Chapter 321: Into the Abyss, with You (5)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 321: Into the Abyss, with You (5)
The sweet aroma of grapes wafted from the pale golden wine.
Franz, in a surprising show of thoughtfulness, had brought it for Calian, who had been dragged off to Secritia immediately after meeting Demirea. It was, in a sense, repayment for a single sour Secritian tangerine he’d once eaten.
Calian had gone to the main palace, checked on Chase, and then retrieved Franz from his meeting with Devlan. From there, he had dragged both of them back to the annex.
And then, they ate.
Chase, savoring the sweet dessert wine from north-central Kairis, was the first to speak. His relaxed demeanor suggested he had momentarily set aside the matter of Marquis Legian Lin.
"Revealing your conversation with my father to the Kairis Noble Council… you came up with a rather clever idea."
"Demirea has been visiting the royal palace frequently," Calian explained. "I asked her to, since we needed to show that the relationship between the royal family and the House of Duke Siegfried remains unchanged. And while a Sword Master named Siona Hill is helping the royal guards, I felt that wouldn't be enough."
"Indeed. Even though you haven't been gone long, the royal palace is practically empty."
"Exactly. The leadership of the Valkan, myself, and even Brother Franz are all here, not to mention the Crown Prince was appointed in an unprecedented manner."
Chase nodded in agreement.
Calian was not in Kairis.
Neither were Arsen or Alan. In short, Lemain's life was hanging by a thread.
Demirea had already visited the palace three times to speak with Lemain. Siona, upholding her end of the deal with Calian, visited Arpia Palace in her spare moments to assist Lemain's royal guards.
"Prince Randel's faction shouldn't be a problem, but the Brissens are another story."
"Ah. Even Marquis Gray Brissen wouldn't dare try anything on his own."
"…Yes. I heard what you did to him. Still, I was glad to hear you didn't go as far as you used to."
"I've been very patient lately," Calian said with a sheepish grin, having become much gentler.
He pretended not to notice Franz reaching for the pork spine dish—Calian’s favorite—only to recoil at the memory of Gray Brissen’s waist and grab a roll of minced chicken and apple wrapped in pickled cabbage instead.
"Anyway," Calian continued, "I was worried that those around Marquis Brissen might try to instigate him. Since today was the council meeting, I arranged it with Brother Franz beforehand to have the news delivered right in the middle of it."
Just as they planned, having Devlan’s conversation revealed via the crystal plate during the Kairis Central Noble Council was a strategy Calian and Franz had devised together.
If Lemain’s safety were compromised, Franz—allied with Calian, who had Alan’s backing—would return to the palace and ascend the throne. Thus, Prince Randel had no reason to make a move. If left to his own devices, Franz would step down as Crown Prince anyway, so why cause trouble?
The nobles, however, particularly Gray Brissen’s faction, were a concern.
While Gray feared Calian, his true loyalties were unknown. There was no guarantee that some nobles wouldn't try to push Lemain aside and install Franz on the throne to solidify the Brissens’ power.
"Devlan was never going to back down, so if a meeting was inevitable, I figured we should use it as a warning to both him and the Kairis nobles. It might stir up fears of war in Kairis, but that's better than His Majesty's position being endangered."
"A wise decision. This is a good time to remind everyone of the King of Kairis's power."
They had maneuvered Devlan into contacting Franz, creating a situation where Lemain, upon learning Devlan’s true intentions, could mobilize the Valkan on the spot. It was a reminder that even if the palace seemed empty, the Valkan were still within its walls.
Franz had successfully manipulated the cornered Devlan, who said exactly what they expected. Lemain, in turn, flew into a rage, just as Franz had guaranteed. Up to that point, everything had gone according to plan. Up to that point.
"Yes. But…" Calian trailed off, staring blankly at Franz. "You said something else, Brother Franz. That wasn't in the plan."
He had been sold out again.
He’d been sold out at the beach to gauge the situation, and now he was being sold out to force Devlan’s hand. Of course, Calian was the one being sold, and Franz was the one doing the selling.
Franz had created a pretext for Lemain to mobilize Alan Manasil.
He had shown Devlan that Alan Manasil could be summoned at any time. He proposed a deal: if Devlan eliminated Calian, Franz would ensure Alan appeared and attacked Devlan first.
Devlan had accepted Franz’s terms. Or rather, he had been about to.
As a condition, Devlan had wanted to detain Franz in the main palace, but Franz refused. Since Calian had rescued him, the deal had fallen through for the moment. The offer itself, however, was still on the table. If Devlan decided to summon Alan without detaining Franz, the deal would be back on.
"Since things were already moving as expected, it was worth it for Crown Prince Franz to aim for something more," Chase remarked. "If he can make Sir Manasil strike first, my father will have to accept his offer. Only then will we see Father's final card. We must know what he's holding before we go into an all-out war, shouldn't we?"
Never mind his chances of survival; his brother had sold him out yet again.
