The two Kleinfelters were tied with ropes. They were treated like ordinary prisoners. The ends of the ropes that bound their hands were connected, and Tiwakan held the ends. Linden Kleinfelter screamed that this treatment was unacceptable, but he was quiet after being kicked in the shins several times. And Liene watched the whole process. She didn't really want to watch, but she couldn't help it. Liene was now out to see Black off as he escorted the two prisoners to the Great Council.
“How can the sanctity of the National Assembly be...”
Of the five families, three, excluding the Kleinfelters, shook their fists. The other two families could not. Rosadel had a broken left hand, and he knew exactly where to use hia right hand. From now on, all his right hand had to do was sign. It was not about clenching his fist and shaking.
“Let’s sit down.”
Rosadel waved his right hand to stop the other nobles. Unfortunately, however, they had yet to formally meet the head of Tiwakan.
“The right to attend the Assembly is firmly blessed by the god of Nauk and Liseberg, so outsiders dare not enter. Get out now!”
The one who shouted so proudly was Burley. He was also the one who brought the most private soldiers to this place today and stationed them outside the Great Hall.
“Then what about these?”
Black gestured towards the two Klinefelters with his chin without showing any sign of responding.
“There has to be someone to watch over the prisoners.”
“Wha, how impertinent...! How can a mere mercenary talk back to the elder of Nauk!”
As Burley muttered these words, Rosadel sighed and rolled his eyes anxiously, clutching the crutch Elaroiden had brought.
“What rudeness and all.”
Black lightly pushed Burley, who was blocking the door with his hand.
“Get out of the way for now. We have to move the prisoner.”
“How dare you touch me!”
Burley let out a loud scream and clapped his hands at the soldiers stationed outside.
“What are you doing! Punish these guys!”
The other three families weren't that stupid. They had already made peace with the Kleinfelters. The place where the head of the family was vacant was currently managed by the cousins of the previous head of the family along with an experienced butler, and they had agreed to send private soldiers under the pretext of a commotion at the Great Council Hall. They had already planted eyes near the Nauk Castle. The mercenaries heading to the Great Council Hall were only eight. That number was not too many to handle, no matter how notorious they were.
"Be careful."
Liene did not forget to give advice as she watched Black mount his horse. Black smiled briefly and nodded.
“I know.”
“The loyalty to the Klinefelter family runs deep. There may be people who will volunteer to come to their rescue.”
"Yes."
The answer was simple. Liene raised her eyebrows and tapped Black's knee as soon as she could reach it.
“I mean, it's true.”
“I never said I didn’t believe it. I prepared for it, so it’ll be okay.”
“Still. You really have to be careful. Don’t come back injured.”
"Ha..."
Suddenly, he let out a sigh, and she thought she had nagged him too much. But this time, Liene was wrong.
“Don't move.”
"Yes?"
“Because it’s dangerous because I'm on horseback.”
Black, riding on his horse, leaned forward and kissed Liene. He knew that everyone was watching, but this moment was so touching and sweet. Liene lifted her heel and responded to the kiss. The awkward kiss lasted quite a while.
“I can’t go like this.”
After finishing the kiss, Black let go of Liene, looking at her with hostility.
"Wait a minute."
Before he could move away, Liene lifted her leg and wiped the moisture from the corner of her mouth.
“Anyway, you promised. Not to get hurt.”
“As you wish.”
Black's irises seemed to darken subtly as he answered. Her body was the first to know what he would look like that. Her heart tingled and she wanted to kiss him again...
Liene did not forget to give advice as she watched Black mount his horse. Black smiled briefly and nodded.
“I know.”
“The loyalty to the Klinefelter family runs deep. There may be people who will volunteer to come to their rescue.”
"Yes."
The answer was simple. Liene raised her eyebrows and tapped Black's knee as soon as she could reach it.
“I mean, it's true.”
“I never said I didn’t believe it. I prepared for it, so it’ll be okay.”
“Still. You really have to be careful. Don’t come back injured.”
"Ha..."
Suddenly, he let out a sigh, and she thought she had nagged him too much. But this time, Liene was wrong.
“Don't move.”
"Yes?"
“Because it’s dangerous because I'm on horseback.”
Black, riding on his horse, leaned forward and kissed Liene. He knew that everyone was watching, but this moment was so touching and sweet. Liene lifted her heel and responded to the kiss. The awkward kiss lasted quite a while.
“I can’t go like this.”
After finishing the kiss, Black let go of Liene, looking at her with hostility.
"Wait a minute."
Before he could move away, Liene lifted her leg and wiped the moisture from the corner of her mouth.
“Anyway, you promised. Not to get hurt.”
“As you wish.”
Black's irises seemed to darken subtly as he answered. Her body was the first to know what he would look like that. Her heart tingled and she wanted to kiss him again...
