Chapter 1 - Part 1
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Bonus Chapter (1/2)
My Childhood Friends Are Trying To Kill Me now has extra chapters up on kofi-shop! Buy them now, only at https://ko-fi.com/rainofsnow/shop ! Tier 1 with 3 advance chaps is for 5$, tier 2 with 7 advance chaps is for 12$, and tier 3 with 10 advance chapters is for 18$~
***
“It’s really okay…”
“Stop.”
It was Griffith who stopped Lelia, who was trying to explain that it was really okay.
“It can’t be okay. A 10-year-old child….”
How frightening and hard it must have been in that vast castle.
Griffith turned bitterly, swallowing back words.
Lelia became embarrassed as the atmosphere seemed to have become solemn in an instant.
[I didn’t bring it up for this…]
It was fortunate that she said the twin brothers insulted Lelia as soon as they saw her for the first time.
If she had even said that she had knelt down for hours and apologized for pushing Princess Julianna, the atmosphere would have been even worse.
“But I was really good. I didn’t have a family, but… Because I have you guys.”
When Lelia spoke comfortably, Romeo sighed deeply.
“Our captain, you’ve gotten a lot calmer in your life, haven’t you? It breaks my heart.”
“What?”
When Lelia frowned, Romeo split his face.
“If it were your personality, you wouldn’t have stayed still. No? You were a good leader to your three-year-older-than-you brothers…”
“Stop it…”
Romeo giggled even though Lelia clenched her teeth and warned.
But Romeo wasn’t wrong.
When he was living in the temple, he was rather active without any worries.
But after returning to the Imperial City, the self of those days… she couldn’t think of anything but to live breathlessly in fear of death.
The only thing she thought all the time was to survive was fear of knowing the future.
Even if she went back to the past now, Lelia would have been as small as a shabby mouse in front of them.
But not anymore.
After the golden spell was lifted, Lelia was freed as if she had gained a new life.
Now, she doesn’t have to be afraid of making a slip of the tongue anymore, and she doesn’t have to worry about losing her life while talking in her sleep.
As she hoped, she confessed the truth to her friends and was forgiven.
There was nothing more to ask for.
“I’m all right now that I have you guys.”
Lelia spoke as if she had finally gained freedom.
Even the wind was fresh.
She was happy as if she were back in her childhood.
Except for a few unpleasant things, she can’t be more light-hearted.
She gave her grandfather all of her uncle’s secret reports and evidence of corruption, so she was relieved of her family’s concern.
Grandmother was also recovering her health faster than before.
All she has left to worry about is….
[Kalix, what do I really do with him?]
[I’ll explain something to you when I see you. I couldn’t find an answer because I kept avoiding it.]
[But I can’t visit you at night…]
[I might be treated as a pervert again when I visit you at night.]
And another concern was the nanny and emperor Perseus who would appear in the capital.
And finally….
[These past few days, Alchemy has been strangely quiet.]
At first, she thought there was a system error.
She liked it because it was quiet, but she felt anxious because it felt like the eve of a storm.
In order to pay off her debts, she had to carry out a mission, but Alchemy didn’t even bring up the “purpose” of the mission.
[I’m saving money for the game with the newly updated business system….]
[I don’t know… it’s gonna be alright?]
Lelia decided to enjoy the peace for a while, putting off her worries until later.
“Come on, Captain, how about calling us brother from now on?”
“This is really….”
If it weren’t for Romeo, she would have kept a little more peace.
Lelia clenched her fists and rushed at Romeo as if she had returned to childhood.
Romeo screamed weakly and hid behind Griffith and Oscar, who was sitting next to Lelia.
***
The Imperial Castle, Auraria
The atmosphere of the Imperial Castle was a mess because the emperor fainted for several days and couldn’t come to his senses.
During those days, Prince Cedric handled politics instead, and the nobles of the empress disapproved of the fact and did not attend political meetings.
Then the nobles of the pro-Imperial faction began to accuse him of not performing his duties.
In such a messy atmosphere, Emperor Perseus woke up in a week.
The servants felt the unprovoked goose bumps when their eyes met the awakened emperor.
He looked haggard after losing weight, but his eyes were so handsome and fierce that they could start a war right away.
The emperor, who woke up in just a few days, suddenly called in Count Adolf.
And at the first command he gave, Count Adolf tilted his head as if puzzled.
‘Why did the Duke of Superion, who had not been contacted for a while, suddenly…?. After Cedric, do you intend to empower Prince Damian?’
Count Adolf moved quickly to carry out the order despite his doubts.
That night.
