"What?"
"Where?"
Black and Fermos raised their heads at the same time. They were both extremely busy. There were more than one or two things to take care of. The most urgent task was to figure out the royal income structure and the size of the bonds, but it was no easy task to look at ten years’ worth at once. There was also the construction of the temple stairs, the culprit who murdered the high priest, and the surveillance of the Kleinfelter family could not be relaxed. Fermos had a sullen face the whole time, saying that he would rather be rolling around on the battlefield, both physically and mentally. But it seemed that there was one more unpleasant thing that had happened.
“I asked and they said she was going to hand out food near the temple.”
“Diligence. Who does it?”
“The guards said they would take one.”
Fermos wrinkled his nose.
“What? One guard? You just let them go?”
The mercenary who came to report spoke carefully while observing Black's expression.
“Then what should I do? I can’t hold you back by force. Even the lord told me to behave properly.”
“You should have asked. Did you get the person?”
“I sent you one. Should I attach more?”
“One is not enough. I knew something would happen. Go now...”
Fermos' words, which were about to give instructions, were interrupted. It was because Black had raised his body.
“I will go.”
“Yes...? No, right now? You don’t have to do that, do you?”
“Work was boring.”
Black carelessly threw down the royal document he had been looking at a moment ago.
“Finish it while I’m on my way back.”
"Yes, yes?"
Fermos opened his eyes wide and kept asking, but Black had already left the room.
“No, what the heck...”
“Then I’ll go out too. Take care of your work.”
Fermos, left alone in a pile of papers, slumped down on his chair and rubbed the back of his head.
“This is a bit... No, shouldn’t it be like this?”
It's been going too far since yesterday. Yesterday, he left him and went first, and now he's even pushed all the work away.
“I knew my lord would do this.”
He's changed, he's changed too much.
“I thought you would never date, let alone get married... If you keep doing this, I’ll end up alone.”
Fermos felt a bit sullen because she felt betrayed for some reason.
***
“Please wait over there.”
In front of the temple, Liene separated herself from the captain of the guard unit that had come with her.
“Do you want to give it to him yourself? You might as well leave it to me. I will deliver it and come back.”
“No, I just wanted to give it to him.”
Asking the old man was something that no one should know yet.
“Please look around here to see if anything is going on. Be especially careful if you see any Klinefelter family soldiers.”
“Then... I understand.”
Liene entered an alley where an old beggar was sitting with a cane in his arm. Even though it was an alley, it was the entrance to a main road, so the captain could check it out at any time. Since the time when she almost had a forced marriage ceremony at the Kleinfelter family's mansion, Liene had become more cautious.
“Hello...”
As she approached him, Liene stopped walking. The old beggar had a visitor before him. His attire, dark robes that covered his ankles and a rope around his waist instead of a belt, meant that he was from the temple. The fabric was different from that of a regular deacon, so he must be a priest. The old man raised his head and stared at him. Regardless of whether the old man looked or not, he placed a loaf of bread, the kind that priests eat, on the old man’s thigh. The strangest thing happened next.
Thud!
The old man picked up the bread with his unsteady hands and threw it on the street.
“...?”
Then he lifted his cane and began to hit the man.
“...?”
Then he lifted his cane and began to hit the man.
Knock, knock!
Looking at his distorted face, she could tell that the old man was using all his strength to hit the man. No matter how frail the old man was, being hit mercilessly with that thick wooden cane would hurt a lot.
“Stop it!”
However, the man just kept getting beaten without asking why. Liene, who couldn't stand to watch, got between the two and stopped the old man.
“What is going on?”
“...!”
The man, who had his hood pulled down to the tip of his nose, opened his mouth in surprise when he discovered Liene.
“Why are you getting hit? Did you do something wrong to the old man?”
“...”
The eyes that met Liene's shook busily. The man licked his lips and turned around to run away.
“Don’t go! This is an order.”
"...”
“Stop it!”
However, the man just kept getting beaten without asking why. Liene, who couldn't stand to watch, got between the two and stopped the old man.
“What is going on?”
“...!”
The man, who had his hood pulled down to the tip of his nose, opened his mouth in surprise when he discovered Liene.
“Why are you getting hit? Did you do something wrong to the old man?”
“...”
The eyes that met Liene's shook busily. The man licked his lips and turned around to run away.
“Don’t go! This is an order.”
"...”
His feet stopped, and he paused. But the man shook his head and started moving again.
“Are you disobeying orders?”
Liene quickly reached out and grabbed the hem of his clothes. The loose servant's uniform was pulled back, revealing a wounded forehead and a blood-soaked shirt.
“What... You’re hurt!”
Both the person who caught him injured and the person who noticed him were surprised. The old man also squinted his one remaining eye. There was too much blood to say that he had just been hit by a cane.
“How did this happen?”
The answer came after a long time.
“... I offered a prayer of atonement.”
“A prayer of atonement? What is that that makes you bleed like this?”
“This is a prayer for shedding blood.”
