The topics were sporadic, but not big. However, because the castle was so large, there were a lot of little things to worry about, as you never know where the spark might be.
“Yes, it looks like we’re almost done. You can go in now.”
It was only at dawn that Fermos pushed Black’s back. In fact, he couldn’t talk to him until then. It was good that Black took the lead, carrying buckets of water and putting out the fire. Then the other guys would move their bodies like crazy. But was it really necessary to have such a fierce expression as if he had to hit something to feel better? Black’s role was 80% of the fire’s end, with only small burn marks left on the furniture and carpet.
“...What, you say?”
When she heard the unexpected name, Liene thought for a moment that she had turned into a statue. She couldn't breathe or move her body. Henton... is that it?
"Henton. That was my name when I left Nauk."
Black said.
"Henton's second son."
That was what the old man had said. Liene had no doubt that it was Black's name.
“How did you get that name... No, then... you... could it be?”
She only asked if he had any siblings. Klima's reaction was beyond Liene's understanding.
“Relax. I don’t know what you haven’t forgotten. I just know someone with that name. Answer me. Did you have any brothers? How many?”
“...Ha, one.”
Black said he was Henton's second son. If that were true, then Klima would be his older brother... What on earth happened?
“No, you have to tell me.”
“No... If that happens... If that happens, Mother will die...”
It didn't seem like he would open his mouth for some reason. Liene changed the question.
“Then let’s talk about your father. Did Klinefelter kill him?”
“...Yes. Yes, that’s right.”
Klima still couldn't open his eyes. He didn't even seem to know where he was. He was probably wandering somewhere on that day, 21 years ago, when his father died and his younger brother was lost.
"Why?"
“Because I made him run away.”
“Who?”
“F, Fernand...”
“Fernand?”
It was a name she was hearing for the first time. Liene tilted her head.
“Who is he?”
“Prince Fernand.”
"Prince?"
Klima nodded with a tired face. She seemed to be losing energy just from thinking about the past.
“Which kingdom is he a Prince of? Prince Fernand.”
“...Nauk.”
“?”
It was such an unfamiliar story that his mind froze for a moment. There was another Prince before Father? In Nauk? The previous King had been crowned long after he had become an adult. So it wasn’t completely impossible. Liene recalled the royal family tree that she couldn’t quite remember. She vaguely remembered that the previous King had said that he was related to Arsak, but he wasn’t from the Arsak family.
“Why did Prince Fernand have to run away? What did he do wrong?”
“Because the King of the Gainers family... is dead. Because they killed him.”
Now she remembered. The previous King's surname was Gainers. He died without an heir, so the eldest son of the Arsak family, the closest bloodline, inherited the throne. That was the previous King, Leder, and Liene's father. Liene knew that. That was what was recorded in the royal records.
“Killed the King? Prince Ferdinand?”
"No."
"Then?"
“The seven families of Nauk said so. My father...”
“What? ...Seven families?”
Her jaw opened wide enough to hurt as she uttered the words “seven families.” But it wasn’t enough to pour out all the confusion. Liene took a deep breath.
“What you’re talking about now... is treason. Are you saying there was treason in Nauk?”
“...Yes. That’s what my father said.”
Henton was a knight. He belonged to the guardian order of the House of Gainers. When the Seven Houses of Nauk murdered the King, he put the royal bloodline to flight. A Prince named Fernand.
“Yes, it looks like we’re almost done. You can go in now.”
It was only at dawn that Fermos pushed Black’s back. In fact, he couldn’t talk to him until then. It was good that Black took the lead, carrying buckets of water and putting out the fire. Then the other guys would move their bodies like crazy. But was it really necessary to have such a fierce expression as if he had to hit something to feel better? Black’s role was 80% of the fire’s end, with only small burn marks left on the furniture and carpet.
“Are you sure? There shouldn’t be any fire spread.”
“Of course...”
“Hang your head.”
"...Yes, yes?"
“It seemed like she was quite afraid of fire.”
“...”
Black's last words made Fermos think a lot. Fire... So... The Princess is afraid of fire. So of course I should hang myself too... So... I see...
“Who crawled in under the cover of fire?”
“I am looking for it, my lord.”
“If you can’t find the guy, you can’t put out the fire.”
“Yes, of course. Since this is probably the work of a guy who’s trapped underground, can I come down and ask him some polite questions?”
“Of course...”
“Hang your head.”
"...Yes, yes?"
“It seemed like she was quite afraid of fire.”
“...”
Black's last words made Fermos think a lot. Fire... So... The Princess is afraid of fire. So of course I should hang myself too... So... I see...
“Who crawled in under the cover of fire?”
“I am looking for it, my lord.”
“If you can’t find the guy, you can’t put out the fire.”
