Chapter 221, I’ve Been Very Patient (3)

Translator: Hedge

Editor: Lizzz

 

The fortunate thing was that he hadn’t died.

 

The unfortunate thing was that he hadn’t even managed to faint.

 

Perhaps both circumstances were unfortunate for Plants, but Arsene was neither dead nor unconscious, still buried under work as usual.

 

“Does Your Highness Deputy Commander happen to know that the number of Valkan Mages will increase again within two weeks?”

 

“I know.”

 

“Has Your Highness Deputy Commander showered?”

 

“I have.”

 

“Has Your Highness Deputy Commander eaten breakfast?”

 

“I have.”

 

“Has Your Highness Deputy Commander…”

 

“Get out.”

 

Plants responded with eyes that seemed to wish Arsene would disappear, whether out of the office or out of this world, and sat down with an irritated expression. Arsene was about to open his mouth again when he saw Plants immediately unfasten the shirt collar pin and cuffs decorated with pale blue topaz and hand them to Rerik.

 

“Close it.”

 

After blocking the mouth that would obviously say something predictable, Plants immediately rolled up his sleeves and turned his eyes to the documents.

 

Thanks to this, Arsene, unable to say ‘In the midst of being so busy, you still managed to shower, eat, and come dressed to the nines,’ gulped down coffee as dark as a wolf’s pupils. It wasn’t that he didn’t know Plants was late because he had been with Kalian, but seeing that neat, leisurely, and even luxurious appearance made him unreasonably irritated.

 

Rerik, who had glanced at Arsene consuming caffeine whether to live or die, spoke to Plants.

 

“What tea shall I bring you, Your Highness?”

 

Plants, who had been flipping through the personnel roster at high speed, answered in passing.

 

“Not coffee.”

 

“Yes. I’ll prepare it right away.”

 

After this response, Rerik hung up the ice blue jacket, handed Plants a thin cardigan in a similar color, and went outside.

 

During this time, Arsene, who had been staring at Plants’s face for a moment, quietly turned his eyes to the documents. He thought that when he met Allan this time, he should ask for one more person to help. Someone not like the young, ‘smart’, terse, rich, socially deficient His Highness Deputy Commander, but someone ordinarily worn down by life. Of course, there wouldn’t be more Deputy Commanders, but anyway, someone who could help make the work easier.

 

*Knock knock.*

 

Before long, Rerik came back in and placed orange and vanilla scented black tea on both Plants’s and Arsene’s desks, then said.

 

“Then, please call me again when you need me.”

 

After Rerik left with his usual greeting, Arsene, impressed by the tea’s fragrance, felt like taking a break and opened his mouth.

 

“What were you discussing from so early this morning?”

 

“This and that.”

 

He seemed annoyed but still gave answers without fail.

 

Of course, that was if one could call them proper answers.

 

“You don’t seem to be in a good mood.”

 

He was asking out of concern for Kalian, who must have been with Plants. Not the Second Prince who was like newly grown moss, but the Third Prince who never hesitated to show with his beautiful face what kind of Hell he could demonstrate.

 

It absolutely wasn’t because he was worried about that Plants. Absolutely not.

 

“Deputy Commander, you.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Are you interested in hunting snakes?”

 

So it wasn’t the Mage but Deputy Commander Arsene Hertz he was looking for.

 

“Big snakes.”

 

Plants opened his second bundle of documents with a face that suggested it was nothing, adding this.

 

“I no longer have a salary. Since there’s no salary left to deduct, I can’t cause trouble for a while, Your Highness who is also Deputy Commander.”

 

To Plants, who played the role of the ‘reckless older brother’ in the absolutely insane fraternal relationship of trying to build affection by cutting off each other’s ties with their parents, Arsene answered.

 

“Isn’t that a bit different from the task of fetching a bottle of Basilica from your liquor cellar?”

 

Though he didn’t know what Basilica was, Plants understood it was nonsense and ignored Arsene’s words to ask again.

 

“If my little brother orders it, would you be willing to try?”

 

“Prince Plants.”

 

Arsene, who had been looking down at his fragrant teacup, called Plants. He looked into those light green eyes that seemed to contain a forest just beginning to bloom within the clear dawn sky blue.

