Engagement – Happy Ending?
After Lena's treatment was over and they received their discharge orders, the two of them retraced the path they had marched along. They could have afforded a comfortable journey thanks to the reward money they received for their service, but Lena was in a hurry to return home.
And so, eight months after leaving Avril Castle, Lena and Leo returned, carrying a gloominess similar to that of defeated soldiers.
Lena's parents embraced their daughter, whose arm had been severed, and wept profusely. They held her tightly, unable to let go, expressing their gratitude for her safe return.
Even Dehorman didn't hide his tears at that moment, and Lena poured out all the sorrow she had been holding back.
Noel Dexter silently hugged Leo.
There were no tears, no warm words, but his relief was palpable. He casually held his son's hand, missing a thumb.
That evening, the two families gathered and drank together throughout the night.
Their conversations revolved around what had transpired at Avril Castle.
They didn't ask about, nor did they bring up, any stories from the battlefield.
***
Their daily life at Avril Castle began.
Leo informed the lord of the castle about becoming an honorary knight and received a pension. It wasn't a lavish amount, but it guaranteed they wouldn't have to worry about their next meal.
For the first few days, Lena and Leo habitually found themselves at the empty lot behind their house.
The two of them would sit there, lost in their thoughts, spending time together.
Lena abruptly stood up.
“Should I try wielding a one-handed sword?”
“I was thinking of practicing with a one-handed sword and shield. Want to give it a try?”
“Hey, what's with the shield? That would put me at a complete disadvantage. Let's do it without the shield.”
The two of them faced each other, each holding a one-handed sword.
However, one-handed swords were completely different from two-handed swords, and the two of them only exchanged futile blows.
After practicing for a while, Lena threw down her sword and burst into tears.
Leo silently embraced her. There were no words he could offer to comfort Lena, who was weeping bitterly.
Having lost an arm, Lena could no longer become a knight or a princess.
Hunting was also out of the question with only one arm.
In the Einar tribe, if one didn't participate in hunts regularly, they weren't recognized as a warrior. So, she was no longer considered a warrior.
Lena... was now just an ordinary girl from the tribe, missing an arm.
After the day she threw down her sword, Lena stopped visiting the empty lot.
Leo practiced with a one-handed sword by himself. Perhaps because the {Swordsmanship} skill also applied to one-handed swords, he adapted quickly, but since he had to swing it with his left hand, it wasn't very helpful.
He tried picking up a two-handed sword again but soon gave up.
He could still swing it, but he didn't want to develop any bad habits while practicing without a thumb. Bad habits were fatal for a swordsman.
So, as he was fiddling with a shield, having set aside both types of swords, he heard Lena's voice.
She always called him from inside the house, as if she couldn't bear to look at the empty lot.
“Leo! Come in and try this!”
Lena had been learning to cook from her mother and often shared her creations with Leo, asking him to taste them.
Leo brushed off the first snow that had fallen on his shoulder and went inside to receive the dish.
It was a dish of tough tendons simmered in Odur fruit sauce until tender, then cooked with vegetables resembling tomatoes. It smelled quite appetizing.
“When did you…?”
“This is good? You've really improved a lot.”
It wasn't exactly delicious, but it was a significant improvement compared to her first attempts. However, Lena frowned and poked at her food with a fork.
“Hmm... I don't think it's good enough to warrant praise.”
“...It's pretty good.”
“Leo, are you going to keep lying to me?”
“Sorry. But it's edible. Really.”
“Is that so? That's a relief.”
Only the clattering of cutlery remained at the table.
Lena struggled to eat with one hand, and Leo, having cleaned his plate, waited for her to finish before speaking.
“Lena.”
“What?”
“Let’s get married.”
Lena silently cleared her empty plate.
“Lena. Answer me.”
“I… don’t want to.”
“Why?”
“I don’t want to get married looking like this.”
Leo grabbed Lena’s shoulder as she tried to escape with the plates. He turned her around and kissed her, causing the plates to crash to the floor.
