Chapter 12
- A Dangerous Reunion (3)
“There are plenty of rumors surrounding Tiwakan. Didn’t we even hear that their leader is a homosexual?”
Princess Liene said, trying to remain calm. A homosexual? That was an absurd rumor. Liene remembered how he had kissed her. No one would give such a kiss to someone they couldn't desire. When she thought about the perfunctory kisses she had given to her lover, the answer became even clearer. It was just a baseless rumor. It had to be.
“How do you know that?”
Laffite Kleinfelter asked seriously.
“Don’t tell me you’ve already… invited him to your bed?”
“Sir Kleinfelter.”
Princess Liene clenched her fist tightly. Uncle or nephew, it didn't matter. The men of this family had a knack for inviting trouble with their mouths.
“If you say something like that one more time, I will strike you. You have no right to inquire about the affairs of my bed with my betrothed.”
“Betrothed? How can you call that barbarian such a thing in front of me?”
“Leave Nauk. Out of respect for your family, Sir Weroz will guard your path until you leave the city. Consider it my farewell gift.”
“Liene!”
Her lover was persistent. Or rather, slow. He still didn't understand what Liene was saying.
“I cannot leave. I will not leave! How can I allow you to marry another!”
“And if you don’t?”
Instead of getting angry and demanding that he understand, Princess Liene hid her emotions. Getting angry would only lead to a fight. Now was the time to cut everything off cleanly. A cold voice, devoid of emotion, flowed between them.
“Then what will you do? Shoot another arrow? Do you know what happened because of that one arrow you shot? Tiwakan, under the guise of hunting assassins, has taken over the guard barracks before the wedding and is meticulously learning every street in Nauk. Now, it's not strange at all to see Tiwakan in the streets. All of this is because of that missed arrow.”
“You can’t say it like that. The arrow clearly pierced the barbarian's skin, and because of that, Tiwakan’s strength is….”
“Is perfectly fine. It only pierced his skin.”
“I can succeed. I can succeed next time.”
“Tiwakan is not a fool. The assassination attempt only heightened his vigilance. Now, to harm their leader, you would have to face all of them first.”
“……”
Finally, Laffite fell silent. It was a relief. He was a knight himself, so he couldn't possibly not know that what Liene said was right.
“If it is revealed that you were the one who shot the arrow, the Kleinfelter Family will disappear from this land. So, run away. That is the only way for everyone in Nauk to be at peace.”
“……”
“Then, farewell.”
Princess Liene turned around. Just as she was about to open the door to the drawing room, Laffite reached out from behind and closed it again. Thud! Liene frowned and turned back to Laffite, surprised by his unprecedented action.
“What are you doing?”
“Just one thing… just answer one thing.”
Princess Liene met his face, twisted with lingering affection. She knew that he had genuinely loved her. So, she could be patient for a moment.
“What is it?”
“Do you like him?”
“Excuse me?”
It was a foolish question to Liene, but Laffite was utterly serious.
“Answer me. Do you like him so much that you are willing to marry him? Is that why you are abandoning me?”
“Ha….”
Princess Liene sighed.
“Don’t you think that’s a question not worth answering?”
“Answer me!”
Laffite shouted, his voice cracking.
He seemed determined not to move until he heard an answer.
“Haa… I never knew you had this side to you. I have not forgotten, and will never forget, that Tiwakan’s proposal cost over a hundred lives.”
“Answer properly. Are you sure you don’t like him? Are you just succumbing to his power?”
She didn't dislike him. She had promised to desire him. But that was all. It didn't mean she had any special feelings for him. She didn't think she should, either. It was a beginning that could never give rise to such feelings. Princess Liene gave a cold, bitter smile.
“What is most important to me is Nauk. Ending my relationship with you and accepting a courtship that began with blood are all the same to me.”
So, if she had to endure it, she would.
“Leave Nauk. This is now an order.”
“……”
Princess Liene pushed past Laffite, who had gone pale and fallen silent, and opened the door to the drawing room herself. * * * But just because she had entered on her own two feet didn't mean she could leave on her own two feet.
“Where is Sir Weroz?”
Leaving the drawing room, Princess Liene walked to the front gate of the Kleinfelter Family estate and waited for Weroz. But Weroz was nowhere to be seen, and feeling uneasy, Liene asked the gatekeeper of the Kleinfelter Family.
“I do not know.”
“What? How can that be? Sir Weroz was just here a moment ago.”
“I have not seen him.”
“What is this… Sir Weroz!”
Princess Liene looked around and called out to Weroz.
“Sir Weroz!”
But no matter how much she called, there was no answer. A sense of unease washed over her. Liene realized that she was alone in this precarious place without any guards. I have to get out of here.
“Open the gate.”
The guards should be the ones to track down Weroz’s whereabouts. There was nothing she could do alone here.
“I have been ordered to guard this gate.”
The gatekeeper of the Kleinfelter Family stubbornly blocked the gate. Her unease had become reality.
“Were you told not to let me out of this gate?”
“I do not know. My order was to guard the gate and not open it.”
“Do you not know who I am? I, Princess Liene of Nauk, order you to open the gate.”
“I have been ordered.”
The same words came back. It was a phrase that the ruler of Nauk should never have to hear, but she couldn't argue about it now.
“Move aside, then. I will open it myself.”
“Th-that…”
Princess Liene sent a fierce warning to the hesitating gatekeeper.
“If you do not move aside, there will be consequences for insubordination. Remember that the name of Kleinfelter will not be able to protect you then.”
