Chapter 35. Ghost (5)
It’s definitely crazy.
He’s an ice mage, so I don’t know why he likes explosions so much. I asked him one day and he said he didn’t know. I don’t know, but I just thought it was good.
“I didn’t tell you at the time, but the prince is a very good person. I don’t know if the reasons have increased to the point where it is difficult to explain accurately, or if there was no special reason from the beginning, but I just follow the prince because he is a good person.”
Then, one day, when Calian asked me why he was following me, I started to give the answer I had not given, after asking him to ‘protect my position’. But actually, I don’t know the exact reason why I follow Kalyan. They said I was just following him because he seemed like a good person, but I had no idea what the criteria for being a good person were.
Afterwards, Arsene took a swig of the pear-flavored green tea placed in front of him. After drinking the tea in one gulp, without even having time to savor the cool, sweet scent, like a person with a burning throat due to being so nervous, he continued talking with the same smile on his face as usual.
“I don’t know if you know, Prince, but I always tell my opponent my name before a fight. It has become a habit as I live by what my teacher taught me.”
Calian didn’t really answer that question, but he didn’t ask what it meant either. This is because I felt like I could hear Arsene’s voice again, talking about ‘Arsene Hertz, Commander of the Balkan Corps’ through fragments of unforgettable memories.
“I would like to add, ‘that day’ the prince was probably the first time I asked someone’s name. Even if I don’t remember, I’m sure of that.”
Isn’t this a completely different reaction from Plantz?
The way he talks about that day so casually is both absurd and funny. But on the other hand, Calian smiled and asked because it was a little painful.
“Are you saying that I should at least be proud of giving my life to you?”
Arsene, who heard this, nodded once and answered as if what Calian had guessed was true.
“The prince made me sit in front of him like this. Shouldn’t you know at least one reason to believe that the prince’s choice is the best?”
Even if you knew that it wasn’t a problem that could be solved by using a sword, no matter how much you knew it in your head, it’s really not easy to keep that person by your side and trust them. I don’t know about Calian or Arsene, but didn’t Plants also think like that at some point? There’s no way you can do that without going crazy.
So now, Arsene brought up that painful story in order to let Calian, who had decided to keep Arsene by his side, know one fact that would make him think that his choice was not wrong. In order to put it in Calian’s hand to prevent him from spinning further while seeing Arsene in front of him.
Arsene must have respected Bern in the past. I guess he thought it was a waste to take his life. So, it was also a way of telling me not to feel like my heart was cooling down anymore.
“Anyway, Sir, you are a strange person.”
Calian, who fully understood what Arsene meant, shook his head as he said this. Since everyone is telling us to casually say things we want to avoid and take comfort in them, how can we act like this without being strange in some way?
“I already know. I thought that way back then, but you wouldn’t know it now.”
I still remember that I dealt with Bern with clear courtesy, without mocking him or taking him lightly. I might have blamed Plants that day, but I never blamed Arsene. I just treated him a little harshly.
“I’m glad you already know.”
Arsene blurted out something that was unclear as to whether it had anything to do with asking him to protect his seat or not. He looked at Calian with eyes of light that cooled him deep inside and gave him the real answer, a little too late.
“I took that person’s last breath, so I will repay you by protecting him this time. I have killed many people with my mind, but I have never watched them with my mind. I will do my best to protect you with all my heart, prince.”
“No. I told you to stay in my place, not me.”
“Don’t hesitate and don’t worry. No matter what happens, I can’t protect the prince.”
You crazy guy.
Listen to what people say.
“Ah… I guess I really saved him for no reason.”
I change my mind twelve times a day.
I really think they should have killed him, but I also wonder how fortunate I am that he was saved. Arsene was that kind of person.
Arsene, who saw Calian saying this with a face that didn’t know whether he wanted to cry or laugh, looked at Calian with eyes full of faith. And finally, I took out the words I had kept deep in my heart.
So, I wonder if you can either allow me to make a statue or burn that reflection.
So Calian smiled prettily and told him to go away.
* * *
My complexion was not good.
Even if I’m not in a good mood, I’m definitely not the type of person who shows it out loud, but this time it was a little different. The facial glow was clearly not good.
– Can I come in now?
“Why are you kidding me if I tell you that our flower-like prince is unwell?” answered Jan, who thanked Hina for coming straight up without any suspicion in the palace, where there were so many people.
“Yes. You just woke up and got ready.”
