203. Beggar Siblings – Need

In the scorching summer, the sunlight blazed down mercilessly. However, Leo stood in the open area, staring blankly at the red-haired woman in front of him, unable to even think of avoiding it.

He was taken aback, feeling utterly lost about what to do with this woman.

“Hey—what’s with the serious face? I was joking when I said I’ve learned everything. The swordsmanship that hides a single ounce of grace? Other than that, I still can’t grasp anything.” Katrina said lightly while awkwardly scratching her neck. It was true that she lied to her master, so she was asking for forgiveness—something she had never done in her life.

“It’s come to this. I’m sorry.”

“Sorry? If you’re sorry, then quit the Knights Order right now. If that’s too hard, just make sure to quit before the year ends… no, within two months at least.”

“…I’ve been wanting to ask this—why? Why do I have to quit the Knights Order?”

Katrina scratched her red eyebrows with a frown. Her impatience at her master not revealing a clear reason mirrored Leo’s own frustration. He spoke half in desperation.

“Aren’t you the one who said your dream is to learn swordsmanship from a Swordmaster? Are you dissatisfied that you haven’t had a few days of training? Well, I can spare you about two days.”

“I’d appreciate that. But what does that have to do with quitting the Knights Order?”

“…How about this then? Come with me. I’m planning to go to the Conrad Kingdom. I have a carriage and money, so you don’t need to worry about the journey…”

Realizing how foolish he sounded, Leo trailed off.

Katrina wouldn’t leave Orville. She had someone named Ellen, who limped. Unless it was a mandatory situation for a knight, she wouldn’t move an inch.

As if to prove this point, Katrina had a baffled expression as she listened to Leo’s nonsense. Frustrated, Leo finally spilled the beans.

“…Next year, a war will break out with the Austin Kingdom. You will be on the battlefield…”

But that was also a foolish statement. There was no evidence, and most importantly, Katrina was a knight. “Oh really? Then I should quit immediately.” He felt disheartened as it seemed he had no way out.

How would someone react to a bumbling con artist? Upon hearing Leo’s prediction, Katrina looked quite taken aback. “R-really?” Her reluctant acceptance carried no trust.

It’s tough to move someone.

People usually act differently than expected, and persuading them requires sufficient evidence, goodwill to bear risks, or guaranteed benefits.

Who would have thought using {Barbatos’s bracelet} would lead to such despair?

However, Leo had nothing. No way to prove a war would break out next year, nor a method to convince her she would die on the battlefield.

All he had was

[ Achievement: The Man Katrina Risked Her Life For – Gained great favor with Katrina. ]

But great favor means nothing; it varies from person to person. Katrina was not Kasia.

Should he really cut off her arm?

Running low on options, Leo thought of extreme measures. If he cut off this woman’s arm so she couldn’t go to war…

─ “…What would you want me to do with an arm like mine?”

He recalled Lena Ainar. The sadness experienced alongside Lena Ainar, who had lost an arm during their second engagement, halted Leo’s drastic thoughts. Everything felt futile. Defeated, Leo finally said, “Do as you wish.” He left the open area, leaving a bewildered Katrina behind.

On the way back to the Orange Theater.

Leo walked with a complicated mood. He suddenly thought of Kasia.

‘Kasia…’

She was truly an easy person to move. No, more than her being easy to move, she had willingly followed him, reflecting an almost inexplicable level of devotion.

It felt as if she was created and prepared solely for this beggar siblings scenario.

When chased by Irène, she threw herself into danger without him even saying a word. She had promised to earn money for the beggar siblings she didn’t even know and actually brought back a gold piece.

And upon hearing he was leaving for the Conrad Kingdom, she even closed her shop. To a distant foreign land, Kasia had followed him without a word.

And after that, she was satisfied with just one embrace.

Suddenly stopping in his tracks, Leo realized he missed her. But feeling too ashamed, he started walking again.

In front of the Orange Theater stood Ksenia and Brestin Zauer, along with the theater folk, including the thugs of the Rauno Family led by Oberg.

They were bidding farewell to Ksenia, telling her to take care, but their gazes towards Leo were less than kind.

Oberg made some vague threats or advice, but Leo had no time to pay attention to that. “Yes. Yes.” Repeating like a parrot, he reached out towards Ksenia.

“…You came?”

Ksenia smiled somewhat complicatedly. She was dressed simply for her journey. Her bare arms were slender, and her exposed neckline revealed pale skin beneath her wavy black hair.

If Minseo had seen her, he would have thought of Chaehwa, but with a confused mood, Leo saw Ksenia overlapping with Kasia.

He couldn’t help but think of her as the woman who appeared in place of Kasia. Although they were entirely different people with completely different feelings.

By the time he noticed former courtesans from the third floor of the Orange Theater bidding farewell to Ksenia, his feelings had solidified further.

“What happened?”

“Nothing much. So… shall we get in? Where’s Lena?”

“She went off to talk to Santian for a moment. She’ll be back soon.”

Not wanting to wait while standing, Ksenia climbed into the carriage. She confidently told those who came to see her off, “Come on in quickly. A short farewell is the best kind.” Then she turned her gaze to Leo sitting beside her.

