---

39. Beggar Siblings – Kasia

The third scenario of the beggar siblings began with a video directed towards the capital, Orville.

The unrealistic floating sensation that had been tormenting Minseo disappeared, replaced by urgent hunger and thirst overwhelming Leo. Beside him sat his ragged younger sister Lena, leaning against the wall.

Seeing his sister brought back a flood of memories. The image of his fallen sibling rose alongside the tormenting look in Lena’s eyes as if she was still gazing outside in that photograph.

“Brother, I’m hungry…”

“Lena!”

Leo fought back tears as he pulled his sister into a tight embrace.

If Minseo’s mind hadn’t been clearer than before, he might have burst into wails.

[ Achievement: First Death – The speed at which Leo assimilates into the story slows down. ]

“Ugh, why are you like this, brother? I feel weak.”

As Lena wriggled as if to push away, Leo finally snapped back to reality and released her.

Like before, Lena was filthy with dirt all over, her lips were chapped, and her thin neck looked as if it could barely withstand any more suffering. Her dress, resembling a rag, hadn’t changed either.

“Lena, let’s go eat.”

Leo checked the coins in his pocket and hastily guided Lena along.

With the eight silver coins and five copper coins given as ‘initial funds’, this money was immensely valuable in the beggar siblings scenario. In the engagement scenario, having these funds felt like a tearful blessing; they were trivial yet precious.

Maybe this damn game had a shred of conscience.

Back at the restaurant, Leo bought his sister some seasoned chicken.

Previously, he would have saved money by buying unseasoned chicken, but this time he held nothing back.

Lena gulped the chicken down eagerly, quickly becoming coated in sauce. Leo tried to restrain her to prevent choking but found it difficult as she ravenously tore into the chicken.

His heart ached.

Despite Minseo’s clarity, Leo grimaced at the pain welling up inside him.

‘I will make sure you are happy this time. I will never leave you behind.’

He helped Lena with her meal while sorting his thoughts.

‘Last time, I left Lena with Kasia for too long. This time, I have to keep her with me for as long as possible.’

But circumstances weren’t in his favor. They had nowhere to go.

He and Lena had made a temporary home beside a building, but the landlord planned to bring servants to demolish it the next morning.

Feeling helpless without a home made Leo anxious. While he lingered in the restaurant, he had to decide what to do.

‘What should I do moving forward? More importantly, where should we go right now?’

Nothing could be done while he was with Lena. He couldn’t take her around in this state, and he couldn’t allow her pretty face to be exposed either.

Finding a job with accommodation was proving difficult. Besides Lena’s looks, Leo lacked skills, making it really challenging for him to find work.

All Leo had this time were good looks and a few abilities received as scenario rewards… {Swordsmanship.2v}, {Hunting}, {Initial Funds}, {Rules of the Back Alleys}, {Survival Skills}, {Stealth}, {Noble Society} were all he had.

There were several achievements too, but they didn’t offer direct help.

At that moment, a thought crossed his mind.

‘If I utilize {Stealth} and {Noble Society} with my good looks…’

Through the {Noble Society} information arose filthy and erotic methods to exploit to seduce and take what one desired.

‘Disgusting.’

With a grimace, Leo ignored that option and revisited his swordsmanship and hunting skills.

However, the hunting option quickly faded. There were no mountains near Orville.

‘What if I just disappeared far away with Lena? Build a small house in the mountains and live there?’

This beggar siblings scenario promised a tough life ahead. He had to feed and appropriately educate his sister.

Amidst all this, he needed to make her a princess.

As the suffocating thought of fleeing far away crossed his mind, he quickly discarded it, realizing it too would be a challenge.

Lena was just too beautiful. They couldn’t hide away forever in the mountains; eventually, they would have to face the world, and by then, Lena would have grown magnificently lovely.

Leo didn’t have confidence in keeping the country’s beauty safe by himself. He needed to lay down a foundation for her to thrive before she grew up.

As he crossed out options one by one, only swordsmanship remained.

There were many jobs he could take with swordsmanship, but… it was best to avoid becoming a guard in Orville.

After all, guards were soldiers, and they could easily be caught up in the war looming next spring. No, this damn game would undoubtedly thrust him into the battlefield.

Becoming a mercenary was also an option, but that would mean traveling with a merchant group, leaving Lena behind. Without being able to reveal his identity, becoming a mansion guard in Orville was also out of the question.

A knight? That’s a bit of a bummer.

Becoming a knight was definitely an appealing profession. If he became a knight, Lena would be safe. There were hardly any who would have the audacity to mess with a knight’s sister.

True, Lena being noticed by nobles would add some trouble, but they also couldn’t resort to illegal methods.

