Plantz was smiling.
Calian did not laugh.
There is one guy who smiles and doesnât care about a sword going into his throat, and thereâs another guy who doesnât laugh when a sword is held to his throat.
At this moment, it was difficult to know who was more excited as the two men stared into each otherâs eyes as if there was no one around. For a long time, the knights were unable to intervene between the two, and Arsene did not intervene.
â Drip, drip, drip.
Red blood flowed down the blade from the deep cut wound and dripped. It dripped, leaving a dark mark on the moonlit sandy beach.
The sight of a long sword with different writing engraved on it was reflected in the red eyes that momentarily followed the droplets of blood that were shining the same light as his own. Calian glanced at it without saying a word, and his eyes returned to Planz.
Since everyone in the room heard the explanation, even Plantz, who was holding his breath at the red blade in Calianâs hand, must have understood well. But Plantz did not give any answer. He just looks at Calian with light green eyes that are difficult to read as to whether he is worried or fearless.
How much time has passed like that?
Just when I thought about it, the ticking sound of the pocket watch Calian had in his pocket was louder than the sound of the waves.
âMy brother must be very angry.â
Planz finally opened his mouth.
But that wasnât the answer.
âStart with the explanation. I will listen.â
âno.â
Plantz shook his head and strengthened his arms, not caring whether the sword on his neck opened a wound or not. He sharply struck down Calianâs sword draped around his neck with the sword he had already drawn.
â Kaang!
Half of the sword body sparkled in the dry moonlight.
From beginning to end, the key to properly swinging the sword that Calian had given was to strike Calianâs sword. Plantz, who was staring at Calian, curled one corner of his mouth.
And after a while, he spoke again in a low voice.
ââ¦â¦You spoiled brat.â
Plantz, who had hurriedly sheathed his sword, left his voice behind him. Without even paying attention to the four bodies lying in the distance.
Calian, who was following Plantzâs back with narrowed eyes, spoke in a quiet voice.
âLord Hertz, please take care of the crystal version. I gave it to you, but you left it behind.â
âAll right.â
âBring the drivers and sort out the situation. Iâll go first.â
âWhere are you going?â
âPalace.â
âThe road youâre taking may be dangerous. Iâll leave the cleanup up to the drivers and go with you.â
âI donât think there will be any more attacks, so itâs okay.â
âBut, prince. Nowâ
âAlone. Quietly.â
ââ¦â¦ All right.â
Calian just nodded and took a step forward. And I followed the path that Plantz walked a little while ago.
In the end, the direction we need to go is the same, so even if we donât go together, we walk the same path. One personâs footprints, one personâs blood stains, and the smell of two peopleâs blood continued on the sand.
The play is over.
* * *
The wind blows at the end of a voice that always seemed to be calm.
âKiri.â
The voice wavered like the wings of a bird lost in the wind, so I couldnât continue the conversation. However, Kirie, who could not have known what was at the end, slightly lowered her head and gave the answer. It was directed at Chase, the person Plants had called âoutsideâ.
âIâm sorry. I canât get out of the way.â
It wasnât just Calian who couldnât fully look into the inner thoughts of Plantz, who couldnât tell exactly how many things he was thinking about at once. Even with Chaseâs insight, he couldnât figure out what plan Plantz was currently executing.
no. It would have been correct to say that I didnât have the presence of mind to read it.
Just one thing.
â The knights who came with you when you came to Kairis. I donât think it was Devlanâs knight.
â Thatâs right. Theyâ¦â¦
â Teylan Castrin. Am I right.
â They are managed by Lord Castrin, but more accurately, they are my knights.
â My brother must have managed it in the past.
â â¦â¦ youâre right. Is there any problem with that?
â Secretia Royal Sea. Bring your driver and come right away. As well as Rachel Grace from our side.
â Prince Planz. Some explanation is needed. Why are you asking that? Why are you calling me and Lord Castrin? As you know, it is difficult for me to stay away from the palace for long.
â Warriors from the great desert who use the power of Zeon have come. here. To my brother.
â How did they suddenly appear? Why is Prince Planz there?
â Because the reason is not important. Come. hurry. Take that handsome knight with you.
Plantz spoke faster than ever.
They cut off communication without even listening to Chaseâs reply, who had said he would go right away when he heard that there was a Zeon attack. As usual, I know that I didnât explain it because I didnât feel like talking, but because I didnât have time to explain it.
So I had to go right away. Outside the palace.
