My Childhood Friends Are Trying To Kill Me

In fact, Lelia didn’t come here because she wanted to.

Dracanea, a vast continent of enormous size, there were five empires with a long history on this continent.

In the distant past, a wild dragon who had been hibernating for a long time, woke up. As a result, numerous demons appeared and attacked people, and mankind seemed to start to walk the path of destruction.

At that time, it was the Seon Hwang, the leader of the Kreutz Sect, and the five knights who received the oracle that saved the world by defeating the wild dragon.

After that, Kreutzism became deeply rooted throughout the continent, and the five knights established their own empires and began to rule the continent. They shared the magical powers of the wild dragon with the five knights and formed a blood alliance.

The Kreutz sect established the “Kreutz Sanctuary” at the center of the five empires, sent priests to the five empires, and influenced many parts of the continent.

Seon Hwang didn’t even get involved in secular territorial issues, but did not tolerate the alteration of the lineage of the royal family who ruled the empire at all.

Thus, the five empires maintained a balance of power while keeping each other in check under a strange sense of tension, and to this day, they maintained peace under the patronage of the temple.

But a few years ago.

At the end of the continent, a light dragon egg appeared. The volcano erupted, and dark magical power began to surround it. Due to the influence, even the vicious monsters began to awaken again.

People became anxious. This was a sign that the cruelty recorded in old books was repeated.

It may actually be repeated… 

The Kreuz sect tried to get rid of the egg before the light dragon hatched, but it was impossible.

It was written in an old book that the egg of the light dragon cannot be destroyed by any means.

‘There is only one way. When the wild dragon hatches, you just fight it directly.’

The sect realized that it could not solve this problem independently. Thus, the situation brought together the five emperors based on their vows. At the end of the meeting, the five empires joined forces to gather strong forces in advance.

Considering the contents of the ancient book, there was still many years left before the wild dragon eggs hatched. Therefore, they want to prepare for the battle against the wild dragon in advance. In addition, the sect gathered young royal families and nobles of each empire, apart from collecting the strong force.

What are they trying to do with the kids …?

Anyway, the place where Lelia came was the training center in the sacred neutral territory built by the sect. 

Well … I don’t think they are expecting a hero to come out of the kids here…

Still, they were the primary leaders who would lead the five empires in the future. There is no point in trying to get to know each other in advance.

When the light dragon appears, it seems that the five empires can join forces without pointing their swords at each other.

It’s like a camp for friendship in one word. 

Of course, it was a kind of surveillance and a hostage.

But why is she here…

It’s because of the crown prince.

Lelia was from a royal family, but she was almost as good as an invisible person.

The situation in her home country, Auralia, was a bit complicated.

There was a big fuss over the throne.

It is said that the second son, who was aiming for the throne, killed his eldest son and won the throne.

Lydios, who became emperor in the rebellion, made his son Leo the Crown Prince and tried to rule the country.

However, the neighboring countries did not have a good eye on the emperor who rose to the throne due to the rebellion, and the relationship was not good.

The emperor was always afraid that his son might be assassinated. The same was true of the crown prince.

That coward…

The crown prince was a coward and timid, and everyone knew that he was weak.

In reality, he wasn’t strong enough to blow up Lelia with a single kick.

Then what is Lelia’s identity?

She was the daughter of Princess Iris, the youngest daughter, who watched her brothers fight for the throne.

The Princess fell in love with her escort knight and gave birth to a child, Lelia.

Unfortunately, the Princess died shortly after giving birth to the child…

I’m Lelia, the daughter of a dead princess.

She was as good as a forgotten member of the royal family in the midst of the chaos of the battle for the throne.

Lelia lived in a small tower on the edge of the royal palace, lived quietly eating only the food that some maids gave her.

They didn’t take good care of me…

One day, it went all quiet. 

Lelia was suddenly taken by the Emperor.

“Hmm, yeah… So you’re my niece? Iris, that stupid sister of mine gave birth to a daughter.”

“But I can’t believe you’re about the same age as the crown prince. What a coincidence, yes!”

Lelia blinked because she had no idea what was going on.

“Iris, who fell in love with a lowly knight,” he continued laughing and cursed just like that, “I can’t believe Iris gave me such a gift, YOU! Hahaha!”

At the request of the sect, the emperor had to send the prince to the sacred neutral territory.

In order to get a new priest with greater healing power than a wizard, he could not even refuse because the eyes of neighboring empires  disapproved of him, who had forcibly taken the throne.

However, he couldn’t let his own son go.

There were still many within the empire who argued that he had pushed his brother away and took the throne.

Therefore, the young prince was threatened with assassination.

If it were his son, the emperor, who would have died but not have sent his son to a sacred neutral territory in this situation.

Of course, it will be safe because it is a place guarded by priests and knights, but you never know. No other place in the world would be safer than the palace. 

He could relax well without having to worry.

“Is it true that she lived alone in the tower?”

The emperor asked the maids.

The maids were the ones who brought Lelia food. A maid who offered the answer to the emperor, who was agonizing over the issue of sending the crown prince, bowed her head.

“Yes, Your Majesty. When you had built the Queen’s villa, Lelia had moved here.”

“Hmm…”

The emperor tried to brush up his memory. He had once repaired the castle where his dead sister lived and gave it to his wife.

“It seems like you’ve been in a place after you were kicked out.  Good for you, very good for you.”

The emperor spoke with a smile inside.

“Who else knows this kid’s existence?”

“We’re the only ones.”

The words were true.

The child’s biological mother, Princess Iris, had died, and the people who died at the time of the catastrophe were large in number. Most of the people who knew the existence of young Lelia, had already passed away.

“Okay, that’s good. That’s great.” The emperor stood in front of the skinny girl. 

She could smell the unpleasant odour coming from him because he hadn’t washed up. He opened Lelia’s palm, “It’s definitely Iris’ bloodline.”

The royal family of Auralia are born with a pattern on their palm.

It was the same for all five empires. It was a sign that was engraved due to the pledge of success with the first emperors. Each empire has a slightly different pattern, but since the wild dragon’s magic was real, it could never be mimicked by magic.

The emperor grinned, looking at the little girl.

Since all the children born to his elder brother are dead, the remaining young royal members are his son and this child.

Moreover, this pattern was the best evidence to prove that she was from a royal family. No one remembers her existence. Even if there is someone who remembers it, they will think that she had died when the catastrophe happened. 

‘Because she has a pattern that cannot be manipulated, no one in the sect will doubt it.’

For as long as the child is in sacred neutral territory for three years, he can hide his young son under his shadow to ensure safety.

If the assassins dare to infiltrate the sacred neutral zone and kill this child, they can’t.

‘My son won’t die, so it doesn’t matter.’

After the emperor decided to send Lelia instead of the Crown Prince, he killed all the servants and maids who brought her up.