Chapter 242, Don’t Stop (4)

Translator: Hedge

Editor: Lizzz

 

Randel looked at Hina with closed eyes before speaking.

 

“Withdraw.”

 

If Kalian’s words were out of the blue, Plants’s words had no beginning or end, then Randel’s words lacked consideration. In any case, the Princes who proved their brotherhood through their deficient language skills, each lacking something somewhere.

 

Hearing the eldest’s words, Hina raised her head.

 

“Our healer will continue what she’s doing, so don’t worry about it and do what you need to do.”

 

Arsene said this upon seeing that.

 

Since they had said they would not cause harm, he had let them in, but he thought there was no reason to heed words telling them to stop treating Hina.

 

It would also be good to use this opportunity to establish that Valkan did not need to follow the First Prince’s words.

 

However, Hina moved slowly.

 

She withdrew her hand, which seemed like it would never leave until Plants opened his eyes.

 

“Lady Bern, you don’t really need to do as he said.”

 

“There will be a repelling force. Because you don’t use the power of healing like I do.”

 

Before the blue-haired Mage, who didn’t yet know well what power Randel possessed, could fully understand the meaning of Hina’s words, light gathered at Randel’s fingertips. Seeing this, Arsene momentarily clenched his fist.

 

He almost attacked Randel.

 

Red light.

 

It was a completely different red light from the healer’s white light or Hina’s golden light.

 

Remembering the wolves they had encountered in the forest, Arsene felt his shoulder twinge once more, and he barely dispersed the Mana that had gathered at his fingertips by clenching his fist as if to hide it.

 

Thanks to that red power, Randel, who could sense not only Divine Power but also killing intent and Mana, did not pay attention to whatever had gathered and disappeared behind him. Just as Arsene had said, he simply did his job.

 

“Lady Bern, I have no idea what’s happening right now.”

 

“He’s treating Prince Plants. I don’t know why the color is red, but Prince Kalian once told me it’s a type of Divine Power.”

 

“Earlier you said you couldn’t trust anyone?”

 

“Prince Randel is the least trustworthy person in the Royal Palace for us. Veronica said that the most suspicious person usually doesn’t actually do truly bad things. If he came here in person knowing he’d be suspected, he wouldn’t do anything strange.”

 

Having answered thus, Hina soon closed her eyes and rested.

 

If Randel, who was treating Plants, should change his mind and attempt another attack, Arsene would deal with it well. So, what Hina needed to do now was not monitor Randel, but rest.

 

“You seemed a bit like a Mage just now, girl.”

 

In the end, Arsene decided not to worry further about Randel’s intentions and just let it be.

 

Randel’s healing technique was not particularly different from Hina’s except for the color of the gathering light, with the only difference being that he was infusing power from a spot slightly away from Plants’s body.

 

“Why would he come when he doesn’t even want to touch him?”

 

Arsene silently let out a hollow laugh and began to continuously watch what Randel was doing, his vivid blue eyes wide open. Letting Randel be did not mean he trusted him.

 

Thus, some time passed as Randel began healing, Hina rested, and Arsene’s heart pounded nervously.

 

When Hina opened her eyes again and confirmed that Randel’s healing technique was quite stable, and just as Arsene was surprised that Randel was not struggling despite holding his arm extended for quite a while, Arsene raised his head.

 

The power gathered in Randel’s hand had dissipated.

 

After briefly examining Plants, Arsene spoke with relief.

 

“It seems our Prince has resolved it.”

 

The Seal of Oath.

 

It had finally disappeared.

 

As Randel removed his hand, Hina quickly placed her hand on Plants and, after confirming that Plants’s heart was no longer convulsing, stopping and starting erratically, she let out a sigh of relief.

 

“When the third one comes, tell him I want to see him.”

 

Randel stood up from his seat and spoke calmly.

 

Then he went outside before Arsene could even respond. He didn’t even bother with obvious words like not telling others elsewhere about his actions now.

 

* * *

 

[Responsibility, you say?]

