《A Barbaric Proposal》 Chapter 1 - A Bloody Courtship (1) Chapter 1 | A Bloody Courtship (1) The letter waspletely crumpled from her hands. It was the second letter they had sent. [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Rienne stared down at her pale, cold hands. The blood hadpletely left them, and they didn¡¯t feel like her own anymore. The letter¡¯s details were straight and to the point. ¡ª¡®I¡¯ve been waiting for fifteen days now. Please, give me your answer.¡¯ It was the same as the first one. ¡ª¡®To the Princess of Castle Nauk. The leader of the Tiwakan Mercenaries sends a proposal of marriage. We look forward to hearing from you.¡¯ And in the name of this proposal, the Tiwakan Mercenaries had beenying siege to her castle for thest fifteen days. [Maslow] ¡°Princess.¡± The voice that called to Rienne belonged to Maslow, an advisor to the aristocratic delegation. It was shaking and filled with worry. [Maslow] ¡°You won¡¯t ept it, will you? They¡¯re nothing but wild beasts who know nothing of human decency, just doing as they please. To have the audacity to propose like this¡­! This is proof of their savagery!¡± [Rienne] ¡°But if we don¡¯t ept, do we have any other way to stop them?¡± Trying her best to steady her voice, Rienne opened up the crumbled letter with her hands. [Rienne] ¡°We don¡¯t have the strength necessary to drive them away on our own. You know that.¡± The only remaining symbols of power in their once great kingdom was Rienne, Maslow, and Weroz¡ªthe captain of the guard. They were nothingpared to how splendid the Nauk Kingdom of old was. Weroz spoke in a heavy voice. Though he was uptight and rigid long ago, he was over forty years old now. [Weroz] ¡°We can still fight them. I¡¯m prepared to offer up my life if need be.¡± Rienne knew of Weroz¡¯s loyalty. She knew he was honest when he said he was ready. And that was all the more reason she needed to ept the proposal. She couldn¡¯t let all the knights who thought like Weroz needlessly throw their lives away. [Rienne] ¡°We¡¯ll all end up dying together.¡± [Weroz] ¡°P, Princess¡­!¡± Weroz shook his head, but Rienne couldn¡¯t bring herself to lie. It had been fifteen days. In only fifteen days, Castle Nauk had beenpletely isted and not long ago, their supply routes had been cut off. The people were exhausted from fighting, and the few guards that remained hadpletely lost their spirits. They had no chance from the very beginning. From the start, the mercenaries had an army ten times the size of the castle¡¯s reserve troops. Not to mention the Tiwakan Mercenaries, known for being the cruelest and most barbaric army on the entire continent, were suffering no real loss. For them, this was no different from hunting rabbits. They could easily hold out for months if need be. But not before everyone in the Kingdom of Nauk starved to death. Taking a deep breath, Rienne spoke. [Rienne] ¡°I will ept their offer.¡± Maslow and Weroz shouted out together. [Weroz] ¡°No, Princess!¡± [Maslow] ¡°No, you mustn¡¯t! You¡¯re only saying that because you don¡¯t know what the people of Tiwakan are like!¡± She¡¯d heard enough rumors. They said the leader of Tiwakan was the son of the God of War, birthed after his mother was raped. As a result, the God of Death cursed him, and the God of Earth continually rejected his body. His cursed existence was one that could never perish on the battlefield. [Maslow] ¡°They say he was one of the ones who turned his back on God. As such¡­¡± [Rienne] ¡°Perhaps he desires men more than he does women?¡± Hearing Rienne¡¯s straightforward and blunt remarks, Weroz stuttered out. [Weroz] ¡°Well, as you already know, the Tiwakan Mercenaries do have more men¡­ in their ranks¡­¡± Maslow was an experienced advisor, so he used clearernguage to stop Rienne from epting the offer. [Maslow] ¡°As such, women who spend the night with men like that tend not to live long, Princess.¡± Hearing that, a shadow downcast over Rienne¡¯s eyes. It was enough to make her shiver. Just what manner of beast was this man? [Rienne] ¡°But I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll kill me in a single night. He wouldn¡¯t have asked me to marry him if that¡¯s what he wanted.¡± Maslow shouted out in a panicked tone. [Maslow] ¡°You can¡¯t, Princess. Or have you forgotten what Lord Kleinfelder is trying to do right now for your sake?¡± [Rienne] ¡°He said he would find reinforcements from the Kingdom of Sharka and bring them here within ten days.¡± Rienne wasn¡¯t the sort of person to be pessimistic, but she didn¡¯t want to hold onto what could turn out to be false hope. After all, she was Princess Rienne of the Arsak family, ruler of Castle Nauk, and responsible for the lives of everyone who lived there. [Rienne] ¡°Ten days have alreadye and gone. There¡¯s no guarantee he¡¯ll return, nor that he¡¯ll bring back the reinforcements he promised.¡± [Maslow] ¡°Do you not trust Lord Kleinfelder? He¡¯s doing more for you, Princess, than he¡¯s done for his own life. I¡¯m certain he¡¯ll return with the reinforcements.¡± [Rienne] ¡°If it were possible, he¡¯d be back already within the allotted time.¡± Rienne mulled over the promise of Rafit Kleinfelder, a knight of the Arsak family with a thorny look on her face. When they first heard word that the Tiwakan Mercenaries were marching on Nauk Castle, Rafit had left without a moment¡¯s notice for the Kingdom of Sharka. His mother¡¯s family was one of thergest in the entire nation. If anyone could get their help, it was him. Just ten days, he had said. He told them to hold on just for that long. Rienne wanted to believe in him, but a flicker of hope in the palm of her hand was nothing inparison to the crushing reality before her. [Rienne] ¡°We can¡¯t dy any longer. Even if he does manage to return, the Kingdom of Sharka would never provide us with enough troops to drive back the Tiwakan Mercenaries. What country would want to wage war with them now? Even the great Kingdom of Lekes decided to humiliate themselves by signing a peace treaty them.¡± It was five days past the appointed time. That was all the evidence they needed. Even Maslow and Weroz knew that it was pointless to hope for reinforcements. [Rienne] ¡°Whatever the reason is, we all know that Tiwakan¡¯s proposal is real. They wouldn¡¯t be waiting for an answer whileying siege to the castle if it wasn¡¯t. Their troops could easily break the gates and walls at any time they so choose.¡± Looking back at the only other two people left to the defend Castle Nauk with her, Rienne made her decision. [Rienne] ¡°As heir to the Arsak family and thest of my blood, I have a duty to defend Nauk. If my marriage to one man can protect everyone¡¯s lives, it¡¯s a small price to pay.¡± [Weroz] ¡°Princess¡­¡± He didn¡¯t have it in him to fight her on this. Closing his eyes, Weroz epted her choice with a sigh, his face filled with remorse as the edges of his eyes wrinkled. But Maslow wasn¡¯t ready to give in. [Maslow] ¡°Then what about Lord Kleinfelder? The Kleinfelders are presently one of the most power families in all of Nauk. That isn¡¯t a rtionship you can cut off so easily; not without consultation.¡± As an advisor to the aristocracy, Maslow had long since maintained a good rtionship with the Kleinfelders. He was one of the many who believed that Rafit Kleinfelder would one day marry Rienne and be Nauk¡¯s ruler. [Rienne] ¡°There¡¯s no point in discussing it.¡± [Maslow] ¡°Can you say that to the Kleinfelders, Princess?¡± [Rienne] ¡°And tell me, what were the Kleinfelders doing as Castle Nauk¡¯s guards bled out waiting for Lord Kleinfelder¡¯s return?¡± Rienne¡¯s expression turned cold. Though Lord Kleinfelder was technically her ¡®lover¡¯, her rtionship with him had never once been loving. The Kleinfelders kept an iron grip on the nation¡¯s wealth and power, something that didn¡¯t go unnoticed as the little kingdom started to crumble. With that power in his hands, Rafit urged Rienne to marry him after his father¡¯s death. One way or another, Rienne fought off the official engagement in order to stave off the Kleinfelder¡¯s attempts to gain joint control over Nauk. Perhaps, he could¡¯ve been a genuine sweetheart towards her. But the Kleinfelders were too greedy. They would consume all of Nauk, which was already barren, leaving nothing but the bones behind. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯ll send my reply to the head of Tiwakan.¡± Weroz and Maslow looked up at her with their faces distorted. Speaking with a steady and direct voice, Rienne gave her answer to the two people who fought against her decision for different reasons. [Rienne] ¡°I ept their offer.¡± An hour after her answer, they received a response. A ce for Rienne and her proposer to meet had been decided. Rienne was to be escorted by Weroz and a few other guards. Looking at it from here¡­ As the sound of the horses grew in her ear, Castle Nauk grew smaller in the distance. [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Rienne turned her head to the side, staring at the castle she was leaving behind her. ¡­I wonder if I¡¯ll ever get back safely. * * * The location of the meeting was exactly at the halfway point between Castle Nauk and the Tiwakan¡¯s military encampment. The Tiwakan had already set up a tent in advance. Rienne entered first, apanied only by Weroz. Though the point of all of this was a proposal, the atmosphere was more akin to a battlefield. Troops were on either side of them with only the tent between them, and the tension in the air was palpable. [Rienne] ¡°¡­He¡¯s not here yet.¡± Once inside, there was nothing but a table and two chairs facing one another. Weroz stared angrily at their enemy¡¯s empty seat. [Weroz] ¡°I didn¡¯t expect it to turn out like this. To think they¡¯d disrespect us to this extent.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Well, thanks to them, at least I have some time to prepare myself. It isn¡¯t all bad.¡± So she said in jest, but there was a hint of sincerity to her words. Being given some extra time wasn¡¯t too bad. Rienne was worried her anxiety would be obvious with how much she was shaking and how frightened she was when she first walked in. She was being coerced into epting this proposal, but she didn¡¯t want to look intimidated. [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Rienne bit her lip, sitting in what she assumed was her seat. In just a moment, the leader of the Tiwakan would enter. An illegitimate son, abandoned by the God of War. Don¡¯t be nervous. Rienne sped her hands in herp. Don¡¯t let them look down on you. This wasn¡¯t a proposal. This was a negotiation. Whatever they wanted from her, she wouldn¡¯t give it up so easily. [Weroz] ¡°Princess.¡± Suddenly, Weroz called out to Rienne, lowering his voice. [Weroz] ¡°I hear something.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­What is it?¡± [Weroz] ¡°It was definitely a sword.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What do you mean?¡± [Weroz] ¡°Someone is fighting. Those savages will find any reason to fight, even amongst themselves¡­ Ah!¡± Weroz¡¯s face turned red. pping his knee, he couldn¡¯t contain the apparent joy on his face. [Weroz] ¡°It must be Sir Kleinfelder! He must¡¯ve led his reinforcements straight to attack Tiwakan!¡± [Rienne] ¡°What?¡± Rienne lifted herself up with tears in her eyes. [Rienne] ¡°Then does that mean¡­ I don¡¯t have to ept this proposal?¡± [Weroz] ¡°Of course, Princess! On your order, allow me to check outside. If they get caught up in battle, they¡¯ll try and pin the me on us for breaking our promise.¡± Weroz took charge in leading the way. [Weroz] ¡°Hurry, Princess.¡± But just as Rienne started to take a step, the sound of the tent¡¯s curtain being pushed open sounded out; as if the world was mocking her. p, p. A surge of strong, bright light poured into the inside of the tent. Rienne let go of Weroz¡¯s hand and frowned. She blinked, allowing her eyes to adjust to the light and eventually, she began to see a ck silhouette settling in her vision. ¡­There¡¯s something huge here. The shadow looming over her was all she needed to realize how massive the person standing in front of her was. Imposing, dark, stiff, and incredibly fierce. [¡ª] ¡°I¡¯mte.¡± His dry tone andnguid voice passed through the air, like the wind shaking dry grass. [¡ª] ¡°Princess of Nauk.¡± The head of Tiwakan had arrived, just as she had tried to escape this barbaric proposal. It was so bright, she felt her eyes start to water. Rienne opened her eyes wide and stared at the man now approaching her. Just looking at him made her feel like she was suffocating. His intimidating stature overwhelmed her, and every time he took another step closer, she felt her body go numb. The man¡¯s hair was indescribably ck, but in contrast, his intense blue eyes were clear like water. It felt more like an animal was staring her down, rather than a person. Rienne had never met anyone with such an intense appearance before. When she made eye contact with him, it sent shivers down her spine. And yet, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to look away. In fact, though they called him a savage that was more beast than man, he was beautiful. Thebination of deep hair and transparentke-like eyes was breathtaking. Nonsense¡­ Rienne closed her eyes and opened them again. But even so, the shock she felt at seeing such a stunning person didn¡¯t disappear so easily. Pull yourself together. Decent looking or not, a barbarian is still a barbarian. Chapter 2 - Bloody Courtship (2) Chapter 2 | Bloody Courtship (2) * * * One side of the man¡¯s cheek was red. It was from the blood of a wound that had not yet healed. [¡ª] ¡°I had to deal with something urgent, so I¡¯ve arrivedte. Please, take a seat.¡± The man reached out his hand and pointed to one of the empty chairs. ¡­Calm down. Just breathe. There seemed to have been a battle, but even so, the Tiwakan leader arrived at the promised location. Whatever happened was apparently not worth any real concern for him. [Rienne] ¡°I greet the head of Tiwakan. I wonder what could have happened that dyed our meeting and kept your marriage partner waiting.¡± [¡ª] ¡°¡­Something unexpected happened.¡± ¡­As she thought. The reinforcements had arrived. Rienne bit her lip to keep herself from smiling instinctively. [Rienne] ¡°If it was such a surprise, then I¡¯m not certain you should be spending your time with me, Lord Tiwakan. We can always postpone this meeting for ater date. We¡¯ll be in contact again the moment your affairs are in order.¡± Things werepletely different if the reinforcements were here. Nauk was being given a chance to fight, not roll over and surrender. As if having the same thought, Weroz¡¯s eyes turned bright. The man, the very same who arrived with blood on his face with the intent to propose, just wiped his cheek; entirely unbothered by the situation. [¡ª] ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± After he rubbed his cheek, there was blood on his hand. ¡­The smell of blood. Rienne¡¯s eyes narrowed unconsciously and she took a step back. That blood could belong to someone from Nauk. The man walked towards Rienne, his gaze piercing her. [¡ª] ¡°Shall I ask for your answer now?¡± Rienne grit her teeth to keep herself from trembling. [Rienne] ¡°I¡­¡± Even now, his eyes were like that of a beast. Just looking at them made her tongue curl up inside her. The man looked at Rienne as if he were in the midst of capturing her before looking behind him and calling out to someone outside. [¡ª] ¡°Bring it.¡± [Mercenary] ¡°Yes, My Lord.¡± Someone was quick to answer, as if Tiwakan¡¯s Mercenaries were outside waiting for his orders. Swish. Once the curtain was pulled back, a male monk entered. There was a sword in his hands. It was a long sword with various gems and jewelry pieces embedded in the hilt. Normally, it was the kind of sword typically used by knights from aristocratic families. [Rienne] ¡°This is¡­¡± Rienne¡¯s face turned pale like the dawn light. Seeing what she did, Weroz gasped. This was a sword used by the knights of the Arsak family. It was the same sword worn at the waist of her lover who had left, promising to return in ten days. ¡­He¡¯s dead. There was blood on the sword. The same color as the blood on the man¡¯s cheek. [¡ª] ¡°There was a surprise attack, but it¡¯s nothing to worry about. It¡¯s all been taken care of.¡± His voice was low and dry. It carried no emotion as it passed through Rienne¡¯s ears. [¡ª] ¡°So, your answer to the proposal?¡± * * * This could only mean one thing. She no longer had a choice. There would be no reinforcements. Her lover, the one who was supposed to bring them to her, was dead. Killed by the barbarian standing in front of her. [Rienne] ¡°¡­First¡­¡± Rienne faced the head of Tiwakan with the table between them, slowly opening her mouth to speak. In that moment, she had no choice but to push aside thoughts of her dead lover. She had no time to mourn him. Her main priority was getting out of this situation alive. The circumstances had changed in a moment¡¯s notice. It was no longer a matter of simply epting the proposal. Just as Rienne said she would ept, the reinforcements had arrived. Like she had nned it ahead of time. The Tiwakan might assume she had set a trap. It was possible the barbarians would slit her throat right then and there to make her pay for this betrayal. [Rienne] ¡°I hope you¡­will remember your manners, Lord Tiwakan.¡± Her voice was uneven. After uttering barely a sentence, she felt like he was moments from ripping her throat out. The man¡¯s eyes moved slowly. [¡ª] ¡°Manners?¡± [Rienne] ¡°In Nauk, it¡¯s considered impolite to put a weapon on the table where a proposal is to be discussed.¡± [¡ª] ¡°. . .¡± His eyes stopped moving as they passed over Rienne¡¯s face. Having to just sit still while avoiding his gaze made her feel both insulted and frightened. It was likely due to his bestial eyes. He was an incredibly strong person, looking her up and down as if she were weak and vulnerable prey. [¡ª] ¡°Well, then.¡± ng! The head of Tiwakan gently pushed the sword off the table and onto the floor. That was the very sword he used to cut the neck of someone, but he shoved it away as if it had nothing to do with him. [¡ª] ¡°I don¡¯t mean to be insensitive. It¡¯s not my sword, so I don¡¯t n on wielding it, but it¡¯s good to have just in case.¡± Rienne gripped her hand tightly under the table. She could feel her nails digging into her palm. [Rienne] ¡°What do you mean by ¡®just in case¡¯?¡± [¡ª] ¡°You may change your mind and refuse my proposal, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± How much does he know? Though his eyes were clear, they revealed nothing of his thoughts. She couldn¡¯t tell what he was thinking at all. [¡ª] ¡°The person who once wielded this sword was the very reason you wanted to reject it, correct?¡± [Rienne] ¡°He¡­¡± She took in a few short breaths. So he knew as well. That it was the Arsak family¡¯s retinuemander that led the raid against him, which meant Rienne was struggling to find a way to reject his proposal. [¡ª] ¡°He¡¯s noting back.¡± When he said it, it sounded like a deration of war even though he spoke casually. It was as if he was telling her that there was no way out. That she had to give him an answer. [¡ª] ¡°So, your answer?¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Rienne¡¯s finger nails were now piercing her flesh, and the sting of pain helped bring her back to her senses. This was no ordinary union. He wasn¡¯t trying to marry her. He was trying to take everything from her. Tiwakan¡¯s leader had already taken her lover, and now he would take Nauk and devour it. She had to get away. Rienne only had one card left to y. A hand she would deal in the name of a lie. [Rienne] ¡°Before that, there¡¯s something you should know, Lord Tiwakan.¡± [¡ª] ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡± Rienne bit her lip with a single hope in her heart. Please, let him be deceived by this lie. [Rienne] ¡°The owner of that sword was themander of the Arsak family knights, as well as my love. I¡¯m certain you already knew that, as you proposed.¡± [¡ª] ¡°I know.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Then you should also know I¡¯ve already allowed my love toy with me.¡± [¡ª] ¡°. . .¡± His eyes were more akin to a beast than a human as they glistened in the light. [Rienne] ¡°And now I am with child.¡± And so Rienne revealed the final card she had. There was no doubt in her mind that he would have no choice but to pull himself from this game after hearing it. [Rienne] ¡°Knowing this, will you still propose?¡± * * * [Weroz] ¡°Princess¡­¡± Weroz was standing behind Rienne, his pale lips slightly parted. He could feel the tension piercing his entire body. Having another man¡¯s child was a clear cut rejection. A man of any level of decency would take the loss and bow out. But Rienne¡¯s opponent was a barbarian. Weroz couldn¡¯t dismiss the possibility that the barbarian could go berserk from the insult. If that happened, Weroz was prepared to shield Rienne with his body if necessary. But the beast-like man didn¡¯t flip the table or attack anyone with a knife like he anticipated. [¡ª] ¡°¡­I see.¡± Hearing the unexpected news, the man tilted his head to the side, curiosity tugging at his lips. [Rienne] ¡°What you desire from this proposal, Lord Tiwakan, is joint sovereignty of Nauk. But as you well know, Nauk¡¯s throne belongs to those of Arsak blood. Even if you were to marry me, my child will be the next King. Tiwakan blood will not run through his veins.¡± Rienne spoke without taking a breath. That was her best assumption when it came to Tiwakan¡¯s motives. The reason why Tiwakan mercenaries, who swept through battlefields with ease, would so suddenlye to a small southern castle that has nothing to offer them, and demand marriage. He might wish to settle down as a king. With no more wars to fight, there weren¡¯t many options for mercenaries. They would either return home with their spoils, or wander the country looking for work by looting. Or they could absorb a small kingdom. As a conqueror, he could be a king himself or marry an existing royal family member to gain sovereignty. But there was a problem. In order to fully be part of the royal family, he needed to continue his bloodline. As Rienne said, it all became pointless if a child that wasn¡¯t his own became the next great king. He would live and die as nothing more than the husband of a princess. The head of Tiwakan frowned. The creases on his face were the only sign of displeasure on his otherwise expressionless face. [¡ª] ¡°¡­That¡¯s a lot more than I expected.¡± He spoke to himself quietly. Rienne could only hold his breath while he mulled over her words. Suddenly, his fierce eyes like a predator turned towards her. [¡ª] ¡°If I acknowledge his birthright, will you marry me?¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­Excuse me?¡± Expecting a rejection, Rienne¡¯s eyes blinked in total bewilderment. Weroz was no different. Just a moment ago, he was busying himself with ideas on how to deal with the son of the God of War, the head of Tiwakan, should things go south, but now his mouth was agape with shock. [¡ª] ¡°Then you can just give birth.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± [¡ª] ¡°In exchange, I¡¯ll take you, Princess.¡± The proposal was epted. It was a situation she couldn¡¯t understand at all. * * * [¡ª] ¡°I¡¯ll see you off.¡± The head of Tiwakan was now engaged to the Princess thanks to the marriage proposal, so it wasn¡¯t like Weroz could tell him to back off or not toy a finger on the Nauk¡¯s princess. Rienne grit her teeth and took a step back. [Rienne] ¡°We¡¯re still strangers to one another, so I¡¯ll have to decline.¡± Rienne stood back with Weroz. The sound of the man walking towards where her horse was posted gave her goosebumps. [¡ª] ¡°You¡¯ll get used to eventually. You have to.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I¡­¡± [¡ª] ¡°Take my hand.¡± The head of Tiwakan reached out to her. Seeing his hand, she couldn¡¯t help but feel as though their appearance was aplete contradiction. It was a hand that didn¡¯t hesitate to kill others like an animal tearing apart its meal. It was the hand of a person who still had blood on his face, but was also deceptively straight. There were clear callouses on his palm from the wear and tear of wielding a sword, but his long outstretched fingers were as refined as a nobleman¡¯s. Perhaps if there were blood on his hand, she could have used cleanliness as an excuse and refused him, but they were impably clean. [Rienne] ¡°¡­Alright.¡± Mustering her courage, Rienne ced her fingertips in the palm of his hand. But Tiwakan¡¯s chief didn¡¯t pull her hand in and hold it, instead moving to ce his other hand around Rienne¡¯s waist. [Rienne] ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Rienne instinctively gasped as he effortlessly lifted her into the air with one arm and ced her into the saddle of her horse. It all happened so quickly, Rienne felt like her head was still in the clouds. Before Rienne could even think about grabbing the reins, the man took her hand and tapped her palm with his fingers. [Rienne] ¡°Oh.¡± [¡ª] ¡°You¡¯re hurt.¡± The stinging pain pulled Rienne out of her daze. It was from when she was digging into her own palm and identally tore her flesh. It was clear she had done it to herself just by looking at it. Without even thinking, Rienne tried to hide her hand, but the man maintained his grip on her. [¡ª] ¡°Thank you for being patient.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Huh¡­?¡± [¡ª] ¡°I ask that you endure more in the future. You¡¯ll get used to it someday.¡± After speaking softly, the man bowed his head and put his lips against Rienne¡¯s torn palm. [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± It was such an unexpected thing that Rienne could only stare down at the man with her lips slightly parted as thete afternoon sun nced off of him. His light colored eyes glistened in the sunlight. * * * [Phermos] ¡°What the hell were you thinking?¡± As soon as Nauk¡¯s princess waspletely out of sight, Phermos quickly spoke up, as if he had been waiting for his chance to express his displeasure. [Phermos] ¡°I can¡¯t believe it¡­ a child! Didn¡¯t you want to take Nauk for yourself? You wanted to have it so badly, you fought and bled for it, and opted for a proposal. Is that correct?¡± As an aide, Phermos was a deeply intelligent man. Those strange ss lenses ced in metal frames didn¡¯t sit on his nose for nothing. He read more than enough and, as a result, possessed plenty of knowledge. He had ideas and thoughts no other human dared to dream of. So when the head of Tiwakan suddenly decided to descend on the southern castle in order to propose to and marry a princess of ruined kingdom, Phermos assumed their leader wanted to rule. He¡¯d been wandering the battlefield for far too long by now. Maybe he just wanted a break. With that in mind, Phermos followed him without question. After all, for the Tiwakan Mercenaries, surrounding and isting a castle with a few troops was nothing short of a break. Their opponent in this fight was just going to surrender anyway. The mercenaries would often practice their table manners and crack jokes like, ¡®If our master bes King, does that make us nobles?¡¯ But an illegitimate child? He would ept a child that doesn¡¯t have a drop of his blood? A child that would only serve to cause trouble in the future? Where was the logic in that choice? [¡ª] ¡°You¡¯re not wrong. I do want Nauk.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Then it¡¯s not toote. Don¡¯t give up on taking power. No matter what you desire, they¡¯re powerless to refuse. Even they¡¯ll understand the ramifications of saying no to you.¡± As the man turned away to watch where Nauk¡¯s princess had disappeared to, Phermos couldn¡¯t help but feel as though his eyes looked different from usual. Any answer he may have drawn from him flowed away like the river Ebet in Nauk. A river that waspletely dried up. [¡ª] ¡°What I desire includes her.¡± Chapter 3 - If God Wills It Chapter 3 | If God Wills It * * * At first, Phermos thought he heard wrong. [Phermos] ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­. you want¡­what?¡± [¡ª] ¡°The Princess of Nauk¡± Phermos adjusted his sses. [Phermos] ¡°My Lord wants a woman? A woman you never even met before today? But why?¡± [¡ª] ¡°. . .¡± Tiwakan¡¯s chief opted to remain quiet rather than answer. He was normally the stoic type. He had no name, nor any origins. No one knew anything about him before he joined the Tiwakan Mercenaries. Even Phermos only had a vague idea. Though he had no name, the word they used to refer to him in its ce was ¡®ck¡¯. There was no better word to describe him.(1) [Phermos] ¡°My Lord, please think about the future. What do you think will happen after the child is born? What if he finds out the Knight Commander was his father? He¡¯ll try and get revenge on you and call his mother a traitor.¡± Phermos was thering on, but he believed ck to be aware of all of this. He could not for the life of him understand what was going on in that man¡¯s head. It would be understandable if all he desired was Nauk itself. To be frank, Phermos didn¡¯t entirely know what use such a barren and poornd could be, but if ck wanted it, that was all the reason Phermos needed. To the mercenaries, ck wasn¡¯t just some illegitimate child born from the God of War. He was a God himself. On that ten yearlong battlefield, ck had saved them all in a fight against the God of Death. That was all they needed to know that ck himself was a God. But now, suddenly ck desired the Princess of Nauk, not Nauk itself. It was something Phermos couldn¡¯t wrap his brain around. It wasn¡¯t possible for ck to fall in love with the first woman he met today. While it was true the Princess of Nauk was a rare beauty indeed, a single well sculpted face shouldn¡¯t be enough to shake ck of all people. There had to be some other reason. [ck] ¡°The kid doesn¡¯t matter to me.¡± When ck finally spoke again, Phermos¡¯ face beamed. He knew he shouldn¡¯t ask his lord, but the curiosity was driving him crazy. [Phermos] ¡°Can I ask why?¡± [ck] ¡°Any child born of the Princess of Nauk will be mine as well, regardless of who they are. I don¡¯t intend to act pure hearted, but I also don¡¯t wish to capture her spirit. Even if there is another who has her heart, I have no need nor a desire to forcibly take it. [Phermos] ¡°. . .¡± Phermos moved his eyes around, looking at him with a perplexing face. His Lord¡¯s words were surprisingly innocent, and it made him feel strange. [Phermos] ¡°So¡­ You really want to get the Princess and not just Nauk?¡± [ck] ¡°Are you truly asking me that?¡± ck raised his eyebrow. That sufficed as an answer. ck was not in love with Nauk¡¯s princess. He wasn¡¯t particrly generous towards her, nor did he long for her affection. So what was the reason? [ck] ¡°I¡¯m just trying to get her because I have to.¡± [Phermos] ¡°But why would you¡­¡± [ck] ¡°I need to take back what was mine from the start.¡± [Phermos] ¡°What?¡± The deration was so embarrassing, Phermos almost dropped his sses. [Phermos] ¡°You mean, Nauk¡­? Then that¡¯s¡­¡± [ck] ¡°If the Princess were to be married, it would only make it harder to take it back. That is why I must move quickly and take it before then. I¡¯ll tell you what you need to know as we go, so stop asking so many questions.¡±(2) From just that, Phermos could tell Nauk had something to do with ck¡¯spletely shrouded past. A past that was kept a dark secret from the rest of them. [Phermos] ¡°I see.¡± Then it truly wasn¡¯t Phermos¡¯ ce to argue. [Phermos] ¡°I¡¯ll do as you ask of me.¡± If their God willed it, then it had to be done. * * * The light of dawn was aggressively bright. Rienne stood by the window, rubbing her eyes. She couldn¡¯t sleep a wink all night. [Rienne] ¡°¡­Farewell.¡± As she leaned her forehead against the window all through the morning, she felt a chill coursing through her body until it reached the tips of her toes. She was mourning¡ªa soft sigh escaping her as a goodbye to her lover. The tears pooled like fog in her deep emerald eyes, but they never dared to fall. I shouldn¡¯t cry. It takes too much energy. Rienne told herself this, as if to provide herself with some small level offort. Farewell. I pray you can meet someone who will love you properly in thend of the dead. Even now, she was such a coward. She didn¡¯t even have the courage to treat him as a lover should. It was just apromise, having a Knight of the Arsak Family by her side. Rienne didn¡¯t have the power needed to protect the Kingdom of Nauk on her own, but her lover¡¯s family did. In essence, their rtionship was a forced one, calcted by her lover¡¯s family who wanted to control Nauk, but he always told Rienne that his love for her was true. He said he would wait until the day she could trust himpletely. She didn¡¯t realize that affection would eventually lead to his death. Her lover¡¯s death left her cold, like losing the light of dawn. Rienne realized in that moment that there was one less person around with the power to protect her. What a coldhearted and selfish person she was. Her lover was dead, and yet all she could think about was the effect his death would have on Nauk. [Rienne] ¡°Even after he¡¯s gone, I¡¯m still using him.¡± Rienne ced a hand on the window sill. She was lying when she said there was a child. She hardly ever let her lover even kiss her, let alone sleep with her. Every time he did, he would look at her with a burning intensity. That intensity and thirst reminded her all too much of the Kleinfelder¡¯s desire to take her position. If she really was pregnant with her lover¡¯s child, she wasn¡¯t sure she¡¯d be able to tolerate it herself. [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s okay. Everything¡¯s going to be okay¡­¡± There had to be a way to trick him. Rienne would either have to fake a miscarriage, or actually have a child. Even entertaining thest idea sent shivers down her spine. She had too much on her te just protecting the castle. Can I really fool him? So she thought about that contradictory man. He was a terrifying, ferocious man who could scare others just by looking at them, and yet¡­ he was also the person who had left a soft kiss on her palm after seeing she was injured. [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Rienne slipped out her hand and opened it up to look at her palm. There was a red scar in the shape of her fingernails. The wound reminded her of the man¡¯s lips, making her hand tremble. She was beginning to realize she would never understand how different these two sides of him were. [Rienne] ¡°Hah¡­.¡± After giving a small sigh, Rienne turned her gaze away. A new day was finally starting. Another long, painful day of trying to bring together a kingdom that was falling apart at the seams, bit by bit every day.(3) * * * [Maslow] ¡°¡­So we were able to secure three months¡¯ worth of tax revenue. And of course it¡¯s been impacted by the reduced spending.¡± As per usual, Maslow visited the King¡¯s office early in the morning. After King Seon¡¯s passing, the office was now Rienne¡¯s working space, but not much had changed from before. The Kingdom¡¯s earnings were falling more and more each year. Nauk was once the richest Kingdom in the entire southern region. Now, thanks to the drought thatsted twenty years, it quickly fell to being the poorest. However, they somehow managed to secure tax revenue due to the heavy rainfall this year. If it hadn¡¯t been for the attack from Tiwakan, Rienne could have had three meals a day. [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡± Rienne mulled over the documents Maslow handed over to her. [Rienne] ¡°I suppose it¡¯s a good thing I epted Lord Tiwakan¡¯s proposal when I did. If I hadn¡¯t, these numbers surely would¡¯ve been worse.¡± Even though it was a light-hearted joke, Maslow looked upset. [Maslow] ¡°I think it was rather reckless of you ept the proposal, Princess. At the very least, you should have consulted the Kleinfelders¡­¡± [Rienne] ¡°If Lord Tiwakan returns his body, I¡¯ll discuss the funeral matters with them. Until then, please convey my deepest condolences and sorrow to his family on my behalf.¡± Maslow¡¯s lips twitched in disapproval. [Maslow] ¡°As a member of the royal family, we¡¯ll need to have a formal mourning period. It was the eldest son of the Kleinfelder family who passed, after all.¡± Maslow was still staunchly opposed to Rienne¡¯s decision to ept the Tiwakan proposal. A civil war might have even broken out had that man not presented her lover¡¯s sword to her as proof of his death. [Rienne] ¡°Would that not be rather disrespectful? Tell them I¡¯ll need to speak with Lord Tiwakan first.¡± [Maslow] ¡°If you insist on being so polite to those barbarians, I won¡¯t stand still.¡± Maslow stroked his chin with his head drooped down. The chairman of the noble council was her dead lover¡¯s uncle, and that very seat of power was one of the positions that were guaranteed to the Kleinfelders for generations. This delegate was given the sacred responsibility of assisting the royal family, but the chairman of Nauk had only been performing a single duty for thest several years. Keeping potential rebellions in check. The chairman undoubtedly believed his nephew would be King of Nauk some day after serving dutifully as themander of the Arsak family¡¯s retinue knights. It was obvious he would be losing his mind, hearing that Rienne had gotten engaged to another so soon after his nephew¡¯s passing. This was part of the reasons why Rienne could never ept her lover¡¯s feelings for her to be true, no matter how sincere he was. If Rienne had married him and allowed him to rule Nauk alongside her, she knew the chairman wouldn¡¯t waste any time using Nauk for all it was worth¡ªeating away at it starting from the bottom. [Maslow] ¡°Don¡¯t you think you should speak with the Kleinfelders personally? If those savages have earnedmon decency, then so have the Kleinfelders. Please give them the respect they deserve, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°My apologies, but I¡¯m busy preparing for the engagement. I don¡¯t have time to deliver my condolences in person, so please understand my position. If not, then perhaps you¡¯re somehow trying to maintain the goal of the chairman?¡± Maslow¡¯s face turned red, but that meant nothing. [Maslow] ¡°Princess, I only mean that we shouldn¡¯t neglect the death of Lord Kleinfelder just because of his family. If we do, we¡¯ll end up paying a great price. They¡¯re a family that dates back to the days of Nauk¡¯s first king.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Don¡¯t you think I know that?¡± Rienne gave a tired and bitter smile. [Rienne] ¡°You of all people should know how hard I tried to avoid the proposal from Lord Tiwakan, but the death toll kept rising. What more could I have done? Should I have sacrificed more lives just to help the Kleinfelders¡¯ save face?¡± [Maslow] ¡°¡­I¡¯ve said my piece, Princess.¡± With no more words left to say, Maslow backed off. Rienne didn¡¯t respond as he turned around, leaving the room and shutting the door behind him with a heavy sound. [Rienne] ¡°To think we muste to blows just nning a memorial.¡± Rienne let out a low sigh. What a terrible lover I am¡­ [Rienne] ¡°I should at least change my clothes.¡± If nothing else, she should wear mourning clothes to greet the body of the lover she never once loved. * * * [Rienne] ¡°¡­What did you just say?¡± But she couldn¡¯t wear a ck dress. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Lord Weroz told me to deliver an urgent message. The head of that barbaric tribe is bringing the body himself, so you¡¯ll need to change again, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Ha¡­¡± Even the thought of meeting with those cold, beast-like eyes again made her chest feel tight. [Rienne] ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. Bring me another dress. And prepare a wee.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Yes, Princess.¡± Mrs. mbard was Rienne¡¯s nanny, and was now serving as her personaldy-in-waiting. She sighed deeply. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have to wee the barbarians, Princess. You don¡¯t have to act nice.¡± As she picked out a few pieces of clothing with colorful fabrics, Mrs. mbard¡¯s eyes were filled with a mixture of pity and anger. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°You shouldn¡¯t look too beautiful either. They don¡¯t deserve to see you like that.¡± [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s a bit toote for that. Now that I¡¯ve epted his proposal, we¡¯re considered officially engaged. Treating him badly would reflect poorly on me.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°But he¡¯s a savage who killed your love.¡± Rienne quickly moved to stop Mrs. mbard¡¯s crying, who sobbed as if she was the one who experienced the tragedy. [Rienne] ¡°Mrs. mbard.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Yes, Princess?¡± [Rienne] ¡°He¡¯s gone, and I¡¯m engaged now. It would be an insult to both my fianc¨¦ and myself if I were to speak his name now.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Ah¡­¡± [Rienne] ¡°Now please, help me change clothes. I shouldn¡¯t bete.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°. . .¡± Mrs. mbard didn¡¯t respond, but she nodded her head instead. She worked as she usually did when she changed Rienne¡¯s clothes, but every so often, her hands would tremble. [Rienne] ¡°Oh, but one more thing.¡± As Mrs. mbard tightened theces of Rienne¡¯s undershirt, several thoughts crossed her mind. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Tell me, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s still a secret, but I¡¯m having a baby.¡± T/N:(1) His name can either be read as ¡°ck¡± mon) or ¡°ck¡± (umon). Honestly, I personally like ck better, but theyter go on to say his moniker fits his dark personality, so I stuck with ¡°ck¡±, as it¡¯s the moremon reading in the first ce. (2) There¡¯s no subject nor pronoun in this phrase. As such, it¡¯s purposefully left ambiguous whether or not ck is referring to Rienne or Nauk, hence ¡°it¡±. (3) It was established in Ch. 1 that Rienne¡¯s lover¡¯s name was Rafit Kleinfelder, but the raws exclusively refer to him as being her ¡°lover¡± in this entire section, so I just stuck with that. Chapter 4 - Bedroom Plan Chapter 4 | Bedroom n * * * [Mrs. mbard] ¡°¡­What?¡± Mrs. mbard was so shocked, she released thece she was tying and Rienne¡¯s loose inner skirt fell to the floor. [Rienne] ¡°Exactly how long does it take for a baby to start showing?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°O, oh, w, well, that¡¯s¡­¡± As Mrs. mbard struggled to find her words, guards had rushed over and knocked on Rienne¡¯s door. Knock, knock. [Guard] ¡°Message for the Princess. We¡¯ve received word that the head of Tiwakan has arrived and is at the front gates. We¡¯re awaiting Lord Weroz¡¯s orders before allowing him entry.¡± Suddenly, the faces of Mrs. mbard and Rienne changed once they noticed Rienne was still in her underwear. Making eye contact with her nanny, Rienne spoke slowly. [Rienne] ¡°¡­Open the gates. Tell him I¡¯ll be with him shortly.¡± With that, Mrs. mbard quickly got to work tying Rienne¡¯s dress. Even though Mrs. mbard had told Rienne not to look so beautiful, she unfortunately looked radiant when dressed in such bright clothing. Her snow white skin blended strangely with how slender her neck was, giving her the image of a fragile flower that could break at any moment. * * * [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± There were six coffins ced in the front yard. Silence filled the air, save for the sound of each of them unceremoniously hitting the ground as they were brought in. Completely forgetting to wee her guests, Rienne just stared nkly at the closed caskets. Seeing them like this, they all looked the same. She couldn¡¯t tell which one of them contained her dead lover. [Phermos] ¡°We¡¯ve brought back the bodies without damage, just as you requested.¡± So said the strange man with a funny looking contraption on his face¡ªa man who identified himself as Phermos. [Phermos] ¡°This is a small gift to you, Princess of Nauk, who graciously epted our offer.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± The first gift she received from her fianc¨¦ was a corpse. How eerie. As Rienne nodded her head to acknowledge the gift, ck took a step towards her. His eyes bored into her face, and it felt like it was stinging her flesh. [Rienne] ¡°Thank you for granting my request. And for the coffins.¡± It was a miracle enough that the bodies of those in during a surprise attack were returned intact, but the coffins were not a requirement. The barbarians must have wanted to y nice because they¡¯re engaged now. Rienne was now in the position to be grateful for these sorts of things. The head of Tiwakan took another step closer, and Rienne pushed down the desire to take a step back. [ck] ¡°The day is over.¡± The way he said it made it sound like a day was a very long time, but in reality, it had only been a single day since her lover died. [ck] ¡°I want to talk about our marriage, now.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± The six coffins, one of which containing the body of her lover, were both a gift and a threat, as if to say¡­ Don¡¯t get distracted by grief and forget about my proposal. * * * They had to move locations. The office was too small, but the chapel was toorge. In the end, they ended up using the reception room with the biggest table. At one point, the most important families in all of Nauk would make frequent visits to the King every day, but such a tradition had long since died out. They sat on opposite sides of the table, face to face in a weirdly shabby room. Only Weroz and Maslow sat with Rienne, but luckily the other side didn¡¯t have many people either, so the picture looked equal on the outside. But it didn¡¯t feel that way in the back of her mind. Even if Lord Tiwakan had been there alone, Rienne would still have to contend with that awkward and endless feeling of contradiction. [Phermos] ¡°I know it isn¡¯t a wise decision to make the engagement period too long.¡± Phermos was the first to speak. Even in Nauk, it was known that he was practically the second inmand of Tiwakan, serving as ck¡¯s right hand man and aide. [Phermos] ¡°Though we¡¯re in the south, it¡¯s starting to get cold. Before that, the Tiwakan Mercenaries want to dismantle our camp and settle somewhere with a roof over our heads. And considering your position, Princess¡­¡± Phermos stopped talking for a moment, a meaningful smile on his face. [Phermos] ¡°I¡¯m sure you must also be in a hurry to marry so that you may baptize your newborn child.¡± [Maslow] ¡°Wait¡­ Excuse me?¡± Maslow leapt to his feet. [Maslow] ¡°Oh, Princess¡­ Who¡­ Whose child is it¡­?¡± As Maslow stuttered out his words, two different voices spoke up from either side of the table. [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s my child.¡± [ck] ¡°It¡¯s mine.¡± Their words were the same, but the meaning waspletely different. Rienne looked straight at ck in embarrassment, thoughts in her head wondering what on earth he was talking about. ck returned her look with no sense of embarrassment on his face. [ck] ¡°Your child will recognize me as being its biological father once we¡¯re married.¡± Since they both decided to leave the pregnancy as is, it was an obvious and easy conclusion toe to. [Maslow] ¡°Oh, so that¡¯s what you meant.¡± [ck] ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter to me if the child remains an Arsak.¡± Maslow looked right at Rienne with widened eyes. Although there were differences between himself and someone more proficient, Maslow was still an experienced politician and had long since served as Rienne¡¯s advisor. He knew for a fact that Rienne had never allowed her lover to sleep with her, so of course he immediately knew her im of being pregnant was a lie made to refuse the proposal. But even so, he scolded Rienne for being reckless as best he could with his expression. ¡­I know. Rienne agreed, but there was no point crying over spilled milk. It was toote to say she had lied; which meant she needed to lie about having a miscarriage when the time was right, or she would have no choice but to have a baby. But that meant¡­ Rienne hid her face and bit down on her lip. That meant¡­ That meant she needed to sleep with the barbarian as soon as possible. I can¡¯t do that. It would be too obvious. He¡¯d notice. Having epting his proposal, she had no problem sleeping with him if need be. No matter how much she hated it, it was an unavoidable circumstance after marriage. But beyond that, there was another problem. Rienne instinctively closed her eyes. He¡¯ll notice I¡¯m inexperienced. He¡¯ll think there¡¯s no way I could possibly be pregnant. Then what would happen? Lord Tiwakan¡¯s reputation was rife with rumors of his brutality. Her imagination ran wild with awful thoughts that made her sick even thinking about it. [Phermos] ¡°If you allow me, I can help. The birthright of your child will be guaranteed in the name of Lord Tiwakan. If you¡¯d like, we can even notarize it in the marriage pledge.¡± Lord Tiwakan¡¯s aide was a shrewd and precise worker. He was already setting the stage. [Phermos] ¡°It would difficult for you to hide your pregnancy starting in a month or two, so our best option would be to hold the wedding sometime in the next fifteen days.¡± [Maslow] ¡°Fifteen days? That¡¯s too fast!¡± Maslow stood up for the second time that day and shouted out. [Maslow] ¡°It wouldn¡¯t even possible toplete the marriage robes in fifteen days!¡± [ck] ¡°¡­Sit down.¡± A low but clear voice immediately stopped Maslow¡¯s shouting. [Maslow] ¡°. . .¡± With a frustrated look, Maslow looked at ck, who had ordered him to sit down. Stumbling, Maslow fell back down into his seat as he faced those blue eyes that were so pale that it made his pupils more defined. In the end, the face of the old royal advisor turned pale. [ck] ¡°I¡¯ll prepare the robes. If the Princess finds any part of the wedding nning burdensome, then you needn¡¯t do anything. I don¡¯t want you to find any reason to postpone our marriage¡­¡± ck had stopped talking, leaving dead air for another to speak, but no one dared raise their voice. The head of Tiwakan had the power to force everyone to listen to hismands. Even as he was silent, everyone waited with bated breath for his next words. Then, ck looked at Rienne and spoke slowly. [ck] ¡°I want you to be honest, Princess.¡± Now it was Rienne¡¯s turn to fall pale. * * * No matter how much she thought about it, there was no justification for it except that she just didn¡¯t want to. Just looking at him sent chills down her spine. Could she really marry such a man and sleep with him? Could she trick him into believing the child was someone else¡¯s? Could she act well enough to make him think she was experienced? Like she couldn¡¯t feel the pain of her first time? ¡­No, there¡¯s no way. There was no way she could maintain such a lie. [Weroz] ¡°Princess¡­¡± Weroz, who had been silent the entire time, called out to Rienne quietly. It was only then that Rienne realized she was clenching her fists under the table with her eyes closed. She had to give him an answer. [Rienne] ¡°I need time to prepare myself.¡± [ck] ¡°How much time do you need?¡± Even a year wouldn¡¯t be enough. [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s not just a matter of preparing clothing. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve been made aware of the situation in Nauk. We don¡¯t have the financial capabilities to fund a wedding in fifteen days.¡± She wasn¡¯t lying about that. Money was Nauk¡¯s biggest problem, and it was the reason why even her lover¡¯s funeral was considered a luxury. [ck] ¡°Money¡¯s the problem?¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­As ashamed as I am to admit it, yes.¡± [ck] ¡°And there¡¯s no other reason?¡± Rienne bit her lip and answered. [Rienne] ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± ck turned towards his aide. Understanding the implicit order, Phermos opened the lid of box he brought and pulled out something. A sheet of paper. Thinking he was going to hand the paper to ck, Rienne was a little surprised to see him instead shove the box towards him. [ck] ¡°Think of this as an engagement gift. It¡¯s much better than few stone coffins.¡± The box, which was by no means small, was filled to the brim with gold. Maslow was so shocked that he dare not even reach for the box. He only looked at Rienne. [Maslow] ¡°Princess¡­¡± Rienne was the same. As Maslow and Rienne stared down at the gold in front of them, Phermos spread out the paper in his hand and turned it around so they could see the contents. [Phermos] ¡°We require the Princess¡¯ consent here. After your marriage, the Tiwakan Mercenaries will take on a new name¡ªThe Guardian Knights of Arsak.¡± They still had ten times as many troops as there were in Nauk. [Rienne] ¡°Excuse me?¡± Rienne¡¯s first thought was to be appalled. She couldn¡¯t believe this stroke of unexpected luck, but at the same time, such a thing was too good to be true. Things like that always came at a price. [Rienne] ¡°You wish for us to take on the Tiwakan Mercenaries as part of the Arsak family knights? That¡¯s something that cannot be settled simply by using gold as a gift.¡± Phermos didn¡¯t seem too surprised. In fact, he looked like he was expecting this response. [Phermos] ¡°In exchange for using the Tiwakan Mercenaries as your Guardian Knights, Lord Tiwakan will be granted the ability to take the throne of Nauk alongside you once you ascend as part of your marriage.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What¡­?¡± Instinctively, Rienne looked back at ck without even realizing it. Though she had been avoiding his gaze the entire time, the moment she met it, their looks lingered. It was like someone had cursed her, preventing her from moving away. [Rienne] ¡°You¡­ expect me to believe that?¡± Mercenaries were fighters that specifically fought wars in others¡¯ stead, so naturally they required an absorbent amount of money to hire. With the Tiwakan Mercenaries on their side, Nauk would easily be the strongest of all the five southern kingdoms, but it was too much. Regardless of the reason, using the Tiwakan Mercenaries as guards made no sense. [ck] ¡°I have no reason to lie to my fianc¨¦e.¡± That was ck¡¯s answer. [Rienne] ¡°But still, there¡¯s no need for such a powerful force in Nauk. There¡¯s nothing valuable enough here worth protecting to that extent.¡± [ck] ¡°And yet, you had themander of the Knights of Arsak.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Rienne¡¯s lips parted in surprised, catching ck¡¯s notice. As he stared, there was a strange sense of greed in his gaze. [ck] ¡°Someone will desire Nauk in the future, whether that be Nauk itself or you, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± While Rienne was rendered speechless for the time, Phermos broke the silence before she could gather herself. [Phermos] ¡°Then we have an agreement. Within fifteen days, we¡¯ll make an announcement noter than sunset tomorrow. We¡¯ll leave organizing that to the Captain of Nauk¡¯s guards. Oh, and I¡¯d also like to inspect the Knight¡¯s quarters.¡± The barbarians were concise. They had set a trap so quickly and perfectly that she couldn¡¯t escape from it. [Phermos] ¡°We don¡¯t have much time, so we should move as fast as we can. It will take at least two days for our men to dismantle the camp and begin their march, and we¡¯ll need to dy their knighting ceremonies until after the wedding.¡± Phermos grinned as he remembered the arrangement they had made. It was then that those two letters that they sent were finally being realized. * * * T/N: This was a fun chapter to do. Rienne¡¯s panicking made meugh, ha. Chapter 5 - A Reason to Desire Chapter 5 | A Reason to Desire * * * Their discussion was over. Phermos left with Weroz, saying he needed to speak with him about how they would relocate the troops. Maslow, on the other hand, quickly excused himself to draw up the marriage contract before the Tiwakan troops essentially invaded their castle. A heavy silence weighed down in the room now upied by only two people. Of course, there was arge table between Rienne and Tiwakan¡¯s leader with enough space to easily seat thirty more people, but Rienne still felt stifled. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m going to take a walk.¡± Unable to bear the atmosphere any longer, Rienne stood up. [ck] ¡°Alright.¡± Following Rienne¡¯s lead, ck stood up from his chair. She was going to tell him to wait behind for a moment while she sent for someone to assist him, but he was already standing at her side. [ck] ¡°Where are you going?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I just thought I spend some time in the garden.¡± ¡­This man is just too imposing. That¡¯s why she felt like she was suffocating every time he stood too close. There was no other exnation for why she felt so much tension. Rienne turned her head away to avoid ck¡¯s gaze. [Rienne] ¡°Wait here for a moment. I will get Mrs. mbard to stay with you.¡± [ck] ¡°I don¡¯t need that.¡± [Rienne] ¡°No, when an outsider walks through Castle Nauk¡­¡± ck immediately cut Rienne off. [ck] ¡°I¡¯m not an outsider. I¡¯m your fianc¨¦, Princess.¡± ¡­Yes, I suppose you are. Rienne bit her lip. For a moment, she wondered whether or not a barbarian would know basic courtesy customs, but that thought was squashed the moment ck held out his arm to escort her. [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Rienne looked down in resignation before settling her hand in the crook of his arm. [Rienne] ¡°Oh¡­¡± She was so surprised by how firm and strong it was, she stopped walking. Seeing this, ck lowered his head and looked down at her. [ck] ¡°Is something wrong?¡± [Rienne] ¡°No, it¡¯s¡­ it¡¯s nothing.¡± Rienne quickly pointed ahead as if to change the subject, but then something held onto her hand. [ck] ¡°You¡¯re hurt.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­?¡± [ck] ¡°You didn¡¯t put on any medicine.¡± There was the wound from the other day on the palm ck held in his hand, but next to it was a fresher one made today. Just looking at the crescent moon shape of the injury, it was obvious it was self-inflicted from her nails. [ck] ¡°What did you have to put up with this time?¡± ck gently lifted up Rienne¡¯s hand, asking a slow question that didn¡¯t seem to require an answer. Walking hand in hand was one thing, but she didn¡¯t want ck¡¯s lips to touch her hand again. She didn¡¯t like that feeling of him touching her wounds, kissing them as if tofort her. [Rienne] ¡°¡­Stop!¡± Rienne couldn¡¯t take it anymore and quickly pulled her hand away¡ªher breathing frantic. If ck wasn¡¯t still looking at her, she would¡¯ve clenched her fists hard enough to leave another mark on her palm. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m fine. I just would like to take a walk¡­¡± [ck] ¡°It¡¯s not fine.¡± A sweet gesture, as if to say he was worried about her wounds and didn¡¯t like that she was hurt. But it didn¡¯t sound the least bit sweeting from a man with such beastly eyes. In fact, it sounded more like a threat. [ck] ¡°You need to take care of yourself, Princess. Any injuries you sustain are my responsibility now.¡± It was funny,ing from the person who was the biggest threat to her. Just as he was the day before, ck continued to be a mind boggling contradiction for Rienne. [Rienne] ¡°¡­This way.¡± It was only after Rienne made the decision never to look him in the eye again that she feltfortable enough to link arms with him. After notifying the guards in the reception room of where she was going ahead of time, Rienne headed off towards the garden with the man who could now be called her betrothed. * * * The back garden was big, but by no means was it beautiful. Ever since the drought, the flowers struggled to thrive. They¡¯d bloom only very briefly before withering awaypletely. Leafy bushes that could live without much water made up most of Castle Nauk¡¯s garden now. It was a stretch to say walking through this garden was a good thing. Though Rienne was careful not to let their arms get too close, she suddenly became embarrassed seeing the dreary garden when it entered her view. [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± What if he thinks she brought him there in order to make a mockery of him? But that wasn¡¯t the case at all. She didn¡¯t choose such a displeasing location on purpose. It was just that most of Nauk was like this. Everything was barren and dry. Even the magnificent waterfall that once split into nine different rivers throughout the castle had long since dried up. Will you realize it after seeing something like this? That thend of Nauk wasn¡¯t worth much at all. [ck] ¨C¡®Someone will desire Nauk in the future, whether that be Nauk itself or you, Princess.¡¯ As if sensing her thoughts, ck¡¯s words from before rang out in her head. [Rienne] ¡°Impossible¡­¡± Rienne unconsciously shook her head, whispering her dissent to herself. [ck] ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ck stopped walking, and Rienne made the mistake of looking up and making eye contact with him. Once again, she felt frozen in ce. [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± She swallowed nervously. His eyes were the problem. She couldn¡¯t face them, but she also couldn¡¯t avoid them. Rienne had no choice but to admit that as scary as they were, they had a strange maism to them. Perhaps it was because they were frightful that she couldn¡¯t bring herself to look away. [Rienne] ¡°¡­It¡¯s nothing. I only just realized there¡¯s not much to see, so I wondered if it was a mistake bringing you here.¡± [ck] ¡°There¡¯s not nothing.¡± ck¡¯s reply shot through her ears. [ck] ¡°You¡¯re here, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± What¡¯s that supposed to mean? Does that mean she¡¯s a sight worth seeing? Or did he mean that he needed to keep an eye on her? [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯ll take your words to mean it¡¯s alright.¡± Rienne took a step forward, but in that moment¡ª [ck] ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± Hearing ck¡¯s low voice, Rienne got confused and raised her head to look up, immediately noticing ck shielding her with his body. Thuk! Thuk! Rienne¡¯s vision was clouded by a stream of ck lines flying through the air, embedding themselves in ck¡¯s shoulder. They were arrows. * * * [Mercenary] ¡°That way!¡± The Tiwakan Mercenaries were already moving in on the source of the arrow. [Mercenary] ¡°Don¡¯t let ¡®em get away! Catch them alive if you can!¡± Seeing how swiftly the mercenaries reacted, it made Rienne realize it wasn¡¯t just the two of them in the garden. Which, she guessed should have been obvious. It wasn¡¯t easy to just dismiss the possible threats against the leader of a mercenarypany that roamed the battlefield for more than a decade. [Rienne] ¡°Are you alright?¡± Rienne looked at ck, her face turning pale when she noticed the arrow. The arrow now stuck in his back might just ruin everything. There was a chance he could assume she epted his proposal as a pretense, only to betray him like thister on. Rienne thought her head was going to explode. Who on earth would do such a thing? Why would they do something so stupid? This did nothing for the sake of revenge or even for the sake of rescuing her. Instead, it put them on the one way path towards Nauk¡¯s destruction by their own hand. Even if they somehow managed to kill ck, nothing would change. The Tiwakan Mercenaries would never let Nauk go after their leader was killed in such a cowardly attack. [Rienne] ¡°First¡­ we should get inside. It¡¯ll be safer there¡­ rather than waiting here for help.¡± Rienne reached out her hands to help him, but her hands were shaking. Rienne grit her teeth. She didn¡¯t want to be misunderstood. [Rienne] ¡°Nauk had nothing to do with this. We have no intention of harming you, Lord Tiwakan.¡± [ck] ¡°¡­We¡¯ll see.¡± ck was looking down at Rienne¡¯s hand when he finally spoke again. [ck] ¡°I need help walking.¡± Despite that, it was Rienne that was being supported by ck¡¯s arms. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m not hurt, Lord Tiwakan.¡± [ck] ¡°Then why are you shaking so much you look like you¡¯re going to copse?¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± [ck] ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± And so they left, the person who was injured by an arrow supporting the person who wasn¡¯t. Rienne kept trying to tell him that she didn¡¯t need any help, but her mouth wouldn¡¯t open. She could distinctly feel his arms around her waist and his shoulders supporting her back. But why¡­ And how much she was trembling. Why¡­ Now it wasn¡¯t just her hands that were shaking. Her whole body was. The fact that this man was holding onto her made her feel strange. She was reminded of the moment right before the arrow was shot, when he hugged her and she felt his solid body against her own. That was why she felt so strange. The shaking had already started then. * * * [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Oh heavens, Princess!¡± By the time Rienne came to her senses, she and ck were already back in the drawing room, and were now being confronted by the pale-faced Mrs. mbard. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°What happened!? Where are you hurt!? Who could¡¯ve done this¡­?¡± [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s not me. Lord Tiwakan was the one hit by an arrow. Please, call a doctor and bring me some hot water and towels. Quickly, now.¡± Mrs. mbard looked confused, like she couldn¡¯t quite believe the situation. It was embarrassing, but Rienne could understand why. Still, she didn¡¯t have the time to exin so she made the request of herdy-in-waiting. [Rienne] ¡°Please, Mrs. mbard.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Oh, yes. Of course, Princess.¡± As Mrs. mbard scurried out of the drawing room, Rienne turned back to ck and spoke in a low voice. [Rienne] ¡°You can let go of me now. I¡¯m fine.¡± [ck] ¡°Alright.¡± With that, the hand he had wrapped around her pulled away. Despite that, Rienne didn¡¯t fall to her feet. If anything, there was no reason for her to be supported by someone who was injured by an arrow. Though Rienne¡¯s mind was still muddled, ck pulled the sofa closer to the firece. [ck] ¡°Sit.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Rienne gave him a look of surprise. [ck] ¡°You¡¯re still shaking. Sit.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Maybe it was because it still felt like he had his hands on her. Ignoring that, Rienne forced herself to regain herposure. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m not hurt. We should focus on taking care of your wounds first, Lord Tiwakan.¡± [ck] ¡°I know. But you should still sit.¡± Quieting, ck nced down at the arrow embedded in his left shoulder. Looking at him, it was hard to believe he was injured at all. It was as if he was all too used to being hurt like this that he couldn¡¯t find it in himself to be shocked by the wound. [ck] ¡°This is going to take a while.¡± ck muttered under his breath as he sat on his knees in front of Rienne. Contrary to Rienne¡¯s panicked thoughts, his request was simple. [ck] ¡°I¡¯d like to get your help in undressing.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Undressing¡­ oh, yes.¡± It would be hard for him to undress on his own because of where the arrow is. Realizing this, Rienne quickly rose from her seat. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯ll go get a pair of scissors.¡± [ck] ¡°You don¡¯t have to.¡± But Rienne was already turning around to leave. [Rienne] ¡°Please wait a moment.¡± She had to do this. She had to take any and all opportunities she could to not be alone with him and put some distance between them. Rienne had to get out of this dangerous situation that seemed to take a hold on her. * * * [ck] ¡°I should¡¯ve done a better job avoiding getting hurt.¡± After Rienne left, ck was left alone to talk to himself. [ck] ¡°Phermos will give me an earful about this.¡± Knowing that, ck seemed entirely unperturbed by the situation. With such an expressionless face, he certainly didn¡¯t seem like someone who just got seriously injured by an arrow. [ck] ¡°. . .¡± Though his eyes were closed a moment ago, ck suddenly turned his head, his gaze falling on the chair where Rienne once sat. He stretched out his uninjured arm and ced his palm against the fabric. Sure enough, the lingering warmth was proof enough that someone was once sitting there just moments ago. [Rienne] ¨C¡®And now I¡¯m with child. Knowing this, will you still propose?¡¯ Just as the warmth from the chair tickled his hand, Rienne¡¯s words from the other day tickled his ears. Like he said before, illegitimate children weren¡¯t a big deal to him. Truthfully, he had no real expectations for this rtionship in the first ce. He was just trying to get back what was his. It was the same in regards Nauk. The ce was a financial loss, and he gained nothing by taking on a kingdom so barren it was on a downward spiral. Rienne must have been making ends meet by selling royal property, but even that barely made a dent. As Rienne likely knew, being the ruler of Nauk meant pouring wealth into a bottomless pit. Still, it bothered him knowing someone else could potentially swoop in and take it. He didn¡¯t consider himself a greedy person, but he still decided to impulsively propose. After ten years of wandering the country and going wherever the fight took him, he became more sensitive to the situations of every nation. There were plenty of men who desired Rienne Arsak, even when they weren¡¯t officially her lover. Among those men, some were even extremely wealthy¡ªready and willing to take on Nauk¡¯s financial hardship if it meant having Rienne. So he decided to keep her for himself rather than give her to others. Aside from just getting her, he didn¡¯t really think about anything beyond that. That was why it didn¡¯t matter to him if she had a lover or an illegitimate child. [ck] ¡°Now¡­¡± ck licked his lips. [ck] ¡°¡­How frustrating.¡± He had what he wanted now, but he still didn¡¯t feel satisfied. Every time she looked at him, she¡¯d clench her fists to the point of putting scars on her palm. Her lips would tremble, her eyes would shake, and her face would turnpletely pale. And yet, her slender body never faltered. She stayed strong and endured. Tuk. ck moved his fingers around, the warmth he once feltpletely fading from his hand. And suddenly, he felt a strange thirst rise in his chest. He needed to know what this feeling of annoyance was. Chapter 6 - If You Can Stand I Chapter 6 | If You Can Stand It (1) * * * By the time Rienne returned with scissors, ck¡¯s aide, Phermos had already taken care of all the necessary treatments ahead of the doctor. Weroz, who hade in with Phermos, just watched on with an awkward face alongside Mrs. mbard, the two of them realizing they could do little to help. [Phermos] ¡°So, you were shot by an arrow?¡± Phermos asked the question as he carefully wrapped the cloth bandage around ck¡¯s shoulder. It was odd for the person who had removed the arrow, cleaned the blood, and dressed the wound with gauze and medicine to be asking that question. [Phermos] ¡°I mean, were you really hit by an arrow, My Lord?¡± [ck] ¡°¡­Quiet.¡± ckpletely shut Phermos down. The realization that Phermos¡¯ question was strange gave way to another thought. Ah¡­ Rienne stood with her back straight and a pair of scissors in her hands. He already took his clothes off. His blood stained cape and shirt were ripped and tossed to the side on the floor. ck was sitting in front of the chair where Rienne once sat as his shoulder was being treated. The first thing that caught her eye was how his body was riddled with scars. There were some that wererger than others, while some were white with age and others were textured. From top to bottom, bottom to top. When her eyes settled on the wound that was being treated, she realized how intensely she was staring at the man¡¯s torso. It was a body that was more dynamic and fierce than any other one she¡¯s seen. And it was also a contradiction. It was a contradiction that a body filled with so many unsightly scars wasn¡¯t in the least bit ugly to her. In fact, it was just the opposite. Without even looking too much, she could tell he had an exceptionally beautiful structure to him. He looked like a statue. It was as if whatever creator took great care to perfectly sculpt him so that none of his wounds would ever take away from how wless he was. [ck] ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there. Sit.¡± As Rienne observed him, ck turned and faced her. He was also noticing things about her, like how pale her skin was after seeing his wound or how deep her emerald eyes were. [ck] ¡°You look like you¡¯re going to faint.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­I¡¯m fine.¡± Rienne was fortunate there were others around. If it were just the two of them, she wouldn¡¯t be able to cleanly hide how unsettled she was. [Rienne] ¡°How bad is Lord Tiwakan¡¯s injury?¡± Rienne turned to ask Phermos. [Phermos] ¡°It¡¯s not life-threatening, but it¡¯s no small matter either. It won¡¯t immobilize him, but he will suffer for a time. He¡¯ll likely get a fever and struggle to sleep at night. If the arrow was poisoned, then we may have to anticipate things worsening.¡± The word ¡®poison¡¯pletely changed the air in the room. Weroz spoke up, his voice filled with resentment. [Weroz] ¡°I have Castle Nauk¡¯s guards working to track down the attacker. Even if the arrow turned out to be poisoned, we should have no trouble procuring an antidote.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Even if the attacker is caught, isn¡¯t the person who sent them the bigger issue?¡± The barbarians never beat around the bush with their words. [Phermos] ¡°We would hate to think this is Nauk¡¯s way of showing their courtesy now that both sides havemitted to the agreement.¡± [Weroz] ¡°How dare you! Do you really think of us to be the sort of people to do such a thing?¡± Weroz was such an honest knight, he immediately took insult. [Rienne] ¡°Sir Weroz.¡± Rienne stopped him. [Rienne] ¡°Calm yourself. We are the ones who haven¡¯t shown our faith properly.¡± [Weroz] ¡°Princess!¡± [Rienne] ¡°And we cannot deny that the arrow originated in Nauk.¡± [Weroz] ¡°I¡­¡± Weroz bit his lip. The attack urred in the back garden of the castle, not out in the middle of nowhere, and it was certain that the arrow belonged to someone of Nauk. If the circumstances were reversed, Weroz wouldn¡¯t be able to hide his suspicion. [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s possible there are people in Nauk who may oppose this marriage, but in no way do they represent our official stance.¡± That was the honest truth. Rienne prayed ck would see that. [Rienne] ¡°In the meantime, while you¡¯re here in Nauk, we will do everything we can to alleviate the concerns of the Tiwakan. We do not want this marriage fall through and return to war. We only wish for peace.¡± [Phermos] ¡°And what say you, My Lord?¡± Phermos turned to ck and asked him. [Phermos] ¡°Do you wish for the same as the Princess of Nauk?¡± The future of Nauk was entirely dependent on ck¡¯s answer. It was funny how suddenly Rienne was in a position where she wanted this marriage to happen, rather than staunching trying to escape it. [ck] ¡°¡­My desires haven¡¯t changed.¡± The moment ck spoke, Rienne felt a wave of relief wash over her. She couldn¡¯t believe it. The source of all of these feelings was such a contradictory man. It was still the same day that her lover¡¯s body had been returned to her, but she couldn¡¯t even begin to think about that. [Phermos] ¡°Well, then.¡± Phermos looked down, an odd clicking noiseing from the strange looking sses on his face. [Phermos] ¡°At least now we¡¯re certain there¡¯s a faction in Nauk that¡¯s still fighting against Tiwakan. Best we sort it out before the day of the wedding.¡± No one disagreed. [Rienne] ¡°Nauk is with you.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Good to hear. I should mention that the Tiwakan Mercenaries wish to be the ones to investigate this matter further. Ah, but please do not misunderstand. We don¡¯t wish to usurp the castle guards¡¯ job. It¡¯s just that the Tiwakan is now considered the Guardians of Arsak. As such, we are obligated to handle the attempt on Lord Tiwakan¡¯s life, seeing as he is now a part of the family.¡± [Weroz] ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Weroz looked between Rienne and Maslow. If they were to refuse the request, it would only serve to make them look more suspicious, as if they were trying to cover things up behind the scenes. Rienne had already made her decision like a ship leaving port. [Rienne] ¡°I will allow it.¡± Everything they had dered on their marriage pledge seemed to be going smoothly. Everything except the marriage itself. * * * Just as they anticipated, his fever rose. It was evening by the time ck lost consciousness and fell asleep. Every so often, he¡¯d wake up and groan in pain, causing Rienne and Mrs. mbard to go and check on him. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°I think he¡¯s finally asleep. You should get some rest too, Princess.¡± Rienne looked down at ck, who couldn¡¯t even see her. [Rienne] ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s asleep¡­ His eyelids are moving.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean he¡¯s conscious.¡± [Rienne] ¡°We need to show our sincerity to one another. We can¡¯t risk seeming uncaring.¡± Rienne pulled out a new towel and offered it to Mrs. mbard. [Rienne] ¡°Please, use this to wipe off his sweat.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°. . .¡± Mrs. mbard took it with tears in her eye. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Oh, Princess¡­ why would you marry a man you do not wish to touch? What are you going to do?¡± Rienne shook her head. [Rienne] ¡°Quiet, ma¡¯am. We aren¡¯t the only ones here. Tiwakan has eyes and ears just outside the door.¡± After Rienne said that, Mrs. mbard realized her mistake and quickly covered her mouth. Just then, Rienne took the towel back from her. [Rienne] ¡°And it¡¯s not that I can¡¯t touch him. Give the towel to me. I¡¯ll do it myself.¡± ¡­It¡¯s true that I dislike it, though. She felt ufortable touching this man. But it was different from how Mrs. mbard described it. It wasn¡¯t that she hated him or found him disgusting. It was just¡­ What did I dislike about it? Rienne felt such conflicting feelings bubbling up inside her as she wiped off the sweat on ck¡¯s forehead. I don¡¯t hate it, and yet I hate it. I hate it, and yet I don¡¯t hate it. She couldn¡¯t figure out these feelings inside of her. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°I¡¯ll go change the water then, Princess.¡± Perhaps embarrassed by her earlier blunder, Mrs. mbard quickly found something to do as an excuse to leave the room. The room they were in was the bedroom Rienne had used when King Seon was still alive. Back then, she thought the bed was pointlesslyrge for how small she was, but now it looked cramped and tiny with ck in it. [Rienne] ¡°Once he¡¯s awake, I¡¯ll find a different room for him.¡± It was in that moment when Rienne muttered to herself and moved to wipe the sweat off the back of ck¡¯s neck that he suddenly spoke. [ck] ¡°¡­This room is fine.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­!¡± Rienne dropped the towel in surprise. ck¡¯s light blue eyes were staring straight at her. [Rienne] ¡°I see¡­ You¡¯re awake.¡± How long has he been awake? How much did he hear? [ck] ¡°I heard you say you were capable of touching me.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Rienne gripped the hem of her skirt. She stared down at the towel she had dropped directly on his injured shoulder. She had no choice but to get closer to him to retrieve it. [Rienne] ¡°I just need more time. My lover was the only person I wasfortable being with, while you, Lord Tiwakan, are still a stranger to me.¡± [ck] ¡°But not to me.¡± ¡­Excuse me? [ck] ¡°You are no stranger to me, Princess.¡± His words were so low and breathy, they sounded more like sighs. [ck] ¡°If you can tolerate touching me, then how much is eptable?¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­Huh?¡± The look in ck¡¯s eyes made his intentions clear. They slowly and meticulously looked over Rienne¡¯s face. [ck] ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because of the fever, but there¡¯s something I¡¯d like to check.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What do you mean¡­?¡± [ck] ¡°I¡¯m just asking. I want to see if you hate it.¡± ck reached out his hand, his skin warm from his fever. It got closer and closer until it eventually settled on Rienne¡¯s cheek. [ck] ¡°Is this much alright?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Lord Tiwakan, I¡­¡± [ck] ¡°Answer me, Princess.¡± ¡­I don¡¯t know what to say. Why was she letting him touch her face and not pushing him away? [ck] ¡°Is this alright?¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± She didn¡¯t know. Everything was just so warm. It must¡¯ve been because his temperature was so high. Even his eyes which were normally as clear as spring water were cloudy from the heat. He looked so feverish, it felt like it would pass on to her. [Rienne] ¡°Your fever is very high, my lord.¡± Rienne shook her head to escape his touch. [Rienne] ¡°You should close your eyes and get some rest. If it gets difficult, I have some painkillers I can give you.¡± [ck] ¡°¡­My fever¡¯s high¡­¡± She couldn¡¯t tell if he was talking to her, talking to himself, or was just delirious from the fever. [ck] ¡°Then I¡¯ll try this.¡± Before Rienne even realized it, he was sitting upright, cing his fevered hand on her lips. Rubbing her lower lip slightly with his thumb, ck asked her a question. [ck] ¡°Is this tolerable?¡± He definitely had a fever. The way he was touching her was different from those in their right mind, but it also was different from the touch of her old love. It was so hot, she couldn¡¯t ignore it. [ck] ¡°Do you hate this?¡± His thumb, which was once rubbing her lip, traveled down until it met her chin. He gently swept his fingers across her jaw before touching her neck. His warm hands gently brushed against her skin and at some point started to caress her. Never mind her eyes¡ªRienne¡¯s whole body was trembling. The man¡¯s hands were warm likely due to his fever, but it filled her with a burning sensation. It was a heat she had never felt with her previous lover. I can¡¯t take this anymore. She felt like she would be lying to herself if she kept this up. Believing that she wanted this man. [Rienne] ¡°Enough.¡± With her eyes still closed, Rienne pushed against ck¡¯s hand to stop him. She was afraid. Not because he had his hand wrapped around her neck, but because that very hand was just too hot. [Rienne] ¡°Is this¡­ what you wanted me to endure?¡± Rienne pulled herself together enough to look at ck¡¯s fever filled eyes. [Rienne] ¡°What were you¡­?¡± [ck] ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± His answer was just as hazy as he was. Holding Rienne¡¯s hand, ck looked down at it as he slowly moved his tongue around. [ck] ¡°What was I going to do?¡± [Rienne] ¡°You¡­¡± [ck] ¡°I guess I was just curious how you would treat me, Princess.¡± ck slowly pulled Rienne¡¯s hand closer to him, pressing his lips against it and giving it a kiss for whatever reason. [ck] ¡°Or maybe I just wanted to touch you.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± [ck] ¡°Is the reason really important?¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Rienne was adamant with her answer. [Rienne] ¡°This isn¡¯t a normal engagement. Because you asked Nauk for this marriage, Lord Tiwakan, I was forced to part ways with my love. And I¡¯m with child.¡± As she quickly added those final words, her voice shook. Of course it would. Lying so tantly was never easy. [Rienne] ¡°In these circumstances, do you really expect me to so readily show you affection, as if this was something we promised together?¡± [ck] ¡°¡­Like I said, I don¡¯t know what I should do now.¡± Normally his eyes were like those of a beast, but now he just looked dazed from the fever. It seemed like he was honest when he said he didn¡¯t know. [ck] ¡°All I know was that I didn¡¯t want someone else to take you away.¡± Chapter 7 - If You Can Stand It (2) Chapter 7 | If You Can Stand It (2) * * * [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± What a strange thing to say. He didn¡¯t want her to be taken away? He was the one who stole her away in the first ce. But ck was speaking like Rienne had belonged to him from the start. [Rienne] ¡°What makes you say ¡®taken away¡¯ like that?¡± [ck] ¡°I¡¯m just d I didn¡¯t let anyone else take you.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Lord Tiwakan¡­¡± [ck] ¡°If you had married someone else, things would have gottenplicated¡­¡­ I don¡¯t think I could have handled that.¡± ck was speaking almost to himself, his voice and words as hazy and vague as a dream. [ck] ¡°Can I kiss you?¡± Just then, his dazed eyes turned towards Rienne¡¯s lips. He ran his tongue over his own dry lips as if he were dying of thirst. [Rienne] ¡°I¡­¡± [ck] ¡°Is that a no?¡± ¡­This is a trap. Rienne looked down at the man¡¯s mouth, and it made hers burn with intensity. No, she couldn¡¯t be fooled by this. It was because of the fever. This was only happening because he was mistaking the heat from his illness for that of desire. When he gets better, he¡¯ll cool off and all of this will end. Because he wasn¡¯t really trying to woo her. He wasn¡¯t really asking for her permission. [ck] ¡°You can¡¯t avoid me forever. I¡¯m not just any man seeking your attention. We¡¯ll be married soon enough.¡± The fire in ck¡¯s expression still hadn¡¯t faded. Rienne bit her lip as she stared into his foggy eyes. [ck] ¡°How can I get you to say yes?¡± ¡­But maybe... Maybe, if he was delirious enough from his fever, she could make this request of him. She could take advantage of this. [Rienne] ¡°Promise me something.¡± [ck] ¡°What?¡± In truth, he had already promised her plenty. He promised to protect Nauk, ensure the safety and birthright of her child, and would help her ascend the throne herself. From how things were going, Rienne seemed like she was the only one benefiting from this arrangement. ck had even given her ess to a powerful military force that wouldn¡¯t give invaders even a chance of encroaching upon her castle, and in return, all Rienne had to give him was herself. Perhaps Nauk needed a King like ck. Someone who could fill the position of her husband without needing much else from her. So Rienne wanted him to promise her that everything he said before was true. That when he spoke to her, he was being honest with his words and wouldn¡¯t go back on them so easily. If she had to get married, then she wanted to do it properly. [Rienne] ¡°If you want this marriage to happen so badly, then you must do everything within your power to keep it.¡± [ck] ¡°What do you mean?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I ask that you don¡¯t break or destroy the promises you made me.¡± ck exhaled as if trying to understand her words. [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s all I ask from the bottom of my heart.¡± [ck] ¡°And what will you give me in exchange for such a promise?¡± This time, Rienne was the one to release a slow breath. [Rienne] ¡°If you can promise me this, then I vow to do my very best to desire you as you do me, Lord Tiwakan. That is my own promise.¡± His response came quick. [ck] ¡°Very well.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Lord Tiwakan¡­¡± [ck] ¡°If I was nning on going back on my word, I would have done so from the start and never proposed to you in the first ce.¡± Saying that, ck wrapped his arms around Rienne¡¯s waist, moving so well, it was hard to believe he once had an arrow stuck in his shoulder. Holding her with one arm, Rienne felt him gently lean her head back. And then, in an instant, ck had Rienne in his arms, capturing her lips with his own. The moment the sound of their kiss hit Rienne¡¯s ears, it was like a thick fogpletely clouded her mind. The unfamiliar feeling of hot air being passed to her made her lips tingle, and Rienne instinctively wrapped her arms around ck¡¯s neck to support herself. She felt like she needed to hang onto him or she¡¯d just sink to her knees. The sensation of the man¡¯s lips against hers was entirely new. It was nothing like she had ever experienced previously. The kisses Rienne knew were soft and kind, never passionate like this. [ck] ¡°¡­We should stop here.¡± Eventually, that never-ending whirlwind that swept her up came to a halt. Burying his face against the soft skin of her neck, ck whispered softly. [ck] ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can me this on my fever anymore.¡± It wasn¡¯t until she noticed his mouth was still on her neck that Rienne felt the tickling of his breath against her bare skin. Coming to her senses, Rienne pushed ck away, hoping it wasn¡¯t obvious how much she was trembling. [Rienne] ¡°I forgot you were injured.¡± [ck] ¡°. . .¡± ck gently released Rienne, allowing her to get out of bed. Rienne turned around to speak to him. She needed to act calm. [Rienne] ¡°Then, I will leave you to rest now. Please get well soon.¡± [ck] ¡°I will. Especially now that I know I don¡¯t need to use my fever as an excuse anymore.¡± ck spoke slowly, his words unmistakably sweet. Even his voice sounded as though he was intoxicated by something. [Rienne] ¡°Sleep well.¡± As that same dreamy voice touched her ears, Rienne left the room as quickly as she could. She didn¡¯t want to be infected by whatever energy he had. Once she was clear of the room, she spoke a silent prayer to herself. Please, don¡¯t forget your promise. Even if you find out I lied to you someday, please just do as you promised me. * * * But keeping promises was a difficult thing. [???] ¡°Princess.¡± When Rienne returned to her bedroom, there was someone waiting for her. Rienne, expecting the room to be empty, nearly screamed. [Rienne] ¡°Weroz¡ª!¡± [Weroz] ¡°Sh.¡± Weroz put a finger against his mouth. He looked around the room once more to make sure there was no one else around. That meant he had something he wanted to say that absolutely needed to be a secret. [Weroz] ¡°I managed to step away for a moment. I don¡¯t think they¡¯re suspicious yet, but I¡¯m still not sure if I was followed or not.¡± Rienne kept her voice low as she whispered. [Rienne] ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± [Weroz] ¡°There¡¯s something I need to show you.¡± Weroz had been working with both Phermos and a few other members of the Tiwakan in order to organize a search party to find the attacker. In doing so, he found something else. Something the barbarians hadn¡¯t recognized. [Weroz] ¡°This¡­¡± Weroz rummaged through his sleeve and pulled something out. [Weroz] ¡°You recognize this, don¡¯t you?¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± In Weroz¡¯s hand was a leaf. It was long and thick, roughly the size of two fingers. To ordinary people, it was no different from any other leaf, but Rienne recognized the small trace of a thread tied to one end. It was the same kind that her lover once used to adorn his arrows with. [Weroz] ¡°It hasn¡¯t been long since I found it.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± [Weroz] ¡°I discovered it while following the path left behind by the attacker.¡± Rienne felt dizzy. It was obvious what he was implying. Rafit Kleinfelder might not be dead. They might not have known he was still alive, so he would¡¯ve been able to deceive the Tiwakan in order to enter Castle Nauk. ¡­And then he would have used a bow to fire an arrow. ¡­Aiming right towards ck. [Weroz] ¡°Princess, are you alright?¡± It was only as Weroz reached out to help her that Rienne realized she was staggering. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­It¡¯s just¡­ you¡¯re saying¡­ he might still be¡­ alive?¡± [Weroz] ¡°I can¡¯t say for sure. It¡¯s possible someone just used one of Sir Kleinfelder¡¯s arrows.¡± Without evidence, it was impossible toe to a conclusion. [Rienne] ¡°Has anyone opened the caskets yet?¡± Six coffins were brought by ck and ced in the royal chapel to await their final rights and funeral. Naturally, Rienne had assumed one of them contained the body of her former lover. [Weroz] ¡°Not yet. Would you like to check them?¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­Yes. I should.¡± [Weroz] ¡°It¡¯s probably for the best, but you should prepare yourself ahead of time, Princess. For whatever the truth may be.¡± Weroz¡¯s voice sounded especially heavy. As if reminding her of the weight of what she was saying. [Weroz] ¡°If Sir Kleinfelder really is still alive, what will you do about the marriage?¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± She couldn¡¯t answer the question. Before she had properly said her goodbyes, Rienne had already epted the proposal of another man. And mere moments ago that day, she had just made a promise with her fianc¨¦ to make their marriage as real as possible right after he had been struck with an arrow. And it might have been her former lover who shot that arrow. [Rienne] ¡°¡­I just need to confirm it with my own eyes.¡± Rienne forced herself to stand up straight, fighting against the dizziness that threatened to consume her. [Rienne] ¡°Then I¡¯ll think about what to do.¡± If you really are alive¡­ If he was willing to risk his life in order to destroy this marriage arrangement¡­ What would she do? [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Ignoring her thoughts, Rienne turned on her heel and started racing towards the chapel. * * * ¡­Thump! The lid of the coffin was pushed aside, making a heavy sound as it collided with the floor. [Weroz] ¡°¡­Princess, are you hurt?¡± Weroz quickly moved to grab Rienne, who almost got hit by the heavy stone cover. [Rienne] ¡°He¡¯s¡­ He¡¯s not here, is he?¡± The coffin they just opened was the final one. Of all the six coffins ck had brought them, none of them contained the body of Lord Kleinfelder. What was there instead was a body wrapped in a cape marked with the Kleinfelder family crest. Someone was willing to take his ce in order to save his life. [Weroz] ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± [Rienne] ¡°He¡¯s alive.¡± Beads of sweat began to pool on Rienne¡¯s pale forehead. [Weroz] ¡°So it seems. Then the arrow from earlier must¡¯ve meant¡­¡± [Rienne] ¡°It means he wants to fight, doesn¡¯t he?¡± [Weroz] ¡°Most likely. I would have done the same if I were him.¡± Tap. The sweat from her forehead fell. Rienne had to make a choice. Whether to fight or be forced to surrender. To believe in her lover¡¯s devotion or fall to the whims of fierce passion. [Weroz] ¡°Sir Kleinfelder is likely being harbored by the delegation.¡±(1) As Weroz mentioned this, he realized that was likely why the search wasn¡¯t turning up any leads. [Weroz] ¡°That¡¯s the only ce he¡¯d be safe. We should find a way to send him a discreet letter first and foremost¡­¡± Before Weroz could finish speaking, he was cut off by a screeching noise. Screech! The sound of the chapel door opening violently scratched against Rienne¡¯s ears. Whipping her head around in surprise, Rienne saw Phermos and several other Tiwakan mercenaries entering. [Phermos] ¡°How strange for a princess. What are you doing here of all ces?¡± * * * Rienne couldn¡¯t tell if he heard what they were talking about, but at least the chapel waspletely dark. That meant they couldn¡¯t see Rienne¡¯s shocked face the moment she noticed Phermos standing there, studying her as if trying to get a read on her. [Phermos] ¡°So, what brings you here?¡± There was obvious doubt in his voice. He was curious to know why Princess Rienne, apanied only by the captain of her guard, was in the chapel so far from the main pce at such ate hour. [Phermos] ¡°Were you trying to inspect the bodies? How odd.¡± Phermos¡¯ monocle like sses reflected the moonlight that made its way through the small window. The light was cold and cut through the air like a de, bearing hostile intent. [Phermos] ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, isn¡¯t there a custom in Nauk that disallows you from viewing the faces of the deceased until the day of the funeral?¡± [Rienne + Weroz] ¡°. . .¡± He wasn¡¯t wrong. Rienne and Weroz couldn¡¯t say anything back. [Phermos] ¡°Was there something you needed to confirm?¡± [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Rienne bit her lip before forcing her mouth open. She had to make an excuse. If they ever found out her former lover was still alive, things would quickly spiral out of control. [Rienne] ¡°¡­I just wanted to say goodbye.¡± The Tiwakan still believed the Commander of the Arsak Knights to be dead. If that was the case, then she needed to lean into that assumption. [Rienne] ¡°If I don¡¯t do so now, I¡¯ll never get the chance.¡± [Phermos] ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± Though he didn¡¯t say it, it was clear Phermos didn¡¯t quite believe her. [Rienne] ¡°Lord Tiwakan and I have already promised one another to make our marriage as true as possible. To that end¡­¡± [Phermos] ¡°So you¡¯re saying you needed to give yourself the opportunity to separate yourself from your deceased love?¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­Yes.¡± She wasn¡¯t sure if she sounded confident enough to fool Phermos, but she knew her words officially made Rafit a dead man. Realizing this brought a strange chill over her body. It felt as though she was standing naked, alone in the middle of an intense blizzard. Phermos¡¯ monocle sses glistened against the light like de once more. [Phermos] ¡°Hmm¡­ if that¡¯s what you¡¯re saying, then I will be sure to mention this to Lord Tiwakan.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll understand.¡± Rienne gently nodded with an attitude that was deceptively calm. [Rienne] ¡°I must take my leave now. I hope some progress will be made in the search tonight.¡± [Phermos] ¡°If you are being honest, then I will thank you for your consideration, Princess.¡± With that, Phermos stepped aside, politely giving Rienne enough space to leave the chapel. [Phermos] ¡°Farewell. We¡¯ll meet again some other time.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Of course.¡± Turning her back on him, Rienne left first, with Weroz following behind. T/N: (1) They¡¯re referring to what was mentioned in Chapter 3, about how Lord Kleinfelder¡¯s uncle was chairman of the delegation. Weroz is insinuating he must be hiding out at his uncle¡¯s house. Chapter 8 - A Falsified Death Chapter 8 | A Falsified Death * * * Things were as quiet leaving the chapel as they were going in. Encountering the Tiwakan search party was certainly unexpected, but Rienne was relieved they made it out safely if nothing else. Once they were finally clear of the chapel, Rienne let out a heavy sigh. Looking up at the sky, the moon was now being covered in darkness. It was the first time in while that Rienne felt lucky it wasn¡¯t too bright. [Rienne] ¡°I don¡¯t have much time.¡± As Rienne said this, Weroz suddenly stopped walking and asked; [Weroz] ¡°What do you mean?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I need to contact the bereaved.¡± [Weroz] ¡°Yes, it¡¯s appropriate to contact the family members of those who have died¡­Oh.¡± Weroz didn¡¯t realize it at first, but he finally understood what Rienne meant. If Sir Kleinfelder was still alive, she needed to get in contact with him as soon as possible. And since this was Sir Kleinfelder they were talking about, he wouldn¡¯t be hard to find. There¡¯s only one ce he could possibly be. Knowing that, when Rienne mentioned ¡®the bereaved¡¯, she could only be talking about the Kleinfelders. [Weroz] ¡°Yes, Princess. It would be most prudent of us to contact them as soon as possible.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Tell them I¡¯d like to discuss the funeral with them, and I¡¯d like to meet with them in person if at all possible.¡± [Weroz] ¡°I will deliver your message.¡± It was a conversation spoken in code, its true nature known only to the individuals involved. Once they were done talking, they quickly walked off with hurried steps. But Rienne underestimated Phermos. He was a shrewd man who knew far more than she realized. * * * [Phermos] ¡°We were lied to.¡± After the others had retired, Phermos headed straight for ck¡¯s quarters. Though they were technically in the middle of enemy territory, the two of them looked rxed, as if they were sitting in their own barracks. [Phermos] ¡°It can¡¯t have been the Commander you killed that day. He was far too weak with a sword, not to mention how his helmet and armor didn¡¯t match. It was as if he was in a hurry to put them on. Like he was trying to act as the Commander.¡± [ck] ¡°. . .¡± [Phermos] ¡°Though I suppose you already knew that, didn¡¯t you?¡± Without saying a word, ck winced. He was bing more attuned to the pain of his wound the more his fever died down. [Phermos] ¡°I see. Well then, I guess now it¡¯s merely a question of how much the Princess knows. It doesn¡¯t seem like she knew from the start¡­ She must have thought he was dead until she inspected the body herself. Though I guess he¡¯s as good as dead anyway. He threw one of his own men to the wolves to save his own life before running away¡­¡­ Oh.¡± As if an idea had struck him, Phermos pped his palm against his forehead. [Phermos] ¡°Or perhaps he¡¯s gone into hiding somewhere in Nauk.¡± When they first surrounded the castle, they made sure to cut off all roads leading out. But rats were resilient creatures. They¡¯ll always find a way to slip through. [Phermos] ¡°It would appear as though he still has regrets about the situation. He must have decided to hide and protect his own life in the meantime after the Kingdom of Sharka declined his request for troops.¡± The Tiwakan were already aware that the Commander of the Arsak Knights was trying to call for reinforcements from the Kingdom of Sharka. It was natural they would make the attempt, just as it was natural for them to be refused. But apparently such a reality was difficult for the Commander to ept. Phermos clicked his tongue. [Phermos] ¡°What does he think he can do all on his own¡­. This war ended when Nauk opened their gates to us of their own volition.¡± ck responded with a frown on his face. [ck] ¡°Perhaps he thought it was over once we took Nauk.¡± [Phermos] ¡°What? What do you mean by that?¡± [ck] ¡°He may think his rtionship with the Princess isn¡¯t over.¡± [Phermos] ¡°That¡¯s¡­oh¡­¡± Phermos had a look of displeasure on his face. [Phermos] ¡°Are you implying that the Commander of the Arsak Knights wishes to elope with Princess Rienne? What sort of nobleman would think of doing something so absurd? Even if that were the case, the Princess would never agree. It¡¯s obvious to anyone she feels a great sense of duty towards Nauk. That¡¯s the reason why she epted your proposal in the first ce.¡± [ck] ¡°Being a noble doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re immune to losing your mind.¡± Phermos¡¯ mouth shut as his expression changed. He mulled over his thoughts for a moment before speaking again. [Phermos] ¡°Well¡­ I know there must be some who are willing to y around with love, but I can¡¯t understand those who are willing to uselessly sacrifice their all for it.¡± Phermos mindlessly fiddled with his sses. [Phermos] ¡°But now we¡¯ve run into an issue with our investigation. The Commander is a rather skilled figure in Nauk, so it¡¯ll be difficult to deal with this quietly¡­. Did you happen to catch the attacker¡¯s appearance? Roughly how tall they were or maybe their hair color?¡± [ck] ¡°I wasn¡¯t close enough to see.¡± ck remembered what had happened that day in the garden. Thinking back on it, the arrow must have been shot from a long distance, but by the time ck noticed, it was already right behind him. [Phermos] ¡°That must mean the attacker has considerable skill with a bow. I¡¯ve heard tale that the Commander was talented himself, so it¡¯s likely they¡¯re one in the same, but¡­ did you really get hit by the arrow?¡± Phermos spoke in a joking tone, like he was poking fun. [Phermos] ¡°You didn¡¯t let yourself get hit on purpose, did you?¡± [ck] ¡°. . .¡± ck didn¡¯t respond, but his silence was answer enough. [Phermos] ¡°Really!? Why¡¯d you have to go that far? I mean, it¡¯s amazing you¡¯re willing to risk personal safety to keep a grip on Nauk, but you shouldn¡¯t have to hurt yourself like this¡­¡­You¡¯re supposed to be recovering from hardship, not shouldering more.¡± But what ck said in response was something entirely unrted. [ck] ¡°I didn¡¯t think her lover would be that kind of man.¡± His voice was so low, Phermos could feel goosebumps forming on the back of his neck. Rubbing his neck with his hand, Phermos suddenly realized what gave him the chills. ck was showing his anger. [ck] ¡°That arrow could¡¯ve easily hit the Princess instead of me.¡± [Phermos] ¡°That¡¯s¡­.¡± Phermos felt his nerves stand on one end until a ridiculous thought came to him. Was ck¡­.upset that Princess Rienne was almost hit by the arrow? Was that it? When Phermos had asked ck if he had fallen in love with the Princess at first sight, he said no. Did he change his mind? No, it was doubtful. He wouldn¡¯t have done that so quickly. If ck paid nearly as much attention to women as he did the men of Tiwakan, there wouldn¡¯t be as many vicious rumors surrounding them.(1) ¡­.Yes, ck isn¡¯t the sort of man to be swayed by beauty. He must be feeling this way because the Princess is someone he needs to use. Imagine if she were to be killed before they even had the chance to marry. That certainly would¡¯ve been bad. It¡¯s not something they couldn¡¯t handle, but it definitely would¡¯ve made things difficult. And it was only natural to be angry. What sort of bastard shoots an arrow at the woman he supposedly holds in his heart? That kind of person couldn¡¯t be human. Yes, it was a natural feeling. It waspletely understandable if ck was feeling a little mad at such a miserable person. So why didn¡¯t Phermos feel reassured? [Phermos] ¡°We should keep in mind the potential betrayal of the Princess. There¡¯s a chance this might inspire a little fight in her. Why notpletely wipe out the Kleinfelder family rather than simply searching for the Commander? It¡¯ll be easier to do that than to wait for him to contact the Princess.¡± [ck] ¡°. . .¡± ck didn¡¯t answer immediately. In truth, his thoughts were running a bit slow. Deep down, he knew Phermos was right. At the end of the day, this was war. If he wanted to win, then of course, he would do everything he could to attain a victory. But what he wanted wasn¡¯t a victory. He wanted to marry her. [Rienne] ¨C¡®Do everything in your power to keep it.¡¯ That¡¯s what I promised her. And it wasn¡¯t because of his fever that he made such a promise. He genuinely wanted to keep it. [Rienne] ¨C¡®Then I vow to do my very best to desire you as you do me.¡¯ Did she lie to him? Or did she change her mind now that she knows her lover is still alive? ck needed to know. [ck] ¡°No. Just leave them be.¡± [Phermos] ¡°What¡­? Are you sure that¡¯s wise?¡± [ck] ¡°It will tell us what sort of woman the Princess is. Whether she¡¯ll honor this marriage or not.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Oh. I see, then.¡± Phermos could understand that. The God of Tiwakan seemed unwilling to fight against Nauk as long as he could help it. [Phermos] ¡°The Princess is one to act quickly, so we¡¯ll keep a close eye on her.¡± [ck] ¡°Don¡¯t be caught.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Of course.¡± With their business concluded, Phermos left the room with a casual look on his face, as if the heavy conversation they just had never urred. While it was unexpected that Rafit Kleinfelder had crawled his way back to Nauk, it wasn¡¯t of much concern to him. He was no threat to an army of mercenaries who had been roaming the battlefield for years. What really concerned ck was something else entirely. [ck] ¡°¡­¡­I should¡¯ve killed him.¡± The more he thought about it, the more this strange mixture of pain grew in his chest. If only he knew exactly what kind of man he was. Then maybe he¡¯d feel better. Rienne¡¯s lover was no threat to him, but even so, thinking about the man filled him with a mounting sense of annoyance. [ck] ¡°Dammit.¡± ck aggressively rubbed his eyes. Until now, all he ever concerned himself with was Rienne herself. But now that he had the chance to hold her and kiss her, suddenly thinking about her lover irritated him. And he still didn¡¯t understand why. * * * Dawn broke before she was able to get any proper sleep. Rienne got out of bed and went to wash her face, just as she usually did. Except for the fact that it was obvious she looked unwell. [Rienne] ¡°There¡¯s too much to do¡­ I can¡¯t get sick.¡± She muttered to herself as she looked at her especially pale face in the mirror. Her eyes looked hazy and it was clear she had lost some weight. [Rienne] ¡°If this keeps up, I won¡¯t have any clothing to wear.¡± The image of her oversized clothing falling off of her thin body brought a brief smile to Rienne¡¯s face. [Rienne] ¡°That would be quite the sight.¡± Then perhaps he won¡¯t want me anymore. [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­Don¡¯t be foolish. It¡¯s not like he fell in love with me because he thought I was pretty.¡± She shook that thought away, turning away from the mirror. Rienne had so many problems keeping her up at night, but dealing with them needed to be set aside until she could reach Rafit. [Rienne] ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll need to wear mourning clothes while we start preparing for the funeral.¡± Now that the body¡¯s been returned, she needed to wear ck to symbolize her condolences and sorrow. In Nauk, it was tradition to mourn over the course of three days, only ever removing the mourning attire on the day of the funeral itself at midnight. Without asking for Mrs. mbard¡¯s help, Rienne put herself in a ck dress. She didn¡¯t realize this while she was wearing it, but ck was a dangerous choice for her. Her white skin looked like smooth marble in contrast to the ck fabric. The somewhat baggy clothing did nothing to hide her body, but instead entuated it. The thin, soft cloth wrapped around her figure slid down every time she moved. When dressed in ck, Rienne had the air of a dangerous, seductive vixen inparison to her usual beauty. Again, ck was a terrible idea. Worst of all was the fact that she didn¡¯t even seem aware of it. * * * Rienne headed to ck¡¯s quarters, carrying with her his breakfast, some painkillers, and a new set of bandages for his wound. All the while, her loose clothing flowed around her ankles. After learning that Rafit was still alive, Rienne didn¡¯t have the courage to face ck as she normally did. She still hadn¡¯t made her choice¡­and she still hadn¡¯t forgotten about that kiss. ¡­.I¡¯m sure he hasn¡¯t either. That was the most nerve-wracking part. ck wouldn¡¯t have changed his behavior since they made such bold promises to one another. How am I supposed to act, again? She was afraid he¡¯d be like that all the time. [Rienne] ¡°Ah.¡± Despite how much she wanted ck¡¯s room to be far away, it seemed especially close just to spite her. Arriving at the door, Rienne let out a sigh. But no matter how much she sighed, her predicament stayed the same. Knock. Knock. Rienne lifted her hand and carefully knocked on the door. [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s morning. Are you awake?¡± She listened for a moment, but no one answered. Seems like he¡¯s still asleep. Thank goodness. Before leaving, Rienne leaned down to ce the tray with the supplies on the floor in front of the door. But before she could, she heard athumpas the door swung open. [Rienne] ¡°Ah¡­.¡± Seeing ck standing at the open door, she thought her heart was going to leap out of her chest. [ck] ¡°Did I surprise you?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Not at all.¡± [ck] ¡°That¡¯s good. I¡¯ll take that.¡± Rienne didn¡¯t realize what was wrong at first. He was standing so well, it seemed only natural that he would take such a heavy tray away from her. If it weren¡¯t for the bandage still wrapped around his shoulder, she would¡¯vepletely disregarded it. [Rienne] ¡°What are you doing!?¡± Rienne quickly tried to grab the tray back from him with a look of shock on her face. [Rienne] ¡°Let go, please. Your shoulder¡¯s still hurt.¡± [ck] ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s not heavy.¡± [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s not the point¡­.¡± But no matter how much she pulled, the tray didn¡¯t budge. [Rienne] ¡°You¡¯re wounded.¡± As ck held the tray, Rienne looked up at him. He was so much bigger she needed to raise her head to just to make eye contact. And he was standing very close. [ck] ¡°Do my wounds bother you?¡± His voice sounded too close when he asked that. [Rienne] ¡°¡­.Yes.¡± When ck again spoke, he was talking so quietly it sounded more like he was whispering to himself. [ck] ¡°That bothers me, too.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m not injured.¡± [ck] ¡°Not that. I meant your clothing.¡± * * * T/N: (1) Reference to Chapter 1, where Rienne mentioned the rumor where he prefers men over women. Chapter 9 - A Misunderstanding in Black Chapter 9 | A Misunderstanding in ck * * * [Rienne] ¡°¡­..I¡¯m sorry?¡± ck¡¯s light colored eyes followed Rienne, gazing over her face and falling down towards her neck. Without even thinking, Rienne immediately looked to the ground. He was staring so intently, it was embarrassing her. Was it because her clothes were loose? She knew they weren¡¯t a perfect fit, but she didn¡¯t think it was that obvious. ¡­ I didn¡¯t think he was the sort of man to care about what other people were wearing. Feeling a sense of curiosity, Rienne tilted her head up towards him. He said my clothing bothered him, but he¡¯s not even wearing his shirt properly. For his part, ck was wearing clothing that would ¡®bother¡¯ just about anyone. Maybe it was because of his injury, but he only had one arm through the sleeves. [Rienne] ¡°Please forgive me if my dress is ill-fitting. I haven¡¯t had to wear mourning clothes for a while, so the size needs some adjustments, but with the funeral so close, we don¡¯t have the time.¡± Rienne once again tried to take back the tray, averting her eyes away from ck¡¯s bare skin. [Rienne] ¡°Shall we go inside? With your shoulder being how it is, it might be difficult eating on your own, so I will assist you.¡± [ck] ¡°. . .¡± ck narrowed his eyes for a moment, but eventually he relented and stepped aside. [ck] ¡°Inside, then.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Okay.¡± Together, the two of the entered the bedroom¡ªneither of them letting go of the tray. * * * [Phermos] ¡°Oh, Princess¡­ are those the only clothes you have?¡± ck¡¯s room wasn¡¯t empty. Phermos and some of his other subordinates had alreadye and been taken care of by the servants earlier that morning. They weren¡¯t nobility, so maybe ¡®taken care of¡¯ wasn¡¯t the best way to describe it, but the servants did what they could. They brought them water to wash their faces with and fresh clothing to wear.(1) Seeing ck and Rienne side by side and holding onto the tray together made Phermos leap to his feet. In retrospect, there was only one reason by ck, a still injured person, would leave his subordinates behind and go answer the door himself. [Phermos] ¡°I know this sounds rude, but I need to ask¡­. Must you wear that, Princess?¡± Now Rienne felt a little offended. Both ck and Phermos had pointed out her mourning clothes. ¡­Do I really look that ugly? Even if she did, it was really rude to point that out. Completely unaware of how they really felt about her clothes, Rienne stiffened before she finally said something. [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s for mourning. It¡¯s tradition in Nauk to wear ck until the end of the funeral.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Wha¡ªso it¡¯s not just for today? You¡¯ll be wearing this for three whole days?¡± Phermos spoke while adjusting his sses. It was strange everyone was acting this way about such baggy clothing. [Rienne] ¡°Is there something wrong with my mourning dress?¡± [Phermos] ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡­¡± Phermos quickly shut his mouth and looked at ck, but his gaze was somewhere else. [Phermos] ¡°My Lord¡­¡± This was bad. It was obvious what wasmanding so much of ck¡¯s attention. When dressed in ck, Princess Rienne¡¯s figure was unfortunately very noticeable. She looked beautiful even in Phermos¡¯ eyes, which only made him worry more about what was going on in ck¡¯s head. If Princess Rienne was just somemon beauty, then maybe Phermos wouldn¡¯t have anything to worry about. But if his earlier suspicions about the Princess having some kind of connection to ck¡¯s past was true, then he couldn¡¯t ignore this. To ck, this woman was special. But a single question still remained: Why? Why was she special? Maybe even ck didn¡¯t know the answer yet. But one thing was certain. Phermos didn¡¯t want his lord to fall to the whims of some woman. And since the woman in question was also the princess of a ruined nation, then that just added to the list of unanswered questions. [ck] ¡°Shut up.¡± But maybe it was already toote. As ck stood next to Rienne, he red at Phermos from over the top of her head. There was a glimmer in his eyes that made it clear he was displeased. [ck] ¡°If her clothes are a problem, then don¡¯t look. Close your eyes or get out.¡± [Phermos] ¡°T¡­That¡¯s not it at all. I meant no disrespect, Princess.¡± Phermos was smart enough to know when to take a step back, but his worries still burned hot in his mind. They already knew the Commander of the Arsak Knights was still alive and they knew Princess Rienne was aware of that fact as well. It was reaching a point where it was unwise for ck to act too considerate towards the Princess. [Phermos] ¡°I hope the funeral ends quickly.¡± As soon as Phermos muttered this under his breath, ck immediately spoke again. [ck] ¡°Get out.¡± He¡¯d reached his limits when it came to Phermos¡¯ irritating chatter. [Phermos] ¡°¡­What¡­ But¡­. I can¡¯t¡­¡± Phermos was trying to say he couldn¡¯t leave the two of them alone, but swallowed his words and forced himself to bow. Right now, his lord wasn¡¯t able to listen to reason. But what could Phermos do about that? There were no other options avable to them. Just as his lord said, they needed to find out what Princess Rienne was thinking and what she was nning on doing. The sooner they knew that, the better. [Phermos] ¡°Then, I leave my lord in your care, Princess.¡± Turning on his heel, Phermos left the room followed by the other mercenaries. * * * It¡¯s just us now. Funnily enough, it was the same room where their fevered kiss happened. If it hadn¡¯t been for Phermos making such a fuss about her outfit, Rienne would¡¯ve likely still been in deep trouble, constantly recalling that moment. ¡­.Is it really that weird looking? Fortunately, Rienne had better things to worry about than how she looked. Growing up, Rienne had gotten used to wearing hand-me-downs, so she learned never to be picky about what sort of clothing she wore or how she looked in it. Maybe I should at least gain some weight. But the second the thought popped up in her mind, it shocked even Rienne herself. ¡­.Crazy. Why would I want to gain weight? Did she want to look good in front of this man? [ck] ¡°What¡¯s on your mind?¡± Suddenly, ck¡¯s voice cut through her mind¡ªbreaking through such a foolish idea. [Rienne] ¡°¡­It¡¯s nothing.¡± Rienne shook her head, driving away such a nonsensical thought. The mere idea of wanting to look nice in the eyes of this man was strange in of itself. This was the same man who waged war on Nauk and destroyed their peace. Things were calm now, but who knew how long that wouldst. [Rienne] ¡°Would you like to eat? Or should we take care of your wound first?¡± [ck] ¡°Either, but I¡¯d rather change my bandages.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Yes, of course.¡± Before Rienne got the chance to even offer help, ck began taking off his shirt himself. Even the short glimpse she got made her feel a little dizzy. Normally, scars were sad things. They represented pain and the stories behind however they got them. But the man¡¯s scars made her feel dizzy before any emotion could hit her. ¡­.It¡¯s because of his face. It was because he looked like that. With a face like that, everything else was just decoration. Those strange eyes that reminded her of an animal, his expressionless look like a statue, his sturdy body¡ªall of it coupled with his face made him a handsome man. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯ll take off your bandages now¡­ huh?¡± Just as Rienne pushed away all those useless thoughts and steadied her trembling hands, she ced them on ck¡¯s bandages. They looked too clean. As if they were brand new. [ck] ¡°What is it?¡± ck looked at Rienne as she whispered to herself. [Rienne] ¡°I don¡¯t think I need to change these. If you¡¯ve already applied medicine then¡­¡± [ck] ¡°Just change them.¡± ck immediately cut her off. [ck] ¡°Unless you still can¡¯t bring yourself to touch me.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­Alright.¡± Even though his voice sounded a little strange, Rienne listened to him and started to remove the bandages in silence. Looking back on things, it wasn¡¯t as though she disliked this man. Earlier, when he told Phermos to close his eyes or leave, it made her feel as though he was taking her side, if only for a moment. If he was going to do things like that then¡­ did that mean he hadn¡¯t forgotten what he said to her yesterday? Was he going to faithfully keep his promise? If that¡¯s the case, I should do the same too, right? Was it alright for her to do that? Rienne kept undoing the bandage without saying a single word. Once the wound was exposed, she could clearly see that the medicine had already been applied. Just as she thought¡ªhe already changed his bandages earlier this morning. It was odd. Even though he knew he didn¡¯t need any help with it, he had still asked her to change his bandages for him. It was all too strange. [Rienne] ¡°I don¡¯t think it would be a good idea to apply a second dose of the salve.¡± At least the wound seemed to be healing nicely. That was good. As Rienne bound new bandages around the injury with care, it suddenly urred to her that Rafit once had a very simr injury. How did it happen again¡­?Did I take care of his wounds like this, too? ¡­.Now that she thought about it, Rienne distinctly remembered putting medicine on his wound while Mrs. mbard wrapped it with a bandage. Back then, Rafit kept her hand tightly in his grasp as he leaned his head into herp. She thought he looked like a kid. To be honest, his injury at the time wasn¡¯t that serious. He was just acting sick because he wanted to hold onto Rienne, and that ended up bothering her more than the fact he was hurt in the first ce. How long is he nning on holding onto me? I have to get back to work.But none of those thoughts made it out of her mouth. She just sat there in silence as she dealt with his childish whims, no matter how much she wanted to protest. [ck] ¡°Did you check it?¡± Lost in her thoughts, Rienne missed his question. [Rienne] ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry, what was that?¡± [ck] ¡°I wanted to ask if you were able to identify the body.¡± Unlike Rafit, ck didn¡¯t bother beating around the bush. But the two of them did have one thing inmon: they were always able to keep Rienne in ce. But while Rafit did so by taking Rienne¡¯s hand, ck was able to pin her down with just his eyes. And it made Rienne feelpletely different. She never had the chance to think about when he¡¯d let her go. All she could do was face that illusory feeling of being tied up. [Rienne] ¡°So you heard. I went to the chapel because I thought it was only fair I say a proper goodbye. Rienne always felt this way, but his eyes were incredibly clear. It wasn¡¯t easy lying to him. [ck] ¡°And? Did you say goodbye?¡± Even now, it felt like those clear eyes were searching for a lie in her words. Rienne swallowed nervously. [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­Yes.¡± [ck] ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± When he said that, his voice waspletely deadpan¡ªdevoid of all emotion. [ck] ¡°Now I just need to wait for you to fulfill your promise, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± ck reached out, slowly running his hand against Rienne¡¯s cheek. It was such a gentle gesture, it made all the hairs on her skin stand up. [ck] ¡°I want to know as soon as possible¡­ so I wonder when you¡¯ll make up your mind.¡± * * * He¡¯s¡­ not really courting me. That¡¯s what she told herself before, but his fever was already long gone. Though his hands were warm, they weren¡¯t nearly as hot as they were before. It was the same with his eyes. They weren¡¯t hazy or clouded over, but cold and clear like water. [ck] ¡°I want to make things clear.¡± He made it sound like he didn¡¯t want to be misunderstood. Like he didn¡¯t want to leave any room for the seeds of doubt to be sown or for any potential problems to arise. As she paid close attention to his words, Rienne felt her face stiffen. ¡­.What had Phermos said to her that day? [Phermos] ¨C¡®So you¡¯re saying you needed to give yourself the opportunity to separate yourself from your deceased love?¡¯ She was certain he said that. Looking back on it, Phermos sounded unmistakably suspicious when he spoke to her. [Phermos] ¨C¡®If you are being honest, then I will thank you for your consideration, Princess.¡¯ And the way phrased his thanks to her was strange, questioning whether or not she was being ¡®honest.¡¯ It was like he knew she didn¡¯t mean what she said. They must already know. They know the body in the chapel doesn¡¯t belong to the Commander of the Arsak Knights. ck moved his hand, touching Rienne¡¯s cheek in a way that was oddly considerate inparison to his words. [ck] ¡°I¡¯m not a very patient man.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± [ck] ¡°So I hope you don¡¯t keep me waiting too long.¡± It was a warning. He knew she still hadn¡¯t entirely pulled herself away from her former lover yet, so he was warning her to do it properly. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡± She could feel her eyes shaking. It was so hard lying to someone who already knew she was lying. ¡­.But she had no choice. If she made one little mistake, they¡¯d find out Rafit was still alive and hiding somewhere in Nauk. The Kleinfelders would be desperate to protect their eldest son and the Tiwakan would take up arms just to kill him. So many people would die. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m just having a little trouble.¡± Rienne ced her hand over ck¡¯s, which was still resting on her cheek. ck only silently stared at their ovepping hands. [Rienne] ¡°I want to be clear, too.¡± She had to choose. There was a scale in her hands. On one side was Rafit and the Kleinfelders, and on the other¡ª ck and the Tiwakan. Even though she had tried so hard to keep it bnced, the scalepletely tilted to one side without warning. The Kleinfelders couldn¡¯t win in a fight against the Tiwakan. If she were to choose Rafit, she¡¯d be fighting a losing battle. I can¡¯t do that.If I lose, it¡¯s all over for Nauk. In reality, Rienne already knew whose hand she needed to take from the start. Thinking that, she gripped ck¡¯s hand tightly. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯ll leave the past behind¡­¡± With their hands still ovepped, Rienne gently pushed him back until he was sitting on the bed. ck followed her movements and turned his head up towards her. As she spoke, Rienne¡¯s gaze turned towards his lips. [Rienne] ¡°¡­Just as I promised.¡± And then, Rienne closed her eyes, leaned down, and closed her lips over his. Rienne tilted her head, wrapping her arms around his neck just as she did the day before, gently teasing his lips as he once did hers. T/N: (1) Basically, they¡¯re referring to how mercenaries wouldn¡¯t need help getting ready in the morning in the same way a noble would, so saying they were ¡®taken care of¡¯ by the servants wouldn¡¯t beurate Chapter 10 Chapter 10 | A Dangerous Reunion (1) * * * She couldn¡¯t tell how much time had passed. By the time Rienne pulled away, she waspletely breathless. Her lips felt numb while his were wet from her kiss. She could only imagine how hers looked. [ck] ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that.¡± ck whispered while barely moving his mouth. [ck] ¡°Not bad. And neither are those clothes.¡± As he wrapped his injured arm around Rienne¡¯s waist, she felt the panic swell in her chest yet somehow she couldn¡¯t deny how safe and supported it made her feel. [Rienne] ¡°You can let go of me now.¡± Rienne pushed against ck¡¯s shoulder with her palm. She was doing everything she could to stay calm, but this man always found a way to shake her up. It was difficult keeping her head, but if she were to get too rxed, she¡¯d end up sitting in hisp. [Rienne] ¡°I should go¡­¡± But noticing something, Rienne suddenly stopped talking. ck was narrowing his eyes. [Rienne] ¡°Ah.¡± Without even realizing, she was pushing against ck¡¯sinjuredshoulder of all things. Rienne hurriedly pulled her hand away. [Rienne] ¡°I wasn¡¯t paying attention¡­.. Are you alright?¡± [ck] ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± He said it was okay, but he looked like he was wincing in pain. [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s not fine.¡± Rienne took her hands and gently ced them over the wound she had just pushed, stroking it as if to soothe it or make his pain go away. There was no blood, so at least she hadn¡¯t identally reopened the wound. [Rienne] ¡°Next time, tell me if something hurts, alright?¡± [ck] ¡°I didn¡¯t think it hurt that much¡­¡­ It¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡± When he said that, his lips were just as red and passionate as they were before. She couldn¡¯t quite put her finger on why, but Rienne felt like it suited him. It was a good look on him. I wish he¡¯d look like that whenever he sees me. ¡­.Wait, what am I saying? As her thoughts quickly spiraled, Rienne jerked her head back, fearfully pushing them down and hurriedly looking away. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m going to leave now.¡± There was work that needed to be done. She needed to stop a certain someone from returning before he identally started a pointless war. [Rienne] ¡°If you¡¯re not in any pain, then you should be fine eating on your own.¡± Hearing that, ck made a funny face but Rienne, who was turning to leave, didn¡¯t see it. [Rienne] ¡°I hope you get well soon, Lord Tiwakan.¡± And then Rienne left without waiting for ck¡¯s response. It wasn¡¯t until the door shut behind her that she realized she forgot the bandages and medicine on the table, but she couldn¡¯t go back and get it now. ¡­It¡¯s all done now. There¡¯s no turning back. It was already clear to her that Rafit and ck were entirely different from one another. Rienne was filled with a strange sense of relief. Like a part of her couldn¡¯t wait to get away from all the times Rafit would exaggerate his pain just to get her to stay with him. Now she was engaged to another. By her own strength, there was nothing she could do to escape it. * * * There were dozens of excuses Rienne could give to meet with the Kleinfelders. Linden Kleinfelder, who was presently acting as head of the family, was the chairman of Nauk¡¯s delegation, and Rienne could think of many valid reasons she could give to visit him. Moreover, Rienne still had to give the family her regards. Rafit was the Commander of the Arsak Knights, so she was expected to express her condolences for the loss in person. [Weroz] ¡°I must protest, Princess.¡± As Rienne was preparing to leave, Weroz stopped her. [Weroz] ¡°Visiting the Kleinfelders now would only cast a shadow of doubt on us.¡± [Rienne] ¡°If that¡¯s what you¡¯re worried about, Weroz, then rest easy.¡± Rienne turned to look at herself in the mirror. As a final preparation, she added a flower essory to her hair. A symbol of mourning. All that was left was to wear a ck cloak to wear over her dress¡ªthe one Mrs. mbard was sent to retrieve. [Rienne] ¡°They already know he¡¯s alive.¡± [Weroz] ¡°What? Is¡­ that true? How can you be so certain?¡± [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s just a feeling. I think they may have checked the body before returning it to us.¡± The leader of the Tiwakan was actually being rather generous, warning her that he was aware of the truth. [Weroz] ¡°But I thought they didn¡¯t know what Sir Kleinfelder looked like.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ maybe they recognized the symbols on his armor or something simr.¡± [Weroz] ¡°Symbols¡­¡­oh¡­!¡± Weroz¡¯s face turned pale with sudden realization. [Weroz] ¡°Perhaps they recognized the decorations on his helmet?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Decorations?¡± [Weroz] ¡°The person who took Sir Kleinfelder¡¯s ce. Sir Kleinfelder is the only Knight who has such ornate armor, so perhaps they noticed the armor that man was wearing didn¡¯t match how decorative his helmet was.¡± [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s possible.¡± The rumors always called that man a barbarian, but he was surprisingly sharp. Frighteningly so, if he noticed something like that. And it wasn¡¯t just him. Whether it was Tiwakan¡¯s leader, his right hand, or any other member¡ªthey didn¡¯t live as the undefeated champions of the battlefield for no reason. [Rienne] ¡°Now that I think about it, he didn¡¯t say much when he showed us that sword. He only vaguely said ¡®he¡¯s noting back¡¯. He probably knew even then that the Commander wasn¡¯t the one who died.¡± He didn¡¯t walk into that meeting with blood on his face because he was a barbarian who didn¡¯t know any manners. He likely did it on purpose. [Weroz] ¡°How much do they know?¡± [Rienne] ¡°More than we think they do. There may not be any point in trying to lie to them.¡± Lord Tiwakan was now a denizen of the castle, under the name of being the Princess¡¯ betrothed, and the Tiwakan Mercenaries were mercenaries no longer, but the Guardian Knights of Arsak. [Weroz] ¡°Then why, Princess, are you visiting the Kleinfelders¡­¡± [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m going to tell Rafit to run away.¡± When Rienne said that, her face twisted into a dry expression. As if mocking herself. [Weroz] ¡°Are you really giving up on Sir Kleinfelder and his family?¡± [Rienne] ¡°If it means saving his life. The Tiwakan have been kind to us thus far, but not enough to allow the person who shot that arrow to live.¡± [Weroz] ¡°We don¡¯t know for certain if Sir Kleinfelder was responsible for that yet, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°The truth hardly matters. The problem is that someone tried to assassinate the leader of the Tiwakan. They¡¯ll expect him to pay for this.¡± [Weroz] ¡°The Kleinfelders won¡¯t let that happen.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Yes. You¡¯re right about that¡­ but I can¡¯t let them fight. Wouldyouwant the Kleinfelders to engage is such a pointless battle with the Tiwakan, knowing they have no chance at winning?¡± [Weroz] ¡°I¡­¡± No doubt Weroz had given it some thought, too. The Kleinfelders and the Tiwakan were entirely unmatched. Considering the Tiwakan had an advantage over them in every single way, Rienne¡¯s decision was a wise one. [Weroz] ¡°But Princess, once this is done, you¡¯ll never be able to escape his clutches. You know this, right?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m aware.¡± [Weroz] ¡°Then please, think again. If you let Sir Kleinfelder go, then you¡¯ll be cutting off your only way out.¡± [Rienne] ¡°There alreadyisno way out.¡± Rienne¡¯s voice turned harsh and firm. [Rienne] ¡°You know this as well as I.¡± [Weroz] ¡°I know, but¡­ You¡¯re the one getting married, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m ready for what my choice brings.¡± That was the strangest part. Somewhere deep inside her, Rienne felt like that man wasn¡¯t so terrible, even though it would¡¯ve made things much easier if he were. Of all the things surrounding thisughable marriage, the mostughable thing was Rienne herself. [Rienne] ¡°Hm¡­ Where is my cloak¡­ has something happened to Mrs. mbard?¡± Rienne quickly changed the subject, just as Mrs. mbard knocked on the door and entered. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°I brought your cloak, mydy.¡± As she entered the room, the woman immediately frowned as she saw Rienne standing in front of the mirror. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Are those your mourning clothes, Princess?¡¯ [Rienne] ¡°Excuse me?¡± Rienne cocked her head, quickly looking down at herself. [Rienne] ¡°Um, yes. This is all I have. You deal with my wardrobe, Mrs. mbard. You should know that.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Oh no, isthisthat dress?¡± Mrs. mbard adamantly shook her head. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°How long has it been since youst wore this¡ªfive years or so? Oh, no wonder it looks so different. You¡¯ve grown up so much, of course it wouldn¡¯t fit the same.¡± Now three people had pointed out her clothes. Suddenly, Rienne felt grateful towards Weroz for thinking nothing of it. [Rienne] ¡°I haven¡¯t grown that much. Besides, I don¡¯t think it looksthatterrible¡­¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°What are you saying? It¡¯s just the opposite!¡± [Rienne] ¡°What?¡± Another wave of confusion hit Rienne. [Rienne] ¡°What do you mean?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°You look absolutely lovely in ck, Princess. Back then, I thought your youthful energy was what made you so pretty, but now I can hardly ssify what you¡¯re wearing as ¡®mourning clothes¡¯. You¡¯ve lost so much weight, it¡¯s practically falling off of you! With so much of your chest and shoulders exposed, you look like you¡¯re preparing for your wedding night! Lord Weroz, how could you not say something?¡± Suddenly, Mrs. mbard¡¯s fervent lecture turned towards Weroz. Weroz just shook his head in embarrassment. [Weroz] ¡°Oh, well¡­ of course I think she¡¯s beautiful, I just thought¡­¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Oh, what does a knight know about beauty?¡± Shaking her head, Mrs. mbard turned towards Rienne to stop her. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°In any case, you can¡¯t wear this for mourning so you must change, Princess. I fear what might run through that barbarian¡¯s crazed head if he ever saw you wearing this. He looks like the sort of man to swallow you whole!¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± At Mrs. mbard¡¯s warning, Rienne¡¯s face turned pale; something the eagle-eyed woman didn¡¯t miss. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°He¡¯s already seen you wearing this, hasn¡¯t he?¡± Busted. [Rienne] ¡°¡­.Well¡­.it¡¯s not as though he¡¯s seen me naked¡­¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Yes, but your figure is still exposed, we can clearly see the shape of your body. That might be even more of a problem.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Rienne couldn¡¯t find any words to say. She could remember ck looking at her and telling her that her clothes ¡®bothered¡¯ him, and how Phermos tantly asked if she was going to keep wearing it. So that¡¯s what they meant. Mrs. mbard even said it was like a dress one would wear on their wedding night. If given the opportunity, Rienne was certain she would¡¯ve been blunter with her words. ¡­Oh god¡­ what if he thinks I wore it on purpose? Even though it was way toote to be worrying about something like that, Rienne couldn¡¯t stop thinking about it. And I even kissed him first. It would only be natural¡­. If he thought she deliberately wore such tempting clothes while acting in such a way in front of him. * * * After that, Rienne quickly took off that dress. Mrs. mbard promised to fix it but in the meantime, Rienne had to settle for wearing the darkest colored dress she had with a ck cloak over it. Newly dressed, Rienne set off for the Kleinfelder Estate. Though she was a Princess, her escort was simple. As always, only Weroz apanied her. [Rienne] ¡°There are lots of Tiwakan soldiers out here today¡­¡± Rienne sat on her horse, her voice low as she spoke to Weroz and looked around the streets. Weroz nodded in response. [Weroz] ¡°They must still be searching for the attacker.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­At this rate, the Tiwakan will find out all there is to know about Nauk.¡± [Weroz] ¡°You¡¯re not wrong.¡± Rienne gave a bitter smile. [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s a good thing they still don¡¯t believe the arrow to have been ordered by Nauk itself. They could take everything from us too easily.¡± [Weroz] ¡°Things would have been different had the attacker seeded.¡± Whatever sincerity Rienne¡¯s smile may have carried immediately disappeared. [Rienne] ¡°Yes¡­everyone in Nauk¡­ killed to pay for someone else¡¯s revenge.¡± [Weroz] ¡°. . .¡± Weroz knew Rienne wasn¡¯t wrong. All he could do was drop his head and not say anything in return¡ªhis grey hair stretching across his forehead. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m d the leader of the Tiwakan still lives. Instead of taking Nauk by force, he¡¯s been gracious enough to propose instead.¡± [Weroz] ¡°It¡¯s a bit suspiciously kind, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Either way, we need to ept it. In fifteen days¡ªno, even less than that, the leader of the Tiwakan will be ruling Nauk alongside me.¡±(1) The Princess was only stating a fact, something that Weroz knew long ago, but he still couldn¡¯t get used to hearing it out loud. [Rienne] ¡°We¡¯re almost there.¡± The entrance to the Kleinfelder Estate was in view. While its height was nothing inparison to Castle Nauk, it had it beat in scale and luxury, boasting even more servants than the royal pce. Bang, Bang! [Weroz] ¡°Open the door! Her Royal Highness, Princess Rienne of the Arsak Family has arrived!¡± Weroz knocked on the door as he announced Rienne¡¯s presence. After some time, the servants finally came to receive them. T/N: (1) The reason why Rienne is still a Princess despite thest king having died years ago is because she isn¡¯t married. Naturally her husband will be king, though the arrangement she has with ck established in Ch. 4 still acknowledges the birthright of her ¡®child¡¯ above all else. Basically, he¡¯s helping her ascend without taking power from her in the same way the Kleinfelders¡¯ would¡¯ve. Chapter 11 - A Dangerous Reunion (2) Chapter 11 | A Dangerous Reunion (2) * * * [Linden] ¡°So, you¡¯vee to deliver your condolences in person, hm?¡± The look on Linden Kleinfelder¡¯s face was far from weing, but there was no grief to be found in his expression. After all, he was wholly aware his nephew wasn¡¯t dead. [Rienne] ¡°Yes, I have.¡± Though she had requested entry several times now, Linden took his time granting her entrance, giving Rienne plenty of time to stare him down. Ever since Nauk¡¯s finances hit red, he hadpletely lost interest in doing his job properly and it had gotten to the point where Rienne was forced to fill the deficit by selling royal property. No matter how you looked at it, it made no sense for a princess to have to bend to this man¡¯s will, but there was nothing Rienne could do about the Kleinfelders on her own. There was always the possibility she could use the royal guard to force them into submission, but the power of the Kleinfelder¡¯s private militia far exceeded her own. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard by now, but the union between the Tiwakan and the Arsak family is happening within the next fifteen days. Since the Kleinfelders are thergest family in Nauk, we would like for you to extend a hand in friendship.¡± [Linden] ¡°Are you asking me to attend a wedding of the enemy?¡± Even though Linden spoke with clear hostility in his voice, Rienne waspletely calm as she faced him. She and he both knew that the Tiwakan wasn¡¯t his enemy. Because Rafit isn¡¯t dead. [Rienne] ¡°Yes.¡± [Linden] ¡°With all due respect, I think the fact you epted the proposal at all is proof enough that you¡¯vepletely lost your mind, daughter of Arsak.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Instead of taking offense at his tant insult, Rienne just gave a cynical smile. Linden¡¯s behavior came at no real surprise. He had long since started treating Rienne like this. Even after her father¡¯s death, the Kleinfelders were the first to voice their dissent after Rienne began taking over his duties. If Rienne hadn¡¯t been romantically involved with their eldest son, they surely would¡¯ve made their insults much more apparent. [Rienne] ¡°Unfortunately, I am quite well. In fact, if I hadn¡¯t epted the proposal, I would¡¯ve begun to question my own sanity. More importantly, I ask that you prepare for the funeral now that I¡¯ve officially expressed my grief. Rafit Kleinfelder, Commander of the Knights of Arsak, has hereby returned to dust. His name shall be remembered forever, glorious even in death.¡± In no uncertain terms, Rienne¡¯s words made him dead. That was for the best¡ªfor the sake of everyone¡¯s lives. [Linden] ¡°How halfhearted. You¡¯ve lost all sense of pride and spirit, as well as your sanity. As a daughter of the Arsak family, do you not wish to seek revenge for your fallen fianc¨¦?¡± [Rienne] ¡°You must be mistaken, sir. Lord Rafit Kleinfelder was never my fianc¨¦. We were never officially engaged or have you forgotten that?¡± Linden¡¯s mouth twitched. [Linden] ¡°You weren¡¯t engaged? You must be joking. So you were only ying around with the eldest son of Kleinfelder? Such a loose woman, you are.¡± If Weroz were there, he probably would have drawn his sword for that insult. Even Rienne had to hold herself back from pping him in the face. [Rienne] ¡°I can see how cherished Lord Kleinfelder is by his family. Hasn¡¯t anyone told you it¡¯s bad taste to speak ill of the dead?¡± [Linden] ¡°If anyone is speaking ill of him, it is you, daughter of Arsak. You¡¯re choosing to marry that savage barbarian instead of slitting his throat while you have the chance. Your pretty little head doesn¡¯t seem to realize what an insult¡ª¡±(1) Thwack. She couldn¡¯t take it anymore. Rienne picked up the nearest vase framing the drawing room and threw it at Linden¡¯s feet. The broken pieces of pottery and water scattered across the expensive imported carpet. [Linden] ¡°My, your temper¡­¡± Linden stroked his mustache. [Rienne] ¡°My position was handed down to me by thete King of Nauk. If you dare speak towards me with words unbefitting of your station, then it is my duty to personally admonish you for the disrespect.¡± Slowly, Rienne¡¯s breathing calmed into coolly spoken words. [Rienne] ¡°If you take issue with my decision, then please remember what the Kleinfelders were doing during the fifteen days the Tiwakan had Nauk surrounded. Where were you and your militia while hundreds of men loyal to Nauk sacrificed their lives?¡± [Linden] ¡°So it¡¯s for the sake of Nauk that you¡¯ve decided to sell your cheap body to that savage?¡± She made a mistake. She should¡¯ve aimed somewhere else. [Rienne] ¡°Perhaps I¡¯ve been too kind. Maybe I should have thrown it at your head instead of your feet.¡± [Linden] ¡°My head? Don¡¯t make meugh. What can you do on your own?¡± Linden bared his teeth and yelled at her, as if he were some kind of feral dog barking at her. The two of them,cking any kind of understanding, looked as though they were standing on a battlefield. [Rienne] ¡°Pass on this message: Act as a dead man and leave quietly. Don¡¯t do anything like shooting an arrow ever again.¡± As she red at Linden, Rienne spoke again, bringing up the main reason for her visit. [Rienne] ¡°If you don¡¯t want anything terrible to happen to him, then tell him he needs to give up his personal vendetta.¡± [Linden] ¡°Why don¡¯t you take that temper of yours out on that barbarian?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯d like that. I should also inform you that the Tiwakan are aware that Lord Rafit Kleinfelder is still alive.¡± [Linden] ¡°It would appear you don¡¯t have the stomach to get angry at them.¡± [Rienne] ¡°You¡ª!¡± Just as she was about to tell Linden off, a knock sounded against the door, echoing across the drawing room. Knock, Knock. [Rafit] ¡°I brought some tea for you.¡± Both Rienne and Linden¡¯s bodies stiffened as they heard the familiar voice. [Rafit] ¡°May Ie in?¡± Squeak. As the door opened, the person who came in was none other than the very much alive Rafit Kleinfelder himself. * * * [Linden] ¡°What are you doing here? I thought I told you to stay still.¡± Linden spoke to his nephew with a look of disapproval on his face. This was precisely the reason why he had Rienne stand outside the estate for as long as possible, waiting for them to open the doors. Linden decided his nephew had nothing to gain by meeting Princess Rienne alone. In truth, Rafit became a fool in Rienne¡¯s presence. He wasn¡¯t currently pretending to be dead, but would easily do so if Rienne was the one making the request, so Linden told him not toe anywhere near the drawing room. But his nephew had disobeyed him. [Rafit] ¡°Leave us, Uncle.¡± Even if he was merely Linden¡¯s nephew, he was still the eldest son of the Kleinfelder family. Linden thought he could control him even as an adult due to his amicable personality, but the opposite was actually true. He wouldn¡¯t be able to say anything even if Rafit were to kick him out, penniless on the street. [Linden] ¡°I cannot. Thisdy of Arsak has already betrayed us once. Who¡¯s to say she won¡¯t try to poison your ears with that cunning tongue of hers?¡± [Rafit] ¡°I won¡¯t allow you to say such rude things to Princess Rienne.¡± ¡­.He couldn¡¯t believe this. Linden clicked his tongue as hard as he could. [Linden] ¡°Tch¡­! She isn¡¯t worth this! Do you have any idea what she said to me? She said we need to¡ª!¡± [Rafit] ¡°Uncle!¡± Suddenly, a sh of anger cut in Rafit¡¯s eyes and Linden immediately quieted. Rafit was usually a gentle man with no courage to argue against his family, but was the sort of person you could not fight against once he was angry. [Linden] ¡°¡­Tch. I¡¯ll wait outside.¡± Reluctantly, Linden left the drawing room. Click. Once he left, behind that closed door was a vast space and a chance for long separated lovers to finally reunite. * * * [Rienne] ¡°You look well.¡± Rienne was the first to speak. Rafit looked healthy. His skin looked a little rough, but it was nothingpared to how a dead person should look. [Rafit] ¡°Princess¡­¡­my dear Rienne.¡± As he called out her name, his voice shook with such sincerity it sounded as though he would cry. When he first entered the room, all he and Rienne could do was stare at one another. Then, he began to move closer, step by step until he was able to take her into his arms. [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Just hold on for a little bit. Rienne closed her eyes, herself indulging in thefort of this ironic situation. She needed the chance to say goodbye too. [Rafit] ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I wasn¡¯t able to keep my promise.¡± As he spoke, Rafit ran his hand through her hair. His touch was the same as always; passionate, loving, gentle, and sincere. So much so, that she could feel the guilt creeping in. ¡­It¡¯s okay. I can take this much. [Rafit] ¡°You must have been so scared waiting for me¡­ but I couldn¡¯t be there for you¡­.¡± It was alright. Rienne didn¡¯t expect much from him in the first ce. Of course she would¡¯ve been happy if he hade back with reinforcements, but war would have broken out regardless. Even if the Kingdom of Sharka had agreed to send them troops, there was no guarantee they would¡¯ve been enough to fend off the Tiwakan. [Rienne] ¡°You need to run away.¡± After counting to ten, Rienne opened her eyes and spoke. [Rafit] ¡°What?¡± Rafit stopped stroking her head, backing off and making direct eye contact with her as he grabbed her shoulders. [Rafit] ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Exactly what it sounds like. You have to run before the Tiwakan find out you¡¯re here.¡± [Rafit] ¡°Just me? Alone?¡± [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s the only way I can save everyone.¡± Rafit¡¯s eyes widened, an overwhelming sense of betrayal pouring out of them. [Rafit] ¡°¡­..You can¡¯t mean that¡­ you¡¯re giving up on me? On us?¡± Rafit continued to boggle her mind. How was it that after all this time he still didn¡¯t understand her? If it was to protect Nauk, there¡¯s nothing Rienne wouldn¡¯t give up. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m going to marry Lord Tiwakan.¡± With a single phrase, she cut clean their rtionship. [Rienne] ¡°So I just wanted to say this. Thank you for everything you¡¯ve done for me up until now, and I pray you stay safe.¡± [Rafit] ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know what to say¡­. You¡¯re leaving me, Princess?¡± Rienne could feel his strong hand grip her shoulder with strained pressure. She felt a short surge of pain, but ignored it. [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s the best way I can protect Nauk.¡± [Rafit] ¡°I can¡¯t ept that!¡± Rafit shouted out. His brown eyes, which were usually gentle and soft, almost to the point of seeming weak, now burned like the low embers of firewood. [Rafit] ¡°How can leaving me be the best way to protect Nauk?! How does that make sense!?¡± [Rienne] ¡°No one has the power to defeat the Tiwakan; not the Arsaks nor the Kleinfelders. This is all I can¡ª¡° [Rafit] ¡°So you¡¯re just going to offer yourself up to them? On top of everything else, you¡¯ll let him take you away?¡± The look in Rafit¡¯s eyes was one Rienne had never seen before. A look of ridiculing pity came from him, sharply cutting down towards her. [Rafit] ¡°Oh, my princess¡­ how could you be so foolish¡­? That¡¯s exactly what those savages are aiming for.¡± Rafit reached out and gently took a lock of Rienne¡¯s hair in his hand. Before she had the chance to tell him to stop, he breathlessly began to speak. [Rafit] ¡°Do you know what I heard about the leader of those barbarians while I was in the Kingdom of Sharka?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Sir Kleinfelder, please move your hand. I¡¯m engaged.¡± But he didn¡¯t listen. Instead he just kept talking, as if he werepletely deaf to her words. [Rafit] ¡°The reason why he came to Nauk out of the blue¡­. The reason why he would resort to using such barbarous tactics.¡± * * * Honestly, Rienne was curious about that. She still didn¡¯t understand why the leader of the Tiwakan wanted Nauk so badly, even though it was the poorest and weakest nation of all the five southern kingdoms. They had promised to be honest when it came to each other and yet she never got the answer to that ever constant question. [Rienne] ¡°The reason¡­.. doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Rienne said to the eldest son of the Kleinfelder family, her lover no longer. [Rafit] ¡°They said he bears a grudge against Nauk.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­.What?¡± [Rafit] ¡°He¡¯s been nning his revenge for god knows how long. Everyone outside of Nauk knows about it.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What sort of grudge?¡± [Rafit] ¡°Apparently his family was killed by someone in Nauk.¡± [Rienne] ¡°So what you¡¯re trying to say is that he wants to take Nauk¡­ for revenge? That doesn¡¯t make any sense.¡± [Rafit] ¡°Does a savage need their reasons to make sense?¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Rienne kept quiet. To an ordinary person, that kind of reasoning would bepletely nonsensical, but for the leader of the Tiwakan who dreamt of revenge? It might make perfect sense to him. But he had all the power he needed to tear Nauk to pieces. No, it doesn¡¯t make any sense. If that¡¯s what you wanted, you should havepletely destroyed us in a one-sided war, not proposed. If the Tiwakan had fought in earnest, they wouldn¡¯t have spent those fifteen days merely surrounding the castle. In only three days, they could¡¯ve ended everything. They could¡¯ve had her head hanging from a wall andpletely wiped Nauk off the map. And I haven¡¯t forgotten what you said. You told me if you wanted to break your promise, you would¡¯ve done so from the start. Taking Nauk for the sake of revenge of all things? No. That can¡¯t be it. T/N: (1) The original insult implies that Rienne is nothing more than a pretty face, as Linden regards Rienne as being a ¡°loose¡± woman who ys around with men to the point of not understanding the ramifications of her choice. Which we all know is BS. Chapter 12 - A Dangerous Re Chapter 12 | A Dangerous Reunion (3) * * * [Rafit] ¡°There are more than enough rumors following the lord of the Tiwakan. Did you know they even say he prefers men over women?¡± Rienne listened to Rafit with a cloud of doubt hovering over her. He prefers men? How ridiculous. Rienne could still remember how he had kissed her. He wouldn¡¯t have kissed her like that if he didn¡¯t desire her on some level. All the times she had reluctantly kissed Rafit was proof enough of that.(1) It was just a baseless rumor. It had to be. [Rienne] ¡°What makes you say that?¡± Rafit looked at her with a serious look in his eyes. [Rafit] ¡°Have you already invited him into your bed?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Sir Kleinfelder.¡± Rienne clenched her fists. Whether it was the uncle or the nephew, everyone in this family had a knack for inappropriately running their mouths. [Rienne] ¡°If you say something like that again, I¡¯ll get angry. You are in no position to question whether or not I¡¯ve brought my fianc¨¦ to my bed or not.¡± [Rafit] ¡°How could you call that barbarian your fianc¨¦ in front of me?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Leave Nauk. Out of respect for your family, I¡¯ll bite my temper and leave you in the care of Lord Weroz. He¡¯ll protect you until you¡¯re safely out of Nauk. Think of it as a parting gift.¡± [Rafit] ¡°Rienne!¡± Rafit wasn¡¯t just stubborn, but slow too. He still didn¡¯t understand what Rienne was trying to say. [Rafit] ¡°I can¡¯t just leave you and allow you to marry someone else!¡± [Rienne] ¡°You don¡¯t have a choice.¡± Instead of getting angry, she tried pleading with him instead. Rienne wanted Rafit to understand where she wasing from and why this needed to happen, but if she got angry, it would only lead to a fight. Right now, she just needed to end things cleanly. As she spoke, her words rang cold, like an emotionless void flowing between the two of them. [Rienne] ¡°What else can you do¡ªshoot another arrow? Do you have any idea what your actions have already done? The Tiwakan havepletely taken over the guards¡¯ duties ahead of the wedding in order to find the attacker and is learning all they can about Nauk in the meantime. Now seeing Tiwakan soldiers in the streets is amon urrence all because of an arrow that missed.¡±(2) [Rafit] ¡°You can¡¯t say that. The arrow must have donesting damage to that barbarian, and now the Tiwakan¡ª¡° [Rienne] ¡°Lasting damage? It¡¯s barely a flesh wound.¡± [Rafit] ¡°Then I¡¯ll just try again. I¡¯ll seed next time.¡± [Rienne] ¡°The Tiwakan are no fools. The first assassination attempt has only made them more wary. You¡¯ll have to contend with them all before you can even dream of attacking their leader.¡± [Rafit] ¡°. . .¡± Finally, Rafit was at a loss for words. He was a knight so as much as he didn¡¯t want to admit it, he knew Rienne was right. [Rienne] ¡°If it¡¯s ever revealed that you were the one that fired that arrow, the Tiwakan will wipe the Kleinfelder family from the face of the earth. So run while you can. That¡¯s the only way Nauk will ever know peace.¡± [Rafit] ¡°. . .¡± [Rienne] ¡°Now this is goodbye.¡± Just as Rienne turned away and began to open the door to leave, Rafit reached out from behind her and shut it with a dull noise. Thud. That was new. Rafit had never done anything like that before. Rienne frowned and looked back at him once she realized that. [Rienne] ¡°What are you doing?¡± [Rafit] ¡°Just¡­ answer one question first.¡± Rienne¡¯s face twisted when she saw his look of desperation. She already knew Rafit loved her with all his heart. In honor of the feelings she knew he carried for her, she could endure this. [Rienne] ¡°What is it?¡± [Rafit] ¡°Do you love him?¡± [Rienne] ¡°What?¡± To Rienne, it sounded like such a stupid question but Rafit looked incredibly serious. [Rafit] ¡°Answer me. Are you happy to marry him because you love him? Is that why you¡¯re leaving me?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Hah¡­¡± Rienne let out an exasperated sigh. [Rienne] ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a question worth answering.¡± [Rafit] ¡°Just answer me!¡± Rafit cried out with tears in his eyes. He looked as though he wouldn¡¯t step aside until she answered him. [Rienne] ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t expect any of this to happen, but I haven¡¯t forgotten how many people died during the Tiwakan¡¯s siege. I¡¯ll never forget.¡± [Rafit] ¡°Answer properly. Are you certain you don¡¯t love him? You¡¯re just giving in because of his power?¡± Whenever she thought about the leader of the Tiwakan, Rienne had already decided she didn¡¯t hate him. She had even made a promise to do what she could to desire him. But that was it. That didn¡¯t mean she had any special feelings for him or that she loved him. Even the small concessions she was making felt wrong in the wake of everything that happened. With how their rtionship started, there was no way such feelings could ever bloom. Rienne gave a bitter smile. [Rienne] ¡°There¡¯s nothing more important to me than Nauk. Whether it¡¯s ending things with you or epting a proposal stained with blood¡ªI do what I must to protect it.¡± If I have to endure it, then I will endure. [Rienne] ¡°Leave Nauk. That¡¯s an order.¡± [Rafit] ¡°. . .¡± As Rafit¡¯s face turned pale, Rienne pushed past him, opening the door to the drawing room herself. * * * But just because she entered of her own ord didn¡¯t mean she could leave so easily. [Rienne] ¡°Where is Lord Weroz?¡± After leaving the drawing room, Rienne went straight towards the main entrance of the Kleinfelder Estate to meet Weroz, but he was nowhere to be found. Getting a bad feeling, Rienne went to ask the Kleinfelder¡¯s gatekeeper of his whereabouts. [Gatekeeper] ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± [Rienne] ¡°You don¡¯t know? But Lord Weroz was here just a moment ago.¡± [Gatekeeper] ¡°I didn¡¯t see him.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What¡­? Lord Weroz!¡± Rienne looked around as she called out his name. [Rienne] ¡°Lord Weroz!¡± But no matter how many times she called out for him, there was no reply. That bad feeling in her stomach twisted into heavy anxiety. Suddenly, she realized she was in a dangerous ce with no escort. I have to get out of here. [Rienne] ¡°Open the door.¡± Normally she would¡¯ve asked the guards to track down Weroz, but there was little she could do right now. [Gatekeeper] ¡°I¡¯ve been ordered to guard this door.¡± The gatekeeper wouldn¡¯t budge, stubbornly blocking her way and Rienne¡¯s anxious feeling suddenly became more real. [Rienne] ¡°So you can¡¯t let me leave?¡± [Gatekeeper] ¡°I don¡¯t know about that. All I know is that I was ordered to guard the exit, not open it.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Don¡¯t you know who I am? I am Princess Rienne of Nauk and I order you to open this door.¡± [Gatekeeper] ¡°I already have my orders.¡± Despite the princess herself ordering him otherwise, his answer remained the same. [Rienne] ¡°Then get out of the way. I¡¯ll open it myself.¡± [Gatekeeper] ¡°Hm¡­.¡± It likely wouldn¡¯t amount to much, but Rienne gave a warning to the weak-willed gatekeeper. [Rienne] ¡°If you don¡¯t step aside, you¡¯ll pay the price for disobeying the crown. Mind you that the Kleinfelders cannot protect you from everything.¡± [Gatekeeper] ¡°. . .¡± The gatekeeper hesitated for a moment, but eventually stepped to the side. Rienne stretched out past him, her hands reaching out to open the door. But it was already toote. Stomp, stomp! Behind her was the sound of heavy footsteps echoing through the halls. When she turned her head, Rienne could see Linden Kleinfelder walking towards her with his soldiers at his side. [Linden] ¡°Step back, Princess. How foolish of you to attempt to open the doors to someone else¡¯s estate.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± Linden stepped towards Rienne, close enough for their noses to be touching. [Linden] ¡°Now that I think about it, it would be a terrible decision to allow you to leave.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What?¡± [Linden] ¡°The princess deigns to hand over sovereignty of Nauk to a feckless barbarian rather than a noble Kleinfelder.¡± Rienne, dumbfounded by Linden¡¯s words, took a deep breath. [Rienne] ¡°Hah¡­Must I repeat myself? Is your mind already beginning to fail you?¡± [Linden] ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary. Instead¡­¡± Linden winked towards someone over his shoulder as the soldiers parted and someone walked out. Rienne¡¯s eyes widened once she saw the person, d in heavy, plum colored robes reaching past his ankles. [Rienne] ¡°¡­.High Priest Milrod.¡± [Milrod] ¡°Hmph¡­.¡± Milrod, the High Priest, trailed off his words as he spared Rienne a nce. While religion wasn¡¯t a major part of Nauk¡¯s culture, there were still times when a religious representative was needed, like the spring festival, a funeral, or even a wedding to bring good luck for rain. [Rienne] ¡°What brings you to the Kleinfelder estate?¡± But the High Priest and Rienne didn¡¯t have a close rtionship. In an effort to reduce spending, Rienne was quick to cut off donations to the religious embassy, which obviously required funds for events. It was an expensive luxury that couldn¡¯t be afforded by the present royal budget, after all. But in turn, the High Priest never spared a prayer for the royal family, instead throwing his lot in with the Kleinfelders. Apparently, Linden would even send personal funds to the High Priest once a month. [Rienne] ¡°Did youe here to prepare for the funeral prayer?¡±(3) Even the High Priest wouldn¡¯t know Rafit was still alive. Hoping that, Rienne asked such a question. On behalf of the High Priest, Linden answered instead. [Linden] ¡°No, he¡¯s here as an officiant.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Officiant¡­?¡± [Linden] ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Linden looked at Rienne with a grin that made her stomach turn. It was an ominous and foreboding smile. [Rienne] ¡°Who¡­Who¡¯s getting married¡­?¡± [Linden] ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? Who else could it be?¡± Linden pointed a finger at Rienne. In her eyes, it was no different from an arrow flying towards her. [Linden] ¡°The daughter of Arsak will pledge her eternal affection and obedience to the son of Kleinfelder¡­ as his wife.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­.!¡± * * * This is my fault. Without even realizing it, Rienne grit her teeth. I should have known they¡¯d be willing to resort to such dirty tricks to get what they want. The Kleinfelders have long since desired control over Nauk. Rather than hand it over to another, of course they¡¯d be willing to do anything they could to take it. [Rienne] ¡°This is uneptable. Did Lord Rafit agree to a wedding neither of us knew about?¡± [Linden] ¡°Oh Princess, you must have already forgotten. Rafit is dead.¡± Linden made a dramatic show of his shrugging. [Linden] ¡°It¡¯s a shame, but now you¡¯ll have no choice but to marry his cousin Lopez instead.¡± What a joke. As far as Rienne knew, there was no one by that name in the Kleinfelder family. [Rienne] ¡°There¡¯s a son of the Kleinfelder family I didn¡¯t know about? Is he even a registered member of your house, recognized by the royal family?¡± [Linden] ¡°Oh of course not. He¡¯s an illegitimate child, but what can we do about that? Now that the eldest son has passed, we have no choice but to bring him in.¡± His lying was so brazen, it was insulting. [Rienne] ¡°Enough of the lies, Lord Kleinfelder. Allow me to pass before things get out of hand.¡± [Linden] ¡°It is no lie. Though he is an illegitimate son, the blood that runs through his veins is no different from the deceased Rafit. Isn¡¯t that right, High Priest Milrod?¡± Without even batting an eye, the High Priest helped with the lie. [Milrod] ¡°Indeed, I checked and it was exactly the same. The blood rtion cannot be denied. This is a blessing sent to us from God, Princess.¡± A blessing. Rienne took the cloth of her dress in her white knuckled grip. Staring at them with her green eyes, she looked at the men blocking her way as if they were a wall. I have to get out here first. There has to be a way. [Rienne] ¡°¡­..That¡¯s wonderful. I¡¯m very curious to see if he looks like him too. Bring him here.¡± [Linden] ¡°That won¡¯t be difficult. Go and bring Rafit¡ªah, I mean Lopez. Bring Lopez here.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Good.¡± A soldier ran off towards the drawing room, and before long he returned with another man. Just as she thought, the person he brought with him was Rafit Kleinfelder. * * * Rafit¡¯s eyes were red, as if he had been crying after Rienne left. She even noticed his right hand looked injured. He must have broken something. [Rienne] ¡°Please don¡¯t do this.¡± The moment their eyes met, Rienne approached him. The only person who could end this madness was the broken-hearted Rafit. Though his family was greedy and awful, he alone was different. He always told her his feelings for her were genuine and Rienne always believed him. And even though her own feelings never burned as passionately as fire, she still regarded him as being her lover and did everything she could to treat him as such, as did he. Your heart was always true and sincere. I know, deep down, you don¡¯t want to do anything that could hurt me like this. [Rienne] ¡°Please, your love wasn¡¯t the only thing you promised me. As the Commander of the Arsak Knights, you made an oath to protect both me and Nauk. Please¡­ don¡¯t put Nauk at risk by doing this.¡± Rafit opened his mouth with a distorted look on his face. [Rafit] ¡°I¡­..I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Rafit.¡± Rafit turned his head and looked towards his uncle. Linden nodded and Rafit bit his lip. [Rafit] ¡°Don¡¯t call me by that name. My name is Lopez Kleinfelder.¡± * * * T/N: (1) She¡¯s saying she knows what its like to kiss someone you¡¯re not into, and that if that were the case for ck, she¡¯d know. (2) Rienne means ¡°missed¡± in that the arrow didn¡¯t actually do anything effective. (3) Exact term was ??,which is a repose for parted souls or a mournful song typically sung by monks to honor the deceased. Chapter 13 - A Dangerous Reunion (4) Chapter 13 | A Dangerous Reunion (4) * * * Rienne couldn¡¯t believe what was happening. [Rienne] ¡°Rafit!¡± She could hardly contain her shock, her whole body trembling as Rafit began reciting the same nonsense as his uncle. [Rafit] ¡°I will be forever grateful towards God for granting me such a beautiful princess as a wife. I can only hope I will prove adequate as her husband.¡± [Rienne] ¡°No, our rtionship has already ended! That won¡¯t change no matter what you do, so please, stop this!¡± [Rafit] ¡°You¡¯re wrong.¡± When Rafit said that, she could clearly see his bloodshot eyes. [Rafit] ¡°It will change. You¡¯ll be my wife.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± [Rafit] ¡°If this is the only way I can have you, then so be it.¡± It was like he had gone blind, his mind focused on one thing and one thing alone. This wasn¡¯t the Rafit that Rienne knew. Leaving Riennepletely speechless, Rafit turned to his uncle. [Rafit] ¡°When¡¯s the ceremony?¡± [Linden] ¡°There¡¯s nothing in particr we need to prepare. As long as the High Priest is here, it can happen whenever.¡± [Rafit] ¡°Then let¡¯s do it now, right here.¡± [Linden] ¡°Very good idea.¡± Hearing that, Rienne shouted out. [Rienne] ¡°What are you talking about, I¡¯ll never¡ª¡° Suddenly, Rafit covered her mouth with his hand. [Rafit] ¡°I¡¯ll be making the vows on behalf of the Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Mmph!¡± Rienne grabbed Rafit¡¯s arm, struggling against his grip. [Rafit] ¡°Stay calm. Just bear with it for a while.¡± The High Priest approached Rienne as Rafit held onto her. Rienne could feel her breath immediately leave her the moment he pulled out theurel branch from his long sleeves. [Rienne] ¡°¡­..!¡± But the more she struggled, the harder Rafit held onto her. Stuck in his embrace, theurel branch inched closer to her and Rienne closed her eyes, quickly biting down as hard as she could on Rafit¡¯s palm. [Rafit] ¡°Tch¡­.¡± Rafit made an odd face, but still his grip didn¡¯t loosen, even as his hand started bleeding. ¡­.Please, let go. At that moment, a painful and frustrating realization dawned on Rienne, weighing heavily on her shoulders. She couldn¡¯t do anything on her own. Please. Even if she were to put all the strength she had into fighting back, it would only ever cause a pointlessly small wound. One where only a little blood would flow out. Already, her mouth was filled with the irony taste of blood. As Rienne bit back the nausea, the High Priest lifted theurel branch high into the air before lowering down on the top of Rienne¡¯s head. It made her feel like she was nothing but a piece of meat, left to be skewered by a pike. [Milrod] ¡°Hear us, LaJore Benushi Attika, the one true god, the waves of the sea and the roots of the earth. Today, a pair of loved ones born of your soil wish to bind themselves to a covenant in your name before the sacred altar¡ª¡°(1) Just as the High Priest began the marriage rites, there was a sudden booming noise. Boom! That very same booming noise shook the tightly closed door, a noise so noticeable it forced everyone to stop what they were doing. * * * [Linden] ¡°Keep going!¡± After silence took them, Linden came to his senses, urging the High Priest to the finish the rite. The High Priest had been so startled, he dropped theurel branch and leaned down to try and pick it up. But Rienne was just moments faster. She reached around with her foot and pulled theurel closer to her, but not before Rafit noticed. [Rafit] ¡°Give it to me.¡± Rafit finally released the hold he had over Rienne¡¯s mouth as he tried to take the branch from her. Boom! Another sound came, even louder than the one before. It was so loud it immediately told them this was no small deal. [Linden] ¡°What the hell is that? You, go see what it is!¡± Linden yelled at the rookie soldier standing next to him, but there was no point. Without even looking outside, it was obvious whatever was making that sound was right outside the main entrance. Boom! Boom! And this time, they didn¡¯t stop¡ªthat booming sound ringing out again and again until finally, its source was revealed. Boom! Thwack! A piece of the heavy wooden door fell away, with nothing but the sharp edge of a battle axe sticking through the newly made crack. [Linden] ¡°W¡­what¡­.¡± Crack! With rigid movements, the axe was pulled out, leaving a wide gap in its wakerge enough for a person¡¯s words to be carried through easily. [ck] ¡°Open the door.¡± Rienne¡¯s eyes instinctively widened. There was only one person she knew that had such a low, deep voice. It¡¯s him¡­but how? That man was right through the door. She couldn¡¯t see him, but he was so close. [Rienne] ¡°Lord Tiwakan!