Chapter 293, Please Endure, Older Brother (4)

Translator: Hedge

Editor: Lizzz

 

A small palace atop a hill.

 

Smaller than Chermil Palace but more beautiful, a snow-white palace. It had been the villa of Diana, the late Queen. Though Louise now possessed it, in the past it would likely have been passed down to that Prince. From afar, the sea could be seen rippling in the moonlight, and at one’s feet, white flowers bloomed in full glory, commemorating someone.

 

Whether Chase, who had regained his memories around this season last year, had prepared it, or whether Louise, who said it had not been long since she recovered her memories, had arranged it; Kalian, who had come to stay briefly in his own room where he had never once set foot, was not particularly curious about who had decorated this room. He simply rested comfortably.

 

Plants turned his head towards the window, watching Kalian, who had briefly woken, smiled for a moment, spoken a little, then fallen asleep again.

 

In the distant sky, one blue star. And one red star. Beside them, countless stars bloomed like white flowers across the sky, beneath which silent blue lights rose to become stars.

 

He had seen red flames ascending to the sky and blue flames flowing beyond the sea, but he had not expected to witness directly the white flowers rising to become stars. Yet another first experience had emerged. And this, in that desolate room where that Prince had once stayed.

 

At any rate, this is rather amusing.

 

Was there truly any amusement in this?

 

The one who had watched over Chase ceaselessly, to the extent that the rest Arsene offered was somehow welcome, was now resting in a place Chase had prepared, his life sustained thanks to Arsene. It was Plants himself who had caused that Prince to be forever unable to come to this place, and it was also Plants himself who had caused a completely different person to come here again. Rather than amusing, would it not be more accurate to call this an absurd situation? Or perhaps this too was Serenty’s mischief.

 

Thanks to this, he ultimately could not sleep.

 

Rather than saying he had engaged in the self-reproach he had been told not to indulge in again of his own accord, it was simply that he had become lost in various memories and his thoughts had multiplied. He stood motionless, quietly gripping Cinnastar’s hilt, gazing only out of the window.

 

Until the white flowers no longer flew away to become stars, until the Moon illuminating the distant sea hid itself beyond the sky and the last shining star became invisible, submerged in light, until the sun rose and his eyes were dazzled by the glinting waves in that far place.

 

“You’ve been constantly accompanying the Prince, and now you’ve already entered the path of the sword?”

 

Therefore, staying up all night was part of his daily routine from the start, so the only perfectly fine person, the mad blue haired Mage, came into the room saying he would go and eat breakfast quickly, and said this. It meant, ‘what made you stay up all night in that condition?’

 

He had been unable to sleep because he was troubled, not because he had stayed up all night out of bravado.

 

He had experienced far too many unwelcome incidents as soon as his birthday arrived, could not sleep, and his body ached, so he was filled with irritation. Therefore, Plants pulled up one corner of his lip to his heart’s content and retorted.

 

“If my younger brother learns that his new father is worried about him, he will be very upset.”

 

There was no one better than Hina at fixing Kalian when he lost his reason, and there was nothing better than Kalian at making Arsene shut his mouth, was there not? Whatever the reason, he had caused Allan to learn of the situation here, so he blocked that noisy mouth with the threat of informing on him.

 

Arsene, who had a face full of things he wanted to say, spoke again while not hiding his expression of ‘but I’ll endure it because I’m the adult.’

 

“Very well, then have your meal.”

 

“I’ve no appetite.”

 

“If you continue not eating like that, you’ll have to keep looking up at him forever, but is that acceptable to you?”

 

[‘Chase is taller than you, after all.’]

 

He did not know why those words from someone came to mind together.

 

His face full of irritation, Plants turned around, then grimaced even more as the pain from his injury assailed him, and he walked over and sat down on the sofa with heavy steps. He truly meant he had no appetite. He no longer wished to experience indigestion from eating to grow taller.

 

When Arsene, having seen his state, opened his mouth again to say something…

 

*Wooong!*

 

Plants’ bracelet began to glow.

