Chapter 73. Just a moment, bro (2)
– Creak.
It seemed like that was exactly what it sounded like.
I didn’t actually hear it, but I had no doubt that it must have sounded like that. I was buried in bed for over two days without being able to move even a finger. As I tried to quickly raise my body, I couldn’t help but feel like I could hear the sound of a century-old wooden drawer being opened throughout my body.
“Why don’t you figure out how to teleport from a lying down position to a sitting position?”
These words were heard from Arsene, who barely raised his head, which seemed to be stuck to the bed, to the height of a fist, and then laid back down with an ‘ugh’ sound. Arsene, who groaned and struggled to return his frown, answered in a surprisingly calm voice.
“That sounds quite tempting, but I can’t do it.”
“Why. Have you tried it already?”
“I haven’t tried it yet.”
“Then why not give it a try?”
Arsene raised his finger and pointed out the door. Then, instead of answering what was said, he made a slightly different sound.
“The Vulcans in the treatment room are eighty-five, including me.”
“Oh. There were a lot.”
One of the eighty-seven who fought against Calian, one of the vice commanders who received the Sispanian blessing. A wizard who was completely cured long ago after only being lightly stepped on on the neck without any cuts or stab wounds. Eighty-five people, minus two, were in the treatment rooms.
“But isn’t the hallway in the treatment room area quiet?”
“You need to be quiet. There are sick people gathered here.”
“If you’re quiet because you’re a little sick, is that a Vulcan?”
“If you have holes in your body and don’t stay quiet, are you a person?”
“How can they keep quiet when this hole was created by our prince himself? But do you know why people who are eighty-five years old are so calmly locked in the treatment room?”
“How do I know that?”
“I was feeling stuffy in the treatment room, so I used teleportation while lying down, and was discovered by the corps commander. So we were all banned from using magic and going out of the treatment room. If we were caught sneaking out, flame spheres would rain down from the ceiling. Teleport in a changed posture. “I can’t study magic because of that.”
“No matter what, Marquis Manasil did it too much. If people are frustrated, they might wander around, that’s what happens.”
Arsene, who laughed at the effort to take his side, added further explanation.
“I teleported to the table where the commander was eating.”
“Lying down.”
“That’s right. I went up while lying down.”
“Uh… okay.”
“I was trying to use this opportunity to lie down on that nice sofa, but I made a mistake with my calculations.”
“Yes, I see.”
“Yes, it is.”
“Is he alive?”
“Aren’t you talking right now? You’re not dead, Chairman.”
“… Uh, okay.”
I guess I should say she’s lucky that my baby’s mother is alive and not dead.
She said she was very worried that my cub’s mother was such a cub.
As the head of the Kairis wizards, he controlled all their crazy activities, taught students at the magic school, and led an intelligence organization, so Coco’s dad, who was able to think like an ordinary person, clicked his tongue at Coco’s mom. And he brought up another topic he had found with great difficulty.
“Anyway. I heard you hurt your shoulder?”
“Yes. I hurt my shoulder. I’m the only one who got hurt by an arrow instead of a sword, President of the Association.”
“Yes. I’m proud of it.”
“I’m proud of it. Here’s the arrow that our prince himself pulled out.”
The blue-haired crazy wizard, who had been unable to move on his own just moments ago, put his hand under his pillow. Then, he took out a long arrow from the wizard’s pocket that he had left there.
“It was well received by the crew who were organizing the scene.”
The collections are steadily coming together.
If Calian had known, he would have picked up that arrow and put a hole in the remaining lifespan, but since he doesn’t know yet, it’s okay.
Arsene took a look at the arrow with a proud look on his face. And Kalian put it back in her pocket, taking care to treat it as if she were handling a ruby cuff. After that she groaned and shoved it back under the pillow. Euria sighed heavily as she watched the action and asked.
“It’s my shoulder that’s hurt, why can’t I move my body?”
“I was hit just enough to not break my neck bones. That’s why my neck hurts no matter where I move. My neck hurts more than my shoulder, Mr. President.”
“I thought so, but I ended up getting hit again.”
“Yes, that’s right. But aren’t our prince’s hands really amazing? It’s amazing how he was able to hit him without breaking any bones in that situation. Anyway, the president of the association thought it was cool when he caught the flying arrow and struck it with his shoulder. “You wouldn’t know.”
