Raising the Princess to Overcome Death-Chapter 296: Beggar Siblings – The Right to Choose
295: Beggar Siblings – The Right to Choose
That tomboy lady is up to something again.
While Katrina was rocking and soothing the two children to sleep, she occasionally stole glances at the beggar boy and Jenia, whom she saw the day before yesterday.
It was late in the day.
Although it wasn’t a suitable time to entertain guests, the lady of the house had seated the beggar on the mansion terrace and was sharing tea with him.
Pouring the tea herself, it almost seemed like she was treating him as a lover. Katrina couldn’t understand Jenia.
She had long realized that Jenia was not an ordinary master.
The young lady had run away from home simply because she didn’t want to get married, and Katrina had been asked by Jenia’s mother, Edlin Peter, who was also Ellen’s patron, to find her runaway daughter.
It seemed that Edlin didn’t want society to know that her marriageable-aged daughter had run away, so she had asked as a personal favor. At the time, Katrina, who had retired from the knights due to her first child, gladly accepted the request.
At first, she searched high and low.
However, it’s one thing to leave Ellen to look after the child for a day or two, and quite another to do it for months on end. So Katrina sought out a gang of informants known as the Rauno family. Through some persuasion... no, intimidation, it didn’t take long to find Jenia.
The noble young lady of the Peter family was hiding in the Theater, working as an actress.
When she ed back, Edlin Peter stormed into the theater.
“Oh, mother.”
Katrina wondered if she would get slapped.
Wow, this is something you can’t even pay to see. — She had expected this, but Edlin Peter burst out laughing when she saw her daughter acting.
Edlin was no ordinary woman, either.
She was known as a major patron of the arts in the Kingdom of Bellita, spending the Peter family’s wealth lavishly on her whims.
She supported the livelihoods of nearly extinct bards and held exhibitions for unknown painters.
Katrina’s lover, Ellen, had also benefited from her support. Although he was no longer unknown.
In front of the ticket booth at the theater, amidst the curious stares of theater staff, Edlin spoke calmly to the daughter she was meeting after several months.
“Do you really hate the idea of marriage that much? If you’re really against it, I’ll convince your father. We’ve already had a big fight over it. I was even tempted to go on a trip myself.”
“…I’m sorry. There’s no one I like… I don’t want to get married and have children, no matter how much it’s for the family.”
‘She’s still so young.’
This was what Katrina thought.
She had struggled immensely to have children herself. Wondering if her swordsmanship was to blame, she had incorporated some ‘grace’ into her usually aggressive sword techniques. Only then was she able to conceive.
But, well, it’s not my life. The conversation between mother and daughter continued.
“Okay. Then, at least come home. Let’s talk to your father.”
“No!”
Jenia yelled.
“Talking to my father is useless. He’ll insist on marrying me off to the Marquis of Tatian in the end. Bloodline this, bloodline that… I’m sick of it.”
“…You know your father’s past.”
“Then he should be all the more against it.”
Edlin shrugged her shoulders.
“Alright. Then what do you want me to do for you? Do you want to stay in the territory in secret?”
“No. I want to keep doing theater.”
“Theater?”
“Yes. I found it fun once I started. Honestly, I’m happy with things as they are now.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
Edlin spoke sternly.
Just as Jenia was about to get upset and argue, Edlin continued.
“If you want to do it, do it properly. Just by looking at you, I can tell what roles you’ve been playing and what kind of life you’re living. You’re probably playing some insignificant supporting roles, just barely scraping by.”
“…”
“Call the theater owner. Try playing a lead role once, and see if it’s really what you want. Reality might be different from what you imagine.”
“…Thank you, but no. I want to earn the lead role on my own.”
“Oh my, what are you talking about? You’re already earning a lead role on your own.”
“?”
“You’ve been influenced by commoners. Being born into the Peter family is your strength and talent.”
Edlin Peter lifted her head arrogantly.
