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chapter 03…
Too much crying had left Lirika’s ears ringing and her head spinning.
The story was still shocking, but it was far more believable than the idea that her mother had fallen in love with His Majesty the Emperor and was going to marry him.
Lirika quickly calmed herself and asked seriously,
“So… does that mean you’ve accepted a job?”
Ludia brushed the bread crumbs from the corner of her daughter’s mouth and tilted her head.
“A job.”
It was more complicated than that, but there was no reason not to describe it that way.
No matter the conditions or the method, a deal was a deal, and a contract was a contract.
“That’s right.”
Hearing her mother’s answer, Lirika actually felt relieved.
Work and contracts were concepts she could understand.
After all, who was Lirika Barnes?
The hardest-working girl in the slums, someone who lived by the motto, Work is built on trust.
Having regained her composure, Lirika confidently picked up another piece of bread.
But Mother marrying His Majesty the Emperor… Does that mean she’ll become the Empress?
Her mother, smiling so brightly, really was beautiful enough to be an empress.
But… Mother?
Stuffing another mouthful of bread into her puffed cheeks and washing it down with orange juice, Lirika came to a decision.
No matter what, she had to help her mother with this job.
“Then… what about me?”
When Lirika asked, Ludia somehow looked slightly disappointed.
“I thought you’d be more surprised.”
“I was surprised enough.”
“I’ve arranged for you to be adopted as my daughter. Starting the day after tomorrow, you’ll be a princess.”
“A… princess…”
Now that it directly involved her, Lirika was momentarily stunned.
But she quickly regained her senses.
Then this was a contract princess.
No matter what, it was a job she had to perform well.
Feeling a little proud that she even knew a difficult word like job, Lirika thought hard.
But… what exactly does a princess do?
Still puzzled, she asked,
“If it’s a contract… how long does it last?”
After glancing around, she lowered her voice to a whisper.
Ludia answered,
“Until His Highness the Crown Prince comes of age and becomes Emperor. So… about eight years.”
“Eight years…”
That was an unimaginably long time.
She couldn’t even grasp how long eight years really was.
Ludia continued,
“When it’s over, the two of us will buy a little house on the outskirts of the capital and live happily together. We’ll have a small garden too, alright?”
“Really?”
More than the imperial palace or becoming a princess, the image of a little cottage with a small garden appealed to her.
“Really. We’ll travel wherever we like and live comfortably. The money we’re receiving is enormous.”
Then Ludia’s expression became serious.
“But…”
“You must never tell anyone. This must remain an absolute secret. It can never be exposed.”
“I understand. I won’t tell anyone. Even if I die.”
For a moment, Ludia’s lips trembled.
She suddenly pulled Lirika tightly into her arms.
“I know, Liri. I know you would.”
Her voice shook faintly.
To reassure her, Lirika gently patted her mother’s back.
She must be scared now that such an important job is about to begin.
Determined to sound confident, Lirika puffed out her chest.
“Don’t worry, Mother. I’ll help you as much as I can.”
Ludia let out a small laugh and released her.
“Then you’ll have to help with the very first task.”
“What is it?”
“Being the flower girl at the wedding.”
Her mother smiled brightly.
❖ ❖ ❖
The next two days passed in a blur.
Lirika tried her best to keep up with everything, but it was impossible.
Everything happened far too quickly.
Of course, she wasn’t the only one overwhelmed.
The imperial family—no, the entire Imperial Capital—the whole Empire was thrown into chaos.
The Emperor’s sudden announcement that he was getting married was shocking enough.
The fact that his bride was an ordinary woman with nothing to her name—and a young daughter to boot—was an even greater sensation.
“I’m getting married the day after tomorrow.”
For the Emperor, it took only that single sentence.
For everyone beneath him, however, it was a catastrophe.
Fortunately, the Spring Ball was underway, so many nobles were already gathered in the capital.
Otherwise, the wedding might have been held in an empty temple.
Even the wedding dress had to be hurriedly purchased off the rack.
After seeing the pure white gown, Ludia simply said,
“Gather all the fabric from the skirt and make it fuller around the back.”
There wasn’t enough time for anyone to question the bride’s request.
The seamstresses desperately altered the dress according to her instructions, adding countless pleats.
Without anyone realizing it, they had witnessed fashion transitioning from the crinoline style to the bustle style.
No one had time to notice.
An imperial wedding normally required at least a year of preparation.
