Chapter 250, So You Won’t Forget (5)

Translator: Lizzz

Editor: Hedge

 

He briefly turned his gaze downward. His eyes fell upon the milk tea in front of him, the same color as the horse named ‘Sturdy,’ which had progressed one step further than Butterfly or Apple. Plants raised one corner of his mouth slightly, responding to his only older brother’s hospitality while enduring the strong fragrance of the flower floating in his teacup. He thought of the milk tea-colored horse and the scentless flower that the one who had named that horse had told him about.

 

“If you dislike it, push it away. I called the third one, but you came instead.”

 

This meant that he had brought out the milk tea because Kalian had made a fuss about disliking grapefruit, but Plants had come instead. It also meant that he knew Plants could not tolerate flower fragrances.

 

Plants, who had clearly sent word in advance that he would come here, answered without any particular expression.

 

“I suffer from the scent of roses all season long thanks to you anyway. One more day won’t make a difference.”

 

Plants took a sip of the milk tea full of rosehip fragrance. He thought it was at least bearable since it was similar to the red fragrance that flowed in through the window gaps and had to be endured half-forcibly.

 

“Why did you call for Kalian?”

 

Plants had only come about the matter of the spy that Kalian had mentioned. He had just realized from the previous words that Randel had been looking for Kalian, but he did not show it.

 

Randel had surely asked someone to relay a message, and whoever heard that message either forgot it in the commotion of removing Evan or had not yet conveyed it to Kalian—it would be one of those two. He thought there was no need to deliberately reveal such a minor mistake and create an opportunity to point out the fault of someone he did not even know.

 

Of course, if he had known it was Arsene, the situation would have been somewhat different, but he did not know.

 

“I don’t know since when you became the third one’s mouth and ears. Are you bored now that the eyes and ears around you have disappeared?”

 

“I don’t know if you’re aware, but that third one is currently unwell and cannot come up. Since you won’t go down, I will relay the message.”

 

While trying not to react sensitively to the implication that he had escaped Sillike’s surveillance only to now act as Kalian’s lackey, Plants only said what he had to say.

 

Randel let out a small laugh like exhaling air at the words of the middle floor resident who had volunteered to bridge the gap between the two brothers who were quite distant despite there being only two floors between them.

 

Randel briefly raised his head to look at Plants.

 

The ticking of a clock could be heard.

 

It was a sound that had not been heard the last time he came here. At that time, there had been nothing in this room.

 

“He said he wanted to ask something and wanted to meet.”

 

“Ask what?”

 

“Never mind.”

 

Did this mean there was no need to ask now, or did it mean he should ask in person?

 

*Tick-tock, tick-tock…*

 

Just as the sound of the second hand was becoming irritating again, Plants opened his mouth.

 

“I know you sent a Divine Artifact to Tansyll. To whom in Tansyll did you send it?”

 

“You’ve become much more curious.”

 

“I’ve always been. Excessively so.”

 

After looking at Plants in silence for a moment, Randel answered slowly.

 

“I sent it to the Crown Prince of Tansyll.”

 

“Through whom did you send it?”

 

“A Priest.”

 

“Are you still sending them now?”

 

“The third one seems to have made me quite idle these days.”

 

Even if he wanted to send Divine Artifacts, he would need someone to carry them, wouldn’t he?

 

This meant that thanks to Kalian, who had ruined the plan to use Lannen’s Trader’s Guild and had thoroughly expelled all the Priests, he was no longer sending Divine Artifacts to Tansyll. The kind third brother who knew how to respect his elders had eliminated the eldest brother’s work and kept increasing the work for the still quite vigorous second brother.

 

“If you have no more questions, go down now.”

 

“A deal. I would like you to proceed with just one.”

 

“What deal are you speaking of?”

 

With a *clink*, Plants lifted his cup, swallowed the milk tea once more, set it down, and opened his mouth.

 

“The Pollun Trader’s Guild. Do you remember when the diamond trade with Tansyll was suspended because of the Holy Knight they tried to secretly bring in being cut off?”

 

Randel nodded silently.

 

“Using the same method you tried to send Divine Artifacts through the Beurisen Trader’s Guild, this time I would like you to put forward the Pollun Trader’s Guild. If you make the excuse that they are looking for other channels since trade with Secritia has been cut off, they won’t be suspicious. I would like you to resume the Divine Artifact trade as a condition for resuming the diamond trade.”

 

“What smokescreen is this for?”

 

“I’m looking for a bird that used to bring Divine Artifacts.”

 

Tansyll would not know how much trust Guild Master Melpir of the Pollun Trader’s Guild had gained from Kalian. Even if they knew, would there be room for suspicion when a merchant was filling another pocket behind the back of someone they had joined hands with for profit? Therefore, even if Melpir, who would suffer great losses from the ruby trade being cut off, tried to successfully conclude the diamond trade on the condition of secretly delivering Divine Artifacts to Tansyll behind Kalian’s back, Tansyll would not find it strange.

