Chapter 212: The Beggar Siblings – Flick on the Forehead
In the early morning, with the night chill still lingering, a young boy was getting up from his bed.
Though he had a strong desire to sleep in like someone else, the boy fought off laziness by stretching and yawning. After washing his face with water he had prepared the night before, he dampened a towel and cleaned himself.
The next thing he did was to groom himself. He brushed his curly hair, which was always tangled after sleep, and checked to make sure there was no sleep in his eyes and that his ears were clean.
Finally, he changed into a neat blue corsage (a type of vest) and attached an unfamiliar purple epaulet to his left shoulder.
Both the corsage and the epaulet were items he had received while staying at Baron Monarch’s estate. He had meticulously ironed and carefully folded them by his bedside, so they still looked new.
What a turn of events.
Santian Rauno thought. All because he impulsively hid in a carriage on a friend’s suggestion, he ended up experiencing all sorts of things.
Surprisingly, that friend turned out to be a princess (which wasn’t all that surprising when you looked at her face), and even more surprisingly, he became a servant to the princess by the stern command of Xenia, who turned out to be a noblewoman.
It might seem unfair that his relationship with his friend had been downgraded to that of a servant overnight, but in reality, it wasn’t. For a commoner, becoming a servant was a great fortune.
A servant was distinctly different from a maid or a servant who did physical labor. It was akin to an aide or secretary, a managerial role that was a step below becoming a butler.
Their main duty was to manage their master’s schedule. Usually, a butler would recommend a young servant for the position, making it a significant opportunity for social advancement for commoners who lacked access to quality education.
Moreover, he was the servant to a princess. Although Princess Lena de Yeriel’s circumstances were highly unusual, it was generally the norm for only the children of nobles to serve royalty. At the very least, one had to be an educated illegitimate child.
It was common for nobles to send their second or third children to serve as attendants, often with the aim of securing the position of head attendant to the royal family. In this world, where the king and the royal family represented the state, the head attendant was akin to a minister, wielding significant power.
In any case, the fortunate boy, Santian Rauno, came out with his stiff epaulet. Now that the new day had begun, his tasks as a servant…
There were none.
Having not been trained as a servant, Tian had no idea what to do. However, during his time at Baron Monarch’s estate, he had picked up a few things from the butler, who often clicked his tongue at him. He headed to the kitchen where the maids were gathered. Hovering near one of the maids, he pretended to be inspecting something and tested the warmth of the wash water. The maid chuckled.
She dares to laugh?
Had he been a real servant, he would not have forgiven the maid’s impudence.
He didn’t wear that precious purple epaulet for nothing.
Servants, tasked with ensuring their master’s day ran smoothly, were granted significant discretion and the authority to command maids and servants to drop their tasks and attend to other duties. Falling out of favor with a servant could make life very difficult.
But what could he do?
The perceptive maids surely realized he was only a half-trained servant. Having been thoroughly beaten by a drunkard a few months ago, Tian had learned the hard way to fear adults and refrained from acting arrogantly because of his epaulet.
It wasn’t in his nature anyway.
Tian followed the maid carrying the wash water. Knock, knock, he entered to find Lena stirring in her sleep.
Blushing deeply, Tian averted his gaze. Despite being a year older than him, Lena’s exposed bare leg was alluring when it should have been childishly cute.
She was in her nightgown. One leg was provocatively spread out, and as she groggily sat up and should have greeted him with “Good morning, Tian~,” she instead looked him up and down.
Somehow, she didn’t seem like Lena.
Rising lazily, Lena gave a small yawn. She silently motioned for the maid to bring the wash water and then carefully washed her face. Fortunately, when Lena finished washing and lifted her head, she had returned to her usual self.
“Tian… you’re here.”
But Santian felt that Lena’s soft morning greeting, with its slightly drawn-out syllables, was heartbreaking. She had never seemed more like a woman to him.
Lena’s next actions were also out of the ordinary. She asked the maid for makeup, which she usually didn’t wear, and then sat at the vanity with her back straight. Deep in thought as the maid worked on her, Lena eventually spoke.
“Tian. Tell Lady Trista Willend that I’d like to have breakfast with her.”
“Uh, yes. Understood.”
Santian Rauno didn’t immediately respond to Lena’s command. As he hesitated, Lena turned her head and said,
“Now.”
Only then did he start to move quickly.
Lady Trista Willend was the youngest daughter of the Count of Willend.
She was cherished by Count Geoff Willend, and as she had recently reached marriageable age, she was searching for a suitable husband. However, the general opinion was that “it will take at least another year” due to the count’s high standards.
Since Lady Trista Willend didn’t have a personal attendant, Santian went to find her himself.
“Apologies for the early hour, but the princess wishes to have breakfast with you.” Despite the abruptness of the request, the weight of the title “princess” smoothed everything over. Shortly thereafter, a neat breakfast was set up in Lena’s room.
At one point, Prince Leo de Yeriel sent an attendant to ask, “Why isn’t my sister coming to breakfast?” but Lena replied that she would eat separately and faced Lady Trista Willend.
“We greeted each other yesterday, but this is our first time meeting separately.”
“Yes. I’m delighted by your invitation, Princess. Did you sleep well?”
“Thanks to you, I slept well. Hearing that you’re pleased makes me even more grateful. To be honest, I don’t have many friends… I was happy to meet someone of a similar age during such a lonely time.”
