Chapter 190, About Raising a Dog (4)

Translator: Hedge

Editor: Lizzz

 

Why is everyone so curious about a name from the past? Let that go. It won’t change anything even if you remember it now, and that name is like a barely healed scar to me. Like a wound that has just closed.

 

I had many scars. Here and there. I got hurt easily everywhere from a young age.

 

No, there’s no law saying a Prince must live a pristine life. They can grow up fighting and causing some trouble. Some people lived like that, and others live like this. When one try to live and go on living, various things happen, and in the process one would get hurt here and there, get injured in ways that won’t heal properly.

 

Why did I let my older brother live?

 

If it could have been solved by drawing a sword, I would have cut myself down first.

 

I wasn’t married.

 

I had a fiancée, but we weren’t that close. We were both busy. In fact, I wasn’t that old. I was even younger than you are now.

 

Sometimes I think my older brother thinks I was quite old, but I didn’t see the need to correct him. It’s amusing.

 

Alcohol. Did I like alcohol?

 

I drank because I thought I might return to my proper place if I got drunk enough from being so twisted, and soon it became a habit. Should I say I liked it?

 

In any case, I drank often. Climbing to high places with Kyrie. Kyrie always carried me on his back when I was drunk, and since Kyrie was much bigger than me, it was comfortable for me.

 

It was comfortable for me. I should have asked if it was bothersome.

 

Now I can’t ask about such things.

 

My height… I was quite tall.

 

Probably a little taller than the current Kyrie or Master? It would be nice if he grows that tall this time too, but I don’t know how it will turn out. His Majesty isn’t short either, so I think I’ll grow to a similar height. We’ll see.

 

My hair was long.

 

It was the exact same color as the Crown Prince of Secritia. We looked similar, so only I grew my hair long, thinking I’d grow it just a little, but before I knew it, I stopped cutting it, and even when tied up it was long enough to reach my waist.

 

Ah. I’m saying this just in case.

 

Since I have no choice but to tell you under the condition that you understand and let go of what I’ve hidden until now, I feel somewhat uneasy.

 

Don’t pretend you’re asking out of curiosity or for that reason, and then make another bizarre statue like that one from before.

 

Whether it’s my current appearance or my past appearance, either way.

 

If it catches my eye, I’ll smash it to pieces.

 

No, not the statue.

 

Lord Hertz, the source. That is what will be in pieces.

 

* * *

 

The door to Randel’s unusually large room was shut unusually tight.

 

*Ha…*

 

Plants let out a deep sigh that seemed to have become mere habit by now and walked quickly toward the stairs.

 

Rerik, who knew well enough that the two brothers did not get along for some reason, hurried over and followed Plants. Although he had not heard any of the conversation inside, just looking at Plants’s face now made it perfectly clear that the atmosphere had not been amicable.

 

*Thud!*

 

As if unable to bear it any longer, Plants unbuttoned his jacket, and by the time he was stepping onto the stairs, he tore off the chain accessory connecting his shirt collar as if ripping it away. Then, descending the stairs, he irritably loosened his tie.

 

Gradually freeing himself from the things that had been constricting his breath, he descended to his room on the fourth floor and paused briefly before the door. Then, placing his hand directly on the doorknob, he spoke briefly.

 

“Leave me.”

 

It was directed at Rerik.

 

It meant that dinner was done and there was no need to follow him in to attend to his clothes, so just leave him alone. Rerik bowed his head slightly without a word, and Plants went inside and closed the door.

 

Rerik, who had been gazing at the tall, massive door for a moment, spoke to one of the maids who had followed along.

 

“Tell them that Prince Plants will have dinner separately today.”

 

There was probably no one who wouldn’t know to whom that message should be conveyed. Naturally it was meant to inform Kalian’s side. The maid bowed her head slightly before departing.

 

Rerik, who had turned his head to look at Plants’s door for a moment, began walking toward the second floor.

 

[What kind of tea would be good?]

 

He had already seen Randel’s attendant enter with a warm chocolate drink after Plants had gone into Randel’s room. Since it was something completely unsuited to Plants’s taste, even though he had said to leave him alone, Rerik thought to prepare some tea that might help him find some peace.

 

Flower teas were all unsuitable, and he didn’t particularly like strongly fragrant fruit teas either. Therefore, looking at the various types of tea leaves and dried fruits prepared in the refreshment preparation room, Rerik pondered for a long while before preparing honey-preserved ginger tea and going up to the fourth floor.

 

[If the heart is cold, the body must be cold too.]

 

Having prepared tea with careful attention to ensure it was neither too spicy nor too sweet, and even prepared to receive not-quite-scolding for entering when told to leave him alone, Rerik knocked on the door.

 

“It’s Rerik, Your Highness. I’ll be entering briefly.”

 

Since he had said he wanted to be alone anyway, it was clear he wouldn’t say to come in, so Rerik said this while opening the door and entering.

 

The familiar room with no fragrance. The familiar white marble floor and familiar beige curtains. The familiar sofa of the same color and the familiar green Prince with his back against it, had his eyes closed. There was also the familiar black Prince sitting opposite him.

