Chapter 181.5, [Side Story] Pure White Bird of Prey

Translator: Hedge

Editor: Lizzz

 

It was a pitch-black night with blue light illuminating the sky.

 

The sun that announces the end to the darkness was surely red.

 

As if disliking such redness, as if to show that blue could also drive away the night, blue light gathering in the middle of the night brightened the black night and fell like snow.

 

Driving away the night was the same, but how stark was the difference between the red and blue?

 

People coming and going on the streets all stopped walking at once and looked up at the sky. Black eyes, green eyes, brown eyes. In those various colored eyes, the bright blue night sky was reflected. Starlight dust falling from the sky began to fall on their heads, foreheads, and hands.

 

It was Serenty’s time.

 

Between the end of February and the beginning of March.

 

A voice that was hard to tell who it was addressing flowed out, noting that the enchanting day that comes some years and doesn’t come in other years had arrived.

 

“Ah. I had forgotten.”

 

The light gathered in the sky scattered like snow, then at some point rose back to the sky, only then becoming night again. They said it felt like rapidly passing days, brightening one night like broad daylight before disappearing like a mirage.

 

Therefore, people decided to put a ‘day’ into that mysterious time.

 

However, since that time never came every year, they created a day that did not exist on the calendar to commemorate such a time.

 

The short day that came that way. February 30th.

 

Bern looked at the man kneeling across from him and opened his mouth again.

 

“Today’s my birthday.”

 

A beautiful day that doesn’t exist on the calendar.

 

A time like Serenty’s blessing for most people.

 

“Father must have known. He sent me on such a day.”

 

At such words from the boy, the man with a fear-filled face tried to say something, but no sound came from his mouth.

 

*Thud.*

 

Because the boy had taken the man’s breath away.

 

A blue star was reflected in the sword with red blood beading on it. Light purple eyes that seemed to hold the end of winter lost their light once more.

 

In the middle of the pouring blue sparkles, the boy moved his steps limply. On that day when everyone raised their heads to look up at the sky, only the boy looked down at the ground.

 

Because the smell of blood soaked into the black hood pulled low would not wash away. Because it felt like all those lives he had ended with his own hands weighed down on his shoulders too much, such that the boy walked with his head low.

 

Into the shadows of the largest, most splendid, and most brilliant place in Secritia, he walked limping.

 

Even though he now knew this day was his birthday.

 

* * *

 

February 30th.

 

A short day that was hard to remember.

 

A name given because he was born on such a day.

 

With the wish that he would not be forgotten, with the wish that he would be remembered forever, that was the name his mother had given him.

 

Bern.

 

That was the first birthday gift the boy had received.

 

* * *

 

Secritia Royal Palace.

 

Bern, who had returned to the spacious room in one corner of it, spoke his habitual words.

 

“I want to be alone.”

 

In the middle of the night, only Debeullan, Taillan and Bern’s senior attendant, who delivered Debeullan’s letters, knew what Bern did when he went out with his black robes and a sword.

 

Among the living, those three were all that knew.

 

The Knights were suspicious. How could they not notice the terrible smell of blood that was always there.

 

But Bern said nothing, and they weren’t in a position to interrogate the Prince or the Prince’s senior attendant.

 

“Yes, Your Highness.”

 

When Bern, wearing black robes, was about to return, Bern’s attendant moved busily. Whether it was winter or summer, he put logs in the fireplace to make the fire blaze and filled the large bathtub with cold water. And on the bed, he placed clean bandages and medicine.

 

He did nothing else and said nothing else. He knew that was the best thing he could do for Bern.

 

*Thud!*

 

Bern, who had closed and firmly locked the door, stood in front of the fireplace.

 

Feeling as if the smell of blood was dripping from his black clothes and robe, Bern threw them all into the blazing flames. Even so, he washed away the large and small lives of others that would not be erased with cold water.

 

Then he felt sharp pain where the water touched his forearm.

 

When he turned his head to look down, blood was seeping from a shallow wound on his forearm. Bern with cool eyes looked down at it for a moment and quietly opened his mouth.

 

“…It hurts.”

 

Today, those who died must have hurt much more than he did.

 

No matter how fast Bern’s sword became, even if he only cut necks without touching anywhere else, they must have hurt a lot. Unable to shake off the constantly rising guilt, he immersed his body in the ice-cold water.

