Chapter 9

As Helio smiled silently to himself, the chief attendant felt a chill and cautiously asked,

“Why are you smiling, Your Majesty?”

“Did that woman obediently get ready?“

“Excuse me?”

“I mean Empress Consort Liliana.”

The chief attendant nodded as if it were obvious.

“Of course. There could be no greater honor.“

“That can’t be.”

Helio’s emphatic statement made the chief attendant break out in a cold sweat. What would the Empress Consort do if not? Was he implying that she would throw a fit about not wanting to bathe or dislike the perfumes?

However, the chief attendant didn’t dare ask further. Helio’s quiet smile was intimidating.

Helio, on the other hand, was having rather amusing thoughts.

‘Y-Your Majesty! We still…’

‘Still?’

‘We’re not officially a couple yet, are we?!’

The memory of Liliana’s hesitant and cute remark crossed his mind.

He was curious how she would react now that they were officially a couple.

Instead of signing the final document, Helio tore it in half and let the pieces float away as he stood up.

“Have this rubbish report redone, and let’s head to the Emerald Palace.“

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

* * *

Liliana sat quietly on the bed, exuding a sweet fragrance like a doll adorned with a sachet. A sparkling diamond hung in a curve below her exposed collarbone.

Although she looked beautiful and picturesque to anyone who saw her, her thoughts were far from serene.

‘My neck is going to snap.’

Liliana naturally had a slender build. This heavy diamond necklace made even the slightest movement difficult. She was massaging the back of her neck when the head maid scolded her.

“You must sit gracefully.“

“The emperor already knows I’m not graceful.”

Liliana grumbled, but the head maid retorted sternly,

“But tonight, you must be graceful. It’s an important night. Do not touch His Majesty without permission, do not raise your voice, and also…“

“I know, I know. You’ve said it enough times. Your words are stuck in my head now, so stop.”

Liliana waved her hand dismissively, and the head maid had no choice but to step back and stand at a distance. She would undoubtedly watch Liliana until Helio arrived and only then leave.

‘I need to get everything in place before Helio arrives…‘

Liliana’s mind was consumed with this thought. Only then could her plan proceed smoothly. She spoke up after some contemplation.

“Headmaid, please leave.“

“That is not possible, Your Highness.“

“What do you think is the most important thing tonight?”

The head maid opened her mouth to answer but paused. She would likely say grace, nobility, respect for the emperor, etc.

But the most important thing for any empress on her first night was different.

“Preparing to capture His Majesty’s heart.“

“You can do that with me here.“

“I’m new to this and can’t be so bold.”

Liliana deliberately tugged at the shoulder of her dress and whispered carefully.

The head maid hesitated for a long time. She had the duty to ensure Liliana greeted the emperor with elegance.

However… Liliana wasn’t wrong either. No matter how noble, Empress Consorts weren’t quite the same as Empresses.

“I’ll be outside, so call if you need anything.“

“Thank you for understanding.”

Feeling reassured, Liliana sincerely thanked her, and the headmaid bowed and left the room.

As soon as the head maid left, Liliana removed her tight shoes. Walking barefoot on the carpet, she had one last dilemma but ultimately decided.

Liliana picked up Chuchu, placed on the nightstand, and went to the balcony. Standing close to the railing, she looked at the lanterns illuminating the dark night road.

And those lanterns surrounded none other than Helio, who was coming here tonight.

Liliana placed her hand on the railing and waved to Helio.

Helio, noticing her movement, stopped and looked up. Seeing Liliana, he smiled wryly.

‘Wow, he looks handsome even from a distance.’

Liliana thought purely. Chuchu, in her hand, slapped her palm and spoke.

“When will you do it?”

Liliana snapped back to reality. Right, this wasn’t the time to admire Helio.

Before learning the power of the wind from Chuchu, Liliana had this conversation.

‘If I learn spirit magic, can you help me not get hurt if I jump from a high place?’

‘Of course!’

Meeting Chuchu while worrying about the lack of contraceptives was undoubtedly a unique opportunity. Liliana devised a daring plan using the wind’s power and enlisted Chuchu’s help.

Today was the day of the decision. Liliana waited until Chuchu tightly gripped her finger and then deliberately leaned against the railing.

Seeing this, Helio began to say something.

“It’s dangerous…”

Crack.

The railing Liliana was leaning on made an ominous sound. Gritting her teeth, she clutched Chuchu tightly.

The railing quickly broke, and Liliana leaned forward.

Curling her body, she desperately called upon the wind’s power.

‘Please, protect me, even a little. Just a little.’

With desperate calls, she felt the wind envelop her fingertips.

Relieved, Liliana looked down. Despite falling, the world seemed strangely slow. And in that view was Helio.

Helio, whose face had turned pale.

‘So, you can make that expression too.’

Thinking this unexpected expression was quite surprising, Liliana tumbled to the ground.

