Raising the Princess to Overcome Death Chapter 24

24. The Beggar Siblings – Lena's Earnings

The war between the two families had ended.

The two equally strong families could not see a conclusive end and only accumulated severe damage on both sides.

They reached an agreement.

The Berza family agreed to completely withdraw from the slave trade, and the Corolla family agreed not to involve themselves in the arms trade.

It was a mutual acknowledgment of each other's strength.

Meanwhile, Leo had risen to a respected position as an assault captain within the Corolla family.

Leo's swordsmanship was rare in the world of thugs. There were hardly any thugs who could face him one-on-one, but in reality, someone with his skills typically didn't engage in such lowly activities. With his talent, he could have made more money as a mercenary, so there was no need to cling to the underworld.

Leo didn't mind.

His pockets were jingling with dozens of silver coins. It was the money he had saved over time.

Leo hurried his steps, pondering what to buy for his sister.

With his new position as an assault captain, his salary had increased and his work hours had changed. He no longer needed to stay at the thug quarters.

And now...

"Now I can ask the family to protect my sister."

He planned to bring Lena into the family. The family never betrayed their own, so there was no need to hide Lena in the shoe shop any longer.

With the intense fight over, he could start looking for a suitable match for Lena. He also needed to consider routes that might connect her to a prince for future plans.

During meetings with the leaders, he had gained valuable information. The Launo family also operated as informants. This was why they always maintained a neutral stance.

"I should have joined the Rauno family from the beginning."

If he had, he would have known much more than he did now.

However, he wasn't too regretful. Thanks to not having big ambitions from the start, this scenario progressed stably.

Leo cheerfully headed towards the leather market.

"Lena! Big brother's here~."

He greeted Cassia warmly as well. Despite the strange atmosphere before, it now felt good. It was probably because his achievements had raised his spirits.

"She's a strange woman, but she's a good one."

He thought that after marrying off Lena and reaching the ending, he might end up meeting Cassia post-ending.

"Big brother! Come in."

Entering the room, Leo saw Lena hiding something behind her back.

It was delightful to see Lena after nearly a month. She had become even more beautiful. There was a subtle allure about her, and her voice carried a hint of melancholy.

Lena looked at her brother with eyes full of anticipation.

"Big brother will be pleased, right?"

Lena had been waiting eagerly to surprise him.

"Big brother, look at this."

Leo received the small box Lena handed him.

The box was heavier than it looked.

Lena smiled joyfully as she saw her brother open the lid and become astonished. The box was filled with gold coins.

Leo stared blankly at the gold coins.

His mind went blank.

"Where did all this come from...?"

"It's the money I earned. With this, we can buy a very nice house!"

Leo looked at Lena in shock.

As the box slipped from his hands, gold coins scattered across the floor, and simultaneously, an achievement popped up.

[Achievement: Pimp – Income from the prostitutes increases.]

"You... you...!! Don't tell me!"

"Why?"

"What have you done!"

When Leo shouted, Lena stammered in confusion.

"I-I just earned money..."

"What on earth did you do! Cassia!!"

- Bang!

Leo stormed out, almost breaking the door.

"Big brother! What's wrong?"

"Cassia!!"

Leo gritted his teeth as he saw Cassia turning leisurely from the table.

"You! What did you make Lena do?! Answer me quickly!"

"Big brother! What's wrong?"

Seeing Leo angry for the first time, Lena stood at the doorway, unable to move, her face stricken with tears.

"What did I make her do? I just showed her how to earn money."

"And what is that?"

Lena was bewildered by her brother's anger. Was what she did so wrong that it made his fists tremble?

"What do you think? Selling her body. What's wrong with that?"

"How can you say that! Damn it, making my sister do something so dirty...!"

Shame washed over Lena.

Cassia had comforted and taught her a lot during that time.

This is not wrong.

It’s just a simple ‘job’ of satisfying men. She was merely helping those who needed it in exchange for compensation...

Yet, every time she worked, someone inside her screamed that it was wrong.

Lena tried to ignore those screams and believe in Cassia's words. This was the only thing she could do.

