The ones who brought Werose were mercenaries hired by Bayar. Realizing that there was no escape, they soon surrendered, but Fermos cut off their heads without mercy. Fermos, who had accumulated fatigue, was very angry. After dealing with the Bashad army sent by Bliny, he had been chasing Werose and Lafitte all this time. Black had absolutely no intention of leaving Liene, so it was up to Fermos to handle the remaining work. It wasn't that he regretted entrusting with the work. He was angry at the guys who had created it.
“You idiots who don’t deserve the word ‘level-headed’. You know this is Tiwakan’s garden and you still rush in? Oh, you idiots.”
Fermos kicked the corpse hard as if he was not satisfied with it.
“Leave it alone, Adjutant. I heard from him when he was arrested earlier that he didn’t know until he got here.”
“What? What don’t you know?”
“Tiwakan settled in Nauk. They found out later and fought amongst themselves for a long time over whether to run away or not.”
“Then surrender already! Do I have to suffer like this just because these guys are stupid?”
“Hey, don’t be like that. The hardships are almost over now.”
Werose was captured and Lafitte was left behind. They also stumbled into the maze after learning that Liene had escaped behind the waterfall. If Fermos hadn't figured out how to see the path, they would have suffered for a long time together. Anyway, thanks to that, Tiwakan was able to move through the maze more easily and catch Werose and his men.
“...Don’t catch Klinefelter too quickly.”
“Yes, Adjutant?”
“It’s too easy to just arrest them. Drive him out into a place where there’s no road, and don’t let him come out. Let’s starve him for a week.”
“That’s a very good idea, Adjutant.”
Tiwakan, who was drenched in fatigue, chuckled and pushed Lafitte into the maze. Meanwhile, Fermos's head was busy drawing the next picture.
“This is clearly an institution.”
Figuring out how to find the way also meant figuring out that this place was made on purpose.
“Nine waterfalls... It must have been a device for handling water. Since it was said to be a place known only to the royal bloodline of Gainers, the royal family must have monopolized the device. Klinefelter would have wanted to steal it... I think the key is something that can operate this mechanism. I should talk to my lord about it.”
His heart began to flutter. The time was approaching to recover the film of Nauk that had disappeared along with the fall of the Gainers Dynasty.
“You idiots who don’t deserve the word ‘level-headed’. You know this is Tiwakan’s garden and you still rush in? Oh, you idiots.”
Fermos kicked the corpse hard as if he was not satisfied with it.
“Leave it alone, Adjutant. I heard from him when he was arrested earlier that he didn’t know until he got here.”
“What? What don’t you know?”
“Tiwakan settled in Nauk. They found out later and fought amongst themselves for a long time over whether to run away or not.”
“Then surrender already! Do I have to suffer like this just because these guys are stupid?”
“Hey, don’t be like that. The hardships are almost over now.”
Werose was captured and Lafitte was left behind. They also stumbled into the maze after learning that Liene had escaped behind the waterfall. If Fermos hadn't figured out how to see the path, they would have suffered for a long time together. Anyway, thanks to that, Tiwakan was able to move through the maze more easily and catch Werose and his men.
“...Don’t catch Klinefelter too quickly.”
“Yes, Adjutant?”
“It’s too easy to just arrest them. Drive him out into a place where there’s no road, and don’t let him come out. Let’s starve him for a week.”
“That’s a very good idea, Adjutant.”
Tiwakan, who was drenched in fatigue, chuckled and pushed Lafitte into the maze. Meanwhile, Fermos's head was busy drawing the next picture.
“This is clearly an institution.”
Figuring out how to find the way also meant figuring out that this place was made on purpose.
“Nine waterfalls... It must have been a device for handling water. Since it was said to be a place known only to the royal bloodline of Gainers, the royal family must have monopolized the device. Klinefelter would have wanted to steal it... I think the key is something that can operate this mechanism. I should talk to my lord about it.”
His heart began to flutter. The time was approaching to recover the film of Nauk that had disappeared along with the fall of the Gainers Dynasty.
