My Childhood Friends Are Trying To Kill Me

***

Lelia stood blankly and looked at the window.

A few days have passed since Emperor Perseus left. It was peaceful outside the window. However, Lelia was still anxious.

“…”

‘Do you really want me to do you a favor?’

It seemed as if the emperor would come and take her mother away at any moment. Lelia bit her lip in anxiety. She actually wanted to kill Emperor Perseus. She wanted to punish him by piercing his heart with her own hands.

However, she heard the details of the day through Emperor Perseus’ servants. After that, her body felt cold. That day, when the emperor heard that they had found Lelia, he set out to find her. Then his madness appeared, and he accidentally found her mother’s hut…

“…”

After hearing the story, Lelia couldn’t erase the idea that she was to blame. What if she had been more thorough in hiding her appearance? Is it that she shouldn’t have said those harsh words to the emperor in the first place? Had she not done so, he would not have suffered from this madness.

She had been in trouble for a long time, and she did not deny that it was his fault, so she asked Perseus to do it. It was her last request. The emperor quickly left the territory as if he would really do her the favor.

“…”

Nevertheless, her heart still beat anxiously. Fortunately, her mother woke up quickly and was now resting. Griffith stepped in and took care of her mother.

On one hand, she felt reassured, but on the other, her uneasiness continued to haunt her, as if in a dark cloud. Her life has always been like this. Except for her childhood, when she was in the temple, she was always surrounded with dark and damp clouds.

[Everything will be fine.]

Still, looking at the current situation, it was highly likely that the emperor would grant her request. Besides, even if he sends an army of wizards… Her friends were there. Her friends promised to protect the estate, her, her mother, and her family. They swore to Lelia she would be okay with them, as it was their habit.

That was then.

Knock knock

A slightly harsh knock was heard and the door swung open. She had already guessed who it was from the sound, but as expected, it was Kalix who opened the door and entered. Kalix came in with an excited expression, but stopped when he saw Lelia’s dark expression.

“Hey.”

“…”

“Are you okay?” He came closer and looked at her complexion. Lelia nodded her head painstakingly.

“…”

Kalix hesitated for a moment, as if he had something to say, and looked at her. What is he doing? Just as Lelia was about to ask, Kalix’s lips opened.

“Would you like to go to my secret hideout?”

“…”

Somehow, it sounded like he was showing her great sympathy. Lelia let out a sigh of relief without realizing it. It was a sigh that somewhat resembled a laugh.

Kalix urged, “It’s a better place than the hideout we made in the neutral zone… tell me quickly! Are you going or not?”

“… Let’s go.”

In response to the hesitant reply, Kalix raised the corners of his lips and smiled. As a child, Kalix was particularly fond of creating his own secret hideout. He knew how Lelia was, and that she would always come and disturb him when he was alone. So he thought of taking her to the secret hideout on his own this time. Like Lelia, who always came to see him as if she would not leave him alone, Kalix didn’t want to leave her alone anymore.

“Wait a moment…!”

“Stay still.” Kalix pulled Lelia’s arm and wrapped it around his own neck and held her lightly. Lelia struggled, but he did not budge like a solid pillar of stone. “Hold on tight.”

It almost made her scream. Kalix opened the window and jumped out without hesitation. Lelia closed her eyes tightly. She couldn’t understand why he didn’t use the door and instead walked through windows all the time. But Kalix landed with ease and he began to sprint quickly. The speed was so fast that it scared Lelia. She shut her eyes tightly, and she held her arms around Kalix’s neck for a while. And then she felt the cool breeze seep through her skin. Lelia slowly opened her eyes.

“… Put me down if we’ve arrived.”

“I prefer this way.”

Kalix said that, but he let her down as Lelia stuttered and grabbed his hair.

“…”

But Lelia was barefoot.

“Ah.”

Kalix took off the top he was wearing and laid it on the floor. Then he grabbed Lelia by the waist and lifted her lightly and placed her on top of his shirt.

“……”

Lelia looked at Kalix, who had suddenly become naked (upper half), as if burdened.

“What, why are you looking at my chest?”

“… I am not looking at it.”

Despite her annoyed reply, Kalix looked at Lelia as if she were a pervert. Lelia turned her gaze away and looked down at the mountain. The landscape of the land spread out below her field of vision.

Although she lived on the estate for a long time, it was a place she had never been to. Sure enough, the way up here was on the rough side. Aunt Atias said it was dangerous and even stopped her from coming this way.

Aunt Atias, who always called her her princess, treated her that way in reality. She bought Lelia the prettiest shoes, and she took care to only let her walk on clean and safe paths. But, disrespectful of her aunt’s consideration, she herself was a person who could never go down a peaceful path. She always stood on a precarious cliff, on a thorny road. Lelia blinked her eyes, trying to erase her thoughts. She never imagined that the scenery from here would be so beautiful.

