Chapter 33: The Roses Will Bloom Soon (5)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 33: The Roses Will Bloom Soon (5)
Randel’s blue eyes swept over the scene as if scanning a painting.
‘So that’s what he meant when he said the roses would bloom soon.’
It didn’t take long for Randel to understand why Calian had struck up a conversation with him every morning. The moment their eyes met, the prince’s intention became clear.
He also understood why Calian had orchestrated this situation. Or rather, he finally realized what Silike had been doing to Calian all this time.
Now that he grasped the state of affairs, Randel contemplated his next move.
He could take Calian’s side.
Or he could step back and remain a bystander, as he always had.
Randel’s gaze drifted to Calian, then slowly pulled away.
Instead, he took a step forward. He had decided to play the part of Calian’s piece for now, just as the boy wanted.
After all, he was curious to see how that rose would bloom.
But then, Franz, who had been sitting alone, stood up. After sending a massive shockwave through the banquet hall, he drained the wine poured for Randel in a single gulp and walked out.
To be honest, Randel was less shocked by Franz cornering Silike than by the fact that Franz was capable of stringing together a coherent sentence. He stared for a long time at his younger brother’s retreating back, watching him leave without a hint of hesitation.
In any case, with Franz having already played the part Randel intended, he had no choice but to step back.
After Franz departed, Silike left the banquet hall, her face twisted as if she had suffered the ultimate humiliation. Since Lemain had given no other orders, the knights of Kaera did not stop the prince and queen from leaving.
“Hurry, treat him,” Lemain urged the healer.
The necklace, a sacred artifact of Serenti, began to glow faintly before a dazzling white light swelled from it. The healer reached toward Calian.
At that exact moment, a translucent, reddish shield enveloped Calian. The healer’s divine power collided with the barrier, unable to reach the boy.
Crackle!
It was no ordinary shield.
Everyone watched as the reddish light swallowed the white, completely neutralizing Serenti’s divine energy before it could even get close.
The barrier that had repelled the power of a sacred artifact was a 6th Circle spell: Great Shield.
“You might as well just tell him to die.”
And with that, the mage made his entrance.
Lemain’s eyes narrowed sharply.
Knowing exactly what the healer was about to do, Alan had hastily cast the shield to protect Calian. Now, he strode into the banquet hall and spoke first.
“He already has a circle in his heart. Injecting divine power into him in this state will only worsen his condition.”
Startled, the healer quickly pulled his hands back. In his rush to administer aid, he hadn’t properly examined Calian’s body.
Rather than rebuking the healer, Alan channeled his mana toward Calian once more. This time, it was not a silent cast. After a brief incantation, the activation word slipped past his lips.
[Abundant]
It was a spell to block pain, one he had only ever used once before. Almost instantly, the tension drained from Calian’s face, leaving him looking peaceful. Alan gazed down at him in silence before turning to Lemain.
“Since I am partly to blame for this, I will let you hit me once later.”
It was Alan’s own way of apologizing for letting Calian pull such a stunt, especially after the bold claims he had made to the king.
* * *
It was a peaceful evening.
White sheets of paper rained down from the sky over Astrisha Street, where gossiping nobles gathered in small groups. The papers contained a neatly organized list of numerous individuals “presumed” to have been murdered by Silike and the Brissen family.
And shortly after, the true bombshell dropped.
— Someone attempted to poison the 3rd Prince, and King Lemain pointed the finger at Queen Silike.
The nobles’ eyes snapped down to the papers in their hands.
‘If the Queen is willing to extend her evil clutches to a prince, then she must have been behind all those other deaths.’
‘A queen who has killed this many people would never have left a prince who threatens her son’s claim to the throne in peace.’
The attempted murder of Calian and the past atrocities of the Brissen family became inextricably linked, each serving as damning proof of the other.
Over the next few days, a tempest swept through the capital, Kairisis.
The resulting chaos was incomparable to the uproar caused by Freya’s death alone—so massive that even Calian hadn’t anticipated a reaction of this scale.
Relatives and associates of the alleged victims banded together, demanding an official investigation into the documents.
Merchants refused to do business with the Brissen Trading Company, and students enrolled in the Brissen Knight Training Academy withdrew in droves. The daily procession of nobles visiting the Brissen mansion to pay their respects dwindled to a mere trickle.
It was glaringly obvious that if even a shred of concrete evidence came to light, Hatsuara Square would run red with blood. No one wanted to be associated with the Brissens and risk sharing their fate on the execution grounds.
When flyers demanding Silike’s banishment began appearing on street corners, the House of Marquis Brissen finally shut its gates.
Meanwhile, gift boxes began piling up in Calian’s room once again.
They were sent by nobles wishing for his swift recovery—at least, that was their official excuse.
“You must have been in quite a hurry.”
Calian, staring blankly at the mountain of gifts and his uninvited guest, spoke toward the curtain. Though his voice was slightly raspy, he remained entirely composed.
The moment Silike arrived, Calian had drawn the bed curtains, claiming he was too ill to face a guest directly.
Before long, the heavy scent of Renieri perfume filled the room. Calian turned to Yan, who was standing by his bedside.
“Open the windows. I have a headache.”
Our precious, flower-like prince has a headache!
Yan immediately made a fuss, throwing open every window in the bedroom and on the terrace. As the cloying scent of Renieri drifted out, Silike bit her lower lip.
“So…”
Once the windows were fully open, Calian’s voice drifted from behind the curtain.
“What brings you here, Silike?”
Calian had intended to let Alan and Lemain handle the aftermath, but Lemain had left this particular “exchange of gifts” entirely to him. It was the King’s way of saying that since Calian had risked his life, he should be the one to extract his own price.
