“What?”
Liene pushed Black away and jumped out of bed. Black clicked his tongue softly.
He caught up to Liene, took off his robe, and wrapped it around her shoulders.
Boom!
Liene opened the door hastily.
“Where... Where? Where is the water...”
Liene pushed Black away and jumped out of bed. Black clicked his tongue softly.
He caught up to Liene, took off his robe, and wrapped it around her shoulders.
Boom!
Liene opened the door hastily.
“Where... Where? Where is the water...”
“It’s a waterfall.”
“Oh my god...”
Liene was about to run out, but Black stopped her.
“Wear shoes.”
“Ah...”
He put on her slippers.
In that moment, Liene clenched her fists. Sweat gathered between her knuckles.
Liene, wearing slippers and Black’s nightgown over her pajamas, rode her horse, passed the gate, crossed the drawbridge, and went down to where she could see the waterfall.
Krrrrrrrr.
She kept hearing the sound of something moving.
For twenty years, water was flowing little by little, but without stopping, from the nine-way path that had been empty.
“...”
Liene couldn’t say anything and just watched the water fall. A puddle was already forming at the bottom of the waterfall.
“Thanks to you, the water will fill up faster.”
Black whispered softly as he pulled Liene into his arms. Liene buried her face, which was shedding tears like a waterfall that had just started to flow, in Black’s arms.
“Thank you...”
He returned with the water.
She was grateful for everything he had done. For surviving, for not dying, for breathing next to her, for all of those things.
“That’s what I have to say.”
She could vaguely see that Black was thinking similar thoughts right now.
Standing together, facing the water, she was grateful for everything.
Kroorururung!
As dawn came, the water stopped flowing and started pouring down.
The Evet River overflowed.
The land around the river was soaked with water. Some streets were flooded to their ankles. Everyone was running barefoot with their skirts rolled up.
Liene, who had come out of the castle, was no different. She had to roll up her skirts when she got off her horse.
“I think the problem is that we haven’t been maintaining the sewage system.”
Fermos was soaking wet all over. He smelled bad, too. He had been wandering around trying to figure out why the Ebet River had overflowed.
The Tiwakans who had accompanied him had also suffered, but Fermos seemed to be the worst of them all.
Black wrapped his arm around Liene’s shoulder and gave Fermos a look that warned him not to come too close.
Fermos looked aggrieved for a moment. However, as usual, Liene didn’t see the quick glances exchanged between them.
“So it’s not a problem with the device?”
“Yes. I looked around the entire area around the waterfall, and the reason why the water volume has increased so much over the past few days is not due to a problem with the equipment, but rather due to the heavy rain in the Erendira Mountains. The river overflow is probably temporary.”
“That’s really fortunate.”
“I think we should build a new sewage system south of the river. Something like this could happen again.”
“Good idea. If something like this happens again, we shouldn’t... um.”
Liene, who was about to say, “We absolutely must not... um,” closed her mouth ambiguously.
For some reason, it felt like it didn’t fit the current situation.
The streets were flooded, but the people walking around with their ankles crossed looked so happy.
They ran out barefoot on purpose, stomping their feet and laughing loudly. Children swam in the streets, and no adults tried to stop them.
It was like an untimely festival.
“It would be even more fun if it rained. I think we should call a musician then.”
Fermos seemed to have the same thought, smiling and adding a word.
“...That’s right. Everyone seems... out of their minds. The water might have even flooded the house.”
“Well, it still looks good. Isn’t that right, my lord?”
“Perhaps.”
Black didn’t look displeased either. Liene shook her head with a smile as she looked at the two of them.
“If this continues, I think they’ll say that we don’t need a sewage system. That won’t do. We can’t do this every time it rains in the Erendira Mountains.”
“No way, Princess. We’ll postpone the construction of the southern fortress for a while and start with the sewage system first. It should be finished before the end of the year.”
“I trust you.”
Black, who had been looking into the distance, held out his hand to Liene.
“Then that means this is the first and last time something like this will happen.”
Liene took his outstretched hand as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
“Well?”
“So, how about we have fun together?”