That light-green-haired brother of mine, currently picking the un-caramelized onions off his grilled bacon, just sold me out and called it the best way forward. And why are you, my other brother who looks like the topmost leaf of an olive tree, taking his side instead of calling him out?
Is that wine really so good?
I was the one who told him you liked wine in the first place!
"…That's true," Calian said aloud. "But Brother, are you really changing your tune so easily over a single bottle of wine?"
"The aroma is wonderful," Chase replied smoothly. "And the taste is flawless."
Seeing his younger brother chewing on his lamb with a face full of unspoken complaints, Chase let out a short chuckle. He held the fragrant wine in his mouth for a moment before swallowing.
Being treated like a pitiful commodity sold off here and there was incredibly unfair, but what could he do? The facts were the facts.
Anyway, when I get back, I'm telling Yan everything. I'll have him count the stab wounds in my back while I spill every last detail.
"So, how are things with Marquis Lin?" Calian asked, changing the subject.
"I’ve altered the plan slightly," Chase said. "I was just going to stir things up and then disperse, but since the situation has progressed so well, I should aim for something more."
"Are you demanding the release of the detained nobles first?"
"Yes."
"And after that?"
"Wouldn't it be better to use the birds to get the nobles out first? Sometime today."
The last remark came not from Calian or Chase, but from Franz, who had filled his stomach while listening intently to their conversation. Calian looked at him with a proud, satisfied expression.
"I'm so proud. You're learning so well and growing so fast."
"You're barking again now that you're full."
Calian, grinning, answered on Chase's behalf.
"If we use Brother Chase's power to help the nobles first, and then the nobles themselves move to take Devlan down, they won't be able to demand a reward when you ascend the throne. And accepting Marquis Lin's help first means…"
"I'll have to proceed with a state marriage this time," Chase finished. "Though if Arianne is against it, I'll find another way."
"Yes. If the state marriage with the House of Marquis Lin goes through, there won't be any other issues. People might say you're riding on the Marquis's coattails, but once you establish a new army like the Valkan, centered on the birds, the Royal Knights, and the Mage Association, those rumors will gradually fade."
His younger brother had been betrothed but had never gone through with a state marriage.
Whether it was because he had lived alone for a long time or for some other reason, he had said he never did. Now that the topic of a state marriage had come up, it seemed the bird-raising Chase hadn't had one either.
Indeed, he must not have been very old.
He probably hadn't even reached thirty.
If so, that meant the Franz of the past had also ascended the throne and started a war before he was thirty.
Reaching the rather peculiar conclusion that he should tell Lemain to eat healthier when he returned, Franz spoke up.
"It wouldn't look good for my younger brother's former older brother to stay here. Even if it's dangerous, shouldn't you return to the main palace?"
"Are you worried it will look like I've hidden under the protection of a foreign crown prince and prince?"
"Exactly."
"It's fine."
With a smile, Chase set down his wine glass and stood. He walked to the window and drew back the curtain.
Looking out, one corner of Franz's mouth curled upward.
"And here I thought you only raised a few birds."
Currently, Kyrie, Hina, Rachel, and the knights of Kairis were staying in the annex. Aside from its slightly smaller garden, the annex was similar in size to Queen Diena's villa, so the number of people staying there was small for its size.
Therefore, the sea of knights standing in dense formation in front of the annex, lined up all the way toward the main palace, could only be Chase's.
"A certain insolent prince told me not to just sit on my hands," Chase said, a hint of amusement in his voice. "Thanks to him, I moved a bit more quickly, and it turned out to be quite helpful."
The Secritia Royal Knights.
He had brought an entire knight order, previously managed by Sir Teilan, over to his side. Though Devlan still commanded his direct knight order and another royal knight order, when combined with the birds outside the palace, Chase's forces would not be easily outnumbered, even if an all-out war broke out.
"I will protect you well, so you won't be harmed even if a civil war erupts. You may rest without worry, Crown Prince Franz."
"Good to hear."
He was not under the protection of a foreign prince.
It was the other way around.
Chase, who was currently protecting a foreign crown prince, a prince, and the prince's betrothed from Devlan, sat back down. He began to enjoy his favorite wine once more.
Yes.
Wine made from grapes ought to smell like grapes.
*
—So, when should I step forward?
—More importantly, Master, where on earth are you?
After increasing his circle by one, gathering Chase's birds from across the continent to hide them, and moving Marquis Lin's private soldiers to the front of the inner castle, Alan Manasil, having flaunted his power and intervention, had vanished.
This was their first contact since their conversation in the banquet hall, and Calian's voice was filled with delight.
—I felt like I've only been looking after my new son lately, so I came to visit my other one for a moment.
—…You went to that place all by yourself?
"Ronil Manasil"
Looking down at the tombstone, which bore the name in shaky handwriting, Alan's face was a mixture of a smile and tears.
He had secretly stopped by the royal palace to bring flowers, arriving in the dead of night. Before he knew it, morning had turned to afternoon, and he was now speaking with Calian.
—If I stayed in Secritia, now that my circle has increased, I felt like I might turn the entire royal palace upside down. I came here to see this child after so long and find some peace of mind.