It was absolutely not wrong.

But was it really wrong?

As Lena's hand turned pale and trembled, Leo grabbed Cassia by the collar and lifted her from the table.

In his hand was a dagger.

"Big brother!! What are you doing! Cassia didn't do anything wrong!"

"Get out of the way!"

Lena ran to stop him, but she was pushed away by Leo's arm and fell to the floor.

Tears welled up instantly.

The scattered gold coins had rolled over to this point, and one even got stepped on by Leo's foot.

This is the money I earned!

Something surged up in her chest.

"You filthy woman! How could you make Lena do such a thing? I asked you to hide her, not sell her to a brothel!"

Leo shook Cassia by the neck. Her slender body flailed as he did.

"Ugh... guh..."

Cassia tried to break free from his grasp, but her sharp nails only managed to draw a few drops of blood without budging his rough grip.

"She didn't sell me!"

Lena screamed in a high-pitched voice.

"I went! I went there myself! I did it!"

With Cassia still lifted, Leo's bloodshot eyes turned back to Lena. His face, twisted like a demon, revealed the tears he was holding back.

"Why are you crying, brother! Why are you crying!" Lena screamed in frustration.

"What's wrong with it! What's dirty about it! What do you know! Damn it! This is so messed up!!" Lena spat out the same words she heard from other girls at the brothel.

Her brother's face showed even more shock. He looked as if he couldn’t believe it, as if something terrible had happened to her.

"Why are you looking at me like that! I did nothing wrong! I'm not dirty...! I'm not..." Her defiance turned into anger.

"I hate you!" Lena stormed out of the shop.

Leo, unable to regain his composure, threw Cassia aside and ran after Lena.

"Lena! Lena!"

His sister was already far ahead, running with her pretty face exposed, crying.

"Lena! Don’t go! It's my fault! Come back!"

Leo tried to chase her, but a large man blocked his way.

"What the hell are you doing? Is this your living room? Why are you shouting? Put the knife away, or you'll die."

Lena's retreating figure was obscured by the massive body of Ober.

"Move! Before I kill you!"

"What? Are you out of your mind?"

"Get out of my way!"

Leo brandished his dagger.

But Ober dodged easily and growled.

"This bastard..."

Ober blew a small whistle, summoning thugs from the Launo family from all directions.

"Drop the knife before I kill you. If it weren’t for Cassia, I wouldn't even be warning you."

Surrounded by four thugs, Leo, with his eyes ablaze, ignored Ober's warning and lashed out with his knife.

If he had his two-handed sword, he could have killed them all, but with only a short dagger, he couldn’t handle multiple opponents.

"Damn... fine."

Eventually, Leo dropped his dagger.

If he died here, he wouldn’t be able to find Lena.

Ober grabbed him and dragged him back to the shoe shop.

"Cassia. What's going on?"

Cassia rubbed her bruised neck and hid it with her hand as she answered Ober.

"It seems he got mad because I introduced his sister to a job."

"...Really? Was that girl who ran off his sister? You were hiding her here?"

"Sorry, Uncle. They seemed desperate. Let us handle this ourselves, please."

"...Hmph. Hey! If you cause trouble like this again, I’ll kill you for real. There won’t be any Corolla family to protect you."

Ober, understanding the situation, let go of Leo and left with his thugs.

Cassia looked at the fuming Leo.

"Why are you so angry?"

"Damn it... how can I not be angry? Where did Lena go?"

It was too late to catch up to her, so he needed to know where she went.

"She probably went back to where she worked."

Her nonchalant tone made him even angrier.

"Why did you introduce such work to Lena?"

"She wanted to help you."

"Damn it! And you made her do that kind of work?"

"So what if she sold her body?"

Cassia's vague eyes sharpened with rage and sorrow.

"I started this to save my sick father. I was Lena's age then. It was all I could do to keep him alive. If I didn’t, he would have died."

Cassia's anger flared up as if she was ready to explode. Leo was momentarily stunned by her outburst.

"I did my best. But in the end, my father couldn’t beat the illness and killed himself. Ha! I should have let him die earlier. That way, his suffering would have been shorter."

