Liene couldn't believe it.
“Lafitte!”
The old lover uttered the same nonsense as her uncle, looking into Liene's trembling eyes with shock.
“I will live my whole life thanking God for the day I have the beautiful Princess as my wife. I hope the Princess will also be happy in her heart to have me as her husband.”
“Our relationship is already over! There’s no going back! Doing this isn’t going to change anything!”
Lafitte spoke with red, veiny eyes.
“Different... How could we be the same? When you become my wife.”
“...”
“If this is the only way to have you, I will do it.”
The lover was like a blind person who could only see one thing. It seemed like he was not the lover she knew. Lafitte, who left Liene speechless, asked his uncle.
“Where is the banquet hall?”
“Why would I go all the way to the banquet hall? Wherever the high priest is, it doesn’t matter.”
“Then let’s do it here. Right now.”
Lafitte covered the mouth that was saying those words with his hand.
“I will make the wedding vows on behalf of the Princess.”
“No, no, no!”
Liene grabbed Lafitte's arm and struggled.
“Be quiet. Just a moment.”
As Lafitte held Liene in his arms, the high priest stepped forward. Liene gasped as he pulled a laurel branch from the sleeve of his long robe.
“...!”
The more Liene struggled, the more tightly Lafitte held onto her. Liene, who was dragged towards the laurel branches as if being held by him, closed her eyes tightly and bit the flesh of Lafitte’s palm as he covered her mouth.
“Ugh...”
Lafitte frowned. But even though blood was flowing from his skin, he did not let go of Liene...
“Lord Tiwakan!”
Liene called Black. Lafitte covered Liene's mouth again, but it was too late.
“Are you okay?”
“Uh, um...”
Liene, her mouth gagged, couldn't answer. However, she wasn't as distressed as before. She could see that the people of the Kleinfelter family and the high priest were at a loss.
“You don’t seem to have any intention of breaking it, my lord. I’ll just have to destroy it.”
Following the cheerful voice of Fermos, the axe blade, so large that it was almost tiring, was driven in again.
“There is no time to argue now. You guys, take the eldest son.”
Linden Klinefelter ordered his men to drag Lafitte away, then turned to Liene and spoke quickly.
“You may be cheap, but you are not stupid, so you know what the situation is. It is up to the Princess to decide whether to turn Nauk into a battlefield or leave it as it is.”
It was an incredibly brazen threat. But Linden Klinefelter was confident. It was because he knew the reason why Liene had come here in the first place, avoiding the eyes of others, with only Werose.
“So do as you wish.”
Linden Klinefelter snapped his fingers to signal to the private. The private waiting at the door barely managed to lift the lock, avoiding the axe blade.
“Huh? You don’t seem to want to fight?”
In the meantime, Fermos heard the sound of the lock opening and snickered.
“Hey, put the axe down. You don’t have to break anything anymore.”
Boom!
Linden Klinefelter's face changed at the sudden hurling of the baton.
“What was that little rat doing hiding in a hole?”
“What the... Why does a savage have to meddle in whatever I do in my own house...”
“Whether it’s a house or a cave.”
Jerk.
Black took a step closer. Poor Linden Klinefelter didn't back down, but instead tried to hold on, and ended up in a weird position where his upper body was thrown back as far as it could go. If someone had tapped his ankle, he would have fallen flat on his butt.
“Are you hurt anywhere?”
Black suddenly turned his head and asked Liene.
“No. I... I just delivered the news. No one was hurt.”
“I’ll have to check that to know.”
Buck!
That was reason enough for Black to come to the Klinefelter mansion.
“Can we go back?”
"Yes."
Liene walked on her own two feet and stood in front of Black. Black silently took Liene's outstretched hand.
“Let's go back.”
She wished it had ended like this. The atrocities of the Kleinfelter family were horrifying, but unfortunately, all Liene could do was cover it up. If it was revealed that Lafitte Kleinfelter was hiding here, that he had attempted to assassinate Liene because he had no intention of giving her up, and that he had tried to force her into a marriage, then war would begin at this very moment. Nauk would be torn in half, killing each other. This was something Liene had to avoid more than anything else.
