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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 4
Chapter Title: The Boys She Must Avoid
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Lellia washed up and changed into her monastic robes.
During their stay at the sanctuary, all the young royals and nobles from various nations wore these white robes.
Many of the children complained, but Lellia was actually quite satisfied.
The fabric was much better than the old rags she used to wear.
*‘How did I live here in the original story…?’*
In the original story, Lellia had also come here in the Crown Prince’s place.
But it was never mentioned in much detail, because the original heroine and hero never came here.
In other words, it wasn’t the main stage for the protagonists. So, she couldn’t know the specifics of any hidden stories that weren’t in the novel.
The story of this place was mentioned in the original novel, but in a slightly different way.
*‘Later, the original male lead hears stories from this time from his comrades in the subjugation party.’*
The main supporting characters of the novel and the key figures who defeat the Mad Dragon. In other words, the men who would fall head over heels for the original heroine.
And they were staying right here, in the sanctuary of this neutral territory where Lellia was.
In the novel, the male lead, who joins the subjugation party late, hears about the events that took place here in the neutral territory.
Did her story ever come up in those conversations?
*‘Not at all.’*
Lellia was an expendable character in this novel. An insignificant and tragically fated one at that.
There was no way she would die like that.
Lellia bit her lip, deep in thought.
*‘First, I’ll live well here for three years… and after I return to my home country, I’ll be careful not to die.’*
I’ll avoid every single pond, and if possible, I won’t even walk around at all!
*‘To die by slipping and falling. Like some kind of moron… honestly.’*
It was a relief, in a way. How horrifying would it be to be assassinated by someone?
*‘I do get entangled with the original heroine… but I can just avoid that.’*
Lellia organized her thoughts, left her room, and headed for the dining hall.
It was mealtime.
*‘Come to think of it, I’m starving.’*
The royals and nobles gathered here lived like young acolytes. Though, being children of high status, their standard of living was completely different.
As she approached the dining hall, servants working for the sanctuary opened the doors for her.
Inside, dozens of large wooden tables were set up. Lellia found an empty seat and sat down.
Soon, the servants brought out and served the meal.
“Hey, are you okay?”
Just as she was about to start eating, a clear voice from beside her made Lellia turn her head.
“…”
It was a handsome boy with blond hair. He sat next to Lellia, smiling brightly.
“Looks like you’ve come to your senses?”
“…Uh, yeah.”
“Did you know? I’m the one who saved you when you almost drowned.”
“…Oh, um. Thanks.”
Lellia gave an awkward smile. For a mere ten-year-old, the boy boasted incredible beauty.
*‘But he’s got a foul mouth.’*
In any case, he wasn’t someone she wanted to get close to. He was a major character from the original story, after all.
“Is ‘thanks’ all I get?”
“…”
*‘But was this his original personality?’*
The boy’s name was Romeo Rosebery. He was a prince of the Rosebery Empire.
In the original story, after returning from the Mad Dragon subjugation, he was one of the typical fish in the heroine’s sea, falling in love with her at first sight.
*‘He was supposed to be incredibly kind and dignified…?’*
Lellia could only blink and stare at him.
“Don’t just stare, say something. Is your mouth sealed shut?”
Kind… dignified…?
*‘Doesn’t seem like it at all…’*
“…Thank you, really.”
Lellia said reluctantly.
“Wow. Thanks? Is that it? Aren’t you a crown prince? And all you have to say is thank you?”
“…Is there something you want from me?”
“Of course. Later, during prayer time, if the priests come looking for me, tell them I went to your room to play and fell asleep. And add that they shouldn’t wake me.”
“…”
“You’re a goody-two-shoes who pretends to be quiet all the time, and you’re a crown prince, so they’ll believe you. How about it?”
“Okay.”
“You’re surprisingly easy to talk to.”
Romeo grinned and began to eat the meal the servant had brought.
At least his table manners seemed full of dignity.
*‘His personality, however, is a total mess.’*
The children gathered here were mostly around the same age. Between nine and eleven years old.
Of course, she was a seven-year-old pretending to be ten, but there were always children who grew slowly no matter how well they ate.
Fortunately, there were quite a few kids here who were as small as she was.
Besides, Lellia’s official identity, Crown Prince Leo, had the image of being sickly since childhood, so no one suspected her.
*‘I have to eat well while I’m here.’*
The best part about coming here was the food.
Once she returned to her home country, it was obvious she wouldn’t be able to eat properly.
According to the novel’s plot, the emperor would change again not long after she returned, but Lellia’s situation would remain the same.
Just then, Romeo spoke to her again.
“Do you have a crest on your palm, too?”
“…Yeah.”
The children here were living as friends, forgetting their status back home. This was, of course, enforced by the sanctuary.
Fighting was forbidden, and they had to speak to each other informally.
The priests knew very well how to get the children to befriend each other quickly.
Eating together, running around, and playing all sorts of games.
If they were caught fighting, they had to pray for an entire day, so the children tried their best to get along.
They were children who had been taught proper etiquette, so there weren’t any major troubles.
*‘But why is this one so aggressive?’*
His way of speaking was just so…
“I’m curious about the crest of Auraria. Can you show me?”
“…Sure.”
Lellia opened her palm to show him the crest. Romeo compared it to his own with interest.
Just then, a murmur arose at the entrance of the dining hall.
As a boy walked in, the gazes of children at several tables turned toward him.
Romeo also looked over and muttered under his breath.
“I hate that bastard.”
