Chapter 17. That Step (4)
Go back in time just a little bit to two days ago, Saturday.
The day when Calian introduced his name to the anti-Briesen faction, Lemain captured the pro-Briesen faction next to Allen, who was catching a bird, and Plantz received a thank you from Hina.
A carriage from the top of Fallon came to the mansion of Marquis Evan Briesen. And inside it was neither Melfir nor Alan, but Arsene.
“Nice to meet you. I am Arsene Hertz, Vice Commander of the Vulcan Corps.”
Arsene’s self-introduction was always the same.
It’s polite, but it feels like it’s touching people’s hearts without knowing why.
Of course, Evan was no different.
Because of Arsene’s disappearance, there were rumors that Evan was trying to keep Balkan in check and kill young talent. So Caera’s knights even went through the haystacks in the stables to find that damn wizard.
Not only that?
– He said that he was the disciple of the teacher. I think I have some idea of the extent of the Marquis’ sword skills.
As Arsene killed ten of Evan’s knights, Alan heard humiliating words that he would never forget.
“Arsene… Hertz. You are that guy.”
That same Arsene Hertz came in on his own, so of course Evan picked up the sword, saying, “You’ve met this guy well.” I thought it would make me feel better if I killed that guy regardless of the circumstances.
Arsene saw the sword in Evan’s hand making a humming sound and held out his hand. It wasn’t to use magic, but to show off a ring on my hand.
“Sorry to disturb you, but I am now connected to Lord Manasil.”
It was a ring with a communication magic that Calian had worn before.
“Please tell me that if anything goes wrong with me, you will come to me right away.”
The ring on Arsene’s hand was emitting a soft light.
Arsene continued speaking with a calm face, as if he knew who was standing in front of him right now.
“If the Marquis has anything to say to Lord Manasil, I will pass it on to you.”
Unfortunately, Evan also knew what a communication ring was. It grabbed Evan’s sword. In the end, Evan swore as he retrieved the aura he had infused into the sword.
“That snobby wizard…”
Then the ring’s light seemed to get a little darker, and Arsene spoke again.
“He says he’s tired of this because he’s heard it before. But he wants me to tell him that he’ll definitely come back sometime.”
Evan looked at Arsene with a face full of anger.
I thought now was the time to play pranks, but there was no sign of mischief anywhere on Arsene’s face. Right now, this wizard was engaging in a very serious conversation in front of the Sword Master.
So, he really conveyed his abusive words to Alan.
In the end, Evan almost shouted in a sharp voice.
“Why did you come? Just tell me your business and leave.”
Then Arsene nodded slightly and opened his mouth in a tone as if he was talking about an extremely everyday story.
“I have received orders from Prince Calian to stay here until the Balkan founding ceremony on Monday.”
“…… what?”
As soon as the five-day vacation ended, Arsene, who found himself in a place where he had no one to support him, gave an explanation to Evan, who was at a loss for words.
“The prince said that the queen would definitely plot something under the pretext of my whereabouts. Therefore, he asked me to stay here for two days because the proof of my whereabouts would be most certain if I entrusted myself to the Marquis.”
Evan raised his eyebrows.
“You’re plotting something. What is Silike plotting?”
Then Arsene said with a face like he had heard the most pitiful words in the world.
“If the prince had known what was going on, he would have sent me to a place like this.”
“In a place like this, have you seen such an arrogant guy?”
Even as he said that, Evan’s mind was spinning in confusion.
If Sillike was planning something, it would definitely be Balkan’s founding day. Up to that point, Evan had the same thoughts. But the very idea of planning something bothered me deeply.
The following words came out of Arsene’s mouth:
“The Marquis said that if you help Prince Calian this time, you will be able to avoid the rumor that he tried to harm me. Of course, he said that no harm will come to Prince Planz.”
Calian didn’t send Arsene to Evan’s mansion for nothing.
Only when the false accusation that Evan tried to harm Arsene was cleared, could it be revealed that Silike had instigated the knights. Moreover, in the current situation, there was no one who could guarantee Arsene’s future as accurately as Evan.
No matter what anyone says, it’s not Brisen.
Calian’s thought was that if Briesen guaranteed it, no matter how much Sillike did, he wouldn’t be able to push Arsene any further.
However, it was only of great benefit to Calian.
Evan had no intention of letting Arsene stay at his house for two days just to stop one rumor. So Evan tried to say no. But Arsene spoke first.
“And you said you would keep the secret about the gambling house. That strangely named bar on the 3rd and 4th floor.”
Of course, there were more secrets that Calian knew about Brisen.
For example, where Lennon Briesen is, what brought Gray here and what happened before he returned, or the fact that Planz has already taken his mind off the throne, as well as doubts about the cause of Queen Aisha’s death.
However, this was the only exchange item that would cover Arsene’s two-day lodging expenses. Bad rumors and gambling houses.
The rest were too expensive for Evan to find out that Calian knew the truth.
Calian’s calculations were correct.
The head of the Marquess of Briesen, one of the two great knightly families, runs a gambling house. It should never have been made public.
In the end, Evan agreed to Calian’s deal.
Instead of keeping the information about the gambling house secret, Calian decided to take care of the wizard who slaughtered his knights for two days.
“… I won’t stand by and watch you get attacked by other knights. So don’t wander around needlessly and just act like it’s not there.”
“All right.”
Arsene answered like that.
And of course I didn’t act like it didn’t exist.
Why would he risk his life if only Evan would know that Arsene was at Evan’s house?
Therefore, Arsene proudly wore a wizard’s robe and wandered around the mansion in a place full of knights, including knights who were gritting their teeth, claiming that Arsene had killed their comrade.
