Chapter 228, Whose Son I Am (1)

Translator: Hedge

Editor: Lizzz

 

Contradiction.

 

Something that does not conform to mutual logic. Inconsistency, or irrationality.

 

In truth, Kalian had considered blatantly exploiting it.

 

* * *

 

‘What would happen if I layered a Seal of Oath to betray Beurisen on top of a Seal of Oath not to betray Beurisen?’

 

‘In such a case, the contract itself would not be established.’

 

‘Or perhaps make a new contract with conditions like not dying because of the Seal of Oath, or ignoring the existing Seal of Oath, or simply not dying at all.’

 

‘Your Highness. Syspanian is a thoughtful Ancient Dragon.’

 

So thoughtfully indeed, Allan answered this way.

 

If Rmain had asked that question, Allan would surely have responded by asking whether he thought Syspanian had created the Magic called the Seal of Oath as thoughtlessly as him. And if Plants had received such a question, he would have answered by asking why he was barking again.

 

So, Kalian was grateful for the roundabout, polite way of answering ‘why are you asking such a stupid question,’ and Allan added more words.

 

‘You could look for gaps where the Seals of Oath do not conflict with each other.’

 

* * *

 

Kalian, watching the green pea who accepted wagering his own heart without a moment’s hesitation, recalled Allan’s words once more and opened his mouth.

 

“While you’re at it, you should write down your demands too, older brother. I will grant them.”

 

“You speak so easily.”

 

“I say this because the person who knows this is not an easy matter shows no hesitation whatsoever in wagering his own heart.”

 

[Seriously. When did he first suggest making a contract, and now when I agree, it’s nagging. If I had answered that I wouldn’t do it, he would have said something like ‘why are you being stingy with a heart that’s already been bound once…’]

 

Plants tapped the paper, pointing to what Kalian had written.

 

“I don’t know what more to write about this kind of content.”

 

“Anything.”

 

“As if I know what to say.”

 

“Whatever it is, you need to properly secure your share. What’s the use of being smart? When that Marquis with a head that seems to be there either as decoration or left behind out of emptiness heard about making a contract, he probably just said ‘okay.'”

 

Plants, who was about to make an irritated face after seeing Kalian picking a fight from the morning about something already past, stopped and let out a short sigh instead. It was true that he had accepted Evan’s contract without adding other words, and it was also true that by wagering his heart like that, he had made things bigger.

 

“Fine.”

 

Seeing that face, Kalian, who clearly noticed what the green-faced youth with an ambiguously furrowed brow was thinking, completely ignored it and spoke again.

 

“Maybe it’s because you have so little greed, but it’s convenient and nice that you listen so well.”

 

“You spoke like a person for a moment.”

 

“It would be really nice if you would listen well when I tell you to eat more. At this rate, you really won’t grow taller, older brother.”

 

“You can’t help but bark at that bird.”

 

“I’m not barking, I’m cheering you on to eat a lot and grow tall, aren’t I?”

 

“My little brother doesn’t seem to need to raise anything in Camilon.”

 

“Please finish puberty quickly too.”

 

“Enough.”

 

“I’m asking you to cherish that heart from now on. I am, to you, older brother.”

 

At the words attached to the end of the barking, Plants closed his mouth.

 

From Kalian’s mouth, who had been watching that face for a moment, flowed a voice like rustling fallen leaves.

 

“… Since you said you would live.”

 

Since you said you would live, please live properly.

 

Plants, who had been watching Kalian without answering for a while, slowly closed and opened his eyes. An answer in a strange voice, as if giving up yet not giving up, followed.

 

“Alright.”

 

Plants, who for once answered without saying he did not want to, signed the pledge without modifying even slightly the playful content Kalian had prepared.

 

“Nothing more to write.”

 

And then he added this.

 

Kalian, watching the written letters rise up to form a long band, climb up Plants’ arm, and disappear one by one, smiled silently as he felt constraints being placed on his own heart as well.

 

This was because, as the familiar feeling came, the thought arose that he was using the Seal of Oath he had used to strangle Sillike’s life again to save Sillike’s son. For the one who had firmly decided to walk the King’s path to deliberately keep alive the one who said he would absolutely never become King. All while spouting all sorts of nonsense.

 

It was absurd.

 

Truly, absurdly.

 

* * *

 

Nidlen said this.

 

“I shouldn’t have done it.”

 

Just one day after helping Arsene with his work, she said this.

 

“I can’t even say that. There’s a Deputy Commander who will filter ‘I shouldn’t have done it’ into ‘I shouldn’t have lived’. A wonderful person who will accept a suicide note instead of a resignation letter.”

 

Whether knowing or not that those words were all completely true from beginning to end, Nidlen shook her head as if fed up. Then she took out a piece of chicken jerky and gave it to Luci, who seemed to be waiting for Plants.

 

“It’s truly amazing that after processing so many documents yesterday and leaving, when I came in the morning, they’re piled up this much again.”

