Chapter 216, That Sword (2)

Translator: Hedge

Editor: Lizzz

 

The early bird catches the worm, or so they say.

 

But Rmain woke up early and simply did a lot of work. Doing a lot of work did not particularly fill his stomach, nor did it greatly help extend his own lifeline.

 

In any case, he was now at least going to Camilia Palace to sleep and then returning to Arpia Palace, though that did not mean he was doing any less work. The work remained plentiful.

 

Rmain briefly looked up at the dim sky, whether from overcast weather or the early hour, and asked in a low voice.

 

“Is Kalian still not back?”

 

As soon as he opened his eyes, as soon as he finished preparing to start his day, as soon as he put down his spoon after eating a few bites of oatmeal soup in place of breakfast, as soon as he left Camilia Palace, and now as he stood before Arpia Palace.

 

He had already asked this question unrelated to work for the fifth time.

 

If he counted the times he asked Ren, the Escort Knight who stood beside him each time he opened his eyes after tossing and turning all night, the number would have been much higher.

 

“Yes, Your Majesty. There is still no word.”

 

To this question that still occasionally felt unfamiliar, Grand Chamberlain Raul delivered his answer in a respectful voice. Rmain let out a short sigh upon actually hearing the answer he had expected and nodded.

 

Kalian had escaped outside immediately after returning from the forest with Plants the previous night. Since everyone knew there was no horse that could catch up to Raven, they did not try as hard as initially to block his path. However, the reason it could still be called an escape was because Rmain had not yet permitted Kalian to go out.

 

The reason they could not forcefully prevent him from going outside, repeatedly ignoring Rmain’s wishes, was simple.

 

“Count Manasil must still be out as well.”

 

The Mage who claimed that Kalian had become so busy entirely because of Rmain, had protectively shielded Kalian from being summoned to sit down. However, the previous day, that Mage had gotten even angrier than Rmain and stormed out, declaring he would bring Kalian back immediately.

 

“That is correct, Your Majesty. So please do not worry too much and wait just a little longer. Since Count Manasil went, even if they encounter Syslestian, there should be no trouble.”

 

Sensing that Rmain was worrying too much about Kalian, the usually solemn Raul even offered this reassurance to comfort him.

 

Thinking of the Golden Dragon said to have nested in the Great Dunes near Tansyll brought Syspanian to mind, which reminded him of the Siegfried Ducal Family that guarded Syspanian’s Lair. Rmain’s face darkened again when he recalled that Kalian had recently slipped out of the palace to bring back Allan, who had casually traveled there.

 

“Something is definitely going on. Even the way he spoke about the Crown Prince position.”

 

The increased outings from the palace, the sudden ambition for the Crown Prince position. Something was definitely happening with Kalian, but neither Allan nor Kalian would say a word about it.

 

Realizing his words had been of no help, Raul quickly brought up something else.

 

“If you are truly concerned, perhaps you could have Prince Plants explain the situation…”

 

“That is enough.”

 

Rmain stopped Raul, who was suggesting they summon Plants to explain, since Plants would know why Kalian had gone out, and continued.

 

“I meet with Randel to observe and converse with him, and I then meet with Kalian out of worry about what trouble he might cause next. But with Plants alone, I have been unable to meet him for his own sake. I do not wish to meet Plants only to ask about Randel’s recent activities or to ask why Kalian ran away. I refuse to always seek out that child only for such reasons. Leave it be this time.”

 

Having said something that Allan would have found quite admirable to hear, Rmain glanced at the palace main gate visible in the distance before entering Arpia Palace.

 

He then deeply frowned at the sight of Allan standing and waiting for him in front of his office. It was because Kalian was not by his side.

 

* * *

 

How well he eats sweets in the morning.

 

Watching the red-haired Mage readily devouring chocolate with hazelnuts and almonds, along with tarts topped with raspberries and custard cream, Rmain put on his glasses and spoke.

 

“Are you not going to tell me this time either?”

 

“Since I returned midway, I do not know where the Prince went either.”

 

Allan, who had been in the office until late, had immediately followed upon sensing Kalian leaving the Royal Palace. But he had neither managed to stop Kalian nor had he simply returned.

 

“You will not say why you went down south either, and this matter is the same. In the end, everything must be connected to that child, yet you refuse to tell me anything.”

 

It was a sound of frustration from Rmain, but Allan was equally frustrated.

 

As Kalian warned, ‘I am worried because I do not know when that person will say something to His Majesty. I will be careful and return soon, so please pay attention, Master.’

