“Thanks to you, Princess, things will be easy. Just thinking about lifting the hem of those black priests’ robes... Oh, I feel like my appetite has completely disappeared.”
Once they found a clue, it was time to move quickly. Liene began preparing to convene the council, and Black decided to go to the temple with Fermos. A group of people were quickly gathered to go to the temple.
“Oh, there you go.”
Mercenaries brought Fermos' horse to the front yard of Martha.
“Hmm? But they’re all the same?”
Black didn't have a horse to ride. Fermos thought the lower ones had suddenly gone deaf, but that wasn't the case.
“You go alone. I have something to do.”
“Oh, really? Are you going to go back to the Princess and do what you couldn’t do earlier?”
Fermos asked in astonishment, then quickly became serious upon seeing Black's expression.
“I made a slip of the tongue, my lord.”
Fermos rolled his eyes and quickly changed the subject.
“By the way, is the Princess okay? She must have been shocked this morning.”
“She's fine, but I plan to watch.”
“That would be good. Even if there are no visible symptoms, everything is dangerous in the beginning... Oh, but.”
Fermos smiled mischievously as if something had occurred to him.
“Princess, um, how should I put this... isn’t she a little too naive? She sounds like she's eighteen, not twenty-five. Is my lord okay?”
“...Choose.”
The mischievous smile disappeared in an instant. Black seemed unwilling to tolerate anything others said about his woman.
A very intimidated Fermos shrugged his shoulders and muttered, but then Black suddenly grabbed the back of his neck and made him scream.
“There’s no need to worry.”
Black lowered his voice and spoke into Fermos' ear.
“There will be an old man who is not in good health near the temple. You go find him first. Don’t let anyone know.”
“...If no one finds out...”
“The Princess sent a nanny.”
“I guess you mean to find him before that person. Yes?”
Fermos nodded once and asked.
“Can I know why?”
“I don’t know if he recognized me.”
“Yes? My lord? Then...”
The clever mind worked quickly. From that one word, Fermos deduced quite a lot of facts. There was someone who knew about Black's past. Princess Liene had sent someone because she knew of his existence. Black was trying to hide that person in the middle. Black meant that he did not want Princess Liene to find out about his past.
“What do you want me to do? Should I shut his mouth?”
“...For now. Keep him hidden.”
"All right."
Black released Fermos. Fermos nodded, stroking his frozen neck.
“Then I will be off, my lord.”
Black turned around and left without even a glance. Fermos muttered with a sullen face.
“Is my lord originally such a spiteful person...”
Anyway, he had to be careful with his words from now on. After a while, Fermos headed to the temple with five mercenaries.
Black seemed reluctant to make his presence known. The mercenary, who quickly noticed, lowered his voice.
“Shall I show you who came in today?”
Black nodded without saying anything.
“This way.”
Tiwakan's opinion was that the dungeon was useful if nothing else. Although there were only a few people locked up there now, the fact that such a large prison was designed with multiple layers of security symbolized the power that the royal family once enjoyed.
The foot that had stepped on his wrist now stepped on the back of his head. Linden Klinefelter let out a scream as his face was crushed to the floor.
“What are you doing! Stop it!”
Lafitte, who had been quiet the whole time, shouted. He tried to drag the chair he was tied to over to this side.
“Don't move.”
Instead of stopping Lafitte, Black applied force to the foot that had stepped on the back of his head.
“You have two mouths.”
“...”
Lafitte turned pale and stopped moving. As if he had expected this, Black turned his head again and lifted his foot slightly.
“I ask again. What doesn’t Princess Liene know?”
“Me, that... huh...”
“Why do I want Nauk?”
“That, anyone can see... obvious... ugh!”
“Think about it and tell me again. It’s not hard to break a neck.”
"OMG...!"
Linden Klinefelter took a deep breath. His mind was spinning as he tried to figure out if Black was just threatening or if he was being serious. The saying that you have two mouths was too much to show off. It sounded like he was saying that even if he broke his neck, there would be someone else who would open their mouth.
