Chapter 196, Because I Cannot Lie (3)

Translator: Hedge

Editor: Lizzz

 

The command to bow in greeting.

 

As soon as they heard those words, each Noble thought of someone different. Some thought of friends, others of family, and still others of their grown children.

 

What they had in common was that these were all people who, for their own reasons, could not attend this occasion.

 

And the Nobles felt regret that these people were not at the banquet and thus could not witness this fascinating spectacle unfolding before their eyes. They continued to ponder how they could relay this story in a way that would make their explanation even slightly more realistic.

 

Whether they were Nobles who sided with Evan or not, such aristocratic thoughts were the first thing that came to their minds.

 

[What words could have been exchanged in that brief moment for the Prince to personally say such a thing?]

 

Prince Kalian and Marquis Evan Beurisen.

 

Were they not once allies who joined hands to drive out Sillike?

 

Moreover, until just moments ago, Kalian had been getting along very well with Plants, or at least that is how it appeared to the Nobles’ eyes. Yet what conversation could have occurred between them for Kalian to tell Evan to show his respects?

 

[But even so, to a Marquis… is this not too arrogant?]

 

And at the end of those aristocratic thoughts, the Nobles who sided with Evan thought this:

 

Although Evan held the lower rank of Marquis compared to a Prince, he was among the top three most Noble persons in this banquet hall. For a Prince to command such a person to bow could not simply be an interesting matter.

 

[If I had been in that position.]

 

Next came the thought of how one should act if a Prince who had not ascended to Crown Prince said such words to oneself. And beyond that, one more thing.

 

[If Prince Kalian ascends to the throne, will things become even worse than this?]

 

If a Prince who spoke this way even to a Marquis were to ascend to the throne in the distant future, concerns and resistance already arose about how that Prince would treat Nobles of far lower rank than a Marquis.

 

“Marquis Beurisen.”

 

Breaking the silence in which even the sound of countless eyes moving busily seemed audible, Kalian called to Evan once more.

 

In Kalian’s eyes, he could see Lannen standing at a distance, struggling to understand the situation.

 

Come to think of it, this has become troublesome.

 

Since he had pulled out Lannen, whom he had quietly tucked away, would he not have to put him away again?

 

Bothered by this thought, Kalian’s smile deepened slightly. Conversely, Evan’s brow furrowed a bit more.

 

[He’s smiling?] Though Evan had been continuously concerned about not being able to see Kalian’s Aura, such thoughts no longer occurred to him now. At the moment, he only wanted to pluck out those blood-like red eyes immediately.

 

If they had even exchanged a passing glance in greeting, he could have used that as an excuse to let it pass, but thinking about it, he truly had not greeted him. However, if he actually bowed in greeting as Kalian commanded here and now, there would be too many Nobles ready to withdraw their feet from Beurisen as if they had been waiting for it.

 

Suppressing the killing intent that was rising unbidden, Evan made desperate efforts to calm his boiling insides. He forced oil into his head, which he had not used his entire life, and desperately continued thinking about how best to conduct himself in this situation.

 

Naturally, he could not show anger.

 

If even a trace of killing intent showed at this moment, it would be over that very day. The problem was not Kalian standing before him. The Caera Knights guarding Rmain would notice it immediately, and then Rmain would…

 

[Wait. Rmain is here.] Right now, was a Prince not daring to demand respect from a Noble while King Rmain stood before them?

 

[How could that insignificant thing tell me to show or not show respect without completely disregarding the King?] Evan’s brow smoothed out conspicuously as he thought of a way to cleverly escape this situation.

 

As if waiting for Evan’s scheming to end, Kalian slowly erased his flawless smile and moved his body slightly toward where Rmain stood. With Rmain positioned slightly behind him at some distance, Kalian continued in a clear and stern voice loud enough for everyone in this quiet Siegfried Hall to hear.

 

“Must I even teach you how to show proper respect to His Majesty? Has Beurisen now decided not to show even reverence toward His Majesty, the King?”

 

Like a cat looking down at a mouse searching for escape.

 

Like a cat that had left one hole of escape and was watching with amusement to see how quickly this delicious prey would find it. Like a cat that leisurely placed its front paw before the mouse running toward the exit it had finally managed to find, making a satisfied purr, he spoke.

 

*Crack!*

 

The sound of teeth grinding inside Evan’s mouth reached Kalian’s ears. And Kalian stared at Evan as if he had heard nothing.

