Chapter 281, For External Publicity (2)

Translator: Hedge

Editor: Lizzz

 

Kalian should have been surprised, delighted, or perhaps relieved.

 

That would have been the proper response.

 

Instead, he simply felt sorry.

 

He could not bring himself to ask any of those questions. Questions both brief and lengthy, about how she knew of him, from when she had known, why she had merely waited all this time. He could only feel apologetic.

 

Because of those words, ‘I missed you’, I felt nothing but remorse throughout.

 

[You had missed me all this while, yet I had lived forgetting you entirely. Using the excuse that my own life had been painful, I had forgotten your pain as well, failing to ask even the briefest of questions about your wellbeing, only feeling glad to see you again after meeting face to face.]

 

It had made him so sorry.

 

It had made him too ashamed to raise his head.

 

[Mother.]

 

He pressed his forehead against her small, narrow shoulders and simply felt apologetic for a long while.

 

*Clink.*

 

Green-tinted maple leaf tea tastes sour.

 

Red-tinted maple leaf tea tastes sweet.

 

Tea that was neither mint nor coffee.

 

In the pale brown liquid, nearly transparent, floated maple leaves that were neither green nor red.

 

This maple leaf tea, which seemed both orange and yellow, contained all manner of tastes. It was amusing. It was amusingly not entirely sour, nor entirely sweet, and somehow seemed to carry a slightly bitter taste as well, which oddly reminded Kalian of grapefruit. For no particular reason, the thought simply came to him.

 

[When I return, I should see Randel, my other older brother.]

 

[I must undo the binding on his heart, which I had postponed due to coming here. I should not only look after that pea, but also attend to that one who resembles a dried reed once I return.]

 

[Yes, when I return.]

 

[It was fortunate that such thoughts occurred to me. Maybe because the maple leaf tea made me think of grapefruit, which in turn reminded me of Randel. How fortunate. Truly fortunate.]

 

[Otherwise, I might have mistaken this country, this Royal Palace, for a place where I should remain. For a brief moment, I had nearly forgotten that there were new brothers and a new father in this life, that I must pass through this country and this land to return to my own country.]

 

[I had nearly forgotten for a moment and settled in complacently.]

 

“Bern.”

 

A tiny voice held Kalian’s feet in place.

 

* * *

 

Kyrie heard nothing.

 

He had heard all the conversation that took place in the room after Louise entered, but he heard nothing.

 

From a certain day onwards, if Kyrie was nearby, Kalian always extended Silent to include where Kyrie was positioned. Even when conversations occurred that others should not hear, Kyrie could listen along. He had taken such care to prevent Kyrie from feeling that he was using those excellent ears to steal Kalian’s conversations.

 

This time was the same.

 

Kalian created the Silent barrier extending to where Kyrie was. Therefore, Kyrie heard nothing.

 

He had heard everything that was said but pretended to hear nothing. He had also heard the words that it had been just over a month since dreams submerged in unfamiliar memories began, but he pretended not to hear that as well.

 

“Bern.”

 

He also pretended not to hear that someone had called Kalian by that name. Because Kalian would not have expected to hear such words. If he had known, he would not have extended Silent to allow Kyrie to hear those words.

 

Was this not the name, the most certain proof of that life. Rather than hearing them from Chase, if Kyrie learnt that someone other than Chase had found their memories, Kalian knew that Kyrie would wish for the same thing. And Kalian did not wish for Kyrie to retrieve those memories.

 

If Kyrie found his memories of Bern, he would also learn precisely what happened with Hina, and Kyrie knew well that Kalian was not the sort of person who would wish for Kyrie to hold such memories again.

 

Therefore, Kyrie pretended not to hear.

 

After some time had passed, Louise emerged, and Kyrie bowed his head deeply, offering a long greeting. Just as he would when seeing Allan or Rmain.

 

“I heard that you are there. That your lovely younger sister is with you.”

 

“Yes. That is correct.”

