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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 70
Chapter Title: A Risky Gambit
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With things having turned out as they did, Griffith and Oscar decided to hasten their departure.
"Be safe."
Calix and Romeo offered a brief farewell to the two men.
Lellia also shook hands with them. Or rather, she tried to.
Griffith accepted her handshake with a reluctant expression, but Oscar did not.
He gave his friends a cursory nod of farewell and left without another word.
He didn't meet Lellia's gaze even once.
*Oscar…*
Lellia bid him a silent, wistful farewell.
Griffith didn't linger either and departed immediately.
Griffith and Oscar planned to return in a month, on the day of Leo's birthday.
The four of them would gather again then to bid farewell at Leo's grave, after which they would go their separate ways.
From then on, they would each live their own lives.
*I have to find the sacred relic before they return.*
A month would be plenty of time.
*The problem is…*
Lellia glanced at Romeo and Calix as if they were obstacles.
The two men had insisted on staying in the capital to help Lellia until Oscar and Griffith returned.
Far from being helpful, they would only get in the way, but Lellia had no choice in the matter.
If she refused, they would only grow suspicious of her again.
That evening.
Lellia was having dinner with Calix and Romeo at a restaurant near their inn.
As the meal was ending, Calix spoke firmly to Lellia, who was trying her best to refuse.
"You don't have a way into the Imperial Palace by yourself, do you? That's why we're going to help. You're our sister, after all."
"..."
At Calix's words, Lellia had no choice but to nod. She had to hide her knowledge of alchemy, so there was no other way.
She had to get into the Imperial Palace with Calix and Romeo's help.
Just then, Romeo asked Calix with a look of disdain.
"Hey… what makes you so confident? Who are you planning to say she is? What if someone recognizes her?"
Calix blinked, as if he hadn't thought that far ahead.
"I knew it."
Romeo clicked his tongue, criticizing Calix.
"As long as it's not the Emperor, no one should recognize me."
"Is that so?"
Hearing this, Romeo thought for a moment before slapping his chest.
"No other choice, then. We'll say she's my fiancée."
Lellia couldn't believe her ears.
*What did he just say?*
"Not bad, Romeo. That's a great idea."
Calix gave him a thumbs-up.
Romeo smirked as if it were nothing and added.
"It's perfect, actually. I can just say I brought my fiancée to attend the final banquet tomorrow."
"..."
Lellia remained perfectly still, her eyes shifting.
*Enter the Imperial Palace as Romeo's fiancée?*
Lellia quickly calculated the possibilities.
"..."
Honestly, it wasn't a bad idea.
As long as she didn't run into Emperor Perseus.
But this was the Imperial Palace. The risk of encountering the Emperor was far too high.
Besides, a prince's fiancée would be a person of considerable status. If Emperor Perseus decided to investigate, her cover would be blown immediately.
*My plan was to sneak in and out precisely to avoid meeting the Emperor…*
It wasn't as if she was stealing anything. All she had to do was get into the cabin, start the search for the ingredients, and wait.
Lellia asked cautiously.
"But won't the Emperor be at the banquet? He might remember my face and become suspicious."
"Is that right? From what I've heard, he doesn't attend the final banquet."
"And the identity of a prince's fiancée is too risky. People will assume I'm a high-ranking noble, and word could get back to my supposed home country…"
As Lellia hesitated, Romeo thought for a moment before saying.
"Then we'll just say you're a distant relative."
Lellia nodded tentatively. That story would be easier to sell, just in case.
"...Then our only chance is tomorrow."
"Well… I can stay at the palace longer if I want. I heard quite a few guests are extending their stay this time."
Lellia fell silent at Romeo's response, deep in thought.
*Is this really okay?*
No matter how she thought about it, the plan was too risky.
It was something she could finish in a day; dragging it out by staying at the palace would only increase the danger. She didn't have that kind of time.
It felt all wrong.
Lellia mulled it over until, finally, a better idea came to mind.
"Actually, my original plan was to sneak into the Imperial Palace alone."
"...Do you know swordsmanship or hand-to-hand combat?"
Calix asked, surprised. Lellia shook her head.
"No. I have a potion that can put the palace guards to sleep."
"An alchemical potion?"
Romeo's brow furrowed. Fearing suspicion would fall on her, Lellia quickly added.
"Yes. The people who raised me after I escaped the palace as a child acquired it for me."
At Lellia's explanation, Romeo nodded in understanding.
*As long as they don't suspect I'm an alchemist.*
If they suspected her of being an alchemist, they might draw their swords on her again, calling her Leo's murderer. It was better to say someone else had given her the potion.
"Then let's do this."
Calix waved a large hand, drawing their attention.
Seeing Calix take charge like this made Lellia feel vaguely uneasy.
"Tomorrow, on the day of the final banquet, you, Romeo, will attend. And I will help Lellia sneak into the palace."
"...Hey, are you sure about that?"
Romeo asked, annoyed.
"Yeah. It's the perfect plan, isn't it?"
"What's so perfect about it? You want me to attend the banquet alone? You bastard… you just don't want to go, so you're trying to send me by myself!"
"What other choice is there? One of us has to attend to avoid suspicion. You expect me to go alone? I can't. The lights in the banquet hall make my eyes ache."
"..."
At the excuse about his eyes, Romeo's lips pressed into a firm line. Calix suppressed a laugh and shrugged.
Lellia stole a glance at Calix's eyes.
Unbound by the usual black cloth, his irises were a peculiar color.
Calix would eventually lose most of his sight, only able to distinguish people as dark, hulking shapes.
It was something that would happen in the not-so-distant future.
"...Fine."
Romeo replied, seeing he had no other choice. Calix turned to Lellia. "And you?"
Lellia gave an awkward nod. It was a better option than entering the palace as Romeo's fiancée.
