Chapter 70. One animal vs. eighty-seven people (3)
We checked the unoccupied Balkan accommodation and the empty training hall.
I confirmed that all the lights in the Wilhelm Pavilion conference room were turned off.
“You said we should fight in the royal forest. Did you change your mind?…”
– Da-gak.
Raven, who had been called out in front of Wilhelm’s coffin as if to come in if necessary, let out a small hoofbeat. This is because he was the only one who smelled the scent of his master, which the wizards and knights could not identify.
Calian’s lips parted long and thin as he checked the figure, hiding in the shadows from a distance. Between them, pure white teeth were briefly revealed and soon disappeared.
Several horse hoofprints heading toward the forest of the palace were left as if they had no intention of erasing them.
To Calian, it appears to be a message saying, ‘If you go to the royal forest, there will be all kinds of traps there, so don’t go out there.’ Gray, who was not going to get involved in the fight between the two anyway, came to visit in vain or not. The message is that we should hang out in the forest inside the palace instead of playing noisily in the forest outside the palace.
“If you say so.”
Calian smiled slightly and grabbed the robe he was lightly wearing.
There would be no one from here to the forest north of the palace anyway. Therefore, instead of lifting the hood to cover his face, Calian loosened the straps that held the robe in place. And I took my hand away without any hesitation.
– Tuk.
The black hood, which had no place to hang, fluttered and fell to the floor.
When it completely touched the floor, the feet of the robe’s owner had already left Wilhelm’s coffin.
– …… Taaat!
Calian’s shadow moved silently as he kicked his feet without using Raven. After passing the Wilhelm Pavilion, we passed the site of the old Heissia Palace. With Arpia Palace at my back, I continued running past Seneu Pavilion and Rubia Pavilion.
I ran on well-trimmed tree branches, stepped on beautifully crafted walls and statues, and had the walls of the Camilon Palace for the Crown Prince under my feet. After passing through the Camilia Palace, we passed a prison set up in the palace with several coffins whose purpose even Calian did not know.
The long blue-silver hair, which looked like the Seneu River in the middle of winter or like a shooting star falling silently, continued to leave an afterimage.
That’s how it arrived.
– …… Kwasik!
North of the royal palace.
In a wide forest.
* * *
The scenery is nice and the air is nice.
It was true that it was exceptionally better than any other place on the Cysterra continent. So, if you were asked to choose one resort in this wide Kairis land, it would have gained enough fame that everyone would mention it.
Schrinz.
The scenery is good and the air is good, but it is famous for its water. Of course, it has outstanding scenery, but it is the only place in Kairis without a volcano where you can enjoy proper hot springs. Because it is surrounded by a rocky mountain and four dense forests, it is a leisurely place where you can enjoy the relaxation of being disconnected from the world.
Therefore, Shurinz was always crowded with people.
Of course, there were quiet times in Shurinz as well. It could not be called night or dawn, but when everyone was in a deep sleep, there was an inevitable silence in Shurinz.
– Kugugugugu…!
But now it was different. It was a time when only night beasts and early birds were moving, but the huge gate that knotted the thick walls of Schurinz, the length of which was difficult to estimate thanks to the thick and deep forest, was slowly opening with a heavy sound.
This was an extremely rare occurrence.
No, it was so unusual that it could hardly be called rare. This is because Emilia Margrave of Schrinz, the lord of the Shurinz fiefdom, was the one who strictly guarded the opening and closing times of the castle gates.
The lord of this place opened the castle gates every morning after 7 o’clock and always closed them at 7 o’clock in the evening. As it is an area where many people from outside the territory gather, one might think that it would be lenient on the entry of strangers, but in reality, this was not the case. Lord Emilia welcomed only tourists, not suspicious strangers or criminals trying to hide in the crowd.
Of course, there was a bigger reason than that.
This is the royal villa of Kairis.
