Of course, Masilou denied it. There was a difference between offering a sly piece of advice and openly talking about the Kleinfelter family's misdeeds. Masilou was not that shameless and rude.
“Retaliation? That’s out of the question.”
“That’s ridiculous. Didn’t you just say that? Klinefelter could do worse.”
“I meant that you would be that upset.”
“Are you going to harm the royal family because you’re upset?”
“For the sake of it. I swear I never said such a thing.”
“That’s easy, Sir. Words don’t leave traces, so you can just say you didn’t do it.”
“...Hmm, cough.”
Masilou coughed in vain as if he had nothing to say.
“But please know this. Words may not leave a trace, but once they are spoken, they cannot be taken back.”
“...”
Masilou decided to keep his mouth shut at that point. What Liene said was right, but that doesn’t mean that things in the world always turn out right. And Nauk’s affairs were almost always going according to the Kleinfelter family’s taste. Liene knew better than anyone else.
“I will rewrite the letter of appointment.”
“Please tell me you won’t sign so easily.”
Liene spoke in a tired but firm voice. It was refreshing to compromise with the Kleinfelters, but it was also familiar. There was no way Linden Kleinfelter would give up Lafitte's identity. As Masilou said, it was better to make a deal before things got worse.
“Ask how much of the royal debt he is willing to forgive. Let’s see how much he values the status of the eldest son.”
"...”
Masilou looked puzzled but nodded for now.
“Then go out and try.”
“The appointment letter is...”
“Let’s decide the price first.”
"All right."
Masilou left.
“Phew...”
Liene let out a long sigh.
“There’s another thing to hide.”
If she had hidden the illegitimate child of the Kleinfelter family who suddenly appeared in her bedroom and even offered to give him a knighthood, it would have been a situation that could easily be misunderstood in Tiwakan. They would have thought that Liene was protecting her former lover.
“I don’t feel well.”
Strangely enough, she didn't like that kind of misunderstanding. If Black thought of her as being tied to Lafitte, she would feel very wronged as if she had been falsely accused.
“...What useless thoughts.”
Liene shook her head with a sour expression.
“You seem like someone worried about being caught cheating. That doesn’t matter at all.”
Rather than that, it would be better to think about how Black would conduct the funeral.
“I hope we don’t see any blood...”
It was late that night when the news arrived. There had been an accident, although no blood was seen.
“...Yes? What did you say?”
Liene opened her mouth in disbelief when she heard the news the guards brought. It was late at night when the moon was turning from white to blue. It was also around the time when the funeral bells were slowly dying down. After midnight, the graves were sealed with dirt, and the gods were supposed to take the souls of the dead.
“That was... a paper problem at first.”
The chain that held the bell in the tower had broken. Although it was old, the chain that the priests looked after every day could not suddenly rust, so there was a brief commotion. Everyone who could spare went to the tower and struggled to hang the bell again. Nevertheless, the funeral went on. The high priest blessed the earth that would cover the grave. Now all that was left was to move the coffin to the cemetery and bury it.
“But that...”
Even as he spoke, the captain of the guard seemed to be in complete disbelief.
“Suddenly a rock fell from the sky...”
"Yes?"
“I can’t believe it myself, but that’s what the witnesses said. A huge rock suddenly came crashing down and, um, it destroyed the Staircase of God.”
“...”
Liene was the same. She didn't know it, but she knew that Black had done it. She didn't see any blood, but the road was ruined. The only way out of the temple was the Stairway of the Gods. Naturally, the temple was isolated. The bodies in the coffins couldn't be transported to the cemetery. The funeral was postponed. Until the stairs were rebuilt.
“Does that... make sense?”
The rock was actually a trap prepared in advance by Linden Klinefelter. If Liene had known this fact, she would have laughed out loud. However, even without knowing it, she suddenly felt relieved.
“Of course, that doesn’t make sense, Princess.”
The captain awkwardly rubbed his forehead.
“So everyone... is worried that the high priest has done something blasphemous that has angered God.”
“Is that true?”
“Yes, Princess. The priests are jumping up and down in protest, but doesn’t it seem like the wrath of God that the stairs collapsed on the day of the funeral?”
