“Oh, how could that happen...”
Madam Flambard heard the whole story from Mrs. Henton for the first time. Madam Flambard's face was paler than Mrs. Henton's. The hand that was stroking her hand trembled.
“I guess so.”
After the exile of Linden Kleinfelter and Lafitte Kleinfelter, the one who had been in charge of the Kleinfelter family was the revived former head of the family. Fermos stroked his chin.
“Yes. After Mrs. Henton left and he had probably taken his medicine properly, he must have felt better by some miracle. This is really good.”
Mrs. Henton ground her teeth.
“I should have stabbed him with my own hand before he left that corner of the house...”
“What's going on?”
Today was another failure. Dieren gritted his teeth inaudibly. Today, he was determined to meet Princess Liene. It was hard to meet the royal family even in the castle, because of how this kingdom worked.
The strength that had been squeezing Dieren's wrist as if it were a lie disappeared.
“How did you get here?”
“I’m looking for Lord Tiwakan. Are you chatting with a guest?”
Dieren opened his eyes wide.
“What are you talking about...!”
But Black was fast. He turned around and stepped on Dieren's instep. Dieren was speechless, and it happened so quickly that Liene didn't even notice.
“I was saying goodbye to him as he said he would return to the principality.”
“Oh, I see. I thought I heard a loud noise, so I thought there might be an argument.”
Black smiled softly.
“We are not normally on friendly terms, so there are times when our speech becomes rough.”
“Is it because you two are sworn brothers? I don’t know because I don’t have any brothers or sisters, but I’ve heard that close siblings have no barriers.”
“We don’t get along well.”
Dieren was speechless not because his feet had been stepped on, but because he was so shocked. The truly frightened attendant held onto the hem of Dieren’s clothes, determined to stop him if he had not read the mood and said anything.
“I should say goodbye to you since you are leaving. It is late today, so will you be leaving tomorrow morning?”
“...”
Dieren rolled his eyes without answering right away. His wrist, which had been clenched, was finally starting to feel numb. At this point, he thought his bones might have cracked.
“Grand Prince...?”
“Look, stand up.”
It was the only thing Dieren could muster up his remaining pride to say. He hated saying that he was going right now even if it meant dying.
“Look at the weather. It shouldn’t rain.”
Then Princess Liene smiled bitterly with a reluctant expression.
“Then you will leave tomorrow. There is a drought in Nauk right now.”
That expression was the problem.
“I will stay if you wish, Princess.”
No, the problem was that Dieren had no knowledge of the drought in Nauk. He mistook that reluctant expression for regret at his departure.
“No matter what anyone says, I will be by your side.”
“...If the reason Grand Prince must stay in Nauk is rain, then you would want it more earnestly than anything else. But I don’t think that will happen.”
“So what that means is...”
“I hope your journey back to your home country is smooth and peaceful.”
Although it wasn't what Dieren had intended, Liene was a little angry. It seemed rude of him to be complaining about rain in a country that had been suffering from drought for 21 years. Liene turned her back on Dieren and grabbed Black's hand.
“Are you sad that your brother is leaving early? Should I ask him to stay a little longer?”
“No way.”
“It’s okay to be honest.”
“I don’t hide my feelings over such trivial things. We’re newlyweds, and I don’t want to waste time taking care of unexpected guests.”
Dieren doesn't remember ever being treated like a guest in that way.
“I guess the timing was just right. I don’t want to lose you to something else either.”
The distance between the two people became closer as if they were alone.
“So that’s why you came to pick me up?”
“Not necessarily... I have something to tell you. It’s important.”
“Then I guess I should go to my room.”
"Yes."
The two disappeared from Dieren's room like that.
"Why..."
After a long while, Dieren muttered a short monologue to himself. Unfortunately, the servant understood what he meant. It was about why they seemed so close. The servant did not say, out of courtesy, that everyone else knew about it, but his master was the only one who did not know.
“I will pack my bags, Your Highness.”
It seemed like they had to leave this place early tomorrow. Before Dieren, with his broken limbs, was laid groaning on the carriage floor.
“Ternan Kleinfelter.”
It was a name in his memory. Black had a memory of encountering him. It wasn't clear, but it wasn't complete darkness. He had definitely come to the temple to find him. Not his father, but him.
"The Cursed Prince."
It was a greeting he gave.
"It's all the King's fault."
Black's eyebrows continued to furrow as he tried to recall his memories. Liene approached him and caressed his eyebrows. Black grabbed her hand and kissed her fingertips.
"The Prince is being punished in the king's stead because he stole the god's power."
Prince Fernand remembered those words but did not understand them.
"So the Prince must ask God for forgiveness."
Ternan Kleinfelter came over to him as he sat on the bed, lowered his head, and whispered secretly.
