Chapter 84 — Griffith Intervenes
Chapter 84 — Griffith Intervenes
Translation: Godtl
The knights who had entered the circular stage to restrain Griffith were suddenly unable to move at all, their bodies bound. It was because of divine power.
Griffith spoke lightly, as if calming the knights.
"Don't worry. When it's over, I'll heal them immediately."
Hearing those words, the knights flinched but felt relieved inside.
Even if they were knights who hadn't participated in the battlefield, once they were knights, they all knew who Griffith was.
Those who achieved merit on the battlefield were all famous figures.
Among them, Griffith was famous for possessing enormous divine power.
However, at Griffith's words, Damian gnashed his teeth as if he had been insulted.
Damian rose. Irritation was rising to his head.
He had asked his mother to distract Romeo and Kalix lest they interfere.
For Griffith to appear out of nowhere.
He spat and turned his head.
There he saw Cedric, covered in blood and unconscious.
How dare he do this to my brother...! Seeing Cedric's state, Damian felt his vision spinning.
"You bastard...!!!"
Damian poured curses at Griffith. But he only smiled as if it was amusing.
"Bastard, you say. Are you insulting the Nicaea Empire's imperial family?"
"You...!"
"By your words, my father is a dog. Well, that's not exactly wrong."
"......"
"Anyway, I'll heal you too, so don't be too jealous."
Griffith's voice remained calm until the end.
Thud!
With those words, Griffith stopped talking.
Lelia couldn't bear to watch and squeezed her eyes shut tightly.
Let me count just 10 seconds and then intervene.
With that thought, when she opened her eyes after 10 seconds had passed.
The floor of the circular stage was splattered with blood. Cedric had long since fainted, and Damian too was swaying with his face covered in blood.
The knights had already tried to step forward, but were still unable to move and struggled.
In just the 10 seconds Lelia had closed her eyes, the situation had become even more terrible.
"Lord Griffith!"
Feeling it couldn't go on, Lelia called his name to stop him.
Griffith, at the voice calling him, looked at Lelia, then let go of Damian's collar.
Then, standing straight and adjusting his clothes, he reached out his hand.
White light from his fingertips swam gently in the air like butterflies.
Thanks to divine power, Cedric and Damian's swollen faces returned to normal.
But because of the bloodstains, they still looked terrible.
"It was a very entertaining duel. Let's go now."
Griffith said lightly toward Lelia.
"......"
Lelia followed him without a word. Looking behind her, she could see the knights carrying the princes and running away.
Staring blankly at Griffith's back again, only then did she come to her senses.
Anyway, when did Griffith arrive?
How did he come here?
Meanwhile, someone was watching the retreating figures of Lelia and Griffith as they returned to their quarters.
It was Lute.
"...."
He bit his lip like a tense man, then turned away.
Strangely, his mind was anxious enough to drive him mad.
This anxiety had started after hearing earlier that the Empress had suddenly summoned Romeo and Kalix.
In fact, the Empress had reportedly said this in front of the noblewomen she had invited to a tea party a few days ago.
That she would find the finest groom for Princess Julianna.
Hearing the rumor here and there, male nobles seeking to curry favor with the Empress overflowed.
'Damn it....'
Lute had even made a direct promise with Princess Julianna, but his heart was still uneasy.
He could laugh off others as beneath his level, but he couldn't help but be concerned about men like Romeo and Kalix.
They were impressive even to him, looking at them as a fellow man.
Anyway, he had been walking around the imperial castle to clear his disturbed mind after hearing that news.
Suddenly, he thought it might be good to get advice from the princes and headed to the Prince's Palace.
On the way, he witnessed a strange scene.
The princes engaging in a two-on-one bare-handed duel against Sir Raymond.
'What on earth...!'
It was an incredibly cowardly act. Sir Raymond looked visibly pale, clearly someone who didn't know how to fight.
'To attack someone like that together, the two of them.'
While impressing the princes was important, he couldn't ignore his friendship with Sir Raymond.
Just as Lute, unable to watch any longer, was about to step forward to stop them.
Suddenly, out of nowhere, Griffith appeared. Lute's heart sank.
'Of all times, for Griffith to show up now....'
Griffith was precisely one of the finest grooms the Empress would covet.
Lute's mind became complicated.
All sorts of imaginations rose up. Griffith, Romeo, Kalix, and even that Oscar fellow currently not in Auraria.
They were all imaginings of them competing against him for Princess Julianna's affection.
The place they arrived at following Griffith was in front of the residence.
'Is Griffith also staying in the Imperial City?'
Just as she was about to ask, Griffith slipped right into Romeo's room.
She tried to follow, but the door slammed shut right in front of her nose without a trace of affection, so she couldn't.
In the end, throughout the journey here, she had only hesitated and couldn't manage to say a single word.
It seemed like Griffith didn't even have any intention of speaking to Lelia in the first place.
"...."
Lelia paced awkwardly in front of the door.
She was glad to meet Griffith again, and also grateful for being saved.
'I couldn't even say thank you...'
Honestly speaking, when Griffith beat up the princes in her stead, she felt satisfied.
Seeing them covered in blood, instead of worrying, she only thought it was satisfying.
