She looked up while cleaning the ink bottle in the office, internally wondering what it meant.
Altheos passed her a piece of parchment like the pile of gold coins heâd given her a while ago.
âYouâre also a princess, so you should at least own some land. Do your best.â
Land?
Imperial territory?
Lilica shook her head. There are things that she can do and thereâs things that she canât do.
âNo, I canât do it.â
âYou havenât even tried though?â
âEven without trying, I canât do the things that I canât do.â
No matter how she thought about it, it was impossible for her . A grin appeared on Altheosâ face.
âKnowing this much is sufficient.â
âWhat?â
âAs long as you know that you canât do it, itâs fine.â
He extended the parchment to her again. Lilicaâs eyes swirled.
âI canât do it, what will happen to the people that live there? I canât take responsibility for them.â
âWhatâs this? So you do know that you have to be responsible for those people.â
âHere,â and he used the end of the rolled up parchment to poke her forehead.
Lilica gulped, and Lat said from beside her.
âYou donât have to do it all by yourself, Princess.â
Lilica looked back at him. Lat spoke.
âItâll definitely be hard for the princess to govern by yourself. Why donât you look at those that know how to govern? You can choose someone to seek advice from.â
Lilicaâs face turned gloomy. Is there anyone that she can ask for help from?
âThen thereâs only LatâŚâ
At Lilicaâs words, Lat blinked and laughed.
âWell, I can also give you some advice. Additionally, the land that the princess would receive, which youâll be able to tell once you look at it, isnât anything extraordinary.â
Lilica was relieved to hear that the land wasnât much.
âEven if you mess it up, the incurred losses wouldnât be too great.â
âI told you so.â
Altheos poked her forehead with the rolled parchment again, and Lilica received it.
Her hands shook.
Lat watched as she received the scroll. The corners of his mouth drew into an arc.
âCongratulations, my princess.â
For some reason, Lilica felt that she definitely couldnât accept such congratulations.
âLatâŚâ
She opened her mouth. Lat waited for her following words quietly.
Lilica looked up at Lat.
âLat doesnât think that Iâll do well.â
After spitting it out, Lilica stammered, âAh,â and explained immediately.
âNo, Iâm not trying to say anything to Lat. Well, I mean.â
Lilica groaned, wondering how she should explain, while Lat blinked before smiling.
âThatâs because very few people are good at it from the get-go. No matter what it is, everyone learns through failure.â
Although it seemed rather plausible, for some reason, it didnât move Lilica.
She mulled over Latâs words in detail.
When a person entrusts a matter to another, there is a purpose.
Some employers would speak vaguely because they didnât know what kind of person they wanted to hire.
At that time, it was also Lilicaâs job to think, âWhy are they hiring me?â
If she didnât figure that out, she wouldnât be able to satisfy her employer.
âBut I donât think Lat will teach me docilely.â
Was there a hint that heâd given?
Lilica mused over Latâs words with a hum.
â You can choose someone to seek advice from.
âAh.â
Lilica glanced back at Altheos. His Majestyâs expression was filled with âWhat,â and âWhyâ.
Lilica sighed and held onto the parchment tightly with both hands.
âI think itâll be better to ask Mother for advice.â
Lat smiled.
âThat would also be great.â
âSo that was it.â
Lilica smiled broadly at the thought that she managed to discover the right answer. Altheos said.
âItâs alright if you didnât do that, but thereâs nothing I can do if thatâs what you want.â
âFrom various aspects.â
Lat nodded. Lilica kept the parchment properly. She has yet to finish what she had to do, so she intended to finish it all at once.
She checked the tip of the pen meticulously, and washed the dirtied pen tip with water.
She felt rather gratified at the sight of glittering rows of coloured ink bottles as well as clean, delicately patterned pen tips placed side by side.
The trash bin was clean, the folders were also clean, there was sufficient papers and ink.
Lilica stretched with satisfaction. After taking off the apron and collecting the parchment, Lilica tilted her head and approached Lat proudly.
âWhatâs the matter?â
Lat asked softly.
âAbout the words Iâd said earlier, âLat doesnât think that Iâll do well.ââ
Lilica whispered. Lat nodded lightly.
