Chapter 38. The sword (4)
has become dull.
To become dull means that the thing that was sharp has eventually worn away and lost its sharpness. In other words, there was a time in the past when things were sharper than they are now.
– Because my younger brother has become very dull.
That’s why I was curious about it.
Rather than saying it was simply curiosity, I had a question because it felt a little absurd. If I had to express it in other words, would I say it was as absurd as I felt the day I first saw Lucy’s waist stretching endlessly without her feet leaving the floor?
So, it is a natural question that arises as a result of encountering an unexpected situation. How long is Lucy’s waist? Does Lucy really catch a frog for Calian? Why does Lucy suddenly make a gurgling sound when you pet her? etc. It’s the same type of curiosity as that question.
‘What on earth was it like in the past?’
That was the question that arose.
As Chase said, if Calian has become dull now, there was a time when I wondered what he was like back in the day. At some point in the past, I wonder if I was sharper or more patient than I am now.
Maybe even more than now…
When those questions piled up one by one and I had nowhere to put them, I made him open the window that he had closed. The man who stood in front of the axis of time on that rainy day became that king for the first and last time and told his story.
And closed it again.
Calian knew and Plantz knew that it would never be opened again.
But now I have one more question. He said he wouldn’t tell me where he was and what he was doing last night, so I started thinking more and more about things to avoid thinking about where that place was, and the more I was curious about it.
‘That sword is worth the price of its secret.’
The day I said this and gave the sword as a gift.
The day I gave the sword as a gift, knowing that I had originally used it, but without mentioning that fact.
The day I met Chase again for the first time.
How did that guy know what kind of sword Plantz used in the past? How could he have been upset when he decided to give the same sword to someone who was his enemy? So, was it Calian or the King that day? I got curious about that again.
Plantz, who was continuing his train of thought, spoke in a low voice.
“I guess I can’t have good dreams because I received an overly good sword.”
Did Evan really lead Plantz to the path of the sword? Even though Plantz was part of their blood, did they really allow Plantz to have such strong abilities? Did Silike want his tool to have that kind of power?
no.
It couldn’t have been like that.
How did Planz have such a good sword? Was it a gift from Brisen? Did Plantz at that time accept their gift calmly? Could it be that he just received that good sword for no reason and kept it with such care that the king of a foreign country knew what King Kairis’ sword was?
no.
It couldn’t have been like that.
then. Did the guy sitting in front of him know that the smart Plantz of today would be able to guess what it meant to Plantz of the past to have lived with such a good sword even though he would never have entered the path of swordsmanship?
no.
That can’t be possible.
If that guy who calmly told you to grow up and get a cat had properly remembered what he said a long time ago, he wouldn’t have told me that he used that sword originally. You knew what I would notice.
So in the end.
“Anyway, you and I are living in a nightmare.”
Calian’s eyes narrowed as he looked at Planz with an expression that asked what that grass head was talking about. And without another word, I turned my head back out the window.
The sky is dark with rain. You can’t see outside the window, but red eyes are reflected in the window.
So in the end, this is because of the rain that will ruin it.
– Isn’t it amazing, brother?
Calian quietly closed his eyes after seeing a new memory.
Because I woke up from a nightmare and realized that I was only in another nightmare.
I see
Anyway, me and you too.
* * *
Meanwhile, the numerous small blisters were healing.
Veronica sat down after downing three glasses of carbonated water with lemon and strawberry and was still looking at the wound healing with a curious look on her face.
Before long, Hina let go of Demirea’s hand and spoke.
– Don’t overdo it.
I said the same thing the last time I met Demirea. He said his blistered hands were sore, but he looked like he would never put down his sword, so I told him to rest for a bit.
However, when I looked at my hands, it was still a mess to the point where I wondered if I had actually drank the tea given to me that day.
“But it’s better than before. The blacksmith skills that Prince Calian introduced me to are good, so I don’t get hurt unnecessarily anymore.”
