My Childhood Friends Are Trying To Kill Me

[Mom’s cabin… It’s a bit suspicious though.]

She thought about going there to find the ingredients. When she first went to the cabin, there was no recipe for the cure itself. She guessed that was probably why the ingredient did not appear. 

Besides, it was not the only thing that was left to do. 

It was necessary for her to prevent the death of her grandfather and Uncle Xenon in the future, as well as to prevent Aunt Atias from falling into debt. 

[But I don’t think she’s interested in gambling…]

Maybe the future had changed because of Lelia. Even without that, there was still something left.

[I have to take the sacred object, from the hero of the original plot, Ruth.]

Now that the war against the Light Dragon had ended, he would soon return to the capital. For that, Lelia had to go to the capital on time. 

[I have to find ingredients for the cure….]

With so many plans, Lelia’s life plan was just beginning. She had to work diligently every day. And she would inform her grandfather that she needed to go to the capital this evening. 

[He would not let me go, would he?]

Her grandfather was always overprotecting her. 

“That’s it, my lady.”

“Thank you, Becky.”

Lelia gazed in the mirror at Becky’s words.

Her silver-gray dress had no cumbersome decorations and did not tighten waist, making it easy to move around.

“I can’t ask for anything more, lady. I just want you to meet a really good gentleman and be loved. But keep one thing in mind.”

“…What is it?”

“Never, never marry into the Creek family.”

The corners of Lelia’s mouth crept up at Becky’s determined words.

The Creek family was one of the branch members of Superion.

Unlike others, they were friendly to Lelia from the start. 

But Becky’s objection was due to their son.

The Creeks had a son, who came to the castle when Lelia was thirteen.

The boy looked at Lelia and insulted her by saying, “Imposter!”

In addition, he threw sand at Lelia’s face.

Becky, who had witnessed the scene at that time, was furious. Upon knowing the story from Becky, the Duke went livid with anger, and the Creeks apologized helplessly.

Leria laughed, saying she was okay, because she was afraid her grandfather would get on bad terms with the Creeks.

[After that, they sent their son to the capital.]

The nobles and vassals of the outer lands often sent their children to the capital to educate them.

[If you spend your adolescence in the capital city, you can make a lot of good connections.]

Well, the Creek couple’s son returned to the estate not so long ago…

And he happened to meet Lelia in the downtown area of ​​the estate and proposed to her.

He said it was love at first sight.

But as soon as he saw Becky’s face, his complexion turned pale.  Becky rushed and dragged Lelia to the carriage with the knight. Recalling what happened that day, Lelia tapped Becky’s shoulder.

“Don’t worry, Becky.”

The man wasn’t even Lelia’s cup of tea anyway.

If she had to consider her taste… Lelia preferred a tall man with a large build, compared to the skinny Creek.

Becky was nervous about Lelia’s words and looked at her anxiously.

“Come on, Grandpa is waiting.”

“Yes, my lady.”

***

The atmosphere of the dinner was cordial.

It had always been the case for some time since the Dragon died and the war ended. 

This was because Carius would return to the estate soon.

“I’ve received a letter from Carius, and he’ll be back no later than the end of spring.”

“That’s a relief.”

Lelia nodded as she listened to the conversation between her aunt and grandfather.

Next to Lelia was an old lady, gazing at her eating, with a loving look on her face.

Depending on her physical condition, Lysandra either took Lelia as Elizabeth or as her granddaughter, but in fact, her attitude was not much different. However, when she was dealing with Lelia, it was noticeable that she acted more cute.

That was why she was maintaining her original spirit. 

“My baby, you have to eat vegetables.”

“…….”

Lelia, who was secretly pushing the paprika to the side of her plate, caught her grandmother’s eye.

“Our Elizabeth ate her vegetables well….”

“Yes, Grandma. I eat well, too.”

Lelia dipped paprika into her mouth with a fork and chewed it with exaggeration.

She wanted to rebuke that her Uncle, Xenon, was all grown up and was a picky eater too, but Lelia bit her lips. He didn’t like seafood and didn’t eat it at all.

When Lelia looked at him with meaningful eyes, Xenon turned his head slightly.

Her grandfather and aunt laughed out loud at the sight.

Lelia was disappointed. If she left for a while, this friendly atmosphere would still be there and unchanged, even without her.

At the end of the meal, Lelia opened her mouth carefully, “Well, grandfather, grandmother. Uncle, aunt.”

All their attention was drawn to Lelia’s serious voice.

Lelia pressed down on tension and courageously said.