“I’ve finished my work here. There’s no need to stay any longer.”
But as always, Tiwakan knew much more than Liene thought.
“Already?”
Fermos chuckled and pushed up his monocle.
“Why should you go back right away after finishing your business? Let’s go to Kleinfelter... Let’s see. I heard it’s the richest place in Nauk. While you’re here, let’s have a cup of tea. Our lord, who will soon become the co-ruler of Nauk, has come to visit in person, so the host should be courteous and considerate. If you just send us away, doesn’t that mean there’s something seriously wrong with the host’s head?”
Suddenly, Linden Klinefelter, who had become a man with a problem in his head, became angry. As he was about to open his mouth, Fermos quickly interrupted him.
“And that’s just the right time. Judging from his attire, that old gentleman seems to be the high priest of this place. Since we’re meeting now, let’s discuss the upcoming royal wedding. What do you think, my lord?”
The high priest should not have left the temple without a reason. Fermos, who had discovered the identity of the high priest, might have been trying to find out why he was at the Kleinfelter House and not at the temple at this time.
“Can we do that later?”
So Liene placed her hand on Black's back. Black's eyes, which had been facing Fermos, turned back to Liene. Liene raised her head and looked at him. She made her expression look rather earnest.
“I want to go back now. I’m tired.”
Before they dig up things that shouldn't be revealed. Liene leaned against Black's chest with that desperate expression. She could feel his chest, solid with muscles, twitching and becoming even more solid.
“Together.”
Before he tears Nauk apart. If she could stop it, she could do more than just hug him.
“...”
Black's low breathing seeped into his forehead. Although he couldn't believe it, Liene felt secure leaning on him. His firm chest, which seemed to be able to hold no matter how much weight he put on it, was like the walls of Nauk's castle. It felt comfortable and safe.
“What a strange thing.”
"What..."
Black looked down at Liene and muttered lowly as if whispering.
“I know you’re hiding something, but I still don’t feel like asking you about it here.”
“...”
...Yes, he could not help but know. She did not think that everything would be explained by just saying that she had come to deliver the news of death. That is why Liene also found this moment strange. The fact that a man who did not trust her could feel so secure.
“If you want, I’ll go back.”
Black put his arm around Liene's waist. It seemed more like he was supporting her than hugging her. However, the only person he ignored was Liene.
“You stay and do what you deserve, and then come back after you have finished your business with the high priest.”
Fermos nodded as if he had expected that to happen.
“Of course, my lord. I will not disappoint you.”
The group quickly split up. Those who would escort Black back to the castle and those who would stay with the Kleinfelters along with Fermos went off to their respective places.
“Lafitte!”
The old lover uttered the same nonsense as her uncle, looking into Liene's trembling eyes with shock.
“I will live my whole life thanking God for the day I have the beautiful Princess as my wife. I hope the Princess will also be happy in her heart to have me as her husband.”
“Our relationship is already over! There’s no going back! Doing this isn’t going to change anything!”
Lafitte spoke with red, veiny eyes.
“Different... How could we be the same? When you become my wife.”
“...”
“If this is the only way to have you, I will do it.”
The lover was like a blind person who could only see one thing. It seemed like he was not the lover she knew. Lafitte, who left Liene speechless, asked his uncle.
“Where is the banquet hall?”
“Why would I go all the way to the banquet hall? Wherever the high priest is, it doesn’t matter.”
“Then let’s do it here. Right now.”
“That’s a good idea.”
Liene shouted.
“Who cares! I absolutely... uhm...”
Liene shouted.
“Who cares! I absolutely... uhm...”
Lafitte covered the mouth that was saying those words with his hand.
“I will make the wedding vows on behalf of the Princess.”
“No, no, no!”
Liene grabbed Lafitte's arm and struggled.
“Be quiet. Just a moment.”
As Lafitte held Liene in his arms, the high priest stepped forward. Liene gasped as he pulled a laurel branch from the sleeve of his long robe.
