Chapter 16. I, to you (4)
Royals do not say their own names directly.
Kirie, who lived a life worse than that of the poor, knew that much.
And yet, ‘I am Kalyan’.
I’m sure it was intentional, but I didn’t have time to think about it in detail. Everyone first lowered their heads and opened their mouths.
“I am Hemilan Torka.”
“This is Cain Sert, Prince.”
A laughable scene unfolded for a moment as the remaining ten people, excluding Aizen, who luckily greeted Calian first, hurriedly told him their names.
Calian’s face, looking at this, had a smile that seemed playful in some ways and full of confidence in others.
And Jan, who immediately realized why Calian said that, smiled imperceptibly.
This is because I remembered what Calian had said as a joke before appearing in front of people on Lemain’s birthday anniversary a long time ago.
‘It seems like everyone calls me that. Ah ‘that’ Kalian!’
At that time, the meaning contained in ‘that’ was never good. Modifiers such as weak, timid, powerless, etc. were always attached to Kalyan’s name.
However, people still call Kalyan ‘the’ Kalyan. The words that go into ‘that’ have completely changed now, but as it has been on people’s lips a lot, there have been many overly glorified or exaggerated evaluations.
– I am Kalyan.
So, this greeting is meant to convey that I am the real Kalyan standing in front of you, not ‘the’ Kalyan in your head.
I’m going to show you what kind of person Kalian is, so I’m telling you to throw away all the expectations and preconceptions that made you decide to send Kalian a gift.
So, is there any other person who is more confident than this?
After saying hello, those who looked up saw the smile on Calian’s face. So, some people who understood the meaning of Calian’s greeting smiled at each other, while others looked at the smiling people with puzzled faces.
To those who first announced that they would follow him, Kalian made an unforgettable first impression for the rest of his life.
* * *
Lemain said with a slightly worried expression.
The voice was so quiet that only Alan, who was right next to him, could hear it.
“I wonder if this is really something for princes.”
It was very similar to what Alan said just a few days ago.
Alan then echoed Lemain’s response, saying, ‘You sound like you’re full.’ I didn’t reply. It was because other nobles were there together.
“It will be helpful enough.”
Alan responded by raising his bow and shooting at a bird sitting on a tree in the distance. It looked truly awkward to see a bow in the hands of a wizard.
Sure enough, ‘Ting!’ The arrow flew out with a weak sound and fell to the ground without being able to get near the tree where the bird was sitting.
LeMaine chuckled at his lack of skill with a bow to catch a bird. The nobles were surprised to see Lemain smiling, and Alan grunted.
“Don’t laugh so hard. Being a wizard doesn’t mean you have to be good at using magic.”
It was exactly when these words ended.
The bird that was on the tree just moments ago suddenly let out a long, low cry and plummeted to the ground. It’s dead.
The eyes of the nobles who saw this widened to a size that was difficult to compare to when they saw Lemain’s smile.
However, only Lemain shook his head and said, not that surprised.
“There is no rule that allows hunting with magic, so I guess that should be considered invalid.”
“There is no rule that says you cannot hunt with magic, so why not consider it valid?”
The two were just having a light argument, but the nobles who were with them felt saddened. It was only after seeing the bird fall and LeMaine saying it was ‘magic’ that he realized that Alan had done something.
There was no sound or any sign.
Even Alan was still watching Lemain from earlier.
Those who stood here were all nobles from knightly families allied with Brisen. In other words, they were completely opposite to the nobles that Calian was currently meeting.
This also meant that these people were also quite good at using swords. Although not as strong as Marquis Evan Briesen, everyone had their own pride in their military power. Despite this, I didn’t notice Alan’s arrow flying at all.
‘If that thing flew at me…!’
Naturally, the nobles who thought this thought clenched their fists without realizing it.
Of course, Lemain, who was not interested in the surprise of those gathered here, looked at Alan and answered leisurely.
“It wouldn’t be right to see it as valid.”
Then, he glanced around with strange, indecipherable eyes, as if he was looking around the forest or glaring at the nobles of the Brisen side, and continued speaking.
“Are you planning on hunting down everyone here?”
Hearing those words, a gasping sound came from the nobles’ mouths, and a short laugh came from Alan’s mouth.
Soon, Alan’s sharp eyes created a soft curve. A cold voice flowed from between his thin lips.
“It’s sitting proudly on such a big tree.”
Another bird fell to the floor.
Alan’s words, heard after the bird’s last cry, were deeply engraved in everyone’s minds.
“… Is there anything you can’t catch?”
It was a clear threat.
* * *
While Lemaine and Allan were showing off fantastic chemistry and putting pressure on the nobles on the Brisen side, those with Calian were enjoying a picnic-like hunt.
– Peeing!
The arrow that left Calian’s hand made a light crackling sound.
The arrow pierced the neck of the bird that had just taken off without hesitation.
Every time the bow was fired, one animal died without fail.
Hunting wasn’t the goal anyway, but the assortment had to be appropriate, so Calian caught a few birds he could see.
Calian’s archery skills far exceeded expectations, and this time, small exclamations came from the mouths of those who saw the bird with its wings spread and falling to the ground. Of course, there was Jan among them.
