Chapter 68

Sophia quietly withdrew and returned with a small box in hand. As she carefully opened the gift box, Helio remained silent while Liliana muttered how strange this was at least five times.

“There’s definitely something strange in there. I don’t even want to open it.”

“I’ll open it.“

“I don’t want to show it to Your Majesty either. I just want to throw it away.“

“No.”

Liliana didn’t want to upset Helio unnecessarily, but since this was a matter concerning her honor, Helio didn’t back down even a single step.

“I’m curious to see how bold Count Kurd has become.”

When a pair of familiar shoes emerged from the box, Liliana sighed. Meanwhile, Helio, finding it all amusing, hooked his index finger through one of the shoes and lifted it up.

“Shoes, huh…”

The shoes dangling in midair were exceedingly beautiful. That was only natural—they were one of the pairs Liliana had received as a gift from Helio at the last banquet.

Even for someone as powerful as Helio, it wasn’t possible to create something that didn’t exist in the world within just an hour or two. Instead, he had chosen three items from the three most prestigious shops in the empire and sent them to her as gifts.

Even though they were few and rare, they were not one-of-a-kind items in the world.

“Count Kurd is quite daring.“

“He probably never dreamed that Your Majesty would see this.“

“It seems Count Kurd knows you better than I expected. If you had seen this alone, you wouldn’t have told me about it.”

Helio flicked the shoe away with his finger, sending it skidding across the floor. The shoe, worth more than a house, was now rolling pathetically on the ground.

It was apparent what Count Kurd intended with this gift. Despite her expensive appearance, he was implying that Liliana was no different from this shoe—easily replaceable.

In plain terms, he told her to stop flaunting herself as the Empress and behave.

Understanding the implication, Liliana blinked without showing the slightest sign of displeasure.

In fact, her pink-tinged eyes looked more evident than usual, giving the impression that she was more composed than before opening the box.

“Why are you just standing there, looking at it? He insulted you.“

“That’s true.”

Liliana nodded calmly. Helio chuckled softly and sat on her desk, leaning on his arms. He looked like a sulky boy, and Liliana found this sight more striking than the shoes Count Kurd had sent.

Helio stared at her, his irritation plain to see.

“Tell me.“

“Tell you what?“

“What would you do if I hadn’t seen it?“

“I would’ve thought… well, he sent it.”

Liliana replied indifferently but then felt a strong sense of déjà vu and covered her forehead with both hands. Helio, however, pinched her ear as if he had expected this reaction.

“Ow! That hurts!”

Liliana pushed her chair back with a loud screech, covering her stinging ear as she glared at him.

“I have a reason!”

Helio tapped the desk with his nails, lifting his head arrogantly as if to say, “Go on, tell me.”

Liliana glanced at him warily before opening a drawer.

There was no sign that she intended to hide the secret compartment in the drawer from Helio.

She retrieved a document from the compartment, stretched her arm out, and placed it on the desk. This clear message that she didn’t want to get any closer was enough for him to take it himself.

Helio could have easily pulled Liliana over to sit before him, but instead, he smiled at her and played along.

He skimmed the document Liliana handed him. He didn’t need to read it thoroughly to understand her “reason.”

“The secret ledger of the Kurd Merchant Guild.“

“It turns out Count Kurd has been up to many bad things. Even the Duke of Gabriel must sacrifice a lot to protect them.”

The Kurd Merchant Guild had engaged in activities as egregious as the slave trade, which was strictly prohibited in the empire, leaving no room for leniency.

Helio snapped his fingers, making a sharp sound as he tapped the document. A refreshing smile spread across his face, indicating how much he liked the secret ledger.

“You weren’t planning to handle this yourself. Was it Count Lackl?“

“Yes. I think we’ll be hearing from him soon.“

“Count Lackl is more useful than I thought.”

That was high praise, indeed.

In the original study, Helio had even refused Count Lackl’s attempt to defect, which showed how little he had thought of him. However, this incident must have caused Helio to reassess his opinion of the count.

“Lackl will take care of Count Kurd, so what use is there in holding a grudge against him? It’s just a meaningless gesture to get in the Duke of Gabriel’s good graces.”

Liliana genuinely showed no signs of hating Count Kurd. Helio clicked his tongue and gestured for her to come closer.

