Chapter 141, Foundation of Understanding (11)

Translator: Hedge

Editor: Lizzz

  

He had forgotten for a moment.

 

When ‘he’ returned the dinner knife with blood dripping from ‘his’ hands. When ‘he’ spoke in that uniquely elegant manner, saying ‘he’ was the one who broke Gray’s back. And when he realized why ‘he’ had brought down Heisia Palace.

 

[Hadn’t I already realised it? That my younger brother is a bit insane.]

 

“Well, this is…”

 

That younger brother, Kalian, opened his mouth with eyes that truly could not believe it. So, Plants looked at that Kalian without hiding his irritated expression.

 

Plants had certainly thought that Kalian, having met Chase, would find it difficult to face Plants himself and Arsene. He thought that if Kalian was fine with having both of them in front of him, that would make him a madman.

 

He should have remembered that he was indeed a madman, but he had forgotten.

 

“Should I be surprised by Your Highness’s taciturnity, or by your consideration?”

 

Kalian’s words came out with a quiet laugh.

 

Plants frowned, knowing that those red eyes contained something like ‘It’s admirable but why did you act so uncharacteristically?’

 

This was all because of that Mage who seemed a bit more insane than his younger brother.

 

Plants had certainly met Arsene today and prevented him from coming to the dinner. He had even used up three doses of patience in the process. However, there were two problems Plants had overlooked in this process, and because of them, Kalian was saying such things.

 

“If you’re going to bark, shut your mouth.”

 

One thing Plants had overlooked was the fact that he was excessively taciturn by nature. He should have informed someone that he had prevented Arsene from coming, but he did not want to say too many words.

 

Thanks to this, the chef, who knew nothing, faithfully prepared dinner for three, and Kalian also prepared to attend the dinner.

 

The other thing was that Kalian’s thought process belonged to a somewhat abnormal category to receive Plants’s consideration. Therefore, Kalian said he would call Arsene back, with a face that truly seemed unbothered by it.

 

That was if Arsene, who was very disappointed that the dinner was canceled, had not gone out to drink with Valkan Mages with the money Kalian had given him, then Kalian would have stubbornly called Arsene back.

 

For these reasons, Plants’s mood was not very pleasant. Though he received another scolding from Plants, Kalian, as always, let it go in one ear and just continued barking.

 

“My heart is not as narrow as Your Highness thinks. There’s no reason I can’t meet Lord Hertz today.”

 

“Was this a matter to be judged by the breadth or narrowness of one’s heart?”

 

Plants, who was taciturn, felt even more at a loss for words.

 

In the end, Plants decided to just let it be. He cleanly ignored the thirty or so reasons that simultaneously came to mind for why today’s Kalian should be wary of Arsene.

 

Whether knowing this or not, Kalian, with a sly smile, opened his mouth toward Plants again.

 

“Still, since Your Highness has shown such consideration.”

 

[You know how to irk someone to no end. I have no need for words of gratitude.] Without fail, Plants’s mouth opened first.

 

“Get rid of it.”

 

“Yes.”

 

At the sharp refusal, Kalian nodded sharply like a blade and discarded his words of gratitude.

 

Soon Kalian told the chef and servants to leave, expressing his thanks. After clearing the surroundings like this, he leisurely reached for the dinner for three with a relaxed attitude. About two and a half portions of this would probably become Kalian’s share, so there was no worry about the chef’s hard work being made as leftovers.

 

The problem was that because it was supposed to be a dinner, the evening menu was not ‘Plants-customized.’

 

Duck stew full of saffron aroma, veal smoked with burnt basil smoke, grilled pork tenderloin with cinnamon and apple reduction sauce, mutton with a strong pepper aroma, etc.

 

Kalian chuckled after roughly scanning the dishes.

 

It could not be helped. They could not tell the chef that the Second Prince of Cyries, known for his carnivorous appetite, actually had eating habits closer to anorexia beyond just being picky.

 

In the end, Plants managed to find a bland chicken breast salad that seemed suitable for a cat among the spice-laden meat dishes. It was something that could be given to ‘I am Prince Kalian’s cat, who likes Prince Plants more’ Seeing this, Kalian opened his mouth in a casual tone.

 

“If you eat like that, you’ll never be able to beat Kyrie.”

 

He thought this would stop his nibbling.

 

But hearing Kyrie’s name, one corner of Plants’s mouth curled up. Plants took his gaze off the food and looked directly into Kalian’s eyes as he replied.

 

“I’d die before that.”

 

Kalian did not yet know that Kyrie had revealed killing intent during sparring. Therefore, Kalian showed an expression of not understanding Plants’s words for the first time in a very long while.

 

“My little brother’s sharp-eared attendant is quite angry.”

 

Only then did Kalian make an *ah* sound with a troubled face.

 

It seemed that Kyrie, who had pieced together fragments of Kalian and Plants’s cryptic conversation, had finally guessed about past events.

