Chapter 199, Ghost (1)

Translator: Hedge

Editor: Lizzz

 

Becoming a legend was not such a difficult thing.

 

If the Arcus Tempus had not moved, Taillan, who endured alone for three days against Valkan’s White Demons, would have become a legend. Chase, who prioritized what he had to uphold as King while watching his younger brother slowly die over several days and nights until he finally lost his life, would also have become a legend. Along with Plants, who conquered Secritia in such a short time on that day.

 

Yes, they would have all become legends in the end.

 

Plants, whose mood had soured from recalling the war that gave birth to and destroyed countless legends and heroes, looked at the Mage who had created yet another legend. A legend incomparable to those the great figures would have created, and spoke in an irritated voice.

 

“So what.”

 

He said to Kalian’s crazy lackey, Arsene.

 

A Fifth-Circle ice Mage who, while sleeping sprawled out at the entrance of Wilhelm Hall, was trampled by the great foot of Allan Manasil, who had ‘failed to see what was ahead’ due to the deep darkness of dawn.

 

Deeply impressed by Arsene’s boldness as he pointed to the great footprint left in the center of his pure white robe and shouted that he might not have a salary but he had his pride, Allan realized Arsene’s aspirations with a gentle smile. He reduced what little salary of one fiorin remained for three months.

 

Whether or not aware that Valkan’s Mages gathered at the stairs of Wilhelm Hall, where that legendary tale was created, were calling out Arsene’s name in exaltation.

 

Arsene, whose body was like a sponge soaked in water, clutched the back of his neck and groaned before opening his mouth.

 

“You have to tell me so I can know and fix it.”

 

“I did tell you.”

 

A window seat filled with sunlight.

 

Plants, who had claimed that very spot that Arsene liked most as the place to put his own desk, slowly swept back his light emerald hair that appeared even brighter in the blazing midsummer sunlight.

 

Truly appearing as if standing one step removed from the chaotic human world, Plants showed a genuinely leisurely and sparkling appearance as he slowly turned his gaze to a corner of the spacious office.

 

Plants, who had been looking for a while at the face of the Mage who seemed to contain all the worn and weathered human masses at the center of that chaotic world from which he had stepped aside, continued in a languid voice.

 

“I said my little brother wouldn’t have to worry about what to raise.”

 

To open this precious mouth attached to this face that has escaped the mundane world once more to explain that yesterday, Arsene was no different to a dog.

 

Though his desire to smile back while imitating that crooked expression was high enough to immediately melt away upon touching the sun, it was only lamentable that his neck would not move properly.

 

“I understood that you’re saying I became something other than human because I was drunk.”

 

It was not that he had failed to understand that the meaning was he would not need to bother deciding what kind of dog to raise or what to name the dog when going to Camilon, but could just bring Arsene and keep him.

 

Arsene, who had turned his head toward the mirror on the desk, flinched involuntarily.

 

Whether it was more because he had been sleeping leaning against the stairs all night, or more because he had been hit, or perhaps because he had been stepped on by Allan, in any case, every time he moved his neck, tremendous muscle pain rushed in.

 

“I don’t know what mistake I made for my neck to end up like this.”

 

Arsene, who barely managed to hold back saying it hurt, pointed to the deep blue bruise on the back of his neck and spoke. Though there had clearly been various other ways to put him to sleep, thanks to Kalian, who had precisely struck exactly the same spot where Kyrie had hit him, the bruise was showing a deep purple color.

 

To make matters worse, had Hina not come to find Arsene this morning and said with a bright smile.

 

‘I know why you’re hurt. The kind Prince said to just leave it.’

 

Recalling that cold appearance that seemed to have been learnt from Veronica’s firm attitude faster than the healing arts of the Halidom of Tansyll healer staying at the Royal Palace, Arsene looked at Plants once more.

 

Hina, who had properly heeded the request of the kind Prince who had said the absolutely not thoughtful words to not heal the injury, had only said such things before whisking off to her office. So Arsene could only become more and more anxious.

 

“Isn’t that fortunate.”

 

Having said this, Plants stood up without continuing further.

 

Then, claiming to chase away the heat, he took off the light yellow cardigan he was wearing because of the Mage who was emitting cold energy profusely, and wore a deep purple jacket with ornate gold decorations draped only over his shoulders. It was too hot outside to put his arms through the sleeves.

