329. Beggar Siblings - Nightmare
“Wow! The floor is warm! Is the kitchen downstairs? Are they cooking right now? Where’s your room, oppa?”
Lerialia, excitedly looking around the room, let out a soft sigh the mont her brother left.
There was no sign of Tian either, so she wore a montary expression of maturity, feeling an unsettling weight.
I don’t know who I am.
I dream every night, yet oppa keeps telling not to get lost in them. It’s confusing.
At least I could bear it because oppa kept looking after , and Tian was always there beside . When I laughed with them or studied, I knew who I was.
I’m Lerialia.
The girl with a brother just two years older than her.
But whenever Lean and Santian left, leaving only the maids to help her get ready, she felt dizzy. Having lived as a beggar her whole life, she was now, in truth, a princess...
Lerialia de Yeriel.
A heavy title that sothing kept trying to burst through. When she was alone, she beca frightened.
Lerialia hurried outside.
Oppa was nowhere to be seen, perhaps having gone to his room, and Tian was unloading the luggage from the carriage. Seeing him made the heaviness in her chest lighten.
“Tian~ Are you working?”
“Yeah. Just a sec. I’m almost done.”
“I’ll help you.”
Lerialia grabbed one of the fairly heavy bags. The maids shot her startled glances again, but she pushed along, moving the baggage in unison.
When she was with others like this, her doubts about herself would fade a little.
Today, too, Lerialia had a fun day.
Since they had arrived early in the morning, they had plenty of ti and went exploring the overgrown grounds of the lord’s castle together with Tian. The place was poorly maintained, which sohow made it even better.
She even managed to sneak in a little kiss behind oppa’s back. Oppa had no idea in the world that she and Tian were dating.
After exhausting herself with play, she’d co back to eat the als the maids ticulously prepared, and then she’d read books.
She felt incredibly happy at these tis too, yet a creeping anxiety started to set in.
After dinner, as the sun set and it was ti for bed, she grew anxious. Lerialia, who used to love sleep, now dreaded it.
She was scared of what she might dream about.
Trying not to sound childish, she would say, “Oppa, I’ll study just a little longer before going to bed,” and he would kindly sit beside her.
But night would co inevitably. Lerialia would end up alone. While riding the carriage, at least oppa had been close by, and that was nice.
Lerialia lay on the wide bed, tossing and turning for a long ti. And, as always, she dread.
Her body felt feverish. As the ceiling spun around, making her dizzy, oppa rushed over with a panicked expression and put his hand on her forehead.
- “...Lena? Are you alright? L-Lena, drink so water. Here’s so water.”
What’s wrong with my body? I picked up sothing to eat today.
But sohow, it felt bearable, so she replied.
- “Why are you crying, oppa? In my dream, you were smiling as you spun around...”
- “Lena! Don’t say nonsense and just drink the water and go to sleep! Quickly! Please!”
‘What’s wrong with oppa?’ she thought but obeyed, accepting the water he offered and tried to fall back asleep.
A dream within a dream. She felt like she was endlessly falling, then finally woke up.
“Gasp!”
Covered in sweat, Lerialia looked around groggily in the middle of the night and thought, “Oppa?” Then it hit her.
That wasn’t such a bad dream, all things considered.
But she was too hot. Maybe it was because the kitchen was below? Unable to bear it, she considered calling a maid.
She flailed her arm in the dark, recalling that the bell cord leading to the maid’s room had frayed and needed to be replaced.
She felt like having so water.
‘Since the kitchen’s downstairs, I should be able to find so water there, right?’
She stepped outside.
It was fall, with winter close at hand. Chilly wind gusted through, catching on webs that clung here and there, glinting in the moonlight.
The castle of the Viscounty Sauer was poorly maintained even inside.
A maid nad Nella handled the cleaning, but it was too much for one person, and she’d been paying even less attention lately, having recently gotten married.
Step by step, with her bare feet in slippers, Lerialia walked through the cold corridor.
She wandered around, unable to find the stairs, until she saw light seeping from under a door.
Who would be up at this hour? she wondered...
“Mmm… Ungh…”
A groaning sound ca from the room. Lerialia was suddenly seized by fear.
‘A ghost?’
She stifled a scream, clamping her hands over her mouth and bolted.
Tip-tap-tip-tap. She dashed to the corridor’s corner and hid behind a dust-covered display stand.
The stand held a portrait of a woman and a man, neatly frad. It appeared to have been torn at so point, leaving a thin line in the paint even after repairs.
Creepy.
But nothing happened, no matter how long she waited. Slowly, Lerialia crept out.
Oppa! Tian! I’m scared!
She grabbed whatever was within reach on the stand. It turned out to be a long, triangular candlestick.
It was sticky with lted candle wax, but the weight of it bolstered her courage. Scared but even more consud by stifling curiosity, she inched her way back.
Along the way, she picked up the slipper she’d dropped in her earlier escape. Finally, she reached the door with the light spilling from the bottom.
Silence.
Hmm? But there was definitely... Agh!
“Ugh... Ah... Haa...”
The faint moaning drifted out again.
Lerialia startled once more and fled, but not quite as far this ti. Step, then another step. She led with her left foot, creeping forward again.
And then...
“Wh-who’s there?”
She asked, just above a whisper, from right outside the door.
There was no answer. Only the occasional faint moan reached her ears.
‘...Maybe I should just leave?’
Unable to contain her curiosity, Lerialia tightened her grip on the silver candlestick in one hand and grabbed the door handle with the other, giving it a push.