“By the way, Leo, what’s your relationship with Count Peter? How did you acquire this carriage?”

The carriage sent along by Count Peter, complete with a coachman, was massive. Considering the size limits imposed on carriages based on their owner’s rank, it wasn’t impossible to find one larger, but this one was incredibly rare to see.

It had a generous width and a weight that required at least three horses to pull. Even Leo had never ridden in a carriage this large, especially since it belonged to Count Peter himself. Like the humble Count, the carriage bore no decorations whatsoever.

“It’s nothing special. I just received sponsorship… Actually, there’s something I want to tell you. I’ll mention it later when Lena arrives.”

He intended to be completely honest. He would reveal that he was a prince, and that he was going to the Conrad Kingdom to reclaim his lost {bloodline}.

Yet, Leo felt uneasy inside.

He worried about how Ksenia would react upon learning he was a prince. Unlike Kasia, would she despair at the thought that she could never be with a prince? If she rejoiced, he feared it might lead to disappointment.

He didn’t expect the mature Ksenia to act that way, but still.

In his anxiousness, Leo took Ksenia’s hand. It was meant to comfort her, who would soon be surprised.

However, Ksenia flinched, freeing her hand. Her eyes were also trembling with anxiety.

What’s going on?

Did a woman’s instinct kick in? Maybe she caught his worry, for she remained silent. He must have failed to manage his expression.

The two waited for Lena, biting their lips in silence. Eventually, his sister arrived, running with a serious expression.

“Brother, I have something to say. We…”

“Lena, get in. Actually, I also have something to tell you.”

“Let’s not leave. I like it here.” Lena, who had been about to speak, sensed the suffocating atmosphere inside the carriage.

The tone of her brother’s voice was oddly firm, and Ksenia, normally clear about interpersonal boundaries, was unusually disheveled, so Lena cautiously climbed into the carriage.

– Thud.

The door closed. The inside of the carriage was quite spacious, yet the three felt it was cramped due to the tension. In the silence, Leo broke the ice.

“Ksenia, my real name is Leo de Yeriel. Lena, your name is Lena de Yeriel. You are… a princess. We are the prince and princess who were exiled from the Conrad Kingdom more than ten years ago.”

Silence followed. Leo waited for them to comprehend his words, but both Lena and Ksenia looked puzzled.

Lena seemed utterly bewildered at a glance. However, unlike before, she didn’t label her brother a fool or an idiot; perhaps it was due to the effects of a ‘dream.’

On the other hand, Ksenia wore an expression so complicated it was hard to describe.

Relief? Disappointment? Concern? Without being part of the situation, it was impossible to read her emotions from her expression.

Ksenia quietly asked.

“…Is there nothing more you want to tell me? I really hate lies. Leo—no, why did you confess to me? Did I… no, tell me why you confessed? Did you need me?”

It was a strange reaction. She didn’t seem shocked or surprised at the fact that Leo was a prince. Yet her piercing gaze begged for an answer.

“Yes. I need you.”

Despair swept across Ksenia’s face. But her expression began to change with the next words.

“I need you by my side; I hope you stay with me, and that’s why I confessed. Whether I am a prince or not, that doesn’t matter. Please don’t mind it. I…”

Kasia pierced his heart. Yet he had never thought of her as a woman. Compassion and resentment. But this woman before him…

“I love you.”

From the moment he first saw Ksenia, his heart raced. His destiny had been aimed at her. This too could be a divine jest, but at least this felt good. He was grateful.

Ksenia’s expression, which had fluctuated, brightened significantly. It was as if she felt reassured as she squeezed Leo’s hand tightly.

“I feel the same, Your Highness. No, I’ll just call you Leo.”

Why does this woman always grab me by the collar? Ksenia asked for a kiss.

Unlike their first kiss at the balcony on the third floor of the theater, her movements were confident. The beggar boy who had unexpectedly doused her with water was reveling in his fate.

Leo’s vision was obscured.

Thin, elongated eyebrows. The tiny birthmark slightly off to the left of her nose was right in front of him.

“Wait a second. You’re next to…”

Leo pulled away from what was about to turn into a prolonged kiss. When he turned his head, he found Lena staring wide-eyed at them.

“Ahem, L-Lena, so this…”

“Whatever~ It’s fine. I’ve known for a long time that you and sister are dating. And I said I’m a princess, right? Then… I can do whatever I want, right?”

“What, what!”

“There’s something like that. I’ll tell you later.”

Lena said with her golden eyes sparkling.

Hmph! It seemed she was quite miffed at her brother for hiding the fact that he was a prince. Leaning against the window, she didn’t look away (when did that window open?), but she was grinning from ear to ear.

I’ll do what I want.

Only after the carriage departed and left the outskirts of Orville did Leo realize the significance of this. It was around sunset when the coachman stopped in front of an inn.

“U-um… hello?”

A brown-haired boy with curly hair emerged from the carriage compartment.

Leo stared at his sister in shock. However, Lena was just rolling her eyes, looking the other way. Whistling in a way he didn’t know where she learned it from.

These little brats…

Honestly, I don’t have anyone I can trust anymore. Leo thought.