Black brought a dry towel after sitting Liene on a chair. He started drying her wet hair with the towel as he had done before.
“What would it be like if there was an ocean in Nauk?”
Liene opened her mouth as she looked out at the ocean beyond the terrace, where the sound of waves could be heard.
“Then it would have been a completely different country, right? The food, lifestyle and the way we viewed other countries would have been completely different.”
“Do you want an ocean?”
“Um... Isn’t that a bit strange? People can’t have an ocean. But I’m a little jealous. It’s completely different from lakes or rivers. It feels like the water moves very dynamically.”
The words that Black heard the loudest were words of jealousy.
“We just need to move the border.”
“Huh?”
“To where the ocean is. I think it’ll take about half a year.”
“...Huh?”
Liene blinked, wondering what she had just heard, and then jumped when she realized he was talking about a war of conquest.
“What are you talking about! Let’s invade the Kingdom of Sharka? A kingdom this big?”
“What would it be like if there was an ocean in Nauk?”
Liene opened her mouth as she looked out at the ocean beyond the terrace, where the sound of waves could be heard.
“Then it would have been a completely different country, right? The food, lifestyle and the way we viewed other countries would have been completely different.”
“Do you want an ocean?”
“Um... Isn’t that a bit strange? People can’t have an ocean. But I’m a little jealous. It’s completely different from lakes or rivers. It feels like the water moves very dynamically.”
The words that Black heard the loudest were words of jealousy.
“We just need to move the border.”
“Huh?”
“To where the ocean is. I think it’ll take about half a year.”
“...Huh?”
Liene blinked, wondering what she had just heard, and then jumped when she realized he was talking about a war of conquest.
“What are you talking about! Let’s invade the Kingdom of Sharka? A kingdom this big?”
“If you’re going to do it, now is the time. The royal family will be divided because of this. If we join forces with the forces opposing the King, we won’t need to send an army other than Tiwakan.”
“Wow...”
Liene turned around in her chair and grabbed Black’s face.
“What kind of war are you talking about so easily?”
“I thought I could give you the sea.”
“Wow, really.”
Liene opened her mouth for a moment, trying to decide what to say. She didn’t know where to start.
She had learned a lesson that she shouldn’t carelessly say things she was jealous of in front of this man.
“We’re newlyweds, and you want to be apart for half a year? That’s enough. I don’t need that kind of sea.”
Black suddenly burst into laughter.
“Is that why you’re refusing?”
“Do you need any other reason?”
“No.”
Black put the towel away and hugged Liene, whose hair was still wet.
“It seems like the best reason for the Princess to reject my offer. But think about it. Opportunities like this don’t come around every time.”
“There’s a lot of empty land in Nauk. It can’t be helped since there are fewer people. I think it’s more important to protect what you have than to covet what belongs to others.”
“...That’s right. The sea is a bit of a waste, though.”
Liene lifted her head and studied Black’s expression.
“Aren’t you the one who covets the sea?”
“Wow...”
Liene turned around in her chair and grabbed Black’s face.
“What kind of war are you talking about so easily?”
“I thought I could give you the sea.”
“Wow, really.”
Liene opened her mouth for a moment, trying to decide what to say. She didn’t know where to start.
She had learned a lesson that she shouldn’t carelessly say things she was jealous of in front of this man.
“We’re newlyweds, and you want to be apart for half a year? That’s enough. I don’t need that kind of sea.”
Black suddenly burst into laughter.
“Is that why you’re refusing?”
“Do you need any other reason?”
“No.”
Black put the towel away and hugged Liene, whose hair was still wet.
“It seems like the best reason for the Princess to reject my offer. But think about it. Opportunities like this don’t come around every time.”
“There’s a lot of empty land in Nauk. It can’t be helped since there are fewer people. I think it’s more important to protect what you have than to covet what belongs to others.”
“...That’s right. The sea is a bit of a waste, though.”
Liene lifted her head and studied Black’s expression.
“Aren’t you the one who covets the sea?”
She didn’t like the sea. The salty smell didn’t bother her, and she especially hated naval battles. There were too many variables that humans couldn’t control.
“Maybe.”
But Liene didn’t need to know such trivial things.
“Turn your head back. How about drying your hair and taking a walk along the beach?”
The towel began to gently rub her hair again.
Liene’s eyes followed the movements of his fingers, loosely hanging down.
“Oh, that’s good. I want to see it up close. But it seems farther than it looks. Isn’t that taking up too much time?”
“They said there was a passage leading to the beach from the back of the building. It’s not far.”
