The meeting was over. Fermos left with Werose, discussing the movement and redeployment of troops as he had said. Masilou, who had to complete a clear marriage contract before Tiwakan invaded the castle without permission, also left the reception room in a hurry.
“Please wait a moment. I will call Mrs. Flambard...Ah, I will call the nanny to accompany us.”
“You don’t need a companion.”
“No. When I go for a walk with a stranger...”
Black cut Liene off.
“I am not a foreigner, but the Princess’s fiancé.”
...That’s right, that’s right. Liene chewed her lips. For a moment, she wondered how a barbarian could know such courtesy, but her doubts were quickly dispelled when Black held out his arm.
“...”
Liene lowered her eyelashes in resignation and placed her hand on Black's outstretched arm.
"Ah..."
The arm was so strong that it was surprising. When Liene stopped moving in surprise, Black lowered his head and met her gaze.
“What's going on?”
“No, that’s... not that.”
Liene pointed ahead as if telling him to forget about it. But before that, her finger was grabbed first.
"Wound."
“...?”
“It looks like you didn’t apply any medicine.”
On the palm where Black had grabbed her fingertips, there was a wound from yesterday. And next to it, there was another wound from today. The small crescent-shaped wound couldn't hide the fact that it was a nail mark.
“What did you have to endure this time?”
Black raised Liene’s hand, spitting out a slow question that didn’t seem to demand an answer. It was okay to hold her hand. However, it wasn’t okay at all for that hand to touch Black’s lips. It was unbearable for those lips to cover the stinging wound as if comforting it and gently sucking on her skin.
"...Stop!"
Liene couldn't bear it any longer and pulled her hand away. If Black hadn't been watching, she would have clenched her fist again, leaving nail marks on her palm.
“It’s okay... I’d rather go for a walk..."
“I'm not okay with that.”
“Take care of yourself. The Princess’s injuries will now all be my responsibility.”
It was funny that the man who was the most lethal and dangerous to her body was saying such things. Just like yesterday, Black was a tangled contradiction to Liene today as well.
“...This way.”
Only after she had resolved never to make eye contact with the man again could she link arms with him. After informing the guards in the reception room of her whereabouts, Liene headed to the backyard with the man she could now call her fiancé.
“Oh my god, Princess!”
Liene, who had brought Black into the reception room, came to her senses when she saw Mrs. Flambard, whose face had turned pale.
“What happened! Where did you get hurt! Who the hell... !”
“It’s not me. Lord Tiwakan has been shot by an arrow. Get a doctor and bring him some hot water and a towel. Hurry up.”
“Yes...? Who got hurt?”
Mrs. Flambard looked bewildered as if she couldn't believe it. She felt a little embarrassed because she couldn't guess why. But it was not a situation where she could explain the situation, so Liene urged her.
"Madam, hurry.”
“Ah, yes. I understand, Princess.”
Mrs. Flambard ran out of the drawing room in a hurry. Liene turned her head towards Black and spoke quietly.
“You can let go now. I’m fine.”
"Then."
The hand that had been wrapping around her back disappeared. Still, Liene did not fall down or anything. In fact, there was no reason for her to come here with the support of someone who had been shot in the shoulder with an arrow. While Liene’s mind was momentarily confused as to why, Black pulled the sofa in front of the fireplace.
“Please sit down.”
"... Yes?"
“I didn’t mean to get hurt.”
Black, left alone after Liene disappeared, muttered quietly to himself.
“Fermos will nag.”
Despite all that, Black's expressionless face showed no signs of agitation. Just looking at his expression, you wouldn't have guessed that he was the person who had just been shot by an arrow.
“...”
Black, who had been keeping his mouth shut and his eyes closed, suddenly turned his head. His gaze was directed to the chair where Liene had been sitting just a moment ago. He stretched out his uninjured arm and tapped the top of the chair. As if he was trying to confirm with the remaining body heat that someone had been sitting there just a moment ago.
"I have a child. Do you still want to propose?"
