A Barbaric Proposal Side Story 29

※The Thief's Journey※

At first, Liene thought she was dreaming. It felt like a dream because Black was entering through the window as silently and skillfully as a seasoned thief.

[Black] "Quietly, please. So we don't wake the children."

He didn't make a sound, merely shaping the words with his lips.

Liene nodded, still half-dazed. Black reached out his hand toward her.

[Black] "Shall we go out?"

Instead of taking his hand, Liene blinked and stared at him.

[Liene] "Go out? Where?"

[Black] "Well... it won't be anywhere bad, I assure you."

[Liene] "..."

Liene glanced back at the sleeping children for a moment before finally taking his hand.

In truth, she felt she was a bit late. She should have corrected the children the moment they began stubbornly pushing Black away, but she had failed to do so. It was the first time they had behaved that way, and she had been caught off guard.

He must have felt terrible, too. He likely didn't even try to make excuses because he considers it his own fault.

[Liene] "I’m sorry."

She moved her lips, clutching his hand.

[Black] "What are you sorry for?"

[Liene] "For not stopping the children."

[Black] "That’s your... no."

He chuckled softly. Then, he whispered.

[Black] "If you genuinely feel sorry, then follow my lead."

[Liene] "And what is it you intend to do?"

[Black] "Just trust me. Is that so difficult?"

This time, Liene smiled.

[Liene] "Of course not."

The children's greatest weapon for softening Liene’s heart was their striking resemblance to Black. Ultimately, he was the reason for everything.

[Liene] "You’re doing this on purpose, knowing exactly how I feel, aren't you?"

When Liene took his hand, Black kissed her fingertips before pulling her toward him.

[Liene] "Oh, wait. You’ll bump into Dief."

When she stopped in alarm, he nodded.

[Black] "You’re right. This will be better."

Without a sound, he swept Liene up into his arms while she was still on the bed. She wrapped her arms around his neck and whispered into his ear.

[Liene] "How do you do that?"

[Black] "Do what?"

[Liene] "Move without making a sound. You must weigh much more than I do."

[Black] "Do you still find that strange?"

[Liene] "Yes. You are always a mystery to me."

He nodded at her words.

[Black] "Then it makes sense. Because that is exactly how I feel about you."

[Liene] "What do you find so mysterious about me?"

[Black] "How can you smile like that?"

[Liene] "How do I smile?"

[Black] "As if..."

He fell into deep thought, looking quite serious.

[Black] "...As if you could make the whole world smile with you."

[Liene] "What? No—"

[Black] "Shh."

When she accidentally spoke aloud at his unexpected answer, Black signaled for silence by pressing his lips against hers.

The soft sensation lingered for a long time. Strangely, it felt as though it had been ages since they had shared such a moment. While their lips were touched, time seemed to vanish.

[Dief] "Mmm..."

If not for the sound of Dief stirring in his sleep, the moment might have stretched into eternity.

[Liene] "We should leave quickly."

[Black] "I agree. We mustn't wake the children."

Creak.

As if by magic, Black opened the door with the absolute minimum of noise. Since the sound of Dief tossing and turning was louder, neither child woke up.

[Liene] "Phew, we weren't caught."

Once they reached the hallway, Liene let out a breath. Black affectionately rubbed the tip of her nose.

[Black] "That’s a relief. It would have been difficult if we were caught."

[Liene] "What would have been difficult?"

[Black] "Taking you away with me."

She thought for a moment before shaking her head.

[Liene] "No, the children must be feeling sorry deep down, too. I’m already halfway through getting them to understand. I planned to finish the talk tomorrow. By morning, they’ll be reflecting on their actions and will want to apologize to you."

[Black] "Hmm... I don't think that will be possible."

[Liene] "Pardon...?"

She looked at him with concern, wondering if the children had hurt his feelings.

[Liene] "Do you perhaps not want to see them? Because they were mean to you?"

[Black] "It’s not that."

He paused his steps for a moment to lean down and kiss her forehead.

[Black] "The timing won't match. I’ll listen to their apologies two days from now."

[Liene] "Why two days?"

[Black] "If I were being greedy, I’d make it three, but I’m afraid people would call me narrow-minded."

He was making less and less sense.

[Liene] "Why do you keep hiding things? Just tell me."

[Black] "Mmm... just wait a little longer. You’ll understand when you see it."

[Liene] "How strange... Well, at least put me down for now. From here, I can walk without the children hearing my footsteps."

[Black] "Not yet."

[Liene] "You’re being very suspicious. Why do you keep saying no?"

[Black] "Ah, well, I just want to get there as quickly as possible."

