Raising the Princess to Overcome Death

Chapter 142: Engagement – Servant

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have acted that way..."

Lena, still with wet hair, apologized in front of the lodging with a hot spring. Leo Dexter, who was sitting on a small bench munching on something, silently patted the seat next to him.

"Want some?"

As she sat down, Leo handed her a white, round object that he had split in half.

It was a 'radimu.'

Also known as winter radish or ice radish, it was a crop from the north that could be eaten raw and did not spoil easily. The people of the north often used it for bartering.

The merchants' wagon was full of radimu. And since Leo had saved their lives, he was welcome to eat as much as he wanted.

Lena didn’t refuse. She took a bite, grateful to Leo for accepting her apology so casually...

"Ew! Hey, this is the bitter end!"

"Hahaha."The upper part of the radimu, where the stem grew, was sweet. The lower part, however, was quite bitter and astringent, and most people, except for older folks lamenting "kids these days don’t know the value of food," didn't eat it raw.

Leo, finishing what was in his hand, spoke up.

"It would be a waste to throw it away. Especially since it's free. If you don't want it, I'll eat it."

He took it from her.

Lena watched him take what was half in her mouth without a care and bite into it, feeling conflicted.

When did he grow up like this?

Leo had changed at some point. There was a certain {dignity} in his every move, and he acted with confidence even in front of older adults.

Even though they had come of age together.

'Every time I think I've caught up, he moves further ahead, and when I think I've caught up again, he's even further away...'

Leo had always been like that. He grew a step ahead, and it was her role to chase after him.

But this time, maybe because they had come of age, it felt like Leo had leapt not just a step but several steps ahead.

Especially his swordsmanship was astonishing. He had grown immensely as if he had grasped something.

Honestly, this time... it felt overwhelming.

So when Leo easily killed the knight, she felt a pang of jealousy. No, more like a sense of futility, wondering if she could ever catch up to him.

'...No. I can do it. Don't act like a fool, Lena Ainar.'

Encouraging herself, Lena dug into her pocket. She pulled out something she had secretly bought and held it out to him.

"Take this. It's an early birthday present."

"...Oh, right. Today is my birthday? I had forgotten..."

"What are you talking about? It's not for a while. I'm just giving it early, so take it."

Leo, holding the gift, looked puzzled. Lena prepared to rebut what she thought he would say, but Leo's words were unexpected.

"You forgot my birthday, didn’t you? And now you're trying to cover it up. Tell me exactly, when is my birthday?"

"Huh, do you think I'm stupid? Forget someone's birthday?"

"You mixed up your friends' birthdays last time and gave them the wrong gifts..."

Lena quickly covered Leo's mouth, her face turning red as she made excuses.

"Th-that was a mistake. And there's no way I'd forget your birthday. It's the same as the birth date of King Maunin. I was going to give it to you on the day of the Maunin Festival... Just take it. You should be grateful when someone gives you a gift."

"Haha. Alright, I'll gladly accept it. But... isn't this the same as what I bought for you last time? You deliberately chose the same one. I like it."

She handed him a long black leather cord. She had secretly asked the leather merchant for another one, just like the one Leo had given her.

Originally, if Leo asked if it was the same one he had bought, she planned to proudly retort, "You bought it for me, so it's mine. What's the problem with giving it as a gift?"

But Leo's kind response made her stammer, "Uh, yeah. It's nice to have the same one..." in a hesitant voice.

'Ugh. I should have bought something else. I thought it would be fun.'

When did he grow up like this?

Leo's shoulders next to her felt broad. Even sitting hunched over, his presence seemed to overshadow her.

'Ugh...'

Then Leo took her hand. Turning her head, she saw him gently guide her chin up to meet his eyes.

He was asking for a kiss.

Lena turned her head away. Fortunately, someone approached, giving her an excuse.

"Sir Leo, we have a problem. I just met with the village chief... A war has broken out."

War!