Liene covered her mouth. Werose would have noticed that she was trying to hold back laughter, but the captain didn't notice at all.
“So... rumors are going around that it’s because the Princess didn’t attend the funeral.”
"Oh my God."
The laughter that she had been desperately holding back finally burst out because she couldn't hold it in any longer.
“Oh, Princess...?”
The captain gaped at Liene, who was lowering her head and shaking her shoulders. My goodness. What the hell was that guy doing? Did he hire a wizard?
The deputy commander muttered with an embarrassed look on his face.
“God was angry with him.”
"Yes?"
“Because the one who prevented me from attending the funeral was the high priest.”
“Oh, that... There was something like that... Was it true?”
“Yes. So, tell him that it was something that made God angry. And have the proclamation read in the name of the Nauk Guard at the square of God at dawn tomorrow.”
“Understood, Princess.”
Liene continued speaking with a smirk.
“They’ll need money to rebuild the collapsed stairs. I wonder what the High Priest will do.”
“Huh? You said you were expecting it? Well... I think that kind of construction would require a lot of money... Then, wouldn’t it be a burden?”
“That’s what I’m saying.”
Will Linden Kleinfelter actually give all that money? As far as Liene knew, no. It was a completely different amount of money from the High Priest's pocket money. The High Priest had no choice but to bow down and enter the royal palace, crying and moping.
“Thank you for the good news. Please go ahead and leave.”
“Yes, Princess. Have a peaceful night.”
The deputy commander bowed on one knee and took a bow before stepping aside. The office he was left in became as quiet as midnight. The blue moon came into view.
“It was good that you stayed up so late.”
So, after hearing such good news. Liene, who was muttering to herself, suddenly realized something. How long had it been since she felt good? It had been a very long time. It had been a long time since she had last said good news, long before Tiwakan began besieging the castle...
At first, she thought she had misheard. After hesitating for a moment, Liene threw off the blanket and got up from her seat to head toward the bedroom door. When she put her ear to the door, she could faintly hear the knock again. Knock, knock.
“...”
It was a sound that sounded like holding one's breath. It didn't seem like a knock meant to ask for the door to be opened. It seemed like it was that man. When that thought crossed her mind, her hand was already lifting the lock.
"...Ah."
The thought that she shouldn't open it occurred to her very late. When she came to her senses, the door was already open, and she was facing Black.
“How... at this time...”
Liene's voice trailed off slightly.
“Can I come in?”
Liene already heard that.
“The High Priest will contact you tomorrow. There is no evidence of my involvement, so don’t worry about what he says.”
“...Yes. I will do that.”
“It’s a bit broken, so it’ll cost you some money. Don’t worry about that. I’ll take care of it.”
"Yes."
“And... I think you should just leave the talking to me. It’ll be better that way.”
“I understand that too.”
“And then... That’s it.”
Black, who had been speaking in an unusually sharp tone, suddenly twisted his lips.
“It’s too short.”
“What is... short?”
“This time.”
“...?”
“I was pretty busy before I got here. I spent more time on the cliff than I thought.”
“A cliff...??”
Liene somehow knew what he was talking about. He was talking about the cliff behind the temple. He probably didn't use the stairs. He must have climbed up that steep cliff and broken the bell. He must have distracted everyone's attention and moved the rock that destroyed the god's stairs. That's why Black was covered in dirt.
“I’ve been meaning to stand here and talk about this all day... but it’s so short.”
Black, who had been muttering softly, almost as if talking to himself, suddenly changed his tone.
“So, can I use the room next door from now on?”
"That..."
Too fast. Damn. Black took a step closer faster than he could answer.
“Can I touch it?”
“Where...”
“Anywhere. Any place that you say is okay.”
“Oh, wait a minute...”
Liene tilted her head back and avoided Black's hand.
"...This."
Black also seemed to realize that his hands were dirty only when he got to where the candlelight touched.
“I don’t want to have such dirty hands.”
“That’s not it.”
Liene grabbed Black's wrist, which had stopped in his tracks, and brought it to a bright place so that the back of his hand could be seen clearly.
“You got hurt.”
“...?”
