Chapter 124, If Such a Day Comes (3)

Translator: Hedge

Editor: Lizzz

 

Forty-nine members of the Royal Knight Order and one Prince.

 

Fifty people stood before the castle gates.

 

…Forty-nine.

 

…Forty-eight.

 

At first, I resented those who made the numbers dwindle. After that, I resented these eyes that faithfully counted the decreasing numbers. Because by doing so, I know who would be the one to receive resentment.

 

…Fifteen.

 

If I could hold onto hope, if hope exists somewhere, is this not enough? Could you not stop now?

 

…Five.

 

For the first time since birth, and the last time before death. I sought Serenty.

 

…Two.

 

‘…Kyrie!’

 

But, even the sleeping Goddess did not answer.

 

…One

 

‘Bern…’

 

I could not bear to watch. I tried to close my eyes, but I could not even close them as I had to contain the sight of his last breath…

 

…Ah.

 

And so, the last thing the King of a fallen country had to do was to watch the ones who died protecting him, as he remained utterly alone.

 

* * *

 

A stream of water stretched out from the fountain installed in the garden in front of the annex. Sunlight settled on the water droplets that rose uselessly and fell helplessly. The sound created by that meaningless movement continuing endlessly sounded particularly desolate.

 

Chase sat quietly as if appreciating the meaningless and utterly lonely sound of water. His quiet eyes closed briefly.

 

“…Prince Plants.”

 

Plants gazed at Chase’s face.

 

Words flowed out as if spitting out or swallowing something painful.

 

“From what to where do you know?”

 

Plants answered in a low voice upon hearing those words.

 

“Nothing at all.”

 

Plants had only made guesses. He was certain of nothing. So, it was correct that Plants knew nothing at all about the past.

 

Chase, who had barely escaped from the thoughts sent by a past he had never experienced, opened his dry lips.

 

“Did you figure it out just from hearing my words?”

 

“Similar.”

 

Words given out of concern that the same thing might repeat.

 

With just that, Plants had deduced all the way till this end.

 

And having followed everything so far, he was urging further preparation.

 

“It seems I worried unnecessarily and spoke unnecessarily.”

 

“No.”

 

It was neither something Chase should apologize for nor something Plants should receive an apology for.

 

Besides, the starting point was Kalian anyway.

 

Was this not an issue that began when Kalian, who was good at being caught? Was this not inevitable after the moment he saw Plants for the first time and Plants recognized the gaze filled with countless emotions that could not be properly sorted?

 

So, it was not important whose words or whose mistake brought Plants to this conclusion.

 

“I believe you, the Crown Prince, would have just stood by and watched back then too.”

 

“Are you really sure you don’t know anything?”

 

“Are you planning to just watch this time too?”

 

Chase laughed.

 

And after a long while, he answered in a quiet voice.

 

“Next year, February.”

 

Whether he would start preparing from then, or finish preparing by then, or if it meant something else.

 

After putting out those riddle-like words, Chase’s finger pointed toward Plants after staring at him deeply for a while. He was pointing at how Plants sat leaning back in his chair with his legs crossed.

 

“When that time comes, Prince Plants will no longer be able to sit like that in front of me. You won’t be able to speak informally either.”

 

Prince Plants, and Crown Prince Chase.

 

Plants was already not observing proper etiquette toward Chase.

 

But if an even greater gap emerged, then Plants would not be able to treat Chase as he did now.

 

King Chase Dyurahan Secritia.

 

Not when Chase became King.

 

“Your father isn’t someone without enough ambition to quietly hand over the crown.”

 

“Yes. You correctly see through him.”

 

“…Ha.”

 

Right then, Chase was bringing up Debeullan’s death and the day of his own ascension to the throne with such a calm face. Plants made a short sound like wind.

 

“In case you might think I’m speaking too calmly about my biological father’s death, let me add that it’s not something that can be prevented. So, I hope you won’t misunderstand.”

 

Debeullan’s cause of death was unquestionably natural death from illness.

 

Debeullan’s health had been poor for a very long time already.

 

“I understand.”

 

“I will prepare for what can be prevented. I can’t implement what Prince Plants spoke of right now, but I’ll be able to prepare after I ascend to the throne.”