 

“I have only learnt today that I must not call that child with that name, since it has now become your name. His Highness, the Crown Prince, did not convey such news to me.”

 

Louise’s memory, which had returned when the cold winds began to blow in Cyries. Still, this time, Chase had been beside her, so Louise had not suffered alone in this for long.

 

Kyrie did not know Louise, but Louise knew Kyrie. When one thought about it, this was only natural. Since Kyrie could not have been away from Bern’s side, Louise must have seen Kyrie often.

 

“Indeed. It is truly fortunate and something to be grateful for.”

 

And Louise said exactly the same thing as Kalian.

 

Kalian’s foolish habit of calculating gains and losses, which failed to account for the one person who had disappeared in exchange for Hina being by his side, must have been inherited from Louise, or so Kyrie thought.

 

“His Highness the Crown Prince earnestly entreated me. He spoke so insistently that I should not come to this place, yet in the end, I made this journey. But, during the time the Princes’ party remains here, there will be no occasion to come here again to express my gratitude, so I will not make the mistake of calling that child so again. If you happen to see me again outside, do not greet me.”

 

“Yes. I shall do so.”

 

There would be no occasion to converse or exchange greetings while avoiding others’ eyes, as they had today. Therefore, Kyrie too must not show any sign. He must be careful not to treat Louise as Kalian’s mother.

 

Soon the Silent that had extended to Kyrie’s vicinity disappeared. Therefore, Louise could say nothing further.

 

Whether he still had sleepless nights as he did then, whether he still slept at dawn and woke late in the morning, whether he had been eating well and laughing while living, whether life in that distant place had been uncomfortable, whether the people there treated him well, whether despite being discovered in so many places nothing had gone wrong, and whether he could continue living well without falling ill in the future…

 

Louise wished to ask Kyrie at least the many things she could not ask Kalian, but since she could not do so, she simply nodded and turned away. Those many unspoken words could hopefully be said later.

 

*Click click.*

 

The sound of small shoes, composure regained, grew distant.

 

*Thud thud.*

 

The sound of shoes that need not be hidden from anyone drew near.

 

*Click.*

 

Louise’s footsteps stopped.

 

*Thud.*

 

Plants’ footsteps stopped.

 

Kyrie drew a short breath.

 

Louise before people had shown no particular reaction even upon encountering Plants. But what if she could not manage that now? He briefly considered whether he should follow Louise and stand between the two.

 

*Click click.*

*Thud thud.*

 

But they grew distant again and drew near again.

 

Louise, still maintaining her composure, left the separate building with quiet steps. Plants, still concealing nothing, entered the separate building. Thus, someone went outside and someone came inside.

 

And so, the day passed and night arrived.

 

* * *

 

[It is always like this. I truly, really could not understand it all.]

 

[Perhaps because the scope of my own understanding was as broad as the sea before the Elf City, or deep enough to embrace the entire world and still have room to spare, but it is always like this.]

 

“Your Highness, are you by chance afraid of heights?”

 

[I should have realised when he asked something like this.]

 

Plants, who had momentarily forgotten that he had a younger brother whose scope of concepts was truly extraordinary, answered without much thought.

 

“No.”

 

There was nothing particularly high in the Royal Palace of Cyries, but the place where Narjan, the Great Elder of the Elf City, had been was quite high, was it not? When they climbed to the summit of the rocky mountain on the way here, he had not particularly felt ‘fear’, so Kalian answered thus.

 

“Alright.”

 

If clever Plants had known that within Kalian’s brief answer lay the meaning of ‘Good. It would be boring to go alone, and if I take Kyrie, I might want to drink, so I shall just go with you, older brother,’ he would certainly have lied, that he was afraid of heights.

 

Of course, he knew the result would have been the same even if he had done so.

 

For some reason, as a fellow who cannot tell lies, but he was truly excellent at detecting them. Therefore, even if he had lied, he would have rolled him up in a robe and placed him in that high place again as he did once before. But nevertheless, in any case, Plants would have lied. Because he was not going with his insane younger brother, [Go alone, you insane bastard.]