“Yes, of course. Since this is probably the work of a guy who’s trapped underground, can I come down and ask him some polite questions?”
“I’ll allow it. You don’t have to be polite.”
“Yes, my lord.”
He was still adjusting to his new life in Nauk, but one thing was certain. Teasing Kleinfelter and his men was definitely a new pastime. Fermos thought about going down to the dungeon with a face full of excitement.
“Yes, my lord.”
He was still adjusting to his new life in Nauk, but one thing was certain. Teasing Kleinfelter and his men was definitely a new pastime. Fermos thought about going down to the dungeon with a face full of excitement.
“Will my lord go to the Princess now?”
“Not yet. If the guy who set the fire is caught.”
It seemed like he didn't want to tell Liene to wait a little longer.
“Yes, I’ll go down to the basement first.”
But Black should have returned to Liene as soon as possible. Then he would have realized sooner why the culprit who started the fire could not be found within the castle.
“Not yet. If the guy who set the fire is caught.”
It seemed like he didn't want to tell Liene to wait a little longer.
“Yes, I’ll go down to the basement first.”
But Black should have returned to Liene as soon as possible. Then he would have realized sooner why the culprit who started the fire could not be found within the castle.
***
Liene tried to remain calm.
“I don’t believe you are a villain like Klinefelter.”
Klima, whose eyes had been wide open, hurriedly shook hia head.
“No... I am a sinner. I have committed many sins that cannot be washed away...”
“It was all done at Klinefelter’s order.”
“...”
Klima could neither confirm nor deny.
“If you want to atone, stop sinning first. Otherwise, no matter how much you whip yourself, you will only end up bleeding.”
“I... I can’t help it...”
“Why do you keep saying no? You know that what Klinefelter is telling you to do is wrong. You are a man who serves God. You killed two high priests. You erased the voice of God.”
“I... did not become a disciple because I wanted to...”
With every word, Klima was in pain.
"Sure?"
“Because you told them to do that...”
“Who? Klinefelter? Why on earth? Because it’s easier to kill the High Priest then?”
“...Because then it’s easier to hide.”
“What?”
“A human being like me.”
“Why did he have to hide you? From whom?”
“...”
Klima shut his mouth. Then he got up and approached Liene. Even though he didn’t look like a bad guy, she was afraid because he said he was going to curse with his own mouth.
“Don’t come to the door. Answer me.”
"Sorry..."
Klima reached out his hand, tears falling down his face.
“No! Don’t do that!”
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry...”
“Wake up! How long are you going to live like this!”
She was so scared she thought she would die. Liene desperately suppressed her fear. Telling him not to do something didn’t work. So she had to find another way. Now, it was Klinefelter’s order to move Klima. She had to touch the part of Klima that had the most absolute influence on her.
“You said you would spare me? ...I swear. I will survive and kill Klinefelter.”
“...”
The words had an effect. Klima reacted by twitching her hands at the mention of Klinefelter's death.
“Uh, you’re going to kill Klinefelter... T, then...”
The way he stammered and asked seemed to be one that was hard to believe. Liene had been like that until just now. Killing Kleinfelter was something that could not happen in Nauk. The risk was too great, and the six families bound by the Treaty of Liseberg were too strong. But, she couldn’t do this anymore. What Kleinfelter had done was show that the peace Liene had been building with the six families while precariously tug-of-war was a shallow lie. He was a man who would do anything to get Nauk. If this didn’t work, he would try something else. Even now, while he was locked up, he could still get his hands on Liene. Not just Liene, but the temple and the Great Council as well.
“I don’t believe you are a villain like Klinefelter.”
Klima, whose eyes had been wide open, hurriedly shook hia head.
“No... I am a sinner. I have committed many sins that cannot be washed away...”
“It was all done at Klinefelter’s order.”
“...”
Klima could neither confirm nor deny.
“If you want to atone, stop sinning first. Otherwise, no matter how much you whip yourself, you will only end up bleeding.”
“I... I can’t help it...”
“Why do you keep saying no? You know that what Klinefelter is telling you to do is wrong. You are a man who serves God. You killed two high priests. You erased the voice of God.”
“I... did not become a disciple because I wanted to...”
With every word, Klima was in pain.
"Sure?"
“Because you told them to do that...”
“Who? Klinefelter? Why on earth? Because it’s easier to kill the High Priest then?”
“...Because then it’s easier to hide.”
“What?”
“A human being like me.”
“Why did he have to hide you? From whom?”
“...”
Klima shut his mouth. Then he got up and approached Liene. Even though he didn’t look like a bad guy, she was afraid because he said he was going to curse with his own mouth.
“Don’t come to the door. Answer me.”
"Sorry..."
Klima reached out his hand, tears falling down his face.
