Rellia washed up and changed into priest's robes.
While staying at the temple, young royals and nobles from various countries all wore these white robes.
Many children were dissatisfied with this, but Rellia was actually satisfied.
The fabric was far better than the old rags she used to wear.
'How did I live here in the original work again...?'
In the original work, Rellia had also come here in the crown prince's stead.
But the details weren't really mentioned. Because the original female lead and male lead didn't come here.
In short, this wasn't the main stage for the protagonists. So she couldn't know the hidden stories that didn't appear in the original work.
In the original work, this place's story was mentioned in a slightly different way.
'Later, the original male lead hears stories about this time from his expedition comrades.'
They were key supporting characters in the novel and the main heroes who defeated the Mad Dragon. In other words, men who would fall deeply for the original female lead.
They were staying right now at the temple in the neutral zone where Rellia was residing.
In the original work, the male lead who joined the expedition late hears about what happened in this neutral zone.
Did her story ever come up in those conversations?
'Not at all.'
Rellia was a consumable character in this novel. A minor character with a very unfortunate fate.
She absolutely couldn't die like that.
Rellia chewed her lips as she worried.
'First, live well here for 3 years... And after returning to my home country, I'll be careful not to die.'
She'd avoid every single pond, and if possible, just don't walk around at all!
'Dying from slipping? I'm not an idiot, seriously...'
It was rather fortunate. How terrible would it be to be assassinated by someone?
'I do get involved with the original female lead... but I can just avoid that much.'
Rellia organized her thoughts and left her room, heading to the dining hall.
It was正好 mealtime.
'Come to think of it, I'm starving to death.'
The royals and nobles gathered here lived like young priests. Though their living standards were completely different given their precious status.
When she went to the front of the dining hall, servants working at the temple opened the doors for her.
Inside, dozens of large wooden tables were placed. Rellia went to an empty seat and sat down.
Soon servants brought and set up the meal.
"Hey, are you okay?"
Just as she was about to start eating. At the clear voice coming from beside her, Rellia turned her head.
"......"
It was a pretty boy with blonde hair. He was sitting next to Rellia, smiling brightly.
"Looks like you've come to your senses?"
"...Uh, yeah."
"Did you know? I'm the one who saved you from nearly drowning after falling in the water."
"...Uh, um. Thank you."
Rellia smiled awkwardly. Despite being only ten years old, that child boasted incredible beauty.
'But his mouth is a bit foul.'
Anyway, he wasn't someone she wanted to get close to. Because this kid was also a key character in the original work.
"Is that all you have to say for thanks?"
"......"
'But was his personality originally like this?'
This kid's name was Romeo Rosebery. He was a prince of the Rosebery Empire.
In the original work, after returning from the Mad Dragon subjugation, he was one of the typical fish in the pond who fell in love at first sight upon seeing the female lead.
'He had an incredibly affectionate and dignified personality though...?'
Rellia just blinked and looked at him.
"Don't just stare, say something. Is your mouth sealed shut?"
Affectionate... dignified...?
'Doesn't seem like it at all...'
"...Really, thank you."
Rellia greeted him halfheartedly.
"Wow. Thank you? That's it? You're the crown prince, right? But it ends with just 'thank you'?"
"...Is there something you want from me?"
"Of course. Later during prayer time, the priests will look for me, so tell them I went to your room to hang out and fell asleep. Also add that they shouldn't wake me up."
"......"
"You're a model student who pretends to be well-behaved, and you're even a crown prince, so they'll believe what you say. How about it?"
"I understand."
"We communicate quite well."
Romeo grinned and started the meal the servant brought.
At least his eating manner looked dignified.
'Though his personality seems completely different.'
The children gathered here were mostly similar in age. Children around nine to eleven years old.
Of course, she was seven pretending to be ten, but there were bound to be children with slow growth rates no matter how well they ate.
Fortunately, there were quite a few children here who were as small as her.
Moreover, Rellia's official identity, Crown Prince Leo, had an image of being sickly from childhood, so no one doubted her.
'I should eat well while I'm here.'
The best thing about coming here was the food.
If she returned to her home country, it was obvious she wouldn't be able to eat properly.
According to the novel's progression, the emperor would change again soon after she returned to her home country, but Rellia's situation remained the same.
At that moment, Romeo spoke to her again.
"Do you also have a mark on your palm?"
"...Yes."
The children here forgot their status from their home countries and all lived like friends. Of course, it was forced by the temple.
Fighting was forbidden, and they had to speak informally to each other.
The priests knew well how children could quickly become friends.
Eating together, running around, playing various games.
If caught fighting, they had to pray for a whole day, so the children tried to get along with each other as much as possible.
Since they were basically children who learned good manners well, there were no major troubles.
'But why is this kid so aggressive?'
His way of speaking was just too....
"I'm curious about Aurauria's mark, can you show me?"
"...Sure."
Rellia opened her palm and showed the mark. Romeo compared it with his own palm mark and seemed interested.
At that moment, the dining hall entrance became noisy.
As one child entered, the gazes of children sitting at some tables turned that way.
Romeo also looked there and muttered quietly.
"I hate that bastard."
"...Why?"
