Mother’s Contract Marriage

Chapter 2

Lyrica cried so much that her ears began to ring and her head began to spin. She was so sad and miserable that she wished to just lay sprawled out on the floor, but she could not, as she no longer had a single coin in her name.

“Don’t cry. Stop crying, Lyrica Vans. You’re not a baby. Aren’t you embarrassed, crying like this at eight years old?”

She comforted herself as she took a deep breath and got up. One had to be resilient to survive in the slums, and work, after all, was based on trust. She couldn’t fail to show up to work simply because she was sad. If she didn’t go, it would tarnish the good reputation she’d built for herself over time. And if nothing else, her pride was on the line. She slapped her cheeks several times and stood up, leaving the house after washing her face with cold water.

Today was the day she was scheduled to work at a respectable tavern that was located on the outskirts of the city rather than the slums. The tavern had many expensive glasses, and a large adult hand would not fit inside the long, slender flute glass. Since a child’s small hands fit perfectly, Lyrica’s task was to wash all the glasses and polish them until they shone.

Although this was not a task that was typically given to a child from the slums, as careless and clumsy as they were, Lyrica had been able to secure the job thanks to her good reputation. Moreover, it paid two large copper coins, which was an amount she could not afford to miss out on. If she broke one of the glasses by mistake, she might never make enough money in her life to replace it. And so, she worked carefully and attentively. It was tiring to focus so intensely, but thankfully, it helped distract her from any thoughts of her mother.

She was exhausted by the end of the day, as she’d concentrated far too intently on her work. She received two coins from the owner, bade him farewell, and began making her way home. However, she quickly found that she did not wish to return. Instead, she mindlessly played with the coins in her pockets as she wandered the streets.

Most people avoided her as she was dirty and unkempt. She eventually grew embarrassed and turned back toward the slums. It was only when the sun began to set that she finally started making her way home. Maybe her mother had returned. Perhaps she would apologize, and she might have even brought all of the money back. Better still, maybe her father would just suddenly appear. A bitter smile—one that was strange to see on a child—appeared on Lyrica’s face.

As soon as she opened the door to the house and stepped inside, however, she sensed that something was not right. It was an inkling that would only tickle at the homeowner’s subconscious. There was nothing inside her house worth stealing, but this was the sort of neighborhood where anything could happen. Lyrica tensed and, moving as slowly as a kitten with its fur standing on end, carefully surveyed her surroundings.

“Miss Lyrica Vans?”

Lyrica jumped when a voice suddenly came from the darkness. She whirled to face the owner of said voice and found a man standing there, wearing a hood. Although the hood was old and shabby, Lyrica knew immediately that he was someone of status, or at the least, very wealthy.

The clothing under his worn outerwear looked expensive even at a glance, and, most telling of all, his shoes were clearly of fine quality. His posture was confident and upright, with not a hint of submissiveness. It was clear that he was a man who seldom bowed his head.

“You are quite late,” he stated.

“Who are you?”

Lyrica spoke only when she realized that he had no intention of harming her. It was clear he simply wished to talk.

“I’ve come to escort you,” he replied.

“Pardon?” Her eyes widened in surprise but quickly became filled with suspicion. “Is this because of the rent? Or—”

“No. Your mother has ordered that you be escorted to her side, Miss Vans.”

Completely taken aback by this unexpected announcement, she blurted out, “My mother wants me escorted somewhere?”

“Yes.”

“Has something happened to her?” she asked in a panic. “She must have been captured! If not, she...”

“You should ask for more details when you arrive. I am only the messenger. It would be best to leave through the back, to avoid being seen.”

Lyrica crossed her arms, however, and replied firmly, “I was told to never go anywhere with strangers.”

The man appeared flustered for a moment, then, after a brief pause, he introduced himself.

“My name is Lauv Wolfe.”

Lyrica stared at him with an expression that clearly said, So what?

His tone was serious when he spoke next.

“Actually, Miss Vans, your mother is very ill.”

“What?”

“There was an accident, which is why she asked me to bring you. She is desperately looking for you.”

“That can’t be!”

Lyrica did not know what to do. Her mother had been in an accident? What should she do? Had she gotten hurt while trying to force her way into the imperial ball? Her heart raced as she thought back to the way her mother had suddenly cried out last night and started crying.

“L-let’s go. Quick, let’s go!”

“This way.”

Lauv hurriedly pried away a panel in the back of the shanty. Lyrica did not even notice that a whole panel was now missing from her wall. He led her swiftly down a dark alley and whistled when they emerged onto a slightly larger street. A carriage that had been hidden in shadows suddenly appeared before them.

“My goodness...”