This one was completed in just two days.
Everything was utter chaos.
The ceremony had already ended before rumors about Ludia could even spread.
The day after the wedding came the ceremony officially adopting Lirika.
Compared to the wedding, it almost felt like an afterthought.
Lirika saw her mother that day, and she looked exhausted, as though she hadn’t slept at all.
It worried her.
From that day onward, she was no longer Lirika Barnes.
She became Lirika Nara Takar.
“Princess Lirika, there are only three people before whom you should bow your head: His Majesty the Emperor, Her Majesty the Empress, and His Highness the Crown Prince.”
Lirika listened with complete seriousness.
Though her thin face lacked the chubby cheeks of most children, her large eyes sparkled with attention.
Mrs. Glenderin, who had been appointed to teach her, looked at Lirika with growing surprise.
When she had first been asked to educate the girl, she’d hesitated.
Can I really teach a child from the slums?
But the opportunity to receive access to the Imperial Court had ultimately persuaded her.
Among the Empire’s nobility, there were effectively two kinds of nobles:
Those with permission to enter the Sun Palace, and those without.
Any noble could freely enter the Sky Palace.
The Sun Palace, however, where the Emperor resided, was different.
Permission to enter was granted solely by the Emperor himself.
Most high-ranking nobles possessed such privileges.
Of course, should they lose the Emperor’s favor, those privileges could be revoked.
Everyone knew it was one of the Emperor’s methods of strengthening the imperial throne.
Yet no one could openly object.
As a result, nobles with court access were often jokingly—but only half-jokingly—called court nobles rather than simply nobles.
For Mrs. Glenderin, who was a landless court noble herself, this was an opportunity that would never come again.
She had resolved to endure no matter what sort of child she was assigned.
But when she finally met Lirika, the girl was nothing like she’d imagined.
She wasn’t restless.
She didn’t run around.
She didn’t use crude language.
In fact, her attitude was far better than many ill-mannered noble children.
There was no student better than one who genuinely wanted to learn.
Mrs. Glenderin found herself teaching Lirika with far more ease—and enjoyment—than she’d expected.
The girl was still rather stiff, of course.
But that would improve with time.
“Now then, let’s practice greeting again.”
Lirika jumped to her feet.
The goal was to perform an elegant curtsy by bending her knees gracefully.
At present, however, Lirika’s curtsy was… energetic.
She simply dropped straight down and sprang back up again.
After several more greetings, Mrs. Glenderin moved on.
There was far too much to teach, and far too little time.
As Lirika spent nearly every day in lessons, a new worry began to grow.
Mrs. Glenderin only came to the palace in the afternoons.
That meant the only time Lirika could visit her mother was during the morning.
But whenever she went, the maids would often tell her that the Empress was still asleep because she was exhausted.
The maid’s tone clearly carried annoyance.
Still, Lirika couldn’t help worrying.
What on earth happens every night? Mother is always so tired…
Only after several visits did she finally manage to see her.
Still wearing a robe and sitting on the bed, Ludia looked utterly exhausted.
“Mother… are you alright?”
Lirika asked.
Ludia nodded.
“Of course I am.”
“But you look so tired. Are you sleeping well at night?”
“At night…”
Ludia muttered before grinding her teeth.
“I don’t sleep very well.”
“You should get plenty of rest.”
Seeing her daughter’s worried face, Ludia smiled.
“Don’t worry. I’m fine.”
She changed the subject, asking whether palace life was treating Lirika well.
In truth, Lirika spent every day attending etiquette lessons, leaving little else to report.
Not wanting to tire her mother further, she left after only a short visit.
As she walked away, she couldn’t help worrying whether the maids were taking good care of her.
The young girl sighed heavily.
“Why is Mother so exhausted?”
The maid opening the door for her giggled.
“Well, because His Majesty torments her every single night.”
The remark was full of mockery.
But to Lirika, it came as a devastating shock.
“His Majesty?!”
She spun around in surprise.
The maid grinned openly.
“That’s right.”
Then she added,
“But it’s a secret that I told you, alright?”
Still stunned, Lirika nodded.
His Majesty… torments Mother every night…
What could he possibly be doing?
Just imagining it sent cold sweat running down her back.
Even Lirika had heard the rumors about the terrifying Emperor.
Does he beat her? Yell at her? Abuse her every night?
Thinking back to how exhausted her mother had looked, her anxiety soon became certainty.