¡± Rafit quickly covered Rienne¡¯s mouth as she called out to him, but it was toote. [ck] ¡°Are you alright?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Mmph¡­.¡± Rienne couldn¡¯t answer. But at least it wasn¡¯t as frustrating as it was before. The Kleinfelders and the High Priest were clearly at a loss, perhaps even embarrassed by all of this. [Phermos] ¡°They don¡¯t seem very eager to open the door, my Lord. Perhaps we should just invite ourselves in.¡± Just as she heard the upbeat voice of Phermos, there was another heavy swing of an axe. Whack! Whack! The once ornate and sturdy wooden door now looked as though it would split in half, but the biggest problem was what came after that. Once the door was gone, the only thing that could stop the oing Tiwakan was their own bodies. [Linden] ¡°Dammit!¡± Linden audibly cursed. [Linden] ¡°I have to open the door.¡± But Rafit immediately protested. [Rafit] ¡°Uncle!¡± [Linden] ¡°We have no choice. Would you have us treat them like the enemy right now?¡± The wedding rite was alreadypletely out of their hands, as if it had been washed away by a river. Going through with a marriage against the Princess¡¯ will was easy when all the witnesses were on their side, but things were different when the Tiwakan were breaking down their door with an axe. [Linden] ¡°Get out of here, Rafit. We can¡¯t let them see your face.¡± [Rafit] ¡°You can¡¯t be serious! I¡ª¡° [Linden] ¡°We don¡¯t have time to argue. All of you; take Rafit out of here.¡± As Linden¡¯s soldiers forcibly dragged Rafit away, Linden quickly turned towards Rienne. [Linden] ¡°You may be a cheap woman but I know you¡¯re not stupid, so I expect you already understand what you need to do. Whether or not Nauk bes a battlefield depends entirely on what you say.¡± It was an obvious threat, but Linden was beaming with confidence. He already knew Rienne came to the Kleinfelder Estate with only Weroz because she wanted to avoid the prying eyes of the Tiwakan. [Linden] ¡°So speak carefully.¡± Linden then snapped his finger, signaling towards the soldier at his side. The soldier nodded, lifting the wooden bolt as he avoided the axe. [Phermos] ¡°Oh, I guess they don¡¯t want to fight.¡± Phermos spoke with a smile in his voice the second he heard the bolt being removed. [Linden] ¡°You may put the axe down. No need to try and break in anymore.¡± Boom! Suddenly, a fierce kick came through the front door of the Kleinfelder Estate. Crash, Boom! Then, the fragments of the terribly destroyed door were pushed to the side, giving way for ck¡¯s entrance. * * * ¡­Why? For some reason, Rienne could feel tears forming at the edges of her eyes. Was it because she was happy to see this person? ¡­But she¡¯d be lying if she said she wasn¡¯t. The moment she saw his face, this ridiculous feeling of relief washed over her like a wave. [Linden] ¡°What brings you to my home?¡± Linden had the audacity to ask such a question. [Linden] ¡°There are better ways to request entry rather than recklessly barging in like a barbarian. You truly are more like a dog than a man.¡± His insults weren¡¯t subtle in the slightest. [ck] ¡°Lord Kleinfelder.¡± Before Rienne could reprimand Linden for his rudeness, ck opened his mouth first. [ck] ¡°I could say the same about you.¡± [Linden] ¡°¡­.What was that?¡± Having those words thrown at him immediately made Linden¡¯s face turn pale. [ck] ¡°Not even a rat hiding away in his den can keep everything a secret.¡± [Linden] ¡°What¡­What I do in myhome¡­has nothing to do with you savages. You have no right to interfere¡ª¡° [ck] ¡°Your home, your den; it¡¯s all the same.¡± Thud. ck took a step closer. At that, Linden¡¯s face turned even paler. ck was such an imposing person, he was able to intimidate Linden by just walking. [ck] ¡°Either way, you shouldn¡¯t have tried to lock my fianc¨¦e inside.¡± [Linden] ¡°What¡­What are you¡­?¡± And then ck took another step. Linden tried to take a step back, but ended up in a strange position with only his upper body leaning back. He looked as though he wouldpletely crumble if someone so much as tapped his ankle. [ck] ¡°Are you hurt?¡± But then ck suddenly turned towards Rienne. [Rienne] ¡°No¡­I only came toplete the obituary. I¡¯m alright.¡± [ck] ¡°I¡¯ll have to see for myself.¡± Thud. ck took one final step closer to Linden. [Linden] ¡°Hup!¡± Thump. Completely losing his bnce, Linden fell to the floor the moment he tried to step backwards. [Soldier] ¡°Oh!¡± [Soldier] ¡°Sir!¡± His soldiers immediately tried to approach him in order to help him up, but they stopped dead in their tracks. ck was standing far too close. He was looking down at the fallen Linden as if he were contemting whether or not it was worth crushing an ant he had stumbled upon. [ck] ¡°Never forget.¡± Never resist and never keep your doors shut to me. After issuing an unforgettable warning, ck once again turned to face Rienne. [ck] ¡°I came to get you.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­.Okay.¡± That was the only reason ck needed to visit the Kleinfelder Estate. [ck] ¡°Should we return?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Yes.¡± Standing on her own, Rienne stood just in front of ck and without saying anything, he took Rienne¡¯s hand in his own. [Rienne] ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡± She wanted to leave as quickly as possible, before things had a chance to sour. What the Kleinfelders had attempted was absolutely terrifying to think about, but all Rienne could do was quietly cover it up. There was a war constantly looming over their heads and Rafit¡¯s actions were the catalyst that could potentially bring it crashing down on them. No matter what, the Tiwakan could never find out what Rafit had done¡ªwhether that be the assassination attempt or how he had tried to force Rienne to marry him because he couldn¡¯t let her go. If that happened, Nauk would be torn in half by the bloodshed. Rienne couldn¡¯t let that happen. [Rienne] ¡°My business here is concluded. There¡¯s no need to linger.¡± But, as per usual, the Tiwakan were more informed than Rienne thought. [Phermos] ¡°Already?¡± Phermos smirked from behind his odd sses. [Phermos] ¡°What¡¯s the rush? Why don¡¯t we take a look around the Kleinfelder Estate? It¡¯s one of grander locations in Nauk¡ªwhy not have a cup of tea while we¡¯re here? Our Lord will soon be ruling Nauk alongside you, so Lord Kleinfelder must be courteous to him. If not, doesn¡¯t that mean there¡¯s something wrong with him?¡± Linden immediately got angry at the insult, but the moment he tried to open his mouth to argue, Phermos cut him off. [Phermos] ¡°And look, how wonderful, the High Priest is already here. Why don¡¯t we discuss the process for the royal wedding while we¡¯re at it? What do you think, my Lord?¡± The High Priest would not have vacated the temple for no reason, but after recognizing him, Phermos could not help but wonder what he was doing at the Kleinfelder Estate of all ces. [Rienne] ¡°Can¡¯t we do thatter?¡± Saying that, Rienne held ck¡¯s hand tighter. Though he was looking at Phermos before, he immediately looked back at Rienne. Rienne tilted her head up towards him, doing her best to make her face look as pitiful as possible. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯d like to go back now. I¡¯m tired.¡± Before he finds out things he shouldn¡¯t. Rienne leaned her body into ck¡¯s chest with a desperate look on her face. She felt his hard chest stiffen, making it even sturdier. [Rienne] ¡°Let¡¯s go back. Together.¡± Before he decides to tear Nauk apart. If it was to prevent that, Rienne was willing to do more than just hug him if necessary. [ck] ¡°. . .¡± She could feel ck¡¯s soft breathing tickling her forehead. It was unbelievable to think about, but as she leaned on him, Rienne felt incredibly secure. Safe, even. No matter how much of her weight she pressed against him, his chest was like a wall. In his arms, she feltfortable and protected. [ck] ¡°It¡¯s strange.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What is¡­?¡± ck looked down at Rienne, his voice as low as a whisper. [ck] ¡°I know you¡¯re hiding something from me, but I don¡¯t feel like arguing with you.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± ¡­Of course he¡¯d know. The situation was way too suspicious and Rienne¡¯s weak exnation of being there to simply express her condolences did little to make that feeling go away. Which is why Rienne thought it was strange, too. It was strange how reassured she felt in the presence of a man who didn¡¯t trust her. [ck] ¡°If you want to return, then let¡¯s go.¡± ck wrapped his arm around Rienne¡¯s waist, but it felt more like he was trying to support her rather than embrace her. But what Rienne didn¡¯t notice was that ck had turned his head away to speak with Phermos. [ck] ¡°You stay here and deal with the situation. Finish business concerning the High Priest.¡± Phermos nodded his head, as if he was expecting this. [Phermos] ¡°Of course, my Lord. I won¡¯t disappoint you.¡± After that, his retinue was quickly divided, split between those who were to escort ck back to the castle, and those who would remain with Phermos on the Kleinfelder¡¯s street, finding their own ce. * * * T/N: (1) I¡¯m not sure the best way to localize the name of the god (? ?? ??? ???) so I went with a transliteration. Chapter 14 - Not Even a Moment Chapter 14 | Not Even a Moment * * * ¡­.I feel nervous. Rienne was riding on ck¡¯s horse with him, but she felt embarrassed. She was extremely conscious of how he was sitting behind her, feeling his touch and heat against her back. The mercenaries that were escorting them back to the castle were fewer in number inparison to the ones she had seen at the Kleinfelder Estate. In total, there were only three following them, but they weregging so far behind, Rienne and ck might as well have been alone. [Rienne] ¡°How is your shoulder¡­.? Does it hurt?¡± Rienne asked while swallowing her difort and mustering her courage. [Rienne] ¡°If it¡¯s difficult to hold onto the reins, I can take them.¡± As they traveled, ck was holding onto the reins with one hand while keeping Rienne¡¯s body securely on the horse with the other. [ck] ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s not bothering me.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I see.¡± [ck] ¡°But there is something else that is.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Something else¡­?¡± [ck] ¡°Why is there blood on your lips?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Huh?¡± Immediately, Rienne lifted her hand and touched her lips. Sure enough, there was a hint of red left on her fingertips. This must have been from when I bit Rafit¡­ [ck] ¡°Did someone bite you?¡± [Rienne] ¡°No¡­I¡­¡± Rienne wanted to say she wasn¡¯t bitten by anyone. In fact it was just the opposite, but in order to exin herself, she¡¯d have to talk about Rafit. Knowing that, she mped her mouth shut. [ck] ¡°Then why the blood?¡± [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s just¡­.¡± But she couldn¡¯t think of a good excuse. [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s alright, I¡¯m not hurt¡­.¡± [ck] ¡°So you say, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Well¡­ I just so happened to¡­ get blood on my face¡­.¡± [ck] ¡°On your lips, of all ces.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± There wasn¡¯t any reasonable situation that would cause someone to have blood on their lips. As Rienne struggled to exin herself, ck suddenly stopped talking. Catching this, Rienne turned her head up to look at him. His mouth was twitching. ck let go of the reins, turning Rienne¡¯s body to face him with one hand. [ck] ¡°Can I make sure of it myself?¡± [Rienne] ¡°What¡­. do you mean?¡± [ck] ¡°I want to make sure you¡¯re really not hurt.¡± She wasn¡¯t. That much was true. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m fine, honestly.¡± [ck] ¡°I don¡¯t believe you.¡± He spoke hisst words so quickly and so quietly that Rienne didn¡¯t even have a chance to reply before ck seized the sides of her face with both his hands. Her mind was so busy trying to catch up she wasn¡¯t even surprised when he wet his lips with his tongue. [Rienne] ¡°What are you doing¡­?¡± [ck] ¡°Open your mouth.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± And just like that, he pressed his mouth over hers and began his search. He wasn¡¯t really kissing her. ck was just meticulously checking inside her mouth, searching every inch of her to see if she was hurt or not. It wasn¡¯t a kiss, but that just made all of this even stranger. Rienne couldn¡¯t say a single word, even as someone¡¯s tongue intensely explored her. By the time her lips were free, Rienne was breathing heavily, her hands weakly sping her sleeves. [ck] ¡°No injuries.¡± ¡­That¡¯s what I told you. [ck] ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Was it really? Already, Rienne was worried this feeling would never go away¡ªthat she¡¯d never be able to forget it this sensation. Even now, it still felt like his tongue was inside her. Her body was trembling and she felt dizzy, and even looking at ck wetting his lips made her remember what just happened, that dizzy feeling only intensifying with the thought. [ck] ¡°Why were you there alone?¡± Completely unfazed, ck urged the horse to start moving again. Feeling the jolting movement, Rienne instinctively grabbed onto him to maintain her bnce, her body still turned towards him. ¡­.This is too strange. Rienne always thought she¡¯d rather fall off a horse than hold onto him like this and yet, even the thought of feeling that way felt weird to her. How does he always do this to me? She should hate him for all he¡¯d done. She should be terrified of him and yet¡­ [ck] ¡°Is it a difficult question to answer?¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­I wasn¡¯t alone. Lord Weroz apanied me but at some point he disappeared¡­ Ah Lord Weroz!¡± It was a realization that hit Rienne far toote. In all themotion, she hadpletely forgotten about Weroz. [Rienne] ¡°Lord Weroz might have been locked up.¡± [ck] ¡°At that house?¡± [Rienne] ¡°He¡¯s not the type to just disappear without saying a word, and yet I couldn¡¯t find him when I needed him. That must mean¡­.¡± A sense of urgency hit Rienne. They had to return to the castle as soon as possible and send the castle guard back to retrieve him. If anything were to happen to Weroz, Rienne would never forgive herself. Weroz was one of the few people Rienne could trust without question. [Rienne] ¡°Please, we need to hurry. We have to send the castle guard back to help him.¡± [ck] ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary.¡± ck pulled back on the reins, slowing down their tracks as he gestured behind him. Seeing his signal, the men who were following far behind rushed over. [Mercenaries] ¡°Yes, my Lord.¡± [ck] ¡°One of you, go back and tell Phermos to keep an eye out for the Captain of Nauk¡¯s castle guard.¡± [Mercenary] ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Swiftly, the order was carried out. Without hesitation, one of the three mercenaries following them quickly turned his horse around and charged back towards the Kleinfelder Estate. He was moving at a pace much faster than if they were to return to the castle first and sent a guard back instead. [Rienne] ¡°¡­.Thank you.¡± Rienne¡¯s voice was soft. Finally, Rienne was starting to understand. The reason why she felt so safe andfortable around this man at times wasn¡¯t because he was big or his body was sturdy. It was everything else. He listens to my troubles even though he knows I¡¯m hiding something from him. He checked to see if I was hurt and does things to help me. And¡­he tries to alleviate my worries. Reminding herself of that, it made her feel as though they were a true couple, bonded with real affection. [ck] ¡°I only did as I should.¡± Rienne felt her body tremble whenever she made contact with him as he spoke. I don¡¯t hate this. I don¡¯t hate this at all. And that wasn¡¯t the only thing. Their horse was walking towards the castle at an extremely slow pace. It was like time had entirely slowed and Rienne thought, even just for a moment, that she didn¡¯t dislike it. * * * [Maslow] ¡°We¡¯ll likely need around 170 million for the funeral. We should consider ourselves lucky the coffins they provided were suitable enough.¡± Maslow put a piece of paper in front of Rienne, dense with various numbers. After looking it over, Rienne verified the numbers were correct and nodded as she put it down. [Rienne] ¡°That sounds reasonable. We should thank the Tiwakan.¡± [Maslow] ¡°I think not. If it weren¡¯t for them, there would be no need for a funeral in the first ce.¡± Maslow stroked his chin in a disapproving manner, as if he were witnessing a small child misbehaving. [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s not as though I¡¯m taking sides, but Nauk was the one who attempted a raid in the first ce. I don¡¯t wish to argue this point any further so let¡¯s just move on. Let¡¯s discuss the matter of the wedding gift.¡±(1) [Maslow] ¡°You¡¯re nning on giving him a gift?¡± Maslow¡¯s eyes widened. [Maslow] ¡°Didn¡¯t that man say he¡¯d take care of everything? I wasn¡¯t even considering a gift because of that.¡± [Rienne] ¡°He said he¡¯d pay for the wedding and the dress, but the gift is a different story.¡± [Maslow] ¡°As I¡¯ve said before, you don¡¯t need to force yourself to be polite to him.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m not. But he got me something, so it¡¯s only fair.¡± Rienne had gotten arge chest of gold coins as an engagement gift, so it wasn¡¯t as though she could just forgo the wedding gift and im she forgot. Back then, she didn¡¯t even consider this a true marriage. She still thought he was only trying to take things from her. ¡­I¡¯m one to talk, though. Who¡¯s taking things from whom now? It was aughable thought and Rienne could only smile mockingly at the irony of the situation. With how things were, it always seemed to slip her mind thathewas the one forcing this marriage to happen. [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s embarrassing to admit, but I was the one who received gold as a gift. It isn¡¯t as though we have zero funds, so please prepare a suitable gift in ordance to Nauk¡¯s wedding customs. It should be delivered to the Tiwakan before the wedding.¡± [Maslow] ¡°That¡¯s, umcough, cough.¡± The moment Rienne mentioned money, Maslow awkwardly coughed. [Rienne] ¡°Lord Maslow?¡± That meant something was wrong. [Maslow] ¡°It¡¯s just that¡­ in terms of money¡­ we don¡¯t have much left, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Excuse me?¡± You¡¯ve got to be kidding. [Rienne] ¡°What are you talking about? How long has it been like that?¡± [Maslow] ¡°Well, after that loan card was established three years ago, all ie made by the royal family, excluding taxes, now belongs to the creditor of the loan¡ªLord Linden Kleinfelder.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What?¡± Rienne jumped up from her seat. [Rienne] ¡°Those are the exact details of the loan?¡± [Maslow] ¡°Yes, Princess.¡± Maslow said this while biting his tongue. [Maslow] ¡°You remember three years ago during the drought¡­. There wasn¡¯t a single drop of rain until the summer¡¯s end. Because of theck of water, a disease began to spread in the crops, so that¡¯s when you decided, Princess¡­.¡± Maslow¡¯s words trailed off as he shut his mouth. That pale, distorted look on his face was all Rienne needed to jog her memory. [Rienne] ¡°I decided to borrow money from the Kleinfelders using that foolish loan card¡­.Yes¡­I remember now.¡± From what little she could remember from that time, she felt nothing but despair back then. Every day, more and more people were dying from starvation. Rienne knew that loan was suspicious at best, but to save her people, she had no choice but to agree. It was humiliating and she knew she¡¯d be made to pay the price for such a choice in the future, but she couldn¡¯t stand by and watch her people die. [Rienne] ¡°So there¡¯s no money left?¡± [Maslow] ¡°In ordance with thew, I checked what we had yesterday and sent it over to the Kleinfelder Estate. After that we received a notice stating the interest that was deducted from the principal amount.¡± [Rienne] ¡°And you didn¡¯t even think to tell me?¡± [Maslow] ¡°I thought you already knew.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Leftpletely speechless, Rienne red at Maslow. He didn¡¯t tell me on purpose. If he had, Rienne would¡¯ve used that money to pay for necessary expenses first, so he sent it off to the Kleinfelders as soon as it came in instead. ¡­And no doubt he got a cut himself. While he was no match for the Kleinfelders, Maslow was just as greedy of a person. Maslow, the High Priest¡ªeveryone sided with the Kleinfelders so they could ride their coattails towards prosperity, rather than side with the poor and destitute royal family.(2) [Maslow] ¡°If you¡¯d like, we can always borrow money from Lord Kleinfelder to get a gift. Lord Kleinfelder may not be so inclined to wee your marriage, but he is a generous man. I¡¯m certain he¡¯ll be willing to give you what you need.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­.Enough.¡± Rienne¡¯s voice was tired. A generous man? The only reason why the Kleinfelders were able to act the way they did despite their status was because of the huge debt the royal family owed. It¡¯s why they acted so insolently. But what Linden had tried to do that day was proof he would never, under any circumstance, put forth money that would allow this marriage to happen. [Rienne] ¡°I will not incur another debt.¡± I will not allow myself to be dragged around by them forever because of money owed. Rienne still couldn¡¯t believe everything that happened today. The Kleinfelders may look down on the royal family, but to think they were capable of trying something like that. They called the High Priest to their home and tried to force her to marry Rafit. It was an action that showed Rienne they didn¡¯t respect her as a human being, much less as the Princess of Nauk. If ck hadn¡¯t shown up when he did, she would¡¯ve been trapped inside that house. She would¡¯ve been forced to get married and forced to endure a first night. [Maslow] ¡°If I may, Princess, I don¡¯t think it will be that easy to decide.¡± With no regard for her thoughts, Maslow added anotherment. [Maslow] ¡°Nauk has been surviving on Kleinfelder money for years now. If that flow were to suddenly be cut off, the people will starve to death.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± [Maslow] ¡°Rather than reducing the principal amount owed, we¡¯ll likely need to borrow more just to pay back the interest. The burden has been lessened somewhat thanks to the money supplied by the Tiwakan, but even so¡­¡± Once again, the crushing undeniable reality made Rienne quiet. All those horrible feelings from three years ago came back to haunt her. The frustration, the deathly exhaustion¡ªeven thinking about it made her feel sick. With a pale face, Rienne turned to Maslow. [Rienne] ¡°Alright, fine. We¡¯ll forget about the gift.¡± [Maslow] ¡°Very well. You should rest, Princess. You look ill.¡± His concern didn¡¯t sound in the least bit sincere, but he left the King¡¯s office after expressing his weak worry. [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­..I¡¯m so sick and tired of everything.¡± Rienne gently knocked over the ink bottle on the table, but the lid was closed so it didn¡¯t even leak. Truthfully, Rienne wanted to throw a fit. She was so angry, she wanted to throw things around and make a mess, but even that was a luxury she couldn¡¯t afford. If she threw that ink bottle and it broke, she¡¯d have to think about the money she¡¯d need to buy more. [Rienne] ¡°What a shameless person I am.¡± You gave me so much money and yet I can¡¯t even get you a gift in return. Rienne¡¯s situation was so miserable andughable she could only bury her face in her hands¡ªa self-pityingugh escaping from between her fingers. [Rienne] ¡°¡­.No, at times like this, I should be thinking about what I can do.¡± Rienne lifted herself up from her seat. Even if I can¡¯t get you a proper gift, there is something Icangive you. * * * T/N: (1) The term Rienne uses is ¡°??¡± which are gifts traditionally exchanged between the bride and groom before the wedding. (2) The literal trantion was ¡°go where the soybean falls¡± which basically means to go where you¡¯ll receive the most benefits/go where the good stuff is. Also, littlement from me: I felt so bad for Rienne in this chapter! She¡¯s been dealing with the Kleinfelder¡¯s BS all by herself for so long. Chapter 15 - Don’t Move Chapter 15 | Don¡¯t Move * * * [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Well, would you look at that? It¡¯s in much better shape than I thought it would be.¡± Mrs. mbard mused out loud as she opened up the wooden trunk, covered with years¡¯ worth of dust. [Rienne] ¡°Yes, I agree.¡± Rienne brought Mrs. mbard with her to the royal storage, a room filled with the relics of times past. Among them was a trunk containing a few of her father¡¯s belongings. Rienne had already sold the majority of valuable objects, but there was one thing she left untouched. Her father¡¯s old wedding attire. [Rienne] ¡°The embroidery is still intact.¡± Rienne said to herself as she ran her fingers over the once regal fabric. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°But why is this still here? I thought you did away with most of the previous king¡¯s old things.¡± Mrs. mbard cleverly skirted around saying Rienne had sold them because they had no money. [Rienne] ¡°I just thought it would be a waste to get rid of it. It¡¯s very well made and I have good memories of it¡­. But wait¡­¡± As she was talking, Rienne suddenly quieted. Rienne could have sworn these were the clothes her father wore when he was wed¡­.so why could she clearly remember her father wearing them? Rienne looked at Mrs. mbard with a confused look on her face. [Rienne] ¡°Thisismy father¡¯s wedding attire¡­right?¡± [Mrs.mbard] ¡°It looks simr to something worn at a wedding, but to my knowledge that outfit was for a different asion.¡± [Rienne] ¡°A different asion?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°His coronation, perhaps? Regal clothing like this is usually saved for such special days.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Was his coronation¡­. after I was born?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°I believe so, yes.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Oh, that¡¯s probably why then¡­¡± Why I could never bring myself to sell it. Again, Rienne swept her fingers over the fabric. Even after so many years, the embroidery still looked elegant and shined brilliantly under the light. [Rienne] ¡°Even the buttons still look the same.¡± The intricately made buttons were designed by stitching together rubies and pearls and they still held their shape. Somehow, Rienne felt extremely lucky that these clothes were still left behind, even after everything else was slowly given away. Looking at it, it would be perfect for a wedding. [Rienne] ¡°We just need to adjust the size a bit.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Once we wash it and iron it, it will shine like brand new.¡± Luckily, Mrs. mbard was an expert when it came to mending and fixing clothing. Rienne turned to the woman, her voice filled with both a sense of gratitude and regret. [Rienne] ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d agree so easily.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Me?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I thought you¡¯d try and tell me not to give something so precious to that man.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°If I keep mentioning it, I¡¯ll end up hurting myself.¡± Mrs. mbard had a bitter look on her face. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°I know this wedding will happen no matter what I say. But still, this isyourwedding, Princess, so I¡¯ll do what I can to make it nice. Rather than allow that barbarian who knows nothing of manners to show up however he pleases, it¡¯s better if we take things into our own hands. He may be a beast on the inside, but I¡¯ll do my best to make sure he looks like a proper groom on the outside.¡± Rienne smiled, leaning her head on Mrs. mbard¡¯s shoulder. [Rienne] ¡°You¡¯re going to make me cry.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°What is it? Did I say something bad, Princess?¡± [Rienne] ¡°No. It was nice to hear.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Oh, Princess¡­..¡± Mrs. mbard blushed in embarrassment. From just those words, Rienne could tell how much the woman cared for her and how worried she was. [Rienne] ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s that bad.¡± Mrs. mbard just listened, gently running her hands through Rienne¡¯s hair. [Rienne] ¡°I know things started off terribly. That¡¯s something I¡¯ll never be able to forget, but it¡¯s just that sometimes I get to thinking¡­that he doesn¡¯t treat me so badly.¡± Unlike Rafit, the person she had once trusted as a lover, Rienne really felt as though that man was different. [Rienne] ¡°He cares whether or not I¡¯m hurt¡­.¡± Rienne would never be able to forget what he did just to check if she was injured. [Rienne] ¡°And he seems like he would be boorish, but he¡¯s really not.¡± That¡¯s why I don¡¯t hate him. I should, but for some reason, I just don¡¯t. [Rienne] ¡°And¡­ when he came to get me today¡­.¡± Feeling a swell of emotion beat in her chest, Rienne quietly swallowed her tears. Mrs. mbard was very near to her heart, but she couldn¡¯t tell her what happened. It was enough to shock Rienne to her core, but Mrs. mbard was a kind and gentle woman. It wouldpletely destroy her. [Rienne] ¡°¡­I was really relieved.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°¡­.I see. Then he should be allowed to wear this.¡± Mrs. mbard patted Rienne¡¯s shoulder. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Besides he isn¡¯t terrible to look at, even if his character is a bit questionable.¡± Thement made Rienneugh out loud. [Rienne] ¡°You mean to say he¡¯s handsome?¡± Mrs. mbard had never said anything like that about Rafit. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°What sort of question is that? Is there aw saying barbarians can¡¯t be handsome?¡± ¡­Well, I can¡¯t me her for thinking that way. When Rienne first saw him, she waspletely taken aback by his appearance. Almost to the point of disbelief. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°I think this will suit him well, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I think so too¡­.¡± Rienne and Mrs. mbard smiled at one another. [Rienne] ¡°Then I¡¯ll go take his measurements.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°I¡¯ll mend these clothes as soon as I¡¯m finished with your mourning dress.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯ll help you once I¡¯m finished.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°If you¡¯d like, Princess.¡± After that, Rienne left to get ck¡¯s measurements. * * * Meanwhile, ck was with his men in his quarters. There weren¡¯t that many of them, maybe three or four people, but because they were all such giant men, the room felt cramped. In that tiny room, ck¡¯s figure stood out the most. Even in a group of tall men, he was still the tallest, but he wasn¡¯t bulky like the rest were. Instead, he looked slim yet muscr. Rienne recalled the words of Mrs. mbard when she said she thought that man ¡®wasn¡¯t terrible to look at¡¯. Is it because he looks different from the others¡­? Perhaps it¡¯s because he stands out so much among his people¡­that you can¡¯t help but be a little fascinated. [ck] ¡°Was there something you needed?¡± Rienne didn¡¯t realize how much she was staring until ck called out towards her. [Rienne] ¡°¡­I just wanted to discuss the matter of your wedding attire with you.¡± ck nodded at Rienne and then turned to his men. [ck] ¡°Leave us.¡± [Mercenaries] ¡°Yes, sir.¡± He didn¡¯t have to, but he told his men to leave the room all the same. Rienne¡¯s mind was so preupied that she didn¡¯t even notice it was out of consideration for her, who was still very nervous in the presence of the other mercenaries. Now it¡¯s just us¡­. Instead, she was thinking about how she was stuck alone in a room with this man again. Whenever that happened, they somehow always ended up kissing. [ck] ¡°Speak.¡± ck pointed towards an empty chair near the bed and Rienne sat down as she looked up at him. Rather than lying on the bed, he just sat there, wearing only half of his shirt¡ªexposing the side with the wound. He¡¯s not doing this on purpose, is he? He had to know what he looked like when he did that. Rienne shook her head, driving away such inappropriate thoughts. It was too much to think about. Instead, she had something else she needed to talk about. [Rienne] ¡°I was thinking I¡¯d prepare your wedding attire myself, Lord Tiwakan. I know it doesn¡¯t amount to much as a gift, but it¡¯s all I can do to show my sincerity right now.¡± [ck] ¡°You don¡¯t have to force yourself.¡± [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Even if Rienne wanted to force herself to do something more, she couldn¡¯t. The royal treasury was quite literally empty and after the funeral tomorrow, Rienne would be even poorer. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯d like it if you could wear the attire of the previous King rather than apletely new set of clothing.¡±(1) [ck] ¡°. . .¡± A strange silence filled the room after she said that. [Rienne] ¡°¡­If the idea displeases you¡­¡± [ck] ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡± ck shook his head, making Rienne feel as though the earlier silence was just her imagination. [Rienne] ¡°Then I¡¯d like to take your measurements.¡± [ck] ¡°You mean right now?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Yes.¡± Then Rienne pulled out what she had borrowed from Mrs. mbard. It was a tape measure made from a leather strap. It had a scale of numbers etched into it, showing the wear of having made so many royal garments in the past. [Rienne] ¡°First let¡¯s do your upper body. Stretch out your arms, please.¡± [ck] ¡°. . .¡± ck stared at Rienne for a moment before carefully opening up his arms. As he sat on the bed, Rienne approached him and dutifully took his measurements with great care. She took the numbers down for his wrists first, then wrist to elbow, then elbow to shoulder. Now that his shoulders were done, she needed to measure the roundness of his neck. [Rienne] ¡°You can put your arms down now.¡± [ck] ¡°. . .¡± Just as ck lowered his arms, Rienne wrapped the tape measure around his neck¡ªsuddenly bing aware of why he was so quiet. ¡­.We¡¯re really close. Too close. In order to take the measurements she needed, she was basically pressing her body into his, wrapping her arms around his neck. He was still sitting down while she was standing, their heads slightly bowed towards one another. This was the same position he was in when Rienne kissed him first. The moment she realized that, Rienne¡¯s eyes immediately gazed down towards his lips. He was so close she could almost reach out to them. I should have asked Mrs. mbard to measure him instead. Rienne was fine when she was measuring his arms, but the moment she moved to do his neck, suddenly her body wasn¡¯t moving the way she wanted it to. It was like she was frozen in ce. I didn¡¯t think¡­it¡¯d turn out like this. Suddenly, ck¡¯s soft voice warmed Rienne¡¯s ears. [ck] ¡°I¡¯m confused right now.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Confused¡­?¡± [ck] ¡°Is this part of our promise?¡± [Rienne] ¡°What?¡± Rienne raised up her head. The tape measure was still wrapped around ck¡¯s neck, with Rienne¡¯s hands gripping the two ends as they ovepped. [ck] ¡°You promised you¡¯d desire me, too. I was wondering if you¡¯re trying to tell me something right now.¡±(2) [Rienne] ¡°No, this it¡­¡± Rienne was so flustered she couldn¡¯t even open her mouth properly. She wasn¡¯t doing any of this on purpose. She was just trying to take his measurements so she could mend the wedding attire¡­.. [ck] ¡°Are you?¡± [Rienne] ¡°No¡­ that¡¯s not what I had in mind¡­.¡± [ck] ¡°Is that so?¡± She wasn¡¯t thinking about that at all. At least not before. [Rienne] ¡°¡­..Yes.¡± ck yed with Rienne¡¯s fingers that were holding onto the tape measure around his neck instead of saying anything back. [ck] ¡°So this wasn¡¯t about your promise¡­You really just want to take my measurements¡­.¡± He pulled his hand back and the moment she felt his touch retreat, Rienne held back a sigh. [ck] ¡°Measure, then.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Rienne inwardly sighed and read the tape measure. [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s finished.¡± She thought measuring his neck would be the most difficult part, but the moment she realized his chest measurements were next, she realized it was only the beginning. [Rienne] ¡°Raise your arms again¡­.¡± As Rienne held the tape measure in her grasp and moved herself lower, she suddenly quieted as ck interrupted. [ck] ¡°Is my chest next?¡± Yes. [ck] ¡°That must be difficult.¡± Of course it is. [ck] ¡°What do you need me to do?¡± ¡­That I don¡¯t know. Even if he were to keep his mouth shut and stand as silently as a tree, Rienne still wouldn¡¯t be able to measure himfortably. No matter what he did, she¡¯d still be a little unsettled. She¡¯d still be nervous. Because the person she was measuring was this man of all people. [Rienne] ¡°Just stay as still as possible.¡± Rienne tightened her lips and lifted up the tape measure again. There was no helping how nervous she was, so she just had to get it done quickly. [Rienne] ¡°Don¡¯t move. I¡¯ll finish as fast as I can.¡± [ck] ¡°. . .¡± Looking at her, ck let out a low sigh as he stood up and straightened out his arms. Rienne took the tape measure and wrapped it around his chest, unable to shake this persistent feeling. The feeling that she was just hugging him. Obviously when measuring someone¡¯s chest, the position you end up in is going to be simr to a hug. But what was wrong with that? That¡¯s just how it was. This sort of thing was going to happen more and more in the future, so Rienne knew she couldn¡¯t afford to be shaken by it every time. I have to get used to him as soon as possible. Rienne pulled her eyes away from ck, checking the numbers on the measure. [Rienne] ¡°Now for your waist.¡± But as soon as she was finished, ck grabbed her wrist. [ck] ¡°Can¡¯t you do it slowly?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Excuse me¡­?¡± Rienne unconsciously looked up at him. [ck] ¡°I don¡¯t like standing still.¡± ¡­.What is he talking about¡­.? He pulled Rienne¡¯s hand back and ced it on his chest, cupping the back of her head with the other as he gently stroked her hair. [ck] ¡°You really don¡¯t like it when I move?¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± * * * T/N: (1) The exact wording Rienne used was ck¡¯s ¡°predecessor/prelude/the one thates before¡±, i.e the previous King. (2) This can also be written as ¡°sending signals¡± or ¡°giving a sign¡±¨C basically he¡¯s wondering if she¡¯s making a move. Trantor Comment: I love the mother/daughter dynamic Rienne has with her old nanny. She needs more people on her side Also sometimes I forget it¡¯s only been like, four days since chapter one. I got reminded of that when Rienne mentioned the funeral as being ¡®tomorrow¡¯. Slow burn, anyone? Chapter 16 - On the Count of Three Chapter 16 | On the Count of Three * * * It was a cheap move to ask her whether or not she didn¡¯t like it. Rienne had asked herself that same question over and over, and every time she told herself she didn¡¯t. [Rienne] ¡°Even if you could move¡­what are you nning on doing?¡± [ck] ¡°There¡¯s lots of things I could do.¡± As he slowly swept his hands over the back of her neck, she started to feel things thought she wasn¡¯t able to feel, as though her long since dulled senses were being revived. It was like something deep inside of her was trembling, spreading all throughout her, branching out as it moved down her spine. Only then did Rienne realize her fingers were quivering as they rested on ck¡¯s chest. [Rienne] ¡°We shouldn¡¯t¡­do that.¡± [ck] ¡°Is that so?¡± ck raised an eyebrow. [ck] ¡°Just a quick one.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I¡­ have a lot keeping me busy right now¡­preparing for the wedding¡­¡± Even as she said it, Rienne knew it was a weak excuse. Her shaking body as ck held her in his arms betrayed her flimsy words. [ck] ¡°Then it should be alright if I do it quickly, right?¡± What could Rienne do in this kind of situation? She was the one who had agreed to be in a true rtionship with him so she had no real reason to refuse him. There was no possible justification to say no. But the strangest problem was that she wasn¡¯t sure if she wanted to in the first ce. [ck] ¡°It would be a waste to spend our time in any other way.¡± Rienne felt ck wrap his arms around her waist as his soft voice brushed against her ears. Her body was being leaned back, but oddly enough she didn¡¯t feel nervous. Instead she wasforted by the feeling of his broad hand supporting her. She already knew how safe she felt with these arms around her. [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± It was only after ck had taken her chin in his hand and gave her a gentle kiss that she realized what happened earlier was rather regrettable. It was regrettable that he was only checking for a wound before. Knowing that¡¯s how she felt deep down meant that somewhere within her existed desire. A fire that had been locked away inside of her yet was always there nheless. Thinking about that made her head swim. That passion inside of her was just waiting for a chance to burst forth. No matter what was happening, she always felt like this man was invading her very mind. It was a feeling that ensured any contact with him left her trembling and shaking. Soon enough, they began to sink into one another with a frantic kiss. The feeling of desire from earlier was left unfulfilled but it only came back stronger the moment they made contact. It was a greedy feeling, growing greedier and greedier with every touch. That fervent craving they had for one another flowed between them like a tidal wave, eventually washing over them as Rienne indulged in the sensation¡ªeagerly wrapping her arms around his neck. And as their kiss slowed, their lips slowly fell apart but their distance remained the same. [ck] ¡°We should stop here if we want to make this short.¡± ck muttered as he loosened the grip he had on Rienne¡¯s waist. He wasn¡¯t holding her down at all¡ªshe could move away from him whenever she wanted. [Rienne] ¡°¡­.Yes.¡± Rienne agreed with him. I must be going crazy. She actually thought for a moment that it was shame, but that was all the more reason they needed to stop. That¡¯s what the two of them told themselves. But even so, they didn¡¯t move away. Even though they knew they needed to part, that they needed to stop, they kept holding onto each other. As if they didn¡¯t know how to let go. ck slowly tapped hisrge hand against Rienne¡¯s sensitive back. Even something small like that was too inciting to her. Rienne grabbed his sleeve as hard as she could and whispered almost to herself. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m going to count to three and we should both move away.¡± [ck] ¡°. . .¡± ck muttered something under his breath that Rienne couldn¡¯t hear before responding. [ck] ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Okay¡­.One. Two. Three.¡± As she counted down, Rienne released ck¡¯s sleeve and tried to take a step back. [Rienne] ¡°¡­..?¡± But ck didn¡¯t. Instead, he kept his hand on her chin and rubbed her lips with his thumb, looking at her in a way that kept her locked in ce as she stared at him with a questioning look on her face. [ck] ¡°You¡¯re counting too fast.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Really?¡± [ck] ¡°Count again. Slowly, this time.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I don¡¯t know what difference it¡¯ll make.¡± [ck] ¡°Probably not much.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Then why?¡± [ck] ¡°I¡¯m just trying to buy some time.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What? ck hugged her instead of responding. Though it was sudden, Rienne didn¡¯t feel embarrassed. She even thought, however briefly, that it would be nice to stay like that. ¡­I must really be going crazy. ck only asked her to count slowly, not stop counting all together. But despite that, Rienne stayed in his tight embrace until someone knocked loudly against the door. * * * [Phermos] ¡°Oh¡­ my apologies, have I interrupted?¡± It was Phermos who hade to see ck. [Phermos] ¡°Shall Ie backter?¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­.? No, that won¡¯t be necessary. Rather, I should apologize for interrupting you. I¡¯ll take my leave now, so please¡ªspeakfortably.¡± Rienne couldn¡¯t understand why Phermos seemed to be acting so cautiously. The moment Rienne and ck heard the knock on the door, they immediately let go of one another. Now there was a decent distance between the two of them, and Rienne hurriedly picked up the tape measure she borrowed from Mrs. mbard. She didn¡¯tthinkhe knew what just happened. [Phermos] ¡°And what do you mean by that, Princess?¡± But such thinking was too na?ve. Just by looking at ck¡¯s eyes, it made obvious the fire that was burning in the room. It was so palpable, Phermos¡¯ mind waspletely caught up in trying to make sense of it. I don¡¯t think he¡¯s just ying around.(1) Phermos knew his Lord wasn¡¯t the kind of person to do anything just for the fun of it, much less this. He was more the type to vocally express his dislike for pointless things. So why? Not enough time had gone by for Princess Rienne to truly prove her sincerity to him. If nothing else, she was bing more and more suspicious by the minute. Just today, Princess Rienne had gone to her lover¡¯s home and they still didn¡¯t have a clear picture of what transpired there. ck knew all of this. Did he just not care? No, that couldn¡¯t be it. That would go against his very character. [Phermos] ¡°This is something that should be discussed with you here as well, Princess. I regret to inform you that Lord Weroz has not yet been found. We¡¯ve seen no sign of him.¡± [Rienne] ¡°He wasn¡¯t at the Kleinfelder Estate?¡± Rienne was certain he would be there somewhere. She thought Linden had nned the forced wedding and decided to temporarily get Weroz out of the way by locking him up. Now that his ns had fallen through, he had no reason to keep Weroz locked away. [Phermos] ¡°Yes. I thought it was strange as well.¡± Phermos continued talking as he fiddled with his monocle-like sses. [Phermos] ¡°If he had defected or escaped, he would¡¯ve left a trail of some kind but we found nothing of the sort. The Kleinfelders also didn¡¯t exhibit any suspicious behavior in regards to keeping someone locked up.¡± If Weroz was trapped somewhere in the Kleinfelder Estate like Princess Rienne imed, there would have been some sign of it. But Linden Kleinfelder was a confident man. He told them they were free to look around as much as they wanted, but if they couldn¡¯t find what they were looking for, he would make them pay for the transgression. That must¡¯ve meant Weroz wasn¡¯t there at the estate. But at the same time, it was doubtful they smuggled him out. There wasn¡¯t enough time for something like that, and the Tiwakan had eyes all over the ce under the pretext of searching for the person who shot the arrow. They would¡¯ve seen something. [Phermos] ¡°It¡¯s possible he¡¯s gone into hiding.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Absolutely not. Lord Weroz would never!¡± Rienne firmly believed the Captain of Castle Nauk¡¯s guard would never do something so cowardly and irresponsible. [Phermos] ¡°I thought so too, but the circumstances are quite telling.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What ¡®circumstances¡¯?¡± [Phermos] ¡°What other reason would he have to cover his tracks to the point of being untraceable? Whatever it is, it must¡¯ve been very urgent.¡± [Rienne] ¡°You¡­¡± He had a point. What reason would he have for doing that? [Phermos] ¡°If it turns out to be true, then I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve said anything terrible. He¡¯ll likely return once things settle down. Or maybe he¡¯ll even try to contact you, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± No matter how many times the idea repeated itself in her head, it didn¡¯t make any sense. Rienne shook her head as her legs buckled beneath her. [Phermos] ¡°Ah, Princess!¡± As Phermos shouted out in surprise, ck wasted no time reaching out to help her, holding onto her unstable body. Phermos clicked his tongue in annoyance. [Phermos] ¡°I know this muste as a shock to you, Princess, but you must be more careful. I hear it¡¯s dangerous to exert yourself in your condition¡­¡­especially when alone. If you were to fall down, you¡¯d be in trouble so you should take care to remain seated whenever possible.¡± Even though Phermos danced around the subject, Rienne could feel ck¡¯s arm tense up as he held her. I¡¯ve nearly forgotten¡­they still think I¡¯m pregnant¡­. Eventually she¡¯d need to fake a miscarriage but even thinking about it made her eyes darken. Would she really be able to do such a shameless thing? ¡­.No, I don¡¯t think I can. I¡¯d rather just be honest with him.I¡¯ll tell him I¡¯m not having a baby. I wasn¡¯t even pregnant to begin with. But would he say in return? They had already cemented the child¡¯s existence in their marriage vows. The use stated that Rienne¡¯s child would be bound to the Arsak family name and that the sovereignty of Nauk would be theirs no matter what. That pledge was what secured Nauk¡¯s future. It meant that even if this man, the leader of the Tiwakan, wanted to take Nauk for himself after the proposal, he couldn¡¯t take it from the Arsak family due to the existence of the child. Wouldn¡¯t it be best to keep that promise? This child was thest line of defense Rienne had in case all else failed. [Rienne] ¡°¡­.Thank you for your concern.¡± So she chose the safest option. Until she knew more about the Tiwakan¡¯s true motives, she couldn¡¯t tell the truth yet. She couldn¡¯t let go of the child¡ªthe only thing keeping her and Nauk safe.(2) [ck] ¡°Sit.¡± ck knew Rienne well enough to know she wouldn¡¯t just listen, so he lifted her up and set her down in a chair himself.(3) [Phermos] ¡°Well,cough.¡± Feeling the air get awkward, Phermos called attention back to himself with a cough. [Phermos] ¡°I have something else I should tell you. The head of House Kleinfelder, was it? He promised to send a gift in the form of two gold chests, a new bed, and five servants in celebration for the marriage. He must really be greedy. He ims to be the richest man in Nauk and yet he sends such paltry gifts.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What?¡± But for Rienne¡¯s part, she was shocked that Linden Kleinfelder of all people was sending a wedding gift at all. [Rienne] ¡°He¡¯s sending us¡­ a gift?¡± An actual gift? Or was he secretly trying to curse her? [Phermos] ¡°Well, he didn¡¯t exactly settle on that decision on his own. But eventually, he came around and decided to send one.¡± [Rienne] ¡°But how?¡± Rienne asked breathlessly. Phermos, who had the displeasure of interacting with Linden Kleinfelder, immediately understood her cautious reaction. He thought it was strange that the Kleinfelders were able to umte so much wealth in such a poor kingdom. It was likely the result of squeezing all they could from such a gentle princess. [Phermos] ¡°I don¡¯t mean to sound too proud, but I can be very persuasive.¡± [Rienne] ¡°You mean you convinced Lord Kleinfelder with words alone?¡± [Phermos] ¡°It wasn¡¯t easy, but like I said: I¡¯m persuasive. We both agreed its best to show our sincerity to one another.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Forgive me if I find that hard to believe.¡± Rienne loudly sighed, but no matter how you looked at it, she seemed relieved. She looked incredibly pitiful in Phermos¡¯ eyes. Just looking at her expression, it was clear what kind of hard work she had put in to support her failing kingdom. ¡­.It was crazy to think even Phermos¡¯ mind was wavering at such a sight. Maybe that¡¯s how it was for ck, too. He wasn¡¯t an especiallypassionate person, but he was supposedly still human and people had a tendency to get that way sometimes. But there was no point thinking about it. Phermos decided this was a question he¡¯d probably never get the answer to. [Phermos] ¡°Just believe, Princess.¡± Obviously Linden Kleinfelder didn¡¯t agree to the request easily. It was all the result of Phermos¡¯ clever threats. Phermos had hinted that the Tiwakan knew Rafit Kleinfelder was still alive. Linden, who was desperate to keep the secret, was forced to make a concession. [Phermos] ¡°But I¡¯ll admit it doesn¡¯te without a price. Lord Linden Kleinfelder asked us to acknowledge his illegitimate son in exchange for his loyalty to the Arsak family. I didn¡¯t give him an answer since that¡¯s for the both of you to decide.¡± Immediately Phermos noticed Rienne¡¯s expression sink the moment he said the word ¡®illegitimate¡¯. I knew it. That son must be the Commander of the knights. He¡¯s pretending to be dead, all while crawling back home and pretending to be someone else. And judging by Princess Rienne¡¯s reaction, she must already know that. They must have gotten into some kind of fight over it. It was obvious after the disappearance of the captain of the guard and how Rienne was trapped inside that house. Regardless, I¡¯ll need to remember how she wanted to keep this from us. Taking into ount everything as a whole, it seemed like Princess Rienne wanted to keep her lover¡¯s existence a secret. [Phermos] ¡°In regards to what happened at the estate, is there anything you¡¯d like to add, Princess? Any further orders or requests?¡± [Rienne] ¡°No. Thank you for everything you¡¯ve done to help.¡± [Phermos] ¡°It is no trouble. My duty is my loyalty.¡± After receiving an unexpected gift, Rienne left ck¡¯s room. As for the amount of money she received, it was more than the engagement gift¡ªan amount that had gonepletely unused. * * * [Phermos] ¡°What will the Princess do, I wonder?¡± As soon as Rienne left, Phermos immediately spoke his mind. He raised an eyebrow towards ck as he asked his question. [Phermos] ¡°It¡¯s just as you thought. An illegitimate son appears out of nowhere the moment the eldest son¡¯s death is confirmed. And if the eldest son yet lives¡­ well it¡¯s as obvious as one plus one.¡± ck was a quiet man and his silence could almost always be taken as confirmation. [Phermos] ¡°The Princess must have reunited with her lover. I don¡¯t know if she intended to betray you, but it¡¯s obvious that man is in still in her heart.¡± [ck] ¡°¡­.I¡¯m aware.¡± After Phermos mentioned the word ¡®illegitimate¡¯, ck also noticed how pale Rienne¡¯s face got. It would be even stranger if he didn¡¯t. Without even trying, whenever his eyes fell on Rienne, rarely could he ever take them away. * * * T/N: (1) Phermos means like, doing things just for the enjoyment¨C suggesting ck isn¡¯t doing what he¡¯s doing because he¡¯s toying with her (2) Rienne refers to the child as being her ¡®safety¡¯ or ¡®protection device¡¯. Basically she means that the child will protect her as ast resort in case something happens. (3) Reference to chapter 5, where Rienne kept refusing to sit. Trantor Comment: Rienne must¡¯ve really not been attracted to Rafit at all lol. To the point of thinking her feelings were broken or something. I¡¯d feel bad for him if he wasn¡¯t the worst. And Linden apparently decided to stick with this whole ¡®illegitimate son¡¯ lie. I guess he would since the Tiwakan still don¡¯t know what Rafit looks like¡­ Chapter 17 - Trap (1) Chapter 17 | Trap (1) * * * It wasn¡¯t a difficult realization toe to. The most obvious sign was how much his shoulder kept hurting. Whenever Rienne moved, his head just naturally followed her, even as his body remained still. The problem was that when he moved like that, it pulled on his shoulder wound but he still did it without even thinking. It didn¡¯t make any sense, but he couldn¡¯t exactly deny it when it was obvious. Whenever he looked at Rienne, he waspletely enraptured.(1) It felt like she was always right here, right in front of him, every moment of the day¡ªeven when she wasn¡¯t. [Phermos] ¡°You¡¯re aware¡­.¡± [ck] ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean she¡¯s lying to me.¡± [Phermos] ¡°. . .¡± Phermos looked at ck with a quizzical expression, as if wondering if that was really the case or not, but truth be told, ck was also really confused. He could hazard a guess as to what Rienne was trying to hide from him when it came to what happened at the Kleinfelder Estate. If Rafit Kleinfelder was alive, hiding somewhere in Nauk, that¡¯s where he¡¯d be. Rienne likely went there to meet with him under the guise of making the death official. Rienne went there¡­ to meet her lover¡­ Dammit. Even thinking about it made him feel awful. Rienne had blood on her lips and it frustrated him that he still didn¡¯t know what happened. What could have caused her to have blood on her lips of all ces? That¡¯s probably why he decided to see for himself if she was hurt. I can¡¯t stand not knowing. I had to check. But it was Rienne¡¯s response that confused him the most. She had just met up with her lover so he thought Rienne would reject him, maybe even push him away. Instead she just quietly went along what he was doing. Even though ¡®checking for a wound¡¯ was an obviously flimsy excuse, she didn¡¯t question it, and that just provoked that same thirst from before. But he still didn¡¯t get it. Was Rienne doing her best to ept him because she wanted to honor their promise? Or if she was just trying to please him in order to protect the one she loved? ¡­Never before had he not understood himself to this extent. For the first time in his entire life, there was something he couldn¡¯t take his eyes off of. It made him want to hold onto her for as long as it took to figure things out. [Rienne] ¨C¡®I¡¯m going to count to three and we should both move away.¡¯ After he heard Rienne say that, he couldn¡¯t believe his own ears. If she was saying that, then that must mean she felt the same as him. That she couldn¡¯t pull herself away from him on her own. [Rienne] ¨C¡®One. Two. Three.¡¯ And her expression definitely looked genuine. The unending trembling of her fingers, her soft hair, and her eyes that were brimming with desire¡ªas if shouting out how much she wanted him. Could she have been faking it? Was she just pretending so she could protect the man she loved? ¡­I can¡¯t figure it out. He¡¯d never dealt with something so difficult before. [ck] ¡°No matter how good a liar she is, there¡¯s some things you can¡¯t fake.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Well¡­..I suppose that¡¯s true.¡± His work as a mercenary required him to do many things, including rooting out spies by obtaining confessions through torture. Most humans were able to lie with their mouths, but the body was a different story. Small reactions like the condition of one¡¯s hair, cold sweat, their heart rate¡ªall of these were helpful tools in helping him sense a lie. And the way Rienne reacted was telling him she desired him. [Phermos] ¡°Nheless, we should monitor the situation. In regards to the eldest son pretending to be illegitimate, shall we leave it alone for now?¡± [ck] ¡°We still have unfinished business concerning that house. If there¡¯s something they desire, no doubt they¡¯ll do what they can to take it.¡±(2) Phermos gave a sly grin. [Phermos] ¡°From the sounds of it, you seem deeply unhappy with that entire family. I understand, we should do what we can.¡± [ck] ¡°We¡¯ll get rid of them eventually. Prepare a trap in advance.¡± [Phermos] ¡°If they get caught one day, it¡¯ll be more convenient this way. We might as well start now.¡± With that, ck closed his eyes. His shoulder still hurt. ¡­.Shit. Even though she wasn¡¯t there, it felt like Rienne was standing right in front of him. * * * It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t trust Phermos to do his due diligence, but she couldn¡¯t wait for Weroz to return on his own, so she called in the guards and ordered them to find him. But the castle guards were at a loss without Weroz. They weren¡¯t prepared in the slightest for his sudden disappearance so one of the unit captains was quickly forced to assume the position, and the man couldn¡¯t stop sweating in anxiety. [Rienne] ¡°Hah¡­¡± After sending the guards out, Rienne sighed. Now that Weroz was gone, the castle guards seemed to rely more on the Tiwakan mercenaries like it was the most natural thing in the world. [Rienne] ¡°Were the Tiwakan¡­ hoping for this result?¡± Despite her vaguely positive feelings towards ck, Rienne couldn¡¯t feel relieved about the situation. After Weroz¡¯s disappearance, that meant there was one less person she could trust under any circumstance within the castle. But regardless of the discontented creases on Rienne¡¯s face, Mrs. mbard knocked at the door. Knock, knock. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°It¡¯s me, Princess. May I enter?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Ah, yes. Just a moment.¡± Herdy-in-waiting wouldn¡¯t have disturbed her for no reason. Rienne quickly got out of her seat and opened the door herself. Just as she thought, Mrs. mbard was holding arge basket in her hands. [Rienne] ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°We need to mend the wedding clothes.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Oh, yes. Set it down here.¡± Rienne pointed down towards the rug in front of the firece. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°I¡¯ve also brought your mourning dress, Princess. Now that I¡¯ve shorted the width of the cor by adding extra fabric, it should be more appropriate for mourning now.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Thank you for your hard work, ma¡¯am.¡± Now that the dress was fixed, Rienne changed into her mourning attire with the help of Mrs. mbard. As the woman dressed Rienne up with great care, she sighed deeply. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°It¡¯s no good¡­ You¡¯re still too pretty.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­.This is good enough. Don¡¯t think about it too deeply.¡± Making an awkward face, Rienne put the mirror away. Now that she was changed, it was time to start sowing. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Did you get all the necessary measurements?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Mostly.¡± Though actually I didn¡¯t measure him below the waist at all. Still, it shouldn¡¯t matter that much when it came to the pants. The previous King was tall as well so by her calctions, they should fit roughly the same. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Let¡¯s take a look, then.¡± Mrs. mbard spread out the clothing across the rug as Rienne took a ruler out topare the numbers. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°This will be a lot of work.¡± Mrs. mbard wrinkled her brows in thought as she kept a serious look on her face. [Rienne] ¡°Really?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°As it is now, it wouldn¡¯t fit him at all. Why must he have such broad shoulders? Are you certain you measured correctly, Princess?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I think so¡­¡± To be honest, when it came to measuring, she couldn¡¯t say anything back. Her mind was entirely upied by how conscious she was of ck that she couldn¡¯t even remember what she was doing at the time. All she could think about was how his voice sounded when he told not to count so fast. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°I¡¯ve never seen sizes like this. Is this really how he is? I can¡¯t help but wonder what it¡¯d be like to be held by such a person.¡± Muttering to herself, Mrs. mbard shook her head in surprise at her own words. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯ll pretend I didn¡¯t hear that, ma¡¯am.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Please do, Princess. What am I saying in front of the princess who¡¯s being forced to marry him?¡± Rienne turned her head away and held back herughter. [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s been a while since we¡¯ve dealt with such fancy clothing. Maybe you¡¯re just excited, ma¡¯am.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°That must be it. This used to happen more in the past, but after thete King¡¯s passing, we¡¯ve had no reason to touch such nice cloth.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Ipletely understand.¡± Mrs. mbard¡¯s sewing skills were the best in all of Nauk. It was understandable if she was getting a little excited over being able to deal with such nice fabrics. Especially since it had been so long since she¡¯d mended something fancy. [Rienne] ¡°Do you think we¡¯ll have enough fabric?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ I¡¯ll likely need to cut down on the cape a little bit. A longer cape is typical for a coronation, but isn¡¯t necessary for a wedding. If I take some of the fabric and move it towards the shoulders, it will look better.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I understand.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Why not work on the altering the belt, Princess? I¡¯ll put the same fabric on the ankles and around the neck line.¡± [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s a good idea.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°I wonder how much more fabric we¡¯ll need¡­. we need to increase the length of the pants, right?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Well¡­¡± Rienne didn¡¯t know what to say. [Rienne] ¡°I¡­didn¡¯t actually get those measurements¡­.¡± Her voice came out low, as if her words were barely crawling their way out of her. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°You didn¡¯t? But how could you forget that? What if the pants end up cutting off too short and you can see his ankles?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I thought they¡¯d be fine without changing them.¡± Actually, it was because she couldn¡¯t do it. It wasn¡¯t as though she had made a mistake and missed it. It was like she was entirely distracted by something else. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll be that lucky. Best if we just get those measurements instead. What would we do if the clothing doesn¡¯t fit him well?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Yes, I understand¡­.¡± Again, Rienne¡¯s voice was barely a whisper. But Mrs. mbard misunderstood. She saw Rienne¡¯s hesitation and wondered whether or not she¡¯d be able to take the measurements down properly. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Do you not wish to deal with him again, Princess? If so, I can do it.¡± [Rienne] ¡°No, I¡¯m not saying that, I just¡­¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Of course, how could you bring yourself to be happy about it? I didn¡¯t take your feelings into consideration. Wait here, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°You don¡¯t understand, I don¡¯t¡­¡± But even as Rienne repeated herself, the misunderstanding wouldn¡¯t clear up. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°It¡¯s alright. No matter how unsettled I am by him, I¡¯m sure it must be more ufortable for you, Princess. Just stay here for a bit.¡± Carrying all her sewing equipment in her arms, Mrs. mbard quickly rushed out of Rienne¡¯s room. [Rienne] ¡°No, that¡¯s not¡­.¡± Left alone in her quiet room, Rienne felt her face redden and frown as she aimlessly fiddled with the scissors in her hands. [Rienne] ¡°I don¡¯t¡­¡± Is it really that strange that I don¡¯t hate him? She knew other people might find it hard to understand given the circumstances, but thinking about it somehow made her heart feel heavy. Meanwhile, Mrs. mbard had gone to ck¡¯s room only to discover he had left with his men. Knowing it was impossible to reach him on horseback, she sent a guard after him to tell him toe to Rienne¡¯s room upon his return. * * * After Mrs. mbard returned, Rienne stayed quiet and focused on her sewing. Not long after leaving, Mrs. mbard quickly came back due to ¡®various circumstances¡¯, and since then had just kept staring at her. No matter how many times Rienne told her she didn¡¯t hate that man, the woman couldn¡¯t bring herself to believe that. ¡­But no matter. The truth woulde out eventually. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°This reminds me, Princess¡­¡± In a room filled only with the subtle sound of threaded needles passing through fabric, a human voice swept through the air. [Rienne] ¡°What is it, ma¡¯am?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°We have about ten days until the wedding, don¡¯t we?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Well, the funeral is tomorrow and the wedding is supposed to be ten days after that, so yes.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Then doesn¡¯t that mean it will coincide with your monthly fever, Princess?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Oh¡­ ah.¡± Hearing something so unexpected, rather than pricking the fabric with the needle, Rienne stabbed her finger instead. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Oh Princess, are you alright?¡± Mrs. mbard came closer and took Rienne¡¯s hand as a drop of red blood seeped from the tip of her thumb. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Oh no, you cut under your nail.¡± Even though Rienne was the one who was hurt, Mrs. mbard felt her pain. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Give me your hand. We need to disinfect it and get some medicine on the wound. I¡¯ll go get¡ª¡° [Rienne] ¡°No, wait.¡± Rienne suddenly spoke out against Mrs. mbard as she tried to get up. There was blooding from her finger and yet Rienne couldn¡¯t even feel the pain. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°What, What do you mean?¡± [Rienne] ¡°The date of¡­ my monthly fever.¡± Rienne¡¯s face had gonepletely pale like a white sheet. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Princess¡­¡± Seeing that, Mrs. mbard¡¯s expression turned just as grave as Rienne¡¯s. [Rienne] ¡°If I get caught¡­ no, I can¡¯t¡­¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Princess.¡± Rienne felt Mrs. mbard ce her hand on top of hers. It was aforting feeling, like she was telling Rienne to calm down. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°I may not know much about politics and the like¡­. but is it really necessary to lie about being pregnant when you¡¯re about to be wed?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I have no choice. It¡¯s the only way I can prevent the sovereignty of Nauk from being taken from the Arsak family by the Tiwakan.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°So that¡¯s how it is.¡± Rienne looked at her with a straight face as she asked her question. [Rienne] ¡°Is there any way I can hide it?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°I don¡¯t know how you could. If you were alone perhaps, but you¡¯re going to be married¡­ you¡¯ll be up all night.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Ah¡­ what do I do? I didn¡¯t even think about that¡­ about the date¡­¡± A ck shadow cast itself over Rienne¡¯s face¡ªas a pale as a white moon. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯ll have to¡­¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°You¡¯ll need to refuse the first night.¡± But Mrs. mbard¡¯s face was turning the same color as Rienne¡¯s. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°But will that man ept that without asking any questions?¡± * * * T/N: (1) This can also mean ¡°mesmerized¡±, ¡°enchanted¡±, ¡°bewitched¡±, etc. (2) The word ck uses is ¡°???¡±, which signifies the act of stealing something, usually through the use of force or violence. Trantor Comment: Love how ck seems like a scary dude but his brain is just constantly ¡°????¡±. I swear the Wii theme is ying in his brain whenever Rienne is around. Bet he¡¯s starting to regret what he said before about not being interested in capturing her heart, hm? Chapter 18 - Trap (2) Chapter 18 | Trap (2) * * * If Rienne needed to make an excuse, then she had one she could use. She could easily say she wasn¡¯t feeling well because of her pregnancy so she wouldn¡¯t be able to spend the night with him. But an excuse like that wouldn¡¯tst long. After saying that, Rienne would need to have a child as soon as possible once they were married. ck would be the father naturally, but at least the child would inherit the Arsak family name just as they promised and be the next ruler. If it worked out, that would be the best possible ending for Rienne. She was being forced to get married, but she would still be able to protect everything important while minimizing losses. ¡­For herself at least. But that wouldn¡¯t the case for him. If she did this, ck would have to live without ever knowing the child was his own. Thinking about that made Rienne¡¯s mind and heart feel heavy for entirely different reasons. Even if it means protecting Nauk¡­can I do it¡­? [Mrs. mbard] ¡°What are you thinking about, Princess?¡± As Rienne¡¯s imagination spun, Mrs. mbard¡¯s voice broke through. [Rienne] ¡°Oh¡­¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°How will you refuse your first night?¡± Rienne hadn¡¯t made up her mind yet. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± Her present excuse only worked until the end of her monthly fever. Beyond that, she needed another excuse to refuse sharing a bed with him until she sorted things out. [Rienne] ¡°First, I need to think about¡ª¡° Knock, knock. A knock sounded out at the door, cutting off Rienne¡¯s words. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°He must have returned already.¡± Mrs. mbard stood up. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°I¡¯ll answer the door, Princess. You shouldpose yourself as best you can.¡± As she watched Mrs. mbard¡¯s back walking towards the door, Rienne gently smoothed her face with the palms of her hands. But there was no point. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll get the door for you!¡± Mrs. mbard called out as she opened the door before letting out a shocked scream. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Ma¡¯am?¡± Hearing the sound of the woman¡¯s scream, Rienne jumped to her feet in surprised, and the moment she saw the source of the shock, her entire body hardened like a statue. It wasn¡¯t ck. [Rafit] ¡°I just found something out.¡± It was Rafit. Rafit Kleinfelder, the one person who should never be there, was here in Castle Nauk. Rafit pushed past Mrs. mbard, who couldn¡¯t shake off her flustered shock, and mmed the door behind him. [Rafit] ¡°Is it true, Princess? That you¡¯re pregnant¡­..with my child?¡± * * * Of course it wasn¡¯t. Rafit should know that better than anyone. [Rienne] ¡°Leave. Now.¡± Rienne raised her hand and defiantly pointed towards the door. [Rienne] ¡°I don¡¯t know what you were thinkinging here but the Tiwakan have eyes and ears everywhere, most of all here. That should be obvious so just go.¡± [Rafit] ¡°Not until I get an answer.¡± Hearing him spew such nonsense made her spine shiver. Rienne stomped her foot. [Rienne] ¡°What are you even talking about? You should know the answer better than anyone.¡± [Rafit] ¡°I don¡¯t! How am I supposed to know what¡¯s true?! We were parted for over fifteen days!¡± The colorpletely drained from Rienne¡¯s already pale face. [Rienne] Wh¡­what are you talking about?¡± [Rafit] ¡°Not once have you ever allowed me to sleep with you, Princess. So what¡¯s this that I¡¯m hearing about being pregnant with my child?¡± [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Rienne bit her lip tightly. She was afraid if she didn¡¯t, she might end up saying cruel words unlike any she had ever used before. [Rienne] ¡°Are you truly asking me that? You?¡± [Rafit] ¡°I need to hear you exin this. What the hell do you mean by a ¡®child?¡¯¡± Before now, it didn¡¯t ur to Rienne that Rafit wouldn¡¯t understand her intentions. The Rafit she knew would never have been so foolish. So what he was doing right now was trying to confirm what he wanted to know. He wanted to hear her say it out loud. That Rienne had lied about being pregnant in order to refuse the Tiwakan¡¯s proposal. That she was desperate to say no, to the point of lying about something like that. [Rafit] ¡°Did you tell that barbarian that you were pregnant with my child?¡± Rafit¡¯s voice became more affectionate and wistful the more he talked. [Rafit] ¡°Did you tell him your heart was already spoken for? Did you tell him I¡¯m the one you belong to and the father of your future child?¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Rienne felt herself getting dizzier. It was like the lie she told to refuse the proposal was just twisting into a monster the more people talked about it. [Rafit] ¡°You told that animal that I¡¯m the one you belong with.¡± [Rienne] ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I¡­¡± As Rafit approached her with arms outstretched as if to hug her, Rienne took a step back, but Rafit just kepting closer without hesitation. [Rafit] ¡°What do you mean?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I only said what I did to avoid the proposal. I didn¡¯t think he¡¯d still want to marry me if I said I already had a child.¡± [Rafit] ¡°Same difference, is it not?¡± [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s different.¡± It wasn¡¯t as though Rienne said she was deathly in love with Rafit Kleinfelder in order to turn down the proposal. It was just Rafit¡¯s delusion that was making him believe that. [Rafit] ¡°It isn¡¯t. Any man would tell you that.¡± [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s different¡­¡± Rienne stopped talking. There was too much she wanted to say but not enough words to express it. No matter how you looked at it, this whole situation was beyond frustrating. Rafit was acting as though what he had tried to do to her never happened even though it urred in his own home. How could he do that? There was still a mark on his palm from it. He was going entirely too far. Rafit had forgotten where his loyalties were supposed to lie¡ªthat Rienne was a member of the royal family and was owed his respect and obedience. But at the end of it all, Rafit was still a Kleinfelder and the fact that Kleinfelder blood ran through his veins was undeniable. Rienne wanted tough at her past self who once believed him to be different. [Rienne] ¡°I am going to marry Lord Tiwakan and the child I bear will inherit House Arsak and be the next King of Nauk. That¡¯s the path I¡¯ve chosen to protect what¡¯s important.¡± [Rafit] ¡°But you¡¯ve already lied about it being mine. Do you really think that monster will allow another man¡¯s child to live?¡± [Rienne] ¡°He will. That¡¯s what he promised me.¡± [Rafit] ¡°You¡¯re too na?ve. I told you before, didn¡¯t I? That barbarian has ns for revenge against Nauk. No matter what, he¡¯ll see to it there¡¯s blood to pay.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Don¡¯t try and pass an unconfirmed rumor as the truth. I already said I don¡¯t believe it. He would never have offered to write a pledge in the vows if he didn¡¯t intend to keep his promise.¡± [Rafit] ¡°Vows? You already wrote your vows with that beast? He could break them any time he wanted.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Why do you insist onplicating matters? There would be no point in making such promises if he was nning on going back on his word.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Maybe he just promised you this in order to force you to ept the proposal.¡± [Rienne] ¡°You¡¯re wrong.¡± Rienne¡¯s mouth twisted as she gave a hollow smile. [Rienne] ¡°You realize he could¡¯ve just broken down the gates, right? He could have killed all of Castle Nauk¡¯s guards and dragged me to the altar if necessary. He didn¡¯t have to write a pledge nor make any promises in order to force me to be his bride if he wanted.¡±(1) [Rafit] ¡°Rienne¡­¡± Rafit¡¯s face distorted as Rienne faced him. Looking at him, she spoke her final words without an ounce of guilt. [Rienne] ¡°If there¡¯s any loyalty left in you for the Arsak family or Nauk, then leave thisnd. Right now, I am no longer your lover. This is an order from your Princess. If you understand, then leave.¡± [Rafit] ¡°How could you¡­.¡± Just as Rafit began to grind his teeth¡ª [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Princess!¡± The urgent voice of Mrs. mbard cut through between the two of them. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°We¡¯re in trouble! He¡¯s on his way back!¡± [Rienne] ¡°What?¡± Suddenly it was like there was something rattling inside Rienne¡¯s heart. * * * As soon as she heard the news, Rienne began pushing Rafit towards the big window. There was a railing out there that he could stand on. It wouldn¡¯t befortable, but he needed to hide so he wouldn¡¯t be caught. They had no choice¡ªit was already toote to escape. Rienne started closing the window, covering Rafit¡¯s mouth with her hand just as she noticed him trying to say something. [Rienne] ¡°Don¡¯t make a single sound and just stay still. I won¡¯t be able to do anything for you if you get caught.¡± Click, ck! Just as Rienne shut the window, Mrs. mbard raised her voice and made an announcement. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Princess, Lord Tiwakan has arrived.¡± Step. Rienne hurriedly turned away from the window, her heart pounding in her chest. Focusing herself, she swallowed her anxiety. [Rienne] ¡°Let him in.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Yes, Princess.¡± With her hands trembling, Mrs. mbard opened the door wide. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Please enter.¡± Without even giving Rienne a chance topose herself, ck entered the room. His blue eyes were staring straight at her and she was so nervous she almost bit her tongue. [ck] ¡°Did something happen?¡± Those same blue eyes seemed to see through everything. Even if she had nothing to hide, she¡¯d still be nervous. ¡­.Just stay calm. He hasn¡¯t seen anything. It¡¯ll be alright¡­ he doesn¡¯t know who¡¯s hiding here. [Rienne] ¡°Nothing in particr. Why do you ask?¡± [ck] ¡°You called me.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I did?¡± Rienne¡¯s eyes blinked in confusion. She didn¡¯t quite understand what he was talking about. [ck] ¡°I thought there was something you needed me for.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Oh¡­.¡± Instantly Rienne felt a weight lift from her shoulders. It didn¡¯t seem like word got out of Rafit¡¯s arrival at the castle. This was just about message they¡¯d sent about the measurements. Releasing the grip she had on her skirt, Rienne continued on with a calm voice. [Rienne] ¡°As we were altering the clothing, I realized there were some measurements I was missing. I thought I¡¯d like to see you again so I could get those numbers if you had the time.¡± [ck] ¡°Measurements¡­. Is that it?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Yes.¡± ck¡¯s blue eyes blinked slowly. Even though his face looked expressionless, Rienne noticed slight creases in his forehead. Is he annoyed? It wouldn¡¯t surprise me¡­ I did make hime back for something so insignificant. Maybe that¡¯s it. [ck] ¡°. . .¡± But that didn¡¯t seem to be the case. While Rienne couldn¡¯t exactly pinpoint why, he didn¡¯t seem like he was mad at her. [ck] ¡°Then measure.¡± Approaching Rienne, ck outstretched his arms. [Rienne] ¡°Actually this time¡­¡± This time Mrs. mbard will be doing it. Please go to her for this, not me. She needed to say it, but instead, as he got closer, Rienne got a good look at him and her eyes immediately went towards his face. ¡­And that¡¯s when she noticed the smell of sweat. The closer he got, the more she could tell how he smelled like sweat. His forehead was damp so that was probably why, but thinking about that made Rienne feel strange. [Rienne] ¡°¡­Did¡­did you run here?¡± Rienne¡¯s voice was soft like a whisper. [ck] ¡°Yes.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Why would you¡­.¡± [ck] ¡°Like I said, I thought you needed me.¡± Swip. When Rienne noticed the sound, she realized ck was raising his hand and running his fingers through her hair. As that soft slipping sound hit her ears, it felt gentle and oddly ticklish. It¡¯s strange. Rienne murmured to herself under her breath. To think this man would work himself into a sweat just trying to get to her after hearing that she needed him. This man was willing to do that for her¡­ Meanwhile, I¡¯m¡­. [Rienne] ¡°You were the one who needed this, Lord Tiwakan.¡± Rienne didn¡¯t even realize that her cheeks had turned a charming pink color or that her voice became just that much softer whenever she spoke to ck. [Rienne] ¡°The clothes won¡¯t fit properly if I don¡¯t get the correct measurements.¡± [ck] ¡°If I knew that, I wouldn¡¯t have rushed to get here. I don¡¯t want you to think I¡¯m a unclean person.¡± [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s not that bad.¡± It might even be the opposite. Even though it was the smell of sweat, it only intensified his natural scent. It danced around the tip of Rienne¡¯s nose, but she didn¡¯t find it disgusting. Instead, it made the back of her throat burn. ¡­.I need to move away. She didn¡¯t want Mrs. mbard to catch them like this. Rienne gently put her hand on ck¡¯s chest like she was about to push him away, but there was no force behind it. [Rienne] ¡°I can¡¯t measure you until you let go.¡± [ck] ¡°Just a little longer.¡± ck didn¡¯t let go of her, instead using his other hand to grab hers as he kept running his fingers through her hair. [Rienne] ¡°Is everything alright?¡± Asking that, Rienne kept her voice quiet, her mind still very conscious of Mrs. mbard waiting outside. [ck] ¡°I don¡¯t know. I guess I was just surprised¡­ No, that¡¯s not the right word¡­ more worried. I had a bad feeling.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Worried?¡± When she asked what was making him feel worried, ck tightened the grip he had on her hand. It didn¡¯t hurt, but it was definitely strong. [ck] ¡°I was receiving reports that the illegitimate son of the Kleinfelder family allegedly entered the castle. Around the same time, I was told you were looking for me, Princess. So I thought something might¡¯ve happened.¡± ¡­Thump. Rienne¡¯s heart skipped a beat as if it was falling inside of her chest. He knows¡­. She felt goosebumps forming all along her spine. ck nced down at Rienne¡¯s silently pale face as he intertwined her lovely golden hair around his fingers. What was once a soft and ticklish greeting suddenly took apletely different meaning. He was binding her to him. Like he was telling her she couldn¡¯t get away from him so easily. [ck] ¡°Were the measurements the only thing you needed me for?¡± * * * T/N: (1) Subtle but purposeful nod to what Rafit tried to do. The raws use the same terminology of a ¡®forced marriage¡¯. Trantor Comment: Rienne said a few chapters ago she¡¯d be willing to do anything to protect Nauk, but now she¡¯s having second guesses about this because it would be really unfair to ck. We love growth. Chapter 19 - Trap (3) Chapter 19 | Trap (3) * * * Does he know? Did he already know and was just going out of his way to ask? Was he trying to get her to confess everything before he went over to the window and opened it himself? With that thought in her mind, Rienne struggled to keep her eyes away from the window where Rafit was narrowly hiding on the frame. [Rienne] ¡°Yes, that¡¯s it.¡± [ck] ¡°Good to hear.¡± Despite seemingly knowing everything, he answered simply. [ck] ¡°Then start measuring.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± She couldn¡¯t do that. She needed to get him out of this room as soon as possible so she could get Rafit out. He¡¯d be able to hold on for right now, but eventually someone outside would notice Rafit standing outside her window. And things wouldplicate further if he were to fall. [Rienne] ¡°Let¡¯s go to another room first.¡± Rienne got closer to ck and whispered quietly to him. She was a bit ashamed to have to do this, but for now, she just needed to get him out of the room. She had to assume he was aware of Rafit¡¯s presence. If that were the case, he wouldn¡¯t just leave after she finished taking his measurements. No doubt he¡¯d try and stay to see what was going on. That¡¯s what Rienne believed him capable of. In both body and mind, ck was sharp, quick-witted, and extremely sensible. If he was just a simple minded barbarian who knew nothing but war and ughter, perhaps she wouldn¡¯t have found him so dangerous yet fascinating. [ck] ¡°Why?¡± And as she expected, he asked why he should have to leave. Rienne lowered her voice. It was a soft whisper like the voice of a temptress. [Rienne] ¡°Mydy-in-waiting is outside.¡± [ck] ¡°. . .¡± Hearing that, ck stared down at Rienne without a word. His eyes were so light and honest they seemed to reveal every thought hidden behind his features. He lowered his head down towards her, his voice just as soft and low as Rienne¡¯s was. [ck] ¡°Then send her away.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± [ck] ¡°Why not?¡± [Rienne] ¡°All her sewing equipment is here.¡± [ck] ¡°. . .¡± [Rienne] ¡°I can¡¯t¡­.. keep her waiting outside¡­for too long.¡± After she said that, Rienne could feel her face reddening. [ck] ¡°¡­It¡¯s things like this that make it hard not to think about you, Princess.¡± ck gently urged Rienne closer with his hand still in her hair, and she followed his lead without resistance. They were already so close to one another, but even the smallest of gaps between them gradually became narrower. Until they were almost touching. [ck] ¡°I don¡¯t know how this will turn out.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What do you mean¡­.?¡± [ck] ¡°Where should we go?¡± Grabbing her arms with his hands, ck whispered tenderly toward her. [Rienne] ¡°The¡­next room over.¡± He turned both their bodies around. Stomp! He was walking so fast and before Rienne even realized what was happening, she heard the sound of a door opening. The next room was much closer than she thought. * * * m! The sound of something mming against the wall as hard as it could rang out into the air, but it wasn¡¯t Rienne¡¯s body. She didn¡¯t feel even a little bit of pain. Only then did Rienne realize ck already had his arms around her, his palms supporting her back before she ever touched the wall. As soon as the door clicked behind them, their lips found one another. Feeling ck lower his head and lean his body into hers, Rienne¡¯s entire head turned white hot. Instinctively she reached out for him, her arms loosely hanging around his neck. Grabbing her with one arm, ck effortlessly lifted her into the air and pulled her up to him. Everything felt so hot. It was as though her entire body had be like firewood. It only took a single spark before everything started to burn up. [Rienne] ¡°Ah, wait¡­.¡± Rienne unconsciously let out a sigh as ck¡¯s kisses wandered down her neck. [ck] ¡°You don¡¯t like it?¡± [Rienne] ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I¡­.¡± [ck] ¡°Then just stay still.¡± Even though her feet weren¡¯t touching the ground, Rienne didn¡¯t feel nervous. Her hands were ced firmly on his broad and strong shoulders, and all she wanted to do was keep holding on. It made her want to stay close. [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Letting out a soft breath, Rienne tightened the grip she had on his shoulders. Feeling her body tremble, ck paused for a moment, but he didn¡¯t stop immediately. He pulled his lips away slowly, running them across Rienne¡¯s sensitive skin. [ck] ¡°Are you ufortable?¡±(1) [Rienne] ¡°N¡­no.¡± [ck] ¡°Then¡­are you afraid?¡± She was. This was frightening. She didn¡¯t know what came next and it was starting to feel like her body wasn¡¯t her own anymore. [Rienne] ¡°Just a little¡­.¡± [ck] ¡°. . .¡± ¡­.Now it was ck¡¯s turn to sigh. Rienne felt him let out a hot breath against her neck. It was the kind of heat that flooded her head and set her mind aze. [ck] ¡°Don¡¯t be scared.¡± Muttering almost to himself, ck released his grip on Rienne and carefully allowed her feet to touch the ground again. The moment he did, suddenly Rienne¡¯s legs felt very heavy. ¡­.No¡­that¡¯s not what I meant when I said I was afraid¡­you¡¯re misunderstanding me¡­. But it wasn¡¯t as though she could ask him to pick her up and kiss her again. Even if ck was her lover, she was far too embarrassed to make that kind of request. [ck] ¡°I guess I was moving too fast.¡± Was he? Rienne wasn¡¯t sure. All she could remember was the endless burning sensation coursing through her body. Looking back on it, they weren¡¯t exactly moving slowly, but that didn¡¯t mean he was the only one moving fast. If she were in his ce, she might¡¯ve been even more impatient. [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s alright¡­..¡± Rienne whispered more quietly than a mosquito, her eyes downcast towards the ground. After having her lips dangerously entangled with his just moments ago, it was too embarrassing to look him directly in the eyes. [ck] ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re alright?¡± But suddenly ck filled her entire vision, even as she looked down. He was kneeling in front of her, his head just below her chest as he looked up at her. Panicking, Rienne quickly covered his eyes with her hands to avoid his gaze. [Rienne] ¡°Wh¡­what are you doing?¡± [ck] ¡°You say you¡¯re fine, but you don¡¯t look that way.¡± [Rienne] ¡°No, really, I¡¯m alright.¡± [ck] ¡°Really?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Yes.¡± [ck] ¡°Then why are you covering my eyes?¡± [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± She knew exactly why. Even though this wasn¡¯t the first time they¡¯d kissed, for some reason Rienne felt extremely shy right now. More than that, they were still close enough that Rienne could easily reach out and cover his eyes with her hands. Before now, whenever Rienne felt embarrassed or shy, she¡¯d run away or bite her tongue. But now there she was, covering his eyes with her hands instead of avoiding him. It was a such a small change that she didn¡¯t even realize it was happening. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯ll let you go so don¡¯t look at me like that.¡± [ck] ¡°¡­.If that¡¯s a problem for you, then okay.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Alright.¡± As Rienne carefully removed her hand from his eyes, it gently brushed against the side of his face for only a moment as it fell¡ªan action that was no different from touching him. But before she couldpletely pull away, ck quickly seized her wrist and held her palm in ce. [ck] ¡°This isn¡¯t so bad either.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What¡­ do you mean¡­?¡± [ck] ¡°You¡¯re touching me, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± ck pulled on Rienne¡¯s wrist and gave her a kiss on the palm. [ck] ¡°So I¡¯ll ignore it for today.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What?¡± [ck] ¡°The illegitimate son of the Kleinfelder family.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­..!¡± Even though Rienne¡¯s entire body had stiffened like a statue, ck kept his lips on Rienne¡¯s hand the entire time. Never before had Rienne felt so terrified of a man kissing her hand so tenderly. [ck] ¡°The Tiwakan are now responsible for the security of Castle Nauk. I have no reason to allow trespassers who entered without my permission to leave in good faith. But for today¡­.¡± He gently ran his lips against her hand. [ck] ¡°For today, I will ignore it¡­because you touched me, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Rienne couldn¡¯t say anything back. ck let go of her hand, continuing on with the conversation as if nothing had happened. [ck] ¡°What measurements did you still need?¡± Just after he said that, Rienne realized she didn¡¯t bring the tape measure. In the end, Mrs. mbard had to be the one to finish the job. * * * [Phermos] ¡°As you ordered, we let him leave peacefully.¡± Phermos had a lot of questions, most of themints in nature. The person they were told to leave alone was none other than Rafit Kleinfelder himself. In an old castle with many blind spots, it was far too easy for a rat to sneak in and out without them ever knowing. Because of this, it went unnoticed for a time but eventually Phermos received a report. He was grinning from ear to ear when he was told that a rat from the Kleinfelder family had snuck into the castle. This was their opportunity to squeeze everything they could from that house. With the momentum on their side, it would be in their best interest to nip this in the bud while they had the chance. But when they were told the rat was headed straight for Princess Rienne¡¯s bedroom, Phermos¡¯ smile quickly went away¡­. Because he realized ck wasn¡¯t happy. Rather than smiling, he looked extremely troubled. His stiff expression made that abundantly clear. Noticing that, Phermos could swear on the God of War himself that this was the first time he¡¯d seen ck struggle to keep his emotions in check like that. It was obvious that the rat from the Kleinfelder family was the very much alive Commander of the Knights. It appeared as though he was heading towards Princess Rienne¡¯s bedroom in order to secretly meet up with his love. Clearly Princess Rienne couldn¡¯t forget about the man so easily. Though in all fairness it would be suspicious if she forgot about him too quickly. They had been involved with one another for quite some time, and it was certain the man had no intention of letting her go. He even went as far as toe to the castle despite the risk to his own life. And above all else, he was the father of Princess Rienne¡¯s child. Unlike the Princess, he wouldn¡¯t choose to leave her so easily given the circumstances. The problem was that ck needed to confirm things with his own eyes and ears. All of his thoughts were inly written on his face. ¡­.That¡¯s not right. It has to be a mistake. They should¡¯ve already moved on.(2) Seeing such clear emotionsing from him, Phermos could tell ck¡¯s heart was already beginning to lean towards Princess Rienne. But having his favor didn¡¯t give her the right to secretly meet up with her old lover whenever she pleased. Though Phermos knew ck never had a woman by his side before, he believed he wasn¡¯t the kind of man to allow himself to be toyed with like this. After all, he was a man of conviction. A relentless and strong person. Phermos truly thought this was the day his Lord¡¯s mercy towards Princess Rienne would run out. In the middle of their engagement, she had brought another man to her bedroom. If that¡¯s how it was going to be, he was certain someone¡¯s head would go flying. But that wasn¡¯t how things went. Like fate, a message came shortly after that. Princess Rienne was requesting his Lord¡¯s presence. While Phermos was still busy trying to organize his thoughts on what was going on, ck had already left in a hurry. For Princess Rienne, that was really¡­. Lucky¡­ or clever. His Lord had one thing right: Princess Rienne was a difficult woman to grasp. Phermos couldn¡¯t tell if she was truly as innocent and gentle as she seemed¡­.or if she had simply perfected her mask. [Phermos] ¡°I¡¯ve been informed that the rat made its way back to its nest with its head still attached. Speaking of which¡­¡±(2) Aftering back from seeing Princess Rienne, Phermos couldn¡¯t help but notice how ck seemed to resemble her¡ªhis face lost in thought with an expression he couldn¡¯t control. [Phermos] ¡°¡­Are you certain you wish to ignore this?¡± Phermos couldn¡¯t hold the question back any longer. [ck] ¡°¡­.Just this once.¡± After a long time, ck finally answered. That must mean it wasn¡¯t an easy decision toe to. [Phermos] ¡°May I ask why¡­.? No, actually I¡¯m very curious. It¡¯s not wise to leave the Kleinfelders alone like this. Their private militia is no trouble for us but as you well know, the rats are allied with the Kingdom of Sharka.¡± [ck] ¡°I¡¯ve decided to leave things alone this time.¡± [Phermos] ¡°But¡­I mean¡­ why would you¡­?¡± [ck] ¡°I was given something.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Given something¡­.? By who? The Kleinfelders?¡± Though the chances of the Kleinfelders actually having paid him off was low, Phermos still asked. They were the only people with the means to do something like that. [ck] ¡°Not them.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Then who¡­?¡± [ck] ¡°It was the Princess.¡± As he answered, his words were dripping with annoyance. Phermos could feel in his gut that it was time to stop this line of questioning. Even though he was dying to know what the Princess had given his Lord, he decided to swallow his curiosity. Of course, it was probably for the best Phermos remained curious. How would he react if he knew thepensation ck received was the Princess simply touching his face? [Phermos] ¡°Well¡­.I hope whatever the Princess has given you is worth losing today¡¯s opportunity. But with all due respect, sire¡­ this will only continue to happen if you remain too soft on her.¡± Phermos was prepared to be scolded for how bold his words were, but instead ck answered firmly. [ck] ¡°¡­No, I don¡¯t think it will.¡± [Phermos] ¡°What makes you so certain?¡± [ck] ¡°Because the Princess didn¡¯t call for him.¡± [Phermos] ¡°How do you know that¡­.?¡± [ck] ¡°If that¡¯s what she intended, she wouldn¡¯t have called for us both at the same time if she wanted to be smart about it.¡± Phermos was confused by that as well. If that was the case, then was Princess Rienne really as innocent as she seemed? Is that what was making his Lord¡¯s heart turn soft like pudding? [Phermos] ¡°Then¡­. does this mean you trust Princess Rienne?¡± * * * T/N: (1) This is more in reference to physical difort rather than emotional. (2) The term used here is ¡°?????¡±, which lit. means in this context ¡°to be done with something/to move onto the next.¡± (3) Just as a note, Phermos refers to both the Kleinfelders and Rafit as being mice/rats pretty consistently throughout this whole section. I reced some of those instances with just ¡®Kleinfelder¡¯ to break up the repetition, but I feel like this is important to know. Shows you how much he respects them lol. Trantor Comment:This is great, Siri y ¡°Everytime We Touch¡± by CascadaAlso I feel bad for Phermos. It probably isn¡¯t easy when your cool, epic boss man suddenly turns into a simp. Chapter 20 - Trap (4) Chapter 20 | Trap (4) . * * * . [ck] ¡°No.¡± He answered so quickly, Phermos got confused for a second. [Phermos] ¡°Then why¡­.?¡± [ck] ¡°He¡¯s still in her heart.¡± Taking into ount everything that happened today, that was how it looked to ck. Even if she didn¡¯t call him herself, Rienne¡¯s former lover still came to see her and she was clearly in a panic to try hide his presence from him. She¡¯d even made an extremely out of character attempt to seduce him just to get him to leave the room. ¡­Though it¡¯d be a lie to say it didn¡¯t work. He was so thrilled by the idea that he¡¯d entirely lost his mind for a moment. Completely ignoring how suspicious it all was, his mind was filled only with thoughts of getting their clothes out of the way.(1) But the moment he felt Rienne¡¯s body tremble with fear, suddenly he came back to his senses and the fog in his head cleared. He couldn¡¯t me this feeling on his fever anymore, and it wasn¡¯t because she was in a hurry to get him to leave the room either. He just wanted Rienne. He wanted her outside of his desire to merely keep a hold on the things that were always his.(2) [ck] ¡°That woman¡­.¡± Suddenly ck started to talk. Seeing that, Phermos quickly shut his mouth and listened. [ck] ¡°I thought she was a part of Nauk.¡± He always thought that gaining one naturally meant obtaining the other. That the Princess and Nauk were inseparable in that sense. But today, it was dawning on him how untrue that was. He was realizing he wanted Rienne regardless of her connection to Nauk. He wanted her backpletely, as if she had never been taken from him in the first ce. [Phermos] ¡°You mean to say that things are different from what you said to me before?¡± After thinking for a long while, ck gave a heavy nod. [ck] ¡°Yeah.¡± [Phermos] ¡°May I ask how so?¡± [ck] ¡°I¡¯m going to take back everything this time.¡± ¡®Taking¡¯ something in its entirety waspletely different from simply ¡®having¡¯ it. What he wanted to do now was what he should¡¯ve done from the start. Leave no room for other men to intervene¡­ and destroy all traces of the one that had. And that meant he needed to take back what Rafit Kleinfelder had stolen from him¡ªRienne¡¯s heart. [Phermos] ¡°I see.¡± Phermos held back the urge to sigh. Well¡­ it isn¡¯t as though he didn¡¯t see thising. [Phermos] ¡°If that¡¯s how you honestly feel, my Lord¡­ then I will do what I can.¡± No matter how unwilling Princess Rienne was, ck¡¯s will was absolute, and Phermos had no right to make anyments about the woman his Lord chose. [Phermos] ¡°We should take good care of the Princess so something like this won¡¯t happen next time.¡± With his head down and his brows furrowed, ck nodded. He would make sure there would never be a ¡®next time¡¯. Because Rafit Kleinfelder would never meet Princess Rienne again. . * * * . After staying awake all night, Rienne eventually got out of bed at the first light of dawn. What happened yesterday disturbed her mind to the point ofpletely destroying any chance at a good night¡¯s sleep. Why was that man pretending not to know anything when he did? What was he thinking? Is he toying with me? If he wasn¡¯t, then was he really just going to ignore it this time? All because she touched him? Could something so simple¡­.really be meaningful enough to do something like that? Rienne was all too aware of how dangerous yesterday was. Not only did she have another man sneak into her bedroom, but on top of that, Rafit¡¯s identity could¡¯ve been exposed. It would¡¯ve been revealed he¡¯d been trying to hide himself this whole time. But regardless, the fact of the matter was that Rienne had undeniably betrayed her fianc¨¦. She couldn¡¯t believe he was willing to turn a blind eye to it. There was no way he was ignorant of the fact, so maybe he was just choosing to overlook it for her sake or to be kind? ¡­There¡¯s no way. There was no man in this world that would do something like that. And even if someone like that existed, it wouldn¡¯t be Lord Tiwakan of all people. Need she remind herself of how he proposed? When he surrounded her castle, he killed hundreds upon hundreds of her people in the process. Rienne clenched her eyes shut and released a long held sigh. [Rienne] ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ I should just get ready.¡± Today was the funeral. It was going to be held at the Temple, but Rienne still had to attend. [Rienne] ¡°I thought others would be awake by now¡­ but I guess not.¡± Rienne felt fortunate there were things she could do to busy her mind. She needed to prepare ck clothing, gloves and a veil to cover her face, but she had woken up so early, everyone else was still asleep. Not wanting to disturb anyone, Rienne decided to take it upon herself to get water to wash her face with. [Rienne] ¡°Once the funeral is done¡­¡± Rafit Kleinfelder would officially be a dead man and thebyrinth of problems Rienne needed to navigate would settle down at least a little bit. Dressed in just her mourning dress over her under clothes, Rienne headed towards the cer with a water pot. . * * * . They had a well, but it needed to be used sparingly. After suffering from a drought for so many years, Nauk learned to cherish every drop of water they had. Once a day, the water they needed for use in the castle would be drawn from the well and kept in a basin in the cer. If anyone needed any extra water, they required Rienne¡¯s permission, and Rienne would personally verify the use. Swish. It was quiet in the cer at dawn. Although it was pitch ck, Rienne had been down there to get her own water before, so she navigated her way towards the basin with ease. [???] ¡°Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­..!¡± But someone waiting in the shadows was unexpected. Rienne was so surprised she nearly dropped the pot she was carrying for the water. [???] ¡°Ah, I got it!¡± The person quickly came in and held up the unstable pot with the palms of their hands. [Rienne] ¡°Wha¡ªHyde?¡± [Hyde] ¡°Yes, Princess. Apologies for startling you.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What are you doing here?¡± [Hyde] ¡°Oh, that¡¯s¡­ Ah, but I can¡¯t be caught.¡± Hyde was one of the squires Weroz once looked after, but regrettably he didn¡¯t have the qualities of a strong knight. ording to Weroz, Hyde was sent home not long after arriving at the castle because of that. Hyde¡¯s eyes darted around in the dark as he lowered his voice as much as he could. [Hyde] ¡°I have a message from Lord Weroz for you, Princess. But he told me to keep this a secret from anyone else, so I¡¯ve been hiding here waiting.¡± [Rienne] ¡°How did you know I would being down here?¡± [Hyde] ¡°Huh? Oh, I didn¡¯t. I was going to ask for you once your maid came down here. I thought someone close to you would be getting you water for your morning face wash any minute.¡± He thought he¡¯d need to wait a long time before being able to deliver his message. This was a stroke of luck. [Rienne] ¡°And what of Lord Weroz? Is he alright? Do you know where he is?¡± At Rienne¡¯s question, Hyde shook his head. [Hyde] ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What? Then where did you meet Lord Weroz when you received this message?¡± [Hyde] ¡°He just suddenly arrived at the mill where I work. I was surprised to see him too¡­¡± Because Weroz had reportedly disappeared from the Kleinfelder Estate, Rienne thought he might¡¯ve been hurt. Now she was hearing he was apparently running off on his own. It was all too confusing. [Hyde] ¡°But he told me to deliver this message any way I could.¡± Again, Hyde looked around the room, beckoning Rienne closer has he did. [Hyde] ¡°Lend me your ear, Princess.¡± A man of any decency wouldn¡¯t do that to a Princess, but Rienne listened. If this was a message from Weroz, then she needed to hear it no matter what. As Rienne drew closer, Hyde whispered as quietly as possible. [Hyde] ¡°He said, ¡®Don¡¯t trust that man.¡¯¡± [Rienne] ¡°What?¡± [Hyde] ¡°Lord Weroz said that man¡¯s reason for being in Nauk is because he seeks revenge.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­..!¡± Rienne¡¯s vibrant green eyes widened, looking almost grey in the darkness. Hyde didn¡¯t notice, continuing on with the rest of the message. [Hyde] ¡°He said to be careful and to put off the wedding until he can return. Lord Weroz believes he can uncover that man¡¯s secrets and bring them back.¡± [Rienne] ¡°So, Lord Weroz is¡­.¡± [Hyde] ¡°Yes. He¡¯s already left Nauk.¡± And soon her eyes began to shake violently. . * * * . ¡ª¡®His family was killed by someone in Nauk.¡¯ ¡ª¡®He¡¯s here for his revenge.¡¯ The stories matched. [Rienne] ¡°How¡­?¡± Unconsciously, Rienne began to bite her nail. How could Weroz know something like that? He went missing at the Kleinfelder Estate, so Rienne was kicking herself for not asking around better when she was there. Revenge? At first Rienne said she didn¡¯t believe such a flimsy story. She thought it was just some nonsense Rafit spat at her in ast ditch attempt to prove that man¡¯s evil. But¡­. maybe not. For a long time, ck¡¯s behavior was something Rienne didn¡¯t understand, but putting it in the context of revenge made things a bit clearer. Couldn¡¯t he just take my head and be done with it? Or does he wish to see me suffer a more cruel and painful end? Did he refrain from breaking open the gates and killing her immediately because he wanted to bleed Nauk dry from the roots? [Mrs. mbard] ¡°What was that, Princess?¡± When Rienne mumbled to herself, Mrs. mbard caught her whisper as she meticulouslybed her hair and tied it with ck ribbons for the funeral. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Ah, oh no, Princess! What are you doing to your nails!?¡± Noticing her toote, Mrs. mbard quickly lectured Rienne. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°No, don¡¯t say anything. Why are you doing this to yourself? How could you ruin your lovely nails like this? Please, wait here.¡± The woman put down theb, quickly searching through a nearby box for a pair of nail trimmers. [Rienne] ¡°Ah¡­¡± Suddenly, Rienne felt embarrassed looking at the state of her hand. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Give me your hand.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­.I¡¯m sorry.¡± Rienne gently reached out her hand, the woman sighing as she carefully fixed up her nails. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°You¡¯ve done quite the number on them, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s fine, just do what you can. My nails hardly matter.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Nails may just be nails but¡­. your hands are still the hands of our kingdom¡¯s one and only Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Mrs. mbard looked as though she was about to burst into tears. Although Rienne herself felt like she was about to start crying just a second ago, she quickly swallowed the feeling. Mrs. mbard was a sympathetic crier so if Rienne teared up, there would be no end to the emotions. [Rienne] ¡°What point is there in having nice hands in Nauk? So don¡¯t cry and do the best you can¡ªow!¡± Just as she said that, Rienne moved her hand and scratched herself with the edge of the de. The trimmers were old but sharp and easily cut the flesh under her nail without mercy. Mrs. mbard gasped. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Oh, Princess!¡± She was too shocked to see blood gushing from the end of Rienne¡¯s finger so she couldn¡¯t stop stammering. Mrs. mbard threw the trimmers to the side, grasping Rienne¡¯s hands with her own. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°What should I do? Oh, this is all my fault¡­.¡± [Rienne] ¡°No, the fault is mine. You didn¡¯t do this, ma¡¯am.¡± [Mrs. mbard¡°But it¡¯s bleeding so much and I¡¯m sure it must be so painful¡­.¡± Rienne was trying so hard not to make her nanny cry and yet somehow it still happened. Forcing a smile, Rienne did her best to shake off the pain. [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s not true. It¡¯s not painful at all so you can let go of me now.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°What do you mean? You¡¯re bleeding so much.¡± [Rienne] ¡°The funeral will be starting soon. I can¡¯t bete.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°But with this¡­.¡± She was reluctant to let go. The woman sat there, holding Rienne¡¯s hand for a long time. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°We should at least stop the bleeding. I¡¯ll go get some medicine so keep pressure on the wound, Princess.¡± Hesitantly, she got up from her seat and left. [Rienne] ¡°¡­.Itisrather deep.¡± The wound was undeniably big. It was a little scary¡­ seeing so much blood seep out from her with no sign of stopping. ¡ª¡®He¡¯s going to get revenge on Nauk.¡¯ The endless thoughts mixed with the blood loss made her dizzy. [Rienne] ¡°¡­It hurts¡­..¡± Rienne tightly sped her hands. Seeing the wound with her own eyes made it hurt more and her mind was bing more confused the more she tried to face ck¡¯s real reason for proposing. [Rienne] ¡°It really¡­.hurts¡­.¡± And now that her nanny was gone, Rienne finally cried. She tried telling herself that there was no evidence behind Weroz¡¯s ims¡ªthat they were just words¡­baseless and unfounded words. But even so, the pain still didn¡¯t go away. The confused hurt she felt lingered just like the pain under her fingernail. [Rienne] ¡°What if¡­.¡± What if he¡¯s really trying to get revenge? Then what would she do? She wasn¡¯t sure, but there was one thing she was certain about. I can¡¯t let my guard down. No matter how kind or gentle he acted towards her, she must never allow herself to be blinded. * * * T/N: (1) He uses the phrase lit. meaning ¡°bury (one¡¯s) head in (their) neck¡±, which is to willfully ignore things. Kind of like ¡°burying your head in the sand¡±. (2) Korean is a pro-dropnguage, meaning that a lot of context in terms of subjects and pronouns are inherently missing from the text, which makes trantion tricky (*sob*). For the vast majority of the story, ck has been incredibly vague in that sense in regards to what he wants. This marks the first time he¡¯s ever been explicit. Congrats, dude. Trantor Comment: ck before: ¡®I don¡¯t need her heart¡¯. Also ck: ¡®Guess I¡¯m joining the circus¡¯ Chapter 21 - Requiem (1) Chapter 21 | Requiem (1) By the time Rienne finished getting ready and went outside, ck already had his horse prepared to leave for the funeral. [Rienne] ¡°Ah¡­.¡± Seeing him standing there, she paused. Perhaps it was because he had gotten ready with the intent to apany her, but he waspletely dressed in ck. Not only him, but all the Tiwakan soldiers standing behind him as well. With every piece of his outfitpletely ck, it was understandable why rumors about him having been abandoned by the God of Death and rejected by the earth spread so easily.(1) But when ck suddenly turned and made eye contact with her, Rienne unconsciously frowned. ¡­..It was unfair how well such a dark color suited him. It wasn¡¯t appropriate to have thoughts like that right before leaving for a funeral, but she couldn¡¯t help it. It was such a prevalent idea in her mind. He must have been wearing ck armor when we first met¡­. I wonder why I never noticed before¡­. [ck] ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± As Rienne stood perfectly still, he approached her first, his eyes gazing across her neck and shoulders. [ck] ¡°Your clothes are different.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Mrs. mbard altered my dress for me so it would fit better.¡± [ck] ¡°¡­..Is that a good thing?¡± ck muttered under his breath. Though Rienne didn¡¯t seem to notice his reaction, he also thought the color looked unfairly good on her. While the two of them were distracted, one of the mercenaries walked towards them, tugging on the reins of ck¡¯s horse. It was a dark horse and more imposing than Rienne would¡¯ve thought. Just by looking at it, she could tell exactly who it belonged to. [ck] ¡°Get on.¡± ck reached out his hand to Rienne. [Rienne] ¡°On this horse?¡± [ck] ¡°You¡¯re riding with me.¡± Rienne subtly shook her head. [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s alright. I have my own horse.¡± She wasn¡¯t sure if she could stand riding the same horse as him again. Rienne could still clearly remember what happened thest time she did. It was too much for her to handle. It wouldn¡¯t be a good idea to purposefully put herself in a simr position where something like that might happen again. Not right after she told herself she needed to be on her guard around him. [Rienne] ¡°I can ride by myself.¡± [ck] ¡°You can¡¯t.¡± But he responded firmly. [ck] ¡°We don¡¯t know if or when we¡¯ll be attacked with another arrow. If we¡¯re too far apart, I won¡¯t be able to react as quickly.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Though Rienne knew Rafit to be the culprit, the person who shot the arrow still had yet to be officially identified. She knew he would never shoot an arrow at her, but she couldn¡¯t say that. [Rienne] ¡°¡­.If you insist.¡± Eventually, Rienne reluctantly agreed and nodded her head. [ck] ¡°I¡¯ll help you up.¡± Without even waiting for her to reach out her hand, ck pulled Rienne into a hug and lifted her up onto the horse. His shoulder was still hurt and it wasn¡¯t possible for it to have healed already, yet she waspletely struck by how he handled her. It was like she weighed nothing to him. It felt like the more she noticed about this man, the more confused she got. [ck] ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Once he made sure Rienne was securely in ce, he pulled himself onto the horse with a motion so practiced, he made it look like the easiest thing in the world. What a strange man,Rienne thought as the sound of horse hooves swept through the air. In more ways than one, he was a very mysterious person. No matter what he did, Rienne couldn¡¯t imagine him ever making a fool of himself. Whether it was riding a horse or just about anything else, he handled it skillfully and effortlessly. [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± If she allowed this train of thought to continue, Rienne would eventually remember how skilled his kisses were too, so she quickly crushed the thought before it could ever surface. I can¡¯t forget¡­. I need to be careful around him. Clip, clop. Clip, clop. As their horse picked up the pace, the sound of its hooves hitting across the ground grew even louder. All the while, Rienne could feel herself getting dizzy¡ªan undeniable feeling of reassurance growing in her chest as she felt this mysterious man grip the reins around her. . * * * . The Temple was located at Phillyon Hill, just north of Castle Nauk. Already Rienne could hear the clergy of the Temple ringing the bell, announcing the funeral. It was such a mournful and dreary sound. [ck] ¡°Wait.¡± Arriving at the steep staircase leading up to the entrance, ck told Rienne to stay put. But before she could ask him why, he dismounted the horse first and extended his arm out to her. [ck] ¡°You cane down now.¡± Looking at his big hand reaching out towards her, Rienne swallowed nervously. Why was he being so kind to her? Acting this way wasn¡¯t necessary if he was just here for revenge. Why are you doing this to me? Why me? [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Without saying her thanks, Rienne finally took his hand. But it didn¡¯t end there. Pulling on her hand, ck wrapped his other arm around her waist and pulled her into his chest. Helping her down, Rienne¡¯s feet gingerly touched the ground. With how he was treating her, anyone would think she¡¯d entirely forgotten how to ride a horse on her own. [ck] ¡°Do we have to walk up all those stairs?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Yes. It¡¯s the Temple, after all.¡± It was all part of how they worshipped God. Not even the royal family of Nauk was an exception to it. But the difficult trek up to the Temple was part of the reason why so few people were even able to visit. People who were sick or injured and in need of help couldn¡¯t make the journey and never dared to try. Even as a child, whenever she would visit the Temple, Rienne would always have terrible pains in her legs and would be overtaken by exhaustion from the trip. [ck] ¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡± Rienne started walking first with ck quietly trailing after her, but the silence didn¡¯tst. Just as the two of them started their ascent up the steep stairs, shadows made of white suddenly cut into their vision. They were priests. Priests insisted on wearing white clothing, which contrasted inly against the dark ck mourning clothes of Rienne¡¯s party. [Rienne] ¡°What are priests doing out here¡­?¡± Rienne instinctively frowned. She didn¡¯t have a good feeling about this. Going down the stairs was just as much work as it was going up, so the priests stoodpletely still. [Priest] ¡°We¡¯vee to deliver the words of the High Priest to the daughter of the Arsak family!¡± Suddenly, Rienne¡¯s bad feeling became very real. The priests who had rushed out were now shouting at her. [Priest] ¡°In the name of the great God of Nauk and the High Priest, you are forbidden from attending this funeral!¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­.?¡± The priest who yelled was rather far away so for a second Rienne thought she might¡¯ve misheard him. [Rienne] ¡°What did you just say?¡± [Priest] ¡°So long as she cohorts with those who defy God¡¯s will, we cannot allow the daughter of Arsak to breach the Temple! Such were the words of the High Priest himself!¡± [Rienne] ¡°You mean to say my fianc¨¦ is one who defies the will of God?¡± [Priest] ¡°Precisely.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± This was no message from the High Priest. This was near identical to the words of Linden Kleinfelder. That man was determined to iste Rienne from all aspects of Nauk. Rienne looked up¡ªher words firm and resolute. [Rienne] ¡°I cannot ept that. Stand aside.¡± [Priest] ¡°We have the High Priest¡¯s orders.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I am a member of the reigning royal family of Nauk.¡± [Priest] ¡°Only God may im reign over the clergy!¡± [Rienne] ¡°How dare you¡­.¡± Rienne could feel her hands ball up with shock and anger. This waspletely unbelievable. Even if the High Priest was allied with Linden, with his pockets fattening from the friendship, he had no right to so openly ignore the royal family of Nauk. [Rienne] ¡°Call the High Priest. Tell him to say that to my face.¡± [Priest] ¡°He¡¯s currently presiding over the funeral rites.¡± [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s just an excuse.¡± [Priest] ¡°¡­.But¡­.the High Priest said there is a way to fix all of this.¡± As soon as Rienne¡¯s words turned fierce, the priest, hesitant only for a moment, suddenly changed his tune. [Priest] ¡°If you, the daughter of Arsak, cast aside those who have abandoned the will of God, we will forgive all your sins and ept you once more as one of the faithful children.¡± What they wanted from her was simple. Turn her back on the Tiwakan and quietly obey. Rienne was so angry, she could feel her ears burning up just hearing it. [Rienne] ¡°Was the dissolution of my marriage arrangement truly what he asked for? That¡¯s really what the High Priest wants?¡± Anyone with half a brain knew something like that wasn¡¯t possible. The Tiwakan Mercenaries surrounded the castle for fifteen days in order to pressure her into epting the proposal. That alone made it clear this was not an arrangement she could simply dissolve. There was no way Linden Kleinfelder didn¡¯t know that. This was just his way of turning everyone in Nauk against Rienne. If Rienne was turned away from the Temple and denied ess to the funeral, rumors would run amok. Though God gave her the choice of salvation, the brainwashed Princess fell to the whims of the barbaric monster and abandoned the divine. They¡¯d feel her unfit for her position. They¡¯d depose her. He was trying to pass it all off as God¡¯s will. [Priest] ¡°That¡¯s what the High Priest told me to say.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Then tell him toe out and speak to me! He shouldn¡¯t hide in his Temple like a cowardly dog!¡± The priests widened their eyes in shock as Rienne raised her voice the moment she couldn¡¯t keep it in. [Priest] ¡°Bow your head before God, daughter of Arsak! His Holiness will not tolerate such disrespect here!¡± [Rienne] ¡°And who showed disrespect in the first ce¡­!¡± This whole situation was entirely uneptable, there were no words to aptly describe it. Rienne loosened her fists, instead gripping the fabric of her dress. [Rienne] ¡°Then allow me to meet with him in person. We¡¯ll see if he speaks the same words you did.¡± [ck] ¡°Wait.¡± But suddenly, ck¡¯s low voice froze Rienne in ce. [ck] ¡°You shouldn¡¯t go.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What¡­? Why?¡± With a keen look in his eyes, ck looked past her at the priests. [ck] ¡°They¡¯re not stupid.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Ah¡­¡± Rienne bit her lip. He wasn¡¯t wrong. Even if the High Priest was a fool, he knew better than to show his face like this. The Temple didn¡¯t have adequate military power to use against the Tiwakan. If they truly wished to enter, there would be no way to stop them. And yet, despite all of that, the priests were speaking with such obvious disrespect. Unless they were stupid or had a death wish, they wouldn¡¯t do that. [ck] ¡°I think they¡¯re trying to provoke us.¡± [Rienne] ¡°But why¡­.¡± [ck] ¡°They might want us to storm them.¡± It was clear they were up to no good. [Rienne] ¡°But¡­I have to attend the funeral. If I don¡¯t, they¡¯ll only use it against me.¡± [ck] ¡°We¡¯ll figure it out one thing at a time. But until we¡¯re certain what¡¯s going on, you shouldn¡¯t go.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± ck was right. Dealing with the political apprehension caused by the Kleinfelders was one thing, but as the leader of an undefeated mercenarypany, he had experience dealing with much worse. He would know what the best tactical decision would be. [Rienne] ¡°¡­Very well. It would be wise to follow you, Lord Tiwakan.¡± Rienne breathed in deeply as she talked. Turning to head back down the stairs, she took a quick look back up the hill. She could already see the priests floundering amongst themselves in embarrassment. It was undeniable that Linden Kleinfelder had manipted all of this in order to provoke her. Remembering that made the anger swell up inside of her again. He was openly trying to usurp control over Nauk from her now. This was no different from a deration of war. So what could Rienne do now? At least back when she was dealing with the Tiwakan¡¯s siege, she knew who her enemy was. Though it was difficult, her path was clear. But now she didn¡¯t know who she could trust. [ck] ¡°Careful.¡± Theplex, spiraling ideas distracted her from one of the disced stone steps. As Rienne felt herself stumble, ck quickly embraced her. [Rienne] ¡°Oh¡­ my apologies¡­I was looking down, but I wasn¡¯t watching where I was going.¡± [ck] ¡°That¡¯s fine. I was.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Was this man her enemy or not? Rienne wished she knew for certain either way. He didn¡¯t want her to fall down and he didn¡¯t want her to get hurt, but all that did was confuse Rienne even further. Is it normal for revenge to feel this kind? It was funny such a thought even came to her. . * * * . [Linden] ¡°Dammit!¡± Leaning over the railing of the balcony overlooking the entrance of the temple, Linden Kleinfelder looked down and twisted his lips in irritation. [Linden] ¡°They didn¡¯t take the bait. Clever little snakes.¡± Taking his uncle¡¯s side, Rafit Kleinfelder was the next to speak. [Rafit] ¡°¡­.And it¡¯s a good thing too. If Princess Rienne had died, the Kleinfelders would¡¯ve been the first to face the fury of Nauk.¡± Rafit, now known as Lopez Kleinfelder, looked down at the entrance with a look of concern on his face. At the top of the steps to the Temple was what looked to be a catapult with a heavy boulder precariously bound to it¡ªsomething that definitely didn¡¯t belong there. [Linden] ¡°. . .¡± Linden looked at his nephew, turning his shoulders towards him. [Linden] ¡°Are you serious? We missed a great opportunity to kill the head of that barbaric tribe in one fell swoop.¡± Once the Tiwakan took the bait and tried to storm the Temple by force, he was nning on releasing the boulder and rolling it down the steps. Everyone would¡¯ve been crushed to death or they would¡¯ve been forced to jump over the side of the cliff in order to escape it. Of course the priests and Princess Rienne would perish as well, but Linden hardly cared about that. [Rafit] ¡°You can¡¯t deny it. Princess Rienne is beloved by the people of Nauk, so killing her recklessly would be unwise.¡± [Linden] ¡°You fool¡­. Don¡¯t tell me you still love her? That dirty wench?¡±(2) [Rafit] ¡°Watch your tongue, uncle.¡± The man, once the eldest son now with a new name, narrowed his eyes. A sh of blue rage cut through his expression like a de. [Rafit] ¡°I won¡¯t allow anyone to speak that way about Princess Rienne in front of me. Not after what she put herself through to save me.¡± * * * T/N: (1) Reference to the rumor that said he was basically immortal because the God of Death rejects him. (2) The word Linden uses to describe Rienne can mean a lot of things, but generally is a derogatory term meaning an unclean/promiscuous/wily woman. Shout out to my friend Ghost for helping me edit the next few chaptersIt was a lot easier thanks to them Chapter 22 - Requiem (2) Chapter 22 | Requiem (2) It was windy and from his delicate position on the window frame, the gusts were especially perilous to him. But carried on that dangerous wind was an even more dangerous whisper. He could hear Rienne¡¯s voice. [Rienne] ¨C¡®Let¡¯s go to another room first.¡¯ Standing where he was, he couldn¡¯t see into the room but at the sound of her voice, his ears perked up. [Rienne] ¨C¡®The¡­next room over.¡¯ She wasn¡¯t talking to that monstrous man. That message was meant for Rafit. It was like she was trying to tell him that she¡¯d risk her life in order to get that barbarian to leave the room. All so he could escape safely. Now Rafit was certain their love hadn¡¯t died yet. Rienne was only doing this because she was being forced to. As a daughter of House Arsak, Rienne was an honorable woman. She would never allow herself to admit she was still in love with someone else while she was engaged to another. Even if the marriage was one she didn¡¯t want, Rienne¡¯s heart was ever noble. That meant Rafit had an obligation to take her back himself. [Linden] ¡°You¡¯ve always been blind when it came to that woman, but it¡¯s gotten worse.¡± Linden said to his nephew as Rafit shook his head at him. [Rafit] ¡°I¡¯m not blind. I can see perfectly clearly.¡± Until now, Rafit had no idea what Rienne¡¯s true feelings were. She never expressed any desire to sleep with him so he didn¡¯t think she cared for him all that much. He always felt as though his love for her ran deeper than hers did for him. But he knew better now. He wouldn¡¯t allow himself to doubt her again. [Rafit] ¡°So remember, uncle. You can never take direct action against Princess Rienne.¡± [Linden] ¡°What?¡± [Rafit] ¡°Rest assured that man will never gain control over Nauk.¡± Linden¡¯s lips twitched. [Linden] ¡°Do you not realize the position we¡¯re in? What if the Princess truly does end up marrying that savage? Does that not make our family look like a couple of fools?¡± [Rafit] ¡°I won¡¯t let that happen.¡± Rafit spoke with clear and staunch determination in his eyes. [Rafit] ¡°I¡¯ll make sure I get her back before then.¡± [Linden] ¡°. . .¡± Linden clicked his tongue but he didn¡¯t say anything further. Though even if he did, Rafit would¡¯ve just ignored him. Truthfully, he didn¡¯t care one bit what anyone else had to say. Rienne¡¯s wedding was just over ten days away. Before that day ever came to pass, he needed to find a way to get her back. . * * * . [ck] ¡°What happened to your hand?¡± Their ride back to the castle from the Temple was the same as their ride there. The only difference was the gloomy look on Rienne¡¯s face and how weak her body felt. As they passed people in the streets, everyone looked a little bit confused. They didn¡¯t understand why Rienne was riding a horse back to the castle while she was supposed to be at the funeral. But it wasn¡¯t like Rienne could tell them she had no choice but to leave to avoid Linden Kleinfelder¡¯s tricks. [Rienne] ¡°¡­Huh? Oh¡­ it¡¯s nothing. I was just distracted for a moment and ended up cutting myself with scissors.¡± With her head stuck in a storm of thoughts, Rienne responded seconds toote. She had entirely forgotten she was hurt until ck brought it up. Noticing his gaze reaching her hand, she recoiled and tried to hide her injury. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m alright now.¡± After using medicine to stop the bleeding, the wound was hardly noticeable. He must have a good eye if he was able to see it. [ck] ¡°You should get a different pair of scissors then.¡± Those words brought out an unconscious chuckle from Rienne. There was no way she could afford to do something like that. It would be much faster just to ask Mrs. mbard not to sharpen the de too much next time. [Rienne] ¡°It was only a minor ident. It¡¯s nothing you need to worry about. I¡¯ll just be more careful in the future.¡± Rienne reached out and took ck¡¯s hand as he again helped her down. It was far too easy to forget that she needed to be careful around him whenever they touched. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯ll go inside now. Thank you for allowing me to ride with you.¡± Rienne turned around to make her way inside the castle, keeping her head low to avoid eye contact. But ck was a lot faster than her. When she started walking away, she could have sworn he was behind her. And yet, somehow, he was suddenly standing in front of her. [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­?¡± This man could move faster than anyone the moment he decided to. [Rienne] ¡°Was there something you wanted to say?¡± [ck] ¡°There is.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Then speak your mind.¡± His pale blue eyes glimmered just before he said anything. [ck] ¡°Is it really that bad that you couldn¡¯t attend the funeral?¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­.I don¡¯t know. Maybe.¡± Rienne didn¡¯t realize this, but she had a worried look on her face the whole time they were riding back to the castle. But her extremely troubled expression didn¡¯t escape ck¡¯s notice. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯ve never had to deal with something like this before. I don¡¯t know exactly what the fallout will be but I know it can¡¯t be good, considering who Linden Kleinfelder is¡­..¡± Rienne hesitated. She wasn¡¯t sure if it was a good idea to talk about the people of Nauk as if they¡¯re the enemy to an outsider.(1) [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­He isn¡¯t the kind of person to let this sort of thing go.¡± [ck] ¡°Then I¡¯ll handle the funeral.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What?¡± Rienne¡¯s emerald eyes widened. But how¡­.? No¡­.more importantly, why? [ck] ¡°We¡¯ll change the date or the location if we have to.¡± [Rienne] ¡°If only that were possible¡­¡­but if the Tiwakan were to do anything¡­.¡± It would be perceived as a use of force. Given how delicate the situation was, that definitely wasn¡¯t a good idea. But ck was already aware of Rienne¡¯s fears. [ck] ¡°I wasn¡¯t nning on using force.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Then what will you do?¡± [ck] ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I¡¯ll figure something out. Give me until tomorrow.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Can I believe that? Can I trust what he says? Everyone was saying he had ulterior motives. They kept trying to tell her that one way or another he would try to take his revenge. So why? Why act like he was going to do something for her? Like he was worried? Why? [Rienne] ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± In the end, the question was too overwhelming and she asked without pause. [ck] ¡°What do you mean?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I want to know why you¡¯d care about the funeral, Lord Tiwakan.¡± [ck] ¡°Is there a reason why I shouldn¡¯t?¡± [Rienne] ¡°This funeral¡­.¡± ¡­.Is happening because of you. To give peace to thoseyoukilled. [ck] ¡°I¡¯m your fianc¨¦ now, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Lord Tiwakan¨C¡± [ck] ¡°That makes your responsibilities my own. It¡¯s my duty to make sure you¡¯re safe.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± I don¡¯t get it¡­¡­.What does this man even want with me? [Rienne] ¡°Is that all it is?¡± [ck] ¡°Do you think there¡¯s something more to it?¡± That¡¯s what everyone else was saying. [Rienne] ¡°Are you truly just doing this to fulfill your obligation as my fianc¨¦? There¡¯s no other reason?¡± [ck] ¡°Why are you¡­¡± Hearing Rienne¡¯s remark, ck was about to respond before slowly frowning instead. [ck] ¡°I suppose I¡¯m still not that close to you, Princess.¡±(2) She couldn¡¯t argue. Ever since she heard Weroz¡¯s mysterious message, these incessant doubts just grew stronger by the minute. Anytime ck said or did anything, Rienne couldn¡¯t shake the idea that there was some hidden meaning behind it. [ck] ¡°Would it be easier if I said there was a reason?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Lord Tiwakan¡ª¡± ck cut off Rienne¡¯s words, his face straightening out into his usual neutral expression. [ck] ¡°In that case, then yes, I have another reason for doing this. If I deal with the funeral, then I want you to give me something, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Something¡­from me?¡± [ck] ¡°What can you offer me?¡± That¡­. Rienne had a troubled look on her face. No matter what he wanted from her, she couldn¡¯t think of anything valuable she could give him. [Rienne] ¡°¡­Given the situation in Nauk, I don¡¯t have much I can give you, Lord Tiwakan. But please know that my desire to give you something in return is true.¡± [ck] ¡°Then I want what you offered me before. I want to change rooms.¡± [Rienne] ¡°A room¡­.? You mean the bedroom you¡¯re staying in?¡± [ck] ¡°I want the room next to yours, Princess. As your fianc¨¦.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± The moment Rienne heard those words, her face paled. The room she was presently using was where generations of Nauk rulers slept. It was a ce that could not be essed directly from the hallway, but rather from the bedroom next to it. Considering they even had a shared bathroom, the two bedrooms functioned more like one. Naturally, the long empty room was always intended for use by her future husband. [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s¡­.¡± [ck] ¡°Is that a problem?¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± His intentions were obvious. If he moved into that bedroom, they¡¯d essentially be sharing a single space. Whatever Rienne did, whoever she met with¡ªhe¡¯d be the first to know everything. [Rienne] ¡°Once we¡¯re married that room will be yours, but for now¡­.¡± [ck] ¡°If we wait until the wedding then it wouldn¡¯t work as payment.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± [ck] ¡°Will you allow it?¡± Rienne closed her eyes for just a moment before opening them again. ¡­.Okay. If that¡¯s how he wants to do things. There was a reason why those rooms were built as if they were one. It was designed to keep the spouse of Nauk¡¯s ruler frommitting any acts of betrayal. If this man was nning on using this as an opportunity to watch her, then that meant she could keep an eye on him too. Whatever his true intentions were, she¡¯d find them out. [Rienne] ¡°Very well.¡± Rienne nodded. [Rienne] ¡°I will allow it, so long as you can handle the issue with the funeral. But please remember, I don¡¯t want you to kill anyone. I don¡¯t wish to see any more bloodshed in Nauk.¡± [ck] ¡°Then I¡¯ll change rooms tomorrow.¡± ck grabbed Rienne¡¯s hand. At first she thought he would just cement their agreement by taking her hand, but instead his lips found her injured finger. [ck] ¡°I¡¯ll see you tomorrow.¡± The moment she felt something touch her finger, she felt a sensation of fire pass to her. As he noticed Rienne shrink away from him, ck looked at Rienne. [ck] ¡°Take care of your hands.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± [ck] ¡°Now then.¡± ck released her hand, saying his goodbyes with his eyes rather than his words as he turned around and started walking away. What will he do¡­.? All Rienne could do was stand there, watching ck¡¯s back as he disappeared into the distance. Maybe this wasn¡¯t such a good idea. Could she truly just leave something so important regarding Nauk to him? But at the same time she couldn¡¯t help this sense of expectation she held in her heart. It was like the idea of ck failing was entirely unimaginable. . * * * . [Maslow] ¡°Ah, Princess?¡± Maslow was in the King¡¯s office. Sitting at the desk, he looked to be hard at work on something, but dropped his pen in embarrassment the moment he noticed Rienne. [Rienne] ¡°What¡¯s wrong, sir?¡± [Maslow] ¡°Weren¡¯t you supposed to be at the funeral?¡± So you came here thinking I¡¯d be away. Rienne casually nced down towards what Maslow was writing. [Rienne] ¡°The Kleinfelders disallowed me entry on ount of me being too disrespectful. I didn¡¯t even get to set foot in the Temple. But more importantly, what were you doing?¡± [Maslow] ¡°Oh¡­well¡­ I just thought we¡¯d need¡­ a letter of appointment for knighthood soon¡­.¡±(3) [Rienne] ¡°A letter of appointment?¡± [Maslow] ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Whenever he tried to talk, Maslow kept averting his gaze away from her. Obviously whatever he was doing was underhanded. [Rienne] ¡°You were nning on doing something like that without my approval?¡± [Maslow] ¡°It¡¯s¡­. what Lord Kleinfelder wished for¡­.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Of course it was. There was no one but Lord Kleinfelder who was arrogant enough to do something so brazen. [Rienne] ¡°Give it to me.¡± When Rienne reached out her hand, Maslow ashamedly shook his head. [Maslow] ¡°I was nning on showing it to you once I finished. It requires your seal, Princess¡­.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Then I¡¯ll take a look at it now.¡± [Maslow] ¡°No, you don¡¯t have to do that¡­.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Is that so?¡± [Maslow] ¡°. . .¡± [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m sure you must¡¯ve smudged the ink when you dropped your pen earlier. You¡¯d have to start over anyway, so you might as well show it to me.¡± Biting his lip, Maslow eventually relented and held out the letter he was writing. [Rienne] ¡°¡­.Hah.¡± After reading the first two lines, Rienne immediately sighed. [Rienne] ¡°Lopez Kleinfelder¡­. That¡¯s his new name now?¡± [Maslow] ¡°Princess!¡± Maslow¡¯s eyes quickly darted around in surprise. [Maslow] ¡°What would you do if someone heard you?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Ha¡­¡± Rienne let out another exasperated sigh when Maslow expressed the belief that the Tiwakan still didn¡¯t know Rafit was still alive. [Rienne] ¡°Reject it.¡± [Maslow] ¡°Princess.¡± Even though he looked flustered and off put just moments ago, suddenly Maslow¡¯s expression turned serious. [Maslow] ¡°You know what you¡¯re saying, correct?¡± [Rienne] ¡°They want to grant him the title of a knight, which in turn would allow him as an ¡®illegitimate¡¯ son to be a noble. Am I getting this right so far? The royal family must seem like quite the joke to the Kleinfelders.¡± Not just a joke but also an eyesore they needed to get rid of. [Maslow] ¡°¡­..It wouldn¡¯t be wise to say no, Princess.¡± Maslow once again tried to advise Rienne. [Maslow] ¡°You said earlier you couldn¡¯t even enter the Temple for the funeral. If Lord Kleinfelder hears you¡¯ve rejected this, things will get worse.¡± This was a reality Rienne was all too familiar with. She instinctively frowned. [Rienne] ¡°¡¯Worse¡¯ how?¡± [Maslow] ¡°Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Did he say anything specific? If I don¡¯t recognize his illegitimate son as being a member of his family, how will he make me pay, I wonder?¡± * * * T/N: (1) Reference to when she mentioned how Linden nned on weaponizing the people of Nauk through rumor mongering. (2) This phrase is literally ¡°for (the) princess¡± + (I am) distant/far away¡±, indicating that Rienne thinks of him as someone she isn¡¯t close enough with to trust in that way. It sounds awkward in English so I had to change the phrasing, but I still thought the literal trantion was interesting enough to point out. (3) A ¡°letter of appointment¡± is an official notice granting one a specific role, duty, or position as recognized by whoever is in charge. In this context, Rafit would need one in order to regain his knighthood under his new identity. astralment:oh Rafit¡­..I have no words for you, buddy. ghostment: Okay but we love a man who notices something is wrong and is instantly super willing to fix it for you. Now that¡¯s my kink. Chapter 23 - | Requiem (3) Chapter 23 | Requiem (3) . Maslow didn¡¯t want to answer that question, but that was to be expected. There was a difference between snidely giving Rienne advice versus openly talking about the kinds of atrocities the Kleinfelders were capable ofmitting. In that way, Maslow wasn¡¯tthatshameless. [Maslow] ¡°Make you pay? I didn¡¯t mean it like that.¡± [Rienne] ¡°No? Did I just imagine you saying that things will ¡®get worse¡¯?¡± [Maslow] ¡°I only meant to say that Lord Kleinfelder would be upset.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Upset enough to harm the royal family?¡± [Maslow] ¡°Harm? I-I never said that.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Easy for you to say, sir. Words leave no trace once they¡¯re said, making them far too easy to deny when it¡¯s convenient for you.¡± [Maslow] ¡°¡­.Cough.¡± At a loss for words, Maslow just awkwardly coughed. [Rienne] ¡°But I will warn you now. Though they leave no trace, you cannot take such words back once you¡¯ve spat them out.¡± [Maslow] ¡°. . .¡± Maslow decided to stay quiet. He couldn¡¯t deny the validity of Rienne¡¯s words, but that didn¡¯t mean the world would spin the way she wanted it to. Nauk was tailored to suit the taste of the Kleinfelders. Rienne knew that better than anyone. [Maslow] ¡°I¡¯ll rewrite the appointment letter.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Then please tell them I won¡¯t approve it so easily.¡± Rienne¡¯s voice was strong and resolute, but unmistakably tired. She was tired of constantly having to meet the Kleinfelder¡¯s demands but it was a circumstance she had be far too used to. Linden Kleinfelder would never give up on reinstating Rafit¡¯s status as a noble and a knight. For now, it was best to follow Maslow¡¯s advice and get something from them in return before theyshed out violently. [Rienne] ¡°Ask Lord Kleinfelder how much of the royal family¡¯s debt he¡¯s willing to forgive. We¡¯ll see how much he values hisson¡¯sstatus.¡± [Maslow] ¡°. . .¡± Maslow appeared confused, but eventually he nodded. [Rienne] ¡°Now go.¡± [Maslow] ¡°Your seal¡­.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Not until he agrees to my terms.¡± [Maslow] ¡°¡­Yes, Princess.¡± And then Maslow left. [Rienne] ¡°Hah¡­..¡± After that, Rienne released a long and heavy sigh. [Rienne] ¡°Another secret to add to the pile.¡± The situation was just asking for the Tiwakan to misunderstand. Not only did Rafit suddenly appear in her bedroom and hide there, but now he was trying to be reinstated as an official knight. That man would probably think Rienne was trying to keep her old love close to her. [Rienne] ¡°I feel awful.¡± And for some reason, Rienne didn¡¯t like that. If ck somehow came to the conclusion that she was still entangled with Rafit, it felt strangely like she was being used of something. [Rienne] ¡°¡­..What a pointless idea.¡± Rienne shook her head with bitterness in her eyes. [Rienne] ¡°I sound like someone who¡¯s afraid of getting caught having an affair. It¡¯s not like that at all.¡± More importantly, it was better to think about how ck was going to handle the funeral like he said. [Rienne] ¡°I hope no blood is shed tonight¡­.¡± . Thente at night¡­. the news came to her. No blood was spilled but there was an ident. . * * * . [Rienne] ¡°¡­..What did you just say?¡± Rienne waspletely shocked hearing the news brought to her by the guards, her lips slightly parted in surprise. It waste at night and the moon was covered by a blue haze, but strangely the bells that were supposed to toll until midnight were absent. That was when the graves were to be sealed with dirt and God was meant to descend to retrieve the souls of the deceased. [Captain] ¡°Well¡­..At first we thought it wasn¡¯t a big problem.¡± But the chain that supported the bell hanging from the tower had broken. It couldn¡¯t have snapped because of rust. Though it was old, the priests took great care to maintain it every single day. But regardless, the ident ended up causing a bit of a scene. Everyone who was able rushed to the tower and said that they needed to hang the bell again before they could proceed. And yet the funeral continued. The High Priest made the order to press on with the burial. All that remained was to take the coffins from the Temple to the cemetery in order to do it. [Captain] ¡°But then¡­.¡± As he talked, he had a look on his face that screamed disbelief. [Captain] ¡°Then a rock fell from the sky¡­..¡± [Rienne] ¡°What?¡± [Captain] ¡°I didn¡¯t believe it either but that¡¯s what the witnesses imed. A big rocked rolled down and¡­ well uh¡­..destroyedthe steps leading to the Temple.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Rienne couldn¡¯t believe it either. She didn¡¯t know how, but she knew ck was responsible. He didn¡¯t hurt anyone¡­¡­but destroyed the path instead. The only way to the reach the Temple was by taking the path of God, the steep stairs up the cliff. For that reason, the Temple waspletely isted. There was no other road they could take to get the bodies to the cemetery. That meant the funeral needed to be dyed. At least until they could rebuild the stairs. [Rienne] ¡°That¡­.doesn¡¯t make any sense.¡± In reality, that boulder was the remnants of the trickery attempted by Linden Kleinfelder. If Rienne had known that, she probably would¡¯veughed out loud hearing about it. But even though she didn¡¯t, she still felt really relieved. [Captain] ¡°Of course it doesn¡¯t make sense, Princess.¡± The new captain awkwardly swept a hand across his forehead. [Captain] ¡°Now everyone¡¯s worried that God is upset with the High Priest for attempting to do something so sphemous.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Is that true?¡± [Captain] ¡°Yes, you should see the priests, Princess. They¡¯re jumping up and down, iming it¡¯s God¡¯s wrath that brought such a tragedy down on them on the same day as the funeral.¡± Rienne quickly covered her mouth. Though the new captain didn¡¯t notice anything, Weroz would¡¯ve immediately recognized the subtle mark of a smile on Rienne¡¯s face. [Captain] ¡°And uh¡­. There¡¯s also a rumor going around that it¡¯s because you weren¡¯t allowed at the funeral, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Oh¡­.¡± And then theugh Rienne tried to hold back suddenly burst forth. [Captain] ¡°P, Princess¡­.?¡± The captain lowered his head, his mouth slightly agape as he watched Rienne¡¯s shaking shoulders. Oh¡­. What did he even do? How did he manage to do this? Did he get a sorcerer to help him or something?(1) The thing that hurt Rienne¡¯s heart the most about the situation was that she couldn¡¯t personallyfort the families of those lost during the siege. Never before had a reigning royal ignored the people who gave their lives to protect them. This would¡¯ve been the best opportunity to turn the people of Nauk against Rienne. ¡­.And yet somehow it was all being made the High Priest¡¯s fault. Not a single rumor was being counted against her. All thanks to the efforts of Lord Tiwakan¡­.. [Captain] ¡°They say God is angry¡­.. but you seem rather pleased, Princess¡­..¡± The captain murmured with a confused look on his face. [Rienne] ¡°God is only angry on my behalf.¡± [Captain] ¡°What?¡± [Rienne] ¡°The High Priest is the one who prevented me from attending the funeral.¡± [Captain] ¡°Oh. Does that mean what they said was true?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Yes. We should make that news clear. In the name of Castle Nauk¡¯s Guard, make the announcement in the square tomorrow morning.¡± [Captain] ¡°Of course, Princess.¡± Rienne spoke again with a cunning smile on her face. [Rienne] ¡°They¡¯ll need plenty of money to rebuild those stairs. I wonder what the High Priest will do.¡± [Captain] ¡°Huh? You wonder? Well¡­¡­ for that kind of construction, they¡¯ll certainly need a lot of money. But¡­.wouldn¡¯t something like that be a lot to take on?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Exactly.¡± I wonder¡­. Will Linden Kleinfelder give you all the money you need? Rienne didn¡¯t know exactly how much it would take, but no doubt it was far more than what the High Priest was already receiving from Linden. He might have no choice but to bow his head in the Castle and beg for help. [Rienne] ¡°Thank you for the good news. You are excused.¡± [Captain] ¡°Yes, Princess. Have a good night.¡± The captain took a knee in front of Rienne, showing her his respect before quickly leaving. As she sat alone in the office, things were as quiet as the dead of night, that same blue mooning into view. [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s a good thing that I stayed up sote.¡± So I was able to hear such good news. As she whispered to herself, Rienne realized something. When was thest time she¡¯d felt this good? It must¡¯ve been so long ago. Even from the times before the Tiwakan¡¯s siege on the castle, she couldn¡¯t remember thest time she¡¯d heard something worth being happy about. ¡­.Strange. It was strange that the person who made such wonderful news possible after so long was ck of all people. . * * * . It was just after Rienne had readied herself for bed and was sitting down under her covers that she heard it. Knock¡­¡­¡­knock. An awkward and quiet knock on her door. [Rienne] ¡°Is¡­ Is someone there?¡± At first, she thought she might¡¯ve misheard it. Uncertain for a moment, Rienne pulled the nket off and headed towards the door. When she put her ear to it, she heard it again¡ªjust as soft as before. Tap, tap. [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± It sounded like someone was holding their breath, too. As if the person who was knocking didn¡¯t actually expect her to answer. ¡­It must be him. Thinking that, Rienne¡¯s hands were already holding onto the door knob. [Rienne] ¡°¡­.Ah.¡± It was urring to her that she probably shouldn¡¯t open the door, but before she even had the chance to stop herself, it was already open and ck was standing right in front of her. [Rienne] ¡°Why¡­.at this hour¡­.?¡± Rienne instinctively whispered, her words trailing off as she did. [ck] ¡°Can Ie in?¡± [Rienne] ¡°You¡­.¡± She was about to say that he couldn¡¯t, but suddenly her feet were moving backwards like she was giving him space toe in. [ck] ¡°Thanks.¡± Not missing the chance, he quickly moved through the gap Rienne had created when she stepped back. Click. The door shut behind him. [Rienne] ¡°What brings you here¡­.sote at night?¡± Rienne swallowed hard as she talked. It was dark so she didn¡¯t realize it at first, but ck wasn¡¯t dressed as if he were about to visit someone¡¯s bedroom. And for whatever reason, though she thought it was dust at first, his clothes were covered in dirt and grime. Maybe he just returned to the castle? Did hee straight to her room without checking to see what he looked like? [ck] ¡°I wanted to tell you that everything¡¯s been taken care of.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± I already heard. [ck] ¡°The High Priest will be in contact tomorrow. I left no trace of my involvement, so don¡¯t worry about what he says.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­..Okay. I understand.¡± [ck] ¡°And something got broken so it¡¯ll cost some money to fix. Don¡¯t worry about that either. I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Okay.¡± [ck] ¡°And I think you should be the one to talk to him. That would be better.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I agree.¡± [ck] ¡°And¡­¡­ ¡­¡­that¡¯s all.¡± ck sounded uncharacteristically ufortable when suddenly he frowned. [ck] ¡°It¡¯s not enough.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Not¡­.enough?¡± [ck] ¡°The time.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­..?¡± [ck] ¡°I had a lot of things I needed to take care of before I got here. I must have spent more time on the cliff than I thought.¡± [Rienne] ¡°The¡­.cliff?¡± Somehow, Rienne felt like she knew what he was talking about. He was talking about the cliff behind the Temple. Considering what he did, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to take the stairs. He must¡¯ve climbed up thepletely sheer cliff in order to break the chain holding the bell. Then, while everyone was distracted, he probably prepared the boulder that he used to break the stairs. And that¡¯s why he was such a mess right now. [ck] ¡°I was nning on staying here for the rest of the day to talk to you about this¡­..but now there isn¡¯t enough time.¡± Whispering almost to himself, suddenly ck changed the subject. [ck] ¡°This means I can use the room next to this one from now on?¡± [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s¡­.¡± She didn¡¯t expect him to handle all of this so quickly. Step. Before she could answer, ck took a step closer. [ck] ¡°Can I touch you?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Where¡­.?¡¯ [ck] ¡°Anywhere is fine. Anywhere you say is okay.¡± Step. As he got closer, his form became clearer in Rienne¡¯s vision thanks to the small candle lit by her bedside. And that¡¯s when she noticed the hand he was about to ce on her cheek was also covered in dirt. [Rienne] ¡°Oh, wait¡­.¡± Rienne tilted her head away to avoid his hand. [ck] ¡°¡­..Ah.¡± The moment he saw his own hand in the light of the candle, ck realized it was filthy. [ck] ¡°You don¡¯t want to be touched by dirty hands like mine.¡± [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡± As he tried pulling his hand back, Rienne grabbed ck¡¯s wrist and guided him closer to the candle. There, the back of his hand was clearly visible. [Rienne] ¡°You¡¯re hurt.¡± [ck] ¡°¡­..?¡± It was obvious he didn¡¯t realize it himself. From the surprised look on his face, it seemed like he was just now noticing the long cut on the back of his hand. [Rienne] ¡°Did the cliff do this?¡± [ck] ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Seeing him covered in dirt and blood made her feel strange inside. In order to bring her the news that made her the happiest she¡¯d been in a long time, he mangled himself up like this. He got hurt. He got dirty. What am I even supposed to say to this? She even thought for a moment that it would fair if he really was there for revenge¡­ so long as he didn¡¯t bear any ill will towards her. Rienne knew how ridiculous of a thought that was. It was something only the Princess of Nauk could afford to think.(2) ¡­..Please let it be just a rumor. Please let both Rafit and Lord Weroz be mistaken. Please. [Rienne] ¡°Come here. I need to clean that wound first.¡± Rienne grabbed ck¡¯s wrist and began leading him towards the bathroom adjacent to the bedroom. [ck] ¡°Before that.¡± ck let her hold onto him, but didn¡¯t move to follow. Instead, he stoodpletely still and stubbornly asked his question. He was acting as if it was more important than anything else. Like nothing could be done until he heard her response. [ck] ¡°I want your answer.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Answer?¡± [ck] ¡°Can I use that room from now on?¡± Of course. That was the payment they agreed upon. [Rienne] ¡°By all means.¡± [ck] ¡°One more question.¡± Rienne waited for him to speak again. [ck] ¡°Can I touch you?¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Why does he keep asking that? [ck] ¡°After my hands are clean, obviously.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­.After your wound is taken care of, rather.¡± [ck] ¡°Okay.¡± It wasn¡¯t until then that ck finally followed after her. . * * * T/N: (1) Literally ¡°Did (a) magic user help (that) man?¡± Basically a joke that what he achieved was so unbelievable, he must¡¯ve had some magical force helping him. (2) The text implies she knows it to be a selfish thought because even if she as princess was safe, a lot of other people would suffer, hence it¡¯sing from a ce of privilege to think that. astralment: ck seems really big on the idea of consent¡­. except for¡­. you know, theentirefirst part of the story lmao.Novels are only fun if I get to clown on the ML. ghostment: I kinda love him though ngl Chapter 24 - Requiem ( Chapter 24 | Requiem (4) . They were lucky there was still water left in the bathroom. Rienne took the dampened cloth and started using it to clean the wound. The candle¡¯s wick was short, the me itself nearly going out several times as it flickered. But Rienne¡¯s eyes already adjusted to the darkness, so she could easily see things if they were close enough. [Rienne] ¡°It must have hurt.¡± And now she could see the wound was no small thing. The severity of it was hard to realize because his hands were so big but if Rienne had the same injury, no one would question how serious it was. [ck] ¡°I didn¡¯t notice.¡± [Rienne] ¡°How could you not notice something like this?¡± [ck] ¡°¡­..I must¡¯ve been in a hurry.¡± It was hard to imagine such a man actually in a hurry. He looked like he was built like a boulder or a tree. No matter the conditions, rain or wind, he seemed like he would never be shaken. I didn¡¯t think there was anything in this world that would actually make him rush like that. [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯d be for the best if you applied Tiwakan medicine to this wound. It would work better.¡± After carefully cleaning the wound of all dirt and blood, Rienne thought for a moment before asking. [Rienne] ¡°Would you like to wash your face as well?¡± Once his hands were cleared of all dirt, his face only appeared like more of a mess. [ck] ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­..Yes.¡± ck took a deep breath before finally answering. [Rienne] ¡°Thene a little closer.¡± His face was much farther away than his hand. ck quickly got closer and stuck out his face to her. [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s too¡­.¡± Too¡­ too close. While Rienne¡¯s voice barely escaped her, ck settle down with his knees on the floor. [ck] ¡°Is this good?¡± ¡­.He¡¯s still really close. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯ll do it quickly.¡± Then, Rienne started gently wiping his face, starting with somewhere that wasn¡¯t that dirty to avoid staining the cloth. ¡­.I shouldn¡¯t have offered to do it for him. Maybe it would¡¯ve been better if she told him to step back a little. Was it because the candle was burning too bright? For some reason, Rienne could see him crystal clearly. ¡­¡­He really is handsome. [Rienne] ¡°Close your eyes, please.¡± The second Rienne realized she was looking at him closely, she realized that he was looking at her too. From this distance, his ice-like gaze felt like all too much. And he didn¡¯t even look like he was blinking. [ck] ¡°Why?¡± [Rienne] ¡°You¡¯re¡­..too close.¡± [ck] ¡°Even if I wasn¡¯t, you¡¯d still look the same.¡± No, it was different. When they¡¯re this close, nothing could ever be safely hidden. If he looked too closely, everything Rienne felt when she saw him¡ªall the confusion, admiration, and bewilderment¡ªhe¡¯d see all of it. [Rienne] ¡°Still, please close your eyes.¡± After that, ck murmured slowly. [ck] ¡°¡­¡­¡­..I don¡¯t want to.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What?¡± [ck] ¡°I don¡¯t want to do that.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Where was all this stubbornnessing from? Rienne wasn¡¯t sure if water had gotten into her eyes or something, but her lips tightened together as she struggled to see in front of her, rubbing the cloth perhaps a little too hard. Drip. [Rienne] ¡°Ah¡­.!¡± But Rienne only ended up surprising herself. As the hair around his forehead was swept away, suddenly blood began to drip down from his forehead. [Rienne] ¡°You¡¯re hurt here too!¡± In a panic, Rienne started brushing his hair out of the way. She thought it was just mud that got caked up, but it was all dried blood. It made the wound on his hand look like nothing. [Rienne] ¡°Did this somehow escape your notice, too?¡± [ck] ¡°I knew about this one. I just thought it would be fine since the bleeding stopped.¡± And if Rienne hadn¡¯t agitated it, the bleeding wouldn¡¯t have started up again. [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± I guess that makes this one my fault. Rienne¡¯s hands paused, filled with remorse. [Rienne] ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have touched it.¡± [ck] ¡°No.¡± As Rienne¡¯s hand was stopped midair, ck grabbed it and pinned it to his face. [ck] ¡°Keep going. It doesn¡¯t hurt.¡± ¡­¡­.There¡¯s no way it doesn¡¯t hurt. [Rienne] ¡°Let go of me, please. You need to clean that wound with water.¡± [ck] ¡°Are you going to do it for me?¡± Honestly, what¡¯s going on with him? He should be able to handle something like this on his own¡­. Ah, but he hurt his hand, didn¡¯t he? With a wound like that, Rienne couldn¡¯t ask him to do it by himself. Thinking that, she gave a soft nod. [Rienne] ¡°Yes, if you let me go.¡± [ck] ¡°. . .¡± Eventually, he relented and Rienne¡¯s hands were freed. Rienne put the cloth down and began leading him towards the water basin. [Rienne] ¡°You¡¯ll need to close your eyes.¡± ck obediently lowered his head down near the basin and Rienne got to work cleaning the wound. Immediately, she saw the blood spreading throughout the water as soon as it rolled off of him. You¡¯re terribly hurt¡­.. Why on earth would you leave such a serious wound alone? Why would youe straight here instead of getting it treated first? Rienne continued to touch him with caution. All that was heard in the air was the sshing sound of water and the asional soft breath. The two meshed mysteriously in the soft glow of the candlelight. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m almost done. Just a little bit longer.¡± It was difficult to see the injury since the light was so dim. As soon as Rienne wished it was lighter, the candle lit up brighter for just a moment as if to give her false hope. [Rienne] ¡°Okay, I think that¡¯s it¡­. Ah.¡± But it was just a moment. Suddenly, the candle went out. The smell of the burnt out wick danced around Rienne¡¯s nose as the candle¡¯sst embers faded, burning the brightest in its final moments. [Rienne] ¡°The candle went out.¡± [ck] ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± That room where the darkness consumed everything carried a different kind of energy. With every other sense eliminated, suddenly her hearing intensified, every sound tickling her skin. Even ck¡¯s low voice echoed out in the room, hitting her ears like a vast tidal wave hitting her ankles. [Rienne] ¡°What is¡­¡­.?¡± [ck] ¡°The candle went out right after I finished.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­..?¡± [ck] ¡°You said I could touch you after I was clean.¡± [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡­¡­Can I ask why, though?¡± [ck] ¡°It¡¯s not that important.¡± Swish. The sound of ck reaching out towards her made her skin prickle, and Rienne breathed in harshly before he even touched her. Slip. With how dark it was, she thought it would take him a minute to find her but ck quickly wrapped his arms around Rienne¡¯s waist. Sitting on his knees, he rested his head against her chest as his hair tickled her skin. Rienne was so immediately flustered that she didn¡¯t know what to do with her hands. Eventually, she awkwardly settled them on ck¡¯s head. It wasn¡¯t the first time she¡¯d had him in her arms, but things felt weirdly different right now. It was embarrassing. ¡­..Was it because it was dark? Lots of people tend to act differently when they can¡¯t see anything. [Rienne] ¡°But¡­.there must be a reason why¡­.¡± [ck] ¡°When the rock fell and hit my head¡­..¡± ck spoke slowly, still holding onto Rienne. [ck] ¡°Suddenly it came to me¡­ that it would be nice to touch you, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s¡­..a little strange.¡± [ck] ¡°I agree. I¡¯ve never felt like this when I¡¯ve gotten hurt in the past.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Rienne thought back to the sight of those massive rocks falling from the cliff side. It waspletely unthinkable to imagine that the only thought ck had in that dizzying moment was of her. But why would think that? He wasn¡¯t bringing it up, but he could¡¯ve easily died. Rienne didn¡¯t understand why he wanted this so badly, but that reason alone made her want to indulge him. [Rienne] ¡°It must¡¯ve been dangerous.¡± Without even thinking about it, Rienne started gently running her fingers through his hair. [ck] ¡°¡­¡­My injuries aren¡¯t that serious.¡± [Rienne] ¡°But still.¡± The two of them stayed like that in the dark for a while. They werepletely silent, save for the sound of Rienne¡¯s hand stroking ck¡¯s head echoing out in that small, dark room. It¡¯s much softer than it looks. Eventually, Rienne realized how she was touching his hair but she didn¡¯t stop herself. I thought it would be rougher than this.(1) This man had so many different sides to him. If Rienne could take away anything from today, it was that. She never thought he¡¯d so readily risk his life just to do something for her. If he could surprise her in that way, maybe he could surprise her in other ways too. If she took the time to know him, maybe she¡¯d realize things were different from how they seemed.(2) Everyone said what this man desired was revenge, but that could very well be untrue. [ck] ¡°¡­.Different from what I thought.¡± Then, ck whispered a sentiment very simr to her own. Rienne¡¯s hand stopped. [Rienne] ¡°What is?¡± [ck] ¡°You are, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°How so?¡± [ck] ¡°Before, whenever I asked to touch you, you would just stand still and endure it.¡± [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s¡­..¡± [ck] ¡°So I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d touch me on your own.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± [ck] ¡°And I didn¡¯t know how happy it would make me when you did.¡± Stopping Rienne with his words, ck tilted his head and looked up at her. [ck] ¡°I¡¯m d I got hurt.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Rienne stopped breathing. All she could do was watch as he took her hand that was just caressing his head and pressed his lips against it, giving it a soft and gentle kiss. . * * * . It was just as they expected. With a pale face, the High Priest immediately came to the castle. ording to him, because the stairs to the Temple were destroyed, he had no choice but to tie a rope to his body and rappel from the top. Apparently he made a few mistakes on the way down, and he seriously thought he was going to die. [High Priest] ¡°It¡¯s all God¡¯s wrath!¡± The High Priest screamed out. Rienne raised an eyebrow and held back her irritation. The Temple was a hot spot when it came to gossip. Rumors spread quickly there. He must be aware that after the stairs copsed, people were spreading rumors that God was angry that he disallowed Rienne from attending the funeral. Now he was shouting loudly in an attempt to counteract it. [High Priest] ¡°It¡¯s all because those disgusting and filthy Tiwakan are defiling ournd with our presence!¡± Sitting in the reception room, Rienne frowned and pressed a finger against her temple. [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s not what I heard.¡± [High Priest] ¡°What? Are you denying the word of God, Princess?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m just saying what I heard. They say God is angry because I wasn¡¯t present at the funeral. Since it was you who made that order, doesn¡¯t that make God¡¯s wrathyourfault, High Priest?¡± [High Priest] ¡°How dare you!? Who would spread such a lie about God¡­!?¡± [Rienne] ¡°If God were truly upset with the Tiwakan, they would be the ones facing punishment. And yet, the Temple¡¯s staircase was destroyed¡­. Aren¡¯t God¡¯s intentions clear in this case?¡± [High Priest] ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The High Priest was at a loss for words, his mouth agape. He didn¡¯t think Rienne would bare her fangs like this. He¡¯s not a very bright man, is he,Rienne thought as the High Priest struggled to pick his jaw off the floor. If this was the angle he was nning, then he should have at least brought some evidence to incriminate the Tiwakan. ck probably climbed the cliff out of sight in anticipation for something like this. Things like that made Rienne remember how decisive and astute of a person he was. [High Priest] ¡°It makes nothing clear.