Her dark hair, as thick as Jenia’s, swayed like a wave.
“Don’t waste your time. Try it out, and if it’s not for you, find another path. You have the right to choose, don’t you? Mother respects her daughter’s choices.”
In the end, Jenia nodded.
After that, Edlin arranged a modest mansion near the Theater for her. Katrina was asked to guard Jenia, and it was too good a deal to refuse.
Not only was the salary decent, but they also offered to rent an entire mansion for free. Since Katrina and Ellen were planning to have a second child, she discussed it with Ellen and accepted the offer.
After all, she had no income after quitting the knights, and while Ellen was doing well as an artist, one couldn’t rely on an artist’s income alone.
“Waaa!”
At that moment, her second son, for some reason, started crying loudly.
Oh dear, isn’t he lovely?
As she was about to rock him again, Katrina realized the boy had made a big mess in his diaper.
Oh dear — I should be standing guard.
Even in her confusion, Katrina glanced again at Jenia and Lean. On the terrace, where they were sharing tea...
‘Goodness gracious.’
They were whispering to each other, their heads close together, and even holding hands. Katrina shook her head.
[Achievement: The Man Katrina Protected with Her Life – Has Gained Great Affection for Katrina.]
That handsome beggar is living up to his good looks.
Jenia, that tomboy, has never shown interest in men before, so why now?
But it didn’t seem dangerous. Or was it dangerous? Thinking she should this to her employer, Katrina turned around. The daughter she had been carrying on her back was also waking up, murmuring, “Uuh…”
“Oh my goodness. Stay still, you two. I’m coming, mommy’s coming.”
Katrina hurried across the yard.
The two houses shared a single courtyard, separated only by a low wall.
To the left, where white liatris flowers were in full bloom, was Jenia’s residence, and to the right, with its blue-painted roof, was the newlywed home of Ellen and Katrina.
Katrina kicked open the front door and quickly looked for something to change the child into. As she bent down to soothe her wriggling daughter, she realized just how healthy the child was as she changed the heavy, warm diaper.
Even amidst all this business, she didn’t call for her husband.
It would have been much easier with Ellen’s help, but he had recently been gaining recognition after being an unknown painter for so long.
Having children seemed to have sparked some kind of change in him. Ellen’s brushstrokes had matured, and he was receiving rave reviews.
His previously pastoral landscape paintings now included detailed depictions of children and people, making his works highly sought after. Edlin’s decision to provide them with the house for free was likely motivated by a desire to support the rise of a great artist of the era.
After the chaotic scene had finally settled down, Katrina sat on the edge of the bed, holding the now heavy, rolled-up diaper. A faint sigh escaped her lips.
‘...I’ll have to do the laundry again.’
Sometimes, Katrina felt a pang of sorrow for her situation.
She had once been a knight of the kingdom. Now, she was just a mother changing dirty diapers and hand washing clothes several times a day.
Moreover, since her children were born almost back-to-back, Katrina was constantly busy, barely having a moment to breathe. Whenever she found herself holding a dirty diaper, she would suddenly feel so unbearably small and insignificant.
Katrina sat there for a moment.
But it didn’t last long.
Her son, now feeling refreshed, wriggled around and rolled over. As he crawled toward the edge of the bed, drooling, Katrina quickly scooped him up.
She had already regained her composure.
Because she found her son and daughter too adorable?
Of course, that was part of it, but thinking that this alone justifies one’s duty as a parent is a perspective held only by those who have never lived as anything other than someone’s child.
Parents, too, sometimes want to escape from the hardships of parenting and get tired of it.
The thought of when these tiny creatures will finally grow up into proper humans can feel suffocating.
But... this is the life I chose.
Katrina was determined to give her all to raise these little ones until they could take care of themselves. No, until they got married. No, until the day she closed her eyes for good.
Katrina held her son close.
