Chapter 285, Is It Because You’re Going Through Puberty? (1)

Translator: Hedge

Editor: Lizzz

 

A path walked without knowing its end. A path walked towards its end.

 

Plants’ world was not vast. Kalian knew this, of course, but Plants himself had learnt of it quite well this time. He had lived without knowing what the seed of a banana tree looked like or what the sound of waves captured inside a seashell might be. Therefore, Plants’ world was, indeed, not vast.

 

Because of this, he had not known that either.

 

He had thought that everyone walked without knowing their end. Like Sillike, who occasionally crossed his mind after passing from time to time, he had thought people lived as though life’s finale did not exist.

 

Then he saw one madman.

 

If one asked why that madman was called mad, there was nothing else to say. Mad Mages were called mad because they had abandoned so many aspects of being Human, but that madman was a truly mad bastard who ran on a different track from Mad Mages.

 

That madman walks towards the end.

 

In Plants’s narrow world, there was no one who lived like that. Even in his somewhat broadened world, that madman was still the only one who lived that way.

 

“If I’d eliminated the regrets one by one like that, would I have lasted even one more day?”

 

Before coming here, on the rocky mountain in the early dawn.

 

The Royal Carriage had been stationed between where Raven lay and the rest of the party. Inside that carriage, Plants had heard the words that madman spoke to Kyrie, though they were intermittently cut off. Since he was the sort who would somehow let something slip anyway, Plants simply pretended not to hear and listened along.

 

“If I’d gained just one more day, wouldn’t something have changed, even a little?”

 

At any rate, that madman was Kalian.

 

He was a bastard who lived to gain precisely that one day. More diligently and more desperately than anyone, he lived as though each day were his last, towards that final moment. He lived preparing for the end so that even when it inevitably came, he would not regret it.

 

Therefore, Plants thought this, [In this world, there are people who walk without knowing the end and people who walk towards the end.]

 

But then he met one more person.

 

Someone who knew but did not prepare. There was someone who walked to avoid the end.

 

“I cannot tell whether this is coincidence or expectation.”

 

Walking out from the annex of Secritia Palace into the rear garden and continuing onwards, one passed a place filled with unnamed red flowers, then came to a greenish garden full of unnamed shrubs. After finishing the breakfast Chase had hosted, Plants walked there to ease his frustration and was looking around, thinking he should ask either his younger brother or Chase later what those red flowers and these shrubs were called, when someone quietly approached.

 

A person who resembled Chase.

 

The person who was said to resemble that Prince greatly. Yet a person who Plants thought couldn’t possibly be similar at all.

 

“Would that not depend upon how you think of it?”

 

Though he had neither particularly wished to encounter this person nor waited for them, Plants answered calmly. Debeullan, who showed a gentle smile on his stern face, nodded.

 

“I met your younger brother a short while ago. We shared many words. Are you aware of this, perchance?”

 

“It is not a matter I need to concern myself with.”

 

He was quite similar to how Kalian spoke.

 

This did not refer to tone or voice, but rather the manner of speech was truly similar. Just as those words suggested, the meaning changed distinctly depending on how one thought about it. Just as Debeullan or Chase often spoke in such ways.

 

Did he mean he had met Debeullan by coincidence, or that he had been waiting? Did he mean he was deliberately trying not to take interest in Debeullan meeting Kalian, or that he had no interest at all?

 

“You two brothers seemed quite different, yet you share many similarities.”

 

“This is the first time I’ve heard we’re alike.”

 

“How unexpected. To my eyes, you seem quite similar in many ways. In truth, I had wondered how you walked together when I heard the brothers were so very different, but now I understand somewhat.”

 

“Rather than being alike, it is due to what I have learnt.”

 

“You learned such things?”

 

“I learnt first and foremost that one must sometimes join hands and at other times show one’s back, depending on the occasion.”

 

Plants briefly thought something else, having no way of knowing that Kalian believed ‘Cyries Royalty speak little or briefly because they resemble Syspanian’. That Kalian’s talkativeness was a characteristic of the Secritia Royal Family.

 

“So you are merely acting as you have learnt.”

 

“I merely act upon what I have learnt as is necessary.”

 

“I am curious what you learnt, from whom, and how.”

