Chapter 61 — A New Disguise
Chapter 61 — A New Disguise
Translation: Godtl
This morning, Lelia had used an item from the 'Alchemy Lottery' game to change her hair and eye color.
Her originally silver hair was now a light pink, and it had become shorter. Also, her olive-colored eyes had changed to light brown.
Lelia felt quite reassured looking in the mirror.
Her frame was slender, but when thought of as a man, she looked just like a delicate, sickly handsome youth.
Kalix's gaze also turned toward Lelia.
He had a somewhat dazed expression.
Because Lelia in men's clothing really looked like Leo.
'She really must be his cousin.'
Romeo seemed to have the same thought, glancing at Lelia with curiosity as well.
In the awkward atmosphere, Kalix and Romeo started exchanging trivial conversation.
Lelia turned her gaze above Romeo's head.
'The affinity has risen a lot, but still...'
The value that was [-200] had now risen to [-59].
If it turned into a positive value now, she would be able to proceed with quests like with Kalix.
Knock, knock.
Just then. At the sudden sound of knocking on the door, Romeo went to check, and a servant bowed his head and spoke.
"His Majesty has heard the news that His Highness's guest has arrived and has invited you to this evening's banquet. I will come to escort the three of you at the appointed time."
"...Understood."
When Romeo nodded, the servant turned away with a smile.
As soon as the door closed, Lelia was outraged.
"How could you accept the dinner invitation!"
A dinner banquet!
The Emperor, along with Julianna, Cedric, and Prince Damian, would surely appear at that gathering.
She had thought she might run into them once she entered the imperial palace, but this was too sudden.
Seeing Lelia anxious, Romeo tried to calm her and spoke.
"Don't worry. The two of us will attend the banquet, so you can go out alone during that time. We'll say you suddenly felt unwell and fell asleep."
"...!"
When Lelia blinked her eyes, Romeo grinned confidently.
If what Romeo said was true, it was a very good opportunity.
At least she wouldn't run into Emperor Perseus again at the cottage.
"Your Highness, how about this dress?"
In Princess Julianna's quarters, the maids were busy selecting dresses.
"No, the yellow dress suits Her Highness better."
"But that dress looks too childish, doesn't it?"
"What are you saying! It will suit Her Highness perfectly."
Listening to the maids' words, Julianna carefully chose a dress.
The newly selected maids of Princess Julianna were all young ladies from high noble families.
This was because the Emperor himself had ordered that Julianna's maids be properly selected again.
"I'll go with this dress."
Julianna chose the yellow dress that the Count's daughter had selected for her.
As the Count's daughter smiled proudly, the other maids glared at her with envy.
Afterward, the maids helped Julianna change into the dress with gentle hands.
Julianna enjoyed the maids 'hands adorning her while thinking of Lute's face in her mind.
Important guests were scheduled to attend this evening's banquet.
They were young men who had performed great deeds in the Mad Dragon subjugation campaign, and of course, Lute was among them.
Julianna wanted to make a good impression on Lute, but she didn't want to approach him too aggressively again.
The maids had said that if a woman approaches too aggressively, men would dislike it.
'Looking at my brothers Cedric and Damian, that seems true.'
Her older brothers would ignore the young ladies more severely the more sweet glances the countless young ladies sent them.
That was why she paid even more attention to her adornment today.
She wanted Lute to feel uneasy seeing her beautifully dressed.
She happened to hear news that two of the four young men who had made the capital buzz were planning to stay in the Imperial Palace a bit longer.
Hearing that story, her brothers said this.
"I knew those guys would do that. So the ones who fell for Julianna are those two? Romeo and Kalix."
"Ah... I'm absolutely against it. Those guys have bad personalities and will make our Julianna suffer. No. Not even over my dead body!"
Julianna found her brothers' fuss simply funny and amusing.
Even if those two really did like Julianna as her brothers said, it had nothing to do with her.
'...Because the one I like is Lute.'
Just then, the maids showed her a mirror, as if her adornment was complete.
Julianna looked at her reflection in the mirror and smiled shyly, hehe.
'It would be nice if those two really do like me... because then Lute would be jealous.'
As evening fell, people began gathering one by one at the banquet hall.
Though it was a small-scale dinner, the atmosphere was as splendid as a grand banquet.
"Did your guest not come with you?"
When everyone had taken their seats, Emperor Perseus asked Romeo.
Romeo calmly put on a regretful expression.
"She said she wasn't feeling well suddenly, perhaps from exhaustion from the journey. I came after confirming she had fallen asleep."
"I'll send a physician after the dinner ends."
"That won't be necessary. She should be fine after a good rest, so please don't worry. If she's still unwell by tomorrow morning, I'll let you know through an attendant. I thank you for Your Majesty's consideration."
At Romeo's perfect etiquette, people glanced at him.
Along with the musicians' music, attendants began bringing out the food.
Emperor Perseus would occasionally gaze blankly into space during the meal.
His inability to focus was due to what happened last night.
Yesterday, the last day of the banquet, was the wedding anniversary of Emperor Perseus and Elizabeth.
Though over twenty years had passed, he still missed his wife.
Unable to contain his longing, he had gone there. But in what seemed like a dream, his deceased wife appeared before his eyes.
