My Mom Entered a Contract Marriage - Chapter 50

Tan’s gaze scanned him carefully.

He felt anxious, even if he’d visually confirmed that he was uninjured.

“Are you okay? Did you get hurt?”

Lauv bowed his head at the family head’s question.

“My sincerest apologies for troubling you.”

“No, you must have had a hard time too. But you’re to be confined for today and tomorrow.”

Although his head shot up immediately, it didn’t seem like Tan was about to take back those words.

Tan added.

“The same goes for the Sol family.”

Lauv’s brows furrowed even further.

He was concerned for the princess, as he was already absent for the whole of yesterday and today, and yet both of the princess’s confidants had to be absent for another two more days.

Tan tapped him on the shoulder.

“Her Highness the Princess will take care of things, so rest assured. His Majesty’s eyes are blazing with fury.”

“His eyes are really lit with fury.”

Lauv replied as he recalled those burning pupils.

He looked at his family head.

‘Voice anything you’d like to ask,’ was written all over Tan’s expression.

‘Is he really a human?’

The question rose up his throat, but Lauv couldn’t bear to spit it out.

“No, I’ll take my leave first then.”

“You’ll be harassed by Diare when you return home.”

Lauv’s shoulders drooped at his warning.

“Alright.”

After giving his greetings, Lauv’s silhouette gradually disappeared.

Tan scratched his head.

He couldn’t help but let out a sigh.

Ever since he headed down the path to the underground interrogation room, he felt a strong, overwhelming pressure.

Altheos opened the door and came out.

“Your Majesty.”

Immediately after Tan gave his greetings, Altheos asked.

“What’s the results of the investigation?”

“It was indeed caused by poison, but no matter how much I investigated, it doesn’t seem like any of her food was poisoned. So I looked into two or three sorts of combinations.”

Tan raised two fingers.

“I think the problem lies in the herbal ice cream and the tea.”

Altheos asked in response, “Tea?”

Tan nodded.

“This is a new product from the merchant groups, and it gives off a sweet, floral scent. But it seems like the combination of this tea and the herbs in the herbal ice cream creates an unpleasant effect.”

“And?”

“The merchant group is claiming that they hadn’t had such intentions. The tea was cultivated in Sandar, and was offered to the imperial family as Sandar’s tribute. Of course, the imperial physician that sent the ice cream is also claiming the same thing. That it’s just a coincidence.”

“So? Did you test the combination?”

Tan nodded when he was asked whether it was actually tested on humans.

“Although they vomited blood from damage to their stomach and oesophagus, it wasn’t severe enough to harm their life.”

It could be regarded as a threat, and it could be dismissed as a coincidence.

“This can’t be a coincidence.”

With a slight grin, Altheos extended his hand.

“The list.”

With a reluctant face, Tan took out the list of people involved. It was a list that included a detailed record of their personal information.

“Your Majesty doesn’t have to come forward personally……”

“That’ll be all.”

As soon as Altheos accepted the list, he disappeared. Tan sighed involuntarily.

* * *

Ludia was so furious that she couldn’t sleep.

She got up at dawn.

She gulped down cold water and touched her forehead.

Her fever had broken completely, perhaps due to the medicine that she’d taken.

‘How dare you.’

How dare you go after Lilica?

She gritted her teeth.

She was both angry and scared.

‘I could’ve lost Lily.’

She could have lost her daughter again.

What if she’d lost her precious Lily again? What if she didn’t return this time?

Ludia’s entire body quivered.

She sprang up from her seat.

It felt like she could only feel better if she went to see Lily immediately.

‘Barat.’

The only ones that could’ve done such a thing was those Barat.

Her mind spun quickly.

This sort of combinatory poison was a poison that Barat used often.

She knew, and she couldn’t care less.

Until the victim became her daughter.

Although she laughed at her own selfishness, it was difficult for her to change her mind, as fury towards Barat welled up.

She entered Lily’s bedroom quietly.

Atil returned her greeting with greeting words of his own.

“She drank a lot of soup today, and just fell asleep a while ago.”

Although she’d already heard about it, Atil told her about what Lilica had done during the day with a low voice.

“Thank you for taking care of her.”

“Not at all.”

Atil shook his head.

Ludia approached quietly and looked at her daughter’s sleeping face.

She couldn’t help but smile.

She was so cute and lovable.

She was able to assuage her worries as Lilica was still alive.

Ludia gently brushed her round forehead. Fortunately, her temperature had dropped and she wasn’t feverish anymore.

‘The Duke of Barat.’