 

[Black?]

 

“Ah, ginger it seems.”

 

A grinning face turned toward Rerik.

 

“One cup for me too. With lots of honey. Lots and lots.”

 

And he said this far too naturally.

 

Yes, as if this were his room and his attendant.

 

* * *

 

*Clack.*

 

While Rerik went outside with a bewildered expression and returned much later to set down ginger tea with lots and lots of honey, Plants remained leaning against the sofa with his eyes closed. And Kalian, as always, sat with his back straight, lost in deep thought.

 

“What is it.”

 

Around the time the sound of Rerik closing the door as he left again could be heard, Kalian opened his mouth first, and Plants spoke.

 

Watching Plants, Kalian delivered an answer first instead of the words he had been about to say with his opened mouth.

 

“Deputy Commander Hertz came. It seems ‘he’ went to Deputy Commander Hertz because you weren’t there when he tried to deliver the note the birds brought. Thanks to that, Deputy Commander Hertz saw the letter Crown Prince Chase sent.”

 

Sticky, bitter, and heavy.

 

Plants, who had taken a sip of the pungent sweet ginger tea that was completely different from the unpleasantly bitter taste of chocolate and set it down, looked at Kalian.

 

“So.”

 

It was asking whether he had come here to talk about Arsene seeing Chase’s letter. Kalian nodded slightly, drank the pungent and very sweet tea, and opened his mouth again.

 

“I don’t know when my clever older brother learned how to wrap bandages. But anyway, you can forget about such things now. It doesn’t matter if you don’t know anymore.”

 

Kalian knew about the story Plants had brought up to tell Arsene not to question how Kalian knew how to wrap bandages on the day Arsene was injured. It was said with the meaning that since there was no longer a need to block Arsene’s eyes and ears, Plants did not have to hide it anymore.

 

Plants, who had been looking at the tea that smelled more spicy than sweet for a moment, chuckled.

 

“Is being easily caught something learned by just observing?”

 

Was the reason Kalian was caught by even Arsene because he resembled Chase, who was similarly easily caught? That was what he was asking.

 

Although he had not said it was an incident involving Chase, it was Plants who was listening. Since the birds wouldn’t have gone to find Arsene on their own, he immediately understood whose ‘mistake’ had caused this situation.

 

“Rather than that, isn’t the problem that Deputy Commander Hertz arbitrarily read content he shouldn’t have read?”

 

Of course, Kalian was the one who provided the most fundamental cause for Arsene to read it, but whether Chase intended it or not, whether Plants was there or not. Wouldn’t this not have happened if Arsene hadn’t looked at the contents?

 

So, this is all because of that blue-haired Mage. Kalian looked at Plants, having forgotten that he had clearly blamed himself just a moment ago and now placed all responsibility on Arsene.

 

“There are exactly two people who say they will follow me.”

 

How random again.

 

He came randomly, confessed that Arsene caught his identity, and now says there are two people who will follow him.

 

“But both of them did things they shouldn’t have done today. So I came.”

 

Kalian, who had said words that even Plants would find it difficult to contextualise, continued speaking with a slightly smiling face. He was going around and around with long words, bringing out an answer to Plants’s question of ‘what is it’.

 

“One person, as I just mentioned, saw something they shouldn’t have seen. And the other person.”

 

Kalian’s finger pointed to his own ear as he said this. Plants’s eyes narrowed at the sight.

 

“It seems Kyrie went to find Rerik today to ask whether someone would do additional training.”

 

The crazy follower read correspondence he shouldn’t have read.

 

The loyal follower heard words he shouldn’t have heard.

 

Because Kalian and Plants unexpectedly had a sparring match, Kyrie went to find Rerik to ask whether he planned to proceed with the scheduled sword training with Kyrie. Rerik was on the fifth floor, and Randel and Plants were on the fifth floor. Since Kyrie had sharp hearing…

 

Thanks to that, he heard some of the conversation between Randel and Plants. And as always, since everything he heard, Kalian had to know as well, he conveyed it all to Kalian.

 

“I didn’t know.”

 

That was why he came.

 

He knew they were moderately on bad terms, but he did not know they were holding swords to each other to that extent. If he had known it would be like this, he thought it would have been better for Kalian to meet Randel instead of putting off Arsene.

 

“I had refused.”

 

Plants, who had set down his teacup with a *thud,* said this. Hadn’t he clearly said once when told to go to the fifth floor? That he didn’t want to go.

 

“People who hate something that much don’t usually say it so plainly.”

 

With the same voice as saying he hates bell peppers, with the same expression, how was one supposed to understand? One would interpret it as hating Randel as much as bell peppers or hating bell peppers as much as Randel.

 

Who would have known it was as much as Reunieri Flower?

 

“Anyway, so. Since you said you’d be alone, I came.”

 

Kalian, who said only this instead of an apology that would be rejected anyway, took out Chase’s correspondence that he hadn’t even properly read yet and set it down.