"Next time the King comes, steal the key. It is the key to where the power of the god is hidden."
What key is he talking about? As far as Prince Fernand knew, his father had a lot of keys.
"Offer the key to the temple altar. That is the only way for the Prince to escape the god's curse."
The more he listened, the more he couldn't understand the words that Ternan Kleinfelter left behind. Often, when he was very sick, the words he had said would come to mind like a sweet fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. He said that if he gave him the key, he would no longer be sick. A year later, Prince Fernand, who was suffering from measles, asked the King who had come to the temple for the key. The King died three days later. He didn't know it then, but it was all a prelude to rebellion.
Madam Flambard heard the whole story from Mrs. Henton for the first time. Madam Flambard's face was paler than Mrs. Henton's. The hand that was stroking her hand trembled.
“I guess so.”
After the exile of Linden Kleinfelter and Lafitte Kleinfelter, the one who had been in charge of the Kleinfelter family was the revived former head of the family. Fermos stroked his chin.
“Yes. After Mrs. Henton left and he had probably taken his medicine properly, he must have felt better by some miracle. This is really good.”
Mrs. Henton ground her teeth.
“I should have stabbed him with my own hand before he left that corner of the house...”
Klima shook his head wildly with a face distorted enough to make him feel pain.
“Mother, that’s... that’s not good. To you... You shouldn’t pray for repentance... Don’t do that, Mother...”
It was heartbreaking to see the angry Mrs. Henton and the surprised Klima.
“We have to find him.”
Liene stood up and said.
“That guy, Klinefelter. He definitely won’t just quietly hide away like this.”
Fermos' thoughts were similar.
“Mother, that’s... that’s not good. To you... You shouldn’t pray for repentance... Don’t do that, Mother...”
It was heartbreaking to see the angry Mrs. Henton and the surprised Klima.
“We have to find him.”
Liene stood up and said.
“That guy, Klinefelter. He definitely won’t just quietly hide away like this.”
Fermos' thoughts were similar.
“I agree with you. He probably knows everything that happened 21 years ago. He may have even been in charge of it.”
“As the head of the Klinefelter family, he would have been at the center and influenced the other nobles.”
Liene fingertips felt cold. It was as if someone had poured cold water on her. The past is neither dead nor gone.
“Klinefelter is finally going to pay for his crimes.”
So they had to face each other.
“As the head of the Klinefelter family, he would have been at the center and influenced the other nobles.”
Liene fingertips felt cold. It was as if someone had poured cold water on her. The past is neither dead nor gone.
“Klinefelter is finally going to pay for his crimes.”
So they had to face each other.
***
“What's going on?”
Today was another failure. Dieren gritted his teeth inaudibly. Today, he was determined to meet Princess Liene. It was hard to meet the royal family even in the castle, because of how this kingdom worked.
The royal family he knew was never like this. The Royal family were people whose purpose and reason for living was to exploit the lower classes and enjoy luxury and pleasure. Looking at this simple castle, he could tell that they didn’t have that much money, but he couldn’t understand why the royal family always had something to do, since they weren’t plowing the fields and digging potatoes like the common people.
Anyway, Princess Liene had just come back from going out. And she had been locked in the maid’s room the whole time. Now was the chance. It seemed that Princess Liene couldn’t even stand being in the same room as her husband, the savage. He had to exploit this gap to gently seduce the Princess and get his hands on her.
“Are you finally ready to treat me like a guest? Huh?”
But why did Black get involved in this exact moment?
“But I’m no longer interested in your hospitality. Why don’t you just go?”
Dieren wasn't curious at all about why Black came to his room. He probably came to apologize for the rude things he had done to him.
“I have something to do.”
Dieren looked into the mirror and pondered the position of the pendant hanging from his chest. Today, he looked even more splendid. He couldn't stay in this remote corner forever, so he was a little anxious, thinking that he should have some fun with Princess Liene and then leave.
“What are you doing? I told you to go.”
Dieren looked at Black, who was leaning against the doorstep without saying anything, through the mirror. He couldn't figure out why he was doing that.
“Can’t you hear what I’m saying?”
"...I can hear you.”
“Then why are you pretending not to hear?”
“No, I was just thinking about it.”
“Are you finally ready to treat me like a guest? Huh?”
But why did Black get involved in this exact moment?
“But I’m no longer interested in your hospitality. Why don’t you just go?”
Dieren wasn't curious at all about why Black came to his room. He probably came to apologize for the rude things he had done to him.
“I have something to do.”
Dieren looked into the mirror and pondered the position of the pendant hanging from his chest. Today, he looked even more splendid. He couldn't stay in this remote corner forever, so he was a little anxious, thinking that he should have some fun with Princess Liene and then leave.
