A Barbaric Proposal Chapter 20

※The Trap (4)※

[Black] "No."

The answer came too quickly, leaving Fermos momentarily puzzled.

[Fermos] "Then...?"

[Black] "She hasn't cut off her feelings."

He interpreted today's events with that conclusion. An ex-lover showed up uninvited, and she desperately tried to hide him.

She even feigned seduction, an act entirely out of character for her.

It would be a lie to say the seduction didn't work. Black was the one who briefly lost his sanity from arousal.

He only came to his senses the moment she recoiled in fear. Until then, he had buried his head in her neck, thinking only of how to remove her clothing.

It was not born of passion, nor a desperate need for a woman. He desired Liene. A desire separate from the notion that she was his and must be claimed.

[Black] "Initially, I thought she..."

His lips suddenly parted. Fermos, ever perceptive, immediately sealed his own mouth and simply listened.

[Black] "...was merely a part of Nauk."

Thus, he had regarded her as inseparable from Nauk—something he would inevitably acquire upon taking ownership of the kingdom.

Today, he realized his assumption was flawed. He wanted to possess her, regardless of Nauk. He wanted to reclaim her, as if no one had ever taken her.

[Fermos] "So your thinking has changed now."

Black, who had been momentarily lost in thought, gave a weighty nod.

[Black] "Yes."

[Fermos] "May I know what change has occurred in your thinking?"

[Black] "I intend to take her back. Completely."

'Taking her back' carried a different meaning than merely 'possessing' her. It meant restoring her to the state he was meant to have her in.

Without any opening for another man to interfere, leaving no trace behind. He had to reclaim her heart, which had been stolen by Kleinfelter's eldest son.

[Fermos] "It was bound to come to this eventually."

He sighed inwardly.

Yes, I knew this might happen.

[Fermos] "If my Lord is serious, I shall be serious as well."

Irrespective of his own reluctance toward the Princess, his Lord's will was absolute. Fermos dared not forbid or steer the woman his Lord had chosen.

[Fermos] "I must guard the Princess carefully, to ensure this does not happen again."

Black, whose brows were furrowed into a deep crease, nodded.

It must not happen again. Laffit Kleinfelter would not be able to meet the Princess a second time.

---

Tossing and turning all night, she awoke just before dawn. Her mind had been so preoccupied with the previous day's events that she could not stay asleep.

Why did he pretend not to know when he knew everything?

What was his game?

Was he merely playing with me?

Or, was he truly overlooking it just this once, merely because I touched him?

Did that mean I had become a figure... of some special significance to him?

She knew how perilous the situation had been yesterday.

It was not merely a matter of being caught with another man secretly entering her chamber. It could have exposed Laffit's true identity and revealed that she had been concealing his identity all along.

Either way, the result was a betrayal of her fiancé.

She could not believe Black would overlook it so easily.

He was more than just turning a blind eye; it felt as if Black was blinded by infatuation with her. He acted with such tolerance that she became blind to the danger.

...Impossible.

There's no such man in this world. And even if there were, it wouldn't be Lord Tiwakan.

Have I forgotten how he proposed?

The castle was besieged, and a hundred people died. She squeezed her eyes shut and exhaled sharply.

[Liene] "I don't know. I should get up."

Today was the day of the funeral. Though the funeral rites were handled by the Temple, Liene still had to attend.

[Liene] "I thought I woke up early, but I guess not."

It was, in a way, a relief to have something to do. She needed to prepare her clean mourning clothes, as well as the black veil and black gloves to cover her face.

Having woken up too early, others were still asleep. She would have to fetch the water to clean herself up.

[Liene] "Once the funeral is over..."

If Laffit Kleinfelter officially became a dead man, perhaps this tangled situation might simplify slightly.

With that thought, she put on her mourning gown over her underdress, took a water bottle, and headed toward the basement.

---

There was a well, but she could not use it recklessly.

Nauk, which had been suffering a drought for years, cherished every drop of water.

The water used in the castle was drawn from the well once a day and poured into water containers in the basement.

If more water was needed, her permission was required, and she had to assess the necessity.

Creak.

The basement was silent just before dawn. She did not light a lamp but walked familiarly toward the water container. This was not the first time she had fetched water herself.

[Hyde] "Your Highness."

[Liene] "...!"

However, she did not expect someone hiding in the dark shadows to suddenly emerge. She was so startled she nearly dropped her water bottle.

[Hyde] "Oops! Ah, I've got it!"

The violently shaking water bottle was quickly snatched by the person's palm.

[Liene] "Who... Hyde?"

[Hyde] "Yes, yes. It's me, Your Highness. Were you surprised?"

[Liene] "Why are you here?"

[Hyde] "Ah, well... Oh dear. I wasn't supposed to be caught."

Hyde was the man Weroz had once taken as a squire.

She vaguely remembered hearing that Hyde had returned to his home when Weroz moved into the castle. Weroz had reportedly said he unfortunately lacked the aptitude to become a knight.

Hyde belatedly noticed the pitch-black surroundings and lowered his voice significantly.

[Hyde] "Sir Weroz asked me to deliver a message to you, Your Highness. But he emphasized that it must be done in secret and delivered directly to you. So I was waiting here."

[Liene] "How did you know I would come to fetch water?"

[Hyde] "Huh? No, I didn't know. I intended to ask your maid whether anyone had come. After all, someone has to come for your washing water, right?"

That would mean he had been waiting a long time, but Hyde was fortunate regardless.

[Liene] "Sir Weroz? Is he alright? Where is he now?"

