"No."
The answer came so quickly that Fermos was momentarily confused.
"Then...?"
“She didn't cut it off.”
The answer came so quickly that Fermos was momentarily confused.
"Then...?"
“She didn't cut it off.”
Black interpreted today's events that way. The ex-lover came to him unilaterally, and Liene was desperate to hide him today. She pretended to seduce him, which was out of place. It would be a lie if he said it didn't work. He was the one who was so excited that he lost his mind for a moment. The moment Liene writhed in fear, he came to his senses. Until then, he had buried his head in her neck and was only thinking about how to take off clothes like this. It wasn't because of the heat, or because the woman was in a hurry. He wanted Liene. Separate from his desire to have her because she was originally his.
“I think that woman...”
Suddenly, his lips opened. Fermos quickly closed his mouth and just listened.
“I thought it was part of Nauk.”
So he thought that if he wanted to have Nauk, he had to have something with him. Today, he realized that wasn't the case. He wanted to have Liene regardless of Nauk. He wanted to get her back. As if she had never been taken from him in the first place.
“I guess you’re saying that you think differently now.”
Black, who had been thinking for a moment, nodded heavily.
"Yes."
“Can I ask how you have changed?”
“I plan on getting it back. Everything.”
To take back meant something different from to take possession. It meant to return him to the way he should have been. Without any other men to interfere, without even a trace left. He also had to get back Liene's heart, which the eldest son of the Kleinfelter family had stolen.
“That’s what happens in the end.”
Fermos swallowed a sigh inwardly. Yes, he had a feeling this would happen.
“If you are sincere, my lord, I will be sincere too.”
Regardless of Liene's reluctance, Black's will was absolute. He could not dare dictate what he would do to the person he chose.
“I must protect the Princess well. I must make sure that there is no next time.”
Black, who had been furrowing his eyebrows and making wrinkles, nodded. There had to be no next time. Lafite Kleinfelter would never see Princess Liene again.
***
Liene, who had been unable to sleep the whole time, opened her eyes at dawn. Her head had been in turmoil because of yesterday, but she finally opened her eyes.
Why did that man pretend not to know even though he knew everything? What was he planning on doing? Was he toying with me? If not, was he literally going to close his eyes just this once?
Because she touched him. Did that mean that she had become that much... meaningful to him?
Liene also knew how dangerous yesterday had been. It wasn’t simply a matter of whether or not he would be caught sneaking into the bedroom. Lafitte’s identity could have been revealed, and it could also have been revealed that she had been hiding his identity the whole time. Either way, the result was a betrayal of her fiancé. She couldn’t believe that she had turned a blind eye to that so easily. That meant that, even though he had closed his eyes, he was blind to her. It felt so loving that it made her blind...
That couldn’t be true. There is no such man in this world. Even if there were, it wouldn’t be Lord Tiwakan.
Have you forgotten how he proposed?
The castle was surrounded and a hundred people were killed. Liene squeezed her eyes shut and let out a sigh.
“I don’t know. I guess I should get up.”
Today was a funeral. Funerals were a matter for the temple, but Liene had to attend.
“I thought you woke up early, but that wasn’t the case.”
It was fortunate that she had something to do. She had to clean up her mourning clothes and prepare a black cloth to cover her face and black gloves. Liene woke up too early, so everyone else was still sleeping. It seemed like she had to bring water to wash herself.
“First, let’s hold the funeral...”
If Lafitte Kleinfelter were officially declared dead, wouldn’t this labyrinthine situation be a little more organized?
With her thoughts in order, Liene headed to the basement, wearing mourning clothes over her undergarments and holding a water jug.
***
There was a well, but she couldn’t use it carelessly. Nauk had been suffering from a drought for years, and every drop of water was precious. The water used in the castle was drawn from the well once a day and filled a bucket in the basement. If they needed to use more water than that, they had to get Liene’s permission, and Liene had to weigh the validity.
Squeak.
The basement was quiet at dawn. Liene walked toward the bucket as if she were used to it, even though she hadn’t turned on the light. This wasn’t the first time she had brought water with her own hands.
"Princess."
“.. !”
However, she did not know that someone hiding in the dark shadows would jump out. Liene was so surprised that she almost dropped the water bottle.
“Ah! Ah, I got it!”
Someone quickly supported the water bottle that was shaking uneasily with their palm.
“Who...Hyde?”
"Princess."
“.. !”
However, she did not know that someone hiding in the dark shadows would jump out. Liene was so surprised that she almost dropped the water bottle.
“Ah! Ah, I got it!”
Someone quickly supported the water bottle that was shaking uneasily with their palm.
“Who...Hyde?”
“Yes, yes. I am, Princess. Are you surprised?”
“Why are you here?”
“Oh, that’s it... Oh, no. I shouldn’t have gotten caught.”
