Chapter 15 — Three Years Together
Chapter 15 — Three Years Together
Translation: Godtl
They spent each empire's holidays together, prayed together for New Year's wishes, celebrated each other's birthdays, and created quite many memories.
During that time, Lelia forgot all thoughts about original works and reincarnation, completely assimilating with them and simply enjoying herself.
Then one day, something happened.
A letter came from the Emperor of her home country.
Do not forget your duty and behave yourself.
It was a message containing a warning in case the secret she held might leak out. Even though they knew she couldn't say anything, they seemed anxious.
Lelia had completely forgotten about the Emperor and Crown Prince while living her life, and the moment she saw that message, she snapped back to reality.
Not long after returning to her home country, a rebellion will occur.
'After that, the new Emperor, Perseus, will ascend to the throne...'
What did this mean? It meant that officially, Crown Prince 'Leo' would die.
His chances of survival were close to zero. Just before the rebellion breaks out, he would die from poison that a subject, bearing a grudge against the Emperor, had been steadily feeding him.
Upon recalling that fact, suddenly everything went dark before her eyes and her friends' faces came to mind. The faces of friends who would feel despair at the news of her death.
'Should I tell them the truth?'
But the moment she speaks, she will die. The curse placed on her was the kind used on national-level spies, so it was extremely powerful. It couldn't even be undone with the power of divine force.
Only then did Lelia objectively see her situation. She laughed at herself.
'Not knowing my place, I...'
Drunk on the joy of having friends, she had gotten too deeply involved. She even forgot the fact that she was a fake.
After worrying, Lelia came to the conclusion that she should rather distance herself from her friends before it was too late.
So she tried to act mean to the children on purpose, saying hurtful things...
"What's going on? Lately your way of speaking is quite aggressive? Did you put a knife in your mouth?"
"Hey. Why are you being like this! You have to speak for us to understand!"
"Leo, I don't know what's going on, but it's obvious you're doing this on purpose."
"That's right, Leo... We'll listen. Okay? Worries are meant to be shared... You said so yourself, Leo."
In turn, Romeo, Kalix, Griffith, and Oscar held her and said those things...
Suddenly sorrow burst forth and without realizing it, she ended up crying like a child.
But she couldn't speak honestly either.
'Later when these guys find out, they'll be very sad. What if they miss me during the subjugation mission and get hurt from the shock?'
So after crying for a while and stopping, Lelia brought up the topic metaphorically. She completely left out her real identity.
"Guys... even if I happen to die, don't be too sad. Okay?"
"What kind of bullshit is this."
Romeo, with a face that looked utterly fed up, took out a handkerchief and patted Lelia's face dry.
"This kid is seriously a coward, I swear. Hey! Even if the Wild Dragon Subjugation Team is dangerous, I'll protect you."
Kalix patted Lelia's shoulder and said.
The five of them had promised to meet again in the Wild Dragon Subjugation Team after returning to their home countries.
Lelia had made the promise in a daze, but she had laid the groundwork saying she might not go.
"I told you back then! I might not join the subjugation team. I might die... die before that."
"...Is there a force targeting you?"
Griffith asked in a serious tone. Lelia answered as if that was right.
"Yes, there are people after the throne I'm supposed to inherit... and my body is weak too. That's why my dad is overprotective of me."
"Leo, you can't die."
Oscar held Lelia's hand and tears dripped down. He had been crying along since Lelia started bawling. Oscar this crybaby always cries along when someone cries.
Lelia wiped Oscar's tears and said.
"So... don't be too disappointed if I can't join the Wild Dragon Subjugation Team with you. Even if it's just you guys, you must fight safely and return."
"Why is this kid talking about years from now?"
Lelia ignored Kalix's words and looked at each face carefully.
Oscar Hraesvelg, who for now is a crybaby... but in the distant past will obtain a sealed magic sword and become a semi-immortal being.
The Mercenary King Kalix Ascard, who though was a one-armed berserker, unlike the original work, will freely wield a large greatsword that no one else can lift with both arms.
