Chapter 91 — Oscar Appears
Chapter 91 — Oscar Appears
Translation: Godtl
Lelia was so surprised she couldn't say anything.
How are you here....
As she murmured those words inwardly, screams came from behind.
Oscar had no intention of quietly letting those who had fled in panic go.
Lelia didn't want to see the horrific scene unfolding behind her, so she squeezed her eyes shut.
"Don't close your eyes."
A low voice spoke right in front of her. Because of this, Lelia opened her eyes again.
For some unknown reason, Oscar was glaring at her with angry eyes.
His sword emitted an even redder mist than before. Somehow she felt like her breath was caught in her throat.
Oscar lightly twisted his wrist and sheathed the sword as he spoke.
"It's no use running or closing your eyes. Leo."
Leo.
Lelia was bewildered and frightened by Oscar calling her that.
The forbidden spell placed on her had precise standards yet ambiguous lines.
If Lelia revealed with her own mouth the fact that she had disguised herself as 'Prince Leo' and gone to the neutral zone, she would die.
It didn't matter if someone naturally figured it out without her saying anything, but Lelia acknowledging it might be another matter entirely.
With nothing certain at the moment, it was better to be cautious until she could undo the forbidden spell.
"...."
Lelia looked around in case someone might be listening.
However, apart from the mercenaries' corpses twisted from having their blood drained and the sight of their horses fleeing, nothing else was visible nearby.
"Do you dislike being called by that name?"
Oscar asked in a quite gentle voice. But his complexion was cold, and his gaze was sharp.
Tension hung in the air.
To avoid provoking him, Lelia slowly dismounted from her horse.
"H-how did you come to be here...?"
When Lelia asked, he answered calmly without changing his expression in the slightest.
"You're curious about that in this situation? I've been following you since the moment you left the imperial castle. You're the one who ignored my warning."
Oscar said matter-of-factly.
Lelia squeezed her eyes shut then opened them again.
'He's been secretly following me for a week?'
How could she not have known that? Did even Yeongum not know?
[◔_◔...]
"...."
[..( ｡_｡)...didn't know he was following master.]
So, he did know about it.
Lelia rubbed her forehead as her head throbbed.
Oscar frowned as he looked down at her.
Did she hate that much that he followed her? Did she really try to abandon him again?
He felt as if his chest was being hacked apart with a knife.
He trembled with a sense of betrayal.
Just then, Lelia opened her mouth as if to say something.
Oscar gazed at her lips desperately, with hopeful anticipation.
"I... don't understand what you're talking about, Oscar."
But Lelia's lips betrayed him once again. The light in his eyes turned cold.
Lelia cautiously looked up at him then lowered her head again.
She couldn't bring herself to properly meet Oscar's eyes. He looked like a cornered beast.
In his red pupils, hatred for the hunter who had driven him to crisis, and a pitiful, sorrowful appearance fearing death—two things coexisted.
Lelia had to pretend not to know.
Because she couldn't immediately acknowledge being' Leo.'
A momentary mistake could trigger the forbidden spell, making everything futile. She might end up coughing blood and dying right in front of Oscar now.
She didn't want to hurt Oscar even more.
"...If you're going to pretend not to know until the end, then it can't be helped."
"...."
"Fine, Lelia. You must be curious why I followed you. It's simple. I've designated you as the murderer who killed Leo."
"What do you mean...! The person who killed Lord Leo was already executed...."
"No, it's you. You killed him."
Lelia, who was about to deny it in agitation, fell silent and stopped.
Oscar too knew the fact that Lelia wasn't the culprit.
Lelia lowered her head.
'He must be trying to say that by denying I am Leo, it's the same as killing Leo.'
If that was his meaning, she had nothing to say. Because he wasn't wrong.
"So I'm going to try to think of you as Leo's replacement. Everything I couldn't do for Leo, I intend to do entirely to you."
"What do you mean by that...."
"I'm going to take you in Leo's place."
Lelia's brow furrowed. What was Oscar saying right now?
"If Leo had been alive, I was planning to get him back. But since Leo died, shouldn't I at least take you?"
"Wh-what...."
"Leo promised me. To stay by my side for the rest of his life."
Saying that, Oscar laughed as if asking what the problem was.
Lelia had nothing to say. It was true that she had made such a promise to him.
But that was....
Lelia recalled events from long ago.
When they were staying at the temple. It was a day when Oscar had another episode.
"Oscar, it's okay. Don't listen to any sounds."
"Hnngh... Leo... Leo...."
"I'm right here, don't worry. Oscar. Okay?"
As he gradually calmed down, Oscar grabbed her collar and asked.
"I, do I have to live like this forever... I'm scared... the, the thunder sound is...."
"No, don't think like that, Oscar. I'll protect you. Okay?"
"...Forever?"
"...Yes, forever. So don't be afraid."
I'll protect you.
Lelia held the smaller Oscar in her arms and whispered thus.
Just then, there was no choice if she wanted to calm Oscar down.
But even if she could turn back time and return to the past, Lelia would have repeated the same words.
Even if she knew such a day would come.
"So now you're mine."
"...."