“Uh. I was curious, but I’m not curious. I’m just going to live without knowing. For the rest of my life.”
Euria shook her head. Then she took out a thick paper club from her bag and handed it to Arsene.
Arsene, who was pleased to see this, asked.
“Are you giving me a consolation letter?”
“Well, it must be a consolation letter. I wrote it and gave it to you.”
Arsene smiled handsomely once again. And he started making squeaks. Of course, this means that I heard it not with my ears, but with my heart.
After whimpering for a while, Arsene barely sat up and took the wad of paper.
“President of the Association.”
“uh.”
“Do you usually give letters like this when you visit the hospital?”
“Why is that?”
“The letter has a title.”
“There might be a title on the letter.”
– The first report on the estimated demand for magic items and cost reduction measures following the reconstruction of the long-distance communication network and replacement of existing communication facilities.
“It could be stuck, but the title is a bit long. It’s hard to read at a glance. I’m not sure what it means. So what is it?”
“You’re watching. Read.”
“Yes. I will read it.”
Of course, I didn’t think it would be a consolation letter.
Nevertheless, Arsene, a little surprised by the unexpected content, passed the paper with his uninjured arm and checked the content.
“Are we improving our communication facilities?”
“I heard so.”
“Are we moving the inter-regional communications department at the Wizards Association to Balkan?”
A magic item that exchanges voices with each other.
It’s hanging around Kalian’s wrist and fingers, and it’s also in Hina’s ear. Although it was not in the form of an accessory, there was one magic item for communication that had the same function in each region’s representative territory. It was to inform the capital Kairisis of the situation in case of emergency.
However, they were all managed by the Wizards’ Association, not the royal palace. This is because the entire royal palace is still Sispanian ‘territory’. All magic coming from outside, whether it was attack magic or simple communication magic, was blocked, and as a result, Kairis had managed a separate communication department within the Wizards’ Association located outside the royal palace.
Meanwhile, my younger brother said he would like to have a chat with his old brother, but every time he did that, would he have to go through the trouble of carrying the expensive steps outside the palace? There was an incident where Pea went to visit Alan Manasil. The Archmage, who was forcibly persuaded by the extremely humanitarian opinion that he would take care of his brother’s welfare, took steps to ensure that only communication magic was free from interference by Sispanian’s magic.
“Anyway, it’s not something the association has to do anymore.”
Therefore, there was no longer a need for the Wizards Association to handle communication items. Now it is possible to exchange communications with each territory directly from the palace.
“Then, I am in charge of communication magic in Balkan, and His Highness has approved the provision of communication equipment to small and medium-sized fiefdoms… How do you plan to use it, and where and how to supply so many communication magic items and the cost? “Are you writing this report because you have to decide what to do?”
“yes.”
“But why do I know that now?”
“Kid, I don’t know why you didn’t know that before.”
“So, what kind of person came up with such a troublesome opinion without my knowledge?”
“Prince Calian.”
“…… ah.”
The construction of a mobile magic circle connecting each region of Kairis has been completed. Now that the urgent matter was finished, it was time to start the next task. A suggestion was made to improve communication facilities, which, although not non-existent, had many shortcomings. Kalyan.
“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear what you just said.”
“Thank you for saving my life. As expected, there is only one person left, the president of the association.”
Calian proposed his opinion, Plantz fleshed it out, Alan agreed, Lemain in Schrinz approved, and Euria estimated it. So, only the opinion of the crazy blue-haired wizard who was the person in charge of the Balkan wizard’s side and the actual decision-maker, but who had no time to intervene because he was in the treatment room, disappeared. Arsene looked at the report again.
“Yes. I agree.”
“Read everything and tell me.”
“I have read everything. There is no problem. There is still a lot of communication equipment in the association’s warehouse, so distribute it first to territories that do not have communication equipment or are damaged. It will be cheaper if you obtain the insufficient quantity from Riverne, but security-related items can be purchased from other countries. “It’s difficult to use, so we’ll make it ourselves, but if the production cost isn’t enough, aren’t we going to borrow it from Prince Calian’s safe, or from the top of Fallun?”