 

*Knock knock*

 

Breaking the silence filled with cold air, a small knocking sound was heard, then a careful voice came from far beyond the bathroom door.

 

“Your Highness.”

 

He had definitely said he wanted to be alone.

 

Bern, who had been showing displeasure, suddenly looked surprised. Because he seemed to know why the attendant had bothered to call him.

 

“Prince Chase has come.”

 

The attendant spoke this way, as if confirming that the reason Bern had thought of was correct.

 

Joy, happiness, awkwardness, bewilderment, etc.

 

For the first time, an expression befitting his age crossed Bern’s face.

 

“Ah…”

 

Bern, who hurriedly put on a gown and came out of the bathroom, looked toward the fireplace. He could see the clothes that had already completely burned and become black ash, but Bern didn’t want to show even that to Chase.

 

“I’ll come out, older brother.”

 

Therefore, saying this, he tightly wrapped his arm wound with bandages and hurriedly got dressed.

 

* * *

 

Standing at the top of Secritia Royal Palace’s spire, all of Secreta spread out below your feet. Bern liked that spire top where distant places could be seen best. Chase, standing side by side with such a Bern and looking together at the long castle wall that extended to the end of Bern’s gaze, spoke.

 

“Would you like to go see the sea?”

 

“Right now?”

 

When Bern asked in a bewildered voice upon hearing those words, an answer came as if it were natural.

 

“If not now, when would we get to see it?”

 

“Anytime other than now.”

 

Chase was thoughtful, always thought of others first, and always smiled gently.

 

But he was a little random.

 

A little too random.

 

“I want to go now. With my younger brother.”

 

Chase, who said this, grinned.

 

Without knowing what Bern had just been doing.

 

Without knowing at all what had happened to a certain Count Family that had been close to Debeullan’s cousin.

 

“You can’t.”

 

Bern, who had added another secret he would never tell Chase until death, answered firmly.

 

Two Princes of a nation wanting to leave the Capital and go to the sea in a dawn like this. No matter how close the sea was, he was not unaware of what a big deal that would be.

 

Of course, what Bern worried about first was not a possible attack. That was also one of the concerns, but there was a bigger problem.

 

“You’ll catch a cold, older brother.”

 

Because he might catch a cold.

 

On that night when Bern turned ten, Serenty’s time had also come. The morning after that night, Debeullan took the two brothers to the sea. And he tested Chase in his own way.

 

He dropped Bern into the water and Chase jumped in.

 

No matter how short Secritia’s winter was, it wasn’t warm enough for a young child to enter the water.

 

In the end, Chase caught a cold. The severe cold became severe pneumonia, and he barely survived the brink of death.

 

Therefore, for Bern, a cold became the biggest and most frightening disease in the world. And Debeullan, that man, was no longer Bern’s father.

 

“Only a cold? It’ll be fine once I recover.”

 

But perhaps it wasn’t so for the actual person who experienced it, as Chase replied this way.

 

“You’re not thinking of going with Master, are you? What would you do if someone followed?”

 

“What would I worry about with you there?”

 

“Your life, older brother.”

 

Hearing those words, Chase made a pleased laughing sound. However, that definitely did not mean he would give up on the idea.

 

Since even Royal Consort Louise, Chase’s mother, couldn’t break Chase’s stubbornness, it was naturally impossible for Bern to overcome it. In the end, Bern let out a short sigh and shook his head.

 

“Please dismiss the Knights yourself. Talk to Father directly too. I don’t know anything about this.”

 

He said this because Debeullan did not raise his voice to Chase.

 

Debeullan let Chase do whatever he wanted.

 

He did not interfere at all, and even promised to give Chase the Crown Prince position. It was in exchange for Bern doing ‘pruning’ for Debeullan.

 

Since it was to save Chase, Bern believe he could endure that much.

 

“That much, I can do easily.”

 

At Chase’s answer that seemed to come from his own head, Bern chuckled.

 

Serenty’s time had completely passed in the dark dawn.

 

The two Princes’ horses finally ran toward the sea.

 

* * *

 

When he said let’s go to the sea, Bern naturally thought Chase meant the royal sea.

 

But Chase came to a place a little farther than that.

 

The silver moon rose and waned repeatedly on the water, and Bern, silently watching the sea where the moonlight ripples quietly sparkled, opened his mouth.

 

“It’s too big for a present.”

 

“As I kept thinking about it, it gradually became so.”

