Barbaric Proposal

Chapter 17 | Traps (1)

...* * *...

 

That is not a difficult realization to achieve. The most obvious sign is how his shoulder continues to hurt.

Every time Rienne moved, her head naturally followed her, even as her body remained silent. The problem was that when he moved like that, it drew a wound on his shoulder but he still did it without thinking.

It didn't make sense, but he couldn't deny it when it was obvious.

Every time he saw Rienne, he was completely blown away. (1)

It feels like he's always here, right in front of him, every moment of the day—even when he's not around.

[ Phermos ] “You're aware...”.

[Black ] “But that doesn't mean he lied to me.”

[ Fermos ]”. .”

Phermos looked at Black with a puzzled expression, as if wondering if it really happened or not, but to be honest, Black was also very confused.

He could guess what Rienne was trying to hide from him when it came to what was happening at the Kleinfelder Estate. If Rafit Kleinfelder was still alive, hiding somewhere in Nauk, that's where he would be. Rienne likely went there to meet him under the guise of making an official death.

Rienne went there to see her lover…

God fucking.

Even thinking about it made her feel bad.

Rienne had blood on her lips and it frustrated her because she still did not know what was happening. What could have caused him to have blood on his lips all over the place? Perhaps that was why he decided to see for himself if he was injured.

I can't stand not knowing. I have to check.

But Rienne's answer confused him the most.

She had just met her lover so she thought Rienne would reject her, perhaps even pushing her away. Instead he just quietly followed what he was doing. Although ‘checking wound’ was an obviously weak reason, he did not question it, and it was just provoking the same thirst from before.

But he still doesn't understand.

Did Rienne do her best to accept it because she wanted to honor their promise? Or if she's just trying to please him to protect the one he loves?

…Never has he not understood himself so far. For the first time in his entire life, there was something he could not escape from his sight.

It made her want to hug him for as long as it took to find out.

[ Rienne ] –’I'll count to three and we should both stay away.’

After she heard Rienne say that, she could not believe her own ears. If he said that, then it meant that he felt the same way as her. That he couldn't pull himself away from her himself.

[ Rienne ] –’One. Two. Three.’

And his expression clearly looked genuine.

Her relentlessly trembling fingers, her soft hair, and her eyes filled with desire—as if shouting how much she wanted it.

Could he be pretending?

Was he just pretending that he could protect the man he loved?

…I can't figure it out.

He had never dealt with something so difficult before.

[Black ] “No matter how good a liar he is, there are some things you cannot lie to.”

[ Phermos ] “Yah…..I think it's true.”

His job as a mercenary requires him to do many things, including rooting out spies by getting confessions through torture. Most humans can lie with their mouths, but the body is a different story.

Small reactions such as hair condition, cold sweat, heart rate—all of these are useful tools to help him feel the lie.

And the way Rienne reacted told him that she wanted him.

[Phermos ] “Although this is the case, we should monitor the situation. Regarding the eldest son pretending to be illegitimate, are we going to leave him alone for now? ”

[Black ] “We still have unfinished business regarding the house. If there is something they want, no doubt they will do what they can to get it.” (2)

Fermos sneered cunningly.

[Phermos ] “From his voice, you seem very unhappy with the whole family. I understand, we have to do what we can.”

[Black ] “We will get rid of them in the end. Prepare a trap first. ”

[Phermos ] “If they get caught one day, it will be more convenient this way. We'd better start now.”

With that, Black closed his eyes.

His shoulder still hurts.

….Dirt.

Even though she wasn't there, it felt like Rienne was standing right in front of her.

 

* * *

 

It wasn't that he didn't trust Phermos to do his due diligence, but he couldn't wait for Weroz to return by himself, so he called the guards and ordered them to find him.

But the castle guards are confused without Weroz. They were not prepared in the slightest for his sudden departure so one of the unit captains was quickly forced to take the position, and the man could not stop sweating in anxiety.

[ Rienne ] “Hah.

After sending the guards out, Rienne sighed.

Now that Weroz had left, the castle guards seemed to rely more on the Tiwakan mercenaries as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

[ Rienne ] “Did Tiwakan.. expect this result?”

Despite her vague positive feelings towards Black, Rienne could not feel relieved about the situation. After Weroz disappeared, it meant that there was one more person he could trust under any circumstances within the castle.

But apart from the dissatisfied frown on Rienne's face, Mrs Flambard knocked on the door.

Tap, tap.

[Mrs Flambard ] “This is me, Princess. Can I come in?”

