“Then you are definitely feeling okay?”
Madam Flambard seemed to be quite shocked by her first late-night sleep. She had a hard time believing Liene's words that she had just been lying in bed, not wanting to get up.
“Is that true? Are you holding back because you think I might cause trouble?”
“That’s right. I feel much better after sleeping well. I feel like I have more energy than usual.”
“But why couldn’t you get out of bed for so long?”
Are you really asking because you don’t know, Ma’am...?
“...Oh, right. I told him.”
Liene turned her horse's head in the middle.
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“I told him I wasn’t pregnant. I’ll just let everyone else know I lost the baby. But I don’t have to keep lying to Lord Tiwakan.”
“Yes? Did he?”
Liene made an unfamiliar expression that was neither smiling nor frowning.
“I can’t believe it... That guy would do such a pitiful thing... No, of course, he’s very affectionate... But isn’t that when it’s just the two of us...”
While Liene was muttering to herself as if she was embarrassed, Madame Flambard made a face that was unexpectedly happy.
“What can’t a man blinded by love do? There’s no way to say that he’s not that kind of person when it comes to love. Then just wait a moment. I’ll be back in a jiffy since you must be very busy.”
“No, it’s okay. Take your time.”
“No, it’s not.”
Madam Flambard left the bedroom in a hurry. Liene looked in the mirror at her hair that Madam Flambard had meticulously styled as if to commemorate the occasion.
"Aha."
Fermos let out an ambiguous sound that was neither a sigh nor a laugh.
“With all due respect, it seems like Your Highness isn’t very good at lying.”
“...”
What the heck. Everyone was fooled when they said she had a child. Liene wrinkled the hem of her clothes with a slightly embarrassed face.
“I don’t think that’s necessarily true. And there’s no evidence that I’m lying about the kidnapping, right?”
“...Well, that must be so.”
“Then believe me. Brother Klima is not the culprit. If Lord Tiwakan disagrees, I will speak to him separately.”
“Um... Well, regardless of consent, I don’t think the Princess will refuse if she asks you a favor.”
Fermos muttered bitterly while washing his face dry.
“It seems especially so today. He looked so happy when I saw him just now. I think it’s because the Princess has returned safely, so... Yes.”
“Then I guess we’re done talking about Klima thing.”
“Well... there’s just one problem, Princess.”
It was clear that he shouldn’t kill the cousin. Black had said so too. Black didn’t say anything else, but Fermos learned a lot from the short conversation between Black and Mrs. Henton. As soon as he saw Mrs. Henton’s face, Black immediately said, “Your son.” That meant that Black knew not only the cousin but also his mother.
Madam Flambard seemed to be quite shocked by her first late-night sleep. She had a hard time believing Liene's words that she had just been lying in bed, not wanting to get up.
“Is that true? Are you holding back because you think I might cause trouble?”
“That’s right. I feel much better after sleeping well. I feel like I have more energy than usual.”
“But why couldn’t you get out of bed for so long?”
Are you really asking because you don’t know, Ma’am...?
Riene coughed slightly and avoided the question. However, from the Madam’s perspective, it was also something she couldn’t understand. It was so natural for a couple to have separate rooms. Unless they were sleeping together to have a child, there was no reason for them to spend time lying in the same bed. The Madam thought that Black had spent the whole morning in Liene’s bedroom to watch over the sick Liene.
“Well, I'm not in trouble because the meal is late, are I?”
“If you still feel unwell, you can rest more. Just don’t overdo it.”
“It’s okay. Don’t do this. He knows very well that I didn’t actually lose the child.”
“That’s true... Oh, then did he force you to lie down?”
“No. That’s not it...”
...Please stop asking me.
“Well, I'm not in trouble because the meal is late, are I?”
“If you still feel unwell, you can rest more. Just don’t overdo it.”
“It’s okay. Don’t do this. He knows very well that I didn’t actually lose the child.”
“That’s true... Oh, then did he force you to lie down?”
“No. That’s not it...”
...Please stop asking me.
“...Oh, right. I told him.”
Liene turned her horse's head in the middle.
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“I told him I wasn’t pregnant. I’ll just let everyone else know I lost the baby. But I don’t have to keep lying to Lord Tiwakan.”
“Oh my, well done. What did he say?”
