[ Rafit ] “There are more than enough rumors following the lord of the Tiwakan. Did you know they even say he prefers men over women?”
Rienne listened to Rafit with a cloud of doubt hovering over her.
He prefers men? How ridiculous.
Rienne could still remember how he had kissed her. He wouldn’t have kissed her like that if he didn’t desire her on some level. All the times she had reluctantly kissed Rafit was proof enough of that. (1)
It was just a baseless rumor.
It had to be.
[ Rienne ] “What makes you say that?”
Rafit looked at her with a serious look in his eyes.
[ Rafit ] “Have you already invited him into your bed?”
[ Rienne ] “Sir Kleinfelder.”
Rienne clenched her fists. Whether it was the uncle or the nephew, everyone in this family had a knack for inappropriately running their mouths.
[ Rienne ] “If you say something like that again, I’ll get angry. You are in no position to question whether or not I’ve brought my fiancé to my bed.”
[ Rafit ] “How could you call that barbarian your fiancé in front of me?”
[ Rienne ] “Leave Nauk. Out of respect for your family, I’ll bite my temper and leave you in the care of Lord Weroz. He’ll protect you until you’re safely out of Nauk. Think of it as a parting gift.”
[ Rafit ] “Rienne!”
Rafit wasn’t just stubborn, but slow too. He still didn’t understand what Rienne was trying to say.
[ Rafit ] “I can’t just leave you and allow you to marry someone else!”
[ Rienne ] “You don’t have a choice.”
Instead of getting angry, she tried pleading with him instead.
Rienne wanted Rafit to understand where she was coming from and why this needed to happen, but if she got angry, it would only lead to a fight. Right now, she just needed to end things cleanly.
As she spoke, her words rang cold, like an emotionless void flowing between the two of them.
[ Rienne ] “What else can you do—shoot another arrow? Do you have any idea what your actions have already done? The Tiwakan have completely taken over the guards’ duties ahead of the wedding in order to find the attacker and is learning all they can about Nauk in the meantime. Now seeing Tiwakan soldiers in the streets is a common occurrence all because of an arrow that missed.” (2)
[ Rafit ] “You can’t say that. The arrow must have done lasting damage to that barbarian, and now the Tiwakan—“
[ Rienne ] “Lasting damage? It’s barely a flesh wound.”
[ Rafit ] “Then I’ll just try again. I’ll succeed next time.”
[ Rienne ] “The Tiwakan are no fools. The first assassination attempt has only made them more wary. You’ll have to contend with them all before you can even dream of attacking their leader.”
[ Rafit ] “. . .”
Finally, Rafit was at a loss for words. He was a knight so as much as he didn’t want to admit it, he knew Rienne was right.
[ Rienne ] “If it’s ever revealed that you were the one that fired that arrow, the Tiwakan will wipe the Kleinfelder family from the face of the earth. So run while you can. That’s the only way Nauk will ever know peace.”
[ Rafit ] “. . .”
[ Rienne ] “Now this is goodbye.”
Just as Rienne turned away and began to open the door to leave, Rafit reached out from behind her and shut it with a dull noise.
Thud.
That was new. Rafit had never done anything like that before. Rienne frowned and looked back at him once she realized that.
[ Rienne ] “What are you doing?”
[ Rafit ] “Just… answer one question first.”
Rienne’s face twisted when she saw his look of desperation.
She already knew Rafit loved her with all his heart. In honor of the feelings she knew he carried for her, she could endure this.
[ Rienne ] “What is it?”
[ Rafit ] “Do you love him?”
[ Rienne ] “What?”
To Rienne, it sounded like such a stupid question but Rafit looked incredibly serious.
[ Rafit ] “Answer me. Are you happy to marry him because you love him? Is that why you’re leaving me?”
[ Rienne ] “Hah…”
Rienne let out an exasperated sigh.
[ Rienne ] “I don’t think that’s a question worth answering.”
[ Rafit ] “Just answer me!”
Rafit cried out with tears in his eyes.
He looked as though he wouldn’t step aside until she answered him.
[ Rienne ] “…I didn’t expect any of this to happen, but I haven’t forgotten how many people died during the Tiwakan’s siege. I’ll never forget.”
[ Rafit ] “Answer properly. Are you certain you don’t love him? You’re just giving in because of his power?”
Whenever she thought about the leader of the Tiwakan, Rienne had already decided she didn’t hate him. She had even made a promise to do what she could to desire him.