“...!”
The more Liene struggled, the more tightly Lafitte held onto her. Liene, who was dragged towards the laurel branches as if being held by him, closed her eyes tightly and bit the flesh of Lafitte’s palm as he covered her mouth.
“Ugh...”
Lafitte frowned. But even though blood was flowing from his skin, he did not let go of Liene...
Please let me go.
She could not do anything on her own. A painful sense of frustration weighed on Liene’s shoulders.
Please.
Even though she squeezed her jaw as hard as she could, only a little blood flowed from his tough skin. The salty, bloody taste of blood spreading in her mouth made her stomach churn. While Liene lowered her head to swallow her nausea, the high priest lifted a branch and placed it on Liene’s head. Just that alone made her feel like her body was being skewered like meat.
“O primordial god, root of the earth, tear of the sea, La Hore Benusi Attica. Today, a pair of lovers conceived by your soil come before your altar to tie a knot of covenant in your name..."
It was the moment when the high priest's long-winded wedding consecration began.
“O primordial god, root of the earth, tear of the sea, La Hore Benusi Attica. Today, a pair of lovers conceived by your soil come before your altar to tie a knot of covenant in your name..."
It was the moment when the high priest's long-winded wedding consecration began.
Boom!
A loud noise shook the tightly closed door. It was enough to make everyone stop what they were doing.
***
“Keep going!”
After a while, Linden Kleinfelter came to his senses and spoke to the High Priest. The High Priest was startled and tried to pick up the laurel branch that had fallen to the ground. However, Liene was first. Liene quickly felt around the ground, picked up the branch, and held on to it so tightly that her joints ached.
“Hand it over.”
Lafitte let go of Liene's mouth and tried to snatch the branch away.
After a while, Linden Kleinfelter came to his senses and spoke to the High Priest. The High Priest was startled and tried to pick up the laurel branch that had fallen to the ground. However, Liene was first. Liene quickly felt around the ground, picked up the branch, and held on to it so tightly that her joints ached.
“Hand it over.”
Lafitte let go of Liene's mouth and tried to snatch the branch away.
Boom!
A louder sound than before rang out. It was a level that could not be ignored.
“Damn it! What the hell is going on! Go and see!”
Linden Kleinfelter shouted at the private. Two privates hurried to the window. But there was no need for that. Before he could even look outside, the main entrance to the mansion slammed.
“Damn it! What the hell is going on! Go and see!”
Linden Kleinfelter shouted at the private. Two privates hurried to the window. But there was no need for that. Before he could even look outside, the main entrance to the mansion slammed.
Boom, boom!
The sound didn’t stop at once. After a moment, the source of the sound was revealed.
Boom! Crunch!
A large, heavy part of the door fell off, and a massive battle axe, sharp and sharp, slammed into the gap.
“What... What...”
“What... What...”
Crunch!
The axe was pulled out, revealing a fairly large crack. It was large enough to convey speech clearly.
“Open the door.”
Liene opened her eyes wide without realizing it. There was only one person with such a low and deep voice.
“Open the door.”
Liene opened her eyes wide without realizing it. There was only one person with such a low and deep voice.
That man... How?
Black was just beyond the door. He couldn't see it yet, but he was so close.
“Lord Tiwakan!”
Liene called Black. Lafitte covered Liene's mouth again, but it was too late.
“Are you okay?”
“Uh, um...”
Liene, her mouth gagged, couldn't answer. However, she wasn't as distressed as before. She could see that the people of the Kleinfelter family and the high priest were at a loss.
“You don’t seem to have any intention of breaking it, my lord. I’ll just have to destroy it.”
Following the cheerful voice of Fermos, the axe blade, so large that it was almost tiring, was driven in again.
Bam! Bam!
That solid and magnificent door was about to be split in half. The problem was what happened next. Once this door was gone, the only thing that could stop Tiwakan was human flesh.
“Fuck!”
Linden Klinefelter cursed in a muffled voice.
“I have to open the door.”
