Chapter 84, Those Steps (4)

Translator: Hedge

Editor: Lizzz

 

Turning back time just a little, to Saturday, two days ago.

 

The day when Kalian introduced his name to the anti-Beurisen faction, Rmain captured the pro-Beurisen faction beside Allan who was catching birds, and Plants received words of gratitude from Hina…

 

A carriage from the Pollun Trader’s Guild arrived at Viscount Evan Beurisen’s mansion. And inside it was neither Melpir nor Allan, but Arsene.

 

“Pleased to meet you. I am Arsene Hertz, Deputy Commander of Valkan.”

 

Arsene’s self-introduction was the same as always.

 

It was polite but somehow managed to irritate people in a way that could not be explained for some reason.

 

Of course, Evan was no different.

 

Because of Arsene’s disappearance, an implausible rumor had spread that Evan was trying to kill a young talent to keep Valkan in check. So, the Caera Knight Order had turned even the hay in the stables upside down searching for that one Mage.

 

And that was not all.

 

‘Like Master, like Disciple. I think I now understand the level of the Marquis’s swordsmanship as well.’

 

After Arsene killed ten of Evan’s Knights, Evan had to hear those humiliating words from Allan that he would never forget.

 

“Arsene…… Hertz. So you’re that bastard.”

 

Naturally, when that very Arsene Hertz walked in of his own accord, Evan immediately thought, [well, well, what a fortunate meeting], and reached for his sword. He simply wanted to kill the man and be done with it, without caring about the circumstances.

 

When Arsene saw Evan’s sword humming in his hand, he extended his own hand. Not to cast Magic, but to show a ring on his finger.

 

“I apologize for the interruption, but I am currently connected to Lord Manasil.”

 

It was the ring with communication Magic that Kalian had been wearing before.

 

“If anything were to happen to me, he asked me to tell you he would come immediately.”

 

The ring on Arsene’s finger emitted a soft light.

 

Arsene continued speaking with a calm face, making Evan wonder if he even knew who he was standing before.

 

“If you have anything to say to Lord Manasil, I would be happy to convey it.”

 

Unfortunately, Evan knew very well what a communication ring was. That knowledge held his sword back. Eventually, Evan withdrew the Aura he had infused into his sword and spat out a curse.

 

“That snake of a Mage……”

 

The light of the ring grew slightly brighter, and Arsene spoke again.

 

“He says he’s heard that before and finds it tiresome on his ears. But he also says he will definitely visit sometime soon.”

 

Evan looked at Arsene with a face full of anger.

 

He thought this was no time for jokes, but he could not find any trace of humor on Arsene’s face. This Mage was having a very serious conversation in front of a Sword Master right now.

 

So, he had really conveyed Evan’s curse to Allan word for word, without missing a beat, as though it was his duty.

 

Finally, Evan spoke in a sharp voice, almost shouting.

 

“Why are you here!? State your business and get out!”

 

Arsene nodded slightly and spoke in a tone as if discussing everyday matters.

 

“I have come by order of Prince Kalian to stay here until the Valkan inauguration ceremony on Monday.”

 

“…What!?”

 

As soon as his five-day vacation ended, Arsene found himself in enemy territory without a single ally. He added an explanation to the speechless Evan.

 

“The Prince said that the Queen will certainly use my whereabouts as an excuse to plot something. So, if I entrust myself to the Marquis, it would most certainly be proof of my whereabouts, and he ordered me to stay with you for just two days.”

 

Evan raised his eyebrows.

 

“Plot something? What is Sillike plotting?”

 

Arsene’s face changed as if he had just heard the most pathetic thing in the world.

 

“If the Prince knew what she was plotting, would he have sent me to a place like this?”

 

“A place like this? Have you learnt your insolence from him?”

 

Despite saying this, Evan’s mind was working in complex ways.

 

If Sillike was plotting something, the day of Valkan’s inauguration ceremony would certainly be the right time. Evan had reached the same conclusion. But the very idea that she was plotting something troubled him greatly.

 

Arsene’s next words came out.

 

“The Marquis said that if you help Prince Kalian this time, you’ll be able to escape the rumors that you tried to harm me. Of course, he also said it would not harm your grandson, Prince Plants.”

