Chapter 223. Childhood Friends – Lies
“I don’t know why, but the connection works. It went well. Our sister became a princess, and you became a prince. We managed to clear it.”
“We managed to clear it?”
The man in the mirror moved. Leah watched the unbelievable scene with her mouth agape.
He moved as if crawling on the floor. As he got up, Leah could see rickety planks covered with dirty rags behind him, a makeshift, miserable abode.
It looked like a beggar’s home… Leah realized that the man in the mirror was the prince Lev had mentioned. Handsome but clumsy.
“Yes. But first, say hello. Leah is here too.”
“…Oh, you’re not Minseo. Hello. Nice to meet you. I am Leanne.”
“Oh, hello?”
Minseo?
Leah didn’t understand what he meant, but she returned the greeting. After a brief introduction, Lev spoke again.
“Did you meet Katrina and Xenia?”
“I met them all yesterday. Why?”
“Is Katrina still the same?”
“…I don’t know what you mean by that.”
“Oh right… Sorry. Katrina is freed from the shackle. I was wondering if anything had changed.”
“She said she wants to serve me as her mentor. Is that the change?”
“…No. She said that in the previous round too. Um… Then just teach Katrina for a while. She won’t quit the knights, but just go along with it.”
“What? She promised yesterday she would quit.”
“That’s a lie. Just pretend you don’t know. Anyway, the shackle is gone. Now that I think about it, Cassia also needed a cycle to change. And Xenia…”
Lev fell silent. The pause became awkward, so Leanne asked again.
“What about Xenia?”
“…She married you.”
– “Is there nothing more you’d like to tell me? I really hate lies. Leo, no, Your Highness, why did you confess to me then? Maybe… No, never mind. Just tell me why you confessed. Did you ‘need’ me?”
Lev swallowed the identity of Xenia stuck in his throat. It seemed better not to reveal it.
Leanne laughed dismissively.
“Well, that’s good news. But why the hesitation? Did Xenia do something wrong?”
“……She couldn’t have children.”
“…What does that matter? Lev, speak plainly. Are you hiding something from me?”
“No. It’s just that. And Count Gustav Peter has an inferiority complex about his birth…”
You lied to me too.
Lev decided to remain silent until the end. He had only mentioned Xenia’s role in the beggar siblings scenario and revealed that he had successfully defeated the descending Oriax. The story concluded with you and your sister completing the Akine trial and reaching the ending.
What happened after the ending was not disclosed.
There was no need to reveal it, just as you had not revealed everything to me. Meanwhile, it was unclear whether this was a dream or reality as Leah tugged on her cheek.
“So what should we do from now on? You’re going to start a rebellion, right?”
“Yes. I almost forgot to mention it, but a new debuff has been applied. When I enter the Kingdom of Conrad, Oriax will react. I’m sorry, but I can’t go.”
[ Debuff: Oriax’s Footsteps – Taunt, cannot escape. 11 years 11 months 11 days 11 hours 11 minutes 11 seconds. Fixed ]
This debuff was applied to Minseo.
In the previous scenario, there was a mark on Leanne, the ‘player’ of the beggar siblings scenario, but now a more distinct mark of small hooves was visible on Lev’s palm, indicating the current player.
This meant that Lev could not be by Leanne’s side this time, and Leanne would have to recover the {Bloodline} on their own.
The difference between having Lev and not having him was significant.
However, since the beggar siblings scenario was cleared, the rewards from the previous ending would not change even if the ending was altered, so Lev had come to a conclusion.
“I’m sorry. So, this time, you and Xenia just live quietly in Orville with your sister. You don’t have to do anything. Just take care of your sister and make her happy. I’m sure you’ll do well… Oh, by the way, Leriana likes Saintian Rauno. You might know about that…”
“Hey.”
Leanne cut off Lev’s words.
“…What?”
“It seems the ending result from last time wasn’t so great, huh?”
“…I’m sorry.”
“There’s nothing to apologize for between us. It’s not the first time things didn’t go well.”
Lev burst into tears.
The Leanne in the mirror was from the day after the beggar siblings scenario started. Sharing memories, he knew how much this friend resented him and how he had suppressed those feelings.
I had killed this friend’s sister.
Though it was driven by the fear of what might happen to Leriana, the fact remained that I had killed her with my own hands. The last moment, when my sister’s bare chest touched my cheek… became a terrible guilt that lingered.
Yet this friend welcomed me with a smiling face while hiding that fact.
Lev sobbed,
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I truly am.”
Leanne was silent for a moment, then let out a long sigh.
“Stop crying. It was unavoidable. I know that. Don’t you cry anymore. Leah is here too. Are you going to keep doing this?”
“No, no. Cough!”
“Right. What’s past is past, and the future is more important, so pull yourself together. For now… I need to go recover the Bloodline. You understand why that’s necessary.”
To help me. Lev knew the reason why Leanne was set on recovering the Bloodline.
If Leanne did not seize control of the Kingdom of Conrad, the Orun Kingdom might form an alliance with Conrad.
In the previous childhood friends scenario, the rebellion had failed, and it was possible that a Leanne who had taken control of Conrad could aid in inciting a rebellion within the Orun Kingdom.
