Sorrow came over him. Black looked perplexed as he watched Liene sobbing and whispering. However, there was definitely a smile mixed in.
“I was a little desperate.”
“What the heck...”
What. Where. It was just cold. Black put Liene, who had started crying again, down on the bed. He laid Liene on a large pillow and sat down as if he was trapping her between his legs.
“It seems like the Princess is always ready to go away.”
“No, I did.”
His words were a bit surprising. In fact, isn't it the opposite? She's scared that this man might drift away at any moment.
“I had to know that the Princess’s sincerity was such that the distance I had narrowed in one day would be widened again the next day without fail.”
“When did I...”
“It was like that. Always.”
Black muttered quietly and wiped Liene's cheek with the back of his hand.
“I wanted to know if the Princess would feel relieved if I distanced myself, or if you would feel anxious like me.”
Then, tears started to flow again. So, it was on purpose.
“Don’t... stop it. Really. From next time, never... really... I hate it so much.”
“I was wrong.”
“I really hated it.”
The last words were hard to hear, mixed with tears. Liene hugged Black tightly with a gesture full of sorrow and resentment, and he diligently wiped away her tears and pressed his lips to her wet cheek.
“Cry more.”
“Don’t... instigate me.”
“Because I miss you.”
The soft words spoken against the skin became the wind and made the cotton fur tremble.
“What...”
“The Princess who cries because of me.”
What are you saying...
“I told you not to cry earlier.”
“Because I didn’t know the reason back then.”
“Would it make a difference if you knew why?”
“Do you think it would be any different for the Princess?”
“Well...”
I don't know. But when I think about Black crying to me and telling me not to be cold, my heart aches. What the. So I miss him too... Still, what this man did was too much. I've done the same thing, but it's too much for Black to do it on purpose.
“I won’t do that anymore...”
Liene tapped Black on the shoulder and muttered softly.
“I didn’t know what you were thinking back then. I also had to protect my own heart. So...”
Suddenly, Black pulled Liene away from his body.
“What did you just say?”
“I heard...”
The reason she swallowed her saliva in the middle was because he looked a little strange. His eyes were sharp, but in some ways, he looked like a daze. Anyway, this guy is strange. He's so contradictory.
“Say that again. I think I misheard you.”
“I won’t do that...”
“Ah...? Did you sleep in this room today?”
Fortunately, when Madam Flambard arrived, Black had already gone to wash up. It wasn't the first or second time they'd been caught spending the night together, but it was still better not to get caught.
“That’s what happened.”
“Oh my, that’s so.”
Madam Flambard waved her hand in surprise as she watched Liene picking up the blanket.
“Did you have a sleepover yesterday?”
“Huh? No, I’m not done yet.”
Three of the buttons on her nightgown were undone, but nothing happened. Liene became aware of the nightgown slipping down her shoulders and tried to turn her body slightly to avoid Madam Flambard's gaze. But it was no use.
“Really?”
Madam Flambard looked at Liene with narrowed eyes. Liene could have just told her not to look at her like that, but Liene was always weak towards her.
“Really... Why would I lie about something like that? Something that can’t be lied to.”
Madam Flambard could not have been unaware of the underwear and bedding.
“No, then what on earth made you so hoarse?”
"Yes?"
“Your eyes are swollen, too. Um, your lips are a bit...”
“...”
Liene felt embarrassed and touched her face.
“Madam, is it really weird?”
“Wouldn’t it be better if you saw it for yourself?”
Liene sat up quickly after hearing that. Believing that Black had always said she was pretty, she cried and even had a runny nose. This morning, as soon as she opened her eyes, they looked at each other and kissed without any regrets. Black, who hadn’t even washed his face, looked handsome since the morning, so she thought she looked like usual and relaxed. But what?
“I was a little desperate.”
“What the heck...”
What. Where. It was just cold. Black put Liene, who had started crying again, down on the bed. He laid Liene on a large pillow and sat down as if he was trapping her between his legs.