 

Watching the appearance that was clearly preparing to go out, Arsene asked in a passing tone.

 

“Where are you going?”

 

“Outside.”

 

Right, it would be outside.

 

Of course it would be outside since there was nowhere else to go further in from here. But the question was whether that outside was Chermil or Arpia or Wilhelm training ground.

 

So Arsene, whose expression plainly asked whether Plants could please give a proper answer, deliberately opened his mouth once more to ask.

 

“Can’t you tell me where this ‘outside’ is?”

 

“Why.”

 

Did the Prince, who was extremely short with words, even know the fact that Luci, whom he cherished and adored so much, talked more than he did?

 

Arsene made a face that expressed he was truly frustrated.

 

After briefly considering that the attendant Rerik, who had been sent outside for interfering with work, would at least be able to translate those words into a complete sentence.

 

“Why should I tell a guy like you my destination, Mage.”

 

He decided against it, thinking that would be the translation, and just gave his answer.

 

“If you’re going to the Knight Order, I was planning to go with you.”

 

One corner of Plants’ mouth, who had been staring at Arsene, rose once more. It was because he had noticed why Arsene was asking about the destination and saying he would go along.

 

“I don’t like being monitored.”

 

“Why would I monitor Your Highness Deputy Commander? I’d rather sleep using that time.”

 

To the complaint filled with sincerity, Plants immediately replied.

 

“What else would you call trying to prevent the Knights from saying anything to me if not monitoring.”

 

Though this was longer than Luci’s words at this point, Arsene’s face instead became one without words to reply.

 

Arsene had truly shown no sign at all.

 

He had merely said he would go along if going to the Knight Order.

 

At Plants’ words, who had immediately noticed the hidden meaning in just those few words, Arsene made an expression of disbelief and answered.

 

“It’s not monitoring.”

 

“I already know that Viscount Beurisen has returned.”

 

It meant he already knew the story of Evan Beurisen bringing Lannen Beurisen back out, so there was no need to follow along and prevent him from hearing those words.

 

‘The kind Prince asked to prevent the good Prince from knowing about that matter.’

 

Hina had come to find Arsene this morning to convey these words from Kalian. It meant to prevent Plants from learning the news that Lannen Beurisen had appeared at Kalian’s birthday celebration yesterday. Until now it had been enough to just keep the mouth of Plants’ attendant Rerik in check, but now the Knights belonging to Beurisen would have naturally heard the rumors that must have spread widely.

 

So Kalian, worried that words about Lannen might be included in the stories the Knights told Plants, had separately called Hina, who could visit Arsene most naturally, and asked her to convey the message.

 

But Plants knew all of this.

 

Arsene stared at Plants for a moment, forgetting what to say. It was because he was already worried about what else that good head would figure out if he knew Lannen had returned.

 

“Don’t follow. I won’t think about it any further.”

 

At these words, Arsene, whose face had become somewhat odd, asked a question without realizing it.

 

“Can you do that at will?”

 

Plants turned his head and cast his gaze toward Arsene. It was with eyes looking at one of the foolish creatures struggling to survive at his feet.

 

“Isn’t it just a matter of not stopping other thoughts.”

 

Meaning he could block the flow of thoughts about Lannen by continuously continuing other thoughts.

 

It meant that in all those moments of doing his work at tremendous speed while talking with Arsene, looking around the Knight Order, eating meals, and resting, he was continuously continuing other thoughts without pause. To avoid unconsciously thinking about matters concerning Lannen.

 

“So tell my little brother not to worry.”

 

Plants, who had turned his head away from Arsene frowning at the pain in his neck rising once more while wondering whether that was truly possible, went outside.

 

“Saying to just think a lot. Whether that’s really being smart or ignorant, I can’t tell… Huh?”

 

Arsene, who had been staring idly at the closed door while muttering like this, suddenly closed his mouth.

 

“The guy who went crazy from thinking too much went crazy because he’s human.”

 

“Our Master would really like him.”

 

It was because some fragment of memory that had suddenly come to him flashed by like a panorama.

 

Before long, Arsene’s face turned ashen. What was this memory of pointing fingers at Kalian the day before and saying tremendously rude things?

 

Thinking he should first figure out what he had babbled to Kalian yesterday and why it was fortunate that he could not remember, Arsene, who had even forgotten to be newly amazed at Plants’ good head, clutched his own head and groaned.

