Black tilted his head while looking at Liene. It seemed as if he really didn't know.
“It’s okay even if it’s not okay... It’s okay. I’m the one who lied.”
“At first, it was definitely okay, even though you were carrying another man’s child.”
At some point, Black's voice became as low as a whisper.
“I was the one who finally thought about having a Princess, and it was like the price I paid for being so procrastinating. It didn’t matter whose child it was. I was going to raise him as my own anyway. Having a Princess was more important to me than having a child. The child was really okay. But...”
The wrinkled eyebrows were slowly opening up.
“I guess it wasn’t okay, actually.”
“...? I don’t know. What are you talking about?”
“When you say it was a lie, it feels like something has suddenly been cut off.”
Black tapped his chest with his fingertips.
“About here. This is pretty...”
Black, who had interrupted, took his time in choosing the right expression. It seemed that he did not know the name of the emotion he was feeling at the moment.
“Should I say it feels refreshing?”
“...?”
Slowly, Black's lips opened, forming a pleasant curve.
“I feel like something has become so light that I can’t control it.”
“I think that means you’re happy.”
“I think so... Does it hurt a lot?”
Liene didn't fully understand the questions that followed without context.
“Huh? I said I didn’t lose the child...”
“Then I understand that to mean it’s okay.”
And her face tightened. A familiar weight pressed down on her shoulders and their lips overlapped. As the familiar scent lingered on her tongue, she felt like crying...
“Did you sleep well?”
Her eyes were too dazzling to say no.
"Yes."
She was lying there, wrapped tightly in Black just like that. When Liene came to her senses, she felt him wrapped tightly around her body, and she could feel his weight pressing down on her body, but she slept so soundly, which was also strange.
“When did you wake up?”
“As usual.”
What time is that?
“Have you been here this long?”
“I don’t know how long it’s been. I’m not bored.”
Black swept his eyelids, which were blinking hard as she looked at him, with his fingertips. As her eyelashes brushed past, he smiled faintly, almost as if he could see her.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen eyelashes this long.”
"Is it so?"
“I wanted to keep touching it, but I held back for fear of waking you up.”
“You told me not to wake me up.”
Black's eyebrows furrowed as if he had heard something utterly ridiculous.
“...Don’t you have any better ideas?”
“I guess so. I think I slept for more than a day. I should get up now.”
“You can sleep more.”
“That’s too lazy.”
“Then it won’t work?”
...It’s strange. Why does it seem like I want to sleep more? Wasn’t it because I’ve been waiting for you to wake up this whole time?
“What are you doing putting me to sleep?”
“What we’ve been doing so far.”
“What is that?”
"Appreciation."
“...?”
Black's hand gestures, which had been gently sweeping her eyelashes, slowed down.
“The most beautiful thing I have ever seen in my life.”
Thud.
"...No."
''What are you talking about?''
The lips that touched her palm moved gently. She couldn't hear a sound, but strangely enough, she felt like she knew what he was saying.
“That’s not it... no.”
The more she spoke, the more difficult it was to make eye contact. Liene turned her head halfway and muttered, avoiding eye contact.
''Tell me what it isn't.''
“Whether you are skilled or not... I don’t even have the talent to judge such things in the first place.”
''...? Then why did you do that then?''
“I don’t want to sleep with you.”
''..."
“Then.. I feel like I’ll get caught.”
''What?''
“I have... no experience.”
After saying that, she really couldn't bear the embarrassment any longer. Liene turned around and tried to escape from Black's arms.
“I have to get up. I’ll go to the bathroom first.”
“Where.”
But it was in vain. Black simply dragged Liene back to his body, trying to escape. It was surprising how comfortable it felt to be in a position where she could barely breathe.
“I... Please let me go. I’m so embarrassed right now...”
“No.”
"Why..."
“I can’t just sit still and listen to that.”
“I don’t think so...”
“I may not be a Princess, but I am.”
“Is that... making you happy?”
“I don’t think I can express it in words like that.”
Black stayed in that position for a long time. He didn't move at all, so much so that it seemed as if he had frozen in place. But it was the opposite. Black wasn't frozen but was forcibly holding back the urge to run away.
“The thought I had to face every day since I came to Nauk was regret that it was too late.”
