He pushed a parchment scroll with letters engraved on it with a needle so that the black would never be erased. Circassian stepped back, fearing that he might get hit, but he was shocked when he saw the scroll fall right in front of him.
“What is this?”
Burley asked.
“What is it?”
Black furrowed one eyebrow.
“You have a short tongue. To the Princess’s husband.”
Then, Randall stood up excitedly.
“I will cut it, my lord!”
This time, Black didn't say anything. Randall hummed and pulled out the dagger he had on his thigh. Humming while thinking about cutting out someone's tongue? There were no other crazy people. Everyone's spines were frozen.
“Ah, no...! What are you doing! How dare you say that to the elders of the Great Council...!”
Burley jumped up and backed away from Randall.
“How dare you?”
Black shook his chin.
“It seems that Nauk’s people have learned less to speak in my household.”
“So we have to cut it.”
Randall's humming grew louder.
“At that age, you still have a tongue that hasn’t learned how to speak properly.”
Randall took a playful step forward and grabbed Burley by the collar as he ran away.
“Would you like to open your mouth a little? If you cooperate, I will do my best to make it as painless as possible.”
“Ahhh! No! No, let go!”
“Shh. Stay still. If you keep moving, I won’t be able to cut it cleanly.”
“Ahh! No, no! Aah! Why isn’t anyone stopping him? Hey everyone! What are you all doing!”
Burley shouted at the top of his lungs. The other nobles turned pale, but they did not dare to stop him. The justification was clear, so they could not say anything. Of course, the punishment was absurdly severe compared to the crime, but the ruler was the one who decided the punishment. They were only now realizing how easy Liene was to deal with.
“Don’t close your mouth. Keep it open. If you don’t take it out, I’ll take it out.”
Randall poked Burley's lips with the tip of his dagger.
“...!...”
Ss ...
“Ugh, dirty!”
Randall, who almost got his boots wet, let go of Burley and stepped aside in disgust. Burley fell flat on his face in his own excrement.
“Sign this.”
Black's low voice penetrated between them, who were all frozen like stone statues.
“I, I know what it is... I need to know what to do... right?”
“What is this?”
Burley asked.
“What is it?”
Black furrowed one eyebrow.
“You have a short tongue. To the Princess’s husband.”
Then, Randall stood up excitedly.
“I will cut it, my lord!”
This time, Black didn't say anything. Randall hummed and pulled out the dagger he had on his thigh. Humming while thinking about cutting out someone's tongue? There were no other crazy people. Everyone's spines were frozen.
“Ah, no...! What are you doing! How dare you say that to the elders of the Great Council...!”
Burley jumped up and backed away from Randall.
“How dare you?”
Black shook his chin.
“It seems that Nauk’s people have learned less to speak in my household.”
“So we have to cut it.”
Randall's humming grew louder.
“At that age, you still have a tongue that hasn’t learned how to speak properly.”
Randall took a playful step forward and grabbed Burley by the collar as he ran away.
“Would you like to open your mouth a little? If you cooperate, I will do my best to make it as painless as possible.”
“Ahhh! No! No, let go!”
“Shh. Stay still. If you keep moving, I won’t be able to cut it cleanly.”
“Ahh! No, no! Aah! Why isn’t anyone stopping him? Hey everyone! What are you all doing!”
Burley shouted at the top of his lungs. The other nobles turned pale, but they did not dare to stop him. The justification was clear, so they could not say anything. Of course, the punishment was absurdly severe compared to the crime, but the ruler was the one who decided the punishment. They were only now realizing how easy Liene was to deal with.
“Don’t close your mouth. Keep it open. If you don’t take it out, I’ll take it out.”
Randall poked Burley's lips with the tip of his dagger.
“...!...”
Ss ...
“Ugh, dirty!”
Randall, who almost got his boots wet, let go of Burley and stepped aside in disgust. Burley fell flat on his face in his own excrement.
“Sign this.”
Black's low voice penetrated between them, who were all frozen like stone statues.
“I, I know what it is... I need to know what to do... right?”
Thanks to Burley's example, Circassian speech also became more polite.
“Treaty of Liseberg.”
“What... what did you say?”
“This is a gift from the Princess’s husband to the elders. Because you like the Treaty of Liseberg.”
“Why are you signing it now...?”
“One of the names that signed at that time was missing. If that’s the case, the treaty will become invalid. I thought you might be disappointed, so I prepared a new one. My name will replace the missing name.”
“...?”
Circassian, who had been wondering if it was true, quickly picked up the scroll and unfolded it. The nobles who were curious about the truth of Black’s words also gathered around him. The parchment, densely filled with tiny letters, contained the exact contents of the Treaty of Liseberg. However, one or two letters had been changed so that it was hard to tell unless you looked closely. For example, the sentence “The Speaker of Nauk has this and that authority over the royal family” was changed to “He does not have this.” There were also additional clauses. The elders of the council, who had previously enjoyed exceptional privileges, were now obligated to pay taxes, and any member of the royal family could convene and attend the council. Again, the letters were so small that it was impossible to read all the detailed clauses at a glance.
