Chapter 12. I live (4)
that day.
In the Duchy of Siegfried, birds soared all day long.
Jeon Seo-gu and Jeon Seo-eung of all colors set off toward Kairisis. The birds all looked different, but the contents of the letters were all the same.
– As Calian entered Sispanian’s empty nest, a bright light radiated out. The light was visible even from outside Siegfried Castle.
That was the end of the news written by the noble vassals staying at Siegfried. Since nothing was known about what happened inside or what the light was, no other content could be included.
Calian, the only person who could confirm this, came down from the mountain with an expression on his face as if he had just gone for a walk. After briefly declaring that the coming-of-age ceremony was complete, he immediately returned to Siegfried Castle.
Duke Slayman did not ask Kalian anything.
After telling Calian to have lunch separately in his room, he went out to the terrace connected to the living room and enjoyed the fresh air.
While standing on the terrace, Sleiman saw a few Shellfish flying through the sky and disappearing, and he burst out laughing. And he said it with pure surprise.
“Now I know there are so many mouths in my territory!”
It was said that they did not even know how many people were living in Siegfried’s land and relaying news outside. Because of this, the person next to Slayman scolded him.
“Is this something you can only admire now?”
It was Dmirea, Jan’s younger sister and the head of Duke Siegfried’s family.
Demirea had a cute face with round eyes like Jan, but she had a stern expression that seemed awkward but strangely suited her.
Slayman spoke softly as he looked at his daughter, who had grown up and started nagging her.
“Wouldn’t it be okay if I just admired it and moved on?”
Then Demirea shook her head resolutely.
“Aren’t there people everywhere who are jealous of great power? They will never get involved with our family. I think we need to know in advance which family’s vassals are here and be on guard.”
He clearly conveyed his thoughts by giving reasons. Slayman smiled happily as he saw Dmirea growing up little by little to become Siegfried’s next owner.
“That’s good. You look like me a little bit. Anyway, I got married well!”
Slayman is probably the only person who likes his children because they don’t look much like him. Sleiman laughed as he remembered the always thoughtful Duchess Siegfried, then looked at Demirea and continued.
“But, Leah. If our family is wary of them, it becomes politics. We are the ones who protect, not those who rule or uphold. Isn’t the reason we develop strength to carry a shield?”
Demirea did not answer right away. This is because his thoughts were different from Slayman’s.
A little later, Demirea pointed to a window in the distance. It was towards the VIP room where Kalian was staying.
“But this time might be different, father.”
Jan was in the palace.
It was also very deeply related to Kalyan.
So even though he was a Slayman, he didn’t know what he was saying. Even when I visited the palace not long ago, wasn’t my name already sold to Yan once?
So what Jan needs next will be Slayman’s name or his sword. It was difficult for even Slayman to guarantee.
“Even if you’re not on guard, aren’t you preparing?”
Slayman, who answered like that, looked towards the training ground set up within the castle. Numerous knights were training with their swords clashing without fail.
“I’m not that mean!”
Although he was speaking in a foolish way, he sounded confident rather than arrogant.
However, Slayman was not a person who would unconditionally stick to his own thoughts. Therefore, he gently stroked Demirea’s head and continued speaking.
“But at least you know whose vassals live here.”
Only then did Demirea nod.
Afterwards, as he was about to thank Sleiman for listening to his opinion, the terrace door opened and Jan came out.
“Wow. There really were a lot of Jeonseo-gu, right?”
The number of people who are purely admiring has increased.
Dmirea’s face hardened, and Slayman responded with a big smile again.
“Isn’t there really a lot? I saw a hawk!”
As if in response to those words, the bird flew up again.
Looking at it, I thought, ‘Here we go again, wow!’ Demirea’s eyes were deeply saddened when she saw the father and son talking like that. It was because the burden of having to shoulder this family someday became very heavy.
* * *
– Come back when you think you are fully prepared.
Calian laughed as he remembered Sispanian’s last words.
“What are you trying to tell me again?”
Jan, who had returned from a brief meeting with Slayman and was sitting across from Kalian, widened his eyes.
