Chapter 197, Because I Cannot Lie (4)

Translator: Hedge

Editor: Lizzz

 

The corners of Marquis Evan Beurisen’s eyes shot upward.

 

At this moment, whether he knew or not that someone had called him a ‘spat-out mugwort bread’, and that the person who had uttered those words had fallen into a deep sleep after contemplating how to slit Evan’s throat right then and there. He had returned to his mansion early and shut himself away in his study, quietly trying to calm his anger.

 

The fury that had been barely suppressed finally exploded at a single remark.

 

“I told you to think before you speak. It seems you’ve forgotten how to think during your time in the darkness. Sending poison or assassins, did you really think that would work?”

 

Thanks to this, Evan turned his sharp gaze toward Lannen, who had finally triggered his outburst, and vented his anger. Seeing Evan bring up something that didn’t even need to be mentioned, Lannen grew angry as well.

 

“Why are you bringing up the fact that I was locked away?”

 

Everything that could be taken care of was properly attended to, but he had lived for a year without seeing a single ray of light in a place he couldn’t identify. It was better than a prison, but that didn’t mean it was bearable. Recalling the days he had been confined without knowing why, Lannen frowned and retorted.

 

“Even though I told you repeatedly that it was definitely Melpir Pollun who was behind it, you didn’t even think to investigate who had me locked up, and you didn’t explain why you sold the Trader’s Guild to him either. I let that pass. But today, you dragged me to the banquet hall without a word of explanation, and now you’re getting angry at what I said out of consideration for you? Why have you changed so much since I last saw you?”

 

Lannen had no idea that it was Evan who had imprisoned him, or that the place where he had been confined was Evan’s own house. He had been locked away somewhere for nearly a year without knowing why, and when he got out, Evan showed no intention of finding the culprit.

 

If he had carefully considered Sillike’s death, the swift sale of the Guild, and how things were generally unfolding, it wouldn’t have been difficult to figure out that Evan was behind all of it. Unfortunately, Lannen was not that deep a thinker. He was simply angry that Evan, who had ‘rescued’ him, showed no interest in catching the perpetrator, and that whenever he said anything, Evan would call him stupid and yell at him.

 

“If only your head worked half as well as the Second Prince’s, I wouldn’t be suffering like this! I don’t want to talk any longer, so get out.”

 

Not realizing whose head that inferior brain, which couldn’t even match half of Plants’, had come from, Evan said this and drove Lannen out. Then he let out a long sigh that could have been either a lament or continued irritation.

 

“If it weren’t for that bastard, I wouldn’t have had to bring this one out.”

 

If it hadn’t been for Gray, who could think a bit more but was proportionally far more greedy, there would have been no need to bring Lannen out again. He had endured the frustration to bring Lannen out, but instead of being worthwhile, everything had become tangled, which was why he was about to burst now.

 

“What should I do about the Third Prince, though?”

 

It had been a banquet he had eagerly awaited, planning to show Lannen before the Nobles and let rumors spread for Gray to hear, while also turning Allan and Kalian’s stomachs inside out. But at such an occasion, he had been caught on an absurd pretext and returned without being able to say anything about Freya’s elevation to becoming Queen.

 

“Since I couldn’t say anything, the others won’t be able to speak up loudly either.”

 

No matter how long he pondered, he couldn’t think of a clever way to stop Kalian. Eventually, the face of one rather unpleasant person came to mind, and Evan let out a groan.

 

“Should I go see Plants?”

 

He considered going to Plants to ask for advice on a solution, but before long, he shook his head and frowned once more. He remembered being told to live using his brain a bit more. Wasn’t it too soon to hear such words from him again? He decided to think about it more on his own, and if he still couldn’t come up with anything, he would visit then.

 

Not knowing that his decision to avoid Plants out of petty pride was exactly what Kalian had anticipated.

 

* * *

 

The sound of footsteps moving softly echoed in the quiet.

 

The sounds of those different strides sometimes overlapped briefly, then fell out of sync for a moment. As they matched and then diverged while ultimately walking at the same pace, Ian found it somehow amusing and smiled.

