Chapter 105, The Other Side of the Abyss (1)

Translator: Hedge

Editor: Lizzz

 

A little before Kalian met Randel.

 

Plants was looking at the person blocking his way with a slightly furrowed brow.

 

“What brings my little brother’s esteemed older brother here again?”

 

Chase merely smiled with a face that seemed to have swallowed something bitter but did not answer.

 

Right now, Chase was alone.

 

For reasons unknown, the Knight called Taillan, who always accompanied him, was nowhere to be seen. Not only that, but he had no other Knights or attendants by his side. And then, as if he had been waiting for Plants, he naturally stepped in front of Plants.

 

“I was waiting for Prince Plants.”

 

“Why?”

 

“I have something to ask, and thought we could talk for a bit.”

 

“You seem to have come alone.”

 

“Yes. I snuck out. Escorts are bothersome.”

 

[Bothersome, he says? He must truly consider Cyries to be soft. What if His Majesty changes his mind and takes him hostage, or if something hidden by Randel attacks him?] Such thoughts flashed momentarily through Plants’ mind, making him snicker.

 

[But who am I to worry about him?]

 

Just a moment ago, hadn’t Kalian dropped Plants off at the front of the Royal Palace and gone out again? As far as he knew, when it came to being in danger while being alone, there would be no one in Cyriesus who matched Plants.

 

Anyway, Chase continued to look at Plants on horseback with an exceedingly calm face.

 

Plants did not know, but if Allan had seen this sight, he would have been quite impressed. On the day Allan first met Kalian, Kalian had exactly the same expression as he looked up at Allan on horseback.

 

‘Get down first. So we can talk.’

 

That was the kind of expression he was wearing.

 

Of course, whether Plants recognized the resemblance to Kalian or not, his mood would not have changed much. Just meeting this displeasing fellow again was enough to put him in a very bad mood.

 

“After talking about Valkan. I wonder if you have more to say.”

 

After blurting out these words devoid of any courtesy no matter how hard one looked, Plants nimbly jumped off his horse with light playfulness.

 

Plants’ manner of speaking had already been experienced extensively the day before. So, as if this level was nothing, Chase answered with a slight smile.

 

“Is this place called Senu Hall? I noticed there’s a good place for walking.”

 

“That’s right.”

 

“Could we talk for a moment?”

 

Plants looked around with a displeased expression. His face clearly revealed that he wanted to ask if they could avoid speaking.

 

*Clop clop.*

 

But as if answering that thought, a carriage entering the Royal Palace came into view.

 

It would not do for the Crown Prince of Secritia and the Second Prince of Cyries to have a war of words in the middle of a road, where carriages and horses passed without ceasing.

 

Moreover, it occurred to Plants that Kalian might arrive during their conversation. Upon this realization, instead of asking why they specifically had to go to that place, Plants simply gave a slight nod.

 

“If you insist.”

 

Then, after handing the reins to a Knight standing nearby, he began walking ahead with measured steps.

 

Throughout the walk, Chase remained silent.

 

Of course, Plants was the same.

 

From time to time, people who met Plants showed their respects and hurriedly moved away. They were concerned that Plants might be in a bad mood, though things had been quiet lately. Seeing this, Chase quietly smiled, and Plants pretended not to notice.

 

Soon, the two entered the walking path of Senu Hall side by side.

 

As they stepped among the trees that were just beginning to grow lush, both Plants and Chase opened their mouths simultaneously.

 

“So.”

 

“One thing.”

 

Plants clicked his tongue and gestured with his head toward Chase. It meant for him to speak first.

 

“There’s one thing I wanted to ask.”

 

Plants nodded, and Chase continued.

 

“I heard from Lord Kastrin that Kalian’s Aura was visible two days ago, but not yesterday. Do you happen to know anything about that? I’m concerned he might have encountered a problem.”

 

“For your concern.”

 

Plants began with a snicker, then stopped mid-sentence.

 

He was about to say that ‘judging by your concern, coming all the way to Cyries and waiting continuously for me whose arrival time was uncertain, you two must be exceptionally close brothers.’ But he refrained from continuing.

 

Instead, he simply nodded straightforwardly and answered.

 

“Magic. There are people who should not know how lacking my Little Brother’s swordsmanship is.”

 

“You mean Marquis Beurisen?”

 

“Yes.”

