novelraw Chapter 302: Beggar Siblings - Threshold
Chapter 302: Beggar Siblings - Threshold
301. Beggar Siblings - Threshold
"...I understand that the family name was taken from the surname passed down through the generations. I’m not sure what you mean by 'Laono,'" Joseph said.
Lean was convinced he knew something.
"Was your ancestor a noble?"
"I don’t know. It could be that the family chose the name Rauno, and over time, it simply became used as our surname. Since it wasn’t officially recognized by the king, we’ve been using it as we please, so I’m not really sure either."
His expression remained entirely unchanged.
Lean nodded blandly. "I see."
Of course, he hadn’t expected a single question to solve the mystery that had begun with a beggar with a broken arm and the strange cemetery at the mysterious temple.
Lean stood up, satisfied with just confirming that something was indeed being hidden. After all, Joseph wasn’t going to give him any answers, so there was no need to provoke him further.
"I only asked because 'Laono' sounded similar to a well-known ancient surname. Haha. Now, could you prepare a room for my sister? I’d like to see it first.""There’s no need to ask," Joseph replied, standing up as well.
He stepped outside and spoke to Ober, who was standing there, looking confused. He asked for two adjoining empty rooms to be prepared. Ober wore a baffled expression.
"What the hell have you been up to?"
Despite seeing Joseph’s behavior, Ober remained unchanged, speaking as nonchalantly as ever.
If you want to kill me, kill me.
Ober was a thug who disregarded societal norms. Lean didn’t dislike that about him.
"Haha! If you knew what I’ve done, you’d be shocked."
"Ah—what is it? What did you do? Did you steal something big?"
Jenia's heart, Lean thought with a grin, though he didn’t say it out loud. As he inspected the rooms Ober had chosen one by one, he deliberated before picking a slightly smaller room.
It had a vertically long, rectangular window that allowed plenty of sunlight to stream in.
When the window was flung open, sunlight would flood the bed across from it since the room faced east. This seemed like it would help his sister adjust her lifestyle, as she was someone who loved to sleep in.
She might whine for a while, screaming, "Ugh! Close the window!" But Lean imagined his sister would be happy just to have her own room, unaware of her older brother's schemes.
Step by step, things were improving.
After all, happiness has a threshold. To bring his sister overwhelming joy, the best way was to let her experience small doses of happiness over time.
For my beloved sister,
For our sister, who has endured nothing but terrible tragedies,
So that she can be happy forever.
Lean, standing by the window as the cool summer breeze blew in, found himself crying without realizing it.
---
"Oh my, how lovely."
It had been a long time since Lean and Jenia had met outside; they usually dated at home.
Lerialia was peeking from behind her brother, sneaking glances at the actress who was supposedly going to be his 'fiancée.'
But she was ready to scold the strange woman if necessary, having learned some bad words from Tian. Yet, the moment was disarming.
Lerialia felt a strange sense of déjà vu.
"I feel like I’ve seen this person before."
There was a sense of familiarity about the woman. It wasn’t unpleasant. Lerialia hesitantly stepped forward.
"Hello..."
"Hello. You must be Lerialia? Nice to meet you. Lean, you should’ve told me your sister was this pretty. I didn’t even put on proper makeup."
"What makeup do you need? You’re already beautiful."
"Oh, you just don’t understand."
Truthfully, she was already nearly in full makeup. There was no way she would’ve come to meet her future husband's sister without making herself presentable.
But—this was too much.
Lean’s younger sister was so stunning, it left Jenia speechless. No, she was gorgeous.
Her long, flowing blonde hair had not a single blemish. It was neither too thick nor too thin, and her fair skin looked so soft that it seemed almost unbearable to touChapter Jenia found herself wanting to pinch her adorably plump cheeks right then and there.
What would they feel like?
Would those soft, pouty red lips quiver in an adorable frown, or would they spread into a wide smile just for her?
She was so perfect that Jenia felt a strange, destructive urge well up inside her.
If this child smiled at her, she might be overwhelmed with guilt and die from shame.
‘I should’ve gotten a massage before coming out.’
While the girl’s flawless features were striking, Jenia herself was undeniably beautiful as well. After all, she wasn’t the leading actress at the Arille Theatre for no reason.
