A Barbaric Proposal Chapter 6

If You Can Endure It (1)

When Liene returned with the scissors, Fermos, Black's subordinate who had arrived ahead of the physician, had already completed all the necessary procedures.

Sir Weroz, who had come with Fermos, realized he couldn't help and stood awkwardly beside Madam Flambard, like a mere wall ornament.

[Fermos] "You were hit by an arrow? Really?"

The question sounded extremely odd, considering he was the person who had just sliced Black's skin, extracted the arrow, cleaned the blood, measured the depth of the wound, and applied the medicine.

[Fermos] "So, is it truly that an arrow hit you, My Lord? Again?"

[Black] "...Too loud. Be quiet."

Black silenced him.

The thought that Fermos's question was strange was immediately replaced by another.

Ah...

Liene stood frozen, holding the scissors in one hand.

He... had removed his clothes.

The cloak and shirt, soaked with blood, lay torn on the floor. Black sat in front of the chair she had left, receiving treatment.

The first thing that caught her attention was the sheer number of scars etched onto his upper body.

Some were large, some small. Some recovered skin was white, while others were unevenly raised. From top to bottom, from bottom to top.

After seeing the wounds visible to her eye, she finally realized that what she was staring at intently was a man's upper body.

It was the most dynamic and vital body she had ever seen. And it was profoundly contradictory.

A body covered with so many wounds did not look hideous at all.

In fact, the opposite was true. His body displayed a beautiful, sculpted form, even without measuring his frame and length.

He was like an extraordinary statue. Like a flawless sculpture crafted wholeheartedly by a maestro, whose surface was deliberately scored and patched with wounds to channel the force of life.

[Black] "Don't stand there; sit down."

As she looked at him, he met her gaze.

He, too, carefully observed her pale face and her wide-open green eyes as she saw his injuries.

[Black] "You still look like you're about to faint."

[Liene] "...I'm fine."

It was a great relief to see other people in the room.

If they were alone in this state, she definitely would not have been able to hide her agitation any longer.

[Liene] "How serious is Lord Tiwakan's injury?"

She asked Fermos.

[Fermos] "Neither too serious, nor light enough to ignore. It won't cause disability, but My Lord will struggle for a while. He will likely have a fever and experience difficulty sleeping at night. Of course, it would be much more terrible if poison were applied."

The word "poison" instantly changed the atmosphere, which had been relatively calm.

Sir Weroz voiced his indignation.

[Weroz] "Nauk's guards are cooperating to pursue the perpetrator. Even if there was poison, it shouldn't be difficult to obtain the antidote."

[Fermos] "The perpetrator will surely be caught, but isn't the mastermind the bigger problem?"

The barbarians never softened their speech for the sake of politeness.

[Fermos] "We don't want to think that this unexpected arrow is Nauk's hidden plan, after both parties peacefully agreed."

[Weroz] "That is truly disrespectful! Of course not! Do you consider Nauk a place without integrity?"

The honest knight was angered by the insult.

[Liene] "Sir Weroz."

She stopped him.

[Liene] "Calm down. Nauk is the one who has failed to adequately demonstrate its sincerity."

[Weroz] "Your Highness!"

[Liene] "We cannot deny that the arrow belongs to Nauk, can we?"

[Weroz] "That..."

Sir Weroz bit his lip tightly.

The incident occurred in the castle's rear garden. The arrow clearly belonged to Nauk. If he were in Black's position, she would doubt his opponent's intent.

[Liene] "There may be factions opposed to this marriage. But that is absolutely not the official stance of Nauk."

That was the truth. She said it, hoping Black would believe her words.

[Liene] "Nauk will do everything possible to alleviate Tiwakan's concerns. Nauk does not want this marriage agreement canceled, nor do we want both sides to return to battle. We only desire complete peace."

[Fermos] "That is what she says, My Lord."

He asked Black.

