I Became The Childhood Friend of the Obsessive Second Male Lead - Chapter 364

“We…”

Someone suddenly spoke.

Although the sentence couldn’t be fully completed, every soldier present quickly understood its meaning.

After a moment of silence, another spoke up.

“…We would like the opportunity to serve you.”

Rieta fell silent. There were no voices of opposition. The soldier at the forefront quickly knelt down.

Soon, one by one, the armed soldiers knelt before her like a flowing tide.

“I…”

Rieta looked at them and then opened her mouth in concern. She wondered if there might be any misunderstandings.

“I’m not going back hoping for peace.”

Her voice was resolute.

She was going back for what she believed was right. She stood with unwavering determination.

“The only thing in front of me is either to die, or to overcome death and move forward.”

So, she couldn’t simply tell them to follow her. There was no guarantee that their ultimate fate would be honorable.

“We’re not hoping for peace either.”

Hundreds, thousands of eyes turned toward Rieta.

Without the slightest hesitation, with sincerity reflected on their faces, Rieta was enveloped in a strange feeling.

* * *

“Are you going to follow me?”

Rieta was taken aback by the mercenaries’ decision, which she heard through Emile.

“Yes. They all said they would do so.”

Emile said, pointing his chin at the mercenaries sitting at a distance. Some of the mercenaries who caught her gaze waved at Rieta.

“…Why?”

“It’s business.”

“With me?”

Rieta’s question was met with a snort from Emile, as if it was absurd.

“Sorry, but the target we’re doing business with right now is…”

“Ah… Duke Meyer, right?”

“You seem to have a better grasp of the situation than I thought.”

Emile’s rude attitude made Rieta smile wryly.

Would the Duke look favorably upon the mercenaries just because they were helping her?

Hmm… it didn’t seem likely.

Especially Darrel, who had a sharp edge to him.

“What if the business fails?”

“Well, then our eyes were mistaken. Then it would be the Princess’ responsibility.”

“Mi, mine?!”

Rieta asked in surprise, and Emile replied with a grin, “You’re going to be the Queen, right?”

Rieta felt a chill down her spine at that moment.

“…”

“I know that.”

Emile handed the water bottle he had been holding to Rieta and then turned back to his group.

Left alone, Rieta briefly pondered the word ‘Queen’ that he had mentioned.

She did have the right of succession, so it wasn’t as if she hadn’t considered the idea before.

But declaring, ‘I will be the Queen,’ while leading several soldiers and mercenaries with her was a slightly different issue.

In this case, Rieta knew that she must not fail under any circumstances. She had to kill King Liz.

“Princess?”

“Huh?”

Rieta turned to find Elisha standing behind her and suddenly calling her.

“Have you finished speaking with the mercenaries?”

“They said they would follow me.”

“They’re able to sniff out money and power. It seems I was right.”

Elisha’s face showed some displeasure. He probably didn’t like them much.

“I don’t think it’s just that.”

Rieta remembered the mercenaries’ behavior in the village.

During the three days they spent together, they had grumbled, but when they realized the danger that was approaching, they had rushed to the village to protect the people. It might not have been about making money or doing business.

Even after Rieta’s explanation, Elisha still shook his head.

“They are fickle people. It would be better not to give them too much trust.”

“I’ll be careful. What’s the matter?”

“The soldiers came to tell you something.”

Elisha extended his hand.

It seemed like Elisha was carefully helping Rieta with her injured leg. As she held on, the pulling sensation made it relatively easy for her to stand up.

“Thank you.”

She spoke earnestly, but he lowered his head with a heavy expression.

“… The Princess should punish me.”

There was a hint of melancholy in Elisha’s voice.

Rieta knew he was still troubled by the kidnapping incident.

“It’s too much to punish someone who helped me.”

Rieta pretended not to notice and smiled brightly.

“Princess is too… I don’t know.”

Did saying something else hurt him even more? Elisha turned his head away.

“I’m sorry for making you worry.”

“I…”

Elisha answered as he began to walk slowly.

Rieta naturally ended up walking alongside him.

“I should always have been by your side.”

“You know you couldn’t do that.”

He pulled Rieta’s hand closer to him. As if the anxiety still remained even when she was by his side.

“Please tell me it’s all my fault. That way, I can remember that incident for the rest of my life and keep an eye on the Princess.”

“To go that far… it’s too much…”

“I was born to do that.”

Rieta couldn’t shake her head at his firm answer.

It was what he had decided.

Besides, honestly speaking, she was glad to see that Elisha was showing such unwavering loyalty to her.

As long as she had this kind of loyalty on her side, Rieta could never step back. No matter what happened.

But there was one thing that worried her. ..

He was so focused on Rieta that he didn’t seem to value himself.

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