Chapter 23. If that day comes (3)
49 King’s Guards and one Emperor.
So fifty people stood in front of the gate.
– Forty-nine people.
– Forty-eight people.
At first, I resented those who reduced their numbers.
After that, I resented my eyes that were steadily counting the decreasing numbers.
Because if I did that, I could know who would be blamed.
– Fifteen people. I hope that
if you are somewhere,
you
can stop and say that
everything is done .
– Five people.
For the first time since I was born and the last time before I die.
I found Serenti.
– two people.
‘……Kiri.’
The sleeping god did not answer.
One…
one.
I couldn’t bear to see it so I tried to close my eyes, but I couldn’t because I had to capture it.
………… Ah….
The last thing the king of a ruined country had to do was to be left alone, watching the person he protected die.
* * *
A stream of water flowed from the fountain installed in the garden in front of the annex. Sunlight falls on the water droplets that rise and fall helplessly. The sound created by endless meaningless movements sounded particularly faint.
Chase sat quietly as if appreciating the meaningless and lonely sound of water. Two quiet eyes closed for a moment.
“……Prince Planz.”
Plantz stared at Chase’s face.
Words came out as if spitting out or swallowing something painful.
“From where to where. Do you know?”
Plantz, who heard those words, answered in a low voice.
“at all.”
Plantz just overlooked it. I wasn’t sure about anything. So it was true that Plantz did not know anything about the past.
Chase, who had barely escaped the thoughts of a past incident he had never experienced, opened his dry mouth.
“Did you find out just by listening to me?”
“It’s similar.”
I said this out of concern that the same thing might happen again.
That’s all Plantz followed so far.
He followed me and urged me to prepare.
“I guess I said something unnecessary because I was worried for no reason.”
“no.”
It wasn’t something Chase needed to apologize for, and it wasn’t something Plants needed to apologize for.
Besides, the starting point was Calian anyway.
Wasn’t it a question that started when Calian, who was good at being caught, recognized the look in Flanz’s eyes that contained countless emotions that he couldn’t capture when he first saw him?
So it was not important whose words or whose mistakes brought Plantz here.
“I think you were just letting it go back then.”
“Is it true that you really don’t know anything?”
“Are you planning on watching again this time?”
Chase laughed.
And after a while, he answered in a quiet voice.
“It’s February next year.”
Are you saying you plan to start preparations from then, finish preparations by then, or are you saying something else?
After saying something enigmatic, Chase stared deeply at Plantz for a while, then his finger pointed towards Plantz. He pointed to a figure sitting with his legs crossed, leaning on a chair.
“When that time comes, Prince Planz will no longer be able to sit like that in front of me. He won’t even be able to speak down.”
Prince Planz and Crown Prince Chase.
Plantz was already disobeying Chase.
However, if the gap was bigger than that, Plantz would not be able to treat Chase the way he does now.
King Chase Dullahan Secretia.
In front of him.
“Your father may not be greedy enough to quietly hand over the crown.”
“Yes. I saw it correctly.”
“…… under.”
Now, Chase was talking about Devlan’s death and the day when he would ascend to the throne with such a calm expression. Plantz made a short wind noise.
“Lest you think that I am talking too calmly about my father’s death, I would like to add that it is not something that can be prevented. So, I hope there is no misunderstanding.”
There is no doubt that Devlan’s cause of death was that of a soldier.
Devlan’s health had been bad for a long time.
“okay.”
“I will prepare anything that can be prevented from then on. I may not be able to implement what Prince Planz said right now, but I will be able to prepare after I ascend to the throne.”
Regardless of when it started, it meant that I would move away from the position of just waiting and watching, so that was enough.
“okay.”
“Let me ask you just one question.”
So I gave a short answer and was about to get up, but Chase’s words grabbed Plantz.
“I do not live in the same country as Prince Planz. Are you confident that you will not be anxious about what impact my coming forward will have on this country? What will happen to my Secretia, who has decided to strengthen her power in earnest? “I don’t think there’s any concern about whether or not it will harm the lease.”
“It doesn’t matter to me whether you increase your strength or not.”
Plantz pointed out Chase’s misunderstanding.
“If my younger brother’s old brother changes his mind, it’s my brother, not me, who has to worry.”
“Surely Prince Calian is thinking of taking the throne himself? Not you.”
Plantz affirmed by not answering, and Chase looked a little surprised.
Chase did not know that Calian was trying to take the throne and that Plantz was not interested in the throne. Because the information brought by the birds did not contain the true intentions of the princes.
“… That’s surprising. I thought he would help Prince Planz after he ascended the throne this time, but I didn’t expect him to ascend to that position himself. He has never once shown interest in the throne in front of me. Because of that.”
“I’m not interested. Even now.”
Chase, who had been looking at Plants for a while, made a voice that seemed to soon disappear like water drops in a fountain.
“Is that so.”
“… So don’t pass it on to yourself.”
Plantz spoke quietly.
“Because I’m embracing something that was already my burden.”