“Ah...?”
Black pulled Liene’s hand and pointed to the flooded street ahead. The street, halfway up to her calf, was still noisy and lively. There were only people laughing.
People who had been splashing around in the water joined hands and danced one by one.
As Fermos had said, it would have been better if there were musicians.
No, there was no need for musicians. The people began to sing on their own.
“Good.”
Liene smiled brightly.
“Wait a minute.”
Black quickly bent down and took off Liene’s shoes. Fermos took the shoes as he saw fit.
Black, who was now barefoot, pulled Liene into the street.
“Princess! Princess!”
“Princess Liene!”
“Lord Tiwacan!”
The people who had found Liene stopped singing and shouted.
The people calling Liene’s name soon became loud laughter. Black began to spin around while holding Liene in his arms. Songs, laughter, dances, and people all mingled together.
Liene laughed so hard that she lost her mind. It was the first time she had seen Black laugh so much.
“Bless Nauk!”
“May the nine waterfalls never dry up again!”
“May the Princess’s name live forever!”
The songs that each person added a verse to were a mess, and that made them even more exciting.
Black spoke softly into Liene’s ear, who was laughing breathlessly, her drenched dress dripping.
“Did you hear?”
“What?”
“The news that Grand Duchess Bliny ran away.”
“Oh. I’ve never heard of it. When did that happen?”
“The night King Sharka exchanged the hostage and the peace treaty.”
“Oh...”
King Sharka had lost a lot to get the hostage back.
Not only was the treasury emptied, but the border was pushed back, and his political position was in jeopardy.
But Bliny had abandoned the King.
“She's not even a Princess anymore.”
“Not even the Grand Princess. Grand Duke Alito stripped her of her inheritance rights.”
As the Grand Duke, that was probably the only thing he could do to maintain his relationship with Tiwakan.
“Then where did she go?”
“She would have gone to a place where she could survive on her own.”
“Hmm .. But I wonder why I’m talking about that now. We’re dancing.”
“That’s probably why.”
“So, you say?”
“I don’t want to leave anything that would bother me.”
“Aha.”
She knew what Black was talking about, but she was actually too happy right now to have any room to get involved in things like Princess Bliny.
“That sounds like he’s telling me to just relax and be happy.”
“Yes.”
“Haha... But actually, I already was.”
“...”
Instead of saying yes, Black just laughed. She looked at him with a smiling face for a while before covering his face with both hands.
She seemed to know what he was saying.
That’s all I want.
Maybe that’s what he’s saying.
Liene whispered as she looked at him. If that’s the case, then it’s all come true.
Now all that was left was to be happy every moment in the house of the two.
The dress was soaking wet.
That was fine, but she was worried that she was making the two ladies suffer needlessly.
However, surprisingly, Madam Flambard took off the wet dress without any hesitation.
“Let’s throw this away now.”
“...? Why?”
“You’ve worn it enough. If you’ve worn it enough, the clothes will have served their purpose and will be proudly turned to ashes.”
“No, Ma’am. I wore it for a long time, but not to that extent. And I did get the clothes wet, but I tried not to get them dirty.”
“The mud wasn’t the problem, Princess. The clothes themselves were the problem.”
“They’re old, but they’re fine...”
“Only priests who have entered the week of penance would say they’re fine. Princess, it’s time for me to say this.”
The two ladies stood side by side and shook their heads.
“That’s not true. You’ll be busier now.”
“Of course.”
“No.”
Neither of them listened to Liene.
“Just wait and see. It’ll happen now. Shouldn’t the Princess have a proper coronation?”
“Ah... There’s that.”
A coronation?
It was such a long time ago that it was almost unfamiliar now.
The Kleinfelter family insisted that the wedding should come before the coronation, so Liene had not yet been able to formally inherit the crown.
“I wonder if a joint coronation is possible. I’ll have to ask.”
“And there’s one more important thing.”
This time, it was Mrs. Henton.
“Tell me. What is that?”
“You should have a baby. Your belly will get bigger quickly once winter comes, so wouldn’t it be difficult to prepare for the coronation?”
