Reincarnated as Twins: And Then, I Was the Only One Abandoned - ☆62 And Then, ①

☆62 And Then, ① 

In the pitch-black darkness, I suddenly noticed a scent tickling my nose. 

What is this smell? 

It’s an appetite-inducing aroma. 

Hamburg steak? No, maybe beef stew? 

As the scent grew stronger, the darkness thinned. And my vision gradually brightened. 

And then— 

I woke up. 

A blinding light flooded my eyes. 

It seemed I had been sleeping in my own bed. 

The rich, savory scent of simmering meat was irresistible. 

I couldn’t help but try to sit up. But my body had no strength. 

The moment I forced myself to move, I lost my balance— 

—Thud! 

With a dull sound, I tumbled out of bed. 

The next instant, hurried footsteps echoed from the hallway. 

—Bang! 

The door burst open, and standing there was— 

“You’ve finally woken up.” 

Elysia, looking relieved. 

“I prepared a feast, so I was about to wake you up by force.” 

By force…? 

What were you planning to do? 

“How long was I out?” 

“About two days. Cleaning up after everything was a hassle.” 

“What happened after that? Alexis got blown away somewhere—did you find him?” 

“More importantly, aren’t you hungry?” 

“Now that you mention it, I’m starving.” 

“Then let’s talk over a meal.” 

—A luxurious spread awaited. 

Beef stew, meat pies, and a wobbly milk pudding-like dessert. 

A colorful vegetable salad and a steaming bowl of soup. 

“You made all of this, Elysia?” 

I couldn’t help but show a moment of surprise. 

“Yes, I’ve cooked for you before, haven’t I?” 

The elf princess looked slightly displeased. 

“Yeah, but… it was just simple stuff, like omelets…” 

The moment I said that, her expression subtly froze. 

My gut was telling me…….. 

I should stop talking now. 

◆◆◆

As I took bite after bite of food, I listened to Elysia’s report. 

First, about Alexis— 

To put it simply, his whereabouts were completely unknown. 

Only two days had passed, but there was no report of him being found. 

If he was dead—which, honestly, seemed inevitable—what would happen next? 

Would I be arrested for the grave crime of regicide? 

Crap… 

The realization suddenly made me anxious. 

Next, the enemy army’s movements. 

With Alexis gone, the kingdom’s forces had retreated. 

Fortunately, our side suffered almost no damage. 

A complete victory, so to speak. 

That was good. 

Also, Lilith and her group were still in town. So I’d need to thank them later. To be honest, if they hadn’t been there, things would have gotten really bad. 

—And then, the elite forces of Eldarin that had been facing off against the kingdom’s army at the eastern border had returned home. But a portion of them, along with their king, were now heading this way. 

That was the general situation, but the last bit—casually mentioning that the Eldarin king was coming—gave me a bad feeling. 

Huh? What’s he coming for…? 

I’ve heard rumors that he dotes on Elysia, but… 

◆◆◆

After finishing my meal, I finally regained some strength. 

There was still some lingering fatigue, but at least I could move. 

I decided to head to the hotel where Lilith and her group were staying. I made my way there with Elysia accompanying me. 

It was the most luxurious establishment in this Autonomous Territory. 

The building towered in the city center, its unique design standing out even from a distance. Intricately carved marble sculptures adorned the premises. They exuded an air of foreign craftsmanship. The walls were draped with elaborate, embroidered tapestries. They filled the space with a refined, stately ambiance. 

We stepped into the elevator. 

I wasn’t sure how it worked, but it seemed to be powered by magical stones. 

With a gentle vibration, we ascended to the top floor. 

—Before long, the doors quietly slid open. 

A spacious, open area stretched out before us. 

A high ceiling and an expansive floor. 

Through the windows, the entire cityscape of the autonomous district was visible. And on the side facing the streets, a relaxed open lounge area had been set up. 

Lilith and her group were gathered around a table,. They were sharing a vibrant assortment of dishes and chatting. 

Laughter echoed, filling the air with an oddly soothing warmth. 

Time seemed to flow gently in that space. 

“Oh, you’re finally awake?” 

Noticing us, Lilith greeted me cheerfully. 

“Hey, thanks for everything.”

I casually returned the greeting and took a seat at the table. 

“How’s your body holding up?” 

“Still feels a bit heavy. But other than that, no issues.” 

“I see. That’s good to hear.” 

Lilith smiled in relief. 

“Seriously, thank you all so much this time. Thanks to you, the city was saved.” 

“No need to thank us. We were just repaying a bit of the favor we owe you.” 

“No, no, ‘a bit’ is underselling it… Next time, let me help you with something.” 

“If something comes up, I’ll let you know. That works, right?” 

Lilith said it so casually that I could only respond with a wry smile. 

Once things settled down a little, I asked about something that had been on my mind. 

“By the way, that dangerous guy Lilith fought—what kind of abilities did he have?” 

“Hm? It felt like he could suppress my ability somehow. My power got significantly weakened.” 

(…Wait, isn’t that the one Grimbald mentioned?) 

“So, what happened to him?” 

“In the end, he completely gave up. So, I decided not to kill him. Wouldn’t sit right with me.” 

Lilith stated it matter-of-factly. 

“I told him to quit being a soldier, train with his sword, and become a proper adventurer.” 

“You’re as soft as ever, Lilith.” 

From the side, Abyssla chimed in. He sounded completely exasperated. 

“The one I fought..? I…. fed him to Morglim.” 

…Fed? 

Wait… what? 

That’s terrifying! 

What the hell did this guy do…?