Chapter 24. Cornerstone of Understanding (6)
There was a small sound of footsteps outside the curtain.
The maids carefully lifted the thick curtains of the bedroom. And after a while, Jan’s eyes turned round as he entered the bedroom.
“Did you really stay up all night again, prince?”
It was because he saw Kalian sitting against the head of the bed and waving goodbye.
In most cases, Calian was never the first to wake up. If I was awake, it was mostly because I had stayed up all night. In fact, even when he was working for Bern, he slept a lot in the morning, but it was rare that he came out and prepared before Teylan, who was his teacher. However, even if the body changes, the habit cannot be changed.
Calian quickly opened his mouth towards Yan, who was preparing to nag as usual.
“Did you have a good dream?”
Yan, who had almost answered ‘yes’ without realizing it, bit his mouth shut, and the corner of Kalian’s eyes rolled up.
“sorry.”
What is the scope of ‘betrayal’ in Marquis Evan Briesen’s opinion? I stayed up all night evaluating solutions for each of those countless families.
“I couldn’t sleep.”
“But still. Isn’t it time for you to rest well?”
It was clear that her improved complexion was not visible to Jan, so much so that Lemain forgot to ask how Calian was doing. He must have long since forgotten that he crossed the terrace and went to the fourth floor right before his eyes.
A silent laugh appeared on Calian’s lips when he saw Yan like that.
Kalian leisurely finished getting ready and came out into the hallway with Yan nagging him, which he never disliked. Of course, it was to have breakfast in a quiet room where the cat’s meowing lingered.
As they headed toward the stairs, Kalian quietly opened her mouth.
“I would like you to invite Lord Hertz to dinner tonight.”
“Yes, I will deliver it to Vice Commander Hertz. Are you two eating it?”
“No. My brother too.”
When Jan heard that, he laughed involuntarily. It didn’t feel like a good laugh, so Calian looked back for a moment.
“I’m sorry. It’s nothing.”
Jan would be the only servant who could say something to the prince that would mean something like, ‘I laughed a little when I heard you say it, but please don’t pay any attention to it.’ Of course, even after hearing these words from the attendant, he would just nod his head and the horse prince would be none other than Calian.
Anyway, the reason Jan laughed was because of Calian’s name.
Until around early last year, Kalian did not distinguish between Planz and Randel. When he had to say something, he only referred to them as ‘brothers’ or ‘two brothers’. Then, at some point, the title that used to be called ‘Planz’ briefly became ‘Brother Planz’ and then changed to what it is now.
I’m sure Plantz’s ‘my brother’ sound made me say that without realizing it, but I still don’t know whether to accept the change positively or not, so I laugh.
Anyway, Jan, who hastily suppressed his laughter, came up with an answer to Kalian’s words.
“For such an occasion, it would be better to eat at the restaurant. Prince Planz will also feel more comfortable that way. I will tell you to prepare it as soon as the time is confirmed.”
When Yan said this, Kalian looked at Yan again with surprising eyes and said.
“I didn’t think I would care whether my brother was uncomfortable or not.”
“Because the prince cares. I still don’t like Prince Planz, but I can’t continue to ignore him when he cares so much about me.”
Kalian knew that the day when Jan would fully understand Planz would never come. Because Jan will never forget Planz’s old self.
“okay.”
Therefore, Kalian only said this and nodded his head. Then he put his foot down on the stairs and spoke as if to give notice.
“And from today, I’ll be staying at the training center a little longer.”
“Huh? Prince now….”
Yan, who was about to say another word of concern, shut his mouth.
– Ta-bak-ta-bak.
It was because I heard someone coming down the stairs.
Calian, who had already been hearing the sound but did not stop talking, caught a glimpse of Yan’s face and continued climbing the stairs.
The sound of footsteps following at precise intervals, like the hands of a clock. It was Randel.
– Tak.
Randel’s feet stopped as he faced Calian.
And a cynicism that seemed to have no intention of hiding settled in Calian’s mouth.
‘How consistent you are.’
Just two steps.
His feet stopped two steps higher than where Kalian stood.
