1.3

"Catch up, Amelia!" Liliana laughs as her black hair billows around her in the wind. Liliana's new horse gallops even faster as a shriek sounds from behind them.

"My lady!" her maid-servant replies. "Slow down! Please!"

Liliana ignores Amelia's pleas by speeding up even more. Liliana glances at her left and sees the murky pond she emerged from only a month ago.

In the blink of an eye, it was gone.

Admittedly, the story hasn't progressed that much. Liliana has visited with the Fourth Prince from time to time, yet, he hasn't displayed any harsh feelings towards her, so even if Liliana doesn't end up marrying him he won't hold any contempt and kill her.

After all, the goal of this game is to marry a royal. Any of his 7 other siblings will do, especially since Liliana has started speaking more with the seventh half-brother, who is only six months younger than her. While he holds no wish to become the next King, he still has lots of power.

To tear her thoughts from this matter, Liliana presses her heels to the horse's underbelly and spurs it to go faster. Amelia sped up her horse in turn, yet Amelia paid no mind to the seemingly unimportant pond.

Amelia soon catches up to Liliana and the two slow down to a slow walk as they neared the town. Liliana's mother believed she was at a friend's house right now, discussing literature and eating pastries. In reality, Liliana decided to sneak away to the village disguised as a commoner, yet Amelia had caught her, so Amelia was forced to come along so she wouldn't snitch.

"Amelia," Liliana muses, "do you not have family in this village?"

"I do, in fact," she quips back. "I haven't visited in a long while."

Amelia turned her azure gaze to Liliana. While Amelia's face was quite plain, she had beautiful, wide eyes with drooped corners under fair lashes. They seemed to sparkle in the sun or in a storm. "Why do you ask, my lady?"

"I was thinking you should visit them while I venture around town," Liliana suggests as a brief moment of joy flickers on Amelia's face before turning to one of concern.

"But who will tend to you, my lady?"

"Myself, I believe I can fight a whole lot better with a weapon on me." Liliana pats the hilt of the dagger that was on a belt for emphasis. "You don't even hold one. Consider this a...mini-vacation for you. We can meet at the town square before venturing back for the day."

Her brows furrowed, "Are you sure?"

"Positive! I absolutely insist, Amelia. Consider it an order." Liliana's face hardens and Amelia laughs slightly. "Alright, my lady, I shall obey your command."

Liliana grins and reaches into her pocket. She pulls out a few gold coins and places them in Amelia's hands. "Then, you can use a couple of these as well."

The maid's eyes widened at what she held in her hands. "M-My lady! I can't accept!"

"Too late!" Liliana laughs, spurring the horse to pick up speed once more. She could hear her exasperated shouts from behind as Liliana distanced herself then slowed down once more upon reaching the roads of the town. Liliana trotted to a stable and paid a small fee before she left her horse behind.

For most of the day, Liliana wandered around the village doing little things that fueled her heart with happiness. Visiting a bakery, getting involved in a children's soccer match, learning to play a (weird, but interesting) version of chess, going to the market and bartering for goods, and listening to a man play the fiddle. It was lots of fun, and Liliana planned to visit again.

Humming to myself as she turned down the street, Liliana looked at some of the goods she had purchased in her basket. Amelia will definitely appreciate the baked croissants and Liliana can eat some of the muffins later if she stashes them in her room. There was also a baguette that had become hardened from sitting unpurchased in the bakery for the past few days and Liliana had been guilted into buying it after the baker's little son asked her with a 'pwetty please.'

Liliana never had to deal with being guilted by puppy dog eyes in her original life when she couldn't see the person's face, after all.

A figure bumps into her and Liliana looks up at them. The figure's hand moves under their cloak but Liliana could still catch a glimpse of her red satchel of money going into his cloak.

"Hey!" she shouts, turning to him. "Come back, thief!"

The figure bursts into a run as their navy cloak flutters behind them. Liliana bundles her skirts in one hand and began running. In her previous life, she was very frugal with her money, and Liliana wouldn't stop her habit now that she was in a new body.

I'm getting that money back!

"Get back here!" Liliana yells, turning around the corner in hot pursuit, slamming into another person. Liliana stumbles back before bowing quickly.

"Excuse me!" Liliana rushes out, looking up again to meet cold eyes. Recognition flashes in them and suddenly she realizes where she's seen them before.

She quickly pushes pass the man, setting her sights once more on the thief.

"Wait!" the man shouts from behind her, now falling into hot pursuit as well.

Why was I always running in this damn universe?

"Come back, thief!" Liliana ignores the man behind her as she reaches into her basket, pulling out the rock-hard baguette.

Picking it up, Liliana holds it tightly in her grasp and doesn't even crack its rough surface. Liliana pounds her legs harder as she draws closer then throws the bread as hard as she could at their head when the moment becomes right. The figure collapses under the bread's impact and Liliana finishes it off by jumping on top of the figure's back, causing the figure to lose consciousness.

Breathing heavily, Liliana shifts slightly as she flips the figure over and now looks at their face. He was a scruffy man, with a thick mole under his shut right eye. Grimacing, Liliana pats him down and retrieves her pouch as well as 5 other pouches.

Liliana smiles, still panting heavily as the other man approaches her. "Hey!" he breathes out, putting his hands on his knees. "What...what..."

"This man robbed me," Liliana points out, taking a deep breath of air. "And other people as well, it seems." She gestures at the array of pouches he had and the man chuckled.

"I see..." he murmurs, before putting his fingers to his lips and lets out a whistle. Nothing happened at first until 4 figures in scarlet cloaks slid down from the rooftops and land behind the man in black.

"Take away the thief," he orders and the men in scarlet rush out from behind him, dragging away the thief by his arms to who-knows-where. Picking up the piece of bread,  Liliana weighs it in her hands and notices there was not even a dent on it.

What was the bread even made of in this universe?!

"Are you alright?" he asks, offering a hand for Liliana to use to stand up. Ignoring it, Liliana stands up on her own and brushes off her skirts.

"Quite fine, thank you," she huffs out, reaching down and grabbing the basket of bread. Looking up at the man she gives a slight curtsy. "Thank you for apprehending the thief, but I must go, now." Liliana turns around and begins to walk away.

"Wait!"  he calls, and Liliana rolls her eyes and turns around. "Yes?"

"Do I...do I know you?" He asks and Liliana's lips twitch downwards for a brief moment. "I don't believe we have. Why?"

"I swear..." he breathes out, crossing his arms as he walks closer, coal eyes shining dangerously. "We must've met before."

"Once upon a dream, I suppose," Liliana suggest and he chuckles. "It must've been a wonderful dream, then, for both of us to have it at the same time."

"I really must go-"

"My men are surrounding this place, and if you make a move to bolt, they'll apprehend you," he leisurely comments as Liliana's eyes widen. He chuckles. "Well, shall you make a scene, or shall we have a little talk?"

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