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254. Engagement – Priority

“I’ve traveled a lot since I was young. I’ve been everywhere on the continent, leaving no place untouched. The warm southern sea, was it Bomer… the raging volcano of Jerome Holy Kingdom, the first human city, Oberg, located in the heart of the continent, and all the way to the swamps in the eastern part of the continent. Of course, I’ve also been to the Cornel Tower, said to be the first mage tower.”

– Glug

Boris gramps downed his drink. The glow of the fire highlighted the wrinkles on his face, showcasing his age.

“There was no particular reason for me to set off on such distant journeys without getting married. Youth is like that. The wind pushing you along and friends that might or might not exist, as well as a lazy old mare. It’s enough, isn’t it? Kuba, that friend, desperately tried to persuade me to hunt monsters together, but in the end, I set off on my journey…”

“Kuba?”

“Who is Kuba…? Oh! It’s the chief!”

The young men sitting around looked at Boris gramps with doubtful eyes. Having returned from their first hunt as warriors, they were being treated to drinks by the senior warriors.

They were all from the Ainar Tribe, so although they called him ‘senior,’ it was essentially just their fathers, mothers, uncles, and aunts. The table was filled with warm words of encouragement and heroic tales, but there was Boris Ainar, the troublesome old man of the Ainar Tribe, who had barged in uninvited.

Boris gramps had dementia. He hadn’t gone hunting in ages and had long lost his “warrior” status.

But age has its privileges.

It would be harsh to brusquely kick out an old man wanting to share words of wisdom with the young ones, so Boris hummed along, spouting tales that no one believed.

“Right. When I came back from my travels, Kuba had become the chief. Anyway, during my journey, I saw and felt so much. There were countless women who loved me, but drawn by the freedom of travel and the mysteries of the continent, I never stayed in one place for more than six months. Among all that, the most mysterious was the temple I saw in the Antalof Canyon.”

Among the young men sipping their drinks were Lena and Leo. They sat close together, sharing snacks. Naturally, the Old Phantom Fox was nowhere to be seen this time either.

“When I fell asleep, there was nothing there. No doubt. But when I opened my eyes in my sleep, there was a massive temple right in the middle of the canyon.”

‘So that’s when the dementia kicked in!’

This was the common thought among the young men. Leo tilted his drink with indifference, while Lena burst into laughter, chiming in on the ramblings of the confused old man.

“Wow! You sound just like a legendary hero. You must have gone inside, right?”

“Of course. When I went in, there was a sword bathed in the blue light of the blue moon…”

Boris gramps’ adventurous tales went on indefinitely. He claimed to have seen not just that temple, presumed to be dedicated to the god Lachar, but also the temple of Binard, the god of wrongdoing, in a cave in the Bomer volcano, the shrine of Nammer, the god of patience and devotion, on an island across the southern sea, and the temple of Bohr, the goddess of noble sacrifice, in the eastern swamps where the sun rises. The young men were left astounded by his grand embellishments.

Even Lena, who had been chiming in, started to look somewhat fed up by the end. As Lena and Leo decided to subtly excuse themselves from the drinking party, Boris suddenly declared,

“In the Belita Kingdom, there’s a castle called ‘Badobona’ where I found some kind of goblet. I quickly picked it up, but it felt kind of sketchy… and I ended up donating that goblet to the Monastery Church… what? Why am I lying?”

Boris gramps ranted passionately. Once Lena had left, the young men immediately expressed their disbelief.

But that didn’t matter.

Lena and Leo, having drunk a bit too much, headed home. Perhaps feeling good as a warrior now, Lena coaxed Leo.

“How about we go have another drink at home? Dad said that the Great Warriors are drinking with him, so he can invite you too.”

“No, I’m good. I’m not even a warrior yet.”

“Don’t say that~ Come on.”

There were things to do today… but when Lena insists, there’s not much one can do.

Pretending to be reluctantly pulled along, Leo wrapped his arms around Lena and said,

“I’ll go if you give me a kiss.”

“Cheeky.”

Lena pulled Leo in close. Leo wrapped his arms around Lena’s waist and kissed her, his body bending like a bow.

Lena is beautiful.

It’s just that being obsessed with swords, she doesn’t take care of herself, but her lines are sharp, and her facial features are well-balanced.

Her eyebrows, as thick as a man’s yet long, added to her intense impression, complementing her slightly droopy eyes that could be seen as cute.

If she grew her hair out, she’d look really pretty.

Her oval face means any style would suit her well, but long hair would look better than a short bob. Or perhaps some volume in her bangs would be nice. If she trimmed her eyelashes and applied some lotion to her rough skin from the harsh cold, she’d be as beautiful as her little sister Lena.

‘Haha. No way that’s happening.’

Reriana had a timeless beauty. Her features were perfectly balanced around her nose, transcending age and cultural backgrounds, loved by everyone.

