“You’ve worked hard.”
This was what Black said when he saw Ternan Kleinfelter being dragged away by mercenaries. It was obvious that he had a hard time, having jumped out the window with his cane and his shabby body. His clothes, face, long hair, and beard were all covered in dirt. For all his hardship, he had to be caught by Tiwakan, who had been guarding the outside of the window. That was probably the most frustrating thing.
Ternan Kleinfelter cocked his head stiffly.
“So you committed treason, chose the Arsak family who would act as good Kings and put them on the throne, and then you split the crown among yourselves and had fun. So what? Did that make Nauk a better place to live?”
“...It would be better than having the mad King alive.”
“No way. The richest kingdom in the South until twenty years ago is now the poorest. Oh, you haven’t heard that yet? It hasn’t been that long since we crawled out of our graves?”
“...”
Ternan Kleinfelter gritted his teeth silently.
“And you didn’t rebel for such noble reasons.”
Black slowly spat out the past over a face eroded by black shadows.
“The power of God. You must have tried to steal it.”
“...!”
Ternan Kleinfelter's eyes widened, and the priests around him opened their mouths in confusion as if they had no idea what he was talking about. Seeing his reaction, it became clearer. Very few people knew about the power of God. It must have been a secret that only a very small number of the families that had rebelled twenty years ago had tried to monopolize.
“It’s probably something to do with water... and is it something you can only get if you have a key?”
“...”
Looking at the distorted expression, he knew he had it right.
“You tortured Manau to learn about the power of the gods. Manau was lucky not to die. You had to keep quiet ever since Kleinfelter took over this kingdom. To survive.”
That was something even the priests had never known before.
“What? Is that true?”
The priests were excited and tried to approach, but the mercenaries blocked them appropriately.
“Now it is your turn to speak. About the power and keys of God.”
Black's lips twisted slightly.
“We should start when Manau wakes up. He will remember the torture he endured 20 years ago. I wonder what he will say if I tell him I can repay you in kind.”
“...That won’t happen.”
But there was one thing Black still didn't know: Ternan Kleinfelter hadn't just happened to sneak into the temple today.
“You will leave this earth on your own two feet without ever touching me with a single finger.”
“Why.”
“Or Arsak’s daughter will pay the price.”
"What?"
Ternan Klinefelter let out a sinister laugh, befitting a ghost who can't die.
“If my fingernail falls off, Arsak’s daughter will have her finger cut off, and if my leg breaks, Arsak’s daughter will have her ankle cut off.”
“...”
Black's face hardened as if it was going to make a sound.
“You have to open your mouth.”
Why... What are you trying to do...?
“Just a little more. Just a little more...”
His fingers dug into her lips and opened her clenched teeth. Liene wanted to bite them hard to tell them not to touch her, but her body wouldn't listen to her.
“It’s done now.”
The bitter and bloody water from earlier flowed out through the gaping teeth.
Liene tried to spit it out, but someone was blocking her nose, so her throat started to grumble on its own.
“Ugh... Cough!”
The vile water flowed down her throat for a long time. The time that seemed like it would never end finally ended, and her throat gave out a cough.
“Lieene!”
“...!”
Her body began to move somewhat. Liene thought that the voice that she had heard only in nightmares was still ringing and that this moment might not be a dream. Her hand moved at the same time as her thought.
It couldn't have hurt much. Her body was in too bad shape for that. All that was left on Lafitte's left cheek was a clumsy handprint. It was so frustrating that her teeth ground together. She should have hit him properly until his nose bled.
“What are you doing... Touch me... Ugh!”
Her whole body ached as if it was being squeezed. Liene tilted her body, feeling dizzy as if her hands and feet were being pulled...
“Lieene!”
As Lafitte couldn't hold it in anymore and started screaming, someone came from the other side.
“Quiet! Are you deliberately trying to tell them that you’re hiding here?”
The distorted body lines mixed with the darkness made it immediately recognizable as who it was. It was Werose.
“I know it’s presumptuous of me to say this, but you’ll keep your mouth shut for now. The Princess will need time to realize the truth.”
“I don’t need that kind of time! Send me back to the castle right now. Then I’ll let you die in peace... Ugh!”
Werose firmly tied a cloth over Liene's mouth. She could scream, but she didn't have the strength to push the sturdy knight away. She twisted her head around to avoid Werose, but her efforts were in vain as her mouth was blocked.
“It seems the antidote is taking effect faster than expected. I’m sorry, but I’ll have to tie you up, Princess.”
