Chapter 115, Don’t Touch (5)

Translator: Hedge

Editor: Lizzz

 

*Saaaaa…*

 

The sound of leaves rustling in the wind quietly lingered and passed by.

 

Behind Chermil Palace, entering the rear garden behind the building, there was a small walking path where several birch trees and some other nameless trees had been planted.

 

This had not originally existed, but since Kalian and Plants frequently used the training ground, they had decorated the wide lawn to the left of the path leading to the training ground as a walking path.

 

Plants often visited that place, and since Kalian preferred the walking path by the lake, he had rarely walked among the trees in the rear garden. Randel always went to the rose garden, so naturally he did not visit the rear garden.

 

Therefore, on this dark night when Kalian and Plants were not in the Royal Palace, there was no Prince who would come to walk in that place.

 

*Huu…*

 

Instead, there was a Baby Elephant with an inappropriately serious expression, letting out a deep sigh.

 

“I should have brought my sword if I knew this would happen.”

 

[Is he badly injured? Has he woken up by now? What if he still can’t get up? What if… no….]

 

These thoughts kept tearing through his mind, so Ian eventually could not sleep and had come outside like this, feeling sorry for himself.

 

*Step step step…*

 

After sitting like that for a while, he heard the sound of someone walking on gravel. Ian turned his head with surprised eyes and opened his mouth with an unexpected expression.

 

“Kyrie.”

 

Kyrie was drenched in sweat, as if he had been training with his sword until this hour. It seemed he had seen Ian sitting on the bench in the middle of the walking path, looking pitiful on his way back.

 

“Why are you out here?”

 

Since it was time for Kalian to sleep, it was extremely rare for Ian to come outside at this time. Looking at Kyrie asking this question, Ian hesitated for a very brief moment.

 

Whether he should tell him that Kalian was not here right now…

 

Then he realized that it was not only Kalian who had left the Royal Palace. Hina had also left her post.

 

“I have something to tell you.”

 

“Yes.”

 

Soon, Ian had Kyrie sit next to him and told him what had happened while Kyrie was away. After hearing the entire story, Kyrie nodded and said:

 

“I understand.”

 

Like this.

 

He was not surprised, not worried, just ‘I understand’.

 

“Aren’t you worried?”

 

“What should I be worried about?”

 

“His Highness is injured and Hina went there.”

 

“Hina went and there’s no news yet. No news means everything is fine. If there were bad news, it would have been delivered by now. So it must mean Hina is treating him. I just think there’s no need to worry unnecessarily.”

 

It was a reasonable point.

 

But even so, was he not being too carefree?

 

“Even if it’s unlikely, if something bad were to happen to His Highness… those bastards and I would no longer be alive, so that would be fine too.”

 

Kyrie concluded his words with a face where his blue eyes stood out particularly in the darkness.

 

“You mean to say you’d chase after them, kill them all, and die together?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Even though those who harmed Kalian would be too much for Kyrie to handle, he spoke like this with confidence. Looking at Kyrie with eyes that said ‘you’re reckless but pretty cool,’ Kyrie smiled slightly and asked:

 

“Are you doing this because you hate feeling powerless?”

 

It was a direct hit.

 

Everyone had their own role to play. Even that small Hina was someone indispensable to Kalian.

 

“All I can do is worry. It’s pathetic.”

 

“His Highness isn’t someone who would drag along useless people. He keeps you by his side because he needs someone to worry about him too.”

 

Kyrie said, who until now had not had a single moment of not feeling powerless because Kalian specifically asked him to become his ‘sword’.

 

“So keep worrying, and when His Highness returns, just tell him you were worried. He’s someone who leans on those words to rest.”

 

Whether helpful with swordsmanship or Magic, whether helpful with family or the Knight Order, whether helpful with a smart mind, or…

 

Whether helpful by cherishing him, saying he’s like a flower no matter what aspect of Kalian one sees.

 

The clueless Baby Elephant, one of the most important people indispensable to Kalian, nodded as if he understood what Kyrie was trying to say. Then, with his face turning pale, he began to worry about Kalian with peace of mind.

 

* * *

 

Kalian had left the Palace in the morning and had not returned.

 

In the middle of the night, Plants had left the Palace with one maid and likewise had not returned. But Plants had left with Siegfried’s guarantee. And Siegfried was showing no reaction while keeping their gates closed.

 

Rmain, who had stayed up all night in his office, opened his mouth with a coldly hardened face.

 

“How should I interpret this?”

 

Rmain, who had generally been obedient to Allan’s words until now, had waited exactly one night after being told it was nothing serious and to wait a little. He had agreed to those words, because there must be a reason for them. Since it was Kalian and Siegfried, he had believed there would be no major issues.

 

However, he then learned that the maid who had disappeared with Plants was none other than Hina. Rmain’s rationality only lasted until he gave the order to absolutely prevent that fact from leaking outside.

 

“Should I see this as treason?”

 

“No, Your Majesty.”

 

After calling Ian and asking this, Ian immediately denied that ridiculous question.

 

Rmain could not bear it any longer and pressed Ian.

 

“A perfectly fine Second Prince wouldn’t have taken a healer and left for no reason. Something must have happened to the Third Prince, and Siegfried is involved in it.”

 

Ian briefly closed his eyes. It was a situation that could not be helped, and it had naturally caused Rmain’s misunderstanding. Moreover, since there had been no other contact from Dmirea, Ian did not know the details either.

 

“…Are you saying this is not treason?”

 

“It’s absolutely not treason.”

 

Rmain, who said this in a chillingly cold voice, stared at Ian. Ian did not avoid those eyes and answered.

 

“Then tell me the reason I should wait longer. Before I send Valkan and Caera to the Siegfried mansion right now.”

