Chapter 45
Precarious (1)
Liene hated that her voice was trembling. She wrapped her arms around her shoulders and said,
“If you want to prove your skill, show it in a different way. In a way that makes me look forward to sleeping with Lord Tiwakan.”
“……Was this wrong?”
“Yes. It only makes me think you’re teasing me. My heart won’t open like this. Just because you touch my body and get a reaction doesn’t mean I’m ready. My heart needs to be ready first, before my body.”
“Why aren’t you ready?”
“Why would I tell you that now……”
“……Ah, never mind. What reason do I need if you’re not ready? If you’re not ready, it means no.”
“……”
Black shook his head roughly, as if shaking off the remaining heat.
“I wasn’t planning on demanding to sleep with you just because you opened your heart a little. I just wanted to sleep with you, literally. Like yesterday. I’m happy just being next to you.”
“……”
Liene felt the same way. She liked him so much that her guard kept falling down. Ever since she found out he was her fiancé from childhood, she even wondered if he was the man destined for her since birth. That’s why she had to refuse.
“I must have lost my mind for a moment, thinking that wasn’t the case.”
Black slowly raised both hands, indicating that he didn’t intend any contact.
“Sleep well. Have a good night.”
“……Yes. You too, Lord Tiwakan.”
Thud. Liene quickly opened the door and rushed into her bedroom.
“……I hate it.”
She hated these lies. She hated herself for having to lie. She hated that he was backing away as if he would never touch her again.
“Tomorrow…… it’ll be okay.”
Tomorrow, she would find out about that cousin of his, and then she would find out something about the old man too. Or she would ask to meet the old man. Fermos said he took him away. So he must be locked up somewhere in the castle. Then she could talk to him again. That man has no right to interfere with that. So if she finds out the truth……. Her thoughts stopped there. She couldn’t figure anything out. What to do with him. What she could do with him.
“……I feel like I’m going to die.”
Her heart felt like it was burning. Liene staggered and collapsed onto the bed. First, she needed to sleep. * * * She tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep. It was late, when even the dawn was bright, that Liene finally fell asleep.
“Ah…… Is it morning?”
Liene felt heavier than usual and turned over in the blanket.
“Why do I feel so weak……. And my body feels chilly.”
She seemed to be sweating a little. Liene burrowed deeper into the blanket, wondering if she had a fever.
“……!”
Then, she was jolted awake by the cold sensation flowing between her legs.
“My period……!”
It had started several days earlier than expected.
“Why is this happening?”
Liene threw off the blanket and stood up. But already, a round, red stain had spread on the sheet.
“I have to clean it up quickly……”
In a flurry, she was just about to take off the sheet when, tap, tap.
“Are you awake?”
It was Black. Liene’s face turned pale. What’s going on, this early in the morning? The important thing was to hide this bloodstain. Liene put the sheet down and lay back on the bed. Then, she pulled the blanket up to hide the stain.
“What…… is it?”
“I thought you were sleeping in, so I’m waking you up.”
Was that so? Was she sleeping in? No, even if she was, why was he waking her up?
“I’m not feeling well……. I’ll get up soon.”
“You’re not feeling well……. I’ll come in.”
“No, don’t……!”
It was too late. Black was already opening the door and coming in. Liene clutched the blanket she had pulled up to her neck.
“What’s wrong?”
“It’s nothing…… really. Please leave.”
“You look pale.”
Black strode towards the bed. His large hand, oblivious to her feelings, touched her forehead.
“You have a fever.”
“No…… I’m fine.”
“What do you mean you’re fine? Looking like this.”
The more he did that, the paler Liene’s face became. Liene pulled the blanket all the way over her head.
“Just leave. I’ll take care of myself.”
“I know you won’t. Just move the blanket for a moment.”
Black’s hand touched the edge of the blanket that Liene was desperately pulling up.
“Don’t touch me!”
An involuntary, sharp reaction leaked out. Black flinched and stopped his hand. His face slowly hardened. It was like a light frost falling on a dawn lake.
“Are you angry? Because of what happened yesterday?”
“No…… No, it’s not that. Just leave. Please.”
“I can’t. I need to know why you’re angry.”
“I’m not angry. Just, please……”
Black grabbed Liene’s wrist, which was tightly clutching the edge of the blanket with all her might, and asked,
“You’re still saying you’re not angry?”
Black, who had no idea what was under the blanket, seemed to take it as a rejection, as if she absolutely didn’t want him to touch her bare skin. Liene was beside herself, afraid that the blanket covering her secret would be pulled away at any moment.
“D, don’t do this, just leave!”
“Why are you so different in just one day?”
Black tried to pull down the blanket covering her face.
“No!”
Desperate, Liene pushed Black away haphazardly. Thwack! Her strength was insignificant, but it was enough to push Black away. But the problem was that the blanket slipped as a result.
“……What is this?”
“……!”
The red bloodstains on the sheet and the hem of her pajamas were magnified and caught his eye, looking even larger than they were. Her mind went blank, and she couldn’t even think of an excuse.
“Don’t look……!”
Liene let out a scream and tried to push Black away.
Thud! Then, her hand was grabbed.
“Don’t move. Not recklessly.”