Instead of answering that gaze, Kalian lifted up the cold mint tea that was sitting on the table. The ice in the cup made a clear sound.
“… Be prepared enough.”
It was still a word whose meaning was difficult to understand. Jan turned his gaze from Calian to the window. I was afraid that staring would make me look like I was forcing an answer.
Then Kalyan also looked out the window.
The training ground full of Slayman’s knights came into view at a glance. Before I knew it, I had reached there and saw Kirie with the knights.
Anyway, thinking I was just eager, I turned my gaze and this time I saw Hina sitting in the garden.
Hina kept stroking something, and when she looked closely, she saw that it was a poodle with bronze-colored curly fur. It was Slayman’s dog, which was said to resemble Jan so much that it was even named ‘Jan’. Kalian muttered as he saw Hina’s brightly smiling face.
“You like dogs more than birds. Can I keep a dog at Chermil Palace?”
Jan, who had been drinking tea together without saying a word, spoke.
“You keep thinking about what to do for Hina. Last time, you showed interest while thinking about birds.”
Yan’s voice saying that was quite strange. It was obvious what he was thinking when he said that, so Calian immediately cleared up the misunderstanding.
“I’m not that interested.”
What I was saying was that I wasn’t dreaming of a relationship.
Yan nodded at those words and looked at Hina again and smiled. This is because I saw Hina gesticulating in front of Poodle Yan’s eyes.
“You even use sign language for your dog. I think it’s cute.”
Calian suddenly became curious about those words and asked.
“How do you know sign language?”
It was a thoughtless question.
But there was no answer from Jan.
When Kalian, who realized that he had asked something pointless, was about to say something, Jan spoke again. He didn’t take his eyes off the window.
“I had a brother.”
That there was.
Those words alone explained it.
However, Jan did not stop talking and continued talking.
“Because we weren’t healthy… we had a lot to learn to get along. Soon, it all became useless.”
After saying that, Yan picked up the tea and took a sip. Jan, who was looking at Calian’s face as he couldn’t find anything to say in reply, smiled and said.
“It’s okay because it was a long time ago. The prince is here now.”
“…… okay.”
Soon Jan pointed to the dog outside the window, clearly looking for another topic.
“He’s very scared. He barks so much. If you raise him in Chermil, Plantz won’t stay still. The same goes for Prince Randel.”
It seemed like he didn’t want to talk for a long time and be gloomy.
It could have been given to Calian, who was feeling awkward. In any case, it was clear that the intention was to bring up the story about his dead brother, so Calian did not ask any more questions and answered about the new topic.
“Then I guess I’ll have to go to Camilon.”
Camilon Palace.
It was the residence of the crown prince.
Jan turned his head, looked at Calian blankly, and asked.
“You’ve never once mentioned the Crown Prince before.”
“They said you can’t grow it in Chermil. So you have to go to Camilon.”
Yan made a bewildered face.
“The prince is the only one who would go to Camilon to raise a dog.”
Kalian took a sip of tea and put it down.
I really like the unique refreshing scent of mint.
After savoring the scent that filled his mouth for a moment, Kalian opened his mouth and looked out the window with a relaxed expression.
“I am probably the only prince who has met the true body of Sispanian.”
Yan blinked his round eyes a few times.
A few seconds passed before I understood Calian’s words.
After that, the glass in Jan’s hand fell to the floor.
* * *
Siegfried’s castle, like the palace of King Kairis, was a place where Sispanian power reached. Because of this, communication with Alan was impossible.
So Calian asked Jan to guide him to a suitable place where he could talk to Alan. And Jan came out with Calian without even being able to calm down her shock when she heard that Sispanian was really alive and that she had summoned Calian directly and had a conversation with him.
And after managing to think of a suitable place that was close to the inner city with few people and out of the reach of Sispanian’s power, he guided Calian.
“People don’t come here often.”
Calian looked around and let out a small laugh.
Although it didn’t match his amused smile, the area around him was full of tombstones of the dead. The place Jan guided us to was a cemetery for important figures of the Siegfried family.
“It’s definitely less crowded than anywhere else.”
“Yes. You can stay comfortably.”
When I went to a slightly higher place, there was a wide area of land where there were no tombstones. Calian, who went up there, called Alan.
