Raising the Princess to Overcome Death-Chapter 202: The Beggar Siblings - Why Me?
202. The Beggar Siblings - Why Me?
"This drawing room is lovely. Did you decorate it yourself, Count?"
Leo leaned an arm on the back of the sofa, taking in the room.
The drawing room of Count Peter’s mansion seemed split in two, with different wallpaper on the window side and the inner wall.
The window side, where Leo sat, had bright sandy-colored wallpaper. The opposite side had deep ocean-colored wallpaper, a bold choice for a man like Count Peter, who usually wore no adornments.
"No, it’s my wife’s taste. I’m glad you like it."
"She must have an excellent aesthetic sense. But... is it because I’ve lived in poverty? It feels a bit cluttered. Personally, I prefer a sense of unity. What about you, Baron?"
Unity. The prince is now trying to reclaim his share.
Gustav felt the conversation was advancing quickly and gave a cautious reply after a moment of silence.
"There are pros and cons. Though rare, there might be times when being divided is better."
He still didn’t know much about this prince. He had heard Leo was a Swordmaster, but it was hard to believe. Remembering him from over a decade ago, it was clear he was a genius, but Gustav thought it wouldn’t hurt to test him.
However, the prince's response was unexpected.
"Haha. Is that so? I didn’t expect you to say that. Then, in what cases is division preferable, Count?"
This felt unpleasant. Gustav's eyebrows twitched upwards.
Baron. Count.
This man was toying with his titles. If not that, then he was provocatively asking, ‘Why aren’t you in your homeland?’
Was he trying to blackmail him, using his dual allegiances as leverage? Gustav scoffed, responding with dismissive words.
"It’s better than being mixed up and messy."
This was the advantage of noble conversation. If you didn’t like the direction, you could just spew meaningless words to cut it off. But,
You’re annoyed, huh. Leo read the true feelings behind Gustav’s curt response. Another perk of noble conversation: even nonsense carried some underlying meaning.
You hate being mixed and messy. This means...
Leo pondered Gustav's true feelings and realized the implications. He recalled the story of the Monarch family from the beggar siblings' scenario, shared by Jenia Zachary, and pieced things together.
According to Jenia, the Monarch family had the heir, Bailey Monarch, the daughter, Grainen Monarch, and the illegitimate son, Baric MonarChapter Baric, allegedly sent to the capital church, was likely Cardinal Berg. Rumors circulated that Grainen had a child out of wedlock, and Bailey later adopted a son, Gustav, who resembled Cardinal Berg. This suggested Gustav was born of an affair between half-siblings.
He didn't know the exact details, but the outcome was clear: Gustav had a very messy lineage.
His parents’ relationship aside, in a class-conscious society, having a noble mother and a commoner father made it even messier, especially if it was an extramarital affair unrecognized by the family.
He hates being mixed and messy.
Thus, Gustav's casual remark was laden with deep insecurity. Leo felt he could understand why Gustav despised his father and why he chose to live as a noble in another country. However, the problem was...
‘...This isn’t something I can fix. What am I supposed to do about it?’
This was a predicament. Leo had thought getting through to Cardinal Berg via Count Peter was the normal route, but now it seemed impossible.
The path, though seemingly promising, was blocked. Feeling deceived again, Leo struggled to contain his rising anger. Screw it, I’ll do it my way. He stood abruptly and drew his sword.
“Ah! Count!”
The knights behind Gustav moved to shield him. They swallowed nervously at the sight of Leo’s blazing aura blade, but Leo remained still.
"Baron Gustav MonarChapter I need your help. Do you think I am lacking as a prince or worthy of your loyalty?"
Leo’s aura blade extinguished with a flick. He sheathed his sword, and a bewildered knight accepted the scabbard.
"Choose."
As Leo sat back down, the knights hesitated, unsure what to do with this enigmatic Swordmaster. Seeing their confusion, Gustav intervened.
"Leave us."
"But Count..."
"It’s fine. Leave us. I have matters to discuss with this gentleman... And keep your mouths shut."
The knights and butler filed out. Now only Leo, the Count, and the steaming tea remained in the drawing room.
Sipping his tea, Gustav spoke.
"You’re more impulsive than you seem."
“...”
"I don’t know why you’re in such a hurry, but it won’t help to reveal that you’re a Swordmaster. There’s a powerful noble, Benar Tatian, who would find it very troubling if he noticed you."
"I appreciate the advice, but I need your answer first."
Gustav leaned back against the sofa, running a hand through his silver hair as he pondered before speaking.
"Very well. I will help you. But I won't support you directly. I have no desire to return to Conrad Kingdom."
"...So, what are you offering me?"