It was something her deceased mother would be sad about if she knew.
But it couldn't be helped. Just because blood was shared didn't mean everyone felt like family and evoked affection.
'By the way, that Griffith kid—does someone with divine power just go around brawling?'
Not even swordsmanship—why is he so good at fist-fighting? Lelia tilted her head in confusion and headed toward her own room.
After a short while.
Lelia washed and changed clothes, then paced in front of Romeo's door.
She was hesitating whether to knock or not.
"What are you doing there?"
Romeo was seen walking from the end of the corridor. Behind him was Kalix with his swaggering gait.
Lelia discovered the two and immediately ran toward them.
"Where have you two been? I've been looking for you since earlier..."
"Empress Marianne sent a maid. She said she had something to discuss with the two of us."
"...Her Majesty the Empress? Why?"
"I don't know that. She summoned us and only said strange things."
Lelia, who was puzzled, soon shook her head. That wasn't what was important right now.
"Right now, Griffith... is in your room, Lord Romeo!"
"I heard. It seems he had an audience with Emperor Perseus and came this way."
Romeo raised one corner of his mouth and threw open the door. Lelia followed him in along with Kalix.
However, Lelia soon had to avert her eyes.
Griffith was sitting on the reception room sofa with his feet propped on the table, and he was shirtless.
He was even drinking alcohol in that posture.
He gulped down liquor that looked potent at a glance, as if it were nothing, and looked at Romeo and Kalix.
"You're later than I expected."
Romeo said that and sat across from Griffith. Kalix also sat next to him.
Only Lelia stood there blankly, not knowing what to do.
Then Kalix gestured and pointed to the sofa diagonally across. It meant to come and sit.
In the current situation, Kalix's favorability was more important than anyone else's, so Lelia followed his words.
"...."
But she felt uncomfortable looking toward Griffith, so she only glanced furtively.
Why on earth was he completely shirtless?
Moreover, it seemed he had recently washed, as the tips of his hair were wet.
It was truly a strange feeling when she realized that the friends she was close with as children had become 'adult men.'
Somehow it felt unfamiliar, uncomfortable, and tense... that was exactly how she felt now.
Meanwhile, the three exchanged a few words. It was a topic Lelia couldn't understand.
"By the way, why is that one in that state? Why was that one getting beaten up by the princes in that state?"
Then, Griffith pointed at Lelia with the hand holding his glass and asked.
It seemed he found it strange that Lelia, who had been wearing a dress when they left, was now dressed as a man at the imperial palace.
Come to think of it, how did he recognize me? Is it that obvious?
Lelia was bewildered and touched her own cheek.
"Who was getting beaten up by whom?"
"That one. By Cedric and Damian, those two."
When Kalix asked, Griffith kindly explained again.
"Was having a fistfight."
"What? A fistfight?"
Kalix let out a breath in disbelief and looked at Lelia.
"With those tiny fists, a fistfight is possible? You! Did you get beaten up? Your face looks fine though!"
As Kalix fumed, Griffith watched him with strange eyes then turned his gaze to Romeo.
His eyes demanded an explanation for what was going on.
Romeo shrugged.
"Said he'd think of him as a younger brother. Since he's' Leo's younger brother."
"...Younger brother? What nonsense is that?"
Griffith's brow furrowed.
Lelia had clearly said she was Leo's cousin' younger sister 'whom he was close with.
But now a younger brother?
In the meantime, Kalix grabbed Lelia's chin and turned her cheeks left and right, checking for any bruises.
"No injuries? You, do you even know how to properly make a fist? Still, how did you get into a fistfight with those guys? You've got some nerve. Impressive, this kid."
Seemingly relieved after confirming she wasn't hurt, Kalix patted Lelia's back firmly and chuckled.
He seemed to think she was admirable.
Griffith watched that sight with disdain and spoke.
"Was fighting 2-on-1 against Cedric and Damian. Was getting beaten, so I healed him and beat them up instead."
"What?"
Kalix immediately shot up from his seat at those words.
"Aren't they crazy bastards? How cowardly! Where are those bastards right now! How dare they hit my brother?"
"They got beaten by me and were carried away."
Somehow, at the childish conversation, Lelia felt her tension easing a bit.
Griffith too had grown so much that he felt unfamiliar, but seeing him talk, traces of his old self remained.
Kalix still fumed as if frustrated. Romeo pulled his arm and made him sit again.
"Of course you healed them, right?"
Romeo asked with narrowed eyes. It was a hint not to cause any trouble if possible.
Griffith nodded as if it were obvious, but with an annoyed expression.
Lelia felt envious watching the three who seemed so close.
'If I had the ability to participate in the Guanglong subjugation team with my friends, I would have become as close and friendly as these three.'
At the same time, childhood memories came to mind, making her heart tickle.
Griffith asked.
"By the way, younger brother? What kind of nonsense is that? I heard he came to the imperial palace as Romeo's cousin younger brother, are you just going along with that?"
It seemed he had heard the situation roughly.
So that's why he recognized me. Lelia nodded inwardly.
At those words, Kalix, who had been fuming until just now, immediately changed his expression and spoke.
He had a very amused expression.