“I did a hundred times better to leave it alone.”
Madam Flambard nodded repeatedly, putting her hair up to match her dress.
“Of course. You did a good job. How can all the Princess’ clothes be so tough and durable?”
“Actually, it’s not necessary.”
“Why don’t you have any? You’re dressed so well today.”
“That’s true.”
Madam Flambard, who had neatly braided her hair with an unusual amount of dexterity, placed a deep purple flower on the back of her head.
“You are very pretty. I must tell you that even though I did it, it suits you very well.”
Liene smiled slightly as if embarrassed.
"Thank you."
The woman, who had been happily looking at Liene after she had finished getting dressed, shook her head and said this.
“Then I will go to the shrine while you are not looking. I apologize for not being able to serve you a meal, Princess.”
“No. I’m doing something much more important than that. Please make sure you have a safe trip.”
“Yes, Princess.”
The woman nodded with a tense expression on her face and quietly left Liene's room.
“I still have some time.”
She hurried to get ready so she had some time to spare before the appointment time.
“I wonder if she’s doing any sewing. There must be something Madam hasn’t finished yet.”
But Liene only said that, and her body didn't move. For some reason, she kept glancing at the mirror.
“Do it really me...”
From the front, it was not clear how the woman had arranged the flowers.
“I wish I could see it too.”
Madam Flambard said she was pretty, so she must be pretty, but she wanted to see it with her own eyes. She wonders if the man thinks she's pretty too...
"You suddenly became so pretty."
Whenever those words, which were said while showering her with kisses here and there, suddenly came to mind, her eyes would close reflexively. It felt dizzying as if she was floating in the air, and her toes would feel ticklish. Liene's ex-lover always complimented her on her beauty at the end of every sentence, but Liene never felt sincere about those words. The same was true for her lover’s appearance. Lafitte was also quite handsome, but she never stared at him like she did when she looked at Black, forgetting the time.
...shudder.
Her eyelashes fluttered in her closed eyes. Liene gently grabbed the hem of her clothes around her chest. Her heart had never fluttered from the bottom just thinking about meeting someone. Everything was a first.
“Why only that guy....”
“Of course. You did a good job. How can all the Princess’ clothes be so tough and durable?”
“Actually, it’s not necessary.”
“Why don’t you have any? You’re dressed so well today.”
“That’s true.”
Madam Flambard, who had neatly braided her hair with an unusual amount of dexterity, placed a deep purple flower on the back of her head.
“You are very pretty. I must tell you that even though I did it, it suits you very well.”
Liene smiled slightly as if embarrassed.
"Thank you."
The woman, who had been happily looking at Liene after she had finished getting dressed, shook her head and said this.
“Then I will go to the shrine while you are not looking. I apologize for not being able to serve you a meal, Princess.”
“No. I’m doing something much more important than that. Please make sure you have a safe trip.”
“Yes, Princess.”
The woman nodded with a tense expression on her face and quietly left Liene's room.
“I still have some time.”
She hurried to get ready so she had some time to spare before the appointment time.
“I wonder if she’s doing any sewing. There must be something Madam hasn’t finished yet.”
But Liene only said that, and her body didn't move. For some reason, she kept glancing at the mirror.
“Do it really me...”
From the front, it was not clear how the woman had arranged the flowers.
“I wish I could see it too.”
Madam Flambard said she was pretty, so she must be pretty, but she wanted to see it with her own eyes. She wonders if the man thinks she's pretty too...
"You suddenly became so pretty."
Whenever those words, which were said while showering her with kisses here and there, suddenly came to mind, her eyes would close reflexively. It felt dizzying as if she was floating in the air, and her toes would feel ticklish. Liene's ex-lover always complimented her on her beauty at the end of every sentence, but Liene never felt sincere about those words. The same was true for her lover’s appearance. Lafitte was also quite handsome, but she never stared at him like she did when she looked at Black, forgetting the time.
...shudder.
Her eyelashes fluttered in her closed eyes. Liene gently grabbed the hem of her clothes around her chest. Her heart had never fluttered from the bottom just thinking about meeting someone. Everything was a first.
“Why only that guy....”
Liene stood up in front of the mirror, steeling herself as she felt her mind become trapped and only thoughts about Black came to mind.
“Let’s not do this. What if I end up getting better by myself?”
He was someone she shouldn't like yet. In fact, she might have already started liking him, but Liene tried hard to pretend not to know that fact.
“I need to do something else. I don’t want to go to a restaurant first.”