 

Just looking at the volunteer applications and recommendation letters for Valkan coming from all over Cyries ahead of their plan for expansion was enough to bring overwhelming fatigue. Worse, it overlapped with the training performance evaluation period for individual members already in Valkan.

 

“If I danced in front of the Commander’s office, wouldn’t he take notice thinking, ah, that guy’s gone crazy from being too busy?”

 

“I already tried that.”

 

“What?”

 

“I was just consoled to not worry since all Cyries Mages are originally crazy.”

 

“What?”

 

“Just kidding.”

 

From where to where was that a joke?

 

Depending on that range, Nidlen, flustered at seemingly having heard something quite frightening, deliberately pretended not to see Arsene’s calm face and spoke again.

 

“Commander Manasil is really too much. No matter what, I don’t understand how he can leave all this work to you.”

 

“At least it’s fortunate that he called Lady Jelia for us. Didn’t you even get to leave work early yesterday? And while there’s usually a lot of work, it’s never been this much. Anyway, it’s not always this level, but a temporary burst, so the Commander can’t increase staff permanently either. Since most of the work content is full of secrets, he can’t just assign anyone just because we’re briefly busy. So don’t resent the Commander too much.”

 

Whether his heart had suddenly become generous from resting well or he had gotten a bit more crazy, enough to make one doubt, and enough to surprise Plants—if he had seen it he would think, ’was this blue haired mage someone who could think and live like this?’—Arsene comforted Nidlen with words that showed consideration for Allan and added one more sentence.

 

“Knight Bern is outside to meet Lady Bern, just so you know.”

 

“Oh, shi—”

 

Nidlen, one of the few people who knew that one of Kyrie’s beliefs was ‘my ears are the Prince’s ears,’ barely swallowed some harsh word that was about to slip out and thoroughly disheveled her beautifully colored hair.

 

“How precious a thing called leaving work is, I’ve learned the small happiness of daily life, so I’m just grateful to the Commander. Anyway, Lady Jelia. Go do your work.”

 

Nidlen, who had briefly considered whether she would be punished or praised if lightning struck the perfectly fine office as if by a very coincidental accident, endured her anger for now and stood up.

 

“Yeeees. I’m going. I’m going to work while enduring it.”

 

Then she picked up the documents Arsene had handed over and went to her office. One Arsene was enough to share an office with the Prince.

 

*Click!*

 

And shortly after, the office door opened, and Plants entered alone without Rerik, with a stylish beige jacket draped over his shoulders.

 

With a face that showed no remorse whatsoever for suddenly taking a rest yesterday, seeing the still Princely appearance complete with a tie pin and cufflinks embedded with unknown pinkish gemstones, Arsene tried to say something again.

 

Arsene did not know that the opulence was due to Rerik doing his best to dress Plants up, determined not to lose to Merlin, Kalian’s maid.

 

“Cease. I’ll finish everything on my own.”

 

And with such words, what he was going to say was blocked again.

 

Usually Arsene would accept it a couple of times before getting annoyed, but today was different.

 

Thanks to that, Arsene, who could not resent either Allan or Plants from the morning, grudgingly drank and set down the still pitch-black coffee before opening his mouth.

 

“The energy is still strong, so if you met a Mage with good Mana Sensitivity on your way here, you would have been caught. If you were worried about it showing, you should have come a bit later, Your Highness Deputy Commander.”

 

Arsene’s eyes were directed toward the area of Plants’ heart as he said this.

 

“I didn’t meet any Mages.”

 

“Then that’s fine. It will mostly disappear by afternoon, so if you need to keep it a secret, you just need to be careful today.”

 

“… Who else is there?”

 

Plants, who was about to open a document, asked briefly while looking at Arsene who only gave warnings without asking about anything else. Arsene, who did not understand immediately, stared at Plants blankly.

 

“People to be careful of.”

 

“Commander Manasil, Lady Jelia, Lord Fitz, Lord Pailton, about that much. The last two are guys who have no reason to come this way today, so you don’t need to worry.”

 

“Alright.”

 

“Ah. Of course, the Prince is included too, but I think you already know that.”

 

It was a Seal of Oath made with that guy, so there’s no way he would not know.

 

Plants, who just frowned without saying anything, turned his eyes back to the documents.

 

Luci, who had been sprawled on the desk where the sunlight shone well, meowed as if telling him to look at her instead of the documents, tapping the hand holding the documents.

 

Plants pulled such a Luci toward him and placed her on his lap, then tried to look at the documents but looked at Luci again instead.

 

*Ha…*

 

The contents of the Seal of Oath.

 

Because looking at Luci reminded him of the strange Seal of Oath contents that seemed full of loopholes yet also not.

 

Plants leaves the Royal Palace and lives raising a cat at the Marquis Beurisen’s residence in Cyriesus. Kalian will diligently help to fulfil this.

 

[… Come to think of it, those weren’t words a person would use. What kind of crazy bastard writes such content and says let’s wager our hearts?]

