Chapter 81: I, to You (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 81: I, to You (4)
Royalty never spoke their own names.
Even Kyrie, who had lived a life worse than a pauper’s, knew at least that much.
Yet, he had said, “I am Calian.”
It was undoubtedly intentional, but there was no time to ponder the reason. Everyone bowed their heads and spoke in a rush.
“I am Hemilan Torca.”
“I am Cain Sert, Your Highness.”
Except for Aizen, who had been lucky enough to greet Calian first, the remaining ten people scrambled to introduce themselves. For a brief moment, it was a comical sight.
Watching them, a smile played on Calian’s lips—one that was equal parts mischievous and confident.
Yan, who immediately understood why Calian had said those words, smiled subtly.
It reminded him of something Calian had said, almost as a joke, before stepping out in front of the crowd during Lemain’s birthday celebration long ago.
“It seems everyone calls me that. Ah, ‘that’ Calian!”
Back then, the meaning behind “that” was far from positive. Words like weak, cowardly, and powerless always preceded his name.
People still called him “that” Calian today, but the words associated with the title had completely changed. His name was spoken so often that many of the stories about him were overly romanticized or exaggerated.
—I am Calian.
Therefore, his greeting was a clear message: “I am not ‘that’ Calian in your heads, but the real Calian standing right before you.”
It was a declaration to cast aside all the expectations and prejudices that had prompted them to send him gifts in the first place. He would show them exactly who he was.
Could there be any greeting more confident than this?
Those who raised their heads after their introductions saw the smile on Calian’s face. A few who understood the meaning behind his words smiled back, while others exchanged confused glances.
To those who had stepped forward to pledge their loyalty, Calian had left a first impression they would never forget.
* * *
“I wonder if this is truly for the sake of the princes,” Lemain remarked, his expression slightly worried.
His voice was low, audible only to Alan, who stood right beside him.
The remark was nearly identical to one Alan had made just a few days prior.
Alan didn’t echo Lemain’s previous retort—something along the lines of “You sound like someone with too much on their plate”—as other nobles were present.
“It will be of sufficient help,” Alan replied, casually raising his bow and aiming at a bird perched on a distant tree. A bow in the hands of a mage was an incredibly awkward sight.
Sure enough, the arrow flew with a weak twang and fell to the ground, not even coming close to the tree.
Lemain chuckled at the abysmal archery skills. The nobles were surprised to see the king laugh, while Alan grumbled.
“Don’t laugh. A mage only needs to be good at magic, wouldn’t you agree?”
The words had barely left his lips when the bird on the tree let out a faint, long cry and plummeted to the ground. It was dead.
Seeing this, the nobles’ eyes widened, their earlier surprise at Lemain’s laughter paling in comparison.
Only Lemain, looking unsurprised, shook his head. “Since there is no rule stating one may hunt with magic, that shot is invalid.”
“And since there’s no rule forbidding the use of magic, couldn’t it be considered valid?”
The two were merely engaging in light banter, but the accompanying nobles felt a chill run down their spines. It was only when Lemain mentioned “magic” that they realized Alan had played a trick.
There had been no sound, no presence of mana.
In fact, Alan had been looking at Lemain the entire time.
The men gathered here were all nobles from knightly families allied with the Brissen house. In other words, they stood on the opposite side of the political divide from the nobles Calian was currently meeting.
This meant they, too, were quite skilled with the sword. Though perhaps not on the level of Marquis Evan Brissen, they all took pride in their martial prowess. Yet, none of them had sensed Alan’s magic at all.
‘If that had been aimed at me…!’
The thought naturally crossed their minds, and they unconsciously clenched their fists.
Of course, Lemain, indifferent to their shock, replied leisurely to Alan.
“I cannot possibly deem it valid.”
Then, his strange, inscrutable gaze scanned the surroundings—as if surveying the forest, or perhaps glaring at the Brissen-aligned nobles.
“Do you intend to hunt everything here, Sir?”
At those words, the nobles sucked in sharp breaths, while Alan let out a short chuckle.
Soon, Alan’s sharp eyes curved into a soft arc. A cold voice flowed from between his thin lips.
“When they perch so openly on such a large tree…”
Another bird plummeted to the ground.
Leaving behind the creature’s final cry, Alan’s next words etched themselves deeply into everyone’s minds.
“...is there anything I cannot catch?”
It was an unmistakable threat.
* * *
While Lemain and Alan displayed fantastic teamwork to pressure the Brissen faction, those with Calian were enjoying a hunt that felt more like a picnic.
—Whish!
An arrow left Calian’s hand, cutting through the air with a light whistle.
It pierced the neck of a bird that had just taken flight.
Every shot found its mark, and with each one, a bird fell.
Hunting wasn’t his primary goal, but he needed to keep up appearances, so Calian was taking down the birds he saw.
Because his archery skills far exceeded expectations, quiet gasps of admiration rippled through the onlookers as they watched the creatures plummet to the ground. Naturally, Yan was among them.
