---

188. Childhood Friend – Twenty Photos

“Hyung!”

Following Sir Iron, Reb also coughed up blood. The veins in his cheeks bulged blue, and his lips turned purple. His head, clutched by his neck, trembled with convulsions. Startled, Lena rushed over to check on Reb, but…

“Yaaah!”

Someone roughly yanked her hair.

“Hahaha! Come here, pretty…”

It was a barbarian soldier. He grinned, attempting to embrace Lena.

“What are you doing?”

But those fierce golden eyes. Lena turned her head. As she glared at the rogue who dared to grab the princess’s hair, the pathetic barbarian’s body froze. The eyes and brows of royalty, the aristocratic nose, and the lips twisted in anger chased away his crude lust.

“Uh… well, you see…”

“Let go.”

The soldier, flustered, released her hair. Just as Lena took a breath,

“What are you doing? Leaving such a pretty girl alone!”

Another barbarian soldier hugged Lena from behind. Outrageously, he wrapped his arm around her waist and grabbed her breast with the other hand. He was a warrior of the Norang Tribe. Lena twisted her body, but he didn’t budge. He rubbed his cheek against the princess’s ear and spoke.

“Hey, Cesar. It’s really okay to do whatever, right?”

– Thud.

A dark-skinned man, stained with a bit of blood, pointed with his chin. A young man pierced by a dagger, Hatu, shoved him aside and brightened to Reb.

“A~ Captain.”

He smiled brightly. Cesar took a small cloth pouch out from his bosom.

“How does it taste? I’ve never tasted it before.”

Reb, clutching his neck, lifted his head. Through his foggy vision, he saw the pouch Cesar held.

A new pattern stuck on a skewer.

The design on the pouch resembled the tattoos of the Dorph Family thugs.

Drug and slave businesses are complementary. Nothing silences resisting slaves like drugs, and slaves are perfect for testing the drugs produced. The Dorph Family, based in Nebis, primarily profited from drugs and slavetrading.

“Y-you…”

Gurgle. Blood froth sprayed from Reb’s mouth. Clumps of sticky blood dribbled messily down his chin.

The broth was hot; he’d only taken a single spoon of it. Yet, it felt like his intestines were being severed, poison was rapidly eating away at him.

“Haha. You don’t handle hot stuff well, do you? I have something I want to ask, Captain. You seem to have seen the map I made… where did you see it?”

Cesar approached.

He kicked the writhing Sir Iron on the floor and squatted in front of the wooden stump used as a dining table.

“The captain knows about the barbarian tribes well. Strangely, you seem to know exactly the same things I lied about. Where did you see it? Did the thug chief of the Dorph Family show it to you?”

A map depicting the locations of barbarian tribes.

In the episode where he was the Apostle of Barbatos, Reb had annihilated the Dorph Family.

It all started much earlier when he tortured and killed the thug chief who had kidnapped Leah, obtaining a bundle of maps from him.

Norang Tribe, Dwinor Tribe, etc., the Dorph Family’s map detailed the locations of the barbarian tribes engaged in the slave trade.

Amidst fading consciousness, Reb realized. Scrawled on his palm were crooked letters. The map, which had more incorrect information than correct after visiting the barbarian tribes directly, belonged to the peddler, Cesar. He primarily wrote letters while leaning against Sinis.

“Since you’re going anyway, why not clear your mind and tell me, Captain. That guy… Uwah!”

– Whoosh!

Reb’s blade sliced through the air. His vision hazy, he struck at an inappropriate place, and Cesar stepped back a couple of paces, whistling.

“Impressive indeed. Just smelling this makes me want to die.”

“W-why are you… Guhh!”

Reb spat blood.

What he vomited was no longer froth. Torn pieces of his entrails mixed with black blood came out.

“Honestly, I didn’t want this either. When I first met you, I thought it was a bit ridiculous, but I believed you were worth following.”

[ Achievement: Master-Servant Relationship – ‘953’, As long as loyalty isn’t shaken, those who have pledged loyalty will trust and follow Leo. ]

A message appeared. The count, who had been steadily declining, rose by one.

