Chapter 93, Older Brother (1)

Translator: Hedge

Editor: Lizzz

 

The day the gambling house incident broke out.

 

Kalian spent all night reviewing the evidence.

 

It contained details about the gambling house’s operations and tributes, but Evan’s name was not in it.

 

Since he had anticipated this, Kalian was not disappointed.

 

The main objective was to conceal the relationship between Plants and Kalian, and it was a stone thrown to reduce Evan’s forces while they were at it.

 

Morning came, and Rmain summoned Kalian.

 

It was because Kyrie was involved in the matter.

 

However, instead of mentioning Kyrie, Kalian brought up something rather unexpected to Rmain.

 

“In order to prevent Marquis Beurisen from joining hands with older brother Randel, older brother Plants took Marquis Beurisen’s hand. I interfered with the Marquis’s gambling house to ensure the Marquis wouldn’t suspect older brother Plants’s intentions.”

 

After hearing the subsequent explanation of the situation, Rmain was truly surprised. He had known to some extent, but Kalian’s skill at setting traps was extraordinary.

 

After completing his series of explanations, Kalian looked at Rmain and continued.

 

“But the matter has grown too large, and if the Marquis changes his mind, the situation would only worsen, Your Majesty.”

 

He said this out of concern that pushing Evan too far into a corner might make him reach out to Randel in desperation, or perhaps even rebel against Rmain.

 

“So, I ask that if anyone is revealed in the investigation, please conclude the matter by filtering out that person.”

 

Rmain looked at Allan who had been sitting silently beside him. He briefly weighed the power of Evan’s Knight Order against Valkan.

 

As a result of that assessment, Rmain nodded and replied.

 

“Very well. I will do as you suggest.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

Even with his power diminished, he was still a Beurisen.

 

His Knight Order remained intact. The prestige of being called one of the Two Knight Order Families of Cyries alongside Siegfried would not disappear over one incident involving Sillike.

 

“Then, who do you think the Marquis will put forward?”

 

“Viscount Garez.”

 

“The one who proposed sending wheat to Tansyll at the last Central Noble Council.”

 

“Yes, that’s correct.”

 

“Among the Nobles close to the Beurisen Marquis, there are many with enough wealth to believably run a gambling house. May I ask why you thought of Viscount Garez?”

 

Kalian’s answer followed immediately.

 

“I heard that a significant number of buildings on Astrisha Street belong to him. Viscount Garez has considerable wealth, but the troops he possesses are not particularly outstanding. Although the Beurisen Marquis has suffered financial losses from this incident, he has income from his territory, so he won’t be short of money for the time being. But, many Knight Families have distanced themselves from Beurisen after the incident with the former Queen. So, the Marquis will value Nobles with troops more than money, and among the cards the Beurisen Marquis can afford to discard, Viscount Garez is the only Noble without troops.”

 

There was no hesitation in his answer. He clearly understood not only Evan Beurisen but also the situation of the Nobles who had joined hands with him.

 

Rmain nodded and opened his mouth.

 

“I see. You may withdraw.”

 

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

 

Kalian quietly answered, rose from his seat, showed his respect, and left the office.

 

Shortly after.

 

An investigator’s report with the name ‘Shiel Garez’ written as a prime suspect was delivered to Rmain.

 

Upon seeing it, Rmain looked at Allan who was munching on a sugar-preserved persimmon. Then, with rather proud eyes, he said.

 

“My son is truly extraordinary.”

 

Somehow, the words ‘my son’ contained tremendous pride. Because of this, Allan quickly swallowed what was in his mouth before speaking.

 

“It is my Disciple who is truly extraordinary.”

 

Allan elegantly picked up another persimmon and put it in his mouth, and Rmain, with a face that suggested he had not heard Allan’s words at all, continued.

 

“I wonder who he takes after to be so brilliant. It’s simply amazing.”

 

Allan made a sour face.

 

If there had not been sweet persimmon in his mouth, Allan, who detested losing, might have said something like, ‘he takes after Chase. After all, he doesn’t take after the snake-like Debeullan or the cow-like Rmain.’