***
Fermos, who had rushed to the castle, had to hear that Liene and Black had already guessed about the waterfall device.
“If all three of us thought the same thing, then it would be true.”
Although he was a little disappointed, he was more excited than that. Fermos clasped his hands together with a twinkle in his eye. The three of them were sitting in the royal office, looking through old records. They were looking for traces of a device that could handle water. Nothing had come out yet. Perhaps it was a secret that had been passed down by word of mouth from King to King.
“I’ll have to look inside. Maybe Ternan Kleinfelter knows something about the device? Or maybe the High Priest.”
“Neither of them will know for sure, but they must open their mouths, for there may be some small clue.”
“You said you were addicted to the metabolizer. Has your body recovered?”
“If all three of us thought the same thing, then it would be true.”
Although he was a little disappointed, he was more excited than that. Fermos clasped his hands together with a twinkle in his eye. The three of them were sitting in the royal office, looking through old records. They were looking for traces of a device that could handle water. Nothing had come out yet. Perhaps it was a secret that had been passed down by word of mouth from King to King.
“I’ll have to look inside. Maybe Ternan Kleinfelter knows something about the device? Or maybe the High Priest.”
“Neither of them will know for sure, but they must open their mouths, for there may be some small clue.”
“You said you were addicted to the metabolizer. Has your body recovered?”
“It's going to take some time. You didn't just put it on your skin, you put it in your food, so there's a lot more toxins in your body.”
“Oh, that...”
Liene shook her head with a pitiful expression and tapped the table. The beauty had her hands and feet heavily bandaged, which made it even more pitiful. Black must have had the same thought, as he pulled her hand out and placed his lips on her fingertips.
“Watch your hands. Don’t do things like this.”
“Ah... It didn’t hurt that much, so I forgot I was hurt.”
Black clicked his tongue.
“How could you forget that when you have a bandage wrapped around you like this?”
“Well...”
In fact, it wasn't a deep cut, just a scrape of skin, so when she applied the medicine, a scab formed quickly. It didn't hurt anymore, and even though she had wrapped it with a bandage, it just itched, but Black changed the bandage again this morning, making it thicker.
“Isn’t it because the bandage is too thick? That’s why I don’t know.”
Liene patted Black's cheek with a smiling face.
“So what I’m saying is, I think you could loosen things up a bit.”
Black also accepted the words with a smile.
“No.”
“You say no with a smile?”
“Seeing the Princess is a good thing and the bandages are separate things.”
“I’ll give in to the feet. In fact, it’s actually more comfortable not to have to wear stockings. But even the hands are too much. Just today during mealtime, I couldn’t use the fork properly and spilled all my food.”
Under the pretext of spilling food, Black fed her all the food. Still, she ate half of it and spilled half of it. Their bodies kept leaning toward each other, and the kissing didn't stop. Mrs. Henton, who was coming in with the second course, was so embarrassed that she picked up the plate and left the restaurant.
“Just hold on a little longer.”
Liene shook her head with a pitiful expression and tapped the table. The beauty had her hands and feet heavily bandaged, which made it even more pitiful. Black must have had the same thought, as he pulled her hand out and placed his lips on her fingertips.
“Watch your hands. Don’t do things like this.”
“Ah... It didn’t hurt that much, so I forgot I was hurt.”
Black clicked his tongue.
“How could you forget that when you have a bandage wrapped around you like this?”
“Well...”
In fact, it wasn't a deep cut, just a scrape of skin, so when she applied the medicine, a scab formed quickly. It didn't hurt anymore, and even though she had wrapped it with a bandage, it just itched, but Black changed the bandage again this morning, making it thicker.
“Isn’t it because the bandage is too thick? That’s why I don’t know.”
Liene patted Black's cheek with a smiling face.
“So what I’m saying is, I think you could loosen things up a bit.”
Black also accepted the words with a smile.
“No.”
“You say no with a smile?”