“Huff…!”

Liliana let out a sharp breath, the pain far more significant than anticipated. Though it had been reduced, it wasn’t nearly as safe as she had hoped.

She heard Chuchu’s tearful voice,

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I didn’t have enough strength… What should I do? I’m sorry!”

Liliana wanted to comfort Chuchu and tell her it was okay, but she didn’t even have the strength to move her fingers. She felt like she was going to lose consciousness.

Just as the world was turning pitch black, something rushed towards her. She thought it might be Helio, which seemed like an unbelievable thought.

* * *

Liliana’s mother was beautiful. However, as a commoner-born maid, she was no more than a one-night woman.

Lacking a noble family to support her meant the king had no reason to think of her again. A concubine without the king’s favor was no different from a maid.

The palace where Liliana and her mother lived had only two maids: too old and too young.

Thus, Liliana would find herself eating meals that were too modest for a princess and drinking tea that tasted like plain water while the two maids worked.

Yet, Liliana was happy. Unlike other palaces, she lived with her mother, shared a bed, and could fall asleep in her mother’s arms every night.

In the morning, the young maid Sophia would play with her, and the old maid would tell her old stories.

Liliana’s small world was filled with happiness.

But as Liliana grew older and her world expanded beyond the palace, she realized that happiness wasn’t all there was.

“Are you Liliana?”

When the fourth princess, Fecilia, approached, Liliana was excited to meet a sister for the first time. Unlike Sophia, Fecilia was just a year older than her, and Liliana was thrilled to have a peer to play with.

“Why are you smiling? Bow your dirty face right now!”

But Fecilia pushed Liliana away with disgust. Not stopping there, she dusted off her hands like they had touched something filthy.

Liliana, pushed to the ground by Fecilia’s force, looked up with wide, startled eyes.

“Did I do something wrong? I can fix it.”

Liliana was a good child and desperately wanted a new friend. She smiled brightly again; her mother said it made her look like a blooming flower.

But Fecilia raised her hand, annoyance deepening at Liliana’s pretty face.

Slap!

The sharp blow from Fecilia’s hand stung and made Liliana tremble, clutching her cheek.

“If you were born from a filthy womb, you should know your place. How dare you speak to me informally? Greet me properly!”

Liliana hesitated, then slowly stood up and bowed as her mother had taught her. As she awkwardly greeted her, Fecilia kicked her shin, making her fall again.

“From now on, bow down! Got it? I don’t want to see your face!”

Fecilia spat on Liliana’s head as she obediently bowed.

“Lowly wench!”

Growing up, Liliana understood that Fecilia’s cruelty stemmed from insecurity about her looks.

But at that time, she didn’t know. Sharp words like filthy, disgusting, lowly, and dirty stabbed into Liliana’s heart.

Returning to her palace, Liliana asked her mother, “Mom, am I a dirty child?”

Her cheek was red, her hair disheveled, and her shin bruised, but she didn’t cry.

Her mother was even more saddened by Liliana’s appearance. Seeing her mother silently cry, Liliana slowly realized.

‘I am someone who must silently endure being called dirty, disgusting, and lowly.’

Such thoughts were not befitting a princess. But Liliana had to understand this early on.

After that day, Liliana always endured slaps, kicks, and shoves from Fecilia.

She had to endure Fecilia’s sneers on days she wasn’t hit. The difference in their appearances was stark, with Fecilia being the favored princess and Liliana’s humble attire.

“Even a country woman wouldn’t look like you, Liliana.”

Liliana wasn’t ashamed of this. She was too worn down to be discontent with what she didn’t have.

She let Fecilia’s words slide by, thinking about picking dandelions and playing with her mother.

Fecilia grew angrier seeing Liliana’s indifference. She wanted Liliana to cry, to be driven mad by inferiority.

But Liliana just quietly waited for it all to pass.

Fecilia, arms crossed, looked down at Liliana and said,

“Are you really a princess? Your mother is a filthy woman. Isn’t she carrying another man’s child and lying about it?”

Liliana snapped her head up at that.

She could endure Fecilia’s words because she had been hit for so long; her wounds had turned into scars over time.

But when Fecilia insulted her mother, Liliana couldn’t take it.

She raised her hand high. Fecilia, not expecting to be hit, screamed in shock.

“Aaaah!”

But Liliana didn’t strike her. Hitting Fecilia would only cause trouble for her mother and the two palace maids. So Liliana lowered her hand.

Her anger retreated deep into her heart, and she shrank as much as possible.

Liliana returned to her palace, but Fecilia didn’t let it go.

Fecilia reported everything to her mother, and Liliana was dragged out to be caned on her calves in front of the attendants and maids.

The sound of her mother crying silently was more painful than the sharp cane hitting her calves.

‘Don’t cry.’

‘Don’t cry.’

‘I’ll endure more next time. So I’ll survive.‘

‘I must.’