Chapter 127, If Such a Day Comes (6)

Translator: Hedge

Editor: Lizzz

 

That’s right.

 

There isn’t a single intact person anywhere in the Royal Palace.

 

What could have made him feel so wronged that he became like that?

 

* * *

 

*Drip drip drip…*

 

Drops of blood kept falling onto the table.

 

That was where his memory begins.

 

He could not remember what had caused such a thing to happen.

 

Only that the day had been an early morning.

 

That Plants had gotten angry as he always did, but a little more severely than usual, and eventually could not hold back and threw a knife. That Kalian had probably caught that knife with ‘his’ hand.

 

Drops of blood. And the words given to Plants.

 

[It’s fine.]

 

That was Randel’s first memory of Kalian.

 

He could not remember what Kalian had been like before that.

 

The Kalian from before had lived like a shadow. ‘He’ had been suppressed, did not speak, and did not raise ‘his’ head. Having no memory of such a Kalian was extremely natural and obvious for Randel. It might be a ridiculous story, but it was because Randel truly resembled Rmain.

 

There was no need to explain. It should be known that Rmain’s indifference was simply horrendous. The fact that there were reasons that need not be explained did not eliminate how horrendous it was.

 

What Randel, who had spent the longest time alone in flawless indifference, had seen and learned from Rmain, who had seemed merely cold to young Randel’s eyes, could be understood without him needing to say.

 

‘The roses will bloom soon.’

 

So ‘it’ did.

 

That ‘he’ would come and speak like this, which was somewhat unfamiliar and somewhat curious.

 

So, Randel continued.

 

He came to think of wanting to watch.

 

Whether he would be of help. Or the opposite. Until he could gauge…

 

‘I’ll go to Camilon and raise dogs.’

 

‘He’ said.

 

Toward Randel, who had no emotions left whatsoever, revealing killing intent and anger without any thought of hiding them, as if ‘he’ would break Randel’s neck at any moment.

 

*Tsk.*

 

Because thoughts about Kalian arose once again, Randel, who had been looking out the window for a moment, got up from his seat and closed the window.

 

The remnants of the past, broken by flames that flew without obstruction.

 

So that the acrid smoke it sent would not enter the room.

 

* * *

 

He could not buy alcohol.

 

“Commander Manasil is looking for you.”

 

Instead, he was summoned.

 

Surprisingly, he was not arrested.

 

A servant who took care of miscellaneous tasks at Wilhelm Hall approached and said this, and Arsene nodded obediently as he headed to Allan’s office.

 

Allan would have already felt that numerous Mana had moved abnormally. Nevertheless, the reason he had deliberately left it alone was because he somewhat believed that Arsene would not do anything reckless. Of course, Arsene had completely shattered that trust.

 

Therefore, it was obvious he would ask what on earth he had been thinking to pull such a stunt. Because of this, Arsene knocked on the office door with a thoughtless expression.

 

*Knock knock.*

 

“Come in.”

 

When he slowly opened the door and entered, he could see Allan standing with his back to the door, facing the window. Through the window, the appearance of ruins that had become more fitting to be called ‘the site of the old Heisia Palace’ rather than Heisia Palace was clearly visible.

 

When Sillike had destroyed one floor of Heisia Palace, the great protective barrier Magic Spell had been destroyed with it. So, this scene was now ‘possible.’

 

“… Explain.”

 

Allan, who had not even turned his head to check who had entered, opened his mouth like this. And Arsene explained the whole story in a polite tone.

 

Allan, who had listened to Arsene’s words without any intervention until the end, quietly asked back.

 

“It was an accident that occurred when the barrier you casted broke during training, and you were so surprised that you couldn’t even think of dispersing the Mana. All 51 people couldn’t think of that. Is that correct?”

 

“Yes. That’s correct, Commander.”

 

It was not a lie asking him to believe something he would not believe anyway.

 

Allan would have noticed by now. Who was ‘behind’ this incident.

 

Anyway, Kalian would not hide from Allan that this was something he had planned. And Kalian trusted that Arsene would create suitable excuses to tell Rmain while carrying out the plan.

 

As always, Arsene had caused trouble within the bounds that Kalian could take responsibility for.

