My Childhood Friends Are Trying To Kill Me

It was morning when he woke up, and Perseus was trudging through the forest.

In a vision all night long, he killed and kept killing Lydios. For a moment, he saw the vision of his brother change to his dead wife, and it was insanely painful. At that moment, he ran as hard as he could. The expression on his wife’s face, which had been struck by the sword he was holding, was so vivid that it made him vomit.

‘How long do I have to suffer from this illusion?’

He moved with heavy steps, thinking that he should meet the high priest today. The bloodstains on the blade he swung all night made him uneasy. His heart was heavy, wondering if the escort knight with him was injured. If only his life was spared.

He returned home with a heavy sense of guilt. When he arrived at the dormitory, the escorts waiting for him were startled and supported him. One of the escorts reported yesterday. The knight who was with the emperor went to search the forest with the wizards, but it seemed that their paths crossed on the way.

Perseus sat down, exhausted.

***

It was the morning of the day Lelia had promised Sena.

After that day, she didn’t talk to Oscar at all. It was because Oscar disappeared.

Her mind was uncomfortable and dizzy. Since she couldn’t face Oscar again, she wondered if the medicine had been removed. However, when thinking of Oscar, apologetic and pathetic feelings came first. Unlike his childhood, he was much bigger and stronger than her, but he was still something she had to protect. She wanted to care for his wounds, to protect him, and to hug him.

Upon stepping out of the dorm, Oscar quickly caught up with her wherever she appeared.

“Oscar.”

“…”

Within a few days, Oscar’s complexion deteriorated. He even looked like he had skinny cheeks. Just as she was about to ask if he was okay, Oscar took the first steps. Lelia had no choice but to follow him. It looked like Oscar wasn’t in good shape, so she was concerned about it the whole time they were walking. But as she was passing through the village, she heard a familiar name in the conversation of the people.

“A saint?”

“Yeah, I heard the temple is looking for him in a hurry.”

“Griffith is a saint recognized with the sacred power!”

[Griffith?]

Lelia stopped for a moment and looked at the people talking. However, there were many people passing by, so she couldn’t hear properly.

They said, “It is such a great divine power that only he can feel it. Ordinary priests can’t even feel it!”

“Wow… If it’s a saint who heals new recruits, isn’t he really a manifestation of God?”

“I heard that he would come forward and honor the saint with a new success. If the neutral zone becomes more active, this land right next to it will be more prosperous!”

Oscar wrinkled his brow and looked at Lelia. Lelia followed Oscar, whispering in his ear so that no one else could hear her.

“I just heard those people talk about Griffith.”

“… Griffith must have done something worthless.”

Hearing Oscar’s words, Lelia didn’t mind. As long as Griffith wasn’t in danger, this was more important. Since she found her mom. Today Lelia was going to take her mother to her Superion territory.

Oscar hadn’t asked her yet, but she expected that he would. If it doesn’t work out… All she has to do is ask him to send her mother to the Superions. She suddenly had the thought last night that perhaps it wouldn’t be as bad as she thought if she followed him to the Hraesvelg Empire. If she comforts Oscar a little and tells him that she will not run away, he will gradually calm down. After that, she would ask him to make rifts, so she could visit the Superions more often.

Of course, she was not confident in accepting Oscar’s heart yet.

She considered that maybe her palpitations for Oscar might not be because of the medicine. She’ll have to think more about it, but for now it’s enough. Lelia thought of it positively and moved her steps vigorously. But her heart, filled with her hopes, became shattered, and crushed to dust.

“… Sena?”

Knock knock

She knocked on the door in front of the hut, but no matter how much she knocked there was no answer. Did she run away alone? She certainly promised… Turning her head to look at Oscar, he lowered his gaze to the ground.

“The smell of blood…”

“What?”

“The smell of blood is too strong.”

As she followed Oscar’s eyes down to the floor, she saw red marks on the dirt floor.

“…”

It was blood. Why is there blood in this place… In an instant, her anxiety rose. Lelia immediately opened the door to the hut and went inside.

“…Ahhhh!”

And she hardened with a cry.

Is it a dream? Is she having a nightmare? The room was full of bloodstains. And she was in the middle…

“Uh, mother…?”

Lelia spoke those words out in front of Sena for the first time. It felt like her feet were collapsing. The whole world was collapsing.

“Mother…”

She called out in vain and approached. She walked over and bent to her knees to check the body on the floor. It looked as if she had just died, yet the cheeks she held were pale and cool. She pressed her cheek against her cold cheek. There was no warmth. There was not even a faint breath on the tip of her nose. Lelia felt as if her blood was dripping onto the floor and draining from her own body.

