Chapter 103

Warm sunlight seeped through the window, rousing me from my deep slumber. Having tossed and turned all night, I had buried myself under the covers, completely unaware that the sun had even risen.

‘They say sleep is the best medicine for a reason.’

Upon waking, the unpleasant emotions of yesterday and the exhaustion in my body had vanished as if they were never there. It would have been a perfectly refreshing morning—if not for the memory of the maid mentioning a luncheon.

‘Wait, a luncheon…?’

The sudden recollection made my head spin. Early this morning, Scarlet’s personal maid had come to find me.

“Her Highness the Princess requests your presence for lunch. Please prepare yourself and come to the dining hall.”

My eyelids had felt like they were weighted with lead then. Still half-asleep, I had sat on the bed rubbing my eyes while listening to her. The maid left after delivering the message, and I had yawned widely while staring at the clock on the bedside table.

“So sleepy…”

The long hand had been on the 8. Since it was a luncheon, it would likely start around 12:00 PM, and I’d need time to get ready. I figured I could sleep for at least two more hours. Having reached that conclusion, I flopped back onto the bed. I told myself I’d close my eyes for just a moment, and promptly drifted back into a deep sleep.

Now, I threw off the covers, bolted upright, and grabbed the alarm clock.

“What time is it?!”

The clock pointed to 11:30 AM. Luncheon was in thirty minutes. I blinked in disbelief, but the reality was cruel.

‘You’re insane, Lilithia Baimery.’

I wasn’t exactly an early bird, but I had never woken up this close to noon before—especially not on a day when I had an invitation from Scarlet. Since Scarlet’s maid had already “woken” me once, the maids temporarily assigned to me must have assumed I was already up. I usually rose early every day, after all.

‘If only Winnie were here, this never would have happened.’

Winnie was currently busy managing sales at our temporary merchant base instead of attending to me. I had insisted she stay there, telling her the palace maids would be enough. Naturally, they lacked the meticulousness of my personal maid, Winnie. We had only just met, so I couldn’t really blame them. Besides, I hadn’t expected my own internal clock to fail me so spectacularly.

The ticking of the clock pulled me back to the present. Time was slipping away, and I had to get ready instantly. It was a five-minute walk to the dining hall alone. I scrambled out of bed and dashed toward the bathroom.

***

My long dress was a nuisance, so I bunched up the skirts and sprinted down the hallway. Since there hadn’t been enough time to dry my hair, water dripped from my damp locks onto the marble floor. I had to stop several times when I encountered palace staff or knights.

‘Why is running in the palace forbidden…?’

Basic etiquette dictated a dignified walk. After a repetitive cycle of sprinting and sudden stopping, I finally reached the empty dining hall.

“Scarlet isn’t here yet.”

My frantic rush had paid off. The maids preparing the table looked at me with wide eyes for a moment before ushering me to my seat. I sat down and let out a long sigh of relief. My hair was still damp, and my dress was speckled with water marks. The sunlight streaming through the window was strong, so I hoped the marks would dry quickly. I spent a moment straightening my hair and clothes, praying Scarlet would be a few minutes late.

Once the relief of being on time settled in, my eyes began to sting from the soap suds that had gotten in during my rushed wash. The irritation only flared up now. Just as I was wincing and squinting from the stinging pain, the doors opened, and I heard the sound of two people approaching.

“Lilithia, sorry. Am I a bit late?”

It was Scarlet. The other person, I assumed, was her maid. I tried to look at her, but the stinging made it hard to open my eyes.

“I only just got here myself,” I replied, my eyes tearing up so much I couldn’t see straight. I heard the sound of a chair being pulled out. Meanwhile, a tear escaped and rolled down my cheek, slowly washing away the irritation.

I heard the sound of another chair being pulled out, which felt odd, but I kept my head down. Seeing me like that, Scarlet asked, “Are you hurt?”

“Soap got in my eyes, and I don’t think I rinsed them well enough. It still stings. I’ll be fine in a moment.”

