My Childhood Friends Are Trying To Kill Me

Huge thanks to Kolurija, Kofi-supporter, Dani and Meggy for the kofi! ^_^ Sorry for the late update, I thought it would be better to give a mass release of all the bonus chapters!  4 chapters, today!?

***

It seemed to be a reminder message to guide the progress of the quest.

“…….”

Lelia, who had been agonizing for a while, and soon came up with a good idea. She turned her eyes and floated a list of recipes, then glanced over.

[There is!]

The recipe that Lelia came up with was a ‘reduction potion’.

It was a special item that could freely adjust the size of a particular item. Fortunately, there was only one ingredient needed to make it. It was a valuable potion in its own way because it contained a special ingredient.

[Do I want this or not?]

[If you give it to hime, it’ll solve Kalix’s problem right away.]

[What if he’s suspicious?]

[You may be questioned by Kalix.]

[I… don’t think he’ll be suspicious because he’s simple.]

Lelia worked up her courage as she pondered.

“I have a potion that can adjust the size of any item you want. If you need it…”

“Really? Give it to me! Give!”

As soon as she finished speaking, Kalix reacted. As expected, Kalix was very simple.

Lelia proceeded with the create button and took the finished medicine out of her inventory. Kalix was handed a potion that she pretended to take out of a bag.

“It’s… also something that the people who raised me got for me…”

“Let’s do it, let’s do it!”

Kalix didn’t even hear Lelia’s excuse. There was not a hint of doubt on his face. Rather, he cast doubt on the efficacy.

“The sword won’t break, will it?”

“That’s not going to happen.”

After her response, Kalix sprayed the potion right on the sword. Surprisingly, the giant sword was reduced to the size of a dagger. Kalix watched the scene with sparkling eyes, and dawning admiration.

“But how can I make it big again…?”

“You can command it whenever you want.”

The sword, which had been reduced to the size of a dagger, returned to its original size.

Kalix looked at the sword with an awed expression and turned to Lelia.

“I originally liked alchemy.”

“…….”

“I don’t know who the alchemist is, but please introduce me. It’s going to be useful.”

“I don’t know who it is….”

Lelia vaguely glossed over her answer.

Kalix found it interesting to repeatedly see the sword shrink and expand.

Then, a rectangular speech bubble appeared.

• Quest complete!  ✧*.◟(ˊᗨˋ)◞.* 
• Rewards are received!

• 1 ticket for Confirmation of Favorability
• 1 Special Recipe Puzzle Piece
• 1 Lv.1 Random Gift Box[?]
• 1 Alchemy Lottery ticket

Then another quest window appeared.

• Raise your preference for !

Quest story progress: 10%

Lelia accepted immediately and moved on to the item list.

[I have to increase my likability anyway, so I’ll have to use the Confirmation of Favorability ticket later.]

First, she pressed on the Lv. 1 random gift box.

She opened the box with anticipation, but only a few useless ingredients came out.

[I knew this would happen.]

Disappointed, Lelia clicked on the one “Alchemy Lottery” ticket she received as a reward. A small notification window was displayed.

• The alchemy lottery is only available when the special store is open! The special store opens after the sub-quest is complete. ٩(｡•ㅅ•｡)

[What’s the sub-quest again?]

The situation is already complicated, but she felt like she was getting a migraine from trying to keep track of the game.

Then there was a knock on the door.

She checked through the peephole, and it was Romeo.

When she opened the door, Romeo asked as he came in.

“It’s a failure, right?”

“…….”

Lelia nodded with a sullen look on her face.

Romeo, who paused for a moment at her expression, clicked his tongue as if he knew that would happen.

“So what now?”

“We’ll do just as Romeo said….”

“Wait.”

“What?”

Sitting across from Kalix, Romeo glanced back and forth at her and Kalix.

“That’s weird.”

Romeo muttered.

“What?”

Kalix was brusquely replying and while wiping off the smaller dagger.

Romeo looked at it and looked at Lelia again.

“Didn’t you call Kalix brother?”

“…….”

“Why am I Romeo? I’m the only one who feels distant.”

Lelia clasped her fist. 

Don’t tell me you want to hear that title, too!

“I’d rather just call you by your first name without the word ‘brother’. Why are you biased against me? Why are you bullying me?”

Romeo asked with sad eyes;  “I would like to hear you call me brother, but why are you picking a fight with me? I’ve always wanted a brother like Leo!”

Romeo snorted when Kalix got angry.

“Then let me call you brother?” Kalix  muttered, to try and stop Romeo from talking nonsense.

“Well, that’s not bad, but she’s a woman.”

Lelia didn’t want this conversation to continue, and stepped in.

“We don’t have time to discuss such useless things. What can I do to enter the Imperial Castle as Romeo’s distant relative?”

Romeo replied in a nonchalant manner to her words.

“That’s a no-go. There was a commotion at the Palace, and I found out that the Emperor was looking for a woman. A woman with green eyes.”

“……!”

Lelia sighed with frustration.

She wore the robe’s hood so deeply that he only saw her eyes.

[I thought you’d think it was a dream because you were drunk…]

As soon as Romeo came in, she thought there was a reason why he was so sure of her failure.

“There is only one way to get into the Imperial Palace now without being suspected of this situation.”

“What is it…?”

Lelia looked at Romeo with little hope. The corners of his mouth went up.

“You can go in dressed up as a man.”

“…!”

Lelia opened her mouth wide in surprise. Kalix laughed mockingly.

