Chapter 1 - Part 1
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“What?” Griffith, who was pouring champagne, reacted instantly.
Oscar also stared at Romeo with sharp eyes. Kalix, who had asked the question, was also surprised and his posture changed.
“What, what? What did you sense?”
“…”
On being asked again by Kalix, Romeo smiled significantly, without answering.
Boom boom!
Once again, with the sound of the servant hitting the floor with his cane, the emperor and his wife made their arrival.
The curtain was lifted, revealing the emperor and his wife in splendid gold and white robes.
Emperor Perseus was still middle-aged, and had a youthful appearance.
The ladies still looked at his handsome face and remembered the time when they had a crush on the Crown Prince in their youth.
People bowed their heads lightly to pay their respects to them.
Emperor Perseus raised a hand to greet them, and he and the Empress went down the stairs slowly.
The performers started playing elegant music.
The Empress separated from Emperor Perseus and headed to the place where the ladies were gathered.
“Your Highness.”
Lady-in-law and other maidens welcomed her. But even though it was a good day, the empress had a dark complexion.
Maybe because she felt bad that she left her little son with a cold in the bedroom.
Three years ago, a new prince was born to Emperor Perseus and Empress Marianne.
Cedric, Damien, and Julianna now had a younger brother.
She was in the middle of a conversation.
“Your Highness, do you know how long they are going to stay in the Imperial City?” A lady asked the empress with a flushed look.
The Empress’ eyes naturally followed the lady’s line of sight. They were young people who recently became a hot topic among the capital nobles.
“Are you asking because of the Princess’ marriage?”
At the empress’s question, her lady nodded her head, saying that she was right.
‘They’re decent candidates, though..’
The empress watched them and naturally recalled Julianna.
Julianna also had no fiancé, and it was soon time to get married.
Marianne was different from Emperor Perseus.
“I have not the slightest intention of marrying Julianna off, this soon…” Marianne wanted a son-in-law without a single flaw.
She wanted to give only the best to her daughter, like Emperor Perseus.
On the other hand, the four people who did not know the meaning of their gaze toward them exchanged serious glances.
“What is it, what is it?” Kalix looked at Romeo, who was frozen as if time had stopped, and asked hurriedly.
Romeo said with a frown, “… A flow of magic has been detected. Just wait a little bit.”
At the end of that, Romeo headed to the deserted terrace.
The other three looked seriously in the direction of Romeo’s disappearance.
They didn’t follow him on purpose because it would be easier to concentrate by being alone.
“By the way, banquets are not my cup of tea.”
Kalix loosened his cravat and stuffed it in his pocket elegantly.
“Why do you say that?” Griffith retorted sarcastically, and Kalix gulped down one champagne after another.
Oscar walked away alone, apparently uncomfortable with the curious gazes at him.
“…”
Ruth, who was standing in the distance, noticed their actions.
Then, Julianna, who briefly went to Emperor Perseus, approached Ruth.
“Julianna.”
Ruth smiled at Julianna, changing her expression straight away.
Her beautiful green eyes made his heart thump.
Julianna asked tenderly, looking at him, “Are you having a good time?”
“Of course.”
The two soon began to have a friendly conversation. Perhaps because they had their own memories when they were young, their awkwardness lasted shortly even though they met after a long time.
The conversation shifted to where the eyes of the ladies attending the banquet were facing.
“You’re not interested in them, are you?” Ruth asked in a slightly nervous voice.
Julianna raised her eyebrows as if it were what he meant, “You mean those guys?”
At Ruth’s words, Julianna’s eyes were directed there.
“Oh…”
When Julianna nodded as if she had heard of them, Ruth became more nervous and spoke.
“I’m afraid they might like you.”
Perhaps it’s because of nervousness, he unconsciously said stupid things.
Julianna smiled coyly at his words.
“…Why are you worried about them?”
“It’s because…”
“…”
Then, uninvited guests appeared between the two.
“What are you doing here, Julianna?”
Cedric and Damien popped up.
Even…
“…Your Majesty.”
Ruth was taken aback and honored to see the emperor’s face that followed the twins’.
“What were you talking about?”
Prince Damien asked with an inquisitive look.
Julianna replied with a grin, “About the people who make headlines among young children, brother.”
“Oh, those guys?” Cedric and Damien looked to the side at once.
Kalix, who unleashed his cravat like a scoundrel, and Griffith, who looked as thick as ever.
“What brings those two here? Those insidious b******s.”
“Oh, are they insidious?” Julianna was taken aback at Damien’s words.
Damien said with a smirk, “These guys… Do you know why they are here? It’s just to see you.”
Ruth felt sick the moment he uttered those words.
‘Damn it, so it was true?’
“What are you talking about?”
Ruth wasn’t the only one surprised by that. Emperor Perseus, who was watching, also became concerned.
“I’m sure I always bragged about my portrait of Julianna on the battlefield, and they saw it. Now, they came here to see Julianna for real.”
