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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 54
Chapter Title: A Trip to the Capital
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The atmosphere at dinner was warm and cheerful.
It had been that way ever since the Mad Dragon was slain and the war ended not long ago.
This was because Carius was scheduled to return to the territory soon.
“I received a letter from Carius. He said he’ll be back before the end of spring at the latest.”
“That’s a relief.”
Lellia nodded as she listened to her aunt and grandfather’s conversation.
Her grandmother sat beside her, watching Lellia eat with a benevolent expression.
Depending on her condition, Lysandra either saw Lellia as Elizabeth or as her granddaughter, though her attitude didn’t change much either way.
When she saw Lellia as herself, however, her affection was more pronounced. After all, those were the times when she was in her right mind.
“Dear, you must eat your vegetables too.”
“…”
Lellia, who had been secretly pushing aside her bell peppers, was caught red-handed by her grandmother.
“Our Elizabeth always ate her vegetables so well…”
“Yes, Grandmother. I eat them well, too.”
Lellia speared a piece of bell pepper with her fork, popped it into her mouth, and chewed with an exaggerated expression.
Her uncle Zenon scolded her for being a picky eater at her age, but Lellia pressed her lips together firmly.
He was one to talk, refusing to eat seafood because he disliked it.
As Lellia shot him a meaningful glance, Zenon subtly turned his head away.
Seeing this, both her grandfather and her aunt laughed out loud.
Lellia felt a pang of regret. Once she left the territory for a while, she would have to say goodbye to these warm family dinners.
As the meal drew to a close.
Lellia carefully began to speak.
“Um, Grandfather, Grandmother. Uncle, Aunt.”
Her serious tone drew everyone’s attention.
Swallowing her nervousness, Lellia spoke with courage.
“There’s something I need to tell you… I… I’d like to go to the capital.”
“…”
“The capital?”
“Why the capital?”
At the mention of the capital, the expressions of her grandfather, uncle, and aunt soured.
Their faces had likely darkened because of Emperor Perseus, who resided in the capital.
“Are you perhaps planning to visit your father?”
Her eldest uncle, Zenon, asked, his tone slightly hurt. Lellia quickly shook her head.
“That’s not it at all! The truth is… there’s an alchemical medicine I’m researching. To get the ingredients, I have to go to the capital.”
“Hmm…”
A silence fell over them as everyone seemed lost in their own thoughts at Lellia's words.
“Would it be difficult to send someone to find them for you?”
“I have to be the one to go.”
Lellia replied firmly to her aunt's question.
“…You may go.”
Duke Superion spoke after a long silence. Lellia looked at her grandfather with surprised eyes.
‘I thought Grandfather would be the most opposed…’
She was bewildered by his unexpected reaction.
“However… child.”
“Yes.”
“I have just one thing to ask of you. You must promise to come back at least once.”
“What do you mean… at least once, Grandfather!”
Lellia’s eyes grew moist. It seemed her grandfather thought she was planning to leave for good.
“I’m going to the capital to cure Grandmother’s illness. Of course I’ll come back. This is my home…”
As Lellia spoke through her tears, Duke Superion smiled benevolently. The wrinkles around his eyes had deepened since they first met.
“In that case, I won’t worry.”
Despite the Duke’s answer, Lellia continued to cry.
Her heart ached, guessing what he must have been feeling when he agreed to let her go.
“Father, you shouldn’t upset the child and make her cry for no reason. Do you really think Lellia would only come back once? This is her home.”
“That’s right, Father… Lellia, stop crying now, okay? Your aunt will give you some spending money.”
Lellia finally laughed at the way her uncle and aunt took her side, still treating her like a child.
Atias, who had been looking at Lellia with a fond expression, suddenly said with a start,
“As it happens, my husband needs to travel near the capital for his merchant company’s business, so you could go with him.”
“Yes, that would be good.”
Lellia nodded at her aunt and uncle’s words.
Uncle Zenon and her aunt did not live in Superion Castle but had their own homes and families in nearby manors.
She had seen Uncle Zenon and her cousins a few times, but she had almost never met Aunt Atias’s husband.
This was because he was always busy running his merchant company.
That was why Lellia had speculated that her aunt’s gambling debts might have stemmed from loneliness.
However, no matter how much she investigated, she found that her aunt had no such hobby as gambling.
‘The future must have changed.’
Lellia thought it was a relief. Still, just in case, she planned to finish her business in the capital as quickly as possible and return.
Other things were important, but for Lellia, protecting her family was her top priority.
