Chapter 267: I Am a Prince (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 267: I Am a Prince (1)
A lake lay before Chermil Palace.
A small stream ran through the rear garden of Arpia Palace, and that same stream wound its way through the gardens of Siegfried Hall, the beautiful banquet hall. To walk the wooden promenade that wrapped around Senyu Hall, one had to cross that very stream on a path of stepping stones.
Thus, the Kairis Royal Palace was threaded with lakes, fountains, and branching streams of all sizes.
Sispanian loved snow and hated rain. She detested narrow, suffocating spaces. Beyond these few details, she had never shared her preferences. And so, when building the Kairis Royal Palace, Hatsuara had simply included a bit of everything. Unsure of what else she might like, he had created a variety of artificial landscapes—everything but the sea.
“Cheep!”
Thanks to this, a certain yellow creature was having the time of its life.
Unlike the lake at Chermil Palace or the stream at Arpia Palace, which were off-limits to all but royalty and their companions, Senyu Hall was open to everyone. Standing on the stepping stones there, a bright yellow duckling let out a series of cheerful chirps.
“You’re still far too small to go in there, so just watch for now.”
The duckling had imprinted on the blue-haired mage the moment it hatched. Arsen had woken from a drunken stupor to find himself a father, a reality he had humbly accepted. He spoke again.
“I think you’ve had enough fresh air, so come here. You look like you’re actually going to jump in.”
Anxious that a duckling only a few days old was already teetering at the edge of a stepping stone, sniffing the water, Arsen quickly scooped it up in both hands.
“Cheep!”
The duckling settled quietly into his palms and babbled.
The kittens are growing so fast, but I think ducks grow even faster.
It was a peaceful lunchtime.
Hina, who was out with him, stared at the duckling with a look of wonder. She could only watch; the duckling refused to follow anyone but Arsen.
Looking down at the little creature, which had grown noticeably heavier over the past few days, Arsen smiled warmly.
“The Commander said that little things change by the day.”
Hina smiled back, thinking of Lucy and Anne, who were likely sleeping in the office or chasing each other between the legs of Valkan members during their meal.
“Cheep!”
“Are you hungry after all that walking? Wait a moment. Mommy will give you something to eat.”
Euria had told him that a baby bird imprints on the first thing it sees, unconditionally accepting it as its mother. Taking her words to heart, Arsen was doing an excellent job playing the role of duck mom.
Placing the duckling back on the ground, Arsen rummaged through his space pocket, pulled out a handful of feed, and offered it. He found the situation amusing and chuckled to himself.
“The Prince would make quite a complicated face if he saw this.”
Why would the kind Prince do that?
“Because he appointed us Vice-Commanders of Valkan, yet one of us is walking around covered in cat hair, and the other is carrying duck feed.”
Hadn’t Calian once described them as devils in his memories? Yet here they were, the leaders of that very army, carrying not dignity but cat hair and duck feed. It was a situation where one didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
He’ll like it.
“Why do you think so?”
Because it’s an army. Valkan wasn’t created to take things away. It means you’re learning how precious life is, so he’ll be happy that you’re carrying duck feed.
“Is that how you see it?”
Hina nodded.
I think that’s probably why the kind Prince gathered the mages. It's likely the same reason the Young Duke has so many scars on his hands. My brother was like that, too. He didn’t fight to hurt others; he fought so that I wouldn’t get hurt.
Watching the duckling waddle over on its tiny webbed feet and eagerly peck at the feed, Arsen smiled.
“Yes. I understand what you mean. Then, may I ask you one more thing?”
When Hina nodded, Arsen glanced briefly toward Wilhelm Hall before speaking.
“Sir Bern fights to protect you, the Young Duke fights to protect his fiancée, and the Prince learns to wield power to protect even more people. But what do you think the Prince’s older brother, the Vice-Commander, is trying to protect? I don’t understand why he’s so intent on learning both swordsmanship and magic.”
