Chapter 235, That Heart (3)

Translator: Hedge

Editor: Lizzz

 

*Clang!*

 

The dull, heavy sound of blades rang through the training grounds.

 

It was the sound of a sword flying through the air, unable to withstand the force of the strike, before falling to the ground.

 

As someone watched the sword bounce and roll several times before coming to a stop, a voice addressed them.

 

“You’re pushing yourself too hard.”

 

Since finishing afternoon training until now.

 

Ronankite, the Captain of the Siegfried Knights, who had long since given up counting how many sparring matches had taken place today alone, hardened his face and nodded. Though the voice that had just spoken was sudden, he had been aware of the person’s approach from the start and was not surprised.

 

“I can’t tell if you’re training them or driving yourself into the ground.”

 

Yuran, another Siegfried Knight who had spoken to Ronankite, looked ahead again. She could see Dmirea, her face full of exhaustion, calling the next Knight forward to stand before her.

 

Yuran spoke with a worried voice.

 

“Shouldn’t we stop her soon? It’s gotten quite late.”

 

“Who could stop her? Unless the Young Master comes, perhaps.”

 

Soon the sound of blade clashing against blade filled the training grounds once more.

 

The Knights who would soon be heading to the Royal Palace began to hold their breath and watch the exchange between Dmirea and the other Knight from their designated spot at the edge of the training grounds.

 

It had been a long time, and the sparring had continued for many rounds. It was fortunate that there seemed to be no sign of boredom, but it was worrying that not only the Knights but Dmirea herself should be resting by now.

 

“There’s no choice.”

 

Ronankite quietly moved his arms.

 

Yuran smiled slightly and spoke.

 

“You said there was no one to stop the Lesser Duchess, but now you’re going to do it yourself?”

 

Ronankite nodded once.

 

“If I can’t stop her, I’ll have to knock her down. What else can I do?”

 

“Don’t you have trouble beating the Lesser Duchess these days, Captain?”

 

“Don’t say it like that just because I went easy on her. Someone might misunderstand.”

 

“I see. I almost misunderstood myself.”

 

The last words were spoken neither by Yuran nor by Ronankite.

 

“…!”

 

At the unfamiliar voice that had intruded on their conversation, Ronankite’s eyes widened in shock, though he had not been surprised by Yuran’s appearance.

 

Ronankite, the Captain leading Siegfried’s Knight Order. And Yuran, the Knight currently in charge of their training.

 

The voice of someone who had approached them without either noticing and spoke casually continued.

 

“Good to see you. No, wait. Should I say it’s been a while?”

 

Beneath a deeply pulled black hood, red lips curved into a deep smile.

 

* * *

 

Dmirea was excellent in her studies.

 

Even to Kalian, who had considerable knowledge of books thanks to the Old Kalian, who loved reading, and Chase.

 

“Thank you.”

 

After the head butler, whose manners were as polite as Ian’s, set down two cups of tea and left, Dmirea spoke these words. Kalian tilted his head at the sudden expression of gratitude.

 

“What are you thankful for?”

 

“Because you took the trouble to show me firsthand that there are problems with the estate’s security.”

 

Kalian made a sound of understanding and replied.

 

“I did come all the way to the main gate openly riding Raven, though. So don’t scold the people guarding the perimeter and the gate.”

 

Then he laughed softly.

 

He felt somewhat sorry for Ronankite and Yuran, who were probably running laps around the training grounds by now of their own accord.

 

A little while ago, Kalian, who had escaped from the Royal Palace again, leisurely made his way to Siegfried’s mansion. Whether to hide or announce the Prince’s outing, he rode Raven wearing a single black hood pulled over his head.

 

After that, he removed his hood in front of the Knights guarding the estate’s perimeter and main gate, entering without any conflict. Then, before the guard Knight could inform anyone of the Third Prince’s visit, he disappeared in a flash and appeared before Ronankite and Yuran to greet them.

 

And now he sat facing Dmirea like this.

 

“I also learned well how freely a Sword Master can move through a place they’ve decided to infiltrate.”

