The letter crumpled at the tip of her fingers. It was the second letter.

“...”

Liene looked at the cold, bloodless, frozen hands. They didn’t seem to be her own. The letter’s content was brief. 

[I’ve waited for two weeks, so please give me an answer. It was no different from the first letter. 

To the Princess of Nauk Castle.]

The leader of the Tiwakan mercenaries proposes to her. He will wait for her answer. And the Tiwakan mercenaries have been besieging the castle for two weeks under the pretext of proposing.

"Princess."

The noble council's advisor, Masilou, called Liene. His expression and voice were filled with excitement.

“You’re not going to accept it, are you? They are barbarians who don’t know anything about human nature. They are no different from barbarians. How dare they propose to you! Even though they know that the Princess has a more excellent fiancé than anyone else...! That’s proof that they are barbarians!”

“If I don’t accept it, is there any other way?”

Liene tried to calm her voice as she smoothed out the crumpled letter with her fingertips.

“We don’t have the power to drive them out, you know that.”

The only people left in this once-wealthy and splendid grand hall were Liene, Masilou, and Captain Werose. Compared to the old glory of the Kingdom of Nauk, it was a pitiful crowd. A stalwart knight who had long ago turned forty opened his mouth heavily.

“We can still fight. I am ready to sacrifice my life for the Princess at any time.”

Liene also knew that Werose was the kind of person who would do that. That's why she thought she had to accept this proposal even more. She couldn't let all the knights who thought like Werose die.

“And then we all die together.”

“Oh, Princess...!”

Werose shook his sweaty, gray head. But he could not bring himself to say otherwise. It had been a fortnight. In just a fortnight, Nauk Castle was completely isolated. The supply lines outside the castle had long since been cut off. The people were exhausted, and the guards had lost their will to fight. It was a fight that was no match for them in the first place. The difference in troops was more than ten times. On the other hand, the Tiwakan mercenaries, the most brutal and barbaric army in the history of the continent, were not hit even a little. It was as if they were hunting rabbits for a little fun. They could maintain this standoff for several more months. And the result would be that everyone in Nauk Castle would starve to death while alive. Liene took a deep breath and said.

“I accept his proposal.”

Masilou and Werose shouted almost simultaneously.

“No, Princess!”

“No, you can’t! You don’t know what kind of people Tiwakan is!”

Unfortunately, she had heard enough rumors. The one who led Tiwakan was said to be the son of the god of war who raped a human woman. The god of death cursed him and the god of the earth rejected his body forever. So he became a body that could never die on any battlefield.

“They all said that they were people who had turned their backs on God. As proof of this...”

“He likes sleeping with men more than with women.”

Werose, who had a somewhat old-fashioned side, stuttered at Liene's straightforward remark.

“Y, you already knew. Yes. The Tiwakan mercenaries... I, more men...”

On the other hand, the experienced adviser used more specific language to dissuade Liene from accepting the proposal.

“They said that if a woman sleeps with them, she will die easily, Princess.”

At those words, a shadow appeared around Liene's eyes. Just hearing it was so horrible that it made her shiver. What kind of beasts were they?

“That doesn’t mean he’ll kill me in one night. If he did, he wouldn’t have proposed to me.”

Masilou shouted urgently.

“Please don’t do that, Princess. Have you forgotten where Lord Klinefelter is and what he is doing? He is here for you..”

“Yes, he said he would return with reinforcements from the Kingdom of Sharka within ten days.”

It wasn't that Liene had an unnecessarily pessimistic personality. She was just trying not to have too much hope. After all, she was the Princess of the Arsak family, the ruler of Nauk Castle, and she was responsible for the lives of everyone living here.

“But it’s already been ten days. There’s no guarantee that he’ll come back, or that he’ll get the reinforcements he promised.”

“You don’t trust Lord Klinefelter? He values ​​the Princess more than his own life. He will definitely return with reinforcements.”

“If he could, he would have come back already. Within the promised time.”

