Chapter 120

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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 120
Chapter Title: An Unexpected Journey
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“Hey, what’s with your eyes? Did you get hit yesterday and it’s only swelling up now?”

At Calix’s words, Lellia flinched and ducked her head.

She had taken medicine from her inventory to reduce the swelling… but it had been so bad that the medicine didn't have much of an effect.

Calix deliberately bent down to match her, staring intently at Lellia as she tried to hide her face.

“I asked if you were hit. Tell me who did it, and I’ll go give them a taste of their own medicine. Huh?”

“It’s just… from sleeping too much. I wasn’t hit.”

“Really?”

Only after Lellia’s answer did Calix finally back off. She let out a sigh of relief.

It was now the day after that incident.

Everyone except Oscar had gathered in the drawing-room of Romeo’s suite.

“Oscar came by this morning,” Griffith announced.

Romeo’s brow furrowed.

“Then why isn’t he here?”

“He just showed his face and left right away.”

“…Did he go to Leo’s grave?”

Lellia hung her head low at the mention of Oscar. Her heart ached, certain that he must have been wandering all night because of her.

Romeo looked puzzled for a moment, then clapped his hands once. Lellia looked up, startled.

“Whatever. If Oscar’s here, it’s time to make our next plan. Let’s all say our final goodbyes at Leo’s grave, and then we’ll each go our separate ways.”

“Sounds good.”

“As you wish.”

Calix and Griffith responded in turn to Romeo’s words. Lellia, too, nodded her head.

“What about you? You said you had something to get from Lute. Is that finished?”

Romeo gestured toward Lellia with his chin. Lellia swallowed hard and answered.

“Yes, it’s done. I’m planning to go back to my hometown now…”

“Oh, really? Hmm…”

Romeo thought for a moment before speaking.

“Alright, I’ve decided. I shall go with you!”

“…What?”

“Really? Then I’ll go too. It’s not like I have anything to do, and I don’t feel like working as a mercenary.”

Calix said, leaning back on the sofa as if he were about to lie down, looking ready to slide right off.

Wait, what?

Lellia frowned. Who gave them permission?

Of course, it would be nice to travel with her friends, but…

“Really? Then me too.”

Even Griffith said so.

Lellia was suddenly reminded of the distant past. It felt like a similar situation had happened back then…

“Since you’re the captain’s sister, we’ll do you the honor of making you our youngest member. We’ll tag along, so don’t you worry.”

“……”

Youngest… member? Youngest member?

Lellia pressed her lips together tightly at Romeo’s words.

“But Griffith, are you sure it’s okay for you to go?”

At Calix’s question, Griffith simply shrugged, his attitude indifferent.

Romeo narrowed his eyes and said.

“Then we’ll have to tell Oscar, too. Ah, but he probably can’t, can he? He’s heir to the throne, he must be busy.”

It was then.

“I’m not busy.”

“Agh!”

Oscar, who had suddenly appeared behind Lellia, plopped down on the sofa. Right next to her.

Lellia, along with Romeo and Calix, let out a yelp. The only one who remained unfazed was Griffith.

“You crazy bastard! Use the door! The door!”

Romeo shouted, pointing a finger at him.

At his words, Lellia turned her head. Seeing the open window behind her, she figured he must have come in that way.

But he came through the window in broad daylight?

Evading the royal guards?

Then again, it wasn’t surprising. Oscar had also gained immense power after obtaining a legendary magic sword.

But on the other hand, it was chilling. That magic sword grew stronger the more blood it absorbed… and Oscar had gained his power through it.

Just how much blood had it absorbed, and how much power had he gained?

The Oscar in her memory was a gentle, innocent child who couldn’t even harm an ant.

A cute, lovely, and fragile child.

“……”

But after last night, Lellia had been forced to admit it. The Oscar of the past and the Oscar of today were two completely different people.

“…Hmph. I wasn’t surprised at all.”

Calix said to Romeo, as if telling him not to make a fuss.

That was a lie. She had definitely seen him jump and shout “Agh!” along with everyone else.

Romeo must have been thinking the same thing, as he started pointing and telling him to cut the crap.

Watching the two of them bicker, Lellia tried to calm her pounding heart.

As she slowly steadied her breathing, a gentle voice came from her side.

“I’ll go with you, too.”

Lellia flinched and turned her head.

Oscar, sitting a hand’s breadth away from her, was looking at her with an elegant posture, his legs crossed.

The Oscar of today was yet another different version of himself.

Relaxed, graceful. Far from being angry, his expression and tone were gentle.

His attitude, as if nothing had happened, left Lellia’s mind in a jumble.

And Griffith observed the two of them with a peculiar gaze.

Romeo, who had been bickering and wrestling with Calix, turned his head to ask.

“You’re coming with us? What about the throne?”

“For the time being… I have someone who can be my scarecrow.”

At Oscar’s reply, Calix muttered, “He’s talking about his own father, right? That patricidal maniac, that maniac…,” but Oscar paid him no mind.