 

[Is this really a conversation I should hold with someone from Secritia? He seems to know everything…] Plants nodded, thinking that he needed to catch some ‘birds’ after Chase left.

 

“You’re saying he concealed his Aura despite Lord Kastrin’s presence to hide it from the Marquis. Perhaps it’s Lord Kastrin who should be…”

 

“There’s no need to be wary of your side.”

 

Chase’s pace slowed.

 

He now understood the reasoning behind Kalian hiding his Aura even in front of him.

 

Soon, Chase looked at Plants.

 

It was obvious he could not bring himself to speak. Plants, clearly understanding what words were choking in Chase’s throat, made an irritated sound.

 

“My little brother knows too.”

 

Chase’s feet stopped.

 

Unable to bear the frustration, Plants continued.

 

“He knows that my old older brother knows who he truly is. He knows but is pretending not to, my brother.”

 

[Do you think he told me all that? I’ve figured it out on my own. But why am I even saying these things? Why can’t the two of you just meet instead? Why am I being treated like a proxy?]

 

Instead of expressing such anger, Plants simply walked steadily beside Chase without a word until they had circled all of Senu Hall.

 

After all, what else was there to say?

 

Nothing. Not with that face of his.

 

* * *

 

When Bern had just turned ten years old.

 

The King of Secritia, Debeullan, took his two sons out to sea. And then, in the middle of that vast ocean, he threw Bern in.

 

It was something he did partly to see how Chase, the son of a Royal Consort, felt about Bern, the son of the Queen, and partly to instill fear of himself, the King, in Bern who was ‘now grown up.’

 

For Bern, whose only experience with the sea had been building sandcastles and playing with Chase, he sank into that deep ocean without being able to do anything. Seeing this, Chase did not hesitate for a moment and dived in to hold onto Bern, only to sink together. Because Chase could not swim either.

 

Eventually, the Knight Taillan rescued them both, and afterward, Bern lived regarding Debeullan as a lifelong enemy.

 

It was not because he had thrown him into the water.

 

It was because Chase had almost died because of Debeullan.

 

Anyway, the reason Kalian suddenly recalled this incident was because of Randel. Or more precisely, because of Randel’s eyes.

 

Kalian’s furious eyes gazed at Randel’s watery eyes, and Randel opened his mouth with an unshaken voice.

 

“So.”

 

Randel’s eyes were like the sea of that day.

 

Looking into them, one would be endlessly consumed.

 

Thus, they made one feel that final moment, when one would eventually release even that thread-like breath they so desperately hope to maintain.

 

Kalian was reflected in those eyes of Randel.

 

A child who found it burdensome even to survive each day had finally descended to find the hidden side of Randel’s depths. Having become a completely different person, he was now trying to choke off Randel’s breath instead.

 

“I’ve always wondered.”

 

Randel, who said this, exhaled a short breath.

 

It was because of Kalian’s killing intent meeting his gaze. The red eyes, containing no emotion other than killing intent, were constantly stirring Randel’s abyss.

 

“How you’ve changed like this.”

 

“Thanks to you.”

 

Kalian was not good at lying.

 

This answer, too, was not a lie.

 

Therefore, Kalian’s killing intent directed solely at Randel was certainly not a lie either.

 

“Do you know what you’ve done now? You’ve brought the Halidom’s Holy Knights, an army of a foreign country, into the Royal Palace.”

 

Randel smiled.

 

It was not a sneer or a smile filled with malice. Nor was it a forced smile to forget the killing intent.

 

It was a perfectly meaningless smile.

 

Seeing that smile, Kalian almost cut down Randel in an instant. If he had not vowed to live as Kalian, if he was not constantly reminding himself that Randel was of the same Bloodline, he would have drawn his sword, completely forgetting rational judgment.

 

How could a person.

 

How could someone have such an emotionless face?

 

“I know.”

 

Kalian, who had been thinking of the sea that day, was now recalling Syspanian, back on that day filled with the scent of grass. Right now, Randel closely resembles Syspanian after she had revisited Kalian’s memories. It was exactly the same appearance as when she said she ‘understood’ everything about Kalian and Bern without any emotion.

 

Syspanian had learned many ‘human’ things from her Companion, Harts-ara. But she said she lost what she had learned from him with Harts-ara’s death.

 

Kalian, too, had lost so many things.

