Chapter 298: Hold Back, Brother (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 298: Hold Back, Brother (1)
It is said that at least once in a lifetime, there comes a day when one must prepare for death.
If anyone were to say this to Calian, they would be met with the sight of him blinking his large eyes in blank confusion. When he lived as Bern, nearly every day had been such a day, and he had been prepared to die on the day he finally met his end. To him, the idea that such a day came "at least once" was hardly worth mentioning with such solemnity.
The life of the former Calian had been no different. Slipping in and out of the royal library, hiding his self-taught magic studies even from Yan—for the former Calian, every day was like walking a tightrope stretched across a windy canyon.
Thus, the current Calian’s way of life was no different.
So, without a second thought, Calian prepared himself for death.
How could one expect to take another's life without being prepared to die themself? He steeled his resolve as naturally as breathing, as blinking, as swallowing. And then, he spoke.
He told him to wait. That he would save him.
—No.
But the answer was "no."
Somehow, Calian understood perfectly that this was not a response to his request.
"...I'm not the type to die protecting you, Brother. I won't die."
"I know."
Was that uncertain assertion a truth or a lie?
Franz replied instantly to his younger brother's words, which were impossible to gauge. Since the reply came from Franz, who was smarter than anyone, Calian decided the claim must be true and let out a small laugh. He wondered where his brother had learned the strange knack of taking the contradictory words of someone perpetually prepared for death and accepting them as absolute truth.
In the brief moment it took for the five tense swordsmen to take a single step forward, a rapid exchange passed between the two brothers.
"You've only ever wounded someone once in your life, Brother. When I told you to call me by my name, you stopped eating and threw a knife at me."
"…I know."
"I was hurt back then. I still have the scar, and I won't forget it until the day I die."
"I know."
His mouth sure runs well, even in this situation and in his condition, Calian thought.
Whether they possessed the courage of those with no intention of fleeing or had noticed Calian’s physical state, the knights were slowly closing in rather than backing away. Watching them, Calian spoke in a slightly lower voice.
"This will be very different. So different you won't be able to forget it until the day you die."
"I know."
As his consciousness began to fade, Calian almost blurted out, Even Raven can make two different sounds—a snort and a whinny. He took a deep breath. Then, he spoke one more time to his brother, who would go to his grave never knowing he had just been compared unfavorably to a horse.
"Yes."
It was a short word, but it carried a wealth of meaning. To be honest, my body isn't moving well right now. I feel like I'll freeze up after dealing with the five swordsmen in front, before I can even get to the two warriors in the back. So, Brother, you hold off the five in front, and I'll take care of the two behind them. Arsen will be here soon, so just hold on for a moment.
Don't die.
The clever Franz would easily understand the weight behind that single, short word.
Calian tapped the ground with the tip of his foot.
Having jolted his sinking body awake, he kicked off the ground once more—harder and stronger than before.
Fwoosh!
A black shadow slipped into the deep darkness.
The afterimage of a red-glowing sword and the scent of blood, seemingly the same color, lingered for a moment before vanishing.
Franz blinked slowly.
He recognized the five swordsmen before him for what they were: real enemies. He fully understood that this was not a mock battle against his brother or the members of the Valkan.
Strength surged into his hands, which gripped two swords of different colors. The blades, both containing the same star but emitting completely different light, began to trace their first arcs.
Claaang!
A sound like distant predators sinking their claws into each other erupted with a roar.
The second battle had begun.
* * *
Calian had never once forced her.
Not only did he not force her, but he had never even rushed her. He had instructed her to proceed at her own pace, to take a detour if things got difficult, and to do only as much as she could without overexerting herself.
This was regarding the construction of Kairis's teleportation magic circles.
Rachel constructed the magic circles in places where Lemain had granted permission. Once one was complete, she would move to another location and repeat the process. As a result, she ended up traveling all over the vast lands of Kairis.
This situation had an unexpected byproduct, one that Euria, of all people, was now experiencing for the second time.
"You said you were moving at top speed, but this is incredible. I heard about it from the kid, but I never imagined it would be this fast."
"I've gotten much faster since the Prince was in Roselita," Rachel explained. "Traveling all over for the magic circles made me realize that even though I enjoy wandering, wasting time is a shame. So I improved."
Rachel had become incredibly proficient in the movement speed enhancement magic she could cast on herself. Calian had never demanded speed, but Rachel's personality couldn't stand doing things slowly. She had decided to at least reduce her travel time, which led to this achievement.
"Thanks to you, it seems we've arrived in time," Euria said, observing the scene below. "Seeing them swarming like that, they look ready to make a move any second."
"Indeed. It looks that way."
"But I don't understand why the king of this country wants to destroy the elf forest. What will he do if they retaliate?"
"The elves here aren't under the protection of the Mother Tree," Rachel explained. "The Mother Tree's power has never reached Secritia. Since Secritia won't suffer any damage other than losing a single forest, they might commit such an act if they need something more valuable."