It was the first time she’d seen such a large carriage up close, and the first time she’d ever ridden in a carriage in general. Lauv opened the door and then helped her inside, as the carriage was so high off the ground that she couldn’t climb in alone. Once she was securely seated, however, he suddenly gave the wary girl a piece of very unwelcome advice.

“Miss Vans. You should not trust people so easily.”

She stared at him with alarm. The carriage door snapped shut before she could respond.

* * *

When the carriage came to a stop, Lyrica was pressed tightly in the corner like an agitated cat. She regretted putting so much trust in her instincts. Perhaps it was because she’d constantly been exposed to danger throughout her life, but she had developed a rather keen sense for situations that could turn ugly, which had allowed her to avoid trouble countless times before. Even the shoe-shiner had acknowledged her special ability.

She’d only let her guard down because she hadn’t sensed that this Lauv man was a threat. She gripped the carriage handle and glared at him, telling him with her eyes alone that she had no intention of leaving the vehicle.

Lauv debated a moment over what he should do. If he forced her out, she might scratch him, but leaving her be was not an option either.

“Miss Vans,” he called.

“G-go away!”

Lyrica shouted and glared at him, but he didn’t seem frightened of her in the slightest. Lauv did not care if she scratched him, but he was concerned that she might end up injuring herself in the process. She looked so weak and frail that it seemed as though crashing into something would cause her to break a bone.

“Is it true that my mother is injured?” she shouted, still concerned for her family despite the dire situation she found herself in.

“No,” Lauv replied. “Your mother is perfectly fine.”

A series of expletives erupted from inside the carriage—shouts and curses that originated in the slums, and words that no noble girl would have ever heard before. Finally, Lauv crossed his arms and decided to wait until the little girl had calmed down. Lyrica had been prepared to kick and thrash if he tried to drag her out, but all the fight in her body gradually drained away as she saw that he wasn’t coming any closer.

It was then that she finally caught sight of the scenery outside the wide-open carriage door. She was instantly captivated. Sprawled out before her was a beautiful garden and a collection of ornate buildings, all things she was seeing for the very first time in her life. There was even a lovely fountain burbling with crystal-clear water. There was nothing out of order in this new location she found herself in, nor did it resemble the sort of venue slaves were bought and sold in.

She slowly shifted toward the door, inching closer so that she could see more of the outside world. When she shifted her gaze to Lauv, she saw that he had moved a few steps back, putting him far enough away that he wouldn’t be able to immediately grab her. She poked her head out of the carriage and looked around. The garden stretched as far as the eye could see to both her left and right, and the well-maintained grass and sculpted trees looked almost magical.

“Where are we?” she asked hesitantly.

“We are in the palace annex,” Lauv replied.

“The palace annex?”

“It is one of the smaller palaces attached to the imperial palace. Are you ready to come out of the carriage now?”

Lyrica tightly gripped the door once more, but Lauv only stared at her expectantly. She started inching back into the carriage, and Lauv sighed, sensing he’d missed his chance to catch the small kitten that had crawled out of its hole at last. Suddenly, however, someone came rushing through the palace doors.

“Lyrica? Is that you, Lyrica?”

“M-Mother?”

The voice unmistakably belonged to her mother, but she looked so dazzling that Lyrica had to blink several times to be sure it was really her. But it was indeed her mother Ludia running toward her, hiking her flowing skirts up so as to not trip. Lyrica leaped from the carriage.

“Mother!”

“Lyrica! Oh, what a relief! I am so sorry. I made you worry, didn’t I? I’m so sorry. It was wrong of me to leave like that.”

Her mother’s dress made soft, rustling noises as her arms encircled Lyrica, leaving her perfectly warm. The hands that brushed against her cheeks were soft and welcoming, and Lyrica spoke without meaning to.

“I-I’m really angry,” she said, her voice small.

Her mother, however, did not grow angry herself nor push her away. Instead, she hugged her even more tightly.

“I know. It wasn’t right. Mommy did a terrible thing. But I couldn’t think of anything else to do, Lyrica. I’m so sorry,” she murmured.

Lyrica’s heart softened at the tears she could hear in her mother’s voice as she repeatedly apologized.

“All right. But what happened, exactly? Where are we, and what is going on?” she asked.

“I’ll explain everything once we’re inside,” her mother assured with a smile. She stood and took Lyrica’s hand, glancing at Lauv. “Thank you.”

“It was my pleasure. Lady Ludia.”

Lauv bowed respectfully. Lyrica hesitated for a moment before she waved at him, but when Lauv bowed slightly in return, she was left stunned and turned to cling to her mother. It was the first time a grown man had bowed his head to her.