 

His face hardened as he looked at it, while Arsene suddenly rummaged through his breast and pulled out a crystal plate from his pocket. Plants’ gaze automatically turned towards Kalian. The bracelet fastened to Kalian’s wrist was also glimmering with the same light as Plants’.

 

—The Secritia soldiers who had gone into Brigit Forest are all dead.

 

A communication from Chase directed at Plants.

 

Word has come that one Mage from Liberen has disappeared.

 

And a communication from Allan urgently seeking Kalian and Arsene.

 

The moment both of them were wondering what reaction they should show to this, one more thing that even the clever Plants had not anticipated occurred.

 

“To meet again in a place like this after just one day is refreshingly pleasant in a different way. Are you badly hurt?”

 

She was the long-time friend of his younger brother and the fiancée of his younger brother’s former older brother, someone with whom, though neither Plants nor that person remembered, there was said to be a deep relationship of debt and resentment between them. She had burst in without even knocking and abruptly enquired after his well-being. Facing this situation, Plants quietly and slowly closed his eyes and opened them again.

 

And without saying anything, he rose from his seat again, led his ailing body, and walked to the bed where Kalian was sleeping.

 

More desperately than ever before, he needed this fellow.

 

* * *

 

There had been no problem whatsoever.

 

Euria might seize people without observing the situation, unlike Arsene who seized people while observing it, but no matter what, she at least employed common sense when seizing them. Had Euria been thoughtless enough to arbitrarily kill and eliminate soldiers sent by another country on another’s land, she would never have risen to her current position.

 

Rachel was no different. At the very least, Rachel belonged to the type of Mage who seized people while observing not only common sense but also the situation. She had never been skilled in Magic for attack from the beginning, and she was someone who knew all too painfully well how great a loss someone’s death became to another.

 

‘If the Secritia soldiers attack Brigit Forest, please stop them. You must not kill anyone.’

 

Therefore, there was truly no problem whatsoever with the two Mages upholding Kalian’s words conveyed in this manner.

 

*Crackle crackle!*

 

Late at night, not long before Plants went to wake Kalian without a moment’s hesitation, in Brigit Forest.

 

“What have you come all the way here for in the middle of the night?”

 

Euria, holding lightning upon one hand, asked a question while looking down at her feet. It was directed at the one Knight amongst those surrounding the forest, each holding a torch, who appeared the strongest.

 

Was it not difficult to pretend not to know the intentions of soldiers surrounding the forest, each holding a blazing torch, when they could have used magic lanterns? It was so efficient and convenient to use, easy for anyone to obtain, and even inexpensive. Nevertheless, Euria asked about the purpose of their visit. Though she had a violet sphere emitting murderous sparks upon one hand, for a Mage of her temperament, who would attack first without saying anything, this could be considered showing tremendous consideration.

 

High up on a tree branch.

 

There was no support, yet with an attitude that felt not the slightest precariousness, she stood upon the branch and picked a quarrel with great vigour. At the sight of Euria, the feet of the soldiers who had been approaching little by little stopped all at once. Soon the words ‘halt for now’ spread through the soldiers’ mouths to both sides.

 

The corners of Euria’s mouth rose thinly as she confirmed that the feet of the soldiers advancing from places where they could not see her had all stopped as well.

 

“Who are you?”

 

Unable to know who exactly the Mage showing only a silhouette while standing with her back to the bright Moon was, the Knight commanding the soldiers frowned and asked. Understanding well the situation where she could show her appearance and have her identity discovered but could not speak her name with her own mouth first, Euria conveyed her answer in a light voice.

 

“Coco’s father.”

 

[My precious child, born after being cherished with all devotion for a month, had chosen a blue haired Mage with pitiful alcohol tolerance but non-tiresome taste in flowers as its mother, so what could be done? The only option was to secure the remaining father position.]

 

“Reveal your proper identity. Your attitude is quite rude.”

