Chapter 47

In contrast to the other rooms, this one stood out as it was significantly brighter. It was where Caroline’s casual wear and picnic dresses were kept.

“Caroline received training as an heir but was a sensitive child. She loved decorating rooms and choosing a variety of clothes.”

Lady Liston opened one of the wardrobes with a face filled with warm nostalgia. Inside, simple and brightly toned dresses were neatly arranged.

Lady Liston selected a pure white dress and held it up to Liliana.

“Just as I thought, bright colors suit Your Highness well. Would you like to try it on?”

“Um, I’m unsure if I should wear something like this….”

It wasn’t that she didn’t like the dress. However, Liliana always wore formal dresses, even when they were old.

Therefore, this was the first time she would wear such a comfortable dress without a corset. These were the kinds of dresses noble ladies wore in private or while attending the academy.

“What does it matter? After all, no one knows that Your Highness is here.”

Lady Liston whispered playfully. After some hesitation, Liliana changed into the dress with Sophia’s help. The dress was so comfortable that she could just plop on the floor.

As Liliana chuckled at the mischievous thought, she was startled when a hat was placed on her head, prompting her to look up.

“I thought this hat would suit you well.”

Lady Liston grasped Liliana’s shoulders and led her to a mirror.

On her head was a hat with a wide brim and a large ribbon, like something an actress playing an innocent role might wear on stage.

“It suits you so well, Your Highness!”

Sophia exclaimed in admiration, but feeling shy, Liliana kept fiddling with the hat’s brim.

Lady Liston smiled affectionately at Liliana through the mirror.

But that expression did not last long. Although still smiling, Lady Liston’s face was filled with worry.

Liliana could tell that she wanted to talk about the carriage accident. Removing the hat and holding it to her chest, Liliana looked at Lady Liston.

“This carriage accident was clearly orchestrated. The horse foamed at the mouth and collapsed, and upon investigation, they found traces of hibiscus in its tongue.“

“Hibiscus? Isn’t that a spice?”

“Yes, it’s harmless to humans and used in cooking. But if a horse ingests it, it gradually drives them mad and causes seizures. The royal stable hands would certainly know this, so someone must have intentionally fed it to the horse.“

Without realizing it, Liliana gripped the hat in her hand, slowly crumpling it, and her knuckles turned white.

This was the second time. Twice now, in such a short period, there had been attempts to harm her.

Liliana’s heart began to race wildly.

Her vision started to blur.

“Your Highness.”

At that moment, Lady Liston called out to Liliana in a steady voice.

“I’ve had some thoughts while running around for you all day today.“

Liliana’s anxious gaze turned to Lady Liston. On the other hand, Lady Liston looked calm, as if she had made a significant decision.

“I will help you, Your Highness. It doesn’t matter if you don’t become Empress. It’s clear that Empress Consort is an enemy of the Gabriel Duchy, so please help me take down those insolent people. That’s my only condition now.“

Liliana’s eyes widened in surprise at those words. But soon, she lowered her head, guilt evident on her face.

“Do you know the condition Vail Gabriel presented to me? It’s to help Agrina Gabriel ascend to the position of Empress. You wouldn’t want that.

However, Lady Liston smiled as if it were no difficult task, confidence evident on her face.

“Your Highness, you should keep that promise. Give it your all. But I will only keep my promise to you. Even if you help Agrina Gabriel, it’s not your fault if she doesn’t become Empress, right?”

In other words, she was confident that she could prevent that. Liliana wondered if this was okay, but she knew her allies couldn’t all share the same intentions from the start.

“Thinking of the worst-case scenario, it’s much better than having Beatty Gabriel become Empress.”

Lady Liston joked, trying to ease Liliana’s mind. Liliana ended up smiling awkwardly.

“And I will ask His Majesty to give me back my estates.“

“What?“

“I will re-enter society and officially support you, Your Highness.“

“But if you do that, the Gabriel Duchy will surely become wary. Didn’t you say you wanted to avoid that?”

Lady Liston shook her head gently.

“If the Gabriel Duchy continues to act so maliciously, you won’t be able to shield all the arrows alone, Your Highness. I will join you.”

Listening to Lady Liston, Liliana asked, seemingly unable to understand.

“Why are you doing all this for me?”

