Chapter 123, If Such a Day Comes (2)

Translator: Hedge

Editor: Lizzz

 

He had disappeared.

 

Plants had clearly been in the room, but Plants had disappeared.

 

Plants’ attendant Rerik, who had been restlessly pacing around so as not to startle the Escort Knights outside, suddenly made a gasping sound at some point. It was because Plants had suddenly appeared from outside the terrace.

 

“Your Highness, where have you been?”

 

Rerik, who had spoken these words, had a considerably confused expression on his face.

 

If he had come through the door, it would have been appropriate to say he had been out somewhere.

 

If that were the case, he would have added whether he had a good trip.

 

Because of such thoughts, he now wondered whether it was appropriate to ask where he had been.

 

“What?”

 

And Plants answered like this.

 

It seemed like he was asking what he meant, or what was wrong, or what he had seen.

 

“Nothing, Your Highness.”

 

Whatever the exact meaning, that nonchalant response would mean to act as if nothing had happened. Rerik, who understood Plants’ extremely brief words with his skilled intuition over the years, shook his head and said.

 

“Why?”

 

Plants, who had only nodded slightly, asked.

 

At times like this, he did not know how envious he was of Ian, who served the ‘ever gentle’ Third Prince. Still, Plants was better than the First Prince, who always had a cold atmosphere around him. With such thoughts to comfort himself, Rerik opened his mouth.

 

“I was going to ask how you would like to handle lunch.”

 

“Never mind.”

 

Plants did not eat meals on time.

 

As he was about to say something worried about this, Plants walked over and threw open the door. Then he moved his feet as if he did not care whether the Escort Knights followed or not.

 

He had deliberately climbed up from somewhere downstairs to the terrace to arrive at his room, only to go out through the door. Rerik, with a confused face again, followed behind Plants with quick steps.

 

* * *

 

There was another unexpected visitor.

 

It was after the cat that had fallen from the sky and the person who lived upstairs had left.

 

Plants, who had just finished what he had to say, stepped on the terrace railing and climbed back up with light movements. Then, the cat scurried out of the room.

 

“It really likes him more.”

 

Whether it was personality or because of the name.

 

Before he could feel hurt by the cat that really liked Plants more, Merlin came in. She was carrying two cups of tea in her hands. Kalian wondered if one was for Ian.

 

By the way, quite a long time had passed since Ian had left and Plants had come to have a conversation before leaving, so it was far too late to bring tea now. Furthermore, it was Merlin, not Ian, who entered the room.

 

“Where did Ian go?”

 

“He said he should call upon Lord Arsene, so he left the tea to me and went to Wilhelm Hall. He said he should at least provide someone to talk to since Your Highness was feeling frustrated.”

 

“Ah… there’s no need to go that far.”

 

Seeing Kalian feeling unnecessarily sorry, Merlin quickly conveyed the next message.

 

“Hina went out with Lord Kyrie a little while ago. I told her to let you know when she returns.”

 

He had promised to let Sia and Hina meet, but the date had been postponed. So, he had just made another appointment and sent the two out.

 

Soon, Merlin looked at the tea in her hands and spoke.

 

“And Count Manasil is waiting outside.”

 

Upon hearing those words, Kalian’s eyes filled with delight. Seeing that expression, Merlin smiled silently, put the tea down on the table, gave a light greeting, and went outside. After that, the door opened again, and Allan entered.

 

“Master!”

 

Kalian’s voice was full of excitement.

 

Because Allan had come, whom he thought he would never be able to meet until the day when his confinement was lifted.

 

Therefore, Kalian smiled broadly again.

 

Of course, it was not a smile with another purpose like last time, but a smile of genuine joy. Seeing this, Allan smiled gently and replied.

 

“If being forcibly confined to your room is so unpleasant, please be more careful with your body from now on. You must not think of cutting down those friends outside either. They are people sent by His Majesty.”

 

And then he gave this warning as if he could see right through Kalian’s mind.

 

“Ah, I was actually considering asking for a sparring match in about two or three days. I won’t do that now.”

 

“You mustn’t beat them up either.”

 

“…Yes. I’ll try my best.”

 

“That’s fortunate. At least you say you’ll try.”

 

Allan, who knew better than anyone in the world how bad Kalian was at lying, nodded with satisfaction. Then, he began to sip the sweet milk tea that Merlin had set down.

