Chapter 254: Lest I Forget (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 254: Lest I Forget (1)
At last, dawn broke.
The world had turned upside down. There was no other way to describe it.
In a single night, Evan Brissen was dead, and the Brissen mansion had burned to the ground. Lennon Brissen and his private soldiers were arrested on undisclosed charges and thrown into the royal prison. Meanwhile, the Siegfried knights who had confronted them returned to the Duke's mansion as if nothing had happened.
Just before dawn, an elite unit of Siegfried knights entered the royal palace. By morning, several of the palace's own knights, attendants, and maids had been imprisoned.
"I heard Evan Brissen is dead and Lennon Brissen was arrested by the Royal Knights, beaten half to death."
"They say the Duke of Siegfried's mansion has sealed its gates."
"Didn't Baron Telne's family flee Kairisis first thing this morning?"
"I heard many of the Marquis's allies have fled. They'll probably lie low for a while and come back once Margrave Brissen arrives. But will anything really change?"
While the nobles buzzed with unrest, the royal palace remained silent. Citing a thorough investigation into the night's events, the palace refused to release any details for the time being.
Those who visited to confirm the rumors left empty-handed, gathering instead in the cafes of Astrisha Street to trade gossip and wild speculation.
"But could Margrave Brissen have planned this? He's been slipping in and out of the capital constantly lately."
"If Margrave Brissen was behind it, wouldn't the 1st Prince be involved? But so many people saw the 3rd Prince's horse last night. They say it rushed into the palace carrying someone wrapped in a white cloak. People are wondering if that person was the 3rd Prince."
"They also say the 2nd Prince went to the Marquis's mansion. The fire broke out right after he arrived. Goodness, it's impossible to make heads or tails of this."
The royal palace, now the center of everyone's attention, acted as if it were entirely detached from the commotion.
And for two more days, it held its tongue.
After a single message from Lemain—stating that there was no need for alarm and that everyone would be informed once the investigation was complete—the palace fell silent once more.
Of course, that was only on the surface.
From the outside, it looked like a lake blanketed in morning mist, but its depths were far from tranquil.
The palace maintained a state of high alert, with all knights and mages ready for mobilization at a moment's notice. They vigilantly monitored for any troops gathering outside the capital, watched for suspicious movements within, and meticulously tracked every move of the Brissen faction.
Amidst this tense atmosphere, an irritated voice drifted from the entrance of Wilhelm Hall.
"…Why again?"
"His Highness ordered me to ensure you don't leave the palace, that we don't go out together, and that I'm to follow you whenever you move within the palace walls."
Franz had finally emerged from the treatment room after two days. He took the reins of his silver-white horse from Relic and directed his question to Arsen, who was having another attendant from Wilhelm Hall bring his own horse.
"People will think the vice-commanders are terribly idle."
"When there's a crisis, the top brass is always the busiest," Arsen replied casually. "No one will complain if we're seen taking a moment."
Franz didn't bother to reply, simply swinging himself onto his horse.
Yet, seeing him wait instead of riding off immediately, Arsen smiled faintly.
Of course, that consideration only extended to waiting for the horse. The moment Arsen's mount was brought over, Franz set off. Relic, perhaps having been instructed beforehand, did not follow.
Mounting his horse with ease, Arsen caught up.
"By the way, where are we going?"
Franz merely turned his head to stare at him without answering. Having spoken far too much on the day he met Lennon, he had no desire to open his mouth for the time being.
Consequently, the blue-haired mage scowled, forced once again to meet a gaze that seemed to look down on him like a weary mortal from some lofty, distant realm. Only then did a brief reply come.
"The north gate."
"There's nothing but a forest near the north gate. Why the forest?"
"Beside it."
Beside the north gate. Arsen knew exactly what was there. He asked with a dissatisfied expression, "We already found all the poisonous herbs and spider venom at Lennon Brissen's mansion. Is there really any need to see Lennon again?"
