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nChapter 49 | Revenge and a Marriage Proposal

nRienne “. . .”

nBeggar “. . .” (1)

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

nBoth 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.

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

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

n……He isn’t wounded.

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

nRienne’s lips tensed.

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nI must really not trust that man much.

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

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

nRienne “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.”

nBeggar “That’s…”

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

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

nBeggar “. . .”

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

nBeggar “. . .”

nBut the old man didn’t wish to speak.

nRienne “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.”

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

nBeggar “Arsak……..brought the drought……..to Nauk……..Is a sinner…….”

nFinally, the old man pulled his lips apart.

nRienne “Keep going.”

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

nRienne “What?”

nRienne instinctively frowned.

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

nDuring 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.

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

nBeggar “One day…..God……will take vengeance……”

nRienne “You dare lie to me.”

nRienne glared at him.

nRienne “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.”

nBeggar “Lies……God…..seeks revenge against…….Arsak.”

nRienne “You recognized Lord Tiwakan.”

nBeggar “. . .”

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

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

nBeggar “. . .”

nRienne “What is Lord Tiwakan’s name?”

nBeggar “. . .”

nThe 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.

nRienne “Answer me.”

nRienne bit back the anxiety that twisted in her stomach.

nPlease tell me the truth.

nWhatever it may be, I will listen.

nI need to know who this man is.

nBeggar “Henton.”

nA 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.

nRienne “Henton?”

nIt was a name she’d never heard before.

nBeggar “He’s……Henton’s………Second…..son…”

nRienne “Are you saying that’s Lord Tiwakan?”

nBeggar “. . .”

nThe old man clammed up again.

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

nRienne “Okay. I have one final question.”

nWith a silent nod, the old man kept still.

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

nRienne “Why did you hit the servant, Klimah?”

nBeggar “I……”

nRienne “Yes?”

nBeggar “Saw him…..put the body…….in the coffin.”

nRienne “Ah…….”

nSo 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.

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

nHe said he needed to pray for atonement.

nSo….that was probably why.

nBut it didn’t suit him at all.

nHe 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?

nRienne “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?”

nBeggar “……..A grave.”

nRienne “I’m sorry?”

nShe thought she misheard him, but apparently not.

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

nAfter 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.

nIt 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.

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

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

nAs 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.

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nEven 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.

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

nIt was still such a dreary and desolate place.

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

nRienne “Henton, Henton, Henton……..”

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

nBut 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.

nRienne “No…..The old man remembered them.”

nWhen 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.

nRienne “I shouldn’t have just let him leave.”

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

nRienne turned entirely on her heel.

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

nAs 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.

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

nRienne “How…..How did you know I was here?”

nRienne stood still, patiently waiting until he got closer.

nBlack “I saw you.”

nRienne “From where?”

nBlack “From the eastern tower.”

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

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

nRienne “So….you were waiting here?”

nBlack “Yes.”

nHow 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.

nRienne “It’s not dangerous here. It’s just the garden.”

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

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

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

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

nRienne “Yes. I feel bad that I just let the old man leave.”

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

nRienne “I wanted to give him something to eat.”

nBlack “Alright.”

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

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

nRienne “Thank you. You even do things like this for me.”

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

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

nHis 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.

n……..But was that even possible?

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

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

nBlack –‘You can’t break your promise, Princess.’

nThat was the last conversation they had.

nFrom 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.

nRienne “I heard about your name, Lord Tiwakan.”

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

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

nRienne “The old man knew who you were.”

nBlack “And what did he say?”

nRienne “Please tell me, Lord Tiwakan.”

nPlease tell me your name. Who you really are.

nBlack “……….Henton.”

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

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

nBlack “That was my name just before I left this land.”

nRienne “And……Did you change your name?”

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

nRienne “. . .”

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

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

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

nBlack “Yes.”

nThere was no particular feeling behind his casual response.

nHe 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.

nRienne “Do you know…..who killed him?”

nBlack “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.”

nRienne “What was it?”

nBlack “It was a pattern of leaves.”

nRienne “………!”

nRienne stopped walking.

nRienne “If they were leaves then…….”

nLaurel leaves were the symbol of the Kleinfelder family.

nTheir 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.

nRienne “Then….”

nOvercome with shock, Rienne’s body staggered.

nBlack’s enemy was the Kleinfelder family.

nThe 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.

nBut 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.

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

nRevenge. And a marriage proposal.

nTwo 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)

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

nBlack reached out, supporting Rienne’s swaying body.

nRienne “Then why…..When this child is……”

nBlack “It doesn’t matter who the child is.”

nRienne “But…..why!?”

nBlack “Do I need to repeat myself?”

nBlack 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.

nBlack “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?”

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

nBlack “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.”

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

nBlack “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.”

nIt was the strangest thing.

nShe 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.

nBlack “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.”

nRienne “…..How can you…..”

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nBlack “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.”

nRienne “. . .”

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

nBlack “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.”

nRienne “. . .”

nBlack “That was the home I always imagined.”

nRienne “. . .”

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nT

/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)

n(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.

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