Judging from the brief moment of surprise, it seemed like he had noticed for the first time that there was a long scratch on the back of her hand.
“Did you do that on the cliff?”
“I don’t know.”
“...”
The bloodstains mixed with the dirt made her feel strange. The news that made her feel good, was made like this. This man getting hurt like this. Getting dirty. What on earth should she call it?
“Retaliation? That’s out of the question.”
“That’s ridiculous. Didn’t you just say that? Klinefelter could do worse.”
“I meant that you would be that upset.”
“Are you going to harm the royal family because you’re upset?”
“For the sake of it. I swear I never said such a thing.”
“That’s easy, Sir. Words don’t leave traces, so you can just say you didn’t do it.”
“...Hmm, cough.”
Masilou coughed in vain as if he had nothing to say.
“But please know this. Words may not leave a trace, but once they are spoken, they cannot be taken back.”
“...”
Masilou decided to keep his mouth shut at that point. What Liene said was right, but that doesn’t mean that things in the world always turn out right. And Nauk’s affairs were almost always going according to the Kleinfelter family’s taste. Liene knew better than anyone else.
“I will rewrite the letter of appointment.”
“Please tell me you won’t sign so easily.”
Liene spoke in a tired but firm voice. It was refreshing to compromise with the Kleinfelters, but it was also familiar. There was no way Linden Kleinfelter would give up Lafitte's identity. As Masilou said, it was better to make a deal before things got worse.
“Ask how much of the royal debt he is willing to forgive. Let’s see how much he values the status of the eldest son.”
"...”
Masilou looked puzzled but nodded for now.
“Then go out and try.”
“The appointment letter is...”
“Let’s decide the price first.”
"All right."
Masilou left.
“Phew...”
Liene let out a long sigh.
“There’s another thing to hide.”
If she had hidden the illegitimate child of the Kleinfelter family who suddenly appeared in her bedroom and even offered to give him a knighthood, it would have been a situation that could easily be misunderstood in Tiwakan. They would have thought that Liene was protecting her former lover.
“I don’t feel well.”
Strangely enough, she didn't like that kind of misunderstanding. If Black thought of her as being tied to Lafitte, she would feel very wronged as if she had been falsely accused.
“...What useless thoughts.”
Liene shook her head with a sour expression.
“You seem like someone worried about being caught cheating. That doesn’t matter at all.”
Rather than that, it would be better to think about how Black would conduct the funeral.
“I hope we don’t see any blood...”
It was late that night when the news arrived. There had been an accident, although no blood was seen.
***
“...Yes? What did you say?”
Liene opened her mouth in disbelief when she heard the news the guards brought. It was late at night when the moon was turning from white to blue. It was also around the time when the funeral bells were slowly dying down. After midnight, the graves were sealed with dirt, and the gods were supposed to take the souls of the dead.
“That was... a paper problem at first.”
The chain that held the bell in the tower had broken. Although it was old, the chain that the priests looked after every day could not suddenly rust, so there was a brief commotion. Everyone who could spare went to the tower and struggled to hang the bell again. Nevertheless, the funeral went on. The high priest blessed the earth that would cover the grave. Now all that was left was to move the coffin to the cemetery and bury it.
“But that...”
Even as he spoke, the captain of the guard seemed to be in complete disbelief.
“Suddenly a rock fell from the sky...”
"Yes?"
“I can’t believe it myself, but that’s what the witnesses said. A huge rock suddenly came crashing down and, um, it destroyed the Staircase of God.”
“...”
Liene was the same. She didn't know it, but she knew that Black had done it. She didn't see any blood, but the road was ruined. The only way out of the temple was the Stairway of the Gods. Naturally, the temple was isolated. The bodies in the coffins couldn't be transported to the cemetery. The funeral was postponed. Until the stairs were rebuilt.
“Does that... make sense?”
The rock was actually a trap prepared in advance by Linden Klinefelter. If Liene had known this fact, she would have laughed out loud. However, even without knowing it, she suddenly felt relieved.
“Of course, that doesn’t make sense, Princess.”
The captain awkwardly rubbed his forehead.
“So everyone... is worried that the high priest has done something blasphemous that has angered God.”