 

At Rmain’s words pouring oil on the fire of a heart already burning with worry for Kalian, Allan grabbed his temples.

 

“Saying you’ll take responsibility so bring him here…”

 

There was no way to know who else might be mixed in somewhere in the Royal Palace right now. For instance, people like the Knight or Mage from Zeon who had driven Arsene to the brink of death.

 

Moreover, Valkan, which Allan commanded, was an army. Regardless of what it was, at some point in the past or future, Allan was the Commander of said army, that had once turned a whole country into a sea of fire. Allan moving was different from a single Archmage of one nation moving. The difference of their posts was just that stark.

 

“What were you thinking to say something that couldn’t even be used as fertilizer for the garden?”

 

That person, who would already be well across the Senu River if Arsene’s fingertips merely twitched, was trying to send not just one Prince but even Allan to Marquis Evan Beurisen’s estate, which would completely disappear before dawn. Just what kind of brain thought up such nonsense that was worse than dog shit?

 

Therefore, Allan, who mercilessly berated Rmain once again, walked toward the office door with heavy steps.

 

“Where are you going?”

 

“I’m going to fetch your son.”

 

He meant he was going to fetch his own child, not this ox. However, the ox who did not understand that deep meaning blinked and said:

 

“You said it was a proposal that couldn’t even be used as fertilizer.”

 

“Since His Majesty the King orders it, I must go.”

 

“Since when have you listened to my words so well?”

 

“Of all the worthless things Your Majesty has said until now, this is one of the few pleasant words to hear, so how could I let it pass without listening?”

 

Although not from Cyries, Allan was still a Mage, so he threw away all the complicated calculations and just answered that he would go.

 

Aren’t Mages people who live their entire lives not by their heads but by their hearts?

 

“Still, I can’t leave this place empty, and if I carry Your Majesty out piggyback and one of the two Princes closes the palace gates, you’ll feel a bit lonely, so I’ll call Deputy Commander Hertz and have him sit here first. Lady Jelia will watch over the Second Prince’s safety.”

 

If the palace gates closed while Rmain was unofficially outside the Royal Palace, it wouldn’t be a problem that could be solved like Sleiman, who casually went out to a hot spring for a few days. Because a room for Rmain might be created on the floor below where Rmain’s brother stayed.

 

“Understood. Do that.”

 

Leaving behind Rmain, who nodded and obediently answered, Allan opened the office door. Then he asked one of the Mages standing outside to call Arsene and waited briefly.

 

Shortly after the Mage who heard Allan’s words left his post, Allan sensed someone he had not been thinking of at this moment entering Arpia Palace.

 

“Our Prince said not to think about coming to where he is even if you’re late just because you’re worried.”

 

The Baby Elephant.

 

Ian, who had come to find Allan, said this, telling Allan that he had once again been in the palm of Kalian’s hand. Then he conveyed the story Kalian had mentioned separately before leaving the Royal Palace.

 

“He said Valkan shouldn’t get involved in this matter. So…”

 

Just as Ian’s continuing story ended, Allan felt the Seal of Oath bound to his heart disappear.

 

* * *

 

“Pull yourself together.”

 

He remembered.

 

No, it suddenly came to mind.

 

He had merely leaned against the wall and closed his eyes briefly.

 

[‘Don’t stop.’]

 

[Though you never once told me to do anything, why did you have to say such words on that last day?]

 

[Because of those words, I…]

 

[Because I made such a promise to you and couldn’t break it. While cutting off my own arm with my own hand, enduring like that, I… How much did I grumble at you for saying such words before leaving?]

 

[‘Pull yourself together.’]

 

[If there was something you wanted me to do, why didn’t you say it normally instead of saying it that way before leaving? Making it so I couldn’t even say I was sorry and couldn’t keep my promise anymore. Do you know how many times I repeated your words trying to keep that promise?]

 

[I keep pulling myself together and not stopping. Yes. Like that.]

 

[I had also promised to go back. Saying I’d come greet you after returning…]

 

“Your Highness.”

