"Hey, what's wrong with your eyes? Did what you got hit with yesterday swell up now?"
At Calix's words, Lellia flinched and lowered her head.
She had taken out medicine from her inventory to reduce the swelling in her eyes... but they were so swollen that it didn't have much effect.
Calix deliberately lowered his head as well, persistently staring at Lellia who was hiding her face.
"I said, did you get hit? Tell me. I'll go beat them up just the same. Huh?"
"It's just... from sleeping too much. I didn't get hit."
"Really?"
At Lellia's words, Calix finally backed off. She let out a breath of relief.
After what happened yesterday, it was now the next day.
Everyone except Oscar had gathered in Romeo's room's reception area.
"Oscar came this morning."
Griffith delivered the news. Romeo frowned.
"But why isn't he here?"
"He just showed his face and went right back out."
"...Did he go to Leo's grave?"
Lellia buried her head when Oscar's story came up. Her heart ached knowing he must have wandered all night because of her.
Romeo looked puzzled, then clapped his hands once. Lellia raised her head in surprise.
"Anyway, if Oscar's arrived, we need to make our next plans. Let's all say our final goodbyes at Leo's grave and go our separate ways."
"Good."
"Suit yourself."
At Romeo's words, Calix and Griffith responded in turn. Lellia also nodded.
"What about you? You said you had something to get from Route, is that done?"
Romeo gestured toward Lellia with his chin. Lellia swallowed and answered.
"Yes, it's done. I'm planning to return to my hometown now..."
"Oh really? Hmm..."
Romeo thought for a moment then spoke.
"Alright, I've decided. I'll go with you!"
"...What?"
"Really? Then I'll go too. Nothing to do anyway, and I don't want to do mercenary work."
Calix said as he lay down on the sofa. He looked like he was about to slide off.
Wait, what?
Lellia frowned. Who said they could?
Of course, going with friends is nice but...
"Really? Then me too."
Even Griffith said that.
Lellia suddenly recalled the distant past. There seemed to be a similar situation back then too...
"You're the captain's younger sibling, so we'll specially make you our youngest. Don't worry, we'll follow along."
"......"
Young... est? Youngest?
At Romeo's words, Lellia kept her mouth firmly shut.
"But Griffith. Are you sure it's okay for you to go?"
At Calix's question, Griffith also shrugged. It was an attitude that said it didn't matter.
Romeo narrowed his eyes and spoke.
"Then we should tell Oscar too. Ah, but can he? He's going to inherit the throne, so he'll be busy."
That's when it happened.
"I'm not busy."
"Waaah!"
Oscar suddenly appeared from behind Lellia and plopped down on the sofa. Right next to Lellia.
Including Lellia, Romeo and Calix also shouted "Wah!" Only Griffith remained calm.
"You crazy bastard! Use the door! The door!"
Romeo shouted, pointing his finger.
At those words, Lellia turned her head. Seeing the window behind her was open, it seemed he came in through there.
But through the window in broad daylight?
Evading the guards?
Well, it wasn't that surprising. Oscar also obtained a demon sword passed down in legend and gained tremendous power.
But on the other hand, it was chilling. That demon sword grows stronger the more blood it absorbs... and Oscar gained power through that sword.
Just how much blood did he absorb to gain what level of power?
The Oscar in her memories was a tender and innocent child who couldn't even hurt an ant.
Cute, lovable, and fragile. That kind of child.
"......"
But after last night, Lellia came to clearly accept it. The Oscar of the past and the Oscar of now were completely different people.
"...Huh. I wasn't surprised at all?"
Calix said to Romeo as if telling him not to act so startled.
It was a lie. Just now, he clearly shouted "Wah!" and jumped in surprise along with them.
Romeo must have thought the same, as he started pointing and telling him to stop spouting nonsense.
Watching the two bicker, Lellia calmed her thumping heart.
As she slowly caught her breath, a gentle voice came from beside her.
"I'll go with you too."
Lellia flinched and turned her head.
Sitting just a hand's span away from her, Oscar was looking at Lellia with his legs crossed in an elegant posture.
The Oscar of now was yet another different appearance from yesterday.
Relaxed, elegant. Far from being angry, he had a gentle expression and tone.
Thanks to his attitude acting as if nothing had happened, Lellia's mind was in turmoil.
And Griffith observed the two of them with a peculiar gaze.
Romeo, who had been bickering while wrestling with Calix, turned his head and asked.
"You're going together? What about the throne?"
"For the time being... there's someone who will serve as a figurehead."
At Oscar's answer, Calix muttered "He's talking about his father, isn't he? That unfilial son, unfilial son..." but Oscar didn't even care.
