Chapter 274, Himolika Is Delicious (5)

Translator: Hedge

Editor: Lizzz

 

*Meow-ow-ow-ow!*

 

She went like that, truly cried like that.

 

Luci, upon seeing Plants return to Chermil Palace, went under the sofa, and Anne followed. Then Luci truly, truly made a pitiful crying sound.

 

Before there was even time to check whether Luci was still the same and how much Anne had grown.

 

“I didn’t forget though.”

 

*Meow-ow!*

 

“I even said I’d be gone for a long time. Why are you complaining?”

 

*Meow!*

 

*Mew!*

 

In the room he had returned to after so long, forgetting even to bathe comfortably, Plants called Luci and Anne from in front of the sofa for quite a while. But all that returned was still the pitiful crying sound.

 

Plants, who had hurriedly returned here without even thinking of seeing his own father’s face after briefly meeting his younger sibling’s father, and ended up seeing only the two cats’ backsides, felt confused about whether it was the cats or himself who should feel aggrieved.

 

“Luci. Anne.”

 

*Meow-ow!*

 

No matter how much he called, they showed no intention of coming out.

 

After calling and meowing for a long while, finally after receiving and offering treats of minced beef rolled into little balls, Plants smiled slightly at the two cats who poked their heads out.

 

Anne had grown considerably.

 

In such a short period, she had truly grown much. Her ash-grey tail, which had become so fluffy it brought to mind a feather duster, caught his eye.

 

Even having grown so much, Anne remained small, and there was Luci, who conveyed warmth just by being nearby, and yet he would have to leave the Royal Palace once more soon. What should he do?

 

“You cannot take them with you, Your Highness.”

 

Rerik, who had heard he would be making an even longer journey soon, spoke these words first. His perceptiveness had increased, it seemed, enough to at least read what Plants was thinking while looking at the two cats.

 

“I know.”

 

“I shall take very good care of them instead. Don’t worry.”

 

Plants nodded silently.

 

In fact, he had heard this before going to meet the Elves. That he must not take the cats out.

 

The pitch-black cat living downstairs meowed constantly wherever it went and followed along well, but Luci and Anne were not like that, so what could he do? During his brief stay, he could only hug Luci thoroughly and take Anne into his eyes carefully.

 

“I’ve prepared the bath, so please rest well first. It seems you can spend tomorrow without any other schedule.”

 

Plants, who had gently stroked the cats who finally came close and rubbed against his feet, unfastened his cloak, handed it to Rerik, and answered.

 

“Alright.”

 

After sending Rerik out, he bathed for a long while, as if sinking into the wide bathtub made of pale jade. Forgetting even to measure how much time had passed, for a long while, truly after ages, he spent time without any thoughts.

 

After finishing bathing and coming out to dress again, Rerik’s hands held a jacket instead of a cardigan. Plants, who had been staring fixedly at the navy blue jacket embroidered with gold thread, opened his mouth.

 

“You said to rest.”

 

“Well…”

 

Had he not said to rest?

 

Then why was he holding a jacket?

 

“His Majesty has come. He said he would wait and asked me not to tell you.”

 

Plants furrowed the corners of his eyes.

 

Not summoning him, but coming over himself. Moreover, without even saying to prepare quickly, just waiting.

 

“When did he arrive?”

 

Did you take those words at face value?

 

He was about to say one thing but just put it away and asked. Rerik, who attached a shirt decoration instead of a tie, answered while helping with the jacket.

 

“About thirty minutes ago.”

 

“You, really…”

 

Even so, it was thirty minutes.

 

In the end, he had to say something.

 

Plants, who put on the jacket and wore another sky-blue coat with fur decoration, went outside to the rear garden. He saw Rmain sitting in the place where Hina had once set down strawberry ice cream.

 

When he approached with slightly quick steps, offered greetings, and spoke words of apology for keeping him waiting, Rmain, without other words, indicated the seat next to where he sat.

 

Rmain, who had looked at Plants sitting beside him for some time, opened his mouth.

 

“It took a long time to catch Kalian.”

 

“I apologise, Your Majesty.”

 

Plants had to apologise once more for the excuse about going out briefly to catch Kalian, who was trying to run away.

 

White breath formed.

 

Before arriving, there had been the smell of grass and early fallen leaves.

 

In the ten days or so since leaving this place, Cyriesus had entered a season where complete cold could be felt beyond mere chill. A burdensome wind was blowing to remain outside for long. Rmain, who had been sitting outside when he could have come to the drawing room at Chermil Palace or even to Plants’s room, opened his mouth.

 

“It must have been inconvenient in many ways on such a long journey without even a carriage.”

 

“It was not inconvenient.”

 

“I hope the Great Elder was not discourteous.”

 

“Rather than that, younger brother was—”

 

“I see.”

 

He recalled Kalian, who had acted as if the only etiquette he had been educated about in his life was table manners. If he could convey that image, Rmain would absolutely not have passed it over with just ‘I see’.

