"That..."
It was a very strange story. Taken away, by who, by whom. You were the one who took me from him. Black was speaking as if Liené had always belonged to him.
“Why do you say things like it was taken away?”
“And now I think it was a good thing I didn’t lose it.”
"Lord Tiwakan.."
“And now I think it was a good thing I didn’t lose it.”
"Lord Tiwakan.."
“If you had married someone else, things would have been even more messy... It would have been harder to endure me.”
Black's soliloquy was as cloudy and vague as a dream.
“Can we not kiss?”
His hazy eyes turned to my lips. Liene noticed that Black was sticking out his tongue and licking his dry lips as if he were thirsty.
“Yes, I....”
“Are you saying that it is not possible?”
...No. Don’t be fooled.
As she looked at the man’s lips that were dry and peeling, her own lips felt like they were burning even more. Liene decided not to be fooled by this sudden thirst. It’s because of the heat. This is what happens when a man confuses heat with desire. Once the heat subsides, it will cool down together. Their courtship wasn’t real. Just as her permission wasn’t real.
“You can’t reject me for the rest of your life. I’m not your suitor anymore, I’m your fiancée.”
Black still looked excited from the heat. Liene bit her lips as she looked at his unusually cloudy eyes.
“How can I get permission?”
...Maybe. If she is so drunk that she makes a mistake. Then maybe he can take advantage of the situation.
“Then promise me one thing.”
"What."
The man had already promised much. He had promised Nauk's survival, the life and safety of her illegitimate children, and the future right to rule. If they look only at the results, the one who would benefit from this marriage is Liene. With this, Liene had gained a powerful force that no invader would allow, and Black was going to pay the price in Liene's stead. Perhaps Nauk needed a King like Black. A husband who could fill the empty space that had been left without any other choice. Liene wanted all these promises to be solid truths, not just a piece of oath that could be torn at any time. She wanted their marriage to be real.
“If you decide to have it because you want it, then just have it.”
“What does that mean?”
“I won’t break it or destroy it.”
Black let out a short breath. He also couldn't figure out why.
“I just really want it.”
“...What will you give me in return for your promise, Princess?”
This time, Liene exhaled.
“If you promise me that, I will also do my best to desire Lord Tiwakan with all my heart... I promise you that.”
The answer was very quick.
"Great."
“Lord Tiwakan...”
“If I wanted to ruin it, I would have done so from the beginning. Not by proposing.”
Black, who had finished speaking, wrapped his arms around Liene's waist. It was an unbelievable action for a patient with an arrow in his shoulder. Liene's neck, held in one arm, tilted back. Black held Liene as if he was going to lay her down, then covered her lips.
“You can’t reject me for the rest of your life. I’m not your suitor anymore, I’m your fiancée.”
Black still looked excited from the heat. Liene bit her lips as she looked at his unusually cloudy eyes.
“How can I get permission?”
...Maybe. If she is so drunk that she makes a mistake. Then maybe he can take advantage of the situation.
“Then promise me one thing.”
"What."
The man had already promised much. He had promised Nauk's survival, the life and safety of her illegitimate children, and the future right to rule. If they look only at the results, the one who would benefit from this marriage is Liene. With this, Liene had gained a powerful force that no invader would allow, and Black was going to pay the price in Liene's stead. Perhaps Nauk needed a King like Black. A husband who could fill the empty space that had been left without any other choice. Liene wanted all these promises to be solid truths, not just a piece of oath that could be torn at any time. She wanted their marriage to be real.
“If you decide to have it because you want it, then just have it.”
“What does that mean?”
“I won’t break it or destroy it.”
Black let out a short breath. He also couldn't figure out why.
“I just really want it.”
“...What will you give me in return for your promise, Princess?”
This time, Liene exhaled.
“If you promise me that, I will also do my best to desire Lord Tiwakan with all my heart... I promise you that.”
The answer was very quick.
"Great."
“Lord Tiwakan...”
