Chapter 103

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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 103
Chapter Title: An Unwanted Summons
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The next morning.

Lellia checked her puffy eyes in the mirror and hung her head in despair.

Just then, a small message window flickered before her eyes.

[Whoa! (ಠoಠ)!!! Are your eyes as swollen as a goldfish's? Might we recommend the to reduce the swelling! ( ³⌓³)]

“…”

Is this thing making fun of me…?

Lellia grumbled inwardly but took the potion from her inventory as suggested.

It seemed this ‘Help Mode’ was useful in its own way.

‘It’s like a beginner’s guide…’

Thanks to it, she hadn’t been able to just walk past Calix, so it had certainly been a help.

Lellia managed to soothe her swollen eyes, then took out a few more potions and went to Calix’s room.

“…”

Calix, who opened the door himself, glanced at Lellia with a strange expression.

He looked incredibly awkward for some reason.

“This… It’s the medicine I gave you yesterday, just in case. I thought it might help.”

“…What kind of medicine is it?”

“A painkiller and a sedative.”

“…Oh.”

An uncomfortable silence fell after his words.

Feeling awkward for no reason, Lellia left the room without another word.

‘I wonder if Romeo got back okay.’

Just as she was thinking this and peeking toward Romeo’s quarters.

*Thump, thump, thump.*

She heard the sound of someone approaching from a distance with agitated footsteps.

When she turned her head, she saw Lute, his face contorted with rage.

“Sir Lute?”

Lute approached like an angry bull and abruptly grabbed Lellia by the collar.

Judging by his bloodshot eyes, he was furious.

Lellia was baffled.

“Sir Lute…! What in the world… Why…!”

It was then.

“Sir Lute! Let go of him this instant!”

Someone else was walking toward them from afar. Gagging with the collar tight around her neck, she glanced over and saw it was Cedric and Damian.

‘What is going on…?’

As the princes approached, Lute reluctantly released his grip on her collar.

Still seething, he clenched his fists and trembled, looking as if he was about to punch Lellia in the face at any moment.

A sense of foreboding washed over Lellia, and her vision began to darken.

She coughed and looked at the two princes.

“Wh-What…”

Cedric and Damian, now standing right before her, looked her up and down with expressions of utter disapproval.

Then, they dropped a bombshell.

“I have no idea why Yuriana would ask to add a guy like this to the list of betrothal candidates…”

What did you say?

Lellia was too shocked to even speak properly.

The words that followed nearly made her pass out.

“You’re coming with us, Sir Raymond. His Majesty wishes to see you.”

“……!!”

As Lellia stood frozen like a statue.

“What’s this?”

Perhaps drawn by the commotion outside, Calix opened his door and stood leaning against the frame, looking their way.

He had the look of a street punk.

But that was only for a moment. Calix’s brow furrowed when he saw Lute, Cedric, and Damian surrounding Lellia menacingly.

He then strode over and shoved Lute, Cedric, and Damian’s shoulders with his fingertips—tap, tap, tap.

As if telling them to back off.

Such an insolent and arrogant attitude toward royalty. Lellia was horrified.

But even more bewildering was what Cedric had just said.

‘Who wants to see me?’

Apparently more offended by the shove than Lellia had anticipated, Damian scowled deeply.

“What do you think you’re doing? To royalty?”

“Seeing three people ganging up on one person, I thought you were thugs, not royalty.”

Calix said mockingly. The way he spoke and the look on his face made him seem more like a thug than they did.

“Ha.”

Ignoring Damian’s disbelief, Calix grabbed Lellia’s arm and pulled her behind him in a protective gesture.

Seeing this, Cedric and Damian let out an even louder scoff.

“It’s an imperial command. You’d do well to follow us before we have to drag you.”

At Damian’s words, Lellia swallowed hard.

She had tried so hard to avoid meeting Emperor Perseus.

In truth, there was very little chance of them ever crossing paths.

Even though she was a guest staying in the imperial palace, she wasn’t royalty like Romeo or Calix, nor was she a hero who had participated in the Mad Dragon subjugation.

The emperor wasn’t some stray dog roaming the neighborhood; his schedule would be packed all day. Realistically, she probably wouldn’t see his face even if she tried.

So why on earth…

‘Is Yuriana insane?’

She was looking at me with such derision just yesterday, and now she wants me as a betrothal candidate?

One wrong move and the fact that she was a woman could be exposed.

Lellia mentally reviewed the potions she had prepared for crisis situations.

Just then, Calix turned to look at her. Lellia realized she had been clutching the hem of his clothes in her anxiety and let go.

“Hey, did you commit some crime?”

At Calix’s question, Lellia shook her head vigorously.

“Then why are you so scared?”

“Well… it’s just. I-It’s His Majesty the Emperor who summoned me, so I’m a little…”

“…Want me to go with you?”

Calix asked with a slightly reluctant expression.

Lellia meant to say it was fine, but contrary to her thoughts, she found herself nodding her head frantically.

“Wait here.”

Calix said to Cedric and Damian, then pushed Lellia into her room.

Then he went into his own room.

Thankfully, it seemed he still possessed the basic sense to dress properly when meeting the emperor.

He had been so disrespectful to Cedric and Damian that she thought he had forgotten all about royal etiquette.

With trembling hands, Lellia tied her cravat and came outside. She didn’t forget to check that her potions were secure in her inventory.

When she stepped out nervously, she saw Calix already waiting.

He had, surprisingly, tied his cravat in the proper fashion. Although he had forsaken his own family name, Calix still had royal blood flowing through his veins.

Perhaps that was why, when dressed up, he looked less like a thug and more like a dignified member of the royal family.

His height and build certainly helped; he seemed more imposing than the slender Cedric and Damian.

The only problem with him was…

The fact that he was bickering with Cedric and Damian, who were waiting while leaning against a wall.

Come to think of it, Cedric, Damian, Lute, and Calix.

All four of them knew each other.

They had all been part of the Mad Dragon subjugation team.

However, it seemed they were not on good terms.

“If you’re staying as a guest, you should try to behave, don’t you think?”

“Did I come here as a criminal? Stop trying to pull rank.”

“…”

Cedric was speechless at Calix’s retort. It was true, after all.

When Calix had insisted on leaving, it was the imperial family who had asked him to stay at the palace since he was going to be in the capital anyway.

Having the royalty and heroes of another nation stay at the Aurarian Imperial Palace for an extended period would be a good look for them.

Especially at a time when the tug-of-war between the five empires and the Temple was so tense.

In any case, Lellia hesitantly headed toward the main palace with them.

She had never imagined Calix would offer to come with her. For some reason, she felt reassured.

The entire way, Lute glared at Lellia as if he wanted to kill her.

‘Just yesterday he was treating me like a savior… and now he’s treating me like his mortal enemy.’

Lellia pretended not to see Lute’s glare and hid behind Calix.

“Did you borrow money from that bastard? What’s his problem?”

Calix, puzzled by Lute’s behavior, whispered to Lellia.

“…Princess Yuriana named me as a betrothal candidate.”

“What?”

Calix let out a choked laugh. Unable to laugh out loud, he covered his mouth with his large hand.

He squeezed his eyes shut, looking like he was about to die from holding it in.

However, perhaps because of Calix’s laughter, Lute’s glare at Lellia intensified.

‘He must think he’s laughing at him.’

I don’t know anymore…

Lellia blinked slowly, like someone who had reached enlightenment.