Chapter 106: Behind the Abyss (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 106: Behind the Abyss (1)
Shortly before Calian met Randel, Franz was frowning at the man blocking his path.
"What brings my little brother's illustrious older brother here this time?"
Chase merely offered a bitter smile, not answering the question.
He was alone. For some unknown reason, the knight named Teilan who always accompanied him was nowhere to be seen, nor had he brought any other attendants. He had simply stepped in front of Franz as if he had been waiting for him.
"I was waiting for you, Prince Franz."
"Why?"
"I have a few questions. I was hoping we could talk."
"You seem to be alone."
"Yes. I slipped away. Escorts can be a nuisance."
A nuisance, he says.
He certainly didn't seem to think much of Kairis. What if Lemain had a change of heart and took him hostage? What if one of the things Randel kept hidden decided to attack? Franz let out a dry laugh at the thought.
Look who's worrying about whom.
Calian had dropped him off at the palace only moments ago before leaving again. If he were being honest, there was probably no one in all of Kairis who was in more danger when left alone than Franz himself.
Regardless, Chase continued to look up at the mounted Franz with an incredibly calm expression.
Franz didn't know it, but had Alan seen this, he would have been quite impressed. It was the exact same expression Calian had worn when he’d looked up at Alan on his horse the day they first met.
Get down. Let's talk.
That was the kind of look it was.
Of course, even if Franz had noticed the resemblance to Calian, his mood wouldn't have improved. Just seeing this incredibly unpleasant man was enough to ruin his day.
"First you meddled with Valkan. Do you still have something to say?"
Franz spat the discourteous words, dismounting his horse in a single, effortless movement.
Chase had already gotten a taste of Franz's sharp tongue the day before. Unfazed, he smiled faintly and replied, "I saw a pleasant walking path over there. Is that Senyu Hall?"
"It is."
"Could we talk for a moment?"
Franz glanced around, his displeasure obvious. His expression screamed, Why can't we just talk here?
Clack, clack.
As if on cue, a carriage rumbled past them, entering the palace gates. It wouldn't do for the Crown Prince of Secritia and the Second Prince of Kairis to be seen bickering in the middle of a road.
Furthermore, it occurred to him that Calian might return while they were talking. With that in mind, Franz swallowed the question of why on earth he should have to walk anywhere with him and gave a curt nod.
"Fine."
He handed his horse's reins to a nearby knight and started walking ahead, his steps heavy.
Chase remained silent as they walked.
Naturally, so did Franz.
Occasionally, passersby would bow in greeting before hurrying away, clearly afraid of provoking Franz's notorious temper. Chase chuckled softly at the sight, and Franz pretended not to hear.
Soon, they were walking side by side down the path in Senyu Hall. As they passed between the budding trees, both men spoke at the exact same time.
"So..."
"There is one..."
Clicking his tongue, Franz gestured with his chin. "You first."
"There is one thing I would like to ask," Chase began, and after Franz nodded, he continued. "I heard from Sir Castrin that Prince Calian's aura was visible two days ago, but not yesterday. Do you know anything about that? I was concerned there might be a problem."
"Seeing how worried you are..."
Franz smirked, cutting himself off. He had been about to say, To think you came all the way to Kairis and waited for me indefinitely, all out of worry... You two must have been exceptionally close. But he held his tongue.
Instead, he just nodded and answered coolly.
"Magic. There's someone who can't be allowed to know how poor my little brother's swordsmanship is."
"Do you mean Marquis Brissen?"
"Yes."
Are you really from Secritia? You seem to know everything. Franz made a mental note to deal with some informants once Chase was gone, then nodded again.
"So he hid his aura from Sir Castrin just to keep it from Marquis Brissen? Shouldn't he be more wary of Sir Castrin...?"
"There's no need to be wary of your side."
Chase's steps slowed. He realized Calian hadn't hidden his aura from him by accident.
He looked at Franz, clearly struggling to find words. Franz, knowing exactly what he wanted to ask, sighed in irritation.
"My little brother knows."
Chase stopped walking.
Unable to contain his frustration, Franz pressed on. "My little brother knows that his 'older brother' knows who he is. He knows, and he's choosing not to show it."
Do you think Calian told me that?
I figured it out on my own. Why haven't you?
More importantly, why am I even telling you this?
Why can't you two just meet and sort this out?
What the hell are you both doing to me?
But instead of venting his anger, Franz simply walked in silence beside Chase until they had circled all of Senyu Hall.
What could he possibly say? Not when Chase was making a face like that.
*
When Bern had just turned ten, King Devlan of Secritia had taken his two sons out to sea. Then, he had thrown Bern into the middle of that vast ocean.
It was a test, meant to gauge how Chase, the son of a concubine, felt about Bern, the queen's son. It was also meant to instill a healthy fear of the king in the 'now grown' Bern.
Bern, whose only experience with the sea was building sandcastles with Chase, could do nothing but sink into the depths. Seeing this, Chase dove in without a second's hesitation to grab him, only to sink along with him. Chase couldn't swim either.
In the end, the knight Teilan pulled them both out. From that day forward, Bern viewed Devlan as his lifelong enemy.
It wasn't because Devlan had thrown him into the water.
It was because Chase had almost died because of him.
The reason Calian suddenly recalled that memory was because of Randel. Or more precisely, because of Randel's eyes.