 

Of course, if he had also seen Plants, who had gone even further beside him, he would have worried about whether to write a letter of consolation to Great Elder Narjan immediately, but Plants did not tell what sort of things he had done as the Deputy Commander of Valkan.

 

Rmain, who had fortunately or unfortunately learned only what should be known appropriately, asked.

 

“I heard you’re thinking of going to Secritia. Is this true?”

 

“Yes. That is correct.”

 

Going to find the Elves had already been a heart-sinking matter, and now he was saying he would go to another country entirely.

 

“Although it was a friendly relationship, the atmosphere with the King of Secritia is not flowing particularly well. I’ve also prohibited exchanges with Secritia. I don’t know for what reason you wish to go, but I would prefer you to remain here as much as possible.”

 

Originally, this should have been a conversation that Kalian, who was the actual subject going to Secritia, should have had directly with Rmain.

 

However, Kalian found dealing with Rmain quite difficult, and Plants was fundamentally better at making excuses and evading questions. Therefore, it had been decided that Plants would take on the role of persuading Rmain.

 

But Rmain had come too suddenly.

 

He still had not decided what reason to give for why he must go there to receive permission.

 

“I want to spend this winter, at least, somewhere other than Cyries.”

 

So, Plants gave this answer instead of the appropriate excuse he had been pondering.

 

A year ago.

 

Had not Plants, after joining hands with Kalian, spent an unusually cold winter?

 

Until Heisia Palace collapsed, the memory of spending a truly unusually cold and long winter alone remained vivid. Not because of a particularly good memory, but because he had spent time that would remain an unforgettable memory for anyone’s lifetime, and the time to recall those days had come again for the first time.

 

“It’s not that I haven’t escaped it, but the strange feeling is there, so it’s like that.”

 

So, he answered that he wanted to spend time somewhere other than Cyries, at least for this winter.

 

“I did not know you had such thoughts.”

 

It was an excuse he had chosen knowing Rmain could never refuse. Or perhaps, it was a sincere request.

 

* * *

 

White breath formed.

 

The scent of clear wind characteristic of cold air that had lingered in the forest could be smelt.

 

The sea had been hot and the Land of Elephants cool, but winter had come to the northern forest.

 

“We weren’t away for long, yet it’s become winter.”

 

“Indeed. The days are long and the passing days are short, so winter has come before we knew it.”

 

Having spent twenty-six short years, and one more long year. And the second winter has come.

 

“I hope you’re not cold.”

 

Because the warm light held in the silver-grey eyes that gazed steadily at the white breath was so wonderful, Kalian shook his head with a broad smile.

 

“I’m not cold at all. Everything around me is warm.”

 

Kalian, who would feel only cold energy but not suffer from cold even if this entire forest froze solid in midwinter, indicated the muffler wrapped tightly around his neck. It was what Ian, who had spent a long while checking whether Kalian was injured anywhere, spent another long while scolding him for leaving without a word, and spent even more time welcoming his safe return, had wrapped with the greatest care.

 

“Very well. It’s good that you’re not cold.”

 

Allan, sitting on thin cloth spread over completely dried grass, nodded and smiled.

 

Soon Kalian took out two large liquor bottles, four drinking glasses, and a small basket containing things like dried fruit and sausages from Raven’s saddle. Then he began arranging them in front of Allan and himself with completely natural hand movements.

 

“When I was thinking whether to bring Himolika or Seiliju, I realised I didn’t know what liquor you like. So, I prepared both for now.”

 

Two wine glasses, two Himolika glasses that fit snugly in the hand.

 

Four drinking glasses in total.

 

Kalian, who had been looking at them, took the bottle containing deep purple wine in hand and continued speaking.

 

“But it seems there was something else I didn’t know.”

 

Kalian’s hand moved quietly and put away the two wine glasses.

 

And after also pushing back the bottle containing Seiliju, he poured the notoriously strong Himolika into glasses in front of Allan and himself.

 

Soon Kalian, with quietly sunken eyes, looked at Allan’s face and opened his mouth.

 

“I wonder what troubles our father has.”

 

Upon hearing these words, Allan’s sharp eyes drew gentle curves.

 

“It seems you’ve truly made an older brother and even learned observational skills.”

 

“Ah, did older brother also say such things?”

 

“Indeed. He worried about me before leaving.”

 

[You’ve grown so much, our older brother. Worrying about other people like that.]

 

Kalian, who smiled soundlessly, opened his mouth again.

 

“Did you not sleep?”

 

“Much work made it so.”

 

Kalian’s head moved up and down.

 

And he reached out, took a piece of dried banana instead of the liquor glass, put it in his mouth and chewed and swallowed it. After that, he looked up quietly at the star-filled sky and opened his mouth.

 

“Living once, dying once, and living twice, there are many curious things. Then, living once, dying once, and living twice has become a curious thing itself.”

 

To someone, flowers without fragrance might be curious and flowers giving off sweetness might be curious, but Kalian spoke of things a bit more curious to him.

