#.22
2. Pumpkin and Seaweed
“Wowww!”
“Wooow!”
“Kyahhh!”
Every time I let out a gasp of amazement, Marius puffed out his chest proudly. Sometimes, he’d lift his chin triumphantly.
It was because even I couldn’t help but be impressed by the unfamiliar and dazzling scenery of the empire outside the window.
If Trovancha was naturally beautiful and harmonious, the empire was shiny and grand.
From towering six-story buildings, rare in my hometown, to ornate architectural designs and people dressed in unfamiliar clothing—everything was fascinating.
Since getting off the ship, I had been glued to the carriage window, admiring the view without a moment’s rest.
“Liliana, sit properly. It’s dangerous.”
“Okay, got it.”
At my eldest unnie’s urging, I reluctantly sat down.
But as soon as we passed by a fountain, I sprang up again and clung to the window.
In the end, Marius sat me on his lap and held me firmly around the waist to keep me from moving.
His chin rested on the top of my head as he pressed down slightly and asked,
“Isn’t it amazing?”
“Yeah, it’s so amazing.”
“Aren’t you glad you came to the empire?”
“Well, that depends on how well you treat me.”
“I’m offended. Do you know how much I adore you?”
“But you tease me every day, calling me ‘chestnut.’”
“That’s just stating facts.”
“I’m not talking to you anymore!”
When I turned my head sharply, Marius laughed quietly behind me.
Unlike the lively chatter between Marius and me, my eldest unnie, sitting across from us, silently stared out the window with a stoic expression.
She hadn’t seemed in a good mood since we boarded the ship. She was much gloomier and more on edge than usual.
While the sudden change of environment might be a factor, it was probably because of my younger unnie.
The twins and my eldest unnie had grown up bickering but inseparable, sharing a bond I couldn’t fully understand.
I was starting to feel down from worrying about her when Marius poked my side, trying to tickle me. I squirmed and burst into laughter.
“What do you want to eat first when we get to the palace?”
“Blueberry cheesecake!”
“So, blueberry cheesecake is your favorite?”
“Of course! It’s so delicious!”
“Alright, tonight’s dessert is blueberry cheesecake.”
“Yay! Then I’ll give cookie and jelly it too!”
Of course, Cookie and Jelly were my dolls and couldn’t eat, but I always pretended they did for fun.
As I got excited again, chatting with Marius about what we’d eat for dinner, the carriage came to a stop.
I pressed myself against the carriage window again to check outside.
We were already inside the splendid imperial palace.
“Hey, kiddo, outside the carriage, you have to call me ‘Your Majesty’ or ‘Hyungbu.’ Got it? It’s ‘Hyungbu.’”
“Oh, come on. I know that already. You think Liliana wouldn’t know something like that?”
I nodded in acknowledgment as Marius kept emphasizing “Hyungbu.”
Satisfied with my response, Marius turned to say something to my eldest sister, but she spoke first.
“Don’t worry.”
“…Well, if it’s you, Alice, I suppose there’s nothing to worry about.”
Marius’s expression shifted from the lighthearted smile he gave me to a serious and mature look as he spoke to unnie. Then he got off the carriage.
Outside, palace officials stood in neat rows, waiting to greet Marius.
With his shoulders straight and steps confident, he was the embodiment of a monarch.
My eldest unnie was the next to step out of the carriage, offering me a hand to help me down.
The gazes of the palace officials, dressed in unfamiliar and luxurious attire, instantly fixed on us.
They were all wearing expensive clothes and adorned with elaborate accessories.
With their chins held high, they looked at us with disdainful, condescending eyes, scrutinizing us from head to toe.
‘…Scary.’
Even as a child, I could easily read the hostility and wariness in their eyes.
Intimidated, I quickly hid behind my eldest sister.
“Welcome to the Empire of Beiderke.”
A palace official stepped forward and bowed to greet my eldest unnie and me.
The accent was unfamiliar, making it hard to understand, but it was clear that Marius and Leopold had gone to great lengths to make things easier for us.
Despite the blatant coldness, my sister gave a slight nod and responded with a polite greeting.
Just then, another carriage arrived, and my younger unnies stepped out to join us.
“Thank you for the warm welcome. We’ll be in your care.”
Unlike my eldest unnie, who remained composed, the twins were pale with nervousness.
Still, they stood beside our eldest unnie as if to protect her.
I was the only one hiding.
So, while clutching my unnie’s waist, I poked my face out from between them.
Though my shoulders were hunched, I didn’t want to be a burden to my sisters.
No, I was already a burden, but at least I wanted to lighten the load as much as I could.
Marius turned around sharply, his face completely transformed into that of an emperor.
As if the grand imperial palace spreading out behind him suited him perfectly.
“Miss Alice. And my sisters-in-law. Welcome to the Empire.”
The smooth smile that greeted us felt quite unfamiliar.
It was a moment when it truly hit me that Marius Chemelhoffen was indeed the Emperor of this Empire.
***
We were assigned to stay at a place called the Lete Palace, with the eldest unnje, me, the second unnie, and the youngest unnie each occupying a room. While arranging Cookie and Jelly in my designated room, I was suddenly startled by the appearance of two maids.
“Ahhh! Who are you?”
“Hello. It’s a pleasure to meet you. We are Mary and Jo, maids assigned to serve you, Miss Liliana.”