“If I wanted to ruin it, I would have done so from the beginning. Not by proposing.”
Black, who had finished speaking, wrapped his arms around Liene's waist. It was an unbelievable action for a patient with an arrow in his shoulder. Liene's neck, held in one arm, tilted back. Black held Liene as if he was going to lay her down, then covered her lips.
The moment the sound of skin touching and sucking reached her ears, her mind became dizzy. His hot breath was transmitted through his lips. Before she knew it, both arms wrapped around Black's neck. If he didn't hold her, she felt like she would sink somewhere far away. The sensation of a man's lips was completely unknown. A lover's kiss was never like this. The kiss Liene knew was something infinitely soft. This passionate feeling of how she would become was not a kiss.
“...I think we should stop here.”
The storm that seemed like it would never end finally ended. Black, who had buried his lips in the smooth skin where her chin and neck met, muttered.
“I don’t know how long I can make excuses about being hot.”
But his lips were still touching her bare skin. Only belatedly did she feel a goosebump-like tickle. Liene, who had come to her senses, pushed Black away. She tried hard not to show that her fingertips were trembling.
“I forgot that Lord Tiwakan was a patient.”
“...”
Black obediently handed over his body. Liene quickly got up from the bed and pretended to be calm as she greeted him.
“Then I will leave you now so that you can rest. I hope you get well soon.”
“I’ll get better soon. Now that I know I don’t have to make excuses about my fever.”
Black greeted her slowly as if he were lost in a dream. Even his voice was soft and sleepy as if he was drunk.
"Good night."
A dreamy voice tickled her ears. Liene quickly left Black's bedroom, afraid that she would also fall into the dream.
“...I think we should stop here.”
The storm that seemed like it would never end finally ended. Black, who had buried his lips in the smooth skin where her chin and neck met, muttered.
“I don’t know how long I can make excuses about being hot.”
But his lips were still touching her bare skin. Only belatedly did she feel a goosebump-like tickle. Liene, who had come to her senses, pushed Black away. She tried hard not to show that her fingertips were trembling.
“I forgot that Lord Tiwakan was a patient.”
“...”
Black obediently handed over his body. Liene quickly got up from the bed and pretended to be calm as she greeted him.
“Then I will leave you now so that you can rest. I hope you get well soon.”
“I’ll get better soon. Now that I know I don’t have to make excuses about my fever.”
Black greeted her slowly as if he were lost in a dream. Even his voice was soft and sleepy as if he was drunk.
"Good night."
A dreamy voice tickled her ears. Liene quickly left Black's bedroom, afraid that she would also fall into the dream.
As she left, she prayed inwardly.
Please, don't forget your promise. Even if you find out later that I deceived you, please just want me as we promised.
***
But keeping a promise was never easy.
"Princess."
When Liene returned to her bedroom, someone was waiting for her. Liene, who had naturally expected the room to be empty, was so surprised that she almost screamed.
“Way...”
"Shhhh."
Werose put his finger on his lips. He looked around once more, even in the empty room. It meant that he had a secret that no one should know.
“I just shook them off for a moment. I haven’t suspected anything yet, but there might be someone following me.”
Liene also lowered her voice and whispered.
“What's going on?”
“There is something you must know, Princess.”
Werose, along with Fermos and the other Tiwakans, organized a search party to track down the culprit who had shot the arrows. In the process, he found something. Something that the barbarians would not recognize.
"This..."
Werose dug through his sleeves and took something out.
“Would you like to find out?”
“...”
What Werose held out was a long, thick leaf, the size of two finger joints. To others, it would just be a leaf. However, there was a small trace of a thread tied to the tip of the leaf. This was her lover's arrow decoration.
“It hasn’t been that long. It probably hasn’t been that long since it fell.”
“...”
“I found this today while searching the path of the person who shot the arrow.”
Liene felt a faint dizziness. The meaning was obvious. Her lover might not have died. He might have survived and fooled his enemies before entering the castle of Nauk... And he might have shot an arrow. At Black.
