Chapter 227, No One Could Handle It (5)

Translator: Hedge

Editor: Lizzz

 

After sparring with Dmirea, Kalian met Allan and Plants.

 

He had gone to Allan with a favor to ask, but we ended up discussing Zeon instead. In the end, he made a request about something he had hoped Allan could just forget and move on from. Though he knew that finding Etienne again was Allan’s personal responsibility, his fatherly heart was so earnest in hoping his ‘son’ wouldn’t feel guilty about it that Kalian managed to finish the conversation pretending nothing was wrong before leaving.

 

After that, Kalian received a final confirmation from Plants, that he had no interest in the Crown Prince position, and that this would never change in the future.

 

“But I still haven’t decided. Whether to raise a big dog or a small dog. Whether to raise a black dog or a white dog.”

 

In the end, Kalian had been granted permission to be the one to go to Camilon and raise dogs, and to be the one who would succeed Rmain and keep Cyries alive. From the one who had been losing his mind for so long, from the one who had finally gone mad while holding that position.

 

Ironically enough…

 

“Did you stay up all night worrying about what kind of dog to raise?”

 

“Of course not. I’m not that strange.”

 

“Then why didn’t you sleep? If you had called for me, I would have warmed some milk for you, but you didn’t even do that.”

 

Those words, half worry and half scolding, were warmer than heated milk.

 

“I just had a lot to think about.”

 

The previous day.

 

After finishing the healing, Dmirea had returned and they shared a meal together. Then, Dmirea recommended four Nobles who would be suitable candidates for the Count position—to replace Gray Beurisen.

 

“Thank you. I’ll discuss it with His Majesty and decide on one of those four.”

 

After that, they discussed the Knights secretly being hidden at the Siegfried residence. On the day the Seal of Oath on Plants’s heart was lifted, they would all enter the Royal Palace at once. They were important forces who would keep Valkan’s Knights in check should they run wild, assist Valkan’s Mages including Arsene, and protect the positions of Rmain and Plants.

 

Therefore, Kalian informed Dmirea of part of the plan he was considering and, though it was shameless, requested help once more.

 

“Once the Seal of Oath disappears, my older brother will be able to handle matters within the Royal Palace on his own, so there won’t be any need for Siegfried to intervene in palace affairs. But I might be away at that time, so if I’m absent, could I ask you to just relay what I’ve told you to him?”

 

This was because he could not tell Plants about the plan to drive out Evan Beurisen right now. Dmirea had also agreed to hand over the hidden Knights to Plants when the time came. Additionally, delivering a single message would not conflict with Siegfried’s principles. Therefore, Dmirea nodded, accepting yet another debt to Kalian.

 

After finishing that conversation and sending Dmirea away, Kalian had been thinking ever since. He thought while forgetting that the darkened view outside the window had brightened and the birds had begun singing again.

 

“Please rest, even just a little. You overexerted yourself yesterday.”

 

“One sparring match isn’t overexertion. Staying up all night is fine too.”

 

Ian had watched Sleiman, so he should know what stamina a Sword Master possessed, yet he still urged Kalian to rest while carefully examining every aspect of Kalian’s face. It was obvious he was worried about what concerns could have been so numerous.

 

“It’s not a big problem, so you don’t need to worry that much.”

 

“You have to stop making me worry for me not to worry. You know that being told not to worry is the most worrying thing, right?”

 

Ian answered again with words mixed with worry and scolding, then let out a small sigh as he watched Kalian, who only smiled without answering. After that, he sent out all the maids who had finished arranging Kalian’s clothes and hair.

 

Once everyone had left and the door was closed, Ian spoke in a quiet voice.

 

“Prince Randel’s attendant came.”

 

“He’s a bit late.”

 

Finally, an answer had come from Randel.

 

“Only the content ‘Tuesday morning’ was conveyed.”

 

A truly Randel-like simple answer had arrived. Hearing such an answer, it seemed Randel was indeed a descendant of Syspanian after all. All so hard to understand…

 

“If you need to confirm the details, I’ll ask again.”

 

“I understand what it means. You don’t need to confirm again.”

 

Though the message had been delivered without any explanation, it wasn’t difficult to understand. It meant he would meet Gray Beurisen before the ceremony to honor Royal Consort Freya began.

