Chapter 245, Do Not Stop (7)

Translator: Hedge

Editor: Lizzz

 

It was not that he failed to understand the directive to not leave the Royal Palace.

 

The situation where it was uncertain whether Plants could properly recover. The situation where the reason Plants collapsed was unknown. Even if he belatedly received information about the poison pouch, it was a situation with limited intelligence. He knew that in such circumstances, the most prudent decision was what had been made.

 

However, Plants had opened his eyes, and the situation had changed.

 

“What is this?”

 

Lannen, holding the poison pouch in his hand, asked Plants who stood before him.

 

“Is this an item you are seeing for the first time?”

 

“Yes. I do not know what it is.”

 

Plants, who had nodded slightly, opened his mouth.

 

“Still not thinking.”

 

“What… what do you mean by that?”

 

Lannen still had an expression showing he understood nothing at all.

 

He was not someone with whom one needed to feel frustration about communication. Therefore, Plants brought forth lengthy words with a heart that had become quite benevolent.

 

“Beurisen itself is the evidence, is it not? The person who knows best how Beurisen handles and conceals matters, where to search to find evidence, is standing before you. I do not understand why you are making excuses.”

 

The person who knew best about Beurisen.

 

Was that not Plants himself?

 

“Prince Plants. I am disappointed.”

 

Lannen, who could not discern what it meant that Plants had come wearing Valkan’s uniform, what thoughts led him to come not as a Prince but as Valkan’s Deputy Commander, produced an awkward smile.

 

[No matter how much he struggles, he is someone without the means to covet the Crown Prince position without us.]

 

Naturally, this was the delusion Lannen still harbored. He had certainly expected such words might be spoken, yet hoped they would not be, but Lannen began to voice the obvious things.

 

“No matter how the Queen suffered such an ordeal, Beurisen is still unmistakably Your Highness’s Maternal Family, one in which you share the same Bloodline with, is it not? Therefore—”

 

*Haaa…* Plants stopped that mouth with a small sound. Then he closed his eyes for a while before slowly lifting his eyelids.

 

Because he had heard words he did not wish to hear, a bright smile arose together.

 

“Those words are a bit…”

 

Plants’s hand moved toward his sword.

 

Dmirea, who had been standing beside him and felt the momentary killing intent, quickly turned her head toward Plants.

 

The already dead Evan had clearly been involved in this matter, but whether Lannen’s crimes could also be revealed was not yet confirmed. If Lannen were rashly killed on the spot, it could become troublesome. Therefore, she tried to stop him.

 

“…How irritating.”

 

However, she could not stop Plants’ hand.

 

Plants firmly grasped the gray sword in his hand.

 

After that—

 

*Crack!*

 

He struck Lannen’s jaw with the sword still in its sheath as he lifted it.

 

Lannen’s jaw, still kneeling, made a crumbling sound. Plants truly struck with all his might, enough that the body that could not be called slender lifted slightly before falling and rolling.

 

Incidentally.

 

Plants, who had also reviewed the ‘not enduring’ that he learned from Kalian and cleanly erased some round green something from the minds of five specific Knights among those present, gestured toward those very five Knights.

 

It meant to remove ‘my Bloodline’, who had fainted with foam in his mouth.

 

The Knights, already reasonably accustomed to Plants’s taciturnity, quickly approached and dragged Lannen away.

 

“Are you alright?”

 

Dmirea, who had been nearby, asked.

 

Dmirea appeared as if she had no interest whatsoever in who Plants had just struck with what. With a peaceful face, she merely looked at Lannen’s private soldiers who were being captured one after another by Valkan’s Knights whose numbers had increased at some point, and Lannen sprawled beside them.

 

“About what?”

 

He gave this answer, not knowing whether the question concerned his pale complexion, the possible emotional wounds from what had just occurred, or this unexpected situation. Which among these was being asked about.

 

“You heard words you need not have heard by coming here expressly.”

 

“I did not come expressly but came to take responsibility, so it does not matter. I expected those words and I am accustomed to them as well.”

 

Kalian had taught him well.

 

What it meant to take responsibility.

 

Though that fellow probably did not know it could be interpreted this way, Plants had learned well nonetheless.

 

“Do you mean you will take responsibility in place of Prince Kalian?”

 

“My younger brother need not take responsibility for this. Moreover, is it not better for me to come and take responsibility than His Highness or Count Manasil?”

