"...Yes?"
The woman was so surprised that she let go of the string she was pulling. The petticoat fell to the floor with a thud.
“How long does it take for signs of having a child to appear?”
“That, that...So..”
As Mrs. Flambard stammered, this time the guards came running and knocked on the door.
As Mrs. Flambard stammered, this time the guards came running and knocked on the door.
Thump, thump.
“I inform you, Princess. The leader of Tiwakan has arrived at the gates. I await Lord Werose’s permission to open the gates.”
The expressions on the faces of Liene and Madame Flambard, who had somehow ended up in their underwear, changed. Liene met the nanny’s eyes and spoke slowly.
“...Open the gate and tell them I’m coming soon.”
Mrs. Flambard began to dress her again in a hurry. It was Mrs. Flambard who had told her not to look too pretty, but Liene, in her bright clothes, was unfortunately very pretty. Her pale complexion and her slender neck strangely blended together, making her look like a flower in danger of breaking at any moment.
The expressions on the faces of Liene and Madame Flambard, who had somehow ended up in their underwear, changed. Liene met the nanny’s eyes and spoke slowly.
“...Open the gate and tell them I’m coming soon.”
Mrs. Flambard began to dress her again in a hurry. It was Mrs. Flambard who had told her not to look too pretty, but Liene, in her bright clothes, was unfortunately very pretty. Her pale complexion and her slender neck strangely blended together, making her look like a flower in danger of breaking at any moment.
***
“...”
Six coffins were placed in the front yard of the castle. Six thuds hit the floor, and then there was silence. Liene forgot to say hello and stared blankly at the closed coffins. All six coffins were identical. She couldn’t tell which one contained her lover.
“I brought the body back intact as requested.”
"My name is Fermos."
Said the man with the funny device on his face.
“A small gift for the Princess of Nauk who accepted my proposal.”
"...Thank you."
The first gift from the fiancé was a corpse. It was a creepy thing. When Liene nodded with a small response to show that she had accepted the gift, Black took a step forward. His gaze was directed straight to her bare face. She felt a prickling sensation on her skin for no reason.
“Thank you for listening to my unreasonable request... And, the official.”
It was rare for a corpse that had been taken by surprise to return intact. Furthermore, it was not always returned in a coffin. The barbarians had saved face for the betrothed. Liene was in a position to be grateful for such things.
The Tiwakan chieftain took another step closer. Liene barely resisted the urge to back away. At such a close distance, his gaze felt as if it was groping her skin.
“A day has passed.”
He spoke as if a day were a very long time, for someone whose lover had died only a day earlier.
“Now I would like to talk about marriage.”
“...”
The six coffins, which contained the body of her lover, were both a gift and a threat: not to let her become so consumed by grief that she forgot the proposal he had made.
“A day has passed.”
He spoke as if a day were a very long time, for someone whose lover had died only a day earlier.
“Now I would like to talk about marriage.”
“...”
The six coffins, which contained the body of her lover, were both a gift and a threat: not to let her become so consumed by grief that she forgot the proposal he had made.
***
The seats were changed. The office was small, and the hall was too large. In the end, the place decided was the reception room with a large table. It was once a place where the major families of Nauk would visit the King every day to make peace, but that tradition had long since disappeared. The two sides sat across from each other in a strangely eerie space. The only ones on Liene’s side were Werose and Mashilou. Fortunately, the opposing side did not have many people, so the picture was somewhat equal. However, her heart was not like that at all. Even if the leader of Tiwakan had been here alone, Liene would have had to continue to fight the feeling of endless intimidation.
“I think we both agree that there is nothing good in dragging out a wedding.”
Fermos began to speak. Now even Nauk knew that he was Black's right-hand man and advisor, effectively the second-in-command of Tiwakan.
“No matter how southern it is, it’s getting cold this season. Before that happens, Tiwakan should stop camping and settle down under the roof. And the Princess...”
Fermos paused for a moment. The meaningful smile on his lips was unusual.
“If you want to have your unborn child baptized, you should also hurry up and get married.”
“What... what did you say?”
Masilou jumped to his feet.
“Ah, the irony... What is that...? Princess, whose child is that...”
Voices rang out from both sides simultaneously as he stuttered in embarrassment.
“This is my child.”
“My child.”
Liene and Black were talking about the same thing but different things at the same time. This time, Liene looked at Black in confusion. She wondered what on earth he was talking about. Black faced Liene without any confusion.
