Raising the Princess to Overcome Death Chapter 49: Beggar Sibling - Theater

49. Beggar Sibling - Theater

“Sorry. Have you been waiting long?”

On a clear weekend, Soirin ca running down hastily. Her orange hair shimred as she moved.

Leo, who had been waiting at the family mansion’s front gate, shook his head.

“No, I just ca down too. Shall we go?”

He had decided to keep his promise to Soirin. He had planned to refuse the date using his sister’s illness as an excuse, but Lena's condition had greatly improved, and two days ago, Soirin had seen Lena moving around the kitchen.

He could have co up with an excuse if he wanted to, but he dressed neatly instead.

Soirin smiled brightly.

Her usual tightly tied hair was let down, and her smiling face, with rouge applied, was radiant, though there was a hint of sadness sowhere.

The two took a carriage heading toward the ‘Arilley Theater’ located in the east of Orville.

“I’ve always dread of acting. Ever since I went to the theater with my parents when I was little,” Soirin said in the carriage.

“I pestered my parents so much about becoming a grand actor that my father eventually took to a theater troupe.”

Leo listened quietly to her words. Usually, he would just nod along, but today was different.

“I was so happy to join the troupe. But all they gave were insignificant roles. Roles without lines, like the fifth maid... I even wished I could at least get the role of a washerwoman gossiping by the river.”

“That must have been tough.”

Soirin seed taken aback by his response and was silent for a mont. Then she made a face that could either be a smile or a cry.

“No, it wasn’t tough at all. I gave up quickly. They didn’t teach how to act and just assigned roles that required anyone to stand there... At that ti, I foolishly blad my parents. How I wished I had been born prettier. I thought it would have given more opportunities.”

“It’s hard to believe. You’re so beautiful... The theater troupe must have lacked judgnt.”

“Thanks, even if it’s just flattery.”

She winked playfully and continued.

“Looking back now, that wasn’t the problem. It wasn’t about my efforts or passion either. I gradually lost interest in acting itself. I just hoped for good roles to co my way.”

“......”

“I don’t know why I felt that way back then... But I’m okay now. It was a good experience, and I’m satisfied being a theater-goer. Ah! We’ve arrived.”

The carriage stopped in front of the theater.

Leo quickly got out and offered his hand to Soirin. She gladly accepted his escort and got out of the carriage, and they entered the theater and took their seats.

The play was neither good nor bad.

As a theater for commoners, the props used in the play were all crude, and the actors’ minor mistakes were noticeable.

However, so lead actors gave remarkable performances.

The actor playing 'Toddler Akiunen,' the first king of the human-founded Akaiya Kingdom, perford his role well. He was dignified, and his voice was righteous.

The portrayal of the Demon King, his adversary, was also astonishingly well-done.

Using nurous flags to transition scenes and having actors hidden among the audience rise and sing to emphasize the Demon King's imnse power sent shivers down the spine.

Soirin, startled, grabbed Leo’s hand at one point.

Reading the pamphlet handed out by a boy promoting the play in front of the theater, it was said to be based on historical facts.

It was the legend of Toddler Akiunen, a great king and the first Swordmaster, who defeated different races and evil for the sake of humanity.

Of course, the Belita Kingdom, inheriting the legitimacy of the Akaiya Empire, regarded this as history, not legend.

Leo enjoyed the play more than he expected.

But there was one actor who stood out. No, it was soone in a role too small to even call an actor.

Gender unidentifiable, the actor playing the Demon King’s minion wore a shabby black rag (no other word described it better) and waved their limbs fervently.

For so reason, Leo's heart raced. He couldn't take his eyes off that actor.

When he or she crouched down, pretending to hide from Toddler Akiunen, it made him anxious, and when they rushed out on the Demon King’s command, he worried they might trip over the rag.

Was it because of the sincerity in their performance? It felt like...

“Wow! Look at that. Up there!”

Soirin pointed to the ceiling.

On stage, a white sun (undoubtedly a quilt stuffed with cotton) was slowly descending.

It was the appearance of the main god.

If a theologian had been present, they would surely have objected to this scene.

The Cross Church claid Toddler Akiunen had no connection with the main god.

It was a curious thing.

Since Toddler Akiunen was a hero revered by all, claiming his glory originated from the god should have been acceptable.

Unfamiliar with theology and uninterested in the cotton-made sun, Leo searched for the actor who had caught his eye.

But that minion had disappeared with the god’s appearance. Only the Demon King remained, screaming, and Toddler Akiunen thrust a shining sword (an ordinary sword, but a background flag depicting a flashing sword) into his chest.

With that, the play ended.

“It was really fun! Ah, 'Raycia's' appearance was so beautiful.”

The two walked instead of taking the carriage back.

Soirin, excited, chatted about the play for a while before gradually calming down. Their steps grew out of sync.

“Aren’t you hungry? There’s a restaurant nearby...”

“No, I’m fine.”

Soirin smiled bitterly.

“Leo, thank you for today. I had a great ti.”

“ too. I didn’t expect the play to be this enjoyable.”

