Chapter 122, If Such a Day Comes (1)

Translator: Hedge

Editor: Lizzz

 

Kalian’s brow furrowed.

 

He had obediently stayed in place for two days. He had also decided to understand and accept the house arrest order, even though there was no telling when it would end.

 

[But isn’t this a bit too much?]

 

“Escort Knights, you say.”

 

Rmain had sent Escort Knights to the three Princes. This broke the royal rule of Princes not being allowed Escort Knights.

 

Of course, it would be difficult to see this as Rmain being excessive.

 

Since his children were alternately spilling blood as if it were an annual event, sending some Caera Knights could be seen as Rmain showing considerable restraint. Honestly, Allan had been worried that he might remove all the other Knights from Chermil Palace and replace them entirely with Caera Knights.

 

Beurisen was surprisingly quiet about this. It was probably because they were worried that after Randel failed to target Beurisen once, he might turn his blade toward Plants instead.

 

The problem was that for Kalian, they were nothing more or less than ‘door locks’.

 

‘I’m just going for a short walk.’

 

‘That is not permitted, Your Highness.’

 

He needed to see Valkan’s training and meet with Arsene, but these stubborn Knights would not let him out. Their explanation was that they would never let him go outside unless he filled exactly the ‘seven days’ that Hina had recommended.

 

“Should I suggest we spar?”

 

[If those fools can beat me, then I’ll listen to them.]

 

Eventually, Kalian’s eyes lit up as he uttered these frightening words, and Ian, who was standing beside him, was startled and tried to calm Kalian down with his small voice.

 

“What if you get hurt again?”

 

‘Who would get hurt to whom?’ Kalian looked at Ian with exactly that kind of expression.

 

Anyway, Ian was consistently Ian.

 

“You need to rest. You can’t be carried back by Kyrie again. I’ll call Lord Hertz for you.”

 

Eventually, Kalian let out a deep sigh and headed for the terrace.

 

For a moment, Ian wondered if Kalian might just escape over the terrace, but fortunately Kalian obediently sat in the terrace chair.

 

“I won’t go anywhere, so bring me a cup of tea.”

 

“Yes, Your Highness. I’ll bring it right away.”

 

Knowing that Kalian had given up on going out, Ian smiled and quickly went outside. Kalian, who had been listening to the sound of the door closing, quietly opened his mouth.

 

“It’s too stifling. I have a mountain of things to do, but I’m stuck inside like this.”

 

Even Allan had not come.

 

Knowing that Allan would definitely ‘create work’ if he came, he was not setting foot here, meaning Kalian should take this opportunity to rest properly.

 

Of course, Kalian was not someone who would not ‘create work’ even if Allan did not. After all, was he not the type of person who would think things like ‘Can you really say life has any joy when it’s this boring?’

 

[First, after meeting Lord Hertz, I’ll call Dmirea and have a brief talk. After that…]

 

So while Kalian was tapping the table with his fingertips and organizing the things he could do while confined to his room.

 

*Meow!*

 

A cat that would relieve Kalian’s boredom came flying in from outside the terrace.

 

* * *

 

A sweet scent rose from the oatmeal cookies baked with raspberry jam.

 

Allan, who was chewing a whole cookie in his mouth, was hearing an equally sweet story.

 

‘Rumors were circulating that the Cyries’ Third Prince and the Siegfried Lesser Duchess were likely engaged, or if not an engagement, then they certainly have an intimate relationship.’

 

Allan swallowed what was in his mouth, took a sip of coffee, and slowly opened his mouth.

 

“Wouldn’t such rumors be inevitable?”

 

Not only had they entered the ball together, but throughout the ball, the two had sat apart and talked to each other. In addition, Dmirea had grabbed Plants and protested to Beurisen, saying that Kalian had disappeared. Just considering their status and abilities, it would be difficult to find suitable matches for each other, and they were even of the same age.

 

So, it would be stranger if such talk did not arise among the Nobles, who loved to express their imaginations?

 

“I’m considering not clarifying this and just leaving it as is.”

 

“Are you planning to leave the rumors as if the two are engaged and just ignore them?”

 

If the Royal Family showed no reaction to this, so the Nobles would certainly believe it as fact.

 

“That’s my thinking. But, I should ask Kalian’s opinion first.”

 

“I’ll visit Prince Kalian. But is this Your Majesty’s desire or for the Prince’s sake?”

 

At Rmain’s words, Allan smiled slyly and asked.

 

“You’re probing again. Every time such talk comes up, you always look at me as if I’m Kalian’s competitor.”

 

“I’m curious whether you’re trying to increase Your Majesty’s power by having the Siegfried Ducal Family as in-laws, or if you’re thinking of solidifying the Third Prince’s position.”

