Chapter 37: Truly Pleased to Meet You (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 37: Truly Pleased to Meet You (3)
No one knew what kept Randel so busy lately, but he occasionally missed breakfast. He was absent now, seemingly intending to arrive late to this gathering as well.
In his place, at the round table reserved for the princes, sat an unwelcome bastard. He was leaning back in his chair, one corner of his mouth curled into a sneer as he stared at Calian.
Suppressing the urge to frown, Calian gave Franz a slight nod.
"It's been a while."
As soon as Calian and Franz sat at the same table, the surrounding hall fell silent as if on cue. There was no need to wonder why. After all, Franz was the one who had cornered Silike—the woman who had given Calian that "terribly severe cold"—with a single word.
Moreover, this was the first time the two princes had sat together since that incident. Needless to say, everyone was dying of curiosity to see how these two, who were neither allies nor enemies, would interact.
Calian remained silent. Since their paths were destined to diverge, he saw no reason to force a friendly facade. As he kept to himself, the nobles’ gazes gradually drifted away.
"Hey."
But then, the bastard spoke.
Franz stared down every noble who was still looking their way until they averted their eyes. Only then did he lean forward, resting his arms on the table as he looked at Calian.
Calian did not answer. Consequently, a scene identical to one from long ago played out once more.
"Hey. Blood-eyes."
"Calian."
Responding instantly to the name he never wanted to hear again, Calian met Franz's gaze. He added in a stiff tone, "This is the last time I will let that slide, Brother."
A flicker of light crossed Franz’s pale green eyes.
After staring intently at Calian for a long moment, the corner of his mouth curled upward.
A quiet voice slipped from his lips.
"You're not him."
You're not him.
Calian's eyes narrowed slightly.
A sharp edge gleamed in Franz's gaze.
"Talking back, wielding a sword, riding a horse."
With that, Franz leaned back in his chair again. His voice, sounding like a weary sigh, threw Calian's mind into disarray.
"Who the hell are you?"
Calian stared back into those eyes without a word.
He's right. It made sense that someone like Franz would notice. The younger brother he had tormented and kept under his thumb for so long had changed overnight; only someone as oblivious as Yan would have missed it.
Calian pondered for a brief moment.
It doesn't matter, he decided.
He would neither confirm nor deny it.
Before long, a relaxed smile graced Calian's lips.
"You're saying some strange things."
Franz wasn't someone whose trust he needed to win, like Alan, so there was no reason to tell him the truth. Even if Franz was absolutely certain, Calian’s true identity was a secret that could never be proven.
All he had to do was deny it.
Having reached this conclusion, Calian’s expression remained serene. His mind was in turmoil, but outwardly, he appeared perfectly calm.
Franz glared at Calian as if he wanted to kill him, then stood up. Without another word, he walked out of the banquet hall and did not return.
Suddenly, Calian recalled the memories the original Calian had of Franz—of all the things Franz had done to him. Then he remembered the Franz who had led Secritia to its ruin.
Calian could not tear his gaze away from Franz's empty seat.
Watching from afar, Alan's face etched with concern. Though he hadn't overheard their conversation, he had seen Calian's expression stiffen the moment Franz left.
Soon, Calian raised his head. His eyes met Alan's for a brief moment, and he offered a small smile.
I'm fine.
Instead of approaching, Alan simply nodded, conveying his concern through the silent gesture.
* * *
The next day, Alan paid an early visit. Calian hadn't slept well, his mind restless after the events at the banquet. The moment Alan saw him, he smiled gently.
"Have you cleared your mind?"
Calian looked at Alan with sheer amazement. The wise mage seemed to read his thoughts completely without him having to utter a single word.
Alan chuckled softly and added, "If you haven't, you can just let it be."
Hearing the gently offered, if unhelpful, advice, Calian finally laughed. Alan would occasionally say these completely impractical things, and Calian found them strangely comforting.
However, since it truly was of no practical help, Calian quickly stopped laughing and recounted what had happened with Franz. When he mentioned that Franz was almost certain he had changed, Alan nodded.
"It's highly likely someone like Franz would notice. Even if he acts like a scoundrel, he is not a thoughtless child."
Calian frowned slightly at Alan's generous assessment. Unable to agree or disagree, he simply moved on.
"For now, I feigned ignorance, but of course, he won't believe it."
"What is it that you need him to believe?"
Calian opened his mouth to answer, then closed it again. Seeing this, Alan spoke on his behalf.
"You possess all of the previous Calian's memories, do you not? As you said, Your Highness, even if he knows, it is not something that can ever be proven. Therefore, do not trouble yourself over it."
With that, Alan let out a soft hum. He started to say something else but stopped himself.
Setting aside the exposure of his identity, Calian had resolved not to live as Bern anymore, yet he was still depressed because he kept seeing glimpses of the past in Franz. Alan had wanted to address this but decided it was not his place to interfere, so he kept his mouth shut.
Instead, Alan gazed quietly at Calian before pulling something from his robe and handing it over.
"Please take this."
It was a small tin box. Inside, Calian found a silver ring. Taking out the thick, plain band, he asked, "What is this?"
"Try it on. I believe you will quite like it."
Since the ring was rather large, Calian hesitated for a moment before sliding it onto his index finger. To his amazement, the ring automatically shrank to fit him perfectly.
Realizing there had been no need to worry, Calian let out an involuntary exclamation of awe and looked up at Alan.
"Whenever you wish to know this old man's thoughts, call me, and we shall ponder together."
"Is this a communication ring?"
"Yes, indeed."
Calian was genuinely surprised. In truth, this was the item he needed most right now. Since Alan was the only one who knew his circumstances, he had no one else with whom he could speak so openly.