A mont of awkward silence followed. The two simply walked in silence, but as they entered a narrow alley, Leo and Soirin found themselves walking closely side by side.

Feeling even more awkward, Leo thought, but Soirin seed to feel differently as she looked up at him and spoke.

“You know, I realized... that you’re not interested in .”

“......”

“And I haven’t even congratulated you yet. Congratulations. I heard from Lena yesterday that you’re being adopted by the Marquis family.”

Since it wasn’t a question expecting an answer, Leo confird it with his silence.

Today’s outing to see the play was ant to bring closure to their relationship.

Leo knew that Soirin liked him. However, he had no interest in her and wasn’t in a position to entertain such feelings, so he had always found it botherso.

Receiving soone’s affection is usually a happy thing, but sotis it can be annoying.

So, Leo had kept his distance from her and, just as he had done with the other family mbers, he didn’t inform Soirin about his move to the Marquis’s family. He had planned to leave quietly when the ti ca.

However, seeing Ober and Lena express genuine sorrow and share their heartfelt gratitude during their farewells made Leo change his mind.

They expressed their feelings sincerely, showing emotions they hadn’t been able to share before, and it was a heartwarming farewell.

So, Leo thought he should at least give Soirin so ti to co to terms with her feelings, so her unrequited love wouldn’t end without closure.

Leo and Soirin walked for a long ti.

They walked back the sa route they had taken the carriage earlier, exchanging small talk.

“In the future, I’ll have to call you Sir Leo Tatian.”

“Just call Leo.”

“Oh, but won’t I get in trouble if I do that? Noble lords and all...”

Soirin seed to have co to terms with her feelings. She smiled softly and made playful jabs at nobles, and Leo played along, pretending to be an insulted and angry noble.

Soirin laughed heartily.

Leo smiled back gently.

By the ti they arrived back at the family mansion, there was nothing left between them but a promise to visit the flower shop occasionally.

---

A few days later, Leo visited the Marquis’s mansion. It was a day to et other nobles for the first ti in quite a while.

Recently, the Marquis had introduced him to all the nobles he knew, so he hadn’t summoned the siblings last week. Fortunately, that was when Lena had started to get sick, so it worked out well.

Today, however, was a day to et other nobles, and although Lena had recovered, Leo didn’t bring her along.

He didn’t want to make her wear a dress with a low neckline after just recovering from a cold.

He was gradually becoming Leo.

Leo forced his sister, who insisted she was fine, to stay in bed and headed to the Marquis’s mansion much earlier than the appointed ti.

He thought it would be better to inform the Marquis that Lena couldn’t co.

‘This way, the Marquis can make appropriate excuses to the other nobles.’

Otherwise, it could leave the impression that his ‘son’ was being disobedient again. It might hurt the Marquis’s pride, so Leo wanted to make sure to get his approval in advance.

Leo stood at the front gate, and the butler ca out.

“Oh, welco.”

“Hmm? Is sothing wrong?”

The butler’s behavior was strange. Outwardly, there wasn’t much difference, but today he greeted Leo ‘in the middle’ of the front gate steps, unlike usual.

“No, it’s just that you arrived much earlier than the scheduled ti... But where is the young lady?”

“Lena is sick, so I ca alone today. I’d like to inform the Marquis in advance.”

“...I see. Please, co in.”

Leo raised an eyebrow in puzzlent.

‘Is it really that surprising?’

Even though he had t this butler for months, he had never seen him this flustered before.

Although it wasn’t anything unusual, the butler, who had always behaved like a machine, was now acting differently.

Leo, feeling uneasy, was about to step inside when he made eye contact with a female knight standing at the mansion's front entrance.

It was the sa female knight who had locked the carriage door, thwarting his assassination attempt on Toton Tatian.

Irene was her na, and she had always avoided Leo, but now she was staring at him with such intensity that it was noticeable even from a distance.

Sothing was wrong.

The mont he saw Irene’s blazing eyes, Leo raised his hand and spoke to the butler who was about to lead him inside.

“No, I’ve arrived too early, so please just tell the Marquis that my sister can’t co. I’ll co back at the scheduled ti.”

He made up an excuse and turned around hastily before the butler could say anything.

A sense of foreboding filled him.

‘Why is she looking at like that? And the butler is acting weird too...’

Leo decided to leave the place imdiately.

Since the carriage he ca in had already left, Leo hurriedly walked to find another carriage, but soone called him from behind.

“Sir Leo. Where are you going?”

Turning around, he saw Count Gustav Petter, whom he had t with Lena before.

He was getting off his own carriage, which had just arrived. Although Leo had initially thought of him as a modest noble, his carriage matched his owner’s deanor—plain, with no decorations. Even the four horses pulling the carriage were all black.

Count Petter had also co to see the Marquis on so business.

Leo, wary of the butler standing at the front gate and Irene glaring at him from behind the iron gate, spoke cautiously.

“Ah, Count, it’s been a while. I’m sorry, but I have so urgent business... so I must go.”

He bowed politely and turned to leave.

Then,

“Your Highness. Are you running away again?”

Leo’s heart sank.