Chapter 53

Liliana covered her mouth and giggled. It seemed Reid knew Helio quite well.

Upon reflection, Helio was a war hero, and Reid also had combat experience, so they must have been close on the battlefield.

Helio’s aide, Ternz, also seemed to know him very well.

Compared to them, Liliana knew nothing about Helio’s past. When she meets him, he is already the emperor, and he also appears as the emperor in the original story.

‘He never swore even once in the original story.’

Liliana looked at Helio with a newfound curiosity. Helio interpreted it as curiosity and clicked his tongue.

“Why are you so interested in what mistakes I made? Stop hanging around that dark fellow and come over here.”

Helio didn’t like Liliana associating with Reid. After exchanging a look with Reid, she urged her horse to move closer to Helio.

“Your Majesty, could you please finish the story?”

She could ask Helio directly if she couldn’t hear it from Reid. When Liliana asked honestly, there was a sound of suppressed laughter from behind.

‘Is he going to swear at me too?’

The thought suddenly worried Liliana. After all, Reid had warned him to stop when he started swearing. However, Helio just responded in his usual, calm voice.

“What for?”

Phew. Liliana visibly relaxed, and Helio raised an eyebrow.

“Did you think I would swear at you?”

“Just a thought that you might.“

“D*mn, it’s no use being nice.”

See? He just said “damn.“ Liliana stared at Helio, who sighed and ran his hand through his blond hair.

“Forget it. Pretend you didn’t hear that.”

Liliana realized the unease she had felt earlier. Here, surrounded by trees and away from the crowd, Helio seemed a bit freer.

His hunting clothes with rolled-up sleeves and tightly fastened water bottle at his waist indicated he was comfortable in this space.

Normally, he would have glared instead of swearing. So, when he was just a prince…

“Did you swear a lot when you were a prince?”

“Everyone swears on the battlefield. Even the Spirit King of Light, today’s lady, must do so.”

Reid interjected at the perfect moment. But as soon as Helio glared at him, he cleared his throat and fell silent.

Liliana felt a pang of regret. She wanted to see more of Helio interacting freely with his familiar knights. It would be difficult to see once they returned to the palace.

However, that regret was short-lived. Helio and the knights were excellent hunters, succeeding one after another without rest.

Helio accurately pierced the animals’ necks or foreheads and smiled refreshingly as if enjoying a cool breeze.

Would it be an exaggeration to say he looked like a fifteen-year-old innocent boy? Regardless, Liliana couldn’t deny that she was captivated by that sight.

Helio wiped the sweat from his chin with the back of his hand and turned toward Liliana. How he held the reins and pointed at a distant deer seemed natural.

“Lily, are you planning to return without catching one?”

Liliana was startled by Helio calling her name. It wasn’t the first time, but this time, it was in such an everyday tone.

Helio also seemed surprised he had called her name, but he quickly looked ahead and spoke smoothly.

“You were too slow, and the deer ran away.”

His voice was as haughty as ever, allowing Liliana to calm her blushing face with a fan.

She deliberately turned her head to look into the distance, trying to steady her fluttering heart, when she noticed something unexpected.

A cliff with white streaks was a common sight in this hunting ground. However, the thin waterfall flowing and the white streaks resembling a butterfly were unique.

‘That’s where the child found the black fox in the original story.’

The child had entered the hunting competition at the very young age of ten.

Helio had already considered the child his successor, but the world’s eyes were not kind.

People believed that the emperor’s bloodline, who did not even exist, should be the crown prince, and the child, who was a hostage’s daughter, was seen as an impurity.

The child had to prove her extraordinary talent as a spirit mage to the world to establish her position.

The most thrilling part of that hunting competition episode was not when the child hunted or Gabriel Duchy intervened.

It was when she received Helio’s permission. After all, he was overly protective…

Anyway, the important thing was that there was a habitat for black foxes around there. It might still exist more than ten years ago. Animals are adept at finding safe-havens.

Liliana pointed towards the cliff.

“Your Majesty, what do you think is over there?”

Both Helio and Reid turned their heads at Liliana’s question. Reid shaded his eyes with his hand and let out a slight exclamation.