 

“It was curious to have a father I had to remember was a father, a father who being a father still feels off, and a father who needs no qualifiers. It was curious to have a mother who was always ill and left early, a mother who tried to protect me with her whole being in place of that deceased mother, to belatedly learn I had a mother who I had no memory of but was an Elf.”

 

White breath spread gently under the starry night.

 

Allan listened gently to Kalian’s story.

 

“The mother I had no memory of took poison. It was the mother I remembered that had left from illness, but I’ve only now learned she had succumbed to poison. But it seems like the one remaining living mother has also ultimately stained her hands with poison, tainting herself with poison. What should I call this feeling? It’s certainly not curiosity.”

 

Allan, who had been looking at Kalian without a word, let out a sigh.

 

Because he had already heard from Kalian and knew that Louise, who had held the sleeping incense, had been poisoned by what was in it.

 

“Should I say it’s fortunate? It seems right to say so.”

 

The fragrant scent of banana spread in his mouth.

 

Perhaps because it was fruit he sought whenever ill, it tasted especially sweet today.

 

“Queen Diana, my birth mother, was originally in poor health. So Debeullan took Royal Consort Louise, and Brother Chase was born first. Then somehow I was born. I always wanted to believe it was not because of me that mother was so ill and closed her eyes. Older brother’s mother always told me I should think that way.”

 

“Both seem to have been good mothers.”

 

Kalian, who nodded, continued speaking.

 

“If she showed she was ill, it would raise suspicion, so she could not even receive proper treatment for the sleeping incense poisoning. Someone who was already so ill suffered even more from enduring it. Probably not only mother but mother Louise as well was no different. She did not show she was in pain. Until the day I closed my eyes, she was so ill she could not breathe comfortably even once. Looking back now, it seems mother Louise was also poisoned by the sleeping incense.”

 

Kalian, who spoke thus, lowered his head.

 

And looked at Allan and opened his mouth.

 

“I did not know of this. But fortunately, I learned of it this time. I was able to tell her not to use the sleeping incense anymore. Because while I couldn’t do anything then, this time is different. How truly fortunate…”

 

He felt as if he could hear a clock’s second hand ticking in the forest without clocks. Kalian’s voice, which had been silent for a long while, continued intermittently.

 

“When you cannot do anything, it’s truly like that. When you open your eyes, it’s already late. mother’s illness was like that, and that day’s—”

 

Kalian’s fingertips caressed the top of the glass.

 

“Just like the soldiers.”

 

Recalling the soldiers of Cyries who had arrived right before him unexpectedly and excessively quickly. Kalian, who chuckled quietly at what was funny or curious, closed his eyes quietly.

 

“Were you making calculations?”

 

Allan’s sunken voice was heard, and Kalian nodded.

 

“How did the previous King Plants move so many people in that one moment? The birds hadn’t turned away from the border. I was always curious about that. I thought, isn’t that quite magical? Then I thought, it must be Magic. So, I made calculations.”

 

The matter of leading the pure ‘White Demons’ gathered in the Royal Palace of Cyries and standing before Secritia’s border in an instant. This was something the current Allan could not do, but something Allan Manasil, an Eighth-Circle Archmage, could do.

 

“I’ve finally become another dagger to Your Highness. What should I do about this?”

 

“What do you mean, what should you do?”

 

Allan, who finished speaking, looked down.

 

Kalian looked at Allan with a smile.

 

“Don’t worry and cross that wall. Isn’t it something to congratulate?”

 

The Mage who could not sleep, stopped before the wall of the Eighth-Circle that he had reached at a much earlier time in the past. Kalian had come to hypothesize what Allan might have done in the past.

 

Kalian, who had spoken to that utterly unwise Mage, who was hesitating for no good reason, let out a long breath.

 

“You’ve given me far too much for just once grabbing your collar and asking to be saved. I’ve long pondered how to repay it all, but isn’t this actually fortunate? Rather than trying to repay, we can just live together for a long, long time and I can simply show filial piety. How truly fortunate.”

 

Rather than a sigh, he breathed, somewhat long.

 

“You must live with me for a long, long time. Sleeping well and healthily. Father.”

 

A smile appeared once more on Allan’s lips.

 

Grateful and sorry for the words to live together without trying to repay.

 

“Yes. I shall live together for a long, long time. With my child, for a long, long time.”

 

“Yes. Father.”

 

Kalian, who nodded as if to say not to worry about anything, reached out and clinked his glass against Allan’s. A clear and resonant sound lingered briefly in the forest before passing.

 

Kalian, who gulped down the Himolika he had anticipated and anticipated so much, looked at both Allan’s empty glass and his own.

 

“Wow…”

 

How long had it been since this feeling of fragrant scent passed down his throat?

 

Because that refreshing feeling, as satisfying as finally solving the homework he had needed to solve with Allan, was so welcome and delightful.

 

“Himolika tastes great, father.”

 

Kalian, who had even forgotten to drive out the liquor’s effects with Aura, smiled truly beautifully. And then,

 

*Thunk!*

 

He directly fell asleep.