novelraw Chapter 223: Childhood Friend - Lies
Chapter 223: Childhood Friend - Lies
223. Childhood Friend - Lies
"I don't know why, but the connection was possible. It worked out well. Your sister became a princess, and you became a prince. We also cleared it."
"We cleared it?"
The man in the mirror shifted his position. Lena watched the unbelievable scene with her mouth agape.
He moved as if crawling on the floor. When he finally stood up, Lena saw the rag-covered boards behind him, a miserable place even at a glance.
It was like a beggar's home... Lena realized that the man in the mirror was the prince Rev had mentioned. Exceptionally handsome but with poor craftsmanship.
"Yes. But first, say hello. Lena is here too."
"...Oh, you're not Minseo. Hello, nice to meet you. I am Lean."
"Oh, hello?"
Minseo?Lena didn't understand what he meant but returned the greeting anyway. After a brief introduction, Rev spoke again.
"Did you meet Sister Katrina and Sister Jenia?"
"I met them all yesterday. Why?"
"Is Sister Katrina the same?"
"...I don't know what you mean by that."
"Oh, sorry. Sister Katrina was freed from her shackles. I was wondering if anything changed."
"She said she wanted to serve me as her teacher. Is that a change?"
"...No. She did that in the previous round too. Hmm... then teach her for a while. She won't quit the knights, just let her be."
"What? She promised to quit yesterday."
"She lied. Just pretend you don't know. Anyway, she's freed. Thinking about it, Sister Cassia only changed after going through a full cycle. And Sister Jenia..."
Rev fell silent. The pause became awkward, prompting Lean to ask.
"What about Jenia?"
"...She married you."
- "Is there anything else you want to tell me? I really hate lies. Leo, I mean, Prince, why did you confess to me? Maybe... no, tell me why you confessed. Did you 'need' me?"
Rev swallowed the truth about Jenia's identity. It seemed better not to reveal it.
Lean smiled blandly.
"That's a relief. But why the hesitation? Did Jenia do something wrong?"
"...She couldn't bear children."
"...So what? Rev, speak clearly. Are you hiding something from me?"
"No. Just that. And Count Gustav Peter seemed to have an inferiority complex about his birth..."
You lied to me too.
Rev decided to keep his mouth shut. He only talked about Jenia's role in the previous beggar siblings' round and how they defeated the descended Oriax. He ended the story by saying that he reached the ending with his sister and concluded it at Akine.
He didn't mention what happened after the ending.
There was no need to. Just as you did to me. Meanwhile, Lena was pinching her cheek, unsure if this was a dream or reality.
"So, what should we do now? You're going to start a rebellion, right?"
"I have to. I forgot to mention, a new debuff has been marked. When I enter the Conrad Kingdom, Oriax will react. I'm sorry, but I can't go."
[Debuff: Oriax's Footprint - Provocation, cannot escape. Fixed at 11 years, 11 months, 11 days, 11 hours, 11 minutes, and 11 seconds.]
This debuff was marked on Minseo.
In the previous round, the mark was on Lean, the 'player' of the beggar siblings' scenario, but now it was more prominent on Rev's palm, the current player.
This meant that Rev could not stay by Lean's side this time, and Lean had to reclaim his {bloodline} alone.
The difference with and without Rev was significant.
However, the beggar siblings' scenario was cleared. Even if the ending changed in this round, the reward remained the same, so Rev concluded.
"Sorry. So this time, you live quietly in Orville with your sister and Jenia. You don't have to do anything. Just take good care of your sister. You’ll do well, but... Oh, by the way, Lerialia seems to like Santian Rauno. Do you know..."
"Hey."
Lean cut off Rev's words.
"...Why?"
"The result of the last ending you cleared wasn't good, was it?"
"...Sorry."
"Why apologize? It's not the first time we've had bad results."
Rev burst into tears.
The Lean in the mirror was from the day after the beggar siblings' scenario started. Sharing memories, he knew how much that friend resented him and how he suppressed those feelings.
I killed that friend's sister.
I feared that Lerialia would meet a terrible fate and failed to protect her. Even though I did it myself, the fact didn't change. The last touch of my sister's bare skin on my cheek... remained as a severe guilt.
Even so, that friend greeted me with a smile, hiding the truth.
Rev, sobbing,
"I'm sorry. I'm really sorry."
muttered, and Lean remained silent for a moment before letting out a long sigh through his nose.
"Stop crying. I know it was inevitable. Will you keep doing this with Lena here?"
"No, no. Ahem!"
"Alright. It's in the past, and the future is more important, so let's focus. First... I need to reclaim the bloodline. You know why."
To help me. Rev knew what Lean's purpose was in reclaiming the bloodline.
If Lean didn't take over the Conrad Kingdom, the Orun Kingdom might ally with Conrad.
