Chapter 42

In the carriage returning to Emerald Palace, Liliana bit her lower lip with all her might. If she didn’t, she felt like she would burst into tears.

If she were alone or if Sophia had been with her instead, she wouldn’t have thought twice about maintaining her composure and would have started crying right away. Unfortunately, Ternz was sitting beside her.

No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t stop Helio’s indifferent expression and cold tone from vividly coming to mind. His demeanor, like drawing a line saying, “This is as far as you go,“ was far more brutal than anything she had seen in her dreams.

She was so angry, upset, and aggrieved.

After claiming he would take responsibility.

Sniff.

Liliana finally couldn’t hold back the tears that began to well up. She hurriedly turned her head towards the window but couldn’t hide the sound of her sniffling.

Sniff.

She felt embarrassed, thinking how pathetic Ternz must find her for being unable to hold back such a simple sound.

“Your… Your Highness.“

“Y-yes, what is it?”

Liliana, still glaring out the window, responded. Her voice was thick with emotion, but she was still gritting her teeth, trying not to let her crying show. She was determined not to break down and sob, at least not here.

“Please take this.”

What was suddenly thrust under her chin was a pristine white handkerchief. Embroidered with gold roses, it looked pretty luxurious.

Liliana, taken aback, took the handkerchief and glanced at Ternz. He scratched his chin awkwardly and smiled to show he meant no harm.

“Please, make yourself comfortable. I will just…”

Ternz turned his body in the opposite direction from Liliana and continued.

“Look out the window.”

Liliana couldn’t help but laugh. Ternz’s considerate gesture was too cute and warm. She was still a bit embarrassed but no longer as desperate as before.

She glanced at Ternz, then blew her nose into the handkerchief.

“Sir Ternz, I’ll… I’ll wash this for you. No, I’ll get you a new one.”

After hastily adding that Liliana hesitated and added another unnecessary remark.

“Um, once I’m no longer being watched.”

At that, Ternz shook his head vigorously while still looking out the window.

“No, Your Highness. Don’t worry about it. A true gentleman always keeps a handkerchief ready for a lady.”

That made Liliana laugh again. Ternz seemed like a cute and gentle gentleman. Talking to him had stopped her tears from flowing any further.

“Sir Ternz, you must be quite popular.”

Ternz wasn’t a breathtakingly handsome man, but he had a soft and kind face that anyone would find appealing. Tall, capable, and with such a good personality, he must have many secret admirers.

But Ternz waved his hands dismissively as if that wasn’t true.

“Oh, not as much as Your Majesty.”

Ternz seemed to realize that his comment wasn’t inappropriate for addressing the Emperor and cleared his throat.

“That’s… just between us. If you tell anyone, I’ll be in trouble.“

“Ahaha.”

This time, Liliana laughed quite loudly. Seeing her laugh, Ternz turned slightly and smiled, pleased with himself for making her laugh.

Liliana, sharing a smile with Ternz, then asked a question she had been curious about.

“Just between us, is His Majesty always this harsh with women?“

“No.”

The swift answer to her bold question surprised her. Though it was a disheartening response, Ternz continued confidently.

“He’s far harsher. Sometimes, it’s so embarrassing to watch.”

Liliana gave a bitter smile at that.

“That’s a bit comforting.”

She turned back to look out the window. She saw the palace workers busily going about their tasks. Perhaps she was worrying over nothing. Liliana tried to calm her heart.

* * *

The Emperor’s study was stiflingly quiet. Helio didn’t enjoy noisy environments, but he wasn’t so finicky as to be annoyed by small noises, not having been a pampered crown prince.

However, Helio had recently seemed visibly displeased, making everyone in the imperial palace careful, even with their breathing.

Ternz was one of the few who could speak to Helio first. As soon as Helio set his pen down, seemingly taking a break, Ternz spoke up.

“Her Highness the Empress Consort was crying.”

Helio leaned back in his chair, staring into space. His gaze was so fierce that the attendants and maids serving him flinched.

The head servant shot Ternz sternly, signaling him to stop talking, but Ternz didn’t even glance his way.

“She seemed to be hurt by Your Majesty.”

Helio slammed his hand down on the desk.

“There will be plenty more of that to come.”

He meant that he didn’t want to be informed of every little thing like this. Realistically, he was right. The Empress Consort was still just a concubine, and it wasn’t the Emperor’s duty to wipe away her tears. However, Ternz pouted in dissatisfaction.

‘Then he shouldn’t have been kind to her in the first place. Poor Empress Consort…’

Even as Ternz entertained these irreverent thoughts, Helio glared at the documents. Ternz picked up the stack of papers Helio had piled up and prepared to leave.

“Ternz.”

