Chapter 272: I'm Quite Good at Setting Traps (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 272: I'm Quite Good at Setting Traps (1)
The deep blue sea was visible beyond the transparent wall.
It was an indoor garden filled with a brilliant blue sky, snow-white clouds, cacti sprouting golden thorns, and trees with massive green leaves. In the center stood a beautiful fountain crafted from black marble.
Calian was certain that if Sispanian had ever expressed a fondness for the sea, Hatsuara would have built her a royal palace even grander than this one—nothing less. He would have expanded his territory to the coast to found his kingdom or, failing that, created an entire ocean at the north gate instead of a forest.
Unfortunately, because the Ancient Dragon loved snow, Calian could only do his best to commit the magnificent scenery to memory.
"I'm only eating this because you gave it to me, but…" Calian said, chewing on a piece of beef jerky. "I actually prefer grilled meat over dried."
Franz narrowed his eyes at Calian, who was still sitting on the bench, munching away. Were those really the words of someone who had just devoured a massive pile of jerky in a single sitting?
"You won't get caught this time, at least," Franz finally said.
It wasn't exactly a secret, but who would ever look at this man and think he was a half-elf?
It hadn't even been two hours since they returned from the luncheon hosted by Grand Elder Narzan. If Calian hadn't just polished off enough jerky to feed Franz for an entire day as a post-meal dessert, the thought might not have even crossed his mind.
His formal attire fit him perfectly with a bit of room to spare, and his height hadn't changed. Now that Calian wasn't even hiding his aura, where on earth did all that food go? Suppressing this enduring mystery, Franz asked a fairly normal question.
"Do you have any intention of meeting Queen Freya's relatives?"
It was a well-known fact that Freya had a sibling. And since she was an elf, her parents were likely still alive, barring any unforeseen circumstances.
"I should. I was thinking of asking the Grand Elder where they are, but I hesitated."
"My dear brother actually knows how to hesitate?"
Calian offered a polite smile, his expression clearly saying, If I had lived without hesitation, you would have vanished from this world the very day I changed, brother.
"I'm not entirely incapable of it."
"Why the hesitation?"
"I was afraid of hearing the same old things I'm sick of, even if the words are slightly different."
Red eyes. An impure bloodline. A half-breed. A mutant.
He didn't want a meaningless encounter that only added new insults to the list of words he was thoroughly tired of hearing.
"…You never know," Franz murmured.
"True. We won't know what they'll say until we meet. In any case, once I can take my eyes off matters in Secritia, I plan to look for them."
"I see."
After replying, Franz glanced at Calian, briefly wondered if there was any jerky left, and then spoke again.
"Zeon. Why aren't you asking about it?"
There's none left, Calian thought. Better give him something else to think about.
"Even though they're acting friendlier than when we first met, they are still elves. I don't think now is the time to ask."
"Then when?"
"That will also have to wait until we resolve the situation in Secritia. There's a possibility that Zeon and the elves share a close relationship. If that's the case, and the Grand Elder finds out I'm interested in Zeon, he might not help us properly with Secritia."
Calian concluded the topic there.
Franz nodded once, his gaze briefly falling on the mermaid statue inside the fountain. Then, he walked over to a plant he had never seen before and reached out.
As Franz touched the broad leaf, which was covered in fine, white, downy thorns, Calian spoke.
"That's a banana tree. It's your first time seeing one, right, brother? If you take that fuzz and plant it, it'll grow into bananas."
"…I didn't give you that jerky so you could spout more nonsense."
He wasn't fooled.
Honestly, he had almost believed it for a split second, but then he noticed the mischievous tone in his younger brother's voice and remembered that the banana trees he had seen in books looked nothing like this. Thank goodness.
Thinking that Calian was a terrible liar, Franz stroked the leaf, which sparkled in the bright sunlight, a few more times before looking back at his grinning brother.
"Is that why you can't lie? Because you're a half-elf?"
"No, I've always been bad at it. It has nothing to do with being a half-elf. Kyrie is quite good at it."
If Franz were to say, I wondered why you looked so pretty, and it must be because you're a half-elf, Calian would surely tell him to get lost. Franz kept the thought to himself, knowing full well that the only people who could get away with such remarks were Yan and Alan.
Calian, for his part, didn't bother to mention that he used to be an excellent liar before his transformation. Instead, he spoke in a casual tone.
"…It's Lenisita."
Lenisita of the square.
Franz pulled his hand away from the leaf. Of all the many cacti in the garden, why did he have to touch that one? Calian let out a silent sigh.
"So don't look at it with such wonder," he added quietly.
In truth, with the existence of magic, there was no real need to lay down Lenisita leaves for executions. But the royal family had always done it that way as a warning—to maintain the symbolism and leave a lingering sense of dread surrounding the death penalty.
And not long ago, Lenisita leaves had been laid out in the square for Lennon Brissen.
