Chapter 27, No Ill Intent (7)

Translator: Hedge

Editor: Lizzz

 

Kalian felt devastated.

 

He belatedly realized that the knife had stopped before his neck, that it was an attack he did not need to block. He never knew he could resent the knife in his hand so much.

 

The knife that had been embedded in the wall just moments ago pulled itself out and flew into Allan’s hand. There was a deep notch left on the blade.

 

“You’re incredibly fast. Even in that condition.”

 

Allan, who said this, did not look particularly surprised. His attitude suggested he had fully expected Kalian to block the knife.

 

Seeing Kalian unable to speak, Allan said in a composed voice.

 

“I apologize for startling you.”

 

Kalian shook his head. He still did not speak. To open that mouth of his, Allan began the conversation instead.

 

“The day we first met. I knew you had been waiting for me for quite some time. I was curious but thought it might be a coincidence. I knew you were already in a dangerous situation and was too busy to think about anything else.”

 

This meant that he had been found out from the very beginning.

 

A sigh escaped from Kalian’s lips.

 

How ridiculous it was to speak of trust to someone who had helped him without suspicion despite all this?

 

“But strange things kept increasing. Rmain said Your Highness was afraid of horses, and the nobles marveled at how you had become a completely different person. Not to mention, the Mage who went to the theater that day said Your Highness prevented an accident.”

 

Kalian’s hands tensed up.

 

He was surprised that Allan knew about the incident at the theater.

 

“I thought I might let it go until then. But there was something else strange.”

 

A bitter smile lingered on Kalian’s lips. [Something else, you says? At this rate, I should be wondering why Ian has not suspect me of anything yet.]

 

“When I told you about being poisoned, I saw killing intent in your eyes. But you erased it immediately. Those were not the eyes of a Prince, who couldn’t kill even a butterfly. Only someone who has stained their hands with the blood of many would know how to unleash and withdraw killing intent at will. With all these tangled threads refusing to unravel, I spent all night pondering over it. And then.”

 

Allan paused there and slightly lifted the knife in his hand.

 

“This was made by Syspanian. I hear that it reveals the hidden weapon of anyone that approaches it. I placed it there, and what was a flowerpot had turned into a knife. This clearly meant that Your Highness had a knife on you. Since Your Highness also knows how to show killing intent, I thought I’d try handing the knife to you.”

 

Kalian could not help but softly laugh as he replied.

 

“You handed it over as if aiming for my throat, no?”

 

Allan lowered his head to show his apology before speaking.

 

“I trust Your Highness, and entrusted a part of my life to help you. I felt I would grow suspicious if I didn’t understand what my first Disciple was so keen on hiding. So please explain. I will listen.”

 

Kalian nodded.

 

There was nothing more to hide since Allan was already certain that he was not the real Kalian.

 

“I will explain then.”

 

Kalian did not worry about what to say or where to start and end. He decided to reveal everything. So, he quietly closed his eyes and slowly began to speak.

 

“I am Bern. That is my original name. Bern Secritia.”

 

[Secritia?] Allan’s shoulders flinched. That name emerging at this point reminded him of something.

 

[Chase Secritia, and…]

 

Kalian did not stop speaking. Since his eyes were closed, he did not notice that Allan’s reaction to the name was not ordinary. Therefore, Kalian’s continued words felt to Allan like they were saying since he wanted the truth, he should hear and bear it all together.

 

“The current Crown Prince, Chase Dyurahan Secritia, who was King in my time, was my Older Brother. As for me, I was a Knight. That’s why I can ride horses, manipulate killing intent, and use a sword – somewhat.”

 

The calm voice continued.

 

How Bern, who had been a Prince of Secritia, became a Knight rather than become the Crown Prince. How Chase ascended to the throne. Then, the war with Cyries that followed.

 

Kalian described how the last week Bern lived through was like a massacre surrounding the capital of Secreta.

 

The desperate situation where even the Royal Knight Order, that should protect the King, had to leave the castle and go outside the walls. Until finally Bern, who had been guarding the castle gate alone after everyone died, met his demise. He laid out all that had happened, and become the past for Kalian.

