Chapter 353: Wish (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 353: Wish (3)
A frown creased Calian’s brow.
“Brother.”
“What.”
A single voice answered, and a single pair of eyes turned toward Calian.
To be precise, a low voice and a deep violet gaze returned to him at the same time. Realizing the problem, Calian corrected himself.
“Brothers.”
“What.”
“Yes?”
“Aren’t you two taking this a little too far?”
“What is?”
“Have we done something wrong?”
This time, Calian’s eyes narrowed.
Wow.
“We,” they said.
Wow, they’re so chummy. When did they get so close? That wine must have been something special. Anyone would think they were actual brothers. They’re both so pale, they might as well just be brothers and leave me out of it.
“...You’re both unbelievable.”
He felt utterly alone.
Before the “two pale brothers” was a magnificent spread: a savory soup of ground peanuts and oats; white bread toasted to a perfect crisp on the outside yet moist within, drizzled with olive oil; and a fluffy omelet packed with milk and cheese.
There was also a thick veal steak grilled in truffle oil, chicken breast seasoned simply with salt and pepper and topped with a simmered peanut sauce, crisply roasted asparagus, and a stir-fry of pure white mushrooms. A salad, blessedly free of bell peppers, sat on the side. To top it all off, there was even a bottle of the wine Chase loved so much.
It was a feast guaranteed to be delicious, and it was all laid out before them.
Of course, there was something in front of Calian, too.
A single glass of premium water, drawn from the mountains of Secritia’s purest region and famous for its bone-chillingly crisp and clear taste.
Yes. A very expensive glass of plain water.
That was why he felt so alone.
Calian’s gaze shifted from the lavish table to the water in front of him, finally landing on Franz. He had a sinking feeling he knew exactly whose “thoughtful” idea this was.
There was no way Chase would do something like this.
“My apologies. Today was the meeting with the northwestern nobles. I couldn’t eat and was short on time, so this is what happened.”
It was Chase.
He had arranged a magnificent meat-filled feast for his younger brother, who had just woken up after nearly five days of sleep, having eaten nothing and only just now managing to drink a single glass of water.
Apparently, Chase hadn’t realized Calian still couldn’t eat solid food.
But since they couldn’t just let the carefully prepared meal go to waste, Chase ate with Franz, his face a mask of apology. All the while, Calian gulped down his premium water across from them.
“So. Is it good?”
“It’s delicious.”
They were terrible people.
More aloof than Arnayzel and less considerate than Danu.
“Good. Eat up.”
“I will.”
They were worse than Randel. Randel at least served him things he hated, but he never ate Calian’s favorite foods right in front of him.
“Why did you get so hurt, anyway? You should have been more careful.”
Because of him.
Because of that other brother sitting right there. The one who looks like a plant but is currently devouring meat like a carnivore. I got hurt digging up tree roots the day after being soaked in seawater. There’s no way my plant-loving brother doesn’t know why I’m in this state. And yet, he’s eating with such gusto.
How admirable.
“Tell me about it. What was I thinking?”
Getting hurt was a crime.
Hina was absolutely right. He should have found another way. All he’d done was make Yan suffer, and now he couldn’t even get a proper meal.
Feeling a renewed wave of sorrow as he recalled being kicked out of the palace with only a few coins to his name, Calian took another sip of water. It tasted exceptionally good today.
Oblivious to his turmoil, the conversation between the two—no, the two noble brothers—continued.
“So, did you speak with Serjein again?”
“I met with her briefly two days ago.”
“May I ask what you discussed?”
Since it concerned both Tensil and Zeon, Chase needed to be informed. Franz nodded, seeing no reason to refuse.
“I told her I would speak to His Majesty so that she could visit Kairis during the King’s Birthday Festival.”
“She wanted that badly. She’ll finally be able to meet Prince Randel.”
“Did she say that to the King of Secritia… as well?”
“Yes. She said she would take Prince Randel and place him on the crown prince’s throne. It seems she believes there is no one in Tensil currently fit to be king.”
“In that case, wouldn’t it be better for her to take the throne herself? Either as Serjein or in her true form. It’s a country without a foundation anyway. I don’t understand why she’s so fixated on Brother Randel,” Calian interjected.
A small smile touched Chase’s lips; it was the exact same thing Arianne had said.
“There’s nothing to be gained by taking the throne, so why would she? Having lived her life as a knight, the option probably never even crossed her mind. Though, she might start considering it now.”
“Serjein’s reason for coming to Kairis might have changed, too. Her original plan was to persuade Brother Randel to become the crown prince of Tensil, but now she’ll probably be weighing whether he or she would be the better choice,” Franz added, nodding slightly.
Calian looked at Franz. “By the way, does she claim to know nothing about Zeon in detail?”
“Yes.”
“And Adelia, too?”
“Yes.”
“Then how does she explain meeting Adelia?”
Calian’s tone suggested he already knew what Franz had asked Serjein during their private meeting. No longer surprised by his insight, Franz replied calmly.
“It just happened.”
“...Brother, why are you so blunt only with me?”
“It just happened.”