No. I have to do something.
But… what can I possibly do?
“Lirika Nara Takar…”
She kept repeating her unfamiliar new name, trying to get used to it.
She racked her brain.
But worry overwhelmed every idea.
After returning to her room through the long palace corridor, she swallowed nervously before speaking to one of the maids.
“Could you… request an audience with His Majesty for me?”
The maid stared at her in surprise.
“An audience… with His Majesty?”
“Yes. I mean… yes.”
“Very well.”
The maid summoned an attendant and relayed Lirika’s request.
He also looked surprised, but quickly departed.
Before long, he returned.
“His Majesty says he has a few moments available right now.”
“I-I’ll go.”
Lirika jumped to her feet.
Now that the request had actually been accepted, the maids looked both astonished and curious.
One suggested changing her clothes first.
But the attendants immediately objected.
“It truly will only be a brief meeting. There isn’t time.”
Lirika nodded.
The attendant bowed politely.
“This way, please. I’ll escort you.”
“Let’s go.”
Addressing adults so casually still felt awkward.
But if that was what a princess was supposed to do, then she’d do it.
As she followed behind the attendant, she realized her tightly clenched hands were trembling.
It’s alright, Lirika.
You’ll be alright.
By the time she’d repeated that to herself several times, they had already arrived outside the imperial study.
The hallway that had always seemed so endlessly long now felt frustratingly short.
It was her first time here.
She was terribly nervous.
Taking a deep breath, she waited as the attendant announced,
“Princess Lirika has arrived.”
Without a word from inside, the doors to the study opened.
The attendant bowed deeply, silently indicating that he would go no farther.
Lirika entered alone.
She had been told never to look directly at the Emperor.
But in her nervousness, she’d forgotten.
At first, she didn’t even notice anyone standing in the room.
The Emperor sat behind a massive desk, never lifting his eyes from the documents before him.
Only after staring directly at him did Lirika panic and hurriedly perform a deep bow.
“What is it?”
His low, heavy voice echoed through the room.
Cold sweat trickled down Lirika’s back as she answered,
“I… I came because I have a request.”
“Speak.”
“Please…”
She paused for courage before tightening her stomach and blurting out,
“Please stop tormenting my mother every night!”
She’d shouted as loudly as she could.
Even so, her voice wasn’t very loud.
Yet the study suddenly became deathly silent.
The next moment—
“Pfft.”
“Heh.”
Small bursts of laughter escaped from somewhere nearby.
Startled, Lirika hurriedly tried to explain.
“S-She can’t seem to sleep properly at night… and… she can’t even get up in the mornings… she’s suffering… so please stop tormenting her…”
The Emperor stared blankly at her before speaking awkwardly.
“Wait. I’m quite sure your mother enjoys—”
“Ahem!”
“Cough! Cough!”
Violent coughing erupted from every direction.
Startled, Lirika looked around.
The Emperor frowned and shut his mouth.
Is coughing whenever the Emperor speaks some kind of palace etiquette…?
Unable to understand, Lirika cautiously copied them.
“Cough… cough?”
“Pwahahaha!”
Explosive laughter filled the study.
Lirika looked up in surprise.
A huge man standing beside the desk, holding a stack of documents, had doubled over.
He was desperately trying to suppress his laughter, but his shoulders shook uncontrollably.
The Emperor’s expression darkened with irritation.
Only then did Lirika realize there were other people in the room.
She had seen them before, but only now truly noticed them.
The laughing giant looked like a knight.
The others seemed to be officials helping with paperwork.
Seeing the confused girl standing there, another man stepped forward.
He had gentle features, brown hair, and warm brown eyes.
A monocle rested over one eye.
A beauty mark beneath his eye caught her attention.
He knelt on one knee so they were at eye level.
“Please don’t worry, Your Highness. That fool isn’t making fun of you.”
He smiled warmly.
“You are a very brave princess.”
Then he added,
“I promise His Majesty will no longer torment Her Majesty every night.”
“Hey.”
The Emperor tried to stop him.
But the man didn’t so much as flinch.
Instead, he calmly turned toward the Emperor.
“Isn’t that right, Your Majesty?”
The Emperor looked as though he’d bitten into a clam full of sand.
Then he looked back at Lirika.
Seeing her pale little face, he finally let out a long sigh.
“…Very well.”
“Th-Thank you very much!”
Lirika beamed with relief and bowed deeply in gratitude.