“No! Don’t do that!”
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry...”
“Wake up! How long are you going to live like this!”
She was so scared she thought she would die. Liene desperately suppressed her fear. Telling him not to do something didn’t work. So she had to find another way. Now, it was Klinefelter’s order to move Klima. She had to touch the part of Klima that had the most absolute influence on her.
“You said you would spare me? ...I swear. I will survive and kill Klinefelter.”
“...”
The words had an effect. Klima reacted by twitching her hands at the mention of Klinefelter's death.
“Uh, you’re going to kill Klinefelter... T, then...”
The way he stammered and asked seemed to be one that was hard to believe. Liene had been like that until just now. Killing Kleinfelter was something that could not happen in Nauk. The risk was too great, and the six families bound by the Treaty of Liseberg were too strong. But, she couldn’t do this anymore. What Kleinfelter had done was show that the peace Liene had been building with the six families while precariously tug-of-war was a shallow lie. He was a man who would do anything to get Nauk. If this didn’t work, he would try something else. Even now, while he was locked up, he could still get his hands on Liene. Not just Liene, but the temple and the Great Council as well.
She had to cut it off here. No matter how big the root was. If she didn’t cut it off, it would eventually swallow up all of Nauk. It was something she would have never imagined before. But now she could. Because she had Tiwakan. The most ferocious and fearsome mercenary group on the continent was now the Knights of Arsak. Now was the chance.
As he said that, tears almost welled up in his eyes. The man said he would forget about revenge. He said he would accept even his enemy's child. Because she was his home. If Klima followed her orders, the result was obvious. Klinefelter would definitely die. This time, there was no reason to stop him.
“If you follow the order, Klinefelter will die. But if you don’t follow the order, he will die. Because I will kill him. If the result is the same either way, what will you choose?”
“If Klinefelter... disappears... ”
Clima's eyes shook violently.
“Then no more... Ah, but I still have to live in hiding... No, then my mother...”
“Huh? Did you say, mother?”
The rambling monologue was hard to understand, but one thing seemed certain: Klinefelter had a hold on Klima's weak point: his mother.
“Is your mother being held captive by Klinefelter?”
“That’s right... No, no! Th, such words...!”
Klima, who realized his mistake a moment too late, shook his head desperately.
“It’s okay. You can tell me.”
A way to persuade him had emerged. Liene tried to appease Klima with as calm and gentle words as she could.
“Even if you are a sinner, I know that Klinefelter’s sin is much greater. If you are worried about your mother’s safety, I will help you. I will not hold your mother responsible for the sins you committed.”
“That’s... that’s not it. It’s not that simple... that can’t be.”
Klima clenched his fists and crouched almost face down on the floor. His shaking shoulders showed that she was still crying in pain.
“It can be done. I promise you. If you commit no more sins, you and your mother will be safe.”
Klima lifted his soaking wet face.
“Is that... is that true? Are you really not going to kill my mother?”
“That's what I say.”
“If I let the Princess go from here and don’t do anything, will you spare my mother life?”
“I have already sworn in the name of Arsak. I will spare your life. You and your mother.”
Klima wasn’t asking the same thing over and over again because he didn’t understand what she was saying. The story between him and the Kleinfelter family was much more complicated and dark than Liene could now imagine. What Kleinfelter was doing to him was not a threat using his mother as an excuse. It was more like the opposite. Kleinfelter was hiding Klima and Klima’s mother and was getting paid for it. What Klima was desperately hiding was the family name.
“Is my mother’s name... Henton?”
“You think my fiancé is going to leave you because you insulted me? No way, that's the kind of thing only filthy little bastards like Klinefelter dream about.”
“If you follow the order, Klinefelter will die. But if you don’t follow the order, he will die. Because I will kill him. If the result is the same either way, what will you choose?”
“If Klinefelter... disappears... ”
Clima's eyes shook violently.
“Then no more... Ah, but I still have to live in hiding... No, then my mother...”
“Huh? Did you say, mother?”
The rambling monologue was hard to understand, but one thing seemed certain: Klinefelter had a hold on Klima's weak point: his mother.
“Is your mother being held captive by Klinefelter?”
“That’s right... No, no! Th, such words...!”
Klima, who realized his mistake a moment too late, shook his head desperately.
“It’s okay. You can tell me.”
A way to persuade him had emerged. Liene tried to appease Klima with as calm and gentle words as she could.
“Even if you are a sinner, I know that Klinefelter’s sin is much greater. If you are worried about your mother’s safety, I will help you. I will not hold your mother responsible for the sins you committed.”
“That’s... that’s not it. It’s not that simple... that can’t be.”
Klima clenched his fists and crouched almost face down on the floor. His shaking shoulders showed that she was still crying in pain.
