Chapter 38: Check It (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 38: Check It (1)
Calian woke, dressed, and stepped out of his room, just as he did every other day. Unlike his usual routine, however, he didn't head to the dining hall for breakfast with Lemain. Instead, he made his way straight out of the palace.
After a brief ceremony following their meal, Calian paid his respects to Lemain and mounted Raven.
Arsen took his position at the head of the formation, with Kyrie and Yan flanking him. Hina, the healer, brought up the rear. In front and behind them, knights clad in black armor formed a formidable escort.
A royal carriage would have borne the family crest, but Calian carried no markings that would identify him as a prince. His appearance was already striking enough, and with far more enemies than allies, he saw no benefit in advertising his status.
Nevertheless, word that the prince who so resembled Sispanian was departing for Roselita had drawn crowds of well-wishers. They lined the streets of the royal capital, stretching all the way from the main square to the outer gates of Kairisis.
And before them, Calian appeared.
Though he rode without a grand carriage, he was escorted by the knights of Siegfried. At the very center of it all, Calian himself commanded a powerful presence. His grandeur was in no way inferior to that of the princes who had come before him. With every step Raven took, cheers and wishes for a safe journey echoed through the air.
The prince's coming-of-age ceremony.
The sole opportunity to encounter the will of Sigmund Khan Sispanian.
The journey to Roselita had begun.
* * *
The first few days passed without incident.
This was partly because the palace had sent word ahead to the cities Calian would pass through, and partly because the sheer number of knights in his escort was enough to deter anyone from acting rashly. It made his earlier fantasies—wondering whether he should fight or flee if a battle broke out—feel rather silly. Instead, Calian spent his time sitting comfortably atop Raven, taking in the scenery and chatting with Yan.
And occasionally, he heard Alan’s voice.
—Yes, Master. Is everything alright on your end?
—Envoys from Tensil have suddenly arrived. Since Lemain is busy, this old man is left all alone and bored.
Calian, who had hoped to pass the time with an idle chat, nodded with a slightly disappointed look. He understood Alan’s roundabout phrasing; if Lemain was busy, Alan was completely swamped.
—You must be busy.
—It seems so.
Seeing Calian stare excitedly at his ring only to quickly withdraw his mana, Yan asked, “Did Sir Manasil say he couldn’t keep you company?”
“Yeah. He’s busy.”
“Honestly, it’s more surprising that he answers you every single time when you contact him every day. I’ll keep you company, so please stop looking so bored.”
Feeling as though he’d just been caught whining, Calian gave an awkward laugh and looked around.
Their group was currently passing through Latria Forest on their way to the city of Latran. Below the royal road, which wound around the low-lying woods, about ten circular lakes came into view. Strangely, the lakes were all remarkably similar in shape, and each one was massive.
In truth, though they were called lakes, they were almost completely dry.
This was only natural, as they hadn't been formed by water pooling over time. Their origin was well-documented: they were artificial lakes created by Sispanian. Of course, the Ancient Dragon hadn’t made them out of boredom. They were craters, formed when she summoned meteors to strike down the Evil God, which had later filled with water.
Staring at them, Calian let out a wry smile.
“We’re on our way to see the one who left scars on the land that haven’t faded in five hundred years.”
“Even so, you won’t be meeting her actual incarnation, so don’t feel too pressured,” Yan said reassuringly.
“Right. I shouldn’t.”
“Would you like to have a meal here while we look around? It’s another two or three hours to Latran, and there won’t be any good places to rest beyond this point.”
There was no reason to refuse.
Yan had traveled this path several times before; Calian had not. He readily agreed, and the group moved to a flat, grassy clearing slightly off the main road.
Leaning against Raven’s leg as the horse grazed, Calian accepted a sandwich they had bought in the previous town. Soon, Hina approached and handed cups of water to him and Yan.
“Thank you.”
Hina smiled, nodded, and went to sit beside Kyrie. Watching her, Yan remarked, “Kyrie really looks after Hina.”
“She’s his younger sister, after all.”
At that, Yan smiled. “If my sibling were like that, I’d love to look after them too.”
It was the first time Yan had brought up his family on his own. The further they got from the royal palace, the more he seemed to shed his attendant persona and return to his true self. Even now, he had naturally sat down right next to Calian to eat without being asked.
When Calian gave him a curious look, Yan shook his head. “I have a younger sister who tried to stab me in my sleep just because I didn’t get her a birthday present. You’ll be meeting her soon enough, Your Highness. Be careful.”
Calian burst out laughing, stopping mid-bite. He could easily picture the scene. Yan had undoubtedly cried his eyes out.
A short while later, having finished his meal, Calian stood up and prepared to mount Raven once more.
But just then, a strange sound caught his attention.
Rustle!
It was a faint sound, drawing closer through the undergrowth.
At the same time, the thick bushes bordering the forest swayed. As Calian turned toward the source, Kyrie appeared in a flash, stepping in front of him protectively. The other knights instantly assumed defensive positions, forming a circle around Calian and Yan.
