Chapter 266, I’m Rather Good at Setting Traps (3)

Translator: Hedge

Editor: Lizzz

 

[Within this small restrictive world, I alone did not go mad.]

 

After measuring by an extremely, truly extremely objective standard, Plants furrowed his brow at the conclusion he had reached.

 

“A wager.”

 

“Yes, Deputy Commander. That wager that Lady Hill lost yesterday.”

 

“You wagered my little brother in a bet?”

 

What Plants hated most was excuses. What he hated next most was evasion. Therefore, if anyone opened their mouth now to say anything, it was obvious Plants would smile brightly again, so the members of Valkan all kept their mouths firmly shut and lowered their heads.

 

At times like this, the one who always suffered was the middle manager.

 

Nidlen, who had stepped forward, conveyed the hearts of the members who had closed their mouths to Plants.

 

“We apologise, Deputy Commander.”

 

They had wagered on who could endure not eating meat longer between Shiona and the Valkan members. If Shiona lost, she would teach them how the Wolves of the Great Dunes fought.

 

Well, up to there, it was still acceptable.

 

It truly would have been acceptable if only they had not promised that when Shiona won, they would request a sparring match between Kalian and Shiona. To be precise, it was a wager that Shiona had proposed and the Valkan members had accepted, but in any case, the Valkan members had sold out his younger brother, the Third Prince.

 

Sparring between Sword Masters was not easily arranged. One might think that since it was not actual combat there would be no threat to life, but that was not so. Sleiman, who had sparred with Taillan, had his chest split open.

 

“This is not even the Royal Palace. Knowing that my little brother, who carries forty-one lives dangling from him as responsibilities, would not try to spar again with that chicken-eating Elf.”

 

Yet they had wagered on it.

 

When Kalian learned of this matter, there would be exactly two reactions.

 

Either he would laugh saying it was interesting while drawing his sword, or he would laugh saying it was interesting while trying to kill them all. Well, the results would be similar. It was not as if those of Valkan would not know this.

 

“Why did you do such a thing?”

 

“We were too curious about who would win the wager, so we accepted it.”

 

“For such a reason.”

 

“It truly was the case, Deputy Commander.”

 

Even without saying it was true, Plants knew it was the truth, which makes him feel like he would truly go mad.

 

“You have lost your minds.”

 

Hearing these words, Nidlen smiled slightly.

 

They were all mad.

 

Mages going mad was nothing new, but now even the Knights had been influenced…

 

Plants, standing alone and upright in the middle of these madmen, swept back his fallen hair. Because he remembered having used three portions of patience all at once just yesterday, he let it pass for today. Because he knew these Valkan fellows were originally such people, he simply let it pass without even using one portion of patience.

 

“Oh my. Did he discover it already? How did that happen?”

 

While struggling to ignore the words ‘yap’ and ‘swoosh’ that kept appearing in his brilliant mind that knew not how to forget, and having finally succeeded with great difficulty in infusing Mana. When he had made contact to confirm whether the communication connection worked well, he had heard that the Crown Prince with violet eyes who liked birds said such words, so he had already used one portion of patience from the morning.

 

“It would have been better if you had been a little more careful, Prince Plants.”

 

No.

 

He had used up two portions already.

 

“In any case, do not be too angry. Since I lost anyway, it does not matter, does it? By the way, it seems your younger brother and the members were not on such friendly terms. Since they sold out your younger brother without any sign of hesitation. Here I thought they were quite close.”

 

While recalling Chase’s words, at the words conveyed from beside him by the chicken-eating Elf, Plants’ eyes changed as another portion of patience was unknowingly shaved away.

 

“Let us go for physical training!”

 

Nidlen, who had again seen the smile she had seen yesterday, spoke quickly, and without exception everyone dashed towards the sandy beach. They all knew very well that when Plants was like this, it was best to go out first and receive the beating.

 

Before long, on the sandy beach where three people had run yesterday, forty soldiers in pure white clothes began running.

 

Shiona, watching that wholesome scene from a distance, spoke as if muttering.

 

“Should I run too, perhaps?”

 

“Be quiet.”

 

Plants, who had responded with a voice full of irritation, watched the Valkan members while standing still. Then, as if something had become curious, she looked at Plants and spoke.

 

“Yesterday I heard you ran together with them, but today you are not going?”

 

“Because I do not know what mischief my little brother might commit.”

 

“What mischief would he commit?”

 

Kalian had gone alone to meet the Mother Tree.

 

“Swordplay. Explosions.”

