Chapter 125, If Such a Day Comes (4)

Translator: Hedge

Editor: Lizzz

 

Arsene, who had come to find Kalian, returned. After all, Kalian was put into a dreamless slumber by Allan.

 

*Meow.*

 

A cat with a plump belly, ‘I am Prince Kalian’s cat, who likes Prince Plants more’, squeezed through the gap of the closed door, whining, and came in. Then it jumped up onto Plants’ lap as he sat in front of the table.

 

Hina, who was watching from the side, spoke.

 

‘I’ll take care of it.’

 

The cat, curled up in a round ball and meowing contentedly, stayed perfectly still as if it was going to sleep. The cat’s warm body heat was transmitted to him.

 

“Leave it.”

 

Plants, who answered with a short shake of his head, picked up his salad with an expressionless face.

 

At this moment, Hina was persistently making Plants eat. Though he was stubbornly only picking at the salad, Plants’ attendant Rerik, who was standing with Hina, was at least satisfied with that much. It was better than not touching his meal at all.

 

Plants, who was obviously showing that he was eating reluctantly, looked at Hina and opened his mouth.

 

“Why aren’t you leaving?”

 

It was understandable that Rerik was standing there since he always did, but Plants was asking why Hina, who was not even his maid, was standing there.

 

Kalian should be sleeping soundly, and there was nothing to do at this time. So Hina made a face as if to say not to worry and answered.

 

‘I want to see you, finish eating, before I go.’

 

Plants made an annoyed face, understanding somewhat if not completely what those words meant.

 

“I don’t like meddling.”

 

‘It’s not meddling, it’s worrying.’

 

Hina immediately answered like this, and Plants pretended not to understand. He did not feel the need to respond any differently.

 

Whether she noticed this or not, Hina smiled brightly.

 

Originally, only Kalian and Allan did not find Plants intimidating. Even Randel tried not to talk to Plants if possible.

 

But now there were two more.

 

Arsene, and Hina. If one includes the cat, that makes three.

 

[Are they not all people who increased because of that younger brother of mine?]

 

When his thoughts reached that point, Plants let out a low sigh. Then, as if he had no choice, he reached for the salad plate again.

 

The lengthened afternoon sunlight came in long through the window, reflecting off the table.

 

Rerik, who had been completely excluded from their conversation and was looking out the window while thinking he should really learn sign language from Ian, opened his mouth.

 

“I’ll lower the curtains for you, Your Highness.”

 

At these words, Hina frowned slightly and held Rerik’s arm while shaking her head. Rerik, who did not understand the reason for her gesture suggesting to leave it alone, had a puzzled expression when an answer came from Plants’ direction.

 

“Don’t touch it.”

 

A much more stern word than ‘leave it,’ ‘let it be,’ or ‘just leave it.’

 

After that, Plants sat still for a while with his hands stopped.

 

*Clank!*

 

And finally, he put down the fork and knife he was holding and stood up from his seat. When the lap that had been serving as a cushion moved, the startled cat came down to the floor.

 

“Get out.”

 

Plants, who said this, turned his back and walked toward the bedroom.

 

Rerik, surprised by the sudden change in attitude, was looking at the plate that was not even half empty when Hina, who was standing with him, pointed somewhere outside the window with her finger.

 

With a face that said, ‘Why are you so thoughtless?’

 

[Ah…]

 

Only after seeing where her fingertip pointed and Hina’s face did Rerik realize that the curtains in that direction had never once been lowered. He then made a face of self-reproach.

 

He had thought presumptuously.

 

Time had passed, and since Plants was not showing it, he presumed, no, even forgot that maybe it would be fine now.

 

However, despite not showing, not even with the passage of time, certain matters were still not easy to overcome.

 

The sound of the cat following Plants with a *meow*, begging to be held, could be heard.

 

\* * *

 

Allan, who liked sweet things, preferred strong coffee without sugar.

 

If Kalian had known this, he would have thought it quite unexpected. But since Allan never drank coffee in front of Kalian, Kalian would never have a chance to know Allan’s coffee preferences.

 

“I didn’t know Lord Manasil drank such bitter coffee.”

 

Instead, Chase said this.

 

When Allan first met him, Allan had offered coffee, but that day they were too busy talking about Kalian to drink it, so this was the first time he was saying this.

 

“It’s become a habit.”

 

Allan just answered like this, and Chase quietly nodded.

