Barbaric Proposal

Chapter 11 | Dangerous Reunions (2)

[Linden ] “So, you came to express your condolences directly, hm?”

The look on Linden Kleinfelder's face was far from friendly, but no sadness was found in her expression. After all, he was fully aware that his nephew was not dead.

[ Rienne ] “Yes, I have.”

Although she had requested to enter several times now, Linden took her time to allow her in, giving Rienne plenty of time to look at her.

Ever since Nauk's finances went red, he had completely lost interest in doing his job properly and got to the point where Rienne was forced to fill the deficit by selling royal property. No matter how you look at it, it makes no sense for a princess to submit to this man's will, but there is nothing Rienne can do against Kleinfelder alone.

There was always the possibility that he could use the royal bodyguards to force them into submission, but the strength of Kleinfelder's personal militia far exceeded his.

[Rienne ] “I'm sure you've heard by now, but the union between the Tiwakan and Arsak families will happen in the next fifteen days. Since the Kleinfelder family is the largest family in Nauk, we want you to lend a hand to make a friendship.”

[ Linden ] “Are you asking me to attend an enemy wedding?”

Although Linden spoke with a clear hostile tone in her voice, Rienne was completely calm as she faced him. He and he both knew that Tiwakan was not his enemy.

Because Rafit's not dead.

[ Rienne ] “Ya.”

[Linden ] “With all due respect, I think the fact that you received that proposal is proof enough that you really lost your mind, daughter Arsak.”

[ Rienne ]”. .”

Instead of being offended by her blatant insults, Rienne instead smiled cynically.

Linden's behavior is not surprising. He had long since started treating Rienne like this. Even after her father's death, Kleinfelder was the first to voice their dissent after Rienne began to take over her duties.

If Rienne were not romantically involved with their eldest son, they would definitely make their humiliation more obvious.

[ Rienne ] “Unfortunately, I'm pretty good. In fact, if I did not accept the proposal, I would start to question my own sanity. More importantly, I ask that you prepare for the funeral now that I have officially expressed my sorrow. Rafit Kleinfelder, Commander of the Knights Arsak, hereby returns to dust. His name will be remembered forever, glorious even in death.”

Strictly speaking, Rienne's words left her dead.

It's the best—for everyone's life.

[ Linden ] “How half-hearted. You have lost all your pride and passion, as well as your sanity. As the daughter of the Arsak family, do you not want to take revenge for your fiancee who has fallen?”

[ Rienne ] “You must be wrong, sir. Lord Rafit Kleinfelder was never my fiancee. We were never officially engaged or did you forget that? ”

Linden's mouth twitched.

[ Linden ] “You're not engaged? You must be kidding me. So you're just messing around with Kleinfelder's oldest son? That woman is so loose, you. ”

If Weroz was there, he would probably draw his sword for the insult. Even Rienne had to refrain from slapping her face.

[ Rienne ] “I can see how valuable Lord Kleinfelder is to his family. Didn't anyone tell you that talking bad about dead people is bad?”

[ Linden ] “If anyone talks bad about her, it is you, Arsak's daughter. You chose to marry that barbarian barbarian instead of slitting his throat when you had the chance. Your pretty little head doesn't seem to realize how insulting it is—” (1)

Loud blow.

He can't take it anymore.

Rienne took the nearby vase that framed the living room and threw it at Linden's feet. Scraped pieces of pottery and water were strewn across expensive imported carpets.

[ Linden ] “Yeah, your anger ..”

Linden stroked his mustache.

[ Rienne ] “My position was passed down to me by the late King Nauk. If you dare to speak to me with words that do not fit your position, then it is my duty to personally rebuke you for such disrespect.”

Slowly, Rienne's breathing calmed down into coldly spoken words.

[Rienne ] “If you are concerned about my decision, then please remember what Kleinfelder did for fifteen days in Tiwakan surrounded by Nauk. Where were you and your militia while hundreds of people loyal to Nauk sacrificed their lives?”

[Linden ] “So for Nauk's sake, you decided to sell your cheap body to that savage?”

He made a mistake. He should have been aiming somewhere else.

[ Rienne ] “Maybe I'm too good. Maybe I should have thrown it in your head, not your feet.”