“Is that true?”
“Yes, Princess. The priests are jumping up and down in protest, but doesn’t it seem like the wrath of God that the stairs collapsed on the day of the funeral?”
Liene covered her mouth. Werose would have noticed that she was trying to hold back laughter, but the captain didn't notice at all.
“So... rumors are going around that it’s because the Princess didn’t attend the funeral.”
"Oh my God."
The laughter that she had been desperately holding back finally burst out because she couldn't hold it in any longer.
“Oh, Princess...?”
The captain gaped at Liene, who was lowering her head and shaking her shoulders. My goodness. What the hell was that guy doing? Did he hire a wizard?
What weighed heavily on Liene’s mind and hurt the most was that she couldn’t comfort the bereaved families. That was probably the biggest factor that could have turned the people of Nauk away from Liene. There was no other reason than that a monarch would turn his back on those who sacrificed their lives to protect him... And yet, they made it the fault of the high priest. There was no way that rumors favorable to me would suddenly start. This was clearly Tiwakan’s work.
“God is angry, but the Princess looks... happy...”
“God is angry, but the Princess looks... happy...”
The deputy commander muttered with an embarrassed look on his face.
“God was angry with him.”
"Yes?"
“Because the one who prevented me from attending the funeral was the high priest.”
“Oh, that... There was something like that... Was it true?”
“Yes. So, tell him that it was something that made God angry. And have the proclamation read in the name of the Nauk Guard at the square of God at dawn tomorrow.”
“Understood, Princess.”
Liene continued speaking with a smirk.
“They’ll need money to rebuild the collapsed stairs. I wonder what the High Priest will do.”
“Huh? You said you were expecting it? Well... I think that kind of construction would require a lot of money... Then, wouldn’t it be a burden?”
“That’s what I’m saying.”
Will Linden Kleinfelter actually give all that money? As far as Liene knew, no. It was a completely different amount of money from the High Priest's pocket money. The High Priest had no choice but to bow down and enter the royal palace, crying and moping.
“Thank you for the good news. Please go ahead and leave.”
“Yes, Princess. Have a peaceful night.”
The deputy commander bowed on one knee and took a bow before stepping aside. The office he was left in became as quiet as midnight. The blue moon came into view.
“It was good that you stayed up so late.”
So, after hearing such good news. Liene, who was muttering to herself, suddenly realized something. How long had it been since she felt good? It had been a very long time. It had been a long time since she had last said good news, long before Tiwakan began besieging the castle...
Strange. It seemed very strange that the person who brought her good news after such a long time had to be Black.
***
After washing up, changing into her pajamas, and lying down on the bed.
Knock... Knock.
There was a strange knocking sound.
“Who... is here?”
“Who... is here?”
At first, she thought she had misheard. After hesitating for a moment, Liene threw off the blanket and got up from her seat to head toward the bedroom door. When she put her ear to the door, she could faintly hear the knock again. Knock, knock.
“...”
It was a sound that sounded like holding one's breath. It didn't seem like a knock meant to ask for the door to be opened. It seemed like it was that man. When that thought crossed her mind, her hand was already lifting the lock.
"...Ah."
The thought that she shouldn't open it occurred to her very late. When she came to her senses, the door was already open, and she was facing Black.
“How... at this time...”
Liene's voice trailed off slightly.
“Can I come in?”
“That’s not...”
Liene tried to say no, but her feet moved back as if to open the way for him to come in.
"Then."
Black quickly dug into the space Liene had retreated from.
Liene tried to say no, but her feet moved back as if to open the way for him to come in.
"Then."
Black quickly dug into the space Liene had retreated from.
Thump.
The door closed behind Black.
“Why... did you come at this hour?”
She had to swallow her saliva in the middle of speaking. At first, she didn’t know because it was dark, but Black was not dressed in a way that would be suitable for visiting someone else’s bedroom. For some unknown reason, his clothes were dirty. It seemed like dirt. He had probably just returned to the castle. And he had come straight to this room without even looking at his appearance.
“I wanted to let you know that things have been resolved.”
“...”
“Why... did you come at this hour?”