“It seems like the Princess is always ready to go away.”
“No, I did.”
His words were a bit surprising. In fact, isn't it the opposite? She's scared that this man might drift away at any moment.
“I had to know that the Princess’s sincerity was such that the distance I had narrowed in one day would be widened again the next day without fail.”
“When did I...”
“It was like that. Always.”
Black muttered quietly and wiped Liene's cheek with the back of his hand.
“I wanted to know if the Princess would feel relieved if I distanced myself, or if you would feel anxious like me.”
Then, tears started to flow again. So, it was on purpose.
“Don’t... stop it. Really. From next time, never... really... I hate it so much.”
“I was wrong.”
“I really hated it.”
The last words were hard to hear, mixed with tears. Liene hugged Black tightly with a gesture full of sorrow and resentment, and he diligently wiped away her tears and pressed his lips to her wet cheek.
“Cry more.”
“Don’t... instigate me.”
“Because I miss you.”
The soft words spoken against the skin became the wind and made the cotton fur tremble.
“What...”
“The Princess who cries because of me.”
What are you saying...
“I told you not to cry earlier.”
“Because I didn’t know the reason back then.”
“Would it make a difference if you knew why?”
“Do you think it would be any different for the Princess?”
“Well...”
I don't know. But when I think about Black crying to me and telling me not to be cold, my heart aches. What the. So I miss him too... Still, what this man did was too much. I've done the same thing, but it's too much for Black to do it on purpose.
“I won’t do that anymore...”
Liene tapped Black on the shoulder and muttered softly.
“I didn’t know what you were thinking back then. I also had to protect my own heart. So...”
Suddenly, Black pulled Liene away from his body.
“What did you just say?”
“I heard...”
The reason she swallowed her saliva in the middle was because he looked a little strange. His eyes were sharp, but in some ways, he looked like a daze. Anyway, this guy is strange. He's so contradictory.
“Say that again. I think I misheard you.”
“I won’t do that...”
“Then.”
"Next time...?"
"Next time...?"
“What did you call me?”
“...?”
The words came out so naturally that Liene couldn't remember what she had called him.
“Did you say it was you?”
“Ah...? Me?”
“Good to hear.”
Black let out a strange moan. He leaned in while holding onto Liene. The movements he made were slow and gentle, but the strength he carried was too much to resist. The pillow touched her back. Liene realized that she was lying down, covered with him.
“It's my turn now.”
He whispered in a voice so low it sounded hoarse, and he put a hand behind his neck.
“...?”
The words came out so naturally that Liene couldn't remember what she had called him.
“Did you say it was you?”
“Ah...? Me?”
“Good to hear.”
Black let out a strange moan. He leaned in while holding onto Liene. The movements he made were slow and gentle, but the strength he carried was too much to resist. The pillow touched her back. Liene realized that she was lying down, covered with him.
“It's my turn now.”
He whispered in a voice so low it sounded hoarse, and he put a hand behind his neck.
Knock.
Another button was undone. So he pulled his pajamas down, just as loosened. The familiar feel of the pajamas tickled the area below her collarbone, and it was a very strange sensation.
“Now it’s the Princess’s turn.”
“...”
Because her lips kept getting dry, Liene unconsciously kept licking them.
“What do you want to do?”
“I... miss you too.”
Liene grabbed the hem of the gown covering Black's upper body and pulled. He gave a short laugh and obediently moved his body, allowing the gown to be easily removed.
“It’s my turn again.”
Knock.
“Now it’s the Princess’s turn.”
“...”
Because her lips kept getting dry, Liene unconsciously kept licking them.
“What do you want to do?”
“I... miss you too.”
Liene grabbed the hem of the gown covering Black's upper body and pulled. He gave a short laugh and obediently moved his body, allowing the gown to be easily removed.
“It’s my turn again.”
Knock.
The three buttons of her pajamas were undone, making her feel even looser. She felt as if she was being disheveled as he had hoped.
“What about the Princess?”