Liene chewed on the promise of her lover, Lafitte Kleinfelter, the knight commander of the Arsak family, with an expression that seemed to be swallowing thorns. When the news of the Tiwakan mercenary force advancing to Nauk Castle first reached him, he immediately led the knights to the Kingdom of Sharka. His maternal family was the largest in the Kingdom of Sharka. He was the only one who could secure reinforcements. He told her to endure for just ten days. Liene also wanted to believe those words. However, in the face of reality, even a handful of faith was too weak.

“I can’t wait any longer. Above all, even if he brings reinforcements, the Kingdom of Sharka won’t send a force large enough to surpass Tiwakan. What country would want to wage war against Tiwakan right now? Even the largest kingdom on the continent, the Kingdom of Rakesh, has signed a peace treaty with Tiwakan. And it was a very humiliating one.”

The fact that five days had already passed since the promised time was proof of this. Masilou and Werose also knew how blind hope it was to simply wait for reinforcements.

“As you both know, for whatever reason, Tiwakan’s proposal is genuine. Otherwise, he would not have quietly laid siege for two weeks, waiting for an answer. Their forces could have broken down the gates and collapsed the walls at any time.”

Liene looked back at the two people in charge of the Nauk Castle with her and made a decision.

“As the last of the Arsak family, I must protect Nauk. If my marriage can save all life in this land, then it is worth enduring.”

"Princess..."

Werose closed his eyes, unable to object any longer. Regret and sighs creased the old knight's eyes in place of the old glory that had disappeared. But Masilou persisted.

“Then what will happen to Lord Kleinfelter? The Kleinfelter family is the most powerful in Nauk. We cannot unilaterally cut ties without consulting them.”

Masilou had long maintained a close relationship with the Kleinfelter family. He was one of those who firmly believed that Lafitte Kleinfelter would marry Liene and become joint rulers of Nauk.

“Nothing will change if you consult with them.”

“Princess, can you say that in front of the Klinefelter family?”

“I would like to ask. What has that family been doing while Nauk’s guards have been bleeding while waiting for that person?”

Liene's face turned cold. Although they were lovers, their relationship had never been sincere. The Kleinfelter family held considerable wealth and power in this crumbling small kingdom. With that power, they had persuaded Liene to marry them as soon as her father died. Up until now, Liene had been putting off the formal engagement day after day, trying hard to avoid the Kleinfelter family's attempts to seize the joint rule of Nauk. Her lover might have been sincere. However, his family was too greedy. They might have devoured this already barren place, leaving only the bones.

“I will send a reply... to the head of Tiwakan.”

Werose and Masilou each raised their eyes and distorted their expressions. Liene spoke firmly to the two people who opposed the savage's proposal for entirely different reasons.

“I will accept his proposal.”

An hour after the reply was delivered, a meeting place was set for the proposer and the proposed one. Liene rode on horseback, escorted by Werose and the guards. 

Clap, clap...

As the sound of horse hooves grew, the castle of Nauk grew further away.

“....”

Liene turned her head slightly and looked at the castle she had just left. Will she be able to return safely? 

...*** ...

The agreed-upon location was exactly halfway between Nauk Castle and Tiwakan's camp. Tiwakan had already set up a tent. Liene entered the tent with only Werose. The pretext was a marriage proposal, but the atmosphere was no different from a battlefield. The troops of both sides faced each other with the tent in the middle, tense and tense.

“...He hasn’t come yet.”

The tent was empty, with only a table and two chairs facing each other. Werose glared at the empty chair on the other side, full of anger.

“I never thought he would dare come out like this. They are a bunch of people who have never seen manners in your entire life.”

“Thanks to him, I have time to prepare myself mentally. I think it’s a good thing.”

It was a joke, but there was also some sincerity in it. It was a relief. As she walked to the barracks, Liene was worried that she might look scared and trembling. She had accepted the proposal despite the threats, but she didn't want to look scared.

“..."

Liene chewed her lip as she sat down in the chair that she thought was hers. In a moment, the chieftain of Tiwakan, the bastard child of the god of war who abandoned the earth, would enter. Do not tremble. Liene clenched the fists on her knees. Do not look low. This is not a marriage proposal, this is a negotiation. Whatever they want, do not give it to them easily.

