“Watch out!”
Black pushed Liene away. As a result, Liene barely managed to retreat, while the heavy, loud noises fell on Black.
“Lord Tiwakan!”
Liene screamed. In an instant, the street became a mess. Clouds of dust rose up and wooden barrels rolled around noisily. Everyone ran away screaming to avoid the wooden barrels that seemed like they would break their bones if they were hit.
“Lord Tiwa...!”
“Don't make any noise.”
“...!”
Liene recognized whose voice it was.
“Because I don’t want to get caught.”
A familiar voice forcibly grabbed Liene's body. The next moment, Liene's figure disappeared without a trace.
***
“...Huh! Are you crazy?”
The hand covering her mouth disappeared. As soon as she let out her choked breath, Liene screamed. In fact, she wanted to say something more harsh.
“Do you know what you did? Why on earth did you...”
“Liene.”
The culprit was Lafitte. Lafitte grabbed Liene's hand and placed it on his forehead. Despite committing such a crazy act in front of everyone, his attitude was extremely polite and affectionate, which was shocking.
“I wanted to talk. In a place where we could just face each other. A place where I wouldn’t have to worry about anyone hearing.”
“...You are crazy.”
Liene made a face that showed she was genuinely fed up. They were now in a windowless carriage. She could tell that they had made considerable preparations to kidnap her.
“Stop the carriage right now.”
Lafitte stubbornly grabbed the hand that Liene was trying to pull away.
"Liene. Can’t you stop worrying about him for just a moment?”
“What on earth are you talking about!”
“He would be dead by now. So...”
“So please get off!”
Suddenly, a sense of helplessness surged over me. Wooden barrels poured down in front of her and passed by. The last thing she heard was Black’s voice telling her to dodge. And that person...
Her pale hands began to tremble terribly. Did he die?
No, no. That person isn’t dead. He didn’t die even after living in a war zone for ten years. There’s no way someone like that would suddenly die on the street. He’s not dead. He’s not dead.
“No... he’s dead.”
Her vision was blurry. If the water wasn't flowing but pooling, her vision could be distorted like that. Lafitte, who was holding her, was almost black. That's when she realized. She was desperately hoping that the man wouldn't die.
“I said he’s not dead.”
Liene gasped. As tears flowed down her face, she finally saw Lafitte as Lafitte.
“Let me down, and you run away this way.”
Liene grabbed his hand again and pulled it out.
“Never set foot on Nauk’s land again. This is the last time I will say this.”
“Do you think that I don’t know what’s on your mind just because you say that?”
Lafitte still couldn't understand what Liene was saying.
“It’s no use trying to turn me away with cruel words. I won’t let those words get to me anymore. Liene, please... It’s time to be honest. He’s dead! Even if he’s not dead, he’ll be dead soon! Do you really think I would do something so carelessly?”
“What... what do you mean?”
“I couldn’t miss this golden opportunity to see him naked and alone. Although I had initially planned to face him alone, I added to the plan when I heard he showed up. The knights of the Kleinfelter family will deal with the injured man...”
Boom!
“No... he’s dead.”
Her vision was blurry. If the water wasn't flowing but pooling, her vision could be distorted like that. Lafitte, who was holding her, was almost black. That's when she realized. She was desperately hoping that the man wouldn't die.
“I said he’s not dead.”
Liene gasped. As tears flowed down her face, she finally saw Lafitte as Lafitte.
“Let me down, and you run away this way.”
Liene grabbed his hand again and pulled it out.
“Never set foot on Nauk’s land again. This is the last time I will say this.”
“Do you think that I don’t know what’s on your mind just because you say that?”
Lafitte still couldn't understand what Liene was saying.
“It’s no use trying to turn me away with cruel words. I won’t let those words get to me anymore. Liene, please... It’s time to be honest. He’s dead! Even if he’s not dead, he’ll be dead soon! Do you really think I would do something so carelessly?”
“What... what do you mean?”
“I couldn’t miss this golden opportunity to see him naked and alone. Although I had initially planned to face him alone, I added to the plan when I heard he showed up. The knights of the Kleinfelter family will deal with the injured man...”
Boom!
The words Lafitte had been spewing scattered into the air. The wagon carrying Liene hit something and shook violently. Unfortunately, there were no windows in the wagon, so there was no way to know what was happening outside. The doors were locked from the outside, so they could not be opened from the inside.
