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333. Siblings Ep – Rival

“So, you’re saying Leriana wants to take the throne? And she wants me to stop her?”

Monarch Barony. Reb interjected.

I never knew this guy had such a big mouth. It was already getting dark, and as we lit a candle, a reddish glow filled Leah’s room.

The handsome, blonde prince quietly nodded.

“…Yeah.”

“Why? Just let her be king.”

Lean shook his head.

“It’s because of Astroth. If my sister stirs up trouble and runs into that guy, it’s game over. Besides—”

“Besides?”

A pause. Lean continued.

“…I want Leriana to live happily even after the ending. She wants to ascend to the throne on her own, and I want her to have that chance, but I don’t want her to succeed. That’s why I’m asking you. My situation is difficult as it stands.”

“What’s so difficult?”

“Reb, you fool. Cardinal Berg has taken control of the government.”

“What’s the big deal… Ah.”

Leah interrupted. It was at that moment that Reb finally grasped Lean Peter’s predicament.

That was also how it went in the twelfth ending.

Having defeated Oriax and seized power, Cardinal Berg renamed the Conrad Kingdom to the “Holy Kingdom of Grania” and initiated reforms.

And it was progressing the same way this time around.

The cardinal played a critical role in defeating the Evil God, so the nobles followed him, while Lean, who hadn’t contributed to the expulsion of Eric de Yeriel, would find it hard to assert his rights now.

Of course, Lean had no intention of doing that, but the problem lay with Leriana.

With Leriana aiming for the throne, she would inevitably clash with Cardinal Berg, who was Ksenia’s paternal grandfather. Lean didn’t want his sister to be at odds with their great-grandfather.

‘Aha… So that’s why he showed no interest in the throne. From the moment he handed me this job. He’s going to marry Ksenia, but if Oriax captures him without Lean around, Cardinal Berg will gain power.’

Reb nodded along.

So Lean had wanted to live a life completely unrelated to the Conrad Kingdom. He never intended to return; he was simply pushed back by his sister’s desires.

Lean said, “So I came to a compromise with Leriana. I told her to give up on the Yeriel name. Instead, I’ll let her have the Monarch Barony and told her to figure it out herself.”

“…”

Reb fell silent for a moment.

Honestly, he wanted to be done with all this. Capturing Oriax was a terrible struggle, and all he wanted now was to return home with Leah and get married.

But… what else could he do? This wasn’t just anyone’s business; it was his sister’s. Reb sighed and asked, “What should I do?”

“I’ll speak to Cardinal Berg. I’ll ask him to grant you a territory adjacent to this one. Then your sister can engage in politics or raise an army, but she’ll have to go through you. I’ll be up there in Count Peter’s territory.”

“…So, we’re going to surround this Monarch Barony from above and below. Leriana won’t be able to move at all here.”

“Exactly. You just need to impede anything my sister tries to do. You’ll become her… rival.”

That was Lean’s request.

To ensure his sister lived a long and happy life even after the ending, he wanted Reb to be her nemesis, hoping to stabilize Leriana’s life as an opposing force.

But Reb responded bluntly, “Are you trying to get me killed?”

“I don’t see how I could stop your sister. Physically, sure, I might have the upper hand, but once she starts with her political maneuvers, I won’t be able to keep up. If it were Leira, that’d be different.”

“That’s true.”

“I could capture Leriana through regional warfare, but ultimately, I’d have to let her go… I can’t stop your sister forever. Sooner or later, I’ll lose. I might even get assassinated before that. Don’t you think that’s an outrageous request? I have my own life to live.”

“I’m sorry. But…”

Lean glanced at Leah with a sidelong look.

When Leah’s eyes met his again, she tugged her blanket as if to distance herself.

“You still have Leah. You both got something good, didn’t you? No idea how you got it though.”

“What?”

“The Bound Item or whatever it’s called. It seems to be attached to Leah.”

[ Congratulations. An item has been bound to ‘Leah.’ ]

[ Quest: Guardian, 3/4 – Barbatos MalHas Oriax ]

It was the day he was to marry Ksenia.

The weather was perfect for the occasion, but messages popped up at intervals.

That’s when Lean realized that Reb had handled things well, and entrusting work to Reb and Leah was the right decision.

Leira Ainar had already obtained a Bound Item, and now Leah had one too.

And that was…

“Bound Item? Of course! This is it?”

It was a wooden staff Leah had picked up from somewhere. This oak staff looked ancient and was clearly something out of the ordinary.

“I’m not sure, but it looks like it? How did you come by this?”

Reb shrugged.

“We don’t know. Leah just found it lying around. Right?”

“Uh, yeah.”

“Leah used this to unleash powerful magic. She became a priest too. If it weren’t for this, we might have…”

“Yeah. With Leah holding that and you, maybe we could stop my sister? Don’t worry too much. Just like me, Cardinal Berg will be discreetly helping too. And above all—”

“…”

“You and Leah have always lived in poverty. You’ve never experienced the life of a noble.”

“…”

“This time you can live like aristocrats. As the top contributors who captured Oriax. Baron Reb Bijan and Baroness Leah. What do you think?”

Mixing in some etiquette, Lean exaggeratedly bowed to Leah, and Reb thought to himself.