[ Rienne ] “Ah, yes. A minute.”

The hostess won't bother him for no reason. Rienne quickly got up from her chair and opened the door herself. As he thought, Mrs Flambard was holding a large basket in her hand.

[ Rienne ] “What is this?”

[ Mrs Flambard ] “We need to fix wedding clothes.”

[ Rienne ] “Oh, yes. Put it here.”

Rienne pointed towards the tapestry in front of the fireplace.

[Mrs Flambard ] “I also brought your sorrows, Princess. Now that I have shortened the width of the collar by adding an extra cloth, it should be more appropriate to mourn now. ”

[ Rienne ] “Thank you for your hard work, Bu.”

Now that the dress was fixed, Rienne changed into mourning clothes with the help of Mrs Flambard. As the woman dressed Rienne very carefully, she let out a deep sigh.

[Mrs Flambard ] “Not good... You are still too beautiful.”.

[ Rienne ] “….It's pretty good. Don't think about it too deeply.”

Making an awkward face, Rienne put away the mirror. Now that he had changed, it was time to start sowing.

[ Mrs Flambard ] “Do you get all the necessary measurements?”

[ Rienne ] “Most.”

I didn't measure him below the waist at all.

Still, it shouldn't be too much of a problem when it comes to pants. The previous king was also tall so according to his calculations, they should fit roughly the same.

[Mrs Flambard ] “ Then, let's see.”

Madame Flambard unfurled the clothes on the rug as Rienne took out a ruler to compare the numbers.

[ Mrs Flambard ] “It will be a lot of work.”

Madame Flambard furrowed her brows while thinking while continuing to put a serious expression on her face.

[ Rienne ] “True?”

[ Mrs Flambard ] “As of now, it will not be suitable for her at all. Why should he have broad shoulders? Are you sure you're measuring it right, Princess?

[ Rienne ] “I think so ..”

To be honest, when it came to measuring, he couldn't say anything.

His mind was completely filled by how conscious he was of Black that he could not even remember what he was doing back then. All he could think about was how his voice sounded when he told him not to count so quickly.

[ Mrs Flambard ] “I've never seen a size like this. Is he really like this? Inevitably I wonder how it feels to be held by such a person.”

[ Rienne ] “I'll pretend not to hear it, Bu.”

[Mrs Flambard ] “Please do, Princess. What did I say in front of the princess who was forced to marry him?

Rienne turned her head and held back her laughter.

[ Rienne ] “It's been a long time since we dealt with such fancy clothes. Maybe you're just excited, Mom.”

[Mrs Flambard ] “It must be so. This happened more often in the past, but after the late King died, we had no reason to touch such a fine cloth. ”

[ Rienne ] “I completely understand.”

Mrs Flambard's sewing skills are among the best across Nauk. It was understandable if he became a little excited about being able to deal with such a nice cloth. Especially since it had been so long since he had refined something luxurious.

[ Rienne ] “Do you think we will have enough fabric?”

[Mrs Flambard ] “Let's see. Longer robes are characteristic for coronations, but are not required for weddings. If I take a piece of cloth and move it to the shoulder, it will look better.”

[ Rienne ] “I understand.”

[ Mrs Flambard ] “Why not work on changing belts, Princess? I will wear the same cloth on the ankle and around the neckline.”

[ Rienne ] “That's a great idea.”

[Mrs Flambard ] “I want to know how much more fabric we need...... we need to increase the length of the pants, right?”.

[ Rienne ] “Yah..”.

Rienne didn't know what to say.

[ Rienne ] “I..not really get that measurement...”.

His voice came out low, as if his words barely came out of him.

[Mrs Flambard ] “No? But how can you forget that? What if the pants end up being cut too short and you can see her ankle?”

[ Rienne ] “I think they'll be fine without changing it.”

Actually, it was because he couldn't do it. It was not that he had made a mistake and missed it.

It seemed like he was really bothered by something else.

[ Mrs Flambard ] “I don't think we'll be that lucky. It's better if we get that measurement alone. What will we do if his clothes are not suitable for him?”

[ Rienne ] “Yes, I understand...”.

Once again, Rienne's voice barely sounded like a whisper.

But Mrs Flambard misunderstood. He looked at Rienne's doubts and wondered if he could measure correctly or not.

[Mrs Flambard ] “Do you not want to deal with her anymore, Princess? If so, I can do it. ”

[ Rienne ] “No, I didn't say that, I just..”.

