I Lied to the Male Lead with My Pinky Finger on the Line

~~ Thank you so much for the coffee ~~

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“…I don’t want to.”

 

“Eila.”

 

“I also want to protect my family. Why should I be in a position where I only receive one-sided protection just because I’m the youngest and a girl? I’m a mage too. I have the power to protect myself and the people around me!”

 

“The enemies broke through the western barrier in just one day. You haven’t even learned proper combat magic. There’s no way you can fight against the demon army.”

 

“Well, then it’s the same for brother Aslan! I will never leave the capital. Even though I’m on leave, I am still a mage of the Imperial Magic Department. I’m sure there’s something I can do.”

 

“…Eila.”

 

Aslan’s gaze grew cloudy. I got up from my seat.

 

“Tell Father. Tell him that I will never abandon our family and run away alone.”

 

“Eila!”

 

I ignored Aslan’s calls and climbed the stairs to my room.

 

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After locking the door to my room, I placed several layers of magic barriers on it. It would take a considerable amount of time to force this door open, even if it were my father and not Aslan.

 

Aslan continued to knock on the door and call my name, but I didn’t respond.

 

Apart from the resentment and bitterness I felt towards my family, my heart was deeply troubled.

 

It was because of the new Demon King, who was now leading the demons.

 

Without a doubt, Clyde was unmistakably the Demon King. 

 

At first, it was just a mere suspicion.

 

In an attempt to confirm it, I tried tracking the location of the peridot necklace I had given to Clyde. The result showed that he was currently in Ilasaka. 

 

It matched exactly with the information Aslan had provided about the demon army.

 

Over the past two years, I have cast tracking spells several times, but there have been no results.

 

So, I was convinced that Clyde must have destroyed the necklace. If he had simply discarded it, the location of the necklace would have been traceable.

 

At the time, I was so sad and upset that I burst into tears.

 

But it seemed like that was not the case. Clyde must have been in the Demon Realm all along.

 

The environment in the Demon Realm, from the soil to the composition of the air, was completely different from the Human Realm.

 

Perhaps that’s why human magic couldn’t exert its full power in the Demon Realm.

 

Humans had been defending against incursions from the Demon Realm for a long time, but they never considered invading it themselves.

 

The reason my tracking magic didn’t work properly was undoubtedly because Clyde was in the Demon Realm.

 

The fact that the solid defenses, upheld for centuries, crumbled in just one day and that the Demon Realm’s army was advancing toward the capital, Trachen, just like in the original story, but two years later.

 

‘But, why….’

 

The history had already diverged completely from the original. Clyde had no reason to wage war against the Empire to seek revenge on my father.

 

【Enemy? You’re exaggerating. Your father was a bit of a pain, but I wouldn’t call him an enemy. It’s not like he killed my mother.】

 

Clyde had clearly said something like that.

 

‘Then, maybe because of me…?’

 

But that also didn’t make sense.

 

Clyde had completely lost interest in me. There was no way he would come back to me now.

 

Even if he had cooled down over time, there was no need for him to do something so enormous just to meet me.

 

In any case, one thing was certain.

 

If there was anyone who could stop Clyde and the Demon Realm’s army in the Empire right now, it was only one person—me.

 

So running away to another country and leaving my family behind was out of the question.

 

What I needed to do was the opposite. I had to go meet Clyde before his army reached the capital, Trachen.

 

‘Are you there, Master?’ 

 

– Yes.

 

‘I need a way to get out of here and go to Ilasaka. Even if I somehow managed to get out of the manor by using invisibility magic, it wouldn’t be easy to get out of the capital with the entirety of Trachen on lockdown, and Ilasaka isn’t even close enough to walk to. Do you happen to have any magic that could be used in a situation like this?’

 

– You’re asking the obvious: who do you think I am?

 

‘Then let me know. Please.’

 

– But first, I’d like to ask why you’re going there. You’re not thinking of facing the Demon Realm’s army all by yourself, are you? No matter how skilled you are, I doubt you possess the kind of magic that could single-handedly defeat such an army.

 

‘…Well, the new Demon King is someone I know.’

 

– That cute guy who came to my workshop looking for you two years ago?

