Chapter 67: It Has Been a While (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 67: It Has Been a While (3)
Chermil Palace was always the same.
Only the season had changed; nothing else had.
Even the piles of gift boxes congratulating Calian on his safe return remained untouched, exactly where they had been.
"It has been so lonely here in your absence. We are truly glad you have returned safely, Your Highness."
When the usually reserved Merlin offered such a greeting, the other maids followed his lead, taking turns welcoming Calian back. Calian smiled awkwardly and expressed his gratitude.
The hands of the maids helping him change felt unfamiliar, a stark reminder that after such a short time away, he was the only one in Chermil Palace who had changed.
Of course, this was a daily routine he would have to get used to all over again.
"I felt the same way when I returned home," Yan said reassuringly, sensing Calian's awkwardness as he handed him a cup of mint tea. "Don't worry, Your Highness. Once you rest today and get back into your busy schedule tomorrow, you'll adjust in no time."
Since it was the drink he had consumed most frequently while away, Calian couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of it.
When he had left, a warm breeze had been blowing, but now the wind carried a distinct chill. Finding the change rather pleasant, Calian stepped out onto the terrace with his tea, taking slow, leisurely sips.
Yan followed him out and sat in the chair beside him. It seemed Yan, too, had not yet fully reacclimated to the formal duties of a prince's attendant. Having no intention of pointing this out, Calian merely smiled to himself.
"It's quite strange," Calian said, his eyes fixed on the calm, artificial lake. "There are three princes living on a knife's edge, yet it is quieter here than anywhere outside the palace."
With that, Calian quietly sipped his mint tea.
And so, the morning passed in quiet contemplation as he settled back into his old routine.
* * *
Alan was incredibly busy.
He was making the final preparations for the founding of Valkan. Though he had agreed to have lunch with Calian, he only arrived long after the lunch hour had passed, so engrossed in his work that he'd lost all track of time.
Alan mentioned that he hadn't even had a chance to properly speak with his family, Rachel and Veronica. Since the two had not yet been granted permission to enter the palace, they had gone straight to Alan's mansion.
"I'm sorry you were so busy you couldn't even request His Majesty's permission for their entry."
"Don't worry about it. They'll be able to come and go as far as Chermil Palace starting tomorrow, anyway," Alan said, slicing into a perfectly grilled steak.
The reason for the formal request was the teleportation magic circle. Just as Arsen had once thought, Calian was also a mage, so they had decided to research how to create a "teleportation magic circle that only specific individuals could use"—a challenge that had so far yielded no answers. Since it was difficult for Calian to move around freely, they had no choice but to summon the researchers to his room.
Alan, who had been thinking of Rachel and Veronica, looked at Calian and asked, "Have you had a chance to speak with my family?"
Calian recalled Veronica, who shared the exact same hair color as Alan. Other than the fact that she was a year younger than him and a young mage who had just formed her 2nd Circle, he didn't know much about her.
"I spoke with Dame Grace for a bit, but I haven't had a chance to talk with Veronica beyond our initial greetings."
"There will be time for that."
"Yes. There's no need to rush."
Nodding in agreement, Calian popped a hazelnut into his mouth and chewed. It was a nut common in Kairis but still somewhat unfamiliar to him.
They finished their meal, catching up on everything that had happened, then set out for a walk—their first in a long while. By the time they reached the Rose Garden, Alan was the first to speak.
"Show me."
There was no need to ask what he wanted to see. Alan had likely been eager for this the moment he laid eyes on Calian. Calian extended his hand and concentrated his mana. A sphere of raw power, sharp enough to slice through anything, formed in his palm.
"My word."
Seeing this, Alan reacted with genuine wonder. Even the supreme Sispanian had found it fascinating, so how could Alan be any different?
"Is it possible to imbue this mana with elemental attributes as well?"
Calian nodded slightly, withdrawing his mana. "It is, but I can't use it freely just yet."
"So you used it as both a sword and a club."
Ah, it was indeed a highly luxurious club, Calian thought with a private chuckle, recalling the events of the previous day. He couldn't remember the last time he had let his anger loose without holding back.
"Since it is such an extraordinary power, I worry that Margrave Brissen might go around blabbering about it."
At those words, Calian shook his head as if to tell him not to worry.
"He might not have feared death by the blade, but he never imagined he could be beaten to death. The mere existence of someone who could thrash him like that must terrify him. Even if he's lucky enough to walk and hold a sword again, he will never want to cross my path."
"Just how badly did you beat him for a former Sword Master to harbor such fear?" Alan asked, shaking his head. "You must not cause such incidents in Kairis, Your Highness."
"I'm well aware my methods were ruthless. But it was a drastic measure taken to ensure the Margrave could never enter the capital and threaten His Majesty's life. I won't act so recklessly here."
Alan watched him for a moment before speaking again. "I understand. At any rate, the Marquis will now be plagued by nasty rumors."
"Yes. Since he treated his son so brutally, there will be repercussions. How about we delay the announcement of Valkan's founding until after those rumors spread?"
According to Gray's butler, Gray would be attacked by men sent by the Marquis in two days. He would suffer a severe back injury and be forced to return to Margrave Brissen's Territory. After that, the butler had promised to spread word of the Marquis's heinous deeds far and wide, ensuring Evan Brissen would be plagued by rumors for quite some time.