 

Though Kyrie was usually quiet, he knew well what kind of changes he would show regarding matters related to Kalian. The past Kyrie had been the same. Kyrie surely would not have distinguished between sparring and real combat.

 

Kalian could not reprimand Kyrie about that incident or say anything else. Even if he could only guess without any memories, Kalian knew best how difficult it was to think of past events separately. He also knew that such emotions could never be forced.

 

“Such a thing happened. I’ll go out again starting tomorrow.”

 

Therefore, when Kalian opened his mouth again to say something on Kyrie’s behalf, Plants spoke first.

 

“Forget it. Whether it’s an explanation or apology.”

 

He had said this to convey that Kyrie knew the content and to change sparring partners, not because he could not understand Kyrie.

 

“Yes.”

 

So, Kalian answered briefly this time too.

 

Then he suddenly burst into laughter. Because of how earnestly he rejected both apologies and gratitude.

 

“You laugh so easily.”

 

“Having met Crown Prince Chase and spent such a day, is there anything that would prevent me from laughing? Since it’s interesting, I should laugh.”

 

Plants turned his head to look out the window. With his gaze on the lake and the rose garden behind it, Plants opened his mouth.

 

“Why did you go to Rubia Hall?”

 

“Older brother Randel has one too.”

 

Kalian answered immediately as if he had been waiting for the question. The white fingertip saying this was pointing toward the chest of Plants, who sat across the table.

 

Those red eyes were full of reproach toward his brothers.

 

“…The same thing.”

 

“Then, my little brother will have one more thing to save.”

 

“Yes. Thanks to that, things will get a bit busier.”

 

Kalian said this while tapping his own head with the finger that had been pointing at Plants’s heart.

 

“Anyway, since his Seal of Oath is my problem to solve, I think it would be better not to tell you.”

 

Plants, who had been silent for a moment, leaned back in his chair.

 

As always, a low voice like a languid sigh flowed out.

 

“Why bring up something you won’t even say?”

 

“I’m telling you that you can just let it pass, thinking there must be some reason for him accepting it. I’m worried you might pick a fight when you meet older brother Randel for no reason. The relationship between you two isn’t good, very much so.”

 

“Barking again.”

 

Kalian, who had successfully barked twice in one day, laughed.

 

“I’ve never told anyone other than Master about the future events. I felt like I didn’t have the right to do so. But to solve older brother Randel’s problem, I need to use the information Crown Prince Chase gave me, and that’s not a record of current events. So, I can’t tell Your Highness.”

 

Kalian added such an honest reason.

 

“And you seem likely to notice again. Please don’t do that this time.”

 

If Plants became curious about that matter, he would surely notice.

 

If left alone, Kalian could not gauge what kind of thoughts that smart head of Plants would go through to reach what conclusion.

 

Hearing Kalian’s words, Plants picked up his water glass.

 

However, he did not lift it to drink, and kept repeating the motion of brushing the cold glass surface with his thumb.

 

Plants, who had been watching the water droplets on the glass disappear along his fingertip, said.

 

“Tansyll’s power structure must be quite complexly divided.”

 

“…I told you not to think about it.”

 

From just hearing that Randel had made a Seal of Oath, he had already thought of things this far. Kalian stared at Plants for a moment. Before long, a short sigh came from Kalian’s mouth.

 

“My older brother doesn’t listen too well.”

 

“My little brother is too lacking in manners.”

 

While saying he found it bothersome, he tried not to miss a single word.

 

He probably already knew the reason why he could not be told. Because he was Plants. Nevertheless, he still tried to find out.

 

“I won’t tell you.”

 

“Can’t you at least say what you’re trying to do?”

 

“Didn’t you say you’d try to understand? I’m preparing to try understanding myself. Should I say I’m laying the foundation of understanding for harmonious brotherly relations? I need to understand properly to be convinced, and I need to be convinced to try and solve things.”

 

Kalian, who said this, added in a quiet voice:

 

“Whether it’s older brother Randel, Cyries, or Serenty. I try understanding first.”

 

“Why? It’s none of your business.”

 

“Since I’m doing this because it is my business, you don’t need to worry about it.”

 

A gentle smile appeared on Kalian’s face.

 

A voice flowed out toward his meddlesome, guilt-ridden, beloved and hated brother.

 

“Anyway, what I’m saying is don’t walk blindly. How do you know what’s on a path you can’t even see? Without any fear. When I tell you not to interfere, you stubbornly interfere, and when I tell you to remain oblivious, you somehow become certain. Anyway, you persistently don’t listen.”

 

“You’re barking a lot today.”

 

“You can move after properly examining and knowing everything. Even after checking everything, if you think it’ll be okay, it won’t be too late to walk then. So for now, just eat, everything.”

 

Kalian, who said this, grinned.

 

It meant his older brother should not pick out the bell peppers in the chicken breast salad.