"I can provide financial support. You will likely have to travel across the entire Conrad Kingdom, engaging in long battles. If our Monarch family doesn’t participate directly in the rebellion, we can be your last refuge. Consider us a fallback plan if you fail."
"That’s an odd way to put it. If I fail and flee to the Monarch family, your family won't be safe."
"That’s fine. I owe you that much for not being able to help directly."
This is absurd. Leo stared at the Count, who seemed to think he was offering a grand gesture.
Borrowing someone else’s knife to kill.
Gustav planned to use the situation to have the entire Monarch family wiped out. Given his messy lineage and likely poor treatment in childhood, it wasn’t incomprehensible. But Gustav’s attitude, whether the rebellion succeeded or failed, was perplexing.
─ “Seeing you all grown up is touching, but... unfortunate. If you are alive, ‘our’ Conrad Kingdom will be in turmoil. Please, do not forgive me.”
In a previous round, when Leo first met Count Gustav Peter, the Count had discovered his identity on the day he was about to be adopted by Marquis Tatian. He had whispered this before exposing Leo’s identity to the Marquis, leading to a chase.
Back then, Count Gustav Peter had wanted to avoid a succession conflict in Conrad Kingdom.
Why the change now...?
Of course, the situation was very different then.
Back then, Leo was just a thug with no notable sword skills or achievements, a troublemaker in Gustav’s eyes. His lack of usefulness made abandoning him an easy choice.
Now, Leo was a Swordmaster, and the Count couldn’t obstruct his path. Additionally, with achievements like meeting the prince and the traits {Blood of Kings} and {Nobility}, Gustav probably couldn’t afford to dismiss him even if it caused unrest in Conrad Kingdom.
So, another question arises. Why did the Count previously want to avoid turmoil in Conrad Kingdom?
In a previous round, Gustav had said, “I’ll help, but I need to investigate something first. Please wait.” Then he had refused to meet after Leo caused a major scandal by kissing Princess Tatian.
Headache.
Leo felt a severe headache but decided to take a gamble.
"Very well. I’ll accept your help. When I reclaim my rightful place, I’ll reward you handsomely. But..."
Show some humanity.
"It pains me to think my ambition might cause turmoil in the kingdom. Do you have any advice for me?"
"...Well? I believe your wisdom will guide you well..."
I can see you’re scheming. Leo leaned forward, feigning sincere concern, and stroked his chin as Gustav finally spoke.
"There is another person besides Prince Eric who seeks the throne. I hesitate to say, as it’s not related to me. But, it’s Cardinal Berg..."
Ah.
Leo realized something significant. Gustav’s role became clear.
Count Gustav Peter revealed that Cardinal Berg was secretly nurturing priests and holy knights. He advised Leo to closely inspect the "Grania Orphanage" in Conrad Kingdom’s capital, Lutetia—information Leo already knew.
So the sequence was off.
In the fourth round of the beggar siblings’ scenario, when Leo assembled knights to overthrow Prince Eric, Jenia Zachary had told him about the relationship between Cardinal Berg and Count Peter. However, Leo hadn’t known how the Cardinal could help depose Eric back then.
He had tried to overthrow Prince Eric without the Cardinal’s help, only to encounter Oriax and face a terrible ending. Leo only understood the Cardinal’s importance after reading the ending text.
But if he had heard this from Count Peter first...
Even with Count Peter’s veiled words suggesting to depose the Cardinal, if Leo had then learned from Jenia Zachary about their relationship, he wouldn’t have faced such a dreadful ending in the fourth round.
Realizing this, Leo struggled to keep his expression neutral.
This damn game had messed up the sequence. To meet Count Peter and get this information, he needed to have amassed various achievements, but gathering knights in Conrad Kingdom to oppose Prince Eric wasn’t particularly difficult.
It was like being baited with an easy solution only to be mocked with, “That wasn’t it, you fool.” Leo’s face flushed with anger. He hadn’t figured it out, but this was too much.
“What’s wrong?”
“...Nothing. I’m just tired. Let’s discuss the details later...”
And I’m still a beggar. Leo coughed, continuing.
So humiliating.
“Could you prepare a room for me for a few days before I leave?”
Count Peter looked slightly puzzled. Leo shamelessly held his head high, avoiding eye contact by pretending to examine the drawing room.
Right. The beggar siblings’ scenario always ends up like this...
But more frustrating situations awaited.
While staying at Count Peter’s mansion for a few days, preparing for his journey, Leo occasionally met Katrina. He taught her swordsmanship, hoping to clear her constraint quest by saying, “This is the last day. I have to leave now. You’ve quit the knighthood, right?”
But Katrina, stalling and pretending, finally said, as if daring him to argue.
"I didn’t quit the knighthood. Why would I? I’ve learned everything."
...What?
.
!
Chapter 202: The Beggar Siblings - Why Me?
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