Chapter 1 - Part 1
***
Kalix came closer with a look on his face like an old man trying to catch and discipline his subordinates in the army.
He scratched his forehead with his index finger as if confused, and set Lelia and Oscar far apart.
“Hey, if you’re a concubine, behave like a concubine.”
“…”
At Kalix’s words, Oscar ignored him and turned his head.
On the other hand, Lelia stared at Kalix with wide eyes.
‘What do you mean concubine? Where did he learn that?’
“Lelia, you should behave properly, too. If you’re only nice to your concubine, you’ll collapse in an instant. Didn’t you hear that from your uncle?”
“…”
‘What the hell did my uncle tell Kalix?’
Lelia looked at Kalix’s sense of humor with the feeling of facing an explosive.
“You just kissed the concubine. Do it here, too.”
Kalix reached out his hand.
“What, what are you doing?”
Lelia was embarrassed, but Kalix pushed his big hand closer with determination.
The moment Oscar tried to stop him, Lelia blocked him.
Honestly, the relationship between her friends and Oscar seemed unusual. It was probably because of last time.
And he fought with Kalix at the end…
Lelia was afraid that there would be a fight right away. She didn’t want to see her friends fighting again.
In order to stop the fight between the two, she could have kissed the back of Kalix’s hand, but Oscar was wary.
Now that they have confirmed each other’s feelings, it was a natural reaction because Oscar was like a lover.
When she realized that, she felt itchy in her heart.
“Hurry up, hurry up.”
“Do it four times.”
“Oh, I see.”
She glanced at Oscar in response to Kalix’s urge.
Oscar looked like he was holding back his disapproval.
Lelia was worried that Oscar would be angry right away, but was relieved to see his reaction.
‘I guess he won’t get jealous by this much.’
Oscar definitely seemed jealous, but it was unexpected.
Kalix seemed to be okay because they had been friends with each other since they were young.
On the other hand, when Lelia thought of Oscar kissing another woman’s hand… Just thinking about it made her fever soar.
She remembered that she was angry when she saw Oscar smiling at another woman last time. Now that she thought about it, what she felt at that time was definitely jealousy.
But she thought it would be okay if the other people were her friends.
A kiss on the back of Oscar’s hand…
She couldn’t imagine it, but it didn’t matter. Rather, she thought it would feel good because they looked close.
Oscar must feel the same way.
With that thought, Lelia kissed the back of Kalix’s hand, urging him.
“Yes, it’s fine now.”
Kalix said with a smile. He seemed satisfied that he had been kissed twice more than Oscar.
Like that, Lelia headed to the garden house with Kalix and Oscar.
“When should I tell your family?”
While walking, Kalix suddenly asked.
Lelia didn’t understand what he was saying, but she was convinced that the explosive, which she was worried about.
“What are you talking about?”
“You, me, and him getting married.”
“…”
Lelia stopped there and her body stiffened.
‘Kalix, you’re really…’
“What are you talking about?”
Oscar asked, frowning. Kalix replied in high spirits.
“What do you mean? It means I’ll accept you as a younger brother.”
“…”
“Didn’t you hear what I said yesterday? You need to get some education from uncle Karius. It’s not the basic position of a concubine.”
“…”
“Listen. Lelia and I will get married first. You can marry Lelia only when I allow it.”
“Who said such nonsense?”
Oscar muttered in a voice suppressing anger. Kalix responded cheekily.
“Whose heart do you want? Anyway, I am the only one who accepts it, so be thankful.”
“…”
“Griffith, Romeo? I don’t think they are here.”
Kalix shrugged, saying that he was the only one who treated him specially. Oscar ignored it as if it was not worth answering back.
Lelia was confused.
Really, it’s so….
Whenever Kalix did this, Lelia ignored it and explained it properly.
But neither of them had ever worked.
Kalix was just a person who believed what he wanted to believe. No one could beat that stubbornness.
He might still think of Lelia as a man. Even so, Lelia was confident that she would not be surprised.
She sighed because she was at a loss.
As they walked like that, they were in front of the garden house.
“Kalix, just marry one… You only do it with one person.”
As Lelia entered the inside, she endured the frustration of her chest and barely said it.
“Are you saying it’s okay for him to be a concubine?”
The return answer was even more spectacular. Kalix pointed to Oscar and called him the “concubine.”
‘Are you telling Oscar to be a concubine?’
Lelia crumpled her forehead. Indeed, Kalix seemed to think that he had already married her.
How can he be like that?
“Kalix, you and I have never been married.”