 

Rmain answered calmly without any particular reaction.

 

“Don’t worry, I have no intention of using Siegfried for my own purposes.”

 

Soon, Rmain took off the glasses he was wearing, placed them on the table, and continued.

 

“Thanks to those rumors, didn’t unnecessary talk of Kalian’s disappearance decrease? It’s rather fortunate amid the troublesome situation where the Marquis won’t stay quiet.”

 

Allan nodded at these words.

 

Then, he chewed and swallowed another oatmeal cookie before answering.

 

“If the story solidifies as the Marquis wants, that ‘Kalian, feeling burdened by his princely duties, ran away outside the Capital and was caught and brought back’, it could become a huge flaw for Prince Kalian in the future.”

 

“So I’d rather the Nobles not take any interest in that matter at all. Engagement rumors would be better than the Prince’s dignity being damaged.”

 

Evan, who had been properly played by Dmirea, was desperate to inflate that incident somehow. He was asking them to properly reveal the truth of what happened that day, to restore Beurisen’s damaged honor. He wanted to clearly demonstrate whether Kalian truly had the qualities to be a proper Prince.

 

“And it wouldn’t be bad if it really led to a marriage between the two.”

 

At Rmain’s additional words, Allan’s smile deepened.

 

Not only would Kalian, who would certainly be conscious of the actual age difference with Dmirea, be an issue, but Dmirea was not the type to abandon her Ducal title and enter the Royal Palace.

 

“That won’t happen, so don’t get your hopes up. The Lesser Duchess isn’t someone who would abandon Siegfried to become a Princess Consort or Queen. Unless Your Majesty is thinking of sending your third son to the Land of Elephants, then expecting a wedding between the two wouldn’t be bad.”

 

“…Never mind.”

 

“Are there no marriage proposals for Prince Randel?”

 

While Kalian and Plants were not of that age yet, Randel would soon be 19, so was it not time for engagement talks to emerge?

 

“There’s no way there wouldn’t be. I was just thinking about it anyway. They’ve increased, especially since news came that Tansyll and the Great Dunes had joined hands.”

 

Rmain turned his head to point at a bundle of scrolls on the desk. Allan almost asked to know their names but barely held back.

 

A Prince born to a Foreign Royal was legally required to marry someone from within his own country. In other words, Randel, who had Tansyll Blood, could not marry someone from Tansyll again. If that happened, this country would certainly fall into Tansyll’s grasp.

 

This also meant that everyone written on those scrolls were Cyries Nobles, who supported Randel, so it was natural that Allan wanted to confirm exactly who they were.

 

Rmain, noticing this, chuckled and said.

 

“No way.”

 

“I understand.”

 

The selection of a Princess Consort was the exclusive authority of the King and Queen.

 

This was to prevent unnecessary power struggles. Since there was no Queen, it would be a matter for Rmain alone to confirm and decide, so it was not Allan’s place to interfere.

 

Therefore, at the words that the King could not show the list, Allan nodded as if it was regrettable but unavoidable and picked up another oatmeal cookie to eat.

 

“Instead, about what we discussed last time, the matter in regard to the Knight Order. I’ll allow Count Aprin’s Knight Order to hide in Siegfried’s mansion.”

 

“Yes. I’ll convey that along with asking Prince Kalian whether to leave the engagement rumors with the Lesser Duchess as they are.”

 

“I’ve always been curious.”

 

Rmain looked at Allan and spoke in a somewhat subdued voice, then stared at Allan for a while. To Allan, who sat quietly as if telling him to speak, Rmain’s question followed.

 

“You said it would be interesting if the Prince who resembles Syspanian could use Magic. You said that.”

 

“Are you referring to when I first came to the Royal Palace?”

 

“Yes. When you offered to become Kalian’s Magic Master. Do you remember?”

 

“How could I forget?”

 

“…Then how far can I trust you?”

 

At those words, Allan’s expression changed strangely.

 

“That was a spontaneous question. When was it that you asked me to take Prince Kalian and flee if Your Majesty’s neck was in a precarious situation, and now you ask such a thing?”

 

“Back then, I only thought the bond of Master and Disciple between you two was strong.”

 

Rmain said this as he put down the teacup he was holding. The clink of the teacup briefly echoed through the office.

 

“I didn’t know you’d go so far as to use Secritia’s spies to help him.”

 

It seemed he had learned that Secritia’s spies had helped with Kalian’s affairs. Whether he did not know or knew but did not mention it, Rmain also did not bring up that there were also spies among those who had attacked Kalian.

 

“How did you know that?”