Lellia stared into the distance with a look of resignation.

So…

She had to drag all of them back to the Superion estate?

Meanwhile, Lute was spending a delightful time with Princess Yuriana.

The two had recently started dating, but since they hadn’t officially announced their relationship, they were meeting in secret.

Princess Yuriana had arranged it to look as if she had invited him to a tea party with her ladies-in-waiting.

But in reality, only Lute and Yuriana were at the tea party.

A small garden, decorated with a lovely tea table.

It was a scene that seemed to exude sweetness even without dessert, yet Yuriana’s expression was not pleasant.

It was because of the news a servant had brought her this morning.

It was absurd.

The story that Princes Cedric and Damian had brought Sir Raymond for a duel was fine.

‘My brothers are on my side, after all.’

As she listened to the story with that thought, Princess Yuriana’s brow creased sharply.

“Suddenly, Sir Griffith appeared and said he would have a fistfight in their stead! But the princes ended up collapsed and in a mess…”

“That’s ridiculous! How dare he lay a hand on a member of the imperial family!”

“Of course, he did use holy power to cast a healing spell on them before he left…”

The servant replied, fidgeting nervously.

Even so, Yuriana was dumbfounded.

Was this some kind of sick joke, giving the disease and then the cure? Did beating someone to a pulp and then healing them make the crime disappear?

From what she heard, that man named Griffith must have some mental problems.

To dare do something a deranged murderer would do to a member of the imperial family.

Of course, she had heard that he was also of royal blood, but this was the Auraria Empire. How dare he do such a thing to the princes within the walls of this empire’s palace!

She had been venting her anger about it to Lute.

Thinking of her brothers, whose pride must have been wounded because of her, made Yuriana’s heart ache.

Lute comforted her tenderly, joining her in condemning the man named Griffith.

Then, the conversation shifted to ‘Sir Raymond.’

Since the two had decided to date seriously, they had agreed to use formal language even when they were alone, for the sake of their future.

Despite her anger, Yuriana steadfastly used formal speech.

“He is such a disloyal and cowardly person! I thought he was a good person… but as if tricking me wasn’t enough, he brought that Griffith person to insult my brothers?”

“……”

She was so angry that she rattled off a list of complaints about Sir Raymond, but there was no reply from Lute.

Just a moment ago, he had been agreeing with her when she was criticizing Griffith.

‘Is he taking his side now?’

Yuriana pouted a little. As she puffed out her cheeks and crossed her arms, Lute grew flustered.

“Ah, no, it’s not that! It’s just… I do not believe Sir Raymond had any ill intentions. Unlike that Griffith fellow, Sir Raymond is not such a bad person.”

“…Do you really think so?”

“The truth is… I received a great deal of help from Sir Raymond before I confessed my feelings to you, Your Highness.”

At those words, Yuriana’s eyes narrowed.

She urged him to explain in more detail. Lute, though flustered, gave a rough account of what had happened between them.

After hearing the whole story, Yuriana laughed in disbelief.

It seemed she had completely misunderstood from the very beginning. Yuriana’s face flushed red.

But that didn’t mean Sir Raymond was a normal person.

He was shameless, a philanderer.

A few days ago, Yuriana’s lady-in-waiting, Cecil, had suddenly come to her, sobbing her eyes out.

Cecil had secretly had feelings for Sir Raymond since before the ball.

The reason she was crying was because of a strange rumor.

Yuriana had wondered if a secret rumor was circulating between Sir Raymond and Lady Grace, but it was something else entirely.

Apparently, Prince Romeo of the Rosebery Empire, who was staying as a guest at the palace, and Sir Raymond were in *that* kind of relationship.

Yuriana had been immensely shocked by the news.

At the same time, it made her uncomfortable. That was why she wanted Lute to stop associating with him.

But Lute kept taking his side, which angered her.

Sir Raymond or her. She wanted to tell him to choose right then and there, but Yuriana held her tongue.

Just then, Lute spoke.

“In any case, Sir Raymond is not a bad person. I was so grateful that I even gave him my most prized treasure. I had originally intended to give it to you, Your Highness…”

“…What is it?”

Yuriana’s brow furrowed. He gave the man something he was supposed to give to me?

Could it be that, not content with Prince Romeo, he was trying to sway Lute in that strange direction as well?

A wave of anxiety washed over her.

“Well… it is something I have cherished since I was a child. It is a holy relic from the temple.”

Lute began to explain in detail about the gift he had given Sir Raymond.

Yuriana’s expression darkened as she listened to the story.

“But…! If it is a holy relic, it ought to be given to the temple! How could you give such a thing to a man like that!”

“I know. But at the time, it felt like it was something I had to give him…”

“If you had given it to me, I would have kept it safe and then donated it to the temple. But Sir Raymond might sell it off for some strange purpose. What if the temple holds you responsible then, Sir Lute?”

“……!”

At those words, Lute’s expression crumpled. A sudden wave of anxiety washed over him.

Yuriana thought for a moment, then whispered in his ear.