Black slowly opened his mouth after quite some time had passed.
“I should have come sooner. I should have known sooner. The truth is, I didn’t want to lose anything.”
“Is that so...?”
Liene, who already knew what it was, felt as if her heart was being ripped out. Her throat was tight, and Liene dug deeper into Black's embrace, which left no room for her anymore.
“If that were the case, the Princess wouldn’t have had to harbor feelings for another human being, so the time you had to endure me would have been shorter. I always had that thought.”
“I...have nothing to do with that person...”
“So I can’t believe it. In fact, it was never taken away.”
“...?”
Liene raised her head. It was to look at Black. What is this man talking about? He says he never had anything taken from him. He lost everything he deserved, and he was left without even a name.
“It was always mine.”
What he was talking about was not the crown or the status. It was Liene herself. After finishing speaking, Black lowered his body and kissed Liene on her chest. It was on the left side, where her heart was. So the kiss he was giving now was not a lewd caress, but a pious oath.
“I will neither forget nor lose.”
“...”
“Never again.”
Until Black finished kissing her, Liene held her breath and waited. It was the first time she realized that her heart could make such a crazy sound...
“It’s okay even if it’s not okay... It’s okay. I’m the one who lied.”
“At first, it was definitely okay, even though you were carrying another man’s child.”
At some point, Black's voice became as low as a whisper.
“I was the one who finally thought about having a Princess, and it was like the price I paid for being so procrastinating. It didn’t matter whose child it was. I was going to raise him as my own anyway. Having a Princess was more important to me than having a child. The child was really okay. But...”
The wrinkled eyebrows were slowly opening up.
“I guess it wasn’t okay, actually.”
“...? I don’t know. What are you talking about?”
“When you say it was a lie, it feels like something has suddenly been cut off.”
Black tapped his chest with his fingertips.
“About here. This is pretty...”
Black, who had interrupted, took his time in choosing the right expression. It seemed that he did not know the name of the emotion he was feeling at the moment.
“Should I say it feels refreshing?”
“...?”
Slowly, Black's lips opened, forming a pleasant curve.
“I feel like something has become so light that I can’t control it.”
“I think that means you’re happy.”
“I think so... Does it hurt a lot?”
Liene didn't fully understand the questions that followed without context.
“Huh? I said I didn’t lose the child...”
“Then I understand that to mean it’s okay.”
And her face tightened. A familiar weight pressed down on her shoulders and their lips overlapped. As the familiar scent lingered on her tongue, she felt like crying...
That’s right. Greed. Hiding a part of her past from him was my greed. It wasn’t for him, it was for herself. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to take it, she wanted to have it. She doesn’t want to lose this man... She won’t lose him. She decided to bury what her father did in her heart. Even if it meant being tormented by guilt for the rest of her life, Liene would keep her mouth shut.
“I, I... Wait, just a minute.”
The kiss was passionate and long. Liene whispered, forcing her hot breath out through her lips.
“A little, slowly, hey...”
"Yes."
The reason why the innocent answer of “yes” was not believable at all was because Black’s eyes were already dark. Wouldn’t the eyes of someone who couldn’t hear anything be like that? Black hastily bit her falling lips again. Liene, who had been lying on the bed, was now sitting on his thighs, hugging him.
“Wait a minute, slow down, I said...”
"Yes."
“Not at all...”
"Yes."
"No..."
"Yes."
...Why on earth are you answering?
“I, I... Wait, just a minute.”
The kiss was passionate and long. Liene whispered, forcing her hot breath out through her lips.
“A little, slowly, hey...”
"Yes."
The reason why the innocent answer of “yes” was not believable at all was because Black’s eyes were already dark. Wouldn’t the eyes of someone who couldn’t hear anything be like that? Black hastily bit her falling lips again. Liene, who had been lying on the bed, was now sitting on his thighs, hugging him.
“Wait a minute, slow down, I said...”
"Yes."
“Not at all...”
"Yes."
"No..."
"Yes."
...Why on earth are you answering?
The suffocating kiss was as ecstatic as it was exhausting. Liene also wanted to hug him greedily, but unfortunately, her arms were getting heavier and heavier.
“...It hurts.”
