“Ah...”
It hurt a little somehow. Liene feet were a mess because she was wearing shoes that didn’t fit.
“I didn’t know it hurt. And it’s not really a big deal. Everyone got stabbed by a knife, but mine was just a scraped heel.”
“Don’t get used to small wounds. They don’t suit you.”
Black took off the other shoe as well.
“What else does it not suit? And you were hurt too. Here.”
Liene touched Black’s leg, which was slightly bleeding.
There was blood on his dark pants. It was above the knee, slightly inside the leg, so if the wound had been a little deeper or in a different location, it would have been a serious injury.
“It’s not just here.”
There were cuts and bruises here and there on his forearm and shoulder.
“You shouldn’t touch it recklessly.”
Black grabbed Liene’s hand and pulled it away from the wound.
“Having something is different from not having something. It would also give the nobles of Sharka a reason to oppose the war.”
Black, who had been frowning, suddenly asked a question.
“If you were the King of Sharka, what would you do by now?”
“Huh? Are you asking me?”
Usually, Fermos would be the one to ask such questions. Randall was a little flustered but answered as best he could. Black probably wouldn’t want him to take Fermos’ place anyway.
“Um... First, they’ll try to catch us. They’ll probably be harassing the guards since they’re probably really angry."
“Then the guards. What should they do to catch us?”
“Well... Unless they’re idiots, they’ll have to predict our movements. They’ll think about where we’re going. Since we’re at a disadvantage in numbers, we’ll have to go to the border first and join up with the party... Um, they’ll block the road to the southern border. Of course, we won’t be using the road, we’ll be climbing the mountain.”
“Yes. The guards will be concentrated in the south.”
“Yes.”
Liene said happily.
“Then the road to Germ Canyon will be unobstructed. They won’t know we’re going there. No one knows what Queen Dileras told us about Germ Canyon.”
Black nodded.
“If we speed up, we can get there before noon. We can get the ring, take the Princess hostage, cross the northern border, and return to Nauk via the city of Bluewarren.”
“Then we won’t have to run into Sharka’s army.”
Randall muttered, his face trembling with relief at the unexpected news.
“Ugh... If that happens, it’ll be like playing around and getting stabbed in the back. It’ll be more boring than I thought. Hmm...? It’s not so bad either…”
“But we have to be quick. We have to cross the northern border before the sun sets. Bluewarren doesn’t open its border at night.”
“We won’t be chased, but we’ll be out of breath.”
“Get everyone ready.”
“Yes, my lord.”
Randall turned around and ran towards the group.
“So... is this the decision? To go to Germ?”
“Yes.”
Liene was rather bewildered by the short and concise answer.
“I thought you would think about it a little more... um, I mean...”
“I don’t think I’ve ever failed to grant the Princess’s wish.”
“Oh, that’s true... but this isn’t a trivial matter. And I might be wrong.”
“It doesn’t make much of a difference to me whether it’s a trivial matter or not. And the Princess wasn’t wrong.”
“Really? Do you think so too?”
“Yes.”
Black bowed his head briefly and met Liene’s foreheads.
“To me, war has always been fought for personal reasons. And it still is. I was really angry when the Archduchess tried to touch the Princess.”
“I was angry too...”
“The reason the Princess wants to go to war is different from mine. So I can understand why you want to avoid war. Perhaps the Princess thought about what would be better for Nauk.”
“But... there are also personal reasons. If we go to war for two months, I will have to be away from you for two months, right? And I will be anxious every day.”
Her forehead fell.
“If that is the reason, why didn’t you tell me earlier?
“No, that is too trivial and personal.”
“I like it the most.”
Black swallowed her lips.
The kiss, which was so short that it was hard to count on one hand, was intense enough to be unforgettable for a long time.
“...The rest at Blue Warren.”
Black let go of her lips.
Even though they had kissed each other countless times, she felt embarrassed to meet his gaze now.
