Chapter 48. Himolica is delicious (1)
Meat.
It was evening when we left the elf city and left their border area. As soon as they reached a place where it was safe to hunt, Calian disappeared, and not long after, he returned, dragging a distracted wild boar with him. Smiling brightly and without a trace.
Plantz, who thought that Calian’s face was like that of a warrior who defeated the Demon King after a long period of hardship and patience, slightly closed his eyes.
Because I am the prince and he is my younger brother.
He’s definitely a prince too.
“Why…”
While trying to put together a dozen disturbing thoughts that were difficult to express.
It’s not my fault that he does that. It’s Chase’s fault.
If you’re going to kick the kid out, you have to take good care of it and kick it out. What did you do that caused the kid to go out alone and eat a chicken, a pig, get drunk, and fall off a cliff?
…… That’s why kids end up like that.
A deep sigh flowed from Planz’s mouth as he had a lot to say, including grilled cod, snakes, and fish.
Do you know or don’t know how Plantz feels?
The meat on the wide grill sticking out of the wizards’ pockets was cooked well. Calian, who was waiting for the meat to be cooked while holding the tea handed to him by one of the drivers, was several times more excited than he had been the day before when he had a meal at the end of a long fast that he had to endure due to a hole in his stomach.
Thanks to this, a small hum came out of Calian’s mouth, and Plantz, who heard the sound nearby, quietly opened his mouth.
“My brother seems to have forgotten where he stands.”
sing.
No one will hear it anyway, and even if they do, they won’t be able to tell that it’s Secretia’s song, but it’s a bit strange for the Prince of Kairis to hum a song with meat in front of him.
Calian, who brought out Bern’s habit so naturally, nodded with a smile.
“Yes. I won’t forget.”
Bern on a day full of regrets.
I said goodbye to Bern on the last day.
Then, Plantz brought out what he had been trying to quietly bury in his heart because he could not ask it anywhere. A person whose name and age I did not know buried me so that I could reach the sea somewhere far away. I don’t want Calian to feel sad again for forcing me to console him during his last days.
“I guess I’m getting better. I am.”
The blue flame that floated like that.
Calian saw the blue lights scattered by the Vulcan crew and the blue flames raised by Plantz. I curled up with my legs folded and leaned against the sleeping Raven, watching the blue light disappear beyond the horizon.
Let the moon go down.
Let the sun rise from behind illuminate the deep blue sea again.
I looked at the sea for a very long time.
And, of course, nothing was said to Plantz about the Sinasta that was placed on the sea. Thank you for taking care of me. It wasn’t something to praise, it wasn’t something to praise for doing a good job, and it wasn’t something to criticize because I did something useless.
So I didn’t say anything.
All he said was that he had become more affluent.
“okay.”
“yes.”
I only told him that he didn’t have any nightmares and that he was back to his original place safely, and Plantz understood.
“Has the chicken-eating elf gone?”
Plantz also did not comment on the incident. He didn’t show much of a reaction to Calian’s words and started talking about something else.
Calian nodded and opened his mouth.
“Yes. I said I would go to Siegfried first. Elves have the fastest feet in the forest.”
There was no special reason.
I’m sure he went there to eat some real meat first.
“okay.”
“But now you’re finally looking for Siona, who you haven’t seen all day.”
“…thinking.”
“What were you thinking?”
“Horse name.”
“Have you decided?”
Plantz nodded.
Calian looked at Plants as if he were opening a dictionary of Secretia’s ancient language in his head. It was because I thought they would definitely try to name it in the same language this time, given its personality.
“…… flower.”
just as expected. Planz said this, and Calian looked quite surprised.
That planz, of course.
“May I ask why you choose that name?”
“no.”
“yes.”
I don’t want to tell you, so what more can I ask?
Calian turned his head and looked at the silver-white horse tethered in the distance. He stared quietly at the well-tamed and gentle horse, and then opened his mouth again.
“This is Estina.”
“I guess you can call me that.”
You can call a horse a flower.
“yes.”
Raven’s owner shook his head as he remembered the green grass riding on the flowers.
“Please eat, prince.”
The driver who came a little while ago and handed me the tea came again and handed me a plate.
Because the trip was small and because the wizards’ pockets did not fit anything as large as a table, the two princes ended up eating with plates in their hands. Of course, neither of them had any complaints about that.
Calian asked as he watched Planz begin to eat the boar meat without another word.
“Do you not like the food you brought from the elf city?”
“no.”
“But you don’t eat that, you eat meat.”
“Let’s go eat codfish.”
Isn’t the road to Secretia longer? Because while I was going to that place, I had no intention of only choosing foods that suited my taste and eating them.
Plantz, who had an annoyed look on his face, asked as he saw the look on his younger brother’s face that said, ‘Oh my, my brother, you’re amazing,’ as he nodded at those words.