 

Kalian had provoked Evan with complete disrespect showing not the slightest regard for the rank of Marquis. And he had clearly spoken with the meaning that Evan should bow to him in greeting. He had acted arrogantly as if telling him to kneel before him, with no need for Rmain or anything else.

 

And now he sold out Rmain.

 

Telling him to show respect not to himself but to Rmain.

 

[Why is Plants not here of all times!?]’

 

Plants, who should somehow have interjected even a word to take Evan’s side, was absent. And Rmain quietly kept his mouth shut and watched Kalian and Evan. He merely watched, his face showing no expression whatsoever.

 

There was no reason for Rmain to step in.

 

When a Prince reproached a Noble for showing proper respect to the King, there was no reason and no need to tell him not to do so. Rmain must have known that not stepping in was the wisest course of action.

 

Rmain must have known that it was not truly about respect toward himself. That was why he said nothing even while watching Kalian’s behavior of demanding respect while positioned between Evan and Rmain.

 

[Damn it. There is no hole to escape through.]

 

Once the King had been brought up, there was no way for Evan to escape. The Nobles who had briefly doubted Kalian’s arrogance now wore faces that said, ‘Of course that’s it.’ What other thoughts could they have when he said he was angry that respect was not shown to Rmain rather than to himself?

 

Finally, Evan turned his head toward Rmain. And he slowly bowed his waist.

 

“Though late… Your Majesty the King, I offer my greetings.”

 

Rmain nodded silently.

 

Having blocked the only escape route deliberately left behind and having received Evan’s greeting together, Kalian’s fingers traced the deepest arc they had drawn today.

 

And so once more, he smiled with his fingertips.

 

Evan slowly raised his waist and his head turned toward Kalian. Eyes of a deeper green than Plants’ glared as if boring into the two blood-red eyes filled with a predator’s satisfaction.

 

Meeting that gaze, a gentle smile formed on Kalian’s face. With such a benevolent face that could only be described as the benevolence of a ruler, Kalian spoke slowly.

 

“There is no need to greet me once more, so return to your place now. Marquis.”

 

And so.

 

Filled abundantly with the generous heart of royalty that was more Noble and benevolent than anyone despite possessing inferior bloodline.

 

* * *

 

Kyrie, who had been watching the brightly glowing blue hands, spoke quietly.

 

“Please do not do it.”

 

Because he did not know what would happen if that ice Mage before him lost his reason and could not gauge whether he could stop it, Kyrie was quite tense.

 

“I…”

 

Arsene, who had been meeting Kyrie’s eyes with a cold gaze, opened his mouth. A voice clearly suppressing something flowed through his parted lips.

 

“Is there a reason I should endure?”

 

“Yes. There is.”

 

Having said this, Kyrie sighed low and spoke. In truth, it was rather Kyrie who was suppressing his desire to stop enduring and rush out immediately, so his face had become somewhat angry.

 

“Fried chicken tastes bad when frozen.”

 

And then he moved the plate Arsene had been about to freeze far away.

 

Having evacuated the freshly fried, steaming golden chicken to safety beside two plates full of frozen solid chicken, Kyrie opened his mouth again.

 

“If you freeze it one more time, I am leaving.”

 

“Ah, that would not do. Drinking alone is boring.”

 

If he thought drinking alone was boring, he should not have frozen the chicken. Or he should have just obediently stopped at three glasses. He had made that baseless claim that his condition was good today and only his mood was bad, then insisted on ordering one more glass.

 

If Kyrie was at fault, it was for only now learning how many beers Arsene could handle. Also, the fact that Arsene particularly liked hot fried chicken, frozen.

 

Whether knowing or not knowing Kyrie’s melancholy heart, Arsene, who had gulped down his fourth beer, opened his mouth again.

 

“Listen here, Lord Bern.”

 

“You have already said six times how wonderful it would be to stand beside Prince Kalian wearing that white robe on a day like today.” [So just shut up before I really twist your neck off.]

 

At these words full of grinding teeth, Arsene smiled brightly and shook his head side to side.

 

“No, no. That is not what I mean. Listen here, Lord Bern.”

 

Kyrie clenched his fist tightly.

 

Were it not for Kalian’s words to try getting along with him since he does his job well without needing much attention and is not actually that crazy when you know him, he probably would have already neatly trimmed that neck long ago.

 

Kyrie, who only now realized that ‘not that crazy’ was from Kalian’s perspective, nodded his head as if giving up. It meant to just say whatever he wanted.

