Chapter 49: Liar

The moment the pressure lifted, before Lilian could even step forward to help Ophelia up, Ophelia steadied herself on the carpet and slowly rose to her feet.

She smoothed out her slightly disheveled skirt and once again wore that elegant, composed smile.

But her pale complexion and slightly hurried breathing revealed she was not as well as she appeared.

She was unwilling to accept defeat.

Yes, unwilling.

She had thought she could manipulate Eleanora, toy with everyone.

Yet suddenly, she lost—crushed beneath an overwhelming aura—and in terms of strength, the gap between her and Eleanora was absolute.

In the past fourteen years, she had never been this embarrassed.

No. She absolutely refused to admit it.

If she lost here, she would regain it on another battlefield.

Ophelia took a deep breath and looked toward Lilian standing beside Eleanora, the familiar smile curving her lips.

“Miss Eleanora’s gratitude is truly impressive,” she said casually, then her tone carried a hint of boast and mockery, “However, receiving Lilian’s sweet thanks isn’t so bad either.”

Lilian was stunned by Ophelia’s actions.

If you can’t win, just admit it. Why are you still so unwilling to accept it?

Lilian thought if she hadn’t stopped Eleanora earlier, Eleanora might really have killed Ophelia.

How did things end up like this…

And Eleanora didn’t seem quite like the image Lilian had of her.

Was she really such a love-starved child?

“You…” Eleanora let out a strained sound from between her lips, then fell silent.

Lilian felt the air around her freeze for a moment, growing colder and sharper.

“Uh…” Ophelia let out a muffled groan.

It seemed Eleanora had struck Ophelia again.

Lilian turned around and held Eleanora gently, soothing her.

“All right, my Lady, Ophelia was joking. The gratitude I gave her was just to call her by her name—not the last thing…” she said, growing increasingly nervous.

“That was Ophelia’s sudden attack, not thanks. Besides, nothing really happened, didn’t I say I’m fine? Okay, okay…”

Nothing happened?

That was a lie.

Lilian didn’t understand why Ophelia had done that.

Kissing her in front of almost the entire empire’s noble class.

Deliberately provoking Eleanora to anger, pushing all three of them into the spotlight.

Telling everyone their relationship was unusual.

Then the Crown Prince came over trying to continue hassling Eleanora, only to be rebuffed publicly.

What was her intention? What did she want?

Lilian didn’t think she possessed anything Ophelia desired.

The Coen family? But Ophelia wasn’t interested in royal power from the start…

So much had happened that Lilian could only calm herself by sorting through everything in her mind.

Her hands never stopped moving, still soothing Eleanora.

“Did you hear that? That Kiss wasn’t a thank you. Lilian is mine! You’re not allowed to touch her ever again!”

Eleanora’s anger seemed to have dissipated, and like a child protecting her toy, she declared ownership over Ophelia.

Lilian could only softly reply “okay, okay” as she comforted Eleanora.

Eleanora’s eyes were still red, but a sweet smile was already on her face.

Seeing this, Ophelia’s smile completely froze.

Why?

She should have won.

She had prepared all kinds of surprises for Lilian, even succeeded in kissing her, declaring Lilian as hers to everyone.

But why?

Why, despite all her efforts, did she only earn Lilian’s caution and suspicion?

Why was it that Eleanora, who was like a child unable to control her emotions, was so easily protected and comforted by Lilian?

She had helped her.

She was the one repaid with hostility and threats of death.

She was the one who almost died!

Most importantly, that Kiss—was her sincere feeling!

Why treat her like this…

A wave of unprecedented, overwhelming grievance and jealousy gripped Ophelia’s heart.

The expression she barely maintained crumbled, her eyes reddening visibly as blue eyes filled with moisture.

With a hurt voice, she spoke, “Lilian…”

Her voice trembled, choked with emotion.

“Did I… do something wrong?”

Ophelia stubbornly fought back tears, but they only gathered more.

“I clearly helped you all… so why did Eleanora treat me that way… even you…”

She couldn’t bring herself to finish accusing Lilian.

“I just wanted to invite you to dance, to give you a surprise, to show you…”

Her feelings.

The rest of the words never came out.

What good would it do?

To be doubted again?

No matter what she did, she wouldn’t be understood, right?

All the “I understand you…”

All the “I know everything about you…”

Were lies!

Liars!

Lilian!

You’re a liar!

Tears finally spilled, blurring her vision.

Suppressing a sob was Ophelia’s last effort.

Lilian felt her scalp tingle.

She had thought Ophelia was just putting on a pitiful act again, toying with her emotions.

But now it seemed she was truly upset?

Neither Eleanora nor Ophelia matched the impression given by the game.

Though all the female leads in the game had emotional burdens, none were this fragile…

Ah…

Right…

How old were they?

Ophelia was still in the throes of adolescent angst.

Eleanora also liked to sulk, unable to express her feelings well.

Without the experiences that occurred in the game’s plot, this seemed normal.

Perhaps Ophelia’s actions weren’t as complicated as Lilian thought?

She and Eleanora were both girls bad at expressing themselves?

Just habitually relating to others in ways familiar to them?

Everything she did was simply a genuine desire to befriend Lilian, to give her a surprise?

From the game, Ophelia had indeed been a lonely girl from a young age, only finding true friends when she met the Hero and the others.

Thinking this, Lilian sighed softly and stepped forward.

Her wrist was grabbed.

It was Eleanora.

The maid instinctively said: don’t go.

Lilian gently pushed Eleanora’s hand away, and Eleanora did not resist, yielding to her.

She knew what Lilian intended.

Even if it contradicted what she wanted, she would not stop her—this was the real Lilian.

Lilian gently embraced Ophelia.

Lilian never avoided problems.

If a problem arose, she would work to solve it.

Ophelia cried because of her, so she should be responsible for that.