 

“He chose the date well.”

 

Kalian offered this impression without any explanation either.

 

Many Nobles would be entering the Royal Palace anyway, so it wouldn’t be strange if Gray Beurisen were mixed among them. Therefore, it was the perfect day to make it seem as though they intended to meet naturally while avoiding others’ eyes.

 

There could be no better day to make Evan, who might try to use his head a bit, misunderstand that Gray had tried to secretly meet Randel while disguising it as natural.

 

Kalian, having sent another silent compliment to Randel for choosing and conveying a date as if understanding Kalian’s intentions despite no particular explanation, spoke.

 

“I think I need to see His Majesty today.”

 

“Yes. I’ll send someone to Arpia Palace to confirm.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

Kalian nodded in answer, then spoke again.

 

“And deliver all the rumors circulating on Astrisha Street related to me without exception. Not briefly like now, but everything.”

 

“There won’t be any rumors the Nobles spread that aren’t related to Your Highness. I’ll relay them as news comes in.”

 

“Yes. Thank you.”

 

Ian stared intently at Kalian, who was saying thank you again. Toward Kalian, whose eyes asked why, Ian spoke.

 

“Please reduce those kinds of words now.”

 

“What words?”

 

“Words like thank you and I’m sorry.”

 

Kalian smiled.

 

A King should neither be grateful nor apologetic. It also meant he should take everything for granted and be confident about everything, just as Rmain had been before.

 

Therefore, Ian’s words were advice to gradually reduce words of gratitude and apology from now on, since the path to succeeding Rmain’s position was becoming clear.

 

“I don’t want to.”

 

Perhaps the words had transferred from that green fellow, because such an answer came out naturally.

 

Ian smiled slightly.

 

It was probably because he had said what he should as the Prince’s attendant and heard an answer he liked as Kalian’s person.

 

“If I changed like that, no one could handle it.”

 

“Yes. Do as you please, then.”

 

Kalian nodded and smiled back.

 

After that, he began seriously contemplating again what kind of dog to raise.

 

* * *

 

The blacksmith Gix laughed heartily.

 

“My goodness, Lesser Duchess. What kind of fight did you get into overnight for your sword to be damaged like this?”

 

True to his good-natured personality, he had become much more comfortable dealing with Dmirea in the meantime.

 

“It happened while receiving the Third Prince’s sword.”

 

“Oh my.”

 

Gix let out an exclamation containing many words, then laughed heartily again and rolled up his sleeves. Then, after carefully examining where and how it needed to be repaired, he said.

 

“I’ll fix it up well and bring it to you by evening.”

 

“No. I will come again.”

 

A corner of the estate, both the sound of hammering iron and the deep red flames were quite pleasing. Therefore, it wouldn’t be troublesome to come once more and observe this place.

 

Besides, wasn’t Gix the one who was busy beyond measure managing all those Knights’ swords?

 

“You’re busy, yet the Lesser Duchess comes in person every time.”

 

“I’m planning to postpone everything and rest for the whole day anyway, so it’s fine.”

 

Just as her words indicated, she planned to spend time leisurely drinking tea and reading books. Although she had already spent peaceful time yesterday thanks to Hina, her mind had become complicated again after meeting Kalian afterward.

 

“Was yesterday’s sparring with the Third Prince very tiring?”

 

“Rather than tiring… I might be ‘away’ at that time. Mostly because I had many other thoughts.”

 

Having overheard words not knowing to whom they were directed, Gix interpreted Dmirea’s words according to his own understanding and spoke.

 

“It makes sense that your thoughts would increase. I don’t know anything about swordsmanship, but I know he’s truly an amazing person. Wasn’t it someone who lost all their muscles to poison who overcame it all in just one year and reached that level? Anyone who spars with such a person would have many thoughts.”

 

[Lost all his muscles to poison?]

 

“What do you mean by that?”

