Chapter 41, Verify (5)

Translator: Lizzz

Editor: Hedge

 

Night. Rain. Bar.

 

[A fitting combination, isn’t it?] Kalian thought.

 

If anything seemed out of place, perhaps it was the fifteen-year-old boy who had trudged through the rain to find a bar on this night. Or maybe it was the sight before his eyes now.

 

Having entered expecting to find Blue Warbler’s group, his lips curved into a smile beneath his robe, just as they had before, upon discovering something quite unexpected.

 

“Perhaps I was too hasty.” Kalian said this while observing the woman with sea-blue hair who stood behind the bar, wiping a glass.

 

Anyone who saw her would be compelled to praise her appearance. The woman was too beautiful to belong in such a bar. In some ways, she was even more beautiful than Sillike.

 

But was it not strange? A bar run by such a beautiful woman, on a rainy night. Yet, there were no customers, and the smell of blood permeated the air.

 

The woman with long eyelashes set down the glass and quietly raised her head. Kalian addressed her in a low voice.

 

“Those outside are merely following me.”

 

“I’m not heartless enough to send blades at uninvolved people. Besides, it would be troublesome to clean up after.”

 

The woman, who had clearly been waiting for Kalian, smiled gently as she responded to his words of concern for Yuran and Kyrie, who had been left outside.

 

Kalian’s lips twitched.

 

“You seemed heartless enough to send arrows at a penniless man and a young elf. So, hearing that, I’m relieved.”

 

“That’s because they became involved parties.”

 

The woman smiled again as she responded to Kalian’s words.

 

Kalian glanced at the seven corpses strewn behind the woman. The number matched those who had shot arrows at his group during the day. The woman, following Kalian’s gaze to the same spot, spoke.

 

“They were the same as well.”

 

The woman with sea-blue hair, Blue Warbler, said.

 

…

 

Seeing Allan, who had come to visit him in the middle of the night, Rmain naturally took out and put on his glasses. He had assumed that another stack of documents would be brought out. Noticing this, Allan smiled and said.

 

“I came just because I’m curious about something, so please be at ease.”

 

“That can’t be true.”

 

Allan smiled at Rmain, whose face had started to show some expression.

 

“I seem to have lost a lot of trust.”

 

Only then did Rmain remove his glasses and move to the sofa.

 

Looking at the mage who now knew to sit precisely opposite him without being told, Rmain said.

 

“Coming at this hour just to ask something you’re curious about. From being treated as someone who holds the crown, now I’m just being treated as an informant.”

 

Despite the words clearly containing dissatisfaction about the sudden late-night visit, Allan continued undeterred. “I remembered that Your Highness had been looking into something I was curious about. So, why should I go to the trouble of confirming elsewhere when I have someone knowledgeable right in front of me?”

 

In the past, when Allan had approached Rmain about creating a Mage Order, the documents Rmain had been reading were related to the residences of the Priests. Remembering how the Queen of Liberen had scolded him for looking into such matters personally, Allan had come straight to the palace.

 

“I’ve come to ask about how many Tansyll Priests are in Cyries, and where.”

 

Rmain’s brow furrowed slightly. It was a reaction to being asked about Tansyll’s Priests at this particular moment.

 

“I’m not sure whether you’re asking because you already know something, or if you’re genuinely curious by coincidence.”

 

This time, Allan’s brow moved.

 

“Is there something else going on with the Tansyll Priests?”

 

“As it happens, envoys from Tansyll came about a peculiar matter.”

 

Allan was well aware of the fact that envoys had suddenly arrived from Tansyll. Of course, he did not know the reason for their visit.

 

Rmain glanced briefly toward his desk as he continued.

 

“There are currently fourteen Priests in Cyries, and they said they would find and recall all of them except for the one here in the palace. They had also asked us not to request for any more Priests.”

 

Of course, those small and powerless Tansyll envoys would not have spoken so aggressively to a country as large as Cyries. They must have conveyed the message more diplomatically, but either way, it was not a pleasant situation from Cyries’s perspective.

 

“It’s unpleasant, especially since Cyries had never requested Priests from Tansyll in the first place, yet they come with such demands.”

 

Even the healer in the palace had been sent voluntarily as a commemorative gift for the marriage between Tansyll’s Princess Aisha and Rmain.

 

Everyone knew that the power of healing wielded by these Priests was very effective. However, it was not to the extent that Cyries would have to beg Tansyll to send their Priests. Remain was certainly not the type to demand such things.

 

“They sent Priests of their own accord claiming to commemorate various occasions, and now they’re speaking as if Cyries had been forcibly taking and using their Priests. I was left speechless.”

 

Allan chuckled softly as he listened to Rmain. Rmain’s manner of recounting what had happened with Tansyll made him seem like a child complaining about an injustice.

 

“I’m not sure how scarce Divine Artifacts have become, but they seem to be in quite a difficult position. They don’t want to reveal their situation, yet they need to retrieve their Priests.”

 

Rmain nodded.

 

“It seems like it.”

 

“So what did you do?”

 

“I had considered having all the Priests hanged.”

 

Allan knew well that it was a lie. Rmain would have known that such an action would immediately start a war with Tansyll.

 

“With the current situation, a war like that would only benefit Beurisen, so that wasn’t an option. I decided to let it go just this once, in consideration of my Son, Randel. I told them we weren’t specifically managing the Priests, so they could find and take them back themselves.”

 

“Well done. In any case, please tell me. It’s not me who’s curious, but Prince Kalian.”

 

Rmain’s brow furrowed again. He had received reports about Kalian’s current location.

 

“Why ask about it when he’s already arrived at a place where there’s a Priest?”

 

“Which place do you mean?”

