88. Beggar Siblings – Rutina

Leo was taken aback by Kasia’s request to “hold me.” Did she want to just throw everything away and leave after they had gotten close?

“Well, still, that’s a bit…”

No matter how much Kasia needed a reason to shake off her feelings, this request was hard to accept.

Is it even right to hug a woman he didn’t love, a woman he viewed as a sister?

Moreover, Kasia’s love stemmed from achievements, not a natural emotion. Plus, Leo had that {Roommate Skill}, of all things.

The ability he gained from the “ending” his younger sister Lena experienced… a skill he’d vowed never to use.

Although he hadn’t used it unconsciously, Leo truly didn’t want to treat Kasia this way.

However, it didn’t take long for him to realize that “hold me” didn’t mean that at all.

Kasia’s hand hesitated, wavering as if it wanted to reach out. Her body was ready to open up and welcome him.

That gesture left Leo dumbfounded. He realized how biased he had been against Kasia.

She was… hoping for a hug.

Leo felt his breath catch in his throat.

So far, Kasia had reached out to him only twice.

Once, as she achieved the “Melted Kasia’s Heart” feat, gaining a slight affection, she had reached out like this.

When Kasia was pushed in a dark alley, just before being shoved, she had reached out like this too.

She wanted him to hug her.

That was not a seductive gesture. Thinking back, all the places where she reached out were not places to ask for intimacy. The first time she reached out, Lena was in the backroom of a shoe store, and there was snow falling in the alley.

Kasia simply wanted to be held. She had wanted the embrace of the man she loved since long ago.

Leo’s heart sank.

He had labeled her a loose woman, not knowing that. Just because he felt a little fondness for her, he assumed she would indiscriminately seek relationships. He figured this was how a harlot would behave, and he didn’t find it odd.

When he didn’t respond to her request to be hugged, Kasia’s hand recoiled. Regret over making such a brash request was evident in her expression.

In that moment, Leo saw Kasia in front of him merge with the Kasia who had been pushed in the dark alley.

Even then, she had recoiled her hand like this. She hadn’t shouted at him for pushing her or immediately showed tears in front of him. She just became hurt and didn’t know what to do. And I… harshly turned my back, thinking she was an annoying and dirty woman.

“I’m sorry… ah!”

When Kasia was about to apologize for being overly greedy, Leo suddenly pulled her into a tight embrace.

It wasn’t love, but it was an embrace filled with remorse and guilt.

Kasia hiccupped, unable to contain her overwhelming emotions. This warm hug truly felt like the first of its kind.

She had been held by countless men, but each time she only felt their crude desire. To them, she was merely a doll made of flesh for them to pour their lust into.

There were some scoundrels who tried to charm her with nice words, pretending to understand her situation, but the end result was always the same. They all just heaved over her.

Leo was different. No desire or selfishness emanated from his embrace. Only a warm affection and sympathies were conveyed.

Kasia soon buried her face in his broad chest and rubbed her cheek against it in happiness, but then she slowly started to sob.

Her parents, who had passed away pitifully.

If they were to come back, what if… what if they did, would they hold me tightly with a tender affection like this?

Kasia cried like a child, hanging onto Leo’s shoulder.

The cold bitterness inside her melted away in her tears, and Leo poured his whole heart into holding her close until she no longer wanted him to.

How long had they been holding each other?

When the breeze across the meadow began to settle down, Kasia broke the hug and stood on her own.

At that moment, a message popped up.

[ Achievement: ‘Kasia’s Life’ quest completed – Kasia breaks free from her shackles. ]

[ ‘Kasia’s Life’ quest disappears. ]

“Thank you. Truly…”

“….”

Kasia looked up at Leo with clear eyes. She gently brushed the wet front of his clothes and offered a calm and serene smile.

It was a smile that seemed to imply she no longer wished for anything.

“Kasia…”

“You can call me sister now, Prince. I feel so relieved. Somehow… I feel free.”

Kasia looked around at the vast fields and then bent over, bursting into a big laugh, a laugh far brighter than when she had jested in the brothel.

The air of liberation exploded and scattered in all directions.

A whirlwind seemed to sweep by, yet Kasia, seemingly unaware, spun around joyfully, arms spread wide.

It was a movement reminiscent of a slave freed from shackles.

Kasia, now free from her bonds, Leo watched her with a complicated expression.

Later, he would learn that the number etched beneath his eyes had changed slightly.

[ 12/21 ]

And later, he found out that the death limit had also increased.

[ You have died. 2/4 ]

When he found that out, it had become 3/4, but that was a matter for much later. For now, only Kasia’s cheerful laughter shook the meadows.

*

If only Kasia had left… it could have been so beautiful, but departures aren’t always so neat and dramatic.

Leo clung to Kasia.

How could she think of going that far alone? When he pressed her, Kasia smiled back, saying, “You’re right, Prince. Why did I think that?”

But she didn’t take back her words about leaving.

Kasia wanted to return to her father’s shoe store. Even though Leo desperately tried to persuade her, her mind remained unchanged.

Eventually, Leo ordered the knights to seek a safe route for Kasia to return to Oberg, and one knight easily provided an answer.