 

After that, if Melpir discreetly spread rumors that he was looking for someone who had secretly sought out Divine Artifacts for Hale Latran, Eila would also hear the news. Eila would surely notice that this process was Kalian’s trap to catch her, but it did not matter.

 

‘My purpose is not really for Eila to be fooled by Baron Pollun and contact him, but to let Eila know that I am looking for her. While I’m at it, it would be good to make up for some of Baron Pollun’s losses too.’

 

After hearing all the story that Kalian had thought of while chewing and swallowing the largest piece of pork on the plate and a piece of beef, Randel answered quietly.

 

“You are trying to do something His Majesty would not like if he knew.”

 

The Divine Artifact trade with Tansyll was illegal.

 

At these words pointing this out, Plants replied with a scoff.

 

“Those are not words for someone who knew very well it was something that should not be done yet put their hand to it anyway. Besides, since when have you cared about His Majesty?”

 

Of course, he planned to tell Rmain separately. It would not do for Melpir to be caught during the transaction.

 

They could break some of Cyries laws when trying to catch the King of Secritia, couldn’t they? Wasn’t the title of Prince there to be used at times like these?

 

“The timeframe?”

 

“The sooner the better.”

 

After thinking for a moment, Randel nodded.

 

“I will do so. It is not a bad thing for me either.”

 

“Yes. Then.”

 

At Plants’s words that seemed to ask if he could leave now, Randel, who had been looking at him with the same eyes, opened his mouth.

 

“I think it would be acceptable to ask you what I was curious about regarding the third one.”

 

“What is it?”

 

“Kalian. That child…”

 

Randel, who had opened his mouth and seemed to fall into thought once more, continued speaking.

 

“Is he still the third one? Or is he now just your younger brother?”

 

As soon as the question ended, a sharp edge appeared in Plants’s eyes.

 

Plants did not bother to hide the blade in his eyes. If Randel had begun to suspect, there was no need to try to hide it.

 

It did not matter if he suspected.

 

Whether he harbored a trace of suspicion now or not, the terribly rational Randel would never grasp the truth.

 

“My younger brother is…”

 

Moreover, Kalian…

 

“Just Kalian.”

 

Since Kalian was just Kalian, would there be any problem?

 

Randel nodded briefly as he looked at Plants, who had thrown down his answer. Plants immediately stood up, gave a simple bow, and went outside.

 

The sound of roughly pulling off a tie could be faintly heard before it disappeared, obscured by the closing door.

 

* * *

 

Arsene had come.

 

Since he was not unaware that he himself should not move around freely yet, Kalian pretended to be unable to resist Ian’s insistence and received Arsene while leaning against the headboard of the bed.

 

“The Prince is not in a good mood, so please be aware.”

 

Ian had told Arsene that Kalian, who had not yet fully recovered, was urgently looking for him. Therefore, Arsene had roughly figured out what might happen and had prepared himself mentally. He had come right away so he had not written a letter of reflection, but he was making an earnest expression of repentance.

 

“I greet Prince Kalian.”

 

If Ian had not given him advance notice, Kalian was wearing the kind of smile that might have made one mistakenly think he was quite pleased to see Arsene.

 

Kalian nodded to receive the greeting and pointed to the chair placed beside the bed.

 

“Come here, Lord Hertz.”

 

It felt like the Senu River was flowing between the door and the bedroom. If he went over there, it seemed like he would never return.

 

Arsene swallowed dry saliva and slowly, carefully stepped into Kalian’s bedroom. Then he saw something placed on the nightstand beside the bed.

 

It was condensed Ice Attribute Magic Power, but he could not figure out its purpose at all. The mage who had to ask about anything he was curious about even if he was dying soon finally asked Kalian.

 

“What is that, Your Highness?”

 

“Ah, this.”

 

Something blue and beautiful.

 

Kalian looked quietly at the large flower made of ice and answered with a pretty smile.

 

“My Arunesia for you.”

 

“Ah…”

 

When a person gives up on anything, their heart becomes comfortable.

 

Having given up on his life, Arsene’s face became much more at ease as he nodded.

 

“Thank you for caring enough to give me a flower.”

 

“Did you understand what it means?”

 

“Yes. I know I did wrong, Your Highness.”

 

Since his face was quite serious and determined, Kalian burst into laughter for a moment. He wanted to laugh longer but could not because it was pulling at the wound in his stomach.

 

Kalian, who had been thinking for a moment that he should have accepted treatment from Hina when she said she would come to heal him instead of telling her to just rest, opened his mouth.

 

“Don’t you have excuses like Hina looked too tired and it didn’t seem like Randel would do anything on the spot, or that older brother looked so sick that you had to cast even unfamiliar Magic right away, or that you were confident enough in your skills to succeed on the first try?”

 

Arsene answered Kalian, who spoke as if he had seen the situation of that day with his own eyes.

 

“I do not trust the First Prince.”

 

“I know.”

 

“And Mages do not carelessly test clumsy Magic on living beings.”