Hyde was a squire of Werose before. Liene had heard that he had returned to his home when Werose moved his residence inside the castle. Werose must have said that he unfortunately did not have the qualities to become a knight. Hyde looked around the dark surroundings and lowered his voice.
“Lord Werose told me to tell the Princess. But he strongly advised me not to let anyone know and to tell the Princess directly, so I’ve been waiting here.”
“How did you know I was coming to get water?”
“Huh? No, I didn’t know that. I was thinking of asking the Princess’s maid if she came. Anyway, someone has to come to get the Princess’s wash water.”
That would have meant waiting a long time, but he was lucky anyway.
“Lord Werose? Is he okay? Where on earth is he?”
“Why are you here?”
“Oh, that’s it... Oh, no. I shouldn’t have gotten caught.”
Hyde was a squire of Werose before. Liene had heard that he had returned to his home when Werose moved his residence inside the castle. Werose must have said that he unfortunately did not have the qualities to become a knight. Hyde looked around the dark surroundings and lowered his voice.
“Lord Werose told me to tell the Princess. But he strongly advised me not to let anyone know and to tell the Princess directly, so I’ve been waiting here.”
“How did you know I was coming to get water?”
“Huh? No, I didn’t know that. I was thinking of asking the Princess’s maid if she came. Anyway, someone has to come to get the Princess’s wash water.”
That would have meant waiting a long time, but he was lucky anyway.
“Lord Werose? Is he okay? Where on earth is he?”
When Liene asked, Hyde shook his head.
“I don’t know anymore.”
“What? Where have you seen Lord Werose?”
“Sir Werose came to the mill where I work. I was so surprised...”
Werose clearly disappeared from the Kleinfelter household. Liene assumed that he had been harmed there, but now that she heard the story, Werose was moving on his own. It was confusing.
“Anyway, he told me to tell you this.”
Hyde looked around again and gestured to Liene.
“Listen..."
It was something that a person who had been properly educated in manners would not have done, but Liene listened to his words. If it was something that Werose had insisted on, she had to listen to it no matter what. When Hyde came close to her ear, he whispered very quietly.
“He told you not to trust him.”
"What?"
“If I say so, you will understand... He said that his goal is revenge.”
“...!”
Liene's wide-open green eyes looked almost ashen in the darkness. Hyde, who couldn't see how surprised Liene was, continued speaking.
“He always told me to take care of myself and to postpone the wedding until he came back. He said he would somehow find out his secret and bring it back to you.”
“Then Sir Werose... now...”
“Yes. He left Nauk.”
The faded eyes began to shake violently.
“I don’t know anymore.”
“What? Where have you seen Lord Werose?”
“Sir Werose came to the mill where I work. I was so surprised...”
Werose clearly disappeared from the Kleinfelter household. Liene assumed that he had been harmed there, but now that she heard the story, Werose was moving on his own. It was confusing.
“Anyway, he told me to tell you this.”
Hyde looked around again and gestured to Liene.
“Listen..."
It was something that a person who had been properly educated in manners would not have done, but Liene listened to his words. If it was something that Werose had insisted on, she had to listen to it no matter what. When Hyde came close to her ear, he whispered very quietly.
“He told you not to trust him.”
"What?"
“If I say so, you will understand... He said that his goal is revenge.”
“...!”
Liene's wide-open green eyes looked almost ashen in the darkness. Hyde, who couldn't see how surprised Liene was, continued speaking.
“He always told me to take care of myself and to postpone the wedding until he came back. He said he would somehow find out his secret and bring it back to you.”
“Then Sir Werose... now...”
“Yes. He left Nauk.”
The faded eyes began to shake violently.
***
"His parents were killed by someone in" Nauk."
"He said the goal was revenge."
In the end, it was the same story.
“How on earth... ”
Liene bit her fingernails without realizing it. How did Werose know that?
"He said the goal was revenge."
In the end, it was the same story.
“How on earth... ”
Liene bit her fingernails without realizing it. How did Werose know that?
Werose suddenly disappeared to the Kleinfelter mansion. She must have asked for clues there. Revenge?
At first, I didn’t believe it. Liene thought it was just the nonsense of an ex-lover being possessed by evil and throwing it out. But... Maybe not.
When she put Black’s actions, which she couldn’t understand from the beginning, into the equation of revenge, she could understand them. Was that man’s revenge not solved by simply cutting off her head? Was he trying to see a more cruel and painful end than that? Did he not immediately break down the wall and cut off her head because he wanted to slowly dry up Nauk and kill her from the root.
“What do you mean, Princess?”
Madam Flambard, who was combing her hair and tying it up in a dark ribbon fit for a funeral, heard herself talking.
“Oh my god. Oh my god, were you biting your fingernails?”
The Madam, who saw Liene's fingernails late, nagged at her.