 

“… So, 50 Fireballs turned the central pillar of Heisia Palace to powder. One unusually large Fireball flew off to another place for no reason. That one collapsed the roof. So as a result, the building completely collapsed. Is that also correct?”

 

“That’s right.”

 

There was no hesitation in Arsene’s answer.

 

Therefore, Allan let out a deep sigh and asked the final question.

 

“Right. Then what do you intend to do about this matter?”

 

For this, there was an answer he had thought about very clearly.

 

“Please deduct it from my salary.”

 

Arsene, who had answered magnificently, grinned.

 

* * *

 

[Food. Right, food. It’s because of food.]

 

[What kind of crazy bastard would blow up a palace just to feed his brother?]

 

“My older brother couldn’t eat because Heisia Palace was bothering him. Isn’t it a younger brother’s duty to help as much as his ability allows?”

 

He had made the beautiful Heisia Palace, which had been passed down for over 500 years, which Syspanian had directly built and used, into such a state.

 

As Arsene had anticipated, the ridiculous claim that it was a mistake during training would not be believed from the start. Allan knew well what kind of person Arsene was. This was definitely something Kalian had plotted.

 

However, since it was difficult to carelessly mention that Kalian was involved in this matter, he first informed only Rmain exactly as Arsene had told him. And immediately went to Chermil Palace.

 

After that, he went to Kalian and asked for the whole story, and his Disciple, who was so lovely that he might as well bloom from insanity, did not even lie. It would have been better if he had at least given an obvious excuse like Arsene.

 

“So you’re saying it’s correct that you did that because you were worried about Prince Plants’ missing his meals?”

 

[Have I grown so old that my ears have wrinkled?]

 

Toward Allan, who was asking with exactly his thoughts in his expression, Kalian nodded while smiling brightly.

 

“Yes, Master. That’s correct.”

 

[Ah…! Oh Syspanian. I was worried that he only takes care of his brothers without thinking of his own future, but what should I do with this Disciple who is truly lives by burning away at his precious life?]

 

Allan, who was sitting across from Kalian, very firmly pressed on his temples.

 

“Your Highness. Heisia Palace is.”

 

“I know it’s a place where Syspanian lived.”

 

Allan, who abandoned the thought of asking if he could please lie and say he did not know such things, opened his mouth again with a deliberately calm face.

 

“There must be other reasons as well?”

 

Kalian is someone who gives and takes, quite accurately.

 

Of course, there might be another reason, besides worrying for Plants and causing such an incident. After all, Allan did not believe this was enough to make someone destroy a Palace.

 

Fortunately…

 

Kalian nodded. A voice flowed out as if he had spent an extremely ordinary day.

 

“I needed some grounds for discord, and I had to show off too. So…”

 

Allan looked at Kalian without saying anything. Kalian, who had been there with a calm face as if he had no idea what he had just done, just smiled mischievously.

 

“Thanks to you putting me to sleep well, I fell asleep earlier than expected, Master. I couldn’t tell you everything I wanted to say at that time.”

 

He was grumbling about Allan having put him to sleep. Since it was something done for Kalian anyway, Allan just nodded instead of apologizing. And Kalian opened his mouth again.

 

“The plan isn’t complete just yet, but I’ll tell you for now.”

 

“I’ll listen.”

 

Kalian began to speak with his smile erased.

 

“The Royal Knight Order and Valkan will be integrated into one. This is like the foundation stone needed for that.”

 

“You’re saying you are creating grounds for discord, to show off and integrate Valkan?”

 

“Yes, that’s correct.”

 

Kalian’s plan was this.

 

He wanted to avoid a direct confrontation with Beurisen.

 

If Beurisen were absorbed through non-peaceful methods, the power of numerous Nobles who followed Marquis Beurisen would be divided. However, Plants, who was currently in the Royal Palace, was not in a situation to properly manage them right away.

 

Furthermore, had the direction of punishment for Gray Beurisen and Lannen Beurisen not been decided yet? So, outside the Royal Palace, Marquis Beurisen was busy having to maintain his Marquis Family right now.

 

“In the current situation, there’s only one way for my older brother to ‘peacefully’ obtain the Knight Orders within the Royal Palace. That is for Marquis Evan Beurisen to directly hand over command of the two Knight Orders over to him with his own hands.”