“A rebellion? Hahaha. If this succeeds, we’ll have riches and fame. Money is the best, right? But,”

[ Achievement: Master-Servant Relationship – ‘952’, As long as loyalty isn’t shaken, those who have pledged loyalty will trust and follow Leo. ]

“This is a mess, huh? This is very troublesome. But I still hope for your success, ‘even now’. I like you, Captain.”

[ Achievement: Master-Servant Relationship – ‘953’, As long as loyalty isn’t shaken, those who have pledged loyalty will trust and follow Leo. ]

Cesar squatted down again. He stared intently at Reb, who was sprawled over the wooden stump and twitching.

“Well, there’s nothing I can do now. I’ve worked hard following you… I need to at least recoup my costs, right? You understand, right?”

[ Achievement: Master-Servant Relationship – ‘952’, As long as loyalty isn’t shaken, those who have pledged loyalty will trust and follow Leo. ]

“If you catch the general, there should be some rewards. Anyway, take care. As a token of thanks, I’ll occasionally offer prayers. Thanks to you, I got the princess too.”

Lena!

Reb struggled to turn his head. A thorn, sticking out from the blood-soaked stump, scratched his cheek.

Beside him, Lena and the warrior of the Norang Tribe were grappling.

Desperately, Lena struggled, but her delicate arms couldn’t overpower the warrior’s strength. The Norang warrior slammed Lena to the ground. He held her arms down and ripped her clothes with his other hand.

“Let go, let go!”

“Stay still!”

The dignity of royalty was powerless. Her unrespected hands were bound, and her bellowing was meaningless under the weight of her body and legs.

Lena felt that nothing she learned from Lady Gaidan would be of any use.

The cooking and politics she learned only held meaning when the ingredients were prepared, and Lady Gaidan hadn’t taught her how to prepare them. Even Lady Gaidan merely used the ingredients prepared by her handmaidens.

“Le…na! Let go of my sister…!!”

It didn’t register.

Reb rose up. Shaking, he clutched the now heavy sword tightly. But that was just in his thoughts; he barely held on, and his hand did not obey his commands.

Death was near. His body was spiraling out of control at a fearsome speed.

“Hyung, save me… ugh! Let go! I said let go!”

“Let go~ I said let go~ Hahaha! How funny. If you just stay still, I… Ah!”

Reb threw himself. His foot got caught on the stump, but somehow, he raised the sword. With the sword in hand, he brought it down as his body fell.

– Thud.

The sword. It pierced a chest.

But the one hit was not the warrior of the Norang Tribe. The cold metal sank into Lena’s chest, glaringly exposed between her torn garments.

This was no accident.

[ Forced Termination: Killing Lena 2/3 ]

Reb crumpled down. He fell over his sister’s body, the sword embedded in his chest cutting into his chin and lips.

“S-sorry…”

The feel of his sister’s bare chest against his chin was agonizing. He attempted to rise, but couldn’t move, so he turned his head.

In his fading vision, the wildflowers beyond his deceased sister’s face swayed gently.

*

[ Leo has died. ]

[ You have died. 5/5 – The player shares their life with Leo. ]

[ Achievement: Fifth Death – The speed at which the player merges with Leo slows. ]

[ Thank you for playing Raising Lena. ]

The sight of his dead sister surrounded by traitors, the overturned bowl, the blood-soaked stump, and the summer-scented forest quickly faded away.

And darkness descended.

In the darkness, Minseo shivered.

It was lucky that he had turned into a round orb; otherwise, he would have clawed off his own face. He would have gouged out his eyes that saw his sister’s chest, tearing apart all the skin from his cheek to his chin.

He wanted to do that.

‘……!!!’

Minseo silently shrieked. He despised himself for killing his own sister and hurled insults and curses at Cesar and the traitors.

He hated this game and the deity who clearly created it, but that hatred returned to him.

Wanting to drag Reb and Prince Leo down with him to protect himself, he soon quieted down. In the empty darkness where the ending credits rolled, the only subject of his curses was himself.

