There were so many things to say that it was hard to choose. For some reason, it felt like there was no time in the dream. Liene said the thing she wanted to say the most.
She was tired, but she couldn't sleep. She was just a little worried about tomorrow. If she woke up at an ambiguous time, it meant she would fall asleep at an ambiguous time.
"That is."
“You might feel bad after hearing this...”
“That’s my part. So?”
“But don’t be angry at other people... so, don’t be angry at Madam.”
“Did Madam Flambard do something wrong?”
“It wasn’t on purpose. I was the one who told you to do that. So it’s not Madam's fault.”
“Tell me. I will do so.”
Am I doing something wrong? Am I just being greedy to protect this man's house when I'm not qualified to do so?
"Sorry."
Liene didn't know what else to say. Black stayed like that, then slowly tilted his head toward Liene. His eyes, which sometimes became sharp like mirrors, reflected Liene perfectly.
“I don’t know what to say about this feeling... I don’t think I can just say that this is okay.”
I didn’t have a child. He never took me away. So if you want, you can get it all back.
Those words. He didn’t remember what Black said in response. He thought it was because it was a dream, but it wasn’t. It seemed like he really came looking for her.
“How did you know..”
Liene felt a little uneasy. Did he find Klima, who should have been well hidden? Did he ask Klima about her whereabouts? If so, what happened to Klima now? Could he be dead...?
“You were out too long. There was blood on your clothes, so everyone misunderstood. The Princess hasn’t spoken yet, has she? That’s why I also stayed quiet.”
"Yes?"
The voice of Madam Flambard broke into her thoughts. Liene raised her head and stared at her.
“...There was blood, Princess. Everyone saw it. He must have thought the Princess lost your child outside.”
“What did you say?”
That was something she had never thought of, so she was a bit taken aback.
"Therefore...?"
Madam Flambard nodded with an embarrassed look on her face.
“I thought it would be better that way, so I kept my mouth shut. Since there was so much bleeding, the doctor said it was right.”
“No, why...”
She told him. There is no child. There was no child from the beginning. Could it be that he didn't hear her?
“What did Lord Tiwakan say?”
“What do you mean? You lost your child?”
"Yes."
“Ugh, that’s...”
The woman suddenly grabbed Liene's hand tightly. The gesture of patting the back of her hand somehow resembled that of a mother who was preparing for her daughter's wedding the day before.
“He didn’t say anything in particular. He just told the doctor to save the Princess.”
“Is that so...”
“But can’t you tell just by looking at his expression? He really looked like he was heartbroken over the Princess’s worry.”
“That could be...”
...Is it there? Really?
“I think the Princess has found a good match. I don’t think it’s a problem if you don’t tell him everything about the child. Even if you really had a child, he would have considered him his own.”
“...”
It shouldn't be like that. Strangely, the man would accept Klinefelter's bloodline as his own child, but it's really absurd for him to have affection for the child she gave birth to. There's no such person in the world.
"Ma'am."
The woman who had been stroking the back of Liene's hand with a somewhat more relaxed expression raised her head.
“Yes, Princess.”
“Madam... do you remember the old King?”
“Is this what the former King said?”
“No. Before that... the King of the Gainers family.”
“I should know. I’ve never met him up close. Wasn’t he the King who led his knights on a hunt and was cursed to death?”
“A curse... you say?”
“Yes, he did.”
Madam Flambard looked around and lowered her voice.
“This is a hushed rumor, but the King did something that angered the gods and was punished for it. That must be why he died so violently on the hunting grounds at such a young age. It is a very plausible story, so I told you not to mention it in a place where the gods could not hear. I do not want to cause unnecessary anger. Princess, do not mention the King’s name easily.”
Liene felt her anger surge up. What the hell was that curse? They must have killed them and made up some nonsense to cover up the betrayal.
“Don’t say that, Madam. A curse. There was no such thing. Don’t say that in the future...”
Boom!
“How did you know..”
Liene felt a little uneasy. Did he find Klima, who should have been well hidden? Did he ask Klima about her whereabouts? If so, what happened to Klima now? Could he be dead...?
“You were out too long. There was blood on your clothes, so everyone misunderstood. The Princess hasn’t spoken yet, has she? That’s why I also stayed quiet.”
"Yes?"
The voice of Madam Flambard broke into her thoughts. Liene raised her head and stared at her.
“...There was blood, Princess. Everyone saw it. He must have thought the Princess lost your child outside.”
“What did you say?”
That was something she had never thought of, so she was a bit taken aback.
