Chapter 23
23. Requiem (3)
Of course, mashilow denied it. There was a difference between subtly offering advice as if testing the waters and openly talking about the Kleinfelter Family's misdeeds. mashilow wasn't such a brazen and rude person.
“Retaliation? That's absurd.”
“Absurd? Didn't you just imply it? That the Kleinfelter Family is capable of even worse.”
“I meant that you would be so displeased.”
“Displeased enough to harm the royal family?”
“Harm? I swear I never said such a thing.”
“How easy, sir. Words leave no trace, so you can simply deny saying them.”
“……Ahem, cough.”
Having nothing to say, mashilow cleared his throat.
“But please remember this. Words may not leave a trace, but once spoken, they cannot be taken back.”
“…….”
mashilow decided to stop there. What Liene said was right, but that didn't mean the world worked fairly. And the affairs of Nauk were mostly tailored to the Kleinfelter Family's tastes. Liene knew that better than anyone.
“I will rewrite the letter of appointment.”
“Make sure to say you won't sign it so easily.”
Liene said in a tired but firm voice. She was sick of compromising with the Kleinfelter Family, but she was also used to it. Lyndon Kleinfelter would never give up Laffite's status. As mashilow said, it was better to make a deal before things got worse.
“Ask how much of the royal debt they are willing to forgive. Let's see how much they value the status of the eldest son.”
“…….”
mashilow looked troubled but nodded.
“Then leave.”
“The letter of appointment……”
“Settle the price first.”
“Understood.”
mashilow left.
“Haa…….”
Liene sighed deeply.
“Another thing to hide.”
It was already bad enough that she was hiding the Kleinfelter Family's bastard in her bedroom, but if she also granted him a formal knighthood, Tiwakan would easily misunderstand. He would think Liene was protecting her old flame.
“I don't like this.”
Strangely, she didn't like that kind of misunderstanding. The thought of Black seeing her and Laffite as a couple made her feel extremely wronged, as if she were being falsely accused.
“……What pointless thoughts.”
Liene shook her head with a bitter expression.
“It's like I'm worried about being caught cheating. None of that matters.”
Instead, it would be better to think about how Black would handle the funeral.
“Hopefully, there won't be any bloodshed…….”
The news came late that night. There was no bloodshed, but an accident did occur.
* * *
“……What? What did you say?”
Liene was dumbfounded by the news the guard brought. It was late at night, the moon so white it looked blue. The bells announcing the funeral were slowly ceasing to ring. After midnight, the tomb would be sealed with earth, and God would take the souls of the dead.
“Well…… it started with the bell.”
The chain holding the bell to the tower had broken. Although it was old, the chain that the priests cared for every day couldn't have suddenly rusted, so there was a brief commotion. Everyone who could went to the tower and struggled to rehang the bell. Still, the funeral continued. The Cardinal consecrated the soil that would cover the tomb. All that remained was to move the coffin to the cemetery and bury it.
“But then…….”
Even as he spoke, the commander of the guard seemed incredulous.
“Suddenly, a rock fell from the sky…….”
“What?”
“I can hardly believe it myself, but that's what the witnesses said. Suddenly, a large rock rolled down and, um, destroyed the Stairs of God.”
“…….”
Liene felt the same way. She didn't know what was going on, but she knew Black had done it. There was no bloodshed, but he had ruined the road. The Stairs of God was the only road leading from the temple to the outside world. Naturally, the temple was isolated. The bodies in the coffins could not be transported to the cemetery. The funeral was postponed until the stairs were rebuilt.
“Does that…… make any sense?”
The rock was actually a trap Lyndon Kleinfelter had prepared in advance. If Liene had known this, she would have laughed out loud. But even without knowing, she suddenly felt relieved.
“Of course it doesn't, Princess.”
The commander awkwardly smoothed back his hair.
“So everyone…… is worried that the Cardinal has committed some sacrilegious act and angered God.”
“Is that true?”
“Yes, Princess. The priests are vehemently denying it, but the stairs collapsing on the day of the funeral seems too much like divine wrath.”
Liene covered her mouth. Weroz would have recognized that she was holding back laughter, but the commander didn't notice at all.
“So, um…… there are also rumors that it's because you didn't attend the funeral, Princess.”
“Oh my.”
The laughter she had been desperately holding back finally burst out.
“P, Princess……?”
The commander stared blankly at Liene, who was bowing her head and shaking her shoulders. Good heavens. What is that man? What did he do? Did he hire a magician? What weighed on Liene's heart the most was that she couldn't comfort the bereaved families. That was probably the biggest reason why the people of Nauk might turn away from Liene. Never before had a Monarch, no less, turned her back on those who had given their lives to protect her. ……And he made it the Cardinal's fault. There was no way a rumor that was favorable to her would suddenly spread. This was definitely Tiwakan's work.
“God is angry, but you seem…… pleased, Princess…….”
The commander muttered with a troubled expression.
“God is angry for me.”
“Yes?”
“Because the Cardinal is the one who prevented me from attending the funeral.”
“Ah, there was some talk about that…… but was that true?”
“Yes. So say it was something that would anger God. Have a proclamation read in the name of the Nauk guard in God's Square tomorrow at dawn.”
“Understood, Princess.”
Liene chuckled and continued.
“It will cost money to rebuild the collapsed stairs. I'm looking forward to seeing what the Cardinal does.”