So, honestly speaking, she felt a little intimidated, but she could endure it thanks to her pride.
They simply had different styles!
But there was no competing with Lerialia's flawless skin. It wasn’t like they had that much of an age difference, but still...
Jenia sighed inwardly and reassured herself that at least Lean hadn’t fallen for her based on looks alone.
On the other hand, Lean was puzzled. Why was Jenia acting this way?
She seemed slightly jealous... something that had never happened before.
It didn’t take long for him to figure out why.
The first time they met, Lerialia had been starving and dressed in rags. She was already beautiful back then, but now that she was well-fed and healthier, the difference was stark.
I just hope she doesn’t feel needlessly jealous. Lean led the group onward.
"This place is good. They serve chicken dishes, and—huh?"
The chicken restaurant was closed. It had been boarded up, creating an eerie atmosphere.
What on earth happened here?
Lean felt flustered. After gathering everyone together, he suddenly had nowhere to take them. He rubbed his neck anxiously and quickly suggested another place.
"Let’s go to that bakery over there. It’s really good. They have a variety of items..."
"Really? That sounds a bit suspicious."
"This place is fine."
As Lean started sweating under Jenia’s suspicion, Katrina, who had been quietly following behind as a guard, interjected.
"I know this bakery. I used to come here often during my days as a knight. The cheap stuff comes in large portions, and the expensive stuff is worth the price. You won’t regret it."
"Thanks for backing me up, Katrina."
Katrina shrugged without saying much more. She still wasn’t too fond of Lean.
In fact, the reason Lean knew about this bakery in the first place was because of Katrina...
He felt a little hurt, but he shifted his attention to the other two women. His sister’s eyes were sparkling with excitement.
"Wow! This is my first time at a bakery! They even have cookies!"
"Lerialia, we’ll eat cookies later, after we’ve had a proper meal."
"I’m just looking!"
"Jenia, let’s go ahead and grab a seat."
Leaving his sister, who was mesmerized by the colorful display of cookies, Lean and Jenia found a table.
Jenia gazed a little wistfully at Lerialia, who was excitedly marveling at the simplest of sights.
"Is this your first time inside a bakery, Miss?" she asked.
"...Yes, it seems so."
Her boyfriend rarely talked about himself, especially about his past. But now, Jenia understood why.
She took Lean’s hand as he sat beside her.
"You’ve been through a lot," she said softly.
"..."
Lean felt a ticklish warmth.
No one had ever comforted him by acknowledging his hardships—not him, not them. While Leo and Minseo, who were in similar situations, would occasionally comfort each other, no one had done so for him, personally.
Lean smiled faintly.
Soon, they selected their meals. Instead of just nibbling on bits of bread, they chose proper dishes. Katrina, who was standing guard, declined to eat, leaving Lean, Jenia, and Lerialia to call the chef and order their respective meals.
As they waited for the food, Lerialia, who had arrived late and was sitting apart from her brother, narrowed her eyes and asked, "How did you and... that lady meet, brother?"
"It was a coincidence, Miss. A complete coincidence," Jenia responded.
"I’d like to hear more about this 'coincidence' in detail," Lerialia pressed, leaning forward with her chin resting on her thumb like a little interrogator.
If only the table weren’t so high that it came up to her chest.
Jenia stifled a giggle and answered in a serious tone.
"Actually, I was the victim."
"Pardon? Ahem. What kind of victim? My brother’s listening, so you should only tell the truth."
"Of course. This man spilled water all over me. I was just doing my usual morning workout."
"Ah! So that’s why you couldn’t... Ahem! There must have been a reason. Our brother wouldn’t act like that without a reason."
It seemed neutrality was already out the window.
Jenia, like the actress she was, put on a tragically sorrowful expression.
"Yes, I think so too. It must have been an accident. But if only this man hadn’t been so focused on his cup of water, it wouldn’t have happened. I went home looking like a drowned rat, but... it’s okay."
"I-I see. Well, at least it was summer, so it probably wasn’t too serious. Did you get an apology?"
"No, not at all."
"What?"
Lerialia’s eyes narrowed sharply as she glanced at her brother, now thinking what a scoundrel...
Jenia delivered the final blow.
"I never got an apology. He did come find me later, but even then, he didn’t apologize. Instead, he demanded I help him and... love him."