"Therefore...?"
Madam Flambard nodded with an embarrassed look on her face.
“I thought it would be better that way, so I kept my mouth shut. Since there was so much bleeding, the doctor said it was right.”
“No, why...”
She told him. There is no child. There was no child from the beginning. Could it be that he didn't hear her?
“What did Lord Tiwakan say?”
“What do you mean? You lost your child?”
"Yes."
“Ugh, that’s...”
The woman suddenly grabbed Liene's hand tightly. The gesture of patting the back of her hand somehow resembled that of a mother who was preparing for her daughter's wedding the day before.
“He didn’t say anything in particular. He just told the doctor to save the Princess.”
“Is that so...”
“But can’t you tell just by looking at his expression? He really looked like he was heartbroken over the Princess’s worry.”
“That could be...”
...Is it there? Really?
“I think the Princess has found a good match. I don’t think it’s a problem if you don’t tell him everything about the child. Even if you really had a child, he would have considered him his own.”
“...”
It shouldn't be like that. Strangely, the man would accept Klinefelter's bloodline as his own child, but it's really absurd for him to have affection for the child she gave birth to. There's no such person in the world.
"Ma'am."
The woman who had been stroking the back of Liene's hand with a somewhat more relaxed expression raised her head.
“Yes, Princess.”
“Madam... do you remember the old King?”
“Is this what the former King said?”
“No. Before that... the King of the Gainers family.”
“I should know. I’ve never met him up close. Wasn’t he the King who led his knights on a hunt and was cursed to death?”
“A curse... you say?”
“Yes, he did.”
Madam Flambard looked around and lowered her voice.
“This is a hushed rumor, but the King did something that angered the gods and was punished for it. That must be why he died so violently on the hunting grounds at such a young age. It is a very plausible story, so I told you not to mention it in a place where the gods could not hear. I do not want to cause unnecessary anger. Princess, do not mention the King’s name easily.”
Liene felt her anger surge up. What the hell was that curse? They must have killed them and made up some nonsense to cover up the betrayal.
“Don’t say that, Madam. A curse. There was no such thing. Don’t say that in the future...”
Boom!
At that moment, the bedroom door burst open, startling both Liene and Madam Flambard. The one who slammed the door open was Black.
“Are you awake?”
The face illuminated by the flickering candlelight was unusually pale.
"Yes..."
Facing him was not as easy as she thought. Liene sighed and closed her eyes. In that brief moment, Black had come right up to her nose.
“Then I will leave.”
The Madam was quick to notice and quickly got up from her chair.
“You don’t have to do that.”
Liene reached out to grab Madam Flambard, but Black caught her hand in the middle.
“If you need anything, call me, Princess.”
Madam Flambard also left in a hurry as if she had no intention of being caught in the first place.
“Why are you awake now?”
Black sat down in the chair where Madam Flambard had disappeared. He pulled the chair very close to the bed. He spread Liene’s fingers and interlocked them. When their hands were tightly intertwined, he brought them to his lips and placed a soft kiss on the back of her hand.
“Please wake up, you were sleeping the whole time.”
“...”
He must have been guarding the bed while she was asleep. When Liene remained silent, Black asked.
“Do you want to sleep more?”
"...No."
“Are you awake?”
The face illuminated by the flickering candlelight was unusually pale.
"Yes..."
Facing him was not as easy as she thought. Liene sighed and closed her eyes. In that brief moment, Black had come right up to her nose.
“Then I will leave.”
The Madam was quick to notice and quickly got up from her chair.
“You don’t have to do that.”
Liene reached out to grab Madam Flambard, but Black caught her hand in the middle.
“If you need anything, call me, Princess.”
Madam Flambard also left in a hurry as if she had no intention of being caught in the first place.
“Why are you awake now?”
Black sat down in the chair where Madam Flambard had disappeared. He pulled the chair very close to the bed. He spread Liene’s fingers and interlocked them. When their hands were tightly intertwined, he brought them to his lips and placed a soft kiss on the back of her hand.
“Please wake up, you were sleeping the whole time.”
“...”
He must have been guarding the bed while she was asleep. When Liene remained silent, Black asked.
“Do you want to sleep more?”
"...No."
She was tired, but she couldn't sleep. She was just a little worried about tomorrow. If she woke up at an ambiguous time, it meant she would fall asleep at an ambiguous time.
“Aren’t you going to the market?”
“That’s right.”
“What do you want to do?”
“...”
