Chapter 100: This Time (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 100: This Time (1)
Franz was deep in thought.
"I never expected you to behave in such a manner. Why would you show such disrespect to the Crown Prince of another nation?"
The reason for his contemplation was Lemain. After hearing of Franz's rude behavior toward Chase the previous day, the king had kept Franz behind after he came to offer his birthday wishes and had begun to scold him.
"Crown Prince Chase is of excellent kingly caliber. To hear that you treated someone with so much to learn from in such a way… it made me worry that I had misjudged you."
A year ago, when Franz had insulted Freya right in front of him, Lemain had said nothing. He hadn't even shown a hint of disapproval. He was a man who lacked even that basic level of interest in his son. Yet that same man was now chiding him for being rude to Chase, a person who had absolutely nothing to do with them.
And so, Franz had no choice but to ponder.
Should he take his anger out on the younger brother who had changed Lemain this way, or should he thank him?
"Do not attempt to determine superiority based on the size of a nation. That is mere foolishness."
Lemain concluded with a stern expression, oblivious to the fact that his words were going in one of Franz's ears and out the other.
Looking at Lemain, Franz gave a slightly delayed response.
"My thoughts were shallow. I will be more careful."
Contrary to his promise, however, a hint of amusement laced the end of his words. Sensing this, Lemain fell silent for a moment.
Of course, he knew it wasn't a sneer.
He had simply never considered how to deal with a son who smiled while being scolded, and it made him hesitate for a brief second.
He wasn't flustered. Truly.
"Very well."
In the end, Lemain gave a short reply and changed the subject.
"So, how have you been faring lately?"
Not content with scolding him, he was now showing concern.
Franz stared back at Lemain's face. At his reaction, Lemain added, "I was told that my staying out of it would be the best medicine, so I did not seek you out or ask. But in truth, I worried greatly after that incident passed."
Only then did Franz understand what Lemain was referring to. He was finally asking if Franz was doing well, if he was putting the matter of Silike behind him. And with such a cautious expression, at that.
The advice to stay out of it must have come from Alan. Since Lemain was the one who had ultimately ordered Silike's poisoning, Alan had likely told him not to linger uselessly in front of Franz.
"You need not worry."
Replying thus, Franz let out a small, dry laugh.
He was reminded of a certain someone who, despite being the most involved in that affair, kept nagging him with either worry or interference—warning him that he would die this way or that—while even Lemain found it this difficult to approach him.
He smiles when scolded.
He chuckles when told he was a cause for worry.
Franz missed the look on Lemain's face, which had become incredibly complicated by the strange reactions of a son going through a turbulent phase.
* * *
Kyrie had intended to tell Calian as soon as the prince came out of his meeting with Lemain.
He had intended to tell him immediately after the prince returned from his walk with Randel.
Therefore, when Alan, who had escorted Chase to the door, gestured for Kyrie to enter the moment he saw him, Kyrie felt truly awkward.
"Did you hear everything?" Alan asked, having called only Kyrie into the office while leaving Yan outside.
"What do you mean?" Kyrie played innocent, his lying skills having improved significantly of late. His opponent, however, was Alan.
"I am asking if you intend to tell the Prince what you heard."
"What I have heard, the Prince must also hear."
"Do your ears not know how to filter things?"
"They do not."
"What am I to do with this stubbornly honest swordsman?" Alan chuckled. "And… when I spoke my name, the Crown Prince of Secritia was greatly surprised. It is practically the same as me personally revealing Prince Calian's past to him."
"Do you think Chase realized it because you mentioned the surname 'Bern'?"
"I believe my words gave him confirmation."
In truth, the process by which Chase connected Calian and Bern was a bit more complex, though Kyrie had indeed played a very large role in it.
Naturally, Chase, who had regained his memories, did not associate Calian with Bern from the start. He hadn't even imagined that Bern might still be alive somewhere.
He had merely heard the news of 'Silike's expulsion'—the most sensational topic around the time he regained his memories—and the story of how the 3rd Prince, who should have died, had played the biggest role in her downfall.
How is Calian alive?
In a world where everything else was unfolding exactly as in his memories, only the events related to Calian were diverging. This naturally sparked his curiosity about the 3rd Prince of Kairis.
Calian had taken Alan Manasil, who should have returned to Libern, as his master. Alan Manasil had created Valkan. There were even rumors that Calian was the Sixth Sword. The details he uncovered out of curiosity were extraordinary.
From then on, Chase began to gather all information regarding Calian.
After a year had passed, news arrived that one of Calian's attendants had caused a massive sword fight at a gambling den. The attendant's name came with it.
—Kyrie.
Until then, Chase did not know Kyrie's surname, as attendants in Kairis generally worked without revealing it. But the name alone was enough. It was a name Chase knew all too well. Was he not the loyal knight who had died acting as a human shield for Bern?
Kyrie, who should have been in Secritia, was with Calian, who should have been dead. Now, Chase began to look into how those two, of all people, had ended up together.
—A child Prince Calian had personally brought back from 'somewhere.'
He already associated Kyrie with the gambling den. From there, it wasn't difficult to recall events from a bit further back. A report that a spy named 'Red Swan'—a spy Chase himself didn't even know—knew all the codes of the bird shops. And the odd-eyed boy who disappeared from the gambling den on the very day Red Swan had acquired that information.