"...That kid doesn’t... Huh, he doesn’t know anything.”
So that meant there was nothing to be gained by killing him. But that also meant that Linden Klinefelter knew something. That was what Black wanted.
“Then you can just talk.”
“That, that...”
Linden Klinefelter rolled his eyes, realizing his mistake only now. But it was too late anyway.
“There is also a way to break your neck so you can talk.”
“...Liene is no different from a blind person who has her eyes open.”
Linden Kleinfelter muttered, like a broken record.
“Keep going.”
“She is saying that she has no idea how her father became King. How the Treaty of Liseberg was concluded.”
"So."
“The one who played the biggest role in the Arsak family becoming royalty was Kleinfelter! It would be ridiculous to ignore that favor now... Ugh!”
Klinefelter, whose back of the head was stepped on again, was forced to keep his mouth shut.
“It’s grace.”
Black's lips twisted sarcastically.
“Considering all that, the Princess’s life wasn’t exactly a movie-like thing.”
“She was born the eldest daughter of a humble family and was sold for a decent price, but she ended up being called a Princess. If that’s not a movie, then what is... Ugh!”
Black kicked the back of the head as if he had been waiting.
“Correct your speech. Be polite. To your lord.”
“Ah... Definitely...”
Linden Klinefelter trembled with anger.
“That’s the price? What doesn’t the Princess know?”
“...That’s right.”
“You’re lying.”
Black playfully kicked Linden Klinefelter in the back of the head.
“That alone is not enough reason for me to cut off the Princess’s head. Why should I do something like that to get Nauk?”
“...”
“Answer me.”
Linden Klinefelter spewed out curses.
“Damn it...! You know that! Why are you asking me what you’re doing right now!”
“Don’t make me laugh... You’re saying you just proposed to her? That’s something no one would believe! Of course, you’re doing this because you have something in mind!”
“So what am I aiming for?”
“Well, Nauk....”
“What’s in Nauk?”
“...That’s a simple place. Where else can a savage who has been rolling around on a battlefield be treated like royalty?”
Although it was only for a moment, Black did not miss the violent shaking of Klinefelter's pupils.
“It won’t work if I kill the Princess.”
“That, that is, after getting married and gaining the right to rule...”
“They say that the rule of Arsak is passed down to Arsak. If I kill the Princess, whoever has even a little bit of Arsak’s blood will become King. Not me. You must know that.”
“...A savage like you would never follow the royal rules. Just do whatever you want and that’s it.”
“Are you trying to hide it?”
“...”
Linden Klinefelter swallowed instead of answering. He could tell that it would take more elaborate and brutal torture than a kick to his pride to get him to open his mouth.
“Yes, yes.”
At that point, Black took off.
“I know what I need to know. That’s all for today.”
“...?”
Rather, it was Linden Klinefelter who looked embarrassed. But Black quickly turned around as he had said.
"...This."
Then it stopped for a moment.
“It was on the left.”
It was a small soliloquy, but Linden Klinefelter could clearly hear it.
“What is left..."
Black bent down and untied the rope that bound Linden Klinefelter. No one would interpret that as kindness, especially not Linden Klinefelter, who had just broken his left hand.
“Why are you doing this! Don’t touch me... Ugh!”
As expected, Black twisted Linden Klinefelter's right wrist. Liene's wrist, which also had Linden Klinefelter's handprint, was also on the right.
“Ugh! Agh!”
A warning was issued to Linden Klinefelter, who rolled on the floor screaming in agony, losing all sense of dignity.
“Princess Liene will be the only reason Tiwakan fights from now on. Know this.”
“That’s not funny...Don’t make me laugh!”
Linden Klinefelter shouted through his tears and snot.
“The Princess is pregnant... with another man’s child! You’re doing this just to get a woman like that? How can I believe that!”
Black's gaze swept over Lafitte, who was biting his lip.
