Chapter 22. Don’t touch it (10)
Steam rising up.
Warm water gushing through the rocks.
How many people would not like to submerge their entire body in water that is slightly higher than body temperature and gently close their eyes?
If you go east from Kairisis for two more days, you can reach the Schurinz region, famous for its hot springs. It was also the location of the royal villa of Kairis.
If it’s close, it’s close; if it’s far, it’s far, but in fact, for nobles, the two-day walk wasn’t that burdensome. After all, most people traveled to their distant territories once or twice a year.
Therefore, many nobles living in Kairissis often visited Shurinz for sightseeing or recuperation. but.
“Aren’t you worried?”
All kinds of emotions were revealed on Demirea’s face when she opened her mouth like this. And if I were to interpret the biggest expression among those many expressions, it would be something along the lines of ‘Father, how could you do this to me?’
Yes, of course.
Even though it’s my blood, there are bound to be one or two things that I just can’t understand.
Yan, who looks at the murderous prince and says he is like a flower, is also from a race that is difficult to understand, but that is better. Because it looked like a flower. You can just say it’s okay and move on.
“Are you sure I wasn’t worried about my baby?”
“Your skin is too thin to be worried about.”
Looking at Slayman’s smooth and shiny face, Demirea responded like this.
After visiting Lemain and hearing the reason why Demirea had closed and locked the door, Slayman asked Lemain without another word to lend him some money.
And with that money, I went to a hot spring with Serrie.
Didn’t Demirea say that, telling her to rest for a few more days? That’s why he went. To Schrinz, two days away from the capital.
I can’t understand that carefreeness. Demirea’s reason was too healthy to understand that.
“It looks like you had a very good rest.”
In a situation where Siegfried and Briesen are at odds over the two princes, if Siegfried’s head of the family, Slayman, is in an awkward place, it becomes poisonous. So, I know that I helped Demirea by simply staying away.
But just look at that face.
How can I accept that face, who is not worried about my daughter, my family, or my country, and is really just resting comfortably?
As it came straight out of his face, Slayman burst into laughter. And then he spoke with a smile on his face and no trace of playfulness.
“Serie told me not to worry and I thought so too.”
The meaning of ‘shield’ allowed by Slayman was expanded at will. By cleverly interpreting the meaning of protection and support in a different way, they were even deceiving themselves into thinking that helping Kalyan was not against their beliefs.
I wasn’t worried about Demirea.
Instead of scolding me, I believed him.
After saying that, Slayman looked at Demirea and opened his mouth.
“Let me ask you just one question.”
“yes.”
“I was really curious as to why.”
“What reason are you talking about?”
Sleiman spoke after taking a sip of the clear wine he was holding.
“You’re not Jan. But I don’t know why you went to such lengths to help the 3rd prince. At best, I was wondering if the 3rd prince was going this far because of what he saw during his visit to Siegfried’s duchy for a few days, or if there was another reason. 3rd prince “What did you see and make up your mind?”
Dmirea has not experienced or met Calian as much as Jan. That said, he didn’t even understand Calian’s true appearance like Slayman did. However, no matter how much I thought about it, it was difficult to understand the reason.
In response to Slayman’s question, Demirea opened her mouth without the slightest hesitation.
“Onii-sama is laughing.”
Yan, who lived with a face that said all the misfortunes under the sky were mine, had an ‘old poopy face’ and was smiling when he came to ask Kalian to hold hands with him for a moment.
“I thought it would be good to help you do what you want since you are the one who made it that way. I can handle the consequences of that decision.”
It was a simple reason, typical of Demirea.
Hearing those words, Slayman’s mouth opened wide. Slayman, with a big smile on his face, nodded his head and opened his mouth.
“I’m going down tomorrow. Let’s go together with Serie.”
“Are you saying you are going to the Duchy of Siegfried?”
“Yes. There is no one there right now, so it wouldn’t be difficult to leave it empty for a long time. Do everything here as you wish.”
Dmirea answered while looking at Slayman, who said that all he did when he came to the capital was make fun of Lemain with Alan, drink with Alan, argue with Tailan, almost die, and get kicked out of the house and went to a hot spring.
“yes.”
He said he would leave Demirea alone in the capital.
He was telling me to make my own decision and act on how to help Calian. It was the same as saying that by stepping down, he would hand over that much authority to Demirea.
“thank you.”
Demirea smiled slightly as she looked at her father who believed in her decisions and actions.
* * *
The time when Slayman went home after his trip and Kalian was encouraging Plantz to raise a cat.
Lemaine, who had told Chamberlain Raoul to postpone meeting with the elf messengers, looked down at the huge garden visible from the window and opened his mouth.
“You mean there was evidence linking Tensil?”
Ren, who was standing behind Lemain, answered.
“Yes, Your Highness. A number of letters exchanged with the royal family of Tensil were discovered in a bookstore owned by a man named Nerd. It also contained details of his plans to harm the three princes.”
“There was no information that anyone other than Tensil was involved.”
“Yes, that’s right. Only the information about Tensil has been confirmed.”
Meticulous Ren and Kaera personally conducted the search, so there would be no evidence missed.
When Calian disappeared, it was Randel who would benefit the most. When Randel ascends to the throne, it is naturally Tensil who benefits. So the reason for the attack was also very clear.
Both the evidence and the circumstances pointed to Tensil.
“Burn everything.”
That is why Lemain commanded: This is because I heard about the reason behind this incident from Alan.