Yet, Leo felt that Lena looked just as pretty as Reriana. With the lens of love firmly on, he thought, ‘That little girl is just a child.’ Lena Ainar, tall and broad-shouldered, felt much more beautiful.

The kiss deepened.

Their breaths became slightly ragged. In Lena’s gaze, looking up at him, was a hint of permission, and Leo’s hands had long since left her waist, driven by the heat of the moment.

“…Is it okay to drink now?”

“Should we hurry… and go?”

“It won’t end like this.”

Lena burst into laughter at Leo’s boast. Just then, as they tried to sneak into Leo’s house, they bumped into Noel Dexter, who was coming out of Lena’s house.

Their father and mentor. Lena and Leo respectfully clasped their hands and said,

“We’re back.”

And Noel said,

“You’re back early. Your father and some friends are waiting inside to congratulate you. Go on in. Leo, come here for a moment.”

He called Leo.

Tsk.

Thank goodness it’s dark. Lena’s expression turned sulky.

Lena tugged on Leo’s pinky. He shrugged, unable to help it, and let Lena in.

Following his father, he entered the house. It was only after Noel Dexter took a seat in his study that he spoke.

“It seems you broke through the wall.”

Leo looked up in surprise, but his father simply gazed at him calmly.

He thought he had hidden it well. But indeed, he couldn’t escape his father’s watchful eyes. Leo nodded.

“…Yes.”

“Congratulations. To be honest, I expected it. I want to see you fight properly in a duel, but… is it because of Lena?”

“…”

“Hmm. Was there really a need to consider her… ? Tsk, no. I also unintentionally hurt my brother once. But remember, you can’t hide your skill forever.”

“…I will remember.”

Noel Dexter looked at his son with pride.

When I broke through the wall and completed my swordsmanship, I couldn’t hold back my desire to brag. I applied for the Knights Order and became the youngest knight in history, and that time, my older brother Elson, who was a squire, left home after giving up on years of hardship to become a knight.

It was thoughtless of me to act without considering my brother, who was blocked by the wall. I didn’t think it necessary to hide my exceptional skills, but reflecting on it now, I realize there was no need to show off either.

“You’ve handled yourself very well,” he thought as he said to his son.

“Your mother will be proud of you. Speaking of which, it’s been a while since we’ve visited her grave; let’s go back to our hometown in spring. Take Lena with you.”

But that might not be possible. Because of the war.

Yet, Leo nodded.

At the same time, he wondered, ‘Why is it that no one ever mentioned my mother until my skills improved?’ Lena seemed to know something, but it was as if there were an unspoken rule that kept them from speaking about his mother, who passed away during the Nine-Day War.

Before the scenario started, it was a very long time ago, so Leo couldn’t understand why the people around him acted that way. Additionally, since he had no memories, he found no reason to dig into it.

In the Childhood Friend scenario, somehow, Rev’s mother was changed to be alive. Rev was genuinely happy about that…

Honestly, that was all there was to it. The fact that his mother returned alive did not provide any merit in clearing this game, and the heirloom, the “Bound Item,” he had already received.

Moreover, he even learned the condition for the true ending, so his mother’s life or death didn’t matter anymore.

Indeed, it’s not normal. But since getting involved with that Minseo guy, has my life ever been normal? It seems like I finally found a direction toward a normal life, but I didn’t want to complicate things.

I’ll go to war, become a knight beside Lena, fulfill her dreams, and marry her. I want to return to Abrival Castle and live happily with Lena. That should be enough.

Even at this late hour, Leo left the study where his father had resumed reading.

Though he questioned why his father, once a knight and still a great swordsman, spent his days buried in books, Leo focused on one thing.

‘My’ Lena. As long as she’s happy.

That alone was more than enough.

With that decision, Leo headed toward his neighbor’s house. Since his backyard terrace was connected to Lena’s house, he stepped out onto the terrace…

“No, why do you keep pouring drinks? I haven’t even finished mine yet. Seriously…”

Grumbling. Lena’s sulky voice drifted from the window. Inside, a roaring fire burned, expertly grilled meat looked tantalizing, and there were the hulking Great Warriors, including Dehorman, and Lena Ainar engaging with them.

Standing outside the window, Leo realized he didn’t need to butt in there. He didn’t want to disturb the raucous drinking party of these barbarian warriors, with a ‘civilized’ person like him crashing the vibe. If he were Rev, a barbarian himself, that’d be different.

In the icy cold wind, Leo wiped the fog from the window. Each wipe only caused more fog to form, but as he watched Lena inside, he recalled what he had planned to do today. The mirror he pulled from his pocket was fogged up as well.

[ Achievement: Bound Item, 2/3 ]

[ Sword – Not destroyed. ]

[ Mirror – Connectable. 1 time. ]

[ Necklace – A pretty necklace. ]

Was it because he didn’t know the true name? Originally, using the mirror was impossible.

