Chapter 284: Truly Beautiful (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 284: Truly Beautiful (2)
The sound was light and cheerful.
Raven’s hoofbeats were always light as he trotted along the well-paved roads of the capital, but today they were exceptionally so.
It was only natural.
“So that’s why you suddenly wanted to change Raven’s horseshoes today… This was your plan all along.”
Of course Raven was in high spirits with his new shoes; his hoofbeats couldn’t help but ring out so cheerfully.
Calian couldn’t bring himself to use words like “scheme” or “trick” to his brother’s face, so he just let out a deep sigh and continued.
“Still, how could you blindside your own brother twice?”
“I didn’t think you’d fall for the same trick twice.”
At Franz’s reply—which implied it was more surprising that Calian had fallen for the exact same trick twice—Calian took out his frustration on an innocent party by ruffling Raven’s mane.
He’d been had.
He had fallen for Franz’s schemes not once, but twice.
‘They say they’re changing Raven’s horseshoes today.’
‘Really? I thought they were still fine.’
‘Relic came by earlier and said the farrier who came to change Estina’s shoes mentioned Raven’s needed replacing too, so I told him to go ahead. Since they need to change his shoes and give him a bath, please ride Izlan to the Duke’s mansion, Prince.’
‘Sure. I will.’
That day, when Calian had said he was going to the Siegfried mansion, Yan had told him to ride a different horse instead of Raven. And Calian had done exactly as he was told, without a second thought.
Why would he suspect anything over a simple change of horseshoes?
Calian hadn’t realized it was all a ploy to prepare for a long-distance journey, nor that it was a trick to pack his personal belongings into Raven’s saddlebags.
His only comfort was that Yan hadn't known at the time, either. If he had, his face would have given the whole game away.
“I wouldn’t have opposed it even if you had told me in advance.”
“That would have been the fastest way for my younger brother’s former brother to find out.”
Calian was a terrible liar and even worse at hiding things. Franz figured that if Calian knew, Chase would have noticed, and by extension, Devlan would have found out.
…Or so Franz claimed. Calian, unable to shake the feeling that his brother had simply wanted to mess with him, shook his head as he gazed at the Duke’s mansion in the distance.
He’d only managed to spar with Demirea once before he fought Evan and ended up with a hole in his stomach. Their second match was postponed, and then he’d left for the elf village with no time to see her. He had barely managed to reschedule, only to have to break that promise as well.
“I shouldn’t have made that promise to Demirea. Thanks to my incredibly thoughtful older brother, I’ll be lucky if my engagement isn’t broken by the time I get back.”
Franz let out a soft chuckle without replying.
He knew all too well that his younger brother was just grumbling. He was frustrated about embarking on a long journey without seeing Lucy and Anne—who had only just started to remember him again—and without a proper goodbye to Alan.
At least he had been able to say goodbye to Yan, who had figured out the truth after Calian left for the Duke’s mansion and had hurriedly prepared his travel gear. That was a small mercy.
“By the way…”
Calian let out another deep sigh, annoyed that he was reduced to finding comfort in such small things. He glanced back.
Kyrie, who was following behind them, bowed his head when their eyes met. Calian gave a slight nod in acknowledgment and shifted his gaze.
He saw Eila standing beside Kyrie. In the end, she had come along too.
Behind them, the knights came into view. They had selected only thirty to avoid raising unnecessary suspicion in Secritia. For the same reason, the knights and mages of the Valkan, the royal army, could not join them on their journey.
Furthermore, not a single servant or maid was included. To prepare for any emergencies, all non-combatants had been excluded from the group, just as Chase had done when he visited Kairis.
Finally, between the knights, the royal carriage came into view, boasting a truly magnificent presence. It was the very carriage Calian hadn’t been able to ride because of Raven’s stubbornness.
“Did you plan to just leave the carriage in front of the teleportation magic circle? It can’t go through.”
“Marquis Manasil took care of it.”
This was what Franz had requested when he met Alan on his first day back in Kairisis. He had asked him to modify the carriage, which was inscribed with all kinds of defensive magic, so that it could pass through the teleportation magic circle. And Alan, of course, had easily completed the modifications right on schedule.
Just how long had Franz been planning this?
