novelraw Chapter 386: Minseo [END]
Chapter 386: Minseo [END]
383: Minseo
The final ending was unlike anything Minseo had seen before.
Ring-ding-ding ding-ding-ding-ding.
─ The soft, monotonous tune of an 8-bit music box played in the background, and the screen glowed bright white. Suppressing the bittersweet emotions welling up within him, Minseo calmly read through the ending credits.
[ Rera Einar ]
[ Final Occupation: Countess of Dexter, Protector of the Aslan Kingdom ]
[ Spouse: Ray Dexter ]
[ Ray Dexter ]
[ Final Occupation: Count, Protector of the Aslan Kingdom ]
[ Spouse: Rera Einar ][ Engagement Ending: The Knight ]
[ True Ending ]
Rera Einar, born at Castle Avril, spent a happy childhood... (abridged) ... After traveling to the Kingdom of Bellita on a warrior's pilgrimage, she showcased her talents to the world. One of only two Swordmasters on the continent, she rapidly rose as a symbol of the Aslan Kingdom. However, unlike her sudden rise to prominence, Rera Einar led a relatively quiet life. She married shortly after becoming a knight, bore three children, and devoted herself to parenting for several years. The only time she wielded her sword after that was during the Orun-Conrad Conquest, five years later, when she joined as a guest general. In that war, she earned the nickname “Knight of Annihilation.” Following her return to her homeland, Rera Einar was honored as a Protector of the Aslan Kingdom, but she withdrew to her estate as a countess and refrained from further activity. She lived a quiet and peaceful life with her husband, Count Dexter, and their children. -
Ray Dexter, born in the capital city of Barnaul, had a happy childhood... (abridged) ... After traveling to the Kingdom of Bellita on a warrior's pilgrimage, he demonstrated his skills to the world. As one of only two Swordmasters on the continent, he rapidly rose as a symbol of the Aslan Kingdom. However, Ray Dexter’s path diverged from his wife’s. Taking an interest in politics, he frequented the Viscounty of Brina near his wife’s hometown, Castle Avril. There, he exposed a smuggling ring orchestrated by Viscount Diego Brina in collusion with foreign nobles. Without holding a title himself, he declared a territorial war against the Brina family, effectively dismantling their rule. Ray Dexter then claimed the viscounty as his own territory. Recognizing his achievements, Arista de Klaus, Queen of the Aslan Kingdom, granted him the title of Viscount. Ray Dexter later became politically active, assuming the position of the First Knight Commander. Although he did not participate in the Orun-Conrad Conquest, he reportedly toured the battlefield alongside his wife. A few years later, Ray Dexter was elevated to the rank of Count and named a Protector of the Aslan Kingdom, retiring from politics soon after. He spent the remainder of his life peacefully with his wife and children in the Dexter estate, occasionally traveling to Lutetia, the capital of the Jerome Holy Kingdom. -
[ Childhood Friends Scenario Ending Updated ]
[ Lena ]
[ Final Occupation: Saintess ]
[ Spouse: Rev ]
[ Rev ]
[ Final Occupation: Paladin ]
[ Spouse: Lena ]
[ Childhood Friends Ending: The Bishop ]
[ True Ending ]
Born in the village of Demos, Lena had a happy childhood. Though her family was poor, her parents' warmth... (abridged) ... At the age of six, the heavens opened, and Lena became the Saintess. Saintess Lena was unlike her predecessors, who were often secluded in service to God. Instead, she actively participated in church governance, appointing a young monk named Veronian as a cardinal to reform the rigid church structure. Her later actions were even more shocking. She frequently went on pilgrimages and, upon Reaching adulthood, declared her intention to marry Rev, the paladin who had been her protector. Her decision was unprecedented, throwing the Church of the Cross into upheaval. Nevertheless, Lena went through with the marriage. Saintess Lena’s legacy is filled with numerous achievements and eccentricities. She advocated for the abolition of slavery across nations, pressuring even the resistant Orun Kingdom’s Lognum royal family. She criticized discriminatory practices against illegitimate children and foretold the eventual disappearance of mages, knights, and priests. As the last Saintess, she is considered a pivotal historical figure who marked a shift from superstition to reason. While the significance of her actions is still debated, Saintess Lena is remembered as a person who led a fulfilling life. She bore two children and lived a long life, passing away on the same day as her husband, Rev. -
