Chapter 58 — A Dangerous Invitation
Chapter 58 — A Dangerous Invitation
Translation: Godtl
Lelia doubted her ears.
What did he just say?
"Romeo, you're a genius? That's a great idea."
Kalix gave a thumbs up.
Romeo chuckled as if it was nothing and added.
"It works out perfectly. We can just say I brought my fiancée to attend the final banquet tomorrow."
"...."
Lelia didn't move a muscle, only rolling her eyes.
'Enter the imperial palace as Romeo's fiancée?'
Lelia quickly calculated the possibilities.
"...."
Honestly, not a bad method.
As long as she didn't encounter Emperor Perseus.
But the location was the imperial palace. The possibility of encountering the Emperor was very high, making it dangerous.
Moreover, as a prince's fiancée, she would have considerable status. If Emperor Perseus took special interest in checking, it would be exposed immediately.
'I was planning to sneak in and out secretly to avoid the Emperor...'
She wasn't going to steal anything anyway. She just needed to enter the hut, press the ingredient search button, and wait.
Lelia asked cautiously.
"But won't the Emperor also attend the banquet? He might remember my face and suspect something."
"Is that so? From what I heard, he won't be attending the final banquet."
"And the status of a prince's fiancée is too dangerous. They'll think I'm a high-ranking noble, and news could reach my home country..."
As Lelia hesitated, Romeo thought for a moment then said.
"Then let's say she's a distant relative."
Lelia nodded for now. In case of unforeseen circumstances, that would be easier to lie about.
"...If that's the case, then the opportunity is tomorrow, just one day."
"Well... if I want, I can stay longer at the imperial palace. Actually, I heard there are many guests staying longer this time."
At Romeo's answer, Lelia fell silent, thinking.
'Will this be okay?'
No matter how she thought about it, this method was too dangerous.
It was something that could be finished in a day, but if she stayed longer at the imperial palace, only the danger would grow. She didn't have that much time to drag it out.
It didn't seem right at all.
Lelia continued to worry, then finally had a good idea and spoke.
"Actually, I originally planned to secretly infiltrate the imperial palace alone."
"...Did you learn swordsmanship or martial arts?"
Kalix asked, sounding surprised. Lelia shook her head.
"No. I have medicine that can put the palace gatekeepers to sleep."
"Alchemy medicine?"
Romeo's brows furrowed. Lelia quickly added, fearing suspicion might fall on her.
"Yes. After I escaped from the imperial palace as a child, the people who raised me obtained it for me."
At Lelia's words, Romeo went "Ah" and nodded.
'As long as I'm not suspected of being an alchemist.'
If she was suspected of being an alchemist, they might point swords at her again as the murderer who killed 'Leo.' It was better to say it was medicine someone else obtained for her.
"Then let's do this."
Kalix waved his large hand to draw attention.
Lelia looked at him feeling somehow anxious at him doing this again.
"On the day of the final banquet tomorrow, Romeo, you attend the banquet. And I'll help Lelia secretly infiltrate the imperial palace."
"...Hey, is that right?"
Romeo asked in annoyance.
"Yeah. Perfect plan, isn't it?"
"What's perfect about it? You're telling me to attend the banquet alone? This bastard... you just don't want to go yourself so you're sending only me!"
"Then what should we do? Someone has to attend or they'll be suspicious. You want me to attend alone? I can't. The lighting in the banquet hall makes my eyes sting."
"...."
At the excuse about his eyes, Romeo's lips sealed tight. Kalix shrugged while holding back laughter.
Lelia glanced at Kalix's eyes.
His eyes, revealed since they weren't covered with black cloth, had an ambiguous color.
Kalix would eventually lose most of his sight, and in the end, he would only be able to distinguish people as dark shadowy figures.
It would happen in the near future.
"...Alright."
Romeo answered as if he had no choice. Kalix turned to Lelia and asked, "What about you?"
Lelia too nodded awkwardly. It was better than entering the imperial palace as Romeo's fiancée.
Lelia changed her mind.
'It might have been better to become Romeo's fiancée and enter the Imperial Palace.'
The next day, it was late at night.
As planned yesterday, Lelia headed to the northeastern city gate with Kalix, where few people passed by.
The gate here was a very small entrance, so there weren't many soldiers guarding it.
Originally, Lelia planned to secretly administer medicine to the soldier and safely pass through the city gate.
It was a medicine that would only briefly cloud consciousness while the person remained standing, so it was safe.
In fact, Lelia did exactly that.
However, as soon as they passed through the city gate, something unexpected happened.
When one of the soldiers who had lost consciousness while standing twitched, a startled Kalix struck the back of the soldier's head.
"……."
So now that soldier was lying face down, knocked out cold.
"…Mmfff mmff mmff mmff…. (This way people will notice….)"
Lelia said through tightly clenched teeth, seething with anger. Kalix shrugged.
'…Should have come alone.'
She had intended to come alone. The problem was that Kalix insisted on following, claiming it was dangerous.
Moreover, Kalix was tall and had such broad shoulders that it was uneasy walking together. Even his silhouette was too large.
