Chapter 3. nice to see you. (1)
The main gate of Kairis Royal Palace was directly connected to the royal road passing through Kairisis.
In front of the palace, there were two symmetrical squares centered around the royal capital. These were Hatsara Square to the east and Sispanian Square to the west.
In the fountain at Hatsuara Square, there was a Sispanian in human form, and at the fountain in Sispanian Square, there was a Hatsuara standing looking at each other from a distance.
Originally, the two statues were made to face the royal palace, but the story goes that after Hatsuara’s death, Sispanian, who came in the form of a dragon, turned the two statues so that they were facing each other and left.
As a result, these two squares were representative attractions in Kairis, visited by many lovers and tourists even during normal times.
However, people who visited the square from early morning did not even pay attention to the two famous fountains and competed for a place to stand as close to the palace as possible.
This is because today was the birthday anniversary of King Lemain.
It’s still early in the morning.
A splendid platform for Lemain to stand was built on the royal road behind the main gate of the palace. A thin and large crystal board was also erected in front of the two fountains for those who could not see the podium. It was a magic device that projected the images of the king’s family onto a crystal plate so that they could be clearly seen from behind.
Security guards in charge of security in Kairissis stood throughout the square, preparing for any accidents that might occur. In addition, people came out of the palace and started moving around frantically, cleaning the platform and piling up commemorative gifts.
Of course, preparations for the event were in full swing inside the palace.
“Whew.”
Calian let out a long sigh as if he was nervous.
Because I realized once again how important today is. There was no breakfast during the festival. This also meant that everyone was busy preparing for the festival.
As I came out after taking a light shower, Shatin came to me just in time. Since Kalian was not yet ready to welcome outsiders, Jan closed the bedroom curtains and brought Shatin into the room.
Thanks to this, I could only see Shatin from Kalian’s side, and Shatin had become very emaciated, probably because he had stayed up all night trying to put on his clothes. Calian sent the carriage once again with gratitude and apology.
“While you are getting ready, I will tell you today’s schedule again.”
Yan said, pulling back the curtain after Shatin left.
Calian, who saw Yan looking as hard as clay due to tension, nodded with a smile.
“At 9 a.m., you will offer your congratulations to His Majesty, and at 10 o’clock, you will attend an event held in the square. From 12 o’clock, there will be a luncheon with His Majesty the King and the Queen.” “Meeting with central nobles at 2 p.m., and local nobles at 5
p.m. “Meeting with the field ends at 8 o’clock, banquet ends at 11 o’clock. I memorized it all.”
When Kalian interrupted Yan’s words, Yan made a puzzled face as he realized how much he had told him about his schedule.
“We have a meeting with envoys tomorrow, so it will be helpful if you listen carefully to the nobles’ conversations.”
All Calian was looking forward to was after the banquet began. There was a story that Alan didn’t come until the banquet was over.
In addition, Calian did not have high expectations for meeting envoys from each country, and more specifically for envoys from Secretia. Of course, Chase was not included in the delegation, and there would be no one among the Secretian nobles coming as part of the mission that Calian would want to see.
‘Even if someone I know comes by, I can’t ask Prince Chase how he is doing these days.’
In fact, Bern’s relationship with the Secretian nobles at this point was not very good.
This was because everyone was opposed to Bern’s opinion that he would give up the throne of crown prince to his concubine’s son, Chase. The only reason was that it was natural for Bern, the queen’s son, to become crown prince. No words made sense.
So Verne was knighted by Chase.
‘The look on their faces when they pledged loyalty to their brother was worth seeing.’
After a long time, Yan’s voice was heard again in the ears of Calian, who was laughing as he recalled the past.
This time it was a cautionary note.
Of course, I was already tired of hearing it.
“When greeting nobles, I will tell you their names behind the scenes. Other than that, you will not have anything else to say. However, if you have something to say to them,” “If you forget the other person’s name, look at Jan. Competent upper chamberlain
. Jan will tell you again. I can say hello first, but I won’t say my name directly. I’m royalty.”
As I was looking at Jan’s face full of worry, I was able to escape from the past and a mischievous smile appeared in my eyes.
“Prince. Please speak lower.”
Yan, surprised, lowered his head and said.
“But is there anyone who doesn’t know my name? It seems like everyone calls me something special. Ah, ‘that’ Kalian!”
It was said with a smiling face, but of course it did not mean anything good. Therefore, Jan looked at Calian with a bitter expression, unable to find the words to reply.
“Anyway, that will change after today, so don’t worry. You won’t make any mistakes.”
I have been a prince for too long.
Not only that? Even life as a king and knight. It was Kalyan who was more confident than anyone else in transforming himself into a perfect prince in front of people.
‘The assassin is going to come anyway, so it would be better to use this opportunity to upset the inside of the silique.’
So, this thought naturally occurred to me while waiting for the festival.
Whether you act visibly or invisibly.
Regardless of that, Silike is a woman who just hates Calian’s existence. So, I was thinking of just standing out. I decided to completely throw it away, like cat hair in my eye.
Yan, unaware of such thoughts, shook his head and looked at Calian for a long time. Jan’s serious voice, with a face that still showed no signs of worry, caught Calian’s playful smile.
“Prince. What is more important than anything else is your health. So, if you think it will be difficult for you to attend all of today’s schedule, don’t hold back and tell me right away. By all means.”
