Chapter 252. Childhood Friend – Dream
Lev gasped, placing the pudding down. Staring blankly at the fading message, he let tears fall.
[ Congratulations! ]
[ Lena’s dream has come true. ]
[ True Ending 1/2: Receive Lena’s blessing! ]
He had been gravely mistaken. The goal of this game wasn’t to make Leah a princess.
[ Raising Lena ]
God, the main deity, commanded our Leos to fulfill Lena’s dreams. It had to be that way because it was now autumn, the time when the trainees at the Capital Church’s training facility graduated. Leah… Leah had become a priest.
Sister Leslie had predicted it would take at least three years for her to become a priest. Even that was an optimistic estimate considering Leah’s solid foundation. But perhaps due to the “Twenty Photos” achievement, Leah had fulfilled her dream in just two years, giving us the true ending while we fumbled.
Leah had wanted to become a priest.
No matter how hard we tried to make her a princess, Leah kept charging towards her dream. The Lenas who were drifting further from game completion. Minseo found them frustrating, and I resented Leah for wanting to become a priest…
Lev buried his face in his hands. He couldn’t bear to look at Lena Einarr, standing there in an apron making pudding instead of wearing armor. This Lena, cooking with hands that had lost their calluses…
She was a failure. Just like that egg pudding.
She wanted to be a knight.
Though unpredictable, her determination was unwavering. Until Leo Dexter became a Swordmaster. Just as the final touch to the true ending was Leah bestowing a blessing upon him, this Lena too had…
– “My dream is to become a knight alongside you and get married. So I purposely delayed it a bit. Sorry. It would be hard to become a knight if I became a mom first, right?”
She had once confessed shyly with a flushed face that her dream was to become a knight alongside Leo and get married.
And our little sister… our little sister…
Leriana, who had roamed the streets with her brother, had wanted a home. In the second playthrough, handing over a chest full of gold coins, she said,
– “I earned this money. With it, we can buy a really nice house!”
…she had said, with a bright and innocent face.
We’ve come such a long way.
It was only when the throne, which seemed impossible to reach, was right in front of us that we realized. If Leah’s incredible intuition hadn’t prevented us from leading her down the wrong path, we would have taken an even longer route. There was a reason Asin, Ceres warned against contacting her.
“Lev, what’s wrong?”
Lev, on the verge of tears, looked up at Leo Dexter. “Is it so bad it makes you cry?” asked Lena Einar, clueless about the true ending that had just been revealed. The condition was to fulfill Lena’s dream.
Leo looked like he had been struck. He watched Lena’s dejected figure as she gathered the remaining pudding and let out a scream of frustration.
“Ahhh!!! Ahhhhh!!! Ahhhhh!!!”
The table he struck broke apart.
The dishes Lena had painstakingly prepared flew up and shattered with a crash. Leo twisted his body in frustration.
“You, you, you…!!”
Leo Dexter, choking on his words, glared at Lev as if he was about to throw a punch. Then, grabbing Lena by the arm, he shouted, “Move!”
The disciples, who had rushed over, were shoved aside as Leo dragged Lena away.
“What’s going on?”
“They’re a strange couple sometimes. Are all Northerners like that? Let’s not end up like that, Ban.”
Lev could do nothing but watch, stunned, as Leo and Lena left without looking back.
* * *
After that, I don’t know how time passed.
Lev Guidan gave up the throne. He told Marquis Drageen to handle things and rode Bante aimlessly until he found himself at the Capital Church in winter.
In front of the church, with white snow fluttering down, stood Leah. She was dazzling, smiling brightly in her pure white priestess robe.
How could it suit her so well?
A priestess in her late teens, with distinct features. Her upper lip was full, shaped by ample love, and her eyebrows curved gently. Her softly rising nose bridge was intellectual, yet its tip descended kindly. Lev gazed at her endlessly.
“Lev! I was going to contact you, but Saintess… something something.”
He couldn’t hear a word of her babbling. Lev, who was staring intently at Leah’s face, who had achieved her dream, finally received a reprimand. It was a phrase he heard at the start of each round.
“Lev! Are you listening to me?”
“…I can hear you now. Congratulations.”
“Now you hear me?”
Leah chuckled.
She took Lev’s hand without hesitation. She wanted to bless her friend right away, but restrained herself and led him to the quiet garden of the Capital Church. There, she boldly asked,
“You, will you marry me?”
“…You’re a priestess. You don’t have to push yourself for my sake, Leah. I’m happy just knowing you’ve achieved your dream.”
Leah grabbed Lev’s twitching ear firmly and pulled him closer.
“How about you just stay quiet and stop lying?”
The lips of the ascetic priestess were close. Lev’s heart pounded, and as he was losing his composure, Leah declared,
“No matter what you feel, we will get married. I’ve decided. You have no idea how hard I’ve worked to marry you.”
Thud!
Leah’s lips touched his.
However, considering that she was the one who initiated the kiss, her tightly shut eyes looked so forced it seemed almost comical. Anyone watching might think she was being coerced.
“Hahaha!”
