“There are many rumors following Tiwakan. Wasn’t there also a rumor that their leader was a sorceress?”
Liene tried to speak calmly. A sodomite. It was a ridiculous rumor. Liene remembered how he had kissed her. No human would kiss someone they could not desire like that. When she thought back to the kisses she had reluctantly given to her lover, the answer was clearer. It was a rumor. It must have been a rumor.
“How do you know that?”
Lafitte Kleinfelter asked with a serious expression.
“You’ve already called him... to bed?”
“Lord Klinefelter.”
Liene clenched her fists. Uncle or nephew. The people of this family had a knack for hitting with their mouths.
“If you say something like that one more time, I will beat you up. You have no right to ask about my betrothed’s situation in bed.”
“Your betrothed? How can you call that savage something like that in front of me?”
“Please leave Nauk. Lord Werose will guard your way until you leave the castle, out of respect for your family. Consider this my parting gift.”
“Liene!”
The lover was tired. No, he was slow. He still didn't understand what Liene was saying.
“I cannot leave. I will not leave! How can I allow you to marry another!”
“If you don’t do it.”
Instead of getting angry, Liene hid her emotions, telling him to please understand. Getting angry would only lead to a fight. Now was the time to cut it all out. A cold voice flowed between the two of them, emotionless.
“Then what are you going to do? Shoot another arrow? Do you know what happened with that one arrow? Tiwakan took over the guard quarters before the wedding, under the pretext of chasing the assassin, and they have become thoroughly familiar with all the roads of Nauk. Now it is not at all unusual to see Tiwakan on the streets. And it is all because of that stray arrow.”
“You can’t say that. The arrow clearly tore through the savage’s flesh, and that caused Tiwakan’s power to be...”
“There’s nothing wrong with it. It’s just a torn piece of skin.”
“If I succeed, I can succeed next time.”
“Tiwakan is not stupid. The assassination attempt only raised their guard. Now, if we want to harm their leader, we must first deal with them all.”
“...”
Finally, Lafitte shut his mouth. That was fortunate. He was a knight himself, so he couldn't help but know that what Liene said was right.
“If it is revealed that you are the one who shot the arrow, the Kleinfelter family will be wiped out of this land. So run away. That is the only way for everyone in Nauk to find peace.”
“...”
“Yes, goodbye.”
Liene turned around. Just as she was about to open the reception room door, Lafitte reached out from behind her and closed the door again.
Linden Klinefelter calmly approached Liene's nose.
“No matter how much I think about it, I can’t just let it go like this.”
“What did you say?”
“If the Princess were to hand over the rule of Nauk to some barbarian who was rolling around in the fields, then that would not be Kleinfelter.”
Liene gasped in frustration.
“Ha, do I have to say the same thing again? Have you developed dementia or something?”
“You don’t have to. Instead.”
Linden Kleinfelter glanced over his shoulder. Then someone stepped out of the crowd of soldiers. Liene’s eyes widened as she saw the heavy purple robe that reached down to his ankles.
“...High Priest Milod?”
"That.."
High Priest Milod trailed off and looked at Liene blankly. Although Nauk was not a particularly religious place, there were always times when a high priest was needed. For example, the spring festival to pray for rain, a funeral, or a wedding.
“What’s going on with the Klinefelter family?”
The relationship between the High Priest and Liene was not very strong. As Liene cut back on her expenses, the first thing she did was eliminate the subsidy that went to the High Priestess. Although the money spent on temple events was inevitable, the royal budget could not cover the luxury of the High Priest. As a result, the High Priest stopped praying for the royal family and instead began praying for the Kleinfelter family. She heard that Linden Kleinfelter sent the High Priest a pouch of money once a month.
“Have you come to prepare for the requiem prayer?”
Surely even the High Priest wouldn't know that Lafitte is alive? Liene asked with hope. The answer was given by Linden Kleinfelter on behalf of the High Priest.
“No. I brought you here for the wedding.”
“Merried...?”
“Yes.”
Linden Kleinfelter looked at Liene and smiled crookedly. It was a sinister smile.