 

‘Yes, that’s right…….Wait, what did you just say?’

 

– That fellow seems quite attached to you. He has a great face and body, too. I thought it wouldn’t be a bad idea for a demon like him to have a servant.

 

‘Clyde isn’t a demon; he’s just a half-blood, and he grew up under a human mother’s care, so his way of thinking and his heart are no different from an ordinary human. And please don’t even joke about calling him a servant.’

 

When I responded seriously and scolded her, Eleanor made a sly chuckle.

 

– It seems like you share the same feelings for that guy.

 

‘…….’

 

I was momentarily speechless.

 

– Fine, I get it. Since that fellow’s goal is probably you anyway, it would be better to go meet him first and reduce unnecessary sacrifices. I’ll teach you a teleportation spell. It’s a spell that allows you to teleport to a place you’ve been to before or to someone you’ve met.

 

‘Teleportation… really? Such unheard-of magic, and one that was created a thousand years ago, no less?’

 

I asked in amazement. Teleportation spells were still a completely unknown area in the modern era, existing only as a conceptual concept with no established spell formula.

 

– That’s right. Now you understand how amazing I am.

 

Eleanor said with a triumphant voice.

 

‘But…. Do you really think I can handle such great magic?’

 

– Of course you can. In fact, two years ago, it might have been a bit much, but not anymore. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have brought it up in the first place. I’ve expanded the mana capacity within your body and improved your mana circulation significantly during this time.

 

‘…What? When did you… Moreover, you did it without my permission, just as you pleased?’

 

– What? There’s really nothing you can’t say to your master. I told you everything was for your own good. Are you going to complain now?

 

Now that I think about it, every time I cast a spell recently, it definitely felt easier than before. But I attributed it to my natural growth over time; I never imagined it could be because of Eleanor.

 

‘No, even so, you should have at least mentioned it in advance, shouldn’t you?’

 

– I’m sure you, who repeatedly declined my offer to teach you the Great Magics of Mankind for free, would say that, and besides, it’s the reason you can use teleportation magic now, so stop whining about it.

 

‘…….’

 

I couldn’t argue with her because she had a point.

 

– Then may I start teaching you right away?

 

‘No, wait.’

 

My family would be worried if I suddenly disappeared. I had to leave them a letter or something, at the very least.

 

Of course, leaving a letter doesn’t mean they won’t worry, but it’s not the same as just disappearing.

 

I began to write to my father and brothers, saying, “If I stay at home, you will surely try to force me to evacuate, so I will go to a place where you cannot find me, and I will do what I can to stop the invasion. Don’t worry, it’s not dangerous; just do what you have to do.”

 

Just then, there was a knocking sound at the door.

 

“Brother Aslan? No matter what you say, my decision remains the same. To take me out of here, you should be prepared to bring a battalion of magic corps.”

 

When I boldly asserted myself, a voice I hadn’t expected to hear responded.

 

“Eila. It’s me, Raphir.”

 

“…Your Highness, the Crown Prince?”

 

Without realizing it, I got up from my desk and approached the door.

 

“Why on earth… Why have you come here?”

 

“I heard you refuse to evacuate.”

 

“You came all the way here just because of that. This is not the time for Your Highness to be here. As a member of the royal family, there must be urgent matters you need to attend to…”

 

“I know. But more than anything else, you are my top priority.”

 

“…….”

 

I was so surprised that I lost my words.

 

“Open the door, Eila. Let me talk to you face-to-face.”

 

“What do you want to say? Even if Your Highness came here in person, I wouldn’t change my mind. I am a noble of the Palma Empire and a mage of the Imperial Magic Department. I cannot run away from a country in crisis; I absolutely cannot.”

 

“Don’t worry. I didn’t come here to forcibly take you away. I won’t do anything you don’t agree to. I’ll swear by the name of Palma. So, please open the door, Eila. I’m begging you.”

 

Raphir’s voice was subdued, but it carried a heartfelt emotion.

 

I hesitated for a moment, then slowly reached for the doorknob.

 

 

 

 

 

𝑺𝒖𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕 𝒎𝒆 𝒐𝒏 𝑲𝒐-𝒇𝒊