Lafitte objected.
“Uncle!”
“It can’t be helped. Are you planning to treat them as enemies rather than guests?”
The wedding ceremony had already floated away to the other side of the river. The only time a forced wedding ceremony was possible was when all the witnesses were on his side. Of course, it was different when an enemy was wielding a battle axe just beyond the door.
“You go and hide. It won’t do you any good to show your face to them.”
“That can’t be! I...”
“Fuck!”
Linden Klinefelter cursed in a muffled voice.
“I have to open the door.”
Lafitte objected.
“Uncle!”
“It can’t be helped. Are you planning to treat them as enemies rather than guests?”
The wedding ceremony had already floated away to the other side of the river. The only time a forced wedding ceremony was possible was when all the witnesses were on his side. Of course, it was different when an enemy was wielding a battle axe just beyond the door.
“You go and hide. It won’t do you any good to show your face to them.”
“That can’t be! I...”
“There is no time to argue now. You guys, take the eldest son.”
Linden Klinefelter ordered his men to drag Lafitte away, then turned to Liene and spoke quickly.
“You may be cheap, but you are not stupid, so you know what the situation is. It is up to the Princess to decide whether to turn Nauk into a battlefield or leave it as it is.”
It was an incredibly brazen threat. But Linden Klinefelter was confident. It was because he knew the reason why Liene had come here in the first place, avoiding the eyes of others, with only Werose.
“So do as you wish.”
Linden Klinefelter snapped his fingers to signal to the private. The private waiting at the door barely managed to lift the lock, avoiding the axe blade.
“Huh? You don’t seem to want to fight?”
In the meantime, Fermos heard the sound of the lock opening and snickered.
“Hey, put the axe down. You don’t have to break anything anymore.”
Boom!
Then, a relentless kick slammed against the Kleinfelter family's front door.
Wham, bang!
The mangled door slid open on both sides, and Black walked in.
***
...What should I do? I felt like crying. It seemed like crying because I was happy. ...But I couldn't say I wasn't happy.
The moment Liene saw that face, she felt an absurd sense of relief.
“What brings you to my house?”
Linden Klinefelter asked cheekily:
“And you even broke down the door. What kind of barbaric and uncivilized act is this? Isn’t this the work of a wild dog, not a human being?”
It was a word that was no different from an insult.
“Lord Klinefelter.”
Before Liene could point out his rudeness, Black spoke first.
“You who are like that.”
"...What?"
“What brings you to my house?”
Linden Klinefelter asked cheekily:
“And you even broke down the door. What kind of barbaric and uncivilized act is this? Isn’t this the work of a wild dog, not a human being?”
It was a word that was no different from an insult.
“Lord Klinefelter.”
Before Liene could point out his rudeness, Black spoke first.
“You who are like that.”
"...What?"
Linden Klinefelter's face changed at the sudden hurling of the baton.
“What was that little rat doing hiding in a hole?”
“What the... Why does a savage have to meddle in whatever I do in my own house...”
“Whether it’s a house or a cave.”
Jerk.
Black took a step forward. Linden Klinefelter's complexion changed noticeably. Perhaps because of his large size, Black seemed to threaten Linden Klinefelter just by walking.
“Don’t close the door. When my fiancee is here.”
“What is that... what is that...”
“Don’t close the door. When my fiancee is here.”
“What is that... what is that...”
Black took a step closer. Poor Linden Klinefelter didn't back down, but instead tried to hold on, and ended up in a weird position where his upper body was thrown back as far as it could go. If someone had tapped his ankle, he would have fallen flat on his butt.
“Are you hurt anywhere?”
Black suddenly turned his head and asked Liene.
“No. I... I just delivered the news. No one was hurt.”
“I’ll have to check that to know.”
Buck!
Black took his last step towards Linden Kleinfelter.
“Ugh.”
Boom!
“Ugh.”
Boom!
Linden Kleinfelter, whose upper and lower body were out of balance, stumbled backward and fell to the ground.
“Oh, no!”
"My lord!"