Franz was always declaring, “I am a prince,” or “I am the Vice-Commander,” as if it were a mantra. He already used those titles as a source of power, so it was hard to understand why he bothered with a sword. It couldn't be for recognition after inheriting the marquisate, either; he had been training with the blade long before that.
I don’t know for sure, but I think the good Prince has the same reason as me.
Hina paused for a moment and touched her ear. She recalled her original ears, though she could no longer remember their exact length.
I didn’t want to be weak. I didn’t want to be used. I think the good Prince felt the same way. And I believe the kind Prince knows this, which is why he’s so diligent in teaching him.
“Is that so?”
Nodding slowly, Arsen looked down at the duckling and spoke.
“Sometimes, you sound just like my master.”
Arsen quite enjoyed talking to Hina.
He saw in her a resemblance to his master—a mage who didn’t seem like a mage, someone who pointed out the signposts for him to follow, one by one.
“Cheep, cheep!”
Having finished its meal, the duckling cried out to Arsen again. Watching him conjure a small sphere of water on his palm and offer it to the duck, Hina turned her head.
At one of the tables in the rear garden of Senyu Hall, Euria and Eila sat facing each other, deep in conversation. They were discussing the transfer of leadership of the intelligence organization from Euria to Eila.
Glancing in the direction Hina was looking, Arsen spoke.
“By the way, it’s surprising. I didn’t expect the Prince to entrust your protection to her.”
She seems like a good person.
“Does she?”
Yes. If she weren’t, the kind Prince wouldn’t have let her stay by my side. But even in my opinion, she seems decent.
“The Prince’s standards for trust are truly difficult to comprehend. Their first meeting wasn't exactly under the best of circumstances.”
He isn’t the type to judge someone solely on a first impression. He’s someone who separates personal feelings from other matters. Just like you, Vice-Commander.
When Hina suddenly brought him into it, Arsen asked, slightly taken aback, “Why me?”
You didn’t say a single word to the Association President today. Even though you bought him duck eggs thinking they were chicken eggs, and even bought him purple flowers.
With a bright smile, Hina continued.
I’ll keep a close eye on the duckling so the cats don’t find it. Once you’re done with work, go have dinner together.
It seemed that being the subordinate of someone exceptionally good at getting caught had made him just as easy to read. Unable to even ask how she knew when he hadn’t said a word, Arsen simply nodded in resignation.
*
Arsen couldn’t make an excuse.
Calian couldn’t bark.
Having postponed his plan to raise hell, Calian narrowed his eyes. Seeing a waterfall in the forest by day, only to be watching waves crash onto a sandy beach by night, did not particularly impress him.
Behind Calian stood the magnificent Mother Tree, which looked as if Siegfried Hall itself—with its crystal walls and platinum pillars—had been unfurled and reassembled on the spot. And before him… yes.
Whoosh…
There was the sea.
Though the sea he had yearned for lay right before him, Calian could not fully enjoy it. For one, this wasn’t the sea he had wanted to see, and for another, his mind was crowded with other thoughts.
‘Welcome, Third Prince of Kairis.’
It was different.
The elves’ attitude was so vastly different from their last encounter that it was impossible to tell which was their true face. Whether it was because of Elder Jer or because they were plotting something else, the elves treated Calian with the respect due to a ‘Prince of Kairis’ rather than a mere ‘representative of humans.’
‘The Grand Elder is scheduled to arrive tomorrow. We will arrange for you to rest today and meet him first thing in the morning.’
With the elves’ representative approaching their group and speaking so politely, how could he possibly bark at them? He had been fully prepared to show no mercy if they started spouting nonsense about the “King of Humans” again. This sudden hospitality left him feeling rather bewildered.
“The elves here seem to welcome you more than me,” Siona remarked.
Detecting the scent of blood on the salty sea breeze, Calian replied, “So you really were denied treatment.”
“Did I tell you why I came here?”
Calian shook his head slightly.