The words he heard yesterday tickled his ears like the warmth tickling his fingertips. As he said, having an illegitimate child was nothing. He hadn’t expected anything great from here in the first place. He just wanted to take it because it was his. He thought the same about Nauk. It would be a loss to keep this barren land that was going to collapse. They had barely managed to make ends meet by selling off the royal property. Becoming the ruler of this place meant pouring his wealth into a bottomless pit like Liene had done. Still, it bothered him that someone else was taking it. He wasn’t particularly greedy, but that bothered him enough to decide to propose.
An armor-like silence weighed down the space where only the two remained. There was clearly a large table between her and the Tiwakan leader that could seat thirty people, but Liene felt as if she was being crushed by him with her bare body.
“Would you like to go for a walk?”
Liene stood up, unable to bear the suffocating atmosphere any longer.
“Anything.”
Black pushed the chair away and stood up, imitating Liene. She was about to tell him to wait a moment, but he came to Liene's side before she could say anything.
“Where are you going?”
“Let me show you Nauk’s support.”
...This man was so big. That was why she kept feeling suffocated. There was no other way to explain this tension. Liene turned her head slightly to the other side, avoiding Black.
“Would you like to go for a walk?”
Liene stood up, unable to bear the suffocating atmosphere any longer.
“Anything.”
Black pushed the chair away and stood up, imitating Liene. She was about to tell him to wait a moment, but he came to Liene's side before she could say anything.
“Where are you going?”
“Let me show you Nauk’s support.”
...This man was so big. That was why she kept feeling suffocated. There was no other way to explain this tension. Liene turned her head slightly to the other side, avoiding Black.
“Please wait a moment. I will call Mrs. Flambard...Ah, I will call the nanny to accompany us.”
“You don’t need a companion.”
“No. When I go for a walk with a stranger...”
Black cut Liene off.
“I am not a foreigner, but the Princess’s fiancé.”
...That’s right, that’s right. Liene chewed her lips. For a moment, she wondered how a barbarian could know such courtesy, but her doubts were quickly dispelled when Black held out his arm.
“...”
Liene lowered her eyelashes in resignation and placed her hand on Black's outstretched arm.
"Ah..."
The arm was so strong that it was surprising. When Liene stopped moving in surprise, Black lowered his head and met her gaze.
“What's going on?”
“No, that’s... not that.”
Liene pointed ahead as if telling him to forget about it. But before that, her finger was grabbed first.
"Wound."
“...?”
“It looks like you didn’t apply any medicine.”
On the palm where Black had grabbed her fingertips, there was a wound from yesterday. And next to it, there was another wound from today. The small crescent-shaped wound couldn't hide the fact that it was a nail mark.
“What did you have to endure this time?”
Black raised Liene’s hand, spitting out a slow question that didn’t seem to demand an answer. It was okay to hold her hand. However, it wasn’t okay at all for that hand to touch Black’s lips. It was unbearable for those lips to cover the stinging wound as if comforting it and gently sucking on her skin.
"...Stop!"
Liene couldn't bear it any longer and pulled her hand away. If Black hadn't been watching, she would have clenched her fist again, leaving nail marks on her palm.
“It’s okay... I’d rather go for a walk..."
“I'm not okay with that.”
Those sweet words, I hate to see you hurt, didn't sound the least bit sweet as they passed the lips of the man with the animalistic eyes. It sounded more like a breathless threat.
It was funny that the man who was the most lethal and dangerous to her body was saying such things. Just like yesterday, Black was a tangled contradiction to Liene today as well.
“...This way.”
Only after she had resolved never to make eye contact with the man again could she link arms with him. After informing the guards in the reception room of her whereabouts, Liene headed to the backyard with the man she could now call her fiancé.
***
Even though it was called a backyard, it was wide and not beautiful. Since the drought had started, the flowers bloomed only briefly and then withered. Most of the backyard was covered with bushes with pointed leaves that didn’t need much water. Was it too much to ask him to take a walk in a place like this?
