Chapter 60. If possible, the dream (6)
was broken with a crunch of pink glitter.
Pink sugar lightly coating the outside, vanilla cream filling the inside, and moist bread with blueberry jam came together and went on the fork. A sweet scent spreads out.
As if she didn’t care about the faces of those sitting around her or what they were talking about, Arianne focused all her attention on savoring the small pink cake decorated with blueberries and raspberries.
Isn’t this the perfect dessert for Arianne, who likes sweet things, but values pretty appearance more than that? Chase must have cared more for Arianne than for the guests who came with her, so he had no choice but to repay her by making her happy on the receiving end.
“delicious.”
“Thank goodness. Aren’t you tired? I haven’t been able to rest properly since yesterday.”
“It’s okay to eat something sweet.”
While Arianne was saying this, she suddenly seemed to remember something and asked.
“Ah, Your Highness, are you telling me to leave? Then I will leave.”
It was a question of whether he meant to ask me to leave the room. A soft smile immediately appeared on Chase’s face.
“It’s not like that, Arianne. I asked because I was worried that you were tired. Because you were wearing glasses.”
“You don’t have to worry. I slept in the carriage on the way back. I forgot to take it off, so I’m just wearing it.”
“okay.”
Arianne nodded.
Glasses strings decorated with sparkling gold beads and champagne filled with the glow of the sunset swayed everywhere. The dark purple, feather-shaped glass pendant hanging on one side made a pretty sound when it hit the string of the glasses.
At that sound, another person who was with the two turned to Arianne for a moment and then looked at Chase. A person who seems to be caught between two people who care about each other. It was Serjane.
“… That’s why I came here. I apologize for causing many problems.”
The reason Arianne was now speaking to Chase as usual, and Chase was also treating Arianne comfortably, was because Serjane was here in his original form.
Arianne, who took over Sergeine and the Holy Knights that day, rode that route all night and returned to the capital. The purpose was to hand over the Holy Knights to the royal knights without any delay. Serjane asked Arianne to meet Chase. Just so that other people don’t notice it.
Arianne, who heard the story, had Sergein change his disguise to another one. Serjane, who met Chase with Arianne, completely lost his disguise. Since I knew the truth anyway, there was no need to continue this meaningless play.
“So. Why did you want to meet me in private?”
“There is something I would like to ask of your Majesty.”
“Talk to me. I will listen.”
“Just as you did about me, I would like you to pretend not to know about the Holy Knights held in prison in the palace. If you release them again and treat them as never happened, I can deal with them quietly.”
Chase’s gaze passed Arianne for a split second. It was because I wanted to know why Serzane, who suddenly came to visit me, came up with the idea of asking me such a favor and why he first revealed what he had been hiding and offered an apology. Arianne must have given advice to Serjane.
“First of all, may I ask why? Why should I close my eyes to them?”
“As I said, I must now meet the first prince of Kairis. However, if it becomes known to Tensil that I confronted the Holy Knight, it could cause harm not only to me but also to His Majesty the King of Tensil.”
“Are you saying that you are worried that the nobles who are wary of you might make this an issue and attack them?”
“Yes. So, I must not know that they were trying to harm me. I must not make it clear that I know. Crown Prince Plants and Prince Calian of Kairis would like to ask me to meet again and condone this matter. “If there is any dissatisfaction, I will definitely take responsibility for it.”
“Then. What reason do you plan to give for the sudden death of the Holy Knights who came to Secretia?”
“The knights on my side also died. It can be assumed that while I was in the elf village, there was a conflict between each other and there were bad results.”
“They died together while fighting each other.”
“That’s right.”
This means that the nobles may attack Serjane and the King of Tensil first if they are confident that Serjane has learned that the Holy Knights attacked Serjane but failed. Therefore, Serjane meant to just bury this matter. If all of Serzein’s guard knights and holy knights die and Serzein shows no signs of harm, the nobles who are not sure how much Serzein knows will not make a hasty move.
“Due to the circumstances, I cannot promise immediate compensation. However, if you do so, I will definitely repay you at any time in the future.”
“It’s repayment.”
“Of course, even though I am looking like this right now, it is not a promise I make as an individual, but a promise I make in the name of Crown Prince Sergeant.”
“I’m sure Tensil doesn’t like me that much. Can I wait for repayment?”
“I am well aware of what happened with the late king of Secretia. I already know why you became hostile towards Tensil. This applies not only to me, but also to His Highness the King of Tensil.”
A smile that you couldn’t tell what was inside was drawn on Chase’s face.
When Serjane, who could not understand what it meant, was about to continue speaking, Chase’s voice was heard first.
“Well, I don’t have much interest in the Tensil royal family.”
An old and weak king.
The crown prince was unable to appoint a proper representative, so he entrusted his role to a mere bodyguard.
“This is the reward they can give me without even having a single transaction condition to put forward right now. How amazing is that?”
Serjane’s face hardened.
It was a royal family that devoted their whole lives, whether it was short or long, to their loyalty. This insult was the result of bowing in front of Chase and making a request for them.
