LOW ENROLLMENT, THE CONTRACT COULD BE TERMINATED MID-TERM.
I'LL TRY IT, PROFESSOR! I WANT TO DO IT!
I THOUGHT YOU WOULD.
THAT FOOL OF A DIRECTOR AT THE CENTRAL LIBRARY MUST'VE DISMISSED YOU JUST FOR THIS.
IT WAS DUE TO FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES, MA'AM.
AS IF ANYONE WOULD BUY THAT.
DON'T EVEN LOOK THEIR WAY FROM NOW ON. PREPARE FOR THAT OPENING.
COME BACK TO SCHOOL.
THANK YOU, PROFESSOR.
PUT TOGETHER A LIST OF THE COMPANIES THAT REJECTED OLIVIA LIBERTY.
AND LOOK INTO WHETHER THE CENTRAL LIBRARY DIRECTOR HAS HAD ANY DISCREET RENDEZVOUS OF LATE.
YES, MA'AM.
I THOUGHT SHE WAS SIMPLY BEING REJECTED DUE TO DISCRIMINATION...
...SHE WAS DOING WELL AT THE LIBRARY. BEING DISMISSED FROM THERE IS PUTTING THIS ALL IN A NEW LIGHT.
THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE.
HEROD PALACE
IT'S HERE!
WHAT'S MAKING HER SO HAPPY?
IT MUST BE FROM POLDER.
FROM AUNT MARGOT?
DO YOU THINK LUCY WOULD BE THAT EXCITED BY AUNT MARGOT?
AND THIS ONE IS FROM PRINCESS MARGUERITE, YOUR HIGHNESS.
OH, THERE'S ONE FOR ME AS WELL?
SHE SAYS THAT SHE REALLY LIKES THE GREEN HAIRBAND I SENT HER!
SHE WEARS IT EVERY DAY!
AND, OH!
SHE'S GOING TO TAKE AN EXAM TO BECOME A PROFESSOR! ISN'T SHE GREAT?
OLIVIA LIBERTY.
SHE MUST BE LIVING AS FREELY AS HER NAME SUGGESTS.
AND SHE APOLOGIZES FOR THE LATE REPLY.
SOMETHING CAME UP AND SHE COULDN'T SEND IT IN TIME.
IT SEEMS OLIVIA'S GRANDMOTHER HAS PASSED AWAY.
APPARENTLY, SHE WAS THE GIRL'S ONLY FAMILY. I CAN ONLY IMAGINE HER GRIEF...
A FEW MONTHS LATER
POLIA'S MONARCHY FALLS, REPUBLICANISM TAKES OVER
I REJECTED THE QUEEN OF POLIA'S REQUEST FOR ASYLUM.
AT A TIME LIKE THIS, WE CAN'T AFFORD TO BE CAUGHT IN THE CROSSFIRE.
*DO NOT ADMIT POLIA'S ROYALTY INTO HEROD!
USHER.
YES, YOUR MAJESTY?
THE WORLD IS CHANGING.
LEARN FROM THE FALL OF POLIA'S ROYAL FAMILY.
WE MIGHT FOLLOW IN THEIR FOOTSTEPS IF WE DO NOT TREAD CAREFULLY.
WE CANNOT AFFORD A SINGLE MISTAKE,
AND WE MUST NOT ALLOW EVEN THE SMALLEST STAIN.
I UNDERSTAND, YOUR MAJESTY.
THINK ABOUT WAYS WE CAN EARN THE PEOPLE'S LOVE.
WITH THE WAY EVENTS ARE GOING, THE ROYAL FAMILY MUST BE LOVED AND APPROVED BY...
SECRETARY, GET OVER HERE!
YOU CALLED, YOUR MAJESTY?
I WANT A FULL REPORT ON OLIVIA. A DETAILED ONE!
MOST IMPORTANTLY, FIND OUT IF SHE'S ENGAGED!
I'VE FOUND A WAY!
THE FIRST FEMALE UNIVERSITY STUDENT BECOMES A PROFESSOR!
A WAY FOR THE ROYAL FAMILY TO BE LOVED BY THE PEOPLE!
Expelled from the library, Olivia grieves as she cleans her home and visits her professor. The professor suggests she prepare for the assistant professorship exam and, suspecting there is more behind the dismissal, begins an investigation. At Herod Palace, Olivia's letter brings joy; months later, when the Polian monarchy falls, the king demands a report on Olivia to win the people's love.
