It was noon when Liene found Bliny locked in the basement, face and hands covered in cream and other things.
“...I heard you were eating breakfast.”
Bliny muttered in annoyance as she watched Liene enter the dark storage.
Bliny’s hands and feet were firmly tied, and Liene was alone. Black was outside the door.
“Is it morning now?”
“It took a long time to eat. What are you going to talk about?”
“That man likes to be fed. By hand or mouth.”
“What...”
Liene furrowed her eyebrows.
“He lazes around in bed until late. Unlike how he looks. He doesn’t let you sleep in at night and makes you sleep in.”
“...”
She was a little angry.
It was all true.
“So?”
Liene didn’t hide the irritation in her voice.
“When you get close, you become loose. Like a child. You no longer keep your guard up.”
...What, really?
It’s all true.
“He acts like there’s no one else in the world but you.”
“...If that’s what you want to say, I’ll go. There’s no reason for me to listen to things I already know.”
Liene was about to turn around when Bliny asked.
“Does he act like that to you?”
“Yes. He acts the same to me. If you want to say that you know my husband better than me, you’ve failed.”
“Why...?”
“...What?”
“Does he act like that to you?”
“Yes. He acts the same to me. If you want to say that you know my husband better than me, you’ve failed.”
“Why...?”
“...What?”
Liene was a little taken aback by Bliny’s unexpected expression.
“What do you mean why? That’s why he acts like that.”
“That kind of man...”
“I won’t talk about this anymore. It’s just unpleasant and pointless. So do you have nothing more to say?”
“Why...”
“Let’s rest. It won’t be easy because you’re in such a difficult situation.”
Liene turned around.
The moment her hand pulled the doorknob, Bliny opened her mouth.
“That ring, it’s not an ordinary ring.”
“...?”
She turned around again.
“There’s a secret hidden. Let me go. Then I’ll tell you.”
“Is that true?”
“Bring me the ring. I’ll show you.”
“...”
Even if she was good at lying, what she was saying now didn’t seem like a lie.
Liene looked at Bliny. She thought it would be good if what she said now was true.
Then it would mean that Bliny had some conscience.
“When you say let you go, do you mean send you to Sharka? Don’t worry about that. You’re going to Sharka. You’ll go via Nauk.”
“...I don’t want to be with you anymore. If you have any business left, finish it quickly. And then I’ll never see you again.”
From that answer, Liene read her intention of not wanting to return to Sharka.
“No. You’re a prisoner of war now. You have to stay in Nauk’s hands until Sharka surrenders.”
“Aren’t you curious about the ring’s secret? I’ll tell you!”
“I’ll find out.”
“How?”
“I don’t know yet. But if you figured it out, I can figure it out too.”
Bliny ground her teeth.
“...Does that man know that you’re this kind of person? A hypocrite who only pretends to be good with that face?”
“It’s funny that you call me a hypocrite. Why do I need to be hypocritical? There’s no one as clear-cut as you.”
“...”
“As I said, I haven’t forgotten anything you’ve done. If you’re going to offer some worthless deal, don’t open your mouth again. It’s unpleasant for me to see you.”
Click.
Liene pulled the door open.
Bliny’s first despair could be heard from behind her.
***
Black was there as she opened the door and came out.
“Nothing happened?”
“...No way.”
If something had happened, he would have known by now.
Her eyebrows furrowed slightly.
It was similar to when she’d found those nail scissors. Black hadn’t done anything wrong, but he felt a twinge of guilt.
“I’ll go back to my room. When are we leaving for Nauk?”
“Anytime you want.”
“Good. Are you taking the carriage?”
“Yes.”
“Then you don’t have to change clothes. I’m ready too.”
“I’ll have the carriage ready. But..."
“Yes?”
Black stood in front of Liene with a smiling face.
Suddenly, Liene stopped walking and tried to turn to the side.
Black followed her again.
“You must have been hurt because you didn’t make eye contact.”
...You must know what happened. It wasn’t even close enough to hear them.
“If you know, would you mind stepping aside? I want to see your face later.”
“I want to see you now.”
Black lowered his head, and their eyes met briefly.
Liene pushed Black’s cheek away.
“Oh, really. I’ll see you later.”
“See me now.”
“It’s a little like that now.”
Black held onto Liene’s wrist as she tried to avoid eye contact, holding back her laughter.
“You experienced it back then. I’m not the type of person to let a Princess feel her feelings alone.”
It was the nail scissors story.
