At first, he thought something was wrong. As soon as he jumped down from his horse, Liene hugged him tightly as if she had been waiting for him.
"Princess?"
He could swear. It was the first time Liene had ever been so proactive in expressing her feelings to him.
“What's going on?”
"Yes."
“Me.”
Liene suddenly pulled away and met his eyes. Her green eyes were pretty. Then, just like before, she suddenly pressed her body against hia again.
“Princess.”
Black suddenly stopped walking and bit his lips. Liene was surprised and grabbed Black. She grabbed whatever she could get her hands on, and it just so happened to be his ear.
“It hurts.”
Black whispered with his lower lip still attached.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you. But if you do this here.”
“If the Princess doesn’t say anything, I’ll go straight to the bedroom.”
“I can walk. If you do that, everyone will look at me.”
“I guarantee you that if the Princess tries to walk on two feet, there will be more things to look at.”
“What does that mean?”
It was at times like this that he felt that Liene had no experience.
“Just don’t talk, please.”
“...?”
“When I said I would move and kiss you, the Princess said she would follow me on her own two feet. Don’t you really know how that makes me feel?”
"...Ah?"
“If you know, then keep quiet.”
“...”
Liene averted her eyes and shut her mouth. When he saw her cheeks and earlobes turn a soft red, a corner of his mind felt like it was going to burst. Black took the stairs two or three at a time and arrived at the bedroom.
"An hour."
Black glanced at the clock with eyes that looked blurrier than usual.
“Yes. I just can’t believe that I believed that even for a moment.”
"What..."
...Is that so shocking? I might be a good liar.
But Liene really didn't know what to say. Should she tell him that they can move on? ...Of course she wants to. But it's daytime, not night. And the period will probably end tomorrow...
“I’m not ready for that yet… … .”
“I know.”
Black lifted his forehead and licked his lips again as he replied.
“I don’t want to rush and hug the Princess like this either. There must be a procedure that suits the Princess, and I will do my best to fit in with it.”
At those words, Liene smiled faintly.
“That’s, um... not necessarily. There wasn’t a single procedure followed from the beginning.”
“That’s why I want to protect it even more. I don’t want to continue to be wrong because the beginning was wrong.”
Black leaned in and spread Liene's lips with his own. Her lips opened, and her body lay down on the bed.
“But I can’t resist kissing you, so I set a time limit. If it’s an hour, I’ll cool down a bit.”
The lips that overlapped each other were very hot, making it seem as if they were cooling off. Liene spread her arms and hugged Black’s neck.
“You are so contradictory.”
“...This is the first time I’ve heard that.”
“That’s fortunate.”
“Why is that fortunate?”
The conversation continued with occasional pauses. Whenever there was a gap, Black would inevitably kiss her lips.
“If someone said that to you, it had to be a woman.”
Liene pressed her lips against Black's wet and shiny mouth and muttered softly as if talking to herself.
“The word ‘cooling down’ makes it even hotter. How is that not a contradiction?”
Black glanced at the clock on the mantelpiece. The fact that his eyes were squinting in pain made them look even more sinister, which was contradictory.
“39 minutes... It would be better for the Princess not to say anything.”
“If you want.”
“Don’t say things like that.”
The kiss that followed was painfully hot.
“Hey, come out. You two... no, both of you.”
Creak, thud!
"Princess?"
He could swear. It was the first time Liene had ever been so proactive in expressing her feelings to him.
“What's going on?”
"Yes."
Black wanted to check her expression, so he tried to slightly pull away from Liene. But Liene forcefully grabbed his arm and held on.
“What is going on?”
Black gave up on looking at her face and just hugged her. A large hand slowly stroked her back. After catching her breath for a while, Liene muttered while holding him tightly.
“I felt like crying.”
“So you came looking for me?”
“Yes, but they’re all gone now.”
“That’s a bit of a shame.”
“What is going on?”
Black gave up on looking at her face and just hugged her. A large hand slowly stroked her back. After catching her breath for a while, Liene muttered while holding him tightly.
“I felt like crying.”
“So you came looking for me?”
“Yes, but they’re all gone now.”
“That’s a bit of a shame.”
“Me.”
Liene suddenly pulled away and met his eyes. Her green eyes were pretty. Then, just like before, she suddenly pressed her body against hia again.
“Princess.”
“I thought you would leave me someday.”
“...”
Black's expression hardened for a moment, and then he chuckled as if it was impossible.
“It’s a vain dream.”
Liene still seemed unsure of what it meant to marry him.
“I will never leave on my own two feet.”
“Why? That’s correct.”
“What is correct?”
“My father killed your father.”
"... Princess."
“I tried to think about it from the other person’s perspective. I would never have forgiven you. So... I thought you didn’t know that much. But I thought you would know someday. I thought your feelings for me would change when you knew. People do that. I would, too. It couldn’t be you. It would be too... dreamlike.”