"What's the matter!"
Lafitte pounded the stables and shouted. What came back as a response was a scream.
“Ugh!”
Boom!
"What's the matter!"
Lafitte pounded the stables and shouted. What came back as a response was a scream.
“Ugh!”
Boom!
The screams faded away. The image of someone forcibly pulling the coachman out of a moving carriage and throwing him to the ground came to mind. As if it wasn’t just imagination, Lafitte jumped up from his seat.
Heeeeeing!
The next moment, the carriage stopped. The carriage shook violently as it stopped abruptly, and Lafitte, who was getting up, fell over and covered Liene’s body.
Boom!
In that state, the carriage door opened.
“...”
Liene blinked at the sudden pouring of light. It was the same as that day. The sudden sunlight dazzled her eyes, and what was reflected in her cold eyes was someone's black silhouette. Looking at him, who looked like a lump of darkness due to the backlight, Liene thought that. He was a very large, ferocious beast. It was the same even now.
“...”
The beast-like pale blue eyes gleamed in her direction as if they were about to bite her neck.
“Get down.”
It was a human speaking, but to Liene's ears, it sounded exactly like the barking of an animal. It was when Black threw Lafitte, who was covering her body, away that she realized that it was him speaking.
“...”
Liene blinked at the sudden pouring of light. It was the same as that day. The sudden sunlight dazzled her eyes, and what was reflected in her cold eyes was someone's black silhouette. Looking at him, who looked like a lump of darkness due to the backlight, Liene thought that. He was a very large, ferocious beast. It was the same even now.
“...”
The beast-like pale blue eyes gleamed in her direction as if they were about to bite her neck.
***
“Get down.”
It was a human speaking, but to Liene's ears, it sounded exactly like the barking of an animal. It was when Black threw Lafitte, who was covering her body, away that she realized that it was him speaking.
Bam!
Lafitte, who was caught by his ankle, flew over and crashed to the ground.
“...!”
Liene covered her mouth without even making a sound of surprise.
“Get down.”
Once again, the same words were heard.
“...”
Liene finally came to her senses. She was now facing Black. The first feeling she had was relief.
“...!”
Liene covered her mouth without even making a sound of surprise.
“Get down.”
Once again, the same words were heard.
“...”
Liene finally came to her senses. She was now facing Black. The first feeling she had was relief.
Look. He’s not dead. Why did you say he was dead? Thank goodness... I’m really relieved.
“Lord...”
But the relief soon disappeared.
“Or I’ll drag you out.”
“...”
There was no longer any affection in Black's voice. The same was true in his gaze and expression.
“Do you wish so?”
“...No... It’s not.”
Liene gathered up the hem of her skirt and stood up. She realized it too late, but her whole body was cold. It seemed like the carriage was shaking and bumping into things here and there.
"How..."
As she got off the carriage, she knew what was going on without even asking. Tiwakan's mercenaries were surrounding the carriage on horseback. The coachman was nowhere to be seen, and Lafitte, who had flown over and crashed, was already in the hands of the mercenaries. Lafitte's plan had failed. She didn't know how the Tiwakans had chased the wagon so quickly, but she could at least tell that their feet were very fast. Half of Black's clothes were soaked in blood.
“Are you hurt badly?”
Without realizing it, her hand went forward. Black easily avoided the approaching hand by taking a step back.
“Don’t touch it. I’m not the only one who spilled it. Are you curious about that?”
“Then that’s fortunate... Yes?”
“Do you want to know if I’m hurt enough to die?”
“That... what...”
“I told you. I’ll only be looking after the Kleinfelter family’s illegitimate child that one day.”
“...”
Liene now realized why Black had lost his affection. While they were walking together, a sudden accident occurred, and she disappeared. When he chased after her, he saw that she was hiding in a wagon with her ex-lover and running off somewhere. When he opened the wagon door, Liene and her ex-lover were entangled as if they had been hugging each other tightly...
“Lord...”
But the relief soon disappeared.
“Or I’ll drag you out.”
“...”
There was no longer any affection in Black's voice. The same was true in his gaze and expression.
“Do you wish so?”
“...No... It’s not.”
