Chapter 10. We’ve come too far (2)
Count Hail Ratran’s expression was not good.
I couldn’t let go of the anger that had built up because of Kalyan, so I gritted my teeth all night.
“I recognized you from the moment you proudly returned the gift. You arrogant bastard.”
A crude curse word came out spontaneously.
Before my eyes, Calian said that he was the prince of Kairis and that he would remove everything, including my liver and gallbladder, but that wasn’t true in my heart.
Those who don’t know may wonder if an earl who owns a copper mine has enough influence to look down on a prince, but what Hale believed in was not the copper mine, but the connections he had built up with the central nobility of Kyris after spending a lot of money.
Of course, the foremost among them is the Marquis of Briesen.
Didn’t they manage to get a kite by delivering copper cheaply to the top of Brissen? All the money earned from various events went to the Marquis of Briesen. So, not long ago, I received a promise to give him a wealthy territory close to Kairisis.
But Silike had an accident. Poison was used on Kalian.
He covered it up by saying he had a cold or something, but isn’t this a fact that everyone in the know knows?
Hale, who remembered that incident, cursed Silike for a moment.
“You’re so stupid. If you do something wrong, I’ll kill you properly.”
In any case, Brisen was shaken by that incident, so the fulfillment of the promise was postponed to the distant future. Not only that, but the enormous profits earned from transactions with the Brisen merchants were cut in half.
So Hale came to think that the reason why what should have been a flower field by now was still a copper field was because of Calian, who had upset Silike.
In that situation, that very Kalyan came.
That too, on the day I decided to make a deal with the blue warbler. First of all, I didn’t like it, but as soon as I saw his face, he would scold me and use magic carelessly. Because of his position as a prince, he went beyond the limits of what he could tolerate.
Even Calian and Jan’s behavior towards Butler Malcolm was inflaming Hale’s anger.
“It’s disgusting to act like you’ve won the world by seducing that wizard. Judging by the teasing he did yesterday, he seems to think he’s on the same level as the other princes. If either of them becomes king, he’ll be a new bastard with nowhere to go. “It’s like a lowly bloodline that goes on a rampage without even knowing what’s going on.”
While he was muttering only the words that would make anyone hear him, Malcolm knocked on his door.
– smart.
“Count. Are you awake?”
“Uh, come in for a moment.”
At those words, Malcolm came in with a cautious gesture. Hale said as soon as she heard the door close.
“Have you made contact with that guy again?”
I was talking about the blue warbler that I couldn’t meet because the scheduled time had passed because of Kalyan. The butler who heard those words bowed his head and said.
“I haven’t heard from you yet. I’ll contact you later today, so we can meet again at night.”
At those words, Haley hit the table.
“It’s my fault for giving this guy the position of a butler just because he’s a priest! There won’t be another idiot like you in the world!”
Malcolm’s shoulders flinched. Hale’s hand tapped the window again. It meant seeing the rain falling in torrential downpour.
“The weather is so bad, isn’t that commoner’s child going to sleep here again today?”
Only then did the butler, who understood Hale’s intentions, bow his head.
“Are you telling me to postpone my schedule?”
“Yes. This is how it ended up. Let’s just make a deal with each other comfortably after the prince leaves.”
“all right.”
Hale then looked at the clothes she had prepared to wear today. For some reason, I didn’t like how the color looked as gloomy as the sky today.
“Do you have any other clothes? Aren’t they too plain?”
Malcolm answered calmly, seeing Hale say such a thing while looking at his jacket with fancy gold buttons.
“I’ll tell you to find other clothes.”
“Yes. We have to push each and every one of them to stay very quiet and let them go.”
Soon the maids came into the room carrying several sets of clothes. Hale hummed and started picking out her clothes again.
* * *
As soon as I finished preparing breakfast, Jan came carrying a tray with a loaf of bread and cold black tea on it. First, Yan relayed what the driver, Yuran, said.
“It is said that neither Count Latran nor his butler went out all night.”
I was thinking that it would be like that. Therefore, Calian picked up the bread that Yan had not even put down yet, took a bite, and nodded.
“And the Count asked if you could delay the start of breakfast a little today.”
“why?”
Jan, who had a very disgruntled look on his face, answered in place of Calian, who asked without much expression.