 

“I do not know if Prince Kalian would think so as well, but your words are not incorrect.”

 

Evan had handed the poison pouch to Plants.

 

Even knowing that, Rmain and Allan were people in positions where they could only step forward to punish after officially conducting an investigation, identify the source of the poison pouch, and go through the process of finding those involved. They had no choice but to do so, and they were people who must do so.

 

Plants was not in the same position.

 

A person who could freely burn down a house or deploy troops based on mere suspicion. A person for whom it would be fine if there were no problems, and if there were problems, Rmain or Allan could take responsibility. This was Plants’s understanding of how to utilize ‘responsibility’ based on Kalian’s teachings.

 

As a result of such great learning, the Marquis’s mansion was burning vigorously. Additionally, Lannen had been arrested. He had also been struck once.

 

Dmirea asked while looking again at the mansion that was still burning.

 

“Did you perhaps bring explosives? You had not brought Valkan’s Mages, yet the fire caught well.”

 

“No. I brought a crazy Mage who cannot openly cause trouble because there is no salary to be deducted.”

 

Plants chuckled, thinking of someone who was meticulously burning down the gloomy mansion that was originally there so that when he left the Royal Palace, his house to live would not reek of blood, and he could live well after building a new house perfectly suited to his own taste.

 

‘I am not helping His Highness Deputy Commander, who is the Prince’s older brother, I am helping the Prince who is trying to help His Highness Deputy Commander, who happens to be the Prince’s older brother.’

 

That was the reason he recalled that truly insane Mage who had said he would bring an additional thirty-five Knights while humming strange words that were difficult for even Plants to understand at once, claiming he would come separately while Plants rushed ahead first with only fifteen people who could move quickly.

 

“Ah. Sure.”

 

Dmirea, who understood well that this meant to pretend not to know who had come even though it was obvious, nodded appropriately. Then, while gazing at the flames of the Ice Mage, which clearly would never be extinguished until everything was completely burned, she opened her mouth as if something had occurred to her.

 

“There is one thing I must inform you of.”

 

Plants turned his head toward Dmirea without answering. Dmirea, understanding this meant to speak, continued.

 

“We found Viscount Lannen Beurisen’s daughter at the residence.”

 

“…Is she the child the Marquis raised as his successor?”

 

“Yes. By speculation, that should be so. I believe she may be a child the Marquis took in and raised in exchange for the Beurisen Trader’s Guild and the Viscount title.”

 

The position of Marquis Beurisen that Lannen coveted.

 

However, the position that had been temporarily given to Gray and Plants had tried to reclaim. Therefore, the position Plants had come to find directly like this so as not to give it to Lannen.

 

“I did not know there was already a child designated as his successor.”

 

“I also consider it to be unexpected. However, since she is still a young child, I did not inform the Viscount and have moved her to the Siegfried Family estate for now. If it becomes known, I do not know whether she will be executed along with the Viscount or what will happen, so I hid her at my own discretion. My brother and I are rather weak toward young children, after all.”

 

“You speak such things well to me. Lesser Duchess.”

 

“You are not the Prince right now but Valkan’s Deputy Commander, are you not? You may simply let it pass as an unrelated matter.”

 

At the response that came after glancing slightly at Plants’s clothing as if it were nothing significant, Plants gave a bitter smile and gestured for her to continue speaking.

 

“I plan to keep it secret from other places and protect her well myself so she will not be connected to Beurisen, so you need not be concerned. However, rather than hearing it suddenly from the Viscount or the Count, I thought it would be better for you to know the details in advance, so I am informing you.”

 

Plants did not answer for a while.

 

After that, he raised one corner of his mouth slightly.

 

“I will take note of it.”

 

And he only answered this way.

 

* * *

 

The second son suddenly collapsed.

 

The third son left the house.

 

The third son returned injured.

 

The second son went out instead.

 

There were clearly three sons, but as a result, facing a situation where there were continuously only two inside the Royal Palace, Rmain, who had been looking at Kalian lying in the treatment room of Wilhelm Hall, let out a long sigh full of worry and concern.

 

“I am fine, so you need not worry.”

 

“…I see.”

 

Kalian had regained consciousness as soon as he arrived at the Royal Palace.

 

It was probably for a somewhat different reason rather than because his condition had improved during the journey here. It was not difficult to guess that it was both because of pain and because there were many matters of concern.

