I'm the Friend of a Male Lead who went Crazy after the Female Lead Died

Thank you, Jayde, for the support ❤️.

 

 

Time had flown by, and New Year’s Eve was just around the corner. Killian had to arrive at the Imperial Palace before the New Year’s Eve festivities began, so he left first.

 

“Elshnain.”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Stay at home, and don’t go anywhere.”

 

“Of course! As if I would go anywhere?”

 

“…..”

 

Whew. That kid’s way too sharp.

 

Elshnain reassured him for days before sending him off to the party.

 

And now, here she was…

 

“His Imperial Highness, the Crown Prince, has arrived!”

 

She had followed him all the way here after all.

 

Here he is. That villain.

 

“Wow- His Imperial Highness, the Crown Prince!”

 

“Oh, look at that magnificence! He is so majestic!”

 

The crowd surrounding Elshnain raised their voices, praising the Crown Prince. Their voices were filled with reverence and admiration.

 

“Is the Emperor still bedridden?”

 

“Are you out of the loop? I heard it’s gotten worse!”

 

“What if the Emperor passes away?”

 

“Why worry? We have the Crown Prince!”

 

The middle-aged men whispered, watching the Crown Prince waving from a large balcony. They were in the square directly in front of the imperial palace in the capital.

 

A sky-bridge stretched from the imperial palace and led to the central tower of the square. The balcony of that tower was where the Emperor would traditionally stand during the New Year festival.

 

From that very spot, on the first day of the New Year festival, the Emperor was supposed to come out and give a speech to mark the beginning of the festival.

 

But the Emperor is bedridden right now.

 

In his place, his son, Seamus, the Crown Prince of the Aeterna Holly Empire, stood there instead.

 

“The Crown Prince is really going through a lot.”

 

“Right? He’s been handling all state affairs ever since the Emperor suddenly collapsed last year.”

 

“Yes! And his younger siblings are all too young, so he can’t even share the work.”

 

“It’s a good thing, isn’t it? The Crown Prince is practically confirmed as the next Emperor!”

 

With a bored expression, Elshnain ignored the whispers around her and looked out toward the balcony. A soft-looking young man with long, white hair that was considered sacred smiled benevolently and waved his hand. Beside him sat children with the same white hair, quietly arranged like dolls.

 

“Hey, don’t you all know? The second prince is only one year younger than the Crown Prince!”

 

A man joined the conversation, trying to act like he knew what he was talking about.

 

“Well, yes… but… ahem!”

 

The middle-aged man who had been praising the Crown Prince earlier coughed awkwardly and spoke in a hushed voice.

 

“That prince is cursed, isn’t he?”

 

“Right. He’s under a terrible curse!”

 

“Ahem. That’s true.”

 

The man who had intervened with his earlier remark shrank back, defeated by the barrage of rebukes. Then….

 

Boom-!

 

The sound of a trumpet, signaling the start of the New Year Festival, suddenly echoed through the air.

 

Elshnain lowered her gaze to the floor below the balcony, where the high-ranking nobles had gathered. She saw Killian, sitting regally amidst them. Around him, nobles stood at a distance, too afraid to approach him.

 

In the original story, on the last day of the New Year Festival, Killian was framed. If Arwen hadn’t revealed herself as the lost Saint and defended him, he would have been in grave danger.”

 

But Arwen was not here.

 

And Elshnain couldn’t reveal her true identity and defend him either. Even though she was once one of the Five Stars, she was no Saint.

 

As she remembered her meager circumstances, Elshnain briefly pouted before shrugging it off.

 

Well, that’s why I prepared beforehand, isn’t it?

 

The money she got from selling Asherai’s scales; she planned to use that money to get what she needed.

 

Elshnain smiled subtly beneath her robe as she looked at the small child sitting behind the Crown Prince.

 

The second prince of the Aeterna Holly Empire.

 

He was cursed, as people said. So, no one ever demanded him to fulfill his duties and responsibilities as the second prince.

 

He was unable to fulfill those duties and responsibilities in the first place.

 

“Waaah. Waaah.”

 

“Y-Your Highness. These are the gloves of His Imperial Highness, the Crown Prince. So….”

 

“I don’t want to! It’s mine. I said it’s mine!”

 

“Y-Your Highness…”

 

The boy with fluffy white hair like cotton candy was quite cute, and he looked about 8 years old.

 

He glared at the man who seemed to be his attendant, clutching a pair of expensive-looking gloves in both hands.

 

Found him!

 

Elshnain who had been searching the palace like a hawk while using a magical scroll that concealed her appearance for one hour a day, slowly exhaled as she caught her breath.