Isn’t there a villa in Shurinz where the previous kings who passed on the crown through abdication or the spouses of deceased kings stay? The title of margrave was exceptionally given to the owner of a land that was not a border because he had to serve as the guard of the villa, so the gate was bound to be heavy.
– Coogugung!
But the gate was opening.
Even though there was still a long time left until the doors opened at 7 o’clock.
That’s right too.
“Meeting Your Majesty the King. This is Margrave Emilia Schrinz.”
Because Lemain, who thought there would be nothing left to do until the abdication, a very difficult event in the history of Kairis, occurred, came to visit. I guess we can’t leave Lemain outside the castle.
“It’s been a while since I last saw you. I think it’s been about six years.”
“That’s right. I’m just grateful that you remember, Your Highness.”
Lemain suddenly stormed into Schrinz with a very small group of less than ten people without any prior notice and quietly looked around.
Lord Emilia, who could not even look up at Lemain, continued speaking, hastily concealing her doubts about the reason for the visit.
“I will take you to the villa.”
“No, it’s okay. We’ll take care of you, so close the gate and return to the lord’s castle.”
Someone stopped Emilia.
Emilia immediately responded to the voice that made it possible to tell who it was even without looking at the face.
“In that case, I will send escort troops to the villa immediately.”
“That’s it. I’ll take care of it, so just ask that you stop joining, Margrave of Shurintz.”
There is no need to guide you to the villa.
There is no need for troops to protect the king.
The only thing they need to do is to stop people from saying anything about the King’s visit so that it doesn’t leak out. It was a difficult thing to say with less than ten people, but Emilia did not think it was reckless.
“I understand, Lord Siegfried. I will instruct you to keep quiet about this. If you need anything, please send someone.”
“Thank you.”
The continent’s second sword, who was also a regular customer in this area, personally brought the king with him, so there was no way he would need a guard.
The reason Lemain suddenly came here was unknown, but Emilia, unable to ask him that, bowed her head and showed an example once again. If something happened in the capital, I would get a call from my relatives living in and around the capital, so I decided to wait and see.
“You didn’t avoid the palace because it was noisy. You just came here to rest quietly, so don’t worry.”
Slayman spoke as if he knew what he was worried about.
Emilia thought for a moment whether a civil war had broken out, but then she looked relieved.
“Yes, I understand. Then, have a good time, Your Highness.”
“okay.”
Lemain, who received a nod of greeting, moved his feet. And as Chamberlain Raoul guided us, we headed towards the villa.
After some time, Slayman reached a deserted place and rode his horse next to Lemain. And then he opened his mouth in a small voice that could not be heard by others.
“How do you feel about coming out of the capital after such a long time?”
“I don’t know yet. It’s such a sudden step.”
Raoul and his three attendants, including Siegfried’s chief knight, Ronansite. Of course, it was Alan who moved the small group in front of the castle gates of Shurinz and returned to the royal palace.
We did not move straight to the villa. There was no intention to embarrass Emilia with the sudden presence, and there was no need to raise unnecessary alarm that the king could visit any place in an instant.
“Thanks to the Marquis of Manasil, my feet have become easier, so come out often. If you and the other two princes close the palace gates, I don’t know if I will just stay here forever. Well, it wouldn’t be that bad, right?”
“My sons don’t have the ability to take bold actions like the Little Duke, so I don’t think the palace gates will ever be closed. Anyway, if possible, I’ll try to come out as often as possible.”
Slayman, who had a history of trying to make fun of Lemain and getting kicked out without even getting his money’s worth, laughed out loud. He then stretched out his hand and pointed to the right path among the forks in the road ahead. Slayman spoke again to Lemain, who turned his direction.
“Then why did you suddenly ask me to come here? The Marquis of Manasil suddenly brought Viscount Bern to my house and told me to come play for a while, so I blindly followed him out.”
“The crown prince told me to rest for a while.”
“… Lemain. Were you really kicked out? Did you say that the palace would never be closed when you were kicked out?”
Lemain kept his mouth shut, as if it wasn’t worth answering.