Calian let out a wry laugh. “I figured you’d just pick out some clothes that wouldn’t get grass stains, not prepare an entire carriage.”
“These don’t stain.”
“I know. I just didn’t think you’d wear your usual black, let alone the white formalwear.”
Calian had assumed that if Franz were to set foot on Secritian soil, he would leave behind both the Valkan uniform and the prince’s formal attire.
Turning his head forward again, Calian looked at his brother.
Beneath a red cloak adorned with a large tassel and jet-black fur draped over one shoulder, a black coat embroidered with gold thread was visible. He was undoubtedly wearing his prince’s formal attire underneath.
He had dressed this way intentionally.
The spies watching them leave the capital would report back to Devlan exactly what status Franz was projecting on his way to Secritia.
“You told me not to worry about it.”
“Yes. I told you not to worry even if your memories returned. But knowing you, I figured you might try to go as neither the Valkan Vice-Commander nor as a prince, simply because it’s Secritia.”
“…If you don’t like it.”
“No, I don’t dislike it. It’s just amusing how well you listen to me, even if you insist on blindsiding me from time to time.”
Calian, who had spoken so playfully, smiled brightly.
And that smile deepened slightly when they passed through the outer castle gate and stood before the teleportation magic circle.
– Cheep! Cheep!
After all, blindsiding someone…
…was best when it was mutual.
* * *
The green tea was scented with orchids.
Lemain had once mentioned that his newly found son enjoyed the tea’s subtle, non-cloying fragrance. Elinne, who had been secretly delighted to hear it, had sent another batch with her latest gift.
As the wind outside the window grew colder, the warmth of the cup was all the more comforting. Steam rose gently from the orchid-scented tea on the table.
“The scent is lovely.”
Lemain nodded, quietly taking in the aroma. Watching him, Alan tapped a finger on his own teacup. Instantly, a chill enveloped the cup, and a thin layer of ice formed over the tea’s surface.
“It’s cold out. Why are you drinking that cold?”
“Prince Calian has been craving cold things more and more lately. As his master, how can I not follow suit? Besides, if we’re going to live together in the south later, I’d better get used to it.”
“…He is my son.”
“He is my disciple before he is Your Majesty’s son. And why are you giving me that look? Is it so wrong for me to take him to live with me in the south?”
Alan delivered his usual tirade before draining half his chilled tea.
“Speak.”
“What would you like me to say?”
“Are you acting this way because I’ve made another mistake?”
Alan took a large bite of a cake loaded with his favorite rich chocolate and topped with plenty of wild raspberries, then nodded. After another sip of his green tea, he looked at Lemain, who was listening intently, and spoke.
“Anything special? Aside from bringing three princes into this world, everything you’ve ever done has been a mistake.”
Lemain, who detested sweets so much he wouldn’t dream of touching the cake, took a sip of his innocent tea and set it down. He stared quietly at the cake, which looked sweet enough to make his teeth ache just looking at it, and said:
“I will ensure their safe return, so please, don’t be so angry.”
“What do you mean by that all of a sudden?”
“Aren’t you upset because Franz was suddenly forced on this journey because of me, with Calian going along as his guard? I will ensure nothing happens in Secritia. So please, stop scolding me for things I already know and don’t worry.”
To be precise, Alan was furious that Calian had to embark on this difficult path because two fathers—the kings of Kairis and Secritia—had failed to do their duty. He was simply taking out his anger on Lemain, the king who happened to be in front of him, while also venting his resentment for the distant Devlan.
After all, if even one of them had acted like a proper father, things wouldn’t have come to this.
“Don’t misunderstand. I’m not worried about them plotting something in Secritia.”
Alan stuffed another large spoonful of the innocent cake into his mouth and sighed. He was consumed by a single thought: what if Calian, who had set off with such a grand carriage, ended up eating sour tangerines again?
Lemain quietly watched the frowning mage sighing repeatedly while shoveling chocolate cake into his mouth.
“Are you saying you have no concern that that snake of a man might try to detain the princes and use them as leverage?”
“Correct. There’s no way both princes will be detained.”
Saying this, Alan shook his head slightly and corrected himself.
“Actually, no. It’s possible the Second Prince alone could be detained.”
