Chapter 133: The Foundation of Understanding (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 133: The Foundation of Understanding (1)
Flip.
Today, Euria was acting as both the President of the Mage Association and the head of Calian's private intelligence network. Alan spoke as he flipped through the documents she had handed him.
"This is..."
He trailed off, closing his mouth.
Alan was here to review the results of the investigation into the 'black stone'—a task Calian had assigned to Euria.
‘She told me to keep it, saying I would understand when the time came.’
Calian's voice, relaying Sispanian's words, briefly echoed in his mind. Whether those words held true or not, there was indeed no mention of the black stone in any ancient texts. That aside, however, Euria had delivered some rather interesting information.
Leaning back on the sofa, Alan organized his thoughts for a moment before speaking.
"Did you investigate this alone?"
"Yes."
Alan stared intently into Euria's eyes. Watching him, she asked with a slightly tense expression, "You look like you're about to say, 'You know too much, so now you must die.'"
What kind of educator makes such a dry joke? Alan thought, but as he looked at Euria, his expression stiffened. She didn't look like she was joking.
"Just what do you take me for?"
A man who burns people to death without batting an eye, Euria wanted to reply, but she kept her mouth shut. She had suddenly realized that among Calian's martial companions, Alan was actually the one who had taken the fewest lives.
"A highly rational and compassionate Archmage, of course. Forgive my slip of the tongue."
Alan chuckled and nodded, watching Euria quickly change her tune. He reached for an apple on the table but paused, noticing its skin was green.
Deciding against the apple, which was bound to be sour, Alan picked up his tea instead. After taking a sip, he looked back at Euria.
"In any case, do not breathe a word of this to anyone."
"Not even to the Prince?"
"Not even to him."
Euria frowned slightly. She was reluctant to blindly follow an order to keep something from Calian.
"Count Manasil, it's not as if the Prince and I have a master-servant relationship, but this is still something His Highness specifically asked me to look into."
Just like Kyrie, Alan thought, clicking his tongue.
No matter how good the reason, neither Kyrie nor Euria would listen easily when he told them to keep quiet, even if it concerned Calian's own orders.
To think this was the same Euria who used to revere Alan like a living god. Now, she had no qualms about voicing her objections.
"He must not know yet. I will tell him myself when the time is right, so just keep your mouth shut for now."
"...... Understood."
"And do not meddle in this matter any further. You really might die."
Her title as President of the Mage Association was not just for show. In terms of raw power, Euria was clearly superior to Arsen. However, knowing all too well what 'they' had done to Calian, she complied without further argument this time.
"Yes. I will do as you say."
The only saving grace was that Euria was slightly more obedient than Kyrie.
Finding it absurd that he had to count this as a blessing, Alan shook his head. He then flipped back to the very first page of the document and began reading it again.
"A man-made sacred artifact..."
A low murmur, tinged with worry or perhaps dread, escaped Alan's lips.
*
Once, Calian had thought to himself:
Not all elves are bad.
And right now, Lemain was thinking:
Why are all elves like this?
Unfortunately, Lemain had never met a good elf like Sia, which was why his expression remained so cold and stiff.
They had not only tried to exploit the Third Prince of Kairis during the Roselita but had also failed to offer a proper apology.
Now, an elf delegation had arrived to celebrate Lemain's birthday. Consequently, Lemain refused to let them stay in the royal palace. He had simply sent a message: 'If you insist on staying in the palace, apologize this time and come back next time.' Of course, this was a retroactive condition he had never mentioned when he first granted them permission to visit Kairisis.
In short, it was a blunt act of retaliation, essentially saying, 'You stabbed my son in the back, so now it's your turn.'
The elves couldn't even protest immediately. Lemain had repeatedly postponed their meeting, citing Calian's disappearance and the explosion in the palace, and was only now granting them an audience.
"If only you had informed the Grand Elder beforehand, this could have been resolved amicably. Why escalate it to this extent? Those who caused the trouble are currently being punished according to our laws."
"Whether the troublemaking elves have been punished or not is not the point," Lemain replied, his voice chilling. "And it is none of my concern."
Honestly, he had shown immense restraint.
When he first heard from Alan about what Calian had kept to himself, he had barely held back the urge to immediately dispatch an army to burn their entire forest to the ground.
"If you have any grievances, tell your Grand Elder to come and speak to me himself. Of course, that must be preceded by an apology and a show of gratitude."
"An apology and gratitude? What is there to apologize for, and what is there to be grateful for?"
"An apology for mocking the prince of a nation. And gratitude for that prince's mercy in sparing their lives."
As Lemain spoke, his eyes gleamed with a cold light.
*
If only I had sent an attendant ahead, this wouldn't have happened.
He knew it was too late for regrets. Yet, he blamed himself because if he didn't, the emotions he was struggling to hide might spill over.
"I am Arsen Hertz, Vice-Commander of the Kairis Mage Corps, Valkan. I greet the Crown Prince of Secritia."