“You don’t have to know that.”
“...!”
“And my child. If you hear anything different, I will tear out both of your tongues, because they will be the problem.”
“...”
Boom!
Once they found a clue, it was time to move quickly. Liene began preparing to convene the council, and Black decided to go to the temple with Fermos. A group of people were quickly gathered to go to the temple.
“Oh, there you go.”
Mercenaries brought Fermos' horse to the front yard of Martha.
“Hmm? But they’re all the same?”
Black didn't have a horse to ride. Fermos thought the lower ones had suddenly gone deaf, but that wasn't the case.
“You go alone. I have something to do.”
“Oh, really? Are you going to go back to the Princess and do what you couldn’t do earlier?”
Fermos asked in astonishment, then quickly became serious upon seeing Black's expression.
“I made a slip of the tongue, my lord.”
Fermos rolled his eyes and quickly changed the subject.
“By the way, is the Princess okay? She must have been shocked this morning.”
“She's fine, but I plan to watch.”
“That would be good. Even if there are no visible symptoms, everything is dangerous in the beginning... Oh, but.”
Fermos smiled mischievously as if something had occurred to him.
“Princess, um, how should I put this... isn’t she a little too naive? She sounds like she's eighteen, not twenty-five. Is my lord okay?”
“...Choose.”
"Yes?"
“Where will it hit this time?”
“...Huh! I slipped up again, my lord.”
“Where will it hit this time?”
“...Huh! I slipped up again, my lord.”
The mischievous smile disappeared in an instant. Black seemed unwilling to tolerate anything others said about his woman.
“From now on, I will think twice before mentioning the word Princess... Eek!”
A very intimidated Fermos shrugged his shoulders and muttered, but then Black suddenly grabbed the back of his neck and made him scream.
“There’s no need to worry.”
Black lowered his voice and spoke into Fermos' ear.
“There will be an old man who is not in good health near the temple. You go find him first. Don’t let anyone know.”
“...If no one finds out...”
“The Princess sent a nanny.”
“I guess you mean to find him before that person. Yes?”
Fermos nodded once and asked.
“Can I know why?”
“I don’t know if he recognized me.”
“Yes? My lord? Then...”
The clever mind worked quickly. From that one word, Fermos deduced quite a lot of facts. There was someone who knew about Black's past. Princess Liene had sent someone because she knew of his existence. Black was trying to hide that person in the middle. Black meant that he did not want Princess Liene to find out about his past.
“What do you want me to do? Should I shut his mouth?”
“...For now. Keep him hidden.”
"All right."
Black released Fermos. Fermos nodded, stroking his frozen neck.
“Then I will be off, my lord.”
Black turned around and left without even a glance. Fermos muttered with a sullen face.
“Is my lord originally such a spiteful person...”
Anyway, he had to be careful with his words from now on. After a while, Fermos headed to the temple with five mercenaries.
***
Thud, thud.
The sound of footsteps was different underground. The moisture that had gathered on the floor clung to the soles of the feet, making the sound even more sinister and heavy.
“Hey, you’re here!”
All those guarding the dungeon were replaced by Tiwakan. The existing guards of Nauk were gradually excluded from their original duties. The absence of Werose actually played a role in facilitating this change. The mercenary who found Black alone in the dungeon quickly turned his back.
“I didn’t get word that you were coming. Are you here for an inspection?”
“Be quiet.”
“Hey, you’re here!”
All those guarding the dungeon were replaced by Tiwakan. The existing guards of Nauk were gradually excluded from their original duties. The absence of Werose actually played a role in facilitating this change. The mercenary who found Black alone in the dungeon quickly turned his back.
“I didn’t get word that you were coming. Are you here for an inspection?”
“Be quiet.”
Black seemed reluctant to make his presence known. The mercenary, who quickly noticed, lowered his voice.
“Shall I show you who came in today?”
Black nodded without saying anything.
“This way.”
