Chapter 38

「Lily, I am glad you are doing well with your neat handwriting and lively sentences. Although you were worried about me, I have been doing better since leaving the palace. My days are peaceful since I no longer have to see anyone from the royal court.

However, explaining the situation to you in detail will be beneficial. Since I received the title of Countess, both the Queen and Princess Rayleigh have been very wary of me.

They think that if I live outside the palace, it will jeopardize the succession rights of the child you will bear. Indeed, it is not by palace protocol. No matter how much His Majesty directly bestowed the house, it still isn’t proper.

My only worry is that this situation might bring harm to you. You don’t have to worry about me at all.

From afar, your loving mother.」

After reading the letter, Liliana saw Count Lackl sipping his tea. She folded the letter and placed it back into the envelope, expressing her gratitude.

“Thank you once again for delivering this letter, Count Lackl.”

“It wasn’t difficult at all. But, Your Highness, I didn’t forsake my homeland and come all this way to be a mere messenger.”

Count Lackl didn’t hide his true feelings. Although Liliana was unfamiliar with his frankness in the royal and imperial courts, she didn’t dislike it. He was certainly an agreeable person.

“To be honest, I was curious. You were a promising figure in the Kingdom of Nieta. Why did you donate so much wealth to the empire to become a citizen? Moreover, if you had failed, your position in Nieta would have become very precarious.“

“It would have indeed. But it didn’t matter much to me.”

Count Lackl replied in his usual hearty voice.

“I’ll be honest with you. The Kingdom of Nieta is stagnant, like water in a puddle or rotten water in a cave. It rejects talent, exploits its people, and relies solely on its rich deposits of magic stones without any desire to progress.”

People called Count Lackl a loyalist to the Kingdom of Nieta. In a way, they might be right.

Talking about the Kingdom of Nieta, veins stood out on Count Lackl’s neck.

“I did everything I could to improve the Kingdom of Nieta. I searched for products other than magic stones, promoted the domestic market to bridge the gap between the capital and the provinces, and opened granaries several times to relieve the people’s hunger. But there was a limit to what I could do alone. You know, I was just a mere count in the west.”

For a moment, despair flickered in Count Lackl’s intense eyes. He clenched his fists on his lap. Liliana stared at his hands for a while before asking.

“So, did you go to the King of Nieta?“

“You guessed right. Yes, I went with all sorts of reports, asking for help for my work for the country. The King looked at me and…”

Count Lackl sneered and continued with a mocking tone.

“He said I had worked hard and would give me the title of marquis. He told me to return to the west.“

That’s how he became Marquis Lackl. While it wasn’t surprising that the Lackl family had gained power, there was more to the story behind the scenes.

The King didn’t even want to put a spoon on the table set by a loyal subject. Moreover, Marquis Lackl’s intentions were seen as a ploy to gain a title.

“Your Highness, I can no longer change the Kingdom of Nieta from within. The Kingdom of Nieta needs a new leader.”

Count Lackl looked at Liliana without a hint of hesitation. Liliana couldn’t misunderstand his intention.

“You have your eye on my child’s right to the throne.“

“Yes.“

“What if I don’t intend to cooperate?“

Liliana’s primary goal was never to have a child, so it was unlikely that things would go according to Count Lackl’s plan.

However, Count Lackl seemed to understand her words differently, his eyes widening.

“Are you aiming for the throne?”

Liliana was so shocked she stood up abruptly. Glancing around, she saw only the head maid and Sophia nearby. She raised her voice, emphasizing.

“Absolutely not. Never. How could I dare?”

Count Lackl, puzzled by her repeated denials, slowly followed her gaze to the head maid.

The head maid’s expression was as impassive as ever, giving no clue to her thoughts.

But Count Lackl had a good idea of the situation. He didn’t know about the maid named Sophia, but the head maid was not Liliana’s ally. She was likely the Emperor’s spy.

Realizing that there was nothing to gain from continuing the conversation, Count Lackl quickly changed the subject.

“Even if it’s not Your Highness’s child, I want to support a new leader based on the foundation built by the empire. I hope Your Highness will consider this positively.“

“I’ll think about it.”

Count Lackl said nothing more but did not seem to have given up. He would clearly find another way to approach her without the head maid’s scrutiny.

