Chapter 61. Wish (1)
There is a clock in the king’s throne room.
There is no clock in the King’s drawing room.
Isn’t this a place where a meeting with the king takes place where time cannot be wasted? Therefore, a clock is placed in the throne room to ensure that only what needs to be said is said quickly and then retreated. When the throne room door is opened, it is especially necessary because in most cases, nobles or envoys from other countries meet the king in a row. Because we can’t make the king tired and tire out those waiting for the next turn with useless stories.
The drawing room was different. The reception room is a completely different place from the throne room, where you have to raise your head high enough to look up under the king’s chin. The drawing room did not have a high, vaulted ceiling to make the king’s majestic voice echo throughout the room. There was no green carpet road long enough to make one realize how long the road to the King was. There were no fully armed knights who made people feel intimidated, and there were no scribes who made people worry about even the sound of their breathing. And there was no clock.
A place to sit face to face and have a conversation at the same eye level.
A place where the dignified king meets a moderately comfortable partner. It was not as big as the king’s study or office, but it was a private place that could not be compared to the throne room. It was a place to have a conversation with the king. So how can you set the clock? Guests who visit this place should not worry about anything else and should focus only on the conversation with the king.
“An important guest suddenly came to the palace and we were late. Perhaps I kept you waiting for a long time.”
“No, Your Highness.”
Because of this, Serjane did not know how much time had passed since he came here. I sat quietly and waited with a cup of bitter tea in front of me so I could relax until Chase arrived. So, to answer truthfully, you have to say that you may or may not have waited a long time.
Soon a servant came in, took away Serjane’s tea, put down two new cups of tea, and then left. There was a refreshing mint scent that seemed out of place at this time.
“Listen. The tea smells nice today.”
The main palace, not the annex of the royal palace.
A guest who stayed in a peaceful place with the best view of the palace garden. After making a hunting bet, Chase sighed silently as he remembered the precious guest who caused earthquakes throughout Secretia and said this. It was also a term used to allow visitors who were not allowed to touch the teacup to drink tea without the king’s permission.
Chase soon stopped laughing, looked outside the window, and opened his mouth.
“It seems like it’s been a long time since the sun set. Is there another reason you came to see me?”
The words are cold.
As Chase said, it was night. It was also completely midnight. It was time for most people to go to their own beds and go to sleep, rather than going to the palace.
And Chase had definitely told me to finish thinking about it before the sun sets and come back.
The question was whether there were ‘other reasons’ because they could not keep it. It also meant that the deal related to turning a blind eye to the Holy Knights had already fallen through and there was no intention of reconsidering it.
“I was so worried that I didn’t realize that time had passed. I’m sorry.”
He’s already broken his promise to Chase twice.
Serjane continued, saying that it would have been impossible for him to even enter the palace at this time if it were not for the words that Chase had separately delivered.
“I will leave it to Your Majesty’s judgment regarding the disposition of the Sacred Knight. Since you have violated the basic etiquette that should be observed between our two countries, I do not wish to ask you any more. However, I have come to express my gratitude to Your Majesty for being considerate of the situation in our home country.”
“Is that so.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Chase’s eyes fell on Serjane.
Unlike when he visited the royal palace that day, Sergein now looked like a crown prince. Not only that, he was wearing a red jacket, white shirt, beige pants, and a cape of the same color. It is the conquest of Crown Prince Tensil.
Serjane looked around the living room, where no one was there except Chase and himself, and this time without Teylan, and opened his mouth.
“I couldn’t decide in just half a day whether to change the Tensil royal family’s last name to something other than ‘Arieli’ or keep it. Today, it’s not an easy decision, like deciding whether to go for a walk in the rose garden or head to the swordsmanship training center. “I had no choice but to do it.”
“If I had more time, I would have made a decision.”
“Perhaps so. But I don’t think the purpose of looking for you has changed.”
“Are you saying you just said thank you?”
“That’s right.”
Chase nodded quietly.
Next, a calm voice, like the sea on a clear, windless day, rang softly in the living room.
“May I ask why?”
“Because it is Tensil’s job. Even if the nobles find out about the Holy Knight’s work and a threat to the royal family begins, I thought that it is a job that Tensil must handle. I will make decisions and move based on the advice of His Highness King Secretia. “I realized that I shouldn’t have done that. From the beginning, I shouldn’t have asked His Majesty to do that.”