Calian's fiery gaze met Randel's, which were like the deep sea. Randel spoke, his voice unwavering.
"Yes."
Randel's eyes were like the abyss on that day. To look into them was to feel endlessly consumed, to experience that final moment when one must let go of even the last, fragile thread of breath.
Calian saw his own reflection in those eyes.
The child who had once struggled just to survive day to day had finally descended into the depths of Randel's true nature. Now, transformed into someone else entirely, he was the one trying to choke the life out of his brother.
"I have always wondered," Randel said, letting out a short breath. He was reacting to the killing intent radiating from Calian, whose gaze was locked with his. Those red eyes, devoid of any emotion but pure murderous intent, were relentlessly stirring the abyss within Randel. "How you changed so much."
"It's all thanks to you."
Calian was a poor liar, and this was no lie. The killing intent he directed at Randel was entirely genuine.
"Do you realize what you have done? You have brought Tensil's Holy Knights—a foreign army—into the royal palace."
Randel smiled. It was not a sneer or a malicious grin. Nor was it a forced smile meant to deflect the killing intent.
It was a perfectly meaningless smile.
Seeing it, Calian almost cut him down on the spot. If he hadn't resolved to live as Calian, if he hadn't constantly reminded himself that Randel shared his blood, he would have abandoned all reason and drawn his sword.
How could a person...
How could someone wear such an utterly emotionless face?
"I know."
Calian's thoughts drifted from the sea that day to Sispanian, on a day filled with the scent of grass. Right now, Randel looked just like her after she had seen Calian's memories—the exact way she had stated, without a shred of emotion, that she "understood" everything about Calian and Bern. Sispanian had learned many "human" things from her companion, Hatsuara, but she'd said that with his death, she had lost those things as well.
Calian had lost so much, too.
Did you also become like this because of what you lost?
The stray thought crossed his mind for a moment. In any case, since Randel claimed to know what it meant to bring foreign blades into the palace, Calian cast aside his idle thoughts and spoke again.
"Send them back. Before I act."
"And if you do, what can you possibly accomplish?"
"I already told you. I can kill them all."
It was a warning. In truth, it could only be a warning. Randel was supposed to "know nothing" about it. On paper, the men were nothing more than priests. One of them would even have identification documents under the name "Malcolm Chettish." And naturally, they wouldn't have entered the palace carrying weapons.
"I do not believe you can. You have no evidence, after all."
"Would you like to see just how far I'm willing to go?"
"Their purpose is the same as your mages'. They will not harm you or His Majesty."
"Are you telling me to turn a blind eye just because you brought them here to keep Brissen in check?" A voice thick with frost flowed from Calian's mouth. "Even if our goals align, Tensil's knights are not the same as Valkan. Even if I were to concede a hundred times and assume your words are true, I cannot overlook you bringing Tensil's knights to strike at Brissen. If your conscience is so clear, then don't hide them. Bring them in openly, with proper justification and through the correct channels."
Valkan was an order Calian had risked his life to create, formed with Lemain's legitimate permission.
"Margrave Brissen is likely already on his way back. If you wanted to eliminate him first, you're too late."
At the mention of Gray Brissen, Randel looked at Calian once more. This time, too, Calian did not look away.
His eyes gleamed sharply. He now understood the hidden truth.
"Did you deceive both me and Brother Franz, summoning Margrave Brissen to Kairisis just to empty his territory? All so Tensil's Holy Knights could strike it in the meantime?"
With thirty Holy Knights, the leaderless soldiers of the margravate would be easy opponents. Afterward, when Gray heard the news and returned, they would eliminate him too. Even if only twenty of the thirty Holy Knights survived, they would be more than enough to handle someone like Gray. And even if they failed to kill Gray, wiping out his forces would be a significant blow—sufficient for a first attempt. Whether they planned to receive more troops from Tensil for an all-out war or intended to borrow Valkan's strength, even Calian couldn't know.
Whatever the case, Tensil's knights entering Kairis was unacceptable. It had to be stopped now.
"I was planning for the latter. I'm surprised you were the one to figure it out."
"Brother Franz isn't the only one with eyes and ears. Besides, deceiving only him would have solved nothing."
"I also didn't expect you to stop it."
"A pity for you, then."
Either he had thought Calian wouldn't find out, or he had thought Calian wouldn't stop him even if he did.
"I shall send the knights back. In exchange..."
Randel smiled once more and looked at Calian.
He quietly reached out, examining a rose vine. Then, he snapped off a branch that was jutting out awkwardly. A single rose, just beginning to bloom, rested in his hand.
An ominous energy filled the air.
"Don't grow so wild. Don't stray so far."
Calian's eyes narrowed. Randel's hand glowed red for a brief moment, and the rose—just like the one that had once vanished from Calian's own hand—
Crumble...
—lost its life, withered black, and disintegrated, scattering like ash.
Randel's voice, ever calm, was directed at Calian.
"It's not a pleasant sight."
Calian silently watched the withered petals scatter and vanish. Only when the last speck was gone did he turn his gaze back to Randel.
The message was clear: Play the part of a useful, capable younger brother who would support his ascension to the throne. Do that, and he would be allowed to live.
Calian's red lips curved into a wide arc.
"I'm going to Camillon to raise dogs."
He had absolutely no intention of listening.