“Here... I want to touch it.”
Liene ran her fingers over the wounds she had seen before. His body had many wounds, but the one on his left side looked a little different. It looked like an old wound, and the color of his flesh stood out differently from the surrounding area, and it still looked painful.
“Can I touch it? Does it hurt?”
Black's gaze followed Liene's fingertips touching him.
“It’s the oldest scar on my body. It doesn’t hurt.”
“When did it come about?”
“Eight years old.”
"Ah..."
The tips of her fingers, which were moving along the marks engraved on his body that would never be erased, shook violently.
Was it Klinefelter who created this wound? Or was it her father?
“Thanks to this wound, I almost died, but it also gave me a chance to live.”
“How...is it?”
“To put it all into words, it’s long. The important thing is.”
Black paused for a moment and pressed Liene's hand, which had stopped on the wound, against his body.
“The Princess is touching that wound, and I am not in pain anymore.”
He didn't know it, but Liene felt like he had taken away the most painful part of her heart. He said that he was hurt then, but he was okay now. Someone in the Arsak family had betrayed his father and drove him to his death, but now it was Arsak's daughter who was touching his wound.
“Even if I cry now... will you still say that it’s a sight you want to see?”
Instead of simply saying yes, Black said:
“There is one thing the Princess must know.”
“What is it?”
“Normally, the Princess looks so pretty to me that you don’t seem human, but when you cry, it’s even more so.”
"...Is it so?"
“What about the Princess?”
“Here... I want to touch it.”
Liene ran her fingers over the wounds she had seen before. His body had many wounds, but the one on his left side looked a little different. It looked like an old wound, and the color of his flesh stood out differently from the surrounding area, and it still looked painful.
“Can I touch it? Does it hurt?”
Black's gaze followed Liene's fingertips touching him.
“It’s the oldest scar on my body. It doesn’t hurt.”
“When did it come about?”
“Eight years old.”
"Ah..."
The tips of her fingers, which were moving along the marks engraved on his body that would never be erased, shook violently.
Was it Klinefelter who created this wound? Or was it her father?
“Thanks to this wound, I almost died, but it also gave me a chance to live.”
“How...is it?”
“To put it all into words, it’s long. The important thing is.”
Black paused for a moment and pressed Liene's hand, which had stopped on the wound, against his body.
“The Princess is touching that wound, and I am not in pain anymore.”
He didn't know it, but Liene felt like he had taken away the most painful part of her heart. He said that he was hurt then, but he was okay now. Someone in the Arsak family had betrayed his father and drove him to his death, but now it was Arsak's daughter who was touching his wound.
“Even if I cry now... will you still say that it’s a sight you want to see?”
Instead of simply saying yes, Black said:
“There is one thing the Princess must know.”
“What is it?”
“Normally, the Princess looks so pretty to me that you don’t seem human, but when you cry, it’s even more so.”
"...Is it so?"
“So, if you feel like crying, come to me and cry. Don’t just watch it alone.”
“...”
When he said that, how could I not cry?
“...”
When he said that, how could I not cry?
Tears burst out without even knowing why. Now, she was neither cold nor sad, but tears poured out as if her eyes were wrong. Liene cried endlessly as if she had just learned how to cry for the first time. As Black affectionately patted her back, she felt like her tears were increasing. After crying for a while, they kissed each other without anyone saying anything first. Then, tears burst out again, and every time, Black, as if he was not tired, wiped her cheeks and told her to cry more.
***
“Ah...? Did you sleep in this room today?”
Fortunately, when Madam Flambard arrived, Black had already gone to wash up. It wasn't the first or second time they'd been caught spending the night together, but it was still better not to get caught.
“That’s what happened.”
“Oh my, that’s so.”
Madam Flambard waved her hand in surprise as she watched Liene picking up the blanket.
“Did you have a sleepover yesterday?”
“Huh? No, I’m not done yet.”
