Chapter 29, The Roses Will Bloom Soon (2)

Translator: Hedge

Editor: Lizzz

 

After being cloudy all day, it began to rain heavily the next day.

 

Kalian woke up early due to the sound of rain and wind hitting the window. When Ian came to his room to wake him up, Kalian was already sitting against the headboard and waving in greeting.

 

“Any pleasant dreams?”

 

Ian received Kalian’s greeting with an awkward expression, as that was usually his line.

 

“Yes, Your Highness. Did you have pleasant dreams?”

 

Kalian nodded and held out his hand. He wanted tea. Ian handed it over with a displeased look, and Kalian took a sip.

 

Then, for a moment, he slightly pulled his lips away from the teacup.

 

‘It’s different.’

 

There was a subtle difference. It was such a small difference that he would not have noticed if he had not been paying close attention, but it was clear.

 

It was not difficult to understand why. He could tell instinctively. That Sillike had increased the poison.

 

Kalian brought the cup back to his lips and smiled.

 

[Sillike, to think your hostility towards me has risen yet again.]

 

After he had only managed to upset her during the festival period, it seemed he had upset her mind as well. Because the nobles’ reactions to Kalian had been too positive.

 

[Should I pretend not to notice and drink it again? Or should I make her pay right now?]

 

After a moment’s deliberation, Kalian finished the remaining tea and returned it to Ian.

 

[As long as she hasn’t increased the amount enough immediately to kill me, there shouldn’t be any major problems until Tuesday.]

 

Ian, unaware of this fact, after sending away the maids who had finished the morning preparations, heard Kalian informing him of something unexpected.

 

“Two people will visit on Wednesday. They’re Half-Elf siblings, so don’t be surprised.”

 

At those words, Ian spoke as if he had heard welcome news.

 

“Is this about the guard you mentioned?”

 

“Yes. The Older Brother is Kyrie, the Younger Sister is Hina. Kyrie will be the guard. But they don’t even know their family name, so their identities can’t be verified. I wanted to ask you for a favor.”

 

Ian smiled slightly as if he understood what this was about. To work in the Royal Palace, identity verification was absolutely necessary. However, for these two, it was impossible.

 

“You mean you want to ask me to vouch for their identity?”

 

“Yes. I thought it wouldn’t be a problem if Siegfried could verify that there are no issues with their identity.”

 

Ian shook his head.

 

“In such a case, Lord Manasil’s guarantee would be better than my family’s. If we say they’re children he brought from Liberen, it shouldn’t be a major issue even if they are without a family name. If someone objects because they’re foreigners, then our family will also provide a guarantee. Once that happens, no one will be able to say otherwise.”

 

Kalian looked at Ian as if seeing him in a new light.

 

“You seemed really capable just now.”

 

At those words, Ian’s expression became goofy, before he cleared his throat and composing his face again. Then, after fixing Kalian’s crooked shirt pin, he stepped back and asked.

 

“I’ve heard that sometimes, Elves has the power of healing that do not require Divine Power. Do the siblings have such an ability?”

 

Kalian patted his chest and answered.

 

“Even if they had the power to heal, it wouldn’t help me anyway. I also haven’t heard anything about that.”

 

“Well, I suppose that’s true since you have the Boon of Syspanian.”

 

Just then, lightning suddenly flashed outside the window with thunder. The rain was getting stronger. Looking out the window, Kalian asked.

 

“Today’s only schedule was hunting, right?”

 

“Yes. There’s a hunting competition after breakfast… but.”

 

“It will be cancelled.”

 

It was a bit disappointing.

 

“Except for the first day of the festival, I haven’t appeared before the nobles, so I was thinking of making another deep impression before more time passed. This is unfortunate.”

 

“Yes. It seems difficult today.”

 

Taking his eyes off the window as if there was nothing to be done, Kalian said.

 

“Briefly stop by Master’s place today. It doesn’t matter when you go.”

 

“Yes, Your Highness. What should I relay?”

 

“Ask him to please delay Tuesday’s meeting by about 10 minutes for His Majesty.”