“……”
At those words, the gatekeeper hesitated and awkwardly moved to the side. Princess Liene even reached out and pushed him aside, intending to open the gate. But alas, it was too late. Thud, thud! Heavy footsteps echoed through the hallway behind Liene. Turning her head, she saw Lyndon Kleinfelter approaching with soldiers.
“Step back, Princess. To open the gate yourself in someone else’s home. What a disgraceful act.”
“What are you doing?”
Lyndon Kleinfelter calmly approached right in front of Liene.
“No matter how much I think about it, I cannot let you leave like this.”
“What?”
“For the Princess to hand over the rule of Nauk to some barbarian who has been rolling around in the fields, the Kleinfelter Family cannot stand idly by.”
Princess Liene, dumbfounded, inhaled sharply.
“Ha, do I have to say the same thing again? Have you already developed dementia or something?”
“You do not have to. Instead…”
Lyndon Kleinfelter gestured over his shoulder. Then, someone hesitantly stepped out from among the soldiers. Princess Liene’s eyes widened at the sight of the heavy, purple robe that dragged to the ankles.
“...Cardinal Milode?”
“Th-that…”
Cardinal Milode trailed off, staring blankly at Liene. Nauk was not a particularly religious place, but there were always times when the Cardinal was needed. The great spring festival to pray for rain, funerals, or even weddings.
“What brings you to the Kleinfelter Family estate?”
The Cardinal and Liene were not on good terms. While cutting expenses, Liene first eliminated the subsidies going to the Cardinal's office. She couldn't afford to cover the Cardinal's luxuries with the royal budget, even if the money for temple events was unavoidable. Because of that, the Cardinal stopped praying for the royal family and started praying for the Kleinfelter Family instead. She heard that Lyndon Kleinfelter sent the Cardinal a monthly allowance.
“Did you come to prepare a requiem?”
Surely, even the Cardinal wouldn't know that Laffite was alive. Liene asked, hoping that was the case. Lyndon Kleinfelter answered instead of the Cardinal.
“No. We brought him to officiate a wedding.”
“A wedding…?”
“That’s right.”
Lyndon Kleinfelter looked at Liene and smirked. It was an ominous smile.
“Who… is getting married?”
“Isn’t it obvious? Who else could it be?”
Lyndon Kleinfelter pointed at Liene. To Liene, that finger looked like an arrow flying towards her.
“The Daughter of Arsak will pledge her eternal affection and obedience to the son of Kleinfelter as his wife, right here and now.”
“……!”
* * * It was my mistake. Liene bit her molars without realizing it. She should have expected them to play dirty like this. The Kleinfelter Family had wanted control of Nauk for a long time. It seemed like they were willing to do anything rather than hand it over to someone else.
“I cannot accept this. Did Laffite Kleinfelter agree to a wedding he doesn’t even know about?”
“Oh, dear. Did you already forget? Laffite is dead, Princess.”
Lyndon Kleinfelter shrugged exaggeratedly.
“The person the Princess will marry is his cousin, Lopez.”
That was nonsense. As far as Liene knew, there was no such person in the Kleinfelter Family.
“Did the Kleinfelter Family have a son I didn’t know about? Is he even officially recognized by the royal family as a member of the Kleinfelter Family?”
“Ah, no, he hasn’t been. Because he’s a bastard. But what can we do? Since the eldest son is dead, we have to bring someone.”
The nonsense was brazen.
“Stop with the obvious lies, Lord Kleinfelter. Get out of my sight before things get ugly.”
“There’s no need to be so wary just because he’s a bastard, Princess. Blood is blood, after all, so he looks exactly like the dead eldest son. Isn’t that right, Milode?”
The Cardinal nonchalantly chimed in with the lie.
“I’ve confirmed it myself, and it’s true. It’s impossible to deny that he’s a Kleinfelter. This is a blessing from God, Princess.”
Blessing, my foot. Liene clenched the hem of her dress tightly. Her green eyes sharply assessed the men blocking her path like a wall. I have to get out of here. Somehow.
“……Very well. Since he resembles him so much, I’m curious. Bring him here right now.”
“That’s easy enough. Go and get Laffite… Ah, no, that’s not right. What did I say? Ah, Lopez. Yes, bring Lopez.”
“Understood.”
A soldier ran towards the drawing room. It didn't take long for him to bring someone. Of course, the person he brought was Laffite Kleinfelter. * * * The estranged lover's eyes were bloodshot, as if he had been suppressing his emotions alone after Liene left. Liene saw that Laffite's right hand was injured. He must have broken something.
“Don’t do this.”
The moment their eyes met, Liene approached him. The only person who could end this reckless and foolish farce was her estranged lover. He was different from everyone else in this greedy place. That's why she believed that the affection he gave her was genuine. It had never been fiery, but Liene still considered him her lover and treated him as such. He would feel the same way. His affection for her must be genuine. He wouldn't want to force this violence and humiliation.
“Please. The vows you made to me weren't just about affection. You swore to protect me and Nauk as the guardian knight of the Arsak Family. Please… don't do anything that puts Nauk in danger.”
The estranged lover opened his lips with a distorted face.
“I… I don’t know what you’re talking about, Princess.”
“Laffite.”
Laffite turned his head to look at his uncle. Lyndon Kleinfelter nodded, and Laffite bit his lip before speaking.
“Don’t call me by that name. I am Lopez Kleinfelter.”