It felt like her mind was being destroyed. It was the first time she had felt such despair.

“Ah… Ah… Ungh, mother… mother…”

She mumbled and slurred like she was speaking for the first time in her life.

“…”

Oscar followed, staring at Lelia and the body with his cold eyes.

“Ugh… Mother, ugh, mother…”

“…”

“Wake up, mother… mother…”

[Your family is waiting. Grandpa… grandma… uncle and aunt…

Everyone misses you, mother…]

She now knew she was barely alive, and she hadn’t even had a chance to call her mother yet.

[I’ve remade the pills to get your memories back.]

“Mom…”

“Lelia.”

Lelia raised her head at the sound of someone calling her name.

Oh, at that moment, Oscar felt like her savior.

“Oscar, Oscar… Ugh, save mom. Please? You can do it, Oscar. Please…”

With her bloody hands, she grabbed Oscar’s leg, and pleaded. Oscar looked down at Lelia sadly and bent his knees.

“She is already dead.”

“Ugh… No way, no way. Why? Why all of a sudden? Who would do this?”

“It’s the work of a skilled person. He is used to holding a sword.”

“… Who, who the hell…”

Lelia couldn’t continue her words. A shrill cry crept into her throat. She lost her sanity and began to cry.

She bawled, hitting her stuffy chest. She should have come a little earlier. She should have come sooner. Missing his daughter, she recalled her grandfather, who had been heartbroken for his whole life. After her mother died, her grandmother became ill. Her maternal uncles and her aunt, who always wanted to see her mother, also shone before her eyes.

And… In this same moment, she was reminded of Emperor Perseus. A husband who missed his dead wife for the rest of his life.

“Ugh… Ugh…”

It was her fault for not keeping the promise. Everything was her fault. Her heart was tearing apart with resentment against herself.

Tring

At that moment, an alien sound rang in her ear.

I got a special recipe from , the last special favorable person! Shall we check the recipe now? ( •̀ᴗ•́ )و ̑̑

“…”

If you complete the last recipe, you can finally make the ‘Philosopher’s Stone’! Get the final title again! ε٩( ^0^ )۶з

Current title: A former person who once made ‘Philosopher’s Stone’ (Special: Not now)

A message appeared in front of her like salvation.

Lelia looked at Oscar with a blank expression. Last Oscar recipe. Lelia pressed the ‘Yes’ button as if possessed.

[Special Recipe: Poison that finally leads to death]

※The fatality rate is 100% slow, but the effect is clear, so trust only the alchemy! (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧₊˚

★People should be careful about taking it.★

[The poison that finally leads to death]

– List of required materials

∙ Fragments of Memory of Sin (1/1)

∙ Cursed Memory Fragment (1/1)

Like the name of the potion, the names of the ingredients were also strange. Besides, she already has the ingredients?

Lelia blinked blankly. Did she have that stuff in her inventory? She didn’t know what the ingredients were, but there was no reason not to make it if the materials were available. If she makes this recipe, she can finish all the achievements and craft the ‘Philosopher’s Stone’. If she could make it…

Maybe she can bring her dead mother back to life.

Lelia pushed the craft button, leaning into the hope that had begun to descend on her.

Congratulations! You have mastered all the recipes!

Acquire the title of ‘Legendary Alchemist’!

Acquired the title ‘God’s alchemist who mastered special recipes’!

[New recipe open: Elixir]

Congratulations, Master! You have completed all the recipes! Now you can craft a Philosopher’s stone! o(≧▽≦)o

Lelia went back to her production screen, ignoring the random messages.

Materials Required: None

After pressing the craft button, a message appeared stating that it was done after 10 seconds.

As she went into her inventory, she saw a new item. However, unlike before, it was not a fluorescent rainbow color, but a faded gray.

For a moment, she felt a sense of uneasiness.

[I’ll use the philosopher’s stone to save my mother.]

Aiyoo!? Σ(・Д・)!? The philosopher’s stone is an old item, so now it’s just a faded stone.

*(You look like an old woman… You look like someone from the Stone Age before the large-scale update.)*

“……”

Her eyes widened in despair.

At that moment, a new message appeared.

But try making a new recipe ‘Elixir’! It is said that special powers are passed down from Elixir. (๑✧◡✧๑)

With that said, Lelia went back to the production screen.

Required Material: Philosopher’s Stone

Lelia pushed the craft button out of curiosity.

[NEW! Ultimate Item: Elixir]

※Mystic potion that grants wishes

(Destroyed when used for the first time.)

Lelia took out the item and prayed.

[Save my mother, please… Please bring her back to life.]

Using ‘Elixir’

***