It may not be right to say that he gave Kirie the ink-colored sword that Demirea should have used in the past, but he introduced her to someone who could make her a good sword.
“Usually it takes time to get used to a new sword in your hand, but I was surprised that the one he made fit my hand better than I expected.”
“Why did you come here suddenly asking for treatment? You said you didn’t get it last time.”
Veronica, who was eating the strawberry chocolate cookie that Hina brought for her to eat, asked this. Veronica’s idea of friendship was based on the premise of mutual equality, and it did not depend on age or social status.
In other words, regardless of whether Demirea was a minor duke or not, they thought they could talk comfortably to each other since they had seen each other many times.
“I decided to spar with Prince Calian tomorrow. It’s for learning, so I don’t want to be interrupted by something like this.”
For Demirea, comfortable words were honorifics.
Thanks to this, it became a strange scene where the duke’s heir was treated with respect and treated inferiorly by the count’s granddaughter, but since it was not a public event, it was nothing to worry about. Isn’t it enough for both sides to be comfortable?
– I heard from my brother that it was originally supposed to be done on a different day, but I guess they changed the date.
“Yes, I guess…”
After saying this, Demirea fell silent for a moment. It was because I thought it would be difficult to say here that Prince Calian was likely to have an accident. Even though Hina didn’t know about it, Veronica was there too.
“Grandfather said that the 3rd Prince would have an accident again.”
But those words came out of Veronica.
Demirea nodded slightly and agreed with Veronica’s words, saying that because her mother had gone to work in another area, she had been coming to the Wilhelm Pavilion instead of the magic academy in the morning.
“That’s why grandpa has been restless these days. Mom says he seems to be thinking about and worrying about the prince just like he did when he was young.”
After finishing speaking, Veronica smiled.
How can I not smile when I think that I have a new father who is a year older than me?
– It’s nice to see that they care so much.
When Hina said this with a smile, Veronica nodded while smiling.
“Yes. It’s nice to see Grandpa these days. He takes care of me and Mom a lot, but I still thought about him a lot, but I’m glad he doesn’t look the same as before these days.”
Demirea’s head moved up and down at these words.
It was because I thought of Jan, a person who was going through the same change due to the same person. Jan also thinks less about the person who left now.
– Aren’t you sad?
asked Hina, who was always good at recognizing places that might hurt. Aren’t you sad that Alan thinks less about Ronil? And to Demirea, those words sounded a little different as they were about Jan. Isn’t it sad that Jan is leaving the room on the right end of the second floor close to his heart?
“I’m not sad. My mom said that you have to forget sometimes to live. That’s why my mom also said that you have to forget sometimes to live. You have to forget sometimes to remember sometimes and that’s how to live.”
Demirea recalled saying the same thing: “I’m not disappointed.”
My dad or older brother, who I can’t remember because I’m too young. Demirea frowned slightly as she thought for a moment about the person taking her place.
Didn’t you once hear from Jan how Kalyan regarded Hina?
So, it was because I realized that Demirea was now marrying someone who had a daughter or granddaughter two years older than me, a niece who was a year younger than me, and a younger brother who was two years older than me.
No, what kind of relationship is this?
Is this the genealogy of the doggy brother that I only heard about?
– Since he is such an important prince, we should make sure he doesn’t get into an accident.
Due to her deep worries, Demirea was unable to properly see Hina’s words as she stood up from her seat with a smile on her face.
– The Little Duke who received treatment goes back and practices again, and the younger brother who did not go to the academy studies quickly. I’m going out for a moment.
After saying this, Hina took off her pure white robe and went out of the office wearing a white blouse and a long navy blue skirt.
Demirea, who felt like she was about to roll up her long sleeves at any moment, took a sip of the delicious carbonated water with an expression on her face as if she hadn’t seen anything, then put it down.
“It’s rainy and quiet. It’s a really nice day.”
Then he said this to Veronica, smiled slightly, and gave her a look in her eyes telling her to study quickly.