“Okay then.”
After carefully wiping the water off their hair, the two put on light cloaks and headed to the beach.
Liene was delighted for a long time, saying that the sparkling white sand was so pretty and beautiful, and Black forgot his sense of time as he watched her.
It seemed like moving the border was something they should seriously consider.
Not now, but after the honeymoon.
As the sun began to set, the sea turned completely red.
Liene watched until the red sun, which was so bright that it didn’t hurt her eyes even when looking straight ahead, completely sank into the horizon.
Thinking that this moment with the man who said he would bring her the sea if she wanted it, would last forever in her heart.
“Your Majesty.”
Her maid cautiously called Queen Dileras of Sharka, her bloodshot face rising at the small voice of her maid.
“Maybe.”
But Liene didn’t need to know such trivial things.
“Turn your head back. How about drying your hair and taking a walk along the beach?”
The towel began to gently rub her hair again.
Liene’s eyes followed the movements of his fingers, loosely hanging down.
“Oh, that’s good. I want to see it up close. But it seems farther than it looks. Isn’t that taking up too much time?”
“They said there was a passage leading to the beach from the back of the building. It’s not far.”
“Okay then.”
After carefully wiping the water off their hair, the two put on light cloaks and headed to the beach.
Liene was delighted for a long time, saying that the sparkling white sand was so pretty and beautiful, and Black forgot his sense of time as he watched her.
It seemed like moving the border was something they should seriously consider.
Not now, but after the honeymoon.
As the sun began to set, the sea turned completely red.
Liene watched until the red sun, which was so bright that it didn’t hurt her eyes even when looking straight ahead, completely sank into the horizon.
Thinking that this moment with the man who said he would bring her the sea if she wanted it, would last forever in her heart.
***
“Your Majesty.”
Her maid cautiously called Queen Dileras of Sharka, her bloodshot face rising at the small voice of her maid.
“...”
“...Your Majesty.”
When the Queen furrowed her brows and didn’t answer, the maid called again with a face that seemed like she wanted to stamp her feet.
“That, that’s enough...”
“I told you so!”
Bam!
As expected, something flew.
The maid was hit in the knee by the marble vase thrown by the Queen.
Tears welled up in the pain.
“Are you deaf?! I told you over and over again that I didn’t need any of it!”
“That... You have to reply... The secretary...”
The maid managed to finish her sentence while choking up.
After moving to the villa, or rather after being kicked out, the Queen’s temper was so bad that the subordinates could not do anything about it. Since the Queen did not eat, the maids could not find time to eat, and since the Queen did not sleep, the maids could not dare to say that they were sleeping.
The maid who was telling the story now also had dark circles under her eyes.
“Or, Your Majesty’s dignity...”
“Dignity, dignity! Where else would I have dignity! My husband abandoned me, and now my dead son’s woman has taken my place! That dignity? What will happen if I try to protect that now!”
“Your Majesty... Hold on tight. If you do this, your body will be ruined...”
The maid could not continue speaking properly as she held back tears.
“Ha!”
The Queen let out a heavy sigh and her body slumped against the sofa.
“I don’t need any of it... This young body will die like this. When I die, I will curse my husband... and that dirty... Ugh!”
Even thinking about it made Queen Dileras bend over and retch.
No way, no way.
However, no matter how she looked at it, her husband’s reaction was not that of a father-in-law, but of a concubine. When she told him she was pregnant, he opened his mouth wide and laughed. He promised the unborn child the position of the first Prince and talked crazy.
He stroked her cheek, patted her hand, and gently stroked her chest, saying how hard it must be to have a baby.
“I should have vomited right then and there...”
It was no secret that the King changed his concubine every season, but she never thought he would touch her daughter-in-law.
Her son’s body would be glaring in the grave.
But there was nothing she could do.
He was a crazy husband who committed adultery with his daughter-in-law, but he was still a King.
The tears that she thought had dried up after a few days poured out again. When the Queen began to sob, the maid quickly brought her a handkerchief.
“Your Majesty. You might feel better when you see the gift.”
“Hold on... Ah, wait. Did you say a gift?”
The maid sighed inwardly.
She had mentioned that gifts had arrived from Nauk since noon, but the Queen had barely heard them.
“Yes, Your Majesty. A gift from the royal family of Nauk.”
“Nauk?”
Queen Dileras squeezed out a vague memory.
“That is... Oh, right. Isn’t that where they banished someone a while ago? Someone... complained to the King about that.”
“...Your Majesty.”
