Chapter 241, Don’t Stop (3)

Translator: Hedge

Editor: Lizzz

 

[I knew it wasn’t him. But the resemblance was too striking. So striking that it reminded me of Plants from long ago, causing sudden confusion to set in.]

 

[That confusion led to absurd chaos. The memories I had left sensitively open while inserting Evan’s swordsmanship into my mind became jumbled.]

 

In an instant, another fragment of memory surfaced within the chaos. Not memories of Plants, but memories of Bern that Kalian possessed rose up.

 

“What disturbance did that child cause Father?”

 

“Is there any need to ask the reason for a sword already swung?”

 

“Even if you’ve already killed them, I should know the reason.”

 

“Would knowing it now change anything?”

 

“If you don’t answer, I’ll make that guard standing over there look exactly like that child, then ask again. What disturbance did that child cause you, Father?”

 

“They were the heir of the place you visited last month.”

 

[An heir. And a young child. Just thinking about that alone…]

 

Before Kalian could stop it, a moment from his memories consumed his mind.

 

“So I sent you back again. Future troubles should be eliminated in advance, should they not?”

 

“For such a trivial reason…”

 

“Trivial? What if we left that child alone and they grew up as savage as you?”

 

Because that child who suddenly appeared resembled some damned bastard who would have collapsed in the Royal Palace. And because, by chance, memories surfaced of another young child who would have been around the same age as that child.

 

It was a brief moment, not even long enough to take a breath, but Kalian’s gaze was definitely stolen. Despite having said repeatedly not to think too much, Kalian thought too much.

 

And so.

 

That fleeting gap created by those thoughts. That gap.

 

*Thud!*

 

Evan did not miss it.

 

“…Ha.”

 

[This… Damned Family. Every single one of them, this one and that one, all so damn green.]

 

[To think… I got confused for a moment. I, did!]

 

“This is driving me crazy…”

 

[Just what is with all this greenery?]

 

* * *

 

Somehow feeling anxious about it being too late.

 

Unable to sit still at all, what should be done about this?

 

If Evan died, the Seal of Oath placed on Allan’s heart would be released as well. So even without looking out the window, Allan would know when the situation ended. Nevertheless, Allan’s eyes at the window could not leave what was outside. His pacing footsteps could not depart from before the window.

 

[It was time for him to return.]

 

[Kalian. What’s taking you so long?]

 

He could not leave Rmain’s side either.

 

Though he was Kalian’s Master, Allan was Commander of Valkan.

 

With the Royal Palace Guard reduced, there was no knowing what might happen. No matter how many Mages were present, Allan needed to be by Rmain’s side. Rationally, he understood this.

 

“Count.”

 

Rmain, who had been sitting silently on the sofa, called to Allan.

 

Allan quietly turned his head to look at the one who had called him.

 

“I too find it difficult to wait any longer, so I wish you would go and return.”

 

Rmain’s gaze, though merely sitting on the sofa with a heart the same as Allan’s, was also directed outside the window.

 

“There will be no trouble.”

 

Having suppressed the desire to rush out thousands of times until now, having thought thousands of times why he must be here, Allan quietly answered after checking outside the window once more.

 

Rmain, watching such an Allan, spoke.

 

“Go and bring him back. Whatever you do, I will take responsibility.”

 

He made a request.

 

The King of Cyries to the Commander of Valkan.

 

A man who had only been incompetent to an Archmage.

 

Kalian’s father to Kalian’s father.

 

* * *

 

“Ha…”

 

A sound that could be either a hollow laugh or a hollow breath leaked out once more.

 

“There’s nothing you won’t do… in front of a child.”

 

*Drip drip drip…*

 

Thick droplets of blood the same color as the crimson sword, whose tip touched the floor, fell drop by drop.

 

Kalian glanced down at the blade deeply embedded in the center of his abdomen and put strength into the hand gripping his sword. For the price of having briefly looked away, Evan had delivered something quite painful, and he answered.

 

“I told you. You’re not getting out of here.”

 

Kalian did not respond to Evan’s words.

 

Kalian, who had taken his gaze from the sword that had torn through his insides, looked at the child with green eyes standing far away and smiled beautifully. A gentle voice utterly unsuited to the current situation flowed out.