 

“I am the Deputy Commander of Valkan, Bern. No, Lord Bern. If someone like me had been beside the Prince on a day like today, would there have been any need to worry about that Marquis bastard, like chewed and spat-out mugwort bread, crawling up to our Prince? So, Lord Bern. The reason I endure it all, working in the same office as the Prince who is the Deputy Commander and under a Commander who only uses pretty words in front of our Prince, is precisely for this. It is to stand right beside our Prince on days like today.”

 

With a face that said, “Do you know that because of you, I cannot even stand beside the Prince and am here guarding fried chicken instead?”

 

Kyrie finally raised his hand.

 

He had already heard that statement four times, so it seemed time to put him to sleep. Had he not sufficiently fulfilled the role of drinking companion by now?

 

And Arsene opened his mouth again. He started talking again.

 

“My Master said this, Lord Bern. A Mage does not need anything else, just follow someone a bit crazier than yourself. I thought of that and pondered carefully, and it seems I chose the right person after all, Lord Bern. But I cannot follow him as I please. Yet the Prince who is Deputy Commander tells me to go back to our Prince, so what kind of nonsense is this, Lord Bern?”

 

It meant he wanted to follow at Kalian’s heels but could not because of Kalian’s situation of being mindful of Plants, and the situation where Plants in turn was trying to send Arsene back to Kalian was frustrating and upsetting.

 

“So I thought about it, Lord Bern.”

 

Having said that, Arsene showed a good-natured smile and opened his mouth.

 

“Perhaps I should go to the Marquis’s residence today and…”

 

*Thwack!*

 

[*Haa…* This truly could not be helped.]

 

What else could he do when the best way to quietly settle the Deputy Commander of Valkan, who was clearly thinking something dreadful about whatever he would do at the Marquis’s residence, was the only thing that came to mind?

 

Having confirmed that Arsene, struck on the back of the neck and collapsed, had properly fainted, Kyrie picked up a somewhat cooled piece of fried chicken and spoke calmly.

 

“Just sleep.”

 

The excess force applied was coincidental and certainly not personal spite, so that too was unavoidable.

 

As long as the neck did not snap, it was fine

 

* * *

 

She was Kalian’s life itself.

 

His whole heart melted at her smile warmer than sunlight, and his frozen heart seemed to thaw at the warmth of those small fingertips. So Hina was such a precious gift that merely existing gave Kalian a reason to breathe.

 

‘What on earth was that cloak that our Hina had clearly folded? That cute appearance of the cloak rolled up after being folded at a perfect angle without a single protruding part was clearly Hina’s handiwork. But why had Hina folded this cloak of yours? Come to think of it, do you know that from today we are temporarily the same age? I will not let this pass. I simply would not let this pass.’

 

He barely, barely suppressed the desire to say such things.

 

He did not ask to spar, nor did he curse.

 

“Blue stars are falling.”

 

Having endured too much in one day, Kalian, who briefly considered himself praiseworthy, said this.

 

He had come to meet Arsene, but the Arsene who should be here was absent, and instead a single green pea with an atmosphere as if boiled for two days stood before the window. So, he just sat on the sofa and quietly looked at the cloak placed on the sofa across from him, then suddenly opened his mouth.

 

Just.

 

He just remembered the child who should truly be congratulated.

 

He just remembered that day that should truly be congratulated.

 

And just because of that.

 

“There is a very brief time, a day more beautiful than any other day in the world. It sometimes comes and sometimes does not, so sometimes congratulations are received and sometimes not. It is like that.”

 

Though it was an out-of-context statement as usual, Plants understood what this talk meant.

 

Plants quietly turned his head to look at the person sitting behind him. Wondering whose appearance he wore while saying such things.

 

“Waking up in the morning like this, receiving red flowers, receiving congratulations, receiving celebratory drinks. It feels both apologetic and, on the other hand, unfamiliar to have such a day.”

 

Having heard that far, Plants silently put on the jacket that had been hanging on the coat rack.

 

He had set aside all other complicated things, but he could not go outside Wilhelm Hall in just a shirt while Nobles were still walking about.

 

And then he briefly opened his mouth toward his younger brother, who occasionally said things that made him feel a generation gap rather than just an age gap.

 

“I’m hungry.”

 

At the words to eat rather than talk about useless things, Kalian smiled and rose from his seat.

 

“Yes.”

 

* * *

 

My lovely child, wake up.

 

Blue stars have bloomed in the night sky.

 

Born on such a beautiful day,

 

You alone are special.

 

Your birthday that remains nowhere else, look how many stars rejoice.