Chase opened his mouth as if he had no interest in Sergein’s miserable feelings.
“If you met Prince Randel. Did you intend to make him crown prince and ask for an alliance?”
Serzane, who could barely muster up the courage to leave this place immediately, nodded.
“That’s right.”
“Is this why there are no other royal families of Tensil other than Prince Randel?”
“That’s right. And among non-royal nobles… it’s difficult to find someone with the qualifications to be a king.”
Chase, who was thinking about something for a moment, asked again.
“Is it your idea to ask for such help from me now, or was it someone else’s advice?”
“As soon as I came to my senses after leaving the forest, I immediately met Lady Lin. Lady Lin would know better than to know that I had no contact with anyone during that time.”
“Whether there was advice or not. I asked.”
“……There was none. It is my judgment.”
Chase nodded. And then I looked at Arianne sitting next to me. Before we knew it, Arianne had finished a fist-sized plate of cake and was putting it down after drinking lemon-flavored black tea.
“Arianne. Can you take care of this guest just for today?”
Arianne, who looked at Chase and Serjane briefly, answered willingly.
“Okay, Your Highness.”
Chase’s gaze turned to Serzane again.
“I will give you time to think about it. If you come up with transaction terms that I like, I will give you Tensil’s Holy Knight as you wish. Until the sun sets today.”
“Your Highness. As I said, it is…”
“I, not the Tensil royal family, would like to talk about what you can do.”
Serjane looked at Chase.
Serene purple eyes, with no trace of laughter or anger, faced Serzane. When Sergein did not respond for a long time, Arianne, who was next to him, opened her mouth.
“I’m telling you to promise in your name, not in Crown Prince Tensil’s name. With His Highness King Chase.”
“Even in the royal family of Tensil, there is nothing I can promise right now. Wouldn’t it be even more difficult if you were just a knight?”
“Your Highness is not the kind of person who deals with ‘just a knight.’”
Arianne, who did not interfere at all in the conversation between the two, did not mean that she had no ears to hear, and continued speaking with an expression that seemed to predict what the weather would be tomorrow.
“If you become the king of Tensil in your own name, then you will have something to trade. If the lives of King Tensil and the crown prince are more important, shouldn’t you have the power to protect them yourself? There is no way for the crown prince to ascend to the throne directly anyway. “If you lost, why make things difficult by bringing in a prince from another country? I don’t think King Kairis or Prince Calian would send Prince Randel to such a strange lair. Just do it on your own. King of that country.”
“Lady Lin.”
“That’s right. And wouldn’t it be okay if you ascended to the throne yourself? After all, Tensil is a country with no roots.”
Arianne, who gave something that was either a curse or advice to someone who was not interested in the throne because he was a swordsman, looked at Chase and smiled. With a face devoid of any trace of malice.
When Serjane tried to say something to Arianne, who seemed not to know how loud she had said.
-Deuddeuddeuk!
The tea cup that Arianne had just finished drinking made a loud noise and trembled. Not only Arianne’s but also the glass in front of Chase was the same. Serjane’s black tea, which he had not taken even a sip of, spilled slightly and spilled on the table. But neither Chase nor Arianne could say anything else about Serjane spilling the tea. No matter who saw it, it wasn’t Sergein’s fault.
Tailan, who had been silently following Chase until now, came closer to Chase. Then Chase looked at Arianne.
The palace building shook slightly, but soon became quiet.
It was an earthquake.
* * *
Imagination and reality are different.
Plantz, who had said that Chase was still young, realized that he should not have believed the assurance that everything would be okay and that he should not have brought him in hastily. It was only after he said it out loud that he was even younger than Chase.
Even if I live twice, I still can’t be this careful.
Whether it’s Danuman’s way of letting you know that.
If not, as I first mentioned, I wanted a warning.
– Quaaaaaaaaaa!
No matter what good reason was given, Danu’s actions could not be tolerated by Kalyan’s short patience.
“How dare you look down on me just because I’m standing on this earth?”
“How dare you look down on me because I am a person who can kill you with just one breath?”
“I did what I had to do for this land.”
“I’m doing what needs to be done for me.”
“Your pride in standing up to me is excessive. Do you believe that even a Sispanian will come and take your side?”
“Cispanians are not coming.”
I hope you don’t come and stop me.
Cispanians will already understand.
“If you don’t open it, I’m thinking of just seeing Serenti’s face. Even if I see it, I’ll do one thing and leave.”
Red light fills the world once again.
“A wound that won’t heal even after a thousand years have passed. I will leave it engraved in the same way. To you.”
The thick smell of blood rises again.
The red light shakes the world once again.
* * *
The star that illuminated the whole world begins to set.
Color comes into the world that was once mixed with the light of a single star.
The starlight seen in a dream. Why did I associate it with Calian? Perhaps I saw something in a dream, but unknowingly pushed it to the other side of my memory and only remembered the starlight. I was thinking about reexamining the question about the dream that I couldn’t finish thinking about, but I just nodded. I shook my head.
