Chapter 184, My Sword (3)

Translator: Lizzz

Editor: Hedge

 

A gentle floral fragrance emanated from the clear, green-tinted tea.

 

The scent wasn’t luxurious by any means, but it seemed to quietly caress the end notes of the tea’s aroma, or perhaps it bloomed luxuriantly nearby; a flower’s fragrance that lingered for quite some time.

 

Sometimes it brought to mind a solitary flower blooming on a rock, and at other times, it evoked small wildflowers scattered across a field like falling snow. The tea possessed a fragrance that suited Hina remarkably well.

 

‘Have you been well?’

 

Hina asked this while waiting for her teacup to be set down. Along with her words, Luci approached with a meow, rubbing against Dmirea’s feet. Dmirea couldn’t help but smile, grateful she was wearing bright ivory-colored pants.

 

“Always peaceful.”

 

Dmirea answered this way as she gently stroked Luci’s back.

 

Rather than a response to the question about how she’d been, it was more of a reflection on the feeling she always experienced when facing Hina. Though she thought this could serve as an answer, she didn’t bother adding anything more specific to address the question directly.

 

The reason Dmirea found herself with Hina now was because the Knights prepared through Count Aizen Aprin had arrived at Dmirea’s estate yesterday.

 

Originally, this Knight Order was created to replace the Royal Knight Order, and it was the power Plants had intended to give to Kalian. But ultimately, wouldn’t these be the ones to become Plants’ sword?

 

Dmirea, who had visited the palace, informed Kalian that they had just arrived and had entered under Siegfried’s protection without any particular incident so far. She also conveyed a request she had been putting off for some time.

 

“Sparring?”

 

While Dmirea didn’t need to come to the Royal Palace directly just to give a brief report about the Knights, she had made the trip partly to deflect talk about the fiancés’ meeting too infrequently, and partly to get some sparring practice with Kalian.

 

However, Kalian, after considering Dmirea’s sparring request for a moment, shook his head.

 

“With those hands, you can’t handle my sword.”

 

As Kalian said, Dmirea’s hands were currently in quite a mess. It was because she had pushed herself a bit too hard recently, trying to get used to a sword that had become another level heavier.

 

Thanks to that, her sparring request was rejected once again.

 

Seeing Dmirea’s face, which looked as if she’d been rejected after asking for a date, Kalian laughed and said,

 

“I don’t want you to end up like me. Read books, play violin, call Ian over for conversations.”

 

With the face of someone treating a niece-like younger sibling, he gave this worried advice, then added another comment:

 

“It’s nice that my fiancée looks after me, but I think you could afford to live a bit more like a Siegfried.”

 

And he said this while smiling brightly with an expression that was utterly disagreeable.

 

Of course, this didn’t mean Dmirea was looking at Kalian with romantic feelings. If that had been the case, Dmirea would have requested a duel, not sparring. Dmirea understood that Kalian was saying this because he noticed she had been pushing herself too hard, conscious of the killing intent Kalian had directed at the Mages the last time. However.

 

Same age, less training time, a Prince, a Sword Master.

 

Not knowing what secrets Kalian held, Dmirea couldn’t help feeling both awe and wounded pride when looking at such a Kalian. She had simply been swinging her sword a bit more earnestly because of that, yet he had made such a sly remark.

 

Then, out of nowhere, he handed her some dried chicken jerky and asked if she could take it to Hina on her way back. Thanks to that, she had begun drinking tea with Hina like this.

 

“Luci, it’s a snack.”

 

Hina unfolded the carefully stacked paper that had passed through Ian’s hands, smiled slightly, then looked at Dmirea and asked again:

 

‘Have there been any other matters during this time?’

 

Although she had heard from Dmirea that things were peaceful, Hina thought there must surely be a reason why Luci’s treats, which were already abundant in Hina’s office, had been specifically sent through Dmirea.

 

“Yes. It’s always the same as usual. There weren’t any particularly big incidents.”

 

There was the minor issue of Sleiman sending about ten letters asking ‘when the Third Prince plans to visit Siegfried territory’ after hearing through rumors that his daughter had become engaged to the Third Prince, but that wasn’t particularly significant.

 

Since he stopped sending letters around last week, he had either finally learned it was a fake engagement, or started sending the same letters to Rmain instead, or had been caught by Seri and scolded into stopping. It was one of the three, but that also wasn’t a big deal.

 

“More importantly, it seems congratulations are in order, Lady Bern.”

 

Setting aside these trivial matters, Dmirea offered congratulations as she looked at Hina.

