“That doesn’t mean we don’t welcome the return of Sir Werose.”
Randall was adamant.
“The fact that things are strained with the guards is something I expected to be like this for a while. As for me, it’s much better if Sir Werose is here. The captain is already a bit of an old fart at his age, so I wonder what he eats... No, please pretend you didn’t hear that. Anyway, there’s no evidence, but I feel a little uneasy. Oh, not the guards, but those who brought Sir Werose.”
It wasn't that Randall didn't understand what he was saying. Liene agreed that it took time to settle down.
“There must be some reason to find it suspicious, aside from the fact that their identity is unclear.”
“Um... If I had to say, I mean they didn’t say the amount first?”
“Don’t they want compensation?”
“Think about it, Princess. What do those who find sick people on the street and take them home want? Money, or the honor of doing a good deed. If they wanted money, they should have clearly stated the number. Nauk is not a place that is easy to get to. If they said they came two days, they must have spent some money on travel expenses. But these guys are neither here nor there.”
Klima, who had been standing silently behind Liene like a shadow, also nodded.
“Uh, I don’t feel well... I don’t feel well. It just feels weird.”
Randall asked with a puzzled look.
“Youngest, why are you stuttering? Are you sick?”
“Oh, no, that’s... I was worried...”
Rather, Liene was surprised.
“Isn’t that how you usually speak?”
“...Oh, no....”
“You always told me that.”
“No... That, that kind of...”
Randall clicked his tongue as if it was a good idea.
“What if you’re so nervous? The guys hiding will ask you what that is.”
“...Yes, I will do well. I will do well.”
“Oh, yes.”
The conversation went off on a tangent for a moment, but they had to come to a conclusion.
“Then let’s do this. It’s too late today, so let’s have them stay overnight, and I’ll treat them to dinner tomorrow and send them off.”
“That’s... well, I guess there’s nothing we can do about it. Instead, we have to watch.”
“If possible, don’t let them know.”
“Of course.”
By the time they finished talking, the night had deepened.
“I think Lord Tiwakan will be delayed further.”
When Liebe asked casually, Randall looked even more embarrassed for no reason.
“I guess it’s because it takes time to get to and from the temple.”
“I guess so.”
When Klima kept saying she felt strange, she felt like she was being irritated.
Randall was adamant.
“The fact that things are strained with the guards is something I expected to be like this for a while. As for me, it’s much better if Sir Werose is here. The captain is already a bit of an old fart at his age, so I wonder what he eats... No, please pretend you didn’t hear that. Anyway, there’s no evidence, but I feel a little uneasy. Oh, not the guards, but those who brought Sir Werose.”
It wasn't that Randall didn't understand what he was saying. Liene agreed that it took time to settle down.
“There must be some reason to find it suspicious, aside from the fact that their identity is unclear.”
“Um... If I had to say, I mean they didn’t say the amount first?”
“Don’t they want compensation?”
“Think about it, Princess. What do those who find sick people on the street and take them home want? Money, or the honor of doing a good deed. If they wanted money, they should have clearly stated the number. Nauk is not a place that is easy to get to. If they said they came two days, they must have spent some money on travel expenses. But these guys are neither here nor there.”
Klima, who had been standing silently behind Liene like a shadow, also nodded.
“Uh, I don’t feel well... I don’t feel well. It just feels weird.”
Randall asked with a puzzled look.
“Youngest, why are you stuttering? Are you sick?”
“Oh, no, that’s... I was worried...”
Rather, Liene was surprised.
“Isn’t that how you usually speak?”
“...Oh, no....”
“You always told me that.”
“No... That, that kind of...”
Randall clicked his tongue as if it was a good idea.
“What if you’re so nervous? The guys hiding will ask you what that is.”
“...Yes, I will do well. I will do well.”
“Oh, yes.”
The conversation went off on a tangent for a moment, but they had to come to a conclusion.
“Then let’s do this. It’s too late today, so let’s have them stay overnight, and I’ll treat them to dinner tomorrow and send them off.”
“That’s... well, I guess there’s nothing we can do about it. Instead, we have to watch.”
“If possible, don’t let them know.”
“Of course.”
By the time they finished talking, the night had deepened.
“I think Lord Tiwakan will be delayed further.”
When Liebe asked casually, Randall looked even more embarrassed for no reason.
“I guess it’s because it takes time to get to and from the temple.”
“I guess so.”
When Klima kept saying she felt strange, she felt like she was being irritated.
“Then I will go. Please take care of this night.”
“Don’t worry too much. I will guard you well until your lord returns.”
Today was an unusually busy day. A guard approached Liene as she was about to return to the main palace.
“Princess. A man has come from the kingdom of Sharka. He is outside the castle gate and is asking you to open the gate.”