Perhaps it was because it was too hot for the place.
“...Yes. At Blue Warren.”
Liene turned her head, fanning herself with her hand for no reason.
“Sit down. I will bring your shoes.”
Black brought shoes and put them on.
Her heart kept pounding every time she saw him carefully handling her red, scabbed feet.
The group that left the mountain found a horse nearby.
There was a pilgrim village nearby, and there was always a market there even at dawn because of the pilgrims coming down from the north.
They got the thick robes that pilgrims wore and put them on, and the group became a pilgrim procession.
The road to Germ Valley was easier than they thought.
It hurt a little somehow. Liene feet were a mess because she was wearing shoes that didn’t fit.
“I didn’t know it hurt. And it’s not really a big deal. Everyone got stabbed by a knife, but mine was just a scraped heel.”
“Don’t get used to small wounds. They don’t suit you.”
Black took off the other shoe as well.
“What else does it not suit? And you were hurt too. Here.”
Liene touched Black’s leg, which was slightly bleeding.
There was blood on his dark pants. It was above the knee, slightly inside the leg, so if the wound had been a little deeper or in a different location, it would have been a serious injury.
“It’s not just here.”
There were cuts and bruises here and there on his forearm and shoulder.
“You shouldn’t touch it recklessly.”
Black grabbed Liene’s hand and pulled it away from the wound.
“Oh, I’m sorry. Does it hurt a lot?”
“It doesn’t hurt, so I can’t.”
“What do you mean?”
“I feel like it’s been a long time since I’ve seen the Princess.”
“...?”
He brushed his sweaty hair away from his forehead.
“I want to check. I’ve forgotten where I am.”
“That is...”
There was no need to ask what he meant.
She could tell from his expression.
“It might hurt if it touches the water. If it hurts, tell me.”
Black changed the subject and carefully poured water on Liene’s feet.
The water was cold, and the hand holding her feet was hot.
Suddenly, her body tensed at that contradictory feeling.
Even though they were a couple and had been sharing a bed, he always made her tense up unexpectedly.
This tingling tension was why he was so fascinating.
“All done.”
Since there was no towel, Black wrapped Liene’s feet in his clothes.
“I want to dry them after washing them... Can you hold out a little longer?”
Liene looked around over Black’s shoulder.
There was no one uninjured. They were all tending to familiar wounds and changing their clothes. Everyone except him seemed ready to move at any moment.
“I can endure it, but you?”
Liene deliberately playfully rubbed her sweaty hair against Black’s shoulder.
“Do you think I can endure this?”
“Don’t do that. You’re too cute. I don’t want to look embarrassed in front of my subordinates.”
“It doesn’t hurt, so I can’t.”
“What do you mean?”
“I feel like it’s been a long time since I’ve seen the Princess.”
“...?”
He brushed his sweaty hair away from his forehead.
“I want to check. I’ve forgotten where I am.”
“That is...”
There was no need to ask what he meant.
She could tell from his expression.
“It might hurt if it touches the water. If it hurts, tell me.”
Black changed the subject and carefully poured water on Liene’s feet.
The water was cold, and the hand holding her feet was hot.
Suddenly, her body tensed at that contradictory feeling.
Even though they were a couple and had been sharing a bed, he always made her tense up unexpectedly.
This tingling tension was why he was so fascinating.
“All done.”
Since there was no towel, Black wrapped Liene’s feet in his clothes.
“I want to dry them after washing them... Can you hold out a little longer?”
Liene looked around over Black’s shoulder.
There was no one uninjured. They were all tending to familiar wounds and changing their clothes. Everyone except him seemed ready to move at any moment.
“I can endure it, but you?”
Liene deliberately playfully rubbed her sweaty hair against Black’s shoulder.
“Do you think I can endure this?”
“Don’t do that. You’re too cute. I don’t want to look embarrassed in front of my subordinates.”