 

[Did you also become like that because of what you lost?] Such a trivial thought briefly occurred to him.

 

In any case, since Randel admitted he knew what it meant to bring his ‘sword’ into the Royal Palace, Kalian dismissed those thoughts and opened his mouth again.

 

“Withdraw them. Before I leave.”

 

“If you leave, is there anything you can do?”

 

“I told you. I can kill them all.”

 

It was a warning.

 

In fact, it could only be a warning.

 

Randel was supposed to ‘not know’ about this. Officially, they were undoubtedly Priests.

 

One of the Holy Knights among them would be carrying an identity document under the name ‘Malcom Chetish.’ And naturally, they would not have entered the Royal Palace carrying weapons.

 

“I don’t think you can really do it. There’s no evidence either.”

 

“Why don’t you experience just how far I can go?”

 

“They share the same goal as your Mages. So, they are not those who will harm you and His Majesty.”

 

“Are you saying I should turn a blind eye because they were brought in to check Beurisen?”

 

A voice wrapped in frost flowed from Kalian’s lips.

 

“Just because they share the same goal doesn’t mean the Halidom’s Holy Knights can be viewed the same as Valkan. Even giving your words the utmost benefit of the doubt, bringing in the Halidom’s Holy Knights to strike at Beurisen is not something I can tolerate. If you’re so righteous, bring them in openly instead of hiding them. With proper justification, the proper way.”

 

Valkan was an army Kalian had created by risking his life to gain an opportunity. It was legitimately created under Rmain’s permission.

 

“Count Beurisen should already be on his way back. If you planned to eliminate him first, then it is already too late.”

 

When Gray Beurisen was mentioned, Randel looked at Kalian once more. This time too, Kalian did not avoid Randel’s gaze.

 

Kalian’s eyes shone sharply.

 

Now, he fully understood what had been hidden.

 

“Did you intend to summon Count Beurisen to Cyriesus, leaving the County empty and deceiving both myself and older brother Plants? In the meantime, having Halidom’s Holy Knights strike the County?”

 

With thirty Holy Knights, the Knights of the ownerless County would not be difficult opponents.

 

Afterward, when Gray hears the news and returns to the County, they would eliminate Gray too. Even if only twenty of the thirty Holy Knights survived facing the County’s Knights, they should be able to handle someone like Gray.

 

Even if they could not eliminate Gray, just destroying the Count’s forces would inflict significant damage on Beurisen, which would be enough for a first attempt. Whether they planned to receive more military support from the Halidom later to wage an all-out war with Beurisen, or whether they intended to borrow Valkan’s power, even Kalian did not know.

 

Whatever the case, Halidom’s Holy Knights entering Cyries was unacceptable and had to be stopped now.

 

“I had the second in mind. Your discovery is unexpected.”

 

“Prince Plants isn’t the only one with eyes and ears. And it’s not an issue that can be resolved by deceiving only him.”

 

“I didn’t think you would stop it either.”

 

“I regret not knowing sooner.”

 

Either he thought Kalian wouldn’t know. Or he thought that even if Kalian knew, he would not stop it.

 

“I’ll send the Knights back. Instead.”

 

Randel smiled once more.

 

And looked at Kalian.

 

After saying this, Randel quietly extended his hand and examined the rose vines. Then, he broke off one rose branch that was growing particularly prominently. A rose that had just begun to bloom was held in Randel’s hand.

 

An unsettling aura circled around.

 

“Neither grow too much, nor stray too far.”

 

Kalian’s eyes narrowed, and Randel’s hand briefly glowed red. And the rose, like the one that appeared in Kalian’s hand long before, appeared.

 

However…

 

*Rustle…*

 

Soon, losing its life and withering black, it crumbled and scattered like ashes remaining after a fire.

 

Randel’s always serene voice addressed Kalian.

 

“Since it’s not pleasant to look at.”

 

Kalian silently watched the withered rose scattering and disappearing. He just kept watching until it all vanished. Afterward, he turned his gaze back to Randel.

 

Randel was saying this now.

 

Playing the role of a useful, capable little brother, supporting him who would become King. Live playing such a role. If you do so, I’ll let you live.

 

Kalian’s red lips drew a long arc.

 

“I’ll go to Camilon and raise a dog.”

 

He had decided to not listen to Randel.