 

Then he opened his mouth toward his sibling who had grown tall enough to meet his eye level.

 

“Even if you spar, don’t come tomorrow. Come a bit later. The Prince’s mood isn’t good today.”

 

It was not because Kalian was in a bad mood due to Evan. Ian simply knew that every year, including last year when Kalian had suddenly changed his attitude, Kalian was always on edge when his birthday came around. Whether it was because he had to appear before the Nobles and Sillike, or for some other reason, Kalian had always been that way.

 

However, since there was no need to specifically tell Dmirea about such matters, Ian kept his explanation simple.

 

Dmirea, who remembered how irritating it had been dealing with Evan when they had hidden Kalian in the mansion, frowned imperceptibly and answered.

 

“I won’t have time immediately anyway.”

 

Just as Kalian had his circumstances, Dmirea had her own circumstances. As a Lesser Duchess, Dmirea’s schedule was also packed, so even though it was swordsmanship taught by Kalian, it was difficult to suddenly come to the palace every day for training. So Dmirea answered this way and continued walking as if on a stroll.

 

“Alright. Let me know when you’re free after next week and I’ll adjust the schedule.”

 

“Yes, I’ll do that.”

 

It was a path taken to escort Dmirea to the mansion on behalf of Kalian, who couldn’t leave the Royal Palace. Kalian had said that since it was late, Dmirea should spend the night at the main house for once, but the expression with which those words were delivered was not that great, so Dmirea had not been able to readily agree.

 

*Eep eep eep eep …*

 

As they were quietly walking toward where the carriage was, a cicada cried out, whether awakened by the sound of footsteps or unable to sleep because of the brightly shining lights of the Royal Palace. Hearing the cicada’s call, Ian quietly spoke.

 

“Siegfried is so bright that the cicadas can’t sleep.”

 

“I can go alone, so please go back in, Older Brother.”

 

Dmirea’s voice had grown a bit louder with that response.

 

Dmirea knew better than anyone how much Ian dreaded the sound of summer cicadas, which could not be avoided, and why he dreaded them so.

 

“That’s really strange, Dmirea.”

 

Ian smiled slightly as he spoke words that may or may not have been a response to Dmirea’s statement.

 

“Until before last summer came, I was always only in Chermil Palace, and whenever I heard that sound, I would retreat inside… But last year, even though I must have heard cicadas the whole time going home, I can’t remember at all whether I heard the cicada sounds or not.”

 

Having said this, Ian walked slowly while listening carefully to the cicada sounds, then spoke again.

 

“His Highness caused so many incidents the entire trip that my mind was completely scattered. That’s why I don’t remember at all. Whether I heard the cicadas or not.”

 

On the way to and from Roselita, he had been so focused on Kalian, who had been breaking things thoroughly throughout the journey, that he had not noticed whether cicadas were singing or not. So, the cicada sounds he was hearing now did not bother him that much either.

 

At those words, Dmirea let out a small laugh.

 

Hadn’t Dmirea experienced it today as well? How much trouble Kalian could cause when he set his mind to it.

 

“That must have kept you occupied.”

 

“Yes. I remember continuously making iced mint tea for him, but I don’t remember the cicada sounds. Really, not at all.”

 

Having said this once more, Ian laughed with the same sound Dmirea had made. Then, like Sleiman would do, he raised his hand and gently patted the head of Dmirea, who had become a proper small shield of Siegfried and continued to worry even about Ian.

 

If it had not been Ian who raised that hand, it would have been cut off immediately, but in any case, Dmirea just stayed still without showing any displeasure.

 

“Don’t just tell me not to worry about you. You shouldn’t worry about me either, Dmirea. I’m growing too.”

 

Like the different footsteps sounds, their growth rates might be a bit different, but ultimately, they were both walking forward just the same. Hadn’t Ian grown tall just like Dmirea had grown so much?

 

Ian, who had been smiling while thinking this, suddenly turned pale.

 

“Oh, now that I think about it…!”

 

Looking down at Dmirea, whose face had turned questioning about what was wrong, Ian said with a tearful expression.

 

“I think I’m growing too fast. What if I win the bet at this rate?”