How could she not recognise that face?

It’s hard to forget that dignified-looking face after catching a glimpse of it.

“I’ve been easy on you thus far.”

After becoming the empress, she simply focused on establishing her position and promoting the imperial family’s stability.

She didn’t have thoughts like—I’ll turn Duke Barat into my enemy.

‘Well, I was also wrong to do that.’

She’d chosen the Duke of Barat, and it ended in failure.

What’s the point of blaming the Duke of Barat?

Even if she did something morally reprehensible, Ludia had also participated in it.

Since she has returned, she will reflect on the past properly.

She’d carelessly neglected her while doing her best.

‘But how dare you?’

How dare you touch my daughter, the loveliest person in the world?

‘I’ll break you.’

She’d be much more active than she was currently, and if it was possible, she wanted the Barat Duchy to fall apart such that their name would never appear on the aristocratic almanack again.

‘There probably wouldn’t be any physical evidence.’

The Barats aren’t Barats for nothing.

After a long period of time, their roots have spreaded everywhere, to the point where there was no corner in the empire that their roots didn’t reach.

She might not even know if some of the roots she was feeding belonged to Barat.

‘So those from the information guilds should appear as soon as possible.’

She didn’t receive a reply even after contacting them.

Ludia already knew the identity of their guild leader, and yet he didn’t budge despite her prodding.

However, it was troubling as she couldn’t arrest the guild leader openly.

Even if she left the castle in secret and looked for the guild leader, he wouldn’t even bother to make a deal with her, given the current state of affairs.

‘What should I use to bait him? That b*stard.’

As Ludia watched Lilica groaning and licking her lips, her expression slowly softened again.

‘Cute…’

Ludia probably wouldn’t feel exhausted even if she spent the entire night watching Lilica sleep.

‘Since things have already come to this, it’s best if this situation is used to destroy the southern aristocrats’ union. Although Sandar will nurse a headache for the time being, it’ll be much better for you in the long run.’

Making various calculations, Ludia leaned over and kissed Lilica’s forehead.

“Good night.”

Ludia whispered and soothed her ruefulness as she stood up.

“Atil, I’ll leave Lily in your care.”

“Yes, please leave her to me.”

“Thank you. Are you alright?”

“I’m fine.”

Atil would always stiffen when he was before his beautiful aunt.

He couldn’t help but avoid her gaze upon seeing that gentle smile.

“Alright, you shouldn’t overdo it either, and get some rest soon.”

After patting his arm lightly, Ludia left the room.

There were a lot of things that required her planning right away.

* * *

Two days later, Lauv and Brynn returned safely, and Lilica opened her arms to embrace the two of them.

Atil also hugged her tightly and went back to his Black Dragon Chambers again.

Her voice has yet to recover, so she had to use a stone tablet whenever people visited her.

Lat walked in with sunken eyes, and Lilica wondered if Lat was the one that’s seriously ill, and not her.

He bowed his head deeply and apologised several times, saying, “It is unfortunate that the tea that was presented by Sandar contained such a component.”

He seemed to be rather troubled.

Lilica wrote the words, ‘I hope everything will be resolved well,’ on the stone tablet and showed it to him.

This wasn’t something she could get involved in.

Lat smiled faintly and nodded.

Tan, her next visitor, handed her a colourful and pretty bottle of candy as he’d done before.

It was filled with candy that was as beautiful as glass handicrafts.

Lilica, who now knew that it was coming from Tan’s salary pocket rather than his territory’s coffers, was truly grateful.

He also appeared rather tired, but his situation seemed much better than Lat’s.

Tan sighed.

“I hope His Majesty will trust me and the Imperial Knights a little more.”

It was a sigh that wasn’t like a sigh.

Lilica reached out and patted him on the head to console him.

Tan flinched as though he’d been struck by lightning, before bursting into laughter.

He ruffled Lilica’s hair before leaving.

Even people that she didn’t know sent gifts and greeting cards for ill people.

Rumours say that some of those involved in the incident died of heart attacks, and they all had terrified looks on their faces as they died.

The nobles kept a low profile and observed the situation.

In the meantime, the southern aristocrats’ union dissolved due to a conflict of interest.

Soon afterwards, a coffee salon was opened by the Golden Sands merchant group with the support of Her Majesty the Empress.

It boasted a luxurious atmosphere and a drink called coffee that was imported from the Sea of Trees. Expensive sugar and cream were incorporated with the drink.

Despite its exorbitant prices, the fact that you could sit there and chat for a long while as long as you ordered a cup drew attention.

