Charles thought the poem suited her very much.

"Oh yes! You must be freezing using such thing clothes. I'll have Emma borrow some of my brother's older clothes"

"Mm" Charles nodded.

Lilith took a thin blanket from her clothes and rapped it around Charles to warm him up.

He immediately felt a thousand times more comfortable.

The little girl smiled. "Don't continue to stand. Come sit!" Lilith took his hand and led him to a cushioned chair.

After sitting down, the young boy looked at her with a slight confused expression. Then he asked with hesitation,

"Why....why are you helping me...?"

The girl looked suprised by his question and took a moment before speaking.

"I just.....I just thought....you were somewhat like me...". The shine in her eyes dimmed and she looked down with her head lowered.

"Hm...?"

"Well....uh... you see...I wasn't born to nobility. I don't have a single drop of noble blood in me. I was an orphan.... Well I don't really remember anything of my blood parents... "

"I was adopted by marquess Bailey... In fact....I was found by the marquess..where...you were..."

Lilith was passing by with Emma when she saw a certain street....

It was where she lived before the marquess adopted her.

So when she saw a boy trembling in the cold, she suddenly had a sense of deja vu...

"....." Charles widened his eyes in surprise. This little girl wasn't born to nobility? But she certainly has the aura of one...

Charles suddenly felt a sting in his heart. He felt that a girl like this should be cherished and shouldn't have endured so much at such a young age.

"M'lady" Emma entered the room, holding a tray with two teacups.

"C'mon! After this I'll give you a bunch of food!" Lilith grabbed Charles's hand.

"Okay" and he intertwined their hands.

"Um!" Lilith blushed slightly and her heart fluttered.

They both sat down beside each other together, with their tea by the window.

"Do you like it....-" Lilith let out a small gasp. She just realized she rushed into things too fast and even forgot to ask for his name!

"Um...my bad..." Lilith apologized then asked for his name.

"Wh-whats your name...?"

"Huh? Oh....Charles."

"Charles..... that's a good name..." She paused then continued, "my name is Lilith....Lilith Bailey!" She said with pride.

She felt so proud introducing herself as with the last name of Bailey. Her eyes slightly brightened as she said that.

"Lily"

"What..? I-i mean...pardon?" She was so caught of guard, Lilith almost forgot to speak in a noble manner.

"Can I call you Lily?"

"Huh? Sure!"

"Well it's a pleasure to meet you, Charles" the young girl smiled with joy.

"It's...a pleasure to meet you too...Lily" the young boy's eyes shows excitement. This...was his first friend....

He was always forced by his mother to study and prepare himself to usurp the throne away from the crown prince, his half elder brother.

He was always locked up in his palace studying or being pressured by his mother....he even forgot to enjoy his childhood...

But in the coming days...he would soon realise that Lilith had the same problem too.

She'd spent her days in study and learning how to be a true noble. Just like him....her childhood was filled with books and classes.

After that day, they spent every single day together. Lilith's schedule was filled with all types of classes, but she still made an effort to accompany Charles as much as she can.

Of course, Lilith keeps Charles living in the mansion a secret. Aside from Emma and a few trusted maids, no one else knows about Charles's existence.

One day...

They were picking flowers in the garden. The other members of the Bailey family have gone to go to a banquet.

Trusted servants who has sworn secrecy are placed around them to alert Lilith if the marquess or the others came back.

As they were walking around the garden, laughing and enjoying each others company, someone informed them that Lilith's fiancee, Chase had came.

Charles thought Lilith would be a little annoyed and bothered, but instead she looked even happier.

She didn't even look that happy with him...

Charles's smile turned dim and his eyes turned cold. But when Lilith glanced back at him, his gentle smile came back.

"Emma go take Charles back to my room! I will go and greet my fiancee."

"Wait...fiancee...?" Charles frowned.

"Yeah...oh wait...I never told you, did I?" Then Lilith smiled mischievously. "I have a fiancee. His name is Chase. He's handsome, kind, charming, talented...."

"Ahem! Miss?" Emma coughed.

"Huh? Oh yes.. I'll accompany you later okay, Charles?" She said. But she didn't even wait for his answer.

She was already walking away with a big smile on her face when he was finally able to answer.

"O-okay....."

He waited till the evening but she was still not back. Eventually he decided to sneak out and go see her.

But the scene he was showed made him wish he never went out.

There was an extremely charming young boy beside her. He was smiling warmly at her, but his eyes didn't contain a single drop of love or doting.

Meanwhile, Lilith was blushing, smiling happily, and her eyes were stuck on him. As if she couldn't bare to look away. Her eyes were filled with so much love and admiration...

"....." Charles's heart immediately went cold and he felt a sense of anger inside him. His eyes were painted with envy and anger.

From that day on, when Lilith would leave him to accompany Chase, he would always sneak out and watch them.

He didn't like seeing them together...but for some odd reason..he didn't want to leave them out of his sight..

And eventually...this led to their separation...

They spent a total of three and half years together....and they were successful in not getting Charles caught.

But one day, when Charles sneaked out of Lilith's room to watch her with Chase, one of the trusted maids of the cold Marchioness saw him and immediately informed the Marchioness.

The Marchioness was furious and immediately developed a plan.

She got Lilith out of the house by giving her the excuse to visit the Casspan family, and the marchioness personally saw her leave so Lilith couldn't bring Charles with her.

Once Lilith was gone, the Marchioness immediately ordered the knights that belonged to the marquess to throw Charles out.

Charles was looking out the window in Lilith's room when the nights came in and arrested him.

he was confused and struggled fiercely but he was no match for their strength.

He was brought out for the marchiness to see, and the marchioness ordered for him to be abandoned in the street immediately.

Charles glared at her and struggled even more fiercer.

Seeing his useless struggle, the Marchioness laughed and mocked him.

"A mere begger like you can't do anything. You're too weak to even defend yourself...hahaaha" the marchioness smiled wickedly as she laughed behind her carefully embroidered fan.

Hearing her words, the young boy froze and glared at her.

He knew he was weak. He was always quiet and meek. That's why some officials back in his empire expressed their dislike in him.

His mother tried to make him stronger but he just couldn't. Everytime his mother would try to force him to use the sword, he would always just cower and drop it.

He wasn't the crown Prince but his mother's greed for power made her wish for him to be emperor.

He gritted his teeth in regret. Should have listened to his mother and train. Maybe he wouldn't have been so weak like now...

He was the dragged out of the mansion by the knights I left in the streets.

While wandering in the streets, he bumped into some men and one of them recognized him.

"Your...your highness, the second prince!?" It was one of the nights under his mother's command!

They must be here to look for him!

Confirming his identity the knights brought him back to the Vancelia Empire.

while he was away a crisis appeared in the Vancelia Empire. Both the crown Prince and Emperor have died of illness, and the empress wasn't too well either.

She was already bedridden couldn't even attend the court meetings.

Approaching death, her guilt grew and she also needed to give the Empire an heir. But her son has died and there was no other living royal child.

Exept for him...

She told everyone how she kidnapped the second Prince and abandoned him the Sainthallian Empire.

There was an uproar.

They immediately went looking for the second prince who was now the crown Prince.

And after a month of searching they finally found him.

Arriving back in the Vancelia Empire Charles learned devastating news.

He was only told of this now. It seems those knights who escorted him back home was too afraid to tell him...

But...

His mother, the most beloved consort of the deceased empire...

Has committed suicide.