Three of the buttons on her nightgown were undone, but nothing happened. Liene became aware of the nightgown slipping down her shoulders and tried to turn her body slightly to avoid Madam Flambard's gaze. But it was no use.
“Really?”
Madam Flambard looked at Liene with narrowed eyes. Liene could have just told her not to look at her like that, but Liene was always weak towards her.
“Really... Why would I lie about something like that? Something that can’t be lied to.”
Madam Flambard could not have been unaware of the underwear and bedding.
“No, then what on earth made you so hoarse?”
"Yes?"
“Your eyes are swollen, too. Um, your lips are a bit...”
“...”
Liene felt embarrassed and touched her face.
“Madam, is it really weird?”
“Wouldn’t it be better if you saw it for yourself?”
Liene sat up quickly after hearing that. Believing that Black had always said she was pretty, she cried and even had a runny nose. This morning, as soon as she opened her eyes, they looked at each other and kissed without any regrets. Black, who hadn’t even washed his face, looked handsome since the morning, so she thought she looked like usual and relaxed. But what?
Liene hurried to her room. Madam Flambard said from behind that she wouldn’t have to run and added a word of concern that she might fall over.
“Ahh...”
Liene, standing in front of the mirror, let out a strange sound that was neither a scream nor a groan.
“Is this... me?”
Her eyes and cheeks were swollen. Her lips were the same. Her cheeks were stained with dried tear stains, as if she had been drooling and sleeping, and her hair was all tangled.
“Ha...! Liar.”
Liene was so embarrassed and ashamed that she slumped down on the chair in front of the mirror.
“Princess? When did you say I lied?”
Madam Flambard's eyes widened, and she waved her hand.
“No, I’m not talking to Madam... I’m talking to you because the man said it was okay.”
If you had just said it was okay, I wouldn't have said anything. You said I looked pretty, like I didn't live in a fairy tale... Liar.
“I asked him several times, and he said I was pretty every time... He really is good at telling lies.”
He kissed that spotty face so well. Not just the lips, but also the forehead, the bridge of the nose, the chin, the cheeks, and everywhere else his lips touched. Liene clutched her messy hair and made a tearful face.
“...Phew.”
Then, she heard Madam Flambard burst out in stifled laughter, unable to hold it in any longer.
"Ma'am?"
Liene suddenly turned to look at Madam Flambard.
“Did you just laugh?”
“No, I tried to hold back, but... I’m sorry... Phew.”
"Ma'am..."
Glaring at her with a puffy face only made her laugh. Unfortunately, Liene didn't know.
“I really didn’t mean to laugh... Oh, really.”
The woman held onto her waist for a while and barely managed to suppress her laughter.
“But since you normally have a pretty face, it’s not that ugly.”
“It’s not comforting at all.”
“So, you’ve found a really good match.”
“I told you he lied. You weren’t teasing me on purpose, were you?”
“That must be true for him. This face is so pretty, too.”
“...No way.”
“Then wouldn’t it be so?”
Madam Flambard smiled happily and gently stroked Liene's tangled, disheveled blonde hair.
“Ahh...”
Liene, standing in front of the mirror, let out a strange sound that was neither a scream nor a groan.
“Is this... me?”
Her eyes and cheeks were swollen. Her lips were the same. Her cheeks were stained with dried tear stains, as if she had been drooling and sleeping, and her hair was all tangled.
“Ha...! Liar.”
Liene was so embarrassed and ashamed that she slumped down on the chair in front of the mirror.
“Princess? When did you say I lied?”
Madam Flambard's eyes widened, and she waved her hand.
“No, I’m not talking to Madam... I’m talking to you because the man said it was okay.”
If you had just said it was okay, I wouldn't have said anything. You said I looked pretty, like I didn't live in a fairy tale... Liar.
“I asked him several times, and he said I was pretty every time... He really is good at telling lies.”
He kissed that spotty face so well. Not just the lips, but also the forehead, the bridge of the nose, the chin, the cheeks, and everywhere else his lips touched. Liene clutched her messy hair and made a tearful face.
