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165. Beggar Siblings – Demonios

“An actor?”

In the dressing room surrounded by mirrors, Lena replied with wide eyes after following the merchant in.

Brestin Zauer responded with a friendly smile.

“Yes. Is it possible for you?”

“Uh, well, can I even do that?”

Lena scratched her head, feeling perplexed about how to reply, when Ksenia, who had come in with her, stepped up as her protector.

“Excuse me, merchant sir. Just a moment. Lena has never learned acting. Plus, she’s just here temporarily, not to work.”

“I know. But there’s a role I wish for Lena to play. Ksenia, you know? It’s been quite a while since we performed [Demonios] at our theater.”

Brestin spoke calmly.

“It’s a popular play, and if Lena takes the role, I believe we could revive it.”

“…Ah, I heard. After Soirin said she couldn’t play the child actress role anymore, we haven’t been able to find anyone suitable…”

“Yes. The role requires a girl who’s a bit presentable. Don’t you think Lena fits perfectly?”

“Hmm…”

Ksenia looked conflicted. Seemingly persuaded by the merchant’s words, she questioned me.

“Lena. Are you perhaps interested in trying acting? As you know, it’s not a very difficult role. The lines are…”

Her words trailed off. She looked at me for a moment and then smiled kindly.

“You don’t know what [Demonios] is, do you?”

“…No.”

Lena quickly added.

“B-but I’d love to try it!”

Did my voice get too loud? The merchant and Ksenia’s eyes were suddenly on me. Still, Lena didn’t back down.

“I’m so bored.”

Lena’s day-to-day was monotonous. No, for someone who didn’t step even an inch out of the theater, there was hardly anything that could be called a routine.

Clenching her fists tightly, Lena recalled her dull everyday life.

+ + +

Morning.

Lena’s day began early in the morning. Being sleepy all day long, she wouldn’t mind sleeping through the entire day, but because of Ksenia, she couldn’t oversleep.

Waking up at dawn, Ksenia returned from exercising and lightly shook me, saying,

“Lena, get up. You can’t be lazy.”

With a gentle voice.

However, there was an undeniable force behind her words. Lena jumped up, greeted her with a bent-knee bow, rubbed her half-closed eyes, and went down to the shower room with Ksenia to wash up.

At this time, the shower room was always crowded. After exchanging slightly awkward greetings with a few ladies residing on the third floor (being naked), they all gathered in the dining room for breakfast.

The dining room was bustling during this time as well.

The actors associated with the theater came early to grab a free breakfast.

The Rauno Family’s thug uncles were absent. Being nocturnal, they wouldn’t appear until lunchtime.

After having breakfast, the day at the Orange Theater began. Once the people who had gathered in the dining room dispersed to their respective work, only the idle Lena was left.

“I’m so bored…”

Following Ksenia around was only entertaining for a day or two. Lena spent time sitting in the audience or in a corner of the stage, and fortunately, while observing others, Santian Rauno arrived.

Thank goodness.

Tian was a fun friend. Though he was my younger brother, let’s just call him a friend for now.

Every day he came up with fun things to play, his suggestions were always intriguing.

Among them, Lena found string games the most entertaining. It was a game where you wrapped string around your fingers and took turns making shapes, and Lena quickly learned the tricks with her clumsy movements.

However, Tian seemed to be a bit shy about it. He awkwardly blushed and said, “Let’s do something else.” Perhaps it was because he wasn’t good at it.

When that happened, he (in a petty move) suggested doing sports instead. Hebeluna? Hirubena? Something about some strange body movements.

That was also interesting. Watching Tian strut around was so funny that she planned to give him a lesson with that Hirubena thing someday.

If there was still time left, we read storybooks in the theater. I couldn’t read the words, but Tian would read for me.

Thanks to him, I was able to memorize a few greetings and words like “happy” and “princess.”

Afternoon.

After that, it was lunchtime. Unfortunately, it was time for Tian to leave.

Whenever he occasionally said, “I’m sorry. I don’t think I can come tomorrow,” Lena felt disappointed.