 

“I’m just good at sneaking around. It’s not because I’m a Sword Master, I have always been good at it. And if you’re thankful, don’t grumble and just say you’re upset that I barged in and wandered around freely as I liked.”

 

“Since you’ve already understood perfectly, there’s no need for me to spell it out, is there?”

 

[Ah, that’s true.] Kalian laughed again.

 

It was not a conventional thing to do, admittedly.

 

For a Prince of a nation to secretly set foot in a Ducal Family where his fiancée stayed alone, in the middle of the night at that. If he had something urgent to convey, he could have sent a letter through Ian, yet he came in this manner, so his intentions could not help but be suspected.

 

“If Your Highness wants to completely block your marriage prospects, please use another method. You’ll eternally block off mine this way.”

 

“That’s not why I came. But won’t you marry me?”

 

Again with words he did not mean.

 

Dmirea looked at Kalian with eyes that asked why he was imitating her foolish older brother by visiting in the dead of night, then answered.

 

“I’ll accept it if you give up the throne.”

 

“That’s difficult. I have to play the role of someone’s cat.”

 

“How unfortunate.”

 

“Still, cancel the engagement later.”

 

“I’ll think about it after seeing what you do.”

 

“Ah… then I’d better listen to my fiancée well, right?”

 

She said she would completely forget about the secret he kept.

 

Kalian grinned at Dmirea, who was acting as if that day never happened, as if she had no questions at all, and picked up his teacup to smell it.

 

A subtle orchid fragrance rose from the green tea.

 

“Ah. By any chance, is this.”

 

Kalian’s eyes widened in surprise as he recognized the familiar scent.

 

[‘The kind Prince gave me tea. My friend liked it, so I gave it to her. I’m sorry.’]

 

[Seriously, what was there to be sorry about? If our Hina wanted to give it to a friend, it wouldn’t be wasteful even if I bought her an entire tea plantation instead of just green tea.]

 

“Yes. It’s tea I received as a gift from Lady Bern.”

 

“So, you gave it to a friend…”

 

Soon, Dmirea made a disgusted expression at Kalian’s face, which was filled with what was obviously, ‘so our Hina made a friend, and it was you.’

 

[What on earth was that look, overflowing with the accumulated years of his life experience?]

 

When was it that he put on such shows behaving outrageously before the Nobles, throwing every bit of temper he had or didn’t have, and now he wore such a face?

 

Dmirea, showing a barely visible smile, spoke.

 

“What business brings you here?”

 

“I’m hiding a secret, and I leaked a bit.”

 

And Kalian said this, completely dousing cold water on Dmirea’s slightly improved mood.

 

Wasn’t Dmirea supposed to be someone who did not know about said secret? Yet since he came about a matter related to that secret, the promise to ignore the secret became meaningless as he brought up this matter right in front of her.

 

Kalian smiled brightly at Dmirea, whose eyes had sharpened after being reminded of what they had agreed to cover up.

 

“It leaked long before I made that promise with you, so don’t try to catch me on that.”

 

“… Yes. Please continue.”

 

“En. Anyway, my secret is connected to Secritia, and it caused some problems this time. So, I asked Duke Siegfried to look into it. But he said there were no suspicious people in the Siegfried Territory.”

 

While listening to Kalian’s continuing story, Dmirea organized what he was saying in her own way.

 

Kalian’s secret was connected to Secritia. The secret had been exposed, putting him in a difficult position. It seemed the secret had leaked during the Roselita period.

 

Sleiman had known about it.

 

“Father knew about it.”

 

“Yes. I was caught right away when I went to Siegfried Territory.”

 

‘But don’t worry, I won’t get caught anymore.’ He made a face that said as much.

 

However, a headache came on at the face grinning carelessly.

 

[So, that father of mine knew everything and did not tell me?].

 

Dmirea, who could not speak any harsher words beyond that, let out a long sigh. Regardless, Kalian’s words continued.

 

“But I remembered there’s one more person besides those in Siegfried Territory who accompanied me during the Roselita, here. We were somewhat close, you know. Of course, Duke Siegfried investigated together with them, but I wanted to make sure, so I came to meet them.”