 

* * *

 

[Who was completely on my side?]

 

In that short time, Kalian had gained quite many allies.

 

Among all those people, someone he could unconditionally lean on, rely on without shame, who would gladly help and would never think of being repaid for it.

 

Someone who would welcome him with open arms no matter what he did and came back. Someone he believed without doubt would surely be by his side even in some distant future day.

 

When wondering if such a person existed, one person came to mind immediately without hesitation.

 

“Ah…”

 

Allan Manasil.

 

“Master.”

 

He had tossed and turned until dawn before falling asleep and woke up to Ian’s bell.

 

Two figures were visible beyond the curtain.

 

On the sofa was ‘I am Prince Kalian’s cat, who likes Prince Plants more’

making purring sounds, and Allan was sitting beside it.

 

At Kalian’s voice, the cat that had been comfortably leaning against Allan’s leg while enjoying pleasant laziness raised its body. Then, as if it had never made purring sounds, it ran out the door with a pattering sound. Instead of taking care of the owner of the leg it had been leaning on, it was going to find the person it liked more than Kalian.

 

Watching this, Kalian turned his head toward Allan, and a bright smile spread across his face.

 

“You’ve come?”

 

Unusually welcome.

 

He was always welcome, but it was an unusual welcome.

 

Even though Allan could not see Kalian smiling because of the curtain, Allan smiled back and opened his mouth.

 

“I came on my own again.”

 

“Master is always welcome.”

 

He always unconditionally liked Allan.

 

Allan, who was so welcomed, could hear that there was exhaustion at the end of Kalian’s welcoming voice. Actually, he had come to notice exactly that.

 

Kalian, who had asked Ian for tea, hurriedly finished preparing. A little later, after all the maids had left, Allan, with a face full of worry for his Disciple, opened his mouth. There was no need to ask how he was feeling inside, so he said something else instead.

 

“Don’t suppress it too much.”

 

Seeing his Master, who immediately gave comfort as soon as they exchanged first greetings, Kalian smiled again.

 

“Let’s get some fresh air for a moment, Master.”

 

[One could not see the main gate of the Royal Palace from Chermil, but still…]

 

With this thought, Kalian went out to the terrace and sat in a chair.

 

Before long, Ian brought down mint tea and milk tea and left. After Kalian began to dislike coffee, Ian tried to prepare Kalian’s tea personally whenever possible. The tea brewed with all the care by the Baby Elephant always tasted exceptional. So, it was always delicious.

 

Allan, who sat side by side with Kalian with one table between them, snapped his fingers. Feeling the warm warmth fill the terrace, Kalian unconsciously made a sound of laughter. Kalian would not feel cold even if he stepped into the Great Dunes in winter. So, he felt even warmer.

 

Kalian was always a flower-like Prince in front of Ian, and just a lovely Disciple in front of Allan.

 

“You don’t really need to snap your fingers.”

 

Kalian, who felt embarrassed about laughing for no reason, stated.

 

Allan had always been curious but had never asked. Why this Disciple always made such a cheerful sound when he uses Magic? So, Allan just nodded and looked at the lake beyond the terrace.

 

To Kalian of the past, that had been the Senu River with Arunesia, so it was the same for Allan. It was a perfectly fitting scene to look at while thinking of someone who had left.

 

“When I was practicing without using incantations, someone told me to try it like this. They said snapping could replace incantations and look stylish too. It became a habit.”

 

Allan’s face held a smile full of longing. So Kalian did not ask who it was. Because Kalian had also learned how to make such a smile.

 

“Whoever it was taught you very well. It’s cool.”

 

Instead, Kalian only answered like this and nodded.

 

The day when Kalian’s emaciated hand, wanting to live, grasped Allan instead of Rmain. Allan embraced Kalian, who could neither be Rmain’s son nor Debeullan’s son.

 

So, in a way, Kalian was Allan’s son.

 

Currently, both Allan and Kalian knew this.

 

So, this morning, worry would not leave Allan’s face as he came to find Kalian. Therefore, a smile would not leave Kalian’s face as he looked at Allan.

 

“…I told them to send less sour tangerines next time. Since you’ll definitely eat them all at once.”

 

“Why did you do that? Tangerines are delicious when they’re sour.”

 

“Share some with this old man. You brought all those sour things and got greedy by yourself.”

 

Whether it was tangerines, or bitterly sour sorrows.

 

At the Mage’s words telling him not to take everything for himself but to share, Kalian nodded slightly.

 

Like that, they chattered away.

 

While Chase, having finished breakfast with Rmain, looked briefly at the distant Chermil Palace. Until the horse carrying Chase passed through the main gate of the Royal Palace and climbed to the Capital. Until Chase, having left the plaza, exited the outer fortress of Cyriesus.

 

The small conversation between the eloquent Master and the Disciple who preferred listening continued on and on.

 

Chattering away…