Liene left the room, thinking of going to find the sewing materials that Madam Flambard had left behind. The room that Madam Flambard used was a little far from the bedroom that Liene was currently using. It was a room that was adjacent to the room that Liene used when she was a child. As she left, she saw that Black’s room was empty. She wondered if that was because she couldn’t hear any sound.
“He's probably not at the restaurant yet.”
There was just under an hour left until the appointment time.
“...Well, I guess he’s doing something somewhere.”
Liene walked towards the east tower where Madam Flambard room was.
"Princess!"
It was unexpected that she met Masilou during that time.
“Sir...? Why are you in the palace?”
Since Masilou had arbitrarily written the knighthood in his office, Liene had forbidden Masilou from entering. Now, Masilou could only enter the ruler's office with Liene's permission or if he had first requested to enter.
“I couldn’t help it because I had a lot of work to do. I had to give the Kleinfelter family a knight’s appointment letter and also the cost of the temple stairs construction...”
“The money will be paid in the name of Tiwakan. The Knight Commander has nothing to say at this time. I will do nothing unless the Kleinfelters offer payment first.”
“Yes, I know. But shouldn’t there be some down payment for the quarry? Because the construction is delayed, the temple is filled with wailing instead of prayers. When they couldn’t stand it anymore, they sent someone to me.”
“Oh, my. If that’s the case, why didn’t you come to me and instead look for him?”
“A priest has already arrived. There is much more to discuss. Why must I have come to the palace at such an early hour?”
"Yes."
The time was ambiguous. But she was not the type of person to postpone state affairs for the sake of eating.
“Then let’s make it short. You take the lead.”
Liene gestured toward the office.
“Thank you for your permission, Princess.”
Masilou hurried his steps, glancing around from time to time. She should have noticed something strange then.
***
Boom!
The moment he entered the office, the door closed. Liene looked back in surprise. The one who closed the door was someone in priest’s attire.
“What is this?”
Liene looked back and forth between the priest and Masilou and asked. Masilou lowered his head and muttered.
“I couldn’t help it... I couldn’t help it, Princess.”
A person wearing priestly attire was not a priest.
“Shut up and listen to me, Princess.”
He took off the hood that he had pulled down so that it covered his face. From the voice that gnashed his teeth, Liene already knew who he was. It was Linden Kleinfelter. It wasn’t particularly surprising, since it was something he would do.
“You are a terrible sight, Lord Kleinfelter. Now you are pretending to be a child of God. Were you really that afraid of Tiwakan, the guard of the gates?”
“I told you to shut up, but your ears are blocked?”
Linden Kleinfelter responded to Liene's whining with a rebuke.
“Ah, no... Sir, how could that be...”
Masilou, who had not known that Linden Kleinfelter would act like this, waved his hand with a pale face. However, neither Liene nor Linden Kleinfelter paid any attention. The two had already reached the bottom. Rather than discussing manners, they would have rather fought and talked.
“My ears are fine. Stop expecting anything and just go out. Or do you want me to scream?”
“What is this?”
Liene looked back and forth between the priest and Masilou and asked. Masilou lowered his head and muttered.
“I couldn’t help it... I couldn’t help it, Princess.”
A person wearing priestly attire was not a priest.
“Shut up and listen to me, Princess.”
He took off the hood that he had pulled down so that it covered his face. From the voice that gnashed his teeth, Liene already knew who he was. It was Linden Kleinfelter. It wasn’t particularly surprising, since it was something he would do.
“You are a terrible sight, Lord Kleinfelter. Now you are pretending to be a child of God. Were you really that afraid of Tiwakan, the guard of the gates?”
“I told you to shut up, but your ears are blocked?”
Linden Kleinfelter responded to Liene's whining with a rebuke.
“Ah, no... Sir, how could that be...”
Masilou, who had not known that Linden Kleinfelter would act like this, waved his hand with a pale face. However, neither Liene nor Linden Kleinfelter paid any attention. The two had already reached the bottom. Rather than discussing manners, they would have rather fought and talked.
“My ears are fine. Stop expecting anything and just go out. Or do you want me to scream?”
“Where did this come from...!”
Linden Kleinfelter raised his hand as if he was going to hit Liene. But it was only a threat. It seemed that he was not ready to cross that line. Of course, Liene had no intention of staying still. If Linden Kleinfelter ever waved his hand, this time she was going to smash his head with the ink bottle.
“Right now...! You're sending Lafitte out. Do you understand?”
“Wake up. Do you think that’s possible?”
