A Barbaric Proposal Chapter 50

※Homecoming※

Liene closed her eyes.

That moment was the most fulfilling time for her as well.

This vast Nauk Castle, even though she had lived here since childhood, was not really her home.

Or rather, if it was a home, it was too empty. Black’s arrival finally filled that void, making it feel like a real home.

Her trembling hands clutched his clothes.

[Liene] "Is it... Alright?"

[Black] "It is. If the Princess desires it."

[Liene] "Even if I desire it... I am not worthy. I... I still cannot allow it. Killing Kleinfelter. That is something that absolutely must not happen in this land—"

[Black] "I will not kill him. Not for the sake of revenge."

[Liene] "How can you possibly do that? Your father was killed right before your eyes. And you had to live without your name for so long."

[Black] "Because I want the home more. If that means giving up revenge, then it is a simple matter for me."

[Liene] "...No, that's not true. It... you can't possibly."

[Black] "Why not?"

He chuckled softly.

[Black] "Imagine you are eight years old. You have nothing, you are wounded, and you can't stop running because you think someone is chasing you. An eight-year-old."

[Liene] "..."

[Black] "If you are hungry and cold. If you are shaking with fever and constantly seeing things that aren't there. What would be the most desperately needed thing at that moment?"

She couldn't answer. She had never been in such a situation.

[Black] "Since then, I have wanted a home more than anything."

[Liene] "I..."

Liene buried her forehead against his chest.

She wanted to see his face, yet couldn't look at him. She was afraid he might look like that eight-year-old child.

[Liene] "If I still say... I can't trust you. What will you do?"

[Black] "I wonder. But nothing much will change."

Black raised a hand and slowly stroked her hair. He leaned down and pressed a light kiss to her lips as he stroked.

He put his mouth to her earlobe and whispered.

[Black] "The Princess promised to accept me, did you not?"

[Liene] "I might try hard, but still fail to keep it."

[Black] "No. You also said you could not break the promise. Starting today, I will return to that moment. The Princess must do the same. You will sleep in the same bed as me and accept the kiss I give you when you wake up."

[Liene] "What if I ultimately cannot believe you?"

[Black] "Then I will wait. If nothing happens until the Princess lives with me and becomes an old woman, then you will believe me."

[Liene] "..."

At those words, she could no longer hold back the torrent of tears.

She wrapped her arms around him. Black hugged her tightly in response. His lips settled on the crown of her head.

[Liene] "An old woman... you've jumped too far ahead."

[Black] "All humans will grow old."

[Liene] "Still... I don't like you imagining me like that already."

[Black] "Do you know something?"

He gently rubbed the lips resting on her crown against her hair.

[Black] "How happy I am every time the Princess says she dislikes something."

She had told him she disliked his asking every time before kissing her. Now she told him not to imagine her as an old woman.

It was like a petulant complaint from a passionately loving sweetheart.

[Liene] "I... I feel the same."

[Black] "I haven't said I disliked anything."

[Liene] "I know. That's why... I'm happy."

That you don't dislike anything about me.

I told you to spare your enemy, I claimed to bear your enemy's child, and on top of that, I doubted you and changed my mind repeatedly.

Yet, you never once said you disliked it.

It's shameless of me, but that's why I'm so happy.

Black seemed to understand the words she had swallowed internally. If not, he wouldn't have suddenly pulled his face away and immediately swallowed her lips in a fierce kiss.

The kiss, which started with a stinging sensation on her lips, was frighteningly sweet.

---

[Liene] "I'm glad I listened to you, Madam."

Liene let go of the hem of the wedding coat Black would wear.

They had to embroider the hem after fixing it, and it required a considerable expenditure because Madam Flambard stubbornly insisted on using silver thread.

But once the embroidery was finished, it looked so good she couldn't help but admire it.

[Flambard] "I am better at embroidery than the Princess, after all. Indeed. You did well."

[Liene] "It's magnificent."

Her cheeks briefly flushed as she imagined Black wearing the coat.

[Flambard] "Has something good happened, Your Highness?"

[Liene] "Oh, yes?"

Her thoughts scattered, and she looked at the madam with a puzzled expression.

[Liene] "Something good? Why the sudden question?"

[Flambard] "Your complexion has entirely changed. It's completely different from this morning."

[Liene] "Ah..."

She felt embarrassed.

...Is it that obvious?

[Liene] "Well... the misunderstanding was cleared up."

[Flambard] "Oh, Your Highness. Was there a misunderstanding?"

Madam Flambard's expression immediately changed, suggesting she must have mistaken the object of the misunderstanding.

[Liene] "No. Not with you, Madam... but with Lord Tiwakan."

[Flambard] "With him...? Ah, I see. Wait, just a moment. Then the misunderstanding that was cleared up..."

[Liene] "Yes."

She gave an awkward smile and slightly averted her gaze.

[Liene] "Lord Tiwakan has no intention of seeking revenge. I couldn't believe it, but he explained enough for me to understand."

[Flambard] "Is that so? But is such a tremendous thing... something you can believe just by word alone?"

[Liene] "That's why he kept it hidden. Because he knew it couldn't be believed by word alone."

[Flambard] "My goodness, so that's how it was. Then did the old man you brought to the castle say something helpful?"

[Liene] "That..."

Thinking of the old man, there were still subtly mismatched pieces left.

The fact that the target of the bloodshed vengeance was the Arsak family, not Kleinfelter, was one such piece. The old man claimed it was due to the drought, but it felt somewhat like an evasion.

However, if she considered it calmly, wasn't it possible that a man who was physically broken and lived by begging would not know the details of what the Kleinfelter family had done?

