Chapter 36
“It’s going well. But Lilien, I hear you’ve been taking an interest in rather unusual illnesses lately—at least, that’s what they’re being called”
Just as she did with Cairn, Lilien wrote to Christian often. Half of her letters were filled with deep, sometimes bizarre questions, so he had to put real effort into satisfying his little cousin’s curiosity.
“Yes, I found Christian’s recent paper very intriguing.”
“Which paper, specifically?”
“The one about the relationship between asexuality and love.”
“You’re the first person in the entire empire who’s said they found that interesting. I’m honestly quite fascinated myself.”
It was a fitting topic for an eccentric doctor. Christian was a surgeon, but he’d also developed an interest in psychiatry, and his paper—once published—had been roundly criticized.
“I agree with your conclusions, Christian. I don’t think it’s a sickness. It’s just a different orientation from the norm. Anyway, could you explain it to me a bit more?”
Like Christian, Lilien had Grenor blood running through her veins, and she could be just as odd.
“If you’d tell me why you’re so interested, I’d go into more detail… Who is it you suspect of being asexual?”
Christian coaxed Lily for the truth, quick to pick up on the source of her curiosity.
“Don’t you remember what you wrote in the last paragraph of your paper, Christian?”
“What did I write?”
Life was busy, and Christian genuinely couldn’t recall the final lines of his own article.
“You wrote not to judge or out someone’s orientation without their consent—especially in noble society, where reputation is everything.”
“Oh, right—ever the upright and ethical me.”
His convictions remained unchanged, though in truth his curiosity was killing him. For a moment he regretted including that disclaimer and wished he had erased those words.
“So, you won’t tell me? Even though we’re family?”
“Nope. It’s a secret!”
* * *
A coming-of-age ball was held at Baltar Palace in honor of Cairn Etienne Headington. Lilien doubted he’d be happy to see her, but since the Emperor himself had traveled all the way to Baltan to congratulate his relative, she had no choice but to attend as the Count’s only daughter.
“I can’t tell you how glad I am that you’re here, Christian.”
“So you weren’t welcoming me out of pure affection?”
“Don’t tarnish my sincerity!”
Since her father wasn’t fully recovered, she had no partner to escort her to the event—until Christian stepped in and saved her from social exile.
“Lilien de Bermore, for someone who can be so sharp-tongued, why does everyone say you’re such a shy lady?”
“I’m a selective chatterbox.”
“So you’re aware.”
“I only ramble with people I like, so I hope you take it as a compliment.”
The fact that he was included in her small circle of ‘people she liked’ made Christian feel all the more indulgent toward her.
“Nervous?”
“A little…”
“Shall we go in, princess?”
Christian joked, putting on a serious face. Standing with Christian in from the grand doors of the banquet hall, her hands trembling, all of Lilien’s nerves melted away.
“Princess? Isn’t that treason against the imperial house?”
Christian only tilted his head as if it was of no importance.
“Come on.”
With the grating sound of metal and wood, the doors opened, and Lilien entered the familiar hall on Christian’s arm.
In Lilien’s soft lavender dress and Christian pale beige suit, they looked like a perfectly matched pair. Of course, anyone overhearing their banter would quickly realize they were more like bickering siblings.
“Lily, Lady Grenor—no, Countess de Bermore—would have been proud to see you tonight.”
Christian said, referencing her mother, something only he ever did so lightly.
He was also the only one who’d ever told Lilien the surprising fact of how much she resembled the mother, who she’d never known.
“Why do you say that?”
“Because every man in the room can’t take his eyes off you. Especially…”
Christian narrowed his eyes.
“Your research subject.”
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