I sensed someone sitting beside me, and a hand holding a yellow handkerchief appeared in my line of sight. I took it gratefully with a quick “thank you.”

Once I dabbed away the tears, the stinging vanished, and my blurry vision cleared. I blinked several times to make sure.

‘There, much better.’

What a chaotic morning. I smoothed out my face, which was likely a bit puffy from the accidental tears, and lifted my head.

“I’ll have this laundered and returned to you.”

Scarlet, whom I thought was right next to me, was actually sitting across the table. Instead, a low voice spoke from right beside me.

“No need to launder it.”

“Eh…?”

I whipped my head around, my mouth falling open. Sitting there was the man from last night—the one in the cloak who resembled Freyer and had saved me from the drunkard.

‘Why is he here…?’

Flustered, I looked toward Scarlet. She was leaning her face on her palm, a thin smile playing on her lips.

“This is the son of Count Wright, Kyle Wright.”

The man named Kyle gave a slight nod in greeting. Even as I received the greeting, I was blinking slowly, still dazed.

“Lilithia, you should introduce yourself too.”

“Ah…! I am Lilithia Baimery, from the Empire.”

“Aren’t you happy to see him?” Scarlet teased.

Was I supposed to be happy because he looked like Freyer? While I was debating how to answer, Scarlet spoke again.

“Since both Kyle and Lilithia are from the Empire, I thought you two might know each other, but I guess not.”

“The Empire…?” I asked.

“He supposedly works for the Imperial Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Have you really never seen him?”

I searched my memory. Given that he looked exactly like my favorite person, I surely would have remembered if we had crossed paths. Seeing as nothing came to mind, last night was definitely our first meeting.

“This is the first time we’ve met.”

“So she says, Kyle.”

Kyle’s expression stiffened subtly, and a chill ran down my spine.

‘Wait, have we met before?’

Suddenly, a memory flashed through my mind. Why on earth was I remembering the diary entries of the “original” Lilithia that I had read?

‘Don’t tell me… is this the person Lilithia had a crush on?’

Kyle wore an expression that looked like a desolate ruin. I looked at him with desperate hope in my eyes.

‘Please say no. Please…’

Then came his reply.

“Excluding last night, this is our first meeting.”

I felt like I had just traveled to hell and back, and I slumped into my seat in relief.

“Well, you can use this chance to become friends. You’re both from the Empire, so you must have things in common,” Scarlet said.

As soon as she finished, palace staff entered pushing serving wagons. My eyes widened at the sight of the mouthwatering food. My mouth watered at the sight of a steak cooked to my perfect preference, topped with truffle that gave off a luxurious aroma.

‘How can a steak look this delicious?’

Whatever emotional rollercoaster I had been on was forgotten. I was now completely possessed by the steak. I had a sudden urge to pick up my fork and knife and take a massive bite.

‘When do we eat?!’

I looked back and forth between the steak and Scarlet with sparkling eyes.

“Everyone, please enjoy.”

The luncheon began. The moment Scarlet picked up her utensils, I sliced into my steak with practiced speed. The tender meat revealed a beautiful pink center. I immediately took a bite and felt my eyes grow misty.

‘It’s so good!’

The juices filled my mouth. It was so succulent and tender that it felt like it melted down my throat before I even chewed. I was practically face-down in my plate, lost in a trance of culinary bliss.

It was only when a single piece remained that I noticed a strange gaze lingering on me. Kyle was tilting his head slightly, watching me.

‘Why…?’

Confused by his stare, I began to scan my brain for a reason. I remembered that while I was eating like a woman possessed, he had asked if my wrist was okay.

“My wrist is fine.”

He kept staring, as if that wasn’t the answer he wanted. I found another possibility: I must have food on my face.

“I suppose I ate a bit too greedily.”

I quickly wiped my mouth with the table napkin. Seeing the dark red stains on the cloth, I knew I was right.

“Is it better now?”

“I think you’ve misunderstood,” Kyle said, his voice sending a wave of bewilderment through me.

“I was looking because you’re beautiful.”