 

[How much I… Like that…]

 

“Prince Kalian. Pull yourself together.”

 

[Do you…]

 

[Know?]

 

“Kyrie.”

 

[Do you…]

 

“…Kyrie.”

 

[Are you, this time too, calling me? To keep that promise?]

 

* * *

 

There was nothing more to fix.

 

Plants was now merely asleep.

 

In fact, Kalian had said not to wake Plants in case he could not remove the Seal of Oath. Arsene, having heard this through Rerik, interpreted and understood Kalian’s meaning well. So, he no longer used Mana on Plants.

 

Meanwhile, Allan’s message came saying he would send Nidlen instead to come to Arpia Palace. Since there were Mages everywhere outside the treatment room for protection, Arsene nodded and left his seat.

 

For this reason, Hina, who was alone beside Plants for a while, was healing Plants again.

 

There was nothing more to fix, but still, she was anxious for no reason.

 

Worried that perhaps there was some problem preventing him from waking up, she could not take her hand away.

 

After continuing to examine Plants like this and a bit more time passing, finally…

 

“Why.”

 

Finally, a low voice was heard.

 

The person who had almost died but whose words remained short even after waking up recalled that the person beside him was Hina and added a few more words.

 

“There’s nothing more to fix.”

 

Because it seemed it would be difficult to turn his head to see the sign language, Hina put the bracelet Arsene had left on Plants’s wrist and answered.

 

“There’s nothing more to fix, but you weren’t waking up, so I was anxious and… worried there might be something wrong elsewhere.”

 

Listening to the voice echoing in his head, Plants slowly sat up and closed his eyes slightly before opening them.

 

He had woken up, opened his eyes, so he could walk.

 

And first things first, he needed to check the situation.

 

“Kalian?”

 

“He hasn’t come back yet.”

 

He immediately felt that the Seal of Oath had been released.

 

“…Crazy bastard.”

 

Although he had known that would happen, that crazy younger brother really had rushed out.

 

Again.

 

He had saved him.

 

After briefly looking down at his own hand and letting out a short sigh, Plants stood up unsteadily. Hina, who should have told him to lie back down and rest for a day or two, said something else instead.

 

“Commander Manasil and Deputy Commander Hertz are at Arpia Palace. I’ll escort you there.”

 

Plants turned his head and stared at Hina’s face for a long time. Although there was no mirror so he did not know what state he was in now, he thought he probably looked better than Hina did at the moment.

 

Plants knew what she had been doing to end up like that.

 

So, should he now tell her to rest?

 

Should he say ‘why did you overexert yourself like that?‘

 

Or…

 

Toward Plants, who was contemplating this for a while, Hina spoke first.

 

“Yes. I worked very hard to save Prince Plants. I used a lot of strength, worried a lot, and to be honest, I was quite angry too. I know you’re grateful and sorry to me, so you don’t have to say words you can’t say. I’ll scold you later. For now, do what’s urgent first and we’ll meet again.”

 

It meant not to waste time on useless things.

 

And then she casually conveyed one thunderbolt-like statement.

 

“And Prince Randel also worked very hard to treat Prince Plants.”

 

Even at those unexpected words, Plants was not surprised. He merely stopped the step he was about to take for a moment.

 

“I suppose he heard how I ended up like this.”

 

“Yes. It seemed like he knew.”

 

Plants nodded slightly.

 

After that, he moved his feet again with an irritated expression.

 

“Right.”

 

This time, Plants had chosen the best method that wouldn’t harm his brothers.

 

If it was Randel, he would have known it was not a kindness only for himself, but even so, it would mean he did not want to be in Plants’ debt.

 

“In any case… I had no intention of asking you to repay it.”

 

Plants, who had received unwanted help and well understood the intention of the brother who had given unwanted help and left, pulled up one corner of his mouth.

 

* * *

 

A Knight picked up the child.

 

A girl with green hair that seemed to fully reveal whose bloodline she belonged to.