 

That thought suddenly occurred to him.

 

* * *

 

He had not forgotten that coffee was not allowed.

 

He had never heard a specific reason, but thinking of Plants, it was not difficult to guess.

 

To the second son, all flowers would be like Reunieri. As for the third son, he would be smelling the scent of Reunieri in coffee.

 

“I’m sorry.”

 

Knowing that it wasn’t Sillike’s fault that the terribly ‘beautiful’, so ‘beautiful’ it was hard to forget fragrance, still could not be forgotten, Rmain put off scolding and conveyed an apology.

 

“The coffee, and the paper flowers hung on your birthday.”

 

Though there was much more to be sorry for, fearing that today would not be enough if he brought out everything else, he barely picked out two things to talk about.

 

“It’s alright.”

 

Plants was the one who should receive Rmain’s complete apology, and Randel was the one Rmain should not apologize to hastily. The current Kalian was someone who could not receive Rmain’s apology.

 

“I see.”

 

Rmain, who would never know for a lifetime that he could not truly apologise to ‘Kalian’, answered in a sunken voice.

 

“There is something I came to tell you and receive permission for.”

 

Kalian, who said this, briefly turned his head to look toward Escort Knight Ren, and seeing this, Rmain dismissed those around them.

 

After that, Kalian’s explanation continued.

 

That he had business that required calling Gray Beurisen to the Capital. Along with the reason.

 

Rmain did not answer for a while.

 

He knew that Plants had made a Seal of Oath with Evan, but he did not know the details. He could not find words to talk about that either. To think now his youngest son had made a plan to take someone’s life, though there was a reason, so how could he answer easily?

 

“I don’t know how to think or answer.”

 

“You just need to permit it and forget it.”

 

“That’s not an easy thing.”

 

“At least regarding this matter, I am not blaming Your Majesty. Neither I nor older brother Plants.”

 

He knew that words of exoneration with a clearly drawn line would be more comfortable to hear. He also knew that he was answering that way for that reason.

 

“… I’m sorry.”

 

So Rmain selected words he could answer and delivered them with difficulty.

 

Kalian simply pretended not to hear those words and without any other answer, handed over the four new Count candidates that Dmirea had selected to protect the border. He conveyed the message to examine and decide secretly, especially so that it would absolutely not be known to anyone including Plants.

 

Since he was planning to check the situation in Secritia once more, he didn’t yet mention that he planned to visit the Elves’ Mother Tree. Rmain also didn’t ask how he planned to handle Debeullan’s demands. Because if it was Kalian, he would tell him on his own when the time came.

 

Before long, Kalian, who had finished his meeting with Rmain, came out of the office. He thought about briefly meeting Allan, but thinking it would be better to just go today, he turned his steps.

 

When he returned to Chermil Palace without stopping by Wilhelm Hall, Kalian’s steps stopped right there, recognizing someone waiting for him.

 

Ian, who recognized who it was as quickly as Kalian, spoke as if finding it strange.

 

“Why is Rea… There’s no sparring schedule today, Your Highness.”

 

While he just nodded at the matter he already knew, Dmirea, who had come close, came before Kalian, gave her respects, and immediately spoke.

 

“I went to repair my sword and heard a certain story.”

 

Kalian, who was about to ask what business brought her to the Royal Palace, slowly closed his mouth. This was because the words that came out immediately without proper greetings were by no means light.

 

Kalian stood looking at Dmirea for a while, then spoke in a quiet voice.

 

“Ian. I’ll just talk with the Lesser Duchess for a moment and then go in.”

 

Ian, who had been watching Dmirea who didn’t even look at him and Kalian who didn’t take his eyes off such a Dmirea, bowed in greeting and withdrew.

 

Without giving a glance toward the departing Ian, Dmirea opened her mouth.

 

“I came to give you a chance to explain.”

 

“What?”

 

“Everything.”

 

Just looking at that expression, it was clear what she wanted to say. The people of Siegfried always have what they want to say plainly written on their faces. She must have heard suspicious stories from the owner of the Roten Smithy.

 

[I didn’t expect she would let him into the residence. Still, I’m also truly remarkable too…] Kalian thought and smiled with self-deprecation before opening his mouth.

 

“You could have come a bit later.”

 

“I hate beating around the bush. I hate hiding things even more.”

 

“Dmirea.”

 

“What are you hiding?”

 

Having one more secret discovered by Dmirea was nothing to worry about. He had lived thinking it wouldn’t matter if everyone in the world found out. He had even lived thinking that even if Rmain found out, he could somehow deceive and get past it.

 

Kalian, with Dmirea before him, lowered his eyes for a moment.

 

“… Please. Just grant me one more favor.”

 

Right.

 

Except for Ian.

 

“Whatever you ask, I will repay you.”

 

He was confident in keeping Ian close, but still wished he did not know if possible. Because he wished that Ian alone would not know until death.