Chapter 1 - Part 1
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***
Lelia turned around and looked at him.
Oscar seemed to be urging her for an answer, but he had a nervous look in his eyes.
He looked like he wanted to hear the answer but didn’t want to.
In fact, Oscar knew the answer she would give.
She’d say no.
And he didn’t want to hear it.
He was about to tell her not to answer since he didn’t want to hear the expected response, but Lelia’s lips opened first.
“It’s…”
Lelia agonized over Oscar’s gaze.
Frankly speaking, she couldn’t do what Oscar said.
Because this was her home. But she would remain friends with Oscar for the rest of her life. That was what Lelia wanted, too.
However… Lelia can’t keep up with Oscar.
Oscar won’t be able to stay here because of who he was, either. He’s one who will be crowned emperor.
Lelia hesisted to answer trying to hide her thoughts.
If she speaks out straight away, Oscar won’t sit still. She could tell by the look in his eyes that he didn’t know where to go.
“Before I’m done with my work, I’ll answer you when you behave.”
“……”
The strange answer, neither rejection nor permission, caused a sound like the wind to leak out from Oscar’s mouth.
Like a fox… he responded, “The answer depends on how well I behave?”
“Maybe…?”
“… Okay, I’ll take it.”
Oscar simply handed his leash over to her.
Lelia’s eyes opened wide at the unexpected response. She thought he would ask her to answer right away…
Oscar raised his eyebrows as if what he said was wrong.
Lelia shook her head saying it was nothing and ran away back to her room.
Behind her, Oscar looked after her for a long time.
‘Yeah, as much as you want. Leo, only for you.’
***
The first night of her return to the territory was more comfortable than anywhere else, so she expected to sleep soundly, but she couldn’t sleep at all.
Was it because of the conversation she had with Oscar?
Lelia tossed and turned for a long time before getting up from her bed.
Since a large-scale update of the “Alchemy lottery” would take place two days later, she was thinking of organizing the items in advance since she couldn’t sleep.
She won’t be able to use the system during the upgrade anyway.
[I’m going to make my grandmother’s medicine in advance.]
Lelia went straight to the production screen and checked the recipe for the medicine to cure her grandmother’s disease.
[Alzheimer’s cure]
– List of materials required
∙ 99 beautiful grass (887209/99)
∙ 10 pieces of memory fragments (10/10)
∙ Pieces of old fibers (1/1)
∙ Crystal of Memories (1/1)
- Pieces of flame ash (9872238/999)
All the ingredients were gathered.
The beautiful grass and pieces of flame ash obtained by the dragon randomly at regular intervals were collected enormously.
That material almost broke the warehouse.
She hoped the warehouse limit will be increased from the update this time…
Lelia thought as she pressed the create button.
- We’ve completed 99 “Alzheimer’s Cure” productions! ((̀•oo•๑)
- Recipe Diagram is added!
[Wait. What?]
Lelia just stared ahead and blinked at the missing message window.
Did she get it wrong?
99?
When she rushed into the inventory, she saw an item that said “new.” It was the cure she just made.
But the quantity was really 99.
It seemed to be an item that was produced 99 times per production.
Just in case, she checked the explanation of the item by pressing it.
- A groundbreaking cure for Alzheimer’s disease!
- The effect of the medicine is a bit slow. If you drink more than one bottle, you may have an upset stomach, so be careful! (｡•ᴗ–)
A signal bottle is a dose? That meant 98 bottles remained even after treating her grandmother.
Lelia went back to the production screen.
[Alzheimer’s cure]
– List of materials required
∙ 99 beautiful grass (887209/99)
∙ 10 pieces of memory fragments (10/10)
∙ Pieces of old fibers (1/1)
∙ Crystal of Memories (1/1)
- Pieces of flame ash (9872238/999)
“……!!”
She couldn’t bear to sit down and jumped up from the spot.
Sometimes there were those items. Once you get them, you can use them without them disappearing permanently.
The crystal of memories, old fiber fragments, and memory fragments in this recipe seemed to be those ingredients.
The ash of the beautiful plants and fireworks was reduced in quantity, but the rest remained the same.
Firecrackers exploded in Lelia’s head.
[100 billion shillings will be done in no time.]
Of course, money is money, but… more important than that, this treatment was meant to be.