'I must have seen wrong...'
When he came to his senses, he had already been moved to his quarters by the knights.
But there was something strange.
One of the knights who had come to retrieve him had been found fainted in front of the cottage door.
Also, around the same time, a small commotion had occurred at the northeastern castle gate.
Since someone might have intruded into the imperial castle, a search was conducted throughout the dawn.
But despite searching thoroughly, there were no traces of an intruder or missing items anywhere.
'Something is definitely strange.'
The figure he saw last night was too vivid to be called a dream.
That was why he had ordered soldiers to search for any woman with green eyes who had entered or exited the imperial castle.
Fortunately nothing had happened, but security for those entering and leaving the imperial castle was strengthened several times over. They investigated inside the castle but found no suspicious individuals. The culprit had already escaped the castle. So they thoroughly monitored only the entrances and exits. He also ordered a mage to investigate the cause of the knight's sudden fainting.
Perseus surveyed those attending the banquet.
This gathering today was arranged to find a young man suitable to be Julianna's fiancé.
Cedric and Damian, though not yet married, already had fiancées.
Now it was Julianna's turn.
Honestly, Perseus absolutely did not want to marry off Julianna, but the Empress was extremely adamant.
Empress Marianne, seated beside him, examined the young men one by one with a benevolent gaze.
Especially toward Prince Romeo, her eyes were thick with regret.
This was because when she had asked Prince Romeo earlier, he answered that he already had a fiancée.
Compared to Cedric and Damian who still seemed like children, he definitely appeared more mature.
On the other hand, Julianna was openly looking at Kalix, who sat beside Prince Romeo.
Kalix himself was eating without a care in the world, but Julianna was trying hard to catch his interest.
'He won't even look at me once.'
Julianna clicked her tongue inwardly.
She had tried to show her most elegant and dignified self to him, but he blatantly ignored her gaze.
'Is he doing that on purpose? Should I switch to someone named Romeo?'
But she heard that this Romeo person already had a fiancée.
Julianna felt irrationally annoyed and glanced around.
Just then, her eyes met with Lute who was looking this way.
Julianna turned her head to the other side with a haughty air. Seeing Lute's flustered expression just before she turned her head gave her a satisfying feeling.
She found it annoying and frustrating that Lute wouldn't properly approach her and only hesitated.
So she had spent all day looking at this person named Kalix to make him anxious....
'My brothers Cedric and Damian teased me for nothing. That person doesn't like me.'
She became petulant for no reason and glared at her brothers sitting across from her.
The two were glaring at Kalix but shrugged their shoulders when they felt Julianna's gaze.
'Julianna...'
Meanwhile, Lute glanced at her profile with an anxious heart. His gaze turned toward Kalix again, filled with resentment.
"......"
Kalix, receiving glares from various people, couldn't take it anymore and quietly put down his utensils.
Romeo, seated beside him, covered his mouth with one hand and asked quietly.
"What's wrong?"
"They're all staring at me. Are they picking a fight right now?"
"...Bear with it."
Kalix became annoyed for no reason and swept his fierce gaze around. A few who were intimidated by that look turned their heads away.
On the other hand, Cedric and Damian still glared at him as if he were their enemy.
'Damn it.'
Kalix wanted to leave this place immediately.
It felt like everyone was staring at his eyes that had turned a strange color, making him uncomfortable and ashamed.
He deliberately turned his thoughts to something else.
'Is she doing well?'
The image of her that had reminded him of Leo earlier came to mind.
Feeling thirsty for no reason, Kalix gulped down his champagne.
Perhaps thanks to Kalix's concern, Lelia successfully arrived at the hut and was searching for materials.
[95%]
She anxiously watched the gauge rise while carefully surveying outside the window.
'Thank goodness.'
Emperor Perseus had attended the banquet, so he wouldn't come here.
[100%]
Lelia clenched her fists as she looked at the floating screen in the air.
'Please appear.'
If she couldn't find the materials here, it would be a complete disaster.
Just then, with a ding sound, a smiling alchemy tool and speech bubble appeared.
[Discovered Special Material! o(*'▽'*)/☆ﾟ]
[Special Material Encyclopedia Cleared!]
[As an achievement reward, 100,000 Crystals at 20% discount price! (*•̀ᴗ•́*)و̑̑]
Relief washed over her at the following message. Her legs felt like they were melting with relief.
'If I hadn't found it here, I almost wouldn't have been able to cure Grandma...'
Lelia flopped down on the old chair nearby.
She needed to return to her quarters quickly, but a brief moment should be fine.
'This place is just as it was...'
Unlike yesterday when she was flustered by Emperor Perseus, today she had enough presence of mind to look around the hut's interior.
Lelia quickly took in everything with a gaze filled with longing.
Childhood memories surfaced vividly, as if they had happened just yesterday.
She had thought she had no memories with her mother at all, but now she realized that simply staying in this space was all a cherished memory.
Lelia stared blankly into space for a while before finally emerging from the hut.
She didn't forget to lock the door as she had when she first came.
Though she thought it was just for a moment, quite some time seemed to have passed. The sky had already turned pitch black.
Lelia hurriedly rushed toward her quarters.
However, when she neared her quarters, she encountered an unexpected person and had to stop.