Chapter 110, The Other Side of the Abyss (6)

Translator: Lizzz

Editor: Hedge

 

Kalian was being audacious beyond comparison.

 

But like it or not, Siegfried was now his shield. And now, he claimed he would turn them into a smokescreen too.

 

“What do you think, Duke Siegfried? It doesn’t seem like a difficult task.”

 

How much help could he get from Siegfried?

 

Where exactly was the boundary of their established beliefs?

 

Rmain’s brother, Asnan, had failed to gauge that. As an exceptionally close friend, he thought Sleiman would grant all his requests. However, Sleiman, who was the Head of the Siegfried Family at the time, flatly refused his friend’s plea to take up the sword and help him.

 

“Kalian.”

 

That was why Sleiman laughed.

 

Right now, Kalian understood exactly where Sleiman’s limits lay. The extent to which Sleiman could aid him without betraying Siegfried’s principles was clear, and it went no further than that.

 

“Kalian. Kalian… Hahahahaha!”

 

With the Prince before him, Sleiman called that name several times and then burst into laughter with his distinctive voice. Though Hina made a startled face as his wounds reopened, he paid no mind and continued laughing. Then, looking at Allan sitting across from him, he spoke in a resounding voice.

 

“I thought my son was only good at being sneaky since he takes after me so much, but he’s picked a good person!”

 

Allan, who had been quietly listening to their conversation from the side, calmly said.

 

“Your son doesn’t even know what he’s picked.”

 

At this accurate observation, Kalian, who in Ian’s eyes appeared only as a beautiful flower, smirked. Then he addressed Sleiman.

 

“Should I take that as permission?”

 

“But it’s too expensive to consider this as the price for that marble floor. Give me something in return.”

 

Saying this, Sleiman gave a broad smile. With a rather mischievous expression, he came to bargain.

 

Seeing Sleiman acting so clever for some reason, Allan’s eyes lit up with interest. And Kalian simply nodded without further comment. It was a gesture meaning ‘speak’, but Sleiman remained silent for a moment, bowing his head to look at his wound. Then, after glancing at his sword, he addressed Hina.

 

“I’m sorry, but could you leave us for a moment?”

 

Hina nodded and went outside, and Sleiman asked in a low voice.

 

“Taillan’s swordsmanship has changed. I didn’t notice it before, but now I can tell for certain. Your Highness and Taillan use the same swordsmanship.”

 

“Are you curious about how Lord Kastrin and I happen to use the same swordsmanship?”

 

“A Knight who guards the Crown Prince, especially one who is the continent’s foremost swordsman, wouldn’t teach other Knights of Secritia. Isn’t that right?”

 

To explain how Kalian knew Taillan’s swordsmanship, which would not be taught to ordinary Knights, he would naturally have to reveal that Kalian’s true identity was that of a Secritia Prince, the younger brother of Crown Prince Chase.

 

Recalling what he needed to answer, Kalian smiled with a pale face.

 

Although it would not matter if someone who already knew most of it learned a few more details, Kalian was not in the mood to bring up such matters now.

 

Seeing Kalian’s face, Allan spoke up.

 

“If it’s acceptable to explain, I will discuss it while Your Highness withdraws. Regarding your intention to hide your Knights in the Siegfried mansion, I will speak with His Majesty and inform Your Highness separately.”

 

Even though he could not possibly have known what exactly happened yesterday, Allan could tell from Kalian’s subtle expression. So, the Archmage reached out a helping hand..

 

“Thank you. Then I’ll entrust both matters to you.”

 

Expressing gratitude for his master’s consideration, Kalian rose from his seat. After seeking Sleiman’s understanding, he went outside.

 

Although Allan had told him to rest, he had other places to go.

 

He needed to meet Euria and Melpir Pollun, and it was also time to meet someone who was desperately waiting for Kalian’s help without even having spoken of it yet.

 

With so much to think about, so many places to go, and so many people to meet, how fortunate it was to have no time to rest.

 

With that thought, Kalian moved silently with a smile.

 

* * *

 

*Meow!*

 

At the sound begging to be held, he reached out and picked up the creature.

 

“Really, you.”

 

Whenever he just stared out the window, it would always urge him to hold it like this. As if telling him not to think gloomy thoughts.

 

So he could not help but wonder if it truly knew something or if it was always just coincidence.

 

Of course, he could not expect an answer, so Plants simply moved his hand to stroke the cat’s nape. As he did so, he noticed that the color of the collar around its neck had changed slightly.

 

At first, he thought it had been given a new collar because it had grown larger, but something seemed odd. Plants looked at the collar and smirked.

 

‘I am Prince Kalian’s cat, who likes Prince Plants more.’

 

[It must have been Hina.]

 

Kalian was currently in a state of mental and emotional turmoil, and besides, he was not the type of person who would do something like this.

 

While he was looking at the cat with its much longer name on the collar, there was a knock at the door.

 

*Knock, knock.*

 

Plants stared at the door for a moment without answering.

 

As was the case every year, after the festival celebrating the King’s birthday ended, the Princes’ schedules became even busier. This was because all the events postponed due to festival preparations were suddenly being held.

 

Therefore, the busiest people were the attendants, and Plants’s attendant Rerik, was in a meeting, just like Ian.