Liene had no way of knowing, but long ago, it was a prayer that priests who practiced extreme asceticism would recite while whipping their own bodies. No priests recited this prayer now, let alone a deacon.
“What kind of god would want his children to bleed?”
“..."
The man kept his mouth shut at those words.
“Are you receiving proper treatment?”
“...”
“So you’re saying that’s not true?”
Liene swallowed a sigh with a complicated expression on her face. It was customary for the royal family not to interfere in the affairs of the temple, but now that she knew, it was difficult to pretend not to know.
“Make sure you get treatment. I’ll stop by the temple soon and check to see if you’ve been treated. What’s your name, sir?”
The man looked embarrassed and pursed his lips for a while before finally answering.
“Are you disobeying orders?”
Liene quickly reached out and grabbed the hem of his clothes. The loose servant's uniform was pulled back, revealing a wounded forehead and a blood-soaked shirt.
“What... You’re hurt!”
Both the person who caught him injured and the person who noticed him were surprised. The old man also squinted his one remaining eye. There was too much blood to say that he had just been hit by a cane.
“How did this happen?”
The answer came after a long time.
“... I offered a prayer of atonement.”
“A prayer of atonement? What is that that makes you bleed like this?”
“This is a prayer for shedding blood.”
Liene had no way of knowing, but long ago, it was a prayer that priests who practiced extreme asceticism would recite while whipping their own bodies. No priests recited this prayer now, let alone a deacon.
“What kind of god would want his children to bleed?”
“..."
The man kept his mouth shut at those words.
“Are you receiving proper treatment?”
“...”
“So you’re saying that’s not true?”
Liene swallowed a sigh with a complicated expression on her face. It was customary for the royal family not to interfere in the affairs of the temple, but now that she knew, it was difficult to pretend not to know.
“Make sure you get treatment. I’ll stop by the temple soon and check to see if you’ve been treated. What’s your name, sir?”
The man looked embarrassed and pursed his lips for a while before finally answering.
“...Klima.”
“Klima. I’m not just saying this, so please take care of your wounds. Otherwise, I’ll have to make an official statement to the temple.”
“...”
Klima shrugged her shoulders.
“Then you may go now. As the lord of Nauk, I always pay tribute to the lives of my servants who serve the gods for Nauk.”
Klima hesitated for a while, then nodded and disappeared down the other side of the alley.
“It’s your turn now.”
Liene turned to the old man who had been sitting like a statue with his mouth shut the whole time.
“First, let me hear the reason why you hit the man. Do you know him well?”
The old man only had a messy, untidy beard.
“I’m telling you, I came here today prepared to hear everything I want to know. You’d better speak up here, or I’ll lock you in jail until you do.”
“...”
The old man raised his head. His eyes, glaring in this direction, seemed to indicate that he had something to say.
“If you don't want to talk about the King, let's talk about something else.”
“Who is Lord Tiwakan trying to take revenge on?”
“Arsak’s daughter...”
It was the moment when the old man slowly pulled away from his chapped lips.
"Princess!"
The captain of the Nauk Guard is called Liene.
“The head of Tiwakan is coming.”
"Yes?"
Liene followed the commander's gesture and turned her gaze. There was no way she could recognize the large figure walking toward her from the end of the main road as Black.
***
Unfortunately, they had to wait until next time. It was too dangerous for Black to find out the old man's identity. Unless Black himself tells her why he came to Nauk, she would not tolerate the fact that others knew the reason first.
“Move this person. Make him invisible.”
Liene handed the basket of food to the old man and spoke to the captain. Then she left the alley without delay.
“Lord Tiwakan.”
When she called Black, he met her eyes. The sun of this season was unusually warm as if it were replacing the cold air. Under the sunlight that seemed to strip the entire street naked, Black’s appearance was also revealed without hiding... Like a stone statue. Not a person, but a statue made just for her to look at. Other people seemed to have similar thoughts. People walking down the street looked at Black once and passed by. They tilted their heads as if they couldn’t take their eyes off him, walking precariously until he was out of sight. It seemed like they didn’t even blink.
“Move this person. Make him invisible.”
Liene handed the basket of food to the old man and spoke to the captain. Then she left the alley without delay.
“Lord Tiwakan.”
When she called Black, he met her eyes. The sun of this season was unusually warm as if it were replacing the cold air. Under the sunlight that seemed to strip the entire street naked, Black’s appearance was also revealed without hiding... Like a stone statue. Not a person, but a statue made just for her to look at. Other people seemed to have similar thoughts. People walking down the street looked at Black once and passed by. They tilted their heads as if they couldn’t take their eyes off him, walking precariously until he was out of sight. It seemed like they didn’t even blink.
The moment their eyes met, Black really stood still like a stone statue. It was dazzling to look at him. Liene couldn’t tell if it was because the sun was too strong or because he was dazzling. While she blinked several times, he took a step forward and approached Liene.
“I thought I saw something wrong.”
"Yes?"
“Because I don’t think you’re a Princess.”
“...Was it like that?”
“I thought I saw something wrong.”
"Yes?"
“Because I don’t think you’re a Princess.”