“Why are you going there?”
“I’m going to meet the snake.”
“Why do you want to meet me?”
“Are you worried?”
“no.”
“yes.”
Calian, with a look of disbelief at all, pointed at Planz’s sword.
“The Secretia sword is stronger than Kairis’s. As my younger brother, can I send my weak brother away? I have to guard him.”
Serving as a servant and escort. He barks really well too.
Even though I didn’t order it, my younger brother, who was busy living on his own, continued speaking.
“Because Devlan won’t think I’m going.”
“What are you going to do?”
“Now I’m going to think about it. What I’ll do if we meet.”
“… It would be better if we didn’t run into each other.”
“Are you worried?”
“no.”
“yes.”
Calian, who answered in a light tone, smiled slightly and opened his mouth.
“It’ll be okay. I’m not going alone.”
If I have another nightmare, I’ll wake you up again.
If I have another nightmare, I have to wake up again.
I don’t know if he understood what the answer roughly meant, but Planz just nodded without saying a word.
“Finish your meal before it gets cold. If you’re going to eat it anyway, eat it all. Chase is taller than you.”
And then he started eating the meat on his plate again. It wasn’t because I paid attention to Calian’s last words.
* * *
Dark night.
I couldn’t fall asleep.
I pretended.
“I said something unnecessary.”
To be precise, I couldn’t digest it at all. If I had a problem, the power of Blessing would have taken care of fixing it, but Blessing just ignored the problem caused by the meat I ate to grow taller.
Even after drinking all the strong mint tea that Needlen had given him, Planz felt sick and called out Calian, who was chatting loudly while sitting across from Raven.
After finishing three plates of the same meat, sitting together with the Vulcan crew, eating a lot of cookies filled with fruit jam, and even taking a bunch of dried apple chips to share with Raven, Kalian, who was still very sane, didn’t refuse and got up and followed Planz. .
– Ugh!
Since they are brothers, they have always believed that there is nothing better than fighting when things get messy.
Red flames flickered from the tips of Calian’s fingers, who had digested the food well but had no intention of refusing the fight.
Red Auror.
Because the mana used by wizards is converted into aura, the unique aura that glows red has been changed into two long swords.
And while Planz was contemplating which of his two swords to use, which he could not hold and swing at the same time because the weight had not yet been reduced, he pulled out his newly acquired ‘Sinasta’. Although it seemed refreshing at first glance, the blade of light that gave off a chill was imbued with a sharp energy.
– Kaaaang!
Like starlight, like moonlight.
Three red and blue swords intertwine.
Because in order to use Brisen’s sword, you must also know how to block Brisen’s sword.
– Kagang! Kaaaang!
Plants repeatedly blocked and split the red flower created by Calian’s sword.
After blocking the sword coming from the right, I bent down to avoid the second attack coming from the left. After that, he kicked his feet and lifted himself up, extending his sword towards Calian’s shoulder.
– Kaga River! Kang!
Instead of hiding in the shadows, Calian dodged Plantz’s attacks at moderate speed and held the two swords together. Then, he raised the blue-silver sword that was recovered and returned, then divided it again and stabbed from both sides.
– Valid!
Plantz, who quickly swung his sword to block both attacks, turned his body once and aimed at Calian’s side with great force.
– Hiss!
The sound of pagong continues.
Calian held his right sword upside down and blocked the oncoming attack, then swung his left arm and struck Plantz’s sword. Plantz gritted his teeth to control the sharply deflected sword, then turned in the opposite direction and swung the sword. This time, Calian’s left sword blocked the attack, and the sword in his right hand aimed at Plantz’s neck.
– Kaaaang! Kaang!
There was no echo echoing through the forest.
This is because of the translucent membrane spread widely around it.
Instead, the two people inside the curtain constantly heard sharp metal sounds.
– Kaang! Kang! Kaga River!
Light green eyes shone sharply.
The bright red eyes that met those eyes were filled with cold energy.
“… Stabbing the shoulder and cutting the side won’t kill you.”
A small voice sounded in Plantz’s ears.
At the same time, there was a flash of light and a red sword fell from the sky.
– Kaaaaang!
Plantz, who raised the sword held in both hands to block the falling blade, quickly moved his feet. Soon the second sword, which was flying towards where Planz was, was recovered and returned.
“Especially if the sword is light, you will never be able to kill it.”
It may be impossible for you not to know, but it was also a necessary statement.
Now, Plantz has never aimed for Calian’s heart, nor has he ever stabbed his neck. I continued to target only the arms, legs, shoulders and abdomen.
– Kaang! Kaaaang!
Two red swords flew from top to bottom, from right to left. After launching one attack, a third attack flew towards Plantz, who was trying to dodge his body to avoid the second attack.
Calian, who destroyed the sword that bounced from the recoil of the upward strike and recreated it, was rushing towards Plantz, aiming for his heart.