“Right.”
Of course.
Suppressing another surge of loneliness, Calian pressed on. “Does that mean they met by chance that day? Or that it’s just difficult to explain?”
“By chance. She said Adelia came looking for her that morning.”
“Offering to reveal the location of the Mother Tree if Serjein told her what the pebbles were made of?”
“Yes.”
As Calian tapped the table, lost in thought, Chase spoke up.
“That means Adelia knew what Serjein wanted.”
“Yes, that seems likely,” Franz agreed. “She’s either connected to Zeon or to the noble faction that attacked the Tensil crown prince. One of the two is highly probable.” Recalling the madmen of Valkan, he added sincerely, “It seems to be a matter of curiosity.”
Calian nodded. “I agree. I think Adelia is working with them out of a mage’s curiosity rather than a formal alliance with Zeon. Given her personality, she wouldn’t provide one-sided help, nor would she strike a serious deal.”
“What about Libern?”
“Master returned to Libern recently to meet the other 7th Circle mage, but for some reason, they refused to see him. Master has made sure he’ll know if that mage leaves the Magic Tower, so we don’t have to worry about them slipping away.”
“I see.” Chase, having finished his meal, looked at Calian. “I’m worried you’re planning to meet the Elf Grand Elder again.”
“I need to assess the situation at the royal palace before the King’s Birthday Festival begins, and I also have to look into Brother Randel. I don’t think I can meet him right away. Since I’ve already been to the forest, I can see him after the festival is over and Serjein has returned. Though, if he happens to visit the palace during the festival, I might see him then.”
“I suppose so.”
“Yes. And I made a promise to Siona, so I need to meet her to share what I’ve learned and have a chat.”
At the casually mentioned name, Chase nodded and picked up his wine glass.
Only Calian noticed his gaze briefly flicker toward Franz before dropping. Chase was worried because the truth about Brissen that Siona might know involved not only Kyrie and Hina, but also Calian and Franz.
“Then… when do you plan to return?”
“I expect Master will come for me in a day or two. Since Adelia broke the bracelet, we have no way to contact him, so he’ll likely come in person. But my condition isn’t great for immediate travel. According to Hina, even if Master arrives, it would be best to wait about five days before departing.”
Five days.
The departure date was set.
Chase took another sip of wine, his face impassive.
He had stayed in Secritia through winter and spring. There was still a little time left. And now they had the crystal plates, so they could see each other even after Calian returned to Kairis. Besides, he could visit Secritia anytime with Alan.
Even so, Calian had to leave eventually.
Calian saw the lingering regret Chase tried to hide behind his wine glass.
“Let’s invite Mother and Arianne for one more meal together.”
“Yes. That sounds good. Anytime.”
Calian replied with a matching nonchalance. He knew Chase’s regret stemmed from accepting his departure as a natural course of events, not from a selfish desire to keep him there.
*
Chase was a warm but busy king.
As if to prove that his offer of another dinner wasn’t just an empty gesture, he returned to his office immediately after the meal. He still had work to finish from his meeting with the nobles.
It was fortunate he had his memories of the “past.” Without the experience of having led the country for several years after his ascension, even Chase couldn’t have stabilized the nation so quickly.
“Having memories isn’t always a bad thing.”
Calian said this with a beaming face, pointing to his shirt sleeve. Even in the dim light, the cuffs decorated with diamonds and rubies sparkled. He was referring to the fortune he was making thanks to his foreknowledge. By saving the capable merchant Melfir, he had secured a huge stake in the Kairis Magic Academy and the Polun Trading Company. Of course, he wouldn’t be this wealthy without the assets from the Whitrin territory, but Melfir’s help had been undeniable.
“And you got to see my handsome face.”
“I didn’t.”
“You said you’d see it later. You have to know I’m handsome to recognize me, don’t you?”
“Even if I don’t.”
Even if I don’t know your face, I’ll recognize you.
How could I not recognize a swordsman with hair that long?
Franz, about to say something pointless, changed the subject. “You told me not to dream.”
“Yes. I thought it would be better if you didn’t dream at all and no memories returned.”
“But.”
They were on their way to the empty training ground.
Calian, who was completely healed aside from his inability to eat, was not one to lie in bed. He didn’t have the energy to swing a sword, but he could at least review Franz’s swordsmanship, which had been delayed for five days. Knowing he couldn’t sway his brother’s stubbornness, Franz quietly followed.
“But Hina said something. She said she lived her life to the fullest. Because she lived that way, no matter what her past was, she would just live as Hina from now on… Hearing that gave me a lot to think about.”
Franz didn’t reply.
Calian recalled Hina’s unwavering gaze as he spoke again. “I saw you before I died. Me.”
Franz’s steps didn’t falter. Instead, his footsteps, usually so confident and resounding, grew a little quieter.
“I couldn’t speak with you then. I wasn’t in my right mind, so all I thought was, ‘Ah, so that’s the bastard who speaks so damn bluntly.’ Just a passing impression.”
“...That’s not a passing impression.”