But during the previous Childhood Friend run, the Holy Woman had bestowed a blessing on his mirror during a ceremony. Although he had heard this from Rev’s perspective, the unusable mirror had become connectable, and when he asked why there was a one-time restriction instead of allowing continuous use, the Holy Woman remarked,

“This blessing is enough for just one usage next time. The Creator truly loves you. It’s the first time I’ve seen such delicate benefits granted to mere creatures.”

What nonsense. The Holy Woman must have known that this Engagement round would be the last. She surely knew that when Leah became a priestess, the true ending would occur, and correspondingly, she must’ve known that when Lena became a knight in this round, I would meet the true ending.

Well played. That’s how it will be.

Since it’s uncertain whether Minseo would grant me more opportunities, this time, I planned to craft a perfect ending without even a single mistake.

Minseo, that idiot will escape from this world by fluke… Yeah. He should just disappear, Leo Dexter wiped the mirror. Light shimmered on the glass, and a connection was made.

[ Achievement: Bound Item, 2/3 ]

[ Sword – Not destroyed. ]

[ Mirror – Childhood Friend. ]

[ Necklace – A pretty necklace. ]

Rev’s dumbfounded face appeared in the mirror. He looked genuinely surprised, and understandably so—

“The mirror is fixed. I was thinking of tossing it after it broke last time but thankfully, it’s back! A new round has started! What happened?”

The mirror, that had shattered after one use, was restored to its original state. In truth, it had been broken to the point it could be thrown away, but Rev kept it safe because it was a possession from his mother.

Leo straightforwardly asked, “Where are you now?”

“I’m on my way to Marquis Gaidan’s territory, with the kids. What’s happened? Did the rebellion succeed? Leah became a princess, right?”

“Hey, don’t bother. That Minseo idiot…”

Leo recounted how the previous round had concluded. Just as they were on the brink of the throne, the condition for the true ending wasn’t to make Leah a princess, no, it was about fulfilling dreams, he snitched.

Rev fell silent for a moment.

In the forest, away from his apprentices, he paced before finally speaking.

“…I see.”

“Right. That Minseo bastard. There’s a limit to how stupid one can be. If it weren’t for him, we wouldn’t have had to suffer like that…”

“Don’t be so harsh. You know he had a tough time too.”

Rev said, filled with mixed feelings.

“Anyway, thanks for letting me know. Well, I need to go… No, I have to go to Marquis Gaidan’s territory. I’ve done something terrible to Hirie.”

“…”

Leo too was momentarily speechless. If it were him, he would have dashed straight to Leah, who would likely be at the Monastery Church right now, but seeing Rev think of others first shocked him.

He was originally like that. Not very assertive, quietly doing his part. Quite different from Lean de Yeriel, who asserted himself clearly while considering Minseo’s opinions.

But how can one be so different? Fulfilling Leah’s dream is the condition for the true ending!

There’s no need to care about rebellion and whatever else; it should be enough just to stay close to Leah, who would become a priestess, and live happily…

“Yeah, you do what you want. Leah will become a priestess next autumn, so it’d be best if you were at the Monastery Church before then.”

“Got it. Thanks. Oh, and the mirror got fixed, but I can’t use it again. Thanks for your hard work. Let’s definitely meet up later.”

Rev disconnected. That was simple. Something felt strange to Leo as he stared at the now restored mirror.

Is this the characteristic of people from the southern continent? Or am I just thinking too deeply? Leo looked up.

Through the foggy window, he spotted his beloved, Lena Ainar. Leo Dexter thought, ‘What does it matter,’ and turned away.

My priority is to protect my lover and make her happy. Everything else is trivial, not even worth mentioning.

Yet, even though Leo lay on his bed in his room, he couldn’t sleep. He felt restless, a strange feeling keeping sleep at bay.

What’s up with Lean and Rev… Why is everyone acting like this? It’s irritating.

He tossed and turned for a while. Just as he was about to wonder if something was wrong with him, there was a tap. Someone knocked on the window. It was Lena Ainar, outside in the snowstorm.

“Lena! What are you doing?! It’s dangerous! Are you drunk?”

“I’m not drunk!”

Lena exclaimed as she climbed over the window sill. She looked perfectly fine.

But she smelled absolutely of alcohol and laughed boisterously.

“Shall we continue what we were doing earlier? I didn’t know you’d be here.”

Lena pushed Leo onto the bed. As she fell on top of him, perhaps drained of energy, she immediately fell sound asleep.

…Dealing with a handful.

She’s quite a handful. Leo gently laid her flat on the bed and tucked her in. He endlessly stroked the hair of his fiancée, his first love, and likely his last, murmuring,

“I wasn’t wrong.”

Leo sat down on the cold floor, trying to fall asleep, clutching his sword, which promised to protect her in his heart, while still holding Lena’s hand tightly. The window rattled in the fierce wind.