 

Rmain, who had come to find Kalian before Hina, who had been resting, arrived, thus came out without being able to properly convey even a single word.

 

Allan, who had been standing outside without looking in at Kalian together, quietly opened his mouth toward Rmain who had just emerged.

 

“I will meet him briefly and return, so will you wait?”

 

“I understand.”

 

Allan, who had made the King himself wait, bowed his head and entered where Kalian was.

 

He had thought to be angry and thought to scold him.

 

He had intended to ask, ‘why did you insist on not going together’, ‘what did you do to have your stomach pierced and returned by that sloppy fellow’. He even wanted to rebuke him by saying ‘what kind of state did you come back in, when you even refused when I said I would go look for you’.

 

“Master.”

 

And he could not say anything.

 

Not because he welcomed him, not because he smiled prettily, but simply could not say anything.

 

“I have returned.”

 

At these words, no suitable answer came even from the mouth of the great Allan Manasil, so he simply sat beside him and stroked his hair several times.

 

“Shall I put you to sleep?”

 

In the Royal Palace, the only Mage capable of putting a Sword Master to sleep was Allan. After a considerable time had passed, he only asked that.

 

Kalian shook his head.

 

It was because he could not possibly sleep after having witnessed that pale state that made the sound of split peas at last.

 

“Is Sir Hertz perhaps present?”

 

“I told him to provide some escort for the Second Prince, and it seems he will escort him all the way to meeting Serenty. He went out together and has not returned.”

 

“…I thought so. Older brother was wearing Valkan’s uniform. He will probably arrest Lannen Beurisen and bring him here. If Sir Hertz went, he would burn everything at the Marquis residence without leaving anything. Therefore, we must immediately search Lannen Beurisen’s residence and find all the evidence. We must transmit it as quickly as possible so Gray Beurisen is made to come to the Capital immediately. Toward older brother Randel’s side or the Capital side…”

 

Allan, who had been listening up to there, nodded and stopped his words.

 

“His Majesty has already sent someone to Count Beurisen. He said he would immediately proceed with appointing the new Count and said he would properly confirm whether the Nobles’ private soldiers are moving, so leave that side to His Majesty. I will direct the search immediately. I have already instructed well to thoroughly check the current situation in the Marquis’ territory, and Valkan will confirm whether there are any problems with Prince Randel or the Capital’s side. I will completely handle examining and weeding out anyone with ulterior motives inside the Royal Palace, so do not worry.”

 

“Yes. And Siegfried will soon send Knights. If I cannot rise, please attend to it, Master.”

 

“I shall do so.”

 

“And even if I sleep for a long time, please wake me once a day. The situation…”

 

Kalian, who had been opening his mouth resolutely, stopped speaking.

 

Then, he looked at Allan who was gazing at him intently and smiled brightly.

 

“No. Just let me sleep continuously. Please handle the rest yourself. Instead, could you convey some words to that older brother of mine?”

 

“What words shall I convey?”

 

At the words conveyed afterward, Allan slowly nodded. Then, as if telling him to sleep now, he stroked Kalian’s hair once more.

 

“Are you so concerned about others?”

 

It was about how he stubbornly tried to open his eyes to conclude every single matter one by one. Kalian nodded with a much more comfortable face.

 

“What I always did alone has become a habit. I am trying to correct it.”

 

“…I see. Then, it will gradually improve.”

 

Allan stroked Kalian soothingly several more times.

 

“Were you not in pain?”

 

He brought forth the most difficult words while smiling gently.

 

Kalian, who had been looking at Allan for a long while, smiled back. Then, after another long while had passed, he gave a slow answer.

 

“It hurts a little.”

 

*Pat pat,..* Allan tapped the shoulder of this son who had returned after much hardship several times.

 

Kalian’s eyes slowly closed.

 

A low incantation flowed from Allan’s mouth.

 

“Sleep”

 

* * *

 

The Marquis Family estate was completely burned.

 

Without evidence, Plants simply arrested Lannen and escorted him to the Royal Palace. If Kalian had awakened, Kalian would have spoken, and if he had not, Plants could find the evidence himself.

 

Lannen’s jaw was completely shattered, so no one knew if he could speak, but it does not matter if he was unable to. Eventually, he would only nod to questions asked and end up standing on the Renisita leaves of the plaza.

 

Plants, who had done his work quite well immediately upon opening his eyes, returned safely to the Royal Palace. Though he did not know what would happen when morning came, for now he had returned well.