Amused by her stiff posture, Lev burst into laughter for the first time in months. He pulled her into a tight embrace, and when Leah awkwardly pulled away, their long-time friendship had turned into a romantic relationship.
A priestess cannot marry.
But Leah’s outrageous declaration had its basis. She had worked tirelessly to find an argument that would allow a priestess to marry Lev. The reason Leah became a priestess in just two years was due to her exceptional thesis published this year.
“The Theory of the Chosen.”
God chooses His creations.
Every creature born on this earth is chosen and lives with a specific mission. This is the ‘yoke.’
On the surface, this seems merely a reinterpretation of Chapter 5 of Constino Laono’s “The Bridle of Creation,” but Leah attempted to merge the two major theological roots (the Bridle of Creation and the Responsibility of Creation).
Whether a creature fulfills its given mission or not depends on its own choice. The claim was that life is the intertwining of the ‘free will’ bestowed upon humans and the yoke, allowing humans to become beings who make choices.
Leah’s 77-page thesis created an immediate stir within the Capital Church. Her peer, Veronian, also published a thesis titled “The Instrumental Function of the Church and the Wandering Shepherd,” which expanded upon the teachings of the 4th saint, Udean. When combined with Leah’s thesis, it brought a fresh wind to the stagnant theology since Bishop Berg’s “Doctrine of Universal Priesthood.” In line with this, even the strict rules of the Cross Church began to change.
Of course, Leah’s thesis didn’t include a single line about whether priests could marry.
However, it provided grounds that made it irrelevant. As Veronian’s thesis re-examined the lives of ancient clergy who lived without strict adherence to rules, the claim arose that the church’s regulations restricted the free will of priests.
The followers of the ‘Bridle of Creation,’ such as Cardinal Mihaer, who might have stood in opposition, had long fallen from power, thanks to the Saintess.
Though there was still a long way to go, the atmosphere had relaxed somewhat. The church, previously filled only with holiness, began to emanate a human scent. Leah and Lev enjoyed happy days as secret lovers.
Their relationship was exceedingly wholesome in the eyes of others, with the occasional hand-holding, but that was more than enough for Lev and Leah.
Leah and Lev stayed at the Capital Church for some time.
Leah saw no reason to go elsewhere with Lev by her side. Moreover, their friend Veronian, now a monk, requested their help in reforming the church.
Lev applied to the Capital Church’s educational facility. He aimed to become a Paladin to protect Leah. As a Sword Master famed throughout the kingdom of Orun, he had no need to prove his swordsmanship; he only needed to study theology.
Leah helped him with his studies. They spent the spring meeting around the church, celebrating the new season. The day before the term began, Lev spoke.
“Give me your blessing now.”
He had spent a few months with Leah and would continue to do so.
In his heart, he wished he could go on for a millennium without receiving the blessing, but Leo Dexter and Lena Einar still weighed on his mind.
Leaving the messy engagement scenario as it was would be cruel. Tracking them showed they had returned to their hometown…
‘Yes. I’ve had enough.’
“Are you sure?” Leah asked. Lev smiled and replied.
“Yeah. Can I make a prophecy too? We’ll be happier next time. I’ll be chasing after you.”
“Ugh. That’s a bit creepy. Gross.”
Leah laughed mischievously. She gave Lev a peck on the cheek, then picked up the brass goblet she had received from the Saintess.
A halo of light intertwined in the goblet. It emitted a brilliant radiance to its former owner.
[ True Ending 2/2: Completed ]
While Lev was acknowledging Leah, he didn’t notice that the ‘Footprint of Oriax’ mark on his palm had disappeared. His gaze soared to the sky, just like at the end of the previous beggar siblings’ round.
The image of him and Leah hugging in a corner of the church receded. The garden, trees, and statues surrounding them came into view, followed by the majestic church. Darkness soon enveloped the scene.
