309: Beggar Siblings - The Remaining Matters
The wedding hall was elegantly adorned, with a field of fully blood Leatrice flowers and silken tapestries of both white and red spread across the venue.
In stark contrast, the front garden of Count Peter’s modestly decorated mansion was abuzz with whispers. The nobility of the Kingdom of Bellita, its finest, were murmuring amongst themselves.
The prince and princess, who were thought to be dead.
With war looming against the Kingdom of Aisel, the news of their survival was a bombshell that would shake Orville to its core. Should this information co to light, the Kingdom of Conrad wouldn’t remain idle.
What began as whispers of astonishnt gradually turned into political discourse. And with Marquis Benar Tatian, the leader of the royalist faction, present, the murmuring intensified—was it truly wise to leave the siblings unchecked?
The scheming weighed heavily in the air.
Yet, Lean remained unconcerned. His focus was solely on his sister. Wrapping his arm protectively around Lerialia's delicate shoulders, he pressed her with a gentle urgency.
"Is that really what you an? Are you truly planning to use soone your brother loves like this? Is that... really what you were thinking?"
His voice dripped with disappointnt, and Lerialia, startled, lowered her head.
"No, I... that's not what I..."
"Look at . Don't avert your eyes."
"It’s not like that, it’s just that in my dream... Hic. O-Older brother, I'm scared."
"...My dear sister."
He understood. It was all because of that cursed legacy. Even so, he spoke firmly.
"You've told many outlandish stories before. I thought it was because I rembered your childhood, when you were a princess. Yes, you are a princess, the princess of the Kingdom of Conrad. But the things you claid to have dread of..."
He spoke with a fervent hope.
"They aren’t real. They never happened, and they never will. They're nothing more than fantasies."
Trusting in his immunity to her influence, Lean dismissed all of her dreams as re illusions. He intended to banish the fragnts of the past that her dreams stirred, to ensure they would never return.
"I hope what you said earlier wasn’t sincere. It's not only wrong, it’s cruel. I’m going to believe that you simply confused your dreams with reality."
"..."
"Step back for now."
At that mont, Jenia approached, her face stiff with tension. Despite wearing a narrow dress, she walked briskly, each stride long and purposeful. Her body trembled with fury. Edlin stood at her side.
"..."
"..."
The two won t each other's gaze, but no words were exchanged. They were both beautifully dressed for the engagent ceremony, but this encounter was far from what either had expected.
To Jenia, the engagent ring on her finger—left by Lean—felt like a shackle. She glared at the man she loved, her eyes filled with resentnt.
Then, with a voice heavy with anger, she spoke.
"I greet the prince. And the princess too. Did you both enjoy yourselves?"
"...Jenia."
"Please call Jenia Peter, Prince Lean de Yeriel."
"This is not what you think."
"I suppose not. I thought you loved very muChapter Stay away from ."
"It's true I hid my identity."
"So did I. I once told you that we were both 'commoners,' didn't I? You had your reasons for hiding your status, just as I had mine. I won’t bla you for that. But... I told you to stay away from ."
Nevertheless, Lean stepped closer. He was confident that their relationship, their trust, hadn’t broken. He continued speaking.
"But my feelings for you were never hidden. They weren’t a lie."
Lean grasped Jenia’s hand tightly, his touch warm. Jenia’s face twisted with sorrow.
How selfish he was. He always said what he wanted and stirred her heart so easily. She had once loved this about him, but now that she knew he was a prince, her expectations had risen. Pulling her hand away, Jenia spoke.
"I didn’t love you falsely either. I still love you, Lean. But whether I love the prince, I’m not so sure."
She had admired him for his dignity despite being a beggar. It wasn’t Lean de Yeriel, the prince, whom she had fallen for, but the man who approached her with genuine love.
She had ant to strike him with that truth, but Lean, without a mont's hesitation, gave her the answer she secretly desired.
"I love you too. Not Jenia Peter, but the actress who ca into my life like fate."
"...You almost sound like you didn’t know I was a noble."
"I didn’t. At least not then."
"And you expect to believe that?"
The odds of running into a noblewoman in a city like Orville were slim. And the chances that this noblewoman would turn out to be the daughter of a family connected to the Kingdom of Conrad? Even slimr. What were the odds that a beggar prince would genuinely fall for her?
It was impossible. Unless the prince, harboring ambitions, had approached her with an ulterior motive.
It was an entirely reasonable, logical accusation, but Lean responded with emotion.
"Yes. Please, believe ."
She couldn’t be angry.
Jenia bit her lips, their bright red lipstick smudging. This selfish man refused to let go of his lingering attachnt. Turning her gaze towards her mother was the only form of resistance she could muster.
Edlin, after glancing at the prince with a complicated expression, led her daughter away. The guests, watching the scene unfold, realized the engagent was off.
So, the Peter family no longer had ties to the prince and princess. Just as the scale was about to tip in one direction—
"Brother, I can handle thi—"
"Stay quiet."
Lean gently patted his hesitant sister on the head, offering her so comfort before turning to glare at Marquis Benar Tatian. The marquis, however, kept his cautious gaze on Lerialia, seemingly furious.
"Marquis Benar Tatian."
"..."
"You’ve won. I admit I need your help."
"When did you and I ever engage in such a contest, Prince? Your words are quite distasteful."
