Chapter 61, Found (3)

Translator: Hedge

Editor: Lizzz

 

‘Bow your head at least.’

 

Since Kalian said this while standing right in front of the reception room door, Ian, who was outside, heard every word the Prince had said. Because of this, it was difficult to erase the anxiety in his heart.

 

If Kyrie were here, he would feel reassured, but Kalian did not receive Kyrie’s escort within the palace. He was giving him time to freely train.

 

[If I had known this would happen, I would have brought the Knights even if I came late!] Because there had been no particular armed conflicts until now, Ian had agreed to leave the Knights behind, thinking only of returning quickly. He did not know he would regret it like this.

 

Since it was a meeting with the Prince, Gray, who had entered the reception room, would not be armed. But how could Ian still remain calm? After all, he had grown up observing his father, Sleiman. He knew that for a Sword Master, anything held in their hand could be turned into a weapon.

 

[If the Count happens to lose his reason and goes berserk, what will you do?] Ian continued to remain vigilant and kept his position.

 

Meanwhile, there were people walking toward the reception room.

 

It was Arsene and Rauchel, who had received ‘homework’ on Teleportation Magic from Kalian. They seemed to be coming to the reception room to have a conversation related to it, but the reception room was already in use.

 

“Please go somewhere else to talk.” Ian tried to send them away, saying this.

 

Since Ian’s presence outside meant Kalian was inside the closed door, Arsene nodded without asking anything else. The butler of Tessyd approached him and said something perceptive though.

 

“There are places upstairs where you can have a conversation. I will guide you there.”

 

“I know where it is, so you don’t need to go through all that trouble.”

 

After saying that, Rauchel gave Arsene a meaningful look.

 

Soon, the two turned to go to the place the butler had mentioned.

 

*Clatter!*

 

However, they both soon had to stop in their tracks. This was because they saw someone running hurriedly down the corridor in the distance.

 

With each step taken, the silver hair that shook was eye-catching.

 

“Hina?”

 

It was indeed Hina.

 

Normally, Hina never ran around like that. So, that appearance meant something was wrong.

 

Ian, who had called out to Hina, walked over with a hardened expression and asked.

 

“What’s the matter?”

 

Hina’s entire face was covered in tears.

 

She used sign language while looking at Ian, but her hands were shaking so much that it was not easy to understand. Ian bent down to meet Hina’s eyes and said with a calm face.

 

“Hina. Slowly. It’s okay, go slowly.”

 

Hina nodded at those words. And then she moved her hands at a slightly slower pace.

 

‘Brother, Knights.’

 

Because he had forgotten much of sign language, Ian was not good enough to understand everything. Still, he recognised just two words from Hina’s gestures. But even with just that, he could roughly understand the situation.

 

“Kyrie and the Beurisen Knights?”

 

Hina nodded.

 

Ian asked once more with a hardened expression.

 

“Did a fight break out, by any chance?”

 

Hina’s head moved up and down again.

 

“Where?”

 

‘Horse.’

 

“The stable.”

 

Ian, who now had nothing more to ask, stood up. And for a moment, he looked toward the reception room.

 

Since Kalian and Gray’s conversation had not yet ended, he could not go and check what Hina had conveyed. It was then that Arsene stepped forward and said.

 

“I’ll go and check.”

 

To Arsene, who volunteered in a situation where it was difficult to carelessly leave one’s post, Ian slightly bowed his head in gratitude and said.

 

“It seems there’s a problem between Kyrie and the Beurisen Knights. They’ll be at the stable.”

 

At those words, Hina nodded beside him. It meant that Ian’s words were correct. After confirming that, Arsene was about to go straight to the stable when Ian continued.

 

“Lord Hertz. You must not harm them first.”

 

“I’m not unaware of that much, so don’t worry.”

 

After saying this, he immediately left.

 

Rauchel also tried to follow Arsene, but Ian dissuaded her.

 

“It’s better if Lord Hertz handles it alone. Lady Grace, please look after Hina.”

 

Arsene was under Kalian. So even if problems arose, Kalian could resolve them. However, Rauchel was not, not yet. Moreover, Rauchel was a foreigner who had just entered Cyries from Liberen. If she became entangled in affairs related to Beurisen, it would be more troublesome than it was worth.

 

Whether she understood all these reasons was unknown, but Rauchel nodded without further words and embraced Hina’s shoulders, making a gesture suggesting they go to her room together. Thus, she took Hina, who was still crying profusely, up to her room.

 

Ian watched Hina’s retreating figure with a slightly furrowed brow.

 

He did not know exactly what had happened. But he could certainly tell that Gray’s Knights had, of all things, bothered Kyrie and Hina, whom Kalian cherished as his own relative.

 

“If His Highness finds out about this, he won’t let it go… What am I to do…”

 

Ian had a feeling that something had happened that Kalian would absolutely not overlook. Unable to do anything else, he let out a short sigh.

 

* * *

 

Not knowing what was happening outside, inside the reception room, a deafening silence floated about – like they were in the eye of a storm. It was an atmosphere that felt like it would spiral out of control if even slightly misaligned.

