A Barbaric Proposal

Chapter 49 | Revenge and a Marriage Proposal

[Rienne] “. . .”

[Beggar] “. . .” ⁽¹⁾

A distinct silence flowed between them as Rienne went to speak with the old man.

Both the reception room and the meeting hall were too inconvenient of rooms for an elderly man with bad legs to be in, since there were no seats there besides the ones meant for nobility.

But just as Black promised, he allowed her meet the old man, closing the door behind him as he left.

Rienne stared quietly into the old man’s one eye until she was absolutely certain they were alone.

……He isn’t wounded.

Noticing that, she could at the very least conclude that Black hadn’t tortured the man into staying silent or doing something against his will.

Rienne’s lips tensed.

I must really not trust that man much.

But despite such a contradicting feeling, she wanted to trust him, so she had to pay attention to even the smallest of things.

She wanted to be rid of every doubt that lived in her heart.

[Rienne] “I know you have something you wish to tell me. This is a place where no can hear you but me, so you can speak freely.”

[Beggar] “That’s…”

The old man’s lips tensed, a small sound barely escaping him.

[Rienne] “The daughter of Arsak is a sinner, and so she will bleed. He will take revenge. Isn’t that what you said to me?”

[Beggar] “. . .”

[Rienne] “Tell me what that means. What did I do to be called a sinner?”

[Beggar] “. . .”

But the old man didn’t wish to speak.

[Rienne] “I cannot allow you to leave this place alive if you don’t answer. You will remain here until your death—until only bones remain.”

It was a cruel threat, saying she would not even allow him a grave, but she couldn’t relent until she got answers.

[Beggar] “Arsak……..brought the drought……..to Nauk……..Is a sinner…….”

Finally, the old man pulled his lips apart.

[Rienne] “Keep going.”

[Beggar] “So many……..deaths……the blood washed away…..by Arsak’s sin…….”

[Rienne] “What?”

Rienne instinctively frowned.

That was a phrase she’d heard some people say.

During the reign of the previous king, the drought continued for a very long time, and there were some who believed that it was caused by a sin of the king, or that it was a curse from God.

Over the past twenty years, such words were hardly said anymore, but that didn’t mean they had completely disappeared.

[Beggar] “One day…..God……will take vengeance……”

[Rienne] “You dare lie to me.”

Rienne glared at him.

[Rienne] “That’s not what you said when you first spoke to me. You said that the daughter of Arsak would bleed because of revenge. Revenge done unto us by a god is not one that would cause that kind punishment. This kind of revenge belongs to someone human.”

[Beggar] “Lies……God…..seeks revenge against…….Arsak.”

[Rienne] “You recognized Lord Tiwakan.”

[Beggar] “. . .”

Rienne caught a glimpse of what looked like shock in the old man’s trembling eyes.

[Rienne] “How do you know Lord Tiwakan? Did you know him from when he was a child?”

[Beggar] “. . .”

[Rienne] “What is Lord Tiwakan’s name?”

[Beggar] “. . .”

The old man stared at Rienne with his mouth tightly shut. Though she couldn’t be certain, his gaze seemed to be asking if she could handle the truth if she knew it.

[Rienne] “Answer me.”

Rienne bit back the anxiety that twisted in her stomach.

Please tell me the truth.

Whatever it may be, I will listen.

I need to know who this man is.

[Beggar] “Henton.”

A word too clear in contrast to the rest of his words echoed from the old man’s mouth. For a second, she even thought someone else might’ve spoken.

[Rienne] “Henton?”

It was a name she’d never heard before.

[Beggar] “He’s……Henton’s………Second…..son…”

[Rienne] “Are you saying that’s Lord Tiwakan?”

[Beggar] “. . .”

The old man clammed up again.

But he seemed as though he said what he needed to say, so Rienne decided to take his word for it.

[Rienne] “Okay. I have one final question.”

With a silent nod, the old man kept still.

After revealing what truth he knew, it was like he decided there was no further point in staying silent.

[Rienne] “Why did you hit the servant, Klimah?”

[Beggar] “I……”

[Rienne] “Yes?”

[Beggar] “Saw him…..put the body…….in the coffin.”

[Rienne] “Ah…….”

So the servant, Klimah really was the murderer, which likely meant he was just another lackey of the Kleinfelders, carrying out whatever dirty deeds they required of him, including assassinations.

Realizing this, Rienne remembered how Klimah looked the day she saw him, bleeding from the wounds on his body.

He said he needed to pray for atonement.

So….that was probably why.

But it didn’t suit him at all.