 

In truth, the Baby Elephant had no desire whatsoever to win the height competition bet with his flower-like Prince. But because the Baby Elephant’s Father was too big an Elephant, the Baby Elephant who resembled the Father Elephant was growing taller day by day.

 

Thanks to this, Dmirea’s expression briefly contorted upon learning that Ian, who was in danger of winning the bet against Kalian, was worrying about how to grow less.

 

‘How am I supposed to not worry about you if you’re like this?’

 

That was exactly the kind of face Dmirea was making.

 

* * *

 

Was this a dream or reality?

 

*Blink, blink.* His eyes closed and opened.

 

Perhaps thinking similar thoughts, those red eyes gauging whether what they were seeing was a dream or not came into view once more.

 

“Your Highness?”

 

Arsene, looking at those bright red eyes with sky-blue ones, made a sound as if pleased. Because the end of that voice was properly twisted, Kalian, who had lost his words, looked up at the sky for a moment.

 

It was a truly beautiful night sky with countless yellow stars.

 

While counting them one by one, it seemed difficult to mentally count so many stars, so he turned his head to look beside him. Rather than counting stars, wouldn’t it be more calming to look at that green fellow standing nearby?

 

“Oh! Our Prince is here!”

 

It was a useless action though. No matter how much he looked at that detestable face, his mind would not settle.

 

“Our Princey. Prince Kalian-y.”

 

[Ah… that truly crazy bastard has truly gone crazy.]

 

Kalian could bear it no longer and lowered his head, beginning to laugh.

 

Arsene, who had been brought into the Royal Palace half-carried and supported by Kyrie, grinned foolishly. Seeing this, Kyrie’s face hardened.

 

“I apologize. He was fine just a moment ago…”

 

Just a moment ago he was quietly passed out, but then he suddenly woke up.

 

Whether knowing the meaning or not, Kalian’s chuckling laughter echoed across the front yard of Wilhelm Hall.

 

Even at this moment, it was truly curious that Plants was not laughing at all with his brow furrowed, but was there time to dwell on that?

 

If Kalian found it funny, he laughed. That was all that mattered

 

“Why…”

 

With a finger pointing at Arsene, asking why he was like this. Words that hadn’t quite made it out of Kalian’s mouth, he laughed for a long while. Following the shoulders that shook as if sobbing, his fingertip swayed wildly.

 

Arsene, who had been quietly staring at that hand, opened his mouth with a mind not yet fully returned.

 

“Princey, I, today.”

 

Arsene, who had been about to say that Your Highness Deputy Commander told him to go to Kalian, suddenly turned his head.

 

“Oh! Your Highness Deputy Commander is here too!”

 

Plants, who had been looking at Arsene with a face as if looking at moving garbage, let out a short sigh and said to Kalian.

 

“Clean up and come back.”

 

From Kalian’s reaction, it didn’t seem like he had met Arsene at Siegfried Hall, which Plants had already found strange. Now, Arsene had returned completely drunk, and there had to be some reason for it.

 

Though he wouldn’t be told what that reason was.

 

So it meant he would just remove himself from the situation before figuring out what was going on.

 

Kalian, who had been watching Plants walk away before he could even respond, turned his head toward Arsene. Because Kalian also did not know the reason why he got drunk.

 

“Lord Hertz.”

 

“Yes, Princey.”

 

The sky was clear, and yellow stars were out.

 

He was hungry but could not eat. A crazy Mage had been carried in drunk.

 

“Speak. I’ll listen.”

 

So just tell me what upset you so much that you came back drunk like this.

 

Hearing those words, Arsene smiled brightly once more.

 

“Prince. I.”

 

Borrowing the courage of four beers, he began speaking without hesitation.

 

There were so many things he had wanted to say to Kalian but had only pressed down and kept inside, and now those stories poured out like a bursting dam for quite a while.

 

While Plants returned to Chermil Palace and Kyrie did another round of late training, he talked about everything in minute detail, the work he did not want to do, the work he wanted to do, the difficult work, and despite it all, the work he loved.

 

Gathering all those accumulated words he had piled up, for that long while.