“Oh my god...”
Liene was about to run out, but Black stopped her.
“Wear shoes.”
“Ah...”
He put on her slippers.
In that moment, Liene clenched her fists. Sweat gathered between her knuckles.
Liene, wearing slippers and Black’s nightgown over her pajamas, rode her horse, passed the gate, crossed the drawbridge, and went down to where she could see the waterfall.
Krrrrrrrr.
She kept hearing the sound of something moving.
For twenty years, water was flowing little by little, but without stopping, from the nine-way path that had been empty.
“...”
Liene couldn’t say anything and just watched the water fall. A puddle was already forming at the bottom of the waterfall.
“Thanks to you, the water will fill up faster.”
Black whispered softly as he pulled Liene into his arms. Liene buried her face, which was shedding tears like a waterfall that had just started to flow, in Black’s arms.
“Thank you...”
He returned with the water.
She was grateful for everything he had done. For surviving, for not dying, for breathing next to her, for all of those things.
“That’s what I have to say.”
She could vaguely see that Black was thinking similar thoughts right now.
Standing together, facing the water, she was grateful for everything.
Kroorururung!
As dawn came, the water stopped flowing and started pouring down.
***
The Evet River overflowed.
The land around the river was soaked with water. Some streets were flooded to their ankles. Everyone was running barefoot with their skirts rolled up.
Liene, who had come out of the castle, was no different. She had to roll up her skirts when she got off her horse.
“I think the problem is that we haven’t been maintaining the sewage system.”
Fermos was soaking wet all over. He smelled bad, too. He had been wandering around trying to figure out why the Ebet River had overflowed.
The Tiwakans who had accompanied him had also suffered, but Fermos seemed to be the worst of them all.
Black wrapped his arm around Liene’s shoulder and gave Fermos a look that warned him not to come too close.
Fermos looked aggrieved for a moment. However, as usual, Liene didn’t see the quick glances exchanged between them.
“So it’s not a problem with the device?”
“Yes. I looked around the entire area around the waterfall, and the reason why the water volume has increased so much over the past few days is not due to a problem with the equipment, but rather due to the heavy rain in the Erendira Mountains. The river overflow is probably temporary.”
“That’s really fortunate.”
“I think we should build a new sewage system south of the river. Something like this could happen again.”
“Good idea. If something like this happens again, we shouldn’t... um.”
Liene, who was about to say, “We absolutely must not... um,” closed her mouth ambiguously.
For some reason, it felt like it didn’t fit the current situation.
The streets were flooded, but the people walking around with their ankles crossed looked so happy.
They ran out barefoot on purpose, stomping their feet and laughing loudly. Children swam in the streets, and no adults tried to stop them.
It was like an untimely festival.
“It would be even more fun if it rained. I think we should call a musician then.”
Fermos seemed to have the same thought, smiling and adding a word.
“...That’s right. Everyone seems... out of their minds. The water might have even flooded the house.”
“Well, it still looks good. Isn’t that right, my lord?”
“Perhaps.”
Black didn’t look displeased either. Liene shook her head with a smile as she looked at the two of them.
“If this continues, I think they’ll say that we don’t need a sewage system. That won’t do. We can’t do this every time it rains in the Erendira Mountains.”
“No way, Princess. We’ll postpone the construction of the southern fortress for a while and start with the sewage system first. It should be finished before the end of the year.”
“I trust you.”
Black, who had been looking into the distance, held out his hand to Liene.
“Then that means this is the first and last time something like this will happen.”
Liene took his outstretched hand as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
“Well?”
“So, how about we have fun together?”
“Ah...?”
Black pulled Liene’s hand and pointed to the flooded street ahead. The street, halfway up to her calf, was still noisy and lively. There were only people laughing.
People who had been splashing around in the water joined hands and danced one by one.
As Fermos had said, it would have been better if there were musicians.
No, there was no need for musicians. The people began to sing on their own.
“Good.”
Liene smiled brightly.
“Wait a minute.”
Black quickly bent down and took off Liene’s shoes. Fermos took the shoes as he saw fit.