ââ¦â¦Kiri.â
âsorry.â
Because Kirie had no memories of the past, she was able to block Chase, and because Chase had memories, he was unable to push Kirie away.
As it is different from knowing what it feels like to lose your younger brother while helpless, Kirie could not fully understand Chaseâs feelings when he found out that his younger brother was being attacked while he was out. Because Chase knows what kind of death Kirie was for Bern and how she feels now, instead of running away, she is blocking his path.
âThe prince said that no matter what happens outside, Crown Prince Chase must stay inside the palace. You said you were under attack by Zeon, but if the situation was not good or it was really urgent, the prince himself, not Prince Plants, would have helped Crown Prince Chase. You may have requested , so please wait.â
So I blocked it, so I stopped.
âThe prince will not die.â
Chase, who knew full well that those words were not directed at Chase but at Kirie herself, stood still and looked at Kirie without another answer.
at that time. A person who could not completely empathize with either Kyrieâs feelings or Chaseâs feelings stepped forward.
âGet out of the way.â
Tailan.
Tailan, who was watching the confrontation between the two from behind Chase, seemed to not know exactly what was going on, but he clearly understood that Calian was dangerous and that Chase wanted to get out. So, I briefly opened my mouth and took one step forward.
Kirie blocked Tailanâs path without a moment of hesitation, and Tailan opened his mouth again.
âDo you know whose path you are blocking now?â
âI am a knight belonging to Prince Calian, the third prince of Kairis.â
Teylanâs brow furrowed.
âNeither Prince Chase nor Lord Castrin can command me.â
âI donât care. If you donât step down, I will make you step down.â
At Tailanâs words, Kyrieâs hand holding the sword sheath gained strength. This means that we will stop it by any means necessary.
Things are getting really weird.
Calian meddled in Chase and Devlanâs affairs, saying he was going snake hunting, and Plantz got in between them. Calian is caught up in Plantzâs plan to catch the snake, and Chase is shaken.
As a result, Calian and Chaseâs loyal knights faced off.
In fact, the question of how long Kyrie could endure against Taylan, the continentâs first sword, was that once Kyrie mentioned Calianâs name, this could not simply be a matter of knight versus knight.
âLord Castrin. Stop.â
In the end, Chase stepped in and blocked the two.
Wouldnât it be possible to see two knights fighting in front of the main gate of the royal palace?
Teilan was immediately bitten on the foot, and Kirie, seeing this, relaxed her grip on the sword sheath.
Chase, who regained his senses thanks to the battle between the two knights, cooled his mind that had been complicated by worries about Calian.
Of course, you canât do anything to distract Calian by talking to him, who is fighting with the warriors of the great desert belonging to Zeon. Therefore, Chase organized this sudden situation one by one based on Plantzâs story and the circumstances he knew.
This is what happens when Chase goes outside.
Knights of the Chase. And Xeonâs attack.
Chase looked down at his feet and gathered his thoughts for a while before nodding towards Kyrie.
âOkay. Iâm not going out. Instead, I want to let you know because I have other news. Iâll wait.â
âYes, I understand. Thank you.â
Chase, who only said this without mentioning what conclusion he came to at the end of his thoughts, turned his head and looked at Teilan.
âLord Castrin. Please talk to me for a moment. I have something to confirm.â
âYour Majesty.â
Tailan answered briefly and followed Chase.
Kirie, who had been looking at the backs of the two for a while, lowered her gaze and removed her hand from the scabbard.
I wonder if Kalianâs fight will be over by now and if Kalyan will be safe.
â Even if it is a multiple trait, it is the same circle in the end, so there will be no problem with Sir Hertz putting Siren or Grace to sleep. Since itâs the same circle, it could happen quickly. If the two of them wake up, what happens after thatâ¦. Will
Euria and Rachel, whom Arsene put to sleep without worrying about waking up, wake up, and will Aela be doing her job properly?
Kirie let out a long sigh at the many worries that were piling up and not going away, and took another step. Calianâs warning in case of an emergency was to carry out Calianâs plan to prepare for Plantzâs assassination.
* * *
I did not open my mouth until we left the sea and passed through the small forest.
â Iâm worried that youâre hurt.
â Youâre safe. I think Iâve caused you some unnecessary worry.
â no. If nothing happened, it was done.
â Have you ever come out of the palace?
â Kirieâs stubbornness should be just normal stubbornness. Donât worry, you canât even take a single step. Youâre inside.
Many, many, many.