 

Otherwise, not only Kalian, who barked ceaselessly, but Chase also made quite a racket, and if even Debeullan talked this much, there had to be another cause. The environment didn’t seem conducive to the whole family gathering harmoniously to chat, so he could only consider it a family characteristic.

 

“I have learnt many things well from my younger brother.”

 

Plants, who had grown somewhat weary because of this, answered with a hint of annoyance.

 

“You learnt many things well from your younger brother but did not teach him anything in return?”

 

“My heart is not broad enough to teach anyone.”

 

“Then your younger brother must have quite a broad heart indeed.”

 

“His meddlesomeness is broad.”

 

It seemed he had finally read the annoyed expression.

 

At those last words, which hardly suited a Prince’s lips, Debeullan made a sound of laughter. Then, at the end of it, came the sound of coughing as well.

 

“It seems you ought to rest, so I shall take my leave now.”

 

Plants, who had been watching Debeullan cough for a moment, spoke.

 

Kalian had poor speech habits throughout conversations but asked permission when ending them. Yet Plants, while maintaining courtesy towards a foreign King, was trying to decide on his own to conclude the conversation and withdraw. By proper etiquette, neither approach was correct.

 

“Truly an amusing day. This morning your younger brother entertained me, and now you provide enjoyment in this manner.”

 

[You may find this enjoyable, but I do not. I feel as though I’ve spoken ten days’ worth of words in this very spot.]

 

When he thought of it, from some point onwards, occasions requiring him to speak more had been increasing. More than half of them had been words spoken to his younger brother regarding matters related to Debeullan.

 

“We do not seem to be in a relationship where we converse for enjoyment, Your Majesty.”

 

“Is that so?”

 

When he answered without concealing his discomfort, Debeullan laughed again.

 

“By chance, what have you wagered? What have you wagered to obtain your opponent’s stakes? That I should like to hear in this very place.”

 

Then he spoke to him again.

 

Debeullan.

 

[How irritating.]

 

It was even more irritating because he could now see where that certain bastard’s personality of barking to his heart’s content whether others disliked it or not came from.

 

“I have never wagered anything.”

 

In a voice filled with that irritation, Plants answered thus.

 

“Why had you never wagered anything?”

 

“Things valuable enough to wager my own stakes for were already in my possession.”

 

“You mean you already had everything without needing to seize it. Then if, perchance—”

 

“If what Your Majesty requires is Your Majesty’s life.”

 

Plants cut off Debeullan’s words.

 

Then, before Debeullan could speak again, he said what he meant to say.

 

“Please wager something suitable for exchange. I shall tell you how to obtain it.”

 

A glint of interest appeared in Debeullan’s eyes.

 

At last, it was somewhat quiet.

 

* * *

 

Four people.

 

Four Warriors from the Great Dunes attacked at once. All four swords shone the same red colour. Since these were people who had come knowing of Kalian’s swordsmanship, they would not be easy to deal with.

 

Kalian glanced back briefly and muttered with a somewhat helpless laugh.

 

“Have you matured now that you’ve aged a year? You’re listening so well.”

 

Just as he said, Plants was listening remarkably well to his younger brother today. It meant he was paying no attention to this situation and staring at the cats.

 

“Well, well. Is it indifference or trust… or are the cats that impressive?”

 

Feeling somehow as though he had been stabbed in the back not earlier but just now, Kalian put down his muttering and moved his feet.

 

He probably did not have much interest in his younger brother originally, so setting that aside, he pondered whether it was excessive trust or impressive cats before deciding it was excessive trust. It felt a bit unfair to think he was suffering through this because his older brother was paying no attention while the younger brother was dying, too busy watching over two cats.

 

He had called over the fifteen Secritia Knights who were surrounding them and told them to watch and learn from that older brother over there. In other words, do not get caught up in the battle here and lose something, just watch the cats alongside that efficient and fresh-faced fellow over there, who was trying to overlap his younger brother’s death anniversary with his own birthday.

 

He had said that knowing Plants would hold out adequately until Kalian arrived, even if those Knights changed their minds and attacked. Still, just in case, he had told them that if any amongst them were not Knights, it would not end with just breaking something, so they better wait quietly.

 

*Kaaang!*

 

With such mixed feelings, Kalian, who had roughly sorted out his surroundings, struck down two swords extending at different intervals from both sides one by one, then moved his arm.

 

The bastards blocked Kalian’s sword swung from within the shadows.