"Not him. The knight."
"You mean the knight who was hiding in Kaera?"
After all, having bickered and worked together in the same office day after day, they could still manage a conversation like this. The only problem was that Arsen's comprehension had improved, not Franz's sentences.
In any case, since Franz meant he was going to see the knight who had first handed him the poison pouch, Arsen nodded and followed. Then, as if suddenly remembering, he asked, "I hear the nobles' discontent is growing. Who are you going to say killed Evan Brissen?"
"Not yet decided."
Having asked Lemain to buy him time, Franz, who still hadn't made a decision, frowned slightly.
Arsen continued, "Wouldn't it be better to say Lennon Brissen did it? We can just say Lennon was the one who sent the poison pouch in the first place, and that he killed Evan and burned down the mansion."
"And how would you explain how he killed a Sword Master?"
"Poison…?"
"You've spent so much time thinking about the Brissens that you've started thinking like one."
"How can you insult the man who went to the trouble of burning down that mansion for you? If you think it's a stupid idea, just say so."
Franz turned his head toward Arsen.
Fearing Franz would do just that, Arsen quickly spoke again. "I don't know if you're aware, but our original plan was to make Evan attack Prince Calian first. We set up various schemes to nudge him in that direction, and I even delivered Prince Calian's black pebble to Gray, but things took an unexpected turn."
"I know."
Franz knew. On the day Gray had come to the palace to meet Randel, the door to his carriage had opened and closed with no one seemingly getting in or out. That was when Arsen, hidden by invisibility magic, had met with Gray to relay Calian's plan.
"So, what if we say Zeon killed Evan Brissen?"
Franz, looking regal atop his trotting white horse in the autumn sunlight, glanced at Arsen and replied, "I'm sure people would love to hear that an unidentified organization capable of killing a Sword Master is lurking nearby."
"Then can't we just say Prince Calian did it?"
"We could, if my younger brother fancies becoming a mage in Chermil instead of a prince in Camillon before fleeing to the Tower."
It was a statement incomprehensible to a mage's way of thinking.
Deciding to treat this as a reward for Arsen having followed him to destroy the Marquis's mansion without question, Franz added an explanation. "If the Marquis had targeted my younger brother first and died in the ensuing fight, that would be one thing. But if the nobles find out my brother invaded the Marquis's mansion and slaughtered him, they will never follow him."
"Why wouldn't they? Everyone already knows how strong the Prince is."
"Respect can turn into fear in an instant. Once their perception shifts from 'he is strong' to 'he is someone who could kill me at any moment,' he won't be seen as a strong king, but as a tyrant. What noble would want to make such a man the Crown Prince and their king?"
"Right here. Me. I'd like that."
"…Sigh."
Reward over.
"Did you know there are rumors about Raven being spotted? Everyone seems to know Prince Calian went there anyway."
"We'll just say he never went out."
"The black horse was Raven, the knight's horse next to it was Raven's sibling, and the hair visible under the hood was light blue. You're going to claim it wasn't the Prince? They even say the pure white cloak he was wearing had a Valkan emblem as big as my face embroidered on it."
Everyone's eyes were so sharp that night.
Franz had expected as much. Calian had only slipped out briefly, yet so many had spotted him. Of course, that wasn't something Franz needed to worry about.
"If the man himself says it wasn't him, what can they do?"
In the end, he was reminded once again that he and this crazy, blue-haired mage had nothing in common—not even as much as a cat's paw, even if that cat claimed to be his cat and to like him.
Fortunately, they arrived at the prison just in time, and Franz dismounted without venting any further irritation.
A thick stench of blood hung in the air.
Franz, long accustomed to far worse, did not frown. He strode inside. Since his visit had been announced, two knights were already waiting. They bowed respectfully and guided him to the upper floor.
Click.