After sending Tian off, Lena sought out Ksenia to have lunch together.

Ksenia was always kind, but there was a certain firmness to her as well.

You could say there was a line that was hard to cross? Unlike the other ladies who would approach with “Oh, how pretty,” Ksenia kept her distance.

Maybe it was because she was always absorbed in the theater. I wasn’t sure.

Anyway, afternoon. It’s still afternoon.

Afternoon!

At this time, there was absolutely nothing to do. She would either watch Ksenia and the other actor uncle and aunt practice the play, or follow around Oberg who would show up around that time.

It wasn’t because Oberg was particularly fun to follow around… It’s because he had plenty of food. He’d hand out sweet snacks like candy and say, “You shouldn’t follow people who give you these,” and that was just funny.

As if he thought I was a kid. Those kinds of words were something you’d say to brats like Tian.

Then…… it was still afternoon.

Sigh!

Under normal circumstances, it would’ve been the time I’d be rifling through the trash early in the morning, then collapsing onto the floor to sleep because I was hungry.

I missed the arm pillows my brother used to make for me.

Wondering when my brother would come back, would he come today? I returned to the audience, blankly watching the busy stage while everyone else was moving around.

While standing idle, you’d see various people. There was this uncle with grayish eyes checking around the theater, and it seemed like he was chatting with a painfully skinny lady.

“Kasia. Thank you again for taking care of those shoes.”

“Don’t call me Miss. I’ve repaired all the shoes you left with me. I handed them off to Oberg, so you can check with him… And about the inquiry on Seria’s shop, a good spot has opened up.”

Where have I seen that lady before?

A strange sense of déjà vu washed over Lena. She stared at the lady, their eyes met briefly, but Kasia just walked past.

Evening.

I’m so bored I could die. Why is a day this long? ─ Just as I grumbled, it was finally time for dinner.

Also, it was time for my brother to come, so Lena ate quickly and sat by the window in Ksenia’s room on the third floor, looking outside. As she watched the beautiful buildings of Orville, she saw her brother walking toward her.

But why was her brother walking like that?

It’s funny that he always entered that alley over there and came out after taking a roundabout way. He went back through the same alley he entered, then took a few more steps, glancing around.

I couldn’t understand why he was doing that, but it bought me some time. Lena ran to the curtain hanging in the first-floor corridor to hide and surprise her brother.

But (very interestingly) her brother didn’t even seem surprised.

Feigning shock, he exclaimed, “Oh! Lena! I almost dropped my heart!” but casually pulled me into a hug.

He must have eyes in the back of his head.

Spinning around a few times, we both ended up sitting in the audience. Before Ksenia arrived, I hurriedly told him all about today, but oddly, Ksenia sometimes took my brother away.

“Oh, you’re here. You haven’t eaten yet, right?”

Every time, Lena hoped her brother had already eaten.

Then her brother would say, “No, I have eaten.” and wouldn’t leave. If he hadn’t eaten, he’d say, “Yes. I haven’t eaten.” while elegantly taking the lady’s hand and leaving.

Ugh. I hate my brother.

When her brother started coming once every few days, that didn’t occur anymore, but at first, it happened often.

Anyway, her brother returned. “Sleep well. I’ll come again tomorrow.” he said before trudging off into the dark night.

Lena finished her day by washing up with Ksenia and going to bed.

+ + +

“Can I do a play?”

This isn’t a question.

It’s a word seeking permission, but in her younger sibling’s bright eyes lay the assurance that her brother would allow it.

“Lena, shall we go in and talk? Ksenia, excuse us.”

“Okay. You know, yesterday~”

Listening to her chattering, Leo entered Ksenia’s room. Since it was late in the evening, there were blankets laid on the floor. A lantern giving off a faint oil smell hung from the ceiling, and on a round table with a flowerpot lay a thick book spread open.

With a glance, it was the play script. Leo realized that this wasn’t a moment where he could allow or disallow.

He could reverse it if he wanted, but roles had probably already been assigned to the actors. The scripts would have been distributed, and things like costumes, stage, lighting, and promotions would be busy moving along.