 

Whenever it might be, it meant he would now escape from the position of just standing by and watching, so that was enough.

 

“Alright.”

 

“I’ll ask just one thing.”

 

Therefore, he gave a short answer and was about to get up from his seat, but Chase’s words held Plants back.

 

“I am not someone who lives in the same country as Prince Plants. Are you confident you won’t be anxious about what influence me stepping forward will have on this country? You don’t seem to worry at all about what will happen to Secritia, that has decided to earnestly build strength, whether Secritia might bring harm to Cyries.”

 

“Whether you build strength or not has nothing to do with me.”

 

Plants pointed out Chase’s misunderstanding.

 

“The person who should be anxious if my little brother’s former older brother changes his mind isn’t me, but my little brother.”

 

“Don’t tell me, is Prince Kalian thinking of ascending to the throne? Not you.”

 

Plants affirmed by not answering, and Chase looked a bit surprised.

 

Chase did not know that Kalian intended to ascend to the throne and that Plants had no interest in the throne. The information the birds brought did not include the Princes’ inner thoughts.

 

“…How unexpected. I thought this time he would put Prince Plants on the throne and then help from the side. I didn’t expect he would ascend to the throne directly. Because he never once showed interest in the throne in front of me.”

 

“Not interested. Not now either.”

 

Chase, who had been looking at Plants for a while, made a voice that seemed about to disappear like the fountain’s water droplets.

 

“Is that so.”

 

“…So don’t push it onto you too.”

 

Plants said quietly.

 

“Since you’re already embracing what was originally my burden.”

 

With those words, Plants rose from his seat.

 

He had said everything he needed to say, and Chase had given his answer too, so now there really was nothing left to say.

 

* * *

 

Allan stared at Kalian for a long while.

 

He kept waiting for an answer to continue.

 

Was it not impossible to create a story he had never thought about until now? Therefore, Kalian laughed once more.

 

“…Please don’t do that.”

 

Allan said this upon seeing Kalian’s laugh.

 

Not knowing quite what answer to give about that, Kalian just nodded and answered.

 

“Don’t worry.”

 

Thinking that he seemed to be saying this phrase the most these days made his mouth taste bitter. Therefore, he took another sip of sweet milk tea before opening his mouth.

 

“There’s something I asked Euria to do for me.”

 

It was both something he had originally intended to say and means by which to change the subject. Kalian continued speaking to Allan, who looked at him with the feeling of being fooled.

 

“I had asked her to look into the black pebbles. But I can’t go directly now, so I’d like you to occasionally ask if anything has been confirmed, no matter how scarce the information.”

 

He could not keep calling the busy Euria to the Royal Palace, so he decided to ask Allan, who was a bit busier but more capable.

 

Since the topic had already changed, there was no point in bringing it up again. Allan, who briefly set aside his bitter feelings, nodded.

 

“Sure. I’ll do that. But why are you suddenly trying to find out about that black pebble?”

 

“Actually, there are quite a few things I haven’t been able to tell you, Master. Especially about older brother Randel.”

 

“What happened?”

 

“Quite a lot.”

 

Allan was already worrying about Kalian—as much as he could be. So, the desire not to cause Allan unnecessary worry was abandoned a moment ago. With the mindset of making him worry a bit more while he was at it, Kalian explained.

 

About how the Warriors of the Great Dunes used power that created red light, and how his black pebble glowed red every time they used their power. About how the black pebble reacted to the roses Randel bloomed. About the power Randel used when facing Kalian in the rose garden.

 

“Master, stop.”

 

And then he stopped Allan, who looked like he was about to Warp to the 5th floor.

 

[Why are all Mages so uniformly belligerent? This is something I just can’t understand.]

 

If Allan heard what he thought, he would surely chuckle right in front of this Fourth-Circle Mage.

 

“Are you just going to let Prince Randel’s wicked behavior slide?”

 

It was exactly the kind of scolding a grandfather would give to a grandson who came home injured from fighting with his friends.

 

“I was curious. About why older brother Randel is struggling so much. I thought that if I knew the reason, I might be able to understand.”

 

Kalian answered like that, trying hard to erase the suspicion that perhaps he was bearing all the consequences of what Rmain had done.