Helio called out to him in an unassuming tone. Ternz, not suspecting anything, paused in his steps.

“Did you give the Empress Consort a handkerchief?”

Ternz had known Helio since his days as a prince. Thus, Helio knew that Ternz would readily lend a handkerchief to any distressed woman.

Of course, Ternz wasn’t a fool, so he responded immediately.

“No, Your Majesty.“

“Is that so?”

Ternz let out a sigh of relief inwardly. He didn’t know what might have happened if he had said yes.

Luckily, Helio’s expression remained unchanged. He casually flipped through the documents and then stood up.

Huh?

While Ternz watched in confusion, Helio placed a thick stack of documents on Ternz’s pile—one, two, a total of three bundles.

“Handle these documents. By tomorrow morning.“

Helio’s expression remained impassive. But Ternz knew.

‘Ah, he found out.’

Even though he thought he had answered quickly and naturally, Helio had evidently seen through his lie. Ternz, now carrying the heavy load, muttered with a face that couldn’t decide whether to laugh or cry.

“Your Majesty, I was just trying to comfort her…“

“Did I say anything? I don’t care at all. Now, get to work.”

Ternz looked at Helio pitifully, but nothing changed.

He trudged toward the door, internally cursing, “Tyrant! Tyrant!“ But feeling utterly aggrieved, he turned back and shouted.

“Why are you blaming me for your inability to be honest!“

Helio’s eyebrows twitched at the resounding shout. Before his red lips could open, Ternz had already fled in a clatter.

The maids, apparently accustomed to this, simply bit their lips to suppress their laughter. Exasperated, Helio ran his hand over his forehead and moved to the window.

Before long, he saw Ternz struggling to move the documents. However, Helio had no interest in that, and his gaze naturally drifted far away.

Past the Empress Consort’s palace, the old Aris Palace, and the Silver Deer Palace… He focused on the slender spire of the Emerald Palace in the distance.

From here, even the garden of the Emerald Palace wasn’t visible. All he could see was that spire. Nevertheless, Helio sometimes took a break from his duties to engage in this seemingly pointless act.

“I suppose I should do what I can.”

Helio whispered in a voice that sounded as if he was deceiving himself. Even after that, he stood by the window for a long while.

* * *

The wind wove through her fingers like threads. Liliana closed her eyes and concentrated more, drawing out the wind threads longer. She could feel the delicate breeze following the path she created.

With a mischievous smile, Liliana gestured to Sophia. Sophia, intrigued, stuck close to Liliana’s side.

Liliana pointed a finger at one of the guards standing watch outside the window.

The breeze she had created carefully approached the guard. He seemed to enjoy the calm wind, smiling in relief.

But when the breeze repeatedly tickled his nose, the guard couldn’t hold back and sneezed loudly.

“What are you doing!”

Another guard reprimanded him. It made sense, considering he had suddenly caused a ruckus while standing on solemn duty. The guard looked aggrieved but couldn’t blame the wind very well.

“I’m sorry!”

The guard straightened his back and shouted loudly. Liliana and Sophia ducked below the window, giggling.

“Your Highness, you’re amazing!“

“What, for tickling that man’s nose?”

Sophia covered her mouth with both hands and giggled.

“I meant it’s like you’re a spirit summoner now!”

Liliana bit her lower lip, smiling. She hadn’t made a pact with any spirit yet, so she couldn’t use any grand spirit arts. Still, she could feel the wind and even somewhat control it.

Liliana looked at Chuchu, who was watching from the window sill.

“What do you think, Chuchu? I’ve gotten pretty good, haven’t I?”

Chuchu, apparently enjoying the prank, jumped up and down with both hands raised.

“You’re the best, Lily! You really know how to use the power of the wind!”

It seemed that spirits loved pranks had been confirmed. Liliana stroked Chuchu’s head with her index finger, smiling proudly.

On the day she returned from meeting Helio, Liliana buried herself under the covers, not moving an inch. She had skipped dinner, drank no water, and refused to talk to anyone.

Sophia had been so worried that she had teared up, stomping her feet in distress.

But it lasted only half a day. As soon as the morning sun rose, Liliana ate her bread and soup with gusto, walked into the garden, and ignored the guards watching her.

She decided to do what she could. First on the list was to practice the spirit arts she had been neglecting. Learning anything could be helpful, and it was better than doing nothing.

After a few days of practicing the spirit arts, she felt she had improved more than expected. Reading the theoretical books helped.

“The next target is that person.”

From her bedroom window, Liliana pointed to someone farther away. The farther the distance, the harder it was to control the wind, so she gradually set more distant targets.

But the guard she pointed at saluted someone outside the Emerald Palace just then. Shortly after, a familiar figure came into Liliana’s view.

“Sir Ternz…?”

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