My Mom Entered a Contract Marriage - Chapter 49

His silver hair twinkled like the stars in the darkness.

Comet-like golden red eyes, skin that was pale due to a fever.

It was a rather unrealistic sight.

Lilica stepped towards the balcony.

“This must be a dream.”

She must have been dreaming from a while ago.

“Fiyo.”

She couldn’t speak, so she mouthed.

As though he’d understood, Fjord gently descended from the railing.

He didn’t make any sound while touching the floor.

So this was, indeed, a dream.

As she smiled in relief, she approached and extended a hand.

“Lily.”

For some reason, the way he called her in a small voice was heart wrenching.

The hand that moved close to her cheek couldn’t touch her and stopped in mid-air.

Lilica tilted her head and leaned her cheek against his hand.

She was shocked and astonished.

His hands were really hot.

He seemed to also be having a fever, one that was higher temperature than hers.

‘Was this a fever-induced dream?’

Was she feeling this in her dream because she was actually having a fever?

Once they touched, he wrapped his hands around her cheek like he’d gained courage.

The golden red eyes that looked into her eyes were filled with feverishness.

It was quite beautiful, like the shards of light caused by a swaying heat haze.

As he stared at her like he was possessed, his hands got hotter and hotter.

It was like he was boiling.

It felt real, even though it was a dream.

“Fiyo?”

She called again out of worry, but there was no response.

Then, he looked up in surprise.

His gaze was fixed on something behind her.

‘Oh?’

Then, someone covered her eyes.

“Back off, Barat.”

When Lilica heard that voice, she laughed excitedly, perhaps because she was dreaming.

She could tell who was the owner of the voice without opening her eyes.

The hands that covered her eyes felt particularly cold yet welcomed.

It was a welcomed chill for her to cool down.

The hot hands that were holding her cheeks dropped.

“I’ll let you off for today. Leave.”

The hot air disappeared instantly.

The cool night air filled the surroundings.

The hand that was covering her eyes scooped her up.

Lilica laughed softly again.

As expected, it was His Majesty.

His Majesty’s arms were rather cooling and refreshing.

Her boiling temperature seemed to stabilise, and so she burrowed into his arms.

Imperial Father.

When she called quietly, she heard a sigh.

“The closer one is to being a monster, the more attracted they are.”

Lilica closed her eyes.

“Were the Barats still doing stupid things? There should be a degree to their stupidity.”

His murmuring voice was rather low.

It was clearly a dream, but what kind of dream was this?

‘It’s a good dream, because it stars the people that I like.’

She reached a conclusion.

“If Ludia finds out about this, she will raise such a fuss.”

She heard an amusement filled voice and felt a large hand rubbing her back.

Lilica slipped back into slumber’s sweet embrace.

* * *

Lilica opened her eyes and felt the towel on her forehead fall down.

“Are you awake?”

When she turned around, Atil was seated at the head of the bed, with his upper body supported by pillows.

“Atil?”

She called him inadvertently, but her voice didn’t come out.

Atil shook his head.

“Don’t talk. The imperial doctor said that you shouldn’t talk for the next three to four days.”

Atil’s hand touched her forehead.

He tilted his head.

“I think your fever has gone down.”

Brann, who was squeezing a towel by her bedside, approached and touched her neck, before nodding.

“I think the fever has receded. Are you hungry? You have to eat something before taking your medicine.”

Lilica nodded.

“I’ll tell them to prepare your food.”

Brann said that and withdrew from the room.

Lilica looked at her surroundings, before looking at Atil.

Atil could understand her just by looking at the shape of her lips.

“What about Brynn and Lauv?”

“They are in the midst of an interrogation.”

Atil’s words startled Lilica, who tried to get up, but she was prevented from doing so with a finger pressed to her forehead.

“If they aren’t involved, they will definitely be released safely. You don’t have to worry.”

“Mother?”

“Aunt is actively trying to recover.”

It’s best not to tell her that she was swallowing strong medicines.

Lilica nodded.

Atil sighed.

“Did you really not receive anything from Barat? I think that she did something.”

Swish, swish.

Lilica shook her head.

She gave it much thought, but the only thing they did was make eye contact.

Weren’t there many witnesses?

“She can’t have poisoned you just by looking at you. How annoying.”

Lilica gripped his hand tightly. And she patted her own chest.

It’s alright, I’m strong.

