Beggar Siblings - Expectation
After pushing Cassia away and returning to the mansion, Leo reported his conversation with the Marquis to the boss and sought out Lena's room.
He knocked on the door, the hallway imbued with a faint scent of wood and warmth.
"Lena, it's your brother~."
"Brother!"
Lena, who had been reading a book in her room, hurriedly opened the door. As soon as the door opened, Leo instinctively grabbed his sister's cheeks, and Lena shook her face, saying, "Ouch! Stop it!"
"Lena~ My pretty little Lena. I brought you some candy."
Lena smelled alcohol on her brother's breath. His face was plastered with a grin.
"Thanks, I'll enjoy it. But why are you in such a good mood?"
"Just... something good happened."
Saying so, Leo sat down on the bed.
Lena pulled a chair next to him and sat down, and their usual trivial sibling chatter ensued.
But Lena couldn't figure out why her brother was in such a good mood. It seemed to be related to his work. He never talked about what he did.
'Ugh. As if I didn't know.'
She had heard that her brother worked in managing businesses. She'd been told that his job involved chasing away thugs who harassed small business owners, but she didn't understand why it was such a secret that he wouldn't tell her about it.
Lena was a little hurt, but instead of prying, she brought up another topic.
"Brother, I played with Tian today. You know..."
"Tian? Who's Tian?"
"Santian."
"Ah. You call Santian, Tian? You must be really close."
Santian Rauno was Josef Rauno's grandson, a boy a year younger than Lena.
"Yeah. I was playing with Tian today and I think he..."
Lena whispered softly.
Not that there was anyone to eavesdrop.
"I think he likes me."
With that, Lena covered her face and giggled.
Tian is cute.
He's young, but he tries so hard to act mature around me.
'Oh my gosh! I told my brother!'
She stealthily spread her fingers apart and peeked at her brother through the gap. He had a strange expression on his face.
What's with that look?
"What do you think?"
"..."
"...Why are you like this?"
"Well, I don't know what to say."
"Why? Because he's the boss's grandson?"
"No, it's not that... I mean, it's a bit early for this kind of talk."
His serious tone and expression left Lena speechless.
"As if we're dating or something? I just said he seems to like me, what do you think about that?"
"Ah, well... of course he does. Who wouldn't like you?"
"Heh, you're exaggerating."
Lena chuckled.
She thought her brother was getting ahead of himself.
That's why he still doesn't have a girlfriend. There are so many people who like him here, but this idiot is always busy with who knows what.
Leo would have breakfast with his sister every day and go out, returning only at night. He often ate on the go, not even having time for a proper meal, but to Lena, who didn't know any better, her brother just seemed incredibly busy.
'This is what happens when you don't spend time with your family. I'll have to step in!'
Lena clicked her tongue inwardly.
"Brother, you know Sister Soyi?"
"Soyi? Yeah, I know her."
"Are you close with her?"
"Close... We haven't really talked much."
"She works at a flower shop, let's go visit sometime."
"Why? Need flowers?"
Leo looked around the room.
"Ah, right. You don't have any plants. I didn't think of that. Should I get you a pot?"
Hearing his words, Lena narrowed her eyes in exasperation.
As expected, her brother was clueless and a bit slow. He knew a lot, but he was so frustratingly literal.
'Still, it's nice that he's offering to buy me a plant.'
A kind brother like him deserves a good woman.
And as it happens, Miss Soyi was, in Lena's female opinion, flawless.
She seemed to have a bit of a crush on her brother too... They would probably be a good match.
Sister Soyi often waited to have breakfast with her brother. She would have to wake up at the crack of dawn to be ready and presentable.
Truthfully, Leo, preoccupied with watching his sister eat, hadn't paid much attention to the woman awkwardly waiting beside her...
"No, I want to choose it myself. Take me there."
"Alright, let's go tomorrow."
Their sibling chatter continued for a while longer.
Eventually, Leo told Lena it was getting late and she should sleep, tucking her into bed. He gave her head a pat, turned off the light, and left the room.
Lena fidgeted under the warm covers.
'I'm happy.'
A caring brother, fun friends, a kind family, warm food, and a comfortable bed—things she couldn't have even imagined before.
It had been half a year since she came here, and she had been living a happy life, with hardly anything to complain about.
With a newfound peace of mind, Lena could finally think about the future.
'Brother will get married someday, right?'
Unfortunately, the first thought about the future that came to mind didn't appeal to her at all.
It left a bitter taste in her mouth.
It was great that her brother would find a good woman and get married, but she didn't want him to move far away.
'I'll get married someday too... right?'
Suddenly, Tian came to mind.
That's funny! Why am I thinking about him? He's just a little kid. I prefer someone like my brother, who's small but reliable.
Lena pushed away the smiling face of Santian Rauno and continued her contemplation.
'I want to live with my brother forever...'
Even though they were living together in this mansion now, Lena still didn't feel like it was 'their' home.
The members of the Family were all kind to her, but that was only because Leo was a part of it. She still felt like she was just freeloading off her brother.
'If both my brother and I get married within this Family, could we all live together?'
That seemed possible. If her brother married someone from the Family, and she did the same, then they could all continue living together in this mansion, right?
If that happened, Lena felt like she could finally consider this place her home.
'But would brother like Sister Soyi?'
From her perspective, Sister Soyi was the only one among the Family members who seemed like a good match for her brother.
However, no matter how much she dreamed of living with her brother, his feelings were more important than her own desires. If her brother didn't like Sister Soyi, then there was nothing she could do about it.
Lena shook her head from side to side.
'No, I think Sister Soyi is pretty and kind. He'll probably like her.'
First, she needed to create opportunities for them to meet and then see what happened.
'And as for my marriage...'
As Lena began to ponder her own marriage, that boy, Tian, popped up in her mind again, interrupting her thoughts.
Why does he keep interfering? I'm trying to think here, you little nuisance.
She tossed and turned in bed, a soft smile gracing her lips.
He needs to let her know their goal of returning to royalty in the beginning so its easier for her to cope instead of getting settled in their situation. If he insists that it's his ambition from the beginning then she probably would support him.
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