 

Allan had never sat in a chair and drunk tea for such a long time before. Therefore, Kalian asked with a somewhat anxious expression.

 

“Is it a difficult story to bring up?”

 

He was worried about what other punishment there might be, in addition to not being able to leave the Royal Palace, being confined to his room, and having two ‘door-locking devices’ that guarded or surveyed him.

 

Allan, who had created unnecessary anxiety by taking his time, said.

 

“It’s not like that. Don’t worry.”

 

It was just that the milk tea suited his taste, but it was somehow embarrassing to mention that, so Allan showed a mischievous smile and brought up his business.

 

“Congratulations. You have a fiancée at such an early age.”

 

Having said that, Allan swallowed another sip of milk tea. In the meantime, Kalian, who had grasped the meaning of Allan’s words, asked.

 

“Are you perhaps referring to Dmirea?”

 

“That’s right. Since there are idle mouths with nothing to do, there are indeed many stories being passed around.”

 

Only then did Kalian realize that unintended rumors had arisen between Dmirea and himself, and he burst into laughter.

 

“That saves me some unnecessary trouble.”

 

It seemed he had not understood Allan’s words quickly for nothing.

 

“It sounds like you were planning to spread rumors if there weren’t any.”

 

“Yes. I was thinking of doing that. Actually, isn’t the timing perfect? Marquis Beurisen will try to get back at me for this incident somehow, and to smooth things over, a bigger rumor needed to be spread.”

 

Having said that, Kalian took a sip of milk tea at the same time as Allan. He could distinctly taste the sweetness that would be perfectly suited for such sweet, delectable rumors.

 

“I was actually thinking of borrowing the Siegfried name once more if Dmirea was okay with it.”

 

“I’m not sure if the Lesser Duchess would welcome this affair.”

 

“She’ll like it.”

 

“Why do you see it that way?”

 

Kalian, who had been thinking of Dmirea, who would be the perfect future Head of Siegfried, continued.

 

“Since Dmirea has come to the Capital and attended the ball with me, wouldn’t this be seen by the Nobles as Siegfried now taking interest in politics as well? Then those who want to connect their children with the Lesser Duchess in some way will appear in droves, and Dmirea certainly wouldn’t welcome such things.”

 

Kalian had actually been thinking to ask her if it would be good to spread their ‘engagement rumor’. After all, he could calm down his own detrimental rumors, and Dmirea could escape from the rushing attention.

 

“If Dmirea is fine with it, I don’t want to clarify it, but what does His Majesty say he’ll do?”

 

“I was expecting you to be flustered and surprised, but all the fun has disappeared. How can you speak so calmly about using rumors that might involve your own marriage?”

 

Allan immediately made a disappointed face and grumbled like this.

 

“Don’t act like that. You don’t look your age.”

 

Upon hearing those words, Kalian’s head shot up. Because he was speaking while looking up at the ceiling, his voice came out somewhat mumbling.

 

“There are two more such people in Chermil. One each on the 4th and 5th floors of this building.”

 

[Especially the person living on the 4th floor. I asked him to keep a cat, and he went off saying he’d take control of the Royal Knight Orders for me. …What am I supposed to do with him?]

 

“And there’s one more at the Siegfried mansion. As soon as Dmirea receives the first question about whether she has a fiancé, she’ll think of me.”

 

Whether it was payment for the shield he had provided this time or for the banana he had given. It was obvious that she would put forward Kalian’s name as payment for that.

 

“That’s truly something to be curious about.”

 

Allan burst into short laughter and said this.

 

“His Majesty’s sons and Sleiman’s daughter are certainly not ordinary. I wonder if it’s appropriate to call this miraculous.”

 

Veronica, the granddaughter of the genius Mage, Allan Manasil, was a very ordinary girl and Mage in contrast. Since the children all did not entirely resemble their parents, how could one not find this miraculous?

 

“Anyway, His Majesty also said it would be better to leave that matter as is, so please know that.”

 

“Ah, has he already said that? That’s fortunate.”

 

“Yes. And…”

 

Allan, who was bringing up one more story to tell, manifested Silent and continued.

 

“His Majesty has permitted Count Aprin’s Knight Order to stay.”

 

“Ah, then all works out well.”

 

Kalian made a meaningful expression.

 

“What else has worked out well?”

 

Toward Allan, who was looking at him with curiosity, Kalian conveyed the conversation he had just had with Plants.