“Kiri. Did you teach the prince how to bow?”
Kirie looked surprised when she heard that.
I was surprised that Calian had not told Jan that he knew how to use a bow, and I was surprised by Jan’s dullness in not suspecting it.
Anyway, Kirie nodded.
Because the only person in the palace who could teach Calian how to bow was Kirie.
“Yes… I told you.”
After saying this, Kirie looked at the bow tied to the horse saddle for a moment. And I thought to myself that I should never lift a bow today. This is because although I have handled a sword, I have never yet picked up a bow.
After hearing Kirie’s answer, Yan spoke again with a proud face.
“I guess our prince has some talent with weapons, don’t you think?”
Like this.
Thanks to this, those around him looked somewhat confused. I thought that if I had just a little more talent, something big would have happened.
“Yes. You learn very quickly.”
And the half-elf Kirie cheered on Yan’s dullness by telling lies that she had now become perfectly good at.
Calian, who had been laughing for a moment while listening to the story a little ahead of them, looked to the side. Aizen, who was in that direction, felt Calian’s gaze and turned his head.
“Count Aprin.”
“Yes, my prince.”
“Why were the cookies you sent made of rye?”
It was a slightly out of context question, but Calian was asking because he was really curious.
The nobility of Cairis did not eat rye.
Of course, Calian and Alan were not like that, but Jan did not eat the cookies, saying they did not suit his taste.
If Jan is like that, other nobles have nothing to worry about.
However, rye was more nutritious and much cheaper than wheat. Therefore, it was an indispensable food ingredient for commoners. Therefore, rye is a unique crop that is absolutely necessary for the country but is not even mentioned by the nobles.
“I was curious about that the whole time. Why rye? It must not be for the sentimental reason of becoming a count and showing the prince the life of a commoner.”
After hearing Calian’s question, Aizen opened his mouth with a very cautious expression.
“To be honest, after I sent it, I had a lot of regrets and worries that people might misunderstand that there was some other reason.”
“Are you saying you were worried that this might be taken as a mockery of my mother? My mother was a commoner who ate rye.”
Aizen lowered his head, not knowing what to do as Calian asked without hiding anything.
“I’m truly sorry if you thought that, my prince. I never meant to do that.”
“I didn’t misunderstand. In fact, even if that had been the correct meaning, it would have won my favor.”
Such a sincere mockery.
Calian might not have known it, but he would have thought he should take a look at the sender’s face.
“It was a welcome gift to me because it seemed like they had no idea about my mother’s origins.”
Calian, who expressed his honest impressions, looked at Aizen again.
“So now, I would like you to tell me the reason for rye. I was very curious.”
Aizen answered again in a cautious voice.
“I sent it to you to say that wheat is good, but we also need rye.”
“Wheat is good, but we also need rye… I see. I understand.”
After hearing those words, Calian raised the corners of his mouth with an expression as if he had solved a difficult problem.
What he was saying was that it was good to have more powerful wizards, but it would not be possible without knights who were less powerful but had superior numbers.
It was said that it was a gift sent with the intention of asking Calian to look after knights as he had been increasing his power mainly through wizards.
“If I had sent him away without eating, the Count wouldn’t even be here right now.”
“I’m sorry, prince.”
Aizen made an embarrassed face.
I tested it with one rye cookie.
Rather, Aizen takes Kalyan.
Calian, who was looking at Aizen, burst into laughter.
This is because I felt like I was watching Melfir. It was very similar to the way he tried to guess Calian’s intentions by sending him a horse necklace.
“I didn’t realize it as a gift, but I was thinking the same thing anyway, so wouldn’t it be okay to say that I guessed the Count’s problem correctly?”
Calian asked this, and Aizen couldn’t answer any further and just blushed.
Calian, who was quietly watching Aizen, moved Raven slightly and went a little further forward. And then turned to the other side. Then Calian appeared to be standing alone facing the nobles.
“While I was ‘outside’ on a sunny day, I have something to tell you.”
Calian, who was in front of everyone, opened his mouth like this in a light tone.
“I’ll be hunting soon. With everyone here, of course.”
It had already been a while since the hunting competition started.
Now, it seemed like he understood well that this did not mean hunting in this place, regardless of whether he was aware of it or not.
Because no one answered.
“But this is my first time catching a game that is neither an eagle nor a lion. I don’t know if everyone will be interested.”
This time everyone laughed.
It seems that the griffin in Brisen’s coat of arms came to everyone’s mind. Since they all had the same face, Calian also smiled and nodded.
Calian waited for the laughter to subside for a moment and spoke quietly.
“I will send you a subsidy.”
The only help Kalyan can give them right now is the funds, which are growing again at an incredible rate. And money was probably what they needed most.
“You just have to work a little harder to keep from being noticed. I will contact you through Count Eifrin, so I hope we can interact regularly.”
Everyone responded by bowing their heads.
Calian looked at them again and spoke in a low but dignified voice.
“Next time we’ll meet ‘inside’. I’ll be waiting.”
Inside the Kairis Palace.
