Chapter 126, If Such a Day Comes (5)

Translator: Hedge

Editor: Lizzz

 

Kalian is also human.

 

Therefore, he also gets hurt.

 

For example, when such an expression appeared on the face of the attendant who had been cherishing him, treating him preciously like ‘oh dear, oh dear, our flower-like Prince might fly away if the wind blows or crumble if lightly touched’.

 

‘I just heard some dog barking somewhere.’ No matter how much Kalian had been hearing from Plants that he barks every other day, the expression on Ian’s face was something that could truly cut into one’s bones.

 

Regardless.

 

Ian, who had reflected once more on Kalian’s words to blow up the roof of Heisia Palace, spoke with a face that was half mixed between Siroian, the eldest son of the Ducal Family, and Ian the attendant.

 

“Please finish your meal.”

 

It was basically telling him to shut up and just eat.

 

Kalian, who was good at breaking things but not good at lies and empty words, chuckled softly. Then, he opened his mouth again.

 

“Kyrie.”

 

“Yes, Your Highness.”

 

“You go.”

 

Ian frowned.

 

He could tell what Kyrie would answer without even listening.

 

“Yes.”

 

Like this.

 

Kyrie was exactly the kind of person who would give such a plain answer and carry it out even if Kalian told him to ‘go before His Majesty the King and draw your sword’. In comparison, conveying the message to Arsene about removing just one roof would not be a difficult task at all.

 

And one more thing.

 

Arsene, who would receive Kalian’s words without any addition or subtraction, was the type of person who would casually stop by Heisia Palace on his way here and lightly toss a fireball with a light heart. He was truly like that.

 

But was this not a combination of a loyal lackey and a crazy lackey?

 

“Wait, wait a moment.”

 

Ian, who among them was at least living as if there were a tomorrow, hurriedly blocked Kyrie’s path and spoke toward Kalian.

 

“Your Highness. That isn’t something to just destroy on a whim. Lord Hertz will die. You won’t get away unscathed either.”

 

At those words, Kalian smiled briefly and answered.

 

“It’s fine.”

 

Then he gestured to Kyrie with his eyes.

 

It meant to go quickly, so Kyrie leaned his sword against the wall and went outside to call Arsene.

 

“You don’t need to worry.”

 

“But, Your Highness.”

 

“It’s fine, so go and tell Hina to come.”

 

Ian, whose face had become almost tearful, tried to say something more, but Kalian cut him off with a bright smile.

 

“Originally, at my age, you grow up making some accidents and such.”

 

[I’ll take responsibility and His Majesty will clean up the aftermath. What’s the big deal?]

 

* * *

 

Dmirea’s brow furrowed.

 

Originally, it was Dmirea’s mother, Seri, who managed the Siegfried mansion in Cyriesus.

 

But Seri had gone to Siegfried Territory with Sleiman. Thanks to that, she had ended up taking on the mansion work, which she had never expected.

 

Still, that much was fine.

 

It was natural, after all.

 

“How many times is this?”

 

Toward Dmirea, who asked in a considerably subdued voice while temporarily closing the book she was reading, the head butler standing in front answered calmly.

 

“This is the eighth time.”

 

On the tray that the head butler was holding lay a single letter. Of course, it was from the Marquis, Evan Beurisen.

 

It would certainly contain demands for a proper apology regarding the dishonor brought to Beurisen in regard to the matter of Kalian and Plants.

 

“Should I have this one incinerated as well?”

 

To the cautious question, Dmirea shook her head and extended her palm. The head butler quickly handed over the letter.

 

*Rustle!*

 

It was two letters.

 

Dmirea, who quickly skimmed through the contents roughly, returned the letters.

 

“How should I handle this?”

 

“Was there anything that Prince Plants damaged or broke in this mansion?”

 

“Nothing, Lesser Duchess. Not only Prince Kalian but Prince Plants as well hardly came out and stayed in their rooms the entire time.”

 

There could not have been anything damaged by someone who stayed holed up in their room without even coming out. Dmirea nodded briefly and looked at the head butler.

 

“Then compensation is settled, so reply that if he doesn’t keep his mouth shut, we’ll bill Prince Plants for lodging and meal expenses.”

 

“Lodging and meal expenses?”

 

“Yes. If we change the situation so that we did not forcibly detain Prince Plants but that Prince Plants stayed because he wanted to, it should quieten down.”

 

When Dmirea billed for lodging and meal expenses, Plants will pay the cost without much complaint, and at that moment, the incident becomes a voluntary visit rather than detention. There would be no reason to charge lodging and meal expenses to someone who was truly being detained, nor would someone who had been detained pay such charges.