 

There was a small rock and a small wooden house. It was a very small beach with a narrow white sand beach where the sound of waves was pleasant.

 

“Arianneu said she’d like a sword, but I didn’t like that idea. I thought about buying a horse that could run far, but you already have three horses. So I thought about buying a villa, but you inherited that from Mother too. Thinking about what you might not have, I bought the sea.”

 

Chase, who had given the small beach to his younger brother as a gift, made a face as if expecting praise and explained this way.

 

“Since Mother is also nearby, wouldn’t that be even better?”

 

Secritia’s Queen, who had died a month ago.

 

The sea was not far from the grave of Queen Diana, Bern’s mother.

 

“The Nobles will talk a lot.”

 

“The Nobles talk a lot anyway.”

 

An older brother giving the sea as a birthday present to his younger brother. There would surely be various words again.

 

Chase shrugged.

 

“It was Arianneu’s property, so don’t worry. I even came secretly like this so it wouldn’t be noticed.”

 

Arianneu, a longtime friend of the two brothers and Chase’s fiancée. It meant she would keep the secret that she had sold this small beach to the First Prince. And since he brought Bern here avoiding others’ eyes, that wouldn’t be a problem either.

(He is still the first prince at this point.)

 

In the end, Bern could not refuse anymore and decided to accept this tremendous gift. Because he understood it was something brought out of concern for Bern, who didn’t show any particular signs despite not long having lost his mother.

 

He also really liked this gift that was close to his mother, It had the gentle sounds of waves and a pleasant smell.

 

“Come anytime since no one will be here whenever you come. Come anytime to rest and play. Please do so.”

 

The sandy beach was harder to run on than bare ground. Therefore, thinking it would be good to come here occasionally to run or practice, watching Bern, Chase quietly continued.

 

“It’s a place where it’s fine to do nothing. Sometimes, no. It’s fine to come often, so please come anytime and spend your time here comfortably. I would like that from you.”

 

Just fourteen years old now.

 

An excessively mature, one and only younger brother.

 

It was a voice where pitiful feelings toward such a younger brother seeped through at every word.

 

Bern spent most of his days with Knight Taillan. Every day he held his sword until blisters that burst, with pus and blood oozing. Except for those few days when he lost his mother, he always held his sword.

 

Chase knew for whom he did so.

 

Though he did not know how much blood was already on those hands, he knew that much. He gave the sea to such a younger brother. He sole meaning was—wouldn’t it be good to catch your breath and rest a bit.

 

Bern just smiled.

 

Because the sound of waves coming and going was pleasant to hear.

 

Because he liked the salty sea smell instead of the smell of blood.

 

“Bern.”

 

Chase, who had been watching such a Bern, quietly called out. Bern, who looked exactly like Chase, only with longer hair and lighter colored eye, looked at Chase.

 

“…I really wish you wouldn’t become a Knight. Would that be difficult?”

 

“You said it was good that I was reliable.”

 

“I didn’t know you were serious then.”

 

Bern chuckled and replied.

 

“You know I can’t lie.”

 

“I didn’t even know that then. How would I have known you’d really do it?”

 

“It’s already too late. What can I do when I like my sword so much?”

 

Chase and Bern were equally stubborn. They were not just similar in face, so there was no difference. Therefore, this time Chase let out a deep sigh.

 

The dark sea.

 

Even in that distant darkness where all the blue light had faded leaving only moonlight and starlight, he could see his younger brother’s hands too clearly. It was not just the hands that were full of scars, but those hands were particularly heartbreaking, so he could not say more.

 

The wave sounds, as gentle as Chase’s voice, replaced his swallowed words.

 

“I’ll come often. I’ll gladly accept the gift, older brother.”

 

As clever as always, Bern, a truly thoughtful child.

 

Yet, he was the same, always pitiful precious younger brother.

 

“How did it come to this?”

 

A voice like wind blowing through forests scattered over the waves.

 

Chase’s short blue-silver hair swayed with the wind and found its place. Following it, Bern’s long blue-silver hair also swayed together.

 

“That seat is yours.”

 

On that day when Bern turned fourteen.

 

When day broke, Debeullan said he would give the Crown Prince position to Chase. That must have weighed on his mind too.

 

“It’s not my seat.”

 

The seat where the owner of this land should sit.

 

The seat where one with sacred blood should sit to protect the sacred land.