The person Romeo was talking about was someone Rellia also knew. The youngest prince of the Nikea Empire, Griffith Nikea.
He was one of the main characters of the expedition that defeated the Mad Dragon and would become the strongest holy knight in history.
'Also one of the female lead's fish in the pond.'
She had talked to him before, and he was cool-mannered but calm and proper.
Moreover, despite being young, he was very handsome and naturally captured the children's attention.
"And I hate that one too. He's pathetic and looks like an idiot."
Romeo pointed to one side with his chin.
A very small child with silver hair was slowly eating his meal.
'That's Oscar Hresvelg!'
Silver hair and red eyes. She couldn't possibly not recognize him. Seeing that tiny child anew, wonder washed over her.
'He appears as an incredible guy in the original work... so this is what his childhood was like.'
He looked incredibly frail now, but he was destined to become an emperor called a psychopath by readers later.
'He's ten but smaller than me? That's somewhat fortunate.'
Rellia felt relieved even in this situation.
"That one too."
Rellia followed Romeo's gaze once more. It was a boy with dark skin and rebellious eyes.
Even at a glance, his personality looked nasty.
'Calix Askard.'
The nephew of the Askard Empire's emperor.
And after subjugating the Mad Dragon, the one who would make the greatest sacrifice.
The ones Romeo said he hated were all key figures in the Mad Dragon expedition and would become the original female lead's fish.
'What's with this kid? Is he recognizing the competitors surrounding the female protagonist in advance...?'
Rellia looked at Romeo with a halfhearted expression.
'If I told you that those guys you say you hate... will later become your most precious expedition comrades, would you believe me?'
He probably wouldn't believe it at all. Rather, there was a high possibility he'd grab her by the collar and tell her to stop spouting nonsense.
Rellia shook her head internally. It was none of her business anyway.
The Mad Dragon subjugation would end safely, and at least these four wouldn't lose their lives.
They were guys who had nothing to do with her.
'Actually, compared to the original male lead, these kids aren't inferior at all...'
However, the original male lead had a special buff.
The fact that he knew the original female lead from childhood!
The female lead eagerly waits for the male lead to return from the Mad Dragon expedition. And after the male lead returns, after various misunderstandings, they confirm their feelings and share sweet love. And...
'Watching those two, the female lead's dad and older brothers get jealous.'
That's right. The original novel was a 'family affection' story where the female lead receives infinite love from her stepdad and stepbrothers and heals.
And the setting of that novel was none other than Rellia's home country, the Aurauria Empire.
'The original female lead's stepdad is the true emperor who reclaims the throne. In other words, the older brother of the wicked emperor who sent me here.'
The current emperor believed his older brother and his sons were dead, but in fact, he was alive.
He was probably working hard right now to prepare to reclaim the throne.
His name was Perseus Aurauria. The legitimate successor and the true emperor who would reclaim the throne.
Perseus seeks the throne, and the daughter born from his remarriage with someone from a family that helped the rebellion is the original female lead.
'She was a very lovely female lead. Making everyone around her happy with her bright and lovely smile...'
Perseus was a person tormented by grief and guilt over his wife who died along with their infant.
The one who opens his closed heart and heals him is the original female lead, 'Uriana.'
Eventually, Perseus becomes a huge daughter-fool and comes to adore the original female lead.
To the extent that if it was Uriana's word, he'd offer the entire empire.
Rellia made up her mind.
'Right, since I'll die soon after Perseus reclaims the throne... I need to be extra careful.'
Anyway, Perseus also found Rellia's existence bothersome.
As the daughter of his dead younger sister, she should be in his thoughts... but that wasn't the case.
Perseus hated his younger sister who had hated and persecuted his wife in the past.
As the daughter of that hated younger sister, there was no way he could look upon her kindly.
'When I return to my home country, I should prepare to defect.'
Anyway, even if I survived, staying in the imperial palace would just mean starving to death. I was sick and tired of starving anymore.
During the time living in a corner of the imperial palace, she had even experienced being so hungry that she ate dirt.
Honestly speaking... if someone just gave her food, she'd be willing to do anything. That's also why she was pretending to be the crown prince following the current emperor's orders.
'Emperor Perseus is concerning... but it doesn't matter.'
Rellia, who had been lost in thought for a moment, was startled.
Because Romeo's face was right in front of her nose.
"W-why, what's wrong?"
"You were staring blankly so much I got curious. So how about you? Do you hate them too?"
"...Um, well."
There was no particular reason to hate them? Of course, she didn't like them either.
At Rellia's response, Romeo's eyebrows wrinkled.
"You're my friend. If you're my friend, you should hate the kids I hate together with me. Is there no thought in your head?"
"......"
Should she tell him?
That those kids will become your comrades later? That you'll all compete over one woman? That you'll all get rejected?
It's annoying...
"I just am."
Rellia answered helplessly and sneered internally.
'And since when were we friends? I'm grateful you saved me from the water, but I'll pass on being friends.'
Her goal was simply to stay in this temple as quietly as possible without her identity being discovered and then return.
There were four key figures who would defeat the Mad Dragon in the future nearby, but they had nothing to do with her.
It was absolutely none of her business! Get lost, you guys!
'I will absolutely not get involved with them!'
That's right. That was the plan, but....