A full month had slipped by since the day I first woke up in this body, and life within the de Valois estate had been nothing short of serene. Wrapped in the unwavering care of my parents, Lillian's small, fragile frame had made a complete recovery. Yet, I knew this peaceful hiatus couldn't last forever. The gears of the world were turning, and I had to turn with them.
Today, I was obligated to enter the imperial palace. On the surface, the purpose was simple: to gain an audience with the Emperor and offer my formal gratitude for the concerned inquiries and the mountain of gifts, rare herbs and precious trinkets, he had incessantly dispatched to our manor throughout my illness. But deep down, I knew better. This was no social call, this was a walk into the lion's den.
Early that morning, my chambers were already alive with the rhythmic pitter-patter of maids' footsteps. Evelyn, my mother, was personally overseeing every detail, meticulously inspecting each garment brought before her. Finally, her eyes settled on a gown of pale pink, crafted from the finest heavy satin and adorned with tiny, silver-threaded roses creeping along the hem.
"Lily, shall we wear this one, darling?"
Mother asked softly, draping the dress over my shoulders to catch my reflection.
"I recall the Crown Prince once mentioning how much this shade of pink suits you."
I stared at the girl in the mirror and gave a small, firm shake of my head. In the original novel, the old Lillian had spent her life trying to mold herself into Alistair's ideal. She had transformed herself into a vapid, pale doll, hoping for even a fleeting glance of approval from him. But the woman inhabiting this body now had no such intentions.
"Mother, I don't like that color anymore."
I replied, my voice steady: "I want to wear red."
A flicker of surprise crossed Mother's face, her brows arching slightly, but she had always been one to indulge her daughter's whims. Following my lead, she signaled the maids to bring out a vibrant scarlet gown. The hue was a perfect, bold match for my hair and the fiery depth of my eyes.
As the heavy crimson silk cascaded down, enveloping my small stature, the transformation was striking. I no longer looked like a sickly noble girl recovering from a fever, I looked like a proud rose on the verge of a brilliant, dangerous bloom.
"Oh, my little Lily..." Evelyn gasped, her hand flying to her lips as her eyes shimmered with unmistakable pride.
"You are stunning. This red... it makes you look so radiant, so full of life."
Even Grand Duke Cyrus was stunned into silence when he saw me descending the grand staircase. Discarding his usual stoic, ducal dignity, he rushed forward to sweep me up in his arms, planting an exuberant kiss on my cheek. "My angel! My daughter is truly the most radiant sight in the empire today."
I couldn't help but blush at my parents' unbridled affection. This feeling of being loved so unconditionally was a luxury I had never possessed in my previous life. It warmed me, but it also steeled my resolve. I had to protect this.
Father escorted the two of us to the waiting carriage. He rode alongside us until we reached the palace gates, where he had to depart toward the Western barracks to oversee the training of his knights. As he watched the de Valois carriage roll away, his eyes were full of trust a blind, devastating trust in the man who sat upon the throne.
The carriage rattled over the gold-plated cobblestones of the capital, heading into the dark heart of the Oakhaven Empire's power. The Emperor had been expecting us, so we were ushered into his presence immediately, bypassing the usual tedious protocols.
Today's audience wasn't held in the stifling grandeur of the main hall, but in a secluded garden behind the Winter Palace. When we entered, the Emperor was already there, leisurely sipping tea. The moment my mother's silhouette appeared in the doorway, I caught a strange, predatory glint in his eyes. It was craving. Pure, unadulterated longing.
I was certain that ninety percent of his joy in this moment came from seeing my mother. The decree for me to study alongside the Crown Prince wasn't a gesture of favor toward the de Valois family, it was a calculated excuse. Every day Mother dropped me off or picked me up was a day he had a legitimate reason to see her, to speak with her, and to bask in her presence without arousing public scandal.
"Oh, Eva... Lily! It has been far too long." The Emperor stood abruptly the moment we arrived, his long strides carrying him toward us with the clear intention of pulling Evelyn into an intimate embrace.
My mother offered a faint, perfectly practiced social smile. With graceful precision, she took a subtle step back, catching the silk of her skirts to perform a flawless noble curtsy. "This humble subject, Evelyn de Valois, greets the Sun of the Empire. May your blessings cover the kingdom, Your Majesty."
I followed suit instantly, bowing my head with practiced reverence: "This little one, Lillian, greets Your Majesty. May you reign long and eternal."
The Emperor froze mid-motion, his arms hanging awkwardly. Though visibly deflated by the rejected embrace, he didn't let any anger show. Instead, he pivoted to pat my head, his voice dripping with a sweetness that made my skin crawl.
"Now, now, I've told you both, we are practically family. There is no need for such stiff formalities. My dear Lily, are you feeling better? I was so worried I could hardly sleep."
I replied politely, forcing my voice not to tremble with disgust.
"I thank Your Majesty for your boundless concern. Thanks to your grace and the precious medicines you bestowed upon me, I have recovered significantly."
"Splendid! Then Lily should prepare to return to the palace to resume her studies with the Crown Prince. Alistair has been talking about you incessantly these past few days, he misses you dearly." he said with a hearty, hollow laugh.
I scoffed inwardly. Alistair misses me? You're the one who misses my mother! In reality, Alistair was likely throwing a private celebration now that he no longer had Lillian de Valois clinging to his shadow like a persistent stain.
At that moment, Lady Evelyn cleared her throat. She cast a brief, meaningful look at me before turning back to the Emperor with a sudden, grave solemnity: "Your Majesty, in truth, the reason I have come today is to discuss an urgent matter regarding Lillian's future."
The Emperor's eyebrows rose, his face still wearing that mask of artificial cheer: "Oh? Do speak, Eva. There is nothing I wouldn't grant you."
She took a deep breath, her voice unwavering: "As you know, Lily's health has been poor. Because of this, my husband and I invited Archmage Caspian Vesper to examine her. He concluded that her illness wasn't a mere cold. It is because the mana within her is developing too aggressively, far more than her small body can currently contain. If she continues to live as she has, the mana pressure will become too great for her vessels to handle. She... she could quite literally implode."
"Is that so?" The Emperor's expression darkened instantly, his eyes narrowing into thin slits of calculation.
Mother continued: "Indeed. After much deliberation, the Grand Duke and I have decided to send Lillian to the Magic Tower under the Archmage's tutelage to learn how to control this power. Only there will she be truly safe."
The Emperor remained silent for a long moment. The air in the garden seemed to freeze, the birdsong dying away as he weighed the situation. Eventually, he let out a sigh of exaggerated regret.
"What a pity... to think Lily would develop magic instead of divine power. If it were divine power, our empire has the Great Temple right here. She could have studied within these walls without ever having to leave. The Magic Tower is such a cold, lonely place for a child..."
Though his words sounded like those of a worried uncle, I was certain I caught a flash of irritation, even suppressed rage flickering in his eyes. He didn't care if I "imploded." What he cared about was the fact that if I were no longer at the palace, he would lose his perfect, daily bridge to Evelyn.
But I'm sorry, Your Majesty.
This time, I'm going to the Magic Tower long before the tragedy strikes. You have no idea just how hard I've worked to orchestrate this escape.