But as a sword fighter, her ability is average, a dime a dozen.
And thus, she got careless in a battle against an assassin who targeted a newly-born princess.
She got injured in the leg by the enemy's dagger.
The dagger was coated with poison that was specifically meant to kill royalty.
There was no detoxification or healing magic that was capable of treating such a calamitous poison.
The wound was immediately treated, and she survived thanks to her doctors trying a variety of methods to cure her.
But there were side effects that lingered.
There was no problem caused to her everyday life, but she could never run or stomp again.
The kingdom then sacked her without hesitation.
It wasn't an uncommon occurrence, and Lilia accepted this fate herself.
Having lost her abilities, it was a given that she'd lose her position.
Even though she wasn't given compensation money, she considered it fortunate that she wasn't secretly silenced because she served in the inner palace.
Lilia then left the capital.
The mastermind behind the assassination attempt wasn't found.
Having understood the rules of the concubines' staff, she knew there was a possibility she might become the next target.
Perhaps the palace let Lilia wander to leave to lure out the mastermind.
She always wondered why she, who had no significant background, had been accepted in the inner palace.
It was now that she finally understood; they simply wanted to hire maids who could be used and discarded.
No matter the reason, however, she had to leave the capital as quickly as possible, for her own safety.
Even though the kingdom treated her as bait, she had no obligation to stay as she was not ordered to in any way.
And she had no sense of duty to fulfill.
Lilia discreetly switched stagecoaches while traveling, and arrived at the Fedoa region, which had extensive agricultural lands and was located at the border.
It was a relaxing place of vast wheat fields, with the exception of the fortress city Roa, where the ruler lived.
Lilia intended to find work there.
But, as her leg was injured, she was unable to find a job that required physical strength.
She could resort to teaching swordsmanship, but it was best for her to be hired as a maid, because the salary was higher.
At this border, there were many who could wield a sword, and many who could teach swordsmanship.
But a maid thoroughly versed in domestic affairs was relatively rare.
Since the supply was so little, the salary would be bigger.
However, it would be dangerous for her to be hired by the ruler of Fedoa, or any high-class nobility of similar status.
Such people would surely have relations with the king.
If they knew she was a maid who once worked for the concubines' palace, there was the possibility that she would be treated as a political tool.
And for that reason, Lilia stayed far away.
She didn't want to experience a near-death situation again.
Even though it was a little unfair to the princess, Lilia hoped to stay far away from the royals' contention for power.
But, if her salary was too low, then there wouldn't be enough money to send to her family.
Trying to find a safe job and a guaranteed salary sure wasn't easy.
After running around everywhere for nearly a month, Lilia came across a recruitment note.
A lower-class knight from Buina village, located in the Fedoa region, was looking to hire a maid.
On top of that, the note said he would give special priority to someone with experience in taking care of children or who had knowledge of midwifery.
Buina was a tiny village on the edge of Fedoa.
A village among villages.
An extremely rural village.
It was very inconvenient, but this was the place that she sought.
The employer being a lower-class knight was also an unexpectedly fine find.
And most importantly, she recognized the prospective employer's name.
Paul Greyrat.
He was Lilia's protégé.
A noble's profligate son, who one day, suddenly barged into the dojo where Lilia was learning swordsmanship.
According to him, he had left home after a quarrel with his father, and had come to the dojo to learn swordsmanship.
Albeit a different style, he too did study swordsmanship at home, and soon after, surpassed Lilia.
Lilia was not amused by this fact, but she had since understood that she had no talent, and gave up.
Paul, who was utterly brimming with talent, was later banished from the dojo after making a mistake.
He only left Lilia a single sentence, "I'm becoming an adventurer."
A man like a tempest.
It was 7 years since they went their separate ways.
At that time, he had actually become a knight and gotten married.
Though she didn't know what sort of hurdles he had experienced in his life, Paul wasn't a bad guy as far as Lilia could remember.
If she told him about her problems, she was sure that he would help her.
If that didn't work out, then she would just mention some past events.
There were a few things she could use to negotiate.
Having contemplated all these factors, she headed to Buina.
Paul employed Lilia without any fuss.
It seemed he was really anxious as his wife Zenith was about to give birth.
Lilia had been taught extensively in midwifery for the princess's birth.
Moreover, she was someone that Paul was acquainted with and he knew her background.
Lilia was received with a warm welcome.
Her salary was also more than what she had expected, so her wish was achieved.
The child was born.
There weren't any labor issues or anything.
It went just as she was trained for in the inner palace.
There were no problems at all.
It was very successful.
However, the child didn't cry when he was born.
Lilia broke into a cold sweat.
The baby drew out amniotic fluids immediately after he was born, but he merely lifted his head up without any emotion, and made no sound.
The expressionless face was reminiscent of a stillborn child.
Lilia touched the baby, and he had a heartbeat.
He was breathing too.
But he just wasn't crying.
Lilia remembered the words of a senior guards-maid.
That babies who don't cry at birth usually have complications.
The instant when she thought of this.
"Ah, ah."
The baby looked over to her, and mumbled something in his grogginess.
Lilia relaxed after hearing that.
Even though there was no evidence for it, she felt that there would be no problems.