Helio smirked. It was funny that she was so confident in saying that she had no value.
Helio reached out and put his hand into the carriage window. Liliana flinched and tried to pull herself, but then she opened her eyes wide and abandoned the idea altogether.
The woman was more courageous than he thought.
Helio gave such a comment and touched Lilianaâs pink hair. The soft hair got tangled in his fingers and was released by the swaying of the horse and carriage.
âIf you have a child, they will pay attention to that child.â
She couldnât refute that remark. The child would even have the right to succeed to the throne. The Kingdom of Nieta couldnât help but be interested in the child.
They might want to take the child home so his influence wouldnât grow too big. They would have to pay the price for that. She didnât even know Helio was aiming for it.
âOne way or another, a successor has to be born between this man and me.â
Liliana was frustrated in her heart. In addition, Helio and Liliana also had children for political reasons in the original story. Not once, but twice.
The first child was miscarried by slander. Liliana in the original story was severely hurt by it. When Helio received a report that Lilianaâs body had recovered, he visited Lilianaâs palace and had a second child.
However, the report was a false report by Liliana in the original story to survive in the desolate palace. Her unrecovered body could not withstand childbirth and she died.
After contemplating silently, Liliana opened her lips in a round shape as if she had realized something.
âAfter all, if I donât make a false report, the emperor wonât even come to see me!â
There was no way that the emperor would hold a weak woman, so she wouldnât die. ButâŠ
âAnyway, the first child will eventually lead to miscarriage. That will hurt my body! I donât want to spend the rest of my life worrying about it!â
Liliana shuddered at her thoughts. As she shook her head vigorously, her hair which was as soft as cotton candy fluttered. Helio looked at it with a curious expression.
âThat little head is thinking so hard.â
She looked just like a squirrel. A small squirrel that was about to lose all her acorns while thinking so hard.
Helio kicked the horse lightly on the hip, leaving Liliana to let her think hard. Helioâs brown horse passed the carriage and moved closer to the lead. Meanwhile Liliana was in turmoil.
âHow the hell to make the emperor completely forget me?â
***
In fact, it didnât feel so real until crossing the border. Liliana had to appreciate that the guard posts appeared more frequently and the equipment looked a little more luxurious.
Although the military power of the Carlo Empire and the Kingdom of Nieta was considered far apart for more than 30 years, it was natural not to know because Liliana had no military knowledge in either her previous or present life.
So when she finally arrived in a big town, what Liliana felt was âThis is Carlo Empire.â
Well-maintained roads and bustling markets. She was amazed at the appearance of the people who seemed rich. Liliana opened the carriage window, looked outside, and then asked the knight who rode the horse near her.
âSir. Is this the capital?â
The knight answered in a stiff manner.
âNo. This is Arsene, the frontier city.â
âIs this the border?â
Liliana rolled her eyes in bewilderment. This was the first time Liliana was out of Nieta Castle. So there was only one chance to compare the Kingdom of Nieta and the Carlo Empire border. Nevertheless, this noticeable difference couldnât be known.
âThe Kingdom of Nieta border was very starkâŠ.â
Only military bases were built, and all the people seemed starving. Lilianaâs murmur made the knight speak with a tone more proud than before.
âThe empire is strong. So thereâs no danger in living on the border.â
That was why people gathered and lived in a place like this. Liliana nodded. As she leisurely looked outside, she felt people stumbling and staring from behind the carriage.
âWhatâs that carriage?â
âYou know the Kingdom of Nieta. The defeated country. That is the princess.â
âOh my, poor thing.â
Liliana bit her lip in embarrassment and closed the carriage window carefully. When she pulled the curtains down, all the voices of the people could be heard as humming noises.
âYour Highness. Donât worry too much.â
âIâm not worried that much. Itâs just that it feels unfamiliar for everyone talking about me.â
At Lilianaâs words, Sophia made an even more heartbreaking expression. Sophia was a very kind maid. It wouldnât have been an easy decision for her to come to this distant land, but Sophia was willing to follow her. Liliana took Sophiaâs hand and patted it.