Opening a low door, Franz stepped inside and sat opposite the knight, who was bound in ropes. He leaned back in his chair, crossed his legs for the first time in a long while, and spoke in a languid voice.
"I showed you a way to escape, yet here you are."
The Kaera knight, who had thrown himself out the window as instructed only to be captured on the spot, replied, "I have told you everything I know. I do not know what else you wish to find out, but…"
"Which side are you on?"
The knight stared at Franz with an unreadable expression before asking quietly, "What do you mean?"
"Tensil. Devlan. I'm asking which side you belong to."
A heavy question, delivered in a low voice.
The knight's eyes grew distant as he fell silent.
*
Hina raised her arms and stretched thoroughly.
She was always the one suffering because she looked after brothers who had no regard for their own lives. As the only known half-elf natural healer, her own life should have been considered more precious than Lemain's or Alan's, let alone Calian's.
Fortunately, Calian was remarkably resilient. It was finally safe for her to get some rest. Though he had yet to open his eyes, his wounds had healed significantly.
"Meow!"
"Mew!"
The cries of two cats came from behind the curtains where Calian lay. It would be a disaster if Lucy stepped on the wounds of the still-unconscious prince. Startled, Hina rushed over and pulled back the curtain.
Just as she feared, two cats were playing freely on the bed. She had no idea when they had slipped in, but they were frolicking as if they were having the time of their lives.
And…
[Brother. Where are you?]
[I'm at the Wilhelm Hall training ground. Watching the knights spar.]
[Prince Calian has run away.]
Calian was gone.
He had been unconscious just moments ago, hadn't he? The reason she immediately thought "ran away" instead of "kidnapped" was simple.
[I think he ate at least three bunches of bananas.]
A kidnap victim wouldn't be able to peel and eat that many bananas.
Yan had told the kitchen that Calian would ask for bananas as soon as he woke. Thanks to the Valkan mages who happened to overhear, rumors spread, and gifts of bananas kept pouring into the treatment room.
A significant portion of the pile had now vanished.
"Meow!"
Looking at the countless banana peels on the nightstand, Hina stroked Lucy and the kitten, who had recognized her and trotted over. Finding the empty peels inexplicably amusing, she laughed for a long while.
*
Franz finished his conversation with the imprisoned knight.
He debated returning to Wilhelm Hall, but after sending Arsen ahead, he stopped by Chermil Palace. Instead of going to his room, he headed straight for the training ground.
His plan was simple: if Calian was there, he would learn swordsmanship. If not, he would practice alone. But the sight that greeted him made him let out a deep sigh.
Standing in the middle of the training ground, Calian was smiling brightly.
"Did you meet the knight?"
"Yes."
Calian spoke as if nothing had happened to him.
Replying briefly, Franz stared at his brother. "It seems you have very little attachment to life."
"No way. I have plenty of attachments."
This was the same man who, last time, had tried to teach Kyrie swordsmanship the moment he opened his eyes, only to fall gravely ill again. And here he was, at it again.
As Franz stared at him in disbelief, Calian said, "Tell me about your visit later. I feel like I'll forget if I hear anything else right now."
With that, Calian quietly lowered his hands and channeled his aura.
Hummmm!
Two swords appeared in his hands—long, slender blades glowing with a dark red light.
Franz, who had not yet heard about Evan's swordsmanship, frowned.
"I'm not as smart as you, Brother. So I thought I should show you first."
We can do detailed explanations later and practice gradually. Telling him to just cram it all into his brilliant mind for now, Calian grinned.
Soon, he began to move his body lightly. The scent of blood grew slightly stronger, a sign his wounds had likely reopened, but Franz merely nodded without a word.
"I'll show you slowly. Memorize every single bit of it."
Calian had gone through so much trouble to figure this out, and now he was offering to teach it all before he forgot. It was impossible for Franz to refuse.
"Alright."
Calian raised his swords.
Held in his pale hands, the two blades became red petals, beginning their dance through the air.