novelraw Chapter 213: The Beggar Siblings - The Messenger
Chapter 213: The Beggar Siblings - The Messenger
213: The Beggar Siblings - The Messenger
The capital of the Kingdom of Conrad, Lutetia, was enveloped in the full spring breeze. The wind blew across the plains surrounding the capital, brushing against the tall city walls, and the citizens enjoyed the warmth of the weather to the fullest.
"Ah~ The weather is nice."
"You’ll swallow a bug with your mouth open like that."
It wasn't just the citizens who were enjoying the lazy weather. The guards stationed at the city gate were also stretching and idly chatting.
“By the way, when is Akinen again?”
“Next month, I think? If I remember correctly.”
“Really? Then it’s going to get busy soon.”
“Probably. Ah, I heard we need to get new uniforms, but I’m worried since I don’t have the money. I wonder if there will be any subsidies.”
“How’s your wife? She’s due soon, right?”“Call her ‘sister-in-law.’ Don’t try to act all familiar with someone who’s about to become a father when you’re still a bachelor. My wife is doing fine. We found a midwife. Cost a lot, though. They say an experienced midwife is essential.”
“For a first birth, definitely.”
“When the baby comes, we’ll need a new house. It’s going to be tough. Oh!”
The soldiers, who were leaning against the wall and chatting, straightened their postures. A large procession of carriages had approached unnoticed.
Unless there was something special, access to the castle was unrestricted. With thousands coming and going daily, it was impractical to inspect everyone, so as long as there were no apparent issues, the guards let people pass freely.
However, when bulky items like carriages were involved, it was customary to report to the guards. Even so, the soldiers usually let carriages pass without thorough inspections.
Occasionally, some soldiers would search the cargo, hoping for bribes when they needed extra money. But this time, that wasn’t an option.
The carriages were magnificent.
Flags with various insignias fluttered. Accompanied by knights, these were the carriages of nobility. Baron Monarch's, Count Wylend's, and Marquis Arne's carriages demanded entry under the pretext of attending 'Akinen,' and the soldiers saluted and let them pass.
However, whose Akinen it would remain to be seen.
Ambitious individuals had entered Lutetia. They soon arrived at the mansion of Marquis Arne, awaiting the disembarkation of the esteemed guests.
After a brief moment, the one who appeared was the returning prince, Leo. He stepped down from the carriage and escorted the elegantly dressed young lady from Baron Monarch’s family, Jenia, and then a dazzling blonde girl.
Holding her brother’s hand, Lena descended with a bright smile. She lightly nodded to the lined-up nobles, no longer a mere girl.
Lena, dressed in a red-decorated gown, gracefully accepted the nobles’ greetings. As she began to engage with the nobles, such as winning over Count Geoff Wylend, she rapidly regained the poise of a princess.
She looked markedly different from the childhood friend Leo had seen before. Back then, she had toured various regions, rallying forces to support her rebellious brother, wearing a neat uniform suitable for wartime, giving crisp orders like a true princess.
This time, however, she had become the quintessential princess. Instead of issuing strict orders, she charmed the nobles with her graceful speech and elegant demeanor.
Her abilities were so exceptional that Leo had little to do during their journey.
Of course, he hadn’t planned to leave everything to her, but Lena, through letters, orchestrated meetings, and tea with the Marquis’ wife, had already captivated the nobles ahead of Leo.
The returning prince’s intentions were clear without him having to say anything. He was left with the task of negotiating, while Lena had already won over the nobles to their cause.
Leo merely had to conclude discussions with a tempting offer:
“You need to do nothing. Just support me when I seize power.”
True to his protagonist status, Leo finally understood the message he had left in the previous iteration: to let his sister do as she wished.
All he needed to do was provide minimal protection and arrange meetings with nobles. From there, Lena would grow uncontrollably, reclaiming her royal bloodline.
In this beggar siblings scenario, his role was clear...
"To defeat Oriax."
No matter how capable Lena was, this was beyond her. Thus, the goddess had arranged for Jenia to meet Cardinal Verke and cooperate with him to oppose Prince Eric, who worshiped the evil god.
As for the other scenarios?
...Frankly, he didn’t know.
Unlike the beggar siblings scenario, the childhood friend and betrothal scenarios had no clear purpose. Despite their significant roles, Minseo was convinced that only by making Lena a princess in all scenarios could they escape this game. While he had his reasons, it couldn’t be dismissed as entirely wrong...
[ Quest: Protector, 2/3 ]
Could it be that this wasn’t the end?
It was a fleeting thought. As Leo held Lena’s hand and passed the lined-up nobles, he felt reality blur, as if an ending was near. A strange clarity washed over him, like an ending.
“Brother?”
But Leo shook his head, dispelling the thoughts. He reassured his sister and stepped back into reality.
I am Minseo’s pawn, the goddess’s toy. I have no intention of disrupting the unfolding purpose, nor will I contest the ‘shackles’ placed on Minseo. There is still much unknown, and no matter how much I ponder and struggle, I cannot step off the path laid by the goddess.
In due course, through all arranged processes, we will be freed. I will simply do my part.
As the prince, who had arrived at Oriax’s stronghold to prepare for rebellion, he felt unafraid of the future. A bewildering spring breeze brushed his hair, and an unexpected message appeared before his eyes, as unexpected as his sudden clarity.
[ Achievement: 'Katrina's Life' Quest Completed – Katrina is freed from the shackles. ]
[ 'Katrina's Life' Quest has been removed. ]
‘....’
Around this time in the previous betrothal scenario, Katrina had died. What had changed? What had he done for her to be freed?
