My Mom Entered a Contract Marriage - Chapter 13

Atil looked at Lilica and turned his gaze back towards Altheos.

“Is this an order?”

“Kind of.”

“In that case, I understand.”

Atil bowed his head. Lilica looked at Altheos bewilderedly, then at Lat and finally at Atil.

She didn’t seem to have a choice here.

Lat looked at her troubled face and nodded like he understood, but he didn’t take sides.

“Hurry up.”

Altheos pushed her by the back again. Lilica was pushed forward a few steps.

‘Since it has become like this.’

Lilica said to Atil.

“I will be in your hands.”

“Let’s go.”

“I wish you both a great time.”

Lat smiled and saw them both off. Lilica sighed and followed Atil out.

As she walked down the hallway, she asked.

“Do you want me to hold the basket?”

“No.”

Atil gave a short reply.

The both of them didn’t say anything until they got to the lake. Atil has made it clear that he didn’t intend to converse with her.

Lilica followed behind him and looked up at the sky.

“Wow…”

Atil glanced at her. Lilica said with a smile.

“The sky is really blue. The clouds are very pretty, and the weather is so nice. Oh my, the lake is so beautiful.”

Lilica looked around and let out sighs of exclamation.

She had to walk a distance outside the palace to get to the lake, so she hasn’t been here yet.

“There aren’t many people. The lake is quite large… I wonder where it connects to? Wow, is that an island in the middle? There’s a small building on that island, too. It’s amazing.”

It didn’t matter if Atil didn’t respond. Lilica continued to chatter excitedly about the lake.

Atil listened to her voice. He didn’t think it was noisy, maybe because they were outdoors.

He just felt a little awkward.

It’s been so long since he’d heard a voice like that.

A bright and carefree voice

He placed a basket onto a boat that’s anchored by the lake and extended a hand out to Lilica.

Lilica’s eyes widened, before she grabbed that hand with a smile.

Only then did he see her face. It was different from the expression that he’d caught a glimpse of previously.

After getting onto the boat, Lilica said.

“I didn’t ask His Majesty to do this.”

“I know.”

There’s no way that Lilica would’ve asked to meet him first, after being stood up like that.

Atil loosened the rope and pushed the boat towards the lake with his feet.

Lilica was about to say something at Atil’s words, but she was startled by the rattling boat, so she stopped.

Soon, the boat began to rock along with the waves smoothly.

It was Lilica’s first time experiencing something like this, so she held both sides of the boat tightly and gradually relaxed.

Atil was standing and rowing the boat skillfully, and Lilica looked at it curiously.

“This is my first time riding a boat. I see. So this is how it feels like.”

Lilica got used to it  quickly and became rather excited.

Lilica dipped her fingertips lightly into the lake and raised her head to look at Atil.

“Your Highness.”

Atil looked at her. Lilica opened her mouth frankly.

“While I don’t know what Your Highness’ opinion is, I’ve always wanted a sibling. Whenever I fought with kids of my age, their older brothers would always come to their rescue. I’ve always envied it, since I’m alone.”

She smiled slightly.

“As such, it made me really happy to have an older brother, even if it was a cousin. Though I don’t know what Your Highness thinks.”

Ah, she was talking about the past again.

As Lilica thought that to herself, she continued.

“I want to become friends with you.”

Lilica asked while looking at him earnestly.

“Can’t I?”

Atil blinked. It was the first time he heard someone say ‘I want to be friends’ so straightforwardly.

Atil’s blue eyes looked into Lilica’s turquoise eyes.

Those eyes seemed like an emerald sea, like they’ll take him to a foreign country that’s very distant from here.

He didn’t have any blood relatives. No, although he had Altheos, he wasn’t an affectionate person.

Alone.

He was always completely alone. Atil tried his best not to think about it.

He tried his best, but his heart was shaken by this girl’s words.

He bit his lip and changed the subject.

“My father had many siblings.”

Lilica waited quietly for his following words.

“There were six people in total. But when Father ascended onto the throne, only he remained.”

Lilica’s eyes widened.

“Have they all passed away?”

“Yes.”

“You must have been very sad.”

Lilica murmured. Atil couldn’t help but laugh.

It was the first time he heard words like those. Everyone paid more attention to words like ‘assassination’ and ‘the struggle for the throne’, and no one talked about these feelings.

“Yes, I probably was.”

As such, Atil could only respond like that. He couldn’t mention that even if he had brothers, they could only fight for the throne or end up being assassinated.