Sitting down with a bittersweet feeling, Leo noticed the triangular chair he once sat on had disappeared, replaced by a low chair.

“What play is it? What role will Lena play?”

“[Demonios]. If you don’t know what it is, take a look at this. There’s a summary here.”

“I do know it. Then Lena will play…”

Leo let out a sigh.

“Saint Reina.”

“Yes. That’s right. But… do you not like Lena acting?”

“No, I like it.”

Ksenia stared at him quietly. Even with the lantern, it was too dim to read her expression.

“…Let’s talk for a moment.”

It hadn’t even been long since he sat down when Ksenia stood up. Surprised by the odd atmosphere, Lena was told firmly, “You should sleep first,” before she went outside.

The place Ksenia took Leo to was the roof. There was a small space on top of the theater where sunlight could shine through, and Ksenia, with her wavy black hair fluttering in the cool night breeze, spoke.

Under the moonlight, her eyes pierced sharply at Leo.

“Why are you lying?”

“…I’m sorry. The truth is I don’t want my sister to go on stage. But Lena seems to be looking forward to it, and it seems the play preparations have started, so I kept my mouth shut. I hurt your feelings, didn’t I?”

“……”

Silence fell. Ksenia seemed surprised that Leo had replied so honestly, staring at him blankly before she burst into laughter.

“A person who can’t be understood.”

Ksenia muttered softly, walked over, brushed the dust off Leo’s coat, and met his gaze.

“Don’t worry. I know what you’re worried about. Lena won’t have any problems at all.”

Her unwavering black eyes.

Chaehwa came to mind. It was hard to understand for Minseo, but Chaehwa was always confident.

Even in a filthy reality, while boldly saying, “It will all get better one day!” that confidence shone through Ksenia’s eyes as well.

“Then will you allow her?”

After a moment of thought, Leo nodded. Ksenia smiled brightly and took his hand, leading him to the edge of the roof.

She’s being quite proactive today.

Ksenia was the type of person you couldn’t approach easily. She was kind to those around her but didn’t reveal much about herself.

It was the same for Leo.

He had managed to get a few meals under the pretense of dates, but she simply smiled sweetly without ever mentioning who he was, what he was doing, or how they would relate moving forward.

The main topics between them were plays, trivial daily occurrences, and Lena.

Though it felt somewhat distant, Ksenia consistently paid for meals, always asking him out again. But this time, it seemed like she was trying to expose a bit of her true self. Leaning against the roof’s railing, Ksenia spoke.

“I don’t understand you.”

Leo chose to listen quietly as she stood beside him.

“Where did the courage go, the one from that time when you poured water on me and boldly confessed? It might sound strange, but… you feel completely different from then to now.”

“…”

“Honestly, back then…”

Ksenia’s words trailed off.

She seemed ready to say something but then turned her head, staring directly at Leo before speaking, a bit angry.

“Kiss me.”

Leo hesitated.

Since this round had only just begun a month ago, he still had Minseo on his mind.

He didn’t dislike Ksenia, who resembled Chaehwa. Seeing his heart race in front of her, it felt like Leo de Yeriel liked Ksenia.

But he couldn’t bring himself to kiss her. The thought that this woman appeared in place of Kasia made his heart ache.

The hesitation was brief.

Ksenia pushed against the railing and stood up. She grabbed Leo by his collar and kissed him, which felt rather stubborn. It was an action as if trying to convince herself that her choice wasn’t wrong.

A short kiss. Ksenia pulled back, glaring at Leo with a hurt expression.

“You’ve changed a lot, but… I don’t dislike it.”

Saying that, she turned her back to him, regretting her actions.

The beggar who had appeared in a shabby state, boldly pouring water on me, had claimed, “I think I love you. So please help me.” The absurdity of that confession and demand had transformed the once talkative boy into a silent and troubled man over just a few weeks.

The beggar boy of that time was undoubtedly my destiny…

Ksenia disappeared. Left alone on the roof, Leo could only dazedly touch his lips as he had no choice but to return to the manor.

Why did she kiss him?

Feeling puzzled.