Chapter 223, You Won’t Be Able to Handle It (1)

Translator: Hedge

Editor: Lizzz

 

He liked anything sweet.

 

The reason he drank his coffee bitter was perhaps to better taste the sweetness of whatever he ate alongside it, that was how much he loved sweet things.

 

So the fact that this purple sweet potato and carrot cake, which was not particularly sweet by nature, tasted so sugary could only mean that the cook of Queen Etienne of Liberen had considered only Allan’s preferences when making it.

 

“It’s delicious, so why aren’t you eating it? This was sent by none other than the Queen of Liberen herself.”

 

Euria, who enjoyed sweets almost as much as Allan did, polished off a slice of purple cake that matched her hair color perfectly and asked this question.

 

“It’s not like it’s the first or second time Etienne has sent a gift. Why are you making such a big deal out of it?”

 

“It’s a gift that was sent with Preservation Magic applied to it, so you should at least have a bite. This is sweet in a way that’s perfectly suited to Lord Manasil’s taste.”

 

“Sweet potato and carrot cake? That’s not a flavor I like.”

 

Despite the fact that the sweet potato cake layered with puree made from stewed apples and purple carrots tasted excellent, Allan, who had not taken a single bite, answered as if he could not understand Euria’s enjoyment of the cake. By Allan’s standards, neither sweet potatoes nor carrots were suitable ingredients for cakes.

 

Thanks to this, only Euria, who had come both to inform Kalian of something and to deliver the latest gift from Liberen to Allan, was in high spirits.

 

“It just tastes good though. Well, it would be perfect with a glass of Majurini, but that’s unfortunate.”

 

Allan shook his head at the sight of Euria, who had come by in the morning and was now asking for apple liquor that boasted a high alcohol content rivaling Himolika. Although Allan enjoyed alcohol himself, how could he compare to Euria?

 

“I feel like I’m stealing something that came for Lord Manasil since you’re not even touching it.”

 

“For someone who feels that way, aren’t you eating it a bit too well?”

 

“Because it’s delicious.”

 

Euria answered with a bright smile that would probably make Arsene doubt his own eyes if he saw it, and pulled a second slice of cake toward herself.

 

“Liberen even sent accessories with high-grade Magic stones this month.”

 

“Magic Stones are hard to come by, so that’s good news. I’ll look at them later.”

 

“What we send doesn’t change much, but what Liberen sends keeps increasing in monetary value. Can we really keep accepting these?”

 

In fact, it was not just food, but all manner of Magic tools, books, and accessories. Countless gifts were being regularly delivered from Liberen through the Arcane Enclave. Both Allan and Euria knew well who these gifts from Liberen, sent under the pretext of exchange between the two countries’ Arcane Enclaves, were actually intended for.

 

“Since they’re giving them to me anyway, just accept them all.”

 

“The Queen of Liberen is quite impressive, not being able to send things directly because she is mindful of other countries, yet selling the Arcane Enclave’s name to send these things every month.”

 

It was a statement mixed with moderate admiration and moderate sarcasm.

 

Allan accepted all the gifts Etienne sent without particularly questioning whether they stemmed from friendship or from guilt over the matter concerning his deceased son, Ronil. After all, he had accepted even that expensive black mother-of-pearl carriage without hesitation, so accepting other gifts was no big deal. The Magic stone was a bit surprising though.

 

Allan’s true feelings about not refusing the gifts and accepting them all were hard to fathom, but Etienne’s true feelings in continuing to send gifts upon receiving them were also not something Euria could gauge.

 

Right. Just like a purple sweet potato whose taste was completely unimaginable before tasting it, that was exactly how it felt. A purple sweet potato that might taste like an undercooked potato, or might be sweet like a grape, or perhaps might taste like an eggplant.

 

Like a certain Queen and Archmage who did not reveal their true intentions in giving and receiving gifts, Allan extended his hand toward Euria, who had devoured three slices of cake that cleverly concealed the unique bland taste of purple sweet potato with sugar and honey.

 

“If you’re done eating, give it to me now.”

 

“What? Payment for the cake?”

 

“Stop being silly. I mean the background investigation results on the Crown Prince of Tansyll. You always send gifts through other Mages, but you came in person today, so you came directly under the pretext of delivering a gift to show me the investigation results, didn’t you?”

 

“If you call it a background investigation, what does that make me? This whole thing started because of Lord Manasil, so please package it a bit more nicely.”

 

Euria grumbled while making a request Allan would never grant, then rinsed her mouth with bitter coffee before speaking again.

 

“And this is Prince Kalian’s business, so I’m going to give it directly to the Prince. I’m not showing it to Lord Manasil.”

 

“Really, this one and that one never listens to me properly.”

 

Allan, who had not received proper treatment as an Archmage since leaving Liberen, furrowed his brow and retorted.

 

Euria was considering whether to ask who ;this one’ was the same as and who ;that one’ was when Allan spoke again.

 

“Anyway, our Prince is in a bad mood right now, so I’ll give it to him. Hurry up and hand it over.”

 

Allan was the type who would throw a snow-white fireball at her if she asked why that Prince was always in a bad mood.