“Who... is getting married?”
“It’s obvious. Who could it be?”
Linden Kleinfelter pointed at Liene. To Liene, the finger looked like an arrow flying toward her.
“Arsak’s daughter will here and now swear eternal love and obedience to Kleinfelter’s son as his wife.”
“...!”
“It won’t be difficult. Go and bring Lafi... No, right. What did I say? Oh, Lopez. Yes, bring Lopez.”
"All right."
A private ran toward the reception room. It didn't take long for him to bring someone. Of course, the person he brought was Lafitte Kleinfelter.
Liene tried to speak calmly. A sodomite. It was a ridiculous rumor. Liene remembered how he had kissed her. No human would kiss someone they could not desire like that. When she thought back to the kisses she had reluctantly given to her lover, the answer was clearer. It was a rumor. It must have been a rumor.
“How do you know that?”
Lafitte Kleinfelter asked with a serious expression.
“You’ve already called him... to bed?”
“Lord Klinefelter.”
Liene clenched her fists. Uncle or nephew. The people of this family had a knack for hitting with their mouths.
“If you say something like that one more time, I will beat you up. You have no right to ask about my betrothed’s situation in bed.”
“Your betrothed? How can you call that savage something like that in front of me?”
“Please leave Nauk. Lord Werose will guard your way until you leave the castle, out of respect for your family. Consider this my parting gift.”
“Liene!”
The lover was tired. No, he was slow. He still didn't understand what Liene was saying.
“I cannot leave. I will not leave! How can I allow you to marry another!”
“If you don’t do it.”
Instead of getting angry, Liene hid her emotions, telling him to please understand. Getting angry would only lead to a fight. Now was the time to cut it all out. A cold voice flowed between the two of them, emotionless.
“Then what are you going to do? Shoot another arrow? Do you know what happened with that one arrow? Tiwakan took over the guard quarters before the wedding, under the pretext of chasing the assassin, and they have become thoroughly familiar with all the roads of Nauk. Now it is not at all unusual to see Tiwakan on the streets. And it is all because of that stray arrow.”
“You can’t say that. The arrow clearly tore through the savage’s flesh, and that caused Tiwakan’s power to be...”
“There’s nothing wrong with it. It’s just a torn piece of skin.”
“If I succeed, I can succeed next time.”
“Tiwakan is not stupid. The assassination attempt only raised their guard. Now, if we want to harm their leader, we must first deal with them all.”
“...”
Finally, Lafitte shut his mouth. That was fortunate. He was a knight himself, so he couldn't help but know that what Liene said was right.
“If it is revealed that you are the one who shot the arrow, the Kleinfelter family will be wiped out of this land. So run away. That is the only way for everyone in Nauk to find peace.”
“...”
“Yes, goodbye.”
Liene turned around. Just as she was about to open the reception room door, Lafitte reached out from behind her and closed the door again.
Boom!
Liene frowned at this unprecedented behavior and turned to Lafitte.
“What is this?”
“Just one thing... Please answer just one thing.”
Liene faced a distorted expression of foolishness. She knew that he truly loved her. So she could endure it for a while.
“What?”
“Do you like him?”
"Yes?"
It was a foolish question to Liene, but Lafitte was extremely serious.
“Answer me. Do you like him so much that you are willing to marry him? Is that why you are abandoning me?”
"Ha..."
Liene let out a sigh.
“Don’t you think that’s a question that isn’t worth answering?”
“Answer me!”
Lafitte screamed.
It seemed like he wouldn't back down unless he heard the answer.
“Haa... I never knew that something like this would happen. I have not forgotten that over a hundred people lost their lives because of Tiwakan’s proposal. I will never forget that in the future.”
“Speak properly. Are you sure you don’t like him? Are you simply submitting to his power?”
Liene didn't hate him. She promised to yearn for him. But that was all. That didn't mean she had any special feelings for him. She didn't think it was right. It was a start that had no way for such feelings to bloom. Liene smiled bitterly.
