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198. Engagement – A Rainy Day

[ Thank you for playing Lena Ainar! ]

[ Lena Ainar ]

[ Final Job: A Daughter of the Ainar Tribe ]

[ Marriage Partner: Leo Dexter ]

[ Leo Dexter ]

[ Final Job: Hunter ]

[ Marriage Partner: Lena Ainar ]

[ Engagement Ending: Peace of Abrival Castle ]

– Born in Abrival Castle, Lena Ainar had a happy childhood… (omitted)… After returning from the war, Lena gave birth to a child. Having married, Lena gave birth to two more children and lived happily with Leo. –

– Born in the capital Barnau, Leo Dexter… (omitted)… never picked up a sword again. He often went hunting to make a living and lived happily with Lena and the children. –

After a brief moment of waiting, shabby ending texts filled the dark void.

Along with that, a photo surfaced.

The solidified Leo let out a dry sigh.

He couldn’t even become a chef…

In the picture, Lena was breastfeeding a newborn.

A boy and a girl who resembled both Lena and Leo looked curiously at the scene, and Leo was absent from the photo. Judging by Lena’s faint smile as she looked up, this photo was undoubtedly taken from Leo’s point of view.

Disheveled hair.

Perhaps overwhelmed by taking care of three children or due to having just given birth to the youngest, Lena looked tired. Losing the confidence of a knight, she was a woman worn down by life.

What’s wrong with being a lady?

One cannot judge a mother of three children. Even an uneducated rascal wouldn’t dare debate the existence of a mother. A mother evokes tears just by virtue of her title.

Leo had no intention of commenting on Lena’s last appearance. However, as her husband, there was no way to suppress the ache in his heart.

Where did the sparkling young lady from the beginning of the scenario go? The adorable daughter of the Ainar Tribe, and the youthful spirit striving to become a knight had withered away like this.

The photo seemed to capture the moment Leo, returning from a hunt through heavy snow, opened the door and saw his wife calmly greeting him. What thoughts did Leo Dexter have upon witnessing that scene?

Perhaps he felt happiness.

He might have shouted, “Daddy’s home!” to his wife and children, but as a newlywed Leo Dexter, he couldn’t fathom such a father’s emotions.

It was unfortunate that the sweet honeymoon vanished, leaving only the burdens of responsibilities. Did I live like this as a Swordmaster, what a fool. He chastised the Leo remaining in that place.

Leo gradually faded.

His thoughts fluctuated, and the round figure was no longer Leo. Minseo began to evaluate this engagement scenario as if she were being chased by something.

This round was a success.

Achieving the targeted quest, finally! He had become a Swordmaster, and Lena was safe. He had arranged for the next childhood friend round in the Jerome Holy Kingdom and confirmed that Leah was doing well at the Monastery Church.

‘Alright. It’s done.’

A Swordmaster.

A level of power considered unattainable. The strongest martial prowess one could possess as an individual. Unlike knights, where one’s skill couldn’t be assessed until they actually fought, a Swordmaster had the Oblivion Blade as proof. The difference between what is visible and what is not is significant.

Moreover, a Swordmaster becomes a power in itself. They are not someone who can be exploited casually, so even the great Marquis Benard Tatian would keep his composure.

Hahaha!

In the end, we did it. We accomplished it…

However, as Minseo hurriedly patted himself on the back, he soon fell silent. In the past, he would have called this ending a happy conclusion, but for some reason, he was plagued by a sense of discomfort. He stared blankly at the fading photo of Lena.

He saw Chaehwa in the downcast Lena Ainar.

Chaehwa, who had tied back her freely flowing hair, awkwardly dressed in semi-formal attire, had delivered a non-breakup breakup message. Just like this round’s Lena, she too had accepted reality. The only difference was that Chaehwa had jumped into the employment market due to having a useless boyfriend instead of getting married.

‘…I could have done better.’

Somehow, Minseo felt a pang. Surviving alone no longer satisfied him; if he had cared a little more for Lena, he might have seen a better ending.

Though merely a stepping stone towards the ‘True Ending,’ he could have created a more radiant smile for her.

He lamented.

Fortunately, at that moment, the final text appeared, breaking his self-criticism.

[ You failed to clear Lena Ainar! ]

[ Leo, you have become the continent’s strongest knight, but Lena was unable to catch up with you. As a gesture of consolation, I grant you the {Swordsmanship Instructor} ability. ]

[ Restarting… ]

A scene began to unfold towards Oberg.

As the darkness lifted, Minseo had transformed into Leo de Yeriel.

[ Achievement: ’18th Leo’ – The player’s rate of assimilation into Leo slightly increases. ]

[ 18/22 ]

[ I do not know the true name. ]

A foul-smelling puddle.

With a damp bottom and a desperate thirst, the Beggar Siblings scenario announced its beginning, but Leo remained motionless. Squinting, he endured the torrent of memories.

Reb killed my younger sibling.

In the previous round, Lena had been left alone in a theater. Further back in a round of the Beggar Siblings, he had encountered Oriax. His sibling had become an enraged duke, and before that, he had been chased by Marquis Benard Tatian, resulting in a tearful separation.