 

“You have lost your mind.”

 

“While you know full well that living contrary to common sense is not a matter of one or two days for me, why do you say such things as if you are surprised?”

 

[Think about it rationally. How does that guy even conceive of bringing me here? Forget whether he’s lost his mind. As a human being, wouldn’t such a thought simply not occur to you?]

 

Plants, who was not mad but did not know what words to offer, simply walked to the railing of the spire and looked into the distance.

 

“I heard. That you asked Chase to arrange for me to come to this place.”

 

“Because you kept watching.”

 

Climbing the Capital’s spire did not allow one to see anything particularly special. Kalian had employed birds and thus memorised every street and bird’s base in Cyriesus, but even without going to such lengths, Plants too had memorised the map of Secreta. Moreover, any bookshop on Astrisha Street stocked map of Secritia and Secreta. Of course, the same was true for Secritia. Both countries had continued for far too long a time for such things to be considered classified information.

 

Therefore, even if Debeullan learnt that the two Princes were atop the spire now, it would not be a great problem. Tomorrow or thereabouts, they would come to look round under the pretext of touring the Royal Palace anyway.

 

“Yes. So, I suggested we come together. I wondered if perhaps you too were curious.”

 

“No.”

 

“In any case, that’s good. Since it has been a long time since I came.”

 

Therefore, after climbing here having accepted the goodwill of both older brothers without burden, Kalian, who had been looking down at the Capital of Secritia spread beneath his feet, smiled cheerfully with a face free of worry. He appeared determined not to look at Plants’ thoroughly frowning face at all.

 

“I cannot come here together with Chase. There are many watching eyes, but also because once everything is well, there is another place we have agreed to visit together, so in any case it will be difficult to come here together. And with Kyrie, I cannot yet bring myself to come up with him.”

 

Kalian, who had paused and swallowed the wind for a moment, opened his mouth again.

 

“I cannot bring myself to.”

 

“I did not say anything.”

 

“Because it seemed like you would.”

 

“Speak formally.”

 

“…It seemed you would.”

 

The wind was quite cold, but it was not chilly.

 

Kalian was affected by neither heat nor cold, and Plants was quite susceptible to both heat and cold, but it was acceptable. Thanks to the blue-violet cloak that Allan had given him as a birthday present before coming here, he did not feel the chilling cold.

 

“While you went so far as to cause such an incident of your own accord to divide Debeullan’s attention, it would be strange for only me to come to this place.”

 

Kalian raised his finger and drew a long arc before Plants’ eyes.

 

Kalian too had noticed what Chase had seen through.

 

Whom Plants had imitated, and why.

 

In short, having decided to deceive Debeullan, if Kalian came up to such a place alone and acted pitifully, it would immediately be discovered who had imitated another in a manner unlike himself, so he simply came along. It was a most plausible excuse.

 

“Speak. Do not hide it.”

 

“What more must I say?”

 

“My younger brother’s former mother came.”

 

“…In that case, isn’t my older brother is intelligent and quick-witted enough?”

 

“Speak. Do not bark.”

 

Plants too had seen Louise come and go.

 

Plants too had seen Louise, who looked at him but could not utter a single word and walked away. Whether he had heard the story, dreamt dreams, or noticed it, in any case Plants too knew that Louise had not truly come merely to convey her gratitude to Kalian.

 

“She remembered my former name. I finally heard that name after such a long time, yet it was not unfamiliar, so I nearly answered ‘yes’.”

 

Therefore, in the end, Kalian had brought Plants in order not to forget.

 

“I thought my younger brother’s name was Kalian. Was I mistaken?”

 

He had brought him to such a place to tell him something so shameless and constant. So shameless and constant.

 

“You are correct. Kalian.”

 

Plants sat down at the edge of the spire opposite to where Kalian stood.

 

Kyrie had seen him encounter Louise, so Kalian would know as well. Therefore, he understood that Kalian had brought him up here so that Kalian could catch his breath and Plants could catch his breath, each in their own way. He understood that amidst all this, the very fact of coming up to this particular place showed that he cared, telling Plants not to worry since he himself truly did not mind.