He was filled with so much guilt over what he did that he wanted to be beaten and have his body whipped, so what was prompting him to act as an assassin for the Kleinfelders?

[Rienne] “Thank you for answering. You may go wherever you wish now. If you require a place to stay, I can prepare accommodations for you in the castle. Or is there somewhere else you would like to go?”

[Beggar] “……..A grave.”

[Rienne] “I’m sorry?”

She thought she misheard him, but apparently not.

[Beggar] “I am going…..to die soon………I don’t need to be comfortable……”

After saying that, the old man took a single step on the floor, pushing down with his cane and raising his body up with great difficulty.

It was an action that said more about his decision than a hundred words could’ve. Though she could provide him with a soft bed to lay his head, the old man would never be content with it.

[Rienne] “I hope you find the peace you’re looking for at the end of your journey.”

Rienne stood up from her chair, leaving the old man.

As she left, the door remained open behind her, and she’d hoped the sight would give the old man even a little bit of comfort.

_^*

* * *

_^*

Even though she got the answer she was looking for, for some reason she felt very dissatisfied—like there was something deeply unsettled inside of her.

Rienne kept on her toes, walking towards the back courtyard.

It was still such a dreary and desolate place.

Rienne thought back on what she’d heard, walking slowly in the garden where only pointed thorn bushes could grow comfortably.

[Rienne] “Henton, Henton, Henton……..”

She thought about it over and over, but it still wasn’t a name that’d she heard before.

But she couldn’t shake the feeling that it was familiar to her. They weren’t mentioned in the records, so they were likely a small family. So even if they were to disappear completely one day, no one would remember them.

[Rienne] “No…..The old man remembered them.”

When she thought about that old man and his broken body, she knew it had nothing to do with her, but she felt weirdly responsible. The same was true of that servant.

[Rienne] “I shouldn’t have just let him leave.”

She should’ve given him something. Food, clothing—anything.

Rienne turned entirely on her heel.

……And that’s when she noticed someone approaching her. It was Black.

As soon as she saw him, it was as though all other thoughts completely vanished. If someone were to paint her a picture of her mind and the things that occupied it, Rienne would never believe it.

Because in her mind, compared to Black, everything else was just a small dot.

[Rienne] “How…..How did you know I was here?”

Rienne stood still, patiently waiting until he got closer.

[Black] “I saw you.”

[Rienne] “From where?”

[Black] “From the eastern tower.”

That meant he’d been watching her from the moment she stepped out of the audience room.

[Black] “This place is still dangerous so I wanted to stop you from coming here, but you seemed lost in thought.”

[Rienne] “So….you were waiting here?”

[Black] “Yes.”

How could this man……so easily say things that were for her sake like that? Suddenly Rienne felt too embarrassed to look at his face for some reason, nervously tapping against the ground with the tips of her feet.

[Rienne] “It’s not dangerous here. It’s just the garden.”

[Black] “This was where you were attacked with an arrow. That means there’s a passage here that leads to the outside.”

[Rienne] “Well… I don’t really know anything like that….about Castle Nauk.”

Seeing Rienne’s surprised face, Black lifted up his hand and pointed straight ahead.

[Black] “I found one here. Better safe than sorry. Were you on your way back?”

[Rienne] “Yes. I feel bad that I just let the old man leave.”

[Black] “If that’s the case, you don’t have to go. Phermos will take care of it.”

[Rienne] “I wanted to give him something to eat.”

[Black] “Alright.”

It was a short reply, saying she didn’t need to worry about anything because he would take care of it for her.

Feeling a sense of relief, Rienne let out a soft sigh.

[Rienne] “Thank you. You even do things like this for me.”

[Black] “I’m just following your lead, Princess…………Do you want to take a walk?”

Rienne looked down at the arm he held out towards her.

His intention was clear. All she had to do was link her arm with his, stick their shoulders side by side, and walk with him like a pair of sweet lovers—simply strolling around the garden while chatting about nothing.

……..But was that even possible?

Was she ready to shake off all her doubts about this man?

[Rienne] –‘Prove to me you’ll do anything. So that I can trust you.’

[Black] –‘You can’t break your promise, Princess.’

That was the last conversation they had.

From the moment Rienne asked to speak with the old man, the result was already decided. Even if her heart was still heavy and uncertain, Rienne had to keep her promise.

[Rienne] “I heard about your name, Lord Tiwakan.”

Rienne hesitated, reaching out and putting her hand on Black’s arm.

Once Black turned around and started walking, the two naturally started walking side by side.

[Rienne] “The old man knew who you were.”