 

It was Yuran.

 

He was saying he came because he suspected Yuran’s identity.

 

Yuran had become a Siegfried Knight around the time Sleiman married and had been a Knight who stayed by the siblings’ side with unwavering loyalty from when Ian had just started learning to walk until now. So, for Dmirea, Yuran was in some ways more like Family than Sleiman.

 

Instead of showing displeasure at the words that he suspected such a person, Dmirea asked calmly.

 

“What should I confirm?”

 

Because Kalian did not need to consider what kind of person Yuran was to Dmirea.

 

“No. I already met and examined her earlier. She seems fine.”

 

“How can you be certain of that from just seeing her briefly?”

 

“There’s such a thing.”

 

Kalian chuckled, thinking of Yuran, who had not even tried to hide her seething jealousy with eyes that said: ‘I was trying to generously understand and overlook you making our Young Master suffer, but now you’ve even entangled our Lesser Duchess? You bastard, you’ve met your match, let’s have another go at it!’

 

“Well, it is something that absolutely cannot be hidden.” Kalian knew well that those thorny feelings toward him stemmed from concern and care for someone.

 

Kalian’s eyes, which had been looking down at the hands of the person who would be the source of those feelings, turned toward Dmirea. He met those calm bluish-gray eyes with his red eyes that always seemed to be ablaze.

 

“Dmirea.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“I reached the path of the sword at the youngest age in history.”

 

“I know.”

 

“Originally too.”

 

Dmirea’s eyes sank once more.

 

“Though I wasn’t as young as I am now, I was the fastest originally too. I had to be, and I wanted to be. So, I reached that path the fastest.”

 

Kalian’s eyes returned to Dmirea’s scarred hands.

 

“Naturally, there were many things I gave up to achieve that. Many. Too many.”

 

Remembering the words Chase had asked of Bern at the small beach, those words to come and rest anytime, Kalian spoke like this.

 

Dmirea looked at her own hands following Kalian’s gaze, then looked back into Kalian’s eyes. Kalian continued speaking while looking at Dmirea.

 

“Whether you take up the sword for your Family, for Ian, because you want to surpass me, or for some other reason. I don’t know exactly, but I do know how important that path is to people like us. So, I won’t tell you to cover it all up and rest easy, to take it slow. But, I’m just a bit curious, Dmirea.”

 

“… What are you curious about?”

 

“Whether you know that there are things you’re giving up. Whether you know but are truly okay with it, taking up the sword like this. It’s not so much worry as just curiosity.”

 

He did not explain how different Dmirea’s current situation was from Bern’s back then. How desperately Bern had gripped the sword at that time, how much he had been forced to give up things he had to let go of. Despite all that, he did not explain what reason had forced him to pursue the path of the sword to such extremes.

 

Because it might sound like he was telling her to not have that kind of desperation.

 

Dmirea was not Bern. He knew that Dmirea too must desperately care about something, but she just had not said it yet.

 

“I want you to surpass me. I believe it will certainly happen. When that day comes, I’ll be as happy as you, and I mean it.”

 

Because he knew better than anyone how much effort it would take until that day came.

 

“But Dmirea. I don’t want to watch you run without even knowing what you’re giving up. I’ve never regretted living that way, but it was never okay either. It wasn’t okay, not at all.”

 

The scent of orchids rose from the green tea.

 

[I hope you never end up like me.]

 

That day when she had received this tea from Hina.

 

Dmirea smiled, briefly recalling what Kalian had said when sending her to Hina. She had thought he was speaking carelessly without knowing others’ minds, but now she understood why he had said such things.

 

“Of course, you and I are different, so you might not be like that. If you tell me not to worry, I won’t say such things anymore. I just want to know whether you’ve ever thought about the things you’re giving up.”

 

After looking down at her teacup in silence for a while, Dmirea spoke.

 

“I don’t think I should answer hastily. Your words are truly heavy.”

 

“It’s not that heavy. It’s just my meddling.”