 

“You’re dreaming.”

 

Think of it as a dream.

 

‘Sleep’

 

“It’s a nightmare… so don’t remember it.”

 

*Thud!*

 

The child who had been watching Evan and Kalian and the sword in Evan’s hand and Kalian pierced by that sword with wide-open eyes collapsed to the floor.

 

Having confirmed that the child whose identity he barely knew had fallen asleep, Kalian finally gathered the Aura that had been protecting his entire body to prevent Evan’s sword from entering his body any further.

 

Whether he did or not, Evan twisted and pulled out the sword that had been embedded in Kalian’s body.

 

*Splatter!*

 

With the sword that had been blocking the wound gone, a handful of blood poured straight onto the floor.

 

Kalian’s body swayed momentarily.

 

Evan’s two swords swung toward Kalian’s neck and heart.

 

*Clang!*

 

Kalian barely managed to raise his sword and block Evan’s attack. And smiled.

 

Evan, who had been frowning, kicked off the floor. Before he knew it, Kalian was charging at him, raising wind. As if he had forgotten what had just entered and exited his body.

 

Evan hastily turned his body to dodge Kalian’s sword aiming for his heart. No, he tried to dodge.

 

He could not block all of the crimson attacks stabbing in faster than he had thought. Kalian’s sword made a deeply split wound above Evan’s left heart as his body twisted.

 

*Whoosh!*

 

Droplets of blood that burst from Evan’s wound scattered across the corridor wall. Drip, drip, scarlet droplets flowed down to the floor.

 

*Step!*

 

Before he could even get used to the pain from that deep wound, he saw Kalian’s foot kick off the ground. Evan, who had postponed attacking with his left side where strength would not enter well, raised the sword held in his right hand.

 

Kalian, who had been throwing his body, stepped on the tip of Evan’s sword with a tap and leaped up again.

 

Because Kalian’s sword had been slightly faster, Evan hastily retreated several steps in his sword-holding position. Though he tried to retreat far away, the closed distance did not widen easily. Sharp pain continued to shake his head along his spine.

 

[What in the world is this bastard!]

 

Evan’s wound was deep.

 

The wound he had given Kalian was a fatal blow.

 

Without even needing to look, the depths of the wounds were clearly different. Yet looking only at his actions created the illusion that Kalian’s wound was much more minor.

 

*Whoosh!*

 

Kalian, who had approached Evan with a short leap, swung his sword. Evan also responded, forcing his arm that wouldn’t move well.

 

While slashing horizontally with the sword in his right hand, he gripped the sword in his left hand and struck down. Kalian, who had deflected the sword striking from above, continued to swing his sword in the direction of movement. The sword that had been slashing in quickly struck down toward the floor and lost direction.

 

*Clang! Clang!*

 

An even fiercer attack.

 

With the clearly changed movement of the crimson sword, Evan’s posture began to gradually crumble. His mind, which had been concentrating again to face Kalian, also began to gradually unravel.

 

*Clang! Clang! Clang!*

 

*Drip drip drip…*

 

Blood flowed from Evan’s wound that revealed its bright red interior. Blood poured from Kalian’s wound, barely visible due to his black clothing. The black clothing had long since been soaked dark by blood, maybe from others, maybe from himself.

 

Kalian, who swayed once and straightened his body again, habitually opened his mouth.

 

“Ah, right.”

 

Evan, who had somehow started breathing heavily with his leisurely appearance gone, looked at Kalian.

 

“Earlier, the reason I looked away… I didn’t explain it properly.”

 

[What on earth are you talking about at a time like this!] Evan, who had no intention whatsoever of listening to the last words of the one who had wounded him, frowned and stepped forward. Nothing entered his mind except the thought that he needed to kill that bastard as quickly as possible.

 

*Swish!*

 

Perhaps thinking he no longer needed to use the arm on the deeply cut side, Evan extended only the sword in his right hand toward Kalian.

 

Watching this, Kalian took one step back and released his hand from the sword he was holding. Then he moved again, dropping both arms toward the floor.

 

Kalian’s form vanished without fail.

 

Things that could no longer be distinguished as blood or Aura scattered on the floor with soft patters.