 

Kalian had not sent Arsene to Evan’s mansion without reason.

 

The false accusation that Evan had tried to harm Arsene needed to be cleared before it could be revealed that Sillike had instigated the Knights. Moreover, in the current situation, no one could guarantee Arsene’s whereabouts more accurately than Evan.

 

After all, was he not a Beurisen?

 

If a Beurisen vouched for him, even Sillike could not persecute Arsene. At the very least, that was what Kalian was thinking.

 

However, this was beneficial mainly to Kalian.

 

Evan had no desire whatsoever to let Arsene stay at his home for two days just to counter some rumor. Therefore, Evan was about to refuse. But Arsene spoke first.

 

“And he said he would keep the secret about the gambling den. The third and fourth floors of that strangely named tavern.”

 

Of course, Kalian knew many more secrets related to the Beurisen.

 

For instance, where Lannen Beurisen was, or what business Gray had here and what happened to him before he returned, or the fact that Plants had already detached his heart from the throne, as well as suspicions about the cause of Queen Aisha’s death.

 

But these were the appropriate exchanges for Arsene’s two-day accommodation: the unpleasant rumors and the gambling den.

 

The rest were too expensive to reveal to Evan—the fact that Kalian knew about them.

 

Kalian’s calculation was precise.

 

The Head of the Beurisen Marquis Family, one of the Two Knight Order Families, running a gambling den? That must never be made public!

 

Finally, Evan accepted Kalian’s deal.

 

In exchange for Kalian’s silence about the gambling den, he would take in this Mage, who had slaughtered his Knights, for two days.

 

“…I won’t interfere if you get attacked by other Knights. So don’t wander around needlessly, and stay as if you don’t exist.”

 

“Understood.”

 

That was Arsene’s answer.

 

And of course, he did not stay as if he did not exist.

 

If only Evan knew that Arsene was in his house, why would Arsene have risked his life to come in the first place?

 

Therefore, Arsene proudly wore his Mage robe and roamed around the entire mansion, filled with Knights. Knights, who were grinding their teeth with the belief that Arsene had killed their comrades.

 

There were several fights in the process, but Arsene did not lose a single exchange.

 

By the time the explosion was heard, everyone in the mansion had seen Arsene at least once. And Evan, anxious about what Sillike might do, sent letters to Karen and the Roan Knight Order Captains, telling them not to listen to Sillike.

 

As that was not enough to ease his anxiety, on Monday morning he visited Rmain to say he would overlook the expulsion of Sillike if they would not associate the Beurisen Family with Sillike.

 

After returning to the mansion safely, he heard the explosion from the Royal Palace of Cyries. That was why he had returned to the Royal Palace.

 

Naturally, with that Mage, Arsene Hertz, who would be the greatest poison to his daughter.

 

* * *

 

In truth, Kalian had given this a great deal of thought.

 

It was to predict how Sillike would set things in motion.

 

The day Kalian went to meet Sillike, he did not even bring Ian. He feared that having a servant waiting outside might affect what Sillike would plot.

 

That was how much he had considered every possible scenario.

 

Arsene was just one of them.

 

He did not expect her to go so far as to cause an explosion at Heisia Palace, but he had anticipated that she might try to frame Arsene for an attempted assassination. So, he had come prepared.

 

And Sillike took the bait called ‘Arsene’, hook line and sinker.

 

Now it was time to reel in the fishing line.

 

Kalian looked around once more.

 

He slowly walked toward Rmain, who had just entered and sat down beside the Princes.

 

*Step, step, step…*

 

In the silence, the sound of Kalian’s shoes echoed.

 

The attention of many, including Rmain, were focused on Kalian. Therefore, everyone heard Kalian’s voice.

 

“Your Majesty.”

 

Kalian emphasized each word as he spoke.

 

“Right here, right now.”

 

Right here in front of all these people.

 

“Please investigate the accident at Heisia Palace.”

 

In short, ‘please reveal that Sillike had set off a bomb herself, and tried to expel Kalian with it!’

 

And thus create Sillike’s end.

 

Rmain’s eyes briefly met Plants’.

 

Plants simply accepted Rmain’s gaze without saying anything.