“The baby the Princess gives birth to will grow up knowing me as its biological father, as long as we get married.”
Since he's decided to accept the pregnancy, that would be the safest solution.
“Oh, that’s what I meant...”
“I don’t care if the child’s last name is Arsak.”
Masilou glared at Liene. Although they had different opinions, he was a seasoned politician who had been a counselor for a long time. He knew that Liene had never allowed her lover to sleep with her. Therefore, he must have realized that the story of having a child was a lie to reject the proposal. However, his expression was scolding Liene for being too reckless...
Fermos began to speak. Now even Nauk knew that he was Black's right-hand man and advisor, effectively the second-in-command of Tiwakan.
“No matter how southern it is, it’s getting cold this season. Before that happens, Tiwakan should stop camping and settle down under the roof. And the Princess...”
Fermos paused for a moment. The meaningful smile on his lips was unusual.
“If you want to have your unborn child baptized, you should also hurry up and get married.”
“What... what did you say?”
Masilou jumped to his feet.
“Ah, the irony... What is that...? Princess, whose child is that...”
Voices rang out from both sides simultaneously as he stuttered in embarrassment.
“This is my child.”
“My child.”
Liene and Black were talking about the same thing but different things at the same time. This time, Liene looked at Black in confusion. She wondered what on earth he was talking about. Black faced Liene without any confusion.
“The baby the Princess gives birth to will grow up knowing me as its biological father, as long as we get married.”
Since he's decided to accept the pregnancy, that would be the safest solution.
“Oh, that’s what I meant...”
“I don’t care if the child’s last name is Arsak.”
Masilou glared at Liene. Although they had different opinions, he was a seasoned politician who had been a counselor for a long time. He knew that Liene had never allowed her lover to sleep with her. Therefore, he must have realized that the story of having a child was a lie to reject the proposal. However, his expression was scolding Liene for being too reckless...
I know. Liene agreed.
However, the water had already been spilled. Now, she couldn’t say that the pregnancy was a lie. So she had to lie again, saying that she had a miscarriage at the right time, as she had originally thought, or she had to have the child as quickly as possible. However, that was...
Liene lowered her head to hide her expression and clenched her teeth. That meant...
She had to sleep with that barbarian as soon as possible. She can’t. He’ll notice. Since she had accepted the proposal, there was no problem with sleeping with him. Once they were married, no matter how much she hated it, she couldn’t avoid sleeping with him. But before that, there was another problem.
Liene unconsciously shut her eyes tightly. He would know that she was inexperienced. So there was no way she could have gotten pregnant. What would happen then?
Rumors of Tiwakan's savagery were plentiful. Horrible imaginations that she couldn't even express made her stomach queasy.
“With your permission, I will speak. The right to rule the child the Princess will bear will be secured in the name of Lord Tiwakan. If you wish, I will stipulate it in the marriage contract.”
Tiwakan's staff was flawless. It seemed as if the plan had already been laid out.
“It will be difficult to hide the pregnancy for at least a month or two, so the marriage should take place within two weeks at the latest.”
“What! Isn’t it too soon?”
Masilou stood up for the second time and shouted.
Tiwakan's staff was flawless. It seemed as if the plan had already been laid out.
“It will be difficult to hide the pregnancy for at least a month or two, so the marriage should take place within two weeks at the latest.”
“What! Isn’t it too soon?”
Masilou stood up for the second time and shouted.
“It’s a full moon, so it’s hard to even finish the formal attire!”
“...Sit down.”
A low, distinct voice stopped Masilou's swearing.
“...”
A startled Masilou looked at Black, who had told him to sit down. Masilou sat down hesitantly, facing the pale blue eyes that made the iris and pupils stand out. The face of the noble old royal advisor seemed to have turned pale.
“I will prepare the wedding dress. If preparing for the wedding is too burdensome, you don’t have to do anything, Princess. If there is another reason why you want to postpone the wedding...”
Black paused for a moment. There was a gap, but no one spoke during the gap. The Tiwakan leader had the power to force everyone to listen, no matter what he said. Everyone held their breath and waited for him to continue. Black turned his gaze to Liene and spoke slowly.
“I need to be honest with you now.”
This time, Liene's face turned pale.
“...Sit down.”
A low, distinct voice stopped Masilou's swearing.
“...”
A startled Masilou looked at Black, who had told him to sit down. Masilou sat down hesitantly, facing the pale blue eyes that made the iris and pupils stand out. The face of the noble old royal advisor seemed to have turned pale.