 

Then after taking one breath, Kalian opened his mouth.

 

“But. Secritia had something special. It was an object that became the cause of the war.”

 

*Clatter.*

 

Allan put down the knife on the table. He felt he might drop it after hearing the next words.

 

“Master, though this may be hard to believe, that thing is called the Arcus Tempus.”

 

This time, Allan closed his eyes.

 

Having put down the knife, he felt like he had dropped his heart instead. Confusion that had never been seen before appeared on Allan’s face.

 

“… It turns back time?”

 

Kalian could not believe his ears.

 

It took time to understand what he had just heard.

 

After staring at such a Kalian for a while, Allan asked.

 

“When did you return to?”

 

A sharp intake of breath was heard from Kalian’s mouth. [He is speaking as though he already understood everything?]

 

He wanted to hear the explanation for that right away. But Allan’s face was demanding an answer. Thus, Kalian, barely suppressing his trembling fingertips, answered in a dry voice.

 

“A month… It was a month ago. When I opened my eyes, my attendant, Ian, was waking me up. I had brought back ten years.”

 

Allan leaned back against the sofa. Then he silently raised his hand and massaged his temple.

 

[Why hadn’t I thought of this even after pondering all night?]

 

Since Allan looked like he needed time to think, Kalian waited while calming his urgent heart.

 

It was when sunlight had begun to filter through the window gaps that Allan finally opened his mouth.

 

“You would have already been poisoned. And since you would have known how the original Prince Kalian dies. That’s why you waited as if you knew I would come.”

 

Kalian answered with a dejected face.

 

“Yes. The events of the day I met you… weren’t a mere coincidence.”

 

All his initial vigor was gone. He now looked like an orphaned kitten. Looking intently at such a Kalian, Allan spoke.

 

“Either way, you were looking for me to ensure your own survival. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter whether you knew about my visit and waited for me or not. You need not worry about such things as I’m not disappointed.”

 

Allan said that and then closed his mouth for a moment. Before explaining how he knew about the Arcus Tempus, there was something he needed to tell Kalian.

 

“However, there’s something Your Highness needs to know first.”

 

Kalian’s head moved up and down. He was ready to hear everything Allan would say.

 

“In the current Secritia, there is only Crown Prince Chase. Chase has been an only child. The Queen had no children. But, you seem unaware of this.”

 

Kalian silently looked into Allan’s eyes.

 

There was no emotional turmoil that Allan had worried about.

 

“I had vaguely sensed it. That since I am here, there couldn’t be another Bern. I was worried about how he might have disappeared, whether through early death or something else. To think I was never born at all.”

 

“Yes. That seems to be the case.”

 

It was difficult to gauge how it would feel to have one’s whole life, whole existence erased. Therefore, instead of offering clumsy comfort, Allan only said that much. To which Kalian responded in a calm manner.

 

“I guess it is rather fortunate then.”

 

[Well, what else could be done about it?] That was all Kalian thought. [I have also basically taken on the life of another…]

 

“Then, is the original Prince Kalian dead?” Allan asked as if he had read whom Kalian was thinking of. After all, by this time, the old Kalian should have still been alive.

 

Kalian shook his head.

 

He pointed to his head, and his heart before he answered.

 

“I didn’t know at first, but I believe he’s still here. Though, I think he will leave when the appointed day comes.”

 

Memories rose like answers to Kalian’s words.

 

He suddenly realized that they were not simple memories. The reason why memories only surfaced when questions were asked was because those were the old Kalian’s answers to his questions.

 

“Though we can’t have conversations with each other, he is definitely here. But he won’t tell me what happened for me to end up here. The old Kalian might not know either…”

 

Allan nodded to show he understood. Kalian tapped his knee with his finger and asked.

 

“In that case, Master, the Arcus Tempus. How do you know about it?”

 

“It’s nothing too surprising, is it?”

 

Allan shrugged slightly as he answered.

