Raising the Princess to Overcome Death-Chapter 18: Engagement – Happy Ending?
18. Engagement – Happy Ending?
After Lena’s treatment was complete, the two returned by retracing the path they had previously marched. Thanks to the reward money earned from their achievements, they could have taken their time, but Lena hurried back home.
Thus, Lena and Leo returned with a sense of gloom, almost like defeated soldiers, eight months after leaving Avril Castle.
Lena's parents hugged their one-armed daughter and cried loudly. Thankful she had come back alive, they clung to her and didn't let go.
Even Dehorman couldn't hide his tears this time, and Lena poured out all the sorrow she had held back.
Noel Dexter quietly embraced Leo. Although there were no tears or warm words, the relief on his face was evident. He casually held the hand of his son, who had lost a thumb.
That evening, the two families gathered and drank together all night long.
The conversation revolved around what had happened at Avril Castle.
They neither asked about nor brought up stories from the battlefield.
*
Life at Avril Castle resumed.
Leo informed the lord of his promotion to Honorary Knight and received a pension. Though not abundant, it was enough to not worry about meals.
For the first few days, Lena and Leo habitually visited the vacant lot behind their house.
They sat there blankly, spending time.
Lena suddenly stood up.
“Shall we try wielding a one-handed sword?”
“I was thinking of practicing with a one-handed sword and shield too. Want to give it a try?”
“Hey, what do you mean shield? That would put me at a complete disadvantage. No shield.”
They faced each other with one-handed swords.
But the one-handed sword was completely different from the two-handed sword, and they only exchanged futile blows.
After practicing for a while, Lena threw her sword away and cried.
Leo silently embraced her. He had no words to comfort Lena, who was sobbing bitterly.
Having lost her arm, Lena could neither become a knight nor a princess.
Hunting was also too much with one arm.
In the Ainar tribe, those who did not participate in regular hunts were not recognized as warriors, so she could no longer be considered a warrior.
Lena... was now just an ordinary, one-armed young woman of the tribe.
Since that day when she threw away her sword, Lena didn’t visit the vacant lot anymore.
Leo practiced with the one-handed sword alone. It seemed that his swordsmanship skills applied to the one-handed sword too, as he adapted quickly, but it wasn’t very helpful since he had to swing with his left hand.
He also tried picking up the two-handed sword again but soon gave it up.
Though he could swing it, practicing without a thumb might develop bad habits, which could be fatal for a swordsman.
So, putting both swords aside and fiddling with the shield, he heard Lena’s voice.
She didn't come outside anymore, seemingly hating the sight of the vacant lot, and always called him from inside.
“Leo! Come in and try this!”
Lena, learning to cook from her mother, often offered Leo the dishes she made.
Leo brushed the first snow off his shoulder and went in to receive the food.
It was a dish where tough tendons were boiled for a long time in an odder fruit sauce until tender and cooked with a tomato-like vegetable. The smell was decent.
“How is it?”
“It’s delicious. You've improved a lot.”
It wasn't particularly tasty, but it was much better compared to her first attempts. Still, Lena stirred her fork, looking unsatisfied.
“Hmm... I don't think it’s good enough to be praised.”
“...It's good enough.”
“Leo, are you going to keep lying?”
“Sorry. But it’s really not bad. Honestly.”
“Really? That's a relief.”
Only the clattering sounds remained at the table.
Lena struggled to eat with one hand, and Leo, having cleaned his plate, waited for her to finish before speaking.
“Lena.”
“What?”
“Let's get married.”
Lena silently gathered the empty dishes.
“Lena. Please answer me.”
“I... don't want to.”
“Why?”
“I don't want to get married like this.”
Leo grabbed her shoulder as she tried to run away with the dishes. When he turned her around and kissed her, the dishes crashed to the floor.
While kissing, he held her one and only hand, intertwining their fingers tightly, and tears streamed from her eyes.
“Marry me.”
“...What’s the point of marrying a one-armed cripple like me?”
“What does it matter?”
Leo lifted Lena and carried her to the room. Gently laying her on the bed, he kissed her again.
“......”
“......”
He tried to undo her clothes but struggled without his right thumb. Awkwardly, he managed with his left hand.