¡± After a long while, the High Priest finally stuttered out his argument. [High Priest] ¡°Why would God be angered by the faithful children? We¡¯re only being encouraged to rid ourselves of bad seeds, don¡¯t you think?¡± His words were echoed by the swath of priests he brought with him. [Priests] ¡°Indeed.¡± Without question, the priests immediately voiced their support. [High Priest] ¡°So don¡¯t be fooled by those rumors, Princess. God doesn¡¯t hesitate to punish those guilty of carelessness.¡± [Priests] ¡°Indeed.¡± Rienne just shook her head at them, her face looking a little tired. [Rienne] ¡°Hah¡­..¡± Though it was true she was feeling a little spent since this morning. It was all because she stayed up tootest night. She spent far too much time in that dark room. ck eventually stood up and took Rienne in his arms again. Unlike before when he was sitting, it was a different kind of hug that engulfed her entire body. When it first happened, Rienne felt like she couldn¡¯t breathe but it was only for a moment. Over time, it started to feel like that embrace was made just for her. It was such aforting feeling that made her feel as though everything would be okay. By the time they managed to part, the light of dawn had already set in. Rienne was surprised how quickly time flew. Even though they were doing nothing, she was amazed how it never felt boring or dull when they were together. What¡¯s going on with me? Whenever she was with him, she always seemed to lose track of the time. It was the first time she¡¯d ever met someone who could do that to her. [High Priest] ¡°¡­¡­So that God will¡­¡­. Never¡­¡­. Again¡­¡­¡­ Princess? ¡­..Princess!¡± While Rienne was lost in thought, thinking about something entirely different, suddenly the High Priest¡¯s voice rose in volume and interrupted her. [Rienne] ¡°¡­..Go on.¡± Rienne came to her senses, slightly turning her head towards the High Priest. Her expression was so calm, the High Priest found no fault in it. [Rienne] ¡°And? What is it you came here for?¡± The High Priest likely wanted to say that the steep price to repair the stairs could not be paid for by the Temple. [High Priest] ¡°You must make an offering so that something like this will never happen again. And the ungodliness and filth of the Tiwakan must be punished.¡± [Rienne] ¡°And how do you propose I do that?¡± He¡¯s just here to spew more nonsense, again. Who else could even do that? The High Priest and the Kleinfelders just sat back and told Rienne what to do. Their audacity was almost impressive. They never intended to leave Rienne alone. They didn¡¯t seem to realize that Rienne¡¯s existence was the only thinking keeping this kingdom safe, as it always has been. Completely oblivious, the High Priest proudly spoke his absurdities. [High Priest] ¡°Dy your marriage.¡± * * * T/N: (1) There¡¯s no subject here so this phrase as well as the one about it being ¡®soft¡¯ can have a double meaning. Rienne is talking about both his hair and his personality/character. (2) Literally ¡®to experience/understand something¡¯. The literal trantion is a bit ( ?¡ã ?? ?¡ã) in English, so we had to rephrase it lol. Note: they named the High Priest ¡°Milrod¡± previously, but they refer to him as ¡°the High Priest¡± throughout the chapter, so I stuck with it. astralment: You know when dogs put their little heads on your leg or something cause they want you to pet them? That¡¯s all I could think about this chapter. ghost: the soft vibes in this chapter are immacte. Chapter 25 - Requiem (5) Chapter 25 | Requiem (5) trantor/editor: astralmech | editor: ghost . * * * [Rienne] ¡°What?¡± He wants her to dy the wedding? Did he even know what he was saying? How could he think such a thing was even possible? [High Priest] ¡°No wedding can be allowed until thedy of Nauk absolves herself of her sins. If you ignore the will of God, no doubt a great tragedy will ur.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Do you know what you are asking of me?¡± Rienne clenched her fists and bit back. Her actions didn¡¯t escape the High Priest¡¯s notice, but still he pressed on. [High Priest] ¡°The will of God is insurmountable, Princess. You must know this.¡± [Rienne] ¡°And you, High Priest Milrod, must know you are disgracing the royal family by iming to know God¡¯s will.¡± The High Priest let out a huff of air hearing Rienne¡¯s calm yet sarcastic words. [High Priest] ¡°I am a servant of God. As such, I represent God¡¯s ideals, daughter of Arsak.¡± [Rienne] ¡°And what exactly did God say to you? Did you perhaps receive a vision in your dreams telling you to prevent the wedding?¡± [High Priest] ¡°You¡­¡­ how could you be so dismissive of God? It¡¯s bing clearer and clearer that the trial set before the people of Nauk is to punish you, daughter of Arsak!¡± The High Priest would never have dared to say something like this to her in the past. This felt off. It was like he was trying to drive Rienne into a corner. While she didn¡¯t know for certain, Rienne had a sinking suspicion that the High Priest was sent here by the Kleinfelders to try and stop the wedding by any means necessary. This was never about fixing the stairs. It was always about the wedding. [Rienne] ¡°Watch yourself, High Priest. This isn¡¯t the Temple. You¡¯re in my castle now.¡± Rienne was good at keeping a calm face, even as she held back her anger through clenched fists. But this time, she couldn¡¯t hold it back anymore. [Rienne] ¡°The royal castle isn¡¯t bound by religiousw. I have the right to punish those who dare use their tongues to insult the royal family.¡± [High Priest] ¡°Unfortunately, you cannot marry without the permission of God¡ª¡° Just as the High Priest started talking¡ª [ck] ¡°I¡¯mte.¡± Boom! The sound of the reception room door cried out into the air as ck pushed them open with both hands. * * * . [High Priest] ¡°T..th..that¡­..¡± The High Priests face quickly turned a sickly yellow color. [High Priest] ¡°W¡­why¡­.why would a mercenary¡­.be here¡­¡­¡­¡± Immediately Rienne almost reflexively sighed. Thinking about it, the High Priest probably didn¡¯t see something like thising. He likely just followed along with the Kleinfelders, letting them push his back to the castle¡ªinsisting this man wouldn¡¯t be able to interrupt the meeting. [Rienne] ¡°Wee, Lord Tiwakan. Please, take a seat.¡± But instead of correcting the High Priest, Rienne invited ck to her side. The act made official his position as the Princess¡¯ betrothed as well as the leader of the Arsak family¡¯s Guardian Knights. ck quickly realized Rienne¡¯s intentions. Without a single word, he took the seat right by Rienne. He was so silent when it did it that it felt like the most natural thing in the world. As if it was only right. [Rienne] ¡°Now where were we? Ah, right. You were saying that God wanted you to sabotage the wedding. Did he happen to tell you how long we needed to put it off?¡± [The High Priest] ¡°I¡­..¡± The High Priest paused and averted his eyes. He couldn¡¯t even begin to look in ck¡¯s direction, who was just sitting next to Rienne. ¡­..It¡¯s working. Though she didn¡¯t realize it, Rienne gave a bitter smile. She was happy to see the High Priest so flustered and put off, but she couldn¡¯t help but find his sudden and obvious change in attitude a little bothersome. It just proved how little the High Priest thought of her¨C that he saw her as someone who was easy to push around. [High Priest] ¡°The wedding will happen¡­.once God allows it¡­..¡± [Rienne] ¡°And how will we know when that is?¡± [High Priest] ¡°A-as a servant of God, their words will speak through me¡­¡­¡± [ck] ¡°So in the end, you¡¯re the problem after all.¡±(1) [High Priest] ¡°Hu¡­h?¡± The High Priest swallowed hard. ck idly tapped the armrest of his chair with his fingers, the sound making the High Priest shakily raise his head up towards him. Then as soon as he met that cold gaze, his body became like a statue. [ck] ¡°I will give you a choice. Either you use that mouth of yours to give us permission, or I will force it out of you.¡± [High Priest] ¡°. . .¡± The High Priest¡¯s jaw stiffened. It wasn¡¯t immediately clear if he understood the implications of those words or if he was simply surprised he, as the High Priest, was being shown no respect. [ck] ¡°I must¡¯ve phrased it too kindly. Then I¡¯ll say it again. Open your mouth on your own or I will tear you apart.¡± [High Priest] ¡°Wha-what¡­.. How dare you!¡± Finally the High Priest found his voice, loud enough to make the entire reception room shake. But in the end, it was all just words. ck looked down at him, his fingers still tapping the armrest. [ck] ¡°Quiet.¡± [High Priest] ¡°¡­¡­?¡± [ck] ¡°Don¡¯t raise your voice in the presence of royalty.¡± [High Priest] ¡°. . .¡± [ck] ¡°Make your choice. Your own will or be torn to pieces.¡± [High Priest] ¡°. . .¡± It wasn¡¯t that the High Priest¡¯s jaw had stiffened. He just couldn¡¯t speak. He was terrified of ever allowing his voice to echo out in the room again. [ck] ¡°If you don¡¯t choose, then I will.¡± Tap. ck hit the armrest in a rhythmic pattern. Tap. Tap. Tap. As soon as he heard the third sound, the High Priest squeezed out his voice. [High Priest] ¡°You can¡¯t do this! You can¡¯t do something like this to a servant of God¡­¡­!¡± But that was all he could manage. As if those rhythmic sounds were a signal, the doors to the reception hall mmed shut. [High Priest] ¡°Wait!¡± Quickly, the High Priest as well as the priests he brought with him turned their backs, but the firmly shut door remained closed. [High Priest] ¡°Princess, open the door!¡± Amidst all of that, Rienne was the only person the High Priest could cling onto. A savage might be incapable ofmunicating normally, but Rienne wasn¡¯t. Even the royal family of Nauk had no right to make a fool of a servant of God like this. [High Priest] ¡°Princess!¡± [ck] ¡°If she wants me to open it, then I will.¡± ck spoke slowly in his usual emotionless voice. It made him terribly hard to understand, but even so, one thing was abundantly clear. Rienne was the only person capable of the controlling the leader of the Tiwakan. [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­.Thank you for the offer, but we¡¯re still in the middle of a conversation. It would be best if we kept it closed until we¡¯ve figured things out.¡± Rienne was aware of that as well. More specifically, she was aware what ck was trying to make clear to the High Priest. As long as the Tiwakan were present, the High Priest could never speak with such disrespect towards Rienne as he did before. No, not just that. If he wanted to leave safely, then he needed Rienne to help him, for the leader of the Tiwakan would never open those doors unless she asked him to. [Rienne] ¡°Now then, let¡¯s talk properly. Why must we dy the wedding?¡± [High Priest] ¡°. . .¡± Like iron, the High Priest¡¯s facepletely hardened. Never again would he say that the marriage needed to be dyed because God couldn¡¯t tolerate the Tiwakan¡¯s defiled existence. . * * * . After that, the conversation ended without any major concerns. By the end of their talk, the High Priest had be like a different person. He only ever nodded obediently before quickly leaving. Though of course, there was a price. ck agreed to pay the full cost of repairing the steps to the Temple. Only then could the High Priest officiate their vows, as per the duty afforded his position. The funeral that was interrupted was set to bepleted that evening in Castle Nauk¡¯s chapel, with a group of Tiwakan mercenaries being tasked to move the coffins. Something like that made it impossible for anyone, let alone the High Priest, to im that God couldn¡¯t tolerate the ¡®filthy¡¯ Tiwakan. If the ¡®filthy¡¯ didn¡¯t carry the coffins, then the bodies would be left to rot in the Temple until the stairs were fixed. Rienne was a bit surprised by the oue. It was the first time she¡¯d ever negotiated things so one-sidedly, not making a single concession. [Rienne] ¡°This was a bit unexpected.¡± Once the High Priest and his retinue ran off with their tails between their legs, only Rienne and ck remained in the reception hall. [Rienne] ¡°I didn¡¯t realize the High Priest was such a coward.¡± The bitter smile on Rienne¡¯s face revealed so much of all she¡¯d been through. [ck] ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re pleased with the results.¡± ¡®Pleased¡¯ didn¡¯t seem like the right word. It was too weak of an expression to describe how Rienne felt right now. [Rienne] ¡°But I think you agreed to take on too much financial burden.¡± Rienne added, looking up at ck. It was something that had been on her mind the entire time. [Rienne] ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have to pay for all of that, even if the High Priest was insisting on dying the wedding.¡± [ck] ¡°It¡¯s fine. I have enough to spend on whatever I want.¡± [Rienne] ¡°But still¡­..¡± It was toorge of a cost to speak of it so casually. [ck] ¡°Would it be rude of me to tell you not to worry about money in the future?¡± Rienne thought for a moment before replying. [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­No.¡± Nauk¡¯s financial hardships were far too long standing to be prideful when it came to that. Rienne wasn¡¯t even sure how much longer they¡¯d be able tost. Over the past year, all she could do was try and get through, day by day¡ªpraying for more rain. [Rienne] ¡°I don¡¯t think it is.¡± [ck] ¡°Then don¡¯t worry.¡± It was amazing to hear him say that so easily. That was probably why Rienne was starting to misunderstand him. She was actually starting to think he was a good person. That he was truly on her side and was doing what he could to help her. But what does he stand to gain by risking so much to ensure this wedding happens? [ck] ¡°¡­¡­If you can, that is.¡± Rienne pushed down her feelings and simply nodded. If Weroz returned, anything ck was trying to hide would be revealed anyway. Then¡­.until that happens¡­..I think it¡¯s okay to keep feeling reassuredby him. Just for a little bit longer, at least. [Rienne] ¡°Thank you, Lord Tiwakan. It¡¯s because of you that everything in regards to the funeral and the wedding is being dealt with so smoothly.¡± [ck] ¡°. . .¡± Rienne¡¯s thanks towards ck was sincere. She meant every word. But instead of speaking to her in kind, he stayed quiet and stared intently at Rienne. [Rienne] ¡°Is¡­..everything alright?¡± [ck] ¡°Interesting.¡±(2) [Rienne] ¡°What do you mean?¡± [ck] ¡°I want to hear you say it again. I want to know if you¡¯re being serious.¡± ¡­.Was my thanks insufficient? [Rienne] ¡°You have my sincerest thanks. I mean this honestly and truly.¡± [ck] ¡°Not that. I¡¯m taking about the wedding.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Was there something wrong?¡± [ck] ¡°Is it true you don¡¯t want to dy it?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Of course I¡­¡­. Ah.¡± Just a second toote, Rienne realized the meaning behind his words. At some point, she had started to treat the wedding as something that would happen no matter what. As Rienne¡¯s words stopped, her lips slightly parted, ck¡¯s eyes scanned over her face. It was like he was looking for any sign of a lie hidden on her face. [ck] ¡°Of course?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Of course¡­..I don¡¯t want to dy it.¡± [ck] ¡°. . .¡± At Rienne¡¯s answer, ck thought for a moment before his mouth began to tug on either side. Oh¡­. Now Rienne was the one staring. He¡¯s smiling. It was such a small change but the difference was too much for Rienne. I¡¯ve never seen him make that face before. [ck] ¡°Then it¡¯s not a waste of money. ck said as his smile lingered. This man could say something like that¡­ withthatkind of face. It made it look like he was actually happy to marry her. The idea made her feel¡­ strange. At this rate, Rienne reallywouldstart to misunderstand him. Thinking he¡¯s a good person is one thing¡­. ..But to think he might actually like me? . Now, the wedding was only a few days away. . * * * . [Linden] ¡°That idiot!¡± m! Linden couldn¡¯t contain his anger and mmed his fist against the table, shaking the ink bottle and spilling ink all over. Rafit nced down at the dirty table, but kept quiet. Eventually Linden gritted his teeth and straightened out the fallen ink bottle. [Linden] ¡°He couldn¡¯t solve such a simple matter of dying the wedding? Something like that should be easy for a High Priest!¡± Step. Linden got up, circling the ink-stained table and pacing around the room. [Linden] ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. We need to find someone else who can do this properly.¡± He brought up the nonsense idea of recing the High Priest so casually that Rafit frowned and quickly looked up at him. [Rafit] ¡°What was that, uncle?¡± [Linden] ¡°My business with him is concluded. He is of no further use to me.¡± [Rafit] ¡°And how do you n on recing the High Priest?¡± [Linden] ¡°What are you on about? Something like that is simple for our family.¡± The High Priest of Nauk was a permanent position. Only when the present High Priest died could another one be selected. What Linden Kleinfelder was trying to say was that he wanted to kill the present High Priest¡­and that he had done so in the past as well. * * * T/N: (1) During this section, he refers to the High Priest as being a ¡®mouth¡¯, as in the mouth of God. Because of that, most of the threats were rooted in ¡°opening the mouth¡± or having it forced open instead. None of that makes sense or sounds good in English without over exining, so most of it had to be rewritten, but the energy is still there. (2) He uses a term meaning something that is both a little unbelievable but also amazing. astralment: Does this count as Rienne¡¯s fan-fiction italicizedohmoment? ghostment: Like to talk to the artist about not making the CG of this chapter our man¡¯s smile ;_; Chapter 26 - Doubt Chapter 26 | Doubt . Rafit looked at his uncle with a displeased expression. [Rafit] ¡°Since¡­¡­.Since when has our family been like this?¡± Linden clicked his tongue at his nephew, who had a confused and dumbfounded look on his face. [Linden] ¡°Have you really been so ignorant all this time?¡± [Rafit] ¡°Even without resorting to that kind of thing, the Kleinfelders would still be the most powerful family in Nauk.¡± [Linden] ¡°It¡¯sbecausewe¡¯ve done these things that you¡¯ve been able to live sofortably, so really you should be thanking me. And the most powerful, you say? While the throne sits in the hands of the wrong family?¡± [Rafit] ¡°Are you that desperate to control Nauk? That position belongs to Princess Rienne! Do you have any idea what kind of humiliation and pain she¡¯s suffered because of it?¡± [Linden] ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean it belongs to her. She¡¯s just a child who doesn¡¯t even know how to wield her power correctly.¡± It was the Kleinfelders that controlled the flow of things, with their hands firmly nted around the High Priest¡¯s neck. [Linden] ¡°Remember that the High Priest must change.¡± [Rafit] ¡°. . .¡± Rafit¡¯s face turned tired. [Rafit] ¡°What are you even nning on doing?¡± [Linden] ¡°If he cannot fix this problem¡­..¡± The Kleinfelders had all the means they needed to get someone out of the picture. The difficult part was that their target was the High Priest. [Linden] ¡°¡­..Then we just need to find someone who can.¡± But truthfully, that wasn¡¯t a problem for Linden. To him, recing the High Priest with the right person was more important¡ªa task far above all else. [Rafit] ¡°I¡¯m telling you, you can¡¯t do this. What will you do if this gets out? How will you deal with the consequences of harming a High Priest?¡± [Linden] ¡°This is your biggest w.¡± Linden stared at his nephew, an exasperated sigh escaping him. [Linden] ¡°You are far too soft and weak. That¡¯s why your woman was so easily taken from you.¡± The words were much too pointed, piercing Rafit with precision like the tip of a sharp spear. [Rafit] ¡°Uncle!¡± Immediately, Rafit understandably lost control, showing his anger. [Rafit] ¡°She wasn¡¯t taken from me. I know Rienne still loves me.¡± Rafit was moments away from losing his head over this. In Linden¡¯s eyes, his nephew appeared pathetic.(1) [Linden] ¡°You couldn¡¯t keep a handle on a single woman and now this is how things have turned out. Now that the High Priest is on their side, there¡¯s no chance the wedding will be dyed.¡± [Rafit] ¡°I can fix this.¡± [Linden] ¡°How?¡± [Rafit] ¡°. . .¡± After a quiet moment, Linden had an idea. It was a thought he immediately clung to with the cunning of a snake. [Linden] ¡°If the High Priest were to pass away, a new one would need to be selected. In the meantime, there would need to be a funeral. With no one avable to officiate, of course no wedding could possibly be held. Do you understand what I¡¯m saying?¡± Something like that would buy them plenty of time. Rafit¡¯s face stiffened. [Linden] ¡°Today¡¯s a good day, I think. The path to the grave site will be rather dark.¡± And darkness was the perfect cover for such a heinous deed. [Linden] ¡°Just remember. Think about what the right thing to do would be. Or rather¡­what would be most beneficial to you.¡± [Rafit] ¡°. . .¡± . . Like the early morning view of the moon, a dark plot brewed in the earliest hour. . * * * . The destruction of the Temple stairs left a significant impact on the people. Among those people was an old man¡ª a devastated beggar who once traveled to the Temple every day for bread and water, given to him by the priests. [Beggar] ¡°. . .¡± The old beggar stood still, staring at the copsed stairs. His one eye looked especially zed over, covered by his dirty, overhanging hair. Though he had two arms, the beggar couldn¡¯t use one of his hands. His legs were in no better condition. His destroyed left foot would shakily fall to the ground whenever he used his cane to help him walk. The fact that he used such a body to climb up those stairs was nothing short of a miracle. [Mercenary] ¡°You there! It¡¯s dangerous here, you gotta move out of the way!¡± Someone¡¯s voice shouted loudly towards the old man. It was a Tiwakan mercenary. He was part of the group sent to retrieve the coffins from the Temple. Normally, someone like that would attract a lot of attention, but surprisingly the front of the Temple waspletely empty. The people of Nauk were still terrified of the Tiwakan. A lot of them believed maintaining eye contact with one of them was a quick way to get your head removed. But the old beggar stared at them without reserve, standing in the middle of the road the entire time. It made them wonder if he hadn¡¯t heard the rumor or if he had simply lost his mind. At first the mercenaries paid him no mind, but as the coffins began their descent, he eventually started to get in the way. [Beggar] ¡°He¡­¡­¡± Instead of leaving as he was told, the beggar approached the mercenary, trying to talk as he did. His voice was heavy with phlegm, like it was boiling in his throat, making him hard to understand. [Mercenary] ¡°What?¡± The beggar struggled to lift his shaky hand, pointing off somewhere. And the one caught in that old man¡¯s pointed fingertip was ck, sat upon his deeply colored horse. [Beggar] ¡°Who¡­..¡± [Mercenary] ¡°Huh? What¡­.?¡± [Beggar] ¡°Wh¡­o¡­..¡± Though the old man couldn¡¯t use his mouth as well as his hands and feet, the mercenary could vaguely understand what he was trying to say. He looked back and forth between the old man¡¯s pointed finger and ck. The Tiwakan were known for being a fighting force more ruthless than anyone else on the battlefield. But for all their brutality, even they had rules they kept amongst themselves. One such rule was that they were never allowed to kill an unarmed person without cause or permission. The old man didn¡¯t seem to recognize ck, and although the mercenary thought the question was a little strange, he decided to answer for that reason alone. He just assumed the old beggar¡¯s eyes weren¡¯t working very well. [Mercenary] ¡°That man is the leader of the Tiwakan, but to those of us who use that name, he is our God.¡± [Beggar] ¡°. . .¡± [Mercenary] ¡°Now that you know, you should get out of here. You¡¯re in the way.¡± But the old man didn¡¯t move. His eyes were frozen on ck, as if he were in some kind of trance. [Mercenary] ¡°Hey, you need to move.¡± He couldn¡¯t even hear the mercenary¡¯s words. His lips, covered with the grey hairs of his beard, were trembling. Quietly, he whispered something entirely inaudible. Have you finally returned? Nauk¡¯s sin. The blood that didn¡¯t spill that day. Have youe to finish it¡­.? . . It was twenty-one years ago that the old beggar first arrived in Nauk. And it was twenty-one years ago when the nine waterfalls dried up, bringing with them the signs of an unending drought. . * * * . The time had finallye to head to the chapel. Rienne, dressed in her mourning clothing, reced the decorations in her hair with that of a ck rose. Mrs. mbard thought she looked nice like that, but said nothing out of respect for the funeral. That day, the gates to the castle would be open. The funeral was originally going to be at the Temple, but now it was at the royal chapel, giving even more people the opportunity to attend. The amount of people heading towards the chapel didn¡¯t escape Rienne¡¯s notice either. [Rienne] ¡°I think things will be more crowded than they were before.¡± At Rienne¡¯s whisper, Mrs. mbard nodded. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°It wouldn¡¯t surprise me. Everyone¡¯s curious.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What¡­oh¡­¡± In the middle of her sentence, Rienne bitterly shut her mouth. Everyone would be curious about her reaction, is what she was going to say. They all still thought Rafit was dead, and now they were curious to see Rienne show up to the funeral of her dead lover in the arms of her new fianc¨¦. The whole situation was messy. They might even say terrible things about ck and the Tiwakan, and she couldn¡¯t discount the possibility of the Kleinfelders trying to start something, stoking the mes and encouraging such terrible words. [Rienne] ¡°I should warn Lord Tiwakan.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°If you can¡¯t stop them, best if you tell him beforehand. He¡¯ll be less angry that way.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­..Really?¡± Though for some reason, Rienne couldn¡¯t imagine him ever getting angry, even if someone threw the harshest curses they could at him. Now I think about it, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen him get angry before. But even so, whenever she thought about him, fear, among many other emotions were at the forefront of her mind. ¡­..I¡¯m acting so strangelytely. She didn¡¯t hate him, but though she didn¡¯t fear him, she still felt scared. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°What are you thinking about so deeply, Princess?¡± After thinking about that person for a long time, Mrs. mbard tugged at the cloth of Rienne¡¯s dress. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Watch your step. The road here is uneven. You¡¯ll fall if you¡¯re not careful.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­.Ah.¡± Before she knew it, Rienne had alreadye close to the chapel. She thought she was only thinking for a moment, but the time disappeared, like it always did when that man was involved. [Rienne] ¡°I know. I need to pull myself together¡­..oh.¡± Tap. Something was stopping her foot. Had she not noticed it, she might¡¯ve even tripped over it. Rienne, stopping just moments before, looked at down. The tip of someone¡¯s cane was sticking out from the side of the path. As if they were trying to catch her attention. [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Moving her eyes to the side, she saw an old man holding out his cane. It was the beggar from the Temple. [Rienne] ¡°Wait here for a moment, ma¡¯am.¡± Rienne knew of the old man. On the asions she would visit the Temple, she¡¯d bring food with her to give to him. He never seemed like a bad person, only someone who was hit hard with a difficult life. [Rienne] ¡°I have to attend a funeral today so I don¡¯t have anything to share. If you would like, can you wait until the ceremony is over?¡± [Beggar] ¡°. . .¡± Without a word, the old man stared at Rienne. [Rienne] ¡°The coffins will be brought this way soon. Be careful and take your cane so you don¡¯t hurt your feet too much.¡± [Beggar] ¡°¡­..daugh..ter..of¡­ak.¡­¡­ sin¡­.ner¡­¡­¡± [Rienne] ¡°What?¡± As he mumbled his beard was covering his lips, so she didn¡¯t quite catch what he said. [Rienne] ¡°What did you say?¡± Rienne leaned towards the old man, urging him to share again. [Beggar] ¡°Past sins¡­..must be repaid¡­¡­with blood¡­. And now¡­.. the daugh..ter of Arsak¡­¡­. will bleed¡­.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What are you¡­¡­?¡± Seeing Rienne¡¯s changing expression, Mrs. mbard stepped in and grabbed her by the arm. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Princess! You shouldn¡¯t get too close to strangers. How could you trust someone you don¡¯t even know?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Wait¡ªI think he¡¯s trying to tell me something.¡± Having been tasked with watching over the funeral, the Tiwakan were on alert. Noticing themotion, a pair of mercenaries rushed over from their posts in the distance. [Mercenary] ¡°Princess! Are you alright?!¡± They quickly swooped in and grabbed the old beggar, roughly dragging him a safe distance from Rienne. [Rienne] ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine but I haven¡¯t finished speaking with him. Could you give us some space, please?¡± [Mercenary] ¡°Oh, really?¡± Quickly the two of them stepped aside, but their eyes were still trained on the ragged old man. Though their intention was to protect her and nothing else, they were still incredibly intimidating. Rienne turned to face the old man. [Rienne] ¡°Can you repeat yourself? What were you trying to say?¡± The old man¡¯s lips trembled. [Beggar] ¡°¡­..wat..ch¡­¡±(2) [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­..?¡± Thinking she misheard him, Rienne shook her head. [ck] ¡°Is something going on?¡± As soon as Rienne turned her back to see the source of the voice, ck was standing right behind her. She didn¡¯t even hear himing. [Mercenary] ¡°The Princess had something important to talk about with this man.¡± The mercenaries didn¡¯t hesitate to answer as ck approached. Though his posture was just as loose and rxed as it was before, for some reason Rienne felt like the air in front of him had a sudden sharpness to it like a knife. It showed to her at a nce why his people regarded him as their leader. [ck] ¡°. . .¡± ck nced down at the beggar. Immediately, Rienne noticed the old man¡¯s one eye tremble as he shrunk away from ck¡¯s gaze. As soon as she saw that, suddenly she realized what he was trying to say. [ck] ¡°I see. Did you need more time?¡± He was asking if she wanted to keep talking to him. [Rienne] ¡°No.¡± Quickly, Rienne turned around and held onto ck¡¯s arm, a part of her afraid her hands might start shaking. [Rienne] ¡°I don¡¯t think he can speak properly right now. If we spend too much time here, we¡¯ll bete for the funeral, but if you have anything you¡¯d like to tell me, pleasee see meter.¡± Her final words were directed towards the old man. His eyes were still shaking as he kept silent. [Rienne] ¡°Let us be off.¡± [ck] ¡°¡­.If you want.¡± ck took his opposite hand and ced it over Rienne¡¯s, which was still holding onto his arm. Then, as her body faltered and she slightly leaned into him, ck stopped and looked down at her. [ck] ¡°Are you alright?¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­..Yes.¡± [ck] ¡°You don¡¯t look well.¡± She wasn¡¯t well¡­. not at all. That old man¡­. He said¡­.. Rienne bit her lip and tightened the grip she had on ck¡¯s arm. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯ll be alright¡­ as long as the funeral ends safely.¡± [ck] ¡°I¡¯ve been told to stay on alert.¡± [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± It wasn¡¯t good. Nothing was. That old man said¡­. ¡ªThe daughter of Arsak will bleed. That quiet, dull voice that was interrupted¡­. Suddenly the words were connecting so clearly it was making her head spin. ¡ªRevenge. Who was that old man? How did he know ck? When everyone told her that he was there for the sake of revenge, wasthiswhat they were talking about? Did this mean the person he wanted to get revenge against¡­ washer? [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Bong! Bong! The sound of the chapel¡¯s bell shook the idea in her mind. Her head was aplete mess, her thoughts mixing up with each other. * * * T/N: (1) They mean ¡°lose his head¡± in a literal sense here. Like Rafit could do something stupid and get himself killed. (2) The word written here can mean many different things, hence Rienne¡¯s initial confusion as to what he was talking about. astralment: There was so much information in this chapterRest in peace, me. But hey, lore! ghost: Things are starting to get spicy, though. Chapter 27 - A Murder at Midnight Chapter 27 | A Murder at Midnight Ding, dong! Ringing out were the dozen bells that signaled the start of the funeral, and yet there was no sign of the ceremony¡¯smencement. [Rienne] ¡°This doesn¡¯t make any sense.¡± The High Priest, who was meant to lead the ceremony, had vanished. The only ones present were the priests meant to apany him, who imed to know nothing of his whereabouts. [Rienne] ¡°Who was thest to see High Priest Milrod?¡± Bing anxious, Rienne gathered the priests and clergymen from the Temple together. They all awkwardly nced at one another, but none could give a clear answer. [Rienne] ¡°Someone must¡¯ve seen him. When was thest any of you heard from him?¡± [Priest] ¡°Well¡­..¡± The priests quieted, turning and whispering to one another with hushed words before quickly summarizing the situation. At the very least, they were certain the High Priest had left the Temple. They could all clearly remember him making his descent. Once the priests made their way down, the coffins came next. All six of them were loaded onto a cart. But then some of them imed to see the High Priest get on a horse. Some didn¡¯t. Essentially, none of them could track the High Priest¡¯s location after he arrived at the royal chapel. [Rienne] ¡°Who was tasked with supporting him during all of this?¡± [Priest] ¡°That¡¯s¡­..¡± And the answers became murky again. The ones who served the High Priest closely were those lower in the hierarchy. They usually would choose one among the young clergymen, and they¡¯d take turns attending to him. [Priest] ¡°No one was selected to follow him from the Temple today.¡± But the High Priest didn¡¯t have an attendant this time around. They said he didn¡¯t need one because so many priests were sent with him, so the additional help was unnecessary. [Rienne] ¡°Then we¡¯ll just need to find others who may have seen something.¡± It was the Tiwakan who were tasked with moving the coffins. Just behind the altar were the six coffins, and beyond even that were the ones meant to watch over the proceedings¡ªsitting in chairs or kneeling on the floor. As she stood in front of the altar, Rienne turned back and looked at ck, sitting among the pews, right in the front row. [Rienne] ¡°Lord Tiwakan.¡± The look on his face made it clear he knew something had happened. [ck] ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± [Rienne] ¡°The High Priest has gone missing. Would it be possible to speak with the people who apanied him from the Temple?¡± [ck] ¡°Yes.¡± ck gave a soft and gentle answer and gestured his head behind him. Despite how small and insignificant of a movement it was, Phermos immediately understood the signal. [Phermos] ¡°Yes, my Lord.¡± [ck] ¡°The High Priest is gone. Did you know anything about this?¡± [Phermos] ¡°What? The High Priest?¡± It looked like this was the first Phermos was hearing about it. [Phermos] ¡°How could that happen¡­¡­.? We¡¯ll find him immediately.¡± [ck] ¡°If there was an incident, there must be intent behind it.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Of course, my Lord.¡± Phermos quickly left the chapel. It was bing clear even to the onlookers who came for the funeral that something had happened. Quiet and low murmurs began to spread through the crowd. [Rienne] ¡°Who do you think could have done this?¡± Rienne whispered to him with a soft voice. When he said ¡®intent¡¯, there was only one way to interpret that. [ck] ¡°Someone who takes issue with this.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Ah¡­..right.¡± Rienne nced over towards where the Kleinfelders were sitting in the pews. Linden was there, but Rafit was nowhere to be found. They were still conscious of Rafit¡¯s face being recognized. Linden Kleinfelder was definitely suspicious if they discovered there was intent behind the incident, but it still didn¡¯t make sense. This funeral was meant to mourn Rafit Kleinfelder. At the very least, they needed to look upset that their eldest son¡¯s parting rites were being dyed. [Rienne] ¡°I don¡¯t know what they¡¯d gain from doing this. They may not like that the funeral is being held in the royal chapel, but there is no better location as of now.¡± [ck] ¡°That means they¡¯re taking issue with something else, not the ce.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Something else?¡± [ck] ¡°A person, maybe.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Then, a haunting thought came to Rienne¡¯s mind. Is he upset that the High Priest decided against dying the wedding because he received Tiwakan money? Is that why he¡¯s decided to take out his frustrations like this? ¡­..No, he¡¯s not the kind of person to simply vent his anger. He would think of something much worse¡­.. Thump! Rienne¡¯s thoughts were cut off by the urgent sound of the chapel door opening. [Phermos] ¡°My Lord, we¡¯ve found the High Priest!¡± It was Phermos, charging into the chapel with a group of mercenaries. [Rienne] ¡°What? Where?¡± In spite of him saying they ¡®found¡¯ him, the High Priest wasn¡¯t with them. [Phermos] ¡°I think he¡¯s here.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What do you mean¡­.here?¡± As Phermos pointed out, everyone¡¯s eyes expectantly followed the line his finger made. Straight towards one of the six coffins. . * * * . Scrape¡­¡­ The lid of the coffin was being pushed aside. After Phermos left, he began to question people who helped move the coffins, looking for any other information. That was when someone made ament about one of the coffins seeming particrly heavy. [Phermos] ¡°There¡¯s no better ce to hide a body than a coffin, I suppose.¡± Phermos murmured to himself, peeking through the crack as the lid of the coffin was slowly moved aside. After hearing about the disappearance of someone, andter hearing about one of the coffins getting heavier, the most natural progression was believing an additional body had been added. Scrape¡­.boom! Finally, the coffin was opened. [Rienne] ¡°Ah¡­!¡± There were two bodies in the coffin. The body,id on top and seemingly forced in, was indeed the High Priest. [Phermos] ¡°Just as I thought.¡± Phermos adjusted his sses, muttering to himself as he did. [Phermos] ¡°Considering someone made an attempt to hide the body, this makes it certain. This was no ident¡­¡­ he was murdered.¡± No one could deny it. Rienne immediately turned her head and looked at Linden, but he was leaning forward with a shocked expression on his face¡ªlike he was just as horrified as anyone else. That makes no sense. Wasn¡¯t he the one who did this? Rienne felt so certain that he was responsible¡­. so why did he look like that, acting like he didn¡¯t know anything? [Phermos] ¡°We¡¯ll need another coffin.¡± As if Phermos¡¯ words made everything real, suddenly the priests¡¯ faces looked extremely bewildered. Some even fell to their knees, reciting memorized prayers. [Rienne] ¡°Who will lead the funeral now? Was anyone else prepared to take his ce?¡± The question was so sudden, the priests were surprised. [Priest] ¡°Well¡­.. we don¡¯t¡­..¡± [Rienne] ¡°Are you saying we must postpone the funeral?¡± [Priest] ¡°Ah, perhaps¡­.. if we cannot fill the High Priest¡¯s chair¡­¡­¡± [Rienne] ¡°Well, I was only wondering¡­¡­.. Then shall I ask if you have anyone in mind for the position? Is that a better question to ask first?¡± [Priest] ¡°. . .¡± All seven of the priests quickly quieted, averting their eyes away from her. No candidate was chosen ahead of time because it was the duty of the aristocratic delegation to choose that person. Linden Kleinfelder stood up from his seat. [Linden] ¡°Considering how short on time we are, we must call upon the delegation as soon as possible to discuss a new High Priest, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Rienne quietly bit her lip. Is there no end to your shamelessness? [Rienne] ¡°Of course, Lord Kleinfelder.¡± [Linden] ¡°I¡¯ll close out the meeting as fast as I can and inform you of the new High Priest.¡± His words were no different from saying the new High Priest he¡¯d send for would just be his puppet. [Linden] ¡°Let us depart.¡± With that, Linden left the chapel alongside his party. This funeral was meant to say their farewells to the eldest son of their family, and yet no concern was found on his face. [ck] ¡°Don¡¯t think you¡¯ve lost this. Rienne felt someone grab her hand from behind. It was ck. [Rienne] ¡°¡­.Huh?¡± Rienne lifted her head up and looked at him. His eyes were so clear, they were like blue mirrors shining down on her. [ck] ¡°Maintaining order in Nauk is my responsibility now. We¡¯ll find the one who did this.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Oh¡­.¡± Rienne¡¯s response was soft. ck was right. Linden hadpletely forgotten about that. He was only ever able to get away with whatever he pleased because Riennecked the power to properly keep him in check. But things were different now. The Arsaks had a new order on their side¡ªtheir new Guardian Knights. The safety of Nauk was in their hands now. Having forgotten that, Linden was just digging his own grave. The murder of a High Priest was something that could not be forgiven. [Rienne] ¡°I trust that.¡± Only one problem remained. [Rienne] ¡°Provided we can find evidence as well.¡± If they wanted to use Linden of murder, they needed ample evidence to back it up. . * * * . They couldn¡¯t leave the bodies alone any longer. Though the funeral itself was postponed, the bodies were eventually buried¡ªall six of themid to rest and returned to the earth. All of them except for the body of the High Priest, whocked a coffin. A mess from start to finish, the already dismal affair of a funeral was made even gloomier. All the way until just before dawn, Rienne spent time with the grieving families,forting them in their sobs and sorrows, and sent them all home with a gold coin each. [Phermos] ¡°I can see clearly why the Princess was so poor, now.¡± Phermos pointed out, awkwardly scratching his cheek. The road, bathed in moonlight, was quiet and calm. Even the normally loud sound of horses felt quiet and subdued, as if they knew they wereing back from a grave site. As they returned, ck did his best to stay afortable distance from Rienne as he followed her from behind. It wasn¡¯t lost on him that the bodies they buried that day were dead by his hand. He didn¡¯t exactly regret what he did nor was he disgusted with himself for having killed others. But he was worried Rienne might see things differently. [Phermos] ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s virtuous of a leader to do that sort of thing, but she should really look at her own circumstances first. Didn¡¯t she need to repair her current mourning dress because she couldn¡¯t afford to get a new one?¡± After staying quiet for a moment, ck frowned. [ck] ¡°It¡¯sbecauseshe¡¯s that kind of person that she epted my proposal.¡±(1) [Phermos] ¡°That¡¯s true, but¡­¡­¡± Phermos scratched his cheek again. The more he learned about Princess Rienne¡¯s circumstances, the more he realized theplexities of it all. Why couldn¡¯t you have proposed earlier¡­.back when Princess Rienne wasn¡¯t involved with another man? There still would¡¯ve been amotion regardless, but no one would¡¯ve died over this. It was already unusual that the Tiwakan were dealing with the bodies so closely, but now Phermos was being made to confront how ufortable he felt when he watched Princess Rienne bow her head before the mourning families. [Phermos] ¡°But how did they kill the High Priest? I didn¡¯t think they were foolish enough to do something like this.¡± Phermos quickly changed the subject. This topic was much more important right now. The Kleinfelders continued to be a roadblock when it came to ck¡¯s marriage to Princess Rienne. Not to mention how difficult it was to solve this problem without bloodshed. That meant they couldn¡¯t conduct themselves as roughly as they normally did. Phermos believed he was starting to understand what ck truly wanted. What his Lord desired was to get back not just thend of Nauk or Princess Rienne, but the entirety of his past that he had lost. Bloodshed wasn¡¯t necessary to do that. Using such tant force implied ¡®to take away¡¯, not ¡®to take back¡¯. [Phermos] ¡°Do you think he¡¯s confident he hid all the evidence properly? If any remains, we¡¯ll find it somehow.¡± [ck] ¡°That¡¯s the question. When the body was revealed, he seemed surprised. Didn¡¯t look like an act.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Oh¡­..so you don¡¯t think he meant to kill him? Or maybe the assassin he hired made a mistake¡­..?¡± [ck] ¡°Something must¡¯ve gone wrong.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Then we can start there. If a mistake is made, no doubt the evidence of it lingers.¡± [ck] ¡°Right.¡± Cutting off his words early, as per usual, a few momentster, ck added on onest sentiment. [ck] ¡°Leave no stone unturned.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Oh¡­.uh, yes sir.¡± After that, ck went on ahead. Left behind all by himself, Phermos clicked his tongue with a puzzled expression on his face. [Phermos] ¡°He seems very concerned about this.¡± ck approached Rienne, but just as he was about to start matching her speed, he slowed down and quietly trailed behind her. Phermos never thought he¡¯d see such a sight, watching ck mutter to himself like he¡¯d given up on whatever he was going to do. [Phermos] ¡°Who knew my Lord could act like that¡­..¡± It certainly was a surprise. . * * * . Thwack! [Linden] ¡°Are you out of your mind!?¡± Meanwhile, a small storm was brewing on the Kleinfelder¡¯s side of things. Linden ran around,pletely unhinged, wreaking absolute havoc on everything he saw. Someone¡¯s head was bleeding from the box Linden had thrown at them,pletely silent as they sat. [Linden] ¡°What the hell were you thinking, putting the body in the coffin like that!? You should¡¯ve done it without making it obvious who was responsible!¡± That someone was the one who killed the High Priest on behalf of the Kleinfelders. Even the sight of this person silently bowing their head made Linden fume. [Linden] ¡°You idiot! If you didn¡¯t want to be caught, why would you do that!?¡± Thwack, thwack! Without rest or mercy, Linden Kleinfelder beat them. * * * T/N: (1) He¡¯s saying that Rienne only epted because she cares about her people. astralment: Phermos might be my favorite side character. Not 100% what¡¯s happening, but ready and willing to do whatever to takes to help his master get thedy! ghostment: He really is a real one. Give us a CG, please and thank you! Chapter 28 - Klimah, the Servant (1) Chapter 28 | Klimah, the Servant (1) . * * * . [Servant] ¡°I couldn¡¯t¡­..avoid it.¡± His feeble voice came out from close to Linden¡¯s feet. Ever since he was a young, his life had belonged to the Kleinfelders. With the life he would¡¯ve lost otherwise, he took care of all the dirty work they needed. He had even killed the former High Priest in the past. Back then, everyone thought he had simply tripped down the stairs and broken his neck. Linden was hoping for the job to be done just as cleanly this time, too. [Servant] ¡°¡­.There wasn¡¯t enough time¡­. The window of opportunity was small and too many people were watching¡­..¡± He was speaking very quietly, wearing a long robe closing over his ankles. All the while, his eyes were cast towards the ground. [Linden] ¡°You call that an excuse?¡± Thwack! Down came another blow. Without even flinching, the young servant endured the beating from Linden, not a single sound of pain escaping him. Kicking him from every side, Linden stopped and took a deep breath. [Linden] ¡°You left no evidence?¡± [Servant] ¡°Yes.¡± [Linden] ¡°You can¡¯t ever get caught. Do you understand me? Never let them know I was the one who gave the order.¡± [Servant] ¡°Yes, sir.¡± [Linden] ¡°They¡¯re a difficult opponent. We must never¡­..be caught¡­..¡± If they ever did, the obvious end result would be the end of the Kleinfelders. Linden shuttered just thinking about it. [Linden] ¡°Or I¡¯ll have no choice but to throw you away.¡± [Servant] ¡°¡­¡­.Yes, sir.¡± The young servant nodded obediently. Seeing that, Linden felt a little more reassured. He was oddly loyal, not to mention tight lipped. Even if the worst shoulde to pass and his own identity was revealed, Linden was confident his name would never leave the servant¡¯s mouth. [Linden] ¡°Get out.¡± He nodded and pulled himself up off the ground, cing a palm over his bleeding head. He seemed more concerned over not getting any blood on his clothing than the fact he was injured. Using his clean hand, he took the hood of his cloak and carefully covered his face. After he left Linden¡¯s room, he silently stepped into a dark corner of the servant¡¯s hall. Without a light to guide him, he descended down the long and winding stairs towards the basement. Eventually he made his way out of the main building towards the small detached house behind it. Once the house was within his view, he quickly hid behind a nearby tree. Just beyond his reach was the window, his eyes trained on it as he peered out from his vantage point. Through that window of colored ss, a figure could be seen¡ªlike a barely visible shadow. It was a woman, thin and filled with sorrow, holding a water basin. [Servant] ¡°. . .¡± The servant¡¯s eyes began to fill with tears as he watched the woman. She was the reason why a simple servant such as himself was forced to do such horrible things for the Kleinfelders. After staying there for a while, he left the Kleinfelder estate, returning to where he lived by taking the same path as he always did. The servant was heading towards the Temple, and his name was Klimah.(1) . * * * . [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Even though she was exhausted, losing sleep was starting to be a habit. As the early morning sun made its way through the windows, Rienne¡¯s eyes trembled as they adjusted to the light. [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s already morning.¡± But her body was so tired, it didn¡¯t want to move. Opening her eyes, Rienne counted. [Rienne] ¡°One¡­ Two¡­. Three.¡± Finally gathering the strength, Rienne pushed aside her nkets. [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s colder than yesterday, too.¡± Once Rienne began to lower her bare feet from the bed to the floor, she felt the cold air nip at her skin. Not wasting a moment, she put on her slippers and brushed out her nightgown. I really hate winter. It feels like things just get harder the colder it gets. Winter hadn¡¯t even truly started and yet, as soon as the temperature dropped in the slightest, she started to yearn once more for the warmth of her bed sheets. [Rienne] ¡°I should hurry.¡± The season seemed to bring with it an overarching feeling of lethargy, but she knew the stronger that feeling was, the more she needed to push herself to move. Wanting to wash up and change, Rienne took off the shawl she was wearing and hurriedly entered the bathroom, wearing only her thin nightgown. [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­Ah.¡± But the moment she opened the door, her body froze. There was already someone inside. Not so different from her, ck was wearing only a pair of pants, and it looked as though he was about to take them off¡ªlike he was thinking of washing up, too. [Rienne] ¡°Why¡­..are you here¡­..?¡± Rienne was so embarrassed shepletely neglected to shut the door and leave. All she was thinking about was the burning question ofwhyhe was undressing in her bathroom in the first ce. [ck] ¡°Did you want to get ready first?¡± ck asked with his hand still on the waist line of his pants. [Rienne] ¡°No, I¡­. Why are you here¡­..?¡± [ck] ¡°I didn¡¯t know you¡¯d woken up already.¡± [Rienne] ¡°But why¡­.?¡± [ck] ¡°This is my bathroom too, now.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Oh¡­..¡± She just remembered. He was already using the room next door now, which meant they¡¯d need to share a bathroom from now on. That meant Rienne should just¡­.. ¡­Thump! Coming to her senses, Rienne closed the bathroom door. [Rienne] ¡°My apologies¡­ A lot of things happened recently¡­ so I¡¯m not fully awake yet.¡± Rienne said this through the tightly closed door. She was still so shocked her mouth wasn¡¯t working properly either. What have I done¡­..How could I have forgotten about this? Just then, she could hear footsteps approaching on the other side of the door. Rienne tightly held the doorknob just in case he tried to open it. [ck] ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± But that¡¯s all he said. He made no attempt to open the door. Even so, Rienne couldn¡¯t let go. Though no one was around to witness her embarrassment, she could feel her face heating up. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯ll pay more attention to these kinds of things in the future¡­. So please, wash up.¡± [ck] ¡°There¡¯s no bathtub here. Is a reason for that?¡± Before Rienne had the chance to leave, ck asked a very sudden question. [Rienne] ¡°What?¡± [ck] ¡°I¡¯m asking why you don¡¯t have a bath.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Oh, a bath¡­¡­¡± There used to be one. There was once arge and colorful marble bathtub inside that room. It was a beautiful piece, lined with golden edges, and it did wonders to liven up the now big and empty bathroom. But like so many other things, it was sold. The fine marble was cut into several pieces, and was now sitting in the Kleinfelder¡¯s garden as decoration. [Rienne] ¡°¡­..I had no use for it. I felt like I was using too much water with a bathtub like that.¡± Saying that, Rienne¡¯s heart stung for a moment. It was a much smaller lie inparison, but she didn¡¯t feel good about having to do it so often. [Rienne] ¡°Do you require a bathtub?¡± [ck] ¡°Not right now.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Then why¡­.?¡± [ck] ¡°There¡¯s a chance we might want to bathe together in the future.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Wha¡­¡­what?¡± Rienne trieding up with the words to say, but when she opened her mouth, nothing came out. Bathe¡­¡­together? But why? [ck] ¡°I¡¯ll get you a new one.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± And that was the end of the conversation. Slip. Tap. Beyond the door, inside that quiet bathroom, was the sound of fabric brushing up against skin¡ªthe sound of ck taking his clothes off. ¡­.But¡­ why¡­. Unconsciously, Rienne swallowed the dry saliva in her throat. Why¡­¡­would you want to take a bath with me¡­.? Then she heard the sound of sshing water. He was probably washing his face now. Suddenly, Rienne remembered the moment when he had his face bowed towards her as she carefully cleaned it for him. It made it too easy to imagine the sight of his damp shoulders and arms, or his hair soaked in water, sticking to his forehead. Why would we¡­. together¡­¡­? Rienne couldn¡¯t stand the thought and quickly turned away. This is all his fault, saying so many strange things while he looks like that. Covering her ears, Rienne returned to her room. The sound of sshing water was nothing. She heard it all the time whenever she washed her own face. And yet, her heart wouldn¡¯t stop pounding. Closing the door behind her, Rienne stood still and waited until her beating heart quieted down. ¡­..I can¡¯t keep doing this. It wasn¡¯t a good idea to have any feelings for that man beyond strict vignce. I have to know what his true motives are¡ªthe truth behind why everyone keeps saying his purpose is revenge. Focus on that and don¡¯t think any useless thoughts. Rienne swallowed hard. She needed to meet with the old beggar again. . * * * . [Mrs. mbard] ¡°What? Where did you say you were going?¡± [Rienne] ¡°To the Temple entrance.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°But why so suddenly? Do you have business there¡ª?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Yes.¡± As Mrs. mbard asked, puzzled and confused, Rienne quickly interrupted. There was no point in telling her everything. It was Rienne¡¯s job to worry about what ck was up to, and she didn¡¯t wish to cause the woman any unnecessary worry. More importantly, Mrs. mbard was an honest woman. If Rienne told her anything, she wouldn¡¯t be able to stand in front of ck calmly if she knew he was potentially there to bring them harm. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m just worried about the old man I saw yesterday. The Temple normally hands out food, but the stairs haven¡¯t been repaired yet, so I¡¯ll take him something myself.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°In that case, you should order the guards to do it for you. Aren¡¯t you too busy to be handling something like that?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯d like to do it personally. I¡¯m sure you have plenty to do yourself, so I¡¯ll be fine going alone.¡± Mrs. mbard jolted forward hearing that. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°What? No, you can¡¯t do something like that! It¡¯s much too far to go all on your own!¡± [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯ll ask a guard to escort me.¡± She needed to move as fast as she could. The Tiwakan were already beginning to settle in Castle Nauk. If Rienne ever wished to go out, ck told her he would escort her himself or tell one of his men to go with her. That meant she needed to speak with the head of her guard separately ande back before anyone noticed. [Rienne] ¡°So please give me some food to take with me. Preferably something that¡¯s easy to eat with your hands.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°If you have no choice, then it can¡¯t be helped, but I must insist oning with you.¡± [Rienne] ¡°No, ma¡¯am. You need to focus on altering the wedding attire. Have you forgotten? With the wedding only eight days away, not a moment has gone by where I¡¯m not worried about running out of time.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right¡­. Then I¡¯ll take care of the food and get back to work¡­. But¡­..¡± [Rienne] ¡°What is it?¡± Mrs. mbard looked away, turning silent. [Rienne] ¡°What is it, ma¡¯am?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°About the wedding ceremony.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Yes?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°I¡¯ve been taking care to be mindful of the date while altering the clothes but¡­..Yesterday, the High Priest¡­..¡± Mrs. mbard hesitated for a moment and then continued to talk. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Don¡¯t we need to wait until a new High Priest has been appointed?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Right¡­.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°From what I can remember, nine days had gone by after High Priest Motiya was buried before High Priest Milrod was given the position. I know there was a reason why they needed to wait, but now the wedding is only eight days away, so I¡¯m unsure what we¡¯ll do about the officiant. I hope God won¡¯t punish me for working on the wedding attire so soon after the death.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Oh¡­..¡± Rienne¡¯s expression stiffened. So that¡¯s why they killed him¡­.to try and dy the wedding. That was the reason why the Kleinfelders had the High Priest murdered. After the new High Priest was selected, in ordance with Templew, he would fast for nine days tomit himself to God in prayer. It was considered his first ¡®conversation¡¯ with divine. They said if God did not recognize the new High Priest¡¯s legitimacy, he would not be able to endure the nine days and copse of hunger. This process was considered a rite of passage for the High Priest and could not be ignored for even a day. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°You look unwell, Princess. Are you feeling sick?¡± Her face was filled with worry as she looked at Rienne. [Rienne] ¡°No¡­. I¡¯m not sick.¡± She was afraid. What were the Kleinfelder¡¯s nning on doing after going through such great lengths just to dy the wedding? They were not the kind of people to just give up control over Nauk, but they also knew they could never defeat the Tiwakan in an outright war. They would resort to trying to stab her in the back under the cover of darkness if it came down to it. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Are you sure?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Yes¡­..I¡¯m fine.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Well, alright then. With all that¡¯s happened, I know you haven¡¯t been able to sleep well, so I¡¯d understand if you were a little tired.. But I¡¯m d that there¡¯s at least one less thing to worry about now.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What?¡± Mrs. mbard gingerly patted Rienne on the arm, as if telling her she can rest assured. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Your monthly fever, Princess. If the wedding must be postponed, then so must your first night, so at least we needn¡¯t worry about that now.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Oh¡­¡­yes, you¡¯re right.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Then I¡¯ll go and prepare some food. I¡¯ll do what I can, but early apologies if it¡¯s not much.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I understand. Please, hurry.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Yes, Princess.¡± After Mrs. mbard left, Rienne started getting ready to leave. The whole time, confusion stirred in her head. If they held off the wedding, she¡¯d be able to safely hide her monthly fever. But at the same time, she¡¯d be giving the Kleinfelders a chance to prepare their next move. So what can I do now? Theplexities were tied like a knot, one she could not undo herself. * * * T/N: (1) ording to the original Korean, Klimah¡¯s name should be pronounced like Klee-mah, but we went with a nicer looking spelling. astralment: We barely know Klimah and I¡¯m already starting the protection squad(?¡¯?-¡®?)? ghostment: Rienne was a whole mood in this chapter though. I also wanna low-key melt into my bed during the winterlolol Chapter 29 - Klimah, the Servant (2) Chapter 29 | Klimah, the Servant (2) trantor/editor: astralmech | editor: ghost . * * * . [Mercenary] ¡°The Princess left.¡± [ck] ¡°What?¡± [Phermos] ¡°Where did she go?¡± ck and Phermos both raised their heads at the same time, the two of them presently swarmed with work and a hectic schedule. It wasn¡¯t just one thing that needed taking care of. First and foremost they needed figure out how they would structure the finances of the royal family, as well as taking in the size of the current debt. It didn¡¯t seem like much at first, but it was years¡¯ worth of finances they needed to deal with. Then there was how they¡¯d go about restoring the Temple stairs, finding out who killed the High Priest, and keeping a close eye on the Kleinfelder family¡ªall of which couldn¡¯t be neglected in the slightest. The whole time, Phermos thought he was going to cry, saying his time on the battlefield was much easier than this. But now there was another unpleasant thing they needed to deal with. [Mercenary] ¡°When I asked around, they said she was going to help distribute rations near the Temple.¡± [Phermos] ¡°That¡¯s some dedication on her part. Did anyone go with her?¡± [Mercenary] ¡°The guards said she took one of them with her.¡± Phermos pinched the bridge of his nose. [Phermos] ¡°What¡­. Just one guard? And you just let her leave?¡± Havinge in to report the situation, the mercenary chose his words carefully after making eye contact with ck. [Mercenary] ¡°What else could I do? I couldn¡¯t exactly pin her down and keep her from leaving by force. The Lord ordered us to be nice to her.¡± [Phermos] ¡°You should have sent someone with her.¡± [Mercenary] ¡°There¡¯s already one person. Should I have sent more?¡± [Phermos] ¡°One won¡¯t be enough. I knew something like this would happen, I¡¯ll¡ª¡° Suddenly, ck¡¯s body jolted up, Phermos¡¯ orders immediately halted. [ck] ¡°I¡¯m going.¡± [Phermos] ¡°¡­..Wha, right now? You don¡¯t need to do that, do you?¡± [ck] ¡°This work is boring me.¡± ck threw down the document marked with royal seal he was looking at earlier onto the table. [ck] ¡°Finish this while I¡¯m gone.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Wait¡­¡­what?¡± While Phermos¡¯ eyes were wide with disbelief, ck was already leaving before he could ask his question. [Phermos] ¡°Wait, hold on¡­..¡± [Mercenary] ¡°Then I¡¯ll go with you to take a look at things.¡± And just like that, Phermos was left alone with a mountain of paperwork. He sank back into his chair and rubbed the back of his head. [Phermos] ¡°This is so much¡­.. I can¡¯t do this¡­.¡± Ever since they first tried tackling all this work, Phermos thought it was way too much to do. Yesterday, ck had left him all alone and now he¡¯d done it again, this time leaving Phermos with a pile of work to do. [Phermos] ¡°I didn¡¯t think his Lordship would do this¡­..¡± This change was getting to be way too much to handle. [Phermos] ¡°I never thought he¡¯d take a woman at all, much less get married¡­¡­¡­..At this rate, I¡¯ll be all alone.¡± For some reason, Phermos felt betrayed and a little depressed. . * * * . [Rienne] ¡°Please, wait here.¡± Once they arrived at the Temple entrance, Rienne needed to separate herself from the captain of the guard she brought with her. [Captain] ¡°Are you going to give it to him, Princess? Please, it¡¯d be best if you left it to me. I¡¯ll do it.¡± [Rienne] ¡°No, I¡¯d like to do it myself.¡± What Rienne needed to ask the old man was something no one else should know about just yet. [Rienne] ¡°I want you to take a look around the area and see if there¡¯s anything of note happening. And be careful if you run into any Kleinfelder soldiers.¡± [Captain] ¡°I see¡­..Very well, then.¡± After that, Rienne entered a nearby alley where she saw an old beggar sitting with his arm resting against a cane. Though it was an alleyway, it was still connected to the main street, so the captain could still easily see her there. After the Kleinfelders attempted that forced wedding, Rienne had be more careful about these kinds of things.(1) [Rienne] ¡°Hello¡­..¡± As she whispered out a greeting, Rienne stopped walking. There was someone with the beggar. He was wearing a thick robe that reached over his ankles, tied together with a rope around his waist instead of a belt. That meant he was someone from the Temple, but the fabric was different from the usual priests. He must be a servant. The old man looked up and gave the servant a casual nce. But regardless of the look the old man gave him, the servant ced a loaf of bread into the hisp. But what happened next was unexpected. Toss! The old man took the loaf in his shaky hand and threw into the street. [Rienne] ¡°¡­..?¡± Then he lifted up his cane and started hitting him. Thwack! Thwack! Seeing how twisted the old man¡¯s face was, it was obvious he was using all of his strength to hit the servant. With that kind of effort, it didn¡¯t matter how weak and frail the old man was. It would hurt anyone to be beaten with a wooden stick like that. [Rienne] ¡°Stop it!¡± But the servant didn¡¯t respond or ask why this was happening. He just epted the beating. Rienne quickly put her body between the servant and the old man. [Rienne] ¡°What are you doing?¡± [Servant] ¡°¡­¡­!¡± When the servant saw Rienne, everything above the tip of his nose was covered by the hood of his cloak, revealing only his lips slightly parted in surprise at seeing her. [Rienne] ¡°Why are you allowing yourself to be beaten like this? Did something happen between you two?¡± [Servant] ¡°. . .¡± Rienne and the servant¡¯s eyes met for just a brief moment before the servant¡¯s mouth suddenly tightened, and he turned around to leave. [Rienne] ¡°Don¡¯t leave! That¡¯s an order.¡± [Servant] ¡°. . .¡± His footsteps ceased and Rienne stopped, too. But then he shook his head and tried to move again. [Rienne] ¡°Are you ignoring my order?¡± Rienne didn¡¯t hesitate to reach out and grab the fabric of his robe. Her grip on the baggy clothing caused him to lean back, revealing his blood-stained shirt and scarred forehead. [Rienne] ¡°Ah¡­. You¡¯re hurt!¡± Both the servant who was caught and the woman who noticed his injuries were stunned in surprise. Meanwhile, the old man frowned from behind them. There was far too much blood for it to havee just from the cane. [Rienne] ¡°How did this happen?¡± He stayed quiet for a while before finally answering. [Servant] ¡°¡­¡­.I was praying for atonement.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Atonement? What kind of atonement makes you bleed like this?¡± [Servant] ¡°It¡¯s a prayer that requires blood.¡± Rienne didn¡¯t know this, but there was once a time, long ago when zealous priests would whip themselves in the name of prayer. But nowadays such prayers weren¡¯t used by any priest, much less by a servant. [Rienne] ¡°What sort of God would want their children to bleed?¡± [Servant] ¡°. . .¡± The servant didn¡¯t say anything back. [Rienne] ¡°Are you being treated kindly?¡± [Servant] ¡°. . .¡± [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a no.¡± Rienne held back a sigh with a troubled look on her face. It was normal for the royal family to turn a blind eye to the Temple¡¯s affairs, but after seeing something like this, it made it difficult to ignore. [Rienne] ¡°Make sure you get that properly treated. I¡¯ll be making a visit to the Temple soon, so please do it before then. What is your name?¡± The servant chewed on his lip for a long while. Eventually, he finally answered under his breath, a little bit flustered. [Klimah] ¡°¡­¡­.Klimah.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Then, Sir Klimah. I¡¯m not saying this just as a pretense, so please take care of that wound. If you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll speak with the Temple officials myself if I have to.¡± Klimah nodded with his shoulders. [Rienne] ¡°You¡¯re free to go now. As a member of the royal family, I will always do what I can to help the life of one who serves Nauk as a servant of God.¡± Hesitating, Klimah stood there for a while before bowing his head, promptly disappearing into the alleyway. [Rienne] ¡°As for you.¡± Rienne turned to the old man. He had kept quiet the entire time, his body stiff like a boulder. [Rienne] ¡°First, I want to know why you beat that servant. Do you know him well?¡± The old beggar¡¯s face was nothing but an unkempt beard. [Rienne] ¡°You should know I¡¯ve prepared myself to get all the answers I require today. I urge you to speak freely now, unless you¡¯d rather speak to me from a jail cell.¡± [Beggar] ¡°. . .¡± He raised his head. The way his eyes looked in her direction made it clear he had something he wanted to say. [Rienne] ¡°If you don¡¯t want to talk about the servant, then let¡¯s talk about something else instead.¡± [Beggar] ¡°. . .¡± [Rienne] ¡°Who is Lord Tiwakan trying to get revenge against?¡± [Beggar] ¡°Daughter of Arsak¡­..¡± Just as the old man tried to speak¡ª [Captain] ¡°Princess!¡± The captain of Castle Nauk¡¯s guard called out to Rienne. [Captain] ¡°The leader of the Tiwakan is on his way.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What?¡± Following the captain¡¯s gestured hand, Rienne turned her head around. Just by looking at the hulking figure walking in her direction, it was obvious the person at the end of the main street couldn¡¯t be any one else but ck. . * * * . It was unfortunate, but getting answers would need to wait. It would be too dangerous to let ck know the identity of the old man. Until the moment he revealed his reasons for being Nauk to her himself, he likely would not tolerate another being in the know. [Rienne] ¡°Please, take him away. Somewhere he can¡¯t be found.¡± Rienne handed the old man the basket of food she brought and left him in the care of the captain. Then, they left the alleyway without wasting a breath. [Rienne] ¡°Lord Tiwakan.¡± Calling out to ck, Rienne made eye contact with him. In contrast to the cold air of the season, the sun felt like it was stinging her skin, it was so bright. Under that burning sunlight, everything felt like it was being revealed. ck was no exception. ¡­.He looks like a statue. He didn¡¯t seem like a real person. More like a work of art that was made just to look at. Rienne wasn¡¯t the only one thinking that. Even the people who passed by in the streets couldn¡¯t help but spare him a nce as they walked on. They¡¯d stare as if they couldn¡¯t tear their eyes away before quickly turning their heads down like they didn¡¯t see anything at all. The moment ck¡¯s eyes met Rienne, he stoodpletely still like a sculpture,pletely unblinking. Rienne felt like she was being blinded by him. Was it because of the sun or was he simply that bright? Either way, he seemed very brilliant in her eyes. Blinking several times rapidly, ck took a step forward and approached Rienne. [ck] ¡°I think I was mistaken.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Excuse me?¡± [ck] ¡°You don¡¯t seem like a princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­Really?¡± Rienne immediately looked down at herself. [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s no different from how I normally look.¡± Maybe he meant that he didn¡¯t recognize her because she was dressed so inly. Though Rienne was a royal, she didn¡¯t look so different from any ordinary person. Her clothing had no fancy arrangements and was designed for simplicity. Even if the mostmon hair color in Nauk was brown while Rienne¡¯s was more golden, she didn¡¯t think it was anything so special. [ck] ¡°You¡¯re like a statue.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Ah¡­¡­.¡± He was saying the same thing she was thinking about him. It was strange. It was such a odd thing to hear out loud that Rienne felt like her heart just stopped. Why are you saying this to me? This man had no reason to say such kind things to her¡­¡­¡­especially not if he desires revenge. Why are you doing this to me? [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­..That¡¯s an exaggeration.¡± Rienne did her best to brush off ck¡¯s words, trying not to linger on them. There had to be a reason. A reason why he was acting so sweet towards her. [ck] ¡°Even if you say that, it doesn¡¯t change the truth of what I said.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­¡­Why did youe here?¡± Bing ufortable with his kindness, Rienne quickly changed the subject. [ck] ¡°I heard you went out, so I came to get you. Are you done with your business?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Yes.¡± Saying he hade just to see her was too kind. Even after that mysterious old man told her that ck was just trying to get revenge against her, she was surprised by her own belief that his actions were kind. Am I fond of this man? Was that why she wanted to believe beyond all belief that he had no other ideas inside of him? ¡­..Why am I like this? [Rienne] ¡°We should return to the castle. I left all the sewing to Mrs. mbard, so she must be tired working without me.¡± Rienne again changed the subject and turned around. Without a word, ck reached out his arm towards her. Having be a little ustomed to walking with him, she ced her hand on his strong arm. [ck] ¡°Is it normal for you to go out alone?¡± With no particr rush, the two of them walked together. When ck first arrived, he rode in on a horse. The mercenary following after them had two horses in tow, and yet no one brought up the idea of actually riding them on their return to the castle. The pair attracted a lot of attention, everyone ncing back at them as they walked, arm in arm. Walking together like that, they looked like a perfect match¨C both of them sharing the thought that the other was so blindingly beautiful, it was enough to make their eyes dizzy. [Rienne] ¡°I wasn¡¯t alone. The captain of the guard was with me.¡± [ck] ¡°One person isn¡¯t enough.¡± [Rienne] ¡°There¡¯s no need for more. Nauk isn¡¯t very big, so an escort party is unnecessary.¡± [ck] ¡°I don¡¯t agree.¡± His sentiment was understandable when she took into consideration what happened with the Kleinfelders not long ago. Rienne tried to swallow her embarrassment. [Rienne] ¡°You may find it difficult to believe, but that¡¯s just how Nauk has always been.¡± [ck] ¡°Call for me from now on.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Excuse me?¡± Rienne whispered out her question. [Rienne] ¡°I can¡¯t do that. You have too many other things to deal with, Lord Tiwakan.¡± [ck] ¡°My job is to apany you, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± ¡­¡­This was the kindness Rienne was thinking about. It was entirely unnecessary. Feeling her heart sting in her chest, Rienne turned her head away and looked off in the distance. [Rienne] ¡°When will construction on the Temple stairs begin?¡± [ck] ¡°We¡¯ll start once the new High Priest has been decided on.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Oh¡­.. Is a new High Priest needed for construction?¡± [ck] ¡°Probably not, but it would be hard to do anything without someone to negotiate with.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Ah.¡± Repairs for the Temple were promised as part of the guarantee of a wedding ceremony from the start. He would pay for construction only once he got a definite answer that the wedding would be held safely. He¡¯s very thorough. Whoever the next High Priest was would have their work cut out for them dealing with this man. Naturally the new High priest would be someone from the Kleinfelder¡¯s pocket, but somehow Rienne wasn¡¯t worried. She couldn¡¯t imagine ck ever being swayed by the High Priest or anyone else for that matter. If this man were just a regr fianc¨¦, engaged by normal circumstances¡­¡­. If he were definitely on her side, without question¡­.. Then I¡¯d be beyond grateful. [ck] ¡°¡­¡­?¡± Thinking that, Rienne unconsciously tightened the grip she had on ck¡¯s arm. [ck] ¡°Was there something you wanted to say?¡± ck stopped and looked down at Rienne. Meeting his gaze, she felt herself stiffen. Rienne blinked, thinking the sun reflecting off of him was too bright. [Rienne] ¡°No, nothing in particr¡­¡­¡± Just then¡ª Amidst the crowds of countless peopleing and going on the main street, someone lugging around strange wooden barrels in an old cart stopped just behind ck. [Mercenary] ¡°My Lord, watch out!¡± The Tiwakan mercenary who was following them from far behind shouted out, but not before ck reacted first. Thud, Thud! Bump! The strap holding the containers broke, and the wooden barrels fell from the cart towards ck and Rienne. * * * T/N: (1) She just means that she wants to stay where she can be seen by her guard. astralment: Poor Phermos. I¡¯m cheering for you, buddy! ghostment: wow he really just ditched his friend with all the work huh?I mean, same but still Chapter 30 - Tryst Chapter 30 | Tryst * * * * [ck] ¡°Move!¡± ck pushed Rienne out of away, causing him to take the bulk of the heavy impact while Rienne narrowly escaped to the side. [Rienne] ¡°Lord Tiwakan!¡± Rienne screamed. In a mere moment, the streets were in total chaos. As the wooden barrels continued to roll, they left a haze of dust in their wake. The people cried out, shouting out as they did their best to avoid the barrels that looked as though they could easily crush them if they were caught. [Rienne] ¡°Lord Tiwa¡­¡­¡­..hmph!¡± And during all thismotion, someone grabbed Rienne from behind and mped their hand over her mouth. [???] ¡°Stay quiet.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­.!¡± Rienne immediately recognized whose voice it was. [???] ¡°I don¡¯t want us to be caught.¡± That familiar voice held tightly onto her and forcibly dragged her away. And just like that, Rienne was gone. * * * * * [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­.Cough!Are you insane!?¡± The hand blocking her mouth finally went away. As soon as Rienne coughed at the sudden air entering her lungs, she yelled out her anger. Though truthfully, she wanted to say something much harsher. [Rienne] ¡°What is wrong with you¡­. Do you have any idea what you¡¯ve done¡­!?¡± [Rafit] ¡°Rienne.¡± The one responsible was Rafit. Rafit took Rienne¡¯s hand and ced in upon his face. It was an action far too polite and courteous in the wake of the unquestionable insanity he had attempted in public. [Rafit] ¡°I needed to talk with you. Somewhere with just the two of us. Where we don¡¯t have to worry about who¡¯s listening.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­..You¡¯vepletely lost it.¡± Rienne had a look of genuine disgust and exhaustion on her face. They were in a carriage with no visible windows. It was clear some effort was made to efficiently kidnap her. [Rienne] ¡°Stop the carriage.¡± Feeling the cold of her hand, Rafit tightened his grip. [Rafit] ¡°Rienne, can¡¯t you take your mind away from him for just a moment?¡± [Rienne] ¡°What are you talking about?¡± [Rafit] ¡°He¡¯ll be dead by now, so¡­.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Stop, let go of me!¡± Suddenly, a mix of fear and panic surged inside of her. As all of those big wooden barrels tumbled towards them, thest thing Rienne could remember was the sound of ck¡¯s voice, telling her to get out of the way. Now he¡¯s¡­¡­ Her pale hand began to tremble without end. He¡¯s dead? No¡­no, he couldn¡¯t be. He doesn¡¯t die. After spending ten years on the battlefield, he wouldn¡¯t justdielike that. A man who endured that much wouldn¡¯t die such an easy death in the streets. He¡¯s not dead. He can¡¯t die. [Rienne] ¡°He¡¯s¡­n..dead¡­¡± Her vision started to get blurry, but she wasn¡¯t crying. She¡¯d be able to see properly if her tears were running freely. But in her faded vision, watching Rafit as he held onto her, he started to look like someone else. Like that man. And that¡¯s when she realized. What she was feeling was desperation¡­..because she did not want that man to die. [Rienne] ¡°He¡¯s not dead.¡± Rienne took a shaky breath. As the tears began to run down her face, finally Rafit started to look like Rafit again. [Rienne] ¡°Don¡¯t touch me. And just go away.¡± Saying that, she took her hands back and slipped them out of Rafit¡¯s grasp. [Rienne] ¡°Leave Nauk and nevere back. I won¡¯t say this again.¡± [Rafit] ¡°Do you really think I don¡¯t know your true heart when you say that to me?¡± Rafit still didn¡¯t understand what Rienne was trying to tell him. [Rafit] ¡°There¡¯s no use trying to get rid of me by saying such cruel words. I won¡¯t listen to it. It¡¯s alright, Rienne¡­. You can be honest now. That man is dead!Dead! And even if he isn¡¯t, he will be soon enough. I would never take half-measures when ites to things like this.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What¡­.what are you talking about?¡± [Rafit] ¡°I couldn¡¯t waste this opportunity while you were alone. I was only nning on taking you originally, but the ns changed once he showed up. So I ordered the knights of the Kleinfelder family to deal with him once he was injured¡ª¡° Thump! The carriage carrying them was moving quickly when it suddenly hit something¡ªshaking with great intensity and cutting off Rafit¡¯s words, scattering them into the air. But there was no way to know what was happening. There were no windows and the door was closed and locked from the outside. [Rafit] ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Rafit shouted out, hitting against the partition leading to the coachman. But a scream sounded out instead of an answer. [Coachman] ¡°Argh!¡± Boom! The scream echoed out into the distance. It sounded like someone grabbed him, forcefully pulled him from his seat on the moving carriage and threw him to the ground. And it wasn¡¯t just Rienne¡¯s imagination. Raft jumped out of his seat and stood up. Thump! Before she realized it, something was stopping the carriage. It shook violently again beforeing to an abrupt stop, forcing Rafit, who was standing, to lose his bnce and fall right on top of Rienne. Boom! And while they were stuck like that, the carriage door swung open. [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± As the sudden light poured into the dark carriage, Rienne blinked. A darkened figure cut against the re of the sun, and Rienne could see herself reflected in their cold eyes. Seeing that figure appear,pletely shrouded in darkness and back lit by the sun, a singr thought entered Rienne¡¯s mind. A massive, vicious beast. [ck] ¡°. . .¡± Light blue eyes akin to those of a wild animal stared down at her. As if he was moments away from tearing out someone¡¯s throat. * * * [ck] ¡°Get up.¡± His voice was low and guttural like the growl of an animal. It was only after ck had grabbed Rafit¡¯s body and pulled him off of Rienne that she realized he was talking to her. Thump! Grabbing Rafit by the ankle, he was thrown as hard as possible into the street, crashing violently into the ground. [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­.!¡± Rienne sped her mouth, not even able to utter a single word of shock. [ck] ¡°Get up.¡± He repeated himself. [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Finally, Rienne came to her senses. The person standing in front of her was ck. The first emotion she felt was immediate relief. See¡­. He¡¯s not dead¡­ Why would Rafit say he¡¯s dead when he isn¡¯t? This is such a relief¡­¡­.I¡¯m so d¡­¡­ [Rienne] ¡°Lord¡ª¡° But that relief quickly disappeared. [ck] ¡°Or I¡¯ll drag you out myself.¡± There wasn¡¯t an ounce of warmth left in his voice, nor in his face or his eyes. [ck] ¡°Is that what you want?¡± [Rienne] ¡°No¡­. no it¡¯s not¡­.¡± Rienne lifted up her skirt and pulled herself up. She was just now realizing in all the hustle and bustle of the carriage being shaken, her body was aching a lot. [Rienne] ¡°How¡­¡­¡± Without even needing to ask, the situation was made clear the moment she stepped out of the carriage. The Tiwakan mercenaries had the entire ce surrounded on horseback. The coachman she heard was nowhere to be seen, and Rafit, who had been tossed aside, was already in the hands of the mercenaries. Rafit¡¯s n was aplete failure. Rienne wasn¡¯t sure how they were able to track down the carriage so quickly, but at least now she could see how quickly they mobilized. But then she noticed how ck¡¯s clothing was stained with blood. [Rienne] ¡°Are your injuries serious?¡± Rienne unconsciously reached for him, but ck took a small step back and avoided her apprehensive hand. [ck] ¡°Don¡¯t touch me. I won¡¯t be the only one bleeding today, if that¡¯s what you¡¯re asking about.¡± [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s good¡­.. Wait, excuse me?¡± [ck] ¡°You want to know if my injuries are severe enough to kill me?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I¡­.don¡¯t understand¡­..¡± [ck] ¡°I told you before. That day would be the only day I would ignore the illegitimate son of the Kleinfelders.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± With that, Rienne realized why ck was so quickly sapped of the kindness he once showed her. While they were together, a sudden ident took ce that resulted in Rienne¡¯s disappearance. He chased her down, only to discover her running off somewhere in a carriage with her former lover. And when he opened the door, Rienne and Rafit were in each other¡¯s arms, as if they were in the midst of embracing one another¡­..(1) From ck¡¯s perspective, it would look like Rienne was a part of this n from the beginning. Filled with desperation, Rienne shook her head. [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s not what¡­¡­¡­.What happened today was¡­..¡± [ck] ¡°You didn¡¯t know about this?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I didn¡¯te here by my own will. I only realized what happened wasn¡¯t an ident when I was being forced into a carriage.¡± [ck] ¡°¡­¡­..I see.¡± But even as he spoke the words ¡®I see¡¯, it was clear there wasn¡¯t even a little understanding or eptance in them. ck didn¡¯t believe a word Rienne said. [ck] ¡°Then the illegitimate son of the Kleinfelders must have concocted this n of treason on his own. You, go get him. We¡¯ll take his head here. Get rid of the body and send the head back to the family.¡± [Mercenary] ¡°Yes, sir.¡± The order was clear and concise, and it was epted just as quickly. But not by Rienne. [Rienne] ¡°Lord Tiwakan!¡± Rienne rushed to pull ck back. The fabric of his clothing was caked in mud and she could feel the blood staining her fingertips. It made her realize just how injured he was. [ck] ¡°I told you not to touch me.¡± [Rienne] ¡°You can¡¯t.¡± [ck] ¡°I can¡¯t, what?¡± Rienne closed her eyes tightly before opening them. There was no one who was more sick and tired of the situation than she was. The Kleinfelder family was nothing but a gue, and Rafit, who was obsessed with their already ended rtionship, was beyond infuriating. But even so, Rafit could never be killed. Doing so would incite a war. A war in such a weak and ailing kingdom would tear it apart, filling it with an endless cycle of ughter. Rienne couldn¡¯t bring herself to face the death toll on either side. [Rienne] ¡°Please¡­¡­.you can¡¯t kill him¡­.¡± [ck] ¡°Is Nauk the kind of ce that allows traitors to keep their heads?¡± [Rienne] ¡°If its the Kleinfelders¡­¡± Rienne swallowed hard. It was as though she was forcing thorns down her throat. [Rienne] ¡°The price is one we cannot afford to pay. The Kleinfelders won¡¯t sit idly by¡ª we wouldn¡¯t be able to withstand the aftermath.¡± [ck] ¡°I¡¯ll deal with it.¡± [Rienne] ¡°No, you can¡¯t.¡± Drip. Drip. As Rienne tightly kept her grip on his clothing, the blood seeped through her fingers and dripped onto the tops of her feet. [Rienne] ¡°Nauk will be the one to suffer the consequences. Killing the Kleinfelders is tantamount to killing half of Nauk.¡± If they waged war against the royal family, all the houses in the aristocratic delegation would side with the Kleinfelders. When wartime came and the Tiwakan wiped them out, they wouldn¡¯t be suppressing some small band of rebels. They¡¯d be smashing the already small kingdom into even smaller pieces,pletely decimating it and leaving nothing but broken shards behind. [Rienne] ¡°Nauk has already faced too much loss. My greatest regret is that I did not ept Lord Tiwakan¡¯s proposal sooner. If I had¡­.it never would¡¯ve reached this point.¡± If only she had stopped Rafit from going to the Kingdom of Sharka for reinforcements. If only she had quickly ended her halfhearted, obligatory rtionship with him and just epted the proposal as soon as she received it. If she had, those hundreds of people who died would still be alive, and she wouldn¡¯t have to make so many dangerous lies just to save Rafit. She wouldn¡¯t have had to lie about having a child, either. She wouldn¡¯t need to panic about the date of her monthly fever, or need to find a way to hide her inexperience. And once he got whatever it was that he wanted from her¡­. Revenge or whatever it may be¡­.. At least then I wouldn¡¯t have to feel like my head was going to burst¡­¡­. constantly having to question what is truly inside your heart. [Rienne] ¡°Please¡­¡­please don¡¯t kill him. I just want¡­¡­to protect Nauk.¡± His unusually sharp eyes scanned Rienne¡¯s expression. Whenever he did that, Rienne felt as though she could never lie to him. [Rienne] ¡°Not him, but Nauk.¡± [ck] ¡°¡­¡­¡­..I don¡¯t believe you.¡± But when ck¡¯s slow answer finally came out, it was a phrase that pushed her heart into despair. [ck] ¡°You¡¯ve been consistently making unbelievable excuses and promises you can¡¯t be bothered to keep, Princess¡­¡­¡­I can¡¯t believe you now.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Please¡­¡­.Please believe me. Everything I¡¯ve told you now is the truth.¡± [ck] ¡°Not possible.¡± ck¡¯s mouth tensed. [ck] ¡°There may be more lies I¡¯m not even aware of. Why should I start to trust you now?¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Rienne couldn¡¯t find the words to say. He waspletely right. Anytime Rienne would lie to narrowly avoid a crisis, ck would act ignorant, but he always knew something was going on, even if he didn¡¯t know the specifics. [Rienne] ¡°Anything¡­¡­. I¡¯ll do anything¡­.to prove I¡¯m not lying¡­¡­.¡± Rienne could feel the desperation set in, but ck didn¡¯t seem to see it. He looked down at her with a twisted and warped smirk on his face. [ck] ¡°Seems I¡¯ve encouraged a terrible habit in you, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What are you talking about¡­¡­?¡± [ck] ¡°Do you think things will go your way this time if you use your body to appease me?¡±(2) * * * T/N:(1) Literally means ¡°in an embrace¡± or ¡°in a hug¡±, but in this context, it can have more romantic connotations. (2) He uses a word here that means ¡®getting good at/used to doing something¡¯ in conjunction with a word that means ¡®to soothe/pacify/calm¡¯ etc. i.e Rienne made a habit of using her body to calm him to get out of difficult situations. astralment: Oof, that was a lot. ghostment: *insert elmo fire meme* my heart¡­..;_; Chapter 31 - Betrayal Chapter 31 | Betrayal * * * * * Rienne¡¯s voice grew in confusion and embarrassment. [Rienne] ¡°What¡­..No, it¡¯s not like that!¡± [ck] ¡°It¡¯s not?¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± But ck didn¡¯t hesitate to talk back, his lips parting easily to speak. Their minds were onpletely different things. All Rienne wanted was to prevent Nauk from being torn apart by war, but ck truly believed she was making all of these terrible lies just to save her old love¡¯s life. [ck] ¡°Like I said, I don¡¯t trust you, Princess.¡± For some reason, those words hurt more than a thorn under one¡¯s fingernail. [ck] ¡°Do you still want me to keep him alive?¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­¡­..Yes.¡± But even if he didn¡¯t believe her, she couldn¡¯t back down. The Kleinfelder¡¯s eldest son could not die. No matter her personal feelings on it¡­. Even if she thought things might be better if he did, Rienne could not allow it to happen, no matter what. [ck] ¡°Then I will.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Ah¡­¡­¡± The relief instantly rushed in. When Rienne instinctively looked up at him, ck¡¯s eyes narrowed like a de. [ck] ¡°But I want something from you.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What¡ª¡± Suddenly, ck grabbed Rienne¡¯s arm and pulled her towards him. She felt his lips brush up against her ear, his words seeping into her earlobe as he exhaled harshly against it. [ck] ¡°You¡¯ll be sharing a bed with me tonight, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What¡­..that¡¯s¡­.¡± Then, as quickly as he grabbed her, ck let go of her arm¡ªas if he had no intention of hearing her response. [ck] ¡°Bring that thing. Bind him and lock him away.¡±(1) [Mercenary] ¡°¡­¡­Yes, sir.¡± The mercenaries all nced at each other, seemingly confused as to why they were told not to kill someone like this, but they nheless followed orders. Besides, ck¡¯s expression didn¡¯t invite any questions. He looked so angry everyone felt they¡¯d be liable to get seriously hurt if they dared to ask him. [ck] ¡°Take the Princess to the castle. I¡¯m going ahead.¡± [Mercenary] ¡°Oh¡­.uh, you¡¯re leaving first? Are you alright to ride with those injuries?¡± Leaving behind the astonished mercenaries, ck strode quickly towards his horse and climbed up on it. [ck] ¡°Go!¡± Dun, dun, dun! The dark horse carrying ck disappeared into the distance in the blink of an eye. [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± All Rienne could do was stand there and watch as his back moved farther and farther away. It hurts¡­. It still hurt to hear him so inly say he didn¡¯t believe her. * * * * * [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Oh¡­. Princess! What happened to your clothing!? What¡¯s happened?¡± By the time Rienne returned to the castle, the sun that was once rising was now setting. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you were going alone? What¡¯s going on¡­.?¡± And of course, Mrs. mbard waspletely speechless. It was understandable though. Anyone would be shocked if someone who was simply leaving to give food to an old man returned covered in dirt, being escorted by three mercenaries. [Rienne] ¡°It just turned out this way. I¡¯d like to wash up. Is there any water left?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Of course, you can use mine. I¡¯ll prepare some clothing for you to change into. Please, head inside.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Thank you, ma¡¯am.¡± Rienne turned to the mercenaries. In reality, these men were not there to escort her. They were monitoring her. Today¡¯s events only served to show the Tiwakan mercenaries that Rienne was a woman capable of betraying their leader and running away. She wasn¡¯t about to make any kind of excuse towards them, but that didn¡¯t mean she was going to ept their watchful eyes without a word. [Rienne] ¡°I think you¡¯ve taken me far enough. I¡¯d like to rest now.¡± The mercenaries looked at one another, one of them eventually opening his mouth. [Mercenary] ¡°Do whatever¡¯sfortable for you. We¡¯ll be here until we¡¯re told otherwise.¡± [Rienne] ¡°The castle is safe. Having an escort here is excessive.¡± [Mercenary] ¡°Our Lord might have a different opinion.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± As she expected, they weren¡¯t going to listen so easily. Rienne let out a small sigh. [Rienne] ¡°Then please sit. I¡¯ll inform you ahead of time if I intend to leave again.¡± [Mercenary] ¡°Don¡¯t worry about us. We can handle ourselves.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­.Well, alright then.¡± Rienne didn¡¯t say anything else and entered the bedroom. Mrs. mbard waited for a long time, still wondering what exactly was happening. ¡­¡­Click. As soon as the door closed behind Rienne, Mrs. mbard spoke up. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Princess, what¡¯s going on? Why are they suddenly acting this way?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Hah¡­..¡± Right then, all the exhaustion Rienne was enduring suddenly caught up with her. She lost all strength in her legs as she lifelessly sank to the floor. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Ah, Princess! Are you alright!?¡± Fear seizing her heart, Mrs. mbard took Rienne¡¯s hand with a look of surprise on her face. [Rienne] ¡°Just a moment¡­.. I¡¯d like to sit¡­¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°But don¡¯t sit on the floor. Here, use a chair.¡± [Rienne] ¡°My clothing will only dirty it. Having to clean my dress is already too much¡­. We already have too much work to do.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°. . .¡± The woman looked at Rienne¡¯s incredibly defeated expression and sat down next to her. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°What happened?¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­..It¡¯s¡­¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Do you not wish to speak of it?¡± [Rienne] ¡°No¡­ I don¡¯t want to hide anything¡­.¡± ¡­.I¡¯m sorry I have to tell you this. Rienne didn¡¯t know why it hurt¡­.but it did. [Rienne] ¡°The Kleinfelders tried to kill Lord Tiwakan.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°What?¡± Mrs. mbard was so shocked, she almost screamed. The moment she realized how loud she was, she ced a hand over her mouth. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Did they really? Then did he¡­..did he die?¡± [Rienne] ¡°No.¡± Rienne¡¯s face darkened. All those emotions she felt when she was told ck had died came rushing back in, tumbling around in her heart like boiling water. [Rienne] ¡°But he¡¯s hurt. Badly.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Goodness¡­..But if the Kleinfelder family was responsible then why is he so upset with you, Princess?¡± Hearing that was a surprise. [Rienne] ¡°How did you know Lord Tiwakan was upset with me?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Those men he sent with you seemed angry.¡± [Rienne] ¡°They weren¡¯t angry. They weren¡¯t harsh in the slightest.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Really? They seemed different from how they were treating you yesterday.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Is¡­.that so?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°So they did, in my opinion.¡± Rienne was starting understand what she meant. The Tiwakan mercenaries were entirely different from how the rumors described them. People always said they were beasts parading as men, with so many terrible rumors circting about their deeds. But Rienne had never personally witnessed anything like that. Even though they were angry with her, though their tone had be a bit rough, they still treated her with respect and were never rude. I suppose that¡¯s all because of him. Because that man was always so kind to her. [Rienne] ¡°Lord Tiwakan thinks I conspired with Lord Kleinfelder.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°What?¡± Her eyes widened so much it looked as though her eyes were about to pop out. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Princess¡­ Don¡¯t tell me you¡­.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Of course not.¡± Rienne quickly nipped the seeds of doubt in the bud. [Rienne] ¡°I swear I had nothing to do with this. Attempting something like that while the Tiwakan upy the castle would be incredibly foolish.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Yes! Why would Lord Kleinfelder try something even a five year old child would understand is stupid?¡± [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s what I want to know. I don¡¯t understand how he could he be so rash.¡± As Rienne recounted the events, exining how Rafit kidnapped her and forced her into a carriage all the way until ck¡¯s arrival on the scene, she could hear Mrs. mbard utter words of shock to herself. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°¡­..I suppose misunderstanding the situation is only natural. After all, Princess¡­.. he believes you to be carrying Lord Kleinfelder¡¯s child.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Yes.¡± Rienne buried her face in herp. [Rienne] ¡°When I said that¡­ I held no regrets¡­if it meant protecting what¡¯s important¡­ It¡¯s just¡­..¡± Taking a breath, the air hitched in Rienne¡¯s throat. [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­..It¡¯s too much.¡±(2) It felt like someone had her heart in their grip and was squeezing it as hard as they could. She held so many doubts about that man herself and yet, for some reason, him saying he distrusts her in turn caused such a pain in her chest. How long must we doubt each other like this? Will this cycle¡­ever end¡­? [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Then tell him it isn¡¯t so, Princess.¡± Rienne kept her face buried and weakly shook her head. [Rienne] ¡°It would be pointless to do so now.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Then you¡¯ll just have to repeat yourself, again and again, until he believes you. A broken trust is not so easily repaired.¡± [Rienne] ¡°But what difference will it make?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°What makes you say that? Aren¡¯t these misunderstandings causing you pain, Princess?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Yes¡­. but simply clearly them away doesn¡¯t mean everything will be alright.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Princess¡­.¡± [Rienne] ¡°It isn¡¯t as though I can so easily ask him to trust me, so I have no choice but to maintain the lie into the future.¡±(3) [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Why do you have so little faith? Couldn¡¯t you just be honest?¡± [Rienne] ¡°But how? Even now, I still need to keep my monthly fever a secret.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°. . .¡± Rienne, who was hiding her dangerously pale face, slowly pulled her head up. [Rienne] ¡°Enough. I need to wash up now.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Princess¡­¡­ you can stay here longer.¡± Mrs. mbard said this instead of saying Rienne looked unwell. [Rienne] ¡°If I stay here, I may never leave so I must move while I still can. I¡¯ll clean up now, so please prepare my clothing.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°¡­¡­Please wait a moment. I will get the water ready.¡± Mrs. mbard leapt to her feet and headed towards the bathroom before Rienne could respond. Perhaps she was worried Rienne would refuse. [Rienne] ¡°Everything¡¯s fine.¡± Rienne whispered to herself, watching Mrs. mbard¡¯s back. [Rienne] ¡°Really.¡± Despite this haggard feeling inside of her, everything was truly fine. Rafit Kleinfelder was still alive, as was ck. Nauk was safe, which meant ithadto be alright. [Rienne] ¡°¡­..Though there is one thing that isn¡¯t.¡± Nauk¡¯s safety came at a price. One Rienne needed to pay. [ck] ¨C¡®You¡¯ll be sharing a bed with me tonight, Princess.¡¯ Remembering that, Rienne felt a chill move through her body at the sound of ck¡¯s voice cutting into her mind. No¡­.It¡¯ll be fine.The wedding is still a few days away¡­¡­.so it¡¯ll be fine. ck wasn¡¯t the sort of man to speak empty words, and yet Rienne was desperate to believe he meant otherwise. [Rienne] ¡°No¡­it¡¯ll be alright. He isn¡¯t the kind of person to force something like that.¡± But the more she denied it and the more she tried to convince herself, the thought only echoed even louder in her head. Fearing the weight of it would keep her down, Rienne quickly shook it away and stood up. I¡¯ll feel better once I clean myself. She just felt a little sick, so she couldn¡¯t help but worry about the night ahead. Everything will be okay. It has to be. * * * * * To avoid what happened before, Rienne barred both doors leading to the bathroom before taking off her clothes. Disrobing, Rienne turned towards the water basin in front of the mirror. The sight was more pitiful than she would¡¯ve thought. [Rienne] ¡°This is¡­?¡± Decorating her right arm and trailing down her elbow, all the way down the side of her body were various blue and red bruises. It must be where she¡¯d gotten hurt when she was being forced into the carriage. [Rienne] ¡°I got cut here. No wonder I felt it stinging earlier.¡± Feeling a sense of despondency set in, Rienne surprised even herself as a lowugh escaped her. [Rienne] ¡°He¡¯s no help at all.¡± The man she had once trusted as a lover had now be an incredibly troublesome and heavy existence. [Rienne] ¡°Not one bit.¡± Rienne whispered to herself about Rafit, getting to work clearing the blood off of her arm. The blood had already started to dry, so the process was a little painful. [Rienne] ¡°That person¡­¡­ he¡¯s hurt too, isn¡¯t he?¡± ck had gotten so terribly hurt that the fabric of his clothing was wet with blood. Considering even his subordinates were worried about him riding a horse, it might be even worse than she thought. [Rienne] ¡°Did he get himself treated?¡± He said he would return first, but he hadn¡¯te back to the castle yet. Rienne felt herself getting worried, wondering where he was and whether or not he was feeling well. At some point, her feelings towards him strayed away from repulsion and fear. Instead, the sadness, anxiety, gratitude, and regret were taking up more seats in her heart than not. But this was something Rienne was not aware of. I hope you¡¯re not in too much pain. Rienne swallowed hard, concentrating on cleaning her wound. But just as she was distracted with finishing getting the blood off of her and cleaning up, that¡¯s when it happened. Bump¡­..Boom! The once barred door crashed open. The iron holders meant to keep the bar in ce immediately tore off from the sheer force of the push. [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Rienne jerked her head in the direction of the noise. And that¡¯s when she saw ck. He was staring at her, his face as stiff as a statue. * * * T/N: (1) He usesnguage in reference to Rafit that¡¯s more indicative of an object, rather than a person. (2) lit ¡°too cramped/tight¡±. This could be a double meaning for the literal tightness in her chest and the more figurative weight of her lie. (3)they use the word ¡°??¡± here twice, lit. ¡°to continue (something)¡±. Using it twice in a row is usually done for emphasis, likely illustrating Rienne¡¯s hopelessness that the situation is unavoidable. astralment: We¡¯ve officially entered angst-filled territory, if we weren¡¯t therest chapteralready. ghostment: Truth is important, but the drama is feeding me Chapter 32 - Spark (1) Chapter 32 | Spark (1) At that moment, Rienne¡¯s mind wentpletely nk, but luckily her hand knew to move on its own. She quickly grabbed the towel she had prepared nearby and used it to cover her bare body. [Rienne] ¡°Wha, what are you¡­..?¡± But unlike her hands, her mouth couldn¡¯t speak properly. [Rienne] ¡°I, I thought¡­. I locked it¡­..¡± It was then that ck took his eyes away, speaking slowly. [ck] ¡°¡­¡­So that¡¯s why.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­.?¡± [ck] ¡°I thought the door was stuck, but it was just the lock.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± So that¡¯s what he meant. He didn¡¯t know the door was locked so he ended up breaking in unintentionally. Rienne felt her heart settle hearing those words. It ddened her to know he didn¡¯t do it because he intended to do away with his good will just to be impatient about tonight. But looking at him now, she realized he must want to wash up. He was still covered in blood and mud from the incident. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯d like for you to leave now. I¡¯ve just finished, so I¡¯ll be out in a moment.¡± [ck] ¡°Are you hurt?¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­..Excuse me?¡± As if he couldn¡¯t hear her, ck stood still and continually asked his question. [ck] ¡°Your arms and your side.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Oh¡­..¡± Wanting to hide her body from him, Rienne angled herself away and repeated herself. [Rienne] ¡°Yes, but please leave¡­.¡± [ck] ¡°When was it? Was it when the cart crashed?¡± No, not then. When the cart crashed and the barrels started rolling towards them, ck had pushed Rienne to the side so quickly that they didn¡¯t even leave a scratch on her. [Rienne] ¡°No, I think it happened when I was in the carriage. And please don¡¯t stare at me like that¡­. Even if you¡¯re my fianc¨¦, it¡¯s still impolite.¡± [ck] ¡°Ah¡­..¡± Much toote, ck finally turned his head away. [ck] ¡°Pardon me.¡± Averting his gaze, he turned his back towards her. As he started to leave through the door with the destroyed lock, he slightly gestured his head back towards her, murmuring quietly. [ck] ¡°Then¡­. Aren¡¯t¡­¡±(1) [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± Maybe it was because he was facing away from her, but Rienne couldn¡¯t quite hear him. [Rienne] ¡°Did you say something?¡± [ck] ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Never mind.¡± And then ck left without turning back. Click. The door shut behind him, almost soundless inparison to the booming noise from when it was opened. [Rienne] ¡°Hah¡­¡­¡± Finally, Rienne was able to breathe. [Rienne] ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± On the floor of thatrge bathroom sat the remains of the needlessly sturdy iron lock. Though not as big inparison to the locks of the entrance gate, it was still fairly heavy and strong. It was unimaginable to believe that ck could push it open so easily, thinking the door was merely being stubborn. Rienne was again given a striking and dawning reminder of their difference in strength. If he wanted to force her to do something she didn¡¯t want to do, she would have no way of refusing him. [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­But he left.¡± He didn¡¯t stare at her when she asked him not to, and he quietly left when she asked him to leave. That¡¯s when a sudden thought came to Rienne about the man named ck. [Rienne] ¡°That man¡­¡­ He wouldn¡¯t do something that I wouldn¡¯t like. That¡¯s the kind of man he is.¡± Rienne had no choice but to put her faith in that thought. * * * * * By the time ck hade in, Rienne was already mostly done washing up. After that, all she needed to do was dry herself off and change into the clothes Mrs. mbard had left for her. Then, she went back into the bathroom and emptied out the water basin, filling it with fresh water herself. She felt it would be too cruel to ask an injured person to do it on his own. Knock, knock. Once she was done with all her work, Rienne left through the other door to the bathroom and knocked on ck¡¯s bedroom door. [Rienne] ¡°You may use the bathroom now.¡± But there was no response. [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­Lord Tiwakan?¡± Rienne tilted her head and eventually turned around to leave. If he wasn¡¯t answering, then maybe he¡¯d left again. But then an odd feeling took hold of her and she turned right back around and opened the door. Thump. [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­Lord Tiwakan!¡± When she opened the door, ck¡¯s body was lying t on the floor. Pale-faced, Rienne ran towards him. [Rienne] ¡°Lord Tiwakan! Please wake up!¡± As Rienne took his head in her arms and gently patted his cheek, his eyes started to open. [Rienne] ¡°Lord Tiwakan!¡± [ck] ¡°¡­¡­Ah.¡± Though he was lying on the floor, he spoke rather clearly. Over time, his blue eyes slowly came to. [ck] ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± He was on the floor with his head resting in Rienne¡¯sp, his eyes going over her as she held his face with her hand. He really didn¡¯t know what was happening. [Rienne] ¡°I called out for you, but you didn¡¯t respond¡­..then I came in and I found you on the floor.¡± Meanwhile Rienne was so surprised, she waspletely breathless. [ck] ¡°¡­¡­..I must¡¯ve fallen asleep.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Asleep? On the floor?¡± [ck] ¡°I do that sometimes when I get hurt.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± With a look of disbelief on her face, Rienne looked at ck who only stared up at her. [Rienne] ¡°Have you lost your mind? You¡¯re injured.¡± [ck] ¡°I woke up, so it¡¯s fine.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± In that moment, why did his scar-riddled bodye to her mind? He doesn¡¯t even realize he¡¯s hurt. He doesn¡¯t notice his own pain or his own sickness so he forgets to take care of himself. So why did he look at her like that when he saw her bruises? [Rienne] ¡°Stand up.¡± Rienne let go of ck¡¯s head as he slowly stood up from the ground. He made a strange face as he did so, but eventually he was able to stand on his own two feet. [ck] ¡°Are you going to stay here?¡± ck asked this as he faced the bathroom door. He was saying that he wanted to take off his clothes before going in. [Rienne] ¡°¡­..No, not here.¡± Rienne shook her head and stood up. [Rienne] ¡°Follow me.¡± [ck] ¡°¡­¡­?¡± While ck was left to wonder, Rienne walked right past him and into the bathroom. * * * * * [Rienne] ¡°Take off your clothes. Like you normally do when you wash up.¡± [ck] ¡°. . .¡± ck looked right at Rienne. Perhaps stunned into speechlessness, his lips were slightly parted. [Rienne] ¡°I will help you. It wouldn¡¯t be right to leave someone who could copse at any moment on their own.¡± [ck] ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s not. Take them off.¡± [ck] ¡°I¡¯m not that hurt.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡± [ck] ¡°. . .¡± Getting quiet again, ck frowned. [ck] ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I said it earlier. You¡¯re hurt, so I must treat you like a patient.¡± [ck] ¡°It¡¯s not that big of a deal.¡± [Rienne] ¡°And you wonder why I¡¯m doing this? This isn¡¯t the first time I¡¯ve needed to take care of your wounds. Why must today be any different?¡± As his frown deepened, so did the creases between his brows. [ck] ¡°That¡¯s not it¡­..If you¡¯re doing this because you want to pay the price for keeping the Kleinfelder alive, then this isn¡¯t necessary. That¡¯s something else entirely, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°That¡­.¡± With those words, Rienne¡¯s face turned pale, but it was only for a moment. Not long after that, she was able to make her expression calm again. [Rienne] ¡°This has nothing to do with that. You¡¯re hurt, Lord Tiwakan, but unfortunately you don¡¯t seem too interested in mending yourself. That leaves it up to me.¡± [ck] ¡°And why would you do that for me, Princess?¡¯ [Rienne] ¡°Because you¡¯re my fianc¨¦.¡± [ck] ¡°. . .¡± Rienne caught a glimpse of ck raising one of his eyebrows. She didn¡¯t know exactly what that meant, but it certainly didn¡¯t mean he was happy. Though if I were him, I¡¯d feel the same. Especially after what happened today. [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­.I know it sounds ridiculousing from me, but my feelings have not changed since the day we first wrote our marriage vows. In neither body nor mind, I have no intention of cheating on my fianc¨¦. Such will always be the case so long as I carry the name of Arsak.¡±(2) I can¡¯t force him to believe me. It¡¯s his own heart, not mine. But she couldn¡¯t leave him, alone and injured, just because of a misunderstanding. [Rienne] ¡°If you can¡¯t trust me, then please, at least call for someone else.¡± [ck] ¡°. . .¡± ck stood still, running a hand through his dirty hair. When he moved his hand away, his expression was entirely visible, and it looked different from usual. [ck] ¡°I usually take all my clothes off when I wash myself.¡± When he said that, Rienne¡¯s face turned a little red. [ck] ¡°How much do you want me to leave on?¡± They decided on the bare minimum. In the bathroom where Rienne was waiting, ck entered wearing only a pair of pants that cut above the knee. * * * * * Rienne had to hold back a scream. With injuries like this, any other man would be lying sick in bed, groaning from the pain. And yet ck, against all belief, was sittingpletely unperturbed with a distant look on his face. [Rienne] ¡°The wounds are everywhere.¡± Rienne sighed, looking over the ces where his skin had be swollen or cut. She was lucky his back was turned towards her so he couldn¡¯t see her expression. [ck] ¡°I don¡¯t tend to feel pain unless a bone is broken so¡­¡­..¡± His words trailed off like he was rushing to make an excuse. In all honesty, over the course of his life, he had made so few excuses he wasn¡¯t even aware he was doing so. He just thought it was strange why something that was normally so obvious was difficult to say in front of Rienne. [Rienne] ¡°But this one healed so quickly. I think it might bepletely healed by now.¡± As she worked cleaning him of all the bloodstains and dirt, she carefully touched where his shoulder had been pierced with an arrow not long ago. [ck] ¡°¡­¡­Hng.¡± Rolling his shoulder, ck let out a low moan. Rienne was immediately taken aback, pulling her hand away. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t know it was still causing you pain.¡± [ck] ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­? Then¡­.?¡± [ck] ¡°Your hand is soft.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­?¡± If my hand is soft, then why is he avoiding it¡­..? Oh, it must be because it¡¯s irritating it. Understanding his reaction, Rienne nodded to herself. The wound might be healed but the skin would be sensitive because it¡¯s still scarring over. I need to be more careful. [Rienne] ¡°How did you n on washing your back with so many wounds?¡± Thinking it¡¯d cause too much pain otherwise, Rienne gently dabbed his wounds with a wet cloth. With how injured his body was, it was unthinkable to imagine him doing it on his own. [ck] ¡°I didn¡¯t think about it. Probably would¡¯ve just poured water on it.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Hah¡­..¡± Just as she thought. The man was terribly insensitive when it came to his own pain. ¡­But I¡¯m not. From Rienne¡¯s perspective, he looked so hurt it was difficult to even touch his wounds. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m almost finished. Hold on for just a little bit longer.¡± [ck] ¡°It¡¯s fine. You don¡¯t have to rush.¡± [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s not fine.¡± If Rienne spent any more time looking at his wounds, she wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep at night. Seeing him so hurt made her feel sick. [Rienne] ¡°Your back is done. You¡¯ll likely be able to reach the rest on your own¡­¡­..¡± Mustering her courage, Rienne spoke again. [Rienne] ¡°Still, I¡¯d like to do it for you if at all possible.¡± ck turned his head back to look at her. [ck] ¡°Is it because I¡¯m your fianc¨¦?¡± [Rienne] ¡°No, it¡¯s because I know you won¡¯t take care of your wounds properly yourself, Lord Tiwakan.¡± [ck] ¡°. . .¡± For some reason, ck didn¡¯t answer. He kept his mouth shut as he looked at Rienne. She thought it might hurt his neck if he stayed like that for too long. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯ll take that to mean it¡¯s alright.¡± So she moved herself to the front of him. Sitting in the bathroom chair like that, ck¡¯s stature was much smaller than usual and it was easier for Rienne to stand at eye level with him. But she always seemed to get into trouble when their eyes met. Maybe I shouldn¡¯t have offered. Rienne could never be calm seeing his face like this. [ck] ¡°¡­¡­.It¡¯s not alright.¡± It was when Rienne reached out to ce the wet cloth on his corbone that he tilted his head back to avoid her touch. Her outstretched hand hovered awkwardly in the air, stiffening in response. [ck] ¡°I¡¯ll just end up wanting payment for what happened today.¡± [Rienne] ¡°That¡­¡­¡­¡­Oh.¡± Rienne understood ck just a beatter. It wasn¡¯t his words that made her understand, but rather the look in his eyes. There was a fire there more intense than when he was hit with that arrow and his fever rose, though she didn¡¯t see it immediately. [Rienne] ¡°Something like that¡­¡­won¡¯t happen.¡± Saying that, Rienne¡¯s throat felt dry and her voice cracked. Without even blinking, ck watched her as she held a hand over her mouth and awkwardly coughed. [ck] ¡°What do you mean, it won¡¯t?¡± [Rienne] ¡°You¡¯re not the sort of man who would force such an awful thing on me, Lord Tiwakan.¡± ck¡¯s mouth tensed only for a brief moment. [ck] ¡°Is the idea of sleeping with me really that ¡®awful¡¯?¡± [Rienne] ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I¡¯m saying¡­¡­I only meant that you wouldn¡¯t force me if I wasn¡¯t ready.¡± [ck] ¡°How do you know that?¡± [Rienne] ¡°You¡¯ve shown me with your actions. I know because you¡¯ve always been so respectful towards me.¡± Just then, ck gave a bitter smile. [ck] ¡°Respectful¡­¡­.. Even if I was, the matter of us sleeping together is different.¡± [Rienne] ¡°No, it¡¯s not. I was not in a position to reject this proposal and yet you were still respectful and considerate towards me. I¡¯m certain that means you wouldn¡¯t force me to do something like that if I didn¡¯t want it.¡± [ck] ¡°. . .¡± From that, his bitter smile only grew. But after his smile faded, ck looked at Rienne. [ck] ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± * * * T/N: (1) He uses an iplete phrase, so it¡¯s left ambiguous what he¡¯s talking about, though basically he¡¯s asking for confirmation of negative statement, leaving out any specifics because he wasn¡¯t heard. Kinda like saying ¡°Not?¡± in English. (2) By the phrase ¡®body or mind¡¯, she means that she didn¡¯t conspire against him or physically cheat on him. astralment: You¡¯ve earned a lot of points by being nice so far, don¡¯t throw them away now! ghostment: this is my favorite CG so far though, I think. It¡¯s v soft. Chapter 33 - Spark (2) Chapter 33 | Spark (2) trantor/editor: astralmech | editor: ghost * * * * * Rienne waited in silence for his next words. [ck] ¡°I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re too cunning for your own good or if you¡¯re just ridiculously innocent.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­..Neither of those sound likepliments.¡± [ck] ¡°Is it because you know I can¡¯t say no when ites to you, Princess?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Is¡­..that what you think?¡± [ck] ¡°You understand what happened today.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± She knew exactly what he was doing. He kept talking about the price she needed to pay for what happened, but by the looks of it, he didn¡¯t seem like he had any intentions of actually taking it. [ck] ¡°But that won¡¯tst forever¡­..¡± ck reached out and took the wet cloth from Rienne. [ck] ¡°You should leave. While I¡¯m still pretending to be a decent person.¡± Her hands were empty now. Rienne stared at her hands as the he lifted the cloth from her and took it back. If she left like this, nothing would change. This man would continue to misunderstand what had happened and her heart would be left to wallow in distress. She didn¡¯t want things to be like that. [Rienne] ¡°I know you¡¯re more than just a ¡®decent person¡¯, Lord Tiwakan.¡± I¡¯m not afraid. Not of him. [Rienne] ¡°So please, allow me to stay here. I want to take care of my fianc¨¦ however I can.¡± [ck] ¡°. . .¡± She could see the muscles in ck¡¯s face twitch, but this time it didn¡¯t seem like he found her words unpleasant. * * * * * Completely cleaning all his wounds took quite awhile. Though, once Rienne had insisted on helping him wash his hair, the evening passed by quickly after that. ck tried to draw the line by telling her she needn¡¯t bother, but she couldn¡¯t trust him to wash his hair properly after he tried ignoring his injuries. By the time everything was done, Rienne was exhausted once she left the bathroom. But for some reason, ck seemed far more tired than she, which was a bit peculiar. After making several requests for one of his subordinates to help him apply the medicine, Rienne returned to her room. Her arms felt so heavy she needed Mrs. mbard¡¯s help changing into her nightgown. Once she had finally managed to convince Mrs. mbard to leave and get herself some dinner, Rienne immediately dropped herself into her bed. It¡¯s been such a long day. All she wanted to do was close her eyes and fall asleep but the moment sheid down, her back ached intensely. [Rienne] ¡°Oh¡­.. why¡­.must you hurt now¡­?¡± She forced herself to lie down. The only thing that brought her respite from the pain was lying on her stomach, and even that only helped briefly and barely. [Rienne] ¡°Did I hurt my back too¡­..? I thought my bruises were on my side.¡± She felt so much pain after receiving a couple of bruises, but what about him? That man¡¯s been in a near constant state of harm since arriving. It was a pattern started by Rafit, who shot that arrow in the first ce. This was all his fault. All because his temperament was worse than a five-year-old child. Why couldn¡¯t he understand that they were already long since done? Although, I never did ask what happened to Rafit. That man said to lock him up somewhere, so that was probably where he was now. Things are going to be such a mess tomorrow. Linden Kleinfelder would likely try and destroy her for this one. He¡¯ll probably send Lord Maslow to try and squeeze something out of her. And what was her n to deal with that when it happened? ¡­.Hah¡­..Let¡¯s just stop thinking about this right now. She¡¯ll think about it when tomorrowes. It wasn¡¯t a good idea to think about the people of that family right before she went to sleep. She¡¯d only have nightmares if she did. Focus on feeling better. Just forget how much your back hurts. What should she¡­¡­. But what suddenly came to mind was ck¡¯s low and deep voice from earlier. [ck] ¨C¡®You should leave. While I¡¯m still pretending to be a decent person.¡¯ Suddenly, she felt goosebumps forming alongside her face and she felt a chill being sent down her neck. Why did she feel so strange about that? His words were straightforward, so what was confusing her was the emotion behind them. ck sounded as kind as he always did, but somehow hearing him speak, she felt like she was in danger. It was like standing in front of a wild animal, bare without a weapon, while also knowing the beast would never do anything to hurt you. ¡­¡­What kind of insanity is that? Keeping her face down, Rienne shook her head. It didn¡¯t make sense, but for ck, it was perfectly logical. Ever since she met him, she found him to be a man filled with contradictions. Just go to sleep. Rienne forced her eyes shut. At least I won¡¯t have nightmares tonight. Her back still hurt but if she fell asleep, she wouldn¡¯t notice the pain. It would be for the best if she just faded away into exhaustion. [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­?¡± But the day hadn¡¯t ended yet. Squeak, thud. She thought she was hearing wrong, but she wasn¡¯t. Someone was opening her door. [Rienne] ¡°Who¡­¡­?¡± As she struggled to sit up, Rienne saw ck standing at her door, looking her way. * * * * * Why¡­¡­why is he here? No¡­he can¡¯t¡­. [ck] ¡°I¡¯m here for my payment.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Rienne heard the sound of clothing being rustled¡ªthe sound of her unconsciously grabbing the fabric of her nightgown. [Rienne] ¡°But I thought¡­..I thought you said¡­..¡± Her throat sounded so choked, it was like she was trying to speak with a voice that wasn¡¯t her own. ck walked slowly towards her. Amidst the silence of that dark room, the light blue eyes that stared at her seemed to be shouting out all around her. [ck] ¡°You did exactly as you pleased, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I¡­¡­¡± [ck] ¡°I have something I want to do, too. So be a princess and just endure it.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What¡­.do you want¡­..t..?¡± [ck] ¡°I won¡¯t let you say no.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± But what he wanted from her didn¡¯t seem to be what she feared. Looking at him closely, Rienne noticed ck was holding something in his hand. [Rienne] ¡°What¡­.is that?¡± [ck] ¡°It¡¯s medicine. Turn around.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Rienne hesitated for a moment, but then did as he asked, staying seated and turning her back to him. She felt the weight of the bed shift as he sat down. He wasn¡¯t sitting close to her, but he wasn¡¯t far away either¡ªhis voice low as it hit Rienne¡¯s back. [ck] ¡°I won¡¯t ask you to take your clothes off.¡± ¡­¡­What is he nning on doing? [ck] ¡°So just bear with it. Even if it tickles. ¡­¡­.? Slip. Again she heard the sound of her clothes rustling. [Rienne] ¡°What¡­..?¡± Rienne turned her head in embarrassment. Right then, their eyes met, but ck¡¯s hand continued to make its way under her nightgown. [Rienne] ¡°Wait, hold on.¡± She immediately turned and grabbed his wrist, but the pain hit her just as quickly. Rienne winced, her voice softly ebbing out. [ck] ¡°You should sit up straight. You¡¯ll only make the pain worse if you sit wrong.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What are you going to do?¡± [ck] ¡°I¡¯m going to take care of my fianc¨¦e. She won¡¯t take care of herself and yet she¡¯ll nag others for doing the same.¡± [Rienne] ¡°No, I can¡­.. I can reach it myself. I¡¯m perfectly capable of putting on medicine on my own.¡± [ck] ¡°Isn¡¯t that what I said?¡± [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s¡­..¡± [ck] ¡°Turn around. Or you can keep looking at me.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± ck didn¡¯t seem like he was in the mood the listen or stop. Even if Rienne grabbed his wrist as tightly as she could, he would still be able to move with ease. [Rienne] ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you came here to get your payment?¡± Rienne¡¯s voice was quiet. [ck] ¡°Would it be better if I said I reced it with this?¡± ¡­..I can¡¯t say that. ck was giving her a choice but not really. She wasn¡¯t about to say with her own mouth that she¡¯d rather sleep together than have him apply medicine for her. She actually felt morefortable like this instead.(1) But this¡­..This is a little strange. Instead of getting paid himself¡­.. he was just doing something for her. [Rienne] ¡°What made you change your mind?¡± Eventually, Rienne turned her head away. She felt her face redden with each passing second, so she pulled her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, hiding her face away. [ck] ¡°What do you mean?¡± [Rienne] ¡°The medicine.¡± [ck] ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d do it yourself.¡± [Rienne] ¡°If you just gave it to me, then¡­.¡± [ck] ¡°Then I wouldn¡¯t be able to touch you.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± [ck] ¡°And the bruises looked like they were in a ce you wouldn¡¯t be able to reach on your own.¡± How does he know that¡­.? Ah, he must¡¯ve seen it. Rienne felt the embarrassment settling in. She wasn¡¯t sure how much he¡¯d seen of her. It didn¡¯t make sense¡­..Rienne had seenhimshirtless before, but for some reason she felt like dying out of shame right now. [Rienne] ¡°A, Are there bruises on my back, too?¡± Rienne asked, vainly trying to cover her embarrassment with a cough. All the while, ck¡¯s hand was now freely roaming around underneath her nightgown. [ck] ¡°Yeah.¡± She felt his finger press the medicine against the middle of her back. It was such a small touch, but it was terrifyingly acute. So much so that Rienne had to hold back a cry. [ck] ¡°Does it hurt here?¡± [Rienne] ¡°A¡­ a little¡­.¡± That was a lie. She was afraid that his touch would only be more intense if she told him she was okay. But it was suspicious. It was very odd how little pain she was in. The sensation felt numbing, if not a little ticklish. Though it wasn¡¯t a tickle that needed to be scratched. It was a weird sense of wanting to turn around to hug the person who was caring for her wounds so kindly. [ck] ¡°I¡¯m doing it as gently as I can.¡± Rienne knew that. The problem was that he was doing it too slowly. [Rienne] ¡°Please¡­.hurry.¡± That weird tickly sensation would only go away once he took his hands off of her. [ck] ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­.What?¡± But ck wasn¡¯t taking her words. [ck] ¡°I want to touch you for as long as I can, so I¡¯ll be taking my time.¡± Releasing her clenched teeth, Rienne spoke up. [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s¡­.not very proper for someone applying medicine to the injured.¡±(2) [ck] ¡°I know. But I don¡¯t care abouting across as ¡®proper¡¯ right now.¡± His hand was slow as it began to travel down along her spine, reaching somewhere that Rienne knew¡ªa ce that was much more sensitive than just her back. Unable to bear it any longer, Rienne twisted her body. [Rienne] ¡°S, stop it¡­..¡± [ck] ¡°Bear with it. Just like I did.¡± ck started spreading the medicine across her side. Something was different about him today. Inparison to his usual self, he seemed affectionate yet strangely assertive. Is this what he meant when he said he didn¡¯t care about acting proper? But why? [Rienne] ¡°Why don¡¯t you care about appearing decent?¡± [ck] ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any point.¡± [Rienne] ¡°No point?¡± [ck] ¡°I already have you, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­..That¡¯s not how things work. There¡¯s no woman in the world who likes a man who doesn¡¯t act polite.¡± After giving it some thought, Rienne spoke her mind. But after ck¡¯s response, she couldn¡¯t find any more words to say. [ck] ¡°I might¡¯ve acted and stayed decent if you didn¡¯t have another man.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± [ck] ¡°I thought I¡¯d wait until you forgot about him yourself, Princess¡­¡­. But after today, I don¡¯t think that¡¯ll happen, so I changed my mind.¡± As he applied the medicine, his hand stopped moving but he kept it in ce under Rienne¡¯s nightgown¡ªgently wrapped around her bruised waist. [Rienne] ¡°I¡­¡­..I told you before, I never cheated.¡± [ck] ¡°And like I said, I don¡¯t believe you.¡± [Rienne] ¡°For him¡­. Not for even a moment have I¡­¡­¡± Have I ever loved him. They were technically ¡®together¡¯, but she could never treat their rtionship as being real. Acting as Rafit¡¯s lover, her life felt like it was being spent on a tightrope. But the words got caught in her throat. Rienne was supposed to be having a child with Rafit. Even if she told ck that she didn¡¯t love him, he would only think she was giving him another cheap lie to escape the situation. [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯ve already epted everything as it is. I only told him that I would be marrying you and that you would be the father of my child in the future, Lord Tiwakan. Nothing else happened.¡± [ck] ¡°Seeing you, Princess, I realize there¡¯s a difference between epting things as they are and cutting something out of your heart entirely.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± ck wasn¡¯t talking about physical infidelity. He believed Rienne still hadn¡¯t forgotten about her former lover. [Rienne] ¡°I¡­..will do¡­. my best.¡± She couldn¡¯t say anything else. [ck] ¡°Yeah. Do everything you can.¡± ck¡¯s fingers tapped against Rienne¡¯s bare skin, but it didn¡¯t hurt. It wasn¡¯t as though he was trying to cause her pain. The hands that held her felt like they were filled with impatience and anxiety. [ck] ¡°Until I can trust you, Princess.¡± ck tilted his head towards her. He was so close to her now that she could feel his breath on the top of her head. [ck] ¡°I¡¯m going to kiss you.¡± He didn¡¯t ask for permission this time. [ck] ¡°Here.¡± He took his other hand and brushed it against the back of her neck which was covered by her long hair. Keeping one hand on her bare waist, he took all her hair and gathered to the side over one of her shoulders, revealing her pale neck. Rienne wasn¡¯t sure how white the back of her neck was, or how it might look from ck¡¯s perspective. [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± His fingers touched her before his lips did. Rienne¡¯s shoulders shivered at the small touch that made her hair stand up. * * * T/N: (1) She¡¯s saying she¡¯s not going to argue the point if he¡¯s changing his mind. (2) She means it¡¯s ¡®inappropriate¡¯ for someone to take advantage of a situation where they¡¯re caring for someone who is injured. Chapter 34 - Spark (3) Chapter 34 | Spark (3) trantor/editor: astralmech | editor: ghost * * * * * As Rienne¡¯s body trembled, ck asked her a question. [ck] ¡°Are you afraid?¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± She couldn¡¯t say yes or no. [ck] ¡°Endure it.¡± And then his lips fell. Rienne took a short and sudden gasp. The feeling of someone she couldn¡¯t see kissing the back of her neck was indescribably strange. Was it because it was a ce no one had ever kissed her before? It felt like ck was opening up a part of her that was once hidden away and branding it with a mark. But she couldn¡¯t say she hated the feeling. ¡­..This is insane. The sensation of his lips being slowly drawn across her neckline felt like it was setting fire to her skin. Though her shoulders were once the only thing shaking, strong shivers were now pulsating through her body. Even as Rienne tightly bit her lip, she couldn¡¯t rid herself of those sensations he left behind. [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Eventually the soft breathing stopped and ck pulled his lips away from her. But even after such a kiss, he didn¡¯t leave, instead tightly wrapping his arms around Rienne. [Rienne] ¡°Why¡­¡­.?¡± As Rienne asked in confusion, ck put strength into his grip and forced her to lie down. She felt the weight of a familiar nket covering her body as he dropped himself right next to her. [ck] ¡°I¡¯m sleeping here.¡± He wasn¡¯t asking permission for this either. But despite his demanding words, he didn¡¯t get very close to her. He remained out of reach of the nket where they wouldn¡¯t touch on ident. He¡¯s kind yet forceful. Forceful yet kind. [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­Without a nket?¡± [ck] ¡°Don¡¯t need it.¡± [Rienne] ¡°But you¡¯ll get cold.¡± [ck] ¡°My body runs hot. I¡¯ll be fine.¡± He turned on his side and looked at Rienne. [ck] ¡°Go to sleep.¡± Rienne could feel the side of her face stinging from his gaze. She kept her eyes on the ceiling, not confident enough to face him directly. Already the tip of her nose was starting to feel cold. [Rienne] ¡°Then¡­¡­You should get another nket.¡± She couldn¡¯t see him that well from her position, but ck¡¯s shoulders seemed to twitch. [ck] ¡°So I can sleep next to you?¡± [Rienne] ¡°You¡¯ve already decided to do so, regardless of what I say.¡± [ck] ¡°There¡¯s a difference between my insistence and you saying it¡¯s okay, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Is there? The result is the same in the end, even if I didn¡¯t say anything.¡± [ck] ¡°¡­¡­.Can¡¯t it be the same?¡± [Rienne] ¡°It already is. If you¡¯re going to sleep here, then you shouldn¡¯t have to sleep cold.¡± [ck] ¡°¡­¡­.You¡¯re a strange woman, Princess.¡± His voice was so low, his words came out like a whisper. Rienne always wanted to say something like that to him, too. That¡¯s how you appear to me. A very unusual man. Whether he acted polite or rude, affectionate or cold¡ªall of those traits were epassed in a single person, so she had no choice but to ept it all. [Rienne] ¡°Stay here.¡± ck was unlikely to get up and get another nket himself, so Rienne pulled herself out of bed. [ck] ¡°Where are you going?¡± [Rienne] ¡°The closet.¡± From the closet behind the bed, Rienne pulled out an additional nket that had been stored there in preparation for the colder months of winter. For some reason, ck¡¯s body stiffened as she approached, unfolding the nket and draping it over him. Now he won¡¯t be so cold lying next to me. For some reason, Rienne felt relieved, as if she had done her job. [Rienne] ¡°You should be able to sleepfortably now.¡± [ck] ¡°. . .¡± Rienne heard ck mutter to himself, but she didn¡¯t bother to ask what he said. She just assumed he was thinking she was strange, just like before. [Rienne] ¡°Goodnight, then.¡± The two of them closed their eyes, lying in a single bed with two different nkets. Eventually, a peculiar night gave way to an even more peculiar morning as Rienne drifted off to sleep first. * * * * * When Rienne stirred awake, the first thing she noticed was how everything felt too warm. That doesn¡¯t make sense. The morning hours were always cold during this particr time of year. When it was like this, her nose would be shivering and her head would still be in a sleepy daze, but her body would wake up nheless. It was a season where the only thing that got her out of bed was forcing herself to open her eyes after hearing Mrs. mbard¡¯s approaching footsteps. [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± But this time, Rienne¡¯s eyes fluttered open. And she realized she was in ck¡¯s arms. Though they fell asleep using separate nkets, for some reason they were using only one now. And just as ck said his body ran hot despite the season, Rienne¡¯s cheek that was up against his chest could attest the truth of that. [Rienne] ¡°Ah¡­¡­¡± But just as Rienne was about to let out a sound of surprise, she bit down on her lip. ck was still fast asleep. His eyes were shut so tightly, there were small creases forming between them. Rienne knew he must be exhausted from his injuries, remembering how serious they were. If ever there was a time he was in desperate need of rest, it was now. ¡­¡­.I shouldn¡¯t wake him. He was a patient, so naturally he wouldn¡¯t be feeling very well. It was important she let him sleep while he could. ¡­¡­.But how did I end up sleeping like this? Right before she fell asleep, she could distinctly remember covering herself with a nket and lying as still as possible. She felt so nervous she kept her hands close to her chest, too. So when did he¡­? She was surprised she didn¡¯t wake up at any point feeling someone suddenly hugging her. Even now, an absurd thought came to her that the position she was shocked to have found herself in feltfortable and cozy¡ªas if that¡¯s how she fell asleep in the first ce. But¡­ But what was stranger¡­.was that she didn¡¯t hate it. She didn¡¯t hate the sound of his breathing so close to her, nor the sound of his hair softly rustling as he gently moved in his sleep. Feeling his strong arms tightly holding her wasn¡¯t bad either. She didn¡¯t even mind the loud pounding of her heart. And Rienne didn¡¯t hate that the first thing she saw when she woke up was the sight of ck¡¯s closed eyes, deep in sleep. Now that she was seeing him up close, she was noticing how long his eyshes were. The bridge of his nose was as straight as a ruler and his pale lips had a defined line to them. Though looking at his lips only reminded her of how he¡¯d kissed her yesterday. The stinging heat she felt in her neck that had spread throughout her body only seemed to return with the thought. [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± The tension that kept her bound in ce or that pulsated through her body¡ªneither of them were bad. I don¡¯t hate any of it. But the reason as to why was still unknown. I¡­.. I don¡¯t know why. Why didn¡¯t she hate it? And why did she want to stay like this? She couldn¡¯t move her body at all and yet she didn¡¯t hate that either. Everything¡¯s too strange¡­.. [ck] ¡°Mm¡­..¡± ck moved in his sleep. Putting more strength into his arms, he pulled Rienne even closer to his chest. The same nose she had just been admiring brushed up against her forehead and his lips were a mere breath away from touching her brow. Is he trying to wake up? Riennepletely forgot to blink as she watched ck¡¯s closed eyes. I hope you¡¯ll sleep for just a little bit longer. And I hope we can stay like this awhile longer, too¡­¡­. But just as that hope entered Rienne¡¯s unconscious mind, ck¡¯s eyes opened as if they¡¯d never been closed at all. [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­..!¡± [ck] ¡°. . .¡± While Rienne¡¯s eyes widened, ck¡¯s narrowed. He also seemed to be realizing the position he was in now was very different from the one he fell asleep inst night. [ck] ¡°¡­¡­..Did I do this?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± [ck] ¡°I didn¡¯t know I had this kind of habit.¡± Though, despite being surprised, neither of them tried to be the first to break their position. Rienne thought it was strange how ck was looking at her without even blinking, but she didn¡¯t even seem to notice she was no different. [ck] ¡°I¡¯ve never seen you this close before.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­..I see.¡± As they satpletely still, they were so close their eyes could touch each other. [Rienne] ¡°You have a scar here.¡± Time felt like it was moving incredibly slowly. Feeling her eyes start to hurt, Rienne finally blinked as she noticed the remains of a small scar, barely visible on ck¡¯s eyebrow. [ck] ¡°Where?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Here.¡± She reached out, touching her index finger against the scar, just a little paler than the skin around it. [ck] ¡°Is there?¡± He seemed like he genuinely didn¡¯t know what she was talking about. [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s very small. Even I can¡¯t see it that well.¡± She wouldn¡¯t have seen it herself if she hadn¡¯t been observing his face from so close. [ck] ¡°You have a freckle here, Princess.¡± Rienne felt ck tap his finger in a spot just under her earlobe, near the start of her neckline. Just as his scar was unknown to him, this was unknown to her. [Rienne] ¡°I can¡¯t see it. What does it look like?¡¯ [ck] ¡°It¡¯s small and it¡¯s a simr color as my hair. I don¡¯t think many people would see it.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Yes¡­..I didn¡¯t know I had a freckle there.¡± ck was the first to see it¡­. Or maybe he was the only one. There was no one else who had ever observed her face this close before. On an early morning that should have been cold, it was warm, and in the space next to her that was always empty, there was a person instead. She was looking at someone¡¯s face without ever getting tired, as was he. They were both looking for more things only the two of them could know. And she didn¡¯t hate it at all. [Rienne] ¡°Is there anything else?¡± [ck] ¡°I can look if you want.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Yes, please do.¡± Swish. ck moved his face closer. As he pushed her hair aside, the grip his arms had on her didn¡¯t loosen in the slightest. Eventually, the side of Rienne¡¯s face and her neck were revealed. He ran a solitary finger along her jawline. [ck] ¡°There¡¯s nothing here.¡± ck took his finger, running it along her neck down near her chest, which was still covered by her nightgown. [ck] ¡°Can I keep looking?¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Those words took her breath away. [Rienne] ¡°Well¡­.. You¡¯d need to pull my dress down.¡± [ck] ¡°Yeah.¡± [Rienne] ¡°So¡­..¡± [ck] ¡°Can I?¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± As he waited for an answer, he kept gliding his fingers slowly over the neckline of her nightgown. He didn¡¯t even try to hide the explicit meaning behind the gesture¡ªhis blue eyes, closer than ever before, were just as honest. [Rienne] ¡°No, not here.¡± And that¡¯s when she realized. Regardless of his purpose¡ªwhether he wanted revenge or whatever¡ªthe fact of the matter was that he wantedher. And my mind isn¡¯t very different, either. Though she knew he desired her outside of whatever he nned on doing with Nauk, beyond even that, she wanted him to want her. I wonder¡­will thoughts like these just end up bing poison? Or would it end up just the opposite? Rienne wanted to know. More than anything, she desperately wanted to know. [Rienne] ¡°Now¡­.it¡¯s too bright out right now.¡± [ck] ¡°I won¡¯t be able to find anything if I don¡¯t have any light.¡± [Rienne] ¡°You don¡¯t need that¡­..if you look closely enough, it doesn¡¯t have to be light.¡± [ck] ¡°Then, can I take a closer look?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Somewhere where it¡¯s darker than this.¡± [ck] ¡°. . .¡± ck¡¯s fingers stopped at her neckline. Rienne¡¯s unusual sentiment made his eyebrows tense. He held her face and began gently rubbing her cheek with his thumb, a frown forming in his eyes. [ck] ¡°I wish you knew what you were saying, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°You¡­.don¡¯t think I do?¡± [ck] ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡± ck gave a soft sigh. [ck] ¡°That¡¯s why you keep doing these kinds of things without even blinking. You have no idea what you look like to me right now.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What¡­..I look like?¡± The movement of his hand stopped. [ck] ¡°You don¡¯t want to hear it.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Is it because I look bad?¡± [ck] ¡°Other way around.¡± That sounded very strange to Rienne. [Rienne] ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I want to hear it if it¡¯s good?¡± [ck] ¡°. . .¡± Again, ck sighed instead of giving an answer. [ck] ¡°That¡¯s why I said you don¡¯t know.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Then you can tell me.¡± [ck] ¡°It¡¯s not something I can talk about.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Why is that?¡± Suddenly, the look in ck¡¯s eyes shifted. [ck] ¡°This is why.¡± The hand that was once resting on her cheek found a new ce on the bedsheets. As ck lifted himself up, Rienne thought he was merely getting out of bed. [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­!¡± But that wasn¡¯t what happened. He was now towering over Rienne, who was lying on her back pinned to the bed¡ªlocked between his arms. [ck] ¡°Do you understand now?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I¡­¡­think¡­.I do.¡± [ck] ¡°No. You still don¡¯t get it.¡± [Rienne] ¡°No, I¡­..¡± ck gave a disbelieving smirk. [ck] ¡°If you knew, you would¡¯ve shoved me off and run away by now.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What?¡± [ck] ¡°But it¡¯s toote now.¡± And then, without a moment¡¯s hesitation, he lowered his head. While Rienne¡¯s mouth was slightly parted, he didn¡¯t waste the opportunity, slipping his upper lip in between the gap. Before she even knew it, her lips opened up, giving him more room as she closed her eyes. [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± What started off as a slow, soft, and alluring kiss became more and more needy¡ªlike a gentle rain turning to a sudden downpour. She wrapped both her arms around ck¡¯s neck, while he kept one supporting her back, pulling her up to him. Over time, their position changed. Holding her in his arms, ck fell onto his back, with Rienne following and settling on top of him as her body pressed into his. But the movement was so frantic, her knee was left to awkwardly push into his leg as they tangled up together. [Rienne] ¡°Wait¡­¡­¡± In the brief moment their lips were apart, Rienne¡¯s breathing was heavy as she spoke. [Rienne] ¡°Wait, your leg¡­..¡± [ck] ¡°Leg?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I thought you were hurt¡­.¡± [ck] ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± ck cupped the back of her head with his big hand and pulled her right back in. * * * ¨C your friendly neighborhood trantor and editor are respectfully blue-screening ¨C Chapter 35 - Spark (4) Chapter 35 | Spark (4) trantor/editor: astralmech | editor: ghost * * * * * Their lips met again. This time felt more rushed and impatient but it was intense and strong without being rough. As she felt him deeply prating her mouth, all sense of reason left her as she took in the wet sensation. The fierce and powerful kiss left nothing but a torrid mess in her head. It was as though all thoughts had beenpletely purged, leaving nothing but the sensesid bare. The feeling of his hands climbing up her back, of being pressed into his body or the familiar scent of their kiss that she¡¯d never forget. Even how the taste of him stuck to her mouth¡ªit was like nothing else existed. [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­.?¡± But their hectic kiss suddenly stopped. As Rienne slowly opened her eyes in a daze, ck softly whispered towards her, his face still wet and glistening. [ck] ¡°Someone¡¯s here.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What?¡± He was right. Knock, knock. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Are you awake, Princess?¡± It was Mrs. mbard. [Rienne] ¡°Oh¡­..Oh no.¡± She felt her cheeks burning up. Rienne panicked, cing her palms against ck¡¯s chest and pushing herself up. [Rienne] ¡°What do we do?¡± As the fevered expression on his face began to cool down, ck watched Rienne for a moment before nodding once. [ck] ¡°Should I hide?¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­Excuse me?¡± [ck] ¡°There¡¯s not enough room under the bed¡­¡­¡­but there should be enough space on the window frame. That¡¯ll do.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Hearing those words, Rienne felt an unpleasant reminder cross her nose. It wasn¡¯t long ago that she had to hide Rafit on the window frame in this very room. He was in a ce where he shouldn¡¯t have been, and Rienne, given no choice but to hide him, felt deep shame over the matter. It made her feel like some kind of dirty person, trying to cover up something they did wrong. [ck] ¡°Stall for time until I can hide.¡± ck moved to pull himself out of bed. Rienne wasn¡¯t sure if he was purposefully talking about the window frame like this in order to remind her of what happened that day, but at least she was certain about one thing. In order to preserve Rienne¡¯s honor, he was willing to hide himself out the window. [Rienne] ¡°No, you don¡¯t need to do something like that.¡± Sharing a bed with ck wasn¡¯t some disgraceful thing. ck was her one and only fianc¨¦. There was no reason to treat him like she did Rafit. In fact, it would be more shameful and dishonorable to try and hide him. [Rienne] ¡°We¡¯re engaged. It wouldn¡¯t be appropriate to force my fianc¨¦ to hide himself from the eyes of a maid. Not only would it be against etiquette, but it¡¯s also outright wrong.¡± [ck] ¡°¡­¡­.People will misunderstand. No one will believe nothing happened after I spent all night here. [Rienne] ¡°I don¡¯t mind that. We¡¯ll be officially married in a few days regardless, so it hardly matters.¡± [ck] ¡°. . .¡± Looking at Rienne, a frown seemed to form between ck¡¯s eyes. But he wasn¡¯t making a displeased face nor did he try and disagree with her. [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­Ah.¡± Suddenly, he grabbed her and pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly as he ovepped his lips with hers. Rienne couldn¡¯t say anything as a kiss more intense than the one before deeply dug into her. Knock¡­..knock. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Princess? Are you in there?¡± Mrs. mbard didn¡¯t know what was happening so she was left to pace outside, worried about why Rienne wasn¡¯t answering the door. All the while, ck¡¯s kiss didn¡¯t even begin to slow, only intensifying in heat. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Princess?¡± Before the hesitant woman could open the door, the passionate kiss stopped. [Rienne] ¡°Ah¡­. What¡¯s gotten into you¡­..?¡± [ck] ¡°I just thought all of the sudden¡­¡­¡± [Rienne] ¡°All of the sudden? [ck] ¡°I thought you looked so lovely.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­..I¡¯m sorry?¡± She didn¡¯t expect to hear that from him. Rienne was so stunned, her mouth was left slightly agape as ck leaned down and gently kissed her again. It was a soft kiss, light as a feather that left a sweet sound behind.(1) [ck] ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you answer the door?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Oh, you¡¯re right¡­..¡± But she¡¯d already taken too much time. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°My apologies, Princess, but I must see if you¡¯re inside. I think I can hear voices, but why aren¡¯t you responding¡­¡­.?¡± Thump. The bedroom door opened. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Princess¡­¡­.? Princess!¡± As she entered the room holding the doorknob, her expression became as cold as stone and herplexion turned grey to match. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Oh heavens¡­. How¡­..howe¡­..?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Good¡­..good morning, Mrs. mbard.¡± Unlike before, she didn¡¯t feel ashamed, but she still felt very embarrassed. Rienne slipped herself out of ck¡¯s grasp, pretending his presence wasn¡¯t unusual as she wiped the corner of her mouth with her fingers. [Rienne] ¡°You needn¡¯t be too surprised. Lord Tiwakan slept in my roomst night, so please treat my fianc¨¦ same as you would treat me.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Y, yes but¡­..but going so far¡­.so suddenly¡­..¡± [Rienne] ¡°Ma¡¯am.¡± Mrs. mbard quickly shut her mouth in surprise the moment she noticed Rienne¡¯s voice turning a bit stern. Rienne did everything she could to make her face look as serious as possible, but it didn¡¯t work very well with her face as red as an apple. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Alright, then¡­.. I¡¯ll¡­ um¡­¡­I¡¯ll get the water prepared for you to wash up then.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Yes, please do.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Yes, Princess. I will¡­.of course do so.¡± After that, she quickly excused herself to the bathroom with her face still looking a little unwell. Rienne breathed a heavy sigh¡ªthe heaviest she¡¯d done in her whole life. [Rienne] ¡°Now then¡­¡­. I¡¯ll let you get ready for the day as well, Lord Tiwakan.¡± It was a polite expression, but one nheless meaning ¡®please leave¡¯. [ck] ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­..Excuse me?¡± Rienne must have looked really serious because ck gave a short smile. [ck] ¡°But I¡¯ll go.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Please.¡± Even though it was just for a brief moment, the memory of ck¡¯s smiling face left a deep impression on her. Please don¡¯t smile at me like that. If you do, I¡¯ll only want to hold on to this morning¡­¡­. ¡­¡­.Oh, what am I even thinking? What¡¯s wrong with me? [ck] ¡°Princess.¡± As they both moved to get out of bed, ck suddenly called out to Rienne. [Rienne] ¡°Yes?¡± Turning her head to look at him, ck pulled her into him and brushed his lips against hers once more. As he kissed her, she felt his lips slowly draw up, dappling more kisses along her cheek, up along her nose and across her forehead. [ck] ¡°Can I join you for breakfast?¡± [Rienne] ¡°If you¡¯d like, but why do you keep kissing me¡­..? We need to hurry.¡± [ck] ¡°Just don¡¯t forget.¡± ck nced down at her lips again before finally letting her go. [ck] ¡°See you in a bit.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Rienne sat there, watching him as he left the bedroom. Her heart felt as though it had be like ake, with nothing but a strange and mysterious wave echoing through it. What do you mean by ¡®don¡¯t forget¡¯¡­¡­? She wanted to ask him that. If she didn¡¯t hear the answer directly from him, she¡¯d be left only to remember the feeling of his lips, diligently putting his mark all across her. * * * * * [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Princess.¡± After heading to the bathroom first, Mrs. mbard appeared much calmer now. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Stand here. I¡¯ll get your sleeves.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Thank you, ma¡¯am. I can wash myself.¡± As Rienne washed her face, Mrs. mbard helped by rolling up the ends of her sleeves to prevent them from getting wet. But while Rienne busied herself, leaning in front of the water basin, Mrs. mbard didn¡¯t feel like she could leave quite yet. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Pardon my rudeness, Princess, but I cannot help but ask. Did you truly spend the night with him?¡± [Rienne] ¡°W, well¡­¡­.In the way you¡¯re thinking¡­.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°You didn¡¯t, did you?¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­..No.¡± Honestly, she had a feeling Mrs. mbard would know the truth. She was quick-witted, and considered knowing Rienne better than she knew herself a part of her job. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°No matter how much I think on it, it just doesn¡¯t make sense for you to have slept together. You are certainly not the type to do something like that on impulse, Princess. And after what happened yesterday¡­.with Lord Kleinfelder and everything, wasn¡¯t Lord Tiwakan upset with you after misunderstanding the situation?¡± [Rienne] ¡°He was.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°In these circumstances, how could you spend the night together? Especially with a man who¡¯s capable of doing who-knows-what when he¡¯s angry?¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Rienne made a troubled expression. ck was certainly abnormal, that much was clear. Even now, Rienne could hear his darkened voice, telling her what he wanted from her as payment for what she¡¯d done. Thinking about it still made her heart sting. But he didn¡¯t do anything to her. He wasn¡¯t that kind of man. [Rienne] ¡°Ma¡¯am, please don¡¯t say those kinds of things. Lord Tiwakan¡­¡­.¡± Mrs. mbard didn¡¯t seem to hear Rienne¡¯s words, nodding her head at her own thoughts. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Or at least that¡¯s what I originally thought. It¡¯s the strangest thing. Such a great misunderstanding took ce and yet, in my eyes, the Princess and Lord Tiwakan looked as sweet as a pair of newly matched lovebirds. How did that happen?¡±(2) [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Princess?¡± At Rienne¡¯s hesitancy, Mrs. mbard pressed for an answer. [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡­¡± That¡¯s what I want to know. How did this happen, again? He came into her room, suddenly offering to put medicine on her¡ªtelling her he wouldn¡¯t take no for an answer because that¡¯s what she¡¯d said to him. And then he told her he was going to kiss her. Closing her eyes, she could easily remember the feeling of him tenderly pressing his lips against the back of her neck. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Princess?¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­.Ah, I was just thinking about what happened.¡± After that, he said he was going to sleep in her room. She found an extra nket for him and then¡­¡­ ¡­¡­Then he found a freckle under my ear this morning. Then he kissed me after saying I didn¡¯t understand¡­¡­.and he told me he thought I was lovely. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°So I haven¡¯t been seeing things incorrectly? Have you given him your heart?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I don¡¯t know about that¡­¡­.¡± Everything happened so quickly, pouring like rain as it flowed into a river. It was obvious she hadn¡¯t managed to clear up the misunderstanding with ck. No matter what she said, he didn¡¯t seem to believe her. All Rienne could do was continue to insist it was a misunderstanding. There wasn¡¯t much she could do besides that. And it was true that Rienne herself couldn¡¯t trust in ck either, which is why she had resorted to telling so many lies in the first ce. But even so, there was no animosity. His eyes that looked for things to notice about her were kind and the hands that made her body tremble were always gentle. But given the situation and everything that happened, she still couldn¡¯t understand why it felt like everything was calming down so quickly. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Yes¡­¡­I don¡¯t know.¡± Looking down at Rienne for a moment, Mrs. mbard sighed. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°I¡¯ve heard¡­..and I believe this to be true¡­¡­¡± [Rienne] ¡°What is it?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°The affairs between a man and a woman. Sometimes it happens out of nowhere, and we cannot say for certain exactly why.¡±(3) [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡­.. I think this might be a little different than that¡­¡­¡± Mrs. mbard shook her head, as if trying to see where the difference lies. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°I may not know much, Princess, but please listen to me. About the matter of having a child¡­¡­.I think it would be best to just be honest and tell him it isn¡¯t true. Though I cannot see the politics of it all, I¡¯m saying this as someone who knows a thing or two about what goes on between men and women.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± She knew Mrs. mbard was saying that for her sake. But she couldn¡¯t do that. Not yet, at least. [Rienne] ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Such a lie will do you no good once you¡¯re married, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Of course I know that. I want nothing more than to say ¡®there¡¯s no child¡¯ directly to him with my own voice.¡± She wanted to say there was no man she couldn¡¯t forget, either. It¡¯s all just a misunderstanding. I¡¯ve never thought of Rafit even half as much as I think of you. [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­..But before I can, there¡¯s something I need to know. Something I cannot ignore.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°What in heavens name could it be?¡± Maybe the time hade to be honest with Mrs. mbard. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯ve been hearing from multiple people¡­¡­that there¡¯s another reason why Lord Tiwakan proposed to me. That marriage was never the main point of what he sought¡­¡­And that his true aim is something much more dire.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°What? No, who told you that? Do you know for certain?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s true or not, but I can¡¯t pretend I don¡¯t know anything and just overlook it. If it turns out to be true, there¡¯s noing back from it.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Well, yes, you¡¯d be right about that.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Lord Weroz left to look into these ims, but I don¡¯t know if he¡¯ll manage toe back before the wedding.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Then what should we do? Should we postpone it?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Rienne held Mrs. mbard¡¯s hand. Now it was time to ask for something more dangerous. [Rienne] ¡°But I think I know someone other than Lord Weroz who can help.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Who?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Can you meet with them?¡± She wouldn¡¯t be able to move freely for awhile. She wasn¡¯t certain what the Kleinfelders would do now that Rafit was in custody, and ck still didn¡¯t trust her. She¡¯d only raise more suspicions if she tried to meet with someone now. And this was concerning a secret more dangerous than a simple misunderstanding about her rtionship with Rafit. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°I will, Princess.¡± After she became Rienne¡¯s nanny, Mrs. mbard hardly ever left the castle, save for a few times. Nheless, she nodded her head with her lips tightly clenched. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Who must I meet with?¡± * * * T/N: (1) lit. ¡°a bird¡¯s kiss¡±, meaning a soft and gentle kiss, like birds. We reced it with the moremon English adage of ¡®light as a feather¡¯.Somehow they¡¯re both bird rted idioms. (2) lit. ¡°love parrots¡± moremonly known as ¡®lovebirds¡¯, a breed of parrot known for monogamous mating and spending long periods of time with their partners. (3) She¡¯s talking about falling in love. Chapter 36 - Pitfall (1) Chapter 36 | Pitfall (1) trantor/editor: astralmech | editor: ghost * * * * * After she finished washing up, next came getting dressed. Rienne put on a lc colored dress, one that had long since gone unworn. Across the thin fabric were small, detailed embroideries¡ªso delicate she couldn¡¯t help but wonder if they might identally rip or tear in some ces. Practicality was key so most clothing that served no real purpose was quickly sold off, but this one remained. The only reason Rienne left this one in particr set aside was because of Mrs. mbard. She had cried, asking her to leave this outfit alone, insisting it¡¯d be a waste to get rid of a lc colored dress that suited Rienne¡¯s features. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Thank goodness I managed to convince you to keep this after asking a hundred times.¡± She nodded her head as she turned her attention to Rienne¡¯s hair, carefully dressing it to match the outfit. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Yes, I did a good thing convincing you. How could our country¡¯s dear princess only have in and sturdy clothing?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I haven¡¯t really needed anything else.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°But why? You look so lovely dressed so well.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I suppose.¡± Mrs. mbard, who worked diligently with her dexterous hands, braided Rienne¡¯s hair, pinning it back with violet flowers. [Rienne] ¡°You are very lovely. I know I was the one who dressed you, but you simply look too beautiful.¡± Rienne gave a shy smile. [Rienne] ¡°Thank you.¡± The woman looked at Rienne with an expression of happiness upon her face. Once she finished adorning Rienne¡¯s hair with all the necessary decorations, she shook her head. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Now, I must head for the Temple entrance while prying eyes linger elsewhere. My apologies I could not stay with you for your meal, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°No, you are doing something far more important. Please return safely.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Yes, my Princess.¡± With a tense face, she bowed her head and quietly excused herself from Rienne¡¯s room. [Rienne] ¡°I still have some time left.¡± She hurried to get herself ready, so she still had some time to spare before the promised time. [Rienne] ¡°Maybe I could work on altering the clothing? There must be something she hasn¡¯t finished yet.¡± So Rienne said out loud, but her body didn¡¯t move. For some reason, she couldn¡¯t stop looking in the mirror. [Rienne] ¡°Does something like this really suit me¡­¡­.?¡± Looking at herself from the front, it was hard to see all the flowers Mrs. mbard had braided into her hair. [Rienne] ¡°I wish I could see it myself.¡± If Mrs. mbard was telling her she looked beautiful, then it must be true, but Rienne still wanted to make sure with her own eyes. I wonder¡­..if he¡¯ll think it looks nice too¡­.. [ck] ¨C¡®All of the sudden, I thought you looked so lovely.¡¯ Remembering that, Rienne instinctively closed her eyes¡ªthinking about those words he spoke while showering her with kisses. It made her dizzy and the tips of her toes tingle, as if she were floating on air. Rafit never held back a kind word when it came to her beauty. He would constantly praise her at the end of every sentence, but those words never managed to touch her heart like these did. And she felt the same way about his looks, too. She always thought Rafit was handsome, but the way he looked never made her lose track of the time in the same way ck did. [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­..I feel nervous.¡± As she closed her eyes, hershes trembled. Rienne grabbed the fabric of her neckline, holding her hand to her chest. Never before had merely the thought of meeting up with someone made her so nervous before. Her heart felt like it was trembling from the bottom up. Like so many other things, this was another first. [Rienne] ¡°Why¡­only with that man¡­..?¡± Rienne couldn¡¯t stop thinking about ck. It was like her thoughts were being trapped somewhere with him. Steeling her heart, she stood up in front of the mirror. [Rienne] ¡°I can¡¯t. At this rate, I might actually start to feel some affection for him.¡± He was not a man she could afford to feel anything like ¡®love¡¯ towards. But as much as Rienne tried to ignore it, perhaps there were already many times when that word entered her heart. Perhaps it was far toote to try and tell herself those sorts of things. [Rienne] ¡°I need to do something. I don¡¯t want to get to the dining hall first.¡± Thinking she¡¯ll work on altering the clothing Mrs. mbard left behind, Rienne left for the room where she stayed. It was a bit far off from Rienne¡¯s current bedroom. Since she was once her nanny, it was right across the hall from the room Rienne used as a child. As she left, Rienne noticed ck¡¯s room was empty. There wasn¡¯t a single sounding from it. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m certain he¡¯s not already at the dining hall.¡± There was still just under an hour before the promised time. [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­¡­..Well, perhaps he¡¯s busy elsewhere.¡± Rienne began her walk towards the east wing where Mrs. mbard¡¯s room was located. [Maslow] ¡°Princess!