“...Was it like that?”
Liene turned her head and examined her attire.
“I wore these clothes the other day.”
She thought they didn't recognize her because she looked so ordinary. Even though she was royalty, her attire was no different from that of other people. Her clothes were plain and simple, and the most common hair color in Nauk was brown. Her hair had a bit more of a golden hue to it, but she never thought of it as anything special.
“It looked like a sculpture.”
"Ah..."
Black was saying the same thing to her. It was so strange. It was so strange that her heart suddenly stopped. Why would he say something like that? This guy has no reason to say something nice... He said he was just trying to get revenge. Why on earth is he doing this to her?
“...That’s too much.”
Liene tried not to take Black's words to heart. There must be a reason. A reason why he was being so kind to her.
“No matter what I say, it won’t be excessive.”
“...How did you get here?”
Liene, who was embarrassed by his affection, changed the subject.
“I heard you went out, so I came to pick you up. Are you done with your business?”
"Yes."
The words that he came out to greet her sounded ridiculously affectionate. Even now, when a beggar old man she didn't know at all was saying that Black was going to get revenge, shr couldn't believe that she was being affectionate towards
him. Do I like this guy? Is that why I don't want to believe that he has other thoughts inside? ...Why on earth are you doing this?
“Go back to the castle. I left some sewing work for Madam Flambard. She’ll probably be waiting for me, her neck about to stretch.”
Liene slightly averted her gaze and changed the subject. Black silently extended his arm, and Liene, who had become somewhat accustomed to walking with him, placed her hand on his strong arm.
“Do you often go out alone?”
The two began to walk slowly without saying who would go first. They had come on horseback, and although the people accompanying them each held two reins, no one said that they should ride again. Everyone on the street glanced at the two walking side by side, holding hands. The two, who looked dizzyingly beautiful to each other, seemed like a couple who were perfectly suited.
“I wasn’t alone. I came with the captain of the guard.”
“One is too few.”
“That’s not true. Nauk is a small place, so there’s no need for a hectic escort.”
“I can’t agree with that.”
It wasn't hard to see that what Black was referring to was something that had happened at the Klinefelter household a while ago. Liene tried to suppress her embarrassment.
“You may not believe it, but Nauk was originally like that.”
“From now on, call me.”
"Yes?"
Liene asked quietly.
“It’s too much. Lord Tiwakan has better things to do than I do.”
“It is also my job to accompany the Princess.”
“...”
...Yes. This is what affection means.
“Go back to the castle. I left some sewing work for Madam Flambard. She’ll probably be waiting for me, her neck about to stretch.”
Liene slightly averted her gaze and changed the subject. Black silently extended his arm, and Liene, who had become somewhat accustomed to walking with him, placed her hand on his strong arm.
“Do you often go out alone?”
The two began to walk slowly without saying who would go first. They had come on horseback, and although the people accompanying them each held two reins, no one said that they should ride again. Everyone on the street glanced at the two walking side by side, holding hands. The two, who looked dizzyingly beautiful to each other, seemed like a couple who were perfectly suited.
“I wasn’t alone. I came with the captain of the guard.”
“One is too few.”
“That’s not true. Nauk is a small place, so there’s no need for a hectic escort.”
“I can’t agree with that.”
It wasn't hard to see that what Black was referring to was something that had happened at the Klinefelter household a while ago. Liene tried to suppress her embarrassment.
“You may not believe it, but Nauk was originally like that.”
“From now on, call me.”
"Yes?"
Liene asked quietly.
“It’s too much. Lord Tiwakan has better things to do than I do.”
“It is also my job to accompany the Princess.”
“...”
...Yes. This is what affection means.
Uselessly. Feeling her heart pounding, Liene turned her head and looked into the distance.
“When will the temple construction begin?”
“I will start from there once the high priest is appointed.”
“Um... Is the high priest really necessary for the construction?”
“That’s not true, but it’s difficult if there’s no one to negotiate with.”
"Ah."
From the beginning, the construction was collateralized by the wedding, so he said he would receive a definite answer to hold the wedding safely and pay the price. There was no loophole. Whoever becomes the high priest will have a hard time dealing with this man. The next high priest would of course be someone who has Kleinfelter's influence, but somehow Liene wasn't worried. Whether it was the high priest or someone else, she couldn't imagine Black being swayed. If this man was really her fiancé. If he was just on her side. Then she would have been truly grateful.
“...?”
As Liene thought about that, she unconsciously put strength into the hand she was placing on Black's arm.
“Do you have anything to say?”
Black stopped walking and looked at Liene. The moment their eyes met was like a curse. Liene blinked, still thinking that the sunlight pouring down on this man was too dazzling.
“No. That’s not it...”
It was at that moment. Among the countless people passing by on the main road, someone carrying an old cart full of some unknown wooden barrel stopped right behind Black.
“My lord! Look behind you!”
The Tiwakan mercenary who was following from afar shouted. Black turned his head before that.
Thump, thump! Thud!
The ropes that tied the luggage broke and the luggage on the cart spilled out toward Black and Liene.
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