Black, who was now barefoot, pulled Liene into the street.
“Princess! Princess!”
“Princess Liene!”
“Lord Tiwacan!”
The people who had found Liene stopped singing and shouted.
The people calling Liene’s name soon became loud laughter. Black began to spin around while holding Liene in his arms. Songs, laughter, dances, and people all mingled together.
Liene laughed so hard that she lost her mind. It was the first time she had seen Black laugh so much.
“Bless Nauk!”
“May the nine waterfalls never dry up again!”
“May the Princess’s name live forever!”
The songs that each person added a verse to were a mess, and that made them even more exciting.
Black spoke softly into Liene’s ear, who was laughing breathlessly, her drenched dress dripping.
“Did you hear?”
“What?”
“The news that Grand Duchess Bliny ran away.”
“Oh. I’ve never heard of it. When did that happen?”
“The night King Sharka exchanged the hostage and the peace treaty.”
“Oh...”
King Sharka had lost a lot to get the hostage back.
Not only was the treasury emptied, but the border was pushed back, and his political position was in jeopardy.
But Bliny had abandoned the King.
“She's not even a Princess anymore.”
“Not even the Grand Princess. Grand Duke Alito stripped her of her inheritance rights.”
As the Grand Duke, that was probably the only thing he could do to maintain his relationship with Tiwakan.
“Then where did she go?”
“She would have gone to a place where she could survive on her own.”
“Hmm .. But I wonder why I’m talking about that now. We’re dancing.”
“That’s probably why.”
“So, you say?”
“I don’t want to leave anything that would bother me.”
“Aha.”
She knew what Black was talking about, but she was actually too happy right now to have any room to get involved in things like Princess Bliny.
“That sounds like he’s telling me to just relax and be happy.”
“Yes.”
“Haha... But actually, I already was.”
“...”
Instead of saying yes, Black just laughed. She looked at him with a smiling face for a while before covering his face with both hands.
She seemed to know what he was saying.
That’s all I want.
Maybe that’s what he’s saying.
Liene whispered as she looked at him. If that’s the case, then it’s all come true.
Now all that was left was to be happy every moment in the house of the two.
***
The dress was soaking wet.
That was fine, but she was worried that she was making the two ladies suffer needlessly.
However, surprisingly, Madam Flambard took off the wet dress without any hesitation.
“Let’s throw this away now.”
“...? Why?”
“You’ve worn it enough. If you’ve worn it enough, the clothes will have served their purpose and will be proudly turned to ashes.”
“No, Ma’am. I wore it for a long time, but not to that extent. And I did get the clothes wet, but I tried not to get them dirty.”
“The mud wasn’t the problem, Princess. The clothes themselves were the problem.”
“They’re old, but they’re fine...”
“Only priests who have entered the week of penance would say they’re fine. Princess, it’s time for me to say this.”
When Madam Flambard handed her the wet dress with a firm hand, Mrs. Henton accepted it with the same firmness. The fact that she rolled it up and put it in the wooden box without even looking at it showed her intention to throw it away.
“What are you talking about?”
“The Princess is rich now. Aren’t you?”
“Yes? Me?”
“Of course. The day before yesterday, I heard from that bespectacled man... Oh, come to your senses. I received next year’s royal budget from Sir Fermos.”
“But?”
“At first, I thought there was an extra zero added to the number by mistake.”
“...?”
“I’m not sure you can spend all that money in a year.”
“Then I’ll just leave it alone and not spend it...”
“Princess!”
Madam Flambard suddenly made a stern face, and Liene gulped like she did when she was little.
“Yes, Ma’am. Why are you angry?”
“Anyway, what I’m saying is that you can throw away the clothes you’ve worn for too long.”
Mrs. Henton nodded politely. For some reason, that was even scarier.
“I heard that the Kingdom of Sharka has decided to send war reparations for the next ten years. I also heard that your husband has so much wealth that the enormous amount of money seems like small change to him. So I’m going to clean out your wardrobe starting tomorrow. I’m going to throw away everything that needs to be thrown away and make new clothes. And I’m going to hire more workers.”
“Of course, we’ll need more workers...”
