Beggar Siblings - Appearance
Cleanly washed, his little sister’s face turned to Leo.
Lena was pretty.
No, she was beautiful.
Her neatly aligned eyebrows were embroidered like arches over her round forehead, and between her strawberry-like lips, pearly white teeth peeked out playfully.
Even though her cheeks, which Leo had meticulously cleaned, were thin, they didn't lose their elegance. Her adorably small ears marked the beginning of a delicate jawline, balancing her face with a graceful, curved nose.
And those eyes! Within the wells of her eyes, framed by modestly lowered eyelashes, a golden light flickered as if filled with gold coins, brightly illuminating Lena’s gaze.
This Lena also had a similar feel to the previous two at first glance. But in terms of appearance alone, the Lena of Demos Village was just a pretty girl from a small village, and Lena Einar of Avril Castle was nothing more than a beautiful warrior.
On the other hand, this Lena, despite being thin and young, possessed a beauty that could only be described as devastatingly gorgeous. If she were to gain some weight, dress up, and age a few years, even mythical heroes would lose their resolve before her.
Only then did he realize why Leo had left the dirt clods on his sister's face. It was deliberately applied.
He also understood why they didn't build a house and join the beggars. He was hiding Lena.
It also explained why Lena didn't know where the water was.
He probably brought water from afar in that small cup outside...
As Leo stared at Lena for a moment, lost in thought, he noticed a question in her eyes, which seemed about to overflow with tears.
"Brother, what's wrong?"
"...It's nothing. Let's go to sleep."
"Okay."
The narrow floor was covered with small pieces of cloth.
He laid his sister down against the wall and lay down himself as if to guard the outside, giving her his arm as a pillow. Lena was tired and quickly fell asleep in her brother's arms.
Leo couldn't sleep.
Looking at Lena's face, he was filled with worry.
'I thought it would be enough if we could just avoid being beggars...'
He had thought that this scenario had a rather harsh starting environment, but unlike the other scenarios, it didn't have any dead ends, and it had many advantages.
First, they were siblings.
Their relationship didn't affect Lena's marriage, and rather, it was a situation where he could actively help her.
And Lena was young. She seemed to be a year or two younger than the other Lenas, which was a big advantage. It meant that he had more time to prepare.
But then there was Lena’s appearance.
This excessive beauty made the problem serious.
It might be convenient for her to become a princess later, but there was nothing he could do right now. He had to hide her for fear of being caught.
Right now, she was just a girl about to enter middle school, so she didn't attract much attention. But if she grew up a little more and reached the age where she would receive the gaze of men, covering her face wouldn't be enough.
And that necklace with the white seal. He had played a lot of games, so he recognized it at a glance - it was an object deeply related to bloodline. He didn't know much about it yet, but these kinds of things always brought disaster.
'This scenario is completely focused on the latter half.'
This kind of scenario had a very difficult beginning.
A secret birth and a beauty that needed to be hidden. It was a situation where it was difficult to build up strength without attracting attention, and it meant that there was a powerful enemy somewhere who was determined to point a blade at them.
On the other hand, if they could endure the hardships, it was also a scenario where they could achieve the greatest results.
Siblings driven to the streets despite their noble status and qualifications - it wasn't difficult for Leo to predict the end of this scenario.
Only...
'If only I was a little stronger.'
A very wicked thought crossed his mind. It was a thought he had because he had repeated the scenario so many times, and because it hadn't been long since he had become Leo.
To be ashamed to admit it, but if he practiced his swordsmanship a little more and started again 'next time', wouldn't it be easier to handle? It was a very dirty thought.
He had a thought that no human should ever have, ignoring the 'present' Lena.
He felt a deep sense of kinship from Lena, who was sleeping soundly in his arms. She was his lovely little sister, a child he had to protect.
The fact that he could repeat the scenario didn't diminish her value in the slightest.
Leo, feeling his little sister's small breaths tickle his neck and his conscience, fell asleep as he reproached himself.
It was fortunate for them that it was a warm summer.