"I'm going to take you."
His voice saying that was low and dangerous.
Oscar approached while grabbing one of Lelia's shoulders. Because he was approaching threateningly close, Lelia found herself stepping backward.
Lelia counted to three inwardly and glared.
In times like this, she had to keep her wits about her.
Oscar had a major trauma from the combination of wounds received in childhood and the shock of Leo's death.
In short, it meant his mind wasn't entirely healthy.
Lelia felt a sense of responsibility regarding that. Therefore, healing Oscar was also her duty.
"L-Lord Oscar. First, please calm down."
"...."
At the tone of voice as if dealing with a patient, Oscar's eyebrows creased.
"First... try taking some deep breaths."
"What are you trying to do?"
"Pe-people are not objects... they can't be taken or not taken...."
"...Ha."
"Besides, I'm not a slave either... so please just calm down first...."
Oscar was difficult to control. With such an opponent, she had to approach carefully.
Even more carefully than with Oscar in childhood.
Like gently coaxing a baby kitten.
"First, thank you for saving me."
"...."
When Lelia calmly started with thanks, Oscar's expression crumpled even more.
She had thought he would keep denying and pushing him away, so this was unexpected. If Lelia had responded that way, she might have failed to suppress her impulse again and hurt him.
With the mindset of watching what more Lelia would say, Oscar stared fixedly at her.
Seeing his eyes become gentler than before, Lelia breathed a sigh of relief.
"I must go to my home territory. There are many things I need to take care of there."
"...Where is that?"
"...The Superion Territory."
Lelia added vague words so he could figure it out on his own.
"Actually, when I was young, I left the imperial castle and ran away. There were people who helped me then, and I need to repay that kindness. I was very young then... and I was scared, and I was just a child who didn't know how to do anything."
"...."
It was words containing the meaning that she hadn't deceived with intention, but that she too had no choice.
Fortunately, Oscar seemed to have figured out the underlying meaning to some extent. His pupils wavered.
It was truly fortunate that the person before her was Oscar.
If it had been Kalix, he definitely wouldn't have noticed.
"Anyway, I need to go there...."
"...."
"Would you like to come with me?"
Lelia cautiously proposed. Given the circumstances, separating from Oscar and going alone was impossible.
Looking at those eyes, she could tell. They were sticky eyes filled with determination never to separate from her.
When Lelia took the initiative and proposed first, Oscar slowly nodded.
His gaze was cold and his expression was frigid, but in any case, his response itself was docile like a baby kitten.
"But there's something you must promise when we go there. You must never call me that... Lord Leo again. You mustn't say anything to those people."
"Alright."
And so an unimaginable companion was formed.
Though Lelia who proposed it felt uneasy in her heart, Oscar's expression actually looked comfortable.
'Fine, as long as you're comfortable, Oscar....'
Lelia sighed inwardly and mounted the horse again.
But something was strange.
Lelia looked down at Oscar from atop the horse.
"...What about the horse you rode?"
"I didn't come on a horse."
"...."
Lelia blinked. Then did he walk?
"Th-then how did you follow me...?"
"I created a rift."
Oscar answered calmly. Lelia was dazed for a moment.
'Rift? By rift... he couldn't mean a spatial rift, could he?'
When she was young, her grandfather had once shown her the temple's scripture.
Her grandfather said there was no need to particularly believe in religion, but since the scripture was also a historical record, it was worth reading.
However, since there were many difficult parts, he had taught her this and that while reading the book himself.
That scripture had a section explaining the powers the ancient demon race possessed....
One of them was 'spatial rift.'
In short, demons could create rifts in the air with their fingertips and travel through space.
It was an ability possessed only by high-ranking demons with enormous magical power, and using that power, they had tried to slaughter humans by leading armies of millions of demons.
'And you use that?'
Lelia's gaze turned to the demon sword he wore at his waist.
Even the one who first possessed that demon sword probably couldn't use that much power.
Fear of Oscar washed over Lelia.
At the same time, worry that the demon sword's power might consume Oscar also came with it.
But perhaps because Lelia had allowed him to accompany her, Oscar's expression became docile like a baby kitten.
Looking at him this way, it seemed his childhood face still remained. When they first reunited, she had thought he was a different person.
Anyway....
'Since it's come to this, should I ask Oscar to create a rift and travel to the territory?'
That thought occurred to her, but since it was a power demons possessed, it somehow felt unsettling.
'Of course, I'm using even more unsettling power in others' eyes....'
[...(ꐦ°꒫°)...]
Yeongum floated a message as if protesting the word 'unsettling power,' but Lelia ignored it.
Fine, let's just go. Anyway, the remaining road was only the safe grassland path, and it would only take a few more days.
Lelia organized her thoughts and spoke to Oscar.
"Then we'll need to ride the horse together. Please ride behind me."
Oscar mounted behind Lelia as soon as the words ended. Lelia shrank her shoulders at the unfamiliar energy felt from behind.
Should I have said I'd ride behind?
Just then.
From behind, a solid, thick arm came forward and strongly wrapped around Lelia's waist.
It was a firm arm like shackles put on criminals or slaves.