 

Someone stains themselves with blood to have that seat, and someone else stains themselves with blood to not have that seat. It was a terrible paradoxical object.

 

“It doesn’t matter whose it is.”

 

A seat that truly does not matter whose it belongs to.

 

But a seat that must be Chase’s for both to live. So for Bern, it was a seat that was not desirable at all.

 

“I don’t want it.”

 

Bern, who said this, took a deep breath, trying to take in even a little more of the sea’s smell.

 

* * *

 

In the place where all the Central Nobles had gathered, Debeullan said only one thing.

 

He would place Chase in the Crown Prince position.

 

He gave no other explanation beyond that.

 

“Isn’t he the child of a Royal Consort?”

 

The Nobles objected.

 

Despite Debeullan’s power, they still objected.

 

Because Debeullan wanted their objection.

 

Because everyone knew that while mentioning Chase with their mouths, their gazes were directed at Bern.

 

“No matter that he is the First Prince, how can you say such things when there is the Second Prince, son of the Queen?”

 

The opposition only grew fiercer.

 

Though there were no other rational reasons, Debeullan said nothing.

 

He just quietly looked down at Bern, with eyes that stated: ‘Let me see you try to overcome this too.’

 

Bern’s eyes turned cold.

 

Debeullan, who never had private meetings with Bern because he feared Bern’s murderous presence, turned his head away from his son’s eyes.

 

If Bern became Crown Prince, Chase would die. The Nobles would try to completely break Chase’s enormous wings that he had shown so far.

 

[That! Absolutely! Must not! Happen!]

 

[Because of some crown, because of some throne, losing Chase is absolutely unthinkable!]

 

*Tap tap tap.*

 

Bern’s fingertips drummed on the table.

 

At that sound repeated several times, the Nobles’ gazes gathered on Bern.

 

Debeullan also looked at Bern. Bern also looked at Debeullan.

 

Bern’s fingertips moved in a circle.

 

Following that end, Bern’s mouth drew a long arc.

 

‘Let’s see you try to stop this.’

 

Father.

 

*Kriiiii*

 

The heavy chair was pushed back.

 

The Nobles’ gazes followed.

 

Debeullan’s eyes sharpened.

 

*Step!*

 

One stomp.

 

His long hair tied high swayed with that stomp, but that was all. Nothing else besides that wavered.

 

“Bern. Stop.”

 

He let Debeullan’s voice flow past.

 

For the first and last time, he disobeyed Debeullan’s words.

 

*Step!*

 

Another step.

 

Without stopping, straight.

 

Only toward Chase.

 

He walked.

 

Chase, who had already realized what his younger brother would do, smiled. Because he understood why it had to be so, because he knew all too well why he could not refuse.

 

He made a smile so painful he could never forget it even if he died.

 

“…Please rise.”

 

A quiet voice.

 

“Please hear the words of oath.”

 

Bern’s quiet voice.

 

That was a typhoon.

 

Chase’s violet eyes, who quietly stood up from his seat, completely captured the image of his younger brother kneeling on one knee with his head bowed.

 

“I, Bern Secritia, borrowing Serenty’s name, swear loyalty to Prince Chase Secritia, who will be my one and only Lord.”

 

Since a Knight’s oath receives Serenty’s protection, once it begins, no one could stop it.

 

“My sword will be used for my Lord, my shield will block my Lord’s front, and my death will precede my Lord.”

 

Therefore, no one could stop Bern’s words.

 

“Please allow me to maintain my Knightly honor and die fighting for my Lord.”

 

A Prince with the power of his bloodline knelt to save an older brother who lacked only that one thing.

 

Chase could not refuse such a Bern.

 

He absolutely could not overcome that stubbornness.

 

The sound of the black sea’s waves brushed Chase’s ears.

 

“I allow…”

 

The salty sea smell filled Bern’s head. As long as he did not forget that, he could endure the smell of blood however many times.

 

“I allow it.”

 

Thus, Bern became a Knight.

 

He put down the path to the throne and became Chase’s Knight.

 

As the King’s younger brother, as the King’s subject, as the King’s Knight. In all those forms, wanting only to protect Chase alone. Because he sincerely wished to live and die that way.

 

* * *

 

The pure white bird of prey, Chase.

 

Like the meaning of that name, may you become a King untainted by filth and remain as this land’s pure light.

 

All other darkness, I will gladly accept as a portion meant only for me.