 

* * *

 

Kalian, who was born as the offspring of the snake-like Debeullan, raised under Chase’s education, and now living as the son of the cow-like Rmain, with his complicated personality, was soaking in a bathtub.

 

To be more precise, he was soaking in a black bathtub filled with warm water, tapping the water’s surface with his fingers while keeping his eyes lowered. He was in a very contemplative state.

 

For this reason, Ian, who had come to assist with Kalian’s bedtime preparations, left the room again without making a sound. And when Kyrie, who had come to Kalian’s room with something to say, was blocked by Ian.

 

“I think we shouldn’t disturb the Prince now.”

 

“I understand.”

 

Kyrie turned back without asking more questions.

 

He seemed to be heading back to the training ground at this late hour, which made Ian have an expression of exhaustion.

 

Two months had passed since the gambling house incident was resolved.

 

All of Viscount Garez’s property had been confiscated.

 

Since he had no actual connection to the gambling house other than standing with Evan, the matter was concluded by confiscating only the property that had been the medium for his association with Evan, preventing it from returning to Evan.

 

Rmain also did not charge Kyrie with murder. However, he did punish him with a two-month suspension of duties for wielding a sword outside the Royal Palace as a servant.

 

It was only suspension though, not confinement.

 

It was a disciplinary action requiring him to leave the Royal Palace.

 

When Kalian heard this, he smiled with peculiarity.

 

[I was planning to have him go somewhere anyway, so this works out well.]

 

A duty suspension in the midst of having business outside.

 

Now, no one would be suspicious of Kyrie’s absence from the Royal Palace. So, it should be seen not as punishment but as an excellent excuse to send Kyrie outside the palace.

 

Thus, Kyrie, who had been gone for two months, returned to Cyriesus today. And as soon as he saw Kalian, after a brief greeting, he immediately said.

 

“On my way to Cyriesus, I saw the congratulatory envoy procession from Tansyll. But their numbers are quite excessive.”

 

A typical congratulatory envoy, including escorts, does not exceed 50 people.

 

“There are nearly a hundred of them, and Priests are included.”

 

Kalian lowered his eyes.

 

Nearly twice the usual number had entered Cyries.

 

Naturally, Kalian immediately went to Rmain to inquire about this, and Rmain answered.

 

“It is to apologize for their recent rudeness and to repay them for the support of salt. They said they would send thirty Priests, including those who had returned to Tansyll.”

 

Kalian could not argue with Rmain’s decision to accept this. From what he heard, although it felt unpleasant, there was nothing to be suspicious about. After all, it was not the first time Tansyll had sent Priests.

 

But he felt uneasy.

 

After hearing this and returning, Kalian spent half a day tapping the table. Even after doing so, he was still soaking in the bathtub, lost in thought about questions that simply would not be resolved.

 

“It seems like older brother Randel is planning something.”

 

It had been the same when he saw the rose emitting red light.

 

Without any basis, Randel immediately came to mind. And this time was no different. As soon as he heard Kyrie’s words, he thought of Randel. But he could not understand why.

 

“What could he be planning to do with the Priests…”

 

As Kalian murmured this and exhaled deeply.

 

Unlike Ian, who had quietly given up his place out of consideration, a voice was heard from outside the bathroom.

 

“Come out.”

 

It was the voice of his second older brother, whom he both loved and hated deeply. A man who showed no concern whatsoever for his younger brother’s deep contemplation. So, Kalian immediately frowned and opened his mouth with an irritated voice.

 

“Fine.”

 

If he was told to come out, he had to get out of the bath; what else could he do?

 

Putting aside his many thoughts, he had no choice but to get up, put on a robe, and go outside.

 

The two were still ‘not on good terms.’

 

In other words, they were still in a state where they could not speak openly even if they had something to say.

 

At first, they used to convey simple messages through Arsene.

 

The problem was that over the two months, Arsene had realized that Plants had a surprisingly patient personality. As a result, Arsene began to slowly overstep Plants. Of course, Plants’s patience was not enough to tolerate confrontation, so the two had reached the point of growling at each other whenever they saw each other’s faces.

