A Barbaric Proposal Chapter 25

※Requiem (5)※

[Liene] “What?”

He wants me to postpone the wedding?

Does he know what he's saying?

How does he think I'll be able to postpone it?

[Cardinal] “The wedding is not permitted until the Princess of Nauk is free from her sins. If you ignore God’s will, there is no doubt a great tragedy will occur.”

[Liene] “Do you know what you're asking of me?”

Liene clenched her hands and restrained herself. Her action didn’t escape the Cardinal’s notice, but he still pressed on.

[Cardinal] “God's will is ineffable, Your Highness. You must fulfill it.”

[Liene] “And you, Cardinal Milode, should know that you are disgracing the royal family by claiming to know God’s will.”

The Cardinal sighed at her calm yet sarcastic words.

[Cardinal] “I am a servant of God. As such, I represent God’s ideals, Princess Arsak.”

[Liene] “And what exactly did God say to you? Did you perhaps receive a vision in a dream that told you to prevent the marriage?”

[Cardinal] “You… how can you be so contemptuous of God? It is becoming clearer that the trials placed before the people of Nauk are to punish you, Princess Arsak!”

The Cardinal would never have dared to say something like this to her before. It felt strange as if he was trying to corner her.

Although she didn't know for sure, Liene had a strong premonition that the Cardinal had been sent by Kleinfelter to try and stop the wedding by any means necessary. It wasn't about fixing the stairs; it was always about the wedding.

[Liene] “Be careful, Cardinal. This is not the Temple. You are in my castle now.”

Liene was good at keeping her face calm, even when she was holding back anger with clenched hands. But this time, she couldn’t hold it back anymore.

[Liene] “The royal castle is not bound by religious law. I have the right to punish those who dare to use their tongue to insult the royal family.”

[Cardinal] “Unfortunately, you cannot marry without God's permission—”

Just as the Cardinal was about to speak—

[Black] “I’m late.”

Bang!

The sound of the audience chamber doors echoed in the air as Black pushed them open with both hands.

[Cardinal] “Wh-wh-what…”

The Cardinal’s face quickly turned a yellowish pale.

[Cardinal] “W-why… why is a mercenary… here…”

Instantly, Liene almost reflexively sighed.

Come to think of it, the Cardinal probably didn’t expect something like this to happen. 

He was probably just following Kleinfelter’s will, letting them push him into the castle, insisting Black would not be able to interrupt the meeting.

[Liene] “Welcome, Lord Tiwakan. Please, have a seat.”

But instead of correcting the Cardinal, Liene invited Black to her side. An action that solidified his position as the Princess’s fiancé as well as the leader of the Arsak Family's Guardian Knights.

Black quickly caught on to her intentions. Without a word, he took a seat right next to her. He was so silent when he did so that it felt like the most natural thing in the world. As if Black rightly deserved to be by her side.

[Liene] “Where were we? Ah, right. You said God wants me to sabotage the wedding. Did he happen to tell you how long we have to postpone it?”

[Cardinal] “I-I…”

The Cardinal stopped for a moment and turned his gaze away. He couldn’t even begin to look at Black, who was just sitting next to Liene.

It worked.

Although he didn’t notice it, Liene smiled bitterly. She was happy to see the Cardinal so flustered and upset, but couldn’t help feeling a little disturbed by his sudden and obvious change in attitude. It proved how much the Cardinal underestimated her—that he saw her as easy to manipulate.

[Cardinal] “The wedding will happen… after God allows it…”

[Liene] “And how will we know when that is?”

[Cardinal] “A-as God’s servants, their words will speak through me…”

[Black] “So in the end, it turns out you’re the problem.”

[Cardinal] “Wh-what?” The Cardinal swallowed.

Black casually tapped the armrest of his chair with his finger, the sound making the Cardinal tremble as he raised his head towards him. Then, as soon as he met his cold stare, his body froze.

[Black] “I’ll give you a choice. Either you use your mouth to permit us, or I’ll force it out of you.”