 

Amidst the quiet, the Count Gray Beurisen was trying to ensure that the smile that had been on his face did not disappear. Thanks to that, although it was somewhat unnatural, he succeeded in maintaining something that resembled a smile.

 

“What do you mean by bow?”

 

“Questioning a Prince’s words. How rude.”

 

Kalian was showing complete disrespect.

 

Right now, Gray chose to doubt his ears rather than get angry.

 

It was because he had never thought, even in his dreams, that he would hear such words. So, he looked at Kalian with an awkward smile that seemed like it had been drawn by a child holding a brush.

 

Kalian had been staring into Gray’s eyes the whole time. With eyes tinged with utter coldness. His expression, looking down at Gray, also remained unchanged.

 

Kalian opened his mouth once more in a clear voice.

 

“Count.”

 

Gray Beurisen was one of those standing at the pinnacle of power. He was the eldest son of Marquis Evan Beurisen and the older brother of Queen Sillike Beurisen. He was a Sword Master, who ranks within the top five on the continent and a Count.

 

It was obvious how such a person has lived until now.

 

It was strange that the eldest son of a Ducal Family would serve as an attendant. Most people naturally become and live like Gray.

 

Kalian, no, Bern had seen countless such people. He dealt with and ruled over them on behalf of Chase, who was too kind.

 

So, he knew well how to treat them.

 

“I told you. To bow your head.”

 

For this type of people, they had to be dragged down to the very bottom. Only then would they either show their belly or extend their claws.

 

At this perfect form of disrespect, which even Rmain never did, Gray unconsciously made a grim face. In the silence maintained by Tessyd standing beside him, Gray opened his mouth.

 

“What did you just…”

 

“It shouldn’t be your mouth that needs to move.”

 

Kalian did not even listen to the end of Gray’s words. His voice remained calm, and there was no change in his expression.

 

Seeing this, Gray rose from his seat.

 

He is a tall man, with a head taller than Tessyd, who is already quite tall. With such a large body standing straight, Gray’s eyes turned toward Kalian.

 

[Will he release his killing intent? Or will he lose his reason and draw a sword he had hidden somewhere? Or, will he show unexpectedly wise handling of this situation?] Such thoughts crossed Kalian’s mind.

 

He was predicting Gray’s next actions.

 

However, these predictions that Kalian was making soon became useless.

 

“Since you’ve stood up, show proper respect and sit down, Count Beurisen.”

 

It was because Tessyd intervened, stopping Gray.

 

A glint flashed in Kalian’s eyes toward Tessyd.

 

Gray did not seem to realise it, but right now, Tessyd was not helping Kalian but Gray. He was mediating to prevent further mistakes, to prevent this minor emotional struggle from causing a bigger accident.

 

For a mere Viscount to stop and stand in front of a Count must have required considerable courage.

 

The only regrettable point was that only Kalian understood Tessyd’s intentions and mindset. Kalian had also hoped Tessyd had not intervened.

 

Kalian briefly turned his head towards Tessyd and then looked straight at Gray again. Since he was standing at a distance, he did not particularly need to look up at Gray, who was taller than him.

 

Seeing that gaze, Gray frowned for a moment.

 

‘You shouldn’t think of him as the former Third Prince that you know.’

 

He now realised the meaning of a line from the letter sent by Sillike. It was not that he had not heard rumors about Kalian from various places. It was not just news from Sillike. Still, he had thought they were just exaggeration.

 

Gray barely suppressed the urge to cut off Kalian’s neck right then. If he had done such a thing, the entire Beurisen Family would have been wiped out. He reminded himself that it was not time to rashly draw his sword.

 

“Since I’ve stood up, then.”

 

However, that did not mean he intends to quietly back down.

 

Gray produced a distorted smile.

 

Instead of drawing his sword, Gray showed a very exaggerated arm movement. Etiquette full of falsehood that anyone could see was created at Gray’s fingertips. It was a greeting that might be done by a clown from a circus troupe, full of contemptuous meaning toward a superior.

 

“Gray Beurisen greets the great Third Prince of Cyries.”

 

After that, Gray raised his head to look at Kalian.

 

He had been told to greet, and he had greeted. So, regardless of how impudent it appeared, Kalian should not have anything to say. So, it was a look of expectation as to how Kalian would respond to such a greeting.

 

However, Gray’s expression, after raising his head, became completely distorted.

 

Kalian’s head was turned toward Tessyd.

 

He did not even look at Gray’s greeting.

 

Kalian turned toward Tessyd as if there was nothing more to see in regards to Gray. And with a tired expression, he opened his mouth.

 

“I’m exhausted, so I’ll go up first. Viscount Reddington, please take care of the Count.”

 

After saying that, Kalian’s head finally turned toward Gray.

 

Kalian concluded with a calm tone.

 

“I hear he’s very ill.”

 

And then, as if feeling no further need to deal with Gray, he turned his body and went outside.

 

Gray’s eyes changed as he realised he had been completely ignored. Finally unable to contain himself, Gray took a step to follow Kalian.

 

At that moment…

 

*Boom!*

 

An unexpected blast shook the palace.

 

Kalian’s eyes sharpened as he heard the loud explosion that made the glass windows tremble.

 

[That explosion, and Mana. That was from Arsene.]