At Leliaâs words, the four children nodded, saying that might be the case.
âYouâre weak? You look clumsy, but you are very powerful.â Kalix flicked her forearm and said.
âHey, if I hadnât been healed by the priest that day, my arms muscles would have been worn out. If you faint again, I wonât be able to carry you again.â
âTch.â
âYou should be grateful, eh? Ah, in order to save you, I had to bring forth such superhuman strength that day.â
Kalix shut his mouth.
Five children, including her, had a rough idea of that day.
When the beast showed up, Lelia carried Kalix down the mountain.
However, only Lelia, Kalix and Griffith knew that the culprit, who summoned the beast, was related to the Emperor of Ascard. After that, they wondered how Lelia knew something like that would happen in advance.
Lelia was unable to tell the truth, so she said in a vague manner, âSometimes I have a premonition.â
âCaptain, you would have done the same if I were in danger, right?â Romeo thought about it for a while and asked.
ââŠHuh?â
Romeo got angry at Leliaâs dazed expression.
âHah! Are you serious? I was the first to get close to you. Donât you remember? Did you hit your head?â
âI remember! I know! Of course, I would help you.â Lelia replied in a deadpan manner, and Romeo laughed, saying, âYes.â
âCaptain, what about me?â
âOscar? I would carry you anyday!â
[He is smaller than me, so he will be lighter.]
Oscar grinned, covering his mouth with his fist.
Cute.
1
[He looks like a fairyâŠ]
Lelia patted Oscarâs silver hair. He really looked like her younger brother. Come to think of it, Oscar and herself had different eye color, but the same silver hair. It wouldnât be weird to call him her brother.
Lelia suddenly remembered something, and said to Oscar, âOscar, we have similar hair color, so they might think we are brothers.â
âOh, really?â
âAs if! His brother? You must be kidding me! Both of you often talk so coldly to each other.â
âOnce in a while, the Captain should shut his mouth.â Romeo and Kalix said in unison.
Lelia gave a retorting snort. She then looked at Griffith, who had not spoken a word. Griffith was the only one here who didnât ask, âWould you have saved my life?â
He was afraid to hear ânoâ as an answer.
Griffith had been with Lelia for a few days now, but he wasnât particularly close to her.
[It bothers himâŠ]
Lelia snapped at Griffith as she watched the servants bring the meals from afar.
âGriffith, for your information, I would have done the same for you. At least you wonât cry and fight like Kalix.â
âHey! Who was crying and whining?â
Griffith bit his lip, âI didnât even askâŠâ
Soon, the servants appeared in front of their table with meals. It was the same as what she had eaten before.
âLetâs eat, boys!â Lelia shouted enthusiastically and began eating her second meal.
* * *
After the meal, Lelia returned to the room with her friends. The children sat on the huge sofa, sipping the tea brought by the servant. Perhaps, because they all belonged to royal families, their tea drinking posture looked very elegant. Lelia also drank the tea, mimicking them as much as she could.
âShe asked me if Griffith ever mentioned her in front of me.â
âWhy would she do that?â
âI donât know.â
Everyone turned their eyes toward Griffith. He ignored them and fixed his gaze on the tea cup.
âAnyways, it is interesting. I didnât think you could talk to women this well.â
Leliaâs expression crumbled at Kalixâs words.
[What does that mean?]
âI think heâs cool. The girls were watching our Captain very carefully, werenât they?â
Everyone seemed surprised hearing this.
âWhy were you paying attention to them?â
âThe Captain is⊠coolâŠ?â Kalix tilted his head, Oscar had said as if it were natural.
[Well, Iâve always been like thatâŠ?]
Lelia smiled inwardly and stared at the four children. They were all from the royal families, but they were now her subordinates. Enough for them to know about her. So, of course she would look cool.
[Children areâŠ]
Lelia clicked her tongue inwardly, but her expression was clearly proud.
âWhy donât we go out and play instead of being stuck in this room?â
Romeo suggested.
âWhere are we going? Garden?â
âWill the priests let us go out?â
This Holy Neutral Zone was a very large city. There was a large temple in the middle of the city, and a commercial district was built around it. The accommodation where the children were staying was a large building at the inner end of the temple. The security was tight.
Romeo sighed pitifully and said, âThink carefully. Since the time of that incident, we know a weak point about the temple. If they find out about this, it wonât be good for them, right?â
Surprisingly, Romeo was pretty smart. Everyone was excited. Lelia was also curious about whatâs outside the temple. She wasnât that old, but she still spent all of her life at the corners of the Imperial Palace. And now, she is staying here. She, of course, did not have any complaints because she could eat a lot of food.
âThe priests need to be properly disciplined now. Letâs go out. Donât you think theyâll provide us bodyguards?â
Lelia sprang to her feet.
âOkay, I have decided. Letâs go out!â
âIâll be hereâŠâ Oscar hesitated.
âShall we go together?â Romeo asked, but Oscar jumped off the sofa and headed to their room, where they had placed a bed.
âIâll sleep. You guys should get going.â
Lelia watched as the door closed.
[A place with many people would be scary for himâŠ]
It will be difficult for him, considering Oscar probably had an anxiety disorder.
[Is there anything that can help Oscar?âŠ]
After wondering for a while, something came to Leliaâs mind. And soon, she said as if she had made up her mind, âLetâs go.â
âAre we leaving him behind?â Romeo questioned.
Lelia didnât reply and only urged the rest.
When they asked to go outside, the priest was frightened, but after throwing the threat of the last incident, he ran to report it to the high priest.
Some time laterâŠ
They finally agreed and brought out five knights. Their radius of moving was limited to nearby busy streets, but that was more than enough.
Most of the people living in the neutral zone were members of the temple and the Holy Knightsâ families. There were many servants who worked in the temple, and ordinary merchants.
Itâs not a sightseeing spot, so not that lively, but itâs still a commercial area, and thatâs why the city is bustling.
It wasnât gorgeous, but she felt a sense of freedom just walking downtown.