291. Siblings Ep – Chicken Dish

As the darkness cleared, Minseo’s vision swept across the vast plains. The fields stretched out, crops swaying in the warm summer breeze, and Minseo let out a sigh of relief.

They were the beggar siblings.

But the anger didn’t easily subside.

No round rewards for this chapter.

Was it because they had already seen the true ending for the engagement round? Did they decide not to give additional chapter rewards if the player got the true ending reward? Minseo’s stomach churned as it felt like Ray’s hardships had gone to waste.

Isn’t this a bit too much? They hadn’t even severed ties with Lera, yet they still tried their best.

Minseo cursed Shin on Ray’s behalf. No, Shin had his own frustrations to unleash as he spat out curses alongside his fury. However, the video only approached Oberg without slowing down or speeding up.

The view burrowed beyond the castle walls, deep into the south gate market alley. Turning twice into the alley that didn’t see sunlight, Minseo found Lean de Yeriel sitting there.

In that moment, the anger quickly faded away. It wasn’t because Minseo felt the weariness of their frail body or the unquenchable thirst crashing in. It was because the history he knew had changed.

[Achievement: ’22nd Leo – The player’s speed of fusing with Leo slightly increases.]

[22/24]

[Achievement: King 4/6]

[‘Noble Society’ information has been updated.]

The kingdoms of Austin & Aster no longer existed. The former 5/7 of the ‘King’ achievement was now reduced, and Asran Kingdom was strong enough to dominate the north without any civil strife.

The six-kingdom era.

Ray Dexter, or rather Ray’s wishes had been fulfilled, but Minseo couldn’t focus on that.

Next to him, Reriana was dozing off. Minseo couldn’t help but clench their chest.

Memories poured in.

Young Lean, led by Sir Bart, escaped from Nebis Castle.

Holding onto his younger sibling, who cried out from hunger and fatigue, they dashed across a field strewn with corpses.

– “You must go to the Belita Kingdom in the northwest. If you hide in a village near the border, the Royal Knights will come looking for you.”

Sir Barin.

His last royal knight’s advice was all Lean could cling to. Lean survived on the food left by Barin and headed north with the pace of a child. After a long time, they reached the territory known as Baron Monarch.

The Baron Monarch lands bordered the Belita Kingdom to the northwest and the Aisel Kingdom to the northeast.

With plenty of beggars trying to cross the border for their own reasons, Lean snatched ‘the silver ring’ Reriana had.

It was Barin’s engagement ring. He smeared dirt on his younger sibling’s crying face and, in exchange for the ring, accepted help from some beggar to cross the border.

There was a struggle halfway, but forget about it. That beggar revealed himself to be gay.

After crossing the border, they hid in a nearby village, but the Royal Knights who were supposed to come never arrived.

Was it because we were too late?

Or perhaps no one was ever looking for us in the first place? Before they knew it, Lean had become a beggar wandering the villages near the border.

At least it was warm in the south. Despite being emaciated, his handsome looks garnered pity from many. Adults often tried to offer him kindness.

But having encountered the ugly desires of adults at such a young age, Lean shook his head. At the same time, he desperately hid his sibling.

Whenever they entered the village to beg, he tucked Reriana away below a wall, knowing that anyone who glimpsed his younger sibling’s face—be they good or not—would mean they could never return to that village again.

In truth, if Reriana hadn’t been there, Lean would have had many paths to survive.

He had grown into a hauntingly handsome boy.

At some point, all the people who gave him food were women, and girls often followed him after their first glance, drawn to him as he finished begging.

As Reriana’s existence became known, the number of villages they couldn’t enter grew, one by one.

For him, appearance was both a means of survival and a curse.

Reriana fell under the same curse and became impossibly beautiful, leaving them helpless.

Lean feared growing older.

What was he to do? Increasingly overwhelming kindness and the way people looked at him like a stallion. A {bloodline} he could never reveal… and a younger sibling he could never take his eyes off.