“Seeing the Princess is a good thing and the bandages are separate things.”
“I’ll give in to the feet. In fact, it’s actually more comfortable not to have to wear stockings. But even the hands are too much. Just today during mealtime, I couldn’t use the fork properly and spilled all my food.”
Under the pretext of spilling food, Black fed her all the food. Still, she ate half of it and spilled half of it. Their bodies kept leaning toward each other, and the kissing didn't stop. Mrs. Henton, who was coming in with the second course, was so embarrassed that she picked up the plate and left the restaurant.
“Just hold on a little longer.”
“It’s too much. You can’t even use your hands properly.”
“So I'm making it so the Princess doesn’t have to do anything?”
That was exactly the problem.
“I think I’ll end up a whiner. I won’t be able to do anything on my own.”
“That would be nice too.”
Liene and Fermos were dumbfounded at the same time. Liene grabbed Black's hand and pulled it away, asking Fermos.
“Lord Fermos. Are there any other urgent matters? The Kingdom of Sharka may send more troops. There must be something else that requires Lord Tiwakan.”
“Uh... I’m sorry, but I don’t think there will be any right now.”
“Really? That’s too bad.”
“Yes, I’m sorry.”
If you look closely, you'll find that, but Fermos was too smart to say that. Separating Black from Liene now would be asking for trouble. And a big one at that...
“So I'm making it so the Princess doesn’t have to do anything?”
That was exactly the problem.
“I think I’ll end up a whiner. I won’t be able to do anything on my own.”
“That would be nice too.”
Liene and Fermos were dumbfounded at the same time. Liene grabbed Black's hand and pulled it away, asking Fermos.
“Lord Fermos. Are there any other urgent matters? The Kingdom of Sharka may send more troops. There must be something else that requires Lord Tiwakan.”
“Uh... I’m sorry, but I don’t think there will be any right now.”
“Really? That’s too bad.”
“Yes, I’m sorry.”
If you look closely, you'll find that, but Fermos was too smart to say that. Separating Black from Liene now would be asking for trouble. And a big one at that...
Am I meddling too long without notice? Should I step aside now?
“Hmm, um. Then I’ll go out and supervise the transport of prisoners. Oh, and the guards. What should we do? I don’t think we need to keep them locked up like this.”
The security issue was a bit of a headache. Although it was Werose's sole crime, this incident made it all too clear that the security was useless.
“But still, the guards need to be changed.”
“I wholeheartedly agree. What about you, Princess?”
“That is really... difficult.”
There were some loyalists in the guard, but there were also some who were influenced by Klinefelter. Above all, many followed Captain Werose, so if he were executed, there would be a strong backlash. Even now, there was a lot of noise because they were not in sync with Tiwakan. Even if it was difficult, something had to be done.
“It wouldn’t look good to fire everyone at once. The Princess would feel uncomfortable too.”
Black offered a compromise.
“Let’s change the name to the Royal Guard and instead only admit those who are qualified as knights. If we give them half a year to become knights, there will be less opposition.”
“It’s definitely a welcome alternative.”
“If we use the captain’s misconduct as evidence, then there will be sufficient justification to disband the guard and reorganize it into a royal guard.”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
Liene's expression turned bitter. Even now, she couldn't understand Werose's choice, but it didn't seem like he had abandoned the loyalty he had shown her so far.
“Do you miss him?”
Black quickly read Liene's expression.
“Yes... I guess so. Before you came, he was one of the few people I had.”
In the long and lonely war against the six families, he was always by her side.
“Do you believe that the captain of the guard has not betrayed you?”
“I wonder if he made the wrong choice... Lord Werose made a mistake with me..."
Liene, who was about to say something, frowned and closed her mouth. Black also understood the meaning of that blank space.
“Please tell me. Is there anything I should do?”
Her mouth wouldn't open. Lord Werose believes that all Gainers' blood is sick. He said Black would be too. Liene was afraid of how that would bother him. She wants to say that it's just a lie planted by Princess Bliny. Even if that's true, she wants to say that she's willing to take the consequences and that she doesn't want to lose him for that reason. She's afraid that even saying that would be painful.
