158. Beggar Siblings – Theater

“Brother, what are you doing?”

Lena called out to Leo. Although she didn’t say it, they had been aimlessly wandering around this alley for quite some time.

He mentioned having somewhere to go, but she had no idea why they were stalling.

Her brother didn’t respond.

He stood blankly in front of a warehouse before repeatedly glancing outside the alley. Finally, he said, “Come this way.” He grabbed my hand and quickly walked out.

I quietly followed him.

As we exited the alley that smelled of leather, a wide street opened up. In the distance to the left, an impressive castle rose, layered behind high stone walls, while to the right, a large gate was set in a densely stacked castle wall, allowing people to come and go.

As Lena took in the scene, she matched her pace with her brother’s.

Her brother took long strides.

Step, step. I had to take an extra half step just to keep up, but it wasn’t difficult. Although his strides were long, he walked at a slow pace.

Lena watched as her brother’s worn leather shoes and his dirty canvas shoes alternated leading the way, while she busily maneuvered her own ill-fitting, loose shoes and her tattered ones to keep up.

Left foot. Right foot. Left foot. Right foot.

Matching her steps with her brother.

– Thud.

While concentrating on her steps, her brother reached out his hand towards her chest. Thinking he was about to push her back, she looked up and saw a carriage rushing past.

That startled her.

“Lena, watch where you’re walking,” her brother said, looking a bit shocked himself. From then on, he slowed his pace, making it easier for her to follow.

They crossed the main road, and her brother confidently chose one of the alleyways on the other side. Lena counted—was it the sixth or the fifth one?

It was an alley lined with red lanterns.

The lights weren’t lit; perhaps it was daytime so they didn’t need to be, but the thick layer of dust suggested it wasn’t that simple.

Suddenly.

Her brother stumbled. Looking up, Lena saw two rough-looking men walking towards them from the other end of the alley.

Scary.

She hid behind her brother’s back, following his old advice to keep her face hidden and stay silent.

He must be scared too…

She worried, but her brother didn’t seem tense. After the men passed by, Lena noticed her brother gazing after them with a nostalgic expression.

Do they know each other?

Her speculation ended there. As her brother walked on, they arrived in front of a theater adorned with colorful triangular flags, marking the end of their journey.

In front of the theater stood a big, chubby man exuding a cozy vibe and a bright-looking man with grayish eyes.

“Oberg, the first act has begun. When will the others arrive?”

“Oh, our family is so large… I guess Soirin didn’t notify everyone properly. I just sent the kids, so they’ll be here soon.”

Without hesitation, her brother approached the chubby man, his steps light and joyful, as if he were going towards someone he was happy to see.

*

‘I found her.’

Kasia was missing. Leo was startled, but he had a hunch as to why she was gone, thoroughly searching the leather district.

[ Achievement: ‘Kasia’s Life’ Quest Complete – Kasia breaks free from her bondage. ]

In the previous round, Kasia had been released from her grips. Upon learning that Leo was a prince, she had tried to leave impulsively, but after being held in his arms, she burst into tears and spoke with relief.

– “You can now call me older sister, Prince. I feel so relieved. Somehow… I feel free.”

Laughing heartily as she faced the vast fields, Kasia vowed to live happier than anyone else and left behind a lovingly crafted pair of shoes made from Eracht leather and a crooked note.

But her disappearance didn’t mean she vanished from the world. She must be living somewhere happily, and she had to be.

As Leo wandered through the leather district with confirmation in mind, he realized Oberg wasn’t there.

It was a bit early for work, but using his vague deduction on {Tracking Skill}, Leo figured out that Oberg was not heading towards the Rauno family mansion, but rather in an entirely different direction. During his search for Oberg, what started as a vague guess gradually turned into certainty. The brothel where Kasia worked was right down this sixth alley.

No, it used to be.

The brothel that Leo once visited with displeasure, where his sister had worked, was gone. He recalled the slimy atmosphere filled with nauseating anger and found nothing but emptiness.

Just like Kasia.

Instead of the brothel, there was now an unfamiliar theater, its sign reading ‘Orange Theater.’

“Hello.”

“Hey, there.”

Leo greeted Oberg casually. Oberg accepted the greeting without much thought as if he were just approached by a typical beggar kid.

Once a beggar himself, Oberg was somewhat of a celebrity among the beggars of Orvil.

He always carried snacks to share with other beggars and would introduce able-bodied young men living off scraps to a merchant named ‘Darun,’ a small business owner in the leather district. He had a warm heart despite his rough appearance and the nature of his work.

Of course, he didn’t treat everyone kindly… but, ultimately, he was a thug who could turn hostile and wield a weapon whenever necessary.

“Sorry, but I came to ask you something.”

“You better clean yourselves up. Wow, you guys smell terrible. How long has it been since you last washed?”

Oberg grabbed Leo’s messy hair, turning it like it was a child’s.

“What’s the captain of the beggars doing? I’ve told you countless times to take the kids to the lake and wash them at least once a month…” he murmured, seemingly indifferent to the {nobility} or {royal blood} emanating from Leo.

A typical thug disregarding societal norms. He hadn’t changed his attitude even after hearing that Leo was becoming the adopted son of Marquis Tatian.

“Come over here. Did you bury your face in the ground or what? Why are you so dirty? Bretin! Can we use the shower?”

Oberg sought permission from the theater owner and led the dirty beggar kids into the theater.

Hee—

Lena curiously looked around the theater’s interior for the first time in her life.

What welcomed her first was a dark, red corridor.