"…Just… Kalix… Brother, it would be better if you stayed here. Please keep watch in case someone comes."
"You're saying you'll go alone? It's dangerous."
Going with you is more dangerous.
Lelia swallowed the words inwardly and smiled kindly.
"I think it would be safer for me to just go quietly alone. I also have concealment medicine that can help me hide for a moment if I'm caught."
"…Then should I strip this soldier's armor and wear it?"
Lelia glanced sideways at the fallen soldier.
'It probably won't fit….'
Lelia nodded as if to say do as you please.
"Then I'll be back. Don't get caught."
"Trust me, little sister."
"……."
That damn 'little sister' word.
Lelia bit her lip hard and headed deeper into the castle.
By now, Romeo would be attending the banquet alone, forcing a smile.
At that thought, she laughed.
Heading toward the hut, Lelia recalled memories from her childhood.
'They said many new buildings were constructed in the southwest of the imperial palace grounds.'
This area was no different from before.
Lelia tightly gripped several magic potion bottles she had brought in case of danger as she walked along the dark path.
While passing through a small forest, she spotted some soldiers on patrol and quietly hid herself.
After they passed and some time went by, Lelia started walking again.
Perhaps because the final banquet was being held at the main palace, this place was quiet.
'Even back then, on the day of the banquet, I went to the hut...'
She had found nothing at the hut and returned to the tower.
And the moment she entered, she faced Cedric, Damian, and Julianna.
'I hurt Julianna and apologized for it.'
Remembering that day, her mood sank.
At that time, Lelia was driven out of the tower and went back to the hut, forcing herself to endure the sorrow.
Telling herself it was okay, that she had friends, so it would be okay.
In any case (though they didn't seem to help at all), she had now truly returned to this place with the help of Romeo and Kalix.
That fact alone was a great comfort and gave her courage.
Lelia walked diligently toward the hut.
Then it happened.
'Wait, what is that?'
On the way to the hut.
Lelia stopped near where the tower she lived in as a child was located.
'I knew they built new buildings because of what Romeo said...'
But she didn't know they had built such a large and splendid building.
'...Impressive.'
Lelia turned away without hesitation, a bitter expression on her face.
It was surely something the Emperor or the twin brothers had created for Julianna.
Before long, she arrived near the hut.
The hut was still the same. Lelia felt as if time had turned back to her childhood.
'This isn't the time to be lost in sentiment.'
Lelia checked her surroundings and slowly pulled open the door of the darkened hut.
And the moment she took a step inside.
For some reason, the cold air made her stop breathing.
"……!"
Inside the hut with not a single candle lit, moonlight was streaming through the window.
Lelia met eyes with someone sitting in a chair.
It was Emperor Perseus.
Time seemed to stop for a moment.
"...El, Elizabeth...?"
Emperor Perseus frowned and slowly murmured. His low voice was slightly slurred, suggesting he had been drinking.
The wine bottle on the table finally caught her eye.
"...Elizabeth, my goodness... you're..."
"......"
Lelia looked at Emperor Perseus with an expressionless face.
Unlike the expressionless Lelia, tears were flowing from his eyes. Apparently drunk, he seemed to be mistaking Lelia for Elizabeth.
She resembled her mother so much that even Duke Superion and the Duchess had mistaken her, so it was no wonder Emperor Perseus reacted this way.
He slowly rose to his feet.
He seemed to have drunk a lot, swaying unsteadily.
Lelia, whose eyes had been wavering for a moment, steeled her gaze.
The hesitation was brief.
Splash!
Lelia opened the lid of the potion bottle she was holding in her right hand and sprayed it directly at Emperor Perseus.
"Why of all times..."
She muttered as if resenting the Emperor.
Thud.
"......"
Emperor Perseus, who had been trying to approach Lelia, collapsed to the floor.
It was an anesthetic potion that would render the target unconscious.
'Why today of all days, and alone without guards...'
Lelia frowned.
Then again, in the past, Emperor Perseus used to visit this place without guards.
'Because of that, I've failed more than once or twice.'
Lelia looked down at Emperor Perseus who had fallen unconscious.
Even though nine years had passed, he still looked as young and handsome as before.
'...This isn't the time.'
Lelia kept turning her head back toward Emperor Perseus but forced herself to look away and fumbled for her necklace.
When she touched the gem, the form of an alchemy tool appeared in the air.
Lelia opened the special materials window and pressed the search button. Soon, an illustration of a dragon flying appeared.
[~~Yay~! (ง˙∇˙)ว~(ว˙∇˙)ง Searching for special materials~~]
After that message, the numbers on the gauge started to rise.
The material Lelia needed to find was called 'Crystal of Memories.'
It was one of the materials needed to cure her grandmother's illness, but this material had been impossible to find no matter what they tried.
Lelia was certain she could find that material here.
'It must be because something containing memories of Mom and Grandma is here.'
[75%]
'Hurry up and fill...'
Lelia gazed at the numbers with desperate hope. When the gauge reached 79%...
"......!!!"