In Trovancha, we had housekeepers to help with chores, but we had never had maids or attendants. So when these two knelt before me and greeted me, I stood there, dumbfounded, clutching Cookie tightly.
“Oh, um, hello! I’m Liliana, and I’m six years old! This is my little brother, Cookie!”
“What a cute doll. Miss, if you need anything, please let us know. For example, unpacking or organizing.”
“Uh… um…”
I felt dizzy. Asking someone else to do the unpacking? Why? Isn’t unpacking something you do yourself?
“I don’t think I need anything. Maybe… maybe you should go to my eldest unnie instead!”
“Other maids are already assisting Miss Alice.”
“Uh… still…”
As I stammered, unsure what to do, the two exchanged glances and began to unpack the luggage delivered to my room. I watched them uneasily as they organized my belongings.
“I-I can do it myself…”
“No, this is our job, Miss. Please sit down and rest; you must be tired from the long journey.”
“Oh… Then, can I go visit my sisters?”
“Of course. This palace is your home now, so feel free to go wherever you like.”
With their permission, I quickly grabbed Cookie and rushed to the next room.
The eldest unnie was busy unpacking her luggage with the help of some maids. She looked so occupied that I couldn’t bring myself to interrupt her, so I moved on to the second unnie.
“Second unnie, can I help you?”
I peeked in, slightly opening the door. The second unnie was laughing and chatting with her assigned maids.
It didn’t look like there was any space for me to join either. With no other choice, I headed to the youngest unnie’s room. She was…
“I’ll take care of arranging the books and documents myself, so don’t touch those. I am not staying long anyway.”
“Oh, will you be returning to your homeland soon?”
“No. I’ll be finding a place to move into. I can’t commute to the palace for work every day. Just unpack the essentials; I can handle the rest myself.”
“You’re… working?”
“Yes. I have to work.”
The maids exchanged startled glances at her words. The youngest sister, ignoring their odd reactions, added coldly:
“It doesn’t seem like you have much to do here, so you don’t need to bother with me. Oh, and don’t touch anything inside the room—I’ll take care of it. Understood?”
Seeing the atmosphere wasn’t one I could fit into, I quietly closed the door again.
“Hah… Cookie, you’re the only one who’ll play with me, huh? Cookie, where should we play?”
There probably wouldn’t be a playground in the palace…
“Hah. I wish I could ride a swing.”
A seesaw or just a sandpit would be nice. In Trovancha, under adult supervision, we’d go to the beach and build sandcastles with friends. But there wouldn’t be a beach in this palace.
“Alright, that’s it! We’ll explore the palace, Cookie!”
I decided to keep the exploration within a range visible from my unnies’ rooms to avoid causing trouble.
Fortunately, there was a flower bed right outside the window. I crouched down by the flower bed, tapping on flowers I couldn’t name, playing as I pleased.
I spotted caterpillars and ants in the soil, and the flowers gave off a sweet fragrance.
“Hmm… Jelly should see this too, don’t you think, Cookie?”
As I observed the flower bed for a while, I turned around while still squatting.
Behind the flower bed was a neatly paved clearing, perfect for drawing on the ground or playing hopscotch.
Just as I was wondering whether I needed Marius’ permission to draw there, a large shadow loomed over me.
“Huh?”
When I looked up, Leopold was standing there. Thrilled to see him, I jumped up and clung to his leg.
“Uncle Leo! I missed you! Didn’t you miss me?”
“Of course, I did.”
“Hehe. Uncle, you came at just the right time! What kind of flower is this?”
“That’s a tulip. It seems they don’t have this flower in Trovancha.”
“Oh, so this is a tulip!”
“You seem bored.”
“Yeah. My unnies are all busy and can’t play with me.”
“I see. That works out well. My little brother is also feeling very bored; the two of you can play together.”
“Brother? Is your brother a baby?”
“He’s not a baby. He’s your age, so he’ll be your friend.”
“Friend?”
At the word “friend,” my eyes lit up. Leopold stood me upright, then motioned behind him.
From a distance, I saw a boy slightly taller than me glaring in this direction with a pouty face.
‘Wow, he’s so pretty.’
I had never seen anyone prettier than Antonio until now.
He was as beautiful as a cherub in a painting, and I couldn’t take my eyes off him.
The boy shook his head in disapproval, and Leopold motioned to him again. The boy reluctantly approached, exuding irritation with every step.
“Edgar, come introduce yourself. This is Liliana. Liliana Berchio.”
Up close, Edgar’s eyes were a stunning shade of green—brighter and more vibrant than olive, like fresh leaves.
“Edgar, Liliana is your age, so be friends with her from now on.”
“Hello! I’m Liliana!”
Edgar’s pretty green eyes darted to my hand, still holding tightly onto Leopold. He scowled, then raised his voice sharply.
“You’re just an outsider! I’m not going to be your friend, so don’t act familiar with me!”
Edgar shoved my hand off Leopold, causing me to stumble backward. Cookie fell to the ground with a soft thud.
As I stared at Edgar in shock, his words repeated in my head.
He doesn’t want to be my friend…
It was the first time I had ever been rejected so harshly. Tears welled up in my eyes.
• ❁ • ❁ • ❁ •By Esraa• ❁ • ❁ • ❁ •
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