A Barbaric Proposal Chapter 18

※The Trap (2)※

She could have found a plausible excuse.

An excuse to refuse the wedding night: "I am carrying a child."

That excuse, however, was too temporary.

Once the marriage was formalized, she knew she had to conceive as quickly as possible.

Although the biological father was undoubtedly Black’s, the child would still inherit the Arsak name, as promised, and become the next ruler.

It was the best possible outcome for her. Though the marriage was forced by an inevitable proposal, she had lost nothing; she had managed to keep everything.

...From my own perspective.

But not for him.

He would live his life never knowing that the child was his own flesh and blood.

A different kind of weight settled on her heart.

Was it right for her to hide the child's biological father just to protect Nauk?

[Flambard] " Your Highness, why do you look so serious?"

Madam Flambard jolted her out of her reverie.

[Liene] "Ah, just a moment..."

[Flambard] "Is there any way to refuse the wedding night?"

She did not know the answer.

[Liene] "I don't know. What should I say?"

Postponing the wedding night only bought time until her monthly cycle ended. Until then, she needed an excuse to keep him out of her chamber.

[Liene] "I need some time to think..."

Knock! Knock!

A knock at the door cut off her words.

[Flambard] "It seems he has arrived."

Madam Flambard stood up.

[Flambard] "I shall open the door. Your Highness, please compose your expression first."

Watching Madam Flambard briskly walk toward the door, she touched her face.

However, the effort to fix her expression was unnecessary.

[Flambard] "Yes, I shall open the door... Oh my!"

Madam Flambard, who had just opened the door, let out a shriek of surprise.

[Liene] "Madam?"

Startled, Liene, who was about to rise from her seat, froze like a statue upon seeing the reason for her shriek.

It was not Black who had come.

[Laffit] "I am here because I just heard some news."

It was Laffit.

The person who should never show himself at Nauk Castle was now standing in front of her room.

Laffit pushed past the stunned Madam Flambard, shoving her aside, then slammed the door shut.

[Laffit] "I heard you are carrying my child... Is that true?"

Of course, it was not.

He would know the truth better than anyone.

[Liene] "Leave immediately!"

She raised her hand and pointed to the door.

[Liene] "I don't understand what you're thinking. Did you not consider for a moment that Lord Tiwakan might be watching the entrance to this place? Go back!"

[Laffit] "I won't leave before I hear the answer."

She was reeling from the sheer audacity of the situation.

She stomped her foot.

[Liene] "What is this nonsense! You, who know the truth better than anyone, dare to feign ignorance!"

[Laffit] "I don't know! How could I know! I've been away from your side for over half a month!"

The color drained from her face.

[Liene] "What... What did you just say?"

[Laffit] "You never permitted me to share your bed. So, what is the meaning of this news about being pregnant with my child?"

[Liene] "This..."

She bit her lip firmly, almost letting slip a curse she had never uttered in her life.

[Liene] "Are you truly serious... Seriously asking that? You, to me?"

[Laffit] "I must hear the explanation directly from your mouth, Princess. What is this talk of a child?"

She did not believe he was asking because he genuinely did not know. Laffit Kleinfelter couldn't be that foolish.

Therefore, he was trying to confirm something.

To confirm that she had used the lie about the child solely to reject his proposal.

To confirm how desperate she was to refuse the proposal.

[Laffit] "Did you tell that barbarian that you were carrying my child?"

His voice sounded somewhat melancholic.

[Laffit] "Did you say that I was your man? That I belonged to you, and that I was the father of the child you would bear?"

[Liene] "..."

She felt a dizzying sensation.

It felt as though the lie about the pregnancy, uttered to reject the proposal, was continually being distorted, transforming into an unrecognizable monster.

[Laffit] "You told that barbarian that you would always be mine, didn't you?"

[Liene] "That assumption... is not true."

She stepped back, avoiding him, who advanced closer as if to embrace her.

He immediately closed the distance.

[Laffit] "Why is it not true?"

[Liene] "It was only a statement to avoid the proposal. I thought if I said I was pregnant, he would withdraw the proposal."

[Laffit] "It's the same thing, isn't it?"

[Liene] "It's different."

She had not said she rejected the proposal because she loved Laffit to death.

That was merely his misunderstanding.

[Laffit] "It is not different. Any man would think so."

[Liene] "It is different. I..."

She stopped speaking.

There were too many things she wanted to say.

On reflection, the situation was too outrageous to endure.

Laffit was acting as if she had already forgotten the deeds the Kleinfelters committed at his house.

How could he be this way? Even though her teeth marks were still on his palm.

What he did was outrageous. He ignored the fact that she was the ruler of Nauk, and he should be submissive and loyal to her.

Laffit, too, was a Kleinfelter. The blood of that family was undeniable.

She laughed at herself, feeling incredibly foolish for believing that he was unlike the other Kleinfelters.

[Liene] "I will marry Lord Tiwakan. And I will bear a child. That child will inherit the Arsak name and become the ruler of Nauk. That is the path I have chosen to protect Nauk."

[Laffit] "But you already lied that you were carrying my child. Do you think that barbarian will simply tolerate another man's child?"

[Liene] "He will. Because he promised."

[Laffit] "That is too naive a thought. Did I not tell you? What that barbarian dreams of in Nauk is revenge. He came with the intention of spilling blood, no matter whose."

[Liene] "Do not force unconfirmed rumors as if they were the truth. I do not believe it. If he had no intention of accepting this child, he would never have offered to sign a covenant."

[Laffit] "What meaning do covenants hold for barbarians? They can tear them up whenever they please."

[Liene] "Yes. That is why he wouldn't write one at all. Why bother creating something that will eventually be torn up and discarded?"