* * *
No words were exchanged for a while.
We both thought of a child who was not here, but no one dared to remember that child. They were both people who had to forget that child to survive, but for completely different reasons.
“Aeowong.”
Lucy cried loudly as she entered the box containing the gift from Hina. It was a red box containing Lucy’s pretty little clothes with a temperature control function that even Plants didn’t have.
Interestingly enough, Lucy liked the box that the clothes were in as much as the clothes that kept her out of the heat. He went into the box with his clothes on and meowed as if he was happy.
For that reason, Plantz could not throw the box away, so he left it by a sunny window. When that was done, Lucy got into the box as if it were Plantz’s knee, curled up inside it, and made a loud noise.
Even now, like one of those leisurely days.
Lucy, looking at her silent brother, curled up in the box and began to doze off.
Plantz muttered as he thought about how he couldn’t tell whether what was more important to Lucy was the box or the clothes inside it.
“… I’m the same.”
After taking a sip of tea that smelled like strawberries and mint, Planz recalled the red eyes he had forgotten for a moment and said while looking at them.
“My brother keeps forgetting.”
Calian chuckled.
I thought it was a good idea to change that title.
“Don’t forget. I already know how to roll from the ashes.”
“Yes. I think you know.”
Calian responded obediently and nodded.
It was as if all his attention was focused on the snake’s fangs and he had become Bern at that exact time. I nodded several times, remembering what I had forgotten while being chased by Devlan’s ghost.
“It would be great if I didn’t go to Secretia and put it off until that day comes, but I’m not one to sit back and wait for that to happen, so I think it’s right for me to go.”
The best solution would be to keep Hina out of Devlan’s eyes, but Devlan will never wait patiently until then. Unlike in the past, you will know that there are various exits.
“If you coaxed an elf once, there’s no way you wouldn’t be able to do it a second time.”
It is hard to know how strong the elf rule of never using healing arts on humans is, or whether it will be enough to tolerate the delicious food that Devlan will serve.
“If I just leave it and get treatment from the elves and it gets better, I’m sure my head will only hurt more.”
After saying that, Calian slightly closed his eyes.
Calian, who returned with red eyes that had the same glow but had completely erased any remnants of someone he had seen a moment ago, stopped for a moment while trying to grab the teacup.
Knock knock knock.
After making a habit-like noise a few times, I nodded once again. And then he opened his mouth to Plantz.
–
After several hesitant sounds, the knocking sound grew louder, and Lucy, who had been sleeping, opened her eyes and rushed to the door.
“come in.”
With Plantz’s permission, the door opened and a visitor, who we already knew who he was, entered the room where the two brothers were.
Calian, who stopped what he was about to say, took his gaze off the teacup, and Plantz let go of his hand holding the teacup. And then he turned his head to Hina, as if he had made a promise.
Hina, seeing the princes ready to listen to her kindly and calmly, bowed her head in greeting.
Then he suddenly rolled up his sleeves.
“Hina?”
Calian made a confused sound and Plantz closed his eyes once. Anyway, Hina started speaking.
– The three of us, the quirky vice commander and my brother, are going. Still, he said that if it was dangerous, the president of the association could go with him. And even though I can’t fight, I can talk. So, princes, please do not interfere in my affairs.
Hina’s hands were moving busily as she truly thought about not paying attention this time and just wandering around.
– The little ones are at home.
Regardless of who is in the Kalyan box.
Regardless of who popped into Plantz’s head.
No matter what nightmare you two are walking through.
Because Hina doesn’t know.
That’s not even that important to Hina.
– Be quiet.
The King of Secretia summoned the healer of Kairis.
He used his friendship with the prince and his position with the elves as an excuse.
Hina, who was involved in the incident, said she would go. Instead, the princes responded that they would not take anyone.
A man who was born as the son of a snake and lives as the son of a cow and another man who was the son of a cow from the beginning looked at each other.
I sighed and laughed.
