Barbaric Proposal

Chapter 13 | Dangerous Reunions (4)

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Rienne couldn't believe what was happening.

[ Rienne ] “Rafit!”

He could barely contain his shock, his entire body trembling as Rafit began to utter the same nonsense as his uncle.

[Raffit ] “I will forever be grateful to God for giving me a beautiful daughter as a wife. I can only hope I will prove myself as her husband.”

[ Rienne ] “No, our relationship is over! It won't change anything you do, so please, stop this!”

[ Rafit ] “You're wrong.”

When Rafit said that, he could clearly see his red eyes.

[ Rafit ] “It will change. You will be my wife.”

[ Rienne ]”. .”

[Raffit ] “If this is the only way I can have you, then so be it.”

It seemed like he was already blind, his mind focused on one thing and one thing only. This is not the Rafit Rienne knows. Leaving Rienne completely speechless, Rafit turned to his uncle.

[ Rafit ] “When is the ceremony?”

[ Linden ] “There are no special things we need to prepare. As long as the High Priest is here, it can happen anytime.”

[ Rafit ] “Then let's do it now, here.”

[ Linden ] “A very good idea.”

Hearing that, Rienne shouted.

[ Rienne ] “What are you talking about, I will never—“

Suddenly, Rafit covered his mouth with his hand.

[ Rafit ] “I will make an oath on behalf of Princess.”

[ Rienne ] “Mmph!”

Rienne grabs Rafit's arm, fighting against his grip.

[ Rafit ] “Stay calm. Just hold it for a while. ”

The High Priest approached Rienne as Rafit held onto him. Rienne could feel her breath immediately leaving her as she took out a greeting tree branch from her long arm.

[ Rienne ] “....!”

But the more he thrashed, the stronger Rafit held him back. Trapped in her arms, the branches of the greeting tree inched closer to her and Rienne closed her eyes, quickly biting on Rafit's palm as hard as she could.

[ Rafit ] “ Cih ..”

Rafit put on a strange face, but his grip still did not loosen, even though his hand began to bleed.

….Please, release.

At that moment, a painful and frustrating awareness appeared on Rienne, weighing down her shoulders.

He can't do anything by himself.

Justjust please.

Even if he exerted all the strength he had to fight back, it would only cause a small, futile wound. One where only a little blood will flow out.

Already, his mouth was filled with a sense of blood irony.

As Rienne endured her nausea, the High Priest lifted the branch of the greeting tree high into the air before lowering it on Rienne's head.

It made him feel like he was just a piece of meat, left to be pierced by a spear.

[Milrod ] “Listen to us, LaJore Benushi Attica, the only true god, sea waves and earth roots. Today, lovers born from your land want to bind themselves to the covenant of your name in front of the sacred altar—“ (1)

As the High Priest started the wedding ceremony, there was suddenly an explosive sound.

The explosion!

The same bang shook the tightly shut door, a sound so striking that it forced everyone to stop what they were doing.

 

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[ Linden ] “Forward!”

After silence brought them, Linden came to her senses, urging the High Priest to complete the ceremony. The High Priest was so surprised, he dropped the branch of the greeting tree and leaned over to try to pick it up.

But Rienne was only a few moments faster. He stretched out his legs and pulled laurel closer towards him, but not before Rafit realized it.

[ Rafit ] “Give me.”

Rafit finally let go of the grip he had over Rienne's mouth as he tried to take a branch from her.

The explosion!

Another voice came, even louder than the one before. It was so loud that it immediately told them that this was no small matter.

[ Linden ] “What the fuck is that? You, go see what it is! ”

Linden shouted at the novice warrior standing beside her, but it was useless. Even without looking outside, it was clear whatever made the sound was right outside the main entrance.

The explosion! The explosion!

And this time, they didn't stop— the thunderous sound was heard over and over again until finally, the source was revealed.

The explosion! Big punch!

A heavy piece of wooden door fell down, only with the sharp end of a battle axe stuck in the newly created crack.

[ Linden ] “A..apa...”.

The crack!

With a stiff movement, the axe was pulled out, leaving a wide gap behind it—big enough to pronounce someone's words easily.

[Black ] “Open the door.”

Rienne's eyes instinctively widened.

There was only one person he knew who had a low and deep voice.