“Dressing up as a man? Her? Whatever you do, she’ll look like a woman.”

[No, it’s not impossible.]

Lelia blinked her eyes.

If the emperor was looking for a “green-eyed woman,” there was no more sure way.

She suddenly thought of it because they talked about dressing up as a man, but there was definitely such a medicine in the recipe of the “Alchemy Lottery.”

[A drug that disguises her as a man.]

The recipe has been in the game since her past life. It was an item for an NPC called “Danger Lupin”, one of the customers of the “Alchemy Lottery” store.

It was a drug specially requested by Lupin, who hid their gender, age, name. They hid everything…

When the vial is opened, invisible smoke flows out.

The smoke makes the other person see an illusion and makes them see what Lelia wants them to see. It could be viewed as a kind of hypnosis. It was a recipe that was useful because it gave her a lot of experience and money.

There were many drugs in the same class, such as a drug that makes you look like a woman, a child, an old man, or even a turtle.

However, the duration was very short. At most it lasted about 10 minutes.

Therefore, it wasn’t possible to continuously live as another person, but it seemed that it could be used as a way to solve the current issue to hide her from suspicion.

[Then I’ll have to use a wig or something like that…]

Lelia pondered whether there were more items that could be used as disguises in the ‘Alchemy Lottery’.

[It should be able to change my hair or eye color… . There were so many recipes that I had to look for more.]

“It’s a good idea!”

“Really?”

Romeo asked as if he was surprised by Lelia’s strong agreement.

He said it as a joke, but when she took it seriously, there was also a look of embarrassment.

“I am going to change my hair color and make it shorter with magic. The same goes for eye color. By the way, that drug was given to me by the people who raised me after saving…”

[Editor: This excuse is not going to keep working Lelia…]

“So…”

“…”

Before Lelia could finish speaking, Romeo responded by waving his hand dismissively, as if it was annoying to hear detailed explanations.

[I’m glad Griffith isn’t here. Had he been there, he would have immediately suspected me of being an alchemist…]

Lelia let out an internal sigh of relief as she looked at the two men who were so simple.

***

“This is my distant relative, his name is Raymond Le Vester. We’re as close as real brothers.”

Romeo casually introduced Lelia to the Count, a valet of the Imperial Castle of Auraria.

“Oh, it is an honor to meet you, Sir Raymond. I hope you enjoy a peaceful trip in Auraria.”

“Nice to meet you.”

The Le Vester family was actually the name of an aristocratic family in the Roseberry Empire.

Fortunately, there were no nobles from the Roseberry Empire currently staying in the Auraria Imperial Castle. 

Only Romeo, from the royal family.

So Romeo took it easy and actually let her use one of his distant relatives’ names. He smiled awkwardly at Lelia, he seemed to feel uncomfortable with her disguise.

“Aren’t you laughing a little?”

“…”

Romeo frowned as he headed to the room the attendant was guiding them to.

Lelia glanced at him slightly and followed the Count.

In the morning, Lelia was perfectly prepared. Romeo came to pick her up, and she arrived at the Palace in a carriage. The attendant kindly came out and showed her to her place of residence.

Since Romeo is a prince of a foreign country, it seemed that he was trying to get Lelia treated with great care because of her allegiance.

“If you have any inconvenience or needs, you can instruct the maids”

“By the way, the atmosphere of the Imperial Palace is a bit chaotic. What’s going on?”

Romeo asked calmly with a bemused expression. The Count seemed a little perturbed. 

He raised his eyebrows into a mountain shape and put his palms on his chest and said, “It’s not a big deal. There was a little commotion. As you know, yesterday was the last day of the banquet… . I’m sorry to have bothered you, Your Highness.”

Romeo nodded his head, saying it was okay.

When the Count left and they were left alone in the room, Lelia breathed a sigh of relief.

“It’s right next to my room.”

“That’s fortunate.”

Romeo sat down on the sofa in the parlor. Not long after, Kalix also came to this room.

Lelia drank tea brought by the maid. She sat on the chair next to the sofa the other two were sitting on. 

“I think we can just pretend that we’re going for a walk. Today I will go alone.”

Because of what happened yesterday, she wasn’t sure if the security was tightened. The emperor might be there again. From what she had heard, it seems that only the castle gate has been strengthened. Just in case, she wanted to double check.

It would be better for her to move carefully by herself.

If something happens, she could use the alchemy, but if she uses it openly in front of Kalix or Romeo… They might question whether she’s an alchemist.

“Will you be okay?”

“Yes.”

When Lelia answered more sternly, Romeo nodded his head in agreement.

“By the way… What do you plan to do after you find it?”

Romeo asked while elegantly holding up a teacup.

“Personally… I have something else to look for. Why are you asking that?”

“I’m bored, so I’m going to follow you.”

Romeo said very proudly. Kalix, who was sitting opposite to her, also nodded his head.

Lelia suddenly remembered her childhood. She came out of her own room from time to time, and Romeo kept following her.

“I don’t even need to go back to my home country.”

“I’m the same as you.”

The two looked at each other and smiled. Lelia had a strange feeling.

It felt like a dream to be able to laugh and chat with her friends again, but at the same time she was frustrated.

[I can’t get things done quickly with them…]

These two were openly interfering with her plan to find materials and steal the relic.

“By the way, it’s amazing that you can change your hair color. Your voice seems a little low too.” said Romeo, looking at Lelia’s hair.