âLetâs do well. If we go to the Imperial Palace, weâll live quietly again. You can have a good time there, taking care of the flower garden.â
âYes, letâs do that. The palace wonât be so quiet once there is a baby.â
Sophia said that because she wanted to comfort her. At that moment, Liliana got goosebumps again and smiled awkwardly. She would never give birth to a baby. She wouldnât even have it in the first place.
âWhatâs wrong, Your Highness?â
âAh. ThatâsâŠâ
Liliana pondered for a moment and pulled Sophiaâs hand to her knees. Sophia looked puzzled at Liliana as if wondering what was wrong. Liliana put her lips in Sophiaâs ear and whispered.
âPlease get me a contraceptive pill when you get to the Imperial Palace.â
âPardon?â
Sophia slammed Lilianaâs hand as if it were nonsense.
âYouâll be in big trouble if you get caught! Do you think Iâm the only one whoâs going to die? Your Highness will also die!â
âSophia, please. I never, ever want to get pregnant.â
âWhy on earth? There is nothing more helpful than a baby in the lonely palace life. It was even received the right to the throne.â
Thatâs the problem! The emperor would never back down because of the right to take the throne! He had properly grasped the Kingdom of Nietaâs shackles, but she couldnât take that opportunity.
Liliana opened her pink eyes pitifully and pouted her lips. But this pitiful charade didnât work at all. Sophia scolded her like a child, she tapped Lilianaâs lips with her index finger and shook her head.
âNever. I canât help if Your Highness gets hurt.â
Sophia even looked determined. It seemed impossible to persuade her. Liliana decided to take a step first. She didnât even know how to save herself.
Liliana looked sideways with a sulky face. Even so, Liliana was bored because she could only see the swaying curtains.
***
It didnât last very long for Liliana to pretend to be pitiful and sulky. This was because her tired body couldnât stand the boredom and she fell asleep.
It was the loud drumming and peopleâs cries that woke Liliana.
âLong live Your Majesty Emperor!â
âGlory to the Carlo Empire!â
People shouted excitedly and began to sing the song of victory.
âAre you awake?â
âYeah⊠Where is this?â
âItâs the capital.â
Liliana pulled back the curtains slightly and looked outside. The Carlo Empireâs capital was so beautiful and majestic that her admiration poured out.
There were countless huge buildings and people who looked like commoners couldnât be properly distinguished because they were dressed in luxury silk. Liliana muttered bitterly.
â⊠It was natural for the Kingdom of Nieta to be defeated.â
The Kingdom of Nieta was foolish to make such a powerful country angry.
The carriage passed through the capitalâs main road and entered the Imperial Palace. And once again, it split into several branches there. Lilianaâs carriage arrived in front of a palace.
The pillars were all pure white like they were made of grain. The palace roof was emerald like a refreshing sea, and the windows were engraved with elaborate patterns.
Liliana was amazed at the splendid and huge palace she had never seen.
âWhy are we here? Do I have to say hello as soon as I get here?â
Liliana thought this palace was the Empress Dowager Palace or people of high rank. However, the servant bowed his head while she got off the carriage and denied the idea.
âThe Emerald Palace was bestowed by His Majesty the Emperor to Her Highness Princess Liliana. Youâll be staying here from now on.â
Liliana wanted to open her mouth when he said that, but she couldnât because she was still a princess. She asked cautiously, trying not to show off her surprise.
âAh, is it a guest palace?â
It made sense to build it so beautifully because you never know who would come. But the servant shook his head and drove in a wedge.
âYour Highness Princess Liliana is the owner of this palace.â
Liliana entered the Emerald Palace with a bewildered feeling. The maids were waiting for her in a row. The maid standing in the front row took a step forward and handed her an envelope. Liliana picked it up and looked inside.
A short sentence was written in cursive on a letterboard decorated with gold leaf.
ăAll your maids are guards, so donât even think about running away.ă