Lellia gazed into the void with an enlightened expression.
So...
She had to bring all of them back to the Superion territory?
Meanwhile, Route was spending a pleasant time with Princess Juriana.
The two had recently started dating, but since they hadn't officially announced being lovers yet, they were meeting secretly.
Princess Juriana made it look like she had invited him to a tea party with her ladies-in-waiting.
However, at the actual tea party location, there were only Route and Juriana.
A small garden decorated with a pretty tea table.
Even though it was a scene that would seem to exude sweetness even without dessert, Juriana's expression was not good.
It was because of the news a servant had brought just this morning.
It was outrageous.
The story that Prince Cedric and Prince Damian took Raymond to a duel was fine up to that point.
'My brothers are on my side after all.'
Princess Juriana's brow furrowed rapidly as she listened to the story with that thought.
"Suddenly Sir Griffith appeared and offered to do a bare-knuckle match instead! But the princes were beaten to a pulp and collapsed..."
"That's absurd! How dare he wound the imperial family's bodies!"
"Of course, afterwards he personally applied healing magic with divine power and left, they say..."
The servant answered anxiously.
Even so, Juriana was dumbfounded.
It wasn't just giving disease and medicine together—does beating someone half to death and then healing them make the sin disappear?
From what she heard, this person named Griffith definitely had mental problems.
To do something only a crazed murderer would do to the imperial family.
She heard that person was also royalty, but isn't this the Auraria Empire? How dare he do such things to the princes inside this empire's imperial palace!
She was venting to Route because she was angry about that incident.
Thinking of her brothers whose pride must have been hurt because of her, Juriana's heart ached.
Route gently comforted her and joined in criticizing this person named Griffith.
Then the conversation shifted to 'Sir Raymond.'
Since the two had decided to meet seriously, they agreed to use honorifics even when alone for the future.
Even though she was angry, Juriana spoke firmly using honorifics.
"He's truly a person without loyalty and a coward! I thought he was a good person... but not only did he torment me, he called someone named Griffith to insult my brothers?"
"......"
She was so angry she went on and on criticizing Sir Raymond, but there was no response from Route.
Just a moment ago, he was joining in when criticizing that Griffith person?
'Is he taking his side now?'
Juriana got a bit sulky. When she puffed her cheeks and crossed her arms, Route got flustered.
"Ah, no! It's just... Sir Raymond probably didn't think much of it. Unlike that guy Griffith, Sir Raymond isn't that bad of a person."
"...Do you really think so?"
"Actually... I received a lot of help from Sir Raymond before I confessed to you, Princess."
At those words, Juriana's eyes narrowed.
She urged him to explain in more detail. Though flustered, Route roughly explained the story of when they were together.
After hearing the whole story, Juriana laughed in disbelief.
Now she saw it, she had been completely mistaken from the start. Juriana's face turned red with embarrassment.
But that didn't mean Sir Raymond was a normal person.
He was a shameless playboy.
A few days ago, Juriana's maid Cecil had suddenly come to her sobbing.
Cecil had secretly had feelings for Sir Raymond since before the ball.
The reason she cried was because of a strange rumor.
She wondered if there were secret rumors circulating between Sir Raymond and Lady Grace, but it was something completely different.
Apparently, Prince Romeo of the Roseberry Empire, who was staying as a guest at the imperial palace, and Sir Raymond were in that kind of relationship.
At those words, Juriana was tremendously shocked.
At the same time, she felt creeped out. So she wanted Route to stop associating with him.
But Route kept taking his side, so she got angry.
Sir Raymond or herself. She wanted to tell him to choose right now, but Juriana held back.
That's when Route spoke.
"Anyway, Sir Raymond isn't that bad of a person. I was so grateful that I even gave him my most treasured possession. I was originally going to give it to you, Princess..."
"...What is it?"
Juriana's brow furrowed. He gave something meant for her to that man?
Could it be that not satisfied with Prince Romeo, he's trying to lead Route astray in that weird direction too?
Suddenly anxiety washed over her.
"Well... actually it's something I've cherished since childhood. It's a holy relic from the temple."
Route began to explain in detail about the gift he had given to Sir Raymond.
As she listened to the story, Juriana's expression grew darker.
"But...! If it's a holy relic, it should be given to the temple!! How could you give a holy relic to such a person!"
"I know. But at that time, for some reason I felt like I had to give it..."
"If you had given it to me, I would have kept it precious and donated it to the temple. But Sir Raymond might sell it to some strange place. And then the temple holds Sir Route responsible?"
"......!"
At those words, Route's expression crumpled. Suddenly anxiety washed over him.
Juriana thought for a moment then whispered in his ear.