 

There were no other people from the Beurisen Family at the Marquis’s estate besides Evan Beurisen and this one child. Gray had returned to his territory until Kalian called him again, and Lannen had his own residence in the Capital.

 

So the Knight carefully picked up the child of unknown relation before she woke and escaped from the place full of the smell of blood. The other Knights who had entered together searched among the corpses scattered here and there, all wounded in the same place and dead, for any possible survivors.

 

Among the busy Knights, one Knight with water-colored hair knelt on one knee and carefully laid someone down.

 

“I couldn’t bring Hina.”

 

[Your Highness, at least lie down. At least sit down. Why are you like this…]

 

“I’ll escort you to the Royal Palace. I’ll escort you, so please don’t lose consciousness and hold on just a little longer.”

 

He had been standing, leaning against the wall in the pool of blood he had spilled.

 

Standing while pouring out blood.

 

Supporting such a Kalian, he first laid him down in a clean place. Even so, Kyrie’s one knee touching the floor had already become soaked.

 

Kyrie tried to tear the robe he was wearing in a hurry.

 

“If you wrap such a thing around Royalty, you’ll be arrested.”

 

At that moment, these words came along with two clean bandages thrust before his eyes.

 

Although such a thing wouldn’t be a crime when life and death hung in the balance, he knew these were words meant to reassure Kyrie in their own way. So, Kyrie bowed his head to Dmirea, who had handed him the bandages, with gratitude before receiving them.

 

Since there was Syspanian’s Blessing, if the situation allowed for stabilization as it was, it would be better to leave the bandages and everything else alone.

 

“What’s the situation outside?”

 

“It’s a standoff.”

 

Regrettably, that wasn’t the case.

 

Lannen’s private soldiers had come.

 

They had come much faster than expected.

 

“I plan to resolve this as quickly as possible and return right away, but Marquis Beurisen probably knows about brother’s condition too. Perhaps he requested help from Viscount Beurisen or the other Nobles.”

 

After Plants collapsed, after attacking and capturing the Caera Knight, calling Kyrie, and confirming Plants’s condition, he immediately ran outside. Kalian, having received the reins from Ian who had quickly brought Raven, met Kyrie who had subdued the fallen Knight.

 

‘Kyrie. You take older brother and go to Wilhelm Hall. The details will be delivered by his attendant. Hand over that guy we just caught to Valkan. And go to Siegfried and inform them of the current situation. Dmirea will decide the rest on her own. Ian. You don’t go outside. Instead, Master will surely try to come out, so prevent that. This matter must end as a struggle for position between Prince and Nobles. It must not become a civil war.’

 

Having conveyed the situation thus, Kalian departed first.

 

And when Kyrie, having informed Dmirea of the contents, found the residence, Lannen’s private soldiers were already gathering.

 

It was still before finding Kalian.

 

“Should I just kill them all? Is it possible?”

 

Just as Kyrie was contemplating this while watching them, Dmirea came leading her Knights.

 

She did not send Kalian’s Knight Order but came directly leading her own private soldiers. She had come for him.

 

Thanks to that, Kyrie, who immediately entered the estate, found Kalian standing in a state where it was impossible to tell if he was alive.

 

“I’ll clear a path, so go to the Royal Palace first. We’ll handle them ourselves.”

 

Looking at the flickering lights created by Lannen’s private soldiers outside the window, Dmirea said this. Then she helped Kyrie, who had bandaged Kalian’s wounds, lift Kalian onto his back.

 

“Thank you.”

 

“It’s nothing to thank me for.”

 

To the thanks for personally stepping forward beyond just protecting Kalian’s Knights as agreed, Dmirea shook her head and answered.

 

“Siegfried is best at protecting.”

 

Whether he becomes King or not after being protected like that.

 

Support or whatever, she did not care anymore.

 

The person her older brother was trying to protect, she would just protect him too. That was what she had decided upon.

 

“So I’ll protect my fiancé myself.”

 

Dmirea, who had stood firm at the end of her deliberation, smiled slightly.