¡± Unexpectedly, she ran into Maslow on the way there. [Rienne] ¡°Lord Maslow¡­¡­? What brings you to the castle?¡± Ever since Rienne discovered Maslow attempting to write a letter of appointment for knighthood in the King¡¯s Office, she had banned him from entering on his own. Now Maslow was only permitted entrance if Rienne personally approved it or if he made a request for entry first. [Maslow] ¡°It couldn¡¯t be helped, there¡¯s too much work that needed to be done. I needed to speak with you about the reconstruction of the Temple stairs, as well as the matter of the Kleinfelder knighthood¡­.¡± [Rienne] ¡°And as we¡¯ve discussed, the money for the stairs will be paid under the name of the Tiwakan. As for knighthood, I have nothing more to say about that. There¡¯s nothing I can do for you until the Kleinfelders agree to a price first.¡± [Maslow] ¡°I¡¯m aware, but shouldn¡¯t we pay prior fees to the quarry before construction begins? The longer this process is dyed, the more the priests¡¯ prayers are reced with wailing. It became too much for them, so they sent someone to speak with me.¡± [Rienne] ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then why did they go to you instead ofing to me directly?¡± [Maslow] ¡°A priest is here to speak with you. It¡¯s precisely why I entered the castle. There¡¯s simply too much to discuss.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I see.¡± Rienne was a bit pressed for time, but it was not in her nature to postpone dealing with political affairs simply because she wished to have a meal. [Rienne] ¡°Then let¡¯s make this quick. Lead the way.¡± Rienne invited him towards the King¡¯s Office. [Maslow] ¡°Thank you for your permission, Princess.¡± Maslow quickly followed her, taking the lead with hurried steps and sparing a few nces around him. She should¡¯ve noticed right then that something was wrong. * * * * * Bang! The door closed behind her as soon as she entered the King¡¯s Office. Rienne turned her head back in surprise, only to see the person who closed the door was wearing the robes of a priest. [Rienne] ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Rienne asked, her eyes alternating between the priest and Maslow. Maslow simply bowed his head, muttering. [Maslow] ¡°What else could I do¡­¡­I had no choice, Princess.¡± The man wearing the robes was in fact, not a priest. [???] ¡°Keep your damn mouth shut and listen to me, Princess.¡± With quick gesture of his hand, he took off the hood that was covering his face. Hearing that same teeth-grinding voice, Rienne immediately recognized who it was. Unsurprisingly, it was Linden Kleinfelder. [Rienne] ¡°Such a disgraceful appearance, Lord Kleinfelder. Were the Tiwakan guarding the gates so terrifying, you needed to disguise yourself as a servant of God?¡± [Linden] ¡°I thought I told you to keep your mouth shut. Are those ears of yours clogged?¡± Rienne¡¯s biting sarcasm was immediately met with vitriol from Linden. [Maslow] ¡°Oh¡­.. my lord, how could you¡­¡­?¡± Not knowing Linden would behave this way towards the Princess, Maslow¡¯s face turned pale as his hands shook. But neither Rienne nor Linden cared about what words they used. Their rtionship had already hit rock bottom¡ªlong since past the point of feigning pleasantries. And Rienne herself would much rather use her words to fight than even pretend to be nice. [Rienne] ¡°My ears are perfectly fine. Discard any hope that I¡¯ll help you at this point and just leave. Or should I scream instead?¡± [Linden] ¡°You little¡­¡­!¡± Linden raised his hand up as if he were about to strike Rienne. But it was an empty threat. Linden didn¡¯t seem ready to cross that line just yet. And of course, Rienne wasn¡¯t about to take it quietly either. If Linden ever dared to raise his hand against her, she was prepared to bash him over the head with an ink bottle. [Linden] ¡°Listen here¡­¡­.You¡¯ll be releasing Rafittoday.You hear me clearly?¡± [Rienne] ¡°If you really think that¡¯s possible, then you need to wake up.¡± [Linden] ¡°What!?¡± [Rienne] ¡°You know what he¡¯s done. In the middle of town, he tried to kill my fianc¨¦ in broad daylight! And you want me to just ignore that and let him go?¡± [Linden] ¡°What does it even matter? There¡¯s nothing the eldest son of the Kleinfelders cannot do in Nauk!¡± As the exhaustion set into her gaze, Rienne looked at Linden. If that¡¯s what he truly thought, he¡¯d be able to maintain hisposure even after everything he¡¯d done. [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­.I won¡¯t change my mind. Besides, there¡¯s nothing I can do. The person in charge of Nauk¡¯s security is Lord Tiwakan now.¡± [Linden] ¡°I¡¯ve heard he¡¯s quite the dog, drooling the moment you lift your skirt, Princess, and yet you¡¯re iming there¡¯s nothing you can do.¡± [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡± [Maslow] ¡°L, Lord Kleinfelder! You can¡¯t say something like that¡­¡­..!¡± It was an unbelievable insult, cutting beyond all reason. Even Maslow was shocked to the point of pointing his finger up at the Kleinfelders. Rienne¡¯s face paled as she clenched her whitened fists. [Rienne] ¡°Don¡¯t you ever say something like that again. I won¡¯t allow it twice.¡± [Linden] ¡°And if I refuse?¡± [Rienne] ¡°You don¡¯t seem to understand why Rafit is still alive after so brazenly attempting treason. I swear on the name of Arsak, I cannot spare his life a second time.¡± [Linden] ¡°¡­¡­Dammit!¡± Unable to control his anger, Linden spat out a curse. He knew Rienne was right. The man they were talking about was the leader of the Tiwakan. After the ident that nearly killed him, more than a few people witnessed him chasing down Rafit with the ferocity of a wild beast. If he wanted to tear Rafit apart limb from limb right then and there, there would be almost no way to stop him. Although he¡¯d never admit it, it was clear the only reason why his nephew was still alive right now was because of Rienne. That little girl, sitting in a throne she earned through happenstance whilepletely ignorant, must have made a bid for his life. He knew his nephew was enchanted by the Princess¡¯ beautiful appearance to the point of losing all reason, and the beastly leader of the Tiwakan was no different. [Linden] ¡°Then let¡¯s negotiate.¡± Which meant there was unfortunately no other way to get Rafit out of prison than to make a deal with Rienne. [Linden] ¡°Let¡¯s talk money, as we¡¯ve always done. I can cut thirty percent from the debt you owe and in return, you¡¯ll be responsible for finding a way to get Rafit out. Do you understand me?¡± ¡­¡­Doessheunderstand? Linden Kleinfelder somehow managed to keep his lofty sense of pride, despite the fact that he came to Rienne to beg for Rafit¡¯s life. Just hearing his rude tone of voice, his words spoken through gritted teeth, made her want to p him. [Rienne] ¡°Only thirty percent? I didn¡¯t know Rafit¡¯s life was worth so little to you.¡± Rienne spoke while shaking out her hand, withholding the urge to do just that. [Rienne] ¡°Try again.¡± [Linden] ¡°What are you saying? It doesn¡¯t matter how taken you are with money, Princess. Speaking like that is untoward.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Those whoe to beg should act more polite.¡± [Linden] ¡°You impudent little¡­¡­¡± Linden bared his teeth and let out a growly breath. Rienne narrowed her eyes towards him. [Rienne] ¡°Feel free to insult me a hundred times over, it changes nothing. I¡¯ve already given up on expecting honor or courtesy from the likes of you. Instead, I ask only that you pay properly. Rather than thirty percent, make it fifty. And I won¡¯t pay any interest for the next three years.¡± [Linden] ¡°Are you trying to squeeze me dry?¡± [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s funny,ing from a Kleinfelder. The interest you¡¯ve received thus far has been no insignificant sum, so there¡¯s no need to be so somber.¡± Crack. The sound of Linden grinding his teeth hit her ears. [Linden] ¡°¡­¡­.If I do that, you¡¯ll let him go now.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Absolutely not. Present to me a written deed for the debt first.¡±(1) [Linden] ¡°You must be joking.¡± [Rienne] ¡°You should be thanking me, but you don¡¯t seem to understand the position of the one doing the begging.¡± [Linden] ¡°. . .¡± The look in Linden¡¯s eyes suddenly changed. Regardless of Maslow¡¯s presence, he spoke towards Rienne informally¡ªwithout a hint of respect. [Linden] ¡°How dare a little girl wearing a crown that doesn¡¯t fit speak to me with so much tongue?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Who¡¯s the one speaking like that¡­..Ah!¡± Linden reached out, harshly and violently grabbing Rienne¡¯s wrist. Maslow shouted out in surprise, but made no move to help. In the end, the cowardly and timid advisor didn¡¯t have the guts to stop Linden. Roughly trying to pull back her wrist, Rienne shot a re at Linden. [Rienne] ¡°Let go.¡± Instead, Linden just gripped her wrist harder, even twisting painfully against him. [Linden] ¡°I¡¯ve told you this before, but you still don¡¯t understand your ce. Somehow, the crown your father stole ended up in your hands and you think you¡¯re so great for it. I could break your neck right now and nothing would change.¡± Rienne pushed against Linden with her other hand, her voice gradually rising in volume. [Rienne] ¡°Seems you¡¯ve gone senile. Even so, there¡¯s a limit to what you can do, so just let go!¡± But Linden didn¡¯t budge. His voice turned grim, his teeth shown clearly like the fangs of a rabid dog. [Linden] ¡°Return Rafit by any means necessary. If not, I will wipe the Arsak family from the face of the earth by the power of the Kleinfelders.¡± * * * T/N: (1) She wants to write up their agreement first. astralment: Linden looks exactly how we all expected him to. ghostment: Okay but why does Linden have the same mustache as Sportacus from LazyTown?? Chapter 37 - Pitfall (2) Chapter 37 | Pitfall (2) trantor/editor: astralmech | editor: ghost * * * * * Linden¡¯s threats only heightened. [Linden] ¡°Return Rafit. He¡¯s the only reason I haven¡¯t broken your neck already. Use that body of yours to convince the barbarian.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Don¡¯t lie to yourself. It¡¯s far toote for the Kleinfelders to do anything now. You may as well give up and just ept who joint sovereignty of Nauk belongs to.¡± [Linden] ¡°You seem to have the strangest sense of faith in those monsters, but you should really use that tiny head of yours to think. Do you honestly believe he came all this way to Nauk just so he could be at your side?¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­.?¡± Just as Rafit had done before, Linden was trying to say that ck had some other motive. What do they even know? Rienne¡¯s expression turned tactically cold. [Rienne] ¡°What nonsense is it this time?¡± [Linden] ¡°He¡¯se to take your head. All this time, his goal was to enter Nauk through the pretext of marriage. It¡¯s in his nature¡ªto use something for all he can, only to throw it away the moment it¡¯s outlived its use. Such an obvious thing never urred to you?¡± [Rienne] ¡°You¡¯re wrong. Nothing you¡¯re saying makes an ounce of sense. Saying the leader of the Tiwakan is doing all of this just to get Nauk is enough to make a dogugh. All because he covets a nation he could easily take in a single day if he wanted?¡± Lindenughed at her. It was a strange, awfulugh. [Linden] ¡°You have the luxury of thinking like that because you know nothing. That¡¯s why the crown is an ill fit for you.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What are you talking about?¡± As Rienne continued to press for answers, Linden pulled back. It was as if he realized he said too much. [Linden] ¡°Well, perhaps he¡¯ll have a little fun with you before he takes your head. Your body must be worth something in eyes of that animal. Hedidspend quite a bit of money on you.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Stop it, and tell me what it is I don¡¯t know¡­¡­.Ah!¡± Rienne cried out as Linden increased his grip on her wrist, squeezing hard on it¡ªready to break it in a moment¡¯s notice. While Rienne was quiet, Linden spat out another snidement. [Linden] ¡°Unless you want him to eat Nauk whole, you know what you need to do. Get Rafit out. Then kill the barbarian.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What¡­..? Never¡­..¡± [Linden] ¡°It¡¯s not as though it¡¯s impossible for you. Take him to your bed. He¡¯ll let his guard down and that¡¯s when you take the chance to cut his throat. Then I¡¯ll take care of the rest. That¡¯s the only way to save Nauk from those monsters.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Haha¡­¡­ha¡­.Why would I ever¡­..¡± [Linden] ¡°You still don¡¯t understand. Must I show you proof he seeks to kill you?¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­.!¡± Rienne slowly looked up. [Rienne] ¡°There¡¯s¡­..proof?¡± * * * * * If there was one thing she wanted to know more than anything else, it was that. The truth about ck. What did he want with such a small, destitutend? Was it really revenge that he sought? And was the vengeance he desired because of a grudge against her? Against the royal family? I want to know. Even if it was Kleinfelders who were giving her the answer. [Rienne] ¡°What¡­..what is it?¡± She wanted to know above all else. [Linden] ¡°You want to know? Then kill him.¡± [Rienne] ¡°You¡¯re absurd. Show me the evidence, if it even exists.¡± Linden gave an ugly smirk. [Linden] ¡°Even like this, you still want to negotiate. You¡¯re the only one curious, so you¡¯re hardly in any position to make demands.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Are you not here to save your nephew? If anyone is here to negotiate, it¡¯s you so don¡¯t try to bargain with me¡­..¡± [???] ¡°Actually, I¡¯m quite curious myself.¡± Everyone in the room stiffened as a voice rose up from the floor and entered the air. It was a voice that didn¡¯t match anyone there. [Phermos] ¡°What is it that my Lord intends to do?¡± It was Phermos. His voice wasing from the floor because that¡¯s where he was¡ªhiding under the desk. But he seemed too casual for someone hiding. More than trying to conceal himself, he lookednguid and drowsy. Like he¡¯d been taking a nap in the room. [Linden] ¡°You sneaky little rat!¡± Linden Kleinfelder was more surprised than anyone else. Completely forgetting his honor as a noble, he shouted out with great fervor. He was so off put, he cried out at a volume he didn¡¯t even know was possible. [Phermos] ¡°I know I was the one hiding, but why does that make me the only rat in this room? And what exactly is going on here?¡± Rienne bit down on her lip to stifle augh. Saying the situation was funny would be an understatement. The King¡¯s Office wasn¡¯t a rat¡¯s den and yet people were somehowing out of the woodwork.(1) Even if there wasn¡¯t anything particrly valuable hidden there nor anything worth stealing, it was still a ce where others couldn¡¯t freelye and go without Rienne¡¯s permission. [Rienne] ¡°Lord Phermos. Can I ask what you¡¯re doing under my desk? I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever given you permission to be here.¡± [Phermos] ¡°My sincerest apologies. Even if I had ten mouths, I¡¯d still have nothing of use to say. I will take any punishment you see fit.¡±(2) Phermos had a depressed look on his face. It appeared as though his apology was genuine, but that didn¡¯t mean he had forgotten his main point. [Phermos] ¡°But I ask that you put that aside for now. To say my Lord intends to take the Princess¡¯ head¡­.Ugh, such a filthy sentence. I feel my mouth getting dirty just repeating it. Though, I¡¯m curious why my Lord would do such a thing. Care to exin to this curious little rat? What is this proof you speak of?¡± [Linden] ¡°¡­¡­Shut up!¡± Linden, whose eyes were rolling behind his head like a madman, suddenly shouted and rushed towards Phermos. No matter how he assessed the situation, there was no other way to fix this. He¡¯d be better off killing Phermos right here and now, shutting his mouth for good. [Phermos] ¡°Just as the Princess said, you are foolish and stupid man. You must be aware of who you¡¯re attacking.¡± But despite Phermos¡¯ intelligent and clean appearance, with a monocle making him look more like a schr, he was nheless a man who¡¯d also spent those ten long years on the battlefield. He cleverly sidestepped Linden, allowing the man to trip and stumble over his well ced foot. Thump, boom! [Linden] ¡°Augh!¡± Linden fell forward, smashing his head against the edge of the desk. The moment he hit the floor, Phermos walked up, quickly pressing his foot into the back of his neck. [Linden] ¡°Agh!How dare you¡­..! Get the hell¡­off¡­..!¡± [Phermos] ¡°I¡¯ll make you a deal. Exin things now, and I¡¯ll only ry half of what was said here today to my Lord. That means I¡¯ll make things sound much nicer when I tell him. I promise you, this deal can¡¯t get much better than that. My Lord doesn¡¯t often get angry, but when he does, it¡¯s truly heinous.¡± [Linden] ¡°What¡­¡­!? Bastard, ugh!¡± [Phermos] ¡°So tell me. What does my Lord intend to do?¡± [Linden] ¡°I, it¡¯s only obvious¡­.cough! ¡­¡­Why else,cough¡­..for such a small country¡­..cough!¡± Phermos put more pressure on Linden¡¯s neck. [Phermos] ¡°Hm, that¡¯s not what you said before. You weren¡¯t nearly as vague earlier. Didn¡¯t you say you had proof?¡± [Linden] ¡°If you think I¡¯ll tell you¡­¡­.Augh!¡± Crack. There was a painful cracking sounding from underneath Phermos¡¯ foot. [Maslow] ¡°Princess! What are you doing? You must stop him!¡± Maslow grabbed onto Rienne¡¯s sleeve. [Maslow] ¡°A mercenary dares to harm a member of Nauk¡¯s aristocracy like this! You cannot ignore such an insult!¡± After he said that, both Rienne and Phermos had looks filled with diforted energy. [Phermos] ¡°And you¡ªstanding idly by as your nation¡¯s princess has her wrist twisted and nearly broken. Is that not the greatest insult?¡± [Maslow] ¡°Th, that¡¯s¡­..¡± Maslow immediately faltered as his words left him. [Phermos] ¡°You want her to stop me? What sort of decent man clings to the sleeve of a princess like that? Aren¡¯t you too old to be hiding behind someone so much younger than you? Have you no shame?¡± [Maslow] ¡°Shame¡­¡­how dare you ask¡­..¡± Maslow gasped out as his face turned red. Just by looking at his face, it was obvious what the problem was. This was how the people of Nauk lived after state affairs were passed onto Rienne. The Kleinfelders, as heads of the aristocratic delegation must¡¯ve ensured that. Phermos heard it was around six years ago that Rienne first rose to power. It would¡¯ve been right after hering of age, so she still would¡¯ve been young. At that age, she¡¯d have difficulty distinguishing between merely fulfilling her responsibility and sacrificing her all for her people. To that end, she must have been led to believe bending to the whims of the aristocratic delegation was part of her sovereign duty. [Phermos] ¡°Tch. So you¡¯re staying silent?¡± [Linden] ¡°Ugh¡­..cough!¡± Linden was in a position where he couldn¡¯t speak at all, even if he wanted to. His neck was utterly ruined by now. [Linden] ¡°Fine then. Don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you.¡± Phermos pulled his foot off of Linden¡¯s neck, grabbing him by the cor and dragging him away. It was obvious he was making his way out of the King¡¯s Office. Once he went through that door, it would all be over. There¡¯d be no hiding what happened today. [Maslow] ¡°Princess!¡± With panic in his voice, Maslow called out to Rienne again. [Maslow] ¡°You can¡¯t let this happen! The royal family cannot make an enemy of the Kleinfelders! You have to stop him!¡± [Phermos] ¡°¡­..Hah.¡± Phermos straightened out his back and stopped in his tracks. He knew things must have been like this all along. He turned and asked Rienne. [Phermos] ¡°What do you want to do, Princess? Do you wish to stop me?¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Obviously Phermos wasn¡¯t hinting he was willing to ignore Linden Kleinfelder¡¯s presence. He just wanted to see whose side Rienne was on. During all of this, Linden had ordered Rienne to kill ck. She didn¡¯t answer right away, but Phermos needed to know what kind of conclusion she¡¯de to. [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­..No, I don¡¯t.¡± Rienne took a deep breath before she answered. [Rienne] ¡°There¡¯s no point in trying to stop you, nor do I want to.¡± It was all the same in the end. Now that Phermos had found out about this, she couldn¡¯t cover this up even if she tried. And after she had lied continually to ck in order to help settle the Kleinfelder¡¯s mistakes, Rienne had be extremely embittered by the entire situation. Because no matter what she did, House Kleinfelder would never change. So long as he was left alive, Rafit would continue to make such foolish attempts in the future, and Linden would continue to put pressure on Rienne to cover it up. Sooner orter, it all needed toe to an end. Even if every family in the aristocratic delegation tried to fight this, she had to deal with this eventually. It just so happened to be now. [Phermos] ¡°Well thought.¡± Phermos nodded, saying this with a smile on his face. It was a strange sight, side by side with Maslow and Linden whose mouths hung open in unabashed shock. [Phermos] ¡°Then I¡¯ll drag this one away and lock him up. I¡¯m starting to look forward to the trial.¡± Boom! Once he was done talking, Phermos opened the once tightly closed door to the office. [Phermos] ¡°You, over there! Come here and take him away. Oh, and there¡¯s another one in here, too.¡± Poor Maslow discovered just a little bit toote that the other ¡®one¡¯ Phermos was talking about was him. * * * * * The Tiwakan worked extremely quickly. Maslow and Linden were ced in the dungeons, along with the guards who had been deceived into allowing them to slip in. The captain of the castle guard was a little confused, but Phermos didn¡¯t yield a single step. All the while, the time Rienne was meant to take breakfast with ck came and went. . [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­No one¡¯s here.¡± By the time Rienne arrived, the dining hall was empty. Food had been served but with no one to partake, it was left to turn cold¡ªuntouched on the table. Still, Rienne could tell ck had been there at one point or another. One of the chairs had been turned over. Maybe he¡¯d arrived earlier than they promised and while he was waiting, he received a report of what happened, so he left. Rienne took the seat opposite of where ck had once sat. She didn¡¯t expect him toe back, though. He must be busy dealing with the aftermath of everything. But despite that, Rienne still came, wanting to keep her side of their promise as best she could. [Rienne] ¡°I should¡¯ve changed my clothes.¡± Rienne took a neatly folded napkin from the table and spread it across herp, muttering to herself. Her beautiful lc dress had flowing sleeves that rolled down, revealing her bruised and darkened wrist. [Rienne] ¡°Unsightly.¡± Touching the mark, Rienne winced bitterly as she looked at it. It¡¯s not just unsightly. It hurts, too. And now it was starting to swell. [Rienne] ¡°I hope it¡¯s not serious.¡± Rienne picked up her fork and knife, cutting into the nearest roasted pheasant. She felt a tinge of pain every time she moved her wrist, but she could move nheless. [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­.It¡¯s fine. I can do this much.¡± The cooking was amazing, but unfortunately, she had no appetite. The Tiwakan must¡¯ve had a very good cook with them. It¡¯d been so long since she¡¯d been able to see such a fancy dish set before her. ¡­¡­But now it¡¯s all gone to waste. ck, who had invited to her a meal, must¡¯ve put a lot of attention and care into this. But that just made it even more disappointing. I wish we could¡¯ve eaten together. * * * T/N: (1) A quip, expressing awe that there¡¯s so many people in her office, despite none of them having permission to be there. (2) Phermos uses an idiom literally meaning ¡°If I had ten mouths, I¡¯d have no words¡±. Basically, saying there¡¯s no excuse/he doesn¡¯t know what to say. astralment: Oh no, Phermos is exactly my type.Side characters have no right being more appealing than the ML *sob* ghostment: Excuse us while we figure out how to isekai into this novel as a side-character so we can hit him up. Chapter 38 - The More I Get to Know You Chapter 38 | The More I Get to Know You trantor/editor: astralmech | editor: ghost * * * * * She probably would¡¯ve had a fairly nice morning if it hadn¡¯t been for Linden Kleinfelder. The food in front of her was wonderful and it would¡¯ve been nice if a certain someone could¡¯ve seen her done up in a dress she actually quite liked. Maybe he¡¯d tell her he thought she was lovely again. ¡­¡­That would¡¯ve been very nice. Rienne carefully cut into the roast and ced a small piece in her mouth. She chewed, but she couldn¡¯t taste a thing, even though she was certain it must be an amazing dish. But she couldn¡¯t taste anything good. Whenever she had to deal with that man, there were far too many things to handle, all tangled up together. It gradually made a bitter feeling pass through her, to the point of blocking out all else. [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± I can¡¯t eat anything. But as Rienne set down her fork, quietly swallowing the food she had forced herself to eat¡ª Bang! With a hurried motion, the door of the dining hall swung open. It was ck. [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­.What? ¡­..What are you doing here¡­.?¡± She didn¡¯t think he¡¯de. Rienne turned her head towards him, her eyes slowly blinking in a daze. ck rushed towards her, grabbing the chair she was sitting in and jerking it to face him. It was done with so much force, it felt incredibly vigorous and rough. [ck] ¡°Why are you here?¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­..I¡¯m sorry?¡± So he¡¯d heard about what happened today and now he was angry. Well, it¡¯d be stranger if he wasn¡¯t. Once again, ck was hearing that Rienne was involved in another incident concerning Rafit Kleinfelder. He knew she¡¯d bargained with the Kleinfelders over Rafit¡¯s release and that the idea of killing him had somehow entered the equation, too. Even if Rienne had no real intention of doing so, he would have no choice but to doubt her. Their rtionship was turning sour, again. He wouldn¡¯t believe her. [ck] ¡°I asked what you¡¯re doing here. Why? Why are you acting like nothing happened?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I¡­¡­I didn¡¯t want to break my promise.¡± But maybe that wouldn¡¯t happen this time. [ck] ¡°Did you think I¡¯d do something to you if you didn¡¯t keep your promise to have a meal with me?¡± [Rienne] ¡°No that¡¯s not what I said¡­¡­¡± [ck] ¡°Are you afraid of me?¡± She¡¯s heard those same words before. Back then, the question was asked underpletely different circumstances. But as the words repeated themselves in her head, they began to lose all meaning. Like the question itself was pointless to ask. [Rienne] ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡± [ck] ¡°Then why are you here? Did you think it¡¯d be a big issue if you didn¡¯t keep your promise?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I kept it simply because I wanted to, but I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d return, Lord Tiwakan. I just wished to be alone for a time.¡± [ck] ¡°But why here?¡± Those words felt strange. [Rienne] ¡°Where else would I go if not here?¡± [ck] ¡°Not in this kind of ce¡­¡­.¡± ck interrupted himself, suddenly grabbing Rienne¡¯s arm. [ck] ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be lying down?¡± [Rienne] ¡°What? Why would I do that?¡± [ck] ¡°You¡¯re hurt.¡± As he lifted up her wrist, a clearly visible hand mark was bruised into her skin. It waspletely swollen at this point, too. [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± [ck] ¡°Doesn¡¯t it hurt?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Just a little, but it¡¯s nothing I can¡¯t handle¡­¡­.¡± ck swept his fingers along the bruise as his lips tensed. Without taking his hands away, he muttered. [ck] ¡°You¡¯re hurting.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± No matter what she said, he knew she was in pain, even if he wasn¡¯t specifying what exactly was filling her with so much hurt.(1) [Rienne] ¡°But it doesn¡¯t hurt enough that I need to rest.¡± [ck] ¡°I¡¯m not just talking about your wrist.¡± [Rienne] ¡°If¡­¡­¡­..If you¡¯re asking if I¡¯m hurt anywhere else, I¡¯m not. I¡¯m really fine.¡± [ck] ¡°It must have been hard going through that alone, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s alright¡­..¡± [ck] ¡°It¡¯s meaningless to say that if you can¡¯t promise it with a straight face.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Rienne couldn¡¯t say anything back¡ªher wordspletely gone. It felt like there was a lump of hot air inside of her, rising up through her throat. It was all happening so quickly, she didn¡¯t know why she was having this kind of reaction. The only thing she could sense was how worried ck was about her. [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­¡­nge, don¡¯t you think?¡± When Rienne was finally able to open her mouth, her voice was coarse and uneven. [ck] ¡°I didn¡¯t catch that.¡± [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s strange, don¡¯t you think?¡± [ck] ¡°What do you mean?¡± [Rienne] ¡°You¡¯re worrying for me, Lord Tiwakan. It almost makes me happy to see.¡± [ck] ¡°¡­¡­..Why is that strange?¡± Rienne swallowed hard, struggling to bite back the swarm of emotions that seemed to have solidified in her throat. [Rienne] ¡°Lord Phermos was hiding in the King¡¯s Office, so you must¡¯ve heard it from him. I was told to kill you, Lord Tiwakan.¡± [ck] ¡°And I also heard you didn¡¯t agree.¡± But that wasn¡¯t everything she was worried about. [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s not all. They said you were going to kill me once you held Nauk in your hands.¡± [ck] ¡°I was surprised to hear that, too.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Does that mean it isn¡¯t true?¡± [ck] ¡°I told you before. If I wanted to get Nauk, there would be more than a few ways I could¡¯ve done so. All of them faster than proposing.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Then what about revenge?¡± [ck] ¡°Revenge?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I keep hearing that what you seek is revenge. That someone in Nauk is responsible for spilling the blood of your family.¡± [ck] ¡°. . .¡± With those words left to hang in the air, creases formed on ck¡¯s forehead¡ªhis expression distorting. Seeing his face twist so quickly, Rienne felt her heart drop in her chest, like something was curdling inside her. He¡¯s not denying it. Then that must mean¡­..there¡¯s a bit of truth to it all. [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s what makes things like this strange.¡± Rienne¡¯s form and voice had grown so small, one could hardly hear her words. She shrank away as she tried to pull out of ck¡¯s grip. [Rienne] ¡°Please let me go. I¡¯d like to leave now.¡± But ck didn¡¯t let himself get pushed away. [ck] ¡°I don¡¯t think its strange.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­¡­Why¡­.?¡± As he carefully held onto Rienne¡¯s wrist, he reached out his other hand and swept Rienne¡¯s tousled hair behind her ear. The gesture was both gentle and hesitant. No different from the p of a butterfly¡¯s wing. [ck] ¡°Everything you¡¯re telling me now, Princess, was said to you by another person. And I¡¯m not interested in other people.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± [ck] ¡°Is there a lot of debt?¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­¡­?¡­¡­.¡± [ck] ¡°Is the debt the reason why you¡¯ve had to put up with so many unreasonable things?¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Rienne didn¡¯t answer, but the stiff expression on her face said everything for her. [ck] ¡°How long has this been going on?¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­¡­..Please don¡¯t ask me questions like that.¡± It was far too pathetic for the ruler of a nation to use debt as an excuse for the state of things. And more than that, Rienne didn¡¯t wish for him to see how terrible the poverty she¡¯d been dealing with was. He already knew about it since before, but knowing and seeing were two different things. Rienne tried to turn her face away, but ck kept his hand firmly on her cheek, keeping her in ce. He was acting differently fromst night. He was still just as kind as before, but his actions didn¡¯t feel as forceful. The hand that was holding her cheek felt firm and strong, but somehow, it also felt like it was filled regret. [ck] ¡°Answer me.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­..No.¡± [ck] ¡°Why not?¡± ¡­..Because I¡¯m ashamed. I don¡¯t want to admit to you that I¡¯m a weak and pathetic person. [Rienne] ¡°I just don¡¯t want to. You yourself haven¡¯t answered my question from before either, Lord Tiwakan. The one about the revenge you supposedly seek.¡± For whatever reason, ck gave a soft smile as he started gently caressing Rienne¡¯s cheek with his thumb. [ck] ¡°Where did you hear that?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that¡­¡­..Stories like this have been circting all across the continent. Such a belief is rampant everywhere but Nauk.¡± [ck] ¡°That¡¯s weird. How haven¡¯t I heard about this?¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­..You didn¡¯t know?¡± [ck] ¡°Though itistrue that those of my blood are dead. They were killed in thisnd a long time ago.¡± [Rienne] ¡°You¡­¡­¡± His calm expression betrayed how harrowing his words were¡ª so casually speaking of his family¡¯s death like that. It was a face not suited for someone who was carefully sharpening their de, seeking to avenge their fallen loved ones. [ck] ¡°I was only a child when it happened. At first, I was filled with so much anger that my flesh and blood were all gone, but I had to focus on staying alive. Eventually, I forgot all about it as I grew up. And like I told you before, the reason why I proposed was because I didn¡¯t want you to be taken away by someone else.¡± He was answering so clearly and inly, a sense of confusion gripped Rienne. [Rienne] ¡°So¡­wanting revenge¡­¡­ was just hearsay?¡± [ck] ¡°I didn¡¯t even know such a rumor existed.¡± [Rienne] ¡°But this¡­¡­.This doesn¡¯t make any sense. We had nothing to do with each other before now, so what makes you say ¡®taken away¡¯ like that?¡± [ck] ¡°Is that what you really think?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Am¡­..am I wrong¡­.?¡± [ck] ¡°I called thisnd my home until the loss of my family. You may not know me, Princess, but I know you.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Ah¡­.but how is something like that possible¡­..?¡± All of this¡­.is too strange. [Rienne] ¡°A long time ago, you said¡­¡­When was this, exactly?¡± [ck] ¡°About twenty years ago, now.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Twenty years?¡± Of course she wouldn¡¯t remember. If this was around twenty years ago, Rienne would¡¯ve been barely a child¡ªonly five or six at most. [Rienne] ¡°Did I know you back then, Lord Tiwakan?¡± [ck] ¡°Probably not. I think you were too young for that.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Then, how did you know about me?¡± [ck] ¡°I only knew your name.¡± [Rienne] ¡°My name?¡± [ck] ¡°My father wanted to arrange a marriage for me. With the Arsak family.¡±(2) [Rienne] ¡°Wha¡­¡­¡± Rienne¡¯s eyes widened. She¡¯d never heard anything about this. Rienne¡¯s father, thete king of Nauk, never mentioned anything to her about a childhood engagement. Not once. [Rienne] ¡°We were engaged¡­.back then?¡± [ck] ¡°Not officially. If we had been, there¡¯d be some evidence of it or it would¡¯ve been taken down in writing somewhere.¡± And with nothing to solidify the agreement, it was left to exist only in one¡¯s distant memory. [Rienne] ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me from the beginning?¡± [ck] ¡°I didn¡¯t think it was important.¡± [Rienne] ¡°How is something like that not important if it¡¯s the whole reason why you proposed in the first ce?¡± [ck] ¡°It was an engagement that was brought up when I was young. There¡¯s a chance it was just a decision my father made on his own. In the end, I¡¯m the only one who still remembers.¡± Which meant even if he had told her, she would¡¯ve struggled to believe him or take his words seriously. And this had nothing to do with her already having someone by her side, either. If any man approached her with the intent to propose, making such odd ims, Rienne likely would¡¯veughed them off or passed their words off as some unpleasant joke. [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­..You still should¡¯ve told me.¡± But that was when the man in question wasn¡¯t ck. Rienne reached out, gently tugging on ck¡¯s sleeve. [Rienne] ¡°If you had, I would¡¯ve¡­¡­¡± Then I wouldn¡¯t have felt so confused and scared, my heart shattering under the uncertainty, not understanding why everything was happening. Now, she had an actual reason behind his abrupt proposal. Suddenly, everything felt more real. More believable. [Rienne] ¡°I¡­¡­. [ck] ¡°Princess.¡± If only he¡¯d told her earlier. She would never have lied so much if she knew. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡­¡± [ck] ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡± I would¡¯ve been honest from the very beginning. [Rienne] ¡°I..would¡¯ve¡­much sooner¡­¡­..¡± That was all Rienne could say. She couldn¡¯t finish her sentence, her words tapering off as she fell intoplete silence. ck didn¡¯t force her to keep talking. Instead, he had something he wanted to say. His touch upon her cheek was a little teasing, making her body feel as though it were melting. [ck] ¡°You were afraid what kind of person I was. You thought I proposed in order to take Nauk, and that I was going to kill you one day. All so I could take revenge.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­¡­Not necessarily¡­¡­¡± [ck] ¡°And yet, you didn¡¯t want to postpone the wedding, and you didn¡¯t want to kill me before then, either.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­I told you I had my doubts¡­¡­.¡± [ck] ¡°You made me take off my clothes so you could tend to my wounds because I was hurt. And instead of driving me out of your bed, you found a spare nket to cover me with and allowed me to sleep next to you.¡± [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s¡­..because you¡¯re my fianc¨¦¡­¡­¡± The hand gently touching her face stopped. ck leaned over, bringing his face even closer to hers. It was an unavoidable distance¡ªsomething she couldn¡¯t turn away from unless she closed her eyes. [ck] ¡°Is it safe to say you like me? Even just a little bit?¡± He asked her so suddenly, Rienne¡¯s tightly shut eyes widely opened and she swallowed hard. [ck] ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what it is. If there¡¯s anything good about me that you like, just say yes.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± [ck] ¡°You can nod your head, too.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± ck¡¯s eyes were cold and clear. Rienne stared into them as she slowly nodded her head. Unblinking, he watched her hesitantly move her head up and down. [ck] ¡°I see.¡± Despite how simple the words that floated through the air were, both sides of ck¡¯s mouth were being tugged into a smile. [ck] ¡°I won¡¯t listen if you say otherwiseter.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Rienne wanted to say something back, but her mouth wouldn¡¯t open. As if to rece her unspoken words, she gripped the hem of ck¡¯s clothing a little tighter. If I knew, I would¡¯ve grown fond of you much sooner. Those quiet thoughts¡ªthe words Rienne couldn¡¯t say. * * * * * [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± After being forced to rest, Rienne was left toy idle in bed, though she didn¡¯t fight much. It hadn¡¯t been that long since she first woke up, so this was the fastest she¡¯d ever gone back to bed in a while. [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s just a bruised wrist. That¡¯s all.¡± But even as shey defeated, Rienne continued to argue. ck sat next to her on the edge of the bed, watching her every move. Every time he noticed her try and shift her body, he¡¯d shake his head at her. [ck] ¡°That¡¯s what you think now, but it could get worseter.¡± [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s never happened in the past. It¡¯s not that terrible. The Kleinfelders are just like that sometimes¡­¡­.¡± [ck] ¡°You¡¯re saying this has happened before?¡± ck immediately jumped on Rienne¡¯s words. [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s just their nature to do this kind of thing¡­¡­..¡± [ck] ¡°So this isn¡¯t the first time this has happened, but it¡¯s okay because you¡¯re used to it?¡± [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡­.¡± If she were to say it bluntly, then yes¡­..but why did he look so unhappy? * * * T/N: (1) Pro-drop! Except this time, the text is pointing it out for me. He¡¯s pointing out her pain, but isn¡¯t being specific about what is causing it/what hurts. (2) The term he uses here means specifically a dead father. There¡¯s also no pronoun listed, but unless otherwise specified, one is usually referring to their own parent, so I made the assumption in the trantion. astralment: Didn¡¯t the drought in Nauk start twenty years ago too? I¡¯ve got my theory cap on, but I¡¯m gonna stay really quiet instead. ghostment: ¡°Not important¡± he says. Sir, please. Chapter 39 - The Beginning Chapter 39 | The Beginning trantor/editor: astralmech | editor: ghost T/N: (NOTE): In previous chapters, I mistranted the previous king¡¯s name as Seon. That¡¯s inurate and the king (presently unnamed) was actually being referred to with a word meaning old king. I wasn¡¯t familiar with the term and misread it as his name (rip). Please note the change going forward and I¡¯ll also eventually edit previous chapters to reflect this difference. Thanks < 3 * * * * * So that¡¯s how it is. Although he didn¡¯t manage to hear too much of the story from Phermos, ck was still able to paint a vivid picture of what exactly transpired in the King¡¯s Office. To say things must¡¯ve been ¡®tough¡¯ for her would be an unfair and cruel understatement. Rienne was only neen years old when she inherited the crown; barely an adult. A young, neen year old princess would be seen as nothing but easy prey for anyone seeking to take advantage of her¡ª namely the Kleinfelders. In order to serve their own interests, they tore into her like a pack of wild dogs, taking whatever they could from a kingdom already falling into ruin. And after enduring it all, those weak looking shoulders had no choice but to stand strong. It was why whenever he saw her, she always seemed as though she were on the verge of tears, but never once did he see her cry. As soon as he understood everything, it was like something in his heart was erupting. And through the hole in his chest, the existence of Rienne Arsak flowed past the newly formed cracks without end. But at least now he knew her rtionship with Rafit Kleinfelder waspletely done. Rienne was smart, so she must¡¯ve put a lot of thought into what it would mean to marry into the Kleinfelder family. After considering the consequences deeply, she must have been speaking honestly when she told him this before. She never once betrayed him, nor did she have any intention of doing so. In the end, Rienne would¡¯vee to the conclusion that she could never afford to bind herself to Rafit Kleinfelder. Even if she loved him. Even if she had a child with him. Because the one Rienne Arsak will be marrying is no one else but me. ck swept his hand across Rienne¡¯s forehead, urging her to rest her headpletely on the pillow. [ck] ¡°Even if you say you¡¯re fine, the child inside of you might not be.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Child? Why are you¡­¡­¡­Ah.¡± Rienne made a troubled expression as her face stiffened. [ck] ¡°There¡¯s no harm in being careful. You look unwell, so you should rest.¡± At those words, her eyes looked as though they were shaking. For Rienne, it seemed like having a child was still a very distant idea in her mind. Not that he was any different. Was it because she wasn¡¯t far along enough to start feeling any difort in her body yet? But that¡¯s not a bad thing. For the whole time she carried this child, the one at Rienne¡¯s side would be him. The fact that the biological father was another man would never be known, and would eventually fade away with time.(1) [ck] ¡°Is there no resident doctor in the castle?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I don¡¯t often need to see one, so no.¡± A royal family with no personal doctor? I¡¯ve never seen that before. Without knowing the reason, ck lifted up Rienne¡¯s hand and gently bit the tip of her finger¡ªas if to hold back the words from tumbling out. [Rienne] ¡°Um¡­¡­¡­¡­.Is something wrong?¡± [ck] ¡°Did it hurt?¡± [Rienne] ¡°No, not really¡­¡­¡­I¡¯m just curious why¡­¡­¡± Well, truthfully there was no real exnation. At some point or another, every time he saw Rienne, he just wanted to be touched by her. Hands, lips¡ªit didn¡¯t matter what. It would onlyplicate things if he had toe up with a reason every single time the urge came to him. [ck] ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯re beautiful.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­¡­What?¡± I¡¯ll just word it that way. It¡¯s because every time he saw Rienne, she looked very lovely. It wasn¡¯t inurate, so that was probably the best way to exin this feeling for now. [ck] ¡°I¡¯ll call Phermos.¡± [Rienne] ¡°No, there¡¯s no need for him toe all this way¡­¡­¡­.Though, is he even a doctor?¡± [ck] ¡°He¡¯s very knowledgeable when ites to medicine, so I¡¯d say he¡¯s even better than a doctor.¡± [Rienne] ¡°He is?¡± [ck] ¡°Just rest here for a minute. I¡¯ll be right back.¡± [Rienne] ¡°No, wait.¡± Just as ck was about to stand up, Rienne rushed to hold onto him. It was such a trivial thing and yet it turned the feelings ck kept inside into a mess. A dizzying mixture of relief and satisfaction rose up in his chest, apanied by the even more intense sense of desire. But the strongest among all those surging emotions was the urge to pull her into his embrace and kiss her. [Rienne] ¡°Lord Phermos is¡­¡­..he¡¯s a man¡­..Even if he¡¯s like a doctor¡­..I¡¯d still feel a little ufortable.¡± Seeing how flustered her face was, he thought there would¡¯ve been more reasons than that. But I don¡¯t want to pry if it makes her ufortable. The more ufortable Rienne gets, the longer it¡¯ll take for her to open up her heart to me. [ck] ¡°Wasn¡¯t the doctor who confirmed your pregnancy also a man?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Well¡­..he was, but my nanny is usually the one who takes care of me.¡± [ck] ¡°Then I¡¯ll get her instead.¡± [Rienne] ¡°She isn¡¯t in the castle right now.¡± [ck] ¡°When is sheing back?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I¡­¡­.I don¡¯t really know. She may not return until the end of the day.¡± [ck] ¡°Can I call her back?¡± [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡­.¡± Rienne looked as though she was agonizing over whatever she was thinking about. After that, she nodded her head like she¡¯d made up her mind. She patted the area next to her, weing him to sit back down. That meant her story would take some time to exin. [Rienne] ¡°I asked her to do something for me.¡± [ck] ¡°Did she go far?¡± [Rienne] ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing like that¡­¡­..But there was something I needed to know about, so I asked her to meet someone for me. But I don¡¯t think that¡¯s necessary anymore.¡± [ck] ¡°And you want to tell me where she¡¯s gone?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Yes. There¡¯s no longer any reason for me to hide this.¡± ck watched Rienne as her expression changed slightly. It looked lighter and more refreshed. [Rienne] ¡°The other day, I met someone who seemed to know you, Lord Tiwakan.¡± * * * * * It didn¡¯t take that long to talk about how she¡¯d spoken to the old beggar outside the Temple, but even after such a short time, Rienne felt like her heart had be that much lighter. [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­I was able to hear about you, Lord Tiwakan, after he first came to meet me. I didn¡¯t say anything because I wasn¡¯t sure if it was good idea for you to know his identity.¡± Even as she talked, Rienne could feel her expression bing strange. She divulged something she¡¯d been hiding from him this whole time, and she couldn¡¯t stop herself from smiling. It seemed a lighter heart naturally led to lighter lips, too. [Rienne] ¡°I wonder if he¡¯d heard the rumors from somewhere¡­¡­.? Or maybe he remembers you, Lord Tiwakan. Maybe he saw you back when you used to live in Nauk.¡± [ck] ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± As if aware of how much a smile was tugging at her mouth, ck reached out and touched her lips with his fingers. It was just a little thing. Something meaningless in the grand scheme of things. But it felt like it was binding them together, like it wasying the groundwork for a real engagement. [ck] ¡°My face looks different from how it did twenty years ago.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Does it?¡± [ck] ¡°I was young, so I was much smaller.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Maybe¡­¡­.But if it were me, I think I would remember.¡± Thinking deeply, Rienne tried to conjure up the image of a young ck in her mind. Honestly, it was a bit hard to imagine, but even so, she was certain she¡¯d remember seeing someone like him. [Rienne] ¡°Your eyes would still look the same.¡± [ck] ¡°Even if my eyes are unusual, they¡¯re not unique.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Is that so¡­¡­?¡± Rienne had never met someone with eyes like his before, but maybe that was because she¡¯d never had the chance to travel outside of Nauk. [Rienne] ¡°In any case, I need to tell Mrs. mbard toe back. She might have run into some trouble.¡± [ck] ¡°I¡¯ll send someone out.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Thank you.¡± Rienne¡¯s eyes closed slightly as spoke with a smile. Looking at her, ck suddenly tilted his head. [ck] ¡°But there¡¯s still time until shees back, so we should get Phermos to check on you.¡± And so the previous problem returned. Rienne struggled to keep her face calm as she looked at ck, only a small distance between them. [Rienne] ¡°No, really¡­¡­..I¡¯m really okay. I don¡¯t need a doctor.¡± [ck] ¡°Are you sure?¡± If a doctor came to examine her, something big would happen. Rienne knew she needed to say those words. She wanted to tell him she wasn¡¯t pregnant of her own volition. But¡­¡­she needed more time. If things continued on this path, she¡¯d be able to confess all of her lies eventually. She just needed more time to gather her courage. Just a little bit more. [Rienne] ¡°Yes¡­¡­So please don¡¯t worry, Lord Tiwakan. There¡¯s no need for that. I¡¯m the same as I¡¯ve always been.¡± [ck] ¡°Don¡¯t say that. You aren¡¯t the same.¡± ck took Rienne¡¯s wrist in his hand, marked with bruises. [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­..I am except for this.¡± [ck] ¡°Then if there¡¯s no problem, can I kiss you?¡± [Rienne] ¡°What? Why so suddenly?¡± While Rienne waspletely speechless, ck looked at her and spoke with a low murmur. [ck] ¡°It¡¯s not sudden to me.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­¡­Weren¡¯t you just treating me like a patient?¡± [ck] ¡°I¡¯m askingbecauseyou¡¯re a patient.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± [ck] ¡°I don¡¯t want to make things even harder for an injured person just to satisfy my own greed.¡± It sounded like he was saying those words because he cherished Rienne deeply. [Rienne] ¡°You¡­¡­..You don¡¯t have to ask.¡± Rienne turned silent for a moment as she swallowed hard. This was something she thought she could say with confidence now. Because she knew exactly what she meant to him now. [ck] ¡°Do you dislike it?¡± No, that wasn¡¯t quite right. [Rienne] ¡°No.¡± Rienne reached out and touched ck¡¯s lips with her fingertips. As soon as her answer hit his ears, she felt him stiffen. [Rienne] ¡°I only mean you don¡¯t need to ask every time you want to do it.¡± [ck] ¡°. . .¡± ck stared at Rienne¡¯s fingers that were touching him, moving only his eyes. Seeing that, she felt her mouth turn dry. [ck] ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­You might regret saying that.¡± After a long while, ck finally spoke up. With every word, she could feel the movement of his lips through her finger tips. [Rienne] ¡°No¡­¡­..I don¡¯t think I will.¡± [ck] ¡°It¡¯s toote to take it back.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I still don¡¯t think it¡¯s a mistake.¡± [ck] ¡°Then¡­¡± As he approached, Rienne could feel him tenderly urge her lips apart as his upper lip slipped into her mouth. Again, she felt something in her chest excite at the still unfamiliar sensation. ¡­..Maybe it was a mistake to wee this, but this man was certainly skilled. Though it wasn¡¯t as intense as it had been that morning, it felt persistent and needy. It felt like it was digging deep, like he was trying to taste every part of her. Without even realizing, she wrapped her arms around ck¡¯s shoulders to support herself as he pulled her closer to him by the waist. Her golden eyshes trembled feeling the sudden closeness of their bodies. [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± As they pulled apart, ck leaned his body over Rienne, still holding her with one hand. She was left toy in the bed on her back as he looked down at her, his hulking body towering over her. [ck] ¡°I like this face.¡± With his thumb, he brushed over Rienne¡¯s still wet lips. It was a sensation very different from a kiss. Embarrassed, Rienne averted her eyes. [Rienne] ¡°I usually look unattractive¡­¡­..from this angle.¡± [ck] ¡°You sound like someone who lives in a country without mirrors.¡± For a moment, Rienne felt herself bing a little flustered. She thought he noticed how there weren¡¯t many mirrors in the castle after she¡¯d sold so many of the more valuable and colorful pieces. [Rienne] ¡°What¡­¡­¡­What do you mean?¡± [ck] ¡°I just don¡¯t think you¡¯ve ever looked at your own face properly before.¡± [Rienne] ¡°So you¡¯re saying¡­¡­.?¡± Was he trying to say she was beautiful? Did that mean she looked nice in his eyes like this? Just as he looked good in hers? [ck] ¡°I wish there was a room I could lock you up in, Princess. One where time doesn¡¯t pass with just the two of us.¡± ck slowly drew his hand away from her. The words hinting at imprisonment were terrifying and unsettling to hear from anyone, but for some reason, they carried a different feelinging from him. Especially when he said them slowly with fire in his eyes. It made her feel like a hot wind was passing over her skin. [Rienne] ¡°I don¡¯t think such a ce exists¡­¡­¡­¡­.But I¡¯ll tell you if I find it.¡± ck gave a soft grin, releasing a breath she didn¡¯t know he was holding. [ck] ¡°I need to be careful.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Eh¡­..?¡± [ck] ¡°Around you, Princess.¡± ck lowered his head again, hovering dangerously close to her lips. Instinctively, Rienne closed her eyes. Was it a mistake? By all ounts, they were already in a room where time didn¡¯t pass. It was ce where the concepts of night and day were irrelevant. Where such things were of no concern. But¡­..It¡¯s not a mistake. Because Rienne was realizing she loved that about this room. It was a poor choiceing here with him in the first ce, but she was happy she made that mistake. Which meant itwasn¡¯ta mistake. [ck] ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to stop myself here¡­¡­¡­¡± ck rubbed her lips, stopping as his husky and low voice whispered towards her. [ck] ¡°I don¡¯t need to ask for permission to do this either, do I?¡± The words made her breath hitch in her throat. For a moment, she thought she was about to suffocate before she heard a cautious and uncertain knock at the door. [Phermos] ¡°It¡¯s me, my Lord¡­¡­.And you too, Princess.¡± It was Phermos. [Phermos] ¡°May Ie in?¡± * * * * * She couldn¡¯t deny him. ck¡¯s voice, telling her he couldn¡¯t stop himself, was far too intense to do that. Rienne was at aplete loss on what to do or say, so Phermos knocking at the door served as a good excuse. It was funny how she was the one who said she didn¡¯t need anyone to call Phermos for her, but now she was suddenly grateful for his presence. [Rienne] ¡°I have a few questions I¡¯d like to ask. What happened to Lord Kleinfelder?¡± She weed him in as a way of discouraging ck, but she really did have a lot of necessary things she wanted to discuss. Linden Kleinfelder being taken into custody was no small event in Nauk. It wasn¡¯t just about imprisoning him. This was the beginning of the important part. * * * T/N: (1) He¡¯s talking about the timing. Because Rienne is so early on in her pregnancy, it¡¯s feasible for him to act as the biological father because the timing makes sense. Chapter 40 - Clue Chapter 40 | Clue trantor/editor: astralmech | editor: ghost * * * * * As he spoke, Phermos nodded along. [Phermos] ¡°Anyway, as I came here to say¡­..¡± [Rienne] ¡°Before you continue, I have to ask¡­¡­What happened to your face?¡± With a bewildered expression, a stunned Rienne approached Phermos as she waited for his answer. One side of his face had turnedpletely ck and blue with a bruise. She remembered his face looking cleaner than that when shest saw him, dragging Linden Kleinfelder out of the King¡¯s Office by the neck. [Rienne] ¡°Are you alright? Who did this to you?¡± [Phermos] ¡°Ah, well this is¡­..¡± Phermos nced to his side, making brief eye contact with ck. [Phermos] ¡°I¡¯m just grateful this was the extent of it.¡± Only a fool would misunderstand that. It was obvious the person responsible was ck. Rienne turned to him, her surprise clear as day as she grabbed him by the arm. [Rienne] ¡°You hit him? But why?¡± ck looked at Phermos and red fiercely, but it was already toote to take his words back. While ck stayed quiet, Phermos quickly rushed to open his mouth and answer. [Phermos] ¡°It¡¯s my own fault. I didn¡¯t intervene and diffuse the situation fast enough. Because of my inadequacies, your wrist was injured, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Rienne narrowed her eyes, her forehead creasing as she looked at ck. [Rienne] ¡°But I don¡¯t think hitting anyone was the appropriate response. I¡­¡­I¡¯m not sure something like that is praise-worthy.¡± Rienne thought there was probably a reason why Phermos took his time in reacting, and she was already making a guess in her mind. He probably didn¡¯t want to be caughting and going from the office without the proper permission. Not to mention he must¡¯ve been curious what Rienne was doing, talking to Linden Kleinfelder like that. In retrospect, thinking about it made her head swim. She didn¡¯t want to imagine how differently things would¡¯ve turned out had she shown any sign of cooperating with him rather than being threatened. [ck] ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to hit him.¡± When he said that, ck¡¯s voice was just as devoid of emotion as usual. But somehow, he seemed embarrassed. [Rienne] ¡°You didn¡¯t?¡± [ck] ¡°. . .¡± ck waspletely silent, but hisck of words still managed to convey a story. A story where, by the time he¡¯de back to his senses, he¡¯d already thrown a punch before hearing the entire exnation. Sensing ck was in trouble, Phermos scrambled to fix things. [Phermos] ¡°Again, it¡¯s really my own fault. Thank you very much for your concern, even if it was because of you that this happened in the first ce¡­..Ah, but I¡¯m ining¡­.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Hah¡­¡­.¡± Rienne shook her head, sighing. [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s not my ce to judge the Tiwakan¡¯s military discipline, so I won¡¯t say anything else. But your presence, Lord Phermos, within the King¡¯s Office was still uneptable. I will deliver a more reasonable punishmentter.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Yes, of course. I humbly await your decision.¡± [Rienne] ¡°But whatwereyou doing in the King¡¯s Office in the first ce?¡± [Phermos] ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡­..Well, there was something I wanted to look for in the royal records. As I was trying to deal with the work my Lord entrusted to me, I discovered there were things I needed to know about Nauk. I didn¡¯t wish to disturb you with every little thing, Princess.¡± That didn¡¯t make a whole lot of sense. The only thing of value in the King¡¯s Office was the royal seal. Perhaps if this were Linden Kleinfelder they were talking about, he might have some use for it, but it wasn¡¯t something Phermos had any reason to desire. [Rienne] ¡°¡­Fine then. Next time, please request permission before entering. Now, what happened to Linden Kleinfelder?¡± Phermos, whose conscience felt prickly this entire time, allowed his mind to be taken away from that line of discussion. [Phermos] ¡°I put the him in the same room as the illegitimate son. I didn¡¯t realize noblemen could be so lively. The jail¡¯s been rather noisy for a while now.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I suppose I should¡¯ve guessed. He¡¯s not the kind of person to take something like this quietly. And¡­..what of theotherKleinfelder?¡± [Phermos] ¡°He¡¯s staying well-behaved. I was wondering if he knew anything about the ¡®proof¡¯ that was spoken of earlier, but he seemed to know nothing.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I see.¡± [Phermos] ¡°In my opinion, this ¡®proof¡¯ of theirs never existed in the first ce. It was only ever a ruse used in order to deceive you, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I agree. If it existed, I don¡¯t think they would be able to keep it to themselves for so long.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Yes, they could¡¯ve used it to their advantage much sooner. Like using it to im the marriage as invalid, for example.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Indeed.¡± To Rienne¡¯s surprise, the conversation was short and to the point. Anyone looking at Phermos would guess he was an extremely learned man, but it went beyond simple intelligence now. He¡¯d only been in Nauk for a short time, and already he¡¯d managed to hone in on Linden Kleinfelder¡¯s habits. [Phermos] ¡°But there is something more believable he speaks of. He keeps mentioning something called ¡®The Treaty of Risebury¡¯. Do you know anything about this?¡±(1) [Rienne] ¡°Unfortunately, I do.¡± [Phermos] ¡°My apologies if I¡¯ve brought up a sore topic.¡± [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s a peace treaty signed between the elders and advisors of the aristocratic delegation during the reign of the previous king. Most of the rights the Kleinfelders now currently enjoy were earned during that treaty.¡± [Phermos] ¡°A peace treaty¡­¡­..as a result of a civil war?¡± [Rienne] ¡°As far as I know, yes. The droughtsted far too long and the only person the people could turn to for help was the king.¡± Phermos clicked his tongue. [Phermos] ¡°As if that¡¯s not bad enough.¡± The peace treaty was signed during days Rienne couldn¡¯t even remember and it represented the shame of the royal family. As the drought continued, the king was the first to feel the financial burden, so he levied taxes against the nobility. The nobles opposed his decision and formed an army around the Kleinfelders, starting a war that teetered on a rebellion. The king was given no choice but to sign a treaty to end the conflict, but all it did was serve to gag the royal family. [Phermos] ¡°Then, is it true that the decision to punish must be unanimous if the person on trial is a representative protected under the treaty?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m afraid, yes. That is also true.¡± [Phermos] ¡°So you¡¯re given the option of wiping out all noble families or to destroy the treaty itself?¡± [Rienne] ¡°There isn¡¯t a single noble family that would agree with eliminating the treaty.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Oh? So would it just be better to kill them all?¡± For a moment, Rienne thought he was making a joke. After all, the topic was broaching nonsensical territory. But the second she realized he was serious, she calmly shook her head. [Rienne] ¡°Nauk would just be torn apart.¡± [Phermos] ¡°The nobility aren¡¯t that great in number¡­¡­though, Naukisa ce built on close family ties. There are themon folk to consider, as well as the loyalty of those who work in noble homes. Those people have families of their own who would be caught up.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Exactly my point.¡± Phermos sighed, making it clear his earlier statement was definitely not a joke. [Phermos] ¡°I tend to forget howplicated politics can get. War is far simpler.¡± Just as Phermos finished muttering to himself, ck uttered a single word. [ck] ¡°That¡¯s saying too much.¡±(2) [Phermos] ¡°¡­¡­¡­Ah, right.¡± Phermos¡¯ attitude quickly changed, as if on a whim. [Phermos] ¡°We must find a way to change the treaty so that we can hold a trial.¡± That was an idea that long since existed in Rienne¡¯s mind. But no matter how much she thought about it, the fact remained that she had no power to do so. [Rienne] ¡°The only exception to the treaty is the Temple.¡± [Phermos] ¡°The Temple?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Yes. The Temple has the ability to overturn the judgement of all trials by delivering the word of God to the people instead.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Ah, I see.¡± [Rienne] ¡°But therein lies the problem. Part of the Treaty of Risebury stiptes that the delegate leader of the aristocratic delegation has the power to appoint the next High Priest. Ever since then, the High Priest has lived in the pocket of the Kleinfelders.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Oh.¡± A glimmer of light reflected off of Phermos¡¯ monocle. [Phermos] ¡°Isn¡¯t the High Priest¡¯s chair currently vacant? Has his recement been decided?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Not yet.¡± A dark shadow was cast over Rienne¡¯s calm eyes. [Rienne] ¡°He had a reason for doing what he did. Linden Kleinfelder sought to dy the wedding with this.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Hm¡­¡­.So he was responsible for killing the High Priest?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Likely.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Ha! It¡¯s like this country has a second king who fancies himself a tyrant.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Rienne¡¯s face twisted, like she¡¯d eaten something bitter. The treaty the previous king signed had turned into a carnivorous worm, eating away at the royal family, bit by bit. It gnawed away at their little kingdom, quickly and quietly consuming the royal family for all it was worth. And all Rienne could do as she passed the days away was watch it happen, clearly in front of her. It was her greatest weakness. A sense of shame and distress gripped her as all of it wasid bare in front of ck. [ck] ¡°Then let¡¯s deal with that first, and then do a trial.¡± ck stepped in again. [ck] ¡°Find the one responsible and get him to testify what the delegate leader made him do. Unless the priests are brain dead, they¡¯ll understand themselves what path will let them live the longest.¡± Phermos groaned. [Phermos] ¡°Well¡­¡­The investigation is taking more time than I thought it would, so not much progress has been made. The priests and the servants all wear the same clothes and their daily routines are a bit vague so they¡¯re hard to follow¡­¡­¡­We just need more time.¡± [ck] ¡°How much more?¡± As ck¡¯s words fell off the tip of his tongue, Phermos pulled back, his eyes shaking. [Phermos] ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡­¡± [ck] ¡°Well?¡± [Phermos] ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­¡­ But I¡¯ll find it somehow, my Lord. Actually, I found one clue that¡¯s worth looking into, but I was putting it off because I wasn¡¯t sure the best way to go about it. But if the Princess allows me, I¡¯ll do it now.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What do you need?¡± Before Phermos even had a chance to truly ask, Rienne was already ready and willing. She probably didn¡¯t realize it herself, but her voice was shaking and full of anticipation. [ck] ¡°Princess.¡± ck called out to Rienne. [Rienne] ¡°Yes?¡± When Rienne turned her head to look at him, he lifted up her wrist. [ck] ¡°You¡¯ll get hurt again.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­.?¡± Unconsciously, Rienne was gripping her fists so tightly she could¡¯ve made marks again. ck took her clenched fist into the palm of his hand, using his other to loosen her fingers one by one. [ck] ¡°Unless they¡¯re made by me, I don¡¯t want to see any more wounds on your body.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± With those words, Phermos¡¯ lips slightly parted in silent shock, but Rienne was also surprised, albeit for a different reason. [Rienne] ¡°Are you nning on hurting me?¡± There were lots of different kinds of marks one would leave on the body of their lover. Based on how he said it, evidently ck talking more about a strong embrace, rather than an actual wound. But looking at Rienne¡¯s face, it was obvious that meaning went clear over her head. Even Phermos, who had zero interest in the affection shared between humans, understood what Rienne did not. [ck] ¡°You don¡¯t understand what I¡¯m saying?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Common sense is telling me you¡¯re speaking in jest, but you don¡¯t look like you¡¯re joking, Lord Tiwakan.¡± [ck] ¡°¡­¡­¡­I have to be more careful.¡± ck gave a short sigh. [ck] ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it like that. I¡¯m not going to hurt you.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I know. I¡¯m aware you care for me a lot. I won¡¯t misunderstand you like that.¡± [ck] ¡°. . .¡± Listening to their conversation, Phermos couldn¡¯t bear to look at ck¡¯s face, so he respectfully turned his head to the side. [Rienne] ¡°Now then. Tell me what it is you need permission for.¡± Phermos furiously nodded his head, still avoiding looking at ck. [Phermos] ¡°The clue was bloodstains. Whatever wound they came from must¡¯ve been quite severe, given how much blood there was.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Blood?¡± [Phermos] ¡°Yes, but when I inspected the body of the High Priest, there was no wound that could¡¯ve bled like that.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Hm¡­¡­..¡± [Phermos] ¡°If not him, then it must¡¯vee from the perpetrator, so there should be a wound on their body. And circumstances indicate that whoever they are, they must¡¯vee from the Temple.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I see¡­¡­¡­¡± [Phermos] ¡°So if you will allow me, I¡¯ll request all the priests remove their clothes for verification. If any of them have a wound that has yet to heal, there¡¯s a great chance they¡¯re the culprit. It¡¯s the only clue we have as of now.¡± [Rienne] ¡°You¡¯ll need to have each of the priests disrobe and verify them individually. It won¡¯t be easy.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Yes. And I¡¯m uncertain whether they¡¯ll cooperate in the end.¡± Then, ck threw out an idea. [ck] ¡°Just force them.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Well¡­¡­Of course, that¡¯s an option, using force or intimidation to do it¡­¡­¡­but it¡¯s the Temple. If we move in like that, things could get ugly, so I figured it would be best to ask the Princess ahead of making any moves. Will you allow me, Princess?¡± [Rienne] ¡°If it¡¯s for the sake of finding the High Priest¡¯s murderer, then we must do what is necessary, even if it¡¯s ufortable¡­.. Although¡­¡­¡± A thought crossed her mind. The image of blood seeping under one¡¯s thick robe came to her. A servant of God, who satpletely still even as someone beat him¡ªpraying for penance. A servant by the name of Klimah. [Rienne] ¡°I met someone who was bleeding the other day.¡± [Phermos] ¡°What?¡± Phermos couldn¡¯t be more thrilled. Having all the priests undress would¡¯ve been doable, but it was much better to find another avenue to simplify things if they could. [Phermos] ¡°Who was it?¡± * * * T/N: (1) ¡°Risebury¡± should be pronounced ¡°Reese¡± like Reese¡¯s Cup and ¡°bury¡± like berry. I thought about spelling it as ¡°Reeseberry¡± just to help readers understand the pronunciation phically, but I stuck with the raw¡¯s spelling because it looked nicer lol. (2) In the raws, this was one word. Chapter 41 - The Treaty of Six Families Chapter 41 | The Treaty of Six Families trantor/editor: astralmech | editor: ghost * * * * * [Phermos] ¡°Thanks to the Princess, I think things will go much easier. When I thought about having to watch the priests disrobe¡­¡­.Ugh, I think I¡¯m going to lose my appetite.¡± Now that they had a clue, they needed to move quickly. Rienne had already started making the necessary preparations to convene the representatives, and ck was supposed to go to the Temple with Phermos. Without wasting a single moment, their party prepared to head for the Temple. [Phermos] ¡°Ah, heree the horses.¡± Up came a few mercenaries, leading Phermos¡¯ horse to the yard. [Phermos] ¡°Hm? You only brought one?¡± But they didn¡¯t bring ck¡¯s horse along with them. For a moment, Phermos thought the underlings had lost their hearing but apparently that wasn¡¯t the case. [ck] ¡°You¡¯re going alone. I have something I need to take care of.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Oh, you¡¯re not going back to the Princess to finish what you started¡­¡­¡­¡­are you?¡± Phermos¡¯ tone expressed his tant appall, but the second he noticed ck¡¯s face, he pulled hisposure back together. [Phermos] ¡°I spoke out of turn, my Lord.¡± Changing the subject quickly, Phermos¡¯ averted his eyes away. [Phermos] ¡°Though that reminds me, is the Princess alright? After what happened this morning, she must¡¯ve been very shocked.¡± [ck] ¡°She says she¡¯s fine, but I¡¯m keeping an eye on her.¡± [Phermos] ¡°That would be for the best. Anything could pose a threat in the early stages, even if she looks well on the outside¡­¡­¡­Ah, by the way¡­¡±(1) As if remembering what happened before, Phermos gave a joking smile. [Phermos] ¡°Doesn¡¯t the Princess seem a little¡­..how do I put this¡­¡­na?ve?Sometimes she reminds me more of an eighteen year old than a twenty-five year old¡­..Are you alright, my Lord?¡± [ck] ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­.Pick somewhere.¡± [Phermos] ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± [ck] ¡°Where do you want to be hit this time?¡± [Phermos] ¡°¡­¡­.Ah! I¡¯ve slipped up again, my Lord.¡± And just like that, the smile was wiped from his face, gone without a trace. Based on this interaction, it would appear as though ck was unwilling to tolerate anyone speaking about the Princess. [Phermos] ¡°I will think twice in the future before I ever allow the Princess¡¯ name to leave my¡­¡­.mouth!¡± Feeling intimidated by the re of his lord, Phermos lowered his head and shoulders, muttering to himself before suddenly shouting as ck grabbed him by the cor. [ck] ¡°Keep quiet.¡± ck lowered his voice as he spoke right into Phermos¡¯ ear. [ck] ¡°There¡¯s a sick old man near the Temple. Find him first. Don¡¯t let anyone know.¡± [Phermos] ¡°¡­¡­¡­Anyone¡­..?¡± [ck] ¡°The Princess sent her nanny.¡± [Phermos] ¡°And you want me to find him before she does. I understand.¡± epting the order with a nod, Phermos asked a question. [Phermos] ¡°May I know why?¡± [ck] ¡°I think he recognized me.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Recognized you, my Lord? Then¡­¡­.¡± As always, Phermos¡¯ clever mind moved quickly. From a single word, he was able to infer a lot of information. Those who knew of ck¡¯s shrouded past still remained. Princess Rienne must¡¯ve sent one of her people knowing such a person existed, and now, before that person was found, ck wanted to get them out of the way. That meant that ck did not wish for Princess Rienne to know about his past. [Phermos] ¡°What do you wish for me to do? Shall I silence him?¡± [ck] ¡°¡­¡­..Not yet. Just hide him for now.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Very well.¡± ck released Phermos. Phermos just nodded, rubbing his aching neck. [Phermos] ¡°I will return soon, my Lord.¡± Without even responding, ck turned around and left, disappearing into the distance. Left behind, Phermos muttered to himself with a sullen look on his face. [Phermos] ¡°Was his lordship¡¯s personality always this sour¡­¡­.?¡± In any case, he needed to be more careful with his words in the future. After that, Phermos left for the Temple alongside five mercenaries. * * * * * Step. Step. Underground, the echoing sound of footsteps carried a different kind of atmosphere. The moisture that gathered on the stone floor clung to the soles of one¡¯s feet, making for a more somber and dreary sound. [Mercenary] ¡°Huh, you¡¯re here!¡± All the guards posted in the dungeons were members of the Tiwakan mercenaries. It was a gradual process, but those of Nauk¡¯s castle guard were being relieved of their original positions and reced. No doubt the absence of the former captain, Weroz made the shift significantly easier. The mercenary who first noticed ck¡¯s visit to the underground dungeon quickly straightened out his posture. [Mercenary] ¡°I didn¡¯t get a message saying you would being today. Did youe for the interrogation?¡± [ck] ¡°Quiet.¡± Apparently, ck didn¡¯t want to make his presence known. The mercenary sensed this, immediately lowering his voice. [Mercenary] ¡°Did you want me to lead you to the guy that was brought in today?¡± ck nodded without saying anything back. [Mercenary] ¡°This way, sir.¡± Looking at the state of the dungeon, all the members of the Tiwakan could easily agree that it was worth its salt. Though there weren¡¯t many people imprisoned currently, it was still a big facility¡ª arge-scale prison made to amodate severalyers of security measures. Such an intense dungeon definitely proved the power the royal family once had. [Mercenary] ¡°The structure of the dungeon has been designed so that you can¡¯t escape from it easily, but Sir Phermos told us not to take any chances, so I tied them up.¡±(2) [ck] ¡°Good work.¡± [Mercenary] ¡°Thank you, sir.¡± At the unexpected praise, the mercenary gave a goofy grin. Eventually, they reached a set of double doors, locked from the outside where the prisoners were waiting. [Mercenary] ¡°I¡¯ve been keeping them in this room. I¡¯ve also been monitoring what they talk about.¡± [ck] ¡°Have they said anything more?¡± [Mercenary] ¡°Not after Sir Phermos left. Ah, here.¡± Clink. The mercenary opened the door and ck entered the room. There were the two Kleinfelders, sitting in wooden chairs and tightly bound by ropes. Hearing someone enter, the two of them raised their heads. [ck] ¡°Go. And shut the door.¡± The mercenary left, quietly closing the door behind him. Now that room was a ce where no one could interfere with ck. When he was there, one could could consider the rest of the Tiwakan guard entirely unnecessary, and none would dare interrupt him. Seeing ck¡¯s blue eyes, Linden Kleinfelder red up at him. [Linden] ¡°What are you going to do to me?¡± [ck] ¡°Well¡­¡­.¡± Though ck¡¯s tone was slow andnguid, it intimidated his enemies all the same. Right now was no different. [Linden] ¡°You can¡¯t hurt me. Nauk would never allow it. The day I die is the day¡­¡­..¡± [ck] ¡°So noisy.¡± Thwack! ck kicked out the leg of the chair Linden was sitting in with a loud crashing noise. Boom! [Linden] ¡°Ugh!¡± Linden fell to the floor, his arrogant face struggling and sniveling as ck looked down on him. [ck] ¡°What do you know?¡± [Linden] ¡°Wha¡­¡­What are you¡­¡­.t¡­.talking about¡­..!?¡± ck kicked towards Linden, using his foot to turn his body onto his stomach. Once his bound hands were within view, he stepped right on his wrists. [Linden] ¡°ARGH!¡± It was a rather violent scream. With how much pressure was being put on it, his wrist must¡¯ve surely snapped under the weight. [ck] ¡°Quiet.¡± Then he moved his foot from crushing his wrist to the back of his head. As Linden¡¯s face smashed against the stone floor, he let out a terrified scream¡ªmuffled by the ground beneath him. [Rafit] ¡°What the hell are you doing!? Stop!¡± Though he was once sitting still, Rafit began struggling in his chair, shouting out. [ck] ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± But instead of discouraging Rafit, ck ignored him, putting more pressure on the back of Linden¡¯s head. [ck] ¡°There are two people here with working mouths.¡± [Rafit] ¡°. . .¡± Rafit turned pale and stopped moving. As if he knew he would, ck turned his attention back to Linden, lifting his foot only a little. [ck] ¡°I¡¯ll ask again. What does Princess Rienne not know?¡± [Linden] ¡°You¡­..obviously¡­¡­.must¡­..¡± [ck] ¡°Why do I want Nauk?¡± [Linden] ¡°You, it¡¯s obvious¡­¡­.you¡­..Ugh!¡± [ck] ¡°Think about what I said and try again. It wouldn¡¯t be difficult for me to break your neck in an instant.¡± [Linden] ¡°Gah¡­¡­.!¡± Linden took a haggard deep breath. His head was spinning, trying to figure out if ck¡¯s threats were sincere, or if he was simply trying to intimidate him. But then he remembered how he mentioned there were two people with working mouths. That meant even if Linden got his neck broken, that wouldn¡¯t matter because someone else could just as easily speak. [Linden] ¡°¡­¡­.Agh¡­¡­.That girl knows¡­¡­.gh¡­..nothing.¡± So Linden tried proving there was nothing to gain from killing him, though all that did was reveal that he did indeed know something. That was what ck wanted. [ck] ¡°Then say it.¡± [Linden] ¡°Th¡­.that¡­¡­..¡± Only now realizing his mistake, Linden rolled his eyes. But it was toote to take anything back. [ck] ¡°It¡¯s possible to break someone¡¯s neck in way that allows them to still talk.¡± [Linden] ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­Rienne is blind.¡± And the moment he epted his situation, Linden muttered. [ck] ¡°Keep going.¡± [Linden] ¡°She has no idea how her father became king in the first ce. How the Treaty of Risebury came to a conclusion.¡± [ck] ¡°And?¡± [Linden] ¡°It was the Kleinfelders who gave the Arsak family the chance to be royalty! It would be ridiculous to ignore the blessing¡­¡­¡­Augh!¡± As ck again put pressure on the back of Linden¡¯s head, his mouth was forced shut. [ck] ¡°A blessing.¡± ck¡¯s lips twisted into a sarcastic smirk. [ck] ¡°And yet, the Princess¡¯ life could never be considered perfect.¡± [Linden] ¡°She was born as the eldest daughter of an insignificant family! Without us, she would¡¯ve been sold off to someone, but instead she¡¯s being called a princess! If that¡¯s not perfect then what is¡­¡­¡­.Ugh!¡± As if was just waiting for his chance, ck kicked him in the back of the head. [ck] ¡°You should fix your way of speaking. Show some respect for your sovereign.¡± [Linden] ¡°¡­.At¡­.at any cost¡­¡­you¡¯ll definitely take¡­.¡± With an uncontroble anger surging through him, a chill ran through Linden¡¯s body. [ck] ¡°At any cost? Is that what the Princess doesn¡¯t know?¡± [Linden] ¡°¡­¡­..It is.¡± [ck] ¡°You¡¯re lying to me.¡± ck tapped the back of Linden¡¯s head mockingly with his foot. [ck] ¡°That¡¯s not a good enough reason for me to take the Princess¡¯ head. Why would I do that just to get Nauk?¡± [Linden] ¡°. . .¡± [ck] ¡°Answer me.¡± And the next words to escape Linden were a series of curses. [Linden] ¡°Goddammit¡­¡­! You should know the answer to that! Why would you ask me when you¡¯re the one doing this!?¡± [ck] ¡°I just proposed but you¡¯re the one saying there¡¯s another reason for it.¡± [Linden] ¡°What¡­¡­.what a joke¡­¡­..! Just proposed!? Not even a dog would be foolish enough to believe that! You must be doing this because you¡¯re after something else!¡± [ck] ¡°So what is it I¡¯m after?¡± [Linden] ¡°Nauk¡­¡­.¡± [ck] ¡°What¡¯s in Nauk?¡± [Linden] ¡°¡­¡­¡­It¡¯s a fine enough ce. Where else could a barbarian like you be treated like royalty after rolling around in a battlefield!?¡± Though it was just for a moment, ck didn¡¯t miss the violent shaking of Linden¡¯s eyes. [ck] ¡°If I killed the Princess, that¡¯s not how things would go.¡± [Linden] ¡°Y, you¡¯ll get married, then gain control of the nation¡­¡­¡­.¡± [ck] ¡°I was told that the sovereignty of Nauk belongs to the Arsak family. If I killed the Princess, the throne would fall to the next person of Arsak blood and that¡¯s not me. Don¡¯t act like you didn¡¯t know that.¡± [Linden] ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­A barbarian like you would never honor the rules of the royal family. You¡¯ll just do whatever you please.¡± [ck] ¡°So you¡¯ll keep trying to hide the truth?¡± [Linden] ¡°. . .¡± Linden just swallowed hard without answering. It was clear to ck that a more cruel andplex form of torture would be necessary to get him to open his mouth. Kicking his pride around wouldn¡¯t be enough. [ck] ¡°Fine then.¡± Then ck pulled his foot away. [ck] ¡°I found out what I needed to know. That¡¯ll be it for today.¡± [Linden] ¡°¡­¡­..?¡± Linden looked confused and perplexed when ck suddenly turned to leave. [ck] ¡°¡­¡­Ah.¡± Then he stopped for a moment. [ck] ¡°I did it on the left.¡± His words were so quiet, he might as well have been talking to himself, but Linden could clearly understand him. [Linden] ¡°What¡¯s on the left¡­¡­?¡± ck turned and leaned over, untying the rope that bound Linden¡¯s hands together. But there was no one who would interpret this as a kindness on his part, especially not Linden, who¡¯d already had his left wrist broken by him. [Linden] ¡°What the hell is wrong with you!? Get your hands off me¡­¡­.ARGH!¡± And just like that, ck took Linden¡¯s right wrist and snapped it. It was the same ce where Linden had injured Rienne¡¯s wrist so terribly, he¡¯d left a hand print behind. [Linden] ¡°Ah, augh! Agh!¡± And as Linden writhed on the floor, pride tossed aside from the pain in his wrist, screaming out in agony, ck gave him a simple warning. [ck] ¡°Know this. The only cause the Tiwakan will have to fight for in the future is for Princess Rienne.¡± [Linden] ¡°Ridiculous¡­¡­..Don¡¯t make meugh!¡± Through tears and a runny nose, Linden screamed out. [Linden] ¡°The Princess is pregnant¡­¡­ with another man¡¯s child, no less! You¡¯re doing all of this for a woman like that!? Who the hell would believe that!?¡± ck¡¯s eyes moved over to Rafit, whose mouth was clenched shut. [ck] ¡°That¡¯s really none of your concern.¡± [Rafit] ¡°¡­¡­..!¡± [ck] ¡°The child is mine. If I hear you say anything else, you¡¯ll prove your tongues troublesome, so I¡¯ll rip them both out.¡± They couldn¡¯t say anything back. Boom! Leaving behind an ominous warning, ck closed the door and left the dungeon. * * * T/N: (1) The early stages of pregnancy (2) The mercenary technically calls Phermos a word meaning ¡®aide¡¯ or ¡®right hand¡¯ (or anything to that effect), but the sentence sounded awkward in English, so we reced it with his name. Chapter 42 - Prey and Poison Chapter 42 | Prey and Poison trantor/editor: astralmech | editor: ghost * * * * * [Linden] ¡°Ugh¡­..¡± No matter what he did, the pain just wouldn¡¯t subside. With both wrists broken, Linden couldn¡¯t even get off of his stomach, so he justid there, stiff as a board. [Rafit] ¡°Is the pain bad?¡± Rafit asked, still struggling to find a way to get closer. [Rafit] ¡°We need to get you a doctor somehow¡­¡­..¡± [Linden] ¡°Don¡¯t speak such nonsense! The barbarians would never do that!¡± Linden Kleinfelder roared out, venting his anger. And he wasn¡¯t directing his rage without purpose. While he was being beaten, his nephew just sat there, not even trying to help him, and that fact infuriated him. [Linden] ¡°You¡¯re really¡­.agh.¡± Rafit was too weak. After the death of Linden¡¯s elder brother, the former head of the Kleinfelder family and Rafit¡¯s biological father, Rafit was left all alone. Linden was given no choice but to raise his brother¡¯s young son himself. Back then, he thought the boy was handsome enough. All Rafit had to do was find a way to seduce the daughter of Arsak in order to obtain sovereignty of Nauk. But now, not only was the crown about to fall into the wrong hands¡ªit was falling into the hands of a beast. It was frustrating enough for Linden to punch the ground if he could. [Rafit] ¡°What¡¯s going on with you?¡± Rafit cut back. [Linden] ¡°I mean this doesn¡¯t matter.¡± [Rafit] ¡°What do you mean, it doesn¡¯t matter? Look at your hands, uncle.¡± [Linden] ¡°¡­¡­.! You fool! Keep your voice down! What if somebody hears you!?¡± [Rafit] ¡°I¡¯m sure he already knows who I am.¡± [Linden] ¡°You can¡¯t be certain. Until hees forward and reveals it, we¡¯ll keep this secret.¡± [Rafit] ¡°What point is there in that?¡± [Linden] ¡°What was that?¡± [Rafit] ¡°I¡¯m asking what the point is. Why bother with all of this?¡± [Linden] ¡°What do you mean¡­¡­..¡± [Rafit] ¡°Aren¡¯t the Kleinfelders finished already? Do you even have anything left to protect at this point?¡± [Rafit] ¡°You, you pathetic bastard!¡± Linden couldn¡¯t take his words anymore and tried to jump to his feet, but it was all just an attempt. He fell back to the floor while his broken wrists struggled to support to his body. [Linden] ¡°No¡­..That can¡¯t be it. Don¡¯t talk like that. Don¡¯t give up so recklessly. Behave in a way befitting of the Kleinfelder name.¡± [Rafit] ¡°That name no longer has any power.¡± [Linden] ¡°Says who?¡± Groaning out his words, Linden looked around and lowered his voice as much as he could. Outside, he was certain the Tiwakan would have their ears turned towards this room, listening to every word he said. Why else would they be kind enough to keep him in the same room as his nephew? [Linden] ¡°The other families won¡¯t stand for it. A representative meeting will be held soon enough. No one there will take the side of the Arsak family.¡± [Rafit] ¡°Not with the Tiwakan present. Those families worked with Kleinfelders because they were afraid. Now their fear of the Tiwakan will make them fall t on their faces.¡± [Linden] ¡°I¡¯ll make sure that doesn¡¯t happen.¡± [Rafit] ¡°What could you possibly do from here?¡± [Linden] ¡°I¡¯ll do anything!¡± Linden gnashed his teeth. [Linden] ¡°Yes¡­¡­.The problem is the Tiwakan. I still don¡¯t know what trick that bitch pulled to tame a beast like that¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± Suddenly, there was sh in Linden¡¯s eyes and he widened them at the immediate thought. [Linden] ¡°I have to separate them.¡± [Rafit] ¡°What was that, uncle?¡± He was whispering so quietly, Rafit didn¡¯t catch anything he said. [Linden] ¡°I mean we have to split the two of them apart. We must turn that gentle dog back into the wild beast he is.¡± [Rafit] ¡°How are you going to do that? You¡¯re stuck here.¡± [Linden] ¡°I can do it. I have to.¡± He¡¯d get out of here eventually. There was no doubt in Linden¡¯s mind of that fact. The Treaty of Risebury was absolute. The six families that formed it were the pirs of Nauk¡¯s nobility. If Rienne wished to remain the royalty of Nauk, she could not afford to displease any of them. Because they were so graciously keeping the Arsak family¡¯s secret. The secret of their bloodied past. [Linden] ¡°As soon as the meeting is called, I¡¯ll be released from this ce. Until then, you must keep your mind strong. Do you understand me?¡± [Rafit] ¡°. . .¡± Rafit didn¡¯t answer. He didn¡¯t seem entirely convinced. [Linden] ¡°Tch.¡± Linden clicked his tongue. Rienne could never fight back against the name of the Kleinfelders in the past. The only problem now was that some beast hade in unexpectedly, ruining the game. So he needed to get rid of this animal. He already knew it would be impossible to force it out with his current power, which meant his only option was to find a way to get the beast to leave of its own volition.(1) In order to do that¡­¡­.. [Linden] ¡°¡­¡­¡­We must poison its prey.¡± It was clear at this point that in the eyes of that beast, Rienne Arsak must look like quite the sweet piece of prey. If that was the case, then all that was necessary was topletely ruin Rienne. As the ideas turned in his head, Linden¡¯s eyes darted around so quickly, one could almost hear them. * * * * * [Rienne] ¡°Wee, Lord And.¡± Convening all the delegates from the delegation was no easy task. All the seemingly insignificant paperwork was usually done by Maslow, but he was presently sitting in the dungeons, and his absence yed a surprisingly big role. The work was a lot to deal with on her own, so Rienne thought it was only appropriate she find a recement for him. It was truly sad that Maslow thought he was being sneaky about being on the side of the Kleinfelders. Now, the royal family could finally work to remove the grip of the Kleinfelders, step by step. [And] ¡°Thank you for inviting me.¡± House And was a family that was not represented by the delegation, and thus not a member of the council. Their power was weak, and they didn¡¯t have many people to offer. Normally it would be impossible for such a person to serve as a royal advisor, but Rienne was desperate. She didn¡¯t want to be dogged by the name of Kleinfelders for even a minute longer. [Rienne] ¡°There¡¯s been an unexpected vacancy for the role of royal advisor. I¡¯m afraid I cannot divulge much information about it as of right now, but I¡¯d like it if you could ept the position for the time being.¡± [And] ¡°It would be my honor, Princess.¡± Rienne smiled. It had been so long since she¡¯d heard a noble refer to her by her title rather than as the ¡®daughter of Arsak¡¯. That alone made her both sad and grateful, but she was past the point of feeling bad about it. [Rienne] ¡°May God¡¯s blessings shine upon you who willingly epted the will of your sovereign. Now, as Nauk¡¯s current monarch, I intend to call a meeting of the Great Council of Nauk. Please help me make the necessary preparations, sir.¡± [And] ¡°The Great Council¡­¡­¡­.Are you certain?¡± And looked confused. Those of smaller families within the poor kingdom had simple attitudes toplement their simple appearances. They were different from the other nobles Rienne was used to facing. [And] ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡­¡­Last time it was convened was fourteen years ago, was it not? I don¡¯t think they¡¯ve ever been called in the years since.¡± That was when the Treaty of Risebury was signed, fourteen whole years ago. Calling another meeting would certainly cause just as much of a stir as it did back then. [Rienne] ¡°Yes. We have two important things to discuss. The first is the selection of the new High Priest and the second is a trial. The trial of Linden Kleinfelder, head of the aristocratic delegation.¡± [And] ¡°Excuse me?¡± The words ¡®trial of Linden Kleinfelder¡¯ shocked And more than the words ¡®Great Council¡¯. [And] ¡°A trial¡­..of the head of the delegation?¡± [Rienne] ¡°The official charge is inflicting harm upon a member of the royal family. That alone should be enough to send word to the six families. We must work to set a date as soon as possible.¡± [And] ¡°Inflicting harm¡­¡­..Oh, I see.¡± Every word spoken by Rienne sent And into deeper shock. By the time she was done talking, he pulled his sleeve down and wiped the sweat from his forehead. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯d like for you to calcte the expenses we¡¯ll need first. Please use the King¡¯s Office. You have my express permission to enter.¡± [And] ¡°The honor is mine.¡± After struggling to regain hisposure, And bent his knees in respect before stepping out. Having entrusted this small task to another, Rienne had other arrangements she needed to deal with. First was looking for a new High Priest. [Rienne] ¡°If I leave it to the Great Council, they¡¯ll just find another servant of the Kleinfelders to fill the spot. I should nominate someone ahead of time.¡± After And left, Rienne remained in the meeting hall for a long time. Sitting in the absurdlyrge throne, Rienne leaned her arm against the armrest, resting her chin on her hand. [Rienne] ¡°But I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t know much about the priesthood¡­¡­.so I¡¯m not sure where to start.¡± A slight crease formed between her eyebrows as Rienne sat, engaged in her thinking process. [Rienne] ¡°Should I go to the Temple now? I¡¯m certain he must still be there. It¡¯d be nice if I could maybe run into him¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± [ck] ¡°Why would that be nice?¡± Hearing a sudden question, Rienne quickly looked up in surprise. [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­..Huh?¡± At the unexpected sound, she almost hit her face on her hand. For some reason, ck was here, approaching her from behind. [Rienne] ¡°Wha¡­¡­..!¡± She was so surprised, she couldn¡¯t even speak properly. The only thing to make it out of her was a single syble. [ck] ¡°I didn¡¯t go to the Temple.¡± ck took his hand and stroked Rienne¡¯s cheek, his face looking all too rxed. It was a though he expected this reaction from her. [Rienne] ¡°But¡­¡­why?¡± [ck] ¡°I remembered some business I needed to take care of.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Business? Does it have something to do with me?¡± [ck] ¡°No. Underground.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Underground¡­¡­¡­..where the Kleinfelders are.¡± A brief shadow cast over Rienne¡¯s eyes. [Rienne] ¡°What¡­..what was your business there?¡± [ck] ¡°I needed to pay him back for this.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Sorry?¡± The surprised expression didn¡¯t leave Rienne¡¯s face as ck took up her right wrist and lifted it up. [ck] ¡°I thought I should at least do that much. As your fianc¨¦.¡± [Rienne] ¡°So¡­¡­.You bruised his wrist?¡± [ck] ¡°I tried but he was a lot weaker than I thought he would be. I ended up breaking his wrist instead.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Oh¡­¡­¡­¡± And as Rienne¡¯s lips fluttered in shock, eventually a small smirk passed over her. [Rienne] ¡°He¡¯s probably never had something like that happen to him before. I can only imagine how he must¡¯ve reacted.¡± [ck] ¡°You aren¡¯t mad?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Something like that is unavoidable if his bones are weak.¡± ck took Rienne¡¯s wrist and put his lips against the bruise. At that, she felt a feeling of excitement spread through her from the point of contact. This was serious now. Her bruises didn¡¯t even hurt her anymore, but instead they were reminding her of something else. [ck] ¡°One more thing. I made a mistake, actually.¡± [Rienne] ¡°You made a mistake, Lord Tiwakan? That sounds unlikely.¡± [ck] ¡°It really was a mistake. I didn¡¯t realize I¡¯d broken his left hand instead of his right until after I did it.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­.So you¡­..?¡± [ck] ¡°So I broke his right wrist, too.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Ah, oh¡­¡­¡­..¡± Rienne¡¯s expression turned strange. It wasn¡¯t quite a smile, but she wasn¡¯t frowning either. [Rienne] ¡°Then, both his hands are¡­¡­¡­¡± [ck] ¡°Unfortunately.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Because you made a mistake.¡± [ck] ¡°Yes, it was definitely a mistake.¡± [Rienne] ¡°You don¡¯t usually make mistakes, do you?¡± [ck] ¡°I do when I have to.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What are you¡­¡­¡­¡± Rienne bit down on her lip as hard as she could. It was all she could do to stop the surge ofughter that was about to burst from her. He was not the kind of person to make such a careless mistake like that. He obviously did on purpose. But he shouldn¡¯t have done that. There was a big meetinging up and if Linden Kleinfelder were to tell everyone that he had both his hands broken by him, it would only end up causing chaos. And yet¡­¡­¡­.. [ck] ¡°I should¡¯ve done it sooner.¡± ck muttered, running his lips against her wrist. [Rienne] ¡°What makes you say that¡­¡­¡­..?¡± [ck] ¡°If I¡¯d known it would make you this happy, Princess, I would¡¯ve done it much sooner.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Something like that¡­¡­.Haha.¡± And just like that, any part of her that was resisting herughter broke and a softugh freely escaped her. As he waited for herughter to fade, ck gently nted kisses along Rienne¡¯s palm. [Rienne] ¡°You can¡¯t¡­¡­do something like that.¡± She wasughing so hard, her stomach started to hurt and tears welled up in her eyes. Reaching up to her, ck wiped her tears away with his other hand. [ck] ¡°I¡¯ll be more careful next time.¡± So he said, but he was prepared to make another ¡®mistake¡¯ at any time. When the situation called for it, sometimes you have no choice but to slip up a bit. [Rienne] ¡°There¡¯s the trialing up. He¡¯ll likely tell the other delegates that the royal family was responsible for hurting him.¡± [ck] ¡°Is that a problem?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Most likely.¡± [ck] ¡°¡­¡­..Then I guess I shouldn¡¯t have done that.¡± ck spoke while breathing out a low sigh. [Rienne] ¡°Not necessarily. But we¡¯ll need to treat his wounds. It¡¯s a matter of showing our courtesy to the nobles.¡± Seeing ck¡¯s reaction, Rienne felt herself falter. Quickly, Rienne reached out, holding onto the end of ck¡¯s cor with her free hand. [Rienne] ¡°But still. Thank you.¡± [ck] ¡°Even if I just made things harder for you?¡± [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s the first time anyone has ever done something like that for me.¡± She didn¡¯t mean for it to sound this way, but by the time she finished speaking, her voice was shaking, and Rienne couldn¡¯t help but release a breathless sigh. It had been so long since she¡¯d felt something like this. That feeling of having someone with her who got angry for her or did things to protect her. Ever since Rienne inherited the crown, there was nowhere for her to hide. There was nothing for her to lean on, no ce to rx her heart, and no one to hear her frustrations. There were only ever more burdens to carry. ck was the first person. No matter how heavy the burden or how difficult the struggle was, without even a moment¡¯s hesitation, ck was ready to ept anything and everything. ¡­¡­..No, he isn¡¯t just ¡®ready¡¯ to ept everything. He just epts it, just like that. Rienne moved her hand from his cor, reaching up and running her fingertips across the exposed skin of his neck. Oh¡­¡­.what do I do, now? I just want to kiss you. * * * T/N: (1) During this whole section, Linden uses incredibly derogatorynguage (esp. with the repetition of the word meaning ¡®beast/animal¡¯ etc), to the point of it sounding like he¡¯s not referring to a person, hence the word ¡®it¡¯. Chapter 43 - A Decided Partner Chapter 43 | A Decided Partner trantor/editor: astralmech | editor: ghost * * * * * She wanted to kiss him. But for some reason, she felt so shy. She¡¯d been the one to initiate a kiss once before, so it shouldn¡¯t be that hard. But she was probably only able to do it back then because she didn¡¯t know anything. Now that I know what kissing this man is like¡­¡­¡­I can¡¯t bring myself to do it. [ck] ¡°I¡¯m not very good at this kind of thing.¡± As Rienne¡¯s fingers gently brushed against his neck, ck nced down at them as he spoke. [Rienne] ¡°What kind of thing¡­..do you mean?¡± [ck] ¡°Things like this.¡± ck grabbed Rienne¡¯s hand, pulling it towards him and cing it on the side of his face, kneeling down as he did to better match her height. [ck] ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about women and I don¡¯t have much experience in this area. Even if you send me a signal, I can¡¯t read them well, so I might be wrong.¡± Now he was taking her other hand. With his words quietly trailing off, he took it and ced it on his other cheek. Until eventually, Rienne was holding both sides of his face with her hands. [ck] ¡°That face you¡¯re making right now. Does that mean you want to kiss me?¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± ¡­¡­He said he didn¡¯t have any experience, but then what was happening right now? What was he saying? [ck] ¡°Tell me if I¡¯m wrong. Or I¡¯ll interpret it however I like.¡± He must¡¯ve been lying. She wasn¡¯tpletely sure, but this man might be very good at lying. [Rienne] ¡°You¡¯re not wrong¡­¡­¡­.¡± Hearing Rienne¡¯s answer, as quiet as a mosquito, ck smirked. [ck] ¡°Do you want me to kiss you?¡± Why is he asking me that if he already knows the answer¡­¡­¡­.? [ck] ¡°Then I¡¯ll do it if you do something for me.¡± ¡­¡­Wait, something strange was happening. Was this man trying to put a condition on a kiss? [Rienne] ¡°If you don¡¯t want to, then that¡¯s fine¡­¡­.¡± [ck] ¡°You were talking to yourself earlier. What were you saying would be nice?¡± But before Rienne could reject him, ck quickly rushed out his question. [ck] ¡°You said it would be ¡®nice¡¯ to run into me at the Temple.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Well, I just thought¡­¡­.that If I were¡­..to go¡­..then¡­I¡¯d meet you¡­¡­And then we could¡­¡­go together¡­¡­¡­.¡± [ck] ¡°And?¡± [Rienne] ¡°And I thought it would be better than going alone¡­¡­¡­..¡± [ck] ¡°Do you prefer to be with me than to be alone?¡± Rienne was so flustered, her eyes quickly lost focus, looking around and struggling to settle on anything. [ck] ¡°Answer me. Are you pleased with me?¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­You already know, don¡¯t you?¡± [ck] ¡°But I still want to hear you say it.¡± Looking at her, ck lowered his head towards Rienne. [ck] ¡°Close your eyes. I¡¯m going to kiss you.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± He was acting a little mean and teasing right now, so she thought she¡¯d keep her eyes wide open, but the moment she heard hismand, she automatically shut them without question. [ck] ¡°Give your lips¡­..to me.¡± Just before their lips ovepped, ck whispered towards her. He was making a lot of demands of her today, and yet, though that thought was in her mind, Rienne parted her lips. And what if this continued on in the future? Though truthfully, her heart already knew the answer to that didn¡¯t matter. Whatever ck asked of her was always something she could easily do. As if telling him she was happy with him and that she liked him right now, in this moment, Rienne readily allowed her lips to open. * * * * * I¡¯m going to tell him today. From the bathroom, there was the faint sound of water just from the other side of the door. It was the sound of ck, washing up before bed. After changing into her nightgown and washing up herself, Rienne sat in front of the mirror, brushing her hair and making a vow to herself. I¡¯m not pregnant. Back then,I lied thinking I¡¯d be able to reject your proposal. I¡¯m sorry for deceiving you like this. The child I have in the future will be yours, no one else¡¯s. That¡¯s how she¡¯d say it. She was thinking about it so deeply, but she didn¡¯t even realize how much her fingers were shaking. In some ways, telling him this shouldn¡¯t be that big of a deal, but she was so nervous her mouth felt like it had gonepletely dry. ¡­..Then, should I tell him I also have no experience as well? That was also a little bit of a concern. If she told him she¡¯d never actually slept with Rafit, the conversation would naturally head in that direction, but it was still so embarrassing for Rienne to think about. ¡­¡­And I¡¯m sure that man has experience. She remembered what he had told her earlier that day. [ck] ¨C¡®I don¡¯t know anything about women and I don¡¯t have much experience in this area.¡¯ Not having ¡®much¡¯ experience and total inexperience were twopletely different things. And he was too good at everything that it was hard to believe he hadnoexperience to speak of. But thinking about it made her feel a little strange. Like her emotions were suddenly getting bumpy and rough feeling. Did that mean¡­¡­¡­.he¡¯d done this sort of stuff with another woman? She couldn¡¯t help but wonder. How many times did he passionately steal kisses from her, looking over her lips even after they were done because he thought it was a shame the kiss was over? And when she would¡¯ve asked him why he suddenly embraced her and kissed her, would he have told her it was because she was ¡®lovely¡¯, too? Just like he¡¯s done to me? . . . . . Suddenly Rienne¡¯s mood sank to her feet. It didn¡¯t make any sense, but somehow she felt a little upset. He was taking so many of her firsts, but the same couldn¡¯t be said of her towards him, though she knew it was unfair of her to feel that way. She didn¡¯t have a right to feel wronged by this. He doesn¡¯t know I¡¯ve never been with another man¡­¡­He might be even more upset than I am. So she decided she should tell him properly. She would tell him he was her first, and then she¡¯d ask him about the women he¡¯d run into in the past. It probably wouldn¡¯t make much of a difference, but she thought she should at least listen to him. Yes. Today. Today, they¡¯d speak properly. Knock, knock. Then, there was a small knock echoing against her bedroom door. [Rienne] ¡°Who is it?¡± There was still the faint sound of watering from the bathroom, so it definitely wasn¡¯t ck. It was someone else. After giving the bathroom door a quick nce, Rienne approached the bedroom door. [Rienne] ¡°Who is it?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°It¡¯s me, Princess.¡± It was Mrs. mbard. Happily, Rienne opened the door. [Rienne] ¡°Wee back, ma¡¯am. Thank you for working so hard sote into the night.¡± The woman¡¯s face looked a little tired and grim. It was only natural, considering she¡¯d been outside the castle all day. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°I know you must¡¯ve been readying for bed¡­¡­.But may I speak with you for a moment?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Yes, of course. Come in.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Thank you, Princess.¡± Mrs. mbard entered the bedroom, but the moment she heard movement and the sound of watering from the bathroom, she suddenly stopped walking with a shocked expression. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Is he here?¡± Her voice was suspiciously quiet. [Rienne] ¡°Yes. He¡¯s been staying in the room next door.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Then we need to speak elsewhere.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Excuse me?¡± Mrs. mbard hurriedly pulled on Rienne¡¯s hand. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°This isn¡¯t something he should hear.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Lord Tiwakan, you mean? He shouldn¡¯t hear this?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Yes.¡± She nodded firmly, but looking closely she wasn¡¯t just being adamantly stubborn. There was fear in her eyes. [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Rienne nced back at the bathroom. What was it that she didn¡¯t want ck to hear? Rienne wondered if it was a terrible thing, but if it was, then she wasn¡¯t sure she wanted to hear it either. ¡­¡­..But she had to listen. If it had something to do with him, then she couldn¡¯t afford to turn her ears away. She had to know. Biting her lip, Rienne nodded. [Rienne] ¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡± Turning out of the bedroom, Rienne and Mrs. mbard left so quietly, they didn¡¯t leave even the tiniest bit of sound behind. * * * * * The ce the two of them went to was the audience room at the end of the southern tower. It was definitely a ce where no one would go looking for them at this time of night. And they certainly couldn¡¯t go to Mrs. mbard¡¯s bedroom. ck¡¯s old room was just opposite of it and it was now frequently used by Phermos as an office. [Rienne] ¡°Now speak freely. What¡¯s going on?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°I looked for the older man as you requested of me, Princess. And I found him.¡± Her story took some time to exin. First, it was difficult to locate and meet with him. With the Temple stairs currently under reconstruction, the entrance was always busy and filled with people. There was no ce for an old beggar to sitfortably like before, so she had to wander through the alley ways, asking around for his whereabouts. And that¡¯s when she witnessed something strange. There was a servant handing water and bread from the Temple to the begging old man, being beaten with a cane. [Rienne] ¡°So it happened again¡­¡­¡­¡± Rienne frowned. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Did you see it too, Princess? I couldn¡¯t just stand by, so I tried to intervene. But the servant stopped me. He said he needed to be hit more.¡± After that, the old man¡¯s beatings didn¡¯t stop until he¡¯d hit him several more times. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°The old man looked very upset, so I was a little hesitant to speak with him. But after you made this request of me, Princess, I couldn¡¯t avoid it. I told him to tell me about you. And then he said¡­¡­.¡± Then he said something simr to what Rienne had heard. Nauk¡¯s sin has returned. The daughter of Arsak will bleed. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°I didn¡¯t understand him at all. What sort of beggar uses words asplicated as the priests do? So I asked him to use words I could understand to exin who that person was. I think he said something back, but it was so hard to understand him. That¡¯s when I asked him to write something down instead. His hands were a bit unreliable and shaky, so he struggled to write something on the ground¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± He¡¯d only managed to write down a few letters by the time Phermos arrived with a group of Tiwakan mercenaries at his side. Phermos said he¡¯de to the Temple to find a servant by the name of Klimah. After that, the servant quickly fled and the Tiwakan took the old man away for questioning on the servant¡¯s whereabouts. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°But¡­..I think it¡¯s strange. An old man with barely working eyes wouldn¡¯t have seen where the servant fled.¡± The woman also didn¡¯t forget Rienne¡¯s express request to keep her desire to find the old man a secret. She had no choice but to back away from the situation, lest she draw attention to herself by arguing. And then there was another problem after that. After the Tiwakan took the old man away, Mrs. mbard had seen ces on the ground were someone had purposely crushed it with their foot. Oddly enough, it was the ce where the old man had tried to write ck¡¯s name. [Rienne] ¡°Oh¡­¡­.¡± Rienne let out a soft sigh. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°I didn¡¯t even realize he had done that. He was speaking to me so quickly, I was just trying to keep up with him. But I think it¡¯s strange that ce he crushed on the ground just so happened to be where a name was partially written.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± It was more than just strange. Rienne knew how clever Phermos could be. With him, there was no meaningless action, and he wouldn¡¯t have done something like that purely on ident. But the question ofwhystill remained. The timing was too perfect as well. Rienne had just told ck about him, and he imed that the old man wouldn¡¯t be able to recognize him after so many years. Then, Phermos headed for the Temple to find the servant, Klimah, and detained the old man in his ce instead. It¡¯s like¡­¡­¡­It¡¯s like he ordered Lord Phermos specifically to hide him away. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°What does he mean by Nauk¡¯s ¡®sin¡¯? It seemed certain that the old man knew something. That¡¯s why he was trying to write that name.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Sin¡­¡­..¡± The old man said that ck would take revenge. Revenge required a grudge. The death of one¡¯s family would certainly be enough to fuel that desire, but ck told her he¡¯d forgotten all about it because it had been so long. The daughter of Arsak will bleed, they said. But ck said he¡¯de to take back the daughter of Arsak because he didn¡¯t wish to lose his childhood fianc¨¦e. So which of the two contained the truth? [Rienne] ¡°You couldn¡¯t recognize the name he was writing?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Unfortunately, Princess. Even when the old man tried to write it, his hands were shaking, so it didn¡¯t evene out as a proper letter. I think I could make out the letter ¡®P¡¯, but I¡¯m not sure.¡±(1) [Rienne] ¡°Is that all?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Princess. The Tiwakan appeared too suddenly.¡± The doubts were stacking up one by one. But still, she wanted to believe in ck more than anything. [Rienne] ¡°Ma¡¯am, do you¡­¡­Did you know when I was a child, there was once a discussion for my marriage?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°I¡¯m sorry? When was this?¡± [Rienne] ¡°At this point¡­..About twenty years ago.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°You would¡¯ve been very young, Princess. A marriage at the age is a little much.¡± [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s true¡­¡­.But if the person in question was also young¡­¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Then it must¡¯ve been an arranged marriage between families.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Yes, it would¡¯ve been. Do you remember anything about that?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°It hasn¡¯t even been sixteen years since I entered the castle to serve you, Princess. Do you remember? The first time I saw you was on your ninth birthday. Such a brave and mature little girl you were back then. The Queen was ill and yet you didn¡¯t act childish when she needed to rest in bed.¡± [Rienne] ¡°That¡­¡­That¡¯s right. I met you as my nanny when I was nine years old. This engagement would have been before that.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve never heard of you being engaged before this, Princess. So that means either it was simply never made official, or that the engagement never existed from the start.¡± * * * T/N: In the original text, the letter written here was ¡°?¡± which makes a ¡®P¡¯ or ¡°Pu¡± sound depending. I thought about leaving it as is, but decided against it and just wrote in the letter since they¡¯re not sure either. Rienne looks really heckin¡¯ cute in this CG, not gonna lie. Chapter 44 - Today, Like Yesterday Chapter 44 | Today, Like Yesterday trantor/editor: astralmech | editor: ghost * * * * * ck did mention something simr before. He knew he was engaged, but that it could¡¯ve just been something his father mentioned. [Rienne] ¡°If that¡¯s the case, it wouldn¡¯t be in the royal records, would it?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯ll look for it just in case.¡± Rienne turned around in a hurry. The royal records would be kept somewhere in the King¡¯s Office. Please. Let there besomethingleft there. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Where are you going, Princess? Why are you so suddenly speaking of a past engagement? While we¡¯re talking about that man of all things?¡± [Rienne] ¡°We used to be engaged.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Excuse me?¡± The woman blinked her eyes in a daze, as if the words she¡¯d just heard were ones she couldn¡¯t understand. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°You and who? Lord Kleinfelder was never engaged to you as far as I know.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Lord Tiwakan.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Sorry?¡± She was so surprised by the answer, she quickly covered and shut her mouth. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°And um¡­.when¡­¡­ this was¡­¡­twenty years ago, you said?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m not sure, it¡¯s been too long to ascertain the exact date. But he said that¡¯s how he remembers it. It was why he proposed in the first ce.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Then¡­.. does that mean he¡¯s from Nauk?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Yes. He said he left Nauk after his family was killed.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°How odd¡­¡­¡­.¡± Rienne swept her hair back with her hand, her face bing troubled. [Rienne] ¡°He told me he forgot everything because it all happened so long ago, and how that was the reason he proposed to me. But I just¡­¡­¡­¡± Rienne¡¯s words got caught in her throat, as she let out a long breath. [Rienne] ¡°I keep¡­¡­thinking terrible thing things. Was it maybe¡­¡­..the King who killed his family? Was that why the old man kept saying I would ¡®bleed¡¯ at the hands of Lord Tiwakan?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°What are you talking about, Princess?¡± The woman adamantly shook her head, as if she were expressing how awful Rienne¡¯s words were. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°The King was a good man. He was wise, thoughtful, and open-minded. It¡¯s unimaginable to believe he would do something like¡­¡­..killing someone¡¯s family. It¡¯s an absurd thought.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Then why would the old man say that?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡­¡­¡­¡± With her heart thrust into confusion, Rienne held her own shoulders with a painful grip. Mrs. mbard looked at her with a sad expression, doing her best tofort her. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Think about this, Princess. Is there anyone who truly understands who that old man is? We cannot even say for certain whether or not he is of sound mind. For someone to beat a servant who only wishes to bring them food, they cannot be sane. How can someone like that know things that neither you nor I know, Princess? It doesn¡¯t make sense.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Perhaps¡­¡­.But he¡¯s very old. He must¡¯ve lived through things the both of us cannot even begin to remember.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°But who even is he to start with?¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± She wasn¡¯t wrong. Rienne had her priorities backwards right now. Before she worried about what the old man said, she needed to find out who he was. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m certain that servant must know.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°You mean the one who was being beaten by his cane? Seeing that, there definitely must be a story there that cannot be spoken. But didn¡¯t the servant run away¡­¡­¡­.? No, what if the Tiwakan are mistreating the servants now?¡± [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s not like that. We don¡¯t know for sure right now, but they¡¯re pursuing him because he may be the one responsible for the death of the High Priest.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°What? No, is that really true?¡± With a shocked expression, she put her hands together as if she were in prayer. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°How can that be¡­¡­A young man who looks so gentle and pure, too. Could it be the Tiwakan have the wrong person?¡± [Rienne] ¡°No, we have clues that imply his guilt. But, did you happen to see the servant¡¯s face, ma¡¯am?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°It happened by chance. He was covering his face, as you might¡¯ve noticed yourself, Princess, but the old man was beating him so severely, his hood ended uping off.¡± The servant, who looked infinitely kind, had a terribly sad expression on his face. Not to mention the scar on the back of his hand. [Rienne] ¡°Was it that prayer again¡­¡­¡­?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Prayer?¡± [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s a prayer of atonement. I¡¯ve heard it requires one to whip their body as a form of penance.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Ah¡­¡­¡­Even a God could not be pleased hearing such prayers.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I feel the same. What was it that the servant could¡¯ve been atoning for?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°He may havemitted a crime¡­¡­¡­so I suppose he may not be such a nice young man, after all.¡± If the servant Klimah was in fact responsible for killing the High Priest and the old man knew that, that would exin the beatings. It was also possible Klimah was willing to take the assault as atonement for what he¡¯d done. If the old man was coherent enough to understand that, then perhaps he didn¡¯t say what he said before simply because he was crazy. It was starting to feel like the old man knew more than he was willing to let out of his mouth. [Rienne] ¡°I wonder where the Tiwakan took him. As I thought, I¡¯ll have no choice but to ask.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°That¡¯s true but¡­¡­..if they detained him on purpose, will they tell you about it so easily? It¡¯d be too easy for them to hide it and make excuses every which way.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Maybe¡­¡­..Though they should at least be able to tell me about the servant.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°I agree. Shall I return to the Temple?¡± [Rienne] ¡°No, it¡¯s alreadyte. Let¡¯s go tomorrow, together.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Will you have the time?¡± [Rienne] ¡°If I don¡¯t, then I¡¯ll make time. As it happens, a new advisor hase in to help lessen my work load.¡± Rienne squeezed Mrs. mbard¡¯s hand. [Rienne] ¡°You¡¯ve been working very hard, ma¡¯am. You¡¯re the only person I can trustpletely.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°It¡¯s my honor, Princess.¡± The woman gently swept her hand along Rienne¡¯s messy hair, the gesture full of affection. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Now, off to bed with you. Tomorrow will be another busy day.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I know.¡± Then, Rienne and Mrs. mbard split from the audience room, returning to their respective bedrooms. Luckily, Rienne didn¡¯t run into anyone on her way back. All the Tiwakan that would normally be around were out and about, busy in their search for the servant, Klimah. * * * * * Tap. Just as Rienne went to reach for the doorknob¡ª [ck] ¡°Where did you go?¡± As if he¡¯d been waiting for her, the door was opened from the inside. Surprised, Rienne pulled back as soon as she saw the face that appeared through the open door¡ªck. [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­..I went to go speak with my nanny for a little bit.¡± Swallowing hard, Rienne¡¯s voice was surprisingly calm. Rienne already knew it was pointless to lie in front of ck. He probably already noticed them talking and leaving while he was in the bathroom. [Rienne] ¡°I told you I¡¯d sent her on an errand. She met Lord Phermos while she was out, and she was apologetic she couldn¡¯t do everything I¡¯d asked of her. Then I took her to her room and told her it wasn¡¯t necessary anymore.¡± [ck] ¡°I see.¡± ck nodded his head, seemingly convinced there was nothing wrong. Then he reached out his hand. [ck] ¡°Are you noting in?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Oh¡­¡­.¡± Rienne looked down at ck¡¯s hand before eventually taking it. His hands were the same as they always were. Holding his hand was so warm, sometimes too much so, and it was so big it felt as though it could take anything in its grip. Though even when they entered the room, ck still wouldn¡¯t let her go. Passing the bed in the middle of the room, Rienne made a joke. [Rienne] ¡°Are you nning on escorting me to my room?¡± [ck] ¡°No.¡± In order to get to Rienne¡¯s room, it was necessary to pass through ck¡¯s room first. From across the bed there were two doors¡ªone that led to the bathroom and one that led to the small room between the bedrooms. This small room was once known as the King¡¯s Gallery. There used to be days when it was filled with exotic and priceless baubles and paintings, meant for the King and his wife. However, it had been empty for so long, Rienne sometimes forgot what it was even for. Opening the door to the King¡¯s Gallery, ck spoke. [ck] ¡°I¡¯m going with you.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­Sorry?¡± [ck] ¡°I want to sleep with you again. Like we did yesterday.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± It¡¯s that feeling again. That sensation of her heart tightening from the bottom up without end. Whenever this feeling swelled up inside her, Rienne always felt a little distressed. It made her throat burn and she kept swallowing nothing. [ck] ¡°I thought I we were getting a little better¡­¡­.Were we not?¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Yes. He was probably right about that. That¡¯s why the doubts felt even more painful. Even after her nanny had told her such things about him, Rienne didn¡¯t want to hate him. She wanted to make excuses for him. If it was true that the previous King was responsible for the loss of his family, and he was forced to run away at such a young age because of it, then that was a sin that followed the Arsak bloodline. Maybe it was true that he¡¯d already forgotten the past and only wished to propose. Like he said, it had been twenty years already. But even if I was only a child who knew nothing at the time, if you want me to atone for what the previous King has done, I will do everything I can to do so. Because that¡¯s how much I like you. And¡­¡­..Maybe he felt like that too. It was possible. [Rienne] ¡°Though, there¡¯s something that worries me a little.¡± But Rienne couldn¡¯t say what was on her mind. Perhaps if she were the daughter of any ordinary family, she could. But as one responsible for Nauk, she couldn¡¯t make that kind of promise. [ck] ¡°What do you mean?¡± [Rienne] ¡°You said you didn¡¯t have much experience.¡± [ck] ¡°¡­¡­¡­What?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Does that mean you¡¯re clumsy?¡± [ck] ¡°. . .¡± [Rienne] ¡°So I¡¯m a little worried about being with someone like that.¡± [ck] ¡°. . .¡± Though truthfully, the exact opposite was true. She was actually worried he might be too skilled in this areapared to her, who was obviously clumsy. Thinking about that, she kept unconsciously reminding herself of everything that had happened in the past. But she couldn¡¯t even say that out loud. She hadn¡¯t even told him she wasn¡¯t actually pregnant, yet. [ck] ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­Ha, this is crazy.¡± He seemed stiff at first, but eventually ck¡¯s expression softened into a smirk. [ck] ¡°What were you thinking?¡± [Rienne] ¡°What?¡± [ck] ¡°When I said I wanted to sleep with you again, what were you thinking of doing with me?¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± She couldn¡¯t find the words to say, so Rienne just keptpletely silent, but her charmingly red cheeks served as her answer. [ck] ¡°If I wasn¡¯t very good, would that be a problem?¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­¡­I, I understand your answer. Goodnight, then.¡± Rienne quickly turned on her heel, frantic as if she were running away from him, and went to open the bedroom door. Bam! But just as quickly it was opened, it was closed again. ck had reached out from behind her, pulling the door back in ce. Trapped, Rienne was locked between the door and ck¡¯s body. [ck] ¡°How good do I need to be in order to satisfy you?¡± With Rienne trapped in his arms, ck whispered softly, bowing his head towards her neck. [ck] ¡°What should I do to be consideredpetent to you?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Something like that¡­¡­.Not¡­..not right now¡­¡­..¡± [ck] ¡°That¡¯s weird. I thought you meant it needed to be now.¡± Slowly, ck wrapped his arms around her waist, pushing past her hair and pressing his lips against the back of her neck. And then, he gently started running his lips across her soft, pale skin. Moving his free hand up, he brushed it against her hair, tickling her earlobes and allowing his fingers to wander down her neck. [Rienne] ¡°No¡­..I wasn¡¯t¡­¡­¡± [ck] ¡°No. You were talking about today.¡± The fingers that were running down her neck stopped at the edge of her nightgown. He lifted up the thin cloth, ying with edges of it as if struggling with idea of just tearing it aside. Feeling it, Rienne bit down on her lips almost to the point of tears. [ck] ¡°Luckily, based on your reaction, I don¡¯t think I¡¯m clumsy enough to make you hate this, Princess.¡± His fingers fell from the edge of her nightgown, moving up her neck and across her jaw until they reached her lips, and at his gentle urging, she felt them being pushed apart. [ck] ¡°This will leave a wound. I told you this afternoon. Unless they¡¯re made by me, I don¡¯t want to see any more wounds on your body.¡± [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡­¡± Her body was shaking so much, she couldn¡¯t even speak properly. [ck] ¡°Don¡¯t do this anymore. Promise me.¡± With her lips apart, ck grabbed Rienne¡¯s chin and pulled her in, slowly rubbing against her lips¡ªhurt by her own bite. It felt vulgar and heated, as though she was moments away from melting. If this continued, all her thoughts wouldpletely vanish. Why was he acting so obscene? Why was he doing this to her? What kinds of ns was he hiding inside of him¡­¡­¡­? She couldn¡¯t lose sight of those questions. She had to find out the answer before Nauk paid the price for his anger. [Rienne] ¡°S, stop!¡± What¡¯s going on? I didn¡¯t want any of this. Push¡ª! With the sudden surge of thoughts, Rienne pushed ck away with all of her strength. [Rienne] ¡°Please stop this.¡± [ck] ¡°. . .¡± As if he could sense her sincerity, ck kept quiet and looked at Rienne. Chapter 45 - A Precarious Situation (1) Chapter 45 | A Precarious Situation (1) trantor/editor: astralmech | editor: ghost * * * * * She hated that her voice was shaking so much, but Rienne spoke quickly, her arms wrapped around her shoulders as if she were hugging herself. [Rienne] ¡°If you wish to show your capabilities, find another way to prove yourself. Preferably in a way that fills me with anticipation for the day we eventually share a bed.¡± [ck] ¡°¡­¡­..This isn¡¯t the right way?¡± [Rienne] ¡°No, all it does is make it feel as though you¡¯re making fun of me. Doing so doesn¡¯t encourage me to open my heart and my body reacting to your touch doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m ready. Preparing one¡¯s mind is more important than preparing the body.¡± [ck] ¡°Why aren¡¯t you ready yet?¡± [Rienne] ¡°That¡­.Right now is¡­¡­.¡± [ck] ¡°¡­¡­¡­.No, that¡¯s not right. You don¡¯t need to give me a reason. If you¡¯re not ready, you¡¯re not ready.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± As if to physically push away the remaining heat, ck gave a rough shake of his head. [ck] ¡°I had no intention of asking to sleep with you just because you opened up to me a little, Princess. I only meant that I wished to literally sleep next to you, like we did yesterday. I just like being by your side.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± It was the same for Rienne. And the more she found herself liking this, the more the boundaries became blurred. Ever since she found out he was her fianc¨¦ from childhood, some part of her foolishly thought fate may have yed a part in this¡ªlike they were born for one another. But that was exactly why she needed to refuse him now. [ck] ¡°I must¡¯ve lost my head for a minute thinking there might¡¯ve been a chance.¡± ck slowly held up both of his hands, like he was showing her he had no intention of touching her. [ck] ¡°Go to sleep. Have afortable night.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­.Yes. You too, Lord Tiwakan.¡± Click. Rienne quickly opened the door, rushing into her bedroom. [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­¡­.I hate this.¡± She hated all these lies and uncertainties, just as she hated herself for lying. And she didn¡¯t like seeing him step away from her, acting as though he would never touch her again. [Rienne] ¡°Tomorrow¡­¡­¡­.It¡¯s going to be okay.¡± Tomorrow she would find out more about the servant, and then she¡¯ll try and learn something about that old man. Or maybe she could even say she wanted to meet with him. She was told Lord Phermos took him, so he must be locked up somewhere in the castle. She¡¯ll talk to him about that. That man had no right to interfere with something. And if she can just find out the truth, then¡­¡­¡­.. At that point, her thoughts stopped running. She couldn¡¯t figure anything out, least of all what she would do about that man. What could she even do? [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­..I think I might die at this rate.¡± It felt like her heart was burning away into embers. Rienne walked forward, stumbling as she fell down onto her bed. For now, she should just sleep. * * * * * She couldn¡¯t sleep a wink and ended up just tossing and turning all night. By the time Rienne fell asleep, it had taken her so long that dawn had already broke. [Rienne] ¡°Ah¡­¡­.Is it morning?¡± Somehow, Rienne felt heavier than usual as she turned under the covers. [Rienne] ¡°Why am I so weak¡­¡­.? I feel like my body¡¯s gotten so cold¡­¡­.¡± And she seemed to be sweating a lot too. Rienne dug deeper into her nkets, wondering if maybe she¡¯de down with a fever. [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­.!¡± But then she was startled awake by a cool feeling of something running between her legs. [Rienne] ¡°My monthly¡­¡­!¡± It was starting a few days sooner than it should have. [Rienne] ¡°Why is this happening?¡± Rienne threw off the nket and stood up, but her sheets were already stained with blood in the shape of small red dots. [Rienne] ¡°I have to clean this up quickly¡­¡­.¡± As Rienne set to work, promptly removing the sheets, that¡¯s when she heard it. Knock, knock. [ck] ¡°Are you awake?¡± It was ck. Rienne¡¯s face turned pale. Why was all of this happening on this particr morning of all days? First, the most important thing she needed to do was hide the bloodstains. Rienne set the sheets back down,ying herself back in bed, then she pulled the nkets back over herself, perfectly hiding the blood. [Rienne] ¡°Is¡­.something the matter?¡± [ck] ¡°I came to wake you since you overslept.¡± Did I? Did I really oversleep? No, more importantly, why is heing to wake me up? [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m¡­.not feeling very well. I¡¯ll be up in a moment.¡± [ck] ¡°You¡¯re not feeling well¡­..¡­? I¡¯ming in.¡± [Rienne] ¡°No, please don¡¯t¡­..!¡± But it was toote. ck had already yanked open the door and starting walking inside. Rienne reaffirmed her grip on the nket, pulling it up to her neck. [ck] ¡°Where are you hurt?¡± [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡­It¡¯s nothing. Please leave.¡± [ck] ¡°Your face is pale.¡± With long strides, ck walked towards the bed, and with no regard for her words, he put hisrge hand against her forehead. [ck] ¡°You have a fever.¡± [Rienne] ¡°No, it¡¯s¡­..I¡¯m fine.¡± [ck] ¡°Fine? While your face looks like this?¡± But the more concern he showed for her, the palerplexion became. Rienne pulled up the nket even higher, covering her entire face. [Rienne] ¡°Please just leave. I can take care of my body.¡± [ck] ¡°I know you won¡¯t do that. Please move the nket for a second.¡± As Rienne desperate kept the nket over her head, she saw ck¡¯s hand touch the edge of it. [Rienne] ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± And without even realizing it, her reaction was much more sharp and rigid than she intended. ck¡¯s hand suddenly stopped moving, his expression freezing over like a shallow frost, settling on the surface of ake at dawn. [ck] ¡°Are you angry about what happened yesterday?¡± [Rienne] ¡°No, I just¡­..Just please leave.¡± [ck] ¡°I can¡¯t do that. I need to know why you¡¯re angry, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m not angry, just please¡­¡­..¡± ck grabbed Rienne¡¯s wrist, as she was still holding onto the end of the nket with all her strength. [ck] ¡°You¡¯re still saying you¡¯re not angry?¡± From ck¡¯s perspective, he had no idea what Rienne was trying to hide under the covers. Her adverse reaction to him looked like she was just refusing to ever be touched by him¡ªan outright rejection of skin-to-skin contact. Meanwhile, Rienne was terrified because this nket was the only thing standing between her and her secret being revealed against her will. [Rienne] ¡°Please, just stop this and go!¡± [ck] ¡°Is it possible for someone to change this much in a single day?¡± Again, ck tried to pull down the nket that was covering her face. [Rienne] ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± In a hurry, Rienne pushed ck away however she could. Push! Her strength was basically nothing inparison to his, but it was just enough to get him off of her. Though, in all of themotion, the nket slid down just enough. [ck] ¡°¡­¡­..What¡¯s this?¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­¡­!¡± The red bloodstains that decorated her sheets and the end of her nightgown seemed magnified in that moment. On the pale sheets, they were more noticeable than anything, and they would immediately catch anyone¡¯s eyes. In that moment, her mind wentpletely nk, and she couldn¡¯t even think of an excuse. [Rienne] ¡°Please don¡¯t look¡­¡­!¡± With a panicked cry, Rienne again tried to push ck away. * Tap! But then ck grabbed her hand. [ck] ¡°Don¡¯t move so intensely.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± As Rienne¡¯s entire body trembled, ck forced her to lie back down. Confused and uncertain what was happening, Rienne looked up at him, only to see his forehead was covered in sweat. [ck] ¡°I¡¯ll get a doctor. Stay here.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­¡­.?¡± [ck] ¡°Stay right where you are. Don¡¯t move a muscle.¡± After he said that, ck pulled away, rushing out of the bedroom. It wasn¡¯t until the panic of the moment washed away that Rienne realized he¡¯d probably misunderstood something. * * * * * [Doctor] ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry too much. In the early stages of pregnancy, asional bleeding ismon. Of course, something like that would be more dangerous once you start showing and having a belly, but um¡­¡­..How far along are you, Princess?¡± There were only two major doctors in Nauk. One dealt primarily with the aristocrats, providing his services to whoever could pay for his expensive treatment while the other dealt with the poor who could not. Despite their differences, these two doctors had one thing inmon: They wereverybusy because they had so many patients. And yet, since the early morning, both of these doctors had been in her bedroom, working their hardest to help her¡­¡­who wasn¡¯t really sick. ¡­¡­I think I¡¯m losing my mind. Rienne bit back the sigh that was about to escape her mouth. Behind the doctors stood ck, crossing his arms. He had a look on his face that wordlessly said he would tear out the throats of the doctors if they spoke any nonsense. Next to him was Phermos with a face that said he would try and stop him before that happened. [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡­¡± Rienne didn¡¯t know enough about pregnancy to know what an appropriate answer would be, so her eyes shook in bewilderment at the question. [ck] ¡°A month.¡± So ck answered instead. [Doctor] ¡°A, a month?¡± [ck] ¡°Twenty eight days, to be exact.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Twenty eight days? Where was he getting that number from? Rienne wracked her brain, searching for a link. Why twenty eight¡­¡­¡­..Oh, I remember. Twenty eight days ago was when the Tiwakan first arrived in Nauk. She received the proposal that day and sent her immediate refusal in response. It was the very day after they received her rejection that the battle started in earnest. This man¡­¡­He was really trying to pass this child off as his own. A child that didn¡¯t even exist yet. [Doctor] ¡°Twenty eight days ago, the castle would¡¯ve been surrounded¡­¡­¡­..Huh?¡± The doctor quietly counted out the days on his fingers with widened eyes. [Doctor] ¡°And, you have a child¡­¡­.?¡± But once he made eye contact with ck, he closed his mouth tightly. Those blue eyes that were boring into him were almost too hideous to look at. [ck] ¡°That¡¯s none of your business. All you need to do is focus on keeping my child safe.¡± [Doctor] ¡°Huh¡­..Oh, yes¡­..I, I see.¡± The doctor wiped the sweat from his forehead, his face turning a sickly green color. The other doctor was no different, having kept silent this whole time. [Doctor] ¡°Do, do you have any stomach pains? Like a sensation of something pulling at your stomach, or maybe feeling like something¡¯s going to break¡­¡­?¡± [Rienne] ¡°No¡­..It hurts a little, but it¡¯s nothing like that.¡± There was a dull pain pulsating through her lower abdomen, but that was usually the case whenever this particr time of the month came around. [Rienne] ¡°I feel much better now than when I first woke up.¡± As Rienne added on thosest words, the doctors exchanged nces with each other. [Doctor] ¡°Then there doesn¡¯t seem to be much to worry about. But bleeding isn¡¯t a good thing so best you rest up for the time being.¡± [Doctor] ¡°I agree. If the bleeding bes too frequent, you may lose your baby, so please refrain from any unnecessary movement. Also, it would be extremely dangerous for you to travel long distances, especially on horseback.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­¡­I¡¯m sorry?¡± Rienne frowned at his unexpected exnation. [Rienne] ¡°I shouldn¡¯t move? You mean to tell me I need to sit still all day?¡± [Doctor] ¡°Lying down would be best.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What¡­¡­.¡± But before she could say anything, ck interrupted, cutting into Rienne¡¯s conversation with the doctors. [ck] ¡°I¡¯ll remember that. Is there any medicine she needs to take?¡± [Doctor] ¡°There are certain medications that will help stabilize your baby¡¯s condition. I¡¯ll have some made right away.¡± With that, the doctors quickly packed up their things, saying their farewells and leaving the room. But as they did, ck gestured towards the doctors¡¯ retreating backs and spoke to Phermos. [ck] ¡°Follow them. Make sure they make the correct medicine. See if they say anything.¡± [Phermos] ¡°¡­¡­Oh, that¡¯s a possibility. I understand.¡± Without any unnecessary words, Phermos followed after the doctors. By ¡®say anything¡¯, he meant there was the chance that the doctors were in some way in contact with someone from the Kleinfelders. Though for Phermos¡¯ part, he didn¡¯t think it would be all that bad if the baby were to be lost. After all, the child was ultimately that of Rafit Kleinfelder, but Phermos was smart enough never to voice this opinion. And it was clear that the doctors were pathetic enough to perhaps try something. It was one thing if the pregnant Rienne was simply not feeling well, but if another ident were to ur, that would only end up causing a difficult time for others. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°T, then I¡¯ll¡­..take these sheets. I¡¯ll need to wash them before they stain.¡± Turning away, Mrs. mbard stuttered out her words. ncing briefly at ck, Rienne reached out and grabbed the cuff of her sleeve. [Rienne] ¡°Let¡¯s go together. It would be hard to do alone.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Oh, how could you say that¡­¡­.¡± [ck] ¡°Absolutely not.¡± Mrs. mbard was right. Rienne should¡¯ve seen thising, but ck didn¡¯t exactly sit still and let her leave. [ck] ¡°You were told to lie down.¡± ¡­¡­..This must be what they meant when they talk of people being tied to their own lies. She was already extremely flustered by this whole situation, but she had a lot of work she needed to do, too. She wanted to help with the sheets, but she also had work she had to see through at the Temple. [Rienne] ¡°I will do what I have to.¡± [ck] ¡°Now isn¡¯t the time for that. Just sit still and wait for your medicine toe.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I have a lot of work I need to do, Lord Tiwakan.¡± [ck] ¡°And you don¡¯t have to do it by yourself.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± It felt like she was caught perfectly in his trap. Watching the situation unfold as she was caught between them, Mrs. mbard carefully slipped Rienne¡¯s hand from her sleeve. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°I will do it alone, Princess. How can I ask you to help withundry in your state? Please, just rest.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Ma¡¯am, please don¡¯t.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°I don¡¯t think this is something you need to do, Princess¡­¡­..Yes, now is the time for you to be resting.¡± Mrs. mbard blinked, gesturing to ck over her shoulder. It was a subtle movement, saying if Rienne insisted any further, he would only be suspicious. Knowing this, Rienne had no choice but to give up. [Rienne] ¡°Okay¡­..Go ahead then.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°I¡¯ll return quickly, Princess.¡± Then the woman left quickly with the sheets in her arms. Chapter 46 - A Precarious Situa Chapter 46 | A Precarious Situation (2) trantor/editor: astralmech | editor: ghost * * * * * There was a strange air running through bedroom, and with Rienne left alone there with ck, she felt as though she was about to suffocate with every breath. [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­Thank you for your concern. I¡¯m sure you have business you need to attend to, so I¡¯ll be fine here alone.¡± [ck] ¡°If you were me, would you be able to just leave, Princess?¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± ck took the quiet expression on Rienne¡¯s face as her answer. [ck] ¡°Lie down. I¡¯ll watch over you from the side.¡± After saying that, ck went to the firece and pulled out the chair from in front of it, dragging it to the bed and sitting down. Rienne sat in bed, idly fiddling with the edge of the nket. Honestly, Rienne probably could¡¯ve argued more, even if it roused suspicion from him. She could¡¯ve said,I have a lot work I need to do, so I don¡¯t have the time to worry about the child in my womb right now. He was not someone who had the right to stop her. Or was it normal to monitor other people under the illusion of worrying for them? Even then, she could¡¯ve argued that she was the de facto ruler of this ce, with the crown presently sitting atop her head and no one else¡¯s. He might be her fianc¨¦, but she was her own person. But Rienne couldn¡¯t bring herself to say any of that. Because his worry felt very real. This man¡­¡­..didn¡¯t doubt her about this in the slightest. When confronted with a woman¡¯s bloodied sheets, anyone would automatically suspect it was simply that time of the month. But ck genuinely believed it to be a problem with the baby. And that just confused Rienne terribly. How was he doing that? For her part, she couldn¡¯t stop these incessant doubts that gued her every moment of every day for even the smallest things. So how was he able to trust so easily? [ck] ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­.Is it difficult for you to talk about your child with me?¡± Watching Rienne¡¯s expression getting darker by the minute, ck suddenly asked a question. [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­Sorry?¡± [ck] ¡°Were you worried I¡¯d be reminded of the child¡¯s father if you mentioned it? To the point where you didn¡¯t even tell me you were sick?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I¡­¡­¡­I don¡¯t know.¡± [ck] ¡°If that¡¯s the case, that¡¯s not necessary. The child is mine.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± When he said things like that, it was too suspicious. Why did he think like that? If their positions were reversed and he had a child, she wasn¡¯t sure she¡¯d be able to ept it so readily. [Rienne] ¡°But we both know it¡¯s not. You can¡¯t do that.¡± Her answer was very pointed and direct. [Rienne] ¡°Truly¡­..you can¡¯t. Because you¡¯re only human.¡±(1) [ck] ¡°I¡¯ve already decided to do that. And I¡¯m trying.¡± [Rienne] ¡°But is that something you can do just by trying?¡± And not just that. He said that his blood was all dead. Was that something that one could justforgetsimply because a long time had passed? He didn¡¯t forget they were engaged when they were young despite it being from a time she couldn¡¯t even remember, so how could he forget thedeathof his family? [Rienne] ¡°There¡¯s no one who¡¯s that generous¡­¡­¡­I can hardly believe it.¡± [ck] ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say I¡¯m doing this out of generosity.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Then what is it?¡± [ck] ¡°I think this might be the best way to get you to ept me. Without hating me or resenting me in the process.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± [ck] ¡°What can I do to get you to believe me?¡± This was why she was struggling to believe his words. They sounded so wonderful, as if they were ripped directly from a novel. There was nothing in this world that worked out so nicely like that. If this world taught Rienne anything, it was that. [Rienne] ¡°Does that mean you¡¯ll do anything I ask?¡± [ck] ¡°¡­¡­If it gets you to trust me, Princess.¡± ck¡¯s remark exhibited such blind faith, it was hard to believe he just said that. He was an apex predator¡ªthe kind of person one could never lower their guard around. So why was he acting so blind around her? It didn¡¯t make any sense. [ck] ¡°But in exchange, I want you to offer me something, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Something¡­.from me?¡± [ck] ¡°Make a promise, a resolution¡ªwhatever it may be. Something that says the child in your womb will definitely be mine.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± [ck] ¡°Can you do that?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Prove it, first.¡± Finally, Rienneid down the edge of the nket and faced ck. [Rienne] ¡°Prove to me you¡¯ll do anything.¡± [ck] ¡°What do you want?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I heard Lord Phermos detained the old man that was begging in front of the Temple. I want to meet with him.¡± ck immediately frowned, but it was only for a moment before he answered. [ck] ¡°That has nothing to do with your child.¡± [Rienne] ¡°No, but it matters.¡± It mattered a lot, actually. [Rienne] ¡°I should also listen to what others have to say about the man who seeks to be the father of my child.¡± [ck] ¡°. . .¡± It was then that ck finally realized why Rienne still didn¡¯t trust him. [ck] ¡°It appears that your heart has gone back to what it was before I announced the truth behind the proposal, Princess. Back when my identity and intentions were questionable.¡± Rienne couldn¡¯t deny that. [ck] ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll do whatever you want. But¡­¡± ck¡¯s lips slightly parted. Seeing his white teeth visible felt like a knife touching her heart. [ck] ¡°You can¡¯t break your promise, Princess.¡± And then ck persistently stared at Rienne, pinning her in ce until she eventually nodded. * * * * * She couldn¡¯t spend all day in bed. But just as ck told her, Rienne was forced to remain in her room until the medicine arrived. Once she got it from Mrs. mbard, she quickly forced it down and headed for the King¡¯s Office. The medicine was so bitter, she felt as though any child inside of her would be more surprised than anything after taking it. Still, Phermos assured her it was safe after carefully checking what ingredients were used when making it. [Rienne] ¡°There has to be something left.¡± What Rienne was looking for was the royal records from twenty years ago. [Rienne] ¡°It was twenty-one years ago that my father had his coronation. That means what happened to his family urred after my father became king.¡± If this was a childhood betrothal they had discussed, then they must¡¯ve been a well-known family. Rienne¡¯s eyes darted across the page, looking across all the families that participated in the coronation ceremony. [Rienne] ¡°Did she say she saw the letter ¡®P¡¯?¡± But none of the thirteen families invited to the coronation had such a character in their name. After spending so much time searching through the heavy royal records that were covered in dust, her arm started to feel numb. [Rienne] ¡°Did he lie about the engagement?¡± Rienne bit her lip as she stared at the letters that didn¡¯t change no matter how much she looked at them. [Rienne] ¡°No, she may have seen wrong. It could still be any of these.¡± Rienne carefully examined the thirteen families. Six of them were part of the nobility of Nauk and the ones responsible for the Treaty of Risebury. The other three were ones who lost their status over the years, and the final four had left Nauk at some point over the course of twenty years. [Rienne] ¡°The timing doesn¡¯t make any sense.¡± However, none of the families who were no longer present in Nauk matched what ck said. Looking at the old letters for so long, breathing in all that dust made her dizzy. [Rienne] ¡°Maybe he just got the time wrong.¡± If ck wasn¡¯t lying, then he may have gotten the number of years wrong. Usually, when talking about a long period of time like twenty years, that usually means it¡¯s difficult to recall the exact number. [Rienne] ¡°It could¡¯ve been more than twenty years in the past.¡± Rienne pushed through, starting her search for records before the coronation. [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­.What¡¯s this?¡± And she discovered something odd. There were no records left of the period before the coronation. To be exact, all records from the period of twenty-one to twenty-five years ago were missing. [Rienne] ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Though it was shocking, she could clearly see the visible traces of where someone had cut out portions of the record with a knife. It was appalling to her that someone had touched the royal records, but now it was suspicious that there was something someone was trying to hide from her. [Rienne] ¡°It can¡¯t be¡­..¡± But at this point, she had no choice but to doubt. [Rienne] ¡°Lord Phermos¡­¡­.¡± Despite having never given him ess, he was hiding in the office. And she didn¡¯t know how often he hade and gone before that. [Rienne] ¡°Did he do so on that man¡¯s orders?¡± Among those five years of lost records, was there something about ck written in them? Did he know Rienne would one day look, so he had them gotten rid of in advance? [Rienne] ¡°Well then¡­¡­..I suppose I was right to be suspicious.¡± The hand she was resting on the records with missing pages trembled. [Rienne] ¡°He¡¯s far too strange.¡± Smack¡ª! Rienne stood up, leaving behind the record. Even if she looked for the missing records, they wouldn¡¯te out on their own. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯ll have to check his room.¡± If Phermos was the one responsible, the records would¡¯ve met one of two fates: They were either hidden or destroyed. All she could do was depend on luck for this one. If she were lucky, then he would¡¯ve hidden the records away before getting rid of them. Rienne lifted herself up, heading off somewhere. Across from Mrs. mbard¡¯s bedroom was the room Rienne once used as a child. Now, Phermos was using that room like his own office. * * * * * Smack¡ª! The door wasn¡¯t locked. Though, even if it was, Rienne was prepared to break it down if need be. She had no intention of hiding her search for the records. The royal records were owned by the royal family, which of course meant that unauthorized people could not carry or damage them. So this time, she was thinking of charging Phermos with a crime. She didn¡¯t wish to flex her status, but what Phermos did was dishonorable and an insult to the royal family. [Phermos] ¡°What¡­..? Princess? What brings you here?¡± But she didn¡¯t expect Phermos to be here at this time. Rienne, who was almost flustered by his presence, quickly straightened out her back. [Rienne] ¡°I have something I wish to ask of you.¡± [Phermos] ¡°How did you know I was here?¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­I don¡¯t think that¡¯s important.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Oh um¡­..You¡¯re right, you just surprised me. Though, shouldn¡¯t you be lying down, Princess? My Lord wouldn¡¯t be happy seeing you walking around like this.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I won¡¯t beat around the bush.¡± Rienne cut off his useless small talk. [Rienne] ¡°What did you do with the royal records you stole?¡± [Phermos] ¡°¡­¡­.Pardon me?¡± Phermos opened his eyes wide, pushing his monocle further up his face. [Phermos] ¡°I¡¯m sorry, the royal records Iwhat?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk more than we have to. If you have them, then give them to me. That won¡¯t absolve you of your crimes entirely, but your sentence will be lighter.¡± [Phermos] ¡°No, what are you talking about? The royal record? What did I steal? And when?¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­Are you going to try and talk your way out of this?¡± [Phermos] ¡°Goodness, no! Why would I steal the royal records? I would only need to look at them once before memorizing it entirely.¡± Phermos jumped around in a panic, with his face screaming how unfair he thought this was. It would appear as though he really didn¡¯t know anything. ¡­.No, I still can¡¯t be certain. She knew this man to be an incredibly sly person. There was a chance being a skilled liar was but another part of his repertoire. [Rienne] ¡°You must¡¯ve known I was going to look eventually.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Hm? There are parts of the record you haven¡¯t seen yet, Princess?¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± The question made her speechless. [Phermos] ¡°I know you have reasonable cause to doubt me but I swear to the God of War, I never stole the royal records.¡± After seeing Rienne make a disbelieving expression, Phermos held out both his hands with a harmless smile. [Phermos] ¡°For those in the Tiwakan, do you know who the God of War is?¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­..No.¡± [Phermos] ¡°It¡¯s Lord Tiwakan himself.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I see. So why¡­¡­.¡± [Phermos] ¡°To swear on the God of War is to swear on our Lord¡¯s name. There¡¯s isn¡¯t a single person within the Tiwakan¡¯s ranks who would dare us our Lord¡¯s name so carelessly.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Phermos¡¯ face was filled with so much confidence and pride that it was hard not to believe him. Even mercenaries who used war as a means of earning money required faith. No, perhaps it wasbecausethey were mercenaries that they needed something like that. For them, living a life that forced them to face death for the sake of money, believing in something was what made them human. And for the Tiwakan, that something was ck. [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­.If you say that, then I won¡¯t force my doubts on you any longer. I pray your words are true. For the sake of your Lord¡¯s name, if nothing else.¡± [Phermos] ¡°I would die before I tarnish my Lord¡¯s name. Such a person would not deserve to carry the name of the Tiwakan.¡± ¡­¡­.Yes. I can see that now. Rienne swallowed a sigh. Then who could¡¯ve done this? [Phermos] ¡°Will you search for the culprit?¡± Phermos asked, the concern evident on his face. [Rienne] ¡°Yes.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Then I will help you. After you gave me a clue about who killed the High Priest, I¡¯ve found myself with a bit of time to rx thanks to you, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°You¡¯d do that for me?¡± [Phermos] ¡°Yes. On one condition.¡± ¡­¡­Whether it was the Lord or his aide, everyone tried to get something before giving something. It was inevitable, considering how they worked in unison. [Rienne] ¡°What is it?¡± [Phermos] ¡°Return to your room and please lie still. The Lord told me you wished to see the old man who knew the whereabouts of the servant, correct? I¡¯ve given the order to have him brought to the castle, so I will send a message to you once he arrives. Until then, please rest well.¡± He was trying to get something, but it was something more beneficial for Rienne to give than for him to receive. [Rienne] ¡°That won¡¯t be too hard.¡± [Phermos] ¡°I¡¯m not saying this for you, Princess. This is for my Lord. If you want me to be of any help, then you must do this. If anything were to happen to you¡­¡­..Ugh, I don¡¯t even want to think about it. Point is, the aftermath would be very bad.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± What Phermos said hit her somewhere in her chest. Talking about that man like that, he made it sound like he cared about her so much. But why would he do all that for? [Rienne] ¡°Is it enough to say I¡¯ll try?¡± [Phermos] ¡°No, it isn¡¯t. Youabsolutelyhave to lie still.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Then promise me. Promise you¡¯ll find therealperson responsible. Swear by the God of War.¡± There was still the chance Phermos could create a fake culprit in order to cover for his master. She couldn¡¯t rule that out just yet. Phermos readily held up his hand, swearing a vow. [Phermos] ¡°If that¡¯s the only way to get you to rest, I¡¯ll happily do so.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­..Thank you.¡± It was still very uncertain. Was it possible for people carrying ulterior motives to act this way? [Phermos] ¡°Hurry and get back, now. Once you¡¯ve returned to your room, I will begin my work as well. By the way, have you finished taking all of your medicines?¡± In the end, Rienne was escorted back to her room by Phermos. Phermos even set up a mercenary outside of her room to monitor her condition thoroughly. Chapter 47 - Risebury’s Promise Chapter 47 | Risebury¡¯s Promise Squeak. Rusted from the moisture in the air, the iron door made a terrible squeaking noise as it was pushed aside. Step. Even the sound of one¡¯s footsteps reflected the dampness of the dungeons. The ck hair of the man entering the room swayed as he tilted his head slightly to the side, pushing past the cramped iron doors. [Beggar] ¡°. . .¡± As he sat on the floor, the old man forced his weary head up, his one eye opening very widely with an expression of shock. [Beggar] ¡°¡­¡­.!¡± Just then, he cursed how little he could see with only one eye. He pushed the chair away, crouching his body on the floor, shifting his body in pain as he realized his difort. Trying to pull himself up, he tried to get a better look at the man approaching him. [Beggar] ¡°Gai¡­Gainers¡­.F¡­¡­Fer¡­. Fernand Gainers..¡­¡±(1) The old man¡¯s voice fumbled, his mouth struggling to say a name. [ck] ¡°So you recognized me. Interesting. I don¡¯t look at all how I did back then.¡± The old man, who had just about started to stand up, couldn¡¯t withstand his oppressive strength and fell right back down. Scratch, scratch. ck approached the old man, pulling up the chair he wasn¡¯t sitting on and lowering himself to make direct eye contact with him. [ck] ¡°But I remember your face, too.¡± His slow words flowed in the air, eerily quiet against the humid weight of the room. [ck] ¡°High Priest, Manau.¡± [Beggar] ¡°¡­¡­¡­!¡± ck wasn¡¯t the only one whose identity had been discovered. This old beggar also had a name to hide. [ck] ¡°How long has it been since your body turned into that? Twenty years?¡± [Beggar] ¡°. . .¡± [ck] ¡°No, probably closer to twenty one.¡± After silence took a hold of the old man who had once been a High Priest of Nauk, ck quietly added anotherment. The old man couldn¡¯t take it anymore, finally giving a nod as his answer. It was twenty-one years ago that ck lost his family and was forced to leave Nauk. At the same time, the High Priest Manau lost one eye, one leg, and one arm. Not to mention that the servant Klimah also lost his father and his two-year old younger sibling. They were all secrets that urred on the exact same day. Manau, whose entire body was shaking, suddenly threw his head against the floor. Bang¡ª! An awful sound rang out across the dungeon. His head was torn and blood flowed freely from the wound¡ªManau¡¯s messy hair, wet with blood. [Manau] ¡°Kill me. Kill me, please¡­¡­.¡± Suddenly, his stutter waspletely gone. One could hear his voice loud and clear. It was entirely possible Manau¡¯s stutter was faked to hide his voice. [ck] ¡°That would be difficult.¡± ck looked down at the former High Priest, a remnant of the past who was already half broken, crying out as his head continued to bleed. And as he did, he looked as though he held no emotion. If this were ten years ago, he might¡¯ve felt something. But that wasn¡¯t possible anymore. Like he told Rienne, he forgot most of his own feelings that once came to him twenty-one years ago. To him, they weren¡¯t worth remembering. On the battlefield, where life could be death in a matter of seconds, he learned to find other things that mattered. Things more important than twenty years of old feelings. [ck] ¡°Princess Rienne wille to see you. Tell her what you know.¡± [Manau] ¡°¡­..?¡± Manau raised his head. [Manau] ¡°What are you saying¡­¡­..¡± [ck] ¡°Exactly what it sounds like. Tell her what you know.¡± [Manau] ¡°. . .¡± His eyes shaking wildly seemed be asking if he was being serious. [ck] ¡°You¡¯re all misunderstanding something.¡± ck spoke slowly, his tone not conveying even an inkling of emotion. [ck] ¡°I came togetNauk, not destroy it. But no matter how many times I say that, she doesn¡¯t seem to believe me, so I¡¯m starting to get a little irritated.¡± [Manau] ¡°Who would ever believe that? That¡¯s not possible. It can¡¯t be possible¡­¡­¡­¡± [ck] ¡°That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t reveal my name.¡± [Manau] ¡°¡­¡­?¡± [ck] ¡°If I did, most people would act like you.¡± [Manau] ¡°. . .¡± Manau stayed quiet, his thoughts constantly going over ck¡¯s words. [ck] ¡°My name is that of the Tiwakan, and that¡¯s enough. As far as you¡¯re concerned, that is the only name you know me by. He didn¡¯t need anyone to go looking for his name from a past that should be forgotten and buried. But Manau didn¡¯t understand that at all. [Manau] ¡°To forget¡­¡­¡­.Is that even possible? [ck] ¡°I already have.¡± Squeak. ck stood up, pushing away the chair. [ck] ¡°From what I can remember, you were never the smartest person, but you¡¯ve managed to hide your identity for the past twenty years, so I trust your head¡¯s on right. What you say to Princess Rienne will determine Nauk¡¯s fate.¡± [Manau] ¡°. . .¡± He could tell. It was obvious what would happen to Nauk if ck¡¯s name was ever revealed. Likewise, things might meet a simr end if his own name were ever known, too. Realizing this, Manau nodded his head as if a weight were on it. [Manau] ¡°Alright.¡± [ck] ¡°Don¡¯t overstep your bounds by saying the name I used when I left Nauk.¡± [Manau] ¡°I understand.¡± Hearing that answer, ck turned around without saying anything else. Just as his heavy footsteps approached and stopped at the door, Manau quickly shouted. [Manau] ¡°But don¡¯t kill him!¡± [ck] ¡°¡­¡­.Who?¡± ck turned his head just for a moment. [Manau] ¡°Klimah. He changed his name and became a servant, but originally he was known as the first son of Henton.¡± [ck] ¡°. . .¡± He¡¯d been indifferent and reserved this entire time, but hearing that, ck¡¯s expression slightly distorted. [Klimah] ¡°He¡¯s been manipted by the Kleinfelders and has so much blood on his hands¡­¡­..But you must not kill him, son of Gainers.¡± [ck] ¡°I¡¯ll handle it however I see fit.¡± Leaving behind only those words, ck turned and left the dungeon. After that, a few Tiwakan Mercenaries entered, forcing Manau to his feet. But long before they came, Manau could only cry endlessly with his face buried in his hands. * * * * * [Phermos] ¡°Ah, the Lord went himself?¡± This entire time, Phermos had been busybing through the royal records in the King¡¯s office. Just as he¡¯d promised, he nned to find the one responsible for the missing records on Rienne¡¯s behalf. Then, he made an interesting discovery. Actually, it was fairly surprising Rienne didn¡¯t already know about this, but while Phermos had no intention of breaking his promise, he still wanted to exercise caution. So he decided he should speak with ck about this before Rienne. But when he went looking for him, he was told ck had gone to bring in the old beggar himself. [Phermos] ¡°Hmm¡­. He must have something he wishes to speak with him privately about¡­¡­¡­.No, I shouldn¡¯t even guess at this. Just¡­¡­.Oh, yes. How is the search for the servant going? Have you found him?¡± [Mercenary] ¡°No. He seems to know his way around, so we¡¯re having some trouble tracking him down.¡± [Phermos] ¡°You idiots. What have you been doing all this time? You should know this ce well by now.¡± [Mercenary] ¡°Don¡¯t get too mad at us. Everyone¡¯s doing what they can, but it¡¯s hard topete with someone who¡¯s lived here their entire life. Besides, he was wearing a uniform of the Temple. Someone who doesn¡¯t know what¡¯s going on might¡¯ve been willing to harbor him.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Dammit. This is going to take some time.¡± [Mercenary] ¡°Yeah. Shouldn¡¯t we just put out a bounty for him?¡± [Phermos] ¡°We can¡¯t do that. I know it¡¯s in our nature, but like you said, he¡¯s a man of the Temple. Treating a man of the cloth so roughly in front of others will only put a stain on the name of our Lord.¡± The mercenary gave an annoyed sigh. [Mercenary] ¡°The whole time we¡¯ve been here, it just seems like there¡¯s alwayssomethinggoing wrong.¡± [Phermos] ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. Down to their noses, the head of a mercenarypany and a member of the royal family are just too different¡­¡­..Hm?¡± [Mercenary] ¡°¡­¡­¡­..Sir?¡± Phermos, whose words had been trailing off for a moment, turned his head back as if nothing had happened. [Phermos] ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Just catch him quickly.¡± [Mercenary] ¡°We¡¯ll run until the soles of our shoes arepletely worn.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Please do.¡± With a gesture of his hand, Phermos sent the mercenary on his way. [Phermos] ¡°The royal family¡­¡­..¡± His eyes filled with focus shot through the air,nding on the older royal records. [Phermos] ¡°To be exact, only the records prior to the coronation have been lost. And the Lord once said that Nauk was originally his.¡± Phermos¡¯ finger tapped against the page where Rienne had said some records disappeared. [Phermos] ¡°It makes sense. The missing records must have something to do with the Lord. Princess Rienne hasn¡¯t seen them yet, but¡­¡­should I tell her this? The Lord wouldn¡¯t want it to be known. What should I do¡­¡­.?¡± As Phermos muttered to himself, there was a wave ofplicated thoughts washing over his expression. * * * * * [Rienne] ¡°Ah¡­¡­.I can¡¯t take this anymore.¡± It was impossible for her to pretend to be lying in bed forever. In fact,ying like this just made her back hurt more, so Rienne eventually rolled herself off the nket, pulling up her body. Mrs. mbard, who had just finished boiling and ironing the cotton sheets, put them in the closet and jumped once she noticed Rienne. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Princess! Aren¡¯t there guards outside?¡± [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s fine. They won¡¯t notice anything unless you speak too loudly.¡± Mrs. mbard shot a nce at the tightly closed door with an unsure expression. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°I will be careful, but doesn¡¯t your stomach hurt?¡± [Rienne] ¡°It feels better than usual. The medicine I was given must be working.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Do you know what kind of medicine it was?