Liene was careful not to let their linked bodies get too close, but she felt embarrassed by the desolate scenery that suddenly caught her eye.
“...”
What if he thought she brought him here to mock him?
“...”
What if he thought she brought him here to mock him?
But that was absolutely not the case. It wasn’t that she had intentionally chosen an unsightly place. Most of Nauk was like this. It was barren and dry. The magnificent waterfall that had split into nine streams and gushed out from the castle had long since dried up without a trace. If you look at it, you can tell that this land wasn’t worth acquiring.
"Someone will covet the Princess or this land."
The words Black had spoken as if mocking Liene's thoughts, rang in her head.
"No..."
Liene shook her head without realizing it and muttered a negative.
“What is it?”
Black suddenly stopped walking. It was a mistake to raise her head in surprise. Her eyes were tied again.
“...”
Liene swallowed dryly. Those eyes were the problem. Eyes that could not be avoided, but could not be faced. She had to admit that they were scary but fascinating. Perhaps it was because they could not be rejected that they were scary.
“...It was nothing. It was a regretful remark that came out because I had asked to take a walk in a place where there was nothing to see.”
“It’s not like there’s nothing to see.”
Black's answer slowly penetrated my ears.
“Because there’s a Princess.”
“...”
What does that mean? Is it that I am worth watching, or is it that I have to be watched?
“Then I understand that to mean it’s okay.”
Liene moved her feet. But at that moment.
“Don't move.”
Black's slow voice stopped his steps first. Black covered Liene, who raised her head in confusion, with his body.
"Someone will covet the Princess or this land."
The words Black had spoken as if mocking Liene's thoughts, rang in her head.
"No..."
Liene shook her head without realizing it and muttered a negative.
“What is it?”
Black suddenly stopped walking. It was a mistake to raise her head in surprise. Her eyes were tied again.
“...”
Liene swallowed dryly. Those eyes were the problem. Eyes that could not be avoided, but could not be faced. She had to admit that they were scary but fascinating. Perhaps it was because they could not be rejected that they were scary.
“...It was nothing. It was a regretful remark that came out because I had asked to take a walk in a place where there was nothing to see.”
“It’s not like there’s nothing to see.”
Black's answer slowly penetrated my ears.
“Because there’s a Princess.”
“...”
What does that mean? Is it that I am worth watching, or is it that I have to be watched?
“Then I understand that to mean it’s okay.”
Liene moved her feet. But at that moment.
“Don't move.”
Black's slow voice stopped his steps first. Black covered Liene, who raised her head in confusion, with his body.
Pfft! Thud!
Liene saw a black line flying through the air and stabbing Black's shoulder. The black line was an arrow.
“Over there!”
Tiwakan's mercenaries, who noticed the arrows flying, moved quickly.
“Don’t let go! And catch him alive if you can!”
Liene watched the mercenaries moving so fast that it was hard to believe her eyes and realized that they weren't the only ones walking around. In a way, it was only natural. The person leading a mercenary band that had been fighting on battlefields for over ten years wouldn't take the danger that could lurk anywhere lightly.
“Are you okay?”
Liene looked at Black with a pale face. The arrow in Black’s shoulder could have easily been the trigger for everything to go wrong. On the outside, he might have pretended to accept the proposal, but behind the scenes, he might have been preparing to betray her. Her head felt like it was going to burst. Who on earth would do such a foolish thing?
***
“Over there!”
Tiwakan's mercenaries, who noticed the arrows flying, moved quickly.
“Don’t let go! And catch him alive if you can!”
Liene watched the mercenaries moving so fast that it was hard to believe her eyes and realized that they weren't the only ones walking around. In a way, it was only natural. The person leading a mercenary band that had been fighting on battlefields for over ten years wouldn't take the danger that could lurk anywhere lightly.
“Are you okay?”
Liene looked at Black with a pale face. The arrow in Black’s shoulder could have easily been the trigger for everything to go wrong. On the outside, he might have pretended to accept the proposal, but behind the scenes, he might have been preparing to betray her. Her head felt like it was going to burst. Who on earth would do such a foolish thing?