“I have something to tell you… I… want to go to the capital.”

“…….”

“Capital?”

“Why the capital?”

Her grandfather, uncle and aunt’s expressions crumpled at the word ‘capital’.

It may have been because of Emperor Perseus, who was residing there, that their complexion had darkened.

“Are you trying to find your father?” asked Xenon, with a tone of disappointment. Lelia shook her head quickly.

“It’s not like that! Actually… There’s an alchemy pill I’m working on. I have to go to the capital to get the ingredient.”

“Hmm…”

There was silence at Lelia’s words, where everyone thought of their own.

“Is it not enough to send someone to find it?”

“I have to be the one to find it.” Lelia responded sternly to her aunt’s words.

“…Go ahead.” After a long silence, Duke Superion spoke. Lelia looked at her grandfather in surprise.

[My grandfather was the one who was most likely to disagree…]

She was puzzled by the unexpected response.

“But… my child.”

“Yes.”

“I must ask you a favor. You have to come back once.”

“What do you mean by ‘once’, Grandpa!” Lelia’s eyes grew teary. Her grandfather seemed to think she was going to leave her family and everything behind. 

“I’m going to the capital to cure my grandmother’s illness. It’s natural to come back. This is my home…”

As Lelia spoke with tears in her eyes, the Duke Superion smiled benevolently. The wrinkles around the eyes had deepened more than when they first met.

“Then, I won’t worry.” Despite the Duke’s response, Leilia continued to weep.

She was heartbroken because she could guess why her grandfather replied that he would let her go to the capital.

“Father, you should not make children sad and cry for no reason. Why would Lelia come back just once? This is her house.”

“Yes. Lelia, stop crying, mm? Here, aunt will give you some pocket money.”

Lelia ended up laughing at the tone of her uncle and her aunt who took her own side and still treated her like a child.

Atias, who looked adoringly at Lelia, said with a sigh, “At the same time, my husband has to go to the vicinity of the capital for an upper-level business, so we can go together.”

“Yes, that would be nice.”

At the words of her aunt and her uncle, Lelia nodded her head.

Uncle Xenon did not stay at the Superion Castle, but started a family in a nearby mansion.

She had met Uncle Xenon a few times, but seldom met with Aunt Atias’ husband.

This was because he was always busy running the upper-class business. So Lelia was guessing that the reason her aunt had a gambling debt was due to loneliness. However, no matter how many times she looked into it, her aunt had no hobby like gambling.

[The future has changed.]

Lelia thought it was a relief. But still, just in case, she was going to finish her work in the capital as soon as possible and come back. 

Other things were important, but for Lelia, protecting her family was her topmost priority.

***

The carriage in which Lelia got into, quickly left the Superion house. Her grandmother, grandfather, uncle, aunt, Becky, and knights came to see her as she said goodbye. Lelia had a strange feeling about it.

She said she would be back soon, but everyone was crying. She felt like she was really going away. An unfamiliar knight even wiped her tears with a handkerchief.

It was not until the carriage reached the edge of the territory that Lelia held back her tears and calmed down.

[I will soon reach the capital.]

For the past nine years, Emperor Perseus had implemented a policy to fully increase the abilities of wizards. Thanks to this, teleport magic circles were installed throughout the empire, and using them, the distance that originally took one month could be reduced to two weeks.

It was a huge development.

Lelia looked out the window of her carriage. The carriage of the upper ranks party was safely escorted by knights. Her uncle, who greeted her for the first time, was a very kind person.

[T/N: Here, Uncle refers to Atia’s husband.]

In addition to allowing her to ride alone in a luxurious wagon, she was also assigned a maid as her companion. 

But all the way to the capital, she couldn’t see the face of the man, who was her uncle.

Because he stayed in the wagon all the time and did not come out.

When Lelia was puzzled, her maid said, “Our master has a skin disease, so he doesn’t come out of the carriage.”

That was why only his maids and knights went in and out of the wagons.

Lelia soon lost interest.

She didn’t actually have time for her to focus on anything else.

She was in deep thought.

Not that she felt thrilled or scared, but she would be lying if she said she felt no pressure.

The well-being of her family rests in her own hands.

It feels like yesterday when she ran away from the capital and met her grandfather…

[Now I have to come to my senses.]

Lelia bit her lip and her eyes burned.

Before she arrived in the capital, Lelia meticulously laid out and revised her plans for her future.

And, a few weeks later, Lelia finally reached the capital.

Returning after a whole 9 years.

(ED/N: Why do I have a bad feeling about her uncle…)

***

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