When their lips parted for a moment, Liene muttered. It was not that they were not, but their lips which had been through a lot of friction were tingling.
“...Are you sick?”
Fortunately, those words had the power to stop Black.
“Where?”
Liene finally covered Black's face with both hands, far enough away that their eyes could meet.
“My lips. You just bit them.”
"Ah..."
Black's expression hardened as he discovered the lips with small bite marks. All of those small reactions were so heartbreakingly lovely.
“Put the rest aside for a bit.”
Black shook his head briefly at Liene's words, then chuckled.
“How long can we put it off?”
“Well... Until tomorrow?”
“Will you not be sick tomorrow?”
“I think so.”
Tomorrow. She thought her heart would be stronger by tomorrow. When the feeling that he wanted her was transmitted so strongly throughout her body, this feeling that her heart was about to break and break would get better by tomorrow.
“Are you still scared of me?”
“No. Why do you think so?”
“I was concerned that I didn’t have a very good reputation.”
“...”
Liene watched as the tip of his eyebrow, with its faint scar, tilted downwards. Does this man know?
“...It hurts.”
When their lips parted for a moment, Liene muttered. It was not that they were not, but their lips which had been through a lot of friction were tingling.
“...Are you sick?”
Fortunately, those words had the power to stop Black.
“Where?”
Liene finally covered Black's face with both hands, far enough away that their eyes could meet.
“My lips. You just bit them.”
"Ah..."
Black's expression hardened as he discovered the lips with small bite marks. All of those small reactions were so heartbreakingly lovely.
“Put the rest aside for a bit.”
Black shook his head briefly at Liene's words, then chuckled.
“How long can we put it off?”
“Well... Until tomorrow?”
“Will you not be sick tomorrow?”
“I think so.”
Tomorrow. She thought her heart would be stronger by tomorrow. When the feeling that he wanted her was transmitted so strongly throughout her body, this feeling that her heart was about to break and break would get better by tomorrow.
“Are you still scared of me?”
“No. Why do you think so?”
“I was concerned that I didn’t have a very good reputation.”
“...”
Liene watched as the tip of his eyebrow, with its faint scar, tilted downwards. Does this man know?
She likes each and every one of these things, and she is grateful for them, and that is why she is sorry. That Liene suffering because she is sorry. That she is suffering because she is in pain. That is why when Liene sees him, she wants to cry without realizing it.
“I can definitely tell from the way you treat me that you’re not a homosexual.”
Liene touched Black's cheekbone, which was in contact with her hand, and muttered softly.
“Other rumors are also not true... Most of them.”
Black's added comment, seemingly without confidence, made her laugh.
“I know.”
“That’s fortunate.”
Black hugged Liene with one arm and laid her back on the bed.
“Can you sleep again?”
“No... I don’t really sleep.”
“Then what should I do?”
That was a question that didn't need much thought.
“Go and wash.”
Black shrugged.
“...Are you going to throw dust at me?”
“No, but you still have to wash up before you go to bed. Wash up, and bring me a blanket. And a pillow.”
And hold me all night long. So tenderly and warmly. So that I forget everything else. Except my desire to have you.
“Wait a minute.”
Black leaned in and kissed the bridge of her nose. She said her lips were sore, but it seemed like he had picked the bridge of her nose, and she felt like she was going to cry again.
“Come quickly.”
As Liene closed her eyes and muttered slowly, Black let out an incomprehensible sound through his teeth.
“...Then I can’t go. Just don’t say anything else.”
Liene opened her slightly chapped lips and smiled silently. Black didn’t take his eyes off her until her smile disappeared. The persistent, hot gaze was no different from a kiss.
“I can definitely tell from the way you treat me that you’re not a homosexual.”
Liene touched Black's cheekbone, which was in contact with her hand, and muttered softly.
“Other rumors are also not true... Most of them.”
Black's added comment, seemingly without confidence, made her laugh.
“I know.”
“That’s fortunate.”
Black hugged Liene with one arm and laid her back on the bed.
“Can you sleep again?”
“No... I don’t really sleep.”
“Then what should I do?”
That was a question that didn't need much thought.
“Go and wash.”
Black shrugged.
“...Are you going to throw dust at me?”