That's it.. But how?

The man went right through the door. He couldn't see it, but he was very close.

[ Rienne ] “Master Tiwakan!”

Rafit quickly shut Rienne's mouth as he called out to her, but it was too late.

[Black ] “Are you okay?”

[ Rienne ] “Mmph.

Rienne could not answer.

But at least it's not as frustrating as before. Kleinfelder and the High Priest were clearly confused, perhaps even embarrassed by all of this.

[Phermos ] “It seems they are not too eager to open the door, My Lord. Maybe we should invite ourselves. ”

As he heard the cheerful voice of Phermos, there was a heavy swing of the axe.

Whack! Whack!

The once sturdy and ornate wooden door now looked as if it was going to split in half, but the biggest problem was what happened after that.

Once the door was gone, the only ones who could stop the approaching Tiwakan were their own bodies.

[ Linden ] “Damn!”

Linden sounded cursed.

[ Linden ] “I have to open the door.”

But Rafit protested.

[ Rafit ] “Uncle!”

[ Linden ] “We have no choice. Do you want us to treat them like enemies now? ”

The wedding ritual had already completely slipped out of their hands, as if it had been washed away by a river.

Living a marriage that goes against the will of the Princess is easy when all the witnesses are on their side, but things are different when Tiwakan breaks down their door with an axe.

[ Linden ] “Go from here, Rafit. We can't let them see your face.”

[Raffit ] “You can't be serious! ME-“

[ Linden ] “We don't have time to argue. All of you; take Rafit out of here.”

As the Linden army forcefully dragged Rafit away, Linden quickly turned towards Rienne.

[Linden ] “You may be a cheap woman but I know you're not stupid, so I hope you already understand what you need to do. Whether Nauk becomes a battlefield or not depends entirely on what you say. ”

It was an obvious threat, but Linden was beaming with confidence. She already knew Rienne was coming to the Kleinfelder Estate with only Weroz because she wanted to avoid the spy Tiwakan was peeping on.

[ Linden ] “So speak carefully.”

Linden then flicked her finger, gesturing towards the soldier by her side. The soldier nodded, lifting the wooden bolt while avoiding the axe.

[ Phermos ] “Oh, I don't think they want to fight.”

Phermos spoke with a smile in his voice as soon as he heard the bolt removed.

[ Linden ] “You can put an axe. There was no need to try and break through again. ”

The explosion!

Suddenly, a loud kick came through the front door of the Kleinfelder Plantation.

Then, the shattered door fragments were pushed aside, giving way for Black to enter.

 

* * *

 

…Why?

For some reason, Rienne could feel tears forming at the end of her eyes.

Is it because he's happy to see this guy?

…But he would be lying if he said no. As he looked at his face, this ridiculous feeling of relief swept over him like a wave.

[ Linden ] “What brings you to my house?”

Linden had the courage to ask such a question.

[Linden ] “There's a better way to ask for admission than to haphazardly barge in like a barbarian. You really are more like a dog than a man. ”

His humiliation was not subtle in the least.

[ Black ] “Mr Kleinfelder.”

Before Rienne had time to reprimand Linden for his rudeness, Black opened his mouth first.

[Black ] “I can say the same about you.”

[ Linden ] “….What is it?”

Those words were thrown at him immediately making Linden's face turn pale.

[Black ] “Tikus hiding in his nest can not keep everything secret.”

[ Linden ] “What..What I do in my house..it has nothing to do with you savages. You have no right to interfere—“

[Black ] “Your house, your nest; everything is the same.”

Thud.

Black is getting closer.

At that moment, Linden's face became even paler. Black was an impressive person, he was able to intimidate Linden just by walking.

[Black ] “After all, you shouldn't try to lock my fiance inside.”

[ Linden ] “What...What are you..?”

And then Black took another step.

Linden tried to take a step back, but ended up in a strange position with only her upper body leaning back. He looked as if he would be completely crushed if someone knocked on his ankle.

[Black ] “Are you hurt?”

But then Black suddenly turned towards Rienne.

[ Rienne ] “No. I'm fine.”

[Black ] “I have to see it for myself.”

Thud.

Black took one last step closer to Linden.

[ Linden ] “Hup!”

Thumped.

