Chapter 97: Older Brother (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 97: Older Brother (4)
It wasn't just Raven he had to restrain.
Chase, the man he had searched for so desperately in his final moments, was standing right before his eyes. Calian had to rein in everything—his hands, his feet, his words, even his gaze. He was holding himself back with every ounce of his being.
"I have truly wished to meet you, Prince Calian."
As Calian wrestled with his emotions, his mind went blank. Those were the very words he had wanted to say. Yet, it was Chase who had spoken them first.
Oblivious to the truth, Chase was simply offering a pleasantry upon finally meeting the famous Third Prince.
Do not waver.
I must not waver.
Calian managed to force a smile.
"I feel the same."
Though he answered as if nothing was wrong, he couldn't bring himself to say the name ‘Chase.’ He feared that if he spoke the name, the word ‘brother’ would slip out right along with it.
He fell silent after the brief reply.
"You can exchange formal greetings on your way. Please, have a seat first."
The ever-perceptive Alan smoothly intervened.
Thanks to him, Calian was able to sit down without another word. He lowered his head slightly, needing to hide his trembling composure.
Alan glanced at Calian and clicked his tongue inwardly. The boy, usually so clever, was completely helpless in front of Chase.
It was only natural, so Alan had no intention of blaming him. He only felt pity. He just wished that Lemain, the bastard who had caused this whole mess, would hurry up and get the luncheon over with.
Of course, Alan wasn't the only one who noticed Calian’s unusual behavior. Franz was also watching him with a strange look in his eyes.
‘What is wrong with my little brother today?’
His expression said it all.
Only after locking eyes with Franz did Calian finally snap back to his senses. He was forcefully reminded that Chase wasn't the only one in the room.
He couldn't let the life he'd worked so hard to build as Calian crumble in an instant. Reminding himself of this, Calian clenched his fists tightly under the table and looked back at Chase.
But then, he had to squeeze his fists even tighter.
Teilan Castrin was looking at him. The man who had blocked Valkan from entering the capital, single-handedly delaying Secritia's downfall by three days at the cost of his own life, even before Bern—Chase's sworn protector—could act. Teilan, who had also been Bern's master, was now observing Calian. But his gaze was not that of a master looking at his disciple; instead, he was sizing Calian up like a fascinating opponent.
‘...Master.’
When Calian first spotted Chase at the palace entrance, he had also seen Teilan. Because of that, he had already deactivated the magic concealing his aura before entering Senyu Hall.
It was a stroke of luck that Calian, who had an extraordinary knack for getting caught, had remembered to do so amidst his panic. There was no telling what might have happened if Teilan hadn't been able to sense his power.
Perhaps sensing Teilan's gaze, Chase, who sat opposite him, spoke to Calian again with a gentle smile.
"I was quite surprised to hear the recent rumor that Prince Calian has embarked on the Path of the Sword."
"I was merely lucky," Calian replied curtly.
Chase nodded, then turned to Franz.
"On a personal note, I must say I am quite envious, Prince Franz. To have such a younger brother."
If you're so envious, why don't you just take him?
Franz, whose mood had soured the moment he met Chase, nearly shot back with those words. But he paused, glancing at Calian beside him.
It was an idle glance, made without any real thought.
But then he saw Calian’s face. And in that moment, Franz’s eyes narrowed.
Now he understood.
He understood the persistent sense of aversion he’d been feeling. That Secritian bastard carried the same scent as Calian. And he understood why the man felt so much like Calian.
It was utterly impossible to comprehend by common sense, but he knew.
Franz turned his head back and looked straight into Chase's eyes. His voice was entirely devoid of sarcasm as he replied.
"Naturally. I am always grateful."
"Is that so?"
"After all, is he not my younger brother, whom I would be proud to show off anywhere in the world?"
He concluded, playing the part of the world's most doting older brother.
Even though Chase must have heard from his spies just how terrible their relationship was, he merely gave a light nod.
Of course, Chase was the only one nodding.
Alan and Kyrie were frozen, doubting their own ears. Alan, in particular, had to mentally scold himself for momentarily wondering if Franz had started drinking again.
Calian, whose soul had nearly left his body when Chase mentioned the word ‘brother,’ heard Franz’s words as well. He immediately understood why Franz had spoken such uncharacteristically affectionate words.
"You flatter me... Brother."
Calian let out a soft chuckle.
Franz.
You figured it out again.
...This brother of mine. I don't know whether to love him or hate him.
* * *
Suleiman, having just finished his meeting with Lemain, looked at Yan standing beside him and spoke in a serious tone.
"I heard what you said."
"What did I say?"
"What you told Lemain about why Calian became a Sword Master."
"Ah, that."
Suleiman shook his head, looking at Yan's completely innocent, wide-eyed expression. He couldn't bring himself to get angry at that face.
"Right. Sometimes I wonder if this punk is really my kid."
Yet, anyone could see he was Suleiman's son. Their hair and eye colors were identical; standing side by side, Yan was unmistakably a baby elephant next to Suleiman's fully grown one.
Yan frowned. "Of course I'm your son. That's why I haven't been caught yet. I don't look noble at all."
Indeed, anyone would find it hard to believe Yan was a duke's son. Of course, the same went for Suleiman, who hardly looked like a duke himself. In that sense, they were undeniably father and son.
Suleiman stared blankly at Yan before speaking.
"True. You are indeed my kid."
"Yes, I am. Why are you suddenly bringing this up?"
Suleiman was simply grateful that Calian hadn't cast Yan aside, but instead kept him close and took good care of him.
"No reason. My mind is just a complicated place."