Erasing the warm southern villages of the Belita Kingdom as he traveled north, Lean decided he would hide in the massive city.

He thought it would be better to blend into the bustling crowd, and thankfully, he was right.

Merchants from every country flocked there, and as they struggled to make a living day by day, the atmosphere of the giant city named Oberg—capital of Belita Kingdom—was harsh, which marked the beginning of their everyday beggar life.

To Minseo—Lean’s pain and fear didn’t matter much.

Lean, without putting his own struggles on the forefront, began to harmonize with Minseo, who looked at his sleeping younger sibling with pity.

A very lazy younger sibling.

The reason Reriana sleeps for around 16 hours a day was rooted in Lean’s past.

Like a sleeping princess in the woods, whenever Lean went to the village to beg, Reriana would sleep. His younger sibling had formed the habit of finding ways to survive.

She learned and perceived the world only through ‘dreams.’

Minseo felt a sharp pain in his chest as he guessed what Reriana’s wish might have been.

Reriana had never seen a happy ending. In a sense, she had the simplest and most modest dream, yet that dreaded {bloodline} meant that the path to making Lera a princess thrust the life of this beggar sibling into pain each time.

The reason why, after driving Prince Eric de Yeriel away, the ‘The Princess’ ending was not a true end but merely a clear one last chapter was all here.

It felt like my insides might twist and rot.

He recalled when his younger sibling, having drunk dirty water, cheerfully said, “Next time, let’s build a house there.”

Now he understood why he had gone to the brothel to earn money.

Why he was bedridden after it was decided he would enter the family of Marquis Tatian; why he insisted on saying goodbye to the Rauno Family as family; and why even after becoming a princess, Reriana lived an unhappy life when she lost her brother.

Reriana wanted to have a home. She talked about wanting to have a house and to live with her brother. That was all.

The last beggar siblings ending didn’t happen because Reriana became a princess. It was in the cheers of the people that they finally recognized the royal castle as their home as the ending appeared.

It must have been a true ending back then.

Living together forever with her brother in that castle!

As Reriana thought her dream had come true, the true ending appeared, but later, when she married into the Aisel Kingdom and was separated from her brother, it was downgraded to a ‘clear.’

Right. The younger sibling in the stirred-up photo was writing a letter to her brother. Wonderfully, she was happy that they had finally cleared the beggar siblings narrative.

Minseo wrapped his arms around Reriana’s shoulders as she dozed off. “Eek?!” Reriana, startled awake, turned to him.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry… really… Aren’t you thirsty? I’m sorry I couldn’t bring you water. Here, drink this.”

The time he was postponed due to the sixth death achievement ended here. Lean de Yeriel, having recalled all of his past, engulfed Minseo’s consciousness.

He quickly downplayed Minseo’s mistake and offered a ‘cup filled with rainwater.’ “Huh? It’s already quite full?” Reriana gulped down the water.

I’m thirsty too, but Lean thought of Minseo. He didn’t dislike Minseo’s explosive emotions.

A commoner was peering into his flaws. A foreigner who had put him and his younger sibling in pain multiple times due to wrong judgments.

However, despite the bleak future lying before them, he offered them a chance, and among the pouring memories, there was a moment that made him wonder if Minseo, who had only been thinking of him, was right.

Regardless of the means, even after he left the world he lived in, Minseo chose to return here. He kept the promise he never intended to escape alone, and in fact, he didn’t trust any of the Leos.

‘Thank you.’

Lean appreciated Minseo’s commendable spirit. In that moment, Reriana, who had sipped the water carefully, returned the cup.

“Brother, here… you should drink too.”

You haven’t even drunk half yet.

He wanted to tell her to finish it all, but Lean accepted his younger sibling’s heart. He moistened his throat a little, then lifted his body from the damp floor.

He had drunk water, but the thirst still burned, and the hunger clawed at his insides, feeling as if his stomach would tear apart.

But it was familiar.

He gripped his bony legs with hands that had no flesh on them.

It was an extremely dire situation, yet Lean de Yeriel smiled.

