[Liene] "What is it?" She asked, her voice bright with anticipation. [Black] "You are the first person who ever made me want to carry someone just because they had a small injury. So, for now, just stay in my arms." [Liene] "......" She found herself speechless. [Liene] "But what if Prince Dieren looks down on me? I’m supposed to be going there to negotiate." [Black] "Whether you are in my arms or on my back, no one would dare look down on you. Besides, what we are doing with

The life of Prince Fernand, a reality Liene could scarcely fathom, had eventually bled into the life of the man now known as Lord Tiwakan. [Black] "There are times when even a battlefield has a break. It was during those intervals that I occasionally inquired about the ring." Though his life as a wanderer had been chaotic, he had never forgotten Nauk. He had buried the memory deep, fearing the pain of looking at it, but its weight had never vanished. [Black] "It wasn't long b

She had thought about it for a long time, but one thing she knew for certain: she did not want to change this relationship for a reason that had not yet occurred. If you become ill, I will be terribly distressed by that fact, but it won’t distress me more than losing you. [Black] "Why you have the pensive expression when speaking?" Liene smiled and shook her head. Leaning in, she whispered softly into his ear. [Liene] "About the key Kleinfelter mentioned. I think I know w

[Liene] "Ah." The further she walked, the clearer it became: the labyrinth was a deliberate composition of mechanisms and clearings. The actual paths were flat, no longer punishing the soles of her feet. If she followed these smooth stretches, she was certain they would lead her back to the castle. [Liene] "......" She paused at a point where the path branched. [Liene] "The mechanisms end here." Hoping to understand the nature of the traps, she meticulously felt along the flo

[Liene] "Ouch!" A sharp sting shot through her foot; the sole had likely been cut. She bent down again, her fingers brushing against the cold floor. Beneath her touch, she felt a continuous row of hard, jagged protrusions. [Liene] "I think this is the right way." It matched her memory. She recalled how walking through this specific area barefoot had been exceptionally painful. [Liene] "But this... this is strange." The thought had crossed her mind back then as well—that this

[Liene] "......Ugh!" She let out a muffled scream, jerking her head back. Her movement made it clear: she would have preferred the touch of a crawling insect over him. [Laffit] "Are you rejecting me now? Even after everything I’ve told you?" [Liene] "Mmgh! Mmm-ph!" [Laffit] "How could you! How!" He grabbed the hem of her dress and yanked her fallen body toward him. [Laffit] "How!" [Weroz] "Stop! Do you actually intend to lay a hand on the Princess?" Weroz intervened at the ex

[Black] "You’ve had a difficult journey, I see." These were the first words Black spoke upon seeing Ternan Kleinfelter, who had been dragged in by the mercenaries. Having jumped from a window with a frail body that required a cane, his suffering was evident. His clothes, face, long hair, and beard were all caked in mud. To Ternan’s likely frustration, all that effort had been for naught, as he was immediately apprehended by the Tiwakan warriors stationed outside. From the Tiw

It was beyond reason. The man who had only left Nauk a month ago was now uttering the exact same words as Kleinfelter. [Liene] "What... Why are you saying such nonsense? A curse? What are you talking about? I believe you're not the type of person to be swayed by such absurd words." [Weroz] "The curse exists, Princess. The Gainers family stole the power of the gods. In return, the gods placed a curse of eternal drought on Nauk. As long as there are Gainers, the drought will no

[Dieren] "..." There was no way Liene had seen it wrong. Liene saw Dieren's pupils tremble nervously. The same went for his servant. [Liene] "What were you trying to do to me, Prince Dieren?" [Dieren] "Th-That... No... Accusing someone without evidence... This is a diplomatic mistake, Princess." [Liene] "I can't believe it. You planned something like this when Lord Tiwakan left the castle." [Dieren] "Th-That... No... There's no evidence..." The evidence was clear. Dieren's pa

[Priests] "The Cardinal has been in this state for several days now." The priests were polite. However, Black couldn't shake the feeling that they were too polite. For twenty years, the Temple had been in league with the Six Families. While those who entered the priesthood were supposed to cast aside their family names, most high-ranking priests were either from the Six Families or closely connected to them. Unless Manau had recently purged the Temple, there was a clear rea

[Randall] "It’s not that I’m unhappy about Sir Weroz’s return." Randall spoke firmly. [Randall] "I expected some friction with the guards for a while. Personally, I prefer having Sir Weroz around. I don't know what the Captain eats to be such a stiff-necked old man at his age... actually, please forget I said that.” [Randall] "Regardless, while there is no physical evidence, I have a bad feeling. Not about the guards, but about the men who brought Sir Weroz back." Liene under

—The King stole the power of the gods. The thought was a jagged stone in her mind. Was such a thing even possible? How could a mortal man reach out and siphoned the very essence of the earth’s waters? Lost in the labyrinth of her own theories, she didn't realize she was gripping her hair in frustration until a rough, calloused finger brushed against the space between her eyebrows. She flinched, her eyes snapping open. [Liene] “What…?” [Klima] “Ah! I—I—no! I mean—my hand!”

[Fermos] "He’s a complete lunatic. Pure malice. To prey on a child’s innocence like that... it’s more than just a scam. It’s high treason." His voice rose, a rare show of agitation from the usually composed man. [Fermos] "It seems that entire bloodline is rotten to the core." Liene wore a bitter expression, her gaze dropping to her lap. [Liene] "I can’t exactly argue with that." The list of Kleinfelters' sins was endless. They had built their throne on a mountain of corruptio

[Liene] “How... how could someone do such a thing?” Madam Flambard listened to the full account of what had happened to Madam Henton, her face turning even paler than the victim’s. Her hands shook as she reached out to stroke the back of Henton’s hand. [Black] “It was him.” The realization hung heavy in the room. After Lyndon and Laffit Kleinfelter had been exiled, the one pulling the strings of House Kleinfelter from the shadows was none other than the resurrected former Pat

[Liene] "That makes no sense. Why would she go to such a dangerous place? There are plenty of people there who still bear a grudge against her." The news was baffling. Liene couldn't wrap her head around it. [Black] "It’s only a hunch, but I can’t think of anywhere else she’d go. If she really is at the Kleinfelter estate, we don’t need to worry too much. Fermos is already there." [Liene] "She worked there for so long... maybe she left something behind." [Black] "Perhaps." [L

[Fermos] “About the Kleinfelter estate—now that the wedding is safely behind us, I think it’s time we cleared it out entirely. We’ve seized the visible assets, but a family like that is bound to have a secret vault or two tucked away in the floorboards.” Fermos hadn’t come to their chamber at this hour just to make idle conversation. He had a specific concern. [Black] “If you’re bringing this up now, I assume you have a reason to suspect something is hidden there.”