Chapter 20 — A Death in the Palace
Chapter 20 — A Death in the Palace
Translation: Godtl
"To think he would pass so easily...."
Hiding and listening to the servants' conversation, Lelia was startled and covered her mouth with both hands.
Then she hurriedly ran back to the tower as if fleeing.
'Crown Prince Leo must have already died...!'
As soon as she returned to the tower, Lelia went to her desk. Letters exchanged with friends were piled up.
'What should I do? To think he's already died....'
Lelia paced anxiously around the desk.
'Is there no way to let the kids know something?'
If they were to hear the tragic news of his death like this, they would be sad.
"......"
Lelia sat at her desk and agonized for hours on end. No matter how much she thought, no good method came to mind.
'If I reveal the truth myself, I'll die. But if someone notices....'
Lelia thought of two people among her four friends who might be quick to notice. Griffith and Romeo were not as slow as the other two, so they might figure it out.
If so....
Lelia did not sleep a wink that day and sat at her desk the entire time.
And around when dawn was breaking.
Suddenly, an enormous noise came from outside the window.
Boom! Boom...!
Along with the sound of something exploding, a horn sounded.
Surprised by the noise, she looked outside and saw smoke rising from the direction of the main castle. Blazing flames were also visible.
'Surely Emperor Perseus hasn't already invaded?'
If so, soldiers would surely rush toward this tower where Lelia was.
Lelia made her decision, took out a new sheet of paper, and held her fountain pen. There was no more time to hesitate.
She had written countless sentences in her head, but in the end, what she wrote was just one phrase.
Lelia Auraria
Her real name.
Surely someone would notice. At least one person.
Lelia removed the magic stone from the fountain pen, then hid it together with the letter tightly beneath the wooden floor. Then she went into the wardrobe, curled up, and covered her ears.
She had pretended to be mature in front of her friends, but in the end, Lelia was only a ten-year-old child. The banging sounds pressing in from outside made it difficult to think normally. Her heart pounded violently.
The sounds of soldiers engaging in battle continued for two days.
Trembling with fear, covering her ears, she waited for a day.
Before she knew it, the sounds had ceased, and unfamiliar servants and a knight came to the tower where Lelia was staying.
They recognized Lelia's identity and returned.
Then, a few days later.
A servant took Lelia and headed toward the main palace.
'Emperor Perseus is looking for me.'
Lelia tried not to tremble as she followed behind them. Perhaps from hiding in the wardrobe the entire time without eating, walking was difficult.
The road to the main palace was in ruins. Traces of battle were visible everywhere, and the smell of burning corpses wafted through the air.
Fortunately, the stench disappeared once they entered the main palace building. Lelia looked around at the splendid interior. Aside from times she couldn't even remember, this was her first time coming to the main palace.
They entered the main palace, climbed the stairs, and were passing through a corridor painted in gold.
"Wait a moment."
When the servant walking ahead stopped, Lelia stopped as well.
"Is this her?"
Someone was pointing at Lelia and asking. Lelia instinctively held her breath. Her throat tightened.
Raising her head between the gaps of the servants, she saw two boys taller than her.
'Of all times....'
If Lelia's prediction was correct, no, there was no need to predict—it was certain. Those two were Emperor Perseus's two sons.
And....
'They're the obsessively doting older brothers who cherish Julianna extremely.'
At the same time, they absolutely detested Lelia.
"Move aside so I can see her face."
At those words, the servant who had been standing guard in front of Lelia stepped aside. Lelia clenched her fists tightly and looked at him.
She didn't want to hide or run away. She hadn't done anything wrong.
"Look at her acting all bold? Hey, I heard your mother harassed our mother so badly before she died.... Are you that shameless because you take after your mother?"
The one who spoke was Damian, the younger of the twin brothers.
"...."
Lelia had nothing to say. That Princess Iris had harassed Perseus's wife was a fact that appeared in the original work as well.
"Your Highness, if you have something to say, please save it for later. Right now, His Majesty first...."
"Quiet."
The anxious servant fell silent at Cedric's words. Now these two were, in name and reality, princes of the Auraria Empire.
They couldn't treat the ones who would become the empire's future carelessly.
Cedric took one more step toward Lelia. His cheek twisted.
"Lelia Auraria.... On the day you were born, my sibling died right after coming out of our mother's womb."
"...."
"My sibling died, yet here you are, alive like this. Isn't that too unfair?"
Damian, who had been listening quietly, also sneered and chimed in.
"That's right! Your mother, Princess Iris, and Lydios conspired to torment our mother to death! Our mother also passed away right after her stillbirth.... You daughter of a murderer!"
Cedric and Damian ground their teeth and glared at Lelia.
Despite their young age, their eyes were fierce. As Lelia hesitated without answering, they looked even angrier.
That was when it happened.
"Brothers!"
A cheerful and lively voice called out from afar.
At that voice, Damian and Cedric quickly turned their heads in surprise. There, Julianna was approaching while waving her hand.
Wearing a pretty yellow dress with her hair tied in two braids, Julianna looked cute and lovely at first glance.
"What are you doing here right now? You're not playing while leaving only Uri behind, are you?!"
"No way! N-nothing at all! Let's go, Julianna!"
Damian glanced at Lelia as if she might taint him with something dirty, then quickly blocked Julianna's view.
Then Cedric blocked her view once more.
"How dare you look, you filthy thing...."
Cedric said while gnashing his teeth as he looked at Lelia. Then he followed after Damian and Julianna.
"...Please, let's go."
The servant, who had barely caught his breath, spoke to the knight standing behind Julianna. Lelia began walking again, following the servant.
Thanks to the novel's content, she had expected it to some degree... but Cedric and Damian's first impression was truly the worst.
After walking for a while, they arrived in front of an enormous door. The servant knocked, then opened the door and entered.
It appeared to be the Emperor's office—spacious and splendid inside, yet an administrative atmosphere permeated the air.
A large mahogany desk was the first thing she saw. Then, a man sitting with his chin resting in front of the desk came into view.
'Emperor Perseus....'
The servant nudged her forward, so Lelia walked toward him hesitantly.
"...So you are Lelia."
It was a voice low and cold like a bitter winter.
The true master of the imperial throne. One who reclaimed the throne by raising a storm of blood, yet had the justification to do so. Cold and rational, with not a speck of mercy in his hands....
But to his adopted daughter Julianna, he became infinitely weak and revealed his wounds as a tender father.
Lelia raised her head and looked straight at him. Vivid blue eyes gazed at her like a wild beast.
It was a gaze filled with hatred, as if he wanted to devour her right this moment.
'And....'
Lelia clenched her fists tightly and looked at him without avoiding his eyes.
'My real biological father.'
Lelia stared blankly at Emperor Perseus, then lowered her head.