It was Ruth.
Its been a while.
He seed to recognize Lelia. Even though he was looking at her with a strange look, he greeted her happily.
Lelia felt her irritation rising sharply.
Its because she often had nightmares of him from the last ti she stayed, and then had to flee the Imperial castle. From the ti she returned to the estate, until she returned to the capital.
They were all nightmares where Ruth was in them.
In her dreams, he relentlessly harassed Lelia by using his holy relic as an excuse.
For her, the days she spent in the Imperial castle were a series of misfortunes.
Of course, it wasnt too bad when she thought of her friends, but it was terrible when she thought of Ruth.
Perhaps thats why she couldnt greet Ruth happily.
As she bowed her head slightly with a forced smile, Ruth coughed loudly. As if it was embarrassing.
I wont ask you why you did that to , but I do have to ask you one thing.
.
Why did you exchange the holy relics?
[Why would I do that? I switched it because I needed it.]
She was frustrated because the person she hated the most appeared and quarreled about a disturbing situation.
However, Ruths position was also not incomprehensible.
[You must have thought you were deceived.]
She felt a little sorry. Apart from that, she had no energy left to deal with Ruth now.
It was because I needed it.
Then was the friendship you had with fake?
.
Lelia sighed deeply inside and raised her head.
When she t Ruths eyes, which were shining brightly with great pressure Suddenly, she felt suffocated.
What do you an friendship? She felt like Ruth always talked to her like a subordinate.
Rather than friendship I was more of a one-sided errand boy, a ssenger.
What? What do you an?!
Im sorry, but I have nothing more to say, Sir Ruth. Theres nothing I want to say. So, can you get out of my way now?
She couldnt just pass by because he was blocking a narrow pathway to the garden.
Ruth looked at her with a stunned look, as if he was speechless.
Move out of the way.
.
At Lelias words full of annoyance, he stepped aside with a hurt look.
Lelia walked past him and moved with purpose.
[Why did I co back here?]
She wanted to settle her relationship with Emperor Perseus as soon as possible and live in peace
[I never imagined Griffith would do that to .]
[And then being shaless as if nothing was wrong]
He seed to have a different way of thinking than her.
[I was going to ask Griffith for sothing else]
Lelia was planning to distribute the alchemy dicine that treated her grandmothers Alzheirs. Because of the fixed materials, the drug could be produced almost indefinitely.
She wanted to help many people suffering from the sa illness.
It was a world where patients and their families have to live under the stigma of suffering from an ethereal disease for the rest of their lives.
So she was going to ask Griffith for a favor.
If rumors spread that he had made dicine for the disease through his divine power, it was clear that the temple would not be able to impose any sanctions.
In addition, most people here were religious. She judged that people would trust and take the dicine if it was made by Griffith, who has excellent sacred powers.
But now, she was not confident enough to face Griffith again and treat him like before.
***
There was soone else who she didnt want to face, other than Griffith, and wasnt as confident around as before.
It was Oscar.
Lelia strolled around the garden for a long ti to calm her head.
Then she realized how much ti had passed and turned around. But she could see Oscar approaching from afar.
[Uh-oh]
As soon as Lelia found Oscar, she turned around.
Then, she started walking fast down the path toward the forest, as if she were subconsciously running away.
[Why am I running away?]
[Is the dicine still effective?]
Two emotions were conflicting in her head.
One side demanded she not run away from Oscar because it missed him, and the other shouted to run away because it was too embarrassing.
She thought the dicines effect had disappeared by morning. However, she realized that she was still wrestling with it.
While walking in a hurry, Lelia opened the production screen and found a decryption.
Its not a poison, but she thought it might be a little effective if she took it as an antidote.
Antitoxin production completed! (-)
After checking that the completion screen appeared, she imdiately took the dicine out of her inventory.
Then stopped to take the dicine
You didnt run away because of , did you?
A low voice was heard from behind.
COUGH
Surprised while drinking a dicine bottle, Lelia grabbed her throat while coughing.
Then she felt his cold hands touching the back of her neck.
Lelia slowly stopped coughing and turned her head.
.
Oscar was looking down at her with a frown.
She took a small deep breath while watching him.
[If theres any traces of the dicine left, itll disappear, right?]
Lelia.
.
Even as she waited for a little bit, the dicines effect still seed to remain.
Otherwise, Oscars voice alone wouldnt make her heart beat like crazy.
His voice calling her na felt so sweet.
What did Griffith feed you?
.
