Chapter 14

It might be bothersome, but it didn’t seem all that bad. Seeing her blush because of him would be pretty pleasant.

Helio purposefully adjusted the blanket he had previously haphazardly draped over her. He felt Liliana’s shoulders tense and nervous but did not stop.

Helio pulled the end of the blanket up to Liliana’s chin. Her pink eyes, trembling with emotion, were quite endearing.

“Your Majesty,” she said.

“What is it now?” he replied.

“It’s strange that you’re being so kind to me.”

Having gone to the trouble of being friendly, he wondered what she meant by that. Helio’s eyebrows furrowed. However, Liliana was genuinely perplexed.

Helio wasn’t a tyrant or a warmonger, yet the world saw him as cold-hearted. Even Liliana, who received such treatment from him, found it hard to imagine him tucking someone in.

Instead of responding directly, Helio offered a different excuse. “Tomorrow, I won’t have to smell that awful food.”

“Oh…“ Liliana nodded as if understanding. Helio chuckled softly.

“The whole world calls me a heartless son, but it seems you don’t think so?“

“What can I do about it?”

Helio narrowed his eyes at her blunt response as if trying to see through something.

“Didn’t my mother tell you? She must have laid it all out in detail.”

Liliana nodded again. “It was a sad story.”

Indeed, it was. A young empress who desperately wished to return to her homeland did everything she was told, yet she couldn’t leave and was bound to this empire.

“Then why did you refuse my mother’s request?”

Liliana looked at Helio quietly. The playful demeanor was gone, and every word he spoke was sharp.

She felt it was not the time to remain lying down. As she got up and knelt by the bed, Helio didn’t say a word.

The air grew heavy, and Liliana bowed her slender neck even lower. Yet her voice remained clear and unwavering.

“With all due respect, I found the Empress Dowager’s story truly tragic. But I don’t think it excuses all of her faults.”

It was an insulting thing to say. For an Empress Consort to judge the Empress Dowager’s faults was beyond brave; it was reckless. Yet Liliana voiced it.

Helio was not in a state to be swayed by empty rhetoric. Only a sincere voice could persuade him.

“No one in this world has the right to call Your Majesty a heartless son. No one has endured your suffering.”

A chill breeze swept over Liliana’s shoulders as if to warn her that her life was in danger.

Helio closed his book and descended from the bed. He slowly approached Liliana.

As he did, Liliana’s head bowed even lower, nearly prostrate. Helio knelt beside her on one knee.

He lifted her chin.

His intense blue eyes met her trembling pink ones up close.

“You dare to pity me,“ Helio said, his voice as dark as the pre-dawn sky.

Gone was the playful, considerate demeanor. This seemed like Helio’s true self.

Had Liliana been wrong? Maybe she had been too honest. But there was no turning back. Her voice trembled as she spoke.

“Yes, Your Majesty. I pity your childhood. At least I know what it feels like to be utterly ignored by one’s parents.”

Helio showed no reaction. Yet, as Liliana breathed nervously, the grip on her chin gradually weakened.

Finally, Helio released her chin entirely and helped her stand.

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

“Sit back down. Kneeling with an injured body, you’re being quite reckless.”

Liliana obediently sat on the bed. Helio sat down beside her with a plop, clicking his tongue.

“Your father didn’t even know your name, right?“

“You know about that.“

“What wouldn’t I know about that small country?“

Helio’s voice returned to its usual tone, easing the heavy atmosphere that had filled the room.

Liliana relaxed and flopped back. Her pink hair, catching the gentle lamplight, spread out differently than usual. Helio reached out, grabbing a handful and twisting it around his fingers.

Liliana, seemingly too tired to protest, just watched. Before Helio could say anything, she smiled weakly.

“Your Majesty.“

“Why are you calling me?“

“If I have a child, please don’t be indifferent to them.”

Liliana continued to watch his hand, missing the fleeting change in Helio’s expression.

“Think about it. If a child born to two people who grew up indifferent is also raised in indifference, wouldn’t that be too sad?”

Her eyes seemed to gaze into the distance.

Liliana would do her best to avoid having a child. But the situation wasn’t easy.