“...Please give me a little time.”
Liene said, carefully scribbling through the royal records that Black had placed on his lap for easy reading. Maybe there are records of the disease of the Gainers royal family in there. She should look into it. Then it won’t be too late to talk. She’ll tell him that not all Kings died young from the disease, that there were exceptions. And that could be a blatant lie. So first, Liene has to look into the records.
“What should we do with Lord Werose? I’ll leave the disbanding of the guards to you.”
“Do as you wish.”
Black left a tender kiss on her forehead. It was at that moment that Fermos was about to greet her when he saw Liene leaning her shoulder against him.
"Princess."
Madam Flambard came to see Liene. Her complexion was somehow gloomy.
“I have something to tell you. Can we meet privately?”
“Hmm, um. Then I’ll go out and supervise the transport of prisoners. Oh, and the guards. What should we do? I don’t think we need to keep them locked up like this.”
The security issue was a bit of a headache. Although it was Werose's sole crime, this incident made it all too clear that the security was useless.
“But still, the guards need to be changed.”
“I wholeheartedly agree. What about you, Princess?”
“That is really... difficult.”
There were some loyalists in the guard, but there were also some who were influenced by Klinefelter. Above all, many followed Captain Werose, so if he were executed, there would be a strong backlash. Even now, there was a lot of noise because they were not in sync with Tiwakan. Even if it was difficult, something had to be done.
“It wouldn’t look good to fire everyone at once. The Princess would feel uncomfortable too.”
Black offered a compromise.
“Let’s change the name to the Royal Guard and instead only admit those who are qualified as knights. If we give them half a year to become knights, there will be less opposition.”
“It’s definitely a welcome alternative.”
“If we use the captain’s misconduct as evidence, then there will be sufficient justification to disband the guard and reorganize it into a royal guard.”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
Liene's expression turned bitter. Even now, she couldn't understand Werose's choice, but it didn't seem like he had abandoned the loyalty he had shown her so far.
“Do you miss him?”
Black quickly read Liene's expression.
“Yes... I guess so. Before you came, he was one of the few people I had.”
In the long and lonely war against the six families, he was always by her side.
“Do you believe that the captain of the guard has not betrayed you?”
“I wonder if he made the wrong choice... Lord Werose made a mistake with me..."
Liene, who was about to say something, frowned and closed her mouth. Black also understood the meaning of that blank space.
“Please tell me. Is there anything I should do?”
Her mouth wouldn't open. Lord Werose believes that all Gainers' blood is sick. He said Black would be too. Liene was afraid of how that would bother him. She wants to say that it's just a lie planted by Princess Bliny. Even if that's true, she wants to say that she's willing to take the consequences and that she doesn't want to lose him for that reason. She's afraid that even saying that would be painful.
“...Please give me a little time.”
Liene said, carefully scribbling through the royal records that Black had placed on his lap for easy reading. Maybe there are records of the disease of the Gainers royal family in there. She should look into it. Then it won’t be too late to talk. She’ll tell him that not all Kings died young from the disease, that there were exceptions. And that could be a blatant lie. So first, Liene has to look into the records.
“What should we do with Lord Werose? I’ll leave the disbanding of the guards to you.”
“Do as you wish.”
Black left a tender kiss on her forehead. It was at that moment that Fermos was about to greet her when he saw Liene leaning her shoulder against him.
"Princess."
Madam Flambard came to see Liene. Her complexion was somehow gloomy.
“I have something to tell you. Can we meet privately?”
***
Black readily gave up his seat. Liene, who had been telling him to just leave because he was making her whine so much, felt empty in the meantime.
“Please sit down, ma’am. You don’t look well.”
Liene offered her the seat opposite her. Madame Flambard shook her head.
“I would rather go to your side, Princess.”
“What is it, ma’am?”