 

Feeling a chilling energy extending from behind, Evan quickly turned his body and raised his sword.

 

*Whooom!*

*Whooom!*

 

Two sounds.

 

A sword that changes into any desired form at any time.

 

This time, instead of a longsword, instead of a dagger, instead of a shield, or instead of a club or Luci’s toy. A sword thinner than usual was held in Kalian’s hand.

 

Evan crossed his two swords to block Kalian’s sword.

 

*Clang!*

 

Evan blocked Kalian’s attack.

 

With a sharp metallic sound, the crimson sword stopped in midair.

 

*…Crack!*

 

He blocked only one.

 

“You don’t, use your left, do you.”

 

Two swords that had instantly changed form were held in Kalian’s hands, one in each. One was blocked, and the other.

 

“…It’s not that I can’t use it. I too…”

 

Kalian finished his words while looking at the second crimson sword that had accurately penetrated Evan’s heart.

 

Slowly…

 

Evan slowly raised his head.

 

He looked at Kalian.

 

A vivid red light.

 

The red cloak he had worn that day came to mind together.

 

“See whose son I am.”

 

Red hair of a light quite similar to the blood now flowing, which he had seen on a day from much longer ago, came to mind.

 

“You…”

 

A cold energy surrounded Kalian’s face as he looked at Evan with eyes of similar light.

 

*Snap!*

 

Since it meant he would say what he wanted to say, not that he would engage in conversation, Kalian dispersed the sword in his hand.

 

There was no longer any need to stand facing Evan’s eyes, nor any reason to listen to his words.

 

“Damn. Why did I do that? Why did I say I would teach you?”

 

[…I seriously shouldn’t have.]

 

*Thud.

 

Evan’s body, having lost its support, lost strength and knelt.

 

The pupils that had been looking at Kalian moved slightly. After glancing once each at the swords held in both of Kalian’s hands, just like that.

 

*Crash!*

 

He collapsed as if crumbling onto the cold floor.

 

He closed his eyes.

 

Kalian, who had watched that sight to the end, exhaled a long breath. He exhaled a long, long breath for quite a while.

 

*Whoosh…*

 

Soon after, two types of dispersing Mana could be felt.

 

One slightly old and one much older.

 

Kalian, who clearly felt the Seal of Oath that Plants and Allan had made with Evan disappearing, smiled faintly.

 

“That was tiresome.”

 

Kalian took a staggering step, picked up the black pebble that had fallen near Evan’s corpse, and put it in his pocket.

 

Then, he took several more staggering steps, picked up the robe he had taken off earlier, and returned to the side of the already deceased Evan. He raised his arm that wouldn’t move well and spread out that black cloth.

 

*Flap!*

 

He deliberately covered Evan’s corpse with his robe.

 

It was not courtesy toward a Marquis, of Noble peerage, nor courtesy toward a Knight with whom he had exchanged a long fight.

 

It was because, though he had wanted to move the child who had fallen asleep at the end of that corridor to another place, he was not in a condition to do so. Since he absolutely could not put that child anywhere, he had no choice but to cover only Evan’s corpse.

 

“It doesn’t seem like I’m in a position to be considerate.”

 

[Still… so that if that child who knows nothing wakes up before those who will clean up this place arrive, what that child sees would at least not be the corpse of their own blood.]

 

[Wherever and however this child will live from now on. A child is still too young to realize that what they believed in to be a nightmare is in fact reality. How cruel that is.]

 

*Drip drip… Splatter.*

 

As he straightened his bent waist, crimson blood fell to the floor once more.

 

“Plants… that grasshead.”

 

Outside the window that had been full of darkness, lights could be seen gathering dimly. Unable to think about what it was, Kalian just kept moving his feet.

 

Kalian, clutching the wound on his abdomen, moved his feet in a stagger, and eventually stopped and leaned his body against the wall.

 

“That enemy-like older brother…”

 

The Seal of Oath bound to Kalian’s heart remained.

 

So, the light green pea would still be green and fresh.

 

[Damned bastard. A guy who’s mastered not listening. Still, surely he won’t go somewhere and sell his heart again, right?]

 

[Well, as long as he doesn’t do that.]

 

*Splatter drip…*

 

[Well then. You’ll live longer than… A cat, at the very least.]