Funny enough, there was only one thing that came to mind right away. She wanted to erase her memories. All of the memories of meeting his brother. All the worries she had had up until then were trivial. It was so important and so big a deal to tell Black that the pregnancy was a lie. Now that she thinks about it, it's just funny. It was nothing.
“Please say something. Even if it’s just what you want to do about the person who did this.”
“...I didn’t see the culprit.”
Liene hesitated and then said so. If Klima had kidnapped her, it would have been difficult to save him. Black already knew what he had done, but Liene didn't know that.
“After I lost consciousness... I woke up and found myself alone.”
“Do you remember seeing me?”
"Yes..."
“Then it’s okay. I think nothing happened. Because that’s what happened in reality.”
Black straightened her messy hair with a careful hand that was barely noticeable. Looking at him, he didn't seem like someone who would treat the daughter of an enemy at all. Could this person be... too young to know. What the Arsak family did.
“That’s right.”
“What do you want to do?”
“...”
Funny enough, there was only one thing that came to mind right away. She wanted to erase her memories. All of the memories of meeting his brother. All the worries she had had up until then were trivial. It was so important and so big a deal to tell Black that the pregnancy was a lie. Now that she thinks about it, it's just funny. It was nothing.
“Please say something. Even if it’s just what you want to do about the person who did this.”
“...I didn’t see the culprit.”
Liene hesitated and then said so. If Klima had kidnapped her, it would have been difficult to save him. Black already knew what he had done, but Liene didn't know that.
“After I lost consciousness... I woke up and found myself alone.”
“Do you remember seeing me?”
"Yes..."
“Then it’s okay. I think nothing happened. Because that’s what happened in reality.”
Black straightened her messy hair with a careful hand that was barely noticeable. Looking at him, he didn't seem like someone who would treat the daughter of an enemy at all. Could this person be... too young to know. What the Arsak family did.
Did he only remember the Kleinfelter family crest? Was that why he could do this to me?
“...”
The more she thought about it, the more Liene's face turned pale. That could be true. He said he was eight. Then he might not remember the names of the seven families. She didn't know anything about that time. She thought she was a member of the royal family of Nauk since she was born.
“...”
The more she thought about it, the more Liene's face turned pale. That could be true. He said he was eight. Then he might not remember the names of the seven families. She didn't know anything about that time. She thought she was a member of the royal family of Nauk since she was born.
Yes, that's it. This person doesn't know exactly who she is. He just remembers her as the person who they had a betrothal talk about when they were young.
“What are you thinking about?”
Black slowly stroked Liene's face with the back of his hand. The sensation was as affectionate as a warm flame, but at the same time, it was like a sudden splash of cold water.
“...I have something to say.”
Her heart began to prickle. Liene mustered up her courage and grabbed Black's sleeve. He said it felt good when she touched him. She hoped it would still be like that.
“Before that, please promise me one thing.”
“Tell me.”
Black stared at Liene's hand that was holding him. To Liene, his gaze looked like a hungry person's...
“What are you thinking about?”
Black slowly stroked Liene's face with the back of his hand. The sensation was as affectionate as a warm flame, but at the same time, it was like a sudden splash of cold water.
“...I have something to say.”
Her heart began to prickle. Liene mustered up her courage and grabbed Black's sleeve. He said it felt good when she touched him. She hoped it would still be like that.
“Before that, please promise me one thing.”
“Tell me.”
Black stared at Liene's hand that was holding him. To Liene, his gaze looked like a hungry person's...
I think I know.
The reason this man was doing this to her. He said he wanted a home. A place where he could rest whenever he came back, a place where there was no threat. A place where he could let his mind go defenselessly. To him, Liene was that place. Even though she didn't think she deserved it, it still happened...
I can't, I can't.
That's why she couldn't say anything.
My father killed your father and took the throne. I'm not your house, nor your former fiancee. I'm just the daughter of your enemy. I can't.
Then this man would lose his home again. Liene didn't know if this was an excuse to save her life or not. She just thought that she couldn't take it away. Of all people, she couldn't take it away. The Arsak family was the one who took his home away from him for the first time. It was too cruel to have to do it twice.
“Why are you taking so long?”
Liene kept opening and closing her mouth, feeling uneasy. Black grabbed a handful of her hair that he was sweeping back and rubbed it against his lips. It also seemed like the tips of his fingers had gotten a little colder.
"That is..."
“Why are you taking so long?”
Liene kept opening and closing her mouth, feeling uneasy. Black grabbed a handful of her hair that he was sweeping back and rubbed it against his lips. It also seemed like the tips of his fingers had gotten a little colder.