Alan then pointed toward the bookshelf in his office. The Wilhelm Pavilion, where the Valkan was stationed, lay in that direction.
“If that happens, don’t hesitate. Just send me, along with the friends living over there.”
“Are you planning to start a war?”
“Would there be any need for a war?”
Alan paused, leisurely took another bite of cake, and added:
“If the Second Prince is detained, it means the Third Prince is already dead. And if the Third Prince is dead, it means their crown prince was killed long ago… In that case, there’s no need for a complicated war. We can simply go over, wipe Secritia off the map, and bring the Second Prince home.”
His words were a terrifying promise: with Chase present, Devlan wouldn’t dare try anything foolish with the two princes, and even if he did, nothing would happen as long as Calian was there.
Lemain’s gaze rested on his teacup for a moment.
The words coming from Alan’s mouth did not sound like a joke in the slightest. Lemain knew that if such a thing ever happened, Alan was indeed a man capable of erasing Secritia from the continent’s map.
The King of Libern must have known this as well, which was why he had immediately executed the royal consort, Teian. Thanks to that, Libern’s map remained unchanged.
“…Right. I will keep that in mind.”
As if a bird had flown by, a small shadow flickered past the window. Alan, watching it, asked:
“Did you send a letter to Devlan?”
“I sent it right after the two princes departed.”
Lemain let out a brief, wry laugh as he recalled the contents of the letter—something he had never dreamed he would have the audacity to write in his entire life.
– My son has a birthday coming up and expressed a desire to see the sights in your country. By the time you receive this letter, they will likely be near your border. Should my precious sons be upset in even the slightest way, the Valkan will be deeply grieved. Therefore, please open your gates wide and ensure they have a safe journey. However, as a gesture of my regret for the lack of advance notice, I will rescind our decision to sever diplomatic ties.
He had beautifully packaged those words and sent them to Devlan.
Soon, Lemain raised his teacup again.
He thought that someday, he would like to share this tea with Franz as well.
* * *
Feeling stifled, Calian had long since shed his thick coat.
In its place, he wore a black shirt, a red vest, and a black jacket and trousers. A long cloak of reddish fabric was draped over his shoulders, and with Kyrie’s help, he fastened the ornamental knot Yan had packed for him.
He knew it wasn’t suitable travel attire.
He wasn’t one to fuss over clothes, but even he had to admit this was hardly the right outfit for a long journey.
Still, it was more comfortable than a prince’s formalwear, so it would have to do.
“Is there a problem?” a remarkably deep voice came from Kyrie.
The soldiers in front of them seemed to confer for a moment before one stepped forward again.
“We received word of the visit from Kairis’s Second and Third Princes, but…”
The soldier paused, examining the group before him with a serious expression.
A luxurious, curtain-drawn carriage.
Beside it, a rider sat atop a massive black horse, perfectly still. His long, black cloak draped down in an elegant curve.
The slender figure in the black suit held his head high, staring straight ahead, not even glancing at the soldiers.
The soldier quickly averted his eyes to avoid staring for too long.
The Third Prince.
And a Sword Master.
He didn’t want to offend them and complicate things—though in truth, one complication had already arisen.
Having finished his assessment, the soldier spoke to Kyrie again.
“Soldiers cannot pass through.”
“Are you referring to the Second Prince?”
“No. The other…”
“If you are not referring to him, then there are no soldiers among us.”
The soldier clenched and unclenched his fist.
Then, he looked at the blue-haired mage standing behind Kyrie.
“Ah, me?”
The blue-haired mage, cradling a rather large, web-footed duckling in his arms, pointed to himself and asked.
“I am a mage, Arsen Hertz.”
The soldiers’ expressions seemed to say, Yes, you. Aren’t you a soldier? Seeing this, Arsen launched into a lengthy explanation.
“I’m just a regular mage. I was stripped of my position a few days ago for talking back to my Corps Commander about a pay cut, so you have no reason to be wary of me.”
This was the mage Calian had temporarily demoted to civilian status. Upon hearing the news about Raven’s horseshoes the next day, he had rushed straight to the teleportation circle.
“Did I say anything incorrect, Association President?”
“No. None at all.”
Arsen Hertz grinned and looked at the purple-haired mage standing beside him.