 

Soon, Rmain’s lips opened.

 

“I will do so.”

 

* * *

 

The first thing confirmed was the truth about Arsene.

 

Evan, who was also Sillike’s father, vouched for Arsene’s whereabouts. There was no room for doubt since too many eyes had seen Arsene at Evan’s house at the time of the accident.

 

The trap that Sillike had worked so hard to set up was undone too easily.

 

“I advised you to refrain from hasty words.”

 

Sillike closed her eyes tightly at Kalian’s words, as he stood a short distance from her.

 

Sillike had clearly said she saw Arsene. She shouted at Kalian to immediately bring that Mage to her. She said he was the perpetrator of everything.

 

But that was not true. It could not be true.

 

Moreover, Arsene said that it was actually Sillike who had instigated the Pavel Knights to attack him.

 

The Nobles’ murmurs filled the hall at the claim that it was Sillike, not Evan, who had initially tried to kill Arsene.

 

Meanwhile, Grand Chamberlain, Raul, came to Rmain’s side and informed him of something. Hearing this, Rmain unconsciously made a somber sound.

 

“Sillike.”

 

Rmain’s subdued voice quieted the commotion in the hall.

 

“One person died in the explosion, and one was severely injured.”

 

The maid died.

 

The Knight Captain was severely injured.

 

Sillike raised her head, and Plants lowered his.

 

Sillike because someone had survived, and Plants because someone else had died.

 

“Despite this, do you still have no intention of repenting?”

 

Rmain asked again, and Sillike did not answer.

 

Kalian turned his head to look at the head maid behind Sillike. Feeling his gaze, she tightly closed her eyes.

 

She had been pale before coming here. She was trying to hide her trembling hands.

 

Kalian, who had been observing this, spoke soothingly to her.

 

“Following blindly cannot correct the wrong that had been committed. Silence is not your only path.”

 

After all, Ian had even cursed at Kalian for his own well-being. What more desirable image of an attendant could there be? Someone who silently follows her Master, even when what she was doing was obviously wrong?

 

A brief smile crossed Kalian’s face as he thought of that time.

 

Sillike saw that smile.

 

“Yes. You truly resemble her so much.”

 

Sillike had been the same from the beginning until now.

 

She was a woman who somehow persistently reached out to kill the old Kalian who posed no threat to her at all. She was a woman who loathed Kalian’s very existence.

 

“Your mother… smiled like that until the end.”

 

Because Kalian resembled Freya Hwiteurin.

 

Because he resembled her too much.

 

Whether the Knight Captain woke up, or her head maid opened her mouth.

 

Since even Evan had completely turned his back on her, Sillike could no longer be Queen anyway. Sillike knew that best of all.

 

So, Sillike lunged at Kalian.

 

Somehow, a hidden dagger was in her hand.

 

Kalian saw it,

 

Allan and Kyrie saw it.

 

And Plants also saw it.

 

…

 

‘Don’t intervene. No matter what happens, don’t intervene.’ That was what Kalian had said, but…

 

…

 

Red blood dripped onto the white marble floor of Wilhelm Hall.

 

Everyone fell silent.

 

No one could make a sound.

 

Rmain had already risen from his seat.

 

Randel’s eyes were wide open.

 

Sillike had swung her dagger at Kalian.

 

Her dagger cut deeply into someone’s chest, making a long gash.

 

When Sillike took a step toward Kalian, Allan’s Shield was already cast on him.

 

In fact, even without such a sturdy Sixth-Circle Shield, her movement was too slow. It was the movement of someone who had never swung a blade in her life. It was so slow that Kalian did not even need to take action.

 

Therefore, Kalian was perfectly safe.

 

That clever Plants could not have known that.

 

So, Plants had deliberately rushed in.

 

Sillike’s scream broke the silence.

 

Blood soaked into her beautiful grape-colored dress.

 

No one could pay attention to that sound.

 

No one could pay attention to Sillike’s beautiful hand that was cut off along with the dagger. No one could pay attention to Plants’ deep wound that had cut a long line and barely stopped before his heart.

 

Because of the transparent sword with blue Aura that he had created.

 

To save his sworn enemy who had rushed in to die.

 

To break the Shield that his Master had cast on him.