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I felt very tired after I took it, so it must¡¯ve been some kind of sedative. I¡¯ve beenying in bed doing nothing since this morning because of it. I don¡¯t even what time it is.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°¡­¡­.He was very nice aside from that. Look how much more weight you¡¯ve lost because of that.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Please. I¡¯m stronger than ever.¡± Though, sometimes whenever her sleeves would drop down, she would catch a glimpse of her thin wrists that only seemed to get thinner, but Rienne just ignored it. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Given everything that¡¯s happened, it would be stranger if you didn¡¯t lose weight¡­¡­But, what do you n on doing now? Today¡¯s affairs have only made it harder for you reveal the truth about your pregnancy.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­¡­.That¡¯s true.¡± Rienne was just thinking the same thing. She¡¯d already deceived him so much, but if he were to find outter, he¡¯d only feel more betrayed. [Rienne] ¡°Maybe it would be best to stay quiet.¡± Rienne¡¯s voice became quiet, as if she were mulling something over to herself. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°You don¡¯t know that, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°But you¡¯re also with me, ma¡¯am. If he bes angered, it won¡¯t just be me that pays the price.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Well¡­¡­.Whatever happens, what can we do about it? But I feel sorry for you, Princess¡­¡­¡­.And for him as well.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± When Rienne didn¡¯t say anything back, she continued to speak, cautiously watching her. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°He doesn¡¯t seem cruel enough to do anything like that. There¡¯s no man in this world who would speak of another man¡¯s child like that, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I know.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°So why¡­¡­¡± [Rienne] ¡°But that¡¯s why I¡¯m scared.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°You¡¯re¡­¡­.what? What do you mean?¡± [Rienne] ¡°What does he get by doing all of this?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Princess¡­¡­.¡± The woman blinked aimlessly, as if this were something she had not considered. [Rienne] ¡°If things like this continue to build up and I open myself up to himpletely, I worry about he¡¯ll do then.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°How¡­..could you think such bad things?¡± [Rienne] ¡°How could I not? You saw it for yourself. You saw that man¡¯s subordinate crush away those letters written on the ground.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Yes¡­¡­but it may have been something he chose to do on his own. Or maybe my old eyes saw things incorrectly.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Rienne gave a silent smile. For some reason, the woman was echoing the same things Rienne¡¯s heart was screaming out. She wanted to believe that her deeply running suspicions were baseless. She wanted to trust that he did nothing wrong, and that she just couldn¡¯t believe in him simply because she¡¯d been cornered for so long. [Rienne] ¡°That old man will tell me what I want to know.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°And I hope he does not confirm your fears, Princess.¡± As do I. More than anything. Bang, bang¡ª! Then, she heard a knock at the door. [Mercenary] ¡°Princess, there¡¯s someone here asking to see you.¡± That loud and clear knock was a habit among the Tiwakan Mercenaries. Surprised, Rienne gave a bitter smile and shook her head. [Rienne] ¡°Go answer the door, please. I¡¯m going to pretend I was lying down.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Of course. Please do.¡± But there was no need to lie down. The people who came to see Rienne were not the kind who could be greeted while stuck in bed. * * * * * [Rienne] ¡°I ask for your understanding why we must meet in the reception room rather than the meeting hall. I¡¯m not feeling very well.¡± [Eroiden] ¡°Wepletely understand. They say you are presently carrying the child of a beast within your frail body. It¡¯s only natural you would feel sick.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Though she tried to remain calm, Rienne¡¯s face twisted so quickly it could¡¯ve made a sound. This is how all of them were. Those who came to see her today were two of the six families that signed the Treaty of Risebury. The six families had their own unique differences, but at the end of it all, they were no different from the Kleinfelders. [Rienne] ¡°It seems such a filthy way of speaking was a virtue of the head of the delegation that I wasn¡¯t aware of. Or is this your way of honoring Linden Kleinfelder?¡± [Eroiden] ¡°Wh, what did you say?¡± The head of the House Eroiden raised his voice. [Eroiden] ¡°Where did you learn to speak this this¡­¡­!¡± It was several years ago during a meeting of the nobles that was called in Nauk. Rienne had just been crowned and was sitting on the throne. Suddenly having so many responsibilities thrust onto her, Rienne appeared frightened and withdrawn. Just looking straight at the six nobles, all of which believed her position should be their own, was difficult for her. The Rienne they remembered was a young girl who could barely hold back her tears as she spoke with a trembling voice, saying she would protect the crown. So it was hard for them to eptthisRienne, who sat at the head of the table, casually retorting their words. [Rienne] ¡°Whatever you give, I will return, so think carefully about whom you speak ill of with that mouth of yours.¡± [Eroiden] ¡°You¡­..! In just a few years¡ª!¡± Eroiden widened his eyes, but he was no threat. [Mercenary] ¡°Princess. You called?¡± Because there was always a Tiwakan mercenary around, who was ready with their de drawn the moment things got even a little bit too loud. * * * T/N: (1) The name ¡®Fernand¡¯ when written in the original Korean is pronounced with a ¡®P¡¯ sound, hence why the old man tried writing that particr letter. Also, as a note, the name ¡®Gainers¡¯ should be pronounced like [gai-near-s] Chapter 48 - Conspiracy Chapter 48 | Conspiracy [Rienne] ¡°Oh, I think you may have misheard. You didn¡¯t need toe in.¡± [Mercenary] ¡°But if you want, I can stay by your side. This room¡¯s pretty small, but it would be perfect to practice sword techniques.¡± The mercenary¡¯s way of speaking was very casual considering the time and ce, and it was hard for Rienne to stifle augh. But in the end, she shook her head with a kind and amiable smile. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯ll call on you if I¡¯d like to see your swordsmanship.¡± [Mercenary] ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll be waiting right outside for you.¡± Up until the moment the Tiwakan mercenary left the audience room, the sound of his de continued to ring out in the air. [Eroiden] ¡°To rule with such tyranny¡ª!¡± Eroiden was filled with such anger, he tried to yell, but the nobleman he brought with him quickly moved to stop him. [Noble] ¡°He¡¯s still outside. If you wish to speak, you need to lower your voice.¡± [Eroiden] ¡°Tch¡­..! Where is Lord Kleinfelder? Or have you already executed him?¡± Eroiden looked back at Rienne and clicked his tongue. Given the new circumstances, their attitudes changed a little, but it didn¡¯t change the core of their feelings about Rienne. To that end, both of them brought their plenty of their families¡¯ enlisted soldiers with them. They couldn¡¯t enter the audience room, but they were waiting somewhere else¡ªthe closest room that courtesy would allow them to be in. This was also a right given to them by the Treaty of Risebury. But today, things were different for Rienne. Rienne could easily point out their rudeness without any reservations, all thanks to the Tiwakan mercenary, holding strong just outside the door. Although Rienne still doubted ck, she was able to reap so many benefits from him, not to mention thefort his mere existence brought her. But she was well aware of how inconsistent and selfish her feelings were. [Rienne] ¡°I suppose the time has already passed to tell you two gentlemen that you need to be on your best behavior today. Now that the Tiwakan have be the Guardian Knights of the Arsak family, the demand for courtesy towards royalty has be stricter. Things will be different from before. Oh, and since you¡¯re curious, Lord Kleinfelder¡¯s head is still very much attached.¡± [Eroiden] ¡°Well¡­¡­.Good, then.¡± The men looked at each other before finally turning back to face her. [Rienne] ¡°Now, tell me why you wanted to see me. As you know, I¡¯m not feeling very well so I¡¯d rather not sit here for longer than I have to. Why did youe all this way when the date for the Grand Council hasn¡¯t been set yet?¡± [Eroiden] ¡°This isaboutthe council. Convening it must first be discussed with the head of the aristocratic delegation.¡± Rienne quietly smirked. [Rienne] ¡°You two must¡¯ve really gotten older, for you are making a groundless wish. You do realize what one of the main agendas of the council is for, right?¡± [Eroiden] ¡°I never believed it from the start. We came to assure that you, the daughter of Arsak has no right to charge the head of the Nauk¡¯s delegation with a crime.¡± ¡­¡­¡­They want me to quietly agree and let them go,Rienne thought, all while pondering how she could best convey to them that what they wanted of her was not only impossible butpletely unnecessary. It was a self-centered thought, one she¡¯d never had before, but it was rather enjoyable to say the least. [Rienne] ¡°Is it because of the Treaty of Risebury?¡± [Eroiden] ¡°Exactly.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I see. Are you saying a council wouldn¡¯t be an appropriate course of action? I only wish for the head of the delegation to pay his dues. And you don¡¯t have to worry about evidence, we have plenty of that.¡± With a clearly displeased expression, Eroiden furrowed his grey eyebrows. From what Rienne could remember, Eroiden was half the man Linden Kleinfelder was. He was greedy, stubborn, and the pride he felt in his family was beyond the eptable range. And so, like Linden Kleinfelder, half of everything he did was rooted in disrespect and cunning. [Eroiden] ¡°Then the noble families of the council must reject your request to convene.¡± Even before calling in And, Rienne already knew he¡¯d say something like this. [Rienne] ¡°Oh, then I suppose there¡¯s nothing I can do about that. Alright then, let us pretend no council is called upon.¡± Hearing Rienne so readily agree, the older men looked at each other with confusion. [Eroiden] ¡°Then, Lord Kleinfelder¡­.¡± [Rienne] ¡°With no council, there¡¯s no way to put Linden Kleinfelder¡¯s guilt on trial, so I have no choice but to leave him in the dungeons. When the noble families refuse like this, what else is there for me to do? Even if I wanted to investigate and resolve this crime, that is no longer possible. My apologies to the both of you. I will convey your will to Lord Kleinfelder in the dungeons.¡± [Eroiden] ¡°Princess!¡± Eroiden roared out in seething anger. [Eroiden] ¡°What are you saying now?¡± [Rienne] ¡°The blood of the Arsak family has the right to convene the council, just as you have a right to deny the request, so I¡¯ve been given no choice. I did my best to respect the Treaty of Risebury, so why must I endure such critical remarks from you?¡± [Eroiden] ¡°Respect? Where is the respect in your actions now!?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I consider it very ¡®respectful¡¯ that Linden Kleinfelder still has his head. With what he did, his crime warranted an on the spot execution at the hands of the leader of the Tiwakan.¡± [Noble] ¡°. . .¡± [Eroiden] ¡°¡­¡­.!¡± The older men stayed quiet, her words echoing in their minds and turning them silent. [Rienne] ¡°I understand that there cannot be a council. If you¡¯ve said everything you need to, you may leave now.¡± Rienne gestured her hand, waving it vaguely, showing them she had no intention of hearing anything else. The nobles, watching her quietly, spoke up¡ªalbeit reluctantly. [Eroiden] ¡°We¡­.We didn¡¯t say that exactly. Please don¡¯t misunderstand our words, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Misunderstand? Did you not just tell me you would not consent to the council being called?¡± [Noble] ¡°We merely wished to say that the council is invalid without the will of head of the delegation.¡± As the other noble finally said something, Eroiden started nodded his head with all his might in agreeance with his words. [Eroiden] ¡°That¡¯s right. The decision to convene the council requires the consent of all heads of the families. You understand that, right?¡± Rienne narrowed her eyes, her irritation clear as day. [Rienne] ¡°So what do you want?¡± [Eroiden] ¡°I¡¯ll need to meet with the head of the delegation before making a decision.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Not that it wasn¡¯t irritating before, but now it wasreallyirritating. From her memory, nothing good ever happened when the six families put their heads together. Even thinking about it brought on bouts of unpleasant feelings. Thew was thew, so he couldn¡¯t exactly say no. As Rienne asked of him, the Tiwakan mercenary guided the two nobles down to the dungeons. Both of the nobles argued that they would need an escort with them if they were going to set foot in such a dangerous ce¡ªcausing quite the fuss as they did. Now the procession heading down to the dungeons was pretty sizable. After the mercenary was told to escort them where they wished, he brought along several other mercenaries that easily overshadowed their own personal guards. The moment the nobles saw that, their faces darkened, and even Rienne had to hold her stomach tightly just to keep herself fromughing out loud after she saw it. [Eroiden] ¡°You¡­.How could¡­¡­.you treat me like this¡­¡­¡± The two nobles muttered to themselves all the way down the cramped and steep stairs down to the dungeons. [Mercenary A] ¡°If you have time toin, then walk faster. You have a lot of people walking behind you, you know?¡± But whenever he heard a peep from them, the mercenary would scold them, tapping his hand against the hilt of his de. The nobles had never been treated like this before, and they were so stunned and shocked, they could hardly breathe. Hearing the sound of someone¡¯s de was already terrifying, but even more so if it was in the hands of a Tiwakan mercenary. [Noble] ¡°I, I¡¯ve never gone down this path before¡­¡­¡± [Eroiden] ¡°Exactly. We need to be careful¡­¡­.I feel like I¡¯m going to fall¡­¡­¡­¡± Ame excuse for why they couldn¡¯t walk any faster. [Mercenary A] ¡°Then lie down and roll. If you do it right, it¡¯ll hurt less than falling.¡± The two nobles were given no choice but to bite their anger back and quiet down. If they lost their tempers here, they were certain these beastly men would definitely end up shoving them down the stairs. And they weren¡¯t wrong. The men of the Tiwakan were the kinds of people who would calmly reprimand the nobles only to send them careening down the stairs without even blinking. Thanks to that knowledge, they managed to pick up the pace some. [Mercenary B] ¡°Huh, what the hell? Why are so many peopleing here?¡± And once they arrived at the dungeons, they didn¡¯t receive a warm wee. [Mercenary B] ¡°Are you crazy? How the hell are all these people supposed to move around here?¡± The dungeon itself wasid out across a wide stretch of space, making it fairlyrge, but the passages were very narrow. That design was intended to make any kind of escape difficult. [Mercenary A] ¡°It just ended up this way. I didn¡¯t bring all these people because I wanted to.¡± [Mercenary B] ¡°Well, they can¡¯t alle in.¡± [MercenaryA] ¡°Should we cut up the group and send some outside?¡± [Mercenary B] ¡°That¡¯s too much of a pain. Just toss ¡®em into an empty room and make them wait.¡± [Mercenary A] ¡°Fine then.¡± He didn¡¯t argue much, so their party was divided in the end. There were three soldiers and five Tiwakan mercenaries. Add in the two nobles, and that made for a total of ten people heading off towards the cell where Linden Kleinfelder was being kept. [Mercenary] ¡°Here it is.¡± The door to the prison cell guarded by two guards was opened. It was so small that ten people could certainly not all fit. [Eroiden] ¡°Now that these two noble elders and the head of the delegation have gathered, this room is no different from a convention of aristocrats. Those who do not fit into those qualifications must leave the room.¡± As soon as the prison cell was opened, Eroiden miraculously found his voice¡ªputting forth the authority he honestly forgot he had for a moment. And the Tiwakan didn¡¯t feel like arguing with him. [Mercenary] ¡°If you want. But we¡¯ll be keeping the window open.¡± It wasn¡¯t an actual ¡®window¡¯ but rather just the hole in the door where food would be filtered through to the prisoners. [Eroiden] ¡°What do you mean? What¡¯s the point in leavingthatopen?¡± [Mercenary] ¡°Would you rather I kept the door open, instead?¡± [Eroiden] ¡°What nonsense!?¡± [Mercenary] ¡°Those are the rules of the dungeon. If you don¡¯t like it, you can just leave.¡± [Eroiden] ¡°How ridiculous! What rules!?¡± [Mercenary] ¡°Oh, they¡¯re new. Now that the Tiwakan is in charge of guarding Castle Nauk, we made some new rules to avoid idents.¡± It was possible these mercenaries were just making things up on the spot, but Eroiden had no way of knowing for certain. But he also knew that continuing to argue with them wouldn¡¯t work. Looking back at the three soldiers with him that weren¡¯t mercenaries, Eroiden sighed. [Eroiden] ¡°¡­¡­.Fine. Open the door.¡± [Mercenary] ¡°I was gonna do that without you telling me. Tch.¡± At the gesture of the mercenary, the guards opened up the prison door locked by chains. * * * * * [Eroiden] ¡°Lord Kleinfelder!¡± [Noble] ¡°What on earth happened? I can¡¯t believe they¡¯ve imprisoned you!¡± Linden Kleinfelder¡¯s face muscles barely moved as he looked at the noble¡¯s eyes, ncing down at him in shock. [Linden] ¡°¡­¡­Took your sweet time getting here.¡± The nobles¡¯ eyes trembled as Linden used them of being too slow, but it wasn¡¯t as though his appearance right now was any better. It was equally as embarrassing. The arrogant and blunt noble of Nauk was lying on the prison floor, both of his hands horribly mangled. There were splints keeping them in ce, but they were done so carelessly, it was likely they weren¡¯t even done by a proper doctor. It was their first time seeing a noble Kleinfelder in such a sorry state. [Eroiden] ¡°What are you saying¡­¡­.We came all this way to such a dangerous ce just to meet you.¡± [Linden] ¡°You were obligated toe! Do you know what it means for me to be stuck here!? The Tiwakan are going to overthrow this entire kingdom and swallow itpletely! Do you think you¡¯ll be safe during all that!?¡± Eroiden jolted back, pointing at the door behind him. [Eroiden] ¡°Sire, you must speak quietly. The window is open.¡± [Linden] ¡°You think I don¡¯t know that? If I didn¡¯t, you¡¯d be implying my head is merely made of stone¡ªnot made for thinking at all.¡± [Eroiden] ¡°Sire, what are you saying!? Besides us, is there anyone else who would take your side now?¡± [Linden] ¡°Your face doesn¡¯t look sincere enough to be thinking that. Or did youe here to the dungeons empty handed?¡± [Eroiden] ¡°What¡­..what are you saying¡­¡­¡± But Linden Kleinfelder had a n. Now that he finally had a visitor, he couldn¡¯t let this opportunity pass him by. Linden frowned, beckoning the nobleman who had apanied Eroiden closer. [Linden] ¡°Can¡¯t you see what kind of treatment I¡¯ve been given here? What I wouldn¡¯t do for a well-baked piece of bread!¡± Reading the air, the nobleman noticed what Linden was doing and approached. He quickly put his mouth to his ear, quietly whispering. [Linden] ¡®¡­¡­¡­.Hurry and go¡­¡­and then¡­¡­¡­you need to¡­¡­¡¯(1) Hearing his words, the nobleman pulled back in surprise, his mouth agape in utter shock. [Noble] ¡°What¡­¡­¡­..?¡± [Linden] ¡°If you understand, then go and get me something good to eat! Don¡¯t be so stupid andzy! If something happens to me, the aristocratic delegation is finished!¡± Linden yelled out in anger, as if trying to clear away his whispers. Eroiden didn¡¯t know what to say, his face red in confusion. [Eroiden] ¡°¡­¡­..Oh, I see. You must be tired, so I will work very hard to do that.¡± Eroiden¡¯s words were very obedient, his eyes wide and his voice elevated. [Noble] ¡°Oh, but¡­¡­.? We¡¯re just going to leave like this? But what about the council? We need to discuss the council!¡± The other noble grabbed at Eroiden, who was acting a little senseless. [Eroiden] ¡°That¡¯s not the issue right now. The head of the delegation is tired and his head doesn¡¯t seem to be working properly right now, so we must fill his stomach first¡­¡­¡­..Hello! Open the door! We¡¯re leaving!¡± The prison door opened slowly. [Mercenary] ¡°You¡¯re leaving already? Aftering all this way?¡± The window was open, so he would¡¯ve heard everything anyway, but the mercenary just wanted to tease him for a little bit. [Eroiden] ¡°We¡¯re already done. Now hurry and take us out.¡± [Mercenary] ¡°Oh, I thought you guys must¡¯ve been real good friends if you came to visit him, but I guess not.¡± Then, the door opened and the two nobles were tempted to fall to their knees before beginning their ascent back up the stairs. Later that night, a basket of food was delivered from House Eroiden to the dungeon. That was the moment that the mercenaries developed a new rule on the spot that prohibited the sending of food to prisoners being held in the dungeons. The errand boy of House Eroiden was forced to make the long journey home, his shoulders drooping the whole way there. * * * T/N: (1) This is a purposefully fragmented sentence. You¡¯re not supposed to know what he asked. Chapter 49 - Revenge and a Marriage Proposal Chapter 49 | Revenge and a Marriage Proposal [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± [Beggar] ¡°. . .¡±(1) A distinct silence flowed between them as Rienne went to speak with the old man. Both the reception room and the meeting hall were too inconvenient of rooms for an elderly man with bad legs to be in, since there were no seats there besides the ones meant for nobility. But just as ck promised, he allowed her meet the old man, closing the door behind him as he left. Rienne stared quietly into the old man¡¯s one eye until she was absolutely certain they were alone. ¡­¡­He isn¡¯t wounded. Noticing that, she could at the very least conclude that ck hadn¡¯t tortured the man into staying silent or doing something against his will. Rienne¡¯s lips tensed. I must really not trust that man much. But despite such a contradicting feeling, shewantedto trust him, so she had to pay attention to even the smallest of things. She wanted to be rid of every doubt that lived in her heart. [Rienne] ¡°I know you have something you wish to tell me. This is a ce where no can hear you but me, so you can speak freely.¡± [Beggar] ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± The old man¡¯s lips tensed, a small sound barely escaping him. [Rienne] ¡°The daughter of Arsak is a sinner, and so she will bleed. He will take revenge. Isn¡¯t that what you said to me?¡± [Beggar] ¡°. . .¡± [Rienne] ¡°Tell me what that means. What did I do to be called a sinner?¡± [Beggar] ¡°. . .¡± But the old man didn¡¯t wish to speak. [Rienne] ¡°I cannot allow you to leave this ce alive if you don¡¯t answer. You will remain here until your death¡ªuntil only bones remain.¡± It was a cruel threat, saying she would not even allow him a grave, but she couldn¡¯t relent until she got answers. [Beggar] ¡°Arsak¡­¡­..brought the drought¡­¡­..to Nauk¡­¡­..Is a sinner¡­¡­.¡± Finally, the old man pulled his lips apart. [Rienne] ¡°Keep going.¡± [Beggar] ¡°So many¡­¡­..deaths¡­¡­the blood washed away¡­..by Arsak¡¯s sin¡­¡­.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What?¡± Rienne instinctively frowned. That was a phrase she¡¯d heard some people say. During the reign of the previous king, the drought continued for a very long time, and there were some who believed that it was caused by a sin of the king, or that it was a curse from God. Over the past twenty years, such words were hardly said anymore, but that didn¡¯t mean they hadpletely disappeared. [Beggar] ¡°One day¡­..God¡­¡­will take vengeance¡­¡­¡± [Rienne] ¡°You dare lie to me.¡± Rienne red at him. [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s not what you said when you first spoke to me. You said that the daughter of Arsak would bleed because of revenge.Revenge done unto us by a god is not one that would cause that kind punishment. This kind of revenge belongs to someone human.¡± [Beggar] ¡°Lies¡­¡­God¡­..seeks revenge against¡­¡­.Arsak.¡± [Rienne] ¡°You recognized Lord Tiwakan.¡± [Beggar] ¡°. . .¡± Rienne caught a glimpse of what looked like shock in the old man¡¯s trembling eyes. [Rienne] ¡°How do you know Lord Tiwakan? Did you know him from when he was a child?¡± [Beggar] ¡°. . .¡± [Rienne] ¡°What is Lord Tiwakan¡¯s name?¡± [Beggar] ¡°. . .¡± The old man stared at Rienne with his mouth tightly shut. Though she couldn¡¯t be certain, his gaze seemed to be asking if she could handle the truth if she knew it. [Rienne] ¡°Answer me.¡± Rienne bit back the anxiety that twisted in her stomach. Please tell me the truth. Whatever it may be, I will listen. I need to know who this man is. [Beggar] ¡°Henton.¡± A word too clear in contrast to the rest of his words echoed from the old man¡¯s mouth. For a second, she even thought someone else might¡¯ve spoken. [Rienne] ¡°Henton?¡± It was a name she¡¯d never heard before. [Beggar] ¡°He¡¯s¡­¡­Henton¡¯s¡­¡­¡­Second¡­..son¡­¡± [Rienne] ¡°Are you saying that¡¯s Lord Tiwakan?¡± [Beggar] ¡°. . .¡± The old man mmed up again. But he seemed as though he said what he needed to say, so Rienne decided to take his word for it. [Rienne] ¡°Okay. I have one final question.¡± With a silent nod, the old man kept still. After revealing what truth he knew, it was like he decided there was no further point in staying silent. [Rienne] ¡°Why did you hit the servant, Klimah?¡± [Beggar] ¡°I¡­¡­¡± [Rienne] ¡°Yes?¡± [Beggar] ¡°Saw him¡­..put the body¡­¡­.in the coffin.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Ah¡­¡­.¡± So the servant, Klimah reallywasthe murderer, which likely meant he was just anotherckey of the Kleinfelders, carrying out whatever dirty deeds they required of him, including assassinations. Realizing this, Rienne remembered how Klimah looked the day she saw him, bleeding from the wounds on his body. He said he needed to pray for atonement. So¡­.that was probably why. But it didn¡¯t suit him at all. He was filled with so much guilt over what he did that he wanted to be beaten and have his body whipped, so what was prompting him to act as an assassin for the Kleinfelders? [Rienne] ¡°Thank you for answering. You may go wherever you wish now. If you require a ce to stay, I can prepare amodations for you in the castle. Or is there somewhere else you would like to go?¡± [Beggar] ¡°¡­¡­..A grave.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± She thought she misheard him, but apparently not. [Beggar] ¡°I am going¡­..to die soon¡­¡­¡­I don¡¯t need to befortable¡­¡­¡± After saying that, the old man took a single step on the floor, pushing down with his cane and raising his body up with great difficulty. It was an action that said more about his decision than a hundred words could¡¯ve. Though she could provide him with a soft bed toy his head, the old man would never be content with it. [Rienne] ¡°I hope you find the peace you¡¯re looking for at the end of your journey.¡± Rienne stood up from her chair, leaving the old man. As she left, the door remained open behind her, and she¡¯d hoped the sight would give the old man even a little bit offort. * * * * * Even though she got the answer she was looking for, for some reason she felt very dissatisfied¡ªlike there was something deeply unsettled inside of her. Rienne kept on her toes, walking towards the back courtyard. It was still such a dreary and deste ce. Rienne thought back on what she¡¯d heard, walking slowly in the garden where only pointed thorn bushes could growfortably. [Rienne] ¡°Henton, Henton, Henton¡­¡­..¡± She thought about it over and over, but it still wasn¡¯t a name that¡¯d she heard before. But she couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that it was familiar to her. They weren¡¯t mentioned in the records, so they were likely a small family. So even if they were to disappearpletely one day, no one would remember them. [Rienne] ¡°No¡­..The old man remembered them.¡± When she thought about that old man and his broken body, she knew it had nothing to do with her, but she felt weirdly responsible. The same was true of that servant. [Rienne] ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have just let him leave.¡± She should¡¯ve given him something. Food, clothing¡ªanything. Rienne turned entirely on her heel. ¡­¡­And that¡¯s when she noticed someone approaching her. It was ck. As soon as she saw him, it was as though all other thoughtspletely vanished. If someone were to paint her a picture of her mind and the things that upied it, Rienne would never believe it. Because in her mind,pared to ck, everything else was just a small dot. [Rienne] ¡°How¡­..How did you know I was here?¡± Rienne stood still, patiently waiting until he got closer. [ck] ¡°I saw you.¡± [Rienne] ¡°From where?¡± [ck] ¡°From the eastern tower.¡± That meant he¡¯d been watching her from the moment she stepped out of the audience room. [ck] ¡°This ce is still dangerous so I wanted to stop you froming here, but you seemed lost in thought.¡± [Rienne] ¡°So¡­.you were waiting here?¡± [ck] ¡°Yes.¡± How could this man¡­¡­soeasilysay things that were for her sake like that? Suddenly Rienne felt too embarrassed to look at his face for some reason, nervously tapping against the ground with the tips of her feet. [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s not dangerous here. It¡¯s just the garden.¡± [ck] ¡°This was where you were attacked with an arrow. That means there¡¯s a passage here that leads to the outside.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Well¡­ I don¡¯t really know anything like that¡­.about Castle Nauk.¡± Seeing Rienne¡¯s surprised face, ck lifted up his hand and pointed straight ahead. [ck] ¡°I found one here. Better safe than sorry. Were you on your way back?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Yes. I feel bad that I just let the old man leave.¡± [ck] ¡°If that¡¯s the case, you don¡¯t have to go. Phermos will take care of it.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I wanted to give him something to eat.¡± [ck] ¡°Alright.¡± It was a short reply, saying she didn¡¯t need to worry about anything because he would take care of it for her. Feeling a sense of relief, Rienne let out a soft sigh. [Rienne] ¡°Thank you. You even do things like this for me.¡± [ck] ¡°I¡¯m just following your lead, Princess¡­¡­¡­¡­Do you want to take a walk?¡± Rienne looked down at the arm he held out towards her. His intention was clear. All she had to do was link her arm with his, stick their shoulders side by side, and walk with him like a pair of sweet lovers¡ªsimply strolling around the garden while chatting about nothing. ¡­¡­..But was that even possible? Was she ready to shake off all her doubts about this man? [Rienne] ¨C¡®Prove to me you¡¯ll do anything. So that I can trust you.¡¯ [ck] ¨C¡®You can¡¯t break your promise, Princess.¡¯ That was thest conversation they had. From the moment Rienne asked to speak with the old man, the result was already decided. Even if her heart was still heavy and uncertain, Riennehadto keep her promise. [Rienne] ¡°I heard about your name, Lord Tiwakan.¡± Rienne hesitated, reaching out and putting her hand on ck¡¯s arm. Once ck turned around and started walking, the two naturally started walking side by side. [Rienne] ¡°The old man knew who you were.¡± [ck] ¡°And what did he say?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Please tell me, Lord Tiwakan.¡± Please tell me your name. Who youreallyare. [ck] ¡°¡­¡­¡­.Henton.¡± And after a long silence, when he finally spoke, the same name came out. So, did that mean it was real? ck wasn¡¯t lying to her, right? [ck] ¡°That was my name just before I left thisnd.¡± [Rienne] ¡°And¡­¡­Did you change your name?¡± [ck] ¡°Not exactly. But after I left, it didn¡¯t really matter what name I was called by.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Rienne didn¡¯t know what the life of a mercenary was like, but she knew that children could not enter their ranks. ck must have gone through so much¡ªa lot of which he wasn¡¯t telling her. [Rienne] ¡°Please tell me more. When you say your family was killed, were you talking about your father?¡± [ck] ¡°Yes.¡± There was no particr feeling behind his casual response. He was talking like he was speaking of someone else¡¯s past, or like it had happened so long ago that mentioning it now was pointless. [Rienne] ¡°Do you know¡­..who killed him?¡± [ck] ¡°I was young at the time, so I don¡¯t know the specifics of why it happened. I only remember the pattern I saw on the gauntlets of those who killed my father.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What was it?¡± [ck] ¡°It was a pattern of leaves.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­¡­!¡± Rienne stopped walking. [Rienne] ¡°If they were leaves then¡­¡­.¡± Laurel leaves were the symbol of the Kleinfelder family. Their soldiers and gs were always adorned with aurel leaf pattern. Even Rafit tied leaves on the back of his arrows to follow with the family¡¯s tradition. [Rienne] ¡°Then¡­.¡± Ovee with shock, Rienne¡¯s body staggered. ck¡¯s enemy was the Kleinfelder family. The eldest son of the Kleinfelder family was her lover for a time, and in order to escape ck¡¯s proposal, she told him she was pregnant with his child. But his family was killed by those of the Kleinfelder family¡­. And he believed Rienne to be carrying a child of Kleinfelder blood in her womb. Rafit told her that ck was there to take revenge, and then he ended up proposing. Revenge. And a marriage proposal. Two concepts that could never be united were suddenly bing one because of the Kleinfelders¡ªbecause he thought she might end up actually bing a wife of the Kleinfelder family, all while pregnant with a child of Kleinfelder blood.(2) [ck] ¡°This is why I didn¡¯t say anything. I was afraid you might react like this.¡± ck reached out, supporting Rienne¡¯s swaying body. [Rienne] ¡°Then why¡­..When this child is¡­¡­¡± [ck] ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter who the child is.¡± [Rienne] ¡°But¡­..why!?¡± [ck] ¡°Do I need to repeat myself?¡± ck held out his hand, brushing aside the messy hair from Rienne¡¯s forehead, his tone indicating that he¡¯d said this more than once before. [ck] ¡°I wanted you, Princess, more than I wanted revenge. You said you didn¡¯t want me to kill the Kleinfelder, so I left him alive. Do you really find that so hard to believe?¡± [Rienne] ¡°That doesn¡¯t¡­¡­make any sense¡­¡­.How can that¡­..be possible¡­¡­.?¡± [ck] ¡°Ever since I left Nauk, I never stayed in one ce for long. That became even truer after I took on the name of Tiwakan.¡± Brushing her hair to the side, ck ran his thumb against her exposed forehead as he held her face in his hand. [ck] ¡°After the war came to an end, I needed a home to return to. Not just a ce where I had a roof over my head, but somewhere I could truly call my home.¡± It was the strangest thing. She was a woman he believed to be carrying the blood of his enemy inside of her, and yet his touch was just as sweet and kind as it always was. [ck] ¡°For me, you are the closest thing I have to a home. Even if you weren¡¯t a princess, I would¡¯ve still remembered you as my fianc¨¦e.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­..How can you¡­..¡± [ck] ¡°I¡¯m not very good at exining things. I was hoping my name would never be known because that would¡¯ve justplicated my already clumsy excuses. And I still think that. If at all possible, I would¡¯ve kept it hidden. I wanted to stay in that moment forever.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Rienne lifted up her head, looking at him with eyes that were asking what he meant bythatmoment. [ck] ¡°The moment when I open my eyes, the first thing I see is you by my side, Princess. Where I can kiss you without permission¡ªwithout even thinking about it.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± [ck] ¡°That was the home I always imagined.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± * * * T/N: (1) The beggar¡¯s name was revealed in a previous chapter, but considering Rienne isn¡¯t aware of his name, I referred to him as the ¡®beggar¡¯ in this section for his name card (the raws also consistently call him the ¡®old/older man¡¯ here as well to reflect that Rienne doesn¡¯t know him) (2) The implication is that ck proposed to Rienne with the express purpose of taking her (and her child) away from Rafit as a form of revenge. Chapter 50 - Homecoming Chapter 50 | Homing Rienne closed her eyes. That moment was very dear to her as well. Though she had lived in the wide open Castle Nauk since she was very young, it did not feel like a home. It was too big and empty. It was only after ck came in and filled that empty void that the castle started to feel full again. Like a real home. Rienne reached out, tugging the hem of ck¡¯s clothing with a trembling hand. [Rienne] ¡°Is that¡­¡­even possible?¡± [ck] ¡°It is. If you want it, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I¡­..Even if I wanted it, I would have no right. I still can¡¯t allow you to hurt the Kleinfelders¡­..¡± [ck] ¡°I have no interest in killing them for revenge.¡± [Rienne] ¡°But how is that possible? Your father was killed right in front of your eyes. And your name was stripped from you for so long.¡± [ck] ¡°I desire a home more than that. If giving up revenge is a way of getting that, it¡¯s a simple choice for me.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­..That can¡¯t be. You¡­.can¡¯t¡­.¡± [ck] ¡°What makes you so certain?¡± ck smiled. [ck] ¡°Imagine you¡¯re eight years old, Princess. You have nothing left and your entire body is in pain, but you can¡¯t stop moving because you¡¯re terrified someone might be right behind you, hunting you down.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± [ck] ¡°You¡¯re so hungry and cold that you end uping down with a fever. And as your body trembles and shakes, you start to pointlessly imagine things. In that moment, what do you think you would want the most?¡± She couldn¡¯t answer. Rienne had never suffered such an ordeal, so she wasn¡¯t qualified to answer his question. [ck] ¡°At that point, more than anything, all I wanted was a home.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­I¡­¡­¡± Rienne took a step forward, burying her face in ck¡¯s chest. She wanted to look up at him and see his face, but at the same time she didn¡¯t. She was afraid if she looked at him now, it would be too easy to see his eight year old self. [Rienne] ¡°If I still can¡¯t believe in you¡­¡­what would happen then?¡± [ck] ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡­..But it probably won¡¯t make much of a difference.¡± ck lifted up his hand, gently stroking Rienne¡¯s head. As he did, he lowered his head, his mouth tensing. Then, he spoke softly with his lips against her ear. [ck] ¡°You promised you would ept me, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°But I may not be able to, no matter how hard I try.¡± [ck] ¡°No. You said you would. So starting today, both you and I will return to that moment, Princess. You will sleep in the same bed as me and once you open your eyes, you¡¯ll have to ept the kisses I give you.¡± [Rienne] ¡°And if I still can¡¯t trust you?¡± [ck] ¡°I can wait. While we live together, if nothing happens by the time you be a grandmother, then you¡¯ll be able to believe in me.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Hearing such wordsing from him, she could hold back her tears anymore. Rienne wrapped her arms around ck in a hug. And in response, ck held Rienne¡¯s body close to his, kissing her on the top of her head. [Rienne] ¡°A grandmother¡­¡­You¡¯re thinking too far ahead.¡± [ck] ¡°All humans grow old.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Still¡­¡­..I hate thinking about that already.¡± [ck] ¡°Is that so?¡± With a careful and gentle motion, ck nestled his face against the soft hair atop Rienne¡¯s head. [ck] ¡°It makes me happy to hear you hate something, Princess.¡± She said she didn¡¯t like it when he asked for permission before kissing her, and now she was telling him to stop imagining her as an olddy so early on. Like a quiet andfortable quarrel between a pair of passionate yet endearing lovers. [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­.I feel the same.¡± [ck] ¡°I haven¡¯t said I hate anything.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I know. But¡­¡­¡­.I¡¯m happy.¡± I¡¯m happy that you don¡¯t hate anything about me. She told him to keep his most hated enemy alive, and that she would eventually give birth to a child that would share such wretched blood, but that wasn¡¯t enough to make him hate her. It didn¡¯t make any sense, so she ended up doubting him to the point ofpletely turning everything upside down. But still, he didn¡¯t feel any contempt towards her. She felt such deep shame, but she also felt so happy. ck seemed to understand the words Rienne kept deep inside. He pulled back from her suddenly, only to just as quickly swallow her lips. The kiss that seemed to sting upon her lips was frighteningly sweet. * * * * * [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s a good thing I took your advice, ma¡¯am.¡± Rienne took her hands off the hem of ck¡¯s wedding attire. The hem needed to be adjusted and embroidered quite a bit, but Mrs. mbard insisted that they should use more expensive fabric on it because it would work well as a gift. Looking at the finished product, she was amazed at how well it turned out. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Doesn¡¯t the embroidery look so much better like this? Of course it does. Well done, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°It looks wonderful.¡± Rienne¡¯s cheeks naturally blushed for a moment, imagining how well ck would look wearing these clothes. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Did something good happen, Princess?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Ah, sorry?¡± Her thoughts were a bit all over the ce, causing Rienne to look back at Mrs. mbard with a confused expression. [Rienne] ¡°Something good? Why do you ask?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Yourplexion looks very different from this morning.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Oh¡­..¡± It was a bit awkward¡­¡­knowing it was showing on her face so obviously. [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s because¡­..I think the misunderstandings have been resolved.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°There was a misunderstanding, Princess?¡± As the woman¡¯s face quickly changed, Rienne realized she must¡¯ve taken her words differently. [Rienne] ¡°No, not with us, ma¡¯am¡­¡­.I mean with Lord Tiwakan.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Oh¡­¡­? Did you really? Then, if the situation has been resolved¡­¡­..¡± [Rienne] ¡°Yes.¡± Turning her gaze slightly away, there was a shy smile on Rienne¡¯s face. [Rienne] ¡°Lord Tiwakan has no intention of taking revenge. I didn¡¯t believe him at first, but it made more sense when he exined it to me.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Is that so? Can you believe something so grand¡­..simply by taking his word for it?¡± [Rienne] ¡°That was why he was hiding it. He must¡¯ve known that words alone wouldn¡¯t be enough.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Oh, so that¡¯s what happened. Did the old man who was brought to the castle tell you something helpful?¡± [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s¡­..¡± Thinking about the old man, there were still a few things that didn¡¯t make any sense. He said it was the Arsak family, not the Kleinfelders, who were the source of the revenge that would lead to bloodshed. He said it was because of the drought, but it felt like he was talking around the truth. But looking at things more rationally, she wondered if it was even possible for such a sick and begging old man to know the truth of what the Kleinfelders had done. Perhaps the old man was only privy to the fact that the Henton family was wiped out and only their youngest son managed to escape the carnage. Maybe he was an acquaintance or a distant rtive of the Henton family? It was possible he was simply turning to me others because he couldn¡¯t bring himself to ept the truth of what happened. There were people like that who existed. [Rienne] ¡°Yes. He remembered Lord Tiwakan¡¯s old name.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Oh my. So he reallywasfrom Nauk?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Yes.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Then, the talks of the engagement with you, Princess¡­¡­¡­¡± [Rienne] ¡°I don¡¯t think those conversations were ever made official. They likely weren¡¯t a well-known family, so perhaps they were only hoping for a betrothal¡­¡­Hm. Maybe that¡¯s how they managed to attract the ire of the Kleinfelders.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Excuse me? Did you say the Kleinfelders?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I think the Kleinfelders were responsible for the destruction of the Henton family.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Henton¡­¡­?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Yes. That was Lord Tiwakan¡¯s family. Do you know of them?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°No, I don¡¯t¡­..but they sound strangely familiar. Henton¡­¡­..I wonder if my son might know. Ever since he was young, he had a knack for memorizing every little thing.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Oh, you mentioned before he was in the Kingdom of Sharka?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Yes, he went to go study there. He said he would be a schr and do some research using royal grants. I¡¯m sure he doesn¡¯t ever dream of returning to Nauk now. My son likely intends to die as a citizen of the Kingdom of Sharka.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­.You must miss him a lot.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°All children are like that. Most men do not regard the ce they were born as a home, but would rather go out and find a ce of their own.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Is that so?¡± Hearing those words filled her with a strange feeling. When that man told her that she was the closest thing he had to the home he desired, a conflicting sensation of warmth and pain spread through her. It was like he was saying that after wandering for so long with such an injured and exhausted body, thatshewas his destination. Those words were so heavy and they meant so much. ¡­¡­..But what about me? Meanwhile, she¡¯d been lying to that man this whole time just to protect what was hers. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°But Princess, I don¡¯t quite understand.¡± Though they fell off topic for a moment talking about her son, the conversation was quickly brought back to its original ce. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°If House Kleinfelder is his enemy, then aren¡¯t his intentions behind why he proposed to you too obvious? And the child¡­¡­.He must know it¡¯s part of the Kleinfelder bloodline.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking. I had the exact same thought.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Was that not his intent?¡± [Rienne] ¡°He said he didn¡¯t want to lose me because of revenge.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°That¡¯s¡­.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I told him that the Kleinfelders could not die. If that happened, the other nobles wouldn¡¯t stand idly by and Nauk would be torn in half by the ensuing war.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°¡­¡­..Then you should tell him.¡± Listening carefully to Rienne¡¯s exnation, the woman spoke firmly. [Rienne] ¡°What do you mean?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Tell him you were never pregnant with a child of the Kleinfelders.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Oh¡­¡­¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Say it now, Princess. That way, you¡¯ll be able to concretely know what he is thinking. If he is willing to set aside his grudges for you, Princess, then he will simply be happy to know you are not having a child, no?¡± She wasn¡¯t wrong. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°But on the other hand, if he truly wished to bring harm to the child, then his true nature would then be revealed.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­You¡¯re right.¡± But there was still something that was weighing on her heart. After she told him, he¡¯d know she¡¯d been lying to him this entire time¡­¡­¡­He would probably feel disappointed or even betrayed. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°And even ignoring all of that, it¡¯s quite the blow to him. Imagine how he must feel, setting aside such an intense hatred for that family just for your sake, Princess. And if he really cares for you, then aren¡¯t the other emotions he must endure even more painful? Being forced to raise the child of his enemy as his own? It¡¯s too horrible to even think about.¡± [Rienne] ¡°You¡¯re very right. I¡¯m doing something truly awful to him.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°So tell the truth as soon as possible.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­Yes. I think that would be best.¡± The woman patted Rienne on the back of her hand, showing a face that expressed relief that she had finally made her choice. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Yes, please do it. I¡¯m sure it will go well.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I know.¡± She felt a little worried¡­¡­..but she had to say it. Shehadto. That man was doing something that no other man could easily do. Even if he kept saying it was fine, that didn¡¯t mean it wasn¡¯t hard. Steeling her heart, Rienne nodded her head. Then, she and Mrs. mbard carefully wrapped up the wedding attire that they had finishedst minute, putting a clean cloth around it and tucking it away in a closet, getting ready for the night. * * * * * [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Why are you taking out another nket, Princess?¡± Rienne paused at the sudden question curiously posed by the woman. It was a very ufortable question. [Rienne] ¡°Ah, well¡­¡­¡­.We decided to sleep in the same bed starting from today.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Excuse me?¡± [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s a bitplicated to exin¡­¡­.But¡­..There is a reason for it.¡± It would be too hard to exin and even harder to understand all the promises that were involved in this. It wasn¡¯t because she was embarrassed or too ashamed to say it. It was just that she and ck shared a tower of emotions with each other. It would be unreasonable to suddenly point to the top and ask someone to understand when they hadn¡¯t seen the process of building it. [Rienne] ¡°Lord Tiwakan in no way covets my body, so you don¡¯t need to worry about that, ma¡¯am.¡±(1) [Mrs. mbard] ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I meant.¡± The woman shook her head nervously. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°What right do I have to nag those who have already arranged their marriage about sharing a bed? I only thought to mention that you are presently dealing with your monthly visitor right now, Princess, so it might be better to avoid sleeping together.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Ah¡­..¡± With the unexpected reminder of the equally unexpected problem, Rienne frowned. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m in no pain because of the medicine, so it must¡¯ve slipped my mind.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Oh dear.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What should I do?¡± After thinking about it for a moment, Mrs. mbard nodded her head. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Actually, this works out perfectly for you. You are going to tell him everything tonight. Say that you are not pregnant, and that everything was simply due to your time of the month.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Oh¡­.I suppose I should.¡± I don¡¯t think I¡¯m mentally prepared for that. But I shouldn¡¯t dy any longer¡­¡­..Right? * * * T/N: (1) The raws use the exact terminology of ¡®stealing¡¯ her body, i.e forcing himself on her. Chapter 51 - In This Moment Chapter 51 | In This Moment Mrs. mbard held onto Rienne, her face and voice both incredibly serious. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°And I¡¯ll tell you this because you don¡¯t have any experience, Princess, but it isn¡¯t a good idea to have sex during this time of the month. No matter how tempting it may be to indulge in each other¡¯s bodies, you must avoid it. Do you understand?¡± Rienne was so shocked to hear the word ¡®sex¡¯ so bluntly, that she shook her head as though she were stunned, and her eyes looked around, not sure where to settle. [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s not why we¡¯re doing this. It¡¯s far too sudden for something like that.¡± Now Mrs. mbard was making a strange face. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°I¡¯m sorry? Then why are you sharing a bed tonight?¡± Whether it be married members of the royal family or anymon noble couple, unless they intended to engage in physical rtions, there was no need for them to share a bed. There were cases where their bedrooms were side by side, but it wasn¡¯tmon in the slightest for them to regrly share a room. Something like that was viewed as being only for the poor folk who could not afford to have separate bedrooms. So what Rienne was saying right now was very strange. [Rienne] ¡°Because¡­.it¡¯s nice?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Who said that? Did he?¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­.Yes.¡± Tch,the woman clicked her tongue. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Goodness, you are too na?ve, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What do you mean?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Would he really be satisfied withjustsleeping in the same bed?¡± [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s possible¡­¡­..¡± That¡¯s how it was for her, at least. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Well, there are rumors saying he prefers men, though I don¡¯t know that much about it.¡± [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s just a rumor.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°I don¡¯t know, Princess. With what you¡¯re saying, there may be some truth to it.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± That wasn¡¯t it. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then I¡¯m just worrying over nothing. I¡¯ll finish talking here and leave you to rest. Please sleepfortably tonight, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Rienne stayed silent until the woman left her bedroom. She felt if she tried to open her mouth, she¡¯d only end uping out feeling very embarrassed. Especially if she tried to refute her words with examples of things that happened in the past. * * * * * She couldn¡¯t find the best position for their pillows. Rienne turned them over again and again, listening to the faint sound of watering from the bathroom. If their pillows were too close, she¡¯d feel really shy but if she set them too far apart, then he might think she was pushing him away or refusing him. Then at some point, she felt very weird inside. ¡­¡­What am I doing? They¡¯re just pillows. Fluff. Fluff. Rienne gently dropped the pillow back down, which was now a little deted because of how much she was manhandling it. [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­.But that looks too far apart.¡± She took the pillows and narrowed the distance between them. [Rienne] ¡°Alright, that¡¯s it. I won¡¯t mess with them anymore.¡± Rienne lifted up the edge of the nket and slipped herself inside. And just as she did, the sound of water stopped. It wouldn¡¯t be long until ck came in, smelling fresh like water. ¡­..All of the sudden, it felt like she didn¡¯t have enough air. She wasn¡¯t thinking about anything, but her cheeks were still flushed. Rienne pulled the nket over her head, covering her face. Badum. Badum¡­. Time came to a crawl, and she could hear every second being lulled along by the beating of her heart. As time slowed, so did her eyes, gentlying to a sleepy close. Squeak. And if it hadn¡¯t been for the small sound of a door opening, she probably would¡¯ve fallen asleep. [ck] ¡°¡­¡­.This is a little¡­.¡± Now I¡¯m thinking something bad. For a brief moment, Rienne thought she heard him mutter that to himself. But just as she opened her eyes to ask him what was wrong¡ª [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­..!¡± The nket that was covering her face was quickly pulled down, and as soon as her face was revealed, she felt the sensation of him pressing his lips against hers. [ck] ¡°I know you¡¯re not asleep.¡± ck muttered, gently tugging at her bottom lip in a way that only tickled. [ck] ¡°Open your eyes.¡± Then she felt him sweetly wrapped his hands around the sides of her face. She listened, quietly opening her eyes, but she didn¡¯t realize how close he would be. She was so embarrassed, she just wanted to close them again. [Rienne] ¡°I wasn¡¯t pretending to sleep¡­¡­.¡± Rienne¡¯s voice was as quiet as a whisper. Though it didn¡¯t matter that she was quiet. They were so close to each other that if one of them uttered even the smallest of words, their breath would be burned into their skin. [ck] ¡°Then what¡¯s with this? You were covering your face.¡± [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡­It¡¯s just a habit of mine.¡± It sounded like an excuse when she said it, but it waspletely true. The weather was always ufortably cold during this season, so she would often sleep with the nket over her head. [ck] ¡°You weren¡¯t nning on kicking me out?¡± [Rienne] ¡°If I were, I wouldn¡¯t have brought a spare nket¡­¡­¡± Finally, ck¡¯s attention was pulled away as his eyes followed Rienne¡¯s gaze towards a nket that was quietly sitting in the empty spot next to her. [ck] ¡°I didn¡¯t see that.¡± ck turned back and kissed her again. [ck] ¡°But I don¡¯t like how you¡¯re already going to sleep.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Well, that¡¯s just¡­¡­¡± [ck] ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­..Sorry?¡± [ck] ¡°Are you going to sleep right away?¡± The words heard from right in front of her nose ticked the backs of her ears. Was it because he was too close to her? His face wasrightthere. [Rienne] ¡°What else would we do¡­¡­.if not sleep?¡± [ck] ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ck moved his hand down her face, slowly and gently running his thumb across her wet lips. [ck] ¡°But I want to talk with you first.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Talk with me? About what?¡± [ck] ¡°Anything.¡± As his fingers moved across her lips, she unintentionally parted them as if to speak, causing her tongue to touch against his finger. Then he frowned, his brows furrowing as if he were in pain. [ck] ¡°What kinds of things do you like?¡± What a strange thing to ask of her while was pressing his finger against her lips like this. [Rienne] ¡°What do I like? In reference to what?¡± [ck] ¡°Anything.¡± That¡¯s what he said before. [Rienne] ¡°Well¡­¡­¡± It was such a simple question, one inquiring about things she found likable or good. But somehow it was difficult for Rienne to answer. What do I like¡­¡­. But the more she thought on it, the more she couldn¡¯te up with a good answer, which only furthered her embarrassment. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m not very fond of the cold.¡± [ck] ¡°¡­¡­¡­I asked about your likes.¡± ¡­¡­She still wasn¡¯t sure what to say. She didn¡¯t know what kinds of things she liked. But after thinking for a while, by the time Rienne¡¯s voice came out, it was shaking. [Rienne] ¡°I would like it if I had nothing to worry about.¡± [ck] ¡°¡­¡­¡­What kind of worries do you have these days?¡± There were too many to count. If she had to pick one in particr, it would be the lie she was presently working up the courage to confess to. [Rienne] ¡°I have many. Appointing the next High Priest, the whereabouts of the servant¡­¡­But then there¡¯s also the matter of the Grand Council and I¡¯m worried about when the date for the wedding will be set. If things continue on like this, it will likely be dyed. And I suspect the Kleinfelders won¡¯t approve a new High Priest until that happens.¡± [ck] ¡°I know those. Is there anything else?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Anything else?¡± [ck] ¡°Any more worries.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Well¡­..There¡¯s was the drought that endedst fall. And this winter will probably be very cold, so I¡¯m hoping the well doesn¡¯t freeze over. It was so coldst year that everyone suffered greatly. And then there¡¯s¡ª¡° [ck] ¡°Are you not worried about tonight?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Hm? Tonight¡­¡­?¡± Her face suddenly paled, trying to think of what he could mean by ¡®worried about tonight.¡¯ [ck] ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried about what I could do to you?¡± ¡­¡­.Oh, so that¡¯s what he¡¯s talking about, Rienne thought. In response, she took her hand, wrapping her fingers around ck¡¯s hand that was still held above her lips. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m not worried. I already know.¡± [ck] ¡°You know?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Yes. You told me. We are going to sleep together in the same bed just as we did before.¡± He said he wanted to sleep together like they did that night, and that he wanted to kiss her once they both woke up. He clearly voiced his intention to hold her tightly as theyliterallyslept together, with nothing ill in mind. But then ck suddenly smiled. [ck] ¡°You¡¯re really are an unpredictable woman, Princess.¡± Rienne didn¡¯t really understand what he meant by that. [Rienne] ¡°How so?¡± [ck] ¡°When I said I wanted to sleep in the same bed as you yesterday, you refused because you didn¡¯t think I would be any good. And yet today¡­¡­¡± ck stopped talking, taking Rienne¡¯s hand and turning it over, pressing a kiss into her palm. [ck] ¡°Today you¡¯re acting like you don¡¯t know anything.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± She heard that from her nanny earlier. It was true Rienne didn¡¯t know anything and that she had no experience in this realm. And hearing the clumsyment she¡¯d saiding directly from ck¡¯s mouth only made what she was about to say even more difficult. [Rienne] ¡°I¡­..have something I need to tell you.¡± Rienne had a hard time picking her words. [Rienne] ¡°I had a bit of a hard time today¡­¡­.¡± [ck] ¡°I know.¡± ck lowered his head, touching their foreheads together. As he did, he felt very close to her right now, but the feeling itself was very different from a kiss. [ck] ¡°I was told you still need to be careful.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­?¡± What was he talking about right now? [ck] ¡°The doctor left this morning, but I haven¡¯t forgotten.¡± The doctor left¡­¡­? Ah¡­¡­He¡¯s talking about the child. I suppose he would still think like that. [ck] ¡°I¡¯ve decided I¡¯m going to treasure you, Princess¡­..so I will do my best to protect you. Don¡¯t worry about having to deal with this on your own.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± ck moved his forehead away from Rienne, reaching out and pulling the nket back over her. He brought it all the way up to her chin as if he were tucking her in. [ck] ¡°But I think my pillow¡¯s too far away.¡± He took the pillow Rienne had set out, one that was too distant by his standards, and pushed it closer without saying another word. [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Rienne stopped breathing as the bed shifted, feeling him lie down next to her. At some point, he¡¯d turned his body to the side, but Rienne didn¡¯t even realize it at first. The two of them just stayed like that, their faces turned towards each other. ¡­¡­..I have something I need to say. Though she opened her mouth, not a single one of those words came out, and Rienne fell into continued silence out of embarrassment. Stewing in her own shyness, seeing ck¡¯s face up close like this, she was constantly being made aware of how amazing he was in every aspect. Even thinking about it made her timid heart flutter. [ck] ¡°Are you looking for another scar on my face?¡± ck asked as he noticed her stare. [Rienne] ¡°No. I think that one was the only one I found back then.¡± Rather, she had something she really wanted to tell him. [Rienne] ¡°And I would hope I don¡¯t find any additional scars on you.¡± She needed to say this. This was her chance¡­¡­but her mouth kept saying other things instead. ck took Rienne¡¯s hand and pressed the tips of her small fingers against his lips. [ck] ¡°But if I don¡¯t have any more scars, then you would have no reason to look at me the way you are now, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°You¡¯re wrong.¡± [ck] ¡°What do you mean?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I wasn¡¯t staring at you back then because I was looking for a scar. I simply found it because I was already staring.¡± So even if there were no scars to speak of on his body, she would always end up looking at him just as she did now. So long as he was right here in front of her. [ck] ¡°Just like how I found this?¡± ck muttered, his voice so low, he could¡¯ve easily been talking to himself. He brushed his hand against the freckles beneath Rienne¡¯s ear. It was a part of herself she¡¯d never seen with her own eyes. [Rienne] ¡°Perhaps.¡± Rienne also lifted up her hand, running her fingers against the scar she¡¯d found on ck¡¯s eyebrow. Feeling her touch, ck closed one of his eyes as her hand brushed against his eysh. [Rienne] ¡°Am I making you ufortable?¡± [ck] ¡°¡­¡­¡­Of course not.¡± With only one eye open, ck took Rienne¡¯s hand and pulled it down, causing her hand to run down from his eye,ing to rest on his cheek. [ck] ¡°I wish I had another scar here.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± All at once, Rienne¡¯s expression soured. What was he talking about? He wanted a scar¡­on his face¡­? Why? [Rienne] ¡°If you want me to touch you, then just ask me to. Don¡¯t think about scarring yourself.¡± [ck] ¡°. . .¡± ck suddenly frowned, the spaces between his eyebrows narrowing. Well, it was actually a much moreplicated expression than that. Sometimes it looked as though he was smiling, but sometimes it looked the opposite as well. [ck] ¡°You said you didn¡¯t like it when I asked for permission, Princess.¡± Yes, Rienne could remember saying that. [ck] ¡°So you should be more careful when saying things like that.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Sorry?¡± He was speaking so kindly inparison to his words. [ck] ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯d be able to handle whates next.¡± Saying those words as if they were cutting him on the way out, ck ovepped his lips with hers. Lying in the same bed like this, escape was already impossible with how close they were, but the moment she felt hisrge hand cup her face, she knew she couldn¡¯t avoid this. ck urged Rienne¡¯s lips apart, giving her a kiss that melted her body with how hasty and passionate it was. Ah¡­¡­My thoughts¡­¡­are all flying away. ck pulled Rienne up, locking her in his arm and the feeling of his weight pressed against her chest felt very indecent, yet thrilling.(1) What¡­.What am I supposed to do now¡­..? Underneath the robe he was wearing, all ck had on was a pair of pants, so the first thing Rienne was greeted with was the sensation of his bare chest. That only became more apparent as they moved and shifted their bodies together, causing his robe to naturally open. She tensed her closed eyes, and her thoughts were alreadypletely gone by now. Led by her senses, Rienne slowly ran her hands along the skin of his solid chest. His body temperature was so much hotter than hers. [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Cutting off their kiss in the middle, ck pulled himself back¡ªa soft and sweet sound resounding out as their lips parted. At the same time, Rienne softly breathed in, all the air flowing back in all at once. [ck] ¡°Instead of being careful, I¡¯ll only end up exhausting you with a kiss.¡± The feeling of him murmuring with his lips still almost barely touching hers felt like it was burning her with how suggestive it was. Rienne unknowingly lifted her head, searching out for him¡ªas if to wordlessly ask him why he stopped. Even almost inviting him to continue. [ck] ¡°We can¡¯t do any more than this.¡± ck tilted his head back as Rienne got closer. [ck] ¡°You¡¯re too dangerous to me, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± At those words, Rienne¡¯s face turned red. It wasn¡¯t because she felt shy. She¡¯d felt embarrassed hundreds of times before, but this feeling was different from that. The situation was so passionate that it was suspicious why ck was pulling away from her when his eyes were filled with so much heat, she could see them shaking. So Rienne reached out, cing her hand on the left side of ck¡¯s bare chest, right over his heart. ck flinched, his whole upper body stiffening, but Rienne was entirely focused on the feeling of his heartbeat against her palm, engraving itself upon her skin. And so she wondered. Was the beating of her own heart just as loud to him as his was to her? The dangerous one wasn¡¯t her. It was always him. He was so bad for her heart, that he couldn¡¯t be considered anything but. [Rienne] ¡°There¡¯s¡­..something I need to say.¡± Lying down and trapped within his arms, Rienne faced ck with a gaze that seemed to pierce through him. [ck] ¡°What is it?¡± Right now, Rienne was certain. Even if he found out that she had lied to him about being pregnant, this man wouldn¡¯t be disappointed or feel betrayed. In fact¡­..He¡¯ll probably be happy. Any feelings of disappointment or betrayal he may feel would be overshadowed by the feeling of relief that she wasn¡¯t pregnant with a child of Kleinfelder blood. [Rienne] ¡°I¡­¡­I bled today.¡± ck¡¯s expression hardened. [ck] ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier?¡± From the look in his eyes, it was clear that he firmly believed it to be because of the child. As he started to get up, Rienne quickly grabbed ck¡¯s arm, stopping him from seemingly going to charge off and call someone. [Rienne] ¡°No, it¡¯s only because¡­¡­.¡± Right now, in this moment, it was her chance to speak. * * * T/N: (1) the word ¡®chest¡¯ here could also be tranted as ¡®breasts¡¯ or ¡®boobs¡¯ etc. but that felt like Too Much? Oof, that cliffhanger. And that chapter was 500 words longer than usual! (>////<) But at least it was a full chapter of straight sugar Chapter 52 - The Fourteen Dead Chapter 52 | The Fourteen Dead T/N: (NOTICE) In chapter 47, I wrote that Klimah¡¯s younger sibling was 2 years old, but that¡¯s a mis-trantion. It should be that they were 2 years youngerinstead. I have corrected the chapter to reflect the change. I¡¯m sorry for the error < 3 (I¡¯m still learning, haha) * * * * * She was seconds away from saying those truth filled words. Knock, knock¡ª! If only there hadn¡¯t been an urgent voice, calling out to them from behind the door. [Mercenary] ¡°My Lord! Are you here!? I¡¯m sorry to disturb you, but this is serious!¡± [ck] ¡°. . .¡± ck paused for a second, muttering something to himself before quickly getting up. Rienne couldn¡¯t hear what it was, but based on his irritated expression, it was probably a curse word. [ck] ¡°Wait here.¡± ck strode towards the door with the front of his robe still open. If someone came all this way to bother them at this time, then something must¡¯ve happened. Unable to sit still, Rienne pushed off the nket and got to her feet. [ck] ¡°What¡¯s happened?¡± As ck tore open the door, the sound of the door banging against the wall rang out loudly. It was a sound that would make any one feel nervous. Facing down ck, the mercenary swallowed hard, but pulled himself together quickly to repeat the report he had received. [Mercenary] ¡°A fire¡¯s broken out.¡± [ck] ¡°¡­¡­¡­..What?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Excuse me?¡± But Rienne was more surprised than anyone else. Her face turnedpletely pale. [Rienne] ¡°A fire¡­¡­.Then¡­¡± The fear that rippled throughout Nauk because of the drought never disappeared, so a fire was considered one of the most terrible disasters they could experience. [Rienne] ¡°Where? Take me there.¡± Everything that happened mere moments ago was immediately purged from Rienne¡¯s mind. She moved herself past ck, trying to leave the room. [ck] ¡°Princess.¡± But before she could get far, ck took Rienne by the shoulders, pulling her back. [ck] ¡°You stay here. I¡¯ll go.¡± [Rienne] ¡°No, I have to go¡­¡­Or we could together instead. If there¡¯s a fire in this season, then¡­..¡± As she panicked, ck took his hand and carefully touched her face, as pale as the moon. For some reason, his touch felt sad. [ck] ¡°You can¡¯t do that while you¡¯re pregnant. Wait here.¡± [Rienne] ¡°But you need one more person. Someone needs to wake everyone in the castle¡­..¡± [ck] ¡°We haven¡¯t seen any smoke and we haven¡¯t smelled anything. There¡¯s no way of knowing how serious it is right now. I will go and see for myself, then I¡¯lle back and let you know. You don¡¯t have to worry¡ª¡° But just as ck said that, the loud sound of footsteps started echoing through the hall, hitting her ears as it got closer. [Mercenary] ¡°My Lord! I just came back from checking it out¡­..! But the fire was really strange.¡± The mercenary who arrived was breathing heavily, as if he¡¯d been running the entire time, exhaling quickly. [Mercenary] ¡°It¡¯s not concentrated in a single location. They¡¯re popping up all over the ce, like someone¡¯s setting them on purpose.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Ah!¡± Rienne had to stop herself from screaming. A fire was already terrible enough, but arson? Someone was doing this on purpose? In their nation, given their past, setting a purposeful fire was no different from trying to curse someone. [Rienne] ¡°Please let go of me.¡± Rienne tried to push ck¡¯s hand away. [Rienne] ¡°Have the castle guards been made aware of the fire? How much water do we have left in the castle?¡± [Mercenary] ¡°The guards are looking out for the arsonist while putting out the fires. We¡¯re in the process of spreading the news now.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Where is the fire at its worst?¡± [Mercenary] ¡°Looks to be the kitchens right now. So there¡¯s the chance the first fire was really an ident. Maybe someone left the brick oven lit, but¡ª¡° [ck] ¡°That¡¯s enough. Princess.¡± As the situation quickly turned into the mercenary giving a report, ck held out his hand, telling him to cut it out. Then, he turned back to Rienne. [ck] ¡°Go back inside.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What do you mean? I¡­..¡± [ck] ¡°With the situation being as it is, I cannot guarantee your safety if you leave, Princess. Even I can¡¯t stop smoke if it gets to be too much.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Obviously I know that. But it¡¯s ridiculous to think¡ª¡° [ck] ¡°With your body being how it is, you are of no use here.¡± ck cut her words off, his tone awfully cold and upfront, and before Rienne knew it, he was pushing her body back into the bedroom. [Rienne] ¡°Wait, don¡¯t do this¡­¡­¡± Her body was limp and powerless against his strength, to the point where resistance waspletely pointless. As soon as Rienne was entirely back into the room, she heard ck m the door behind her without another word. [ck] ¡°One of you, stay here and protect the Princess. And you, lead the way. Is there somewhere I can see the whole castle at a nce?¡± [Mercenary] ¡°Sir Phermos said the northern tower. He¡¯s waiting there now.¡± Before the mercenary couldplete his answer, ck turned around, already walking away. * * * * * Bang! [Rienne] ¡°Please, open the door!¡± Rienne knocked against the door with her fist as hard as she could. But no matter how much might she put into it, the body that was blocking the door from the other side was much stronger than she was. [Rienne] ¡°What¡¯s the point of locking me up like this!? Just move!¡± [Mercenary] ¡°No¡­¡­His lordship is right. It would be bad if you identally inhaled any smoke. For the baby, that would be¡­¡­¡± [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s not the point!¡± Bang! Feeling her emotions swell, her hand tingled after hitting the door again. Rienne held her reddened hand with her other, exhaling a long sigh and calming herself down. [Rienne] ¡°Is there anything I can do to get you to open this door?¡± [Mercenary] ¡°In your dreams. Until the Lord explicitly states it, I can¡¯t let you leave.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± She should¡¯ve known. At the end of the day, these men werehispeople. Then what options did she have left? Should she try and escape through the window? If she was careful, she could move along the frame and make it to the next door balcony¡­¡­ [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­.But would that even work?¡± Just imagining the process made Rienne hopelessly copse to the floor, filled with an odd sense of emptiness. This felt weird. [Rienne] ¡°Can I really just do nothing¡­¡­?¡± Was that even possible? Everything in Castle Nauk was Rienne¡¯s responsibility. Even the smallest of things fell under her purview. From a mouse raiding therder, to decaying ropes and broken grain sacks¡ªit was up to Rienne to deal with these things and fix them as they came along. For a castle of this size, there weren¡¯t enough people working and too few people who stayed there as permanent residents. Rather than delegate work to people who were already swamped with their own duties, it became a habit of hers to step up and deal with it herself. Because of that, Rienne quickly became a responsible person. Not someone who just sat still and let herself be protected. [Rienne] ¡°This is strange, though. I¡¯m starting to get¡­¡­..¡± ¡­¡­Used to it. Ever since ck came to Nauk, Rienne had been dogged by that feeling. Whenever something difficult came along, like a gift sent from above, ck would swoop in and take care of it for her. [Rienne] ¡°But, it¡¯s a little¡­¡­¡± Isn¡¯t this dangerous? I don¡¯t think I¡¯m the kind of person to leave things to other people¡­¡­Or maybe it¡¯s just that I¡¯ve never had the ability to do that. It was that man¡¯s fault. It was like when he came in, he found the part of her that wascking something, noticed it was empty, and jammed himself into that space without thinking. Sitting on the floor, Rienne gently pressed her hand against her chest. Right on the ce where ck¡¯s existence was intertwined with her being. [Rienne] ¡°Whenever we part¡­¡­¡± She thought for the briefest moment that their parting left a vague sense of pain in her chest. As if something were disappearing inside her. But that only told her that ck had somehow already settled in her heart, finding a ce to rest firmly. This feeling was¡­¡­ A poet would probably have an easier time putting a name to this emotion than she. [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Thinking of ck while sitting on the floor, Rienne gave up whatever attachment she had on trying to go outside. She was going to believe in ck. So long as he was in the castle, there was nothing to fear¡ªnothing dangerous that could touch her. [Rienne] ¡°I should go back to bed.¡± It¡¯ll all be okay. Even if the situation got worse, he said he woulde back for her and let her know. Letting go of her worries, just as Rienne turned her head, about to stand up¡ª [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­?¡± She saw something strange. Someone was standing in the doorway leading to ck¡¯s room. In a ce where no one should be, with all the lights turned out, they were standing there¡ªwatching her. [Rienne] ¡°Who¡ª!¡± Appearing out of thin air, the figure wrapped his arms around Rienne, pressing his hand against her mouth at breakneck speed the moment she noticed him. [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­..!¡± Rienne instinctively pushed back, her whole body fighting against their strength, but he was too fast, too big, and too skilled inparison to her. He took his hand, pressing his fingers deep into an artery in Rienne¡¯s neck, pushing and pushing until she started to feel faint. [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Try as she did to scream, no one could hear her struggle. With all air cut off and someone pressing down on her neck, her mind drifted away and her body fell limp. [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Until finally, her eyes closed. The silent figure took Rienne¡¯s unconscious body, throwing her over his shoulder. The ck clothes he wore smelled of sulfur and ash. Then, he passed into the room between ck¡¯s and Rienne¡¯s¡ªa room that had long since lost its name. In the corner was cylindrical, iron firece, left unsold and untouched. It was shaped like arge column, and it was incredibly massive, the length of it reaching all the way up to the ceiling. Quietly, the figure opened the door to the firece, stepping inside. Click. Once inside, he pulled the door closed, leaving barely a noise. He then pulled on a string he had prepared in advanced, one that tugged the sp of the door back into ce. But on further inspection, the ¡®string¡¯ was actually a thin lock of hair. He lit a flint, lowering the me to the end of the hair and setting it alight. It was so thin, it didn¡¯t take long for it to burn awaypletely. As it burned to cinders, there was no ash left behind, only a faint scent. But even the smell disappeared not long after. And once they were gone, there wasn¡¯t a single trace left in the room. As if neither he nor Rienne were there to begin with. * * * * * [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­¡­Ugh¡­¡­.¡± She felt dizzy, as if there was a heavy fog inside her head, wincing as she tried toe to. But even as her mind threatened to sink back into unconsciousness, Rienne forced her eyes open, pulling herself back up. I¡­..How did¡­¡­.What happened¡­¡­. [???] ¡°You don¡¯t have to force yourself awake.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­.?¡± [???] ¡°We have plenty of time.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­.!¡± She recognized that voice. [Rienne] ¡°You¡­¡­!¡± Rienne tried to jump to her feet, but it was just then at she noticed how both her wrists and her ankles were bound. [Rienne] ¡°Sir Klimah!¡± He was giving the Tiwakan the run-around as they tried to apprehend him for the murder of the High Priest, but after all that fuss, here he was¡ª sitting in front of her like nothing. [Rienne] ¡°What are you doing? Why would you¡ª!¡± [Klimah] ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡± But Klimah¡¯s voice did not incite fear or despair in such a terrifying situation. Instead, he sounded sad, like the calming and lonely sound of rain. [Klimah] ¡°I have my orders.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Orders? Did¡­¡­.Linden Kleinfelder tell you to do this¡­.? How? He¡¯s in prison¡­..¡± [Klimah] ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. I can¡¯t go against my orders.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What the¡­..No, you have to let me go. No orders could possibly justify doing something like this in Nauk.¡± [Klimah] ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t. I have no choice.¡± Though it was dark, she could see Klimah shaking his head from side to side. As he did, she could make out the clear tears that were running down his face, reflected in the faint moonlight. [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Klimah was crying. It seemed strange, given what he was doing, but he was sobbing openly, his shoulders trembling and shaking. Anyone looking at him now wouldn¡¯t think he was a killer. Rienne slowly exhaled, forcing herself to be calm. He¡­.doesn¡¯t seem like an awful person. He might be crying now because of his guilt. Like what he did with his prayer of atonement. He was someone who felt so much guilt over the harm he¡¯d done to others that he wanted to inflict pain on himself. She just needed to stay calm and talk to him. If she did, he maye to his senses. He might even change his mind about all this. There had to be a reason why the Kleinfelders were able to call upon him. She just needed to find out what that was. [Rienne] ¡°Did you also kill the High Priest under Linden Kleinfelder¡¯s orders?¡± [Klimah] ¡°¡­¡­.Yes.¡± When she asked the question, she thought he might try and deny it at first, but surprisingly, Klimah just nodded his head without hesitation. After praying to a God that held no answers for him, perhaps he only wanted to confess his sins to whoever would listen. [Rienne] ¡°What else did he ask you to do?¡± [Klimah] ¡°¡­¡­The High Priest¡­¡­.¡± [Rienne] ¡°You already said you killed High Priest Milrod.¡± [Klimah] ¡°High Priest Motiya, too¡­¡­.¡± [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡­..! ¡­¡­..Hah.¡± Pulling back her exmation, Rienne simply let out a sigh. What on earth wouldpel this man to do that for them? And if two High Priests were killed in the past, there was always the possibility that more had been killed even before then. Now she was starting to understand where the Kleinfelders¡¯ arrogance and indifference towards the royal hierarchy stemmed from. If they had the power to have a High Priest killed without even blinking, what did they truly have to fear? In the eyes of the Kleinfelders, the crown she had inherited would look like nothing more than an ornamental jewelry piece. [Rienne] ¡°And? Did you kill anyone else?¡± [Klimah] ¡°¡­¡­Yes.¡± [Rienne] ¡°How many?¡± [Klimah] ¡°¡­¡­.Thirteen.¡± Klimah swallowed back his tears, reciting the exact number as if he¡¯d been keeping careful count. Like he was engraving each of those lives as sins upon his skin. [Klimah] ¡°And if I add you, Princess, that makes fourteen.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Those words sent goosebumps along Rienne¡¯s bound arms. [Rienne] ¡°Did¡­.he order you to kill me?¡± [Klimah] ¡°No.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Linden Kleinfelder¡­.didn¡¯torder to have me killed?¡± [Klimah] ¡°No.¡± Klimah wiped the tears away from his cheeks, but there was no point. Soon enough, both of his eyes were filled with tears once more. [Klimah] ¡°I was ordered to capture and rape you. Then, once you were defiled, I was to put you on disy¡­¡­Somewhereeveryonecould see you.¡± [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s insane¡­¡­¡± The idea alone made her sick. It was unbelievable to think he would order something so vicious and vile against the ruler of the country he supposedly served, but his obvious reasons for doing so were so despicable and horrid, it disgusted her to her core. He¡­¡­He doesn¡¯t want to kill me. He wants to ruin me. Break me. For something as simple as¡­¡­separating me from that man? Such a disgusting and depraved thing. For that to even be an idea he had, it was hard to believe that Linden Kleinfelder was a human being, same as her. [Rienne] ¡°Sir.¡± With her bound hands, Rienne clenched her fists¡ªpushing back the rage that was teetering at the edges of her heart. She would have plenty of time to deal with her angerter. After she managed to return home safely. * * * T/N: Tranting this novel is truly magical because dang near every chapter has the ability to send me into a ¡®get-up-and-take-a-walk¡¯ level of tizzy. Chapter 53 - 21 Years Ago (1) Chapter 53 | 21 Years Ago (1) Though the fires weren¡¯t particrly big, they were popping up all over the ce. And because the castle was so expansive, they had their work cut out for them since they didn¡¯t know where the next embers may spark. [Phermos] ¡°Hah, I think the worst of it is over now. It¡¯s likely safe for you to return, if you so wish.¡± By the time Phermos gave ck the clear, dawn had already broken. Though¡­ he wanted to tell him that earlier, but he never got the chance. It was a good thing having ck there to take the lead in putting out the fires, carrying several water basins at once¡ªespecially since their other men were practically dying trying to do it themselves. However, was it really necessary to do it with such a scary looking face, as if he were letting out his anger on the fires? But at least, because ck was there, the fires were all fairly trivial, barely leaving burn marks on the carpets and a few furniture pieces. [ck] ¡°Is that so? We can¡¯t allow the fires to spread.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Of course¡­.¡± [ck] ¡°You better be certain.¡± [Phermos] ¡°¡­..Y, yes?¡± [ck] ¡°She looked as though she was terrified of fire.¡± [Phermos] ¡°. . .¡± Hearing ck¡¯s words, Phermos thought for a few moments. He meant if the Princess was scared of fire then¡­.Phermos had to be absolutely certain that they were all gone. So naturally he needed to be careful right now. Yeah, he should¡¯ve known as much. [ck] ¡°Who started the fires?¡± [Phermos] ¡°We¡¯re looking for them now, my Lord.¡± [ck] ¡°If we can¡¯t find them, the fires will be the least of our worries.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Yes, of course. And I suspect they may be connected to the bastard staying in the dungeon. Shall I go and kindly ask him what all this is about?¡± [ck] ¡°Do it. And you don¡¯t have to be nice.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Yes, my Lord.¡± Though they¡¯d been there for a while now, Phermos still hadn¡¯t quite adjusted to his new life in Nauk yet. But there wasonething he was certain about by now¡ª Tormenting Linden Kleinfelder and his subordinates was officially part of his job now. It was starting to be like a hobby of his. The idea of going down to the dungeons was enough to bring a smile to Phermos¡¯ face. [Phermos] ¡°Will you be returning to the Princess now?¡± [ck] ¡°Not yet. I will once the one responsible has been caught.¡± From the sounds of it, he didn¡¯t want to go back to Rienne only to tell her that the problem hadn¡¯t been resolved yet, and that she needed to wait longer. He wanted concrete answers for her. [Phermos] ¡°Very well. I will head down to the dungeons first.¡± But, in reality, ck should have gone straight back to Rienne as soon as he could. If he had, he would¡¯ve realized much sooner why he couldn¡¯t find the one who had set the fires anywhere in the castle. * * * * * Rienne took a deep breath, trying her hardest to calm her heart. [Rienne] ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re a bad person like Linden Kleinfelder is.¡± Klimah widened his eyes, but then quickly ducked his head down, rapidly shaking it from side to side. [Klimah] ¡°No¡­¡­No, I¡¯m a sinner. I¡¯vemitted so many heinous sins that cannot be washed away¡­¡­.¡± [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s all Linden Kleinfelder¡¯s fault.¡± [Klimah] ¡°. . .¡± With that usation, Klimah stayed quiet. He couldn¡¯t confirm that, but he couldn¡¯t deny it either. [Rienne] ¡°If you wish to atone, then you must stop sinning first. Until then, no matter how many times you whip yourself, the only thing you¡¯ll do is bleed.¡± [Klimah] ¡°I¡­¡­.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Why do you keep denying it? You know what the Kleinfelders are ordering you to do is wrong. You are one who serves the divine, and yet you killed two High Priests. You silenced the voice of God.¡± [Klimah] ¡°I¡­¡­..didn¡¯t be a servant of God because I wanted to¡­¡­..¡± With everyone word, Klimah¡¯s voice shook as if he was in great pain. [Rienne] ¡°You didn¡¯t?¡± [Klimah] ¡°I do whatever they tell me to¡­¡­¡± [Rienne] ¡°They? You mean the Kleinfelders? Does it make it easier to eliminate a High Priest?¡± [Klimah] ¡°¡­¡­¡­It makes it easier to hide.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What?¡± [Klimah] ¡°From them¡­.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What are you hiding from? Who?¡± [Klimah] ¡°. . .¡± Klimah closed his mouth, biting his lip. Then, he stood up and approached Rienne. Immediately, Rienne shifted her body back defensively. She said he didn¡¯t look like a bad person, but that didn¡¯t erase the fear she felt at hearing him say he would defile her with his own mouth. [Rienne] ¡°Don¡¯te any closer. Just answer me.¡± [Klimah] ¡°I¡¯m so sorry¡­¡­¡± Klimah reached out to her with tears streaming down his face. [Rienne] ¡°No! Don¡¯t do this!¡± [Klimah] ¡°Forgive me¡­¡­.I¡¯m so sorry¡­¡­.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Just think about this! How long will you live doing their bidding like this!?¡± The fear was enough to send deathly chills throughout her body, but Rienne desperately pushed it back. Talking to him wasn¡¯t enough. She needed to find another way out. It was Linden Kleinfelder¡¯s orders that werepelling Klimah right now. So that meant she needed to find out whatever influence they had over him, and use that to sway him. [Rienne] ¡°You said you weren¡¯t ordered to kill me, right¡­..? Then I swear, I will survive and make the Kleinfelders pay for what they¡¯ve done.¡± [Klimah] ¡°. . .¡± Those words did something. The hand that Klimah was reaching out towards Rienne stopped midair, flinching the moment she mentioned making the Kleinfelders ¡®pay¡¯. [Klimah] ¡°K, killing the Kleinfelders. Then¡­..¡± The way he stuttered, repeating back her sentiment made it clear he was struggling to believe her. But Rienne didn¡¯t me him. She was the same. She always thought that the Kleinfelders could not be allowed to die in Nauk. The risk was too high, and the grip all six families had on Nauk, bound by the Treaty of Risebury, was too strong. But she couldn¡¯t take this anymore. While Rienne was desperately trying to keep the peace, all Linden Kleinfelder did was essentially prove that all her efforts in bncing this game of tug-of-war with the six families was a pointless endeavor. He was a man who would do anything to get Nauk. And if one thing didn¡¯t work, he would simply move on to the next¡ªalways tryingsomething. Even while imprisoned, his influence was great. He could still grab at Rienne. And not only her, but even the council and the Temple were not beyond his reach. But no matter how big his roots were, no matter how far reaching his grip was, she had to cut him off here and now. If she didn¡¯t, he would only swallow all of Nauk from beneath. Something like that felt so impossible before. But she was certain she could do it now. She had the Tiwakan. The fiercest and most terrifying mercenarypany on the entire continent had sworn their new names as the Guardians of Arsak. If ever there was a chance, it was now. [Rienne] ¡°Do you really think my fianc¨¦ will leave just because you¡¯ve defiled me? Of course not. That¡¯s just a foolish delusion of Linden Kleinfelder.¡± As she said that, she could feel herself tearing up a bit. That man told her he would forget his revenge. He said he would even ept the child of his enemy as his own because to him, she was his home. If Klimah were to fulfill this order, the end result was as obvious as a raging, all consuming fire. The Kleinfelders would bepletely wiped out. And she had no reason to stop it this time. [Rienne] ¡°If you follow your orders, the Kleinfelders will be erased from existence. But if you don¡¯t, the result will still be the same. They¡¯ll be gone, no matter what you do.¡± And if the ending would be the same, regardless of his actions, then what kind of choice would he make? [Klimah] ¡°If the Kleinfelders were gone¡­¡­¡­.¡± Klimah¡¯s eyes shook. [Klimah] ¡°Then¡­.I wouldn¡¯t have to¡­¡­Ah, but I¡¯d still have to live in hiding¡­..No, but then my mother¡­..¡± [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m sorry? Did you say your mother?¡± He was rambling so much and so quietly, that it was difficult to make out what he was saying. But out of all of those incoherent mumblings, there was one thing she could tell for certain. The Kleinfelders were holding tightly onto Klimah¡¯s weakness¡ªhis mother. [Rienne] ¡°Are the Kleinfelders holding your mother hostage?¡± [Klimah] ¡°Yes¡­¡­.Ah, I mean, no! I meant, no¡­..!¡± Noticing his mistake a beat toote, Klimah desperately shook his head. [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s alright. You can say it.¡± Now, she had a tool she could use to calm him. Rienne spoke to him slowly, making her voice sound as soothing and kind as possible. [Rienne] ¡°Even if you¡¯ve sinned, I know that the Kleinfelder¡¯s sin is far greater than yours. If you fear for your mother¡¯s safety, I will help you. And I will not speak of your sins to her.¡± [Klimah] ¡°No, it can¡¯t. It¡¯s not that simple¡­¡­It can¡¯t be.¡± Klimah clenched his fists, crouching down, almost to the point of prostrating himself on the floor. As he cried on in despair, his shoulders shook. [Rienne] ¡°Yes, it can. I promise you. If you cease your wrongdoings now, both you and your mother will be safe.¡± Looking up at her, Klimah lifted up his tear-stained face. [Klimah] ¡°Can you really? You really won¡¯t kill my mother?¡± [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s what I said.¡± [Klimah] ¡°If I let you go here, Princess¡­¡­.If I don¡¯t do anything, will you save my mother?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I swear on the name of Arsak. I will save you. Both you and your mother.¡± But it was like Klimah couldn¡¯t understand her words. He kept asking, again and again, repeating the same question in quiet repetition. Whatever his rtionship with the Kleinfelder family was, it was much deeper and darker than Rienne could ever guess. It sounded like this went beyond the Kleinfelder¡¯s simply threatening his mother. This felt more nefarious. Like they were hiding her away somewhere, and Klimah was desperate to pay the price to get her back. [Klimah] ¡°Even if my mother¡­¡­still has the name of Henton?¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­..I¡¯m sorry, what did you just say?¡± Hearing the unexpected name among his whispers, Rienne¡¯s entire body turned stiff like stone. She couldn¡¯t breathe or move her body. He said the name¡­¡­..Henton? * * * * * [ck] ¨C¡®Henton. That was my name just before I left thisnd.¡¯ That¡¯s what ck said. [Beggar] ¡®He¡¯s Henton¡¯s second son.¡¯ And that¡¯s what that old man told her before. After hearing the same nameing from both sources, Rienne didn¡¯t doubt for even a second that ¡®Henton¡¯ was ck¡¯s family name. [Rienne] ¡°But that name is¡­¡­No, but then¡­¡­..¡± Rienne stared straight at Klimah, her eyes widened in shock. Klimah¡¯s face was covered in tears, and he looked like a young man, but at the same time, it was difficult to gauge exactly how old he was. [Rienne] ¡°Do you¡­¡­have any brothers? A long time ago now¡­..Around twenty-one years ago.¡± Hearing that, Klimah looked frightened. [Klimah] ¡°Just as I thought, people haven¡¯t forgotten. They still remember¡­¡­They know that¡­.¡± She only asked him if he had any brothers, but Klimah¡¯s reaction was beyond her realm of understanding. [Rienne] ¡°Calm yourself. I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking about. I just asked because I know someone who shares that name. So please answer me. Do you have any brothers? And how many?¡± [Klimah] ¡°¡­¡­O, one.¡± She was told that ck was the second son of the Henton family, which would make Klimah his older brother. ¡­¡­But what even happened? ck said that he saw Kleinfelder soldiers killing his father. After that, he ran away by himself and never used the name of Henton ever again. But apparently, his mother and brother were still living in Nauk, though they were hiding their names. If that was the case, then ck probably didn¡¯t know that parts of his family were still alive. ¡­¡­.But what would the Kleinfelders stand to gain by hiding the rest of his family like this? It just felt very¡­.strange. Like the points weren¡¯t adding up. [Rienne] ¡°What happened to the Henton family? Do you remember?¡± [Klimah] ¡°. . .¡± Klimah closed his eyes, carefully nodding. [Rienne] ¡°Tell me.¡± [Klimah] ¡°I¡­¡­can¡¯t. I can never¡­¡­.I must never tell anyone¡­¡­.¡± [Rienne] ¡°No, youhaveto tell me.¡± [Klimah] ¡°No, if I do, my mother will die¡­¡­¡± Seeing this, Rienne quickly realized he wouldn¡¯t speak on this no matter how hard she pressed him. Which meant she needed to change the question. [Rienne] ¡°Then tell me about your father. Did the Kleinfelders kill him?¡± [Klimah] ¡°¡­..Yes. What happened was¡­.¡± Klimah still couldn¡¯t open his tightly shut eyes. His mind probably wasn¡¯t entirely together anymore. After losing his father and younger brother twenty-one years ago, his mind must¡¯ve been lost¡ªlike he was going through the motions. [Rienne] ¡°What is it?¡± [Klimah] ¡°He said he had to get him away.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Get who away?¡± [Klimah] ¡°F, Fernand¡­..¡± [Rienne] ¡°Fernand?¡± She didn¡¯t recognize the name. Rienne lowered her head closer to Klimah. [Rienne] ¡°Who is that?¡± [Klimah] ¡°Prince Fernand.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Prince?¡± Klimah only nodded, in and deste exhaustion painted on his face. As if merely thinking of the past was enough topletely drain him of his energy. [Rienne] ¡°Prince Fernand? A prince of which kingdom?¡± [Klimah] ¡°¡­¡­.Nauk.¡± [Rienne] ¡°?¡± The words made such little sense to her that her mind stiffened. There were other princes besides her father in Nauk? Her father didn¡¯t have his coronation ceremony until after he had be an adult, so it wasn¡¯tpletely unlikely. She couldn¡¯t remember it very well, but Rienne did her best to recall the royal family tree. And with a cursory thought, it was urring to her that the king of the previous generation, while distantly rted to the Arsaks, wasnota member of their family, nor of their name. Though she couldn¡¯t remember what his name was.(1) [Rienne] ¡°Why did Prince Fernand run away? Did he do something wrong?¡± [Klimah] ¡°It was because King Gainers¡­¡­.died. He¡­was killed.¡± That was enough to help spark a memory. The surname of the previous generation¡¯s king was Gainers. He died without an heir, so the eldest son of the Arsak family, who was the closest they had to royalty, took over the throne. That was thete king, Reder, and Rienne¡¯s father. That was the story as far as Rienne knew. It was all recorded in the royal records as well. [Rienne] ¡°Who killed the king? Was it Prince Fernand?¡± [Klimah] ¡°No.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Then?¡± [Klimah] ¡°The seven families of Nauk did it. My father¡ª¡° [Rienne] ¡°What¡­.?Sevenfamilies?¡± As she repeated the words ¡®seven families¡¯, her mouth was so widely open from the shock, she almost hurt herself. But her confusion was still too great to be let out so easily. Rienne took a deep breath. [Rienne] ¡°What you¡¯re talking about now¡­¡­.istreason. You¡¯re saying someonemitted treason in Nauk?¡± [Klimah] ¡°¡­¡­Yes. That¡¯s what my father said.¡± Sir Henton was a knight who lived in service to the royal family. A proud member of the Guardian Knights of the Gainers royal house. So when Nauk¡¯s seven families suddenly murdered the king, he took King Gainers¡¯ only heir and fled as fast as he could. A young prince by the name of Fernand. * * * T/N: (1) The literal trantion was ¡®veins touched generations ago¡¯, which essentially means they shared an ancestor at some point. *shocked pikachu face* Chapter 54 - 21 Years Ago (2) Chapter 54 | 21 Years Ago (2) Sir Henton attempted to escape, but the seven families immediately sent their men in pursuit of him. He ended up being caught and the result was the loss of his life. [Rienne] ¡°Then¡­..¡± That¡¯s when Klimah¡¯s suffering started. But hearing this, Rienne only felt more confused. [Rienne] ¡°Did Prince Fernand manage to escape? Or did he die as well¡­¡­.?¡± [ck] ¨C¡®I only remember the pattern I saw on the gauntlets of those who killed my father.¡¯ ck said he watched his father, Henton, die right in front of his eyes. Did Henton attempt to escape with his family along with Prince Fernand, but he was caught by the Kleinfelders and died in front of his youngest son, instead? [Klimah] ¡°I don¡¯t know about that. I was home with my mother at the time.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I see¡­¡­.¡± Sir Henton must¡¯ve not been able to help his entire family escape Nauk. The only one he had with him at the time was his youngest son. [Rienne] ¡°So what happened after that?¡± [Klimah] ¡°The Kleinfelders came¡­..and then¡­..¡± The treason plotted by the seven families was a covert n. They worked in tandem while the king was out hunting, leaving his body to be eaten by wild animals. No one would¡¯ve realized that the king was not torn apart by the fangs of a wolf, but rather was stabbed to death instead. The knights meant to apany him also perished that day. Sir Henton, who survived and managed to get Prince Fernand away, ended up bing an enemy of the seven families, which eventually put Klimah and his mother in danger. But for some reason, Linden Kleinfelder spared them. Klimah ended up living in hiding, tucked away from the eyes of the other six families by the Kleinfelders. In return, they made Klimah their errand boy. In order to secure Klimah¡¯s unwavering loyalty, they kept his mother hidden away. His mother was both a hostage and his motivation. [Rienne] ¡°It must¡¯ve been very difficult for you.¡± Rienne spoke quietly, the wordsing from her heart. This was why, despite killing thirteen people, Klimah did not appear as a viin in her eyes. Before he was even an adult, he fell into the hands of wicked people, forced to act as their hands and feet before he even knew the difference between right and wrong. [Rienne] ¡°I do not wish to punish such a person. Especially not someone who carries the name of Henton.¡± Because now, Henton was a name just as precious to Rienne as Arsak. [Klimah] ¡°Th, then¡­..¡± There was a sh of hope in Klimah¡¯s eyes. [Klimah] ¡°W, will you save¡­¡­my mother?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Of course. The seven families are the ones who have done wrong. They are the ones who should be punished.¡± [Klimah] ¡°. . .¡± With those words, Klimah suddenly quieted. The hope in his eyes died, reced only with conflict and confusion. [Rienne] ¡°You can trust me. I know your brother.¡± [Klimah] ¡°¡­..I¡¯m sorry?¡± [Rienne] ¡°He¡¯s a very important person to me, so the same goes for his family.¡± But Klimah¡¯s mouth just hung agape. [Klimah] ¡°But how¡­¡­? My brother died that day.¡± [Rienne] ¡°No, he¡¯s not dead. He returned to Nauk. But he doesn¡¯t know the rest of his family is still alive.¡± Rienne thought he might cry again. As if what he was hearing was impossible to believe, he grabbed his head, like he was physically pushing back the urge to cry. At that moment, Rienne was filled with the urge to give him an affectionate hug, soothing him to stop crying, and telling him they should greet his brother with a happy smile. [Klimah] ¡°My brother¡­¡­is dead.¡± But Klimah wasn¡¯t crying. The way he was holding his head was more akin to fighting back a returning memory. [Klimah] ¡°My father killed him. He knew if he stayed alive, the seven families would kill him instead, so it would be better to die by his hand.¡± [Rienne] ¡°No¡­..that¡¯s not true. Your brother is alive. He seems very alive to me, at least¡­..¡± [Klimah] ¡°He put Prince Fernand¡¯s clothes on him and stabbed him in the heart with a sword. Then he put the sword in my hands¡­..and told me to make his face unrecognizable. I did as he said¡­. Even though my mother tried to stop me¡­.My brother, he¡­¡­¡± Klimah¡¯s hands trembled. But seeing him in that state, Rienne was no better. Her whole body was shaking beyond her control. [Klimah] ¡°There was so much blood¡­.on his face¡­¡­¡± When Linden Kleinfelder went to the home of Sir Henton, what he found was a sobbing Klimah, holding the body of a boy wearing Prince Fernand¡¯s clothing, who was just the right size with a mutted face. Next to him was a bloodstained de. Klimah lost most of his mind that day. Linden Kleinfelder must¡¯ve realized how broken he was, and saw some use in him as an errand boy. [Rienne] ¡°Then¡­..then the person who ran away¡­¡­¡± [Klimah] ¡°Wasn¡¯t my brother. My brother is dead.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Prince Fernand¡­¡­.¡± Rienne bit her lip tightly. If she didn¡¯t, the sound of her trembling jaw would¡¯ve been so loud, it could¡¯ve deafened someone. [ck] ¨C¡®Henton. That was my name just before I left thisnd.¡¯ So¡­..that¡¯s what he meant. He meant that when he left Nauk, he was masquerading as the second son of the knight, Henton. And the marriage talks between them happened before then. Back when he was still a prince. [ck] ¨C¡®For me, you are the closest thing I have to a home.¡¯ He meant that literally. Because the ce she was upying was once his home. The home that he wanted toe back to. The ce that he needed to be. And he didn¡¯t wish to destroy anything in the process, which was why he decided to leave behind any desire he might¡¯ve had for revenge. Was that how his mind worked? Rienne felt like she could understand ck, even just a little bit more. [Rienne] ¡°Still, my thoughts don¡¯t change. Sir Henton saved Prince Fernand, so he is like a savior to me as well. And as the family of said savior, I will help you and your mother. Please allow me that.¡± [Klimah] ¡°¡­¡­? But why?¡± Looking up at Rienne, Klimah¡¯s voice was filled with confusion. Rienne closed her eyes, breathing deeply. [Rienne] ¡°Prince Fernand is my fianc¨¦.¡± [Klimah] ¡°H, huh¡­.?¡± Klimah¡¯s eyes were shaking to no end. Seeing his reaction, Rienne felt her blood run dry, her mind bing anxious. [Rienne] ¡°What is it?¡± [Klimah] ¡°Oh, what¡­.? I just don¡¯t understand¡­..¡± [Rienne] ¡°Lord Tiwakan is Prince Fernand. If he is not your brother, then that leaves only one person he could be¡­¡­¡± [Klimah] ¡°But¡­.you are an Arsak, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­.?¡± A river of goosebumps fell along Rienne¡¯s spine. Perhaps her heart always had an inkling of doubt the moment Klimah mentioned the ¡®seven¡¯ families. Why seven? Presently, there were six families who had the power and motivation tomit treason in Nauk¡ªKleinfelder, Eroiden, Burey, Serquez, Armendaris, and Rosadel. But one more was needed to make seven. And there was one family who benefited the most from the coup. The family who ended up taking the throne of Nauk for themselves. The Arsak family. [Rienne] ¡°Ah¡­..ah¡­..AH!¡± Rienne violently grabbed her head, suddenly understanding what made Klimah do that same thing. She wanted to make her head stop spinning, everything bing like a jumbled mess in her mind. She held both sides of her head, a quiet and pained moan escaping from between her lips, but in her head, it was so much louder¡ªlike the roar of a lunatic. It¡¯s me. That man¡¯s enemy. It was always me, never anyone else. Me. The person who deserves to be killed by him. It was always me¡­.. * * * * * [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Rienne blinked slowly. It was cold, dark, and dry where she was. She couldn¡¯t tell what time it was. [Klimah] ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡± Klimah¡¯s voice echoed out, and that¡¯s when she realized she must¡¯ve lost consciousness. [Klimah] ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure what to do¡­..so I just stayed here¡­..¡± His voice was quiet, almost like it was crawling out of him, but it was enough to instantly remind her of what they¡¯d just talked about. Fernand. Fernand Gainers. That was that man¡¯s name. And what should she do now that she knows that? As Rienne kept silent, Klimah seemed restless, quietly clenching and unclenching his fists, like he was centering himself. He wasn¡¯t crying any more. [Klimah] ¡°Then¡­.Should I take you back to the castle now¡­¡­?¡± And now that things were settled, he¡¯d apparently finally decided to end his time living as a servant of the Kleinfelders. That came as a relief to her, but thinking about that didn¡¯t bring out any feelings in her. [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­.Why did you propose to me?¡± [Klimah] ¡°¡­.W, what?¡± [ck] ¨C¡®The reason why I proposed was because I didn¡¯t want you to be taken away by someone else.¡¯ The answer ck had given her once before popped back up in her head. At least that all made sense now. Nauk, her, even the throne¡ªall of it was supposed to belong to him in the first ce. [Rienne] ¡°So all you had to do was propose. Then, after we were married, you could take control of everything.¡± [Klimah] ¡°¡­..I¡¯m sorry?¡± Confused, Klimah pointed a finger at himself, shaking his head, but Rienne was entirely unperturbed by what he was doing, merely talking out loud to herself. [Rienne] ¡°But why did you act¡­¡­.like you wanted me if that was the case?¡± [ck] ¨C¡®At that point, more than anything, all I wanted was a home.¡¯ Maybe that was true. That¡¯s what he told her when she still wasn¡¯t sure if he was sincere in saying he was passing up his chance at revenge. He could destroy Nauk at any moment he wished, but he didn¡¯t. [Rienne] ¡°Is it because you just wanted a home toe back to and rest¡­¡­.So you wanted things to stay like this?¡± [Klimah] ¡°. . .¡± Klimah sat still, listening to her quietly. He only realized now that Rienne was only talking to herself, not him. [Rienne] ¡°You never once lied to me¡­..aside from your name.¡± And his reasons for lying about his name were the same as his reasons for not lying about anything else. [Rienne] ¡°I guess you really didn¡¯t want me to know.¡± Because he knew¡­.she wouldn¡¯t trust him if he¡¯d given her his real name. He must¡¯ve thought she would stick with the six families, terrified of the Tiwakan and anxious about when he might kill her if she knew. Having the mercenaries in the castle like that would be like keeping a poisoned viper in her home. Yes. That was probably why. If that was the case, then everything made sense now. And maybe it was true that he desired her and thought of her as someone he wanted to treasure. Maybe he was being honest when he said he would do his best to protect her. Yes. She wanted to believe that¡­.. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m going back to the castle.¡± Rienne lifted herself up off the ground. She did so with so much vigor, it was hard to believe she was lifeless and drained just a minute ago. Standing up on her own, she looked down at Klimah, still sitting on the ground. [Rienne] ¡°I meant everything I said. I have no intention of punishing you for your sins.¡± She had no right to punish anyone. She was someone with Arsak blood running through her veins¡ªthe blood of those who killed King Gainers and stole Prince Fernand¡¯s crown. ¡­¡­¡­.And now that she was thinking about it, there was another person who lied. The other person who imed ck¡¯s name was Henton. The old beggar from the front of the Temple. He knew something, too. He must¡¯ve lied for the sake of Prince Fernand. Rienne smiled bitterly. He tried telling her the truth at first, but then suddenly lied to her right at the end. That could only mean that man had intervened in the middle, busying himself with trying to conceal the truth. And this would probably continue to happen in the future. So long as he had things to hide, these small little cover ups were bound to continue. Not like she was any different¡ªlying to him as she was. It was possible the two of them would live like this for the rest of their lives. But even if that was the case, Rienne intended to keep ck¡¯s secret. And it wasn¡¯t because she was afraid of how the six families would react if they heard of Prince Fernand¡¯s return. It was because she knew hewantedher to remain ignorant. And if that¡¯s what he wanted, she was content to y the fool for the rest of her life if it meant keeping their rtionship the same. [Rienne] ¡°Hide like you¡¯ve been doing up until now. It won¡¯t be for much longer. In the meantime, you needn¡¯t follow the Kleinfelders¡¯ orders any more, even if someone delivers them to you.¡± [Klimah] ¡°What about my mother?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯ll take care of her. Once your mother is safe, I will send you a message. Then the choice is yours. You may leave Nauk if you¡¯d like, but if you wish to remain, I will prepare new identities for you. I will not let anyone know of your name.¡± [Klimah] ¡°But, is that possible¡­.? I still¡­.have so many sins¡­¡­¡± [Rienne] ¡°That is my cross to bear. They are sins that never would have happened had the Arsak family not done what they did.¡± When she came to that conclusion, her head unexpectedly felt more at peace. [Rienne] ¡°Tell me how to get back to the castle from here. I will go alone.¡± [Klimah] ¡°You need someone to show you. The road is dark, and navigating it is like a maze.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Is that so?¡± But allowing Klimah to get too close to the castle would be dangerous. [Rienne] ¡°Tell me in detail, so they cannot find you. That would be better. You, as a servant, never took the Kleinfelders orders, and as such, never kidnapped me. That is what everyone must believe.¡± [Klimah] ¡°But it would be too dangerous. You might get lost¡­¡­¡± [Rienne] ¡°That is my problem as well.¡± Though the daughter of Arsak may not bleed as that old beggar said, she still had far too many sins to bear. Rienne left that ce, walking down that unfamiliar road back to the castle, her heart and soul unfathomably heavy. Chapter 55 - A Leash Chapter 55 | A Leash [Klimah] ¨C¡®It¡¯ll be like a maze. The fires will go out soon, so don¡¯t worry about them and focus on counting your steps. You can¡¯t rely on your eyes here. Rely only on the number of steps you¡¯re taking.¡¯ Klimah told her about the path back to the castle in great detail. Rienne didn¡¯t realize the underground of the castle was so intense, nor did she realize there was a road to the outside here. [Klimah] ¨C¡¯Even the Kleinfelders don¡¯t know about this path.¡¯ Only Sir Henton knew about it. Klimah said this was the route he took to escape with Prince Fernand. Given that Sir Henton was a member of the Guardian Knights of the Gainers family, it would¡¯ve been something only those two factions would know about. It was probably a secret passage that was reserved should a crisis ever befall the Gainers family. [Rienne] ¡°But the knights of the Gainers family all died that day, so no one else likely knows about this anymore.¡± Now only two people knew about it. Well, three if she counted herself. The path she was on had no end in sight, and it was a little frightening how it felt like the walls were narrowing in on her. And she couldn¡¯t call the path she was on a simple ¡®road¡¯, either. There were some strange structures as well. [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s not a door, but it¡¯s not a wall either¡­What is it?¡± It would be nice if she could take a closer look, but it was too dark and she had no light source with her. [Rienne] ¡°Even if I were to look at the royal records, I doubt there would be anything written about it. They must¡¯ve passed this information along through word of mouth.¡± Rienne took her eyes away from the barely visible silhouette, recounting her steps in her head. [Rienne] ¡°Have the fires gone out already?¡± Klimah said that the fires he set were only meant to act as a diversion to take attention away from her, so they weren¡¯t that serious. At least she could take somefort in that. [Rienne] ¡°But I¡¯m sure it was still hard to deal with. And everyone has probably noticed that I¡¯ve gone missing by now¡­¡­¡± So, what was going on now because of that? She was a little scared to think about it. [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Suddenly, Rienne¡¯s ankles staggered, and she stopped moving as she felt her body sway. But she had to think about it, even if it was scary. ck didn¡¯t know the exact reason why Rienne had disappeared. He might be trying to look for her, but obviously he hadn¡¯t found her yet. And if she told him she disappeared of her own ord, he definitely wouldn¡¯t believe her. But if he knew the servant had kidnapped her, that would only worsen Klimah¡¯s sin. Did that man know Sir Henton¡¯s family was still alive? He probably didn¡¯t. And because he didn¡¯t know, he didn¡¯t do anything about it. If he¡¯d known Sir Henton¡¯s son was being used as an assassin for the Kleinfelder family, he would not have allowed it to continue. So, in that case, would it be better for her to conceal Klimah¡¯s identity? Her head was starting to ache. Rienne hurried her steps but the moment she sped up too quickly, she tried to calm herself down, soft yet heavy sighs leaving her as she did. If that man knew she¡¯d spoken to the servant like this, he would guess that she¡¯d heard about his real name, too. I don¡¯t know who Prince Fernand is. To me, his name is only Lord Tiwakan, Rienne reminded herself. So¡­..they should just get married as soon as possible. That way she could quietly hand control of everything to him. That was the best she could do to atone. That was the right thing to do now. But in order to do that, first they needed to cross the vast mountain known as the Treaty of Risebury. And for that, the Kleinfelders needed to disappear. The Kleinfelders were the focal point of the six families. They were so influential that if they were to disappear, rather than simply one family out of six going away, the power of the remaining five would be cut in half. And I think I know now what the Treaty of Risebury truly represents. It was a debt to the crown. The price of the crown obtained by the previous king was treason. And it was the six families who put that crown atop his head. But from that moment on, the crown the Arsak family wore was no longer a symbol of royalty or power, but aleashbound to their necks. That was the reason why the king was tied to the six families, and Rienne couldn¡¯t believe she was only realizing this now. [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s why¡­..¡± ¡­¡­Why the Kleinfelders could act as they did. To them, she wasn¡¯t royalty. She was an aplice to their dirty deeds. [Rienne] ¡°¡­..But now, I¡¯m going to escape from that.¡± The bindings of that sin from twenty-one years ago. The six families¡ªno, thesevenfamilies had to pay for the heinous sin theymitted back then. Rienne clenched her fists as hard as she could. I am going to fix this with my own hands.Thatwill be my atonement. Her heart ached, perhaps having lost the resolve to ever use the words ¡®love¡¯ and ¡®affection¡¯, only ever speaking of her desire to atone. * * * * * [Mercenary] ¡°We were mistaken, my Lord. She¡¯s not here, either.¡± [ck] ¡°¡­¡­.Is that so?¡± ck turned his head, looking back at the massive mansion that had beenpletely overturned, down to thest bottle of wine in the cer. Over a day and a half had passed since Rienne disappeared. And in that time, the Tiwakan tirelessly searched all ces where someone could¡¯ve hidden her. The first ce they stormed was the Temple. He didn¡¯t even have to think about it to know the Kleinfelders were responsible, so he concluded that they wouldn¡¯t have taken her back to their mansion. Right at dawn, the defenseless Temple was wiped clean, every corner of it searched and checked for the presence of Rienne or the servant¡ªa known agent of the Kleinfelders. And as they violently tore through the Temple, what was repaired of the stairs was againpletely destroyed. Then there was the Rosadel estate. The one who visited Linden Kleinfelder in the dungeons with Eroiden was the head of the Rosadel family. If he wanted to root out anyone rted to the Kleinfelders who could¡¯ve had a hand in this, this was the next logical step. As the mercenaries marched to the Rosadel estate, somehow their soldiers knew they wereing. The Rosadel soldiers ran to block the road like ants, shouting something or other about Risebury, but he didn¡¯t care. It was then that ckughed. It was a mockingugh, not loud enough to be heard by anyone, but he literallyughed at how ridiculously foolish it was for them to think they could actually stop him with such small numbers. They still didn¡¯t understand what the name ¡®Tiwakan¡¯ meant yet. It was clear they didn¡¯t think too hard onwhythe head of the Tiwakan was rumored to be the illegitimate son of the God of War. [ck] ¨C¡®Stay out of my way.¡¯ With those words, ck had drawn his sword. Phermos sighed, ordering the rest of the mercenaries back. [Phermos] ¨C¡®You¡¯re going to do this alone? Very well. We will wait here, but don¡¯t put too much effort into it. These people aren¡¯t worth it.¡¯ Disappointed, the rest of the mercenaries stowed their des. There were sixteen soldiers in total sent by the Rosadel family to intercept them. He could easily tell their skill level just by looking at how they held their weapons. In ck¡¯s eyes, these sixteen men were just like helpless children. [Soldier] ¨C¡®GAH¡­.!¡¯ And the time it took for him topletely annihte them was over in an instant. If this were their usual battlefield, obviously he would¡¯ve ordered his men to loot the bodies for whatever useful weapons and belongings they might have, but that was far from his mind right now. [Mercenary] ¨C¡®Sir, there¡¯s one alive. I think he¡¯s still breathing. Should we just let ¡®em go?¡¯ Pointing to a body on the ground, a mercenary called out to him. ck¡¯s answer was simple. He shook the blood from his de, gripping the hilt tightly as he strode back towards the near-lifeless body, quickly running the de across the soldier¡¯s throat, nearly sundering the head from the rest of the body. All without any hesitation. [ck] ¨C¡®The Kleinfelders are next.¡¯ That was when ck had a change of ns. [ck] ¨C¡®If we break them down enough, someone will crawl out eventually.¡¯ At this point, it didn¡¯t matter if Rienne wasn¡¯t there. If he showed his willingness topletely decimate anyone and anything in his path, then whoever had her would eventually bring her back to him. He wanted to respect Rienne¡¯s wishes, so he tried his hardest to avoid war with the six families, but none of that mattered anymore. He should¡¯ve killed them all sooner. He should have persuaded Rienne that none of this would end until they were gone. She wanted to avoid plunging Nauk into war, dividing the nation, but sometimes that was necessary in order to purge them of rotten parts. Once they arrived at the Kleinfelder estate, the Tiwakan bashed through the door without knocking. They¡¯d done it before, so it wasn¡¯t difficult this time around. And as the soldiers arrived to defend their lord-less mansion, they were all swiftly and violently killed¡ªtheir heads cleaved from their shoulders. They were like children, but it still took some time to deal with them all since their numbers were great. But even then, it took less than three hours for the Tiwakan to takeplete control over the Kleinfelder estate. The front courtyard was like a battlefield. Scattered around the grounds were bloodied corpses, decapitated heads, the few lucky survivors, and the asional servant, trying to escape the mess. [ck] ¡°Find those who can speak. Even if the Kleinfelders get wiped out, tell them they can keep their heads if they talk.¡± [Mercenary] ¡°Yes, sir.¡± As always, the Tiwakan worked quickly. The most important thing when it came to finding a missing person was speed. Every second counted. After traveling the battlefield for a decade, both taking and rescuing hostages was something he¡¯d done many times. From experience, ck knew that the fastest, most decisive of methods worked the best. [Phermos] ¡°I actually thought that the servant may have been hiding her here.¡± Phermos approached ck from the side. [ck] ¡°. . .¡± [Phermos] ¡°If we can¡¯t find her this easily, then he must¡¯ve hidden her somewhere very carefully. People who were in contact with the Kleinfelder in the dungeons came here andmunicated something to the servant, so he might be up to something.¡± Phermos¡¯ guess wasn¡¯t wrong. It was just that Klimah hadn¡¯t brought Rienne back to the Kleinfelder estate. [Phermos] ¡°How nice it would¡¯ve been if he were simple minded enough to return here instead.¡± Phermos paused, speaking with little confidence in his voice. [Phermos] ¡°But¡­..he seems oddly trained. I doubt the death of the High Priest was the only thing he was responsible for. Either he¡¯s extremely lucky, or he¡¯s far too skilled at killing.¡± [ck] ¡°. . .¡± ck¡¯s brow twitched. Seeing that, Phermos immediately amended his statement. [Phermos] ¡°Well, being trained doesn¡¯t necessarily mean he¡¯s any kind of tactical genius. If he were smart, he wouldn¡¯t act as a servant of the Kleinfelder family while disguising his identity. Especially not if there¡¯s no reward involved.¡± [ck] ¡°. . .¡± But for ck, who knew exactly who Klimah was, those words were moreplex than that. Even if Manau hadn¡¯t begged him not to, ck had no intention of killing Sir Henton¡¯s first son. Sir Henton had shed too much blood to save one royal prince¡¯s life for him to do that. And among those lives was the life of his youngest son. Whether he wanted to be or not, after he¡¯d returned to Nauk alive, he owed them a debt. And he wasn¡¯t about to let that debt go unpaid. [ck] ¡°¡­..But it can¡¯t be helped.¡± Things were different if Rienne was involved. Even if Sir Henton¡¯s son was working against his better judgement, if he did anything to her, the weight of that debt would disappear like smoke. [Phermos] ¡°What do you mean, sir?¡± But right when Phermos asked his question¡ª [Mercenary] ¡°My Lord! I found something!¡± They finally received some long awaited news. Thwip¡ª Even before Phermos could feel any relief, ck was already pushing past him, running off followed by the sound of wind. * * * * * [Mercenary] ¡°This is it.¡± Bang¡ª! What the Tiwakan had found was a hiding space in the detached house. Well, they were using the wordshiding spacepretty loosely. To be honest, looking around the ce,torture chamberwas probably a better way to describe it. The interior of the house was small and shabby¡ªthe air so stuffy, even breathing was difficult. Then, in the corner of the room was a bed, underneath which, there was a hollow gap, a little wider than a coffin. Feeling around, there was a hidden trap door there, and when it waspletely opened, ced inside was a prayer book and a whip studded with sharp des. [Phermos] ¡°This must be where the servant was hiding.¡± Phermos muttered, clicking his tongue in exasperation as he looked around. [Phermos] ¡°Find whoever lives here and bring them forward.¡± [Mercenary] ¡°Already got ¡®em. Here.¡± Pushing forward from the outside, another mercenary was grabbing onto the arm of a frail old woman, pulling her into the room. [Mercenary] ¡°I think she said she owns this room, but I couldn¡¯t really tell. She isn¡¯t really all there in the head, and she doesn¡¯t talk much.¡± Thud¡ª! The moment the mercenary let go of the woman¡¯s arm, she copsed onto the floor with a dull sound. The woman was so skinny, it was hard to look at her. The mercenary¡¯s handling of her wasn¡¯t even particrly rough, but she looked frightened out of her mind. Her hair was lined with white streaks and the wrinkles set around her mouth had deepened considerably, but ck immediately recognized who the woman was. It was the wife of Sir Henton. Perhaps she was the reason why the Kleinfelders were able to use Sir Henton¡¯s son as an assassin. ck narrowed his eyes. [ck] ¡°¡­¡­..Where is your son?¡± [Mrs. Henton] ¡°¡­¡­?¡± The woman looked up at him, the look in her eyes so shocked, it was as though she¡¯d been struck with something. [Mrs. Henton] ¡°N, no¡­no¡­¡­¡± [ck] ¡°Just tell me if he¡¯s here or not. I won¡¯t ask anything else of you.¡± [Mrs. Henton] ¡°¡­¡­..!¡± She opened her mouth widely, though she couldn¡¯t make any sounds. But Mrs. Henton also recognized ck. That little prince who disappeared twenty-one years ago, wearing her son¡¯s clothing while holding tightly onto her husband¡¯s hand as they fled. There was no way on earth she could forget such pale blue eyes. Last time she saw one with such eyes was when he was wearing the clothing her son once wore. And if it weren¡¯t for those eyes, she might have even mistaken him for her own child. Fooling herself into believing the boy who was bleeding after her husband stabbed him in the chest with his de was truly Prince Fernand. But she couldn¡¯t forget. She would always recognize him. Chapter 56 - Nine Waterfalls Chapter 56 | Nine Waterfalls * * * * ck lowered his voice, kneeling down and ring at the poor woman. His voice was low and didn¡¯t carry much emotion, as was usual for him, but the mercenaries who were standing next to him looked at each other as they heard it. He sounded nervous. [ck] ¡°The sooner you speak, the better. Your son took Princess Rienne, but shehasto be alive.¡± [Mrs. Henton] ¡°P, Princess¡­..Rienne¡­.?¡± [ck] ¡°If the Princess is alive, I will not kill your son.¡± [Mrs. Henton] ¡°B, but¡­w, why¡­..¡± [ck] ¡°I don¡¯t have time for this.¡± [Mrs. Henton] ¡°Ah¡­..¡± The woman gasped, as if she was finallying to terms with the fact that her son had kidnapped Princess Rienne. [Mrs. Henton] ¡°H, he¡¯s not here¡­..I don¡¯t know anything¡­..He was here for a while but then he left¡­..I haven¡¯t heard anything since¡­¡­¡± [ck] ¡°Is there anywhere else he would go?¡± [Mrs. Henton] ¡°There¡¯s nowhere like that¡­¡­Ah.¡± But then she suddenly remembered something. Thest thing her husband told her before leaving behind the body of their second son. Her husband¡¯sst will and proof of his affection. The very reason why she was unable to curse her husband, despite how he¡¯d given up their second son to save the royal blood of Gainers, or how he¡¯d even sacrificed himself in the end. [Henton] ¨C¡®There¡¯s a path no one knows about. ess is permitted only to those of Gainers blood.¡¯ Breaking his oath as an honorable knight, he told her of the path she could take to escape. And like any good knight, doing so would¡¯ve shattered her husband¡¯s soul. Just as seeing her second son¡¯s mangled corpse shattered hers. [Henton] ¨C¡®You¡¯ll be safe there.¡¯ But now her husband was gone. Her first son desecrated the body of her second, fulfilling her husband¡¯s final request. That was herst memory of him. [Mrs. Henton] ¡°Nine waterfalls.¡± Quietly, Mrs. Henton whispered something only one of Gainers blood could understand. [Mrs. Henton] ¡°That¡¯s all I know. So please, save my son. Please don¡¯t kill him. Whatever he¡¯s done, if you can just save him¡­¡­¡± The woman bit her trembling lips, her shoulders shaking. Just talking seemed to be overwhelming her. [Mrs. Henton] ¡°I can¡¯t go through the same thing twice¡­¡­¡± [ck] ¡°Like I said. As long as Princess Rienne is safe.¡± As she reached out and grabbed onto him, ck removed the woman¡¯s hand, standing up. [Phermos] ¡°What do we do now?¡± Phermos asked quickly, gesturing down towards the woman. He wanted to know what his Lord intended to do with her. Listening in on their conversation, it was obvious they knew each other, though they didn¡¯t exactly sound like they were on the best of terms. But nheless, this definitely rted to ck¡¯s past. And from the sounds of it, it didn¡¯t seem like ck was trying to destroy his past altogether. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have made any mention of sparing any one¡¯s life. [ck] ¡°Take her and give her a ce to stay for a while. Don¡¯t mix her up with the people of this family.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Very well.¡± [ck] ¡°Clean up here and return to the castle once you¡¯re done. Set up defenses in case anyone tries to take some revenge for all of this.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Defenses?¡± [ck] ¡°Look at what happened. Clearly it¡¯s not too hard for someone to sneak in and do whatever they want. Right now, the priority is defending the castle. There¡¯s too many back doors and gaps that rats can slip through, so don¡¯t let your guard down.¡± [Phermos] ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind. Will you be moving on your own?¡± [ck] ¡°I have somewhere I need to go.¡± [Phermos] ¡°. . .¡± It must have something to do with that phrase, ¡®nine waterfalls¡¯. Phermos had a mountain of questions he wanted to ask, but instead he quietly took a step back. Besides, ck wasn¡¯t the kind of person to simply answer a question. He only ever spoke about things if he felt it was necessary for others to know. [Phermos] ¡°I pray you wrap things up quickly.¡± Without another word, ck turned on his heel and ran off. * * * * * [Rienne] ¡°¡­..Wrong again. This isn¡¯t the way.¡± Rienne bit her lip. She was so tired by now, but she kept getting turned around, heading off in the wrong direction every time she checked. Now she knew why Klimah was so worried. Her eyes were used to the darkness by now, but that didn¡¯t do much to help her. Rienne knelt down, running her hand against the ground. She felt around for her own footsteps, verifying the path she¡¯de from. [Rienne] ¡°I should head back to where I made that mark.¡± This ce was like one giant maze, and it wasn¡¯t easy to navigate. A lot of the intricate pathways didn¡¯t even seem like they were built with the intent of making walkingfortable. [Rienne] ¡°Did I take a wrong turn back when the path split?¡± Rienne held back a sigh, giving her weary feet a chance to rest before continuing onward. And as she walked down that long, dreary path, her mind started to spiral. She started slowly thinking about what her chances were of dying here without ever finding her way. If I were to die¡­..What would that man do¡­¡­? Would the six families be brought into a massive war once she was gone? But then what would happen to Nauk? So many people would die. [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± But why didn¡¯t that man do that in the first ce? Was it really only because I asked him not to¡­..? Even though she had plenty of time to think about it, no amount of thought made it make sense. Having taken the sweetest reward from the rebellion, the Arsak family could be considered the center of the treason conspiracy. And yet despite that, the inescapable and contradictory truth was that ck had proposed to her. There¡­¡­had to be something she was missing. Marriage may not have been his end goal. Maybe he was thinking about doing something after that. Something he could only do once he gained control of the nation. Though, even if his attitude towards her were to suddenly change after they were married, as a sinner, she could not me him for it. Whatever he did, she nned on quietly epting it. Rienne paused for a moment, lightly closing her eyes. For some reason, her legs wouldn¡¯t move anymore, as if her messy thoughts were stopping her in ce. And whatever strength she had left was not enough to keep herself standing. [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­!¡± As her body swayed, she lifelessly fell to the floor. Or maybe it would be apt to say that she copsed. [Rienne] ¡°Then¡­¡­¡± Wouldn¡¯t it be better if I just stayed here¡­¡­..? She was scared. She was terrified that he might change after they were married. But she knew if he did, she would have no choice but to ept it, despite how desperately she didn¡¯t want to. She was so scared of him. Scared that maybe he didn¡¯t want her from the beginning. She didn¡¯t want to know the truth¡­. It was like her body was just slowly giving up. Her eyes couldn¡¯t stay open as they fell to a quiet close, Rienne¡¯s mind drifting away from consciousness. * * * * * This path was no maze. For someone of Gainers blood and those who defended them, it was a path well known to both groups. It would only appear maze-like to those who didn¡¯t know the way or if they didn¡¯t realize what it was for. ck himself had only ever walked down it once before, but even so, it wasn¡¯t confusing to him. It was built to be traversed, but parts of the path were made for something other than people. So his guess was that Rienne took a wrong turn. For her, this ce must¡¯ve seemed like a giantbyrinth. And as someone who didn¡¯t know the way, this was a dangerous and vast ce for her to be in. He felt something in his heart rushing forward, pushing him faster. ck took a hard turn, veering off the path and silently heading towards higher ground. Rienne was still in her nightgown, so she would be barefoot, making her footprints harder to make out. But he felt lucky knowing her nightgown was at least white. It would make her easier to spot than if her clothes were darker. And after an hour of wandering through that thick and imprable darkness, pushing himself through the winding paths of the narrow corridors, ck finally found Rienne. [ck] ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Seeing Rienne helplessly copsed on the ground, he felt very strange. The thought that the sight wasn¡¯trightkept gnawing at him. Without wasting a second, he pushed off from the ground, rushing to her to the point of running out of breath, that one thought still pounding in his head. Though his eyes were seeing it, his mindpletely pushed the idea away, as if they were dealing with entirely separate realities. He could not ept the situation that was clearly before him. She can¡¯t die. The Princess was on the ground, not moving an inch, and she looked too much like a corpse. He knew better than anyone else that humans died easily. Their lives were fragile, and the smallest of things could snuff them out in an instant. She can¡¯t be dead. But to hear that Rienne was dead, it felt like total nonsense. Like some kind of awful, sick, twisted joke. [ck] ¡°Hah¡­..hah¡­!¡± By the time he finally reached her, it felt like his lungs were going to tear from the pressure, as if one more breath of air would be enough to rip them apart. He didn¡¯t even know it was possible for him to make such a coarse sound. Thud! He knew he couldn¡¯t possibly feel so tired or worn out just because he wandered around for an hour, but for some reason, he fell to his knees¡ªhis body unable support its own weight anymore. ck unconsciously copsed next to Rienne, immediately lowering his head and pushing it against her chest to check. He needed to hear something,anythingto show that she was alive. [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± And though it was weak, he could hear the soft hum of her breathing. She¡¯s not dead. [ck] ¡°¡­¡­She¡¯s okay.¡± ck weakly held out his hands, trying to hold Princess Rienne, but his arms didn¡¯t have any strength left. The feeling of his body not cooperating was unfamiliar and strange. Even as he tried to keep looking at Rienne¡¯s face, his eyes kept drifting down towards her nightgown. [ck] ¡°What¡­¡­¡± But he realized the reason now. Her nightgown was too dirty. Even if it was white and dirt was easy to spot on it, it still felt too dirty. Like she¡¯d been bleeding. [ck] ¡°¡­..Blood?¡± And then his entire head wentpletely nk, every thought turning a stark white. His once weak and exhausted arms were suddenly filled with renewed strength, moving against his will before he even realized it. ck lifted Rienne up into his arms, pushing aside her nightgown. There was blood spotting on her bare white skin, but he couldn¡¯t find any wounds. [Rienne] ¡°Ah¡­.Mm¡­¡­..¡± Rienne murmured, her lips barely moving as her eyes struggled to open. Moving on instinct, ck cupped Rienne¡¯s face in his hand, forcing her to look into his eyes. [ck] ¡°Princess? Are you awake? Can you tell me where you¡¯re hurt?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Ah¡­Lord¡­¡­.¡± [ck] ¡°I can¡¯t find any wounds. Are you in any pain?¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± In that brief moment, when their eyes met, Rienne¡¯s expression turned strange. Rather than being happy to see him, there was an odd mixture of worry, hesitation, and fear in her eyes. [ck] ¡°Tell me where you got hurt.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m¡­..not¡­.hurt¡­¡­But, I want¡­to tell you¡­something¡­¡± Her voice was so quiet, it was like a wisp of air, burning his heart as he heard it. [ck] ¡°Whatever it is, you can tell meter. If you¡¯re not in any pain, we need to get going.¡± ck hooked his arm beneath Rienne¡¯s legs, picking her up as he lifted her from the ground. He was worried her back might¡¯ve been hurt like what happened before, but they couldn¡¯t afford to stay here until Rienne came back to her senses. Step, step, step! Even the sound of his rapid footsteps sounding out against the stone ground didn¡¯t seem real. But the most unreal thing of all was Rienne, who looked so weak right now, her face bloodless and pale. It unsettled and distressed him, and those feelings only served to further agitate him. He couldn¡¯t stand that feeling of difort boiling inside of him. Why did this have to happen to the Princess¡­.. I didn¡¯te back to see this. This isn¡¯t what I said I would get back! [Rienne] ¡°I¡­have to tell¡­ you¡­¡­¡± Rienne reached out and grabbed ck¡¯s cor, her hands deathly cold and her voice tiredced with exhaustion. [Rienne] ¡°I wanted¡­ to say it, but I¡­..kept avoiding¡­it¡­..¡± At the sound of her breathless voice, ck stopped in his tracks. Moving hesitantly, he put his ear close to Rienne¡¯s lips. And then, in a soft and timid voice, she said¡ª [Rienne] ¡°I wanted¡­ to tell you¡­¡­there is¡­.no child¡­¡­.¡± [ck] ¡°¡­¡­.?¡± Leaving ck to be confused, Rienne¡¯s hand lifelessly fell as she closed her eyes, slipping back into unconsciousness as if she¡¯d done the one thing she wanted to do. * * * * * Rienne wasn¡¯t hurt. She was just tired after walking around for so long on such an empty stomach. And as a reward for her exhaustion, Rienne slept for a very long time. As still and as quiet as the dead. [Rienne] ¡°¡­.Mm¡­.¡± And funnily enough, it was dawn again by the time Rienne woke up. It was still a little early though, so most people were probably still asleep. Like Mrs. mbard. The only difference was that Mrs. mbard wasn¡¯t sleeping in her own room, but had fallen asleep leaning against the corner of Rienne¡¯s bed, watching over her from the side. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°¡­¡­.Ah, Princess! Are you awake?¡± Hearing Rienne stir awake, Mrs. mbard rushed to her side, her eyes widened. Rienne fought back the trembling of her eyelids, forcing her eyes open with great difficulty. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°How are you? Are you feeling alright?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Ah¡­Yes, I think so.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Hah, I¡¯m so d. I¡¯m so, so d.¡± The woman sped her hands together, opening and closing them as she let out a deep sigh. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°When I was told what was going on, I thought something awful had happened to you, Princess. I was so shocked I nearly forgot to call a doctor.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Doctor¡­¡­?¡± Before she lost consciousness, Rienne struggled to remember what happened, sorting through her messy memories. [Rienne] ¡°How did I get back here? I think I got lost but¡­..I don¡¯t remember what happened after that.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Ah, you don¡¯t remember? Someone carried you back in, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Lord Tiwakan¡­..? ¡­¡­Ah.¡± A vague and hazy memory came back to her. Lost and confused, exhausted and drained, Rienne was found by ck. She thought she was only dreaming when she saw him, so she found herself talking about all the things she couldn¡¯t find the courage to say in real life. And that¡¯s when she told him there was no child. Chapter 57 - That Kind of Person Doesn’t Exist Chapter 57 | That Kind of Person Doesn¡¯t Exist There were so many things she wanted to say to him, but for some reason, she felt like she was running out of time. So, out of all the things she could¡¯ve said, Rienne said the thing she wanted to the most. There is no child. No one ever took me away from you, so you may take me back in full. Or something like that. But she couldn¡¯t remember what ck said back to her¡ªif he said anything at all. At the time, she was convinced it was only a dream, but apparently it wasn¡¯t. He reallydidRienne] ¡°How did he know¡­¡­..?¡± Rienne felt herself getting nervous. Did he find Klimah, who was supposed to be hiding? And then did he asked Klimah where she was? In that case, how was Klimah now? Was he alright? Maybe he was already dead¡­.. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°You were missing for so long, Princess. And everyone¡¯s misunderstood because of the blood on your dress. You still haven¡¯t said anything, yes? So I didn¡¯t say anything, either.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What?¡± The woman¡¯s voice perked up Rienne¡¯s ears, filling her with strange thoughts. Rienne looked up, staring at her. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°¡­¡­.There was a lot of blood, Princess. Everyone saw it. And now, he seems to think you¡¯ve lost your child.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Excuse me?¡± This was something she hadn¡¯t considered. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°So¡­¡­¡± Mrs. mbard nodded her head in embarrassment. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°I decided to stay quiet because I thought that would be for the best. And the doctor ended up confirming it because of all the blood.¡± [Rienne] ¡°No, but I¡­¡­.¡± Shetoldhim. She said, ¡®there¡¯s no child¡¯. There never was from the start. Don¡¯t tell me he didn¡¯t hear me. [Rienne] ¡°What did Lord Tiwakan say?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°What did he say? About the lost child, you mean?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Yes.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡­¡­¡± The woman suddenly grabbed Rienne¡¯s hand. Her touch was very kind and soothing, almost like a mother just before her daughter¡¯s wedding day. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°He didn¡¯t say anything. He only told the doctor to save you, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Is that so¡­¡­¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°But I caught a glimpse of his face, Princess, and I was able to see so many of his emotions. He looked sincerely worried for you¡ªas if his heart were breaking at what happened.¡± [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s¡­.¡± Is that¡­.really true? [Mrs. mbard] ¡°I think you¡¯ve met a very fine life partner, Princess. Telling him the truth or not won¡¯t make much of a difference now, in my opinion. I¡¯m sure if you truly did have a child, he would have cherished them as his own.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± He can¡¯t do that. It was already very strange that he was so willing to ept a child of Kleinfelder blood as his own, but it would make no sense for him to feelaffectiontowards the child Rienne gave birth to. That kind of person didn¡¯t exist in this world. [Rienne] ¡°Ma¡¯am.¡± As the woman held her hand, kindly holding it with a kind face, she looked up to Rienne who had called out to her. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Yes, Princess?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Do you remember the old king?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°You mean your father?¡± [Rienne] ¡°No, before that. The king of the Gainers family.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Oh, yes I think I remember him, though I never met him up close. Wasn¡¯t he the king who died from a curse while on a hunting trip with his knights?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Did you say, curse?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Yes, I did.¡± Mrs. mbard lowered her voice, looking around as though what she was saying was a secret. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Now, the rumor is a bit hush-hush, but they say the king was punished for doing something to earn the fury of God. He was still young when he died, and it was somewhere no one could find him, so many believe that to be the truth. They even say merely speaking his name is enough to bring down the wrath of God, Princess. So you mustn¡¯t speak that name too lightly.¡± Deep in her chest, Rienne could feel her anger pulsating. A curse? So they killed him and then passed off some nonsense story about a curse as the truth? All so they could try and erase their sin of treason. [Rienne] ¡°Don¡¯t say that, ma¡¯am. There is no curse. And repeating such words only¡ª¡° Boom¡ª! The bedroom door swung open with such force, it sounded like it was breaking, causing both Rienne and her nanny to pull back in surprise. Standing in the door frame was ck, who had thrown the door open as if he were intent on destroying it. [ck] ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡± Seeing his face, illuminated by the flickering light of the candle, he looked unusually pale. [Rienne] ¡°Yes¡­¡­.¡± And meeting him now wasn¡¯t as easy as she thought. She felt very ufortable. Rienne closed her eyes, letting out a soft sigh in the meantime. But in the moment her eyes were closed, ck closed the distance between them before she realized it. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°I will take my leave.¡± The woman quickly stood up from her seat, bowing towards them. [Rienne] ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that.¡± But as Rienne reached out to stop her, ck took a hold of her hand, gently pulling her back before she could. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Call me if you need anything, Princess.¡± And with that, Mrs. mbard quickly excused herself. It would appear as though she had no intention of awkwardly allowing herself to stay stuck in between them. [ck] ¡°You¡¯re just waking up now.¡± Hearing the sound of the door safely shutting, ck sat down in the chair that her nanny had left vacant, but that wasn¡¯t enough for him, so he pulled it closer to the edge of Rienne¡¯s bedside. He took Rienne¡¯s hand and interlocked their fingers. Once their hands were tightly intertwined, he brought her hand up to his lips, giving it a sweet kiss. [ck] ¡°You slept so long, I was about to wake you up.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Hearing Rienne¡¯s echoing silence, ck tilted his head. [ck] ¡°Did you want to sleep more?¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­.No.¡± Actually, she was still very tired, but she didn¡¯t want to go to sleep. If she slept, she would only end up feeling worried about tomorrow. Falling asleep at such a strange time would only mean waking up at a strange time, too. [ck] ¡°Are you hungry?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Not especially.¡± [ck] ¡°Then what do you need?¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Thinking about it, funnily enough, there was only one thing she really wanted. She wanted to erase her memory. Specifically, all her memories of what she talked to that servant about. Of ever meeting him to begin with. Inparison to now, her past worries seemed so simple. When all she had to do was wait for the perfect time and ce to tell ck the truth about her pregnancy. Thinking about that now, it just felt so foolish. That was nothing inparison to what now gued her mind. [ck] ¡°You can say anything you want. Like anything you can remember about the person who did this to you.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­.I didn¡¯t see them.¡± Hesitating for a moment, that¡¯s how Rienne decided to answer. If it became known that Klimah kidnapped her, it would only be harder to help him like she promised. Of course, ck already knew about him and what he¡¯d done, but Rienne didn¡¯t know that. [Rienne] ¡°After I lost consciousness, I was alone by the time I came to.¡± [ck] ¡°Do you remember seeing me?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Yes¡­¡­¡± [ck] ¡°Alright then. That¡¯s all that matters. Nothing too bad must¡¯ve happened since you can remember things clearly.¡± ck ran his hand through Rienne¡¯s pale colored hair, his touch so soft and kind that she could barely feel it. When he acted like this, no one would ever guess he was dealing with the daughter of his enemy. Was it because¡­¡­he was too young at the time to know what the Arsak family did? Could he only remember the Kleinfelder¡¯s part in it all? Was that why he could treat her like this? [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± The more Rienne¡¯s thoughts started to spiral, the paler she became. He said he was eight years old at the time, so he may not remember the names of all seven families. But he wasn¡¯t the only one who didn¡¯t know anything. She thought that she¡¯d been the royalty of Nauk since the moment she was born, living in blissful ignorance all this time. So that was probably how it was. He still didn¡¯t know exactly who she was. To him, she was just the person he remembered as being the one his engagement was nearly arranged with when he was young. [ck] ¡°What¡¯s on your mind?¡± ck slowly swept Rienne¡¯s face with his hand. His touch was as kind and friendly as a dancing me, and yet, at the same time, it stung her like a sudden sh of freezing water. [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­I have something I need to tell you.¡± Her heart stung. Rienne pulled together what little courage she had, tugging on ck¡¯s sleeve. He said he liked it when she touched him, and she prayed that was still true. [Rienne] ¡°But please promise me something first.¡± [ck] ¡°Speak.¡± ck looked down at her hand that was holding onto him. From Rienne¡¯s point of view, there was an unmistakable hunger in his eyes. ¡­¡­I think I know why he¡¯s doing this to me. He said he wanted a home. A ce he could return to where nothing threatened him. A ce where he could rx his mind and lower his defenses without fear. For him, Rienne was that ce. Even if she deserved nothing,hedeserved to get that. ¡­..So I can¡¯t. She couldn¡¯t say it. My father killed yours and usurped your throne. I am not your home. I¡¯m not the one meant to stay with you, sharing a bed together until we¡¯re old. I¡¯m the daughter of the one who destroyed your life. She couldn¡¯t say any of that. If she did, this man would only lose his homeagain. Rienne wasn¡¯t sure if this was just an excuse to protect herself from the truth, but the reality was that she knew shecouldn¡¯ttake this away from him. She couldn¡¯t take anything more from him. It was already the Arsak family who stripped him of his home in the first ce. It would be far too cruel and awful to do that to him a second time. [ck] ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡± Seeing Rienne open and close her mouth several times, ck started to get worried, taking a lock of her hair and rubbing it between his fingers, bringing it to his lips. Like he was trying to warm his hands. [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s¡­.¡± [ck] ¡°Yes?¡± [Rienne] ¡°You may get angry once you hear this¡­.¡± [ck] ¡°That¡¯s for me to decide. So what is it?¡± [Rienne] ¡°But please, don¡¯t take your anger out on anyone else. Please don¡¯t get mad at my nanny.¡± [ck] ¡°Did your nanny do something wrong?¡± [Rienne] ¡°She didn¡¯t do anything on her own. She was only following my orders, so none of it is her fault.¡± [ck] ¡°If you so wish, I will do that. So speak.¡± Was this the right thing? Was it her own arrogance believing she had the power to protect this man¡¯s ideal of a home? She didn¡¯t know what the right choice was. But even if my heart is in so much agony over this¡­¡­I don¡¯t want you to feel any of that anymore. I don¡¯t want you to lose anything ever again. I only want you to find the things you lost. Everything you wanted to take back. Everything you were supposed to have. [Rienne] ¡°I didn¡¯t lose my child.¡± Rienne didn¡¯t notice this, but the fingers she was gripping around ck¡¯s sleeve tensed, almost the point where they felt as though they were about to break. But ck saw it. He held onto her hand, slowly loosening the tension in her fingers. [ck] ¡°Did you want to talk about that?¡± He didn¡¯t seem to understand what she was trying to say. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m trying to tell you I didn¡¯t lose my child.¡± [ck] ¡°You haven¡¯t drank much water today, so you must be thirsty. Wait here.¡± So he tried to avoid the conversation, steering it in another direction. He was thinking Rienne was in denial, trying to run away from reality because she couldn¡¯t bear the shock of losing her baby. As ck moved away from her, Rienne reached out and grabbed onto his sleeve again. [Rienne] ¡°I never had a child. From the very beginning, I was never pregnant.¡± [ck] ¡°¡­¡­.? What did you just say?¡± ck, who was about to stand up from his chair, stared at Rienne¡ªhis entire bodypletely stiff as he slowly sunk back into his seat. [Rienne] ¡°I lied. To refuse the proposal.¡± [ck] ¡°. . .¡± [Rienne] ¡°And I know, I¡¯ve had several opportunities to tell the truth, but I kept hiding it. I was afraid control over Nauk would be taken away from the Arsak family.¡± [ck] ¡°. . .¡± [Rienne] ¡°But I know I shouldn¡¯t have done that. If you¡¯re angry with me, Ipletely understand.¡± [ck] ¡°. . .¡± The whole time Rienne spoke, he stayedpletely silent. It was proof that not even once did he ever doubt her when she told him she was pregnant. This man waspletely honest. Except for trying to hide his name. [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯m so sorry. I was going to tell you before, but then the fires broke out.¡± [ck] ¡°You were bleeding¡­..¡± After a while, ck frowned, muttering in a low voice to himself. [ck] ¡°If it wasn¡¯t because of the child then why¡­¡­Ah. That was probably because of¡­¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­.Yes.¡± Then there was silence again. Was it just her that was feeling the oppressive nature of the quiet stillness in the room? He looked a little agitated¡­.or maybe betrayed? As the uneasiness gripped her, Rienne let go of ck¡¯s sleeve, her fingers falling to take his hand instead. [Rienne] ¡°My nanny isn¡¯t at fault. I am the only one to me.¡± [ck] ¡°Yeah, no¡­.I got that.¡± [Rienne] ¡°A, are you alright?¡± He frowned, clear wrinkles forming between his tightly knit eyebrows. He didn¡¯t look okay at all. [ck] ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡­¡­I should¡¯ve seen thising. Holding onto ck¡¯s hand, Rienne loosened her hold on him, her fingers helplessly falling away. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡± She wasn¡¯t sure what else she could say. ck stayed like that for a while, slowly tilting his head as he looked towards Rienne. His eyes, their re as sharp as mirrors, pierced Rienne. [ck] ¡°I don¡¯t know how I would describe this feeling¡­¡­.But I don¡¯t think ¡®okay¡¯ is the right way of putting it.¡± * * * Chapter 58 - Swear on Her Heart Chapter 58 | Swear on Her Heart Looking at Rienne, ck cocked his head. He looked so genuinely caught off guard, that it was obvious he had zero inkling of the truth until right this moment. [Rienne] ¡°Even if you¡¯re not alright¡­ that¡¯s okay. I was the one who lied.¡± [ck] ¡°I definitely thought it was fine at first. If you had another man¡¯s child, I really thought it would be okay.¡± Suddenly, ck¡¯s voice lowered to a whisper. [ck] ¡°All I wanted was you, Princess, so I viewed the child as being the price I had to pay for deciding toe toote. It didn¡¯t matter whose kid it was, I was nning on raising them as my own anyway. Having you was all that mattered, so keeping the kid around was fine. But¡­¡­.¡± His frown deepened. [ck] ¡°I guess I wasn¡¯t as okay with it as I thought I was.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­? I don¡¯t understand¡­.¡± [ck] ¡°After you said it was all a lie, it felt like something got lifted off of me.¡± ck held up his hand, pressing his palm against the left side of his chest, tapping against it. [ck] ¡°Around here, I think. It¡¯s¡­..¡± ck stopped talking as his words trailed off, like he was trying to find the right way to describe how he was feeling. As he thought about it, his face sunk into deeper confusion. He really had no idea what name he could put to this emotion of his. [ck] ¡°Maybe you could call it, freeing.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­.?¡± Slowly, a very wonderful smile tugged at ck¡¯s lips. [ck] ¡°It feels like my heart¡¯s be so light, I can¡¯t control it.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I think that means¡­ you¡¯re happy?¡± [ck] ¡°It would seem so¡­.Are you in any pain right now?¡± Rienne pulled back in confusion. He asked her so suddenly, and she had no context for what he meant by that question. [Rienne] ¡°No? I already said I didn¡¯t lose a child, so¡­¡­¡± [ck] ¡°Then I¡¯ll take that to mean it¡¯s okay.¡± Before she knew it, his face was right in front of her. She felt his familiar weight pressing down on her as their lips ovepped. The moment the taste of him she knew so well hit her tongue, she felt like she was going to burst into tears. ¡­..Now she knew what this feeling was. It was greed. She wanted to hide those parts of their past from him purely out of her own greed. She wasn¡¯t doing it for him, but for herself. It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t want to take it away from him¡ªit was that she didn¡¯t want to take it away from herself. She didn¡¯t want to lose him. Shewouldn¡¯tlose him¡­¡­ So she would bury what her father did in her heart. Even if she had to suffer from the guilt for the rest of her life, she would stay quiet. [Rienne] ¡°Hah¡­.w, wait¡­..¡± But the kiss was too intense and long. Rienne whispered out, her soft lips begging for air. [Rienne] ¡°S, slower¡­..¡± [ck] ¡°Yeah.¡± Yeah, he said, but she couldn¡¯t believe such a simple answer. It was a straightforward word, but ck¡¯s eyes looked like he wasn¡¯t entirely in control of himself anymore. With eyes like that, could he even hear her right now? ck quickly swallowed up her lips again, affectionately biting down on them as he pulled Rienne from lying down in the bed and up onto hisp. Keeping her in his tight embrace, he had her settled down on his leg. [Rienne] ¡°Wait, slower¡­..¡± [ck] ¡°Yeah.¡± [Rienne] ¡°You¡¯re not listening¡­..¡± [ck] ¡°Yeah.¡± [Rienne] ¡°No¡­¡­¡± [ck] ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡­¡­What¡¯s the point in answering me anymore? Their kiss was intense enough to steal away her breath, and it made her whole body shiver with excitement. She wanted to hold onto him as much as she could, but s, her arms were starting to feel heavy. [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­It hurts.¡± In the brief moment their lips fell apart, Rienne softly murmured. It didn¡¯t exactly ¡®hurt¡¯, but after such a long, heated kiss, her lips were starting to tingle. [ck] ¡°¡­.You¡¯re hurt?¡± And luckily, those words had the power to stop ck. [ck] ¡°Where?¡± Taking the chance, Rienne pressed both of her hands against the sides of ck¡¯s face, making direct eye contact with him. [Rienne] ¡°My lips. You bit them.¡± [ck] ¡°Ah¡­.¡± Seeing a small bite mark at the edge of her lips, ck¡¯s expression stiffened. Somehow, all his little reactions seemed so lovely to her that it made her heart ache. [Rienne] ¡°Let¡¯s save the rest forter.¡± After Rienne said that, ck shook his head, but eventually he smiled. [ck] ¡°Until when should we wait?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Um¡­.tomorrow?¡± [ck] ¡°You won¡¯t feel hurt tomorrow?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± If it¡¯s tomorrow then¡­. Then I should feel better. My heart should be stronger, too. His feeling of desire was always so strongly transmitted to her, that it felt like it was going to crush her, but if it was tomorrow, then she might be able to withstand it. [ck] ¡°Are you still scared of me?¡± [Rienne] ¡°No? What makes you think that?¡± [ck] ¡°I¡¯m concerned that I may not havee off as a very good person in the beginning.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Rienne watched as he frowned, his eyebrows narrowing downwards. In particr, her eyes were focused on the scar she knew to be etched into him. He really doesn¡¯t know. How much I love these things about you¡ªhow grateful I am towards you, but also sorry. I¡¯m sorry for all the pain and suffering I¡¯ve caused you. So whenever she was around him, she unintentionally felt like she was going to cry. [Rienne] ¡°If anyone could see what you do to me, no one would spread that rumor that you prefer men.¡± Rienne murmured, a softugh escaping her as she ran her hand against ck¡¯s cheek. [ck] ¡°The other rumors aren¡¯t true either¡­¡­¡­..Most of them, at least.¡± The words ck tacked on at the endcked so much confidence that Rienne couldn¡¯t help butugh again. [Rienne] ¡°I know.¡± [ck] ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± ck pulled Rienne into his chest with one arm, repositioning her andying her back in bed. [ck] ¡°Do you want to sleep more?¡± [Rienne] ¡°No¡­.I don¡¯t know if I can sleep.¡± [ck] ¡°Then, what do you want to do?¡± She didn¡¯t even have to think about the answer. [Rienne] ¡°You should go wash up.¡± ck lifted up his arms, as if checking himself out. [ck] ¡°¡­¡­Am I dirty?¡± [Rienne] ¡°No, but you should still wash up before getting into bed. So go get cleaned up and bring a nket back when you¡¯re done. Oh, and a pillow, too.¡± And then, I¡¯d like it if you could hold me while I rest. In a way that¡¯s very kind and warm. So that I can forget about everything else but my desire to stay with you. [ck] ¡°Wait.¡± ck leaned down, leaving a kiss on the tip of her nose. He was being considerate of the fact that her lips hurt, so he decided to kiss her nose instead , and that fact made her want to cry again. [Rienne] ¡°Hurry back.¡± Rienne closed her eyes, murmuring softly, and ck let out a strange noise from between his teeth. [ck] ¡°¡­¡­..I can¡¯t go when you say things like that.¡± Rienne slightly parted her worn lips, quietly smiling, and ck didn¡¯t take his eyes off of her until it hadpletely disappeared. The feeling of his persistent and intense gaze on her was no different from his kiss. * * * * * Though Rienne said she wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep, she slept so soundly that she didn¡¯t even dream. By the time she woke up, it was no longer dawn, but rather thete morning. As her eyes fluttered open, the first thing she saw was ck¡¯s face. [ck] ¡°Did you sleep well?¡± Her eyes were too wide to say no. [Rienne] ¡°Yes.¡± She was lying down in bed, wrapped up in ck¡¯s arms, just like she did back then. When she woke up, she could feel how tightly he was holding her and the light pressure on her body that came with it, so it was strange how she managed to sleep so sweetly. [Rienne] ¡°When did you wake up?¡± [ck] ¡°When I usually do.¡± And what time was that supposed to be? [Rienne] ¡°Have you been waiting for long?¡± [ck] ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m not bored enough to be keeping track of the time.¡± ck held out his hand, running his finger tips against her eyshes as they blinked rapidly, as if she were happy to see him. As hershes brushed against his fingers, he smiled softly. [ck] ¡°I¡¯ve never seen eyshes this long.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Is that so?¡± [ck] ¡°I wanted to touch them, but I held back because I was afraid I¡¯d wake you.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Why didn¡¯t you?¡± As if she¡¯d said something very ridiculous, ck¡¯s face twisted into a frown as his eyebrows furrowed. [ck] ¡°¡­¡­Don¡¯t you want to sleep more?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I think I¡¯ll be okay. I¡¯ve slept for over a day at this point. I should wake up now.¡± [ck] ¡°You can sleep more.¡± [Rienne] ¡°That would be toozy of me.¡± [ck] ¡°Isn¡¯t that fine?¡± ¡­¡­It was very strange. Why did he want her to sleep so badly? Wasn¡¯t he waiting for her to wake up all this time? [Rienne] ¡°Why are you so interested in putting me back to sleep?¡± [ck] ¡°So I can go back to what I was doing.¡± [Rienne] ¡°And what was that?¡± [ck] ¡°I was enjoying the view.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­?¡± As brushed his hand against the side of her face, lingering around her eyshes, ck¡¯s hand slowed to a stop. [ck] ¡°You¡¯re the most beautiful thing I¡¯ve seen in my life.¡± Badum. Those words echoed in her chest, like something was pounding inside of her. [ck] ¡°And thezier you are, Princess, the more I get precious times like this. Soze away. For me if no one else.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Where¡­..Where did he learn to talk like that? He can¡¯t have learned it on the battlefield. [Rienne] ¡°I think you were lying.¡± Rienne was surprised by the sudden words that came out of her own mouth. [ck] ¡°I¡¯m not lying.¡± [Rienne] ¡°No, I¡¯m talking about something else. You said you weren¡¯t very good at this sort of thing because you didn¡¯t havemuchexperience.¡± [ck] ¡°. . .¡± [Rienne] ¡°I think you were lying. Sounds like you have a lot.¡± ck¡¯s expression darkened, as if he were troubled by something. But after swallowing hard, he pressed his lips against the top of Rienne¡¯s head. [ck] ¡°I want to say that¡¯s a lie.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Oh, as I thought.¡± [ck] ¡°Just pretend you didn¡¯t hear that. I¡¯ll figure out how to get better.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­.? Are you not already good?¡± [ck] ¡°I want you to think that.¡±(1) ck muttered, his words vaguely trailing off into nothing. As he did, he gave her a kiss on her forehead. The sensation of his warm breath against her skin made her indescribably happy. If she had to hear that someone else had experienced this before her, she would only end up feeling really bad. [Rienne] ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear anything about that. It¡¯s not good.¡± Rienne held up a finger, pressing it against ck¡¯s cheek. [Rienne] ¡°I don¡¯t want to take any issue with the past, especially if it¡¯s something I don¡¯t need to know about. But it¡¯s different to hear you say it yourself. So don¡¯t say that.¡± ck replied with a frown, as if her words were stabbing him somewhere sensitive and it was causing him pain. [ck] ¡°I agree, but I have my own reasons.¡± [Rienne] ¡°But why do you feel the need to unt your past?¡± [ck] ¡°I don¡¯t want to be rejected again.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­.?¡± [ck] ¡°You were the one who said those who were not skilled couldn¡¯t be with you, Princess¡­¡­¡± [Rienne] ¡°Ah, stop.¡± Rienne quickly covered ck¡¯s mouth. Come to think of it, that was a littlement she¡¯d made offhandedly¡­¡­to hide her true feelings. She didn¡¯t think he would take it so seriously. So how could she fix this now? [Rienne] ¡°¡­.That¡¯s not it.¡± [ck] ¡°What do you mean?¡± She could feel his lips smoothly moving underneath her hands. She couldn¡¯t really hear him since his voice was muffled, but strangely, she felt like she could feel his words. [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s not like that.¡± The more she talked, the harder it was to make eye contact with him. Rienne turned her head away, muttering under her breath and avoiding his gaze. [ck] ¡°Tell me what you mean.