Rev, born in the village of Demos, had a happy childhood... (abridged) ... When his childhood friend Lena became the Saintess and left for the capital church, he was deeply affected. With his father’s support, he traveled to the Jerome Holy Kingdom and enrolled in the capital church’s education system. Despite lacking formal training, he showcased remarkable swordsmanship and became a paladin. He was deeply loved by the enigmatic Saintess Lena, ultimately marrying her. Rev did not achieve significant historical feats but was known for his extensive connections, exchanging letters with prominent figures such as the northern Swordmasters, Ray Dexter and Rera Einar, and the southern ruling siblings, Lerialia de Yeriel and Lean de Yeriel. He had two children, named Soya and Noya, and lived a long life, passing away on the same day as his wife. -
[ Orphan Siblings Scenario Ending Updated ]
[ Lerialia de Yeriel ]
[ Final Occupation: Queen ]
[ Spouse: Santian Yeriel ]
[ Lean de Yeriel ]
[ Final Occupation: Grand Duke ]
[ Spouse: Jenia Yeriel ]
[ Beggar Siblings Ending: The Queen ]
[ True Ending ]
Lerialia de Yeriel, born in the royal palace of Lutetia, enjoyed a blissful childhood. With the unwavering support of the king and queen, who cherished her dearly, she entered the political arena and studied royal administration alongside Prince Lean de Yeriel. Despite receiving numerous marriage proposals from nobles, she rejected them all. The sheltered princess, who had grown up like a delicate flower in a greenhouse, began taking independent actions after attending a six-nation royal gathering hosted by Kumean de Tatalia, king of the Kingdom of Bellita. From that point onward, she engaged in diplomatic affairs, exchanging letters with foreign royals. She sent Prince Eric de Yeriel to the Kingdom of Aisel and solidified her power by aligning with the Tertan ducal family.
Many expected a succession conflict between Lerialia and Lean de Yeriel, but such an event never occurred. Lerialia ascended the throne at a young age after Lean yielded his claim. As queen, she persuaded Cardinal Verke, who controlled the Conrad Kingdom’s church, to establish the first university and laid the foundation for public education using the church network present in every village. Collaborating with Marquis Benar Tatian, a prominent noble from Bellita, she developed a land-based trade network, constructed new ports, and invested in navigation techniques, earning her recognition as the monarch who heralded the Age of Exploration a century later.
Lerialia de Yeriel was a rare autocratic ruler in history. She subjugated the nobility under royal authority, absorbed their lands into the kingdom, and hastened the decline of feudalism. By ruling the conquered Kingdom of Orun, which had been subdued by Lean de Yeriel, she became the unparalleled sovereign of the southern continent. Personally, she led a fulfilling life, marrying Santian Rauno, a commoner, after three years of courtship, and raising two intelligent sons. She lived a long life and passed away peacefully in her sleep.
Lean de Yeriel, born in the royal palace of Lutetia, also had a happy childhood. History remembers him as a genius strategist. He spent approximately eight years preparing to conquer the Kingdom of Orun. Secretly recruiting powerful nobles like Marquis Guidan and Drazhin, he orchestrated a declaration by a saint to abolish slavery, crippling Orin’s mining-based economy and isolating the Lognum royal family diplomatically. With tacit approval from the neighboring Jerome Holy Kingdom and Bellita Kingdom, Lean led only 2,000 troops to invade Orun. He allied with oppressed indigenous tribes hiding in the Lognum Mountains, waged guerrilla warfare, and incited noble rebellions, a tactic still regarded as a brilliant example of disabling central power structures. Princes Aeton and Elzeor de Lognum resisted valiantly but were ultimately cornered and defeated by Rera Ainar, a Swordmaster recruited by Lean.
After conquering Orun, Lean de Yeriel styled himself as "Grand Duke" and spent years stabilizing the occupied territories. He encouraged local autonomy and eventually handed over the governance of Orun to his sister, Lerialia. Having spent his youth amidst the chaos of battlefields, Lean later lived a tranquil life in Orville, the capital of Bellita Kingdom. His 11-year romance with Lady Jenia Peter, without formal marriage, fostered a culture of free love in the aristocratic society. Their luxurious travels between capitals inspired international cultural exchanges and sparked a boom in overseas trips among nobles and the wealthy. The date of Lean’s death remains unknown, as he disappeared after the deaths of his sister and Lady Jenia from old age.