 

“I understand. I’ll go right after you finish breakfast.”

 

Though Kalian’s intentions were difficult to understand, Ian simply nodded without asking further questions.

 

Kalian, who responded with just a nod, finished his preparations without any other particular words and just went to the dining room.

 

…

 

Plants did not appear.

 

From what he heard, it seemed Plants had also continuously avoided breakfast since the festival.

 

[This actually works in my favor. So, from now until Tuesday, Plants won’t ruin the mood here.]

 

As Kalian watched the raindrops streaming down the window pane, he heard Randel finishing his meal and rising from his seat.

 

Without taking his eyes away from the window, Kalian opened his mouth.

 

“The roses will bloom soon, they say.”

 

It was the first time.

 

Not only was it the first normal conversation in this place, but it was also the first time Kalian had initiated conversation with Randel.

 

Because of this, Randel stopped and turned around.

 

And with those deep eyes of his, he looked at Kalian.

 

At that, Kalian also turned his head to face Randel.

 

Somehow, he felt like he was properly seeing those eyes for the first time. It felt different from when they had encountered each other in the rose garden before.

 

Blue eyes that seemed to look into the depths of a person.

 

Understanding why he was looking at him with such eyes, Kalian showed a comfortable smile and spoke again.

 

“I took a walk yesterday and saw the roses. I was suddenly reminded of the ones Older Brother used to tend to. There’s no other meaning to what I said, if that’s what you are wondering.”

 

Of course, what he said was not entirely without intention.

 

It was said mainly to grab his attention. If they could get closer, maybe Randel could lend his strength to Kalian on Tuesday?

 

Randel showed no particular reaction.

 

“I see.”

 

Just like in the garden, he left only those short words and left the dining room.

 

Ian could be heard drawing in a breath.

 

When Kalian turned around, Ian wore an expression as if he had seen the moon split in two. Soon he approached Kalian as he was leaving the dining room and made a small commotion.

 

“Roses, Your Highness!?”

 

Kalian responded with a neutral expression.

 

“What about roses?”

 

“For the first time since you were born, you spoke to Prince Randel first. About roses blooming, words with not even a speck of meaning!”

 

“A… speck?”

 

Kalian’s expression hardened.

 

Surprised by his own words, Ian hurriedly raised his hands to cover his mouth. Kalian moved his eyes to Ian.

 

“You’ve been getting quite ill-mannered lately, haven’t you?”

 

“I apologize, Your Highness.”

 

Wondering why on earth someone like him was acting this way here, Kalian smiled.

 

Then, a cough suddenly came.

 

*Cough!*

 

Ian’s expression, which had been one of playfully pouting, changed completely. Ian looked at Kalian with eyes full of anxiety.

 

“Ian, it’s nothing.”

 

“… Your Highness.”

 

“I slept with the window open yesterday, and didn’t know it would rain.”

 

As a strange scent rose up his throat, Kalian briefly lowered his eyes.

 

…

 

The rain that seemed to have no intention of stopping finally ceased on Monday afternoon. Afterward, unblemished sunlight streamed in as if it had never rained at all.

 

Encountering the welcome sunshine after a long time, wet clothes hung abundantly on the clotheslines strung between buildings.

 

In Cyries, where winters were particularly harsh, the wind now carried a clearly felt warmth. Various colored clothes swayed like flower petals in that wind. It was such a warm day that made one feel drowsy just looking at it.

 

Hina, who was sitting by the window with her chin propped up, quietly looking down at the swaying clothes, made a hand gesture to Kyrie sitting beside her. It was sign language.

 

‘Sparkling, sparkling’

 

Kyrie, who had been preciously polishing the sword on the table, was already watching Hina’s eyes and hands from the moment she raised her head. Though his sense for detecting movement was good, his habit of watching even the slightest movement from his Sister came from not wanting to miss a single word she said.

 

“Hina. Is the sunlight sparkling?”

 

Hina shook her head and moved her hands again.