This time, Mrs. Henton also spoke up.
“For now, let’s bring in about ten people. We’ll bring in more as they get trained. And while we’re at it, we should probably fix all the empty rooms. In this big castle, there are more unused places than occupied ones. That doesn’t make sense.”
“Um... if it’s necessary, we should.”
If we asked why so many workers were needed here, and why all the empty rooms had to be redecorated, it would be a big problem.
Nauk was changing.
It was time for Nauk Castle to change as well.
“Yes. Let’s do that. Fortunately, the budget is ample. Then, shall we first select the people who should be brought into the castle? I’ll call the secretary and...”
“No, Princess.”
Madam Flambard cut Liene off sharply.
“That’s what Mrs. Henton and I will do now. It wasn’t your job to do in the first place. Now, it’s time for you to do what you were supposed to do, Princess.”
“Yes. And don’t bother helping with the cleaning.”
That was because she was worried that the two wives would have a hard time.
“...Lord Fermos is so capable. That’s why my workload has been reduced.”
Liene muttered softly as if making an excuse.
“So, um... I think I’ll be less busy than before.”
“What are you talking about?”
“The Princess is rich now. Aren’t you?”
“Yes? Me?”
“Of course. The day before yesterday, I heard from that bespectacled man... Oh, come to your senses. I received next year’s royal budget from Sir Fermos.”
“But?”
“At first, I thought there was an extra zero added to the number by mistake.”
“...?”
“I’m not sure you can spend all that money in a year.”
“Then I’ll just leave it alone and not spend it...”
“Princess!”
Madam Flambard suddenly made a stern face, and Liene gulped like she did when she was little.
“Yes, Ma’am. Why are you angry?”
“Anyway, what I’m saying is that you can throw away the clothes you’ve worn for too long.”
Mrs. Henton nodded politely. For some reason, that was even scarier.
“I heard that the Kingdom of Sharka has decided to send war reparations for the next ten years. I also heard that your husband has so much wealth that the enormous amount of money seems like small change to him. So I’m going to clean out your wardrobe starting tomorrow. I’m going to throw away everything that needs to be thrown away and make new clothes. And I’m going to hire more workers.”
“Of course, we’ll need more workers...”
This time, Mrs. Henton also spoke up.
“For now, let’s bring in about ten people. We’ll bring in more as they get trained. And while we’re at it, we should probably fix all the empty rooms. In this big castle, there are more unused places than occupied ones. That doesn’t make sense.”
“Um... if it’s necessary, we should.”
If we asked why so many workers were needed here, and why all the empty rooms had to be redecorated, it would be a big problem.
Nauk was changing.
It was time for Nauk Castle to change as well.
“Yes. Let’s do that. Fortunately, the budget is ample. Then, shall we first select the people who should be brought into the castle? I’ll call the secretary and...”
“No, Princess.”
Madam Flambard cut Liene off sharply.
“That’s what Mrs. Henton and I will do now. It wasn’t your job to do in the first place. Now, it’s time for you to do what you were supposed to do, Princess.”
“Yes. And don’t bother helping with the cleaning.”
That was because she was worried that the two wives would have a hard time.
“...Lord Fermos is so capable. That’s why my workload has been reduced.”
Liene muttered softly as if making an excuse.
“So, um... I think I’ll be less busy than before.”
The two ladies stood side by side and shook their heads.
“That’s not true. You’ll be busier now.”
“Of course.”
“No.”
Neither of them listened to Liene.
“Just wait and see. It’ll happen now. Shouldn’t the Princess have a proper coronation?”
“Ah... There’s that.”
A coronation?
It was such a long time ago that it was almost unfamiliar now.
The Kleinfelter family insisted that the wedding should come before the coronation, so Liene had not yet been able to formally inherit the crown.
“I wonder if a joint coronation is possible. I’ll have to ask.”
“And there’s one more important thing.”
This time, it was Mrs. Henton.
“Tell me. What is that?”
“You should have a baby. Your belly will get bigger quickly once winter comes, so wouldn’t it be difficult to prepare for the coronation?”
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