 

Hadn’t more good things happened to Hina than to Dmirea? Hina had risen to a position befitting her abilities, and Kyrie was also said to be receiving his Knight appointment.

 

‘My older brother is happier about it than I am. I’m just a bit more bored now.’

 

Hina was still rather bored.

 

Since Euria and Arsene returned, Veronica could no longer skip academy attendance at will, and thanks to that, Hina had even less to do during the morning hours when Veronica was absent.

 

“What could be better than a healer having free time?”

 

It was good that no one was getting hurt. Besides, if Aizen’s Knight Order joined Valkan in August, Hina might become busy from then on, so it wouldn’t be bad to enjoy some leisure while she could.

 

With this response, Dmirea took another sip of the tea Hina had prepared, then set it down and said:

 

“The fragrance is truly wonderful.”

 

Hina nodded and answered.

 

‘The Commander gave it to me. A gift sent from Liberen. It contains orchid flowers.’

 

To be precise, Allan had given it to Kalian, and Kalian had passed it on to Hina. When Kalian, who had come to visit him, seemed quite fond of the tea, Allan gave it to Kalian. Then, seeing that Hina liked the fragrance when she stopped by his room, Kalian sent it to her.

 

How could a person like Kalian, and Hina who said she liked it, not get whatever they wanted?

 

Dmirea took another sip and swallowed the green tea that had been passed down through this bizarrely perfect chain of doting affection. Watching this, Hina showed a pleased smile, then pointed at Dmirea’s hands holding the teacup and asked,

 

‘Shall I treat them?’

 

Only now noticing the large and small blisters and wounds scattered across her palms, Dmirea shook her head and answered:

 

“It’s better to leave them as they are.”

 

Dmirea’s sword wasn’t yet as heavy as Sleiman’s. She had been gradually increasing its weight, but this time she had been a bit greedy and increased the weight too much, resulting in all these blisters.

 

‘Still, if it hurts, please tell me.’

 

Seeing Hina say this, Dmirea’s face showed a slight smile. She realized why Kalian had sent her to Hina. Kalian would also know that these were wounds that shouldn’t be healed, so rather than that, he meant for her to take time to catch her breath with someone her own age.

 

“It hurts even now. But blisters need to burst and heal for calluses to form. Thank you for worrying about me.”

 

On the surface, Dmirea’s hands looked merely small and pretty. But if you turned those hands over just a little, they were covered entirely with calluses and blisters. In fact, Kyrie’s hands were softer. What more explanation was needed?

 

‘My older brother said something similar once. That there are wounds that don’t need healing.’

 

Saying this, Hina paused, then stood up and walked toward her desk. She brought back a small wooden box from the desk and handed it to Dmirea. It contained the green tea with orchid flowers that they were currently drinking.

 

If it was a gift from Liberen sent to Allan, it would be quite precious tea. She had given the entire box without even taking any out. As Dmirea was about to say she didn’t need all of it, Hina gestured with her hands,

 

‘Even if you don’t treat them, rest sometimes. Drink this when you rest.’

 

Instead of saying that Dmirea, younger than herself, seemed to carry too heavy a sword, Hina simply told her to rest.

 

“Yes, I’ll do that.”

 

Whether she understood all of Hina’s meaning or not, Dmirea answered with gratitude for the unexpected gift. Hina smiled brightly and nodded.

 

* * *

 

Plants was clever.

 

He rarely forgot what he had seen once, was quick to shift his thinking, and had good intuition. Thanks to this, he was learning and applying many things Kalian taught him well.

 

“How remarkably quick my older brother is at learning…”

 

Bell pepper-stuffed paprika roast, paprika stir-fry harmonized with bell peppers, bell pepper and paprika salad, paprika juice ground together with bell peppers.

 

“Thanks to my younger brother’s excellent teaching.”

 

Because Kalian had met with Dmirea, the message to the kitchen was delayed. He had simply accepted when told they were already preparing the meal, but he hadn’t expected Plants to do this.

 

“I didn’t hope you would apply what you learned this way.”

 

There was no meat.

 

Not having meat was already disagreeable, but seeing the extreme dining table filled solely with bell peppers and paprika, Kalian conveyed his thoughts with a wry smile.

 

Seeing the way his words trailed off suggested he wasn’t in a particularly good mood, which made one corner of Plants’ mouth curl up nicely.

 

“Ah. I didn’t know.”

 

Wasn’t Plants still practicing well the realization that to handle a madman, you just need to be a little more mad than him? Whether the guy had food preferences or not, he had thoughtfully devised this menu, thinking anyone would dislike this much.

 

Ian, watching the two of them, shook his head.