“Princess! Are you okay?”
Liene realized that she had stumbled as Werose tried to support her.
“I'm okay... No, I'm not okay. That person... That person is alive...?”
“I don’t know. Someone might have used Lord Klinefelter’s arrows.”
It was not something that could be determined. Evidence was needed.
“The coffin... you haven’t opened it yet?”
The six coffins Black had brought were placed in the Royal Chapel, awaiting funeral. Naturally, she assumed one of them was her lover's body.
“Yes. Would you like to confirm?”
“... Yes, I guess I should do that.”
“I agree with you. But, Princess, you should prepare yourself in advance.”
Werose's stern voice sounded heavy today as if asking her to weigh the weight of what he was about to say.
“If Lord Klinefelter were alive, what would you do about marriage?”
“...”
So she couldn't give a hasty answer. Liene had accepted another man's proposal without even formally breaking up. Today, she promised the man who shot with an arrow while protecting her that she would make this marriage real. But she didn't know that the arrow was shot by her lover.
“... I have to see it first. With my own two eyes.”
Liene forced her back to stand straight against the pitch-black dizziness that threatened to engulf her.
“Then I’ll think about it.”
If my lover is alive, and if he wants to risk his life to make this marriage non-existent, then what should I do?
“...”
Liene covered her thoughts and turned around. Then she ran towards the chapel.
When Liene returned to her bedroom, someone was waiting for her. Liene, who had naturally expected the room to be empty, was so surprised that she almost screamed.
“Way...”
"Shhhh."
Werose put his finger on his lips. He looked around once more, even in the empty room. It meant that he had a secret that no one should know.
“I just shook them off for a moment. I haven’t suspected anything yet, but there might be someone following me.”
Liene also lowered her voice and whispered.
“What's going on?”
“There is something you must know, Princess.”
Werose, along with Fermos and the other Tiwakans, organized a search party to track down the culprit who had shot the arrows. In the process, he found something. Something that the barbarians would not recognize.
"This..."
Werose dug through his sleeves and took something out.
“Would you like to find out?”
“...”
What Werose held out was a long, thick leaf, the size of two finger joints. To others, it would just be a leaf. However, there was a small trace of a thread tied to the tip of the leaf. This was her lover's arrow decoration.
“It hasn’t been that long. It probably hasn’t been that long since it fell.”
“...”
“I found this today while searching the path of the person who shot the arrow.”
Liene felt a faint dizziness. The meaning was obvious. Her lover might not have died. He might have survived and fooled his enemies before entering the castle of Nauk... And he might have shot an arrow. At Black.
“Princess! Are you okay?”
Liene realized that she had stumbled as Werose tried to support her.
“I'm okay... No, I'm not okay. That person... That person is alive...?”
“I don’t know. Someone might have used Lord Klinefelter’s arrows.”
It was not something that could be determined. Evidence was needed.
“The coffin... you haven’t opened it yet?”
The six coffins Black had brought were placed in the Royal Chapel, awaiting funeral. Naturally, she assumed one of them was her lover's body.
“Yes. Would you like to confirm?”
“... Yes, I guess I should do that.”
“I agree with you. But, Princess, you should prepare yourself in advance.”
Werose's stern voice sounded heavy today as if asking her to weigh the weight of what he was about to say.
“If Lord Klinefelter were alive, what would you do about marriage?”
“...”
So she couldn't give a hasty answer. Liene had accepted another man's proposal without even formally breaking up. Today, she promised the man who shot with an arrow while protecting her that she would make this marriage real. But she didn't know that the arrow was shot by her lover.
“... I have to see it first. With my own two eyes.”
Liene forced her back to stand straight against the pitch-black dizziness that threatened to engulf her.
“Then I’ll think about it.”
If my lover is alive, and if he wants to risk his life to make this marriage non-existent, then what should I do?
“...”
Liene covered her thoughts and turned around. Then she ran towards the chapel.