“Oh, really... You should be the one who says things like that all the time. If you do, I can’t endure it either.”
Black leaned in close to her and asked,
“What can’t you endure?”
“Why are you asking when you already know?”
“I don’t know.”
Black rubbed their noses together and rubbed the tips of their noses.
“Since you don’t know, tell me. I’ll take note.”
“Wow... You were a little annoying just now.”
Black leaned in close to her and asked,
“What can’t you endure?”
“Why are you asking when you already know?”
“I don’t know.”
Black rubbed their noses together and rubbed the tips of their noses.
“Since you don’t know, tell me. I’ll take note.”
“Wow... You were a little annoying just now.”
Liene smiled and pushed Black’s shoulder.
Randall, who was carrying a thick bundle of clothes in his hand, approached him, taking note.
“My lord, we are all set. The sun will rise soon, so I think it would be best to move now. We have to cross that mountain to get to the southern border, and it would be difficult if the sun rose before we got over the ridge.”
“Oh, I see. Princess, can you put on your shoes?”
He could put on his shoes, but he wanted to think about going to the border.
“That’s it.”
“Do you have anything to say?”
Black motioned for Randall to step back.
But Liene stopped him.
“No, I want you to talk to me too. Did you hear what Queen Dileras said?”
“Oh, me? Yes. I was there too. But why...?”
“Queen Dileras said that if Princess Bliny wasn’t at the main palace, she would be at the castle near Germ’s Pass. She thought the King had sent her there. Maybe he had made us retreat in case we failed before sending our guards?”
“Didn’t you say that was just a guess? They might have been hiding somewhere in the main palace. And even if that’s the case... um...”
Randall, who was about to say something, rubbed his chin with a serious expression.
“...I think the Princess is suggesting that we go to Germ Canyon right now, is that right?”
“Yes. What do you think?”
Black’s brows furrowed.
“Queen Dileras would never have said something like that out loud... Even if she's not on good terms with the King, she won’t join hands with the enemy.”
“No, there was a reason. I told her that all Nauk wanted was Princess Bliny. If Princess Bliny could be punished in Nauk, I would want nothing more. There was no need to make a big war.”
“...Princess.”
The voice calling Liene became heavier.
“The time when that was possible has passed. The war began the moment the King refused to hand over the archduchess.”
It wasn’t that Black was wrong.
Instead of keeping his promise, the King of Sharka sent his guards. That meant an irreversible outcome for the two countries.
That was why Liene had to meet Queen Dileras.
“It might be possible. Queen Dileras promised. She said she would try to stop the King from gathering an army.”
As the conversation got to that point, Black guessed what Liene was going to do.
“...Continue.”
“You said it. If only the Queen’s family opposed the conscription, it would be harder for the King to raise an army. Queen Dileras wants Princess Bliny to pay for her crimes. She said she would inform every family she could influence why the King was going to war.”
“It would delay the gathering of an army.”
“Yes, just as you said.”
Randall scratched his cheek with the hand that had been rubbing his chin.
“But wouldn’t that be better for us? If the army wasn’t properly assembled, it would be much easier to deal with. We could have them surrender in two months.”
“That would mean a lot of people dying in those two months.”
Liene added calmly.
“I’m not saying we shouldn’t fight at all. Even if we were to get the ring back and end it there, I know that Sharka wouldn’t be there. War would inevitably follow. But we could try to avoid it.”
“The King of Sharka wouldn’t think the way you do.”
“I know. But the King wants to go to war to keep the Princess from being handed over to Nauk. And we want the ring back, not the Princess.”
“Are you saying we should just give up the Archduchess? She sent an assassin to the Princess. She would do the same thing as long as she lived.”
“Well... Princess Bliny will have to pay a fair price, too. It doesn’t have to be in Nauk. But I don’t think Princess Bliny will be safe in the Kingdom of Sharka any longer. Queen Dileras still has Kleinfelter as a witness.”
