Chapter 51 — Return to the Capital
Chapter 51 — Return to the Capital
Translation: Godtl
Lelia finally arrived at the capital. It was her return after a full nine years.
The carriage came to a stop as it entered the capital's bustling district.
The merchant group's cargo wagons were at the capital's outskirts; this carriage had arrived separately to deliver Lelia.
Descending from the carriage, Lelia gathered her light luggage.
"Is your travel money sufficient? The merchant business is busy, so it would be difficult for us to stay together."
"No need, uncle-in-law. Thank you so much for bringing me. I'll see you later at the territory."
"Alright, then we'll meet later. Stay healthy and take care."
"Yes, please take care."
Perhaps the work was urgent, for her uncle-in-law dropped Lelia off and immediately departed toward where the merchant wagons were waiting.
Lelia looked around with a dazed expression. Over the past nine years, the capital had changed considerably.
"...."
Thinking that she was left alone in the middle of the capital, she felt strange. Somewhat fearful, yet overflowing with confidence. Her grandfather had tried to send a serving maid or knight with her, but Lelia had adamantly refused. It would interfere with her plans. When she said it was for the alchemy ingredients, her grandfather seemed to understand vaguely and reluctantly allowed it.
The capital was quite bustling.
It was because of the news that the heroes of the five empires had defeated the Mad Dragon and would soon return.
Everyone seemed preoccupied with preparing for the festival.
Merchants, customers, commoners, nobles—without exception, the faces of those passing by were all bright and overflowing with hope.
Feeling somehow like an outsider, Lelia pulled the hood of her robe deeply over her head.
Lelia decided to unpack at a high-end inn where nobles and merchants stayed.
Perhaps because it was a high-end inn, there were guards keeping watch, which was reassuring.
Actually, her uncle and aunt had wanted to come along, saying they couldn't send Lelia alone no matter how she thought about it, but they were too busy to leave their posts easily.
Above all, Duke Superion had agreed to Lelia going alone.
It was because he believed in Lelia's special ability.
Duke Superion had noticed that Lelia possessed some mysterious power beyond her alchemy abilities.
After all, Lelia would produce countless medicines overnight.
Even in the secret alchemy laboratory the Duke had created for Lelia, there were hardly any traces of research.
Once, he had even brought an alchemist he knew.
It was to provide some help to Lelia. However, that alchemist and Lelia could not communicate at all.
Through various processes, Duke Superion would have roughly figured something out.
Yet Duke Superion did not interrogate or press Lelia.
He simply thought she must have inherited magical powers like her mother.
So he had no worries about sending Lelia off alone.
Moreover, she had already said she would return together with Uncle Karius when he visited the capital.
Lelia was well aware of the trust her grandfather placed in her.
'Besides, Grandfather never once asked where I spent all that money I earned...'
Honestly, he must have been curious.
Over the past few years, Lelia had earned a great deal of money. She sold medicines that were most effective yet had absolutely no side effects.
Thanks to this, she had quite high credibility among those who knew her.
Lelia gave a portion of the profits to her grandfather's acquaintance who helped with distribution and kept the rest for herself.
Her grandfather had watched the entire process, but he never asked how Lelia handled the money.
'Even if he asked, I wouldn't be able to answer...'
The majority of the money Lelia earned had been taken by the 'Alchemy Lottery.'
Lelia confirmed the room door was locked, drew the curtains by the window, carefully examined her surroundings, and touched the gemstone of her necklace.
A screen appeared, familiar to the point of being tiresome.
Inside the screen, she could see alchemy tools sleeping soundly.
'That money-devouring hippo...'
Except for a portion, all the money Lelia earned had been sucked into here.
But it couldn't be helped.
Whenever she did anything, it demanded crystals, and even after achieving difficult accomplishments, the rewards that appeared didn't seem like rewards.
[Congratulations on your achievement, Master! So we've prepared a special reward! ✧٩(•́⌄•́๑)و ✧ We're offering 100,000 crystals at a 20% discount price!]
Usually, this was the kind of message that appeared.
Moreover, these rewards came with a two-hour time limit.
So without time to deliberate, she would end up paying like she was possessed.
'Still, it's not a bad result.'
Her inventory still held many special alchemical medicines to sell off, as well as plenty of materials.
Additionally, the residents' relationship favorability was now maxed out for all but one.
'They said once all are maxed out, special favorability, hidden quests, and special recipes would appear...'
That day was not far off.
Moreover, she had completed all quests and achieved all business accomplishments.
That meant she had gathered all the special materials that could be gathered. With one exception.
Anyway, now that she had cleared all regular materials, she just needed to finish that special recipe or whatever, and then she could create the 'Philosopher's Stone.'
Even the newly obtained dragon was a Silver Dragon. It was a very dutiful fellow that brought back the most materials in the shortest time.