When Damien explained it properly, Julianna murmured, blushing, “…no way.”
“Why? Does it not make sense?” Cedric was rather proud of Julianna’s denial.
“What do you think of them, Julianna? Who are you going to marry if they all propose?”
Damien asked playfully. Now, the eyes of Emperor Perseus, Cedric, and Ruth were on Julianna’s face.
“I, um….”
Julianna hesitated for a moment and looked around Ruth for a very short time.
“I’ll have to impose a marriage ban.”
Emperor Perseus spoke, his eyes squinting.
“I agree, Father.”
“Me, too.”
Cedric, Damien went on to say, and Julianna laughed. It was a beautiful laugh.
Emperor Perseus smiled at Julianna. It felt like yesterday when she first called him father, trembling, but now, she has grown up to be an adult, a beautiful lady.
Although not a blood daughter, Emperor Perseus had never thought she was not.
That was how much Julianna meant to him.
His dead wife had left a scar on his chest. Julianna was his precious daughter with a warm smile, similar to that of his dead wife.
It was a pity, but Emperor Perseus had completely erased the existence of Lelia from his mind.
(ED/N: I’M CRYING PLS STAHP-)
He tried to find the child right after she went missing, but it soon felt futile. He didn’t want to bother taking revenge from the child whose mother bullied his wife.
Since she left the Imperial City on her own, he forgave her by letting her live freely.
“I agree. I won’t get married and will live with my family for the rest of my life!” Julianna replied with a bashful smile.
Emperor Perseus, Cedric and Damien laughed as if they had the whole world in front of them.
Ruth, on the other hand, forced a smile and swallowed his bitter saliva.
***
Eventually, the four men, Kalix, Oscar, Griffith, and Romeo, stormed out in the middle of the banquet.
They decided that they would not be missed since they had shown their face this much anyway.
They headed for the Imperial Palace, where the VIPs stayed.
They were the only ones in the library’s VIP room because the banquet was still in full swing.
As soon as they entered Romeo’s room, Griffith locked the door and asked, “You’re saying it’s been tracked, right?”
“Yes, but this is….”
Romeo tilted his head.
“What?”
“…I don’t think they’re that far away?”
“…what?” Oscar tilted his head, wondering if he heard it wrong.
Kalix and Griffith also looked blank.
“If I’m right… No, I’m sure. Either the one who stole the fountain pen or the one who killed Leo is near.”
“…….”
“They are in the capital. Very close.”
The eyes of the three turned to Romeo.
Looking at them, Romeo smiled with one corner of his mouth up.
“Let’s go.”
***
Early dawn three days before D-Day, the last day of the banquet.
It was early, even for the merchants who opened the store early.
Under the dark blue sky, four men dressed in black robes stopped in front of a building.
It was in front of the inn where Lelia stayed.
“Is it here?”
“That’s right. First of all… I’m gonna have to wait and see. I’m sure one of the guys who’s been in and out of here all day.”
***
It was late morning.
Lelia dragged her way out of bed.
The first thing she did after washing up slowly like a lazy person was to turn on the “Alchemy Lottery” screen.
“Well, that’s a lot.”
Lelia checked the materials collected by the dragons last night.
Then, she hurriedly opened the production screen and pressed the production button with the materials she had collected.
“Finally, it’s close to completion! The relationship favorability.”
The current favorability rate of the rabbit population was 99.999%.
If she handed this item over, she would be able to reach completion.
Lelia pressed the complete button with a light heart.
[Master! Congratulations! All the residents’ favorability has reached its highest level! ✩Reward: offering a 20% discount on 100,000 crystals!(*•̀ᴗ•́*)و ]
She wondered why it didn’t show up before.
‘This punk system….’
The time limit for payment was two hours.
Lelia decided to pay up.
The more crystals, the better.
When she charged the crystals, the speech bubble popped up again.
[Congratulations, Master! Special favorability, hidden quests, and special recipes are now open! To celebrate (*•̀ᴗ•́*) as a commemoration, we offer a 20% discount on 50,000 crystals!]
“You…”
Lelia briefly put her neck behind her. But soon, she calmed down and bought crystals again.
When she returned to the main screen, she saw a new button for special favorability and special recipes.
She pressed it to see what it looked like, but there was only a large [?] floating on the gray screen.
“I don’t know anymore- I should just eat first since I’m hungry.”
Lelia wore a robe, took the money and left the room.
And headed to the brunch shop nearby she saw yesterday.
It was a great restaurant, although it took a long time to come up after passing through a narrow alley.
Lelia walked there, humming under her breath.
A couple of minutes later, past the alley corner.
Ring ring.
Suddenly, she heard a notification. Lelia looked around for a moment and pressed the jewel on the necklace to display the screen.
The screen showed a bright-faced alchemy tool. Soon after, a speech bubble appeared.
- Master! 4 people who are highly liked are approaching within 2 meters! Complete the Hidden Quest to increase your favorability and open a special recipe!(••ᴗ-)
[Wait. What?]
***
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