– Did you finish Rosellita successfully?
I heard Alan’s answer as if he had been waiting.
Alan must have been curious too. It was Alan who talked about the axis of time together and advised me to meet Sispanian.
– Yes, Master. The coming-of-age ceremony was completed and Sispanian was well received.
Calian, who opened his mouth like that, told all about what happened in the cavity.
Alan’s first reaction was no different from Jan’s. It’s not possible to speak. Calian thought that Alan must have been several times more surprised than Jan. If the priests of Tensil have Serenti, isn’t it said that all wizards in the world have Sispanian?
– You have met the true body of Sispanian. I meant to go together.
As expected, Alan said this.
The feeling of surprise and disappointment was clearly conveyed.
Of course, even if they had come together, Alan would not have been able to meet Sispanian. We may have been able to see at least a glimpse of the common light, but that only increases our regret.
– I told you to come back when you are ready, so I will definitely come with you next time.
– I was grateful for what I heard. So what did you mean by meeting after making some preparations?
– Isn’t there only one preparation I need to do now?
After saying this, Kalian leisurely looked around for a moment.
A place where numerous traces of death remain. I spoke while looking at the place where the last devotions of those trying to remember the dead are expressed.
– We have to survive. first.
A person with the soul of a king who left no trace spoke of his life.
– When we return, we’ll have to deal with Silike, who will be up again, so first of all, we need to take care of our position. Shouldn’t we be able to see the future better if we focus less on surviving?
– …… is it so. It’s a pity, but it’s true.
– How is the atmosphere in Briseen? I wonder what Silique is like as well. What are you doing now that Lennon is gone?
Alan seemed to have been anticipating Calian’s question and answered right away.
– I guess I felt something strange because I couldn’t find Lennon for 10 days. This morning Evan Briesen came into the palace and left.
– It looks like they called the Marquis Briesen and asked him the whole story.
– I think he did.
– but. It must be frustrating that Viscount Lennon Briessen, whom you used like a hand and foot, has suddenly disappeared.
Calian laughed for a moment and continued.
– Are you not worried that the Marquis of Briesen will personally inform you of the reason why Viscount Briesen disappeared?
– You shared the seal of oath with me. If I told Silike the truth, the Marquis’ life would be cut off, so I could never tell that story out loud.
It was just as Alan said.
Evan Brissen made a ‘seal of oath’ with Allan that he would not tell Sillike about what he had done with Lennon. If he broke it, his heart would be crushed by the seal of the oath and he would die, so he wouldn’t have to worry about his secret leaking out.
– In that case, Silike will try to find another limb to replace Lennon. Neither I nor Silike can freely move outside the palace. I’m sure he’ll be looking for the next person to help him, so stay tuned.
Instead of Alan’s answer, there was laughter.
Calian narrowed his eyes at this reaction and asked.
– Is there already a new person from Briesen coming to the palace?
– I have a letter in my hand right now. This letter has caused quite a bit of trouble for you, but I wanted to tell you about it anyway.
– A letter. What are you saying?
Is it opening a letter or choosing what to say? There was no word from Alan for a moment. As I was waiting for Jan, who was standing far away, I heard Alan’s story again.
– He was injured in a battle with barbarians and would like to return to Kairisis to recuperate for a while. Please send someone to the territory to temporarily take his place. This request is written:
– Is this by any chance… a letter from the Margrave of Brisen?
Gray Brisen.
The first son of Marquess Evan Briesen. It was the name of a margrave who had a fief adjacent to Tensil.
– you’re right. Perhaps Sillike sang it as soon as he found out Lennon was gone. He may be trying to use the excuse of injury to return to the capital. I haven’t been to the palace yet, but I think I’ll get there a little sooner than the prince.
– also.
An expression of interest appeared on Calian’s face.
– I can finally see your face.
Calian turned his head for a moment and looked in the direction where Kairisis would be.
Another Jeon Seo-gu was seen flying.
The news it will bring and Gray Brissen. And Kalyan.
– Another sword master… It will be fun. What will happen when we meet?
I was already looking forward to the day the three of us would meet.