And I just watched. The curtain of stars that filled my entire field of vision was slowly being lifted and revealed. Another world beyond the curtain. Yes, the sight
called
‘tragedy.’ The
feet that were stepping on the light Before I knew it, I was standing on the thin gravel. The sky I had seen here once was so clear, but now only the dark red sky, as if soaked in blood, was shining on the ground. This is how I saw the tightly closed outer castle gate, which I had never seen in person. There was no smell
. But I could feel the bloody smell all around and the thick smell of black ash. Really clearly.
“I wasn’t curious about this.”
A low voice adds after a self-deprecating laugh.
Somewhere in front of me. It’s from someone who is far away and can’t be seen in detail. I saw the finale. I saw the hair that had fallen along with it. Did I
capture that image so much?
Is that why the whole world was blue and silver?
I folded my thoughts once again. I don’t know if I folded them neatly or crumpled them, but I saved them. Then, caught up in the tail of endless thoughts, another question came to mind:
‘Why amethyst in the crown?’
A question that suddenly occurred to me on the day of Chase’s coronation ceremony.
Why did it have to be a jewel of such light? It was not a precious and expensive jewel, nor was it a ruby, but a purple jewel that was noticeably paler than Chase’s eyes. Why did it decorate the crown? A question that came to mind for no reason
. I thought I knew the answer.
I thought I knew the answer now. I thought I could check it if I just walked ten more steps forward. I thought I could see it if I just walked ten more steps forward. So I slowly put out the foot that was bitten for a moment. Then I lifted that foot
. I turned it around again.
– Are you going like that because you knew there was something on the road you couldn’t see? Without fear. It
was because a voice that came to mind caught your attention.
It was something that was said one day when we were talking about Randel. What will happen in the future? He was curious about this, so he told me to stop meddling and eat green peppers.
“… Weren’t you scared?”
No,
I guess I found the reason for my hesitation in a fragment of my memory and pulled it out. I only walked ten steps. How can I say I’m not afraid when I’m looking for an excuse to not go because I can’t go? So, it’s not that I’m not afraid. That’s not it. It’s not that I’m not afraid, but how on earth did I grow up to be such a cocky bastard that I bark so arrogantly
? Even in the midst of this, I’m curious about one thing. Maybe that’s the only reason. It’s
been a long time since I promised myself not to listen to what my younger brother says anyway. Whether I’m scared or the future is bleak, I should check what I’m curious about first. Or, it’s been a while since I heard anything from my younger brother. Should I listen carefully? While I was thinking about that.
– Over there.
I heard the sound of someone else’s footsteps, not Plantz’s. Not ten steps ahead, but right behind me.
A person with nothing to hide. Someone with bluish-silver hair scattered on the floor. But someone who didn’t feel too close. It was the sound of his footsteps.
– Step by step.
Footsteps that wouldn’t stop but couldn’t be turned away were heard once more. Plantz’s eyes, which had been looking far away, quickly lowered his gaze to the floor, and he saw that someone’s footsteps. I could see the tips of my shoes, the hem of a cloak stained with the lives of unknown people. One corner of Planz’s mouth barely rose when he saw that.
“He said he would show me the tragedy.”
Is that why it was called a tragedy?
I was watching that scene from just ten steps away. I must have remembered the sight of the person watching my last moments just ten steps away. Because I won’t be able to forget it.
“so.”
Was this called a tragedy?
If not, is what will happen from now on a tragedy? How much more? Because it’s terrible. Bring it now, like this.
so.
“… What should I do…”
Now, what should I do… What should I do?
I closed my eyes.
Not to be sure who the stained cloak belonged to. In order not to notice what color the eyes of the owner of those footsteps were. In order not to guess what the expression on that face must have been like. In order not to check what is in those eyes.
I placed my foot on the ground, which I had been debating about whether to take a step forward. I raised my hands and covered my ears. I did so because I did not want to hear any more.
– Don’t walk around alone when there’s no one around.
Because a promise I never thought I would have to keep came to mind.
I closed my eyes, covered my ears, and stopped in place. I tried my best not to see or hear anything. I tried my best not to keep anything in my mind that I don’t know how to forget.
I did not see an unknown person passing by Plantz and walking forward in the distance. What he will do when he approaches the person lying in front of the outer castle, where his steps will lead, what he will do at the end of those steps, and what will happen after that. I tried so hard not to see anything. So I didn’t see anything.
“… Come. Quickly.”
I decided not to dream yet.
If you make a promise, you have to keep it.
Because I barely remembered it.
I worked hard for a long time.
“yes.”
Then suddenly I smelled blood. I didn’t just feel it, I actually smelled blood. It was really windy. I really heard a voice.
“What are you doing squatting in a place like this? There’s no cat to get snacks from you.”
The light faded and a shadow fell where the color had been.
Finally, I let go and raised my head.
My younger brother, who was pale and tired, was smelling his own blood again.
“Let’s go back before the pea farming all goes bankrupt.”
As soon as I saw his face, he started barking.
Standing there, blocking out the whole world.