Emperor Perseus stood by the window, confirming that a bird had set out to deliver the letter.
The way he looked at the dark sky was hideous.
After waking up in a few days, he judged as if he had regained his reason.
‘The child is alive. Obviously.’
The face that came to mind along with the fact was that of a woman who had invaded the Imperial Castle not long ago.
The face that looked so much like Elizabeth.
And…
Raymond.
Lord Raymond, who had been a guest of the Imperial City not long ago. The atmosphere was wonderfully similar to that of the child.
Looking back, it was clear that the child pretended to be a man by deceiving his hair color or gender.
Elizabeth, who died, was a wizard and was always secretly working on alchemy.
The child must have inherited his wife’s ability.
Perseus clenched his fist.
An unknown intuition was telling him.
That the Duke of Superion would have something to do with it.
***
“Father, are you crazy?”
“No, but this guy….”
Late at night, The Duke of Superion’s Office.
The Duke raised his fist and slapped his cheeky son’s head.
“Carius, you are sick!”
He shouted and still looked rebellious.
“No, you’re going to admit it? So what happens to our Lelia? Will Emperor Perseus stay still?”
“…….”
The Duke sighed, rubbing his stiff beard.
‘Almos Galicia, he’s already giving me a headache..’
The duke was also confused.
But he didn’t mean to reverse the decision.
This morning, a bird arrived from Auraria’s Imperial Castle.
It was with a letter from Emperor Perseus.
Upon hearing of the letter, the Duke of Superion expected a different reason.
‘I thought you’d ask for something to strengthen the position of the princes…’
The emperor’s message was unexpected.
Not long ago, a nanny who was taking care of little Lelia visited the Imperial Castle. It was the nanny that Lelia told him about before.
‘She was missing… I can’t believe the Emperor is looking for you.’
The emperor found out that Elizabeth, who died, had a child.
It was time to reveal the existence of Lelia.
There is no secret that can be hidden forever anyway.
Furthermore, Emperor Perseus was already suspicious of Superion.
Based on the whereabouts of Superion, he decided that he would know the whereabouts of the child.
Recalling the anger felt in the letter, the Duke of Superion laughed.
The Duke had no excuse to avoid suspicions of Perseus’ emperor.
He was going to admit it. Lelia has been raised under the protection of this Superion estate.
“The Emperor Perseus may be held accountable.”
“It doesn’t matter.”
The Duke didn’t care what Carius said.
“Father!”
“How long can we keep her tied up here?”
“What do you mean? Didn’t you hear what Lelia said? Lelia’s house is here! It’s not the Imperial Castle!
“Carius.”
“…….”
“There is no truth that can be hidden forever.”
At the Duke’s words, Carius was reluctant.
He did not want to inform Emperor Perseus of the existence of Lelia.
‘What are you going to do if you know that now?’
Emperor Perseus will surely take Lelia to the Imperial City and tie her up.
When he thought of Lelia, who would be trapped in the castle like a doll, he felt sick.
The dead sister was also tied to the castle.
‘Perseus…’
Because of his greed, Superion lost his precious sister and daughter.
‘If we lose Lelia…’
Carius shook his head. No matter how hard he thought about it, it wasn’t this.
“Father.”
“Lelia will judge everything. If Lelia says she’ll go back to the Imperial Castle, I’ll let her go, and if she says she won’t go…”
At the Duke’s words, Carius laughed.
“Ha! Emperor Perseus will send an army of wizards to take Lelia.”
“If she doesn’t want to, he can never take her from here. As long as my throat is cut off.”
***
At that time, Lelia was in a deep sleep.
After the magic of golden words was solved, she was able to achieve a sweet and deep sleep unlike before.
Like all the worries are gone.
Inside the room was peaceful and still, with only a small breath of Lelia being heard.
It was then.
Ring ring!
With an unidentified sound, a small screen came to mind in front of Lelia, who was lying in bed.
Lelia, in deep sleep, was a message that she couldn’t see.
-WARNING – X_X WARNING-
– Unknown Force will attempt to access the server.
– System: System Error
– System: Security mode inoperative
– Security mode has been disabled by ‘unknown force’. ∑(;°Д°)
– System: Unable to block information.
– Information is viewed by “unknown power”. Please block the information by resetting the settings right now. ｡ﾟ(*´□`)ﾟ｡
– System: Unable to block system
-WARNING – XX_X WARNING-
– In <3 seconds from now, some information from the user will be shared. Please block the information by resetting the settings now! Please block the information by resetting the settings now!
[<3>]
[<2>]
[<1>]
- System: System Hacking Completed
[T/N: You all know who this is :)]