"…When did I ever demand that?" Lean interjected, unable to stay silent.
He had apologized right after spilling the water. The situation had gotten derailed because of Katrina's involvement, but still.
However, the momentum had already shifted in Jenia’s favor.
"Oh my, oh my. Brother, stay out of this. So, what happened next?" Lerialia urged, turning back to Jenia.
"I had no choice... because this man was wearing a sword—"
"Wait, hold on!" Lean tried to interject again, but now Jenia was even pretending to cry, fully embracing her role.
"She’s such a drama queen," Lean thought as he tried to defend himself, but Lerialia, exclaiming “Oh my, oh my!” paid him no attention.
After thoroughly giving Lean a hard time, Jenia wiped away her fake tears and burst out laughing. The two women started chatting so happily that Lean realized he wasn’t needed in the conversation. Soon, the food arrived, drawing everyone’s attention.
Lerialia curiously inspected the "Egg-in-a-Hole" she had ordered, pulling apart the bread. The outside was crispy, while the inside was soft, mixed with a sweet sauce and a perfectly cooked egg.
Jenia received her Dish of Bean, a hearty plate featuring five types of beans, including red beans, stewed in a spicy chili sauce and served with flatbread. She liked her spicy food.
Lean ordered a Bread Pizza Roll, a mix of vegetables wrapped in bread and baked like a pizza. Not only was it delicious, but it was also easy to share, so Lean asked the chef for a "food share" option, adding a small fee to have their dishes portioned for sharing.
The chef, grateful for the extra business, brought small plates for each of them. Lean shared his dish with both his sister and Jenia.
"This is really good. Try mine," he said.
After a hearty meal, the three of them ordered cookies and milk for dessert. Jenia’s came with a sprinkle of cinnamon.
Each cookie had a unique texture, some crispy and others soft, but all were sweet and delicious. Lerialia, holding two different cookies in each hand, munched her way through them eagerly.
Meanwhile, Jenia and Lean sipped their warm, creamy milk, discussing their engagement.
The sudden engagement had come about due to minor complications with the wedding planning.
It had been decided that the wedding would take place in the territory of Count Peter, Jenia’s father. Lean, being an orphan, would marry into her family as a son-in-law. However, Lean had recently expressed a desire to delay the ceremony.
Originally, they had intended to marry as soon as possible, but Jenia had unexpectedly declared that she wanted to invite her grandfather to the wedding, which complicated matters. Count Gustav Peter had voiced his displeasure on Lean’s behalf, but Jenia was adamant.
Lean once again felt that things were spiraling out of control.
Jenia’s grandfather was none other than Cardinal Berc, a high-ranking cleric in the Kingdom of Conrad. He was a crucial figure in helping Rev capture Orias, and inviting him might disrupt those plans.
So Lean reconsidered and decided they should proceed with the engagement first.
To Jenia, he explained that he wanted their deepening relationship to progress steadily from now on, step by step.
To Count Gustav, he said he wanted to wait until their plans for Conrad Kingdom bore fruit.
To Jenia’s mother, Edlin, he sweetly remarked, "It’s a bit far to have the wedding there. You must have many friends you’d like to invite, right? If we hold an engagement here first, you can invite them for a nice gathering."
He played the role of the doting son-in-law, and Edlin was delighted.
"Yes, my dear, you’re only going to have this wedding once, so take care to plan the engagement well. I went straight to marriage without one... At the time, it was wonderful, but looking back, I regret not having that moment."
Thus, the matter was settled.
Jenia had initially been confused by Lean’s sudden change of plans but soon agreed. They then began discussing the timing of the engagement.
Since they needed to invite guests, it was important to avoid clashing with other events from neighboring noble families or major national holidays.
"We’re a bit unlucky," Jenia said, "since it looks like a prince from another kingdom will be visiting Orville soon to meet our princess."
Lean nodded, knowing full well what the future held.
But there was one thing that had changed...
"It must be Prince Arnulf de Klaus from the Kingdom of Aslan, right? I hear he’s quite handsome..."
"Huh? Hahaha!! You’ve got the wrong story. How could they send a princess to such a barbaric kingdom like Aslan?" Jenia laughed loudly.
"No, it’s Prince Vivian de Isadora from the Kingdom of Aisel who’s coming."