 

Kalian definitely had a plan.

 

There must be a clear reason why he did not enter the Royal Palace and called for Plants. So Valkan and Caera should avoid attacking Siegfried. That had to be delayed.

 

Ian clenched his fists and opened his mouth.

 

“Last night, Prince Kalian…”

 

‘Was attacked. He was injured and Hina went out to heal him.’ That was what he was going to say. He was about to say to wait a little longer because there must be a reason. Until…

 

*Bang!*

 

“I’m sorry, Your Majesty. Please forgive me.”

 

And the Mage intervened.

 

Allan, who first apologized for his rude behavior, strode into the office.

 

Allan’s expression was also hardened. Kalian had never gone missing before, and he had never thought Kalian would be injured. Allan’s worry about Kalian was at least as much as Rmain’s, if not more.

 

Allan, who came in on his own, sat next to Ian on his own, and opened his mouth on his own.

 

“It appears there was a group that attacked Prince Kalian last night.”

 

Allan had once predicted that Rmain’s cause of death in this life would be a heart attack. Looking at Rmain, whose face looked like that day might be today, Allan continued speaking.

 

“It seems His Highness directly took refuge at Siegfried’s place. If something worse had happened, Siegfried’s gates wouldn’t be closed with no news.”

 

What Allan was saying now was what he had heard from Chase.

 

Although they were not following Kalian, Secritia’s spies had seen traces of a battle before Dmirea had erased them. They had received a report confirming that bloodstains led to the Siegfried mansion, and they had also heard Kalian and Plants had disappeared.

 

This was something they found out because the spies that Chase had focused on gathering information about Kalian were still conducting the same activities—to continue watching over Kalian.

 

“You’re saying he went directly? Leaving the Royal Palace?”

 

It was an expression of disbelief.

 

Chase had said it was fine to reveal that the source of these rumors was Secritia’s spies. Although it would cause major problems in the relationship between the two countries, he had decided to help prevent Kalian’s plan from being ruined even at the cost of such damage.

 

Fortunately, Rmain did not ask about the source. He had a more reliable source of confirmation.

 

Rmain’s eyes turned to Ian again.

 

His face asked if this was what he was about to say, and Ian answered with a heavy face.

 

“That’s correct.”

 

“I’ll bring him back.”

 

As soon as Ian finished speaking, Rmain immediately declared.

 

“I can’t just leave an injured Prince in a mansion, not even in Siegfried’s territory.”

 

This time, it was Allan that opened his mouth.

 

After the traces of battle disappeared, Plants had visited, and after the gates closed, Chase, who had learned of everything, estimated what plan the two Princes might have made and informed Allan.

 

“Your Majesty’s sword should not be directed at Siegfried. Within a few days, Siegfried will be confronting Beurisen, so you should watch that direction instead.”

 

Allan, who had conveyed everything, said this.

 

“Since Duke Siegfried will be with him, you don’t need to worry about His Highness’s safety. First, watch over the situation, and when the direction is decided, send Valkan there.”

 

After those words ended, Rmain fell into deep thought for nearly an hour. And following Allan’s words, he decided to first watch how the situation unfolded.

 

Allan, who had barely succeeded in calming Rmain, had to struggle once more a few hours later to pull down Rmain, who had jumped up from his seat again.

 

Because he had seen Sleiman, who had come to the Royal Palace muttering things like ‘My kid won’t open my house door. Does anyone know what’s going on?’

 

* * *

 

*Tick, tock, tick, tock.*

 

He had been listening to only that sound all night.

 

Kalian’s wounds had considerably healed up.

 

The reason they were not completely healed was because of Plants. Judging that Hina was getting too exhausted, and that Kalian was fine for now, he had sent Hina out to sleep.

 

“I sent a letter to the Marquis’ residence.”

 

Dmirea, who had come to find Plants sitting motionlessly in his chair even after staying up all night, said this. She did not bother to mention that Sleiman had come in the middle of the night but was not let in.

 

The reason for not letting Sleiman in was that if the Royal Palace considered this matter ‘treason’ by any chance, they could not place that responsibility on Sleiman as well. So Dmirea only told him through the gate that it was nothing serious and for her father to stay out for a few more days.

 

“I see.”

 

He could clearly see Evan’s face, which would be furious after receiving a letter full of forced claims. Whether he came alone or led Knights, a confrontation between the two Families would begin before long.

 

Although Dmirea did not know, Plants was not too worried about Royal intervention. He believed that with Hina here, they would notice that Kalian was here as well. Naturally, someone would stop Rmain. Whether Allan or Chase.

 

*Tick, tock, tick, tock.*

 

Time flowed again.

 

[Who.]

 

Plants had this question all night.

 

Warriors from the Great Dunes. And Tansyll. Them and Randel. Kalian’s wounds that seemed to be from an Aura user. Recalling all the content he knew, he had pondered and pondered again about who might be behind the attackers.

 

[Why did they do this?]

 

Plants’ sharp green eyes turned to Kalian.

 

There was no more bleeding, but Kalian was still asleep.

 

They said Raven’s fur had been completely soaked in blood.

 

“…How dare they.”

 

A low voice leaked from Plants’ mouth.

 

*Tick, tock, tick, tock.*

 

Time passed.

 

He did not bother to calculate how much time had passed. He just sat there.

 

“You’ve come,”

 

And then…

 

“Older brother.”

 

Finally, he woke up.

 

One corner of Plants’ mouth curled up.

 

[Ha… What a truly beloved and hateful little brother.]

 

---

Silavin: Phew, we’ve finally caught up to the previous translator on Web Novel. Also, surpassed the Manhwa.