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡­not a very good judge when ites to who is skilled and who isn¡¯t.¡± [ck] ¡°¡­..? Then why did you turn me away back then?¡± [Rienne] ¡°It was because I didn¡¯t want to sleep together.¡± [ck] ¡°. . .¡± [Rienne] ¡°If we had¡­.. you would¡¯ve immediately noticed.¡± [ck] ¡°What?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Truthfully, I have no experience in that realm.¡± Rienne could feel the embarrassment practically radiating off of her. She couldn¡¯t take it anymore, wriggling her way out of ck¡¯s arms and trying to get up. [Rienne] ¡°Anyway, I need to go. I¡¯ll use the bathroom first.¡± [ck] ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± But it was pointless. ck very easily pulled Rienne back, even as she tried to escape, locking her up in his arms. He was holding her so tightly, she could barely breathe but it was amazing howfortable she felt. [Rienne] ¡°Please let go of me. I¡¯m so embarrassed.¡± [ck] ¡°No way.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Wha¡­..¡± [ck] ¡°I can¡¯t sit still after hearing that.¡± [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s not that big of a deal¡­..¡± [ck] ¡°You may not think so, but I do, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Does this¡­..make you happy?¡± [ck] ¡°I don¡¯t think I can find the right words to express it.¡± ck stayed in that position for a while. His body was so stiff that he didn¡¯t move in the slightest, almost like he¡¯d turned to stone. Or rather, his body wasn¡¯t stiff. It was more like he was holding himself back, trying to stop himself from moving like crazy. [ck] ¡°Every day since I came back to Nauk, I kept thinking about all my regret, feeling like I was toote.¡± After a while, ck finally spoke. [ck] ¡°I should¡¯vee back sooner. I should¡¯ve realized what I wanted sooner¡ªthat I didn¡¯t want it to be taken away from me.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Is¡­.that so?¡± Rienne, who already knew whatitwas, felt like something in her heart was being cut loose. Feeling her throat seize up, Rienne dug deeper into ck¡¯s embrace¡ªuntil there was no room left to get any closer. [ck] ¡°If I had juste sooner, you wouldn¡¯t have had the chance to put any other man in your heart, Princess. And the time it would¡¯ve taken you to get used to me would¡¯ve been shorter. I kept thinking about that.¡± [Rienne] ¡°For him¡­..I never¡­¡­¡± [ck] ¡°I still can¡¯t believe it. That what belonged to me was never actually taken away in the first ce.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­.?¡± Rienne raised her head, looking up at ck. What was he talking about? What did he mean, what belonged to him was never taken away? He lost everything that was rightfully his, and was forced to run and leave behind his name. [ck] ¡°Because it¡¯s been mine all along.¡± But what he was talking about was not his crown nor his status. It was Rienne herself. Uttering his final words, ck lowered his body and kissed Rienne¡¯s chest. It was on the left side, right where her heart was. It wasn¡¯t a sensual kiss nor did it feel dirty or vulgar. It felt genuine. Like he was burning a reverent oath into her heart. [ck] ¡°I¡¯ll never forget it or lose it.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± [ck] ¡°Never.¡± And until ck finished his kiss, Rienne held her breath and merely waited. It was the first time she realized that her heart was capable of making such intense sounds. ¡­¡­Yes. I¡¯m d I didn¡¯t tell him. Whether it was greed that was prompting her, or something else entirely, she would keep things exactly like this. Never again would she take anything from this man. The moment ck pulled away from her, Rienne held onto him, pulling him back in. And the kiss that was meant to be saved for tomorrow started today. The two of them stayed in their bedroom until the sun was sitting high in the sky¡ªcausing some concern for those who were waiting for them toe into work. * * * T/N: (1) The implication here is that ck does have some experience, but that in his mind, it¡¯s not enough to prove an adequate lover for Rienne, so he wants to show off. Wasn¡¯t sure if that came off as obvious in the trantions, but it was pretty clear in the raws, so I¡¯m writing it here. Ah, they¡¯re so cute, I hate them (>/////<) And is that a blush I spot there, good sir? Chapter 59 - A Small Gloom Chapter 59 | A Small Gloom [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re feeling alright?¡± Rienne had never slept in before this, so having this happen for the first time ever, Mrs. mbard was a little shocked. When Rienne told her that she didn¡¯t want to get out of bed and just yed around all morning, she couldn¡¯t believe what she was hearing. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re not sick? You¡¯re not hiding anything because you don¡¯t want to worry anyone, are you?¡± [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s true. I slept very well and now I feel much better. In fact, I think I have more energy than usual.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°So, what took you so long getting out of bed this morning?¡± Ma¡¯am¡­..I don¡¯t think that needs to be answered. Rienne coughed, avoiding the answer. But from Mrs. mbard¡¯s perspective, this was a question that waspletely fair to ask. A couple or not, it was normal for them to use separate rooms. Unless they were trying to have a child, there was no reason to spend so much time lying around in bed together, just as Rienne had done this morning. She just thought ck spent the whole morning in Rienne¡¯s room watching over her because she was sick. [Rienne] ¡°I hope I didn¡¯t trouble anyone by taking ate meal.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°If you¡¯re still not feeling well, you may rest more. Please don¡¯t overdo it, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s alright. There¡¯s no need to fuss so much, ma¡¯am. You should know very well that I didn¡¯tactuallylose a child.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Yes, I suppose¡­¡­But did he force you to rest?¡± [Rienne] ¡°No, not exactly¡­..¡± ¡­.Please stop asking me. [Rienne] ¡°¡­.Oh, but I should let you know that I told him the truth.¡± Though she was averting her gaze, Rienne turned her head back up in the middle of her thought. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Excuse me? You did what?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I told him I was never pregnant. I¡¯ll let others continue to believe I¡¯ve lost a child, but there¡¯s no need to keep lying in front of Lord Tiwakan.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Oh, that¡¯s wonderful then. What did he say back?¡± Thinking about the answer, her heart dropped down in her chest. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Princess?¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­..He said his heart became lighter.¡± And then he swore an oath upon hers¡ªpromising never to forget, and never to lose it. Even now, those words were still engraved on her heart. Though she couldn¡¯t be certain, those words sounded like the proposal that man originally had in mind. If she¡¯d heard those words from the beginning, she would¡¯ve been the happiest bride on the entire continent¡­ [Mrs. mbard] ¡°That¡¯s entirely understandable. Even if he was determined to treat the child as his own, they still would have been another man¡¯s baby. How could he look upon them like they were his? So you did very well, Princess. Now, all that¡¯s left is for you to be happy.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I hope so.¡± So long as she was the only one who kept the truth locked inside of her, everyone could be happy. That¡¯s what Rienne truly believed. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll go and retrieve your meal, Princess. Once you¡¯ve finished eating, you have some work you need to take care of.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Work? I don¡¯t mind doing that first.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°It isn¡¯t urgent, so you should eat beforehand. That man¡­..Ah, I apologize. I must stop calling your fianc¨¦ that, Princess. Rather,Lord Tiwakanrequested that I make sure you eat properly.¡±(1) [Rienne] ¡°Really? He did?¡± Rienne made a strange face, neither smiling nor frowning. [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s a little unbelievable¡­..After everything that happened¡­.He¡¯s still so kind¡­..Or is that just when it¡¯s us¡­..? Looking down at the ground, her expression a little embarrassed, Rienne whispered to herself in both happiness and confusion. Meanwhile, Mrs. mbard looked on at her with a proud and bubbly face. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°There¡¯s nothing a man blinded by love wouldn¡¯t do. And there¡¯s no man incapable of showing that kind of side of himself in front of the one he loves. But in any case, please wait here for a moment. You must be peckish by now, so I will hurry back.¡± [Rienne] ¡°No, it¡¯s alright. Take your time.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°I will respectfully ignore that order and return with haste.¡± Mrs. mbard smiled, quickly rushing out of the bedroom. Watching her leave, Rienne turned back to the mirror, looking at herself as she yed with the ends of her hair¡ªfreshly trimmed by her caring nanny. Though things were a little bit rough for her the day before, her lovely blonde hair looked unbelievably beautiful, ethereal in its shade. ¡­¡­.Is this okay? Will I be okay, standing in front of him now? Rienne swallowed a sigh, she closed her eyes tightly and then opened them again. Looking into the mirror again, Rienne slowly began to remove the gloom from her expression. No, I¡¯ve already decided. I have to do this. I¡¯m going to give him everything he deserves. But to do that, there was something she needed to take care of. * * * * * After finishing her usual breakfast, Rienne needed to save Mrs. mbard¡¯s work forter. There was something she needed to do before that. But luckily, whatever higher power that was watching over her granted her a bit of luck, and the work Rienne needed to take care of came to her all on its own. [Phermos] ¡°Did you finish your meal well? I hope I didn¡¯t interrupt you.¡± [Rienne] ¡°No, your timing is impable, Lord Phermos. Please, have a seat.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Of course, Princess.¡± Phermos sat down in the chair pointed out by Rienne, habitually pushing up his monocle with his free hand. [Phermos] ¡°As you know, my Lord will be away for a while, but if you¡¯re ufortable dealing with me alone, I cane backter.¡± And Phermos¡¯ timing was especially perfect considering this was right when ck was away from the castle. [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s alright, I¡¯m not ufortable. Though, I thank you for considering that. Now please, tell me what you¡¯ve learned.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Yes. The lost royal records. The ones you suspected me of stealing.¡± In order to prove his own innocence, Phermos had determined himself to find the true culprit and inform Rienne of the truth. [Rienne] ¡°Did you find out who did it?¡± [Phermos] ¡°Unfortunately, no. But I found something else out instead.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Something else?¡± [Phermos] ¡°Truthfully, there is no way to know who the culprit is.¡± As if she¡¯d heard a terrible joke, Rienne pinched the bridge of her nose. [Rienne] ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think you¡¯re the kind of man who would say something like that in jest. But you can¡¯t expect me to let this go with that sort of exnation. Would you mind going into detail?¡± [Phermos] ¡°¡­¡­When you say that, I really can¡¯t ck for even a moment. In that way, you are very straightforward and relentless, Princess. Just like my Lord.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯ve never heard that about me before. But if you¡¯re saying I¡¯m simr to him, then I¡¯ll take that as apliment. So, would you tell me what you mean by saying finding the culprit is impossible?¡± Phermos raised his eyebrow, smiling for a moment before his expression quickly straightened out. [Phermos] ¡°I mean that in the most direct way possible. The loss of those records isn¡¯t a recent development. They¡¯ve actually been missing for a long time now.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­? Is that true?¡± [Phermos] ¡°Yes. I have some skill when ites to recording and sorting through data, so I¡¯m also familiar with recognizing the bindings, and the royal records are no different from a historical archive.¡± As the advisor of the Tiwakan, he was a clever and knowledgeable man in many ways. Knowing that, Rienne was a bit confused as to what wouldpel him to roam a battlefield for so long rather than a library. [Phermos] ¡°Well, aside from bragging about myself, I noticed that the thread binding the records was very old. Maybe around twenty years by now. If the records had been recently tampered with, the binding would have to be redone, so it would be newer.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Did you say twenty years?¡± [Phermos] ¡°Yes. Of that, I¡¯m certain.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Then, if that was the case, it was obvious who the person responsible was. It was her father. He didn¡¯t want the truth toe out about thest king of the Gainers family, but he would have known that Rienne would¡¯ve read into the records sometime in the future. So, he probably thought he should try and hide it. The truth behind the treason instigated by the seven families, the disappearance of Prince Fernand, as well as the marriage arrangement between the Gainers and Arsak families. [Rienne] ¡°Alright. Good work, Lord Phermos.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Hm? You believe what I said?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I believe you¡¯re telling me the truth.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Well, yes, but¡­.¡± Phermos was a clever man. Already, he was trying to understand the reason behind Rienne¡¯s subdued reaction. He thought she¡¯d have more of a response after he told her. [Phermos] ¡°If I were you, Princess, I would¡¯ve been more shocked than that. It¡¯s proof that something happened twenty years ago that you didn¡¯t know about. But you¡¯re not surprised at all, so maybe you already knew about it?¡± Rienne felt her breath hitch in her throat, and she quickly pulled back her changing expression. [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­.If it¡¯s twenty years ago we¡¯re talking about, then that was a long time ago. It simply doesn¡¯t interest me.¡± [Phermos] ¡°True, but you were never one to be sox about these kinds of things in the past, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Even I want to just let things go sometimes. But I will apud you for keeping your promise. In return, I will forgive your offense by closing my eyes to your unauthorized presence in the King¡¯s Office.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Well, that¡¯s an unexpected generosity. Thank you, Princess.¡± Rienne turned away, her voice quiet as she spoke onward. [Rienne] ¡°Actually, I have something I¡¯d like to tell you.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Hm? To me?¡± By now, Rienne knew well how quickly the gears in Phermos¡¯ head turned. She knew that if she spoke to him, she couldn¡¯t expect him to hide any of their conversation from ck. So Rienne looked back at him, approaching her words as if she were taking a gamble. [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s about the servant, Klimah. I told you that I saw him bleeding, but now that I think about it, it was likely because he was being beaten with a cane. So I don¡¯t think he was the one who killed the High Priest.¡± [Phermos] ¡°I see¡­¡­.¡± But Phermos was not so easily lied to. [Phermos] ¡°It seems like you want to save him, Princess. Is that correct?¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­..Yes.¡± [Phermos] ¡°You must have your reasons.¡± Rienne didn¡¯t know this, but ck had already decided to spare Klimah. Phermos was there the moment he passed the order as well. [Rienne] ¡°He is no criminal, so I don¡¯t think it would be apt to call him such.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Even if that¡¯s the case, did he not kidnap you, Princess? You can¡¯t pretend that didn¡¯t happen, can you?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Like I said before¡­. it may not have been him. I didn¡¯t see the face of the person who took me, nor the face of the one who set the fires. By the time I regained consciousness, I was alone until Lord Tiwakan came to save me.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Hm.¡± Phermos let out a vague huff of air. It didn¡¯t sound like augh, but it wasn¡¯t a sigh, either. [Phermos] ¡°I¡¯m afraid you aren¡¯t a very good liar, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Well, I must be at least a passable liar, considering how you all fell for my pregnancy lie. Rienne held back those words, her face looking rather embarrassed as he held the fabric of her dress in her hands. [Rienne] ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m lying. Besides, there¡¯s no evidence I¡¯m lying about my own kidnapping, is there?¡± [Phermos] ¡°¡­¡­.Thatistrue.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Then take my words as they are. Klimah is not the one responsible. And if Lord Tiwakan doesn¡¯t agree, I will speak with him privately.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Ah¡­.well, regardless of what I say, if you ask his lordship to forgive the servant, he will not refuse you, Princess.¡± Phermos narrowed his eyes, his expression darkening as he muttered. [Phermos] ¡°That¡¯s probably even truer today. Now that you¡¯ve returned safely, Princess, he looked like he was in such a good mood, he terrified the rest of us¡­..¡± [Rienne] ¡°Then I think we¡¯re done discussing Klimah.¡± [Phermos] ¡°There¡¯s only one problem, Princess.¡± Now Phermos was certain the servant couldn¡¯t be killed. ck mentioned this as well. ck didn¡¯t say anything more on the matter, but Phermos was able to learn a lot from the short conversation he witnessed between ck and Mrs. Henton. As soon as ck saw that woman¡¯s face, he suddenly mentioned her son. That meant ck was not only acquainted with the servant, but with his mother as well. The same was true of the woman. She recognized ck as well, though she didn¡¯t seem happy to see him. Rather, her eyes were filled with a sense of unresolved resentment towards him. And, she also mentioned the phrase, ¡®I can¡¯t go through the same thing twice¡¯. That could only mean that the woman had another child that died because of ck. Was it because of a past sin or debt that ck promised he would spare the one who hadid a hand on Princess Rienne? All without settling the situation any further? But Phermos could only guess at whatever this past debt could be. ck wasn¡¯t saying anything to him, but he didn¡¯t tell Phermos not to notice the things that were clearly being set before him. Mrs. Henton mentioned ¡®the nine waterfalls¡¯, and ck was able to understand what that meant without any difficulty. Considering the nine waterfalls were once a symbol of Nauk back when it was known as the wealthiest among the southern kingdoms, it wasn¡¯t unreasonable to believe that ck was likely the blood of the previous royal family. But now, he was curious what the connection was between ck and Rienne. It went without saying that ck was sincere when it came to Rienne, but what about her? And for what reason did ck wish to keep those he owed a debt to alive? * * * T/N: (1) Rienne refers to ck with the title ¡°Lord Tiwakan¡± which is a transliteration of the original Korean. Meanwhile, Mrs. mbard refers to ck with the honorific of ¡°?¡±, which is a highly respectful term, usually denoting reverence or deep honor. ¡°Lord-Prince¡± or ¡°(His) Eminence¡± would be appropriate trantions as well, but for the sake of a smooth reading experience, we¡¯ve decided to stick with ¡°Lord¡± since that is the most direct understanding. Just putting a note here so that readers know that there is ¡®technically¡¯ a difference in these two terms, even if they would be tranted the same. Chapter 60 - Those Who Look Alike Chapter 60 | Those Who Look Alike [Rienne] ¡°What¡¯s the problem? Rienne looked up at Phermos, tilted her head. [Phermos] ¡°As you know, there¡¯s a major roadblock presently on the path to your wedding ceremony¡ªthe Treaty of Risebury. You said that the Temple held the power to bypass it, but now the seat of the High Priest is empty, and the Treaty itself is rotten to the core, so we can¡¯t appoint a new one so easily.¡± That was correct. The n was to disrupt the connection between the Temple and the Kleinfelders by revealing that Linden Kleinfelder had ordered Klimah to kill the High Priest. But if Klimah was gone, that n was no longer possible. [Phermos] ¡°So I urge you to reconsider, Princess. If we erase his sins, then it¡¯s uncertain how much longer your wedding will have to be dyed.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­..But we can¡¯t kill him.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Then at least tell me the reason. The reason you insist upon saving him.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Rienne sighed. For Rienne, Klimah¡¯s life was a matter she was not willing to yield on. But Phermos waspletely on ck¡¯s side, so she needed to show her sincerity towards ck if she wanted him to listen. Rienne took a deep and long breath, slowly exhaling. [Rienne] ¡°I never had a child.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Oh, I heard. Although it was not my Lord¡¯s biological child, I¡¯m very sorry for your loss¡­¡­.Wait, what do you mean,never?¡± Phermos didn¡¯t really care about this situation at all, so he tried forcing himself to speak some basic words of condolences. But the moment his mind cleared and he focused on her words, his eyes widened. [Phermos] ¡°You mean you were never pregnant from the start? Is that true?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Yes.¡± [Phermos] ¡°And my Lord knows¡­¡­Ah, okay, that exins a lot. No wonder he looked so happy, his face looked a little stupid. Ah, but please don¡¯t tell him I said that. As you know, my Lord doesn¡¯t really express his emotions often. No one else would¡¯ve noticed it, but those of us who know him well were so shocked that he was making such a strange face.¡± She didn¡¯t really mind the idea of that. Rienne couldn¡¯t imagine ck making a goofy face, but she was certain he would look nice like that. It would probably look very soft and friendly. Maybe even a little happy looking. ¡­¡­Thinking about him like this makes me miss him. [Rienne] ¡°I was going to continue lying until the very end. That was how I was nning on protecting the Arsak family¡¯s sovereignty. But¡­..¡± [Phermos] ¡°Are you saying you¡¯ve changed your mind?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Yes.¡± [Phermos] ¡°May I ask why?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Because I¡¯ve decided to be sincere to your leader.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Oh¡­¡± Phermos sat still, just blinking in surprise. Whenever he moved, the muscles in his face shifted, apanied by the sound of his monocle, clicking in ce. [Rienne] ¡°I have nothing left to calcte nor do I have anything left to fear or be disappointed by. I believe that Lord Tiwakan is a mancking in nothing, and would make a fine king of Nauk.¡± [Phermos] ¡°That¡¯s only obvious, but I¡¯m still a little confused. I¡¯m d to hear you wish to be sincere, but it seems too early for you to be saying that¡­..¡± [Rienne] ¡°Do you think I¡¯m lying to you?¡± Rienne turned and faced Phermos, her expression beyond calm. Nothing she said was a lie. Yes, she had things she wished to keep hidden, but everything she said now was theplete and honest truth. Besides, Phermos himself even said that Rienne was a terrible liar. If he looked at her properly now, he would be able to see her expression and recognize her honesty. [Phermos] ¡°No, please forget what I said. There¡¯s no reason for me to speak like this to you. As someone who has pledged my loyalty to my Lord, I am only happy to hear you speak of your sincerity.¡± [Rienne] ¡°And I only wish to do everything I can for him. I want Lord Tiwakan and those of his blood to be the rightful ruler of thisnd.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Well, if that¡¯s the case, then very well. But I fail to see what this has to do with covering up the sins of the servant.¡± [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s important. That¡¯s all you need to know.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Hm¡­¡­You don¡¯t seem to want to talk about it.¡± [Rienne] ¡°The way we help others can vary from time to time. But know that it¡¯s for Lord Tiwakan¡¯s sake that I wish to clear the servant of his sins. Lord Tiwakan is the only one on my mind right now.¡± [Phermos] ¡°W, well, if you put things like that¡­¡­.then I cannot refuse.¡± As if looking through a window, he felt like he could see the truth a little more clearly. Phermos stuttered for a moment, feeling strange as if he¡¯d been stabbed somewhere. Both his Lord and the Princess wereing at things from different angles, but what they were doing was exactly the same. Their feelings were genuine, so they wanted to do things for each other. And one of those things was keeping the servant, Klimah alive. Though their methods were different, for some reason it felt like they wanted the same things. But they had no idea because they weren¡¯t talking to each other. Feeling a little frustrated, Phermos aimlessly scratched his head. He once heard that humans often gave their affection to those they felt were simr to themselves, and though he had his doubts before, seeing the two of them now, he felt like it was true. The two of them, thoughpletely different on the outside, were eerily simr on the inside. [Phermos] ¡°If this cannot be helped, then we will find another way.¡± As if she were relieved, Rienne smiled widely. [Rienne] ¡°Thank you.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Ah¡­..Yes. Thank you, too.¡± At that moment, Phermos was so stunned that he ended up identally saying the wrong response. [Rienne] ¡°What are you thanking me for, Lord Phermos?¡± [Phermos] ¡°When you smile like that, of course such a sight is something worth being thankful for¡­¡­Ah, wait no, what am I saying¡­¡­I, I¡¯ll be taking my leave now.¡± And without even saying a proper goodbye, Phermos stood up squarely from his seat and quickly left the room. [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­.?¡± Even Rienne had to take pause at how strange that was¡ªa behavior so unlike the Phermos she knew. It wasn¡¯t as though she expected Phermos to be polite to her all the time, but it was still very weird. [Rienne] ¡°Well, anyway, Klimah¡­..needs to find a proper hiding ce. If he stays in the Temple, the Kleinfelders might find him.¡± But Rienne had so much other work to worry about. Not to mention Klimah¡¯s mother, who was a hostage under the guise of working at the Kleinfelder estate, also needed to be rescued somehow. [Rienne] ¡°What should I do about that¡­..?¡± But little did Rienne know that Mrs. Henton¡¯s circumstances were a concern she didn¡¯t need to think about. After all, she was already far away from that house. Somewhere safe and sound. * * * * * The fact that the Kleinfelder estate was turned upside down made the remaining five families tremble in anger. Or was it the fear making them shake so much? Even if Linden Kleinfelder was away, the door to the estate should not have been broken down so easily. But the fact that it was, just proved how much stronger the Tiwakan were than all of them, even if they were tobine their strength. They couldn¡¯t stop them. [Eroiden] ¡°Goddammit.¡± Eroiden spat under his breath. Despite the fact that his visit had been announced, the Rosadel mansion still wasn¡¯t ready to receive him. He cursed, thinking even his harsh swears were too polite for slow, bastard workers. [Eroiden] ¡°Why haven¡¯t they opened up yet?¡± This was a crisis for all six families. This wasn¡¯t just some political spat or general disagreement. This was abloodythreat, one that could potentially take all of their lives directly. If they allowed the situation to remain like this, they would lose everything they had to those barbarous Tiwakan. So the six families had to join together with what forces they had. Even if it resulted in war or the crime of treason, they had to do everything they could to drive out the Tiwakan. These talksshouldhave been led by Linden Kleinfelder, but because he was still in prison, Eroiden had no choice but to step up, take the risk, and make his own move. But these days, with Castle Nauk newly defended and the Tiwakan roaming the streets, it was terrifying even leaving the house. Not to mention that Eroiden had his own sin to bear¡ªeven if it was merely the sin of a messenger. Just as Linden had asked, he sent on the message to the servant that he¡¯d mentioned. There was no word of the man being caught yet, but the Tiwakan had already trampled on the head of the delegation¡¯s home. And that meant his own home wouldn¡¯t be safe either. Whether Princess Rienne returned or not, he thought the remaining five families would be left alone, but now that couldn¡¯t be guaranteed. Bang, bang¡ª! Feeling nervous, Eroiden put strength into his fist, banging against the door of the Rosadel estate. He was wearing the clothes of a worker and left behind his escort all for the sake of avoiding the eyes of the Tiwakan. He had to do this himself. [Eroiden] ¡°Open the door! Hurry up!¡± Click. Squeak! Eventually the door opened, but only by barely an inch. [Butler] ¡°Shush¡­..You must be quiet.¡± It was the butler of the Rosadel estate who answered the door. But Eroiden had been kept waiting so long, he was furious. [Eroiden] ¡°If you were going to open the door eventually, why did you make me wait so long? How could you keep me standing out here?¡± [Butler] ¡°My master doesn¡¯t wish to see you, sir. Please, you should return now¡­..¡± [Eroiden] ¡°What?¡± Eroiden¡¯s face twisted. [Eroiden] ¡°How dare you! Get out of my way!¡± As he yelled out in anger, Eroiden pushed past the butler, forcing his way through the door. [Butler] ¡°No, you can¡¯t! Sir!¡± [Eroiden] ¡°Shut up and call Lord Rosadel. How dare you tell me what I can¡¯t do!¡± With heavy steps, Eroiden stomped through the mansion recklessly. The butler tried to stop him, but he couldn¡¯t touch him, so all he did was follow after him as he yelled. [Eroiden] ¡°Rosadel! Come on out! Do you really think you¡¯ll be safe if you hide!? Do you think those barbarians will leave you alone if you hunker down like this!?¡± [Butler] ¡°S, sir! Please lower your voice. My master did not mean to offend you¡­..¡± [Eroiden] ¡°Then what is this?¡± The butler didn¡¯t know what to do, so he awkwardly shut his mouth. But just as he was about to shrivel away, Rosadel finally showed himself. [Rosadel] ¡°Quiet, sir.¡± [Eroiden] ¡°¡­..? Lord Rosadel?¡± Eroiden¡¯s mouth was left agape. Rosadel¡¯sck of energy was already suspicious, but looking at his face, he looked deathly exhausted and defeated. After losing sixteen soldiers in a single encounter, Rosadel copsed¡ªsuffering after he¡¯d heard the news. Out of those sixteen men, only one managed to barely escape with his life. But he¡¯d lost an arm, and couldn¡¯t even be called a knight anymore. Some may think losing sixteen soldiers out of two-hundred was hardly cause for concern, but not for Rosadel. Because in less than an hour, those sixteen men were utterly decimated like mashing rotten grain. And apparently, it wasn¡¯t even a true battle. All of this carnage was carried out by a single man. The Tiwakan were a disaster. Like a blighted swarm upon thend. They were not something that could be stopped using human power. Realizing this, Rosadel had already lost his will to fight. [Rosadel] ¡°I already know what you¡¯re here for, and I don¡¯t agree. I¡¯m pulling myself out of this fight. So just¡­¡­send him back outside.¡± [Eroiden] ¡°What the hell are you talking about!?¡± During this entire conversation, Rosadel didn¡¯t even bother inviting Eroiden to the drawing room¡ªinstead just having him stand in the main hall. And now he was being sent back outside. [Eroiden] ¡°Are you just going to give up?¡± [Rosadel] ¡°I don¡¯t want to fight the Tiwakan. It¡¯s impossible¡­..¡± [Eroiden] ¡°Wake up! Do you really think the Tiwakan will leave you alone? You were the one who delivered that message to the servant of the Kleinfelders!¡± [Rosadel] ¡°You!¡± Rosadel shouted, pointing his finger at Eroiden. [Rosadel] ¡°What are you talking about!? You did that all on your own! You were the only one who spoke to that ve!¡± [Eroiden] ¡°Do you think they¡¯ll care about that!? That day, both of us spoke to Lord Kleinfelder! That¡¯s all they know!¡± [Rosadel] ¡°Ah¡­..no¡­.¡± Rosadel fell to his knees on the ground. [Butler] ¡°Oh, master. You can¡¯t sit in such a cold ce.¡± Loyal as he was, the butler grabbed onto Rosadel, trying to bring him back to his feet. Meanwhile, Rosadel¡¯s body was staggering as he shook his head. [Rosadel] ¡°No¡­¡­I didn¡¯t do anything. Everything was done by the Kleinfelder family and the Eroiden family¡­¡­.¡± As Rosadel sat on his knees, Eroiden looked at him, clicking his tongue in near shock. [Eroiden] ¡°Such a shameful disy as a lord. Are you not ashamed of what the name Rosadel has be?¡± [Rosadel] ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything¡­¡­I didn¡¯t do it¡­¡­¡± [Eroiden] ¡°Ha, this is¡ª!¡± Eroiden clicked his tongue, exhaling harshly. He didn¡¯t understand why Rosadel was so terrified, but clearly he was useless now. [Eroiden] ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll go back for today, but you should reallye to your senses. Do you really expect to protect your family¡¯s name with such a pathetic look? This is the time for the six families to be working together.¡± [Rosadel] ¡°. . .¡± Rosadel stayed quiet. [Eroiden] ¡°I¡¯lle back. I don¡¯t know what happened, but pull yourself together.¡± Eroiden turned on his heel. Right now, he needed to decide if he should make a move, or pretend he knew nothing of what was going on and watch the situation for now. [Eroiden] ¡°There¡¯s still no word on what happened to Princess Rienne. Should I nt a man in the castle¡­..?¡± But the moment he was muttering to himself and opening the door to leave¡ª [Eroiden] ¡°¡­¡­? ¡­..A, ah!¡± At first, he thought his eyes were lying to him, but there was no mistaking it. As soon as the gates were opened, the first thing he saw was that terrifying ck armor. [Eroiden] ¡°T, Tiwakan¡­.!¡± Chapter 61 - Torn Attire Chapter 61 | Torn Attire * Eroiden immediately shouted, trying to close the door. Bang¡ª! But despite his best efforts, there was no point. [ck] ¡°Your voice is loud.¡± The leader of the Tiwakan looked down at him, his voicenguid and slow. [ck] ¡°But thanks to that, I could hear you clearly, even from outside.¡± [Eroiden] ¡°W, what¡­.? What are you¡­.!¡± Without another word, ck delivered a quick blow to Eroiden¡¯s chest, knocking him down. Thwack¡ª! [Eroiden] ¡°AGH¡ª!¡± As his long and pained scream echoed out into the air, Eroiden fell to the ground. He grabbed his chest, writhing on the floor, but ck looked all too calm as he watched him. [ck] ¡°It would be best if you didn¡¯t move. I¡¯m fairly sure I broke some of your ribs, so you might end up puncturing a lung if you¡¯re not careful.¡± [Eroiden] ¡°¡­..!¡± [ck] ¡°It¡¯s not a veryfortable death.¡± [Eroiden] ¡°. . .¡± Those words were so terrifying, Eroiden couldn¡¯t even scream. His entire body turned like stone as hey on the floor, his eyes rolling back in his head. [Butler] ¡°M, master, maybe it would be best if we¡­..¡± But the butler of the Rosadel estate was focused only on his master, so he didn¡¯t wish to interfere. Instead, he tried to help his master stand, who was so frightened that he couldn¡¯t even stand on his own two feet properly. [Rosadel] ¡°W, wha¡­what¡­what¡¯re you¡­.doing in my h, home¡­.?¡± As Rosadel staggered back, leaning against his butler, ck approached him. [Rosadel] ¡°D, don¡¯te any closer!Eeek!¡± Pushing back, Rosadel tripped on his own feet, falling backwards. And while Rosadel sat, terrified on the floor, ck just casually crouched down in front of him. [Rosadel] ¡°Wh, why are you¡­¡­.¡± Now that he was seeing this man at eye level, Rosadel couldn¡¯t take the chills running throughout his body any more. But he was far too scared to even move, making running away impossible. Watching Rosadel panic in his seat, ck spoke slowly enough for him to understand. [ck] ¡°Two hundred and eleven soldiers¡­¡­Sixteen¡­No, fifteen dead and one missing¡­.. That makes one hundred and ny-five.¡± [Rosadel] ¡°¡­..? What? Ah! How, how did you know that¡­.!¡± Rosadel let out a gasp. ck had just said the number of soldiers enlisted in the Rosadel family¡¯s private militia. But Rosadel couldn¡¯t understand how the Tiwakan could know that exact number, down to thest digit! But ck couldn¡¯t believe how damn stupid they were to believe the Tiwakan wouldn¡¯t know the military strength of the six families. Knowing the size of the enemy forces was the most basic thing when it came to warfare. [ck] ¡°Among those numbers, there are twenty that have enough skill to be called a knight. So in total, there should be around fifty soldiers here currently.¡± [Rosadel] ¡°H, how!?¡± The more ck spoke, the more Rosadel¡¯s expression twisted. [ck] ¡°Tell me. I know you can count. How many Tiwakan do you see here today?¡± [Rosadel] ¡°W, w¡­what?¡± [ck] ¡°Don¡¯t ask. Just answer.¡± [Rosadel] ¡°Th, that¡¯s¡­.uh¡­.¡± Rosadel was so terrified that he couldn¡¯t focus his mind. His faithful butler, calmer than he was, quickly counted the number for him. [Butler] ¡°There¡¯s eight, master.¡± [Rosadel] ¡°E, eight.¡± As Rosadel quietly echoed his butler¡¯s words, ck asked him again. [ck] ¡°Then do the math. Any one of these eight men could easily handle sixteen of yours all on their own. So how long would it take for all of us to deal with the fifty in your home now?¡± [Rosadel] ¡°Th, that¡¯s¡­..¡± He couldn¡¯t even imagine. All he could think about was how everyone in this home could lose their heads in a matter of seconds. [ck] ¡°Are you done thinking about it? Speak whenever you¡¯re ready.¡± [Rosadel] ¡°N, no¡­..¡± Rosadel helplessly shook his head. Even if he were to bring in the private soldiers from the mansion, all of them would die, same as him. And even if he were to push them into the fray, leaving to flee on his own, the result would be the same. Rather than openly trying to run away while they hunted him down, it would be better to just listen carefully to their demands. [Rosadel] ¡°W, what¡­..do you want from me¡­¡­?¡± [ck] ¡°It¡¯s simple. I want you to usemon sense during the uing representative meeting.¡± [Rosadel] ¡°C,mon sense¡­..?¡± [ck] ¡°It¡¯s only natural to believe that those who bring harm to the royal family should be charged with treason, right?¡± [Rosadel] ¡°Uh¡­¡­¡± But Rosadel didn¡¯t say anything back. He clenched his lips shut as if he had glue on them. As if he were expecting this, ck let out a long, drawn out sigh. [ck] ¡°You¡¯re very lucky. I¡¯m in a crazy good mood today.¡± [Rosadel] ¡°¡­¡­?¡± [ck] ¡°So I won¡¯t kill you needlessly if you answer quickly.¡± [Rosadel] ¡°T, then¡­..¡± [ck] ¡°I know you spoke with him. But I¡¯ll let myself be fooled into thinking the Kleinfelders did everything on their own.¡± [Rosadel] ¡°¡­¡­Ah!¡± Rosadel finally understood what ck was saying. He was telling him that only the Kleinfelders would be punished if the council went through. Little did he know how lucky he was to havee to that realization first and quickly spoke out. [Rosadel] ¡°Yes, I understand! I will!¡± [Eroiden] ¡°Lord Rosadel!¡± But as Rosadel quickly nodded his head, easily crumbling under the suggestion, Eroiden shouted out in horror. However, his screams quickly turned into pained groans as his body shifted, his tongue sticking out at the pain as he gasped for air¡ªfeeling a deep pain in his ribs. [ck] ¡°Good.¡± ck nodded once, and then he reached out to Rosadel¡ªas if offering a handshake to solidify their agreement. [Rosadel] ¡°¡­¡­?¡± But it was his left hand. Rosadel pulled back for a moment, but he eventually took ck¡¯s hand, merely assuming the leader of the Tiwakan was left-handed. However, the moment he took his hand, before he even realized it, his wrist was snapped backwards. [Rosadel] ¡°¡­AGH!¡± It was a clean break. [ck] ¡°I left your right wrist untouched because I still need you to sign somethingter. If, at any point you refuse, I want you to think deeply about why your hand is still attached.¡± It was a not so subtle threat. One that meant, if Rosadel did not sign whatever it was that he needed, his right wrist would follow suit. [Rosadel] ¡°Agh¡­¡­ah¡­..ugh¡­.¡± [Butler] ¡°Oh, master¡­..¡± As Rosadel sobbed, grabbing at his broken wrist, ck turned around to face Eroiden. [ck] ¡°I broke three of your bones.¡± ck got closer, causing Eroiden to harshly swallow the lump in his throat. [ck] ¡°I made sure to be careful. Any more than that, and it would be harder for it to heal.¡± [Eroiden] ¡°. . .¡± [ck] ¡°That sounds a little ridiculousing from me, but what can I say¡­? I feel really good right now.¡± Eroiden wanted to argue with how strange that sounded. About how no human that was in a good mood could still say that after breaking other people¡¯s ribs and wrists, but he bit that back. His ribs hurt too much. [ck] ¡°I¡¯ll leave you with your right hand.¡± [Eroiden] ¡°¡­..? Ah, no!¡± Grabbing his left hand, Eroiden shook his head at those threatening words. But ck didn¡¯t mean that to suggest he would break his left wrist. ck turned his head, gesturing to one of his men who was carrying a battle axe. [ck] ¡°Go for the ankle. Either one is fine. Just make sure it can heal.¡± [Mercenary] ¡°Yes, sir.¡± [Eroiden] ¡°A, ankle!? What are you doing!!? No!¡± But it was toote to fight back. With a professional attitude, the Tiwakan mercenary listened very carefully to the orders of his lord, taking his axe with a firm grip and striking down towards Eroiden¡¯s ankle. [Eroiden] ¡°AHH! AGH, UGH!¡± And as Eroiden screamed out in pain, saliva escaped from his open mouth, pouring down the side. Still, the blow wasn¡¯t enough to take off his ankle orpletely cripple him, but that only made Eroiden even more terrified. The Tiwakan mercenary could¡¯ve easily taken his leg off, but he didn¡¯t. Apparently, it was because the leader of the Tiwakan was in an exceptionally good mood today. Eroiden had no idea how to deal with such an unpredictable man. But for ck, handling someone like Eroiden was easy, especially after spending ten years on a battlefield, securing victory after victory against fiercer opponents than this. And in the eyes of the Tiwakan mercenaries, ck had a strangely merciful and gentle expression on his face today. But others could not see that, his expression only inspiring fear in their hearts as they looked upon him. [ck] ¡°Until the day I need your signatures, remember this well. There are plenty of other useless body parts I can cut off to remind you.¡± [Eroiden] ¡°¡­¡­!¡± [Rosadel] ¡°Ek¡­.!¡± ck¡¯s method was very effective. Even if he asked Rosadel to sign a ve certificate and pushed him into a cart to take him off to a ve merchant, he was all too ready to do what was told of him. [ck] ¡°Spread the word to the other three families.¡± [Rosadel] ¡°. . .¡± [Eroiden] ¡°. . .¡± No one said a word back, but the silence sufficed as an answer. ¡ª And after finishing up his light errand, ck turned around and left the Rosadel estate. Traveling along that path back to the castle, he felt so good, it was almost scary. Because, waiting for him, Rienne would be there. * * * * * [Mrs. mbard] ¡°This way, Princess.¡± Mrs. mbard mored in excitement, pulling on Rienne¡¯s arm. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°I put it up and it looks absolutely stunning. You must see it for yourself.¡± When the woman came to tell Rienne that ck¡¯s wedding attire waspleted, she couldn¡¯t contain her joy. Like Rienne once said, she was very happy to finally be working with such a gorgeous piece. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°You can¡¯t see it for what it¡¯s worth just by holding it in your hand. It would be best to see him try it on, but that would be a bit difficult right now, so I settled for hanging it up.¡± It was really funny and cute, seeing the woman so filled with tion that she couldn¡¯t slow down her steps for even a moment. There was once a time when she disliked that man more than Rienne did, but apparently not anymore. Now, she looked like she was anticipating the wedding more than anyone else. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Here, Princess. I was so anxious to show you this.¡± With a smile on her face, the woman quickly opened the door to her room. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Ah¡­..!¡± And then she screamed. In her room, which should be empty, there was a person. Someone small and pale, so skinny they look like they could disappear like a ghost. And the reason why Mrs. mbard screamed was because this strange person was holding a pair of scissors in her hand. The same scissors Mrs. mbard used in her sewing kit. Snip. Ignoring the scream, the strange woman put the de of the scissors against the fabric. Snip. And she kept cutting it. It was the same wedding attire that Mrs. mbard had put her heart and soul into altering and preparing, so happy to finally have it done. She was so stunned, she didn¡¯t know what to do. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°No! What do you think you¡¯re doing!?¡± Coming to her senses toote, Mrs. mbard rushed over to stop the ghostly woman. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Do you know what this clothing is for? Who are you!? How could you do this!?¡± But even as Mrs. mbard tried to stop her, the woman kept trying to cut at the fabric. And the more shocked Mrs. mbard became, the more intense their scuffle became. [Rienne] ¡°Stop this! It¡¯s dangerous!¡± But clothing aside, Rienne was more worried that Mrs. mbard would get hurt. She calmly approached them, grabbing onto the ghostly woman¡¯s wrist. [Woman] ¡°Let go!¡± The woman struggled, shouting out. [Rienne] ¡°Let go of the scissors. Quickly.¡± However, Rienne was able to maintain her grip on her wrist. As Mrs. mbard pushed away from the woman, she finally loosened the hand she had around the scissors, dropping them to the floor. Clink. The moment the scissors hit the ground, so too did the woman fall to her knees. [Woman] ¡°¡­..Ah!¡± A suppressed sob burst out from the woman¡¯s mouth. Compared to her pitiful and small appearance, her crying was very loud. Mrs. mbard clicked her tongue, shaking her head. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Why areyoucrying? I should be the one crying right now!¡± Mrs. mbard looked very upset, and looked as though she was moments away from tearing the strange woman¡¯s hair out, so Rienne quickly intervened. [Rienne] ¡°You.¡± This was very odd. She couldn¡¯t believe that the wedding attire had gottenpletely ruined. It all felt like a dream. She had no sense of reality, her senses dulled yet bottomless, like the moment before you fall asleep. [Rienne] ¡°Who are you? And how did you enter the castle?¡± [Woman] ¡°. . .¡± [Rienne] ¡°Why did you do this? Do you know what these clothes are for?¡± [Woman] ¡°. . .¡± [Rienne] ¡°Answer me. I¡¯m the one who must mete out your punishment.¡± [Woman] ¡°¡­..ll¡­.m..e.¡± Finally, through trembling lips, the woman barely eked out a sound. [Rienne] ¡°What did you say?¡± [Woman] ¡°Kill me.¡± The woman lifted up her head, looking Rienne dead in the eyes. [Woman] ¡°Kill me. I no longer have anything left to fear now. I want to end this life of wanting to die but never being able to.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­?¡± Exasperated and finished with this situation, Mrs. mbard stomped her feet as she stood behind Rienne. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°We have no idea where such a crazy woman hase from, Princess. Don¡¯t bother with her. I¡¯ll call the guards and have them drag her out.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I want to know¡­¡­Why don¡¯t you have anything to fear?¡± Rienne whispered quietly as she spoke towards the woman, but she didn¡¯t say anything back. She stayed perfectly quiet as she red up at Rienne. Mrs. mbard was absolutely bbergasted at the audacity and rudeness, but Rienne somehow understood the look in the woman¡¯s eyes. ¡­..They look alike. It was really strange, but they looked very much alike. This woman looked like Klimah. Herrge brown eyes that looked gentle yet fragile, and which carried a sense of ruin inside them. They looked so simr. [Rienne] ¡°If you have nothing left to fear now, then that means you feared something before. What was so frightful?¡± But the woman didn¡¯t seem willing to answer. So instead of waiting for her, Rienne decided to answer her own question. [Rienne] ¡°Is it the Kleinfelders? Or were you afraid because your son might be ruined beyond repair?¡± [Woman] ¡°¡­¡­? What¡­.. did you say?¡± With that, her silence was broken as the woman muttered nkly. Chapter 62 - Unsuitable Attire Chapter 62 | Unsuitable Attire * * * * * Just as she thought. This woman had something to do with Klimah. Klimah told her that the Kleinfelders took his mother and locked her away. That was why he had to do everything the Kleinfelders asked of him. [Rienne] ¡°If so, then you should still be afraid. If you lose your life now, your son will never be able to heal. It was because he had you that he was able to make it until now. Think about what would happen to him if you were to die.¡± [Mrs. Henton] ¡°Oh, how¡­..How do you¡­..? How can you know that¡­..?¡± The woman standing before Rienne was the wife of Sir Henton. [Mrs. Henton] ¡°How could the daughter of Arsak say that?¡± Mrs. Henton fumbled around, grabbing at the hem of Rienne¡¯s dress. [Mrs. Henton] ¡°What have you done with my son? You aren¡¯t going to¡­..?¡± Having not seen the light of day for over twenty years, the poor woman looked deathly pale. This was also a part of Rienne¡¯s sin. The reason why the family of Sir Henton was forced to live in the dark shadow of the Kleinfelder family, abandoning their name, was because of the treason that was carried out twenty years ago. [Rienne] ¡°Your son is safe. He isn¡¯t guilty of anything, so he will return to your arms soon.¡± [Mrs. Henton] ¡°Ah, ah¡­..¡± Mrs. Henton exhaled, her eyes full of tears. But despite her obvious happiness, there was also a sense of confusion that did not leave her eyes as she looked at Rienne. [Mrs. Henton] ¡°But why¡­¡­would the daughter of Arsak do this¡­..?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Your son exined everything to me.¡± [Mrs. Henton] ¡°Then¡­..he¡­he told you¡­..Did he¡­¡­.?¡± Her pale brown eyes shook in fear. But Rienne could understand that. For her, nothing had changed since twenty years ago. The daughter of the Arsak family, the center of the rebellion, would represent more of a danger and a threat than the Kleinfelders. [Rienne] ¡°Once we¡¯re married, Lord Tiwakan will be the Consort of Nauk, ma¡¯am.¡± Rienne carefully avoided using the name ¡®Henton¡¯. There were still too many people who didn¡¯t know they were still alive. Even if the people within the castle were technically on Rienne¡¯s side, it was still too dangerous. [Rienne] ¡°I believe that those ofhisblood should be allowed to take over control of Nauk. That¡¯s how it will be going forward.¡± [Mrs. Henton] ¡°B, but that¡¯s¡­¡­I¡­.How¡­.can that be true¡­.? How can that be possible¡­..for the daughter of Arsak?¡± [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯sbecauseI am a daughter of Arsak.¡± Rienne bowed her head, as if she were paying her respects to the woman. [Rienne] ¡°I know I have things I must atone for. And that includes my responsibility over you and your son. I swear, I will protect the both of you to the best of my ability.¡± [Mrs. Henton] ¡°No¡­.¡± But Mrs. mbard couldn¡¯t believe what Rienne was saying, either. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°What, Princess¡­¡­? She ruined the wedding attire, but you¡¯re going to protect her? We don¡¯t even know who she is. She might¡¯ve been sent here specifically to ruin them.¡± [Mrs. Henton] ¡°Wedding attire?¡± Mrs. Henton¡¯s eyes turned sharp like a de once more. [Mrs. Henton] ¡°But that¡¯s what King Arsak wore at his coronation ceremony¡ª!¡± [Rienne] ¡°Ah¡­..¡± The sharp sound of the woman¡¯s shrill voice made Rienne realize something. What am I doing? What was I thinking, trying to give my father¡¯s coronation attire to him like this? Looking back on things, when she first expressed interest in having him wear those clothes at the wedding, ck had turned strangely silent. Why didn¡¯t he just say no? It would only be natural for him to refuse. To him, these clothes would be stained with the stench of his father¡¯s blood. So why¡­ didn¡¯t he say anything? Why? [Rienne] ¡°Where are they?¡± Rienne stood up, looking around at the ground. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Princess! What are you looking for?¡± [Rienne] ¡°The scissors¡­..Where are they?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Scissors? Ah, here they are. But why do you need them¡­¡­¡± Still confused on the reason why, Mrs. mbard plucked the pair of scissors up off the ground. But with a swift and hasty motion, Rienne pulled the scissors from her grasp. Thwip¡ª She did it so haphazardly, that the sharpened de ended up slicing against her palm. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Princess!¡± And without any hesitation, Rienne ran the scissors across the hem of the wedding attire, cleanly cutting it apart. Snip¡ª [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Princess!¡± Rienne could hear the sound of the woman¡¯s voice calling out to her, but it sounded so far away. Her head was boiling so much, everything felt like it was a million miles away. [Rienne] ¡°Foolish¡­..¡± Their rtionship was just like this clothing. Try as she might to ignore their past, the stench of death could not be erased from it. Nor could she escape the reality that her family was responsible for the death of his. No matter how hard she tried to prove her sincerity, there would always be people like Mrs. Henton. Those who were still filled with so much anger that they¡¯d never believe her. What did she even deserve now? What right did she have to love that man? Her name was that of Arsak, so it wasplete nonsense to think something like this was even possible. She knew that from the moment she learned the truth. But she was scared. She was afraid to give back the kindness he had given her once he learned more about the past. She was afraid he would never look at her the way he does now ever again. That his eyes would no longer carry affection or passion. That he would treat her as she deserved to be treated¡ªlike the daughter of his enemy. Snip, snip, snip¡ª But Rienne already knew. She could rip and tear as many articles of clothing as she wanted, but nothing could ever tear apart the past. But she still didn¡¯t stop. She wanted to cut it all up and get rid of itpletely. If only that were possible. Snip, snip¡ª Before she knew it, Rienne was cutting up the wedding attire, holding the scissors by the de as if she were wielding a sword. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°¡­.cess, Princess! Princess!¡± Suddenly, she could hear Mrs. mbard¡¯s voice much clearer than before as someone grabbed onto her wrist with a firm grip. That same person who forcibly held her wrist, took the scissors from her and quickly threw them to the side. [ck] ¡°Calm down.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­.?¡± The voice that pierced her ears was low and deep. It was one that even tormented her in her dreams¡ªterrified that it might one day disappear without a trace. [ck] ¡°Even if you hate the idea of getting married, don¡¯t do something like this.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± ck took up her hand, holding it in his own as he furrowed his brows like he was in pain. And as he looked down at her hand, his eyes were trained upon her badly injured palm, cut by the de of a pair of scissors. * * * * * [Mrs. mbard] ¡°¡­¡­.It is done, Princess.¡± Mrs. mbard finished tying the bandage, adjusting it as she pulled away. Rienne couldn¡¯t feel any pain right now, but she wasn¡¯t sure if it was because of the medicine, or if her mind was still elsewhere. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Avoid using your hands for now. I¡¯ll help you when you need to wash up, so don¡¯t do it alone. Do you understand?¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­Yes.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Then I will take my leave now.¡± The woman stood up, packing away the medicines she had brought. In her heart of hearts, she wished to stay by Rienne¡¯s side all night so she could tend to her wound, but right now, it would be best if she left that role to the person more desperate for it than she was. As Mrs. mbard excused herself with quickened steps, the only people left in the bedroom were ck and Rienne. The inside of the room was very dark, but neither of them thought about lighting a candle or setting the firece. [ck] ¡°You¡¯ll probably start to feel the painter.¡± Standing with his shoulder leaning against the tall bed post, ck finally spoke after a long period of silence. [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­Yes.¡± The darkness felt particrly heavy today. Feeling the mood oppressing over her shoulders, Rienne pulled her legs to her chest, burying her face in her knees. [ck] ¡°I heard a story once in the past.¡± Unprompted, ck brought up a story, speaking with an expression Rienne could not see nor read from the tone of his voice. Rienne¡¯s body stayedpletely still as she listened. [ck] ¡°There was once a king who burned all the spinning wheels in his kingdom after hearing a prophecy that his newborn daughter would die after pricking her finger.¡±(1) It was something ck was bringing up out of nowhere, but for some reason, he sounded like he was trying to be nice. Now that she was hurt, he was saying things that didn¡¯t suit him. [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s not possible. You can¡¯t make thread without a spinning wheel.¡± [ck] ¡°Then it¡¯s a good thing it was only a pair of scissors.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What?¡± [ck] ¡°Even without scissors, the world can manage.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Rienne lifted up her head, looking up with ck as she wondered whether or not he was telling a joke. But ck wasn¡¯t smiling at all. [ck] ¡°You think I won¡¯t do it?¡± ¡­¡­Well, what should she do now? He looked awfully serious. [Rienne] ¡°You can¡¯t do that. I¡¯m sure Mrs. mbard would weep if she ever lost her scissors.¡± [ck] ¡°Then tell her she¡¯s free to cry. That¡¯s fine.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­Why not just let her keep her scissors? I just won¡¯t use any myself for a while.¡± [ck] ¡°Not for ¡®a while¡¯. Forever.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­..Forever?¡± [ck] ¡°Answer me.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± He was really taking this seriously. All because she got hurt from improperly using a pair of scissors. But why did he have to do this? How could he do this? What would she do after receiving so much sincerity from him? The more she got from him, the more intense and gnawing the sense of loss would be once it went away. And it wasn¡¯t just her. It would be the same for him as well. After pouring out so many emotions onto another person, even if you try and take it backter, your heart would never be the same as it was before. It would just be hurt and ruined. [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯ll get better soon. It¡¯s just a little cut.¡± [ck] ¡°That¡¯s how it is for you, Princess, but not for me.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± ck slowly pushed himself away from the bedpost. She thought for a moment he would approach her like he normally did, but he stayed where he was. Considering both of them were in the same bedroom, he felt so far away. [ck] ¡°I have something I want to ask you.¡± Rienne turned to look at ck, unfamiliar with the awkward sight of him standing so distantly. [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­.Yes, what is it?¡± [ck] ¡°If the answer is yes, then don¡¯t say anything.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­..?¡± [ck] ¡°Do you want to dy the wedding?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± [ck] ¡°Don¡¯t ask. Just answer or don¡¯t. Do you really hate the idea of getting married?¡± ck¡¯s question was just as sudden and awkward as the distance between them. Rienne was so flustered and confused that she missed the right chance to answer. And in response to her telling silence, ck let out a slow and heavy sigh. [ck] ¡°Alright. Just rest, then.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What¡­..?¡± But before she realized it, ck had already turned around and started to leave. With no hesitation in his steps, he walked towards the door. And that¡¯s when Rienne heard the sound of her heart sinking. [Rienne] ¡°No¡­..that¡¯s not it!¡± Forgetting she was barefoot, Rienne stepped down from the bed, rushing towards ck with her arms outstretched. Hugging him from behind, she pressed her face against his back, holding him tightly. She spoke, keeping her voice quiet because she was afraid the sound of her tears might be heard through her words. [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s not true¡­.So don¡¯t walk away like this. I don¡¯t like that.¡± [ck] ¡°. . .¡± She heard ck spit out a whisper. [ck] ¡°Then why did you do that?¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­I just¡­.decided those clothes didn¡¯t suit you.¡± [ck] ¡°What?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Your clothes, Lord Tiwakan.¡± Anyone could easily guess that it was a lie. There was no need to tear apart clothes like that, iming they didn¡¯t suit him when he¡¯d never had the chance to try them on. Now Rienne was realizing how crazy she must¡¯ve looked. ¡­.I¡¯m such a fool. At this rate, he would get sick of her personality before he ever knew she was the daughter of his enemy. [Rienne] ¡°I thought it would look nice¡­..but after it was all fixed up, I got a little frustrated¡­¡­because it looked a little worn.¡± [ck] ¡°. . .¡± [Rienne] ¡°I wanted to do something nice for you, but I couldn¡¯t¡­..so I ended up getting angry. I hate being a princess¡­.who can¡¯t even carry out the preparations for her own wedding ceremony properly. That¡¯s why¡­..¡± Moving slowly, ck pulled Rienne¡¯s away as she held onto him, turning around to face her. [ck] ¡°Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Yes?¡± It was the first time she felt the weight of her lie so clearly on her tongue as it left her. Rienne turned away, unable to make eye contact with ck, fearing he would instantly be able to recognize her dishonesty. [ck] ¡°Open your eyes and look at me. Is that all?¡± ¡­¡­No. [Rienne] ¡°Yes.¡± [ck] ¡°Then why can¡¯t you look at me?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m embarrassed. It¡¯s embarrassing¡­.to be seen like this.¡± I¡¯m scared. I¡¯m scared you¡¯ll notice the past I¡¯m hiding, and that knowing it will end up in you leaving me. I¡¯m afraid that you¡¯ll walk away with your back turned to me, just like you did earlier, disappearing into the distance at a pace I can¡¯t keep up with. And I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll end up forgetting everything. Cutting me away from your memory cleanly and quietly. Watching Rienne, who still couldn¡¯t make eye contact with him, ck finally said something. [ck] ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what I wear and I require no gift from you. And the Treaty of Risebury isn¡¯t a problem anymore either. I¡¯ve already prepared a way of solving the issue with the High Priest. We could get married right now if we so wish.¡± [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s already done¡­.? But how¡­.?¡± [ck] ¡°So this is your only chance to say it, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What¡­..?¡± [ck] ¡°If you say you don¡¯t want to get married, I¡¯ll dy it all.¡± Finally, Rienne opened her eyes. [Rienne] ¡°No, that¡¯s not¡ª¡± [ck] ¡°Think well and give me your answer. You get to say it once. If you don¡¯t do it now, you won¡¯t be able to avoid getting married to me a second time.¡± Rienne swallowed hard. Her mouth waspletely dry and her throat hurt. [ck] ¡°Should I give you a timer? Alright. One¡­¡­.¡± * * * T/N: (1) Not so subtle nod to ¡°Sleeping Beauty¡±. I think it¡¯s kinda cute he knows that story. Chapter 63 - Call to Home (1) Chapter 63 | Call to Home (1) * * * * [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­I don¡¯t hate the idea.¡± Her heart was not divided on this issue. It was a conclusion she hade to a long time ago. Even if she did not deserve to love thest prince of the Gainers royal family, Rienne already decided she would. And for that sake, she would keep this truth to herself for the rest of her life. [Rienne] ¡°So don¡¯t push me away. I don¡¯t like that.¡± [ck] ¡°Two.¡± [Rienne] ¡°You don¡¯t need to count.¡± [ck] ¡°I told you to think carefully.¡± [Rienne] ¡°And I have. So you don¡¯t have to keep counting.¡± [ck] ¡°¡­..Three¡­..¡± The moment she saw ck start to say the number three, Rienne stood up on her tippy-toes, covering his mouth with her hand. It was the same hand that was wrapped tightly in a thick bandage. [Rienne] ¡°Don¡¯t count.¡± When he looked down at her, Rienne was clearly reflected in his blue eyes, his emotions pouring down on her like flowing water. [Rienne] ¡°For the longest time, I didn¡¯t know what I wanted or didn¡¯t want. Mostly I wished for what any ruler of Nauk would. The end of the drought.¡± Her heart was aching, but now she knew why. She wanted this man in front of her to stay by her side. [Rienne] ¡°But now I know. I know whatIwant. As myself, Rienne Arsak, not the ruler of Nauk.¡± [ck] ¡°¡­¡­And what is that?¡± ck reached up, removing Rienne¡¯s hand from covering his mouth as he asked. [Rienne] ¡°I want to stay with you. And I want to get married.¡± Just then, ck tightly sped Rienne¡¯s bandaged hand as he faced her. Feeling a sharp pain in her cut palm, Rienne slightly winced. [ck] ¡°The thing that really gets me about you, Princess¡­..¡± But rather than tell him she was in pain, Rienne swallowed back those words. There had to be a reason why she needed to feel hurt right now. [ck] ¡°¡­¡­is that I still don¡¯t know. Other people have the luxury of just epting lies when it¡¯s convenient, no matter how obvious they are¡­¡­.but I get soangrywhen I think that those words that drive me crazy might actually be a lie. So if you were nning on lying to me, couldn¡¯t you have done a better job? Lie so that I¡¯ll never figure it out.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m not lying.¡± [ck] ¡°But I guess it doesn¡¯t matter now.¡± ck bit his lip. [ck] ¡°I told you. I¡¯d only give you one chance. Whether or not it¡¯s a lie that you don¡¯t hate the idea of marrying me, you will be my wife, Princess. No matter what you do, that will not change.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I¡­.I want that, too.¡± But ck didn¡¯t seem to believe it, just quietly letting go of her hand. [ck] ¡°Like I said before, your hand will hurt. And while it does, I want you to think about why. After it heals, I won¡¯t allow you to get hurt in the same way again.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Lord Tiwakan¡­¡­¡± [ck] ¡°Rest. I¡¯lle back once my head¡¯s cooled down.¡± m¡ª! And before she could stop him for a second time, ck left without another word, quickly opening the door and leaving the bedroom as he mmed it behind him. Besides, Rienne didn¡¯t have the courage to stop him again. [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­He¡¯s right.¡± Rienne pressed her other hand against her palm, feeling the pain start to spread. She couldn¡¯t feel it before, so it felt like it was hitting her all at once. [Rienne] ¡°If I¡¯m going to pretend, then I need to do it better.¡± The truth she was keeping inside. Pretending she didn¡¯t know anything about the past. [Rienne] ¡°I can do it.¡± Rienne closed her eyes, whispering to herself. Holding onto her palm, blood started to seep through her pure white bandage. * * * * * [ck] ¡°This is clearly your fault.¡± Bang¡ª! Phermos swallowed hard, casting his gaze towards the chair crushed right before his eyes. He offered it to ck as a ce to sit, but he just kicked it across the room, as if he was telling Phermos not to y around. Looking at the ruined chair made obvious ck¡¯s foul mood, even if he wasn¡¯t showing it on his face. [Phermos] ¡°My apologies, my Lord. Even if I had ten mouths, I have no excuses.¡± If that same kick were to be geared towards his knee instead of the chair, he¡¯d have to carry a cane for the rest of his life, he was sure. Even thinking about it made the sensation of chills run down his back. [Phermos] ¡°I¡­..didn¡¯t think she would wander around the castle while knowing she needed to hide her identity. But I¡¯m not making excuses.¡± It sounded like an excuse, but it was true. Though they had freed Mrs. Henton from her indentured servitude to the Kleinfelders, her status hadn¡¯t been restored. The name ¡®Henton¡¯ was still taboo, too¡ªsuch would be the case until all six families were dealt with. Mrs. Henton knew that truth better than anyone. And yet, against any sane person¡¯s better judgement, she wandered around the castle, which was something Phermos¡¯ hadn¡¯t anticipated. The Tiwakan had given her the room at the top of the northern tower, and presently it was considered one of the safest locations in all of Nauk. But Mrs. Henton took the safety they had given her and kicked it right back with her foot. After the incident, they escorted her back to her room, and Phermos left a mercenary stationed there to watch over her. [ck] ¡°¡­¡­.Did she tell the Princess my name?¡± Phermos shook his head. [Phermos] ¡°I don¡¯t think so. I asked her several times, but the answer was always the same. I don¡¯t think she¡¯s lying, but¡­¡­¡± [ck] ¡°But?¡± [Phermos] ¡°I think the servant may have told the Princess something, though she denies ever having met him.¡± [ck] ¡°¡­¡­That must be the reason.¡± ck swept a nervous hand through his hair. [ck] ¡°We¡¯re drifting apart again.¡± Crossing his arms, ck grumbled in anger and frustration. He was leaning against Phermos¡¯ desk, crumbling and crushing all the documents that were beneath him as he did. Phermos could swear this was the first time he¡¯d seen ck in such an irritated and perturbed mood. [ck] ¡°Tch¡­¡­¡± But seeing the incarnation of war itself get so frustrated over his problems with¡­¡­a woman of all things? That felt a bit¡­.. [Phermos] ¡°Will this cause any dy in the marriage arrangements?¡± [ck] ¡°No. That won¡¯t ever happen.¡± [Phermos] ¡°So you¡¯ve alreadye to an agreement with the Princess?¡± [ck] ¡°She said she wanted to get married¡­¡­though I don¡¯t believe her.¡± [Phermos] ¡°I see.¡± So that¡¯s why he was in such an awful mood right now. [Phermos] ¡°But¡­I think it may be true.¡± Quietly fiddling with his monocle, Phermos spoke clearly and inly. Cocking his head, ck turned to him. [ck] ¡°What do you know?¡± [Phermos] ¡°The Princess said that her reason for wishing to spare the servant was because of you, my Lord. She didn¡¯t say much else on the matter, but I think she meant it sincerely when she said she was thinking of you.¡± [ck] ¡°If she knew my name, things would be different. Even if she wanted to be sincere with me, she wouldn¡¯t be able to.¡± [Phermos] ¡°And is that because¡­..um, your families are intertwined with a grudge?¡± Deciding to take a little bit of a chance, Phermos rolled the dice and asked a very telling question. ck obviously didn¡¯t want to talk about his past, but it was hard to ignore all of the clues that were presenting themselves to him so clearly. And with the appearance of someone like Mrs. Henton, it was only a matter of time before he found things out. Phermos¡¯ mind worked too much like a machine to not piece together the information he was gathering to form a moreplete story. [ck] ¡°They were involved in my family¡¯s death.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Oh, I see¡­..¡± By now, Phermos felt like he knew what ck¡¯s name was. Gainers. ording to the royal records, that name existed as the royal house before the Arsaks. And within those missing records from twenty years ago, was the secret as to why the royal name was passed from the Gainerses to the Arsaks. But based on the fact that the records were missing at all, it was clear the full truth wasn¡¯t a very pretty one. If it was anything to be proud of, the records would never have been tampered with. Speaking with the servant, Klimah, Princess Rienne must¡¯ve discovered the ugly truth. If his mother knew the whole truth, then the servant certainly did as well. When he kidnapped Rienne, he must¡¯ve told her something, but even so, Rienne still decided to try and save his life. So¡­in truth, Phermos didn¡¯t understand what his Lord and the Princess were doing at all.(1) Taking into ount everything, it was obvious Princess Rienne was truly trying to be sincere to his Lord. If the Princess was bound by this past grudge, she would be more likely to try and kill the servant to conceal the truth rather than spare his life. [Phermos] ¡°Does that not matter to you?¡± [ck] ¡°I said they were involved, but I didn¡¯t say I was resentful about it.¡± [Phermos] ¡°So, you hold no grudge?¡± [ck] ¡°I told you this before. I want to keep what¡¯s mine. If I held any kind of resentment about things, this wouldn¡¯t be a matter of trying to take things back.¡± To destroy something utterly, whilst coating it in a sea of blood. Something like that would be child¡¯s y for the leader of the Tiwakan. Phermos couldn¡¯t entirely rte to ck¡¯s sentiment, but he could at least understand that it wasn¡¯t any kind of grudge that was moving him forward now. [Phermos] ¡°Then, would things not be the same for the Princess? Grudge or not, it¡¯s entirely possible for her to still be sincere. Isn¡¯t that how rtionships between men and women tend to work?¡± [ck] ¡°No¡­.It¡¯s not possible.¡± [Phermos] ¡°What makes you so certain?¡± [ck] ¡°Someone who¡¯s sincere wouldn¡¯t tear apart clothing meant for a wedding. All while not noticing how hurt she was getting.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Oh, I see¡­¡­Then I spoke out of turn, my Lord.¡± Considering the possibility, Phermos tried to nod, but then quickly kept still after taking a step back. Beyond the ss lens of his monocle, it was clear that ck¡¯s already harsh and grimaced expression was bing more angered. If ever there was a time for him to watch his words, it was now. If he didn¡¯t, he¡¯d be crying while preparing his walking cane this time tomorrow. [Phermos] ¡°Then¡­..what will you do? The wedding ceremony is¡­..¡± [ck] ¡°Proceed with it as nned.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Did the Princess agree to that?¡± [ck] ¡°So she said.¡± But right after he said that, he quietly added on with a bitter voice. [ck] ¡°But I don¡¯t believe her.¡± [Phermos] ¡°¡­¡­¡­.Still, you never know. The human heart is inherentlyplicated. As time goes on, perhaps even the Princess may be able to move past the idea resentment for the dead.¡± [ck] ¡°¡­¡­I just have to wait longer.¡± But there was a problem. ck was starting to lose what little patience he had. The bigger his expectations grew, the harder it was bing to control his body. Even now, when he closed his eyes, he could remember Rienne¡¯s scent lingering at the tip of his nose. And whenever she was in front of him, it was a miracle he could keep his hands from moving when all he wanted to do was hold her. [ck] ¡°First, find the servant. I need to know what he said to her.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Understood.¡± [ck] ¡°And try not to mess him up. He¡¯lle quietly once he knows we have his mother.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Very well.¡± [ck] ¡°Bring Manau, too. We¡¯ll need him for the council meeting.¡± Manau was the old beggar from the front of the Temple. But Phermos didn¡¯t knowthat, pushing up his monocle as he tilted his head. [Phermos] ¡°I¡¯m sorry, who?¡± ck nced at Phermos with a face that seemed to express he thought what he was saying was obvious. [ck] ¡°He was the High Priest from twenty years ago.¡± [Phermos] ¡°The High Priest¡­¡­? But I thought Nauk¡¯s High Priest was a life-long position?¡± And because it was a life-long position, that meant all High Priests besides the current one would be dead. [ck] ¡°That¡¯s why he lives like a beggar. Hiding his identity with that foolish stutter of his.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Oh¡­.Though that reminds me, my Lord. I have something I want to confirm with you.¡± Phermos suddenly raised his voice. [Phermos] ¡°It¡¯s a bit hard to pretend I don¡¯t know anything when it¡¯s all sitting so obviously in front of me. So should I proceed under the assumption that you were once a member of the Gainers royal house, my Lord?¡± [ck] ¡°I expected you would figure it out at some point. Though I¡¯m surprised you didn¡¯t know who Manau was.¡± From Phermos¡¯ perspective, it felt a little rude and unfair to hear that he ¡®expected¡¯ he would figure it out. [Phermos] ¡°If that¡¯s the case, why couldn¡¯t you have just said something to me earlier? It feels like you¡¯re making me suffer on purpose.¡± And after a quiet thought, ck¡¯s answer came dyed. [ck] ¡°¡­¡­I had no intention of lettinganyoneknow. But I was caught off guard by names like Henton and Manau suddenly reappearing.¡± That was theplete truth. Besides trying to keep the past and his identity hidden, he never once lied to Rienne. [ck] ¡°I¡¯m aware that my name would act as a call for blood, and I didn¡¯t want that. I didn¡¯t want Princess Rienne to know about it, and I still feel that way¡­¡­No, I feel like that now more than ever.¡± ck let out a drawn out and heavy sigh. [ck] ¡°I just wanted to take back what was mine. As much as I could.¡± It had been over twenty years, and he wasn¡¯t stupid enough to think reiming his position was possible. There was no ce left for the Gainers name in Nauk and never again would he live as Prince Fernand. Nor did hewantto live the life of a royal after all this time. The reason why he wanted to get Nauk back was something else entirely. It was like an instinct calling him home¡ªan instinct he couldn¡¯t cut off as a boy, though he tried. After all, he was only human and all humans desired a ce to return to. But besides Nauk, he had no other ce he could call a home. And more than that, there was something from the past that remained with him, always sticking with himpletely. Though he was far from the same person he was back then, in his young eyes, his would-be-fianc¨¦e was like this mysterious and lovely figure¡ªendlessly vague yet pulling him forth, as if she were drawing him into flight from his lone forest. * * * T/N: The title of this chapter is a phrase usually used in reference to birds, like carrier pigeons that are trained to return to a set point. No matter where they go, how far they travel, or how long they¡¯re gone, they will always have some kind of instinct that calls them to return ¡®home¡¯, so to speak. That¡¯s the turn of phrase that ck uses to describe his feelings. Chapter 64 - Call to Home (2) Chapter 64 | Call to Home (2) * * * * Thest king of the Gainers royal house was beyond overjoyed that a daughter was born into the Arsak family. On the day of her birth, he rushed over to the Arsak estate and proimed that an engagement ceremony must be held¡ªexhausting the new parents as they presented him with their newborn daughter. The daughter of Arsak was in good health, but the engagement continued to be dyed with no end in sight due to the son of Gainers¡¯ frequent illnesses. But then one fateful day, the six families drove a de into the king¡¯s back. And that was the end of their engagement. Princess Rienne was no longer his fianc¨¦e from birth, but rather the new royalty of Nauk. Word had even reached him that she had the eldest son of another family as her lover. He had no choice but to ept that reality. That¡¯s what his mind was telling him at least. But apparently, in the back of his heart, the idea of returning to his fianc¨¦e¡¯s side was an ever lingering thought. To him, Rienne was his home. She was a ce that stayed here, never once leaving, as if she were acting as an anchor for him¡ªgiving himsomethingto go back to like he¡¯d never left at all. Had it not been for her,ing back to Nauk would not have felt like he was returning home. He would be crazy to let go of this now that he had it. [ck] ¡°My intentions haven¡¯t changed. I will live as the Princess¡¯ husband and one of her Guardian Knights. I have no desire to draw blood just to get more than that.¡± [Phermos] ¡°So¡­.that¡¯s why you were careful only to break those nobles¡¯ bones. I understand now.¡± Aftering to Nauk, Phermos felt that his Lord had be very sweet and soft, to the point of it being a little strange, but at least now he understood more of the reason. [Phermos] ¡°I will find the servant and bring him here.¡± [ck] ¡°Now.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Oh, now? You meannow, now?¡± ck nodded, gesturing his hand as if it were too much of a pain to repeat himself. [ck] ¡°Just do it as soon as possible.¡± [Phermos] ¡°¡­.Yes, sir.¡± With that, Phermos bowed his head, quickly excusing himself from the room. * * * * * [And] ¡°It¡¯s in two days.¡± As a result of the new royal advisor¡¯s hard work, Lord And, the Great Council was finally being established. All six families sent in their consent forms, detailing their intent to attend, and And carefully transcribed it into parchment paper, making it into a formal promation to be announced in the square. The ce where the Great Council was to be held was the Grand Hall, located in the very center of God¡¯s Square. The Grand Hall was extremely elegant, decorated with nine fountains that echoed the imagery of the nine waterfalls that were once the symbols of Nauk. But at this point, they looked terribly dirty and unkempt, just like the rest of the country. Managing the Grand Hall was one of the duties of the six families, but the Kleinfelders handed that job over to the royal family because it ¡®cost too much money¡¯. When Rienne first came into power, she was young and ignorant, so she managed the budget for the Grand Hall as she was told, but in more recent years, the money had to be allocated for other things, so she let its maintenance slip a bit. And the end result was a cracked ceiling and a dpidated wall. [And] ¡°I went to visit the Grand Hall¡­¡­.but maybe we should clean it up a bit first.¡± Rienne listened to his words with a disinterested expression. [Rienne] ¡°The representative families will take care of it. Leave it be.¡± [And] ¡°Is¡­..that possible?¡± Stunned, And quickly asked back. [Rienne] ¡°If they don¡¯t clean it up on their own, they¡¯ll end up breathing in a lot of dust at the meeting. They¡¯re prideful, so I don¡¯t know if they¡¯ll be able to take it.¡± [And] ¡°I see¡­.Then I¡¯ll let them know.¡± [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s not urgent, so take your time. Just let them know ahead of the meeting.¡± [And] ¡°Very well¡­.I will do as you asked.¡± And awkwardly nodded. He was still mostly unaware of the strange rtionship the Arsak royal house had with the six families. But before And could go his merry way, Rienne stopped him. [Rienne] ¡°Has there been any movement on the Kleinfelder¡¯s side?¡± [And] ¡°Is there anything in particr you¡¯d like to hear about?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Anything is fine. Perhaps any rumors of an angry stir from them in thest few days?¡± And turned his head down in thought. [And] ¡°Well, when I visited a few days ago, everything looked fairly the same. Had I not been a royal advisor and known Lord Kleinfelder was already in custody, I would never have guessed that he was absent.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Ah¡­..I see. Alright then. You¡¯re excused now.¡± [And] ¡°Please call me if you need anything else.¡± And gave Rienne a respectful bow, turning on his heel and leaving. [Rienne] ¡°¡­..It¡¯s a little strange.¡± Sitting alone in the King¡¯s Office, Rienne propped her elbow up on the edge of the desk, lost in thought. [Rienne] ¡°The Tiwakan went and brought Mrs. Henton in, but nothing happened? How can that be possible?¡± The loss of Klimah¡¯s mother meant that they no longer had any sway over him to do their bidding. Klimah was a well of information, living proof of all the heinous deeds hemitted on behalf of the Kleinfelders. If she were them, she would want to kill him or find another way to keep his mouth shut, so their silence was extremely off-putting. [Rienne] ¡°Is Linden Kleinfelder¡¯s absence really that vast? Is there no one else capable of doing things when he¡¯s gone?¡± But that didn¡¯t make much sense either. House Kleinfelder was thergest family in all of Nauk. And because of their boundless wealth and property, they had many people working for them. [Rienne] ¡°Linden Kleinfelder couldn¡¯t be capable ofmitting all that evil by himself¡­¡­There must¡¯ve been someone else involved.¡± She felt frustrated that she didn¡¯t know. Rienne pushed up from her seat, walking up to the window and staring out at the scenery as she leaned her head against the ss. [Rienne] ¡°I never knew the full depth of how this kingdom works.¡± The Kleinfelders were such a massive force within Nauk, and the royal family¡¯s greatest enemy. And yet, she never had any idea what kinds of schemes they were plotting behind her back. It was sad and shameful all at once. [Rienne] ¡°I was just so focused on surviving until the next day.¡± Even living day by day was difficult in Nauk. Having gained the crown at such a young age, Rienne did not know what it was like to live the life of a monarch who didn¡¯t struggle. [Rienne] ¡°But that can¡¯t go on anymore.¡± She needed more eyes and ears. Something that could give her a better look at every corner of her kingdom, no matter how small. This realization was a long timeing, and so she was only d her resolve solidified before it was toote. If she had continued to live as Rafit¡¯s lover, quietly marrying him to settle the debt when it became too much to bear, she would not deserve to be called royalty. After ck entered her life, it felt like everything was changing. [Rienne] ¡°He¡¯s really¡­¡­.given me far too much.¡± Rienne pulled back from the window. So I¡¯m going to put everything I can into this, too. Everything I possibly can. ¨C After leaving the office, Rienne headed for the northern tower, carrying with her one of the only pieces of royal jewelry left. * * * * * [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± [Mrs. Henton] ¡°. . .¡± Her expression was calm now, but her eyes stayed the same. Those eyes that were exceedingly gentle, but somehowpletely ruined, too. It was a look that pained her heart to see. [Rienne] ¡°I came to see if you were doing well. I hope your bed wasn¡¯t ufortable.¡± [Mrs. Henton] ¡°¡­¡­It¡¯s fine.¡± After Rienne¡¯s sudden visit, Mrs. Henton didn¡¯t even say hello to her. Even though it waspletely warranted, it still made Rienne feel bad. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m d to hear it. I¡­.. I brought you some fruit. Would you like some?¡± On the way to the northern tower, Rienne had stopped by the kitchens and prepared a basket filled with an assortment of fruits, which she was holding out now. [Mrs. Henton] ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± Mrs. Henton looked straight at Rienne, not even sparing the basket a nce, much less taking it from her. [Mrs. Henton] ¡°You know who I am right? I would never ept anything you have to give me, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­..I thought you might feel a little stuffy staying here. I know it can be a little dark and dreary in this room, but I heard eating sweet things can help you cheer up.¡± [Mrs. Henton] ¡°If one¡¯s mind is in hell, what point is there in getting sunlight?¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Rienne couldn¡¯t say anything back. The things Mrs. Henton had been through were not things that needed to be repeated. One of her sons was killed, and the other was utterly ruined. And it was her husband who killed her son, wanting to save the blood of the king he served rather than his own family. She was taken hostage by the people who murdered her husband, her existence turned into that of a ve, neither living nor dead. All that weight crushing upon her would want to make her give up on her life. How could one endure such an existence? [Rienne] ¡°Then¡­.are there any other foods you would like to eat?¡± [Mrs. Henton] ¡°I don¡¯t need it.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯lle to give you new bedding before the nightes. Everything in this room is old, so I don¡¯t know how well it will hold up.¡± [Mrs. Henton] ¡°Don¡¯t force yourself.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t know what the best thing is that I can do for you right now, so please tell me if there¡¯s anything you need, ma¡¯am. I¡¯ll leave the fruit here so please eat itter if you have an appetite.¡± Rienne ced the basket of fruit on the small table next to the bed and turned around. p¡ª But she stopped in her tracks hearing a noise. She turned her head, only to see that Mrs. Henton had knocked the fruit basket onto the floor. Then, feeling like that wasn¡¯t enough, she stomped on the nearest fruit with her foot. [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­Please be careful. There¡¯s more than just fruit in there. If you step incorrectly, you might get hurt.¡± [Mrs. Henton] ¡°¡­¡­?¡± As she smashed the fruit with her foot as if she were crushing Linden Kleinfelder¡¯s head, Mrs. Henton lifted up her head and looked at Rienne. She looked speechless. [Mrs. Henton] ¡°What¡­¡­did you say?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Here.¡± Rienne got closer, crouching down near the ground and searching through the remains of the crushed fruit. [Rienne] ¡°I brought this, too.¡± Taking the hard object in her hand, Rienne wiped it clean of the fruit juices with her sleeve, carefully holding it out to the woman. [Rienne] ¡°This was the one thing my mother brought with her when she married into House Arsak. It¡¯s one of the more priceless things I still have.¡± Once the mess was cleared away, what was revealed was an elegant, rose shaped pendant made of rubies that danced in their own light. [Mrs. Henton] ¡°Why are you doing this¡­..?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Like I said, it¡¯s very precious.¡± [Mrs. Henton] ¡°. . .¡± The woman¡¯s face turned pale. This woman was a gentle one based on the look in her eyes. Even though she was filled with anger, the worst she was capable of was crushing some fruit. But that changed as the color in her face disappeared. [Mrs. Henton] ¡°You think I¡¯ll forget about everything just because you¡¯re giving me jewelry? Just toss aside all memory of who were killed and I¡¯ll get this? Something like that?¡± [Rienne] ¡°No.¡± [Mrs. Henton] ¡°Could you forget something like that for a mere jewel? Is it really that amazing? That it can make you forget about death?¡± [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s not what I think.¡± [Mrs. Henton] ¡°Then what is it!?¡± Mrs. Henton rushed forward, snatching the ne from Rienne¡¯s hand and throwing it violently back down on the ground. St¡ª! The elegant pendant was once again buried beneath the crushed fruit. [Rienne] ¡°I brought this with me because¡­..¡± Rienne quietly knelt down, once again picking up the pendant and clearing away the mess with her sleeve. [Rienne] ¡°Because it¡¯s lovely.¡± [Mrs. Henton] ¡°¡­¡­..What?¡± [Rienne] ¡°So I thought having it may provide you with some semnce offort.¡± [Mrs. Henton] ¡°. . .¡± Tap. Rienne stood up, gently putting the clean pendant onto the table. [Rienne] ¡°I heard what happened to you. I cannot even begin to imagine how difficult it must¡¯ve been. For you, I¡¯m no different from a Kleinfelder. Escaping them was one thing, but being in Castle Nauk is just as painful. I know that, but I don¡¯t know what else I can do. I¡­ don¡¯t have the power to revive the dead.¡± The words that Rienne spoke came out slow and drawn out. Like every word was deeply thought out. Just like the guilt that should¡¯ve been hers these past twenty-one years. [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s painful. So painful you aren¡¯t afraid to die, and maybe that¡¯s still how you feel. I know my words mean little, but if you look around, I hope you¡¯ll find the potential for good things to happen. I hope I can give you the opportunity to think about that.¡± [Mrs. Henton] ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡­.What good things? What good could possibly be found for a mother who¡¯s lost her child?¡± [Rienne] ¡°You still have one. He doesn¡¯t have to listen to the Kleinfelders anymore.¡± [Mrs. Henton] ¡°. . .¡± Mrs. Henton looked at Rienne. She looked so much like Klimah. Klimah also looked at her with those sad but good eyes that were lost in a sea of confusion and hurt. She was getting angry, but she only looked pitiful to the person sitting in front of her. [Mrs. Henton] ¡°He¡­.did so many things. He thought I didn¡¯t know, but I did¡­.I thought¡­..I thought he would eventually get himself killed¡­..¡± [Rienne] ¡°I know he didn¡¯t want to do any of it. The me lies with the Kleinfelders.¡± [Mrs. Henton] ¡°How¡­could a daughter of Arsak say that¡­..?¡± The woman turned her eyes towards the ground, her gaze heavy with confusion. Reflected in her eyes was the crushed fruit and soiled floor. [Rienne] ¡°I was four years old at the time.¡± Settling down onto the floor, Rienne quietly started gathering up the uncrushed fruits, cing them back into the basket. Though she knew if she didn¡¯t, Mrs. Henton would do it herself. [Rienne] ¡°I keep thinking about it. If I had been a little older, would things have turned out differently? Could I have stopped my father from doing what he did? Would Sir Henton still be alive? Would he¡­¡­?¡± Would he not have lost his home? Could I have stayed with him without being so nervous about the time when I would lose him? Since the moment she spoke to that servant, she never once stopped thinking about it. It was like a never ending nightmare¡ªone that haunted every waking moment. [Mrs. Henton] ¡°¡­¡­.My second son was six years old.¡± Not wanting to watch Rienne clean the mess anymore, the woman sat down on the floor, mindlessly toying with one of the fruits on the ground. [Mrs. Henton] ¡°He was tall and had a strong figurepared to other boys his age, so no one ever believed he was only six. He resembled his father, so he looked very simr in size to the eight year old prince. When my husband picked up his sword, he couldn¡¯t even scream before he died.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Rienne couldn¡¯t say anything back, biting down on her lip. She could not allow herself to cry. Compared to Mrs. Henton or ck, Rienne hadn¡¯t lost anything. She did not deserve to shed any tears. [Mrs. Henton] ¡°No matter how unforgivable the sin of the Arsak family is, I know a four year old girl could not have done anything. Just like that boy couldn¡¯t. And my son, he¡­.¡± Thud. The fruit she was about to put back into the basket fell from Mrs. Henton¡¯s hand. [Mrs. Henton] ¡°¡­¡­Hnnn!¡± And then she copsed to the dirty ground, loud sobs echoing out in the room. Rienne wanted tofort her, to tell her she could cry to her heart¡¯s content until she waspletely exhausted. But she couldn¡¯t. All she could do was stay by the woman¡¯s side, biting her lips and fighting back tears of her own. * * * T/N: This was actually one of my favorite chapters to trante. My heart hurts *sob* Chapter 65 Chapter 65 Chapter 65 | Courtship (1) * * * * * [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Princess! How did your clothes get so dirty!?¡± As Rienne returned from the northern tower, Mrs. mbard was the first to greet her. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Ah, why did it have to be this one? You only have so many good dresses left to wear, Princess.¡± Ah, I didn¡¯t think about that. I¡¯m sorry. Mrs. mbard was the one who suffered whenever Rienne¡¯s clothes got messed up. But if Rienne tried to help her, she would always stop her, saying she could never let go of doing the Princess¡¯ chores so long as her eyes were open. That included herundry. [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s only fruit juice, so just a gentle cleanse should be enough.¡± But Mrs. mbard rapidly shook her head, her eyes filled with emotions. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°I don¡¯t know. If it¡¯s fruit juice, it would be harder to get off. It can stain.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Oh. I didn¡¯t realize. I¡¯m sorry.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°First, take off your clothes, Princess. Cleaning fruit juice is a race against time. We need to get it off as soon as we can.¡± Rienne felt even sorrier hearing that. ¡­¡­.I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s actually been on me for a long time now. Mrs. Henton was crying a lot. Rienne wanted to offer her a handkerchief, but she didn¡¯t have one on her, so she ended up offering up the hem of her dress instead. The woman seemed surprised at first, but she had no choice but to wipe her face. But thanks to Rienne¡¯s help, she managed to calm down quickly. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯ll get undressed now.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Yes. Hurry on, now.¡± Mrs. mbard grabbed Rienne¡¯s shoulder, urging her to turn around as she undid the ties to her dress from behind. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°I dressed you nicely today very purposefully, but I suppose it cannot be helped. You¡¯ll have to wear dark colors for today. Ah, such clothing is too practical to be nice.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I don¡¯t mind. But why did you want me to wear this?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? It¡¯s because you look beautiful in this.¡± [Rienne] ¡°You know I don¡¯t really care about that kind of stuff. It¡¯s fine.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°What do you mean, fine?¡± As she dutifully undid Rienne¡¯s dress, her hands slowed down. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°¡­¡­..You need to reconcile.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Ah¡­.¡± Apparently, even in the eyes of Mrs. mbard, Rienne and ck seemed a bit distant from one another after yesterday¡¯s incident with the torn clothing. Although,e to think of it, I never apologized to her. Mrs. mbard was the one who worked the hardest on them. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, ma¡¯am.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°What are you apologizing to me for? You should be making up with Lord Tiwakan instead.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I know but¡­I ruined the clothing, and I know how hard you work on them.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°It¡¯s alright, Princess. You worked on them as well. But now, the matter of wedding attire has be a bit of a problem. How do you n on getting new ones on such short notice?¡± That was a problem now. [Rienne] ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. I¡¯ll have to sell some jewelry. I have a ne I¡¯m willing to part ways with. It should fetch a good enough price tomission a nice set of clothing.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Oh, you aren¡¯t talking about the sapphire pendant, are you? The one that Her Majesty cherished more than anything in her lifetime?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I have nothing left but that.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°But, Princess!¡± Mrs. mbard couldn¡¯t contain her tears and let out a loud cry. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°How could you speak of selling it so easily? It¡¯s far too precious of an item!¡± The ne they were talking about was the one Rienne¡¯s mother had cared for deeply while she was still alive. It was given to her by Rienne¡¯s father after they had gotten engaged, and it represented their union before their wedding. Rienne tightly closed her eyes, speaking with a purposefully cold and direct tone. [Rienne] ¡°But we cannot sell the King¡¯s sceptre.¡± (1) [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Princess!¡± [Rienne] ¡°We don¡¯t have much time, so we need to hurry. Look for a cloth that would work best, ma¡¯am. And don¡¯t worry about the price. Just focus on quality.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Princess, are you really¡­.going to sell it?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Yes.¡± Even thinking about her mother now, Rienne felt guilty. For that man, all memories of his father would be stained by his death, so keeping something that reminded of her mother felt like a sin in itself. Especially if those memories were happy in the slightest. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Please reconsider, Princess¡­¡­If we look, we might be able to find something else worth selling.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Ma¡¯am.¡± Mrs. mbard pulled back, hesitating hearing Rienne¡¯s voicee off so coldly. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Yes, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Go out and call the jeweler. I¡¯d like you to get in contact with them by the end of the day.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Princess¡­.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I want to do everything I can for this wedding. And I don¡¯t want you to say anything more.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Very well¡­..I understand.¡± Wiping away her tears, Mrs. mbard helped Rienne get changed into a different dress. The brown dress made from durable fabric,cking in decorations, felt rough to the touch. Looking at herself in the mirror, somehow Rienne felt like she looked very boring and clumsy. * * * * * [ck] ¡°¡­¡­¡­..Goddammit.¡± ck spat out his words, absolutely oozing with frustration. Noticing his clear agitation, everyone in the room stared down at the person sitting in front of him. That person was Klimah. He had no idea what was going on, and his shoulders were pathetically slouched. After he had disappeared, trying to go back into hiding, Klimah was discovered and apprehended in an empty mansion, just off the coast of the Ebet River. Up until ten years ago, the Spelding family, a fairly prestigious noble house, had called that ce their home, but they ended up leaving Nauk after proving unable to withstand the long drought. And naturally, with their empty mansion left unattended, it fell into disrepair and ruin. The bigger the house was, the more obvious the destion was when it inevitably fell apart. Under ck¡¯s order to detain Klimah, Phermos came up with a n to lure him out rather than scouring all of Nauk looking for him. That¡¯s where the empty mansion came into y. Phermos had the ce set up as if the Tiwakan were using it as a new fortress. He set up guards, sentries, put up the gs¡ªthe works. Then, he spread the word that the Tiwakan were taking prisoners there. And despite their initial worries that the rumor wouldn¡¯t spread fast enough, Klimah arrived there early the next morning. Feeling satisfaction in his n going ordingly, Phermos took in Klimah and brought him before ck, just as he¡¯d asked. And ck got to hear everything that Klimah told Rienne in great detail. [ck] ¡°I thought that might be the case, but¨C¡± ck muttered to himself, rubbing his forehead. The Tiwakan mercenaries standing in the room with him threw awkward nces at each other. They knew him well enough, and their guts were telling them that, somehow, his current appearance was more unapproachable than when he was wielding a sword. [ck] ¡°Shit¡­¡­How do I fix this?¡± [Phermos] ¡°This¡­..isn¡¯t necessarily a bad thing, my Lord.¡± Unable to bear the harsh air of the room, Phermos spoke up on behalf of everyone. [Phermos] ¡°Even if the Princess knows everything about the past, she¡¯s still in agreement with the wedding. And the fact that she continues to deny ever meeting the servant means she has no intention of taking issue with the past.¡± [ck] ¡°And if she does?¡± [Phermos] ¡°Sorry?¡± ck red at Phermos with a sharp gaze¡ªlike a shard of ice being shot straight at him. [ck] ¡°If this ends up causing a problem for her, then that changes everything.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Oh¡­.¡± At that moment, Phermos realized his own foolishness. The marriage itself was no longer a question for ck. The wedding was going to happen no matter what transpired now or in the future. It was an indisputable fact at this point. But now it was a question of how harmonious their marriage would be going forward. [ck] ¡°The Princess already knows she can¡¯t avoid this marriage.¡± Which meant, from her perspective, the best thing for Rienne to do was to pretend she didn¡¯t know anything about the past, quietly covering things up. Then, the six families would never learn the full story, thus having no reason to target ck in the same way they had ¡®killed¡¯ the young Prince Fernand, and ck wouldn¡¯t have to trouble himself over them. [ck] ¡°But, though she knows it in her head, her heart might not be able to keep up.¡± (2) ck could still remember how Rienne looked back then, destroying the wedding clothes as she clutched a pair of scissors by the de in her bloodied hand. The action was intense and vivid, but her eyes were empty. So empty and devoid of emotion that it actually shocked him, and he couldn¡¯t stop thinking about it. But no amount of thought could reconcile the memory in his mind. [ck] ¡°Should I have stayed quiet about the engagement from before¡­¡­? No, that wouldn¡¯t have been of any use.¡± Just like he waspletely blindsided by the reappearance of Henton and Manau, he couldn¡¯t guarantee that the past would just stay hidden. It could pop out from anywhere, at any time. He thought he was finally getting closer to Rienne, doing his best to narrow the distance between them, but now it felt like she was further from his reach than she was at the very beginning. ck let out a sigh, standing up from his seat. [ck] ¡°I have no choice. I just have to start over.¡± Seeing that he looked a bit calmer now, Phermos and the other mercenaries felt the tension being released from their chests. The man they followed, a man who was like a God of War to them, was quick to pass judgement. He always knew exactly when to push forward and when to pull back. So, if it was unavoidable, he needed to go back. But things were different from before. As he said, Rienne had no way of escaping this marriage arrangement. As soon as the Grand Council was over, the families that were tied to the Treaty of Risebury would quiet down and the Kleinfelders would disappear from thisnd. There was nothing that could interfere with his marriage to Rienne now. Not a single ce she could escape to nor allies that could help her run away from this. And once there were no more flies buzzing around, then he could focus entirely on winning Rienne¡¯s heart. [ck] ¡°¡­¡­¡­The problem is that I don¡¯t know how.¡± Swallowing his sigh, he felt a bitter taste enter his mouth. [ck] ¡°I have to go back.¡± He couldn¡¯t stay stuck in the same ce forever. Whether he liked it or not, he needed to confront this in the best way he knew how, even if that meant pulling back. [Phermos] ¡°What about the servant?¡± [ck] ¡°Ah¡­..¡± His head was filled with so many thoughts about Rienne that hepletely forgot Klimah was even here. [ck] ¡°That depends. What do you want to do?¡± ck asked as he approached Klimah. [Klimah] ¡°I¡­..I just want my mother to be safe.¡± [ck] ¡°Your mother will be staying at Castle Nauk for the time being. Until the Kleinfelders are dealt with, it¡¯s the safest ce for her to be. Do you wish to join her there?¡± [Klimah] ¡°I¡­¡­.¡± Klimah sat with his mouth agape. It was clear he¡¯d never been asked for his opinion before, and thus never considered answering this kind of question. [ck] ¡°Or you can go back to the Temple.¡± [Klimah] ¡°The Temple¡­..¡± [ck] ¡°You can if you like there. If not, then you don¡¯t have to.¡± [Klimah] ¡°. . .¡± Those words only made it harder for him to answer. It had been too long since he¡¯d thought about what he wanted to do on his own, rather than what he was ordered to do. [ck] ¡°Think carefully about it. You have plenty of time. Until then, just stay with your mother and talk with her.¡± [Klimah] ¡°Talk with my mother¡­¡­Ah, yes! I will.¡± For a moment, it looked like Klimah¡¯s expression brightened up a bit. [ck] ¡°Clean this up.¡± Nodding once, ck gestured to Phermos. [Phermos] ¡°Yes, my Lord.¡± And just like that, everyone started making their preparations to return to the castle. The hustle and bustle of the mercenaries was a familiar scene¡ªlike people hurrying to get home after a busy day. * * * * * And funnily enough, the timing was perfect. Having gone out to meet the jeweler just as Rienne had requested, Mrs. mbard ran into the Tiwakan party returning to the castle. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°No¡­¡­Isn¡¯t that the servant?¡± While secretly admiring ck¡¯s straight posture as he sat on his horse, Mrs. mbard noticed someone else that surprised her. She¡¯d also heard around that the woman who ruined the wedding attire was the servant¡¯s mother. Apparently, this whole mess was rted to Lord Tiwakan¡¯s family that disappeared some odd years back. Rienne avoided speaking in specifics, but whatever it was, it warranted the woman avoiding punishment despite what she¡¯d done. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Will the servant be entering the castle as well? I thought he killed the High Priest.¡± Mrs. mbard tilted her head, walking towards ck. The situation regarding the servant was none of her business, but she felt like she needed to say something. About something else, that is. At this point, Mrs. mbard was absolutely certain that ck was sincerely trying to court Rienne. She¡¯d told the Princess this many times already, but ck kept doing things no man would do unless he held true sincerity for a woman. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Lord Tiwakan.¡± ck¡¯s expression changed the second he noticed Mrs. mbard approaching him. [ck] ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± A weird sense of tension shed across his expressionless face. It shocked Mrs. mbard enough that she impulsively took a step backwards after seeing it. [ck] ¡°Is the Princess okay?¡± For a second, she wondered what would cause his eyes to turn so tense like that, but hearing him say that, she quickly realized why ck¡¯s expression had changed so suddenly. Oh. He thinks something bad might¡¯ve happened to the Princess. Because there was no real reason for Mrs. mbard to ever speak with him first unless something happened to her that required his attention. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°The Princess is in the King¡¯s Office. Nothing in particr has happened.¡± [ck] ¡°Oh¡­..¡± And just like that, the tension went away. Now he looked much more human than he did before. Mrs. mbard patted a hand on her chest before continuing on. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Do you have a moment to spare? I have something I¡¯d like to speak with you about. In private if possible.¡± ck, whose expression seemed like it was probably the coldest among all men in existence, simply nodded his head calmly. He dismounted his horse, handing the reins off to Phermos. [ck] ¡°Take the servant and go in first. Lead him to his mother.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Yes, my Lord.¡± With their orders, the mercenaries left with Klimah in tow. As soon as he verified the emptiness of their surroundings, ck turned his head. [ck] ¡°You can speak now.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Ah¡­yes. What I wanted to say was¡­¡­.¡± * * * T/N: (1) A king¡¯s ¡°sceptre¡± is that fancy rod that royalty will often carry for official ceremonies and portraits. It¡¯s supposed to represent their sovereignty. Or at least that¡¯s what Google said. (2) This is actually a loose reference to something he said way back when¨C about how there¡¯s a difference between hopelessly epting one¡¯s unavoidable circumstances versus actually being happy. He¡¯s kinda thinking Rienne might¡¯ve destroyed the wedding attire because she¡¯s in the mindset of the former (all because she knows the truth now) Chapter 66 Chapter 66 Chapter 66 | Courtship (2) * * * * * It was a bted realization, but this was the first time the woman had ever spoken to ck alone. It was different from how she thought it would be, back when she viewed him merely as a barbaric mercenary who was scary in ways she didn¡¯t understand. The way he gave his orders to his men was very clear and concise. He certainly didn¡¯t sound polite, but he didn¡¯t bark at them nor did he speak particrly harshly. In fact, strangely enough, the atmosphere he carried around him was overbearing in a way that was simr to someone of a high noble status. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°This is¡­..about the wedding attire.¡± When the woman spoke up, she felt like she needed to be careful about her words, lest she shrink away entirely. [ck] ¡°If you need to get new ones, then do it. If money is a problem, then just talk to Phermos. He¡¯ll take care of it.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Oh, then could you tell that to the Princess directly? She keeps trying to sell such precious jewelry¡ª¡° [ck] ¡°Jewelry?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Yes. I would not interfere if they were just any old jewels, but she wishes to sell the cherished ne of Her Majesty, thete Queen. It was something she kept even after she sold off things like the marble bathtub. But now she¡¯s saying she¡¯ll sell it and it hurts my heart. This ne was one of the few things she kept even as everything else was slowly gotten rid of.¡± ck frowned, furrowing his eyebrows. [ck] ¡°She¡¯s selling an heirloom for the sake of my wedding attire?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Yes.¡± [ck] ¡°But they¡¯re just clothes¡­.¡± Mrs. mbard quickly interrupted him. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°They are not just clothes. The Princess doesn¡¯t have much else to offer you as a gift for the wedding, so this is meant to be her present to you. She told me not to worry about the cost and to prepare something truly special. But selling Her Majesty¡¯s ne is too much. Once it¡¯s sold, no amount of money can get it back.¡± That was why she was hoping he could stop the Princess. From what she could see, he was very sincere towards her Princess, and he clearly had plenty of money to burn, so she decided this was a request he would easily listen to. [ck] ¡°¡­¡­..That makes things difficult.¡± But ck just whispered quietly to himself instead. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Excuse me?¡± Mrs. mbard was so flustered that she grabbed the hem of her dress. Was he saying he didn¡¯t want to waste the money? Was he really saying that in front of her right now? [ck] ¡°Doesn¡¯t she hate the idea of getting married¡­¡­?¡± But he actually meant something different. Breathing a sigh of relief, Mrs. mbard patted her chest to calm herself down again. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Of course she doesn¡¯t. The Princess is already prepared to have you as her husband, Lord Tiwakan. When we first started the process of altering the clothing, the Princess was very excited and did most of the work herself. She was preparing it with her heart and soul, but the moment I was away, the woman you brought to the northern towerpletely ruined it¡­¡­.Ah, I shouldn¡¯t say that.¡± She pretended to take it back, but truthfully, Mrs. mbard said it on purpose. She thought it was all too unfair. Rienne wasn¡¯t the one who ruined the clothing. Mrs. mbard wasn¡¯t sure what caused her to be so emotional and use the scissors like that, but the reality was that the bulk of the damage was all started by that woman in the northern tower. It was unfair for Rienne to be med for that alone. She didn¡¯t know what the connection was between Lord Tiwakan and the woman from the tower, but he needed to hear this. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°The Princess asked me not to say anything. The sin of ruining clothing meant for a wedding is great, so I can only assume she wanted to cover it up.¡± She was trying to say that the dear Princess was such a caring angel that she was trying to understand the actions of one so far beneath her. And as the kind and lovely person she was, such a Princess was too good for a mere mercenary leader, so naturally he should take care of this for her to make up for it. Or at least that¡¯s what Mrs. mbard was trying to insinuate. [ck] ¡°If it¡¯s like that, then¡­..¡± And fortunately, her gentle prodding worked. ck was so lost in thought that his temples were twitching. [ck] ¡°¡­¡­Alright. I got it.¡± Mrs. mbard smiled, weing his answer as if she saw iting. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Then what should I say to the jeweler? The Princess says she wishes to see them today.¡± Letting the question settle for a moment, ck nodded. [ck] ¡°For now, just do as the Princess asks.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°I¡¯m sorry? But then, the ne¡­..¡± [ck] ¡°It won¡¯t ever fall into anyone else¡¯s hands.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Ah, yes. Very well, then.¡± He seemed to have another idea in mind. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°I will call upon the jeweler.¡± ck nodded to convey his response, then turned around and disappeared. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Hmm¡­..Looking at him again, how is it possible for someone to have such broad shoulders?¡± And apparently, broad shoulders were apanied by an open mind and a generous pocket¡ªtraits unusual for a mercenary. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°¡­¡­Hm. Well, when ites to a man, what use is being well bred anding from a good family? It¡¯s far more important to have the money to treat one¡¯s woman well. Oh, goodness.¡± Thinking like that, it made it a little bit more possible for Mrs. mbard to cast aside her fears that a mercenary leader was no a good fit for a Princess,cking in many ways as a proper partner for Rienne. ¨C Meanwhile,pletely ignorant of what those two talked about, Rienne quietly sold her mother¡¯s ne to the jeweler that evening. The extremely generous price managed to soothe the feeling of loss that nagged at her heart. * * * * * The day was already over. Listening quietly, she could hear the familiar and faint sound of running water. It was the sound of ck, washing up after a busy day. It would probably be hard for Rienne to go to bed if she didn¡¯t hear that sound. Though their times were different, the sound of water just before she fell asleep was afort to her, as if it were acting as a sign that the day was finally over. And it meant that both he and her had returned, safe and sound. Rienne fiddled with the pillow she¡¯d set down next to her. But she didn¡¯t know if ck woulde to her room or not. She left out a nket and a pillow, but she didn¡¯t know if they would see any use tonight. He said he was going to go cool down his head¡­..Did he manage to do that? He still looked really angry. Or maybe disappointed? He thinks I¡¯m trying to avoid this marriage. I need to tell him that¡¯s not how it is. But how should I say it? Stuck in her thoughts, the sound of water stopped. That meant ck was done washing up and woulde out soon. [Rienne] ¡°¡­..No.¡± Rienne jumped out of bed, searching the drawer next to her bedside. She just remembered a good excuse to talk to him. * * * * * Tap, tap. A hesitant and careful tap sounded against the bathroom door. [Rienne] ¡°C, can¡­..Ie in?¡± There was no answer. Did he finish up and leave through the other door? Rienne knocked on the door again. [Rienne] ¡°Did you finish washing up?¡± . . . . . . Silence again. Closed tightly without a single word in response, it made her feel as though the door was rejecting her. Rienne bit her lip. What do I do now? Should I put off trying to reconcile until tomorrow? There were people who didn¡¯t like it when others tried to force them to talk when they were in a bad mood. But if he were that kind of person, wouldn¡¯t he just outright tell her? She didn¡¯t think he was the kind to ignore her or pretend not to hear her calling out to him just because he was mad. Then maybe he really can¡¯t hear me¡­..? Oh, or did he copse like he didst time? Back then, ck was horribly injured and was bleeding a lot. Now Rienne was starting to feel a little scared. [Rienne] ¡°Lord Tiwakan.¡± Tap, tap. The sound of her knocking felt louder now. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m worried you¡¯re not answering¡­..I¡¯m going to open the door now.¡± Finally, Rienne opened the door. [Rienne] ¡°¡­..?¡­..¡± But nothing terrible had happened in the bathroom. ck was just fine, standing on his own two feet as he ruffled his hair, drying it out. The only difference was that he wasn¡¯t wearing any clothes, having only a towel wrapped around his waist. [Rienne] ¡°Are you¡­.alright?¡± [ck] ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± His answer was short. Somehow, the atmosphere was a little ufortable. The oppressive silence seemed to be telling her to leave because there was no point in being there any longer. Like she was a stranger. [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s just¡­you didn¡¯t respond when I called out to you¡­..¡± [ck] ¡°I have nothing to say.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± ¡­..That¡¯s right. This man had a side of himself that she didn¡¯t know very well. He was capable of being so kind to her, but that just made his coldness all the more frigid¡­.. [Rienne] ¡°I, I just wanted to ask if you were hurt anywhere. If it¡¯s not too bad, then maybe I can help apply the medicine¡­¡± The longer she went on speaking, the quieter her voice became, like something in the air was causing it to shrink away. Even her shoulders seemed to unconsciously pull back. [ck] ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Ah¡­Is that so¡­. That¡¯s good.¡± She said it was good, but she didn¡¯t feel happy. Now¡­she didn¡¯t have any excuse to talk to him. Rienne took the hand that was holding the medicine and hid it behind her back. Apparently, she had a little bit of expectation in her heart. He said he liked it when she did things for him and when she touched him, so she foolishly thought reconciliation would be easy. That she could simply exin to him that it was a misunderstanding that she destroyed the clothing because she didn¡¯t want to get married, and that he would listen. That she just wants to be with him so badly that she¡¯s terrified of him leaving. [Rienne] ¡°What room will you be sleeping in tonight?¡± As Rienne asked, her voice was filled with a scared sense of hesitation. [Rienne] ¡°Should I prepare you a nket?¡± Though, she¡¯d actually already done that. [ck] ¡°¡­..It¡¯s fine.¡± ck answered more slowly than he did before. He didn¡¯t look at her, focusing on brushing his hand through his wet hair. As he shifted, so did the towel wrapped around him, and it was too embarrassing to watch. He knew she was here, watching him. Rienne turned her gaze to the ground, saying something that made her feel very afraid. [Rienne] ¡°You say you don¡¯t need it¡­..but may I ask why?¡± Maybe he was still upset. She knew he said he was going to cool off his head, but she was extremely saddened by the sudden cooling of his heart, too. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯d like to know if it¡¯s just for tonight¡­¡­or if you won¡¯t need it indefinitely.¡± [ck] ¡°It¡¯s just urring to me that I was forcing you to do something you didn¡¯t like. But I guess that¡¯s funnying from me considering I forced this marriage on you.¡± With his hair pushed back, ck¡¯s expressionless face was more visible than usual, but that just made it even more unbelievable. Without covering the face, one¡¯s expression should be easier to understand. But with him, it was the exact opposite. It was like he was wearing a mask. She had no idea what was going on in his mind. [ck] ¡°We started sleeping in the same bed together because I forced you to. And now I¡¯m realizing you would¡¯ve had no choice but to act nicely about it, even if you hated it. So it won¡¯t happen again.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I never thought that I hated it¡­¡± [ck] ¡°Something happened and I ended up being able to sleep next to you as a form of payment. Truthfully, it¡¯s always been like that, to the point where I can¡¯t even remember when it started.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Even if it started with just paying the price¡­..¡± With an outpouring sense of icy indifference, ck turned to Rienne. [ck] ¡°Honestly, I feel a bit pathetic to have to take those kinds of steps by forcing you every single time. So don¡¯t worry and just sleep. I won¡¯t disturb you anymore.¡± (1) [Rienne] ¡°I never said you were disturbing me.¡± [ck] ¡°But you never said it felt good either.¡± ck opened the door on the other side¡ªthe one leading to his own room. [ck] ¡°From now on, just do whatever makes youfortable, Princess.¡± Click. And then he was gone, leaving behind words that were just as cold and indifferent as his expression. Tap. The medicine container fell from Rienne¡¯s grip, lightly clinking against the floor. Even as it rolled around, Rienne couldn¡¯t even think about picking it up. She never thought about this before.¡­¡­but being pushed away was very heartbreaking. Rienne frowned as if she were physically hurt. She felt so tired and weak the entire time it took her to wash up, but now she couldn¡¯t even close her eyes. * * * * * It must¡¯ve been around the early morning by now, just before dawn. Creak¡ª Rienne pushed off her nkets with one hand, opening the door to the bathroom withpletely silenced footsteps. Her heart felt so heavy, she couldn¡¯t sleep at all. At this rate, she may never get another minute of sleep for the rest of her life. Since when? Passing through the King¡¯s Gallery and standing in front of ck¡¯s bedroom door, Rienne bit her lip. Since when? Since when have I been unable to sleep without him¡­¡­.? The tightly closed door looked especially heavy tonight. And the little amount of confidence she had to open it was quickly leaving her. [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Should I just go back? That man must be asleep right now. He was someone who lived on a battlefield for a long time. Even if he were sleeping, he would immediately notice if she opened this door. She couldn¡¯t wake him up. He was already upset with her, and she might worsen that if she disturbed his rest as well. So, I should just go away. That¡¯s what she thought, but her feet wouldn¡¯t move. Rienne swallowed hard repeatedly, reaching out and gently grabbing the doorknob. Squeak¡­.. But then the door opened far too easily, pushing open as if it were waiting for her to touch the handle. Rienne¡¯s shoulders pulled back in surprise, but then her heart grew bolder. The door¡­.opened by itself¡­..I didn¡¯t open it. The room was incredibly quiet. The only thing that could be heard was the sound of ck¡¯s low breathing. He showed no sign of stirring, so Rienne carefully walked up to the bed. He was so fast asleep, he looked almost dead. Seeing how tightly his eyes were shut, she felt strange. She was happy to see him resting so well, but at the same time, she felt a little bitter. You¡¯re sleeping so well, but I can¡¯t even close my eyes. Like I¡¯ve forgotten how to sleep alone entirely. But I¡¯m d you didn¡¯t wake up. As her eyes became ustomed to the darkness, Rienne traced the outline of his face with her eyes. It had only been a single day, but she already missed him so much. ¡­¡­Sleep well. And tomorrow¡­.I hope I can see the you from before again. Feeling uneasy, like she was crossing a line by staying here, Rienne quietly turned around. She was going to leave, but then¡ª [ck] ¡°Are you just going to walk away?¡± * * * T/N: (1) The original wording here has him phrase it like ¡®theft¡¯. Like he almost has to steal interaction from her. Or like how progress only seems to be made in their rtionship when he has to force it out of her as ¡®payment¡¯. Chapter 67 Chapter 67 Chapter 67 | Courtship (3) * * * * * [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­.!¡± She gasped so harshly, she almost hurt herself. [Rienne] ¡°Weren¡¯t¡­.you asleep?¡± [ck] ¡°I was.¡± In the dense darkness, his pale eyes looked even clearer as he stared at Rienne. His gaze was unshakable and unwavering¡ªno different from a wild animal eyeing down its prey. [ck] ¡°You¡¯re awake too, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I¡­.couldn¡¯t sleep.¡± [ck] ¡°I see.¡± ¡­¡­And because she couldn¡¯t sleep, she came into someone else¡¯s room at such a strange time just to look at their face. Yes, that makes perfect sense. Rienne hid her troubled expression, casting her nce at the door and measuring how far it was. She needed to run away before he started asking any questions. If that happened, she¡¯d only panic forck of any good answers to give him. [Rienne] ¡°Then, please excuse me.¡± Keeping her voice casual, as if everything waspletely fine, Rienne turned to leave the room. But it was useless. [ck] ¡°Why did you bring a nket?¡± [Rienne] ¡°S¡­sorry?¡± Rienne blinked in a daze. She hadpletely forgotten about the nket she was carrying in her hands. Like she¡¯d been entertaining the thoughtless idea of sleeping next to him without even realizing it. [Rienne] ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing. It¡¯s just¡­¡­I was afraid you might get cold at night and might not have a nket.¡± ¡­¡­.What am I even saying? Of course he has a nket. What would you call the thing that¡¯s covering him right now¡ªa carpet? [Rienne] ¡°I was worried, but I only ended up waking you needlessly. I¡¯ll be going back now.¡± [ck] ¡°Is that what you had in mind, Princess?¡± ck sat up from the bed, pushing the nket off of him. As it slid down, it revealed the clothing he was wearing to bed that night, but the front of his robe was untied. Rienne held her breath, fearing he might hear her nervous swallowing. [Rienne] ¡°I was just worried.¡± [ck] ¡°And have you cleared away your worries?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m¡­..not quite sure.¡± [ck] ¡°Alright. Do as you please, then.¡± Acting as though nothing had happened, ck just sat there, watching Rienne from his sitting position. ¡­¡­.What do I want to do? If she went back like this, she probably wouldn¡¯t be able to get any sleep. She would likely just stay wide awake, wondering if he¡¯d fallen back asleep on his own. Tomorrow morning would probably end up being so awkward, she wouldn¡¯t be able to make eye contact with him. And I¡¯d probably just miss him even more than I do now. [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­.Then, if you don¡¯t mind, please scoot over a bit.¡± With ease, he shifted his body to the side and in his ce, there was room enough for her in the bed. Like he was inviting her to lie down with him. [Rienne] ¡°No, not that way. Closer this way.¡± [ck] ¡°Are you sure?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Yes.¡± Though he had moved himself to the edge of the bed, at her request, ck moved back to the center. Seeing the remaining space left, Rienne nodded. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m going to sleep here, too. I don¡¯t want to sleep alone.¡± [ck] ¡°¡­¡­..If you want.¡± Rienne lifted up the nket, climbing into the bed next to where ck was. He was so massive and he was lying right in the middle, so it was a bit of a snug fit. But that made her happy. It gave her an excuse to be close to him. As Rienne settled in next to him, ck tilted his head to meet her eyes. [ck] ¡°Do you want to sleep like this?¡± When they slept in the same bed like this, lying side by side while looking into each other¡¯s eyes, it made a spark like magic that could stop time. Rienne looked up at him, unconsciously biting her lip. [Rienne] ¡°Yes.¡± [ck] ¡°It¡¯s a bit close.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Better than not close enough.¡± [ck] ¡°. . .¡± Maybe it was her imagination, but for a second, it sounded like ck¡¯s breathing was getting rough. [ck] ¡°Is there anything else you want to do?¡± Yes. There were so many she could think of. [Rienne] ¡°If I were to say yes, then would it be alright to do them?¡± [ck] ¡°Why don¡¯t we take turns?¡± Rienne¡¯s eyes shook. [Rienne] ¡°There¡¯s¡­¡­something you want to do, too?¡± What could this man want with her after all this? [ck] ¡°It¡¯s nothing bad, I don¡¯t think¡­¡­.Do you not want to?¡± Well, when it came to him, he could very easily do something ¡®bad¡¯ that could upset her. Like what he did in the bathroom earlier. [Rienne] ¡°Then, let¡¯s agree to not do anything bad to one another.¡± [ck] ¡°¡­¡­Fine.¡± For some reason, he took a second to respond, and when he finally did, he frowned with creases forming on his forehead. [ck] ¡°You go first, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Well¡­.¡± But what should she choose first? Lying next to him like this, there were an unfathomable amount of thoughts running through her mind to choose from. Settling on one of them, Rienne held out her hand and touched it against ck¡¯s face. She gently ran her fingers along his cheek as if she were ying an instrument, carefully feeling his skin against hers. [ck] ¡°Are you sure this is what you wanted?¡± As he said that, ck lowered his head, bringing his face closer to her touch. [Rienne] ¡°Yes, it¡¯s the first thing that came to mind. And what about you, Lord Tiwakan?¡± [ck] ¡°Something like this.¡± ck reached out, running his hand through Rienne¡¯s hair and pushing it back. And as her hair was moved aside, her bare neckline and shoulders were revealed. [ck] ¡°I want to see youepletely undone right in front of my eyes, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Thement was so obviously suggestive in nature that even before Rienne caught onto what he truly meant, she instinctively swallowed harshly. [ck] ¡°What¡¯s next?¡± But before she could ask anything else, ck moved the conversation along, resting his hand upon her shoulder. [Rienne] ¡°Then¡­¡­this.¡± As ck lightly pressed against her shoulder with his hand, Rienne held it in her own, raising it up. But she didn¡¯t do so with the intent of pushing him away, but rather to get him to lift up his arm. And then, she wrapped herself around him, pushing her body underneath his arms. ck looked down at Rienne, now closely attached to him within his embrace. She was digging so deeply into him like a cat trying to cuddle that all he could see was the top of her head. Even Rienne, whose face was buried in his chest, could not see what kind of face he was making. But unknown to her, just beyond her eyesight was ck, clenching his teeth tightly to fight back the obvious smile that was about to burst forth. [ck] ¡°You can¡¯t do this.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­.What? Why not?¡± [ck] ¡°Because it¡¯s a bad thing. And we agreed not to do that.¡± [Rienne] ¡°You don¡¯t like it?¡± [ck] ¡°I don¡¯t. We¡¯re too close.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Ah¡­..¡± ¡­¡­I like it a lot, but he seems to hate it. He didn¡¯t feel that way before¡­¡­ Slowly, Rienne pulled her body back, but as she fell away, there was clear hesitation. [ck] ¡°My turn now.¡± ck stretched out his hand, reaching past Rienne¡¯s neck at an angle she couldn¡¯t see. Swip¡ª One of the buttons that hung from the back of her nightgown came loose. Once the sensitive skin was exposed, she could feel the sensation of cool air running across the nape of her neck. [Rienne] ¡°Ah, wait¡­.Why are you¡­.This¡­¡± [ck] ¡°We agreed to do what we wanted.¡± [Rienne] ¡°But you¡¯ll undo it¡­..¡± [ck] ¡°So I can¡¯t?¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± If one were to ask her, she wasn¡¯t really all that sure. All she knew was that she could already feel her throat running dry again. Did that count as a ¡®bad¡¯ thing? [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s my turn again.¡± Rienne didn¡¯t tell him he couldn¡¯t do this, but instead, she had something else she wished to do as well. [ck] ¡°Do it. But don¡¯t get too close.¡± [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s a little unfair.¡± [ck] ¡°I can¡¯t do anything if you stick too close to me like before, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°But if we¡¯re too far apart, then I can¡¯t do it.¡± [ck] ¡°Do what?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I¡­¡­..¡± ¡­¡­.want to kiss you. She wanted to kiss him, but to do that, their lips needed to touch. Ignoring ck¡¯s warning, telling her not to get too close, Rienne pulled him in by the neck. [Rienne] ¡°If this is a bad thing, then tell me to stop.¡± And in a sh, their lips were touching. The moment they made contact, ck wrapped his arms around Rienne¡¯s waist and pushed her over. As soon as Rienne was trapped between the bed and his body, he didn¡¯t waste another second swallowing her lips entirely. With his arms around her, Rienne could feel him tense up, and once she could taste his tongue, she deeply took in the sweet breath being shared between them. Even the sound of him greedily sucking away at her lips was terribly sweet. But for some reason, she felt like she was going to cry. Why? Just a moment ago, you left me behind like this would never happen again. And yet, this was no different from before. His kiss was like a wave, washing over her and carrying her away somewhere. Her body felt wet all over, being drifted along on the current by a gust of wind. [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± [ck] ¡°. . .¡± Their passion induced kiss went on for a long time. When their lips pulled away and Rienne was given a moment to catch her breath, to her bewilderment, the tears she didn¡¯t realize were pooling in her eyes started falling down her cheeks. [ck] ¡°¡­¡­.Why are you crying?¡± ck was just as shocked as she was. Confused, he took Rienne into his arms, hugging her while he put his lips against her ear as he tried to calm her. [ck] ¡°Don¡¯t cry. What did I do wrong?¡± [Rienne] ¡°No, that¡¯s not¡­¡± But as she tried to talk, another soft sob escaped her. ck was beyond panicked at this point. The smile he had on his face when Rienne nestled herself into his embrace of her own will disappeared in an instant like steam. [ck] ¡°Didn¡¯t you want this?¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­.?¡± [ck] ¡°Or were you just enduring something you didn¡¯t like just to make me happy?¡± ¡­¡­.? What was that supposed to mean? [ck] ¡°I told you not to do that. Just do what makes youfortable, Princess.¡± ck loosened his grip, quietly letting go of Rienne. [ck] ¡°Get up. I¡¯ll take you back to your room.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Wha¡­what do you¡­.¡± [ck] ¡°You don¡¯t like that either?¡± She didn¡¯t know what to say, and she didn¡¯t know what the right thing to do was right now. [Rienne] ¡°No, I don¡¯t want that.¡± [ck] ¡°Then what should I do?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Tell me you won¡¯t do it again.¡± [ck] ¡°What?¡± [Rienne] ¡°What you did earlier.¡± She knows he¡¯s not a cold person. The moment they kissed was the same as it always was, so she knew that he didn¡¯t hate her. That a fire, however dim, still burned. So please don¡¯t act so cold to me. At least not until you know who I am. As the daughter of the one who took everything from you. [ck] ¡°What did I do?¡± ck¡¯s voice sounded harsh, like his words were scratching him on the way out. [ck] ¡°I didn¡¯t touch you except for a button.¡± And the worst part was that he didn¡¯t even seem to realize what he did that hurt her so much. [Rienne] ¡°Not that. I meant what you did earlier. When I knocked on the door and called out to you, you pretended I wasn¡¯t even there.¡± [ck] ¡°¡­..What?¡± Then, his once straight jawline tensed and twisted. [ck] ¡°What don¡¯t you want me to do?¡± [Rienne] ¡°You ignored me on purpose¡­¡­..like you hate me.¡± Even thinking about it made her sad. [Rienne] ¡°Please¡­don¡¯t pretend to hate me unless you really do¡­..Otherwise it¡¯s just too upsetting.¡± Now she knew why she couldn¡¯t sleep. It wasn¡¯t just because ck wasn¡¯t there with her. It was because she was still deeply hurt and saddened by what he did. She could still remember the sight of him walking away from her, thoughtlessly closing the door behind him without sparing her a single look. Like he never intended to see her again, he turned his back on her and left. It just¡­..hurt. A lot. [ck] ¡°Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­..Hah¡­¡± Feeling her emotions about to pour out, Rienne gathered them back up and pushed them deep inside her, letting out only a sigh instead. Rienne was bad at emotionally relying on other people. She still had many tears she wished to shed and so many words she left unsaid, but her body habitually cut that feeling off, bottling the rest of it up. [Rienne] ¡°I want you to know that I¡¯m only hurt by what happened in the bathroom, Lord Tiwakan. Nothing else. I just don¡¯t like that feeling of being ignored by my fianc¨¦.¡± Pretending to rearrange her hair, Rienne pushed her sleeve across her face, wiping away her tears. [Rienne] ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to sleep here, either. I¡¯ll be returning to my room now. Sleep well¡ªah.¡± As Rienne stood up, she thought she tripped over her own foot, but it wasn¡¯t a misstep on her part. It was ck, pulling her back. Supporting Rienne¡¯s body as she leaned back against him, he bent down to hook his other arm beneath her legs, lifting her up into his embrace. [Rienne] ¡°Please put me down.¡± Sat in ck¡¯s arms, Rienne touched his shoulder. [Rienne] ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± [ck] ¡°If I let your feet touch the ground, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll leave.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­..I have to sleep¡­¡­You too, Lord Tiwakan.¡± [ck] ¡°I know you won¡¯t be able to sleep.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What are you trying to¡­.¡± [ck] ¡°So finish crying.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­..What?¡± [ck] ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re done crying. You can sleep once you are.¡± ¡­¡­.What was he saying now? It sounded like he wanted her to cry. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± [ck] ¡°No, you¡¯re not.¡± [Rienne] ¡°No, really, I¡¯m fine¡­..¡± [ck] ¡°And you¡¯ve done that to me before too, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­..? Done what?¡± [ck] ¡°Ignored me.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­No, I haven¡¯t?¡± [ck] ¡°Don¡¯t deny it. It¡¯s true.¡± [Rienne] ¡°But when did I¡­¡­.¡± [ck] ¡°Remember when you pushed me away because you said you didn¡¯t like it? Back when you said I wasn¡¯t skilled enough?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I told you before, I had a reason for that¡­.¡± [ck] ¡°And are you saying I didn¡¯t?¡± ¡­..Yes. That was the problem. The problem was that she didn¡¯t know why he ignored her so coldly. [Rienne] ¡°Why did you do that, then?¡± [ck] ¡°Because I wanted to know something¡± Holding Rienne in his arms, ck brought his head to her eye level, gently kissing and biting her lower lip. [Rienne] ¡°If you wanted to know something, couldn¡¯t you have just asked?¡± [ck] ¡°I asked you a question before, but you didn¡¯t answer, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What did you ask me? And when?¡± As she talked, she could still feel the slight sensation of his prodding and yful bite upon her lip. Rienne pressed her palm against ck¡¯s shoulder. [ck] ¡°Do you really expect me to believe you ruined those clothes just because you thought they wouldn¡¯t suit me?¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± When Rienne didn¡¯t answer, ck bit down on her lip harder this time. [ck] ¡°If you don¡¯t want to talk, that¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll let it slide this time. But I won¡¯t yield on anything else.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Anything¡­..else?¡± [ck] ¡°Cry more.¡± Imprinted upon Rienne¡¯s lips was a very deliberate bite mark. ck ran his lips against it, as if to soothe it. [ck] ¡°I mean this sincerely. After seeing you cry, Princess, I realized something. I don¡¯t think you¡¯ve ever cried properly before.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What¡¯s the point in crying? Crying is hardly a good thing.¡± [ck] ¡°You said you didn¡¯t like it when I pretended you weren¡¯t there, right?¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Just then, he brought up the thing that had upset her so terribly in the first ce. As if to stoke the sensitive part of her heart that barely managed to calm down. The tears that she thought were over started flowing down her cheeks again like they never stopped. ¡­..Why is he saying this? [Rienne] ¡°If you know¡­¡­.then you shouldn¡¯t have done that¡­..¡± * * * Chapter 68 Chapter 68 Chapter 68 | Courtship (4) * * * * * The sadness that was starting to clear away poured straight back in. Seeing Rienne speak through whispered sobs, there was a look of uncertainty in ck¡¯s eyes. [ck] ¡°I guess I felt a little desperate.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Desperate¡­..? Desperate? For what? What was he talking about? Especially since he was the one who had acted so coldly, it drove her to tears. ck took the sobbing Rienne, taking her back to the bed. Then he sat her down on top of thergest pillow, sitting down with her as if he were locking her in between his legs. [ck] ¡°You always seem like you¡¯re trying to leave me, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°That can¡¯t be¡­¡± But his words came at such a surprise. Wasn¡¯t the exact opposite more true? She was terrified because it always felt like he was the one at the cusp of going away somewhere without her. [ck] ¡°I wanted to know your sincerity. It feels like I¡¯m always trying to narrow the distance between us, but within a few days, somehow you always manage to widen it again.¡± [Rienne] ¡°When did I¡­..¡± [ck] ¡°It¡¯s always been like that.¡± ck murmured lowly as he swept his hand across Rienne¡¯s cheek. [ck] ¡°So I wanted to see if you would feel relieved if I was the one to pull away for once, or if you would feel just as nervous as I do.¡± More tears poured from her eyes. So he did it on purpose, just as she thought. [Rienne] ¡°Please¡­¡­don¡¯t ever do that again. I really¡­..really don¡¯t like it.¡± [ck] ¡°It was wrong of me.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I really hated it.¡± Herst words were lost among her tears, so neither of them could hear them very well. With her heart filled with a mixture of sadness and resentment, Rienne sat up and hugged ck tightly, who firmly wiped away her tears and kissed her wet cheek. [ck] ¡°Cry more.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Don¡¯t¡­.encourage me to cry.¡± [ck] ¡°But I want to see it.¡± With his lips still up against her cheek, his words were low like a whisper, and they made all the hairs on her skin stand up and tremble. [Rienne] ¡°What¡­¡­?¡± [ck] ¡°You¡¯re crying because of me, Princess.¡± What is he saying now¡­..? [Rienne] ¡°You told me not to cry earlier.¡± [ck] ¡°That was because I didn¡¯t know the reason why you were crying before.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Does the reason make any difference?¡± [ck] ¡°Would it make a difference to you?¡± [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s¡­..¡± She didn¡¯t know. But when she brought to mind the image of a teary-eyed ck, begging her not to act coldly towards him, her heart felt like it was goingpletely numb. And mixed with that numbness was a strange desire to see more of it. ¡­¡­.But what this man did was still too much. He was very purposeful in his actions, which felt too cruel to her, even if she herself had done the same inadvertently at times. [Rienne] ¡°I won¡¯t do that again¡­..¡± Rienne muttered softly, burying her face into ck¡¯s shoulder as she held onto him. [Rienne] ¡°It was only because I didn¡¯t understand your thoughts back then, my love. And I had to protect my heart somehow, so I ended up¡ª¡° Suddenly, ck pushed Rienne back from his body. [ck] ¡°Wait, what did you just say?¡± [Rienne] ¡°You¡­.must¡¯ve heard me?¡± Rienne swallowed harshly at his odd gaze on her. He looked a little strange right now. His eyes looked a bit stiff, but he also seemed to be in a daze. He was definitely acting oddly. Sometimes his behavior had the potential to change like the tides. [ck] ¡°Say it again. I think I heard you wrong.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Why would I do that¡­.¡± [ck] ¡°Then next time.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Next time¡­¡­?¡± [ck] ¡°Call me that again.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­.?¡± But Rienne had said it so naturally that she couldn¡¯t even remember what she had called him. [ck] ¡°You called me ¡®my love¡¯, didn¡¯t you?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Huh¡­..? Did I?¡± [ck] ¡°It sounds nice.¡± ck¡¯s voice came out like a moan. Holding onto Rienne, he started to lean them both over. The movement was slow and sweet, but there was an undeniable strength to it. He pulled her forward, falling back onto the pillows, and before Rienne realized it, she was being pulled on top of him, her body left to rest on his. [ck] ¡°Now it¡¯s my turn.¡± His voice was low and hoarse like he had just woken up. He whispered towards her, reaching his hand behind her neck once more. Swip¡ª Another button came undone. Once the button fell away, the fabric of her nightgown naturally loosened, and he gently tugged on it as it fell down her chest. The sensation of her nightgown¡¯s cor tickling against her corbone felt very strange. [ck] ¡°It¡¯s your turn.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Rienne¡¯s lips felt dry, so she kept inadvertently running her tongue along them. [ck] ¡°What do you want to do?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I¡­..want to see you, too.¡± Rienne pulled at the edges of his robe. With that, ck gave a short smile, then quietly and carefully adjusted his position to make it easier to push the edges of his robe to the side. [ck] ¡°My turn, again.¡± Swip¡ª A third button was torn away, and her nightgown became even looser. She felt like ck¡¯s earlier wish of seeing here ¡®undone¡¯ in front of him was starting toe true. [ck] ¡°Now you, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I¡­.want to touch you.¡± Rienne swept her hand across ck¡¯s chest, running it close to a wound she¡¯d never noticed before. After fighting for so long, his body was riddled with scars from so many different sources, but the one on the right side of his body looked different from the others. It looked like an old wound, and the pale color of it stood out against the rest of his skin, but it still looked painful. [Rienne] ¡°Can I touch it? It doesn¡¯t hurt, does it?¡± Hearing Rienne¡¯s voice, ck¡¯s gaze was distracted, following the sight of her fingers tracing along his skin. [ck] ¡°It¡¯s the oldest wound I have. It hasn¡¯t hurt for a while.¡± [Rienne] ¡°When did you get it?¡± [ck] ¡°When I was eight.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Ah¡­..¡± Her fingertips trembled as they stopped in ce, touching those indelible wounds that were engraved on his body. Ones that could never be erased. Was it a Kleinfelder that did this to him? Or perhaps it was her father? [ck] ¡°Because of this wound, not only could I escape death, but I also got the chance to live.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What¡­do you mean?¡± [ck] ¡°It¡¯s a long story. But the important thing is¡­.¡± As Rienne¡¯s fingers brushed against his scar, ck stopped talking, holding his hand up to Rienne¡¯s and pressing her palm down onto his body. [ck] ¡°¡­You¡¯re touching my wound, Princess. And I am no longer in pain.¡± He didn¡¯t know this, but by saying that, he was relieving Rienne of the fiercest, most intense agony her heart had been enduring. It was like he was saying that things hurt back then, but now it was alright. Though someone from the Arsak family betrayed his father, driving him from his home, it was a daughter of Arsak who was soothing his wounds now. [Rienne] ¡°¡­..If I wanted to cry right now¡­..would you still be able to tell me it¡¯s a sight you¡¯d like to see?¡± Instead of a simple yes, ck told her something else. [ck] ¡°Before that, there¡¯s something you should know, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What is it?¡± [ck] ¡°You always look as beautiful as an otherworldly being to me, but that¡¯s especially true when you cry.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­Oh¡­.kay..?¡± [ck] ¡°So if you want to cry anytime in the future,e to me. Don¡¯t go off and be sad by yourself.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± When he said things like that, how was she supposed to hold back her emotions? Without even knowing the specific reason why at this point, Rienne¡¯s eyes flooded with tears. Now that he wasn¡¯t acting cold, Rienne wasn¡¯t upset anymore, but the tears flowed from her all the same. Like something inside of her was broken. She cried and cried, the tears endlessly pouring out like she¡¯d just learned how to cry for the first time. All the while, ck kept affectionately patting her back tofort her, and the more kindness he showed her, the more tears that fell. And after crying for what felt like forever, they kissed again for just as long. But then she started crying again, and when she did, ck held her in his arms as he gently and tenderly wiped away her tears, encouraging her to cry more and more, until she was entirely spent. * * * * * [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Oh¡­..? Did you sleep in this roomst night?¡± Fortunately when Mrs. mbard came, ck had already left to get ready for the day. It wasn¡¯t the first time she¡¯d been caught spending the night with him, but if at all possible, she¡¯d be morefortable not getting caught at all. [Rienne] ¡°It just ended up that way.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Oh my.¡± Seeing Rienne push the nket back, Mrs. mbard pped her hands over her mouth in shock. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°You didn¡¯t have your first night with him yet, did you?¡± [Rienne] ¡°What? No, of course not. My time of the month hasn¡¯t ended yet.¡± Her nightgown was missing three buttons now, but nothing beyond that happened. Rienne looked down at the ground, avoiding the woman¡¯s gaze as she suddenly became conscious of how loose her clothing was now. But it was to no avail. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Are you telling me the truth?¡± Mrs. mbard looked at Rienne with narrowed eyes, staring like she was trying to see right through her. Rienne could¡¯ve easily told her not to look at her like that, but she was very weak when it came to her nanny¡¯s nature. [Rienne] ¡°Honestly¡­.. I know I can¡¯t lie to you, ma¡¯am. Nor do I have any reason to.¡± The look in Mrs. mbard¡¯s eyes deepened, but based on the state of Rienne¡¯s clothes and the bed sheets, she couldn¡¯t be certain she was telling the truth right now. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Then, why is your voice so hoarse?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Sorry?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Your eyes are swollen, too. And your lips are a little¡­..¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Feeling embarrassed, Rienne quickly ran her hands over her face. [Rienne] ¡°D, do I look strange?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to see it for yourself?¡± Rienne quickly rose to her feet. When ck kept telling her that she looked beautiful, she believed in his words even as she cried and blew her nose. Then, as soon as they woke up this morning, they indulged in another kiss to their hearts¡¯ content. ck hadn¡¯t even washed his face yet, but seeing him this morning, he looked as handsome as he always did, so she didn¡¯t think too much of herself. She thought she looked the same as she usually did, too. But apparently not? Rienne hurried to her room. Mrs. mbard followed behind her, but she was terribly worried she might fall, especially considering the fact that her eyes were like that right now. [Rienne] ¡°Ah¡­..¡± Standing in front of the mirror, Rienne made a strange noise that was neither a scream nor a sigh. [Rienne] ¡°Is this¡­..me?¡± Her eyes and cheeks werepletely puffy and swollen, as were her lips. Her cheeks were stained with tear tracks, and her messy hair was evident of a rough night¡¯s sleep. [Rienne] ¡°Hah¡­.! That liar.¡± Rienne felt so embarrassed and ashamed, she sank into the chair in front of the mirror. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Princess? When did I lie to you?¡± Mrs. mbard widened her eyes, waving her hands in front of herself. [Rienne] ¡°No, I¡¯m not talking about you, ma¡¯am¡­¡­But he said I looked just fine.¡± No, he didn¡¯t say she looked ¡®just fine¡¯. He went beyond that. He kept saying she looked so beautiful, it was like she popped out of a fairy tale¡­¡­What an absolute liar he was. [Rienne] ¡°I asked him several times, and every time, he would tell me I was lovely¡­¡­He lied so easily.¡± And he kissed such a shabby looking face as well. Not just on her lips, but on her forehead, her nose, chin, cheeks¡ªeverywhere. Rienne clenched the ends of her messy hair, making a pouting face. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°¡­..Pft.¡± Then she heard it. The sound of Mrs. mbard trying to hold back herughter. [Rienne] ¡°Ma¡¯am?¡± Rienne looked back at the woman. [Rienne] ¡°Are youughing at my plight?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°No, I was trying to hold it in, but I¡­couldn¡¯t help it¡­..pft.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Ma¡¯am¡­¡­¡± Staring at Rienne¡¯s puffy face only made Mrs. mbard want tough even more, but unfortunately, Rienne didn¡¯t seem to realize it. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°I didn¡¯t mean tough. I mean it.¡± After trying and failing to hold back herughter, the woman managed to pull herself together eventually. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°But you have a very naturally lovely face, so it doesn¡¯t look so bad.¡± [Rienne] ¡°That doesn¡¯t make me feel any better.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°That¡¯s why it¡¯s good you¡¯ve found such a wonderful partner.¡± [Rienne] ¡°But he lied to me. Doesn¡¯t that mean he¡¯s teasing me?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°But it¡¯s true for him, no? To him, even this face is lovely.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­.That can¡¯t be it.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Can it?¡± The woman smiled sweetly as she stroked Rienne¡¯s tangled and messy blonde hair. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°What a beautiful sentiment that is, isn¡¯t it? It¡¯s enough to make even this old heart of mine skip a beat, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Ah¡­¡­¡± Rienne¡¯s lips slightly parted without even realizing it as she looked in the mirror. Her face, looking terribly ugly right now, was very different from how she usually looked, and it was an appearance that man had never seen from her before. As she looked in the mirror, the words he spoke to her this morning seemed to ovep with the image she could see. [ck] ¨C¡®I want to see more.¡¯ As Rienne tried to dig deeper into his arms to bury her swollen eyes, that¡¯s what ck said to get her to stop trying to hide away. [Rienne] ¨C¡®I haven¡¯t washed my face yet.¡¯ [ck] ¨C¡®That¡¯s fine.¡¯ [Rienne] ¨C¡®¡­..What?¡¯ [ck] ¨C¡®This is my first time seeing you like this.¡¯ And when he saw her, he didn¡¯tugh at all. Instead, he held her and stroked her face with a careful and tender touch, as if he were dealing with something truly precious and lovely. And then, when their eyes met, he didn¡¯t hesitate to kiss her. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°How wonderful. It seems that the heavens above Nauk are truly smiling on you, Princess, by allowing you to have a rtionship with such a person.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­.Apparently so.¡± Rienne leaned her cheek against Mrs. mbard¡¯s hand as she gentlybed through her hair with her fingers. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m so grateful, I don¡¯t know what to do.¡± I already know I don¡¯t deserve to be cherished by him. But what do I do? I¡¯m so happy, yet I¡¯m worried. What if something happens? What if something goes wrong¡­¡­.? [Mrs. mbard] ¡°You mean going into the future? All you need to do is sincerely speak your thanks. The heavens will hear your words.¡± Patting Rienne¡¯s shoulder, speakingforting words with a gentle tone, she urged Rienne to finish washing her face. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°But you need to wash up now. I know you look lovely in the eyes of Lord Tiwakan, but I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s a good idea walking around like that in front of others.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Y, you¡¯re right¡­¡­¡± As the embarrassment swelled back in, Rienne quickly finished washing her face. Mrs. mbard, dutiful as ever, even provided her with a towel soaked in cold water to help reduce the swelling in her face. * * * T/N: Rienne called ck ¡°??¡±. It¡¯s used in a sentence simrly to ¡°you¡± (hence why she said it so unconsciously), but is usually reserved for spouses or lovers. In English, it can be read as a term of endearment. ¨CI tranted this chapter almost 3 weeks ago now and I haven¡¯t stopped gushing over the line ¡°The important thing is that you¡¯re touching my wounds. And I¡¯m no longer in pain¡± since. The romanticism of it is just so ?? Chapter 69 Chapter 69 Chapter 69 | Thirst * * * * * With Mrs. mbard¡¯s help, Rienne was able to return to her usual appearance. Her eyes were still a little swollen, but it was nothing anyone would notice unless they were looking closely. [Rienne] ¡°Do I look alright now?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°I¡¯ve told you this many times, but you look lovely, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Okay.¡± Rienne whispered quietly, barely being able to take her eyes off of the mirror. It was probably the first time she¡¯d spent such a long time looking into a mirror. Seeing Rienne innocently fussing over her appearance in the mirror like this, she looked like any other nobledy her age. It was enough to make Mrs. mbard quietly smile to herself. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°If you¡¯re ready, you should head off now. Lord Tiwakan has likely been waiting for a while now, though I¡¯m sure he doesn¡¯t mind the trouble, so it¡¯s probably fine.¡± Today, they decided to have the meal together that they couldn¡¯t back then. After that, the both of them would be too busy to spend too much time together. Rienne had to meet with the jeweler and the clothier, and then after that, she would need to begin work on a new set of wedding attire. Mrs. mbard was prepared to set all other work aside for that sake. When it came to the actual sewing, they were ready to rely on others to save time, but everything else needed to pass through the shrewd woman¡¯s judgement first¡ªeverything down to the overall silhouette, the decorations, every little thing. And Rienne needed to write a new letter of appointment, as well. If that man were to be her husband and the consort of Nauk, he would need a new title. She couldn¡¯t give him the name of Gainers back, but she still wanted to give him a wonderful title in its stead. A name that would be part of the royal family of Nauk in the future. If it meant giving him a new title,nd, and mansion, Rienne was willing to pour out all the fortune she had to get it for him. [Rienne] ¡°Oh, yes. He must be waiting already. I should get going.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°I will escort you to the dining hall.¡± ¨C Luckily, the dining hall wasn¡¯t far off. * * * * * [Rienne] ¡°You¡¯re already here.¡± But she still arrived toote. As soon as Rienne entered the dining hall, she saw ck, who immediately stood up from his seat. Before she could tell him he could sit back down, he pushed past the table and walked towards her. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m sorry for beingte.¡± [ck] ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Seeing her face, which looked far different from how it did this morning, he smiled brightly. [ck] ¡°Are you hungry?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Well¡­..Just a little.¡± [ck] ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Rienne had arrived sote that the table had already beenpletely set. But what surprised her the most was the sight of bright and vibrant flowers adorning the table, with golden candbras decorating the room. [Rienne] ¡°Where did all thise from? This can¡¯t havee from the castle.¡± [ck] ¡°The flowers were a bit hard to track down.¡± In Nauk, fresh flowers were a rare sight. They were considered far more valuable than gold, and were even harder to obtain. But to be perfectly frank, ck was not the one who had suffered greatly trying to get them, but rather a few unfortunate mercenaries under hismand. And yet, without even blinking, ck shamelessly and calmly took the credit for his men¡¯s work. After all, they were not here to argue. [Rienne] ¡°Oh, wow.¡± Rienne could feel a warmth rise up from the bottom of her chest. She reached out to ck, patting his arm in gratitude. [Rienne] ¡°I think I know what kinds of hardships you must¡¯ve gone through to get them. It¡¯s been so long since I¡¯ve seen flowers like these. It makes me very happy.¡± [ck] ¡°Then my hard work was well worth it.¡± With that, ck held out his hand to her. Though it was a short distance between the door and the table, he did not allow her to walk that time alone. And the entire time, the scent of fresh flowers was exceedingly strong. They all smelled very sweet. [ck] ¡°Sit.¡± Guiding Rienne, ck pulled out a chair with his free hand. ording to customs, the royal table was set ording to status, and ck seemed to be aware of that. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m not very fond of this seat.¡± Now she knew why she was so hyper focused on the smell of flowers. She was realizing this was supposed to be his seat. And yet, despite that, for whatever reason, he was giving it to her as if it were only natural he did that¡­.. It would be impossible for her to sit in this chair in front of him. Rienne quickly stood up from her seat at the head of the table, backing away from it. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯d much rather sit next to you. That would be better.¡± [ck] ¡°That¡¯s strange.¡± ck tilted his head with a smile. [Rienne] ¡°What is?¡± Rienne moved to the side, trying to pull out the seat next to ck. [ck] ¡°When you say it like that, it doesn¡¯t sound like you really want to sit next to me.¡± But ck was much faster than she was. Before Rienne could do that, he naturally moved the chair for her, ovepping his hand with hers. [ck] ¡°There must be another reason.¡± ¡­.This man was definitely not the type to ept a simple white lie. [Rienne] ¡°What makes you think that?¡± But sitting at the head of the table felt too shameless, especially when she was with him. So if she had to pick between the two, sitting next to him was a far preferable choice for Rienne. That much was certainly true. [ck] ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡­Maybe because it sounds too good to be true?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Sorry?¡± [ck] ¡°I must still be thirsty.¡± (1) ck urged Rienne to sit down, pushing her chair back in before sitting down next to her. Waiting for him to bepletely seated, Rienne unfolded one of the napkins with her hands. [Rienne] ¡°Please lower your head towards me. And by ¡®thirsty¡¯, I¡¯m assuming you don¡¯t mean you need water, yes?¡± Without thinking, ck tilted his head towards Rienne, and once he noticed her gently tucking the napkin into his cor, he quietly smiled. [ck] ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± [Rienne] ¡°So what do you mean, exactly? I think I know, but I would still like to hear you say it.¡± [ck] ¡°I mean things like this.¡± As Rienne tucked the napkin around the cor of his shirt, adjusting it in ordance to royal etiquette, ck grabbed her hand. [ck] ¡°I still can¡¯t believe it.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Something like this¡­. is very normal and simple.¡± [ck] ¡°It¡¯s because it¡¯s normal and simple.¡± ck pulled up Rienne¡¯s hand, turning his lips towards them. She felt the tip of his tongue brush past her fingers, causing her to inadvertently part her lips¡ªletting out a soft sigh. This¡­¡­.is too much. This man always did things that were unnecessarily suggestive, at any given moment. There was nothing on the table in front of them that should be causing him to act like this. [ck] ¡°It¡¯s still a little unbelievable that I¡¯m being allowed something like this.¡± He took her hand, slowly kissing the ces where his tongue had touched, and she could feel his whispers against her skin. But Rienne couldn¡¯t believe it either. It was very strange to her to think this man still wanted to hold her at this time of day, when they were supposed to be partaking in a meal. [Rienne] ¡°I think you must be forgetting something.¡± As ck continued to kiss her hand, Rienne murmured gently towards him, her eyshes softly fluttering as she watched him. [Rienne] ¡°We have a lot we need to do today.¡± [ck] ¡°I¡¯m aware.¡± [Rienne] ¡°But if you do something like this¡­..our meal will only take up more time.¡± [ck] ¡°Why would it?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Pardon?¡± But his response was a little unexpected. [Rienne] ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it only naturally get longer?¡± [ck] ¡°What do you mean?¡± Well, that¡¯s because¨C [Rienne] ¡°We ended up oversleeping because of things like this. And if that¡¯s how it turned outst time, then¡­¡± [ck] ¡°That was because I couldn¡¯t stop kissing you.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I know that.¡± [ck] ¡°. . .¡± Though he stayed silent, the corners of ck¡¯s lips tugged into a telling smile. [ck] ¡°Did you mean to say you wanted to kiss here?¡± [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡­¡­I¡¯m sorry?¡± [ck] ¡°That¡¯s way too good to be true. Of course I can¡¯t believe that.¡± With a swift motion, ck pulled on the chair Rienne was sitting on. She was already sitting so close to him, but even after he pulled her closer, it wasn¡¯t close enough. Deciding she was still too far away, he effortlessly lifted Rienne from her spot, settling her down on hisp. [Rienne] ¡°Ah. That surprised me.¡± Panicked by the unexpected action, Rienne quickly wrapped her arms around ck¡¯s neck. [ck] ¡°It¡¯s fine. I won¡¯t drop you, Princess.¡± ck cupped the back of Rienne¡¯s head, running his hand through her soft hair. And without warning, he pulled her in and pressed his lips against hers, but Rienne didn¡¯t feel anxious or scared. Even before he assured her he wouldn¡¯t drop her, she already felt safe. By now, she knew there was no safer ce for her to be than in ck¡¯s arms. [ck] ¡°I think you were right, Princess.¡± Letting go of their kiss for just a moment, giving himself a chance to breathe, ck muttered almost to himself¡ªa thick haze setting deep in his eyes. [ck] ¡°I think we¡¯re going to be here for a while.¡± [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± [ck] ¡°It¡¯s a shame we can¡¯t do this every day¡­..¡± And then he dug back into their kiss. The moment ck¡¯s mouth slipped over the space between her parted lips, she felt like everything was emptying out. Like it was marking not only the start of their kiss, but also a spell meant to purge all her thoughts. This¡­can¡¯t happen right now¡­¡­.we have so much to do. I need to start work on the new clothing. And then the letter of appointment¡­¡­Ah. But all of those thoughts disappeared to a ce she didn¡¯t care to know about. Rienne held ck¡¯s face in her hand, hastily returning his kiss. Every time her fingers brushed against his earlobe or danced against the skin of his neck, he let out a heavy and rough breath. Without fail, their kiss went on until all of the prepared food turnedpletely cold. And it probably would¡¯ve gone on longer, had Mrs. mbard not arrived, telling them that their meal had gone on too long. * * * * * [Rienne] ¡°Ah¡­..I still have to go to the northern tower.¡± And just like that, half of their busy day passed in a blink of an eye. The jeweler that purchased her mother¡¯s ne from her did so at an unexpectedly absorbent price. Though her heart felt a little saddened that she had to sell it, that fact brought her a tiny bit offort. Then, she went on to choose one of the sample fabrics brought by the clothier and discussed the overall clothing shape with Mrs. mbard. It was a good conversation, with Rienne being filled with ideas of making an outfit far greater than her father¡¯s old coronation attire. Once that was done, she sent And off with his orders to draft the letter of appointment and by the time everything was finished, the sun was well past the middle of the sky. Rienne looked down at the documents in front of her, examining the legal routes necessary to grant a new title before ncing up at the clock. It was a perfect time to visit Mrs. Henton. If she arrived too early in the morning or toote at night, she would only end up making the woman ufortable. With a basket of snacks Mrs. mbard had prepared in advance in hand, Rienne headed off towards the northern tower. It would be fine if these sweets got a little smashed. Unlike fruits, they wouldn¡¯t stain. Rienne had a beaming smile on her face as she climbed up the stairs to the tower. Making her way there, the mercenaries guarding the tower nodded and bowed towards her whenever they made eye contact. At this point, Rienne was entirely used to seeing them in Castle Nauk. With them here, didn¡¯t that mean this ce was more simr to how it would be as that man¡¯s home? Thinking like that warmed her heart. Though,e to think of it¡­¡­He¡¯s finally getting his home back now, isn¡¯t he? After climbing up all those steep steps, Rienne finally stood in front of the door where Mrs. Henton was staying. Knock. [Rienne] ¡°Can Ie in, ma¡¯am?¡± She heard the sound of something hastily shuffling around, but before long, the door quickly mmed open. [Rienne] ¡°Ah¡­.?¡± Rienne looked up with surprise in her eyes, and the person returned her gaze with an equal amount of shock¡ªKlimah. [Rienne] ¡°Sir¡­.you were here, too?¡± [Klimah] ¡°Y, yes, P, Princess¡­.Pa, pardon the¡­intrusion¡­¡­I, I apologize¡­..