Chase felt as if he had been struck on the head with a hammer.
Calian, a prince of Kairis, a Sword Master, and the one keeping Kyrie by his side, could be Red Swan. Bern, a Sword Master who had been close friends with Kyrie, had managed Secritia's spies.
…So perhaps. Just perhaps.
This train of thought led Chase to Kairis to meet Calian in person. He had a premonition upon seeing Calian's reaction to him. Then he met Kyrie, asked, and heard the answer.
'Kyrie Bern.'
It was true. Calian was Bern.
The one he must never forget, must never lose.
His younger brother.
It was a truth he had uncovered after a very long time and through an extensive process.
"Since this happened because of me, I have all the more reason not to hide it," Kyrie said.
His words weren't wrong. It was true that Chase had gained certainty upon hearing Kyrie's surname.
Alan let out a low groan. Of course, he was in no position to argue. "Indeed. If you were the type to listen to others, Prince Calian wouldn't have even thought of placing you at his back."
On the other hand, he felt it might be for the best. Alan himself had been agonizing over whether to hide this from Calian. Perhaps it was better to let the stubbornly honest Kyrie speak according to his own convictions.
"Fine. However, this is a period when many nobles are gathered. To ensure he does not lose his composure in front of them, wait until the festival is over before you tell him."
"I will think about it."
Even though the advice was entirely for Calian's sake, he still insisted on thinking about it. Kyrie was someone who would say nothing but "yes" to anything Calian said, yet this damn swordsman refused to listen to Alan, who was nominally Calian's master and a wise Archmage.
"Fine. Do whatever you want," Alan finally yielded.
What else could he do? It was Calian's fault for not using magic despite having someone with such sharp ears nearby.
* * *
Randel stared deeply at Calian.
"I did not think it was an unreasonable request."
Asking for information that could trigger a war, yet claiming it wasn't unreasonable.
Calian couldn't very well reply with, 'If you tell me why you're looking for Lennon, I'll think about it.' He met Randel's gaze without flinching and answered again.
"Even if you keep asking about something I do not know, my answer will not change."
Just as he was about to excuse himself, he saw Randel's attendant cautiously approaching, with Yan walking alongside him.
"It seems it is time to head to the square. As I have a schedule to keep, we should end our walk here."
Having concluded the conversation, Calian offered a brief, polite bow and walked toward Yan. Seeing Calian's face, Yan's expression stiffened slightly.
"Is something the matter? You look very grim. You've barely spoken since yesterday."
"No. It's nothing."
It was glaringly obvious that he was lying.
Seriously, which bastard dared to upset our flower-like prince? Yan almost blurted out, but he quickly shut his mouth upon realizing that the only people Calian had met today were His Majesty the King and the 1st Prince.
With Kyrie, who had returned to his side at some point, also wearing an unreadable expression, it was enough to make the clueless baby elephant want to cry.
Regardless of Yan's plight, Calian was having a hard time of his own. Because his conversation with Randel had dragged on, he was summoned to the square for greetings before he could properly organize his thoughts and was immediately swept into consecutive tea times with the nobles.
"It is a pleasure to meet you."
Fortunately, Calian did nothing that would generate strange rumors. As if he had never been burdened by deep thoughts, he responded to the nobles' greetings with a relaxed demeanor and a smile. He saw Marquis Evan Brissen in the distance, but since they were hardly on friendly terms, they merely exchanged brief glances.
After taking his seat, he began to ponder once more.
He wasn't agonizing over whether to reveal that Aisha had been poisoned. He felt apologetic for not being able to tell Randel the cause of her death, but both the victim and the perpetrator were already dead. There was no reason to trigger an unnecessary war. Had Calian not held back even with Silike right before his eyes?
Therefore, what Calian was agonizing over was slightly different.
Lennon Brissen must not be brought out.
Gray Brissen must not appear either.
Should I keep them hidden? Or…
Should I kill them?
It was a question of how to deal with the two of them, and the uncertain knowledge they held about Aisha's secret.
I suppose I should meet them after the festival.
He would meet them and decide if they could be trusted to keep their mouths shut. Just as he reached that conclusion, a knight's voice rang out unexpectedly.
"Presenting the Crown Prince of Secritia, His Highness Chase Dullahan Secritia!"
Following the announcement, Chase entered.
A momentary look of panic crossed Calian's face. It was partly due to seeing Chase again, but the greater shock was Teilan, who entered alongside him.
Evan was here.
Therefore, Calian had his aura concealed with magic.
If I conceal my aura, it will arouse Teilan Castrin's suspicion. But if I don't, Evan Brissen will see it.
His hesitation did not last long.
It's better to clash head-on with Evan than to be suspected by the First Sword of the Continent.
Raising Evan's suspicions by revealing an aura weaker than his own was preferable to making Teilan question how someone who had embarked on the Path of the Sword less than a year ago could possess a greater amount of aura than him.
"You may keep your aura concealed."
Just then, Kyrie, who had walked up behind him, spoke in a low voice.
"…The Crown Prince of Secritia knows who you are, Your Highness."
The moment he heard those words, Calian's eyes darkened.