...Now that she thinks about it, the reason she feels bad is the same.
No, no. It’s different. She misunderstood back then, but not now.
“It’s different from back then.”
Her lips curled up without her knowing. Liene pushed Black again.
“Get out of the way.”
Black didn’t budge.
As he had said, he wasn’t the type to leave Liene alone.
“If you look at my face, I’ll let you go. Trust me.”
“...It’s not that serious. It’s not your fault or mine, so it’ll let you go soon. Right now, it’s just my heart. You don’t have to do this.”
“Liene.”
Black stubbornly grabbed Liene’s face, which was turned to the side, and pressed their foreheads together.
It was hard to hold back laughter.
“Why is the Princess so unyielding?”
“...What are you saying? Anyway, let me go. I don’t like it because I think it’ll make things worse if you do that.”
“It’s all good for me that the Princess says no.”
“This time, it’s real, it’s real.”
“It’ll only take a moment. Just look at me.”
“What are you going to do with looking?”
“I’ll let you go.”
“No, that’ll happen naturally. I’m not getting angry because I like it... I’m not getting angry, I’m just feeling bad.”
“Princess.”
“Don’t keep calling me that. It makes me weak.”
“Princess... Liene.”
...Ah, really.
This guy is good in every way, but this habit needs to be fixed. If she seems upset, just leave her alone. If she said she’d figure it out on her own. Just a little.
“...Yes. I’ll see, so let me go right now.”
Liene reluctantly met his gaze, intent on getting him off.
Black was smiling so wide that it made her angry. Why on earth are you smiling? I feel so bad...
“She's lying.”
“...What?”
“What the Grand Princess said.”
"...? What?”
“Everything. Except for the part where the ring has a secret. I don’t know about that either.”
“Everything... everything?”
Liene blinked. She didn’t quite believe it.
But when she thought about it again, there was nothing that was a lie.
“Lies. It’s all your doing.”
Liene tightened her grip on the hand that was pushing Black.
“Let me go, really. I’m starting to get angry now. No matter what, you wouldn’t lie to me.”
“I’ve never done that to the Grand Princess.”
“...But how does she know so well?”
“I don’t know that either. What’s certain is that I’ve never done that.”
“...? Isn’t that so... strange?”
“It is strange.”
“...”
Liene stopped pushing and instead lifted her toes and grabbed Black’s face. She examined every nook and cranny as if there were traces of lies left somewhere on his face.
Black bent his knees and followed suit with her meaningless movements.
“Then how did she know? If you didn’t tell her.”
“Go ask again. Or I’ll ask her.”
“No, why are you talking nonsense? Don’t even think about meeting Princess Bliny for something that doesn’t really have to be done. Do you understand?”
“Are you sure it doesn’t really have to be done? I need to clear the Princess’s suspicions right now.”
“Um...”
The hand holding Black’s face loosened its grip and became just a gentle stroking.
“That position will be uncomfortable, so get up.”
“Tell me if you believe me.”
“I’m still thinking about that. But, um...”
As he quietly looked at his face, she felt like she vaguely understood.
Maybe, Bliny wanted that to happen.
Because she likes everything this man does because she likes him.
Sometimes, it’s hard to believe that this man lets his guard down, is relaxed, laughs nonstop, and showers her with affection as if she's the only one in the world. Because she feels like there’s no one like him in the world.
Because she likes him so much that it still feels like a dream.
Maybe she wanted that...
“I believe you.”
“That’s fortunate.”
Black finally got up.
Liene followed his suddenly raised eye level again and impulsively hugged him.
“You shouldn’t do that to other people.”
“...What kind of nonsense are you talking about?”
Black borrowed Liene’s words.
“Don’t even think about that. Do you understand?”
“Yes.”
Liene rubbed her cheek against Black’s chest.
“I’m sorry I’m mad.”
“Don’t be sorry. I’m so happy whenever you’re like this, Princess.”
“Do you like it when I misunderstand and get mad?”
“That means you like me that much. I regret the past.”
...That’s right. That’s right. I regret the past too.
“Me too. I regret everything that has already passed.”
“How can you only say that?”
That’s what he wanted. That person too.
But this man is mine...
“You are mine.”
Black laughed out loud at the sudden words.
“Yes. I'm the Princess’s.”
“Don’t forget.”
After whispering affectionately for a while, the two left the underground.
Although it wasn’t intentional, Bliny heard what they were saying.