âI didnât mean anything when I said that. Erm, I know that Lat works hard.â
He was always the last to leave work and the first to enter the palace. The documents were quickly settled and meticulous explanations were given.
âBut I found it strange that it was entrusted to me even though you knew I wasnât capable. Because Iâm here, so thereâs no way I wouldnât know that Lat cares about the Empire.â
But can he say things like itâs alright to mess up the fiefdom?
And congratulations?
âThatâs why I found it weird.â
Upon hearing Lilicaâs words, Lat stared at her and laughed.
âOh dear, I donât carry candy around like Tan does.â
âHuh? No, I wasnât asking for something to eat though?â
Lilicaâs face flushed in an instant. Lat hurriedly raised his hand at her reaction.
âNo, I donât mean that the princess is saying such things to get candy. What I meant was, my heart, well, it was to the point where I wanted to give you something.â
His heart felt strangely soft. He felt such feelings towards the princess.
It was really nice knowing that the other party looked straight at him and gave him high praise.
However, the higher his position, the closer such words were to flattery, but this princessâs words didnât give him such a feeling.
For the first time in a long while, Lat Sandar was simply joyful and apologetic at the same time.
âThank you, my princess.â
After responding, he turned his head towards Altheos and spoke.
âEven the princess is aware of how I work all day and night, but I feel like crying suddenly when I think about how His Majesty treats me.â
âDo you want a vacation?â
Latâs face crumpled instantly at Altheosâs words.
âI really want to go on one, but Iâm quite afraid of going because I can imagine what things will be like when I return.â
âYou have no faith in your lord.â
âThat faith was taken away by my lord.â
Lilica smiled slightly at the squabbling duo. She took two or three steps back lightly and bowed with vigour.
âThen Iâll take my leave now.â
âIâll send you back.â
Altheos rose from his seat. Lat was about to rise from his seat, but he sat back down at this line.
âPlease have a safe journey back.â
Altheos strode over and scooped Lilica up.
It has been a while since she gave up on such things, so Lilica settled comfortably within his arms.
In fact, unless she was being carried in someoneâs arms frequently, she didnât dislike it.
âItâs because if Iâm carried around like this frequently, I might not be able to walk around later.â
That was Lilicaâs concern. When they left the office, Lauv and Brynn followed behind them like they had been waiting.
Altheos asked Lilica.
âHave you been getting along with Atil?â
âYes.â
Lilica nodded and added quietly.
âI think so.â
âItâs fine if you think youâre getting along well.â
He said such unusual words while walking down the hallway, and whispered when he was setting her in front of her room.
âWeâll have our first class this evening.â
â!!â
Lilica quickly accepted the slip of paper she was handed.
âSupplies. Iâll pick you up at night.â
Lilica just nodded without being able to say anything. In other words, she was about to attend a magic class.
Altheos chuckled at Lilica, who just nodded with flushed cheeks.
âIâll be going off then.â
âHave a cup of tea before going?â
Altheos responded to her polite invitation simply.
âI donât like tea.â
And he disappeared in a flash. Lilica was much more concerned about this eveningâs class than with the parchment in her hand.
âMagic class, magic class.â
Her heart raced in her chest. Lilica held the parchment carefully and said,
âI should go over to Mother first.â
* * *
The fire in the grand theatre made the headlines daily.
The illustration depicts how Ludia saved a young maid from the fire bravely.
The popularity of the new empress soared in an instant.
âSince the benevolent Empress is from the slums, she is aware of the situation and cares about the people.â
Now, what was once a subject of ridicule has turned into the subject of cheers.
Ludia found it rather amusing.
Money was required to make newspapers, and the contents of the newspaper are often determined by the sponsor that provides financial backing.
The imperial family also sponsors several different newspapers. It was the same for other aristocrats.
However, no matter what, the most popular story these days was regarding Ludia.
There were stories about Her Majesty the Empressâs fashion, how uncomfortable crinoline was, and how everyone that was injured were wearing crinoline.
Ludia smiled faintly.
âNow then, what will be the next move from the young ladies of the aristocratic faction?â
Even if the older noblewomen stuck to crinoline until the end, those that were fashion-conscious would definitely get on board with bustle.