Madam Flambard came over to Liene and knelt on the floor. She took her hand carefully, then smiled slightly when she saw how thick the bandages were.
“Wrapped like this with a bandage... This is the first time I’ve seen the Princess bandaged on a wound of this size.”
“Yeah... It’s a bit excessive.”
Madam Flambard gently stroked the bandage.
“How can it be excessive to worry that something might go wrong or that you might get sick? If you have such feelings, you should accept them no matter how much.”
But Madam's small smile was heavy and sad. Liene couldn't pretend not to notice it.
“What's going on?”
“...I came back from seeing that gentleman.”
That gentleman must be Werose.
“I was so angry... I was so angry that it was that guy, of all people, who did that, that I thought I could slap him in the face with my own hand. But...”
It seemed as if she knew without saying anything else. Werose must have told Madam Flambard about Black's true identity and the genetic disease of the Gainers royal family.
“No one knows, Madam. Who knows what diseases a person can contract? It must be a lie. Lord Werose simply took the wrong story and accepted it.”
“...You already knew.”
"Yes."
“Still... doesn’t that matter to you?”
“It’s not something you can believe lightly. There’s no evidence whatsoever.”
“Once upon a time, the Princess asked about the last king of the Gainers Dynasty.”
Liene also remembered. Madame Flambard had said that the King was rumored to be cursed.
“...I don’t believe it. The stories about curses and such were all lies spread by Kleinfelter through the temple. The drought in Nauk was also said to be a curse placed on the Arsak family.”
There were quite a few rumors. Liene, who was only four or five years old, would know nothing, but there were many rumors about the ghostly King Pembrowin. He was rarely seen in the castle, or he wandered around in the middle of the night, or he had half his soul taken away, and there were always creepy rumors. No one suspected a rebellion, even when they said he died suddenly in the hunting grounds. King Pembrowin died anytime, anywhere, no matter what.
“What if... the curse is true?”
“Please sit down, ma’am. You don’t look well.”
Liene offered her the seat opposite her. Madame Flambard shook her head.
“I would rather go to your side, Princess.”
“What is it, ma’am?”
Madam Flambard came over to Liene and knelt on the floor. She took her hand carefully, then smiled slightly when she saw how thick the bandages were.
“Wrapped like this with a bandage... This is the first time I’ve seen the Princess bandaged on a wound of this size.”
“Yeah... It’s a bit excessive.”
Madam Flambard gently stroked the bandage.
“How can it be excessive to worry that something might go wrong or that you might get sick? If you have such feelings, you should accept them no matter how much.”
But Madam's small smile was heavy and sad. Liene couldn't pretend not to notice it.
“What's going on?”
“...I came back from seeing that gentleman.”
That gentleman must be Werose.
“I was so angry... I was so angry that it was that guy, of all people, who did that, that I thought I could slap him in the face with my own hand. But...”
It seemed as if she knew without saying anything else. Werose must have told Madam Flambard about Black's true identity and the genetic disease of the Gainers royal family.
“No one knows, Madam. Who knows what diseases a person can contract? It must be a lie. Lord Werose simply took the wrong story and accepted it.”
“...You already knew.”
"Yes."
“Still... doesn’t that matter to you?”
“It’s not something you can believe lightly. There’s no evidence whatsoever.”
“Once upon a time, the Princess asked about the last king of the Gainers Dynasty.”
Liene also remembered. Madame Flambard had said that the King was rumored to be cursed.
“...I don’t believe it. The stories about curses and such were all lies spread by Kleinfelter through the temple. The drought in Nauk was also said to be a curse placed on the Arsak family.”
There were quite a few rumors. Liene, who was only four or five years old, would know nothing, but there were many rumors about the ghostly King Pembrowin. He was rarely seen in the castle, or he wandered around in the middle of the night, or he had half his soul taken away, and there were always creepy rumors. No one suspected a rebellion, even when they said he died suddenly in the hunting grounds. King Pembrowin died anytime, anywhere, no matter what.
“What if... the curse is true?”
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