When the Queen furrowed her brows and didn’t answer, the maid called again with a face that seemed like she wanted to stamp her feet.
“That, that’s enough...”
“I told you so!”
Bam!
As expected, something flew.
The maid was hit in the knee by the marble vase thrown by the Queen.
Tears welled up in the pain.
“Are you deaf?! I told you over and over again that I didn’t need any of it!”
“That... You have to reply... The secretary...”
The maid managed to finish her sentence while choking up.
After moving to the villa, or rather after being kicked out, the Queen’s temper was so bad that the subordinates could not do anything about it. Since the Queen did not eat, the maids could not find time to eat, and since the Queen did not sleep, the maids could not dare to say that they were sleeping.
The maid who was telling the story now also had dark circles under her eyes.
“Or, Your Majesty’s dignity...”
“Dignity, dignity! Where else would I have dignity! My husband abandoned me, and now my dead son’s woman has taken my place! That dignity? What will happen if I try to protect that now!”
“Your Majesty... Hold on tight. If you do this, your body will be ruined...”
The maid could not continue speaking properly as she held back tears.
“Ha!”
The Queen let out a heavy sigh and her body slumped against the sofa.
“I don’t need any of it... This young body will die like this. When I die, I will curse my husband... and that dirty... Ugh!”
Even thinking about it made Queen Dileras bend over and retch.
No way, no way.
However, no matter how she looked at it, her husband’s reaction was not that of a father-in-law, but of a concubine. When she told him she was pregnant, he opened his mouth wide and laughed. He promised the unborn child the position of the first Prince and talked crazy.
He stroked her cheek, patted her hand, and gently stroked her chest, saying how hard it must be to have a baby.
“I should have vomited right then and there...”
It was no secret that the King changed his concubine every season, but she never thought he would touch her daughter-in-law.
Her son’s body would be glaring in the grave.
But there was nothing she could do.
He was a crazy husband who committed adultery with his daughter-in-law, but he was still a King.
The tears that she thought had dried up after a few days poured out again. When the Queen began to sob, the maid quickly brought her a handkerchief.
“Your Majesty. You might feel better when you see the gift.”
“Hold on... Ah, wait. Did you say a gift?”
The maid sighed inwardly.
She had mentioned that gifts had arrived from Nauk since noon, but the Queen had barely heard them.
“Yes, Your Majesty. A gift from the royal family of Nauk.”
“Nauk?”
Queen Dileras squeezed out a vague memory.
“That is... Oh, right. Isn’t that where they banished someone a while ago? Someone... complained to the King about that.”
He was probably the son of the deceased Third Emperor. He was not a very important person, so the royal family turned a deaf ear to the complaints.
He was Lafitte Kleinfelter’s maternal uncle and had fallen out of favor with the King for refusing to accept the banishment order from the royal family of Nauk.
The King had little interest in the issue of his nephew’s child, whose face he could not even remember because he had married into a foreign country long ago.
“I don’t know about that. The secretary said that since a gift has arrived, it would be right to send a reply.”
“Haa... Why are you torturing this already exhausted body in a small country...? Bring me a gift.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The maid who had been tormented by the secretary all afternoon quickly retreated with a look of relief and brought a gift from a foreign country.
The gift itself was neither excessive nor out of place.
Queen Dileras liked the pearl box containing tea leaves grown in Nauk.
“But why did they send this?”
“There is a letter, Your Majesty.”
The maid quickly handed over the letter.
Originally, it was the secretary’s job to read letters, but the royal secretary had recently suffered a split in the head after being hit by a plate thrown by the Queen. Not only was his head split but he was also banned from entering the villa.
Because of this, the innocent maids suffered.
“I don’t know if I can read it to you, Your Majesty.”
“Read it. Do I even need to hold the letter with these listless hands?”
“If you say so.”
The listless hands had just been looking over the pearl box.
The maid began to silently read the old-fashioned writing written in the handwriting of the royal secretary of the Kingdom of Nauk.
The Princess of Nauk had recently gotten married and was traveling nearby.
Up until that point, it was a story of someone else that had no interest at all.
However, when the story went back a little, Queen Dileras’s expression suddenly changed.
“...What did you say?”
“Yes, Your Majesty?”
“Didn’t you say something about the child’s sovereignty?”
“Yes, yes?”
The maid was so focused on reading the letter without making a mistake that she didn’t really know what she was reading.
“Hand it over!”
Queen Dileras, who had her body weak, suddenly sat up and snatched the letter from the maid’s hands.
