A Barbaric Proposal Chapter 11
- Aug 22, 2025
- 8 min read
Updated: Dec 5, 2025
※Dangerous Encounter (2)※
[Lyndon] “You claim you come to convey your condolences in person... Hmm.....”
His expression was clearly far from welcoming. However, he also showed no signs of grief over his nephew’s death, as he knew that he had not truly died.
[Liene] “Yes.”
She faced Lyndon, the Chairman of the Grand Council, who had refused to budge despite her repeated requests that he come to the palace.
Since Nauk’s finances had fallen into deficit, he had completely neglected his duties as Chairman of the Council. She had been covering the shortfall by selling her personal assets.
Both of them knew this situation was utterly absurd. Yet, she was powerless against the Kleinfelters.
She should have been able to subdue them with military force, but regrettably, the number of Kleinfelter’s private soldiers vastly outnumbered the castle guards.
[Liene] “And I also wish to inform you that the marriage between Tiwakan and Arsak will take place in fourteen days. As the largest family in Nauk, the Kleinfelters must attend to show our friendship.”
[Lyndon] “You are asking me to attend the wedding of an enemy?”
She calmly faced him, who loudly pronounced the word ‘enemy.’
Both knew the truth: Tiwakan was no enemy. After all, his nephew had not died.
[Liene] “Yes.”
[Lyndon] “Forgive me, but it seems the Daughter of Arsak has lost her mind. Accepting a proposal from a barbarian is the first evidence of that.”
[Liene] “......”
She offered a bitter smile rather than reproaching him for his discourteous behavior. It was no secret that Lyndon had begun acting arbitrarily toward Nauk’s ruler.
Even when she inherited the throne after her late father’s passing, Kleinfelter had been the most vociferous in opposing her coronation.
If she had not been in a romantic relationship with Kleinfelter’s eldest son, their disrespect would certainly have known no bounds.
[Liene] “Regrettably, my mind is perfectly sound. Not accepting Tiwakan’s proposal would, instead, be proof that I was insane. Now that the news of mourning has been delivered, please prepare for the funeral. The Arsak Knight Commander, Laffit Kleinfelter, shall return to the earth, and his name will be remembered forever as a hero who fell with honor.”
Her words were intended for her lover's name to remain dead and at peace. This path was the safest for everyone.
[Lyndon] “It seems along with your sanity, you have also lost your pride and fighting spirit. Shouldn't the Daughter of Arsak be seeking revenge for her fiancé?”
[Liene] “Watch your words, Sir. Laffit Kleinfelter was never my fiancé. There was never an official marriage agreement. Have you forgotten?”
He compressed his lips.
[Lyndon] “Not a fiancé... What sort of nonsense is this? So, the Daughter of Arsak merely wished to amuse herself with Kleinfelter’s eldest son? What a cheap body you possess!”
If Weroz had been in the drawing room at this moment, he would surely have drawn his sword. She herself felt an overwhelming urge to slap him.
[Liene] “I now know how Lord Kleinfelter treats the family’s eldest son. How dare you insult him so easily, even though he is deceased?”
[Lyndon] “The one dishonoring Kleinfelter’s eldest son is the Daughter of Arsak. How can you marry that barbarian, instead of cutting his throat? Does that head of yours—which is merely a pretty ornament—fail to comprehend the profound insult of your words?”
CRASH!
She could no longer tolerate him. She picked up the vase, decorating one corner of the drawing room, and flung it near his feet.
Ceramic shards and water left a stain on the undeniably valuable imported carpet.
[Lyndon] “How insolent!”
His mustache trembled violently.
[Liene] “This vase was inherited from Nauk’s late King. Perhaps it was intended to punish anyone daring to spout such nonsense, surpassing his rank, as you just did.”
She spoke, her breath ragged.
[Liene] “If you are so displeased with my agreement to marry, then reflect on what the Kleinfelter was doing for those two weeks when Nauk was under siege. Your private troops were hiding while nearly a hundred castle guards sacrificed their lives for Nauk.”