Serjane, who had never taken a sip during the day, took a sip of mint tea while holding the teacup. He put it down silently and continued.
“Those who can help and those who need help. Those who have power and those who do not. It is not simply because they are the king of a country and the crown prince of a country. I cannot carelessly ask for help from His Majesty.”
Chase stared at Serzane quietly. Meanwhile, I heard Serjane’s words again.
“Whether I meet Prince Randel and be promised a future, or plan a future for myself. I will make my own judgment and decision. Thank you for making me think like this. Sincerely.”
If you ascend to the throne myself, I will help you save the lives of the King of Tensil and the real Crown Prince. So, decide before the sun sets today and come visit us.
Chase said so.
The crown prince’s closest aide. He watched over the crown prince every single day for nearly ten years. I have come to the point where I can watch and learn the Crown Prince’s every move, imitate the Crown Prince’s way of speaking, and act without any difference in gestures or hand gestures. However, deep down, it did not belong to the royal family. Arianne told me to ask for help when I needed it, so I decided what kind of help it would be wise to ask for, but I didn’t think about asking for help itself.
I realized it later. And after deciding not to listen to Chase, I came here just to say thank you. Even if I didn’t get help, I knew that it was the right decision.
“All right.”
Chase simply nodded as the opportunity that could have determined his future relationship with Tensil was canceled. Do you think it’s a shame or do you think you knew it would happen? He didn’t show anything on his face and just smiled softly like always.
“We need time to collect the dead and sort out the situation. If you allow us, we will stay here for three more days and then return to our home country. We apologize once again for causing so much inconvenience.”
“If I’m going to try to be rude one more time, it’s best to say few words of gratitude and apology. Especially when dealing with people from other countries who, like me, don’t know their true feelings.”
“I am expressing my gratitude and apology, not as Crown Prince Serzane, but in the name of Brenda Elnur, a knight who received consideration from His Majesty.”
Chase’s mouth quirked slightly.
“Do you mind if I tell you your name? I never said I would turn a blind eye to your identity.”
“This is a reward for your great consideration.”
Chase smiled a little more prominently.
Chase, who had been watching Serjane’s face for a while without saying another word, let out a quiet voice.
“today.”
A voice like the flapping wings of a large bird flowed out and landed towards the person who asked a favor to the king of a foreign country with the face of a knight and expressed gratitude and apology to the king of a foreign country with the face of a crown prince.
“Before the sun rises. Four nameless knights will go out to the west gate of the palace.”
Serjane looked at Chase.
The deal clearly fell through. Now all Chase has to do is ask Tensil why those Holy Knights secretly entered Secretia and protest. Whether it is mutual trade or any other transaction, all you have to do is gain an advantageous position.
However, they were saying that they would send out a sacred knight. I will capture them and hand them over to Serjane, either to use them as advantageous cards or to kill them.
“I have nothing to trade with you yet.”
“I also have no intention of doing any more business with you.”
Chase moved his hand and drank the fragrant mint tea.
Chase said, closing his eyes for a moment as if savoring the best scent in the world.
“It’s a favor.”
Hearing these words, Crown Prince Sergein Ariely and Knight Brenda Elnur bowed briefly. That would be enough to repay the favor.
* * *
Bananas were banned.
To Hina.
“I’m hungry.”
Hina shook her head resolutely as she looked at Kalian, whose face showed that there was nothing more saddening in the world.
– Banana, tangerine, strawberry, tea, and milk all work. Drink water starting at night.
Upon hearing those words, Calian’s eyes instantly sparkled. However, Hina’s words were not over yet.
– meat. Of course not.
“Hina… I heard it’s been a few days. A person needs to eat something to survive, right?”
– It’s okay to starve for a few days. Because the kind prince is strong. That’s not enough to kill you.
The words are full of thorns.
Kalian thought about why Hina, who was small and precious like a little bird that stays for a while in the spruce tree outside the window, became so toxic, and realized that it was all because of him, and sighed. I thought that Hina would have no choice but to become poisonous since she kept saving a terrible person.
Everyone knows that the people of Secretia are terrible.
