Barbaric Proposal

Chapter 27 | Murder in the Midnight

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Dong ding!

Dozens of bells marking the start of the funeral rang, but there was no sign of the start of the ceremony.

[ Rienne ] “It doesn't make sense.”

The High Priest, who was supposed to preside over the ceremony, had disappeared. The only ones present were the priests who were meant to accompany him, who claimed to know nothing about his whereabouts.

[ Rienne ] “Who was the last to see Grand Imam Milrod?”

Being anxious, Rienne gathered the priests and priests from the Temple together. They all awkwardly glanced at each other, but no one could give a clear answer.

[ Rienne ] “Someone must have seen it. When was the last time any of you heard from him?”

[ Priest ] “Yah...”.

The priests fell silent, turned around and whispered to each other in soft words before quickly summing up the situation.

At the very least, they were sure the High Priest had left the Temple. They could all clearly remember him when he came down. As soon as the priests came down, the coffin came next. All six of them loaded onto the wagon.

But then some of them claimed to have seen the High Priest riding a horse. Some don't.

Basically, none of them could trace the location of the High Priest after he arrived at the royal chapel.

[ Rienne ] “Who has been assigned to support it all this time?”

[ Priest ] “It...”.

And the answer became cloudy again.

The people who served the High Priest closely were those in the lower hierarchy. They would usually choose one among the young priests, and they would take turns taking care of him.

[ Priest ] “No one is chosen to follow him from the Temple today.”

But the High Priest had no helpers this time. They said he did not need it because so many priests were sent with him, so additional help was not needed.

[ Rienne ] “Then we just need to find someone else who may have seen something.”

It was the one who was assigned to move the coffin.

Right behind the altar were six coffins, and beyond that was a coffin meant to keep an eye on the course of the procession - sitting on a chair or kneeling on the floor.

As she stood in front of the altar, Rienne turned around and looked at Black, sitting between the benches, right in the front row.

[ Rienne ] “Master Tiwakan.”

The look on his face showed that he knew something had happened.

[Black ] “What's up?”

[ Rienne ] “Large Priest has been lost. Is it possible to talk to the people who accompanied him from the Temple?”

[ Black ] “Ya.”

Black gave a soft and gentle reply and pointed his head behind him. Although his movements were small and insignificant, Phermos immediately understood the signal.

[ Phermos ] “Yes, Tuanku.”

[Black ] “Large Priest has gone. Do you know anything about this? ”

[ Fermos ] “What? High Priest?”

It seemed like this was the first one that Fermos had heard.

[ Phermos ] “How can that happen…….? We'll find him soon.”

[Black ] “If there is an incident, there must be an intention behind it.”

[ Phermos ] “Of course, Tuanku.”

Phermos quickly left the chapel.

It became clear even to the spectators who came for the funeral that something had happened. Slow and slow muttering began to spread among the crowd.

[ Rienne ] “Who do you think can do this?”

Rienne whispered to him in a soft voice. When he says ‘niat’, there is only one way to interpret it.

[Black ] “Someone who's got into this trouble.”

[ Rienne ] “Ah...true.”.

Rienne glanced towards where the Kleinfelders were sitting on the bench. Linden was there, but Rafit was nowhere to be found. They still realize Rafit's face is recognizable.

Linden Kleinfelder would have been suspicious if they found out there was any intention behind the incident, but it still made no sense.

The funeral was intended to mourn Rafit Kleinfelder. At the very least, they needed to look upset that their eldest son's farewell ceremony was delayed.

[ Rienne ] “I don't know what they get from doing this. They may not like that funerals are held in the royal chapel, but there is no better location for now.”

[Black ] “That means they're fighting over something else, not a place.”

[ Rienne ] “There are others?”

[Black ] “Someone, maybe.”

[ Rienne ]”. .”

Then, a haunting thought appeared in Rienne's mind.

Was he angry that the High Priest decided to postpone the marriage because he received the Tiwakan money? Is that why he decided to vent his frustration like this?

…..No, he's not the type of person who just vents his anger. He'll think of something much worse…..

Thumping!

