After I Died, The Male Leads Became Strange

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(Lurelia’s Christmas Bonus – Update 1/4 🎉)

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In my past life, I grew up as the princess of Shunaibel, became the Empress, and enjoyed numerous festivals and nights of balls.

However, it was the first time I was mingling with ordinary imperial citizens in the square to watch a festival like this.

It wasn’t particularly planned, and I impulsively grabbed Cail’s hand right after failing to approach Young Count Amets, but…

As I strolled through the festive square streets, I suddenly realized.

That I was truly no longer the villain who will destroy the world.

‘Possessing an extra… it’s really the best!’

I felt like I could cry from how touching this humble and ordinary extra’s life was.

While walking down the lively street, I noticed a distinctive shop.

It was a place selling souvenirs using portraits of the three heroes.

Unlike Niel’s face, which was drawn quite similarly, Yupheon and Cail’s faces were somewhat difficult to recognize.

I suppose it’s because the two of them are not as well-known as Niel, who is the Emperor.

‘After going through the trouble of making them heroes, they said he secluded himself in the north for 5 years.’

Remembering the rumors about Cail that Felitz had told me, I felt somewhat sorry.

‘If he’s going to receive people’s love anyway, he should flaunt that handsome face and live happily.’

I shook my head inwardly.

Usually, portraits of those of high status were considerably beautified compared to their actual appearance, but sadly, these portraits failed to capture their true beauty.

As I was engrossed in looking at the portraits of those I knew, finding them amusing, the shop owner approached me and whispered in my ear.

“Hey, customer. Actually, we secretly distribute this here, but we also have portraits of the tyrant Jella.”

“What, Jella? No, who would buy that? What kind of crazy person?”

Startled by my own defensive reaction that came out unconsciously, I felt a slight flinch beside me.

“…?”

The shop owner and I turned to look at the same time.

However, there was only Cail, looking at other portraits with a calm face.

“It’s quite popular, actually.”

The fact that it was popular made it even more suspicious. Isn’t it being sold as some kind of cursed charm?

“No, even if that’s the case, it’s not like it’s a portrait of Saint Yuria…”

“Eek! A portrait of Lady Yuria!”

Before I could finish speaking, the shop owner panicked and covered my mouth.

“Be careful. When the current Emperor ascended to the throne, he banned the distribution of Lady Yuria’s portraits, you know.”

“Huh? Why…?”

He left Jella Shunaibel’s portraits to be distributed, but banned Yuria’s portraits?

I tilted my head, unable to understand Niel’s intention.

But soon, I thought I knew the reason.

‘Niel loves Yuria, so he probably didn’t want to share Yuria with others.’

It was quite a sad love story.

‘I should quickly look into that suspicious cult that might be related to Yuria.’

Cail and I finished our browsing and went outside.

“Didn’t you buy anything?”

“No, not really. Did you buy something?”

“No, nothing.”

Cail shyly hid the package he was holding behind his back.

It seems he bought his own portrait.

Perhaps because it was winter, the day darkened quickly.

Chuckling, I walked down the now-dim street, and I could hear people talking.

“I wonder if we’ll be able to see the three heroes together on the last day of this festival.”

“It’s been so long since His Holiness Yupheon visited.”

“Isn’t this Cail’s first visit to the capital since he went north 5 years ago?”

As his name was mentioned, Cail slightly lowered his head, hiding his face in the darkness.

“But I heard Yupheon is unwell?”

This time, I flinched and slightly lowered my head.

“Someone who received God’s blessing, unwell?”

“Hasn’t he never been ill? Could there be a problem with his divine power…?”

“No, I heard he was scammed by some quack medicine peddler and got poisoned…”

I immediately raised my head and glared at them with wide eyes.

It’s not a quack! It’s not!

“Come to think of it, I heard Cail was also attacked by an assailant and went to a doctor…”

“There’s a rumor that a vicious villain targeting the heroes is roaming the capital these days, surely it can’t be true?”

“Isn’t this dangerous?”

Ah, I’m not a villain either…! I’m not……

I secretly glanced at Cail, who was standing next to me.

Fortunately, he didn’t seem to be paying much attention.

But feeling unnecessarily nervous, I raised my voice to divert his attention.