"Sispanian's power permeates the royal palace, so the connection will not work there. It will be difficult to converse while I am inside the palace, but whenever I am outside, I shall answer at any time."
"Thank you. This is very reassuring."
Although he knew Alan spent almost all his time in the palace these days, Calian was glad to know he could lean on him from time to time.
Oblivious to the fact that Euria was currently weeping over the Mage Association's plundered treasury, Calian simply beamed with joy. Watching him, Alan nodded with the serene expression of a wise mage.
Then, remembering the other reason for his visit, Alan adjusted his posture.
"Also, I have received word from the place my carriage visited."
He was referring to the message from Melfir Polun. Calian nodded and asked, "Did you happen to meet him?"
"Yes. He came to see me yesterday. You have found yet another talent, Your Highness. He is remarkably sharp with numbers."
Alan then pulled another document from his robe and handed it to Calian. It detailed the construction costs, including the selection of the academy grounds, initial operating expenses, and teacher recruitment fees. In short, it was a request for money. Calian examined it thoroughly and nodded.
Seeing the substantial sum, Alan asked with concern, "I heard you offered to cover the entire initial cost yourself, Your Highness. Will this not be too much of a burden?"
"I have plenty of funds. I plan to establish it as an academy run privately by Baron Polun, rather than funding it through the royal treasury. That way, I can intervene directly. Even if it is nothing compared to you, Master, I ought to have something of my own, shouldn't I?"
Understanding his intent, Alan nodded in agreement. Soon, Calian stood up, retrieved a stack of checks from his safe, and handed them to Alan.
"Please deliver this on my behalf."
"This is a vast sum. Is it wise to hand it over without any supervision?"
Calian nodded readily.
"Yes. You can leave it to him. No matter how large this sum may seem, it is likely pocket change to Baron Polun. Besides, he is not the type of man to throw away my trust for that amount of money."
"Understood. I shall do so."
"Baron Polun is a merchant, so he knows nothing of magic. He will likely seek advice from you or the Association President from time to time, so please treat him well in my absence."
"You need not worry about that."
Afterward, instead of their usual magic lesson, Calian asked Alan various questions about the magic academy. He also requested that Alan pass along any advice that might be helpful to Melfir.
As they were conversing, a knock sounded from outside. It was Yan.
"Your Highness, I apologize, but it is time for your next appointment."
"Then I shall return for our afternoon magic lesson," Alan said, standing up to leave as he realized it was time to conclude their talk.
"No, Master. The knights of Siegfried are coming to pay their respects. It won't take long, so unless you have other plans, please stay and chat with me today."
"Are you suggesting we skip the lesson and just gossip?"
Calian nodded with a bright grin.
"Yes. After all, I must go to meet Sispanian tomorrow, and I won't be able to see you for a while. It would be a shame to spend our last day together studying."
His excuse to avoid studying was remarkably plausible. Amused, Alan smiled and agreed.
* * *
In front of the main gate of Chermil Palace, twenty knights clad in black armor stood in formation, waiting for Calian. They were the elite knights of Siegfried, sent by Suleiman, visiting Chermil to pay their respects before their departure the next day.
Kyrie, who had arrived first, was eyeing them with a competitive glint in his eyes. As a swordsman himself, he naturally wanted to gauge the difference in their skills. Of course, the Siegfried knights were sizing him up in return.
While the Duke's knights and the Prince's guard engaged in this silent battle of wills, Calian, Alan, and Yan emerged from the palace.
Calian and Alan walked side by side, while Yan quietly followed a few steps behind. At the sight, the knights clenched their fists. Oblivious to their reaction, Yan simply offered them a warm, welcoming nod.
Since only their leader, a knight named Yuran, had attended the luncheon the previous day, this was Calian's first time meeting the rest of them. Standing before the formation, he scanned their faces one by one.
Oho.
A peculiar smile played on Calian's lips.
So these are the legendary knights of Siegfried. Their presence is magnificent.
It was clear how carefully Suleiman had handpicked them. Their sheer size and imposing aura made Kyrie, standing opposite them, look like a mere child.
Of course, that wasn't the reason for Calian's expression.
But their eyes... are a bit strange.
The gazes of the knights who had come to guard him were far too different from how one would look at a prince they were meant to protect. If he had to put it into words, it was something like:
— Are you the bastard who's using our young master as a servant?
That was exactly what it felt like.
Standing beside him, Alan watched this unfold with an expression of deep amusement. Though he didn't know what would happen on the journey to Roselita, he secretly hoped the knights would get to witness Calian's swordsmanship at least once. He was intensely curious to see what their faces would look like then.
Kyrie, who would be there to see it, let a flicker of anticipation show on his face, while Yan, completely oblivious to the tension, tilted his head and asked, "Is something bothering you, Your Highness?"
Calian's smile grew even more pronounced.
Instead of admitting he was bothered by the feeling that he might be buried alive the moment they left Kairisis, Calian locked eyes with the knights and spoke with emphasis.
"Yan. Bring me something to drink."
"Yes, Your Highness. Please wait just a moment."
As Yan disappeared back into Chermil Palace, a tremendous wave of fighting spirit erupted from the knights. Calian looked at them and muttered quietly to himself, "With such a warm welcome, I certainly won't have time to think about anything else on the road."
With these bastards glaring at him with fire in their eyes, there would be no room for unnecessary worries, like thinking about Franz.
Watching the silent battle of wills with great interest, Alan remarked, "I rarely regret being unable to accompany you, but this is truly one of those times."
After staring down each and every knight to deliver his silent declaration of war, Calian finally spoke.
"Please take… good… care of me on our journey."
A deep smile, which had seemingly become a habit, played on his lips once more.