 

‘No. The people. Sparkling, sparkling, they look happy.’

 

[People are sparkling?] Kyrie smiled ever so slightly. It was a smile he only showed in front of Hina.

 

Seeing this, Hina’s hands pointed at Kyrie.

 

‘Brother too.’

 

At those words, Kyrie turned his gaze toward the Royal Palace visible in the distance. His face that had been injured when meeting Kalian had already been treated and was completely healed. So, Kyrie nodded with a much better face than that day.

 

“You’re right. It feels great.”

 

‘Royal Palace, tomorrow.’

 

Hina looked extremely excited.

 

Kalian’s intention when he said ‘come in five days’ was clearly Wednesday. That was because they met these siblings at dawn on Friday. Kyrie understood it that way, but Hina was different.

 

She stubbornly insisted they should go to the Royal Palace on Tuesday, arguing that since Friday morning had dawned after meeting Kalian, Friday should be counted as one day forward.

 

So, the two eventually agreed to compromise and go to the Royal Palace on Tuesday evening.

 

Since then, Hina had been counting down the days until they could go to the Royal Palace, like this. Kyrie asked as he sheathed the sword he had finished polishing.

 

“Hina. We’ll have to work again when we go, is that okay with you?”

 

Hina enthusiastically nodded her head up and down. Then she smiled more brightly than the sunlight shining after three days.

 

‘I miss the Prince.’

 

Kyrie’s expression became slightly rigid at those words. Then Hina smiled sweetly and added a few more gestures.

 

‘He’s handsome. More than Brother. Much, much more.’

 

With each word created by his precious Little Sister’s hands, Kyrie’s grip on the sword tightened just a tiny bit more. Seeing this, Hina made a mischievous face.

 

Actually, Hina knew well that Kyrie was looking forward to going to the Royal Palace more than she was. Because he kept swinging his sword in the inn’s backyard whenever he had the chance, and polished the sword repeatedly to the point where one might worry it would wear down.

 

Soon Hina’s hands pointed to the sword in front of Kyrie.

 

‘How will you bring the sword?’

 

Obviously, weapons could not be brought into the Royal Palace. It was Kalian’s mistake to only think about buying the sword out of being caught up in old memories, without considering how to bring it into the palace. Kyrie smiled and nodded.

 

“He must have thought it all through.”

 

Kyrie was already overflowing with faith in Kalian. Though it seemed somewhat excessive, Hina did not bother to point it out. There were more important matters.

 

‘Ice cream, buy me more. It was delicious.’

 

Hina made a happy face thinking of the spring strawberry-filled ice cream she had tried for the first time yesterday and she pleaded like so. Kyrie readily stood up from his seat and nodded. There was still plenty of money left from what Kalian had given them.

 

“Alright. Let’s go. I’ll buy you some.”

 

Hina stood up smiling like a spring flower. Another small smile bloomed on Kyrie’s face as he looked at his Sister, who sparkled more brilliantly than anything in the world.

 

…

 

Due to the three days of continuous heavy rain, the final landscaping work was not completed, and the opening ceremony of the Royal Art Museum, built in Astrisha Street, was postponed by a week.

 

Thanks to this, there should have been that much more time to spare, but Rmain could not afford such luxury. It was because of the Mage who visited without warning.

 

“Please take a look at this.”

 

Rmain stared at the stack of documents placed before him. Looking at the thickness that must have been at least span a whole hand, Rmain asked in a low voice.

 

“Do you perhaps still have complaints about me.”

 

Allan’s sharp-lined eyes gently curved.

 

“How could that be? Just think of it as an idle old man finding some pastime.”

 

Allan was not even old enough to be called elderly in the first place, nor did he have the appearance to say such things.

 

As if there was nothing to be done about it, Rmain put down the documents he had been holding. Allan glanced at them and opened his mouth.

 

“Etienne doesn’t even look at such things. You’re quite diligent in this regard.”

 

“Is that so.”

 

Though it could have been taken as sarcasm, one could tell that was not the intention. After being subjected to so much sarcasm on the day he first met Allan, the comparison was clear.