 

Kalian, who had blocked an attack striking down from above and one slashing in from the side, concealed his body again. He began facing the four while blocking the bastards from approaching that particularly fresh-smelling place amidst the saltiness.

 

[First, my older brother met Debeullan, and when we came outside the Royal Palace, Zeon came looking.]

 

Plants had used Kalian as bait.

 

At a time like this, it was not as though Plants would really pester him to go look at the sea, was it? No sooner had he said with his own mouth that he had an ulterior motive than Zeon’s Warriors appeared, so it was Plants who had drawn out those Warriors. The problem was that he did not tell Kalian about this plan.

 

Kalian, who chuckled at the thought of whether his older brother really intended to make today his younger brother’s death anniversary, extended his sword once more.

 

[Whose doing is this? It shouldn’t be Debeullan’s.]

 

If the Warriors had attacked as soon as they left the Royal Palace, it meant Debeullan and Zeon were connected.

 

Or rather, it was a trick to make him believe that.

 

Of course, there could be a connection. Kalian had continued to think so. However, Debeullan was not someone who would think thoughts that even Evan would not contemplate.

 

If he had been foolish enough for that, he would not have been probing Kalian and Plants until now. If nothing else, if he would kill off all companions, using poison would have been better. If he had just tampered a bit with the food or water, everyone except Kalian would have disappeared easily. Why would he bother with such troublesome actions?

 

* Kagagang! Kaang!*

 

Then it was someone amongst the associates close enough to know of the Princes’ sudden outing, rather than Debeullan.

 

Or the real Debeullan, keeping in mind that people would think it was not his doing.

 

The possibility that, anticipating the other party would believe Debeullan would not carry out such unreasonable actions, he had openly carried out the deed.

 

“I’m dying of curiosity now.”

 

At any rate, solving his curiosity would come later. For now, he needed to somewhat soothe his troubled heart after being stabbed in the back.

 

*Shiiik!*

 

*Kaang! Kagagang!*

 

Kalian, who had sent flying four daggers made of Aura, kicked off the ground.

 

Kalian’s slender fingers moved towards one of the four. A Warrior with bright red hair. Along with the sound of something sharp and thin cutting through the air, a translucent blue light sliced through the void.

 

The red-haired one struck down the dagger flying towards him.

 

He didn’t see the long, slender thing flying afterwards.

 

*Ssaeaek!*

 

He belatedly realised Kalian was a Mage.

 

*Kwajik!*

 

The price of realisation was quite painful.

 

Wind Spear pierced through the bastard’s body.

 

The power of wind widened and tore at the wound.

 

Thanks to dodging quickly, his heart didn’t develop a hole, but the bastard’s side was torn away the size of a fist. The bastard, who had been staggering, used his sword to support himself on the ground and rose. Red energy gathered and the bastard’s wound began to heal.

 

Kalian rushed at the bastard.

 

Killing intent.

 

Killing intent like a beast lower than Human, or killing intent like an absolute being higher than Human. Such killing intent straightened all of the red-haired one’s nerves.

 

The bastard raised his sword towards the blood-red eyes flying towards him.

 

*Kaaang!*

 

The bastard gritted his teeth and struck down Kalian’s sword. Then he forcibly moved his disobedient body and swung down his sword.

 

Simultaneously, Wind Spear generated behind Kalian flew towards the bastard. Mana containing the full force of wind rotating at a terrifying speed rushed towards the bastard.

 

*Ssaeaek!*

 

*Kaang!*

 

The bastard struck down the spear.

 

He barely blocked Kalian’s sword flying afterwards.

 

Kalian’s form disappeared.

 

The bastard concentrated and examined his surroundings.

 

Meanwhile, Kalian, who had sent daggers and spears flying at the three rushing in to block their approach, revealed his body behind the red-haired one.

 

*Shiiik!*

 

Sensing the sword extending at an invisible speed, the red-haired Warrior hastily bent his waist. With a lurch, blood from the bastard’s wound soaked the white sand.

 

*Ssaek!*

 

Kalian’s attacks did not stop.

 

In the time it took to draw two breaths, six exchanges occurred. Some things flew and some thrust. The bastard moved several steps back and evaded Kalian’s attacks. Knowing that if he permitted even one attack, his lifeline would be severed that instant, he evaded with gritted teeth.