***
...Thud! The coffin lid closed with a heavy noise.
“...Princess! Are you hurt?”
Werose quickly grabbed Liene, who was almost hit by the coffin lid.
“That person... isn’t it?”
The last coffin I just opened was the last one. Among the six coffins Black brought today, there was no body of her lover. However, there was a body wearing a helmet and a cloak embroidered with the Kleinfelter family emblem, pretending to be her lover. It must have been his death to save her lover.
“Yes.”
“He's alive.”
Sweat formed on her pale forehead.
“It seems so. The arrow of the day today too...”
“He’s thinking of fighting, isn’t he?”
“I think so. I would have done the same if I were Lord Klinefelter.”
Knock.
The sweat that had been pooling ran down. Liene also had to make a choice.
Should she fight or surrender to force? Should she trust her lover’s devotion or trust her feverish passion?
“Lord Klinefelter is probably relying on his family for protection.”
Werose continued. So the search would have been useless.
“You can be completely safe there. Even if it’s just a letter without them knowing...”
Before Werose could finish speaking.
“Lord Klinefelter is probably relying on his family for protection.”
Werose continued. So the search would have been useless.
“You can be completely safe there. Even if it’s just a letter without them knowing...”
Before Werose could finish speaking.
Squeak!
The sound of the chapel door opening roughly scratched her earlobes. Liene turned her head in surprise and saw the mercenary force of Tiwakan, including Fermos, entering.
“Oh my... You are a Princess. What are you doing here?”
“Oh my... You are a Princess. What are you doing here?”
***
Could it be... that I heard. It was fortunate that the chapel was dark. Fortunately, the fact that Liene’s expression completely darkened the moment she saw Fermos’ face remained in the darkness.
“What were you doing here?”
Fermos's voice was thick with suspicion. There had to be a reason why Princess Liene was in the chapel, far from the main palace, at this late hour, accompanied only by the captain of the guard.
“Did you check the body? That’s really strange.”
Fermos's monocle reflected the moonlight that was struggling to filter through the small window. The cold moonlight was like a blade.
“Isn’t there a custom in Nauk that the living do not see the corpse until the funeral?”
“..."
It was true. Liene and Werose were speechless.
“Is there something that my lord should know?”
"That..."
Liene forced her lips apart, which were clinging tightly to her and refusing to let go. She had to come up with some excuse now. If they ever found out that her lover was alive, something uncontrollable would happen.
“...We were saying goodbye.”
Tiwakan would know that the commander of the Arsak Knights was dead. If so, he had to fit the situation into that assumption.
“If not now, there will be no time.”
"...Hmm."
Instead of expressing his discontent in words, Fermos expressed it this way.
“Lord Tiwakan and I promised each other that we would make this marriage as real as possible. So...”
“Yes, so you’re saying that he was the Princess’s lover and that the Princess needed some time to say goodbye?”
"... Yes."
Was she fooled like this? With this, her lover was officially dead.
That brought a strange chill. Liene felt like she was standing naked and alone in the middle of a snowstorm. Fermos monocle gleamed like a blade again.
“Hmm, I see. I understand. I will tell the same thing to my lord.”
“...I believe he will understand.”
Liene nodded slightly, seemingly calm, no matter what was on the inside.
“I must go now. I hope that the search will make progress at this late hour.”
“If you mean it sincerely, I truly appreciate your words, Princess.”
Fermos stepped aside from the entrance to the chapel and bowed politely.
“Go. See you next time.”
"Then."
Liene turned her back first. Werose followed her.
“Hmm, I see. I understand. I will tell the same thing to my lord.”
“...I believe he will understand.”
Liene nodded slightly, seemingly calm, no matter what was on the inside.
“I must go now. I hope that the search will make progress at this late hour.”
“If you mean it sincerely, I truly appreciate your words, Princess.”
Fermos stepped aside from the entrance to the chapel and bowed politely.
“Go. See you next time.”
"Then."
Liene turned her back first. Werose followed her.
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