 

“So, what brings you here this time?”

 

“I came because there’s something I need to tell His Majesty, the King of Cyries, in advance.”

 

Chase, who had a thoughtful expression for a moment, told Allan about the conversation Plants had when he came to visit.

 

“You’re saying Valkan’s Deputy Commander stepped forward and spilled classified information one after another. That’s truly something worthy of Prince Plants.”

 

Allan, who was Valkan’s Commander, said this and laughed briefly before continuing.

 

“Yes. I had the same thought. If Secritia can’t protect itself, all of that burden will fall on Prince Kalian, so he must have been worried about that.”

 

Allan was recalling how Kalian had recently called him ‘Count Manasil’ and told him to follow Chase.

 

“If Your Highness hadn’t stepped forward saying he would help Prince Kalian and gone out alone, if he had just taken Lord Kastrin and gone to find the spy, I would have followed Prince Kalian as planned.”

 

“Yes. I think that’s what would have happened.”

 

Wasn’t Kalian someone who thought it was okay to be a burden only to Allan? So, if he had gone with Allan, Kalian would have stood within Allan’s shield without lifting a finger. Then, he wouldn’t have overexerted himself and collapsed again.

 

“Of course, I don’t misunderstand the reason Your Highness did such a thing, but certainly this time your worry was excessive.”

 

He understood.

 

Allan also knew well the miserable feeling of watching one’s own blood die before one’s eyes.

 

Of course, Plants too.

 

“Because he guessed that reason, Prince Plants stepped forward even more. Even if the same thing happens again, both Prince Kalian and Your Highness are people who would make reckless choices again.”

 

That was why Plants went to find Chase.

 

“He probably meant to say that since I am already enough, at least create a situation where Prince Kalian can take care of himself.”

 

Chase nodded and opened his mouth.

 

“I understand. So I also answered that I would do the same. I decided to have enough power, to not be weak, though not in the same way as Valkan.”

 

“You did well.”

 

“But, I was concerned that when a similar army is created in Secritia, Cyries might suspect its purpose, so I came.”

 

“His Majesty won’t have other worries about that, so please be at ease.”

 

At least as long as Allan led Valkan, no matter how strong an army Chase created, it would not be able to beat Valkan. Moreover, the cow-like Rmain was not the kind of person to worry about or rashly suspect Chase’s intentions.

 

Since the purpose of Chase’s visit had been resolved, Allan, who had been silent for a moment, spoke quietly.

 

“However, there’s one thing I’m curious about regarding Your Highness.”

 

“Yes. What are you curious about?”

 

“I’d like to know the reason why Prince Kalian in the past gave up the throne. Could you possibly tell me about it?”

 

“The reason…”

 

“Prince Kalian said he gave up the throne because he thought Your Highness would become the better ruler. He said he gave it up even going so far as to receive a Knight’s title from Your Highness for that purpose.”

 

“Yes. That’s right. He gave that reason.”

 

Allan nodded and stared at Chase.

 

“If that’s all there was to it, it would truly be incomprehensible. Not the Prince’s intention, but it’s difficult to understand Your Highness’s intention in moving according to his will like that. Looking at Your Highness now, it seems you would absolutely not agree to your little brother taking up a sword.”

 

It was not something difficult to tell.

 

It was not a difficult matter, but a painful one.

 

“He persuaded me that it was the only way.”

 

Chase, who was reviewing his memories as if recalling old events, quietly lowered his eyes. His equally lowered voice flowed out quietly.

 

Nobles supported Bern.

 

Bern was the Queen’s son, and Chase was not.

 

Therefore, Bern at that time, unlike now, did not reveal his talents. Except for swordsmanship, he always stood behind Chase and always saved his words. He did not step forward alone in front of others. This was so that Chase could shine. Furthermore, from what Chase recalled, he always did that.

 

“If I hadn’t ascended to the Crown Prince position. The Nobles of Secritia wouldn’t want to leave any embers behind.”

 

The Nobles of Secritia had the same thoughts as Debeullan, who had thrown Bern into the sea to test Chase’s intentions.

 

If Bern ascended to the throne, they would suspect whether Chase, who was superior to Bern in many ways, would truly harbor no other intentions. They would try to cut off his lifeline, since he would become a seed of suspicion.

 

“You’re saying he gave up the throne to save Your Highness.”