 

“Oh. Sorry. I devoured my manners along with my age ages ago, so I’ve no manners left to show to suspicious bastards who’ve come to an Elven forest holding torches. And I asked the question first. What have you come here for?”

 

Instead of answering, the Knight examined Euria. As the silence lengthened, Euria, who had been glancing round and about, spoke in a voice full of leisure.

 

“Well, I suppose there’s no need to ask. Winter is coming, the trees are bone-dry, and plenty of leaves have fallen, so a forest would burn really well, wouldn’t it?”

 

Long purple hair briefly illuminated by moonlight. A female Mage. And lightning held in her hand. The Knight, having combined various circumstances and visible elements, murmured low as if reciting.

 

“Are you Euria Seiren?”

 

“Yeah. Right. Since you’re correct, hurry up and put out your torches and leave.”

 

“…Why is a member of the Cyriesus Prince’s party interfering in another country’s affairs?”

 

“I don’t know, but this is apparently our Queen of Cyries’ hometown. So, our Third Prince is planning to visit here soon, and it would be regrettable if it had all burnt down and disappeared.”

 

She was that Euria Seiren, who was said to drive the spectres of the dead even in broad daylight.

 

Those present here now were at best a few Knights and soldiers, nothing more. Even if they were gathered only with Knights instead of soldiers, would it not still be a difficult situation? Therefore, the Knight firmly closed his mouth and briefly deliberated whether he should retreat for now or continue speaking.

 

“Don’t deliberate and just go.”

 

Whether the Knight was showing his own form of courtesy or not, it was difficult to treat him with kind words since he had come here with torches in any case. The moment those flames touched the trees, it would create not merely the burning of Freya’s hometown but a diplomatic issue between Cyries and Secritia concerning the Elves’ residential area.

 

Though she waited for some time, the Knight did not answer immediately. Watching this, water Magic gathered in Euria’s hand.

 

*Wooong…*

 

A pulsing energy gathered in an instant and moved the water flowing deep beneath the forest floor. The Knight, momentarily feeling as if the ground were undulating, turned his head and spoke to the soldiers.

 

“Water. Everyone move close to the trees and get ready.”

 

At the Knight’s words, the sound of soldiers moving in unison arose.

 

It was a wise command and swift movement.

 

It was the best response method to avoid being swept away even if water gushed from the ground, and to be able to take refuge behind trees even if there was a lightning attack from the front.

 

That would have been the case had Euria’s Magic, which had been about to extinguish the torches first, continued as planned.

 

“…Damn it.”

 

Euria, sensing the aura of Mana suddenly detected nearby, spat out a short curse and dispersed the power of water she had been operating. Then she drew up Magic Power to its fullest for a new force. Though the Mana flowing around fluctuated as the flow of power suddenly changed, she paid it little mind. She had no leisure to pay it any mind.

 

The Knight and soldiers did not notice that Euria’s gaze had moved away from them and that the ground beneath their feet was no longer undulating.

 

“Everyone gather. If you want to live.”

 

Euria’s hand moved as she spoke towards the Knight in a somewhat louder voice.

 

The violet sparks she had thought she would not need to use began to glow high in the sky, and clouds gathered.

 

*Rumble…*

 

Between the clouds obscuring the moonlight, a sound full of unease continued.

 

The Knight, who had not heard Euria’s voice, ordered the soldier standing beside him to move away from the trees again and scatter from each other.

 

*Crackle! Crack!*

 

The sound of the sky splitting could be heard.

 

The soldier who had received the Knight’s order took a step to convey the message to another soldier standing nearby.

 

*Crash!*

 

At that moment, with a tremendous roar, the stream of water underground exploded upwards.

 

A whirlwind of water that had pierced straight through the body of the soldier who had been about to run began to sweep the surroundings like the thrashing of a snake whose tail had been severed, swallowing up the nearby soldiers.

 

It was not Euria’s power.

 

Having been atop the most solid and tall tree, Euria, who had unintentionally preserved her body in the first attack, hastily moved her opposite hand. Independently of preparing the great Spell, she drew up Magic Power once more and moved the water underground.

