Chapter 244: The Heart (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 244: The Heart (4)
Arsen gifted Euria a pure white egg.
Upon receiving it, Euria immediately began asking around for advice on how to hatch it.
Calian gifted Franz an ash-gray kitten.
Franz brought both Lucy and the new kitten to the Wilhelm Pavilion, setting them on his lap as he worked. He brainstormed names for the little cat, a welcome distraction from the turmoil he couldn’t let show on his face.
Hina gifted Franz a collar for the kitten.
The collar was engraved with the words: I am Prince Franz's cat, and I love Prince Franz. Reading them, Franz let out a soft chuckle.
And Calian gifted Lemain something as well.
“You must have had a lot on your mind lately. Why don’t you take a moment to relax and watch your favorite equestrian show?”
After training with Kyrie all day, Calian had visited Lemain late in the evening with those thoughtful words.
Grateful and touched by Calian’s concern, which felt like a gift in itself, Lemain had readily agreed. But around the time Lemain was happily sharing this story with Alan, who had come to report on his duties after Calian left…
The very rascal who had been so endearing just moments before had fled the palace.
Lemain massaged his temples. It was almost more surprising that he was no longer surprised by such news.
“One endearing deed, immediately followed by one massive headache. The prince certainly never does anything in half-measures, does he? What a remarkably balanced way to conduct himself.”
“That doesn’t sound like it’s coming from the heart, Count. It feels more like you’re teasing me.”
“If you are that curious, I shall tell you.”
“No. I do not wish to know.”
Letting the mage’s commentary go in one ear and out the other, Lemain briefly considered lifting the grounding order but decided against it. If Calian felt no guilt for breaking the rules, he would start treating the royal palace as nothing more than a place with a bed, flitting about like a fledgling magpie eager to see the world.
So, the grounding order would remain.
And when he returned this time, Lemain resolved to give him a proper scolding.
…When that mage wasn’t around, of course.
* * *
The day after so many warm gifts had been exchanged, Calian entered the office of the Valkan Vice-Commanders and narrowed his eyes.
“Hmm.”
He had returned safely from his fiancée’s estate, gotten some sleep, and then woken up to a scolding from Yan that was far harsher than anything Lemain had delivered. He’d wisely omitted the fact that he planned to keep sneaking out to meet Demirea for the foreseeable future, fearing an even greater lecture.
After being thoroughly reprimanded—first by Yan, then again on the fourth floor—he ate a hearty meal to soothe his sorrow, summoned Kyrie for training, and finally made his way to the Wilhelm Pavilion.
“Vice-Commander Hertz has gone with Prince Franz to see Commander Manasil. If you return to your quarters, Prince Calian, I will let him know to seek you out at the Chermil Palace.”
“I can’t summon someone busier than I am. I’ll just wait inside for a bit.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
After a brief exchange with Needlen, whom he had run into on the way, Calian entered the empty office. And then, he saw it. No, he smelled it.
“…No wonder he looked like a pickled cabbage all morning.”
Earlier, unable to bear the sight of Franz picking at his food with such a sullen expression, Calian had coaxed him into eating by promising, “If you finish that, I’ll teach you a swordsmanship technique.” Now he understood why.
Minethias.
A single purple flower, shaped like an upside-down bell the size of a fist, sat on Arsen’s desk.
Staring at it for a moment, Calian smiled faintly.
“It smells nice.”
He didn’t know when it had been placed there, but a lovely floral fragrance filled the entire office.
To think Arsen would actually keep a flower at his desk.
Wiping the smile from his face, Calian walked over with light steps and picked up the flower.
“What should I do with this…?”
It would be weird to ask for it, and even weirder to tell him to get rid of it. Burning it feels mean, and throwing it away seems like a waste. But why a flower? Is my lackey dating someone? Well, he is at the perfect age for it. But who? I should probably warn them about how crazy he is before they get fooled. But is he really dating? Hmm.
As he was pondering, a voice cut through his thoughts.
“Leave it.”
Footsteps that weren’t his own drew near as Franz entered through the open door, his tone curt.
Turning his head, Calian offered a brief, polite greeting. “How long has this been here?”
Franz didn’t even bother to reply, simply spreading his documents on his desk. His terse command was a clear signal for Calian to mind his own business.
Calian, who had absolutely no intention of doing so, simply kept staring at Franz with a beaming smile until an answer finally came.
“Since yesterday.”
He had worked all day while breathing in that scent.
Without being able to say a single word to have it removed.
Judging by his behavior, he had probably even stopped Relic from telling Arsen.
“My brother is truly overflowing with consideration.”
Sighing softly, Calian threw the office window wide open. He then conjured a gust of wind to sweep the heavy scent of Minethias out of the room.
Watching this, Franz frowned in displeasure. Knowing exactly what he was thinking, Calian spoke before his brother could.