"Princess."

Suddenly, Werose called Liene. His voice, which had become extremely low, was ominous.

“I can hear a sound.”

"...Yes?"

“This is definitely the sound of a sword.”

“What does that mean?”

“It looks like there’s a fight. Those savages have a reason to fight among themselves... Ah!”

A color came over Werose's face. Werose, who hit his knee with his hand, shouted in joy, unable to hide his joy.

“It must be Lord Klinefelter! He has come with reinforcements and attacked Tiwakan!”

“What did you say?”

Liene sat up with a start.

“That person right now... No, does that mean I don’t have to accept the proposal?”

“Of course, Princess! If you permit, I will go outside and take a look. No, no, I think it would be better to go back now. They are caught up in the battle right now and will not have the presence of mind to hold us accountable for breaking our promise.”

Werose took the lead and urged them on.

“Hurry up, Princess.”

The moment Liene took her first step, the tent entrance opened as if it were a mischievous prank. 

Whoosh, flutter! 

An uncontrollable amount of light poured into the dark tent. Liene let go of Werose’s hand and frowned. When she blinked her eyelids on her own, a black silhouette slowly took shape in her now-white vision.

...It was big. She could tell it was big just from the silhouette. Black, big, solid... and extremely ferocious.

“It's late.”

A dry, languid voice rang in her ears, like dry grass swaying in the wind.

“Meet the Princess of Nauk.”

The chieftain of Tiwakan arrived just as she was about to flee from his savage proposal.

...*** ...

Her eyes were dazzled and watery. Liene forced her eyes wide open and stared at the man approaching her. Just looking at him made her breath catch in her throat. The overwhelming physique gave off a sense of intimidation. Her skin tingled with each step the man took. The man’s hair was a very dark black, and on the contrary, his eyes were a very pale blue like clear water, making him look more like a wild beast than a human. 

He had a very intense appearance. Liene had never seen anyone with this kind of appearance before. Even just meeting their eyes gave her goosebumps, but instead, her gaze seemed frozen and she couldn’t take it. Incredibly, the savage who looked more like a beast than a human was beautiful. The harmony of his black hair and his eyes like clear lakes was dazzling. 

This is ridiculous... Liene squeezed her eyes shut once and then opened them. Even so, the shock of the man’s beauty did not easily disappear. 

Come to your senses. Just because a savage doesn’t look like a savage doesn’t make a difference.

One side of the man's cheek was red. It was because of the blood that had not yet dried.

“I’m late because something urgent came up. Please have a seat.”

The man stretched out his hand and pointed to the spot... 

Get a grip. You have to stay calm. 

There was a fight, but Tiwakan showed up at the promised location. Whatever happened, it didn’t seem to be a big problem for Tiwakan.

“I am meeting with the head of Tiwakan. I wonder what urgent matter you have to attend to that has made me wait for my suitor.”

Liene clenched her hands together tightly and made a voice that was so calm that even she found it hard to believe.

“There was a surprise attack.”

...As expected. Reinforcements have arrived. Liene bit her lips hard. Otherwise, she felt like she would laugh without realizing it.

“If it’s a surprise attack, Lord Tiwakan might not have the luxury of being here. You can postpone your appointment with Nauk. We’ll reschedule the meeting once you’ve sorted out your affairs.”

If reinforcements had arrived, it would have been different. Now Nauk could fight instead of surrender. Werose’s eyes also brightened with the same thought. The man who had appeared at the place where he was asking for permission to propose with blood on his face absentmindedly wiped his cheek.

"It's okay."

Blood was dripping from the thumb that had rubbed his cheek...

The smell of blood. Liene unconsciously crumpled her eyes and took a half step back. It might have been Nauk’s blood. The man followed Liene’s gaze as she distanced herself.

“Are you going to ask for permission now?”

Liene gritted her teeth to keep herself from shaking.

“That’s not it...”

Even when she looked at it again, it was the eyes of a beast. It was just a stare, but it felt like a slimy tongue was wrapping around her whole body. The man looked at Liene as if he was tying her up tightly, and then spoke outside the tent.