[Cardinal] “…”

The Cardinal's jaw tightened. It was unclear whether he understood the implications of his words or if he was just shocked that, as a Cardinal, he was not being respected.

[Black] “I must have said it too nicely. Then I’ll say it again. Open your mouth yourself, or I’ll tear you to shreds.”

[Cardinal] “W-what… How dare you!”

The Cardinal finally found his voice, loud enough to shake the entire audience chamber. But in the end, it was all just words.

Black stared at him, his fingers still tapping the armrest.

[Black] “Be quiet.”

[Cardinal] “?”

[Black] “Don’t raise your voice in the presence of a noble.”

[Cardinal] “…”

[Black] “Make your choice. Your own will or being torn to shreds.”

[Cardinal] “…”

It wasn’t that the Cardinal's jaw tightened. He just couldn’t speak. He was terrified to let his voice resonate in the room again.

[Black] “If you don’t choose, then I will choose.”

Tap.

Black hit the armrest with a rhythmic pattern.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

As soon as he heard the third sound, the Cardinal forced his voice out.

[Cardinal] “You can't do this! You can't do something like this to a servant of God…!”

But that was all he could say. As if the rhythmic sounds were a signal, the doors of the audience chamber slammed shut.

[Cardinal] “Wait!”

Quickly, the Cardinal and the priests he brought with him turned towards the doors, but the tightly shut doors remained locked.

[Cardinal] “Your Highness, open the doors!”

In the midst of all this, Liene was the only person the Cardinal could cling to. A barbarian might not be able to communicate normally, but she was not. Not even the royal family of Nauk had the right to toy with a servant of God like this.

[Cardinal] “Your Highness!”

[Black] “If she wants me to open it, then I will open it.”

Black spoke slowly in his usual emotionless voice. Making it very difficult to understand, but even so, one thing was obvious. Liene was the only person capable of controlling the Tiwakan Commander.

[Liene] “...Thank you for the offer, but we are still in the middle of a conversation. It would be better for us to keep the doors closed until we have resolved this matter.”

Liene also realized it. More specifically, she realized what Black was trying to explain to the Cardinal.

As long as the Tiwakan were present, the Cardinal would never be able to speak to her with such disrespect as he had before.

No, not just that. If he wanted to leave safely, then he needed her to help him, because the Tiwakan Commander would never open the doors unless she asked him to.

[Liene] “Alright, let’s talk properly. Why must we postpone the wedding?”

[Cardinal] “…”

Like iron, the Cardinal's face completely hardened. Never again would he say that the wedding needed to be postponed because God could not tolerate the presence of the defiled Tiwakan.

---

After that, the conversation ended without any major problems. By the end of their discussion, the Cardinal had become a different person. He just nodded obediently before hurrying away.

Of course, there was a price. Black agreed to pay the full cost of repairing Temple stairs. Only then could the Cardinal officiate their marriage vows, as per the duty assigned to him.

The interrupted funeral would be completed that night in the Nauk Castle chapel, with a group of Tiwakan mercenaries assigned to move the coffins. Making it impossible for anyone, especially the Cardinal, to claim that God could not tolerate the ‘defiled’ Tiwakan. If the ‘defiled’ didn't bring the coffins, then the bodies would be left to rot in the Temple until the stairs were fixed.

Liene was a little surprised by the outcome. It was the first time she had negotiated something so one-sidedly, without making a single concession.

[Liene] “This is a little unexpected.”

Once the Cardinal and his entourage fled with their tails between their legs, only Liene and Black were left in the audience chamber.

[Liene] “I didn't realize the Cardinal was so cowardly.”

The bitter smile on her face revealed so much about the many things she had been through.

[Black] “I’m glad you’re satisfied with the result.”

The word ‘satisfied’ didn't seem right. It was too weak to describe her feelings right now.

[Black] “But I think you agreed to bear too much of the financial burden.”

Liene added, looking at him.