 

“As I told you, I actually thought Your Highness had talent. I thought such talent could be surpassed easily, so I tried not to be impatient. But after learning what you had hidden, I became angry again, separate from my older brother’s matter. Because I thought you had obtained it without paying a price. I pushed myself hard until now because I didn’t want to lose to such a person even more.”

 

Seeing how she looked at the training grounds today, it seemed that way, and so Kalian nodded.

 

“But since you’ve told me you were the fastest before too… It’s a bit annoying, but.”

 

Kalian chuckled at the Lesser Duchess’s words and behavior before him, a Prince.

 

“Not bad. Since you were someone who had both talent and made great effort, I’ll stop being angry.”

 

“That’s a relief.”

 

“I’m a very greedy person, so things may not change much. But I won’t forget what you said.”

 

“That’s good.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

Dmirea said this with a slight smile, feeling as if she had finished a sparring match.

 

Kalian, who finished drinking all of the precious tea that had passed through Hina’s hands without saying anything more, lightly clapped his palms together and stood up.

 

“I’ve confirmed what I needed to confirm and said what I needed to say, so I’ll be going now. The tea was good.”

 

At Kalian’s words, Dmirea’s eyes lit up as she remembered something she had forgotten while having a serious conversation.

 

“That’s not all, is there?”

 

“What?”

 

“Your reason for coming here. It seems there’s more.”

 

“Does it seem that way?”

 

“Yes. You’re not someone who would come all the way here personally just to check on my subordinate, are you?”

 

He had come under the pretext of seeing Yuran and conveyed to Dmirea a story that occurred to him while he was here, so the things he wanted to say were not the original reason for coming in the first place. Moreover, hadn’t he said Sleiman had already checked once? Despite that, for Kalian to personally come all the way here saying he would meet her again, Yuran was too small a piece of the pie.

 

“Then should I say I came to see my wonderful fiancée?”

 

“Stop saying strange things. What are you scheming again?”

 

[Oops. It didn’t work.] Kalian smiled brightly.

 

“Well, anyway, I’m someone who likes fishing as much as hunting.”

 

Having said this, Kalian raised his hand to pull the black hood back over his head and continued.

 

“Fish that use their heads moderately will never bite when something that’s obviously bait is right in front of them. But since there’s food in front of them, they can’t go elsewhere and just watch carefully. All while desperately watching the bait, if they see something that seems more proper just next to it…”

 

The red eyes like that of a cat carefully trying to catch a single mouse disappeared beneath the black cloth.

 

“Without thinking twice, they bite hard.”

 

Not knowing that too was just bait.

 

After watching Kalian chattering excitedly for a while, Dmirea quietly replied.

 

“I am not the Second Prince.”

 

In short, she did not understand.

 

“I know you’re planning to catch Marquis Beurisen through hunting or fishing or whatever. But I don’t understand what the explanation you gave me has to do with you coming here alone in the middle of the night.”

 

“You’ll understand gradually. Just watch for now.”

 

“Your Highness.”

 

“Yes?”

 

“Didn’t you tell me not to push myself too hard? As I told you before, Marquis Beurisen is a dangerous person. He’s strong enough to have protected the Beurisen Family with only force and no strategy. Yet aren’t you trying to hunt such a person directly? Why are you pushing yourself so hard?”

 

“As I said earlier.”

 

A pretty smile formed once more on Kalian’s lips, his face now completely covered.

 

“I have to play the role of someone’s cat. Me. *Meow meow.*”

 

[How disturbing. Does my brother even know that this person has such a character?]

 

As Dmirea frowned while recalling the black cat that had been passed to Plants at the banquet hall, Kalian, ready to leave, offered his farewell.

 

“I’ll come again, my fiancée. Sleep well.”

 

Having finished his cryptic farewell, Kalian left with light steps.

 

Dmirea let out a deep sigh.

 

Because she seemed to hear Ian’s worried voice rushing toward her.

 

Of course, she did not know that about a week later, that deep sigh would turn into an irritated breath full of anger. Nor that Kalian, who ‘missed his wonderful fiancée,’ would start visiting unexpectedly every two or three days.

 

She did not know until that day.