“It can be done. I promise you. If you commit no more sins, you and your mother will be safe.”
Klima lifted his soaking wet face.
“Is that... is that true? Are you really not going to kill my mother?”
“That's what I say.”
“If I let the Princess go from here and don’t do anything, will you spare my mother life?”
“I have already sworn in the name of Arsak. I will spare your life. You and your mother.”
Klima wasn’t asking the same thing over and over again because he didn’t understand what she was saying. The story between him and the Kleinfelter family was much more complicated and dark than Liene could now imagine. What Kleinfelter was doing to him was not a threat using his mother as an excuse. It was more like the opposite. Kleinfelter was hiding Klima and Klima’s mother and was getting paid for it. What Klima was desperately hiding was the family name.
“Is my mother’s name... Henton?”
“...What, you say?”
When she heard the unexpected name, Liene thought for a moment that she had turned into a statue. She couldn't breathe or move her body. Henton... is that it?
***
"Henton. That was my name when I left Nauk."
Black said.
"Henton's second son."
That was what the old man had said. Liene had no doubt that it was Black's name.
“How did you get that name... No, then... you... could it be?”
Liene opened her eyes wide and looked at Klima. His tear-stained face looked young, but it also looked the opposite. It was a face that was difficult to guess his age.
“Did you have a brother...? A long time ago, 21 years ago.”
Klima made a terrified face.
“I forgot... I didn’t forget. I knew... Then other people too...”
“Did you have a brother...? A long time ago, 21 years ago.”
Klima made a terrified face.
“I forgot... I didn’t forget. I knew... Then other people too...”
She only asked if he had any siblings. Klima's reaction was beyond Liene's understanding.
“Relax. I don’t know what you haven’t forgotten. I just know someone with that name. Answer me. Did you have any brothers? How many?”
“...Ha, one.”
Black said he was Henton's second son. If that were true, then Klima would be his older brother... What on earth happened?
Black said he saw Klinefelter's men kill his father. He escaped alone and never used the name Henton again. His mother and older brother remained in Nauk, also hiding their names. Black may not have known that his family was alive... But why was Klinefelter hiding the rest of his family? This was clearly a contradiction.
“What happened to the Henton family? Do you remember?”
“...”
Klima closed his eyes tightly and nodded.
“Tell me.”
“No... You can’t. That’s absolutely... I can’t tell anyone...”
“What happened to the Henton family? Do you remember?”
“...”
Klima closed his eyes tightly and nodded.
“Tell me.”
“No... You can’t. That’s absolutely... I can’t tell anyone...”
“No, you have to tell me.”
“No... If that happens... If that happens, Mother will die...”
It didn't seem like he would open his mouth for some reason. Liene changed the question.
“Then let’s talk about your father. Did Klinefelter kill him?”
“...Yes. Yes, that’s right.”
Klima still couldn't open his eyes. He didn't even seem to know where he was. He was probably wandering somewhere on that day, 21 years ago, when his father died and his younger brother was lost.
"Why?"
“Because I made him run away.”
“Who?”
“F, Fernand...”
“Fernand?”
It was a name she was hearing for the first time. Liene tilted her head.
“Who is he?”
“Prince Fernand.”
"Prince?"
Klima nodded with a tired face. She seemed to be losing energy just from thinking about the past.
“Which kingdom is he a Prince of? Prince Fernand.”
“...Nauk.”
“?”
It was such an unfamiliar story that his mind froze for a moment. There was another Prince before Father? In Nauk? The previous King had been crowned long after he had become an adult. So it wasn’t completely impossible. Liene recalled the royal family tree that she couldn’t quite remember. She vaguely remembered that the previous King had said that he was related to Arsak, but he wasn’t from the Arsak family.
“Why did Prince Fernand have to run away? What did he do wrong?”
“Because the King of the Gainers family... is dead. Because they killed him.”
Now she remembered. The previous King's surname was Gainers. He died without an heir, so the eldest son of the Arsak family, the closest bloodline, inherited the throne. That was the previous King, Leder, and Liene's father. Liene knew that. That was what was recorded in the royal records.
“Killed the King? Prince Ferdinand?”
"No."
"Then?"
“The seven families of Nauk said so. My father...”
“What? ...Seven families?”
Her jaw opened wide enough to hurt as she uttered the words “seven families.” But it wasn’t enough to pour out all the confusion. Liene took a deep breath.
“What you’re talking about now... is treason. Are you saying there was treason in Nauk?”
“...Yes. That’s what my father said.”
Henton was a knight. He belonged to the guardian order of the House of Gainers. When the Seven Houses of Nauk murdered the King, he put the royal bloodline to flight. A Prince named Fernand.
Comments
Post a Comment