Of course, Lemain did not know that the dead one among them was Secretia’s uncle. It was Alan’s consideration for Chase, who stepped up to the plate in this matter.
“Do you mind if I don’t save it for future use?”
“Anyway, since it is a lie created by someone, there is no reason to leave it as is. Even if there are other problems in the future, there will be no need to use false evidence, so just burn it and destroy it.”
Ren did not refute.
Just like Siegfried’s knight, Ronansite Chase’s knight, Teilan, and Kyrie.
“I understand. I will handle it that way, Your Highness.”
After Ren, who bowed his head in courtesy, went out, Lemain quietly opened his mouth.
“There must be punishment for the two princes and the duke.”
The world does not know that Kalyan has been attacked.
Randel, who had left the banquet hall on his own, was not allowed to leave Chermil, but Kalian, who had been missing for nearly a week, could not be left alone. The same goes for Plantz, who went out of the palace at night, and Siegfried, who detained Plantz, could not be left out.
Of course, Demirea was determined to take the punishment for Siegfried herself. However, there was one thing that Demirea did not know. The fact was that Slayman knew a little better than Demirea what kind of person Lemain was to punish.
“I heard that Prince Siegfried is leaving the capital tomorrow.”
To help Lemain, who was wondering what punishment to give, Alan said this in passing.
LeMaine chuckled after hearing that.
Even Lemain was not tactful enough to not know of Slayman’s intention to leave the capital at a time like this.
Soon Lemain called Chamberlain Raoul.
And I delivered some information.
“Duke Siegfried, who has caused chaos in the capital, will be expelled from Kairisis immediately tomorrow, and his entry into Kairisis will be prohibited until the end of the year.”
Slayman is punished on Demirea’s behalf.
If it was Dmirea’s job to become Calian’s shield, then it was Slayman’s job to become Dmirea’s shield.
“And both the 2nd and 3rd princes will be banned from entering the palace. They will not be able to participate in external events until permission is given.”
It was a fairly strong punishment, but in Alan’s view, it was ‘protection’. There is no place in Kairis as safe as this royal palace with a young Sispanian touch.
“It’s just the right punishment.”
Alan, who couldn’t have known that feeling, smiled softly and nodded.
* * *
Yes. I have talked about it before.
I said that as I was out of breath, as if the moment I was trapped in this royal palace would be the last moment of my life.
I don’t want to be king.
I want to live.
Kalian probably doesn’t know why Planz said that. No, maybe I knew better. As the king’s son and the king’s younger brother, he must have spent a much longer time in the royal palace than Plants. Therefore, you may have sympathized with Plantz’s words and nodded.
still.
Even so.
No matter what.
Plantz spoke again what he had said to himself at Siegfried’s mansion.
“My brother trusts me too much.”
I couldn’t believe it, but I would hand over Briesen.
Isn’t it too big and heavy to be a story worth telling while peeling a tangerine with a calm face?
Plantz thought so.
“Have you lost your fear? Are you overconfident?”
From when I first found Calian’s room and until now. Calian never once doubted Planz.
Plantz said this as he looked at Calian, who lent him Vulkan, saying that he would die if he didn’t have something in his hand, and tried to give him Brisen as well.
What on earth do you believe in and do this?
What if I change my mind right now?
“And then I do it again.”
Planz, who was saying this, closed his mouth.
Feeling that the words had stopped, Calian’s movements also stopped for a moment.
This is because Calian also felt what Planz had swallowed.
There was silence like that for a very moment.
“My brother is so perceptive.”
A short sigh escaped Calian’s mouth.
Then he started peeling the sour tangerines again. The two red eyes did not escape from the light green tangerine peel.
“Just think about it.”
The scent of sour tangerines lingered at the tip of my nose.
At the end, one person kept coming to mind, so I couldn’t eat alone and ended up coming here.
There was a person in front of me who learned something he shouldn’t have remembered.
“Just go through the motions. Don’t be too sure.”
The story about there was a war, the explanation of how he died in it, and the story about who started the war. I wasn’t planning on doing it.
This is something from the past that Kalyan experienced alone.
Chase says he remembers, but isn’t it meaningless in the end? Why did you find out and do something like that on your own, something that didn’t even happen now?
“……Planz.”
Calian slightly closed his eyes and opened his mouth again.
“Because it had nothing to do with you.”
Because it has nothing to do with the current Plants.
Because that will never happen again.
Because I’m going to make it that way.
Planz did not respond, and Kalian closed his eyes once again, took a piece of tangerine and put it in his mouth. The unusually sour taste made me smile bitterly without realizing it.
Kalian, who chewed and swallowed a tangerine for a while, continued speaking.
“You said you absolutely did not want to become king yourself, and you would hate it even more if Brother Randel ascended to the throne and locked you and me in the tower side by side. That’s why I believe it.”
I’m not a good enough person to blindly trust you either. So, don’t be foolish and think about useless things.
“If you ever change your mind and need Sejawi, just ask for it. I’ll think about it.”
Calian said that to Plantz, who had never coveted what belonged to others. One corner of Plantz’s mouth twisted up when he saw that.
“You spoiled brat.”
Calian lifted both corners of his mouth and smiled.
Then he picked up the last remaining tangerine and showed it to Plantz.
“Brother, would you like to eat?”
Plantz made a small noise and laughed.
And I handed over the tangerine in Kalian’s hand.
It sours again and again, and all the thoughts in my head disappear.
So what should we do?
Instead of thinking about useless things, I should raise a cat. In Briesen.