“Wh-where should we go next?”

As I looked around, something suddenly caught my eye.

“There, shall we go there? Let’s watch a play!”

Where I pointed, there was a huge poster with the title ‘The Story of Three Heroes’.

The ‘Three Heroes’ in the poster were, of course, Niel, Yupheon, and Cail.

It was even more exciting to be able to watch a play about people I knew.

But then, Cail slowly parted his lips and answered.

“…I don’t really want to see it.”

“Huh?”

“I hate it.”

His expression wasn’t good.

I was debating whether to ask why he hated a story about himself when he emphasized once more.

“…I really hate it.”

“O-okay, I understand.”

I couldn’t insist on going to see it when someone was so adamantly against it.

‘I’ll come watch it with Felitz later.’

As I nodded and was about to turn away, Cail stood rooted to the spot, not moving.

After standing still for a while with his lips tightly pressed, Cail asked in a small voice, almost whispering.

“Are you planning to come watch it with that man later?”

“Ah, no?”

I shook my head at his question, which seemed to have read my mind exactly.

For some reason, I felt that if I answered yes here, Felitz might be in danger.

This was a warning from the instinctive intuition I had possessed since my past life as Jella Shunaibel.

Satisfied with my answer, Cail finally relaxed his expression and smiled faintly.

‘Oh God, I think I’ve saved a life today…’

I thought inwardly, calling out to God.

Wondering if I should also charge Felitz for saving his life.

***

Meanwhile, at the same time. A man with spring flower-like, imposing pink hair was sitting with his upper body leaning against the bed’s headboard, looking out the window.

His somewhat sickly atmosphere and melancholic eyes gave off a pure yet somehow decadent feeling.

It was probably due to those long, upward-slanting cat-like eyes and the thin shadow cast by the long, dense eyelashes hanging above them.

Yupheon Arne was waiting for someone in the guest room prepared within the imperial palace.

How long had he been waiting?

A moment later. With a knock, the door opened.

At the arrival of the awaited guest, Yupheon turned towards the door with a bright smile.

“Beautiful one!”

However, he soon confirmed the face of the person entering and made a sour expression.

“…What? Why are you coming in? You’re not even pretty.”

Yupheon asked with a frown.

The person who entered was Demian, the priest he had brought from the Holy Kingdom.

Yupheon looked behind him to see if anyone else was following, but Demian was alone.

“I’m sorry, Your Holiness. I went to find the lady you mentioned, but I was told she had been out all afternoon.”

“So you just came back? You spineless bastard.”

Yupheon cursed in a vicious voice.

He had sent Demian to bring Jella under the pretext of a sick visit, but that dim-witted fool had returned alone just because she wasn’t visible.

“You should have kidnapped her and brought her.”

“Didn’t you say it was a sick visit? Besides, it turns out that the lady is a terrifying poison master from the underworld. All the underworld people were calling her ‘Big Sister’. What if I made a strange attempt and got horribly assassinated by the underworld’s Big Sister?”

“Why would she assassinate an ugly you? It’s not like you’re as pretty as me.”

“Wouldn’t I have a higher chance of dying because I’m ugly?”

Demian tilted his head, unable to understand Yupheon’s logic.

“Oh right, Your Holiness! More importantly, there’s a request from the imperial family. They’re asking you to attend the last event of the Founding Day Festival tomorrow.”

“Not going.”

“Why not! You’ve come all this way!”

“Tell them I’m so sick I can’t move a step out of bed.”

“Shouldn’t you still go? People are really looking forward to all three heroes gathering finally. Coincidentally, Lord Cail Aleret also arrived in the capital yesterday…”

“What?”

At the mention of Cail’s name, Yupheon jumped up from his seat.

“Oh, you get up well. You should be fine to attend the Founding Day Festival!”

Relief washed over Demian’s face, as if grateful for their good fortune.

Regardless, Yupheon threw off the robe he was wearing and put on a shirt over it.

Seeing him ready to go out in an instant, Demian tilted his head and asked.

“Your Holiness? Where are you going?”

“To kill.”

“What?”

“I’m going to kill Cail Aleret.”

Yupheon left only those words and leaped out the window.