My Childhood Friends Are Trying To Kill Me

“So, what is this?”

Lelia sat around her four friends and saw an unidentified fountain pen. The fountain pen looked very luxurious, but it had an unusual atmosphere as it was set with jewels.

It was Romeo who brought this fountain pen.

“I asked my father to make it. It’s a little early, but it’s a gift for you guys.”

“By the way, what were you talking about earlier? I heard that there is a magic spell casted on it.”

Romeo then smiled and swept away his golden hair at Lelia’s question. Then he said with a smug air, “It’s a fountain pen that the five of us can share messages through. If someone writes a letter, it’ll go straight to five people.”

“Wow!” Lelia exclaimed. It was also a royal gift with magical powers. 

Romeo briefly demonstrated. When he wrote on a piece of paper, pieces of paper appeared next to the other fountain pens.

Romeo: It’s my gift.

In addition, by the name engraved on the fountain pen, they could see who wrote the message.

Kalix was also delighted, saying, “It’s strange.” 

Oscar and Griffith also seemed to like the present.

“So everyone, remember to write letters when we go home. Oh, the gemstone set in it is a magic stone. If you take this off, you won’t be able to exchange letters, so be careful.”

At Romeo’s words, Lelia looked at the fountain pen with a smile.

[Yes, officially, I have to work hard until the crown prince dies.]

Lelia glanced cautiously at Kalix sitting on the other side. Maybe because she thought about his future yesterday, she was really curious about him today. Especially those amber eyes…

“What are you staring at?”

“Who is a cry baby?”

“No? Even if I die, guys, you guys… Ugh…” Kalix laughed at Lelia, who cried last time. 

Lelia couldn’t stand it anymore, and she opened the cap of the fountain pen and rushed at him, “I’ll kill you!”

“Hold it in, Leo!”

Oscar and Griffith held back her arms.

The next day, Lelia celebrated her real birthday with her friends.

The children commemorated the day together as she requested, even though they didn’t know whose birthday it was. It was her last birthday with her friends. They gathered in her living room, put a birthday cake on the table, and lit candles.

“Thank you for being with me, guys.” Lelia blew out the candles and smiled at them.

“He’s crying again.” Kalix said as he watched her eyes.

“Whose birthday are you even crying about?”

“Leo, don’t tell me… dead girlfriend…?”

Griffith and Oscar asked in turn, but Lelia rubbed the corners of her eyes, shouting, “I’m not crying!”

Tears welled up, thinking it was her last birthday together with them.

“No way Leo, you don’t have a mother, do you? Is it actually your real mother’s birthday or something like that?”

“…”

At Romeo’s question, Lelia looked at him grimly.

[Hey, your tone is not the same as usual]

[Huh? Come to think of it…]

Lelia blinked and looked at the children. It just so happens that….

It’s a group of totally motherless kids.

Oscar lost his mother when he was a child to his father, the psycho emperor.

Kalix was also not able to see his parents as soon as he was born.

Griffith had no biological mother, but a stepmother who hates him.

Romeo’s mother even committed suicide in front of his eyes as a child.

Finally, Lelia’s mother died, too.

“…”

Lelia stopped crying and started eating the cake. The rest of the kids didn’t really ask. She felt so sorry to think that she looked like she was crying because of her mother in front of these children. Each one of them had a sad story, and she couldn’t decide who was more unhappy or sad.

But Lelia still thought she was in a better position.

At least she remembers her past life, and she knows what’s going to happen.

In addition, her friends will participate in the battle of the dragon a few years later, which will be a real struggle and hardship.

[Thank you for wishing me a happy birthday…]

Lelia laughed at her friends, who were eating cakes. 

She wanted to tell them that it was her birthday, but she had to shut her mouth tightly.

[I will be alone again next year…]

Lelia swore to stop thinking about being lonely and start making more memories that she’ll never forget for the rest of her life.

***

Their remaining time passed faster than time had ever passed before. However, before returning to their home country, the five children made many memories.

They learned to swim together in the lake, watched the sunset, and the sun rise.

Watching the rain, the rainbow open, and the snow, they captured everything with their eyes.

There were times when they tried to go outside the temple without the priests knowing, and also made fun of the priests, which they usually hated.

Climbing on a big tree, running together, reading the same book and sharing ideas.

So time passed like a stream, and one day, it was time to go home.

Attendants from their respective countries picked them up even before sunrise.

Lelia cried like a child in front of her friends, who were taller than her.

“Hey, stop crying! We’ll see you again in a few years.”

Kalix was bitterly annoyed, but he was also holding back tears in front of his friends. 

“You must write a letter…”

When Oscar saw Lelia crying, he followed her and shed his tears.

“…I’ll miss you.” Griffith, who doesn’t usually say things like this, bowed his head and said shyly.

“I really hate this… Stop crying you all!” Romeo was irritated, but pulled each and every one of them into a hug.

Lelia suddenly smiled at the time when Romeo pointed fingers at them, saying, “I don’t like them.”

“I’m not even a child. Hey, if you cry and laugh, you…”

“… Shut up!”

Kalix burst into laughter again, and Lelia clenched her fist.

The hustle and bustle was over soon, and Lelia wiped her tears with her sleeves. She said in a different, serious expression, “Kalix Ascard, always be careful. Be especially careful with your uncle.”

“…I know.”

“Okay.”

Having said that, Lelia shook hands and hugged each one of them and gave them a final greeting.

“Oscar, don’t forget to sleep well with your doll. Got it?”

“Yes. Leo, you too.” Lelia hugged Oscar, and stroked his silver hair.

“Griffith, you… be careful not to be used.” Griffith awakened the divine power. When he returns home, his father will do all kinds of things to take advantage of Griffith. Griffith’s stepmother will try to harm him too.

“Worry about yourself…” Griffith smiled, and Lelia looked at him then stood in front of Romeo.

Tears trickled down from Romeo’s blue eyes, even when he was trying to stop.

“You… have to refine your personality. I have nothing to say but that.”

“Oh, my God!”

Romeo hugged Lelia, pretending to clench her head with his fist.

Lelia shed another tear as he cried.

“We’ll see each other in a few years.” Everyone said that and comforted Lelia, who was especially sad.

Lelia held back what she wanted to say.

[We can’t see each other anymore.]

[There will be no more meetings forever.]

Prince Leo will officially become a dead man, and the curse of revealing her secret will continue after the deaths of the Emperor and the Crown Prince.

“Bye, boys.”

“Keep writing letters.”

“Stop crying, you crybaby.”

“Everyone be careful….”

“Bye.”

Lelia raised her arms and waved loudly at the attendants from the various countries and leaving children so that they could see it from afar.

“Everyone, stay healthy.”

“Bye, bye. I appreciate your help.”

After giving her final greeting, Lelia turned around and followed the Aurarian attendant. She couldn’t leave easily because of her lingering feelings.

But Lelia wiped away her tears and deliberately moved towards the carriage quickly.

It was time to be alone again.

But her heart will never be alone.