The door creaked open to reveal...
‘Oh no.’
Inside was a large bed, and lying in it was Viscount Bretin Sauer, whom she’d been introduced to that morning. This must be his bedroom.
The girl’s adventure through the spooky corridors of the neglected castle had co to an end.
As reality settled in, Lerialia felt a wave of embarrassnt and muttered, “I-I’m so sorry...” and started to close the door. But then, the viscount let out another groan.
What’s going on? Why is he like that?
With the lights on, she had assud he was awake, but the viscount appeared to be asleep, tossing and turning.
Is he sick?
Lerialia set down the candlestick and cautiously approached, soon realizing he was having a nightmare.
Covered in sweat just like her, he mumbled incoherently between pained groans, possibly unaware of his own distress.
Poor thing.
What should I do in this kind of situation?
Feeling a pang of sympathy, Lerialia gently adjusted his blanket, tucking it around him. His groans quieted almost imdiately.
His face looked more peaceful.
Well, that was easy.
Satisfied with her simple approach, she whispered a quick “Whew!” as she blew out the light and stepped out of the room.
Wait, why did I even co here? Ah! Feeling her thirst return, Lerialia resud her search for the stairs and made her way down. She finally found the stairs a little further down the corridor, past the viscount’s room.
After stopping by the kitchen to drink so water, she checked near the viscount’s room again to see if any groaning sounds persisted.
Hearing nothing, she felt pleased with her good deed and returned to her room with a lighter heart.
I should make sure to cover myself well and get a good sleep, too.
With her pillow perfectly positioned, Lerialia soon drifted off, and the world of the gods closed another day.
---
“Ha—so, we’ve ended up here after all. Ray, to be honest, I still don’t get what exactly you’re trying to do. Is this the friend you said needed help?”
“Hold on. There’s a lot of money to be made if this goes well. Isn’t that right?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
Rera Ainar wasn’t happy with any part of their current situation.
Ray had suddenly announced he was going on a journey, and after persuading his father and mother, he had started preparing hastily to leave this sumr.
Though she wasn’t sure what he was up to, Rera had decided to tag along. Perhaps he was planning to enter the Maunin-Reti Competition?
But of course, he wasn’t.
Ray had always been reluctant to participate in competitions.
Besides, the Maunin-Reti Competition was held in Barnaul in the sumr, so they’d never make it on ti even if they traveled there at full speed.
So, Rera frequently asked Ray, “What are you doing?”
Ray would only say that he was helping a friend who needed him, urging their horse forward.
Grr...
But Rera’s patience was wearing thin.
I should’ve just stayed ho!
By now, if she had spent her ti practicing swordsmanship, she would have long surpassed Ray! She fud at the thought.
And winter was coming soon.
Rera was about to co of age and could join the Ainar tribe’s hunt to be acknowledged as a warrior, but Ray still seed to have unfinished business.
Finally, Rera put her foot down.
Wherever they were headed (What?! The Kingdom of Bellita?), they would return to Avril Castle before sunset.
Ray readily agreed.
“We’ve arrived. Is this the right place?”
“Yes, this is it. This is Viscount Sauer’s domain. It’s my first ti here as well.”
Ray drove the carriage forward, and Rera Ainar, sitting beside him, sighed and looked back.
Behind them sat a lean, dried-up man.
Though likely nearing middle age, this man in his late twenties curiously addressed Ray, who was more than ten years his junior, with polite speech.
There was no way this man was the “friend” Ray had ntioned.
Rera pouted, her lips forming a small bowl shape, and grumbled under her breath.
Though they weren’t moving particularly fast, sohow their (Achievent Unlocked: “First Trip Abroad”) carriage made excellent ti as they entered the territory of the noble Sauer or whatever his na was.
[Achievent: First eting with Lena – Lena holds a high regard for Leo.]
“Hey! It’s our first... or rather, long ti no see!”
“Long ti no see. So, you’re here at last.”
A sleek, handso boy on a pure white horse waited near the entrance.
Ray greeted him with a beaming smile, sothing Rera rarely saw.
She’d only seen him smile like that with his ‘sister’ or with her.
Rera’s eyes narrowed.
“Who’s he?”
“Oh, right. This is Rera Ainar, my fiancée.”
“It’s a pleasure to et you. I’ve heard so much about you from Ray. You’re even more beautiful than I heard.”
“...”
Rera’s eyes narrowed even more.
Who is this kid?
Ray has a friend I don’t know about? And besides, isn’t he way too young?
He’s only got a handso face going for him.
Lean barely ca up to Rera Ainar’s chin. Compared to the burly Ray, Lean could easily be mistaken for a child.
But...
“Rera, say hi. He’s my friend... should I say it? This is Lean de Yeriel. Though he doesn’t look at it, he’s actually a year older than us...”
“W-What! D-De Yeriel?”
The man sitting idly in the carriage gasped in shock, and Rera shouted, caught off guard.
Yeriel—whether it was a royal family na from the Kingdom of Orun or the Kingdom of Conrad, she couldn’t quite rember. But he was definitely royalty.
Amused by her reaction, Ray shrugged.
“Yeah. He’s a prince. My friend.”
“Ray. Enough of that. And who’s that person sitting behind you?”
Ray grinned and leaned closer to Lean, whispering in his ear.
“I’m not entirely certain myself, but I think you’ll be thankful to soday. Bringing him along was worth the delay. Diallo Brina.”
“...What?”
Lean blinked and looked again.
Diallo Brina.
The forr lord of Avril Castle, but no longer its lord.
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