When You Turned Your Back On Me, We Became Strangers [EN]: Chapter 65

“You seem to be in a good mood.”

“I do feel refreshed.”

Leilly hummed, constantly looking out the window.

Leta should have seen the butler’s shocked expression.

“But, is it okay without the butler?”

“I asked him just in case.”

She had told Caber beforehand, anticipating this might happen.

“When did you two get so close behind my back?”

Ren wore a sulky expression.

He hadn’t said anything else to me this morning, probably because he deliberately didn’t tell me.

“Well, it doesn’t matter since the result is good.”

Leilly’s in a good mood, so that’s all that matters.

“But why aren’t we going to the Imperial Palace and heading somewhere else?”

Ren frowned, mentally tracing the carriage’s path.

Even though it was the opposite direction from the Imperial Palace, Leilly didn’t ask the coachman about the destination.

“Is there something only I don’t know again?”

Leilly smiled at Ren’s words and shrugged.

“We’re meeting in the city.”

“With whom?”

“His Highness Caber.”

“Just the two of you?”

Ren jumped up and straightened his posture. His eyes narrowed as he stared at Leilly.

“Why just two? It’s three.”

“Without my consent?”

“Then, are you not going?”

“It’s not that.”

Ren quickly shook his head and hardened his expression. How could he leave them alone, not knowing what might happen?

“They said there’s a festival in the city.”

“Don’t tell me it’s four of you?”

“That’s right, His Highness is bringing Leta along.”

Something didn’t feel right, but seeing Leilly’s excited face, he couldn’t say anything.

“It’s my first time seeing a festival.”

“You just haven’t had the chance.”

Ren turned away and rested his chin on his hand. Just thinking about Duke Beritter still made him furious, so he had to suppress it.

“But, is it really okay to go around like this?”

“Hmm, shouldn’t it be?”

Leilly looked at her attire and fell into thought. It wasn’t a very flashy outfit, but the Trailla family crest stamped on the buttons revealed her identity.

“That guy will probably prepare something.”

He’s the type who doesn’t miss a thing when it comes to Leilly.

The carriage stopped a little away from the city.

“Are we meeting here?”

“It seems difficult to go in this carriage…….”

Ren nodded, looking at the Imperial crest on the carriage.

“He’s coming just in time.”

He appeared with perfect timing. A carriage, borrowed from who knows where, stopped right in front of them, and the door opened.

“Sister!”

Leta jumped out of the carriage in a pastel blue dress.

“Be careful.”

So happy that she didn’t even receive Caber’s escort, Leta’s body swayed and tilted as she got off.

Caber lightly grabbed Leta’s waist to keep her from falling.

“Passed.”

“What are you talking about this time?”

“His Highness’s reflexes.”

Leta laughed playfully and stood on the ground. Leilly’s momentarily surprised expression seemed relieved.

“Still, don’t do this to anyone other than me.”

“You mean I should let you fall if you fall?”

“Not that, I mean don’t create such a situation in the first place!”

Leta shook her index finger and narrowed her brows.

Caber nodded at Leta’s words and gave a faint smile.

“Leta, you have to be careful.”

Leilly approached and gently held Leta’s hand. Her younger sister’s brighter expression was now familiar.

“How’s this? I prepared it.”

Leta took out a mask hidden in her arms and showed it to Leilly.

“They say everyone covers their faces with masks like this during the festival.”

“That sounds fun.”

If all goes well, no one will recognize me.

Leilly looked at the mask in her hand, turning it this way and that. It seemed too flashy, but it would be better than being too plain.

“I recommended this because I thought it would suit you best, but is it not good?”

Caber put on a black mask and approached Leilly. Standing behind her, he tied Leilly’s mask and arranged her hair.

“Is it too tight?”

He adjusted the straps appropriately, but asked Leilly just in case.

Leilly’s heart raced at Caber’s breath felt from behind. His voice, ringing softly in her ear, felt ticklish.

“……It feels, okay.”

“Just in case, it would be better to cover up a bit more with this.”

Caber draped a black cloak over Leilly and covered her face as well.

“……Isn’t this too much?”

“Hmm, I think this will stand out more.”

Leta also nodded, trying to hold back her laughter at Leilly’s completely covered appearance.

