Chapter 23. If such a day comes (8)
Kalyan ate.
An explanation of why Heisia Palace was built the way it was. A story about what they had in mind this time and what plans they were making. didn’t do anything I really just ate rice. I tore off the bread, put it in my mouth, chewed the bacon, swallowed it, picked up the salad, ate it, and drank some water.
When the topic of having a meal together came up, the word ‘together’ was completely forgotten, as if the world’s most exquisite feast was in front of them.
He was eating very well, quietly and gracefully.
After staring at that absurd sight for a while, one corner of his mouth suddenly curled up.
‘To be frivolous.’
It’s because I remember saying something like that once.
“Are you not eating?”
Calian, who put down his water cup, looked at Plants and asked.
Strictly speaking, it should be said that I ate it all rather than that I didn’t eat it. Just like Kalian, he only ate today and didn’t feel like he was going to die, but Planz definitely ate too.
“it’s okay.”
“yes.”
So, when I responded with the meaning of ‘I ate it all,’ the answer came out as if I had been waiting.
Calian, who had given a sharp answer, picked up a neatly folded napkin and wiped his mouth. Then he got up and walked towards the terrace. Just looking at it, it looks like they are going back down now that they have finished eating.
Plantz opened his mouth, making a sound that was a mixture of a short sigh and laughter.
“Calian.”
“yes.”
“sit down.”
“yes.”
Calian, who answered immediately, walked back and sat down in his original seat. Seeing that, Plantz let out another laugh.
Are you listening well or not?
It was quiet outside the window and quiet inside.
While the maids approached and carefully removed the dishes from the table, Calian was staring at Plants.
“Thank you. Let’s go out.”
Soon, the maids who had placed tea and dessert on the table took a step back, and Kalian sent them away with these words.
Plantz’s words came out with the sound of the door closing.
“Why are you doing this?”
It was the same question asked before eating, but the meaning was different. I was asking why they would go to such lengths to save my life.
Calian, who inexplicably understood Plantz’s words very well, tilted his head slightly and opened his mouth.
“Do I have to tell you?”
Moment by moment, Kalian continued to save Plants.
I know how hard Kalian must have tried to avoid killing himself at the first breakfast. From taking out the auror I had hidden to block Sillike’s dagger, to lending my power, to yesterday’s incident.
Planz quietly closed his eyes. And asked.
“I don’t understand.”
I know that he is not the type of person who would do something like that out of sympathy or something.
Not only was he not the type of person to pity him in the first place, but he was also not the type of person who would not know that he was being treated with such unbecoming feelings.
So, can you please say something now?
The reason is that they will destroy the palace to save it.
Calian’s gaze went down.
The light green mint tea had a cool, sweet scent. The mint leaves floating in the tea slowly swirled around.
Calian, who was staring at it quietly, opened his mouth.
“I’m just scared.”
It wasn’t a plan for the future or an explanation of what was in mind.
Plantz’s brow furrowed at the unexpected answer.
* * *
Are blueberries purple or blue?
There was a time when we were talking about it and it ended up being an argument. Of course, this happened when I was very young.
It was around the time when Hina had just learned sign language.
Hina, who explained with clumsy hand gestures that it was ‘blue’, was unable to refute Kirie’s words. Because my hands were slower than my words and I didn’t know many words. Little Hina burst into tears due to the injustice.
So Hina won.
After that, for Kyrie, blueberries were always blue, so of course ice cream with blueberries was light blue.
“Hina.”
Kirie, who brought two light blue ice creams made by the chef of Chermil Palace, called out to Hina, who was waving a carrot in front of Raven, who was exercising in a noble manner.
Hina, who heard Kirie’s voice, ran over with a happy smile on her face, took a bite of the ice cream in Kirie’s hand, and moved her hand.
– delicious.
None of the three princes in the palace enjoyed ice cream, but the chef made ice cream of various flavors from time to time. This was because Kalyan asked for it after finding out how much Hina liked ice cream.
Of course, even if there was no such request, if Hina liked it, she would have willingly worked hard, but anyway, it was like that.
– Are you here to give me this?
Kirie nodded and smiled.
It was a pretty refreshing smile that was only shown in front of Hina.
– Great. I have something to say to my brother.
After saying this, Hina walked towards the promenade in the back garden of Chermil Palace where Kirie and Jan had talked together before. Kirie, who was sitting on the bench and putting down both ice creams next to Hina, said as she unsheathed her sword and placed it on her lap.
“What’s going on?”
Hina didn’t answer for a moment, then took Kirie’s hand and wrote the word ‘Valkan’ on it.
– The kind prince told me to tell him if he wanted to work here.
It was a name I didn’t expect.
Kirie looked down at her palm and thought about something for a moment before asking.
“Vulcan? Are you asking me to work as a healer?”
Hina looked surprised at those words. It was surprising that the bear-like Kirie immediately recognized Kalian’s intentions, which even Hina could not understand at first.
– how did you know?
Kyrie laughed.
With a smile that was a little different from the cool smile he showed a moment ago, he looked for a moment at the inky-colored sword he had placed on his lap.
‘It’s Uncheol.’
Calian said only that as he handed over the sword, and Kyrie understood what he meant by giving it to her.
This is because Kirie knew well what clouds were.
Isn’t it one of the few precious materials that can contain aura? So, giving the Cloud Iron Sword meant that he hoped Kirie would quickly become the ‘seventh sword’.
So I practiced harder and overcame one wall. And defeated Kalyan.
As Calian said, Calian’s body was not normal and he did not use his aurors, but it was clear that he defeated Calian with pure swordsmanship.
