Chapter 57 — The Story's Male Leads
Chapter 57 — The Story's Male Leads
Translation: Godtl
Lelia was struck with shock as if she'd been hit in the head.
"No need to be so moved. We gathered here for Leo anyway."
"...."
Lelia swallowed hard.
Right, being moved was being moved. But....
"Come on, call me your brother!"
"...."
Kalix urged. The others looked at him with 'what's wrong with him 'eyes.
Lelia, trembling, slowly opened her mouth.
"B-Brother...?"
"Well done! From now on, you're our little sister!"
Kalix pounded Lelia's shoulder firmly.
'I was the captain....'
Somehow her pride got thoroughly crumpled.
Lelia lowered her head with a sour expression and finished the rest of her meal.
Griffith watched her closely.
That evening.
Lelia had been dragged here and there by her friends all day, having to tell them stories about 'Leo.'
She even had to visit the grave where the real 'Leo' was buried during the day.
After Crown Prince Leo died, Emperor Lydios buried his son's body in the finest spot in the imperial cemetery.
Though Lydios himself was killed by Perseus, leaving no trace of his body behind.
Fortunately, Emperor Perseus did not disturb Crown Prince Leo's grave.
After visiting the cemetery, they headed to a tavern in the bustling district.
A drinking glass the size of Lelia's face was placed before her.
"...."
Unlike the hesitating Lelia, the four men were knocking back their drinks.
Lelia had reunited with her friends, but she resented herself for lying to them once again.
'I dreamed of an emotional reunion....'
In her heart, she wanted to grab each one of them and talk all night about how they had been.
While Lelia ate the fruit served as a snack, the four discussed what they would do from now on.
Originally, they had gathered to take revenge for Leo, but since the culprit who killed Leo was already dead, their purpose had become unclear.
"I'll just wander as a mercenary like before."
"Are your eyes really okay?"
"I told you, they're getting better."
Kalix shrugged as if it were nothing.
'Liar. You're seeing less and less by the day.'
Lelia kept her mouth shut and watched their conversation.
"What about you?"
Kalix asked Oscar.
"...I'm returning to my home country."
Oscar answered.
Lelia still couldn't believe that person was Oscar.
'Of course, I knew from the original story, but....'
In the original story, Oscar was literally a blood emperor called a psychopath.
But that was due to a past filled with misfortune, and since that past had changed, she thought he would have grown up bright and pure like in his childhood.
She was wrong.
"Home country? Ah, you were a crown prince, right?"
Kalix chuckled, saying he had forgotten for a moment.
"Yes, I have things to do in my home country."
Oscar replied in a low voice.
Lelia gulped.
'Right... there would be things to do in his home country....'
In the original story, Oscar returns to his home country and kills his father, the emperor.
That was probably what he had to do.
"...."
Just then.
Lelia's eyes met Oscar's.
Unlike his childhood which had felt cute, his red eyes were intense enough to be chilling. Lelia subtly averted her gaze.
She had planned to hug him and ask if he still had nightmares every night like when he was young.... But saying that now, she felt like she would be the one having nightmares.
"I also have business in my home country."
Griffith said.
According to the original story, Griffith would also go to his home country, sever ties with his family, and head to the neutral zone to become the master of the holy sword.
"Romeo, what about you?"
When Griffith asked, Romeo stroked his chin as if thinking for a moment.
"I... hmm. I don't have anything to do."
That was only natural.
'Romeo is unemployed....'
After giving up the throne, Romeo's parents supported whatever he did so he could live freely.
So naturally, he had nothing to do. In the original story, he eventually built a magic tower and became its master, but that was a story for later.
"What about you?"
Romeo jerked his chin toward Lelia.
All four pairs of eyes turned to Lelia.
"M-me?"
Lelia blinked in confusion as she looked them over.
Above their heads, there were still [!] quest markers along with numbers presumed to be affinity scores.
However, unlike before when they were all [-999], there was now some change.
Oscar was at [-700], not much different, Griffith at [-520], Romeo at [-200], and Kalix had [?] written above him.
'What on earth does the question mark mean?'
It was then.
[Optimizing for special UI mode exclusive system! (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧ You can issue commands without pressing buttons! ٩(*˙︶˙*)]
A message window with a slightly different feel from the original speech bubbles appeared.
Semi-transparent square windows with text floating, probably because it was in exclusive UI mode.
'I can issue commands without pressing buttons?'
Lelia stared intently at the [?] floating above Kalix's head. Immediately, text appeared.
