Chapter 72
The truth was, Lilien had always liked Eisen.
She admired her confidence, her charismatic way of speaking, her fearless attitude, and her impeccable appearance and grace. At first, Lilien felt flashes of jealousy, but once she acknowledged that underneath those petty feelings was genuine admiration, she found herself truly liking Eisen.
“If you don’t mind, I—I’d love that! E-Eisen.”
“Of course, Lilien.”
Eisen’s gaze drifted to the mountain of lemon madeleines piled in front of Lilien.
“Would you like to try some, Eisen? Last time I was here, I tasted every flavor, and the lemon is by far the best.”
Lilien offered, passing over a fork. Eisen accepted it with a barely restrained laugh, broke off a piece of the nearest madeleine, and tasted it. While Lilien watched her with wide, eager eyes.
“How is it? Isn’t it good?”
“It’s delicious—very sweet. But, Lilien, isn’t this a bit much for one person?”
She’d already eaten nearly half before Eisen arrived, so she didn’t see what was so surprising.
“This much?”
“I never would have guessed you had such an appetite. I always thought you weren’t much of an eater.”
Lilien laughed sheepishly, having heard that before.
“By the way, Eisen… I’m really sorry about that day. I had no idea Cairn would leave like that. If I’d known, I never would’ve put you in that situation.”
“To be honest, it did sting a little, but things happen. I’m a forgiving person—I accept your apology.”
“Thank you, truly.”
“But… was that the start of something?”
“Pardon?”
There was a lively spark in Eisen’s eyes.
“I mean you and Cairn. People have always gossiped that you two were more like siblings than anything else.”
“We still are, actually.”
“Really? I heard you two got married.”
They were, technically, married, But it still felt like siblings, so Lilien didn’t know how to answer.
“Well… it’s not so clear cut. I wouldn’t even know where to begin. I swear, I didn’t use you to test Cairn’s feelings or anything like that—though I realize it might sound hard to believe…”
“I believe you. You’re not the type to do that. I only asked because I was genuinely curious. Your relationship is so entertaining to everyone lately. All anyone talks about is Lilien.”
“Oh, I see…”
Lilien resolved to stay at home for a while—she couldn’t face another round with the noble ladies.
“Eisen, if you don’t mind me asking, what brought you all the way to Old Town today?”
It was a fair question. Lilien had no choice but to come alone, but it was odd for Eisen to come from Frushburn unaccompanied—especially with a leather travel bag in tow.
“That’s a secret.”
Eisen winked, making Lilien feel oddly bashful.
“I’ll tell you one thing, though—I love books, just like you do. Maybe someday we could have a book club together? Or if that sounds too formal, I’d enjoy just chatting one-on-one.”
It wasn’t a completely innocent offer. Eisen knew that Lilien would soon be Grand Duchess of Baltar, and building a friendship with her could only work in Eisen’s favor. But it was also true that she genuinely liked Lilien and felt they could grow even closer in time. Eisen’s intuition was rarely wrong.
“Oh, and that day at Baltar Palace, when I said you’d always be welcome if you visited Frushburn—I meant it.”
“I’ll definitely come visit one day.”
The two chatted on and on, their tea growing cold. Surrounded by publishing houses and bookshops, their conversation naturally drifted to the latest releases and what they’d read recently.
As dusk fell, they reluctantly stood to leave.
“Let’s meet again, Lilien. I hope we can talk more at the next ball.”
“Yes, Eisen. I had a wonderful time today.”
“So did I.”
Before leaving, Eisen caught sight of Lilien’s now-empty plate and couldn’t hold back a laugh—the mountain of lemon madeleines had long since disappeared.
* * *
Four days later, on a bright afternoon, Cairn arrived at the de Bermore estate with his retinue in tow. Or rather, he practically stormed the place.
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