Perhaps the old man only knew that the Henton family had been murdered and that their young son had escaped. He could have been a relative or an acquaintance of the Hentons.

There were plenty of people who blamed others because they could not forget a horrific past.

[Liene] "Yes. He remembered Lord Tiwakan's old name."

[Flambard] "Heavens. So he really was from Nauk?"

[Liene] "Yes."

[Flambard] "Then the talk of an engagement with the Princess..."

[Liene] "That still seems like it wasn't formally arranged. They wouldn't have been a family of such high repute. It seems he wished for an engagement... Hmm. Is that why he became Kleinfelter's target ?"

[Flambard] "Pardon? Did you say Kleinfelter?"

[Liene] "I think Kleinfelter was responsible for wiping out the Henton family."

[Flambard] "Henton...?"

[Liene] "Yes. Lord Tiwakan's family. Do you happen to know of them?"

[Flambard] "No. The name is strangely familiar, but I can't recall anything. Henton... Perhaps my son would know. He memorized many things since he was a child."

[Liene] "Ah, he's in the Sharka Kingdom now, isn't he?"

[Flambard] "Yes. He's studying there. He said he would become a scholar and conduct research with royal funding. Now he doesn't even dream of returning to Nauk. My son seems intent on dying as a citizen of the Sharka Kingdom."

[Liene] "You must miss him very much."

[Flambard] "All sons are like that, aren't they? Men don't consider the place they were born as home; they call the place they went out and found themselves, their home."

[Liene] "Is that so?"

The words brought a strange feeling.

Black’s statement that the closest thing to the home he desired was her, was both painful and warm for that reason.

It sounded like she was the destination he had finally found after wandering for so long, wounded and exhausted. It meant so much to him.

...Is it right for me to be that person?

When all I've been doing is desperately lying to protect what's mine.

[Flambard] "But Your Highness, I still don't understand one thing."

The conversation, which had briefly detoured into talk of her son, found its way back.

[Flambard] "If Kleinfelter is his enemy, isn't his motive too obvious? I mean, the reason he proposed to you. And he believes the child... is Kleinfelter's bloodline."

[Liene] "I know what you mean. I had the same thought."

[Flambard] "And he says he doesn't intend to?"

[Liene] "He said he didn't want to lose me by seeking revenge."

[Flambard] "That is..."

[Liene] "I told him I couldn't allow Kleinfelter's death. If that were to happen, the other nobles wouldn't stand by idly. From that moment on, Nauk would split in half and descend into war."

[Flambard] "Then you must speak immediately."

The madam, who had been listening, spoke with determination.

[Liene] "Speak what?"

[Flambard] "That you never carried Kleinfelter's child, of course."

[Liene] "But..."

[Flambard] "You must tell him right now, Your Highness. Only then will his true intentions be confirmed, won't they?

[Flambard] If he is willing to forget his revenge for your sake, he will simply rejoice that you are not carrying the child. Am I wrong?"

She was not wrong.

[Flambard] "Conversely, if he intended to harm the child, his true colors will be revealed."

[Liene] "...You are right."

But something weighed lightly on her heart.

That would mean he would know that I have been deceiving him all this time...

Will he be disappointed or feel betrayed?

[Flambard] "And setting everything else aside, it is the right thing to do. If you were in his shoes, Your Highness, you would be enduring immense resentment, wouldn't you?

[Flambard] If his affection for you is genuine, the other emotions he must suppress will be even more agonizing. He would have to treat his enemy's child as his own. The mere thought is dreadful."

[Liene] "You are right. I am doing a terrible thing to him."

[Flambard] "So tell him as soon as possible."

[Liene] "...Yes. I suppose that would be best."

Her face showed relief as she gently patted the back of Liene's hand.

[Flambard] "Yes, please do. You will agree that listening to my advice this time worked out well. I am certain."

[Liene] "I suppose so."

I am a little worried... but it's the right thing to tell him.

I absolutely must tell him.

He is doing something no one else could do.

Even if he says he's fine, he must be struggling.

Liene nodded again, as if steeling her resolve.

Madam Flambard and Liene carefully wrapped the finished, altered wedding coat in a clean cloth, put it securely in the wardrobe, and prepared for the night.

---

[Flambard] "Your Highness. Why are you taking out an extra blanket?"

The madam, who was helping make the bed, asked with curiosity. It was an extremely awkward question.

[Liene] "Well... ahem, we decided to share a bed starting tonight."

[Flambard] "Pardon?"

[Liene] "It's complicated to explain everything... It's not simply in that way... There are circumstances involved."

It was impossible to make her understand the full promise involved.

It wasn't so much that Liene was embarrassed, but that it was a tower of emotions built block by block with Black. It was impossible to point to the very top and ask someone who hadn't seen the foundation to understand.

[Liene] "Lord Tiwakan won't be inconsiderate of my body. You don't need to worry about that, Madam."

[Flambard] "No, that is not what I meant at all."

The madam shook her head repeatedly.

[Flambard] "How could I lecture people who are already set to marry about sharing a bed? I mean that since the Princess is currently having her cycle, it would be best to avoid sleeping together."

[Liene] "Ah..."

She wrinkled her nose at the unexpected problem.

[Liene] "I had forgotten. Because the medicine prevents any stomach pain."

[Flambard] "Oh dear."

[Liene] "What should I do?"

The madam thought for a moment, then nodded.

[Flambard] "It's better this way. Just tell him everything tonight. Tell him you aren't pregnant, but that your cycle has simply begun."

[Liene] "Ah... I suppose I should."

I feel like I'm not mentally prepared yet.

But I shouldn't put it off any longer... right?

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