“that’s right.”
“Yes. We have confirmed that the upper management has requested to find a way to directly trade Tensil’s diamonds and salt without going through middlemen as a condition of lending money. In the future, three wizards from the association who will be in charge of communications will join Balkan. I also read that it is.”
Since it wasn’t a consolation letter, he seemed to be skimming through it, full of dissatisfaction, but in the meantime, he checked the contents properly.
Euria spoke to Arsene, who was showing off as a capable vice-captain after a long time.
“They said they would connect communications to all small and medium-sized territories, so the cost has increased significantly. I wonder if they really need to go that far.”
“If you think about it, you want to build a wall that surrounds the entire country. Since that is impossible and you can’t build walls and repair them in each territory, you want to at least connect communications. That way, even if something happens, Balkan can move out right away. Wouldn’t you like it?”
“Because of those Xeons?”
“For now, yes.”
A wall I saw on my way to visit Secretia. Arsene spoke softly as he remembered the one and only barrier that was sure to have collapsed in front of Vulcan’s power.
“He is someone who believes there is nothing wrong with being prepared for anything.”
“That is correct.”
“Yes, President of the Association. Anyway, I will review this one more time and pass it on to you.”
“okay.”
Arsene, who was shaking his head, groaned. A slightly louder ‘tap’ sound resounded from his throat. Arsene grabbed his sore neck so that he couldn’t even say it hurt, and groaned for a while before opening his mouth.
“Ah, President of the Association.”
“uh.”
“The Vice Commander, who seemed to have decided not to come down from the Crown Prince, said he could leave Coco alone today rather than taking her with him.”
“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”
“Didn’t you give me that report when you came to take Coco?”
“I was going to take you with me all the time.”
“So you just came here to give me this?”
“That too. I passed on the report while I was here.”
“Ah then…”
While Coco was here, the report was also here.
The wizard, who had a small hole in his shoulder and a huge lump on the back of his neck, took another bite with a look of anticipation on his face.
“Are you here to see me?”
“uh.”
“Are you coming to see me because I was seriously injured, President?”
I answered, but he asks again.
Euria smiled and nodded her head.
“Otherwise, why bother coming to the Wilhelm Pavilion?”
Arsene looked pleased after hearing the answer without hesitation. He forgot about the pain in his shoulder, and almost forgot about the pain in his neck that made him wonder if he should wear the Abton Dant.
“I can’t see you because I’m busy, but it’s nice to see you like this, President.”
“I don’t like it when you make me come when I’m busy.”
“I’m glad that you care.”
“I don’t even like worrying.”
Arsene grinned.
In his heart, he thought that it was still worth getting hurt sometimes.
“Take this medicine well and you will get better soon, President of the Association.”
“Uh, okay.”
“You said you didn’t want to worry, so I won’t let you get hurt like this again.”
Even though we knew very well that it was an empty promise that would never be kept until we gave up the idea of making a statue of her, we just nodded at her.
* * *
He said he would see me later.
Did the ‘after’ refer to 30 years later or 50 years later?
“Calian.”
“yes.”
The answer is yes.
However, he does not stop her steps, turn back, or meet her eyes.
Her cloak was wrapped around her brother and her jacket was thrown away and burned. She didn’t care even though she was dressed in a light outfit that was never seen in front of others, wearing only a black vest and a red shirt with a collar pin hanging from Ruby. She didn’t even speak. She didn’t even look anywhere else. She just walked out of Senyu Pavilion like that, with no way of knowing whether she knew that the sound of her footsteps had already disappeared.
‘yarn. Go to Rubia’s pavilion, return this bracelet, and ask Lord Castrin if he can come to the forest tonight.’
‘yes. All right.’
As soon as he saw Kalian, he sent an errand to keep him far away from Jan, who followed him with a surprised look on her face.
Lemain did not hide from his brothers’ fight. It’s not like there are any health problems. The fire that broke out in the palace was simply an accident, and Siegfried’s sending of knights was merely a recruitment of additional Balkan knights. Everything happened individually, so don’t force connections and confuse things.
While Reric, who had entered the Senyu Pavilion, was explaining things on behalf of Planz, he continued to walk in silence through the long garden where no one was present except for a few knights guarding the palace.