 

“His Highness will absolutely never order that. If things go wrong, it means war with Secritia. Even without worrying about war, His Highness will not try to bring Valkan into that land for any reason. You know this.”

 

Would Kalian try to bring Arsene, of all people, Valkan, of all armies, into Secritia?

 

Plants, who already knew Arsene was right, sighed briefly.

 

A way to catch the snake without anyone going.

 

Because he still couldn’t tell what absurd conclusion his crazy younger brother would reach while pondering this.

 

“Is that why the conversation went on so long this morning?”

 

“No.”

 

Feeling perhaps a tiny bit more generous since he thought this might be the first time he and the blue-haired Mage had conversed without growling at each other, Plants added an explanation.

 

“Cutting out someone’s insides.”

 

At these words, Arsene frowned and looked at Plants. Seeing that it seemed to mean he had scratched at Kalian’s insides again, Plants shook his head.

 

“Not me.”

 

[Not you? Then did some Crown Prince somewhere actually picked up the knife himself?]

 

“…Did you order it?”

 

Perhaps it was because he told that Prince not to give up on being that older brother. With this thought, Plants put down the teacup he had taken a sip from and opened his mouth.

 

“The ever innocent criminal should just work.”

 

Arsene, who had given up on asking more about what it was, chuckled and nodded.

 

‘Innocent criminal.’ He quite liked that phrase.

 

* * *

 

It wasn’t a fruit he particularly disliked, but he didn’t enjoy it either.

 

Of course, that was only Kalian.

 

“It seems to be a fruit you like.”

 

Sour, bitter, astringent.

 

Wasn’t grapefruit truly a fruit with an unpredictable taste? Last time they served grapefruit cake, and this time it was sorbet made with grapefruit intact. Randel’s voice echoed through the empty room toward Kalian, who put down his spoon after one taste of that peculiar flavor.

 

“Your expression isn’t good.”

 

“You say such things while we’re talking about fruit.”

 

“Does it matter when I bring it up?”

 

“It does when you’re not even worried but still mention it.”

 

“What need would I have to worry about you, whatever happens?”

 

“You trust me too much. But I’m still human, so something could happen, couldn’t it?”

 

Randel smiled slightly with a face that seemed to guarantee such a thing would never happen and put sorbet in his mouth. Thinking the temperature of that smile was about the same as that sorbet, Kalian heard Randel swallow the grapefruit flavor spreading in his mouth and speak again.

 

“Is it Beurisen, or somewhere else?”

 

“I don’t understand what you mean.”

 

Kalian, his eyes on the dried grapefruit slice decorating the sorbet, asked for the precise meaning instead of hastily gauging Randel’s intention and giving an answer.

 

“The place that’s been bothering you. Your expression doesn’t look good, so I’m curious what made you that way.”

 

“Since you have no garden work to do, have you had more thoughts? Your curiosities have increased.”

 

At the end of summer, most of the roses in the garden had withered and fallen.

 

To Kalian’s words as he recalled the one remaining rose when he returned from Roselita, Randel put another spoonful of sorbet in his mouth without answering.

 

“I thought I should deliver that story myself, so I contacted you again.”

 

He felt Chase’s voice, who had come to find Kalian to convey directly what he couldn’t say, circling his ears again. It was because facing an endless abyss, someone with insight to see through even that abyss came to mind together.

 

“Yes. Something did happen. But you don’t need to worry.”

 

“I see.”

 

At the answer delivered as if relieved or perhaps disappointed, Kalian nodded. However, separate from his actions, the memory from just before when he had opened up to Kyrie kept surfacing one after another.

 

“I once passed that name to Prince Plants. The day before I left Cyries, while talking with Prince Plants, I mentioned that name. But…”

 

“Remembering isn’t difficult. Please tell me.”

 

Before meeting Syspanian, Plants, facing Arcus Tempus, had definitely asked Kalian for Bern’s name. As if he knew nothing.

 

“It wasn’t conveyed.”

 

“…It seems I cannot convey it with my own mouth. That’s what I think. Arianneu and Lord Kastrin were the same, but Kyrie and Lord Manasil remembered.”