Randall, who was carrying a thick bundle of clothes in his hand, approached him, taking note.
“My lord, we are all set. The sun will rise soon, so I think it would be best to move now. We have to cross that mountain to get to the southern border, and it would be difficult if the sun rose before we got over the ridge.”
“Oh, I see. Princess, can you put on your shoes?”
He could put on his shoes, but he wanted to think about going to the border.
“That’s it.”
“Do you have anything to say?”
Black motioned for Randall to step back.
But Liene stopped him.
“No, I want you to talk to me too. Did you hear what Queen Dileras said?”
“Oh, me? Yes. I was there too. But why...?”
“Queen Dileras said that if Princess Bliny wasn’t at the main palace, she would be at the castle near Germ’s Pass. She thought the King had sent her there. Maybe he had made us retreat in case we failed before sending our guards?”
“Didn’t you say that was just a guess? They might have been hiding somewhere in the main palace. And even if that’s the case... um...”
Randall, who was about to say something, rubbed his chin with a serious expression.
“...I think the Princess is suggesting that we go to Germ Canyon right now, is that right?”
“Yes. What do you think?”
Black’s brows furrowed.
“Queen Dileras would never have said something like that out loud... Even if she's not on good terms with the King, she won’t join hands with the enemy.”
“No, there was a reason. I told her that all Nauk wanted was Princess Bliny. If Princess Bliny could be punished in Nauk, I would want nothing more. There was no need to make a big war.”
“...Princess.”
The voice calling Liene became heavier.
“The time when that was possible has passed. The war began the moment the King refused to hand over the archduchess.”
It wasn’t that Black was wrong.
Instead of keeping his promise, the King of Sharka sent his guards. That meant an irreversible outcome for the two countries.
That was why Liene had to meet Queen Dileras.
“It might be possible. Queen Dileras promised. She said she would try to stop the King from gathering an army.”
As the conversation got to that point, Black guessed what Liene was going to do.
“...Continue.”
“You said it. If only the Queen’s family opposed the conscription, it would be harder for the King to raise an army. Queen Dileras wants Princess Bliny to pay for her crimes. She said she would inform every family she could influence why the King was going to war.”
“It would delay the gathering of an army.”
“Yes, just as you said.”
Randall scratched his cheek with the hand that had been rubbing his chin.
“But wouldn’t that be better for us? If the army wasn’t properly assembled, it would be much easier to deal with. We could have them surrender in two months.”
“That would mean a lot of people dying in those two months.”
Liene added calmly.
“I’m not saying we shouldn’t fight at all. Even if we were to get the ring back and end it there, I know that Sharka wouldn’t be there. War would inevitably follow. But we could try to avoid it.”
“The King of Sharka wouldn’t think the way you do.”
“I know. But the King wants to go to war to keep the Princess from being handed over to Nauk. And we want the ring back, not the Princess.”
“Are you saying we should just give up the Archduchess? She sent an assassin to the Princess. She would do the same thing as long as she lived.”
“Well... Princess Bliny will have to pay a fair price, too. It doesn’t have to be in Nauk. But I don’t think Princess Bliny will be safe in the Kingdom of Sharka any longer. Queen Dileras still has Kleinfelter as a witness.”
“...Hmm.”
Black let out a short breath.
He didn’t look all that pleased.
“And I’ve decided to get Queen Dileras to sign a pledge to leave Princess Bliny’s fate to Nauk. Even if it’s signed by the Queen, not the King, it’s still valid. She’s still higher in the royal line than the Princess.”
Randall continued to shake his chin.
“I don’t think they’d put much meaning into a single oath when they’re openly sending assassins...”
Black let out a short breath.
He didn’t look all that pleased.
“And I’ve decided to get Queen Dileras to sign a pledge to leave Princess Bliny’s fate to Nauk. Even if it’s signed by the Queen, not the King, it’s still valid. She’s still higher in the royal line than the Princess.”