The music box’s melody, repeating with slight variations, was sweet yet tinged with melancholy.
Life is just that—simple as it is.
Minseo, caught between awe and sorrow, reviewed the lives of six people who had become incredibly dear to him.
As he Reached the final period and felt a wave of silence about to envelop him, the music shifted to a higher tone, as if congratulating him, as if saying it was all thanks to him. Three photos appeared.
One depicted the saint, Lena, traveling by carriage on a pilgrimage, aided by the paladin Rev, helping those in need. The two of them radiated happiness.
Hmm... Was Rev slightly henpecked? It seemed fitting for him.
The next image showed Rera Ainar and Ray Dexter, their photo presenting a stark contrast.
They were in the midst of a couple’s quarrel, their clashing aura blades threatening to split the mansion in two. The butler looked pale with anxiety, while the children lay sprawled on the lawn, seemingly resigned to the chaos.
Haha. Judging by the kids’ expressions, it wasn’t a serious fight.
Maybe one of them had picked a fight to spar, and Rera seemed to be smiling faintly.
Minseo, amused by the scene despite its stillness, shifted his gaze to the final image.
It was a map of the continent, with Queen Lerialia towering over the lands of Orun and Conrad, surveying the continent from above. Meanwhile, Lean traveled the various regions with Jenia in their carriage.
Why did Lerialia seem a bit annoyed? Perhaps she thought her brother had dumped all his work on her while he wandered around leisurely.
Minseo chuckled at the thought. Lerialia looked as if she was ready to crush Lean’s tiny carriage underfoot.
He could guess how the siblings lived their lives afterward.
As the simple melody played, Minseo reflected on the lingering emotions. He had thought he would feel pure joy when this day came—when he Reached the final ending. Maybe even relief.
But the feeling was more complicated.
Had he grown too attached? Was it a sense of regret? Had he truly given them the best ending? And how was he supposed to move forward from here?
Just then, new text appeared in the space where the photos had vanished. Minseo soon found himself Lenading an unexpected message.
[Childhood Friend – True Ending]
[Engagement – True Ending]
[Beggar Siblings – True Ending]
[Congratulations! You’ve perfectly cleared Raising Lena. As a reward for your perfect completion, the expansion pack version has been unlocked! You can choose a random character to play Raising Lena: Expansion Pack. However, your achievements will be reset. Would you like to continue? Yes / No]
[List of Selectable Characters and DLCs]
Toddler Akiunen: Dawn of Civilization
Astaroth: Burning Ambition
Azra the Saint: Infinite Regression
King Maunin: Empire’s Revenge!
The Last Emperor: Inverted Dungeon
Cornius: Mana Lord
Saint Udean: Church Reformation
Marquis Tatian: Master of Gold
Elzeor de Lognum: Rebellious Prince
Barbatos: Fumbling Divine Power
…
… What now?
Without hesitation, Minseo chose No. What came next, however, surprised him.
[Thank you for playing Raising Lena. The game has now ended.]
[…]
[You have not claimed your reward for the Childhood Friend True Ending.]
[Please select your reward.]
…What?
Minseo stared blankly at the words that remained after the cluttered DLC list and messages disappeared: [Please select your reward.]
If this was the reward for the "Childhood Friend True Ending"...
— “Let Lena live a happy life.”
When Minseo realized that the true ending condition for Raising Lena wasn’t making her a princess but fulfilling her dreams, he couldn’t suppress the overwhelming emotions and mumbled those words. Perhaps the system hadn’t registered it as a formal selection of a scenario reward.
But why now? Could it be...?
[Please select your reward.]
Minseo felt even more conflicted than before.
What kind of reward was this? Could he Finally accept the fruits of Rev's sacrifice? No—surely, after all the suffering he’d endured, he deserved at least this muChapter Rev would understand, wouldn’t he? But what should he choose? Money? Ugh. Just thinking about it made him feel like trash.
One billion won, 100 million won, even a mere 50 million won would make life more bearable. He thought about apologizing to Chaeha, renting a decent apartment, and starting anew together.
But he couldn’t bring himself to do it.
As the gentle sound of the music box played, Minseo sank deeper into thought.
He reflected on everything that had happened under the looming word "reward."
When he first started this game, he had intended to trample on Lena’s denim and live happily ever after in Demos Village.