This was added because Kalian was not in good health.
I was wondering if talking to Jan would make any difference, but I thought that Jan would really do something.
“Okay. Don’t worry.”
Calian tapped Jan on the shoulder and lowered his head for a moment to look at the clothes he was wearing.
It’s unfamiliar to see him wearing the prince’s uniform.
He wore a white shirt, black pants, and a tight black jacket with two rows of gold buttons. It was a jacket that reached below the waist and had a neck collar that covered half of the neck.
And on top of that, he wore a red cloak that reached down to his knees. The maids who had pinned the cloak to the jacket looked to see if the joints of the cloak, with its two rows of gold straps and tassels, were crooked.
Lastly, the maid Merlin, who inspected Calian’s clothes from head to toe, opened her mouth with a satisfied expression.
“I’m ready, my prince. You look really good on me.”
Calian nodded lightly.
Although it was a bit of a flaw that he was thin, as Merlin said, the prince’s uniform looked good on him.
On the top of the jacket, the golden pentagram and the Kairis emblem embodying the shape of a dragon were visible. In fact, it was my first time wearing clothes with this emblem embroidered on it, so I couldn’t take my eyes off the image in the mirror for a long time.
‘It’s strange that the Kairis emblem is no longer unfamiliar.’
Rather, wouldn’t it be that Secretia’s sentence becomes unfamiliar?
Yan looked at the mirror with this thought in mind, and as Kalyan continued to not move, a look of anxiety appeared in Jan’s eyes. I won’t do that anymore, but I was afraid I would break the mirror again just in case.
“Prince. Is there anything you don’t like?”
Only after receiving Yan’s cautious question did Calian’s eyes leave the mirror. Fortunately, Kalian was not in the depressed state that Jan had feared. No, rather it was the opposite.
Calian smiled brightly and answered like this.
“You’re already so handsome.”
Jan’s expression changed in an amusing way.
Kalyan left Yan and went out. Yan, who had a blank expression on his face as Calian kept showing off new things, quickly followed suit.
* * *
A small carriage was parked in front of Chermil Palace.
Seeing that there was only one carriage, it seemed that both Randel and Plantz had already left.
‘Randel aside. ‘To Planz?’
It was an unexpected situation, but even so, Calian was not late.
After confirming that Kalian and Jan were on board, the driver began to move the carriage at a slow speed. Perhaps because there were a lot of guests visiting the palace, there were a lot of carriages going to and from the palace.
Soon the carriage arrived at Arpia Palace, where Lemain was located.
Originally, the schedule was to be held at Camilia Palace, where the king resides, rather than Arpia Palace, the king’s office space. However, because there was so much work to do, all formalities were eliminated and only simple greetings were delivered in the office.
Kalyan liked it very much.
Because the schedule that seemed to be the most difficult turned into the simplest.
But unfortunately, that good feeling didn’t last long.
“Shouldn’t your two older brothers be here already?”
Calian asked Yan with a puzzled look.
This was because Landel and Planz, who clearly should have already been there, were not there. Jan’s eyes wavered uneasily. It meant I didn’t know.
Calian grinned.
“Yes. There must be something you don’t know.”
Yan was embarrassed and didn’t know what to do.
At that time, someone approached them. He was the chamberlain of King Lemain.
The chamberlain, with white hair and a dignified look, greeted Calian politely.
“Hello, Prince Calian.”
“Where are your brothers?”
When Calian, who was greeted with a slight nod, asked, the Chamberlain, who was looking at Calian intently, answered.
“He has already returned to Chermil Palace. His Highness said he had urgent work to attend to today, so the schedule has been changed to a brief greeting. For the same reason, today’s luncheon has also been canceled. I apologize for not being able to tell you in advance.”
“Are you saying you guys met with Your Majesty separately?”
“Yes, my prince. I do.”
I heard Jan taking a breath from behind me.
Even without looking at his face, it was obvious what he was thinking.
‘I couldn’t tell the prince what to do when meeting you alone!’
A private meeting with King Lemain.
That would be something to take care of. Even though they receive separate etiquette training, they pay such attention to it.
“I don’t have enough time to meet you all at once, so I’m going to see you separately.”
This is something I don’t understand.
No matter what anyone thinks, it would take less time to see all three at once.
The Chamberlain did not answer, and Calian nodded as if he understood. Whatever the reason, the king is acting capricious, so what can you do if you follow him?
“I understand.”
‘Stay alone. It’s really my first time.’
This is the first time meeting old Kalyan’s father.
I never thought that such a first meeting would be so difficult or so sudden.
I didn’t know that I would miss Randel and Plants as I lived.
All the tension that had been released came flooding back at once.
Calian, who was walking towards the office, took a deep breath so as not to be seen.
The old Calian also had no memory of treating Lemain alone.
Even when he was in Bern, he had a bad relationship with his father, the King, and they never met alone. The only king he treated alone was his older brother Chase. And the private meeting with Chase was just a meeting between brothers, and it never had this kind of atmosphere.
“Can I go in now too?”
“Yes, my prince. Please eat right away.”
Although I was calm on the outside, I was out of breath as if I had run five laps around the lakeside of Chermil Palace. As I looked at Lemain, I had no idea what to say, but dozens of greetings came to mind and disappeared repeatedly.
I feel like a swan swimming on a lake.
Calian entered the office with a serious expression.