 

*Kagagang! Kaang!*

 

Kalian’s feet kicked the ground again. Along with that, Wind Spears flew towards the bastard. The bastard rapidly rotated his sword to block them.

 

The healing wound tore open. The other Warriors rushed towards Kalian, and Kalian, who had struck down three swords, tenaciously rushed towards the red-haired bastard.

 

The red-haired one frowned. Continuing to move his body made treatment difficult. Kalian, who briefly looked down at the bastard’s dripping blood, spoke in an emotionless voice.

 

“They definitely can’t heal each other, it seems. I suppose it’s because they’re not healers.”

 

If the other three bastards could exert the power of healing on to others, the red-haired one’s wounds would have already healed.

 

He’d confirmed that unless they were healers, they could not heal others’ wounds. Well, that was why Debeullan had bothered looking for a healer.

 

[That’s fortunate, at least.]

 

Killing intent that had deepened by another layer swept round as though seizing the bastard’s feet.

 

“I’ll just eliminate you.”

 

A whispering-like soft voice reached the red-haired one’s ear.

 

Kalian, who had appeared right before the bastard’s nose before anyone knew it, thrust out his red sword. Feeling the cool wind blowing from behind, the bastard turned in the opposite direction.

 

Magic before his eyes and a sword behind his back.

 

Which should he block first?

 

The deliberation did not take long.

 

*Ssaeaek!*

 

*Tadadadan! Kaang!*

 

The bastard, who moved as though twisting his waist, struck down several wind awls the size of forearms, then immediately turned his body again and struck down Kalian’s sword.

 

At that moment, the sword in Kalian’s hand disappeared.

 

As the opponent’s sword that should have received the force disappeared, the red-haired Warrior’s body lost its centre. That momentary gap created thus—

 

*Seogeok!*

 

Kalian did not miss it.

 

Red light cleaved through darkness and flashed.

 

A long crack appeared on the bastard’s neck.

 

As though there was no need to see what would happen to it next, Kalian didn’t give further attention to the bastard’s body collapsing smoothly and took off again.

 

“One down.”

 

As one comrade died to the overwhelming attack, the remaining three bastards rushed towards Kalian.

 

Kalian, who moved his body lightly, struck down two attacks and evaded one. He rushed towards the second Warrior who had long brown hair plaited down.

 

Death seeped into the shadows.

 

* * *

 

Plants did not take his gaze off the screen in his hand.

 

The two cats, who had lost interest in Plants’ face that only stared silently, had long since moved away to the other side of the screen. While just letting Rerik’s words flow past, Plants continued staring at the screen.

 

—Your Highness, how did they suddenly appear? Why are you there?

 

—Doesn’t matter.

 

A faint light circled from the bracelet fastened on his left arm. Plants’s eyes quietly deepened as he turned his head briefly to look towards Kalian.

 

One person’s neck fell and rolled about on the white sand.

 

Even in the darkness, the bastard’s red hair was clearly visible.

 

Plants, who had been silently watching it, released the Mana he had been infusing into the crystal plate.

 

—Come. Quickly. Bring that excellent Knight.

 

—…Understood.

 

Plants, who had no intention of leaving Kalian to continue the fight alone in any case, set the crystal plate down on the ground. Then he quietly moved one foot.

 

With a *sweeing* sound, an even more distinctive sword was drawn from within a distinctive scabbard. As Secritia’s Knights showed movements as though wary of such a Plants, one corner of Plants’s mouth curled upwards.

 

“It would be better to just watch.”

 

Don’t interfere and don’t help, it was better for them to do nothing in this place. Just as Plants moved one foot amongst the silently standing Knights who knew this well…

 

“If you place the crystal plate on the sandy ground, it will get scratched.”

 

A voice came from where there was nothing.

 

Then, an absolutely unwelcomed face appeared, unwelcomed at any time or place.

 

Plants, who had moved exactly one step before stopping again, frowned.

 

“…What is this?”

 

He spoke as if Kalian had said it.

 

After all, actions behind one’s back, should not it be given and received to be truly satisfying?

 

“His Highness said that since the time had come when Prince Plants, who is His Highness’s second older brother and Deputy Commander who is tremendously frail while truly not listening to His Highness’s words at all, would stab His Highness in the back of the head, I should watch carefully and stop you if you tried to do anything strange.”

 

The ‘duck mum’ had returned to duty at this time.