“No, but you still have to wash up before you go to bed. Wash up, and bring me a blanket. And a pillow.”
And hold me all night long. So tenderly and warmly. So that I forget everything else. Except my desire to have you.
“Wait a minute.”
Black leaned in and kissed the bridge of her nose. She said her lips were sore, but it seemed like he had picked the bridge of her nose, and she felt like she was going to cry again.
“Come quickly.”
As Liene closed her eyes and muttered slowly, Black let out an incomprehensible sound through his teeth.
“...Then I can’t go. Just don’t say anything else.”
Liene opened her slightly chapped lips and smiled silently. Black didn’t take his eyes off her until her smile disappeared. The persistent, hot gaze was no different from a kiss.
***
Liene slept dreamlessly, making her words about not being able to sleep seem meaningless. When she opened her eyes after a deep sleep, it wasn’t dawn but late morning. When her drooping eyelids opened on their own, the first thing she saw was, of all people, Black’s face.
“Did you sleep well?”
Her eyes were too dazzling to say no.
"Yes."
She was lying there, wrapped tightly in Black just like that. When Liene came to her senses, she felt him wrapped tightly around her body, and she could feel his weight pressing down on her body, but she slept so soundly, which was also strange.
“When did you wake up?”
“As usual.”
What time is that?
“Have you been here this long?”
“I don’t know how long it’s been. I’m not bored.”
Black swept his eyelids, which were blinking hard as she looked at him, with his fingertips. As her eyelashes brushed past, he smiled faintly, almost as if he could see her.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen eyelashes this long.”
"Is it so?"
“I wanted to keep touching it, but I held back for fear of waking you up.”
“You told me not to wake me up.”
Black's eyebrows furrowed as if he had heard something utterly ridiculous.
“...Don’t you have any better ideas?”
“I guess so. I think I slept for more than a day. I should get up now.”
“You can sleep more.”
“That’s too lazy.”
“Then it won’t work?”
...It’s strange. Why does it seem like I want to sleep more? Wasn’t it because I’ve been waiting for you to wake up this whole time?
“What are you doing putting me to sleep?”
“What we’ve been doing so far.”
“What is that?”
"Appreciation."
“...?”
Black's hand gestures, which had been gently sweeping her eyelashes, slowed down.
“The most beautiful thing I have ever seen in my life.”
Thud.
At those words, a sound came from within her chest. It was the sound of something falling down.
“The more you procrastinate, the more precious time I have. So, procrastinate as much as you want. For me.”
"...”
Where did this guy learn such words? He couldn't have learned them on the battlefield.
“It sounds like a lie.”
Liene was even more surprised by the words that suddenly came out.
"No."
“No, it’s something else. You said you didn’t have much experience so you wouldn’t be good at it.”
“...”
“That sounds like a lie. In fact, it’s a lot.”
Black's expression became slightly troubled. He swallowed briefly and pressed his lips to the crown of Liene's head.
“I actually wanted to say that it was a lie.”
“Ah, as expected.”
“Let’s pretend you didn’t hear that. I’ll figure out how to play better somehow.”
“...? Aren’t you already good at it?”
“I hope you think so.”
Black trailed off vaguely. He slid his lips to her forehead as if to say that it was time to stop. The feeling of his ticklish breath warming her forehead was incredibly blissful. That was why it was a shame. That someone else had to experience this before her.
“That’s not good. That can’t be good.”
Liene lifted one finger and poked Black.
“I won’t bring up the past. Especially if it’s something I don’t know about. But it’s different when you say it yourself. You shouldn’t say things like that.”
Black answered, frowning as if the spot where Liene had stabbed him really hurt.
“I agree with that, but I have my reasons.”
“Why show off the past?”
“Because I don’t want to be rejected again.”
“...?”
“It was the Princess who said that she couldn’t allow someone who wasn’t skilled...”
“Ah, stop.”
Liene hurriedly covered Black's mouth.
“The more you procrastinate, the more precious time I have. So, procrastinate as much as you want. For me.”
"...”
Where did this guy learn such words? He couldn't have learned them on the battlefield.
“It sounds like a lie.”
Liene was even more surprised by the words that suddenly came out.
"No."
“No, it’s something else. You said you didn’t have much experience so you wouldn’t be good at it.”