However, there is one fact that most people do not know. There is only one person worse than the people of Secretia and that is the 3rd prince of Kairis.
– He vomited blood for over a day and couldn’t sleep for four days.
I said I was going to cut off one tree root, but I almost cut off the entire inside of the tree first.
If Danu had not backed down at the end, he would have had his intestines or heart cut out, but he endured it. Still, we walked, laughed, and talked. The blood I was spitting up like that stopped spitting out after meeting Planz. What more can I say about a human being so terrible that he broke the stubbornness of a mother tree that had stood in one place for an unfathomable amount of years?
– Not only the Vice Commander but also the good Crown Prince’s face turned white.
Because he was such a terrible guy, Plantz didn’t know.
Since there were no injuries on the outside, I thought there must be something wrong with my body, and since I said I was hurt a lot, I thought I must have been hurt on the inside. But I didn’t know it would be that serious.
When Arsene, following Raven, could be seen in the distance, Calian quietly stopped. Then he stood up and closed his eyes. Only then did Plantz truly understand Calian’s condition.
It was only after Arsene became visible that I lifted up the damn bastard who had lost his mind while still standing upright, and then I realized that the body of the bastard who was said to be incapable of heat or cold was trembling. It was only then that I realized how much blood I had lost. It was only then that I realized that when Calian vomited blood in front of me, he knew who he would think of and was cleaning it up like he would a flower.
That way I came to the royal palace.
They stopped by the Marquis, but Arianne was not there, so Arsene immediately told Chase the story and sent Jeon Seo-gu to the villa. And then he rode to the palace of King Secretia. Since it was too far to get to the villa past the palace, Hina was called to the palace. Doing so will save time and ensure safety.
– So don’t talk like a banana. Also, if you secretly eat a lot of bananas like last time, no matter how kind the prince is, he won’t correct you.
I guess I still forgot that I ate a banana without Hina knowing after I got a hole in my stomach while fighting with Evan.
It was given to me by my slightly less green brother, who was playing with the cats outside under the spruce tree. Calian suppressed the urge to excuse himself by saying that I didn’t eat it, but nodded.
“Okay, I won’t.”
– lie.
Hina’s pretty eyebrows furrowed.
Kalyan waved his hand as if he wasn’t lying and held Hina’s hand tightly as she was measuring her temperature while touching her forehead.
How on earth can such small hands treat so delicately? While thinking about that, I quietly opened my mouth.
“Thank you. For saving my life. I wouldn’t have survived without it, Hina.”
Whether it’s because your body is hurt or your mind is hurt.
Hina, who was deprived of anything to say because her hand was grabbed, sighed deeply. And he just nodded. Hina’s hand was warm, so Kalyan held it for a while and then let go.
Hina, who had finally confirmed that the fever had gone down and her complexion was turning red, spoke again.
– Please don’t get hurt. You know very well that everyone is worried.
“I know. I know. I couldn’t help it this time.”
-Something happens that people can’t help all the time. Are you going to get hurt like this every time that happens? Are you going to hurt me and make me worry because you can’t help it?
“If that is the only way. In that case, then what should I do?”
– Find another way.
Clear.
Is there any clearer answer than this?
Calian burst out laughing. He laughed in a small voice as if he was worried for no reason. Then he looked into Hina’s black eyes and opened his mouth.
“Hina.”
Hina nods.
“Do you still want to go to Brigitte’s Forest?”
– I’m curious. Because it’s the place my mom said she wanted to go.
Hina gave the answer Kalyan had expected.
But now there was really nothing there. Didn’t Calian ruin everything? Kalian was about to say something about it, but Hina continued.
– however. If I had been curious, I would have gone.
Kalian must take you there, but it’s not a place you can go only with Kalian’s permission. Hina knew that well.
“Are you saying it’s okay if I don’t go?”
– Is there something there that I shouldn’t see?
This time Hina asked a question that Kalyan had not expected.
Hina continued speaking to Kalian, who was unable to find an answer for a moment.
– I didn’t go on purpose. I didn’t even say that I would go with the prince when he went.
“…… Hina.”
– I know, me too. About my mom.
Hina, who said this, nodded her head once more.
He had a face that even Calian, who was good at looking into people’s hearts, couldn’t read.