When Madam tried to answer that question, the first thing that struck Liene was her heart sinking.
"Princess?"
“...My heart felt very light.”
I won't lose you. I won't forget you. I engraved those words in my heart. I wonder if that wasn't the proposal he originally intended to make. If that had been the case from the beginning, I would have been the happiest bride on the continent...
“That’s right. He's made up his mind to treat the baby as his own child, but he's still someone else’s child. How could he be like his own? Well done, Princess. Now, the two of you can only be happy.”
“I intend to do that.”
Liene said that without saying anything else. If only she kept the secret, everyone would be happy. Liene truly believed that.
When Madam tried to answer that question, the first thing that struck Liene was her heart sinking.
"Princess?"
“...My heart felt very light.”
I won't lose you. I won't forget you. I engraved those words in my heart. I wonder if that wasn't the proposal he originally intended to make. If that had been the case from the beginning, I would have been the happiest bride on the continent...
“That’s right. He's made up his mind to treat the baby as his own child, but he's still someone else’s child. How could he be like his own? Well done, Princess. Now, the two of you can only be happy.”
“I intend to do that.”
Liene said that without saying anything else. If only she kept the secret, everyone would be happy. Liene truly believed that.
“Oh, then I must go and bring in food. After you finish eating, there is something the Princess must do.”
“What is that? I’ll do it now.”
“It’s not urgent. Please eat first. That guy... Oh my, really. How long will I keep calling your fiancé that guy... I’m sorry, Princess. It’s become a habit. The Lord Tiwakan has asked you to eat well.”
“What is that? I’ll do it now.”
“It’s not urgent. Please eat first. That guy... Oh my, really. How long will I keep calling your fiancé that guy... I’m sorry, Princess. It’s become a habit. The Lord Tiwakan has asked you to eat well.”
“Yes? Did he?”
Liene made an unfamiliar expression that was neither smiling nor frowning.
“I can’t believe it... That guy would do such a pitiful thing... No, of course, he’s very affectionate... But isn’t that when it’s just the two of us...”
While Liene was muttering to herself as if she was embarrassed, Madame Flambard made a face that was unexpectedly happy.
“What can’t a man blinded by love do? There’s no way to say that he’s not that kind of person when it comes to love. Then just wait a moment. I’ll be back in a jiffy since you must be very busy.”
“No, it’s okay. Take your time.”
“No, it’s not.”
Madam Flambard left the bedroom in a hurry. Liene looked in the mirror at her hair that Madam Flambard had meticulously styled as if to commemorate the occasion.
Today, my blond hair looked so pretty, almost like a lie... Is this okay? Me. In front of that man.
Liene swallowed a sigh and squeezed her eyes shut. Liene looked into the mirror again and slowly began to erase the shadows from her face. No, this is how it should be. She will give that man everything he deserves. There was work to be done for that.
***
After finishing her usual breakfast, Liene put off Mada. Flambard’s business for a while. There was work to be done before that. As luck would have it, the gods had blessed her with something to do that came to Liene.
“Did you have a nice meal? I’m afraid I got the timing wrong.”
“No, I’ve come at just the right time. Please take a seat, Sir Fermos.”
“Yes, Princess.”
Fermos sat down on his chair as if it were a habit and fiddled with his monocle.
“As you know, my lord has left for a moment. If it is inconvenient to have me alone, I will return later.”
He said it was a perfect time because there was no black.
“It’s not uncomfortable. But I appreciate your concern. Now tell me. What have you found out?”
“Yes, the lost royal records. The ones you suspected me of.”
Fermos decided to find the real culprit and report him as proof that he was not the culprit.
“Did you find out who did it?”
“No. Instead, I figured out something else.”
“Something else? What is that?”
“Did you have a nice meal? I’m afraid I got the timing wrong.”
“No, I’ve come at just the right time. Please take a seat, Sir Fermos.”
“Yes, Princess.”
Fermos sat down on his chair as if it were a habit and fiddled with his monocle.
“As you know, my lord has left for a moment. If it is inconvenient to have me alone, I will return later.”
He said it was a perfect time because there was no black.
“It’s not uncomfortable. But I appreciate your concern. Now tell me. What have you found out?”
“Yes, the lost royal records. The ones you suspected me of.”