“How about it? Better than a temple?”

“… Yeah.”

Kalix casually laid down next to her Lelia. Doesn’t the grass on his bare back sting? She was worried, but Kalix was calm. He supported the back of his head with his palms as he did as a child, and raised one of his knees to prop up his other leg.

“I don’t think my secret hideout will be robbed again because of you, Captain.”

“… Maybe it will. Romeo will definitely find out.”

“If that child interrupts my time, I will not let him go.”

“… Do you know what contemplation means now?”

When Lelia asked him out of curiosity, Kalix looked at her angrily as he laid down.

“When I look at you, you ignore me a little…”

Kalix stopped talking to her. His face went red as if he was very embarrassed.

“What’s the matter?”

“Hey, I can see you in your skirt.”

“……”

Lelia bent her head and checked the condition of her dress. At first, the comfortable dress she wore inside the castle was long enough to reach her ankles, but it seemed that her waist was bundled up while being held by Kalix. Her dress fell below her ankles again as she hurriedly unwrapped the fabric around her waist.

“I saw everything inside.”

“You… Are you crazy?”

How can he say such a shameful thing… As Lelia tried to kick him, Kalix giggled and rolled his body. Is he really not cold? It was said that his physical abilities were different from those of ordinary humans, and his senses also seemed dull. He may not feel any pain at all. So that’s why he became such an idiot.

Lelia sat cautiously on the bed Kalix had made with his shirt. The wind blowing past her skin felt good. She felt as if her mind, which had been anxious before, was relieved for a moment. All the guilt that had tormented her was blowing away.

“Yeah, but.”

“…”

Lelia looked away from him as if she was resting, as if she was anxious. She suddenly felt distressed. When Kalix made her talk like that, he always used to say bullshit. She honestly thought Griffith was a more nonsensical wall than Kalix… not true. If Griffith was like a wall that was a mirage, like a sandcastle that collapsed with her touch… Kalix was real. That’s really…

“When is Oscar coming? He’s the second, right?”

“…”

It felt like her heart was suddenly pounding more at the mention of Oscar’s name. One of the reasons she was anxious throughout her entire life was Oscar. Since that day, she has not heard of Oscar. She believed he would definitely return, but he had made no promises. Maybe he didn’t just go away? Was that day a dream after all?

She was angry and resentful towards Oscar, who left without waking her up and without a word. In the midst of her anxiety, Kalix’s words bothered her. What does the second mean?

“What are you talking about?”

“Your second husband. You were supposed to do that last time. You’re supposed to marry me first…”

Lelia squeezed her eyes shut.

“Kalix. I’m really begging you…”

“… Why?”

“I never said I would marry you.”

“No, you did.”

“…”

Lelia just bit her lip. Kalix jumped up and sat down and started crying.

“Hey, we were supposed to do it. Why are you trying to step away now? If you touch me, you have to take responsibility. Hey, answer me. Honey… darling?”

“This is really…”

Lelia eventually clenched her fists and ran up to Kalix, just like in her childhood. Weren’t you calling me boss a moment ago? Who said we were married?!

After chasing him for a while, she let it go. Kalix didn’t feel any pain, but he acted like Lelia’s fist was crushing into him every time it touched him. He really liked Lelia’s fluffy fists. It was so cute that he wanted to put it in his mouth and suck it.

[T/N: …]

To be so lovely, this is the hero who saved him, was his friend, and his wife. He was really lucky. Really good. That’s why people get married.

They had never been married, but in Kalix’s mind, the two were already a couple. A couple who had been married for about three months. It was while he was happily enjoying Lelia’s cotton fists when Kalix suddenly remembered something.

“Captain, stand up for a second.” After saying that, Kalix made Lelia stand up, and she jumped up. Then he moved closer to Lelia. Lelia took a step back from him.

“Why, why?”

“I’ll give you a ride on my back.”

“What?”

Lelia hesitated in embarrassment. She suddenly seemed to have no idea what he was saying. Even that hazy expression in Kalix’s eyes was cute.

“You said you were jealous when you were young. Knights giving the princess a ride on their backs…”

“That was when I was young…! And why now all of a sudden…?”

“I’ll give you a ride. Come here, hmm?”

“No, I don’t want to. Go away!”

When Lelia rebelled, Kalix burst into laughter.

‘I mean, she has a strange habit of saying she doesn’t like it.’

It was also cute, like a cat that fought back. Lelia fled with her bare feet to avoid Kalix, but she, of course, didn’t run far before she was caught. He forcibly carried her on his back, and only after a few walks around the area… They descended down the hill…

***