My Childhood Friends Are Trying To Kill Me

The teacher who instructed Kalix when he was a mercenary always said…

“A man must guard and protect a woman, even at the risk of his own life. So, just like before, I can’t accept a request like that from a crazy man asking me to kill his lover, even if he gives me a million dollars. Do you understand?”

“Okay, Master.”

So he thought women were weaker than men.

Of course, after going through a war, he knew that there were so many women who were stronger than men. There were quite a few women among the heroes who made contributions in the war against the dragon.

Nevertheless, when he was a mercenary, the words he heard while being clubbed were engraved into his bones.

So, without knowing it, he became prejudiced that women seemed weaker than men.

No, in the first place, Kalix has lived thinking that all living things are weaker than him. 

Because he has never lost to anyone by force.

The hero who saved him as a child was an exception.

‘But my hero…’

Leo, who saved him, is a woman. 

‘How could you do it with that lean body? With that small body that was three years younger than me… How did you save me?’

Kalix laid down with a blank look and looked up at Lelia.

The shoulders, arms, and wrists all looked weak. Thin, like they would break if you touch them…

‘I can’t believe it…’

That hero came close to him with a look as if she was staring at a very pathetic person.

Wait. 

‘But why are you looking at me so pathetically? What did I do?’

While wondering, Lelia warned him.

“Just stay tied up like this for a while. I don’t think I can do this.”

“Why? Why?”

More than that, what is important!

“Leo! Then…”

“What?”

Kalix answered in a hurry.

“Ah, marriage? What about our marriage?

‘Isn’t that the most important thing right now? It’s true that I promised.’

However, Lelia smiled in vain as if she were dumbfounded.

“… Did I ever say I’d marry you in the first place? What kind of marriage is that!”

“… Huh?”

Lelia looked at Romeo and Griffith and said, “Is there any way to knock him out until we arrive in the capital?”

“There is.”

It was Oscar who answered.

Turning his head, Oscar pulled out a sword.

“No, no. Not killing, but fainting…!”

Lelia reached out her hand as if to calm him down and approached Oscar.

***

The Imperial Castle began to appear in the distance.

“……”

Lelia frowned in a strange mood.

Just a while ago, Lelia ran away alone from there while looking at that landscape.

Of course, it turned out that Oscar was following secretly. 

[Anyway, I thought I would never come back, let alone coming back on my own.

But it’s a must at least once.]

Ending the relationship by seeing Emperor Perseus in person.

Failure to do this will damage the Duke of Superion.

So she had to go in person.

She was fortunate that she had friends next to her. She felt reassured as if she had gained thousands of troops.

[They’re always the ones who will support me no matter what I do.]

Lelia passed through the capital city with such a firm mind.

However, as soon as they passed the capital border, her expression crumpled.

There stood knights who, by the emperor’s order, greeted her.

“Welcome to the Imperial City. From now on, we will escort you.”

The person who appeared to be the leader said, bending one knee. 

The knights of Superion, who accompanied the horses, looked stiff.

The emperor’s intention was clear.

‘You’re trying to make sure everyone in the capital can see it.’

But she didn’t understand why he was doing this. She didn’t really want to understand.

“Thank you for the favor, but it’s okay.”

After Lelia firmly refused, they drove the horses forward as they previously were.

Like that, the Superion knights took the lead and guided the group to the Imperial Castle.

The rejected emperor’s Knights were forced to follow at the end.

***

With the guidance of the most sincere servants, they were led to stay in the Imperial Castle.

Lelia, who entered her room, laughed in vain.

The small annex in the Imperial Palace was luxuriously decorated.

And there hung a big picture inside…

“It’s my mom’s portrait.”

It was a portrait that she had never seen before.

In the painting, her mother wore colorful clothes and smiled gracefully.

It was a smile that looked so happy.

It was at that moment she wondered why the painting was hung here.

Lelia couldn’t take her eyes off her mother in the picture.

After a while, she heard a knock.

When allowed to enter, two maids came inside. They spoke very politely, telling her to instruct them on what she needed until she had a dedicated maid.

It was Uncle Carius who came after that.

“Lelia.”

He asked with his eyes if she was ready.

Lelia nodded her head slightly.

Perhaps out of consideration for the party, the guest room where her uncle and friends stayed was not far from here.

Carius, who was looking at the portrait hanging over Lelia’s back for a while, came to his senses after.

And he reached out to Lelia.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes, uncle.”

