My Mom Got A Contract Marriage

A drop wasn’t enough.

He felt a burning thirst.

He wanted to savour the sweet, entracing taste. 

However, he couldn’t reach a hand out to the cookie on the table.

He could only collect the crumbs.

How dare he, how could he. 

How could Fjord Barat hope for Lilica Nara Takar?

Even if it was just the crumbs of sympathy borne out of her generosity, it was enough for him. 

‘No, that’s not right.’ 

He snorted and corrected himself stiffly.

‘I thought that that was enough.’

If that was really enough, he wouldn’t have said that he wanted to be her conversational partner.  

He still said that, despite knowing that it’s something he shouldn’t say.

Then, when a letter came asking Fjord’s opinion of being Lilica’s conversational partner, he jumped with joy. 

On the contrary, his mother became upset immediately.

How dare you, you lowborn, mixed breed.

Unpleasant words like those poured out without pause. Even so, Fjord took a step forward and said.

Isn’t being close to the enemy a good thing?

At that moment, his mother exploded.

Always, all the time, ‘I’m engraving it onto your body for your sake.’ But in reality, it was just an outlet for his mother to release her feelings.

As the Duke of Barat, she’d usually suppress all her emotions, so the aftermath would be considerable once she explodes. 

After her anger was released, Fjord swallowed back a groan and agonised.

“What should he say to the princess?”

Since he was willing to be her conversational partner, it would definitely hurt her feelings if he refused. 

No matter what, he had to let her know that it wasn’t out of his own will. 

What if she was too disappointed and upset?

That was the only thing he agonised over the entire time he spent lying on the bed. 

He did everything possible to pull himself together.  

He had to deliver his message as soon as possible.

He remembered that the road to the palace garden was rather tough. 

He kept practising his lines the entire time he waited.

‘I don’t remember anything after that.’

He must have met the princess afterwards. They must have met, but the memories after that were muddled. 

Did she call his name Or was it just an illusion?

He didn’t know.

He must have collapsed, but he didn’t know when or how he collapsed.

His memories only became clear after he opened his eyes in bed. 

The sound of a voice coaxing him back to sleep while fanning him was quite distinct. 

‘I should be reprimanded for that.’

Fjord Barat fell unconscious in a defenceless state and slept at a place unknown to him. 

Although it should never happen again, the feeling of, ‘It doesn’t matter no matter what happened,’ also coexisted within him.

— Fjord isn’t not a work.

When the princess’s words suddenly came to mind, Fjord laughed.

How could she only ever say sweet things?

It was practically unimaginable.

But today marks the end of the crumbles of leniency.

Even if he’d forgiven her once, would the crown prince forgive her a second time? 

And would this, perhaps, make the princess… 

Goosebumps rose on his spine at the thought of Lilica, who was bleeding from her mouth earlier. 

If Lilica ended up like that because of him, he wouldn’t be able to stand himself. 

If not, Atil was more precious in Lilica’s eyes. 

No matter how he thought about it, it only produced negative thoughts.

At that moment, the door opened and Lilica came in.

Fjord sprang up from his seat.

When Lilica mimed writing something with her hands, Brynn quickly brought a slab of stone. 

And the remaining cloth that was used as bandages yesterday were skillfully cut and handed over to Lilica.

Lilica wrote on the stone with a slate pencil and showed it to Lauv.

[His Highness apologised for being too harsh. I heard that he had two men attack Lauv?]

Lauv sighed and said.

“It’s my fault for being lured by the sound of people. Escorts should be by their lord’s side at that moment.”

[You can be careful from next time onwards.]

It took a long while to talk, but no one cared about that. Lauv balled his hands into fists and said. 

“Something like this won’t happen again.”

As he said that, he looked like he was forcing a smile. 

Whenever he did that, Lilica had a strange, conflicted feeling. 

Whenever Lauv acted sociably, like Tan or any other Wolfe.

But she shouldn’t talk about that now.

“Mm.” 

Lilica nodded in response. Brynn asked.

“Has His Highness returned?”

“Mm.”

“Normally, it would be time for a meal…”

Lilica made a delighted expression.

Truthfully, she had been hungry for a while now.

It was easy for her to skip one or two meals in the past, but her body, which was accustomed to eating daily, protested the lack of breakfast intensely.

“Mm!”

Brynn laughed at Lilica’s answer and said.

“I’m sorry, but you can’t eat until the blood stops.”

“!!”

Lilica’s eyes widened, before her shoulders drooped.

‘True…’

It didn’t seem like she could eat anything in this state.

When she pointed towards Fjord, Brynn said, “Ah.”

“Young Duke Barat must be very hungry, too. I’ll prepare a meal for you.”