Sophia approached and set the chair back in place, and Liliana sank into it, looking tired.

She rubbed her ear, still sore from when Helio had pulled it earlier, and grumbled.

“I’m not a child, so why do you keep hitting my forehead and pulling my ears like you’re being mean?“

“I’m not treating you like a child.“

“Then what? You’re not treating me like a child because you actually think I ‘am‘ a child?”

When Liliana challenged him, Helio smiled subtly and replied.

“You’re the one turning me into a child.”

Helio leaned closer to Liliana, his honest and joyful face almost at her nose. The impression she had earlier that Helio looked like a boy wasn’t just in her imagination.

He gazed at her with a mischievous expression that made her think he might pull some trivial prank to embarrass her.

“So this is how a young boy feels when he teases the girl he likes.“

Liliana’s face flushed at the phrase “the girl he likes.“ She had never imagined such a cute expression coming out of Helio’s mouth.

Helio lightly tapped her cheek and then pulled back. As he rose from the desk where he had been sitting, he transformed from a boy back into an emperor in an instant.

His blue eyes still held a trace of mischief, but they were opaque, concealing whatever lay behind them.

“I never had such a peaceful childhood, so I wouldn’t know.”

Liliana wiped away the foolish look on her face. Hearing such cryptic words allowed her to smile softly instead.

Of course. Even if Helio showed her affection and favor, it wasn’t the feeling that matched a cute phrase like “the girl he likes.”

Their relationship was better suited to a term that implied some superiority—like “favoritism.”

Burying the brief excitement deep within her, Liliana pulled out one of the documents cluttering her desk.

“Since you’re here, could you answer some questions for me?“

“Am I your teacher now?“

“Wouldn’t you be considered a living history book?”

Liliana countered, refusing to back down. She felt more comfortable with Helio as the emperor than when he acted like a boy.

As an emperor, Helio was clear about his boundaries, and every move he made had a purpose. Liliana could solve the puzzle and find the correct answer.

But when Helio acted like a boy, it was as if even the most timeless truths were less challenging to unravel than he was. His smile, the lightness in his voice, his gestures toward her, and his transparent yet unfathomable eyes…

Perhaps because it seemed so unrealistic? Liliana’s heart would race whenever that happened, and she would attribute it to a fear of the unknown.

Addressing the Helio she was familiar with—the emperor—Liliana asked,

“Take a look at this. Fifteen years ago, the late emperor didn’t attend the New Year’s Eve banquet. Do you know why?“

“Hmm, I do remember that.”

As expected, Helio was practically a living history book, having been born and raised in an imperial family. He gently stroked his chin as he spoke.

“That was when I returned after my first victory in battle. The late emperor promised a great reward to any prince who proved useful. But when he asked what I wanted, I requested that my mother return to her homeland. He was so furious that he shut himself in the imperial palace and refused to come out. There’s no way they could have officially recorded that the emperor of a nation missed a royal banquet for such an emotional reason.”

Helio spoke fluently, but Liliana was left speechless.

Fifteen years ago, Helio would have been just a young boy in his early teens. The thought of a boy that age being sent to the battlefield was shocking enough. But to treat a boy who wished for his mother’s return so harshly? That was beyond her understanding.

‘So that’s why he said he never had a peaceful childhood…’

Liliana could now guess why Helio had made such a statement earlier.

She remained silent momentarily before picking up her pen and jotting something down on the document. Helio, who had approached to peer over her shoulder, chuckled softly.

“The emperor didn’t attend the official banquet because he didn’t want to grant Prince Helio’s wish after his victorious return.“

“What’s the point of writing that?”

Though Helio rebuked her, he didn’t stop her. He knew that the single line Liliana scribbled wouldn’t be officially recorded in history.

But someday, someone might stumble upon this document, which could become a part of folklore. Perhaps that thought amused him, as Helio seemed quietly pleased.

Liliana, noticing this, chuckled to herself before suddenly feeling her heart sink.

‘Oh, it’s that boyish look again.’

She quickly averted her gaze and changed the subject.

“Should I write more? If the emperor’s favorite consort writes it, it could be recorded as reliable folklore.”

Helio silently observed Liliana’s behavior, saying nothing.

He only brushed a strand of hair behind her back and gently checked her flushed neck.

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