Chapter 19

“I’m shocked.”

Liliana trembled as she gently held the skewer. Helio chewed the end of his skewer and remarked, “Not bad,” then responded to Liliana’s statement.

“In what way?”

“In various ways…”

As Helio gestured for her to eat, Liliana took a bite of her skewer. It was overly salty and heavily seasoned but not sour. In fact, she liked it.

Liliana mumbled absentmindedly as she chewed on the skewer.

“Firstly, Your Majesty…“

“You keep saying ‘Your Majesty,‘ why not just call me by my name?”

“How could I?”

Helio took another bite of his skewer, and after swallowing, he said nonchalantly. His relaxed demeanor only made Liliana more anxious.

“If someone in this marketplace faints from hearing it, will you carry them home?”

That was a valid point. Liliana pursed her lips, thinking she couldn’t grasp the direction of this conversation.

Trying to find a suitable term to address him, she struggled with the idea of using something so intimate and finally came up with a term.

“Then, my lord…”

Helio chuckled at the term but didn’t discourage her. Instead, he twirled the skewer as if telling her to continue.

Suppressing her irritation, Liliana explained what had shocked her.

“How can you eat this kind of street food so casually? And where did you get coins that commoners use?“

“I’ve been to the battlefield many times and have often eaten food worse than this. I think this is quite edible.“

“And the coins?“

“Do you think I would come to the market carrying gold coins? I made that much preparation.”

Liliana realized that Helio was surprisingly down-to-earth. After all, he was the one who personally led the conquest of the Nieta Kingdom.

He was also a prince raised by the late emperor to assist the crown prince, frequently venturing into battlefields as if they were his home.

Feeling embarrassed for having treated him like a pampered nobleman, Liliana watched as Helio handed the two finished skewers back to the vendor and carefully wiped her hands with his handkerchief. She thought to herself,

‘Truly a nurturing father. He has a tender side.’

These were actions that shouldn’t make her heart flutter. They were just points to charm the readers. Helio playfully handed her the used handkerchief and smiled.

“Keep it.“

“Yes, yes. I’ll wash it well and return it.“

“Take it. Brag about how your ‘lord‘ gave it to you.”

Helio emphasized the term ‘lord‘ and handed her the handkerchief with the royal crest embroidered on it as if he told her to flaunt it at the next banquet.

Ignoring Liliana’s pouting, Helio pointed to a corner of the market where a crowd had gathered.

“Something is interesting.”

He took her hand without asking for her opinion and led her there.

There was an archery game surrounded by people. When the archer succeeded, the crowd applauded; when they failed, they booed.

‘Wow, that must be nerve-wracking.’

Liliana thought she would never want to participate in such a thing and was about to suggest they go elsewhere.

“Is there anyone who wants to try next?”

But as the vendor asked, she changed her mind. She wanted to put Helio in that nerve-wracking position. Seeing him get booed by the crowd might be satisfying.

Liliana raised their joined hands high and shouted.

“Here! This man will!”

Helio snapped his head to look at Liliana. His blue eyes narrowed, but Liliana wasn’t afraid. She was beginning to realize that such actions wouldn’t get her in too much trouble.

“The tall man over there! Come on up!”

As the vendor called out, Helio tapped Liliana’s forehead with his finger and said sternly.

“You’re in trouble later.”

Despite his words, Helio walked forward without hesitation.

It was then that Liliana realized he was an emperor. The gaze of this small crowd was nothing to him.

When the vendor handed Helio the bow, he took it gracefully, as if receiving a hunting bow from a servant.

“Here we have a very handsome contestant! Let’s see if his archery skills match his looks!”

The vendor’s banter was met with applause from the crowd. Helio glanced at Liliana and smiled confidently before drawing the bowstring.

The vendor handed Helio ten arrows. The prize depended on how many arrows hit the target, but most people were left with nothing more than the experience.

However, Helio…

Whoosh— Thud!

Helio’s arrows hit the bullseye one after another. It was as if the center of the target had a black hole that pulled the arrows in with potent force.

At first, the crowd clapped and whistled, but as time passed, they began shouting and jumping out of their seats excitedly.

Liliana was pushed left and right by the crowd, feeling utterly overwhelmed.

‘I’m going to fall!’

She opened her mouth to call for the only person to help her.

“Your… my lord!”

