A small brunch cafe tucked away in an alley.
Inside the shop, decorated with a cozy and charming interior, several large men were gathered and seated.
Not only was everyone carrying swords at their waists, but one man even had an enormous greatsword casually draped across his back.
The shop owner kept glancing nervously at them, worried they might cause trouble.
"Leo was truly a good guy...."
"Poor fellow."
Rellia stuffed bread into her mouth while listening to yet another compliment about herself.
She was happy and glad to meet her friends, but she had been so hungry she couldn't take it anymore.
Perhaps because she had starved so often as a child, Rellia found hunger the hardest thing to endure.
Beyond the four men's gloomy faces, only Rellia diligently worked her fork.
"I heard your life has been quite tumultuous as well."
Calix said, looking at Rellia. She merely nodded.
Earlier, overwhelmed by her friends' barrage of questions, Rellia had told them her story.
It wasn't about the Perseus Emperor, but simply about why she had fled the imperial castle as a child.
"After Leo orabeoni died... while I was grieving, a rebellion broke out. The Perseus Emperor hated me, and the princes were the same.... I ran away because I was afraid of being forced into a political marriage with an older noble."
Hearing that, the four of them cursed Princes Cedric and Damian for a while.
As Rellia finished her meal, Calix, who had been contemplating, spoke up.
"Alright. The captain must have cherished you enough to leave your name in his final words. It was surely meant to ask us to protect you."
"...."
When Rellia glanced around cautiously, Calix surveyed his friends' expressions as if asking for their agreement.
Romeo, Griffith, and even Oscar nodded slightly.
Calix placed his large hand heavily on her shoulder and spoke. The hand was so heavy her shoulder seemed to sink.
"If you're Leo's little sister, then you're our little sister too. I'll permit you to call us orabeoni."
"...."
A vein bulged on Rellia's forehead.
What...? Call them what?
The emotion of reuniting with friends was brief.
Rellia was struck with shock as if she'd been hit in the head.
"No need to be so moved. We gathered here for Leo anyway."
"...."
Rellia swallowed hard.
Right, being moved was being moved. But....
"Come on, say it. Orabeoni!"
"...."
Calix urged. The others looked at him with 'what's wrong with him' eyes.
Rellia, trembling, slowly opened her mouth.
"O... orabeoni...?"
"Well done! From now on, you're our little sister!"
Calix pounded Rellia's shoulder firmly.
'I was the captain....'
Somehow her pride got thoroughly crumpled.
Rellia lowered her head with a sour expression and finished the rest of her meal.
Griffith watched her closely.