“What are you doing? I told you to go.”
Dieren looked at Black, who was leaning against the doorstep without saying anything, through the mirror. He couldn't figure out why he was doing that.
“Can’t you hear what I’m saying?”
"...I can hear you.”
“Then why are you pretending not to hear?”
“No, I was just thinking about it.”
“Thoughts? What thoughts?”
The words, mixed with a slight sneer, contained a sarcastic remark that asked if he thought like a human. He didn’t know Black well. He had always felt sorry for his father, who was intimidated by a mere mercenary just because he had a few obedient wild dogs, and his sister, who would rush at him.
“What should I do with you? That’s the first time I’ve felt like doing something so useless.”
“What? What are you talking about?”
Thud, thud.
The words, mixed with a slight sneer, contained a sarcastic remark that asked if he thought like a human. He didn’t know Black well. He had always felt sorry for his father, who was intimidated by a mere mercenary just because he had a few obedient wild dogs, and his sister, who would rush at him.
“What should I do with you? That’s the first time I’ve felt like doing something so useless.”
“What? What are you talking about?”
Thud, thud.
Finally, Black lifted his head from where he had been leaning and started walking towards Dieren. The face of the attendant, who had been keeping his mouth shut for a moment, began to turn pale.
“I know my wife doesn’t care about you. You’re probably just a fly. You’re annoying, but I feel bad for you if I try to kill you. I also know that it’s easiest to just ignore you. If the Grand Duke finds fault, it’ll just add to the workload. So, I wonder if your wrist, no, your ankle, will get better. It’d be pointless to break one of them. It’s not fun to break people’s bones.”
“What... what are you talking about?”
Dieren understood what Black was saying a little late. In fact, he didn’t understand everything, but he began to feel the pressure coming closer as the distance between them narrowed. The pale blue eyes were strangely eerie. The narrower the eyes became, the more he had the strange feeling that some part of his body was going to be torn apart.
“And yet I hate it when you hang around my wife.”
“What, what are you saying... What are you saying? When did I...”
“Those crazy clothes bother me too. And I don’t like the way you put your dirty hands out there just to say hello.”
Dieren started to back away hesitantly. Black took a big step forward and grabbed Dieren's wrist.
“Ugh! Let go of me!”
A vivid sense of fear came over him, perhaps because Dieren had just heard him say something about breaking it. Dieren shook his grasping arm like crazy. However, he couldn't shake it off with his own strength.
“Go back.”
Blue eyes as bright as ice stared at him from beyond the tangled arms.
“When your limbs are intact.”
“That, that... Uh, crazy... A human who should be respectful and courteous to the duchy...”
“Answer me. When are you leaving?”
Black put strength into his hands.
“Ugh!”
Dieren screamed. The attendant was completely terrified and couldn't move.
“I wish the answer was now.”
“Ugh! Let go! Let go! You crazy.”
If his wrist had been broken, Dieren would have immediately understood that Black was sincere. However, Liene happened to come to see him. She came to Dieren's room not to see Dieren, but to find Black.
“Lord Tiwakan?”
“...”
“I know my wife doesn’t care about you. You’re probably just a fly. You’re annoying, but I feel bad for you if I try to kill you. I also know that it’s easiest to just ignore you. If the Grand Duke finds fault, it’ll just add to the workload. So, I wonder if your wrist, no, your ankle, will get better. It’d be pointless to break one of them. It’s not fun to break people’s bones.”
“What... what are you talking about?”
Dieren understood what Black was saying a little late. In fact, he didn’t understand everything, but he began to feel the pressure coming closer as the distance between them narrowed. The pale blue eyes were strangely eerie. The narrower the eyes became, the more he had the strange feeling that some part of his body was going to be torn apart.
“And yet I hate it when you hang around my wife.”
“What, what are you saying... What are you saying? When did I...”
“Those crazy clothes bother me too. And I don’t like the way you put your dirty hands out there just to say hello.”
Dieren started to back away hesitantly. Black took a big step forward and grabbed Dieren's wrist.
“Ugh! Let go of me!”
A vivid sense of fear came over him, perhaps because Dieren had just heard him say something about breaking it. Dieren shook his grasping arm like crazy. However, he couldn't shake it off with his own strength.
“Go back.”
Blue eyes as bright as ice stared at him from beyond the tangled arms.
“When your limbs are intact.”
“That, that... Uh, crazy... A human who should be respectful and courteous to the duchy...”
“Answer me. When are you leaving?”
Black put strength into his hands.
“Ugh!”
Dieren screamed. The attendant was completely terrified and couldn't move.
“I wish the answer was now.”
“Ugh! Let go! Let go! You crazy.”