“...”
“That sounds like a lie. In fact, it’s a lot.”
Black's expression became slightly troubled. He swallowed briefly and pressed his lips to the crown of Liene's head.
“I actually wanted to say that it was a lie.”
“Ah, as expected.”
“Let’s pretend you didn’t hear that. I’ll figure out how to play better somehow.”
“...? Aren’t you already good at it?”
“I hope you think so.”
Black trailed off vaguely. He slid his lips to her forehead as if to say that it was time to stop. The feeling of his ticklish breath warming her forehead was incredibly blissful. That was why it was a shame. That someone else had to experience this before her.
“That’s not good. That can’t be good.”
Liene lifted one finger and poked Black.
“I won’t bring up the past. Especially if it’s something I don’t know about. But it’s different when you say it yourself. You shouldn’t say things like that.”
Black answered, frowning as if the spot where Liene had stabbed him really hurt.
“I agree with that, but I have my reasons.”
“Why show off the past?”
“Because I don’t want to be rejected again.”
“...?”
“It was the Princess who said that she couldn’t allow someone who wasn’t skilled...”
“Ah, stop.”
Liene hurriedly covered Black's mouth.
Now that she thinks about it, she did say something like that... To hide her feelings.
This is a big deal. How am I going to handle this?
"...No."
''What are you talking about?''
The lips that touched her palm moved gently. She couldn't hear a sound, but strangely enough, she felt like she knew what he was saying.
“That’s not it... no.”
The more she spoke, the more difficult it was to make eye contact. Liene turned her head halfway and muttered, avoiding eye contact.
''Tell me what it isn't.''
“Whether you are skilled or not... I don’t even have the talent to judge such things in the first place.”
''...? Then why did you do that then?''
“I don’t want to sleep with you.”
''..."
“Then.. I feel like I’ll get caught.”
''What?''
“I have... no experience.”
After saying that, she really couldn't bear the embarrassment any longer. Liene turned around and tried to escape from Black's arms.
“I have to get up. I’ll go to the bathroom first.”
“Where.”
But it was in vain. Black simply dragged Liene back to his body, trying to escape. It was surprising how comfortable it felt to be in a position where she could barely breathe.
“I... Please let me go. I’m so embarrassed right now...”
“No.”
"Why..."
“I can’t just sit still and listen to that.”
“I don’t think so...”
“I may not be a Princess, but I am.”
“Is that... making you happy?”
“I don’t think I can express it in words like that.”
Black stayed in that position for a long time. He didn't move at all, so much so that it seemed as if he had frozen in place. But it was the opposite. Black wasn't frozen but was forcibly holding back the urge to run away.
“The thought I had to face every day since I came to Nauk was regret that it was too late.”
Black slowly opened his mouth after quite some time had passed.
“I should have come sooner. I should have known sooner. The truth is, I didn’t want to lose anything.”
“Is that so...?”
Liene, who already knew what it was, felt as if her heart was being ripped out. Her throat was tight, and Liene dug deeper into Black's embrace, which left no room for her anymore.
“If that were the case, the Princess wouldn’t have had to harbor feelings for another human being, so the time you had to endure me would have been shorter. I always had that thought.”
“I...have nothing to do with that person...”
“So I can’t believe it. In fact, it was never taken away.”
“...?”
Liene raised her head. It was to look at Black. What is this man talking about? He says he never had anything taken from him. He lost everything he deserved, and he was left without even a name.
“It was always mine.”
What he was talking about was not the crown or the status. It was Liene herself. After finishing speaking, Black lowered his body and kissed Liene on her chest. It was on the left side, where her heart was. So the kiss he was giving now was not a lewd caress, but a pious oath.
“I will neither forget nor lose.”
“...”
“Never again.”
Until Black finished kissing her, Liene held her breath and waited. It was the first time she realized that her heart could make such a crazy sound...
Yes. It was good that she didn’t say anything. Greed or whatever.
I’m going to keep this. I won’t take anything away from this man again...
The moment Black let go, this time Liene held on to him. The kiss that they had planned to postpone until tomorrow started today. The two of them stayed in the bedroom until the sun rose high in the sky, making the others worry about what had happened.
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