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~Chapter 27~
Dahlia’s long eyelashes fluttered as she slowly opened her eyes.
Why does my body feel so heavy today…?
“Ria!”
“Miss Ria!”
Hearing the tearful voices of Annie and Cole, Dahlia turned her head toward the sound.
She saw Annie’s eyes brimming with tears, and Cole standing with his head bowed low. Behind them, Heart peered in with a curious look.
“Annie, Cole… What’s wrong? Why do you look like that?”
Her voice came out rusty, as if she hadn’t spoken in a long time.
“Drink some water first,” Annie said, gently helping Dahlia sit up and bringing a cup to her lips.
She drank slowly, and her foggy mind gradually cleared.
Blue water. The child who fell in. The branches.
Her heart dropped.
Dahlia looked at Annie with anxious eyes.
“…What about the child?”
Her voice shook on its own. Annie, as if she knew Dahlia would ask that first, nodded.
“Safe. You saved her.”
Dahlia’s violet eyes widened in disbelief.
“Really? She’s alive? Truly?”
“Yes.”
“Oh, thank goodness… I’m so glad, really…”
Tears welled up in Dahlia’s large eyes.
She had doubted all along if she could really change the future, even after coming all the way to the empire.
But the future had changed. The child lived.
Just that tiny hope made her heart overflow.
“Ria, you can’t swim, so what were you thinking, going in there?”
Annie scolded her, though she gently dabbed away Dahlia’s tears with a handkerchief.
“I can swim. Cole and I used to swim together all the time, remember?” Dahlia tried to deflect Annie’s scolding, glancing at Cole for support.
Cole nodded gloomily, his voice low.
“I should’ve been there. You’re afraid of water…”
Dahlia’s eyes trembled.
They were both tough opponents. Annie with her nagging, and Cole with his guilt-ridden face that made Dahlia feel even worse.
“No, it’s okay. I thought I was afraid, but when I saw the child in danger, I could swim just fine. I don’t think I’m scared of water anymore!”
She looked back and forth between the two, trying to reassure them with a bright smile.
Just imagining rivers or lakes used to make her freeze, but she had saved a child!
She’d saved someone and overcome her trauma. Yes, she could do it!
Dahlia grinned proudly—until she noticed Annie glaring sharply at her. The corners of her mouth drooped in embarrassment.
“Don’t ever do that again,” Annie said sternly.
“Um, I’m thirsty again…” Dahlia tried to change the subject.
“I know you’re trying to avoid this.”
Still, Annie held the cup so Dahlia could drink.
“But what happened, exactly? I can’t remember after a certain point,” Dahlia asked, tilting her head.
She remembered handing the child the branch, but nothing after that.
“The emperor’s people saved you,” Annie replied.
“What?”
Dahlia’s eyes grew round with surprise—then she smiled.
Lemon must have succeeded in bringing help. Good job, Lemon!
“Who saved me? The captain? The secretary? Surely… not the emperor himself?”
“I don’t know exactly. But the emperor gave you this room to recover.”
Only then did Dahlia look around.
The room was five times larger than her old quarters, filled with gilded furniture and a bed wide enough for several people.
“Hmm, I should properly thank whoever saved me. But why would the emperor give me this room?”
“Beats me,” Annie shrugged.
Just then, a knock sounded at the door.
Heart slipped out and opened the door wide.
“Hohoho! Good day, Lady Hurdarn.”
A bent old man with snow-white hair and a black cane shuffled inside. As everyone watched curiously, Heart quickly introduced him.
“This is Chief Attendant Rosen Cookdan. He asked to be called as soon as you woke.”
Tap, tap.
Rosen made his way in, then stopped and turned around.
“Who’s slower than this old man?”
“Coming, coming!”
Oreon entered, pushing a tray.
“Secretary?”
Dahlia’s eyes widened at the familiar face.
“Hello, the— the air is nice today, Lady. Are you well?”
Dahlia, Annie, and Cole exchanged glances.
What’s with that weird greeting?
Dahlia eyed Oreon with suspicion, but he only smiled back innocently.
“I’m fine.”
“His Majesty is quite worried about you.”
“The emperor? He is?”
“Yes. He’s been—”
Whack!
Rosen’s cane came down hard on Oreon’s backside.
“You rascal! How dare you talk about His Majesty like that!”
Oreon jumped up, yelping.
“Ow! Grandpa!”
Rosen raised his cane again.
“Didn’t I tell you not to speak like that in the palace!”
“Um, Chief Attendant, what brings you here?” Dahlia hurriedly interrupted, not wanting more cane swinging.
“Hohoho. Lady, have you eaten?”
“No, not yet.”
“His Majesty sent this personally.”
Oreon lifted the shining silver cloche, revealing a tray filled with elegant dishes.
Coq au vin simmered in red wine, roast chicken with fragrant herbs and olive oil, oven-baked diavola.
“Is this… a challenge?”
Annie eyed the food warily.
Each dish was cut into neat, bite-sized pieces, laid out like finger food on the tray.
Pfft.
Oreon pressed his lips together, trying not to laugh.
“You haven’t eaten in days, so you might not handle rich food right away. Start with the soup—if your stomach feels okay, then try the rest.”
Chief Rosen pulled a steaming bowl of soup from the bottom of the tray.
Heart stepped forward to take it, but Annie was quicker.
“Thank you. If it weren’t for the soup, I’d be suspicious of His Majesty’s motives,” Annie muttered, sharp as ever.
Dahlia nudged her gently.
“No, Annie. I think His Majesty remembered my favorite foods.”
Looking at the bite-sized dishes, Dahlia smiled faintly.
She realized the emperor had remembered exactly the dishes she’d once mentioned when trying to guess his tastes.
He’s unexpectedly thoughtful, she thought.
“True. These are all the foods you like,” Annie admitted in wonder.
“Lady Hurdarn.”
Rosen’s warm eyes turned to her.
Dahlia looked up from the food.
“Yes?”
“Thank you. For saving Her Highness the princess.”
He set aside his cane and bowed deeply.
“Truly, thank you.”
Oreon bowed as well.
“The princess…?” Dahlia asked, startled.
Annie, listening beside her, looked just as shocked, her eyes wide.