Last time it was three spaces, but this time it is two spaces.
If we meet a couple more times like this, will you look at us from the same height?
“yarn.”
“Yes, prince.”
“Tell this to my brother.”
Calian’s feet hit the steps.
This time too, he climbed two more stairs and stood side by side with Randel. And he opened his mouth without turning his gaze to his deep blue eyes.
“I said I couldn’t eat with you today.”
A message to Plantz comes first before a greeting to Randel.
It was Kalian’s response to ‘two flights of stairs’.
He said he would try to understand Randel, but he didn’t say he would lose.
* * *
One corner of Planz’s mouth slowly rose.
Creamy soup, steaming white bread, overflowing salad, boiled eggs and baked beans, smoked ham seasoned only with salt and no spices, fluffy grilled onions, and tomato juice.
It’s literally a diet that says, ‘I’ve eliminated everything I don’t like, so eat a lot and exercise.’ Since the sword technique used is different, it needs to use more strength than Calian, but it will gnaw when food is placed in front of it, which probably means that it is unpleasant to see.
“…I got the sword for nothing.”
I should have noticed when he was being nice to a person by giving him an overly good sword. He must have been planning this situation. You might think that if you receive a good sword, you should become a good swordsman.
“Niaaa Aeon!”
As if welcoming a friend who had just woken up, he said, ‘I am Prince Calian’s cat who prefers Prince Planz.’ The cat repeatedly circled around Plantz’s ankles.
Plantz, who was holding the cat, picked up the dried chicken that Relic had put down and handed it to the cat. Meanwhile, Reric informed Plantz of the information received from Jan.
“Prince Calian says he will not be attending today.”
After hearing that, Planz turned his head and looked back at his table. Two soups, two juices, two plates. It means that something happened so suddenly that you had to prepare a meal without being notified in advance.
“Have you met Brother Randel?”
Isn’t Kalyan the type of person who would skip meals unless it was something of that magnitude?
After the poisoned car incident, Kalian had been eating a lot to gain weight quickly, but things were a little different then and now.
Swordsmanship that is so fast that it burns the muscles, and the magic of the 4th circle that is always maintained to hide the auror. The amount of energy Calian consumes due to these two things is beyond imagination. So, even if I ate like that, I would not gain weight, let alone gain muscle.
Plantz knew it too.
Thanks to this, it was not difficult to guess the reason why Kalyan, who must eat, was not attending the meal. Unless it was something like meeting Randel, I wouldn’t put off eating.
Relic quickly asked as he saw Planz move back into the bedroom.
“Are you trying to skip a meal?”
“later.”
Rather than planning to skip it, I was planning to sleep a little more because I couldn’t sleep properly. Kalian wasn’t the only one who worried all night.
Reric held on to Planz’s steps for a moment.
“Prince Calian’s escort is waiting outside. If you would like to rest a little longer, can I tell you to come back later?”
Plantz looked irritated.
He said that in the afternoon he intended to go to the Arpia Palace to see Le Main, and that he would practice swordsmanship in the morning. That’s why he has already come and is waiting.
– I heard you’re weaker than I thought.
Kirie, who crossed swords with Planz last night, said only that and shut her up.
Kirie spoke little. There were as few as Plants. It wasn’t that he wasn’t curious about what he said, but unfortunately, Plantz was also the type of person who found his words annoying. That’s why he didn’t ask.
I was expecting that it wouldn’t be something like, ‘But you’re stronger than I thought.’
“Leave it.”
So Plantz told her not to send Kirie away and to leave her alone.
Planz, who was thinking about the tall Kirie, sat down in front of the table. And then I started eating breakfast, which didn’t bother my mouth at all.
No matter what, he didn’t want to continue losing to his younger brother’s servant.
* * *
– The broken axle of Tensil’s carriage was probably not an accident.
If Calian had already known these words that Chase asked him to convey, his attitude toward Randel might have changed a little.
But he didn’t know, so Calian’s attitude toward Randel didn’t change at all.
He climbed up two more stairs and took the planz first. After that, he set an example with an extremely good attitude. It was the same as the time when I threatened to kill him if he didn’t come under my control and said I would raise a dog in Camilon.