“Nauk is more important to me than anything else. Ending a relationship with you and accepting a marriage proposal that started with blood are both the same to me.”
So if she had to endure it, she just had to endure it.
“Get out of Nauk. This is an order now.”
“..."
“What is this?”
“Just one thing... Please answer just one thing.”
Liene faced a distorted expression of foolishness. She knew that he truly loved her. So she could endure it for a while.
“What?”
“Do you like him?”
"Yes?"
It was a foolish question to Liene, but Lafitte was extremely serious.
“Answer me. Do you like him so much that you are willing to marry him? Is that why you are abandoning me?”
"Ha..."
Liene let out a sigh.
“Don’t you think that’s a question that isn’t worth answering?”
“Answer me!”
Lafitte screamed.
It seemed like he wouldn't back down unless he heard the answer.
“Haa... I never knew that something like this would happen. I have not forgotten that over a hundred people lost their lives because of Tiwakan’s proposal. I will never forget that in the future.”
“Speak properly. Are you sure you don’t like him? Are you simply submitting to his power?”
Liene didn't hate him. She promised to yearn for him. But that was all. That didn't mean she had any special feelings for him. She didn't think it was right. It was a start that had no way for such feelings to bloom. Liene smiled bitterly.
“Nauk is more important to me than anything else. Ending a relationship with you and accepting a marriage proposal that started with blood are both the same to me.”
So if she had to endure it, she just had to endure it.
“Get out of Nauk. This is an order now.”
“..."
Liene pushed away Lafitte, who had his mouth shut with a pale face and opened the door to the reception room herself.
***
However, just because she had come in on her own feet, it did not mean she could go out on her own feet.
“Where is Lord Werose?”
After leaving the reception room, Liene walked to the main gate of the Kleinfelter family and waited for Werose. However, Werose was nowhere to be seen, and Liene, feeling strange, asked the gatekeeper of the Kleinfelter family.
“I don't know.”
“What? Does that make sense? Lord Werose was here just a moment ago.”
“I didn't see it.”
“What is that... Sir Werose!”
Liene looked around and called out to Werose.
“Sir Werose!”
But no matter how much she called, there was no answer. A feeling of anxiety came over her. Liene realized that she was alone in this dangerous place, without any escort. She had to get out of there.
“Open the door.”
The guards had to track down Werose. Liene couldn't do anything here alone.
“I was ordered to guard this gate.”
The gatekeeper of the Kleinfelter House stubbornly blocked the door. The anxiety becamea reality.
“Didn’t they tell you not to let me out this door?”
“I don’t know about that. The order I received was to guard the door and not open it.”
“Don’t you know who I am? Princess Liene of Nauk commands you to open the door.”
“I have been given an order.”
The words that came back were the same. Words that the ruler of Nauk should not have heard, but now there was no point in questioning them.
“Get out of the way, then. I’ll open it myself.”
"That..."
Liene sent a chilling warning to the hesitating gatekeeper.
“If you do not step aside, there will be a price to pay for your disobedience. Remember, the name Klinefelter will not be able to protect you when that happens.”
“...”
At those words, the gatekeeper hesitated and stepped aside. Liene reached out her hand to push him away and open the door. But unfortunately, it was too late.
“Where is Lord Werose?”
After leaving the reception room, Liene walked to the main gate of the Kleinfelter family and waited for Werose. However, Werose was nowhere to be seen, and Liene, feeling strange, asked the gatekeeper of the Kleinfelter family.
“I don't know.”
“What? Does that make sense? Lord Werose was here just a moment ago.”
“I didn't see it.”
“What is that... Sir Werose!”
Liene looked around and called out to Werose.
“Sir Werose!”
But no matter how much she called, there was no answer. A feeling of anxiety came over her. Liene realized that she was alone in this dangerous place, without any escort. She had to get out of there.
“Open the door.”
The guards had to track down Werose. Liene couldn't do anything here alone.
“I was ordered to guard this gate.”
The gatekeeper of the Kleinfelter House stubbornly blocked the door. The anxiety becamea reality.
