A Barbaric Proposal

Chapter 32 | Spark (1)

At that moment, Rienne’s mind went completely blank, but luckily her hand knew to move on its own. She quickly grabbed the towel she had prepared nearby and used it to cover her bare body.

[Rienne] “Wha, what are you…..?”

But unlike her hands, her mouth couldn’t speak properly.

[Rienne] “I, I thought…. I locked it…..”

It was then that Black took his eyes away, speaking slowly.

[Black] “……So that’s why.”

[Rienne] “…….?”

[Black] “I thought the door was stuck, but it was just the lock.”

[Rienne] “. . .”

So that’s what he meant. He didn’t know the door was locked so he ended up breaking in unintentionally.

Rienne felt her heart settle hearing those words. It gladdened her to know he didn’t do it because he intended to do away with his good will just to be impatient about tonight.

But looking at him now, she realized he must want to wash up. He was still covered in blood and mud from the incident.

[Rienne] “I’d like for you to leave now. I’ve just finished, so I’ll be out in a moment.”

[Black] “Are you hurt?”

[Rienne] “……..Excuse me?”

As if he couldn’t hear her, Black stood still and continually asked his question.

[Black] “Your arms and your side.”

[Rienne] “Oh…..”

Wanting to hide her body from him, Rienne angled herself away and repeated herself.

[Rienne] “Yes, but please leave….”

[Black] “When was it? Was it when the cart crashed?”

No, not then.

When the cart crashed and the barrels started rolling towards them, Black had pushed Rienne to the side so quickly that they didn’t even leave a scratch on her.

[Rienne] “No, I think it happened when I was in the carriage. And please don’t stare at me like that…. Even if you’re my fiancé, it’s still impolite.”

[Black] “Ah…..”

Much too late, Black finally turned his head away.

[Black] “Pardon me.”

Averting his gaze, he turned his back towards her. As he started to leave through the door with the destroyed lock, he slightly gestured his head back towards her, murmuring quietly.

[Black] “Then…. Aren’t…” (1)

[Rienne] “I’m sorry?”

Maybe it was because he was facing away from her, but Rienne couldn’t quite hear him.

[Rienne] “Did you say something?”

[Black] “It’s nothing. Never mind.”

And then Black left without turning back.

Click.

The door shut behind him, almost soundless in comparison to the booming noise from when it was opened.

[Rienne] “Hah……”

Finally, Rienne was able to breathe.

[Rienne] “What’s happening?”

On the floor of that large bathroom sat the remains of the needlessly sturdy iron lock. Though not as big in comparison to the locks of the entrance gate, it was still fairly heavy and strong.

It was unimaginable to believe that Black could push it open so easily, thinking the door was merely being stubborn.

Rienne was again given a striking and dawning reminder of their difference in strength. If he wanted to force her to do something she didn’t want to do, she would have no way of refusing him.

[Rienne] “……But he left.”

He didn’t stare at her when she asked him not to, and he quietly left when she asked him to leave. That’s when a sudden thought came to Rienne about the man named Black.

[Rienne] “That man…… He wouldn’t do something that I wouldn’t like. That’s the kind of man he is.”

Rienne had no choice but to put her faith in that thought.

*

* * *

*

By the time Black had come in, Rienne was already mostly done washing up. After that, all she needed to do was dry herself off and change into the clothes Mrs. Flambard had left for her.

Then, she went back into the bathroom and emptied out the water basin, filling it with fresh water herself. She felt it would be too cruel to ask an injured person to do it on his own.

Knock, knock.

Once she was done with all her work, Rienne left through the other door to the bathroom and knocked on Black’s bedroom door.

[Rienne] “You may use the bathroom now.”

But there was no response.

[Rienne] “……Lord Tiwakan?”

Rienne tilted her head and eventually turned around to leave. If he wasn’t answering, then maybe he’d left again. But then an odd feeling took hold of her and she turned right back around and opened the door.

Thump.

[Rienne] “……Lord Tiwakan!”

When she opened the door, Black’s body was lying flat on the floor. Pale-faced, Rienne ran towards him.

[Rienne] “Lord Tiwakan! Please wake up!”

As Rienne took his head in her arms and gently patted his cheek, his eyes started to open.

[Rienne] “Lord Tiwakan!”

[Black] “……Ah.”

Though he was lying on the floor, he spoke rather clearly. Over time, his blue eyes slowly came to.

[Black] “What’s going on?”

He was on the floor with his head resting in Rienne’s lap, his eyes going over her as she held his face with her hand. He really didn’t know what was happening.

[Rienne] “I called out for you, but you didn’t respond…..then I came in and I found you on the floor.”