Griffith was silent when I cut off his arm.
Lelia frowned at his words.
When she visited Griffith earlier, he looked fine, without any wounds.
Was it Oscar who visited before that? Or after that?
I wont open my mouth even if I get tortured because I can heal myself with divine power anyway.
.
If it werent for that, it sounded like he would have cut his arm and tortured him right away.
Feeling horrified, Lelia opened her mouth.
Its just, its not any dicine. Its okay now, so theres nothing to worry about.
Did you take hallucinogens? Or an estrus drug?
What kind of
Otherwise, you wouldnt have done such a thing.
.
Theres no way youd beg to kiss you.
What
You Because you dont like .
.
Lelia was embarrassed by the unexpected words.
[I hate you?]
How could he think of that Lelia thought it was ridiculous.
But looking at Oscars expression, he seed to really feel that way without any exaggeration.
His hurt expression made her feel even more miserable.
.
Lelia clenched her fist. The remaining dicines influence was affecting her impulse control.
Its so pitiful and painful.
She wanted to hug him quickly, and soothe him with kisses.
Oscars expression looked lonely. Like a fairy in a lake, or deep forest, where no one cos to visit.
I dont hate you, Oscar.
.
I dont know why you think so.
Then what?
Huh?
If you dont hate , then do you like ?
Her heart suddenly sank at the sudden question. He sounded like he was pleading.
She was confused with what Oscar ant by the words, Do you like ? Of course, he was asking on the premise of a relationship between a man and woman.
Lelia bowed her head to avoid his eyes.
Sorry. To be honest, I dont know
Then what about the others?
Huh?
Do you like soone else, one of the others among us?
Oscars eyes as he was asking the question were unusual.
Oscars inquisitive eyes looked extraordinary. When he said that, he seed to be hiding the motivation to tear and kill.
No, I dont
[Ive never thought of my friends in that way.]
[I never thought Id fall in love with anyone of the opposite gender and get married.]
Maybe because of the dicines effects, she suddenly began to imagine a future where she marries Oscar.
[Editor: Keep blaming the dicine, Lelia. (` )]
Oscar in her imagination was sweet and lovely. With warm eyes, who longed for her affection.
Lelia was happy and peaceful.
However, in her imagination she was cut off from the world.
Even her beloved family, the Superions, were never seen again.
For so reason, she frowned at her ominous imaginings. Oscar was really She felt like she was really going to isolate herself like that.
She thought she should speak properly at this point.
Just say it yourself. You will be mine When youve completed what youre going to do here, youll follow and stay with for the rest of your life.
Recalling what he had said, Lelia responded.
I cant keep my promise to you.
.
Im sorry to say this now I cant keep up with you.
She needed her family.
As precious as her friends were to her, the Superion family was also important to Lelia.
It was the driving force behind her will to live and see the future.
There was a mont of silence.
Lelia bowed her head deeply, because she felt sorry for so reason.
At that ti, a low voice was heard above her head.
Of course
Strangely, the mont she heard his voice, she felt a chill run up her spine. Lelia looked up reflexively and faced a cold look.
Eyes that sparkled like a snake with a strange feeling of madness, stared at her gently.
Theres no reason for to behave now, right?
Huh?
It was a completely different cold tone and voice from when he seed to be begging.
Lelia couldnt say anything for a mont, as if her mind had frozen.
When Oscar removed the mask, it was as if he threw away the fake eyes that were hiding his inner self.
It was only then that Lelia realized.
Oscars eyes were always like that.
When he followed her when she ran away from the Imperial Castle, she rembered the fear she felt from those eyes.
While staying at the Superion Territory, Oscar had a calm look. Sohow, she forgot because he had such a warm look on his face.
.
Now, his eyes were like glass that felt nothing while looking at her.
The corners of his mouth went up very slowly and finely.
I agreed to be quiet as a condition of waiting for your answer, did you forget?
.
Lelia blinked.
Yeah, it was definitely like that. He told her to follow him and promised to be by her side for the rest of his life
She replied that shed answer if he were calm until the end of her work.
Lelia finally answered that.
I expected youd refuse.
.
However, I thought youd think about it a little more.
That
Youre really
.
You dont like , Leo.
As soon as she heard that, she thought sothing was wrong. Lelia hardened and looked at Oscar.
Oscar sohow spoke in a pleasant voice, as if nothing mattered.
Then Ill do whatever I want now.
Because you wont like no matter what I do.
Whispering in the background, Oscar disappeared from Lelias sight.
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