¡± [Rienne] ¡°You don¡¯t have to panic so much. I just¡­.didn¡¯t expect to see you here. In any case, is Mrs. Henton anywhere around here?¡± [Klimah] ¡°Y, yes.¡± Klimah quickly stepped aside, giving Rienne space to enter the room. Still, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to make eye contact with Rienne. He still hadn¡¯t forgotten what he¡¯d tried to do to her. [Rienne] ¡°Ma¡¯am.¡± Mrs. Henton was sitting in a small chair in front of the burning firece. Though she didn¡¯t turn around, her body shook slightly at the sound of Rienne¡¯s voice. [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s alright if you¡¯d like to pretend I¡¯m not here. I¡¯m in no position to expect politeness.¡± Rienne set the basket on top of a nearby table. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯ve brought some sweets for you today. It¡¯ll be easier to eat and clean up as well. Oh, but that doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯re tasteless. The royal chief is a credit to his name and he worked very hard on them, so I¡¯m certain they taste wonderful. What about you, sir? Do you like sweets?¡± When she called out to him, Klimah, who was carefully standing in the corner, lifted up his head. [Klimah] ¡°I¡¯m sorry? No, I¡­..I mean, yes! I¡¯ll eat them! If you¡¯ve given it to me then¡­..¡± He looked so determined, he probably would¡¯ve dly consumed poison if she had told him to. It broke her heart to see how gentle yet blind of a man he was. To make a person like that do such awful things¡­. The Kleinfelders continued to prove themselves to be vicious and disgusting people. [Rienne] ¡°Try one and see if it¡¯s to your liking. If it isn¡¯t, you don¡¯t need to force yourself.¡± [Klimah] ¡°Yes. Yes, I¡­.will do that.¡± With a strangely solemn looking face, Klimah approached her with both his hands politely held out. [Rienne] ¡°You don¡¯t have to force yourself to do anything. You can do whatever you like.¡± And as Rienne said that, she ced the most delicious looking baked good of the bunch in the palm of Klimah¡¯s hand. [Klimah] ¡°Whatever I like¡­¡­¡± Muttering to himself, Klimah stared at the baked good in his hand before carefully taking a bite. The only thing that could be heard in that tiny room was the quiet sound of his chews. [Rienne] ¡°I brought plenty, so there¡¯s some here for you to enjoy as well, ma¡¯am.¡± Rienne smiled and turned back towards Mrs. Henton. [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s much morefortable now that your bed sheets have been changed, isn¡¯t it?¡± [Mrs. Henton] ¡°. . .¡± [Rienne] ¡°And I¡¯m sure it¡¯s nice having your son here with you. But I¡¯m afraid this room might be too ufortable for the two of you. Why don¡¯t we move you somewhere nicer?¡± [Mrs. Henton] ¡°. . .¡± Mrs. Henton looked as though she were about to respond, but then she quickly clenched her mouth shut. [Rienne] ¡°I want you to be able to do whatever you like. You can speak to whomever you wish, as well. Anyone within the castle.¡± [Mrs. Henton] ¡°Are you going to bring that up again?¡± Finally, after hesitating, the woman finally responded. [Rienne] ¡°I just wish to speak with you. We have something we need to discuss.¡± [Mrs. Henton] ¡°What could you possibly have to say to a woman like me?¡± [Rienne] ¡°This concerns your name.¡± [Mrs. Henton] ¡°¡­¡­¡­.Name? You mean that of myself and my son?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Yes.¡± Rienne carefully breathed in. This wasn¡¯t an easy subject to talk about, but she had no choice. [Rienne] ¡°The Kleinfelder family will be dealt with at the uing council meeting. But I cannot guarantee the remaining five families will stay their hands. It would be nice if you could keep the name Henton, but if not, why not have a new beginning with a different one?¡± [Mrs. Henton] ¡°What difference would a new name make?¡± [Rienne] ¡°If you¡¯d like to leave Nauk, I can arrange that. I can provide you with traveling expenses as well as money to help you settle somewhere.¡± [Mrs. Henton] ¡°. . .¡± Seeing Mrs. Henton¡¯s face stiffen, Rienne quickly added another sentiment. [Rienne] ¡°But don¡¯t take that to mean I¡¯m trying to force you out. I just don¡¯t think it would be right to force you and your son to remain in hiding.¡± [Mrs. Henton] ¡°If we change our name, will we even be safe in Nauk?¡± [Rienne] ¡°If you remain in the castle. This ce is guarded by the Tiwakan, so there is no ce safer than here. And I think the time hase for more people to live here.¡± The royal family now was different from before when she existed quietly in this castle alone. Like their meal this morning. In the times of the previous kings, their meals would¡¯ve been taken quickly and quietly. Not like her, who had gotten distracted with other things, causing the food to be cold before she got around to it. ¡­¡­But that¡¯s not to say I don¡¯t like it. They just couldn¡¯t do that every day. But more importantly, Castle Nauk would be crowded over time. Eventually, as the Tiwakan mercenaries started settling down, they too would meet people and have families of their own. And it was only a matter of time before Rienne gave birth to a child of Gainers blood. Obviously the child¡¯s nanny would be Mrs. mbard, but it wouldn¡¯t hurt to have the additional helping hand. [Mrs. Henton] ¡°You¡­¡­.would trust my son and I?¡± Mrs. Henton was so shocked, the wrinkles on her forehead deepened. [Mrs. Henton] ¡°Have you forgotten how I lost my second son? Are you not afraid of the possibility I may lose my mind and put a knife in your back?¡± * * * T/N: (1) The chapter title is just ¡°??¡± which is lit. ¡°thirst (for water)¡±. However, it can also be contextually understood as a strong desire or need for something. While ¡®thirst/thirsty¡¯ can have a sexual meaning in English, it doesn¡¯t have that same connotation in Korean. When ck says that he¡¯s ¡®thirsty¡¯, in this context, it can be taken as his desire for more domestic interactions. (though, I will not lie, when I saw the title for the 69th chapter was ¡®thirst¡¯ of all things, I didugh) Chapter 70 Chapter 70 Chapter 70 | End of the Drought * * * * * It would be a lie to say she wasn¡¯t worried about how the woman would feel. [Rienne] ¡°I am worried about that¡­but I know I have no right to be.¡± [Mrs. Henton] ¡°Even if you say that¡­.¡± [Rienne] ¡°The old king¡­.No, I shouldn¡¯t phrase it that way. I know what my father did. And I don¡¯t know what I should do after inheriting that kind of blood. I know I should confess and beg for forgiveness, but¡­¡­but when I think about the day when he learns the full truth of the seven families¡­¡± Mrs. Henton¡¯s face stiffened as she listened to Rienne. [Rienne] ¡°¡­.Then I¡¯ll probably end up paying for what¡¯s happened. So there¡¯s no point in worrying about what you will do.¡± [Mrs. Henton] ¡°You think you¡¯re going to die either way¡­..so it doesn¡¯t matter who kills you? Is that what you¡¯re saying?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I don¡¯t mean it like that. I just¡­..I only mean that I won¡¯t struggle too much, even if it means protecting my life.¡± She just wanted these blissful times tost for as long as possible. For them to be married safely, for her to hand over sovereignty safely, to build a home safely, and to be happy¡­¡­safe and sound. Just like that, for as long as they could. [Rienne] ¡°So please think about what you would like to do. Speak with your son about it as well. If you choose to stay in Nauk, I would not mind you working as mydy-in-waiting in the castle.¡± And I hope that your hate ends with me. Hate no one but me. Not him. He was only a small child at the time. Just as this woman said, children like that are powerless against the schemes and ambitions of adults. There was nothing he could have done to stop it. [Klimah] ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡­strange.¡± Swallowing the rest of the sweet, Klimah wiped the crumbs away from the side of his face, quietly walking towards the both of them. [Rienne] ¡°What is?¡± [Klimah] ¡°He already knows everything.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Excuse me?¡± Rienne looked up at Klimah¡¯s passive brown eyes, her whole body trembling. [Klimah] ¡°Prince Fernand asked me¡­about what I said to you¡­..So I told him everything.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What did you say?¡± Without even realizing, Rienne had stood up, shifting her body to face him. At the unexpected motion, Klimah¡¯s shoulders stiffened. [Klimah] ¡°I¡­.told him everything I told you, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What?¡± Rienne¡¯s vibrant green eyes had widened so much in shock, they couldn¡¯t possibly get any bigger. [Rienne] ¡°But then, he¡­..All this time¡­¡­No, wait, when did you tell him?¡± [Klimah] ¡°Yesterday.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Yesterday?¡± It was justst night as well. When he suddenly became cold towards her and refused to speak with her. [ck] ¨C¡®Honestly, I feel a bit pathetic to have to take those kinds of steps by forcing you every single time. So don¡¯t worry.¡¯ And as he pushed her away cruelly, he told her not to bother with those kinds of things anymore. [ck] ¨C¡®I guess I felt a little desperate. You always seem like you¡¯re trying to leave me. I wanted to see if you would feel just as nervous as I do.¡¯ [Rienne] ¡°If it was yesterday¡­..thenst night¡­..he¡¯d already learned¡­.what the Arsaks had done¡­..¡± [Klimah] ¡°No.¡± Klimah shook his head. Every time he did, the remnants of the sweet crumbs fell into the air. [Klimah] ¡°He already knew that. Yesterday was just when I told him that you also knew, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°He already knew? He¡­..He¡­!¡± Rienne was so shocked, her body started to stagger. Thinking she was about to copse, Mrs. Henton instinctively stood up and unexpectedly grabbed and supported her. [Rienne] ¡°But¡­..how?¡± As if asking for answers from someone who carried none, Rienne aimlessly grabbed at the ends of Mrs. Henton¡¯s sleeve. [Rienne] ¡°How could he act like that? How? After thete king did something like that? How could he¡­¡­¡± [Mrs. Henton] ¡°First¡­.you need to calm down for a moment.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Acting like that¡­to me¡­¡­¡± [ck] ¨C¡®At that point, more than anything, all I wanted was a home.¡¯ Rienne stammered, her eyes widened and dazed as she spoke to Mrs. Henton. Actually, it didn¡¯t matter who she was talking to right now, this woman just so happened to be the person next to her. [Rienne] ¡°He knew everything¡­from the beginning. But he said it was all in the past¡­.and that he was d I was never taken away from him¡­..¡± And then he said¡ª [ck] ¨C¡®From now on, just do whatever makes youfortable, Princess.¡¯ [Rienne] ¡°I guess I wasn¡¯t okay with it¡­¡­..I was afraid of what he might do once he knew, but I decided to force myself to ept whatever was toe¡­¡­¡± But he said it wasn¡¯t like that, and he told her to cry. Then he said she didn¡¯t look like someone who¡¯d ever cried properly, so he encouraged her to shed more tears so that she could sleep better. And now more tears were welling up in her big eyes. [ck] ¨C¡®The important thing is that you¡¯re touching my wound, Princess. And I am no longer in pain.¡¯ Now she could understand the meaning of those words. [Mrs. Henton] ¡°I don¡¯t understand. Should I call someone?¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­¡­.No.¡± With tears in her eyes, Rienne smiled widely. [Rienne] ¡°Thank you, ma¡¯am. And I¡¯m sorry.¡± [Mrs. Henton] ¡°Why all of a sudden?¡± But before she could ask any more questions, Rienne opened up her arms and tightly hugged the woman. She was so bewildered, she couldn¡¯t even breathe. [Rienne] ¡°He already knew everything. But he still held me in spite of that. I¡¯m so sorry, but I¡¯m also so grateful.¡± [Mrs. Henton] ¡°I don¡¯t really get it¡­..¡± But there was no time to exin things to the confused woman. Rienne turned around and faced Klimah, then hugged him just as tightly and fiercely as she did his mother. [Rienne] ¡°Thank you, sir. And I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m so very sorry¡­¡­Thank you.¡± [Klimah] ¡°P, Prin¡­.Princess¡­.Pr¡­¡­¡± And until the moment Rienne let him go, Klimah¡¯s whole face turned beet red as his voice came out like a quiet stammer. [Rienne] ¡°Both of you should think about it. What you want to do going forward and how you want to live.¡± Once she was finished talking, Rienne quickly turned and left. Bunching up her skirt in her hands, she ran down the stairs, showing off her ankles as if she were a yful child. Right now, she wanted to cry a lot. [ck] ¨C¡®If you want to cry anytime in the future,e to me.¡¯ So she had to find him. * * * * * Meanwhile, ck was on his way back from visiting the vacant mansion on the southern side of the river. Phermos¡¯ assessment was correct. If they could build proper walls, the mansion would make for good use. The location, the view, the terrain¡ªeverything was perfect for a fortress. [Phermos] ¡°Then, as soon as the repairs on the Temple stairs areplete, we¡¯ll begin construction here. Will we be providing the funds for this as well?¡± [ck] ¡°Of course.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Hm¡­¡­If you want to do it properly, this might end up being fairly pricey.¡± [ck] ¡°It¡¯s about time the Duchy of Alto sends the gold we¡¯re owed.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Oh, has it been that long already?¡± Near the Duchy of Alto, there was a gold mine that ck took over the title for aspensation for the war. The Tiwakan lent the mining rights to the Duchy and in exchange, they would send half its revenue to them each year. Phermos was probably the only person who knew the full breadth of the Tiwakan¡¯s wealth that was scattered across the continent. As a result of their exploits, they had things spread out all over the ce, and they earned many assets that could not be held likend or mines. There was one gold mine, but they also had several iron and salt mines as well. The profits from the salt mine alone earned the Tiwakan an amount equivalent to the annual budget of any small kingdom. When wars were fought, both the winners and the losers suffered great financial losses. But mercenaries? Mercenaries only ever gained money. With ck¡¯s brawn and Phermos¡¯ brain, the Tiwakan swept through the continent, blindly ruing wealth from all across thend over the past ten years. [ck] ¡°There¡¯s no way you didn¡¯t know that.¡± ck nced back at Phermos, who just shrugged. [Phermos] ¡°As expected, I cannot fool you, my Lord. I was going to tell you that building a fortress here would only be the beginning. As you probably know by now, Nauk is like poison. It¡¯s a bottomless pit.¡± [ck] ¡°I¡¯m aware of that.¡± [Phermos] ¡°And yet, you¡¯re still going to pour wealth into it?¡± [ck] ¡°Money can always be earned. And I have more than enough already.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Well, yes, I suppose so¡­¡­Your fortune is so vast, the status quo could easily be maintained, my Lord. And I know even if it were not enough, acquiring more would be nothing to you, but¡­.¡± [ck] ¡°The effects of the drought won¡¯tst forever. It will end someday.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Sorry?¡± ck had spoken with such certainty, Phermos looked at him with a strange expression. [Phermos] ¡°What do you mean?¡± [ck] ¡°It doesn¡¯t make sense for a drought tost twenty years. Unless the climate of Nauk has changed, it¡¯s nonsensical to think it would affect only this area¡ªnowhere else.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Oh, that is true.¡± [ck] ¡°We need people who have studied the climate, and I n on inviting schrs here in due time. If we can understand the source, that¡¯ll take us one step closer to fixing it.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Ah, so that¡¯s what you meant.¡± He should have known his Lord would have such a broad view of things. While Phermos was worried about what it would mean to pour wealth into this starving kingdom, his Lord was thinking of ns for the far future. [Phermos] ¡°You are really determined to settle here, my Lord. Though that reminds me, before we came here, didn¡¯t you mention that you were only nning on staying for a while? What made you change your mind?¡± ck nced back at Phermos. Pulling back, Phermos cast his gaze at the ground. For some reason, his lord¡¯s overbearing re and narrowed eyes made it feel like he was wordlessly calling him an idiot. [Phermos] ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± [ck] ¡°That¡¯s how it was back then.¡± With how he spoke, his voice was soft like he was mumbling to himself. Phermos thought for a moment that his lord¡¯s voice seemed very human right now. When ck answered, his tone was conveying the idea that he did not wish to answer, but his mouth opened all the same. [ck] ¡°At the time, I was thinking of leaving once I imed it as my own.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Like the mines, you mean.¡± Like any other possession, once Nauk became his, it would have been left in the care of others so that it could continue to survive even when he needed to leave. On the whole, he held no particr dissatisfaction with his life as a mercenary, and so he nned on living mostly the same even after he was married. [Phermos] ¡°But the Princess is here in Nauk, and she ended up bing someone you grew attached to¡­¡­so that¡¯s how we got here.¡± Phermos muttered to himself just out of earshot, nodding his head. Pulling on the reins of his horse, he suddenly turned back to ck. [Phermos] ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s such a bad thing.¡± [ck] ¡°What are you talking about?¡± [Phermos] ¡°You settling here, I mean. You¡¯d make a fine king.¡± But the moment he said that, ck answered so quickly, it was like he didn¡¯t even have to think about it. [ck] ¡°I have no intention of bing a king. Nauk already has a perfect monarch.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡­.. Of course, I won¡¯t deny that the Princess would make a beloved Queen, but isn¡¯t Nauk¡¯s political situation too delicate for her to handle?¡± [ck] ¡°That¡¯s why she¡¯s amazing. She managed to keep a hold on things despite everything.¡± [Phermos] ¡°By selling royal property, you mean.¡± [ck] ¡°It was to protect her sovereignty. Because of what she did, Nauk won¡¯t ept anyone but Princess Rienne as its ruler.¡± That was why the Kleinfelders could not gain control by force. A rebellion would be simple enough for those people, but in the end, they never could. The reason why Rienne was still called a Princess was because she had yet to be officially crowned due to opposition from the six families. However, the people of Nauk adored her, thus allowing her to keep her ce. The wealth she spread by selling property was what gave her that foundation of support. [Phermos] ¡°Well¡­..Caring for the people is certainly something that makes an ideal monarch. But the problem is that there are limits to that. The Princess will run out of wealth soon enough, and then what would happen? Would the people still support her then?¡± [ck] ¡°That won¡¯t happen, so the question is irrelevant.¡± Phermos¡¯ lips tensed. [Phermos] ¡°So you¡¯re trying to say that you will fill that deficit, my Lord.¡± [ck] ¡°I can do that much. That¡¯s my job.¡± [Phermos] ¡°¡­¡­.I see.¡± Phermos adjusted his shoulders, then turned his head forward. ck or Rienne. From his perspective, there wasn¡¯t much difference. The act of pouring out all they had for the sake of the nation was exactly the same, and it was something that any person iming to be a ruler should do. Or perhaps their intentions were a little bit different? The Princess wished to do it for Nauk, but his Lord wished to do it for her. Seeing that, he realized that the two of them got along better than expected. Perfection in any rtionship was nigh impossible, but this was the most ideal he¡¯d ever seen. But in any case, if ck had decided his role, then that meant Phermos¡¯ role was also decided as well. This could end up being fun for him. Working hard to turn a ruined kingdom into one of prosperity and wealth, being led by two impable leaders. Phermos nodded along, moving the conversation forward. [Phermos] ¡°Then all we need to do is sessfully get past the council meeting. The Kleinfelders will definitely be dealt with, so all that¡¯s left is to tightly tie a leash to the rest and keep them contained.¡± [ck] ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡± For the meeting, ck had a particr trap set in ce. Understanding his meaning, Phermos gave a bold smile. [Phermos] ¡°As am I, my Lord.¡± As they talked, Castle Nauk was just ahead of them. After passing through the drawbridge, ck headed towards the stables. And that¡¯s when he saw someone waiting for him. [Rienne] ¡°Lord Tiwakan!¡± * * * Chapter 71 Chapter 71 Chapter 71 | An Hour * * * * * He thought something happened. As soon as he dismounted his horse, Rienne ran up to him, tightly wrapping herself around him and burying herself in his arms without any hesitation¡ªlike she¡¯d been waiting for him. [ck] ¡°Princess?¡± This was the first time Rienne had ever so eagerly and readily expressed her feelings towards him first. Of this, he could be absolutely certain. [ck] ¡°Did something happen?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Yes.¡± He wanted to get a better look at her face, so he tried pulling back from her just a little bit, but Rienne only stubbornly put more strength into her hug. [ck] ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± With how tightly she was holding onto him, ck had no choice but to give up on seeing her face. Instead, he just held her, gently sweeping hisrge hand up and down her back. Rienne let out a long sigh, her breath trembling as she murmured. Her body was still deep in his arms as she held onto him for dear life. [Rienne] ¡°I thought I was going to cry.¡± [ck] ¡°So you came to find me?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Yes, but my tears are all gone now.¡± [ck] ¡°That¡¯s a little disappointing.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I¡­..¡± Rienne suddenly pulled away from ck, making direct eye contact with him. Her emerald eyes were so lovely, but before he could take another look, she threw herself back into him like before. [ck] ¡°Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I was afraid you would leave me someday.¡± [ck] ¡°. . .¡± ck¡¯s expression was stiff, but after hearing something he never thought he¡¯d get to hear from her, an uncontroble smile started to grab at his face. [ck] ¡°Never. That¡¯s never going to happen¡± Rienne still didn¡¯t seem to understand how badly he wanted this marriage to happen¡ªhow much it would mean for him to be able to marry her. [ck] ¡°I will never leave of my own will.¡± [Rienne] ¡°But why? Is that really okay?¡± [ck] ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t it be?¡± [Rienne] ¡°My father killed yours.¡± [ck] ¡°¡­.Princess.¡° [Rienne] ¡°I thought about it over and over. If I were you, I would never be able to forgive me. So I¡­¡­I just assumed you didn¡¯t know everything, but I knew you¡¯d find out eventually. And once you did, your feelings towards me would inevitably change. That¡¯s how it would be for most people, and I thought you couldn¡¯t be the exception¡­..That would be far too dreamlike.¡± [ck] ¡°I told you this many times before. My old name doesn¡¯t matter to me anymore.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I now know how true that is.¡± [ck] ¡°Princess.¡± This time, Rienne allowed her body to be softly pulled away. Lowering his head, ck held Rienne¡¯s chin, forcing her to look at him. There were tears clinging to the ends of her golden eyshes, but they didn¡¯t dare fall. And though there were lingering tears, apparently she was honest when she said she no longer felt the need to cry. [ck] ¡°Was that the reason why you ruined the wedding attire?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I can¡¯t make you wear that.¡± [ck] ¡°Is it really that painful? That you¡¯d rather hurt your hand instead?¡± [Rienne] ¡°No matter how much I suffer, I can¡¯t do that to you.¡± [ck] ¡°¡­¡­..This is difficult.¡± But in the middle of their conversation, ck muttered something to himself. [Rienne] ¡°What?¡± [ck] ¡°I think what you¡¯re telling me right now is that I mean a lot to you and that you truly like me. Is that right?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Yes, but what¡¯s difficult about that?¡± ck frowned, then pulled up his head, giving his surroundings a cursory nce. The castle entrance was the same as always. The royal stables were bustling as the stable hands rushed around tending to the horses. Several Tiwakan mercenaries, having returned to the castle together, were dismounting their horses and guiding them back to the round pen. [ck] ¡°This ce.¡± [Rienne] ¡°This ce¡­?¡­..ah.¡± Before she could realize what was happening, ck swept Rienne off her feet and into his arms. It was such a grand gesture that it caught everyone¡¯s attention, their eyes perking up like rabbits as they looked their way. [ck] ¡°Give me an hour.¡± [Rienne] ¡°An hour? And why are you holding me like this?¡± [ck] ¡°Yeah, an hour. And I have to carry you. I don¡¯t know what I¡¯d do if my hands were free.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Sorry?¡± [ck] ¡°I¡¯m trying to say I want to kiss you like crazy right now, Princess.¡± And without another word, with Rienne in his arms, ck strode off towards the castle with purpose in every step. [Rienne] ¡°I can walk by myself.¡± [ck] ¡°¡­¡­..That would make things difficult.¡± Biting his lip, ck suddenly stopped walking. Feeling her body jolt forward, Rienne panicked, grabbing whatever she could reach to support herself¡ªthough it just so happened to be ck¡¯s ear. [ck] ¡°Ow.¡± ck whispered, still biting his lip. [Rienne] ¡°Ah, I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to hurt you. But if you do this here¡ª¡° [ck] ¡°If you don¡¯t say anything, I¡¯ll take you straight to the bedroom.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I can walk. Otherwise everyone will stare at me.¡± [ck] ¡°I guarantee if you try and walk on your own, you¡¯ll just give people even more to stare at.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What do you mean?¡± It was in times like these where it became abundantly clear to him that Rienne was very na?ve and inexperienced. [ck] ¡°Just don¡¯t say anything, please.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­?¡± [ck] ¡°I just dered I would take you somewhere to kiss you, so if you were to follow me of your own will, you should know how that looks and sounds. And what I¡¯ll do to you once I see that.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­Ah?¡± [ck] ¡°If you understand, then stay quiet.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Rienne tightly closed her eyes, biting the inside of her mouth. Running up her neck, across her cheeks and all the way up to her ears, she waspletely dyed a soft, lovely red color. And that sight was enough to threaten to destroy whatever sanity he had left. With long strides, he took them both to the bedroom. * * * * * [ck] ¡°An hour.¡± With eyes that were hazier than usual, ck gave the clock a quick nce. Why did he keep measuring the time? What was happening in an hour? But within a second, all of those thoughtspletely disappeared. The moment Rienne felt the soft bed against her back as ck set her down, she was met with the sensation of his kiss against her lips. Ah¡­¡­. They had already indulged in each other plenty today, but this kiss always had a way of encouraging them onward, like a bottomless pit of thirst. Aimlessly, Rienne reached up, running her fingers along his neck and up into his hair, feeling the soft strands between them. As her fingers wandered through his hair, every time she would brush them against his neck, ck would let out a low moan¡ªlike something was boiling inside of him. Ah, it¡¯s happening again¡­¡­.. She thought he was pulling back, but instead he gently bit her lip. It didn¡¯t hurt, but she still thought it was strange. Does he like biting? Though I like kissing better than that. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m curious about something.¡± Rienne whispered, leaning her forehead against ck¡¯s just a little bit. [Rienne] ¡°Why do you bite me?¡± [ck] ¡°Did I?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Yes, just now. Kind of like this.¡± ck didn¡¯t seem to be aware of what he was doing, so Rienne slid down, gently biting and tugging on his bottom lip. In response, ck closed his eyes as another low moan escaped from somewhere deep inside him. [ck] ¡°It¡¯s¡­..to stop.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Stop?¡± [ck] ¡°Kissing you. I have to stop somehow.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Ah¡­.I see. You were out of breath.¡± [ck] ¡°We¡¯re still not married, yet.¡± But just as Rienne thought she¡¯d found her answer, ck muttered out apletely different one, though his voice sounded out of focus and distant. [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­.? But we usually kiss? I don¡¯t think that has anything to do with marriage.¡± [ck] ¡°¡­¡­..And you once said you liked skilled people.¡± ck pressed their foreheads together, resting his head against Rienne¡¯s with a somewhat tired expression. With their faces closely pressed into one another, Rienne whispered softly. [Rienne] ¡°You know that was a lie, right¡­..?¡± [ck] ¡°Yes. I just can¡¯t believe I believed it for even a second.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Wha¡­¡­.¡± ¡­¡­Is he really that shocked? I might be better at lying than I thought. But Rienne¡¯s thought waspletely wrong. ck was actually surprised by the fact that he was blind enough to believe such an obvious lie. It was something he could¡¯ve easily found out if he switched gears in the middle of their kiss. (1) [ck] ¡°When I kiss you, I end up getting greedy for whates next.¡± He murmured right in her ear, his words heavy like a mire. If she were to take another step forward, daring to dip her foot in, he might consume her entire body without mercy. [Rienne] ¡°Oh¡­ that¡¯s what you meant.¡± Lucky for him, na?ve as she was, Rienne was not ignorant. [Rienne] ¡°Something like that is¡­.um, well¡­..I¡­¡­¡± But even though she knew what he wanted, she didn¡¯t really know what she should say right now. Should she tell him that he¡¯s allowed to move onto ¡®whates next¡¯? ¡­..I mean, of course I want it as well. But it¡¯s the middle of the day right now¡­.and my time of the month won¡¯t be over until at least tomorrow¡­¡­ [Rienne] ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m ready for that yet¡­..¡± [ck] ¡°I know.¡± ck pulled his head back, his eyes looking over Rienne¡¯s lips once more. [ck] ¡°I don¡¯t want to rush to embrace you either, Princess. There¡¯s a certain order when ites to doing things, and I want to amodate it as best I can.¡± Hearing that, Rienne let out a sweetugh. [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s, uh¡­..I don¡¯t think that¡¯s entirely necessary. From the beginning, we didn¡¯t really follow the usual order.¡± [ck] ¡°That¡¯s why I want to honor it even more. Just because the beginning was wrong doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s toote to start getting things right.¡± ck leaned over, pressing Rienne¡¯s body further into the bed as he kissed her deeply, guiding her to part her lips. Rienne weed it, allowing herself to be pushed back. [ck] ¡°But I can¡¯t bear to stop with a kiss, so I had to set a time. If it¡¯s an hour, that should be enough to satisfy me a bit so I can cool down.¡± He said ¡®cool down¡¯ but every time he kissed her, his lips felt indescribably hot. Rienne smiled into the kiss, opening up her arms and hugging ck¡¯s neck. [Rienne] ¡°You¡¯re a walking contradiction.¡± [ck] ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯ve never heard that before.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m d.¡± [ck] ¡°What¡¯s there to be d about?¡± Their conversation was spoken through kisses. Never was a long gap left to linger, as ck did not miss the chance to sink right back into her. [Rienne] ¡°If someone had said that to you before, it would¡¯ve been a woman.¡± Muttering to herself, Rienne held ck¡¯s face, pressing a kiss against his wet and shiny lips as she smiled. [Rienne] ¡°You say you want to cool off, but you just keep getting hotter. How could that not be a contradiction?¡± His body stiffening, ck nced up at the clock above the firece. He was grimacing like he was enduring a burning agony, and yet somehow, like his other contradictions, even something like that felt awfully suggestive. [ck] ¡°Thirty-nine minutes left¡­¡­.As I thought, I think it would be best if you didn¡¯t say anything more, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°As you wish.¡± [ck] ¡°Don¡¯t say something like that, either.¡± With a heat and passion that was difficult to endure, he pushed his lips over hers again, digging deeper and deeper into her. * * * * * [Mercenary] ¡°Hey, get up. You¡­..yeah, the both of you.¡± Squeak¡­¡­Thump¡ª! The thick iron door squeaked open, bumping into an open position as the bright light poured into the cell, cutting into the vision of the two prisoners within. The two Kleinfelders had to blink for a long time, their eyes far too ustomed to darkness by now. [Linden] ¡°Huh, what¡­¡­?¡± Linden asked in a hoarse voice. [Mercenary] ¡°Got orders to take you to the God¡¯s Square or whatever it¡¯s called.¡± [Linden] ¡°Oh, then¡­..of course!¡± From his position lying down on the prison floor, focus returned to Linden¡¯s eyes. [Linden] ¡°Today¡¯s the day of the council!¡± [Mercenary] ¡°Hell if I know anything about that.¡± One of the Tiwakan mercenaries, who had managed topletely secure control over the dungeons, and subsequently serving as guards, barked out his harsh words. [Mercenary] ¡°Just get up already. Talking¡¯s too much of a pain.¡± [Linden] ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯ll remember your face.¡± After a long time, Linden Kleinfelder managed to regain the usual sense of inted Kleinfelder authority as he seethed towards the mercenary, These past few days were nothing short of hell. He had informed the two nobles that visited him of his n to have Rienne defiled, but he still didn¡¯t know what the results were. If the n had seeded, then those same nobles should¡¯vee to see him to inform him of the aftermath. He¡¯d been waiting for so long, he actually started to sympathize with fish that identally washed up onnd. He even thought he might die in the process of waiting. But the strangest thing was that nothing had changed in the dungeons. If Klimah had defiled Rienne and thrown her before the Tiwakan leader, then of course, something would have changed. So he believed there was a chance Klimah merely hadn¡¯t seeded yet. Despite the great talent he had for killing people, he was too weak of heart. It was truly a pity, but he had no choice but to wait. He waited and waited for news with a burning feeling in his chest. Linden Kleinfelder was beyond confident. No matter how maniacal the leader of a savage group was to covet a woman who was pregnant with another man¡¯s child, those feelings were not set in stone. Loathe as he was to admit it, that barbarian was a man, same as he. Rienne Arsak seemed to foolishly think he was entertaining the idea of love with her, but this was nothing more than the game of a beast ying with his prey. If she were to get messed up and roughed around a little bit, that game woulde to an end. That was just how men worked. There were sometimes losers who confused love and desire, but everything with women was nothing more than a game. When the fun of that game was gone, the emotions that came with it would fade. It didn¡¯t matter if that emotion was love or desire¡ªthe important thing would be that the excitement would disappear. Even the slightest of scars across her smooth face would result in the passion going away. In that sense, this plot to ruin Rienne Arsak would kill two birds with one stone. Because much like that barbarian, Rafit was alsopletely enamored by her. By ruining her, his interest in her would also cool. All he had to do was wait for the good news, but it was already toote. [Linden] ¡°Who hase to get us? Who came from the Kleinfelder family?¡± [Mercenary] ¡°Just shut up ande out.¡± [Linden] ¡°Answer me! How dare you speak to me as if I were some kind ofmoner!¡± The Tiwakan mercenaries stared down at Linden, yelling at them as if he were some nobleman, even as he struggled around on the dungeon floor. With ck, these men had wandered the battlefield for ten years and had met many noblemen during that time. In front of their leader, even the mightiest of kings came crumbling to their knees, trembling in fear. No matter how much Linden Kleinfelder grumbled and yelled, he just looked funny to them. [Mercenary] ¡°Alright then. If you can¡¯te out on your own, guess I¡¯ll just drag you out.¡± The mercenary strode into the cell, grabbing Linden by his ankle. [Linden] ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re putting your hands!?¡± But even as he protested, Linden was dragged out of the cell by one ankle like a dog being punished. And as all this happened, Rafit didn¡¯t make a single sound as he watched it unfold. He stayed perfectly silent, same as when he watched the leader of the Tiwakan break both of his uncle¡¯s wrists. His eyes werepletely empty. [Mercenary] ¡°Hey, you too. Get up. Or do you wanna be dragged out, too?¡± [Rafit] ¡°. . .¡± Rafit turned his head up, looking around for a moment before slowly rising to his feet. * * * T/N: (1) The literal trantion was something close to ¡°if (he) drew (his) lips down[wards]¡± then he would¡¯ve known. The implication was that he¡¯s realizing if he¡¯d taken things a step further while kissing her in the past, he would¡¯ve figured things out sooner. Chapter 72 Chapter 72 Chapter 72 | Exile (1) * * * * * The two Kleinfelders were given the same treatment as any other prisoner¡ªbound with thick ropes that kept them tethered to one another with a Tiwakan mercenary holding onto the end. The entire time, Linden didn¡¯t cease his yelling, constantly saying they couldn¡¯t treat him like this, but he quickly shut up after a mercenary got fed up and kicked him in the shin. And Rienne watched the whole process unfold. She didn¡¯t want to see it, but it couldn¡¯t be helped. ck was meant to take the prisoners to the council meeting and she wanted to see him off before he left, so it just ended up that way. [Rienne] ¡°Be careful.¡± Rienne didn¡¯t forget to give her quiet well wishes to ck as he climbed up on his horse. ck looked at her with a short smile before nodding. [ck] ¡°I know.¡± [Rienne] ¡°There are those who feel deep loyalty towards the Kleinfelders. They might attempt to rescue them of their own will.¡± [ck] ¡°Right.¡± His answer came quickly. Rienne reached out her hand, tapping her finger against ck¡¯s knee, causing him to raise his eyebrow. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m being serious.¡± [ck] ¡°I never said you weren¡¯t. But I¡¯ve prepared for things, so it¡¯ll be fine.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I know but¡­you have to be really careful, okay? Don¡¯t let yourself get so hurt again.¡± [ck] ¡°Hah¡­¡­.¡± Hearing his sigh, Rienne thought for a moment that she was nagging him too much, bothering him with how much she was fussing over him. But Rienne was wrong again. [ck] ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Sorry?¡± [ck] ¡°It¡¯s hard to do this while I¡¯m on a horse.¡± Saying that, ck leaned his body down as far as he could and kissed Rienne. She knew everyone was watching them, but she was so distracted by how affectionate and sweet it was. Rienne stood up on her toes, returning his kiss. The pose was a little bit awkward, but their kisssted for a long time all the same. [ck] ¡°I¡¯ll never leave at this rate.¡± After the kiss finished with a sweet sound, ck let go of Rienne, giving her a teasing look. [Rienne] ¡°Wait a moment.¡± But before he could move awaypletely, Rienne stood up on the very tips of her toes, holding his face in her hands while wiping away the remnants of their kiss from his lips. [Rienne] ¡°You promised. You won¡¯t get hurt at all.¡± [ck] ¡°As you wish.¡± ck¡¯s eyes deepened as he spoke. As the look in his eyes shifted, her body was the first to notice the subtle change. Her heart pounded and all she wanted to do was kiss him again. ¡­..I must really be losing my mind these days. [Rienne] ¡°Come back safely.¡± [ck] ¡°¡­¡­I¡¯ll hurry.¡± As Rienne backed up, ck kicked his horse into motion, and she stood there silently until he had entirely passed the threshold of the gates. But as the Tiwakan party started leaving in droves, so too did the prisoners that were being dragged behind ck¡¯s lead¡ªincluding Rafit. [Rafit] ¡°Rienne.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Immediately, Rienne turned her head away. She had no need nor a desire to deal with him any further. [Rafit] ¡°If you did that on purpose just to show me, there¡¯s no point. You¡¯ll be my love until the end of time.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­..Hah.¡± But just as she thought. She couldn¡¯t stand this one bit. [Rienne] ¡°Rafit Kleinfelder. Listen carefully. You are sick in the heart. Time and time again, your insulting behavior has continually distressed me, and I no longer have any pity left in my heart for your situation. It would be for your own betterment if you came to your senses and learned to worry about yourself.¡± [Rafit] ¡°Rienne!¡± [Rienne] ¡°You have no right to say my name. I am the monarch of thisnd and you are a prisoner being used of treason against me and thus, I do not wish to speak with you any further. Take him from my sight.¡± Thosest words were directed to the Tiwakan mercenary holding onto his bindings. [Mercenary] ¡°Understood, Princess.¡± The mercenary mercilessly pulled on the rope tying Rafit¡¯s hands together. [Rafit] ¡°Agh, Rienne!¡± [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s beyond disrespectful for you to continue to speak my name when I¡¯ve asked you not to. Please, keep him quiet somehow.¡± [Mercenary] ¡°With pleasure, Princess.¡± Thwack¡ª As soon as he finished speaking, another mercenary kicked Rafit in the shin, bringing him to his knees. [Rafit] ¡°Ugh!¡± But as he stumbled, before he could hit the ground, the rope was harshly pulled, forcing him back up. [Rienne] ¡°I know I don¡¯t need to say this, but I ask all of you to please remain on guard for the sake of your leader. Please ensure he returns safely.¡± [Mercenary] ¡°Thank you for your concern, Princess.¡± Bowing their heads towards Rienne, thanking her for her words, the Tiwakan turned on their heels, following after the rest of the departing group while dragging Rafit behind them. [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­Maybe that was too cruel.¡± Rienne murmured to herself as she watched Rafit, being pulled away like a paper doll blowing in the wind before finally turning away. [Rienne] ¡°No, if I speak too kindly, he won¡¯t understand. Even now, he keeps saying those sorts of things right until the end.¡± Rienne shook her head. There was no need to think too deeply on how his heart worked. Rafit was just obsessed, and never having experienced rejection before in his life, he was simply reacting badly to his first run in with someone saying no. [Rienne] ¡°Hopefully he grows up soon. Life will only be more difficult for him in the future if he doesn¡¯t.¡± Right now, Rienne¡¯s heart was deceptively calm. She turned around, walking off towards the castle. Today was going to be a busy day. Once the Great Council waspleted and everything was squared away, all that remained was the wedding ceremony. ck and the other Tiwakan mercenaries would also need to be appointed as nobles and knights respectively. [Rienne] ¡°I have plenty of money left over after selling that ne, so I should use it to redecorate the bedroom. Ah, I should¡¯ve asked him what color he would prefer.¡± It was a Nauk custom to redecorate the bedroom to wee any new spouse of royalty. Rienne hurried back, her head full of all the things she needed to do. * * * * * [Burey] ¡°To disrupt the sanctity of the Great Council like this¡­..!¡± Gathered were the remaining five families, excluding the Kleinfelders. Out of those five, three of the noble heads were clenching their fists. The other two, however, could not. Rosadel¡¯s left hand was still broken and he wasn¡¯t sure what to do with his right. All he knew was that he needed to sign something. Other than that, he just sat there, quietly trembling. [Rosadel] ¡°Stop it and just sit down.¡± Rosadel waved his right hand, passively trying to calm the other nobles. Unfortunately, the other family heads hadn¡¯t met the leader of the Tiwakan before this. [Burey] ¡°The right to attend a Great Council blessed by God and the Treaty of Risebury does not belong to outsiders. You must leave at once!¡± The head of the Burey family was the one making the most noise. Among all the families, he was the one who brought the most private soldiers with him, cing them just outside the main meeting hall. [ck] ¡°Then what should I do about these?¡± ck gestured behind him with his chin to the pair of Kleinfelder prisoners, his stance still strong and stalwart, yet steady and calm. [ck] ¡°Someone has to monitor the prisoners.¡± [Burey] ¡°The audacity¡­..! How dare a mere mercenary speak back to a noble elder of Nauk!¡± When Burey shouted out, Rosadel visibly shrunk back, sighing nervously as his eyes anxiously darted around. Even Eroiden clenched the grip he had on the crutches he brought. [ck] ¡°Audacity, huh?¡± ck lightly pushed Burey out of the way of the door with his hand. [ck] ¡°Get out of the way. The prisoners need to get inside.¡± [Burey] ¡°How dare youy your hands on me!?¡± Burey smashed his fist against the wall with his hand, calling out to the soldiers he had prepared outside. [Burey] ¡°This is uneptable! You must be punished!¡± Having never met the leader of the Tiwakan, the other three house leaders were foolish. They already aligned themselves with the Kleinfelders, believing that to be the wisest course of action. The Grand Hall where the meeting was being heldcked any housekeeping staff, instead being watched over by a single head butler. He was told that if he heard any disturbances in the meeting hall, he was meant to send in the private soldiers using that as an excuse. They even made sure to nt eyes and ears near Castle Nauk. Those agents conveyed that they only saw eight mercenaries leaving the castle for the council meeting. With those small numbers, it didn¡¯t matter how notorious they were, they definitely couldn¡¯t do much. Especially not inparison to the thirty soldiers he brought in, plus the fifty he borrowed from the Kleinfelders. With numbers over ten times what the mercenaries were, the difference was insurmountable. At least, that¡¯s what Burey thought. [ck] ¡°How did you know?¡± ck murmured, as if he were talking to himself. [Burey] ¡°What? How did I know what?¡± [ck] ¡°I¡¯m in a good mood today. Did you tell him?¡± Thosest words were directed towards Rosadel. Rosadel immediately started panicking,pletely forgetting his left wrist was broken as he frantically waved both hands around. [Rosadel] ¡°Of course not! I didn¡¯t say a word to anyone!¡± [ck] ¡°Then was it you?¡± This time he turned to Eroiden, who also shook his body so firmly, he looked like he was about to snap in half. [Eroiden] ¡°Never! I was told to be as silent as the dead, so I did nothing all the way until this day came!¡± [ck] ¡°Then that makes this weirder.¡± ck tilted his head. [ck] ¡°No one ever dares to shout in my face like this. The nobility of Nauk must be especially stupid.¡± [Burey] ¡°Wha, what are you talking about!¡± [ck] ¡°I¡¯m saying you should pay more attention to things.¡± ck answered calmly, all while holding up Burey¡¯s left wrist. The action was so quick and light that he didn¡¯t even notice that it happened. But now that he knew that he was caught, his shoulder shook back in shock. [ck] ¡°But it¡¯s toote. Once you¡¯ve been caught, it¡¯s all over.¡± Then, echoing out in the meeting hall was a familiar sound. One that Rosadel and Eroiden knew very well. [Burey] ¡°AGHH!¡± Grabbing at his newly broken wrist, Burey stumbled backwards and howled like a wild animal. [Burey] ¡°What have you done!? What the hell are the rest of you doing!? How could you just watch me be treated like this!?¡± But before he could get many other words out, ck kicked out his knees, causing him to flop down on the ground. [Burey] ¡°ARGH!¡± Falling to the ground without any resistance, Burey struggled on the ground, his face messy with gross tears. His wrist was terribly mangled, but now his knees hurt, too. [Burey] ¡°W, what are you all doing¡­..?¡± Finally, the rest of the nobles faltered. They were so shocked by the scene before them that they were stunned into silence. They couldn¡¯t believe what they were seeing, so all they could do was watch like a bunch of fools. As nobles, they lived their entire lives having everything given to them from birth, including their status. They had yet to ept the fact that there were people who didn¡¯t give a damn about that. [Burey] ¡°H, how¡­.¡± [ck] ¡°You¡¯re too noisy. Just sit down. We need to proceed with the rest of the council meeting.¡± [Burey] ¡°There are Burey soldiers waiting outside¡­¡­..¡± [ck] ¡°There were.¡± [Burey] ¡°Wh, what¡­¡­.?¡± [ck] ¡°There were Burey soldiers outside, and now there are no longer.¡± [Burey] ¡°Wh, what are you talking about? Why aren¡¯t there¡ª!¡± [ck] ¡°You¡¯re free to check if you¡¯re so curious.¡± ck readily moved to the side. Two nobles nced at each other, reading the air of the room before they quickly went outside to verify his ims. Meanwhile, ck walked to the front of the meeting room, calmly sitting in the chair meant for the head of the Kleinfelder family. The mercenaries holding onto the bindings of the two Kleinfelder prisoners naturally dragged them up, throwing them at his feet. [ck] ¡°Proceed.¡± He gestured to Rosadel. [Rosadel] ¡°Very well. Everyone, take your seats.¡± No one bothered to help Burey up. He sat on the floor, waiting for his soldiers toe, but even after a long time, no one answered his call. Unable to bear it any longer, he eventually struggled to pull himself up to his feet just as the two nobles returned,pletely pale in the face. * * * * * There were no soldiers outside. And there were no bodies either, strangely enough. All that remained were some abandoned weapons, terrible bloodstains, and a few Tiwakan mercenaries, calmly standing in the bloody wreckage. ck still faithfully remembered Rienne¡¯s words that she did not wish to see death on this day, so he was doing what he could to follow those wishes. It was a shame the families didn¡¯t seem to realize that. And besides, an objective numericalparison of their army size was pointless when it came to predicting victory against the Tiwakan. The difference between nobles who waved swords around for sport and mercenaries who called the battlefield their home was a meaninglessparison. Anyone could see the in disparity. [And] ¡°¡­..That¡¯s everything.¡± As the royal family was the one who requested the convention of the Great Council, someone was required to represent their wishes before the nobility. And stayed up the entire night before, preparing the documents necessary to present to the nobles. It was a written statement, detailing the crimes levied against Linden Kleinfelder and his alleged illegitimate son, Lopez Kleinfelder, and how the both of them attempted treason against the crown. So long as one had the ability to read the words in front of them, they could never argue their innocence. [And] ¡°Typically, the punishment for such crimes would be hanging.¡± As soon as the word ¡®hanging¡¯ was brought up, whispers echoed across the council. [Noble] ¡°W, what¡­..That can¡¯t be!¡± One of the nobles who still had their wrist intact shouted out first, with Linden Kleinfelder himself speaking out next. [Linden] ¡°You would dare hang me by the neck!?¡± ck tilted his head, looking down at him. The look in his eyes was scarily indifferent, so convincing him otherwise would take more than just a few haughty words. [Linden] ¡°Do you think such a thing is possible in thisnd?¡± Linden stood up, determined not to back down. It was true he found ck to be a terrifying man, but he could stand idly by and allow himself to be strung up. If he were to be sent to the gallows, there was no doubt that the Kleinfelder¡¯s military would step in. It would mark the beginning of a war. Then, one noble raised their hand. [Noble] ¡°I object.¡± * * * Chapter 73 Chapter 73 Chapter 73 | Exile (2) * * * * * [Noble] ¡°Regardless of the evidence, the former head of the delegation cannot be sent to the gallows.¡± The noble who opposed the verdict looked at the other nobles like he was asking for permission. However, Rosadel and Eroiden were more focused on trying to gauge ck¡¯s reaction rather than returning the noble¡¯s eye contact. Even Burey was entirely distracted by the new throbbing pain in his wrist. [And] ¡°Princess Rienne has offered amnesty to the prisoners in the event a unanimous verdict cannot be reached by the council. To avoid hanging, the two parties guilty of treason will be permanently exiled from thisnd. Do you agree with this pardon?¡± The meaning of the amnesty deal was obvious. It meant that the royal family would no longer tolerate the sight of them if the guilty wished to keep their heads attached. The nobles all exchanged looks, their faces turning grim. If it were the past, the royal family could not have done something like this. But now the royal family had the backing of the Tiwakan¡ªsomething no other royal family on the entire continent had the luxury of iming. And¡¯s voice was calm as he continued on. [And] ¡°If the council opposes this pardon, the royal family can no longer maintain this offer of amnesty. Considering that the council is against hanging, the guilty must remain eternal prisoners until the end of their days.¡± [Linden] ¡°Absurd! Linden pulled up his head, screaming as he did. [Linden] ¡°What a joke! How dare you say such a thing to a man of the Kleinfelders!¡± As Linden started shouting again, ck turned his head, quietly gesturing towards one of the mercenaries that was guarding the door. Seeing the subtle motion, the mercenary approached him. [ck] ¡°Don¡¯t let the prisoner make any more noise.¡± [Mercenary] ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Thud¡ª! Before anyone even saw himing, the Tiwakan mercenary grabbed the back of Linden Kleinfelder¡¯s head, smashing it into the floor. Thwack¡ª! As his head was lifelessly pulled up from the stone floor, a trail of blood followed from his forehead to the ground below him. [Linden] ¡°Agh¡­..Damned¡­..beasts¡­¡­.¡± [Mercenary] ¡°Quiet.¡± Bang¡ª! Again his head was knocked against the ground. Watching such an awful scene before them, it was obvious to everyone that anytime Linden dared to open his mouth, his head would once again be bashed into the stone floor. [Linden] ¡°. . .¡± Once Linden finally shut up, And continued with his verdict. [And] ¡°Shall I take that as a rejection of the amnesty, former delegation head? Very well. I will record the traitors¡¯ names as prisoners forevermore.¡± [Linden] ¡°W, wait!¡± Linden nearly tripped over himself trying to get his words out fast enough. Grabbing him by his hair, the mercenary was about to deliver another blow, but ck held up his hand, silently bying the order. [Linden] ¡°I will¡­¡­ept the amnesty.¡± Linden was grinding his teeth as he epted the plea. Exile waspletely uneptable. The mere thought of going out in the world and losing all the power he had rued in Nauk, it felt like his stomach was catching fire. But he couldn¡¯t go back to the dungeons, much less stay there forever. It would be better to find support from another country that would take them in even if they were exiled. Luckily, Rafit was one of the only grandsons of the Kingdom of Sharka. If they went there, that would open more doors for them. [Rosadel] ¡°I ept.¡± Rosadel spoke next. When Linden looked at him, Rosadel silently held up his broken left wrist rather than avoiding his gaze. It was a silent exchange, one saying he could not afford to fight this verdict. [And] ¡°What of the other families?¡± As And asked, the heads of the other four families reluctantly nodded in agreement. [And] ¡°Then I will record the families¡¯ unanimous vote to ept the pardon. In ordance to exile procedures, the exiled cannot carry anything on their person. Such things include their name, status, and wealth. The Princess has allowed the exiled to adorn the attire of a servant if they wish to leave with clothing.¡± [Linden] ¡°Wait, but then¡ª!¡± Linden faltered for just a moment to speak, but it was toote. Thew, which was once meaningless against those with power, applied to even those of the Kleinfelder name once their power disappeared. [And] ¡°As thew states, the property of the Kleinfelders will be seized by the royal family.¡± [Linden] ¡°Robbers!¡± Thwack¡ª! With a motion of ck¡¯s hand, the mercenary nodded, bashing Linden¡¯s head against the stonework. The wind was knocked out of him and he immediately felt dizzy, like he was losing consciousness. [Linden] ¡°No, this cannot¡­¡­¡± But his voice was too quiet. All the nobles could see was his blurred eyes. Right now, the Kleinfelder name no longer held any power and they all knew it. Now, he was in such a pitiful position that if he ever spoke out of line, his head would once again meet the stone floor at a terrifying speed. [And] ¡°The exile will take effect immediately. Think of it as the Princess¡¯ mercy.¡± And quickly wrapped up the council meeting. [And] ¡°As an exile, Linden Kleinfelder has officially lost his status. As such, he is no longer qualified to serve as the aristocratic delegation¡¯s head. Now that the position is vacant, the remaining five families must decide on a new one, of which the deadline is tomorrow, where we will discuss a new High Priest. If there is no delegation head that can make the decision, the authority will be left to the royal family.¡± Now that there were only five families left, they would be stuck in a battle of trying to find out which among them would be the new delegation head. The ensuing conflict would result in cracks forming, and the division between them would continue to grow. Finally, these were the days where the Treaty of Risebury would start to crumble like sand. Feeling satisfied, ck stood up from his seat. While he didn¡¯t particrly mind the hanging option, he wanted to respect Rienne¡¯s opinion by avoiding any future shes with the Kleinfelders, and thus agreed with the non-nuclear option of exile instead. Besides, if the Kleinfelders¡¯ property was confiscated, their soldiers would be more worried about making a living rather than fighting a losing battle. Their people were no longer any threat. [ck] ¡°Take them to the Temple. They¡¯ll have to change into ve outfits.¡± Linden brought together what remaining strength he had left. [Linden] ¡°Wha¡­..what!? Now? Don¡¯t we deserve time to speak with our family!?¡± [ck] ¡°Of course not.¡± [Linden] ¡°No, you can¡¯t do this! This can¡¯t happen!¡± [ck] ¡°If you want to walk away from thisnd alive, then stop making so much useless noise. I¡¯m not used to people being so loud in front of me either.¡± [Linden] ¡°W, what¡­..¡± [ck] ¡°You still don¡¯t get it?¡± [Linden] ¡°. . .¡± Just earlier, Linden was reminded of how concrete this man¡¯s slow andnguid words were. He never failed to follow up on a threat, so Linden had no choice but to shut up. After all, in the end, it didn¡¯t matter what Linden had to say. ck¡¯s job from this point forward was set in stone. Now, if they were going to leave Nauk, they were going to have to rough it in the clothing of a ve. * * * * [Phermos] ¡°My Lord asked me to convey the news about the council in advance. He must¡¯ve known you¡¯d be curious. Would you like to hear about it now?¡± Just as his lord requested of him, Phermos made his way to Rienne, but her bedroom was a little bit chaotic at the moment. The first thing he saw when he walked in was the sight of Mrs. mbard and the tailor quarreling over the wedding attire. All the while, Rienne was quietly sitting to the side, focusing on documents rting to the title appointment while watching over the process. [Rienne] ¡°Is that so? It must be good news then. Let¡¯s go to the next room.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Very well.¡± Passing through the King¡¯s Gallery and the bathroom, they entered the next room over¡ªck¡¯s room. [Phermos] ¡°Though, what¡¯s happening here?¡± He saw it on his way in, but he was very curious. With the curtains removed, bedsheets pulled out and the bedid bare, one could hardly call it a functioning bedroom anymore. [Rienne] ¡°Oh, I¡¯m just doing a little redecorating. It¡¯s customary in Nauk to do this for one¡¯s spouse.¡± [Phermos] ¡°I see. But is that really necessary? The two of you will be sharing a bedroom anyway, so it seems a little redundant.¡± Rienne widened her eyes. [Rienne] ¡°What do you mean?¡± [Phermos] ¡°Sorry?¡± But Phermos was also confused. [Phermos] ¡°Don¡¯t you two share a room every night?¡± [Rienne] ¡°That was just happenstance. Lord Tiwakan should have his own room.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Oh¡­.it¡¯s like that?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Of course.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Ah¡­¡­I see.¡± The both of them felt the words of the other to be odd. Phermos was not familiar with the culture of Nauk in which noble couples slept in different rooms, while Rienne grew up thinking husbands and wives never used a single bedroom. [Rienne] ¡°In any case, what happened with the council?¡± [Phermos] ¡°Ah, yes, right. That¡¯s what I came here to discuss.¡± Exining what happened at the meeting was a very brief discussion. Of course, Phermos omitted the minor detail that all but two of the noble heads had broken wrists now, instead stressing the fact that no one died. [Phermos] ¡°It all went by very peacefully.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Really? That¡¯s a relief. It¡¯s still hard to believe Lord Kleinfelder actually epted the exile order.¡± [Phermos] ¡°After this, you¡¯ll be very wealthy, Princess.¡± Rather than saying Linden was extremely nonpliant, Phermos decided to focus on something more positive. [Rienne] ¡°It won¡¯t be that easy. I doubt the Kleinfelders¡¯ fortune would¡¯ve been kept intact after all these years.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Still, you should take what you can. Once Linden Kleinfelder and Rafit Klein¡ªcough, I mean, the illegitimate son are exiled, we can sort through their assets after they¡¯re recovered. People like that have wealth hidden in every corner.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I hope you¡¯re right.¡± Rienne smiled softly at Phermos, who glossed over Rafit¡¯s existence with a vague cough. Once again, she was getting that feeling that ck kept quiet even though he knew the truth about everything, even things from the uncertain past. Honestly, this man never failed to overwhelm her like this. So much so that her chest hurt from how much her heart was pounding with every passing day. [Phermos] ¡°Since my Lord has gone to oversee it personally, the rest of their property will be put into the royal treasury by the end of today.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Well¡­..I¡¯m a little worried. Will it really be okay?¡± [Phermos] ¡°What can any of them do about it? It was a decision made by the council.¡± [Rienne] ¡°No, I don¡¯t mean that. I¡¯m just worried about what might happen to Lord Tiwakan. It isn¡¯t certain that the remaining Kleinfelders will quietly let this go. Shouldn¡¯t we send some soldiers after him?¡± [Phermos] ¡°Oh, is that what you meant?¡± Phermos smiled. The Princess seemed to care about his Lord very much, considering how she fussed over something so small. [Phermos] ¡°It will be fine. My Lord took eight of the men who have served him closest these past ten years before he went. I know how much he dislikes crowds or taking too many people with him when he goes out, but he didn¡¯t wish to worry you, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Eight is too little. The Kleinfelders have over five hundred soldiers in their private army.¡± [Phermos] ¡°We checked beforehand. Only half that number resides in the mansion due to the limited space.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Even cut in half, it¡¯s still over a hundred men.¡± But the more Rienne worried out loud, the bigger Phermos¡¯ smile got. The Princess was very kind hearted, but surprisingly naive at the same time. Whenever she showed that look of worry in her eyes, he couldn¡¯t help but smile. [Phermos] ¡°You do not know my Lord, Princess. Having served as the Tiwakan¡¯s leader over the past ten years, we all know well enough that it would take lightning striking him from the heavens to kill him at this point.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Sorry?¡± [Phermos] ¡°To him, a hundred is a feasible number to take care of easily. And even if, in the worst case scenario, all five hundred soldiers were present, he would still manage to survive. After all, the arena where my Lord shows his greatest talent is that of negotiation.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What?¡± Phermos was right in thinking Rienne didn¡¯t know everything about ck because she still seemed very confused. [Phermos] ¡°I only mean to say that my Lord doesn¡¯t always fight to win battles, especially when it¡¯s unnecessary. From what I¡¯ve seen of him, my Lord¡¯s sword is unshakable, but that¡¯s why it¡¯s a heavy thing for him to wield at times.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I see¡­¡­¡± Rienne nodded, turning quiet as if she were thinking about something very carefully, but then spoke up again with a grim voice. [Rienne] ¡°Still, it would be better to send some soldiers after him.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Sorry? No, really, he¡¯s fine.¡± [Rienne] ¡°No. I would feel morefortable that way. You never know what could happen, right? So I really want to send someone after him.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Um¡­¡­¡± Phermos couldn¡¯t really find the words to express how entirely unnecessary that was. If they sent guards after him now, the situation would already be over and done with before they ever got the chance to help. But there was a problem. Rienne looked needlessly adorable with how determined she was to do it. She really felt it waspletely necessary. I can¡¯t tell her no¡­¡­. Hah¡­ Dammit. This must be how my Lord feels. [Phermos] ¡°They might end up missing him.¡± [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Then¡­..I will send a few soldiers his way.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Thank you.¡± Once again, her smiling face filled with sincerity was unfairly beautiful. ¡­¡­.This is bad. My Lord is incredibly quick to catch onto things. Why did he have to suddenly be aware of how insanely pretty Rienne was in his eyes? He was not fearless enough to hold any feelings beyond that, but even thinking she was beautiful felt like he was betraying his Lord. [Phermos] ¡°I¡¯ll be taking my leave, Princess¡­¡± Phermos nodded with a pale face as he turned to leave. [Rienne] ¡°Ah, wait just a moment.¡± Rienne reached out and grabbed his arm to stop him from leaving, and Phermos almost jumped out of his skin in surprise. [Phermos] ¡°Why are you holding my arm? Just speak if you have something you would like to say.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry if it was unpleasant. If you dislike others touching you, I will be more careful in the future.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Yes, thank you. That would be for the best. From now on, never, ever hold onto me. Now, speak your mind.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What is Lord Tiwakan¡¯s favorite color?¡± [Phermos] ¡°Excuse me¡­..? I¡¯m sorry, what?¡± The question was so unexpected that it confused Phermos. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m working on redoing the bedroom right now, so I thought it would be nice if I could use colors he was fond of.¡± [Phermos] ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­..? My Lord¡¯s favorite color¡­¡­I don¡¯t know if he has one.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Hm? Do you mean you simply don¡¯t know it or that he doesn¡¯t have a favorite color at all?¡± It was both. [Phermos] ¡°Well, I never thought about something like that because it¡¯s something that¡¯s never interested him in the past.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Rienne gave an understanding nod. [Rienne] ¡°Then I¡¯ll just need to ask him when hees back.¡± Phermos had a question he wanted to ask, too. Why did her face need to shine so brightly as she seriously considered her beloved¡¯s favorite color? Where was the fairness in that? * * * Chapter 74 Chapter 74 Chapter 74 | On the Eve (1) * * * * * All throughout the night, the story of two Kleinfelders losing their statuses and being expelled from Nauk spread like waves. But the Kleinfelder estate itself, upying thergest swath ofnd in Nauk, remained firmly closed, refusing toment on the situation. From the outside, it lookedpletely empty with all the lights turned out. People wondered if the rest of the Kleinfelder family was even angered by what happened. But at the same time, there was no word of workers being fired from the estate. Wary of the neww in Nauk, people just assumed the remnants of the family were trying to be careful. Meanwhile, the remaining five families were very busy. In preparation for the next day¡¯s meeting, they secretly gathered at the Burey estate. [Burey] ¡°Never again will I allow myself to be humiliated like this!¡± Burey was extremely incensed by how things went down, angrily waving around his unbroken hand. But Rosadel was too beaten down and tired to show any reaction, his face looking awfully pathetic. [Eroiden] ¡°But what can we even do? Is there anything all of us are capable of anymore?¡± Eroiden looked around. [Eroiden] ¡°The Kleinfelders are finished.¡± Burey took in a huff of air, cutting back quickly. [Burey] ¡°Will you just disappear too, then?¡± [Rosadel] ¡°If we just stay quiet and do as we¡¯re told, we¡¯ll be safe.¡± But as Rosadel muttered out such weak and feeble words, Burey red at him with a fierce expression. [Burey] ¡°How could you be sox, Lords Rosadel and Eroiden!? A beast dares to stomp all over Nauk and dere himself king!¡± [Eroiden] ¡°Luckily, that beast has an owner. He said so himself.¡± At this point, Eroiden and Rosadel hadpletely lost their will to fight. But Burey was a fool, having entirely forgotten his own mangled wrist, stepping before the noble party with unearned bravado. [Serquez] ¡°So what, you think we should lean on a little girl who isn¡¯t afraid of the beast because she doesn¡¯t know any better? For shame! Have you forgotten what the Arsak family owes us?¡± The head of the Serquez family was the next to speak out. He was one of the lucky few who didn¡¯t have a broken wrist, and thus sided with Burey¡¯s foolishness. [Serquez] ¡°We must never forget¡­¡­Do we not all agree?¡± [Burey] ¡°Obviously!¡± With all the other nobles fixing their gazes on him, Burey confidently nodded. [Burey] ¡°The question now is, where does this leave us?¡± [Serquez] ¡°That beast has his owner, but she has yet to tie a leash around his neck. On the contrary, we have a leash tied around hers.¡± The Treaty of Risebury was a leash, bound to the neck of the Arsak royal family. [Serquez] ¡°We cannot allow this marriage to happen. But if the beast wants so badly to share a bed with her, then we must be sure our grip on her leash is as tight as it can be.¡± Rosadel shook his head. [Rosadel] ¡°But will the Tiwakan sit still and let this happen?¡± [Serquez] ¡°He has military force, but no roots. Nauk is and that has been governed by the divine word and thew for a very long time now. If a beast wishes to live here, then he must abide by humanw.¡± What Serquez was talking about was the selection of the High Priest, and how the position must be selected by those of the Grand Council and the aristocratic delegation. If they found a proper High Priest who followed orders well who could interfere with the marriage as much as possible under the guise of God¡¯s will, even a beast like him would have no choice but to acknowledge the might of Nauk¡¯s nobility. [Serquez] ¡°And besides. Something like this isn¡¯t enough to make the Kleinfelders go away.¡± Serquez gave a knowing smirk. [Serquez] ¡°You all know. After the coup twenty years ago, the new royal family of Nauk should have been the Kleinfelders. It¡¯s a shame the old patriarch, Lucas Kleinfelder had to be cursed by God so suddenly. Had he not, the Arsaks would never have worn the crown.¡± The nobles grit their teeth, recalling a past known only to them. It was twenty years ago, so some among the gathered nobles were not as adept back then as they were now. Like Lord Armendaris and Lord Rosadel, whose fathers participated in the rebellion and they merely picked up the ck after their deaths. However, it was clear to all of them that the six families became the most powerful entities in Nauk because of what happened, dominating the nation¡¯s wealth. [Serquez] ¡°The Arsaks must pay the price. The crown cannot be gained for free.¡± After that, the five family heads chose one among them to rece Linden Kleinfelder as the head of the delegation¡ªSerquez. Of course, not everyone was happy with the decision. Among the six families, Serquez was near the bottom rung, holding fewer properties and wealth than the others. Some inwardly thought he was unfit to serve as their representative. But regardless, even as that passive division cut through them, the five family heads waited patiently for the next day¡¯s meeting. * * * * * [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s gettingte now.¡± Rienne whispered, standing beside the window. She opened her eyes widely, trying to see past the invasive darkness of the outside. Try as she did, she couldn¡¯t pull away her gaze. [Rienne] ¡°Can I really trust that nothing will happen? He said he¡¯d oversee the Kleinfelders¡¯ exile from Nauk, but that doesn¡¯t eliminate the chances of an ident. Oh, what should I do?¡± Feeling the nervousness build up inside her, Rienne bit her nail. Already, the hard work Mrs. mbard had put into manicuring them was going to waste. [Rienne] ¡°Why haven¡¯t I heard back from the guards yet? Lord Phermos said he definitely would send them¡­¡­He wasn¡¯t just saying that, was he? Should I go ask?¡± The ticking clock was nearing midnight and she couldn¡¯t stand to wait any longer. Throwing a shawl over her shoulders, Rienne left in her nightgown with only a single candle to light her way. [Rienne] ¡°Lord Phermos should be in his room.¡± Phermos recently changed rooms to one near the northern tower. That ce was quickly bing the lodgings of choice for the Tiwakan, so he seemed to be morefortable there. Barefoot, Rienne was almost running towards the northern tower. Even at such ate time, many mercenaries were still wide awake, keeping watch around the entrance and the stairs. To her luck, they answered that Phermos was in his room when she asked. Nodding her thanks, Rienne ascended up the stairs and knocked on Phermos¡¯ door once she reached it. [Phermos] ¡°Hm..? Princess?¡± Fortunately he wasn¡¯t asleep yet. However, as he opened the door, he seemed to be in the midst of turning in, as half of his clothes were partially off. [Phermos] ¡°What are you doing here at this hour?¡± Normally, Phermos had his hair tied back and his trusty monocle was always present, but like this, bare-faced with his hair unfurled, he seemed like a different person. But that wasn¡¯t important right now. [Rienne] ¡°I wanted to make sure you sent off the guards. Are you certain you did so?¡± [Phermos] ¡°Ah, of course, I always follow my orders. But was checking now really necessary?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Yes.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Well, you¡¯ve sessfully made sure of it, so please return to your room¡­¡­.Princess?¡± Phermos jumped as Rienne pushed past him into the room. But because Phermos was just about to go to bed, the only thing he was wearing was a pair of pants. A regtion set worn by all Tiwakan mercenaries. [Phermos] ¡°Is there any particr reason you needed to enter my room?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I can¡¯t sleep.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Excuse me? I, I¡¯m sorry, what?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s toote?¡± [Phermos] ¡°¡­¡­Ah, you were waiting for my Lord?¡± Walking barefoot, Phermos held his chin, speaking with a somewhat tired expression. [Phermos] ¡°Let¡¯s see, the time is¡­¡­.just past midnight. It¡¯ste, but it¡¯ll be fine.¡± [Rienne] ¡°How can you be so sure?¡± [Phermos] ¡°If something out of the ordinary happened, I would¡¯ve received word by now. My guess is that the Kleinfelders had a lot of wealth hidden around, so it¡¯s taking him some time to get it all sorted out.¡± [Rienne] ¡°No, that can¡¯t be it. I¡¯ve already heard. They say all the lights are down at the Kleinfelder estate. It¡¯spletely silent, like there¡¯s no one there at all.¡± [Phermos] ¡°I see. You must be very worried¡­¡­.Ah.¡± Just as Phermos was thinking about offering Rienne a seat out of courtesy, he realized he was wearing very inappropriate clothing for someone in the presence of a Princess, causing him to jump to his feet. [Phermos] ¡°I¡¯m going to get dressed, Princess. Wait here for a moment.¡± [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s fine, don¡¯t bother.¡± [Phermos] ¡°What¡­¡­¡­Wait, what?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Why don¡¯t we send more soldiers? Although, I¡¯m not sure where we¡¯d send them, so I came here to ask.¡± [Phermos] ¡°No, Princess. I told you this before, but it¡¯s really alright¡­..¡± [Rienne] ¡°But it¡¯s past midnight and he hasn¡¯te back yet.¡± [Phermos] ¡°If you just go to sleep, he¡¯ll be back before you know it.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I can¡¯t sleep.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Princess.¡± Feeling awkward, Phermos crossed his arms in an attempt to cover his bare chest, though it was a pointless effort. However, looking at Rienne, it was obvious she couldn¡¯t care less how exposed he was, but that was hardly the point. [Phermos] ¡°Well¡­¡­This might be a little unwarranted of me to say, but¡­..My Lord has his own way of solving things¡­.so by worrying so much over nothing, you¡¯ll end up stressing yourself out needlessly.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I understand you have faith in Lord Tiwakan, but I can¡¯t help but worry.¡± [Phermos] ¡°I¡¯m only saying there¡¯s nothing for you to be worrying about in the first ce.¡± [Rienne] ¡°But there is. This is about the exile of none other than Linden Kleinfelder. The remains of the Kleinfelder family might¡¯ve made some attempt at retaliation and¡­¡­¡± [Phermos] ¡°If that were the case, I would¡¯ve heard about it sooner. And the Kleinfelders no longer have their private militia, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Sorry? But then where did their five hundred soldiers go?¡± [Phermos] ¡°They realized there was no payment to be earned in their current positions. It stands to reason they would leave.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Oh¡­..¡± [Phermos] ¡°Have you forgotten, Princess? The property of the Kleinfelders has been seized by the royal family, which means it all now belongs to you. Unless you choose to pay those soldiers, they will not remain.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Ah¡­..¡± Rienne blinked. From Phermos¡¯ perspective, it was obvious the Kleinfelders¡¯ fall from power was still a very unreal reality to her. ¡­¡­But of course it would be hard for her to believe. She struggled for so many years under their iron grip. It was only natural that it would take her some time getting used to it. [Phermos] ¡°So, off to bed with you. Just like the Kleinfelders, the soldiers of the other families also have yet to make any kind of move.¡± He wished she would just believe in his words and go to bed. In war, collecting and analyzing information about the enemies¡¯ numbers and movements was something that was done first and foremost. And when it came to war, the Tiwakan were a cut above the rest, so worrying like this was pointless. [Rienne] ¡°Is that so¡­¡­.But what if there was an ident?¡± [Phermos] ¡°An ident?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Like¡­¡­..what if his horse suddenly got spooked or¡­¡­¡­¡° [Phermos] ¡°Then at worst, he would break a bone.¡± Hearing Phermos¡¯ casual response, Rienne raised her voice. [Rienne] ¡°Then all the more reason we should send someone.¡± [Phermos] ¡°The poor soldiers would be the ones suffering for nothing. Wouldn¡¯t it be too cruel to ask them to wander around the border at night, searching for someone who¡¯s likely already left? Something like that would make even a member of the Tiwakan grumble andin.¡± [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s¡­..Then just tell me the direction. I want to go out and meet him myself.¡± Phermos¡¯ expression immediately darkened. [Phermos] ¡°You can¡¯t be serious, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°It would be best if I could go see him for myself.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Best for who, I have to ask¡­¡­¡± Suddenly, Phermos¡¯ mind cleared. Seeing how serious Rienne looked, clearly she was absolutely dead set on going out to meet with his Lord, even if it meant dragging him out with her. [Phermos] ¡°Princess, if my Lord finds out I allowed you to leave the castle at thiste hour, I would have to live using a cane for the rest of my life. Please, just let this go.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Then you can just go with me.¡± [Phermos] ¡°No, absolutely not! Right now, I¡¯m in a position where I must stop you. So please just return to your room. Do you understand?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Lord Phermos, please don¡¯t make me doubt your loyalty. He told me he would hurry back, but instead he¡¯s beyondte at this point. You and I should both be concerned right now.¡± Phermos breathed in deeply. At this point, he needed to say this. [Phermos] ¡°If my Lord had an unexpected ident, either one of us would¡¯ve been contacted by now. At this time, waiting is the best thing you can do, considering you cannot ascertain his exact location. Besides, Princess¡­¡­¡± Still crossing his arms, Phermos¡¯ expression shifted as he approached Rienne. [Phermos] ¡°You are aware you are presently only wearing your nightgown? Not to mention barefoot, as well.¡± [Rienne] ¡°How can you tell? I¡¯m wearing a shawl over it.¡± [Phermos] ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯re wearing a shawl. If you were fully clothed, there would be no need for that.¡± Rienne turned her head away, and he could hear her quietly clicking her tongue under her breath. [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­.I should¡¯ve known. You¡¯re clever.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Are you not embarrassed? If anyone were to see us, you¡¯re simply inviting a misunderstanding to ur. It would be better if you headed back to your room as soon as possible.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Who would be ridiculous enough to misunderstand a situation like this? We¡¯re simply wearing our night clothes because it¡¯s the middle of the night. That¡¯s all there is to it.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Isn¡¯t it only natural to misunderstand, given we are man and woman?¡± [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s a bit disrespectful to us both to reduce us to those mere physical attributes. Besides, there is not a soul disloyal enough among the Tiwakan toy a hand on me.¡± Though Rienne¡¯s words were ever dignified, she gently tugged the hem of her shawl further over her body. It would appear this was something she was only just now realizing, but that didn¡¯t mean she was willing to yield her point. [Rienne] ¡°I am going to get changed. Then, will you apany me?¡± [Phermos] ¡°Hah, Princess¡­¡­..¡± Phermos ran his hands over his face, feeling like he was starting to lose his mind. But then, just as he was about to crack¡ª [ck] ¡°You¡¯re here?¡± A low voice, the tone of which was filled with disbelief, echoed from outside the room, along with the thudding sound of something climbing up the stairs. [Phermos] ¡°Ah¡­.! My Lord!¡± * * * T/N: The title of this chapter is ¡°??¡± which is literally ¡°the night before [usually a day of import]¡±. English doesn¡¯t have a good 1:1 trantion of that word, so I had to fudge it a little, ha. Chapter 75 Chapter 75 Chapter 75 | On the Eve (2) * * * * * The face just beyond the door frame belonged ck, but his usual stoic expression looked especially stiff right now. [ck] ¡°What¡ª¡± [Rienne] ¡°Lord Tiwakan!¡± Seeing ck enter the room, Rienne rushed toward him, arms outstretched as she hugged him fiercely. The moment she jumped up into his embrace, ck caught her, pulling her up into a big hug. [Rienne] ¡°Why are you sote?¡± [ck] ¡°I had something troublesome I needed to take care of. But why are you here?¡± There was a smile on ck¡¯s face as he leaned down with Rienne hanging off of his neck, whispering into her ear. It was the same as always when he was with Rienne. Normally, he was someone who was calmer and more expressionless than anyone else, but whenever he did express his emotions, he would be almost shamelessly brazen with them. [Rienne] ¡°I was worried, so I wanted to go find you.¡± [ck] ¡°In Phermos¡¯ bedroom?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Oh, that¡¯s¡­.¡± From behind Rienne, Phermos pulled back. [Phermos] ¡°No, it¡¯s a misunderstanding! A terrible, terrible misunderstanding!¡± Pulling his eyes away from Rienne, his gaze, which was once soft and kind, rapidly turned bitter and grim. [ck] ¡°Where¡¯s your shirt?¡± [Phermos] ¡°Excuse me? I was about to turn in.¡± [ck] ¡°You should be fully clothed in front of the Princess. What the hell were you thinking of doing?¡± [Phermos] ¡°I was going to change, but the Princess stopped me.¡± [ck] ¡°¡­¡­?¡± Then ck¡¯s eyes widened. [Phermos] ¡°Princess?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Oh, I thought you were just making an excuse to get me to leave the room. You seemed like you wanted to stop me from going to find him.¡± [ck] ¡°¡­¡­¡­¡­So you¡¯ve just been staring at him like this?¡± [Rienne] ¡°It didn¡¯t bother me.¡± [ck] ¡°. . .¡± ck looked like he was about to say something, but then he swallowed hard and bit his lip. [ck] ¡°There¡¯s no reason for us to stay here now, is there?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Of course not. You¡¯ve returned safely, Lord Tiwakan.¡± [ck] ¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡± ck leaned down, scooping Rienne up off her feet and into his arms. But just before he left, he turned his head back to Phermos, not forgetting to re as he mouthed a single phrase to him. I¡¯ll see you tomorrow. Phermos waspletely frozen in ce, but Rienne was just so surprised to be carried again. She tapped ck¡¯s shoulder with the palm of her hand. [Rienne] ¡°P, put me down! I can walk.¡± [ck] ¡°I noticed you¡¯re barefoot.¡± [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s¡­..I just forgot to put on slippers¡­¡± That made it sound like she was worrying so much, something so obvious slipped her mind. Now that Rienne wasing down from the excitement of him having returned safely, she suddenly felt very embarrassed. [Rienne] ¡°Ah, why did I do this¡­..? I must be acting very strangely today.¡± [ck] ¡°That¡¯s fine. I understand.¡± [Rienne] ¡°You do?¡± [ck] ¡°I get weird when ites to you too, Princess.¡± Just like he did now. His head understood it well. Obviously Phermos and Rienne didn¡¯t get along with each other like that. For the most part, they rarely spoke unless there was business that needed taking care of. But aftering back to an empty bedroom and hearing that Rienne had run off to Phermos¡¯ room barefoot, it felt like he couldn¡¯t control his emotions any more. Like they were bubbling up inside of him, threatening to boil over. Even right at the moment when he opened the door, he still couldn¡¯t believe it. Why is that bastard not wearing any clothes, he thought. What the hell is he thinking of doing to her? And as those thoughts kept rushing into him, he honestly wasn¡¯t sure what he would¡¯ve done next. Things might¡¯ve gone very poorly had Rienne not immediately hugged him the second he entered the room. [Rienne] ¡°But I shouldn¡¯t do this anymore.¡± As they descended down the stairs, Rienne naturally held onto him to support herself. Leaning her head against his chest with one arm hooked around his neck, she didn¡¯t feel nervous at all. [Rienne] ¡°If my nanny saw me, she would¡¯ve scolded me.¡± [ck] ¡°I would too¡­.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Sorry?¡± ck turned his head away from Rienne, the muscles in his expression twitching in a way she couldn¡¯t see. [ck] ¡°¡­¡­..I wanted to tell you not to walk around barefoot.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I know. I don¡¯t usually do this.¡± [ck] ¡°And don¡¯t go around wearing just your nightgown, either.¡± [Rienne] ¡°You can¡¯t see anything under the shawl I¡¯m wearing.¡± [ck] ¡°Even with that, it¡¯s still obvious you¡¯re only wearing a nightgown underneath.¡± When he said that, Rienne looked a little ufortable. [Rienne] ¡°¡­..Lord Phermos said the same.¡± [ck] ¡°Did he now?¡± ck¡¯s eyes turned harsh. Even looking up at him, Rienne couldn¡¯t tell what kind of expression he was making, but she could still notice the shift in his tone of voice, as subtle as it was. He seems unhappy, but who was the one who said they¡¯de back in a hurry? Does he have any idea how worried I was? [Rienne] ¡°You¡¯rete.¡± Rienne reached up, grabbing ck¡¯s cor and nudging him down. [Rienne] ¡°I mean it. I was really worried. I kept thinking something might¡¯ve happened.¡± Feeling her tugging at his cor, ck stopped in the middle of the stairs. [ck] ¡°If you¡¯re going to catch me, then it would be best if you did so somewhere else.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Hm? What do you mean?¡± [ck] ¡°Don¡¯t catch me by my clothes.¡± Rienne quickly pulled her hand back at his words. She didn¡¯t mean to, but maybe she identally hurt him by holding onto his cor and pulling on his neck like that. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I won¡¯t do that again.¡± [ck] ¡°I¡¯m not saying don¡¯t do it.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­..?¡± [ck] ¡°Catch me somewhere else.¡± She didn¡¯t get it. What was he implying right now? And what did he want her to do¡­..? [Rienne] ¡°Where did you have in mind?¡± [ck] ¡°Anywhere you want, Princess.¡± He doesn¡¯t like it when she grabs him by his clothes, but he wants her to grab him somewhere else? But where would be good? [Rienne] ¡°I hope this doesn¡¯t hurt you.¡± Rienne felt her body awkwardly shift as she let go of ck¡¯s cor, so she reached out and grabbed whatever she could. With a teasing hand, she took her fingers and pinched the end of ck¡¯s nose as a joke. [ck] ¡°This was unexpected.¡± With his nose partially blocked off, ck¡¯s nose sounded different from usual. This man was very strange indeed, but hearing this kind of voice from him was surprisingly fun. [Rienne] ¡°I don¡¯t think I can reach anywhere else.¡± [ck] ¡°How about my ears?¡± [Rienne] ¡°It won¡¯t hurt your ears if I touch them?¡± [ck] ¡°Better my ear than my nose.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Is that so?¡± With his permission, Rienne carefully let go of his nose and reached out to touch his ear. But she didn¡¯t want to tug at it and identally hurt him, so she was very wary with her touch. But she ended up being so careful that rather than just touching it, it was almost like she was ying with his ear, her fingers trailing across it. [Rienne] ¡°Your ears are handsome, too¡­..¡± Then, she whispered out something she only meant to think. [ck] ¡°What did you just say?¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­Hm? Oh, it¡¯s nothing.¡± [ck] ¡°It wasn¡¯t nothing.¡± [Rienne] ¡°It was¡­¡­.¡± But just as she said that, ck tilted their bodies to the side, leaning Rienne¡¯s back against the cold stone wall lining the stairwell. [ck] ¡°Even if it¡¯s cold, just bear with it.¡± Though, even as he told her to ¡®bear with it¡¯, ck slipped his arm in the gap between Rienne¡¯s back and the wall, preventing the cold from even barely touching her. [ck] ¡°Do I look handsome to you, now?¡± Lowering his head, ck got very close to her ear, almost like he was touching her before whispering softly, and she could feel his voice against her skin. [Rienne] ¡°¡­..You already know that.¡± [ck] ¡°I still can¡¯t believe it.¡± (1) [Rienne] ¡°You see yourself in the mirror¡­¡­ah.¡± Rienne let out a gasp as he ran his lips along the length of her ear, and she instinctively tightly closed her eyes. [ck] ¡°I feel the same. I didn¡¯t realize your ears were this lovely, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Just¡­..¡± With her eyes still tightly shut, Rienne¡¯s voice came out like a sigh. [ck] ¡°Yes?¡± [Rienne] ¡°You don¡¯t have to say that. I¡¯d rather you just kiss me instead.¡± It was such a bold thing to say, she could hardly believe she said it at all¡­. But while Rienne was stewing in her embarrassment, ck let out a long sigh against her ear. [ck] ¡°You don¡¯t seem to get why I have to keep talking in front of you, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s necessary anymore¡­¡­¡± [ck] ¡°What do you think would happen if I didn¡¯t?¡± [Rienne] ¡°You¡­..would kiss me.¡± ck whispered, pushing his lips against her. [ck] ¡°I would. But you know, there¡¯s so much more we could do besides kiss.¡± She thought briefly about what that could mean, but there was no point in even trying to think. Any attempt at a coherent thought flew to the wind the moment she felt that same sweetness across her tongue. * * * * * The process of returning to the bedroom from the tower was a little strange. After forcibly pulling himself away from their long kiss, ck went into the bathroom, saying he wanted to clean up. But after being gone for barely five minutes, he didn¡¯t even wash his hair properly, returning still dripping wet. Seeing that, Rienne had no choice but to pull him back to the bathroom. [Rienne] ¡°That reminds me, what did you mean by ¡®something troublesome happened?¡¯¡± It was surprisingly fun to dry his hair for him with a towel. Or rather, ¡®enjoyable¡¯ was probably a better way to describe it. As she did it, Rienne ran her hands through his hair, checking to see if he had any wounds he hadn¡¯t noticed. She knew him to be someone who had a terrible habit of ignoring his injuries, so if there was any kind of smaller wound on him, it certainly would¡¯ve gone unnoticed by him. [ck] ¡°Oh, a knight of the Kleinfelders appeared out of nowhere¡­..¡± [Rienne] ¡°What? Did you get into a fight?¡± Rienne¡¯s hands stiffened immediately, thefortable gestures of her fingers running along his hair stopping as she looked down at him with fervent worry in her eyes. ck reached back, taking Rienne¡¯s wrist and pulling it forward, kissing the back of her hand. [ck] ¡°It¡¯s not like that.¡± There was only one knight, and what he asked for was to apany the exiled. It was a bit hard to understand his reasons, but the long and short of it was that he was a knight who was extremely loyal to Linden Kleinfelder, vowing to serve him until the day he died. Perhaps if it weren¡¯t the Tiwakan executing the order and just an ordinary peacekeeping group, they would¡¯ve allowed him that. Even if they knew nothing else, they would understand that a knight¡¯s loyalty to their lord was the reason for their existence. But with the Tiwakan, things were different. It wasn¡¯t that the Tiwakan didn¡¯t understand the value of loyalty. But after so many years on the battlefield, too many of them had seen the ideal of loyalty be used and abused by others, quickly crumbling to pieces. [Rienne] ¡°So did you refuse him?¡± Rienne asked as she carried on with her work, carefully rubbing the towel against ck¡¯s wet hair. The sensation made ck loosely close his eyes, a subtle smile growing on his face. [ck] ¡°No. But I told him if he insisted on going, he would have to leave wearing the clothes of a ve and join them in exile.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Oh. But he¡¯s a knight¡­..¡± [ck] ¡°He had to leave behind his armor, but I allowed him to keep his de. Like you said; he¡¯s a knight.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Haha.¡± Rienne chuckled. [Rienne] ¡°You¡¯re somehow both cold-hearted and merciful.¡± [ck] ¡°I¡¯ve never been called merciful before. What would you have done, Princess?¡± [Rienne] ¡°If it were me¡­hm¡­¡­.I think I would allow him to keep his armor, but I¡¯d require a full body search first. If he serves the Kleinfelders, there¡¯s a chance he may have hidden something on his person.¡± Sitting in the bathroom chair, ck leaned back, stretching out his upper body and kissing Rienne on her chin. [ck] ¡°That¡¯s why I had him leave behind his armor.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Phermos didn¡¯t say the two resembled each other for nothing. While Rienne¡¯s methods were more forgiving inparison to ck¡¯s, that didn¡¯t mean she didn¡¯t know how to draw the line and maintain it. She was merely good at recognizing things that could not be yielded on versus things that had to be let go for the sake of cooperation. Perhaps that was how she managed to protect the royal house while living in conflict with the six families. In that way, Rienne was both weak and strong at the same time. [Rienne] ¡°Did he manage to hide anything?¡± [ck] ¡°A few things. Some currency from the Kingdom of Sharka, a couple of valuable jewels¡ªthings like that.¡± [Rienne] ¡°As expected.¡± She thought they might try something like that. [ck] ¡°I had a thought.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What¡¯s on your mind?¡± [ck] ¡°I think there might be someone left controlling the remnants of the Kleinfelders. No matter how loyal a knight is, it doesn¡¯t make sense for them to offer up their own money.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Is that so¡­¡­? Then maybe it wasn¡¯t his? Could it have been something the family chambein ordered?¡± [ck] ¡°A chambein wouldn¡¯t have that kind of authority. It would have to be a member of the family with ess to the treasury.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I see¡­..¡± As Rienne continued to fluff out his hair, she had a serious expression on her face. [Rienne] ¡°That leaves the possibility of someone still remaining with that kind of power in their hands¡­¡­¡± [ck] ¡°Safer to assume than not. They haven¡¯t been revealed yet, but they will sooner orter. Perhaps even tomorrow.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Why tomorrow?¡± [ck] ¡°The five families will be appointing a new representative tomorrow. It¡¯s unlikely the Kleinfelders will give up their seat quietly.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Yes, I agree.¡± Rienne tapped her foot against the floor. [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s a little bit frustrating that I cannot attend the meeting myself, nor can I send Lord And in my ce like today. The selection of a High Priest is a matter decided by the council, not the royal family.¡± [ck] ¡°Did you want to attend the meeting?¡± ck turned around, wordlessly pulling Rienne down and sitting her on hisp. Rienne quietly allowed herself to be guided down, showing no sign of surprise as she leaned her head against his chest. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± [ck] ¡°It¡¯ll be like that from now on.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What?¡± [ck] ¡°Maybe not tomorrow, but in the future. Going forward.¡± With a gentle smile, Rienne caught ck¡¯s earlobe between her fingers. [Rienne] ¡°What on earth are you nning on doing?¡± [ck] ¡°I think it¡¯s high time someone did something about the Treaty of Risebury. I¡¯ll bring you some results by tomorrow.¡± As he answered, ck smiled, but hidden within that smile was a strange grimace. [Rienne] ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry, does it hurt?¡± [ck] ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t. I like it.¡± [Rienne] ¡°But you look like you¡¯re in pain¡­..¡± [ck] ¡°It feels a bit strange, but I like it.¡± ck stood up from his chair, still holding onto Rienne. By now, Rienne was used to the sensation of being held like this¡ªher feet dangling high above the ground. [ck] ¡°Shall we go to bed now?¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­.Yes.¡± She was also getting used to that feeling of her body heating up all of the sudden. And as ck held Rienne in his arms, he pushed his head forward, burying his face in the crook of her neck, murmuring softly against her. [ck] ¡°From the moment I wake up in the morning, all I do is look forward to the time when we can go back to bed together.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Ah¡­¡­¡± Somehow this man always managed to say the sweetest things that tugged at her heart. Just as they did the night before, the two of them fell asleep in the same bed, snuggled up in each other¡¯s arms. * * * T/N: (1) ck once again expressing awe at Mutual Feelings??, but Rienne mistook him for saying he didn¡¯t know he was handsome, heh. Chapter 76 Chapter 76 Happy Holidays to everyone who celebrates something during this time! If not, then Happy (early) New Years! Just putting a little notice here to let everyone know that the next chapter (77) might be a little bit dyed due to time constraints and holiday business! Emphasis on the ¡®might¡¯, though. Chapter 76 | On the Eve (3) * * * * * [Mrs. mbard] ¡°There¡¯s trouble, Princess!¡± Today was another very busy day. Rienne woke up this morning, washed up, got changed, had breakfast with ck, and then saw him off before he left for the meeting. Having lots of work to do was hardly new, but now it actually felt a little disappointing. All that business felt like it was taking away from the time she could spend with him. [Rienne] ¡°What¡¯s wrong, ma¡¯am?¡± After seeing off ck and returning to the castle interior, Rienne was immediately swamped with work. But with Lord And¡¯s help, she managed to make some progress in writing all the letters of appointment for the mercenaries. As they worked, all that could be heard in the air was the sound of pens scratching against parchment when suddenly Mrs. mbard burst into the room, iming trouble was afoot. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°The tailor sent me the clothing and¡­.No, you just have to see it. Come with me. Seeing is believing with this one.¡± Her face, flustered beyond belief, looked awfully haggard. Rienne turned and nodded towards And, setting down her pen and standing up. [Rienne] ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll go together. Where is it?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°My room.¡± Like she was in a hurry, Mrs. mbard grabbed Rienne¡¯s hand, rushing off towards her room at a steady jog. * * * * * [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Tell me if this makes any sense?¡± Flipping around the fabric the tailor brought, the woman couldn¡¯t contain her anger. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°What sort of embroidery is this!? Oh goodness, and we paid you so much, too!¡± [Rienne] ¡°Ah¡­..¡± Due to time constraints, they relied on the tailor and their chosen assistants to do the detail work on the fabric cut ording to ck¡¯s measurements. And to make sure it was all done in time, they paid them handsomely. But the final result was less than ster. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Oh my goodness¡­..There are no words. How could you possibly call this something fit for a wedding? A royal wedding, no less!¡± Seen up close, the embroidery was exceedingly sloppy. The stitches were all different sizes and there were parts that were still sticking up, as if the thread hadn¡¯t been pulled all the way through or the knot hadn¡¯t been tied properly. Mrs. mbard¡¯s standards were high, but the thought of such feeble embroidery on ck¡¯s wedding attire would¡¯ve made anyone shudder. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°If you have a mouth, then exin this! What royal family could possibly call this embroidery!?¡± Mrs. mbard held out her finger towards the struggling tailor. At this rate, Rienne was certain the woman was moments away from pulling out his hair, one strand at a time, so she decided to step in. [Rienne] ¡°I know it¡¯s upsetting, but let¡¯s hear him out first. What happened?¡± [Tailor] ¡°Well, Princess¡­¡­It¡¯s¡­¡­.¡± The tailor bowed his head, his shoulders shaking. [Tailor] ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened. I hired the most skilled people I know of, so they must¡¯ve lost their eyesight trying toplete it by the time you requested.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Pardon? How many people did you hire?¡± The tailor proudly stretched out his hand. [Tailor] ¡°Five! All so it could be done on time!¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Oh for God¡¯s sake, sir! If there¡¯s five different people working on it, of course the stitches would all be different!¡± But hearing out the tailor just sparked even more of Mrs. mbard¡¯s as she pounded her chest. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°And you call yourself a professional! If five people were embroidering like this to the point they ¡®lost their eyesight¡¯, they¡¯d be like children holding needles after a day or two.¡± [Tailor] ¡°Wha, who are you to say that? They are skilled embroiderers who have all been at this for years!¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Quiet! Industry professionals who have been doing this for years, yet this is the best they can do?¡± Rienne could swear this was the first time she¡¯d seen Mrs. mbard get so angry. It was so embarrassing she could feel her face turning red all the way up to her ears. [Rienne] ¡°Then um¡­..maybe they could fix it? And if not, they can just start over.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°What are you talking about, Princess? How can they fix this mess? And even if they start over, it¡¯ll just turn out the same.¡± The tailor looked angry, but he nodded along as if she were right. [Rienne] ¡°Then¡­..What should we do?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°We¡¯ll have to rip it apart and start from the beginning. And we can rece the fabric if it cannot be removed.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Ah¡­.but we don¡¯t have much time left. And like you said, it would only be the same if they started over.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Princess.¡± Mrs. mbard turned towards Rienne, the look in her eyes incredibly solemn, but serious and determined at the same time. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. You and I will do it together, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± Then, her next words were so haunting, Rienne didn¡¯t even know what to say back. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°We just need to stay up for the next three nights straight. No, I think we can do it in two.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Ma¡¯am¡­.¡± But then Rienne would havepletely non-functional hands for the next three days¡­¡­..And she had so many other things she needed to do. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°As I thought, I cannot leave this to anyone else. Especially not to those who don¡¯t know the basics of working with a needle and thread! It¡¯s for a wedding, after all.¡± To be perfectly honest, the state of the embroidery waspletely uneptable to Rienne as well. But to stay up for two whole nights¡­¡­. ¡­..Can¡¯t be helped. If there was no other way, then the least she could do was give it her all. She couldn¡¯t give him in clothing,cking in well done embroidery as a gift. She didn¡¯t like that. [Rienne] ¡°Very well. Let¡¯s do it.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Yes, of course! Thank you, Princess!¡± Mrs. mbard¡¯s face immediately brightened up once Rienne agreed to work for two nights straight. She was always very serious when it came to embroidery. [Tailor] ¡°But, Princess¡­¡­¡± But the tailor looked like he was going to be sick. [Tailor] ¡°My fee¡­¡­.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°What are you talking about? You basically poked holes in the outfit for nothing.¡± The woman spoke as if she were shocked he even dared to ask. [Tailor] ¡°But I hired five workers to do this¡­¡­¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Then you should¡¯ve hired better people. Because of your negligence, the Princess and I are going to suffer more!¡± Mrs. mbard was right, but the tailor also had a point. [Rienne] ¡°How about we do it like this?¡± So Rienne came up with apromise. It was decided that the wages would be sent to the five workers. In exchange, the tailor would need to return his part of the payment. He went back in tears, but Mrs. mbard clicked her tongue, saying Rienne was being too generous with this. In the end, the leftover money was left with Mrs. mbard. Unexpected work had piled up, but at least no one got hurt in the end. Ah, but¡­.I am losing something for this. Rienne looked at the woman who was sitting with a troubled expression, carefully undoing the embroidery from the fabric. For the next two nights, ck would have to sleep alone. Those words he whispered to her about how he spends all day looking forward to when they could sleep together echoed painfully and sadly in her ears. * * * * * [Burey] ¡°We won¡¯t allow you to enter today.¡± The nobles who had already decided upon their new representative were determined this time. Private soldiers were ced in advance and the entrance was blocked. Today, they would not let the Tiwakan disturb their meeting as they did yesterday. He couldn¡¯t even use ¡®monitoring the prisoners¡¯ as an excuse this time since all they needed to do was select a new High Priest and inform the royal family. [Burey] ¡°Don¡¯t even think about taking a single filthy step into this ce. Begone.¡± Burey spoke strongly, still remembering the slight against him from yesterday. Just as there were the day before, there were only eight Tiwakan mercenaries here apanying their leader. There was another man with them, but he looked old and wasn¡¯t carrying a weapon, so he definitely wasn¡¯t a mercenary. Meanwhile, the nobles had nearly two hundred soldiers from across the five families gathered. They were a little upset and bitter that Rosadel didn¡¯t bring any soldiers from his home, but arge number such as two hundred was reassuring enough. [ck] ¡°You used your brains today.¡± ck nodded,mending their efforts to bring soldiers and cing them effectively. After suffering so much the day before, they actually decided to put their heads together this time. [Burey] ¡°What did you say!? Return now! This is not a ce where a mercenary of low birth can step foot in!¡± Standing behind Serquez, Burey continued to brazenly shout out. But Burey chose his words poorly. [Randall] ¡°Low birth¡­¡­?¡± However, it wasn¡¯t ck that got angry, but the mercenaries standing beside him. Randall, one of the ten-year mercenaries, tapped his fingers against the hilt of his de. (1) [Randall] ¡°I wonder how the nobles of Nauk managed to get away with being so damn stupid all this time.¡± Even if they were a small kingdom, stuck near the southern edge, it was strange they¡¯d never heard many stories of the Tiwakan. From the start, there were few nobles and royals who spoke ill of ck¡¯s origins, and the few that didn¡¯t know any better did not do so without shedding tears of repentance for their sins. Because for all the grumbling people did about them, if there was one thing the mercenaries couldn¡¯t stand, it was gossip about ck¡¯s origins. [Randall] ¡°I¡¯ll cut off their tongues, sir. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll leave everything else behind.¡± Randall mumbled with fire in his eyes, his hand firmly gripping the hilt of his de. [ck] ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± But ck held out his hand, urging him back. [Randall] ¡°You¡¯re gonna stop me? Really? You didn¡¯t even do that back when we were in the Kingdom of Friana¡­¡­¡± [ck] ¡°You¡¯ll onlyplicate things. Unless you¡¯re nning on dealing with all a hundred and ny-three soldiers alone, you should stop while you¡¯re ahead.¡± [Randall] ¡°If you let me, I bet I can set a new record.¡± The other mercenaries exchanged looks with each other, letting out heartyughs as if they¡¯d just heard a joke. [ck] ¡°Save your ytime for when you¡¯re free.¡± [Randall] ¡°Tch. Can¡¯t believe you¡¯re stopping me.¡± Randall grumbled as he pulled his hand away from his sword, but the nobles were watching the whole thing happen with amazement. [Eroiden] ¡°Are they crazy¡­¡­.?¡± Eroiden unconsciously mumbled. Rosadel could only nod in agreement. The shock he received back at his estate was still too strong. He wondered if it was toote to back out of the n to dy the marriage by selecting a new delegation head. [Burey] ¡°I, I told you to leave¡­..!¡± But unlike them, who were smart enough to fear, Burey struggled to keep up his voice. [ck] ¡°Oh, that would be difficult.¡± ck¡¯s voice was absurdly casual, given the situation. He stood tall and stalwart, unshaken as if everything waspletely ordinary. [Burey] ¡°What¡¯s the difficulty? What need is there for a mercenary at a meeting of Nauk¡¯s elders?¡± [ck] ¡°The meeting is canceled.¡± [Serquez] ¡°What? What do you mean, canceled?¡± Though he¡¯d been staying silent up until now, Serquez couldn¡¯t help but speak up, stepping forward as he did. He was an opportunist who was a bigger fan of biding his time when he could, but now wasn¡¯t the time. [Serquez] ¡°You dare make a joke of Nauk¡¯s noble houses? Who are you to cancel it?¡± If anything, this had to be the moment where they finally stopped this barbarian from acting however he pleased, even if it resulted in an armed conflict. [ck] ¡°You all came here because you wanted to talk about a new High Priest.¡± And the fact that his speech was calm and informal only served to fuel their ire. [Serquez] ¡°You dare speak of our meeting¡¯s agenda?¡± [ck] ¡°But there¡¯s already a High Priest, so the meeting¡¯s pointless.¡± [Serquez] ¡°Already a High Priest¡­¡­? Now you¡¯re just speaking whatever nonsense you please!¡± [ck] ¡°Bring him in.¡± ck gestured with his head behind him. [Mercenary] ¡°Yes, sir.¡± The mercenaries headed out the front entrance, returning momentster with a person in tow. He was an old man with white hair, wearing a robe that reached past his ankles. [Burey] ¡°What? Who is this?¡± Burey chuckled, so dumbfounded by all of this that even his sarcasm couldn¡¯t be delivered properly. [Burey] ¡°This thing? A High Priest of Nauk, you say?¡± [???] ¡°That¡¯s right, Lord Erling Burey.¡± [Burey] ¡°¡­¡­.?¡± Burey opened his mouth, a sinking feeling forming in his chest at the sight of such a suspicious old man. It was one thing that he knew his name, but the fact that his voice was familiar sent shivers down his spine. [Burey] ¡°Wh¡­¡­what?¡± The old man moved his shaky hand, roughly pulling the worn hood of his cloak from over his head. [???] ¡°It¡¯s been twenty-one long years, everyone.¡± [Burey] ¡°¡­¡­!¡± The words ¡®twenty-one years¡¯ were like an arrow, invisible to the naked eye yet being shot towards the five nobles all the same. All of their eyes were widely open with unmistakable and deep guilt. [Burey] ¡°No¡­.it can¡¯t be¡­¡­¡± Burey shook, pointing his finger at the old man, while Serquez just aimlessly shook his head in a daze, struck into utter disbelief. [Serquez] ¡°The High Priest from twenty-one years ago¡­¡­¡­Manau?¡± The old man nodded carefully. [Manau] ¡°And as the voice of God, no other should be permitted that name over I.¡± [Burey] ¡°Oh¡­oh God¡­¡­¡± And just like that, the faces of the five gathered noble heads turned yellow like poorly aged paper. * * * * * ck was right. Manau¡¯s existencepletely eliminated the purpose of the council meeting. Manau was named the High Priest before the formation of the Treaty of Risebury and as such, his validity could not be called into question by the delegation head chosen by the treaty itself. With his authority as the High Priest, Manau blessed the royal marriage with his own voice, setting the chosen date as three days from then, at noon precisely. And since the voice of God recognized the marriage on behalf of the divine, ck became the Consort of Nauk as per the marriage contract written up with House Arsak. (2) Serquez tried to argue that it was not credible until vows were exchanged and they were officially wedded, but in ordance with Nauk¡¯s customs, the contract was already sealed and valid. [ck] ¡°Now it¡¯s time for you to put those right hands of yours to use.¡± Sitting at the head of the table, ck¡¯s words were heavy upon the shoulders of the nobles. The family heads who had their left hands broken before this swallowed hard. [ck] ¡°Sign it.¡± * * * T/N: (1) It literally refers to Randall as a ¡°10 year man¡±, which I can only assume means he¡¯s one of the mercenaries who has been working with ck the longest. (2) The raws don¡¯t speak this pointedly, but because ck is marrying a princess, his official title would technically be Prince-Consort. Once the two of them are crowned, his title would then be King-Consort. Then, if something were to happen to Rienne (death, illness, etc), his title would change to King-Regent. Essentially, what that all means is that his title is entirely dependent on his marriage to Rienne and that her authority will always be above his. Chapter 77 Chapter 77 Chapter 77 | On the Eve (4) * * * * * To prevent the contents from being altered and run the risk of one of them attempting to remove ck from the contract, the parchment was sealed before being shoved in front of Serquez. The movement was so forceful, Serquez jumped back because he thought he was going to be hit. But after seeing the parchment fall so perfectly in front of him, he scoffed. [Serquez] ¡°What?¡± [Burey] ¡°What is this?¡± After Burey repeated the question, ck narrowed his eyes, furrowing his brow. [ck] ¡°Your tongue is too short, it would seem. And when speaking to the Princess¡¯ husband of all people.¡± With a grin, Randall excitedly stood up from his seat. [Randall] ¡°I¡¯ll cut it, sir!¡± And this time, ck didn¡¯t bother to stop him. Randall was humming to himself as he reached down, pulling out the dagger he had tied to his leg. The fact that he was crazy enough to be humming at the thought of cutting out a person¡¯s tongue made certain the fact that he was a madman, just like the rest of them. All the nobles felt chills being sent down their spine, their bodies freezing in ce. [Burey] ¡°N, no you mustn¡¯t! How dare you attempt this against a noble house leader!¡± [ck] ¡°How dare?¡± ck cocked his head. [ck] ¡°The fools among Nauk¡¯s nobility must never have learned how to speak properly from their families.¡± [Randall] ¡°So we¡¯ve got no choice but to cut out their tongues.¡± Randall¡¯s humming grew louder. [Randall] ¡°A tongue you still haven¡¯t learned how to use right at your age is pretty useless, isn¡¯t it?¡± Taking a long stride forward, Randall deftly grabbed Burey by the cor, locking him in ce like a hunter catching their prey in a snare. [Randall] ¡°Would you mind opening your mouth a little? If you work with me on this, I can make it as painless as possible.¡± [Burey] ¡°Argh! No! No, let me go!¡± [Randall] ¡°Shh. You have to stay still. If you struggle around like that, I can¡¯t guarantee it¡¯ll be a clean cut.¡± [Burey] ¡°Agh! No! Why isn¡¯t anyone stopping him! Hello!? What are you all doing!?¡± In the midst of his struggles, Burey tried to turn his head to the other nobles, yelling at them as he did. But the other nobles looked like they were going to be sick. They did not have the courage to step in. And besides, the cause for punishment was clear. Of course, the punishment was exceedingly harsh inparison to the crime, but what could they do? It was one of their rulers who issued it. It was only urring to them now that Rienne was a very amicable person to deal with. Especially when faced with her other half. [Randall] ¡°Open up. As wide as you can, if possible. If you don¡¯t stick out your tongue, I¡¯m just gonna have to yank it out.¡± Randall gingerly tapped the sharp end of his de against Burey¡¯s mouth. [Randall] ¡°¡­¡­..!¡­¡­¡± Suuuuuuu¡­¡­¡­ Turning sickly blue, Burey¡¯s eyes rolled back into his head as a questionable puddle formed from his pants to the ground. [Randall] ¡°Ah, what the hell!?¡± Randall jumped back, disgusted at how that mess almost hit his boots, throwing Burey back down on the ground and stepping aside, leaving the noble to sit in his own filth. [ck] ¡°Sign it.¡± Again, ck¡¯s low voice broke through the tense air, making everyone¡¯s bodies stiffen like stone. [Serquez] ¡°B, but something like this¡­well¡­..¡± After seeing Burey¡¯s example, Serquez¡¯s tone became noticeably more polite and formal. [ck] ¡°The Treaty of Risebury.¡± [Serquez] ¡°Excuse¡­..me?¡± [ck] ¡°I know how much you all love the Treaty of Risebury, so think of this as a gift from the Princess¡¯ husband to the noble heads of Nauk¡¯s families.¡± [Serquez] ¡°But why are we signing this now¡­¡­?¡± [ck] ¡°One of the original six names is missing. If that¡¯s the case, then the Treaty is ineffective at this time. I thought you all might be disappointed, so I prepared a new one just for you. My name will be recing the missing one.¡± [Serquez] ¡°¡­¡­?¡± Confused, Serquez quickly picked up the sealed parchment, carefully unfolding it. The other nobles, curious about ck¡¯s ims, leaned in, gathering to see what was written. The parchment, containing the original stiptions of the Treaty of Risebury, was mostly intact, but looking closely, some of the wording had been carefully changed. For example, there was a specific line listing all of the powers that Nauk¡¯s delegation had over the royal family, except that the once clear ¡®does have¡¯ was changed to ¡®does not have¡¯. In other words, they would no longer be given that power under any circumstance. Another one of the many amendments was that the noble houses, who once enjoyed an exemption from this, were now required to pay taxes, and any member of the royal house was given the clear right to convene and attend delegation meetings. And all of this was done through small and clever changes in the wording¡ªones that you would not notice if you were not reading closely. [Serquez] ¡°No¡­¡­No, this has to be a joke¡­¡­¡­.¡± Serquez¡¯s mouth trembled. [ck] ¡°The way I see things, the original Treaty of Risebury was no different. A treaty or a veiled threat, I wonder?¡± [Serquez] ¡°. . .¡± [ck] ¡°Sign it. You should do it now if you want to be able to sign it with your hand.¡± [Serquez] ¡°¡­..? What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± Everyone except for Serquez understood the meaning loud and clear. If both of their hands were broken, they would have no choice but to sign it with the pen in their mouths. [Rosadel] ¡°Give it here.¡± Rosadel reached over, snatching the parchment from Serquez¡¯s hand. [Serquez] ¡°Don¡¯t be so rash, Lord Rosadel! This is something that must be discussed with all of us before we decide to sign it.¡± [Rosadel] ¡°What good is that at this point? All we need to do is sign and be done with it.¡± ck nodded. [ck] ¡°That¡¯s exactly right. You have until the count of ten if you wish to use your hands. One.¡± [Rosadel] ¡°Eek!¡± Making a suffocating sound, Rosadel hastily grabbed the nearest pen, scratching down his name in the empty spot. [Eroiden] ¡°I¡¯ll go next, Lord Rosadel!¡± Any arguments about whether or not ten seconds would be enough time for everyone to mor in and sign went out the window as Eroiden finished his signature so quickly, it looked like his hand was about to take flight. [ck] ¡°Two, three¡­¡­.¡± Armendaris also finished signing before the number reached five. Now there were only two left. [ck] ¡°¡­¡­Seven, eight.¡± And as the number hit eight, Serquez quietly endured the chills streaking across his shoulders, finally signing his name just as the others did. Looking at the left wrists of the other nobles, he knew what fate awaited him if he did not touch that pen. [ck] ¡°Ten. There¡¯s only one left.¡± ck gestured to Burey, passed out on the ground. [ck] ¡°Wake him up.¡± [Randall] ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Randall didn¡¯t even bother getting a bucket of water to stir the unconscious noble. The time limit for signing the new treaty with both hands had passed, which meant Burey would be saying goodbye to his right hand. [Burey] ¡°ARGH!¡± Burey screamed and opened his eyes. Not long after that, the revised treaty was finallypleted. * * * * * [ck] ¡°Uh¡­¡­.What did you just say?¡± He could feel his voice shaking. Afterpleting what work he had left after the meeting, ck returned to the castle only to be met with news he didn¡¯t want to believe. [Rienne] ¡°I have something I need to take care of, so you¡¯ll have to sleep alone for the next two nights.¡± [ck] ¡°¡­..? Are you being serious right now?¡± What escaped him were words of utter disbelief, but because he didn¡¯t really rify his words well enough, Rienne was left to misunderstand his phrasing. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m not lying just so I can get out of it. Do you not trust me?¡± [ck] ¡°Ah, that¡¯s¡­¡± Realizing his mistake a second toote, ck held his face in his hand. [ck] ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant¡­¡­.I just mean I don¡¯t want to believe it.¡± [Rienne] ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. It¡¯s unfortunate for me too, but this absolutely needs to be finished.¡± He wanted to ask so badly what the hell could possibly be so important. In all his time traveling across the continent, never before had he, the leader of the Tiwakan, been denied something he desired, nor has he been unable to do what he wanted. [ck] ¡°Think about this carefully, Princess. Shouldn¡¯t you be asking for my permission right now?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Oh, should I?¡± It was at their dinner table where the two of them were discussing this. Rienne gave an embarrassed smile before quietly speaking again. [Rienne] ¡°My apologies. This is my first time having a husband so I didn¡¯t think about this as being something I needed permission for. But something happened that requires me to stay with my nanny for the next two nights, so I hope it isn¡¯t a problem.¡± [ck] ¡°. . .¡± Clink. Sighing, ck set down the fork he was holding. [ck] ¡°If it were a problem, would you not do it?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Um¡­..Well, unfortunately, that¡¯s not an option. This is something unavoidable, and it must be finished.¡± [ck] ¡°. . .¡± What the hell could be so important that you can¡¯t sleep with me? The thought kept spinning in his head. But he didn¡¯t want to be rude and actually say that out loud. Rienne said it was necessary and unavoidable, so he should just respect that. Besides, it wouldn¡¯t be for long. It was just two nights. And their wedding would be the day right after that, so he could understand. He knew that in some ces, it was customary for the bride and groom to avoid seeing each other until the day of the wedding itself. Not to mention there were probably a lot of things that the bride needed to take care of before the day came, including whatever preparation was necessary for the first night. But for some reason, he hated the idea of having to be understanding right now. ¡­¡­I didn¡¯t know I could be so damn petty. [ck] ¡°¡­¡­.I see.¡± So his answer ended uping out quietly and slowly. And like it was never there to begin with, his appetitepletely went away. Rather than picking up his fork again, he just wiped his mouth off with a napkin. [Rienne] ¡°Are you angry?¡± Swallowing the wine soaked peas that were in her mouth, Rienne¡¯s voice sounded nervous when she asked. [ck] ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± [Rienne] ¡°You look upset.¡± And now he felt even worse because he was caught with a clear expression of displeasure on his face, like she knew exactly how bratty he was being about this. [ck] ¡°Would it be weird if I was upset about this?¡± Rienne] ¡°Well¡­¡­.If I were you, I would be upset. But I can¡¯t say that, so I¡¯ll just apologize instead.¡± But those words made him feel a bit better. Setting the napkin down, ck turned his chair towards Rienne. [ck] ¡°Does that mean this makes you sad too, Princess?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Of course, why wouldn¡¯t it?¡± Rienne turned her eyes down, her eyshes fluttering as her lips were still wet with the remnants of the wine-soaked peas. [Rienne] ¡°That time is very precious for me as well. I like being able to lie down together, talking about how our day went.¡± [ck] ¡°And what do you n on doing once you give that up?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Um¡­.I¡¯d rather you not know. It¡¯s a little shameful.¡± Bringing up the fact that wedding attire was once again ruined made Rienne feel embarrassed. She wasn¡¯t sure she could take such a guilty heart again. [ck] ¡°I don¡¯t want you to feel ashamed in front of me.¡± [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s just this once. It won¡¯t happen a second time.¡± [ck] ¡°If you say so.¡± Rather than pressing any further, ck swept his hand across Rienne¡¯s cheek instead. [ck] ¡°Still, if I¡¯m going to do this for you, then I want you to kiss me.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Are you done eating?¡± Rienne looked up at him, curiously tilting her head with her eyes wide open. Right now, she herself was distracted by how delicious these pea dishes had turned out to be. [ck] ¡°It¡¯s fine, I¡¯m done. Just a real quick one, and then we can talk more.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Alright¡­..Well then, close your eyes.¡± Holding out his cheek towards her, ck gently closed his eyes. But seeing him like that, Rienne gave a yful smirk as she kept a pea snug between her lips, pressing it against his. [ck] ¡°¡­¡­.Uh?¡± Swallowing it quickly ck stared right back at her. [ck] ¡°Why this?¡± [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s delicious.¡± Tinged with red wine, ck¡¯s lips looked redder than usual. Rienne smiled, pressing her own reddened lips against his, whispering to him that she thought he looked extra handsome like this. [Rienne] ¡°But I¡¯m worried you might¡¯ve lost your appetite, Lord Tiwakan. You ate too little. But now that you¡¯ve tasted some, why not eat more?¡± [ck] ¡°That¡¯s a good idea.¡± But just as she pulled away, ck seized her chin, tasting what he could of Rienne¡¯s lips, before kissing her deeply. [ck] ¡°You¡¯re right. It¡¯s delicious.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Oh, that¡¯s not¡­..¡± [ck] ¡°Thanks for the meal.¡± Before she could stop him, he hastily pulled her in again. She thought this would be the first quiet meal they would take together, so when he suddenly kissed her so fiercely, it felt like her mind was going especially nk the moment their lips touched. * * * * * [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Princess!¡± This was the third time now. [Rienne] ¡°Ah, I¡¯ll be more careful.¡± Rienne quickly dropped the fabric from her hand. Having pricked herself on the finger for the third time in a row, she was afraid the small droplet of blood forming might identally stain the fabric. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Goodness, why do you keep hurting yourself?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m not doing it on purpose¡­¡­.¡± It was just that her heart kept wandering off somewhere else. It would slip through the gap in the door frame, down the winding halls, and ending up in that bedroom where a certain man would be sleeping alone¡ªsettling in his arms, underneath the same nket. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°You must be tired already.¡± [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s not that. My hands are just tired from holding a pen for a long time. And my wound hasn¡¯t quite healed yet.¡± It wasn¡¯t entirely that, but that was partially the reason as well. Writing out that many letters of appointment was difficult, and the wound she sustained from the scissors not long ago hadn¡¯t healed entirely. One wrong move, and she¡¯d be met with a sharp pain. Still, Rienne didn¡¯t want to do anything that could result in the wedding being dyed. She was too excited for it now. [Rienne] ¡°But I suppose I am a little sleepy, so I¡¯ll go ssh some cold water on my face.¡± Rienne set down her needle and thread, pulling herself up. A basin of fresh water had already been prepared in the room, set on a table next to the window. She cupped some of the water and threw it up her face. The water was so cold, it immediately brought her back to her senses, but when she thought about the remaining work left, her expression immediately darkened. * * * Chapter 78 Chapter 78 Chapter 78 | Dream (1) * * * * * [Rienne] ¡°Is it really possible to finish it all¡­¡­?¡± Rienne wondered, feeling tired as her heavy eyelids started to droop. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°This is¡­..¡± She was about to say something, but the same woman who was so determined to finish all the embroidery within two nights suddenly looked very weak. [Rienne] ¡°What is it?¡± The woman¡¯s reaction seemed so subdued that it shocked Rienne back to alertness. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°I forgot you hurt your hand, Princess. I got so ahead of myself, I identally made you suffer. How could I have been so short sighted¡­..But it¡¯s toote to take it back now.¡± Mrs. mbard looked like she was about to start crying. Panicking, Rienne held out her hand, patting the woman¡¯s shoulder and trying tofort her wet expression. [Rienne] ¡°No, ma¡¯am! Don¡¯t cry, there¡¯s still time.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°What¡¯s the point of a nanny who can embroider if she forces a Princess that¡¯s about to get married to give up on sleep to do it with her¡­¡­.! I don¡¯t have the right to be your nanny, Princess.¡± The poor woman was seconds away from openly sobbing now. Rienne quickly shook her head. [Rienne] ¡°No, no¡­.This was my own selfishness. You didn¡¯t force me to do anything, so don¡¯t cry.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°But I should have stopped you even when you said you wanted to do it!¡± And then her tears burst forth. Seeing the woman who raised her since she was a little girl crying so profusely made even Rienne want to cry. [Rienne] ¡°Don¡¯t cry¡­..You¡¯ll make me cry, too¡­..¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°What makes you want to cry¡­¡­.sniff.¡± The woman sobbed and sobbed, but never once did she let go of her threading needle. It was almost impressive and admirable how she still wanted toplete everything. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°What should I do¡­..If the Princess¡¯ fianc¨¦ wears such an outfit¡­¡­¡± It would be the biggest nightmare of this poor woman¡¯s life. [Rienne] ¡°The two of us can just do our best! And I¡¯m sure Lord Tiwakan wouldn¡¯t mind if the embroidery was a little sparse.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°I can¡¯t allow that!¡± But Rienne¡¯s attempts tofort the woman only resulted in her crying intensifying. Rienne shifted awkwardly in her seat, feeling her eyes start to water. Knock, knock. Then, there was a knock at the door. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Who is it?¡± The woman stood up, sniffling and clearing her throat as she raised her body. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°I¡¯ll, sniff, go see who it is.¡± [Rienne] ¡°No, I can go.¡± But Mrs. mbard sent a strong nod to Rienne, one wordlessly telling her to stay seated, as she headed off towards the door. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Who could it be at this hour?¡± Before she opened the door, she was thinking that it might¡¯ve been ck or Phermos, considering they were the only people who might have probable cause to disturb them at this time. But the face she was met with was unexpected. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°¡­¡­? Do you have the wrong room?¡± [Mrs. Henton] ¡°I don¡¯t believe I do.¡± It was Mrs. Henton, peeking her head inside and ncing around the room. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Then what are you doing here?¡± Looking at her with an intense re, Mrs. mbard narrowed her crying eyes. For her, it was Mrs. Henton, not Rienne, who ruined the previous wedding attire. [Mrs. Henton] ¡°I heard about it earlier.¡± But Mrs. Henton wasn¡¯t discouraged by such a cold stare in the slightest. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°What are you talking about?¡± [Mrs. Henton] ¡°The tailor went back crying.¡± Mrs. mbard gasped. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Did that worthless lout also cry about what he did, too? His embroidery was such a mess, we had no choice but to send him packing!¡± [Mrs. Henton] ¡°If you have any spare needles and thread, give them to me.¡± Though Mrs. mbard was blocking the door with her body, Mrs. Henton deftly moved past her, entering the room with ease. Unconsciously stepping back, Mrs. mbard followed behind her, lightly grabbing onto Mrs. Henton¡¯s sleeve. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°No, what do you think you¡¯re doing? Don¡¯t think I¡¯ve forgotten what you didst time!¡± [Mrs. Henton] ¡°If I were you, I would realize that finishing all of this work by the day of the wedding would be impossible, even if I worked all through the night. In that case, there would be no point in me ruining it. I have some skill with sewing so I wish to help.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°What? All of a sudden?¡± [Mrs. Henton] ¡°The human heart is capable of miraculous change. I¡¯m merely sick of being stuck in my room all day doing nothing, so don¡¯t think so deeply about it.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°You don¡¯t seem like you¡¯re taking this very seriously, are you?¡± Seeing this conversation start to devolve into an argument, Rienne approached them both. [Rienne] ¡°Stop this, ma¡¯am. And Mrs. Henton¡­¡± Though to be perfectly honest, Rienne didn¡¯t know either. What was Mrs. Henton¡¯s motive right now? If she sought to ruin the wedding ceremony, it was unlikely because she held any resentment towards ck. Like Mrs. Henton said, he was just an eight year old boy who couldn¡¯t do anything. [Rienne] ¡°You must know, it¡¯s not just my wedding, but Lord Tiwakan¡¯s as well.¡± [Mrs. Henton] ¡°I understand that. But¡­¡­.¡± She suddenly stopped talking, instead smiling bitterly. [Mrs. Henton] ¡°My son said he wanted to live here. It was the first time he¡¯s ever expressed a desire, so I wanted to honor that. You have nothing to fear from me, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Ah¡­¡­.is that true? He said that?¡± [Mrs. Henton] ¡°Yes.¡± But from her bitter smile, the long standing resentment started to fade little by little. [Mrs. Henton] ¡°And he said those sweets were very delicious.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Oh¡­¡­.¡± The woman looked so exhausted that Rienne wanted to say something back, but she couldn¡¯t find the words. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m¡­..d to hear it.¡± So that was all Rienne could say in the end. Mrs. Henton gave a modest smile, and then gestured towards the partially done sewing with her head. [Mrs. Henton] ¡°I¡¯ve been sewing for a long time myself. With my help, a finished product is assured.¡± Though no one said anything in return, the woman straightened out her back, sitting in front of the threaded needles. [Mrs. Henton] ¡°Are these needles alright to use?¡± Meanwhile, Mrs. mbard just looked at Rienne with a look of shock. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Princess¡­¡­¡± But Rienne just nodded, turning to her with a smile¡ªthough her eyes were undeniably drowsy and sleepy. [Rienne] ¡°Trust, ma¡¯am.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°No, but¡­Ah, that¡¯s my needle set. Use these ones.¡± Feeling anxious, Mrs. mbard pulled back with widened eyes seeing that Mrs. Henton had already gotten started without a single word. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Actually use these. If you can do this part up until here, I¡¯ll be able to breathe easy.¡± [Mrs. Henton] ¡°Alright, then.¡± No one could deny that these two women got off to a bad start, all things considered, but even their bad rtionship could be ignored in the face of work that needed to be done. Mrs. Henton certainly wasn¡¯t lying when she said she¡¯d been sewing for a very long time. With dexterous and skillful hands, there was no hesitation with her stitching. Even without Mrs. mbard nagging her, she was able to measure the thread length ahead of time, carefully matching the work that had already been done, moving along step by meticulous step. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°¡­¡­..I suppose you weren¡¯t lying when you said you¡¯ve been doing this for a long time.¡± [Mrs. Henton] ¡°I¡¯ve lived an unspeakable life as a ve in someone else¡¯s home for thest twenty years. Sewing is hardly something I find troublesome.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°By someone else¡¯s home, then¡­..No, you needn¡¯t say anything. I shouldn¡¯t have asked.¡± [Mrs. Henton] ¡°I don¡¯t mind, but it¡¯s still not a good thing to talk about, so I would appreciate no questions.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Very well.¡± In their silence, their work started to gradually speed up. It got to the point where Rienne felt like she was going too slow, so she started going fast too. [Rienne] ¡°I think he¡¯d be happy to know that you helped us, ma¡¯am.¡± [Mrs. Henton] ¡°. . .¡± Mrs. Henton nced up at Rienne as she sewed. [Rienne] ¡°He told me he wanted a home.¡± And things like this felt like home. Like a family. So she was certain this would make him happy¡­¡­.And it made her happy, too. [Mrs. Henton] ¡°Then that¡¯s a good thing.¡± Mrs. Henton¡¯s voice was like a whisper. After that, no one spoke anything else. They all kept afortable silence, quietly and diligently threading needles through fabric. Yet somehow, the air felt warm, as if it was being kept alive by the light of a firece that hadn¡¯t been lit. * * * * * It was around half past five in the morning by the time Rienne returned to the bedroom. Mrs. mbard had basically pushed her out of the room, saying that Rienne needed to get some sleep even if she had to be up in an hour. Mrs. Henton had even pulled the threaded needles out of Rienne¡¯s hands before she was essentially tossed from the room. They still didn¡¯t seem to get along very well, but when Rienne looked back on all they had aplished together, they seemed like they could be very good friends if given the chance. But once Rienne gently opened the bedroom door, she was so tired, her eyes were almost closed. I have to wash my face¡­¡­ So she thought, but her body was already heading towards the bed. He must already be asleep¡­¡­So goodnight. I hope I see you first thing in the morning. She thought trying to join ck in bed at this time would only wake him up, so she decided the next best ce to copse in exhaustion would be the next room over. Without even thinking about getting undressed, Rienne thumped down on the bed. And the moment her tired body made contact with the soft bed, her eyes closed. Her arms and legs were too heavy to move right now. Even though she knew she needed to take her shoes off, she was already half-asleep. But then, like a dream¡ªsomeone touched her foot. Thwip¡ª With a quiet and subtle sound, her shoes were slipped off and set down on the floor. Then, the hands that were carefully touching her feet made their way to holding her body, readjusting her to a morefortable position. And then, whoever they were, they gently lifted her up, tucking a pillow underneath her head. Who is it¡­¡­..A household spirit? (1) Her thought was so funny, sheughed even in her sleep. Don¡¯tugh, the spirit said. I¡¯m holding back because I don¡¯t want to wake you up. With a sleepy smile, Rienne whispered out¡ª [Rienne] ¡°Take off¡­..my stockings too¡­¡­I can¡¯t do it¡­.myself¡­.¡± I didn¡¯t realize you had this kind of sleeping habit, the spirit seemed to grumble. [Rienne] ¡°Do¡­you hate¡­it¡­¡­?¡± Of course I don¡¯t hate it. You should know by now that it¡¯s the other way around, the spirit continued to murmur, moving their hands to push up the hem of her dress the tiniest bit, clumsily pulling at her stockings. As if it tickled, Rienne cutely giggled. This particr spirit apparently didn¡¯t know how to remove a woman¡¯s stockings. [Rienne] ¡°Not like that¡­..You have to undo the garter first¡­..¡± The garter? The spirit asked. [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s¡­.on my thigh¡­..¡± She could hear the spirit groaning in exasperation. I¡¯m not confident I can keep myself together at this rate, they muttered once more. Slip. The hem of her skirt was lifted up as she felt both of the spirit¡¯s hands reach up around her leg. They felt around for a moment, carefully moving underneath her skirt until they found the knot keeping her garter in ce on the inside of her thigh. Swip, thwip. The knot unfurled, and the thin fabric of her stocking was pulled across her bare skin. The spirit¡¯s hand continued to tug at it, pulling it down little by little. [Rienne] ¡°Ah, that¡¯s¡­strange¡­¡­¡± Rienne shifted her body. Hm¡­..? This spirit seemed like they were trying not to touch her skin directly. They grabbed at the fabric of her stocking with their fingertips instead of the garter, taking twice as long as they should¡¯ve just to pull it down. Why does this feel so strange¡­¡­ Feeling the sensation of her soft stocking being slowly drawn across her skin, she started to feel oddly anxious. Rienne let out a sigh, loosely biting her lip as her throat turned dry. They weren¡¯t even touching her properly¡­¡­and because they were moving so slowly, even the easy task of removing her stocking was suddenly so much harder. [Rienne] ¡°Not like that¡­..Quickly¡­.the garter¡­..Here..I¡¯ll¡­..help you find it¡­..¡± Rienne fumbled, reaching down and finding where the garter was on her leg. After the spirit¡¯s incredibly slow work, it was just above her knee, near her inner thigh. Rienne took hold of the spirit¡¯s hand, guiding them to press their whole palm against the garter on her leg. [Rienne] ¡°You just have to grab it¡­¡­and pull it down¡­quickly¡­¡­¡­Hm?¡± But very suddenly, the spirit pulled away. [ck] ¡°¡­¡­..I can¡¯t do this anymore.¡± The spirit¡¯s voice, once as distant and hazy as a dream, was filled with an unexpected rity¡ªand they sounded like ck, who seemed very exhausted. [Rienne] ¡°Oh¡­¡­Huh? What?¡± As if she wasn¡¯t about to just pass out from exhaustion, Rienne¡¯s eyes shot open. [ck] ¡°Ask me to do something else.¡± It wasn¡¯t a household spirit¡ªit was ck. [Rienne] ¡°S, since when¡­..?¡± Filled with embarrassment, Rienne raised her voice. ncing down at her disheveled appearance on the bed, ck swept his messy hair back over his forehead. [ck] ¡°I didn¡¯t go to sleep. I thought you mighte to bedter.¡± Rienne was actually asking since when it was him rather than a spirit, but ck answered thinking she was wondering since when he was awake. [Rienne] ¡°No, wait, that¡¯s¡­..So, it was you from the beginning?¡± [ck] ¡°What?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I thought it was a dream¡­¡­¡± [ck] ¡°¡­¡­No wonder.¡± ck turned away his head, letting out a sigh that sounded very tired. [ck] ¡°I ended up doing something wrong that woke you up. Let¡¯s just go to sleep now.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Wait, I need to take off my stockings¡­..¡± Now that she was awake, she could take off her stockings herself. But just as she was about to, her hand suddenly froze in ce. In order to take off her stockings, one would either need to take off her dresspletely¡­¡­or slip their hands inside her skirt. Which was probably why the whole thing felt very provocative. [ck] ¡°Do you need me to close my eyes?¡± Though he was asking her, ck¡¯s eyes were already closed before she answered. [Rienne] ¡°I wonder, will I feel morefortable with these sorts of things once we¡¯re married?¡± Rienne turned around, looking at ck who still had his eyes closed. [ck] ¡°What do you mean?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I mean, taking each other¡¯s clothes off so we can sleep better.¡± [ck] ¡°¡­¡­.Perhaps.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I hope it happens quickly.¡± Shifting her body, Rienne forced herself to start getting up from the bed, preparing to remove her stockings. [Rienne] ¡°But right now, it¡¯s still so very difficult for me¡­¡­It only went as far as it did because it felt like I was having a very sweet dream¡­¡­.¡± Truthfully, she wasn¡¯t really sure what she was saying right now. Perhaps this was a bit shameless and strange of her to think, but she actually felt a bit sorry that her dreamlike feeling disappeared in the middle of it all. [Rienne] ¡°In my dream, you seemed like a spirit, doing everything for me so I didn¡¯t have to lift a finger.¡± [ck] ¡°Then¡­¡± Opening his eyes, ck quickly turned to Rienne and got closer to her without any hesitation. [ck] ¡°I guess we should both work hard from now on. To get you used to it.¡± * * * T/N: (1) A ¡°household deity¡± (also known as a fairy, ghost, elf, etc.) is an entity believed to exist in one¡¯s home to watch over and protect the family or one specific member. They are a concept that is prevalent in many cultures and folklore, eastern and western alike. The exact word used here was ¡°???¡±, which could also be called a sprite or a fairy, but I went with spirit since many household deities are considered some form of spirit. Chapter 79 Chapter 79 Chapter 79 | Dream (2) * * * * * Just as Rienne was about to stand up, ck pulled her back,ying her down on the bed¡ªhis hazy looking eyes knocking the wind out of her. [Rienne] ¡°You said you couldn¡¯t do it anymore.¡± Right now, Rienne took his sudden trepidation to remove her stockings for her as a sign that it was too difficult for him. After all, stockings were made of thin fabric that was easy to tear and rip. Perhaps he thought he might ruin them by ident. [ck] ¡°Did you take that to mean that I was incapable of taking them off for you?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Um¡­..Yes?¡± ck gave an unprompted smile, one vague in meaning. [ck] ¡°I told you. I¡¯m not confident I can keep myself together at this rate.¡± (1) Somehow, she vaguely remembered hearing something simr while she was half-asleep. [Rienne] ¡°I don¡¯t understand. Isn¡¯t it all the same in the end?¡± [ck] ¡°I think it¡¯s a little bit different when I¡¯m the one doing it for you.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Something like that sounded terribly suggestive, but before Rienne could say anything further, ck wrapped his hand around her ankle, gently pushing up the end of her dress. [ck] ¡°Don¡¯t lift a finger. You can do that, right?¡± Rienne instinctively gasped, her face turning a charming red color like a fresh apple. [Rienne] ¡°It¡­it¡¯s a little embarrassing¡­¡­I should just do it myself.¡± [ck] ¡°It¡¯s toote for that.¡± Pushing her dress up above her knees, ck curled hisrge hand over the garter, carefully running his fingers along it and grabbing the knot. Slip. Holding it in his hand, he started to pull it away, the loosened stocking following along with his motion as it slipped down the side of her leg. [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± It was different from when she was half asleep, dazed in a blur of total exhaustion. Back then, his hands were careful not to touch her skin, but now, as he pulled down the thin fabric of her stockings, he brazenly caressed her bare leg with his palm. [Rienne] ¡°W, wait¡­¡­H, hold on¡­..¡± Her shoulders wouldn¡¯t stop trembling, but ck pretended not to hear her feeble attempts at resistance, quieter than a mosquito. [ck] ¡°This one¡­..is off now.¡± Tap. ck took the removed stocking in his hand, gingerly dropping it to the floor. Against the cold and clear light of dawn, Rienne¡¯s skin looked the purest white. Holding onto her ankle, he held up her leg, pressing a kiss to her bare knee. Again her body trembled. [ck] ¡°Onto the next.¡± [Rienne] ¡°W, wait¡­..I can do it myself.¡± On her other leg, her unloosened garter was much higher up, and the knot was near her inner thigh. [ck] ¡°Why?¡± [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s embarrassing¡­..¡± [ck] ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound like a very good excuse. You¡¯re supposed to be getting used to things like this so they aren¡¯t so embarrassing anymore.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Well, just imagine things the other way around. If you were wearing socks, Lord Tiwakan, would you be alright with me taking them off for you?¡± [ck] ¡°¡­¡­.I¡¯ll be looking forward to whenever that happens.¡± Just mentioning that made ck¡¯s eyes go a little hazy. [ck] ¡°I only wear socks when I need to go out¡­¡­..When that happens, will you take them off for me, Princess?¡± Rienne tilted her head at him, her face a little teary and pouty. [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­.Men¡¯s socks don¡¯t evene up to the knee.¡± [ck] ¡°Unfortunately.¡± This man¡¯s thoughts were awfully unpredictable sometimes. [ck] ¡°But it wouldn¡¯t be hard to make a set that goes up farther than that if you want.¡± That wouldn¡¯t be hard¡­..but would she be able to do her part just as easily? [ck] ¡°If you¡¯re feeling shy, I can close my eyes.¡± ¡­..But would that even help at this point? [Rienne] ¡°Is there any reason why you want to remove my stockings yourself so badly?¡± With his eyes already closed, ck shook his head, chuckling as if he was honestly shocked she was even asking that. [ck] ¡°It would be faster to exin the reasons why I wouldn¡¯t want to.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What do you mean?¡± [ck] ¡°Because there¡¯s nothing to exin. No reason to speak of means it would be faster.¡± ck ran his hand across Rienne¡¯s knee and up her leg, her whole body reflexively flinching in response. [ck] ¡°Was it here¡­¡­? Yeah, here.¡± Thwip¡ª His fingers drew lines across her leg, touching against the knot keeping her garter in ce, and the odd sensation forced a soft sigh from her slightly parted lips. Why must I react like this¡­¡­? He didn¡¯t even touch my skin directly that time. [ck] ¡°I might be slower since my eyes are closed.¡± She knew he would stop if she truly asked, but the strangest thing about this whole thing was Rienne herself, who was unable to tly reject his advances. [Rienne] ¡°Then open your eyes.¡± [ck] ¡°Aren¡¯t you embarrassed?¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­¡­I have to get used to it eventually.¡± So Rienne decided to close her eyes instead. [Rienne] ¡°Unless you suddenly change your personality, Lord Tiwakan, this is bound to happen again and again. I can¡¯t afford to be shy every time.¡± Being embarrassed by this kind of interaction every single time it happened would only end up hurting her. And besides. It wasn¡¯t as though she hated it. [ck] ¡°Isn¡¯t it the same when you¡¯re the one closing your eyes, Princess?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m taking baby steps¡­¡­¡± [ck] ¡°Then it would be better if I moved.¡± ck stood up from sitting near Rienne¡¯s legs, propping himself above her and pinning her down below him. She was so surprised by the feeling of his body shifting that she opened up her eyes, only to immediately see his intense gaze. [Rienne] ¡°How will you take off my stockings like this?¡± [ck] ¡°If you help me, Princess, it¡¯s possible.¡± Looking down at her, ck lowered his head, and the moment their lips touched, a kiss naturally followed. Immediately, Rienne reached out her hands, running her fingers through ck¡¯s hair, wanting to feel the soft texture against her skin as much as she could. And as her lips parted, weing a deeper kiss, she felt ck slip his hand down her leg, reaching down to her inner thigh. Ah¡­¡­ Feeling his hand against her, she thought she was going to stop breathing for a moment. Opening her eyes slightly, she could see that ck¡¯s eyes were closed, entirely lost in their kiss. Thwip¡ª But at the same time, the knot of her garter waspletely undone. As he tugged on her stocking, she instinctively bent her leg, feeling the fabric being pulled down. His hand swept down her thigh and along her calf as he effortlessly peeled off her stocking¡ªall without breaking their kiss. [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­..I was told I should get a little bit of sleep.¡± Breathing in deeply, Rienne weakly leaned against ck¡¯s shoulder, her cheekspletely reddened. [Rienne] ¡°I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s possible anymore.¡± [ck] ¡°That¡¯s not true.¡± Unlike Rienne, who was red in the cheeks and visibly exhausted, ck lookedpletely fine. But looking closely, there was a dark haze lurking in his eyes. [ck] ¡°I¡¯ll take off your outer clothes so you can sleepfortably.¡± Compared to her stockings, her other outerwear was nothing. There were threeyers¡ªa slip, an underdress, and then her outer dress. Her bare skin was at no risk of being touched or exposed. Thinking this, Rienne carefully raised her arms. Taking her cue, ck wrapped his arms around her, reaching to start undoing the buttons on the back of her dress. [Rienne] ¡°I have a question¡­..¡± [ck] ¡°What is it?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Where did you learn to take off stockings like this?¡± [ck] ¡°This is my first time.¡± [Rienne] ¡°That can¡¯t be¡­¡­You¡¯re doing too well.¡± [ck] ¡°It must seem like that because this is your first time as well, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Is that so¡­¡­.? I have another question.¡± Although Rienne said earlier that sleep would be impossible, her eyelids were getting heavier, and there was a slight drowsiness to her voice. Her exhaustion didn¡¯t escape ck¡¯s notice, either. He smiled softly, kissing the corners of her sleepy eyes. [ck] ¡°Yes?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Did you have any other thoughts when you took off my stockings?¡± [ck] ¡°Like what?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­..Anything sexual, perhaps.¡± [ck] ¡°. . .¡± The hand that was unbuttoning her dress suddenly stopped, stiffening in the middle of her back. [Rienne] ¡°Because I did¡­¡­But you don¡¯t seem that way at all, Lord Tiwakan.¡± [ck] ¡°¡­¡­.If that¡¯s how I look to you, then that¡¯s proof that God exists.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Hm?¡± [ck] ¡°I¡¯ve been praying to look normal in your eyes this entire time.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Oh¡­¡­Since when¡­¡­?¡± [ck] ¡°Since the second you asked me to take your stockings off, Princess. In my head, many times, you and I already¡­..No, I shouldn¡¯t say that. Just lift your arms up.¡± The second Rienne lifted up her arms, he pulled off her outer dress as fast as he could. [ck] ¡°That¡¯s out of the way. Anything else?¡± [Rienne] ¡°One more thing.¡± Rienne leaned back into the bed, patting the space next to her with a sweet but tired smile. [Rienne] ¡°Lie down here with me.¡± [ck] ¡°¡­¡­.God help me.¡± ck muttered to himself as he quietly fell to the spot next to her as he usually did. Rienne pushed herself closer to him with so much familiarity, now feeling a little morefortable with things like this than she was before. [Rienne] ¡°Why weren¡¯t you asleep already?¡± [ck] ¡°I couldn¡¯t sleep. You weren¡¯t here.¡± So he felt the same way she did. She could still remember her own emptiness when she tried to sleep without him by her side. [Rienne] ¡°So, does that mean we¡¯ll be able to share a bed every night? Even after we¡¯re married?¡± [ck] ¡°You won¡¯t be able to kick me out. Unless you somehow manage to find mercenaries morepetent than the Tiwakan.¡± He didn¡¯t sound like he was joking, but Rienneughed at his attempt at humor all the same. [Rienne] ¡°Everyone will think it¡¯s strange. Married nobles in Nauk don¡¯t usually share a room with their spouses.¡± [ck] ¡°Are you worried about that?¡± [Rienne] ¡°No. On the contrary¡­¡­I¡¯m actually looking forward to their grumbling.¡± [ck] ¡°What makes you say that?¡± [Rienne] ¡°They might think it¡¯s odd at first, but in the end, won¡¯t it show them how close we are? That we¡¯re so attached to one another that we cannot bear to be apart, even just for the night.¡± [ck] ¡°Would you like it if other people thought like that?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I have no reason not to.¡± Rienne gently reached out her hand, quietly pulling on the hem of ck¡¯s clothing, bringing him closer to her. [Rienne] ¡°I want everyone to know¡± That you are my person. And I am your home. And that no one can ever take that away from us. ck turned his head towards Rienne. Looking at her without saying a word, it was like he could hear exactly what she was trying to say. That feeling of understanding was somehow both fascinating and wonderfully familiar. [ck] ¡°I hope so, too.¡± And after looking at her for a very long time, ck took Rienne¡¯s hand, slowly interlocking his fingers with hers, holding it tightly. [ck] ¡°For the rest of our lives.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Yes. For the rest of our lives.¡± And that¡¯s how they fell asleep. At some point, their eyes closed, their hands still bound together. Sleeping while basking in the light of dawn, tucked away in each other¡¯s arms, that moment was far sweeter than any dream could be. * * * * * [Rienne] ¡°What¡­¡­? Is that true?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Yes, it is.¡± Rienne ended up oversleeping. If she had to make an excuse, it wasn¡¯t that she did it on purpose, but she simply lost track of time. Just before drifting off, she asked ck to wake her up when it was time, but he didn¡¯t in the end. For that reason, Rienne ended up sleeping far longer than she intended to. By the time Rienne stirred, it was nearly noon and half the morning was gone. But, on the bright side, as soon as she woke up, Mrs. mbard excitedly said she had some good news for her. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°She¡¯s very good with her hands. Oh, and smart too! She might be better at embroidering than I am.¡± A few hours after Rienne went to bed, the embroidery was entirelypleted. Mrs. mbard sent the captain of the castle guard to find and bring a seamstress to the castle. Though the woman was still not fully awake, shepleted the embroidery as per Mrs. mbard¡¯s instructions, yawning the whole way through. And luckily, she did not do such an impossible job alone. She brought in extremely talented assistants, unlike the previous tailor, and with Mrs. Henton pitching in, the wedding attire waspletely finished within half a day. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°I held the seamstress back since we didn¡¯t get the chance to do a fitting just yet. Should we not have Lord Tiwakan try it on first, just in case we need to do anyst minute alterations?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Ah¡­..Yes, let¡¯s do that. Oh, but I feel so bad. I was sleeping sofortably and ended up leaving all the hard work to the both of you.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Oh, what are you talking about? You¡¯re a bride who should be preparing your heart for getting married tomorrow.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Still, it¡¯s not like the wedding is today. I have time.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°And yet we still have so much to do! You haven¡¯t even tried on your dress yet, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Huh¡­¡­.?¡± So many things had been going on that the idea of her own wedding dress never even urred to her. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m so scatterbrained. Itpletely slipped my mind.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Thene with me. Lord Tiwakan said he had your dress brought to the jewelry room.¡± Though it was called the ¡®jewelry room¡¯ and Mrs. mbard still insisted on calling it that, it was more simr to an empty space, given that all the jewelry was sold off long ago. [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­..Yes.¡± Rienne quickly finished herte breakfast. Even her nanny, who would normally scold her and encourage her to eat more slowly, did not do so this time. Even she was beyond excited to see the wedding dress. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± The woman joyfully took Rienne¡¯s hand, leading her to the jewelry room. * * * * * [Rienne] ¡°I¡­.have no words¡­¡­¡± The wedding attire they had prepared for ck turned out much nicer than expected. Mrs. mbard¡¯s insight when it came to clothing plus the extra funds made for a truly ster outfit. But the wedding dress that was prepared for Rienne was beyond unbelievable. [Rienne] ¡°What kind of fabric is this¡­.? I¡¯ve never seen it before in my life¡­¡­¡± It looked like it was made of snow. The brilliantly white fabric was both thin and light, but the skirt was long and flowing, like a river of pure white fluttering down the waist. The essories were all made of finely crafted pearls, intricately decorating the dress. From afar, each piece looked like a stunning flower, but when seen up close, one could truly appreciate the craftsmanship needed to make such a subtle yet gorgeous piece. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Truly, Princess. Who could¡¯ve made this¡­..? It can¡¯t be someone from Nauk¡­..Oh.¡± Mrs. mbard circled the dress, walking around with a pleased expression. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°It already looks absolutely breathtaking, but once you put it on, Princess, it will shine that much more brightly.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I think people will probably notice the dress more than me.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Oh, nonsense. There is nothing on this earth more vibrant and beautiful than you, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°You would say that, you were my nanny.¡± Rienne looked away, blushing in embarrassment. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Would you like to try it on now?¡± [Rienne] ¡°N, no, maybe in a little bit. Perhapster?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°¡­¡­? But you need to try it on to see if it fits well.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Still, I need a minute. I have to mentally prepare myself before wearing something so wonderful. Besides, we need to focus on Lord Tiwakan¡¯s outfit.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Well, personally I think it¡¯s all the same whether you wear it now orter¡­¡­But I think I understand. Look at this, here. The seamstress did a wonderful job.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Yes. It¡¯s very well made.¡± Rienne smiled as she looked at ck¡¯s wedding outfit. Time was quickly running out to get it finished, so she was feeling nervous about whether or not the seamstress could really pull it all together in time, but it was truly nice. Especially since it managed to make it past Mrs. mbard¡¯s discerning eye. [Rienne] ¡°I want to see him wear it soon¡­.Oh, I forgot to put this on, too.¡± Rienne turned to the table behind her, opening the lock on the box with the key she remembered to bring with her. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°What is it, Princess?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I wanted to add a finishing touch. I left a blue gem here somewhere¡­.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Are you talking about the sapphire iid with the symbol of the royal family?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Yes.¡± It was one of the only gems left in Rienne¡¯s personal possession. The only reason it and a few other smaller earrings and hairpins were left behind was because they were too small to determine a decent selling value. [Rienne] ¡°Oh, or maybe I put it over there instead.¡± Seeing the box was empty, Rienne turned to the wardrobe in the opposite corner of the room. [Rienne] ¡°But this doesn¡¯t have a lock on it. I don¡¯t think I would¡¯ve kept it here¡­¡­¡­¡± Then Rienne¡¯s whole body stiffened. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Princess?¡± Seeing Riennee to a standstill, Mrs. mbard walked up to her, curious what all the fuss was about. [Rienne] ¡°What¡­..is this?¡± * * * T/N: (1) When ck said ¡°I¡¯m not confident I can keep myself together at this rate¡±, he doesn¡¯t actually specify ¡°himself¡± in the raws due to the nature of subject dropping. For the sake of an understandable English trantion, I had to make the assumption that he was talking about himself. However, when Rienne heard him say that, she made the assumption he was talking about her stockings and that he was afraid he might rip them. It¡¯s an interaction that¡¯s really hard to trante since it¡¯s a misunderstanding that definitely wouldn¡¯t happen if the conversation was natively in English, and it makes Rienne sound a lot denser than was shown in the raws. But I did my best, ha. Chapter 80 Chapter 80 Chapter 80 | A Foreign Prince (1) * * * * * Rienne pointed to the heavy wardrobe, crafted with rosewood. It was originally a ce to store jewelry. It was iid with dozens of small drawers and hiddenpartments, each of them locked with a separate key hole. However, the jewelry inside had already been sold off, so even the locks were kept undone, with the key being left in the King¡¯s Office. But the drawers, which should have been empty, were not. As if they were never gone from the start, there were countless gems and jewelry pieces perfectly ced in their rightful spots. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°What¡¯s wrong¡­¡­? Oh!¡± Even Mrs. mbard was stunned into silence, sping her hands over her mouth. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°What happened here, this is¡ªah.¡± But surprisingly, she seemed to know something. [Rienne] ¡°Ma¡¯am.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°No, it¡¯s¡­¡­¡± Mrs. mbard walked past Rienne, reaching towards the drawer that was once home to the prized sapphire pendant of thete Queen, which had been sold to the jeweler not long ago. As expected, the pendant was neatly ced inside like it had always been there. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°I¡­¡­told him. I said to him that this was something you cherished, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°W, who¡­¡­? Lord Tiwakan?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Indeed.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Does that mean he got all of these?¡± Letting out all herplicated feelings with a sigh, Rienne¡¯s head jolted up with a sudden thought as she quickly started searching through all of the drawers. And without a doubt, the jewelry pieces started to pile up. Some she even recognized as ones she¡¯d sold in the past while others were slightly different in shape. [Rienne] ¡°He did this on purpose, didn¡¯t he?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°What do you mean?¡± [Rienne] ¡°There¡¯s only one jeweler who caters to the royal family in Nauk. If he asked them, he would¡¯ve known exactly what they bought from me¡­¡­.¡± And regardless of value, he found a way to get it back, just to fill up this empty space. And if he couldn¡¯t find the exact item Rienne sold, he got something simr to take its ce. [Rienne] ¡°I can¡¯t believe this. Why would he buy all of this? When did he even have the time?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°I thought so as well. It hasn¡¯t even been a few days since I told him.¡± But even as Mrs. mbard tried to sound exasperated, there was a certain thrill to her voice, as if she found this entire situation to be both funny and exciting. But Rienne couldn¡¯t believe it. This man waspletely out of his mind. No matter how much he could afford, this was too much to ept. If she counted the value of all the gems and jewelry pieces that were here now, it would easily sum up to the entire kingdom¡¯s year long budget for the next several years. To him, that might not seem like much, but Rienne couldn¡¯t bring herself to ept such an overwhelming gift. Honestly, he was the one who deserved to get things from her. Why was she yet again on the receiving end of his kindness? She needed to do more for him¡ªsomehow, some way. Rienne turned her entire body around, heading for the door. Seeing Rienne charge off like that, Mrs. mbard ran after her all flustered. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Princess? Where are you going? You have to try on your dress.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Even if I don¡¯t, I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be fine. I know it¡¯ll fit me perfectly.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°How do you know that?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Because he was the one who gave it to me.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°But no matter how good his eye is, he¡¯s still a man. So that isn¡¯t necessarily true.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Anyway, Lord Tiwakan needs to try on his clothes as well. I¡¯ll go get him.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°What? You¡¯re going in person, Princess?¡± [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯ll be faster that way.¡± Before Mrs. mbard could say anything else, Rienne was already making her way through the door, biting hard down on her lip. No matter how hard she thought about it, it was too much. She had to tell him to sell it again. This entire wedding was being funded out of his pocket, and he was already spending far too much money on everything. Moreover, ck mentioned his intentions of building a fortress, raising a wall around the emptynd near the south. After the drought started, most of the people south of the dry river hadpletely left. Emptynd was bound to be vulnerable to outside attacks. Knowing that, he didn¡¯t seem to want to keep thatnd unprotected because that would allow for gaps in their home¡¯s defenses. Rienne agreed that was necessary, but she knew it would be a costly endeavor. And because she knew that, she could not allow him to spend this much money on jewelry for her. He did it so quietly like it was only natural, but this really wasn¡¯t needed. Such wealth was something she dared not touch. Rienne pulled up the fabric of her skirt, running off to find ck. She asked the first mercenary she ran into on her way out of the jewelry room near the northern tower, and he told her ck was just about to leave the castle to take a look at the southern fortress¡¯ progress. Without a moment¡¯s hesitation, she once again grabbed the hem of her dress, running off towards the castle square. Truthfully, there wasn¡¯t much rush for her to do this now. She would inevitably see him tonight when they went to bed, but she felt like she couldn¡¯t wait. Or maybe she just wanted to see him now. Her thoughts spiraled as she ran, running out of breath quickly. It felt like it had been so long since shest saw him. [Rienne] ¡°Hah¡­hah¡­.