Barbaric Proposal

Chapter 30 | Promise to meet

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[Black ] “Moving!”

Black pushed Rienne away, causing her to receive most of the heavy impact while Rienne barely escaped to the side.

[ Rienne ] “Master Tiwakan!”

shouting Rienne.

In an instant, the streets were completely chaotic. As the wooden barrels continued to roll over, they left a fog of dust behind them.

People shouted, shouting as they did their best to avoid the barrel that looked as if they could easily destroy it if they were caught.

[ Rienne ] “Master Tiwa.........hmph!”.

And during this commotion, someone grabbed Rienne from behind and covered her mouth with a hand.

[ ??? ] “Tetap quiet.”

[ Rienne ] “......!”

Rienne immediately recognized whose voice it was.

[ ??? ] “I don't want us caught.”

That familiar voice held tightly and dragged him by force.

And just like that, Rienne left.

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[ Rienne ] “…….Cough! Are you not sane!?”

The hand that blocked his mouth finally left. As soon as Rienne coughed at the air that had suddenly entered her lungs, she shouted out her anger.

Although to be honest, he wanted to say something much louder.

[ Rienne ] “What's wrong with you…. Do you know what you have done...!?”

[ Rafit ] “Rienne.”

The one in charge is Rafit.

Rafit grabbed Rienne's hand and placed it over her face. It was an overly polite and courteous act after the unquestionable frenzy he tried in public.

[ Rafit ] “I need to talk to you. Somewhere with just the two of us. Where we don't have to worry about who's listening.”

[ Rienne ] “…..You really lost it.”

Rienne had a real look of disgust and exhaustion on her face.

They were on a train with no windows in sight. Obviously there was an attempt made to kidnap her efficiently.

[ Rienne ] “Stop train.”

Feeling the coldness of his hand, Rafit tightened his grip.

[Raffit ] “Rienne, can't you take your mind off of her for just a moment?”

[ Rienne ] “What are you talking about?”

[ Rafit ] “He will die now, so...”.

[ Rienne ] “Stop, let go of me!”

Suddenly, a mixture of fear and panic surged within him.

As all the large wooden barrels fell towards them, the last thing Rienne could remember was Black's voice, telling her to step aside.

Now him……

His pale hands began to tremble nonstop.

She dead?

No. No, he's not possible.

He's not dead.

After spending ten years on the battlefield, he would not just die. A man who survives that much will not die so easily on the streets.

He's not dead. He can't die.

[ Rienne ] “Dia.n.mati..”.

His vision began to blur, but he did not cry. She will be able to see well if her tears flow freely. But in his hazy gaze, seeing Rafit as he hugged her, he started to look like everyone else. Like that guy.

And that's when he realized.

What he felt was despair.

[ Rienne ] “He's not dead.”

Rienne sighed tremblingly. As tears begin to flow down his face, Rafit finally begins to look like Rafit again.

[ Rienne ] “Don't touch me. And just leave.”

Saying that, he pulled his hand back and released it from Rafit's grasp.

[ Rienne ] “Leave Nauk and never come back. I won't say this again.”

[Raffit ] “Do you really think I don't know your true heart when you say that to me?”

Rafit still did not understand what Rienne was trying to tell him.

[Raffit ] “There's no point trying to get rid of me by saying such cruel words. I'm not gonna listen to him. It's okay, Rienne…. You can be honest now. That guy is dead! Die up! And even if he doesn't, he will soon. I would never take half in things like this. ”

[ Rienne ] “What...what are you talking about?”

[Raffit ] “I can't waste this opportunity when you're alone. At first I was just planning to take you, but the plan changed once he showed up. So I ordered the knights from the Kleinfelder family to deal with him once he got injured—“

Thumping!

The train carrying them moved quickly when it suddenly hit something— shook with high intensity and cut off Rafit's words, scattering them into the air.

But there's no way to know what's going on. There are no windows and doors are closed and locked from the outside.

[ Rafit ] “What happened?”

Rafit shouted, hitting the bulkhead that led to the coachman.

But the screams sounded not the answer.

[ Cabler ] “Argh!”

The explosion!