If his wrist had been broken, Dieren would have immediately understood that Black was sincere. However, Liene happened to come to see him. She came to Dieren's room not to see Dieren, but to find Black.
“Lord Tiwakan?”
“...”
The strength that had been squeezing Dieren's wrist as if it were a lie disappeared.
“How did you get here?”
“I’m looking for Lord Tiwakan. Are you chatting with a guest?”
Dieren opened his eyes wide.
“What are you talking about...!”
But Black was fast. He turned around and stepped on Dieren's instep. Dieren was speechless, and it happened so quickly that Liene didn't even notice.
“I was saying goodbye to him as he said he would return to the principality.”
“Oh, I see. I thought I heard a loud noise, so I thought there might be an argument.”
Black smiled softly.
“We are not normally on friendly terms, so there are times when our speech becomes rough.”
“Is it because you two are sworn brothers? I don’t know because I don’t have any brothers or sisters, but I’ve heard that close siblings have no barriers.”
“We don’t get along well.”
Dieren was speechless not because his feet had been stepped on, but because he was so shocked. The truly frightened attendant held onto the hem of Dieren’s clothes, determined to stop him if he had not read the mood and said anything.
“I should say goodbye to you since you are leaving. It is late today, so will you be leaving tomorrow morning?”
“...”
Dieren rolled his eyes without answering right away. His wrist, which had been clenched, was finally starting to feel numb. At this point, he thought his bones might have cracked.
“Grand Prince...?”
“Look, stand up.”
It was the only thing Dieren could muster up his remaining pride to say. He hated saying that he was going right now even if it meant dying.
“Look at the weather. It shouldn’t rain.”
Then Princess Liene smiled bitterly with a reluctant expression.
“Then you will leave tomorrow. There is a drought in Nauk right now.”
That expression was the problem.
“I will stay if you wish, Princess.”
No, the problem was that Dieren had no knowledge of the drought in Nauk. He mistook that reluctant expression for regret at his departure.
“No matter what anyone says, I will be by your side.”
“...If the reason Grand Prince must stay in Nauk is rain, then you would want it more earnestly than anything else. But I don’t think that will happen.”
“So what that means is...”
“I hope your journey back to your home country is smooth and peaceful.”
Although it wasn't what Dieren had intended, Liene was a little angry. It seemed rude of him to be complaining about rain in a country that had been suffering from drought for 21 years. Liene turned her back on Dieren and grabbed Black's hand.
“Are you sad that your brother is leaving early? Should I ask him to stay a little longer?”
“No way.”
“It’s okay to be honest.”
“I don’t hide my feelings over such trivial things. We’re newlyweds, and I don’t want to waste time taking care of unexpected guests.”
Dieren doesn't remember ever being treated like a guest in that way.
“I guess the timing was just right. I don’t want to lose you to something else either.”
The distance between the two people became closer as if they were alone.
“So that’s why you came to pick me up?”
“Not necessarily... I have something to tell you. It’s important.”
“Then I guess I should go to my room.”
"Yes."
The two disappeared from Dieren's room like that.
"Why..."
After a long while, Dieren muttered a short monologue to himself. Unfortunately, the servant understood what he meant. It was about why they seemed so close. The servant did not say, out of courtesy, that everyone else knew about it, but his master was the only one who did not know.
“I will pack my bags, Your Highness.”
It seemed like they had to leave this place early tomorrow. Before Dieren, with his broken limbs, was laid groaning on the carriage floor.
***
“Ternan Kleinfelter.”
It was a name in his memory. Black had a memory of encountering him. It wasn't clear, but it wasn't complete darkness. He had definitely come to the temple to find him. Not his father, but him.
"The Cursed Prince."
It was a greeting he gave.
"It's all the King's fault."
Black's eyebrows continued to furrow as he tried to recall his memories. Liene approached him and caressed his eyebrows. Black grabbed her hand and kissed her fingertips.
"The Prince is being punished in the king's stead because he stole the god's power."
Prince Fernand remembered those words but did not understand them.
"So the Prince must ask God for forgiveness."
Ternan Kleinfelter came over to him as he sat on the bed, lowered his head, and whispered secretly.
"Next time the King comes, steal the key. It is the key to where the power of the god is hidden."
What key is he talking about? As far as Prince Fernand knew, his father had a lot of keys.
"Offer the key to the temple altar. That is the only way for the Prince to escape the god's curse."
The more he listened, the more he couldn't understand the words that Ternan Kleinfelter left behind. Often, when he was very sick, the words he had said would come to mind like a sweet fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. He said that if he gave him the key, he would no longer be sick. A year later, Prince Fernand, who was suffering from measles, asked the King who had come to the temple for the key. The King died three days later. He didn't know it then, but it was all a prelude to rebellion.
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