 

“As his betrothed, you didn’t know? I’m talking about Sillike’s poison. It was shortly before the incident where he coughed up blood and collapsed that His Highness first came to my shop, and he was already unable to properly hold a sword then. Yet the way he examined swords was so meticulous. Anyway, about a year after such a major incident, he became a Sword Master and came back to the shop. He told me it was because of Sillike’s poison that he couldn’t hold a sword, then left. Wasn’t that truly comprehending the principles of swordsmanship and overcoming adversity? Heavens, for someone who must have handled swords so much to have his body damaged to the point where he couldn’t freely hold even a thin sword. I simply couldn’t imagine with my head just how terrible a poison he must have taken.”

 

Dmirea stared at Gix’s face without answering. Gix, too absorbed in recalling memories that were not quite memories with the remarkable Kalian to properly observe Dmirea’s expression, continued speaking.

 

“So how much mental suffering must His Highness have endured? But now he’s properly established himself like that, and this time he’s elevating Royal Consort Freya to Queen, so isn’t that all Serenty rewarding him for the hardships he has endured?”

 

“That might be so.”

 

She had naturally known about the poisoning.

 

Who in Cyries wouldn’t know about it?

 

But somehow she felt uneasy.

 

“Have you told this story anywhere else?”

 

“Oh my, in whose presence would I dare mention matters of the Third Prince? I’m only telling the Lesser Duchess because you are His Highness’s betrothed.”

 

“I would appreciate it if you didn’t mention it elsewhere in the future either. It is the entanglement of the struggles for Royal succession.”

 

“Of course I’ll do so. Don’t worry, Lesser Duchess.”

 

Whether he knew or not that Dmirea’s thoughts had increased further, Gix nodded with a refreshing smile.

 

* * *

 

Plants frowned.

 

With his younger brother in front of him, who had barked strangely yesterday and was now barking uselessly today, his mind became somewhat complicated.

 

It seemed that saying he barked too much had actually made him only bark, Plants briefly blamed himself before opening his mouth.

 

“I’m busy.”

 

It seemed this younger brother had so many concerns that he briefly forgot something trivial, but Plants was too busy to think about such things together, so he answered as such.

 

Because Kalian, having thoroughly eaten large amounts of food with plenty of meat and even finished one ear of buttered and toasted corn, asked this question to Plants, who had eaten half of one piece of fragrant bread and oatmeal soup with mushrooms before putting down his spoon.

 

‘What kind of dog should I raise when I go to Camilon?’

 

He asked with a serious face as if it were the biggest concern of his life.

 

Soon, Plants, who had been quietly watching the table being cleared and two glasses of juice being set down, spoke.

 

“Just let that blue-haired crazy Mage loose. He barks too well.”

 

“Ah. That is an unexpected method.”

 

Despite being busy, he ended up thinking about Kalian’s concern after all. The content didn’t matter. What was important was that he had provided one solution.

 

Plants, watching Kalian who looked like he might actually try that before bursting into laughter, took a sip of deep purple grape juice. Then he leaned back in his chair and asked.

 

“What is it, again?”

 

Though he had not examined it yet, Plants had already received the documents with Euria’s investigation results. Nevertheless, seeing Kalian spouting nonsense again, it was obvious there was another concern.

 

“Does it show?”

 

“My younger brother has no talent for hiding things.”

 

Having said that, Plants gestured and spoke.

 

“I’m busy.”

 

He had already taken the entire previous day off, hadn’t he? At the words telling him to speak quickly and leave, Kalian, feeling that even he did not know, opened his mouth.

 

“You’re really planning to continue sharing your responsibility, right? You might not be able to handle it though.”

 

“I told you already.”

 

Kalian let out a small laugh, then pulled out a rolled-up piece of paper from his breast and handed it to Plants.

 

“Since you’re planning to continue sharing, I’m setting up one safety device for your heart. Well, I’m not really sure if it will be a safety device or not, but it’s good if it works and can’t be helped if it doesn’t. There won’t be any loss for you.”

 

Plants’s eyes narrowed as he untied the thin leather cord binding the paper and checked the contents. Without waiting for an answer, Kalian continued speaking.

 

“So let’s just do one more of what you’ve already done anyway. With me.”

 

Kalian, having said this, smiled brightly, and Plants, truly hearing proper human speech for the first time in a long while, curled up the corners of his mouth.

 

“Let’s do it.”

 

The Seal of Oath.

 

While looking down at the paper for another contract.