With a huff, Lean stepped closer to the marquis and spoke in a low voice.
"Perhaps not yet. But soon, Marquis, you’ll find yourself in trouble and co seeking ."
"? How curious. I’ve never known trouble in my life, but since it’s you saying this, I’ll look forward to seeing what you an."
Lean laughed, his tone growing more biting.
"Hahaha! From what you’re saying, it seems you still haven’t figured out why the king made Princess Chloe his pawn, have you?"
"...?"
"Your son, Toton Tatian, will soon find himself in the sa predicant as Gilbert Forte. He will fall in love. The king will use your son’s infatuation with the princess to pit you against Count Herman Forte."
The marquis, who had been quietly listening until now, smirked at the suggestion. But Lean didn’t let the opportunity slip.
"You think it’s impossible, don’t you? It’s amusing, isn’t it? You probably find my prediction ridiculous."
"Yes, I understand now. You’re just soone who enjoys stirring the pot. I won’t be seeing you off on your return to your holand."
The marquis turned coldly, thinking there was no further business to discuss. He began pondering how to handle the strange princess.
“Irene.”
That single word froze him in his tracks.
"She’s an excellent knight, isn’t she? A very useful pawn, in fact."
The marquis could no longer ignore Lean’s words. He turned back around, his gaze sharpening as he locked eyes with the prince.
"...You claid not to use magic, yet you’ve lied to , haven’t you?"
Lean shrugged casually.
"Think whatever you like. I’m no mage."
"Then you must be a sorcerer. How do you know about Irene? About her relationship with my son, no less?"
"What you really want to know is how I found out that you’re aware of it. A sorcerer, huh... Hahaha! Not even they could peer into soone’s mind like that."
"Answer the question. Depending on your response, I might decide not to let you leave here alive."
Lean chuckled, as if amused by the marquis’ threats.
"I never imagined you of all people would ask that. Let’s pretend I didn’t hear it."
"..."
The marquis stayed silent, contemplating the cryptic conversation. anwhile, Lean’s thoughts turned to Jenia, silently thanking her for the valuable information she’d provided.
It was clear that the marquis knew of Irene’s unrequited love for his son. During the ninth tiline, when Lean had tried to assassinate Toten Tatian, the marquis had inserted Irene into the situation, foiling the plan.
What a twisted hobby—manipulating people’s feelings for his own gain.
Surely, the marquis also knew that his son harbored so feelings for Irene. That’s why Lean’s prophecy about Toten falling for Princess Chloe must have sounded laughable to him.
But Lean had simply turned the marquis’ sches back on him.
Having piqued the marquis’ interest once again, Lean calmly wrapped up their conversation. Leaning in, he whispered into the marquis’ ear.
"Let’s wait a few days. Sothing will happen within a week, I promise. Until then, I leave it in your capable hands."
With that, he and his sister quietly slipped through the throng of murmuring nobles. Yet, despite the verbal victory, Lean couldn’t relish it.
The engagent was in ruins.
He could nd his relationship with Jenia in ti, but the fact remained that the long-awaited engagent had fallen apart. And now his sister's head hung low like a guilty child... The carriage jostled as it rolled forward.
"...Brother. I-I'm sorry. I was wrong."
Lerialia’s tears stread down like raindrops, large and heavy. She must have been deeply shaken by Jenia breaking off the engagent.
Lean wondered for a mont if this was yet another act, but quickly dismissed the thought, feeling guilty.
Do I really have to treat my sister with the sa cold calculation I use against the likes of Marquis Tatian?
Of course, if Lerialia started to waver again, he’d reprimand and correct her as needed, but when it ca to his sister, he always wanted to be sincere.
Lean didn’t want to approach his sister with a strategy of "If she turns out like this, I’ll do that, and if she turns out like that, I’ll do this." Instead, he shifted closer and pulled her into a comforting embrace. Her back was still so small, and he gently patted it.
The carriage, carrying a tearful Lerialia, made its way toward the Rauno family’s mansion.
He offered her a candy (one he’d taken from Ober), soothing her as he said,
"You can’t do that again, alright? Promise ."
After wiping away her tears, Lerialia hesitated for a while longer before muttering another apology and dashing off to find Santian Rauno. Lean felt a pang of sadness.
Regardless of whether he reconciled with Jenia and restored their relationship, he knew he couldn’t stay in Orville for long.
Too many people had learned of his true identity. The local nobility was troubleso, and the ntal sparring with Marquis Benar Tatian had a limit. It was only a matter of ti before his older brother, Eric de Yeriel, learned that both he and his sister had survived—and there was no telling how he would react.
It was early autumn now, and there was still a long way to go before Rev would reach the Conrad Kingdom.
All in all, it seed best to leave Orville soon. There was no benefit in staying close to Astroth any longer.
‘Yes. I’ll leave. Anywhere will do. But before that, there’s sothing I need to take care of.’
It was ti to et the "Beggar with the Broken Arm," whom he had been putting off for so long.
He’d already t the prince of the Aisel Kingdom and confird how the {war} would break out. There was no need to worry about Gilbert Forte, as long as Lena didn’t go to the capital’s church.
He had also seen Katrina, freed from her shackles... Now, all that was left was one final eting with Cassia.
As he contemplated his future plans, Lean looked down at the peaceful Rauno family estate below. Surprisingly, it was still the middle of the day.
Reviews
All reviews (0)