Fjord tried to say ‘No’, and ‘It’s alright’.

But if that happens, it seemed like he would be kicked out because his business here has ended. 

While he hesitated, Lilica wrote on the stone plate and showed it to Fjord.

[Eat before going.]

Fjord answered quietly.

“Yes, it would be my pleasure.”

Brynn asked.

“I’m sorry to say this, but will His Highness be alright?”

“Ung.”

Lilica, who answered, quickly showed everyone the words she wrote on the stone plate.

[It’s because my mother is the most beautiful in the world!!] 

“……?”

Despite the question mark appearing on everyone’s heads at the same time, Lilica had a relieved expression, like she had finished her explanation.

‘Objectively speaking, my mother is also the most beautiful woman in the world. Yes.’

Although they were quite curious about what it meant, it was hard to hold a conversation through a slab of stone, and it was important to prepare the meals quickly.

Brynn said.

“If you’re eating here with Young Duke Barat, you should have the meal here. I’ll have it readied.”

[Sorry]

“Not at all.”

They wondered what she was writing on the slab of stone with a tearful face , but it turned out to be an apology.

Brynn laughed, shook her head, and left the cabin after a short curtsey.

Soon after, Brynn brought breakfast over like she’d cast a spell. 

Brann followed behind her and unloaded the items he had. 

He held back a bitter smile at the sight of Fjord and greeted him lightly.

Fjord also gave his greetings. 

Brann examined Lilica’s condition closely and said.

“I’m sorry, my princess.”

Lilica shook her head. She then pointed at Fjord and her eyebrows drooped.

Brann held back his laughter.

‘I brought Fjord, so it’s my fault.’ 

He didn’t know that those words could be expressed so adeptly.

“Even so. Please stop by the Black Dragon Chamber later. I’ll have some ice cream waiting for you.”

“Mm!”

Lilica replied with a smile. When Brann took his leave, Brynn quickly prepared breakfast.

It was a rather simple meal.

Toast, butter and jam, as well as warm soup.

As Fjord sat facing Lilica, he awkwardly began to eat as the only one holding tableware. 

Lilica wrote something on the stone and showed it to him.

[Are you feeling better now?] 

“Yes, I’m fine.”

Lilica erased and began writing again.

Fjord waited for Lilica while eating and not at the same time.

[You can’t be my conversational partner, right?]

“……Yes.”

He tried to speak nonchalantly, but even he could tell that his voice had become crestfallen. 

Lilica tilted her head and wrote the words again.

[Then let’s just be friends.] 

Fjord’s eyes widened.

He looked again at the writing on the stone plate, but there was no sign of the words disappearing.

Her handwriting wasn’t a flowing style, like she’d received training. 

As her strokes didn’t match, it gave a crooked impression. 

He looked at those letters several times like he was engraving them in his memory, and Lilica turned the stone plate and wrote underneath it again.

[You don’t want to?]

It felt like his feelings would boil over if he answered instantly, so Fjord waited a beat before answering with an elegant smile. 

“I’d like that.”

Without being too clingy, without seeming too eager.

Lilica smiled.

[Me too]

* * *

“I can’t believe that your teeth have fallen out. Oh, your teeth look so cute, too.”

Ludia looked at the small baby teeth that her daughter had lost eagerly. 

‘I didn’t expect that her teeth would fall out.’

She remembered her childhood.

However, she’d completely forgotten about it until her daughter’s teeth fell out.

“If you throw the teeth onto the roof, a blue bird will bring it away and you’ll grow out pretty teeth.”

Ludia listened to her chattering daughter’s voice and asked.

“Is that so? Where should we throw it?”

“You know the place that I first went to? The place where I first met Mother at.”

“Ah, the Dawn Palace.”

Yes! I think a blue bird will definitely come if it’s thrown there.”

“Alright, let’s do that then.”

Lilica leaned forward with joy at Ludia’s words.

“Is Mother also coming along?”

“Of course, of course I’ll go with you.”

Her daughter smiled excitedly when Ludia hugged her. It was cute because the gap due to her fallen front teeth could be seen.  

Ludia has been busy lately.

Inquiring about merchants, getting a feel of the aristocratic faction’s forces, and prying into what those Barats were up to.

Altheos clicked his tongue, asking, “Aren’t you busier than I am?” 

‘Of course I am, I’ll have to work diligently in order to support Lilica from now on.’

When a young woman is raising a child by herself, there are much more threats than you’d imagined. 

In the past, she used that as an opportunity and got involved, but now she can’t do that.

She also didn’t want to do so. 

How easy was it for men to mistreat someone that’s called a widow?  

Altheos will never be able to understand that.

The corners of Ludia’s lips curled upwards crookedly.