Chase had stopped by Arpia Palace—Lemain's administrative building—to meet Alan. Hearing that Alan was away, he was just leaving when he ran into Arsen Hertz.
—The Royal Brother has fallen in battle.
A slightly younger face, slightly longer hair.
Still confident, still polite, and still cool-headed.
Chase briefly placed a hand over his chest. Forcing a serene smile, he addressed Arsen, who stood before him.
—I had hoped to meet the Royal Brother, but not like this. It is a tragedy.
"So we meet like this."
At Chase's response, Arsen bowed his head once more. Sir Teilan, standing behind Chase, noted that the greeting was different from the usual "It is a pleasure to meet you," but he remained silent.
—I hope you do not harbor too much resentment.
How could I not harbor resentment?
How could I just let it all go and accept it?
Even just recalling memories of things I never personally experienced shakes me this much. What about you?
Unable to shake off his thoughts, Chase closed and opened his eyes. He stared quietly at Arsen, who was still standing before him, and spoke.
"......Vice-Commander Hertz. I have heard much about you. I hear you follow Prince Calian."
Arsen's expression clearly asked why a foreign crown prince was meddling in their affairs, while Teilan's seemed to say, Our master is speaking of secrets gathered by spies again. Their eyes met for a brief moment.
After exchanging a silent look with Teilan, Arsen spoke.
"Valkan follows His Majesty."
Thus, Arsen Hertz, the Vice-Commander of Valkan, answered only that he followed Lemain.
After all, the fact that Arsen Hertz—highly skilled in magic, never one to back down from a fight, and a lover of explosions—only listened to Calian was not something to be shared with a foreign crown prince.
Whether that was a sufficient answer or not, Chase simply nodded in silence.
Having almost lost his composure after unexpectedly running into Arsen, Chase spoke again.
"I am sorry to hear about what happened to the Queen's palace."
Arsen bowed his head slightly. He felt like he had heard those words hundreds of times by now, but he hadn't expected a foreign crown prince to say them as well.
"By the way, it was an ancient building, yet you showed no hesitation."
Chase's remark was quite unexpected.
Arsen looked into Chase's violet eyes. His tone was far too relaxed for someone who didn't know the inner workings of the situation.
"Is there anything more foolish than clinging to the past and losing sight of what is more important?"
That was how Arsen answered.
He considered adding that such buildings were common all over Kairis, but decided against it. No matter how reckless Arsen could be, he wasn't the type to pick a fight with a foreign crown prince.
"I see."
Chase chuckled softly.
Arsen had caused the incident without even knowing what 'more important thing' Calian had intended, and that was why Chase smiled.
Chase had asked because Arsen was a mage. He knew full well how important a place where Sispanian had once resided would be to a mage. Thus, he wanted to confirm if Arsen had destroyed such a palace without a single shred of hesitation simply because Calian wished it. He wanted to see if Arsen's loyalty ran that deep.
And he realized that Arsen had done it, believing that if it was Calian, he must have ordered it for something far more important than that building.
Chase nodded quietly.
—I am truly sorry.
That day, the last words Arsen had spoken suddenly came to mind.
*
"Have you met Marquis Brissen?"
Despite the sudden question, Franz answered without even turning his head.
"Not yet."
"I see."
Calian and Franz's conversations were always like this: short, with very few words exchanged.
Since the day Silike had brandished her dagger, the princes' joint breakfasts had stopped entirely. Still, they were brothers who had regularly shared meals in silence before that, so the lack of conversation wasn't particularly uncomfortable for Franz.
There was only one thing that made him uncomfortable.
"Why do you keep coming here?"
The fact that his younger brother sat across from him at every meal.
For the first two days, he let it slide. He knew Calian wasn't the type to climb all the way to the fourth floor just out of consideration for him, but since he understood the underlying reason, he had let it go.
So, for two days, he had forced down his meals without saying much.
Yet, Calian kept coming. Just like back then, when he hadn't left Franz's room after that fateful day.
"Isn't it nice to have someone to talk to?"
"Spouting nonsense again."
Franz let out an irritated sigh at the shameless reply, which didn't contain a shred of sincerity. Calian, who was peeling a banana as if the bread, meat, and salad hadn't been enough, waved the fruit and spoke.
"Are you done already? You didn't even touch the fruit."
"Stop nagging and answer me."
"I'll teach you swordsmanship," Calian replied with a smile. Not caring whether that actually answered why he kept coming, he continued in a casual tone. "You're tall, but you're weaker than you look. You need to eat well and grow big and strong so you can learn swordsmanship. That's why I keep coming."
...No, he was definitely spouting nonsense.
Franz disliked the attitude that seemed to leave him no choice, but he didn't hate the idea of learning swordsmanship. In fact, Calian was acting so confident precisely because he knew Franz would welcome it.
"Get out."
"Yes, sir."
He only listened at times like this, which only made him more annoyed.