In response, Lady Liston gazed intently at Liliana with warm, affectionate eyes, every wrinkle filled with tender emotion. She moved her lips and murmured something.

“Because I want you to be my….“

“Pardon?”

It was such a small voice that Liliana couldn’t hear it even at such a close distance. It was uncharacteristic of Lady Liston, who had spoken so confidently until now.

Seeing Liliana tilt her head in confusion, Lady Liston blushed and repeated herself.

“Because I want you to be my goddaughter.”

Upon hearing that, Liliana covered her mouth with both hands. The hat she had been holding fluttered gently to the floor.

As the hat hit the floor with a soft thud, it seemed to signal Liliana’s face to flush bright red.

“I-I….“

Liliana’s hands, now red, fidgeted nervously.

“This is the first time anyone has ever made such an offer to me. Moreover, I’ve already had my coming-of-age ceremony, and… I’m really nothing….”

Lady Liston looked at Liliana as if she found her utterly endearing. Her eyes were filled with affection.

Lady Liston removed the hat from the floor and placed it back on Liliana’s head. She then placed her hands over Liliana’s.

“You’re not refusing, are you?“

“No, but….“

“I don’t have a daughter, and your mother is far away. Isn’t it good for both of us if we aren’t lonely? Right?”

Liliana, still blushing, slowly nodded.

Sophia also looked pleased, watching from the side, and Liliana spent a modest yet meaningful time with her new godmother in the wardrobe room.

It was the first time since arriving in the empire that she felt so at ease.

* * *

That night, Liliana had trouble falling asleep. Everything that had happened at the Liston Marquisate felt like a dream.

A godmother?

Liliana placed her hands over her chest, trying to calm her racing heart.

When she lived in the Kingdom of Nieta, the other princesses had influential noblewomen as their godmothers who taught them the unspoken rules of high society.

But Liliana hadn’t had that, so she had to learn through embarrassing mistakes.

Having a godmother, especially one she gained in a foreign land, was incredibly special to her.

‘I have to leave in a few days… I want to learn more about my godmother before then.’

Liliana lay awake, thinking about what to ask her new godmother.

Just then, she heard a slight, unfamiliar sound. It was clearly approaching, but it wasn’t footsteps.

Moreover, the sound came from the direction of the window. The excitement in Liliana’s heart turned into unease.

Could it be again? Did the Duke of Gabriel send an assassin this time?

Liliana glanced towards the bedside table and hid the glass under her blanket. At that moment, a shadow suddenly appeared at the window, and with a creak, the window opened.

Given her lack of physical strength, Liliana knew that running away now wouldn’t be meaningful. She had realized it too late.

She gripped the glass tightly and waited for the shadow to approach her bed. As the figure stood beside her, she swung the glass with all her might.

Whack!

But the shadow blocked it. Moreover, they quickly moved to cover her mouth before she could scream.

“Mmm! Mmm!”

The shadow leaned in and whispered as Liliana struggled and let out muffled sounds.

“Shh, be quiet.”

Hearing that voice, Liliana’s heart started beating to a different rhythm. Her arteries, which had been pounding with fear for her life, now felt a different kind of fear.

She stared wide-eyed at the man in the darkness.

“Will you be quiet?”

Liliana obediently nodded. The man sighed and released her mouth and wrist.

As she nearly collapsed, he caught her waist firmly. Liliana clung weakly to his arm for support.

Moonlight seeped in through the window, slowly unveiling the man’s features. Voice, face, build… he was the nobleman she knew.

“Y-Your Majesty, why are you here…?”

Helio didn’t answer. He couldn’t even meet her eyes. Avoiding her gaze, he slowly relaxed his grip.

Flop.

Liliana sat on the bed, still with her mouth agape in shock. Helio glanced at her, clicked his tongue, and said,

“You seem fine. Strong, even. Well, I’ll be going then.”

His speech was faster, and his actions hastier than usual. He seemed uncharacteristically flustered. As Liliana watched him start to leave, she threw herself to grab his arm.

“Huh?”

Though Liliana did her best to grab Helio, she was prepared to fall to the floor if she missed. But Helio let her hold onto him. In fact, he even extended his arm to keep her from falling.

Staring at his pale hand, Liliana blinked up at him.

“Why… why did you come?”

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