Tiwakan's opinion was that the dungeon was useful if nothing else. Although there were only a few people locked up there now, the fact that such a large prison was designed with multiple layers of security symbolized the power that the royal family once enjoyed.
“It’s structured so that you can’t run away even if you try, but the adjutant told me not to leave you alone, so I tied you up.”
“Well done.”
“Well done.”
"Thank you."
The mercenary who had received unexpected praise smiled. Two doors that were supposed to be locked from the outside were passed through, revealing the cells where the prisoners were kept.
“I put them in a room. I’m monitoring what they’re talking about.”
“There has been no talk so far?”
“Yes. There has been no further word since the adjutant left. Ah, here it is.”
Clank!
The mercenary who had received unexpected praise smiled. Two doors that were supposed to be locked from the outside were passed through, revealing the cells where the prisoners were kept.
“I put them in a room. I’m monitoring what they’re talking about.”
“There has been no talk so far?”
“Yes. There has been no further word since the adjutant left. Ah, here it is.”
Clank!
The mercenary opened the door. Black entered the room. Two Kleinfelters, tied tightly with rope to low wooden chairs, raised their heads.
“Close the door and get out.”
The door closed quietly behind him. That created a space where no one could disturb Black. If necessary, the Tiwakan mercenaries would pretend that Black was not even here. Linden Kleinfelter glared at Black with his blue eyes.
“What do you plan to do with me?”
"Well..."
Black's slow speech sounded even more threatening to his enemies. It was the same even then.
“Close the door and get out.”
The door closed quietly behind him. That created a space where no one could disturb Black. If necessary, the Tiwakan mercenaries would pretend that Black was not even here. Linden Kleinfelter glared at Black with his blue eyes.
“What do you plan to do with me?”
"Well..."
Black's slow speech sounded even more threatening to his enemies. It was the same even then.
“You can’t touch me. Nauk isn’t such an easy place. If by any chance my head gets cut off...”
“It’s noisy.”
Boom!
“It’s noisy.”
Boom!
Black kicked the leg of the chair Linden Kleinfelter was sitting on.
Boom!
“Ugh!”
Linden Klinefelter fell to the floor. Black watched him struggle, his face red with pride, and then asked,
“What do you know?”
“What are you... talking about, without any reason or end... Ugh!”
Black kicked Linden Klinefelter over, exposing his hands tied behind his back and stomping on his wrists.
“Ugh!”
It was a terrible scream. His wrist must have broken because Black had stepped on it with all his weight.
“Be quiet.”
“Ugh!”
Linden Klinefelter fell to the floor. Black watched him struggle, his face red with pride, and then asked,
“What do you know?”
“What are you... talking about, without any reason or end... Ugh!”
Black kicked Linden Klinefelter over, exposing his hands tied behind his back and stomping on his wrists.
“Ugh!”
It was a terrible scream. His wrist must have broken because Black had stepped on it with all his weight.
“Be quiet.”
The foot that had stepped on his wrist now stepped on the back of his head. Linden Klinefelter let out a scream as his face was crushed to the floor.
“What are you doing! Stop it!”
Lafitte, who had been quiet the whole time, shouted. He tried to drag the chair he was tied to over to this side.
“Don't move.”
Instead of stopping Lafitte, Black applied force to the foot that had stepped on the back of his head.
“You have two mouths.”
“...”
Lafitte turned pale and stopped moving. As if he had expected this, Black turned his head again and lifted his foot slightly.
“I ask again. What doesn’t Princess Liene know?”
“Me, that... huh...”
“Why do I want Nauk?”
“That, anyone can see... obvious... ugh!”
“Think about it and tell me again. It’s not hard to break a neck.”
"OMG...!"
Linden Klinefelter took a deep breath. His mind was spinning as he tried to figure out if Black was just threatening or if he was being serious. The saying that you have two mouths was too much to show off. It sounded like he was saying that even if he broke his neck, there would be someone else who would open their mouth.
"...That kid doesn’t... Huh, he doesn’t know anything.”