 

‘Shouldn’t we intervene at this point, Master?’

 

‘It’s only at this level. They’re quite harmonious, aren’t they? Don’t worry.’

 

There was no way Kalian or Allan would mediate between the two when they saw them like this.

 

Of course, they left them alone. It was quite a good spectacle in its own way.

 

Anyway, as a result of such incidents, Kalian and Plants simply agreed to sleep with their windows unlocked. Proper communication through Arsene had become impossible.

 

“What brings you here at such an early hour?”

 

“I think the Count is coming back.”

 

“Are you saying that Count Gray Beurisen is coming to Cyriesus again?”

 

“Yes.”

 

[He must still be sore from the beatings.] With this thought, Kalian chuckled.

 

“That’s strange. The Marquis wouldn’t have called for the Count’s presence.”

 

Gray was no longer a Sword Master.

 

Plants knew this fact. Of course, he did not mention who had made it so.

 

In any case, neither Evan nor Randel knew that Gray was no longer a Sword Master. Gray also knew best that the moment the loss of his Sword Master status was discovered, his head would fall, so he would have tried his best to hide it somehow.

 

“The Marquis won’t sense Aura from the Count, so if they meet, he’ll think the Count has grown stronger than him. He won’t think it’s because the Aura had disappeared. So, there’s no reason to recklessly call the Count to the Capital. Besides, there’s no reason for him to covet the troops within the Count’s territory.”

 

“The Marquis also seemed surprised when he heard the information.”

 

“In that case.”

 

Kalian paused briefly and pointed upward with his finger.

 

He was asking if it was Randel who had called Gray.

 

“Probably.”

 

Plants nodded.

 

Kalian did not know what the Priest Malcom Chetish, whom he had met in Latran County, had done to Gray. He had only heard through information relayed by Euria that Gray was somehow walking. However, he knew well that since Aura does not accumulate again in a destroyed Dantian, there was no possibility of Gray recovering his skills back to its peak.

 

“Why would he call him? Why would he agree to come…”

 

[Thirty Priests… Gray… and Randel…]

 

As Kalian’s face deepened in thought, unable to see the connection, an interested smile spread across his face.

 

“You’ve given me an interesting puzzle, older brother.”

 

He liked it when the problem was difficult. He did not mind the glance from his other brother, who was looking at him as if to say, ‘why in the world is there such a madman here?’

 

* * *

 

The eyes of the Knight watching ahead furrowed.

 

Soon, he looked at the company following behind and said.

 

“Just a moment.”

 

At those words, those who were heading to Cyriesus along the royal road pulled on their horses’ reins. Since there was no one in the company with eyesight as good as that Knight, everyone had puzzled faces.

 

Soon the Knight turned his horse’s head and approached the person in the middle of the company. Then, he said to him, who turned his head as if to ask what was going on.

 

“In the distance ahead, there appear to be people who look like Priests from Tansyll.”

 

Kyrie was not the only one who had noticed the increased congratulatory envoy from Tansyll, which was very different from usual.

 

All royal roads eventually lead to Cyriesus, so even if they started from different places, they would inevitably meet on the same road. Since this was by no means unusual, the person who heard the Knight’s words said.

 

“If we meet them, we can just greet them.”

 

A nonchalant comment.

 

Tansyll and their party were well known enemies. Yet he was saying he would just greet them.

 

However, the Knight, who had faced such behavior for more than a day or two, explained again without saying anything particular about it:

 

“There appear to be ‘many’ people who look like Priests. Thirty of them in fact.”

 

The person who heard these words, which were implying for him to ‘not be stubborn’, smiled a little.

 

“I think it would be wise to spend a day nearby and then proceed.”

 

“Alright. Though we are almost there, what a shame.”

 

The Knight, who finally bowed his head, withdrew.

 

Soon, the voice of the Knight issuing instructions to find a suitable territory for the company to stay in was heard.

 

The person watching this scene opened his mouth with a low voice.

 

“Thirty Priests, huh?”

 

Under the white hood pulled down deeply, red lips drew a long arc.