A silver-white horse leading a few steps away. Calian, who was watching the blue-purple cloak of the person sitting on it sway, asked Chase a question.
â Did anything else happen?
â okay. Itâs quiet. Father and nobles.
Calian took a deep breath at the mention of nobles, and Chase continued.
â It would be better to come back and share the exact story. I also need to talk to Lord Castrin.
â yes. All right. Iâll be there soon.
Calian lowered his eyes after informing Chase that he was safe and confirming that Chase was safe. Raven purred and made a small noise.
âare you okay.â
Calian responded by touching the back of Ravenâs neck and looked forward again.
Soon Ravenâs feet became a little faster.
I donât know how Estina knew, but her steps slowed down a little.
When the two horses stood side by side, Calian opened his mouth.
âYou were impatient.â
Because there was sometimes sincerity in the play, and because it was confirmed that Plantz had tried to call Chase using Calian as bait, the voice continued to be a bit sharp and more tired.
âPolitics is not about addition and subtraction. Thereâs a good chance it wonât work out the way you think. âYou donât know that there will be variables like today.â
Instead of asking why he did such a thing or whether the wound on his neck had healed, he quietly reprimanded him.
Plantz did not respond to the voice coming from next to him.
It was always Plantz who ruined Calianâs plans, but this time it was the opposite. Calian ruined all of Plantzâs plans. Of course, Plantz, who knew very well that it was because he proceeded without informing Calian in advance, did not say anything else. I only looked ahead.
âAnd. If you pull out your sword first without considering your opponent, you will die.â
Planz also frowned at these words.
How could a person who was just watching a cat stand there with his sword drawn? He was probably trying to come to the side where he was fighting the warriors of the great desert. Well, I think they may have just wanted to get rid of Arsene, who suddenly appeared.
Thanks to that, I saw Plantzâs blood in order to restore what had become like âstepping out to save a brother with whom you are not on good termsâ. The relationship between good brothers is not that good. It was because I thought it would be better to cut off Devlanâs head than to try to get his hands on Plantz, even if he didnât like it. It was true that he was angry, but the reason was bigger. âIf you had told me, I would have thought of another way
. You must have seen it.â
âWhat are you talking about?â
Itâs hard to hear the answer just once.
Who almost died because of you?n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
â¦â¦ No. Did you live?
âI tried to deceive Devlan, but the nobles were deceived. So, Iâm trying to save my brotherâs life, but I need you to adjust the timing.â
After hearing Calianâs words, Plantz frowned once again. Even though he didnât say anything, the guyâs bright red eyes, with an expression like they were on the top of his head, were unbelievable. It was because I didnât like it.
âYouâre asking about something I know everything about.â
âI vaguely heard Kirie talking to a certain knight in the garden. I understood that the nobles were plotting something and that Devlan was hesitating to get his hands on me, who he seemed to be very interested inâ¦â â
Stop talking. Iâll explain it properly when we arrive.â
âYes.â
âAnd.â
Iâve been told to stop barking so many times, but telling myself to stop talking
is unfamiliar to me. âI donât know how much mana my brother has. I wish you would stop trying in vain to erase the smell of blood.â
These words are a little more unfamiliar.
Calian, who looked a little surprised, forgot to tell him to stop speaking and opened his mouth again.
âBrother, do you already know that much? âYou know how to use mana better than I thought.â
âShut up. Mouth.â
âYes.â
With a voice full of frustration, Plantz interrupted Calian again. He then took something out of Estinaâs saddle and threw it at Calian. Calian, who caught it flying in the blink of an eye, looked at the
bandage in his hand. He chuckled.
âI donât think it will be enough. âIs there nothing more?â
âNothing.â
âYes.â
The reason why I said I would go alone and defeat the knights
. The reason why Arsene was worried and Raven was anxious. The reason why he answered that he was safe instead of saying that he was not hurt. The
gray-haired warrior covered in a cloak Calian, who was bandaging the long, deep cut on his waist, opened his mouth.
âHappy birthday.â
â⦠Okay.â
I donât know how people can say that they understand when someone congratulates them. In times like this, Shouldnât I just say thank you?
Calian thought about saying something like this, but stopped pretending like nothing was wrong and quietly closed his eyes. âYou
donât have to worry.â
âI wonât.â
âYes.â
Two horses chattering together. The sound of hooves cut through the long, black night.
The footsteps of the two people walking in the same direction as they had to go were left side by side on the hard dirt road.