Chapter 355 Visiting Lyra and Feeling Relieved
In the grand hallway of the Inner Palace, Liliana walked at a leisurely pace, holding a letter in her hand.
Clad in a simple yet beautiful black gown, her graceful and captivating presence shone through effortlessly.
However, there was a noticeable change in her usual demeanor. Her typically calm and composed expression was now tinged with nervousness as she glanced at the letter every now and then.
"How should I tell Lyra about Heidel's death?" Filled with confusion and sorrow, she thought to herself.
After receiving the letter earlier, she knew she should tell Lyra as soon as possible. However, she felt uneasy, fearing that the news would cause Lyra even more distress.
Adding to her discomfort was the guilt she felt for concealing the truth—that Heidel had actually wished to die on the battlefield—from Lyra.
Reflecting on this, she sighed softly, feeling weighed down by the burden.
"Even though it was Heidel's request, it's still my fault for keeping this from Lyra. I must apologize and tell her, no matter what," she whispered to herself, gradually regaining her composure.
After a few moments of walking, Liliana finally arrived at Lyra's door.
Raising her right hand and lightly clenching her fist, she knocked gently.
"Lyra, are you inside? I need to talk to you," Liliana called softly.
She waited in silence, but after a minute with no response, her brows furrowed slightly.
"Lyra?" Liliana called again, knocking a bit louder.
Moments later, hurried footsteps echoed, followed by Lyra's panicked voice from inside.
"I'm sorry, Your Majesty Liliana. I just finished bathing. Could you wait for a moment?"
Hearing this, Liliana, who had been growing anxious, breathed a quiet sigh of relief. A worried thought had crossed her mind that something might have happened to Lyra, but thankfully, her fears were unfounded, and she felt a sense of calm return.
"Don't worry, Lyra. I'll wait," Liliana replied casually.
After five minutes, the bedroom door slowly opened, revealing Lyra in a beautiful black maid outfit.
She looked up at Liliana with respect, bowing her head politely.
"Good afternoon, Your Majesty. I apologize for keeping you waiting," Lyra greeted, her tone laced with guilt.
Liliana simply smiled and shook her head. "Don't worry. It's my fault for coming at such an inconvenient time."
Lyra remained silent, slowly lifting her head.
A curious expression flickered across her usually indifferent face as she asked, "Do you need something from me, Your Majesty?"
"Yes, I have something to discuss with you—it concerns Heidel's news," Liliana replied, getting straight to the point.
Lyra's body stiffened slightly, and her face froze at the mention of Heidel's name. However, she quickly composed herself and gave a small nod.
"Please, come in, Your Majesty," Lyra invited respectfully.
Liliana noticed the subtle shift in Lyra's emotions but chose not to comment, following her into the room.
After settling onto the sofa, Lyra immediately prepared two cups of tea and placed some light cookies on the table. Despite her position as Liliana's personal maid, their bond was so close that it felt more like family.
When they're alone, without anyone else present, there's no need for formalities.
After setting everything up, Lyra sat on the sofa opposite Liliana, her usual nonchalant expression in place.
She fixed her gaze on Liliana and asked respectfully, "What business do you need to discuss, Your Majesty?"
Though her expression remained calm and flat, her fingers were nervously interlaced, betraying her unease.
Liliana fell silent for a moment, took a slow breath, and exhaled before looking down at the letter in her hand and handing it to Lyra. "There's news from the battlefield, and... I need you to read this."
Lyra blinked, glancing at the letter before taking it. She studied it for a moment, then decided to open it and read it carefully.
Liliana didn't speak, simply sipping her tea in silence as she waited.
She knew that once Lyra read the letter, she would be deeply saddened and devastated. However, Liliana felt that telling her now was far better than keeping the news hidden, which would only cause more pain later.
By being here, she could help calm Lyra and offer her support, just as she had promised Heidel before leaving for the battlefield.
Strangely, after waiting for three minutes, Liliana didn't hear any signs of Lyra crying, as she had expected.
Hesitantly, she looked up and was surprised to see Lyra still reading the letter, her expression flat and composed.
"Lyra..." Liliana began to speak but stopped when Lyra took a small breath and neatly folded the letter.Nôv(el)B\\jnn
Lyra handed it back to Liliana and said softly, "Thank you for the news, Your Majesty."
Liliana was taken aback by Lyra's calm demeanor and was momentarily speechless.
As if noticing her confusion, Lyra placed the letter on the table and explained, "Your Majesty, I'm sorry. I actually already knew my father was going to leave me."
Liliana snapped back to attention, her eyes widening in shock.
"You knew? How is that possible? Did Heidel tell you?" She asked, unable to believe it.
She remembered Heidel's assurance that he never told Lyra about his wish to die on the battlefield. She also recalled Lyra's devastated expression when she had shared the truth.
So, how could Lyra have known?
Lyra shook her head and replied, "I didn't learn it from my father. I figured it out myself."
Her words caught Liliana off guard once more. She furrowed her brow and asked, "You figured it out yourself? How is that possible?"
Lyra nodded slightly, her gaze lowering with a hint of sadness. "Actually..."
Lyra then began to explain in detail. She told Liliana that she had realized the truth after noticing strange marks on Heidel's body—red root-like patterns that seemed both mysterious and eerie.
Feeling both curious and unsettled, she had asked Heidel about the marks, but he refused to provide any answers. Driven by a sense of dread, she started reading many books in the library, eventually uncovering a shocking truth.
The red root pattern on her father's neck was a mark of a curse, linked to the forbidden techniques of the demon race. Upon discovering it, terror gripped her, and she wanted to ask her father about it—but by then, it was too late.
Heidel had already left for the battlefield, and she couldn't meet him in person. Eventually, Liliana revealed the truth to her, and she learned that the curse on her father's body had reached an irreversible level, making any hope of saving him impossible.
A wave of sadness and devastation washed over her, and she cried for hours afterward. Though she had started to feel a little better in the past few days, the pain and sorrow resurfaced when she read the letter.
After hearing Lyra's explanation, Liliana felt a sense of relief, but the guilt inside her only grew stronger.
"I'm sorry, Lyra. It's all my fault," Liliana murmured, her gaze falling to the floor.
Lyra immediately shook her head. "You don't need to apologize, Your Majesty. What you did was my father's request, and I can't blame you. In fact, I'm grateful. You fulfilled his last wish."
Liliana met Lyra's solemn gaze, and a true sense of relief washed over her, allowing her to finally relax.
"Thank you, Lyra. You don't have to worry. I'll always be by your side. If you ever need anything, just let me know, okay? After all, I promised your father that I would look after, care for, and protect you," Liliana said gently.
"Um... thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty," Lyra replied, a small smile tugging at her lips.
They then continued their conversation, with Liliana trying to divert Lyra's thoughts from her sadness to other topics. However, just as they were deep in conversation, a knock on the door interrupted them, followed by the flustered voice of a young woman.
"Lady Lyra, I apologize for interrupting your break. Can you tell me where Her Majesty Liliana is? General Merlin has come from the outer palace and urgently needs to speak with her."
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A/N: Ahem! Don't forget for the support! Thank you!