¡± Keeping up her step, Rienne eventually arrived at the castle square¡¯s entrance, but what she was met with was not the sight of ck mounting his horse, but rather something else entirely. It was a brilliant looking carriage, one she had never seen before. [Rienne] ¡°Who¡­..?¡± And what she saw next to it was a young man, leaving the carriage while being escorted by a mercenary. * * * * * [Mercenary] ¡°The Lord has already departed for the southern fortress.¡± The first to speak was once of the mercenaries, who had escorted the young man¡¯s carriage to the castle square. [Rienne] ¡°Oh, then I must be toote.¡± [Mercenary] ¡°I know the Lord will be disappointed as well.¡± The Tiwakan mercenary bowed his head to Rienne, who looked extremely regretful, before turning back to the strange young man. [Mercenary] ¡°Sir Phermos is inside. I will take you to him.¡± [???] ¡°Don¡¯t worry, there¡¯s nothing urgent about my business. First and foremost, I should introduce myself.¡± The young man looked exceedingly expensive, as if his whole body had been dipped in valuable perfume. His smile was smooth like silk and his clothing was just as dazzlingly brilliant as the carriage he arrived in. And it wasn¡¯t just that, but looking closely, his hair appeared to be done up using a hair oil that was hard to obtain in Nauk. [Darren] ¡°If my eyes don¡¯t deceive me, this beautiful woman must be Princess Rienne of Nauk. This is the first time we¡¯ve met, I believe. I am Darren, Grand Prince of the Grand Duchy of Alto.¡± (1) Rienne¡¯s whole body stiffened when she saw him so quickly descend to one knee, naturally taking her hand. The Grand Duchy of Alto¡­..was apparently a ce that took care to ensure they showed the proper courtesy. [Rienne] ¡°It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. I do not know what your business here is, but if you¡¯vee with good intentions, then I wee you with a happy heart.¡± [Darren] ¡°You are as elegant as you are beautiful, mydy. It is an honor to meet you in person. Indeed, you are certainly alluring enough to keep the God of War himself on solid ground. Thanks to you, this continent may finally breathe a sigh of relief.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­.How can one¡¯s appearance alone be enough to ensnare a god? Though you may not have intended it this way, your words sound more like an insult to both him and I, so I must decline yourpliment.¡± There was something deeply ufortable and unsettling about Prince Darren¡¯s praise. He spoke to her as if she and Nauk were nothing but artistic pieces, adorning the wall. And his phrasing and tone of voice made it sound more like it was a problem that ck was here. But the truth was the exact, and his presence had be extremely vital. And giving her his unwarranted and unwanted opinion on her appearance, calling her ¡®beautiful¡¯? There was only one man who was allowed to say that to her. [Darren] ¡°Is it considered rude in Nauk topliment a vision on her beauty?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I think anything could be considered rude if the other party does not wish to hear it.¡± [Darren] ¡°And why might you not want to hear of your beauty from me, Princess?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Because my fianc¨¦ is the only man who may speak of that to me. In any case, I¡¯d like to change the subject if that¡¯s alright. The Grand Duchy of Alto has had no contact with Nauk up until now. Did Lord Tiwakan give you permission for such an unexpected visit?¡± [Darren] ¡°Just him¡­¡­..? Isn¡¯t that a little absurd? The god above Nauk that has granted you such visionary beauty must be enraged at that.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Nauk is too busy to feel any kind of emptiness at that. Considering you are the heir to the Grand Duchy of Alto, I hope you will understand my position right now. Seeing as how the knights of Nauk are not hostile towards you, I can only assume you visited with permission.¡± The Grand Prince¡¯s expression was elegant, but there was a sense of arrogance there too, as if he was inwardly feeling disbelief that there was something a man such as he was being denied. Darren shrugged, dramatically sweeping a hand across his own cheek. [Darren] ¡°You wound me, Princess. It feels as though I¡¯ve just been pped in the face. I apologize for taking up so much of your busy time.¡± [Rienne] ¡°And I appreciate the apology. I¡¯ll leave you to your business now. Take the Grand Prince to Lord Phermos. And I wish to follow Lord Tiwakan. Do any of you know the way?¡± [Mercenary] ¡°Really? He moves pretty quickly, so it¡¯s likely impossible to catch up with him by now. But I can escort you to the southern fortress myself. I will begin preparations at once, so please wait a moment.¡± But Darren once again stepped in. [Darren] ¡°I could apany you.¡± Both the Tiwakan mercenary and Rienne looked at him with disbelief in their eyes. [Rienne] ¡°No, you are a guest of Nauk. It would be rude to force a visitor to head back out on the road before relieving them of the fatigue built up from their journey. Lord Phermos will wee you from here.¡± [Darren] ¡°It was you, Princess, who told me to take care of my business. And as it so happens, my business is with the leader of the Tiwakan, not with his aide. If Lord Tiwakan is currently busy and cannot take guests, then I don¡¯t mind going to meet him in person.¡± ¡­¡­.Well, when he put it like that, he made it very difficult to deny him. Shaking her head, Rienne turned to the mercenary next to her, covering up her displeasure. [Rienne] ¡°Is the road to the southern fortress appropriate enough for a guest to traverse?¡± Outwardly, it sounded like she was showing concern for Darren, but truthfully, she was asking if it was alright for others to know about his presence. [Mercenary] ¡°The road is safe, so he should be fine. But will you really allow him to apany you?¡± The corners of Rienne¡¯s lips twitched, though it was barely noticeable. [Rienne] ¡°As per Nauk¡¯s customs, I cannot leave Lord Tiwakan¡¯s guest unattended.¡± [Mercenary] ¡°The Lord won¡¯t care much.¡± It certainly seemed that way. If this guest were really that important, would he not have told her of his visit in advance? However, the courtesy required of his status was strict, so she could not afford to ignore the Grand Prince of anothernd. [Rienne] ¡°Very well, then.¡± Rienne smiled slightly at the mercenary, reluctantly epting this newpanion on her trip. [Rienne] ¡°Then let us head off together. But I would like this to be a brief trip, so please refrain from any unnecessary stops, Grand Prince.¡± [Darren] ¡°Indeed.¡± Once again, Darren dramatically bent one knee to show his courtesy. * * * * * [Rienne] ¡°Ah¡­¡­¡± The terrain was so different from what she could remember. This was the first time in years since Rienne traversed thend south of the river. Thend waspletely abandoned, so the only things that remained were dpidated and abandoned houses that were in the midst of being removed, emptynd, and a lot of dry weeds. This must be the way. Entering her vision wererge corner stones that were meticulously and carefully ced, as if they were preparing for the foundations of a fortress. It brought to mind exactly what kind of castle that could potentially be built here. [ck] ¡°What brings you all the way out here?¡± Turning her gaze away from the dried up river, ck approached her. The mercenary was right in saying Rienne wouldn¡¯t be able to catch up with him. He arrived here long before she did. [Rienne] ¡°I brought a guest.¡± Rienne pulled at the reins, shifting her body to dismount her horse. But before she could, ck wrapped his arm around her waist, gently hugging her before bringing her to the ground. [ck] ¡°A guest?¡± Though she was already safely on the ground, the hands he had on her waist stayed perfectly in ce. Feeling his steady touch still securing her down, a pleasant redness rose to her cheeks as she smiled. [Rienne] ¡°Yes. He is following behind me, though his carriage is a bit slow.¡± They were told the road would be too narrow for a carriage to pass throughfortably, but Darren had insisted. Apparently it was because he didn¡¯t want any dirt to touch him. But seeing how expensive his satin clothes must¡¯ve been, it was a little understandable. One single speck of dust on them, and they would probably immediately devalue to half the price. But he was taking so long,gging behind her the whole ride there. [ck] ¡°If they¡¯re not your guest, Princess, then I think I know who it is. You did a good job.¡± ck smiled down at her as he brushed away the dirt from Rienne¡¯s cloak. [Rienne] ¡°Was it pointless that I came here?¡± [ck] ¡°Of course not. Your sincerity matters.¡± ck took Rienne¡¯s wrist, holding it in his hand and delicately holding it up to his lips, pressing a kiss into her skin as he whispered to her. For them, just being in each other¡¯s presence was a valid enough reason for the trip. [ck] ¡°But didn¡¯t you have things you needed to take care of? I came here because I didn¡¯t want to bother you.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I still have some work I need to do, but it¡¯s not something I can do alone.¡± [ck] ¡°Did you need me for something?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Yes, but I ended up running into this guest by chance. So I came here with him.¡± Even during such a short conversation, not once they did they turn their eyes away from each other. ck moved his hands from dusting off Rienne¡¯s cloak to randomly touching her cor and rearranging her messy hair, while Rienne also carefully touched his face¡ªbrushing her fingers against his forehead and his nose as if she were unconsciously following his movements. No matter how often she took in his features, she would never get tired of it. [Randall] ¡°Ahem, sir.¡± Randall cautiously called out to ck from behind. [Randall] ¡°The carriage has arrived.¡± But ck responded without ever taking his eyes off of Rienne. [ck] ¡°Must¡¯vee from Alto. Count up the sums.¡± (2) [Randall] ¡°No, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s that kind of carriage.¡± [ck] ¡°¡­¡­.?¡± Finally, ck¡¯s gaze turned away from Rienne, looking off into the distance at the oing carriage. And as he looked at it, his face immediately contorted with displeasure. * * * T/N: (1) Darren is the son of the Grand Duke, thus making his title that of a Prince. Sons and daughters of Dukes are often referred to as Princes and Princesses, especially if their territory is an independent one, like the Grand Duchy of Alto. (2) ck mentioned in an earlier chapter that the Grand Duchy of Alto owes him money as part of the mining rights for the gold mine he owns the title for. When he says ¡°Count up the sums¡±, he assumes that the carriage was sent as part of that. There he is. The bastard man himself I tranted a lot of these chapters a while ago, but there¡¯s no art until the chapter gets released by Web Novel, so this is my first time seeing Darren¡¯s face. You may have noticed already, but he¡¯s a little¡­.eek. Chapter 81 - A Foreign Prince (2) Chapter 81 ¨C A Foreign Prince (2) Chapter 81 | A Foreign Prince (2) * * * * * [Rienne] ¡°What is it?¡± Seeing how harsh his expression became, Rienne gently took ck¡¯s hand in her own. [ck] ¡°Did he do anything to you?¡± But right when she looked up at him, ck leaned his head down, asking as he stared very closely at Rienne, like he was trying to check every single part of her. [Rienne] ¡°Nothing in particr, but why¡­..¡± [Darren] ¡°I think the one you should be greeting is me rather than your lovely fianc¨¦e.¡± As soon as Prince Darren stepped off his carriage, he spoke with such bravado and a smirk on his face, heading straight towards them. ck immediately turned his head away, looking extremely displeased to see this person who seemed to know him well. His smirk deepening, Darren outstretched his arms. [Darren] ¡°Long time so see, dear brother.¡±(1) Brother? Rienne looked up at ck as he was being greeted by Darren, the confusion in as day on her face. [ck] ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call us that.¡± ¡­¡­.What? [ck] ¡°As soon as your business is done, get the hell out of here.¡± ¡­¡­.Did he just tell him to leave? But he said he was a Grand Prince, though. But before Rienne could ask any questions, puzzled and dazed by the situation, ck held out his arm to her. [ck] ¡°I¡¯ve finished my work here. Shall we return?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Oh¡­..Is that alright?¡± [ck] ¡°Of course.¡± All the while, his soft and kind smile towards her remained unchanged. [ck] ¡°I missed you the moment I left the castle, Princess.¡± But the biggest difference from usual was the only Grand Prince of Alto, watching the situation unfold with his mouth agape, quietly listening to this odd interaction. * * * * * [Rienne] ¡°Do you really hate him that much?¡± It was obvious that, whatever their rtionship was, ckreallydisliked Darren¡ªthe feeling probably bordering on loathing at this point. On their return trip to the castle, Darren was like a ghost. No one spoke a word to him or paid any special attention to him. Riding the same horse as Rienne, ck and his mercenaries set the pace, and what was originally a quiet jaunt turned into a quick trot. Sitting in his carriage alone, Darren was left to follow the group from behind. She almost felt a little bad for him. [ck] ¡°Not really.¡± ck spoke his denial so calmly, there was no one who would believe it so easily. [Rienne] ¡°But that¡¯s different from saying youdon¡¯thate him.¡± [ck] ¡°Out of all the people I dislike, I would say I dislike the Grand Prince of Alto the least.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I see.¡± If this was how he treated someone he hated ¡®the least¡¯, she was afraid what he¡¯d do to someone he truly detested beyond all rpense. [Rienne] ¡°Can I ask what¡¯s going on?¡± Rienne shook her head slightly, meeting ck¡¯s eyes the moment she asked, but rather than saying anything back, he smiled¡ªleaning over to kiss the tip of her nose. [Rienne] ¡°I like it when you kiss me, but is that your way of saying I shouldn¡¯t ask?¡± [ck] ¡°No, I only mean that it isn¡¯t a very pleasant story. I thought I should ask for your forgiveness in advance.¡± [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s alright. If it¡¯s about you, then I want to know.¡± [ck] ¡°You just had to say that when I need to keep my hands to myself, Princess.¡± After a second, ck¡¯s once soft smile turned bitter as he slowly started recalling and repeating the story he found to be so unpleasant. [ck] ¡°Back when the Duchy of Alto was at war with the Kingdom of Lekes, my men and I were contracted to fight on their behalf several times.¡± Though truthfully, things were a bit moreplicated than that. The war between the Grand Duchy of Alto and the Kingdom of Lekes was a joke. The Tiwakan entered the fray near thetter half, squashing any remnants and ending the entire conflict by force, causing massive damages to the Kingdom as a result. At the war¡¯s end, the Grand House of Alto managed to secure their territory while the Tiwakan took control of a gold mine as payment for their services. But the Grand Duke was as greedy as he was cowardly. He was obsessed with keeping the power of the Tiwakan on his side and to him, the easiest way of doing that was by arranging a marriage. At the time, the Grand Princess of Alto was still unmarried. But rejecting a proposal from the Grand House came at a price. Rather than marrying the Grand Princess, ck managed to avoid it by bing a ¡®brother¡¯ to Grand Prince Darren instead, following Phermos¡¯ advice. Darren¡¯s older twin sister, the Grand Princess, was a woman who held a very old grudge against him, so ck thought it would be nice if he could avoid getting involved with the Grand House any further if at all possible.(2) [ck] ¡°It would be best if you avoided speaking to the Grand Prince. Just pretend he isn¡¯t here. If he sees any chance to get under your skin, he¡¯ll take it.¡± [Rienne] ¡°But¡­..¡± That felt like too much. The rules of etiquette and courtesy needed to be respected, especially when dealing with visitors from a foreign nation. But just as Rienne was about to say that, she quickly quieted down. What exactly did he mean by ¡®an old grudge¡¯ against him? How longsting was it? And for what purpose did she have it at all? Rienne held onto ck¡¯s arm without even realizing it. [Rienne] ¡°Does the Grand Princess of Alto still feel the same way?¡± [ck] ¡°I heard she got married a year ago.¡± When it happened, they were forced to send a wedding gift her way, doing so with the same enthusiasm as one might greet someoneing to pull their teeth out. On that day as he packed away the gold and jewelry, Phermos was muttering about how much of a waste it was, you could¡¯ve easily made a song out of hisints. [Rienne] ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Somehow, that felt like a relief. Then that meant she wasn¡¯t trying to get in the way of their marriage at all by sending her brother. [ck] ¡°Does that make you anxious?¡± ck lowered his head, whispering into her ear. [Rienne] ¡°No¡­¡­Now that I¡¯ve heard the Grand Princess is already married.¡± [ck] ¡°But you haven¡¯t let go of my arm.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Ah¡­¡­?¡± Rienne jolted her head downward, her eyes trained on her hand still tightly holding onto ck¡¯s arm, her entire face turning red with embarrassment. [Rienne] ¡°This is just¡­¡­¡± [ck] ¡°Just?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I just wanted to make sure.¡± But even now, Rienne kept holding onto ck. She was learning things about herself, like the fact that she was not a person who could forget the past so easily. This man was fully willing to embrace her even if she had a child with another man, but that wasn¡¯t something Rienne could do. If this man so much as remembered the name of another woman, she knew she would likely want to ask what kind of rtionship they might¡¯ve had. [ck] ¡°Are you going to keep making sure?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Yes.¡± Rienne nodded firmly. Looking down at Rienne, ck silently smiled, pressing his face against the top of her head. [ck] ¡°You can do that for the rest of our lives.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I would do that even if you didn¡¯t tell me to.¡± As Rienne looked down, the smile on ck¡¯s face that she couldn¡¯t see quietly stopped. [ck] ¡°As soon as we get back to the castle, I want to kiss you.¡± [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­..Don¡¯t ask. You can just do it.¡± And that was when she could feel ck¡¯s body, still pressed against her back, rising to an unusual temperature, sharply cutting against the cold of the air. * * * * * [Darren] ¡°That¡¯s insane. He¡¯s acting disgustingly sweet.¡± Sticking his head outside the carriage window, Darren clicked his tongue, voicing his displeasure. The attendant sitting across from him was already ustomed to his master¡¯s constantints, and merely bowed his head. [Darren] ¡°Can you believe this? That war-crazed bastard, doing something like this?¡± [Attendant] ¡°I can¡¯t believe it, master.¡± [Darren] ¡°It¡¯spletely unnatural. If my sister were to see this, she would gopletely berserk.¡± Darren crookedly smirked, speaking in a mocking tone. As they sent out the gold they owed to the Tiwakan like they did every year, his father, the Grand Duke, had despaired in sorrow so terribly that he fell ill and nearly lost his teeth. The reason for that was because they had to send a wedding gift because they had received one in the past from him. But honestly, the biggest shock came from the fact that the head of the Tiwakan was about to make his nest in another kingdom. The Grand Duchy of Alto was the most sensitive when it came to rumors of the Tiwakan. And it wouldn¡¯t be long before the marriage of Lord Tiwakan spread throughout the continent. [Darren] ¡°My sister will find out about this sooner orter. If she doesn¡¯t already know.¡± Though he didn¡¯t know if his sister, who had married into the Kingdom of Sharka a year ago, was still obsessively chasing after ck¡¯s back like she was before. But somehow, he had a feeling that would still be the case. The first Prince of the Kingdom of Sharka was a depraved and dull person inparison to his sister, who was sharp like a hawk. Such a man was notpatible with his sister¡¯s ambition. And truth be told, in her eyes, no other man could meet the high standards she had set for herself. Especially not after she knew ck. [Darren] ¡°Hm¡­.I still don¡¯t know. If I¡¯d anticipated this earlier, I would¡¯ve learned all I could beforeing here.¡± He already knew the leader of the Tiwakan was engaged, but he didn¡¯t think he¡¯d be this obsessed with his bride-to-be. Lost in thought, Darren held his hands together, leaning forward as he held them against his forehead. [Darren] ¡°But why a poor princess from such a backwater kingdom¡­.?¡± Well, to be fair, shewasa gorgeous woman, far more stunning than was seemingly possible. Even though she was wearing in, out of fashion clothing, she still looked more elegant and alluring than any other woman he had everid eyes on, otherworldly like a goddess. [Darren] ¡°Still, I didn¡¯t think he was the type to be so easily bewitched by beauty.¡± On the opposite side of the carriage, the attendant quietly nodded while Darren side-eyed him. [Darren] ¡°Does this mean there¡¯s something else at y?¡± [Attendant] ¡°I agree with your assessment, master.¡± [Darren] ¡°Yes. It must be true¡­..¡± Darren gave a mischievous and cunningugh. The bad habits from when he was just an immature young man rose up again¡ªthe days when he would wander the continent, in constant, never-ending search for ady to be histest paramour. [Darren] ¡°I need to know what it is.¡± [Attendant] ¡°. . .¡± The attendant didn¡¯t say anything back. But with how much his eyes were shaking, he must¡¯ve been thinking that his life would potentially be threatened once again by the mischievous habits of the Grand Prince he served. * * * * * [Phermos] ¡°Wow. Your appearance is very vibrant now.¡± [Randall] ¡°You look like apletely different person. I¡¯m almost too embarrassed to look at you, sir.¡± Phermos and Randall were the ones to volunteer to wait on ck as he tried on his clothing. Though tending to him was more of an excuse. A cheeky part of them wanted to y around and joke with ck about how bad he looked in his new clothing, but he looked so incredible, there was no point anymore. [ck] ¡°Say something more useful. What about the length? It doesn¡¯t seem too short, does it?¡± And besides, ck was not the kind of man who cared about other people¡¯s words¡ªwhether they be praise or otherwise. [Phermos] ¡°No. It fits you well.¡± But for someone who was not concerned with his appearance in the slightest, ck stood looking at himself in the mirror for a long time. It was a strange and new sight to seeing from him, fussing over his shoulders, paying close attention to how the clothing cut him at certain angles, and constantly sweeping his hand across the fabric. [ck] ¡°What shoes will I be wearing tomorrow? Will the heel size be any different?¡± [Phermos] ¡°No, they¡¯ll be close to the same. Made by the same shoemaker, at least.¡± [ck] ¡°Then that¡¯s all that matters.¡± ck tapped his foot on the ground in front of the mirror, careful not to identally step on the ends of his clothing. Phermos pushed up his monocle, watching the sight before him. [Phermos] ¡°The Princess should be here to see this.¡± But Randall, less astute than Phermos, perked up in a cheerful voice. [Randall] ¡°What are you talking about? She¡¯ll see him at the wedding.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Tch¡­..Dense fool. That¡¯s a given.¡± [Randall] ¡°What do you mean?¡± [Phermos] ¡°What we¡¯re seeing here is our Lord carefully watching his step to make sure he doesn¡¯t put his foot down on the precious clothing the Princess personally hand stitched.¡± [Randall] ¡°Ah¡­¡­So it¡¯s like that?¡± [ck] ¡°Too loud.¡± The second Randall raised his eyebrows, looking down at ck¡¯s feet as if he were discovering something new, ck narrowed his eyes. [Phermos] ¡°¡­¡­.My apologies, my Lord. I¡¯ll be more careful.¡± Phermos didn¡¯t miss that, shutting up the moment he realized it. [ck] ¡°What about the gold? Was the amount correct?¡± [Phermos] ¡°Yes. The Grand Duke may be greedy but he also sent plenty of wedding gifts in addition to the gold. Though knowing him, it¡¯s likely more of a bribe than a gift.¡± [ck] ¡°I see. And what of the Great Prince?¡± [Phermos] ¡°Is there anything in particr you would like to know?¡± [ck] ¡°He¡¯s azy bastard. He said he came here just to deliver wedding gifts, but I don¡¯t believe that for a second. I want to know if he has any other intentions.¡± Phermos looked away for a second in thought before quickly looking back up. [Phermos] ¡°By ¡®other intentions¡¯, you must be talking about the Grand Princess. Though, obviously I understand why you do not wish to mention her by name, sir.¡± [ck] ¡°The Kingdom of Sharka is closer than Alto is.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Yes, so her meddling could easily be more bothersome. I understand. I will keep an eye on the Grand Prince and see if he attempts any contact with the Kingdom of Sharka.¡± Randall spoke up next. [Randall] ¡°Why don¡¯t we just kick him out, then?¡± [ck] ¡°It¡¯s toote for that.¡± ck spat out his words in anger. The Grand Prince was someone who brought wedding gifts under the premise of attending the wedding, representing the Duchy of Alto. If he were to kick him out now, the next time he saw him, there would be hell to pay and the likely promise of a troublesome war. And they technically had no justification to expel Darren. He was ck¡¯s ¡®brother¡¯, a prince of the duchy, and crossed their gates as a guest to the Kingdom of Nauk. [ck] ¡°Send food and alcohol to the Grand Prince¡¯s room. Make it strong.¡± Though ck was clearly angry and beyond irritated right now, his hands were still slow and careful as he removed his clothing. As he held them out to the side, Randall quickly ran up, just as carefully taking them into his arms. [Randall] ¡°Why food though? That just makes it seem like he¡¯s wee here.¡± [ck] ¡°If we starve him, he¡¯ll just use that as an excuse to show his face at dinner.¡± [Randall] ¡°Huh¡­¡­?¡± [ck] ¡°Someone should entertain him, too. So that he¡¯ll bepletely ck out drunk until tomorrow.¡± Randall slowly blinked. [Randall] ¡°Very well, sir. Leave it to me. I¡¯ll make sure of it.¡± Truthfully, Randall was more attracted to the prospect of free alcohol than making sure Darren didn¡¯t disturb the dining hall, but that was good enough news for ck. He knew all too well Randall¡¯s drinking limit. Tap. ck patted Randall on the shoulder. [ck] ¡°I have faith in you.¡± And then he said something that others rarely ever heard from him. [Randall] ¡°I won¡¯t disappoint you, sir.¡± Feeling revved up, Randall grinned. Two hours before ck¡¯s dinner with Rienne, Randall headed off to Darren¡¯s room carrying two full kegs of alcohol. * * * T/N: (1) Darren called ck ¡°??¡±, indicating ck is older than him. (2) The exact idiom used is ¡°(a person) has a long tail behind them¡± which is when someone intensely holds onto a grudge, potentially even for years, like they just won¡¯t let go. Chapter 82 - Dare to Name a Flower Chapter 82 ¨C Dare to Name a Flower Chapter 82 | Dare to Name a Flower trantor/editor: astralmech * * * * * [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s hard to believe there was ever a time when they fought.¡± Dinner time quickly came around. The two of them were swamped with their work in preparation for the wedding all day, but their mealtime was finally when they could properly face one another. Rienne wore a dress simr in style to her lc one from before, with the two fussy women dressing her up beautifully tomemorate her final day before getting married. [Rienne] ¡°When I was trying on the dress, both of them were ready, needles in hand. They wanted to be prepared in case there was anything that needed to be adjusted. But it fit me perfectly.¡± Both of them seemed happy that the dress was so wless, but they looked a little disappointed as well. Remembering it made Rienneugh like a child as she talked about it. [Rienne] ¡°There are so many simrities between the two. One might even think they¡¯ve known each other all their lives. Though, things are still a bit awkward.¡± But that just made herugh more. [Rienne] ¡°I think they¡¯ll be good friends soon enough. It¡¯s only a matter of time at this point.¡± [ck] ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± [Rienne] ¡°And when they were looking for earrings and a ne to match the dress, they ended up choosing the same pair. Seeing them like this, I have hope they¡¯ll get along even better¡­¡­.Oh, but that reminds me.¡± [ck] ¡°What is it?¡± ck asked as he cut up the roasted fowl into smaller pieces, asionally feeding Rienne as she talked. He looked at her, putting another bite sized piece into her mouth as her words trailed off. [ck] ¡°Talk while you eat. I don¡¯t like it when you forget to eat properly, Princess.¡± Rienne swallowed the food fed to her by ck before making a serious expression. [Rienne] ¡°Wait, I had something I wanted to say.¡± [ck] ¡°What is it?¡± [Rienne] ¡°The jewels in the jewelry room. It¡¯s too much.¡± [ck] ¡°What do you mean, too much?¡± [Rienne] ¡°It must¡¯ve cost so much money. I don¡¯t know the exact amount, but just by calcting it in my head, it must¡¯ve been¡­.¡± [ck] ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal.¡± ck cut off her words in the middle. He always had the same expression on his face whenever Rienne said stuff like this. Rienne thought his face looked surprised or even grumpy, but in truth, he just felt very sad. Something in his heart felt like it was drowning at the thought of Rienne, alone in the moment when she was forced to part with so many precious belongings. [Rienne] ¡°How is it not a big deal? It¡¯s so much.¡± [ck] ¡°You told me you wouldn¡¯t worry about money anymore.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m not worried, but um¡­¡­¡± [ck] ¡°You are. You¡¯re afraid our pockets will run dry.¡± She got quiet. Clearly she couldn¡¯t deny it. [ck] ¡°Phermos is the one who manages the Tiwakan¡¯s assets, and there¡¯s no one who hates needless spending more than him.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Then he must¡¯ve objected to buying so much jewelry.¡± [ck] ¡°No. It was the opposite. He said it was royal property, so it would only be natural to repossess them. They were well worth the price.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What do you mean?¡± [ck] ¡°Apparently, the market price here is cheaper than the rest of the continent, so the value of rarer jewels tends to go up. It was better to get them back quickly. And the price was even better since we purchased them all at once.¡± But all of these reasons were entirely irrelevant. Even if they were several times more expensive or even if Phermos had desperately tried to persuade him not to, ck still would have returned those gems to their rightful owner. [ck] ¡°And it¡¯s a bit embarrassing to say this¡­¡± [Rienne] ¡°What is it?¡± [ck] ¡°I did this because I wanted to see you happy, but I thought saying that out loud might seem unattractive to you.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What are you saying? Of course that I wouldn¡¯t think that.¡± [ck] ¡°Then just be happy. That¡¯s why I spent the money.¡± Rienne looked at him, not really sure what to say back, but eventually she just sighed, leaning her forehead against ck¡¯s shoulder. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to be insensitive. It¡¯s just that¡­all I¡¯ve done these past years is worry about finances, so I guess I¡¯ve just developed a bad habit.¡± ck took his hand and slowly stroked Rienne¡¯s back; a soothing up and down motion. [ck] ¡°That habit will go away soon.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I don¡¯t know if it will be that easy, so I can¡¯t make any promises.¡± [ck] ¡°After a while, it¡¯ll be harder and harder for you to think like that. Your money troubles are a thing of the past, Princess.¡± ¡­..Are they really? But even if it was hard to believe it, Rienne knew ck was right. The biggest leech, sucking the royal family dry, was already gone, and all the assets that once belonged to the Kleinfelders now belonged to her. That alone would already be enough, but now the remaining five families were required to payrge sums in taxes. Unless something terrible happened at thest minute, there would be no shortage of money. This was ck¡¯s gift to her. [ck] ¡°Now, eat more. You haven¡¯t eaten properly for a while.¡± ck once again put the fork up to her mouth. [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­We should eat together.¡± Letting him feed her and swallowing the food in her mouth, Rienne offered the same dish to ck. [Rienne] ¡°The one not eating properly is you, Lord Tiwakan.¡± [ck] ¡°I¡¯m a bit busy right now.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Hm? What could be taking your attention over eating during your mealtime?¡± [ck] ¡°I have to look at you, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What?¡± [ck] ¡°I don¡¯t want to miss anything.¡± ck took Rienne¡¯s hand, burying his face against her wrist. ¡­.This was bad. At this rate, neither of them would eat a proper meal again. But while Rienne was stuck in her own thoughts, ck never once closed his eyes as he kissed the inside of her wrist. And just beyond her small fingers was the sight of those eyes, filled with a burning intensity. [Rienne] ¡°You have to eat¡­.¡± [ck] ¡°This is important.¡± How was this important? [ck] ¡°Whenever I see you these days, I can only think of one thing, Princess.¡± What he was talking about probably wasn¡¯t all that serious, but the way he said those words, she felt her neck heating up. [Rienne] ¡°What do you think about?¡± [ck] ¡°It¡¯s not something I can talk about over the table.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Then where would be better?¡± [ck] ¡°The bed, maybe?¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± So she was right. He was thinking about something entirely inappropriate. [Rienne] ¡°You have to eat.¡± Awkwardly casting her eyes to the side, Rienne¡¯s expression was trembling as she spoke so quietly, ck needed to lean in to hear her. Lowering his head, he whispered back. [ck] ¡°I will.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Why are you whispering?¡± [ck] ¡°You whispered first, Princess.¡± That might be true. When she lowered her head, she realized that they were sitting very close to each other, and her voice naturally got smaller. This was quickly bing another ritual of theirs¡ªsitting side by side whenever they had meals together. [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s because we¡¯re already so close, I end up speaking quietly¡­¡± [ck] ¡°I know.¡± She needed to widen the distance between them, but he kept murmuring like he was trying to stop her from doing just that. It was enough to make her smile inadvertently. [Rienne] ¡°Then¡­¡­¡± [ck] ¡°Yes?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Until the second dishes out¡­¡­.¡± [ck] ¡°What is it?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Should we kiss?¡± [ck] ¡°. . .¡± Ironically, just as she was inviting him closer, this was the moment when the distance between the two of them suddenly widened. Though it was only because ck had pulled away without warning, leaning back in his seat.His head was turned away from her as heIt wasn¡¯t a smirk or a chuckle, but a real, genuineugh¡ªone that was stupidly loud, too. Rienne was so shocked when she saw it, she just sat there, her lips slightly parted. Why is heughing¡­¡­? It took me a lot of courage to say that. [Rienne] ¡°Stopughing. It wasn¡¯t even that funny. And you say that sort of thing all the time, Lord Tiwakan¡­¡­.¡± [ck] ¡°I agree.¡± ck¡¯sughter quieted as he closed the distance again in an instant. [ck] ¡°Close your eyes.¡± He narrowed his eyes, looking darkly serious as if he¡¯d never beenughing in the first ce. [Rienne] ¡°No¡­I¡¯ve lost my heart to do so. Youughed at me.¡± But just as ck got close to kissing her, she pressed her hands against his lips, blocking his attack. Though, it wasn¡¯t like her desire to kiss him had gone away. It was just that the mood had shifted so suddenly, she felt like her body was getting ufortably hot, and she needed to give herself a second to breathe. [ck] ¡°Then find it again.¡± She felt him start to kiss her fingers, his lips drawing down until he was holding her palm against his mouth. Rienne closed her eyes, letting out a soft sigh as the sensation of his soft kiss spread. It felt like her toes were curling inside her shoes. [Rienne] ¡°But¡­why did youugh?¡± [ck] ¡°I just realized something.¡± After thoroughly kissing her palm, his hand slid down to hold her wrist, pulling her hand away while shifting his body closer. [ck] ¡°Anytime Iugh or smile, it¡¯s always because of you, Princess.¡± And without a second thought, he came as close as he could to her, gently pressing his lips against hers. With a smile, ck whispered his words into their kiss. [ck] ¡°Before you, I don¡¯t ever rememberughing like this.¡± He softly urged her to part her lips as the kiss deepened. And like she¡¯d done it a million times, she wrapped her arms around ck¡¯s neck, feeling the ends of his short hair tickling her finger tips. It felt so soft and against her skin¡ªthe touch alone sweetly warming her body. Even if their second course were to be served, their kiss would¡¯ve gone on for a very long time. But before that could even happen, there was a different intrusion. * * * * * [Darren] ¡°You have my sincerest apologies, I¡¯m terriblyte¡­¡­Or perhaps I should say I¡¯m too early?¡± Rienne stood at the opposite end of the table, dipping her body in a respectful curtsy, but she was really struggling to be nice right now towards Grand Prince Darren. Nothing was harder than having to wee guests who weren¡¯t really wee. And it was beyond her why he was showing up all of the sudden anyway. She could not recall sending him any sort of invite. [ck] ¡°I thought a meal was sent to your room.¡± ck¡¯s voice was so cold, even Rienne felt goosebumps forming along her arms. The mercenary who brought Darren to the dining hall kept looking at ck, as if trying to make excuses with his eyes. Randall did his best to get the Grand Prince to drink, but no matter how hard he tried, the difference in their status was clear, and he could not force him. The Grand Prince seemed to understand what was happening and left the room to avoid drinking. But in his attempts to entice the Grand Prince, Randall drank too much and ended up passing out. With apologetic eyes, the mercenary who came in his ce seemed to say,Please forgive him just this once, sir. That kind of excuse. [Darren] ¡°Given the time, wasn¡¯t that more of a snack rather than a meal? Although, I suppose it¡¯s rude of me to disturb the royal family¡¯s time.¡± Entering the dining hall, Darren¡¯s expression looked a little stunned for the briefest of moments, and he shook that off just a second toote as hisplexion slowly returned to normal. [Darren] ¡°I¡¯m truly sorry for beingte, Princess. May you grant me the honor of being here?¡± No, I don¡¯t want to. And what do you mean by ¡®honor¡¯? You¡¯re just acting like a bother. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m afraid this ce might be rather humble inparison to what you¡¯re used to, Grand Prince. This is but a simple meal between myself and my fianc¨¦.¡± [Darren] ¡°You are kind to show such concern, but you needn¡¯t worry. How could a ce with such a lovely and beautiful princess be humble?¡± Ah, it¡¯s that word again. Does he think he¡¯splimenting me? Even after I told him I don¡¯t like it when he says things like that to me, too. [Rienne] ¡°Please don¡¯t tell me you mean to treat me the same as any flower adorning the table.¡± [Darren] ¡°How could Ipare a Princess to flowers that pale inparison? Now, where shall I sit?¡± But no matter how unwee she tried to make him feel, he showed no sign of leaving quietly. Underneath the table, Rienne gripped ck¡¯s hand tightly, breathing deeply and giving him the answer he wanted, but one that she hated to give. [Rienne] ¡°I feel ashamed to invite a guest to a table where the food is already cooling, but if you insist, you may join us, Grand Prince.¡± [Darren] ¡°Thank you for your permission. I¡¯ll take this seat.¡± Without another word, the Grand Prince stepped away from the door, approaching the seat just across from Rienne and pulled out the chair. ck watched him, his face scrunching in displeasure, then turned his head, gesturing to the mercenary. [Mercenary] ¡°Yes, sir.¡± [ck] ¡°Tell them to bring more food. We cannot neglect the treatment of our guest. Have them fill the table.¡± [Mercenary] ¡°Understood.¡± [ck] ¡°And bring alcohol. The kind Randall was drinking.¡± [Mercenary] ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Sitting casually in his seat, Darren smiled slyly. [Darren] ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that. And rather than calling me a guest, you should be calling me ¡®brother¡¯.¡± ck didn¡¯t say anything back, instead just picking up a wine ss. The mercenary who left hurried back, bringing along with him the requested alcohol and once the ss was filled, ck handed it to Darren. [Darren] ¡°¡­..Much appreciated.¡± Darren took the ss in his hand. [ck] ¡°Drink.¡± Guests also had courtesy rules they needed to follow. When personally offered a ss by one¡¯s host, it was considered impolite and rude to set it down without taking a drink. Darren diligently emptied the ss, but while he was busy, ck took Rienne¡¯s hand, speaking to her in a voice that was dripping with affection. [ck] ¡°Why don¡¯t we leave now?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Hm?¡± [ck] ¡°We¡¯ve finished our meal.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Oh¡­¡­¡± They finished? That wasn¡¯t how she remembered their meal going. While he was drinking, Darren pulled the ss away from his lips, absolutely shocked. [Darren] ¡°What? Didn¡¯t you just start?¡± With a hidden smile on her face, Rienne returned ck¡¯s grip, standing up with much lighter shoulders. [Rienne] ¡°That sounds good. If we stayed, we¡¯d only be burdening the Grand Prince with our stares. Prince, please finish your mealfortably. You needn¡¯t worry that you werete.¡± The second course had just been served. There were eight different dishes, steaming hot and all looking very delicious¡ªbrought to the table atoprge tes. [ck] ¡°This is all yours to eat. To show our sincerity.¡± [Darren] ¡°What do you mean¡­..? Aren¡¯t you being a little too obvious with your poor treatment?¡± [ck] ¡°Poor treatment? This is the greatest respect the dining hall can possibly provide.¡± Holding Rienne¡¯s hand, ck left the dining hall. Just before he stepped out, he left a message with the mercenary who was overseeing the meals as they were brought in. [ck] ¡°Check the tes and make sure the guest eats everything properly. Tell him if he leaves anything untouched, I¡¯ll get upset that he¡¯s ignoring my sincerity.¡± [Mercenary] ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Boom¡ª! Once they were gone from the dining hall, the door was closed tightly behind them, leaving behind only Darren and his attendant. Chapter 83 - The Princess of Sharka Chapter 83 ¨C The Princess of Sharka Chapter 83 | The Princess of Sharka trantor/editor: astralmech * * * * * [Darren] ¡°Damned bastard.¡± Thump! Darren muttered as he roughly set down his ss. The attendant looked around in surprise. [Attendant] ¡°Quiet¡­.Someone might hear.¡± [Darren] ¡°Even if someone heard a sweare from my mouth, no one would believe them if they said anything. Everyone knows I¡¯m a conscientious man.¡± [Attendant] ¡°Then¡­..should I say something to His Grace?¡± Any time Darren started acting up, his attendant knew the best thing he could do was bring up the idea of telling his father. [Darren] ¡°And then what? What do you think he¡¯ll do?¡± [Attendant] ¡°Though there¡¯s a clear difference in status, you are still here representing the Grand Duke and the Grand House itself. His Grace will not let this pass by quietly.¡± [Darren] ¡°My father wouldn¡¯t do anything. He¡¯s more likely to call methe idiot.¡± [Attendant] ¡°. . .¡± At that point, his attendant turned quiet. Actually, this kind of behavior was beyond disrespectful. Sending food to his room in advance and not inviting him to a meal was a clear message saying they did not wish to dine with him. For someone bearing the status of a Grand Prince, it was no different from a punch to the gut. Though, sometimes Darren was a pretty amazing person, being that fearless in front of the leader of the Tiwakan. He ced too much faith in their false bond as ¡®brothers¡¯. Even the humble attendant could see how irritated the Tiwakan leader was. [Darren] ¡°Dammit. And I was pulling out all the stops, too.¡± [Attendant] ¡°. . .¡± But upon second inspection, there was a separate reason why Darren was showing such an angered appearance over this slight. He didn¡¯t want to be treated to a meal. His goal was to be near Princess Rienne. The attendant clicked his tongue quietly inside his mouth. How childish was he to believe that a woman would turn aside the leader of the Tiwakan just to look back at his face? Darren was born as the only son of the Grand Duke, and was far too spoiled because of it. [Attendant] ¡°You must be cautious. The wedding is tomorrow.¡± The attendant carefully added his next words. It was well known that Darren¡¯s history with women was messy and rather unspeakable, but to pursue the woman meant to marry the leader of the Tiwakan? Even Darren should be thinking twice about that. [Darren] ¡°What does that matter? Maybe this is even an opportunity.¡± [Attendant] ¡°. . .¡± The attendant¡¯s status did not allow him to express himself openly, so he settled for chewing the inside of his cheek and hiding his disgruntled expression. [Darren] ¡°This marriage is being forced on her, you know. Apparently a lot of people died when he came in here to propose. There¡¯s no woman on earth who would ept such a bloody courtship with a clear mind. It¡¯s only natural that her mind would change when another choice presents itself.¡± [Attendant] ¡°But to me, it would appear as though the leader of the Tiwakan and the Princess of Nauk are on fine terms.¡± [Darren] ¡°They must be pretending.¡± The attendant thought briefly that the Grand Prince might be losing his mind. And at such a young age too. [Darren] ¡°You saw it, didn¡¯t you? What they were doing before we entered the dining hall, that is.¡± It looked so perfect, it had to be a mask. After the mercenary standing at the door told him toe back another time, Darren had pushed past him and opened the door. But the thing in the dining hall was a pair of lovers on the eve of their wedding, sitting side by side with their chairs turned towards each other. Seeing their reddened and wet lips, it was an unavoidable thought to believe they were kissing just before he entered the room. [Darren] ¡°What kind of royalty would be crazy enough to respond to that? All while leaving their food to cool? The Princess doesn¡¯t have the power to refuse my brother¡¯s barbaric habits. She has no choice but to embrace him.¡± [Attendant] ¡°. . .¡± [Darren] ¡°And once she sees she has other options, she will change her mind.¡± And regardless of anyone else¡¯s thoughts or opinions, this was the idea that Darren was intent on believing. [Attendant] ¡°How will you let her know there are other options?¡± Darren stroked his chin, a smirk on his face and a glint in his eye. And seeing that, all the attendant could do was bow his head, silently praying that when the fallout inevitably came, his life would be safe. * * * * * [Rienne] ¡°Leaving seemed alright at the time, but now I feel a little sorry for him.¡± After their mealtime was interrupted, they quietly continued it in their bedroom. Though, even if it was technically a bedroom, meant for ck as in the iing royal spouse, it was a little bit too vague to be called that anymore. During the wedding renovations, it had beenpletely overhauled and redecorated, with even the bed being removed. It was then that the two of them agreed to use it as their own private sanctum instead. [ck] ¡°You don¡¯t have to feel sorry.¡± ck answered right away, immediately knowing she was talking about Prince Darren. Rienne smiled, casually eating the grapes as he fed them to her. He must really hate the Grand Prince. ck was normally such a kind man, but seeing him like this, it was obvious how loathe-worthy he found Darren to be. But what Rienne didn¡¯t realize was that ck¡¯s personality was like that towards most people. The affection and kindness she assumed was always there was truthfully reserved only for her¡ªthough of course, she was the only person who didn¡¯t know that. [Rienne] ¡°He must be struggling, pretending to eat all that food alone.¡± [ck] ¡°It¡¯d be better if he just got tired and went home.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Oh, but he¡¯s supposed to be attending the wedding.¡± [ck] ¡°His congrattions are of no use. He won¡¯t mean it, anyway.¡± Thoughmon sense and etiquette would require her to take Darren¡¯s side in times like these, Rienne just nodded along to ck¡¯s words. [Rienne] ¡°Yes. I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll mean it.¡± After all, if he was thinking of his sister, he definitely wouldn¡¯t be able to congratte them with his truest heart. She thought it was very fortunate his sister got married first if that was to be the case. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m d we don¡¯t share a close rtionship with the Kingdom of Sharka. I¡¯d feel too ashamed to ask her toe to the wedding.¡± ck gave a subtle but bitter smile. [ck] ¡°You pay too much attention to other things, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s in my nature. But aren¡¯t you the same? You have a lot of responsibilities as well.¡± [ck] ¡°Not really.¡± [Rienne] ¡°No, you do. The fortification of the southern defenses, which I never even thought of, just to name one, and¡ª¡° [ck] ¡°But for a while now, there¡¯s only one thing I want to give my concern and attention to.¡± ck quickly and quietly cut off Rienne¡¯s words. He knew Rienne well enough by now to know she had a tendency to speak very quickly, rambling on when she got anxious or flustered. [Rienne] ¡°What do you mean?¡± [ck] ¡°There¡¯s grape juice on your lips, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Ah¡­.is there?¡± Reflexively, Rienne tried to cover her mouth with her hand, but ck was much faster than she, taking her hand in his soft grip. [ck] ¡°I¡¯m very curious what it tastes like.¡± [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡­¡± [ck] ¡°Let me try it.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± She really couldn¡¯t afford to let down her guard in front of this man for even a second. But even then, Rienne just nodded, closing her eyes ever so softly. ck pulled himself closer, touching his lips against hers as his tongue ran across her sensitive skin. The sound of him tasting her so intensely sent shivers down her spine and formed a fire in the pit of her stomach. [Rienne] ¡°You know¡­¡± [ck] ¡°Yes?¡± Rienne¡¯s voice came out like a sigh as she ran her hand up through the back of ck¡¯s hair, leaning towards him and pulling him closer while she sat. [Rienne] ¡°I was wondering. What do you think will change the most once we¡¯re married?¡± [ck] ¡°Well¡­¡­I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve never done this before.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I suppose that¡¯s true.¡± After tasting all the grape juice he could from her lips, ck spoke with his lips slowly running against hers, and she could feel the hum of his voice echoing through her. [ck] ¡°But we¡¯ll find out together. Little by little, starting tomorrow.¡± [Rienne] ¡°You think so?¡± Suddenly, her heart felt veryreadyfor tomorrow. Because after tomorrow, every part of this man would be hers, just as she would be his. [Rienne] ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to sleep.¡± [ck] ¡°Me neither.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Then¡­should we just stay awake? We can wait for tomorrow together.¡± [ck] ¡°That¡¯s a good idea.¡± ck kept his lips softly perched upon hers as he spoke, but just as he was going to swallow thempletely¡­. Knock, knock¡ª [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Princess, I know you¡¯re in here. May Ie in?¡± Their kiss was forced to an end before it could even start by the sound of Mrs. mbard¡¯s voice. * * * * * She came here with one simple purpose. In Nauk, there was no custom that allowed for a bride and groom to share a room the night before the wedding ceremony. Rienne was a little embarrassed because she couldn¡¯t sleep very well alone anymore, but she had no choice but to be understanding. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°You must sleep in my room, Princess. We must be up right at dawn in order to finish all the preparations ahead of the ceremony.¡± [Mrs. Henton] ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± Mrs. mbard was able to straighten out her shoulders with more confidence because she had Mrs. Henton¡¯s backup. She seemed stronger because she had a reliable friend with her who shared her opinion. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°You heard that, right? And your meal¡­¡­.Well, if you¡¯ve finished yourte night snack, let us be off now.¡± Somehow, it felt like she was being scolded like a child. Tilting her head, Rienne nced up at ck with a somewhat bewildered expression on her face. [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s not even seven yet. Would it be alright if I left a little closer to bedtime?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Oh, what do you mean by that? We also have things we need to prepare this evening.¡± [Mrs. Henton] ¡°That¡¯s right. The day before the wedding is when a bride is at her busiest, with nary a soul able to see her face.¡± Already helpless against Mrs. mbard¡¯s nagging, Rienne relented easily, nodding defeatedly when that same motherly scolding was doubled. [Rienne] ¡°Is that so¡­..?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Of course.¡± [Mrs. Henton] ¡°Naturally.¡± So basically, their n to usher in the morning together waspletely ruined. [Rienne] ¡°It would seem you¡¯ll need to sleep alone tonight.¡± [ck] ¡°. . .¡± But ck¡¯s usually expressionless face seemed especially expressionless, and it made it difficult to see how he was feeling or what he was thinking. [Rienne] ¡°Goodnight. Sleep well, and I will see you tomorrow.¡± [ck] ¡°¡­¡­..Yes.¡± She thought his answer seemed a bitnguid and slow, but at some point, that once expressionless look on his face shifted into a smile. [Rienne] ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± [ck] ¡°I just thought it was kind of funny.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What is?¡± [ck] ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting all this time for this very moment, but now that we¡¯re finally here, I feel like I can¡¯t stand to wait even one more day.¡± ck tilted his head, leaning down to leave a kind and gentle kiss on Rienne¡¯s cheek. [ck] ¡°See you tomorrow. And goodnight.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Goodnight.¡± Rienne didn¡¯t know why, but it suddenly felt like there was a knot in her throat. Those words he said, ones meaning that he couldn¡¯t stand to wait anymore, made her heart pound. And it was suddenly dawning on her that there was less than a day left before that long awaited moment. Tomorrow, they were finally getting married. * * * * * The moon had risen, high in the sky; a clear sign that tomorrow was that much closer. [Rafit] ¡°Dammit¡­¡­..¡± The alcohol was strong, but the ss could hardly be called a ¡®ss¡¯ at all. Even the hand that was holding it was filled with unhealed cuts. [Rafit] ¡°Dammit, dammit¡­¡­.Goddammit!¡± Crash¡ª! Rafit threw the poorly made tin cup against the wall, and the cheap liquor it was once holding scattered across the wall and floor. That was when the old door to the bedroom of this equally old mansion swung open. [???] ¡°Tsk, tsk¡­¡­¡­You still look like this.¡± A voice called out to him, but Rafit didn¡¯t even bother turning to face them. He recognized who they were well enough. Instead, he stayed sitting on that old couch, a frown on his face. His life had be so cheap. When he was crossing the border, carrying his broken and defeated uncle on his shoulder, it had be so unbearably painful to deal with that he just wanted to throw his uncle to the side and continue on his own. But despite that feeling swelling up several times a day, he fought back that urge and made it to the Kingdom of Sharka, where his uncle immediately fell ill¡ªunable to even leave his bed. It was like something in his uncle¡¯s heart had died. He refused to eat or take medicine, and now they were telling him he only had a day left to live at most. [Cousin] ¡°Hey, nephew. Isn¡¯t it high time you calmed this down? At this rate, you¡¯ll end up dying of alcohol poisoning. You¡¯re too young for that kind of death.¡±(1) A fattened and pale hand patted Rafit¡¯s shoulder. It was the only hand that had given him the money he needed for food and drink since he came here. And yet, Rafit grabbed his cousin¡¯s hand, twisting it back in one stroke without hesitation or mercy. Though he was his cousin, they were around the same age. They hardly spoke, but they often crossed each other¡¯s paths as children. His cousin was someone who never had anything special going for him besides the fact he was born into the royal family. To Rafit, they were not equal men. [Cousin] ¡°Agh!What are you doing!?¡± [Rafit] ¡°Don¡¯t touch me.¡± Rafit roughly threw aside his cousin¡¯s hand, as if he were throwing away a piece of trash. A much weaker man than Rafit was, his short and stout cousin was easily overpowered and shoved to the floor¡ªright on his butt. Although his rank was one of the lowest in all the royal family, he was still nheless royalty, and he was not ustomed to such rough treatment. Rafit¡¯s cousin stared up at him with anger in his eyes. [Cousin] ¡°This is thest time I¡¯ll allow you to treat me rudely. Don¡¯t expect me to call you nephew anymore.¡± [Rafit] ¡°Just shut up. Leave me alone.¡± Rafit didn¡¯t bother looking back at him. Struggling on the ground for a moment, his cousin eventually shook his head, picking himself up and standing squarely on his feet as he dusted off his britches. [Cousin] ¡°I can¡¯t. I have my orders.¡± [Rafit] ¡°¡­¡­.?¡± With the energy of someone who had been banished to live in hell all alone, Rafit stared silently at the wall, but those words finally made him turn his head. [Rafit] ¡°Orders?¡± [Cousin] ¡°So I heard.¡± [Rafit] ¡°Orders from who?¡± His cousin was the son of the fifth king of the royal family. There weren¡¯t many who could give orders to him. That meant that this message must¡¯vee from a direct descendant of the Kingdom of Sharka or the King himself.(2) [Cousin] ¡°The Crown Princess wants to see you.¡± [Rafit] ¡°The Crown Princess¡­¡­¡± He knew her. She was that strange woman who was standing next to the first prince with a strangely cold smile on her face. He saw her when he came to the Kingdom of Sharka looking for reinforcements over a month ago. They said she was originally from the Grand Duchy of Alto. Somehow, even after all this time, he couldn¡¯t forget her smile because of how unsettling and eerie it was to look at. Back then, after the Crown Prince of Sharka denied his request for aid and Rafit was forced to step down, she called him back, asking to speak with him. The Crown Princess was the one who told him that she had information that could be used to hinder the leader of the Tiwakan¡¯s proposal. Revenge. The one who said that the leader of the Tiwakan was disguising his desire for revenge beneath a proposal was the Princess of Sharka. * * * T/N: (1) Rafit¡¯s ¡®cousin¡¯ is actually being referred to as ¡°??¡± meaning ¡®first cousin, once removed¡¯. English doesn¡¯t have a word specific enough for that, so I shortened it to cousin. And the reason why he calls Rafit nephew is because he is likely the son of Rafit¡¯s great-uncle, which is why it¡¯s a little surprising to know they¡¯re simr in age. Uncle would probably be an eptable trantion as well, but I wanted to differentiate his title from that of Linden. (2) Rafit¡¯s cousin is the son of what they call ¡°?5??¡± which is literally ¡®the fifth king¡¯. This shows that the Kingdom of Sharka uses a hereditary monarch system, where you have a central king and then all those who are in line for the throne below him are numbered in order of session, sometimes even referred to as a senior king and the junior kings. NOTE: The princess, whose name has not yet been mentioned, has two titles¡ªthe Grand Princess because she¡¯s the daughter of the Grand Duke of Alto, and the Crown Princess of Sharka because of her marriage. The raws from this point forth use the titles interchangeably, but just a heads up that they refer to the same person. Chapter 84 - Wedding Night (1) Chapter 84 ¨C Wedding Night (1) Chapter 84 | Wedding Night (1) trantor/editor: astralmech * * * * * Rafit didn¡¯t know anything else, but he was certain of one thing: The Princess of Sharka was extremely displeased with the marriage of the leader of the Tiwakan. Rafit jumped to his feet. [Rafit] ¡°When did she want to meet? Now?¡± His cousin looked at him, clicking his tongue as if he were stunned. [Cousin] ¡°Whoa, calm down. She said the sooner the better, but you can¡¯t go off seeing the Crown Princess like that, can you?¡± [Rafit] ¡°¡­..Shit.¡± With a frustrated expression, Rafit approached his cousin, grabbing him by the arm. [Rafit] ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± [Cousin] ¡°Like that? Did you not hear what I said?¡± [Rafit] ¡°I heard you. That¡¯s why we¡¯re stopping by my uncle¡¯s ce first.¡± [Cousin] ¡°Why?¡± [Rafit] ¡°There should be something there for me to wear.¡± [Cousin] ¡°What? No, wait, I¡¯ve got the money I was supposed to give you, but I can just give you some clothes¡­..¡± [Rafit] ¡°Just shut up and walk.¡± Thwack¡ª Age hierarchy be damned, Rafit shoved his cousin out the door. * * * * * The me of the candle danced in the light breeze, the low light casting shadows against the walls. [???] ¡°You came at a good time.¡± It was past midnight when Rafit entered the Princess¡¯ bedroom. An unidentified ounder stepping into the royal pce at such a time would normally be an impossibility, especially in regards to a princess¡¯ bedroom. But it still happened. That could only mean she had a very serious reason to meet with Rafit at such a time. [Rafit] ¡°What did you call me here for?¡± Thanks to his cousin¡¯s help, Rafit managed to somewhat return to his former noble dignity. His slightly longer hair created shadows that perfectly hid just how bleak his expression had be in more recent days. Meanwhile, the Princess of Sharkaughed, the sound all too simr to the hiss of a venomous viper. [???] ¡°You look like you could use someone to put you at ease.¡± [Rafit] ¡°Are you nning onforting me?¡± [???] ¡°Of course not.¡± [Rafit] ¡°¡­¡­.?¡± The Princess, Brinley Bashed held out her hand, reaching towards Rafit. [Brinley] ¡°I was actually hoping you couldfort me, instead.¡± [Rafit] ¡°. . .¡± Rafit bit his lip, silently approaching Princess Brinley and taking her hand, but he was confused on what she wanted him to do. He could not figure out what exactly it was that the princess was asking of him right now. [Rafit] ¡°And why might you need that?¡± After he hesitated for a moment, asking his question, Princess Brinley squeezed down hard on his hand, cutting her nails into his palm. As Rafit frowned at the pain, Brinley looked up at him. [Brinley] ¡°You fool. Though I suppose I shouldn¡¯t be surprised, considering I went out of my way to give you that information, and yet you couldn¡¯t even upset the wedding, much less stop it. That was when the look in Rafit¡¯s eyes changed dramatically. [Rafit] ¡°Wasn¡¯t that information just a useless lie from the start?¡± [Brinley] ¡°What was that?¡± [Rafit] ¡°Like you said, that information did nothing to stop the wedding. If it were true that he came to Nauk looking for revenge, then he wouldn¡¯t be able to act like he was madly in love!¡± [Brinley] ¡°¡­¡­.Madly in love?¡± Princess Brinley narrowed her eyes, a dangerously dark look shing across her face. [Brinley] ¡°Him?¡± [Rafit] ¡°Exactly like that.¡± Rafit couldn¡¯t take the feeling of her touching him anymore. He shook off Princess Brinley¡¯s hand, and there were clear nail marks left between his thumb and his index finger. [Rafit] ¡°If you wanted to stop the engagement, you should¡¯ve given me military strength, not information¡­¡­¡± [Brinley] ¡°If I had, you wouldn¡¯t be standing here speaking with me right now. He would¡¯ve cut off your head long ago.¡± [Rafit] ¡°You¡¯re saying the Kingdom of Sharka¡¯s military can¡¯t handle a single mercenarypany?¡± [Brinley] ¡°Of course not. No kingdom, not even Sharka, can handle him alone.¡± Princess Brinley¡¯s voice was firm. [Brinley] ¡°You are still an immature young lord who knows nothing of how this world works. You¡¯ve just been livingfortably in the arms of your powerful noble house, stuck in the countryside.¡± Rafit forgot the woman sitting in front of him was a princess, and openly gritted his teeth in her presence while spitting out his words. [Rafit] ¡°You dare speak like that¡ª¡° [Brinley] ¡°Well, that¡¯s alright. Knowing nothing might be for the best. All the other men I¡¯ve known were smarter than that, but they were weak. There was no one willing to fight him so recklessly like you are.¡± Rafit wasn¡¯t sure if he should take that like apliment or an insult. [Rafit] ¡°What do you mean to say?¡± [Brinley] ¡°I want you to show me just how reckless you can be. Do you have the courage to try and steal your woman back from the arms of another, even if your opponent is a god of war?¡± Rafit widened his eyes. [Rafit] ¡°You mean¡­¡­you want to help me?¡± [Brinley] ¡°No, we¡¯ll be helping each other. You get to have his woman and I get to ruin him.¡± [Rafit] ¡°Works for me.¡± Hearing her proposal, Rafit didn¡¯t even need to think twice about it. And this was no longer just because he still loved or desired Rienne¡ªthis went beyond just her now. After living as a poor ounder in the Kingdom of Sharka, he no longer wanted to carry out such a miserable existence. That meant his course was clear. What the leader of the Tiwakan had stolen from him needed to be taken back. His family, his honor, his wealth¡ªeven the self-worth that had been crushed without mercy. [Rafit] ¡°What do you need me to do?¡± As if she knew what his answer would be, Princess Brinley readily pointed to the door on the wall closest to her bed. [Brinley] ¡°Just beyond that door is my husband¡¯s bedroom.¡± That was obvious to anyone, even Rafit. [Brinley] ¡°Tonight, my husband will be sleeping like the dead. Apparently he called three prostitutes to his side.¡± [Rafit] ¡°. . .¡± Rafit¡¯s face stiffened. He knew that Sharka¡¯s royal family was open when it came to the concepts of love and pleasure, but it was still hard to believe that the first prince, who¡¯d only been married for a year, would so calmly call prostitutes to his room. The Crown Prince of Sharka already had two recognized concubines. That alone would be enough to insult his wife, but prostitutes, too? [Brinley] ¡°I wouldn¡¯t rmend a de, it¡¯s too messy. Try smothering him with a pillow.¡± Then he¡¯d suffocate to death with no injury to his body. It would be impossible to say what exactly killed him and no doctor would dare pierce his nose just to see if any feathers had been forced in. [Rafit] ¡°Then¡­..whates after that?¡± [Brinley] ¡°For a while, I¡¯m sure a battle for session will ur. Everyone will fight, quietly killing each other off one by one, and by the time everything is done, I will have given birth to my child. Once that happens, I will be the regent, and then this kingdom will be mine. I could do whatever I wanted, even start a war if I so choose.¡± [Rafit] ¡°How are you so sure you¡¯re pregnant?¡± [Brinley] ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± Princess Brinley smiled silently, holding a finger to Rafit¡¯s lips. [Brinley] ¡°But as it so happens, today is a good day for me to conceive.¡± She trailed her long and pale finger down his face, tracing a line down his neck and onto his chest, pressing deeply into his heart. [Brinley] ¡°If you manage to return from that room safely, I will give you the honor of providing the seed I require for a child.¡± [Rafit] ¡°. . .¡± Rafit bit his lip tightly. In order to get back that which had been taken from him, he had to kill the Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Sharka. If he failed, he would just be an ounder assassin¡ªexecuted and torn limb from limb. [Rafit] ¡°I have a question.¡± The price for this choice would be high, and failure was no option. If he was going to entertain this idea, there was something he needed to know first. He needed to know if Princess Brinley was as serious about this as he was. [Rafit] ¡°Why do you want to ruin him?¡± [Brinley] ¡°So I can own him.¡±(1) [Rafit] ¡°. . .¡± [Brinley] ¡°I realized I can¡¯t have every part of him all to myself while he¡¯s so filled with life, so though it¡¯s a shame, I have no choice but to break him first.¡± Her narrow eyes, which seemed like they were carrying somethingpletely unknown within them, were now glistening with something darker¡ªsomething more wicked like ck stones. That wasn¡¯t a lie. This woman was absolutely crazy, but her desire was pure and real. Rafit nodded once. Then, in an instant, he roughly pulled up Brinley¡¯s chin, kissing her like he wanted to tear out her tongue. [Rafit] ¡°Warm up. I¡¯ll be back.¡± Princess Brinley smirked, smiling as she slightly stuck out her tongue, revealing the very clear imprints that Rafit had left behind. Squeak¡ª! Rafit opened the door decorated with a ck border. Crossing this threshold was no different from walking into hell, but he crossed the boundary without a second thought. * * * * * From below her balcony, she could hear them¡ªthe song of over a thousand people, singing loudly, not a single person in tune. But even so, she didn¡¯t want to miss a single verse. The song of Nauk¡¯s people as they flocked beneath her terrace was their wedding gift to Rienne. [Rienne] ¡°Oh¡­..Wow.¡± After one song, they started again. Rienne listened carefully, smiling with tears in her eyes. Every time she smiled and waved at them, the sound of their song became louder. She was so entranced by the sight that she hadn¡¯t even gotten undressed yet. [ck] ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll ever end.¡± By now, the moon was already high in the sky. ck walked up from behind her. He disappeared for a while so she thought he was going to get changed, but he was still wearing his wedding clothes. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m a little worried, too. They might keep at it until they get it right, just as the morning dew starts to set in.¡± As ck approached her, he naturally wrapped his arms around her waist, and Rienne smiled,fortably leaning back and resting her head on his chest. Her hair, braided back with an assortment of jeweled pins, felt incredibly heavy. Though truthfully, her whole body felt heavy. The wedding ceremony had been going on since the early morning, and she wasn¡¯t sure what strength she had left at this point. The ceremony itself took ce in the royal chapel. It was held in conjunction with the naming ceremonies of ck and the other Tiwakan mercenaries, in which they were given both honors and noble titles, which made the whole thing amazingly long. Then, they rode to the Temple by carriage, signed their oaths and sealed them at the altar. After hearing the sermon of the High Priest, which was also very long, that was when they were finally able to return to the castle. Except, once they reached the Aini bridge, they got off the carriage and walked across it with their own two feet. The people who were crossing the bridge from the other side gave them their blessings, one by one, and the procession only ended after they said their greetings and thanks to each and every one of them. Once that was done, they returned to their carriage to finish out their ride to the castle to enjoy the banquet. Never before had such arge feast been held in Nauk nor was there ever a time when the path from the gate entrance to the banquet hall was filled with so many flower and silk decorations. It was also new seeing so much food and alcohol, piled up like mountains and being shared equally even with those who hade from the poorestnds far away. In fact, this was probably the most beautiful the castle had ever looked since the day it was first constructed on thisnd. It was like a massive festival, attended by the whole kingdom. On a day like this, even the mice tucked away in the stables were flushed with happiness. But among all those wonderful and memorable moments, the one that would be remembered the clearest was when ck took off the veil that was hiding her face in their uncovered carriage. It was right when Rienne was musing about how she wanted to see all the people cheering, but that the veil was blocking her sight. [ck] ¨C¡®Then take it off.¡¯ Like it was no big deal, ck pulled out one of the pins that was keeping her veil in ce. [Rienne] ¨C¡®Oh, the veil can only be taken off once the dress is removed. It¡¯s supposed to symbolize the purity of the bride and the sanctity of marriage.¡¯ But once her veil was removed, ck smiled at the sight he was greeted with. [ck] ¨C¡®Your face is already sacred enough. What more could I possibly require?¡¯ She couldn¡¯t remember what she said back, though she probably didn¡¯t say anything at all. [ck] ¨C¡®I just want you to be here. That¡¯s all I need.¡¯ Once her veil was gone, she could see everything she wanted to with vivid rity. And it was especially wonderful being able to see him so starkly in his wedding attire. [Rienne] ¨C¡®You always manage to surprise me, my love.¡¯ When Rienne whispered softly in his ear, ck took her hand, and she smiled at the ticklish feeling of him between her fingers. [ck] ¨C¡®Not as much as you surprise me, Princess.¡¯ And all of those cherished moments, both big and small, eventually led to this one right now. [ck] ¡°They should quit before they lose their voices.¡± As she leaned against his chest, ck gently started removing the jewelry pins from her hair with a careful hand. And with every pin that was removed, more of her hair unfurled, and the tension in her head slowly faded. [Rienne] ¡°But I don¡¯t know how to stop them. They all look so happy.¡± [ck] ¡°They just want to please you, Princess. Just let them know that there are other fun things you¡¯d rather be doing besides listening to their song.¡± [Rienne] ¡°But how?¡± [ck] ¡°Like this.¡± Setting aside thest jewelry piece, ck fluffed out Rienne¡¯s hair, bending down to wrap his arms around her waist again. And then, the song outside ended like it was never ying as the crowds fell into silence. ck dipped Rienne¡¯s body down, and as he supported her back with his arms, he ovepped his lips with hers in a deep kiss, gently sucking on her bottom lip. [Rienne] ¡°Oh, this is¡­..¡± The kiss was intense and breathless, continuing on and on as Rienne grabbed his shoulders, holding onto him as if to keep herself steady. And once he finally decided to let her lips go, both her cheeks were dyed a crimson red. ¡­..It was so very embarrassing because now it was all too obvious to the people just how much she loved this man. [ck] ¡°Now turn around and wave to them. Everyone will be happy enough to leave.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Rienne followed his words, awkwardly turning and smiling brightly as she waved towards the crowds that had gathered below the terrace. And just as ck said, though the people had stopped singing, they all looked extremely happy, smiling and waving back. [Rienne] ¡°How did you know?¡± [ck] ¡°How did I know what?¡± [Rienne] ¡°That doing that would work.¡± ck turned Rienne around to face him, and for some reason, he had a very telling smile on his face. One that made an immediate shiver and tremble travel down her spine. [ck] ¡°You were always their Princess, but you¡¯re also my wife now.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Hm? What do you mean?¡± [ck] ¡°I mean I¡¯ve been losing my mind waiting for tonight.¡± Thwip¡ª Stepping away from Rienne, ck closed the door leading to the terrace without taking his eyes off her. Slip¡ª Then he undid the rope keeping the curtains tied back, and with a dramatic flourish, the curtain fell in ce,pletely covering the window. [ck] ¡°Right now, I want you to focus only on me.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Looking at ck, staring at her so deeply, Rienne swallowed hard without even realizing it. ck¡¯s eyes towards her were always so soft and kind, but right now, their paleness was hazed over with an expectant and dense darkness. * * * T/N: (1) The word she uses is [????] which is literally ¡®to own/possess¡¯. She is, in no uncertain terms, referring to ck as an object, which is also why she uses the terminology of breaking him in the same way someone might break a toy. A new challenger¡­.approaches!? Plot¡¯s getting really spicy now! And in more ways than one ??Though, I nearly threw my phone in panic after seeing Brinley for the first time ??And she¡¯s so pretty, too! Such a waste! But I think this is one of the few times I¡¯ve actually cheered on a ML. Heck yeah, go get your wife! Chapter 85 - Wedding Night (2) Chapter 85 ¨C Wedding Night (2) Chapter 85 | Wedding Night (2) * * * * * [Rienne] ¡°Wait, I¡­.haven¡¯t washed up¡­.yet.¡± Every time she tried to say something, her words kept stumbling over each other as she stopped to swallow nervously. But ck was already holding her in his arms, reaching around her and undoing the pearl studded buttons on the back of her dress, one by one. [ck] ¡°That¡¯s fine. You¡¯ll just end up washing up againter.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Still, I¡­.I, I was out all day.¡± [ck] ¡°Your dress covered most of your body, so nothing got on your skin.¡± Two buttons were undone as ck gently nuzzled his face in the hollow of Rienne¡¯s neck. She gasped at the sensation of the air against her shoulders and the touch of his warm breath against her skin as he breathed in deeply. [ck] ¡°And you smell good. You have nothing to worry about.¡± [Rienne] ¡°There¡¯s no way.¡± That couldn¡¯t be true, right? Feeling suspicious about his earlier absence, Rienne turned her head to the side, pulling at ck¡¯s hand and sniffing the inside of his wrist. [Rienne] ¡°Hm¡­..?¡± It was faint, but he smelled like soap. [ck] ¡°I washed up a little bit ago.¡± Oh, that was probably why. Though he was still wearing his wedding attire, his cravat was missing and most of his shirt buttons were undone. [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s a little unfair.¡± [ck] ¡°Just think of me as desperate. I don¡¯t want to waste any more time.¡± Thwip¡ªslip¡ª The next button was undone even faster this time, with him hastily pulling at the fabric. [Rienne] ¡°Ah, wait, hold on.¡± It felt like he was going way too fast. Feeling the cold air caressing her almostpletely exposed back, Rienne turned to him, desperately trying to get him to slow down as her toes curled from the odd sensation. [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s¡­..a little¡­¡­¡± [ck] ¡°A little?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I need to¡­¡­prepare my heart, first.¡± [ck] ¡°. . .¡± In a moment of rity, ck took in a deep breath, then let it out a few times in a row before finally he pulled his hands away and held them in the air. [ck] ¡°Very well.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Hah¡­¡­¡± This entire time, Rienne felt like she couldn¡¯t breathe properly, and it felt very ufortable in her chest. [Rienne] ¡°I, I¡¯ve never done this before so¡­¡­going that fast¡­.is a little¡­..¡± [ck] ¡°I understand. If you need time to prepare yourself, then take it.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I will. First I should¡­¡­.¡± Holding herself, patting her chest and helping herself breathe again, Rienne was about to say she should go wash up, but then¡ª [ck] ¡°I can take my clothes off first.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What? No, but why?¡± [ck] ¡°My heart¡¯s been ready for a long time now. I don¡¯t need any more time to prepare.¡± ck took Rienne¡¯s hand, lightly squeezing it as he brought it up to his chest, pressing her palm down against one of his still done up buttons. [ck] ¡°If you want, I don¡¯t mind if you do it quickly. If it¡¯s too much of a pain, you can also just rip it off.¡± What he was trying to say right now was¡­. [ck] ¡°You don¡¯t want to? That¡¯s fine, I can do it myself.¡± When being asked if she disliked the idea of taking this man¡¯s clothes off for him, there could really only be one answer. [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s¡­..not true.¡± [ck] ¡°Then do it for me.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± Though she¡¯d tried to imagine what tonight would be like hundreds of times over, never once could a clear picturee to her mind. So what was making this so hard for her, despite herck of expectations? [Rienne] ¡°¡­..there¡¯s too much light.¡± It took her some careful and difficult thought, but after considering it for a moment, Rienne spoke again once she came to a conclusion. [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s still a little early in the evening¡­. and the people outside might not have left yet¡­ and taking my clothes off before bed is¡­.. and the atmosphere¡­.¡± Her nervous heart and unsettled mind mostly came from the atmosphere, or in this case,ck thereof. ck was entirely ready, but not her. Honestly, it felt like her mind was still stuck somewhere in the middle of the wedding ceremony. [ck] ¡°I understand.¡± But fortunately, ck was quick to catch on. That¡¯s how he¡¯d always been¡ªunderstanding her mind ahead of herself, finding answers while she was still wondering. [ck] ¡°I¡¯ll turn out the lights first.¡± She felt her heart calm at those words, but ck didn¡¯t say that to mean he would leave to blow out the candles on his own. What she failed to notice was that he was slowly reaching out his hand, but before she could realize the subtle movement, he suddenly pulled her chin, urging her to look up. [Rienne] ¡°You¡ª¡° You said you¡¯d turn out the lights. But none of those words made it out. Each and every one of them waspletely devoured by a kiss, sealed away by the touch of his lips. Though, it wasn¡¯t like their usual kisses. Many of their kisses were fast, as though they were running out of time, but this was one soft and slow, yet far heavier than any other they had experienced together. Her lips were wet, but betraying that feeling was a scorching thirst rising within her¡ªlike her throat was burning red hot and dry. And as the fog cleared from her mind and rity returned, Rienne realized she was hugging ck¡¯s neck, with the sleeves of her dress loosely falling from her shoulders. [ck] ¡°Feels like I¡¯ve been shot with an arrow again.¡± ck¡¯s voice was nothing more than a whisper, spoken with their glistening lips still pressed together. [Rienne] ¡°What¡­.?¡± [ck] ¡°This is simr to when I lost my mind from the fever.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Ah¡­¡­¡± [ck] ¡°If I hadn¡¯t been hit with an arrow back then, I would¡¯ve been able to act like a decent man until now.¡± With their lips still joined in a bated kiss, ck pulled Rienne¡¯s body along, near the wall where one of the many candle fixtures was hanging. And when he pulled away for just a moment¡ª Whoo¡ª The candle dimmed and the me vanished, marking the end of one of the five candles lit around the bedroom. Normally only one or two would be lit at a time, but inmemoration of their first night, all five fixtures were burning proudly and brightly. Which meant there were still four left. [Rienne] ¡°What do you mean?¡± [ck] ¡°Or maybe it¡¯d be more appropriate to say I was pretending to be decent.¡± [Rienne] ¡°You mean to say you wouldn¡¯t have kissed me like that if that hadn¡¯t happened?¡± [ck] ¡°I was trying to be careful because I thought it would take a long time for you to get used to me.¡± [Rienne] ¡°That¡­¡­.¡± Maybe he was right. Maybe it would have been exactly like that. Back then, with how everything was, liking this man at all would¡¯ve been unthinkable. She never expected that the day woulde when she would grow to love him as she does now. [ck] ¡°So I was thinking I was lucky I got hit by that arrow since it pushed things forward faster than I expected, but¡­¡­.¡± He yfully and softly bit her lower lip, taking another step backwards toward the second candle. [ck] ¡°Now that I think about it, I don¡¯t think it would have mattered. I wouldn¡¯t have been able to wait anyway.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Why not?¡± [ck] ¡°If you could see me now, you¡¯d understand.¡± Whoo¡ª Another candle was extinguished, enveloping the room in deeper darkness. And in that epassing blindness, ck took Rienne¡¯s hand, lightly bringing it towards the button on his shirt. [ck] ¡°Take it off.¡± His voice was so low that even such a simple phrase burned in her ears. Rienne swallowed hard, quietly moving her hands. Without the light of the candle, everything felt a little easier. The darker things got, the sweeter their kiss became, and everything about him had a way of searing through her body¡ªlike a fire was scorching inside of her. Thwip¡ª And the button came undone easier than she expected it would. Her hands were trembling before, but the darkness gave her a confidence and a steadiness she didn¡¯t think was possible. Before long, every button was undone, and his shirt fell to the floor. [ck] ¡°Good job.¡± With his chest exposed, ck cupped Rienne¡¯s face in his big hands, affectionately kissing her wherever his lips could reach. Whoo¡ª The third candle was next to go out. Moving to the next, their kiss became faster and more breathless, their hands holding onto each other as they gasped for air. And by the time the fifth candle went out, clothes were no longer an obstacle keeping them apart. ck ced his hands on Rienne¡¯s bare skin as he lifted her up in his embrace¡ªtaking her off to bed. * * * * * When Rienne barely managed to open her eyes, it was already past afternoon the next day. [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± And she felt a little strange. Dusk was starting to set in, so everything was dyed in a red light. On both sides of her bed were chairs, meant for the two women who were watching over her. Or rather, it was like they were guarding her? Past that was a table, filled with warm water bottles, towels, and various easy to eat foods, as if Rienne were some kind of sickly person who had been suffering for a very long time. [Rienne] ¡°Ma¡¯am¡­..? What happened?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Oh, Princess. You¡¯re awake now.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Yes. Is something wrong with me? Why are you two here?¡± [Mrs. Henton] ¡°You must feel terrible. Lie back down and drink some water. Your voice is so hoarse.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Ah, ah¡­..Is that so?¡± Now that she mentioned it, Rienne¡¯s throat ached. But why did her throat hurt so much? Had she actually fallen ill? Mrs. Henton poured her a ss of water without saying a word. Rienne thoughtlessly tried to take it, but when she did, oddly enough, her hand trembled. [Rienne] ¡°Ah, what¡¯s going on with me?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Oh dear, Princess!¡± Mrs. mbard quickly took Rienne¡¯s hand, setting it back down on the bed. As if this was something they¡¯d agreed to long before Rienne stirred awake, Mrs. Henton brought the ss up to her mouth. [Mrs. Henton] ¡°Drink.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I can drink myself, ma¡¯am.¡± [Mrs. Henton] ¡°No, you¡¯ll just end up breaking a perfectly good ss for nothing. Drink like this.¡± [Rienne] ¡°But, I¡­.¡± But the two older women looked so stubborn and determined that Rienne ended up just drinking the water onmand. Even as the water passed down her throat, it felt sore like she¡¯d been screaming. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°It¡¯ll be difficult for you to even get up and wash up in the bathroom, so I¡¯ll wet a towel for you. You can wash up here.¡± With a practiced and precise movement, Mrs. mbard submerged the towel in the water basin and squeezed it out, then tried to use it to wet Rienne¡¯s face. [Rienne] ¡°No, ma¡¯am¡ªwhat¡¯s going on right now?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°No, this is what needs to happen. Don¡¯t think about getting up and just sit still.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m fine, my throat just hurts a little bit. I feel much better after drinking some water, so there¡¯s no need for all of this.¡± As Mrs. mbard held out the wet towel, Rienne pushed her hand to the side. But it was strange. Her arm felt really heavy, too. She thought she¡¯d be able to push her away with just a light nudge, but it was like trying to push a boulder. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°What are you saying, Princess? You should really stay still. You¡¯ll hurt your back if you move around like that.¡± [Rienne] ¡°No, I just feel a little tired because I slept too long. I¡¯ll feel right as rain once I fully wake up. So let me do that, please?¡± [Mrs. Henton] ¡°Justy back down.¡± However, Mrs. Henton was acting just as stubborn. Rienne couldn¡¯t understand why they were acting like this, and so, ignoring their warnings, she pushed back the nket and stepped out of bed. Or she tried at least. Before she could even think about getting up, a strange sound came out of her instead. [Rienne] ¡°Ah¡­¡­¡± The onset of this feeling was so sudden that Rienne just ended up copsing back into bed. Without warning, her whole body started aching, like she¡¯d been thrown around. It felt like she had bruises not only on her waist, but along her legs and her hips, too. Everything was so weak, and both her legs and arms wouldn¡¯t stop trembling helplessly. Like this, she wasn¡¯t sure if she could sit up straight, much less walk. Wincing, Rienne turned to the two women. [Rienne] ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°You had your first night, Princess. And it was alongnight, no less.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What¡­¡­?¡± For reasons she couldn¡¯t exin, Rienne¡¯s face turned red like an apple. She was a little out of sorts when she woke up, but she was being reminded that yesterday was the wedding, and then at night¡­.. [Rienne] ¡°Is this¡­¡­supposed to happen¡­¡­.? She knew that one¡¯s first experience could be very painful, but she didn¡¯t know that her whole body would ache like this. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°No. I also very clearly remember my own wedding night, but I don¡¯t recall something like this happening to me.¡± Mrs. Henton very openly nodded in agreement. [Mrs. Henton] ¡°Neither can I.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Then why do I feel so particrly achy right now?¡± Was it because her first experience happenedter than usual? But no, doesn¡¯t it normally hurt more the younger you are? And um¡­¡­..well, it didn¡¯t hurt a lot in theonece where she expected the pain. It was mostly her back that hurt, along with her thighs, hips, and the rest of her legs. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Why do you think that is?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Is it because I overworked myself preparing for the wedding?¡± As Rienne looked around awkwardly, trying to find a convincing reason for the pain she was in, Mrs. mbard looked at her with a very serious expression. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°It¡¯s nothing you did, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Hm? Then¡­.?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°It¡¯s your husband¡¯s fault.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Sorry?¡± Mrs. mbard was already very straightforward, but Mrs. Henton decided to take it a step further. [Mrs. Henton] ¡°She means you and your husband enjoyed yourselves perhaps a little too much. Even if the first night is painful for many women, I¡¯ve never seen a bride who couldn¡¯t open her eyes for half a day like you, Princess.Shocking, absolutely unbelievable.¡±(1) [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± If she hadn¡¯t added thosest words, muttered under her breath like that, Rienne¡¯s face would have been a little less red. It was enjoyable¡­.. Yes, that¡¯s true¡­..but why must they point that out¡­¡­.? [Rienne] ¡°It could just be fatigue. The wedding ceremony was very long¡­¡­¡± But Mrs. mbard was very determined. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°We all prepared for the wedding ceremony¡ªwe worked together. And as I recall, didn¡¯t you fall asleep first the night before, Princess?Oh, goodness gracious.¡± And why did they have to keep acting so shocked like that? Was this really all that strange? [Mrs. mbard] ¡°You won¡¯t be able to walk for a while, so please rest. Are you hungry?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I suppose I am a little.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Very well.Goodness.¡± [Mrs. Henton] ¡°I¡¯ll bring some warm food.¡± Mrs. Henton stood up from her seat, but even as she turned around to leave, Rienne could hear her whisper some other expression of shock and a little bit of awe. [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­Can you both please stop saying that?¡± Rienne murmured out, pulling the nket over her head. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°What can we do if it just keeps slipping out? I mean honestly,shocking.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Ma¡¯am¡­¡­.¡± Mrs. mbard waved her hand, probably knowing how embarrassingly red Rienne¡¯s face was, ripening like a fruit underneath her nket. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°I¡¯ll really stop now. It¡¯s just that you just look so satisfied and happy, I cannot help but act this way.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I can¡¯t get out of bed because I¡¯m in so much pain, but I look satisfied¡­¡­.?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Satisfiedindeed. I can guarantee there is no other bride alive who can say they couldn¡¯t even open their eyes after their first night like you can, Princess¡­¡­.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Ma¡¯am, please.¡± Reaching her limit, Rienne pulled the nket down. Her temperature was already rising from the embarrassment, but now it was too hot inside the nket because of how much the woman was teasing her. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Get well soon, Princess. Though I don¡¯t know if telling you to ¡®get better¡¯ is the right way of putting it in this situation.¡±(2) Mrs. mbard neatly rearranged Rienne¡¯s hair, her face beaming with pride and affection. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°You should have seen how nervous and restless your husband was when you wouldn¡¯t open your eyes this morning, Princess. If you did, you¡¯d know why I¡¯m saying this. We ended up nagging Lord Tiwakan so terribly, he¡¯s entirely too scared to step foot in this room.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Ah¡­¡­Is that why he¡¯s not here right now?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°We told him to stay away. You need to restfortably, Princess.¡± Rienne let out a quietugh. [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s a little funny to imagine him being intimidated by you. At first, you were terrified of even looking at his face.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Well, if he were not your husband, perhaps I would still feel the same.¡± Mrs. mbard pulled her hand back from moving around Rienne¡¯s hair, instead looking down awkwardly at her own palm. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Back when Lord Kleinfelder was your lover, Princess, I used to believe there was no one in this world who could love you as he did. But now I have no choice but to change my mind about that.¡± Those words conveyed a sentiment that made her heart feel very warm and fluffy. She was right. Rienne was very happy right now. [Rienne] ¡°If you say so, then it must be true.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Of course. Your husband seems like the sort to readily catch a white bear with his bare hands if someone told him it would be good for you, Princess.¡± Though, thinking about that made Rienne dizzy because somehow, she could imagine that happening. [Rienne] ¡°Be careful with your words, ma¡¯am. He might actually end up trying.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°I¡¯m not saying he¡¯s going to go off and catch one right now, only that I certainly think he has the stamina and strength for something like that. Thoughe to think of it¡­¡­.Goodness, it¡¯s still so unbelievable.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Ma¡¯am, please stop.¡± Mrs. Henton, who arrived with the warm food for Rienne, also said more phrases of disbelief and amaze as she entered¡ªthe two of them trading them off while never failing to embarrass Rienne. And once she got a little bit of food in her, her body felt so much better, and she could walk on her own by the time the moon was rising. * * * T/N: (1) The old ma¡¯ams are actually repeating the phrase [???], which is just like a general phrase of shock. There¡¯s no real good 1:1 word for it, and I personally really hate seeing it tranted as ¡®oh my god¡¯ since that doesn¡¯t always fit with the character/setting, so I just reced it with a bunch of words older women would use. (2) The word used here is [??] which has two meanings, A.) to find ¡®better¡¯ as in to find something more preferable, and B.) to recover or heal. Using that word makes it sounds like she¡¯s trying to suggest Rienne find a better man, hence why she doesn¡¯t think it¡¯s a good word to use at this moment. I went with ¡®get better¡¯ since that sounds like it could also be feasibly understood as both. Chapter 86 - A Difficult Request Chapter 86 ¨C A Difficult Request Chapter 86 | A Difficult Request * * * * [Rienne] ¡°Wha¡­..¡± It all happened while she was asleep. [Rienne] ¡°When did this get finished?¡± The entire bathroom had been redone. It used to be so sparse, with only the water basin and a few discarded water buckets stacked to the side, but now the magnificent marble bathtub had beenpletely restored. In addition, there was now arge mirror, a vanity, and a spacious ce for a more ornate water basin. Arge brazier had even been installed in the bathroom so that hot water would be more readily avable. All one needed to do was fill the bath with water and then light the brazier, and the water would be hot soon after. [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anything like this before. It must be from another nation.¡± Wearing only a towel, Rienne stood in front of the bathtub, curiously inspecting the strange device connecting the brazier to the tub. With anticipation in her heart, she took a step inside. Mrs. mbard told her that the best thing she could do for her body right now was soak in warm water, and she wasn¡¯t wrong. The moment her entire body was submerged, afortable warmth spread all through her body. [Rienne] ¡°Hah¡­.I love this so much.¡± She¡¯d forgotten how nice it was to have a bathtub. Rienne leaned her back against the edge of the bathtub and closed her eyes. Already she could feel the once throbbing painzily melt away as she soaked. Knock, knock. Someone was knocking at the door. [ck] ¡°Can Ie in?¡± It was ck. [Rienne] ¡°Ah¡­..Oh, hold on a moment. Yes, it¡¯s fine.¡± Rienne nodded, quickly making sure the towel was securely around her body. She barely had enough time to cover herself before the door opened and ck entered the room. [Rienne] ¡°Ah, don¡¯te too close. It¡¯s embarrassing.¡± As he confidently walked in, his steps faltered for just a moment when he heard her shy voice, causing him to smirk. [ck] ¡°If you say that, I¡¯ll listen, but I don¡¯t think you have any reason to be embarrassed anymore.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What are you talking about?¡± With her back facing him, Rienne tilted her head towards him, asionally turning her gaze away before going to look at him again. By this time, it was already nearly evening, so she actually hadn¡¯t seen him in a long time. [Rienne] ¡°I only have a towel on and my face is really red right now.¡± [ck] ¡°You didn¡¯t have a towel onst night.¡± [Rienne] ¡°No¡­¡­but it was dark, at least.¡± [ck] ¡°The moon was very bright.¡± This man really didn¡¯t have an ounce of shame, somehow not even a little bit embarrassed, even when he said those kinds of things with such a proud voice. [Rienne] ¡°I only get more shy when you tease me like that. Maybe you should leave.¡± [ck] ¡°Actually, I think I might be misremembering things. It was very dark.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Is there any point in lying about that now?¡± [ck] ¡°Please let yourself be fooled just this once. I was waiting to see you all day long.¡± When you say things like that, I can¡¯t really argue with you. [ck] ¡°Even then, I had to sneak in here. I didn¡¯t want to be caught by those women.¡± They told me you were intimidated by them. I suppose that was true. [ck] ¡°¡­¡­Do I really have to go?¡± ¡­¡­¡­.Of course not. I really wanted to see you, too. [Rienne] ¡°If you¡¯re going to stay, then please stay behind me.¡± Rienne smiled and sank back into the water. The moment he heard her approval, ck approached and sat near the bathtub, leaning his arms against the edges. And with a sigh, he immediately kissed her wet shoulder. [ck] ¡°I missed you.¡± ¡­¡­.I missed you, too. [Rienne] ¡°Where were you all day?¡± [ck] ¡°I walked around for a bit. They told me to stay away from the bedroom.¡± Imagining ck actually being intimidated by those little olddies, Rienne let out a soft giggle. [Rienne] ¡°Were you really that afraid of them?¡± [ck] ¡°The one I was afraid of was you, Princess.¡± Me? What would he have to fear from her? He pulled his lips away from her shoulder only to gently kiss it again. From where he touched her, it spread a deep warmth all throughout her body. [ck] ¡°I was afraid you would be disappointed or angry with me because I couldn¡¯t control myself.¡± Was that¡­..what he was worried about? The memories ofst night were already unforgettable, but ck managed to bring them back to mind so vividly with just a few words. Her body felt so warm from the water, but now she could feel a blush crawling up her neck. [Rienne] ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s your fault alone.¡± [ck] ¡°I didn¡¯t know you¡¯d have such a hard time, but I should¡¯ve known better than to lose my mind like that.¡± His voice was so quiet and it sounded strangely weak, but now Rienne knew the reason why he felt so nervous. It wasn¡¯t because he got yelled at by a couple of old women. It was because of her. [Rienne] ¡°How could you have known? It was our first time doing that together.¡± [ck] ¡°Still, I got too excitedst night.¡± Hearing how powerless his voice was, Rienne reached her hand back, holding ck¡¯s face in her palm. She was curious what kind of face he was making, but she wasn¡¯t very confident to look him in the eye right now. [Rienne] ¡°I don¡¯t think so¡­..¡± Rather than him being too excited, it might¡¯ve been the other way around. If she were topare her feelings fromst night to something, it was akin to riding a wave. A constant rush of passion crashing against her like a never ending torrent. It was a feeling that was entirely inescapable, too. She never knew it was possible to experience such pleasure, or that there were so many ces she could be touched that could elicit all those different sensations, granting an equally endless variety of pleasure. Rienne¡¯s face turned a bright crimson like a ripened fruit. [ck] ¡°I thought a lot about what I did.¡±(1) ck ran his lips over and across her shoulders, and up along the nape of her neck, never slowing even as he spoke against her skin. Rienne spoke back, letting out a thin sigh. [Rienne] ¡°So you say, and yet you keep kissing me.¡± [ck] ¡°It¡¯sbecauseI reflected on things.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Hm?¡± [ck] ¡°And now that I¡¯ve considered things deeply, tonight will be different.¡± What¡­..? How does that count as reflection? [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯m not sure you really reflected on things as much as you think you have.¡± [ck] ¡°You¡¯ll see. You¡¯ll be able to feel the difference.¡± In other words, he was saying they would need to do it again for her to see the fruit of all his deep thinking. This was bad. She was trying so hard not tough, but she couldn¡¯t hold back her smile. Turning her head to the side, Rienne yfully tugged on ck¡¯s ear. [Rienne] ¡°You truly are shameless. How will we face everyone tomorrow?¡± [ck] ¡°Is shame really necessary?¡± ck took Rienne¡¯s chin and pulled her forward, hastily ovepping their lips. Somehow, with her whole body submerged in warm water, this kiss tasted especially wonderful and blissfully intense. [Rienne] ¡°Ah, that¡¯s enough¡­I haven¡¯t finished bathing¡­¡± Pressing her wet palms against ck¡¯s chest, Rienne tried to push him back. If she didn¡¯t stop things here, they would only continue to escte. [ck] ¡°Can you please cut me some ck? It¡¯s our first kiss today.¡± But it had alreadysted long enough, and she kept worrying about whether or not her towel would fall off if she moved too much. And to be honest, if he got too determined about this, they would be here long enough that she wouldn¡¯t even notice if her towel ended up falling off, anyway. She needed to stop him here while there was still time. [Rienne] ¡°I think you¡¯ve kissed me enough.¡± [ck] ¡°No, I haven¡¯t.¡± ck cupped the back of her head, digging into their kiss more deeply. [ck] ¡°I¡¯ll never get enough for as long as I live.¡± [Rienne] ¡°That¡¯s¡­..Ah¡­..¡± But despite her best efforts, she ended up giving in to him, and the kiss went on for so much longer. [Rienne] ¡°But¡­.no more. I can¡¯t oversleep again tomorrow¡­¡± [ck] ¡°We¡¯re newlyweds, so it¡¯s fine if you do.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Well¡­.it¡¯s my first time being a newlywed, so I wouldn¡¯t know much.¡± [ck] ¡°If you don¡¯t know, then just listen to me.¡± Oh, he could be so stubborn when he wanted to be sometimes. He was so good at listening to her when it came to everything else, but with this, talking to him was like speaking to a rock. [Rienne] ¡°I haven¡¯t eaten yet.¡± [ck] ¡°Ah¡­¡­¡± But with those words, he fell away from her slowly. Her lips still felt hot from his kiss, but left behind were far too many lingering emotions¡ªdesires left unfulfilled. And ringing in his voice was an overwhelming sense of displeasure. [ck] ¡°I guess I can¡¯t be stubborn anymore.¡± So he was aware of his own stubbornness. [ck] ¡°Come out once you¡¯re finished. I¡¯ll have a meal prepared.¡± It was amazing how even the way he stood up seemed displeased and disappointed. [Rienne] ¡°Before you go, I have a favor I¡¯d like to ask.¡± Just as he got to his feet, Rienne reached out, taking his hand and linking her fingers around his. [ck] ¡°Ask away.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Kiss me once more before you go? Just a quick one.¡± ck looked down at her with an expression that was somehow both a smile and a frown. [ck] ¡°Do you have any idea how difficult of a request that is?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Yes, but I know you¡¯ll still listen.¡± That¡¯s when ck lowered his body back down. Just as one might¡¯ve thought, ¡®just a quick one¡¯ was a difficult request to grant. * * * * * [Darren] ¡°Now¡¯s my chance.¡± Darren murmured as he took in his appearance, reflected in the mirror. His attendant stood to the side, handing him a shirt lined with golden adornments and a jewelry brooch. The reflection of the Grand Prince of Alto was a polished one, sleeked to perfection with a refined and unmatched level of speech. He would be considered attractive to any woman, and this was something he never once doubted. [Darren] ¡°It¡¯s the day after the wedding ceremony. After the first night is usually when the regrets start to set in.¡± Darren smiled at himself in the mirror. His attendant quietly helped him dress. Maybe there was someone else who could convince Darren otherwise, but he was quickly realizing that he was not someone the Grand Prince would listen to. [Darren] ¡°The Princess didn¡¯te out of her bedroom all day, using the excuse that she overslept. If that¡¯s not proof she regrets things, I don¡¯t know what is.¡± [Attendant] ¡°¡­¡­.It is done, master.¡± [Darren] ¡°Brush my hair again. It has to look good.¡± But his hair was already entirelybed back with an expensive hair oil. Nheless, the attendant silently picked up theb. [Darren] ¡°What¡¯s the best gift for a heartbrokendy?¡± [Attendant] ¡°Well, jewelry is always a safe bet.¡± [Darren] ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. Go pick something appropriate. Make sure it¡¯s not too expensive, but eye-catching.¡± The attendant quietly thought about how pointless this all was, like drinking hot tea after it¡¯s gone cold, but he nodded along regardless. He opened up therge travel trunk he had stored underneath the bed, taking a look at what jewels Darren had in his possession. Eventually, he settled on a lily shaped brooch made from a mixture of sapphires and opals. It looked like it would make a good gift for a woman. [Attendant] ¡°What about this?¡± [Darren] ¡°That¡¯s nice. We¡¯ll go with it.¡± The attendant took the brooch, keeping it in a gift box. After that, Darren went to visit Rienne¡¯s room with a jewelry box in hand¡ªdressed up like a peacock in the attire most representative of the Duchy of Alto.(2) * * * * * Phermos was being faced with a very thankless situation. Right now, he was heading off towards the new inner sanctum of ck and Rienne. Apparently, theirte dinner was held not in the dining hall, but rather in the sanctum attached to their bedroom. Without even checking, Phermos knew the cruel reality of it¡ªHis Lord had no intention ofing out for the rest of the night. They had so much work to do that had been dyed because of the ongoing wedding celebrations, and Phermos so desperately wanted to ask his Lord if he was trying to kill him with all these assignments. However, all of thoseints got stuck in his throat, and so Phermos did his best to endure the pain and suck up his sorrow. Yes, he just got married. I can hold out for this long. If I dare bother him right now, I¡¯ll only be inviting trouble into my life. But as he was heading to the sanctum, he saw the Grand Prince of Alto, struggling just outside the door. Is he insane? With a quick and keen eye, Phermos immediately understood what Darren was aiming for, all dressed up like a peacock with a jewelry box in hand. It meant he had untoward business with Rienne. Phermos loudly clicked his tongue. How stupid could he possibly be? Though Rienne was a human being with two arms, same as any other, there was one clear difference between her and other women. She was the woman of his Lord. [Phermos] ¡°What are you doing here?¡± With Phermos¡¯ loud voice calling out, Darren and his attendant both turned around in surprise. [Darren] ¡°Oh, perfect. Let Princess Rienne know I¡¯m here.¡± Phermos narrowed his eyes hearing Darren¡¯s ridiculous request. [Phermos] ¡°What business do you have with Princess Rienne at this hour?¡± [Darren] ¡°That¡¯s none of your concern. Just tell her.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Itismy concern. Anyone seeking an audience with my Lord falls under my jurisdiction.¡± [Darren] ¡°I thought just your eyes were bad, but apparently your ears are, too. I told you, I¡¯m here to see Princess Rienne.¡± [Phermos] ¡°I heard you clearly. However, when they are together, there is hardly any point in distinguishing them.¡± [Darren] ¡°¡­..Together?¡± Darren¡¯s face stiffened clearly, and Phermos clicked his tongue again. [Phermos] ¡°It¡¯s dinnertime for them. It¡¯s only natural they be together.¡± [Darren] ¡°But what are they doing eating sote in the evening?¡± [Phermos] ¡°It¡¯s because the Princess had ate morning sleeping in. Shall I still inform them of your visit?¡± [Darren] ¡°¡­¡­..No. If that¡¯s the case, then it¡¯s no longer necessary.¡± Thinking for a while, Darren stepped back. It was just as Phermos thought. What Darren was nning on doing, wearing such colorful finery, was not something that could be done in ck¡¯s presence. [Darren] ¡°I¡¯ll be back some other time.¡± [Phermos] ¡°What¡¯s that in your hand?¡± Darren¡¯s expression turned unpleasant. [Darren] ¡°It¡¯s better if you don¡¯t know.¡± So it was definitely a jewel. Although Darren¡¯s exploits with women were well known and certainly a colorful history, there were plenty who showed more interest in the jewels he carried. Darren was all too confident in his ability to woo a woman, but in Phermos¡¯ eyes, the power of his wealth and status were major contributing factors. [Phermos] ¡°Then you should be off. It¡¯ste.¡± Phermos didn¡¯t forget toce his words with sarcasm as he roughly sent Darren on his way. And like his rough farewell, Darren immediately turned away and left. [Phermos] ¡°Tch, not even a word of thanks. I¡¯m due one, considering I just saved him from gettingpletely obliterated.¡± Phermos tapped on the door of the sanctum with a gentleknock, knocksound. [Phermos] ¡°Sir, Princess¡ªIt¡¯s me. May I enter?¡± [ck] ¡°¡­¡­¡­Come in.¡± His answer was extremely dyed, but that was to be expected. The wedding was yesterday, and ck couldn¡¯t even spend a second with Rienne for almost the entire day after. [Phermos] ¡°Did you two eat well?¡± But when he opened the door and entered the room, the first thing that came to mind was that itmustbe daytime rather than night. It was too bright for the sun to no longer be present. Rienne¡¯s face was so bright and happy, it made his eyes hurt. It was probably for the best that Phermos managed to chase off Darren. If he hadn¡¯t and the Grand Prince got to see that face, it would¡¯ve been harder for him to disguise his unscrupulous intentions. Like Phermos thought long ago, his Lord and the Princess looked so good together, it was almost bothersome. Just being in the same room as them made him feel like a hindrance and a third wheel. Coughing awkwardly, Phermos decided to just get his business over with. [Phermos] ¡°It¡¯ste, so I¡¯ll just say my piece quickly and disappear from your sight.¡± Phermos¡¯ story wasn¡¯t long. But it was something they needed to hear. * * * T/N: (1) The word he uses is [??], which is a term specifically meaning ¡®self-reflection¡¯ or ¡®introspection¡¯. Usually used in circumstances where someone did something wrong, so they need to look back on what they did and what they could¡¯ve done better. (2) The author is making a pun here. The word for Duke and peacock is the same, so the joke is that he is both the heir to the Duchy and wearing brightly colored clothing, simrly to how male peacocks have bright feathers to attract mates. Chapter 87 - Moment of Deafness Chapter 87 ¨C Moment of Deafness Chapter 87 | Moment of Deafness [Phermos] ¡°It¡¯s about the Kleinfelders. Now that the wedding ceremony is over, it would be best if we put in ns topletely clear out the estate. We¡¯ve recovered all visible property, but it¡¯s likely they have a hidden safe or two somewhere.¡± It was true that Phermos had something important that he needed to speak with them about. He knew better than to bother them needlessly. And this was a good reason. [ck] ¡°You must have a very specific reason for wanting to search that house.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Yes, though it¡¯s a bit confusing to be perfectly honest.¡± Rienne¡¯s expression became grim. [Rienne] ¡°What is it?¡± [Phermos] ¡°The Kleinfelders have essentially disappeared at this point, correct? No members of their direct line can set foot in thisnd again, but there are still workers remaining at the estate. Who¡¯s even managing them? Even if they were loyal to the family, they still have their own lives and mouths to feed.¡± The biggest thing one needed to look out for after a royal wedding was potential forces opposing the new rule. Even if the Kleinfelders were gone, their roots still ran deep in Nauk. The remaining five families were bound by a new treaty, but if they were to suddenly change and be uncooperative right after the wedding because of this, it would only be a future headache. Governing a nation waspletely different from warfare, and now the leader of the Tiwakan was expected to do the former. Given the newness of this situation, it was extremely troubling that workers were remaining with the Kleinfelder family. [ck] ¡°There must be someone they¡¯re following.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Yes, like I said before¡ªthe more I think about it, the more suspicious it gets. Isn¡¯t it strange that whoever this person is, they¡¯ve been living in a house where they had every luxury at hand, but never once showed their face?¡± Rienne agreed. It was strange that in a country as small as theirs, no one ever noticed a hidden figure moving the pieces of the Kleinfelder family from behind the scenes. [Rienne] ¡°There definitely seems to be someone like that, but we¡¯ll need to make sure.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Exactly, so I wish to vacate the house as soon as possible. There may be something hidden there.¡± Rienne nodded. [Rienne] ¡°If it¡¯s necessary, then do it now. The people are still very happy with the royal family following the wedding, so now would be the best time. While the reason behind the Kleinfelders¡¯ exile is still fresh in the people¡¯s minds.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Yes. And the estate itself is considered property, so it also belongs to the royal family now. It¡¯s a well-built ce, and it¡¯s sizable too. Why not use it for a proper purpose once it¡¯s been emptied? Perhaps a library or a school?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Oh. That¡¯s a wonderful idea.¡± [Phermos] ¡°I am d you agree. I will leave to clear out the estate first thing in the morning. Oh, and onest thing. Mind you, I¡¯m not just saying this next part for the sake of my Lord¡ªthis is my pure, cold-hearted judgment.¡± Phermos stopped talking and smiled. [Phermos] ¡°My Lord, I ask that you remain in the castle tomorrow. If you were to go directly to the Kleinfelder estate yourself, it wouldn¡¯t look very good. I will go instead. I already have someone who is willing to help me.¡± The person Phermos was talking about was Klimah. Over the years, Klimah had gone in and out of the estate frequently, and knew about all the secret ces used by Linden Kleinfelder. And ck didn¡¯t particrly mind that idea. [ck] ¡°Fine by me.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Stay here for a while. And I really mean it. As long as you¡¯d like.¡± Phermos erased his smile, repeating his words before quickly leaving. It was long since past the time to go to bed. * * * * * [Rienne] ¡°We have somewhere we need to go tomorrow.¡± Newlywed life was treating Rienne well¡ªperhaps almost too well. It was terriblyfortable. Even sote in the evening, Rienne didn¡¯t need to lift a single finger because ck insisted on doing everything for her. Everything from drying her hair to even carrying her back to the bedroom. But Rienne could never refuse him when he said he wanted to carry her. Being held in his arms like that, she could hug his neck and feel his face close to hers, and she adored the feeling more than anything. [ck] ¡°Where?¡± [Rienne] ¡°The Temple.¡± [ck] ¡°But why?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯d like to meet the High Priest.¡± [ck] ¡°Oh¡­¡­¡± As Rienne smiled, ck suddenly realized her reason. Rienne had met the ¡®old beggar¡¯, but she had yet to be acquainted with the High Priest, Manau. [Rienne] ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be stranger if I didn¡¯t notice? I was so surprised when I saw him at the wedding.¡± She was so shocked to see Manau delivering the blessing when they went to the Temple that she nearly screamed. By the end of the sermon, her jaw hurt from how much she was clenching her teeth just holding it in. [ck] ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I forgot to tell you beforehand.¡± Though it was amazing that it somehow managed to slip his mind. She thought she was the only one prone to making those sorts of mistakes. Rienne weakly touched ck¡¯s ear, the sensation a little yful. An act like this didn¡¯t seem to hurt him like she originally thought. Instead, he had a very clear smile on his face whenever she did it. [Rienne] ¡°Was he one of the old High Priests? Come to think of it, was that why he recognized you as being Prince Fernand?¡± [ck] ¡°Believe it or not, when I was young, my body was very weak.¡± ck took Rienne to the bed,ying them both down as he brought up such an old story from the past. It was a difficult time for him to talk about, just as it was unfamiliar for her to hear about. But as he shared that burden with her, theyy side by side, pressing their foreheads together. [ck] ¡°At the time, there was amon belief that my illnesses were being caused by a curse ced on the royal family by God.¡± As a result, Prince Fernand spent much of his time at the Temple for ¡®treatment¡¯. Manau managed to recognize his face easily, even after so many years, because of all the time he¡¯d spent there, praying to receive a blessing. [Rienne] ¡°How could they say something so cruel¡­..?¡± Rienne tightly grabbed ck¡¯s hand. [Rienne] ¡°You must¡¯ve been in so much pain. For an ill child, things must have already been so hard, and yet they¡­¡± [ck] ¡°Isn¡¯t that just how it is? The old king must have heard simr things while dealing with the drought.¡± Rienne¡¯s body stiffened. It felt so heartbreaking to hear him call her father ¡®the old king¡¯. In truth, he was no king, but a usurper who stole the crown. From you. Biting the inside of her lip, Rienne lost all confidence to look ck in the eye, instead digging into his arms. [Rienne] ¡°When I asked him what your name was, he told me it was Henton. Was that purposeful?¡± [ck] ¡°I asked him to do that. I didn¡¯t want my name to start a war here.¡± With Rienne nestling her face into his chest, ck held up his hand, slowly stroking her head. [ck] ¡°Luckily, he followed my instructions. Though I guess it didn¡¯t matter in the end.¡±(1) [Rienne] ¡°I¡­..think we¡¯vee a long way from that. The both of us.¡± [ck] ¡°It was a path worth traveling down, even if it took a few road bumps and minor detours to get here.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Is¡­.that so?¡± Rienne¡¯s voice was very quiet. It was barely a whisper, and it was muffled by how much she was trying to hide in his embrace, but once he heard it, ck lowered his body, forcing her to look into his eyes. [ck] ¡°You don¡¯t think so?¡± [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s just¡­¡­Sometimes I wonder if it¡¯s all okay. Is it really alright for me to be receiving this much from you?¡± [ck] ¡°The one who¡¯s been getting things is me.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What are you talking about? That¡¯s clearly not true.¡± [ck] ¡°Getting to lie here with you, right here and now, is something that was given to me by you, Princess.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Well, we¡¯re married. Something like that is only natural.¡± [ck] ¡°I could¡¯ve easily ended up sleeping in the next room, and you know it. Just like the other nobles of Nauk.¡± When he said that, his expression was so soft yet intense that it was easy to understand what he meant. His voice was heavy and meaningful, one that was saying she had given him the only thing he ever truly wanted from her. Her heart. And that it meant so much for him to have it. [Rienne] ¡°I like sharing a bed with you. You don¡¯t know how frigid winters in Nauk can be. And the bigger the room, the colder it gets.¡± [ck] ¡°Then I¡¯ll tell you now that I love it more. No matter how much you love me, Princess, I can confidently say I love you even more.¡± [Rienne] ¡°You don¡¯t know that.¡± [ck] ¡°You¡¯ll see when I show you.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Yes. I¡¯m sure I will.¡± Looking into each other¡¯s eyes, the air itself was just as sweet as their blissful smiles, staying like that for what felt like forever. But when their smiles faded, they couldn¡¯t hold back the urge to kiss again. It was like their lips were perfectly made for each other, and the taste was just too sweet. [Rienne] ¡°Tomorrow¡­¡­we have to go to the Temple¡­ We can¡¯t oversleep¡­¡­.¡± She was already so out of breath, her words barely able to escape through the gaps of their kiss. ck was always so attentive and kind, listening to whatever she said, but in times like these, he acted a little differently from usual. [ck] ¡°Tell him toe here.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Ah, no¡­¡­the High Priest¡­¡­can¡¯t fortably¡­.ah¡­¡± [ck] ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Quietly and gently biting at her skin, he let out a hot breath of air against her neck, turning his attention lower. Drawing kisses down her neck, her already loosened nightgown fell away easily. As the crisp air bit against her bare chest, Rienne let out a pleased sigh, running her hands through the ckened hair that yfully tickled her skin. When it came to things like this, it was always a mystery how far this man was nning on taking her. But one thing was certain¡ªWherever she went with him, no matter how far she was pushed, she would be beyond ted. After all, the night was only just beginning. * * * * * Unlike the night before, Rienne wasn¡¯tpletely incapacitated until thete evening, though she was still very tired. Her eyes didn¡¯t open even a little bit until just after the clock had struck noon. [Rienne] ¡°At this rate, this will be my new morning¡­¡­.¡± Rienne had now overslept two days in a row. Pushing herself awake, she quietly muttered to herself a phrase that would be very embarrassing to hear for anyone who happened to be listening. Before, ck imed to have done some honest self reflection, but taking into ount everything that happened, she wasn¡¯t sure he¡¯d done a very good job of it. [ck] ¡°Are you awake?¡± Unlike Rienne, who was still in her disheveled and loosened nightgown, ck was wide awake, fully dressed in a regal outfit. He pushed off from leaning against the door frame, approaching the bed with a smile. [Rienne] ¡°Um¡­..I just woke up, but pretend you don¡¯t know that. I haven¡¯t even washed my face yet.¡± [ck] ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± ck leaned down, kissing the corners of her sleepy eyes. Rienne¡¯s eyes naturally narrowed in a pleasant arc as he did, but she still tried to move away. [Rienne] ¡°This is unfair. You¡¯re the only one who got to wash up.¡± [ck] ¡°I¡¯ll pretend I don¡¯t know, so sleep more.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Impossible. I¡¯ve slept plenty.¡± [ck] ¡°You still look like you¡¯re asleep to me.¡± It sounded like he was trying to say that her eyes still looked swollen. [Rienne] ¡°Hearing that just makes me want to wash up more. I feel like I¡¯m the only one of us who¡¯s been acting leisurely these past two days.¡± [ck] ¡°You can sleep more and leisure as much as you want. As long as you¡¯re with me when you open your eyes.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Oh, don¡¯t make it sound so lovely. You¡¯ll only make me want to lie back down.¡± Rienne took ck¡¯s arm before standing up. Or at least she would have, if ck hadn¡¯t reached out first, holding onto her as he helped her sit up straight. [ck] ¡°Are you feeling well today?¡± No. Standing on my own two feet would likely make me cry, and my back and hips feel so tight, I can hardly believe it. [Rienne] ¡°¡­¡­..I think I¡¯ll be okay as long as I¡¯m careful.¡± [ck] ¡°So you¡¯re saying you¡¯re not okay. Shouldn¡¯t you rest more?¡± [Rienne] ¡°I really don¡¯t want to do that. It makes me feel like a patient.¡± [ck] ¡°If you¡¯re sick or injured, then you are a patient. That¡¯s just how it works.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I know, but I¡¯m not hurt. We just made love, that¡¯s all. And I can¡¯t afford to be bedridden every time we do it, especially now that it¡¯s be a part of our daily lives.¡± [ck] ¡°. . .¡± Suddenly, out of the blue, ck breathed in very harshly. [ck] ¡°What do I do now?¡± [Rienne] ¡°Hm? Did you say something?¡± [ck] ¡°I know saying this won¡¯t make you feel any better all of a sudden¡­¡­¡­but I thought I should mention that when you say things like that, I find you incredibly lovely. I just think that the results of those words might not be so great.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t they be good¡­¡­?¡± [ck] ¡°Just cut me some ck this time. I won¡¯t do this again.¡± She couldn¡¯t even get a question out before he devoured her lips with a breathless kiss, not wasting a single second. Rienne was so flustered, she instinctively grabbed his shoulder, and he supported her back with his arm. [Rienne] ¡°No, I just woke up¡­¡­¡± ck would normally listen to anything she said, but sometimes, he would have these moments of deafness,pletely blocking everything else out. Just like now. * * * * * [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Princess. Princess.¡± Knock, knock. Before Rienne was pushed back into bed, like a stroke of good luck in the middle of the ocean, Mrs. mbard came to see her, knocking at the door. [ck] ¡°¡­¡­Can¡¯t you just tell her to leave?¡± ck muttered so quietly, she almost missed it. [Rienne] ¡°I don¡¯t think that will work. She¡¯ll juste back.¡± Knock, knock. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Princess, can Ie in? I have something I need to tell you¡­¡­¡± And for some reason, she couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that the woman¡¯s voice was extremely nervous. Shaking his head once, ck carefully pulled himself away, getting back to his feet. [ck] ¡°Stay still. I¡¯ll help you up.¡± Wrapping his arm around her waist, ck helped Rienne sit up in the bed while she called out to the woman outside. [Rienne] ¡°Come in, ma¡¯am.¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Princess.¡± And once the door opened, Mrs. mbard¡¯s expression looked exceedingly grim. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Oh my¡­.you two were still together. Please excuse my manners, but I can¡¯t stay still right now.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What¡¯s wrong, ma¡¯am?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°I haven¡¯t been able to find her since this morning. No matter where I look, I just can¡¯t seem to find her. It¡¯s too unusual for her to be gone this long¡­¡­¡± [Rienne] ¡°Are you talking about Mrs. Henton?¡± [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Yes, Princess.¡± While the two of them were not close enough to be called friends, they respected each other in the same way one would respect a sharp de. [Rienne] ¡°Are you sure she¡¯s not in the castle?¡± Mrs. mbard sped her hands tightly together and nodded. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°As far as I know, yes. I was told she couldn¡¯t leave the castle for the time being, so I don¡¯t know what would suddenly cause her to leave¡­¡­.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I¡¯ll let the guards know to look for her. Best we search both inside and outside the castle, just to be safe.¡± But while he was quietly listening before, ck decided to intervene. [ck] ¡°I¡¯ll go to the Kleinfelder estate.¡± [Rienne] ¡°What? I thought we agreed not to go there.¡± [ck] ¡°Yes, we did, but I was thinking, out of everywhere she could¡¯ve gone, that¡¯s the most likely ce Sir Henton¡¯s wife would go.¡± * * * T/N: (1) He describes the situation as ¡°shallow water¡±. It¡¯s a turn of phrase, meaning that since the water is so shallow, it¡¯s really easy to see what¡¯s hidden at the bottom, i.e. trying to hide things is pointless. In case you¡¯re confused,because I definitely was when I read this, ck first mentioned being a sickly child a while back, attributing it as being the main reason for why his engagement to Rienne was never made official. He also said on several asions that he was a very small child, too. Chapter 88 - Left Behind Chapter 88 ¨C Left Behind Chapter 88 | Left Behind * * * * * That felt like a strange train of thought. [Rienne] ¡°But isn¡¯t that ce dangerous for her? It doesn¡¯t make sense that she¡¯d try and go back now. There might be people there who hold a grudge against her.¡± [ck] ¡°It¡¯s just a guess. That¡¯s the only ce I can think of, but if it¡¯s true that she went there, you have nothing to worry about. Phermos will be there.¡± [Rienne] ¡°I see. She was stuck there for a very long time¡­¡­It¡¯s possible she may have left something behind.¡± [ck] ¡°Most likely.¡± [Rienne] ¡°. . .¡± For whatever reason, Mrs. Henton felt like she needed to go back there, but didn¡¯t mention a word to anyone before leaving. That could only mean some secrets were still left unsaid. [Rienne] ¡°In that case, let¡¯s go together.¡± Rienne was filled with worry, fearing that whatever secret it was, it was a fragment of a past stained with pain and misery. Mrs. Henton had just started down the path of trying to ovee that sadness. What if something happens? [ck] ¡°That might not be a good idea. If you ride a horse, you could hurt your back more.¡± [Rienne] ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt that much.¡± Rienne was shaking her head firmly towards ck, but all he did was raise his eyebrow, looking as though he definitely didn¡¯t believe her. [Rienne] ¡°If anything were to happen to her, then I should be there.¡± [ck] ¡°¡­¡­.Then promise me. Once we get back, even if it doesn¡¯t hurt that much, promise you¡¯llin as much as possible about your pain.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Well that sounds a bit strange¡­¡­.Remind me, who was the one who didn¡¯t listen to me when I tried making a fuss just a second ago?¡± [ck] ¡°That¡¯s why you have toin extra hard. Don¡¯t let me do that again.¡±(1) Somehow, though Mrs. mbard hadn¡¯t been there, she understood exactly what they were talking about. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°I will take responsibility over the Princess and ensure she does not overdo it. Let us be off.¡± That was how even Mrs. mbard ended up apanying them to the Kleinfelder estate. From both inside and outside the castle, guards began to turn the ce upside down searching for the missing Mrs. Henton. * * * * * [Phermos] ¡°Ah¡­..I thought we agreed you wouldn¡¯te?¡± And they ended up arriving nearly at the exact same time, too. ck and Rienne appeared at the Kleinfelder estate just after Phermos and the other men seeded in breaking past the main gate. [ck] ¡°That¡¯s how it turned out. Is there any resistance?¡± [Phermos] ¡°Yes. Though I don¡¯t know why, they¡¯re refusing to open the door. At this rate, things might get difficult.¡± [ck] ¡°That only confirms something¡¯s hidden here.¡± But Rienne and Mrs. mbard couldn¡¯t hide their worry. [Rienne] ¡°You didn¡¯t happen to see Mrs. Henton while you were here, did you?¡± [Phermos] ¡°Hm? What was that, Princess? You mean Sir Henton¡¯s wife?¡± [Rienne] ¡°So you haven¡¯t. Then that must mean she¡¯s somewhere else, or she came here secretly.¡± The estate waspletely darkened, with both doors and windows sealed shut. It was entirely possible for her to be somewhere within, but with how things were, they¡¯d have no way of knowing for certain. [Phermos] ¡°Hm¡­¡­If that¡¯s true, thisplicates things. It could be that they¡¯ve taken her hostage¡­¡­Is that why they refuse to open the door?¡± [ck] ¡°Don¡¯t jump to conclusions. It might not be her they want to hide. There¡¯s plenty of other things they would want to keep hidden away.¡± [Phermos] ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct. First things first, we need to get past the door. If theyareindeed holding her hostage, this will force them to reveal their hand. We can decide whates next after that.¡± Just as Phermos said that, Klimah perked up in the distance, rushing towards them at the news he had overheard. [Klimah] ¡°M, my mother is inside? But why?¡± He looked so bewildered and shocked at the news that his mother was missing, it was clear he too was entirely left in the dark, unaware of the fact that she had disappeared. [Rienne] ¡°We¡¯re not sure. But the guards and the knights are also looking for her right now, so please do not worry.¡± [Klimah] ¡°But still¡­¡­How could this¡­..happen¡­¡­.¡± In contrast to hisrge size, Klimah panicked in a way that made him seem smaller. With slouched shoulders and a slim figure, he used to always look so small, but looking at him properly, he was actually very big and tall. The ever-present mncholy that used to gue his expression had cleared, and the kindness of his presence stood out more clearly now. Right now, Klimah seemed like an entirely different person. How could someone like that be forced to endure such a life¡­¡­¡­? It was something that Rienne¡¯s mind could not rationalize. Just thinking about the past was enough to make her heart ache for him. Rienne patted Klimah¡¯s arm. [Rienne] ¡°It¡¯s okay. Everything will be alright. I will make sure of it.¡± [Klimah] ¡°. . .¡± Klimah was quiet for a moment, looking at Rienne with his lips slightly parted in surprise. But then, after a while, he nodded. [Klimah] ¡°If my mother came here¡­¡­.she would¡¯ve usedthatpath.¡± [Rienne] ¡°That path? Is there another way in?¡± [Klimah] ¡°Yes, it¡¯s the path I would use¡­¡­whenever I had to leave for a job. My mother knows about it, too.¡± [Rienne] ¡°Oh¡­¡­¡± [Klimah] ¡°But it¡¯s very narrow, only one person at a time can get through¡­¡­I always had to lower my head a lot, too¡­¡­¡± Phermos frowned. [Phermos] ¡°What? Why didn¡¯t you say something sooner?¡± [Klimah] ¡°You didn¡¯t ask¡­¡­¡± [Phermos] ¡°I didn¡¯t ask because I didn¡¯t know! But in that case, we can enter through there while the men by the front door keep their attention. Will you go yourself, my Lord?¡± [ck] ¡°No. Send Randall.¡± That was unexpected. Phermos would¡¯ve thought he¡¯d want to take care of this himself, like most things. [Phermos] ¡°That¡¯s a surprise. I almost assumed you would go straight there yourself¡­¡­..Though I suppose the Princess is here as well. That makes sense, sir.¡± Rienne turned her gaze up, grabbing ck¡¯s sleeve. [Rienne] ¡°Let¡¯s go together. If it¡¯s all of us, we¡¯ll be able to find her faster.¡± But although Rienne was asking him very earnestly, ck looked down at her, his expression darkly serious. [ck] ¡°Absolutely not. That¡¯s why I said I would stay here with you.¡± [Rienne] ¡°It won¡¯t be dangerous. You¡¯re here with me.¡± [ck] ¡°I¡¯m only one man. And we¡¯re still in the dark about what exactly is going on in there.¡± [Rienne] ¡°But¡­..¡± Listening to the hushed whispers of ck and Rienne¡¯s disagreement, Phermos shook his head, and Mrs. mbard nodded as if she understood. [Phermos] ¡°I will send Randall in, so don¡¯t argue over nothing. It was my own fault for asking in the first ce.¡± After that, their course was quickly decided. Randall and three other mercenaries entered the Kleinfelder estate, being led through that narrow path under the careful guidance of Klimah. But what they were greeted with was a deafening silence enveloping the detached house with all the doors sealed off. And in a room of the annex was Mrs. Henton¡ªbleeding out from a stab wound on the floor. * * * * [Rienne] ¡°Ma¡¯am? Ma¡¯am? Can you hear me? Mrs. Henton!¡± [Mrs. Henton] ¡°¡­¡­..Prin¡­cess¡­..? Mrs. Henton finally regained consciousness half a day after being moved back to the castle. [Rienne] ¡°Hah¡­¡­I¡¯m so relieved.¡± Seeing her wake up safe and sound, Rienne weakly fell to the floorpletely exhausted. On the other side of the bed was Klimah, quietly sobbing as he held his mother¡¯s hand. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Oh, Princess!¡± Bringing back fresh water, Mrs. mbard returned just in time to see Rienne sink to the ground. True to herself, she didn¡¯t spill a single drop of water as she rushed to her. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Goodness! You¡¯ve woken up!¡± And yet, the second she noticed Mrs. Henton, who had finally opened her eyes, Mrs. mbard immediately spilled the water as she tried to help Rienne up. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Ah, what have I done?¡± The water pooled on the floor as both of their dresses became soaked. Normally, she would¡¯ve handled such an ident with skill and grace, but she was so flustered right now, acting like a toy with missing sprockets. [Mrs. mbard] ¡°Oh goodness¡­.¡± [Mrs. Henton] ¡°I¡¯m not dead, so hurry up and clean up the water properly.¡± Meanwhile, Mrs. Henton, who had been found on the cusp of death and barely survived, somehow managed to look more alive than anyone else in the room. Only then did Rienne and Mrs. mbarde back to their senses. They quickly cleaned up the mess on the floor and rushed to call a doctor. Though, itwasn¡¯ta doctor, per say¡ªit was Phermos. But he knew more about examining wounds than most doctors would, especially wounds inflicted with a de. [Phermos] ¡°I need you to move your hand.¡± But while trying to examine Mrs. Henton¡¯s condition, Phermos noticed Klimah, stuck in the same idle position holding her hand. He was sitting so still, he looked like a stone statue. [Phermos] ¡°I told you she wouldn¡¯t die. Let go of her hand and step back. You¡¯re so big, I can¡¯t examine her if you remain tethered to her like this.¡± Eventually Klimah nodded, painstakingly letting go of his mother¡¯s hand. Right now, Klimah was the only apprentice among the Guardian Knights of the Arsak family. He said that he wanted to do it, and that this would be his way of atoning for all the lives he¡¯d taken. By bing a protector instead. It caused a bit of a stir, since the person he was bing a protector of was an Arsak, but the Tiwakan weed him with open arms nheless. Everyone in the Tiwakan was excited to receive their first apprentice. They were all too enthusiastic to give him all the lessons he would need to be a knight among their ranks. But because of that, Klimah¡¯s days had be more busy and hectic, and so he had no idea that something was going on with his mother. That¡¯s why he was taking this even harder than he normally would have. [Phermos] ¡°Alright then. Let me examine your wounds, ma¡¯am. Here, correct?¡± Phermos removed the bandages he had wrapped with more skill than a doctor, inspecting the wound. It was just between the left side of her ribs. If the stab wound had been even a little bit off course, he couldn¡¯t guarantee she¡¯d still be alive. [Phermos] ¡°The wound itself is a clean cut, but it¡¯s very deep, so the de must have been incredibly sharp. Rather than one of the servants, the person who did this must¡¯ve been a knight, I assume?¡± [Mrs. Henton] ¡°. . .¡± Mrs. Henton¡¯s expression turned troubled. She looked like she wanted to open her mouth, but for some reason, she couldn¡¯t. [Phermos] ¡°I¡¯m asking this now because I¡¯m curious, but if you don¡¯t wish to answer, you may remain silent. Luckily, the wound is healing properly, so the only thing left for you to do is rest, eat well, and take your medicine. Do that for a month, and you should recover nicely.¡± Considering the state they found her in, she was very fortunate that was the extent of it. After examining the injury, Phermos applied the medicine and bound the wound with fresh bandages. [Phermos] ¡°I applied plenty of medicine, so reapplication won¡¯t be necessary for another two days. I will check on your pain at that time as well. I ask that you refrain from moving and lie t on your back when you sleep to avoid agitating the wound. Do you understand?¡± [Mrs. Henton] ¡°¡­..The¡­.re¡­¡­¡± Then, Mrs. Henton finally struggled to slowly speak. [Phermos] ¡°Ma¡¯am? What was that?¡± [Mrs. Henton] ¡°The room where I was stabbed. That washisroom.¡± [Phermos] ¡°His¡­¡­? Who are you talking about?¡± The woman quickly jerked her head. The wounds that still had yet to heal burned red hot in her eyes. [Mrs. Henton] ¡°Him¡­¡­¡­Theran Kleinfelder.¡± * * * * * Theran Kleinfelder was the head of the Kleinfelder family twenty-one years ago. His death was very sudden. And strangely enough, his eldest son and Rafit¡¯s father, who was meant to be the next head of the house, also died around the same time. Once again, everything seemed to be moving along the same course as the treason that took ce twenty-one years ago. Something like that couldn¡¯t be passed off as a coincidence. [Mrs. Henton] ¡°In that house, I was in charge of looking after him. He was like the living dead.¡± But the truth was that Theran Kleinfelder didn¡¯t actuallydie. He merely copsed from a stroke. After that, he was rendered entirely immobile. The only thing he could move was his eyes. [Mrs. Henton] ¡°Some of the family members said that it would¡¯ve been better if he had died rather than suffering from such a terrible disease.¡± It was called a disease now, but back then, without knowing the cause of it, everyone was quick to call his stroke a curse from God. It was only natural that others were reluctant to speak of one who had been cursed under the name of the heavens. [Mrs. Henton] ¡°For twenty years, I had to feed, clothe, and bathe such a corpse-like person.¡± Mrs. Henton hadn¡¯t forgotten he was her enemy, but there was little she could do when there were constant eyes on her. The best she could get away with for the longest time was secretly mix things in with his food or throw his medicine away by saying it wouldn¡¯t settle well with his meals. [Mrs. Henton] ¡°But his will to live was unshakable. Even after I was liberated from that house, he was still holding onto hisst breath. So today I went to¡­¡­.¡± The woman¡¯s face distorted. [Mrs. Henton] ¡°I wanted to finish it with my own hands¡­¡­..¡± Theran Kleinfelder wasnotthe one who killed Sir Henton. He wasnotthe one who killed her second son by stabbing him in the heart, nor was he the one who forced her and her eldest son into servitude. But Mrs. Henton needed someone to focus her resentment on. That was Theran Kleinfelder. [Mrs. Henton] ¡°I went to kill him, but¡­¡­but he was awake. He was standing on his own two feet with a cane¡ªstaring at me.¡± The butler, who was supporting Theran, ordered a soldier to kill her. The moment she fell after being struck with a de, all she could see was Theran Kleinfelder¡¯s back, leaving that room alive. It was such a shameful sight. Her enemy was escaping and there was nothing she could do to stop it. That was why the estate was so empty. Now that Theran could move, he would¡¯ve hastily packed up what fortune he could and fled somewhere. Just as there were several underground rooms and secret passages in Castle Nauk to help protect the royal family from invaders, the Kleinfelder estate was no different. Theran Kleinfelder must¡¯ve carefully hid himself away, attempting to escape the merciless eyes of the Tiwakan. * * * T/N: (1) He¡¯s talking about when he pushed a kiss on herst chapter. He uses a word [??], which means to exaggerate or make a fuss over nothing in regards to one¡¯s pain, so he wants her to exaggerate her pain so that he can dissuade himself from doing that sort of thing again. Chapter 89 - The Cursed Prince 90 Chapter 89 | The Cursed Prince [Mrs. mbard] "Oh, how could such a thing¡­.." After hearing the full story of what happened to Mrs. Henton, Mrs. mbard was beyond shocked¡ª herplexion paler than Mrs. Henton''s as she patted her back with a trembling hand. [Rienne] "That must be him then." After Linden and Rafit were exiled, it was clear someone was still moving the Kleinfelder family. This made it obvious that the person was none other than the head of the family from a previous generation. Phermos held his chin. [Phermos] "Yes. So after you left, ma''am, they must have given him the correct medicine, thus allowing him to miraculously recover." Mrs. Henton grit her teeth. [Mrs. Henton] "I should have killed him with my own hands before I left that house...." But then Klimah shook his head, his face distorting as if he were in pain. [Klimah] "No, mother, don''t think like that...You shouldn''t have to pray for penance...Please don''t think that¡­" It was heartbreaking, seeing Klimah looked so shocked and his mother so filled with anger and resentment. [Rienne] "We have to find him." Steeling herself, Rienne stood up from her seat. [Rienne] "He''s a Kleinfelder, so it''s doubtful he''s just hiding away doing nothing." Phermos was thinking the same. [Phermos] "I agree. And it''s possible he may know more about what transpired twenty-one years ago. Perhaps he was even the ring-leader." [Rienne] "He was the head of House Kleinfelder at the time. He would''ve had the power to move all the other nobles who followed him." Clenching her fists, Rienne could feel her fingertips turn cold. It felt like someone had poured ice cold water on her, cascading it down her shoulders. The past hadn''t died yet. It hadn''t evendisappeared. [Rienne] "The Kleinfelders will pay for their sins." Now, they had no choice but to face them. the tranting mech * [Darren] "What brings you all the way here?" Today''s attempt also ended in failure. Darren clenched his teeth, grinding them so loudly that anyone could hear it. He was going to meet Princess Rienne today, but regardless of his efforts, meeting with her was difficult, which was all too strange. No matter what kind of kingdom it was, it shouldn''t be that hard for someone like him to face the royal family. No other family of royalty he''d met was like this. The purpose of being ''royalty'' was to live life in absolute luxury and pleasure by casting the hard work to the dogs beneath them. But looking at how simple Castle Nauk was, it was clear they were hard pressed for money. With royalty like this, it was surprising that she wasn''t plowing fields and digging for potatoes like the rest of themon masses. He couldn''t understand what on earth was keeping her so busy. In any case, he was told Princess Rienne had left on an outing, but that she had recently returned. And since her return, she''d been tucked away in a maid''s room the entire time. Now was supposed to be his chance. For once, Princess Rienne was not in thepany of that barbarian she called a husband. If he wanted to cajole Princess Rienne into his hands, he needed to take this chance to slip into that gap of opportunity. [Darren] "Suddenly you want to treat me like a guest? Is that it?" But why did ck have to block him right at such an opportune moment? [Darren] "But I''m no longer interested in your hospitality. Leave, why don''t you?" Darren didn''t even think twice about why ck had so suddenlye to his room. In his mind, it was obvious he was there to apologize for how rude he''d been up until now. [ck] "I have something I need to do." Again, Darren cast his nce at the mirror, agonizing over what the best position for his brooch would be¡ªadjusting it as it hung from his neck. Today, he was dressed even more mboyantly than before. He couldn''t stay in such a rural area forever, so he wanted to have some fun with Princess Rienne as soon as he could, his heart pounding a bit at the idea. Then, he would leave with pleasure. [Darren] "And what might that be? I thought I told you to go." He turned away from the mirror as he looked at ck, who was standing still, leaning against the doorframe¡ªnot saying a single word. Darren had no idea what was wrong with him right now. [Darren] "Can''t you hear me?" Those words were mixed with a subtleugh and a touch of sarcasm. A barbarian, thinking like a 14:55 human? It was funny to him. [ck] ".....I can hear you." [Darren] "Then why are you pretending you can''t?" [ck] "I''m just thinking." [Darren] "Thinking? About what?" Those words were mixed with a subtleugh and a touch of sarcasm. A barbarian, thinking like a human? It was funny to him. However, the truth was that Darren didn''t actually know ck very well. Darren felt he was different from his father, who was put to shame by a mercenary just because he had obedient wild dogs at his side, or his sister who pathetically pursued him because she was obsessed with things already past. To him, thoughts like that were just pitiful. [ck] "What I should do about you, for starters. Things like that. It''s the first time I''ve ever wanted to do something so useless." [Darren] "What? What are you talking about?" Thud, thud¡ª ck pushed off from the doorframe, striding towards Darren with heavy footfalls. The attendant, who had been keeping quiet this entire time, turned extremely pale. [ck] "I know my wife doesn''t care about you. To her, you''re just a fly. Irritating, but too pathetic to crush to death, so I know that means the easiest thing for me to do is ignore you. If the Grand Duke were to take any issue with what happens, that''ll only make more work for me. But maybe your wrist¡­.No, maybe your ankle would heal faster? Though honestly, breaking one of those would be useless. Breaking human bones isn''t very interesting anymore." [Darren] "What¡­..What are you talking about?" Darren understood what ck was saying a little bit toote. But truthfully, he didn''t have the full picture of what was making ck so angry right now, but as the distance between them narrowed, he could feel the immense pressure weighing down on him. Those pale blue eyes were strangely unsettling, and as they narrowed, one single thought hit against his mind,ing back to him again and again¡ªhe was about to be torn apart. [ck] "Still, I hate seeing you hovering around my wife." [Darren] "W, what...What are you saying? When did I ever¡­." [ck] "Those distracting clothes of yours really irritate me, and I hate the idea of you speaking with her or putting your filthy hands anywhere near her." Darren took a step back, his body staggering. But ck closed the distance with a single step, snatching Darren by the wrist. [Darren] "Ugh! Let go of me!" Maybe it was because ck had mentioned something about breaking his wrist before, but Darren felt the distinct sensation of fear running down his back. With ck''s mad grip on Darren''s wrist, he wriggled like crazy trying to escape, but he couldn''t ovee such bestial strength. [ck] "Go home." And from beyond his twisted wrist was the fierce re that seemed to freeze him in ice. [ck] "While your limbs are still intact." [Darren] "Y, you''re crazy...You should be showing your respect¡­..to the future Duke¡­.." [ck] "Answer me. When will you be leaving?" ck put strength into his hand, tightening his grip on Darren''s wrist. [Darren] "Agh¡­!" Darren screamed out, but to no avail. His attendant was too terrified to even move. [ck] "Now''s your chance to answer." [Darren] "Ah!Let go! You''re crazy!" If ck had broken his wrist faster, Darren would''ve immediately understood that ck was serious. [Rienne] "Lord Tiwakan?" But just in time, Rienne entered the room. She wasn''t looking for Darren, though. She wanted to see ck, and was told he''de here. [ck] ". . ." Like it had never been there, the massive pressure Darren felt on his wrist disappeared as ck dropped him. [ck] "Why did youe here?" [Rienne] "I came looking for you, Lord Tiwakan. Were you chatting with our guest?" Darren widened his eyes. [Darren] "Who''s chatting¡ª!?" But ck was much faster. Shifting his body to face Rienne, he crushed Darren''s foot into the ground as he turned. He did it so quickly that Darren couldn''t even make a sound, and Rienne didn''t notice anything was wrong. [ck] "I was saying my goodbyes. He ns on returning to the Duchy." [Rienne] "Oh, I see. I just thought I heard some shouting, so I was afraid there might''ve been an argument." ck smiled softly. [ck] "There are times when we disagree, so sometimes we speak a little roughly." [Rienne] "Is that because the two of you are like brothers? I don''t know much since I don''t have any siblings, but I''ve heard that the closer you are, the more you argue." [ck] "We''re not close." Darren lost his words not because his foot had been crushed, but because he was stunned into silence. His attendant, who was properly scared witless, was gripping the hem of his clothing¡ª vowing to reprimand Darren if he didn''t understand the atmosphere and said something. [Rienne] "If he''s leaving, then I should say my farewells as well. It''ste today, so will you be leaving tomorrow morning?" [Darren] ". . ." Darren looked away, unable to answer immediately, but he hadn''t forgotten the tingling sensation in his wrist. Clenching his hand made a brief pain sh through him, and he wondered if just a little more pressure would''ve been enough to break his bones. [Rienne] "Grand Prince?" [Darren] "I''ll¡­wait and see." But after piecing together what remained of his shattered pride, that was the only thing Darren managed to say. His pride wouldn''t let him say anything else¡ªEven if it killed him, he didn''t want to say he would leave immediately. [Darren] "I''ll watch the weather. I don''t want it to rain on the day I leave." But right after he said that, Princess Rienne looked at him with a bitter smile and a dismissive expression. [Rienne] "Then you may leave tomorrow. Nauk is still suffering the effects of a drought right now." The face she was making was a bit of a problem. [Darren] "If you wish, Princess, I can stay longer." Actually, therealproblem was that Darren waspletely ignorant of Nauk''s issues with the drought, and so he mistook her reluctant expression as sadness for his departure. [Darren] "No matter what anyone says, I can and will stay by your side." [Rienne] "....If your presence here were enough to bring rain, then I would want it more than anything, but I don''t think that''s going to happen." [Darren] "So what you''re saying is¡­.." [Rienne] "I hope your trip back home will be a peaceful one." Darren didn''t intend it, but he''d made Rienne a little angry. Havingmented the situation of a nation facing a twenty-one year long drought, hisments were unwarranted and rude¡ªmentioning the rare urrence of rain at a time like this. Turning away from Darren, Rienne took ck''s hand. [Rienne] "Are you sad we must say our early goodbyes to your brother? Would you like me to ask him to stay longer?" [ck] "Of course not." [Rienne] "It''s okay for you to be honest." [ck] "I don''t hide my feelings over small things like this. We just got married, and I don''t want our time being wasted trying to entertain an unanticipated guest." Darren made a face. He couldn''t remember being treated like a ''guest'' for the entire duration of his visit. [Rienne] "The timing was certainly convenient, but I don''t want to lose our time together for anything else either." Talking to one another, their voices turned to whispers as the distance between them narrowed¡ª bing so close, it was like they were the only people in the room. [ck] "So you came to get me?" [Rienne] "Something like that¡­Actually, I have something I need to tell you. It''s important." [ck] "Then let''s go to our room." [Rienne] "Yes." And without even acknowledging him onest time, the two of them departed from Darren''s room. [Darren] "What...." After standing in silence for a while, Darren let out a soft murmur as he talked to himself, and unfortunately, the attendant understood what he meant by that. He was confused on why they looked so loving with each other. And the attendant was smart enough not to tell his master that this was something everyone else was aware of, even as he lived in perfect denial. [Attendant] "I will pack your things, master." By the attendant''s wise estimate, they needed to leave this ce early tomorrow morning. Otherwise, Darren would inevitably get absolutely destroyed and he would have toy his broken body on the floor of the carriage as they left. the tranting mech * * * * [ck] "Theran Kleinfelder." It was a name that was etched in his memory. ck remembered meeting him. The memory wasn''t entirely clear, but it wasn''t plunged into darkness either. From what he could remember, rather than his fathering to visit him at the Temple, it was him. [Theran] ¨C''Cursed Prince.'' That was what he called him. [Theran] ¨C''This is all the King''s fault.'' As the distant memories became clearer in his mind, ck frowned, his brows furrowing as he did. Seeing his expression be twisted, Rienne came closer, caressing his face with the palm of her hand. And as he felt her touch, ck took her hand and kissed her fingertips. [Theran] ¨C''You are being punished for the King''s sin of stealing God''s power, Prince.'' Prince Fernand could remember hearing those words, but he could not understand them. [Theran] ¨C''You must beg for God''s forgiveness.'' As Fernandy sick in bed, Theran Kleinfelder approached him, lowering his head and whispering to him in secret. [Theran] ¨C''The next time the Kinges to visit you, steal the key. It''s required to ess the ce where the power of God has been hidden.'' A key? What key is he talking about?He had thought. As far as Prince Fernand knew, his father carried a lot of keys on his person. [Theran] ¨C''Offer the key to the Temple altar. That is the only way you can escape the curse of the heavens, Prince.'' Those words only served to confuse Fernand even further. But the more time that passed by, the stronger the words Theran Kleinfelder spoke became¡ªeven long after the man had left his sick bed. And as he grew even sicker, the pain growing stronger and more unbearable, those words would repeat in his head like a sweet but evil temptation. He said if I gave him the key, I won''t feel hurt anymore. It was a yearter when Prince Fernand came down with the measles that he asked the King who hade to visit him about the key, and if he could have it. And three days after that, the King died. He didn''t realize it back then, but that request was nothing more than the beginning of treason. Chapter 90 | Lost Power 91 Chapter 90 | Lost Power [Phermos] "That''s awful. That''s truly unbelievable. Absolute evil. To manipte a child like that, all for the sake of treason." Phermos spat out his words-his voice filled with a rare sense of agitation and strength. [Phermos] "Every one of those bloodlines has a habit of devouring whatever they can to gain power." Rienne''s body tensed as her expression stiffened into bitterness. [Rienne] "I can''t deny that." There was no end to the Kleinfelders'' machinations. With the power they built up through ill means, they ate away at the drying kingdom like leeches. And it was her father who borrowed such stained power to be king. ck told her this wasn''t something he cared all that much about, but rienne was still struggling to forgive the blood that was flowing through her. [ck] "Don''t think anything useless." Seeing how ufortable Rienne''s expression had gotten, ck could immediately tell what she was thinking. [ck] "It''s not your fault that the Kleinfelders are born parasites, Princess." [Rienne] "I know, but..." [ck] "If you know, then you know it''s fine. You don''t need to say anything else. No buts." [Rienne]"..." [ck] "And whenever you start talking like that, I''ll kiss you. No matter where we are." 3 Looking up at him, Rienne couldn''t help but let out a soft but improperugh for the situation. His remarks were so direct and resolute,ughing felt like the only thing she could do. [Rienne] "Don''t talk like kissing can fix everything. That hardly solves this problem." [ck] "But it can stop you from talking, Princess." [Rienne] "Even if my mouth isn''t moving, my thoughts are still very much turning." [ck] "Then that just means I''ll just have to kiss you for the rest of our lives." [Rienne]"..." What kind of leap in logic is that? But even as she thought that, she still reached out for him first, wrapping her arms around him. If this man was nning on being stubborn like this for the rest of their lives, then that didn''t sound too bad. She didn''t mind that so much. Holding Rienne, ck affectionately swept hisrge hand up and down her back. [ck] "From what I can remember, my father wasn''t the most desirable king. The Kleinfelders were being fueled by their greed, but they had plenty of other reasons to attract the other nobles to their crusade." [Rienne] "Does that...have anything to do with the im that he stole the power of God?" [ck] "Maybe." [Rienne] "I''m sure the High Priest must know something." With her face still buried in ck''s chest, Rienne mentioned a vital point-though her voice was a little bit muffled. She couldn''t bear to face him right now. [Rienne] "You said that Theran Kleinfelder came to visit you at the Temple, but no one can enter without being verified first. So if no one knew he was there, then he must have had help sneaking in. If it was the High Priest from back then, he might know more about what happened." [Phermos] "Oh, that''s possible. We should head to the Temple right now!" Phermos pushed up his monocle, suddenly shouting. [Phermos] "And my guess is that whatever happened is certainly rted to Nauk''s abnormal drought." [Rienne] "The drought?" [Phermos] "It can''t all be a coincidence. The rebellion took ce twenty-one years ago, and it was twenty-one years ago that the drought first started in Nauk as well. And he mentioned the power of God, correct? Rain is under the purview of the heavens." Rienne looked as though she''d been struck by something. That sounded far too fantastical. [Rienne] "For humans......to steal rain? Is that even possible...?" [Phermos] "Most would believe it''s impossible, but where there''s smoke, there''s fire. Ah, when my Lord said he wanted to bring in schrs who studied the climate, we should''ve done it right away. Maybe then, we''d have at least some semnce of an answer right now." That sounded very surprising as well. [Rienne] "Were you thinking about doing that?" Rienne turned her head, looking up at ck with an amazed look in her eyes. [ck] "I was going to take things slowly. We have time." [Rienne] "Hah.... You never cease to surprise me, my love. I never thought about doing that before." [ck] "You would have done the same if the Kleinfelders hadn''t stopped you, Princess." [Rienne] "I would hope so." Once again, Rienne threw herself back into ck''s embrace, and as he quietly smiled down at her, he looked upon her though she was the loveliest thing on earth. [Rienne] "I want to do what I can, too. Things I should have done a long while ago." [ck] "I''ll be looking forward to it." Watching the two of them, as if they were in their own little world, Phermos quietly and awkwardly coughed. [Phermos] "Uh.....Well, I can see that the two of you are very close, and it''s always good to support one another and uplift each other, but please remember that we have some urgent business we all must attend to. And I think it would be best if you handled this yourself, my Lord, considering you know the High Priest personally." [ck] "I know." [Phermos] "Then we should finish this up quickly. Strike while it''s hot, as they say. Shall we leave now?" There was no reason to waste any time. Theran Kleinfelder had already disappeared, so they needed to prepare a countermeasure as soon as possible in response to his inevitable movement.bender [ck] "Then-" [Rienne] "Let''s go together." Rienne let go of ck, pulling away from his embrace as she looked at him.N?v(el)B\\jnn [ck] "No, you stay here, Princess." [Rienne] "Why though? I might be able to help." [ck] "Even if you could, the Kleinfelder is moving just outside the castle. I can''t allow you to show yourself off to him so recklessly without knowing exactly what kind of person he is and what he''s capable of." For a moment Rienne thought he was being too careful, but she couldn''t argue with him. She knew exactly what he was thinking and how he was feeling right now. No matter how shallow the water, one cannot allow the people they love to wet their feet. (1) If she were him, she would have said the same. [ck] "I''ll be able to move faster knowing you''re here at the castle, Princess." [Rienne] "Alright." Rienne stood up on her tippy toes, reaching out her arms and hugging ck''s neck. [Rienne] "Then hurry ande back. To the point where I''m surprised you were ever gone at all." Lifting her slightly up from the ground, ck hugged Rienne''s waist. By now, he knew exactly what angle to hold her at to allow her to hug his neck mostfortably. [ck] "If I do that, then you have to surprise me too, Princess." [Rienne] "How so?" [ck] "I''ll leave that up to you." [Rienne] "Hm.....I''m not very confident I can do much to surprise you." [ck] "Don''t be so quick to think that. Out of all the people I''ve met, you''re the only person who''s ever surprised me, Princess." Pressing his lips against her ear, she felt his breath against her skin as he whispered low. [ck] "I''ll be back." He wouldn''t be gone long-it was just a short visit to the Temple. And yet, despite that fact, their parting was filled with affection. Apparently, it didn''t matter how short of a time it was, any time spent apart was bing increasingly unbearable. [Rienne] "You have toe back quickly." [ck] "If you keep saying that, I won''t be able to leave." Rienne felt her body shift as ck gently set her back down on the ground. Looking up at him, there was a smile on his face, but as his gaze followed her movements, it felt like he was burning up her body. [ck] "Wait up for me. Don''t go to bed." [Rienne] "I will." Not long after that, ck left for the Temple, leaving behind a burning gaze that seemed to stick to her skin. the tranting mech *** [Klimah] "D, don''t be scared. I was told to stay with you, Princess, so I came here." After ck left, the moon steadily rose in the sky. It was around the time where she''d normally wash up and ready herself for bed, but she didn''t want to do that tonight. Lying in bed alone had be something she never wished to do again. Without washing up or changing her clothes, Rienne sat by the window, gazing out at the moon when Klimah unexpectedly visited her. [Rienne] "....? I''m not scared, though I''m a bit confused on what brings you here. Shouldn''t you be with your mother?" [Klimah] "Oh, my mother already has someone with her-that other woman. But he told me I should be next to you, Princess." [Rienne] "Who said that?" [Klimah] "Prince Fernand, ah, I mean, my Lord. His aide said this, too." [Rienne] "That''s strange. I wonder why he would say that." Rienne didn''t know this, but ck had asked this of Klimah because, despite his appearance, he was a highly trained assassin. And because he was so good at what he did, he was the best choice when it came to preventing potential attacks. [Klimah] "Oh, my mother already has someone with her-that other woman. But he told me I should be next to you, Princess." [Rienne] "Who said that?" [Klimah] "Prince Fernand, ah, I mean, my Lord. His aide said this, too." [Rienne] "Oh, I see. Then please hand me the candlestick. The hallways will be dark." [Klimah] "Y, yes." The second she asked him to pick up the candlestick, Klimah immediately gripped the candle, burning his hand with the hot wax rather than taking it by the holder. [Rienne] "Ah, it''s hot! I just needed you to pick it up!" Rienne quickly took the candle out of his hand, and Klimah shrank away like a child who had been scolded. [Klimah] "I, I know.....B, but I don''t mind holding something hot. I''ve done it a lot in the past, so it doesn''t hurt anymore." Hearing his story, Rienne let out a soft sigh. [Rienne] "Was holding a hot candle with your bare hands another way for you to pray for penance?" [Klimah] "It was one of them." [Rienne]"..... You don''t need to pray for that anymore. I don''t want you to even touch a hot candle." [Klimah] "O, okay." Again, the back of Klimah''s neck turned red. [Rienne] "Let''s go." Taking the lead as they walked through the hallways, Rienne didn''t realize that right behind her was Klimah-highly alert and wary of the darkness surrounding them. the tranting mech *** When she said she wanted to go look at the royal records, there was no particr thought behind it. Rienne just didn''t want to sleep until ck came back, so she thought something simple like that would be enough to take her mind off things until he did. So she decided to look into the records to read about the history of the drought. As Phermos said, if the drought began after the death of King Fenbrouin, thest king of the Gainers royal house, then there should be no record of it in the years before that. [Rienne] "At least, I don''t think so...." Rienne hade here originally with the lighthearted intent of merely passing the time, but that quickly went away as she delved deeper into the records. Her nose was stuck so deeply between the pages that she didn''t even realize that the ends of her hair were inches away from being burned by the candle. If Klimah hadn''t dutifully moved it away from her, one side of her head would have had a very bad time. But to do so, Klimah once again handled the hot candle with his bare hands, causing Rienne toe back to her senses, properly leaving the candle to Klimah this time. [Klimah] "W, what are you looking for?" [Rienne] "The amount of rainfall. We record it here every time it rains." [Klimah] "The amount of rainfall?" [Rienne] "That''s right." Just then, Rienne remembered that Klimah was around ck''s age, maybe even a little bit older. [Rienne] "Do you remember much about your childhood? Around twenty years ago, did it rain a lot back then?" [Klimah] "The rain.....I, I''m not sure. I t, think it rained more than it does now.....B, but it changes from season to season..." [Rienne] "That''s what the records say, too." Comparing the rainfall, the drought was definitely more apparent now. Though the seasons were the same, when checking the recorded levels of rainfall, it rarely rained nowadays. However, looking farther back in the years, the amount of rainfall wasn''t that much higher. Even back then, there were many recorded dates where no rainfall was reported. The only difference was that there was no record of the Ebet River being dried up. [Rienne] "Look here. At this point in time, it didn''t rain for six months straight, very simr to how it can be now. And yet, the crop yields didn''t lessen nor did the taxes paid to the royal family decrease." [Klimah] "R, really?" [Rienne] "Even though it wasn''t raining, there was no shortage of water. Unlike now!" [Klimah] "Ah.....But, w, why?" [Rienne] "I don''t know." Back then, the Ebet River was said to be overflowing, and the nine waterfalls created beautiful rainbows every day. Looking at the tax yields from this period, it made Nauk look like a very abundant ce. Theck of rain was still a prevailing problem back then, but farming was always a tiring thing, even when it did rain. And though they didn''t get much rain in Nauk, they always had massive amounts of freshwater avable. It really seemed like and blessed by God. [Rienne] "So, what exactly caused the river to dry up, along with the nine waterfalls?" It was as if something had stripped Nauk of anything that could be considered water. *** T/N: (1) a lovely little turn of phrase that''s conveying the meaning of no matter how little danger there is, he doesn''t want to risk it. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!