“It looks like a good place for animals to live. It’s hard to see because of the trees, but you have keen eyes.“

“Well spotted, Your Highness.”

Helio and Reid showered her with praise, and the group changed direction to head that way.

As they approached slowly, Reid jumped off his horse and examined the ground. He sniffed the earth and quickly came to a conclusion.

“It seems to be a black fox.”

Of course! Liliana looked at Helio with an excited face, and a smile spread across his face as if he had discovered a small animal in the garden.

“Amazing. How did you know?“

“Well, a child…”

Liliana started to speak excitedly but then stopped herself.

“A child?“

“I-I thought I saw a baby fox.”

She quickly made an excuse, and Helio chuckled, patting her head.

“Then you should have said it more confidently. Anyway, well done. Let’s go.”

They needed to walk from here to avoid startling the animal. Helio dismounted first and extended his hand to Liliana.

A servant nearby quickly approached, surprised.

“Your Majesty, that’s my duty. For someone of her status…“

“I will do it.”

Ignoring the servant, Helio took Liliana’s hand and wrapped his other arm around her waist. It was a completely different action than the servant’s customary assistance with mounting and dismounting.

Blushing, Liliana placed her hand on Helio’s shoulder for support.

Helio gently lifted her and set her down from the horse. His movements were so smooth that Liliana felt like a feather.

As soon as Liliana’s feet touched the ground, Helio frowned.

“You’re too light. Is the chef I sent starving you?“

“No. It’s a feast every day.”

Indeed, the chef Helio sent to cater to her had extraordinary skills. Liliana enjoyed delightful meals daily, tasting dishes she had never heard of before.

However, Helio still seemed dissatisfied.

“Maybe it’s because you’re growing taller.“

“I’m not that short!“

“Keep your voice down. The black fox will run away.”

Annoyed but realizing Helio was right, Liliana closed her mouth.

They heard water being lapped up beyond the bushes as they moved stealthily forward.

Peeking out slightly, they saw a beautiful black-furred fox. Its fur looked luxurious as if it would reflect sunlight.

Liliana, awestruck, did nothing. Helio made a sign with his eyes.

‘You catch it.’

Liliana pointed to herself with a flustered expression.

‘Me?’

Helio nodded firmly.

Liliana wanted to argue why he was entrusting such an essential moment to her, but fearing the black fox would escape, she reluctantly pulled back the bowstring.

However, her arrow didn’t fly.

Whizz—!

With a sharp sound, the black fox collapsed sideways without even a scream. It seemed to have died without feeling any pain.

The direction the arrow came from was opposite of where Helio’s group was. Soon, someone emerged from the bushes on the other side.

The man with black hair, as beautiful as the black fox, was none other than Sergei.

“Well, at least Sergei got it.”

Helio spoke in a serious tone, and Liliana was taken aback. Helio then laughed loudly as if to say,

“You fell for it again.“

“I’m joking.“

“Your Majesty!“

“Don’t worry, even if you shot a hundred arrows, you wouldn’t even graze his clothes.”

It was an ambiguous statement, praising Sergei while seemingly mocking Liliana.

Helio stood up first, and Liliana followed suit. Noticing them, Sergei knelt on one knee.

“Your Majesty, you were here as well.“

“Yes. You’ve taken the Empress Consort’s prey.”

Although it was an absurd statement, Sergei immediately apologized to Liliana.

“My apologies, Your Highness. I didn’t notice your presence.“

“N-no. Naturally, the one who catches it first gets it.”

Liliana waved her hands fervently. Helio, however, continued to make ambiguous remarks while looking at Liliana.

“When there’s someone of high status, it’s customary to let them catch the prey. If someone takes your prey, just give them a look.”

Liliana sighed deeply, not knowing how to respond.

In the meantime, Sergei removed the arrow from the black fox’s neck and approached them.

“I offer this black fox to Your Highness.“

Helio’s eyes narrowed sharply at those words. Reid, standing behind, noticed the tension and slapped his forehead, but Sergei seemed oblivious to the situation.

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