Chapter 212, None or Once (4)

Translator: Lizzz

Editor: Hedge

 

He had learned to swim.

 

One might ask why a prince of a nation would need to learn to navigate the undulating depths of the sea, but incredibly, there truly was such an occasion, which was why he learned.

 

‘What were you thinking, diving into that sea? Weren’t you afraid?’

 

‘I was afraid.’

 

‘You see? The sea is truly a terrifying place. Even if the First Prince had just stayed put, I would have safely rescued the younger Prince…’

 

‘I wasn’t afraid of the sea at all, Lord Kastrin.’

 

As soon as he recovered from his cold, he rushed to find Taillan and begged the man to teach him how to swim. He asked every single day to go back into the still-frigid sea and learn how to open his eyes, how to float up, how to move and breathe.

 

‘Then what were you afraid of?’

 

Though they said he had crossed the threshold between life and death due to the worsening cold, he couldn’t remember it properly, and so he wasn’t worried in the least about catching another cold. He wasn’t afraid at all of the bottomless deep water or the waves that surged as if to swallow everything.

 

‘I was afraid of letting go of his hand. Afraid that I would let go of my younger brother and lose him forever. That’s what scared me.’

 

Because he had learned that what was truly frightening was something else entirely.

 

Because he absolutely never wanted to experience the same thing again.

 

*Trudge, trudge*

 

After sending Arianneu away, on the way to where the most important person in this Royal Palace would be, he suddenly felt a chill. Though the day was so clear and hot, he got goosebumps feeling as if he were drowning, lost in the deep and dark sea of that day.

 

Of course, the memories of that day were not experienced by the current Chase. However, for Chase, the fact of when he had experienced it mattered not at all. The Chase of that time had been Bern’s older brother, and the current Chase was…

 

‘Don’t. Ever.’

 

Hadn’t he somehow ended up hearing even these words from him?

 

Chase was certainly the older brother of Bern, and of Kalian. That one thing was most important.

 

*Click*

 

Debeullan’s massive office was stern and cold.

 

In Chase’s memories, it had always been noisy with the sound of laughter, a small and warm place where Kyrie would enter with his head bowed, but not now.

 

“It seems your cold is not getting better.”

 

It was the first time he had faced Debeullan without any particular business. It was also the first time he had mentioned Debeullan’s health. Nevertheless, Debeullan said nothing special. He didn’t ask what business brought him here or wonder why he had come to visit.

 

“I sent medicine that’s supposed to be good for colds, but I heard you refused it.”

 

“There was no need for medicine, so I returned it. I’ll recover like this, so don’t worry about it.”

 

Debeullan wasn’t certain what might be in the medicine his only son offered.

 

No, perhaps Debeullan had refused it because he WAS certain. A suspicion-filled certainty that it would be not for recovery but for the opposite.

 

[So, you can’t even trust and take medicine sent by your son.]

 

While not trusting his son, he considered it acceptable to entrust his life to the healers of Tansyll, while viewing his son as a traitor who might, at any moment, turn and drive a knife into his heart.

 

Chase, turning this over in his mind, lowered his head for a moment. He could not allow himself to laugh, no matter how absurd it was, so he only smiled faintly, his expression tight with the effort of holding it back.

 

“What is your reason for paying such unusual attention to me?”

 

At the voice that sounded like scraping metal, Chase lifted his head and answered quietly.

 

“Generally, rather than calling such a thing ‘paying unusual attention’, one would say a child is worrying about his father. What other reason could there be for me sending medicine?”

 

“There would be one.”

 

Having said this, Debeullan smiled slightly at Chase.

 

“How could it be called worry when it was sent to confirm whether I trust you or distrust you?”

 

“I’ve been found out.”

 

Chase smiled back.

 

What a harmonious father-son relationship this was.

 

“I’m the one who taught you, so I couldn’t fail to recognize it.”

 

Debeullan coughed dryly and answered as if it were nothing. Chase nodded as if it were nothing as well.

 

“Don’t worry about my cold. You must have much to do already, and I’m concerned unnecessary worries might arise.”

 

A warning.

 

A warning was delivered, instead of a direct mention of the correlation between Marquis Lyn’s recent sudden hardline stance toward Tansyll and Chase’s interest in Debeullan’s cold. A warning meaning to stop interfering and not create unnecessary ‘worries.’

 

He offered this calm warning without clarifying whether the worries awaiting Chase would come from Chase himself, from Marquis Lyn, from Arianneu, or perhaps from some distant youngest prince and his healer.

 

“In fact, isn’t that what a cold is like? Depending on the circumstances, it becomes severe, then suddenly clears up completely. You needn’t worry so much.”

 

“Is that so?”

 

The one who had directly experienced how a severe cold spread was not the current Chase. Therefore, Chase answered simply with an expression as if discussing someone else’s business, then continued speaking.

 

“Come to think of it, as you mentioned, it does seem to be an illness that becomes severe depending on circumstances. I heard that the Third Prince of Cyries also coughed up blood and collapsed due to a cold, suffering for a week.”