He met Rera Ainar, who dreamed of becoming a knight, and fought to protect his only sibling, destitute and without a place to call home, on the damp streets.
Looking back, how foolish had he been?
He had desperately tried to make Lenas princesses, used others, misunderstood their sincerity, and endured endless hardships until he broke. He had been moved by the Leos’ plea for Lena’s happiness, even as he agonized over it.
Reward.
To someone like him, a reward?
If it were a lesson he was meant to learn, maybe.
Thinking himself a fool, Minseo steeled his resolve.
He didn’t want to forget the hard-earned lessons he had gained through such hardship.
— “Please give me the courage to pursue my dream with Chaeha. A conviction that will never waver... That’s what I want.”
The message prompting him to select a reward seemed to linger, as if asking, Is this truly your wish?
Finally, a new response appeared.
[You already possess that wish. A different reward will be provided instead.]
[Thank you.]
The white background and 8-bit sounds vanished with a faint ping. As the light contracted into a single black dot, Minseo rubbed his suddenly strained eyes.
When he opened them again, he was sitting in front of his laptop. The glowing blue Windows logo greeted him.
He had returned.
Minseo let out a long sigh, lowering his trembling hands. Staring blankly at the familiar, unchanged logo, he began to ponder how he would move forward.
Chaeha still wanted to become a theater actress. She hadn’t given up. Minseo had once vowed to become a playwright and gift her a stage.
It had been their naïve dream, their youthful promise.
...Right.
It wasn’t too late to start over.
He needed to go to Chaeha, who had set aside her dream and was preparing for a mundane job because of him, and say it.
Let’s try again. What can’t we achieve? I’ve come to my senses now. Let’s give it one more shot.
With renewed determination, Minseo pushed himself up from his desk. Just as he resolved to take his first step forward, something caught his eye.
"...Huh?"
Something unfamiliar appeared in his room.
Everything in modern society felt foreign after so long, but these things... These definitely shouldn’t be here.
Principles of Business Administration.
Principles of Economics.
Business Statistics.
They were college textbooks from his freshman year—books he had thrown out ages ago. Where were his civil service exam prep books? Confused, he realized something even stranger was at play.
The laptop on his desk wasn’t his current one.
No, it was his old one.
The outdated laptop his father had gifted him, beaming with pride, when he had been accepted into a university in Seoul.
But he had discarded it upon graduating. Wait. What year is it?
In his hands was the flip phone he had used in high school. He flipped it open. The date read...
It was July of the year he entered university. The last day of the first semester, a day Minseo could never forget.
Today was the day he had confessed to Chaeha.
Or rather, he needed to head to the clubroom to confess. Chaeha would be finishing her final exam for the semester in an hour and coming to the clubroom.
“Crap! I’m late!”
Minseo shot up like a spring. He hadn’t yet realized that his body had returned to its younger self.
How had he confessed again? Flowers... Oh, right, he’d bought them on the way. Clothes? Phew, at least he was dressed. Hair... Oh, geez, what a mess.
Minseo dashed to the tiny bathroom and frantically attacked his hair with a hairdryer. Damn, his socks were wet. As he sat on his bed to change them, he paused, sock in hand, and let out a laugh.
He was young again. Just thinking about his girlfriend made his heart race.
This was just like when he had entered Leo’s body. If there was one good thing about being in sync with them, it was this:
Lena had been so lovable. He’d felt like he could achieve anything with the burning passion of youth.
He had been given another chance. With a wide grin, Minseo stood up, grabbed a pair of sneakers from the drawer, and slid them on.
As he burst through the front door, sunlight sparkled brilliantly. The future seemed so bright. There was so much he could do.
Chaeha’s father would pass away from a stroke in about eight years. Minseo would stock up on things said to prevent strokes.
His parents would divorce the year after next. After he moved out, they had grown distant, so he resolved to visit them often.
As Minseo made these resolutions and ran, he suddenly stopped in his tracks. Something dawned on him.
The shoe cabinet was missing something—a useless yet essential object every grown man kept there.
“...Oh, come on,” he muttered, shaking his head. “Guess I’ll have to make do.”
Grumbling under his breath, Minseo resumed his sprint, heading toward his old university. Toward the person with whom he would share his dreams.
The following year, Minseo enlisted in the military.
Fin.