Randall continued to shake his chin.
“I don’t think they’d put much meaning into a single oath when they’re openly sending assassins...”
“Having something is different from not having something. It would also give the nobles of Sharka a reason to oppose the war.”
Black, who had been frowning, suddenly asked a question.
“If you were the King of Sharka, what would you do by now?”
“Huh? Are you asking me?”
Usually, Fermos would be the one to ask such questions. Randall was a little flustered but answered as best he could. Black probably wouldn’t want him to take Fermos’ place anyway.
“Um... First, they’ll try to catch us. They’ll probably be harassing the guards since they’re probably really angry."
“Then the guards. What should they do to catch us?”
“Well... Unless they’re idiots, they’ll have to predict our movements. They’ll think about where we’re going. Since we’re at a disadvantage in numbers, we’ll have to go to the border first and join up with the party... Um, they’ll block the road to the southern border. Of course, we won’t be using the road, we’ll be climbing the mountain.”
“Yes. The guards will be concentrated in the south.”
“Yes.”
Liene said happily.
“Then the road to Germ Canyon will be unobstructed. They won’t know we’re going there. No one knows what Queen Dileras told us about Germ Canyon.”
Black nodded.
“If we speed up, we can get there before noon. We can get the ring, take the Princess hostage, cross the northern border, and return to Nauk via the city of Bluewarren.”
“Then we won’t have to run into Sharka’s army.”
Randall muttered, his face trembling with relief at the unexpected news.
“Ugh... If that happens, it’ll be like playing around and getting stabbed in the back. It’ll be more boring than I thought. Hmm...? It’s not so bad either…”
“But we have to be quick. We have to cross the northern border before the sun sets. Bluewarren doesn’t open its border at night.”
“We won’t be chased, but we’ll be out of breath.”
“Get everyone ready.”
“Yes, my lord.”
Randall turned around and ran towards the group.
“So... is this the decision? To go to Germ?”
“Yes.”
Liene was rather bewildered by the short and concise answer.
“I thought you would think about it a little more... um, I mean...”
“I don’t think I’ve ever failed to grant the Princess’s wish.”
“Oh, that’s true... but this isn’t a trivial matter. And I might be wrong.”
“It doesn’t make much of a difference to me whether it’s a trivial matter or not. And the Princess wasn’t wrong.”
“Really? Do you think so too?”
“Yes.”
Black bowed his head briefly and met Liene’s foreheads.
“To me, war has always been fought for personal reasons. And it still is. I was really angry when the Archduchess tried to touch the Princess.”
“I was angry too...”
“The reason the Princess wants to go to war is different from mine. So I can understand why you want to avoid war. Perhaps the Princess thought about what would be better for Nauk.”
“But... there are also personal reasons. If we go to war for two months, I will have to be away from you for two months, right? And I will be anxious every day.”
Her forehead fell.
“If that is the reason, why didn’t you tell me earlier?
“No, that is too trivial and personal.”
“I like it the most.”
Black swallowed her lips.
The kiss, which was so short that it was hard to count on one hand, was intense enough to be unforgettable for a long time.
“...The rest at Blue Warren.”
Black let go of her lips.
Even though they had kissed each other countless times, she felt embarrassed to meet his gaze now.
Perhaps it was because it was too hot for the place.
“...Yes. At Blue Warren.”
Liene turned her head, fanning herself with her hand for no reason.
“Sit down. I will bring your shoes.”
Black brought shoes and put them on.
Her heart kept pounding every time she saw him carefully handling her red, scabbed feet.
The group that left the mountain found a horse nearby.
There was a pilgrim village nearby, and there was always a market there even at dawn because of the pilgrims coming down from the north.
They got the thick robes that pilgrims wore and put them on, and the group became a pilgrim procession.
The road to Germ Valley was easier than they thought.
Support Novellate!
noooooo dont stop the war so easily
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