Planz looked at his younger brother’s back for a moment and let out a short sigh. Calian, who must have heard the sound, came out of the conference room and simply moved his feet without making a sound.
“Where are you going?”
“I’m going to Chermil Palace.”
“why.”
“Lock the windows.”
“why.”
“I feel like someone came into my bedroom on their own.”
A jewelry display case placed on the black console next to the safe.
The item was located in the bedroom, not in the living room or on the terrace. The answer came back that I would just lock it to prevent anyone from coming into the bedroom and tampering with it.
Plantz, who was looking down at the cuffs that the nobles could not see and that only Calian could see, answered.
“I didn’t know it was a treasured item.”
“I cherish everything that comes into my hands. There was nothing I had that I didn’t lose before I died. Be it an object, an animal, or a person.”
“The person who cares so much about you, why do you keep trying to throw it away?”
“Because I know how to consider what is more precious. Is it something that can be picked up again even after throwing it away, or is it something that should never be missed no matter what you give up and give in return? Because I know how to distinguish between those things.”
“Calian.”
“I’m listening.”
“west.”
“why.”
“We decided to talk.”
Stand tall.
Calian’s feet stopped. Only then did I turn back and look at Planz. At the same time, a silent film appears, obscuring the view.
“Conversation.”
“okay.”
“I’m thinking of letting the nobles know that I’m aiming for the crown prince. If you ask me, what do you think, brother? Then what will you say, brother?”
“Stop.”
“Then, I know your brother will be against it, but are you saying that I should tell you in advance? If I tell you, he will be against it.”
“okay.”
Ban’s red eyes, darkened by the long shadow of the tree, are even redder than the cuffs on his brother’s sleeves. I was half angry and half worried. Part of understanding Plantz’s actions is part of not understanding one’s own actions. I looked at Planz with those eyes.
“I wonder what I heard from brother Randel again. What did I hear that made me so preoccupied? Then why do I consider it a ‘conversation’? Just another conversation without saying anything.”
“Calian.”
“Is that really how you see it?”
Plantz’s mouth, which was about to say something, closed again.
“I know who the Marquis Briesen would have been sarcastically referring to. I know who Baron Briesen would have pointed his sword at you for. I know who Brother Randel always thinks of when he looks at you. I know. I don’t know a thing. “Because I’ve never heard of it. If you don’t tell me, I don’t know. I don’t know.”
“Why?”
“The person who thought there was no need to talk about it asked me so many questions about what my relationship was with Brother Chase, what the axis of time was, how I lived, what Devlan did, and whether I was breathing or if I was strangled. God. You gave me tangerines, went out to beat the rain, jumped into the sea, dug a hole in the forest of the royal palace, sent wizards, sent a Balkan corps commander, and so on and so forth. Even though I never taught you what would happen if you didn’t take out what was inside. I did it myself. “You knew that well.”
A short sigh came from Planz’s mouth.
Words that he had tried to hide came out of Kalian’s mouth.
“I just accepted the brooch that Evan gave me, ignored the way Baron Briesen was nodding his head at my brother, and just watched Marquis Briesen standing upright in front of me. Even the people who made wine in that distant land of Siegfried fell into alcohol. Even though I think I’m alive, I hold and release my brother’s hand as it suits me. It’s no different for my brother or me to change our attitude, but people’s fingertips are always pointed towards you. Like a habit, I think it’s all up to you, and I think it’s natural. I’m upset. “He didn’t say a word about how unfair it was. Then he said, ‘I’m Kalyan. Let’s talk.’”
Plantz’s gaze shifted.
From the ruby cuffs hanging from my wrists to Calian’s hands. I picked up what I had thrown on the floor and held on to the emerald brooch that I was still holding tightly. After staring at it for a while, I opened my mouth.
“It was fine, but it got locked again.”
If he had understood, he would have answered, and if he had not understood, he would have asked back, but Kalian did not speak. He kept looking at Planz. Finally, Plantz opened his mouth once more.
“The scent was disgusting, disgusting, and horrible. I thought it would get better once I got used to it. It was getting better. Now that I knew it wasn’t as bad as I thought, I should have thought it was getting better. But that wasn’t the case. It locked me up again without me knowing.”