'Unlike the other kids who just consume feed.'
Also, having expanded the inventory considerably with crystals, there was now plenty of room.
'Cost a huge amount of money...'
Regardless, it wasn't as if the money was just being sucked away for nothing. There were quite a lot of results to show for it.
It was the outcome of having lived the past years with fierce intensity.
But from now on, she needed to be a bit more cautious.
'Because the Temple might start suppressing alchemy sensitively again.'
Finally, the Mad Dragon was dead. From now on, the Temple's interest would likely be in expanding their influence over the five empires.
And they would diligently manage the heretics they had neglected over the past few years.
That didn't mean they were simply something to fear.
Just as her grandfather trusted Lelia enough to send her to the capital alone, Lelia too had her own sources of confidence.
Lelia quickly closed the screen, afraid the alchemy tools would wake from their slumber.
'I should eat first.'
After unpacking and washing up, Lelia changed into a new robe and went outside.
After eating, she explored the bustling streets. Interestingly, there were quite a few galleries selling portraits in the capital's shopping district. They said the art field was most developed in the capital of the Auraria Empire, and it seemed true.
Lelia enjoyed her freedom for once as she took in the sights of the street.
Then she stopped when she saw a crowd of women gathered on one side, buzzing with excitement.
At a glance, nobles and commoners alike were pushing shoulders and getting physical with anyone in their way.
'What's going on?'
Curious, she approached and found a merchant selling something at a stall. Nearby, men were clicking their tongues.
The moment a gap opened at one of the stalls, Lelia quickly headed there.
The stall was completely empty except for a single item remaining.
Lelia snatched it quickly and handed coins to the merchant who demanded payment.
'What on earth is this?'
On the outside, it looked roughly like a newspaper.
Lelia sat on a nearby bench and opened the booklet she had purchased.
"Huh...?"
Upon opening it, this was not a newspaper. Well, it was like a newspaper, but....
'Is this some kind of interview collection? Or a photo pictorial? Or a profile book?'
With each page she turned, portraits of heroes who had distinguished themselves in the war against the Light Dragon this time appeared.
Lelia turned the pages with interest.
After flipping through unfamiliar people, a familiar face appeared.
'It's Uncle!'
It was Uncle Karius. For a portrait someone had sketched on the battlefield, it looked quite similar.
Lelia touched the portrait with longing-filled fingers, then looked at the profile written beside it.
Roughly written were things like height, favorite foods, favorite music, and other stories about her uncle.
Some content was completely different from what Lelia knew.
'The journalist seems to have written a novel....'
Still, it was definitely interesting. Especially seeing the part marked 'unmarried' heavily emphasized made her laugh.
'No wonder the capital ladies are getting physical over this.'
Lelia turned the pages thinking perhaps her friends' faces might be there too.
'Oh!'
Then she discovered welcome names.
Oscar Hraesvelg
At the sight of that name, her fingertips tingled and her nose stung. The portrait was very blurry, making it impossible to discern his features properly.
But that didn't matter.
'Everyone did well.'
Lelia thought it was admirable as she turned the pages.
Next came Kalix, Griffith, and Romeo.
Lelia was able to encounter her friends through paper scraps for the first time in 9 years.
Unfortunately, none of them had proper portraits with clear faces. The profile contents weren't accurate either.
'Still, I'm glad.'
Thinking it was fortunate her friends were safe, Lelia held the portrait book dearly and returned to her lodging.
Then she began making a scrapbook in the notebook she had brought.
After neatly cutting and pasting content about her friends and uncle, another name she had glimpsed earlier came to mind.
Lelia quickly opened the booklet and found that section.
'Lute.'
Julianna's partner and the male protagonist.
One of Lelia's purposes for coming to the capital.
Lelia looked at the smiling Lute in the portrait. He had a handsome appearance that looked very kind and sincere.
'Hmm....'
Lelia's goal was somewhat specific.
First, she planned to wait for the 'victory ceremony' where the heroes who saved the world from the Light Dragon would return.
At that time, the capital would be at its hottest, noisiest, and most chaotic.
'The Imperial Palace will be even more so. After all, the heroes of the victory ceremony will all go to the Imperial Palace.'
Lelia was aiming for the day a banquet would be held at the Imperial Palace after their arrival.
The last day of the banquet, which would be the most splendid and noisy, and also the last day of the festival.
She would infiltrate the Imperial Palace then. The tools for infiltration were already prepared.
After finding the one remaining special material and escaping safely, she planned to stay here for a few more days.
'Then target the moment when Lute stays in the capital and loses the holy relic.'
It wasn't a meticulous plan calculated down to hours, minutes, and seconds, but she was confident.
Eventually, the day of the heroes' return dawned.
Outside, the entire city was in celebration.
