Chapter 184: Not Quite Yet (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 184: Not Quite Yet (1)
He had received many gifts, but he couldn’t recall ever giving one.
He thought he might have prepared something for Chase, and for their two mothers, but it was so long ago—when he was still a child—that the memories were hazy.
He was thinking of birthday presents.
Ever since he’d grown up, he had never personally prepared one.
He’d never had the luxury of preparing a gift to commemorate a special day. A gift from a royal always carried an excessive weight of meaning that went far beyond simple congratulations. Conscious of the watchful eyes around him, he hadn’t even been able to personally give anything to Chase.
After becoming Calian, the reasons were different, but his inability to give gifts remained the same.
Bern's birthday, which fell on a unique day not even marked on the Kairis calendar, had slipped by without Calian even realizing it. In truth, even if he had noticed, there was no longer any reason to celebrate it.
He only learned that Alan's birthday had recently passed because Yan had mentioned it yesterday. But since it was said that one shouldn't celebrate a birthday after the fact, he simply pretended not to know. Alan was sure to live a long, long life, so they could start celebrating his birthday next year.
“I think that one over there would be best.”
However, he could not let the birthday of their dear Hina pass by. Hina, whose slightest sneeze made his heart drop, whose single tear from a yawn could break it.
Naturally, Calian was the one agonizing over the unfamiliar task of choosing a birthday gift, while Melfir, the owner of the Polun Trading Company, was the one suffering an unexpected ordeal. At Calian's sudden request, he’d had to bring no fewer than twenty horses to the royal palace and present them before the prince.
In any case, seeing the horse Calian selected from the finest stock of the Polun Trading Company, Melfir looked relieved. He had worried that none of them would catch Calian's eye.
“It may not compare to Your Highness’s horse, but it is still of excellent pedigree. It is not overly large and has a gentle temperament, so I believe it will suit Sir Bern very well.”
Melfir spoke as he watched Calian, who had chosen the horse with the utmost care. His words weren’t mere flattery, but a sincere observation.
Indeed, it was doubtful whether any horse on the continent could match Raven's intelligence. Even the horses of Yan and Kyrie, though of the same bloodline as Raven, were clearly different.
“Yes. It looks absolutely wonderful.”
Calian replied with a highly satisfied expression, then expressed his gratitude to Melfir for the sudden trouble.
“You must be very busy, especially with the ruby trade with Secritia, so thank you for coming in person, Baron Polun.”
Even at the prince’s words of thanks, Melfir remained composed and simply bowed his head. He knew Calian was someone who always offered sincere greetings without pulling rank.
“It is no trouble at all. Please call upon me whenever you need anything.”
Calian nodded at his words, and Yan, who had been standing behind them listening to the conversation, took a step forward. He was preparing to pay for the horse Calian had chosen.
However, Melfir bowed his head slightly lower toward Calian and spoke in a quiet voice.
“Your Highness.”
Then, he closed his mouth without continuing.
Realizing Melfir had something else to say, Calian gestured for Yan to step back, then asked with a faint smile.
“It sounds as though you have a different form of payment in mind.”
Calian spoke because it seemed Melfir wanted something other than money. Since Melfir knew very well how much Calian detested such proposals, there had to be a good reason for him to act this way. Calian decided to hear him out first.
Seeing that Calian had read his mind perfectly, Melfir smiled faintly and spoke.
“It is about Lennon Brissen, Your Highness.”
Lennon Brissen, who was currently confined in the basement of Evan Brissen's mansion.
He was the one who had monopolized and manipulated the commercial districts near the territories of nobles associated with Brissen, as well as in Kairisis. He was also the very person who had procured all the poisons Silike used, including the poisoned tea Calian had drunk.
Understanding that Melfir wanted to exchange the horse for something related to Lennon Brissen, Calian spoke in a low voice.
“I believe I will need a more detailed explanation.”
At the mention of that unwelcome name, the smile on Calian's face deepened into something colder.
* * *
He had thought it was the color of dry grass, or perhaps a light milk tea.
– I think this is the first time I've seen a platinum-colored horse.
But since Hina said it was platinum, then from now on, that horse was platinum. In the end, they were all similar colors, but regardless, it was absolutely platinum. Even if the world were to end tomorrow, that horse was platinum.
“You name it. It’s your horse.”
Calian, who had presented the platinum horse as a birthday gift, spoke with a pleased expression. Of course, he had also been the very first to wish her a happy birthday. Somehow, he had even beaten Kyrie to it.
As it turned out, Calian paid the full price for the horse he gifted to Hina. This did not mean he substituted the payment with something else; rather, he had gold coins brought from his vault and properly handed them to Melfir. He had no desire to make a deal using a gift meant for Hina.
As for Melfir's request regarding Lennon, Calian decided to ponder it later. For now, celebrating Hina's birthday was the priority, and there were other matters he needed to look into first.
– My… horse?
The horse's entire body was platinum, with a long tail and mane of an even lighter shade. Staring at the horse, whose mysterious color seemed to shimmer brilliantly under the warm midday sun, Hina asked with wide eyes.
Since Hina had also ridden a horse during the Roselita campaign, she wasn't asking because she didn't know how to ride.
– Not a horse… provided by… the royal family… but a horse… given by… Your Highness?
Mages of the Valkan were typically provided with a horse each, so Hina was scheduled to receive one from the royal family. She realized that Calian must have canceled that order and personally prepared this one instead.
“Yes. That's right.”
Seeing Calian nod with an expression similar to the one Alan made when facing Veronica, Hina glanced briefly at Kyrie standing behind Calian, then smiled and nodded.
