High in the blue sky, Lemon fluttered upward like a tiny yellow chick beating his wings.
“Lemon.”
Lemon circled above Dalia’s head as if asking why she had called him.
“Do you remember where I met Moni? Guide me there.”
Lemon wore a sassy expression, as if to say, ‘What kind of question is that?’
Dalia merely dismissed it with a bright smile.
“Off we go!”
Dalia briskly followed the fluttering of Lemon’s small wings.
After flying for a short while, Lemon landed on a broad tree branch.
Beneath the branch stood Moni in her maid’s uniform, glancing around as if searching for someone.
Dalia hurried toward her, waving her hand.
“Hello, Moni.”
“Hello, My Lady. Thank you for coming again today.”
Moni bowed in greeting, her cheeks flushing pink.
“Of course. I always keep my promises.”
Dalia took out a piece of candy and set it in Moni’s palm.
“Thank you, My Lady.”
Moni cradled the candy carefully, slipping it into her pocket with a brightened face.
“Make sure you enjoy it.”
“Yes. But, My Lady… I think we won’t be able to meet anymore.”
Moni dipped her head slightly, looking apologetic.
“Why? We’ve only met a few times.”
“I want to focus more on serving my master, so I’ve decided not to take breaks anymore. I am so sorry, My Lady.”
“There is no need to apologize to me. If anything, Moni, you are truly wonderful.”
Hiding her regret, Dalia offered the child praise.
“No, I just want to become better at serving—no, I want to protect them….”
Moni’s voice trailed off, her words growing faint.
“Why?”
“I don’t know how to do that.”
“Your feelings for them run this deep—isn’t that enough on its own? Isn’t that a wonderful start?”
Moni shook her head with a sorrowful expression.
Dalia lowered herself to eye level with Moni’s orange eyes, meeting her gaze.
“I don’t know who it is, but they must be very kind. Isn’t that right?”
“Yes! For a maid like me, they….”
Moni could not finish her sentence, her voice choking on tears.
There seemed to be a secret she simply could not reveal.
Wanting to protect the person she served… What had happened to that master? The little girl’s sincere loyalty toward the one she served was truly moving.
Dalia gently patted her.
“If you hold onto such a kind heart and grow up healthy and strong, you will surely be able to protect them.”
“Could a maid like me really do that?”
Moni looked at her pleadingly.
“Of course. The wish to protect someone has nothing to do with status. What matters most is the sincerity of your heart.”
“Thank you so much for those words, My Lady.”
Deep emotion showed across Moni’s face.
“Still, remember to give yourself a little rest every now and then.”
“Yes.”
“I thought we would meet again, so I only brought one piece of candy today.”
Seeing the regret on Dalia’s face, Moni hurriedly shook her head.
“One is more than enough for me. Thank you.”
Right then, Lemon, who had been preening his feathers on the branch, suddenly jerked his head up and began to chirp loudly.
Dalia turned to look, finding the Emperor—who had appeared without a sound—standing there with his arms folded, watching them.
Moni turned pale the instant she caught sight of him, hurrying into a bow.
“Greetings, Your Majesty.”
Dalia followed Moni’s lead and bowed as well.
“I heard you were ill?”
The Emperor asked, his gaze cold.
“Me? Not at all.”
He stared at her as though he had expected nothing less from her answer.
“Shall I praise you for your diplomatic talents, Miss?”
“I thank you for the compliment, but why so suddenly?”
Dalia looked at him, bewildered.
“You work quite hard at ingratiating yourself with every member of the imperial family.”
Dalia furrowed her brows, trying to grasp his meaning.
“Your face tells me you have no idea.”
“Um, is there something I ought to know?”
He took a single step forward, instantly closing the distance between them.
“I mean that you are exceptionally adept at approaching members of the imperial family one by one behind that innocent face.”
“And when on earth did I do that?”
Dalia’s voice rose involuntarily in her utter astonishment.
