Chapter 258: Lest I Forget (5)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 258: Lest I Forget (5)
Franz turned his gaze downward for a moment.
His eyes fell on the milk tea, which was the exact shade of a horse named ‘Tunteuni’—a name a step beyond the simple likes of ‘Butterfly’ or ‘Apple’.
Acknowledging his only older brother's hospitality with a slight curl of his lips, Franz endured the strong floral scent wafting from his teacup.
He thought of the milk-tea-colored horse and the scentless flower described by the one who had named it.
"If you don't like it, send it back. I called for the third prince, but you came instead."
Randel’s words implied two things: that he had prepared milk tea because Calian despised grapefruit, only for Franz to arrive instead, and that he was well aware Franz couldn't stand the scent of flowers.
Franz, who had clearly sent word of his visit beforehand, replied without a hint of annoyance.
"Thanks to you, Brother, I'm forced to endure the scent of roses all season. One more day won't make a difference."
With that, Franz took a sip of the milk tea, its rosehip aroma filling his senses. He found it somewhat bearable, as it was similar to the red scent that drifted through the cracks of his window, a fragrance he was forced to breathe day in and day out.
"Why did you call for Calian?"
Franz had only come because of the spy Calian had mentioned. He now realized Randel had been looking for Calian first, but he didn't let it show.
Randel must have sent a messenger, who had either forgotten in the chaos of dealing with Evan or simply hadn’t delivered the message to Calian yet. Franz saw no reason to point out such a minor error and blame some nameless person.
Of course, had he known that "nameless person" was Arsen, things might have been a bit different, but he didn't.
"I wasn't aware you had become the third prince's mouth and ears. Did you grow bored now that the eyes and ears around you have vanished?"
"I don't know if you're aware, but that third prince is currently unwell and cannot come up. Since you won't go down, Brother, I will deliver the message."
Franz chose not to react to the jab—the insinuation that he was now playing Calian's lackey after escaping Silike's surveillance—and stuck to the matter at hand.
Randel let out a soft, breathy laugh at the words of the middle-floor resident, who had volunteered to act as a bridge between two brothers separated by a mere two floors yet an ocean of awkwardness.
Randel tilted his head back slightly to look at Franz.
Tick, tock, tick, tock.
The ticking of a clock echoed in the room.
It was a sound Franz hadn't heard on his last visit. Back then, this room had been empty.
"I wished to see him because I had something to ask."
"What is it?"
"Never mind."
Did he mean there was no need to ask now?
Or that he had to ask Calian directly?
Tick, tock.
Just as the ticking of the second hand began to grate on his nerves, Franz spoke.
"I know you sent sacred artifacts to Tensil. To whom did you send them?"
"You've grown quite curious."
"I was always curious. Excessively so."
Randel fell silent for a moment, observing Franz, before answering slowly.
"I sent them to the Crown Prince of Tensil."
"Through whom?"
"A priest."
"Are you still sending them?"
"Thanks to the third prince, I'm rather idle these days."
Even if he wanted to send sacred artifacts, he needed someone to transport them.
It meant that thanks to Calian—who had thwarted his attempt to use the Brissen Trading Company and swept away all the priests—he could no longer send sacred artifacts to Tensil. In other words, their kind third brother, who so respected his elders, had managed to eliminate their eldest brother’s workload while simultaneously piling more onto his youthful second brother.
"If you have no more questions, you may leave."
"A proposal. I'd like you to carry out a deal."
"What kind of deal?"
With a soft clink, Franz lifted his cup, took another sip of milk tea, and set it down before speaking.
"The Polun Trading Company. Do you remember when their diamond trade with Tensil was suspended because we caught them trying to smuggle in Holy Knights?"
Randel nodded silently.
"Just as you tried to send sacred artifacts through the Brissen Trading Company, I want you to use the Polun Trading Company this time. Since their trade with Secritia has been cut off, Tensil won't suspect anything if you use the excuse of seeking a new market. I want you to resume the trade of sacred artifacts on the condition of restarting the diamond trade."
"And what trick is this meant to cover?"
"I'm looking for the 'bird' that used to fetch the sacred artifacts."
Tensil was unlikely to know how much trust Melfir, the head of the Polun Trading Company, had earned from Calian. Even if they did, why would they doubt a merchant lining his own pockets behind his partner's back? Therefore, if Melfir—who must have suffered massive losses from the severed ruby trade—approached them to strike a diamond deal on the condition of secretly smuggling sacred artifacts, Tensil wouldn't find it strange at all.