 

“You touched Heisia because of that?”

 

“It seemed like my older brother was thinking of obtaining it through some other method. But since it has turned out this way, wouldn’t it be better to advance the timeline?”

 

Although it has no owner now, Heisia was a symbol of power that Beurisen had wielded. Yet Arsene, who was Valkans Deputy Commander, had destroyed it.

 

“I thought that if it were Lord Hertz, he would appropriately create excuses to save face and cause trouble. Lord Hertz is that kind of person. Anyway, if that happens, Lord Hertz won’t be punished, but if not only is Heisia Palace destroyed but there’s also no punishment for Lord Hertz, Marquis Beurisen would certainly be livid.”

 

Evan, who was already grinding his teeth about Kalian’s power, would meet Plants, and Plants just needed to properly coax Evan. ‘I need power to confront the Mages who possess power that cannot be ignored, so give me command of the Knight Orders.’

 

“Since I’ve laid out the board, my older brother, who has eaten a lot and has a full stomach, will handle persuading the Marquis to give him command of the Knight Orders.”

 

In a way, this was why he had just refreshingly cleared away Heisia Palace.

 

For various reasons, all at once.

 

“No matter how bad he feels, would Beurisen readily believe those words?”

 

“If it works, things will progress quickly, which is good, and if it doesn’t work, we can proceed again with the original plan he was thinking of. So, Master doesn’t need to worry anymore.”

 

“… Even so, please don’t destroy such important structures in the future.”

 

“Yes. I’ll try.”

 

Though to Kalian, it was a Palace that was bound to be destroyed anyway.

 

Since he had clearly confirmed even the reason for destroying it, Allan had no energy left to scold further.

 

“Anyway, it’s about time I get tired of watching Marquis Beurisen get deceived. Since he keeps being used like this, I’m starting to feel a bit sorry for him.”

 

Although he said such things, Allan’s face as he spoke showed no trace of sympathy.

 

“It’s fortunate. Whether it’s Viscount Beurisen, the Count, or the Marquis, if even one of the three had been someone capable of thinking like Dmirea, and had properly used their powerful swords, I wouldn’t be here now. I would have died or been locked in a tower long ago.”

 

Kalian smiled slightly as he delivered his answer.

 

“Then are you thinking of giving half of Valkan to Prince Plants, Your Highness?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Half to Arsene, the other half to Plants.

 

Kalian answered that he would give it all away without even thinking about it.

 

* * *

 

Plants stood still.

 

A sound that the word ‘boom’ alone was not sufficient to describe had exploded forth.

 

He turned his head at that sound.

 

*Shake shake shake.*

 

One side of the roof of Heisia Palace, which had always emitted a mysterious light because it had been colored by grinding white opal into powder, had completely disappeared and was swaying precariously.

 

*Rumble…*

 

Not long after, another unstable sound rang out along with the ground vibrating with a rumbling sound. Flames shot up and ashen black smoke mixed with hazy dust spread out, spewing forth yet another ‘boom’ different from before.

 

Still, Plants continued to stand still.

 

A wind carrying hot heat blew.

 

Plants made no sound. Although the acrid smell entered the room through the open window, he watched outside the window without moving.

 

He could not gauge how much time had passed.

 

He only knew that the dust cloud had cleared at some point.

 

After the thick dust cleared, what was visible behind Arpia Palace was the clear blue sky.

 

He kept looking at that sky.

 

He continued standing, watching the clear blue sky turn red with sunset and then grow dark.

 

When complete darkness had settled like that.

 

*Rustle…*

 

The end of the long cardigan Plants was wearing touched the floor.

 

Plants, who had been standing blankly in that spot, slowly sat down and hugged his knees. His light green eyes, which closely resembled Sillike’s, slowly closed.

 

This time too, he could tell.

 

The guilt of being a son who betrayed his own mother.

 

The longing or resentment for maternal love he had never received even once.

 

The deep, deep Reunieri scent that seemed unforgettable.

 

Kalian was asking if it would not be good to break free from all those bonds.

 

“Crazy bastard…”

 

Then, a hot wind blew.