Chapter 237, That Heart (5)

Translator: Hedge

Editor: Lizzz

 

*Chatter chatter…*

 

Kalian, who had been flatly rejected from a harmonious lunch with the boiled peas, filled his stomach with the meat pies and cookies Allan had offered and returned. Afterward, he met Arsene and had a long conversation.

 

That evening, someone who was unmistakably Gray Beurisen secretly entered the Royal Palace and met with Randel.

 

After parting with Randel, Gray boarded his carriage, but the carriage did not move for quite some time. The carriage door opened and closed without anyone entering or exiting, but no one paid attention to such trivial matters or the reason why the carriage did not depart immediately.

 

The story of Gray’s mere secret visit turned the Marquis Beurisen Family upside down, but it was not enough to set ablaze Astrisha Street, which was full of Nobles.

 

Astrisha was now buzzing with news far more exciting than that.

 

“The Queen’s position has really been bestowed, so now…”

 

“The garments of the ‘black cat’ wore at the memorial ceremony…”

 

“And that day, ‘that brooch’ to the Second Prince…”

 

The mere fact that Freya Hwiteurin’s memorial ceremony had actually taken place would have generated much talk, but the things Kalian had done at that ceremony created massive waves that dominated the streets. And before the fervor over that black cat could even cool, another one came.

 

A tremendous rumor worthy of being called a typhoon swept among the people.

 

“But these days, the cat frequently goes to the elephant’s house.”

 

The ripple effect was too large to be called a simple romantic rumor.

 

The meaning went beyond what had been acknowledged by giving out a tiara-like ornament, entering the banquet hall together, and not refuting the engagement rumors.

 

“There is absolutely no room to doubt the alliance.”

 

“If that happens, then probably…”

 

“Right. Probably…”

 

“The black cat will break the golden griffin’s wings.”

 

Even though the Crown Prince had not been announced, and even though it had never been officially acknowledged that the two were truly engaged, Siegfried had already become Kalian’s solid support base, an ally beyond doubt.

 

So then, did Kalian really continue to visit the Duke’s residence only to serve as ‘tasty bait’?

 

“I have come to see the Third Prince.”

 

Dmirea, having finished pondering that question, visited the Royal Palace.

 

“Right now, the kind Prince is teaching Magic.”

 

Hina, whom she met at Chermil Palace, conveyed this message on behalf of Merlin. To be precise, it was more about observing Mana manipulation than Magic.

 

When she answered that she would wait, Hina nodded and said, ‘Then, while waiting, let’s take a walk together. I thought the Lesser Duchess might have only gone to the training grounds and library again.’

 

And then she pulled out the noisy-minded Dmirea and brought her to a small walking path in the rear garden of Chermil Palace. She would have liked to stroll by the lakeside, but since Kalian needed to be there to go to that place, she could not turn her steps in that direction.

 

“Summer flowers were full of sunlight, but autumn flowers seem to have wind settled in them, which I like.”

 

Hina, who had been smiling gently at the sight of fully bloomed scarlet wildflowers swaying this way and that, looked at Dmirea.

 

“Is that so?”

 

Dmirea, who had lived thinking that when seasons changed they just changed, when flowers bloomed they just bloomed, when they fell they just fell, just nodded indifferently.

 

Whether knowing or not knowing that she had come to the Royal Palace intending to truly propose breaking off the engagement this time, Hina, who had made peaceful remarks about sunlight being contained in flowers and wind settling in them, smiled gently and moved her hands again.

 

“Cheer up. The place we are in is so nice, why are you angry?”

 

At the gentle question, Dmirea revealed her inner thoughts.

 

“Rather than being angry, I am concerned that Siegfried may have begun to be swayed according to the Prince’s will, that it seems to be moving as those hands desire. Since I have reached the limit of how much I can help, I came to tell him to stop here. What our House gave the Prince was a shield, not a sword.”

 

Instead of saying that the Prince seemed like someone who would use anything he held as a weapon from the beginning, so even a single flower, not just a shield, would eventually be used as a sword, Hina said something else.

 

“If the promise was unilaterally broken, then the kind Prince would be in the wrong. But Lesser Duchess, apart from both your circumstances, there is something I want to tell you.”

 

Hina’s black eyes shone clearly.

 

“I don’t know much about politics. But I think that while being swayed is not good, swaying is not necessarily bad.”

 

Having said that, Hina pointed to a flower and said, “This flower is not being swayed by the wind, but rather swaying this way and that in the wind to make fruit. Because bearing fruit is the most important thing for this flower.”