The various tragedies he had endured in past chapters felt trivial in the face of the bright future ahead.

Lean extended his hand.

“Let’s go. Time to eat.”

“Let’s go, to be happy.” Reriana placed her frail hand on her brother’s hand with a puzzled look.

*

For some reason, the business was slow today.

The Chicken Shop Owner was idly guarding the front of his shop. Despite it being just about lunchtime when customers should arrive, the shop was empty.

Was it an unlucky day, or did he need to focus on promotions?

When the business was poor, the merchant’s heart became increasingly uneasy.

As long as the restaurant’s food was good, why did he find his unwavering philosophy wavering?

Just then, shabby beggar children appeared in a back alley between the shops.

Wearing horrifically dirty clothes, they approached his shop, and it seemed like today was indeed an unlucky day.

‘Why here of all places. What a nuisance.’

The Chicken Shop Owner frowned and stood up from his spot.

He took up a round stick for pounding chicken to soften the meat, blocking their way.

“Hey. Get lost while I’m still being nice.”

“I apologize for my appearance. But may we eat inside?”

What sort of beggar brat talks like this?

The merchant looked again at the Beggar Boy.

With calmly raised head and rare golden eyes, his polished looks exuded a strange elegance.

While it didn’t impact the male greatly, he felt a mysterious air surrounding him.

The merchant felt the need to be cautious with his words. Upon closer inspection, what hung at his waist wasn’t just a stick but a sword.

“…Well, um. Sir, I’m sorry, but you seem to lack money.”

Of course, no matter what, this had to be confirmed.

Hiding the stick behind his back and offering courteousness felt embarrassing enough. The beggar kids’ appearances were beyond ridiculous, yet thankfully, the Beggar Boy produced two silver coins.

“I believe this should suffice. Please prepare a table for me; I would like warm drinking water first. A washbowl… and a towel, please? I will order from inside.”

Good thing he had been cautious with his words. They were nobles. The merchant bowed his head.

“O-O-of course. Please come inside. I will serve you soon.”

Having accepted the silver coins, the merchant became busy.

He opened the shop’s door wide to ease the noble guest’s entry, laid out the tablecloth.

He pulled the chairs forward to make them comfortable, waited for them to take a seat, then dashed to the kitchen.

It had been a while since he hosted a noble.

He had once dreamt of becoming a head chef in a noble’s household.

He had roamed around noble mansions to showcase his skills, but regrettably, he hadn’t become a chef.

He had even dreamed of serving kings, princes, and princesses.

His finely honed culinary skills had dulled. After plunging into drinking for a while, he had started this chicken shop, dealing only with ordinary guests, now was the time to show his skills.

The merchant first washed his hands.

He changed into a new apron, dirty from separating chicken heads and legs, and steeped his favorite tea in boiling water. Even two silver coins weren’t a large sum that would justify such service, yet he did his utmost.

He had specifically asked for a washbowl.

Bringing the quickly brewed tea to the teacup, he mixed the remaining water with cold water and served it in the bowl. “Brother, where did that come from?” he placed it in front of the chattering customers.

“Here is a towel as well.”

“Thank you.”

Even the hand that received the towel showed a noble courtesy.

‘This surely is a true noble,’ he thought, handing over the menu. It had been so long since he used it that the crumpled pages embarrassed him.

“I’ll need to give you more money.”

It was a text he had made when opening the shop, and it had a few recipes written with a bold spirit.

They had been tossed aside since no one had ordered them, and the dishes required expensive ingredients, but gratefully, this noble paid three more silver coins and said,

“Oh, ‘Poulet au Vin Blanc.’ I’ll have that. It might take a while; do you have any appetizers?”

“…I’m sorry, but we don’t have any prepared.”

“Well, it can’t be helped. Then please take a piece of the chicken on display. I can wait. I can expect a wonderful meal, yes?”

“Y-yes, of course.”

The merchant felt somewhat moved.

He thought he had become a merchant who only cared about money, yet a willingness to wait felt heartwarming.