“Bring it.”

“Yes, my lord.”

Outside, the mercenaries of Tiwakan were already waiting, and the answer came right away.

Whoosh! 

The tent was pulled open, and the man's subordinate came in. In his hand was a sword. It was a long sword with a pommel and jewel decorations, commonly used by knights from noble families.

“This is...”

Liene's face turned pale as dawn. Werose was the same. This was the sword of the Knight Commander of the Arsak family. It was the very sword that the lover who had told her to wait ten days had worn on his waist on the day he set off...

Dead... Could it be? 

There was blood on the sword. The same color of blood on the man's cheek.

“There was a surprise attack, but it wasn’t a big deal, so everything was sorted out.”

A dry, soft voice that seemed to convey no emotion flowed slowly through the tent.

“So, what’s your answer to the proposal?”

...*** ...

This situation meant only one thing. There was no choice. There would be no reinforcements anymore. The lover who had been bringing reinforcements was dead. By the savage before her eyes.

"...First."

Liene, who faced the leader of Tiwakan across a table, opened her lips. At that point, she had covered up her thoughts about her lover. There was no time to mourn him. Right now, the priority was to get out of here safely. 

The situation changed in an instant. Her current situation was not simply whether to accept the proposal or not. At the very moment, she said she would accept the proposal, reinforcements arrived as if they had planned it in advance. The Tiwakan side could have seen this as a trap. The savages who were in the middle of it might have tried to appease their betrayal by cutting off her throat here.

“Please...be courteous. Lord Tiwakan.”

His voice was uneven. After barely getting out a single sentence, his throat felt like it was going to burst. The man's pupils moved slowly.

"Manners?"

“In Nauk, it is not polite to bring a knife to a marriage proposal discussion.”

“...”

The pupil, which had stopped moving loosely, scanned Liene's cheek. Just sitting still and moving his gaze made her feel both insulted and terrified. It must be because of the beast-like eyes. An overwhelmingly strong being looked at as weak and vulnerable prey that was completely useless.

"Then."

Thud! 

The leader of Tiwakan lightly pushed the sword he had placed on the table and let it fall to the floor. With that, she had an excuse to cut off his head at any time, but he acted as if it was nothing.

“I didn’t mean to be rude. It wasn’t my sword, so I didn’t intend to swing it. This was just in case.”

Liene gripped the hand under the table tighter, her fingernails digging into her palm.

“What does 'just in case' mean?"

“Because the Princess might change her mind and reject the proposal.”

“...”

How much did he know? Strangely, those clear eyes revealed nothing inside. She couldn't read them.

“The one who had that sword would have been the reason the Princess could refuse the proposal.”

"That...."

Her breath caught for a moment. Of course, she knew. The one who had carried out the surprise attack was the Knight Commander of the Arsak family, and that meant that Liene was struggling to reject this proposal at all costs.

“He’s not coming back.”

The Tiwakan chief spoke in a nonchalant voice, almost like a declaration of war. There was no way to escape any longer. So, she had to answer.

“So, what about the proposal?”

“...”

The nail that had been stabbing her palm finally tore through her skin. The stinging sensation helped Liene come to her senses. 

I can’t have this kind of marriage. This man doesn’t want to marry me... 

He wants to devour everything. The leader of Tiwakan had already devoured his lover. He would devour Nauk as well. She has to run. Now Liene had only one card left to play. It was called Lie.

“Before that, there is something Lord Tiwakan must know.”

“What is it?”

Liene chewed her tongue prayerfully. Please, let him fall for this lie.

“The owner of that sword was the Knight Commander of the Arsak family and was also my lover. You must have known that since you proposed to me.”

“I know.”

“I have already given my lover permission to sleep with me.”

“...”

The eyes, which looked more like those of a beast than a human, gleamed in the light.

“And now I have a child.”

She took out her last card and showed it to him. She had no doubt that it was a card that would force her opponent to fold.

“Would you still propose?”

...***...

"Princess..."