“Since we decided to do it, it’s the same as we have already done it.”
“I’ve never decided to do it.”
“You have. You attacked me.”
“That’s…”
Lelia closed her lips tightly. She was angry from the inside.
Oscar asked with his eyes as if he were saying something.
Romeo, who was already here, beckoned to come quickly. Lelia endured and approached the table.
And an uncomfortable tea time began.
***
Meanwhile, Auraria Castle.
Cedric wandered around the room with uneasy steps.
This morning, the emperor woke up.
However, the emperor, who barely opened his eyes, was out of his mind.
“Where am I?”
He asked like that in a hoarse voice. He crumpled his forehead as he watched Cedric crying in front of his eyes.
“Who are you?”
At that, Cedric felt like he had been hit in the head. The emperor did not recognize his son.
It wasn’t just that. There were only a few people that the emperor recognized. No one knew except for a few servants. Even his family.
In a hurry, doctors and wizards treated the emperor.
After a long treatment, the doctors said with an expression of apology.
“It’s… You seem to have forgotten all the memories of decades. I think it’s because he is too shocked..”
“Of course…”
The empress was surprised, and Julianna trembled and cried.
“Memories may return quickly, or they may not. However, if you force yourself to reveal it, he may have a problem. For the time being, he should better relax and face only the people he remembers.”
At the doctor’s words, the emperor’s bedroom was taken under control.
The people who could meet the emperor were lawmakers, doctors and some servants he remembered.
Exactly, the emperor had returned to his seventeen years old, even before meeting his first love.
The unconsciousness erased memories for someone.
He wasn’t the only one who was shocked.
When the emperor became like that, one of the subordinates who visited the temple and the duke following the emperor, who had been closing his mouth all along, visited Cedric and said,
“…I can’t believe it.”
Cedric couldn’t come to his senses at the unbelievable fact.
At first, he denied reality.
How could that happen… No way. It would be a lie.
However, his words began to be accepted as truth.
His hands and feet trembled and his heart pounded. His head was dizzy and he felt out of breath.
“I can’t believe my mom is alive.”
Even when he said that, he couldn’t feel that it was true.
Sooner or later, Damien and Julianna came to their places. Cedric tried to stay calm and told them the truth.
“Hey, I can’t believe it. Your mom is definitely…”
“Yeah, I thought so… Our father also knew that, but why did he come back alone?”
Cedric didn’t understand.
The subordinates also could not give a detailed explanation because they did not know.
All Cedric heard was that Elizabeth was living in the Superion’s territory and that the emperor knew it.
What the emperor did to Elizabeth due to the madness was a truth that only three people, Lelia, the emperor, and Elizabeth, knew.
“Why did my father come back alone? Why did you cut your arm? Why? Our mother is alive. Why…?!”
Damian muttered as if he were confused. Cedric managed to answer.
“Our mother said she lost her memory.”
“What, memories?”
Damian blinked. She lost her memory like their father? Does that mean she doesn’t remember them?
That couldn’t have happened.
How can their mom…
Damien bowed his head because he had no time to wipe away the dripping tears.
Likewise, Julianna, who was shocked, carefully opened her mouth.
“That person… If it’s true that she’s alive and has lost her memory… Shouldn’t you go meet your mother in person?”
“Yes, we should.”
“Please take me, too!”
“What?”
“I’ll persuade him, Lelia, that girl…!”
At Julianna’s words, Cedric and Damian’s expressions hardened.
“But…”
“Please… I will persuade her. Really!”
Julianna was desperate. She felt terrible about this situation where her father didn’t remember her.
She expected that all hard times would come to an end when her dad would open his eyes. It was so painful.
Anyway, she couldn’t take care of her father right away. She couldn’t even get close because he needed absolute stability.
It would have been better to follow her brothers there. If she stayed still here, she would lose my mind.
In addition, it seemed that the child’s help was essential for the father to regain his memory.
Julianna was going to beg Lelia for help if necessary.
She had to go and bring the child back to her father’s memory.
“Okay… Let’s leave as soon as possible.”
Cedric made a decision.
A few days later, the two princes and Julianna left the capital and headed for the Superion Territory.
Her fiance, Ruth, was also in the wagon in which Julianna was present.
Ruth held Julianna’s hand tightly and encouraged her.
“I am sure she will grant your request. If not, I’ll request her with you. Even thinking about the past friendship with me, she won’t turn away from me… So don’t worry, Julianna.”
Ruth, who was still delusional, said.
Julianna mumbled thanks and nodded her head.
***
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