Returning to the kitchen, the merchant—no, the chef quickly shredded the chicken and mixed it with fresh vegetables. He served them to the noble guests and asked for their understanding before exiting the shop.

It was because there were no ingredients to make Poulet au Vin Blanc. The chef hurriedly searched the market for ingredients. At that moment, a neighboring merchant clung to him.

“Hey, you. What are you doing bringing those beggar brats into your shop? Are you listening to me?”

“Shut up a bit.”

He didn’t even listen to the neighbor’s nagging.

He gathered rice, mushrooms, white wine, butter, and… right, cream.

He picked the ingredients for Poulet au Vin Blanc and drifted into strange nostalgia.

He too had dreams once. He had forgotten the joy of cooking.

He cradled a handful of ingredients and returned with a certain lightness. He was about to prepare it well for the guests when the chef nearly dropped everything.

There was a fearfully beautiful girl sitting there. The girl, with shredded chicken stuffed full in her mouth, smiled brightly.

“What’s up?”

“Oh, it’s nothing. I mean, uh… I’m back. Please just wait a moment…”

He ended up mumbling his words and turned to walk away. Then he remembered the dirty towel and the bowl filled with dark water that had been left on the table and quickly cleaned them up.

Was that girl the same one from before?

There were still bits of grime in the girl’s golden hair. Yet she sparkled dazzlingly… he began to doubt whether these people were nobles. It wouldn’t be too far-fetched to say they were royals, beings too high for him to look up to.

Returning to the kitchen, he began preparing Poulet au Vin Blanc.

First, he soaked the rice and marinated the chicken in wine. It would have been better if he had done it in advance, yet he had to now.

He coated the bottom of the pot with butter, mixing in the soaked rice. Meanwhile, he submerged the chicken in hot oil for 2-3 minutes until it became beautifully browned before moving it to another pot.

Stealing glances at the customers waiting for their meal (specifically at the girl), he sprinkled the previously prepared mushrooms over the chicken.

Now it was time to infuse the flavor into the meat.

He poured half a bottle of white wine over the chicken topped with mushrooms and cooked it uncovered over medium heat for three minutes.

The reason for cooking uncovered was to burn off the wine’s alcohol while leaving just the fragrance.

The chef busied himself whisking cream in a bowl, having no time to steal another glance at the girl. He stirred the cream until foamy and gently blended it with the aromatic chicken and heavy smelling mushrooms.

He simmered the sauce—now mixed with white wine and cream—uncovered for another three minutes until it slightly thickened. With one hand occasionally stirring it, he prepared for plating with the other.

Yet despite the rust on his skills, he proudly placed the plate on the stove to warm it up. Cheerfully, he layered buttery yellow rice on a pleasantly warm plate. Then, he topped it with the renowned chicken…

The white sauce absorbed into the yellow rice, enriching it, and proudly presenting the flavorful mushrooms and chicken was the completion of Poulet au Vin Blanc!

Holding one plate in each hand, the chef marched confidently out.

“Wow!” The beautiful girl’s exclamation and the joyful cheering of her noble compatriots filled the air. Performing a clumsy bow, he returned to the busy kitchen and collapsed into a seat.

He reflected on his own dreams.

“Is it tasty?”

“Yeah! Yes! Yes!”

Seeing Reriana blissfully vibrating with happiness as she stuffed rice and chicken into her mouth, Lean smiled brightly.

This chapter was going to ensure his younger sibling’s happiness thoroughly. He came to this chicken shop just to satisfy their first meal.

Of course, he didn’t only come for that.

Before freeing Kasia from the reins, he had stopped by Kasia’s shoe shop, discovering that his beloved Ksenia was waiting for him under the rain, so he had gone to seek her out.

But now, that was out of the question. They had both spilled water when they accidentally bumped into each other during her morning exercise…

– “Who are you? Stop with the nonsense and get out of the way! Do you have any idea who this person is?”

Ksenia was not alone.

The red-haired Female Knight, Katrina, was escorting her.