“Didn’t they tell you not to let me out this door?”
“I don’t know about that. The order I received was to guard the door and not open it.”
“Don’t you know who I am? Princess Liene of Nauk commands you to open the door.”
“I have been given an order.”
The words that came back were the same. Words that the ruler of Nauk should not have heard, but now there was no point in questioning them.
“Get out of the way, then. I’ll open it myself.”
"That..."
Liene sent a chilling warning to the hesitating gatekeeper.
“If you do not step aside, there will be a price to pay for your disobedience. Remember, the name Klinefelter will not be able to protect you when that happens.”
“...”
At those words, the gatekeeper hesitated and stepped aside. Liene reached out her hand to push him away and open the door. But unfortunately, it was too late.
Step, step!
Behind Liene, heavy footsteps echoed through the hallway. When she turned her head, she saw Linden Kleinfelter approaching with his men.
“Step back, Princess. Opening the door yourself in someone else’s house. What kind of foolish thing is that?”
“What the hell are you doing?”
“Step back, Princess. Opening the door yourself in someone else’s house. What kind of foolish thing is that?”
“What the hell are you doing?”
Linden Klinefelter calmly approached Liene's nose.
“No matter how much I think about it, I can’t just let it go like this.”
“What did you say?”
“If the Princess were to hand over the rule of Nauk to some barbarian who was rolling around in the fields, then that would not be Kleinfelter.”
Liene gasped in frustration.
“Ha, do I have to say the same thing again? Have you developed dementia or something?”
“You don’t have to. Instead.”
Linden Kleinfelter glanced over his shoulder. Then someone stepped out of the crowd of soldiers. Liene’s eyes widened as she saw the heavy purple robe that reached down to his ankles.
“...High Priest Milod?”
"That.."
High Priest Milod trailed off and looked at Liene blankly. Although Nauk was not a particularly religious place, there were always times when a high priest was needed. For example, the spring festival to pray for rain, a funeral, or a wedding.
“What’s going on with the Klinefelter family?”
The relationship between the High Priest and Liene was not very strong. As Liene cut back on her expenses, the first thing she did was eliminate the subsidy that went to the High Priestess. Although the money spent on temple events was inevitable, the royal budget could not cover the luxury of the High Priest. As a result, the High Priest stopped praying for the royal family and instead began praying for the Kleinfelter family. She heard that Linden Kleinfelter sent the High Priest a pouch of money once a month.
“Have you come to prepare for the requiem prayer?”
Surely even the High Priest wouldn't know that Lafitte is alive? Liene asked with hope. The answer was given by Linden Kleinfelter on behalf of the High Priest.
“No. I brought you here for the wedding.”
“Merried...?”
“Yes.”
Linden Kleinfelter looked at Liene and smiled crookedly. It was a sinister smile.
“Who... is getting married?”
“It’s obvious. Who could it be?”
Linden Kleinfelter pointed at Liene. To Liene, the finger looked like an arrow flying toward her.
“Arsak’s daughter will here and now swear eternal love and obedience to Kleinfelter’s son as his wife.”
“...!”
***
My mistake.
Liene unconsciously bit her molars. She should have expected that they could come out with something dirty like this. The Kleinfelter family had wanted to rule Nauk for a long time. It seemed like they were going to do whatever they wanted rather than hand it over to someone else.
“I cannot accept this. Did Sir Lafitte Kleinfelter consent to a wedding ceremony that he did not know about?”
“Oh, I see. You must have forgotten. Lafitte is dead, Princess.”
Linden Klinefelter shrugged his shoulders exaggeratedly.
“The person the princess is going to marry is his cousin, Lopez.”
It was just nonsense. As far as Liene knew, there was no such person in the Kleinfelter family.
“Is there a son in the Kleinfelter family that I don’t know about? Is he a legitimate member of the Kleinfelter family, recognized by the royal court?”
“Oh, that’s not the case. He’s an illegitimate child. But what can we do? Since the eldest son is dead, we have no choice but to bring someone.”
The dog barking was also shameless.