Lelia pulled her robe deep over her head and watched from afar as the people paraded in triumph.
Waaaah!
The cheers of the crowd were deafening. Lelia craned her neck over people's shoulders to peek through.
'It's Uncle!'
Uncle Karius, standing at the forefront, looked unchanged. Seeing him in good health put her mind at ease.
Behind him, the twin princes appeared, and Lute showed his face as well.
They smiled brightly, waving at the people who cheered and welcomed them.
The procession of heroes quickly passed through the main gate of the Imperial City.
Even after the parade ended, the people's faces were filled with lingering excitement. The heat of the festival was only just beginning.
Lelia observed the flushed faces of the people for a moment before turning away.
'The imperial palace banquet and festival start tomorrow, so there are 7 days left until D-Day, the final day of the banquet.'
Thus time passed, and the early morning arrived with D-Day, the final banquet day, just 3 days away.
A bleak dawn wind blew through the quiet streets.
Along with that wind, a large shadow of a figure was cast before the inn where Lelia stayed.
6 years ago.
The time when Lelia had just sent off Uncle Karius, whom she had grown close to, with the Light Dragon subjugation force and was deeply grieving.
Oscar, Kalix, Griffith, and Romeo.
The four friends, excluding Lelia, reunited after 3 years in the Holy Neutral Zone.
Unlike when they parted, the boys now sixteen had grown significantly taller, becoming unrecognizable.
However, the expressions of the four boys of similar height were not bright.
Because of 'Leo's' death.
After hearing the news in their respective countries, they had been immersed in sorrow and anguish for a while.
To them, Leo was no different from a savior.
Fortunately, the sorrow did not last too long.
The four friends exchanged letters and rallied around a single goal.
'Leo's revenge.'
The emotion of sorrow had already turned to anger and became their driving force.
And finally, they gathered together again.
"Any new information obtained?"
At Kalix's words, Griffith, who had been thinking deeply, answered.
"From what I heard. There's talk that Emperor Perseus was poisoned even before the rebellion started."
"Poisoned...."
"First, Emperor Perseus's side is the most suspicious. Or the nobles following him."
As Romeo spoke, imagining the face of Emperor Perseus he had never seen, Oscar, who had been silent, threw a question at his three friends.
"The last letter Leo sent, do you all remember?"
At those words, they all recalled a single word.
'Lelia Auraria.'
"I remember. But no one knew anything about that name."
At Romeo's words, the others' expressions grew even more serious.
"...That guy, when I asked how he knew a wolf would appear, he said he had a prophetic dream. Seeing that, he might have known the future in advance."
Kalix muttered lowly.
Hearing those words, Griffith spoke up.
"He also said something like this once. I don't know if you all remember...."
"I said it back then too! I might not go to the subjugation force. I could die... die before that."
"...Is there a force targeting you?"
"Yes, there are those who covet the imperial throne I'm to inherit... and my body is weak too. That's why my father overprotects me."
Recalling that conversation, Kalix clawed at his own head in anguish.
He regretted not paying more attention back then.
"Was there another imperial family member who could threaten Leo's position? It's clearly an imperial family name, yet no one knows it."
Kalix, who had been tearing at his head, said.
"Since Emperor Perseus and the princes were said to be dead at the time... Leo probably didn't know that either."
"However we do it, I'll find the culprit and kill them."
At Romeo's answer, Kalix ground his teeth.
The others' eyes also flashed sharply.
Thus the four boys grew within the Light Dragon subjugation force and began gathering information about the culprit who killed Leo.
And so, one year later.
They came to learn several pieces of information about an imperial family member named' Lelia.'
Late at night, inside a barracks.
The four children who had returned after finishing their training gathered together and exchanged the information they had collected during that time.
"So, if we speculate based on Leo's words, there was someone threatening the throne. Right?"
"Yes. At that time, the person named Lelia was the only young imperial family member aside from Leo."
"Since Emperor Perseus and his children were in a situation where they had faked their deaths... Lelia must have thought that if they just killed Leo, they might become Emperor."
"It's still too early to judge hastily."
"But... that name was written in the letter Leo sent last."
"It's clearly a dying message."
Of course, Emperor Perseus's side was also suspicious, but the information they had gathered pointed clearly to one person.
Lelia Auraria.
Unfortunately, the fact that Lelia had gone missing had not reached all the way here, on the other side of the continent.
It was because Emperor Perseus had prevented this fact from spreading widely.
"Whether that person is the culprit or not, it's certain that they're the most suspicious for now."
"Then we..."
"Let's head to Auraria immediately after the battle with the Mad Dragon ends."
"Right, the information we can gather here is limited. Once we interrogate that person, we'll be able to tell whether they're the culprit or not."
"...Even if they're not the true culprit, there will surely be more information we can extract."
Having reached that conclusion, another five years passed.