She asked, but Hyde shook his head.

[Hyde] "I don't know."

[Liene] "What? Where did you last see him?"

[Hyde] "Sir Weroz came to the gristmill where I work. I was so surprised, too..."

Weroz had clearly disappeared from the Kleinfelter Residence. She had assumed he was mistreated there, but judging by Hyde's story, he had apparently left of his own accord.

She was confused.

[Hyde] "Anyway, he asked me to relay this."

Hyde looked around again, then gestured to her.

[Hyde] "Please lean your ear closer..."

That was an action a person educated in etiquette would not perform, but she complied.

If it was a message Weroz had emphatically urged, she had to hear it no matter what.

As she leaned her ear closer, he whispered.

[Hyde] "He said, 'Don't trust that man.'"

[Liene] "What?"

[Hyde] "He said you would understand his words... 'His purpose is revenge.'"

[Liene] "...!"

Her green eyes widened, appearing almost grey in the darkness.

Hyde, who did not see how startled she was, continued his words.

[Hyde] "He also instructed you always to be cautious and postpone the wedding until he returns. He will uncover his secret and bring it back before the marriage takes place."

[Liene] "Then Sir Weroz... is now..."

[Hyde] "Yes. He has already left Nauk."

The eyes, which had lost their color, began to tremble violently.

---

—His parents were killed by someone in Nauk.

—His purpose is revenge. In the end, it was the same story.

[Liene] "How could he..."

She unconsciously chewed her nails.

How did Weroz know that?

The place where he suddenly disappeared was the Kleinfelter Residence. He must have picked up a clue there, somehow.

Revenge.

Initially, Liene had refused to believe it, thinking it was just nonsense spouted by a bitter ex-lover.

But... could it not be nonsense? 

Black's actions, which were incomprehensible from the start, made sense when framed by the lens of 'revenge'.

Could that man's revenge not be satisfied merely by taking a head?

Was he seeking a crueler and more painful end?

Did he refrain from immediately destroying the castle walls and killing me because he intended to slowly wither Nauk, starting from its roots?

[Flambard] "What is the matter, Your Highness?"

Madam Flambard, who was brushing Liene's hair and tying it with a dark ribbon suitable for a funeral, heard her murmur.

[Flambard] "Oh dear, heavens. Are you biting your nails?"

The Madam, only just noticing her nails, immediately began to scold her.

[Flambard] "You are not a child. Why are you suddenly doing this? Your nail shape is ruined! It makes me quite sad. Wait just a moment."

She put down the comb, then hurriedly searched for nail scissors in the jewelry box.

[Liene] "Ah..."

She felt embarrassed seeing her nails already torn from being bitten.

[Flambard] "Hold out your hand."

[Liene] "...I apologize."

She obediently held out her hand. Carefully tidying the nail's shape, Madam Flambard sighed.

[Flambard] "Your hands are quite rough, Your Highness."

[Liene] "Ah, is it beyond fixing? Just do what you can. Who would pay attention to my nails anyway?"

[Flambard] "Not just the nails, but your hands, Your Highness. These hands... are they fit to be called the hands of a Princess of a kingdom?"

[Liene] "..."

Madam Flambard's eyes looked watery, as if she were about to cry. She thought she had to stop her before the Madam actually wept.

Complaining about fate was endless, and Madam Flambard was someone who cried easily, despite trying to hide it.

[Liene] "In a place like Nauk, what good are delicate hands? Stop now. I'll trim the nails myself... Ouch!"

Slice!

As she pulled her hand back, the tip of her finger grazed the scissors' blade. The sharp scissors sliced into the tender skin beneath her nail.

Splat

[Flambard] "Heavens...! Princess!"

Seeing blood profusely streaming from her thumb, Madam Flambard gasped in horror.

Clang!

The Madam haphazardly threw the scissors aside, then tightly wrapped Liene's hand with her apron.

[Flambard] "Whatever shall I do? Oh dear, I did this..."

[Liene] "No. It was my fault. You did not do it."

[Flambard] "I... Oh God. The blood is flowing so much. You're badly hurt..."

She intended to stop the Madam from crying, but it seemed Liene was truly about to make her weep.

Liene forced a smile, hiding the pain.

[Liene] "It's alright. It doesn't hurt much. Please release my hand."

[Flambard] "No, what are you saying? The blood is still flowing."

[Liene] "The funeral is soon. We must not be late."

[Flambard] "That is true, but..."

The Madam hesitated, unable to release her hand.

[Flambard] "I should sprinkle some hemostatic powder. I will fetch the medicine. Your Highness, please hold the wound tightly for a moment."

The Madam reluctantly released her hand and left the room.

[Liene] "Ah... It's a deep cut."

The wound was quite large. Watching the blood that refused to stop flowing made her feel slightly horrified.

—He will have his revenge. On Nauk.

The thought that kept haunting her, coupled with the crimson blood, brought on dizziness.

[Liene] "It hurts..."

She clenched her fist tightly.

Only after seeing the wound with her own eyes did the pain finally set in.

Just like when she confronted the true reason he proposed to her, her heart became uncontrollably chaotic.

[Liene] "It hurts... deeply."

While the Madam was absent, she shed a tear.

She whispered to herself that there was no evidence, that Weroz's message was just hearsay, but the turmoil did not subside, much like the pain beneath her nail.

[Liene] "If..."

If he truly plans revenge.

Then what must I do?

The stakes were undoubtedly high.

I must not let my guard down for even a second.

Even if that man attempts to deceive her with gentleness and blind her.

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