Me too. I think I've lost my mind.
“Have a nice trip.”
“...I’ll hurry.”
After waiting for Liene to gain some distance, Black started his horse. Liene stood there and watched until Black left the gate. In front of him, Lafitte, who started moving later than Black, passed by.
“Liene.”
“...”
Liene turned her eyes away. She thought there was no need to deal with it.
“If you did it on purpose to show me, it’s no use. I won’t believe you. You will always be my lover.”
"...Ha."
But Liene just couldn't stand this.
“Laffite Kleinfelter. Listen carefully. You are sick at heart. I do not feel sorry for your situation because your rudeness makes me very uncomfortable. Please come to your senses and worry about your own survival.”
“Lieene!”
“Never call me by my name again. I am your lord, and you are a convict who has committed treason against me. Let this man disappear from my sight.”
The afterword was directed at Tiwakan, who was holding the rope.
“Yes, Princess.”
Tiwakan tugged at the rope that bound Lafitte without mercy.
“Ugh! Liene!”
“It would be rude for you to mention my name, so I will keep my mouth shut then.”
“Of course, Princess.”
Bam!
“Have a nice trip.”
“...I’ll hurry.”
After waiting for Liene to gain some distance, Black started his horse. Liene stood there and watched until Black left the gate. In front of him, Lafitte, who started moving later than Black, passed by.
“Liene.”
“...”
Liene turned her eyes away. She thought there was no need to deal with it.
“If you did it on purpose to show me, it’s no use. I won’t believe you. You will always be my lover.”
"...Ha."
But Liene just couldn't stand this.
“Laffite Kleinfelter. Listen carefully. You are sick at heart. I do not feel sorry for your situation because your rudeness makes me very uncomfortable. Please come to your senses and worry about your own survival.”
“Lieene!”
“Never call me by my name again. I am your lord, and you are a convict who has committed treason against me. Let this man disappear from my sight.”
The afterword was directed at Tiwakan, who was holding the rope.
“Yes, Princess.”
Tiwakan tugged at the rope that bound Lafitte without mercy.
“Ugh! Liene!”
“It would be rude for you to mention my name, so I will keep my mouth shut then.”
“Of course, Princess.”
Bam!
As soon as he finished speaking, another mercenary kicked Lafitte in the shin.
“Ugh!”
As he stumbled and began to fall, the rope was pulled taut again.
“I don’t think I need to say anything, but I urge you to stay vigilant for your leader. I hope you have a safe trip.”
“Thank you, Princess.”
The Tiwakans bowed their heads in greeting and then dragged Lafitte away.
“...Was it too much?”
As Lafitte was dragged away, swaying like a paper doll, as if he had lost his mind, Liene muttered.
“No, but if I speak politely, she won’t understand. You keep saying things like that until the end.”
Liene shook her chin. There was no need to worry. Lafitte Kleinfelter was just obsessed with the rejection he had experienced for the first time in his life.
“I hope that guy grows up a bit. Otherwise, he’ll have a hard time living in the future.”
Her mind was as calm as a lie. Liene turned and headed diligently into the castle. Today was going to be a busy day. If the council was concluded safely, the only thing left was the wedding ceremony. There was also going to be an investiture ceremony to appoint the mercenaries of Black and Tiwakan as nobles and knights, respectively, so there was a lot to prepare.
“I have a lot of money left over from selling the jewelry, so I should redecorate my bedroom. I should have asked him what color he liked beforehand.”
It was customary to decorate the bedroom for the new royal companion. Liene, who kept thinking about various things to do, ran up the stairs.
“Ugh!”
As he stumbled and began to fall, the rope was pulled taut again.
“I don’t think I need to say anything, but I urge you to stay vigilant for your leader. I hope you have a safe trip.”
“Thank you, Princess.”
The Tiwakans bowed their heads in greeting and then dragged Lafitte away.
“...Was it too much?”
As Lafitte was dragged away, swaying like a paper doll, as if he had lost his mind, Liene muttered.
“No, but if I speak politely, she won’t understand. You keep saying things like that until the end.”
Liene shook her chin. There was no need to worry. Lafitte Kleinfelter was just obsessed with the rejection he had experienced for the first time in his life.
“I hope that guy grows up a bit. Otherwise, he’ll have a hard time living in the future.”
Her mind was as calm as a lie. Liene turned and headed diligently into the castle. Today was going to be a busy day. If the council was concluded safely, the only thing left was the wedding ceremony. There was also going to be an investiture ceremony to appoint the mercenaries of Black and Tiwakan as nobles and knights, respectively, so there was a lot to prepare.
“I have a lot of money left over from selling the jewelry, so I should redecorate my bedroom. I should have asked him what color he liked beforehand.”
