Chapter 1

In the slums of the capital, 'Lilica Barnes' was quite well-known. This was because any parent would scold their children with, "Just look at Lilica," when they misbehaved.

Lilica, who had just turned eight, was famous for being diligent. If there was a burden in her life, it was her mother. She had to support her mother, who would stagger home drunk, many times. The thin wooden boards did nothing to block out the noise, so she could hear her mother's drunken tirades and abusive words very clearly.

On days when the noise was particularly bad, Lilica would come to work with red, swollen eyes. Still, she was proud of her mother. She had never seen anyone more beautiful than her mother, and in the slums, her mother was the only one who could read. Lilica always thought that her mother had only become this way because she had suffered too much, having originally been a noble. Her father had gone on a business trip by ship, incurring a huge debt and never returning, which led to her mother being expelled from the castle.

If Lilica herself had not been there, her mother would have married into any family, and Lilica agreed with this. Her golden hair, which seemed to be a direct copy of the sun's purity, and her eyes, bluer than a cornflower, did not lose their luster even in this neighborhood. Her milk-white skin and delicate features made her look like a fairy no matter where she was or what she wore.

Men might have approached her, but perhaps because her mother was too beautiful, no one did. Lilica thought it was fortunate, as if she were to run with a broom, she would surely faint if hit by an adult man. Even at eight, her small, frail body would fly and hit the ground if struck by a man's hand. She had experienced this when the rent was overdue and was hit so hard that she had trouble regaining consciousness. Her head spun, her ears rang, and her mouth tasted of blood. Her vision went dark, and she saw stars.

This was why Lilica was worried. She was afraid that if bad people approached her beautiful mother, she wouldn't know what to do. Every night, she clasped her hands and prayed to the brightest star.

"Please don't let bad people approach my mother. Please keep my mother safe always."

Perhaps the star had heard her wish, as fortunately, her mother moved around the bars without any major issues. Today was quiet because her mother had drunk more than usual and had passed out.

Lilica tied her brown hair into a tight braid and went out to work. There weren't many jobs for slum children, but Lilica worked diligently. She was meticulous and never touched or stole anything, which gave her a good reputation. After learning from the shoe-shining uncle that "work is credit," she always applied this principle.

Today, she was cleaning the kitchen of a bar. The task involved scrubbing the greasy floor with a brush and sand, then washing it with water. Her arms trembled, and sweat dripped down, but Lilica scrubbed the floor with both hands.

While doing this simple task, she always had two recurring daydreams.

The first was about her father returning. In reality, her father was fine and just taking a long time on his business trip. He would return with a ship full of treasures, find Lilica and her mother, and they would live happily ever after.

The second was a secret daydream of Lilica's. While walking through the capital, a gentleman pitied her and threw her a silver coin. When she opened her apron as he instructed, she was surprised to see the coin roll in.

"Buy something delicious to eat."

Although the gentleman said this, Lilica couldn't possibly buy something delicious with a silver coin. She carried the coin like a talisman.

With this silver coin, she imagined buying two chickens, hatching chicks, raising many chickens, buying goats, cows, and eventually becoming a wealthy person with horses.

These two daydreams were always on her mind. Thinking about them made her forget the hard work and finish her tasks.

After sweeping the sand with a broom and giving the floor a final wash with water, Lilica received a large copper coin. Five small copper coins equal one large copper coin, and one large copper coin can buy a loaf of bread. Ten large copper coins make a silver coin, which Lilica rarely saw, though she often saw silver coins.

Lilica bought half a loaf of bread and headed home. When she peeked inside, her mother was still sleeping.

"Good."

Lilica quietly lifted the blanket and the floorboard underneath, revealing her secret stash. It was a pouch filled with silver coins and small copper coins. After touching and checking the silver coins several times, she put them back in the pouch.

The next month's rent was in here. If her mother found out, it would be spent on alcohol or something unnecessary, so she had to secretly save money. The pouch was quite heavy, and it seemed there would be money left after paying the rent. Thinking about this made her happy, and she smiled as she closed the floorboard and covered it with the blanket.

At that moment,

"AAAAH!!"

Her mother thrashed and screamed on the bed. Lilica was startled and froze for a moment.

"No! It's hot!! I don't want to die! Like this…!"

Even after falling off the bed, her mother continued to thrash. Lilica finally rushed over.

"Mother? Mother, are you okay? What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry, save me! Save me…"

When Lilica firmly held her mother's hand, her mother shuddered and stopped. Her trembling eyelids opened, but her eyes were unfocused.

Lilica was suddenly very scared. She had heard stories about people whose minds were damaged from drinking too much, and she was worried that her mother might have become like that.

"Where, where are we? You, you… Could it be, Lilica?"

Her mother, flustered, tried to sit up, and Lilica helped her. She sat close and said,

"Yes, Mother. It's me, Lilica."

Her mother stared blankly at Lilica. Lilica, growing anxious, looked directly at her mother.

"Are you okay? This is our home. Yesterday, um…"

Lilica trailed off. If she mentioned that her mother had drunk a lot, her mother would get angry, and she didn't know what to say.

"Maybe you had a bad dream."

"Lilica, you've grown younger."

"What?"

Lilica didn't know what to say. She was eight now; how much younger could she look?

Confused, she rolled her eyes, and her mother swallowed.

"Lilica, are you alive?"