Unable to watch any longer, Ren took off the cloak and enchanted it with magic.

“Ren, aren’t you overdoing it?”

Leilly asked, worried, grabbing Ren’s shoulder. He had covered Leilly’s distinctive features and transformed her into her hidden appearance once again.

“It’s okay. It’s better than being in danger.”

Caber stared intently at where Leilly’s hand was placed, then quickly approached and separated Ren and Leilly.

“It seems like the pairs are decided, so let’s slowly go.”

“Pairs?”

Leta folded her arms and winked at Ren, who had a bewildered expression.

‘Don’t even think about interfering without noticing.’

Holding his arm tightly, Leta showed no signs of letting go.

“Huh?”

“It’s already decided anyway. You can’t change it, you know?”

Leta kept laughing, as if it was so much fun, and stared at Leilly and Caber, who were walking ahead.

“His Highness said we might encounter the princess, so let’s be careful.”

Leta whispered softly, only loud enough for Ren to hear.

“Then isn’t it more dangerous?”

“Well, I was thinking that if I, who looks like Sister, am with Ren, it might be confusing.”

Her face was already covered with a mask, and Leilly’s hair had turned black. If Leta didn’t mention it, it would be easy to mistake her for Leilly.

“Do we have to be that careful?”

Ren looked at Leilly and Caber, who were cautiously holding hands, with a gloomy expression. The smiles spreading across Leilly’s lips looked so beautiful.

Feeling spiteful, Ren quickly approached and smacked the back of Caber’s head.

“Ren?”

Caber’s murderous eyes, along with Leilly’s large eyes, reached Ren.

“Ah, sorry. I thought there was a bug on you.”

“Pfft.”

Leta covered her mouth and suppressed the laughter that was bursting out.

It was childish jealousy to anyone who looked at it.

“Was he always this kind?”

Caber glared and gave a bitter smile. Ren passed by Caber, who was like that, and walked ahead, saying.

“I’m so kind that it’s a problem.”

Caber was furious, but he couldn’t show a disgraceful appearance in front of Leilly.

‘The one who endures wins.’

He might go crazy if he dealt with that madman. No matter how spiteful he was, it was him who was by Leilly’s side.

So, it was the same as him winning.

“This festival will be especially exciting.”

“Is it because of the sword contract?”

“Since it will be held in front of everyone. That’s why the Imperial Family is preparing so splendidly. It’s also a way of treating them well.”

“I see.”

It wasn’t her power, but it seemed that everyone was happy that the power of the place where they lived was getting stronger. Being superior to other countries also meant living a safer life.

The imperial citizens, who had become accustomed to peace under the unwavering power of the royal family and the protection from external forces, had a fantasy about the sword.

The unwavering power of the royal family. A medium like a god that would protect them from external forces.

They were not interested in the fact that one person would lose their ego and live unhappily for the rest of their lives. They thought that everyone would be happy because of that one person.

“It should be the saddest festival.”

“……Do you really think so?”

Caber learned about the life of the sword by reading books recorded in the Imperial Palace. It was a book he found by chance in the library that only the royal family could enter, but the contents were not easily forgotten.

It was that cruel, miserable, and sad.

The records of those who had their ego alive until the contract with the sword were even more full of pain. Hostility towards their fate, several suicide attempts, and finally the process of accepting it.

It seemed better for the ego to disappear immediately after the contract.

In that case, they didn’t get confused or struggle in pain.

“I won’t do it anytime if you say you don’t like it.”

“Your Highness, that’s already over.”

“I know, but.”

“Even if I lose my ego, I will overcome it.”

Leilly recalled countless rehearsal processes even before going to bed. She controlled and controlled her mana, and worked hard with Ren to calm the incomplete mana.

When she accepted him and took a step closer to fate, the mana in her body finally became calm as if it had found its place.

“It sometimes causes trouble, but it’s okay.”

“Leilly, even if you become like that, I will definitely bring you back.”

Caber clenched Leilly’s hand tightly and vowed. Her eyes were now emitting a will to live, and he couldn’t let her lose her vitality again.

“So, promise me just one thing too.”

Caber put a ring on Leilly’s hand and kissed her finger.

“That you will remember me.”

Then I can flow into your memory and hold on to you anytime.