[ Mrs Flambard ] “Of course, how can you make yourself happy about it? I'm not considering your feelings. Wait here, Princess.”

[ Rienne ] “You do not understand, I do not..”

But even when Rienne repeats herself, the misunderstanding will not go away.

[Mrs Flambard ] “Nothing. No matter how restless I am with her, I'm sure it must be more uncomfortable for you, Princess. Just stay here for a while. ”

While carrying all the sewing equipment in his hands, Mrs Flambard quickly rushed out of Rienne's room.

[ Rienne ] “No, it's not...”.

Left alone in her quiet room, Rienne felt her face flushed and frowned as she aimlessly fiddled with the scissors in her hands.

[ Rienne ] “I don't..”.

Is it really weird that I don't hate him?

He knew others might find it difficult to understand the situation, but thinking about it somehow made his heart feel heavy.

Meanwhile, Mrs Flambard goes to Black's room only to find out that she has left with her men. Knowing that it was impossible to contact her on horseback, she sent a guard to tell her to come to Rienne's room after she returned.

 

* * *

 

After Mrs Flambard returned, Rienne remained silent and focused on sewing.

Not long after leaving, Mrs Flambard quickly returned due to ‘various circumstances’, and has since kept staring at her. No matter how many times Rienne told her that she did not hate the man, the woman could not force herself to believe that.

…But it doesn't matter. The truth will come out in the end.

[Mrs Flambard ] “This reminds me, Princess ..”

In the room that was only filled with the smooth sound of threaded needles passing through the cloth, a human voice swept through the air.

[ Rienne ] “What's the matter, Bu?”

[ Mrs Flambard ] “We have about ten days until the wedding, right?”

[ Rienne ] “Well, her funeral is tomorrow and her wedding should be ten days after that, so yes.”

[Mrs Flambard ] “Then, doesn't that mean it coincides with your monthly fever, Princess?”

[ Rienne ] “Oh.. ah.”.

Hearing something unexpected, instead of piercing the cloth with a needle, Rienne instead pricked her finger.

[Mrs Flambard ] “Oh Princess, are you okay?”

Mistress Flambard approached and grabbed Rienne's hand as a drop of red blood seeped from the tip of her thumb.

[ Mrs Flambard ] “Oh No, you cut under your nails.”

Although Rienne was injured, Madame Flambard felt her pain.

[Mrs Flambard ] “Give me your hand. We need to disinfect it and give the medicine to the wound. I'll go get—“

[ Rienne ] “No, wait.”

Rienne suddenly speaks out against Mrs Flambard as she tries to get up. There was blood coming out of her finger, yet Rienne could not even feel the pain.

[Mrs Flambard ] “What do you mean?”

[ Rienne ] “Date.. my monthly fever .”.

Rienne's face was completely pale like white sheets.

 

[ Lady Flambard ] “Princess ..”

Seeing that, Mrs Flambard's expression changed as seriously as Rienne's.

[ Rienne ] “If I get caught... no, I can't..”.

[Mrs Flambard ] “Princess.”

Rienne felt Mrs Flambard put her hand on her hand. It was a calming feeling, like he was telling Rienne to calm down.

[Mrs Flambard ] “I may not know much about politics and the like.... but is it really necessary to lie about when you are getting married?

[ Rienne ] “I have no choice. This is the only way I can prevent Nauk's sovereignty from being taken from the Arsak family by Tiwakan.”

[ Mrs Flambard ] “So that's it.”

Rienne looked at her with a straight face as she asked her question.

[ Rienne ] “Is there a way to hide it?”

[ Mrs Flambard ] “I don't know how you can. If you are alone maybe, but you will get married.You will be awake all night.”.

[ Rienne ] “Ah... what should I do? I didn't even think of that... about dates..”.

The black shadow covered Rienne—'s face as pale as the white moon.

[ Rienne ] “I must..”.

[ Mrs Flambard ] “You have to reject the first night.”

But Mrs Flambard's face changed the same color as Rienne's.

[ Mrs Flambard ] “But will the man accept it without asking anything?”

 

* * *

T/N: (1) It can also mean “terchance”, “terchance”, “termagic”, etc.

(2) The word used by Black is “ ⁇ ”, which means the act of stealing something, usually through the use of force or violence.

Translator's Comment: Like how Black looks like a scary guy but his brain is constantly “???”. I swear the Wii theme plays in her brain every time Rienne is around. Bet he's starting to regret what he said earlier about not being interested in catching his heart, hm?