A Barbaric Proposal Chapter 45

※A Precarious Situation (1)※

She hated how her voice trembled. She wrapped her arms around her shoulders as she spoke.

[Liene] "If you’re so intent on proving your skills, find another way to do it. Show me in a way that allows me to happily look forward to sharing a bed with you.”

[Black] "......Is this wrong?”

[Liene] "Yes. Because it only makes me feel like you’re toying with me. My heart won’t open like this. Just because my body reacts to your touch doesn’t mean I’m ready. My heart needs to be ready before my body.”

[Black] "Why aren’t you ready?”

[Liene] "That is.......”

[Black] "......No, never mind. If you say you aren’t ready, what reason could matter? If you aren’t, you aren’t.”

Black shook his head roughly, as if trying to shake off the lingering heat.

[Liene] ".......”

[Black] "Just because you opened up to me a little, I didn’t intend to demand a physical relationship right away. I meant it literally—I just wanted to sleep beside you. Like yesterday. Just having you near was enough.”

[Liene] ".......”

It was the same for Liene. Because she liked him, her defenses kept crumbling.

Ever since she learned he was her childhood betrothed, she had even begun to wonder if he was the man destiny had bound her to from birth. That was exactly why she had to refuse.

[Black] "I must have lost my mind for a moment, thinking otherwise.”

He slowly raised both hands. It was a gesture signifying he had no intention of initiating any contact.

[Black] "Go to sleep. I wish you a peaceful night.”

[Liene] "......Yes. You as well, Lord Tiwakan.”

Click.

She quickly opened the door and practically bolted into her bedroom.

[Liene] "......I hate this.”

She hated these lies. She hated herself for having to lie. And she hated how he had backed away, looking as if he would never touch her again.

[Liene] "Tomorrow...... it will be okay.”

Tomorrow, I’ll investigate that servant, and maybe I’ll find something out about the old man.

Or I could demand to see the old man. Madam Flambard said Sir Fermos took him.

They must have him locked up somewhere in the castle.

I can just talk to him again. Black has no right to interfere. 

And if I find out the truth.......

Her thoughts hit a wall right there. She couldn't know anything yet. She didn't know what to do with him. She didn't know what she could do about him.

[Liene] "......I feel like I’m going to die.”

It felt as if her heart were burning to ash. She stumbled forward and collapsed onto the bed.

Sleep was the priority for now.

---

She tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep. It wasn't until dawn began to brighten the sky that Liene finally drifted off.

[Liene] "Ah...... Is it morning?"

She felt unusually heavy as she turned over beneath the duvet.

[Liene] "Why do I have no energy....... My body feels shivery and cold, too.”

She felt like she was breaking out in a cold sweat. Wondering if she had a fever, she burrowed deeper into the covers.

[Liene] "......!"

Suddenly, a chilling sensation trickling down her inner thigh snapped her awake.

[Liene] "My cycle......!"

It had started days earlier than expected.

[Liene] "Why now, of all times?"

She threw off the duvet and stood up. But a round, crimson stain had already bloomed on the sheet.

[Liene] "I need to clean this up, quickly.......”

In a panic, just as she was about to strip the sheet—

Knock, knock.

[Black] "Are you awake?"

It was Black. Her face went white.

What is it? It’s barely morning.

The most important thing right now is hiding this blood. 

She dropped the sheet and lay back down on the bed. She pulled the duvet all the way up, concealing the stain.

[Liene] "What...... is the matter?”

[Black] "You seemed to be sleeping in, so I came to wake you.”

Did I? Did I oversleep?

Even if I did, why are you the one waking me? 

[Liene] "I’m feeling a bit...... unwell. I’ll get up soon.”

[Black] "Unwell, you say....... I’m coming in.”

[Liene] "No, don’t......!"

It was too late. Black was already opening the door and stepping inside.

She clutched the duvet she had pulled up to her neck with a death grip.

[Black] "Where does it hurt?”

[Liene] "It’s just...... nothing major. Please leave.”