“Before we collaborate, I need to show you my capabilities. I have prepared some things, starting with a part of my business plan.”

Liliana was surprised when she received the plan.

“Is it alright to show me something so important?“

“It’s already progressed to some extent, and this is only a part of it. I may seem clumsy, but I’m not that foolish. Ha ha!”

Count Lackl laughed heartily. His large frame might give the impression of clumsiness, but he seemed anything but. He looked more like a lion.

Count Lackl leaned in close and whispered to Liliana. His voice was so low that Liliana almost missed it.

“You can tell His Majesty.“

Liliana’s eyes widened.

She had no intention of hiding today’s events from Helio. She wanted to avoid becoming a target of his suspicion and planned to wield only the amount of power he allowed.

And Count Lackl seemed to have picked up on that during their conversation.

“But there will definitely be limits.”

Count Lackl added before stepping back.

Liliana’s expression hardened. His words hit the mark, aligning with her own constant concerns.

Count Lackl soon reverted to his jovial businessman persona, excitedly sharing various stories. He talked about the Kingdom of Nieta and the new advancements in the Carlo Empire.

He was deeply interested in the welfare of the people and had an incredible talent for business.

Liliana enjoyed his stories but couldn’t shake the feeling of unease.

Before Count Lackl left, Liliana asked him,

“Are you still a person of the Kingdom of Nieta?”

Count Lackl answered confidently as if he had nothing to hide.

“I am a person of a country where the people are well-fed.”

It wasn’t the answer Liliana had hoped for. She had wanted to ensure that Count Lackl was a safer ally.

But she couldn’t help but smile. It was fascinating to think that someone like him existed in the Kingdom of Nieta. Liliana hoped Count Lackl was sincere.

* * *

The lights were still on late at night in the Emerald Palace’s bedroom. Given Liliana’s usual habit of falling asleep quickly, it was a rare occurrence.

Sophia, who was watching over her, hovered nearby worriedly.

“Your Highness, you should get some sleep. It’s not good for your health.”

Liliana rubbed her sleepy eyes and turned the pages of the document in her hand. It was the business plan Count Lackl had left with her.

Count Lackl planned to establish a gemstone business using the numerous minerals he had. But he didn’t stop there; he seemed intent on popularizing various rare tea leaves and even coffee, which was somewhat overlooked in the empire.

A half-finished cup of coffee, a gift from Count Lackl, who had changed the roasting method, sat before Liliana.

“This coffee is definitely smoother than what I’ve had before. It’s still a bit bitter for my taste, though.”

But the coffee’s aroma was quite appealing. The coffee she had previously consumed had a rough and murky scent.

After a while, Liliana put down the documents. Sophia approached with a pleased look, ready to tidy up the table.

“Are you going to sleep now?”

Liliana nodded.

“Could you check if I can meet with His Majesty tomorrow? I have something to discuss with him.“

“Yes, I will.”

Count Lackl had given his permission. Liliana planned to relay part of her conversation with Count Lackl to Helio, intending to show him she had no desire to overstep her bounds.

“But there will definitely be limits.”

Count Lackl’s warning echoed in her mind.

Even if limits would eventually come, she was afraid of building a power base outside Helio’s sight.

‘I can’t even imagine what kind of expression Helio will have…’

Liliana murmured to herself as she got into bed.

However, perhaps she couldn’t fall asleep quickly because it hadn’t been long since she drank the coffee. Thinking of the caffeine’s side effects, she pulled the bell cord.

“Sophia, could you bring me some tea that helps with sleep?”

Before long, Sophia brought a cup of warm tea, mentioning that it was a rare and expensive one provided by Count Lackl. Liliana nodded absent-mindedly and drank the tea slowly.

And then…

“Hugh…”

Liliana clutched her throat, groaning. Her face turned pale instantly, and her hands trembled violently. Sophia, startled, grabbed Liliana’s body.

“Your Highness! Your Highness!“

Sophia’s shrill cry prompted the maids outside to rush into the room.

As Liliana vomited blood, the maids moved quickly and efficiently. Some went to get medicine, while others fetched the imperial physician.

Liliana faintly felt Sophia dabbing a handkerchief at her lips before she lost consciousness.

TL NOTE: A more advanced chapter of this story is already up on the site. Visit dusk blossoms for more advanced chapters and stories.