After a moment of silence, Silike walked over and sat on the sofa. Calian frowned at her presumptuous behavior, but he wasn’t petty enough to demand she stand.
Soon, Silike spoke.
“It seems the Mage Association has been rather busy lately.”
Calian let out a silent laugh. It wasn’t a laugh of amusement, but of sheer disbelief.
Yan had already briefed him on everything that had transpired while he was unconscious. He knew Silike was completely cornered.
Of course, he hadn’t expected her to fall to her knees and beg for forgiveness, but he hadn’t anticipated this level of brazenness either.
Calian wiped the smile from his face and replied, “I haven’t the slightest idea what you are talking about.”
Those were the exact words Silike had spoken to him just a week ago.
She fell silent. As Calian waited, he let out a soft sigh. He had only just woken up after a week-long slumber, received a briefing on the situation, and was now dealing with an unwelcome guest less than thirty minutes later.
Since he was in no condition to entertain her with a pleasant attitude, Calian spoke in a weary tone.
“Thanks to your consideration, I was able to rest for quite a while.”
Perhaps remembering his state on that fateful day, Silike’s gaze drifted down to the hem of her dress.
“However, since I nearly ended up resting in the afterlife, I don’t think I can keep you company for very long.”
“…One by one,” Silike finally spoke. Her voice trembled slightly, as she had never imagined a day would come when she would have to negotiate with Calian of all people. “How about we make an exchange?”
“If you had said that a week ago, it would have been better for both of us.”
Calian slowly shook his head. Knowing she couldn’t see him through the curtain, he added, “From what I’ve heard, you seem to be in a much tighter spot than I anticipated. I’m not sure what to do.”
Pausing for a moment, Calian leaned back against the headboard and continued, “But first, let’s hear what you’ve brought to the table.”
Silike’s face tightened as if she were swallowing a bitter pill. Making no effort to hide her reluctance, she stated her terms.
“If you declare that those documents are false, I will not oppose the project His Highness is currently preparing.”
A soft chuckle echoed from behind the curtain. With amusement still lingering in his voice, Calian poked at her sore spot.
“I heard a list of royal concubine candidates has been submitted to His Highness. I wonder if they will truly remain concubines, or if one of them will become the new queen. Do you happen to know?”
Silike bit her lip hard.
The tempest that had struck Kairisis was far greater than she had anticipated. She was trapped in a much deeper pit than Calian had initially expected—one so deep that merely agreeing to the creation of the mage corps would not be enough to pull her out.
And so, Calian’s terms had changed as well.
“Besides, the creation of a military force never required the Queen’s permission in the first place. Let’s talk about something else.”
Silike did not answer. She hadn’t brought anything else to offer. Knowing that the terms were ultimately up to him anyway, she gritted her teeth.
“Tell me what you want.”
Without a moment’s hesitation, Calian nodded. “In a land ruled by the descendants of Sispanian, should the clashing of swords ring out so loudly?”
Unable to guess where he was going, Silike glared toward the bed with growing unease. From behind the curtain, the same relaxed, tranquil voice continued.
“Disband Knight Order Pavel.”
Pavel!
Silike leaped to her feet.
Originally, the Kairis Royal Knights consisted of only Raon and Karen. Pavel was a knight order gifted to Silike by Marquis Brissen specifically to keep Kaera—the King’s Guard, known as the “King’s Sword”—in check.
In essence, Calian was demanding that Silike surrender her sword. Since I risked my life, it’s only fair that I disarm my opponent, he was saying.
“Disband Pavel. Establish the mage corps.”
Utterly indifferent to Silike’s shock, Calian drove the nail in. His voice was resolute, leaving no room for negotiation.
A sharp creak echoed from the fan clenched tightly in Silike’s hand. Calian added in a slightly lighter tone, “And take back that maid of yours you planted on me.”
The color drained from Silike’s face. Calian gave her ample time to contemplate. Finally, at the end of his patience, Silike slowly sank back into her seat.
“…Very well.”
Calian’s lips curved into a wide smile.
Instead of asking her to confirm, he immediately looked at Yan.
“Give it to her.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
As if he had been waiting, Yan picked up an object from the side table and stepped out of the bedroom, handing it to Silike.
It was a contract bearing the Seal of Oath.
It was a magical contract that would engrave their agreement onto their hearts; should either party violate the terms, a curse would constrict their heart.
Silike scowled at the contract. Calian didn’t bother to guess whether her expression stemmed from shock that he had prepared it beforehand, irritation over the terms, or both. It didn’t matter to him.
Calian simply spoke as if it were a matter of course. “After all, the trust between us isn’t exactly rock-solid.”
Closing her eyes, Silike took a deep breath and signed. Instantly, the letters detailing her obligations began to glow and rise from the paper. They formed a long, ribbon-like band of light that wrapped around her arm, climbed upward, and sank into her chest, binding her heart. Naturally, the same restriction was placed on Calian.
Having finished her business, Silike stood up, her face noticeably more haggard than it had been a week ago. As she turned to leave, Calian spoke.
“Ah. Just in case you are under the misunderstanding that my brothers and I get along quite well…”
Silike paused but did not turn back.
“Franz didn’t say those things for my sake.”
He was referring to the words spoken at the banquet—the very catalyst that had brought Silike to this ruinous state. Recalling her son’s betrayal, Silike’s eyes flashed with a cold, venomous light. Sensing her reaction even through the curtain, Calian clicked his tongue.
“You speak of things that do not interest me,” she muttered.
“If you had uttered even one more word back then…”
Lemain had lost his composure far more than anyone realized.
“The King’s Sword would have taken the Queen’s head right then and there.”
Silike stood frozen for a moment, then silently walked out of the room.