[Black] "You look pale.”

With long strides, he walked toward the bed. His large hand, oblivious to her internal panic, rested on her forehead.

[Black] "You have a fever.”

[Liene] "No...... I’m fine.”

[Black] "What part of this is fine? You look like this.”

The more he fretted, the paler she became. She pulled the duvet completely over her head.

[Liene] "Just leave. I will take care of my own body.”

[Black] "I know you’re not the type to do that. Move the covers for a second.”

His hand touched the edge of the duvet she was desperately holding up.

[Liene] "Don’t touch it!"

A sharp reaction escaped her lips before she could stop it. Black flinched and stopped his hand.

His face slowly hardened. It resembled the surface of a dawn lake as a thin layer of frost settled over it.

[Black] "Are you angry? Because of last night?”

[Liene] "No...... I’m not. Just leave. Please.”

[Black] "I can’t do that. I need to know why you’re angry.”

[Liene] "I’m not angry. Just, please.......”

Black gripped her wrist, which was white-knuckled from holding the duvet with all her strength.

[Black] "You say this, and yet you claim you aren’t angry?"

To him, who couldn't know what was happening beneath the covers, this refusal to let even his skin touch hers seemed like a rejection.

Liene was out of her mind with the fear that the duvet covering her secret would be ripped away at any moment.

[Liene] "Stop doing this and get out!”

[Black] "Why does a person change so completely in a single day?"

He tried to pull down the duvet covering her face.

[Liene] "No!"

Desperate, Liene shoved him away blindly.

Thud!

Her strength was negligible, but it was enough to push him back. The problem was that the duvet slipped in the process.

[Black] "......What is this?”

[Liene] "......!"

The crimson bloodstain on the sheet and the hem of her nightgown seemed magnified, filling his vision.

Her mind went blank; she couldn't even think of an excuse.

[Liene] "Don’t look......!"

She let out a shriek as she tried to push Black away again.

Snatch!

But her hand was caught in mid-air.

[Black] "Don’t move. Not an inch.”

[Liene] "......”

Black forced the thrashing Liene back down onto the bed. Unable to understand why

he was reacting this way, Liene stared at him. Cold sweat beaded on his forehead.

[Black] "I’ll bring a physician. Just wait.”

[Liene] "......!”

[Black] "Stay exactly as you are. Don’t move.”

Having issued the command, Black spun around and stormed out of the bedroom.

Only after her panic subsided did she realize he had misunderstood something.

---

[Physician] "Y-you don’t need to worry too much. Spotting can happen occasionally in early pregnancy. Of course, if the baby had grown enough for the belly to show, it would be extremely dangerous, but in the Princess’ case...... um, how far along did you say you were?"

There were only two physicians in all of Nauk. One primarily treated the nobility who could afford generous fees, and the other cared for the poor who could not.

Despite their differences, they shared one commonality: they were both terribly busy due to the sheer number of patients.

Yet, both of them were here in her bedroom this morning. To treat her when she wasn't even truly sick.

......This is driving me crazy, really.

Liene swallowed the sigh that threatened to escape her lips.

Behind the physicians stood Black. He looked ready to tear out their throats if they spoke nonsense, while Fermos stood beside him with eyes that promised to intervene before that happened.

[Physician] "Well......”

Liene, knowing nothing about pregnancy, let her eyes dart around nervously.

[Black] "One month.”

The answer came from Black.

[Physician] "O-one month, you say?”

[Black] "Twenty-eight days, to be precise.”

[Liene] "......”

Where on earth did the number twenty-eight come from?

Liene racked her brain desperately.

Why twenty-eight days...... Ah, I see.

Twenty-eight days ago was the day the Tiwakan mercenaries arrived in Nauk.

It was the day she received the proposal, and the next day, combat began between the two sides over a refusal.

That man...... he really intends to make this his child. A child that doesn’t even exist.

[Physician] "If it was twenty-eight days ago, the castle was under siege...... Huh?"