The soldiers behind him hurriedly approached him, but they could not bring themselves to help him up. Black was too close.
“Oh, no!”
"My lord!"
The soldiers behind him hurriedly approached him, but they could not bring themselves to help him up. Black was too close.
Black stood there, looking down at the fallen Linden Kleinfelter as if he were a man contemplating whether to step on an ant underfoot or just pass it by.
“Don’t forget.”
To not close the door meant not to offer even the slightest resistance.
Black, who had warned unforgettably, turned around quickly. What he was facing was Liene.
“I came out to pick you up.”
"... Yes."
“Don’t forget.”
To not close the door meant not to offer even the slightest resistance.
Black, who had warned unforgettably, turned around quickly. What he was facing was Liene.
“I came out to pick you up.”
"... Yes."
That was reason enough for Black to come to the Klinefelter mansion.
“Can we go back?”
"Yes."
Liene walked on her own two feet and stood in front of Black. Black silently took Liene's outstretched hand.
“Let's go back.”
She wished it had ended like this. The atrocities of the Kleinfelter family were horrifying, but unfortunately, all Liene could do was cover it up. If it was revealed that Lafitte Kleinfelter was hiding here, that he had attempted to assassinate Liene because he had no intention of giving her up, and that he had tried to force her into a marriage, then war would begin at this very moment. Nauk would be torn in half, killing each other. This was something Liene had to avoid more than anything else.
“I’ve finished my work here. There’s no need to stay any longer.”
But as always, Tiwakan knew much more than Liene thought.
“Already?”
Fermos chuckled and pushed up his monocle.
“Why should you go back right away after finishing your business? Let’s go to Kleinfelter... Let’s see. I heard it’s the richest place in Nauk. While you’re here, let’s have a cup of tea. Our lord, who will soon become the co-ruler of Nauk, has come to visit in person, so the host should be courteous and considerate. If you just send us away, doesn’t that mean there’s something seriously wrong with the host’s head?”
Suddenly, Linden Klinefelter, who had become a man with a problem in his head, became angry. As he was about to open his mouth, Fermos quickly interrupted him.
“And that’s just the right time. Judging from his attire, that old gentleman seems to be the high priest of this place. Since we’re meeting now, let’s discuss the upcoming royal wedding. What do you think, my lord?”
The high priest should not have left the temple without a reason. Fermos, who had discovered the identity of the high priest, might have been trying to find out why he was at the Kleinfelter House and not at the temple at this time.
“Can we do that later?”
So Liene placed her hand on Black's back. Black's eyes, which had been facing Fermos, turned back to Liene. Liene raised her head and looked at him. She made her expression look rather earnest.
“I want to go back now. I’m tired.”
Before they dig up things that shouldn't be revealed. Liene leaned against Black's chest with that desperate expression. She could feel his chest, solid with muscles, twitching and becoming even more solid.
“Together.”
Before he tears Nauk apart. If she could stop it, she could do more than just hug him.
“...”
Black's low breathing seeped into his forehead. Although he couldn't believe it, Liene felt secure leaning on him. His firm chest, which seemed to be able to hold no matter how much weight he put on it, was like the walls of Nauk's castle. It felt comfortable and safe.
“What a strange thing.”
"What..."
Black looked down at Liene and muttered lowly as if whispering.
“I know you’re hiding something, but I still don’t feel like asking you about it here.”
“...”
...Yes, he could not help but know. She did not think that everything would be explained by just saying that she had come to deliver the news of death. That is why Liene also found this moment strange. The fact that a man who did not trust her could feel so secure.
“If you want, I’ll go back.”
Black put his arm around Liene's waist. It seemed more like he was supporting her than hugging her. However, the only person he ignored was Liene.
“You stay and do what you deserve, and then come back after you have finished your business with the high priest.”
Fermos nodded as if he had expected that to happen.
“Of course, my lord. I will not disappoint you.”
The group quickly split up. Those who would escort Black back to the castle and those who would stay with the Kleinfelters along with Fermos went off to their respective places.
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