“...Phew.”
Then, she heard Madam Flambard burst out in stifled laughter, unable to hold it in any longer.
"Ma'am?"
Liene suddenly turned to look at Madam Flambard.
“Did you just laugh?”
“No, I tried to hold back, but... I’m sorry... Phew.”
"Ma'am..."
Glaring at her with a puffy face only made her laugh. Unfortunately, Liene didn't know.
“I really didn’t mean to laugh... Oh, really.”
The woman held onto her waist for a while and barely managed to suppress her laughter.
“But since you normally have a pretty face, it’s not that ugly.”
“It’s not comforting at all.”
“So, you’ve found a really good match.”
“I told you he lied. You weren’t teasing me on purpose, were you?”
“That must be true for him. This face is so pretty, too.”
“...No way.”
“Then wouldn’t it be so?”
Madam Flambard smiled happily and gently stroked Liene's tangled, disheveled blonde hair.
“How beautiful it must be for you to say such things. Even my old heart seems to flutter without hesitation, Princess.”
"Ah..."
Liene opened her mouth without realizing it and looked into the mirror. The face that looked so ugly that she had never seen it before was completely different from the usual. The expression on his face this morning when he looked at it overlapped with the image in the mirror.
"Let me see more."
It was what Black said while trying to stop Liene from burrowing into his arms, trying to hide her swollen eyes.
"I didn't even wash my face."
"Therefore."
"...yes?"
"Isn't this the first time you've seen it in my eyes?"
There was no smile at all. He stroked her with careful hands as if he were treating something really pretty. Then he kissed her where his eyes landed.
“It must be wonderful for you to be married to someone like that. It seems that the god of Nauk truly cherishes the Princess.”
“...That’s right.”
Liene rested her cheek on the back of Madam Flambard's hand, which was gently running her fingers through her hair.
“What can I do if I am so grateful?”
I don't deserve to be loved like this by that guy. But what can I do? That's why I'm so happy. What can I do because I'm sorry? What if something goes wrong...
“What can I do? I just have to be truly grateful. God knows.”
Madam Flambard, who had been patting her on the shoulder and speaking kindly to her, then mercilessly urged Liene to wash her face.
“But you should wash up now. You may look pretty in Lord Tiwakan’s eyes, but you can’t go around like that in front of other people.”
“That, that’s right...”
Liene, who was very embarrassed, quickly finished washing her face. Madam Flambard even wrapped her face in a towel soaked in cold water to help the swelling go down quickly.
"Ah..."
Liene opened her mouth without realizing it and looked into the mirror. The face that looked so ugly that she had never seen it before was completely different from the usual. The expression on his face this morning when he looked at it overlapped with the image in the mirror.
"Let me see more."
It was what Black said while trying to stop Liene from burrowing into his arms, trying to hide her swollen eyes.
"I didn't even wash my face."
"Therefore."
"...yes?"
"Isn't this the first time you've seen it in my eyes?"
There was no smile at all. He stroked her with careful hands as if he were treating something really pretty. Then he kissed her where his eyes landed.
“It must be wonderful for you to be married to someone like that. It seems that the god of Nauk truly cherishes the Princess.”
“...That’s right.”
Liene rested her cheek on the back of Madam Flambard's hand, which was gently running her fingers through her hair.
“What can I do if I am so grateful?”
I don't deserve to be loved like this by that guy. But what can I do? That's why I'm so happy. What can I do because I'm sorry? What if something goes wrong...
“What can I do? I just have to be truly grateful. God knows.”
Madam Flambard, who had been patting her on the shoulder and speaking kindly to her, then mercilessly urged Liene to wash her face.
“But you should wash up now. You may look pretty in Lord Tiwakan’s eyes, but you can’t go around like that in front of other people.”
“That, that’s right...”
Liene, who was very embarrassed, quickly finished washing her face. Madam Flambard even wrapped her face in a towel soaked in cold water to help the swelling go down quickly.
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