Lilica patted her chest.

“I won’t die.”

“What?”

“I definitely won’t die, so you don’t have to worry. I won’t make Your Highness feel sad.”

Atil snorted.

“And you’re always on my side? Run to you if I need you?”

“Of course! Isn’t that what siblings do? If someone bothers you, I’ll go and teach them a lesson.”

It was really amusing to watch a small child make that guarantee.

“I don’t believe those words.”

“There’s no one that doesn’t need words of this kind though.”

Lilica replied calmly to those sharp words. Atil stopped talking.

Lilica’s cheeks turned red.

“I know. I know that words like ‘no matter what’ and ‘always’ might sound futile, but still.”

Lilica sprang up from her seat.

They still had a large height difference, which made it difficult to see his face, but it was closer than when she was seated.

“I needed it a lot.”

And she continued quietly.

“And I believe it exists.”

Atil tightened his grip on the oar.

He wanted to believe it, but he couldn’t.

Instead of answering, Atil looked away, but Lilica didn’t feel disappointed. She recalled a stubborn stray cat.

A black cat with its tail pointed upwards in the slums.

The cat was always haughty, and agile and beautiful enough that it would never get hit by children’s stones.

Trust wouldn’t be formed merely with an outstretched hand or a single sentence.

Meanwhile, the boat has arrived on a small island.

A rope was thrown to moor the boat, and the both of them got off the island.

Atil started walking with the basket with practised ease, and Lilica followed soon after.

There was a gazebo with tables and chairs set up on the small island.

When they were opening the basket and taking out the food, someone approached.

Atil relaxed at the sight of the other person.

“Rowyn.”

“You can’t go around without an escort.”

“Well, His Majesty has always been spontaneous.”

Atil sighed and introduced him to Lilica.

“My escort, Rowyn.”

“My name is Rowyn Gray. Princess.”

“It’s nice to meet you.”

Lilica greeted lightly. She had a strange feeling.

‘I have a bad feeling about this.’

Although he’s said to be Atil’s escort, Lilica didn’t have a good feeling.

She could hear alarm bells ringing in the corner of her mind. It was strangely clear and distinct. This person was definitely someone that will cause harm.

“How did you know to come here?”

Rowyn shrugged at Lilica’s question.

“I asked an attendant.”

Atil turned his back on him and opened the basket. Lilica stole a glance at Rowyn.

“All kinds of things are placed in here.”

At those words, Lilica couldn’t help but tiptoe and looked into the basket.

In an instant, goosebumps crawled all over her back. She glanced sideways and saw Rowyn holding the sword handle.

The attention of a kid from the slums, who was accustomed to violence, honed in that direction at once.

The senses that have always saved her were screaming right now.

Lilica’s hand reached towards Atil unconsciously.

In that split second, Rowyn swung his sword like a flash of lightning. At the same time, Lilica pulled Atil over with all her might.

“!!”

Rowyn’s sword grazed past Atll by a hair’s breadth. A few strands of hair floated in the air.

If Lilica hadn’t reached out first, it would have been too late.

“Goodness.”

Rowyn’s voice was so calm that Lilica wondered if he eradicated bugs with his sword.

Lilica jumped onto the long bench and raised her arms, blocking the path between Rowyn and Atil.

“Why…”

Atil’s trembling voice came from behind her.

‘What should I do? What should I do?’

How should they lose a trained adult male that has a sword?

Lilica stared at Rowyn. Rowyn sighed.

“This was the very moment I had served the Crown Prince for eight years for. At least out of consideration for our relationship, I wanted to send you off without knowing anything.”

“W, why the hell…!”

It was a pinched voice. Lilica cried.

“It’s because he’s a villain!”

Rowyn paused. Lilica shouted.

“You traitor! Bad guy! The worst ones are those that think they have a good reason! Shamelessly trying to kill a child at that!”

Rowyn looked at Lilica, who was screaming loudly, with an irked expression.

“It’s just like the emperor with unknown origins, to make such a shallow lass a princess. The problem is, that kind of person is the emperor of the empire. Now the empire is new—”

Then, something flew from behind Lilica’s back.

When Rowyn swung his sword and struck it, pepper scattered everywhere, along with the sound of the bottle breaking.

At the same time, Atil grabbed Lilica’s hand and ran.

But they didn’t manage to escape for long.

“Kyahh!”

As soon as her hair was grabbed, Lilica let go of Atil’s hand.