Lena was startled, but Leo, unfazed, responded.

"You mean we should leave quickly? I think so too. You can advance the schedule, but it's late today. Let's stay here tonight."

Vernon replied, "Of course. We'll leave tomorrow morning." and left.

The next day, the merchant group hurriedly left the village. Until now, they had pretended as if they had never met the baron’s knight, but now they had an excuse.

War.

Moreover, fearing the baron might harm their families during the chaos, the merchants hurriedly drove their wagons as soon as winter ended. By the time they reached Barnoul, it was fully spring.

  *

"Make sure to visit our house! It's near the market in the southern part of the inner city! Just mention my name to the merchants, and they'll show you the way!"

"My house is next door!"

Anne and Ran shouted. Leo and Lena waved at them as they walked away, then turned to go their own way.

"Leo, where do we go now? I'm excited to see the house where you were born."

Lena asked, and Leo took out a letter from his pocket. It was a letter his father had written on the spot for his older brother, with the address on the envelope.

- First alley on Danika Boulevard, iron hinge archway.

'But why did Father write the address when giving me the letter?'

It might be overly sensitive, but it felt like he anticipated his son might not find the house. Did he sense that I had no memories of the past? Leo wondered but dismissed it.

He must have written it just in case since I left when I was very young.

"Let's see... It should be this way."

Leo checked the street signs to find the right direction. As they asked people for directions and navigated through the city, Leo and Lena observed the streets of Barnoul.

Barnoul, though not as ancient as Orville, was a very old city. When the founding king of the Arcaea Kingdom, Todler Akiunen, was born in what is now the northern part of the Bellita Kingdom, the Arcaea Empire put significant effort into developing the northern region

The focal point of this development was Barnoul, which became the capital of the 'Aisel Kingdom,' established by King Maunin and Queen Retii after gaining independence from the empire. It is now the capital of the Kingdom of Astin.

The city, constructed from layers of flat gray stones, appeared before them.

The stones weren't stacked in layers but rather tilted and interlocked diagonally, creating a rugged yet charming look, bearing many marks of its long history.

However, there were also many sad remnants.

"Are those gravestones? No, right?"

"...I don't think so."

Letters were carved into stones all over the city, both on walls and the ground. Upon closer inspection, they read, "Bruno, father of three children - lies here at thirty-five," commemorating victims of the devastating 'Nine Days War' from eleven years ago.

Whether the time was short or long, the Kingdom of Astin and its people had worked hard to overcome past wounds and live on, but the dead could never return.

With a natural sense of reverence, Lena and Leo walked across the countless stones engraved with names and messages, entering Danika Boulevard.

The first alley.

Turning into a fairly wide alleyway, they saw a rustic stone wall and, in the distance, an arch-shaped wooden door with five iron hinges.

"My goodness..."

The wall of what Leo presumed to be his father's house, Noel Dexter's home, was densely covered with inscriptions. Unlike the others they had seen, these messages were filled with resentment, anger, curses, and occasionally forgiveness.

During the Nine Days War, Noel Dexter, notorious in Barnoul, had become a symbol of scorn for the city's residents.

Although he hadn't gone around killing innocent civilians, he was a knight who had contributed to the brutal war and was infamously known as the 'Butcher of Nobles.' This made him a target for the post-war anger of the citizens.

‘I think I understand why he left...’

Leo knocked on the door. Using the metal ring hanging on the wooden door, he knocked, and soon someone came out.

"Who is it?"

Leo didn’t know what his uncle, 'Elson,' looked like. But he knew the young man before him wasn’t his uncle, so he introduced himself.

"I am Leo Dexter. I’ve come to see my uncle."

"...You must be the young master. I apologize for this, but the master is currently out, and I cannot let in strangers."

"I have a letter from my father. Would my identification and this letter not suffice?"

The young man, who seemed to be a servant, shook his head.

"Apologies, I cannot read. Though, by your appearance, I can tell you are likely the master's nephew..."