Then, when I saw a look on Slayman’s face that went beyond the pitiful expression and said, “I knew you would do that someday,” I couldn’t hold back any longer and added an explanation.
“You must have been very surprised by what happened with Calian, so I asked you to take a break. I thought it wouldn’t be a bad idea to get away for a while, so I came out.”
“If you trust my son twice, he will hand over the crown as well.”
“There’s nothing I can’t overcome.”
Slayman looked speechless and opened his mouth.
“Aren’t all three of you still too young to be left behind the fence? Prince Calian and Marquis Manasil barely saved you when Lemaine ascended to the throne and almost died.”
“……Slayman.”
Slayman, who narrowed one eye at Lemain’s uncomfortable voice, continued to open his mouth.
“Anyway, don’t hand me the crown right away and think I’ve done everything I could. To prevent the same thing from happening again, put something heavy on your head and do something helpful for your sons before handing it over.”
“I didn’t know you would talk about the crown. I guess you weren’t interested.”
“My two children and my son-in-law are all involved in the royal family, so would I be human if I didn’t pay attention? If I were the king of a big country, I might act like that, but I’m not.”
If you were going to pay that much attention, you should have pointed out something you’ve been doing wrong for over 20 years. Why are you making a fuss now?
Lemain, wondering who to blame, simply kept his mouth shut.
“Anyway, it’s a big deal. I didn’t know you were the kind of person who would rest well when told to rest. I thought you would end up in the office and die of old age.”
“It seems like they’re trying to do something I shouldn’t know about.”
“Crown Prince Planz?”
“Callian that kid and Vulcan too.”
“Oh my. I followed you for no reason. If I were in the capital, there would have been something interesting to see.”
Slayman spoke in a teasing voice and stretched out his arms. Then, he sat on the horse, stretched out loud, and spoke again.
“If Marquis Manasil insists on putting me next to the king, he might make quite a fuss not only in the capital but also in Shurinz.”
“Maybe so.”
“I don’t care if there’s a fight in the palace. If you leave the crown prince like that and your head falls off and my child ends up marrying Prince Calian already, I’ll be very disappointed… so don’t worry and get some rest. “Let me help you this time.”
“… That’s something to be thankful for.”
“Of course I should be grateful. They say an elephant carries a shield.”
Lemain chuckled.
And then we continued towards the Kairis royal villa, which was starting to look small.
I had this vague thought that one day I might actually move to a villa in Shurinz instead of the Kairis Palace.
* * *
It kept Lemain away from the capital for a while.
There were many reasons, but the biggest one was for Plantz himself.
Calian had three, but I only had one. My young father’s blood pressure was soaring and he was worried about what would happen if I ascended to the throne like this, so I recommended it.
– Crispy!
The window frame of Wilhelm’s coffin crumbled and fell as soon as I touched it, as if it was a sign that my younger brother, who was good at using a knife, had escaped without a sound. It was caused by kicking and jumping with a force that would never be seen normally.
After seeing this, Plantz thought it was a good idea to leave Lemain out. I’m so glad Lemain didn’t see the palace being destroyed every moment.
Plants frowned for a moment at the strong scent that filled the room, then spoke in a low voice.
“The scent of sleep.”
“It’s almost finished, but it still needs a little more time to completely get rid of the unique scent.”
In fact, the sleeping scent that would put Calian to sleep had not yet been completed.
Isn’t it clear that making and sending sleeping pills with the same scent won’t work? If you smell that scent, it could not be a real animal or my younger brother.
No.
“…Sometimes it doesn’t look like a person.”
“I didn’t hear you clearly, Vice Commander. Please say it again.”
“no.”
Anyway, even after holding his breath until he surfaced from the bottom of the deep sea, he only took one big breath and did not take any deep breaths. That’s why I know that the moment he smells the scent of something that happened to him, he will stop breathing, wipe out everyone standing there, and then easily escape.
So, for now, we only implemented the scent that Kalian described. It was because of the first plan, which was to send a scent while it was sleeping, chase it out of the window, and then catch it while it was distracted.