 

“It would be more accurate to say he gave it up so both could live, but if he believed that even if he died, it was the only way for me to live, he would have made the same choice. Without hesitation.”

 

Allan rubbed his temples.

 

“Then it is the same thing this time.”

 

Kalian had said he would ascend to the Crown Prince position because he needed power to respond to future events. Now, Allan had doubts about such words from Kalian.

 

Wouldn’t becoming the Crown Prince create restrictions on his actions even if it gave him power?

 

Initially, his relationship with Plants was terrible, but not now. Therefore, if he could maintain a friendly relationship with Plants, it would be better to resolve only the matter with Randel, then put Plants in the Crown Prince position and leave the Capital to gain his own power. With Plants’ personality, he would not bother to keep Kalian in check.

 

“I found it strange that he insisted on taking the Crown Prince position. I wondered why he was trying to get that position when he holds no greed for it, and now I understand after hearing Your Highness’s words.”

 

Unlike Bern, Kalian did not need to hide.

 

He stepped forward himself, distinguished himself, and shone. He received attention and favorable reviews. Like Chase.

 

If such a Kalian gave up the Crown Prince position, and Plants took that place.

 

Thinking about whether the extraordinary Kalian in many ways might harbor other intentions after distancing himself from the throne, the situation would not be different between Secritia and Cyries. However, the difference is that unlike Chase, assassinating Kalian would never be easy.

 

In that case, the situation could easily be reversed.

 

Forces supporting Kalian might target Plants’ life, who would be in the Crown Prince position. Adding to that, since Plants also did not want the throne, he decided to stand in that position himself.

 

It was to save Plants.

 

The clever Plants, who easily deduced this, thus step forward to help Kalian.

 

“What a tearful brotherly love this is.”

 

Allan said this and downed his coffee in one gulp.

 

These were not words meant as praise though.

 

* * *

 

He spent a full day sleeping.

 

Kalian, who chuckled at how dates seemed to change so quickly whenever he closed and opened his eyes, hurriedly washed and changed clothes. It was because of his desire to quickly do the things he could not do the day before.

 

“Please call Lord Hertz.”

 

Ian, who saw Kalian saying this, quietly looked at Kyrie.

 

‘If he says he wants to work again as soon as he opens his eyes, just knock him out.’

 

Ian had said this to Kyrie before Kalian woke up. And Kyrie firmly shook his head.

 

Whether he wanted to or not, wasn’t it an impossible task to begin with, no?

 

In Ian’s eyes, the Prince would collapse at the slightest touch, but if he carelessly touched him and Kalian unconsciously counterattacked, Kyrie’s arm might get cut off.

 

“Don’t think strange thoughts.”

 

Kalian, who saw the fighting spirit clearly shown on Ian’s face, said this with a wary expression. Then, Ian opened his mouth with a grumbling tone.

 

“I’ve prepared your meal, so eat first.”

 

Since he had slept all day and his stomach was empty, Kalian obediently sat down as Ian instructed and picked up his fork and knife.

 

Kalian was different from Plants.

 

He never skipped meals. After all, wasn’t food the best medicine?

 

Therefore, Ian, watching Kalian eat his food very diligently, said.

 

“Still, I’m relieved. Rerik is very worried since Prince Plants often skips meals.”

 

“Is he still not eating?”

 

He knew Plants had not been eating well since Sillike’s incident, but he did not know he was still doing that.

 

Kalian momentarily lifted his head to look out the window.

 

Except for the height difference due to floor levels, the position of the table was the same in both Kalian’s room and Plants’ room. And there was something very visible from that place.

 

Heisia Palace.

 

The place where Sillike had stayed.

 

Due to its unusually high roof, it was visible all the way here despite being behind Arpia Palace, which was Rmain’s workspace.

 

“It would be strange if food went down while looking at that.”

 

Kalian, who knew very well why that guy was not eating, nodded and muttered. Then he put down his fork and knife and briefly pondered while moving his fingers.

 

It was whether he could take responsibility for what he was thinking…

 

Soon finishing his thoughts, Kalian spoke to Ian.

 

“Tell Lord Hertz to do just one thing on his way here.”

 

“Yes. What should I tell him to do?”

 

Kalian smiled deeply.

 

And he pointed to Heisia Palace outside the window.

 

“Tell him to blow that roof off.”

 

Since he was living confined anyway, couldn’t he just stay confined a little more?

 

[My older brother should eat his meals on time.]