She wanted to cover her ears, but she couldn’t because her hands were tied. Instead, her fingernails that had been scraping the floor finally broke.
Her despair and malice broke along with them.
It took about five days to get from Bluewarren to Nauk.
Tiwakan decided to speed up the process and shorten it to three days. Thanks to that, the carriage’s wheels were running like crazy, and his butt was freezing while riding.
“Ugh... I feel bad about that carriage. I left it in Sharka. It didn’t seem to be this bad even if it was running fast.”
Black nodded. It was unusual for him to express regret over things, but that meant the carriage was rattling.
“I should order a few more.”
“How many each?”
“In case I have to leave it behind due to unavoidable circumstances like now.”
“Hmm... It may be extravagant, but I feel like agreeing right now.”
Liene looked less energetic than in the morning. Her cheeks were pale.
Black extended his arm.
“Come and hug me. It’ll get better if I carry you.”
“It’s tempting, but I’ll refuse. I don’t want to make things harder for you just so my butt hurts a little less.”
“Don’t even think about that. Do you understand?”
“Yes.”
Liene rubbed her cheek against Black’s chest.
“I’m sorry I’m mad.”
“Don’t be sorry. I’m so happy whenever you’re like this, Princess.”
“Do you like it when I misunderstand and get mad?”
“That means you like me that much. I regret the past.”
...That’s right. That’s right. I regret the past too.
“Me too. I regret everything that has already passed.”
“How can you only say that?”
That’s what he wanted. That person too.
But this man is mine...
“You are mine.”
Black laughed out loud at the sudden words.
“Yes. I'm the Princess’s.”
“Don’t forget.”
After whispering affectionately for a while, the two left the underground.
Although it wasn’t intentional, Bliny heard what they were saying.
She wanted to cover her ears, but she couldn’t because her hands were tied. Instead, her fingernails that had been scraping the floor finally broke.
Her despair and malice broke along with them.
***
It took about five days to get from Bluewarren to Nauk.
Tiwakan decided to speed up the process and shorten it to three days. Thanks to that, the carriage’s wheels were running like crazy, and his butt was freezing while riding.
“Ugh... I feel bad about that carriage. I left it in Sharka. It didn’t seem to be this bad even if it was running fast.”
Black nodded. It was unusual for him to express regret over things, but that meant the carriage was rattling.
“I should order a few more.”
“How many each?”
“In case I have to leave it behind due to unavoidable circumstances like now.”
“Hmm... It may be extravagant, but I feel like agreeing right now.”
Liene looked less energetic than in the morning. Her cheeks were pale.
Black extended his arm.
“Come and hug me. It’ll get better if I carry you.”
“It’s tempting, but I’ll refuse. I don’t want to make things harder for you just so my butt hurts a little less.”
“If that’s the case, then I’ll refuse. Come here.”
“I’m serious.”
...Actually, Liene feels sick.
It was like she had motion sickness. It seemed to be because she had been riding in a carriage that shook violently right after eating breakfast.
Should I suggest that we go a little slower... No, she can’t do that just for her own comfort.
Let’s hold on for as long as we can.
Liene slowly exhaled and fiddled with the ring on her right thumb.
If Bliny knew something that Black didn’t, she would definitely have found out by chance. Liene decided to wear the ring on her hand like Bliny did. She believed that if she kept fiddling around with it, the same coincidence would come.
“Don’t worry too much. It could be a lie.”
Black misunderstood her pale face that was focused on the ring.
He thought she was anxious because the ring’s secret wasn’t being revealed quickly.
“I know. But if this ring is a key, there should be some kind of hidden device. I think it has a secret.”
“I’m serious.”
...Actually, Liene feels sick.
It was like she had motion sickness. It seemed to be because she had been riding in a carriage that shook violently right after eating breakfast.
Should I suggest that we go a little slower... No, she can’t do that just for her own comfort.
Let’s hold on for as long as we can.
Liene slowly exhaled and fiddled with the ring on her right thumb.
If Bliny knew something that Black didn’t, she would definitely have found out by chance. Liene decided to wear the ring on her hand like Bliny did. She believed that if she kept fiddling around with it, the same coincidence would come.
“Don’t worry too much. It could be a lie.”
Black misunderstood her pale face that was focused on the ring.
He thought she was anxious because the ring’s secret wasn’t being revealed quickly.
“I know. But if this ring is a key, there should be some kind of hidden device. I think it has a secret.”
Support Novellate!
Comments
Post a Comment