Meanwhile Rienne was so surprised, she was completely breathless.

[Black] “……..I must’ve fallen asleep.”

[Rienne] “Asleep? On the floor?”

[Black] “I do that sometimes when I get hurt.”

[Rienne] “. . .”

With a look of disbelief on her face, Rienne looked at Black who only stared up at her.

[Rienne] “Have you lost your mind? You’re injured.”

[Black] “I woke up, so it’s fine.”

[Rienne] “. . .”

In that moment, why did his scar-riddled body come to her mind?

He doesn’t even realize he’s hurt. He doesn’t notice his own pain or his own sickness so he forgets to take care of himself.

So why did he look at her like that when he saw her bruises?

[Rienne] “Stand up.”

Rienne let go of Black’s head as he slowly stood up from the ground. He made a strange face as he did so, but eventually he was able to stand on his own two feet.

[Black] “Are you going to stay here?”

Black asked this as he faced the bathroom door. He was saying that he wanted to take off his clothes before going in.

[Rienne] “…..No, not here.”

Rienne shook her head and stood up.

[Rienne] “Follow me.”

[Black] “……?”

While Black was left to wonder, Rienne walked right past him and into the bathroom.

*

* * *

*

[Rienne] “Take off your clothes. Like you normally do when you wash up.”

[Black] “. . .”

Black looked right at Rienne. Perhaps stunned into speechlessness, his lips were slightly parted.

[Rienne] “I will help you. It wouldn’t be right to leave someone who could collapse at any moment on their own.”

[Black] “It’s fine.”

[Rienne] “It’s not. Take them off.”

[Black] “I’m not that hurt.”

[Rienne] “I’m sure.”

[Black] “. . .”

Getting quiet again, Black frowned.

[Black] “Why are you doing this?”

[Rienne] “I said it earlier. You’re hurt, so I must treat you like a patient.”

[Black] “It’s not that big of a deal.”

[Rienne] “And you wonder why I’m doing this? This isn’t the first time I’ve needed to take care of your wounds. Why must today be any different?”

As his frown deepened, so did the creases between his brows.

[Black] “That’s not it…..If you’re doing this because you want to pay the price for keeping the Kleinfelder alive, then this isn’t necessary. That’s something else entirely, Princess.”

[Rienne] “That….”

With those words, Rienne’s face turned pale, but it was only for a moment. Not long after that, she was able to make her expression calm again.

[Rienne] “This has nothing to do with that. You’re hurt, Lord Tiwakan, but unfortunately you don’t seem too interested in mending yourself. That leaves it up to me.”

[Black] “And why would you do that for me, Princess?’

[Rienne] “Because you’re my fiancé.”

[Black] “. . .”

Rienne caught a glimpse of Black raising one of his eyebrows. She didn’t know exactly what that meant, but it certainly didn’t mean he was happy.

Though if I were him, I’d feel the same.

Especially after what happened today.

[Rienne] “…….I know it sounds ridiculous coming from me, but my feelings have not changed since the day we first wrote our marriage vows. In neither body nor mind, I have no intention of cheating on my fiancé. Such will always be the case so long as I carry the name of Arsak.” (2)

I can’t force him to believe me. It’s his own heart, not mine.

But she couldn’t leave him, alone and injured, just because of a misunderstanding.

[Rienne] “If you can’t trust me, then please, at least call for someone else.”

[Black] “. . .”

Black stood still, running a hand through his dirty hair. When he moved his hand away, his expression was entirely visible, and it looked different from usual.

[Black] “I usually take all my clothes off when I wash myself.”

When he said that, Rienne’s face turned a little red.

[Black] “How much do you want me to leave on?”

They decided on the bare minimum. In the bathroom where Rienne was waiting, Black entered wearing only a pair of pants that cut above the knee.

*

* * *

*

Rienne had to hold back a scream.

With injuries like this, any other man would be lying sick in bed, groaning from the pain. And yet Black, against all belief, was sitting completely unperturbed with a distant look on his face.

[Rienne] “The wounds are everywhere.”

Rienne sighed, looking over the places where his skin had become swollen or cut. She was lucky his back was turned towards her so he couldn’t see her expression.

[Black] “I don’t tend to feel pain unless a bone is broken so……..”

His words trailed off like he was rushing to make an excuse.

In all honesty, over the course of his life, he had made so few excuses he wasn’t even aware he was doing so. He just thought it was strange why something that was normally so obvious was difficult to say in front of Rienne.

[Rienne] “But this one healed so quickly. I think it might be completely healed by now.”