Werose, standing behind Liene, pursed his lips with a pale face. Tension stabbed his entire body like an awl. There was no rejection more obvious than having another man’s child. A proper man would reject the proposal and leave. But the other person was a savage. Werose thought that the savage might go crazy from the insult right now. If that happened, he had to protect Liene from the savage with his bare body. But the savage didn’t overturn the table or go wild with a sword.

"...My Lord.”

He just tilted his head once as if it was unexpected and pursed his lips in a lecherous way.

“What Lord Tiwakan seeks through this proposal is joint rule over Nauk. So you must understand. The rule over Nauk is connected to the bloodline of Arsak. Even if you marry me, the next King will be my child. A child who does not have Tiwakan’s blood mixed in.”

Liene added without a break. That was all she could guess about Tiwakan. The reason why the mercenary band that had been sweeping the battlefield suddenly came down to a small southern castle with nothing to gain and demanded marriage. It could be that they wanted to settle down as Kings. There weren’t many ways for the mercenary band to go after the war. They could either take their spoils and return home, or continue to wander as a plundering job. Or they could take over a small kingdom. They could become the new King themselves as conquerors, or they could marry into the existing royal family and share the ruling power. 

But there was a problem. To be fully incorporated into the royal family, they had to be related by blood. As Liene said, if a child who wasn’t of their blood became the next King, it would be meaningless. They would just live as the Princess’s husband and die. 

The leader of Tawakan frowned. That small wrinkle was the only expression of displeasure that he had ever expressed, despite having no expression at all.

“...The price is higher than I thought.”

The monologue flowed slowly. Liene held her breath until he finished his monologue. His eyes, which had become fierce like those of a dissatisfied beast, were directed at Liene.

“If I acknowledge the child’s right to rule, will you marry me?”

"...Yes?"

Liene, who had thought that he would naturally refuse, blinked in bewilderment. It was the same for Werose. Werose, who had been tense to the point of bursting with tension just a moment ago, wondering how he should deal with the leader of Tiwakan, the son of the god of war, opened his mouth stupidly.

“Then give birth.”

“...”

“Instead, I will have the Princess.”

The proposal was accepted. Under completely incomprehensible circumstances. 

...***...

“I will see you off.”

The chieftain of Tiwakan had gone from being a suitor to a fiancé. Therefore, Werose could not tell him to step aside immediately, or even dare to lay a finger on the Princess of Nauk. He simply gritted his teeth and took a step back.

“I’m still not used to the touch. I’ll decline this time.”

Liene followed Werose back. The sound of the man's footsteps following her to where the horse was parked gave her goosebumps.

“You’ll get used to it. You’ll have to.”

"I am..."

“Catch it.”

The chieftain of Tiwakan held out his hand. The man's hand, which was difficult to refuse, was contradictory. The hand that killed people as if it were food, the human hand that even now had blood on one cheek, was straight as if it were a lie. There were calluses on the part where he held the sword, but the long fingers were straight as if he were a nobleman. If there were even traces of blood between his fingernails, he could have made excuses and refused. However, the neatly trimmed fingernails were spotless and clean.

"...Then."

Liene barely managed to place her fingertips on the man’s palm. The Tiwakan leader did not take the hand and grab it, but instead left it there and wrapped his other hand around Liene’s waist.

“...Sigh.”

While she was inhaling without realizing it, he lifted Liene lightly with one arm and placed her on the saddle. It happened so suddenly that she felt like part of her mind had disappeared. Before she could even think about grabbing the reins, the man tapped Liene’s palm with his fingertips.

"Ah."

“You have a wound.”

A sharp pain brought Liene back to her senses. It was the part where the nail had dug into the skin and torn it. It was so obvious what kind of wound it was. Liene tried to hide her hand without realizing it. Before she could, the man grabbed Liene’s fingertips and stopped her.

“You held on well.”

"Yes...?"

“You will continue to endure like that. You will get used to it someday.”

The man finished speaking slowly, lowered his head, and placed his lips on his torn palm.

“...”

Liene stared at the man with her mouth open as if she had never expected it. The late afternoon sun was shining down on the man. The pale eyes, completely exposed to the sunlight, sparkled in this direction. 　