Randel, who looked at Calian for a moment, quietly opened his mouth.
“…Follow me.”
We were going to talk anyway.
Therefore, Kalian followed Randel and went to the rose garden.
As Kalian looked at Randel’s back, which did not feel the slightest bit of shaking, his memory briefly came to mind.
‘What was it like after becoming the king of Tensil?’
No matter how hard he tried his brain, he couldn’t remember anything.
Because it was Tensil.
Secretia and Tensil had a perfect antagonistic relationship.
It wasn’t to the point where we showed our teeth to each other, but it was always like that. I have always thought that it would not be surprising if a war broke out between the two at any moment.
Two countries of one origin.
Because those were Secretia and Tensil.
Among the eight heroes who led the War of the Two Gods to victory in the past, the first king Hatsuara, the ancient dragon Sispanian, and the knight Cythros Horn Siegfried who swore allegiance to Sispanian. The country they founded is Kairis.
However, there was one person who founded a country before them.
The last temple that served Serenti.
This is King Secretia.
– A nameless king.
Having founded her own nation called Secretia three years before Kairis, she died in her final moments without even leaving behind her name, erasing all traces of herself. It is not even known what the reason was.
Secretia, founded by an unknown king known only as ‘King Secretia’, did not have many problems at first.
However, around the time Sispanian disappeared from Cairis, a rebellion broke out centered around the priests of Secretia. This was because the Secretia royal family did not allow the use of healing techniques using sacred objects.
Secretia was a country whose military power was not very strong.
Therefore, the rebellion soon became independence.
That’s Tensil.
For this reason, Secretia and Tensil did not get along well.
Nevertheless, the reason that Bern, who ‘managed Sejak’, was in the dark about information about Tensil was because Bern was a king. Information about Tensil was managed directly by the kings, Devlan and Chase.
“I thought you would at least ask if I was okay now.”
Therefore, Calian, who did not know what would happen to Randel in the future, said this as he looked at the red bud that had just begun to open. This is why Randel, who had told her to follow him, started trimming the roses without saying a word.
Randel paused his hand for a moment at the sound of Calian’s voice coming from behind and then answered.
“Are you sure you deserve to be treated like that?”
… As expected, the only one who worries about me is Jan.
He said he almost died, but Le Main was relieved that he was eating well, and Randel said he wasn’t worried at all. Calian responded as if it was a joke.
“Because the warriors’ swords are sharper than I thought.”
“A warrior.”
Randel, who had been pondering the meaning of Calian’s words for a moment, turned his body and stood facing Calian.
Randel also knows that Tensil and the Great Desert are joining hands.
Randel does not know that it was the warriors of the Great Desert who attacked Calian.
A feeling of resentment toward Randel, who must have sat in the Chermil Palace and read a book in peace because he was being punished while Kalian and Planz were causing trouble. And no matter what, I felt relieved that I had confirmed once again that I was not the kind of person who would try to harm my younger brother through someone else’s help. I just felt so divided.
Calian’s mouth, expressing his strange feelings, drew an arc.
“Even Brother Randel doesn’t know who they are.”
Randel looked at Calian without answering.
Kalian shook his head and refused to look.
Kalian stretched out his arm and placed his hand on the rose that Randel had been examining just a moment ago. The power of Auror was contained at the tips of his long fingers.
“Look at me.”
The rose that my white, slender fingers brushed broke with a snap and fell to the floor. When Randel saw that, emotion flashed in his eyes for just a moment.
Calian uttered a cold voice toward Randel.
“Not this.”
I repeat.
I said I would try to understand, but I didn’t say I would lose.
[Side Story] Kirie
– Haven’t I told you yet?
-What do you mean?
– The meaning of your name. It makes a pretty good sense here.
* * *
Tap tap.
Dark spots appeared one by one on the moderately dry soil in the midday sun.
The water droplets that landed on the tip of my nose and forehead soon turned into rain. A pleasant smell of rain came out from the dry soil and soon dissipated.