“Please, put aside your obvious lies, Lord Klinefelter. Get out of my way before things get worse.”
“Even if he is an illegitimate child, there is no need to be too concerned, Princess. He is of the same blood as the deceased eldest son. Isn’t that right, Your Eminence Milod?”
The high priest calmly interjected the lie.
“I checked and it was exactly the same. There was no way to deny that it was Klinefelter’s blood. This is a blessing from God, Princess.”
You're talking like a blessing. Liene grabbed the hem of her dress tightly. Her green eyes sharply scanned the men blocking her way like a wall. She has to get out of here. Somehow.
“...Good. I’m curious too, since they look so similar. Bring them here now.”
“I cannot accept this. Did Sir Lafitte Kleinfelter consent to a wedding ceremony that he did not know about?”
“Oh, I see. You must have forgotten. Lafitte is dead, Princess.”
Linden Klinefelter shrugged his shoulders exaggeratedly.
“The person the princess is going to marry is his cousin, Lopez.”
It was just nonsense. As far as Liene knew, there was no such person in the Kleinfelter family.
“Is there a son in the Kleinfelter family that I don’t know about? Is he a legitimate member of the Kleinfelter family, recognized by the royal court?”
“Oh, that’s not the case. He’s an illegitimate child. But what can we do? Since the eldest son is dead, we have no choice but to bring someone.”
The dog barking was also shameless.
“Please, put aside your obvious lies, Lord Klinefelter. Get out of my way before things get worse.”
“Even if he is an illegitimate child, there is no need to be too concerned, Princess. He is of the same blood as the deceased eldest son. Isn’t that right, Your Eminence Milod?”
The high priest calmly interjected the lie.
“I checked and it was exactly the same. There was no way to deny that it was Klinefelter’s blood. This is a blessing from God, Princess.”
You're talking like a blessing. Liene grabbed the hem of her dress tightly. Her green eyes sharply scanned the men blocking her way like a wall. She has to get out of here. Somehow.
“...Good. I’m curious too, since they look so similar. Bring them here now.”
“It won’t be difficult. Go and bring Lafi... No, right. What did I say? Oh, Lopez. Yes, bring Lopez.”
"All right."
A private ran toward the reception room. It didn't take long for him to bring someone. Of course, the person he brought was Lafitte Kleinfelter.
***
The ex-lover's eyes were bloodshot as if he had been suppressing his emotions alone after Liene left. Liene saw that Lafitte's right hand was injured. It seemed like he had been breaking something.
“Don’t do this.”
The moment their eyes met, Liene approached him. The only one who could end this reckless and foolish farce was his ex-lover. In this greedy place, he was different alone. That’s why she believed that the affection he gave her was genuine. It was never fiery, but Liene still considered him a lover and treated him as such.
“Don’t do this.”
The moment their eyes met, Liene approached him. The only one who could end this reckless and foolish farce was his ex-lover. In this greedy place, he was different alone. That’s why she believed that the affection he gave her was genuine. It was never fiery, but Liene still considered him a lover and treated him as such.
He must be the same. His love for her must be genuine. He would not want to force such violence and insults on her.
“Please. The oath you made to me was not just about love. You swore to protect me and Nauk as the guardian knight of House Arsak. Please... don’t do anything that would put Nauk in danger.”
The ex-lovers opened their lips with a distorted face.
“I... don’t know what the Princess is talking about.”
“Lafitte.”
Lafitte turned his head and stared at his uncle. As Linden Kleinfelter nodded, Lafitte bit his lip and said,
“Don’t call me by that name. I’m Lopez Klinefelter.”
“Please. The oath you made to me was not just about love. You swore to protect me and Nauk as the guardian knight of House Arsak. Please... don’t do anything that would put Nauk in danger.”
The ex-lovers opened their lips with a distorted face.
“I... don’t know what the Princess is talking about.”
“Lafitte.”
Lafitte turned his head and stared at his uncle. As Linden Kleinfelter nodded, Lafitte bit his lip and said,
“Don’t call me by that name. I’m Lopez Klinefelter.”
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