With those words, Plantz stood up from his seat.
Now that he had said everything he wanted to say and Chase had answered, there was nothing he really had to say anymore.
* * *
Alan stared at Calian for a long time.
I kept waiting for an answer.
Isn’t it impossible to create a story now that I’ve never thought of before? Because of this, Calian laughed once again.
“… Don’t do that.”
Alan, who saw Calian’s smile, said this.
Calian wasn’t sure what answer to give to that, so he just nodded and answered.
“Do not worry.”
When I realized that I seemed to be saying this the most these days, my appetite got sour. So, after taking another sip of sweet milk tea, I opened my mouth.
“I have a favor to ask Lord Siren.”
It was something I had originally intended to convey, and it was also something I wanted to change the topic. Calian continued speaking to Alan, who was looking at Calian with the feeling of being deceived.
“I asked Siren, the president of the association, to look into the black pebble. But now that I can’t go there in person, I hope you’ll ask me often if there’s anything confirmed.”
Since I couldn’t keep calling the busy Euryah to the palace, I decided to ask Alan, who was a little busier but more capable.
Since the topic has already changed, there is no use bringing it up again. Alan put his bitter feelings aside for a moment and nodded.
“Yes, of course. But why are you suddenly trying to find out about that stone?”
“Actually, there are quite a few things I haven’t been able to tell Master. Especially about Brother Randel.”
“What happened?”
“It was a bit much.”
Alan was already extremely worried about Calian, so he gave up his desire to not cause unnecessary worry to Alan a little while ago. So, while he was worried about something, Kalian decided to do a little more and told the story over a long period of time.
The warriors of the great desert used the power of red light, and each time they used their power, the cobblestone glowed red. The pebble reacted to the rose that Randel had bloomed. About the power Randel used in front of Calian in the rose garden.
“No, Master.”
And then he stopped Alan, who looked like he was going to warp to the 5th floor right now.
Why on earth are all wizards so warlike?
I just can’t figure it out.
Alan asked the Wind Mage of Circle 4, who was thinking this while grinning.
“Did you just let Prince Randel’s wicked behavior go unnoticed?”
It was a rebuke like something a grandfather would give to his grandson who got hurt in a fight with his friends.
“I was curious. Why did Brother Randel treat you like that? I also thought that if I found out the reason, I might be able to understand.”
Calian answered, trying to erase the doubt that he was somehow responsible for what Lemain had done.
“So, when you say you can leave this room, I’d like to meet Brother Randel. We’re obviously in the same building, but we can’t meet each other, so I’ll have to go see him separately.”
“I wonder if there will be any problem if we meet again.”
“You can’t just leave it like that. Whether it’s a cornerstone of understanding or a continuation of mistakes, you have to try something.”
“That’s right. Anyway, it’s the magnanimity of such a generous person, so what can I object to?”
Alan, who had an extremely friendly expression on his face, let out a warm voice.
“Whatever you want to do instead, go ahead and do it.”
And he snapped his fingers.
– Perfect!
Calian’s eyes slowly closed.
Since the pretty student said that he would continue to work with a fresh face, wouldn’t it be the teacher’s duty to just let him sleep soundly?
Arsene, either you make a fuss or you don’t.
* * *
Relic quickly opened the door.
Plantz went inside without saying a word and closed the door. Since he meant to be alone, Reric looked at the closed door in front of him for a moment and then turned around.
And he made a surprised face.
It was because someone was standing right behind me.
I lowered my head and saw the crown of silver hair.
It was Hina.
“Did you come to get the cat?”
Hina nodded her head at Relic’s question. After returning from meeting Sia, it was time to feed her. Relic made an embarrassed face once again. Because Plantz clearly expressed his desire to be alone.
– Sweet.
At that time, the door opened again with a small sound. And a moment later, Plantz’s voice was heard from inside the door.
“Take him.”
It was the same order as one day.
Relic nodded after hearing Plantz’s words, and Hina bowed slightly before entering Plantz’s room.
As I was standing near the entrance, Planz pointed to where the cat was. It meant go in and take him away.
Hina smiled brightly and moved her hand while looking at Planz.
– thank you. Good prince.
What am I so thankful for every time?
And what are those words between ‘thank you’ and ‘prince’?
Instead of asking that, Plantz just nodded.
– Did the prince eat?
And Hina asked this.
Before Relic came, Calian’s maids took care of Plantz together with her, so Hina also knew that Plantz was prone to skipping meals.
“I have no idea.”
Hina’s expression turned stern.
– Please eat. If you keep skipping it…
And since Calian couldn’t understand it, he said the same thing to Plantz that he had memorized.
– I’m going to hang around.
Of course, I didn’t recognize Plants either.
[Side Story] Abtondent
Why do you learn the magic to forget pain?
There is you.
* * *
Peaceful.
No negligence.
okay. If I had to choose, it would be negligence. Rivern guys are generally lazy.
The Kairis guys are calculating and extravagant, the Secretia guys are extremely cruel, and the Tensil guys are full of fakery disguised as faith.