Currently, the political scene in the Kingdom of Belita was dominated by the Swordmaster faction, and the Knights Order was led by Count Herman. If his beautiful sister drew the attention of a knight, it could lead to disaster.

Leo grimaced, lifting a cup of water to drink. He didn’t qualify to become a knight.

He had gained {Swordsmanship.2v} as a reward from the last scenario.

Thus, thanks to that, he felt he had surpassed Deros, the knight who was with Katrina a bit. But the issue lay with his physique.

The minimum requirement for becoming a knight was to be at the ‘Expert’ level, where mana must sufficiently flow through the body and swordsmanship reach a certain standard.

Rarely, people became knights purely through swordsmanship alone, but if one had average skills, they couldn’t ignore the physical capabilities needed.

If it had been Leo Dexter in the engagement scenario, he would have been fit enough to become a knight with his superior physique. However, this Leo, who looked barely like a boy, sickly and emaciated, was nowhere near that standard.

Even so, a sip of water helped let go of longing. Like soldiers, knights would also be drafted into the oncoming war next year.

In the end, all that left was…

‘A thug again.’

Feeling pressed for options, asking to join a gang for protection of Lena was indeed the most realistic. With his abilities, entering a family wouldn’t be difficult, and they wouldn’t abandon family regardless of the situation.

‘Last time, it ended before I even asked them to protect Lena.’

Previously, he had been forced to join the Korolla Family. He had willingly bloodied his hands and flaunted it.

What he did to rapidly become a thug had led to a long duration before he gained the trust of the family.

Determined, Leo counted his choices.

In Orville, there were three major families. The Korolla Family, primarily dealing in drugs and slave trafficking; the Berza Family, involved in illegal arms sales and with an eye on the slave trade; and the Rauno Family, which managed the markets while profiting from contract killings.

Leo flicked open a finger he had previously folded back. The Berza Family, however, had no prospects.

[ Achievement: Long Live the Korolla Family – Gained slight goodwill with thugs belonging to the Korolla Family. The Korolla Family has gained a mild animosity from the family it is in conflict with. ]

Having gained the achievement of becoming a member of the Korolla Family before had eliminated that option.

While the Korolla Family would view him favorably, the Berza Family would react with hostility.

As the fingers spread on the table converged into one, Lena finished her meal. She gulped down water, switching her gaze between the empty plate and Leo.

“Why didn’t you eat, brother?”

“Huh? No, I ate a lot too.”

Lena, perhaps thinking she had eaten too much, glanced at Leo with self-reproach, and Leo ruffled her hair, saying,

“Let’s go. We have a place to go.”

“Home?”

“No. Somewhere else.”

Leo led her to a shoe shop in a secluded alley. There sat Kasia, looking as bored as ever.

Though he had come by necessity, seeing Kasia made Leo hesitate for a moment, feeling mixed emotions.

She was the one who had offered kindness to the beggar siblings collapsing in front of the pharmacy, provided a home, and even hid Lena.

At that time, Leo had liked her. He had found her oddity, as if a screw was loose, appealing, but now feelings of hatred mingled with that.

Now he despised her.

As Leo stood fidgeting before the shop, Kasia gestured him inside.

“Come in. Don’t just loiter in front.”

Contrary to the hesitant Lena, Leo stepped inside purposefully.

It was rude for a beggar, yet Kasia didn’t mind; she stared at him intently.

“Have we met before?”

“No.”

Despite the beggar’s blunt tone, she couldn’t tear her gaze away. With her mouth slightly ajar and a dreamy expression, she muttered as if to herself,

“Strangely, it feels nostalgic… What brings you here?”

[ Achievement: The Man Who Melted Kasia’s Heart – Gained slight goodwill with Kasia. ]

‘Is it because of the achievement? Her reaction is different.’

In the last scenario, Kasia had felt goodwill towards Leo, who dedicated himself to his sister, and that warmth had been preserved due to the achievement.

Thinking it would make things much easier for him, Leo demanded in a less desperate tone than before.

“Could you let us stay here for a few days? I’ll pay you.”

Leo needed Kasia, regardless of liking or disliking her.

She had connections with Oberg, a thug in the Rauno Family, and the Rauno Family was said to double as an information hub due to their involvement in contract killings.

Leo was desperate for information.

He knew that the beggar siblings were the rightful descendants of the royal family of the Kingdom of Conrad in the south, the Yeriel House.

The beggar siblings scenario was the only one without barriers to their identity, and if they could successfully drive out Prince Eric de Yeriel, who had expelled them from the Kingdom of Conrad, Lena would instantly become a princess.

Thus, he intended to join the Rauno Family and learn more about the Kingdom of Conrad and Prince Yeriel.

Kasia was a good stepping stone.