 

After briefly recalling Liberen’s King, Etienne, Rmain rose from his chair.

 

“I cannot become as carefree as that woman.”

 

Soon, Rmain walked to the sofa while holding Allan’s stack of documents and said while putting on his glasses.

 

“Sit.”

 

Allan nodded and sat across from Rmain, and soon the Grand Chamberlain came in to set down two cups of tea and dessert before leaving. Rmain savored the tea’s aroma in his mouth before taking a sip and said.

 

“He stayed out overnight.”

 

“You’re now speaking of Prince Kalian when I ask you to look at work?”

 

“I’m worried.”

 

“Isn’t he at an age where he would naturally want to go out?”

 

“Is he in a condition where that would be alright?”

 

Understanding that he was asking whether Kalian had escaped from the poison, Allan shook his head. However, he could not share the specific circumstances, so he just gave a simple answer.

 

“He’s maintaining it at a level where it isn’t dangerous. Given the Prince’s naturally cautious personality, we’re just watching it for now.”

 

“You mean he drinks it knowing it contains poison?”

 

At Rmain’s slightly raised voice, Allan spoke as if to calm him.

 

“He’s also taking medicine with it, so there’s no immediate danger. It seems like he has something in mind, so let’s wait and see.”

 

“… The Kalian I hear about through you always surprises me. It’s so different from what others tell me.”

 

Allan replied with a light expression.

 

“Is that so?”

 

Then, perhaps worried that Allan might lecture him again about the phrase ‘hear about’, Rmain added far more words.

 

“I know now that he’s similar in height to Plants, shorter than Randel. Comes up to below my shoulder.”

 

Kalian’s height.

 

In short, he was saying that he was trying to take an interest.

 

Rmain set down the teacup he had been holding for a while, and a small clinking sound was heard.

 

“So… I hope I won’t have more to blame myself with due to me callousness.”

 

Allan nodded without a reply. Then he pulled out another stack of documents from his bag and handed them to Rmain.

 

“How do so many stacks fit such a thin bag?”

 

As the workload seemed to keep increasing, Rmain smiled wryly. If someone had seen that expression, they would have been very surprised, but Allan did not know how expressionless a person Rmain typically was. Therefore, he just opened his mouth as if it was natural.

 

“Please read it when you have some free time.”

 

“What is it this time?”

 

“I was wondering if we could fold the Griffin’s wings for a moment, so I gathered some information.”

 

It was documents summarizing the investigation into Sillike. It was the same as what had been given to Kalian, but after flipping through a few pages, Rmain put it back down. A self-deprecating voice flowed out.

 

“You’ve done something useless.”

 

“It seems you already know the contents.”

 

Allan raised his teacup and took a sip.

 

Whether it was due to the taste of the tea or Rmain’s voice, a bitter taste was strongly felt.

 

With a clatter, the sound of Allan putting down his cup rang out loud.

 

“Are you fine with continuously saying such things in the future?”

 

Allan picked up a chocolate and put it in his mouth. Because his mouth had been bitter, the sweetness hit more strongly. Allan’s finger pointed to the documents on Rmain’s knee.

 

“If not, how about turning things over?”

 

Whether it be these documents.

 

Or this country.

 

Rmain, who had decided to just filter out Allan’s rude tone, began turning the pages. Soon his face changed.

 

Around the time the chocolate had completely melted away in Allan’s mouth, Rmain’s faintly trembling voice flowed out.

 

“… the Arcane Enclave?”

 

“Do you like it?”

 

It was a cunning question. Even though he had already heard from Kalian that Rmain was considering the same thing, he was still testing the waters.

 

“Whose idea is this?”

 

“Not mine. I’m just a useful Master, that’s all.”

 

“So, that child was thinking of the same thing as me?”

 

A strange light flickered in Rmain’s eyes.

 

Rmain began turning the pages again and started discussing his opinions with Allan, while passing documents back and forth. Their conversation continued through the depth of night, until dawn broke again.