“....”
The letter was short and elegant, describing the process of marrying the Tiwakan chieftain.
If anyone had seen it, they would have thought it was a friendly letter to get to know each other.
Someone else would have called the Tiwakan chieftain a man without manners for including a clause in the marriage contract that recognized the child of Arsak as the next ruler, regardless of whose bloodline it was.
However, it was different for Queen Dileras.
Unless the Princess of Nauk was intentionally trying to harass her, there was no way she would have mentioned the next rulership.
And if they could meet face to face, she would have prepared another gift that she would like.
“Call the secretary.”
Queen Dileras read it all the way to that point and made an urgent gesture.
“Quick. Tell him that I have to send a reply today.”
“Yes? Yes, Your Majesty.”
The maid also felt anxious for no reason and went to find the royal secretary.
Queen Dileras’ invitation, filled with warm friendship and a desire to welcome Princess Liene of Nauk, rode the moonlight.
“Even tomorrow morning is fine. The gates of the villa will be open whenever you want. Do you think you’ve figured it out?”
Liene said with a grin after reading the invitation from the royal family.
“Queen Dileras is said to be a smarter person than the King. Even if she was bedridden from shock, she wouldn’t have lost her mind.”
“She must be feeling very bad. Her son died not long ago.”
“That would be true. Even if he was a son who would die soon.”
In the meantime, the information agent had reported that Prince Bashad had suffered from syphilis while he was alive.
That was why few voices suspected murder in his sudden death. He was already weak, but with syphilis as a fatal disease, it would not have been strange for him to die at any time.
“One thing I’m worried about is Klinefelter. I don’t think he’ll confess his crimes that easily. It’s an insult to the royal family and a deception. Even if there’s someone from his maternal family in the royal family, he won’t be able to get away with it.”
“The Queen of Sharka will probably know how to get Klinefelter to open his mouth. And there’s no more power to protect Klinefelter.”
“Why is that?”
“If there was, they would have already shown up.”
“Um... I don’t know. Who knows that we brought Klinefelter here?”
“Even if we didn’t bring him here if there was someone curious about Klinefelter’s life or death, they would have at least tried to confirm it.”
“Oh, I see. Then I hope the Queen of Sharka handles things well.”
“Yes.”
The Queen was so angry that she threw things, so she wouldn’t miss the opportunity. You could tell from the active invitation.
“Then when should we go tomorrow?”
“Don’t worry and sleep comfortably. I’ll wake up leisurely and go as soon as I’m ready.”
“The Queen of Sharka will be waiting. I said the morning was fine.”
“But that doesn’t mean the Princess should be short on morning sleep.”
Liene laughed and lightly pulled Black’s ear.
“Sometimes you seem like a bad person. In fact, you’re a very good person.”
“The word very good doesn’t seem to suit me. Instead, I just need to be a good person to the Princess.”
“Hmm... What should I do? That sounds better.”
“That would be right.”
Black lightly lifted Liene and carried her to the bed.
“I know you don’t have to wake up early tomorrow, so get some good sleep.”
“That’s a lie.”
Liene gently tickled Black’s earlobe.
“You probably don’t even think about putting me to bed yet.”
“Like I said..."
Black sat on his knees on the bed and loosely pulled down the knot of his shirt.
“I’m someone who does good things for the Princess.”
“So what’s a good thing right now?”
“Well.”
Black laughed quietly and bit Liene’s lower lip.
“Princess, tell me.”
Liene whispered something, their lips barely touching.
Just as Liene had said, the words about growing up were a lie.
Liene finally closed her eyes in the slow dawn.
He was Lafitte Kleinfelter’s maternal uncle and had fallen out of favor with the King for refusing to accept the banishment order from the royal family of Nauk.
The King had little interest in the issue of his nephew’s child, whose face he could not even remember because he had married into a foreign country long ago.
“I don’t know about that. The secretary said that since a gift has arrived, it would be right to send a reply.”
“Haa... Why are you torturing this already exhausted body in a small country...? Bring me a gift.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The maid who had been tormented by the secretary all afternoon quickly retreated with a look of relief and brought a gift from a foreign country.
The gift itself was neither excessive nor out of place.
Queen Dileras liked the pearl box containing tea leaves grown in Nauk.
“But why did they send this?”
“There is a letter, Your Majesty.”
The maid quickly handed over the letter.
Originally, it was the secretary’s job to read letters, but the royal secretary had recently suffered a split in the head after being hit by a plate thrown by the Queen. Not only was his head split but he was also banned from entering the villa.