 

“Yes.”

 

Therefore, Euria simply answered without complaint, then pulled out a large, thick bundle of documents from the palm-sized bag she always carried and handed it to Allan. After all, Allan was not someone who would do anything unhelpful to Kalian.

 

As Allan began to skim through the documents, Euria asked casually.

 

“Is Deputy Commander Hertz busy? He said he’d buy me eggs but there still has been no word.”

 

She had not forgotten about Arsene stopping her from eating bird eggs on the way back from Count Beurisen’s territory, promising to buy her chicken eggs instead. Of course, Arsene was too busy to keep his promise, and Allan did not know about it.

 

“He’s probably teaching Lady Jelia right now. She decided to help Deputy Commander Hertz with his work starting today. But do young people these days date by buying eggs? In our time, we did it by buying flowers.”

 

“Don’t say things like that with that face and that expression.”

 

Euria, who looked at the Mage with a twenty-something appearance watching her with a warm expression thinking it was a good thing, stood up with a disgusted face.

 

“Going to Wilhelm Hall?”

 

“I’d like to see Nidlen and the little one after a while, but I have to go take care of academy business.”

 

“You said before you’d stop by to see the Prince.”

 

“I’m busy. I made time specially to come because it’s business for the Prince, but you said you’d deliver it. I’m quickly escaping to avoid the Prince in a bad mood.”

 

In truth, what changed the most after time flowed backward might be the Mages of Cyries. To be precise, it should be said that they became the most overworked.

 

Allan, who laughed to himself at this thought, nodded his head.

 

“Alright. When you see Deputy Commander Hertz, don’t forget to tell him to buy you eggs.”

 

“Never mind that, just give my regards to Nidlen. Tell her grandmother misses her.”

 

“I will.”

 

Euria’s grandmother, Keidi Seiren, was a Sixth-Circle lightning Mage and also the Magic teacher of both Euria and Nidlen.

 

Euria, who had been smiling while thinking of her grandmother now retired and enjoying her later years in Count Seiren’s territory, suddenly looked as if she had just remembered something and asked.

 

“Oh. By the way, am I really going to Secritia?”

 

“Can you go when you’re that busy?”

 

“If I go, I should go. To see the ocean after a long time. And to see the faces of those Secritia bastards.”

 

“It hasn’t been confirmed yet.”

 

Allan, who had been wondering whether to tell her not to say such things in front of the Prince, just shook his head in response. It seemed there was no reason to give her grounds for suspicion when it was already a secret that was being spread around quite easily.

 

“Prince Kalian and His Majesty will need to discuss it together. I’ll let you know when it’s decided.”

 

“Please let me know right away when it’s confirmed. You can’t just take me on the morning of the departure like you did on the day you appointed me principal. If you do that again, you’ll get struck by lightning.”

 

“I understand, so just leave.”

 

“Yes.”

 

Euria, who answered immediately, went outside with thanks for the cake. Allan, who sat in the room for a moment after the guest left, began to properly look through the documents. Then, without much thought, he took a bite of cake and frowned with a groan.

 

The cake was not tasteless, only that the unique aroma of purple sweet potato that was not quite concealed and subtly wafted out did not suit his palate, so he thought he should send the remainder back to Euria who had been eating it saying it was delicious.

 

* * *

 

Even among attendants, there was a hierarchy between them.

 

Since most of them were Nobles to begin with, the hierarchy was not based on the high or low of status or title without examining their origins, but there was a superior-subordinate relationship with its own standards.

 

The same was true for the three senior attendants at Chermil Palace. Moreover, it was divided into two types of hierarchy: official and unofficial.

 

The official hierarchy was based on the order in which they became senior attendants, with Den, Randel’s attendant, being the highest, followed by Ian, and then Rerik. The unofficial hierarchy was based on the status of the person they served, with Den again at the top, followed by Rerik, and then Ian. Although there was no hierarchical difference based on the order in which the Princes were born, they observed some courtesy by considering each other’s ages.

 

So, excluding Den who was at the top in either case, Ian and Rerik’s superior-subordinate relationship should have changed depending on what kind of place they were in.

 

“It looks like the Princes’ conversation is getting long again, so I’ll go take care of some business for a moment. The Prince knows about it too, so he won’t look for me, and Merlin will be here soon.”

 

“Yes.”

 

But it did not change.

 

No matter how much Kalian’s name was being mentioned most among Nobles as the next Crown Prince, it was not confirmed. So, when the two were together, he could act as if he were equal to or higher than Ian, but he did not.

 

The reason was obvious, was it not?

 

“I’m sorry about last time. My younger sister thought everyone in Chermil Palace knew. They probably thought there was no way people still wouldn’t know since the two look so alike.”

 

He had no idea.

 

Those who knew that Ian was the eldest son of Siegfried could be counted on one hand. It was probably just Kalian and Rmain, their respective closest aides, and Plants.

 

“Most people just pass by without thinking they look alike. My younger sister probably didn’t think about it. Usually people see the position before looking at the person.”

 

No matter how senior an attendant was, was he not still an attendant?