"Then I'm curious why Prince Calian is going out of his way to stop it."
"Well, even I don't know that much."
How would Devlan act now?
After his conversation with Devlan, Calian had been pondering that very question. What weakness of Calian's could Devlan seize most easily? What could he target that posed little risk but would serve as a light warning while yielding other benefits?
Bridget Forest.
The place where his mother had spent her childhood, which Calian had mentioned was precious to him as well. Devlan would have easily recognized that this was not a lie. If something happened to the elves there, Grand Elder Narzan would immediately withdraw from Kairis and attempt to negotiate with Secritia again.
Therefore, whether the goal was to take Calian's precious place, secure a healer, respond to Lemain's amusing letter by stripping Kairis of a major benefit, or achieve all of the above—Calian figured Devlan's first target would be Bridget Forest.
As a result, he had originally intended to send Euria and Eila to the forest. Although Eila might not know the exact location of Bridget Forest, she had lived in Secritia, so he believed she would be helpful.
"I’m going out."
"Where to?"
"The sea."
In the midst of this, Franz had suddenly grown stubborn.
Calian knew that the Secritian nobles had approached Franz. He also knew that Devlan would try to harm him by any means necessary and had warned Franz of this. Yet Franz had suddenly insisted on going to the sea and called for Euria and Rachel.
Wondering why Franz would need Euria, the strongest of the group besides himself, and Rachel, who could move Euria quickly, Calian began to suspect that Franz was planning to draw out an attack. He had accurately deduced his brother's plan. After all, Franz was clever, and Calian was experienced.
If Calian were to fall into real danger, and Chase somehow heard the news, he would surely refuse to stay inside the royal palace. Therefore, Calian had first called Kyrie and instructed him to prevent Chase from leaving the palace. He also ordered Arsen to delay Euria and Rachel, then follow them to the coast and watch over Franz.
After that, to thwart Devlan's plan, he sent Euria to the forest. After a slight change of heart, he sent Rachel instead of Eila. This was partly because he remembered Rachel had also been to Secritia before, and partly because Eila, who knew the interior of the royal palace well, had another role to play.
"Whatever the reason, we must do what we were told first. Euria."
"Yes, of course."
The two mages stood atop a sturdy tree deep inside the forest. They could see countless soldiers surrounding the small wood, gradually closing their perimeter.
"Don't forget the warning we were given."
"I remember. It's been a long time since I've handled a job without killing anyone, but I won't forget."
"Good. They've started moving, so I'll head toward the back of the forest."
"Alright. Be careful."
"I will."
"Oh, by the way. Shall we grab a drink after this?"
"That sounds good."
Replying with a light nod, Rachel teleported down from the tree. She then mounted her horse and rode toward the opposite side of the forest. Since it was best for her and Euria to each take half the forest, the swift Rachel had dropped Euria off before heading to her own position.
"The Prince requested that if Secritian soldiers attack Bridget Forest, you stop them. He said it doesn't matter if you are seen, but you must not kill anyone. He also mentioned that as long as they don't die, anything goes, so please keep that in mind."
Confirming that Rachel's presence had quickly receded, Euria recalled the warning Kyrie had delivered. A faint smile played on her lips; she found that last part particularly to her liking.
Crackle, crackle!
Mana concentrated at her fingertips. A swirling energy of water formed in one hand, searching for underground veins, while intense violet sparks gathered in the other.
A moment later, on the opposite side of the forest.
Watching the sudden flare of lightning in the distant sky, Rachel rolled her stiff shoulders to loosen up. She then extended both palms straight down toward the ground. Having completed her preparations, she focused on the flow of mana, gauging the distance to the advancing soldiers.
Mana gathered.
Passing through her heart, down her arms, and into her hands, it began to move according to her will.
Rustle…
Though no wind blew, the tree branches shook.
Dry leaves dropped to the ground all at once with a soft hiss. Birds sleeping in nests atop the bare branches flew up in surprise.
The trees shook, and the forest vibrated.
Ruuuumble…!
The rumbling of the earth followed.
* * *
They had sneered.
How strong could the sword of a prince be when he had done nothing but stand like a statue behind his younger brother’s shield? It was inevitable that they would look down on the two blades of the man who stared at them with an expressionless, porcelain-doll face.
Squish!
Yes.
By the time he twisted his swords free—one from a slit throat, the other from a sliced heart—and met those light green eyes that held absolutely nothing, it was far too late for regret.
Thud!
He quickly retrieved his swords before they were dragged down with the corpse and chose his next target.
For a brief moment, he thought that it wasn't as terrible as he had expected. He didn't know why the sensation at his fingertips wasn't so horrific, but it was a fact. Was it because he was of the Brissen bloodline? Or was it because he had imagined this day countless times, steeling himself not to be shaken when it finally came?
Clang! Cl-cl-clang!