[Fermos] "Does My Lord also desire the same as the Princess of Nauk?"

Nauk's future depended on Black's answer.

It was ironic that, at this moment, Liene had become the party most eager for the very marriage she had previously so vehemently rejected.

[Black] "...What I want remains the same."

And she felt a sense of relief the moment he said it.

Because of this, she couldn't believe it. All the emotions elicited by this man were a contradiction.

Today was the day her lover's body was returned. Yet, she had already forgotten that fact.

[Fermos] "In that case."

Fermos bowed his head slightly. His monocle made a funny click-clack sound.

[Fermos] "However, since there is clearly a force in Nauk opposing Tiwakan, we must clean it up before the wedding."

There was no reason to object.

[Liene] "Nauk shares the same thought."

[Fermos] "That is good. Tiwakan wishes to take charge of uncovering and handling the mastermind behind this incident. Ah, don't misunderstand beforehand. We do not intend to seize the guards' duties. Since Tiwakan is now the Arsak Guardian Knights, don't we have an obligation to handle the mastermind behind the attempted assassination of Lord Tiwakan, who is a member of the family?"

[Weroz] "That..."

Sir Weroz looked alternately at Liene and Marshillow. If they refused, they would be suspected of hiding the mastermind.

The ship Liene had already left the shore and was sailing on the water.

[Liene] "I will allow it."

All the contents of the marriage agreement, freshly drafted today, seemed to be moving forward rapidly, except for the wedding ceremony itself.

---

The prediction about the fever was true.

Towards evening, Black fell into a deep sleep.

Liene watched over him, who occasionally regained consciousness and then groaned again, along with Madam Flambard.

[Flambard] "Rest a bit, Your Highness. He seems to have fallen asleep again."

Liene shifted her gaze back to him, whom she had been trying to avoid.

[Liene] "No... his eyelids are moving. He might not be asleep."

[Flambard] "Even if he knows you are here, he won't be able to recognize you."

[Liene] "I must show good faith. This is a precarious time for all of us."

Liene handed a fresh towel to Madam Flambard.

[Liene] "Wipe his sweat with this."

[Flambard] "...."

Madam Flambard hesitated, accepting the towel with tearful eyes.

[Flambard] "How could you think of marrying a man like that, when you can't stand your body touching his? How will you endure it? ...My poor Your Highness."

Liene quickly shook her head.

[Liene] "Madam. Watch your words. We are not alone. There are Tiwakan men outside the door."

[Flambard] "Oh dear, in that case..."

Madam Flambard only then realized her mistake and quickly covered her mouth.

Liene took the towel back from her nanny’s hand.

[Liene] "And I did not say I cannot endure the touch. Give it to me. I will do it."

...I certainly don't like it.

It was true that she felt uncomfortable when her body touched this man's.

However, she thought her feelings might be slightly different from what Madam Flambard had said.

Because this man was not repulsive to her.

She was just....

Then, what exactly don't I like?

Liene began wiping his forehead, feeling the contradiction within herself.

She didn't like him, but she didn't hate him.

She hated him, but she wasn't disgusted.

She couldn't figure out her feelings.

[Flambard] "In that case, I will change the water, Your Highness."

Perhaps embarrassed by her mistake, Madam Flambard sought an excuse to leave the room.

This was the bedroom Liene used when the former King was still alive.

She used to think the bed was too big, but now it looked cramped with Black lying there.

[Liene] "I must tell him to move rooms as soon as he wakes up."

She muttered softly as she moved the towel to Black's neck.

Suddenly.

[Black] "...This room is fine."

[Liene] "....!"

She was startled and dropped the towel.

His pale eyes were staring at her.

[Liene] "You... are awake."

Since when? How much did he hear?

[Black] "I heard from when you said my touch was not at a level you couldn't endure."

[Liene] "...."

She tightly squeezed the hem of her skirt.

She looked regretfully at the towel that had fallen near his injured shoulder. To retrieve the towel, her body would have to get closer.