 

Arsene, who only after arriving at the Royal Palace finally confirmed Kalian’s condition, changed his complexion to exactly the same color as his eyes. Ian and Kyrie, whose faces were already the same color, tried hard to reassure Arsene, and Rerik, who had barely escaped from that color, calmed his heart while sharing the tea he brought.

 

The number of Princes in the Royal Palace became three again, and Rmain, who had confirmed from Hina that the number would not immediately decrease to two in a single morning. He thus regained his senses for the time being. Then he began earnestly handling the aftermath of what the two Princes had committed. Of course, the Archmage as well.

 

“Regarding this matter.”

 

Hina had to consistently treat Kalian.

 

Arsene and Kyrie were escorting Hina.

 

Plants, who had caused one big incident today, was to receive escort from the two until the safety of the Royal Palace was definitively confirmed.

 

As a result of such circumstances, Arsene, who ended up serving as escort between the two Princes lying far apart on either side of the treatment room, moved the briefly sleeping Hina as if fainting to a small bed. Then, after properly confirming that the truly unconscious Kalian was breathing, he carefully drew the curtain and spoke.

 

“The Prince’s older brother who is the Deputy Commander may suffer harm in the Prince’s stead. Are you aware of this?”

 

Plants opened his mouth in a low voice.

 

“Mage, you.”

 

“I am the Deputy Commander, Your Highness Deputy Commander.”

 

“I am a Prince.”

 

Plants, who had removed his uniform and returned to being Royalty again, would no longer yield.

 

“…Yes. In that case, please speak first.”

 

“Mage. Were you not someone who knows that this matter occurred because of me, not because of my younger brother? I thought you would think it right that I suffer the harm even if harm is suffered.”

 

He had already smelled the tremendous scent of blood emanating from Kalian. He could not fathom just how many corpses there must have been inside that estate.

 

No matter how much it was a fight that Beurisen’s side had initiated first, such matters were something Kalian alone could not handle intact.

 

“Since when have you considered such things? The relationship between siblings is better than I thought…”

 

Arsene, who had been about to tease him saying he did not know the relationship between siblings was better than he thought, briefly closed his mouth. Not because of the pale complexion, but because he recalled why Lannen’s jaw had been shattered, and thought he should not provoke him further today.

 

However, Plants, who understood quite well the words that had been concealed, responded.

 

“Our relationship cannot be good.”

 

Then, words were conveyed before falling asleep, going so far as to use Allan’s mouth.

 

“‘Whoever was in the residence, older brother did nothing wrong, so if it is the path you desire, do not stop, do not turn your footsteps, and continue living.’”

 

[How interesting. Sillike had always said those words too. Yet it was different. It was so different, that the contrast is interesting.]

 

[And, I have to learn the Beurisen swordsmanship.]

 

The Beurisen Family’s successor.

 

A position that had already been someone else’s. And Plants, who disliked having what was his taken.

 

Kalian knew that Dmirea would convey the facts about that child to Plants, and knew that Plants would be concerned. He knew well where that concern would lead.

 

“Living while raising cats at the Marquis’s residence.”

 

He knew Plants would contemplate whether to fold up the dream he had finally come to have. Kalian already knew everything.

 

While so disliking getting bloodstained.

 

While having gotten injured like that after getting bloodstained.

 

He conveyed such words expressly and fell asleep.

 

“However, I now understand why my younger brother tries so hard to keep me alive.”

 

Plants understood the reason that even Kalian did not fully know why he had kept him alive.

 

The thick killing intent that seemed to show how many lives had been taken.

 

The teaching not to think during battle. The swordsmanship whose purpose was to take life without other pain. Allan’s story that he had only done protecting until now. Chase’s words that the only thing he had dirtied his hands with was eliminating Tansyll’s healer and, Debeullan.

 

Plants, who had realized what that Prince had lived doing, continued speaking.

 

“My younger brother must have lived refusing quite often.”

 

The words of request he would have received most during his life.

 

Those words he would have refused most during his life.

 

“…Because I said those words.”

 

The fact that it was the first time for Kalian that he did not have to ignore, refuse, or close his eyes to those words. He only now realized.

 

Luci and the gray kitten came to mind.

 

He only now properly realized that those words he had brought forth that day were words as heavy as the cat for Kalian.

 

A sound of small laughter came from the mouth of the person who felt he could never again sell his heart.