 

Had not Debeullan already sent Kalian a letter once? Who knew what Debeullan might try to do to Rmain? That was why Kalian had sent Allan back to the palace, preferring that Allan not leave the Royal Palace empty as well.

 

“Your Majesty.”

 

If Rmain learned Kalian’s secret, Allan had exactly one thing to do. With Kalian having declared he would personally handle Debeullan’s matter, they could not leave Rmain in Kalian’s hands as well.

 

‘Let this matter pass quietly. Unnecessary awareness will only hasten death.’

 

Allan, having firmly suppressed the sincere advice that tried to burst out, took a sip of strong coffee topped with plenty of whipped cream.

 

His sharp eyes, looking at Rmain as he set down the teacup, curved into round crescents.

 

“When do you plan to hold the investiture?”

 

This was said hoping to place Kalian in the Crown Prince position as soon as possible, since they could not know what excuse Debeullan might use to summon Kalian.

 

“I am thinking of setting the date for next Tuesday and announcing it. However, even if that happens, actually placing him in the Crown Prince position may be difficult to accomplish immediately.”

 

Rmain answered as if he had understood Allan’s intention.

 

This ox-like fellow was unusually perceptive about various things today. Perhaps his worry about Kalian had led him to think about this and that.

 

“That too would be better to proceed with as quickly as possible. Why do you say it will be difficult?”

 

“Did not Kalian say he wanted to meet the Elf Great Elder regarding Lady Bern’s matter?”

 

Previously, Allan had mentioned Hina as a reason why Kalian might want to attend when Rmain met with the Elf Great Elder. Since she was a half-elf and a rare healer even among Elves, he had made the excuse that Kalian wanted to go along because meeting them directly would greatly help Hina.

 

They could not say he wanted to meet the Great Elder to confirm about the words ‘King of Humans’ that had been on the discovered Arcus Tempus.

 

“What does a Prince meeting the Great Elder have to do with placing him in the Crown Prince position?”

 

“They were unrelated. But yesterday I received this letter.”

 

Rmain, pausing briefly, took out a letter from his desk drawer. Then, instead of calling Ren to hand it to Allan, he stood up himself, placed it in front of Allan, and sat on the opposite sofa.

 

In the meantime, Allan, who had nearly finished the tart, set down his fork and opened the letter.

 

“…Mm.”

 

He immediately let out a groan.

 

Because his perfectly fine head began to ache, Allan raised his hand and pressed hard against his temples.

 

“I will speak with Prince Kalian about this. It seems Secritia is determined to cause trouble after all.”

 

[Debeullan. That snake-like bastard!]

 

* * *

 

He felt good.

 

Though the day was overcast, it had not yet rained, and while Allan had briefly left his post, nothing had happened at the palace in the meantime. Whether they had decided not to rashly touch Kalian anymore, he had not encountered Zeon’s group throughout his travels, and most importantly, Gray was smarter than expected.

 

He would not compare to Plants anyway, but he was definitely smarter than Lannen and had a better political mind than Evan.

 

[Come to think of it, he handled things well that day too.]

 

Was it not Gray who, on that day when he received a beating from Kalian, had prolonged his life by bringing up Evan’s name in response to the question of who had beaten him—not Kalian and not some other random person, but Evan?

 

‘Yes. I overlooked it… I knew that Marquis Evan Beurisen was attempting to attack Prince Kalian, and I even gathered evidence just in case. However, because I support Prince Randel, I did not step forward and was merely observing the situation.’

 

Kalian chuckled, recalling Gray who had succeeded in prolonging his life once again with such words.

 

[I had no intention of keeping him alive for long because of that personality of his, which lacks character, capable of cruelty, and does not value his subordinates. But still, he shows he has a head decent enough to use appropriately. And since he seems to be someone who finds his own way to survive well, perhaps that is fortunate.]

 

Having thought this, Kalian entered after receiving greetings from the Knights guarding the entrance to Chermil Palace.

 

Rmain and Allan would have already been informed that Kalian had returned to the palace, and since he would need to change clothes and otherwise prepare again before meeting Rmain to explain everything, he had come straight to Chermil Palace for now.

 

“My Prince!”

 

There was no one around the artificial lake and rose garden, and Ian, having been informed of Kalian’s arrival, had come out to greet him. Though he felt sorry knowing Ian must have waited without sleeping, he was more than delighted that Ian had waited for him like this, and Kalian, who let out a laugh without realizing it, opened his mouth.

 

“I told you to sleep.”

 

“I could not sleep.”

 

“Go in and rest. You can accompany Merlin in the morning.”