“Isn’t it?” Calian said playfully, getting his revenge for both the dinner and Franz’s terse letters. “Then Sir Hertz came, so that’s all I knew. But on the day I met Danu in the elf city and took your sword, I learned something I hadn’t known before.”
Calian glanced down at Franz’s sword as they walked. “Sinasta. You gave it to me. You did. I actually went all the way to Kairis because I wanted it, but you took it first. I think you might have seen me at the auction house, even though I didn’t see you. I’m not sure. Anyway, I thought I’d never get to use that sword in two lifetimes, but in the end, I held it once in each.”
Once, when he placed it on Bern.
And once, when he threw it to Calian.
“The thing you didn’t look at. The thing you closed your eyes and covered your ears to avoid. That was it. You placed the sword on the person who was blocking the gate of the country you had invaded.”
The scene Franz couldn’t bear to watch, not knowing what would happen. The scene where he had crouched down, squeezed his eyes shut, and covered his ears.
“That was all it was. Of course, I don’t know what happened after that, so you did well not to look or listen. You did really well. But I wanted you to know that what the ‘brother’ who brushed past you in that moment did wasn’t some crazy act.”
It was simply the Franz of that day handing a sword to the Bern of that day. Nothing more.
“Though it was foolish.”
“It might not be as terrible as you imagine. Or it could be more terrible. Whatever the case, I decided that telling you to just avoid it and never look back wouldn’t be respectful to the people who lived through that time. I tried my best to stop it, and you tried your best to invade, didn’t you?”
“...I didn’t know you had a talent for spouting sophistry as if it were eloquence.”
“I’m telling you this so you won’t be so afraid this time. Once you know what it is, it might not be such a big deal. Danu did something terrible, and you almost saw things you didn’t need to, but what came before that isn’t the same. I still hope you don’t dream, and if you do, I hope it’s as late as possible.”
Just like Hina, the Franz of that time was a person who had lived his life. Just as Bern had lived his.
“I don’t want you to be afraid of the you from back then. No matter what happened, I will make sure the same thing doesn’t happen again. I will.”
He made the promise again, like a vow. He was telling Franz not to shrink back in fear of the self he had glimpsed, not to deny or be horrified by that image as if it were the entirety of who he used to be.
“Anyway, the brother I saw at the end might have looked like a madman, but he didn’t seem like a lost cause. That’s why I’m telling you this.”
Franz let out a dry chuckle. “If possible.”
“Yes. If possible.”
Franz didn’t say “I understand” or “I will.” He had learned from this experience not to overdo it trying to absorb everything Calian taught him, lest he cause another incident like this one.
Calian smiled, seeing the smart little “pea” had learned to pick and choose his lessons.
Franz stopped walking and asked, “If you’re saying this because you won the bet…”
“No, it’s not,” Calian replied at once with a frown. He pointed to Franz’s jacket pocket. “Open that. Quickly. That’s what I’m asking for as my prize.”
He had originally planned to ask for something else, but he’d changed his mind.
“Isn’t that a letter from His Majesty?”
“...Yes.”
Lemain was an indifferent but busy king. He might have been a decent ruler, but he was never a good father.
“It’s okay. You don’t have to be scared.”
The only person who had ever heard Lemain call him “my son.” The only person who wasn’t uncomfortable around Lemain. And the only person who wasn’t actually Lemain’s son.
At Calian’s words, Lemain’s actual son took a sharp breath, as if suffocating.
“Ah. If you’re keeping it there because you don’t want to see it… If this is a useless wish, I can change it.”
If Lemain was to Franz what Randel was to Renieri, Calian had no intention of forcing him.
“No.”
Franz shook his head. He was only hesitating. He pulled out the letter Kyrie had delivered earlier that day, which he still hadn’t opened.
Because the sender wasn’t listed, Kyrie had inspected it first; there were signs it had been opened once. Franz easily slipped it open and looked inside.
He saw a letter sealed with Lemain’s signet.
And then.
Thud.
Something fell into Franz’s hand.
It was a necklace with a round locket, about the size of two finger joints, designed to be opened.
Seeing it, Calian gave Franz a slight bow. “I’m too hungry to watch your training. I’ll head in first, so take your time.”
Leaving his brother—the former mad king, now just a turbulent pea—staring blankly after him, Calian walked toward the palace without a second glance. He already knew how to distinguish between what they could face together and what they couldn’t.
Franz glanced at Calian’s retreating back. Unable to bring himself to open the locket just yet, he unfolded the letter first. He stared at the handwriting, which was surprisingly similar to his own, and the words written on the page.
He stared at the short message, one he could memorize in a single glance, for a long, long time. Only then did he open the locket.
Click.
The lid opened with a soft sound.
Inside was a painting as small as the locket itself.
A portrait of a young child.
A child with pale emerald hair tied back, looking forward with light green eyes. A young boy.
It was a portrait of Franz from his childhood.
Franz, being smart, knew one thing for certain.
He had never sat for any portrait during that time.
He read the short letter again.
—I wonder how much you have grown while I have kept you at a distance. I await the day of your return.
He read it again and again.
—I miss you, Franz.