NOVEL NEXT Chapter 158
Chapter 158. Beggar Siblings – Theater
“Brother, what are you doing?”
Lena called out to Leo. Although she did not say anything, it had already been a while since they began aimlessly wandering around the alley. He had said there was a place they needed to go, but she didn’t know why he was acting this way.
Her brother did not answer.
He stood dazed in front of a warehouse, repeatedly glancing outside the alley. Eventually, he took my hand and said, “Come here,” quickly pulling me along.
I quietly followed him.
As we exited the street that smelled of leather, a wide avenue unfolded. In the far left stood a grand royal palace built with high stone walls, and to the right was a large gate embedded in a tightly constructed wall, where people were coming and going.
Matching her brother’s stride, Lena took short steps.
His stride was wide.
Though I needed to take half a step more for each of his paces, it wasn’t difficult to keep up. His strides were wide, but he walked slowly.
Lena looked at her brother’s worn leather shoes alternating with her own shoes, which were frayed and muddy. She hastened her steps even though they did not fit well and the soles were torn.
Left foot. Right foot. Left foot. Right foot.
Matching her brother’s steps.
Thud.
While concentrating on her steps, her brother suddenly reached out his hand to her chest. Looking up, a carriage whizzed past with a neigh.
I was startled.
Surprised.
“Lena, you should look ahead while walking.” ─ Her brother wasn’t in a good mood, possibly surprised himself. From then on, his pace slowed, making it easier for me to follow.
We crossed the avenue. Without hesitation, her brother chose one of the many alleys on the opposite side. After counting, it seemed like the fifth or sixth alley.
It was an alley adorned with red lanterns.
The lights were not on. Perhaps because it was daytime, but the dust-covered state suggested there was another reason.
Flinch.
At that moment, her brother’s step faltered. Looking up, two rough-looking men were walking from the other end of the alley.
Scared.
I hid behind my brother. Remembering his repeated warnings from the past, I stayed hidden without showing my face.
Even though my brother must have been scared too…
Though worried, my brother’s body was not tense. After the men passed by, her brother looked at them with a longing gaze.
Someone he knows?
The question ended there. As her brother walked again, they arrived at a theater adorned with colorful triangular flags, marking the end of their journey.
In front of the theater stood a large but plump man who somehow seemed friendly and another man with light gray eyes who had a bright expression.
“Mr. Ober. Theater 1 has started. When will the others arrive?”
“Oh, since there are so many family members… it seems Soirin must have missed informing everyone. I just sent the kids, so they should be here soon.”
Without hesitation, her brother approached the plump man. His lively steps made it look like he was approaching an old friend.
*
‘Found it.’
Cassia had disappeared. Although surprised, Leo had clues about why she vanished, so he searched the area surrounding the leather district thoroughly.
[Achievement: ‘Cassia’s Life’ Quest Completed – Cassia has broken free from her shackles.]
In the previous session, when Cassia freed herself from her shackles, knowing that Leo was a prince, she had tried to leave recklessly. Then, she cried in his arms, later saying with a relieved expression,
– “You can call me sister now, Your Highness. I feel relieved. Somehow… I feel free.”
Cassia, who burst out laughing towards the vast field.
She left with a promise to live more happily than anyone else in the world, a pair of shoes meticulously made from Erakt leather, and a crooked letter.
But that did not mean she disappeared from the world. She must be living happily somewhere, and she had to be.
With that certainty, Leo searched the leather district and noticed Ober was missing.
Although it was a bit early for him to go to work, Leo used {Tracking Skill} on a whim and realized Ober was somewhere off the direction of the Rauno family’s manor. And, as Leo tracked Ober down, his vague speculation gradually turned into conviction. Cassia’s workplace was in this sixth alley.
No, it used to be.
Leo had once disgustedly inspected this brothel with a repulsive feeling, recalling the sticky air-filled place where his sister had worked, seething with rage.
Like Cassia.
In place of the brothel, a theater now stood, with a sign reading ‘Orange Theater.’
“Hello.”
“Oh, hello.”
Leo greeted Ober naturally. Though a homeless kid was speaking to him for the first time, Ober nonchalantly returned the greeting.
Having once been a beggar himself, Ober was a notable figure among the beggars of Orville.
He always carried snacks and shared them with beggars, and if a healthy young man was begging, he would even introduce him to ‘Darun’, a small leather artisan. Despite his appearance and the work he did, he was a kind-hearted person.
Of course, he wasn’t kind to everyone… After all, he was a thug who could act ruthlessly and wield a weapon if necessary.
“Sorry, I’m here to ask you something.”
“Hey, you guys need to take a bath first. Ugh, the smell is awful. How long has it been since you last bathed?”
Ober grabbed Leo’s dirty hair with one hand and twisted it like handling a child.
“What is the beggar leader doing? I’ve told him to take the kids to the lake to wash at least once a month…” he muttered, seemingly unaffected by any sense of nobility or royal blood that Leo might exhibit.
A typical thug who defies social conventions. Even when he heard that Leo was adopted into the Marquisate of Tatian, his demeanor hadn’t changed.
“You come here too. What have you been doing to get so dirty? Brettin, can we use your shower room?”
Ober asked the theater owner for permission and led the filthy beggar kids into the theater.
Hee-
Lena looked around in wonder at the inside of the theater, which she had never seen before.
The dark red hallway was the first to greet her. It was quite long, perhaps designed to build up the audience’s anticipation as it led to the hall. The walls were covered with posters advertising various plays, and red drapes were hung here and there, creating an air of mystery. Occasionally, masks and capes were hung up, adding to the detailed interior decoration.