Normally, her personality would have driven her to decline, insisting she would ride the same horse as the other mages, but Kyrie had tipped her off beforehand to just accept Calian's gift. Kyrie understood better than anyone why Calian looked after Hina so much.
– Thank you… kind… Your Highness.
At those words, Calian beamed. After all, wasn’t a gift always more delightful for the giver than the receiver? Especially when their dear Hina, who shone brighter than anyone in the world, was thanking him.
Of course he couldn’t help but be happy.
* * *
He asked Yan to have custom tack made for Hina's horse.
Kyrie headed to the training ground with the sword he had finally reclaimed after a very long time. He had returned to his daily routine.
It was the same for Calian.
After checking on Arsen, who still had bandages wrapped around his shoulder from an injury that had damaged not only muscle but also bone and cartilage, Calian looked with disgust at the black robe proudly hung up like an exhibition piece and ordered him to burn it immediately.
Then, he stopped by Alan's office to request information on the Crown Prince of Tensil. This was a preparatory step to break the Seal of Oath bound to Randel's heart.
Afterward, he returned to Chermil Palace, placed several stacks of paper on the table, and furrowed his brow.
The characters engraved on the black pebble, the characters written on the paper found by Euria and Arsen, and the papers containing characters copied from the Axis of Time. He was examining them one by one, agonizing over a riddle that had remained unsolved for days.
On top of that, having to think about Lennon Brissen made his mind chaotic, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of urgency.
“I smell blood lingering on my younger brother.”
A low voice, sounding just as it always did, drifted over to Calian.
Hearing those words, Calian smiled faintly.
The clever Pea, whom Calian had dragged downstairs from the sofa where he was doing nothing but stroking a cat, was uttering such things as if he had no interest in solving the riddle he had been asked to help with.
“Is that so?”
Calian, who had previously said it was fine to serve strawberries since he didn't dislike them as much as the old Calian did, slid a plate of biscuits baked with thinly sliced strawberries toward Franz and continued.
“My older brother is terribly sensitive.”
Calian chuckled playfully. Though he spoke lightly, he was actually a bit surprised.
The smell of blood that only knights could perceive was different from what an ordinary person smelled. It was an aura, something felt by expanding one’s senses.
Calian had no particular intention of hiding it, but it wasn't something he would go out of his way to mention either. Yet Franz was asking about it now. He was asking about the aura emanating from the two pebbles Calian had brought back—an aura that not a single knight in Chermil Palace had noticed.
“I brought you here to use that good brain of yours, so what are you doing sniffing around?”
“I didn't ask so you could bark at me.”
Franz, throwing Calian's own words right back at him, narrowed his eyes. It was a clear demand to stop talking nonsense and explain.
“That day, I brought back the pebbles that the Wolves of the Great Desert possessed. It will take a few more days for the scent to fade, so if it bothers you, you may go back upstairs.”
At those words, Franz narrowed his eyes once more. He seemed to understand perfectly what it meant to have “brought back” the stones from them.
“Never mind.”
He spoke as he took a sip of black tea brewed with dried pears.
It was quite an unexpected reaction, and Calian looked at him with curiosity. Wasn't this the fragile, sensitive guy who was easily the most fastidious in all of Kairis? He wouldn't even eat a steak if it had the slightest trace of blood, yet he was choosing to endure this smell. Should Calian find it admirable?
Or should he feel sorry?
“Alright.”
Offering a brief reply that carried a wealth of meaning, Calian turned his gaze back to the papers. Then, he spoke in a casual, passing tone.
“That red-colored power. It is used by burning away one's life. They say the color seems to deepen as time passes. They also said they don't know how to use a stone that has turned completely black.”
Franz's hand paused for a moment as he was setting down his teacup.
The clever Franz would easily understand from whom and how Calian had obtained this information. They were warriors of the Great Desert. Franz was not so foolish as to think they would just hand over information simply because someone sat in front of them and glared.
Therefore, he must have also realized by now what had caused the scent of blood—incomparably stronger than it was today—that had clung to Calian on the day he rescued Arsen.
“…I see.”
Franz said only that, lifting his teacup once more to take another sip.
Since he had asked to know, it was his responsibility to accept the weight of that knowledge, however heavy it might be. If he had begun to grow curious, it was time for him to learn what followed.
As Calian silently shuffled through the stack of papers, he spoke as if a sudden thought had struck him.
“I will need you to act as a carrier pigeon once more.”
It was impossible for Calian to keep stepping into the territory of Knight Order Karen. Thus, he had no choice but to go through Franz.
“What is it this time?” Franz asked, making no effort to hide his annoyance.
Calian tapped the paper in front of him and said, “Since we only have a portion of the Axis of Time, I was wondering if he might remember the rest. If he can recall it, I believe it would be of great help.”
He wanted to ask if Chase remembered all the characters engraved on the Axis of Time within his memories.
Hearing this, Franz let out a short sigh. Then, he slowly straightened his back from where he had been leaning against the chair.
After staring at Calian for a long moment, Franz opened his mouth.
“…You.”
Just like that.
He called out to someone who could be Calian, Bern, or perhaps both.
“What makes you think that everyone can be as perfectly mad as you are?”
Calian did not ask what he meant. He merely stared back at Franz with calm eyes.
Taking it as a sign to continue, Franz spoke once more.
“The Crown Prince of Secritia. He is younger than you.”
To Bern, Chase would always be his older brother, but in truth, Chase was younger than Bern. He was someone who could be just as unstable, someone who was certainly not fine after acquiring those memories without knowing a thing.
How could Calian even think of asking Chase—who was still far too young to be as perfectly mad as he was—to dig through his mind for memories of the Axis of Time, the very beginning of everything?
Franz’s words were laced with fury.