Liene gathered up the hem of her skirt and stood up. She realized it too late, but her whole body was cold. It seemed like the carriage was shaking and bumping into things here and there.
"How..."
As she got off the carriage, she knew what was going on without even asking. Tiwakan's mercenaries were surrounding the carriage on horseback. The coachman was nowhere to be seen, and Lafitte, who had flown over and crashed, was already in the hands of the mercenaries. Lafitte's plan had failed. She didn't know how the Tiwakans had chased the wagon so quickly, but she could at least tell that their feet were very fast. Half of Black's clothes were soaked in blood.
“Are you hurt badly?”
Without realizing it, her hand went forward. Black easily avoided the approaching hand by taking a step back.
“Don’t touch it. I’m not the only one who spilled it. Are you curious about that?”
“Then that’s fortunate... Yes?”
“Do you want to know if I’m hurt enough to die?”
“That... what...”
“I told you. I’ll only be looking after the Kleinfelter family’s illegitimate child that one day.”
“...”
Liene now realized why Black had lost his affection. While they were walking together, a sudden accident occurred, and she disappeared. When he chased after her, he saw that she was hiding in a wagon with her ex-lover and running off somewhere. When he opened the wagon door, Liene and her ex-lover were entangled as if they had been hugging each other tightly...
In Black’s eyes, it might have seemed like Liene had been involved in all of this from the beginning. Liene shook her head desperately.
“I...That’s not it. What happened today...”
“Are you saying you didn’t know?”
“Yes. I didn’t get into the carriage of my own free will. It was only after I was forced into it that I realized it wasn’t just an accident.”
“...I see.”
There was no understanding or emotion in those words. Black did not believe what Liene said.
“Then it seems that the illegitimate child of the Kleinfelter family is dreaming of rebellion on his own. Go and bring him here. Cut off his head here. Discard the body and send the head back to that house.”
“Yes, my lord.”
The orders were clear and the answers were quick. It was Liene who failed.
“Lord Tiwakan!”
Liene grabbed Black in a hurry. Blood was dripping down the fingers that were holding onto the hem of his clothes. She realized once again that he was badly injured.
“I told you not to touch him.”
“No.”
“What doesn’t work?”
Liene squeezed her eyes shut and opened them. She was probably the one who cursed the Kleinfelter family and was frustrated and disgusted by Lafitte’s obsession with their broken relationship. But she couldn’t kill the eldest son of the Kleinfelter family. That would mean war. This small, poor kingdom would be torn in half, killing each other. And she couldn’t choose either side.
“Don’t... kill that person.”
“Is Nauk a place where traitors’ necks are also hung?”
“If his name is Klinefelter.”
Liene swallowed dry saliva. It felt like she was swallowing a thorn rather than saliva.
“The price is too high. Klinefelter will never accept this execution. I can’t afford it.”
“I can handle it.”
“I...That’s not it. What happened today...”
“Are you saying you didn’t know?”
“Yes. I didn’t get into the carriage of my own free will. It was only after I was forced into it that I realized it wasn’t just an accident.”
“...I see.”
There was no understanding or emotion in those words. Black did not believe what Liene said.
“Then it seems that the illegitimate child of the Kleinfelter family is dreaming of rebellion on his own. Go and bring him here. Cut off his head here. Discard the body and send the head back to that house.”
“Yes, my lord.”
The orders were clear and the answers were quick. It was Liene who failed.
“Lord Tiwakan!”
Liene grabbed Black in a hurry. Blood was dripping down the fingers that were holding onto the hem of his clothes. She realized once again that he was badly injured.
“I told you not to touch him.”
“No.”
“What doesn’t work?”
Liene squeezed her eyes shut and opened them. She was probably the one who cursed the Kleinfelter family and was frustrated and disgusted by Lafitte’s obsession with their broken relationship. But she couldn’t kill the eldest son of the Kleinfelter family. That would mean war. This small, poor kingdom would be torn in half, killing each other. And she couldn’t choose either side.
“Don’t... kill that person.”
“Is Nauk a place where traitors’ necks are also hung?”
“If his name is Klinefelter.”
Liene swallowed dry saliva. It felt like she was swallowing a thorn rather than saliva.
“The price is too high. Klinefelter will never accept this execution. I can’t afford it.”