Though that was what she meant, Atil showed visible signs of disapproval.

“Why you of all people? I’m angry because their intent is too blatant.”

From the fact that they targeted the weakest of the group, their inferiority and malice were evident.

Lilica tilted her head.

Was she really the target?

Atil read her expression and pinched her cheek.

“You shouldn’t have such complacent thoughts. In any case, since you don’t have an escort or attendant with you right now, I’ll protect you.”

He held the magic gun with his other hand and waved it lightly.

Lilica’s eyes widened in surprise.

‘Why?’

Didn’t he say that it wasn’t very useful to defend someone?

Besides, if Atil possessed the same power as Imperial Father, he didn’t need a gun.

Lilica thought of Fjord.

When he was blatantly using a gun…

‘Was he actually being serious?’

Waves of shock shook her mind.

Was the actual situation as such, that she was pumped with anaesthetics, and she was poisoned to an unsalvageable degree?

So, so Atil was going to kill her if her condition worsens?

Atil became bewildered when Lilica’s expression turned pale.

“What’s wrong? Are you alright? We should call for the imperial doctor right now—”

Lilica shook her head wildly. Tears trickled down.

Atil paused at her momentum.

She grabbed him.

“What? Are you feeling unwell?”

Lilica mouthed something, but it was hard to decipher what she was saying while crying.

“What is it? Wait, if you’re feeling unwell, shall we call for the imperial doctor?”

Lilica pointed to the gun.

Atil lifted his gun and asked.

“The magic gun? What’s wrong with the gun?”

Frustrated, Lilica pulled his hand and held it to her head.

“Princess!”

At that moment, someone yanked on her arm and pulled her backwards, making Atil’s hand hit her on the head one step later.

“What are you doing! Don’t you know guns are very scary?!”

Tears welled up at the sudden situation.

Lilica blinked stiffly.

When she looked backwards, Brann was standing there with a hard look.

“What have you done, no, Your Highness. Why did you bring the magic gun? Even if it’s safe, please don’t play such a prank.”

“Would I have done it!”

Atil cried aggrieved, while Brann placed Lilica back onto the bed with a soft plop.

He held out a slab of stone.

“This would be more convenient, because we can’t hear your voice.”

As Lilica wrote her reasoning on the stone, Atil made an incredulous expression, while Brann smiled affectionately.

Atil said.

“Are you smiling right now?”

“No, it’s because I remembered Your Highness in the past. Princess. Although the princess said that she’s fine, she’s actually very shocked. That’s why it wouldn’t become an ordinary accident. Oddly, however, it seems like her thoughts had progressed negatively.”

Brann spoke softly.

Lilica looked up at him.

“No one here is trying to kill you, princess. I was rather worried by your calm appearance, but it’s a relief to know that that isn’t the case.”

Puzzled by Brann’s words, Lilica blinked.

‘Was I that startled?’

She thought that she was fine…

‘Perhaps.’

Atil recalled the first time he experienced an assassination attempt.

He remembered that at that time, he also thought that he was acting calmly, but that was not the case at all.

Now that he thought about it, the memory of how he’d acted was rather shameful, but it must be worse for the kid because he was the one doing it,

“Ah, seriously.”

Atil grumbled while tossing the magic gun in Brann’s direction.

Brann snatched the gun skillfully and said.

“You shouldn’t throw it.”

“Whatever.”

Atil reached his hands out to her sides and lifted her up with a flash.

“Come on, put your arms around me.”

Lilica circled her arm around his neck and hugged him dazedly.

Atil hugged her and patted her on the back.

“Alright, alright. You were really surprised, weren’t you? It’s alright. I’m right beside you.”

After experiencing an attempt to assassinate him at night, he’d imagined someone coming to comfort him several times while trembling in bed.

Although he didn’t receive such comfort, Atil gave what he wanted to Lilica clumsily.

Atil’s voice was slightly awkward and blunt, but Lilica felt tears welling up before she knew it.

After coming to the imperial palace, she cried all the time.

Here, no one would dislike it when she cries, and affectionately wipes away her tears instead.

Lilica burst into tears, and hugged his neck tighter.

After crying for a while, she became even hungrier.

In such a situation, Brann didn’t spill a single drop of the soup that he’d brought.

As she admired the Sol family’s capabilities, Lilica drank the soup that he brought.

It was easy to eat because it had cooled down moderately.

Atil chuckled.