 

Was the Mother Tree not ultimately an Elf?

 

There was no knowing how she might provoke Kalian’s insides. If that happened, there was also no knowing how Kalian might destroy the Mother Tree’s insides. Therefore, while punishing the Valkan members, he was not running with them but watching the situation.

 

“Ah. I see.”

 

Shiona, who had surprisingly understood Plants’ words, nodded and answered. Then, while looking at those running diligently in the distance, she said.

 

“It is a difference in the way of thinking. Humans live their lives, but Elves must survive. There are those who are twisted like that Elder your younger brother encountered, but I think most do not have malicious intent. To Humans, however, that would appear to be selfishness.”

 

Hearing these words, Plants turned his head towards Shiona.

 

“Were you not angry about not receiving treatment?”

 

“Knowing something and understanding it are different matters, are they not?”

 

The Elf who had spoken as if understanding Elven selfishness but had ultimately met Kalian to vent her anger smiled awkwardly.

 

“Chicken-eating Elf.”

 

Then Plants called Shiona thus.

 

Shiona, who had blinked for a moment, pointed at herself and answered.

 

“Do you mean me?”

 

“Is there another?”

 

“I’m Shiona Hill.”

 

“I know.”

 

“Oh, well. That is fortunate.”

 

The strange Prince who ate grass well and also ate beans but did not seem to have such a personality because of it spoke.

 

“Have you met her?”

 

“Met whom?”

 

“Your other mother.”

 

“No. I have not.”

 

Plants shook his head.

 

This meant he had nothing more to be curious about, but Shiona deliberately spoke to add an explanation.

 

“Occasionally there are Elves born at a time when Spirits are said to awaken. Such Elves, they say, meet the Mother Tree directly and receive a long name. Most Elves who are not born with such blessing have no occasion to meet the Mother Tree during their lives, unless they become an Elder or such.”

 

“I see.”

 

“From what I hear, the Mother Tree sees through many things, so there will be nothing for you to worry about.”

 

“I wonder about that.”

 

[Would there truly be anyone who could completely see through my younger brother’s insides?]

 

With this thought, Plants curled up one corner of his mouth slightly.

 

“Should you not tell the members to stop running? If they are on standby not knowing what might happen, they should conserve their strength.”

 

“The pink-haired Mage who eats salted things will handle that much.”

 

Hearing that amusing title, Shiona let out a chuckle and asked.

 

“May I ask why you call people that way?”

 

“Because there are two pink-haired Mages.”

 

“They have names, so why deliberately…”

 

Shiona asked a question that others could not bring themselves to ask and Kalian had no need to ask. Had the members been nearby, they would have pricked up their ears, but regrettably every one of them were still running.

 

“Because if I remember only by names, I might forget.”

 

Lest he forget all the things Kalian had created.

 

“Hmm.”

 

Shiona, who over the past few days had heard until her ears bled about how excellent their Deputy Commander’s mind was, closed her lips and pondered for a moment. Then she concluded that while Plants’ answer did not mean simple memory, she did not understand what he meant.

 

“Yet you call your younger brother by name.”

 

Therefore, she asked one more question.

 

Plants, who had looked at the sky, smelt the sea air, felt the wind, and surveyed his surroundings, conveyed his answer in a low voice.

 

“Because I know I will not forget.”

 

Luci, Anne, Hina.

 

And his one and only younger brother.

 

* * *

 

[Within my vast world, I alone went mad.]

 

Kalian lowered his eyes and took a long breath in, then out. Out of breath again from the rising memories, he caught his breath for quite some time.

 

“Your hobby sure is unpleasant.”

 

He stood upon a vast land with nowhere to lean.

 

Standing in such a place, he devoted all his strength to breathing alone.

 

Not long after arriving at this place, he had become like this.

 

“Since you are the main body of the Mother Tree, I expected you to be in the highest place. How unexpected.”

 

“Is not the foundation of life always in the roots?”

 

He had not expected there to be an underground.

 

Since he was told he would meet the Mother Tree, he had thought he would go somewhere higher than the space of the Great Elder located in the highest place, but instead he had entered beneath the ground.

 

A black, dark, warm space.

 

There was not a single thing visible before his eyes, yet he did not feel stifled. While he could not tell where the Great Elder Narzan was, he followed his steps with familiar movements. He thought that even if he were told from here to find the Mother Tree alone, he would be able to go, and that if he wanted to leave this place immediately, he would be able to know how to go.

 

“How curious.”

 

“I find it more curious that you refused the Mother Tree’s summons in such a manner.”