Anyway, if you tell Kalian that you’re sick somewhere and ask him to call Hina, he’ll tell you that you’re not sick anywhere. Wouldn’t you believe it if you’ve experienced something good while believing that it’s okay?
“Please, Lord Bern.”
So Jan just called Hina as he pleased.
Jan, who announced his entrance with two loud, steady knocks, opened the door to Kalian’s room and let Hina in. When Jan saw Kalyan, who was standing looking outside the terrace, look quite surprised at Hina, he did not go in together and closed the door from the outside.
Because I knew that treatment was Hina’s responsibility.
Kalian, who saw Hina entering like that, closed the door and let out a short sigh as he watched Jan disappear. Anyone could see that it was a normal face with no pain anywhere, but I thought that only Jan’s eyes saw something else.
“Hina.”
For some reason, he brought me two cups of tea.
I thought he brought it to drink with me, but it seems he was bringing Hina over.
The warm cocoa sweetened with strawberry syrup, which is not suitable for this hot day, seems to have been brought to the mind of Kalyan, who is sick, and Hina, who loves sweets.
– It looks really bad.
Hina, standing next to Kalian who was seated, said this and placed her hand on Kalian’s forehead. Calian just laughed because he didn’t like the warm body temperature.
“Don’t worry. It’s not anything bad.”
Anyone who sees him will think that he is a prince from the 5th floor who lives a luxurious life. It can only be fun to worry so much about someone who won’t even take a breath even if you jump out the window and run to the forest right now.
– Then did you have a bad dream?
However, since she was almost as strong as Yan in not believing Kalian’s words that it was okay, Hina completely ignored the answer she received and took her hand away from Kalian’s forehead and asked again.
ah. I got caught.
And Calian laughed again.
“A long time ago, I once had a dream about meeting someone who was sad to leave, and after that, I once had a dream about meeting someone who was sad because they were already gone.”
Hina was still standing next to Kalian and quietly listened to his story. Hina, who had never and could not interrupt someone’s conversation, always liked to quietly listen to someone’s story like this.
“Today I had a dream about meeting a scary person because I felt like I wouldn’t leave. It was like I saw a ghost.”
Hina, who heard those words, continued to look at Kalian like that and moved her hands silently.
– When my brother was young, he told me that ducks quack. I hadn’t seen the duck, so I didn’t know what it sounded like.
Hina, who said this very slowly in case Kalian might not recognize her, looked at Kalian for a moment. Then, after making sure that everything he said was understood, he continued speaking.
– I had a dream that day, and a large duck, bigger than this room, followed me, quacking.
It’s so funny to talk about the scariest dream in the world.
Kalian waited for Hina’s next words with interested eyes. Hina opened her eyes wide as if she had seen something scary, and then smiled brightly again.
– So in the morning, I cried and said I had a scary dream because of my brother. That day, my brother took me to the lake. A yellow duckling followed the white duck and made quacking sounds. It was so cute that from that day on, I was no longer afraid of ducks.
The story is that even though we don’t know who the scary person Calian thinks is, if we get to know him, he might not be that scary anymore.
Calian nodded.
Hina is right. No matter how much that author stayed in Bern’s mind like a ghost, he might not stay in Kalian’s as well.
“Hina. I have something to ask you.”
Hina nodded to Kalian’s question, who was quietly considering Hina’s words.
“There’s someone who might live a long, long time if they get treatment. And I want that person to disappear forever. But he or she might want your help. He might ask you to come and fix him.”
What are you going to do, Hina?
Would you be disappointed if I told you to turn your head away from him? Are you going to be angry?
Maybe that was even scarier, so Kalyan looked at Hina with eyes filled with unanswered questions.
Hina, who was looking at Kalian with clear eyes that sparkled black like those of a baby duck, answered.
– I won’t fix it.
I don’t know who it is, but Hina will definitely know that his diseased area is completely different from Arsene’s bruised back neck, but I won’t fix it. That’s how I answered.
– I’m not the kind of person who wants to fix anyone. If you don’t like the prince, you can hate me too.
ah.
– Are you a very bad person?
Calian nodded.
“I feel like that person is like a ghost and will follow me around forever.”
Anyone who sees a healer in front of them will say one thing or another. Because not only Plants but also Calian is the same.
– scary?
“No, it just hurts. When I think about it, it just hurts a little.”
Hearing those words, Hina laughed like Yunseul on the water.
– thank god.
And then he said this.
Kalian said he was sick, and although he didn’t know what was so good, he smiled brightly and said that he was glad.