 

And after about an hour or two had passed.

 

Arsene took out a sheet of fine paper from the desk drawer and held a pen with a face showing firm determination.

 

And soon with a solemn expression, he carefully wrote the title with each letter filled with sincerity and resolve.

 

“I was wrong.”

 

Thinking he would truly die if he brought a resignation letter, Arsene, who had no desire to be cut anywhere just yet, began writing a truly magnificent letter of apology.

 

* * *

 

It was as Marquis Evan Beurisen had thought.

 

Evan, who should have opposed the elevation of Freya to being Queen most fiercely, had taken a step back for now. Moreover, he had bowed to Rmain with a polite appearance he had never shown in any case until now.

 

“It will proceed as early as next week. There will be an event together at the plaza, so Lord Slake will come before dinner time today.”

 

The protagonist who would appear in the ceremony elevating Freya was naturally Kalian. So it was a story that the costume coordinator Satinn would come to the Royal Palace to fit the new ceremonial clothes he would wear then.

 

“This time I’ll meet him directly instead of Merlin.”

 

At these words, Ian made a slightly unexpected face. Wasn’t it the Kalian who always entrusted clothing to Merlin, saying he detested choosing clothes?

 

However, since Kalian did not seem inclined to give any other explanation about it, Ian did not add questions and gave his answer.

 

“Yes, I understand. And there was contact from Lesser Duchess Siegfried, asking if your time from next Saturday onwards would be alright. For sparring.”

 

Kalian, who had slightly shaken the mint tea in the glass to make a clinking sound of ice, nodded. Since he was practicing Magic and swordsmanship every day anyway, it did not matter when it would be.

 

“No contact from Lord Seiren yet?”

 

Quite some time had passed since he had asked to gather information about the Crown Prince of the Halidom of Tansyll. Because he had heard the story that in the ‘past’ all the birds investigating the carriage accident the Crown Prince was in had died, he had asked them to be all the more careful, and perhaps because of that, there had been no contact for a long time.

 

At Kalian’s words, Ian nodded and answered.

 

“Yes. Since they’re investigating without leaving Cyriesus, it will probably take some time.”

 

Kalian, who had asked them to investigate carefully but had never said not to leave the Capital, looked at Ian. Ian, whose brow was furrowed, spoke.

 

“There shouldn’t be any need for some Prince somewhere to secretly jump out from the third floor in the middle of the night to rescue someone again.”

 

It seemed he was still holding in his heart the matter of rushing outside to rescue Arsene and Euria without Ian knowing.

 

In any case, since having someone else become endangered in his place was not what Kalian wanted either, Kalian obediently nodded and conveyed his intention to wait a bit longer.

 

“And probably Lord Hertz will come today. He’ll try to secretly give a letter and leave, so catch him well and bring him before me.”

 

It was to slightly modify the plan to deceive Gray’s side and keep him here. Originally, Kalian had intended to move Gray through Arsene while staying back himself, but thanks to seeing his completely drunk appearance the day before, he had come to think it was no longer possible to entrust that matter to Arsene.

 

So, he was planning to secretly meet Gray and have a direct conversation.

 

“Prince.”

 

Having heard those words, Ian sat in the chair placed next to where Kalian was sitting. It was because he had something to say not as the servant Ian, but as Siegfried’s first son and Kalian’s protector.

 

“You’re trying to do something dangerous again.”

 

Looking at Ian asking this, Kalian spoke as if amused.

 

“I didn’t say anything.”

 

But, Ian was Ian. Though he had asked countless times to bring Arsene, today too, somehow knowing, he was already worrying like that.

 

Kalian continued as if it was nothing.

 

“Really, don’t worry. The person I’m meeting this time can’t do anything to me.”

 

Instead, he would be extremely frightened.

 

When Kalian said this with a brightly smiling face, and Ian, who could not believe it, was clenching his lips shut, just then.

 

“Would it really be alright?” [Really.]

 

A voice truly unexpected rang out and the ring shone.

 

– Is it working or not? Can you hear me?”

 

That voice, which he had never heard once while living this life but could not fail to recognize, flowed in through Kalian’s ring.

 

– Arianneu?

 

A clinking sound came once more from the mint tea held in Kalian’s hand.