Chapter 40

Liliana obediently followed the palace physician’s treatment instructions. She took the antidotes regularly and ate only nutritious food.

When the moon rose, she lay in bed without delay, and she got up early to take walks within the Emerald Palace.

During these walks, she inevitably encountered the Imperial Guards but deliberately ignored them. There was no point in trying to understand Helio’s intentions, as it would only lead to an overwhelming sense of loneliness.

As her health improved, her troubled mind gradually calmed.

After finishing her walk and returning to her bedroom, Chuchu was excited and bouncing around again.

“I’ll teach that smug guy a lesson! If I blow on him while he’s on the stairs, he’ll surely roll down and fall!”

The mere thought of it was so startling that Liliana frowned and shook her head.

“If you do that, I’ll be in trouble too.”

The nobles, including the Gabriel family, would surely accuse the Empress Consort of not properly attending to the emperor.

“…Well, it feels like I’ll die at this rate anyway.”

“What?!”

“What?!”

Chuchu and Sophia exclaimed simultaneously, almost making Liliana think Sophia could see Chuchu. She waved her hands, trying to explain.

“No, I just meant that I realized I need a means to protect myself after this incident.”

Sophia grabbed Liliana’s hands firmly, her eyes brimming with tears.

“You’ve made the right decision, Your Highness! You’ve finally resolved to do something!”

Sophia seemed genuinely delighted. Liliana felt a twinge of guilt, realizing how much Sophia had been worried.

“I’ve been managing pretty well here, haven’t I? Were you really that worried?”

Sophia nodded solemnly.

“I know His Majesty treats you well, but even King Nieta initially treated his consort well. Then he suddenly cast her aside. I hoped you would gain your own strength rather than rely on the emperor’s fickle heart.”

Sophia’s words were realistic, and Liliana pushed aside her bitter feelings and accepted them to some extent.

She didn’t believe Helio had wholly abandoned her. However, expecting him to prioritize her in crucial moments was foolish.

I’ll reach out to Vail Gabriel.

Sophia blinked in surprise.

“Not Count Lackl?”

“If I ask Count Lackl for help, I’d have to give him what he wants. But I have no intention of doing that.”

“You could be a little more selfish…”

“Sophia.”

Liliana smiled bitterly at her.

“I’m not very good at these things. I want to start with what I can do. When I get better at it, I’ll follow your advice.”

Sophia nodded, seemingly convinced.

Liliana quickly made a plan.

The Emerald Palace was under surveillance by the Imperial Guards. Even exchanging items was done under their watchful eyes.

If only she had a carrier pigeon, sending a letter would be easy, but she didn’t. Liliana realized just how vulnerable she was.

After this, she kept at least one carrier pigeon disguised as a pet.

“Sophia, find a palace servant who isn’t under the emperor’s orders.”

“I’ll look into it!”

After assigning the task to Sophia, Liliana wrote a letter.

“I seek your help. I want to know the public opinion outside the Emerald Palace. Additionally, please act as a bridge to the Marquis of Liston. If you do this, I will accept your proposal.”

Vail proposed that they join forces to make Agrina the Empress. As the most favored woman recently, Liliana could appear in society with Agrina, garnering attention and establishing power among the noblewomen.

Liliana carefully hid the letter in a drawer and waited for Sophia to find a suitable maid.

Finally, Sophia suggested they take a walk in the Emerald Palace garden. From her subtle gaze, she had found the right person.

Liliana took the letter and walked, encountering a young maid she didn’t often see.

Liliana casually spoke to the maid, who had her head bowed.

“A new face, I see.”

“I greet Your Highness the Empress Consort. I am just a lowly maid…”

Impressive. Liliana admired her internally. This maid, likely instructed by Sophia, acted perfectly, pretending to be frightened by the sudden encounter with the palace’s mistress.

This maid was responsible for waste disposal in the Emerald Palace. Therefore, she was one of the few servants who left the palace grounds with the garbage cart.

The challenge was how to hand her the letter…

Liliana glanced at the head maid diligently following behind and then pointed to the tea table in the garden.

“Let’s take a short break,”

Liliana said, taking a seat at the tea table. Soon, a beautiful tray with warm tea and desserts was brought out.