“It’s a trap.”
“It’s fine. It looks like it skipped over.”
“The main gate of the palace.”
“There have been no reports of anyone escaping.”
“okay.”
Plantz, who lightly acknowledged his first failure as he thought there was no way such an easy move would work, nodded. And then he stepped outside the Wilhelm pavilion.
Plantz took out a ring from among the communication items whose owner he had stolen from Calian and handed it to the opposing wizard, then opened his mouth.
“Tell me as soon as the sleeping pills are finished.”
“Vice Commander. Are you really going to deal with Prince Calian with medicine?”
“no.”
After giving a short answer, Planz jumped up onto Estina.
There was a sound of the scabbard containing Sinastar hitting the saddle. The long bow and quiver of arrows strapped to the saddle shook slightly.
“I’m going to use it all.”
The wizard slowly shook his head at the natural tone of voice.
But then. In the distant sky, which was not completely bright, a thin flame containing the magicians’ signal was seen shining and fading out before long. It’s a signal.
The northern end of the royal palace.
A flame rising from a forest.
“You’re faster.”
Has it already arrived?
Planz looked at Raven, who was standing blankly at the entrance to the Wilhelm Pavilion, and raised one of her lips.
* * *
– Saaaa…….
The leaves shook all at once, as if welcoming a new visitor. Underneath the tree branches that were beginning to contain rust, lavender eyes filled with a cold light shone for a moment.
One knight, who was suppressing his screams while being pierced through the thigh, was knocked out. Calian, who remembered that he was one of the guys running through the training ground while requesting a spar with Calian, brushed the blood off the tip of his sword with an expressionless face.
“three.”
Two knights and one wizard.
Count the numbers.
Balkan Knights’ Uniform Wizard’s Robe Calian, who was watching the pure white clothes turn dark red, closed his eyes for a moment and slowly opened them.
– Sigh…!
I feel something thin and sharp grazing my ear. At the same time, a sphere of wind stretched out from Calian’s hand and split the air.
– Slut!
– Boom!
There was a dull sound as the sphere, which even contained a faint aura, flew like a thunderbolt and got blocked somewhere. As if there was no need to check the source of the sound, Calian launched himself in the opposite direction where he threw the sphere.
Instead of the knight who just threw memorization at him, he headed towards the place where the wizard who put the shield on the knight was from far away.
– Whirr!
A forearm-sized spear blade containing the magic power of the wind flies toward the wizard. A wizard who was trying to reinforce the shield on the knight quickly blocked his path.
Kalyan is seen smiling.
“Reconnaissance team. The end.”
Before the wizards who discovered their role could say anything, Calian disappeared again. Then.
– Kugwagwang!
– Wow…!
A loud sound came from in front of the wizard and from where the knight was at the same time.
A huge wind energy exploded beneath the wizard’s feet, which was out of sight. Almost at the same time, a cool blade plunged into the side of the knight standing far away. The knight, who did not even see the sword flying, let alone respond when he saw Calian, looked up at the expressionless eyes of the person looking down at him and immediately lost consciousness.
Calian, who laid the knight on the ground, let out a low voice.
“five.”
A small reconnaissance team.
These are people who can’t form a proper camp.
I know that there is a real army different from these in the forest. Calian, who guessed their direction, launched himself without delay. Then at that time.
– Rumble!
As soon as Calian stepped from where he was standing in front of the fallen knight, the ground sank.
As if he had guessed where Calian would be standing to attack the knight. As if he knew where to step and when to take a step and take a breath.
– Sigh!
At the same time, something fell from the sky with a huge sound. Calian, who discovered it, laughed, forgetting to keep his balance.
Mithril net.
It was like a spider’s web that couldn’t be easily cut, and it was pouring down, covering the entire sky.
“…Does my older brother really see me as one?”
I told him to catch me, but he kept trying to catch me.
After finishing his brief appreciation, Kalian’s body plummeted to the floor.