 

Doesn’t Kalian know very well how being alone like this can dry and twist a person? So rather than that, he was here.

 

“Go away.”

 

Whether it’s the guy living on the third floor or the guy living on the fifth floor, he hate them both, so why was he not leaving? Looking at Plants who said this with exactly that kind of face, Kalian grinned.

 

“I don’t want to.”

 

Well, whatever the case, facing each other when they find each other annoying, getting irritated and angry, and in the process, breathing a little. That was just life.

 

* * *

 

[I knew he was crazy.]

 

“So, Lord Bern. Ah, you’re not a Lord yet, but you will be soon, so I’ll just call you Lord.”

 

[I didn’t know he was crazy with a weak tolerance for alcohol.]

 

“Anyway, Lord Bern. I, you see. Our Prince, I thought he must be hiding something. But Lord Bern. Our Prince, you see.”

 

After finishing personal training and washing up, he went to find Rerik to ask about Plants’s training schedule and heard about other matters instead of the schedule. It seemed like something that shouldn’t be kept secret from Kalian, so he went to find Kalian. Arsene had just come out, so after conveying everything he heard to Kalian, he came out.

 

Arsene, who had gone outside a little while ago, was waiting for Kyrie.

 

“Do you drink alcohol by any chance?”

 

Then he asked this.

 

“Yes.”

 

So, Kyrie answered simply and nodded his head. Rather than seeking it out to drink regularly, it was because he had drunk what the gamblers at Syspanian’s Boozy Breath had offered him a few times.

 

Then, Arsene brightened up and took Kyrie out of the Royal Palace. Without time to say anything to Ian, only roughly informing Merlin of the details, he followed Arsene out.

 

And then.

 

“Welcome to the home of Archmage Allan Manasil!”

 

They entered Allan’s empty house without permission while he had not yet returned home. The statue that identified who the visiting guest was opened the door while finishing a cheerful and lively song.

 

Honestly, Kyrie only then learned that it wasn’t just a statue that sang, but also served as a gatekeeper.

 

“The Magic Circle construction is all done so Lady Grace has returned. Veronica must be at Lady Grace’s house. So where else would there be a bar as quiet and safe as the Commander’s house right now?”

 

If it was Allan, he would surely know that two men with blue hair and brown hair had barged into his house. Therefore, looking at Kyrie who was looking around nervously wondering when and where lightning would strike, Arsene chuckled and brazenly brought out all the bitter alcohol Allan had been saving.

 

“It’s okay. The Commander is an accomplice too. So, he won’t be able to say much about this.”

 

With this light tone, after reassuring Kyrie, he began opening bottles of alcohol.

 

It did not take long to realize that Arsene had come to Allan’s house with full intention of getting drunk.

 

“Let me tell you how good our Prince is, Lord Bern. He praised me for putting him in a carriage and raised my salary when I destroyed a building, that kind of person, Lord Bern. You know too, don’t you? There’s no one else in the world as good as that. But Lord Bern. Our Prince, you see. He’s the kind of person who wraps bandages well, and he handles a sword incredibly well. But our Prince is a Mage. And he’s handsome too.”

 

He opened all the alcohol he had brought out, mixed it all together, and became like that after drinking just one cup and one sip of the alcohol mixed together without style or taste.

 

“So is there anyone else as suited to go to Camilon than our Prince, Lord Bern? He’s more than enough. So I sometimes had such thoughts. What whim made Serenty gather all good things and give it to one man? I’m a Mage, yet I even had such thoughts.”

 

After saying that, Arsene drank more alcohol and continued speaking.

 

“But Lord Bern. You see, I first saw our Prince there at the Senu River. The Prince dismounted his horse for me. Then he kept looking at Arunesia.”

 

[What was he thinking? What thoughts did he look at those flowers?]

 

“He kept looking at Arunesia like that endlessly…”

 

Arsene, who had been speaking up to here, dropped his head completely.

 

After mixing all kinds of alcohol, with just one cup and one sip, he fell asleep.

 

Kyrie, who had been looking down at such an Arsene, shook his head from side to side and hoisted Arsene up. Because of that, Arsene, who slightly opened his eyes, mumbled and opened his mouth again.

 

“The Prince said he couldn’t ask you if it was bothersome to carry him and lay down when he got drunk. Was it bothersome, Lord Bern? Ah. Was it that he couldn’t ask because Lord Bern isn’t Lord Bern…”

 

And then his head completely dropped again.

 

Kyrie, who had been briefly contemplating whether to just twist that neck off completely, sighed deeply and walked.

 

He knew where the guest room was in Allan’s house, but he did not feel inclined to take him all the way there to lay him down, so he carried Arsene to the living room sofa and laid him down almost as if throwing him.

 

He did not know what nerve made him bring Kyrie of all people to be his drinking companion for such a time.

 

“How could he have found it bothersome.”

 

Whether that Kyrie was this Kyrie or not. How could either have found it bothersome?

 

Having given an answer that Arsene could not hear, he left Allan’s house.

 

In the end, without having drunk even a sip of alcohol.