 

Swaying this way and that in the wind, sending out pollen, and thus making fruit. Not standing against the wind but swaying to send pollen farther. Because the purpose of blooming was for fruit.

 

“If there is another important meaning besides bearing fruit, this flower would be fine not swaying. But if it forgets about bearing fruit and doesn’t know what else it wants, and just endures trying not to sway, this flower will just disappear without any meaning.”

 

Hina, who had shown a gentle smile, looked at Dmirea.

 

“Swaying for a reason and not swaying for a reason are both not wrong, but being wary of swaying itself, and not thinking about why one should not sway, I think that is wrong. That is just a habit to keep things the same.”

 

Stagnant water rots.

 

The horseshoes of a horse that has stopped running rust.

 

“Lesser Duchess, have you ever thought about why you should not sway?”

 

The firm conviction carried on for five hundred years was great but has stagnated.

 

What was the reason for that firmness, whether it has continued to be firm just for the sake of being firm. To the point where even that could not be distinguished.

 

“It’s fine to continue not moving, or to walk to places you haven’t been to, but I hope you think first about what the Lesser Duchess wants.”

 

Why should Siegfried not move?

 

Why does it try not to sway?

 

Hina said it seemed like the time to think about that.

 

* * *

 

“Did you think everything in the world would go as you wished?”

 

Kalian’s smile deepened.

 

Plants’ brow furrowed.

 

“Do not forget. That there will be variables.”

 

The voice of someone who had conveyed so many things to remember, as much as reasons to hate, came to mind, and Kalian briefly stopped speaking and lowered his eyes.

 

“What is it?”

 

Plants asked, watching Kalian fall into thought as soon as training ended. It was not that he had not heard the words, but Kalian did not answer immediately and did not move as if nailed to that spot.

 

Plants, who had come to memorize Kalian’s expression entirely knowing what kind of reaction Kalian showed when thinking of ‘them’, sighed briefly and opened his mouth.

 

“Why has my little brother awakened the snake again?”

 

In other words, ‘what were you thinking?’

 

Kalian, knowing that Plants had read his mind, finally raised his head. Since trying to hide it moderately would only add unnecessary imagination, Kalian just answered honestly.

 

“Because I needed it to move.”

 

“What did you need?”

 

“Possibilities.”

 

“Speak formally.”

 

“Possibilities, Your Highness.”

 

Kalian, who had casually lowered his speech without concern and corrected it just as casually without any apologetic expression even at the words pointing it out, smiled slightly.

 

“As I was trying to consider various possibilities that might arise in the future, I ended up thinking of it. I have lived until now with what I learned from the snake, so I cannot forget it, can I?”

 

There was no knowing how far Plants’ thoughts would extend, and there was no knowing how far Kalian’s thoughts would spread.

 

Kalian, who had ended up recalling Debeullan cautioning about variables while trying to consider each possibility that might arise in the plans he had now made, spoke as if it was fine.

 

“It is not something to worry about. It is not a memory I want to avoid but a necessary memory.”

 

“Speak formally.”

 

“Memory, Your Highness.”

 

Plants, who sighed once more watching his younger brother who became particularly rude whenever he brought out that Prince’s knowledge, moved his steps.

 

“Have you decided on the cat’s name?”

 

“Not yet.”

 

“It has been a week, Your Highness.”

 

“Luci was longer.”

 

Luci was without a name for far longer, was she not?

 

“You told me not to play favorites.”

 

At the answer that suggested he had decided to take his time thinking because Luci might feel hurt if he gave the kitten a name right away like making a fuss, Kalian let out a small laugh.

 

“That is true. Although you use Luci as an excuse, since this is the first precious thing of ‘older brother’s’ you have obtained, you must be deeply troubled.”

 

“You said you would act like a cat, so I thought you would not bark.”

 

“Since you do not decide the cat’s name carelessly… how meticulous my older brother is.”

 

“No, I’m not.”

 

“If it is truly difficult, shall I name it for you? Something like ‘Butterfly’?”

 

“No.”

 

Plants, who had cut off Kalian’s words without hesitation, turned his head. And looking straight at Kalian, he said, “Do not bark uselessly to distract me.”

 

“Did I do that?”

 

“You do not need to.”

 

“Sure.”

 

Kalian, who obediently answered knowing that Plants was telling him not to deliberately bark since he knew the intention was to prevent him from thinking about what possibilities involving Debeullan he had been considering, could not resist the sudden question that arose and put it into words.

 

“Then how about barking usefully?”

 

*Haaa…*

 

Plants just left the training grounds as if it was not worth replying. Kalian, who smiled again watching that fresh back of his head, began to seriously ponder whether he had ever barked usefully or not.