“They say it’s because I’m not feeling well because of the rain, so what should I do?”
“You sound like you’re in bad shape. You must be picking out some clothes and putting them on.”
I can’t help but laugh.
Now Hale is protesting against yesterday’s events.
The title of count is by no means low. He let Hale sleep at the dinner table and completely ignored his request for an apology, which conveyed his displeasure with him.
However, Kalian also did not look kindly on Hale, so he had no intention of accepting such a protest.
“Say no. Come out on time.”
“Yes, I will.”
Soon, Calian broke the bread in his hand into pieces the size of his fingernails and laid them out here and there on the tea table. Jan cleaned up the table that Kalian had intentionally made a mess and instead of putting down the tea, he stood for a moment and waited.
– Food Duck!
Then, a small sound of wings was heard coming from where Kalian’s bed was, and a white dove landed on the table. Then he began to peck at each piece of bread he had put down.
Kalian’s eyes were very kind as he watched the bird eating bread, so Jan asked carefully.
“Do you plan on keeping that bird with you?”
Calian, who had carefully picked up the bird that had already finished eating all the pieces of bread, stood up and answered.
“No. I’m thinking about when to return it to its owner.”
A birdcage was placed next to Kalian’s bed. It was left behind by Arsene, who came at dawn.
Kalian opened the cage and put the bird inside. The bird, which had been held by Kalian’s hands, moved on its own and entered the cage.
“For some reason, I suddenly heard that a bird came in, and it turned out that the owner was there.”
“that’s right.”
In the morning, when Yan was surprised to see the birdcage next to the bed, Kalian broke off some more bread, put it in the cage, returned, sat down, and answered.
Kalyan ate more bread than he gave to the bird. And there was even more bread left over to give to the birds. The remaining bread went into Kalian’s mouth.
Jan looked like he was asking why you were eating that and said.
“You have to go to breakfast. Are you filling your stomach with that?”
Calian put the remaining piece of bread in his mouth and mumbled an answer. It was a sight never seen in the royal palace.
“It’s delicious. And I can’t eat much at breakfast anyway.”
Jan, who thought it was because he was uncomfortable at the dinner table with Hale Latran, wiped the table and put down the tea. After that, he walked to the birdcage and looked around, then pointed to the bird’s ankle and said,
“Is it Jeonseo-gu?”
I have just seen a small container tied to the bird’s ankle that could hold a letter. Calian answered as if it was no big deal.
“Yes. So just open the window and we will go to the owner.”
To the blue warbler that is more gorgeous, beautiful and dangerous than me.
Calian took a sip of tea while looking at Jeon Seo-gu, who had been caught by Arsene’s hand while flying to deliver news to the Blue Warbler the night before.
* * *
Haley was making an exaggerated laugh again.
Deacon Malcolm had his head down so his face was hard to see. And on Jan’s face, there was a deeper and bigger doubt than anyone else.
‘You said you couldn’t eat much, right?’
It was an expression that said just this.
Kalian, who was under Yan’s gaze, was eating very intently. After stealing most of the bread that the bird could eat, the bird was eating a very generous breakfast.
Thanks to this, Hale was in trouble.
Because the prince was just eating without saying the first word, the count sitting in front of him could not say anything and had to hold back what he wanted to say. Haley cursed again in his mind.
Calian’s eyes narrowed as he glanced at that face.
Haley may have tried to hide it, but the fierce eyes that had been shining all night long were not completely hidden. Thanks to this, Kalian was able to clearly decide what kind of attitude he should show at this meal.
“Oh, that’s right. Talk about it.”
Soon Calian opened his mouth with an expression on his face that showed he was not sorry at all.
“I forgot to allow the earl to speak. I have never had a meal with someone of lower status than me.”
Hale laughed more, being careful not to show his anger.
“Do you like the meal?”
“Yes. It’s delicious.”
Calian nodded obediently and answered. I’m eating this well, so I can’t lie and say it’s delicious.
Haley said, making a happy expression.
“I was worried that you might feel uncomfortable meeting me since you rejected the gift I sent you before. It would be an honor to treat you to a meal. However, if you don’t mind being rude, would you mind if I ask why you rejected my gift? ?”