Perhaps to amplify the audience’s anticipation, that corridor led to the hall and was quite long. Posters announcing various plays filled the walls, and red curtains draped throughout created an air of mystery. Here and there, masks or cloaks hung, indicating a meticulous decorator’s handiwork.

Hee—

They reached the hall where a performance was underway. Innocent visitor Lena gasped in awe.

Some places were brightly lit, while others were very dim. There were many spectators, and the small whispers turned into a buzz, yet the audience in the dark seats remained obscured.

In contrast, the stage, which jutted out to the center of the hall, was extremely bright and spacious. Lanterns hung from the high ceiling, illuminating the performers below.

“Your Majesty! Wise ruler and sister of the great hero! I have killed a man. Please punish me.”

The actor playing ‘Banun Raono’ shouted. It was the first noble who gained the right to punish and rule over commoners, sorrowfully confessing his crime. In response, the woman seated on the throne opened her mouth.

“Why did you commit such a sin? I know you are not that kind of person. Speak, and I will determine if your crime is indeed a crime.”

“He was lazy. Neglecting his own work, he begged for the kindness of others. He demanded to share the crops that others harvested with their sweat.”

“Is there an issue with that?”

Banun Raono spoke firmly. His demeanor suggested that despite possibly having committed a sin, he had no shame about it.

“Yes. He harmed the kingdom. By ignoring the responsibility of life he shouldered, he ridiculed the hard work and achievements of others. Thus, I killed him. Only death can teach humans the fairness that they can attain…”

“Lena, be careful—”

Aiko!

As Lena walked while looking at the stage, she bumped into a boy. Clunk! Losing her balance, she fell, and the boy, stunned, reached out his hand.

“Are you okay? I’m sorry.”

“Ow ow ow… I-I’m fine.”

But she wasn’t fine. Blood dripped from her beautiful lips, and the boy panicked, unsure of what to do.

“Hey! Where are you wandering off to? Aren’t you supposed to sit still?”

“Eek! Oberg!”

Oberg picked the boy who caused the mishap up from the ground. In the dark audience, illuminated by the stage lights, the boy’s features became visible.

Brown curly hair. A rounded nose and a wide forehead.

“Shh!”

The glaring eyes of the audience fell on them. Although they were all members of the Rauno family, they raised warning fingers while waiting for Leisia’s judgment to be passed on Banun Raono.

“…Let’s go, for now. You can go.”

Oberg set the boy down and patted his back, but he didn’t leave. Perhaps feeling sorry for Lena, he followed them toward the theater shower.

Passing through the dark audience, they walked alongside the stage.

Behind the stage was a dressing room. Strangely, the dressing room wasn’t an open space but a series of tightly packed individual rooms.

Some places were spacious, but they were clearly just many rooms combined into one. The marks on the floor indicated that.

The shower area was just as odd. Usually, a shower area consists of a well and a bucket, with just enough privacy built around it. But here, each wash area had a wooden bathtub.

Each bathtub had a chair beside it and even a drainage outlet… it was peculiar. Did the theater shower need this level of detailing?

Leo quickly ushered his sister inside before she could take off her clothes. He handed her water and stood watch by the door.

He didn’t need to protect her, but… Oberg and the boy, who were watching Leo’s actions suspiciously, gradually figured out the reason.

“Brother, I’m all done washing.”

When Lena came out, the boy sighed in awe. Her damp golden hair shone in the dim light. Her chin was thin and sharp, yet round enough to maintain her dignity, and her gleaming golden eyes pierced through the boy’s chest.

Her neatly shaped eyebrows and plump lips resembling raspberries were pitifully beautiful.

The boy lost his senses at the transformation of the scruffy girl who had just walked in with a nosebleed.

While the two of them were shocked and Lena happily dried her hair, Leo went inside to wash himself.

He wasn’t worried about his sister’s safety. They were trustworthy people. It was these two who had escaped with Lena while being chased by Marquis Benard Tatian, making it all the way to the Aisel Kingdom.

“Ah, hello. My name is… Santian Rauno. Is your nose okay?”

“Yeah. I’m fine. It stopped.”

The boy’s awkwardness spilled out as he fumbled, trying to talk to the pretty girl. “You told me your name, so you have to tell me yours.” When Lena replied, “I’m Lena,” quickly, he found himself at a loss for words.

“W-who do you live with? I…”

He rambled on, asking questions that Lena wasn’t curious about, while Leo, freshly washed, stepped out. Oberg, who had been standing with his arms crossed silently, spoke.

“…You must have had a tough time because of your sister. Come here.”

He led the siblings back to the dressing room. After rummaging through the disheveled props and costumes, he handed them clothes that would suit them (though they were somewhat exaggerated due to being used in a play).

“Thank you. I’ll wear them well… Lena!”

Excited about receiving the new clothes, Lena threw off her dirty dress. Santian Rauno turned beet red and averted his gaze, flustered.

After quickly scolding his oblivious sister, Leo hurriedly dressed her. The outfits seemed to be for a young priest, and as Lena put on the crisp white dress, she smiled as if she were an angel.

Leo changed into wide-sleeved top and baggy pants… and the applause erupted like thunder. The performance must have just ended, as the actors bowed and poured off the stage.

He saw a large curtain slowly descending over the stage. As the curtain fell, Leo’s gaze met a woman descending the stage stairs.

She smiled warmly.

The woman played the role of Queen Leisia. She looked directly down at Leo with a smile.

“How did you find me?”

With flowing black hair and eyes, a pale theatrical makeup, despite the narrowness, her shoulders stood straight, and her petite figure was bathed in the spotlight…

Leo’s heart raced uncontrollably, and Minseo’s spirit flickered, shining brightly.

– Chaehwa?