Chapter 13: Pleased to Meet You (6)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 13: Pleased to Meet You (6)
Calian watched Alan with calm eyes. Though he stood in silence, his intent was clear.
‘He wants to talk, I suppose.’
Even if Calian was the prince of a foreign land, Alan could not address him from atop his horse, so he had no choice but to dismount. Only then did Calian get a proper look at Alan’s face.
Calian was quite surprised by what he saw. He knew Alan was in his fifties, but the man’s face told a different story.
At most, he looked to be in his mid-twenties.
Fortunately, his unique hair color—which deepened to a darker shade of red toward the tips—confirmed that he was indeed Alan Manasil.
‘They say completing the 7th Circle reverses your aging once.’
Only then did he understand why the voice he had heard from the main gate sounded so young.
‘Indeed. I found the right person.’
Calian faced Alan, making no effort to hide his admiration. As their gazes met, a spark of curiosity flickered in Alan’s eyes as well.
‘He’s only fourteen. How can he look at someone with eyes like that?’
The way the boy scanned him was no different from how the guards had, but the nature of the gaze was entirely different. It felt as though the boy was assessing his usefulness, not just his appearance.
Alan bowed his head slightly toward Calian in greeting.
“I am Alan Manasil.”
A simple greeting, delivered with an air of quiet confidence.
No one who wasn't royalty would dare greet a prince this way upon their first meeting.
It wasn't that Alan didn't know who Calian was, nor was he acting out of mere arrogance. He simply knew his own worth—he was a talent who had no reason to shrink before royalty.
‘I like him.’
Calian felt that even if Alan stood before Lemain, this attitude of his wouldn't waver. A genuine smile spread across Calian’s face.
“It is a pleasure to meet you.”
Just as he had told Yan, Calian was royalty, so he did not introduce himself by name. After studying Alan for a brief moment, Calian spoke.
“The hour is late. Why are you turning back so soon?”
“I wished to open a closed door, but the threshold proved too high.”
Alan, who had been observing Calian, replied in a deliberately blunt tone.
‘So we’re speaking in metaphors.’
Hearing Alan’s reply, Calian smiled faintly.
Alan was referring to how the guard had turned him away because of his shabby attire.
Suppressing a sigh, Calian adopted an easygoing expression and chose his words carefully.
“I only say this because I left a door wide open for you, yet you insisted on seeking one that was closed.”
‘Why are you nitpicking when I already gave you an invitation?’
Alan looked at Calian, a strange sensation washing over him.
First his gaze, and now this—this was hardly the sort of retort one would expect from a fourteen-year-old boy.
Instead of offering an apology, Calian had pointed out Alan’s own attitude first. The prince offered a bright smile.
“When the wind blows so hard, dust is bound to gather on the threshold. I was so preoccupied with blocking the wind that I failed to wipe it clean.”
He added this to imply that in his haste to keep unwanted guests out, he hadn't been able to prevent the guard’s blunder.
It wasn't an apology in the slightest. Whether it was honest or shameless, Alan couldn't quite decide, but the corners of his mouth curled upward.
‘This boy will be interesting to watch.’
With that thought, Alan began to study Calian more closely.
Several details that had escaped his notice at first glance now came into view.
As they did, the smile gradually faded from Alan’s face.
‘Wait…?’
Alan’s gaze drifted to the hem of Calian’s red formal attire. He then stared intently at Calian’s hands before looking back up at his eyes. Unable to read the mage’s thoughts, Calian simply endured his scrutiny in silence.
Alan took a step closer to Calian.
Because Alan’s expression had hardened so suddenly, a flicker of wariness crossed Calian’s face.
“Forgive me for a moment.”
Alan suddenly reached out and grabbed Calian’s wrist.
Swish!
Under normal circumstances, he would have easily evaded such a move. But today had been exceptionally grueling, both mentally and physically. Having spent the entire day on high alert while being dragged from one place to another, he was on the verge of collapse. His body simply refused to obey.
Furthermore, no one in the royal palace would dare lay a hand on him so carelessly. He had let his guard down, and as a result, his wrist was caught without resistance.
Holding Calian’s wrist, Alan looked down as if trying to confirm something.
“What is the meaning of—!”
Just as Calian opened his mouth to speak, Alan channeled his mana into Calian’s body.
A sharp, agonizing pain stabbed through his heart—a sensation he could never grow accustomed to. Unable to finish his sentence, Calian clutched his chest. A wave of pain, several times worse than anything he had felt before, sent him staggering.
Clop!
Sensing his master’s distress, Raven took a step forward and pressed his body against Calian. Too weak to even be surprised by the gesture, Calian leaned heavily against Raven and gritted his teeth.
‘To have my condition exposed before we could even have a proper conversation.’
Watching him, Alan nodded. He spoke with an indifferent expression, as if he had already known exactly what his mana would do to Calian.
“Even if you keep the door closed, you cannot block out all the wind.”
‘How eloquent of you!’
Calian glared fiercely at Alan and yanked his wrist back. Fearing that the boy’s painfully thin wrist might snap if he held on, Alan released his grip and took a step back, signaling that he had no intention of touching him further.