Because of this, the innocent maids suffered.
“I don’t know if I can read it to you, Your Majesty.”
“Read it. Do I even need to hold the letter with these listless hands?”
“If you say so.”
The listless hands had just been looking over the pearl box.
The maid began to silently read the old-fashioned writing written in the handwriting of the royal secretary of the Kingdom of Nauk.
The Princess of Nauk had recently gotten married and was traveling nearby.
Up until that point, it was a story of someone else that had no interest at all.
However, when the story went back a little, Queen Dileras’s expression suddenly changed.
“...What did you say?”
“Yes, Your Majesty?”
“Didn’t you say something about the child’s sovereignty?”
“Yes, yes?”
The maid was so focused on reading the letter without making a mistake that she didn’t really know what she was reading.
“Hand it over!”
Queen Dileras, who had her body weak, suddenly sat up and snatched the letter from the maid’s hands.
“....”
The letter was short and elegant, describing the process of marrying the Tiwakan chieftain.
If anyone had seen it, they would have thought it was a friendly letter to get to know each other.
Someone else would have called the Tiwakan chieftain a man without manners for including a clause in the marriage contract that recognized the child of Arsak as the next ruler, regardless of whose bloodline it was.
However, it was different for Queen Dileras.
Unless the Princess of Nauk was intentionally trying to harass her, there was no way she would have mentioned the next rulership.
And if they could meet face to face, she would have prepared another gift that she would like.
“Call the secretary.”
Queen Dileras read it all the way to that point and made an urgent gesture.
“Quick. Tell him that I have to send a reply today.”
“Yes? Yes, Your Majesty.”
The maid also felt anxious for no reason and went to find the royal secretary.
Queen Dileras’ invitation, filled with warm friendship and a desire to welcome Princess Liene of Nauk, rode the moonlight.
***
“Even tomorrow morning is fine. The gates of the villa will be open whenever you want. Do you think you’ve figured it out?”
Liene said with a grin after reading the invitation from the royal family.
“Queen Dileras is said to be a smarter person than the King. Even if she was bedridden from shock, she wouldn’t have lost her mind.”
“She must be feeling very bad. Her son died not long ago.”
“That would be true. Even if he was a son who would die soon.”
In the meantime, the information agent had reported that Prince Bashad had suffered from syphilis while he was alive.
That was why few voices suspected murder in his sudden death. He was already weak, but with syphilis as a fatal disease, it would not have been strange for him to die at any time.
“One thing I’m worried about is Klinefelter. I don’t think he’ll confess his crimes that easily. It’s an insult to the royal family and a deception. Even if there’s someone from his maternal family in the royal family, he won’t be able to get away with it.”
“The Queen of Sharka will probably know how to get Klinefelter to open his mouth. And there’s no more power to protect Klinefelter.”
“Why is that?”
“If there was, they would have already shown up.”
“Um... I don’t know. Who knows that we brought Klinefelter here?”
“Even if we didn’t bring him here if there was someone curious about Klinefelter’s life or death, they would have at least tried to confirm it.”
“Oh, I see. Then I hope the Queen of Sharka handles things well.”
“Yes.”
The Queen was so angry that she threw things, so she wouldn’t miss the opportunity. You could tell from the active invitation.
“Then when should we go tomorrow?”
“Don’t worry and sleep comfortably. I’ll wake up leisurely and go as soon as I’m ready.”
“The Queen of Sharka will be waiting. I said the morning was fine.”
“But that doesn’t mean the Princess should be short on morning sleep.”
Liene laughed and lightly pulled Black’s ear.
“Sometimes you seem like a bad person. In fact, you’re a very good person.”
“The word very good doesn’t seem to suit me. Instead, I just need to be a good person to the Princess.”
“Hmm... What should I do? That sounds better.”
“That would be right.”
Black lightly lifted Liene and carried her to the bed.
“I know you don’t have to wake up early tomorrow, so get some good sleep.”
“That’s a lie.”
Liene gently tickled Black’s earlobe.
“You probably don’t even think about putting me to bed yet.”
“Like I said..."
Black sat on his knees on the bed and loosely pulled down the knot of his shirt.
“I’m someone who does good things for the Princess.”
“So what’s a good thing right now?”
“Well.”
Black laughed quietly and bit Liene’s lower lip.
“Princess, tell me.”
Liene whispered something, their lips barely touching.
Just as Liene had said, the words about growing up were a lie.
Liene finally closed her eyes in the slow dawn.
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