Rienne's mind was interrupted by an urgent voice from the open door of the chapel.

[ Phermos ] “Tuanku, we have found the High Priest!”

It was Phermos, storming into the chapel with a group of mercenaries.

[ Rienne ] “What? Where?”

Despite saying they ‘find him’, the High Priest is not with them.

[ Phermos ] “I think he's here.”

[ Rienne ] “What do you mean...ini?”.

As Phermos pointed out, everyone's eyes expectantly followed the line made by his finger.

Directly to one of the six coffins.

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* * *

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Eroding……

The coffin lid was pushed to the side.

After Phermos left, he started questioning the people who helped move the coffin, looking for other information. It was then that someone commented on one of the coffins that looked extremely heavy.

[Phermos ] “There is no better place to hide a corpse than a coffin, I guess.”

Phermos muttered to himself, peering through the gap as the coffin lid slowly moved to the side.

After hearing about a person's disappearance, and then hearing about one of the increasingly heavy coffins, the most natural development was to believe that an extra body had been added.

Scrape...boom!

Finally the coffin was opened.

[ Rienne ] “Ah.!”.

There were two bodies in the coffin.

His body, laid on top and seemingly forced in, was indeed the High Priest.

[ Phermos ] “As I thought.”

Phermos adjusted his glasses, muttering to himself as he did.

[Phermos ] “Given someone is trying to hide the body, this ensures. This is not an accident.... he was killed.”.

No one can deny it.

Rienne immediately turned her head and looked at Linden, but she leaned forward with a shocked expression on her face—like she was as nervous as anyone else.

That doesn't make any sense.

Isn't he the one who did this? Rienne felt very confident that she was in charge. So why did she look like that, acting like she didn't know anything?

[ Phermos ] “We will need coffin again.”

As if the words of Phermos made everything come true, suddenly the faces of the priests looked very confused. Some even knelt down, reciting memorized prayers.

[ Rienne ] “Who will lead the funeral now? Is there anyone else ready to replace him?”

The question was so sudden, the priests were shocked.

[ Rienne ] “Do you say we should postpone the funeral?”

[ Priest ] “Ah, maybe.... if we can't fill the High Priest seat.....”.

[Rienne ] “Well, I just want to know…….. In that case, should I ask if you have someone in mind for that position? Is that a better question to ask first?”

[ Pastor ]”. .”

The seven priests quickly fell silent, taking their eyes off him.

There was no candidate chosen beforehand because it was the duty of the noble delegation to pick that person.

Linden Kleinfelder stood up from her seat.

[ Linden ] “Given how short our time is, we should call a delegation as soon as possible to discuss the new High Priest, Putri.”

[ Rienne ]”. .”

Rienne silently bit her lips.

Is there no end to your ignorance?

[ Rienne ] “Of course, Mr. Kleinfelder.”

[ Linden ] “I'll close the meeting as soon as possible and tell you about the new High Priest.”

His words were no different from saying that the new High Priest he sent would only be his puppet.

[ Linden ] “Let's go.”

With that, Linden left the chapel with her entourage. The funeral was meant to say goodbye to the eldest son of their family, but no worries were found on his face.

[Black ] “Don't think you lost this.

Rienne felt someone grab her hand from behind.

That's Black.

[ Rienne ] “….Huh?”

Rienne raised her head and looked at him. His eyes were so clear, like a blue mirror shining down on him.

[Black ] “Maintaining order in Nauk is my responsibility now. We'll find the person who did this.”

[ Rienne ] “Oh..”.

Rienne's response was gentle.

Black correct.

Linden completely forgot about that. He could only get away with whatever he liked because Rienne did not have the strength to hold him properly.

But things are different now.

Arsaks has a new order on their side — Knights of their new Guard. Nauk's safety is in their hands now. After forgetting that, Linden had just dug her own grave.

The murder of a High Priest was something that could not be forgiven.

[ Rienne ] “I believe it.”

Only one problem remains.

[ Rienne ] “As long as we can find proof also.”

If they want to accuse Linden of murder, they need a lot of evidence to back it up.

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* * *

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They can't leave a corpse alone anymore.