“I’ve said many times that my old name has become unimportant as I live.”
“Now I know it was all true.”
"Princess."
This time, Liene also obediently gave in. Black lowered his head and grabbed Liene’s chin to fix her gaze. The tears hanging from her golden eyelashes never shed. It was true that the tears had all gone.
“Is that really why you ruined the wedding dress?”
“I can’t make you wear those clothes.”
“Was it that painful? So much so that you would have been better off hurting your hand instead?”
“No matter how much I suffer, I can never be like you.”
“...It’ll be difficult.”
Black muttered something out of the blue to himself.
“What is it?”
“What the Princess just said seems to mean that you likes me a lot. Is that right?”
“That’s right. But what’s so difficult about it?”
Black frowned and looked around. The area in front of Martha was the same as usual. The royal stable keeper, Marton, was busy going back and forth to take care of the horses, and the Tiwakans who had returned to the castle together were either dismounting or leading their horses.
“The place.”
“Why the place... ah.”
Black quickly picked Liene up and hugged her. Then, everyone turned to look at him with surprised rabbit eyes.
“Just give me an hour.”
“Why an hour? And do you have to hold each other like this to talk?”
“Yes, one hour. And it has to be like this. You never know what you might do if you have both hands free.”
"Yes?"
“I mean, right now, I want to kiss the Princess like I’m going crazy.”
Black strode into the castle with long strides.
“I can go on my own two feet.”
“...You’re making it difficult.”
“...”
Black's expression hardened for a moment, and then he chuckled as if it was impossible.
“It’s a vain dream.”
Liene still seemed unsure of what it meant to marry him.
“I will never leave on my own two feet.”
“Why? That’s correct.”
“What is correct?”
“My father killed your father.”
"... Princess."
“I tried to think about it from the other person’s perspective. I would never have forgiven you. So... I thought you didn’t know that much. But I thought you would know someday. I thought your feelings for me would change when you knew. People do that. I would, too. It couldn’t be you. It would be too... dreamlike.”
“I’ve said many times that my old name has become unimportant as I live.”
“Now I know it was all true.”
"Princess."
This time, Liene also obediently gave in. Black lowered his head and grabbed Liene’s chin to fix her gaze. The tears hanging from her golden eyelashes never shed. It was true that the tears had all gone.
“Is that really why you ruined the wedding dress?”
“I can’t make you wear those clothes.”
“Was it that painful? So much so that you would have been better off hurting your hand instead?”
“No matter how much I suffer, I can never be like you.”
“...It’ll be difficult.”
Black muttered something out of the blue to himself.
“What is it?”
“What the Princess just said seems to mean that you likes me a lot. Is that right?”
“That’s right. But what’s so difficult about it?”
Black frowned and looked around. The area in front of Martha was the same as usual. The royal stable keeper, Marton, was busy going back and forth to take care of the horses, and the Tiwakans who had returned to the castle together were either dismounting or leading their horses.
“The place.”
“Why the place... ah.”
Black quickly picked Liene up and hugged her. Then, everyone turned to look at him with surprised rabbit eyes.
“Just give me an hour.”
“Why an hour? And do you have to hold each other like this to talk?”
“Yes, one hour. And it has to be like this. You never know what you might do if you have both hands free.”
"Yes?"
“I mean, right now, I want to kiss the Princess like I’m going crazy.”
Black strode into the castle with long strides.
“I can go on my own two feet.”
“...You’re making it difficult.”
Black suddenly stopped walking and bit his lips. Liene was surprised and grabbed Black. She grabbed whatever she could get her hands on, and it just so happened to be his ear.
“It hurts.”
Black whispered with his lower lip still attached.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you. But if you do this here.”
“If the Princess doesn’t say anything, I’ll go straight to the bedroom.”
“I can walk. If you do that, everyone will look at me.”
“I guarantee you that if the Princess tries to walk on two feet, there will be more things to look at.”
“What does that mean?”
It was at times like this that he felt that Liene had no experience.
“Just don’t talk, please.”
“...?”
“When I said I would move and kiss you, the Princess said she would follow me on her own two feet. Don’t you really know how that makes me feel?”
"...Ah?"
“If you know, then keep quiet.”
“...”
Liene averted her eyes and shut her mouth. When he saw her cheeks and earlobes turn a soft red, a corner of his mind felt like it was going to burst. Black took the stairs two or three at a time and arrived at the bedroom.
***
"An hour."
Black glanced at the clock with eyes that looked blurrier than usual.
Why do I keep checking the time? Could something happen in an hour?
The next moment, those thoughts quickly disappeared. As soon as he put Liene down on the bed, Black pressed his lips against hers.