[Laffit] "So that you would accept his proposal."

[Liene] "No."

She curled her lips, giving a cynical smile.

It was a bitter self-mockery.

[Liene] "He merely needed to destroy the castle gates. After killing all of Nauk's guards, he simply needed to drag me to the altar. Without any covenant, my name would have become Mrs. Tiwakan."

[Laffit] "Liene..."

His face was terribly contorted.

Facing him, she spoke words without the slightest hint of guilt.

[Liene] "If you understand, leave. If there is any loyalty left for Nauk and the Arsak family, obey my command to leave this land. You are no longer my lover; to you, I am nothing more than the Ruler of Nauk."

[Laffit] "How could you..."

Just as Laffit gritted his teeth, unable to continue his words.

[Flambard] " Your Highness!"

Madam Flambard's anxious voice darted between the two of them.

[Flambard] "It's dire! He is coming!"

[Liene] "What?"

It felt as though a sound of thudding dropped from her own heart.

---

She told Laffit to exit through the large window. Outside the window, there was a ledge just wide enough to stand on. He had to hide there so that he would not be seen.

There was no other option. It was too late to flee.

She covered his mouth as he was about to say something.

[Liene] "You must not make a sound; stay quiet there. If you are caught, I can do nothing for you."

Then she closed the window.

Clack!

As the window closed, Madam Flambard raised her voice.

[Flambard] " Your Highness. Lord Tiwakan has arrived."

Whoosh!

She hastily turned away from the window. Her heart was pounding.

She struggled to calm her unease.

[Liene] "Tell him to enter."

[Flambard] "Yes, Your Highness."

Madam Flambard opened the bedroom door wide with a trembling hand.

[Flambard] "Please come in."

He entered, a mere fraction of a second later.

His blue gaze immediately fell upon her, nearly making her bite her tongue.

[Black] "What just happened?"

Strangely, those blue eyes felt like they could see through anything. Because of this, she was always more tense than necessary in front of him.

...Calm down. There’s no way he saw him.

It's fine. He won't know anyone is hiding here.

[Liene] "Nothing at all. Why do you ask?"

[Black] "Because you called me."

[Liene] "Pardon?"

She blinked, not immediately understanding the question.

[Black] "Did it not mean that something I was needed for had arisen?"

[Liene] "Ah..."

She felt a wave of relief.

It seemed Madam Flambard's request had not yet been delivered.

She released the hem of her skirt that she had unconsciously gripped tightly, then continued calmly.

[Liene] "While fitting the dress, I realized there was a section that hadn't been measured yet. I wanted to know if you had the time to see me again."

[Black] "A measurement... is that all?"

[Liene] "Yes."

His blue eyes blinked slowly.

She noticed his subtle, though faint, frown.

Was he annoyed?

Because I made him come for such an unimportant matter.

Was that it?

[Black] "..."

But that did not seem to be the issue.

She was not sure of the exact reason, but he did not appear angry at her.

[Black] "Then measure."

He stepped forward in front of her and spread his arms.

[Liene] "No, this time..."

This time, Madam Flambard will be taking the measurements.

Please step in front of the Madam, not me.

She should have said that.

However, she could only look at him, who had approached so closely, and press her lips together.

[Liene] "The smell of sweat."

When he stood so near, she realized it.

That he smelled of sweat.

The edge of his forehead also looked damp. He must have been dripping with sweat.

Suddenly, her feelings became strange.

[Liene] "Surely... you didn't run here?"

She asked in a soft voice.

[Black] "Yes."

[Liene] "Why..."

[Black] "As I said, I thought something I needed had arisen."

Swish.

That was the sound of his hand lifting her hair and letting it run through his fingers.

The rustling sound near her ear felt soft and ticklish.

This is... odd.

She muttered internally.

It's as if he ran until he was sweating, just because I called him.

It's strange. It's as if this man...

He...

[Liene] "There is indeed something I require from Lord Tiwakan."

She did not realize that her cheeks were flushing a faint pink, nor that her voice had become softer when she spoke his name.

[Liene] "If the measurements aren't taken, the coat cannot be adjusted."

[Black] "If I had known it was just for that, I wouldn't have rushed. You might think of me as a man who smells of sweat,"

[Liene] "Not at all."

Perhaps the opposite was true.

Although she called it the smell of sweat, it felt more like a strong body scent.

The raw, musky aroma that tickled her nose was not repulsive; instead, it made her neck feel inexplicably warm.

...I need to step away a little.

I'm worried the Madam might see.

She placed her hand on his chest and pretended to push him slightly. Of course, her fingertips held no strength at all.

[Liene] "Then release my hair. I will take the measurements."

[Black] "A little longer."

However, he did not release her hair; instead, he also gripped her hand with his other hand.

[Liene] "Why are you doing this?"

She asked in a tiny voice, conscious of Madam Flambard's presence.

[Black] "I didn't realize it either, but I was surprised. Surprised... no, was I worried? In any case, it is not a pleasant feeling."

[Liene] "Worried?"

When she asked back, he tightened his grip slightly.

It did not hurt, but it was sufficiently firm.

[Black] "I was just receiving a report that the Kleinfelter bastard had infiltrated the castle. At the same time, I also heard that you were looking for me. So, I thought something urgent had come up.”

...Clack!

Her heart throbbed, as if it had dropped on its own.

He knew... about Laffit's presence.

A shiver ran down her spine.

He stared silently at her pale face, winding her beautiful golden-brown hair around his fingers.

His movement no longer felt gentle and ticklish like a greeting.

Rather, it was a firm bond.

A declaration that you cannot distance yourself from me as you please.

[Black] "Was your reason for calling me only to take a measurement?"

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