“No, wait…”
Just as Calian was about to say that such a high alert might not be necessary, a figure much smaller than Hina poked its head out of the bushes. Seeing the knights and mages pointing their weapons and magic at him, the figure’s eyes widened in shock. He quickly raised both hands and cried out.
“Correct! Save me!”
What on earth did that mean?
The knights, unable to make sense of the words, frowned. Calian’s expression stiffened for a slightly different reason. While such an appearance might have been somewhat familiar to the knights of Siegfried, it was not so for him.
The small figure was a young boy with short hair, but protruding from the sides of his head were ears that were longer and more pointed than a human’s.
The usually silent Kyrie spoke without thinking. “An elf?”
As if in response, the elven boy slowly stood up to his full height.
The first ripple in Calian’s peaceful journey began just like this, with the sudden appearance of a single elven boy.
Before Calian even had time to marvel at the intact ears of an elf—a sight he was seeing for the first time—the boy spoke again.
“Me, Sia.”
Now, the same bewildered expression was painted on everyone’s faces. None of them could understand what this elf had been trying to say from the very beginning.
The knight, Yuran, turned his gaze toward Calian. “What would you like to do?” he asked, his tone questioning whether they should sheathe their swords or remain on guard.
Elves did not attack humans. Nor were they capable of lying easily.
Thinking it was safe to lower their guard, Calian gestured for them to stand down and took a step closer to the boy. At his signal, the knights sheathed their swords.
Bending down slightly to study the elf’s face, Calian asked, “Sia? Is that your name?”
“Yes. Hungry.”
“Did you come here looking for food?”
“Was hiding.”
They seemed to be communicating, yet it was impossible to understand him.
Scratching his cheek, Calian wore a face that clearly said, I have no idea what this kid is talking about. After a moment of thought, he turned to look at Kyrie, wanting to ask if all elves were like this. But Kyrie was staring back at him with the exact same bewildered expression. Hina, standing beside him, was no different.
Seeing their faces, Calian let out a helpless laugh. “Right. There’s no way you two would know.” He scratched his cheek again. “What are you doing in a place like this?”
“Correct. Sorry.”
Hmm.
Calian debated whether he should just drop the conversation, feed the boy, and send him on his way, or try to be a little more patient.
Then, suddenly, the look in Calian’s eyes changed.
Slowly straightening up, Calian said with a smile, “…If someone was chasing you, you should have mentioned that first.”
The sound of horse hooves echoed in the distance.
That alone wouldn’t have been a problem. The issue was that the rider was heading straight for them, a sword was drawn in his hand, and a poorly concealed aura of hostility leaked from him.
The knights placed their hands back on the hilts of their swords.
“Thank you.”
With those words, the elf named Sia made a tearful face and tightly grabbed the hem of Calian’s clothes. Though his words had been incomprehensible, his actions were clear. He was asking for help.
Amused by the realization that communication would be easier if the boy just kept his mouth shut, Calian couldn’t help but chuckle. In response to the silent plea, he replied in a low voice, “Let’s see what’s going on first.”
First, Calian pulled the robe tied to Raven’s saddle and draped it over Sia’s head. Then, sending Sia to the back of the group, he spoke to Kyrie. “Keep him with you.”
Kyrie nodded, taking Sia by his side.
Meanwhile, the knights blocking the front stood ready to draw their swords at a moment’s notice, and Arsen prepared to cast a Shield spell. Calian briefly checked the knife hidden up his sleeve. Still, he wondered if he would even need it. After all, only a single horse was approaching.
Clop, clop.
Soon, the rider drew near and came to a halt.
Calian turned his head toward the man, who continued to approach without a hint of concern for the twenty knights accompanying a black-haired boy.
The rider was a long-haired man in a soldier’s uniform, though it was unclear which private army he belonged to. Stepping forward, the man swept his gaze over the group. The fact that he showed no particular reaction to Calian suggested he didn’t recognize him on sight. This struck Calian as odd.
He must belong to some noble house or trading company. If so, there’s no way he doesn’t know my travel route.
Just then, Yuran stepped forward, fortunately not so tactless as to volunteer Calian’s identity to a suspicious stranger.
“Who goes there?”
“I’m pursuing a thief who stole something and fled. Have you seen a strange child?” the man asked, ignoring the question.
Yuran’s eyebrow furrowed. “You do not carry yourself like someone chasing a thief.”
“Is there a specific face one must make to chase a thief?”
“There is no such child here. Be gone.”
The man scanned the group once more. His eyes landed on the robed child standing in the corner. The figure was suspicious to anyone, and the man smirked.
“It seems there is. I’ll just take a quick look before I go. I didn’t come here to pick a fight with you, Sir Knights, so please make way.”
The man dismounted and took a step toward them. It was deeply unsettling how fearlessly he walked into a group of twenty knights. As a mere soldier who couldn’t even conceal his hostile aura, he had to have some sort of backing. As Calian scanned the surroundings with this suspicion, he sensed it.
Perhaps having noticed the same thing, Yuran’s expression grew even more guarded. He raised his sword, blocking the man’s path. “Stop.”
Calian glanced at Yuran for a moment, then stepped forward himself.
He had just identified the source of the man’s confidence: several bows hidden in the opposite bushes, all aimed directly at them.