Werose took the string that had been used to tie the sack and tied Liene’s hands behind her back... She has to pretend to be weak. If she keeps doing this, her feet will be tied too. Liene rested her head on the floor helplessly.
“Fuck.”
Lafitte clenched his fists and ground his teeth.
“You can’t do this to me... After all, I did to get you back.”
...I told you not to do anything. You're such an idiot.
“I had to do something like... selling my body..."
What the hell is that? I was getting angry when I heard it. You did that because of me? Did I tell you to do it? This is ridiculous.
This was what Black said when he saw Ternan Kleinfelter being dragged away by mercenaries. It was obvious that he had a hard time, having jumped out the window with his cane and his shabby body. His clothes, face, long hair, and beard were all covered in dirt. For all his hardship, he had to be caught by Tiwakan, who had been guarding the outside of the window. That was probably the most frustrating thing.
From Tiwakan’s perspective, it was even more ridiculous that Kleinfelter would not guard the place where the window was. It seemed that the old man had lived a good life. The ones who jumped out the window with the old man were the same. The Kleinfelter family workers who had been dragged in with him also had their hands and faces scratched.
“You should have just stayed quiet. There was no way to escape from here anyway.”
It was late at night, almost dawn. The candles on the wall cast ominous shadows over the face of the resurrected being.
“King Pembrowin was not of sound mind.”
Ternan Kleinfelter opened his mouth, his dirty beard rippling along his lips.
“It’s a disease that has been passed down through the royal blood of Gainers. He was destined to die young, consumed by lust and alcohol. Just like the King before him, and the King before that. We all watched it happen. Gainers is a bloodline that should not become king.”
The voice was like boiling molten iron, muddy and gloomy. Whatever it said, it would sound like a curse.
“You too, you too are born with the same blood. You cannot escape that cursed fate. That is why the seven families gathered together. I tried to save Nauk. I could not allow Gainers’ blood to flow in this land any longer.”
...Some of that may have been true. Black also remembered that his father would often act like a lunatic. He would lock himself in his room for days, not eating or sleeping, or mumbling incomprehensible things all day long. Sometimes he would explode in inexplicable anger, and sometimes he would lose his mind in endless melancholy. His father was not a good King, even in his memory. Maybe part of him understood why the rebellion had happened. Liene said that no one in the world could completely forget the grudge that was tied to their bloodline. Maybe that was true. Maybe he had not forgotten but had accepted it.
"So."
Black looked down disinterestedly at Ternan Kleinfelter, who was kneeling before him in a dirty state.
“So, what?”
“You should have just stayed quiet. There was no way to escape from here anyway.”
It was late at night, almost dawn. The candles on the wall cast ominous shadows over the face of the resurrected being.
“King Pembrowin was not of sound mind.”
Ternan Kleinfelter opened his mouth, his dirty beard rippling along his lips.
“It’s a disease that has been passed down through the royal blood of Gainers. He was destined to die young, consumed by lust and alcohol. Just like the King before him, and the King before that. We all watched it happen. Gainers is a bloodline that should not become king.”
The voice was like boiling molten iron, muddy and gloomy. Whatever it said, it would sound like a curse.
“You too, you too are born with the same blood. You cannot escape that cursed fate. That is why the seven families gathered together. I tried to save Nauk. I could not allow Gainers’ blood to flow in this land any longer.”
...Some of that may have been true. Black also remembered that his father would often act like a lunatic. He would lock himself in his room for days, not eating or sleeping, or mumbling incomprehensible things all day long. Sometimes he would explode in inexplicable anger, and sometimes he would lose his mind in endless melancholy. His father was not a good King, even in his memory. Maybe part of him understood why the rebellion had happened. Liene said that no one in the world could completely forget the grudge that was tied to their bloodline. Maybe that was true. Maybe he had not forgotten but had accepted it.
"So."
Black looked down disinterestedly at Ternan Kleinfelter, who was kneeling before him in a dirty state.
“So, what?”
Ternan Kleinfelter cocked his head stiffly.
“So you committed treason, chose the Arsak family who would act as good Kings and put them on the throne, and then you split the crown among yourselves and had fun. So what? Did that make Nauk a better place to live?”
“...It would be better than having the mad King alive.”
“No way. The richest kingdom in the South until twenty years ago is now the poorest. Oh, you haven’t heard that yet? It hasn’t been that long since we crawled out of our graves?”
“...”
Ternan Kleinfelter gritted his teeth silently.
“And you didn’t rebel for such noble reasons.”
Black slowly spat out the past over a face eroded by black shadows.
“The power of God. You must have tried to steal it.”
“...!”