At that moment, a firm hand grabbed her waist, pulling her through the crowd.

Liliana closed her eyes tightly and clung to the person holding her.

Rescued just before being crushed by the crowd, Liliana opened her eyes slightly and then fully. Above her, a familiar voice spoke.

“Lily.”

That affectionate term was something only her mother or Chuchu would use. Though she was flustered by the combination of the voice and the nickname, the face she saw was definitely Helio’s.

He scanned her from head to toe to check for injuries, clicking his tongue in disapproval.

“I told you to stand in the front row. You’re so small, I worry you’ll get lost.”

Helio placed her in the front of the crowd and picked up his bow again. The target made a loud noise when he drew the last arrow, and the crowd roared once more. Liliana clapped along with the others, dazed.

She knew that Helio found her fascinating. As the emperor, he probably didn’t have many people to joke around with, so it was understandable.

However, his insistence on not losing her and taking care of her so diligently was a bit strange.

‘Is it because I need to bear the king of Nieta? Because I’m politically important?’

Liliana reached her own conclusion, but another thought soon invaded.

‘Then why did he bring me out into danger?’

As Helio hit all ten arrows into the bullseye, the crowd began chanting, “One more time! One more time!”

The atmosphere heated up, and the vendor couldn’t stop them. Helio shot twenty more arrows, all hitting the center, causing the vendor’s face to pale.

The vendor, visibly overwhelmed, approached Helio with hesitant steps.

“Um, sir… I’m sorry, but we’ve run out of first-place prizes…”

The crowd booed loudly. The first-place prize was a gold ornament, which seemed too expensive for a street vendor to give away.

Liliana pulled on Helio’s sleeve.

“My lord, let’s stop now. We don’t need the prize.”

Helio raised an eyebrow.

“Why?“

“It’s something you don’t need.”

Indeed, he had much more valuable jewels filling his storage rooms. What would he do with this prize?

The vendor clasped his hands together in earnest gratitude. Although seeing a middle-aged man acting so sycophantically unpleasant, Liliana thought it was right to leave the prize.

But Helio shrugged as if dissatisfied.

“It was for you.”

Liliana froze on the spot. The crowd, overhearing their conversation, began murmuring in admiration.

“Looks like a nobleman and a maid are running away together.”

Someone whispered, and Liliana realized the problem lay with the title. She pulled her robe tighter and whispered to Helio.

“You’ve given me so much already. What more could you give?“

“I thought it might be your first time on an outing like this.“

“That’s true, but…”

Contemplating, Liliana glanced at the prize table and quickly grabbed a sparkling bracelet. She showed it to the vendor.

“Can I take this?”

The vendor’s eyes widened, and he nodded eagerly. His eyes almost seemed to plead with her to do just that.

Liliana placed the bracelet in Helio’s hand.

“Give me this. What would I do with a big lump of gold? For a memento, a pretty item is better, don’t you think?”

Helio laughed softly at her prideful remark. He gently took her wrist and put the bracelet on her.

It was a bracelet with blue stones that matched her fair skin. Though the stones didn’t look like real gems, they weren’t bad.

Helio took her hand again, more like a parent ensuring their child wouldn’t get lost than a tender lover, but it was still care and affection.

The two managed to escape the crowd and climb into the carriage.

Liliana kept fiddling with and examining the bracelet as the carriage returned to the palace.

“That’s fake.”

Helio said bluntly as if spoiling the mood. Annoyed, Liliana turned her head away.

“I know that much.“

“I’m sure there are mountains of jewels in the Emerald Palace that I’ve given you, but do you look at them all that closely?“

“No.”

Liliana quickly answered, then raised her wrist to look at the bracelet again.

It was obvious that it was fake under the lamplight. Still, she hummed a cheerful tune as if pleased.

“The first-place prize seemed real, so why are you so happy with that cheap bracelet?”

It seemed she preferred the cheap bracelet over the first-place prize.

Liliana clutched the bracelet as if someone might take it from her, then smiled so brightly it lit up the carriage.

“This is the first time I’ve received something like this from someone other than my mother. It’s not an award from someone higher up or a provision distributed based on rank.”

Liliana held her wrist close to her heart and smiled shyly.

‘Ah, that’s the face I saw earlier.’

This was the moment Liliana was genuinely smiling.