 

Allan suddenly felt uneasy. Though he had not heard the details, Kalian had definitely asked as if there were no Priests nearby.

 

“Latran. Before Tansyll started the war with the Desert, they gifted a Priest to Count Latran. Though their relationship has soured now, Randel and Count Latran were quite close back then. It seems they did not bother to take back that Priest.”

 

After hearing that answer, Allan remained silent for a while. Rmain continued.

 

“Has something happened?”

 

Allan quickly smoothed down his furrowed expression and shook his head. Then he hurriedly offered a fabricated excuse.

 

“No. Since the Prince’s maid is a healer, I think he wanted to have her examined by a Priest.”

 

“I don’t think that’s it.”

 

Rmain did not look pleased as he watched Allan. Allan smiled gently and said.

 

“I really must have lost your trust, for you to doubt me like this.”

 

“Who would believe that you came to the King’s office at this hour just to ask about such a thing?”

 

[Fair point.] Allan dropped the pretense and spoke honestly.

 

“To be honest, I don’t know the details myself, so would it be alright if I came back tomorrow to explain? For now, I think it would be best to relay this information to the Prince. In any case, whether it’s Count Latran or anyone else, I doubt anyone so bored with life that they would dare harm a Prince of Cyries, so please set aside your worries.”

 

Since he needed to leave the palace to relay the information to Kalian, there was no point in dragging things out. Reluctantly, Remain agreed with a displeased expression.

 

…

 

Looking at Blue Warbler, who had abandoned her usual male disguise, Kalian removed his robe with unhurried movements, placing it aside as he spoke.

 

“Earlier today, when someone attacked my group, I thought they had attacked despite knowing who I was.”

 

“I know. I had left instructions about it. It was careless of me.”

 

Blue Warbler answered, following her gaze to look at the same thing.

 

It seemed Blue Warbler had instructed them not to attack Kalian’s group and to follow an Elf called Luca. However, they had fired arrows at Kalian’s group, and as a result, became those seven corpses.

 

After understanding the situation, Kalian slowly nodded. Then he raised his head and asked in a casual tone.

 

“So does that mean I’ve become an involved party now?”

 

He was asking whether Blue Warbler intended to attack him.

 

“I was going to say that, but…”

 

Blue Warbler observed Kalian for a while. Soon, she removed her hand from her hidden sword. Along with that, Kalian’s sharp killing intent directed at Blue Warbler disappeared. Blue Warbler looked at Kalian with curious eyes and said.

 

“It might not be easy.”

 

Instead of answering her words, Kalian asked something else.

 

“Is the Elf you were chasing after already dead?”

 

“It’s difficult to chase an Elf fleeing through the forest path. I’m getting a headache deciding whether to continue or give up. And when I returned, I found an even more headache-inducing situation.”

 

Kalian glanced once more at the headless corpses. Blue Warbler also turned her head to look at the same thing and said.

 

“I’m not particularly pleased about having a Prince sending killing intent at me or knights chasing after me. Since neither of us has been particularly harmed, would you please leave? Then I’ll also leave that little one alone.”

 

“I’ve come all this way to meet you, and you are asking me to just leave?”

 

Kalian shook his head and continued.

 

“I’ll leave after you answer me about a few matters.”

 

Blue Warbler, who seemed to contemplate for a moment, soon nodded.

 

“I’ll answer to the extent of my curiosity.”

 

“Why are you looking for Divine Artifacts when you’re not even a Priest?”

 

Kalian’s question came out immediately.

 

“Because it’s quite expensive these days.”

 

“That sounds like you are selling Divine Artifacts.”

 

Blue Warbler poured a glass of liquor and drank it.

 

Slightly frowning at the strong alcohol smell, Blue Warbler answered.

 

“Even I find my main occupation somewhat lacking at times.”

 

She was saying she had come here to sell Divine Artifacts that she had obtained while working as a spy in Cyriesus.

 

At that moment, Kalian felt a faint magical energy from his finger.

 

Knowing Allan was looking for, Kalian infused magic into his ring. Immediately, Allan’s voice was heard.

 

– Your Highness, I hear Count Latran has a Priest.

 

– You mean he had a Priest?

 

When asked about the Priest, he had spouted nonsense about whether they were there or not.

 

– I understand. But Master, do Priests use a lot of Divine Artifacts? Enough to repeatedly purchase more?

 

– No. One or two bottles should last ten years.

 

Blue Warbler had spoken as if she had been continuously selling Divine Artifacts.

 

This meant it was not the Priest buying it for their own use.

 

Kalian raised his head and asked Blue Warbler again.

 

“Is the person buying Divine Artifacts in Latran now? There’s no reason to sell in such a rural place. It would be easier to find Priests in Cyriesus.”

 

“No one pays as much as that buyer. They are also someone I had connections with from before.”

 

[Someone who had connections with Secritia’s spy from before? Sounds like they originally had connections with Secritia’s spy for other matters, and then became involved in buying and selling Divine Artifacts.]

 

To Kalian, this suggested that someone had been buying information about Cyries from Blue Warbler, and now instead of buying information, they were purchasing Divine Artifacts.

 

Kalian’s brow furrowed. Soon, Kalian asked his final question.

 

“This buyer, is it Count Hale Latran?”

 

“That doesn’t seem like an appropriate question.”

 

Blue Warbler smiled sweetly.

 

Her refusal to answer was as good as confirmation.

 

– Hale Latran. He’s hiding his Priest, collecting Divine Artifacts he doesn’t even use at high prices, and has connections with a Secritia spy. Something is off.

 

– Indeed. His actions seem unusual.

 

– Yes. I think I need to look into this.

 

Kalian’s eyes darkened.