 

Anyway, the purpose for which Kalian had to hide in this mansion had already been achieved. So, there was no need to continue bearing the stigma of ‘detaining’ Plants at Siegfried. Therefore, Dmirea, who had told them to threaten Plants with billing for food and lodging expenses, spoke in a leisurely voice.

 

“Since we’ve become famous, shall we properly make a name for ourselves?”

 

People did not know that Kalian had been at the Siegfried mansion. All they knew was that Plants had secretly come on his own in the middle of the night to the mansion where the Lesser Duchess was ‘alone’ and stayed for a week. But the Lesser Duchess of the Ducal Family was rumored to be Kalian’s fiancée.

 

The Second Prince, Third Prince, and Lesser Duchess.

 

All three were clearly adults, so how much more interesting stories would the talkative Nobles create when they saw the situation involving these three?

 

“But wouldn’t that cause harm to you, Lesser Duchess?”

 

“No matter how severe the scandal, my position won’t disappear, and the Ducal Family won’t vanish either. The Marquis can judge well who would suffer more loss.”

 

No matter what scandal arose, clearly, only Plants would suffer losses.

 

“Yes, Lesser Duchess. I’ll reply immediately as you instructed.”

 

The head butler answered with an unconsciously amused voice, then left Dmirea’s study with much lighter steps.

 

Dmirea began reading the book she had set aside again, as if nothing had happened.

 

* * *

 

There was a cat nestled in Hina’s arms.

 

Kalian took the now quite hefty-looking creature from Hina and held it. Hina would not be able to use sign language while holding the cat.

 

Kalian, who had seated Hina on the opposite sofa, opened his mouth.

 

“Hina. I have something to ask you.”

 

Hina nodded, and Kalian spoke while gently stroking the cat that was making small meowing sounds.

 

“If you could work at Valkan, would you want to?”

 

At the unexpected words, Hina’s eyes widened.

 

After all, was Valkan not a Mage Order?

 

The only non-Mage there was Plants, whose ability, specialty, and skill was being a Prince.

 

So Hina, who had been thinking about the meaning of Kalian’s words for a moment, made an ‘Ah!’ lip shape as if she had realized something, then moved her hands.

 

‘Are they short on maids there?’

 

Kalian let out a short laugh. Then he answered with a quite gentle expression.

 

“You think I’d send you to clean other buildings?”

 

‘Then, is it because of healing?’

 

“Yes. I haven’t talked about it specifically, but I think older brother will probably have the Caera and Roan Knight Orders join Valkan.”

 

Plants had not spoken of his specific intentions. Kalian just knew that this was the most peaceful way for the current Plants to get his hands on the two Knight Orders.

 

Valkan would be formed with Commander Allan Manasil as the central figure, Arsene handling the Mage Order, and Plants handling the Knight Orders.

 

“If that happens, the training methods will change too. When Mages and Knights train together, injuries will naturally increase, so it would be good to have a healer.”

 

Of course, to some extent it was justification and an excuse.

 

He could not keep using Hina, who possessed such precious abilities, as a maid forever.

 

Although Hina had worked as a maid without much complaint so far, he wondered if she might want to do other work, so he had brought up the topic. Of course, that would only be if Hina agreed to it.

 

‘I’ll do it.’

 

Hina immediately nodded and said this, and Kalian shook his head with a slightly smiling face.

 

“You seem to be answering without much thought, Hina. Valkan is an army. Right now, it’s peaceful within the Royal Palace, but later, depending on circumstances, you might have to follow them into the battlefield.”

 

‘I know.’

 

Kalian, who had been gazing at Hina’s black eyes as she answered thus, let a quiet voice flow from his lips.

 

“Hina. I’m not ordering you, I’m asking if you want to do it. So don’t say you’ll do it because of me.”

 

Hina’s eyes became round again.

 

That was understandable since until now, Kalian had never particularly asked anyone’s opinion when assigning work. Only when dealing with Kyrie and Hina did he ask, ‘if they would’ or ‘if they could.’

 

“Think deeply and decide. Talk to Kyrie about it too. I’m telling you this to let you know there are other things you can do within the Royal Palace, so the choice is yours. If you have something else you want to do, you can tell me about that, and if you just like what you’re doing now, that’s fine too.”

 

After hearing that much, Hina smiled brightly and answered.

 

‘Yes. I’ll do that. Kind Prince.’

 

When Kalian nodded, the cat somehow knew the conversation was over and started meowing again.

