A Barbaric Proposal Chapter 118

※A Single Use※

[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 doors open with a violent force. The sound rang in the ears as the double doors swung wide.

[King] "......!"

Only then did the King see why the Royal Guard had not come to his aid.

In truth, the corridor before him was lined with the corpses of his guards, stretching endlessly to the very end of the hall. They must have rushed in one by one, only to be decapitated or have their chests split open in a grim parade.

Step, step...

The sound of footsteps grew distant.

The King found himself clutching his ringing ears instinctively, only to let out a scream a moment later.

[King] "The Princess Consort...! Bring her to me! Now!"

The thought of stopping Black—who had strode in, disrupted the palace, and left at his own leisure—didn't even cross the King's mind. Doing so would only give the remaining Tiwakan forces waiting at the border a reason to attack..

For now, he had to find a way to keep Blini alive. Surely, it couldn't be true. There had to be a misunderstanding. She would never do such a thing.

However, Blini was not in the Prince’s Palace. A state of emergency was declared among the guards.

---

[Blini] "I can't believe it."

She continued to mutter to herself.

[Blini] "Why did he do that?"

When she heard that Tiwakan Commander had arrived, she thought the inevitable moment had come.

She had summoned the Royal Guard to the Prince’s Palace. Even if it was a reunion she looked forward to, she had to be prepared. This was also why the number of guards in the main palace had been so sparse today.

Then, she had ordered the gates to be opened.

But Black had not come to her.

When she heard that he had turned toward the main palace instead, she felt something inside her twist and snap.

[Blini] "Why would he do that? He must have come to see me anyway."

If the assassination had been successful and the Princess of Nauk was dead, Black should have sought her out even more.

She was prepared to accept his outbursts. she had intended to let him pour out all his lingering emotions upon her.

[Blini] "Then he would know. He would know how much I loathed that marriage."

In other words, she was still waiting for an answer to her proposal.

She was revealing her inner thoughts so shamelessly, yet why was there no reply?

Why involve things like kings and queens?

Why didn't he come to take the ring himself?

[Maid] "Your Highness..."

The maids watched Blini, who was lost in thought, not knowing what to do.

[Maid] "You must leave now. The Secretary... said there was no way to get into the separate palace, it would be best for you to flee and preserve yourself..."

[Blini] "......"

She finally raised her head at the sound of the trembling, near-tearful voice.

[Maid] "He said the sooner, the better. That... Your Highness could be in grave danger..."

It wouldn't be a hollow warning. Since it was Black who had handed Kleinfelter over to Queen Dileras, he likely knew everything she had done.

That meant the King would soon know the same truth. Of course, she wasn't certain the King would believe those words—just as she wasn't certain he would still take her side.

[Blini] "Danger, you say..."

Blini did not take risks when it came to men. Nothing was as unreliable or easily swayed as a man. It was best to use them once and discard them to avoid future trouble. Both the King and the Secretary had served their purpose.

[Blini] "Then so be it."

She rose to her feet.

[Blini] "Pack the bags. We are going to Alito."

[Maid] "Yes, Your Highness!"

The maids, who had been internally frantic, moved with lightning speed. They ignored things that could be bought anytime and packed only gold and jewels.

The Captain of the Royal Guard, who had been stationed at the Prince’s Palace, guided the way. He was another man to be used and discarded, but at this moment, he was her most useful asset.

(T/N: This is a different Captain from the one Black injured at the Main Palace.)

---

Even if the Captain had sided with the Princess Consort, the majority of the Royal Guard followed the King's orders. Following his command to bring the Princess Consort to him, they pursued her.

[Captain] "Heh, dammit."

The Captain felt he had chosen the wrong side. When the Princess Consort mentioned she needed to leave the castle, he hadn't thought it would be a significant problem.

He thought she was just going to meet a new lover outside the gate, worried about being found out by the King. Royals were usually too lazy for such things and brought people to their own nests.

But something was wrong. Cries of people searching for the Princess Consort echoed from all directions.

His plan to hide in the labyrinthine garden and use a guard carriage had to change. They had to go down the waterway connected to the rear garden and escape by boat.

Even as he changed direction, the Captain hesitated. His hesitation slowed his pace.

It felt foolish to follow the orders of a Princess Consort who looked like she was a fugitive. Although he had received a heavy pouch of gold, this was a matter that could cost him his position as Captain.

[Captain] "Wait, Your Highness...?"

He stopped on the forest path leading to the waterway and spoke.

[Captain] "I need you to tell me exactly. Where are we going right now?"

[Blini] "......Alito."

[Captain] "Pardon?"

It really was an escape. He shook his head.

[Captain] "Then I can no longer serve you. I shall return now."

[Blini] "Now, of all times?"

She narrowed her eyes.

[Captain] "Please understand that I have been a man of Sharka since birth. The path is that way. If you walk along the waterway, you will find a place where a boat is moored. You can take that boat."

She grabbed the Captain as he tried to withdraw.

[Blini] "I didn't think even a single use would be impossible."

[Captain] "What? What do you... No, let go of my hand. I cannot defy His Majesty the King any further."

He was implying that since he had taken her money, he would pretend he hadn't seen her leave.

[Blini] "It is already too late."

She stepped closer to the Captain, her lips hovering near his.

[Blini] "Discard the thought that the King will let you keep your head. It will be an exercise in futility."