This was neither revenge nor rescue. It was the path to falling into the swamp of self-destruction for Nauk. Even if Black had been killed by the arrow, Tiwakan would never let Nauk off easy if he lost his leader to a cowardly assassination.
“First... First, let’s get some help... It seems safer to go inside than to wait for people here.”
Liene reached out her hand to support Black. Her hand was shaking slightly. Liene gritted her teeth and held back her trembling, fearing that she might be misunderstood.
“This has nothing to do with Nauk. I never intended to harm Lord Tiwakan.”
“...We’ll find out when we see.”
Black said, looking at Liene's hand.
“I think I might need some support.”
But the person who actually had strong arms wrapped around her waist was Liene.
“Lord Tiwakan. I am not the one who was hurt.”
“That’s why I’m surprised too. Why is someone who isn’t even hurt shaking like they’re going to collapse at any moment?”
“...”
“Then I will walk.”
The one who had been shot with an arrow began to walk, supporting the one who had not. She tried to say that she didn’t need support, but her lips wouldn’t move. The presence of the shoulder supporting her back, the arm wrapped around her waist was too clear.
“First... First, let’s get some help... It seems safer to go inside than to wait for people here.”
Liene reached out her hand to support Black. Her hand was shaking slightly. Liene gritted her teeth and held back her trembling, fearing that she might be misunderstood.
“This has nothing to do with Nauk. I never intended to harm Lord Tiwakan.”
“...We’ll find out when we see.”
Black said, looking at Liene's hand.
“I think I might need some support.”
But the person who actually had strong arms wrapped around her waist was Liene.
“Lord Tiwakan. I am not the one who was hurt.”
“That’s why I’m surprised too. Why is someone who isn’t even hurt shaking like they’re going to collapse at any moment?”
“...”
“Then I will walk.”
The one who had been shot with an arrow began to walk, supporting the one who had not. She tried to say that she didn’t need support, but her lips wouldn’t move. The presence of the shoulder supporting her back, the arm wrapped around her waist was too clear.
Why... And the fact that she was shaking. Why on earth...
Now it was her spine, not her hands, that was shaking. The fact that this man’s arm was touching her back made her hair stand on end. She remembered the moment right before the arrow struck him when he had pulled her into his arms. The feeling of their strong bodies colliding with each other. And the fierce sensation of digging into her skin. This trembling had started from that moment.
***
“Oh my god, Princess!”
Liene, who had brought Black into the reception room, came to her senses when she saw Mrs. Flambard, whose face had turned pale.
“What happened! Where did you get hurt! Who the hell... !”
“It’s not me. Lord Tiwakan has been shot by an arrow. Get a doctor and bring him some hot water and a towel. Hurry up.”
“Yes...? Who got hurt?”
Mrs. Flambard looked bewildered as if she couldn't believe it. She felt a little embarrassed because she couldn't guess why. But it was not a situation where she could explain the situation, so Liene urged her.
"Madam, hurry.”
“Ah, yes. I understand, Princess.”
Mrs. Flambard ran out of the drawing room in a hurry. Liene turned her head towards Black and spoke quietly.
“You can let go now. I’m fine.”
"Then."
The hand that had been wrapping around her back disappeared. Still, Liene did not fall down or anything. In fact, there was no reason for her to come here with the support of someone who had been shot in the shoulder with an arrow. While Liene’s mind was momentarily confused as to why, Black pulled the sofa in front of the fireplace.
“Please sit down.”
"... Yes?"
Liene looked at him in surprise.
“As I said, you're still shaking.”
“..."
Perhaps it was because she still felt the man’s hand touching some part of her body. Liene forced herself to regain her composure.
“I am not hurt. It would be more urgent to tend to Lord Tiwakan’s wounds.”