“I know a merchant group. They trade with the Belita Kingdom and are quite large and reputable. If you ask to accompany them, she should be able to return safely.”

A very minor issue arose.

The merchant group was based in the capital, Rutina, of Conrad Kingdom, so to send Kasia back, they would have to go there.

The next day, Lena, Leo, Kasia, and the knights left Noyar port and headed toward Rutina. It wasn’t solely to send her back, but even if it wasn’t the capital, Leo would have definitely seen her off.

By the time they arrived at the capital, it was autumn, and over a year had already passed since the Beggar Siblings scenario began.

Upon reaching Rutina, Kasia quickly boarded a merchant group heading to Oberg.

“May the Prince achieve great accomplishments.”

“…You must be happy, sister.”

“Pfft. I will.”

Kasia bowed gracefully as she boarded the carriage, and Leo held a gift.

Footwear made from ‘Eracht’ leather, exquisitely finished.

Inside, Eracht’s soft fur enveloped her feet, and outside, the leather sparkled like a mirror, indicative of the many hands that had worked on it. Its elegantly laced decorations made for a refined look.

This was undoubtedly a gift Kasia had lavished weeks of effort on.

Leo had caught Eracht while hiding in the mountains and had given its leather to her. Kasia had crafted these shoes from when he first saw her hiding in the mountains until they arrived at Noyar port.

There was also a letter. Kasia had learned to write alongside Lena. The hastily scribbled, messy writing was short but contained her heart.

Leo hid the letter close to his chest, never showing it to anyone.

And so, Kasia departed.

Leaving behind the weeping Lena, who had her hood pulled over her head.

*

– Splat!

Blood spilled in a narrow alley in Rutina. Leo stepped carefully past the blood scattered on the ground, having set sharp stones at various points.

Bart admired, saying, “Prince, you truly are knowledgeable.”

In his hand was a container still sticky with animal blood. Bart finished shaking the remaining blood onto the ground.

Leo had to establish a hideout for the royal knights after sending Kasia off. The issue was that they needed to avoid suspicion while among robust men, so the selection was quite tricky.

Initially, he considered setting up on the outskirts of Rutina, but Leo bravely moved inside the castle to establish a base.

The information about the {Alley Rules} came in handy for the first time in a while.

Spilling blood on the ground and placing sharp stones was an implicit way of signaling that a new family house had sprung up here.

Leo decided to act like a thug. He would be utilizing the experience he gained from living in the family.

If they didn’t act conspicuously, the local families wouldn’t particularly monitor them, and civilians would also stay clear of this area.

If guards were to create trouble, they could resort to bribery, as is commonly done by most families.

He wasn’t worried about money. Bart and his companions had plenty of loot stolen from Duke Tertan’s territory, and they were more than willing to contribute it to their lord.

While it would be pocket change in terms of maintaining a prince’s dignity, it would suffice to establish a family house like this.

Moreover, Leo was not a spendthrift. Having lived as a beggar his whole life, he bore the mindset of a mundane commoner called Minseo, and he had no inclination towards extravagance. The knights admired the prince’s frugality.

“It’s all done, so let’s go in.”

Leading Bart, Leo entered the newly adorned desolate building and called for the knights.

The upper floor of the building would serve as a living space. He prepared rooms for the knights, paying particular attention to Lena’s room.

While there were several empty rooms yet to furnish, Lena’s room was already fully equipped with necessary furnishings.

Warmth and elegance were the only themes of what he chose.

Soon, the knights poured into the lobby and lined up. Leo accepted their salutes with familiarity and seated them.

Now, how to drive out Prince Eric de Yeriel and regain {bloodline}…

Leo and the knights had been brainstorming ideas since they met at Noyar port.

A legitimate prince and the powerful knights loyal to him. The possibilities for a plan were endless.

The most obvious approach would be a rebellion. To widely announce the return of the legitimate prince and gather an army at the coastal city of Noyar to topple the current regime.

However, the option of rebellion was quickly dismissed.

They were significantly outnumbered. Most of the nobles in Conrad Kingdom followed Duke Rupert Tertan.

Of course, when speaking about “most,” it only referred to those staying in the capital. The nobles who left for their territories usually were the ones who got sidelined in political battles.

Regardless, as long as Duke Tertan sided with the prince, there was no hope for something like a rebellion or a civil war.

Perhaps if it were possible to rally all the nobles who had returned to their territories, there might be hope, but it’s hard to believe a noble would join the cause at the start of an unfavorable fight simply because they were offered a reason to unite.

With this reasoning, Bart and the knights expressed concerns over starting a rebellion.

Leo, too, hesitated over the idea due to his own circumstances.

Perhaps if he had revealed that a legitimate prince had returned from Noyar port and built strength, the scenario could have been cleared immediately.

Even now, while hiding within the capital, just declaring, “I’m the prince, and Lena is the princess!” — might have easily brought about an ending without needing to drive Eric away from his place.

But Leo discarded that possibility. Even if they reached such an ending, their life afterward would surely be miserable.

There was a very high chance they would be left in pieces and executed by Eric’s army.

Moreover, the conditions for that “ending” weighed heavily on him. They could very well meet their demise before they fulfilled those conditions.

Leo began ruminating on the endings he had experienced one by one.

 

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