Griffith Nicaea, who will bloom divine power more powerful than any Holy Emperor of Kreuz in history and become the master of the Kreuz Holy Sword.
Romeo Roseberry, who will obtain a dragon's heart and become the first dragon-language mage in history to establish a magic tower.
She was proud that she, who was nothing, could become friends with them. Lelia cried her heart out, overwhelmed with emotion.
"You will all become great protagonists who will remain in history! So even if I'm not in this world... sob..."
She cried like that for a while longer. Those four guys comforted her even while making faces that showed they didn't understand.
"I must have been crazy... Aaaah!"
Lelia recalled the memory from that time and wanted to die from shame.
Anyway, she had roughly laid the groundwork, so they wouldn't be too sad. Probably.
Now only half a year remained before returning to her home country. The memories with those children she met during this time would sustain her for a lifetime.
Since they would never meet again in the future.
'It's not too late, so let's make more memories.'
With that resolution, she determined to spend the remaining time more preciously.
Knock knock.
"Leo, are you shut in your room crying again?"
"Leo... don't cry!"
"Just let him cry."
"That crybaby brat anyway!"
At the sounds coming from outside the door, Lelia screamed 'Aaack!'
Ever since that incident, being teased so much made each day painful.
'They don't even know how much I care about them!'
Still, today she couldn't stay holed up in her room anymore.
'It's a birthday, so I'll let it slide.'
Today was Griffith Nikea's birthday.
Lelia gathered the letter she had written in advance on her desk and came out the door.
As they celebrated each other's birthdays, the gift exchanged each time was fixed as a letter. Going outside the temple wasn't easy, so it couldn't be helped.
"Leo. Did you really cry? Your eyes are red..."
Oscar asked with concern. Now Oscar doesn't stutter like before. Though he does speak slowly.
Moreover, the frequency of his seizures was gradually decreasing.
There hadn't been a single seizure in recent months, and now even on rainy or thundering days, he sleeps soundly holding his doll.
"I didn't cry. I'm fine."
Lelia answered Oscar gently, then handed the letter paper to Griffith who was sitting on the sofa.
"Happy birthday, Griffith."
"Thanks."
Griffith took the letter and pointed to the letters piled up on one side.
"A lot of letters came for you too, didn't they?"
"...That's, well."
They were letters received from the girls staying at the temple.
Honestly, even to Lelia, the four guys had really handsome appearances. Enough to make her eagerly anticipate how they would grow up in the future.
However, among them, the most popular with the girls was Lelia.
'Pathetic guys...'
Lelia chuckled to herself. These guys only had good faces but no popularity with girls at all.
Because their personalities were so cold and unfriendly.
In contrast, Lelia was very kind to the girls, and with her pretty appearance smiling at them, the response couldn't help but be good.
"Woman-chasing bastard..."
Kalix criticized Lelia like that, but Lelia didn't mind.
"Ah, by the way, tomorrow is that kid's birthday, right?"
"Huh?"
At Romeo's question, Lelia hesitated.
Actually, while having a birthday party together, Lelia was unintentionally having a party on a fake birthday.
She had heard about the crown prince's birthday before coming here, so there was no problem.
But her real birthday was separate.
So Lelia asked them to celebrate that day together as well, saying it was a precious person's birthday. And Lelia's real birthday was one day apart from Griffith's birthday.
"By the way, whose birthday is it anyway? A secret girlfriend?"
At Griffith's question, Lelia shrugged.
"What girlfriend! Just someone. A very precious friend."
"More than... us?"
Oscar asked, blinking his eyes.
"No way... Hmm. Maybe it could be. Since I've known them since I was very young. But you don't need to feel upset. Oscar, you're also a precious friend to me."
"...I understand."
Lelia stroked Oscar's head and reached for the snacks on the table.
'I don't want to go back.'
Once she goes to her home country, all these sweet desserts and delicious meals would end. At that thought, her mood rapidly became depressed.
She didn't want to live starving like before again.
'I need to make some kind of plan.'
Lelia decided to thoroughly plan what to do when she returns to her home country, while making memories with the children during the remaining time.