He knew it well, but this guy really has a way with words. As a prince, it wasn’t entirely displeasing to elevate the commoner Leah.

Even knowing it was Lean’s sweet talk.

‘Noble. And living in luxury…’

Reb crossed his arms and imagined.

Becoming a noble himself was whatever. But just imagining dressing Leah, who’d worked so hard since childhood, in fine clothes was a beautiful sight in itself.

Dressing her scarred hands from picking wild fruits with delicate gloves, and letting her long, tightly tied hair flow freely with a red ribbon as decoration.

Beautiful.

And Leah’s comfortable life stirred something within Reb.

“…I’ll think about it.”

“Good. Let me know once you decide.”

Lean patted Reb on the shoulder and left the room. He had convinced Reb and was now off to find his sister.

“Princess, Lean has arrived!”

As he was about to enter the room, Sir Hazen reported. He no longer referred to Lean as a prince.

He was thoroughly disappointed in him for giving up the throne.

Sir Hazen was now tightly attached as Leriana’s right-hand man, and the bedroom floor, transformed into an office, was covered with a large carpet resembling a chessboard.

It was a carpet depicting the Conrad Kingdom.

Leriana stood at the northernmost edge of the chessboard, the Monarch Barony underfoot, looking around when she lifted her head. She welcomed her brother with a bright, cheerful expression.

“What took you so long to come?”

But those sparkling eyes.

Now embodying a lady, dressed in a red and white ensemble, her younger sister emanated a cool majesty.

Lean shrugged his shoulders.

“Just.”

Actually, he was out gathering chess pieces to counter a queen.

The Bishop and Knight were going to block her path.

Leriana narrowed her eyes, humming. She already knew where her brother had been.

“I heard a guest arrived before you? Do you know who it is?”

“No. I was just curious and tried to make small talk. They helped Cardinal Berg oust Eric.”

“Oh? I should meet them then. By the way, brother, take a look at this. Do you think Marquis Arne will help me?”

“Not sure? He would’ve certainly helped during your conflict with Eric, but now… who knows?”

“Right? Then… I should send a letter. There must be a whaling contest underway. I’ll hastily write that~ By the way, it seems the Ducal House of Tertan has been quite disgruntled. I should look into that as well.”

Leriana jotted down notes quickly. Lean tried to dissuade his sister.

“That’s too early. You haven’t even received the Monarch Barony yet. You wanted a look around, now let’s head back. Count Gustave Peter should have arrived at his territory by now. And it’s getting late. Just stop for tonight.”

“Got it. Sir Hazen, thank you for your hard work today. Could you call Tian on your way out?”

“Yes. Have a good night, Princess.”

Once Sir Hazen left, right after, Santian brought in the handmaidens. As the servant, he instructed the handmaidens to change his sister’s clothes and winked at Leirana before exiting.

Lean confirmed his sister was lying on the bed and sat beside her for a moment, keeping watch by her pillow.

It was day by day that his sister was becoming an independent adult since she declared that she would walk her own path. Lean felt a touch of bittersweetness and blessed the life that awaited her.

In this life, that would be the final one as “Beggar Siblings,” may she be happy.

He would do everything possible, even if it meant putting Reb and Leah into the mix.

So let’s hope she dreams sweetly this time. My beloved sister.

Lean gently stroked Leirana’s round forehead before leaving the room. A few months later, he met an unexpected ending.

[ Lena has gotten married! Congratulations! ]

Her spouse was Santian Rauno.

There were circumstances that led to their hasty wedding, and Leirana temporarily set aside her work.

“I didn’t expect to have a child before Ksenia sister.”

“…Yeah.”

Leirana looked like she was saying, ‘I’m busy, but it can’t be helped.’ The wedding ceremony was splendidly held at Count Peter’s estate, and Lean watched his sister get married for the first time in his life.

“Oh my. You’re quite unexpected.”

At the wedding venue, Ksenia sitting next to him said.

“I thought you’d cry over how much you cherish your sister. But you look somehow happy… What expression is that?”

Lean nodded.

While he held Ksenia’s hand gently, the ceremony proceeded step by step. Leirana was such a beautiful bride, beaming brightly.

Of course, it wasn’t entirely a congratulatory wedding. It was a marriage that excessively transcended class, and even though she gave up the name Yeriel, scandalous rumors would soon flourish.

The princess who dramatically survived would ultimately fall.

Yet Leirana seemed unconcerned, and Lean also had no energy to fuss over such things. As the ceremony neared its climax, he unconsciously sank into the chair.

Holding on.

“…We dedicate this to the birth of a couple.”

“Darling?”

Ksenia tightened her grip on Lean’s hand. His wife looking curiously back at him, Leirana smiling brightly, the flushed face of Santian Rauno, the officiating priest, and the guests…

Oh! In an instant, they faded away.

[ Congratulations! ]

[ Lena’s dream has come true. ]

It was a familiar yet always exhausting ending. As if separating from the world, his vision soared, leaving behind the wedding venue, his beloved wife and sister, the people.

And there I was, Lean Peter, looking dumbfounded upwards.

Now that guy is going to live in my place. The spirit of Minseo ripped away from me will soon vanish.

Regardless of Lean’s thoughts, the ending credits clicked away, filling the void without a care.