“No, you’re not a mute child, so why are you acting like this all of a sudden? Haven’t your fingernails been ruined? I’m so upset. Please wait a moment.”
The woman put down the comb, quickly searched through the box, and took out a pair of nail scissors.
"Ah..."
Madam Flambard, who was combing her hair and tying it up in a dark ribbon fit for a funeral, heard herself talking.
“Oh my god. Oh my god, were you biting your fingernails?”
The Madam, who saw Liene's fingernails late, nagged at her.
“No, you’re not a mute child, so why are you acting like this all of a sudden? Haven’t your fingernails been ruined? I’m so upset. Please wait a moment.”
The woman put down the comb, quickly searched through the box, and took out a pair of nail scissors.
"Ah..."
Liene felt embarrassed when she saw her fingernails that were chewed so well that the ends were sticking out.
“Give me your hand.”
"...Sorry."
Liene held out her hand obediently. The woman sighed as she carefully shaped her fingernails.
“It’s too rough, Princess.”
“Oh, is it too much to trim? Just give it a rough finish. Who cares about my nails?”
“A fingernail is a fingernail, but I’m talking about a hand. How can this be... the hand of a Princess of a country?”
“Give me your hand.”
"...Sorry."
Liene held out her hand obediently. The woman sighed as she carefully shaped her fingernails.
“It’s too rough, Princess.”
“Oh, is it too much to trim? Just give it a rough finish. Who cares about my nails?”
“A fingernail is a fingernail, but I’m talking about a hand. How can this be... the hand of a Princess of a country?”
“...”
The woman's eyes were about to well up with tears. Liene, who was really about to cry, thought she should stop there. If she were to lament her fate, there would be no end to it, and even if she pretended not to, Madam Flambard was a person who cried a lot.
“What are you going to do with your beautiful hands in a place like Nauk? Stop it now. I’ll trim your fingernails...”
Ssut!
She was about to bring her hand up when she ended up scratching the tip of her fingernail. The old but sharpened scissors mercilessly cut the delicate skin under her fingernail.
Tick, tock.
“Oh my god...! Princess!”
Mada. Flambard was shocked to see blood spurting from Liene's thumbnail.
Clang!
The woman threw the scissors carelessly and tightly wrapped Liene's hand in her apron.
“What should I do? Oh my god, I’m doing this...”
“What should I do? Oh my god, I’m doing this...”
“No. It was my fault. Madam didn’t do it.”
“I... Oh my god. There’s so much blood. You’re really hurt. .”
Liner was trying not to make Madam cry, but somehow it really did. Liene couldn't show any sign of pain and forced a smile.
“No, it doesn’t hurt that much. Please stop.”
“No, what are you talking about? The blood is still flowing like this.”
“The funeral is coming up soon. I shouldn’t be late.”
“But that is...”
The woman couldn't even let go of her hand and stamped her feet for a while.
“I think we’ll need to spray some styptic. I’ll bring some. Princess, hold the wound for a moment.”
The Madam reluctantly let go of his hand and left the room.
“Ah... You’ve been cut a lot.”
The wound was quite large. It was a little creepy to see the blood flowing without any sign of stopping.
"I will take revenge on Nauk."
The thought that would not leave her brought dizziness along with red blood.
"It hurts..."
Liene clenched her hand tightly. It was only after seeing the wound with her own eyes that she began to feel pain. Just like her heart was becoming uncontrollably confused when she confronted the real reason why Black had proposed to her.
“It hurts... really.”
Taking advantage of Madam's absence, Liene shed tears. She muttered to herself that there was no evidence at all, that what Werose had said was just words, but the confusion did not go away like the pain under her fingernails.
"If...."
If he really wanted revenge, then what should I do?
“No, it doesn’t hurt that much. Please stop.”
“No, what are you talking about? The blood is still flowing like this.”
“The funeral is coming up soon. I shouldn’t be late.”
“But that is...”
The woman couldn't even let go of her hand and stamped her feet for a while.
“I think we’ll need to spray some styptic. I’ll bring some. Princess, hold the wound for a moment.”
The Madam reluctantly let go of his hand and left the room.
“Ah... You’ve been cut a lot.”
The wound was quite large. It was a little creepy to see the blood flowing without any sign of stopping.
"I will take revenge on Nauk."
The thought that would not leave her brought dizziness along with red blood.
"It hurts..."
Liene clenched her hand tightly. It was only after seeing the wound with her own eyes that she began to feel pain. Just like her heart was becoming uncontrollably confused when she confronted the real reason why Black had proposed to her.
“It hurts... really.”
Taking advantage of Madam's absence, Liene shed tears. She muttered to herself that there was no evidence at all, that what Werose had said was just words, but the confusion did not go away like the pain under her fingernails.
"If...."
If he really wanted revenge, then what should I do?
One thing was certain. She must never let up. No matter how much affection he tried to make, he blinded her.
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