A Barbaric Proposal Chapter 4

※The Plan for Sleeping Together※

[Flambard] "...What?"

She was so surprised that she let go of the lace she was pulling. The petticoat slipped and fell to the floor.

[Liene] "How long does it take for signs of pregnancy to show?"

[Flambard] "T-that... I mean..."

While Madam Flambard was stammering, the security guards ran and knocked on the door.

Knock, knock!

[Guard] "A message for Your Highness. The Tiwakan Commander has arrived at the castle gate. Lord Weroz awaits permission to open the gate."

The faces of Madam Flambard and Liene, who was now only in her undergarments, turned pale.

Liene locked eyes with her nanny, then spoke slowly.

[Liene] "...Open the gate, and tell them I will follow soon."

Madam Flambard hurriedly began to dress her.

Although she was the one who had said Liene shouldn't look too beautiful, Liene, in the bright dress, unfortunately, looked exceptionally lovely.

Her pale complexion, combined with her slender neck, gave the impression of a fragile flower that could snap at any moment.

---

[Black] "..."

Six coffins were laid out in the castle's front courtyard. After six dull thuds as the coffins hit the ground, only silence remained.

Liene forgot to utter a welcoming greeting and stared blankly at the closed coffins. All six coffins were identical. No one knew which one contained the body of her lover.

[Fermos] "We have brought the bodies intact, as you requested."

The man who introduced himself as Fermos and wore an interesting device on his face spoke.

[Fermos] "This is a small gift for the Princess of Nauk who accepted the proposal."

[Liene] "...Thank you."

The first gift from her fiancé was corpses. It was a terrifying gift.

As she nodded with a brief reply, indicating that she accepted the gift, Black stepped forward. His gaze went straight to her bare face. Her skin felt itchy, as if being pricked.

[Liene] "Thank you for agreeing to my unreasonable request. ...And, thank you for the coffins."

It was rare for the bodies of those killed in a surprise attack to be returned whole. Furthermore, to be returned honorably inside a coffin was unheard of. These barbarians had maintained her dignity as their future fiancée.

She was in a position where she had to be grateful even for such a thing.

The Tiwakan Commander took another step forward. She struggled to suppress the urge to step back. At this close distance, his gaze felt as if it was sticking to and groping her skin.

[Black] "One day has passed."

He spoke as if one day were a very long time. He talked to a person whose lover had died just one day ago.

[Black] "Now, I wish to discuss the marriage."

[Liene] "..."

The six coffins, one of which might hold her lover's body, were both a gift and a threat. A threat for her not to forget the proposal she had accepted, by becoming too lost in sorrow.

---

The meeting place was moved. The King's study was too small, and the assembly hall was too vast. Finally, the chosen location was the reception room with a large table.

In the past, it was where Nauk's important families met the King almost daily for discussions, but that tradition had long been gone. Both sides sat facing each other in the cold, gloomy room.

Her party consisted only of Sir Weroz and Marshillow. Fortunately, the opposing side was also few in number, creating a relatively balanced picture.

However, in her heart, it was not so. Even if the Tiwakan Commander sat alone in this room, she would still have to constantly fight an endless feeling of pressure.

[Fermos] "I believe we both know that it's not good to delay this marriage too long."

Fermos started the conversation. Now, even in Nauk, everyone knew that he was Black's right-hand man and advisor—essentially the number two in Tiwakan.

[Fermos] "Although this is the south, isn't the cold season approaching soon? Before that, Tiwakan wishes to close the encampment and secure shelter under a roof. And, Your Highness..."

He paused his speech for a moment. The meaningful smile that hung on his lips felt unusual.

[Fermos] "You also need to speed up the marriage if you want the child to be born and baptized."

[Marshillow] "A-a child... what?!"

Marshillow jumped to his feet.

[Marshillow] "A-a child... what do you mean...? Your Highness, whose child are you carrying...?"

As he stammered in confusion, two voices rang out simultaneously from both sides.

[Liene] "My child."

[Black] "My child."

Liene and Black uttered the same yet different thing at once.

This time, it was Liene who was confused, looking at Black. She wondered what he was talking about.

He faced her without the slightest awkwardness.

[Black] "As long as we marry, the child the Princess will give birth to will grow up knowing me as his biological father."

Since he had consented to the pregnancy, that was the most reasonable solution.

[Liene] "Ah, you mean that..."

[Black] "I don't mind if the child's surname is Arsak."

Marshillow stared at her with wide eyes.

Although he held a different opinion, he was an experienced politician who had served as an advisor for a long time. He knew that Liene had never allowed her lover to sleep with her.

 Therefore, he must have realized that her claim of pregnancy was merely a lie to reject the proposal.

However, Marshillow's expression now scolded her for having done something too reckless.

...I know.

She agreed. It was just that the deed was done. Now, there was no way she could say the pregnancy was a lie.

 So, she only had two choices: lie again by saying she miscarried at the right time, or get pregnant immediately.

But that...

She lowered her head to hide her expression and grit her teeth.

That means...

She would have to sleep with that barbarian Commander as soon as possible.

I can't.

He'll find out.

Since she had accepted the proposal, there was naturally no issue with sleeping together. Even if she disliked it, she couldn't avoid it after marriage.

However, there was another problem.

She involuntarily closed her eyes tightly.

He'll know I'm inexperienced. So, he'll know I couldn't possibly be pregnant.

What would happen then?

Rumors of Tiwakan's barbarity were more than plentiful. Unspeakably horrific imaginings made her stomach churn.

