Chapter 97, Older Brother (5)

Translator: Hedge

Editor: Lizzz

 

After a while of silence, Allan’s mouth opened.

 

“Yes. Now it’s time to decide, Your Highness.”

 

Knowing that not responding was the answer at times like this, Kalian quietly waited for Allan’s next words.

 

“Please decide in advance who you will reveal your secret to, Your Highness. There aren’t many left who don’t know, so it shouldn’t be difficult to decide the order.”

 

Kalian was worried, so he hurried to finish his work and come back, only to find that this time he had told his secret to Plants.

 

Of course, Kalian truly did not say much to Plants.

 

He only mentioned that time had gone back and his relationship with Chase. The rest was what Plants had figured out on his own, piecing together Kalian’s actions and previous excuses.

 

“Even if you say that. No matter what, isn’t this just too difficult? Wouldn’t it be easier to just see how many more people would find out instead?”

 

Soon, Allan’s face turned red and blue.

 

He needed to get angry, to reprimand. However, knowing that Kalian had suffered emotionally today because of Chase, he did not have the will to say more.

 

Therefore, Kalian quickly handed over the alcohol that Plants had left earlier. While firmly promising himself that he would absolutely not mention that he had almost been discovered by, or perhaps slightly discovered by, the owner of the Roten Smithy.

 

“Okay okay. But now, there really won’t be any more.”

 

However, even that was not a definite answer.

 

At those words, Allan was so dumbfounded that a short sigh escaped his lips. Along with that, Kalian smiled brightly. He had noticed that his Master’s anger had subsided.

 

Anyway, even though his anger had subsided, his tangled feelings had not unraveled, so Allan poured and drank the alcohol Kalian had handed him by himself. Then, with a surprised expression, he asked.

 

“Is this what Your Highness’s older brother has been drinking all this time?”

 

Since it was not alcohol procured for drinking, but for splashing around, it was quite strong.

 

Anyway, without any particular answer, Kalian just poured more alcohol into Allan’s empty glass. After all, Kalian was someone who might be terrible at keeping his own secrets but was good at keeping others’ secrets.

 

“Won’t you have a drink? Since everything’s been revealed anyway.”

 

“I quit drinking, Master.”

 

At Allan’s words, which still contained some resentment, Kalian smiled and shook his head.

 

* * *

 

The next day, after many people had had a truly turbulent day.

 

The festival commemorating the Cyries Calendar birthday of Rmain, who had caused it all, began.

 

In fact, even for Rmain, the birthday celebration was not particularly different.

 

Drinking red pomegranate juice as soon as he opened his eyes and starting breakfast with food full of red—it was the same. The only difference from Kalian was that he did not receive Raphtania Flowers equal to his age.

 

While Kalian had been taken care of by Merlin, Rmain had not. So, Rmain made a face of disgust when he saw Allan, who had arrived early in the morning with a disgruntled expression, and Grand Chamberlain Raul beside him, holding thirty-nine Raphtania Flowers.

 

“What is that?”

 

To Rmain’s question, Raul answered in a slow but respectful tone.

 

” Your Highness. Count Manasil—”

 

“Throw them away.”

 

Rmain said this without even listening to the end of Raul’s words.

 

Thanks to that, Allan’s face looked like he had eaten an unripe pear, and Raul had a very embarrassed expression.

 

Allan had already anticipated what Rmain would misunderstand. So, he felt wronged.

 

“Please don’t misunderstand.”

 

In this world, there was only one person to whom Allan would buy flowers. Only his granddaughter Veronica, whom he cherished dearly. Why would Allan give flowers to someone like Rmain, who secretly summoned Chase?

 

So naturally, those flowers were not prepared by Allan.

 

“I came along for another reason.”

 

Allan placed the report in his hand on Rmain’s desk, explaining why he had entered Rmain’s room with the flowers. Then, with a very displeased face, he said.

 

“Those flowers were sent by my lovely Disciple, so there’s no need to throw them away; you should just accept them graciously.”

 

Hearing this, Rmain’s eyes turned back to Raul. Raul, who had regained the right to speak, opened his mouth with a slightly faster and respectful tone.

 

“Yes. Count Manasil, Prince Kalian Rain Cyries sent these flowers.”