 

Debeullan didn’t yet know about the bracelet hidden in Chase’s sleeve. The reason for this certainty was simple. If Debeullan had known about the bracelet, he wouldn’t have gone through the laborious and futile effort of imitating Chase’s handwriting to send a letter to Kalian. Why would he undertake such a thing when he would be caught as soon as the letter was sent?

 

“The Third Prince of Cyries.”

 

So Debeullan couldn’t have anticipated Chase would suddenly bring up that name, but he nodded without being flustered or surprised.

 

“You mean that child you went all the way to meet?”

 

Chase’s reason for visiting Cyries was clearly Allan Manasil. During his stay at the Royal Palace, he had private meetings most often with Allan, then Rmain, and then Plants.

 

But that child.

 

He had met him privately only twice.

 

He had traveled that great distance solely to see that one child and met him only twice. He met him only twice without being able to comfort and console him to his heart’s content.

 

Yet despite this, Debeullan knew it was Kalian whom Chase had especially wanted to meet.

 

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

 

Chase nodded obediently without denying it and answered that Debeullan’s thought was correct.

 

“That child I went all the way to meet. The one named ‘Bern.'”

 

[Do you remember? This is the name you selected together with the late Queen. The gift that contained the Queen’s hopes but ultimately became the curse you delivered.]

 

Chase, who had been looking at Debeullan while holding back words he couldn’t fully utter, slowly opened his mouth.

 

“I came to tell you that you need not suspect the medicine I sent, so I’ll take my leave now.”

 

“Very well.”

 

As if he had been tired anyway, Debeullan answered thus and nodded, and Chase showed simple courtesy and offered his farewell.

 

“Then, rest well. Father.”

 

While watching, as though carving into his entire body, the sight of the murky brown eyes slowly returned to their original state.

 

* * *

 

—I’m sorry. I saw that contact came, but Arianneu wasn’t nearby and Lord Kastrin wasn’t either.

 

It had been Kalian who sent contact late at night, but it was the person who failed to receive the contact who sent an apology.

 

Hadn’t he clearly been told that Taillan was staying at the residence of Marquis Lyn and Arianneu? So he should have thought that sending contact at such a late hour wouldn’t be noticed, but he had carelessly overlooked it.

 

—It’s my fault for not checking the time.

 

The bracelet’s light had diminished, and in exchange for emitting a weak electric current to easily notice incoming contact and being able to contact Kalian at the Royal Palace at any time, the amount of Mana that could be stored in the bracelet had significantly decreased. Therefore, it was certainly Kalian’s fault for not considering that Chase would need Taillan or Arianneu’s help each time he used it.

 

As soon as Kalian realized this, he had cut off communication. In case Chase, who would have immediately noticed Kalian’s contact, became restless watching the continuously glowing bracelet.

 

—I’m sorry.

 

Knowing well how disappointed Chase, who wouldn’t have had even the minimum Mana to receive communication, must have been while looking at the bracelet, Kalian also sent an apology.

 

While hearing not the sound of waves but the sound of flowing water, smelling not the sea’s fishy scent but the smell of grass and earth in hot summer. Sitting not on a beach but on a rock in a forest where moonlight poured down.

 

—I’ve been so curious about what Prince Kalian contacted me for that I did not even know how I spent the day.

 

It was asking him to tell him the matter.

 

Though he said this, Chase had actually deliberately waited again until it became late to make contact. It was partly in consideration of Kalian, but more because he thought it would be better to make contact after meeting Debeullan.

 

To be precise, it would be correct to say that after hearing Kalian’s voice, he felt it would be difficult to act rationally when meeting Debeullan.

 

—I contacted you to ask you to withdraw the birds staying in Siegfried Territory. The Duke will move soon, and I was concerned they might be caught.

 

—Ah. If it’s that matter, I’ve already passed along the order. I somehow thought Prince Kalian would probably catch the birds. Since I’m planning to have all the birds in Cyries return eventually anyway, it doesn’t matter now if I withdraw them in advance.

 

Since it meant the measures were already complete, Kalian answered with a small laugh.

 

—Did you read through all my thoughts?

 

—It would be correct to say I heard about the situation from Prince Plants. When I heard Prince Kalian had gone to fetch Lord Manasil, I could guess whom you would meet and what favor you would ask.

 

Plants.

 

He had even told Chase about going to fetch Allan.

 

It wasn’t so surprising that the clever pea had predicted Allan would have gone south. Thanks to that, it was good that he had quickly withdrawn the birds even though contact hadn’t been reached, but he was a bit flustered because he couldn’t tell how much this fresh green fellow had conveyed and to what extent.

 

—Ah… Yes. That’s fortunate. By the way, I’m worried if there’s any hindrance to your work.

 

Kalian, who had inadvertently said this in his flustered state, laughed quietly.

 

Come to think of it, wasn’t this funny?

