[Black] "I trust you understood my words, seeing as you possess a head worthy of a crown." Thud. Black, who had been about to walk away without a second thought, paused for a moment and added: [Black] "Everything I have said remains valid only as long as the Princess of Nauk is alive. If anything happens to my wife..." Tiwakan Commander narrowed his pale blue eyes, his gaze as sharp as a blade. [Black] "I will tear this entire kingdom apart." Slam! Tiwakan Commander flung the

[Assassin] "Dammit!" The assassin spat a curse and spun around. Thud, thud, thud! He began to sprint away at an incredible speed. [Tiwakan] "There’s an intruder!" A loud shout echoed from behind the Assassin. Realizing his mission was on the verge of failure, he raised his bow even as he ran. It was clear that if he didn't strike now, he wouldn't get another chance. His eyes glinted in the darkness, searching for his target. [Assassin] "They were just there... where did they

[Secretary] "Yes, Your Highness?" The Secretary asked, assuming she was speaking to him, but her gaze was fixed on something far away. [Blini] "Are you saying you cannot do it?" [Secretary] "Your Highness..." [Blini] "Or is it that you simply do not wish to?" [Secretary] "......" The Secretary fell silent, his face clouded with distress. [Blini] "What have I done so wrong? I have never treated you poorly." [Secretary] "......" Muttering words known only to herself, she lowere

Black stayed awake long after Liene had fallen asleep. He had business to attend to where she could not see. There was a reason for the heavy silence that filled the air. [Laffit] "......" [Black] "......" The silence persisted. Neither Laffit—who had been woken up by a slap to the face from Randall—nor Black, who had ordered him to be woken, were not in the mood for pleasantries. It was Laffit who finally broke under the tension of their mutual gaze. [Laffit] "......What is

Black seated Liene on a chair and fetched a dry towel. He began to dry her wet hair with the towel, just as he had done before. [Liene] "What would Nauk be like if it had a sea?" She opened her mouth while gazing out at the ocean, where the sound of waves could be heard beyond the terrace. [Liene] "It would surely be a markedly different country, wouldn't it? The food, the lifestyle, and the way we view foreign nations would all be vastly different, I think." [Black] "Do you

The Kingdom of Sharka was a land of many birds. There was an abundance of grass, trees, and people. With every breath she took, she felt a lingering dampness in her nostrils. Bordering the ocean, even the air in Sharka was thick with moisture. [Liene] "The air has such a peculiar scent." She hadn't been able to take her eyes off the window ever since the exotic scenery appeared before them. She sat with her hands pressed against the glass as if pinned there, watching the land

[Liene] "It seems our sleeping schedule is going to change once again." The kiss that had begun in the King’s office continued all the way to the bedroom. It was still before sunset—an hour far too early for sleep. [Black] "I have a solution for that." He answered briefly while his lips grazed the tender skin of her neck. [Liene] "And what is that?" [Black] "We simply share our affections from now until our usual bedtime. That way, our actual time for sleep won't have to chan

Had the Abbas Royal Family not vanished due to war and Aliham Palace not fallen into ruin, perhaps proper records regarding the Divine Envoy might have survived. Unfortunately, everything belonging to the Abbas line had been reduced to ash. All that remained were legends passed down by word of mouth. [Fermos] "If the technology to pull water from below to above existed at that time, I believe it would have been possible to pull it over a single mountain even across such a dis

[Liene] "So that was it..." She spoke while still holding Black’s hand tightly. [Liene] "I should have asked sooner." [Manau] "My lips would not have opened back then." Manau explained that he had intended to bury the past forever. Just as Black had not returned under the name Fernand Gainers, Manau saw no reason for the name Gainers to be resurrected in Nauk. He had planned to bury both the tragedies of the Gainers line and the sins of the Kleinfelters along with it. He beli

Her face turned pale with dismay. [Liene] "I... I was just about to head back." [Black] "......" He remained silent. He simply stood there, rooted to the spot, staring at her. [Liene] "Let’s go back. You came to fetch me, didn't you? Did you miss me that much in such a short time?" Liene tugged at his arm, trying to change the subject. Her heart was pounding so hard she thought she might go deaf from the sound. He couldn't have heard everything... No. He shouldn't have. Pleas

Instead of trying to pull the duvet away, Black gathered Liene—duvet and all—into his arms. [Liene] "Don't do this. Leave me alone. Please." [Black] "Ten days was not such a long time. If we are counting years, the period you were someone else's lover was much longer." [Liene] "Ah... well, I suppose I have no defense if you put it that way. But my situation was a bit different." In truth, her heart was not entirely at ease. Liene had once tried her best to harbor affection fo

When the box was opened, what emerged was a small pair of nail scissors. Its body was made of gleaming silver, adorned with rubies on the exterior. However, they were not new. No matter how thoroughly they had been polished, there was an undeniable difference between an object that had been used and one that had not. [Henton] "These aren't new, so they couldn't have been meant as a gift." Madam Henton murmured as she closed the lid. [Flambard] "Indeed. Why on earth would he k

It was an unbelievable situation, but it was said that such things were possible in Sharka. While they might not be welcomed, they were certainly not forbidden. [Fermos] "Even so, as long as the Queen is present, their relationship cannot be officially recognized. We cannot rely on that alone. The Queen’s family possesses the largest private army in the Sharka Kingdom. Even the King has no choice but to be wary of them." It was then that Liene spoke up quietly. [Liene] "There

[Liene] "Prince Dieren’s legs were badly injured. Has he been treated?" She asked as they walked side-by-side toward the dungeon. Black turned his head slightly, hiding his expression. [Black] "He has. It looks like a severe injury, but it isn’t as bad as it seems. His life is in no danger." Whether the man would lose his "function" as a male was a possibility, but Black didn't care about that in the slightest. [Liene] "Ah, that’s a relief. Will he be able to walk normally on

[Liene] "Madam." She gently pulled her hand away from Madam Flambard’s grasp, only to take the older woman’s hands in her own once more. Her movements were slightly clumsy due to the thick bandages. [Liene] "Even if it is true, it doesn't mean everyone with Gainers blood will suffer the same fate. Look at Lord Tiwakan. He looks like a man who couldn't die even if he wanted to. A man that healthy wouldn't suddenly fall ill." [Flambard] "I... I want to believe that, too. I do."

The men who had brought Weroz were mercenaries hired by Baiyar. Realizing there was no escape, they surrendered quickly, but Fermos showed no mercy and had them executed on the spot. Exhaustion had curdled into a raw, biting fury for Fermos. After dealing with the Sharka troops sent by Blini, he had spent every waking moment tracking Weroz and Laffit. Since Black had no intention of leaving Liene’s side, the remaining cleanup fell entirely on his shoulders. It wasn't that he