Afterward, if Melfir secretly spread rumors that he was searching for the person who had brought sacred artifacts to Hale Latran, Eila would hear the news. She would probably realize it was a trap set by Calian to catch her, but that didn't matter.
‘My goal isn't for Eila to fall for Baron Polun's trick and contact him. It’s to let her know that I'm looking for her. And it would be nice to make up for Baron Polun's losses while we're at it.’
Randel listened to the entire plan—one Calian had apparently devised while chewing on the largest piece of pork and a slice of beef on his plate—before replying quietly, "You're trying to pull off something His Majesty would not be pleased to hear about."
Trading sacred artifacts with Tensil was illegal.
At this, Franz let out a dry laugh. "Rich words, coming from someone who dabbled in it himself despite knowing it was forbidden. Besides, since when did you care about His Majesty?"
Of course, he planned to speak with Lemain separately. It wouldn't do for Melfir to get caught in the crossfire.
It was a matter of catching the King of Secritia; surely they could bend Kairis law a little.
Wasn't a prince's title meant for times like this?
"The timeframe?"
"The sooner, the better."
Randel pondered for a moment, then nodded. "I'll do it. It's not a bad deal for me, either."
"Good. Then..."
As Franz spoke, implying he was ready to leave, Randel looked at him with those same unreadable eyes.
"Then I suppose I can ask you what I wanted to ask the third prince."
"What is it?"
"Calian. That child..."
Randel paused, as if falling back into thought, before continuing.
"Is he still the same third prince? Or is he now simply your younger brother?"
The moment the question ended, Franz's eyes grew sharp.
He didn't bother to hide the blade in his gaze. If Randel had grown suspicious, there was no point in hiding it.
It didn't matter if he suspected.
Whether he harbored a shred of doubt or not, the ever-rational Randel would never grasp the truth.
"My brother..."
And besides, Calian...
"Is simply Calian."
Calian was simply Calian. What could possibly be the problem?
Randel stared at Franz, who had tossed out the answer so casually, and gave a brief nod. Franz immediately stood, offered a simple bow, and walked out.
The faint sound of a tie being tugged loose was audible for a moment before the door clicked shut.
*
Arsen arrived.
Knowing full well he wasn't supposed to be moving around yet, Calian leaned against the headboard and received Arsen while pretending to give in to Yan's nagging.
‘His Highness is not in a good mood, so keep that in mind.’
Yan had informed Arsen that Calian, despite not having fully recovered, was urgently looking for him. Arsen had a rough idea of what was coming and had prepared himself accordingly. Though he had rushed over too quickly to write a formal apology, his expression was deeply penitent.
"I greet Prince Calian."
Calian wore a smile that, had Yan not warned him, Arsen might have mistaken for a warm welcome.
Acknowledging the greeting with a nod, Calian pointed to the chair beside the bed.
"Come over here, Sir Hertz."
It felt as if the Senyu River flowed between the door and the bed. As if he might never return if he dared to cross.
Swallowing hard, Arsen stepped slowly and cautiously into Calian's bedroom. Then, he noticed something resting on the nightstand.
It was a condensed mass of ice-attribute mana whose purpose was entirely incomprehensible. The mage, who would rather die than leave a question unanswered, finally asked, "What is that, Your Highness?"
"Ah, this?"
A beautiful, blue object.
Staring quietly at the large flower made of ice, Calian smiled beautifully and replied, "My Annerusia, just for you."
"Ah..."
When a person gives up on everything, their mind finds peace.
Having resigned himself to his fate, Arsen’s face grew much calmer as he nodded. "Thank you for at least thinking of a flower for me."
"Do you understand what it means?"
"Yes. I know I did wrong, Your Highness."
His expression was so serious and solemn that Calian burst into laughter. He wanted to laugh longer, but a sharp pain in his abdomen stopped him.
I should have let Hina treat me instead of telling her to rest, he thought for a moment before speaking.
"Don't you have any excuses? Perhaps that Hina looked too exhausted? That you didn't think Randel would do anything on the spot? That my brother looked so ill you had to cast an unfamiliar spell immediately? Or that you were confident enough in your skills to succeed on the first try?"
To Calian, who spoke as if he had witnessed the events himself, Arsen replied, "I don't trust Prince Randel."
"I know."