 

Although Allan’s name was unnecessarily included in that statement, the conclusion was that Kalian had prepared them and sent them through Allan.

 

To be more precise, Kalian, who accepted Ian’s opinion after hearing from Merlin, had Merlin prepare the flowers again, and then delivered them to Rmain through Allan and Raul. But Kalian was not meticulous enough to think of such things on his own.

 

Anyway, he would come to greet Rmain as part of the morning schedule, but it would be difficult for Kalian to carry flowers alone when his other brothers were present, so he sent them in advance.

 

Rmain nodded at that, and Raul carefully placed the flowers on the desk and went outside. Allan, who had been staring at the red flowers, asked about the fundamental cause of this situation.

 

“Do you have no intention of getting married again?”

 

At those words, Rmain revealed an emotion on his face that was difficult to describe. It seemed like a frustrated expression from one perspective, and an angry expression from another.

 

“Stop talking.”

 

Therefore, Allan nodded his head with a smile at the answer that came out like this. It was because he thought Rmain seemed to be troubled.

 

It was understandable because recently, he had been hearing too many suggestions to welcome a new Queen. With three Princes already and Randel soon to be of age to marry, it was annoying to hear such talk.

 

*Knock knock.*

 

At that moment, Raul entered again with a knock.

 

The message followed that the three Princes would now come to offer their birthday congratulations, and Allan went outside while listening to that message.

 

During the events commemorating Rmain’s birthday, Allan planned to have a chat with Chase. This was because Chase, who had said he came to meet Allan, had been busy with other schedules all day yesterday. So, he had not been able to meet with Allan separately.

 

* * *

 

After escaping the Reunieri, now it was roses.

 

Feeling like he would come to dislike all the flowers in the world at this rate, Kalian let out a short sigh as he looked at the rose garden full of buds.

 

He had just glanced out the window without any particular thought, but his mood plummeted.

 

Seeing the roses, he remembered.

 

The person he could not avoid meeting today, Randel.

 

As if sensing that Kalian’s mood was not good, the cat in his arms made a strange meowing sound.

 

*Meeyao!*

 

The ‘I am Prince Kalian’s cat’ was now nestled in Kalian’s arms.

 

That was right.

 

This cat still did not have a name.

 

Although Kalian had immediately named Raven, he had not given the cat a name, and others dare not name Kalian’s cat on their own.

 

Anyway, Hina left the cat, which was only called ‘Prince Kalian’s cat’, with Kalian and went out to support the work at the plaza. And Ian, while taking the cat back from Kalian, said.

 

“You need to go now. We need to get rid of the cat hair.”

 

“Okay.”

 

Kalian, who still had his gaze on the garden, nodded. Afterward, he magically removed the white cat hair that had settled on his Prince’s uniform and went outside. And as always, accompanied by Ian and Kyrie, he went to Arpia Palace. It was because Rmain was already at Arpia Palace, so this year too, he would greet the three Princes there.

 

“I will just have a short conversation and come out.”

 

With those words, Ian and Kyrie, who had sent Kalian to meet with Rmain, stood quietly outside Rmain’s office with the other servants.

 

While Ian was removing cat hair that had stuck to his clothes as well, a sound of heavy footsteps was heard from a distance.

 

Since Rmain and all the Princes were already inside the office, and servants and maids did not make those footsteps, Ian raised his head to see whose footsteps they were and opened his eyes wide.

 

With long blue hair that was recognizable at a glance, it was Chase.

 

Chase, who had come to Allan’s office across from Rmain’s office, stopped briefly. Then, among the servants showing respect to him, he walked toward Kyrie.

 

“You’re the child I saw yesterday. You are under Prince Kalian.”

 

And then, he acknowledged Kyrie.

 

Although it was an unexpected situation, since he had learned from Ian, Kyrie answered politely without panic.

 

“I greet the Crown Prince of Secritia. I do serve Prince Kalian.”

 

Then Chase opened his mouth again with a gentle tone.

 

“I heard your swordsmanship is excellent. I also heard about the incident at that tavern. The birds of Secritia are quite diligent, you see.”

 

“Your Highness.”

 

It meant that he had heard about the gambling den through Secritia’s spies. Shocked, Taillan quickly intervened in Chase’s words.