Ternan Kleinfelter's eyes widened, and the priests around him opened their mouths in confusion as if they had no idea what he was talking about. Seeing his reaction, it became clearer. Very few people knew about the power of God. It must have been a secret that only a very small number of the families that had rebelled twenty years ago had tried to monopolize.
“It’s probably something to do with water... and is it something you can only get if you have a key?”
“...”
Looking at the distorted expression, he knew he had it right.
“You tortured Manau to learn about the power of the gods. Manau was lucky not to die. You had to keep quiet ever since Kleinfelter took over this kingdom. To survive.”
That was something even the priests had never known before.
“What? Is that true?”
The priests were excited and tried to approach, but the mercenaries blocked them appropriately.
“Now it is your turn to speak. About the power and keys of God.”
Black's lips twisted slightly.
“We should start when Manau wakes up. He will remember the torture he endured 20 years ago. I wonder what he will say if I tell him I can repay you in kind.”
“...That won’t happen.”
But there was one thing Black still didn't know: Ternan Kleinfelter hadn't just happened to sneak into the temple today.
“You will leave this earth on your own two feet without ever touching me with a single finger.”
“Why.”
“Or Arsak’s daughter will pay the price.”
"What?"
Ternan Klinefelter let out a sinister laugh, befitting a ghost who can't die.
“If my fingernail falls off, Arsak’s daughter will have her finger cut off, and if my leg breaks, Arsak’s daughter will have her ankle cut off.”
“...”
Black's face hardened as if it was going to make a sound.
***
Her head felt like a swamp. Her skin tickled as if it was burning. She desperately wanted a few drops of water that would drip onto her lips. Liene opened her mouth, which was not moving properly, and drank the water.
Ah... It tastes strange. It didn't feel like water. It was very bitter. It smelled strongly of bloody grass. What is this... Why am I...
“Riene.”
What is this... Is this a nightmare? Why do I hear voices that I shouldn’t hear...
“Riene.”
What is this... Is this a nightmare? Why do I hear voices that I shouldn’t hear...
Liene wanted to open her eyes, but her eyelids wouldn’t move. Her whole body was like that. It felt like she wouldn’t be able to move even if her skin melted from the fire.
“Liene. My Liene...”
She felt a hand brushing my forehead. Then, the hand that had been caressing her cheek pressed against her lips. That hand...
“Liene. My Liene...”
She felt a hand brushing my forehead. Then, the hand that had been caressing her cheek pressed against her lips. That hand...
Get it away. What are you... doing? What kind of dream is this...
“You have to open your mouth.”
Why... What are you trying to do...?
“Just a little more. Just a little more...”
His fingers dug into her lips and opened her clenched teeth. Liene wanted to bite them hard to tell them not to touch her, but her body wouldn't listen to her.
“It’s done now.”
The bitter and bloody water from earlier flowed out through the gaping teeth.
Liene tried to spit it out, but someone was blocking her nose, so her throat started to grumble on its own.
“Ugh... Cough!”
The vile water flowed down her throat for a long time. The time that seemed like it would never end finally ended, and her throat gave out a cough.
“Lieene!”
“...!”
Her body began to move somewhat. Liene thought that the voice that she had heard only in nightmares was still ringing and that this moment might not be a dream. Her hand moved at the same time as her thought.
Bam! Liene gathered all her remaining strength and slapped Lafite Kleinfelter in the face.
“...Ugh! Liene!”
“...Ugh! Liene!”
It couldn't have hurt much. Her body was in too bad shape for that. All that was left on Lafitte's left cheek was a clumsy handprint. It was so frustrating that her teeth ground together. She should have hit him properly until his nose bled.
“What are you doing... Touch me... Ugh!”
Her whole body ached as if it was being squeezed. Liene tilted her body, feeling dizzy as if her hands and feet were being pulled...
Yes, this is poison. Sir Werose put poison on me.
And she collapsed. But when she opened her eyes, Lafitte Kleinfelter was feeding her something. It tasted horrible, but her body started moving, so it must have been an antidote. If so, it was even worse than this bitter and bloody taste. It meant that Werose had joined hands with Kleinfelter and betrayed the royal family.
“What do you want?”
Liene forced her body to work. She had to come to her senses. It was obvious what Kleinfelter would do. He must have done this out of a ridiculous delusion of driving Tiwakan out of Nauk. However, there was someone who fed that delusion. It was the Princess of the Sharka kingdom.
“I don’t want to talk for long. Just tell me what you want from me. I’ll listen and decide.”
“Can’t you say hello to me first?”