“…Why?”
The person Romeo was talking about was someone Lellia also knew. The youngest prince of the Nicean Empire, Griffith Nicea.
One of the key figures in the party that defeated the Mad Dragon, and the man who would become the strongest holy knight in history.
*‘Also one of the heroine’s fish.’*
She had spoken to him before; he was a cold but calm and tidy child.
Moreover, despite his youth, he was so handsome that he naturally captured the other children’s attention.
“And I hate that one too. He’s pathetic and stupid.”
Romeo pointed with his chin.
A very small, silver-haired boy was eating slowly.
*‘That’s Oscar Hresvelg!’*
Silver hair and red eyes. It was impossible not to recognize him. Seeing that small child now, she was overcome with a sense of wonder.
*‘He’s such a monster in the original story… so this is what he was like as a child.’*
He looked so fragile now, but he was destined to become an emperor whom readers would call a psychopath.
*‘He’s ten but smaller than me? That’s a bit of a relief.’*
Lellia felt relieved even in this situation.
“Him too.”
Lellia followed Romeo’s gaze once more. It was a boy with dark skin and a rebellious look in his eyes.
He looked ill-tempered at a glance.
*‘Calix Ascad.’*
The nephew of the Ascad Empire’s emperor.
And the one who would make the greatest sacrifice after subjugating the Mad Dragon.
All the guys Romeo said he hated were key members of the Mad Dragon subjugation party and destined to become the original heroine’s fish.
*‘What’s with this kid? Can he sense his future rivals for the heroine’s affection…?’*
Lellia looked at Romeo with a bemused expression.
*‘Would you believe it if I told you that the guys you hate… will later become your most precious comrades in the subjugation party?’*
He probably wouldn’t believe her at all. In fact, he was more likely to grab her by the collar and tell her to stop spewing bullshit.
Lellia shook her head inwardly. It was none of her business anyway.
The Mad Dragon subjugation would end safely, and at least these four wouldn’t lose their lives.
They had nothing to do with her.
*‘To be honest, they’re not lacking in any way compared to the original male lead…’*
But the original male lead had a special advantage.
He had known the original heroine since childhood!
The heroine eagerly awaits the male lead’s return from the subjugation party. And after he comes back, they resolve several misunderstandings, confirm their feelings, and share a sweet romance. And then…
*‘Her father and brothers get jealous watching the two of them.’*
That’s right. The original novel was a ‘pampering story’ where the heroine healed while receiving endless love from her new father and stepbrothers.
And the setting of that novel was none other than Lellia’s home country, the Aurarian Empire.
*‘The original heroine’s new father is the true emperor who reclaims the throne. In other words, the older brother of the evil emperor who sent me here.’*
The current emperor believes his older brother and his sons are dead, but they were actually alive.
He was probably working hard right now to prepare to reclaim the throne.
His name was Perseus Auraria. The rightful heir and the true emperor who would one day reclaim his throne.
After Perseus reclaims the throne, he remarries a woman from a family that helped him in the rebellion, and their daughter is the original heroine.
*‘She was a very lovely heroine. One who made everyone around her happy with her bright, lovely smile…’*
Perseus was a man tormented by grief and guilt over the death of his wife and their infant child.
The one who opens his closed heart and heals him is the original heroine, ‘Yuriana’.
In the end, Perseus becomes a complete fool for his daughter and dotes on the original heroine.
To the point where he would offer the entire empire for Yuriana’s sake.
Lellia made up her mind.
*‘Right, I’m supposed to die not long after Perseus reclaims the throne… I have to be extremely careful.’*
After all, Perseus also finds Lellia’s existence to be a nuisance.
One might think he’d feel for his dead sister’s daughter… but that wasn’t the case.
Perseus hated his younger sister, who had despised and persecuted his wife in the past.
How could he possibly look kindly upon the daughter of the sister he hated so much?
*‘When I return to my home country, I need to prepare to seek asylum.’*
Even if she survived, staying in the imperial palace would just lead to her starving to death. She was sick and tired of starving.
During her days living in a corner of the imperial palace, she had even eaten dirt because she was so hungry.
To be honest… she felt like she would do anything as long as she was given food. That was also why she was currently acting as the crown prince under the emperor’s orders.
*‘Emperor Perseus is a bit of a concern… but whatever, it doesn’t matter.’*
Lellia, who had been lost in thought, was suddenly startled.
Romeo’s face was right in front of hers.
“Wh-what is it?”
“You were just staring into space, so I got curious. So what about you? You hate them too, right?”
“…Um, well.”
*Is there any reason to hate them? Not that I like them, either.*
At Lellia’s reaction, Romeo’s eyebrows furrowed.
“You’re my friend, aren’t you? If you’re my friend, you should hate the people I hate. Don’t you have a brain in that head of yours?”
“…”
*Should I just tell him?*
*That they’ll become your comrades later? That you’ll all compete for the same woman? And that all of you will get rejected?*
*How annoying…*
“I don’t really care either way.”
Lellia replied reluctantly, scoffing inwardly.
*‘And since when were we friends? I’m grateful you pulled me out of the water, but I’ll pass on being friends.’*
Her goal was simply to live as quietly as possible in this sanctuary without her identity being discovered, and then go home.
The four key figures who would defeat the Mad Dragon in the future were nearby, but they had nothing to do with her.
*It’s none of my business! Get lost, all of you!*
*‘I will never get involved with them!’*
Yes. That was the plan…
