Lilica got up a little later than usual. Perhaps itâs because of that that the fatigue from yesterday had completely disappeared.
Rather than that, her attention was attracted to a different thought first.
âGold coins!â
She jumped out of bed and dashed towards the glass bottle thatâs by the window.
âWow!â
The gold coins glistened. Of course, it was underneath the sunlight, so it was natural for them to glisten.
However, they seemed to have more lustre than ordinary gold coins.
She reached into the glass bottle carefully and took out the gold coins. A dragon was embossed onto the gold coins.
Even if she touched it carefully, the coinsâ lustre didnât vanish at all.
âAs expected, magic is very impressive.â
Although Lilica knew that there were wizards that blew out fire from their mouths or made coins appear from the back of their ears, sheâd never actually seen them.
She only heard the kids talking about it. But, to think that she was learning magic like this.
Lilica couldnât wait to show them to Brynn.
âBrynn, Brynn.â
âYes, my princess. Oh my, youâre still in your nightgown.â
With a smile, she quickly wrapped a triangular shawl around Lilicaâs shoulders. Lilica disregarded that and extended her hands.
âLook at this.â
âItâs the gold coins. Hmm?â
The gold coins immediately caught the gaze of Brynn, who liked things that sparkled. Sheâd seen enough of ordinary gold coins, but this gold coin was different.
It was even more lustrous.
âThis gold coin has a really beautiful sheen.â
âItâs because the moonlight fairy shared its strength . â
At Lilicaâs whisper, Brynn replied, âI see,â but she was unable to take her gaze off the gold coin.
Lilica giggled.
âYou know, Iâll make one for Brynn, too.â
âReally?â
Her purple eyes sparkled as she looked at Lilica.
âYes, of course. Iâd intended to make one for Brynn from the very beginning. All thatâs left to be done is to wrap this gold coin in a white handkerchief and itâs finished.â
âIf thatâs done, it will fall out too easily, so letâs place the gold coins into a handkerchief thatâs folded into a square and seal the entrance.â
âThat would be great.â
Lilica wanted to finish quickly, but Brynn said that breakfast came first.
After a quick breakfast, she received a soft linen handkerchief.
With a horizontal fold and a vertical fold, the handkerchief was folded neatly into a square shape, and the edges were sewn shut with blue thread after gold coins were placed within.
Under Brynnâs guidance, Lilica carefully sewed the edge of the handkerchief with her small hands.
âItâs done.â
âItâs neat and pretty. The gold coins definitely wonât drop out.â
âYes.â
Lilica looked at the talisman quietly.
âI hope that this can protect Atil.â
She prayed from the bottom of her heart.
Brynn cleared her throat lightly and said softly.
âBy the way, Princess.â
âHmm?â
âCan you give me a silver coin, instead of a gold coin?â
âSilver coin?â
âYes, I prefer silver coins to gold coins.â
âReally? HmmâŚâŚ Will the moonlight fairy like it?â
âIf itâs an amiable fairy, it will definitely help you, even if itâs a silver coin. Also, isnât the moon at dawn silver in colour?â
Lilica nodded at Brynnâs desperate words. Those words made a lot of sense.
âI donât mind making a gold coin for Brynn. Then Iâll try a silver coin for now.â
âNot just any silver coin, but this.â
Brynn quickly took out a newly minted silver coin. The new silver coin shone without a speck of dust.
The silver coins bear the side profile of a personâŚ
âIs this Mother?â
Lilica asked, surprised, and Brynn smiled and nodded.
âIsnât it pretty? The empressâ side profile is supposed to be embossed on silver coins each time. The silver coin of this round turned out to be rather pretty.â
âYes, itâs really pretty.â
Her wavy hair was delicately crafted and turned out beautifully. Brynn grinned.
âDo you want me to bring you one, too?â
âReally?â
âYes, indeed. Iâll bring you a freshly minted silver coin. The silver coins that had just come out of the mould are so pretty.â
After making a raptured expression, Brynn quickly fixed her expression.
âDonât worry. Iâll find a pretty one for you.â
âMm.â
Lilica smiled and nodded. She fiddled with the amulet and said.
âAtil, is he still mad?â
âEven if heâs angry, heâll be mollified after seeing the talisman.â
âI hope thatâs the case.â
Lilica got up from her seat.
Just then, a maid approached cautiously and said.
âHis Highness the Crown Prince has sent an attendant over.â
âLet him enter.â
Atil? An attendant?
Whatâs going on?
Brann came in as Lilica tilted her head. Lilica stood up and welcomed him.