“Oh my, if I can be of any joy to you, it’s my honor.”
The two noblewomen exchanged clear, cheerful laughter. Santian, standing nearby, felt innocently hurt.
Lena and Trista started their conversation by exchanging compliments.
“Your scent is lovely. What perfume are you wearing?” “No, I just enjoy bubble baths in the morning.” “Ah, that’s why your skin is so beautiful. I’m envious. I’ve never had a bubble bath myself.” “You, Princess? Ah… right.”
As the princess revealed her own lack, Lady Trista’s words became more cautious. Lena responded nonchalantly, encouraging her curiosity.
“I didn’t have the luxury. I wandered around, washing in streams…”
“My goodness, that’s remarkable. But… um… wasn’t it difficult, being on the run?”
Lena smiled gently. She started to prick the naïve lady with a pointed question.
“It’s hard, but who you’re with is more important. I had my brother with me, so I was well taken care of… Do you believe the person you’re with is good?”
“What? Oh, um…”
“I think we’re done eating now. Please clear these dishes. By the way, about your…”
“W-wait a moment!”
Lady Trista stood up, her eyes wide as saucers, her hands trembling. The young lady in her light green dress was grateful that the maids had left to clear the dishes, but she anxiously glanced sideways at Santian Rauno, who remained in the room.
“Tian, please step outside for a moment.”
As Tian stepped out, the door closed, leaving him with Lena’s final words, “There’s a good way to find out…” sweetly whispered.
* * *
“Um… Lena, you’re acting a bit strange today.”
Santian Rauno cautiously approached Lena around noon that day. Her behavior had been unusually odd, particularly when she expressed a desire to visit the training grounds and had an escorting knight show her around.
“Is it this way?” Lena casually took the knight’s arm, and standing right behind her, Tian saw her lightly scratch the knight’s muscular forearm with her fingers.
“Why are you doing this?”
“Why do you care?”
In the empty corridor, Lena turned around. Just as she had in the morning, she looked Tian up and down, then coldly rebuked him.
“You and that guy earlier are no different.”
“What, what do you mean we’re the same?”
Lena didn’t answer. She reached out and stroked his chin, answering with a downward glance.
“If you understand, get lost. I don’t want to see you. And don’t call my name anymore. Stop speaking informally to me, too.”
Leaving her stunned friend behind, Lena regretted her actions. Why am I acting like this? But from the morning, every single one of those men had irritated her. They seemed simple-minded, laughable, and insignificant.
Not that her self-esteem had improved. Feeling like she was scraping the bottom, Lena wanted to crash into something and break. What held her back was the noble blood in her veins and the awareness that she was a princess.
I miss my brother. I could do anything for him. No, I don’t want to see him. I hate him too. I’m not a dirty woman…
Feeling dizzy, Lena stepped outside to get some fresh air. Stumbling into the snowy garden, she saw none other than her brother Lev.
[Achievement: First meeting with Lena – Lena has high regard for Leo.]
“Brother…”
“Huh? Lena, what’s wrong?”
But what a funny brother he is.
They hadn’t known each other long, yet he acted unusually familiar, and now, seeing him panic and rush over, he was the spitting image of a caring brother.
“Yeah. I’m sick.”
“W-where? Why? Did you eat something bad again? Let’s get to the church immediately… No, where’s the bishop?”
Lev lifted her up in his arms, ready to rush off. Before things got out of hand, Lena wrapped her arms around his neck.
“Wait. I have something to say.”
“That can wait. First, we need to…”
“A kiss would make me feel better.”
Lena pulled Lev’s neck towards her, desperate for a kiss, when suddenly,
“Ow!”
She received a sharp flick on her forehead.
The flick was so strong that Lena forgot all about the kiss and clutched her forehead in pain, groaning for a long time.
Once the pain subsided, Lena, furious, shouted,
“You! I’m a princess! How dare you… Ah!”
Lev’s middle finger, poised for another flick, was right in front of her face. Lena, flailing, managed to pull away and ran off, screaming, into the arms of her brother who had rushed out upon hearing her cry.
“Brother! Lev hit me!”
“What?”
“Look, right here.”
Lena showed her brother her reddened forehead, but he didn’t seem particularly sympathetic.
“You must have done something to deserve it. Lev, what happened?”
“Don’t ask. It’s infuriating.”
“What is it?”
“Aren’t you worried that your sister was hit?”
“…She pretended to be sick to me.”
“So what if a girl pretends to be sick? What kind of man takes it so seriously that he… Ouch!”
“You deserved that!”
Lena, who was hit on the same spot again, couldn’t contain her anger.
“I hate you all!”
She shouted, running off to her room and slamming the door shut.
Horrible brothers. I’ll never see them again. I’ll starve and wither away here until I die!
— But Lena, who fell asleep in her warm bed, forgot all about her resolve when she woke up later that evening, back to her usual innocent self.
However, Lena’s actions in the morning had turned the Willand estate upside down.
Lady Trista Willand had denounced her bodyguard as a despicable scoundrel, telling her father that he had tried to entice her to run away with him. The bodyguard was thrown into prison.
Leo and Lev were bewildered by the entire situation. Soon, it was revealed that Lena had helped Lady Trista, but only the deeply troubled Tian knew the full truth.