As he kissed her, he took her remaining hand in his and squeezed it tightly. Tears streamed down her face.
“Marry me.”
“…What are you going to do with a cripple like me?”
“What does it matter?”
Leo scooped Lena into his arms and carried her to her room. He gently laid her down on the bed and kissed her again.
“...”
“...”
He tried to untie her clothes, but it wasn’t easy without his right thumb. He clumsily fumbled with the knot using his left hand.
Meanwhile, Lena tried to undress him with one arm but soon gave up and just stared at him intently.
“Cripples having sex,” she muttered.
“If you keep talking like that, I’ll be angry. Lena is Lena.”
He embraced Lena, now naked.
***
Lena and Leo were married the following spring.
Members of the Einar tribe flocked to the wedding like clouds. Knights and some soldiers belonging to Avril Castle also attended. Even the lord of the castle made an appearance.
Following the Einar tribe’s customs, Leo Dexter’s name was displayed prominently on the groom’s side, while Lena Einar’s name adorned the bride’s side.
With tears glistening in the eyes of both fathers and the mothers maintaining a stoic composure, the priest solemnly declared the union of the couple.
“Leo!”
Leo took one last look at Lena, beaming beside him, before pulling her into a tight embrace.
Cheers erupted from the guests.
At that moment of utmost happiness and blessings, everything vanished.
[ Lena is married. Congratulations! ]
[ Thank you for playing Raise Lena. ]
Final Occupation: Cook
Spouse: Leo Dexter
- Born in Avril Castle, Lena Einar enjoyed a happy childhood… (omitted) …Participating in the war between…, Lena earned recognition for defeating Katrina, a knight of the Bellita Kingdom's 2nd Knight Order. Returning home with an arm injury, Lena married Leo Dexter and opened a small restaurant. She later had three children and lived a happy… -
Final Occupation: Honorary Knight
Spouse: Lena Einar
Engagement Ending: Peace at Avril Castle
- Born in the capital city of Barnaulle, Leo Dexter enjoyed a happy childhood… (omitted) …Participating in the war between…, Leo earned recognition for defeating Deros, a knight of the Bellita Kingdom's 2nd Knight Order. Returning home with a hand injury, Leo married Lena Einar and became an honorary knight of Avril Castle. He often went hunting and lived a happy life with his family… -
In the familiar black void, a picture of Lena materialized.
A beautiful bride, missing her right arm.
She was smiling brighter than ever.
Leo filled the void left by his absence with words.
It seemed like she was living happily ever after.
As Leo’s consciousness, filled with both regret and contentment, gradually dissipated, Minseo’s mind regained its clarity.
‘Well, we got a happy ending somehow…’
He had brought happiness to Lena's life and made some gains.
He had experienced war and avenged the previous Lena by defeating Katrina.
He had also achieved several accomplishments. He had become stronger against soldiers and knights, and had gained a small amount of favor with the princes.
He could have delayed the marriage with Lena and spent a few more years exploring other options, but neither Leo nor Minseo wanted that.
Leaving a depressed Lena, who had lost her dreams along with her arm, behind for the sake of the 'next' scenario just felt inhumane.
Minseo didn't regret marrying Lena.
However, he still hadn't been able to make her a princess. That was beyond his current capabilities.
They had barely managed to defeat a wounded Katrina by combining their strengths.
Even then, it was only possible because Lena had a flash of inspiration; if she hadn't managed to knock Katrina down, they both would have died.
Lena had displayed remarkable fighting spirit in that perilous moment. She deserved the reward, not him.
Minseo was beginning to feel a growing affection for 'Lena' as a person. Apart from missing his own parents and Chaeha, he wanted to create a happy life for her.
[ You have not cleared Raise Lena. ]
[ Leo, you and Lena combined your strengths to defeat an overwhelmingly powerful opponent. You have acquired the {Combined Attack} skill as a reward. ]
[ Restarting. ]