Fermos decided to find the real culprit and report him as proof that he was not the culprit.
“Did you find out who did it?”
“No. Instead, I figured out something else.”
“Something else? What is that?”
“The fact is that there is no way to know the culprit.”
Liene wrinkled her nose at the pun-like response.
“I don’t believe you’re the kind of person who would play a fool. You didn’t come to see me just to say something like that, did you? Would you mind telling me properly?”
“...Oh, my. When you say it like that, I can’t help but hesitate. The Princess is also quite straightforward and merciless. Just like my master.”
“I have never heard such a thing before. But if you say I am like your master, I will take it as a compliment. Could you first tell me what you mean by not being able to identify the culprit?”
Fermos smiled briefly, then his expression changed to a serious one.
“That’s literally it. The record was lost not recently, but a long time ago.”
“...? Is that true?”
“Yes. I am also an expert in bookbinding and bibliography. Aren’t the royal records themselves the history of bookbinding?”
Tiwakan's clever staff was so knowledgeable in so many ways that it was hard to understand why such a man was on the battlefield instead of in the library.
Liene wrinkled her nose at the pun-like response.
“I don’t believe you’re the kind of person who would play a fool. You didn’t come to see me just to say something like that, did you? Would you mind telling me properly?”
“...Oh, my. When you say it like that, I can’t help but hesitate. The Princess is also quite straightforward and merciless. Just like my master.”
“I have never heard such a thing before. But if you say I am like your master, I will take it as a compliment. Could you first tell me what you mean by not being able to identify the culprit?”
Fermos smiled briefly, then his expression changed to a serious one.
“That’s literally it. The record was lost not recently, but a long time ago.”
“...? Is that true?”
“Yes. I am also an expert in bookbinding and bibliography. Aren’t the royal records themselves the history of bookbinding?”
Tiwakan's clever staff was so knowledgeable in so many ways that it was hard to understand why such a man was on the battlefield instead of in the library.
“Well, well, leaving aside my own amusement, the bottom line is that the thread that bound the records was very old. I’d say about 20 years old. If the records had been recently touched, the thread that touched that part should have been new as well.”
“20 years... did you say that?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“....”
If so, it was obvious who the culprit was. It must have been her father. He wanted her not to remember the last King of the Gainers royal family. It was obvious who would open the royal records in the future. There was only Liene. So he must have tried to hide it. The rebellion of the seven families, the disappearance of Prince Fernand, and the fact that Gainers and Arsak were engaged.
“Yes, thank you for your hard work, Sir.”
“Huh? Are you going to believe this?”
“Because I thought Kyou was telling the truth.”
“Of course... but... that’s not all.”
Fermos was smart. He had already begun to dig into the reason why Liene's reaction was different from what he expected.
“If I were a Princess, I would have been more surprised. It’s proof that there was some royal secret from 20 years ago that I didn’t know about. But since you don’t seem surprised at all, I guess you already knew about it. Don’t you?”
Liene quickly hid her distorted expression.
“... If it was 20 years ago, it could mean that it was a long time ago and I am not very interested.”
“Yes. But isn’t Your Highness the Princess, not such a lazy monarch?”
“I can be lazy if necessary. In any case, I commend you for keeping your promise. In return, I will turn a blind eye to your trespassing into the royal office.”
“Wow, this is such an unexpected act of generosity. Thank you, Princess.”
Liene continued speaking quickly.
“And I have something to tell you.”
“Hmm? Are you talking to me?”
She already knew how quick Fermos was. It was very difficult to deal with him while hiding something from Black. Liene faced him with a gambling mindset.
“It’s about the brother Klima. I said with my own mouth that I saw him bleeding... But when I think about it, it was because he was beaten by the old man. So he is not the one who killed the high priest. I think it would be best to stop chasing brother Klima.”
"Aha..."
Fermos was not easily fooled.
“It seems like Your Highness wants to save him. Is that right?”
"..Yes."
“20 years... did you say that?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“....”
If so, it was obvious who the culprit was. It must have been her father. He wanted her not to remember the last King of the Gainers royal family. It was obvious who would open the royal records in the future. There was only Liene. So he must have tried to hide it. The rebellion of the seven families, the disappearance of Prince Fernand, and the fact that Gainers and Arsak were engaged.