But Atil didn’t give up. He stopped, looked back, and gritted his teeth.

“Run!”

Lilica shouted, but Atil didn’t listen. Lilica couldn’t breathe.

Her vision went dark.

‘What?’

She heard an odd grating sound.

Her eyes became physically blocked by something.

The hand that was holding her hair loosened, and she could feel warmth from the palm that was covering her eyes.

‘What’s going on? What’s happening?’

Thud. 

It was the sound of someone collapsing to the ground.

“The both of you look fine.”

The hand that covered her eyes was removed. She tried to look back, but a strong hand blocked her vision.

“No, don’t look back.”

As such, she looked up and saw His Majesty standing there. Altheos gave her a smile.

Only then did her legs begin to tremble. Lilica desperately bore with the tears that filled her eyes.

Atil looked at the dead Rowyn with a despondent expression and turned his gaze towards Altheos.

“Did you use me as bait?”

The end of his voice trembled slightly. Altheos tilted his head at those words and laughed.

“Who knows.”

Atil bit his lip. At the same time, Lilica shouted.

“I hate it!”

“What?”

Lilica tried to turn around, but she couldn’t as Altheos was still holding her head with both hands.

“Y—you’re being too much, saying it like that. In that manner, like that! Please speak clearly. Did you use us as bait? If you did, I will be very sad and angry, but then I can ask why, if not I’ll misunderstand. But I really hate that kind of answer.”

Lilica, who’d suddenly blurted it all out in one breath, panted and closed her mouth.

Atil stared at Lilica blankly. After a moment of silence, Altheos spoke.

“No.”

Atil raised his head.

“I didn’t use you as bait. It really was just a spontaneous decision. Because your mother suddenly made a fuss.”

Altheos mumbled softly, “How the hell did she know…” and continued.

“As we were about to look for you, I realised that Atil was in danger, so I flew over in a hurry. I came first, and your mom will be here soon. Over there, no, you can’t see them. Anyways, I can see them on a boat.”

At that moment, Lilica plopped down onto the ground.

Tears welled up in her eyes.

Startled, Atil approached.

“Euk, Huuk, Euhuuk!”

In the end, when Altheos saw Lilica burst into tears, he asked.

“Did you get hurt?”

Atil knelt before her, shocked at his words.

“Did something happen when Rowyn grabbed you…”

In an instant, Lilica clung to him. Atil swallowed his breath.

“I, I, I was scared, I was very scared, hic, hicc, luck, luckily…”

Hueng, eungh, engh, as she cried, Lilica hugged him.

Atil stiffened, flustered. It was the first time someone had hugged him.

The child’s arms and body were surprisingly thin, and her body temperature was particularly warm. The sound of her crying wasn’t detestable.

As he wondered what to do, he slowly patted her on the back, and Lilica burrowed deeper into his arms like a puppy.

For some reason, his voice came out like a sigh.

“You said you wouldn’t die?”

Upon hearing his words, a mumble came from within his arms, saying, “I definitely won’t die.” Atil couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Lily! Oh God, Lily!”

At that time, he saw the pale empress running over with a shrill cry.

Altheos said, “The both of them are safe,” but she didn’t seem to hear him.

The flustered Atil tried to push Lilica away, but Lilica didn’t release him.

What should he say?

How should he explain the current situation to Her Majesty the Empress?

Just as Atil was thinking about that, Ludia hugged the both of them at the same time.

“I’m glad that you’re safe. It’s a relief, truly.”

“!!”

Atil choked up.

A reassured voice saying that it was a relief, a rough hand stroking his hair.

Atil, who had never been hugged by his mother, desperately endured his tears.

Altheos spoke in a stinging voice.

“I’m the one that saved them, but why aren’t you giving me a hug?”

“Is this the time you should be saying that?”

Ludia jumped up from her position and said. Her angry gaze turned towards the body.

“Euh, goodness. Let’s leave this place first. It’s not good for the children’s education.”

Ludia’s eyes narrowed and she covered Atil and Lilica’s eyes.

It was only then that a commotion broke out.

They took a boat and crossed back to the other side, where the white-faced Brynn and Brann were waiting.

Pi was standing restlessly and patted his chest several times.

Tan and Lat were also present, and the two spoke in low volumes with Altheos.

Ludia nudged her with a hand on her back, saying, “Now then, go get some rest, the both of you.”

After a while, Lilica had taken a hot bath and sat on a fluffy sofa, drinking a large cup filled with warm chocolate.

* * *