[ Thank you for playing Raise the Lena. ]
[ Leah ]
[ Final Profession: Cardinal ]
[ Marriage Partner: Lev Guidan ]
[ Lev Guidan ]
[ Final Profession: Paladin ]
[ Marriage Partner: Leah ]
[ Childhood Friend Ending: The Bishop ]
[ True Ending ]
– Leah, born in Demos Village, had a happy childhood. Although poor, she received warm attention from her parents… (omitted) …Appointed as a priest in the kingdom of Orun, Leah settled in the Nevis Church with Paladin Lev. Following the revision of church law, she married Lev and lived happily ever after. –
– Leo, born in Demos Village, had a happy childhood. With the warm attention of his parents… (omitted) …Appointed as a Paladin in the Nevis Church, he cared for his sister, Harriet Guidan, and lived happily ever after with Leah. –
[ The engagement scenario ending has been changed. ]
[ Lena Einar ]
[ Final Profession: Chef ]
[ Marriage Partner: Leo Dexter ]
[ Leo Dexter ]
[ Final Profession: Chef ]
[ Marriage Partner: Lena Einar ]
[ Engagement Ending: Peace of Avril Castle ]
+ Lena Einar, born in Avril Castle… (omitted) …She participated in the civil war as a semi-knight but gave up the sword. She didn’t return home immediately but married in the Jerome Sacred Kingdom before going to the kingdom of Orun and eventually returning home. She had three children and lived happily with her husband, Leo Dexter, running a restaurant. +
+ Leo Dexter, born in the capital city of Barnaul… (omitted) …After retirement, he participated in the indigenous uprising in the kingdom of Orun, showcasing his martial prowess, but refused all rewards and returned home. He helped Lena with the restaurant and lived quietly. +
[ The beggar siblings scenario ending has been changed. ]
+ Leriana, born in the royal city of Rutina, had an unfortunate childhood… (omitted) …Returned to become a princess. Despite receiving countless proposals and marriage offers, she chose Santian Rauno, the servant who saved her life. She had two sons and lived happily under the protection of her brother, King Leanne de Yeriel. However, she faced some hardships in her later years. With no children of his own, her two sons vied for the vacant throne, leading to the premature death of her firstborn. +
+ Leanne, born in the royal city of Rutina, had an unfortunate childhood… (omitted) …Returned to defeat Eric de Yeriel and Oriax. At that time, King Kaderick de Yeriel had already passed, so he immediately inherited the throne. King Leanne de Yeriel was remembered as a wise ruler. He established ‘public schools’ across the country with Bishop Berg and made peace with the long-feuding neighbor, the Orun Republic, bringing peace to the southern continent. However, his queen, Xenia Yeriel, could not conceive, igniting the ambitions of his two very talented nephews. +
Finishing early was the right choice.
As Lev, now a round orb, read through the long list of ending credits with mixed emotions, he decided to let go. These were issues to be dealt with within each scenario, so he decided to focus only on his own.
Three photos floated into view.
The first was of Leah, now a cardinal, and himself, now a paladin, sitting opposite each other, sipping tea in the church’s sanctuary.
Judging by the subtle atmosphere, they were married… and that seemed to be how they lived.
Not bad. It’s good.
Fully satisfied, Lev turned his attention to the other photos. They also seemed happy for now.
In the second photo, Lena Einar, now a chef, was causing a mess. The soup was boiling over, and there was a fire in the corner. An egg she had tried to flip flew off in the wrong direction, and behind the startled children, Leo was frantically trying to clean up the chaos.
The customers were laughing uproariously.
They were members of the Einarr tribe. Despite the chaos, they seemed to have lived happily. Leo must have had a hard time, Lev thought as he moved on to the next photo.
The third photo’s subject was unexpectedly not Leriana.
It was Leanne de Yeriel, standing proudly in a red cape embroidered with gold, looking magnificent. His sister could only be seen in a corner of the photo, holding her sons who were eyeing the king from behind. Among them were Xenia, who was dancing, and Bishop Berg, who was building schools.
The ending credits were so long that by the time Lev finished reading, his consciousness began to fade. He murmured softly.
“Minseo, it’s okay. I don’t blame you. You were just manipulated by the gods. Everything will be fine…”
With those final words, only Minseo was left in the silent darkness. As a traitor, Minseo was engulfed in guilt and numbness.
“A dream… you say?”
Then what was everything I’ve done so far?
I ruined everything. If fulfilling the dreams of the Lenas was the condition for the true ending, I could have reached it much faster. It wasn’t about speed, it was about avoiding all those sufferings.
That such a trivial thing was the condition for the true ending.
Then why did they pretend to be Princess Maker and deceive people? If that was the case, why did they need me? Leo and the Lenas could have managed on their own. It would have been fine.
─ As he was about to complain, Chaeha’s voice struck him.
– “So you’re telling me to live my whole life doing something I hate? I can’t. Honestly, you don’t want to be a public servant either! You said you wanted to work in the theater. You said you wanted to be a playwright!”
…That’s right.
That’s how it was.
No… That’s true.
Chaeha wanted to be an actress.
I promised to write scripts for her as a playwright, and that was our dream.
But that promise faded when I started preparing for the civil service exam. Chaeha might have held on to hope until the end, but I forgot. I used survival as an excuse to seek a secure government job.
I abandoned our dream.
Minseo, now an orb, trembled.
The problem wasn’t that the game pretended to be a Princess Maker rip-off, but that the issue lay with himself, and he cried upon realizing this.
The Lenas who had dreams.
If I had thought about fulfilling their dreams, even just once, it would have ended quickly. Just like with Chaeha, I was neglecting Lena’s dreams, seduced by the plausible title of princess.
As Minseo blamed himself, a flash. The ending credits and photos disappeared into the darkness, replaced by text. As always, it impassively pressured Minseo.
[ Please choose your scenario reward. ]
There were no choices. Neither in the void nor in Minseo’s heart. Minseo wished instead of choosing.
“Please let Lena live happily.”
The text glowing white in the darkness seemed to ask if that was really his wish. It stared blankly at Minseo for a moment, then flicked off.
[ You have cleared Raise the Lena. You can now choose the scenario you want to play. ]
[ Childhood Friend – True Ending ]
[ Engagement ]
[ Beggar Siblings – Clear ]
Which scolding will I get this time?
Though afraid to face Leo Dexter, Minseo chose the engagement scenario. That one… seemed the most urgent.
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