There was something on her mind the whole time.

[Liene] “You shouldn't have to pay all of that, even if the Cardinal was so insistent on postponing the wedding.”

[Black] “It’s fine. I have enough money to spend whatever I want.”

[Liene] “But still…”

The cost was too great to be spoken of so casually.

[Black] “Is it disrespectful for me to tell you not to worry about money in the future?”

Liene thought for a moment before answering.

[Liene] “...No.”

Nauk's financial difficulties had been going on for too long to feel proud about it. Liene wasn’t even sure how much longer they could last. For the last year, all she could do was try to survive, day by day—praying for more rain.

[Liene] “I guess not.”

[Black] “Then don’t worry about it.”

It was amazing to hear Black say it so easily.

It was making Liene start to misunderstand him. She was really beginning to think this man was a good person. That he was truly on her side and doing what he could to help her.

But what would he gain by risking so much to ensure this wedding happened?

[Black] “…If you can, of course.”

Liene suppressed her feelings and just nodded.

If Weroz came back, whatever Black was trying to hide would be revealed.

In this case… until that happens… I guess it's okay to continue feeling at ease with him.

At least, for a little while longer.

[Liene] “Thank you, Lord Tiwakan. It’s because of you that everything regarding the funeral and the wedding went so smoothly.”

[Black] “…”

Her gratitude to him was sincere. She truly meant every word. But instead of returning her kindness, Black remained silent and stared at her intensely.

[Liene] “Is… everything alright?”

[Black] “Interesting.”

[Liene] “What do you mean?”

[Black] “I want to hear you say it again. I want to know if you're serious.”

…Was my thanks not enough?

[Liene] “You have my sincere gratitude. I truly mean it.”

[Black] “Not that. I’m talking about the wedding.”

[Liene] “Is there something wrong?”

[Black] “Is it true that you don't want to postpone it?”

[Liene] “Of course I… Ah.”

A second too late, Liene realized the meaning behind his words.

At some point, she had started treating the wedding as certain to happen.

As her words trailed off, her lips slightly parted, and his eyes scrutinized her face as if he was looking for a hidden sign of a lie on her face.

[Black] “Of course?”

[Liene] “Of course… I don't want to postpone it.”

[Black] “…”

Hearing her answer, Black thought for a moment before the corner of his lips began to pull upwards.

Oh…

Now Liene was the one staring.

He was smiling. Such a small change, but the difference was too great for her.

I’ve never seen him smile before.

[Black] “In that case, it wasn’t a waste of money.”

Black said with his smile still lingering.

This man could say it so casually… with a face like that. It made it look as if he was truly happy to marry her.

The idea made her feel… strange.

If it was always like this, she would truly start to misunderstand him.

Thinking he’s a good person is one thing…

…But thinking he might actually like me?

Now, the wedding was only a few days away.

---

[Lyndon] “Idiot!”

Slam!

Lyndon couldn't contain his anger and slammed his fist on the table, shaking the ink bottle and spilling ink everywhere.

Laffit glanced at the dirty table, but remained silent.

Finally, Lyndon gritted his teeth and straightened the fallen ink bottle.

[Lyndon] “He couldn’t solve a problem as simple as postponing the wedding? It should have been easy for a Cardinal!”

Step.

Lyndon got up, circling the ink-stained table and pacing the room.

[Lyndon] “It can’t be helped. We must find someone else who can do it right.”

He brought up the ridiculous idea of replacing the Cardinal until Laffit frowned and immediately looked at him.

[Laffit] “What do you mean, uncle?”

[Lyndon] “My business with him is finished. He’s no longer useful to me.”

[Laffit] “And how do you plan to replace the Cardinal?”

[Lyndon] “What are you talking about? Replacing him is an easy matter for our family.”

The Cardinal of Nauk was a permanent position. Only when the incumbent Cardinal died could a replacement be chosen.

What Lyndon wanted to say was that he wanted to kill the current Cardinal… and he had also done it in the past.