 

Kyrie laughed inwardly for a moment.

 

Kalian’s tendency to have his secrets easily discovered seemed to take after Chase. Moreover, Chase was mentioning not his own secret, but Secritia’s secret, so Kalian should be considered to be slightly better at keeping secrets.

 

Anyway, Chase, who smiled slightly at Taillan’s panicked intervention, looked at Kyrie again and asked.

 

“Since remembering you like this must be fate, I’d like to know your name.”

 

For a moment, Kyrie hesitated.

 

Ian quickly looked at Kyrie. It was because one should not hesitate when Royalty asks for one’s name. It was the same etiquette, even in Secritia.

 

Fortunately, Chase simply waited for Kyrie to speak without saying anything.

 

“Kyrie, that is my name.”

 

He deliberately did not mention his surname.

 

It was because he thought it would be fine to just say that, since in Secritia, Commoners without surnames also worked in the Royal Palace. But Chase tilted his head and asked again.

 

“Don’t you have a surname?”

 

Kyrie, with his head bowed, tightly closed his eyes.

 

“My surname is… Bern.”

 

Chase’s eyes showed a very brief flash of surprise. But soon Chase, whose face had returned to a smile, nodded and opened his mouth.

 

“Kyrie Bern. So that’s your name.”

 

“Yes. It is.”

 

Despite desperately wanting to get away from Chase, Chase would not let Kyrie go. Ian thought that since Kalian, who was a Sword Master, had brought this child with him, and he was also strong, it made sense for Chase to be interested.

 

“How curious. The surname you have is a very old word that has been passed down in the Royal Family of Secritia. Did you know that?”

 

Kalian had never told what meaning the name Bern held. He had only said it had a good meaning, but had not told its whole story.

 

“I do not know words passed down in the Secritia Royal Family.”

 

The ancient language of the continent that was used much earlier than when the War of the Two Gods occurred. The only place where it was passed down was Secritia. So, it was impossible for Kyrie from Cyries to know of it.

 

Perhaps Chase did not expect Kyrie to know the meaning either, as he opened his mouth again to explain.

 

“Bern. It’s a word that means ‘a hero who will not be forgotten’. It suits you quite well. Even if it has no meaning in Cyries, it has a good meaning behind it, so remember it.”

 

“I will do so. Thank you.”

 

However, in actual fact, Kyrie did not feel that thankful. After all, ‘a hero who will not be forgotten’? If that was what it really meant, was it really such a good thing?

 

* * *

 

Allan could not interrupt the conversation between Chase and Kyrie.

 

He thought it would be fine, so he left it alone, but when he realized that even the name Bern was being mentioned, he belatedly regretted it.

 

In the end, as soon as Kyrie’s ‘thank you’ was finished, Allan opened the office door and hurriedly called Chase.

 

“The atmosphere outside is so warm and friendly that I feel lonely listening alone. Please quickly come in.”

 

At those words, Chase turned his head, gave a brief greeting to Kyrie, and then followed Allan inside. It was with all the servants, including Taillan, left outside.

 

After the door closed, Chase, who sat across from Allan, gave a belated response.

 

“I was late because I was having a short conversation. I am happy to hear that word here.”

 

“Yes. I was listening.”

 

Soon, Allan picked up a coffee cup, took a sip, and put it down.

 

It was because he felt a burning sensation, perhaps due to the alcohol he drank the day before.

 

“You still like coffee, Lord Manasil.”

 

Since Allan was a Baron in Secritia and a Count in Cyries, it seemed Chase had decided to just add a ubiquitous honorific after considering what to call him.

 

“With so much work, I feel anxious without it now.”

 

“I understand. The anxiety when something that was always there is gone.”

 

Chase, who said that while nodding, looked at Allan’s coffee cup for a moment.

 

When the steam rising from the coffee had dissipated about three or four times, Chase opened his mouth again.

 

“But I also feel anxious when something that was never there appears.”

 

Allan, who found it difficult to gauge the meaning of those words, looked at Chase.

 

“I had forgotten what I shouldn’t forget. I truly have.”

 

Chase, who had come all the way to this distant foreign country to say those words, that memories he had always forgotten had resurfaced, looked at Allan.