 

Here he was worrying whether there was any hindrance to his work when his country’s spies had been withdrawn from another country.

 

—The number of birds has decreased significantly, and I was planning to have them leave Siegfried Territory anyway, so it’s fine. I remember roughly what will happen in the future anyway, and whether I remember or not, I can just live accordingly. If there’s classified information I’m really curious about, I can just ask Prince Kalian.

 

Chase went a step further and said this.

 

—I won’t tell you.

 

—Then I can just ask Prince Plants. He seemed to be a person without secrets.

 

Plants.

 

[What on earth did you say?]

 

When he was thinking that he should probably find out what Plants had said to Chase, he heard Chase’s words as if he had looked into Kalian’s mind.

 

—Just in case, let me tell you, it was something Prince Plants especially wanted to tell me directly, so I won’t tell Prince Kalian.

 

*Ha.* Kalian, covering his face with his palm, struggled to suppress his laughter and answered.

 

—When I asked if you two had become close, you spoke as if absolutely not. But it seems you’ve become quite close. The two of you.

 

His feelings were complicated.

 

Truly complicated.

 

He couldn’t be happy about it, couldn’t dislike it, felt sorry yet amused, sad then absurd, bewildered yet wondering if it was natural.

 

—He’s thoughtful and quick-minded. A decent person.

 

And Chase said this.

 

He spoke of Plants as if he had already forgotten about making the forged permit to enter Chermil Palace.

 

—Most of all, he seems to worry about Prince Kalian a lot.

 

—Rather than worrying about me, well. I’m not sure. There are times when I myself don’t really know why I’m going this far, so I understand even less why he does this for me.

 

Since he said he didn’t know, what could be done? Chase just shook his head. In any case, Chase also had no intention of praising Plants any further, so he didn’t say more about Plants and brought up a different topic.

 

—By the way, I’m thinking of learning how to handle Mana.

 

—Mana?

 

Not about other people, but about Chase himself. Because he knew better than anyone that the person Kalian was most worried about wasn’t Plants.

 

—Yes. I don’t think I can receive help from Arianneu or Lord Kastrin for the rest of my life.

 

Both Chase and Kalian laughed.

 

In the end, they both just laughed because the content included the fact that they would have to spend their lives exchanging only voices like this without being able to face each other. Since they couldn’t go find Serenty and shout in anger, they could only laugh.

 

Kalian, who had been laughing thus, answered.

 

—That’s not a not-bad thought. Since you’re learning from Lord Kastrin, you might form an Aura someday.

 

—Even though it’s a path you’ve already walked yourself, you speak of it far too lightly, Prince Kalian.

 

— Am I?

 

A pleasant-sounding laugh was conveyed to Chase once more.

 

—But truly, I think it’s not bad to learn in advance.

 

Knights also learned how to handle Mana.

 

If they someday embark on the path of the sword, they need to build Aura, so they learn how to handle Mana with vague hope for that. Then there were the occasional Knights who discovered they had absolutely no talent for handling Mana and gave up even the sword. To Kalian, he wondered if there could be anything more foolish than that, but it wasn’t something he could interfere with when they felt such disillusionment and gave up.

 

—I don’t know if it’s a coincidence, but I was also just thinking of teaching someone how to handle Mana. It’s interesting.

 

Chase understood that Kalian meant he was thinking of teaching Plants how to handle Mana. Knowing that he couldn’t very well insert the words ‘older brother Plants’ in the middle of his speech, and it was also difficult to say ‘Prince Plants, the Second Prince,’ so he was trying to speak while omitting that name as much as possible.

 

That wasn’t something Chase could interfere with and correct. Therefore, Chase just answered quietly.

 

—You mean you were going to teach Prince Plants about Mana?

 

—Yes. That’s what I’m planning to do.

 

If Plants had known what Kalian was thinking when he told him to come to the forest today, he probably wouldn’t have considered it an invitation to hell.

 

Well, of course he naturally also had the thought of sparring while they were at it. Anyway.

 

While exchanging a few words with Chase like this, he saw one white horse led by Raven and one pea sitting atop it.

 

* * *

 

Kalian, who praised Raven for bringing Plants here on his behalf, finished his conversation with Chase and stood up from his seat.

 

“You’ve arrived.”

 

Toward Plants, who looked around briefly before dismounting from the horse, Kalian continued speaking.

 

“Today I’m going to teach you something interesting. You’ll have to practice every day, but it will be fun. However, please promise me just one thing.”

 

Plants looked at Kalian silently before speaking.

 

“What promise?”

 

Kalian, who had been looking at Plants for a while, answered with a small smile.

 

“You must not jump to conclusions about why I’m teaching you this time either.”

 

He was planning to show everything while comparing Kalian’s Mana, Bern’s Aura, and the Aura possessed by the current Kalian.

 

Why he was trying to show this,

 

Why he was teaching how to handle Mana,

 

Why he was already trying to teach the method of practicing and building Mana alone without Kalian? He was asking him absolutely not to think about these things.