 

“I have prepared your bath. I will rest after you finish bathing and eating.”

 

Ian, who had already prepared exactly what Kalian desperately wanted right now, answered like this. Without asking where he had been or what he had been doing until now.

 

“I went to the Beurisen Territory.”

 

After returning to his room, looking at Ian who had worried all night yet asked nothing, Kalian spoke first. He could not tell him exactly what he was preparing, but still.

 

“You met Gray Beurisen? Why did you meet that bastard? He must be grinding his teeth over the broken back incident. What if he tried to harm you? How could you go there alone without fear?”

 

Still, he just wanted to hear words like this.

 

“If it was difficult to go with Count Manasil, you should have at least taken Lord Bern with you. When you said you would be back soon, I thought you had business nearby, but my goodness. The Beurisen Territory? This is why I keep worrying. You did not fight, did you? Are you hurt anywhere?”

 

His body was stiff, but besides bathing, just.

 

“I did not fight. I am not hurt.”

 

Feeling his complicated head finally cooling down for a moment because of the lime-green fellow spinning around beside him, Kalian smiled broadly at Ian, who was still slightly bigger than him.

 

“Ian. I am hungry.”

 

He felt good, and now that his head had cooled down, he was hungry.

 

Ian, who had been examining Kalian here and there with a face that had turned pale enough to erase all signs of fatigue from lack of sleep, finally answered only after confirming with his own eyes that Kalian was truly uninjured.

 

“Yes. I will have your meal ready right away while you bathe.”

 

Saying this, Ian raised his finger and pointed upward.

 

“Come to think of it, Prince Plants asked me to tell you to come up when you arrived. Should I prepare your meal on the fourth floor?”

 

“You should not say ‘come to think of it.'”

 

‘You know, he is still my older brother’, Kalian was about to say, then laughed. Still, at least he was being respectful when referring to Plants now, so perhaps that should be considered an improvement.

 

“Do that.”

 

“Yes. I will prepare it right away.”

 

Without either Kalian or Ian caring whether Plants had eaten breakfast, whether the instruction to have him come up immediately upon returning meant it was fine to leisurely bathe and go eat, or whether saying to come up to the fourth floor was not actually an invitation to eat but they could just prepare the meal in that room anyway.

 

* * *

 

There was no bothersome scent.

 

A good aroma came from the soup with milk, onions, and corn. A delicious scent also came from the cod steak combined with lemon and peanut sauce, and from the dish of beef stir-fried with green beans. The dish of finely minced chicken breast rolled in thin bread and the thick bacon likewise emitted mouth-watering aromas.

 

The problem was that it was morning, and neither the head chef who had laid out such a hearty meal from morning nor the younger brother who was happily devouring it had done anything wrong.

 

Plants, who had not touched the cod and finished his meal with a few bites of soup, two pieces of beef, one slice of well-toasted bread, and a few pieces of salad, opened his mouth.

 

“I never called you up to eat.”

 

“I was hungry.”

 

[Right.] It was Plants’s fault for telling his hungry younger brother to come up.

 

There was probably no fault with the servant who, after going down having heard to come up briefly because there was something to convey, brought up plates of food instead of the younger brother. Right. There would be no fault.

 

Luci, who had approached beside Plants with a slightly furrowed brow, let out a pretty cry. Plants, who gave Luci the chicken treat that Rerik had handed over, spoke to Kalian.

 

“What were you doing?”

 

“Something you should not know about.”

 

Plants’ head became complicated. To avoid thinking about those words, he would have to think about something else.

 

Looking at Plants, who had ended up adding just one more idle thought because of the question he himself had asked, Kalian, having finished his meal, asked.

 

“Why did you call for me?”

 

How quickly he asks.

 

Letting out a sigh while looking at Kalian who had eaten well without any fault, Plants opened his mouth.

 

“It seems the King of Secritia does not know how to give up.”

 

“I have done nothing, so how could he be a person who would give up?”

 

Kalian, whose face showed he might get indigestion, answered quietly and then looked at Plants. He was asking why Plants was bringing up that person’s story.

 

“Count Manasil came and told me that immediately after impersonating the Crown Prince of Secritia, he seems to have sent a letter to His Majesty.”

 

*Clatter!

 

The sound of Kalian setting down his water glass rang out a bit loudly. Plants, who let that sound pass, closed his eyes slightly and spoke.

 

“The King of Secritia has officially invited my younger brother and the half-elf healer.”

 

*Whoosh!*

 

Even though he had not finished speaking, thick killing intent spread.

 

Outside the window, patter patter, rain began to fall.