‘That’s why I need power in order to protect Lilica.’

Wealth and status were the greatest powers.

In order to protect her and her child from the jackals and wolves that were plotting to harm them, first and foremost, she needed those two things. 

As such, she had no choice but to desperately work day and night. 

But ironically, this was why her time with Lilica was reduced. 

“Lily.”

Ludia held her daughter’s hand tightly and said. 

“It’s all thanks to Lily that Mom can work hard as a mother. Mom can only go out and work hard because Lily is protecting the nest like this.” 

Lilica held her hands tightly and said.

“I can also work hard because I have Mother.”

“Yes, but that’s why I’m sorry that I can’t spend a long time with Lily. I want you to know that I’m always sorry.”

Ludia carefully tucked her daughter’s hair behind her ear and whispered. 

At her  mother’s words, Lilica shook her head and hugged her mother’s waist tightly. 

A nice fragrance could be detected from the embrace. 

“No, it’s okay. I know that you’re working hard because of me. Don’t be so hard on yourself. Even if you don’t do this, Lily still loves Mother.”

“Mm, thank you. Lily.”

Ludia could only pull herself together because Lilica loved her.

She thought that affection with her child was her wishful thinking, but she’s glad that she realised it went both ways.

Would she have come to this realisation if Lily hadn’t died, if she wasn’t brought to the stake?

No, she would never have come to this realisation.

She was that stupid of a human being. 

Ludia smiled bitterly.

She held her daughter in her embrace, patted her and savoured her warmth.

Lilica gave off the scent of spring and candy.

Now that her teeth have fallen out, she’ll gradually become ten, thirteen, and soon she’ll become an adult. 

This time, with these two eyes. 

Ludia tightened her embrace. .

She must see Lilica grow past that age. 

Her daughter, who hadn’t stopped at sixteen.

Ludia let out a long exhale and quickly loosened her embrace.

She didn’t want to be swayed due to over-sentimentality. 

Right now, wasn’t Lilica alive and looking up at her like this? 

“In that case, Lily, shall we go right now?”

“Really?”

“Of course.”

“Aren’t you busy?”

“It’s alright.”

Ludia laughed and patted Lilica.

It was the first time she was going out with her mother in a while, so Lilica was quite excited. 

The weather was rather sunny.

The sight of the new empress and the princess crossing the garden hand-in-hand with their maids in tow attracted everyone’s attention.

Lilica shrugged her shoulders when the whispers of everyone around seemed to be praising her mother’s beauty.

‘Did you see that? My mom is very pretty, right?’

When she looked up pridefully, a pair of cornflower blue eyes twinkled while facing her. 

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s because Mother is the prettiest in the world.”

“Oh, you too. Lilica, too, is the prettiest in the world.”

Although it was said with a smile, it doesn’t seem like she was as pretty as her mother.

The Dawn Palace was as beautiful as the first time she saw it. 

The pearl and pink coloured marble building glistened brightly underneath the sunlight.

Lilica looked at the high roof and handed her teeth over, saying, “Sir Lauv.” 

Lauv threw it onto the tall building’s roof without much effort.

“Then, shall we have a cup of tea here before going? Lilica can have some light tea, apparently it’s not good for children to drink tea.”

With a frown, Ludia informed her of a new fact that she’d recently learned of.

“Really?” said Lilica with a tilted head.

“Yes, so it’ll be better if the tea was made a little lighter.” 

When she looked at Brynn, Brynn nodded and said.

“The teas that princess drinks are already made light.”

“Really? That’s a relief.”

The head lady-in-waiting standing aside continued to ask.

“Your Majesty, it’s hot today, so I’m thinking of preparing lemon sherbet. What do you think? Since the princess’s tooth has fallen, something cold will help reduce swelling.’ 

“Oh, then let’s have that.”

After Ludia said that, lemon sherbet in a beautiful glass bowl was served a moment later. 

A refreshing sour and sweet taste spread throughout her mouth with each scoopful she placed in her mouth. 

“Is it yummy?”

Lilica nodded at Ludia’s question.

It was a dessert that goes well with summer days. 

Lilica continued to move her small spoon as she said. 

“Come to think of it, Mother, Fjord told me that he couldn’t be my conversational partner.”

“Oh, I see.”

Ludia knew this would happen. That didn’t mean she had to say that aloud. 

Why would he say something that would hurt her daughter?

“Are you alright? You must be very disappointed.”

“Well, that’s why I said it’s okay if he isn’t my conversational partner, and that we can just be friends.” 

“With Fjord Barat?”

“Yes.”

After saying that, Lilica couldn’t help but check her mother’s face. 

Her last question contained negative energy.

Without her realisation, her shoulders shrunk habitually.