The salon, which was exclusive to the aristocracy, was lowered a stage downwards.

While it was named a coffee salon, it also sold tea.

Its popularity first spreaded amongst the low-ranking aristocrats that didn’t own a townhouse in the capital, as well as the noble courtiers.

It was just a place to chat.

Even artists that were attracted to the nobles appeared there.

They were able to engage in conversation freely while consuming coffee that clears up their thoughts, instead of alcohol.

The coffee salon, which had just debuted in the capital, has successfully established a place of their own.

In addition, rumours began to spread around about the friendly story of how ‘the commoner princess, who almost was poisoned.’

While Ludia was hectically buried in work, Lilica fully recovered her health.

‘But it became more frustrating.’

The places Lilica could take a stroll around has also been reduced, and even a maid that will check everything she eats and drinks has been attached to her.

“Wait until you’re ten,” said Altheos to the frustrated Lilica.

She waited for her tenth birthday, which was just around the corner.

The time, which went by slower as she waited, eventually came to pass.

* * *

Altheos looked at Lilica whilst shrouded in darkness.

Lilica was currently holding a pendulum with ease and using her magic.

“What do you think?”

When she didn’t gain a response, Lilica asked back with an uneasy expression.

Altheos held out his hand.

“Pendulum.”

Lilica placed the pendulum into his outstretched hand doubtlessly.

“I’ll take this.”

“What?”

“I’ll return it to you on your birthday.”

“The day after tomorrow is my birthday.”

“I know.”

He smiled faintly.

“You’re ten years old now.”

“I’m ten years old.”

Lilica grinned.

The frustrating life she was currently leading in the Sun Palace would come to an end.

She would be allowed to leave the palace and she’d also obtain a greater freedom of movement.

She could meet people in high society and participate in the children’s small social circles.

‘Although Diare and Fjord seemed to say that it’s not necessary to attend with their faces.’

Despite that, being able to attend, not attending and not being able to attend were completely different problems.

“I’ll give it back to you after making some minor adjustments.”

At Altheos’s words, Lilica nodded her head tilted in acceptance despite feelings slightly troubled.

Altheos snickered and poked her forehead lightly.

“You’ve become quite strong now.”

“Brynn said that I’m as strong as a colt.”

Lilica placed her hands on her waist and spoke proudly.

“I’m pretty good at stone throwing, too.”

“Right, I heard that you’re rather skilled at it.”

Altheos spoke with a chuckle.

Following Ludia’s empathetic declaration that she didn’t want Lilica to receive weapons instruction, Lilica did not learn how to handle blades.

Lauv strengthened her fundamental strength and taught her how to escape, as well as stone throwing.

‘But that’s not enough.’

It was rather inconvenient that she was capable of using magic, and yet was unable to use it publicly.

‘That’s why I’ll create a way.’

He looked down at the pendulum in his hand.

The shimmering moon-shaped pendant glittered beautifully.

He placed the pendant into his pocket and got up from his seat.

“Come.”

Lilica held the hand that was extended with practised movements and returned to her bedroom.

“Good night.”

At that greeting, Altheos vanished with a smile.

Although she’d experienced it often, she always felt amazed.

There were things that she just couldn’t get used to in this world, it seems.

Lilica took her time to change her clothes and got into bed.

‘I’ll turn ten when the day after tomorrow comes.’

In the Empire, there is a belief that the soul has settled completely by  the age of ten.

Ten years old, the day that everyone went from an unstable odd number to a stable even number, was therefore a day to be celebrated.

A variety of rights were generated at the same time, and obligations were similarly entrusted.

‘Whether it’s a right or a duty, I like them both.’

She could participate in the Imperial Family meetings, express her opinions, and qualify to participate in council meetings.

She could enter and exit salons, and she could be invited to other mansions.

One’s tenth birthday was called ‘Parta’ and this was, as expected, a word from the ancient language.

It roughly translates to ‘completion’, in which one’s preparations to complete a certain task or goal has already reached completion.

The Imperial Palace was preparing for the princess’s Parta hectically. Lamps were still lit in the middle of the night, and the servants moved about busily.

The empress scrutinised each and every single detail.

Everyone worked hard because Ludia cared more for this than for her own birthday, and that her love for her daughter was famous.

The same holds true for the capital.

Everyone eagerly awaited for the princess’s Parta, because alcohol and bread would be distributed during the Parta of a member of the imperial family.

Printouts with the princess’s lovely images also circulated here and there.

On the eve, curfew was lifted, and people crowded the streets, even at night.

And the day finally arrived.

* * *