One of the physicians, counting on his fingers, widened his eyes in realization.

[Physician] "B-back then? But a child was conceived......?"

Then he met Black’s eyes and shut his mouth tight. Those blue eyes were beyond intense; they looked murderous.

[Black] "That is none of your concern. You just need to ensure my child is safe.”

[Physician] "Ugh...... Y-yes, yes...... I-I understand.”

The physician wiped sweat from his pale forehead. The other physician, who had remained silent, looked equally terrified.

[Physician2] "Do you, by chance, have any abdominal pain? Like a pulling sensation inside, or perhaps feeling as if something is tearing......”

[Liene] "No...... It hurts a little, but not like that.”

There was a dull ache in her lower abdomen, but that was typical for her monthly cycle.

[Liene] "It’s much better than when I first woke up.”

When Liene added that remark, the physician exchanged glances.

[Physician2] "Then it doesn't appear to be a serious emergency. However, bleeding is never a good sign, so it would be best to take care of your body for the time being.”

[Physician] "Indeed. If the bleeding becomes frequent, you could lose the baby, so please, do not move from your bed if possible. Horseback riding or traveling long distances is strictly forbidden.”

[Liene] "......Pardon?"

At the unexpected advice, she furrowed her brow.

[Liene] "Don't move? You mean I should just sit around all day?”

[Physician] "Lying down is even better.”

[Liene] "What are you......”

Black stepped between the physicians and Liene.

[Black] "I’ll remember that. Do you have any medicine for this situation?”

[Physician] "We have medicine that will help stabilize the baby. We will prepare it immediately.”

The physicians hastily gathered their things and left. Black pointed his thumb at the retreating physicians and spoke to Fermos.

[Black] "Follow them. Make sure they make the medicine correctly. And find out what rumors they might spread.”

[Fermos] "......Ah, that is a possibility. Understood.”

Fermos followed the physicians without complaint. The mention of spreading rumors implied they might be colluding with someone like the Kleinfelters.

Fermos, who believed Liene was carrying Laffit’s child, seemed indifferent to whether the child was lost or not, but he was wise enough not to show that attitude.

In truth, the physicians had been pitiable a moment ago. If something happened to Liene—who was carrying a child—beyond just feeling unwell, it was obvious many people would suffer for it.

[Flambard] "I-I will...... take the sheets, then. I must wash them before the stain sets.”

Madam Flambard, who had regained some color in her face, spoke up. Liene glanced briefly at Black, then grabbed the madam’s sleeve.

[Liene] "Let’s do it together. It’s hard to do alone.”

[Flambard] "Oh my, no. What are you saying......”

[Black] "Absolutely not.”

Madam Flambard was right. Somehow, it seemed unlikely Black would let Liene’s suggestion slide, and sure enough, he didn't.

[Black] "You heard them tell you to lie down.”

......So this is what it means to be tripped up by your own lie.

"Awkward" wasn't a strong enough word to describe this. She had so much to do today. Of course, she wanted to help change the sheets, but she also needed to go to the temple.

[Liene] "I will do so if necessary.”

[Black] "Now is the time. Stay still, at least until the medicine arrives.”

[Liene] "I have many things to do, Lord Tiwakan.”

[Black] "And you are also not just one body anymore.”

[Liene] "......”

When he put it like that, she felt even more like she had stepped into a trap.

Madam Flambard, who had been cautiously reading the room between the two, gently pried Liene’s hand from her sleeve.

[Flambard] "I will do it alone, Your Highness. Why would you help with laundry in this season? Please, rest.”

[Liene] "Madam, don’t......”

[Flambard] "I believe you should listen, Your Highness. ......Yes, this is a time for rest.”

Madam Flambard signaled with her eyes, gesturing toward Black over her shoulder. It meant that if she insisted further, he might get suspicious. Liene had to give up there.

[Liene] "Okay...... come back soon.”

[Flambard] "I will return shortly, Your Highness.”

She hurriedly gathered the sheets and left the room.

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