âBrann!â
âGood morning, my princess.â
âWhatâs going on?â
He smiled at Lilicaâs question and said.
âYour Highness the Crown Prince has invited you to the stables.â
âStables?â
Why was he suddenly talking about the stables?
Brann whispered softly as Lilica tilted her head.
âHis Highness is reflecting on himself for the events that happened yesterday.â
âAtil?â
She couldnât even imagine a reflecting Atil. But she soon nodded her head and indicated her acceptance.
Didnât she have something to pass to him anyways?
âAlright. When?â
âRight now.â
Lilica laughed when he added with a troubled expression.
âAs expected of Atil.â
âAlso, please change into comfortable clothes.â
Brynn seemed to have noticed something and spoke while smiling.
âAlright. Please come here, princess.â
After a while, Lilica, dressed in a fairly decent riding suit, smiled and chattered excitedly while internally thinking, âDonât tell me.â
âIs Atil going to make me ride a horse? What is he thinking? Itâs my first time riding a horse.â
âPlease look forward to it.â
As Brann answered with a gentle smile, Lilicaâs expectations swelled even further.
Perhaps Iâll be riding a horse by myself. Isnât that a little scary?
No. Someone would be holding the reins and leading it?
The stable was quite a distance away from the Sun Palace.
When she approached, she could see why it was built far away, because it smelled like animals and fresh hay.
Atil, who was also dressed in horseback riding clothes, stood at the entrance to the stable.
âAtil.â
After running over, Lilica paused. Perhaps his anger wasnât completely mollified yet.
When she looked up at him with a tilted head, Atil was silent. Pi, who stood next to him, jabbed him in the ribs.
âOh, come on.â
Atil got angry with him and let out a deep sigh. He looked away and said.
âIâm sorry about yesterday.â
Astonished, Lilicaâs eyes widened and she smiled.
âIâve already forgiven you. But thank you for apologising.â
Atil looked at Lilica in surprise. Pi also let out an exclamation âOh,â and Brynn nodded.
Itâs not the same as âItâs alrightâ, or âNot at allâ.
Yes, your actions were rather rude. But Iâll forgive you. And I still like you.
Thatâs what Lilica was saying. She quickly took the talisman out of her pocket.
âAlso, this is a gift.â
âGift?â
When Pi craned his neck and crept closer, Atil turned around.
âCan I open it?â
âNo, itâs a talisman thatâll protect you. Iâve worked hard to make it, so please keep it on you at all times.â
âTalisman?â
âYes. Itâs a protective talisman for someone that you love.â
Atilâs brows narrowed at Lilicaâs words, and his lips became tightly pursed.
âAre you angryâŚ?â
As she was flustered, he shoved the talisman deep into his pocket and said.
âHmph, is there a need for that?â
âAh!â
Only then did Lilica realise that that look was him holding back his embarrassment or laughter.
âHe can just smile though.â
Lilica smiled and clung to him, speaking playfully.
âIâd worked hard to make it, but if you donât need it, please give it back to me.â
When Atil saw his sister talking with a smile, he replied.
âI heard that youâve worked hard to make this. Iâll accept it on the account of your sincerity.â
Lilica didnât tease him any further, but stood beside him with a wide smile. Atil grabbed her hand.
âSince Iâve received a present, shouldnât I give you a present in return?â
He whistled and a pony was quickly led out from within the stables.
Lilicaâs eyes grew huge.
It was a beautiful brown pony.
It had a velvety and lustrous coat and a very bright cream coloured mane. It looked like platinum blonde from certain angles.
There was a small star-shaped dot on its forehead.
âItâs yours.â
Atil looked at Lilicaâs face and his expression turned triumphant.
âM, mine?â
As Lilica stammered back, Atil nodded, âYes.â
âWhy donât you give it a name?â
Pi suggested from the side.
âSure, sure.â
Lilica extended a hand out slowly. Unlike the other large horses, a pony wasnât threatening.
When her hand became outstretched, the horse examined her hand with its snout, like it was checking to see if she was holding anything in her hand.
It then snorted.
Lilica smiled broadly.
âIâll go with Saebyeol. Because it has a star on its forehead.â
[T/N: The name is in korean and translates to new star, and Iâve opted to keep it korean.]
âSaebyeol. Thatâs nice. I think itâs a name that will remain in the century.â
Pi said with a grin. Atil covered his mouth and spoke to Lilica.
âNow, ride on it.â
âRide?â
How was she going to ride on it?