[Lyndon] “So, now you are willing to sell your cheap body to the barbarian for the sake of Nauk?”
Her decision was a mistake. She should have thrown the vase elsewhere.
[Liene] “It seems I have been far too generous. I should have struck your head instead of throwing the vase on the floor.”
[Lyndon] “What, my head? Go on, try me. What exactly do you think you can achieve?”
He sneered, exposing his gums like a barking dog.
The two people glaring at each other seemed to be standing on a battlefield, not in a drawing room, having abandoned all pretense of courtesy.
[Liene] “Deliver this message to him. Tell him to remain as a dead man and depart quietly. Tell him not to even think about firing another arrow.”
Amid their glaring contest, she returned to her main purpose.
[Liene] “If he wishes Nauk to be safe, tell him to cast aside his personal vengeance.”
[Lyndon] “Why don’t you vent that temper of yours on the barbarian?”
[Liene] “I trust you will convey it. I am also telling you that Tiwakan knows the Arsak Knight Commander is not dead.”
[Lyndon] “Ah, having become so intimate with the barbarian, you can’t even vent your anger on him?”
[Liene] “Shut........!”
The word ‘Shut up!’ was about to slip from her mouth.
Knock, knock.
A knocking sound echoed from behind the drawing room door.
[Servant] “I have brought refreshments and snacks for the guest.”
She and Lyndon froze simultaneously at the familiar voice.
[Servant] “May I enter?”
Creak.
The man who had not died, her lover, entered as the door opened.
[Lyndon] “Why did you show up? I told you to remain where you were.”
He said to his nephew with an annoyed expression.
This was the reason she had to wait so long outside the gate earlier.
He had concluded that his nephew would gain nothing by facing her alone.
His nephew became senseless and powerless whenever he was with her. He was the type of man who would happily accept, even if she asked him to die, let alone only pretend to be dead.
Therefore, Lyndon had strictly forbidden him from approaching the drawing room, yet he appeared nonetheless.
[Laffit] “Please vacate this room, Uncle.”
Even though he was his nephew, he was the family’s eldest son.
Due to his quiet nature, Lyndon had always been treated with respect as the adult, when the reverse should have been true.
He was actually in a position where he could be expelled without any possessions with just a single word from his nephew.
[Lyndon] “I cannot grant your request. The Daughter of Arsak has betrayed us. Who knows how her cunning tongue might seduce you.”
[Laffit] “Do not speak disrespectfully towards Princess Liene. I will not tolerate it.”
...That was what was meant by becoming a fool.
Lyndon clicked his tongue loudly.
[Lyndon] “Tsk, tsk...! She is not a woman worthy of you. Do you know what the Daughter of Arsak just told me? That you and our family would....”
[Laffit] “Uncle!”
Anger was evident in his eyes. Lyndon fell silent at that moment.
Although his nephew was usually obedient and kind, there was a side of him that could not be controlled when he was enraged.
[Lyndon] “...Tch. I shall wait outside.”
He reluctantly left the drawing room.
Clack.
After the door closed, a suffocating space remained where the separated lovers faced each other.
[Liene] “Are you unharmed?”
She was the first to speak.
Her lover looked healthy. His skin appeared slightly rougher, but that was hardly a flaw compared to the corpse that had replaced him.
[Laffit] “Princess... my Liene.”
He called her name with a voice that seemed to overflow with emotion.
Initially, he just froze as their eyes met, but then he rushed forward and embraced her tightly.
[Liene] “......”
Just endure it for a moment.
She closed her eyes and calmed herself in this paradoxical situation. He also needs time to say goodbye.
[Laffit] “I... I could not keep my promise.”
His hand ran through her hair.
His touch had not changed. It was passionate, gentle, courteous, and full of yearning. And the way it evoked guilt was also the same.
...It’s fine —just this much. I can endure his touch.
[Laffit] “You must have waited... You must have been frightened, and I was not by your side.......”