 

‘I am Prince Kalian’s cat, who likes Prince Plants more.’

 

Suddenly, the long name engraved on the collar caught his eye.

 

Kalian, who had been staring down at it quietly, opened his mouth.

 

“Change this.”

 

‘Are you displeased? Did I write it too playfully?’

 

“No. It’s not that I don’t like it.”

 

Kalian continued with an expression that said not to misunderstand.

 

“Just put older brother’s name. Remove my name.”

 

A cat that really likes Plants more. So, wouldn’t Plants be the cat’s real owner to anyone who saw it?

 

Hina did not immediately answer Kalian’s words.

 

And after gazing at Kalian’s red eyes for a moment, she moved her hands very slowly.

 

‘I don’t want to.’

 

Kalian smiled quietly.

 

* * *

 

And Arsene was.

 

“Thank you.”

 

Excited.

 

As soon as he heard Kyrie’s message, Arsene answered in a very calm voice. That voice did not sound excited at all, but Arsene was definitely excited.

 

Therefore, to Kyrie’s ears, Arsene’s response did not sound like ‘gratitude for the trouble of coming here to convey Kalian’s message.’ It only felt like gratitude for informing him that an opportunity to rampage after a long time had come.

 

Anyway, since Kyrie had conveyed what he was supposed to say, he immediately left. Since it was something Arsene would carry out and Kalian would take responsibility for, this was something he should not be involved in.

 

After Kyrie left, Arsene went down to the training ground with quick steps. Then he spoke to the Valkan Mages who were taking a brief rest.

 

“We’ll conduct combat training. Everyone, follow me.”

 

The Mages who heard this stood up with bewildered faces. [What sudden combat training? Is Plants here? Whenever he’s here, it’s real combat, no different from Hell.]

 

However, since it was difficult to voice such thoughts, they simply followed Arsene outside the Wilhelm Hall training ground as instructed.

 

Wilhelm Hall was very close to Heisia Palace.

 

If only the roof of Heisia was visible from Chermil Palace, from here the entire building could be seen. The only thing blocking the middle was just a few street trees.

 

Arsene, who stood facing that very Heisia Palace, erected an ice barrier between himself and Heisia Palace, then spoke.

 

“Target.”

 

Except for being outdoors, it was no different from usual. Arsene had always erected ice barriers like this before conducting fireball practice.

 

Therefore, the Mages nodded, and Arsene raised his index finger and opened his mouth.

 

“Just one shot.”

 

Arsene’s finger pointed toward the ice barrier.

 

“Squeeze out all the Magic Power you have and don’t have, and fire just one shot all at once. If that barrier breaks, we’ll end today’s training here and I’ll buy you a drink.”

 

There was no need to ask.

 

Had that very Kalian not thought so before? Why were Mages so warlike? And that Valkan was more warlike than ordinary Mages.

 

Their eyes were already burning.

 

“I’ll shoot when I count to three.”

 

In front of Arsene who said this, a bright red fireball was generated. And it began to enormously expand in size.

 

It was incomparably larger than the fireball that had blown away Gray’s carriage that day, so huge that it made one doubt whether ice was really Arsene’s main element.

 

Fireballs also rose simultaneously in front of the Mages who saw it.

 

“One.”

 

The Mages’ concentration was tremendous.

 

They failed to realize that Arsene was currently creating a fireball while maintaining the ice barrier.

 

“Two.”

 

Fire and ice.

 

They didn’t even think about how difficult it was to operate two completely opposing Elements together.

 

Or how weak the ice barrier that was barely created would be.

 

“Three.”

 

Naturally, they did not think about it.

 

*Craaack!*

 

The ice barrier shattered and disappeared before the first fireball even touched it. Fifty-one massive fireballs flew out with no barrier left to stop them. It was truly a spectacular sight.

 

And at the end of the direction they flew, there was a lonely building where no one was present anymore.

 

*BOOOOOOM!*

 

The earth shook and the surrounding trees swayed.

 

Allan’s desk vibrated.

 

The windows of Chermil Palace rattled.

 

The explosion reached Dmirea’s ears.

 

After the firestorm and thick dust cleared.

 

Arsene, who confirmed the result of what he had just done, muttered.

 

“Oops.”

 

Kalian had told him to destroy the roof, and Arsene had destroyed the roof too.

 

“I failed to calculate that the barrier wouldn’t hold.”

 

It was strictly an accident due to a mistake during training.

 

* * *

 

Some time passed.

 

Rmain, who had received the full account from Allan, answered that he wanted to be alone for a moment.