—I'm fine. Really. I won't suffer the same fate, so don't worry about me.
—Does it only count as the same fate if you drink poison, cough up blood, and collapse? My child being hurt by an assassin's blade or injured by a horse is ultimately the same thing.
If he had only moderate power, he could have raged and taken revenge as he pleased, but he was too strong for that. Just as Sir Teilan had said, the strongest must tread with the heaviest steps.
It had been the same back then.
He had remained on this land, unable to unleash his rage on anything. He knew he had to, and because he knew, he did. He lived in the contradiction of possessing immense power but having to suppress it.
—Brother Chase has summoned the knights. Kyrie is on high alert, and His Majesty was said to be furious. I will stay safe. And this time, I won't be soft.
—Do you at least realize you were being soft?
—Yes. I'm reflecting on it.
—I suppose it's a relief that you at least know.
—I'll reflect deeply and keep my wits about me. I'll call you again when it's time for you to come and rage to your heart's content. Until then, take your time catching up with him. And don't worry about me. He might get upset that I stole his father.
Alan smiled.
—Understood. I shall do so.
Soon after ending the communication, Alan set down the single flower he held. It was a Kavania, bought by Veronica and given to him by Hina. Its translucent red petals reminded him of Calian, and it carried a sweet scent.
The date of birth, the date of death.
He had never imagined he would see the date of his son's final day etched beneath his name. The sight was still unfamiliar, still hard to accept, so he placed the flower over it.
I heard the flower bloomed from the pot Veronica bought.
The unspoken words that his daughter had bought the flower to make medicine.
The words that Veronica had begun to follow in his footsteps, making medicine. The words that she had grown enough to seek out and buy flowers on her own. The words that, despite her growth, she still had immature moments, like buying the wrong flower. The words asking for his understanding that while he couldn't bring the sweets Ronil loved, this flower carried a sweet scent.
The words that he now had a new son who resembled that very flower.
"…Time has flown by. I heard the flower has bloomed."
So many words were contained within that single flower laid upon the grave.
Because he had poured so much into that one flower, he could say nothing else. He just stared blankly at his son's name, written in that still-unfamiliar place.
He didn't know how much time had passed.
It had been afternoon when he spoke with Calian, but before he knew it, the sun had set, casting a twilight glow. Long shadows fell once more over Alan's flower and his many unspoken words.
How much longer passed like that?
When blue darkness began to seep into the sky, replacing the red sunset, Alan, who had stood motionless, finally turned his head.
"I must have stayed too long."
This time, his expression was a mix of a smile and embarrassment.
In the distance, a luxurious carriage drawn by six horses had come into view.
Leaving behind the pure white, mother-of-pearl carriage adorned with gold, someone was walking toward him, slowly and alone. Watching the figure approach, Alan briefly contemplated fleeing back to Secritia, but he soon smiled again and bowed his head.
"It has been a long time."
"I thought you would run away."
"I did consider it, but I've received far too much to do so."
"I'm glad I sent so much. I was worried I might lose you right before my eyes."
Bright blonde hair. Deep pink eyes.
It was Elinne, the King of Libern.
"I heard a mage with unusual hair had come here, so I waited and waited, wondering when you would arrive. But you never came."
Though he spoke lightly, Elinne was not looking at Ronil's grave. It would be more accurate to say he couldn't bring himself to. Since Alan hadn't come despite his waiting, he must have had no choice but to make this difficult journey himself.
"Please, say hello. It has been a while," Alan said, giving him permission.
Only then did Elinne take a step back and bow his head in silent tribute toward Ronil's grave.
Perhaps he had as much to say as Alan did.
Elinne's silent tribute lasted for a long time.
Having finished, Elinne looked at Alan and spoke.
"You've grown young again. You've returned to how you were when we first met. Should I say I'm envious?"
"What is there to be envious of? It is merely a curse, shackling me to a life I cannot leave for a long, long time."
"Still, I'm glad you made up your mind. It seems you resolved the matter without any trouble."
At this, Alan frowned slightly and asked, "Resolved? What do you mean?"
"Didn't I tell you? About the mage who fled from here. I heard he was killed without much trouble, so I assumed you had taken care of him."
"It wasn't me. The President of the Kairis Mage Association ran into him, and he met his end at her hands."
This time, it was Elinne who frowned.
"How did she do that?"
He had heard there was a fleeing mage and had urgently passed on the message. He then heard that Euria had, fortunately, killed him without much difficulty, though she had struggled. After that, while he was speaking with Elinne again, he had seen Calian meeting Devlan, which had cut their conversation short.
Yes. Because the situation had unfolded so rapidly.
"The President of your Association should be 5th Circle. How could she face a 7th Circle mage?"
He had failed to verify the most basic fact.
"…Jina. I was told that was the name. Was it not?"
The other two 7th Circle mages used aliases.
Alan did not know their real names.
A chill wind blew through his heart.
Even in the darkness, Elinne's face turning deathly pale was clearly visible.
"No."