At that, the Emperor’s frosty gaze shifted downward beside her.
Moni was trembling all over, her small shoulders shaking.
“What is the Princess’s maid doing in a place like this with a stranger?”
“I-I beg your pardon, Your Majesty.”
Terrified, Moni dropped to her knees and pressed her forehead against the ground.
Dalia froze momentarily before this unexpected turn of events, then turned toward the Emperor with a flustered expression.
“Wait just a moment. So Moni is the Princess’s maid? And do you honestly believe I used her to get close to Her Highness?”
The Emperor gave no reply, but the icy stare in his eyes was an answer in itself.
“If I had known from the start that Moni was the Princess’s maid, I would have approached her for that very reason.”
The coldness in the Emperor’s eyes turned sharper at her candid admission.
“You admit it?”
“Except I had no idea.”
“Did you not just say that had you known, you would have approached her?”
“Yes. If I had known, I would have. But I didn’t know until you told me, Your Majesty.”
“Miss, do you not realize we are talking in circles?”
“The context is entirely different. Since I had no idea, the thought of approaching Her Highness never crossed my mind. Had I known, I would have, but I didn’t.”
She remained utterly composed.
Being scolded for something one had not even done was downright unfair.
“Even if the circumstances differ, the result is the same. Now you know, and so you will approach her.”
“Your Majesty, does the Empire punish someone for something that hasn’t happened yet? In our kingdom, we do no such thing.”
Dalia met the Emperor’s gaze with absolute confidence.
“There is no such law in the Empire either.”
The Emperor stared at her for a long moment before taking a step back.
“Oh, what a relief.”
Dalia let out a deliberate, audible sigh of relief.
“So, will you refrain from approaching the Princess?”
“It isn’t that I don’t want to, but rather that I can’t, thanks to you, Your Majesty.”
“You certainly have a sharp tongue, Miss.”
“I didn’t say—”
“I meant it as a subtle jab.”
The Emperor cut her off.
“Your Majesty seems quite fond of subtle jabs.”
Dalia remarked with feigned innocence, prompting one of the Emperor’s eyebrows to twitch in irritation.
Meanwhile, Orion, who had been listening to the exchange from behind, clamped a hand over his mouth to stifle his laughter.
It was the very first time he had ever seen the Emperor lose a battle of words.
‘Miss Herdlan, I’m rooting for you!’
“At any rate, since Moni has done nothing wrong, she may stand now, may she not?”
Dalia laid a gentle hand on the shoulder of Moni, who remained prostrated on the ground.
She could feel the little girl’s slight body trembling through her palm.
“Yes.”
“Thank you very much, Your Majesty.”
Moni mustered whatever strength remained in her trembling legs and pushed herself up.
Looking upon the terrified, shivering child with pity, Dalia patted her shoulders tenderly.
“May I allow Moni to leave first?”
Dalia looked at the Emperor while drawing Moni close, as though shielding her.
The Emperor nodded in assent, and Moni quickly bowed.
“I shall take my leave now.”
Dalia watched Moni’s retreating figure as she hurried away, almost as if running for her life.
“The poor child was terrified.”
“And I think you ought to be as well.”
At his mildly mocking tone, Dalia suddenly recalled the rule she had forgotten and darted behind the tree to hide.
“What are you doing?”
“This doesn’t count as our third meeting. Accidental encounters don’t count as a third meeting, right?”
The Emperor let out a heavy sigh.
“Your Majesty, it is time for the meeting.”
Hearing Orion’s voice laced with laughter, the Emperor cast a brief glance over his shoulder.
Dalia crouched behind the tree, waving her hand at the Emperor.
“Farewell, Your Majesty.”
The Emperor shot her a displeased glare, then turned around, trailing a chilly demeanor in his wake.
Once he had walked away, Dalia buried her face against her knees and whispered softly.
“Moni, I wonder if you’ll be all right….”