 

“I visited Secritia last year. Chase secretly called me there. He said something called the Arcus Tempus had been discovered and sought my counsel about it. I only met Chase for a short period before returning. Even if the same thing happened in your original timeline, Your Highness wouldn’t have known.”

 

Kalian spoke in a very dry voice.

 

“So Older Brother was looking into it separately, and I was none the wiser.”

 

“In case you might hope for more answers, let me say in advance that, regrettably, I do not know much else about it.”

 

“It’s fine, Master. I’ve already concluded as much. If you had discovered anything else, I should have known about before I became Kalian.”

 

Allan nodded and spoke again.

 

“Since that object, the Arcus Tempus, didn’t seem to be made by human power, we did discuss whether it might be made from Serenty’s Divine Power, but…”

 

“Aren’t Divine Artifacts the tools Priests use? I understand that they are a means to substitute Divine Power, and that Divine Artifacts themselves do not hold any other power.”

 

After the War of the Two Gods, the Evil God was sealed and the Main Goddess, Serenty, fell asleep.

 

After that, the Priests could not manifest Divine Power. Therefore, they exercised the power of healing by consuming the Divine Power remaining in Serenty’s Divine Artifacts.

 

“That’s right. So, we were only left with questions in the end. Moreover, we can’t confirm anything about it right now. But…”

 

Allan’s hand gestured toward Kalian as he said that.

 

“A month ago, I received word that the Arcus Tempus had disappeared. It seems that’s how it brought this cat here. In any case, both Chase and Your Highness sought me out because of this matter, so I suppose Brothers will always be Brothers.”

 

Hearing those words, Kalian smiled a bit, though painfully.

 

Allan pretended not to see it. Instead, he stared at the knife placed on the table and asked.

 

“The day I first met you. Your Highness said what you wanted wasn’t the throne. Then may I ask again what it is you want?”

 

There was no reason not to answer this question, and thus Kalian readily replied.

 

“I tried to prevent the war.”

 

“The Arcus Tempus, which was the cause of the war, is now gone. Wouldn’t it be fair to say the war will not longer happen?”

 

Kalian answered.

 

“I don’t know the exact cause. I still don’t know why Plants wanted to possess the Arcus Tempus. If the cause remains, then the problem will only repeat itself. I want to find out the cause and confirm everything is safe.”

 

“Is this for Chase’s sake?”

 

Kalian looked at Allan. The intent behind the question was difficult to understand. Noticing this, Allan added more explanation.

 

“When I met Chase, I was thoroughly impressed. His character, intellect, ability – nothing was lacking. All three Cyries Princes combined would not match up to Chase alone.”

 

It was true a hundred, a thousand times over. No words could adequately praise Chase.

 

“You’re right. Older Brother became an incomparable ruler in my time.”

 

“So, as the Third Prince of Cyries, whose life hangs by a thread, you need not worry about the excellent Crown Prince of Secritia.”

 

“…You’re saying I shouldn’t live bound by the past, right?”

 

Kalian nodded with a peaceful expression.

 

“Actually, on my first day here, I abandoned any desire to live as Bern.”

 

Allan sat up straight. Then pointing to the knife on the table as he said.

 

“There is someone worth asking. Someone who knows more than I do, and while neither I nor Chase could meet them, Your Highness will certainly meet them soon.”

 

Kalian followed Allan’s hand with his gaze before looking back up at Allan. It did not take long for him to give the answer.

 

“The Roselita?”

 

Allan nodded.

 

The now too-familiar name came to mind.

 

“There, I might be able to meet Syspanian.”

 

Roselita, the coming-of-age ceremony for Cyries Princes. It was a ritual where one would seek out Syspanian’s Empty Lair and announce themselves of becoming a true royal. It was said that the Princes who sets out for the Roselita would get a chance to meet with the Will of Syspanian.

 

“So, resolve the poison issue as soon as possible. The land of Elephants, Siegfried Territory, is quite far. You need to prepare.”

 

Kalian slowly nodded.