The screams echoed in the distance. It sounded like someone was catching him, forcefully pulling him out of his seat on the moving carriage and throwing him to the ground.

And it wasn't just Rienne's imagination. Raft jumped up from his seat and stood up.

Thumping!

Before he knew it, something stopped the train.

It shook violently again before stopping abruptly, forcing Rafit, who was standing, to lose his balance and fall right above Rienne.

The explosion!

And while they were stuck like that, the door of the carriage opened.

[ Rienne ]”. .”

As the light suddenly flowed into the dark carriage, Rienne blinked. The dark figure cut through the sunlight, and Rienne could see herself reflected in their cold eyes.

Seeing the figure appear, completely enveloped in darkness and re-enlightened by the sun, a single thought entered Rienne's mind.

A huge and ferocious wild beast.

[ Black ]”. .”

Light blue eyes that were similar to the eyes of a wild beast stared at him.

It was as if he was a moment away from tearing someone's throat.

 

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[ Black ] “Build.”

His voice was low and hoarse like the growl of an animal.

It was only after Black grabbed Rafit's body and pulled it from Rienne that he realized he was talking to her.

Thumping!

Grabbing Rafit's ankle, he was thrown as hard as he could into the road, hitting the ground hard.

[ Rienne ] “......!”

Rienne clenched her mouth, unable to even utter a word from her shock.

[ Black ] “Build.”

He repeated himself.

[ Rienne ]”. .”

The first emotion he felt was immediate relief.

Looky…. He's not dead…

Why did Rafit say he was dead when he wasn't? It's a great relief…….I'm so happy……

[ Rienne ] “Tuhan—“

But the relief quickly disappeared.

[Black ] “Or I'll drag you out myself.”

There was not the slightest bit of warmth left in his voice, not even in his face or eyes.

[Black ] “Is that what you want?”

[ Rienne ] “No... no, no...”.

Rienne lifted her skirt and pulled herself up. He had just realized in all the frenzy of the shaken carriage, his body was in great pain.

[ Rienne ] “How...”.

Without needing to ask, the situation became clear the moment he got out of the carriage.

The Tiwakan mercenaries surrounded the entire place on horseback. The coachman he heard was nowhere to be seen, and Rafit, who had been dumped, was already in the hands of the mercenaries.

Rafit's plan failed miserably. Rienne wasn't sure how they could track the train so fast, but at least now she could see how fast they were moving.

But then he noticed how Black's clothes were covered in blood.

[ Rienne ] “Are your injuries serious?”

Rienne subconsciously grabbed it, but Black took a step back and avoided her worried hand.

[Black ] “Don't touch me. I'm not gonna be the only one bleeding today, if that's what you're asking. ”

[ Rienne ] “Good….. Wait, excuse me?”

[Black ] “You want to know if my wound is severe enough to kill me?”

[ Rienne ] “I.. don't understand...”.

[Black ] “I've told you before. That day will be the only day I will ignore the illegitimate son of the Kleinfelder family.”

[ Rienne ]”. .”

With that, Rienne realized why Black was so quick to lose the kindness he had once shown her.

While they are together, an accident suddenly occurs that results in the loss of Rienne. He chases after her, only to find her running away somewhere on the train with her ex-lover.

And when she opened the door, Rienne and Rafit hugged each other, as if they were hugging….. (1)

From Black's point of view, it seemed like Rienne was part of this plan from the start.

Filled with despair, Rienne shook her head.

[ Rienne ] “Not that……….What happened today is...”.

[Black ] “You don't know about this?”

[ Rienne ] “I didn't come here of my own free will. I just realized what happened was not an accident when I was forced into the train.”

[Black ] “……..So.”

But even as he said the words ‘I understand’, there was clearly not a bit of understanding or acceptance in it.

Black could not believe a word Rienne said.

[Black ] “Then the illegitimate son of the Kleinfelder family must have made this treasonous plan himself. You, go get him. We'll take his head here. Get rid of the body and send the head back to the family. ”

[ Mercenary ] “Ya, Sir.”

The command was clear and concise, and was received quickly.

But not according to Rienne.