“Let’s go inside,” said her mother.

She didn’t react, as if his response was only to be expected. She casually began guiding Lyrica toward the steps, and the little girl glanced back as she followed her mother inside. Lauv remained standing in place, his posture ramrod straight. Eventually, she could no longer see him thanks to the trees looming between them.

The splendor of the palace left her gaping in awe. Among the many annexes that were attached to the palace, the Dawn Annex was of particular beauty, built with sumptuous marble tinged in hues of pink and decorated lavishly with gold accents. It was a modest dwelling compared to the others, but it was still utterly overwhelming for Lyrica. She held her breath as she looked around the interior.

Ludia decided the first thing she needed to do was bathe her daughter. Her long brown hair was oily, and the skin beneath her nails and ears was dirty and black. Although there were no maids, there was plenty of hot water already prepared, and getting her daughter squeaky clean by herself wouldn’t be difficult.

Lyrica was startled by what she saw.

“Is this a bathtub?” she asked.

It was an enormous bathtub filled to the brim with hot water. Lyrica was soon left even more surprised by how black the water turned and further blown away upon being introduced to soap, which smelled very nice but tasted bitter and stung her eyes. Everything she encountered caused her great astonishment. As she scrubbed under her nails with a brush, she wondered if she’d be missing a layer of skin by the end of the experience.

Her mother applied a sweet-smelling oil when she was dry and dressed her in new clothes—marvelously thick, soft underclothes, and a dress full of lace. Lyrica’s breath caught in her throat. She had never worn anything so magnificent in her life. She thought she must be dreaming as she slid on a pair of silk stockings and soft lambskin boots.

It was as she was running her hands over her soft clothes, savoring the sensation, that her mother returned with a simple snack in her hands. The soft bread seemed to melt in her mouth, and she’d never tasted the like of the jewel-like dots of jam.

When she remarked how beautiful the color was, her mother explained that it was called raspberry jam. The food became stuck in her throat, causing her to cough, and her mother quickly offered her a glass of something yellow, which also possessed a surprising flavor.

Her mother explained that it was called orange juice, and though Lyrica did not know what oranges were, it made her realize that the world was vast and full of all sorts of delicious things. She was cramming more bread into her mouth when her mother spoke.

“You must have gotten quite the shock, Lyrica. Are you feeling better now?”

The little girl nodded. She was so overwhelmed by all the surprising things that had happened that she was fairly drained at this point. It felt as though nothing would be able to shock her at this point.

“How did all this happen?” she whispered softly.

Her mother smiled and answered in a voice that was equally low.

“I told you that I would go to the imperial ball.”

“You did.”

“I went to the ball.”

“Really?”

“Yes, really. And there, I met His Majesty the Emperor.”

“The emperor?” Lyrica’s voice rose in surprise, but she quickly returned to a whisper. “But they say the emperor is very frightening!” Her expression was one of deep concern.

Ludia chuckled.

“It’s fine. The emperor is quite a reasonable man.”

Lyrica wondered how a person could be both frightening and reasonable.

After thinking for a moment, she asked, “So... What happened next?”

“Well, the day after tomorrow... I’m going to marry him.”

Lyrica was so shocked that she didn’t even notice the bread falling from her slack grip. The soft bread made no sound as it hit the floor. She stared at her mother in a daze.

Her beautiful mother had always been her pride and joy, with her flowing, golden locks and pure blue eyes that seemed to shine even in the dark. Today, her mother looked more beautiful than she’d ever seen her, so much so that Lyrica could hardly recognize her.

Compared to her mother, her own hair was just an ordinary brown, half of it frizzy and coarse. If only she had the same hair as her mother, which was lovely like soft wisps of cloud. But still, she was proud of her own turquoise-colored eyes that were similar in hue to her mother’s.

N-no, Lyrica! Don’t lose yourself in your fantasies right now!

She shook her head several times and retrieved the bread from the ground, but her mother snatched it away before she could put it in her mouth, saying it was dirty. Surely it was cleaner than anything they’d eaten in their previous home. Lyrica stared at the wasted bread.

“The emperor?” she asked again.

“Yes. Aren’t you surprised?”

Ludia smiled mischievously, her expression as playful as a child’s. Lyrica could not tell whether her mother was telling the truth or not.

“Truly? You’re truly marrying the emperor, Mother? The day after tomorrow?”

“That’s right. But of course, it’s not a typical marriage. I’ll let you in on a little secret, Lyrica. You’re the only one I’ll tell.”

Her mother looked around before leaning in closer. Lyrica held her breath.

“In truth... This is a contract marriage.”