By approaching Oberg through her, the Rauno Family wouldn’t suspect him, and once he gained their trust, he planned to request protection for Lena.

Without relying on Kasia.

Leo withdrew all the remaining {Initial Funds} and placed them on the table. The amount seemed decent enough, but Kasia didn’t touch the silver coins like before. She didn’t even hesitate to offer help.

“Fine. There’s an empty bed in the room, anyway. But I’m keeping this one,”

She grabbed a silver coin with ease and readily agreed, then introduced herself first.

“I’m Kasia. What’s your name?”

“I’m Leo, and this is Lena.”

“Nice to meet you. But she needs a wash. Here’s a water barrel; go wash up.”

Seeing Lena’s state, Kasia briefly introduced the house and personally brought the water barrel inside.

Leo marveled at the power of the achievement and closed the door.

Kasia was indeed a rare person who helped the beggar siblings, but her willingness to provide assistance so easily was undoubtedly due to the achievement’s effect.

‘Still, her reaction is a bit peculiar. Generals weren’t like this.’

The ‘slight’ goodwill achievement was gained from others besides Kasia. He had garnered goodwill from princes or nobles, but their responses only drew attention slightly.

In contrast, Kasia’s reaction was distinctly different.

‘She’s definitely a strange person… Uh-oh!’

While Leo was pondering over Kasia, Lena had already stripped off her clothes again. Leo scolded her with mixed feelings, saying, “Don’t strip in front of strangers!” and stepped outside.

Lena wore a bewildered expression.

Emerging briefly from the shoe shop, Leo found he couldn’t linger there long.

As he stepped outside, he felt the weight of Kasia’s gaze on him, making him turn away as he began searching for a clothing store.

‘Oh wait, now that I’m out, it might be better to take a teacher along.’

Before, he had been delayed searching for Kasia, but this time the sun was still hanging high in the sky.

Lena needed a teacher quickly, so he sought out the instructor who had taught his sister before. After stopping at the clothing store to change clothes and buy something for Lena, he found the teacher still teaching children at the same place.

This elderly man was quite a trustworthy person.

He hadn’t revealed his sister’s appearance to anyone, and once again, upon seeing Lena, he promised to keep her secret like before.

‘Now that everything is ready… I still have time left. Should I catch a thug or two? I’ve spent all my {Initial Funds}, so I feel uneasy.’

While Lena conversed with the teacher in the room, Leo meandered around the shoe shop, torn by a small temptation.

Twilight was beginning to set, a perfect time to catch some thugs.

Wouldn’t it feel reassuring to secure a weapon…?

As Leo debated about committing survival-oriented murder, Kasia’s gaze bounced back and forth, following him.

‘Why am I feeling this way?’

A much younger young man.

Despite a ten-year age gap, seeing this boyish young man made Kasia’s insides churn uncontrollably.

It wasn’t because he was handsome. It was an impulse unlike desire, pulling at her chest—a strangely painful feeling.

Kasia had never experienced love.

Her mother was beaten to death by thugs while protecting some petty cash, and her father could not overcome his illness and committed suicide.

What remained for the young girl were her tattered heart, a shoe shop with no customers, and several years left on a contract.

She had seen her father hanging, his heart having stopped as blood pooled downward while his member stood erect.

After that, she lived a meaningless life. She simply stared blankly at the wall in front of the shop, no longer wishing for a future.

She would probably live like this and then die.

But today, an unexpected young man stirred her heart. This man, whose very presence made her feel uneasy, was devoted to his sister. He provided a sleeping place for his young sister, brought her clothes, and even secured a teacher for her.

How could someone so emaciated devote themselves so wholly to a sister?

Kasia had seen such a severely weak body before. It had been her father. But he had ultimately chosen death, abandoning her.

A frail father.

Kasia felt a mixture of profound love and hatred towards him.

At that moment, the young man, who had thoroughly shaken her heart, disappeared. He rushed to greet the teacher coming out and hurriedly entered the room.

The closed door left her feeling forlorn.

‘Huh? What? Why am I feeling this way?’

Kasia didn’t even know why she was being tossed about by these emotions and looked back at the front of the shop. As she gazed at the familiar alley blocked by walls, her fluttering heart gradually calmed down. Yet, she could never be the same again.

Before she knew it, it had grown dark. Unable to bear it, she turned her gaze towards the closed door, where she saw the siblings engaged in quiet conversation.

Unaware that Leo was earnestly advising Lena not to get close to Kasia or even engage in conversation, she stood at the shoe shop she had long vigilantly protected.

It must be warm in there.

Here… Her father, previously hanged, had left the room to sway behind her. The chill of abandonment wrapped around her.

Kasia bit her lips, turned her back on her father, and left.

It was time to go to work.