 

“So, when you say I can leave this room, I was thinking of meeting older brother Randel once. We’re clearly in the same building but can’t meet at all, so I should at least go visit him.”

 

“Will there be no problem meeting him again?”

 

“I can’t just leave it alone, can I? Whether it becomes the foundation of understanding or the continuation of discord. I have to try something.”

 

“Yes. Anyway, this is the magnanimity of someone who’s overly meddlesome, so what could I possibly object to?”

 

Allan showed an utterly affectionate expression and brought out a warm voice.

 

“Instead, whatever you do, do it when the time comes.”

 

And he snapped his fingers.

 

*Snap!*

 

Kalian’s eyes slowly closed.

 

When his lovely Disciple kept saying he would continue working with that pale face, was it not the Master’s duty to put him soundly to sleep?

 

Though, whether Arsene would make a wasted trip or not would be a tale for later.

 

* * *

 

Rerik quickly opened the door.

 

Plants, who walked in with heavy steps, went inside without much to say and closed the door. Since it meant he wanted to be alone, Rerik looked at the door that closed right in front of him for a moment, then turned around.

 

He made a startled face.

 

Because someone was standing right behind him.

 

When he looked down, he could see the top of silver hair.

 

It was Hina.

 

“Did you come to get the cat?”

 

At Rerik’s question, Hina nodded. She had come because it was time to feed the cat after meeting Sia and returning.

 

Rerik made a troubled face again. Plants had clearly expressed his intention to be alone.

 

*Click.*

 

Then with a small sound, the door opened again. And shortly after, Plants’ voice was heard from inside the room.

 

“Take it.”

 

It was the same sequence as before.

 

Rerik nodded upon hearing Plants’ words, and Hina briefly greeted before entering Plants’ room.

 

When she stood near the entrance, Plants pointed to where the cat was. It meant to go in and take it away.

 

Hina smiled brightly and moved her hands while looking at Plants.

 

‘Thank you. Good, Your Highness.’

 

[What is she always so grateful for? And what is that word between ‘thank you’ and ‘Your Highness’?] Instead of asking that, Plants just nodded.

 

‘Your Highness, eaten?’

 

And Hina asked this.

 

Since Kalian’s maids had taken care of Plants together before Rerik came, Hina knew that Plants often skipped meals.

 

“Didn’t think about it.”

 

Hina’s expression became stern.

 

‘Please eat. If you keep skipping meals…’

 

And she said exactly the same words to Plants that Kalian could not understand and had memorized completely, thinking she was cursing.

 

‘Fool.’

 

Of course, Plants could not understand it either.

 

* * * Side Story * * *

 

[Peaceful. No, negligent. Yes. If I had to choose, that would be negligence. The people of Liberen are generally negligent.]

 

[The people of Cyries are calculative and luxurious, the people of Secritia are insufferably tenacious, and the people of Tansyll are full of pretence disguised as faith. As for the Warriors of the Great Dunes, they are either evasive or cruel.]

 

[Beyond the Great Dunes, or across the great sea guarded by the Sea Dragon, Adeljel, there are said to be other continents somewhere, but I didn’t feel like taking such a long and distant journey.]

 

“Maybe I’ll just go to a southern country and spend the rest of my life there?”

 

“I didn’t know there would be so few places that would call you, father.”

 

At Allan’s declaration that he would leave Tansyll where he had briefly stayed and now go to Liberen, Ronil, who was standing beside him, grinned and responded.

 

It was a frivolous joke.

 

Ronil also knew well that the invitations sent from Cyries and Secritia had long since disappeared as kindling.

 

The sea-blue hair that Allan’s deceased wife had left behind fluttered gracefully in the wind, looking quite fine even to Allan. Ronil was the spitting image of Allan.

 

“Why don’t you go to Cyries? You’re close with Duke Siegfried.”

 

“It’s boring, so I won’t go.”

 

If Sleiman had said, ‘My eldest son is sick, so couldn’t you find a way to treat him?’, Allan would have gone immediately without hesitation and brought Ronil along, who was quite a capable pharmacist.

 

But at that time, Sleiman had left out those words and just asked if he would not like to come and stay for a while. So, he refused. He only learned about the illness after the eldest son had eventually passed away.