“Go.”

The man let go of Liene’s hand and instead gave her the reins. 

Crackle crackle... 

The horse walked towards Nauk Castle. Liene clenched her teeth, feeling that the man was standing there, looking at her.

...***...

“What on earth are you thinking?”

As soon as the Princess of Nauk disappeared, his aide spoke as if he had been separated from him for a long time.

“My lord... No, I mean, my lord! Didn’t you intend to have Nauk? Since you were going to have her, it would be a hassle and pointless thing to shed too much blood, so you chose the method of proposing. Am I mistaken?”

The staff member named Fermos was a clever man. The funny thing with the round glass bead in the metal frame was not just a decoration on his nose. He read a lot of books and possessed a lot of knowledge. And he thought things that other people wouldn’t dare think of. Even he thought that when their leader suddenly came down to the south and proposed to the Princess of a kingdom that was going to collapse, he naturally wanted to rule. 

He thought that after all that time on the battlefield, he wanted to rest. So he followed him without saying a word. Besieging a castle with only a few troops was like resting for them. The enemy was going to surrender anyway, and they were just practicing their trivial table manners, wondering if they would become nobles if their lord became King. 

But an illegitimate child? To accept someone else’s child who was not related by blood and would surely cause trouble in the future. What kind of strange thing was that?

“You’re not wrong. I want Nauk.”

“Then it is not too late even now. Do not yield the right to rule. No matter what my lord demands, there is no way for them to refuse. If they do, the consequences are obvious.”

Black turned his eyes to where Liene’s back had disappeared. Fermos felt that his eyes looked a little different than usual. The answer flowed slowly like the drying up river of Nauk’s Evet.

“What I want includes that woman.”

At first, he thought he misheard.

“Oh, then the child... No, wait. Yes? What do you want?”

“The Princess of Nauk.”

Fermos raised his monocle.

“You want a woman, my lord? And a woman you have never seen before? What is the reason?”

“...”

The Tiwakan chieftain chose silence instead of answering. He was usually a quiet man. He had no name and no roots. No one knew anything about his life before he joined the Tiwakan mercenary group. Even Fermos could only vaguely guess. Instead of his name, the word he was called was Black. There was no other name that suited him better.

“My lord, think about the future. What will happen when the child is born? Will the child grow up to be healthy if he finds out that he is the offspring of the Knight Commander? The moment he starts talking, the first thing he will say will be revenge. He will call hia mother a traitor.”

Fermos thought that Black could not have been unaware of this point even as he talked so earnestly. That was why he wondered what was on his mind. He could understand that he wanted Nauk. In fact, he did not know why he wanted this barren and poor land, but if Black wanted it, he had enough reason to follow it. 

.To them, Black was not the illegitimate child of the god of war. He was just a god. In the ten-year battlefield, Black had saved them from the god of death. That was enough reason to be their only god. But now, Black seemed to want Nauk’s Princess more than Nauk. That was incomprehensible. Black could not have fallen in love with a woman he had just met face to face for the first time today. The Princess of Nauk was a rare beauty, but her pretty face alone was not enough to sway a man like Black. There had to be some other reason.

“I don't care about the kid.”

When Black's mouth opened again, a color came to Fermos' face. He did not dare to bother his lord, but he was curious and was about to turn around.

“Why is that so?”

“The child born to the Princess of Nauk will be mine, no matter who it is. At this point, when marriage is nothing more than a plunder, I did not expect anything like chastity. Even if there was a person who gave their heart to me, it is not something I can force. I have no intention of doing so.”

“...”

Fermos rolled his eyes with a slightly bewildered expression. His lord’s words sounded more innocent than he had thought, and he felt strange.

“Oh, by any chance... do you want to gain the sincerity of the Princess of Nauk, not just Nauk’s affection?”

"Sincerity?"

Black raised one eyebrow. That was enough of an answer. Black was not in love with the Princess of Nauk. He was not particularly generous to her, nor did he crave her affection. So what was the reason?

“I just want to have it because I have to have it.”

“So why Nauk of all people.. .”