[ Leah ]

[ Final Job: Priest ]

[ Marriage Partner: Unmarried ]

[ Reb ]

[ Final Job: General ]

[ Marriage Partner: Engaged to the Chief of the Norang Tribe ]

[ Childhood Friend Ending: Wandering Priest ]

– Born in the village of Demos, Leah… (abridged) …can also marry as a priest, and the deity endows creatures with the right to choose, which led her to become a priest at a young age. She refused the request from Veronian and traveled the continent as a missionary for her entire life. After her death, Leah was canonized as the eighth saint. –

– Born in the village of Demos, Reb… (abridged) …became a general and led the rebellion against Prince Leo de Yeriel, but fell into the schemes of Aton and Alzeor de Lognum. Encouraged by Prince Leo, he fled with Princess Lena de Yeriel but was poisoned by his lieutenant. –

[ The ending of the Beggar Siblings scenario has changed. ]

[ Lena de Yeriel ]

[ Final Job: Unemployed ]

[ Marriage Partner: Unmarried ]

[ Leo de Yeriel ]

[ Final Job: Commander-in-Chief of the Rebels ]

[ Marriage Partner: In a relationship with Ksenia ]

[ Beggar Siblings Ending: Rebellion Failed ]

+ Born in Rutina Castle, Lena had an unhappy childhood. Led by people… (abridged) …She swayed numerous nobles to help her older brother. However, the rebellion failed, and Lena escaped Nebis with General Reb under the coercion of Prince Leo de Yeriel. She was killed by General Reb, who was betrayed by his subordinates while fleeing. +

+ Born in Rutina Castle, Leo had an unhappy childhood. Led by people… (abridged) …He incited a rebellion in the Orun Kingdom. With help from Gaidan and Duke Drazin, he raised an army but fell into the schemes of Aton and Alzeor de Lognum. He desperately defended the capital Nebis but was defeated and executed. His head was sent to Conrad Kingdom. +

Self-blame tore Minseo apart. Not knowing what to do with the bubbling anger, he instinctively began reading the ending credits.

The ending images that rose alongside it.

One was a tranquil country road, showing an elderly priest sitting behind a cart. Despite her age, she retained an undeniable freshness; it was undoubtedly Leah.

Swinging one foot below the cart, she pulled the other foot up to sit. Her white priest robe was stained with dirt, but she paid no mind.

In her hands was a wine glass that seemed familiar. Leah held it with both hands, gazing far into the blue sky.

The other picture was of his sister Lena. Torn clothes, the sword embedded in her chest, and the fallen Reb. There was nothing particularly noteworthy. But Minseo stared intently at the corner of the photo.

Cesar.

I swear I will kill you, no matter what. No, I will kill you.

It was fortunate to have a target for his anger. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been able to endure it. Minseo mumbled on for a while, and text appeared before him.

[ You failed to clear Raising Lena. ]

[ Leo, you have been betrayed. As consolation, the ‘Master-Servant Relationship’ achievement is enhanced. ]

[ Achievement: Twenty Photos – Lena occasionally faintly remembers the past in her dreams. ]

[ It starts again. ]

A video unfolded towards the northern Austin Kingdom, heading for Abrival Castle.

Soon, Minseo’s vision landed on an open area with snow flurries, and another message floated before him.

[ Achievement: ‘17th’ Leo – The speed at which the player merges with Leo slightly increases. ]

[ 17/22 ]

[ You do not know your true name. ]

However, this was not important.

Lena Ainar turned around.

With straight brows and confident eyes, her beloved fiancé, Lena, looked back at Leo Dexter and asked.

“Leo! Are you listening to me?”

“Aaaaaaah!”

Minseo clutched his head and screamed. Unfairly, his heart pounded with excitement.

His head felt entirely different; the guilt for killing his sister didn’t fade! His heart and body belonged to Leo Dexter.

The Lena Ainar before him was lovely, and it felt good to see her again. The memory of her death from the previous episode flooded him with sorrow.

It felt like he was going to go mad.