Ugh.

The image of a box filled with gold coins and the gleeful sibling… The memory of the blazing inferno turning to a slow, agonizing loss of warmth came to mind as Leo groaned. He took a deep breath, blaming the filthy world, Minseo, and Reb, who killed his younger sibling.

Let’s forgive.

I was destined to die anyway. My sibling wouldn’t have survived if it weren’t for Minseo.

Leo steeled his resolve. Though it had been a routine task, this time it took him a long while to open his eyes, not only due to the vivid sensation of killing his sibling but also because Lena hadn’t spoken to him.

By now, she should have whined about being hungry… As worry set in, Leo turned his head. The silence of his sibling was a greater concern than the scar etched in his heart.

Fortunately, his sibling was right beside him. Rather than sitting as usual with their back against the wall, this time, they were dozing off. Leo gulped.

“Lena! Lena? Wake up.”

“Hmm? O-oppan? Where is this…?”

Startled by her brother’s urgent gestures, Lena woke up, drooling as she looked up. With a puzzled expression, she quickly glanced around before pouting her lips.

“Ehhh… I was having a fun dream…”

“…What dream?”

A fun dream, thank goodness. But Leo asked, his voice heavy.

[ Achievement: Twenty Photographs – Lena occasionally vaguely recalls the past in dreams. ]

Since there were almost no good memories among the past experiences of his sibling… he wished such an achievement didn’t exist at all.

“I don’t know. I forgot.”

Lena shook her head.

She seemed to struggle to remember the dream, rolling her eyes up, but it didn’t last long. Feeling the arrival of thirst,

“Oppa… I’m hungry. My throat is dry…”

She whined.

We’ve come back to square one. Leo had no intention of probing further, so he grasped her trembling legs. This wasn’t the time for that; he thought as he took his sibling’s hand and stepped out of the alley. Lena didn’t ask about the sword hanging at her brother’s waist.

The savory smell wafted from the market.

After acquiring {Initial Funds}, Leo passed by the chicken shop he visited every time. Following the direction indicated by {Tracking Skill}, he quickened his pace and stopped not far off.

Today was a rainy day.

The cloud-covered sky blocked the sunlight, and the bustling city was shrouded in mist. Beyond the dizzying fog, under the eaves of a building, there stood a woman nervously reaching out her hands.

Her jet-black hair waved without luster.

Though small in stature, she stood upright; it was Ksenia. Even though she spread her palm to confirm that the rain had stopped, she couldn’t leave her spot.

Should I turn back?

Hesitating, Ksenia turned around, froze for a moment, then smiled brightly.

“Uh?? Oppa, I think I’ve seen that lady before…”

“I thought you couldn’t come because of the sudden rain. It was worth the wait. Is the person beside you your sibling?”

“Yes. I’m Lena. Lena, this person is…”

Introductions were exchanged. Leo introduced Ksenia, his romantic interest from a previous round, yet Lena seemed somewhat distracted. She appeared confused, or perhaps shy, hiding behind her brother while observing Ksenia.

Dressed lightly.

Ksenia’s clothes were drenched. It wasn’t from the rain; it looked like she had gotten caught in a mess after going out for a morning workout. She had unexpectedly received a splash of water and a confession from the beggar before her.

An absurd situation.

A splash of water might be excused, but a sudden confession was ludicrous. The beggar went on to ask for help, saying, “I think I love you.”

Ksenia agreed to that.

Silently waiting for him to say he wouldn’t follow, it was now their turn to discuss what they would do moving forward. Ksenia felt her heart racing, perhaps not sweetly but rather with thrilling jitters.

“So, what shall we do now? You said you liked me, but honestly, I’m still unsure. For now, you mentioned your sibling needs a place to stay, so while I’m willing to help…”

She casually probed.

The quick answer that followed gave Ksenia a heavy sense of satisfaction.

“I’m thinking of heading to the Conrad Kingdom. Ksenia, I hope you’ll come with me.”

“…Is that a request you can make to someone you just met?”

“Yes. Will you marry me there?”

Pfft!

Ksenia bent over. Struggling to suppress the laughter threatening to burst out, she ultimately cracked up in a loud laugh.

How could this scruffy beggar be so bold? How dare he propose to me like this?

Ksenia was convinced she had finally met a man who would take her away. This beggar, who had made such an intense impression from their very first meeting, was more than enough to be her fated partner.

But once more, she asked.

“We’ve only just introduced ourselves. How old are you? Leo, do you even know what kind of woman I am? You wouldn’t be okay with anyone, would you?”

It was a valid question, but Leo didn’t answer. He omitted words and reached out, asking to hold her hand.

Steady golden eyes and a flushed face. There were no conditions, no pretenses. He was simply focused on her.

Ksenia, pleased with Leo’s response, felt a jolt. ‘There’s no turning back now,’ she thought, willingly taking the beggar’s hand. The fated partner finally returned a bright smile.

Good-looking, but I have to say something.

“But first, you need to wash up. Your sibling too.”

Leo’s face turned bright red.