Chapter 89: Having So Much (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 89: Having So Much (2)
Calian spoke, his face slightly stiff.
"Why are you only telling me this now?"
They had already reached the promenade surrounding Senyu Hall before Kyrie mentioned that Arsen had been cursing him. In response to Calian's question, Kyrie replied in a quiet but clear voice.
"Sir Hertz is a capable man, Your Highness."
"Are you saying you held back because you were worried I might actually send a precious talent across the Senyu River?"
"Yes. That is correct."
"That's a bit unfair. It's not like I don't know how to pull my punches just because I've already thrown the sword."
From Calian's perspective, it was indeed unfair.
"As if I wouldn't have calculated the throw."
Calian grumbled. He had attacked after precisely measuring the distance, intending to give Arsen—who seemed to blindly trust his Shield—a proper wake-up call.
Just then, Yan, who had been walking in silence, spoke up with a look of sudden realization.
"Ah, that's right. I heard Prince Randel has a busy schedule today. The timing is a bit awkward, so the two of you might cross paths."
Hearing this, Calian’s steps faltered.
He scratched his cheek and turned to Yan.
"And why are you only telling me this now?"
Yan wore an apologetic expression, but it was clear he had his reasons. Calian stared, his eyes asking what that reason could possibly be, and Yan proudly delivered an answer that was quintessentially his.
"How could I have had the presence of mind to think of anything else? Do you have any idea how shocked I was to see you training so violently with Sir Hertz? What if you had gotten hurt?"
"According to Kyrie, you should be less worried about me getting hurt and more worried about me actually killing Sir Hertz."
Seriously. Both of them.
One sees me as too brutal, the other as too fragile. What am I supposed to do with them?
In any case, since Yan claimed he forgot out of shock, what else could Calian say?
"Alright, I get it. We just need to avoid him."
Unable to argue with either Kyrie or Yan, Calian could only sigh and agree.
Prince Randel, huh.
Since Silike's downfall, Randel hadn't shown up for breakfast even once. He seemed highly uncomfortable that his true colors had been revealed when Franz was injured, and that Calian had since allied with Franz. Because of this, they hadn't even run into each other by chance in Chermil Palace.
Normally, the only reason Randel ever went outside was to visit the Rose Garden, so Calian had simply avoided that area. At the few official events they attended together, they hadn't exchanged a single word. Since Randel himself was uncomfortable, Calian had no intention of forcing a relationship.
"Prince Franz, who was actually involved, doesn't seem to care at all that Prince Randel just walked away that day. I don't understand why Prince Randel is the one acting like this."
Even Yan, who usually refrained from speaking ill of the other princes in front of Calian, couldn't help but comment.
"Brother Franz finds everything in the world a chore. He isn't 'fine' with it—he just literally has no thoughts on the matter."
Calian replied as he stepped into Senyu Hall, where Evan was waiting.
*
Margrave Gray Brissen was the third strongest swordsman on the continent.
Marquis Evan Brissen had stepped onto the Path of the Sword even before him.
Evan, a Sword Master renowned as one of the top three on the continent, looked up sharply as Calian walked in.
What on earth is going on?
Evan had secluded himself to train all winter. He had finally emerged, thinking he was ready.
Yet, he still couldn't feel a single trace of Aura from Calian.
Though the prince was a novice who had been on the Path of the Sword for less than a year, he looked utterly ordinary. Just as Suleiman had said, he looked like a gentle prince who had never even been near a sword.
Even though Evan had come fully prepared, it was difficult to keep his expression from souring.
Of course, Calian could see right through him. Since this was exactly the situation he had intended, Calian didn't mock him, but quietly walked over and stood before him.
Evan was still lost in thought. Consequently, Yan, who stood behind Calian, spoke up.
"Marquis Brissen. Rise and show your respects."
It must be a family trait, Calian thought. I've never seen any of them show proper manners first.
After Evan’s begrudging greeting, Calian sat down. The moment Evan settled into the opposite chair, Calian spoke.
"Why did you request to meet me, rather than my brother?"
Evan's eyebrows twitched. Calian had broached the subject before either of them had taken a single sip of tea.
This was essentially their first meeting. However, they had established a connection through Arsen during Silike's ousting. Evan had come to the palace hoping to use that incident as a pretext to discuss an alliance between Calian and the Brissen family.
Yet, Calian practically radiated impatience.
However, the person before him was a prince. Unlike with Alan, he couldn't just lose his temper. Wiping the displeasure from his face, Evan spoke.
"My congratulations on stepping onto the Path of the Sword, Your Highness."
"Thank you," Calian replied curtly, his eyes fixed on Evan's face.
Calian was staring because he still couldn't sense Evan's Aura, but how could Evan know that? To him, it could only be interpreted as an urging to state his business and leave.
I came here for nothing.
In the end, Evan set aside the topic of an 'alliance between Calian and Brissen'—which would surely put him at a disadvantage if brought up now—and offered a more plausible reason for his visit.
"Actually, I came to check on Prince Franz. I figured he would be reluctant to see me in person."
At this, Calian let out a short, sharp laugh. It was an outright scoff.