"...I don’t care about your circumstances. What about Lena? Did she need money that badly?"

Cassia snorted.

"You lied to her about the job. Lena probably thought you were going to die from a stab wound."

Leo's patience snapped.

"Damn it! Shut up! Just tell me where Lena went!"

"The sixth alley across from the South Gate Boulevard. Though it's probably too late."

"Too late for what?"

"She's probably signing a contract now."

"What kind of contract?"

"What do you think, one to meet nobles for a few years. Lena is beautiful."

"You wretched woman!"

Leo, unable to contain his rage, reached for his dagger but found it was gone.

He grabbed Cassia with his bare hands, threw her onto the bed, and started choking her.

Cassia flailed her thin limbs, struggling against his grip.

Just then, the surroundings began to blur.

[Lena's final profession has been determined.]

[Thank you for playing "Raising Lena."]

[Lena de Yeriel]

[Final Profession: High-Class Courtesan]

[Marriage Partner: Single]

[Leo de Yeriel]

[Final Profession: Brothel Manager, Thug]

[Marriage Partner: Single]

[Beggar Siblings Ending: Red Light District]

- Born in Lutina Royal Palace, Lena had an unfortunate childhood. She was hidden in the vast fields by the hands of people, and when she opened her eyes, the fields... (excerpt) ... Lena started working at the brothel with Cassia's help. After a big fight with Leo, she signed a contract with the brothel and met many nobles, but never became anyone's concubine. Instead, she grew into a shadowy figure manipulating nobles during the war. However, Lena, who delved too deep into politics, was killed by knights sent by Count Herman Forte, who returned from stopping the war. -

- Born in Lutina Royal Palace, Leo had an unfortunate childhood. Led by people, he and Lena... (excerpt) ... Leo, who rose to the position of the Corolla family's assault captain, soon quit his job. He joined the brothel where his sister worked, protecting her and managing the brothel, but died fighting the knights who came to kill Lena. -

A picture of Lena lying seductively on the bed appeared.

Her bare legs drew an elegant curve, and she reached out with enchanting eyes, inviting anyone outside the picture.

Leo was too shocked to continue thinking.

My sister has turned into this.

It felt like dozens of serpents were coiling around her. At the same time, she seemed innocently enticing men to the bed.

It's my fault.

I turned my sister into a monster.

Lena's innate talent had blossomed into this. A beautifully twisted flower, devouring all who approached.

Leo's mind screamed in agony and blurred as Minseo came to the forefront.

Minseo's chest tightened at the sight of Lena.

Fortunately, Lena's picture soon disappeared.

He tried to forget the picture.

There was too much information to process immediately. The last time Lena died of illness, he couldn’t read due to grief.

He had to read it now.

Minseo composed himself and read the disappearing text.

First, Lena and Leo's surname, Yeriel.

It was the surname of the Conrad Royal Family. The "de" in their names indicated they were legitimate heirs with a claim to the throne.

Both were born in Lutina Royal Palace, which was the capital of the Conrad Kingdom.

"Maybe they were exiled due to a succession issue?"

It seemed likely. Someone must have helped the prince and princess escape, leaving young Lena and Leo to survive as beggars.

The text scrolled up, and Minseo hurried to read about Lena and Leo's story.

Count Herman Forte killed Lena. That Swordmaster seemed to have repelled the invasion of the Astin Kingdom... The difficulty of the fiancé scenario increased.

A losing war, with a higher chance of death.

But the debt for killing Lena would be repaid.

Minseo stubbornly read the rising text.

After extracting all the information, the emotions he had suppressed resurfaced.

"Cassia! Damn woman!"

She ruined everything.

Lena's peaceful life, and Minseo's plan to slowly gather information on the prince!

Before Minseo could vent his anger, words appeared in the air.

[You did not clear "Raising Lena."]

[Leo's accomplishments are less than Lena's. Lena briefly dominated the political scene of Bellita Kingdom. As a result, some of Lena's {Seduction Skills} are inherited by Leo.]

[Restarting.]