I knew it had started to rain long ago, but I didn’t bother to turn my hands over and look at the sky. A drop of water fell without any hesitation and settled gently on the palm of my hand.
“It was so clear in the morning. It’s strange.”
“I told you so. It looked like it was going to rain.”
Bern grinned, saying something that was a bit of a mixture of scolding and teasing. He then held out his palm towards Chase. Since you lost the bet, it means asking for the money you bet.
Chase, who saw that triumphant smile, smiled and said.
“I don’t have it right now, so I’ll go in and give it to you.”
“You’re saying you forgot again.”
“When have I ever forgotten something like that?”
“Yes. A lot.”
Bickering again.
Kirie, who was watching the brothers from behind, smiled quietly.
So, this current incident started with a word from Bern that came out of nowhere.
‘older brother. ‘Will it rain today?’
As soon as he met Chase in the morning, Bern asked him this, and Chase casually answered, ‘I don’t think it will rain.’ Then Bern immediately said let’s make a bet.
Verne never turned down a bet, so Chase nodded his head again. Bern, who smiled meaningfully at that smile, looked back and said this.
‘Take care of Kirie. ‘Because you clearly said it wouldn’t rain.’
‘yes. All right.’
Kiri, the only knight who pledged allegiance to King Bern rather than Knight Bern, responded as follows.
It was always like this.
Verne proposed a bet first, and when Chase accepted, Kyrie became a witness. When the betting started like that, it always ended in a fight.
“I don’t remember forgetting to give you the money.”
“You don’t know how many times I’ve said that already.”
It was something nobles probably couldn’t even imagine in their dreams.
To think that King Bern would be grumbling to King Chase with only one silver coin.
A seemingly invisible smile appeared on Kirie’s lips as she looked at her brothers like that. One was the king and the other was the king, but they were just brothers. I just liked it.
When they were not kings and monarchies.
okay. The day Kirie first met them, their appearance was no different from now.
In particular, Bern was exactly the same as it is now. Compared to now, his mouth was a little rougher and his eyes were a little more fierce, but it was the same anyway.
At least that’s how Kyrie saw it.
* * *
When I first met Bern.
There was a big flood in Tensil. It was a disaster that occurred just as spring was coming.
Wheat was plentiful and salt was scarce.
Wheat for the nobility was inherently expensive. Salt was more expensive.
The bodies of the poor who could not get wheat and salt rotted.
Those who could not endure it crossed the border.
It was better to hide in Secretia than in Kairis, which was overflowing with troops. At least Secretia did not unconditionally execute refugees.
Of course, that was the situation for refugees.
Secretia could not unconditionally accept those crossing the border. Infectious diseases could be brought in, crime could increase, and above all, it was difficult to fully support their settlement.
“So what does your father tell you to do?”
Unless nobles or Devlan were in front of him, Bern always called Devlan ‘father’.
It wasn’t because he was friendly.
If he didn’t call him that, he couldn’t be sure when and how he would betray humanity. That’s how much he hated Devlan.
Although he didn’t know Vern, Chase didn’t say much about him. Contrary to appearances, Chase was not on good terms with Devlan, and he also knew Bern’s temperament well.
“Let’s take a look and decide.”
“Did your father entrust the issue of refugees to your brother?”
“Yeah. That’s what you said. So I guess I’ll see for myself and decide.”
Devlan handed over the control over the life and death of hundreds or more refugees to the Crown Prince, who had just turned nineteen. As a result, some kind of problem might arise between Tensil and Secretia.
“I’ll just go see the escort.”
Bern said this and smiled slightly.
This meant that Devlan would not interfere with his first test given to the crown prince. Chase, who had expressed his intention to solve the problem with Verne, saying, ‘Let’s take a look and decide’, just nodded without saying anything.
The crown prince and the prince set foot in a place where there were people who were caught crossing the border.
The number of refugees gathered in the wide open space without a single tent was as large as expected.
Bern’s eyes looked around them without even getting off the horse, and stopped at one place. Sharp, light purple eyes were pinpointing one person among the numerous refugees.
“…… that.”
When faced with the problem Chase presented.