“……”
Black forcibly laid the struggling Liene back on the bed. Liene, who couldn’t understand why he was doing this, looked up at Black. Beads of sweat were forming on her forehead.
“I’ll call a doctor. Just wait.”
“……?”
“Stay like this. Don’t move.”
With those words, Black turned and left the bedroom. Only after the initial panic subsided did Liene realize that he had misunderstood something. * * *
“You, you don’t have to worry too much. Bleeding can sometimes occur in the early stages of pregnancy. Of course, it’s very dangerous when the baby has grown enough to show a belly, but for the princess…… um, how far along are you?”
There were only two doctors in Nauk. One mainly treated nobles who could afford to pay generous fees, and the other cared for the poor who couldn’t. Nevertheless, they both had something in common: they were extremely busy because they had so many patients. And both of them were in her bedroom this morning, to treat her, who wasn’t even really sick. ……This is driving me crazy, really. Liene bit back the sigh that was about to escape her lips. Black was standing behind the doctors. He looked like he would bite their necks if they said anything nonsense, and Fermos next to him looked like he would try to stop him before he did.
“Well……”
Liene, who knew nothing about pregnancy, shifted her eyes awkwardly.
“A month.”
It was Black who answered.
“A, a month, you say?”
“Twenty-eight days, to be exact.”
“……”
Where did the number 28 come from? Liene desperately racked her brain. Why 28 days…… Ah, that’s right. Twenty-eight days ago was the day the Tiwakan Mercenary Corps arrived in Nauk. She received a marriage proposal that day, and the next day, a battle began between the two sides as a sign of rejection. That man…… he’s really planning to make it his child. Even the child that doesn't exist yet.
“If it was 28 days ago, the castle would have been under siege… …Huh?”
One of the doctors, who had been counting the days on his fingers, opened his eyes wide.
“T-Then, a child was conceived…?”
Then, he met Black's eyes and shut his mouth tightly. His blue eyes were so fierce that they looked ominous.
“That's none of your concern. All you have to do is protect my child safely.”
“U-Understood… Y-Yes… I understand.”
The doctor wiped the sweat from his forehead with a pale face. The other doctor, who had been silent, was the same.
“D-Do you have any abdominal pain? Does your stomach feel like it's pulling inward, or like it's about to tear…?”
“No… It hurts a little, but not like that.”
She had a dull pain in her lower abdomen, but that was something she often experienced during her period.
“It's much better than when I first woke up.”
When Liene added a word, the doctors exchanged glances with each other.
“Then it doesn't seem like a big deal. But since there's bleeding, it's not a good thing, so it's best to take care of yourself for the time being.”
“That's right. If the bleeding is frequent, you may lose the baby, so please do not move from your seat as much as possible. Especially riding a horse and going far away is extremely dangerous.”
“……Pardon?”
Liene frowned at the unexpected words.
“Don't move? Does that mean I have to sit all day?”
“It's better to lie down.”
“What are you saying…”
Black blocked the space between the doctors and Liene.
“I'll remember. Is there any medicine needed for this?”
“There is medicine that can help stabilize the baby. I will prepare it soon.”
The doctors hurriedly greeted them and went outside. Black pointed to the doctors behind their backs and said to Fermos.
“Follow them. Make sure they make the medicine properly. Find out how they spread the word.”
“……Ah, that could be the case. I understand.”
Fermos followed the doctors without complaint. The mention of spreading the word implied that they might be in contact with someone like Kleinfelter. Fermos, who believed that Liene was carrying Laffite Kleinfelter's child, didn't care if he lost the child, but he was wise enough not to show that attitude. To be honest, he almost felt sorry for the doctors a moment ago. It was obvious that many people would have a hard time if Liene, who was pregnant, had something else happen to her besides just being unwell.
“W-Well, then… I'll take the sheets. I need to wash them before they get stained.”
Madam Flambard, who had regained some color in her face, said. Liene glanced at Black and grabbed Madam Flambard's sleeve.
“Let's do it together. It's hard to do it alone.”
“Oh, no. What are you saying…”
“Absolutely not.”
Madam Flambard was right. For some reason, Black didn't seem like he would let Liene say such a thing, and sure enough, he didn't.
“You heard them say to lie down.”
……So this is what it means to be trapped by your own lies. "Difficult" was an understatement. She had a lot to do today. Of course, she wanted to help change the sheets, but she also had to go to the temple.
“I'll do that if I need to.”
“Now is the time to do it. Stay still, at least until the medicine comes.”
“I have a lot to do, Lord Tiwakan.”
“And you're not alone either.”
“……”
Hearing that, she felt even more trapped. Madam Flambard, who had been cautiously watching the two of them, subtly removed Liene's hand from her sleeve.
“I'll do it alone, Princess. How can you help with the laundry in this season? Please rest.”
“Madam, please don't.”
“You shouldn't either, Princess. …Yes, now is the time to rest.”
Madam Flambard pointed to Black over her shoulder with a look. It meant that if she insisted any further, she might become suspicious. Liene had to give up at that point.
“Okay… Then, see you later.”
“I'll be back soon, Princess.”
Madam Flambard hurriedly picked up the sheets and went outside.