It was time to go to see Emperor Perseus.

Perhaps because of the tension, her hands seemed to be sweating.

Last time, she was dressed as a man and greeted the emperor alone as Sir Raymond.

But now…

Lelia headed to the drawing room together with her uncle, and looked at herself reflected in the glass decoration present in the hallway.

Unlike the last time where she changed her hair and eye color with alchemy to conceal her identity, Lelia had complete silver hair.

The same was true of the light, green eyes that resembled her mother.

“This way.”

The servant, who stopped at the big door, said carefully. Then, he knocked on the door, saying he would inform his Majesty.

Creak

Soon the door opened.

Lelia held her uncle’s hand tightly and headed inward.

It was now reality that she was going to meet the emperor.

Lelia slowly walked through the door.

“……”

And she encountered Emperor Perseus standing by the window.

Standing with his back against the light, he was framed exactly like how she saw him last time.

[No, I think he lost a little more weight.]

“It’s been a while.”

Carius spoke first. However, Perseus did not turn his gaze away from Lelia.

Like a hardened, stone statue, he just stared at Lelia blankly.

Carius waited for a while because he could understand what must be going through his mind.

It was as if Elizabeth, who died, suddenly had returned alive. It was understandable that he was surprised.

“Lelia, I’ll step out for a moment.”

“Yes, uncle.”

Carius relieved his anxiety at Lelia’s calm attitude. He went out of the drawing room.

“… Sit down.”

Perseus, who opened his mouth after a long time, seemed to have barely come to his senses.

Lelia sat in the same place as she sat last time. Soon the servant came out from the side.

Looking at the steaming teacup, Lelia endured silently without saying anything.

Perseus stared at Lelia’s face.

However, Lelia, who never paid attention to him, was cold-hearted and sad.

“… Lelia.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

He barely called her name, but Lelia answered very calmly and looked at him.

As if nothing had happened to her; as if she had been ordered.

Perseus’ forehead was wrinkled by the attitude.

‘How can you do that? How can you look at me and make an expression like everything’s okay? I expected you to cry and be resentful.

I knew you would be angry at me for abandoning you like that, and why I didn’t recognize you. I decided that I would accept whatever anger and resentment you poured out…’

The expectations were completely wrong.

There was no resentment or anger in Lelia’s expression. She had no feelings.

“… Do you not blame me?”

“I was resentful.”

“…”

That meant, not anymore.

Perseus exhaled with a disastrous look. 

His heart was hot, as if it had fallen into hell fire.

“When… When did you know this? Since when did you know?”

“……”

“When did the Duke of Superion let you know about this?”

Lelia took her gaze off the teacup and looked at the emperor.

It felt weird. 

Unlike last time, was it because she faced Emperor Perseus as her original, perfect self?

She had wondered how it would feel…

It wasn’t as bad as she thought.

Lelia slowly opened her mouth, looking at Perseus, who had misunderstood.

She didn’t want to lie at all. Rather, she wanted to tell him all the facts.

The truth.

“From the beginning…”

“What?”

“I knew it from the beginning.”

“… From the beginning? If it’s from the beginning…”

Perseus looked as if he didn’t understand.

Lelia decided to kindly explain.

“To be exact, I’ve known since I was seven.”

“……!!!”

Perseus’ expression hardened with surprise.

It was an answer that was wholly unexpected.

Having been frozen for a long time, he breathed out roughly. Then, he asked with an angry look, “How? But… Why didn’t you tell me when you first met me? Why?!”

“… You thought I was the daughter of Princess Iris. If I suddenly revealed it… Would you have believed me?”

Lelia replied calmly. 

Perseus turned red as if he had been ridiculed.

Lelia was right. 

‘Yeah, I wouldn’t have believed it at all.’

Perseus himself knew how much truth there was in that statement.

At that time, there was a great deal of hatred and hostility toward her younger sister, Princess Iris.

But… But…!

“I wouldn’t have believed it at the time… but if you had continued to grow up in the Imperial Castle, I would have believed it. You have such a similar appearance. I’m sure you noticed!”

“……”

It was a forced silence. In order to remain calm as much as possible, Lelia sighed softly.

However, it was difficult to maintain her composure at the end of the emperor’s next words.

“Why did you run away? Why? It is so dangerous outside the Imperial Castle. At that age, and without fear! What if something happened?!!!”

She wasn’t going to respond, she was just going to tell him the facts. 

She couldn’t help but laugh at that.

***