Feeling a phantom numbness in his arm, just as he had on the day he struck Lennon down, Franz clenched and unclenched his fists before touching the Lenisita leaf again.
"You told me to see things for myself."
Calian let out a soft chuckle and nodded. "Then take it and plant it. See if a banana grows."
"Enough nonsense. Water."
"Yes."
Still understanding Franz's brief commands perfectly, Calian nodded and conjured a single droplet of water, placing it on the Lenisita leaf.
Instead of rolling off, the fist-sized droplet was instantly absorbed and vanished, like seafoam sinking into sand. After staring at it for a while, Franz turned his gaze to Calian.
"Does Secritia have them too?"
"Yes. They aren't used for the same purpose as ours, but Lenisita does grow there. I saw them during my travels. They probably grow in the southern part of the Siegfried territory as well."
Franz nodded and stroked the now-dry Lenisita leaf one more time. "I see."
At the sight, Calian glanced down at his palm, which had completely healed, leaving only his original scar. He then looked back at Franz, at the most vibrant, fresh light-green color that stood out even in this lush garden.
He still couldn't quite gauge how smart Franz was. His mental age was on par with bickering with Arsen, while his actual age was that of a turbulent, rebellious teenager. Yet, his life experience was only on the level of Lucy and Anne. Even Bern hadn't been like that at his age, and Raven had surely seen more of the world.
Suddenly, Calian remembered that Franz, who had been wearing his Valkan uniform ever since leaving the royal palace, had never once taken off his jacket or unbuttoned his shirt.
"I think I understand why you felt so suffocated, brother."
Another out-of-the-blue remark slipped out.
Franz stared at Calian for a moment, then turned his head without replying. After gazing at the garden for a long while, he pointed at something. Seeing what it was, Calian answered.
"That's a pineapple. As the flower in the middle grows larger, a pineapple comes out from inside."
"Are you trying this again?"
"I'm serious. Pineapples grow on the ground."
For a long time, they shared what they knew and what they didn't.
"What about this?"
"I saw that when I went to the Gaden region, but I can't remember the name. Anyway, it bears fruit that's green on the outside and pink on the inside. It's very sweet at first, but the aftertaste is dry and astringent, so I didn't like it very much."
"I see."
"Actually, the stem is more unusual than the fruit. If you peel the bark and place the white part underneath on a wound, it stops bleeding quickly and prevents infection. I drank too much once, rolled down a cliff, and when I woke up, this stuff was plastered all over my body. Ah, don't go learning things like that, though."
"…I know."
"Yes."
For quite a long time, Franz asked, and Calian answered.
*
Ten mages, thirty knights.
And one Sword Master.
They placed a bet on who would win. Of course, it wasn't a bet on a fight. Needlen remembered all too clearly how the Valkan members had been knocked flat in an instant when they sparred with Calian in similar numbers.
So, they bet on who would be the first to lose patience, sneak out of the forest, and go eat some meat.
"…She left?"
"She stared at the lunch table for a long time, then said she'd be right back and left the city, Vice-Commander."
And Siona lost.
Of course, she was an elf. Siona was thirty-eight years old. Elves lived about three times longer than humans, but that didn't mean their mental age matured three times slower. Though her physical growth had been slow in her youth, she currently looked to be in her late twenties. At any rate, she was definitely not at an age to be acting childish.
Yet, she had left. This happened on the afternoon of only their third day here.
"Sigh."
It hadn't even been a week since they left the royal palace, yet why did each day feel so incredibly long? Franz, suddenly missing Anne—who must have grown so much—and the ever-lovely Lucy, spoke with a scowl.
"Where are the others?"
"They are all here. Only Dame Hill left, Vice-Commander."
At this, Franz’s brow furrowed even deeper. "Where is the orange-haired mage?"
"The orange-haired mage, sir?"
"Cain Tessman. Where is he? There are only thirty-nine people here."
Needlen scanned the members with disbelief, his face gradually turning pale. No matter how many times he counted, they were short by one.
"He left just a moment ago, saying he thought he figured out how to set fire to the crystal, Vice-Commander," another member piped up.
"…Ah."
Franz held his forehead for a moment, then spoke to Needlen in a low voice. "Bring him back."
"Yes, I'll bring him back immediately."
The pink-haired mage replied quickly and dashed off.
*
Calian burst into laughter again.
He laughed for a long time as he watched the pink-haired mage and the orange-haired mage running endlessly along the sandy beach. It was a punishment disguised as physical training.
— Still, it's a relief he didn't actually intend to set fire to the Mother Tree, Prince Calian.
Hearing Chase's voice, Calian laughed again. It had been a very long time since Franz had seen him smile so brightly.
— Yes. It's a relief he only went out to get a crystal glass. Although they are easier to control than external mages, it's not easy to hold back that personality of theirs, where they must verify everything immediately to be satisfied.
— Just managing mages to that extent outside the royal palace is impressive. It seems Prince Franz is doing his part well. The personalities of those mages are quite colorful, aren't they?