 

Then he took Rerik, whose eyes were still swollen from the great sobbing of gratitude after dining with Plants yesterday, and went outside. He was thinking he’d need to either replace the head chef or call Hina to show her this ridiculous state of affairs to end this childish fight.

 

After the servants with disgusted faces went outside, Plants opened his mouth.

 

“Eat. Don’t be shy.”

 

“You eat too, older brother. Plenty of it.”

 

And so.

 

War began.

 

When he brought over a grilled bell pepper and cut it in half without any sound, various finely chopped paprika pieces came pouring out abundantly. Plants, without any change in expression, took a bite of that unidentifiable colorful bell pepper dish.

 

*Clatter*

 

With a sound he would never normally make, Kalian put down his fork and knife. Then he quickly lowered his head. His shoulders shook again.

 

Laughter burst out.

 

How was he supposed to handle this tempestuous adolescence that said it would upset him and then brought bell peppers stuffed with paprika? Even Kalian had no idea, so he laughed.

 

“Ah… what should I do…”

 

Even seeing that insolent, rude, and frivolous behavior, Plants said nothing. He continued eating the nauseating bell peppers as before. Whether he had adapted because it was all vegetables in the end, or was just enduring and eating it, Plants ate steadily and composedly.

 

Only Kalian, who had been laughing uncontrollably, couldn’t eat properly, and so the war-like dinner came to an end.

 

The black tea tasted like bell peppers. The pancakes topped with bananas that Ian had prepared thinking the meal would be insufficient tasted like bell peppers. The dessert of small cut strawberries coated with unsweetened sugar syrup tasted like bell peppers.

 

Kalian lowered his head again and laughed as if crying.

 

Plants, who had been quietly watching Kalian’s behavior while leaning back in his chair, spoke in a low voice.

 

“Say you won’t do it.”

 

Whether he meant stop playing around with bell peppers, don’t treat him like a child, or something else, it was words Kalian couldn’t gauge.

 

Only after quite some time had passed and his laughter had stopped did Kalian ask, somewhat belatedly:

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“Feeling sorry because of Reunieri.”

 

Hearing those words, Kalian answered with a quiet smile:

 

“…Did you know?”

 

The current Kalian hadn’t touched on the matters between the old Kalian and Plants. Whatever the reason, he hadn’t intended to find out, hadn’t cursed Plants on behalf of the old Kalian, and hadn’t forgiven him either.

 

So, excluding that issue, the matter concerning the old Kalian, and just considering the relationship between the current Plants and Kalian, and Sillike.

 

Was it Sillike who made Plants hate fragrances, or was it Kalian who pushed Sillike away before he could even try to rebuild his relationship with her?

 

Even if Plants had consented, even if it was a matter of life and death for Kalian. The one who ultimately removed Sillike, who had been both the greatest shadow and light for Plants.

 

Was it truly good, or was it hypocrisy?

 

He was saying not to engage in overprotection stemming from such thoughts. That too wasn’t a problem that could be simply resolved by one side understanding and forgiving, by such simple addition and subtraction.

 

Kalian, who had been looking at Plants for a moment, quietly answered:

 

“Alright.”

 

Plants nodded. Then he pointed to Kalian’s hand, More specifically, the ring on his finger.

 

“No need for the same treatment.”

 

He was saying not to treat him the way he treated Chase.

 

Tearing apart Chase while claiming to protect Plants’ heart, and hiding it from Plants; making it so he couldn’t even properly get angry when he learned the truth. He was telling him not to do such things.

 

Allan had said it was because Kalian only knew that method. That he had only learned how to take everything upon himself and protect Chase.

 

Plants did not know why Kalian only knew how to do that. He didn’t know why he had only taken everything upon himself.

 

“Because I don’t know, there are things I can do too.”

 

Like Hina had once said, ‘Because you don’t know, there are things you can do’. There was no need to know everything, understand everything, heal all wounds and move on.

 

“I know how to roll around in ashes too.”

 

Kalian briefly lowered his gaze.

 

His red eyes slowly lowered and stopped.

 

“…Alright.”

 

Kalian looked down at what was on his hand for a while, then answered briefly in a trailing voice.

 

Plants opened his mouth again.

 

“And.”

 

Plants, who had been watching Kalian looking down at his ring, finally brought out the one thing he had most wanted to say recently but had endured and endured.

 

“I hate bell peppers.”

 

Kalian, who had raised his head again and was staring at Plants, burst into laughter once more.

 

Thanks to the meal Plants had carefully prepared, Kalian had also come to dislike the same thing.