[ 18/23 ]
The number of iterations left had increased by one. Leo could only accept the unfolding situation with a sigh, regardless of his intentions.
*
"Thank you for your hard work today."
In a guest room at the Lutetia church, Leo poured a drink. Former royal guard Gallen humbly accepted the drink from the prince.
“...It was nothing. It wasn’t a hard task.”
Without any notable events, the twentieth day in Lutetia passed by. Leo, who had considered bringing Sir Bart before the coup, realized his worries were unfounded.
The kingdom’s knights, even the royal guards, all swore loyalty to the prince.
Occasionally, a knight would seem insincere in their oath, prompting questions about eliminating them, but the prince dismissed such concerns with a hearty laugh. Leo was right; no one betrayed him.
It was astonishing.
Leo knew many knights would be moved by the legitimate prince's dramatic return, but he hadn’t expected this extent of loyalty.
Prince Leo actively met with knights, and in less than three weeks, he had taken control of the royal guards and three knight orders. Princess Lena, staying at Marquis Arne's residence, subtly and steadily swayed the nobles.
It was a joyful outcome, but...
Gallen played with his drink, feeling a bit bitter. What had they been fighting for if the prince and princess could solve everything without any help? Feeling disheartened, he unintentionally voiced his thoughts.
“In just a couple of days, Prince Eric will be deposed.”
Leo’s eyebrows twitched.
The coup date was set. During the preliminary events for Akinen, in front of all nobles and delegations, Prince Eric would be overthrown.
Gallen, Leo’s close aide, knew this. His voice held a tinge of complexity, prompting Leo to ask.
“Are you disappointed?”
“...Yes, honestly.”
“Speak. Why?”
“I hope you don’t misunderstand.”
Leo smiled gently.
[ Achievement: Master-Servant Relationship.2v - ‘328’: Those who swear loyalty will never betray Leo. ]
How could he misunderstand? This man would never betray him. Leo clinked his glass with the troubled knight’s drink. Gallen then began to speak.
“I regret that we couldn’t do anything for you and the princess. Personally, I feel sorry for Prince Eric. I once served him.”
“You did?”
“A long time ago. When Princess Lena was born, my duty changed to guarding her.”
“I see. Then you saw my brother when he was young.”
“Yes, for about a year...”
“What was he like?”
Gallen took a sip, then spoke, risking disrespectful words.
“He was a kind-hearted boy.”
“...Hard to believe.”
Leo had met Eric de Yeriel only once. Eric, five years older, looked much like Leo except for his black eyes and the mixture of brown from House Tertan, not the blue symbolizing the legitimate Yeriel lineage. His demeanor was entirely different.
Eric exuded a cold, sharp atmosphere, with an almost nervous gaze. Considering the numerous human sacrifices made to Oriax, it was even harder to believe.
Yet Gallen didn’t retract his statement. He continued, describing the boy he once knew, Eric de Yeriel, from fifteen years ago.
When Gallen first became a royal guard, Eric de Yeriel was just six years old, suffering from severe neglect.
Queen Ainass de Yeriel bore Prince Leo, securing the succession and drastically diminishing Eric’s standing, born to a concubine.
It was inevitable, but Eric was too young to accept it gracefully. Until the previous year, people in the palace had praised him as the future king. When the queen became pregnant with the second child, Eric seemed to understand his predicament.
A prince who couldn’t become king.
There were many such princes in history. Although Eric was disappointed, he seemed to accept his fate. He once told Gallen:
- “I’m okay. I just wish my mother wouldn’t be sad... I guess I need to smile more.”
Such maturity for a royal.
Gallen, a rookie guard, was impressed. It was hard to believe such words came from a small boy barely reaching his thigh.
However, Eric eventually twisted. The catalyst was an incident during his stay with his mother at Duke Tertan’s estate.
“‘Yvonne Tertan,’ the concubine princess, suddenly disappeared. After that, Prince Eric became extremely irritable.”
As a guard, Gallen was there. Yvonne Tertan, daughter of Duke Lappert Tertan and Eric’s mother, vanished without a trace. Amidst the kingdom's whispers, Eric de Yeriel started to stray, his expression filled with murderous intent, distancing himself from everyone...
“Wait, Yvonne Tertan disappeared? Why? Where to?”
“No one knows. She just vanished one day. Duke Tertan searched desperately but never found her. Oh, there was something odd. The duke was searching not only for his daughter but also for a jewel. A red bud-shaped jewel about the size of two fingers...”
Leo shuddered.
He had an inkling. He understood how Eric de Yeriel became a follower of Oriax and where Yvonne Tertan went.
She was a sacrifice.
That jewel was undoubtedly related to Oriax. Eric had it, it passed to Duke Tertan, and ultimately ended up with Harie Guidan. Thus...
‘Harie Guidan was a messenger.’
Leo understood Oriax’s intention. The duke, bound to refuse, passed the jewel to Harie via Philas Tertan. Harie, supposed to marry one of the kingdom’s princes, had the jewel’s destination as either Athon or Elzeor de Lognum.
However, things went awry when Harie and Philas fell in love and returned to Conrad Kingdom to seek marriage approval, during which...
‘Sir Bart!’
Sir Bart met them and took the necklace from Harie, even without a clear reason.
“...Your Highness?”
Gallen looked at Leo.
His hand trembled, making his drink ripple, and Leo’s reasoning hit a wall. He couldn’t understand why Sir Bart acted that way.
“What’s wrong?”
“...Nothing. Thank you for telling me.”
Leo drank calmly. Everything was set, an invincible battle awaited. But he realized, belatedly, that he had missed a crucial detail.