 

In any case, since he did not know Sleiman’s inner thoughts at the time, he did not go to Cyries because he merely thought about why he would go to some rural corner to drink when he was on the verge of reaching his Seventh-Circle.

 

So, the place he decided on was Liberen.

 

“Will you come with me?”

 

Tansyll was not a decent place for a pharmacist to live.

 

It was a country with healers, and those who could not find healers did not have money to buy medicine either, so there was no way to make money.

 

Of course, the same was true for Rachel, Ronil’s wife. For Mages other than the capable Mage Allan, the Halidom was a difficult place to live in. Therefore, Rachel, who had followed Allan to Tansyll saying she would broaden her knowledge, was having unnecessary hardships.

 

“We’ll go too.”

 

Thus, Allan left Tansyll with his son, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter Veronica. They went to Liberen.

 

* * *

 

You aren’t drinking that?

 

Oh, is this sweet-tasting alcohol?

 

Give me that. father detests sweet things.

 

When I go home,

 

I’ll

 

drink it.

 

* * *

 

Queen Etienne of Liberen always played.

 

“No. I’m not doing that right now, so just leave me alone.”

 

“Then what are you planning to do with all these?”

 

“If it’s urgent, you can do it instead.”

 

Allan achieved his Seventh-Circle not long after arriving in Liberen. Before he could even be moved by that achievement, he began to have his precious labor exploited by stamping documents.

 

Somehow, as soon as he arrived, he received full support from the country, while telling him to stamp a 10-year contract, and whenever documents with even the letters ‘Ma’ from Magic appeared, they all dumped them on Allan and played around.

 

“Why on earth did you call me here?”

 

“If there’s an old but young and handsome Archmage next to me, no one can say anything even if I don’t work.”

 

‘What madman would dare insult you?’ Allan swallowed back those words that were about to come out.

 

Etienne was…

 

Lazy, foul-mouthed, an always slightly crazy powerful Queen. She had called Allan to check one man who coveted that power.

 

Duke Teigan, Etienne’s husband.

 

So, she was putting off all the work related to the Nobles who sided with Teigan and played around leisurely.

 

“It’s fine. All the work those guys ask to be handled will benefit Teigan anyway.”

 

She said this dozens of times a day.

 

Yet, she was also ghostly good at finding work that would benefit herself. In the end, only Allan, who had gotten caught up in the power struggle between the couple, was dying.

 

He endured the first 2 years.

 

He persevered for the next 3 years using his friendship with Etienne as an excuse.

 

In the 6th year, he finally exploded.

 

“Please break the contract. I can’t stand it anymore.”

 

Teigan was suspicious of the relationship between the King and the Archmage. Since they were never apart for a moment, if he had postponed suspicion until now, it could be said he had been very patient.

 

Finally, Teigan, in his greed to grasp both power and his wife in his hands, committed something that should not have been done.

 

He sent Allan wine laced with poison.

 

Allan did not drink it.

 

Ronil did.

 

* * *

 

Powerless. I’m powerless yet again!

 

There was

 

nothing

 

I could do.

 

Nothing had changed…

 

* * *

 

In a small land in Liberen.

 

In a heart smaller than that small land, he buried his one and only son.

 

The accident became an incident, and the incident was concluded.

 

He did not leave Liberen.

 

Everyone expected him to leave.

 

But Allan could not leave Liberen.

 

Etienne apologized.

 

Teigan was executed.

 

Before Allan could even forgive.

 

Before Allan could even ask for forgiveness.

 

Everything had ended just like that.

 

He could not forgive nor ask for forgiveness.

 

There were so many things he could not do.

 

He could not easily leave Liberen.

 

This time was the same.

 

He endured the first 2 years. He persevered for the next 3 years using his friendship with Etienne as an excuse.

 

Since he had already lost it, he would not have to experience the same thing twice. He comforted himself with that one fact and persevered.

 

When he thought everything was finally buried.

 

He finally left Liberen.

 

And he met.

 

* * *

 

That was how he met, no finally met.

 

And thus he willingly vowed.

 

“Kalian Rain Cyries.”

 

That Allan Manasil, ‘I would save at least save you’.

 

“Greets my Master.”

 

‘I vow to save you.’