Liliana felt someone kiss her forehead as she lay half-asleep. She tried to open her eyes, but she was too exhausted from the previous night’s events. Especially her waist…

“Are you very tired?”

A deep, sweet voice accompanied a firm hand on her waist. Startled, Liliana shrank back, which made her nestle even closer into Helio’s embrace.

Slowly, she opened her eyes and found herself staring directly into his.

“Y-Your Majesty…”

“It seems I was too rough on you.”

Helio kissed her eyelids and gently massaged her waist. Liliana blushed and cautiously grasped his arm.

“You haven’t left yet?”

“I have to go. I was planning to leave without waking you, but you were sleeping so peacefully, just like a princess. Doesn’t a princess need a kiss? Don’t you think?”

“I am a princess…”

Helio let out a low chuckle at her mumbling.

“That’s right. The most noble Princess Liliana of the Kingdom of Nieta.”

Even Liliana couldn’t help but chuckle at that. The idea of her being the most noble was absurd. Helio knew all too well about her standing in the Kingdom of Nieta, making his words feel brazen.

The amusing thing was that spending time with Helio had made Liliana quite bold herself. Closing her eyes again, she spoke casually.

“Since Your Majesty favors me and I hold power myself, no one in the Kingdom of Nieta would dare treat me carelessly anymore. I know that now.”

The comfort of the bed and Helio’s warm scent were lulling her back to sleep, but she couldn’t ignore the lack of response from Helio, which bothered her.

When Liliana opened her eyes again, Helio was looking at her with a very intrigued expression.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“I was wondering why you’ve been acting so delightfully since yesterday.”

“Do you like it when I become unruly?”

“Yes. I like you as you are, but go on, be even more so.”

“You have quite the peculiar taste.”

Liliana grinned playfully, and Helio, seemingly unbothered, softly tousled her hair.

Their peaceful morning didn’t last long. Turns knocked on the bedroom door, urging Helio. The Emperor’s day was busy, and Liliana always found that a bit saddening.

“It’s time for me to go.”

Helio said so, yet he didn’t remove his hand from her hair, as if he too found their parting bittersweet, making Liliana’s heart flutter.

“I’ve prepared a gift for you. Open it after I leave.”

“What kind of gift?”

Helio didn’t answer, just smiled and gently laid Liliana back down when she tried to get up to see him off. Truth be told, she was sore all over, so she obediently stayed put and watched him leave.

After Helio had gone, Sophia brought a small jewelry box to Liliana.

“His Majesty sent this?”

“Yes, he said you should open it yourself.”

Helio had already gifted Liliana countless jewels. She often wondered if she’d ever have enough occasions to wear all of them in her lifetime, and now, here was yet another.

Thinking this was perhaps the height of luxury, Liliana opened the jewelry box.

Inside were jewels so finely crafted they were almost miraculous in their beauty. Liliana smiled, pleased.

Among the beautiful necklaces and earrings, she picked up a pink flower ring made of real petals.

The jewelry box was perfect, not missing any part of Helio’s indulgence or Liliana’s taste. She put on the flower ring and stared at it for a while, like a girl in love.

But Liliana’s expression gradually turned serious as she gently held the delicate petals and made a resolution.

‘I want to stop His Majesty from going to war.’

Helio was as crucial as the male lead in a childcare story—essential to the point where he could be revived even if killed. But the future had already changed considerably, and if Helio went to the battlefield and got injured, Liliana knew she would never forgive herself.

Unable to recklessly prevent the war, Liliana decided to visit the Silver Deer Palace the very next day after resting for a day.

Liliana had two mentors, and she believed Lucia would know more about the upcoming war.

Upon seeing Liliana, the maid of the Silver Deer Palace greeted her politely but with a worried look.

“Her Highness the Princess is not at the Silver Deer Palace right now.”

“Why has she left the palace?”

“She has gone to the Emperor’s palace to seek an audience with His Majesty.”

Liliana nodded. Lucia was close to Helio, but it didn’t necessarily mean their relationship was warm.

Lucia would only seek Helio out when she had something to say, and Helio didn’t bother her any further beyond that. So, once her business was done, she would likely return to the Silver Deer Palace immediately.

“May I wait inside?”