"For the time being, he'll be too busy trying to quash the rumors to worry about Valkan's mages moving in right under the king's nose. Wouldn't it be better to announce Valkan's founding after that and convert the Knight Order Pavel's grounds into Valkan's space?"
Alan's thoughts aligned with his. "You are correct. We originally planned to announce it today or tomorrow, but we decided to postpone it by about a week. Come to think of it, there were suspicious glances directed at Baron Polun, wondering if he had murdered Lennon, but those grim rumors will fade as well."
This was something Calian had only learned after arriving. Since Melfir had acquired the Brissen Trading Company almost immediately after Lennon disappeared, quite a few people had linked Lennon's disappearance to Melfir. Melfir must have suffered a great deal of distress.
"Come to think of it, by coincidence, both father and daughter will be plagued by terrible rumors."
At Alan's mention of the father and daughter, Calian frowned unconsciously. He was reminded of Silike.
"I heard Silike met privately with Prince Franz yesterday. I don't know what they discussed, but since it's the first time she has made a move in five months, you should keep an eye on that."
"Yes. I expect Silike to start moving again. It's only natural. As these new scandals grow, the old ones will fade from memory."
Nodding as he spoke, a small smile played on Calian's lips.
"I look forward to seeing what she does."
* * *
Even though they had spoken so much through their rings, they still had plenty to talk about. Thanks to their long conversation, Calian only returned to his room after walking for nearly two hours. He looked at the gift boxes still taking up space and said, "Shall we open those now?"
He felt that rather than unconditionally sending the gifts back, it was time to start accepting them one by one. Since this was the third time many had sent them, he intended to open the boxes from those whom Yan had evaluated favorably.
However, Yan, who had stepped out for a moment, returned with unexpected news.
"I believe you will have to open the gifts tonight or tomorrow, Your Highness."
"Has something come up?"
"Yes. A sudden summons has arrived."
At Calian's questioning gaze, Yan gave an embarrassed smile and replied, "You must wash, change your clothes, and attend dinner. His Majesty has requested to have dinner with the three princes."
"Dinner?" Hearing this, Calian smiled wryly. "I just finished eating and went for a walk."
Although that walk had lasted two hours, he couldn't help but feel bewildered at the prospect of eating, walking, and then eating again.
Still, it wasn't as if he could refuse Lemain, so Calian quickly showered and changed into neat, understated attire. Since the other two princes would be present, he figured there was no need to stand out with flashy clothing.
As Calian's hair was being styled, Yan, standing beside him, spoke up. "Since you ran straight to Sir Manasil the moment you dismounted, His Majesty seemed quite disappointed."
"Ah..."
That was certainly his mistake. No matter how glad he was to see Alan, greeting Lemain should have come first. It was fortunate that Lemain had been understanding; otherwise, Calian might have been severely scolded the moment he arrived.
Despite that, Lemain had invited him to dine, so he should be grateful.
Soon, fully prepared, Calian headed to the small banquet hall in Arpia Palace. Just as he'd expected when he saw no other carriages arriving, Randel and Franz were already there. Feeling as though he had dawdled too long, Calian greeted his two older brothers, offering his apologies as well.
"I apologize for being late. It has been a while, older brothers."
He and Randel had exchanged words daily until he left Roselita, so Randel merely nodded and offered a polite greeting, saying he was glad Calian had returned safely.
And Franz...
"Welcome back."
...said just that.
To make an exact comparison, Calian was as shocked as the day Alan had revealed he already knew about the Axis of Time. He had never, not even in his wildest dreams, expected a welcoming greeting from Franz.
Of course, one couldn't find a shred of sincerity in his voice even if they focused Aura in their ears, but it was a welcome nonetheless. Calian did his best to prevent his thought of, Is that bastard on drugs? from showing on his face.
Seeing the surprise Calian couldn't quite hide, one corner of Franz's mouth curled up, while Randel briefly studied Franz's face.
Immediately after, Lemain entered and dinner began, so Calian ultimately failed to figure out what Franz was plotting.
"Randel, have you finished the treatise on Sirteiya you mentioned? It pleases me to see your scholarship deepening day by day."
Lemain showed consideration for Calian by directing more questions to the other two princes.
"I heard you have been training hard in swordsmanship, Franz. You look to be in better shape than before. We should go hunting together sometime."
To Calian, Lemain merely asked if he had learned a lot while away, and Calian quietly replied that he had. After all, Lemain likely knew better than anyone whether Calian had learned more or destroyed more.
At any rate, seeing Randel and Franz answer Lemain's questions without any particular reluctance, it seemed they had gathered like this several times during Calian's absence. Alan's efforts had certainly played a major role.
As they were spending such a peaceful father-son moment together, the door to the banquet hall opened quietly, and an attendant whispered something into the ear of Chamberlain Raul. A flustered expression crossed Raul's face as he conveyed the message to Lemain. The faint smile on Lemain's face stiffened the moment he heard the words. After a brief silence, he nodded.
"Have her enter."
Someone who could enter a dining room shared by the King and the princes, yet whose mere visit could fluster the Chamberlain. Someone Lemain would never welcome.
There was no need to look to know who had arrived.
Calian lowered his gaze for a moment and took a small breath.
Click.
Click.
Even in the sound of her shoes, he could almost smell the scent of Renieri drifting through the air.
What is she trying to hide by wearing such a heavy fragrance?
Calian turned his head and stared straight at her face.
And he smiled.
"It has been a while."
Silike.