 

“Prince Plants said he would step forward like that?”

 

“Yes. It’s surprising how actively he’s moving, more than I expected.”

 

“It wouldn’t be bad. After going through such an incident, it would be necessary to pay attention to other places now.”

 

It was about Sillike’s matter.

 

Since he was still living in the Royal Palace where that incident took place, does he not need to turn his eyes elsewhere? At least, to no longer keep the past in front of his eyes.

 

“Yes. As you said, it’s not a bad thing. Anyway, I’ll gradually bring the Count’s Knights into the Capital when I see the opportunity. For that, I’ll have to meet Dmirea today.”

 

“Are you saying you won’t delay even a day?”

 

“There’s no reason to delay. Time is precious, after all.”

 

There would be no wounds from cutting ‘carrots’ this time.

 

Kalian had really almost died. His face was still pale. Nevertheless, he did not rest.

 

As much as he said time was precious, Kalian was overworking himself.

 

*Clink.*

 

Allan, who had been quietly staring at the teacup he had just put down, opened his mouth.

 

“Your Highness.”

 

“Yes, Master.”

 

After calling him, there was no word for a while.

 

Only when the opaque tea water swirled in the cup for a moment and then settled did the next words come out.

 

“Why do you want to go to Camilon?”

 

“That’s obviously…”

 

‘To ensure that the war never starts, to not waste this reversion of time. Because the threat is still here, I still need to move.’

 

Instead of bringing up those words he had already said again, or instead of the joke about going to raise dogs, Kalian quietly kept his mouth shut. Because Allan probably wasn’t asking because he did not know.

 

Seeing Kalian’s reaction, Allan asked again like this.

 

“What exactly do you want to do, Your Highness?”

 

If necessary to prevent what he wanted to prevent, he would even ascend to the throne. On the day he first met Allan, Kalian had said that.

 

But that was not a plan for Kalian, himself.

 

“Have you ever thought about yourself after you’ve protected everything as you wish?”

 

Kalian smiled gently.

 

No answer followed.

 

* * *

 

“What brings you here?”

 

Chase made the quite surprised face at the unexpected person who had suddenly visited. And he added words that were clearly copying what Plants had done before.

 

“My younger brother’s current older brother.”

 

[Are we close enough to joke around and play like that?] With such thoughts, Plants opened his mouth without hiding his annoyed expression.

 

“Let’s talk.”

 

“Yes. Come in.”

 

Chase extended his hand and pointed inside.

 

Plants, who had trudged inside, went to a chair by the window, crossed his legs, and sat down. And as soon as Chase sat across from him, he opened his mouth.

 

“An army composed only of Mages might be possible to create and operate, but it would be difficult to carry out proper attacks. So, the solution we thought of is…”

 

A languid voice.

 

A tone as if explaining what the cat he was raising looked like. But the content within was not light.

 

“How about making some small talk before bringing up the main point, Prince Plants?”

 

“Just listen.”

 

Talking itself was bothersome, let alone small talk.

 

Plants, who had never done such a thing in his entire life, completely ignored Chase’s bewilderment. And he began to rattle off various information including Valkan’s composition and training methods that he had grasped so far.

 

There was no detailed explanation.

 

Plants thought that Chase would understand enough even without saying such things.

 

Or he might already know.

 

“…If we do that, it seems like even Secritia, which has a few Mages, could produce a quite useful army.”

 

Chase, who had been looking at Plants as if he found it amazing that he was pouring out what seemed like half a year’s worth of words all at once, opened his mouth after Plants’ words ended.

 

“That must be classified information. Is it fine for you to tell me such things?”

 

Seeing the face asking if he knew what he had just said, Plants twisted up one corner of his mouth and replied.

 

“It doesn’t matter.”

 

“I don’t know why you’re suddenly telling me this, but you’ve done something unnecessary. I should have already conveyed my opinion. That everything I remember should be a power that solely Prince Kalian must take hold of.”

 

On the day Chase had visited Plants, Chase had clearly said he would not change anything about the future. He had said that everything based on what Kalian knew should be power that only Kalian should have.

 

“The same goes for Cyries’ Mage Order. I…”

 

“Do it. You too.”

 

Plants’ eyes held a sharpness like cool moonlight.

 

“Know that I’m not someone who would wage a war for trivial reasons.”

 

In short, ‘since you know about the future, move together and help.’

 

Plants was saying that.