This treatment could save countless patients.
Grandma’s disease is called a divine disease here, but in modern times it was called Alzheimer’s.
Yet even in modern times, there was no cure here.
Old diseases and mental illnesses that cannot be cured by sacred power were all considered divine diseases.
It meant that it was an inevitable disease given by God, but many people had bad perceptions about it.
They avoided the disease and pointed their finger at the patient’s family.
They said the patient sinned against God and fell ill, creating a reason to alienate him.
But with this cure….
[The temple won’t sit still.]
But that’s all if she finds a way.
Lelia lay absentmindedly in bed, humming naturally as her heart pounded.
***
The Creek family mansion in the Superion estate.
The news of Lelia’s return to the estate quickly reached the families of the Superion servants.
The vassals knew that Lelia had been somewhere else for a top job, but not the capital.
There was a lot of noise going back and forth between the people who were discussing it.
“They’re not handing down the title to a girl who’s not even his own granddaughter, are
they?”
“Ugh! That’s ridiculous!”
“That’s right. No matter how old the Duke of Superion is, he wouldn’t have lost that much sense.”
Everyone dismissed it as nonsense, but there was a feeling of uneasiness because Lelia’s appearance was so similar to that of Elizabeth who died.
Meanwhile, the Creek family, who had been fond of Lelia’s existence from the beginning, was very busy.
The baroness was preparing to throw a tea party and invite Lelia as soon as possible.
“Before the Duke of Superion holds an adult banquet for the child, he must lay the groundwork in advance.”
It would be over once Lelia accepted another man’s proposal at the adult banquet.
The baroness wanted her son to be her mate.
Other households wanted to kick Lelia out, but not the Creek family.
The Baroness foretold her role as soon as she saw her resemblance to Elizabeth.
‘That girl will capture all the Superion people. Obviously.’
Then it would be better to get next to her as soon as possible than to kick her out.
Her hunch was right.
‘Unfortunately, things would have been easier if he hadn’t been cheeky with Lelia when he was a kid…’
She resented her son, but he still has a chance.
Her son, who returned from studying abroad in the capital city, fell in love at first sight when he saw Lelia on the main street.
The baroness tried to move their relationship forward between the two, but of course Lelia left the estate for the top job.
Now that she’s back, the Baroness has to move on quickly.
***
Meanwhile, Verbos Creek, the party involved, was looking in the mirror with a serious face.
When he heard that Lelia had returned to the estate this morning, he was delighted.
However, the servant delivered additional strange words.
“She brought a man?”
He is even said to be as beautiful and handsome as the statue of the temple.
Verbos snorted.
He wasn’t that ugly either. Wasn’t he quite popular in the capital?
‘Who the hell did you bring?’
Verbos bit his lips. It was disturbing, but it didn’t matter who it was.
Love without trials does not exist.
He confidently left the mansion and headed for Superion Castle. He was going to visit her officially. He should apologize for his rudeness when he was young and show his cool side.
***
After lunch, Lelia suddenly went to the reception room on the first floor when she heard that a guest had come.
Her grandfather and uncle went out for a while on the job of the estate, and now, Oscar was drinking his tea alone with her.
[Guest? Is there someone coming to see me?]
If it were her grandmother or aunt, they would not be described as a guest.
Lelia went down the stairs following the servant in bewilderment. Behind her, Oscar was following her.
At that time, she heard a low-pitched swear word behind her back.
“D*mn it, it’s sooner than I thought.”
Surprised by the harsh tone, Lelia turned her head and looked at Oscar.
“… Nothing.”
Oscar, with his burning eyes, replied in a gentle tone.
Oscar had really calmed down since yesterday’s promise to ‘be gentle’.
As a result, he didn’t hug her or force her to answer anymore.
His eyes were still fierce enough to eat her, but it was within control for now.
Lelia turned her head back and headed down to the drawing room.
The servant opened the door, and Lelia, who entered the drawing room, hardened.
“……!”
The large drawing room sofa was full.
Three men sat crookedly and turned their gaze to her.
The guests who came to visit her were Kalix, Griffith and Romeo.
Among them, one’s face was crumpled. It was Kalix’s.
“Hey! Are you living here dressed up as a woman? What the hell is that dress?”
[T/N: Kalix…]
***