 

* * *

 

Serenty.

 

“When someone can even silence Syspanian, what couldn’t they do?”

 

“I’m sorry.”

 

It wasn’t Chase who should be sorry.

 

“I’m sorry. Prince Kalian.”

 

Serenty.

 

Serenty.

 

Serenty.

 

“No. Thank you.”

 

To Chase, who couldn’t bring himself to say his old younger sibling’s name even at the end of that apology, he pretended to be fine and greeted him once more before ending the conversation.

 

And he finished the remaining conversation with Plants as well.

 

“It’s not older brother’s fault.”

 

“I see.”

 

“Serenty. If I meet her, I’ll definitely vent my anger.”

 

“I see.”

 

Plants said nothing more.

 

He no longer asked what that Prince’s name even was. After that, Kalian acted as if it was nothing and stood up.

 

He knew it couldn’t be fine, but he couldn’t say it was fine. He didn’t feel like telling a pea who had just started rolling around saying he would manage on his own that he actually wasn’t okay at all, so he just quietly closed his mouth and stood up.

 

That’s how he went to meet Kyrie.

 

And then came to meet Randel.

 

* * *

 

“If your mind is complicated, come back next time.”

 

Before he knew it, deep water was gazing at the dark fire.

 

At the gaze that made him feel as if Randel had read even his conversation with Chase, Kalian smiled slightly and answered.

 

“Seeing older brother Randel, my complicated feelings completely settle down.”

 

“Fortunate that you think so.”

 

Though knowing it wasn’t praise, Randel calmly answered.

 

Words with an even colder air than the beautiful ice crystals Kalian had swallowed continued.

 

“If it helps, come up often.”

 

“If it seems like it will help, I’ll do so.”

 

Words full of consideration and wariness, without even as much sincerity toward the other party as the sorbet that had just melted and disappeared, were exchanged briefly.

 

“Could you meet Count Gray Beurisen just once?”

 

As soon as the long greeting exchange ended, Kalian asked this. Randel, with a leisurely movement, took another bite of sorbet before giving a slow answer.

 

“Whether it’s a request or an order. Tell me that first.”

 

“Would you refuse if it’s a request?”

 

“I’m not inclined to.”

 

Kalian nodded briefly and said.

 

“Meet Count Beurisen. You don’t need to say anything special, but please take your time appropriately.”

 

“Shouldn’t you also tell me whether it’s to your advantage or mine?”

 

[Ah. This guy sure has a lot of questions.]

 

“It’s necessary for me to feel comfortable in my stomach and for older brother Randel to feel comfortable in his heart, so we can say it’s to both our advantages.”

 

After using Gray Beurisen well to deceive Evan, then eliminating Evan, that pea wouldn’t be able to make strange threats anymore, so Kalian would feel comfortable in his stomach, and if the pea properly stepped up to help, the Seal of Oath tied to Randel’s heart would also be resolved, so Randel’s heart would be comfortable too.

 

Having received an answer to his question, Randel lowered his eyes and said.

 

“I’ll check possible dates and send them down.”

 

Kalian bowed his head slightly as if grateful. Then he asked the next question.

 

“When did you start meeting Lannen Beurisen?”

 

“I didn’t meet him.”

 

“You never met him even once?”

 

“Didn’t you clear him out during the Roselita?”

 

The one who tried to hand over to Randel the Divine Artifact that Blue Warbler had gathered in collusion with Count Hale Latran was none other than Lannen Beurisen, who was the Guild Master of Beurisen Trader’s Guild at the time. Hadn’t Kalian, unable to tolerate Lannen blocking his path anymore, bought up Beurisen Trader’s Guild and eliminated Lannen?

 

Recalling that incident, Kalian nodded.

 

“Was it because of me?”

 

“That’s right.”

 

So very different from a certain someone who generally blamed everything in the world on himself.

 

Kalian, who made an effort to suppress the thought that he should mix the two older brothers half and half, delivered his answer in a calm voice.

 

“I can’t apologize.”

 

“Do as you please. We’re in a give-and-take relationship anyway.”