Kalian, who heard that, responded in a tone that it wasn’t a particularly special reason.
“I don’t know who it is. It’s not a name I’ve ever heard of. There aren’t just one or two counts.”
He was treated like a complete local nobleman.
Jan bit the inside of her lip tightly. Because I shouldn’t have laughed.
The corners of Hale’s mouth trembled. Because I had to laugh.
“… You may not have known, but it’s a good thing that you now know my name.”
As Hale said that, she clenched her fists that were placed under the table.
‘You bastard!’
Hale, realizing again how Calian treated him, decided to demand an explanation for how Calian had put him to sleep yesterday. Because I felt like I had to at least hear him say sorry to get over the meal.
However, regardless of whether it was an act or not, it was true that I behaved obscenely in front of Kalian, so I apologized for that first.
“Anyway, I made a big mistake yesterday.”
“it’s okay.”
Calian responded quickly, as if he had been waiting for those words to come out. Haley spoke again.
“But maybe there was a magic spell on me yesterday…”
“I put you to sleep before I got more uncomfortable.”
Haley gaped.
He wasn’t saying that it was okay for Calian to inject him, but he was saying that it was okay because he put him to sleep before he became uncomfortable.
“Ah. So… you said that.”
“So, you don’t have to worry about it anymore. The Count has never faced royalty like this before, so he might make mistakes. I understand.”
Calian smiled and nodded once.
I couldn’t protest. I thought it would be unpleasant, so I couldn’t figure out how to react to the sound that didn’t even sound like it was being put to sleep.
In the end, Hale couldn’t say a word of protest against it. Rather, he apologized and was forgiven.
I can’t help but feel like my stomach is going to explode.
“But why were you so anxious last night?”
Hale’s hand holding the fork gained strength again when he heard the expression fret. Calian immediately looked at the hand and then at Hale. When faced with unfamiliar red eyes, Hale answered while avoiding his eyes without realizing it.
“I wanted to apologize for my mistake.”
Calian nodded and said with a small smile.
“The investigation into the person who attacked me yesterday was tiring, so I was taking a break. The Count said it happened because he wanted to apologize to me, so that’s okay too.”
This was the moment when everything became Hale’s fault.
Calian, who forgave everything with a generous heart, quietly drank the tea and then opened his mouth again.
“Now that I think about it, something strange came up during the investigation.”
Haley made a shocked expression for a moment.
A raider named Norton tried to find out about the attack on Calian, but he was unable to get close because the twenty knights who followed Calian as his escort guarded him tightly. So, Hale was unable to find out any details.
In the meantime, Hale hasn’t lived a very clean life.
Because of this, I was anxious that there might be a connection between me and Norton. Hale, whose stomach was burning, drank water.
Calian, whose face had completely lost all smiles, looked at Hale and said.
“I saw a suspicious person with the name of a bird in Kairisis. The people who attacked me were connected to another bird. So, we are also investigating the person with the name of a bird.”
Haley, who was so shocked by Calian’s words that he almost spit out water, quickly covered his mouth with his handkerchief.
A few drops of water landed on Hale’s clothes and hands. Malcolm quickly reached over and tried to wipe it away, but Hale nervously shook his hand away.
Several thoughts flashed through Hale’s mind.
‘What a bird. Isn’t there nothing that can mean a bird other than Secretia’s Sejak? Are you saying you knew the blue warbler? While investigating the attackers, why on earth is there mention of Secretia Sejak? Are you saying that that bastard from Secretia was trying to kill that bastard? ‘Why?’
Malcolm, who was as strong as a priest, took an overly low-key attitude towards Hale. It was only for a moment, but Hale’s eyes wavered. Calian looked at both of them without missing a beat.
And then I picked up the salad and ate it as if I hadn’t seen anything.
Hale was determined to meet that guy named Norton. The idea was that if you knew what was going on, you would be able to respond.
“Prince. In that case, I will help you with the investigation. Isn’t it dishonorable that someone who tried to harm you was here in Ratran? So please allow me to join you as well.”
Calian waved his hand and said.
“There is no need for that. All of the information confirmed so far has already been delivered to the royal palace. So the Count does not need to worry. If there is no connection, nothing will happen.”
Somehow, the last words had power.
Haley furrowed his eyebrows unconsciously.