As she worked cleaning him of all the bloodstains and dirt, she carefully touched where his shoulder had been pierced with an arrow not long ago.

[Black] “……Hng.”

Rolling his shoulder, Black let out a low moan. Rienne was immediately taken aback, pulling her hand away.

[Rienne] “I’m sorry. I didn’t know it was still causing you pain.”

[Black] “It doesn’t hurt.”

[Rienne] “……? Then….?”

[Black] “Your hand is soft.”

[Rienne] “……?”

If my hand is soft, then why is he avoiding it…..? Oh, it must be because it’s irritating it.

Understanding his reaction, Rienne nodded to herself. The wound might be healed but the skin would be sensitive because it’s still scarring over.

I need to be more careful.

[Rienne] “How did you plan on washing your back with so many wounds?”

Thinking it’d cause too much pain otherwise, Rienne gently dabbed his wounds with a wet cloth. With how injured his body was, it was unthinkable to imagine him doing it on his own.

[Black] “I didn’t think about it. Probably would’ve just poured water on it.”

[Rienne] “Hah…..”

Just as she thought. The man was terribly insensitive when it came to his own pain.

…But I’m not.

From Rienne’s perspective, he looked so hurt it was difficult to even touch his wounds.

[Rienne] “I’m almost finished. Hold on for just a little bit longer.”

[Black] “It’s fine. You don’t have to rush.”

[Rienne] “It’s not fine.”

If Rienne spent any more time looking at his wounds, she wouldn’t be able to sleep at night. Seeing him so hurt made her feel sick.

[Rienne] “Your back is done. You’ll likely be able to reach the rest on your own……..”

Mustering her courage, Rienne spoke again.

[Rienne] “Still, I’d like to do it for you if at all possible.”

Black turned his head back to look at her.

[Black] “Is it because I’m your fiancé?”

[Rienne] “No, it’s because I know you won’t take care of your wounds properly yourself, Lord Tiwakan.”

[Black] “. . .”

For some reason, Black didn’t answer. He kept his mouth shut as he looked at Rienne. She thought it might hurt his neck if he stayed like that for too long.

[Rienne] “I’ll take that to mean it’s alright.”

So she moved herself to the front of him.

Sitting in the bathroom chair like that, Black’s stature was much smaller than usual and it was easier for Rienne to stand at eye level with him. But she always seemed to get into trouble when their eyes met.

Maybe I shouldn’t have offered.

Rienne could never be calm seeing his face like this.

[Black] “…….It’s not alright.”

It was when Rienne reached out to place the wet cloth on his collarbone that he tilted his head back to avoid her touch. Her outstretched hand hovered awkwardly in the air, stiffening in response.

[Black] “I’ll just end up wanting payment for what happened today.”

[Rienne] “That…………Oh.”

Rienne understood Black just a beat later.

It wasn’t his words that made her understand, but rather the look in his eyes. There was a fire there more intense than when he was hit with that arrow and his fever rose, though she didn’t see it immediately.

[Rienne] “Something like that……won’t happen.”

Saying that, Rienne’s throat felt dry and her voice cracked. Without even blinking, Black watched her as she held a hand over her mouth and awkwardly coughed.

[Black] “What do you mean, it won’t?”

[Rienne] “You’re not the sort of man who would force such an awful thing on me, Lord Tiwakan.”

Black’s mouth tensed only for a brief moment.

[Black] “Is the idea of sleeping with me really that ‘awful’?”

[Rienne] “No, that’s not what I’m saying……I only meant that you wouldn’t force me if I wasn’t ready.”

[Black] “How do you know that?”

[Rienne] “You’ve shown me with your actions. I know because you’ve always been so respectful towards me.”

Just then, Black gave a bitter smile.

[Black] “Respectful…….. Even if I was, the matter of us sleeping together is different.”

[Rienne] “No, it’s not. I was not in a position to reject this proposal and yet you were still respectful and considerate towards me. I’m certain that means you wouldn’t force me to do something like that if I didn’t want it.”

[Black] “. . .”

From that, his bitter smile only grew.

But after his smile faded, Black looked at Rienne.

[Black] “I don’t know.”

Only

* * *

T/N: (1) He uses an incomplete phrase, so it’s left ambiguous what he’s talking about, though basically he’s asking for confirmation of negative statement, leaving out any specifics because he wasn’t heard. Kinda like saying “Not?” in English.

(2) By the phrase ‘body or mind’, she means that she didn’t conspire against him or physically cheat on him.

astral comment: You’ve earned a lot of points by being nice so far, don’t throw them away now!

ghost comment: this is my favorite CG so far though, I think. It’s v soft.