Lafitte Kleinfelter was talking crazy. Only now did her hazy eyes begin to notice her surroundings. Liene realized that they were at the entrance to a labyrinthine cave behind a dried-up waterfall. There was no one around. It was just Lafitte Kleinfelter. But if she listened closely, she could clearly hear a small voice. There must have been more people out there.
“No. I don’t like it.”
“Lieene...”
Lafitte's expression distorted as if he was about to cry.
“I risked my life and crossed the border to save you. I squeezed myself into the carriage seat and endured the pain that made my neck feel like it was going to break! Don’t you wonder why I went that far to come back to Nauk?”
“Not even a little bit. It would have been better if your neck had been broken back then.”
“Liene! How can you say that!”
“You should have been hanged, not banished!”
Liene wanted to scream, but her throat felt like it was burning. No matter how hard she tried to scream, her voice wouldn’t even escape the darkness.
“What do you want?”
Liene forced her body to work. She had to come to her senses. It was obvious what Kleinfelter would do. He must have done this out of a ridiculous delusion of driving Tiwakan out of Nauk. However, there was someone who fed that delusion. It was the Princess of the Sharka kingdom.
“I don’t want to talk for long. Just tell me what you want from me. I’ll listen and decide.”
“Can’t you say hello to me first?”
Lafitte Kleinfelter was talking crazy. Only now did her hazy eyes begin to notice her surroundings. Liene realized that they were at the entrance to a labyrinthine cave behind a dried-up waterfall. There was no one around. It was just Lafitte Kleinfelter. But if she listened closely, she could clearly hear a small voice. There must have been more people out there.
“No. I don’t like it.”
“Lieene...”
Lafitte's expression distorted as if he was about to cry.
“I risked my life and crossed the border to save you. I squeezed myself into the carriage seat and endured the pain that made my neck feel like it was going to break! Don’t you wonder why I went that far to come back to Nauk?”
“Not even a little bit. It would have been better if your neck had been broken back then.”
“Liene! How can you say that!”
“You should have been hanged, not banished!”
Liene wanted to scream, but her throat felt like it was burning. No matter how hard she tried to scream, her voice wouldn’t even escape the darkness.
Just hold on a little longer. Once the antidote starts working, I’ll be able to move my body. Then I can scream.
This place wasn’t too far from the castle. Tiwakan would have known she was missing and started searching. If she screamed while running, they would find me right away.
“I was a fool to have done the last act of kindness. That man put the most fearsome sword on the continent in my hands! And I couldn’t wield it, so I had to endure this again... There will never be another fool like me.”
“I was a fool to have done the last act of kindness. That man put the most fearsome sword on the continent in my hands! And I couldn’t wield it, so I had to endure this again... There will never be another fool like me.”
“Lieene!”
As Lafitte couldn't hold it in anymore and started screaming, someone came from the other side.
“Quiet! Are you deliberately trying to tell them that you’re hiding here?”
The distorted body lines mixed with the darkness made it immediately recognizable as who it was. It was Werose.
“I know it’s presumptuous of me to say this, but you’ll keep your mouth shut for now. The Princess will need time to realize the truth.”
“I don’t need that kind of time! Send me back to the castle right now. Then I’ll let you die in peace... Ugh!”
Werose firmly tied a cloth over Liene's mouth. She could scream, but she didn't have the strength to push the sturdy knight away. She twisted her head around to avoid Werose, but her efforts were in vain as her mouth was blocked.
“It seems the antidote is taking effect faster than expected. I’m sorry, but I’ll have to tie you up, Princess.”
Werose took the string that had been used to tie the sack and tied Liene’s hands behind her back... She has to pretend to be weak. If she keeps doing this, her feet will be tied too. Liene rested her head on the floor helplessly.
“Fuck.”
Lafitte clenched his fists and ground his teeth.
“You can’t do this to me... After all, I did to get you back.”
...I told you not to do anything. You're such an idiot.
“I had to do something like... selling my body..."
What the hell is that? I was getting angry when I heard it. You did that because of me? Did I tell you to do it? This is ridiculous.
Lafitte bowed his head to Liene, who was lying on the ground.
“Look at me, Liene. Do you see that I have given everything for you? I have no pride left. You are the only thing I have left. Look at me. Take pity on me.”
He came closer as if he was going to kiss her on the forehead, saying something that didn't make sense.
“Look at me, Liene. Do you see that I have given everything for you? I have no pride left. You are the only thing I have left. Look at me. Take pity on me.”
He came closer as if he was going to kiss her on the forehead, saying something that didn't make sense.
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