 

*Rumble…*

 

The ground undulated and the sky roared.

 

Another stream of water, seized by Euria’s Magic Power, pushed up the earth, and dry lightning that could never be seen on such a clear day brightened the sky and disappeared repeatedly.

 

*Crash!*

 

Eventually, water that had pierced through the thick earth gushed forth and soon split into two large streams, extending to both sides. Behind it, because the soldiers in the centre had already been annihilated, the water unfolded a broad Water Barrier before each group of soldiers divided to both sides.

 

She had no leisure to worry about the safety of Rachel, who had gone to the back of the forest. This was a situation where she had to take care of those far weaker than Rachel first.

 

*Tch.* She had not come to save them but to send them back without killing them. She had not thought at all that there would be a need to save Secritia’s soldiers from an attack by someone whose identity she did not even know.

 

*Hiss!*

*Crash!*

 

A gigantic snake of water charged straight ahead and struck Euria’s barrier. One large column of water lying sideways divided into two branches, then three, lashing at the barrier from all directions.

 

*Crash! Boom!*

 

A roar that was hard to imagine as the collision of water forces continued.

 

Adding force to the barrier in the direction where the opponent’s water column was heading, Euria swiftly turned her head. The preparation to bring down lightning was complete, but she had not seen the hidden foe. If she rashly extended the lightning’s edge over that water, she would kill all the soldiers she had barely saved, so she had to confirm the opponent’s location first.

 

Therefore, Euria prepared the strongest Spell she could produce with one side of her Magic Power, protected the soldiers with another side of her Magic Power, and began to unfold threads of her remaining Magic Power to search for traces of another Mage nearby.

 

*Crash!* Boom!

 

The water columns stretching long to both sides extended like a viper’s movements, lengthening and rising above the barrier. Simultaneously, Euria’s hand moved swiftly to move the water once more. The barrier that had extended its length enclosed the soldiers overhead.

 

But at that moment, a sharp bursting sound erupted, tearing at the ears.

 

*Crackle crack!*

 

It was not the sound of Euria’s lightning, which needed only to be brought down upon finding the target.

 

The sound of something rapidly freezing. The sound made as the water column that had just struck Euria’s barrier froze instantly.

 

The tip of the protruding water column extended like a long spear, then transformed into dozens of Ice Spears. Without hesitation, they pierced through the Water Barrier and poured down.

 

*Shriek!*

*Shriek! Shrieeek!*

 

Screams invaded her ears.

 

Euria bit her lip.

 

“Ice?”

 

There was no Water Attribute Mage who could create Ice Spears while using the power of water to this extent.

 

[There are two or more of them. Or, I’m facing someone like me.]

 

A Dual Elemental Mage just like Euria.

 

Was there such a person? Euria, frowning, operated her Magic Power once more.

 

*Crack! Crackle!*

 

Euria, who had changed the Water Barrier into a whirlwind and smashed the pouring Ice Spears into pieces, turned her gaze sharply towards one place in an instant.

 

She had felt the energy of water extending from a single point.

 

*Rumble…!*

 

*Crash! Crackle!*

 

[Found you.]

 

*Wooong!*

 

Euria, having removed the Water Barrier, created a gigantic shield and blocked the front of the clearly diminished soldiers.

 

In a situation where a Cyriesus Mage and Secritia soldiers were confronting each other, what other scheme could someone killing and seizing the soldiers have? It was as obvious as the intentions of those Secritia bastards holding torches.

 

A Mage’s power existed on a different dimension from that of ordinary people.

 

To a Mage, a soldier was no different from an ordinary person. A Mage was an absolute superior, and soldiers, compared to a Mage, belonged to the relatively weak. A Mage who tore apart the weak without reason was a vile one.

 

On top of that, a vicious bastard who had clearly come with the intent to send a rotten gift to Cyries…

 

*Crash! Boom! Crash!*

 

Was a bastard who need not be kept alive depending on the situation.