[You can check special affinity scores starting from + values by using crystals or each time you complete a hidden quest! o(≧∇≦o)]
"...."
Those damn crystals....
Lelia sighed inwardly and opened her mouth.
"I... have something to do...."
"What is it?"
Kalix asked. Lelia averted her eyes for a moment before answering vaguely.
"There's something I left behind before escaping the imperial castle. I need to go retrieve it."
"The imperial castle? How are you going to get in? You've been missing for a long time."
"...That's... something I need to figure out from now on."
Lelia answered with a small smile at Romeo's question.
Honestly, she couldn't say' I plan to use alchemy-made medicine to knock out the guards and then sneak in.'
Moreover, if they found out about alchemy, her friends might suspect her again.
"You mean you left it in that luxurious building you lived in?"
"It wasn't... luxurious."
When Lelia tilted her head, Romeo rambled on with an explanation.
'So Cedric and Damian fixed that tower.'
Lelia said with a bitter expression that the tower she had lived in seemed to have collapsed.
"Fortunately, what I'm looking for isn't there."
"Shall we find it for you?"
"...No, I need to go myself."
That cottage was different from the small tower. It would probably still remain just as it was back then.
It would be the most precious place to Emperor Perseus.
"Then let's do this."
Kalix waved his hand as if wrapping things up, drawing everyone's attention.
"Now, Oscar and Griffith, you two return to your home countries, and Romeo, you help me and this kid."
The 'kid' Kalix pointed at was Lelia. Lelia rolled her eyes in panic.
Kalix patted Lelia's head and said.
"You said you need to go to the imperial castle? Instead of revenge for Leo, we'll fulfill his last words and these big brothers will help you."
"...I-I'm fine, though...."
"Well, good."
Disregarding Lelia's opinion, Romeo decided, saying it was fine.
"Then I'll stop by again after going to my home country."
Griffith said. Meanwhile, Oscar just glared at Lelia without saying anything.
"...."
Lelia felt like everything was spinning before her eyes.
All the plans she had made were falling apart.
Meeting her friends was the most important goal and the final objective. But that was a goal for after retrieving the sacred artifact and breaking the seal, not now.
'First... first, stay calm.'
Lelia recalled the plans in her head.
She never expected Kalix and Romeo to get involved in the first and most important plan of infiltrating the imperial castle....
Lelia looked at Kalix and Romeo, who were happily downing their drinks, not knowing her true feelings.
Griffith watched intently as Lelia's eyes held a mix of slight annoyance and resignation.
With matters having come to this, Griffith and Oscar decided to hasten their departure.
"Travel safely."
Kalix and Romeo briefly bid farewell to the two who were leaving for a while.
Lelia also tried to shake hands with them. No, she tried to.
Griffith accepted the handshake with a sour expression, but Oscar did not.
He casually finished his farewell to his friends with a glance and simply left.
He didn't meet Lelia's eyes even once.
'Oscar...'
Lelia bid him farewell inwardly, calling his name faintly.
Griffith too left without lingering.
Griffith and Oscar agreed to return a month later, on the day of 'Leo's' birthday.
The four decided to gather again that day to say their final goodbyes at Leo's grave, and after that, each would go their separate ways.
Now they would each live their own lives.
'I need to find the sacred relic before the two return.'
One month was enough.
'The problem is...'
Lelia looked at Romeo and Kalix as if they were hindrances.
The two said they would stay in the capital until Oscar and Griffith returned and insisted on helping Lelia.
Far from helping, they were actually just getting in the way, but Lelia had no choice.
If she refused, they would suspect her again.
That evening.
Lelia had a meal with Kalix and Romeo at a restaurant near their lodging.
As the meal was ending, Kalix said firmly to Lelia, who was trying to refuse at all costs.
"You don't have a way to enter the imperial palace alone anyway, right? So let us help. You're like a younger sibling to us."
"...."
At Kalix's words, Lelia had to nod. She had to hide her alchemy skills, so there was no other way now.
She had to enter the imperial palace with Kalix and Romeo's help.
Then Romeo asked Kalix with a pathetic expression.
"Hey... but on what grounds are you so confident? Who are you going to say she is to bring her in? What if someone recognizes her face?"
Kalix blinked, apparently not having thought that far.
"I knew it."
Romeo clicked his tongue and scolded Kalix.
"As long as it's not the Emperor, no one will recognize me."
"Really?"
At Lelia's words, Romeo thought for a moment, then suddenly struck his chest with his palm and said.
"No choice then. Let's say she's my fiancée."