"That is..."
"That is."
“You might feel bad after hearing this...”
“That’s my part. So?”
“But don’t be angry at other people... so, don’t be angry at Madam.”
“Did Madam Flambard do something wrong?”
“It wasn’t on purpose. I was the one who told you to do that. So it’s not Madam's fault.”
“Tell me. I will do so.”
Am I doing something wrong? Am I just being greedy to protect this man's house when I'm not qualified to do so?
Liene doesn't know which way is better for her. She's in so much pain right now, but she hopes he's not in so much pain. She hopes he doesn't lose anything again. She wants him to get it all back. Everything he wanted back. Everything he was meant to have.
“I didn’t lose my child.”
The fingers that were holding Black's sleeve were so strong that they seemed like they would break. Black was the first to notice something that Liene didn't know. He said as he gently pulled his fingers apart one by one.
“Did you want to talk about that?”
He still seemed to have no idea what Liene was talking about.
“Really. I didn’t lose a child...”
“Your lips are chapped. I think your throat is dry. Wait a minute.”
So he tried to avoid the conversation. He thought that Liene was in denial because she was in shock over losing her child. Liene grabbed the sleeve that Black had let go of.
“I haven’t had children. From the beginning.”
“...? What did you say?”
Black, who was about to get up from his chair, froze and stared at Liene.
“I lied. I was trying to reject your proposal.”
“...”
“I know. I had the chance to tell you. But I kept it a secret. I was afraid that Nauk’s rule would be taken away. I wanted to leave it to the Arsak family.”
“...”
“I know. I know that I shouldn’t have done that. I understand if you get angry.”
“...”
Judging from the fact that he was silent the whole time, he never seemed to have any suspicions about the child. This man was sincere in everything, except for the fact that he tried to hide his name.
“...I’m sorry. I wanted to tell you. I mean, before you said there was a fire.”
“There was bleeding..."
Black frowned after a while and muttered quietly.
“If it’s not because of the child, then why... Ah. So that’s why there’s bleeding...”
"... Yes."
Now that I think about it, it was nothing. No, is it just me?
“I didn’t lose my child.”
The fingers that were holding Black's sleeve were so strong that they seemed like they would break. Black was the first to notice something that Liene didn't know. He said as he gently pulled his fingers apart one by one.
“Did you want to talk about that?”
He still seemed to have no idea what Liene was talking about.
“Really. I didn’t lose a child...”
“Your lips are chapped. I think your throat is dry. Wait a minute.”
So he tried to avoid the conversation. He thought that Liene was in denial because she was in shock over losing her child. Liene grabbed the sleeve that Black had let go of.
“I haven’t had children. From the beginning.”
“...? What did you say?”
Black, who was about to get up from his chair, froze and stared at Liene.
“I lied. I was trying to reject your proposal.”
“...”
“I know. I had the chance to tell you. But I kept it a secret. I was afraid that Nauk’s rule would be taken away. I wanted to leave it to the Arsak family.”
“...”
“I know. I know that I shouldn’t have done that. I understand if you get angry.”
“...”
Judging from the fact that he was silent the whole time, he never seemed to have any suspicions about the child. This man was sincere in everything, except for the fact that he tried to hide his name.
“...I’m sorry. I wanted to tell you. I mean, before you said there was a fire.”
“There was bleeding..."
Black frowned after a while and muttered quietly.
“If it’s not because of the child, then why... Ah. So that’s why there’s bleeding...”
"... Yes."
Now that I think about it, it was nothing. No, is it just me?
That man seems agitated. Does he feel betrayed? Liene, who was anxious, let go of Black’s sleeve and grabbed his hand.
“Madam, it’s not her fault. It’s my fault.”
“There’s nothing wrong... Yes, I understand.”
“Then... is that okay?”
He still had that frown between his eyebrows. He didn't look okay.
“I don’t know.”
...As expected. I see.
“Madam, it’s not her fault. It’s my fault.”
“There’s nothing wrong... Yes, I understand.”
“Then... is that okay?”
He still had that frown between his eyebrows. He didn't look okay.
“I don’t know.”
...As expected. I see.
Liene’s fingers that were holding Black’s hand loosened weakly.
"Sorry."
Liene didn't know what else to say. Black stayed like that, then slowly tilted his head toward Liene. His eyes, which sometimes became sharp like mirrors, reflected Liene perfectly.
“I don’t know what to say about this feeling... I don’t think I can just say that this is okay.”
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