She adjusted the baby sling on her back to secure her daughter, who was fussing and unable to sleep, and began to gently rock them again, singing a lullaby. Though she had never learned it, the melody of her mother’s lullaby came back to her.
*
“I’ll be back.”
Lean left the mansion, with Jenia seeing him off.
There had been some minor changes, like Katrina getting involved and the disappearance of the Orange Theater, but the fact that Jenia loved him and he loved her hadn’t changed.
Today, he had just reaffirmed that.
Lean walked away with a faint smile. For a moment, thoughts of Katrina surfaced, and he shook his head.
Forget about Katrina.
Just as we no longer think about Cassia.
She has been freed from her shackles.
He didn’t know exactly what those shackles were, but he believed that if the {Tracking Skill} didn’t lead to someone who had completed the shackle quest, it was because that person had fulfilled their purpose.
And since she seemed to be living happily with her children, staying out of her life was the best way to help her.
Yet he couldn’t shake off the restless feeling, and his steps became unsteady. Without realizing it, he found himself heading in the direction where Cassia was, using a plausible excuse.
+ …One day, while teaching Katrina swordsmanship, Lean went to meet Cassia and encountered a beggar with a broken arm. Intrigued by the beggar’s use of court etiquette, Lean followed him and, at the beggar’s request, began investigating the ‘Rauno Family.’ This investigation led to a series of favors that revealed the beggar was once the head chamberlain of the Tatalia royal family… +
This was something from the ending.
After being contacted through the mirror by Rev and waking up, he had acted independently on several occasions, repeatedly going to find Cassia.
Maybe it was just because he wanted to see how she was doing. Just like now.
The problem was that every time he went to see Cassia, he would meet that ‘beggar with the broken arm.’
And during the 19th rebellion scenario, when he ascended to the throne as the childhood friend, Rev had contacted him through the church’s communication system, and Lean had warned him then.
“If you keep accepting his requests, you’ll end up meeting Grand Duke Astroth. I barely escaped. It’s best to avoid him from the start, so next time, don’t go to see Cassia.”
So it seemed that every time, he had been getting close to Astroth.
And when Ray killed Count Herman Forte, the Swordmaster who was restraining Astaroth, that’s when it all went wrong.
Lean stopped walking and fell into thought.
It was late in the day, and a few thugs were loitering around the alley where he stood.
‘I still don’t know how I got so close to Astroth, who is holed up deep within the palace.’
“Hey, you there, you skinny little brat! Come over here.”
‘Why did I investigate the Rauno Family? What was I trying to find out that made me even join forces with the Marquis Tatian?’
“Hey, look at this kid. He’s not even listening. Stay right there, or I’m going to take care of you tonight.”
He couldn’t figure it out.
He could find out by visiting Cassia and meeting that beggar who claimed to be the head chamberlain, but…
Lean remembered the warning his past self had left and hesitated. At that moment, a fist suddenly swung toward him.
“Did he dodge? You little— Agh!”
Lean’s palm struck the thug’s temple as if delivering a slap. It hit the spot right where the jaw meets the neck, causing the thug’s head to buzz.
‘Since I know the context, it shouldn’t be that dangerous, but… if something goes wrong, I could lose this entire cycle.’
So should he go meet them, or not?
It seemed like pretty important information to check out, but Lean believed he wouldn’t have left that warning lightly. As he continued to beat up the thugs one-sidedly, he reached a conclusion.
“Not now, later.”
He had plenty of time, so he decided to investigate when it was safer. Astroth would likely have a fit if he saw him or Lerialia, so it wouldn’t be a bad idea to set up an intermediary to conduct the investigation.
If things got really dicey, he could capture the head chamberlain beggar and torture him… There were many options. He would choose wisely.
With that, Lean turned around.
But as he left, someone who had been quietly watching him among the sprawled-out thugs disappeared into the shadows.
.
!
Chapter 296: Beggar Siblings – The Right to Choose
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