And the warriors of the Great Desert are mysterious and cruel.
I heard that there was another continent beyond the great desert or somewhere across the sea guarded by the sea dragon Arnaizel, but I didn’t feel like I wanted to go that far and go that far.
“I guess I’ll just go to a southern country and spend the rest of my life there.”
“I didn’t know there were so many places to call my father.”
Ronil, who was standing next to him, smiled and responded to Alan’s declaration that he would leave Tensil, where he had been for a while, and now go to Rivern.
It was a lame joke.
Ronil knew well that the invitations sent from Kairis and Secretia had long since turned into kindling and disappeared.
The dark blue hair that Alan’s wife passed away was passed down to him, and it looked quite nice to Alan, with his hair flowing and flowing in the wind. Ronil pulled out Alan’s face and fucked him.
“Why aren’t you going to Kairis? You’re close to Lord Siegfried.”
“I’m not going because it’s not fun.”
If Slayman had said, ‘My eldest son is sick, can we find a way to treat him together?’ he would have gone right away without even thinking about it. Ronil was a pretty useful pharmacist.
But at that time, Slayman left that out of the question and just said that it would be nice to come and stay for a while. That’s why I refused, and I found out about it only after the first son eventually passed away.
Anyway, I didn’t know what was going on at the time, so I didn’t go to Kairis because I thought it would be nice to go to a corner of the country and drink alcohol when the 7th circle was just around the corner.
So the place chosen was Rivern.
“Are you going with me too?”
Tensil was not a very good place for an apothecary to live.
It was a country with healers, and those who could not find a healer had no money to buy medicine, so there was no way they could make money.
Of course, it was the same for Ronil’s wife, Rachel. For wizards other than the talented wizard Alan, the Holy Kingdom was a difficult place to live in. Therefore, Rachel, who had followed Alan to Tensil to expand her knowledge, was having a hard time for no reason.
“We’ll go too.”
So Alan left Tensil with his son, his wife, and granddaughter Veronica. Went to Libern.
* * *
Are you not going to eat it?
Oh, is this a sweet drink?
Please give it to me. Because my father hates sweets.
I
go home and
I’ll drink it.
* * *
King Eline of Riverne was always playing.
“No. I’m not going to do it right away, so leave me alone.”
“So what do you plan to do with all of this?”
“If it’s urgent, you can do it.”
Alan achieved the 7th circle not long after arriving in Riverne. Even before I could get over the excitement of the job, my valuable labor began to be exploited for stamping documents.
For some reason, as soon as I arrived, he said he would support me with everything and asked me to sign a 10-year contract, but when I saw the document with only the magic ‘ma’ letter in it, he handed it over to Allen and I played around.
“Why did you invite me to sit down?”
“I’m old, but if there’s a young and handsome archmage next to me, no one will be able to tell even if I don’t do my work.”
What kind of crazy person would say something bad about you?
I swallowed the sound that was about to come out.
As for Eline.
He was a powerful monarch who was lazy, spoke harshly, and was always a little rambunctious. And Alan was brought in to check the one who was overstepping his power.
National Book Teian.
He was Eline’s husband.
So, he is putting off work related to the nobles who are on Teian’s side and is just playing around.
“It’s okay. All the things they ask me to do are beneficial to Teian.”
I said this dozens of times a day.
At the same time, he searched for and did things that would benefit him like a ghost. In the end, only Alan, who became involved in the power struggle between the couple, died.
I endured it for the first two years.
For the next three years, I endured it under the pretext of my friendship with Eline.
After 6 years, it exploded.
“Please cancel the contract. I can’t stand it any longer.”
Teian was suspicious of the relationship between the king and the great wizard. Since we haven’t been apart for an hour, if I’ve been able to postpone my doubts, I should say I’ve endured a lot.
In the end, Teian’s greed for power and his wife led him to do something he should not have done.
He sent Alan a poisoned drink.
Alan didn’t drink.
Ronil did it.
* * *
Helpless, helpless, and helpless.
[……Abtondant] There was
nothing
that could be done
.
* * *
A small land in Rivern.
I buried my only son in a heart smaller than that small piece of land.
The accident became an incident and the incident was concluded.
I never left Rivern.
I expected everyone to leave.
But Alan could not leave Riverne.
Eline apologized.
Teian was executed.
Before Alan could even forgive.
Before Alan could even ask for forgiveness.
It all ended like that.
Because I couldn’t forgive and I couldn’t ask.
There are so many things I couldn’t do.
I couldn’t leave Rivern easily.
It was the same this time too.
I endured it for the first two years. For the next three years, I endured it under the pretext of my friendship with Eline.
Since I had already lost it, I would never experience the same thing again. I consoled myself with that fact and endured.
When it seemed like everything was buried.
I finally left Rivern.
And then we met.
* * *
That’s how we met.
We finally met.
So I willingly made a commitment.
“Kalian Reyn Kairis.”
This Alan Manasil
you.
“Greetings to you, Master.”
I will save your life.