She had to swallow her saliva in the middle of speaking. At first, she didn’t know because it was dark, but Black was not dressed in a way that would be suitable for visiting someone else’s bedroom. For some unknown reason, his clothes were dirty. It seemed like dirt. He had probably just returned to the castle. And he had come straight to this room without even looking at his appearance.
“I wanted to let you know that things have been resolved.”
“...”
Liene already heard that.
“The High Priest will contact you tomorrow. There is no evidence of my involvement, so don’t worry about what he says.”
“...Yes. I will do that.”
“It’s a bit broken, so it’ll cost you some money. Don’t worry about that. I’ll take care of it.”
"Yes."
“And... I think you should just leave the talking to me. It’ll be better that way.”
“I understand that too.”
“And then... That’s it.”
Black, who had been speaking in an unusually sharp tone, suddenly twisted his lips.
“It’s too short.”
“What is... short?”
“This time.”
“...?”
“I was pretty busy before I got here. I spent more time on the cliff than I thought.”
“A cliff...??”
Liene somehow knew what he was talking about. He was talking about the cliff behind the temple. He probably didn't use the stairs. He must have climbed up that steep cliff and broken the bell. He must have distracted everyone's attention and moved the rock that destroyed the god's stairs. That's why Black was covered in dirt.
“I’ve been meaning to stand here and talk about this all day... but it’s so short.”
Black, who had been muttering softly, almost as if talking to himself, suddenly changed his tone.
“So, can I use the room next door from now on?”
"That..."
Too fast. Damn. Black took a step closer faster than he could answer.
“Can I touch it?”
“Where...”
“Anywhere. Any place that you say is okay.”
The small candle lit next to the bed gradually made Black appear more clearly. Liene noticed that Black's hand, which was approaching her cheek, was also covered in dirt.
“Oh, wait a minute...”
Liene tilted her head back and avoided Black's hand.
"...This."
Black also seemed to realize that his hands were dirty only when he got to where the candlelight touched.
“I don’t want to have such dirty hands.”
“That’s not it.”
Liene grabbed Black's wrist, which had stopped in his tracks, and brought it to a bright place so that the back of his hand could be seen clearly.
“You got hurt.”
“...?”
Judging from the brief moment of surprise, it seemed like he had noticed for the first time that there was a long scratch on the back of her hand.
“Did you do that on the cliff?”
“I don’t know.”
“...”
The bloodstains mixed with the dirt made her feel strange. The news that made her feel good, was made like this. This man getting hurt like this. Getting dirty. What on earth should she call it?
She thinks it would be okay to say that this man came here for revenge. If it weren't for her. She knew it was an absurd thought, but she also knew that. No one else but the Princess of Nauk could have thought such a thing... So it's just a rumor. Liene hopes Kleinfelter and Lord Werose are all mistaken. Please...
“Come here. I need to clean your wound first.”
Liene grabbed Black's wrist and led him to the bathroom next to the bedroom.
“Before that.”
Black left his hand still, but he didn't even follow her steps. Instead, he stood still and stubbornly asked the same question. As if he absolutely had to hear the answer now. As if he couldn't do anything until then.
“I want to hear the answer.”
“What answer?”
“Am I going to be staying in the next room now?”
Yes, that was the price.
"Yes."
“And one more thing.”
Liene waited for the next words.
“Can I touch you?”
“...”
Why do you keep doing that?
“Of course, after washing your hands.”
“After all the treatment is done.”
"Great."
Only after saying this did Black move forward.
“Come here. I need to clean your wound first.”
Liene grabbed Black's wrist and led him to the bathroom next to the bedroom.
“Before that.”
Black left his hand still, but he didn't even follow her steps. Instead, he stood still and stubbornly asked the same question. As if he absolutely had to hear the answer now. As if he couldn't do anything until then.
“I want to hear the answer.”
“What answer?”
“Am I going to be staying in the next room now?”
Yes, that was the price.
"Yes."
“And one more thing.”
Liene waited for the next words.
“Can I touch you?”
“...”
Why do you keep doing that?
“Of course, after washing your hands.”
“After all the treatment is done.”
"Great."
Only after saying this did Black move forward.
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