Meanwhile, Lena attempted to undress him with one arm before giving up and staring at him.
“Cripples having sex.”
“If you keep talking like that, I’ll get angry. Lena is Lena.”
He embraced her naked body.
*
Lena and Leo got married the following spring.
The Ainar tribe members flocked like clouds to the wedding. Knights and a few soldiers from Avril Castle also attended. Even the lord made an appearance.
Following Ainar tribe customs, Leo Dexter's name was prominently displayed on the groom's side, and Lena Ainar's name was written on the bride's side.
Both fathers had tearful eyes, while the mothers remained composed, and the priest solemnly declared the couple married.
“Leo!”
Leo gave Lena, who was smiling brightly beside him, one last tight hug.
Cheers erupted from the guests.
In the happiest and most blessed moment, everything faded away.
[Lena got married. Congratulations!]
[Thank you for playing Lena’s Story.]
[Lena Ainar]
[Final Job: Chef]
[Spouse: Leo Dexter]
[Leo Dexter]
[Final Job: Honorary Knight]
[Spouse: Lena Ainar]
[Engagement Ending: Peace at Avril Castle]
---
Lena Ainar and Leo Dexter's Life Paths
---
Lena Ainar's Story:
Lena Ainar was born in Avril Castle and enjoyed a happy childhood... (omitted)... Lena, who participated in the war between the Kingdom of Bellita and another nation, achieved the remarkable feat of defeating Katrina, a knight of the 2nd Knights of Bellita. After sustaining an arm injury, Lena returned home, married Leo Dexter, and opened a small restaurant. They later had three children and led a happy life...
Leo Dexter's Story:
Leo Dexter was born in the capital, Barnaulle, and enjoyed a happy childhood... (omitted)... Leo, who participated in the war between the Kingdom of Bellita and another nation, achieved the remarkable feat of defeating Dero, a knight of the 2nd Knights of Bellita. After sustaining a hand injury, Leo returned home, married Lena Ainar, and became an Honorary Knight of Avril Castle. He often went hunting and led a happy family life...
---
In the familiar dark space, a picture of Lena appeared.
A beautiful bride without her right arm.
She was smiling more brightly than ever.
Leo filled the regret of not being able to be with Lena with words.
Fortunately, it seemed she lived well after getting married.
Leo's consciousness slowly faded away with a sense of regret and satisfaction, and Minseo's consciousness became clear again.
'I managed to see a happy ending somehow...'
He had made Lena happy and gained some achievements.
He had experienced war and avenged the past Lena by capturing Katrina.
He had also built up a few accomplishments. He had become stronger against soldiers and knights, and had gained some favor from the princes.
He could have spent a few years exploring other things, delaying marriage to Lena, but neither Leo nor Minseo wanted that.
Leaving the depressed Lena, who had lost her arm and her dreams, for the 'next' scenario was not something a human could do.
Minseo didn't regret marrying Lena.
However, he couldn't make her a princess after all. That was beyond his current ability.
Even capturing the injured Katrina was a struggle, only possible because of Lena's quick thinking. If she hadn't tripped Katrina, they both would have died.
Lena showed brilliant determination in a critical moment. She should have received the reward, not him.
Minseo began to feel affection for Lena. Separate from missing his parents and Chae-ha, he wanted to create a happy life for her.
[You have not cleared Lena's Story.]
[Leo, you have overwhelmed a strong opponent by cooperating with Lena. For this achievement, you are awarded the skill {Cooperative Swordsmanship}.]
[Restarting.]
As the video of Orville, the capital of the Kingdom of Bellita, played, Minseo became Leo once again.
Leo and Lena were crouched in an alley, looking like beggars, just as before.
Extreme hunger overwhelmed Leo. His sister looked longingly at the dirty water on the ground before turning away with difficulty.
“Brother... I’m hungry... and thirsty...”
Unlike before, his pockets felt heavy. They contained eight silver coins and five copper coins.
{Starting Funds}.
“Lena. Let’s go get something to eat.”
Leo helped Lena to her feet.
Holding his sister's frail hand brought back painful memories. The hellish night when he had clung to this small hand as her breathing grew weaker, unable to do anything. It was a memory he never wanted to recall.