 

Therefore, Plants too decided not to mind. Since he had said he was fine, it meant not to feel uncomfortable about being brought to a place he had no memory of.

 

“There is much wind.”

 

“I am certain you will manage it fine.”

 

Kalian smiled.

 

Soon, Kalian brought out many words without order. It had been truly a long time since being here sober, that on fine days one could truly see distant places, that once when he fell asleep drunk here Kyrie also fell asleep and they were severely scolded by Chase, and so forth.

 

While listening to such talk without order, it became impossible to continue.

 

“Later.”

 

He cut through Kalian’s various words and opened his mouth.

 

After Kalian became King and Plants went to Beurisen to raise cats, and thus kept the promise bound to his heart, it would not be bad to return and live here again.

 

“Come and live here. Come back here.”

 

“Do you mean me?”

 

[Who else would I mean but you? Why would I come here? Do I have business dying of exhaustion here?]

 

“I shall hand you over to that crazy blue-haired Mage, so you come and live here. I now know that there are many places to breathe in the Royal Palace of Cyries as well.”

 

“I refuse.”

 

The sound of Kalian laughing reached Plants’ ears, where he had firmly suppressed the words that the habit of not listening to a damn thing he said was also learnt from you, did you know that?

 

“I shall just continue raising dogs, so you raise cats.”

 

“…Why.”

 

Here there was Chase and Arianneu and Louise and Secritia, but there was also one irreplaceable father and Ian, and two brothers who required much attention. What’s more, a father whose neck was in danger and Cyries.

 

“Because I’m Kalian.”

 

Kalian smiled.

 

Plants considered pointing out that fellow was speaking informally again, but let it pass.

 

Since they would not be the same age until the day after tomorrow, he would play the generous older brother who overlooked such things until then.

 

* * *

 

The Moon was bright and the stars were many.

 

—Is something wrong?

 

—No, just.

 

Late at night, the moon was bright and the stars were many.

 

He had come to Secritia and had met Louise.

 

Those words, that it was fortunate, would not leave his mind. Perhaps because of that, Kyrie wished to hear Hina’s voice.

 

—Hina, were you sleeping?

 

—No. I was not asleep.

 

Speaking to Kyrie was always pleasant.

 

She could speak without putting down what was in her hands, and she liked that Kyrie seemed to be right beside her wherever and whenever.

 

Therefore, Hina spoke while bringing a fork to the plate in her hand.

 

—I ate dinner but felt a bit peckish, and it seems everyone here felt the same. We are all eating cake and biscuits together.

 

The young rainbow appearing in the sunlit window after rain came to mind.

 

Between the rainbow-coloured layers of bread piled high was plenty of sweet fresh cream. Hina, who had gone out to the terrace holding the cake she had taken generously, spoke while putting a mouthful of cake in her mouth.

 

—Older brother. The Moon is bright and there are many stars tonight.

 

Most remarkably, Hina said such words.

 

She said exactly what Kyrie had been thinking.

 

Kyrie, who had been standing in the garden full of begonia fragrance and looking up above his head for some time, smiled and answered.

 

—Indeed. The Moon is bright and there are many stars.

 

—Yes. The twinkling makes it seem just like Sturdy.

 

[Er… sure.] No matter what, Kyrie had thought she would use another lovely name. But she did not.

 

Kyrie, who had been thinking of that magnificent horse Kalian had given as a birthday present, smiled quietly.

 

—Why? Did something amusing happen?

 

—No. Nothing like that. I am just happy.

 

—Did something good happen?

 

[Yes] Suddenly, laughter came because Hina was so precious.

 

[I must protect her well this time. I must protect her well and preciously.]

 

—Because there are so many stars. I smiled. After all, they lovely twinkle. Hina.

 

Above in the sky, one red star, one blue star.

 

And Kyrie smiled while watching the many silver stars that guarded their vicinity.