Liliana waited for the head maid to momentarily look away, then slipped the letter under the tray. She spent some time idly chatting before standing up to leave.

The young maid naturally approached to clear the table, making it seem inevitable that she would find the letter hidden under the tray.

As Liliana concluded her walk, her heart pounded in her chest, but she managed to calm herself as she returned to her bedroom.

The head maid approached and handed her a tiny envelope.

“Your Highness, you left this in the garden.”

Liliana nearly fainted. It was the envelope she had hidden under the tray for the maid.

“Oh, um. Thank you.”

She tried to take the envelope as nonchalantly as possible, but the head maid’s eyes sharpened, clearly not fooled.

“So, it was as I thought.”

The head maid didn’t hand over the envelope but gripped it tightly. Liliana looked up at her, bewildered, and the head maid gazed back at her.

“Your Highness, why are you so careless?”

The head maid scolded her in an angry voice.

“W-What do you mean?”

“How could you entrust such an important task to a maid you’ve barely observed? What if she takes this letter to His Majesty or Duke Gabriel?”

Liliana found herself making excuses in a small voice, feeling chastised.

“But all the other maids are under His Majesty’s surveillance…”

“That is…”

That was the correct answer. The head maid, looking conflicted, stopped her reprimand. After contemplating, she knelt before Liliana with a deep sigh.

“I deserve punishment for raising my voice to you. Please, strike my cheek.”

Liliana was so shocked that she vigorously shook her head. However, the head maid remained kneeling, insisting on her punishment.

Liliana was thoroughly confused. Even when furious with Fecilia or Beatty, she only raised her hand but never struck anyone.

The head maid recalled this and raised her hand to strike her cheek. Just before the sound could resonate, Liliana reached out and grabbed the head maid’s arm.

“Head maid, stop.”

Liliana’s face was uncharacteristically stern. The usual startled, smiling demeanor was gone. She met the head maid’s eyes before slowly releasing her arm.

“You might find it naive, but I treated the maids like family in the kingdom. So, this situation is uncomfortable for me.”

The head maid carefully examined Liliana’s face. Liliana’s eyes did not hint at falsehood as she spoke those seemingly fairytale-like words. After a long pause, the head maid let out a slow breath and lowered her arm, her stern expression softening.

“Are you calm now?”

Liliana’s gentle words left the head maid with a mixed expression. She quickly composed herself and sincerely apologized once more.

“Although Your Highness finds it uncomfortable, my fault is clear. This won’t happen again, and I will reflect deeply on this incident. I will also demonstrate my loyalty to match the forgiveness you have shown.”

She spoke with reverence, almost as if swearing an oath. Liliana, unused to such treatment, appeared visibly uneasy.

She considered helping the head maid to her feet but worried she might react with unreasonable anger again.

“Please stand and answer my questions instead.”

Liliana’s words prompted the head maid to slowly rise after remaining on her knees for a moment longer.

Liliana had never looked at the head maid so closely before.

They had always been in a dynamic of the watcher and watched, aware of each other’s roles. Thus, they had never been able to have a friendly conversation.

But Liliana felt a slight sense of familiarity when the head maid scolded her.

She finally saw the headmaid clearly. With her tidy updo of milky hair, she appeared to be in her 50s, but her large, clear eyes and upright posture suggested she had been quite a beauty in her youth.

When she first arrived, the head maid had introduced herself as Minelli from the House of Baron Chiron. Liliana hadn’t considered this information necessary then, thinking she would never have her on her side.

But now, Liliana doubted that someone who took such a risky step to admonish her could be utterly disinterested in her well-being.

“Minelli. May I call you that?”

Minelli looked surprised by the question. She remained silent momentarily, making Liliana wonder if using her first name was too forward. However, Minelli eventually smiled faintly and nodded.

“I didn’t know you knew my name.”

“Well, I’ve been too scared to use it.”

“Don’t be afraid of a servant.”

Another scolding. Minelli wasn’t entirely indifferent to Liliana.

She had discreetly given Liliana advice, though never directly. She would make subtle comments when Liliana deliberated over gifts from the frontier or just before entering the conference room.

Liliana smiled slightly and asked Minelli a fundamental question.

“Minelli, are you His Majesty’s person?”

“I won’t deny it.”

“Then why didn’t you report this letter and give me a chance instead?”

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