[ Linden ] “My head? Don't make me laugh. What can you do yourself?”

Linden bared her teeth and yelled at her, as if she was some kind of stray dog barking at her. The two of them, not having any understanding, looked as if they were standing on the battlefield.

[ Rienne ] “ Pass this message: Act as a dead man and leave quietly. Don't do things like shoot arrows again.”

As she glared at Linden, Rienne spoke again, bringing up the main reason for her visit.

[ Rienne ] “If you don't want something bad to happen to her, tell her that she must let go of her personal grudge.”

[ Linden ] “Why don't you vent your anger on that barbarian?”

[ Rienne ] “I'm sure you'll love it. I must also tell you that Tiwakan knows that Lord Rafit Kleinfelder is still alive. ”

[ Linden ] “It seems you don't have the guts to be mad at them.”

[ Rienne ] “ Kamu— !”

Just as he was about to tell Linden to leave, a knock rang out at the door, echoing throughout the living room.

Tap, Tap.

[ Rafit ] “I brought you tea.”

Rienne and Linden's bodies stiffened as they heard that familiar voice.

[ Rafit ] “Can I log in?”

Squeakily.

When the door opened, the one who entered was none other than Rafit Kleinfelder who was still alive.

 

* * *

 

[ Linden ] “What are you doing here? I thought I told you to keep quiet.”

Linden spoke to her nephew with a look of disapproval on her face.

This was precisely the reason why he had Rienne standing outside the estate for as long as possible, waiting for them to open the door. Linden decides her niece gets nothing by meeting Princess Rienne alone.

In fact, Rafit became a fool in front of Rienne.

He was currently not pretending to be dead, but it would be easy to do so if Rienne made the request, so Linden told him not to approach the living room.

But his nephew did not obey him.

[ Rafit ] “Leave us, Uncle.”

Even if he was only Linden's nephew, he was still the eldest son of the Kleinfelder family. Linden thought she could control him even as an adult because of her outgoing personality, but the opposite was true.

He won't be able to say anything even if Rafit drives him away, with no pennies on the way.

[ Linden ] “I can't. This Arsak woman has betrayed us once. Who said he wouldn't try to poison your ears with that cunning tongue of his?”

[ Rafit ] “I won't let you say such rude things to Princess Rienne.”

….He doesn't believe this. Linden clicked her tongue as hard as she could.

[ Linden ] “Cih…! He doesn't deserve this! Do you know what he told me? He said we need—!”

[ Rafit ] “Uncle!”

Suddenly, a flash of anger flashed in Rafit's eyes and Linden immediately fell silent.

Rafit is usually a gentle man with no courage to go against his family, but he is the type of person he cannot fight once he is angry.

[ Linden ] “..Cih. I'll wait outside.”

Reluctantly, Linden left the living room.

Clik.

As soon as he left, behind that closed door was a vast space and an opportunity for the long-separated lovers to finally reunite.

 

* * *

 

Rienne was the first to speak.

Raffi looks healthy. His skin looked a bit rough, but it was nothing compared to how a dead person should look.

[ Rafit ] “Princess.... Rienne my dear.”.

As she called out her name, her voice trembled with sincerity like she was about to cry. When she first entered the room, all she and Rienne could do was stare at each other. Then, he began to move closer, step by step until he could carry her into his arms.

 

[ Rienne ]”. .”

Hold on for a second.

Rienne closed her eyes, enjoying the comfort of this ironic situation.

He needed a chance to say goodbye too.

[ Rafit ] “Sorry.. I cannot keep my promise.”.

As he spoke, Rafit combed his hair with his hands. The touch is the same as always; passionate, loving, gentle, and sincere.

So much so that he could feel guilt creeping in.

…It's okay. I can take this much.

[Raffit ] “You must be very afraid waiting for me.. but I cannot be there for you..”.

It's okay what. Rienne did not expect much from him from the start. Of course he would be happy if he returned with reinforcements, but the war would still break out.

Even if the Sharka Kingdom had agreed to send troops to them, there was no guarantee that they would be enough to fend off Tiwakan.

[ Rienne ] “You should run.”

After counting to ten, Rienne opened her eyes and spoke.