[Black] “And what did he say?”

[Rienne] “Please tell me, Lord Tiwakan.”

Please tell me your name. Who you really are.

[Black] “……….Henton.”

And after a long silence, when he finally spoke, the same name came out.

So, did that mean it was real? Black wasn’t lying to her, right?

[Black] “That was my name just before I left this land.”

[Rienne] “And……Did you change your name?”

[Black] “Not exactly. But after I left, it didn’t really matter what name I was called by.”

[Rienne] “. . .”

Rienne didn’t know what the life of a mercenary was like, but she knew that children could not enter their ranks.

Black must have gone through so much—a lot of which he wasn’t telling her.

[Rienne] “Please tell me more. When you say your family was killed, were you talking about your father?”

[Black] “Yes.”

There was no particular feeling behind his casual response.

He was talking like he was speaking of someone else’s past, or like it had happened so long ago that mentioning it now was pointless.

[Rienne] “Do you know…..who killed him?”

[Black] “I was young at the time, so I don’t know the specifics of why it happened. I only remember the pattern I saw on the gauntlets of those who killed my father.”

[Rienne] “What was it?”

[Black] “It was a pattern of leaves.”

[Rienne] “………!”

Rienne stopped walking.

[Rienne] “If they were leaves then…….”

Laurel leaves were the symbol of the Kleinfelder family.

Their soldiers and flags were always adorned with a laurel leaf pattern. Even Rafit tied leaves on the back of his arrows to follow with the family’s tradition.

[Rienne] “Then….”

Overcome with shock, Rienne’s body staggered.

Black’s enemy was the Kleinfelder family.

The eldest son of the Kleinfelder family was her lover for a time, and in order to escape Black’s proposal, she told him she was pregnant with his child.

But his family was killed by those of the Kleinfelder family…. And he believed Rienne to be carrying a child of Kleinfelder blood in her womb.

Rafit told her that Black was there to take revenge, and then he ended up proposing.

Revenge. And a marriage proposal.

Two concepts that could never be united were suddenly becoming one because of the Kleinfelders—because he thought she might end up actually becoming a wife of the Kleinfelder family, all while pregnant with a child of Kleinfelder blood. ⁽²⁾

[Black] “This is why I didn’t say anything. I was afraid you might react like this.”

Black reached out, supporting Rienne’s swaying body.

[Rienne] “Then why…..When this child is……”

[Black] “It doesn’t matter who the child is.”

[Rienne] “But…..why!?”

[Black] “Do I need to repeat myself?”

Black held out his hand, brushing aside the messy hair from Rienne’s forehead, his tone indicating that he’d said this more than once before.

[Black] “I wanted you, Princess, more than I wanted revenge. You said you didn’t want me to kill the Kleinfelder, so I left him alive. Do you really find that so hard to believe?”

[Rienne] “That doesn’t……make any sense…….How can that…..be possible…….?”

[Black] “Ever since I left Nauk, I never stayed in one place for long. That became even truer after I took on the name of Tiwakan.”

Brushing her hair to the side, Black ran his thumb against her exposed forehead as he held her face in his hand.

[Black] “After the war came to an end, I needed a home to return to. Not just a place where I had a roof over my head, but somewhere I could truly call my home.”

It was the strangest thing.

She was a woman he believed to be carrying the blood of his enemy inside of her, and yet his touch was just as sweet and kind as it always was.

[Black] “For me, you are the closest thing I have to a home. Even if you weren’t a princess, I would’ve still remembered you as my fiancée.”

[Rienne] “…..How can you…..”

[Black] “I’m not very good at explaining things. I was hoping my name would never be known because that would’ve just complicated my already clumsy excuses. And I still think that. If at all possible, I would’ve kept it hidden. I wanted to stay in that moment forever.”

[Rienne] “. . .”

Rienne lifted up her head, looking at him with eyes that were asking what he meant by that moment.

[Black] “The moment when I open my eyes, the first thing I see is you by my side, Princess. Where I can kiss you without permission—without even thinking about it.”

[Rienne] “. . .”

[Black] “That was the home I always imagined.”

[Rienne] “. . .”

* * *

_{T/N: (1) The beggar’s name was revealed in a previous chapter, but considering Rienne isn’t aware of his name, I referred to him as the ‘beggar’ in this section for his name card (the raws also consistently call him the ‘old/older man’ here as well to reflect that Rienne doesn’t know him)}

_{(2) The implication is that Black proposed to Rienne with the express purpose of taking her (and her child) away from Rafit as a form of revenge.}