In the novel "Frankenstein" by Mary Shelley, the protagonist Victor Frankenstein says that he killed his friend Henry Clerval. However, this statement should not be taken literally. Victor is using figurative language to express his feelings of guilt and responsibility for Clerval's death.
In Chapter 24 of the novel, Victor is describing his state of mind after the death of Clerval, which occurred while Victor was recovering from his own illness. Victor says, "I felt as if I had committed some great crime, the consciousness of which haunted me. I was guiltless, but I had indeed drawn down a horrible curse upon my head, as mortal as that of crime."
Here, Victor is acknowledging that he did not physically kill Clerval, but he feels responsible for his friend's death because he believes that he brought the creature to life and set it loose on the world. In Victor's mind, his creation is responsible for all the deaths that occurred after it was brought to life, including the death of Clerval. Victor sees himself as indirectly responsible for Clerval's death because he created the creature.
Therefore, when Victor says that he killed Clerval, he means that he feels responsible for his friend's death and carries a heavy burden of guilt. He is not claiming to have committed a literal murder.