[ Rienne ] “Master Tiwakan!”

Rienne hurried to pull Black back. His clothes were covered in mud and he could feel blood staining his fingertips. It made him realize how hurt he was.

[Black ] “I told you not to touch me.”

[ Rienne ] “You can't.”

[Black ] “I can't, what?”

Rienne closed her eyes tightly before opening them.

No one is more fed up and tired of this situation than he is.

The Kleinfelder family is just a plague, and Rafit, who is obsessed with their relationship ending, is infuriating.

But even so, Rafit can never be killed.

Doing so would spark war.

War in a kingdom so weak and sick would destroy it, filling it with an endless cycle of carnage. Rienne could not help but face the death toll on both sides.

[ Rienne ] “Please....you can't kill him...”.

[Black ] “Is Nauk the kind of place that allows traitors to keep their heads?”

[ Rienne ] “If it's Kleinfelder..”.

Rienne swallowed with difficulty. It was as if he was forcing a thorn into his throat.

[Rienne ] “The price is a price we can't afford. Kleinfelder will not sit still— we will not be able to withstand the consequences.”

[Black ] “I'll handle it.”

[ Rienne ] “No, you can't.”

Trickling. Trickling.

As Rienne held tightly onto her clothes, blood seeped through her fingers and dripped onto the top of her feet.

[Rienne ] “Nauk who will bear the consequences. Killing the Kleinfelders was tantamount to killing half of Nauk.”

If they fought against the royal family, all the houses in the aristocratic delegation would side with Kleinfelder. When the time of war comes and Tiwakan annihilates them, they will not suppress a small group of rebels.

They would shatter an already small kingdom into smaller pieces, completely shatter it and leave nothing but broken fragments.

[ Rienne ] “Nauk has faced too many losses. My biggest regret is that I did not accept Lord Tiwakan's proposal earlier. If I. ... it would never reach this point. ”

If only he stopped Rafit from going to Sharka Kingdom for reinforcements.

If only he had quickly ended his half-hearted and obligatory relationship with her and only accepted the proposal as soon as he accepted it.

If he did, those hundreds of dead people would still be alive, and he wouldn't have to make so many dangerous lies just to save Rafit.

He also doesn't have to lie about having children. She doesn't need to panic about the date of her monthly fever, or need to find a way to hide her experience.

And once he gets whatever he wants from her…. Revenge or whatever…..

At least I don't need to feel like my head is going to break.

[ Rienne ] “Please. I just want....to protect Nauk.”.

His unusually sharp eyes observed Rienne's expression. Every time she did that, Rienne felt as if she would never be able to lie to him.

[ Rienne ] “Not him, but Nauk.”

[Black ] “………..I don't trust you.”

But when Black's slow reply finally came out, it was a phrase that pushed his heart into despair.

[Black ] “You are constantly making excuses and promises that are hard to believe, Princess………. I can't trust you now.”

[ Rienne ] “Please…….Please trust me. Everything I say now is the truth. ”

[Black ] “Not possible.”

Black mouth stiffened.

[Black ] “Maybe there are more lies that I am not even aware of. Why should I start trusting you now?”

[ Rienne ]”. .”

Rienne could not find the words to say.

He's correct. Whenever Rienne lied to avoid a crisis, Black would act foolishly, but he always knew something was going on, even if he didn't know the specifics.

[ Rienne ] “Anything……. I will do anything...to prove that I am not lying....”.

Rienne could feel despair appearing, but Black did not seem to see it. He looked at her with a crooked and curved grin on his face.

[Black ] “It looks like I've been pushing bad habits on you, Princess.”

[ Rienne ] “What are you talking about.....?”

[Black ] “Do you think things will go your way this time if you use your body to calm me down?” (2)

 

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T/N: (1) Literally means “in hugs” or “in hugs”, but in this context, it can have a more romantic connotation.

(2) He uses the word here which means ‘being good/being used to do something’ in conjunction with the word which means ‘calming/calming/soothing’ etc. rienne makes a habit of using her body to calm her out of difficult situations.

astral comment: Oof, that's a lot.

ghost comments: *insert fire meme elmo* my heart…..;_;