But that was it.
That didn’t mean she had any special feelings for him or that she loved him. Even the small concessions she was making felt wrong in the wake of everything that happened.
With how their relationship started, there was no way such feelings could ever bloom.
Rienne gave a bitter smile.
[ Rienne ] “There’s nothing more important to me than Nauk. Whether it’s ending things with you or accepting a proposal stained with blood—I do what I must to protect it.”
If I have to endure it, then I will endure.
[ Rienne ] “Leave Nauk. That’s an order.”
[ Rafit ] “. . .”
As Rafit’s face turned pale, Rienne pushed past him, opening the door to the drawing room herself.
* * *
But just because she entered of her own accord didn’t mean she could leave so easily.
[ Rienne ] “Where is Lord Weroz?”
After leaving the drawing room, Rienne went straight towards the main entrance of the Kleinfelder Estate to meet Weroz, but he was nowhere to be found.
Getting a bad feeling, Rienne went to ask the Kleinfelder’s gatekeeper of his whereabouts.
[ Gatekeeper ] “I don’t know.”
[ Rienne ] “You don’t know? But Lord Weroz was here just a moment ago.”
[ Gatekeeper ] “I didn’t see him.”
[ Rienne ] “What…? Lord Weroz!”
Rienne looked around as she called out his name.
[ Rienne ] “Lord Weroz!”
But no matter how many times she called out for him, there was no reply. That bad feeling in her stomach twisted into heavy anxiety.
Suddenly, she realized she was in a dangerous place with no escort.
I have to get out of here.
[ Rienne ] “Open the door.”
Normally she would’ve asked the guards to track down Weroz, but there was little she could do right now.
[ Gatekeeper ] “I’ve been ordered to guard this door.”
The gatekeeper wouldn’t budge, stubbornly blocking her way and Rienne’s anxious feeling suddenly became more real.
[ Rienne ] “So you can’t let me leave?”
[ Gatekeeper ] “I don’t know about that. All I know is that I was ordered to guard the exit, not open it.”
[ Rienne ] “Don’t you know who I am? I am Princess Rienne of Nauk and I order you to open this door.”
[ Gatekeeper ] “I already have my orders.”
Despite the princess herself ordering him otherwise, his answer remained the same.
[ Rienne ] “Then get out of the way. I’ll open it myself.”
[ Gatekeeper ] “Hm….”
It likely wouldn’t amount to much, but Rienne gave a warning to the weak-willed gatekeeper.
[ Rienne ] “If you don’t step aside, you’ll pay the price for disobeying the crown. Mind you that the Kleinfelders cannot protect you from everything.”
[ Gatekeeper ] “. . .”
The gatekeeper hesitated for a moment, but eventually stepped to the side. Rienne stretched out past him, her hands reaching out to open the door.
But it was already too late.
Stomp, stomp!
Behind her was the sound of heavy footsteps echoing through the halls. When she turned her head, Rienne could see Linden Kleinfelder walking towards her with his soldiers at his side.
[ Linden ] “Step back, Princess. How foolish of you to attempt to open the doors to someone else’s estate.”
[ Rienne ] “What do you think you’re doing?”
Linden stepped towards Rienne, close enough for their noses to be touching.
[ Linden ] “Now that I think about it, it would be a terrible decision to allow you to leave.”
[ Rienne ] “What?”
[ Linden ] “The princess deigns to hand over sovereignty of Nauk to a feckless barbarian rather than a noble Kleinfelder.”
Rienne, dumbfounded by Linden’s words, took a deep breath.
[ Rienne ] “Hah… Must I repeat myself? Is your mind already beginning to fail you?”
[ Linden ] “That won’t be necessary. Instead…”
Linden winked towards someone over his shoulder as the soldiers parted and someone walked out. Rienne’s eyes widened once she saw the person, clad in heavy, plum colored robes reaching past his ankles.
[ Rienne ] “….High Priest Milrod.”
[ Milrod ] “Hmph….”
Milrod, the High Priest, trailed off his words as he spared Rienne a glance.
While religion wasn’t a major part of Nauk’s culture, there were still times when a religious representative was needed, like the spring festival, a funeral, or even a wedding to bring good luck for rain.
[ Rienne ] “What brings you to the Kleinfelder estate?”
But the High Priest and Rienne didn’t have a close relationship.