In the last childhood friend round, the rebellion failed that way, and maybe Lean, who took over the Conrad Kingdom, could help in rebelling against the Orun Kingdom.
"Rev, there's a problem. I need to meet Lord Bart, but time is tight even if I leave now. I could ride alone, but I can't tell my sister and Jenia to follow on their own. Should I request escort knights from Count Gustav Peter?"
No. The knight might recognize Jenia. Then, your relationship with Jenia could become complicated.
Wiping away his tears, Rev said.
"No. Forget about Lord Bart. Leave Harie Guidan too. I have a good idea."
'...Something must have happened.'
Lean felt suspicious but listened without objecting.
"Cardinal Verke will help you. Since you don't have Oriax's mark, you can proceed at a slower pace. You’ll need a lot of ambergris."
"Ambergris? The saliva of a whalena?"
"Yes. Wood coated with ambergris doesn’t dissolve in Oriax's blood. Go find Marquis Arne. You know who he is, right?"
Lean de Yeriel nodded. Dawn was breaking.
"Yes. He's the northern border lord of the Conrad Kingdom. He commands a great fleet."
"Right. That fleet hunts whales during peacetime, so the marquis probably has a lot of ambergris in stock. Ask to borrow it. If the knights and soldiers apply it, it will be much easier to deal with Oriax."
Convincing the marquis would be up to his sister. Rev finished with a few minor warnings.
Lean asked, hitting the core, "Why is Cardinal Verke helping me?" Rev didn’t explain. Staying with Jenia would naturally lead to receiving help.
Lean felt frustrated.
Rev thought that maybe the reason this game was so unkind was similar to this.
Eventually, Rev and Lean encouraged each other with, "Take care. Everything will be fine," before disconnecting. The mirror shattered with a crack as soon as Lean disappeared.
In Demos Village, livestock began to cry from hunger. Below Rev's window, only Lena, with reddened cheeks, and Rev, with tear-streaked eyes, remained.
"Do you believe it now?"
Lena neither shook nor nodded her head. She stared blankly at him, then got up and walked away.
Worried she might fall, Rev caught up with her.
"Lena, are you okay?"
"No. Let go of me. I need to think."
Lena shrugged off Rev's hand and disappeared. Without even greeting the villagers who came out in the morning, she was deep in thought. Rev could only watch.
After that, Lena didn't come to the bakery. She didn't seek out Rev, but he knew what she was doing. It was a small village, so it wasn’t hard to find her.
Lena went to the church.
Whether studying or receiving counsel, she frequently visited Brother Leslie's room. She stopped helping her parents with their livelihood and prayed in front of the church relics all day. Nearly two weeks later, Lena finally sought out Rev.
"Lena!"
Rev was out hunting, pressured by his father. Sweating profusely, she arrived at the cabin, took the water pouch Rev handed her, and immediately asked,
"What am I?"
"...What?"
"I don't understand. You say I must become a princess. Why do I have to become a princess?"
"...I don't know either."
"Then, do you love me?"
Lena stared at him without a hint of movement. The prepared question pierced his heart, and Rev answered without hesitation for the first time.
"I love you."
"Even though we got married twice? Even though you suffered because of me?"
"It doesn't matter. I'd do it a hundred or a thousand times over."
Lena finally drank the water.
"Then... What should I do now? I'll do as you say. I want to help you too."
"Do what you want."
"How can you say that when you don’t know what I want?"
"Whatever it is, it's fine."
"Then marry me."
A silence fell. The boy and girl stared at each other for a long time.
"Don't lie."
When did we stop holding hands since childhood? Lena wanted to become a priest and knew that priests couldn't marry.
Even if it was a small difference, her priority wasn't me. It hurt, but I knew it.
I married Lena because I desperately held onto her with a deathly pallor, and because she was expelled from the church.
That was all.
"The priest will come the week after next. 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. Even if I have to burn all the churches in the world, I will marry you.
But Rev spoke gently, suppressing the ruthless tyranny in his heart.
"I... don’t worry about me. If you’re happy, that's enough for me. I will definitely come for you. I’ll keep in touch."
Lena hugged him tightly.
Whimpering, the girl clung to her friend's collar, unsure of what to do. She didn’t have the boldness to push him away like Lena Ainar did to her lover.
Rev tenderly patted Lena. He blew on her smooth forehead, making her hair flutter, and touched his forehead to hers. Then he promised.
"Don’t cry. When you cry, it hurts me. When you smile, I'm happy. So leave with a smile. I will surely be happy."
So Lena left.
The week after next, amidst the blessings of all the villagers, she left with a smile as promised.
Rev also saw her off with a smile.
"Rev! I will definitely become a priest! I will ask the saint why you..."
The carriage moved away. Lena's voice echoed, but Rev responded, "Sure! Thank you!"
After running alongside the carriage for a long time, he trudged back to the village, where Hans was kicking a stone.