“Lev, there’s a problem, though. I need to meet with Lord Bart, but it’s already getting late to leave now. I could go alone on horseback, but I can’t just tell my sister and Xenia to follow on their own. Should I ask Count Gastav Peter to send some escort knights?”
No. If you did that, the knight might recognize Xenia. That could complicate things between you and Xenia.
Wiping away his tears, Lev said,
“No. Forget about Lord Bart. Leave the Guidan matter to itself. I have a good idea.”
‘…Something must have happened.’
Leanne sensed some suspicion but listened without interrupting.
“Bishop Berg will help you. Since you don’t have Oriax’s Mark, you should be able to take your time. You need ambrein. A lot of it.”
“Ambrein? The saliva of the Baleina?”
“Yes. Wood coated with ambrein doesn’t dissolve in Oriax’s blood. Go find Marquis Arne. You know who he is?”
Leanne de Yriel nodded. Dawn was breaking.
“I know him. He’s the northern border lord of the Kingdom of Conrad with a formidable fleet.”
“That’s right. His fleet normally hunts whales, so the marquis probably has a lot of ambrein stockpiled. Ask to borrow some from him. If you use it on your knights and soldiers, it will make dealing with Oriax much easier.”
Convincing the marquis would be up to Leanne and his sister. Lev finished his advice with a few minor warnings.
Leanne asked, “Why is Bishop Berg helping me?” hitting the core of the matter, but Lev did not reveal the answer. Leanne would naturally receive the help while with Xenia.
Leanne was frustrated.
However, Lev suddenly wondered if the game’s unkind nature was due to a similar reason.
Finally, Lev and Leanne exchanged words of encouragement: “Good luck. Everything will work out.” They ended the connection, and the mirror shattered with a crack as soon as Leanne disappeared.
In Demos Village, where the livestock had started crying out from hunger, only the red-cheeked Leah and the red-eyed Lev remained at the window.
“So… do you believe me now?”
Leah neither shook her head nor nodded. She stared blankly at him for a moment before standing up and walking away.
Stumbling and nearly falling, Lev caught up with her.
“Leah, are you okay?”
“No. Let go of me. I… need to think.”
Leah shrugged off Lev’s hand and walked away. Ignoring the greetings from the villagers who had come out one by one for the morning, she plunged into deep contemplation. Lev could only watch her go.
After that, Leah did not visit the bakery. She did not come looking for Lev, but he knew what she was doing. It wasn’t hard to find her in such a small village.
Leah had gone to the church.
She frequently visited Brother Leslie’s quarters, whether for study or counsel. She had stopped helping her parents with their livelihood and spent all day in prayer before the church’s sacred relics. It had been nearly a week since she had last come to see Lev.
“Leah!”
Lev had gone hunting due to his father’s urging. Sweating profusely, he arrived at the mountain lodge, and as he handed her the water pouch, he asked,
“What’s the matter?”
“…What do you mean?”
“I still don’t understand. You said I had to become a princess. What does it mean that I have to become a princess?”
“I don’t know either.”
“Then do you… love me?”
Leah looked at him without moving. Her prepared question struck Lev’s heart, and for the first time, he answered without embarrassment.
“I love you.”
“Even after two marriages? Even after all the suffering you went through because of me?”
“It doesn’t matter. I’d do it a hundred or a thousand times if I had to.”
Leah finally took a drink of water.
“So… what should I do now? I’ll do whatever you say. I want to help you too.”
“Do what you want.”
“You say that as if you know what I want?”
“It doesn’t matter what it is.”
“Then marry me.”
A silence fell between them. The boy and girl stared at each other for a long time.
“Don’t lie to me.”
When was it that we stopped holding hands? Leah wanted to become a priest and knew that priests could not marry.
Though it might be a slight difference, she had different priorities. It was painful, but he knew it.
The only reason he could marry Leah was that he had clung to her, desperate and unrelenting, and because she had been cast out of the church.
That was… all there was.
“In two weeks, the priest will come. Leave. Go to the monastic church and become the priest you’ve always dreamed of.”
“…What about you?”
“I…”
I will become a king.
I will become a king and marry you.
Priests can’t marry?
Then I’ll destroy the Holy Kingdom of Jerome. I’ll burn every church in the world if that’s what it takes to marry you.
But Lev spoke kindly, suppressing the ruthless tyranny in his heart.
“I… don’t worry about me. I’ll be happy if you are. I will find you for sure. I will contact you.”
Leah hugged him tightly.
Crying, she clung to his clothes and did not know what to do. Unlike Lena Einarr, who would push her lover away with resolve, Leah lacked such decisiveness.
Lev gently patted her. He blew on her smooth forehead, making her hair flutter, and touched his own forehead to hers. And he made a promise.
“Don’t cry. When you cry, it hurts me. When you smile, I’ll be happy. So leave with a smile. I will definitely be happy.”
With that, Leah departed.
Two weeks later, amid the blessings of the entire village, she smiled as promised.
Lev also sent her off with a smile.
“Lev! I will definitely become a priest! I’ll ask the Saint about why you…”
As the carriage moved away, Leah’s voice echoed but was not heard clearly, and Lev responded, “Yes! Thank you!”
As he trudged back to the village after following the carriage for a while, Hans was kicking a pebble on the ground.