Lena, thinking they were going to rummage through the trash, wore a tired expression.
Today, for some reason, her brother hadn’t even fetched water, and a sudden downpour had prevented them from foraging in the trash early in the morning.
As far as Lena knew, if they missed the early hours, there would be nothing left to eat.
Her brother held her hand and led her out of the alley. The market’s food smells assaulted her nose.
‘There’s so much food... Oh?’
Her brother strode toward a chicken shop, where a burly man with a club blocked their path.
“Hey. Get lost before I have to tell you again.”
Lena, scared, tugged at her brother’s sleeve. He lightly shook her hand as if to say not to worry.
“Could we buy something to eat with this?”
Her brother pulled out two brown coins from his pocket.
“Well, well. A customer, huh? Want it to go?”
“Can we eat here?”
“Eating in is a bit more expensive, you know?”
Her brother pulled out a few more copper coins from his pocket.
“Hmmm. You don’t look presentable enough to let in... but it’s not busy now. Come in.”
Lena followed in a daze and sat down.
As expected, my brother is amazing!
“Brother, where did you get that?”
“I found it. I kept it for emergencies.”
“That’s money? You said before you could buy anything with it, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Can you buy a house with it?”
“A house... you need a lot of this for that.”
“How much?”
“A whole lot. It’s impossible right now.”
“Where can you find it?”
“......”
It seemed she hadn’t received much education.
‘I need to gather money quickly and secure safety, starting with education... This scenario is too tough at the beginning.’
This scenario’s Lena was too beautiful to be let outside without guaranteed safety.
He would need to hire a tutor, but in this era, only nobles could afford private tutors, which were extremely expensive.
‘No, that’s because nobles hire renowned scholars... a reasonable teacher might not be so expensive?’
At that moment, the boiled chicken Leo had ordered, cut into pieces, arrived. Seasoned roasted chicken was too expensive, so he decided to save money.
Lena hungrily devoured the tender chicken meat. Leo watched her and fell into thought.
‘First, I need to focus on survival rather than making her a princess.’
Rushing things at the beginning could lead to Lena being captured again, like in the previous childhood friend scenario. He chewed on the chicken leg and reviewed what he had gained so far.
From scenario rewards, he had obtained the skills {Hunting} and {Swordsmanship}, {Starting Funds}, information on {Back Alley Rules}, and {Cooperative Swordsmanship}.
And achievements...
[Achievement: First Meeting with Lena - Lena holds a high affection for Leo.]
[Achievement: First Kill - Leo feels less guilt for killing.]
[Achievement: Ten Soldiers - Leo is stronger against soldiers.]
[Achievement: One Knight - Leo is stronger against knights.]
[Achievement: First Meeting with a Prince - Minor affection from all princes.]
[Achievement: Meeting Arnolf de Klaus - Minor affection from all nobles serving the Klaus royal family. Minor affection from Arnolf de Klaus.]
...there were too few.
Among them, only {Swordsmanship}, {Starting Funds}, and {Back Alley Rules} were immediately useful.
I am lacking in ability.
Even in the previous engagement scenario, I felt it. Despite having the well-trained body of Leo Dexter, I couldn't achieve much.
The war event was too harsh, and the initial environment of this beggar siblings scenario was so poor that life was no different from a war.
Even this Leo's body was malnourished, thin, and short. He had no weapons, and even if he had a decent sword, it would take a fierce struggle to handle two thugs. That was assuming the thugs were caught off guard. If they fought carefully and wore him down, he would definitely lose.
He couldn’t protect Lena like this.
‘This time, the goal is to achieve a happy ending.’
Leo swallowed a sigh inwardly. This beggar siblings scenario was almost like doing it for the first time.
Last time, Lena had died from illness within two days. So, it seemed wise to abandon any ambition of clearing it in one go.
His sister, choking on chicken, gulped down water.
My cute little sister.
This Lena, being family, quickly grew on him compared to other Lenas.
This time, I’ll definitely make her happy. I’ll provide her with a comfortable life and gather information separately.
I never want to see her die again.
‘Still, the last time wasn’t entirely without gains.’
Leo had a destination in mind right away.
.
!
Chapter 18: Engagement – Happy Ending?
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