So that meant there was nothing to be gained by killing him. But that also meant that Linden Klinefelter knew something. That was what Black wanted.
“Then you can just talk.”
“That, that...”
Linden Klinefelter rolled his eyes, realizing his mistake only now. But it was too late anyway.
“There is also a way to break your neck so you can talk.”
“...Liene is no different from a blind person who has her eyes open.”
Linden Kleinfelter muttered, like a broken record.
“Keep going.”
“She is saying that she has no idea how her father became King. How the Treaty of Liseberg was concluded.”
"So."
“The one who played the biggest role in the Arsak family becoming royalty was Kleinfelter! It would be ridiculous to ignore that favor now... Ugh!”
Klinefelter, whose back of the head was stepped on again, was forced to keep his mouth shut.
“It’s grace.”
Black's lips twisted sarcastically.
“Considering all that, the Princess’s life wasn’t exactly a movie-like thing.”
“She was born the eldest daughter of a humble family and was sold for a decent price, but she ended up being called a Princess. If that’s not a movie, then what is... Ugh!”
Black kicked the back of the head as if he had been waiting.
“Correct your speech. Be polite. To your lord.”
“Ah... Definitely...”
Linden Klinefelter trembled with anger.
“That’s the price? What doesn’t the Princess know?”
“...That’s right.”
“You’re lying.”
Black playfully kicked Linden Klinefelter in the back of the head.
“That alone is not enough reason for me to cut off the Princess’s head. Why should I do something like that to get Nauk?”
“...”
“Answer me.”
Linden Klinefelter spewed out curses.
“Damn it...! You know that! Why are you asking me what you’re doing right now!”
“I just proposed, and you're the one who says it's not.”
“So what am I aiming for?”
“Well, Nauk....”
“What’s in Nauk?”
“...That’s a simple place. Where else can a savage who has been rolling around on a battlefield be treated like royalty?”
Although it was only for a moment, Black did not miss the violent shaking of Klinefelter's pupils.
“It won’t work if I kill the Princess.”
“That, that is, after getting married and gaining the right to rule...”
“They say that the rule of Arsak is passed down to Arsak. If I kill the Princess, whoever has even a little bit of Arsak’s blood will become King. Not me. You must know that.”
“...A savage like you would never follow the royal rules. Just do whatever you want and that’s it.”
“Are you trying to hide it?”
“...”
Linden Klinefelter swallowed instead of answering. He could tell that it would take more elaborate and brutal torture than a kick to his pride to get him to open his mouth.
“Yes, yes.”
At that point, Black took off.
“I know what I need to know. That’s all for today.”
“...?”
Rather, it was Linden Klinefelter who looked embarrassed. But Black quickly turned around as he had said.
"...This."
Then it stopped for a moment.
“It was on the left.”
It was a small soliloquy, but Linden Klinefelter could clearly hear it.
“What is left..."
Black bent down and untied the rope that bound Linden Klinefelter. No one would interpret that as kindness, especially not Linden Klinefelter, who had just broken his left hand.
“Why are you doing this! Don’t touch me... Ugh!”
As expected, Black twisted Linden Klinefelter's right wrist. Liene's wrist, which also had Linden Klinefelter's handprint, was also on the right.
“Ugh! Agh!”
A warning was issued to Linden Klinefelter, who rolled on the floor screaming in agony, losing all sense of dignity.
“Princess Liene will be the only reason Tiwakan fights from now on. Know this.”
“That’s not funny...Don’t make me laugh!”
Linden Klinefelter shouted through his tears and snot.
“The Princess is pregnant... with another man’s child! You’re doing this just to get a woman like that? How can I believe that!”
Black's gaze swept over Lafitte, who was biting his lip.
“You don’t have to know that.”
“...!”
“And my child. If you hear anything different, I will tear out both of your tongues, because they will be the problem.”
“...”
Boom!
Black left the prison, closing the door behind him with an eerie warning.
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