Chapter 98, Older Brother (6)

Translator: Hedge

Editor: Lizzz

 

After exchanging perfunctory birthday congratulations and formal thank-yous, Rmain spoke first to his three sons. But his content was different from the time they had shared dinner long ago.

 

“Kalian. I heard that you left the Royal Palace yesterday, though it wasn’t your usual day for going out. I allowed you to go outside the palace because I know you can protect yourself, but it seems to be happening too frequently.”

 

He said this with the expression of an ordinary father.

 

“And Plants. Lord Hertz is a person of exceptional skill. Should I really be hearing reports of daily quarrels between you two?”

 

He also expressed his concerns to Plants, who kept fighting with Arsene.

 

In other words, amazingly, Rmain had begun to nag. It seemed that after hearing Allan’s nagging so much, he had started nagging himself.

 

Because of the incongruity of a country’s King nagging his sons in front of him, Kalian momentarily forgot about Chase and struggled to hold back his laughter.

 

Whether or not he knew this, Rmain opened his mouth again. This time it was directed at Randel.

 

“Let’s go for a walk together soon. The roses should soon abundantly bloom.”

 

“I understand, Your Majesty.”

 

Of all things, he mentioned roses.

 

Randel answered simply without showing any particular reaction.

 

After that conversation ended and everyone stood up to leave, Rmain suddenly opened his mouth as if he had remembered something.

 

“Plants. Wait a moment. I forgot something I needed to tell you.”

 

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

 

With that, Kalian and Randel left Plants behind and exited the room first.

 

But Kyrie, who had been waiting for Kalian all this time, had a very displeased expression. As Kalian was about to ask what had happened, he heard someone calling him from behind.

 

“Kalian. Let’s go for a walk.”

 

The one who repeated the same words Rmain had said was Randel.

 

* * *

 

‘I had forgotten what I shouldn’t forget. I truly have.’

 

Something Chase should not have forgotten, but did forget.

 

It took two months to find Allan, and then it took him more time to begin speaking about it. Chase spent another long while to choose his words.

 

“I don’t know if you’ll believe this story.”

 

After he spoke in such a deeply subdued voice, so much time had passed that the steam had stopped rising from the coffee cup.

 

“But I thought Lord Manasil would at least listen to me.”

 

“Please speak. I am listening.”

 

Allan nodded, somewhat guessing what words would come out, while Chase kept his gaze fixed on the coffee and started speaking.

 

“Do you remember when I said the Arcus Tempus disappeared?”

 

[As expected, Arcus Tempus was brought up.]

 

“Yes, I remember.”

 

“Last spring, the day it disappeared, I was there at that very place.”

 

He was referring to the day when the deceased Bern opened his eyes in Kalian’s body. Allan waited silently for the next words.

 

Chase touched his head lightly and began to speak.

 

“But from a few months ago, unfamiliar memories began to surface one by one, as if I was dreaming.”

 

He did not add how eerie it felt when memories of events he had not experienced began to engrave themselves in his mind.

 

“It was hard to believe, so at first I thought I had just had a long dream. After feeling that the events in my memories were repeating themselves exactly as how I saw them, I became suspicious. Oh, of course, I thought I was going crazy no small number of times.”

 

Chase’s words contained expressions that were quite rough coming from him. Recalling that time when he was confused alone, Chase let out a weary laugh and continued.

 

“Eventually, I had no choice but to believe. That it was not a simple hallucination or me going crazy. What I was remembering were things I had already experienced before.”

 

As Allan well knew, Chase was a cautious person.

 

Even after witnessing the Arcus Tempus disappear before his eyes and experiencing such changes, it must have taken him a long time to fully believe that his memories were not simple hallucinations.

 

“As if I had seen what is to come.”

 

Allan rubbed his temple.

 

The phenomenon that Bern and Chase described experiencing was different.

 

Chase must not have gone back in time himself. He was merely remembering things that the Arcus Tempus had erased.

 

Whether it was because he was at the place where the Arcus Tempus disappeared, or if there were other reasons, was unknown. What mattered was that Chase recalled memories of events that had already vanished.

 

“From when until when? How much do you remember?”

 

At Allan’s question, Chase’s expression changed a little.

 

Allan was not surprised by Chase’s words. He did not even ask about the events or any examples. He was asking as though everything Chase said was true, and about something he needed to confirm.

 

Chase smiled faintly.

 

“I should have come sooner.”

 

Chase laughed briefly out of the dejection of realizing he did not need to worry about this alone.

 

“As I said, the Arcus Tempus disappeared last spring. The dreams started in winter, and I remember almost everything about past events. As for future events, sometimes I remember some things, sometimes I don’t.”

 

At those words, Allan barely swallowed a question that was about to burst from his throat. It was because he could not bring himself to ask if Chase remembered Bern.

 

Seeing this, Chase opened his mouth.

 

“Because of that, I felt I needed to confirm it with my own eyes.”

 

One thing to celebrate, and one person to meet.

 

That was Chase’s purpose for coming here.

 

“What did you want to confirm?”

 

“Well…”

 

Chase’s words did not continue for a while.

 

It seemed like he was recalling memories he should not have forgotten, so Allan quietly observed him.

 

After a long pause, Chase opened his mouth.

 

“It seemed like my brother was here.”