“It’s not overprotection.”
He knew that for Franz, flowers were not a matter of simple preference.
“If you were fine, you wouldn’t have had that look on your face this morning.”
Sensing that the scent had dissipated enough, Calian opened Arsen’s desk drawer and placed the flower inside. Then, staring out the open window for a moment, he spoke.
“I met Brother Randel yesterday.”
“And?”
“He offered me grapefruit tea.”
Thinking Calian was starting another one of his random conversations, Franz didn’t reply, simply turning a page.
“First it was grapefruit cake, then grapefruit sorbet, and yesterday it was grapefruit tea. It made me realize I dislike grapefruit. Just out of nowhere. I suddenly hated that taste—sour, bitter, and impossible to tell if it’s astringent or sweet.”
Randel was someone who usually served a thick, melted chocolate drink whenever Calian visited. As Franz reflected on Randel’s behavior—which seemed to show an excessive interest in his sibling’s dislikes—Calian asked him:
“What do you think I said?”
“You probably told him to bring a different tea,” Franz replied, as if it were obvious.
Calian chuckled. “Brother, have you ever told anyone else that you can’t stand the scent of flowers?”
Instead of waiting for Calian to notice, Alan to figure it out, or Lemain to hear about it, had Franz ever spoken of his dislike with his own mouth?
After a long silence, Franz spoke.
“Because the scent is still strong.”
The unspoken part was clear: the scent of the person against whom expressing dislike had done no good was still too strong. He was admitting he had never brought himself to say he hated flowers.
“You’re allowed to say it.”
He knew Franz was trying to overcome it.
He knew Franz was getting better, little by little.
But that didn’t mean forcing himself to endure it was the right way.
“Forcing yourself to endure it until you become numb isn’t getting better; it’s just holding on. You don’t need to do that.”
He requires constant attention, like Lucy teaching a new kitten. He doesn’t grow on his own like Kyrie, nor does he stand firm with just a word or two like Demirea. He just wanders, unable to even say what he dislikes.
And yet, the fact that he still tried to act like the older brother was the most maddening part of all. But regardless.
Staring blankly at Franz’s grayish-purple jacket, which sat somewhere between white and dark gray, Calian spoke with a small sigh.
“And if there’s anything I’ve forgotten, please tell me that as well.”
It felt as though a breeze carrying the warmth of spring had swept through.
Noticing the brush of Calian’s mana—a Clean magic that Franz was now just barely able to sense—Franz replied in a low voice.
“……Alright.”
Still, it was a great relief that he meekly agreed to the things he was taught.
“Why isn’t Sir Hertz here yet?”
“Eating.”
“Ah. Could you tell him to come see me when he gets back?”
“I will.”
“Thanks. By the way, what about your lunch, Brother?”
“Not yet.”
“Then, with me…”
“No.”
“Okay.”
Nodding readily in the cool breeze blowing through the wide-open window, Calian beamed.
The bastard sure has no trouble saying no to me.
* * *
Still, Arsen wasn’t completely dense.
When he returned from his meal, he found the window open and the flower tucked away in his drawer, and he heard that Calian had stopped by. Putting the pieces together, Arsen took the flower out and went to Hina’s office. After presenting it as a gift of gratitude to the two advisors who had told him where to buy the egg, he went to find Calian.
A sharp yet sweet aroma rose from the black tea infused with ginger and peach.
“They say it’s good for recovering from fatigue, so drink it all.”
When Calian repeated the exact words Hina had said to Arsen, who sat before his tea, Arsen smiled.
“Thank you for your concern. But ever since Sir Jeia arrived, I’ve been leaving work on time without fail.”
“That’s a relief.”
Knowing that Franz was returning to the Chermil Palace earlier these days, Calian had figured Arsen would also have some breathing room. He nodded with a reciprocal smile.
Neither of them mentioned whose brilliant arrangement had led to them being buried under two major, overlapping matters.
“Do you have any other orders for me?” the man who was already managing Valkan’s affairs and occasionally handling Hina’s escort duty asked.
A sense of apology mixed into Calian’s smile. “Actually, there are two things, but I’ll save one for later. First, an urgent matter.”
He knew that with Valkan’s increased numbers, it was time to restructure the chain of command and revise their operations. However, he suspected that if he brought it up now, Arsen might actually write out his will, so he decided to postpone it. Once the reinforcement was complete, Arsen would feel the necessity himself. Calian could wait until then or leave it to the relatively energetic Pea.
Thud.
However, the item related to the other matter—one that could never be entrusted to Pea—was placed on the table. Seeing it, Arsen winced.
The black pebble. The one he wanted to forget but never could.
For a moment, his fully healed shoulder seemed to throb with a phantom pain, but he knew he couldn’t mention it to Calian. If even his shoulder ached just from looking at the pebble, he could only imagine how Calian felt looking at him.