“Yes? Looking forward to it? Well…… it seems like a considerable amount of money will be needed for such a construction…… so isn't that a burden?”
“That's what I'm saying.”
Whether Lyndon Kleinfelter would give all that money. Liene knew he wouldn't. It was a completely different scale of money than the Cardinal's petty cash. The Cardinal would have no choice but to bend to the royal family.
“Thank you for the good news. You may leave now.”
“Yes, Princess. May you have a peaceful night.”
The commander bent one knee in courtesy and then retreated. The office, left alone, became as quiet as midnight. The pale moon came into view.
“I'm glad I stayed up late.”
That's why I heard such good news. Liene, who was muttering to herself, suddenly realized something. How long has it been since I thought I was happy? It must have been a very long time. She couldn't even remember if she had ever said the words "good news" long before Tiwakan besieged the castle. ……Strange. It was very strange that Black was the one who brought her good news after so long. * * * It was when she had washed up, changed into her pajamas, and lay down on the bed. Tap…… tap. There was a slightly strange knocking sound.
“Who…… is it?”
At first, she thought she had misheard. After hesitating for a moment, Liene threw back the blanket and got out of bed, heading for the bedroom door. When she put her ear to the door, she heard the knocking sound again, faintly. Tap, tap.
“…….”
It was a sound as if holding one's breath. It didn't seem like a knock meant to ask her to open the door. It's him. The thought flashed through her mind, and her hand was already lifting the latch.
“……Ah.”
The thought that she shouldn't open it came too late. When she came to her senses, the door was already open, and she was facing Black.
“How…… at this hour…….”
Liene trailed off slightly.
“May I come in?”
“That’s not……”
He was about to say no. But his feet moved backward. As if opening the way for her to enter.
“Then.”
Black quickly stepped into the space Liene had retreated from. Thud. The door closed behind Black.
“Why… did you come at this hour?”
She had to swallow once in the middle of speaking. She hadn't noticed at first because it was dark, but Black wasn't dressed for visiting someone's bedroom. For some unknown reason, his clothes were dirty. It looked like dirt and dust. He must have just returned to the castle. And he hadn't even bothered to check his appearance before coming straight to this room.
“I wanted to let you know that the matter has been resolved.”
“……”
I already heard that.
“The Cardinal will contact you tomorrow. There's no evidence that I was involved, so don't worry about what he says.”
“Yes. I understand.”
“It will cost some money to repair the damage. Don't worry about that either. I'll take care of it.”
“Yes.”
“And… I'd like to handle the conversation with him myself. That would be better.”
“I understand that too.”
“And… that's all.”
Black, who had said something uncharacteristically bland, suddenly twisted his lips.
“Too short.”
“What… is too short?”
“This time.”
“……?”
“I was quite busy before coming here. It took longer than I thought on the cliff.”
“The cliff…?”
Somehow, she felt like she knew what he was talking about. He must be referring to the cliff behind the temple. He wouldn't have used the Stairs of God. He must have climbed that steep cliff to damage the bell. He must have diverted attention that way before moving the rock that broke the Stairs of God. That's why Black was covered in dirt.
“I spent all day doing that just to stand here and say this… but it's too short for that.”
Black, who had muttered almost to himself, suddenly changed the subject.
“So, from now on, may I use the room next door?”
“That’s……”
Too fast. Thud. Black took another step closer, faster than her answer.
“May I touch you?”
“Where…”
“Anywhere. Wherever you say is okay.”
Thud. The small candle lit next to the bed gradually made the approaching Black appear more clearly. Liene noticed that Black's hand, which was approaching her cheek, was also covered in dirt.
“Ah, wait…”
Liene tilted her head back to avoid Black's hand.
“……Oh.”
Black seemed to realize that his hand was dirty only when he came into the light of the candle.
“You wouldn't like such a dirty hand.”
“It's not that.”
Liene awkwardly grabbed Black's wrist, which had stopped, and brought it into the light so she could see the back of his hand clearly.
“You're injured.”
“……?”
He seemed surprised for a moment, as if he was only now noticing the long scratch on the back of his hand.
“Did you do this on the cliff?”
“I don't know.”
“……”
She felt strange seeing the bloodstains mixed with dirt and dust. The news that had made her feel good was created like this. With this man getting hurt like this. Getting dirty like this. What should she say about this? She felt like it would be okay if this man came here for revenge. As long as the target wasn't her. She knew it was a ridiculous thought, even as she had it. The princess of Nauk, of all people, couldn't have such thoughts. …So please, let it just be a rumor. Let Kleinfelter and Sir Weroz all be mistaken. Please.
“Come this way. We need to clean your wound first.”
Liene grabbed Black's wrist and led him to the bathroom next to the bedroom.
“Before that.”
Black remained still, letting her hold his hand, but he didn't readily follow. Instead, he stood his ground and stubbornly asked the same question. As if he needed to hear the answer right now. As if he couldn't do anything until then.
“I want to hear the answer.”
“What answer?”
“Am I going to be using the room next door from now on?”
Yes. That was the price.
“Yes.”
“And one more thing.”
Liene waited for the next words.
“May I touch you?”
“……”
Why does he keep doing this?
“Of course, after washing my hands.”
“After we're done treating your wound.”
“Good.”
Only after saying this did Black move his feet.