From the beginning, wasnât this day the reason sheâd pushed forward the bustle style forcibly?
The imperial faction and the aristocratic faction were divided by the style of their outfits. It made the influence of high society obvious to the eyes.
âIf everyone wears a bustle now, itâll be my victory.â
It would seem like high society has bowed its head before the empress.
Ludia folded the newspaper with a gleeful smile, and the head lady-in-waiting announced Lilicaâs arrival.
âLet her come in.â
Ludia said while putting the newspaper aside.
Soon, Lilica entered with light steps.
âMother.â
With a cute curtsy, Lilica sat next to her mother.
Ludia hugged Lilica once naturally, and then let her go. Lilica spoke with a smile.
âNormally, I would have also hugged you tightly, but Iâm holding this today.â
âWhat is it?â
Ludia tilted her head. Lilica extended the parchment out to her.
âEarlier, His Majesty bestowed me imperial territory.â
Ludia stiffened in place instantly.
The people around them also paused momentarily and turned their gazes at the parchment simultaneously.
Ludia asked.
âImperial territory? To you? All of a sudden like this?â
âYes, I also found it rather strangeâŚâŚ Iâm not entirely sure, but I want to leave it to Mother. Iâm young, so Mother can manage it on my behalf, right?â
Lilica handed over the parchment to Ludia. Ludia opened the parchment roughly.
âGoodness.â
The contents of the parchment, which had the emperorâs seal, were brief.
It was about bestowing a portion of the imperial territory to Lilica.
Ludia bit her lip and asked.
âWas the Chancellor also present?â
âYes, Lat said congratulations.â
Ludia forced a laugh at Lilicaâs words.
She wanted to crumple up the parchment immediately, but she held it in.
âNo way.â
She scrutinised the name of the fief again.
It was a barren land in the north, as expected of imperial territory.
Under normal circumstances, harvest yields canât be expected.
âIf Uva comes back soon.â
Ludia smiled.
âThe Duke of Barat will fly into a fit at the meeting.â
Ludia muttered just like that. Several incidents that were irritating to the aristocratic faction kept happening.
Of course, she was at the forefront, but what should she do when even Lilica was being used?
âItâll be better not to take my eyes off Lat Sandar.â
A traitor.
Putting it in this way makes it a simple and concise accusation.
It was a big deal that the empireâs chancellor pretended to be the emperor and cooperated with the rebels.
âBut the reason behind that is still unknown.â
At that time, she didnât know why, and now, she still doesnât know.
Regardless of treason or whatever, Ludia intended to run away with Lilica as soon as Atil came of age, but shouldnât she preserve his life until then?
âLily, did you, perhaps, hear any alarm bells ringing because of Lat?â
âNo, not at all.â
Lilica whispered with a serious expression.
âDoes Lat also need a talisman?â
âNo, then in that case, it should be fine.â
With a grin, Ludia flung the parchment onto the table.
Lilica looked at that and turned her gaze back towards Ludia.
âMother, I want to ask you a question.â
âMm, what is it?â
As Ludia passed the snack that the head lady-in-waiting brought over to Lilicaâs hand, she asked.
âMy conversational partner, can Fjord also be one too?â
âFjord Barat? As your conversational partner?â
âYes, is that okay?â
Ludia agonised over Lilicaâs words and turned her gaze towards the parchment.
Since something like that appeared from that side, this side should also be able to do as it pleases.
âOf course. Mom will send a letter over.â
âReally?â
âOf course.â
âWow.â
Lilica cheered and hugged Ludia tightly. Ludia laughed.
âAre you that happy? Which part of Fjord makes Lily that happy? Indeed, Barats are naturally endowed with the ability to enchant people.â
Lilica tilted her head like she was asking what that meant, and at that, Ludia lifted her teacup and explained.
âIt is said that the founder of the Barat family was an extremely beautiful flower. A flower that attracts and eats people with its sweet scent and appearance.â
At the words, Lilica recalled Fjord. She spoke.
âBut in my eyes, Mother is more beautiful.â
Ludia smiled broadly.
âOh, my, this child.â
Her mother, who chuckled and sipped her tea, was as beautiful as a picture.
Lilica sighed as she watched that scene like she was bewitched.