“Stop thinking useless thoughts, Sir Hertz.”
“……Has spending time with the prince made you more perceptive, our dear Vice-Commander?”
“I’ve always been quick-witted. It’s just that my brother is even more perceptive.”
Calian was about to ask when Arsen was going to drop that long-winded title, but he decided it wasn’t his place to interfere. If Pea hated hearing it, he could handle it himself.
“Late this afternoon or perhaps tomorrow, Margrave Gray Brissen will come to meet Brother Randel. At that time, Sir Hertz, I would like you to meet the Margrave one more time and deliver a message.”
“Understood.”
“Ah, of course, I’m not forcing you. If you feel uncomfortable, feel free to say so. It’s really fine.”
Lest he force himself to do it and then… get beaten up again after drinking too much.
“Didn’t you say you wouldn’t make me do things I dislike? Since this must be something I don’t dislike, I will do whatever you ask.”
Calian chuckled at the groundless trust and lifted his teacup. The strong scent of ginger, always unfamiliar but not unpleasant, wafted up.
Soon, with a subtle movement of mana, a Silent barrier was erected. Looking down at the teacup in his hand, Calian spoke quietly.
“That’s right. You don’t have to pretend to betray me this time. Instead, you must not let anyone in the palace catch you meeting the Margrave. I wanted to meet him myself, but I’m still not used to Invisibility magic.”
Arsen could maintain Invisibility magic for hours without any strain. Calian was asking him to meet Gray in that state.
“Yes. That won’t be a problem.”
“Brother Randel will deliver my words to Margrave Brissen. He will tell him that the royal family will be leaving the palace soon, so he should prepare evidence that Evan tried to attack me during that time.”
At the word “attack,” Arsen’s expression turned complex. But Calian wasn’t finished.
“He will deliver those words, but…”
Tap, tap, tap.
The sound of his finger tapping the teacup echoed briefly. To Arsen, it sounded like Calian sorting through an intricate, pre-arranged plan.
“Deliver one more message that even Brother Randel must not know. Tell him to meet Marquis Evan Brissen first, before creating the evidence. And tell him to show him this.”
Pointing at the black pebble, Calian grinned.
“I plan to capture Marquis Brissen. With my own hands.”
“Your Highness, that is…”
“My master tried to stop me, and I got a piece of the Young Duchess’s mind yesterday, but I’m still being stubborn, so don’t say anything. There is a reason, but I don’t think I should tell you, so please don’t even be curious about it.”
His plan was to observe Evan’s swordsmanship with his own eyes and teach it to Franz.
Although he intended to cast Gray aside later, Evan would absolutely never teach Franz himself. That was why Calian had devised this elaborate scheme to extract Evan’s swordsmanship. It was a decision made out of a knight’s desire to prevent the Brissen swordsmanship from dying out, and to ensure Franz could properly seize control of Brissen and gain the strength to aid him.
Alan had clicked his tongue in worry upon hearing the idea but had not opposed it. It was as clear as day, however, that Arsen would object. That was why Calian kept the reason from him.
“Anyway, Marquis Brissen will mistakenly believe that the Margrave has joined hands with Brother Randel. He needs to place Franz on the throne as Crown Prince quickly, but now even Brother Randel has stepped up, and I’ve been running rampant, so he must be anxious. He’ll want to get rid of me somehow, but he’s also incredibly cowardly.”
Shaking his head, Calian continued.
“Once he hears that the royal family has left the palace, he will be tempted to use the opportunity to attack me. However, he will never actually be able to execute it. Everyone knows there is no one in Kairisis besides the Marquis capable of taking me down, and he will think framing Margrave Brissen is useless because I already know the Margrave’s skills are nothing special.”
Calian’s finger pointed at the pebble.
“Tell the Margrave everything—who attacked me in the past, how severely injured I was when I went into hiding, and that I hid in the Duke’s estate to keep it a secret. Make sure the Marquis overhears the Margrave—as if letting it slip by mistake—and learns that there is someone else capable of ambushing me.”
The goal was to make Evan, the one who actually attacked him, think of a way to frame Zeon.
“Once a loophole opens up, the small prey wandering near the bait starts to look incredibly delicious.”
It would look delicious enough to make him think he could easily capture a prince who, excited at the prospect of becoming Crown Prince, was visiting his fiancée’s estate day in and day out.
“I…”
After hearing the rest of Calian’s detailed plan, Arsen spoke in a low voice. Then, looking at Calian, who was leisurely savoring the aroma of his tea, he said as if making a vow:
“I will be Your Highness’s lackey for the rest of my life.”
It’s a bit terrifying, but I’m not doing this out of fear.
“Of course you should.”
Why waste your breath saying something so obvious?
Looking at his lackey, who would continue to be busy with work and buying flowers, Calian smiled.