Childhood Friend – The Priest Event
“Cassia, you bitch!”
Leo seethed inwardly. Even though a new scenario had begun, his anger refused to subside. But Lena was chattering away beside him, so he had to push his frustration down.
'Right. Focus on the Lena of the now.'
“Monk Lesley told me that…”
The third iteration of the Childhood Friend scenario had begun.
The first time, he had married this Lena. Back then, he hadn't known it would reset, hadn't known that their one time together wasn't all they would have, and had simply pursued his own happiness.
The second time, he had set out for the capital city of Nebis with Lena to make her a princess, only to be kidnapped by bandits.
'What should I do this time?'
No clear solution came to mind.
His {Swordsmanship} skill was no different from when Lena had been kidnapped. He had only managed to internalize what he had gained through his ability through training, and even that had to be retrained to fit Leo’s body.
Right now, he was about as skilled as a couple of thugs. If he had a two-handed sword, that is.
He had gained the {Combined Attack} in the previous engagement scenario, but it was useless without someone to fight alongside him.
And the reward he got this time was {Arts of the Bedchamber}…
Rage towards Cassia surged within him again. There was no way he would ever find a use for something like that.
'This is hopeless.'
He had too little information. {Rules of Back Alley} was just general knowledge; it didn't tell him what to do specifically.
All he had learned from the previous Childhood Friend scenario was that the two princes of the Ohrun Kingdom were trash.
What did he have to do to make Lena, from this tiny village, a princess?
'Should I just take Lena and leave again?'
He had enough travel expenses.
The {Starting Funds} had appeared in his pocket without fail.
And if he showed his father his hunting skills and told him he was leaving with Lena, he could get a considerable sum of money. He could use that to travel again and gather information.
Just like last time…
Lena, as always, chattered happily beside him.
“They say Saint Azura was just an ordinary farmer. But one day, he abandoned the land he had worked his entire life and went to the capital of the Akaia Empire…”
It was a story he had heard countless times before.
There wasn't much information to be gleaned in a remote village like theirs. So most of Lena’s stories were a mixture of what she had heard at church and her own thoughts.
Her stories always contained a longing for the Holy Cross Church and its clergy.
He suddenly felt sorry for Lena. He had prevented her from going to the Holy Cross Church she longed for, twice.
Once because he had wanted to live happily with her, and another time because he had wanted to make her a princess and escape.
'Should I send Lena to the Holy Cross Church?'
If he did, Lena would become a priest.
Her dream would come true.
But then he would be stuck here, repeating the same agonizing cycle.
He couldn't live like this forever. Thousands of lifetimes spent making Lena a priest? No matter how happy she was, it would be hell for him. And Lena would be horrified if she knew.
He had to make her a princess somehow.
'This time, I’ll just send her to become a priest and travel alone to gather information.'
Leo settled on a realistic compromise. He had no idea how to make Lena a princess, and at this point, it seemed almost impossible.
If he was going to gather information, it would be better to travel alone without Lena.
That way, Lena would be happy, and he could plan for the future.
Besides, the Holy Cross Church was located in Lutetia, the capital of the Jerom Holy Kingdom. Maybe there was an event where Lena, while studying at the church, would meet a prince.
He doubted that Lena, who wanted to be a priest, would choose a prince, but it was a possibility.
Leo made up his mind and chanted to himself.
'Send Lena and travel. Send Lena and travel. Send Lena and…'
While Minseo’s mind was still somewhat clear, he had set the general framework for this scenario.
Lena scolded him for muttering to himself.
***
The weekend arrived.
“Leo~”
“Whoa! Hold on a sec. I’m almost done eating!”
For the first time, Lena hadn't gone to church.
The previous dawn, as she weeded the garden, she had decided to let go of her dream of becoming a priest. Naturally, she had set out for Leo’s house.
'We’re going mushroom hunting in the mountains today. I have something to tell Leo…'
Lena lingered outside his door, thinking about him.
Leo’s eyes had changed recently. It was hard to pinpoint exactly, but he seemed to look at her with a certain wistfulness.
'Did he realize I gave up?'
He might have.
He was her friend, after all.
If he already sensed it, it would be easier to tell him that she was giving up on studying to be a priest.
What would Leo say? Would he encourage her not to give up? Or would he be happy?
They had grown distant after she confessed her dream of becoming a priest when they were children. It was around that time that he had stopped holding her hand, which he had always done before. Probably because priests couldn't marry.
Lost in her dreams, she hadn't noticed Leo’s feelings back then.
Young Leo must have been heartbroken…