Ah... The kiss, which seemed particularly leisurely today, had the effect of endlessly inciting people. The fingers that wrapped around his neck dug into his hair on their own. Every time Liene’s fingertips touched his hair or the back of his neck, Black let out a boiling groan. Ah, again...Their lips parted for a moment, and then his lower lip was gently bitten. It didn’t hurt, but it felt strange. Maybe biting was better. He likes kissing better than that.
“I’m curious.”
Liene asked, slightly pushing Black's forehead.
“Why are you biting?”
“Did I do that?”
“Yes. You did that just now. Like this.”
Liene imitated him by biting her lower lip, as if Black didn't know what was going on. Black closed his eyes and let out a short moan.
“That’s... I’m going to stop for a moment.”
“What?”
“Kiss. I can’t keep doing this.”
“Ah... Well, I’m out of breath.”
“Because we are not married yet.”
At the same time, the answer came out a bit out of focus.
“...? We kiss every day, right? I don’t think it has anything to do with marriage.”
“...I never thought I would like something this kind of person is good at.”
Black, with a somewhat tired expression, rested his forehead against Liene's. Their faces met, and Liene whispered in an embarrassed tone.
“You know that was a lie...”
“I’m curious.”
Liene asked, slightly pushing Black's forehead.
“Why are you biting?”
“Did I do that?”
“Yes. You did that just now. Like this.”
Liene imitated him by biting her lower lip, as if Black didn't know what was going on. Black closed his eyes and let out a short moan.
“That’s... I’m going to stop for a moment.”
“What?”
“Kiss. I can’t keep doing this.”
“Ah... Well, I’m out of breath.”
“Because we are not married yet.”
At the same time, the answer came out a bit out of focus.
“...? We kiss every day, right? I don’t think it has anything to do with marriage.”
“...I never thought I would like something this kind of person is good at.”
Black, with a somewhat tired expression, rested his forehead against Liene's. Their faces met, and Liene whispered in an embarrassed tone.
“You know that was a lie...”
“Yes. I just can’t believe that I believed that even for a moment.”
"What..."
...Is that so shocking? I might be a good liar.
But Liene’s thoughts were completely wrong. Black was surprised that he was blind enough to believe such an obvious lie. Something that could have been known even if the direction of the lips had changed just a little while kissing.
“Once you kiss, you start to want what comes next.”
The words coming from so close were like a swamp, a slimy swamp that would suck your whole body in without mercy if you dipped your feet in it.
“Ah... That’s what you meant.”
Fortunately, although Liene was naive, she was not ignorant.
“Well, um... I know that could happen. And I...”
“Once you kiss, you start to want what comes next.”
The words coming from so close were like a swamp, a slimy swamp that would suck your whole body in without mercy if you dipped your feet in it.
“Ah... That’s what you meant.”
Fortunately, although Liene was naive, she was not ignorant.
“Well, um... I know that could happen. And I...”
But Liene really didn't know what to say. Should she tell him that they can move on? ...Of course she wants to. But it's daytime, not night. And the period will probably end tomorrow...
“I’m not ready for that yet… … .”
“I know.”
Black lifted his forehead and licked his lips again as he replied.
“I don’t want to rush and hug the Princess like this either. There must be a procedure that suits the Princess, and I will do my best to fit in with it.”
At those words, Liene smiled faintly.
“That’s, um... not necessarily. There wasn’t a single procedure followed from the beginning.”
“That’s why I want to protect it even more. I don’t want to continue to be wrong because the beginning was wrong.”
Black leaned in and spread Liene's lips with his own. Her lips opened, and her body lay down on the bed.
“But I can’t resist kissing you, so I set a time limit. If it’s an hour, I’ll cool down a bit.”
The lips that overlapped each other were very hot, making it seem as if they were cooling off. Liene spread her arms and hugged Black’s neck.
“You are so contradictory.”
“...This is the first time I’ve heard that.”
“That’s fortunate.”
“Why is that fortunate?”
The conversation continued with occasional pauses. Whenever there was a gap, Black would inevitably kiss her lips.
“If someone said that to you, it had to be a woman.”
Liene pressed her lips against Black's wet and shiny mouth and muttered softly as if talking to herself.
“The word ‘cooling down’ makes it even hotter. How is that not a contradiction?”
Black glanced at the clock on the mantelpiece. The fact that his eyes were squinting in pain made them look even more sinister, which was contradictory.
“39 minutes... It would be better for the Princess not to say anything.”
“If you want.”
“Don’t say things like that.”
The kiss that followed was painfully hot.
***
“Hey, come out. You two... no, both of you.”
Creak, thud!
The thick iron door opened. Bright light poured in for the first time in a while. The two Klinefelters had to blink for a long time as their eyes got used to the darkness.
“Uh, where...?”
Linden Klinefelter asked in a hoarse voice.
“I was told I should go to God’s Square or somewhere else.”
“Oh, then... Then!”