"Yes?"
“He doesn’t want to see the Princess, but he heard that the Grand Duke of Alito is here and he brought a letter for him.”
"Ah..."
His sister was the Princess of the Sharka Kingdom. In that case, this was a messenger she couldn't refuse.
“Please confirm his identity and open the gate. Always bring a guard with him when moving inside the castle.”
"All right."
***
The Kingdom of Sharka was the closest to Nauk and was where Nauk was enjoying the glory it had lost 20 years ago. Due to the drought, many nobles and merchants turned their backs on Nauk and migrated to Sharka. As a result, there were quite a few families that were related by blood, and many even had the same name. It was a close-knit country, but despite that, there was little contact between royal families. Perhaps it was because one side was losing unilaterally. For the Kingdom of Sharka, Nauk was a beehive that did not need to be touched. If they waited, it would gradually bring them honey.
“Even if that was the case, it’s not like that anymore.”
The Kingdom of Sharka was no longer a disconnected place. Since Tiwakan and the Principality of Alito were connected, the Kingdom of Sharka was no different. In addition, there was the Kleinfelter in Sharka, who had been exiled. Although they had lost all their status and wealth and were now powerless, they had to be concerned now that the roots of the Kleinfelter were not completely lost.
“I can’t pretend not to know.”
Liene muttered quietly to herself and knocked on the door where Dieren was staying.
“...Princess? What brings you here?”
“I heard that a messenger came from the kingdom of Sharka.”
The door opened quickly. Dieren's attendant guided Liene into the room without a word. Dieren was sitting on the sofa, facing the messenger. In his hand was a letter from Sharka. Liene, who sat down across from him after greeting him, pointed to the letter with her eyes.
“The Kingdom of Sharka is no longer a distant foreign country, even for Nauk. I came here to talk to you about any changes that may have occurred.”
“Something happened... I see.”
“Even if that was the case, it’s not like that anymore.”
The Kingdom of Sharka was no longer a disconnected place. Since Tiwakan and the Principality of Alito were connected, the Kingdom of Sharka was no different. In addition, there was the Kleinfelter in Sharka, who had been exiled. Although they had lost all their status and wealth and were now powerless, they had to be concerned now that the roots of the Kleinfelter were not completely lost.
“I can’t pretend not to know.”
Liene muttered quietly to herself and knocked on the door where Dieren was staying.
“...Princess? What brings you here?”
“I heard that a messenger came from the kingdom of Sharka.”
The door opened quickly. Dieren's attendant guided Liene into the room without a word. Dieren was sitting on the sofa, facing the messenger. In his hand was a letter from Sharka. Liene, who sat down across from him after greeting him, pointed to the letter with her eyes.
“The Kingdom of Sharka is no longer a distant foreign country, even for Nauk. I came here to talk to you about any changes that may have occurred.”
“Something happened... I see.”
Dieren crumpled the letter with his hand. Liene was surprised to see the strength in his hand and called out to him.
“Grand Prince?”
“...My sister’s husband died. Three days ago...No, four days ago, a day later.”
“That is... Could it be, Prince Bashad of the Kingdom of Sharka?”
"Yes."
It was amazing.
“As far as I know, he was young and healthy... Was there an accident?”
Dieren said, his jawline twisted. He looked either shocked or angry.
“It was an accident... I don’t know. It wasn’t written in such detail. My sister must have written it down in a panic.”
It was a lie. The letter did contain, of course, the sudden death of her husband. But that was only a small part of it, and she went on to say something even crazier. It was typical of her. There was no trace of sadness in the letter that simply stated that her husband had died without any other circumstances. His sister had begun a dangerous gamble. It was a gamble whose purpose was now unknown. Prince Bashad was the first prince of Sharka. With him dead, his sister should have been anxious to secure her position, but she was thinking of causing trouble in a foreign land.
“That would be understandable. Then, is Your Highness going to the Kingdom of Sharka? The funeral is already over, I heard?”
“It seems like the funeral is over. I... Yes, I think that will be the case. Since the Kingdom of Sharka is closer than the road to my home country, I think I should stay for a while to comfort my sister.”
“Although I have not yet met the Princess of Sharka, please convey my deepest condolences as the connection between Tiwakan and the Principality of Alito continues.”
“I will do that.”
“When are you leaving?”
“Tomorrow...No, maybe I should start moving as soon as I’m ready, starting from now.”
“Then, if there’s anything I can do to help, please let me know. I’ll be happy to help.”
“Thank you, Princess. Then, if you need any assistance, I will send you a message. Please do not blame me for being rude even if I am late.”
“It is out of the question to be rude in this situation.”
Prince Dieren, who never complimented someone's appearance, became a more sensible person. It was strange how such a person had often done such absurd things.