 

“What is wrong is suddenly telling me to come out in the middle of the night.”

 

“Your kind are truly an impolite Race.”

 

“Your kind are truly a selfish Race.”

 

He had thought he would know to keep his mouth shut, overwhelmed by that black, dark, warm atmosphere, but Kalian was not like that.

 

Until that point, at least.

 

Eventually, at Kalian’s words that never conceded a single phrase, the sound of Narzan laughing could be heard.

 

“Do you truly think the King of Secritia will come to this place?”

 

“It depends on which side wins, between desperation and suspicion. Whichever the King of Secritia chooses, you gain time, so it does not seem like a bad thing.”

 

“That is not incorrect, but…”

 

“Of course, the best option would be to evacuate those residing there before Secritia burns down Brigit Forest. They could escape if you opened the forest’s path, so why do you not open it?”

 

“Because it is not permitted.”

 

“You mean you have already spoken to the Mother Tree about this?”

 

“That was the first thing I did.”

 

The Mother Tree, who had opened the forest’s path for Kalian’s party, had blocked the path to life for her own kind, or so the Great Elder was saying. While pondering how to understand Narzan, who believed there must be a reason for this as well, Kalian felt Narzan’s feet stop.

 

“Let us finish the remaining conversation after you return.”

 

With these words, Narzan’s presence disappeared. More precisely, rather than Narzan disappearing, it would be correct to say that Kalian was led somewhere else. Like that time when he had set foot on the hill where Syspanian had once stayed.

 

However, the difference from that time was.

 

“If you were curious about my life, you should have asked.”

 

Standing in a place where there was no one, Kalian thus opened his mouth once more. More precisely, it would be correct to say he was standing in a place where there was no one living.

 

The sky was full of sparkling red stars.

 

Red lights floated in the endlessly stretched sky.

 

However, he knew they were not stars. He knew they were powder of various red gemstones broken and fragmented small.

 

Yes.

 

Like a kaleidoscope.

 

Kalian, who had turned his gaze from the place where red stars sparkled and looked down, spoke in a voice full of wind.

 

“There was no need to show me this.”

 

Things he had lived without forgetting anyway.

 

Sights he had no intention of ever forgetting.

 

He saw the person who had met their end at Kalian’s fingertips on a night when blue stars once fell.

 

*Step step…*

 

Kalian, who had swallowed his breath, quietly moved his steps.

 

One, two, he continued walking past the corpses of those he had not forgotten, not a single one. He walked past truly many people. He saw Nobles. He saw Knights. He saw their vassals.

 

He saw young children and he saw the elderly.

 

Facing each and every one of them squarely, he continued walking step by step.

 

He saw Eila.

 

He saw Kyrie.

 

He saw burning Secreta. He saw the Royal Palace. He saw Mages in pure white clothes standing in groups. He saw Cain. He saw Nidlen.

 

“The tragedy your life protected.”

 

He saw Arsene.

 

He saw a pure white sword shattering into pieces.

 

He saw the long blue-tinged hair of someone fading after losing one arm.

 

“Behold the catastrophe.”

 

Kalian’s steps slowed.

 

Kalian’s steps stopped.

 

Repeating the end of a voice of which he could not tell where it came from, whose gender and age could not be felt, he bent his waist. He bent his legs. The red cloak of the uniform he wore touched the ground.

 

He reached out towards the one he had tried to protect only one thing his entire life but ultimately could not protect. He caressed the one who had turned their head towards the spire where someone who resembled himself too much would be standing, eyes closed. Even though there was nothing touching his fingertips.

 

“Was it a catastrophe?”

 

As if putting to sleep, as if consoling, he simply caressed for a long time.

 

Someone approaches.

 

He inadvertently raised his head.

 

In those eyes he saw light-green pupils that held not even a bit of life, without light. He looked at those eyes. He looked endlessly. Who should he see this person as? Because he did not know.

 

The lifeless person walks towards the one who has lost his life.

 

He set down the sword held in hand.

 

He saw the black name written on the ash-grey blade. The red pupils wavered momentarily. Swayed greatly. Surged fiercely.

 

[Ah. You came that day. You saw me.]

 

“What a truly foolish pea.”

 

[Truly. What a truly foolish older brother. What were you thinking, discarding your sword on the battlefield? Because you could not forget just those few words?]

 

A long laugh caught in Kalian’s throat.

 

The day lived by the person who could not go mad alone and the person who went mad alone, having been shown what existed in one aspect of that tearful catastrophe.

 

“Why show this to me?” Kalian let out.