Early dawn the next day, Lellia and Oscar quickly made their way toward the territory.
Far in the distance, the tip of Superion Castle's tower came into view. Lellia's heart pounded wildly.
Grandfather, grandmother, uncles and aunt, even Becky.
Though it should have been obvious, the fact that precious family members were waiting for her made her heart swell with emotion.
It was just before passing through the checkpoint at the territory's border.
Lellia once again urged Oscar with words she had repeated many times.
Not to call her 'Leo.'
After repeating the same words enough times to become annoying, irritation settled on his expression.
"I heard you, so you can stop saying it. As long as you don't try to run away from me, I won't make things difficult for you."
"...This is my home, where would I run away to?"
At Oscar's sharp reply, Lellia answered timidly.
When she said 'my home,' subtle anger settled on Oscar's expression, but Lellia didn't notice it.
Lellia safely passed through the territory checkpoint together with Oscar.
Unlike the towns they had passed through before, priests were not often seen in Superion territory.
It seemed because it was a region far from the capital and too distant from the sacred neutral zone.
Seeing the peaceful scenery of the territory, her mind eased.
Her nose tingled for no reason, making it feel like tears might come.
When they arrived in front of the lord's castle like that.
Lellia realized something was amiss when she saw the gatekeeper who didn't recognize her.
'I forgot I was disguised as a man.'
She had momentarily forgotten while only urging Oscar not to call her 'Leo.'
How to explain to her family once inside the castle. And how to make excuses to Oscar—thinking about it made her mind go blank.
Meanwhile, when she showed the seal her grandfather had given her, the gatekeeper immediately bowed and opened the gate.
Lellia drove her horse to the main castle building while tense.
Upon reaching the main castle entrance, Oscar dismounted first and reached out his hand to Lellia.
Lellia hesitated briefly before taking his hand and dismounting. A servant took the horse toward the stables, and before long, the main castle's doors opened wide.
"My child!"
"Grandfather!"
The first to welcome Lellia was her grandfather.
Perhaps because they didn't hear the news when she passed the territory border and only heard it when she reached the castle gate.
Duke Superion's hastily emerged appearance was unmistakable.
Thinking of her grandfather who must have rushed out in a daze upon hearing the news, Lellia immediately ran up the low steps, taking several at a time.
"Grandfather..."
"Yes, our Lellia. My child... you've come, you've really come. It's really you. Yes...!"
Duke Superion grabbed Lellia's cheeks and contorted his face.
At her grandfather's even warmer welcome than expected, Lellia choked up.
Her grandfather's attitude was surprised and welcoming, as if someone who was never expected to return had come back.
The tears pooling in Lellia's eyes flowed down.
"Of course I came. It took too long, didn't it?"
"No, it's fine. It's fine. As long as you came, that's enough..."
When she asked with a tearful voice, the duke said no and embraced his granddaughter, stroking her hair.
Hot tears spread across his wrinkled cheeks.
It was then. Over the duke's shoulder, someone came running out making a strange sound.
"Lellia!"
Lellia slipped out of her grandfather's embrace and turned her head, bursting into tears.
"Uncle...!"
"......"
Uncle Carius, whom she met after 6 years, was still handsome. Perhaps having lost some weight, his cheeks were thinner.
His expression as he looked at Lellia was a mess.
He contorted his face trying to hold back tears, but they pushed past his eyes and flowed down regardless.
Lellia ran to her uncle who had both arms extended and sobbed in his embrace. Crying sounds came out like a ten-year-old child wailing.
It had been that way since she was young. Lellia always acted more mature in front of her grandfather and grandmother.
But in front of her uncle, childlike behavior appropriate to her age would often emerge.
Lellia didn't know that Carius and Duke Superion, who knew this fact, had been even more heartbroken by it.
"Let's see our niece's face. When did you grow up so much to become an adult! You used to be so tiny!"
"......"
Lellia forced a smile.
Carius looked at Lellia who had grown so much and smiled as if proud. However, a pain like being burned by fire rushed through his heart.
Lellia, whom he met after 6 years, looked exactly like his dead sister.
'Even when she was young, I thought she was becoming more similar as she grew, but to think she would grow up looking this alike.'
Because he still couldn't forget his dead sister, his heart tore even more.
'My sister should have lived to see this child's appearance...'
Carius bit his lip while stroking Lellia's cheek. He had endured the hellish battlefield and returned to meet this child again.
To protect this child safely and happily for a lifetime in place of his dead sister.
But something was strange. Lellia's appearance, whom he met again after 6 years, was surprisingly similar to Elizabeth, but her attire was so different from before that he wouldn't have recognized her if they passed by outside. What on earth are these clothes?
After wiping the tears that wet his cheeks, Carius blinked and asked.
"But why do you look like this?"
"......"
Duke Superion, who had been wiping tears, also examined Lellia's attire only then.
As Carius said, it was an appearance that naturally made one ask why she looked this way.
Lellia's long hair that used to come down to her back had become very short. It was short hair that knights might have.
"What..."
Carius and Duke Superion simultaneously lowered their gaze to look at Lellia's outfit.
The similar faces of the father and son frowned similarly.
Lellia looked neat, but she was clearly wearing male noble clothing.
"Well... that is..."
It was when Lellia, who had also stopped crying, was flustered and trying to make an excuse.
Step by step.
The sound of low footsteps came, belatedly following the stairs Lellia had climbed.
Oscar, who had been watching their reunion for a while, was coming up the stairs with a cold expression.
His eyes seemed to be forcibly suppressing something.
Duke Superion's eyes narrowed upon discovering Oscar.
On the other hand, Carius's pupils grew as large as bells.
"You, you are!"
Carius, recognizing Oscar, couldn't finish his sentence and pointed with his index finger, flustered.
Lellia approached Oscar who was coming to her side as if making an excuse and grabbed his arm.
She intended to introduce Oscar to her grandfather and uncle. As a 'friend.'
Before coming here, she had also urged Oscar that she would introduce him that way.
However, the sight of Lellia grabbing Oscar's arm was enough for Carius and Duke Superion to misunderstand.
The duke immediately grabbed the back of his neck.
At the same time, Carius screamed "Aaak!" as if he had seen a ghost.
"Grandfather, Uncle... why, why are you..."
"N, no. Lellia! Bringing a man! You're still too young for engagement or marriage! No!"
"Lellia! That guy won't do! That lunatic won't do! Uncle is opposed!"
At the two men's激烈的 opposition based on misunderstanding, Oscar's eyebrows twitched subtly.
Lellia waved her hands in fluster.
"N, no! It's not like that! He's my friend. Just a friend!"
"...Friend?"
Duke Superion's expression immediately became gentle.
But Carius wasn't. He still shouted with an angry expression.
"That doesn't make sense!! Why would you be friends with a guy like that?!"
"......"
Lellia glanced at Oscar.
Even though there should be many questions, Oscar didn't have a puzzled expression at all.
By the way, she had expected that he might know her uncle...
'Oscar is a lunatic?'
Of course... it could feel that way. In fact, Lellia herself had thought similarly many times while coming here.
But Oscar in his childhood was truly an angel.
Her uncle must have also met Oscar when he was young, but no matter what, the word 'lunatic' seemed too harsh.
Lellia calmed her uncle down, suggesting they go inside and talk first.