The fact that Calian wasn't merely tolerating Yan because of his lineage made the prince a true savior in his eyes. As a father, Suleiman had nothing but gratitude for Calian.
With a look of pity, Suleiman raised his hand and roughly ruffled Yan's hair.
"Right... Just stay healthy. As long as you're happy, that's all that matters."
Suleiman knew all too well that because he had only ever told Yan those words, his son had grown up doing literally nothing but staying healthy. But what could he do about it now?
Tying his messy hair back up, Yan asked, "I heard the Crown Prince of Secritia arrived today. Did you meet him?"
Chase's fame had spread all the way to Kairis, and Yan was curious. Since Calian had left him behind for the luncheon, he hadn't been able to meet the prince, so he asked Suleiman instead.
Suleiman gave a fierce grin.
"If I had met the Crown Prince of Secritia, someone would have ended up dead in this palace today."
"What do you mean?"
"That knight named Teilan who escorts the Crown Prince. If I met the Crown Prince, I would have met him too, wouldn't I? And if we met, we would have had to spar at least once."
Yan retorted as if his father were talking nonsense. "But you said you'd lose. Lea is still young. You need to live a long life."
"What a lovely child you are."
How wonderfully polite, Suleiman thought, saying that to his own father.
* * *
Thanks to Franz, Calian managed to keep his wits about him and survive the luncheon.
Upon returning to his room, he immediately stepped out onto the terrace.
Chase had said he would stay for a fortnight. Since he was here to meet Alan, his stay could be extended if their discussions dragged on.
A fortnight was a long time.
As time passed, surely things would get a little better.
Clack.
As he sat on the terrace chair calming his mind, someone approached and set something on the table. He turned his head and saw a bottle of alcohol.
Calian let out a dry laugh. Instead of asking why his visitor had come, he spoke in a quiet voice.
"I've quit drinking."
Saying he had quit was very different from saying he wasn't drinking. Furthermore, those were not words that should have come from Calian's mouth. Nevertheless, Franz sat down beside him without much of a reaction.
"Since my little brother has quit, I have no one to drink with."
"You should drink, Brother. You used to like it."
"I've never actually drunk it."
What on earth was he talking about?
Calian turned to look at Franz, startled. "Are you saying you were only pretending to drink all this time?"
Franz spoke with an indifferent expression. "We've each caught the other hiding something. Let's just call it even."
"You're equating your secret of not drinking with mine? Your math is incredibly generous."
Calian laughed out loud.
After a moment, he stood up and went to the safe in his bedroom, returning with a sword. Of the two meteoric iron swords that had arrived that morning, this was the less agile, heavier one.
It was crafted specifically for the swordsmanship of the Brissen family.
"I thought of this as payment for Raven, but it seems my calculations were off," Calian said, placing the sword in front of Franz. He then showed Franz the scar on his palm and continued, "Let's consider Raven as payment for this scar, and this sword as payment for my secret. As for you not drinking, Brother, I'll just keep that as my own little secret."
Franz said nothing. Raven had indeed been meant as payment for the scar from the beginning, so he had no argument.
"You lost your sword to Sir Hertz anyway. You should use this, Brother."
That damn mage.
Franz's eyes grew sharp.
After a moment of silent irritation, he reached out and drew the sword. As the blade slid smoothly from its sheath, his expression turned to one of complete fascination, the memory of Arsen shattering his previous sword seemingly forgotten.
Calian added, "The blacksmith said it can easily withstand aura, so I'm giving it to you as encouragement to train hard."
"This is too much for just keeping a secret."
"It's not too much," Calian said simply, refraining from mentioning that this was the very sword Franz had used in his past life.
However, this left no sword for Suleiman, who should have been the original owner of the other one. Calian planned to give that one to Kyrie instead. He decided to consider it payment for Suleiman taking such good care of his lacking son. Calian's calculations were quite precise, after all.
Franz set the sword down beside him and spoke quietly. "Don't you think you owe me an explanation?"
"About what?"
"About why my little brother looked like his soul had left his body just because someone else called him their younger brother."
It was a statement that seemed to make sense, yet was utterly incomprehensible.
"It seems you've already figured it all out."
Even as he spoke, Calian cast Silent with a brief incantation. He felt he needed to explain at least a little.
But first, there was one thing he wanted to ask. He felt he already knew the answer, but he had to ask it once.
"What if..." Calian began, his gaze turning toward Arpia Palace. He was thinking of Chase, who would be there by now. "If there was something you truly wanted, Brother, but it was in someone else's hands... what would you do?"
"I don't make a habit of stealing from others."
"What if you absolutely needed it? Would you still leave it be?"
"Yes."
Though he didn't know why Calian was asking, Franz answered anyway.
Calian nodded with a complicated expression.
It was foolish to wonder why Franz had started the war in his past life. Whether someone had altered his personality or started the war in his stead, the Franz before him now wouldn't know the answer.
And even if he did, nothing would change.
Simply confirming what this Franz truly thought was enough.
"Time flowed backward."
Franz did not look at Calian as he continued, "I was that person's younger brother. And now, I am your younger brother."
He couldn't say any more than that. How could he tell this enemy-like brother, who claimed to have no habit of stealing, what he had actually done?
Then, thinking of his behavior during the luncheon, Calian chuckled. "I know that's the case, but acting accordingly isn't easy."
Franz merely nodded.
He wasn't even surprised anymore. After everything he had experienced, he had reached a point where he just accepted things like this.
And Franz decided not to ask how old this "little brother" of his, who claimed to have quit drinking, actually was. The clever Franz knew very well that sometimes, ignorance was bliss.
Thus, he also did not ask what it was that he had stolen from Calian.