 

As it was dragon magic, there was no risk of being caught by anyone, but the one-hour time limit was quite dangerous.

 

I think I have about 20 minutes left, right?

 

Thankfully, she had memorized the Imperial Palace’ layout beforehand. Otherwise, she would have given up and gone home.

 

“I don’t  want to! I don’t want to! It’s mine!”

 

“Oh, Your Highness. You’re twenty-two years old now. You’re too old to be throwing a tantrum like this. Even if it is a curse… ugh.”

 

“A curse? What’s that?”

 

As if he had reached his limit, the frustrated-looking attendant sighed and started to ramble, only to realize he had made a mistake in response to the prince’s words.

 

Just as he hurriedly tried to snatch the gloves away from the prince, a voice suddenly came from behind.

 

“What are you doing?”

 

“Hic!”

 

The attendant was startled by the sudden voice.

 

Even Elshnain gasped in surprise…

 

Because Killian who should have been attending the banquet, was standing right in front of them.

 

Why is he here? This is a disaster!

 

It felt like the plan to achieve her original objective and escape the palace was about to fall apart.

 

“Uh, Guardian! It’s nothing, hum…”

 

The attendant, sweating profusely, tried to gently let go of the gloves he had been trying to take from the prince, which only made matters worse.

 

“Wah! Wah!”

 

The prince, who was twenty-two but cursed to look like a child, began to sob uncontrollably once again.

 

“You’re mean! You’re so mean! Wahhh!”

 

 

“Your Highness, the Prince…!”

 

The attendant desperately reached out to stop the prince’s crying, but it was futile.

 

Thud!

 

Killian’s firm hand grabbed his forearm, holding it as effortlessly as if catching a helpless mosquito.

 

“Enough.”

 

“Ouch!”

 

“If His Highness wants the gloves, let him have them.”

 

The attendant began to sweat profusely.

 

“B-but those gloves belong to the Crown Prince…”

 

A voice, sharp as a blade, softly cut through the air.

 

“Wasn’t the palace supposed to be in better condition than this? Can you not afford another pair of gloves?”

 

“W-what?”

 

The low, resonant voice was dangerously charming, but the attendant, faced with a chilling expression, seemed to have no time to appreciate it.

 

His fingertips were visibly trembling.

 

Regardless, Kilian, unfazed, continued:

 

“Or is His Imperial Highness too petty to give his younger brother a pair of gloves?”

 

“I…I…”

 

The attendant’s face turned pale.

 

“No, it’s not like that. N-no, not at all!”

 

The attendant quickly pulled his hand away from the gloves and respectfully offered them to the prince, standing rigidly. Then he spoke rapidly, as if rapping.

 

“The generous Crown Prince wouldn’t mind giving these gloves to His Highness! I apologize, but may I leave to inform the Crown Prince and find him another pair of gloves?”

 

“Go ahead.”

 

As the servant scurried away, Killian knelt and helped the young prince put on his gloves.

 

The gloves were far too large for the child’s hands, but Killian treated him as if he were an adult.

 

“……”

 

Without a word of flattery, Killian silently helped him with the gloves, then with a cold expression, he rose from his kneeling position, bowed to the prince, and left.

 

The sound of his footsteps echoed in the hallway for a while.

 

Two people were watching him closely: the prince, who had just been crying, and Elshnain.

 

Ugh. Why does he have to come this way of all places?  She complained .

 

Even with Asherai’s magic, she couldn’t help but feel nervous. As the guardian and contractor of the holy sword, Killian was a powerful being. She was afraid he might somehow detect her hidden presence.

 

Her heart pounded In her chest as she watched him approach. Despite her anxiety, she couldn’t help but be drawn to his handsome face, which seemed to radiate light.

 

Thump, thump.

 

And then, as he was about to pass by her…..

 

He stopped.

 

“……”

 

“……”

 

Elshnain covered her mouth with both hands, her eyes wide with shock, as she held her breath.

 

He stood there for a moment, right next to her, before resuming his walk.

 

Thump, thump.

 

Whew, that was close.

 

Elshnain let out a deep breath, her heart nearly sinking at the thought that she might have been detected. Cautiously turning around, she saw that Killian was completely out of sight. It seemed she was in the clear.

 

If he had caught me, I would have been imprisoned in the dungeon, she thought.

 

He might have even torment her, thinking she was up to something!

 

Relieved, she walked swiftly towards the prince, her steps quick and sure.

 

Now that the attendant by the prince’s side has left, this is my chance.

 

The prince, his eyes red and puffy from tears, stood there, staring at the gloves he was wearing. His face held a fragile vulnerability.

 

Elshnain gazed down at him, a mischievous smile playing on her lips.

 

“Hey, you fraud!”