 

Thanks to that, the memories of Debeullan that had filled his head gradually flowed away and disappeared.

 

* * *

 

Kalian, who received lemon tea with lots and lots of honey, smiled.

 

“Do I still look like I’m thinking a lot?”

 

It was a strange question, but Ian nodded without hesitation.

 

“Yes. You look like it.”

 

“I should reflect on that.”

 

“Rea was like that too, and now even the Prince looks complicated, so I’m worried.”

 

“You met Dmirea?”

 

“Yes. But perhaps she did not come to see the Prince, as she only met Lady Bern and returned.”

 

A somewhat late night.

 

Kalian, who had tried to enjoy the leisure of welcoming the end of all the day’s tasks but heard an unexpected story, spoke.

 

“I see. I do not know what she heard from Hina, but it was indeed time for Dmirea to organize her thoughts a bit.”

 

Kalian, who had roughly guessed why Dmirea had come and why she had returned again, showed a smile of uncertain meaning. Then he nodded and opened his mouth.

 

“Probably after this matter ends, I will…!”

 

But the words were not completed…

 

A variable.

 

An unpredictable event had occurred!

 

Something that could not be known what would happen or when it would happen.

 

Such a thing occurred.

 

*Thump!*

 

Kalian’s heart shook.

 

Kalian stopped speaking and stood up abruptly.

 

A cold edge appeared in his red eyes.

 

In the brief time it took for Ian’s head to snap up toward Kalian.

 

*Crash!*

 

The sound of something breaking and shattering.

 

“Your Highness!”

 

Rerik’s shouting voice rang out.

 

*Clatter!*

 

And the sound of something running rang out simultaneously.

 

Before the incoming sounds even ended, a dark red light shot out from the fingertips of Kalian, who had climbed onto the terrace railing. A sharp blade like one side of a sword had been cut off precisely severed someone’s leg.

 

A brief scream was heard.

 

“Kyrie! Pick up what fell outside!”

 

A cold voice followed.

 

It was directed at Kyrie, who would have felt the killing intent like Kalian, and thus been waiting for Kalian’s voice with greater concentration than ever before.

 

Ian sprang up from his seat, but Kalian was already not there.

 

A sudden commotion that had come to a place that should be quieter and safer than anywhere. A commotion that not only the Escort Knights but even Kalian had not noticed. Because he was standing at the starting point where that commotion occurred, the place he habitually went up to breathe.

 

*Thump!*

 

His heart moves.

 

His gaze moves.

 

“An Escort Knight. That Knight from Caera came in. He conveyed some words to the Prince, and the Prince suddenly collapsed…”

 

[A variable. Caera? That person said some words…]

 

[I can assess the situation later.’ There is no need to know now who that bastard is or what he said right now.]

 

Anger just boiled over.

 

Because he did not expect to see that bastard collapse again.

 

*Thump!*

 

His heart moves.

 

Anger rises knowing what that means.

 

Kalian, standing on the terrace and looking down at his collapsed older brother in the room, opened his mouth toward Rerik, whose hands were trembling.

 

“Get a hold of yourself and listen to me properly.”

 

Rerik nodded.

 

“Do not stay here and take him to Wilhelm Hall. Only take Kyrie and Ian with you. Do not trust anyone except my Master and Valkan. Trust no one.”

 

‘Do not betray Beurisen.’

 

Live raising cats after leaving the Royal Palace.

 

Live helping Kalian ascend to the throne.

 

*Thump!*

 

[The two seals did not cancel out.]

 

“He must not think any further! Until I return, make sure he does not wake up. Call Hina and tell her to continuously keep watch.”

 

“Yes, yes.”

 

“Call Lord Hertz and tell him to stay by his side. Send Ian to Master and tell him to remove those related to Caera and stay by His Highness’s side.”

 

Rerik nodded and asked as if about to cry.

 

“But why is our Prince like this? Why is this suddenly happening!?”

 

He should not betray Beurisen.

 

Yet, he would become the next Marquis of Beurisen and help Kalian.

 

While raising cats, he would help Kalian.

 

“Because he wants to live.”

 

But to live.

 

Until then, he must stay alive.

 

*Thump!*

 

Kalian’s eyes turned toward Plants.

 

A variable had occurred.

 

Not because he was angry that the trap and bait he had worked so hard to set up had all become useless thanks to that.

 

“Hold onto that heart well.”

 

Anger rises knowing that the crazy bastard has collapsed. He was not dead, clinging onto dear life, wanting to live to keep the other Seal of Oath still alive.

 

“I will only go to learn the sword you wish to learn.”

 

Kalian’s feet kicked off into the darkness.