“Are you talking about perfume?”
“okay.”
“I got sick after pouring perfume on it, but it wasn’t that bad. So, you think my brother is that kind of person after all, and you started thinking like that again. Even then, you pretended like nothing happened and dug an abyss in front of me, sent Sir Hertz, shot arrows, and used magic. Is that what you said?”
“I did.”
“That’s why he just turned a blind eye when I threw the knife at him. I thought he finally realized that he didn’t value his life. That’s not true.”
“…… okay.”
I thought that once I got used to the scent of Renieri, I would escape Silique’s shadow, but when I realized that I was no longer suffocated by the scent, it actually turned out to be the opposite. He thought he might have been deliberately avoiding something he didn’t like from the beginning.
I should have thought it was getting better.
I can’t bear to think of it like that.
Calian, who followed Planz’s gaze and looked down at the emerald in his hand, opened his mouth.
“I know the most foolish bastard in the world.”
“me.”
“no.”
Kalian lifted her head.
She looked at Planz, who was still standing across from her.
“… It’s Bern.”
Every time the name that should have ‘existed’ is brought up, a foolish name is brought up that only reminds us of the life that has already disappeared.
On a day when I couldn’t get my mind together, I was afraid that I might lose Alan, who I thought was on my side. He was afraid that if he lost that too, he would really be left alone. I was afraid of that and said the name without calculating anything.
Will it feel very different from then, or will it feel the same? I put aside my inner thoughts that I didn’t even know about and brought that name up in front of someone again.
“There was a guy with that name. Even though he was hurt, he didn’t say anything and hid it. He thought it was the best thing to do because people wouldn’t care. Even though he knew that the way he walked in front of the castle gate was the end of his life, he didn’t even think about that day. Because I thought I had to do it. I died without even being able to say a single word I wanted to say. The last words I said to the person I cared about the most turned out to be a lie. That was a lie. You’re such a foolish bastard that you can’t even explain or apologize. It’s Bern… “There was one guy like that.”
Plantz slowly closed and opened his eyes.
A name that has finally filled the empty space in my head. It was a puzzle piece that my brilliant mind had already figured out, but it was still a name that I was only now able to confirm. As if I were once again keeping it in my memory.
“But there’s one more.”
“who.”
“Planz. Brother, you.”
Planz was about to frown.
This is why Kalian’s words continued.
“Brother, do you know my name?”
“Calian.”
“Do you really think so?”
“okay.”
“Then, I will take care of your grievances alone, so you can stop acting foolishly. I understand that you are blaming me, but I really feel like an enemy, but I will take care of your greed. I will not go out on my own like I did today, and I will have the conversation you want.”
Calian glanced at the nobles who were finally starting to come out and continued speaking.
“If you tell me that you’re worried because the smell of the perfume has gotten better, I’ll tell you the correct answer that it’s not that the flower scent was okay from the beginning, but that you just forgot that strong smell to stand in front of the guy who made you your younger brother. It’s because you’re Brisen. “I also tell him that it’s because he’s the older brother who thinks he’s a waste of his younger brother. I’ll have that conversation with him.”
Plantz, who was standing looking at Calian’s face instead of the nobles, quietly lowered his eyes. After looking at my toes for a while, I raised my head again and looked at Calian.
“…… okay.”
“What did you know?”
“Conversation.”
An emerald brooch went into Calian’s pocket.
Whether it falls on the floor or not, everything you hold in your hand is a waste. I gave away both the ruby cuff and the black diamond brooch, so I should at least keep this.
“Real conversation.”
“okay.”
“I won’t hide by myself again and do foolish things.”
“I understand.”
“yes.”
Kalian, who was finally laughing, turned her head.
The conversation with Plants has come to an end, right? So there was no reason to stay here anymore. I didn’t want to show the nobles that I wasn’t dressed properly.
however.
“I thought I was late, but I’m really glad I got to meet you like this.”
Calian’s feet did not move.
The smile on her face became a little deeper.
This person was standing about five steps away.
“Again. Nice to meet you. I am Baron Rashid Briesen.”
The guy who didn’t notice until he approached me like that.
Because I heard the voice of an unwelcome guy.