“Of course, Your Highness. Her Highness has instructed us to always welcome you whenever you visit.”

Liliana stepped inside, wearing a soft smile in response to the warm reception.

The reception room of the Silver Deer Palace was as refined and elegant as Lucia’s personality. After she sat down, a maid brought out warm tea, a type Liliana had never tasted before.

Once the maid excused herself to wait outside, Liliana turned to Sophia.

“Sophia, what do you think of decorating my palace like this?”

The Silver Deer Palace was always breathtaking, and since Helio had offered to bestow the Aris Palace upon her, every decoration caught her eye anew. Sophia chuckled softly behind her hand.

“Your Majesty would be better suited to a warmer atmosphere.”

Liliana pouted. It was clear that this elegant and charismatic interior didn’t match her at all.

The two exchanged jokes about the decor for a while, but there was still no word that Lucia had returned.

Liliana, telling herself to wait just a little longer, was about to call for one of the palace maids when a knock came, and the maid who had been waiting outside entered.

“Pardon me, Your Highness. Her Highness Princess Lucia’s business is taking longer than expected. Perhaps it would be best to arrange another time?”

“Is Her Highness really that busy?”

“Well…”

The maid hesitated, unsure of what to say.

“If it’s difficult to explain, you don’t have to. This is for your mistress; I wouldn’t reprimand you for it. But if there’s any way I could help, please tell me.”

Liliana spoke gently, and the maid bowed courteously.

“Her Highness has been standing outside the Imperial Palace for several hours but has not been able to enter.”

Liliana was taken aback. Helio, as much as he pretended otherwise, genuinely cared for Lucia. If anything, he would send her back to her palace rather than leave her standing outside.

Something was definitely amiss between them.

“I need to go see her. Thank you for telling me.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

Liliana rose and promptly left the reception room.

Riding her carriage straight to the Imperial Palace, she indeed found Lucia standing outside the main palace without even a chair.

Had she really been standing in this cold weather for hours? Because Helio wouldn’t let her in?

“Your Highness, Princess!”

Liliana hurriedly crossed the grand entrance and approached Lucia. Lucia was standing upright, gazing at the Imperial Palace, but she slowly turned when she heard Liliana’s call.

“Your Highness, Empress Consort Liliana. Have you come to seek an audience with His Majesty?”

Liliana had been deeply worried, but Lucia remained calm and composed.

“No, I came to see you. I waited at the Silver Deer Palace, but you didn’t return.”

“Ah, you must have waited a long time. I’m sorry.”

Liliana shook her head.

“It doesn’t matter that I waited. But why have you been standing out here for so long? What on earth is going on…?”

As Liliana anxiously glanced back and forth between the Imperial Palace and Lucia, Lucia gently patted her shoulder.

“It seems His Majesty fears I might cause trouble. But don’t worry, it’s not that. In truth, I am the one causing him trouble.”

“What?”

Lucia clasped her hands neatly at her waist and spoke firmly.

“It would be better for me to go to the kingdom than to cause a war.”

“What do you mean…?”

“I do not wish to be remembered in the history of the Carlo Empire as a royal who caused a war for her own safety. I want to be a royal loved by the people until the end.”

Lucia’s reasoning made sense. Even though she wasn’t at fault, the people wouldn’t know all the details.

To the citizens, war was like a natural disaster that suddenly disrupted their lives.

But Liliana opened her mouth, ready to object to Lucia’s words.

“Your Highness, I disagree with that.”

“Why?”

Lucia’s voice was colder than usual when she asked.

“Your Majesty! Your Highness! It is an honor to see you both!”

Turns approached quickly, forgetting decorum, and bowed deeply before the two women.

“His Majesty the Emperor requests your presence inside!”

As Ternz urgently relayed the message, Lucia’s frosty expression softened, and she gave Liliana a slight nod.

“Thank you, Your Highness. Thanks to you, I can finally go inside.”

“How can this be my doing?”

“A troublesome sister can stand outside for hours, but His Majesty wouldn’t want to keep the Empress Consort, someone precious to him, waiting even for a moment.”

Lucia’s straightforward comment, free of any sarcasm, nearly made Liliana blush. Fortunately, thanks to lessons from Hesdin, Liliana managed to bow gracefully.