Hee-
They arrived at the hall where a performance was in full swing. The innocent newcomer, Lena, gaped in amazement.
Some areas were bright while others were very dark. Although there were many audience members such that whispered conversations turned into a murmur, they were hardly visible in the shadowy seats.
In contrast, the stage protruding into the center of the hall was very bright and spacious. The second floor seemed open, with lanterns hanging from the high ceiling, illuminating the actors below.
“Oh queen! Wise ruler and sister of the great hero! I have killed a man. Please punish me.”
The actor playing ‘Banoon Rauno’ shouted. The first noble to acquire the right to punish and govern commoners confessed with grief. In response, the woman sitting on the throne opened her mouth.
“Why did you commit the crime? I know you are not that kind of person. Tell me. I will determine if your crime truly is one.”
“He was lazy. He neglected his duties and begged for the goodwill of others. He argued for an equal distribution of the grain that others sweated to harvest.”
“What is the problem with that?”
Banoon Rauno said firmly. Although he had committed a crime, his attitude showed no remorse.
“Yes. He harmed the kingdom. He shirked the responsibilities of his own life and mocked the hard work and achievements of others. So I killed him. I taught him that death is the only fairness humans can achieve.”
“Lena. Be careful-”
Ouch!
Lena, who had been walking while staring at the stage, collided with a boy. Thud! Losing her balance, she fell, and the boy, not knowing what to do, extended his hand.
“A-are you okay? Sorry.”
“Ouch… I- I’m fine.”
But she wasn’t fine. As a nosebleed dripped from her beautiful lips, the boy panicked.
“You rascal! Where do you think you’re wandering? Sit quietly.”
“Ugh! Uncle Ober.”
Ober picked up the boy who had caused the accident. In the dimly lit auditorium, illuminated by the stage lights, the boy’s features came into view.
Curly brown hair. A boy with a round nose and a wide forehead.
“Shush!”
The audience’s sharp glances poured in. Although they were all members of the Rauno family, they raised their index fingers as they waited for the decision of Leicia upon Banoon Rauno.
“…Let’s go. You, go back.”
Ober put the boy down and patted his back, but the boy didn’t leave. Feeling sorry for Lena, he followed them to the theater shower room.
They passed through the dark auditorium and by the stage.
Behind the stage was the dressing room. Oddly enough, the dressing room wasn’t an open space but rather filled with many small rooms.
Some places were open wide, but it was clear that it had once been multiple rooms merged into one space, judging by the marks on the floor.
The shower room was also peculiar. Usually, showers had a well and buckets, and roughly separated space for washing would suffice, but here each washing spot had a wooden bathtub.
Moreover, each tub had its own chair and drainage system… It was unusual. It made one wonder if there was a need to put so much effort into the theater shower room.
Leo quickly led his sister inside before she could completely strip off her clothes. He drew water and handed it over, then stood guard by the door for a moment.
In fact, there was no reason to maintain it… Ober and the boy, who had been watching Leo’s strange behavior, eventually learned the reason.
“Brother, I’m all done.”
When Lena appeared, the boy made a gasp. Her damp blond hair shone under the dim lighting. Although her chin was gaunt and sharp, it remained round without losing its gracefulness, and her gleaming golden eyes pierced the boy’s chest relentlessly.
Her well-groomed eyebrows and plump lips like raspberries appeared sorrowful.
The transformation of the dirty girl who had just gone in with a nosebleed left the boy in a trance.
Leaving the shocked pair and the leisurely towel-drying Lena behind, Leo also went inside to wash.
He didn’t worry about his sister’s safety. Those two people were trustworthy. When they were being chased by Marquis Benard Tatian, they were the ones who protected Lena and fled to the Kingdom of Eisel.
“Ah, hello. My name is… Santian Rauno. Is your nose okay?”
“Yes. It’s okay. It stopped.”
The boy’s clumsy attempt to strike up a conversation with the pretty girl showed itself. “I told you my name, so you should tell me yours too.” When he asked, Lena quickly replied, “I’m Lena.” He didn’t know how to continue the conversation.
“So, where do you live? I…”
While patiently listening to the boy’s ramblings, which neither asked questions nor held curiosity, Leo, having washed up, came out. Ober, who had been standing silently with his hands behind his back, spoke.
“It must have been tough for you because of your sister. Come here.”
He then took the siblings back to the dressing room. He rummaged through the randomly strewn props and costumes and handed over some clothes that would fit the boy and girl (though the tailoring was slightly exaggerated for the theater).
“Thank you. We’ll wear them… Lena!”
Excited by the new clothes, Lena swiftly threw off her dirty dress. Santian Rauno, his ears turning bright red, hurriedly averted his gaze and fidgeted nervously.
Leo gave his clueless sister a light knock on the head and quickly dressed Lena. Wearing a fresh white dress intended for a young acolyte, Lena smiled like an angel.
Leo also changed into a top with wide sleeves and baggy pants… A thunderous applause erupted. Apparently, the performance had ended and the actors had rushed out from the stage after their bows.
A large curtain was seen slowly descending on the stage. As the curtain fell, Leo’s eyes met those of a woman descending the stage steps.
A subtle smile.
The woman who played Queen Leicia. She looked directly at Leo and smiled.
“Did you find me?”
Her black wavy hair, dark eyes, pale theatrical makeup, though small, straightened shoulders, petite frame, and the spotlight shining down on her…
Leo’s heart pounded uncontrollably, and Minseo’s consciousness suddenly sparked and gleamed.
– Chae-ha?