 

Allan laughed out loud.

 

He laughed because he could neither confirm nor deny it.

 

The Third Prince, who should have been dead, was clearly living and walking a path notably different from Chase’s memories, so how could he not have guessed something?

 

“Did you perhaps try to resurrect Your Highness’s little brother with the Arcus Tempus?”

 

Although Kalian had already said no after hearing from Syspanian, this was a question he would wish to get an answer directly from Chase.

 

“The war started to take it away, and the war was continued in order to protect it. My little brother died to prevent the Arcus Tempus from being used. My thinking isn’t so short-sighted that I would use it to resurrect someone who departed that way.”

 

It was the same answer Syspanian had already given.

 

“I merely protected it until the very end. I did not touch it.”

 

‘But if things had gotten that bad, wouldn’t it have been worth trying to turn it all back?’ Allan barely swallowed such words that were about to come out.

 

Chase smiled gently at Allan’s face, which seemed full of dissatisfaction and frustration. Then, as if suddenly remembering, he changed the subject.

 

“Judging from your reaction when you saw me yesterday, I thought it would be better if he did not know that I have my memories. I would appreciate it if you do not mention what I know.”

 

It was about Kalian again.

 

“I’ve confirmed that he’s doing well, and that’s enough for me.”

 

Unable to find words to respond, Allan simply nodded after a long pause.

 

Confused and surprised by Chase’s sudden revelations, he failed to realize that he had forgotten two things.

 

He forgot the Silent Spell he always used when discussing such matters with Kalian, and he forgot that there was a servant standing quietly outside the door.

 

Therefore, this time too, Kyrie heard everything.

 

* * *

 

Kalian nodded at the suggestion to go for a walk.

 

Kyrie, who was standing in front, looked like he wanted to say something, but Kalian’s business with Randel came first.

 

So, Kalian obediently followed Randel.

 

Since time was tight until the next schedule, they briefly went to the rear garden of Arpia Palace.

 

Randel did not say anything for a long time as they walked.

 

Because of this, Kalian seriously worried if something else had been discovered about him. But no matter how much he thought about it, there was nothing else besides his ability that had already been completely exposed.

 

[Could it be that he found out I’m not actually turning my back on Plants?] But even after that, Randel continued to say nothing.

 

So, thinking that he really just meant to take a walk and return, Kalian could not wait any longer and opened his mouth.

 

“Do you have something to say to me?” His voice clearly conveyed his discomfort.

 

It was difficult to treat Randel with a good attitude, not knowing what schemes he might have and knowing how he had viewed Kalian all this time.

 

“I have something to ask.”

 

“Please speak.”

 

“I’m looking for Lannen Beurisen.”

 

As they were walking side by side, Randel could not see Kalian’s expression. So, Kalian freely furrowed his brow.

 

After thirty Priests and Gray, now, it was Lannen Beurisen.

 

The correlation between the three seemed so lacking that one might wonder if they were all really connected to Randel.

 

“Why are you asking me about him?”

 

“Would I be unaware of how much revenue the Hwiteurin Territory generates? I also know what method you used to remove Lannen Beurisen. So, I naturally wonder if you also know of his whereabouts.”

 

It meant he knew the extent of Kalian’s influence but had just been watching.

 

“… If you knew all that, why did you pretend not to know?”

 

“It wasn’t doing any harm to me, was it?”

 

If left alone, Kalian would take care of Sillike and gradually reduce the Beurisen power, so Randel had no reason to stop him.

 

Anyway, just because Randel already knew the circumstances did not mean Kalian could eagerly answer. If he did, he would have to endure endless nagging from Allan again about being found out. So, Kalian first withdrew.

 

“I don’t know much about Lannen Beurisen’s whereabouts either.”

 

“You don’t need to be so cautious about this. I don’t understand why you’re hiding it.”

 

At those words, Kalian laughed sarcastically.

 

It was truly a meaningless statement.

 

“You say there’s no need to be cautious, but it is you we are talking about, older brother Randel, who made me sharpen my edges like this.”

 

Kalian turned his head to look into Randel’s eyes.

 

Recalling the day he climbed the stairs of Chermil Palace, he said:

 

“Didn’t you think I had crossed the line you had drawn?”

 

Randel did not particularly deny this and said.

 

“The matter of Lannen Beurisen is my personal affair. I just have something to confirm, and it has nothing to do with the positional struggle, so you need not be so sharp.”

 

With Randel’s words, Kalian’s steps momentarily faltered.

 

[Personal? Nothing to do with the positional struggle?]

 

Because of those words, one fact came to mind.

 

Randel had specifically called out Kalian, who had clearly expressed his intention to turn his back on him, to ask about Lannen’s whereabouts. It meant this was important enough to Randel, even if he claimed it had nothing to do with the position of Crown Prince.

 

He still could not understand why Randel had brought in thirty Priests.

 

But he felt like he knew what Randel wanted to confirm by calling for Gray and Lannen.

 

Kalian promptly resumed walking. So, Randel did not notice what he had just made Kalian realize.

 

[Surely not. He can’t be trying to confirm the death of the former Queen Aisha, right?] With that thought, Kalian bit his lip a little.

 

If Randel discovered this matter, war with Tansyll might begin.

 

Of course, that was something that had not happened in Bern’s past.