 

“I’m not without ears to hear. Of course, since they came forward to help Kalian, I won’t let any harm come to Secritia’s Crown Prince. But I want to know the real reason why you help Kalian to the extent of not caring about the means and methods. How far can I trust you.”

 

“When I look at him, he’s just lovely and pitiful. What other reason would there be for an old man like me to help without caring about the means and methods? This old man is raising him like his own blood, so don’t worry.”

 

Allan said this with a smile on his face. Then he brought up the words he had consistently kept in his heart.

 

“When Your Majesty tries to block Prince Kalian’s path, I might block Your Majesty’s breath instead. So, know that I won’t ever stand facing against the Prince.”

 

“…Yes. That’s fortunate.”

 

Rmain, who had now been threatened with his life even by the Mage sitting in front of him, nodded as if he had heard the most trustworthy words in the world.

 

* * *

 

He had said he disliked a boring life.

 

He had never thought he wanted to see the amazing sight of a cat falling from the sky.

 

“So…”

 

Kalian, who had received an unexpected blessing of a cat, opened his mouth while stroking the cat in his arms that was ‘I am Prince Kalian’s cat, who likes Prince Plants more’

 

“The cat… why…?”

 

Plants did not answer for a moment.

 

Plants had indeed intended to come to Kalian’s room. However, he had not planned to bring a cat. It was not in his nature to do so, nor was he leisurely enough to carefully visit the lower floor while holding a cat. It was broad daylight, after all.

 

When he heard the sound Kalian was making from below the terrace, he put down the cat he was holding and jumped through the terrace door.

 

For some reason, the cat jumped too.

 

Plants, who had been recalling the series of events toward Kalian who had caught the cat with a not-too-difficult movement, came up with an answer that could explain the situation well enough.

 

“It just happened.”

 

Kalian, who thought of that unhelpful answer as roughly ‘I didn’t intend to bring it on purpose, but due to unavoidable circumstances, it came along,’ just nodded quietly.

 

“I understand. Please sit.”

 

When Plants nodded and sat down, the cat that was definitely Kalian’s but liked Plants more climbed onto Plants’ lap. Watching Plants naturally place his hand on the cat, no one would know how hard Kalian struggled to hold back his laughter.

 

“So, aside from the cat, why did you come, older brother? And through the window again.”

 

The reason for coming through the terrace in broad daylight was obvious. He had to avoid Rmain’s Escort Knights. There was no other reason. This meant there were words that Rmain should not know through the Escort Knights.

 

Plants’ green eyes turned toward Kalian, who had activated Silent.

 

“Is a Knight Order scheduled to come in soon?”

 

“Which Knight Order are you referring to?”

 

“That Count I had arranged to go to Wilhelm Hall. It seemed like he was creating a Knight Order for you to use.”

 

Kalian’s eyes curved.

 

Kalian had directly told Plants about meeting people from Knight Families including Aizen Aprin at last autumn’s hunting competition. It had been quite some time since that conversation, and he had not informed him about how the situation had progressed since then.

 

As Plants said, there had only been the occasion during Rmain’s birthday festival period when Plants had arranged a meeting between Kalian and Aizen.

 

“As expected, older brother is very smart.”

 

“Stop barking.”

 

Kalian chuckled and nodded.

 

“Yes. I’m planning to bring Count Aprin’s Knight Order into the Capital soon. They are to keep the Caera and Roan Knight Orders in check, it would be good to keep them inside the Royal Palace. Why do you ask?”

 

“Caera and Roan Knight Orders. I’m going to take control of them.”

 

The Royal Family’s two Knight Orders, Caera and Roan.

 

Plants, who had been choosing his words internally while thinking of them, opened his mouth.

 

“If that’s the case, wouldn’t there be no need to tie a new Knight Order to the Royal Palace?”

 

“If you can properly control the two Knight Orders, that would be so.”

 

“I’ll do it. I want you to have the new Knight Order.”

 

Kalian’s eyes showed interest.

 

This was because Plants was telling him not to tie the Knight Order he had worked hard to gather inside the Royal Palace in preparation for the Caera and Roan Knight Orders’ swords turning toward Rmain, but to just make the Count’s Knight Order Kalian’s own force to use outside.

 

“Are you already preparing to keep cats at Beurisen? I said I’d give you Beurisen, but I didn’t know you’d go this far.”

 

“Since my little brother told me to keep cats.”

 

“I received my Knight Order as a gift in exchange for giving you Valkan. I understand. I’d also prefer to have something directly in my hands besides the alliance with Siegfried, so I’ll do as you suggest.”

 

Kalian said this and asked with a grin.

 

“Should I say it?”

 

“No need.”

 

And once again, the words of thanks were omitted.