– If it hurts, I can heal it. He’s a scary person, but I’m glad he’s not scared and is in pain.
Even if I can’t heal that scary person, I can heal Calian’s pain, so I will heal him at any time. Hina answered like that.
– Tell me if it hurts. I’ll make sure to fix it.
Calian nodded.
Those words alone were an answer that meant he was already healed.
* * *
It’s hot.
Even though Kairisis is one of the coldest places in Kairis, summers are still hot.
Reric, who lived near the County of Kenez, which is about 15 days further south from Siegfried’s Territory, did not seem to be very uncomfortable with this hot day, but Plantz was not.
hot. It was hot as soon as I came out of Chermil Palace.
It’s hot in the morning and I’m irritated. It’s already annoying, but it’s even more annoying because the guy standing in front of me is getting on my nerves.
“Ask for it. Quickly.”
Plantz, who was as quick-witted as he was intelligent, realized that the guy in front of him had something to say today as well. However, this guy just keeps watching and has no intention of revealing what he has been hiding.
“What do you mean, Vice Commander?”
The bird of Secretia, who always sneaked up and inserted letters and then disappeared, was inwardly embarrassed by Plantz’s suddenly approaching and endless demands, but pretended not to notice and took a step back.
‘Could it be that Vice Commander Hertz revealed my identity?’
After thinking about this, the bird quickly concluded that this would not be the case. Even though the two were sharing the same office, they were never meant to share such things.
His prediction was accurate.
Obviously, Arsene did not inform Plantz about the letter he received from Sejak of Secretia. Calian also did not tell Plantz who he was.
It’s just that Plantz knew the guy’s identity long ago and left it alone.
He behaved discreetly today as well and was starting his day properly. I tried to guess when to deliver the letter to Plantz based on the situation, but it wasn’t enough to attract anyone’s attention. Nevertheless, you can’t help but be surprised that Plantz comes straight to you and asks for something quickly.
“Ask for something from the guy with purple eyes.”
At that moment, he barely restrained himself from rushing towards Planz. Of course, seeing him like that, Plantz was really trying to be patient, but he didn’t know that.
“Right Now.”
It was annoying to be hot, it was annoying to have to be a Jeon Seo-gu again because Chase bothered to send another letter, and the prince with the green eyes, who was also annoyed that the guy in front of him was trying to get away until the end, exerted his last patience and said this. I thought to myself that if I go off the rails this time, I’ll just send that guy out of the Balkans.
As if reading his mind, he hid his sharp eyes and handed a letter to Plantz. And then it flew away at the speed of the wind.
Like the one delivered to Arsene, it was probably sent through a hawk, but it was slightly larger than usual. Not only that, it was always rolled up, but today it was properly folded and sealed.
– As fast as possible.
And on the outside, only these short words were written:
There is only one reason why it was sealed. This was probably to prevent anyone other than Calian from opening it in advance.
Planz looked down for a moment at the sentence written on the outside of the letter sealed with a seal without a seal, and then frowned.
“…… It’s not.”
Wasn’t it Plantz, who had grown tired of looking at Chase’s letters against his will? But now those letters were annoying to my eyes. That was also very annoying. It was clearly Chase’s handwriting, but it felt a little different.
So, it was as if someone had perfectly imitated Chase’s handwriting.
Planz, who noticed the subtle difference at a glance, looked down at the letter and pondered for a moment whether to pretend not to know this and pass it on to Calian.
– Buuuk.
Then he boldly tore open the envelope and took out the contents.
No matter how hard you fly, it takes time to fly from Secretia to Kairis. And after talking with Chase just yesterday, Calian came up and mumbled something about the howling whale.
Since Chase and Calian had exchanged news after each letter was sent, the fact that someone tried to convey words to Calian by imitating Chase’s handwriting did not mean that there was anything wrong with Chase’s well-being.
‘It must be written down why he smelled the fishy smell of the sea in his coffee.’
So Planz concluded that if he delivered this letter to Calian anyway, nothing would change other than his expression turning swarthy again, and he just opened it. Calian will never tell us what’s going on on Secretia’s side.
So, I have no choice but to once again be the disobedient and grumpy older brother.
Reric looked surprised as he thought there might be some kind of poison inside, but Plantz didn’t pay any attention and opened the letter and began to read.
“……under.”
After that, I immediately moved towards somewhere.
Not toward Chermil Palace, where Calian will be, but toward Arpia Palace.
I wanted to tell Calian’s father, not Kallian, that a snake living in the peaceful southern seaside village seems to be doing something strange.