 

“I know that too.”

 

“Therefore, I have no excuses.”

 

“If you know you’re wrong so well, you must also know what I will do.”

 

“Didn’t you give me Arunesia?”

 

Kalian also knew that Arsene was really thinking that a hole or so would be drilled somewhere in his body. Therefore, he let out an empty laugh.

 

“If you’re so scared of me, why do you follow me around?”

 

“Because I’m scared.”

 

Kalian looked at Arsene with eyes wondering what kind of person this was, then burst into laughter again and conveyed the words he had said countless times.

 

“Anyway, you are really a strange person.”

 

Aside from making a few scratches on his neck during sparring or hitting him once to put him to sleep on the day he was drunk, he had never treated him roughly in ordinary times, yet he could not understand what was so scary.

 

[Who else is as gentle as me?]

 

Having finished a very objective assessment of himself, Kalian briefly looked down at the ice flower before returning his gaze to Arsene and opening his mouth.

 

“Actually, I was about to get angry because you left Hina alone and went outside the Royal Palace, but I let it go because you said you left her well seated next to Master. As for Randel and Plants, well, Lord Hertz would have handled it well. In an emergency, whether borrowing Raven’s feet or Luci’s hands, what couldn’t you do?”

 

At these words, Arsene’s eyes reached the ice flower on the nightstand. Seeing him look as if he wanted to ask why Kalian had made it then, Kalian answered first.

 

“The spy we caught in Latran Territory is alive.”

 

Without needing to trace his memory, Arsene immediately recalled that spy, hardened his eyes, and answered.

 

“…Wasn’t the execution carried out?”

 

“It seems the person was switched with someone else, and thanks to that, I’m in a bit of a difficult situation.”

 

“I will bring her back.”

 

Our Prince’s precious secret is about to spread far and wide, so of course he should catch her, shouldn’t he?

 

“How will you catch her when you don’t even know where she is?”

 

“Aren’t you planning to do something about it with that?”

 

Arsene pointed at the ice flower.

 

Thinking that his perception had become quite sharp, Kalian nodded with a pleased expression. He did not think about whose perception it was or thanks to whom it had developed by being paired with whom.

 

“In ten days, there will be a party to celebrate Gray Beurisen rising to his new position as Marquis, but I can’t go. So I would like you to send a gift on my behalf and attend the party.”

 

“I hadn’t heard about the party, but what an impressive fellow. His father is dead, his brother was executed, his nephew disappeared, and yet he’s having a party.”

 

“Ah. I haven’t heard about the party yet either.”

 

Kalian answered in a light tone and added an explanation with a slight smile.

 

“Because I haven’t told him to have a party yet.”

 

Arsene, whose perception had greatly improved, looked blankly at Kalian for a moment.

 

Then after a while, he understood that this meant Kalian planned to order Gray, who had no party scheduled, to hold a party.

 

“It will be a party that any Noble can attend without a special invitation, so whether it’s you or Baron Pollun, you will be able to convey congratulations regardless.”

 

“Yes, I understand. Should I spread rumors appropriately so that Baron Pollun and I won’t be suspected and return?”

 

“Perfect.”

 

“Yes. Then what gift should I send?”

 

Kalian moved his hand once to change the attribute of Mana. The blue ice flower on the nightstand quickly changed form and burned red. It became a flame.

 

“A sculpture that doesn’t melt or burn. Of course, something other than a flower in appearance.”

 

Randel, who received Plants’s request, would, in his own way, inform that Kalian was looking for Eila. And Kalian would, in his own way, call out to Eila.

 

“Then may I make it into a sculpture of Your Highness?”

 

Whether knowing this intention or not, as soon as he heard about the sculpture, Arsene asked with delight.

 

Since he was a Mage whose nature was to accomplish what he wanted to do, Arsene also did not know how to give up. So, wasn’t this truly a Mage-like reaction?

 

Kalian, who understood so well, answered with a bright smile.

 

“Why would you send that there, you crazy bastard?”

 

Arsene grinned, having been called crazy by the very person who seemed more insane than anyone else in the world.

 

Anyway.

 

If Eila knew that Kalian was looking for her, she would first have to examine Melpir to get a sense of how the situation was unfolding.

 

Of course, Melpir, who would stay holed up until the party from now on, would also attend the party where he would leave his house for the first time. If he was in a disguise, the risk of being caught was slim anyway.

 

Kalian intended to send a clearly visible message to such an Eila. So that Eila, whether out of curiosity, anxiety, or anger after confirming it, would come looking.

 

Of course, he planned to ask Allan to temporarily release the Royal Palace’s magical protection by that time. If that happened…

 

“It’s been a while.”

 

[My beautiful blue bird,]

 

“…Eila.”

 

[Would come looking again.]

 

Kalian smiled as if pleased, seeing the long hair of the person sitting on the terrace railing with moonlight behind them, fluttering in the wind.

 

It was late at night, more than two weeks after meeting Arsene.