“I will prepare the wedding dress. If preparing for the wedding is too burdensome, you don’t have to do anything, Princess. If there is another reason why you want to postpone the wedding...”
Black paused for a moment. There was a gap, but no one spoke during the gap. The Tiwakan leader had the power to force everyone to listen, no matter what he said. Everyone held their breath and waited for him to continue. Black turned his gaze to Liene and spoke slowly.
“I need to be honest with you now.”
This time, Liene's face turned pale.
***
No matter how much Liene thought about it, there was no good reason other than that she didn't want to do it. Just looking at him gave her the creeps.
Could I marry a man like that and sleep with him? And while lying about being pregnant with another man's child?
Pretending to be familiar with it as if she had experience. As if she wouldn't feel the pain that she should feel because it was her first time... Liene can't. Lie like that.
"Princess..."
Werose, who had kept his mouth shut the whole time, called out to Liene quietly. Liene realized that she had her eyes closed and her fists clenched under the table. It was time to answer.
“Mental...preparation is necessary.”
“Is a fortnight not enough?”
Even if you give it a year, it won't be enough.
“It’s not just the wedding dress that’s the problem. I believe even Tiwakan knows about Nauk’s situation. We can’t afford to have a wedding in two weeks.”
Liene's words were not entirely false. Money was the biggest problem for Nauk. It was the reason why even a lover's funeral was a luxury.
“Was money the problem?”
“...Embarrassingly, yes.”
“Not for any other reason?”
Liene bit her lips slightly and replied.
"Yes."
Black turned his head toward his subordinate. Fermos, who realized what he meant, opened the lid of the box he had brought and took something out. What he took out was a rolled-up piece of paper. As expected, Fermos pushed the box to Masilou.
“It’s an engagement gift. This seems like a better gift than six coffins.”
The box, which was by no means small, was filled with gold.
Masilou was so surprised that he couldn't even touch the box and just looked at Liene.
"Princess..."
Liene was equally surprised. In the meantime, Fermos unrolled the rolled-up paper and turned it so that it could be seen clearly.
“This is something that requires the Princess’s consent. After your marriage, Tiwakan will have a new name, the Guardians of Arsak.”
This would mean that there would be ten times as many troops left in Nauk.
“What did you say?”
Liene reacted sharply to the unexpected good fortune. It was too good to be true. It couldn't have been free.
“Are you saying that we should hire all of the Tiwakan mercenaries from the Arsak family? You know very well that this is a problem that cannot be solved even with the gold you gave us as a gift.”
Fermos was blunt as if he already knew what Liene was going to say.
“The cost of having Tiwakan as a guardian will be borne by Lord Tiwakan, who will become co-ruler of Nauk through marriage.”
"Yes...?"
Liene looked back at Black without realizing it. Black's gaze, which she had been avoiding the whole time, was still there. The moment they met, his gaze caught hers. For a moment, it felt like she was under a curse that made it impossible for her to move his eyes.
“Are you asking me to... believe that?”
The mercenary group was a group that fought wars on behalf of the people. Naturally, hiring them costs astronomical amounts of money. The name Tiwakan alone would make Nauk the strongest fortress among the five southern kingdoms, but it was too much. It was nonsense to use Tiwakan as a guard, regardless of the economics.
“I have no reason to lie to my fiancée.”
That was Black's answer.
“But... Nauk cannot maintain such a large force, nor does it need it. No one wants such a barren and impoverished land.”
“There was a knight commander of Arsac.”
"...Yes?"
Liene's lips parted in embarrassment. Black's gaze turned to her parted lips. The gaze that persistently licked her lips seemed at first glance like greed.
“There will be more in the future. Whether it be for Nauk or the Princess.”
“..."
While Liene was speechless for a moment, Fermos quickly drove the wedge in before she could say anything else.
“Then, since there are no problems, I will take it that Nauk has agreed. The wedding will be in two weeks. At the latest, it will have to be announced by sunset tomorrow. I expect the captain of Nauk’s guard to take care of that. I would also like to personally check out the residence the knights used.”
The barbarians were meticulous. They set traps in the right places and very quickly, from which they could not escape.
“Time is running out, so we want to move as quickly as possible. It seems like it will take two full days just to move and deploy the troops. I think the knighthood ceremony will have to be postponed until after the wedding.”
Fermos smiled and reminded them of what was to come. It was a moment when the two letters ‘marriage’ felt real.
Support Novellate!
Comments
Post a Comment