 

Whether a Noble or a member of the Royal Palace, everyone thought of Ian only as the Prince’s senior attendant, not recalling his physical characteristics first.

 

But Dmirea had never seen anyone as a position before seeing them as a person, so she had thought most people would know by now.

 

Ian continued speaking as if it was nothing.

 

“My younger sister is still immature and doesn’t know things well.”

 

[So you’re just calling the great Lesser Duchess your young sister, saying she is still immature. I can’t get used to you speaking that way at all.] Rerik, who swallowed these words, just answered obediently again with a simple “yes.”

 

“So don’t worry about it and just be comfortable like before. After all, in the Royal Palace, we’re both just the Princes’ attendants, that is all.”

 

“… Yes.”

 

Thus continued this situation full of problems, where Ian, who still did not quite understand what the problem was, spoke with a bright smile, and Rerik, whose problem still remained unresolved, carefully answered with a still cautious attitude.

 

And in the room across the corridor where the two stood, talk of an even bigger problem was taking place.

 

“I know well that you’re clever, older brother.”

 

Kalian opened his mouth as if troubled, then stopped speaking for a moment and tapped the table before continuing.

 

“Learning Magic and swordsmanship together is not as easy as you think it is.”

 

This was said by Kalian, who had died after learning all his swordsmanship and was living again, having despicably already reached the Fourth-Circle in Magic. Although he could not flatly refuse, it meant that he could not teach him in any case.

 

Plants, who had taken a sip of juice made from grinding avocado and figs together, asked briefly.

 

“Why.”

 

Kalian also knew that this guy, like an avocado pit, would try to learn everything like an avocado tree sucking up water.

 

Moreover, the Magic that old Kalian had secretly achieved through self-study was a full Third-Circle.

 

This talented Bloodline blessed by Syspanian had only stopped receiving Magic education for Princes several generations ago because Beurisen had interfered, but Plants would have talent too. However, having talent did not mean there were no limits, did it?

 

Kalian, who smiled slightly at this contradictory situation where the person wanting to learn Magic had perfect Beurisen Bloodline, spoke.

 

“The methods of utilizing Mana are different. It’s not like you pile up Mana and yap and Magic just whooshes out, nor is it that if you pile up Mana, after embarking on the path of the sword, Aura just automatically booms out.”

 

“Stop barking. Explain properly.”

 

Kalian made a troubled face while looking at Plants, who was annoyed at his deliberately childish tone.

 

He wondered what more this guy who had just eaten figs without even knowing that fig flowers were inside the figs he was eating wanted to learn here.

 

“Of course I know well that you also have talent to be a Mage. But it will be too much for you to do both right now.”

 

“I’ll learn even if not right away.”

 

Kalian ate the last remaining piece of steak without answering. Then he continued speaking while looking at Plants, who had finished his meal long ago.

 

“Just give up on Luci’s fur. When I’m there, I’ll remove it for you. And eat more. You won’t grow taller.”

 

Plants’ eyes narrowed at Kalian’s words, which continued to treat him like a joke.

 

“It seems my little brother can now only bark.”

 

“I told you to practice accumulating Mana diligently, and I said I’m scheduled to spar with the Lesser Duchess today, so if you’re interested you should come watch, and you suddenly ask me to teach you Magic, so what am I supposed to say?”

 

“Human words.”

 

“Haa, seriously.”

 

It would soon be time for Dmirea to arrive.

 

Kalian, who at this rate would end up eating with the pea and then waiting for his fiancée to come for the spar, finally nodded as if he understood and said.

 

“Then I’ll meet Master this evening and speak to him. It would be better for you to learn from Master.”

 

“No.”

 

Kalian, who had been glaring at the green eyes that seemed intent on raising not Luci but Kalian’s patience, sighed. This grass-head who had agreed it was good to set fire to the Elves’ Mother Tree was eating well and then suddenly acting like this. Since he knew why, he ultimately could only sigh.

 

“The talk about not acting like you’re going to disappear whenever something comes up, not acting like you’re hastily cleaning up the aftermath. You understood that, didn’t you?”

 

“Teaching you Mana and teaching Dmirea swordsmanship doesn’t mean that.”

 

“It’s fine.”

 

Plants, who had been facing Kalian with an annoyed expression, pointed at Kalian with his finger and said.

 

“Dream too. You as well. Properly. When you wake from nightmares. Not strange dreams.”

 

He told him to dream good dreams and he learned that already.

 

It was telling him not to make strange dreams like taking revenge on Serenty. It was obvious he had worried again to come up with that excuse. While presenting that excuse he had worried over, while saying he would create work worth Kalian’s proper effort, with selfish hands that had not even a speck of consideration, he was grabbing Kalian again.

 

[That grass-head, I’m about to die because of you. I’m really about to die from annoyance.]

 

Kalian, who had not learned how to break such strange stubbornness through two lifetimes, finally sighed deeply once more and said.

 

“After the Secritia matter is finished. I’ll teach you then.”

 

And so ultimately like this, he promised that once this matter was settled, he would teach the pea Magic for removing cat fur.