"Then."
When Liene got up from her seat, Dieren bowed and greeted her. After he finished greeting her, the attendant and the Sharka's messenger did the same in turn. Instead of following the manners she knew poorly, Klima simply nodded and followed Liene out.
Knock. Klima closed the door with her own hand and spoke in a low voice.
“That guy is strange.”
“Who is it?”
“That messenger.”
Just now, Clima was saying that everything was weird.
“How?”
“That guy is strange.”
“Who is it?”
“That messenger.”
Just now, Clima was saying that everything was weird.
“How?”
“Just a little... expression....”
“Expression?”
“Expression?”
“He kept looking at the Princess. While pretending not to see you. That’s why it’s strange. And his hands too.”
"Hand?"
“He kept holding one hand. Just one hand. That’s very strange.”
They were ambiguous things that could be said to be strange, but could not be clearly identified.
“If that’s the case, I guess we have no choice but to be on guard for now.”
“You have to be careful. It’s really strange.”
Anxiety escaped his lips.
“...I wish Lord Tiwakan would come back soon.”
It had only been a few hours since Black left her side, but it already felt like days.
"Hand?"
“He kept holding one hand. Just one hand. That’s very strange.”
They were ambiguous things that could be said to be strange, but could not be clearly identified.
“If that’s the case, I guess we have no choice but to be on guard for now.”
“You have to be careful. It’s really strange.”
Anxiety escaped his lips.
“...I wish Lord Tiwakan would come back soon.”
It had only been a few hours since Black left her side, but it already felt like days.
***
“I almost got caught.”
The messenger from the kingdom of Sharka opened his hand. What he was holding was a small bottle. It was so small that it was impossible to know what it was for.
“What the hell is this!”
Dieren quickly threw down the letter he was crumpling in his hand.
Meanwhile, cold sweat ran down his palms and stains spread all over the letter.
“Shh, Sir. If you speak loudly, they can hear you outside.”
The messenger sent by his sister was not from the Kingdom of Sharka. He was a long-time errand boy of the Grand Duke. His sister received a human who was a slave from the Kingdom of Lekes, who had come from nowhere, as a wedding gift. His father yelled at him to dig up gold with a shovel instead, but he could not break his sister's stubbornness. His name must have been Bayar. Even the name had a low smell, and he did not even try to change it.
“Answer me! Her own husband is dead, so why is she asking me to bring back a Princess from another country? She even gave her dangerous drugs like Cabino!”
Bayar calmly gestured to lower his voice. He seemed excited, but Dieren actually stopped shouting because he was aware of the outside world.
“You’re wrong. I need to bring the Princess back, so I’m telling you to feed her Cabino. It’ll be hard if she's sober.”
“So why!”
“I don’t know that much. I’m just following the instructions given by the Princess.”
He still called her Princess, not His Royal Highness, even now that she was married. Dieren thought he'd long since slept with her, which was none of his business, but it was disgusting to see him leer at her like she was some sort of thing in front of him.
“I’ll take care of that.”
“What do you think you’ll do on your own?”
“I will also give her the medicine. Your Highness, please call the Princess of Nauk to this room at an appropriate time.”
“Crazy... Do you think that plan will work? Do you think Tiwakan will stay still?”
“Their leader is away.”
"...What?"
What surprised Dieren was not that he didn't know that Black had just vacated the castle. It was because Bayar, who had just arrived, knew about it.
“How... how did you know that?”
“I didn’t arrive here today. I came earlier to observe the situation.”
“What? How long have you been here?”
“I set out before Prince Bashad died.”
“What the... crazy...”
The fact that she sent a letter saying that her husband was dead before he died meant that she knew that the Prince would die. Since he was terminally ill and not going to die today or tomorrow, the conclusion was only one. His sister killed Prince Bashad.
“Kill him... No, fine. Let’s say she killed him because she was sick of her weak husband who was a debaucher. I guess that makes sense since she’s my sister. But then why did she kidnap her? Did your sister know who Princess Liene was? Why would she... Damn it, damn it.”
Dieren's face became distorted as he spoke.
“She still hasn’t given up. The head of Tiwakan.”
Bayar repeated the same words with an ambiguous smile that was neither positive nor negative.
“As I said, I will take care of it. Your Highness, you only need to do one thing.”
“...If you don’t want to do it?”
“It won’t make much of a difference. I brought the poison, I am the Princess’s man, and I am a messenger who has come to see you.”
It meant that they were all in the same boat anyway.
“His Highness the Grand Duke thinks the same. For several years now, His Highness has been saying that it is a waste to send gold to Tiwakan.”
“....”
There was only one thought in his mind at that moment. He should have left a long time ago when Black let go of his wrist.
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