He increased his pace. Since there was no longer a need to silence his footsteps, he moved incredibly fast.

[Liene] "Where are we going?"

[Black] "Somewhere we are allowed to go now."

He hesitated for a moment before finally confessing. They had nearly reached the back gate of the inner castle. Liene reached up and lightly tugged on his ear.

[Liene] "Wait a minute. This sounds like we’re heading for a carriage."

[Black] "I made a promise, didn't I?"

At those words, the back gate swung open with a heavy thud.

[Liene] "......Oh, heavens."

Her mouth fell open.

The path from the back gate to the carriage was already fully prepared. The guards stood in line holding torches, lighting the path toward the carriage. Inside the carriage, where lamps had been lit, she could see the corner of a thick cushion.

[Fermos] "You’ve finally arrived. Everything is ready."

Fermos stood by the carriage to greet them. The fact that the Chancellor himself was out here at this hour meant that the King had given all necessary instructions before leaving the castle—and it also meant he had no intention of letting Liene say no.

She tugged on Black’s ear again.

[Liene] "We’re leaving like this? To Bellisa?"

[Black] "I made a promise, didn't I?"

[Liene] "That was before all this trouble started."

[Black] "Isn't this better than then?"

[Liene] "How is it better?"

[Black] "For one, the person who was the source of the problem is gone."

Black brought his face closer to hers. Even after ten years of marriage, she still felt a flutter of nerves at such proximity, especially with others watching.

[Liene] "You're too close. And what else?"

When she made a show of pushing his shoulder with her palm, he leaned in even closer.

[Black] "Don't even think about pushing me away. Even if you have a reason, it still hurts my feelings."

[Liene] "What are you talking about? If you were the type to get hurt by something like that, you should have sat down and cried when the children wouldn't open the door earlier."

[Black] "The children are fine. They don't hurt me as much as you do."

[Liene] "Honestly, the things you say... Anyway, what’s the other reason?"

[Black] "I think the children need some time to settle their emotions as well."

[Liene] "Aha."

He adopted a mock-serious expression.

[Black] "Since they said they don't want to see my face, perhaps it is time we spend some time apart."

[Liene] "Mmm... if you put it that way, I can't really argue."

She had intended to scold and reason with the children tomorrow, but Black was suggesting they just leave on their trip altogether.

Is this alright? Shouldn't we make up first...?

In truth, because the children had never acted this way before, and because Black had never been the target of their anger, Liene didn't know the best way to discipline them.

Fermos seized that moment of hesitation with uncanny precision.

[Fermos] "I agree with His Majesty's perspective."

She narrowed her eyes at Fermos.

[Liene] "Mmm... is that an academic opinion, Sir Fermos, excluding your loyalty?"

[Fermos] "It is something I would say even as a private individual, Your Majesty. Think about it. When the two of you have a slight disagreement, what do you usually say?"

[Liene] "Ah...?"

Though they were on good terms, they occasionally had differing opinions. When their feelings were at odds, Liene tended to take some time alone to calm down. Black was the opposite, so he rarely gave her the space she wanted to soothe her emotions.

[Liene] "You’re strange. You never want to give me any time when we have a problem. That’s why we end up arguing again."

Black laughed.

[Black] "As I said before, you and the children are different. I believe giving them time is the right move."

[Liene] "But you won't give it to me?"

[Black] "Because I can't bear it."

[Liene] "......Goodness."

She shook her head several times, but she accepted the fact that the relationship between a husband and wife was not the same as that between a parent and child. Indeed, it shouldn't be.

Moreover, as she looked closer, the carriage was perfectly prepared. It was layered with blankets and cushions to make it as cozy as a bed, complete with a large basket of snacks, slippers, and plush robes. It was also filled with purple climbing roses that bloomed in this season, casting a fresh fragrance.

[Black] "When you see these flowers, you’ll realize how much effort I put in. Dief plucked every single one blooming in the castle."

[Liene] "I suspect Sir Renfel did the hard work rather than you, but I’m glad there were flowers left for me."

[Black] "No, I helped too. Honestly."

In any case, at this point, she could no longer find the words to say it was a crazy idea to go on a trip alone and that they should go back to the bedroom to sleep.

Noticing her smile, Black helped her into the carriage. The plush cushions were as comfortable as any bed.

[Fermos] "Then, have a pleasant journey. I’ll be right here, so don’t you worry about a thing. The Princess and Prince will carry on just as they usually do."

Fermos had played his part perfectly, having been made to see them off at this hour.

After the two of them waved goodbye to those who had come to see them off, the carriage door closed.

Now, their journey had truly begun.

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