It was alright. She had not expected too much from him.
She would have been happy if he had returned on time with reinforcements, but his return would inevitably lead to another war.
Even if the Sharka Kingdom had decided to send reinforcements, it was doubtful whether their forces would be large enough to contend with Tiwakan.
She counted to ten, then opened her eyes and spoke.
[Liene] “Flee.”
[Laffit] “What?”
He paused, stepped back, and looked into her eyes.
[Laffit] “What do you mean?”
[Liene] “Exactly as I said. You must flee before Tiwakan exposes that you are hiding here.”
[Laffit] “You are telling me to run away alone?”
[Liene] “That is the safe path for everyone.”
His eyes widened. Disbelief and a sense of betrayal seemed to spill out of his wide-open eyes.
[Laffit] “...I cannot believe it. The Princess is giving up so easily.”
It was she who could not understand her lover.
Why didn't he comprehend? I can give up anything as long as it is for Nauk.
[Liene] “I am going to marry Lord Tiwakan.”
They were no longer lovers.
[Liene] “I came to say this. Thank you for everything, and I hope you remain safe always.”
[Laffit] “Impossible... Are you abandoning me just like that? Princess?”
The hand clutching her shoulder tightened. She felt pain, but she chose to endure it.
[Liene] “I believe this is the way to protect Nauk.”
[Laffit] “Nonsense!”
He shouted angrily. His brown eyes, which had always been gentle and mild and sometimes felt weak, now blazed like a bonfire.
[Laffit] “How can abandoning me be the way to protect Nauk! How is that possible! Why!”
[Liene] “Neither the Arsak Family nor the Kleinfelter Family can face Tiwakan. At this moment, the situation is.......”
[Laffit] “So you will willingly hand Nauk over? Including yourself, Princess?”
He displayed an expression she had never witnessed before. A cynical smile bloomed on his face, as if it were cutting her feelings.
[Laffit] “How foolish you are, Princess... That marriage is precisely what that barbarian is after.”
He stretched out a hand and grasped her hair. Before she could ask him to let go, he spoke breathlessly.
[Laffit] “Do you know the rumor my family heard in the Sharka Kingdom? About the leader of those barbarians?”
[Liene] “Sir Kleinfelter. Release my hair. I now have a fiancé.”
He did not listen to her words. He just said what he wanted to say, as if he were deaf.
[Laffit] “The reason why that barbarian leader is committing these savage acts, specifically in Nauk, a place that has nothing....”
She was extremely curious about their reason.
The reason the Tiwakan leader wanted Nauk—the poorest and most barren place among the five southern kingdoms.
Even after Liene and Black had promised to be sincere with each other, that mystery remained unsolved.
She spoke to the eldest son of the Kleinfelter Family, who was no longer her lover.
[Liene] “What... what did they say the reason was?”
[Laffit] “They claim he holds a grudge. Against Nauk.”
[Liene] “...What?”
[Laffit] “They said he has been planning revenge for a long time. It is a fact everyone outside Nauk knows.”
[Laffit] “What nonsense... what kind of grudge is he referring to?”
[Laffit] “His family was murdered by someone from Nauk.”
[Liene] “So he intends to seize Nauk? That is illogical, isn’t it?”
[Laffit] “Are you expecting something logical? From a barbarian?”
[Liene] “........”
She fell silent.
To an ordinary person, the story was illogical.
But if the person planning revenge was the Tiwakan leader, his actions might be plausible. He possessed the power to crush Nauk at will.
...No, that information is precisely what is illogical.
If that were the case, he should have started a war, not proposed marriage.
If a full-scale war had begun, Tiwakan would not have needed to besiege the castle for two weeks. Everything would have been resolved in three days.
Her neck would be hung on the wall, and Tiwakan would have completely erased Nauk from the continental map.
And Black had clearly said it. If he wanted to destroy Nauk, he would have done so from the beginning.
Revenge? No.
That cannot be the reason.
Comments