[Captain] "What... what are you saying?"

He swallowed hard.

[Blini] "If I am captured, the King will learn your name as well."

[Captain] "That's..."

As his lips contorted, Blini placed a finger over them to silence him.

[Blini] "But if we arrive safely in Alito, the story changes. You will have whatever you desire in your hands."

[Captain] "......"

He tilted his head back, escaping her touch.

[Captain] "That... I cannot. My entire family is in Sharka."

[Blini] "Can't you simply make a new family? I told you. You will have everything. Status, wealth, women. Anything."

[Captain] "H-how could I... my family..."

[Blini] "If you stay here, they will all die anyway. What use is a family if you all die together?"

[Captain] "......"

His eyes wavered. The promise of obtaining anything was as seductive as the red lips moving before him.

[Royal Guard] "I see a path leading to the waterway over there! They say the Captain might be with her!"

The shout coming from the edge of the forest turned his hesitation into terror. She was right. It was too late to turn back now.

[Captain] "Then swear it. Swear that you will keep your word to give me anything. From this moment on, I am the man who saved your life."

Swearing was easy. After all, a vow was just another thing to be used and discarded.

[Blini] "Fine. I swear it."

[Captain] "Then give me proof of that vow."

He pulled her head toward him and hungrily swallowed the red lips that had been taunting him.

Her eyes widened for a moment, and then she bit his tongue hard enough to draw blood.

[Captain] "......Nngh!"

[Blini] "Use that as your proof."

She said, licking the blood from her lips.

The Captain, seeing no other choice, swallowed the blood pooling in his mouth.

[Captain] "This way. They seem to be following the path, so we will cut through the forest. From now on, do not make a sound."

They all walked in silence.

The smell of blood on his tongue was metallic and raw.

---

[Randall] "It seems luck wasn't on her side this time."

News that the Princess Consort had been captured at the waterway arrived the following morning.

An informant had been so excited that he had rushed directly to the inn.

Currently, she was said to be confined somewhere in the Prince’s Palace. The King was in a towering rage, and Queen Dileras was reportedly testing the waters to see if she could return to the main palace.

[Black] "Even if she had successfully escaped the palace, it would have been difficult to reach Alito. The roads would have been blocked by the time she reached the border."

[Randall] "Ah, right."

By then, Tiwakan would have arrived at the border. Her flight was a self-defeating move. It seemed there was no one left to listen to Blini’s excuses.

[Randall] "Will the King actually hand her over?"

[Black] "We shall see. Alito might make a move as well. The Grand Duke didn't particularly cherish his daughter, but he might try to save face."

[Randall] "If that happens, how shall we proceed?"

[Black] "The Grand Duke will have to make a choice. His daughter, or his son."

[Randall] "Mmm... that would be quite a dilemma."

[Black] "Not necessarily. Are there any mines left in Alito? If the scale is decent, I might consider an exchange."

[Randall] "Pardon?"

He blinked in surprise, then quickly realized the meaning and clapped his hands.

[Randall] "I’m not sure, but the Deputy-Commander would know."

[Black] "Even if it’s not a mine, there must be something."

[Randall] "Haha... yes, there must be. It is the Grand Duchy of Alito, after all. The money to build the fortress could come entirely from there."

[Black] "No. If that happens, I intend to make it a wedding gift."

[Randall] "Wait, another gift?"

[Black] "I haven't given her anything of that magnitude yet."

[Randall] "Uh, well... yes, I suppose not."

Because Black spoke so matter-of-factly, Randall was momentarily confused. He wondered if wedding gifts were supposed to be given over and over again like this.

[Liene] "What is of such great magnitude?"

The person asking was Liene. She had opened the connecting door and entered just in time to hear the last remark.

[Black] "It was nothing important. Why didn't you sleep more?"

Black moved so quickly it made Randall flinch, rushing to greet Liene.

[Liene] "I’ve slept enough. Is there any news from the Sharka royalty?"

Even as she spoke, Black knew that Liene had stayed up late tending to Klima. He was still unable to move on his own. Her role was essentially just watching over him, but she seemed worried enough to lose sleep.

[Black] "An informant just left. The Princess Consort was captured while trying to flee."

[Liene] "Ah, I see... Then the King’s protection must be at an end?"

[Black] "We have to wait and see. There hasn't been word of handing her over yet."

[Liene] "I see. Then I suppose I should continue to pretend to be a patient for a while longer."

[Black] "Word will come by the end of the day."

He rubbed her lips as if her eyes, still heavy with morning sleep, were utterly adorable.

[Black] "It is time for breakfast. Is there anything you wish to eat?"

[Liene] "Mm... I want that yellow, soft fruit."

[Black] "Understood."

Randall, who had become a bit more perceptive after spending so much time around the two since arriving in Sharka, quickly stepped forward.

[Randall] "I shall tell the kitchen to prepare a meal for the two of you. Please, take your time."

He scurried out of the room.

Black drew the curtains just enough so that no one could see in from the outside, then turned back to Liene.

[Black] "Is there anything you wish to do before breakfast?"

[Liene] "You’re asking even though you already know."

She said with a smile, opening her arms wide.

He smiled back and slid into her embrace.

If not for Klima being hurt, it would have been a perfectly happy morning.

The message from the King of Sharka arrived late that night, barely meeting the day's deadline.

Prev

Chapters

Next