“Because it was originally mine.”

"Yes?"

Fermos was so flustered that he almost dropped his glasses.

“Is Nauk... then that's...”

“If the Princess gets married, it will be more complicated to get her back. I want to get her before then. I haven’t thought about anything after that. If there’s anything you need to know, I’ll tell you, so don’t ask any more questions.”

Fermos intuitively realized that Nauk was a part of Black's past that remained a dark secret.

“I see.”

If that was the case, it was not something he could dare to say anything about.

“I will follow your wishes.”

If God willed it, it had to happen. 

...*** ...

The dawn light that stabbed her eyes was harsh. Liene headed to the window, soothing her eyes that had not been able to sleep all night.

“...Goodbye.”

Leaning her forehead against the cold window sill all night, the chill seemed to reach her toes. Liene softly recited her farewell to her lover. Tears gathered like fog in her deep, vivid green eyes, but they never flowed down. 

You shouldn’t cry. It drains too much of your energy. 

Liene muttered to herself as if to console herself. Goodbye. 

I hope you meet someone in the land of death who can love you only. 

She was a coward in the end. She didn’t even dare to call her lover her lover. Making the Knight Commander of the House of Arsak her lover was a compromise, a deal. She didn’t have the power to fully preserve this kingdom, and her lover’s family had that power. Their relationship was no different from the one forced upon her by her lover’s family, who wanted the right to rule Nauk, but her lover always said that his love was true. He said he would wait until Liene could trust him. Maybe that love would have conquered her someday. 

The death of her lover brought a sense of loss that was as cold as dawn. Only then did Liene realize that there was one less person who would truly protect her. Even at this moment, she was calculating the damage that his death would cause to Nauk, and how selfish and cold-hearted of a lover she had been.

“...I’m using that person even after he dies.”

Liene put her hand on her stomach. The story of having a child was a lie. She had never allowed her lover to do anything other than kiss. Every time they kissed, her lover looked at her as if he were burning with thirst. To Liene, that thirst often overlapped with the Kleinfelter family’s ambition for power. If she had really had her lover’s child, she would not have been able to accept it herself.

“It’s okay. The child...”

There had to be some way to deceive him. Saying that she had a miscarriage at the right time, or actually having a baby. Just thinking about such a lie made her shiver. 

Protecting this small castle was too much for me. Could I really deceive him? 

This time, her thoughts turned to the contradictory man. The ferocious presence made people tremble with fear just by looking at him. But the duplicity that left a careful kiss on his wounded palm.

“...”

Liene suddenly took her hand away and opened her palm. There was a red scar along the shape of her fingernail. The scar looked just like a man’s lip print, and her hand trembled. She thought that she would never be able to understand that contradiction for the rest of her life.

"Ha..."

Liene finally turned around with a small sigh. It was time to start another day. A long and painful day where she had to somehow piece together the kingdom that was falling apart little by little each day.

...***...

“...So, I secured three months’ worth of income. Of course, this is the result of minimizing expenses as much as possible.”

Early in the morning, Masilou visited the King's office. After the previous King passed away, the office had been taken over by Liene, but there was not much difference compared to then. The income was decreasing year by year. Nauk, which had been richer than any other kingdom in the South, was now the poorest country in the South. This was due to the drought that had continued for 20 years. It was said that this year, fortunately, it rained a lot, so they managed to secure some tax revenue. If it weren't for Tiwakan, Liene might have been able to eat three meals a day at least this year.

"Thank god."

Liene carefully examined the documents that Masilou had handed her, filled with numbers.

“It was a good thing you accepted Lord Tiwakan’s proposal so quickly. Otherwise, this number would have been even more dire.”

Liene's lighthearted, self-deprecating joke made Masilou turn serious.

“Still, it was hasty of you to accept the proposal. You should have at least consulted with the Kleinfelter family...”

“When Tiwakan returns the body to me, I will discuss the funeral arrangements with you. Please convey my deepest sorrow and condolences on behalf of the Lord.”

Masilou pursed his lips as if he was displeased.