It was customary to decorate the bedroom for the new royal companion. Liene, who kept thinking about various things to do, ran up the stairs.
***
“How can the sanctity of the National Assembly be...”
Of the five families, three, excluding the Kleinfelters, shook their fists. The other two families could not. Rosadel had a broken left hand, and he knew exactly where to use hia right hand. From now on, all his right hand had to do was sign. It was not about clenching his fist and shaking.
“Let’s sit down.”
Rosadel waved his right hand to stop the other nobles. Unfortunately, however, they had yet to formally meet the head of Tiwakan.
“The right to attend the Assembly is firmly blessed by the god of Nauk and Liseberg, so outsiders dare not enter. Get out now!”
The one who shouted so proudly was Burley. He was also the one who brought the most private soldiers to this place today and stationed them outside the Great Hall.
“Then what about these?”
Black gestured towards the two Klinefelters with his chin without showing any sign of responding.
“There has to be someone to watch over the prisoners.”
“Wha, how impertinent...! How can a mere mercenary talk back to the elder of Nauk!”
As Burley muttered these words, Rosadel sighed and rolled his eyes anxiously, clutching the crutch Elaroiden had brought.
“What rudeness and all.”
Black lightly pushed Burley, who was blocking the door with his hand.
“Get out of the way for now. We have to move the prisoner.”
“How dare you touch me!”
Burley let out a loud scream and clapped his hands at the soldiers stationed outside.
“What are you doing! Punish these guys!”
The other three families weren't that stupid. They had already made peace with the Kleinfelters. The place where the head of the family was vacant was currently managed by the cousins of the previous head of the family along with an experienced butler, and they had agreed to send private soldiers under the pretext of a commotion at the Great Council Hall. They had already planted eyes near the Nauk Castle. The mercenaries heading to the Great Council Hall were only eight. That number was not too many to handle, no matter how notorious they were.
He brought thirty of his own private soldiers, and the Kleinfelters had decided to send fifty. Ten times as many would make the difference in inaction seem ridiculous. At any rate, there was a corner of him that believed that.
“How did you know?”
Black muttered quietly as if talking to himself.
“What? What do you mean you knew?”
“Did you tell me that I was in a good mood today?”
The backbiting was directed at Rosadel. Rosadel, who had been suddenly pointed out, waved both hands vigorously, forgetting that his wrists were broken.
“Wh, what are you talking about! I didn’t even open my mouth!”
“Then is it you?”
This time it was Elaroiden. He, too, shook his head as if it would break.
“That, that can’t be true! You told me to pretend to be dead, so I’ve been pretending to be dead all this time!”
“It’s strange.”
Black tilted his head.
“Normally, there are no people who would yell at my face like this. Are the nobles of Nauk particularly stupid?”
“What! What are you talking about!”
“It means to keep your eyes wide open.”
Black, who answered calmly, grabbed Burley's left hand. Burley, who didn't even realize that his arm was being grabbed because the movement was so light, belatedly shook his shoulder in surprise.
“It’s too late. If you’ve been caught, it’s already over.”
A very familiar sound rings out to Rosadel and Elaroiden.
“Ugh!”
Burley ran wild, clutching his broken wrist.
“What are you doing to this body! Look here! What are you doing! Are you just going to watch me be treated like this?”
Black kicked Burley below the knee.
“Ugh!”
Burley, who had fallen down in an instant, struggled while shedding tears. His knees hurt as much as his broken wrists.
“What, what is this...”
At first, the other nobles stood there dumbfounded, unable to believe what was happening before their eyes, but at this point, they began to take hesitant steps back. The nobles, who had been accustomed to the status they were born with, could not yet accept that there was a person who dared do such a thing.
“Uh, how... How on earth...”
“It’s noisy, so go sit down. We have to conduct the general meeting.”
“Outside... there are private soldiers of the Burley family...”
“It must have been there.”
"What...?"
“Not now.”
“What are you talking about... Why aren’t there any? Why...”
“If you’re curious, check it out.”
Black readily stepped aside. The two nobles looked around and quickly left. In the meantime, Black calmly sat down at the high seat where Klinefelter was supposed to sit. Naturally, the two prisoners had to kneel down below him.
“Let’s get started.”
Rosadel quickly accepted those words.
“Then let’s begin. Everyone, please take your seats.”
No one woke up Burley. Burley just sat on the floor and waited for his soldiers to come, but no one came for a long time. When he couldn’t stand it anymore and got up, the two nobles who had gone outside returned with pale faces.
“How did you know?”
Black muttered quietly as if talking to himself.
“What? What do you mean you knew?”
“Did you tell me that I was in a good mood today?”
The backbiting was directed at Rosadel. Rosadel, who had been suddenly pointed out, waved both hands vigorously, forgetting that his wrists were broken.