“This, this is... This is a pun, isn’t it...”
Circassian licked his lips tremblingly.
“I think the Treaty of Liseberg was like that, too. How could it be considered a treaty? I don’t know if it was a threat.”
“...”
“Sign it. If you want to sign it by hand.”
“...? What is that...?”
The other nobles, except for the Circassians, quickly figured out the meaning. If both hands were broken, they would have no choice but to sign with the pen in their mouths.
“Give it here.”
Rosadel snatched the parchment from Circassian's hands.
“Sir! Don’t be so reckless. Shouldn’t we at least discuss it among ourselves before signing?”
“What’s the use? You have to sign now.”
Black nodded.
“That’s right. You have until I count to ten to sign by hand. One.”
“Eek!”
Rosadel let out a choking sound and quickly scribbled his name on the empty space.
“Listen here, sir!”
The protest of what to do if we don't work together like this was quickly drowned out by Elaroiden's signature as if his hands were flying.
“Two, three..."
Armendariz also finished signing before the number reached five. There were two left.
“...seven, eight.”
As the number reached eight, Circassian also gnashed his teeth and signed. He thought he knew why the nobles' left wrists broke as they fiddled with their pens.
“Ten. Is there only one left?”
Black pointed to Burley, who was lying unconscious.
“Wake up.”
“Yes, my lord.”
Randall didn't even bother to fetch water. Since the time he could sign with both hands was over, Burley would have to break his right hand anyway.
“Ugh!”
Burley opened his eyes, screaming. With that, the revised treaty was complete.
***
“Um... What did you say?”
His voice was extremely shaky. After finishing the council and doing a couple more things, Black returned to the castle and heard something he didn't want to believe.
“I have some work to do, so I have to sleep in your room for two days.”
“...? Should I believe that?”
The words that he didn't want to believe came out without any refinement, which caused a misunderstanding in Liene.
“I’m not lying to do something else. Don’t you trust me?”
“Oh, no.”
Black, who realized his mistake too late, placed his hand on his forehead.
“That’s not what I meant... I meant that I couldn’t believe it.”
“There’s nothing I can do. I feel bad about it, but it’s something I have to do.”
He wanted to ask where on earth such a thing could happen. Up until now, there have been few instances on the continent where a Tiwakan chieftain was prevented from doing what he wanted.
“Princess, I think you should reconsider. Don’t you need my consent?”
“Oh, is that so?”
The two were talking about this at the dinner table. Liene smiled awkwardly and spoke again.
“I’m sorry. Since this is my first time having a spouse, I didn’t think about asking for permission first. Anyway, something came up and I have to sleep in your room for two days. I hope this isn’t a problem.”
“...”
Click. Black put down the fork he was holding before answering.
“If it’s a problem, I won’t do it, right?”
“Um... I guess that can’t be possible. It has to be done that way.”
“...”
What on earth could that be?
Black's mind was spinning like crazy. But he didn’t want to act petty. Liene said it was necessary, so it would make sense. And it wasn’t that long, just two nights. The next day was the wedding, so that was understandable. In some areas, it was customary for the groom and bride not to see each other face to face until the wedding. He knew that the bride’s side had a lot to prepare, including the first night.
But why did I feel so reluctant to answer... Was I this petty?
"...All right."
The answer came slowly. And then, as if by magic, his appetite disappeared. Instead of picking up his fork again, Black wiped his mouth with his napkin.
“Are you angry?”
Liene asked, swallowing the peas soaked in wine.
"No."
“I think that’s what your expression is like.”
His mood became even more depressed because he felt like he had been caught doing something petty.
“Isn’t it strange to get angry over something like this?”
“Um... If it were me, I would be angry. But I can’t say that, so I’ll just say I’m sorry instead.”
Those words made him feel better. Black put down his napkin and turned his chair towards Liene.
“Does that mean the Princess is also sad?”
“Then wouldn’t it be so?”
Liene lowered her eyelashes as she licked her lips, where the wine juice remained.
“It’s a very precious time for me, too. Lying together and talking about how we spent our day.”
“What are you going to do if you give that up?”
“Well, um... I’d appreciate it if you could pretend not to know. It’s a bit embarrassing.”
Liene felt embarrassed to talk to him about the wedding dress because she had ruined it. She must have felt very sorry.
“I hope you won’t be embarrassed in front of me.”
“Just this. There won’t be another one.”
“If you say so.”
Black instead tapped my cheek.
“But since I did something for you, I hope you’ll kiss me.”