When he encounters an enemy that is difficult to deal with.
When he finds a force that needs to be killed.
The expression he used to make when he was faced with something of interest, no matter what it was, appeared on Bern’s face.
“I’m not a refugee.”
Bern’s lips drew a long line as he looked at the light-colored haired boy.
* * *
He was a year younger than Chase.
So he was one year older than Bern.
Of course, they were royals, so the age difference did not change a person’s status.
“Eighteen.”
A deep curiosity appeared in Bern’s light purple eyes.
Why was I stuck among the people in Tensil?
Why did he want to come to Secretia?
Why did he leave Kairis?
Why are you only eighteen?
Why does he have such a strong smell of blood?
As much as me.
“That’s right.”
Two different colored eyes were looking straight at Bern. Bern, seeing those eyes, smiled once again.
“This guy’s eyes are rolling.”
Just as much as me.
That was Bern’s first impression of Kyrie.
So he liked it, Verne said later, when he was drunk.
Because my eyes are turning.
“Do you use a sword? Or do you use your fists?”
“I write everything.”
“okay.”
At the same time as those words were said, a long silver sword was pulled out of its scabbard and thrown in front of Kirie. It was Bern’s sword. As he was staring at it, Bern’s mouth opened.
“Try it.”
The knights around me looked nervous for a moment.
I wasn’t worried about Bern.
The look in his eyes seemed as if he was planning to cut a young boy to death in front of countless refugees. Bern said with a grin after scanning the articles.
“Don’t worry. This bastard won’t die in a place like this.”
– Taaat!
It was as if he had been waiting for those words.
As soon as Bern finished speaking, Kirie’s body moved like a thunderbolt. He picked up the sword that had fallen on the floor and thrust it straight at Bern.
Bern stood in place and turned his body.
The sword I learned from the corner of my eye without any context did not even graze Bern’s collar. And Bern put out his foot and kicked Kyrie straight away.
– Cradangtang!
Then
“Look.”
do.
He grinned at Kirie, who was far away.
* * *
“name.”
“This is Kirie.”
Bern chuckled after hearing that.
“That’s a grand name.”
Kirie was sitting in the chair across from Bern. It was because of Bern’s order not to kneel anymore.
Although he tried to attack the prince, he was not arrested. Bern gave Kirie water to wash, gave her new clothes, and fed her. And then we sat down face to face and started talking again.
It was definitely the case that he came out after washing up.
Nevertheless, the bloody smell that was wafting through the air did not go away. It was subtle enough for the knights to not notice, but not for Bern.
Nevertheless, Bern did not ask about it. He didn’t even ask why Kairis ran away. Instead he put something else into his mouth.
“Kiri. Do you want to become a knight?”
Two eyes of different colors.
Kyrie’s eyes came to life for the first time.
Maybe it should be called aspiration.
“It’s a sword.”
It’s a sword.
Bern’s eyes sharpened.
Kirie did not avoid those eyes. Kirie opened her mouth again with murderous eyes in front of her that even Devlan was reluctant to look at.
“I will become a sword.”
Will that sword be a sword that cuts people or a sword that protects people? He didn’t ask such boring questions. Because Bern was not the type of person who liked that kind of thing.
“good.”
Bern grinned and said, “Try it.”
“I’ll make it for you.”
* * *
– Aren’t you curious? What does your name mean?
– I wonder.
– The name is short, but the meaning is a bit long.
– What do you mean by it being long?
– I’m not going to teach you. forever.
– …… Why don’t you tell me?
– I said it was plausible, but I didn’t say it was good.
– yes.
– what. Aren’t you curious about what’s bad?
– None of that is correct anyway.
– is it.
Then my name doesn’t even fit.
* * *
“Did you bet again?”
“Ah. I did.”
“Not long ago, you made a bet on whether it would rain or not.”
Bern nodded towards Kyrie, who spoke in a slightly harsh tone.
“This was a bit of a long-term bet. I think I did it about three years ago.”
Since it was a long-term bet, the stakes seem to have been high. Bern laughed, flipping a gold coin he had received from Chase with a proud face.
