Previously
Helio confronts Liliana about her refusal to bear an heir, finding her bluntness amusing rather than offensive. Sophia agrees to help Liliana by procuring contraceptives, and later, Liliana reunites with Choo Choo during a walk.
The Empress Dowager took Liliana's hand into her own. Liliana felt profoundly uncomfortable.
Her discomfort stemmed from nervous tension, her palms slick with sweat, only worsened by how abruptly the Empress Dowager had broached such personal matters.
Of course, having spent long, lonely years in the palace, the Empress Dowager saw no need to conceal her feelings before Liliana. Still, she continued to speak, lightly patting the back of Liliana's hand.
Liliana nodded respectfully and answered.
The Empress Dowager looked at Liliana, a sorrowful smile touching her lips. Liliana lifted her head to meet that smile.
Though years had passed, her lovely face held no trace of happiness. In spite of her splendid jewels, her legion of servants, and a position at the pinnacle of power, she seemed entirely bereft of joy.
Sighing softly, the Empress Dowager spoke.
Liliana was taken aback, her brow furrowing involuntarily.
The Empress Dowager had indeed borne a child. That child had grown up healthy and become the reigning Emperor. Yet here the Empress Dowager remained, still bound to the Carlo Empire. Only one conclusion could be drawn from that reality.
The Late Emperor had broken his word.
Noticing the shift in Liliana's expression, the Empress Dowager nodded.
The Empress Dowager stared into the distance, her lips pressed tightly together. The sorrow in her heart ran deep, and quiet fury crept beneath it, yet she conveyed all those turbulent feelings through only the subtlest gestures.
Fifteen…. It was far too young to bear a child. Even in an era when women wed in their youth and bore children early, it was still tender years. She had likely felt utterly bewildered and afraid.
That was not to say the Empress Dowager's choice had been right.
Yet she had known no happiness either.
‘You must remain the Empress Dowager, and you will never return to your homeland, Mother.’
Hearing those words, I realized that everything I had done for the sake of revenge… had come back upon me in full. And I realized that Helio was every bit as furious as I had been.”
Liliana's hands trembled violently. Sensing the tremor, the Empress Dowager nonetheless went on.
Liliana dropped to the floor on her knees, bowing her head deeply.
She was not blind to the Empress Dowager's intention. Though she might not comprehend every detail, the Empress Dowager deeply regretted the past.
Even so, a woman in the Empress Dowager's position would not lay bare such raw emotions without an ulterior motive. She wished for Liliana to play some role in mending their rift.
Yet Liliana knew full well that this was not something she could do.
Liliana pleaded with firm resolve. She could not see the Empress Dowager's expression, but the distinct sound of her swallowing was unmistakable.
The Empress Dowager offered Liliana her hand. After a brief hesitation, Liliana took it and rose slowly to her feet, only to stumble for a second.
Her body had not fully recovered, and dropping to her knees had taken its toll.
The Empress Dowager steadied her with a firm grip. Liliana met her blue eyes. She was still far too young to be an Empress Dowager.
Liliana offered a polite bow and stepped away. On the walk back to the Emerald Palace, her mind was a swirl of conflicting emotions.
The Empress Dowager had laid her heart bare before her.
The fault did not rest with the Empress Dowager alone. If anyone deserved blame, the Late Emperor was most deserving of punishment.
Even so, Helio, forced to bear his mother's vengeance all on his own, had been entirely innocent of any wrongdoing.
He had merely been born extraordinary, only to suffer his mother's bitter resentment: ‘I was unable to leave because of you.’ How absurd and heartbreaking it all was.
Just as the Empress Dowager had said, Liliana had a father who was a stranger to her.
She had no desire to forgive him, nor did she wish to mend ties with him just to live in peace. Helio likely felt the very same way. In that case, she had no wish to take the Empress Dowager's side or assist her.
Upon returning to the Emerald Palace, Liliana collapsed onto the bed and murmured quietly.
Choo Choo, resting on Liliana's hand, struck her palm in protest.
Liliana set Choo Choo down on the side table and buried her ears beneath a pillow. Choo Choo glared at her, then burst out in a shout.
❈❈❈
While resting, Liliana had little else to do but practice wrapping a veil of wind around Choo Choo's iron marble. She had struggled for a long time without getting it right, and when she finally turned around, Choo Choo was already fast asleep.
In her frustration, Liliana was tempted to yank away the handkerchief Choo Choo had curled beneath, but seeing the fairy's sweet sleeping face made her soften.
Just as she looked away from Choo Choo and prepared to coil the air around the iron marble once more, a knock sounded at the door.
Knock, knock.
The sudden knocking shattered her concentration, and the gathered wind drifted away. Brushing back her hair, Liliana called out with a disgruntled sigh.
The person who stepped inside at her invitation was the Head Maid.
When caught completely off guard, finding words became a struggle, and that was precisely what happened to Liliana.
She understood all too well why Helio harbored such hatred for the Empress Dowager. Because of that, she knew that these sudden attempts to reconcile would only grate on him.
Still, shouldn't he have considered public appearances?!
‘Why throw the food away? What a dreadful waste!’
Flushed with irritation, Liliana raised her palm and fanned a light breeze across her face. At that moment, Choo Choo woke from her slumber, rubbing her eyes and grumbling.
The answer had been meant for Choo Choo's bizarre question, but it was the Head Maid who replied. From her perspective, the sudden outburst from her mistress was completely baffling.
Shaking her head, Liliana dismissed the Head Maid.
Choo Choo pouted, crossing her arms as she settled onto the side table.
Liliana focused once more on breathing a pocket of wind around the iron marble. Forming a dense shield of air around such a small sphere proved so taxing that beads of cold sweat began to form on her brow.
Yet with persistent effort, nothing was impossible. Liliana closed her eyes entirely, opening all her senses to concentrate.
She felt each wisp of air coil around her fingers like tiny serpents. She envisioned those little serpents sliding onto the iron marble, one after another…
A faint whistling of air began to whisper from the marble's surface, a soft, steady whir. Sensing the change, Choo Choo's eyes widened, and she fluttered closer.
The moment Choo Choo cheered, Liliana's focus snapped, and the imaginary serpents vanished from her mind. Liliana let out a regretful sigh, but Choo Choo, still overflowing with delight, clung tightly to her finger.
Charmed by the fairy's sheer cuteness, Liliana smiled.
Liliana held out two fingers to shake Choo Choo's tiny hand, and Choo Choo broke into a joyful little dance. Seeing Choo Choo so ecstatic lifted Liliana's spirits as well.
The memory of Helio tossing aside the Empress Dowager's food seemed to fade from her mind, bit by bit.
The very next day, however, the Head Maid brought up the same topic once more.
To tell the truth, the whole affair was utterly tedious, and hearing it made her feel uncomfortable, so she had no desire to listen. Even so, it was the Head Maid's duty to convey palace rumors to her mistress, so she could hardly order her to stop.
Then, the following day, the Head Maid returned with the exact same story.