Evan's eyebrows twitched again. Calian’s voice was chilly as he spoke.
"A season has passed—long enough for the Senyu River to freeze and thaw. Even I can hear that."
It was a rebuke for asking about Franz's well-being only now, and an assertion that he had been watching Evan's schemes all along.
With his true intentions so clearly exposed, Evan's face froze as hard as the Senyu River in the dead of winter.
*
At that same moment, Alan was visiting Lemain to report on the evaluation of twenty new Valkan members. He held up a letter and spoke.
"This left the royal palace, went all the way to Latran, and then came back. It seems we have too many people on staff."
The letter meant for him had traveled through the entire Latran territory before finally returning to the palace.
Lemain, who had been looking over the report, raised his head to look at the letter. He gave a more direct answer than a lecture on Kairis's workforce.
"It seems the mailings are all finished, seeing as a letter has reached even you, Count."
Alan, now somewhat used to his new title, nodded easily. He scanned the letter once more.
"A second invitation. Time flies. This brings back memories."
The gold-embellished letter, filled with flowery language, was an invitation to Lemain's thirty-ninth birthday festival.
Lemain's birthday was in May. Invitations to Secritia, Libern, and Tensil had already been sent at the beginning of the year. Next, they were sent to the nobles of Kairis in distant regions, and finally, to those residing near the capital, Kairisis.
Alan, it could be said, had received one of the very last invitations.
"Don't throw it away this time like you did last year."
The jab at his past antics brought a smile to Alan's lips. He remembered the boldness of Calian, who had made Alan his master right after he'd demanded a new invitation.
"Don't worry. I wouldn't throw this away even if Sispanian herself told me to."
Saying so, Alan picked up a chocolate from the box on the table and popped it into his mouth. A sweet and sour flavor, both unfamiliar and familiar, spread across his tongue.
"Tangerine jam, it seems. It can't be easy to find tangerines in Kairisis. Is it from Libern?"
"Secritia."
Shaking his head, Lemain pushed the chocolate box toward Alan.
"Since you like sweets, Count, take it. A newly appointed baron sent it over—said he got it from Secritia—but I have no taste for it."
Hearing this, Alan wore a subtle smile that Lemain couldn't see.
Tangerines from Secritia.
There was exactly one person who would love them several times more than Alan.
Lemain, believing Calian only possessed the memories of a Secritian knight, would never have made the connection, but Alan knew better. He refrained from eating any more and picked up the box, intending to deliver it intact to his beloved disciple.
"By any chance," he asked, "has there been a reply regarding who will be coming from Secritia for Your Majesty's birthday festival?"
"Not yet. It will take some time for a reply to arrive."
Will someone as welcome as tangerines be coming for Calian?
Alan nodded, his eyes full of anticipation.
*
Is there anything more agonizing than running into someone you wish to avoid?
On his way back to Chermil Palace after his brief conversation with Evan, Calian ended up crossing paths with Randel after all.
Calian found himself at the bottom of the three steps leading into the palace, looking up at Randel, who stood at the top. He bowed his head.
"I greet you, Brother Randel."
In the past, Randel would have just grunted an acknowledgment and walked on, but this time he stopped, looking down at Calian.
Franz would have simply declared the greeting done and walked away. But Calian couldn't bring himself to be so blunt. He could only hope the inscrutable first prince would quickly lose interest and move on.
After a long silence, Randel spoke from his position atop the stairs.
"I am sorry for not responding to you that day."
There was only one day the perpetually indifferent Randel would refer to as 'that day'—the day they had ousted Silike.
Randel knew that Calian was aware of his healing abilities. When Franz was coughing up blood, Calian had called out to Randel instead of a healer. He'd have to be as dense as Yan not to have understood.
Calian furrowed his brow.
He recalled Randel locking eyes with him before getting up and leaving, just before Hina arrived. He understood Randel was now apologizing for ignoring his plea for help.
However, that wasn't why Calian's expression had darkened.
Standing atop the stairs... How discourteous.
Looking down on a prince of equal rank was a blatant show of disrespect, even if Randel was the eldest.
Calian glanced up at his eldest brother, who offered words of apology with an attitude that was anything but. Randel's face was as expressionless as ever.
His blue eyes were still deep and dark.
Feeling as though he were about to stick his head into the maw of a great blue beast, Calian smiled.
"Are you showing your true colors over a mere three steps?"
Still standing below, Calian looked directly up at Randel. Then, he slowly began to climb. In the quiet of Chermil Palace, the sound of his footsteps echoed alongside his voice.
"That small rose you said had bloomed for a long time. I finally understand what it meant."
"Did you see it?"
Step, step.
"Yes, I saw it. I couldn't understand why you left it there. It seems you wanted it to bloom beautifully, not just wither and die. Beautifully, but..."
Step.
"...beneath your feet."
Reaching the top step, Calian met Randel's eyes, now on equal footing. Randel held his gaze. A flat, quiet voice drifted out.
"Yes. That was my thought."
"As for me," Calian said, hostility dripping from his voice.
"I refuse."
Bern had already played the part of the capable, obedient, and good little brother once before.
Calian had no intention of doing it again.