“I got some free money. Let’s go get a drink.”
Bern was the only one who used the same tone he used as a prince when he spoke to Kirie.
And when it came to alcohol, he couldn’t help himself.
But always, ‘You like alcohol more than I do.’ And I made an excuse to Kiri.
I didn’t go to the bar much.
This is because when Bern opened the door to the bar and entered, the air in the bar was hard and frozen. He had taken on that role himself, so what could he do? Bern, who was drunk, was not very pleased with the atmosphere.
Bern wasn’t that harsh when he was drunk.
Only Kiri, who had taken the drink with him, knew that this was Bern’s true appearance.
Bern grinned as he took out all kinds of alcohol from the palace’s liquor store and placed a gold coin on the empty spot.
“If I just bring this up, my brother won’t scold me.”
Then he climbed to the top of the palace spire.
Secreta, the capital of Secretia.
It was the only place where the entire Secreta could be seen. It was Bern’s favorite place.
He went up to that place and drank until he got drunk.
It didn’t even matter what type. There was no such thing as snacks. It wasn’t like I was drinking because something was going on. I just drank because it felt good, and I drank because I felt bad.
Even though he could shake off his intoxication, he didn’t bother to do so. He was so drunk that he always came down the steeple on Kyrie’s back.
“Aren’t you curious about what you bet on?”
Bern asked with a twisted pronunciation while riding on Kirie’s back.
“I wonder.”
“Then you should ask.”
Kirie was generally like this. He rarely asked first. Bern always felt frustrated and sad about it. Of course, he didn’t show it.
“What bet did you make?”
“How tall will you grow?”
You may or may not grow tall enough to have to bow your head when you pass through the door to the knight’s training room. But this morning, I saw you come in with your head down. So I won.
Kirie laughed softly at the muttered words.
The king and king of a country
I bet a silver coin to see if it would rain or not.
He bet a gold coin to see how tall his subordinate would be.
A place where such bets end up in bickering.
Secretia was that kind of place.
forever and ever
It had to be that kind of place.
But I couldn’t.
* * *
last day.
On the spire that Bern loved so much.
‘…Kiri.’
What Chase said.
It was someone’s name
It wasn’t just someone’s name.
Kirie it is.
Asking for mercy from a sleeping god
It was the last verse of the prayer for Serenti.
* * *
A hero who will never be forgotten.
This is the last hero of Secretia. A hero who gave up everything for the chase. The hero who gave life to Kirie, who had given up everything.
Bern.
Bern, who was supposed to guard the king’s side, came out of the castle gate.
He knows it’s already too late. Everyone knew, including Bern. He held the sword knowingly. He held the sword because he knew.
They were all the king’s swords.
– Planz Rurun Kairis requested the axis of time.
– Secretia refused.
In the face of sudden war, Secretia was strong and weak. I burned my life until the very end in front of the magicians and white devils they put forward. He died hugging the wizard with his body engulfed in flames.
hell.
okay. If there is hell, it would be right here.
The Vulcans of Planz made Secretia a hell. Secretia, where the king and emperor were betting for a piece of silver, became hell.
“Come to your senses.”
They said Teilan was dead.
Bern didn’t cry.
“Don’t… stop.”
I pushed away Chase, who was crying and blocking me, and went to the front of the castle gate.
“Repaying the favor….”
A forty-eight-year-old knight died before him.
“……It’s just this…”
When Kirie’s blood-filled words stopped.
Bern finally sobbed.
I cried as I saw Kirie, who blocked my path and was pierced by an arrow and died. I cried because I remembered the smile I had when I was just about to enter the path of the sword. The expression on his face that told me to stop betting was so funny that I cried. I cried because I remembered the last drink I always saved for carrying drunk Vern down.
My eyes, which had longed to see my younger brother, cried out of pity.
I’m just going to go like this. To go like this.
I cried because I felt sorry for the life he sacrificed for his loyalty.
I cried because I was sad about his life.
I cried because I knew this was the end for everyone.
* * *
So, Serenti.
Please have mercy.
with all my life
Will you repay me?
[Kyrie]