“……Ha.”
Calian closed his eyes for a moment to suppress his anger. Soon, he spoke in a resigned tone.
“It would have been nice if you had warned me before you decided to check whatever that was.”
Since his condition had been exposed before he could even win Alan over, there was little point in hiding it further. Naturally, his tone was far from pleasant.
“Cannot block out all the wind… Yes, you are right. I couldn't block it all. At some point, I became unable to use mana.”
Alan nodded.
“So you were aware that something was wrong.”
But that wasn't the real issue.
‘Seeing how he only mentions mana, he doesn’t seem to realize what the real problem is.’
Alan had come here because mages were being mistreated in a nation ruled by the descendants of dragons. He had intended to make them regret letting a precious Archmage, who had walked right up to their door, slip through their fingers.
Yet, he had run into something entirely unexpected.
“Hmm.”
Looking up, Alan’s eyes fell upon the statue of Sispanian standing in the center of the fountain. The rumors he had heard echoing through the streets all day rang in his ears once more.
—The prince who resembles Sispanian.
And indeed, the boy seemed like he would be quite interesting to watch.
Glancing at the statue of Sispanian and then at the royal palace, Alan turned his gaze back to Calian.
“How did you manage to follow me so quickly?”
Calian’s fingertips tensed.
A prince who desperately needed Alan’s help had chased after him at the perfect moment, resulting in this confrontation. To call this a mere coincidence was a stretch, to say the least.
‘This is exactly why I wanted to hide my condition until I had properly won him over.’
Calian hesitated, pondering how to answer.
He couldn't exactly say, ‘I came from the future and knew you would be here, so I've been waiting to win your favor.’ Yet, he couldn't lie either. A man like Alan would easily see through any falsehood.
“I was riding nearby and overheard your conversation with the guard. That is why I came after you immediately.”
He could swear on the name of the Chief God Serenti that not a single word he had just said was a lie. It was a clever play on words, but it was the absolute truth.
Alan stared at Calian with an unreadable expression for a moment before asking again.
“And why did you come after me?”
“Because you were leaving.”
Alan let out a soft chuckle.
It was a response that finally sounded appropriate for the boy’s age, delivered in a voice still laced with lingering resentment. It must have hurt quite a bit, Alan thought, before asking his next question.
“Then, why were you looking for me in the first place?”
Calian did not answer hastily.
‘He must know it’s because of my inability to use mana, so why is he asking?’
Alan simply watched the pensive prince, making no move to rush him for an answer.
After a brief silence, Calian spoke.
“If you ask why…”
The reason he had waited for Alan without even seeking a healer. The reason he had slipped out of the palace, fully aware of the uproar it would cause upon his return. He certainly had his reasons.
Calian straightened himself, pushing away from Raven’s side.
“Alan Manasil. It is because I wish to claim that name.”
His next words carried the weight of a soft sigh.
“……Because I suspect a real wind will blow soon.”
In truth, he meant that the day of his assassination was drawing near, but he could hardly elaborate on that. He hoped Alan would simply interpret it as the political strife surrounding the position of Crown Prince.
Alan lightly scratched his temple with his index finger.
It wasn't as if Alan was ignorant of the prince’s predicament. He was well aware of the sheer influence wielded by Queen Silike, the true power behind the throne in the Kairis Royal Palace. Thus, he could easily guess what this third prince hoped to achieve by claiming the name of Alan Manasil.
“Your Highness, do you wish to block the wind, or do you wish to quell it?”
Did he merely intend to shield himself from opposing factions? Or did he plan to sweep them all aside and stand at the very top?
Calian stared at Alan in silence.
Is this a man I can truly trust? His gaze sought confirmation one last time. Meeting his eyes, a similar light reflected in Alan’s own.
After a brief pause, Calian delivered his answer in a calm, steady voice.
“For now, I must block it. And the throne is not what I desire. However, if the throne is necessary to achieve what I want, then I am fully prepared to quell it.”
Arrogant words, treating the throne as a mere tool.
Yet, here was a prince with nothing to his name but a dying body, speaking with such absolute conviction.
It was already proving to be highly entertaining.
‘How much more entertaining will he be in the days to come?’
The corners of Alan’s mouth curled upward once more.
He had made his decision.
“In that case,” Alan raised a finger and pointed toward the Kairis Royal Palace. “Give me that invitation again.”
He wasn’t asking for a mere three-day pass to attend the King’s Birthday festival, but a proper justification that would allow him to help the prince.
Calian smiled, but the expression quickly vanished.
His sharply gleaming red eyes drifted away from Alan to look at the ground. He bowed his head and bent his knee.
Rustle…
His white cloak billowed, hovering for a moment before settling onto the ground as lightly as a feather.
“Calian Rain Kairis.”
Calian’s voice rang out, soft but clear.
Alan looked down quietly at the back of the boy kneeling on one knee before him.
“I pay my respects to my Master.”
He possessed eyes far too old for his age, yet his back was still so painfully small.
Alan spoke. He gave his answer to the very first disciple of his life.
“I accept your invitation.”
Yes, I shall…
…save you.