“Are you done eating?”
Liene asked with wide eyes. In fact, she was thinking that the pea dish was really delicious.
“I’m fine because I ate everything. Just give me a moment, and I’ll finish.”
“Then... Ah, please close your eyes.”
Black obediently closed his eyes and stuck his cheek out. Meanwhile, Liene, who had a pea between her lips, smiled playfully and pushed the pea into Black's lips.
"...Hmm."
Black, who had accidentally eaten the peas, opened his eyes and asked.
“Why are you giving me this?”
“It’s delicious.”
Black's lips, stained with wine juice, were redder than usual. Liene licked her lips, saying that he looked even more breathtakingly handsome. Liene's lips, too, were red like wine today.
“I am worried that Lord Tiwakan has lost your appetite. You have eaten too little. Since you have already tasted it, why don’t you eat some more?”
“Good idea.”
Black pulled Liene's chin up and overlapped his lips. He first tasted Liene's lips as if tasting them.
“It’s delicious.”
“Oh, that’s not it...”
"Thank you for this food."
The kiss began. Maybe it was because he heard the words “eat well” first, but the moment their lips touched, he felt like he was sucking, and his head became even more dizzy.
"...All right."
The answer came slowly. And then, as if by magic, his appetite disappeared. Instead of picking up his fork again, Black wiped his mouth with his napkin.
“Are you angry?”
Liene asked, swallowing the peas soaked in wine.
"No."
“I think that’s what your expression is like.”
His mood became even more depressed because he felt like he had been caught doing something petty.
“Isn’t it strange to get angry over something like this?”
“Um... If it were me, I would be angry. But I can’t say that, so I’ll just say I’m sorry instead.”
Those words made him feel better. Black put down his napkin and turned his chair towards Liene.
“Does that mean the Princess is also sad?”
“Then wouldn’t it be so?”
Liene lowered her eyelashes as she licked her lips, where the wine juice remained.
“It’s a very precious time for me, too. Lying together and talking about how we spent our day.”
“What are you going to do if you give that up?”
“Well, um... I’d appreciate it if you could pretend not to know. It’s a bit embarrassing.”
Liene felt embarrassed to talk to him about the wedding dress because she had ruined it. She must have felt very sorry.
“I hope you won’t be embarrassed in front of me.”
“Just this. There won’t be another one.”
“If you say so.”
Black instead tapped my cheek.
“But since I did something for you, I hope you’ll kiss me.”
“Are you done eating?”
Liene asked with wide eyes. In fact, she was thinking that the pea dish was really delicious.
“I’m fine because I ate everything. Just give me a moment, and I’ll finish.”
“Then... Ah, please close your eyes.”
Black obediently closed his eyes and stuck his cheek out. Meanwhile, Liene, who had a pea between her lips, smiled playfully and pushed the pea into Black's lips.
"...Hmm."
Black, who had accidentally eaten the peas, opened his eyes and asked.
“Why are you giving me this?”
“It’s delicious.”
Black's lips, stained with wine juice, were redder than usual. Liene licked her lips, saying that he looked even more breathtakingly handsome. Liene's lips, too, were red like wine today.
“I am worried that Lord Tiwakan has lost your appetite. You have eaten too little. Since you have already tasted it, why don’t you eat some more?”
“Good idea.”
Black pulled Liene's chin up and overlapped his lips. He first tasted Liene's lips as if tasting them.
“It’s delicious.”
“Oh, that’s not it...”
"Thank you for this food."
The kiss began. Maybe it was because he heard the words “eat well” first, but the moment their lips touched, he felt like he was sucking, and his head became even more dizzy.
***
"Princess!"
It was already the third time.
“Oh, I’ll be careful.”
Liene quickly let go of the cloth from her hands. She was worried that her fingers, pricked by the needle and dripping with blood, might stain the cloth.
“Oh my god, why do you keep getting hurt? Huh?”
“It’s not that I want to do that...”
Her mind keeps wandering to the wrong places. Like the bedroom where the man is sleeping alone, or in his arms, or under the same blanket.
“Are you already too tired?”
“No, it’s not that. I guess my hand lost its strength because I held the pen for too long during the day. My hand also didn’t get better.”
It wasn't that it wasn't, and there was a reason for that. It was definitely not easy to write all those vows. The wound she had cut herself with scissors a while ago hadn't fully healed yet, so if she did something wrong, she would feel a stinging pain. But seeing that she didn't have the slightest thought of postponing the wedding, she guessed she was really happy about this wedding.
“I’m a little sleepy. I’ll pour some cold water on you.”
Liene put down her needle and got up. There was a bowl of water for washing on the window of Madam’s room. She poured some water onto it and started washing her face. She came to her senses because the water was full, but her eyes were dark when she thought about the remaining embroidery.
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