Although the burial itself was postponed, the bodies were eventually buriedthe sixth— was laid and returned to earth. All except the body of the High Priest, who had no coffin.

Chaotic from beginning to end, the already gloomy affairs of the cemetery became even more grim.

Along the way until just before dawn, Rienne spends time with the bereaved family, comforting them in their tears and grief, and sending them all home with one gold coin each.

[ Phermos ] “I can see clearly why Princess is so poor, now.”

Phermos pointed, awkwardly scratching his cheek.

The road, bathed in moonlight, was quiet and calm. Even the normally loud sound of horses was calm and serene, as if they knew they were returning from the grave.

As they returned, Black did his best to keep a comfortable distance from Rienne as he followed her from behind.

It was not lost on him that the corpse they had buried that day died in his hands. He did not really regret what he did nor did he disdain himself for killing others.

But she was worried Rienne might see things differently.

[Phermos ] “Maybe a virtuous leader does such a thing, but he must really look at his own circumstances first. Doesn't she need to fix her bereavement dress at the moment because she can't afford a new one?”

After a moment of silence, Black frowned.

[Black ] “It's because he's such a person that he accepted my proposal.” (1)

[ Phermos ] “It's true, but....”.

Fermos scratched his cheek again. The more he learns about Princess Rienne's state, the more he realizes the complexity of it all.

Why didn't you propose earlier .... when Princess Rienne wasn't involved with another man?

There will still be commotion, but no one will die because of this.

It was not unusual for Tiwakan to deal with the corpses so closely, but now Phermos was made to face how uncomfortable he felt when he saw Princess Rienne lowering her head in front of the bereaved family.

[Phermos ] “But how did they kill the High Priest? I don't think they're stupid enough to do something like this.”

Fermos quickly changed the subject. This topic is much more important now.

The Kleinfelder family continues to be a hindrance when it comes to Black's marriage to Princess Rienne. Not to mention how difficult it was to resolve this matter without bloodshed. That meant they could not behave as rudely as usual.

Phermos believed that he was beginning to understand what Black really wanted.

What his Master wants is to regain not only the land of Nauk or Princess Rienne, but his entire past that has been lost.

Bloodshed is not necessary to do that.

Using such blatant power implies ‘take’, not ‘take back’.

[Phermos ] “Do you think he's sure he's hiding all the evidence correctly? If there's anything left, we'll find it somehow. ”

[Black ] “That's the question. When the body was revealed, he looked surprised. Doesn't look like acting.”

[Phermos ] “Oh....so you don't think he meant to kill her? Or maybe the hit man he hired made a mistake...?”.

[Black ] “Surely something went wrong.”

[Phermos ] “Then we can start from there. If an error is made, no doubt the proof will remain.”

[Black ] “True.”

Cutting his words early, as usual, a moment later, Black added one last sentiment.

[Black ] “Do not leave any missed business needs.”

[ Phermos ] “Oh...uh, yes sir.”.

After that, Black continued. Left alone, Phermos clicked his tongue with a puzzled look on his face.

[ Phermos ] “She seems to care a lot about this.”

Black approached Rienne, but just as he was about to start matching his speed, he slowed down and quietly followed behind him.

Phermos never expected him to see such a scene, watching Black mutter to himself like he was giving up on whatever he was going to do.

[ Phermos ] “Who knows my God can act like that ...”

That must be a surprise.

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* * *

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Big punch!

[ Linden ] “Are you crazy!?”

Meanwhile, a small storm was brewing on Kleinfelder's side.

Linden ran around, completely unhinged, inflicting absolute chaos on everything she saw. Someone's head was bleeding from the box that Linden threw towards them, completely silent as they sat down.

[ Linden ] “What do you think, putting a body in a coffin like that!? You should have done so without explaining who was responsible! ”

That someone was the one who killed the High Priest on behalf of Kleinfelder. Even seeing this person silently bowing his head made Linden angry.

[ Linden ] “Basic fool! If you don't want to be arrested, why are you doing that !? ”

Yoke, tick!

Without rest or mercy, Linden Kleinfelder defeats them.