"What? Yes! Of course, I'm alive."

Did her mother dream that she had died? Lilica thumped her chest and said. Her mother stared blankly at her and said,

"You're alive. You're alive, not younger. Goodness, how old are you, Lilica?"

"Eight years old."

"That's impossible. What is this?"

Her mother suddenly jumped up and started pacing around the room.

"Goodness, it's the slums. This is impossible. This, goodness."

She looked out the window, around the room, and then picked up a small mirror, gasping.

"I'm back…"

"Mother?"

Lilica started to feel scared. It seemed her mother's mind was really affected.

What should she do?

There was no doctor or medicine here. She might have to use a silver coin to call a doctor.

Bracing herself, Lilica stood up.

"Goodness! I'm back! How can this be? Goodness!"

But her mother's scream made her stiffen. Approaching her now might result in getting hit by her excited mother.

In the bar, people who got this excited and screamed were to be avoided. Lilica waited for her mother to calm down, watching her silently.

Her mother felt her limbs, touched her hair, and her face, repeating, "I'm back."

Then she turned to Lilica. Lilica flinched. Her mother ran over and reached out.

She'll hit me.

Lilica closed her eyes tightly, but soft hands touched her cheeks. Opening her eyes, she saw her mother's blue eyes very close, glistening with tears.

"Lilica, you're alive. My precious Lilica. I'm sorry, I was wrong. I was too foolish. I was too stupid—"

Lilica blinked in surprise as her mother pulled her into a tight hug, sobbing and whispering, "My treasure, my precious baby, my Lilica, I love you."

The warmth started to ease her tension. Her mother's words began to seep into her heart.

Tears overflowed, and Lilica cried. She didn't know what was happening, but her mother was so warm.

Being held in someone's arms was so good.

Lilica deeply realized this. Her mother stroked her hair, rubbed her wet cheeks, and kissed her.

After a while, her mother sighed and gave her a final hug before letting go.

Lilica felt everything was sudden, strange, and at the same time, unsettling. She was worried that her mother might suddenly change again.

"Lilica, what's the date today?"

"Today is, um, April 15th, 485."

After thinking for a moment, her mother snapped her fingers.

"The royal ball!"

Lilica was surprised but nodded. The spring ball, known to everyone in the capital, was happening.

During this time, the capital was lively, and the slums caught the excitement.

Nobles in splendid clothes lined up to attend the grand ball at the palace.

The emperor was also attending this year's ball, and stories circulated that he was a very terrifying person.

Slum children were often threatened with, "If you keep this up, I'll send you to the emperor!"

Stories of the emperor eating children's hearts or freezing people he didn't like to death were common.

Whether they were true or not, it was said that high nobles had special abilities.

They could control water, freeze anything, and move objects. They also had many magical tools.

It was said that the emperor used these abilities to kill people and ascend to the throne.

There were also stories that he killed the previous emperor and that the current emperor would step down when the crown prince came of age, but no one believed these stories.

In any case, most of the rumors were about how the current emperor was strange and scary.

Lilica blinked, wondering what her mother meant by the royal ball.

Her mother grabbed her shoulders.

"Lilica, I must attend that ball."

"…"

It was such an absurd statement that Lilica couldn't even respond. Her mother's blue eyes flashed like lightning.

"I have to attend the ball and meet the emperor. This is the only chance. If I prepare today and go in tomorrow—"

"That's impossible."

Lilica felt a sudden sense of despair. She thought her mother had changed, but it was a mistake to think so even for a moment.

The royal ball?

The emperor?

It was such an absurd idea that she was speechless. Why didn't her mother know what an eight-year-old knew?

"How can you attend the royal ball?"

"There is a way. Of course, I can't go in these clothes. I need to borrow suitable clothes from a pawnshop. Once I have that, I can handle the rest. Lilica."

Knowing what would come next, Lilica trembled and said,

"We, we don't have money, Mother…"

"Lilica, please. Just this once, trust me. Okay?"

Lilica shook her head. She needed to pay the rent, and she didn't want to get hit again.

Moreover, the royal ball? What if her mother was caught by the guards? She would definitely be caught.

Despite her mother's pleading, Lilica remained silent. The determination of a girl raised in the slums was not to be underestimated.

Finally, her mother sighed and raised her hands.

"Alright, Lilica. If that's your decision, I can't do anything."

Lilica lifted her head. Her mother didn't seem angry. After a moment, her mother firmly grabbed her shoulders again and said,

"Lilica, understand one thing. I will do my best for you. I know you can be happy without this. This is my desire. I will do my best for you, in my own way, because of my desire. Do you understand?"

Lilica nodded. Her mother smiled and hugged her.

"Then let's go to bed early today."

Lilica quickly took out half a loaf of bread.

"I've already eaten, so it's fine."

Her mother looked at the half loaf of bread for a moment and said,

"Let's share it anyway."

The hard bread required effort to break. They shared the bread and fell asleep together on the small bed.

Lilica was so happy that she didn't even dream about the silver coin and fell into a deep sleep.

The next morning, her mother was gone. The floorboard and the blanket were open.

Naturally, the coins and the pouch were all gone.

Lilica, in a daze, collapsed to the floor. Her legs were weak, and she couldn't do anything. She didn't even think about chasing after her mother.

"Ugh—"

Lilica started crying uncontrollably. For the first time, she hated her mother.

Lilica cried and cried.