After finishing speaking, Black glanced at the arrow stuck behind his left shoulder. Looking at him, he didn’t seem to be injured at all. His eyes, which looked like they had been pierced by arrows hundreds of times, showed no emotion at all as he looked at the wound.
“I think my clothes might get caught.”
Black, who had been muttering softly to himself, knelt down in front of Liene. For a moment, her body froze, but Black’s intentions were simpler than Liene had thought.
“I would like to borrow your hand to help me take off my clothes.”
“Clothes... yes.”
He won't be able to take off his clothes since there's an arrow stuck in them. Liene quickly got up from her chair.
“I’ll bring the scissors.”
“There is no need for that.”
Liene had already turned around.
“Please wait a moment.”
There was a need. There had to be a reason not to be too close to him alone. There had to be a break from this illusion that she still seemed to be holding onto.
“As I said, you're still shaking.”
“..."
Perhaps it was because she still felt the man’s hand touching some part of her body. Liene forced herself to regain her composure.
“I am not hurt. It would be more urgent to tend to Lord Tiwakan’s wounds.”
“I know, but sit down.”
“I think my clothes might get caught.”
Black, who had been muttering softly to himself, knelt down in front of Liene. For a moment, her body froze, but Black’s intentions were simpler than Liene had thought.
“I would like to borrow your hand to help me take off my clothes.”
“Clothes... yes.”
He won't be able to take off his clothes since there's an arrow stuck in them. Liene quickly got up from her chair.
“I’ll bring the scissors.”
“There is no need for that.”
Liene had already turned around.
“Please wait a moment.”
There was a need. There had to be a reason not to be too close to him alone. There had to be a break from this illusion that she still seemed to be holding onto.
***
“I didn’t mean to get hurt.”
Black, left alone after Liene disappeared, muttered quietly to himself.
“Fermos will nag.”
Despite all that, Black's expressionless face showed no signs of agitation. Just looking at his expression, you wouldn't have guessed that he was the person who had just been shot by an arrow.
“...”
Black, who had been keeping his mouth shut and his eyes closed, suddenly turned his head. His gaze was directed to the chair where Liene had been sitting just a moment ago. He stretched out his uninjured arm and tapped the top of the chair. As if he was trying to confirm with the remaining body heat that someone had been sitting there just a moment ago.
"I have a child. Do you still want to propose?"
The words he heard yesterday tickled his ears like the warmth tickling his fingertips. As he said, having an illegitimate child was nothing. He hadn’t expected anything great from here in the first place. He just wanted to take it because it was his. He thought the same about Nauk. It would be a loss to keep this barren land that was going to collapse. They had barely managed to make ends meet by selling off the royal property. Becoming the ruler of this place meant pouring his wealth into a bottomless pit like Liene had done. Still, it bothered him that someone else was taking it. He wasn’t particularly greedy, but that bothered him enough to decide to propose.
After wandering the continent for ten years, he was bound to become sensitive to the political situations and trends of each country. Even if they weren’t public lovers, there were plenty of men who would want Liene Arsak. Among them, there would be wealthy men who would think of Nauk as a small bump that came with Liene. Black decided to just take it rather than give it to someone else. Since his goal was to have one, he hadn't thought about what came after that. That was why it didn't matter whether she had a lover or an illegitimate child.
"However."
Black licked his lips.
“...It’s annoying.”
Even though he had it, it still bothered him. The fists that clenched tightly whenever she saw him, the palms that left scars shaped like nails. The trembling lips, the shaking eyelashes, the frightened expression. And yet, that slender yet strong body that held on without ever backing down.
"However."
Black licked his lips.
“...It’s annoying.”
Even though he had it, it still bothered him. The fists that clenched tightly whenever she saw him, the palms that left scars shaped like nails. The trembling lips, the shaking eyelashes, the frightened expression. And yet, that slender yet strong body that held on without ever backing down.
Thump.
The movement of the fingers stopped. The warmth that had been groping the tips of his fingers had disappeared. He suddenly felt thirsty. He wanted to know exactly what this bothersome thing was.
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