He seemed to ponder for a moment before continuing.

"Please understand my situation. I cannot turn you away, nor can I let in strangers. How about this? The master is surely at his office. Why don't you visit him there? I say this because I cannot leave you standing at the door."

It was quite a bold request for a servant to make, but seeing no other option, Leo asked for the address of his uncle’s office.

- Thud.

As they turned and left the alley, Leo felt a strange chill. Glancing back, he saw the old knight's house, laden with resentment, standing quietly.

  *

"My nephew has come! Come here, let me give you a hug. How long has it been...?"

A man who resembled Noel Dexter stood up, arms wide open.

His uncle's office wasn’t far. It was in a bustling area where nobles and wealthy people frequented, across two main streets. The signboard on the three-story building read 'Dexter Mercenary Corps.'

However, there were no mercenaries in sight. It wasn’t that they were out working, but the building didn’t have a lobby, living space, or training ground for mercenaries.

The building was clearly designed to receive guests, with cheap but plush carpets and similarly inexpensive but charming paintings adorning the halls and salons.

"Nice to see you again, uncle. Have you been well?"

Though it was practically their first meeting, Leo offered a typical greeting for a long-lost nephew. It was also a polite way to avoid the offered embrace.

Despite resembling his father, Leo didn’t feel comfortable hugging a man he had never met before.

Elson was a bit taller than Noel Dexter, about the same height as Leo.

He was stockier, with smaller eyes and a rougher appearance, likely due to his different lifestyle.

Unlike the scholarly demeanor of the knight Noel Dexter, the mercenary leader Elson had a boisterous and friendly aura. Despite having his hug declined, he cheerfully patted Leo on the shoulder.

"Of course. I’ve been well. Wow, you’ve grown so muChapter Your father must be proud. And..."

Elson's eyes turned to Lena. He soon burst into a hearty laugh and extended his hand for a handshake.

"You must be Lena Ainar. Nice to meet you. I’m sorry I couldn’t attend your engagement. Honestly... it was a bit far, wasn’t it? Hahaha."

He winked playfully and seated Leo and Lena on a plush Chesterfield sofa.

Only this sofa and the table in front of it weren’t cheap. It seemed he knew when to spend money, ensuring the guests' furniture was high quality.

Maybe the sofa was for his own naps, too.

Leo, noticing the piles of documents on a cheap desk, handed over his father’s letter.

"Hmm, nothing too serious here. Not sure why he even bothered to write about letting you stay at the house. Isn’t that obvious? Haha. He’s always been so uptight..."

Elson quickly read through the two-page letter and began chatting as he served (cheap) tea himself.

‘...He really talks a lot.’

It might seem rude to describe his uncle this way, but he truly talked a lot.

The topics changed rapidly:

He admired the departure of Prince Arnulf de Klaus and Baron Albacete with their troops a few days ago, noting how the citizens cheered when the king personally saw them off at the southern gate, although the past civil war's aftermath meant they weren’t fully enthusiastic. He mentioned many of his mercenaries had been conscripted, making it a tough time, but he was thrilled to have a lot of work. He was frustrated that some mercenaries who recently returned from escorting a merchant group wanted to quit...

At first, Leo tried to concentrate, wondering what point his uncle was trying to make, but he eventually realized Elson was simply chatting for fun.

Even so, listening without thinking was quite enjoyable, and Lena seemed to have already taken a liking to Elson.

"Oh dear, look at the time. I’m sorry to cut this short. As I mentioned, I’m quite busy these days... another all-nighter! Yay! Hahaha. I won’t be able to go home tonight, so you two should go ahead. You know where the house is, right?"

"Yes. We stopped by earlier, but a young man who seemed to be a servant wouldn’t let us in. He said he needed the master's permission."

"...That must have been 'Yuan.' He’s not a servant. You might have heard already,"

Elson's expression, which had been bright until now, slightly darkened.

"He’s my adopted son."