“Why not!”
“You know what Lafitte did. He tried to kill my fiancé in broad daylight in the middle of the street! Are you going to ignore that? How on earth did he do it?”
“Why does it matter what he did! What could the eldest son of the Kleinfelter family not do in Nauk!”
Liene looked at Linden Klinefelter with a look of disgust. That must have been why he had been so calm after committing all the things he had done.
“...My thoughts won’t change. And there’s nothing I can do. The one currently in charge of security in Nauk is Lord Tiwakan.”
“They say he’s a dog that sticks his tongue out whenever the Princess lifts her skirt. Why are you making such a fuss when you can’t even do that?”
“Shut up!”
“Oh, Sir Klinefelter! No matter what, saying something like that is a bit...!”
It was an insult that went too far. It was so bad that Masilou was so surprised that he swung his fist at Klinefelter. Liene clenched and unclenched her fists in shock.
“Don’t ever talk to me like that again. I won’t tolerate it a second time.”
“What if you don’t tolerate it?”
“It seems that your rude and stupid head cannot understand why Kleinfelter’s eldest son is still hanging on after committing treason. It will never happen again. I swear it on Arsak.”
“...Fuck!”
Linden Kleinfelter couldn't control his anger and swore at her. He knew that Liene was right. It was none other than the leader of Tiwakan. There were more than a few witnesses who saw him, who had suffered an accident, turn into a mad beast and chase after Lafitte. Lafitte would have been speechless even if his limbs were torn off and he died on the spot. The reason his nephew's neck was still attached to him was Liene, even though he didn't want to admit it. That brat who sat on the throne without knowing anything must have done something. His nephew was entranced by that innocent face and couldn't come to his senses, and it seemed that the beast of Tiwakan had the same fate.
“Let’s negotiate.”
Unfortunately, the only way to get Lafitte out of prison was through Liene.
“Let’s do it with money, just like we have done before. I’ll give you a three-tenth of the money you borrowed, and you’ll take responsibility for releasing Lafitte. Do you understand?”
...What do you know? Even though he came to beg for his life, Linden Klinefelter was still so proud. Watching him act so rudely, Liene wanted to slap him in the face.
“Was the life of a rich man so cheap? Was it worth only three-tenths of a percent?”
Liene said, rubbing her trembling hands to suppress her impulses.
“Please write more.”
“What are you talking about? Even if the Princess is crazy about money, how can you speak like that?”
“If you came here to beg, shouldn’t you at least speak politely?”
"Cheeky..."
Linden Kleinfelter bared his teeth and let out a growl. Liene glared back at him.
“It’s no use insulting me a hundred times. I’ll give up since you seem to have no sense of honor or manners. But please do the math properly. It’s not three-tenths, it’s five-tenths. And I won’t pay you any interest for the next three years.”
“You want to rob me?”
“The Klinefelter family has been committing robberies all this time. The interest you have been receiving must not have been such a bad deal. Why are you so concerned?”
Suddenly, the sound of Linden Klinefelter's teeth grinding reached my ears.
“...Instead, let’s release him right now.”
“No, that’s impossible. Bring me the debt-related documents first.”
“Do I look like I’m joking right now?”
“Not at all. Although you came here to beg, it seems like you don’t understand my situation.”
“...”
Linden Kleinfelter's eyes changed. He spoke informally to Liene, not caring whether Masilou was there or not.
“How dare you, a young child with only a crown that doesn’t even fit, wag your tongue like that in front of anyone?”
“Who is using their tongue wrong... huff!”
Suddenly, Linden Kleinfelter reached out and grabbed Liene's wrist. Masilou flinched and shrugged. But that was all. The timid adviser didn't seem to have the guts to stand up to the Speaker. Liene glared at Linden Kleinfelter as she roughly grabbed his wrist.
“Let go of this.”
Linden Klinefelter responded by twisting his wrist even harder.
“I’ve told you this many times, but you don’t know your place. Do you think you're so great that you happen to have the crown that your father stole? Of course not. Even if I were to kill you by twisting your neck right here, nothing would change.”
Liene raised her voice and pushed Linden Kleinfelter away with her other hand.
“Have you ever felt dizzy? There’s a limit to how much you can do! Can’t you let go right now?”
Lindwn Klinefelter didn't move. He bared his gums like a rabid dog and spoke grimly.
“Return the eldest son of the Kleinfelter family. By any means necessary. Or I will erase the name of Arsak from this land. Kleinfelter has the power to do so.”
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