She didn’t know how long it would take Sophia to get the contraceptive pills or how long Helio would respect her wishes.

If she ended up having a child, miscarrying, and having another… It might all lead to the birth of the great child from the original story. That child would have no mother and an emperor father who felt too distant.

Liliana hoped the child’s path would be at least a little easier.

“I don’t care about the throne, or the crown, or anything like that; just don’t let him be lonely.”

Liliana reached out to Helio, who was touching her hair. Her hand gently covered his as if making a heartfelt request.

Helio replied briefly, almost without thinking.

“…Alright.”

However, a thought lingered in a corner of his mind.

‘Why does it feel like she’s talking as if I’m not part of this?‘

Liliana’s voice was distant as if she intended to give birth and then disappear. Helio felt uneasy but couldn’t pinpoint the source of his discomfort.

Liliana smiled brightly at his response and snuggled under the covers. She acted as if nothing had happened.

“Let’s sleep now, Your Majesty. Reading too late will strain your eyes.”

She spoke cheerfully, and Helio decided to follow her suggestion. He had no particular reason; he just felt like it.

* * *

When Liliana woke up in the morning, she first saw Helio reading a book. He hadn’t changed his position since the night before.

It was astonishing how he managed to get up and sit appropriately without disturbing her.

Helio glanced at her as she woke and then returned to his book.

“The mornings at the Emerald Palace start rather late.”

Liliana rubbed her eyes with her left hand and yawned softly.

“There’s no need to get up early unless it’s a day to visit the Empress Dowager. No one says anything if I sleep in.“

“Then why haven’t you grown taller despite all that sleep?”

Suddenly teased, Liliana glared at him. Helio grinned widely, clearly in a good mood.

‘Is he so happy not having to eat the Empress Dowager’s food this morning?’

Liliana thought, pulling the bell cord. Usually, she would laze around even after waking up, but today, Helio was there. No matter how much she disliked leaving her bed, she couldn’t neglect the Emperor.

A knock sounded, and the head maid entered with Sophia.

“Prepare to attend to His Majesty.“

“Yes, Your Highness.”

The head maid replied respectfully, but her expression seemed off. It looked like she had more to say but found it difficult to speak up.

Sophia stood beside her, holding a tray with a small, unfamiliar bowl.

“Is there something wrong?”

Liliana asked with concern.

Thud.

Helio closed his book abruptly. He looked up at the head maid.

“Did the food come to the Emerald Palace?”

Liliana looked at him in shock. Before she could ask what he meant, the head maid answered nervously.

“Yes, Your Majesty. The Empress Dowager sent it personally…“

“Enough.”

Helio spoke irritably, running a hand through his hair. Liliana quickly got out of bed and approached the tray.

A steaming hot stew with luxurious ingredients sat on it.

“Wow…”

Liliana couldn’t help but admire it. The aroma was irresistible. She realized it wasn’t the time for this until she had expressed her admiration.

She quickly covered her mouth and looked back at Helio. His blue eyes were fixed on her, glaring. She bit her lower lip and timidly apologized.

“I’m sorry, Your Majesty.“

“Hah…”

Helio sighed deeply and put his book on the bedside table. She must have upset him again after calming him down last night.

Liliana’s mind raced, trying to figure out how to handle this. But Helio’s following words caught her off guard.

“You eat it.“

“Excuse me?“

“If it looks so delicious, eat it.”

Was this a new form of coercion?

Liliana stood straight, shaking her hands vigorously, indicating she didn’t want to eat it.

“I really don’t need to eat it. I don’t usually have a big breakfast. Besides, having something so rich in the morning might upset my stomach.”

She tried to argue, but Helio cut her off, ignoring her detailed explanation.

“You, eat it.”

Liliana froze in place. Helio raised his finger and spoke clearly.

“You must eat it. Then go to the Empress Dowager’s palace and tell that senile woman you ate it. Tell her I didn’t touch it.“

“Excuse me?“

“From now on, everything she sends will be given to you, so keep that in mind!”

Liliana felt her vision blur.

‘Why, why are you dragging me into your dispute?!’