There was some sort of strange glint in Leila’s eyes, not the same as the fervent worship Luther detected from his worshippers but something just as powerful. The girl went on to tell him about this “Prince”, whose name was either “Al”, “Alfie” or “Fenny”, he could not really tell.

— Luther, sir, why are you so silly? It’s Alphen, of course! Are you even listening to me!

Luther also felt that there was something distinctly different from the way she interacted with him compared to everyone else. Their leader acted mysteriously, the worshippers were either polite with distance, sometimes with fear lingering in their eyes. But Leila was always talking, thinking, wondering about “her Alphen” that Luther felt replacable by a wall when in front of her. It intrigued him, having such a different reaction to his presence that he kept coming to her when he had time. Even though she talked about the same person almost all the time.

Sometimes Leila would look at him with that indescribable look again, as she commented on how he looked similar to “her Alphen”. Then she would promptly looked to the side with a sigh as she said.

— It’s just not the same, even with the same face…

It took him a while to understand that Leila had feelings of love towards “her Alphen”. And she was initially excited looking at Luther because of their similar appearances, only to find out that “no, you two are absolutely not the same at all, at all!”. Leila made sure he was clear on this point, multiple times.

He was wrong; Leila was not looking at him with any worship at all. She was seeing “her Alphen” through Luther’s face, and after realizing it was ultimately not the same person, she would “drop the act”, as she said. In front of the worshippers, she was indistinguishable with others in her gaze of reverence, but he knew (she told him) that she pretended he was “her Alphen”. But it was a whole different story if it was just the two of them.

— You had this dumb expressionless look on your face all the time, Luther. It’s so not charming at all, like you don’t know anything. So different from my Alfie, he’s always…

Luther did not know what to think about this at all, and so he did not dwell on it. After all, it was inexplicably comfortable listening to Leila in between the killings. She did not look at him with fear or intention, and he liked that. Even if all he got from these conversations was the potential fatality of looking directly at “Alphen” because “he’s deadly attractive, you’ve gotta believe me, Luther!”.

Since he looked the same as this Alphen, he considered using this as a potential weapon but was promptly shut down by Leila.

— No way I’m letting you ruin my Prince’s image! And Libel also said you have to wear the mask when you’re outside! I’m keeping an eye on you!!

Their leader, Libel, did not interact with them often, so the few interactions were memorable to Luther. He remembered Libel, whose face was always hidden under the cloak, was looking at him rather wordlessly when he first awakened, when he was first introduced to Leila, who looked at him “like the finest piece of meat”. It was almost like Luther’s appearance was somewhat of a surprise to Libel, who always seemed to exude a sense of timeless composure.

If Leila’s words were to be believed, then it was indeed rather troubling that the God Killer looked very similar to a prince. They could also just kill this prince, but he was not a supporter of Fate and more importantly, the look in Leila’s eyes were genuinely dangerous when he mentioned this. So Luther never talked about it again.

He also found out that Leila used to be a noble, but was “exiled” due to “that hateful Shion Palstia”. It was the first time Leila was so zealous talking about anything beside Alphen, so Luther had to take the chance.

Leila used to be the third daughter of a baron in a remote area, and with luck and effort managed to join high society, or a group of elite nobles living in the capital. She was a hardworking girl in the academy, and caught the eyes of Crown Prince Alphen and the Knight Commander’s son. What was the name of the son of the Knight Commander? Leila called him “Knight” - Luther knew enough to know that it was not a name, but Leila told him to shut up unless he wanted to hear a story of Prince Alphen instead. He promptly got quiet.

Leila was good friends with Prince Alphen and Knight, regardless of what other people in the academy were saying. It was a wonderful time for Leila - she could be near her Prince, the apple of her eyes, while enjoying the luxury of nobilities. Cute dresses, sparkling jewellery, tantalizing desserts and tea… it was just the life she hoped for when she left her hometown. There was no future for her there as the third daughter, but here… she could find happiness, and splendor!

Of course, there was an evil witch in every fairytale. That was Shion Palstia, the so-called fiancee of Prince Alphen. Leila was indignant - Prince Alphen never wanted the engagement, but he had no choice because the Palstia family insisted on it. And they were the only Duke’s family in the kingdom, their power second only to the king. In between the hushed whispers under a starry summer night, Prince Alphen told her that it was only a ruse - he needed the Palstia to lower their guard after successfully forcing him to an unwanted marriage.

Then a few things happened. Luther looked at Leila quizzically, and she said that she disliked politics, before looking to the side. It was the first time that he could sense no joyous energy from her.

— Then… my parents. They were killed. My brother and sister, too.

Leila never showed much of a reaction seeing Luther kill, but he could tell, despite the lack of movement, that she was brimming with a different sort emotion. Her fists tightly clenched for just a moment, she said.

— It was not Prince Alphen’s fault. He sent people to protect them, just in case. But they were poisoned. The kind of poison no random person could have afforded.