One for the heart and one for the throat.
Which one to avoid and which one to block.
– Bang! Kaang!
After completing a momentary calculation, Planz turned the handle and blocked the heart with the blade. Then he lowered his head and raised his sword.
– Kaaaang!
At the same time, Calian’s fourth attack followed immediately.
Before I even had time to feel the thrill of the light and sharp blade, I suddenly felt a tingling sensation in my neck. It was only then that I felt that the fifth blade, extending out of sight, had grazed Plantz’s neck.
As always, Plantz, realizing that Calian’s sword had cut his throat, lowered his sword.
But then.
– Shhh!
The red sword rushed towards Planz’s heart.
Plantz, seeing the sword approaching without the slightest hesitation as if he had no intention of stopping, raised his lowered arm.
“Ah…”
It was late.
Can’t stop it.
Calian’s sword did not stop.
Plantz took a step back, unconsciously recalling the feeling of metal being driven deep into his heart.
– Kagagak!
And then there was an unpleasant sound, like scraping metal, being forced to stop.
“If you let go of your heart before sheathing your sword, you will die.”
I could feel a thin stream of blood flowing from the wound on my neck.
Plantz lowered his head and looked at his chest, and saw a thick shield. The tip of Calian’s sword, stuck in the middle of the shield, was visible.
“I won’t spar with you until you can attack properly.”
Calian said in a slightly stiff voice.
Then he turned his back and walked away.
* * *
Bright night.
As the sun set and darkness fell, magic lanterns placed here and there in the castle glowed. The trees lined up on both sides of the walkway connecting the back garden and the detached palace were sparkling in the light of the lanterns.
It was already time to return to the villa, but Louise continued walking, going back and forth on the promenade for several times. Rather than having a specific reason, I just felt uneasy and noisy so I couldn’t go inside.
“It seems like it’s been over an hour since the crown prince went to see your majesty. Why has it been so long?”
“Don’t worry too much. Nothing bad will happen.”
Instead of answering, a small sigh escaped me.
“I’m upset that you suddenly called me when it wasn’t even time to discuss business.”
“If you really want to, I’ll come and take a look.”
The maid walking with him asked as he looked up and saw that the light in Chase’s room in the main palace in the distance was not turned on.
After thinking for a moment, Louise shook her head and answered.
“That’s it. It’s not good for His Highness to know that you’re worried for no reason.”
Again and again, Louise’s feet took a few more steps and then stopped again and again. Every time that happened, Louise raised her head and looked at Chase’s room and Devlan’s office.
“Your Majesty said to raise the sleeping scent again…”
“That is.”
Louise paused for a moment, walked a few more steps, and then opened her mouth.
“I removed all the incense last time when you asked me to put incense, so there is nothing left. I will tell you about that separately, so please leave it as is for now.”
“All right.”
Louise nodded at the maid’s words and turned her gaze towards the main palace again.
The end of a gaze filled with anxiety.
Devlan’s office was shining brightly there. This is because the chandelier filled with magical energy was emitting the brightest light.
A small but ornately crafted chandelier illuminated the purple eyes.
“If you have nothing to say, please allow me to leave.”
I called him into the office and left him there for an hour.
While going through documents and working, he coughed a few times and did not say a single word.
Despite Chase’s words, Devlan, who had been sitting for an hour without moving the slightest bit, turned over a page of documents without much reaction. And then I coughed.
Under the bright lamp, Chase’s eyes closed for a moment and then opened.
“I.”
Only then did Devlan’s mouth open.
“I thought about it. I thought about it for a very long time.”
A sinking, hoarse voice.
But his voice is calmer than anyone else’s.
Chase, who finally heard that sound, did not turn his head towards Devlan. It didn’t disturb my sitting posture.
“What are you thinking?”
“About the person who spoke to me through Lemain’s words.”
Devlan closed the document he was flipping through and stood up. Then, with flawless movements, he walked over and sat down across from Chase.
I feel like the sound of the sofa sinking down is louder than ever.
“I escaped from the sin of harming the Marquis by using my bird that I found by chance. By blaming the incident on my bird, I made an excuse for not responding to my call. In addition, he demanded my death. He found another bird that I was chasing and decided to hide it. “I make it my own as if nothing exists.”
Knock knock knock.
The tips of Devlan’s fingers, which were clasped on his knees, slowly tapped the back of the other hand.
“So I thought about it for a long time.”
Devlan’s fingers stopped as he looked into Chase’s purple eyes, which were exactly like the eyes of the previous king. A small cough followed.
But I didn’t care about that level of sound. Devlan and Chase too.
“How could that child you went to meet with me have the same thoughts?”
Knock knock knock.
“…do you?”
Chase looked at Devlan without answering.
Devlan’s fingertips slowly drew a long line on the back of the other hand.