[ Rafit ] “What?”

Rafit stopped stroking his head, retreated and made direct eye contact with him as he grabbed his shoulder.

[ Rafit ] “What does that mean?”

[ Rienne ] “As it sounds. You must run before Tiwakan knows that you are here.”

[ Rafit ] “Only me? By yourself?”

[ Rienne ] “That's the only way I can save everyone.”

Rafit's eyes widened, an overwhelming feeling of betrayal flowing from them.

[ Rafit ] “…..You can't mean that... You gave up on me? On us?”

Rafit kept interfering with his mind. How could it be that after all this time he still did not understand it?

If it was to protect Nauk, Rienne would not give up.

[ Rienne ] “I will marry Mr. Tiwakan.”

With one sentence, he severed their relationship.

[ Rienne ] “So I just want to say this. Thank you for everything you have done for me up until now, and I pray that you stay safe.”

[Raffit ] “I..I don't know what to say…. You left me, Princess?”

Rienne could feel her strong hand gripping her shoulder with a strained pressure. He felt a short wave of pain, but ignored it.

[ Rienne ] “That's the best way to protect Nauk.”

[ Rafit ] “I can't accept that!”

Raffi yelling. His eyes, which were usually soft and tender, almost to the point of looking weak, were now burning like low embers of firewood.

[ Rafit ] “How can leaving me be the best way to protect Nauk?! How does that make sense !? ”

[Rienne ] “Nobody has the power to defeat Tiwakan; not Arsaks or Kleinfelders. This is all I can—“

[ Rafit ] “So you'll just offer yourself to them? Above all else, you'll let him take you away?

The highlight of Rafit's eyes was one that Rienne had never seen before. A ridiculing look of pity came from him, sharply slashing towards him.

[ Rafit ] “Oh, my daughter... how can you be so stupid…? That was exactly what those savages were aiming for. ”

Rafit reached out and gently took out a bundle of Rienne hair in his hand. Before he had a chance to tell her to stop, he breathlessly began to speak.

[Raffit ] “Do you know what I heard about the leader of those barbarians when I was in Sharka Kingdom?”

[ Rienne ] “Master Kleinfelder, please move your hand. I'm engaged.”

But he's not listening. Instead he just kept talking, as if he was completely deaf to his words.

[ Rafit ] “Reason why he came to Nauk suddenly…. The reason why he used such a savage tactic. ”

 

* * *

 

To be honest, Rienne was curious about it. He still did not understand why the Tiwakan leader wanted Nauk so badly, even though it was the poorest and weakest country of all the five southern kingdoms.

They had promised to be honest when it came to each other, yet he never got an answer to that persistent question.

[ Rienne ] “The reason is... no problem.”.

Rienne said to the eldest son of the Kleinfelder family, his lover is no longer.

[ Rafit ] “They said he took a grudge on Nauk.”

[ Rienne ] “….What?”

[ Rafit ] “He's already planning his revenge for the Gods who know how long. Everyone outside Nauk knows about it.”

[ Rienne ] “ What kind of revenge?”

[ Rafit ] “Her family was killed by someone on Nauk.”

[Rienne ] “So what you want to say is she wants to take Nauk.... for revenge? That doesn't make sense.”

[ Rafit ] “Does a savage need their reasons to make sense?”

[ Rienne ]”. .”

Rienne remained silent.

To ordinary people, such a reason was completely absurd, but for the Tiwakan leader who dreamed of revenge? That might make sense to him.

But he has all the power he needs to tear Nauk apart.

No, it doesn't make sense. If that's what you want, you should have completely destroyed us in a one-sided war, instead of proposing.

If Tiwakan fought fervently, they would not have spent those fifteen days just to surround the castle. In just three days, they could end everything. They could have hung his head on the wall and removed Nauk completely from the map.

And I don't forget what you said.

You told me if you want to break your promise, you'll do it from the beginning.

Taking Nauk for revenge of all things?

No. gabe. Not likely.

 

* * *

T/N: (1) The original insult implies that Rienne is nothing more than a pretty face, as Linden considers Rienne as a “loose” woman who toyed with men to the point of not understanding the consequences of her choice.