Anyone but the Palstia, the richest family in the kingdom Leila seemed to whisper.

Shion Palstia was a dazzling lady, golden locks and bright violet eyes like the most precious of amethyst. She did not look down on Leila when they talked, but there was something in her demeanor that was incomparably condescending, like she was speaking from a place forever out of reach for Leila with her common appearance and lineage. So Leila knew; Shion might not lack anything in the world as the Palstia heiress, but what she did not lack the most was pride.

And what could be more damning than having your fiance stolen by some unknown baron’s daughter? Leila knew what people were talking behind her back, and she could not help the subtle sense of pleasure when Prince Alphen came to her, smiled at her, embraced her as she imagined the look on Shion’s face.

Ah, what she would trade for that perfect smile on that hateful face to turn into a grimace, wrecked by heartbreak and jealousy!

When her parents died, Leila was sad, for sure. And yet, a part of her felt victorious. That the most beautiful, exquisite flower of high society had considered Leila a threat, that she had to resort to such vile means because she could not touch Leila directly.

Luther looked at Leila, who had started smiling. The strange glint on her eyes was back, and he could finally find the right word to describe it.

Maddening

— Luther, oh… I just don’t know how to describe it. My Prince finally took action - for me, no less - and that hateful Shion was punished. Condemned! Publicly! She was pushed to the ground, like a ragdoll! She was not smiling! Can you believe it Luther, the flower of high society! Not! Smiling!

Light filled Leila’s eyes, like she was the prima donna of a grand play. Then just as abruptly, she looked down, her hand hovering over her throat. Luther looked at her, but she was just looking into space, as if lost in memory.

He called her several times, and she continued the story but with less than half the enthusiasm, like the climax was already over. Shion was demoted into a commoner, and it was rumored that she entered a remote temple as a priestess “to atone for her sins”. Luther asked if Leila was not happy that Shion was alive, but Leila just shook her head and told him to listen.

Leila was going to be the Crown Princess, but the night before her coronation, Prince Alphen was poisoned. Leila was there with him when it happened. In fact, she was the one who brought the tea that fell from his lips as he convulsed in unspeakable pain.

Leila spoke very quietly, almost in a whisper. It was not a problem for Luther with his good hearing, but he felt like something was amiss when her face got paler and paler, her hand still ghosting around her own neck.

— H-he was choking. Said he couldn’t b-breathe. I ran for help, but I was taken away. They said I did it…

Leila was locked into the dungeon, but even the cold winds and barren cell could not take her away from the sight of her beloved holding onto his own neck, his breath faint, his face deadly pale like a lifeless sculpture. It was because of the tea she brought… how could… how could she have harmed her Prince?!

She was in a daze, not realizing days had passed, before she was handed a similar cup of tea. The prison guard’s face was emotionless. She wanted to ask, but the cup of tea left her unable to speak. She took it, and with morbid curiosity wondered if this was fitting punishment for the her who had brought harm upon her beloved Prince.

She could not breathe. Her chest hurt. The blood under her skin seemed to boil, prickling her from inside like needles. It started from her stomach, which felt like it had collapsed into a mangled mess, before spreading to her limbs, which felt like they were being gripped with thorns underneath her skin. And when they reached her fingertips, which were digging into the skin of her neck, she was already so delirious from the lack of air that all that was left was a dull, thudding pain in her head.

When Leila woke up, she met Knight, who told her that she should leave the capital. The Prince was in a coma, and Knight said that this was all he could do for her.

— He said… I’m too weak. I don’t have a family anymore, no backing, no lineage. I was a liability for my Prince. I’m useless, I can’t help him, I will only pull him down.

Leila clenched her fists, and she was finally back to normal as she looked at Luther.

— Then I met Libel, who told me that I have strength, that I could fight against my fate. I could gain the power I need to get my revenge. Since I’ve never really believed in the Goddess, I joined Liberatia.

It was their group, the mission of which was to defeat and kill the nefarious Goddess of Fate and her followers. Leila was full of energy as she talked about how her “friends” in high society mocked and condemned her when she was “exiled”, how Shion was behind the poisoning of Prince Alphen, how high society was abuzz with news of the comatose Crown Prince and the inheritance struggle of the Palstia.

— Isn’t it just perfect that Shion Palstia is now a Fate priestess, an enemy to our group? I don’t have to pretend to be civil to her like in the academy. And of course, she can’t have an easy death either. Poisoning my Alphen…

Luther asked if she was here just to take revenge. To that, she answered in a low voice.

— That, and also Libel told me that defeating the temple will help my Prince. Liberatia is against the temple and even some nobles, so my Prince as a member of the Imperial family will have more political leverage when those pests are out of the way! Politics is so tricky!

And Luther had to swear by Leila to not tell this to anyone.

— They can’t know I’m doing this for the Prince! Many people here hate nobles just as much as the temple…