[Fermos] "If you permit, I will add one thing. The ruling rights of the child, the Princess will bear, will be guaranteed in the name of Lord Tiwakan. If you wish, we can include it in the marriage contract."

The Tiwakan advisor was meticulous. It seemed he had all the plans laid out.

[Fermos] "It will be difficult to hide the pregnancy in one or two months at the latest, so the marriage must take place within two weeks."

[Marshillow] "Two weeks?! Isn't that too soon?!"

Marshillow rose again and shouted.

[Marshillow] "Two weeks isn't even enough time to complete a wedding dress!"

[Black] "...Sit down."

That low, clear voice stopped the pointing Marshillow.

[Marshillow] "..."

Startled, Marshillow looked at Black, who had told him to sit. Facing his pale blue eyes, so light that the wrinkles of the iris and the pupil were clearly visible, Marshillow was forced to sit down hesitantly. The elegant face of the aged royal advisor instantly looked haggard.

[Black] "I will prepare the wedding dress. If the wedding preparations are a burden, the Princess doesn't need to do anything. If there is any other reason why you wish to postpone the marriage..."

Black paused his speech for a moment. There was a gap, but no one dared to speak. The Tiwakan Commander had the power to force anyone to listen to whatever he said. Everyone held their breath and waited for him to continue.

He looked at her and slowly continued.

[Black] "You must say it honestly now."

This time, her complexion turned deathly pale.

Whatever she thought, there was no strong reason other than that she didn't want to marry.

Just seeing him gives me goosebumps.

Could she marry and sleep with a man like that?

Especially while lying that she was pregnant with another man's child. Pretending to be intimate like an experienced person and pretending not to feel the pain that should be felt for the first time.

...I won't be able to.

Such a lie...

[Werroz] "Your Highness..."

Sir Weroz, who had been silent all this time, called her softly.

She realized she had been clenching her hands under the table, her eyes closed. It was time to answer.

[Liene] "I need... mental preparation."

[Black] "Is two weeks not enough?"

A year wouldn't be enough.

[Liene] "The wedding dress is not the only issue. I believe Tiwakan is already aware of Nauk's condition. We cannot procure the resources for a wedding ceremony in two weeks."

Her words were not entirely a lie. Money was the biggest problem in Nauk. It was the reason even her lover's funeral was a luxury.

[Black] "Is money the issue?"

[Liene] "...Regrettably, yes."

[Black] "No other reason?"

She bit her lip for a moment, then answered.

[Liene] "No."

Black turned his head towards his subordinate. Fermos, understanding his intent, opened the box he had brought and took something out. What he took out was a rolled scroll.

Instead of handing the paper over, Fermos pushed the box towards Marshillow.

[Fermos] "This is an engagement gift. Perhaps this feels more like a gift than the six coffins."

The box, whose size couldn't be called small, was full of gold.

Marshillow was too surprised to touch the box and merely stared at Liene.

[Marshillow] "Your Highness..."

Liene was equally surprised.

Meanwhile, Fermos opened the rolled paper and turned it so it was clearly visible.

[Fermos] "This part requires the Princess's consent. After your marriage, Tiwakan will acquire a new name: the Arsak Guardian Knights."

This meant Nauk would have a force ten times larger than the remaining troops it currently had.

[Liene] "What?"

She showed a sharp reaction to the unexpected fortune. Things that were too good to be true were hard to believe. It couldn't be free.

[Liene] "Do you mean we have to hire the entire Tiwakan Mercenary into the Arsak Family? You know well that the gold you gave as a gift won't be enough for that."

Fermos spoke without hesitation, as if he already knew what she would say.

[Fermos] "The cost of making Tiwakan the Arsak Guardian Knights will be borne by Lord Tiwakan, who will become the Joint Ruler of Nauk through this marriage."

[Liene] "What..."

She unconsciously turned towards Black.

His gaze, which she had been avoiding, remained in place. When their eyes met, that gaze immediately drew her attention.

For a moment, she felt as if she had been struck by a curse that kept her eyes from moving.

[Liene] "Should I believe that?"

Mercenaries were a group hired to fight. Naturally, employing them required an astronomical cost.

With just the name Tiwakan, Nauk would become the strongest fortress among the five southern kingdoms, but this was too excessive.

Using Tiwakan merely as a security force was nonsensical, regardless of whether it resulted in profit or loss.

[Black] "There is no reason for me to lie to my fiancée."

That was his answer.

[Liene] "Nauk cannot afford to maintain such a large force, nor does it need one. No one covets this barren and poor land."

[Black] "There was the Arsakh Knight Commander."

[Liene] "...What?"

Her lips parted in surprise.

His gaze went towards her parted lips. The gaze that persistently wrapped around her lips, for a fleeting moment, looked like pure greed.

[Black] "And there will be again in the future. Whether the target is Nauk or the Princess."

[Liene] "..."

While she was speechless for a moment, before any other words could escape, Fermos quickly sealed the decision.

[Fermos] "Then, since there are no issues, we will consider Nauk to have agreed. The marriage will take place in two weeks. The announcement must be made at the latest before sunset tomorrow. We expect the Nauk Guard Commander to handle it. And, we wish to inspect the residence used by the Knights personally."

The barbarians were meticulous. They had set the trap from which her side could not escape, perfectly in place, and quickly.

[Fermos] "Time is short, so we wish to move as fast as possible. Moving and deploying the troops alone will take two full days. The Knight investiture ceremony will probably have to be postponed until after the wedding."

Fermos smiled slyly, reminding her of what was to come next.

It was the moment when the word marriage felt intensely real.

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