Completely out of balance, Linden fell to the floor as she tried to step back.

[Soldier ] “Oh!”

[Soldier ] “Master!”

His soldiers immediately tried to approach him to help him stand up, but they stopped halfway.

Black stands too close.

He was staring at the fallen Linden as if he was contemplating whether it was worth it or not to destroy an ant he found.

[Black ] “Never forget.”

Never refuse and never close your door for me.

 

After issuing an unforgettable warning, Black once again turned to face Rienne.

[Black ] “I came to pick you up.”

[ Rienne ] “….Okay.”

That was the only reason Black needed to visit Kleinfelder's Plantation.

[Black ] “Should we go back?”

[ Rienne ] “Ya.”

Standing alone, Rienne stood right in front of Black and without saying anything, she grabbed Rienne's hand with her own.

[ Rienne ] “Come back.”

He wanted to leave as soon as possible, before things got bad.

What Kleinfelder had tried was really scary to think about, but all Rienne could do was cover it up quietly.

There is a war that continues to loom over their heads and Rafit's actions are the catalyst that could potentially bring them down.

No matter what, Tiwakan would never be able to figure out what Rafit— had done whether it was an attempted murder or how he tried to force Rienne to marry him because he could not let go.

If that happens, Nauk will be split in two by bloodshed.

Rienne can't let that happen.

[ Rienne ] “My business here is done. No need to linger.”

But, as usual, the Tiwakan people knew better than Rienne thought.

[ Fermos ] “Already?”

Phermos grinned from behind his strange glasses.

[ Phermos ] “What's the hurry? Why don't we take a look at the Kleinfelder Estate? This is one of the magnificent locations in Nauk—why not drink tea while we're here? Our master will soon rule Nauk with you, so Mr. Kleinfelder must be courteous to him. If not, doesn't that mean there's something wrong with him?”

Linden was instantly angry at the humiliation, but as she tried to open her mouth to argue, Phermos cut her off.

[Phermos ] “And look, how great, the High Priest is already here. Why don't we discuss the royal wedding process when we do? What do you think, my lord?”

The High Priest would not empty the temple for no reason, but after recognizing him, Phermos wondered what he was doing at the Kleinfelder Estate from all over the place.

[ Rienne ] “Can't we do it later?”

Saying that, Rienne held Black's hand even tighter. Although he saw Phermos earlier, he immediately looked back at Rienne.

Rienne tilted her head towards him, doing her best to make her face look as pitiful as possible.

[ Rienne ] “I want to go back now. I'm tired.”

Before he knew the things he shouldn't have done.

Rienne leaned her body against Black's chest with a look of despair on her face. He felt his hard chest stiffen, making him even more sturdy.

[ Rienne ] “Come Back. Together.”

Before he decided to tear Nauk apart.

If it was to prevent her, Rienne was willing to do more than just hug her if necessary.

[ Black ]”. .”

He could feel Black's soft breath tickling his forehead.

It was unbelievable to think about it, but as she leaned on him, Rienne felt very safe. Safe, actually. No matter how much weight he pressed towards her, her chest was like a wall. In his arms, he felt comfortable and protected.

[ Black ] “Any.”

[ Rienne ] “What is it..?”.

Black looked at Rienne, his voice as low as a whisper.

[Black ] “I know you're hiding something from me, but I don't want to argue with you.”

[ Rienne ]”. .”

…Of course he will know.

The situation was too suspicious and Rienne's weak explanation of being there to simply express condolences did little to make the feeling go away. That was why Rienne found it strange as well.

It was strange how he felt at ease in the presence of a man who did not believe him.

[Black ] “If you want to go back, let's go.”

Black wrapped his arms around Rienne's waist, but it felt more like he was trying to support her than to hug her.

But what Rienne didn't notice was Black turning his face to talk to Phermos.

[Black ] “You stay here and face the situation. Finish the affair about the High Priest.”

Phermos nodded his head, as if he was expecting this.

[ Phermos ] “Of course, My Lord. I won't let you down.”

After that, his retinue was quickly divided, divided between those who escorted Black back to the castle, and those who would remain with Phermos on Kleinfelder's path, finding their own place.

 

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T/N: (1) I'm not sure how best to localize a god's name ( ⁇ ) so I use transliteration.