Even if Saebyeol was a pony, it was bigger than Lilica. She just couldnât climb up.
âLike this.â
Atil lifted her up and settled her on the saddle gently.
Lilica didnât even have the time to be surprised.
âIâll hold onto it, so place your feet into the stirrups. Yes.â
He also personally adjusted the length of the stirrups.
âWell, then, what should I do now?â
âDonât ever bend down and keep your back straight. Use strength in the feet thatâs inside the stirrups.â
While Atil explained, he smacked the horseâs rear gently.
âYouâll understand after riding it.â
âKyaahh!â
âYour Highness!â
âPrincess!â
On the lightly running horse, Lilica desperately tried to straighten her back.
âI, I, Itâitâs shaking so much.â
Were horses creatures that swayed so much?
Then, the horse stopped. Lilica let out an exhale.
Before she knew it, Lauv was standing beside her with the reins in hand.
âL, Lauv.â
âAre you alright?â
âMm.â
Lilica nodded. She smiled.
âI wasnât scared, but it shook so much that it was hard to keep my back straight.â
âYouâve kept it quite straight.â
âReally?â
âYes.â
Lauv replied with a faint smile. Afterwards, everyone in the group began speaking one by one.
âWell, you rode it well enough.â
âAtil, please.â
âYou didnât look like a beginner when you were riding, Princess.â
âI was worried about what if you fell?â
Under Lauvâs guidance, Lilica diligently learnt how to ride. Afterwards, she wanted to speed up a little more.
When Lauv let the horse go faster, Lilica again held onto the horseâs swaying body.
Lilicaâs face turned as red as an apple after doing that a few times, and she was drenched in sweat.
Brynn dissuaded Lilica.
âIf you suddenly overdo it like this, you wonât be able to move tomorrow.â
âIs that so?â
âYes, you can ride as much as you want in the future, so shall we halt for today?â
âYes, it must be hard for Saebyeol.â
Lauv helped Lilica off. Lilica decided to make something like a stool next time.
âMâmy legs are shaking.â
Once she came down to the ground, her knees couldnât help but buckle, and Lilica was surprised.
Brynn laughed.
âLook at that. Itâll get better with a little rest.â
âIâve prepared something simple to eat and drink at a slight distance away. Letâs head there.â
Brann spoke warmly. Lilica let out an interjection, âAs expected of the model of a competent servant.â
The servants brought chairs, tables, and a parasol, creating a simple diner.
Perhaps because she was thirsty, she kept drinking cold lemonade.
Why was it so cold during summer?
âThereâs an ice storage house.â
âIce storage house?â
âYes, letâs explore that place together next time. Itâs very cool inside.â
Lilica nodded at Brynnâs words. There was always something exciting about the word âexploreâ.
After drinking cold beverages until she became tired of it, Lilica ended up with an upset stomach that evening.
Brynn was rather surprised when the doctor diagnosed that, âItâs because too much cold beverages was ingested.â
âIts because of the cold beverages?â
âYes. Most children would get an upset stomach if they drink too many cold beverages on a hot day.â
The doctor informed Brynn amicably. At the unexpected information, Brynnâs face turned serious.
Although sheâd told Lilica that the bluebloods were oddly sturdy, her mistake of not knowing Lilica well enough was painful.
âThen what should I do?â
Warm her stomach and drink warm ginger tea.
âIâll make some medicine for her.â
Brynn nodded and moved diligently.
She made a lot of warm ginger tea and made a warming pouch out of fried oats.
Brynn placed it on Lilicaâs stomach and asked.
âIs it heavy? Is it too hot?â
âItâs alrightâŚâ
Lilica answered with a groan. Her stomach kept hurting even though she went in and out of the bathroom.
After hearing the news, Ludia came running at once. She was dressed fancily, perhaps because she was in the middle of a salon meeting.
âLily.â
âMotherrrâŚâ
It hurt so much that she couldnât help but speak weakly. Ludia quickly climbed onto the bed without caring much about her clothes.
âDoes it hurt a lot?â
âMm.â
When Lilica was held in Ludiaâs arms, she detected a faint smell of powder and her motherâs scent.
Ludia placed her hand on the pouch of oats to warm it up, and began rubbing Lilicaâs stomach.
Rub, rub.
Strangely, the pain gradually began to subside while her palm rubbed on Lilicaâs stomach.
Ludia said quietly.
âMom will stay with you, so take a nap.â
She gently rubbed her belly and hummed a lullaby.
As she inhaled her motherâs scent, Lilica slowly fell asleep.