Calian nodded as he watched the fresh, green-haired mage running alongside the other two. Pink, orange, and the color of a cabbage after peeling off five layers.
— Yes… they are colorful.
Like the top of a rainbow. Or perhaps… like macarons.
— I was actually planning to contact you, so it's quite a coincidence that you reached out first, Chase's voice came again as Calian watched the feast of vibrant colors.
— Did something happen?
— Marquis Lin was arrested just a moment ago.
Calian, immediately recognizing the name as Arianne's mother, let out a low groan.
— Is it because of the Marquis's private army?
— May I ask why you think so?
— Because if Arianne becomes the Marquis's proxy, you, Crown Prince Chase, will be able to mobilize that army much more easily. On top of that, those of marquis rank or higher can reside in the royal palace, allowing you to protect Arianne within its walls.
— Ah. The fact that you figured out both reasons so quickly makes me a bit uneasy, Prince Calian.
Chase's voice was like a gentle breeze blowing through a deep forest. Calian, gazing at the surging sea, smiled softly.
— Are you worried the King of Secritia will notice as well?
— Naturally.
— Since it's likely bait to lure him anyway, I don't think it matters if he notices.
Hearing this, Chase fell silent for a moment.
The plan was to arrest Marquis Lin, allowing Arianne to temporarily wield all her mother's authority, including command of the private army. Chase would then bring Arianne to the royal palace to keep her safe. Through this, Chase intended for Devlan to realize he had condoned the Marquis's arrest. Calian had seen through it all instantly.
— Publicly, isn't the King of Secritia someone who treasures you above all else?
To the public, Devlan treated Chase so well that Alan had once described him as slightly strict but better than Lemain. If Chase were to drag Devlan down himself, the nobles would only think one thing: 'Chase, who was known to have a gentle disposition, turns out to be even more cold-blooded than his father.'
The nobles, already holding their breath under Devlan's tyranny, would hardly welcome the ascension of such a prince. They would likely try to establish an entirely new royal bloodline.
— So, you must show them. You must make the King of Secritia reveal, without filter, how he truly regards you.
The nobles had to realize that Devlan viewed Chase not as a son, but as a competitor. They, who were secretly joining hands under Devlan's blade, needed to imagine the bleak future that awaited them once Chase—their last hope—was sacrificed. This was the first step to make them reach out to Chase more boldly, forging and handing him the justification and the sword that he currently lacked.
— Yes. That's correct. In a situation where he still cannot find a healer, he also received a letter full of reprimand from the King of Kairis. My father must be feeling very anxious by now, so I temporarily condoned the arrest of Marquis Lin, who had been blocking the influx of Tensil healers.
— On my end, I plan to lure the King of Secritia to the city of the elves. He is such a suspicious man that I doubt he will ever come, but we must first see how he responds.
Hearing Calian's words, Chase lowered his gaze instead of replying. A short letter had been delivered by a carrier pigeon to Kairis's royal palace.
‘I know you plan to use the nobles as your backing. I also know you intend to use your fiancée's faction as a smokescreen. I'd like you to tell me what you plan to do after that.’
The sentences were written without hiding a thing. Unlike Calian's neat, powerful handwriting, this was a flowing, elegant cursive. It was a letter from Franz, from whom Chase had received a letter once before.
— I hope you don't overdo it.
— I'm not overdoing it, so do not worry, Prince Calian.
As Chase replied, his hand lifted the letter. While he smiled softly at the ring enclosed with it, Calian's voice came through again.
— The King of Secritia is also a ghost I must lay to rest with my own hands. If you need any help, please let me know. Anything at all.
— I understand.
Calian had absolutely no idea what was on Franz's wrist, which hadn't been bared once during their entire journey. Nor did he know what the hawk, sent by a carrier pigeon thriving in Kairis's royal palace, had delivered to the Crown Prince of Secritia. He simply raised his head.
A truly crimson sun was dyeing the blue sea in shades of gold. The sky, suspended between red and blue, was incomparably beautiful.
Calian blinked, his eyes turning golden in the sunset's light.
— I can see the sun setting from here. I loved watching the sunrise over that small sea in Secritia, so it's a shame the sun doesn't rise here.
— If you look at each passing moment, is there really any difference between the rising sun and the setting sun?
— Both are beautiful moment by moment, but I can't help but feel slightly different about them.
— Then, on the day you eventually come here, you can watch it, Prince Calian.
Calian looked at the exhausted, sprawled-out orange-haired and pink-haired mages, and his brother standing beside them, urging them on. He turned his gaze back to the vast sea.
— I will go to the coronation.
To see the rising sun.
To finally dip my feet in that sea.
And to properly face the person I've missed.
Regardless of safety, politics, or power struggles, that was the one thing he absolutely had to do.
— Brother.
He allowed himself one more selfish desire.
For a long time after that, Chase sent no reply.
A very long silence passed.
— …I shall be waiting.
And that was his answer.