The eyes of Linden Klinefelter, who had been lying on the basement floor as if he were dying, came into focus.
“Are you saying today is the National Assembly Day?”
“That’s none of your business.”
Tiwakan, who happened to be in charge of the underground prison and served as the warden, spat out indifferently.
“Come out first. I don’t want to keep talking.”
“...I will remember your face.”
Linden Kleinfelter regained his Kleinfelter-like speech after a long time. The past few days have been hell. He had told the two nobles who had come here about his plan to abuse Liene, but he had not heard the results. If the work had been successful, they should have come back and told him the results. The time he had spent waiting for the two senior nobles, no matter when or how long, had made him understand the feelings of a fish that had somehow fallen on land. He even thought that he might die waiting for something.
“Uh, where...?”
Linden Klinefelter asked in a hoarse voice.
“I was told I should go to God’s Square or somewhere else.”
“Oh, then... Then!”
The eyes of Linden Klinefelter, who had been lying on the basement floor as if he were dying, came into focus.
“Are you saying today is the National Assembly Day?”
“That’s none of your business.”
Tiwakan, who happened to be in charge of the underground prison and served as the warden, spat out indifferently.
“Come out first. I don’t want to keep talking.”
“...I will remember your face.”
Linden Kleinfelter regained his Kleinfelter-like speech after a long time. The past few days have been hell. He had told the two nobles who had come here about his plan to abuse Liene, but he had not heard the results. If the work had been successful, they should have come back and told him the results. The time he had spent waiting for the two senior nobles, no matter when or how long, had made him understand the feelings of a fish that had somehow fallen on land. He even thought that he might die waiting for something.
Strangely, there was no change in the dungeon. If Klima had abused Liene and thrown her in front of Tiwakan, something should have changed. Then maybe Klima had not succeeded yet. Klima was so good at killing people, but he was weak as a child. It was a shame. Anyway, he waited and waited with a parched heart.
Linden Kleinfelter had confidence. Even if the leader of the barbarians was a madman who coveted a woman who had another man's child, his feelings could not have been strong. Any man would know this. Liene Arsak seemed to foolishly think that what she was doing was a love game, but in fact, she was just being swayed by the barbarians' game. If he were to ruin it and throw it away, the game would end. That was the way men were in the first place. Some fools confused affection and desire, but everything related to women was basically a game. When the fun was gone, the feelings were over. It didn't matter whether the emotion was affection or desire. What mattered was that it ended when the fun wore off. If even a bruise appeared on that half-moon face, the fun would naturally cool down. In that sense, ruining Liene Arsak was killing two birds with one stone. Kleinfelter's eldest son was also a man, and it was obvious that he would cool down as well. So all that had to happen was for the good news to be delivered, but it was so late.
“Who’s here to pick me up? Who’s coming from the Klinefelter family?”
“Stop bothering me and just come out quickly.”
“Answer first! Who dares say something like that in front of me!”
Tiwakan looked at Kleinfelter, who was squatting on the damp basement floor and still arguing like a noble. They had seen all kinds of nobles while wandering around the battlefield with Black for ten years. Even the Kings of the so-called great kingdoms would often turn pale and shake their hands in front of their leader. No matter how Linden Kleinfelter shouted, it was just funny.
“You’re still not in your right mind, tsk. If you don’t come out, I’ll drag you out.”
Tiwakan strode into the prison cell and grabbed Linden Kleinfelter by the ankle.
“Where dare you put your hands... ugh!”
Linden Klinefelter was dragged away like a dog, one foot lifted. Lafitte watched the scene but did not dare to stop it. It was just like when the Tiwakan chieftain broke both of his uncle's wrists. His eyes were empty.
“Hey, you come out too. Do you want me to pull you out with you?”
“...”
He turned his head to look outside for a moment, then slowly got up.
“Who’s here to pick me up? Who’s coming from the Klinefelter family?”
“Stop bothering me and just come out quickly.”
“Answer first! Who dares say something like that in front of me!”
Tiwakan looked at Kleinfelter, who was squatting on the damp basement floor and still arguing like a noble. They had seen all kinds of nobles while wandering around the battlefield with Black for ten years. Even the Kings of the so-called great kingdoms would often turn pale and shake their hands in front of their leader. No matter how Linden Kleinfelter shouted, it was just funny.
“You’re still not in your right mind, tsk. If you don’t come out, I’ll drag you out.”
Tiwakan strode into the prison cell and grabbed Linden Kleinfelter by the ankle.
“Where dare you put your hands... ugh!”
Linden Klinefelter was dragged away like a dog, one foot lifted. Lafitte watched the scene but did not dare to stop it. It was just like when the Tiwakan chieftain broke both of his uncle's wrists. His eyes were empty.
“Hey, you come out too. Do you want me to pull you out with you?”
“...”
He turned his head to look outside for a moment, then slowly got up.
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