In an effort to reduce spending, Rienne was quick to cut off donations to the religious embassy, which obviously required funds for events. It was an expensive luxury that couldn’t be afforded by the present royal budget, after all.
But in turn, the High Priest never spared a prayer for the royal family, instead throwing his lot in with the Kleinfelders. Apparently, Linden would even send personal funds to the High Priest once a month.
[ Rienne ] “Did you come here to prepare for the funeral prayer?” (3)
Even the High Priest wouldn’t know Rafit was still alive. Hoping that, Rienne asked such a question.
On behalf of the High Priest, Linden answered instead.
[ Linden ] “No, he’s here as an officiant.”
[ Rienne ] “Officiant…?”
[ Linden ] “That’s right.”
Linden looked at Rienne with a grin that made her stomach turn.
It was an ominous and foreboding smile.
[ Rienne ] “Who…Who’s getting married…?”
[ Linden ] “Isn’t it obvious? Who else could it be?”
Linden pointed a finger at Rienne. In her eyes, it was no different from an arrow flying towards her.
[ Linden ] “The daughter of Arsak will pledge her eternal affection and obedience to the son of Kleinfelder… as his wife.”
[ Rienne ] “….!”
* * *
This is my fault.
Without even realizing it, Rienne grit her teeth.
I should have known they’d be willing to resort to such dirty tricks to get what they want.
The Kleinfelders have long since desired control over Nauk. Rather than hand it over to another, of course they’d be willing to do anything they could to take it.
[ Rienne ] “This is unacceptable. Did Lord Rafit agree to a wedding neither of us knew about?”
[ Linden ] “Oh Princess, you must have already forgotten. Rafit is dead.”
Linden made a dramatic show of his shrugging.
[ Linden ] “It’s a shame, but now you’ll have no choice but to marry his cousin Lopez instead.”
What a joke.
As far as Rienne knew, there was no one by that name in the Kleinfelder family.
[ Rienne ] “There’s a son of the Kleinfelder family I didn’t know about? Is he even a registered member of your house, recognized by the royal family?”
[ Linden ] “Oh of course not. He’s an illegitimate child, but what can we do about that? Now that the eldest son has passed, we have no choice but to bring him in.”
His lying was so brazen, it was insulting.
[ Rienne ] “Enough of the lies, Lord Kleinfelder. Allow me to pass before things get out of hand.”
[ Linden ] “It is no lie. Though he is an illegitimate son, the blood that runs through his veins is no different from the deceased Rafit. Isn’t that right, High Priest Milrod?”
Without even batting an eye, the High Priest helped with the lie.
[ Milrod ] “Indeed, I checked and it was exactly the same. The blood relation cannot be denied. This is a blessing sent to us from God, Princess.”
A blessing.
Rienne took the cloth of her dress in her white knuckled grip. Staring at them with her green eyes, she looked at the men blocking her way as if they were a wall.
I have to get out here first. There has to be a way.
[ Rienne ] “…..That’s wonderful. I’m very curious to see if he looks like him too. Bring him here.”
[ Linden ] “That won’t be difficult. Go and bring Rafit—ah, I mean Lopez. Bring Lopez here.”
[ Rienne ] “Good.”
A soldier ran off towards the drawing room, and before long he returned with another man.
Just as she thought, the person he brought with him was Rafit Kleinfelder.
* * *
Rafit’s eyes were red, as if he had been crying after Rienne left. She even noticed his right hand looked injured. He must have broken something.
[ Rienne ] “Please don’t do this.”
The moment their eyes met, Rienne approached him.
The only person who could end this madness was the broken-hearted Rafit. Though his family was greedy and awful, he alone was different. He always told her his feelings for her were genuine and Rienne always believed him.
And even though her own feelings never burned as passionately as fire, she still regarded him as being her lover and did everything she could to treat him as such, as did he.
Your heart was always true and sincere. I know, deep down, you don’t want to do anything that could hurt me like this.
[ Rienne ] “Please, your love wasn’t the only thing you promised me. As the Commander of the Arsak Knights, you made an oath to protect both me and Nauk. Please… don’t put Nauk at risk by doing this.”
Rafit opened his mouth with a distorted look on his face.
[ Rafit ] “I…..I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
[ Rienne ] “Rafit.”
Rafit turned his head and looked towards his uncle. Linden nodded and Rafit bit his lip.
[ Rafit ] “Don’t call me by that name. My name is Lopez Kleinfelder.”
How do you feel?
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