My Childhood Friends Are Trying To Kill Me

“Sigh…”

Lelia laughed at him without realizing it.

Perseus’ heart seemed to shatter from the cold laughter.

“I don’t think you remember properly because it’s been a long time.”

“What?”

“In a situation where my residence was taken away, should I have survived like an animal in the Imperial Forest?””

“……”

His forehead wrinkled. 

He recalled from a long time ago.

A small tower where a child used to live. That place was…

Yes, he remembered that one day the twins said they would make it a space for Julianna and started construction.

Did she get kicked out? 

Why? 

Why didn’t he think about it then?

He was flustered for a moment.

“If you had told me, I would have saved you right away.”

“And after that? Would life really have been smoother here?”

“……”

“For me, it was more dangerous here than outside of the imperial castle, where there were robbers and beasts.”

“… What kind of…!”

“I ran away to survive.”

“……”

“If I grew up in the Imperial Castle, would you have noticed the truth? No, I would have been sold to any aristocrat who paid a good price for me.”

“… Ha.”

Perseus sighed frustratedly and distorted his expression.

His heart was stuffy and hot, and he looked like a troubled person.

Tears flowed from his eyes as if he were pouring out resentment against someone.

Lelia was right.

At that time, Lelia was very young. 

The nobles sought several ways to become closer to the emperor, and he regarded Lellia as a thorn in his eye.

One of them was marriage. 

Aristocrats could even take the young child and sell her to neighboring countries as a fortune…

“No… No… That can’t be. I wouldn’t have done that…”

Emperor Perseus muttered in a troubled voice. 

It was as if he were talking to himself.

Lelia looked at such an emperor with empty eyes and said, “To me, terrible things came from the Imperial Castle… I just want to make sure you know…”

“……”

“I don’t need a father.”

“……!!!”

“I’ve lived like that so far, and the same will continue in the future.”

The emperor shook his head as if he didn’t understand, as his forehead crumpled.

“But, why did you come then? The reason you came to the Imperial Castle while hiding your identity… Wasn’t it to see me?”

“I just came to find what my mother left behind.”

“No! I don’t believe it… How can you say that? How!”

Emperor Perseus’ eyes, which seemed empty, suddenly changed. He glared at Lelia with blazing eyes.

“You’re my daughter. Elizabeth and my blood runs in your veins! How can you say that you don’t need your father? I am here for you, to protect you…!!!”

“……”

At that time, he knew what decision he made for his late wife.

But now, whatever happened in the past, could not be the reason to accept him as her father.

Even if she felt cold-hearted, he couldn’t help it.

“I’m going back as soon as the Superion knights’ have rested.”

“……”

As Lelia’s words fell, the emperor eventually buried his face into his palms. 

His shoulders twitched vigorously.

She knew the emperor was crying, but Lelia didn’t want to reach out and comfort him.

After watching the emperor for a while, Lelia lifted herself up and went out.

Outside of the door, Carius was waiting for her with an anxious look.

“Lelia.”

“… I want to rest.”

“Okay, let’s go back to the room.”

Lelia took a step forward just like that.

Soon after, a beastly cry began to come from inside the room she had just left, but she never looked back.

***

At the same time, Julianna, who came to meet the emperor, hid in the corner of the hallway and looked at Lelia’s back.

The moment she saw Lelia’s silver hair, her heart felt like it was pounding.

Is that him? That woman? No one would think of Lord Raymond when looking at her.

She was completely different.

Silver hair was like a symbol of the Aurarian royal family. The emperor, the twin princes, and the latest born prince all had silver hair.

Julianna bit her lips out of nervousness for some reason.

Lelia moved away from the main hall with an expressionless face. Next to her stood a man with a firm expression.

It was Sir Carius, one of the figures who got praised by the nobles of the capital when they gathered.

From an early age he was particularly blunt to her.

At first she thought he only hated her. However, she learned that he was the twin prince’s uncle, and after hearing her older brothers’ words, she changed her mind.

“That’s my uncle. He’s always a bit blunt, but he never hates you, Julianna.”

“That’s right, he’s my uncle, so he’s the same as your uncle. So you don’t have to be too scared!”

After hearing those words, she could look at him more comfortably.

Standing next to Lelia, however, Sir Carius looked surprisingly friendly and gentle. 

Like someone else.

It was then.

At the same time as Lelia took a few steps, strange sounds began to come from inside the main hall.

Julianna was surprised and covered her mouth.

It was such a sad cry that the listener’s heart collapsed. 

It was her father.

He was crying.

“How…”

Tears quickly filled Julianna’s eyes.

However, Lelia never turned around and looked back. She looked so cold-hearted.

Julianna hurriedly approached the servant in front of the main hall.

“Open the door.”

‘I can’t let my dad cry alone like that.’

***

“I said I’d go back as soon as the knights’ rest was over.”

“Lelia…”

Carius affectionately patted Lelia on the back of her hand. After contemplating for a long time, he soon opened his mouth.

“In your uncle’s opinion… Why don’t you stay a little longer than that?”

“……”

“Even more so if this is the last time. As time goes by, I think it would be better for you to be more adult.”

“How much longer?”

“Well, until you have at least one good memory?”

“……”

“Even if it’s a place that you won’t come back to, I hope it’s not a place full of wounds for you.  It was a very precious place for your mother.”

Carius turned his head and looked at the small garden.

The appearance of his sister smiling brightly and beckoning him was still vivid.

His dead sister truly loved her husband Perseus, Auraria, and the Imperial Castle.

“……”

Recognizing his thoughts as she looked at Carius’ eyes, Lelia nodded slightly.

It didn’t matter as long as it wasn’t too long.

It was certain that she would return to the Superion territory anyway.

Now that the magic has been solved, she wanted to spend the rest of her life happily with her family at Superion Castle.

Just like that without any worries.

***

That night.

No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t sleep, so she sat back up in bed and concentrated on the game system.

There are a total of 3 recipes that have not been cleared yet.

It was a recipe that involved three of her friends, like Kalix’s.

However, perhaps because these three have special powers, there was no favorability value, reading value, or known recipes.

[I must clear all the recipes to make the Philosopher’s Stone…]

The philosopher’s stone is a must have, especially in case things don’t go as planned.

As she was thinking about it for a while, suddenly a message appeared. 

So random.