Even with his quick mind, there was no time for deep thought. He tightened his grip on his right hand while twisting the sword in his left, blocking the strikes of two swordsmen flying in from both sides.
The blood that had splattered onto his fingertips rapidly cooled as it dripped to the ground. That, too, was not as terrible as he had imagined, so Franz let his killing intent flow unabated toward his opponents.
The warrior at the very back of the four kicked off the ground and lunged.
Franz crossed his swords to block the attack, then withdrew the lower blade and thrust it toward the swordsman in front of him. He felt the tip tear flesh, but the wound wasn't deep. Realizing this, he leaped backward to create distance before rushing toward the man at the very end.
Cl-cl-clang!
He was not yet fully accustomed to wielding two swords. However, that did not mean he couldn't handle them. He had always been skilled with a blade, so moving two in different ways wasn't particularly difficult. Calian had never explained that this was also thanks to his incredibly sharp mind; there was no point in giving him more to think about.
Clang! Claang!
Glancing at the red light moving frantically in the distance where a one-on-two battle raged, Franz moved his feet again.
After dodging attacks pouring in from four directions, he swung his arms to deflect them. His heavier sword was slower to recover than Sinasta, and in that fleeting gap, he thrust both blades forward together.
The sensation he had felt before returned to his fingertips as the light faded from another man's eyes. Without needing to confirm the kill, Franz pulled his swords back. Red droplets formed over the black writing on the blade and dripped down.
He immediately spun to find his next opponent.
Clang! Cl-cl-clang!
He repeatedly blocked, deflected, thrust, and slashed at the incoming swords. At some point, a burning sensation flared in his arm from a passing blade, but he ignored it. Instead, he focused harder, searching for an opening.
One by one. No greed.
Never missing a single gap.
The remaining three exchanged glances and took a step back. Seizing the moment, Franz cast his gaze toward Calian in the distance.
One-on-one.
It seemed his brother had already taken one down.
What a crazy bastard, Franz thought, gripping his two swords tighter. But then…
Flicker.
One of the two red lights in the distance suddenly blinked out.
Franz knew exactly what that meant. If he wasn't careful, his promise to never raise a cat in Brissen would become moot—there would no longer be any reason for his heart to ache.
"…Ha."
The three men in front of him, or the one far away.
Which one should he deal with first?
His hesitation didn't last long.
Dash!
Franz turned his back on the three warriors. And he ran. Just like that day long ago, except this time, he was running toward his younger brother, not his mother.
He heard the footsteps of the swordsmen chasing him and saw the eyes of his younger brother—who was smiling with a face that looked ready to die and vanish at any moment—turn toward him.
"Calian."
The crimson eyes widened.
"…Catch."
The footsteps behind him drew closer. He didn't care. He threw the sword in his hand toward Calian.
Then, he turned back around.
The swords of the three closing swordsmen plunged down simultaneously. He raised his single remaining sword to block. Two were stopped, but one slipped through. He twisted his waist to dodge. Once again, a burning pain flared. He ignored it. He moved his arm and swung, deflecting two swords before gripping his blade to block a third.
He relaxed his grip.
He had learned Calian's method. He caught the falling sword with his left hand. The man who had been pressing his weight against Franz's blade lost his support and stumbled. Franz pierced his heart.
Claaang! Cl-cl-clang! Clang!
The sound of two wild beasts clashing echoed near Franz once more. An ear-splitting roar resounded, giving the illusion that the forest itself was shaking. Ignoring that as well, he gripped the sword in his right hand again.
Franz's sword, thrusting toward the solar plexus of one of the two remaining men, was blocked. The opponent caught the blade not with another sword, but with a gloved hand. Since it was a thin, light sword—essentially one blade split in two—it was easily caught. The bastard swung the sword in his other hand.
Franz tried to pull Sinasta free to block, but it wouldn't budge. If he had another sword, he could have cut the hand away, but that blade was now with Calian. He considered letting go of the sword to dodge, but the other man's blade was already flying toward him. Even in that split second, his clever brain delivered its instant assessment.
There is no way to dodge.
To die here and bring war to this land once again… he thought, absurdly.
Slash!
At that moment, the swordsman's hand was severed.
A scream pierced his ears as someone grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back.
"No."
An answer came to his silent monologue.
His younger brother, who had rushed over before he knew it, stood before him once again.
In Calian's hand, now facing three swords, the blue-silver blade gathered an unstable, flickering aura.
Uttering his uncertain assertion once more, Calian moved his arm.
Two swords from the swordsmen and one from the warrior flew in. Calian thrust his own sword forward. The scent of blood was thick, the red light flickered. Four swords lunged toward one another.
A sound like metal scraping against something rang out.
Screeeech!
It was not the sharp noise of clashing blades. The four swords never met.
No one died.
Four swords, stopped by a thick wall of ice, came into view.
"…I am late."
The crazy, blue-haired mage had arrived.