“I can handle it.”
“No, that won’t work.”
Knock, knock.
Knock, knock.
As she tightened her grip on the hem of his clothes, the blood that had been seeping out began to drip down onto the top of her feet.
“In the end, it will be Nauk who will bleed. Killing Klinefelter is like killing half of Nauk.”
If Kleinfelter wages war against the crown, all the families in the noble council will side with Kleinfelter. Even if Tiwakan kills them all, it will not be suppressing the rebellion. It will only be crushing the kingdom into small pieces.
“Nauk has already shed too much blood. What I regret is not accepting Lord Tiwakan’s proposal before. If I had, things would not have come to this.”
If she had stopped Lafitte from going to the Kingdom of Sharka to borrow reinforcements. If she had ended the half-hearted relationship she was forcing herself to have and accepted the proposal right away. Then, hundreds of lives would not have been lost, and she wouldn’t have continued to tell dangerous lies to save Lafitte Kleinfelter. She wouldn’t have lied about having a child, she wouldn’t have trembled at the period date, and she wouldn’t have searched for ways to hide her inexperience. And she would have done whatever she wanted to do, whether it was revenge or whatever. Then she wouldn’t have felt like her head was going to burst every moment because she was confused about what her true feelings were.
“Please... don’t kill that man. I... want to protect Nauk.”
The eyes, which were unusually sharp and sparkling, searched Liene's expression thoroughly. Every time this happened, Liene thought she would be unable to tell lies in front of that person.
“Not just that one person, but Nauk.”
“...I don’t believe it.”
Black's answer came very slowly. These words pushed Liene into despair.
“The Princess has been making unbelievable excuses and breaking promises all this time... and I don’t want to believe them anymore.”
“Please... believe me. Everything I just said is true.”
“No way.”
Black twisted his lips.
“You have lied to me more than I have ever told you before, Princess. Why should what you are saying now be the truth?”
“....”
Liene was speechless. Black was right. Every time she avoided a crisis with a narrow lie, Black didn't know, he just pretended not to know.
“I’ll bet anything... If what I just said is a lie, then anything...”
Liene was desperate, but not Black. A snicker, a twisted laugh flowed out.
“In the end, it will be Nauk who will bleed. Killing Klinefelter is like killing half of Nauk.”
If Kleinfelter wages war against the crown, all the families in the noble council will side with Kleinfelter. Even if Tiwakan kills them all, it will not be suppressing the rebellion. It will only be crushing the kingdom into small pieces.
“Nauk has already shed too much blood. What I regret is not accepting Lord Tiwakan’s proposal before. If I had, things would not have come to this.”
If she had stopped Lafitte from going to the Kingdom of Sharka to borrow reinforcements. If she had ended the half-hearted relationship she was forcing herself to have and accepted the proposal right away. Then, hundreds of lives would not have been lost, and she wouldn’t have continued to tell dangerous lies to save Lafitte Kleinfelter. She wouldn’t have lied about having a child, she wouldn’t have trembled at the period date, and she wouldn’t have searched for ways to hide her inexperience. And she would have done whatever she wanted to do, whether it was revenge or whatever. Then she wouldn’t have felt like her head was going to burst every moment because she was confused about what her true feelings were.
“Please... don’t kill that man. I... want to protect Nauk.”
The eyes, which were unusually sharp and sparkling, searched Liene's expression thoroughly. Every time this happened, Liene thought she would be unable to tell lies in front of that person.
“Not just that one person, but Nauk.”
“...I don’t believe it.”
Black's answer came very slowly. These words pushed Liene into despair.
“The Princess has been making unbelievable excuses and breaking promises all this time... and I don’t want to believe them anymore.”
“Please... believe me. Everything I just said is true.”
“No way.”
Black twisted his lips.
“You have lied to me more than I have ever told you before, Princess. Why should what you are saying now be the truth?”
“....”
Liene was speechless. Black was right. Every time she avoided a crisis with a narrow lie, Black didn't know, he just pretended not to know.
“I’ll bet anything... If what I just said is a lie, then anything...”
Liene was desperate, but not Black. A snicker, a twisted laugh flowed out.
“It seems I have developed a bad habit with the princess.”
“What does that mean...”
“Do you think it will go as you wish if you try to calm it down a bit this time?”
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