There were several fights during that time, but Arsene did not lose.
So, by the time the explosion was heard, everyone in the mansion had seen Arsene at least once. And Evan became anxious because he didn’t know what Silike would do, so he sent a letter to Karen and the Commander of the Knights of Laon telling them not to listen to Silike.
That wasn’t enough to relieve my anxiety, so on Monday morning I went to see Lemain and told him that I would condone the ousting of Silike and asked him not to associate Silike with the Brissen family.
After that, after going all the way to the mansion, I heard loud noises coming from the Kairis Palace. Because of this, he came back to the palace.
With the wizard named Arsene Hertz, who would be the biggest poison to his daughter.
* * *
Actually, Calian had really thought about it a lot.
It was to predict how Silike would do things.
The day Calian went to see Silike.
Fearing that the servant waiting for Calian outside would say that he had planned something, he did not take Jan with him and met Silike alone.
I thought about as many cases as possible.
One of them was Arsene.
I didn’t expect that he would go so far as to use magical bullets and cause an explosion in the Heysia Palace, but I even expected that he would be falsely accused of attempting an assassination under the pretext of Arsene. So I prepared.
And Silike took the bait called Arsene.
Now it was time to pull the fishing line as hard as possible.
Calian looked around once more.
And then he slowly walked in front of Lemain, who had just come in and was sitting next to the princes.
– Tap, tap, tap.
In the silence, the sound of Calian’s shoes rang out.
The attention of many people, including Lemain, was focused on Kalian. Because of this, Kalyan’s voice was heard by everyone.
“majesty.”
Calian spoke, putting emphasis on each word.
“Right now.”
Right here in this place where so many people are.
“Please investigate the accident at Heisia Palace.”
Please reveal that I exploded a magic bullet with my own hand and tried to kill Calian with it.
So, I ask you to create a time that Silike will never be able to endure.
That’s what I said.
Lemain’s eyes briefly fell on Plants.
Plantz just received Lemain’s gaze without saying anything.
Soon Lemain’s mouth opened.
“I will.”
* * *
The first thing to be confirmed was the fact about Arsene.
Evan, who is also Silike’s father, guaranteed Arsene’s future. There were so many eyes that saw Arsene at Evan’s house at the time of the accident that there was no room for suspicion.
The trap that Silike had worked so hard to create was thrown off too easily.
“I told you to refrain from making hasty remarks.”
Silike closed her eyes tightly at the words of Calian, who was standing a little away from her.
Silike clearly saw Arsene. I yelled at Calian to bring the wizard to me right away. They said that the wizard was the culprit of everything.
But it wasn’t.
Arsene even said that Sillike instigated Pavel’s knights to attack him.
Murmurs from the nobles filled the hall upon hearing that it was Silike, not Evan, who had tried to kill Arsene in the first place.
Meanwhile, Chamberlain Raoul came to Lemain’s side and announced something. After hearing the story, Lemain made a sad sound without realizing it.
“Silike.”
Lemain’s calm voice quieted the commotion in the hall.
“One person was killed and another seriously injured in the explosion.”
The maid died.
The knight commander was seriously injured.
Sillike raised his head and Plantz lowered his head.
Silike because it says that someone lived, and Planz because it says that someone else died.
“Despite this, you still don’t plan on repenting?”
Lemain asked again, and Silique did not answer.
Calian turned his head and looked at the head maid behind Silike. The head maid felt those gazes and closed her eyes tightly.
Her face was pale even before she came here. I was trying to hide my trembling hands.
Calian, who had been watching this, spoke as if to comfort her.
“You cannot correct it by simply following it unconditionally. Wrapping it up is not your only path.”
Think about it.
Jan also cursed at Kalian.
How desirable is this appearance of an attendant?
Thinking of that moment, a smile crossed Calian’s face for just a moment.
And Silike saw the smile.
“Yes. They really look a lot alike.”
Silike has been the same from the beginning.
She was a woman who loathed the very existence of Calian, who had somehow persistently reached out and killed the old Calian, who was no threat.
“Your mother too… I laughed so hard until the end.”
Because Calian resembled Freya.
Because she resembled her too much. Either
the knight would wake up or the head maid’s mouth would open.
Even Evan had completely turned around, so Silike could no longer be queen anyway. Silike knew that. He knew best.
So Silike rushed at Calian.
Before he knew it, he had a hidden dagger in his hand.
Calian
,
Allen, Kyrie
… Plantz saw it.
* * *
Do not intervene . No
matter what happens, don’t get involved.
That’s what I said.
* * *
Red blood dripped onto the white marble floor of Wilhelm’s coffin.
Everyone was silent.
No one could make a sound.
Lemain stood up before he knew it. There was.
Randel’s eyes were wide open.
Silike swung her dagger at Calian.
Her dagger cut long and deep into someone’s chest.
When Sillike took a step towards Calian, Calian Allen’s shield had already been put on.
In fact, even without such a strong 6-circle shield, his movements were extremely slow as he had never swung a sword in his life. So slow that Calian didn’t even need to use his hands. Therefore, Calian was completely
safe
. There’s no way the smart Planz didn’t know that.
That’s why he ran in on purpose.
Silike’s screams broke the silence.
Blood seeped into the beautiful grape-colored dress.
No one paid attention to the sound.
With the dagger . I couldn’t even pay attention to Silique’s beautiful hand that had been cut off. I couldn’t pay attention to the deep wound on Planz, who barely stopped right in front of my heart after a long cut. I was going to save the enemy who was rushing towards me to kill me. I created it to break the shield my teacher had put on
me
.
It was because of the transparent sword and young blue aura.