“Is it good? Can you open your eyes? Can you see?”

Lilica nodded with eyes swollen from crying and slowly scooped the soup into her mouth.

The savoury taste of milk spread throughout her mouth.

The rate she spooned her soup sped up.

Brann smiled contentedly.

Having an appetite meant that she was in good condition.

‘Come to think of it.’

While it was rather quiet internally, a whirlwind was currently blowing externally.

Above all, the biggest problem was that the source of the poison wasn’t located.

Originally, he was a huge subject for interrogation as he was the one that prepared the tea, but he was released since Atil, who drank the tea, was fine.

‘Brynn must be extremely furious.’

Brynn, who was very devoted to the princess, must be fuming at this situation while chewing on a handkerchief.

Rather than the dishonourable situation of being questioned as a suspect, she must be more enraged about the fact that she couldn’t be by the princess’s side.

‘Will Sir Lauv be alright too?’

Although it took a long time as His Majesty was personally doing the interrogation.

‘He must be trying to intimidate them.’

It was obvious when taking his character into account.

Additionally, he’d also experienced it once.

Sweat began to form even now when he thought back to that period of time.

‘Well, Brynn should be doing well.’

* * *

Brynn staggered out of the room.

In order to prevent her teeth from clattering, she had to grit her molars.

‘S—scary!’

She thought that she knew Takar.

But knowing about it and personally experiencing it were two completely different matters.

Completely.

As she clasped her trembling hands tightly, a shadow fell on her.

When she looked up, Lauv was standing there.

‘What are you standing there for?’

She wanted to say that, but she was afraid that her voice would tremble, so she could only stare at him.

“Are you okay?”

Brynn cleared her throat at Lauv’s soft voice.

“Forget that.”

Her voice didn’t sound sharp.

But Brynn raised her head because he wasn’t the slightest bit nervous.

“Wolfe seems to think that he should protect whatever that’s smaller than them, but I’m fine. Why don’t you worry about yourself? It’s your turn now.”

Lauv nodded.

“I think I’ll be fine.”

“!!”

Lauv nodded in greeting to her angry gaze and went inside.

“Honestly.”

Now, the hands that she’d clasped tightly together didn’t tremble after letting go.

With a grumble, Brynn began to walk away with swift steps.

Just before the door closed, Lauv heard footsteps gradually moving away.

He didn’t hear anything else when the heavy door fell shut.

This space was rat poison for Wolfe, who relied heavily on his five senses.

Altheos was standing on one side of the room, which didn’t have any natural light illuminating it.

The sleeve of his shirt was folded up, exposing his arm, and a faint scent of blood could be detected beyond the scent of soap.

His sense of smell was even more sensitive in such a narrow place.

Altheos’s gaze slowly turned in his direction.

At the same time, an overwhelming pressure pressed down on his entire body.

Lauv gritted his teeth.

His gaze hadn’t even reached him yet, but cold sweat began forming.

His intuition urged him to flee. But there’s no room for escape here.

Then there was only one answer: attack.

Their eyes met.

Blazing red pupils surrounded by azure blue irises.

‘I’m going to die.’

His survival instincts were triggered out of fear.

Lauv almost jumped forward, but he forcibly endured it.

The jewel on his necklace felt colder than ice.

The heat in his boiling blood escaped.

As Lauv trembled while facing him, the overwhelming pressure disappeared in an instant.

Lauv’s legs turned feeble unknowingly and he almost fell to the floor there and then.

Instead, he exhaled and leaned his back against the wall. If not, he felt like he was really about to collapse.

“I’ll compliment you for rushing at me. I have no need for a dog that bares its teeth.”

Altheos approached and tapped the jewel with his fingertips.

“Is it because of this dog collar?”

“……”

Lauv endured the urge to fling his hand away.

Altheos smirked at the way Lauv seemed to endure his teasing and let go of it.

“Get out.”

“What?”

When he asked back reflexively, Altheos asked reluctantly.

“Why? Do you want to be tortured?”

Compared to the long waiting period and filling out paperwork, it was a rather concise interrogation.

Altheos said.

“It would be amusing to comb through and suppress the Wolfe family with this. So I’ll ask this, did you plot to hurt Lilica?”

“No, I didn’t.”

Altheos chuckled at his glare and defiant remark.

“Then that’s fine.”

Lauv went out of the door dazed.

When he came out, Tan was waiting.

* * *