"And a mage does not carelessly test unfamiliar magic on a living being."
"I know that too."
"Therefore, I have no excuses."
"Since you're so aware of your wrongdoing, you must also know what I'm going to do to you."
"You gave me an Annerusia, did you not?"
Calian knew Arsen was genuinely prepared to have a hole put through his body. A dry laugh escaped him.
"If you find me so terrifying, why on earth do you follow me?"
"Because you are terrifying."
Giving Arsen a look that screamed, What is wrong with this guy?, Calian burst into laughter again and said what he had said countless times before. "In any case, you truly are a strange man, Sir Hertz."
Aside from nicking his neck during sparring or knocking him out cold when he was drunk, Calian had never treated him harshly. He couldn't understand what there was to be so afraid of.
Where else could you find someone as gentle as me?
Having finished a highly objective evaluation of himself, Calian glanced down at the ice flower before his gaze returned to Arsen.
"Actually, I was more angry that you left Hina alone and went outside the palace, but I'll let it go since I heard you left her safely with my Master. As for Brother Randel... well, I'm sure you handled it well, Sir Hertz. In an emergency, one might borrow Raven's hooves or Lucy's hands, so what wouldn't one do?"
At this, Arsen's eyes drifted to the ice flower on the nightstand. He looked like he wanted to ask why Calian had made it, so Calian answered first.
"The spy we caught in the Latran territory is alive."
Without needing to search his memory, Arsen immediately recalled the spy, his eyes narrowing. "...Was he not executed?"
"It seems he was swapped with someone else, which has created a bit of a problem for me."
"I will capture him."
Since his prince's precious secret was on the verge of spreading, of course he had to capture him.
"How do you plan to do that when you don't even know where he is?"
"Are you not planning to do something about it with that?" Arsen asked, pointing to the ice flower.
Calian nodded, pleased at how quick-witted Arsen had become. He didn't pause to consider just who was responsible for honing that wit.
"A party celebrating Gray Brissen's ascension to Marquis will be held in ten days, but I cannot go. I would like you to attend in my place and deliver a gift, Sir Hertz."
"I hadn't heard about any party. What an extraordinary fellow. His father is dead, his brother was executed, and his nephew has vanished, yet he's throwing a party?"
"Ah. I haven't heard about the party either," Calian replied lightly, a small smile playing on his lips as he added, "Because I haven't told him to throw one yet."
Arsen, whose wits had indeed improved, stared blankly at Calian for a moment.
A second later, he understood. Calian intended to instruct Gray, who had no plans for a party, to host one.
"It will be a party any noble can attend without a special invitation, so both you and Baron Polun will be able to offer your congratulations without issue."
"Yes, I understand. Should Baron Polun and I attend and spread rumors to avoid suspicion?"
"Perfect."
"Yes. Then, what kind of gift should I present?"
Calian moved his hand once, altering the attribute of his mana. The blue ice flower on the nightstand instantly changed form and flared red. It became a flame.
"A sculpture that neither melts nor burns. Of course, shaped like something other than a flower."
Randel, having received Franz's request, would spread the word that Calian was looking for Eila. And Calian, in turn, would lure her out.
"Then, may I make it into a sculpture of you, Your Highness?" Arsen asked, his face brightening the moment he heard the word "sculpture."
As a mage who had to do whatever he wanted to be satisfied, Arsen refused to give up. A reaction truly worthy of a mage.
Calian, who understood this all too well, replied with a beaming smile. "Why would you send that there, you crazy bastard?"
Arsen, called crazy by the very person who seemed more out of his mind than anyone in the world, just grinned.
In any case.
If Eila, knowing Calian was looking for her, wanted to grasp how things were unfolding, she would have to observe Melfir first.
She would certainly attend the party, as it would be the first time Melfir, who would remain shut away until then, stepped out of his house. If she disguised herself, the risk of being caught was slim.
Calian intended to send a highly visible message to Eila—one that, upon seeing it, would compel her to find him, whether out of curiosity, anxiety, or anger.
Of course, he planned to ask Alan to temporarily lift the palace's magical protections until then. If he did that...
"It's been a while."
Such a beautiful blue bird...
"...Eila."
...would return.
Seeing the long hair of the figure sitting on his terrace railing, fluttering in the wind with the moonlight at her back, Calian smiled as if welcoming an old friend.
It was late one night, more than a fortnight after his meeting with Arsen.