“Wh, what are you talking about! I didn’t even open my mouth!”
“Then is it you?”
This time it was Elaroiden. He, too, shook his head as if it would break.
“That, that can’t be true! You told me to pretend to be dead, so I’ve been pretending to be dead all this time!”
“It’s strange.”
Black tilted his head.
“Normally, there are no people who would yell at my face like this. Are the nobles of Nauk particularly stupid?”
“What! What are you talking about!”
“It means to keep your eyes wide open.”
Black, who answered calmly, grabbed Burley's left hand. Burley, who didn't even realize that his arm was being grabbed because the movement was so light, belatedly shook his shoulder in surprise.
“It’s too late. If you’ve been caught, it’s already over.”
A very familiar sound rings out to Rosadel and Elaroiden.
“Ugh!”
Burley ran wild, clutching his broken wrist.
“What are you doing to this body! Look here! What are you doing! Are you just going to watch me be treated like this?”
Black kicked Burley below the knee.
“Ugh!”
Burley, who had fallen down in an instant, struggled while shedding tears. His knees hurt as much as his broken wrists.
“What, what is this...”
At first, the other nobles stood there dumbfounded, unable to believe what was happening before their eyes, but at this point, they began to take hesitant steps back. The nobles, who had been accustomed to the status they were born with, could not yet accept that there was a person who dared do such a thing.
“Uh, how... How on earth...”
“It’s noisy, so go sit down. We have to conduct the general meeting.”
“Outside... there are private soldiers of the Burley family...”
“It must have been there.”
"What...?"
“Not now.”
“What are you talking about... Why aren’t there any? Why...”
“If you’re curious, check it out.”
Black readily stepped aside. The two nobles looked around and quickly left. In the meantime, Black calmly sat down at the high seat where Klinefelter was supposed to sit. Naturally, the two prisoners had to kneel down below him.
“Let’s get started.”
Rosadel quickly accepted those words.
“Then let’s begin. Everyone, please take your seats.”
No one woke up Burley. Burley just sat on the floor and waited for his soldiers to come, but no one came for a long time. When he couldn’t stand it anymore and got up, the two nobles who had gone outside returned with pale faces.
***
There were no private soldiers. There were only the weapons they had left behind, a few traces of blood, and the Tiwakan mercenaries standing calmly. Black was faithfully following Liene’s advice to avoid seeing blood if possible. It was a shame that the other families didn’t know that. Besides, simple comparisons of numbers were meaningless. There was an insurmountable difference between the private soldiers of the nobles who had never swung their swords except in fun duels and the mercenaries whose homes had once been battlefields.
“...That’s all.”
Today, the Great Council had been called by the royal court, so someone needed to deliver the message. Before coming here, Aland had stayed up all night preparing the documents and distributing them to the nobles. They were written down in detail, with legal interpretations, about what Linden Kleinfelter and his alleged illegitimate son Lopez Kleinfelter had done and how it constituted treason. If you could only read the letters, you couldn't say they were innocent.
“So, the appropriate punishment is hanging.”
As soon as the word hanging was said, the nursery rhyme began.
“That, that can’t be... That can’t be!”
One of the two nobles with intact wrists let out a loud noise. Linden Kleinfelter was one of them.
“You want to hang me? Who would dare?”
Black turned his chin to look at him. His indifferent gaze seemed to imply that it would be difficult.
“Do you think such a thing is possible in this land?”
Linden Kleinfelter also stood up. It was true that he was afraid of Black, but he could not remain silent and be hanged. If he stood on the gallows, it was obvious that all the family's private soldiers would come. That would mean the start of a war. One of the nobles raised his hand and said.
“I disagree.”
“...That’s all.”
Today, the Great Council had been called by the royal court, so someone needed to deliver the message. Before coming here, Aland had stayed up all night preparing the documents and distributing them to the nobles. They were written down in detail, with legal interpretations, about what Linden Kleinfelter and his alleged illegitimate son Lopez Kleinfelter had done and how it constituted treason. If you could only read the letters, you couldn't say they were innocent.
“So, the appropriate punishment is hanging.”
As soon as the word hanging was said, the nursery rhyme began.
“That, that can’t be... That can’t be!”
One of the two nobles with intact wrists let out a loud noise. Linden Kleinfelter was one of them.
“You want to hang me? Who would dare?”
Black turned his chin to look at him. His indifferent gaze seemed to imply that it would be difficult.
“Do you think such a thing is possible in this land?”
Linden Kleinfelter also stood up. It was true that he was afraid of Black, but he could not remain silent and be hanged. If he stood on the gallows, it was obvious that all the family's private soldiers would come. That would mean the start of a war. One of the nobles raised his hand and said.
“I disagree.”
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"I disagree" - famous last words
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