That may be why Kalyan thought of showing Hina another path. Because Kyrie defeated Calian, it meant that she was one step closer to becoming Calian’s ‘sword’.
You never know when you will face death.
“If it’s okay with you, I think it would be a good idea to give it a try.”
Kalian knew Kyrie well.
I knew that this was a guy who would sacrifice his life just because he believed in him and gave him a chance.
– Why do you think it would be good?
Calian did not tell him about Kyrie in the past, but Kyrie clearly believed that he died before Bern. He would have died protecting Bern by any means or for any reason.
Kirie thought this time would be no different. Of course, it was clear that Calian was thinking the same thing.
“I don’t know if the prince will be able to help me forever, but it’s better than continuing to be a palace maid. I need to think of a way to live without help.”
So that Hina can continue to live even if Kalian is not there and even if Kirie is not there. I understood that I was giving Hina a way so that I could live with what I wanted to do.
Hina looked at Kirie for a moment and spoke.
-What’s wrong with you both?
Two ice creams, one intact and the other melting without even taking a few bites. Hina spoke without even paying attention to the ice cream that was turning light blue.
– Both my brother and the caring prince are strange.
“Are the prince and I strange?”
When I asked this, Hina nodded. Then, in front of Calian, he expressed his anger that he had tried hard to hide at Kyrie.
– Why live while thinking about dying?
Hina’s hand movements became faster.
– The kind prince doesn’t want to have anything. I want you to remove my name from my cat’s collar. I try not to leave anything behind. But so does my brother. why?
“Hina. It’s not like that.”
A prince who lives in the safest palace in Kairis and always puts his life on the line. And isn’t that the prince’s bodyguard?
So, you just have to be prepared because you never know when something might happen. I don’t live with the intention of dying.
I didn’t know exactly what Calian was thinking, but I tried to say that. But Hina stopped Kirie.
– I’m going there. I’m going to go and become a healer. I will live helping my brother and the prince until I grow old and die.
Kirie was just looking at Hina’s hand without answering. I forgot everything I had thought of saying to comfort Hina just a moment ago.
When Kirie didn’t respond, Hina spoke again.
– You fools, you think it’s really cool to die without regrets.
Then he got up and went back to Chermil Palace.
The ice cream, which had turned into light blue water, shook for a moment.
* * *
The great desert of the north is always frozen.
If I were told that flowers bloom and butterflies flutter there, I would rather believe that.
But Kalyan is scared.
He just said that without any hesitation. Without saying another word, I picked up a tea spoon and touched the mint leaves floating in the teacup.
Sixteen-year-old Planz, who was quietly mulling over the words of his younger brother, who I don’t even know how old he is, blurted out.
“My brother, who is so timid, destroyed my mother’s palace yesterday.”
“Because it’s not where my mother used to stay.”
After saying that, Calian let out a small laugh.
“There were other reasons as well.”
It wasn’t because of just one plant that got rid of it.
Planz had been trying to figure out what he was thinking all night long, so instead of asking what it was, he brought up the original topic again.
“How many times are you going to ask?”
It was his first time asking such a persistent question, so he was just about to ignore it when Calian opened his mouth.
“Aow!”
‘I am Prince Calian’s cat who prefers Prince Planz.’
A cat came into Planz’s room. Then, for some reason, he came up to Calian’s lap instead of Plantz’s and took a seat.
Calian, who picked up the cat and looked down at the leash, laughed. This is because I saw that the content had not changed.
“They said they didn’t like it. They really didn’t delete it.”
“…It’s annoying.”
Calian understood Plantz’s short words very well, and Plantz read Calian’s thoughts very well. I again noticed what Calian was saying.
Calian raised his head, looked at Plantz, grinned, and opened his mouth.
“You’re so smart that I can’t even say a word in front of you.”
“Don’t bark.”
I went to Chase and told him to get ready, but I realized that the younger guy in front of me had no regrets about life.
That is why we are trying to save Plants.
In the unlikely event that Kalyan is absent, sit on the throne in Kalyan’s place.
Plantz leaned back against the backrest.
Plantz, who was sitting like that and staring into red eyes, opened his mouth.
“I would have said no.”
“I know you’re not interested in the position. Just. I keep thinking like that.”
“What are you thinking?”
“Because of Serenti’s cursed behavior that may be a joke or consideration, I am moving like this by borrowing a body that is about to become a dead person…” Calian laughed. “My
purpose
is If that day ever comes. No, when that day comes. Will my life continue after that? Because I don’t know.”
I was afraid of that.
I wasn’t afraid of dying, but I was afraid that the empty spot would be revealed. After
meeting the Blue Warbler, meeting Cispanian, meeting Chase, and experiencing the white eagle, I found
that empty spot where Verne disappeared. Calian was expressing the thought that he had been developing ever since he began to feel it in front of his brother who was much younger than me and who was like an enemy.
“I am already living more desperately than anyone else. I have no intention of disappearing easily or dying. But just in case.”
Still, if that day comes. If that unavoidable day comes.
“I hope my smart brother, like the time he came to Siegfried’s mansion, will do something.”
Calian laughed.
Plantz did not laugh.
He lifted the tea without saying a word. Calian’s unlucky servant brought tea that was perfect for Calian’s taste. An unfamiliar mint scent lingered in my mouth. “Stop barking.” He drank the mint
tea
. Planz, who took a sip and put it down, opened his mouth like this:
“… I will live the way my brother wants.”
I will eat the way he wants, so you will have to endure the hardships of your life at Arfia Palace on your own. I know that’s what he meant
. I don’t know if you heard it.