Then, pointing toward the Mother Tree behind them, he spoke.
“You mentioned you were on your way out after visiting the elf city. The reason an elf with sword wounds would seek out an elf city is obvious. But since you’re still injured, you must have been rejected.”
“Ah. Yes. I came for treatment, but they refused. They said they couldn’t view me as a true elf. After all, elves don’t heal other races.”
“Because you grew up in the Great Desert?”
“Probably. And on top of that, I eat meat.”
With a bitter smile, Siona looked out at the dark sea. “I know that excluding outsiders to protect their own is the elven way of survival, but I suppose I was a bit upset. That’s why I attacked you out of nowhere. I’m sorry.”
“Forget it. I’m not angry anymore. If you were going to apologize, you should have done it at the proper time.”
Answering her, Calian suddenly turned his head.
“Yes. You should have done it at the proper time.”
Following Calian’s gaze as he muttered to himself, Siona saw the prince who had walked through a rainbow by day, now standing before the crashing waves.
“Is that your brother?”
“Yeah.”
“He eats grass well.”
“Yeah…”
“Still, he seems strong for his age. He has some muscle, too.”
“…He eats beans.”
“Ah. I see.”
“Yeah.”
The sound of the waves filled the brief silence.
Siona searched for her next words.
“Is… his skill with the sword due to the royal bloodline?”
“No. He’s just a good learner. My oldest brother isn’t like that at all.”
He’s more like… corn silk. Weaker, yet somehow stiffer. Figures there’d be someone like that.
Swallowing those unspeakable thoughts, Calian chuckled. Watching him, Siona asked, “Did you also fail to get a timely apology from him?”
“From my brother?”
Siona nodded, and Calian shook his head. Seeing this, Siona chuckled.
“You’re as bad at lying as an elf.”
Calian let out a dry laugh.
Then, he cast Clean magic on Siona and said, “Your wound has reopened. I’ll ask the Grand Elder to heal you when we meet him tomorrow. Stop pretending you’re fine and go rest.”
Even though she was holding the wound together with her aura, starting the day so violently and walking around had clearly taken its toll.
“I’m still fine, so you don’t need to worry.”
“My companions didn’t go rest because they’re in bad shape. Both you and I are outsiders here, so keep yourself in top condition. Don’t become extra baggage.”
Only then did Siona nod.
“I will.”
As Siona gave a brief reply and turned away, the soft ting-aling of a bell echoed from her. Calian stared at her retreating back for a moment before turning away himself.
The waves crashed, and the sound of the bell faded into the distance.
The wind blew, and Franz still stood before the waves.
*
Having ascended to the Grand Elder’s residence, Calian looked out the window.
Under a clear sky, the deep blue sea stretched out beneath his feet.
“Is this Libern’s territory?”
The sea near Secritia did not possess such a deep hue. Since Tensil had poor relations with the healing elves, Calian reasoned that if the elves had built a city connected to Kairis, it would likely be in Libern.
An elf set down three cups of green tea infused with dried peaches and apples before leaving the room. The figure sitting across from Calian shook his head and replied, “It is a land without a master, situated between Libern and the Great Desert.”
“Why try to move and live somewhere else when you have such a wonderful place here?”
Franz, who had lifted his teacup to savor its aroma before taking a sip, stared at Calian. He hadn’t expected his younger brother to skip the pleasantries and dive straight to the point.
The Grand Elder, who had not even introduced himself yet, looked at Calian, dressed in his black formal attire, and spoke.
“I am Narzan. Please note that elves do not use last names.”
Without replying, Calian stared intently at the Grand Elder. Puzzled by his silence, Narzan pondered the reason for a moment, glanced briefly at Franz, and then answered the earlier question.
“We cannot remain the weaker party to Kairis forever, can we?”
“Indeed.”
“And you are?”
At the question, clearly intended to force him to state his name, Calian smiled faintly. Then, raising his chin, he replied, “I am a prince of Kairis.”