[Liene] "Give me time... I am a woman who once had a lover. Meanwhile, you are still a stranger to me."

[Black] "Not to me."

...What?

[Black] "The Princess is not a stranger to me."

His last words sounded so small and quiet, almost like a sigh.

[Black] "If it is not to the point of being unbearable, then to what extent is it?"

[Liene] "...What?"

She felt as if she could distinctly hear his eyes moving.

He slowly and persistently sifted through every expression on her face.

[Black] "Perhaps it's the fever. I want to confirm it."

[Liene] "What do you mean..."

[Black] "I'm asking. If it's not unbearable, then what is it?"

He raised his hand. The feverish hand reached out slowly and touched her cheek, tap.

[Black] "This, is this alright?"

[Liene] "Lord Tiwakan. I..."

[Black] "Tell me..."

...I don't know. What should I say?

Why was the hand that touched her cheek not moving away, and still stroking it?

[Black] "This, is this alright?"

[Liene] "...."

She didn't know that either. It was just hot. His fever was high.

His pale blue eyes, like water, which seemed to reflect everything, were now cloudy with the heat of the fever.

He looked extremely hot. She felt the heat might spread to her.

[Liene] "Your fever is high, Lord Tiwakan."

She shook her head to move away from him.

[Liene] "Close your eyes and rest. If it hurts a lot, you should take a painkiller."

[Black] "...My fever is high, indeed."

She didn't know whether the murmur was directed at her or just rambling because of the fever.

[Black] "Then, this."

She realized that at some point, he had gotten up and was sitting.

And she realized his feverish hand was touching her lips.

Black rubbed her lower lip gently with his thumb, then asked.

[Black] "Thi,s too, can you endure it?"

He certainly had a fever.

The finger touching her lips was different from a person without a fever. It was also different from her lover.

It was intensely hot, so much so that she could not remove it from her mind by her own will.

[Black] "This, too, can you endure it?"

The thumb that rubbed her lip moved down, tracing her chin. It slowly caressed the line of her jaw and then moved towards her neck.

The hot hand touched her skin, then suddenly began to stroke it.

Not just her eyelashes, but her entire body trembled.

The man must be hot from the fever, but that heat constantly evoked a strange sensation. A heat she had never felt, even when kissing her lover.

She couldn't stand it anymore. She felt she would end up lying to herself.

That I desire this man.

[Liene] "Stop now."

She tightly closed her eyes and pressed down on his hand to stop its movement.

She was afraid, not because her neck was being choked, but because the hand choking her neck was too hot.

[Liene] "What is it you want me to endure?"

She struggled to open her eyes and looked into his pale blue eyes.

[Liene] "What, and to what extent..."

[Black] "I don't know either."

The feverish man's answer was vague.

Black glanced at her hand pressing his, then slowly moved his tongue.

[Black] "What exactly I intend to do, and to what extent."

[Liene] "That is..."

[Black] "I initially thought I only wanted to confirm how you would react to my touch..."

He slowly pulled his hand away. Then her hand also followed closer to him.

He left a brief, ambiguous kiss on the back of her hand, and he pulled it to his mouth.

[Black] "Perhaps, I just wanted to touch you."

[Liene] "...."

[Black] "Does that bother you?"

[Liene] "...Yes."

She braced herself and said firmly.

[Liene] "You don't think this is an ordinary engagement, do you? You demanded an engagement from Nauk, and I was forced to separate from my lover. ...And I am carrying his child."

Her voice trembled slightly on those last words. It couldn't be helped. Lying was not easy.

[Liene] "Do you expect affection and passion, as if we were people who promised to marry out of mutual love?"

[Black] "...As I said, I don't know. What I want right now."

The eyes that usually looked like those of a wild beast were now hazy with fever.

His statement that he didn't know felt true.

[Black] "What I do know is that I didn't want you to be taken by anyone else."

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