“Yes, thank you for your hard work, Sir.”
“Huh? Are you going to believe this?”
“Because I thought Kyou was telling the truth.”
“Of course... but... that’s not all.”
Fermos was smart. He had already begun to dig into the reason why Liene's reaction was different from what he expected.
“If I were a Princess, I would have been more surprised. It’s proof that there was some royal secret from 20 years ago that I didn’t know about. But since you don’t seem surprised at all, I guess you already knew about it. Don’t you?”
Liene quickly hid her distorted expression.
“... If it was 20 years ago, it could mean that it was a long time ago and I am not very interested.”
“Yes. But isn’t Your Highness the Princess, not such a lazy monarch?”
“I can be lazy if necessary. In any case, I commend you for keeping your promise. In return, I will turn a blind eye to your trespassing into the royal office.”
“Wow, this is such an unexpected act of generosity. Thank you, Princess.”
Liene continued speaking quickly.
“And I have something to tell you.”
“Hmm? Are you talking to me?”
She already knew how quick Fermos was. It was very difficult to deal with him while hiding something from Black. Liene faced him with a gambling mindset.
“It’s about the brother Klima. I said with my own mouth that I saw him bleeding... But when I think about it, it was because he was beaten by the old man. So he is not the one who killed the high priest. I think it would be best to stop chasing brother Klima.”
"Aha..."
Fermos was not easily fooled.
“It seems like Your Highness wants to save him. Is that right?”
"..Yes."
“There must be a reason.”
Liene didn't know it, but Black had already decided to spare Klima. Fermos was also there.
“You can’t call someone who isn’t a criminal a criminal.”
“Even if that’s true, he also kidnapped the Princess. Can’t we just ignore that?”
“That is... He may not be the culprit. I didn’t see who kidnapped me or the culprit’s face. When I woke up, I was alone there, and soon Lord Tiwakan came looking for me.”
Liene didn't know it, but Black had already decided to spare Klima. Fermos was also there.
“You can’t call someone who isn’t a criminal a criminal.”
“Even if that’s true, he also kidnapped the Princess. Can’t we just ignore that?”
“That is... He may not be the culprit. I didn’t see who kidnapped me or the culprit’s face. When I woke up, I was alone there, and soon Lord Tiwakan came looking for me.”
"Aha."
Fermos let out an ambiguous sound that was neither a sigh nor a laugh.
“With all due respect, it seems like Your Highness isn’t very good at lying.”
“...”
What the heck. Everyone was fooled when they said she had a child. Liene wrinkled the hem of her clothes with a slightly embarrassed face.
“I don’t think that’s necessarily true. And there’s no evidence that I’m lying about the kidnapping, right?”
“...Well, that must be so.”
“Then believe me. Brother Klima is not the culprit. If Lord Tiwakan disagrees, I will speak to him separately.”
“Um... Well, regardless of consent, I don’t think the Princess will refuse if she asks you a favor.”
Fermos muttered bitterly while washing his face dry.
“It seems especially so today. He looked so happy when I saw him just now. I think it’s because the Princess has returned safely, so... Yes.”
“Then I guess we’re done talking about Klima thing.”
“Well... there’s just one problem, Princess.”
It was clear that he shouldn’t kill the cousin. Black had said so too. Black didn’t say anything else, but Fermos learned a lot from the short conversation between Black and Mrs. Henton. As soon as he saw Mrs. Henton’s face, Black immediately said, “Your son.” That meant that Black knew not only the cousin but also his mother.
Mrs. Henton was the same. She recognized Black. It wasn’t that she was happy or glad, but that she had some kind of unresolved resentment. She said that she shouldn’t kill him twice. That must mean that the woman had another child and that he had met his death because of Black. Black had promised to spare the one who touched Princess Liene, not because of something else, but because of a past debt. Fermos had a vague idea of what that past debt was. Black hadn’t said it out loud, but he hadn’t told her not to do something she knew. Mrs. Henton had said it was the nine waterfalls, and Black had no trouble understanding it. Considering that the Nine Waterfalls were once the symbol of the wealthiest kingdom in the South, Black may be of royal blood. If so, what is curious is the relationship between Liene and Black.
It goes without saying that Black is sincere to Liene, but what about Liene? Why would Black ask someone to spare his debt?
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