“Kyrie. Did you teach the Prince archery as well?”
Hearing this, Kyrie wore a startled expression.
He was surprised that he hadn’t told Yan that Calian knew how to use a bow, and equally surprised by Yan’s sheer obliviousness in still not suspecting a thing.
Regardless, Kyrie nodded.
After all, he was the only one in the palace who could have taught Calian archery.
“Yes… I taught him.”
As he said this, Kyrie glanced briefly at the bow slung over his saddle. He resolved not to touch a bow today; while he had handled swords, he had never once held a bow in his life.
Hearing Kyrie’s answer, Yan spoke again, his face beaming with pride.
“Our Prince seems to have a bit of a knack for handling weapons, doesn’t he?”
At this, the surrounding nobles wore rather bewildered expressions. They thought that calling his skill “a bit of a knack” was a massive understatement.
“Yes. He is a very quick learner.”
And so, the half-elf Kyrie uttered a lie he had now mastered to perfection, silently cheering on Yan’s obliviousness.
Calian, who had been listening to their conversation with a slight smile from a short distance ahead, glanced to his side. Aizen, riding beside him, met his gaze.
“Count Aprin.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“The cookies you sent—why were they made of rye?”
It was a somewhat abrupt question, but Calian was genuinely curious.
The nobles of Kairis did not eat rye.
Of course, Calian and Alan were exceptions, but even Yan had refused to eat them, saying they didn’t suit his palate.
If even Yan reacted that way, there was no need to mention the other nobles.
However, rye was more nutritious than wheat and far cheaper. Thus, it was an indispensable food source for the commoners. It was a unique crop—absolutely vital to the kingdom, yet never touched by the nobility.
“I’ve been wondering about that. Why rye, of all things? Surely a count wouldn’t have sent them for some sentimental reason, like wanting to show a prince how commoners live.”
At Calian’s question, Aizen spoke with an extremely cautious expression.
“To be honest, after sending them, I deeply regretted it, fearing you might misunderstand my motives.”
“Did you worry I might take it as an insult? Since my mother was a commoner who ate rye.”
At Calian’s blunt question, Aizen bowed his head, flustered.
“If you thought that way, I am truly sorry, Your Highness. I had absolutely no such intention.”
“I didn’t misunderstand. In fact, even if that had been your intention, it still would have caught my interest.”
What a meticulous insult. If he were on the receiving end, Calian thought, he would have at least wanted to see the sender’s face.
“It actually felt like a welcome gift, as it showed you paid no mind to my mother’s background.”
Sharing his honest thoughts, Calian looked at Aizen again.
“So, I would like to know the reason now. I have been very curious.”
Aizen replied, his voice still cautious.
“I sent them to convey that while wheat is good, rye is also necessary.”
“Wheat is good, but rye is also necessary… I see. I understand.”
Hearing this, Calian curled the corners of his lips, looking as though he had just solved a difficult riddle.
It meant that while powerful mages were good, knights—who were less powerful but far superior in number—were also indispensable.
Since Calian had been expanding his influence primarily around mages, it was a gift sent to ask him to pay some attention to the knights as well.
“If I had returned them without eating, you wouldn’t have shown up here today, would you, Count?”
“I apologize, Your Highness.”
Aizen looked embarrassed.
He had tested him with a single rye cookie.
Aizen had tested Calian, of all people.
Looking at Aizen, Calian burst into laughter.
He felt as though he were looking at Melfir. It was strikingly similar to how Melfir had sent a horse necklace to gauge his intentions.
“Though I didn’t realize it through the gift, we ended up thinking the same thing anyway. So, couldn’t you say I understood your riddle well enough?” Calian asked.
Aizen, unable to reply, could only blush.
Watching him quietly, Calian nudged Raven slightly to move ahead, then turned his horse to face the group. This positioned him alone, facing the nobles.
“Since we have come ‘outside’ on such a clear day, I have something to tell you,” Calian said in a casual tone, his gaze sweeping over them.
“I will be hunting soon. Together with all of you, of course.”
The hunting competition had already been underway for some time.
Quick-witted or not, everyone understood he wasn’t talking about the hunt currently underway.
No one answered.
“However, this will be my first time hunting prey that is neither eagle nor lion. I wonder if you would all be interested.”
This time, everyone smiled.
The griffin from the Brissen family crest had clearly crossed their minds. Seeing their identical expressions, Calian smiled and nodded as well.
Waiting for the light laughter to subside, Calian spoke again, his voice low.
“I will send funding.”
The only help Calian could offer them right now was his funds, which were once again growing at an astronomical rate. And funds were likely what they needed most.
“All you need to do is continue your usual work, but with a little more diligence—and without drawing attention. I will contact you through Count Aprin, so I hope we can communicate regularly.”
In response, everyone bowed their heads in assent.
Sweeping his gaze over them once more, Calian concluded in a low but commanding voice.
“Next time, we shall meet ‘inside.’ I will be waiting.”
Inside the Kairis Royal Palace.