“There should also be a period of official mourning in the royal family, after all, the eldest son of the Kleinfelter family has died.”

He still felt resentful that Liene had accepted Tiwakan's proposal. If Tiwakan had not presented his lover's sword as evidence, a civil war might have broken out.

“Wouldn’t that be disrespectful to my new fiancée? Just tell them I’ll talk to Tiwakan first.”

“If you talk about manners to those savages... the Speaker will not remain silent.”

The corners of Masilou’s eyebrows drooped. His chin was swept with displeasure. The Speaker of the Noble Council was the uncle of his dead lover. The position of the Speaker was one of the positions that the Kleinfelter family had been guaranteed for generations. The Speaker was given the sacred duty of checking and supporting the royal family, but the Speaker of Nauk had been performing only that duty for years. Now, it might not be checking but treason. The Speaker had no doubt that his nephew would become the commander of the Guardians of the Arsak family and become the co-ruler of Nauk. With his nephew dead, Liene was engaged to another man, and he would have been furious, unable to accept this situation. This was one of the reasons why she could never accept her lover’s sincerity. If he had married Liene and his lover had become the co-ruler of Nauk, the Speaker would have carried him on his back and stripped this small kingdom from the ground up.

“Shouldn’t you be the one to talk about that yourself? Courtesy isn’t something that should be shown only to barbarians, Princess. It’s the Kleinfelter family that deserves the courtesy they deserve.”

“I’m sorry, but I’m so busy with state affairs and engagement preparations that I don’t have time to personally deliver the news of his death, so please understand. If that’s too bad, why don’t you just stick to your original duties that you gave up on a few years ago?”

Masilou blushed bright red. It wasn't a good thing.

“Princess. We cannot neglect the family just because Lord Kleinfelter is dead. There will be a great price to pay. They are a family that has shared the history of Nauk since the time of the previous King.”

“I don’t know that.”

Liene smiled bitterly with a face stained with fatigue.

“As you know, I also did my best to avoid Tiwakan’s proposal. That’s why a hundred people have died. What more do you want me to do? Should I sacrifice more people to save the face of the Kleinfelter family?”

“...I’ll just go ahead and try.”

Masilou stepped back, having run out of things to say. Liene didn’t even glance at him as he turned around and left. 

Boom! 

The office door closed with a heavy sound.

“Even memorials have to be fought like this.”

Liene sighed softly. 

Just how terrible a lover was I...

“I guess I should change my clothes.”

At least she felt like she should wear mourning clothes. To greet the corpse of a lover she never loved. 

...***...

“...What did you say?”

But she couldn't wear the black dress.

“Lord Werose has sent word to you urgently. The barbarian chieftain himself has arrived with the body. You will need to change your clothes, Princess.”

"Ha..."

The thought of meeting those beastly, sharp eyes again made her heart clench.

“I guess I can’t help it. Please give me some other clothes. Something to show my welcome.”

“Yes, Princess.”

Madame Flambard, Liene's nanny and now Nauk's chief maid, sighed deeply.

“You don’t have to welcome the barbarians, Princess. Don’t be too kind to them.”

Mrs. Flambard's face was a mixture of pity and anger as she chose the most extravagant of her few outfits.

“Don’t look too pretty. He doesn’t deserve it.”

“It’s too late for that. Now that I’ve accepted his proposal, we’re officially engaged. To treat him badly is to treat me badly.”

“But... But isn’t that savage the one who killed the Princess’s lover?”

Liene stopped the nanny who was about to burst into tears as if she were doing it for her.

“Mrs. Flambard.”

“Yes, Princess.”

“He is dead, and I am his fiancée. To mention him now would be disrespectful to me and my fiance.”

“How could..."

“Please change my clothes quickly. It will look bad if I am late.”

“...”

Mrs. Flambard nodded, unable to answer. Her hands were as gentle as usual as she changed her clothes, but her fingertips trembled occasionally.

“Oh, and one more thing.”

As Mrs. Flambard began to tighten the strings of her petticoat, an idea occurred to her.

“Speak, Princess.”

“It’s still a secret from everyone, but I’m pregnant.”