 

Plants had not yet hired any more attendants besides Rerik and his maids. So when someone came looking for him while Rerik was in a meeting, he had to answer himself.

 

“What is it?”

 

It was a blunt response, but.

 

There was no answer to Plants’s words.

 

Thinking it might be Hina looking for the cat, Plants opened the door and his eyes narrowed.

 

A moment later, a languid voice flowed from Plants’s lips.

 

“My little brother’s room is on the floor below.”

 

This was directed at Taillan, Chase’s Knight.

 

* * *

 

He had planned to attack Gray’s County with the Holy Knights of Tansyll but the plan failed.

 

Would Randel stop here?

 

“Brother Randel will not give up.”

 

Kalian had to think ahead of Randel from Randel’s perspective. For that, information was crucial. That was why Kalian had come to find Euria and Melpir, and was speaking to them.

 

“The more time-pressed he feels, the more certain it is that he’s making other plans. But since he’s someone who has done such unconventional things, I simply cannot guess what he might do next.”

 

Kalian said this with a wry smile.

 

It was amusing that the excessively rational Randel had acted in such an excessively irrational manner.

 

Then, Kalian looked at Euria and asked.

 

“Are the Holy Knights properly withdrawing?”

 

“You don’t need to worry about that.”

 

At Euria’s words, Kalian tilted his head and asked.

 

“Why is that?”

 

Euria replied with an expression that suggested something interesting.

 

“Last night, the Knights from the Lancel Territory followed behind them.”

 

“Lancel… that’s the Baron who is siding with Beurisen, isn’t it?”

 

“That’s right. There was no armed conflict between them. I also received word that they would escort them safely to the Tansyll border. I heard they’re following closely behind to ensure they do not flee or turn around to attempt another attack.”

 

“The Marquis could not have known the true identity of the Priests. I heard Prince Plants met with him, so he must have discussed this.”

 

That Evan was not the type to extend his thinking that far, so the idea of making sure the Tansyll ‘Priests’ did not do anything reckless and escorting them safely to the border must have been Plants’s idea.

 

“So my brother is helping me like this once more.”

 

After this muttered comment and a brief laugh, Kalian addressed Euria.

 

“Still, we cannot let our guard down. We need to continue monitoring them from our side as well.”

 

“Of course. Don’t worry.”

 

Euria said this with another smile.

 

After that, Kalian turned his head to look at Melpir sitting beside him. It had been a very long time since they had met face to face.

 

“Please check all Territories that show sudden movements.”

 

Melpir was also a figure who had access to as much information as Euria. After all, he dealt with Territories all over Cyries.

 

“There have been no unusual points so far, and if there’s anything strange, I’ll let you know immediately.”

 

Kalian nodded. Then soon, with an apologetic expression, he spoke.

 

“The Pollun Trader’s Guild will take a hit. If relations with Tansyll deteriorate because of this incident, Tansyll might decide to stop the diamond trade.”

 

“Don’t worry.”

 

Smiling as if it were nothing, Melpir handed something to Kalian. It was a small box made of tin.

 

“What is this?”

 

“Something more precious than diamonds in Cyries right now.”

 

“There’s something more precious than diamonds?”

 

“Please open it.”

 

When Kalian opened the box, he momentarily looked perplexed. Inside was a vividly red gem that closely resembled Kalian’s eyes.

 

“Isn’t this a ruby?”

 

“Yes, Your Highness. It’s a ruby.”

 

Melpir nodded with a round-eyed smile.

 

“I knew that the demand for rubies in Cyries had increased, but I didn’t know it was enough to replace diamonds.”

 

“It’s not just replacing them; we can’t sell them because they’re sold out. But there’s someone in the Secritia envoy who deals in rubies, so I met with them yesterday. They were surprisingly very favorable to us. So you don’t need to worry about the diamond trade with Tansyll.”

 

“Ah,” Kalian said, momentarily closing his mouth.

 

[This time, it is Chase that’s helping… He must have known since Melpir, who should have been dead, was alive, whose side he is on.]

 

“That’s fortunate.”

 

Kalian smiled, with many worries eased thanks to Plants and Chase.

 

And so, with only one person left to meet, Kalian, with a somewhat lightened heart, exited the Arcane Enclave Building.

 

And Raven carried Kalian with a truly comfortable gait.

 

As always, Raven would take him safely to the Royal Palace, so Kalian closed his eyes while pulling down the hood of the robe he was wearing. Though people would still recognize Kalian despite this, he felt a bit too tired to exchange greetings with them one by one.

 

*Clop, clop.*

 

Somehow knowing, Raven did not make loud hoof sounds.

 

Thinking again that he was a remarkably thoughtful creature, Kalian was about to smile to himself when Raven stopped. Feeling this, Kalian opened his eyes and looked ahead.

 

Someone wearing a robe with a hood, just like Kalian, was standing there.

 

And seeing the figure revealed beneath that hood, Kalian stopped moving for a moment, just like Raven.

 

“You…”

 

[For what reason and how did you come here?]

 

Instead of such questions, Kalian smiled and called that name.

 

“Sia.”

 

“Captain! Long time no see!”

 

The babyface Elf replied with a bright smile. And his response did not precede the question.