 

When Randel said something Dmirea might say, his feelings became complicated.

 

“Those words are a bit disappointing. Between brothers.”

 

At these words, Randel raised his gaze and looked directly at Kalian. Cold, deep, hopeless water directly perceived fire that wouldn’t go out.

 

“You speak uncomfortable words.”

 

“Do I?”

 

“And pretentiously at that.”

 

Kalian laughed.

 

That deep sea from that day that always came to mind whenever he saw Randel’s eyes. How on earth had Chase jumped into that cold sea that was so deep? Without fear, with what state of mind had he jumped in?

 

If it had been Randel, of course it was no different from what he had already shown on the day Plants was hurt, but anyway, what would Randel have done?

 

Chase, who surely would have jumped in without thinking, and Randel, who would have thought ahead, seemed so different from each other that he laughed.

 

“There’s one thing I’m curious about.”

 

“Ask.”

 

“Why did you just leave that day? Without helping.”

 

To this question from Kalian, Randel opened his mouth without hesitation. Without even asking which day Kalian was referring to.

 

“Wouldn’t it be good for both of us? I kept the secret, and the second, kept his position.”

 

He recalled Sillike’s son, who had nearly died and remained unconscious throughout the punishment of Sillike due to excessive bleeding. Thanks to that, he had naturally escaped the sight of the Anti-Beurisen Nobles. With this recollection, Randel answered.

 

Kalian’s fingertips traced an arc on the table, having heard the answer of someone devastatingly rational.

 

Randel was different from Chase. He was different from Plants too.

 

“If it had been me dying back then, you would have stepped in at that time?”

 

“Wouldn’t that be better for both of us and better to see?”

 

Kalian would have his life saved and instead of Randel’s hiding being discovered, he would join hands with Kalian, who was backed by Valkan. It would be perfect for informing of the two brothers’ affection and responding to Beurisen, so in such a situation, Randel would have stepped in to heal him.

 

Kalian nodded briefly.

 

“I understand.”

 

He couldn’t say this way of thinking was wrong and selfish. Though it was amusing, it was rather the most correct thinking as a Prince, so he didn’t feel like blaming him.

 

“Send an attendant. I’ll convey the schedule.”

 

Randel looked at Kalian once more as he tried to stand without further questions.

 

“I also have something I want to ask.”

 

Kalian didn’t answer but didn’t stand up either.

 

“Besides Camilon, are you still planning to go to Arpia Palace?”

 

He had said he would raise dogs at Camilon, but hadn’t he never said anything about going to Arpia Palace to do something? So he had been curious whether Kalian really intended to ascend to the throne.

 

“Older brother said he won’t go. I also can’t yield to older brother Randel. So what choice do I have but to go?”

 

At the words that it wasn’t so desirable or useful, but clear that he wouldn’t yield the Crown to him, Randel asked one more thing.

 

“Could it be that you now need that position as an objective?”

 

The question of whether he had come to desire the throne itself, not the throne as a means to achieve something else.

 

“No. My dream has actually grown a bit bigger.”

 

Kalian shook his head.

 

“This small country’s Crown is now insufficient even to use as a means. Later, I’m thinking of going to meet someone.”

 

To overturn the sleeping Serenty and strike the back of her head.

 

If he did that, Arsene would really try to erect a statue, but by then Kalian would have to overlook that much.

 

And then he had the grand goal of carving one short name as large as the gate on the main entrance of the Royal Palace.

 

Watching his youngest brother with this plan, Randel put the last spoonful of sorbet in his mouth.

 

Kalian stood up, watching Randel sit quietly with a face still difficult to read.

 

He had talked with Plants and been scolded by Hina. After hearing the truth from Chase, he had opened his heart to Kyrie. After that, he met Randel to request what was needed. So now he was about to go ask what he was curious about.

 

The path he had walked was too short to stop his steps blocked by rain. There was still a long way to go to walk straight without scattering his mind. So he planned to pull himself together and try not to stop, heading to the site of Heisia Palace.

 

To meet that supremely great one once more.

 

“I’ll be going then.”

 

The taste of sorbet lingered long in his mouth.

 

Sour, bitter, and sweet.