so even though he canât lie, heâs good at recognizing lies.
That wasnât a lie either. Calian was really recognizable.
When you just found out something you didnât know before.
When you pretend not to know something you know.
When you get caught pretending not to know.
How a personâs eyes move and how they breathe. Where do you put your hands and how do you move your body? Which side do you place your feet on and what happens to the muscles in your neck and shoulders? I knew how people reacted to each situation. That too, quite accurately. So, there was no difficulty in recognizing the lies.
âThatâs not the face you see when you see a name youâve never heard before. Iâve told a lot of lies, but even so, donât go through the trouble in front of me. I told you. Iâm good at recognizing lies.â
If someone were to ask how I acquired such a talent, I would have to answer, as Plantz had a habit of saying, that it just happened to happen. It was a talent that came entirely from experience, and what that experience was like would have to be searched through Kalianâs buried memories.
Anyway, Serjan lied again this time.
This was not the reaction of someone hearing Danuâs name for the first time. Even if he didnât stop talking when he realized he had made a mistake in speaking, he could already tell everything about Serzaneâs side that was revealed the moment he heard Danuâs name.
âI was wondering how a mere Crown Prince Tensil would know the name. Until now, there were only two people who knew the name of the Mother Tree. But I met the Purple guy who directly told me the name. The other one was my teacher and someone else. âYou met me after a fun fight. Then itâs obvious. Who picked up that name and told it to you?â
âYouâre pretty quick-witted.â
âThatâs the story of our clever brother. I just have a good sense of vision. You were the one who passed over the question and fell for it.â
Kalian, who said this, turned his head.
The place where the sound of Calianâs dagger had been struck in the distance was still quiet. Adelia, who blocked Calianâs sword, did not appear.
âYou should come out, Adelia. You should come out and play with me.â
The night when the sun set and the forest turned blue and gray.
â⦠have fun.â
The eerie voice of Sword Master Calian, who had heard what happened to Adelia with his sword, rang out in the darkness.
* * *
Pink, light purple, light green, light blue, orange and white.
A colorful, transparent gem-like thing. It was a round-shaped fruit candy that sparkled beautifully when turned around because it was made with finely ground gold powder.
The person who took out the candy can that did not suit Lemain at all made fun of his large fingers that had many scars and calluses and were even tanned by the sun. Then he carefully held up a pink candy and asked.
âWhat do you think this tastes like, Lemain?â
âWhy did you come here so suddenly to ask that?â
âDonât act like itâs none of my business. This is a very important matter.â
âIs it true that you came to me to ask me to guess what flavor that candy is?â
âThatâs right. If it wasnât for something like that, why would I bother to come to this dreary royal palace?â
Lemain frowned.
Lemain, who did not hide his tiredness at all, took off the glasses he was wearing and set them down next to him. And then he opened his mouth to the Duke, who had come to see him for the first time in half a year and was asking him to guess what the pink candy tasted like.
âI guess the dukeâs probation period was too long. It seems he was too bored.â
Theyâre saying that heâs been so bored staying in the estate all this time that heâs really gone crazy.
The day Kalian went to visit Dmirea after being seriously injured by Zeon last year. Demirea hid Calian and took Plantz hostage before confronting Evan. It was to find the location of Zeonâs remnants.
After the matter was completed, Slayman was punished on behalf of the Duke, who had taken the Prince hostage and almost started an all-out war with the Marquis. He was exiled from the capital until the end of the year. Just like that, the year came to an end and the spring celebrations came to an end. Then, as if he had been waiting for the right moment, Slayman returned.
âThe first thing I do as soon as I arrive is show off my candy.â
âDonât say that. Do you know how hard I worked with my Serie to make this?â
Slayman smiled broadly and put the candy he was holding in his mouth. He chewed it without hesitation and frowned in disgust.
âUgh, this tasted like a very, very sour lemon.â
A candy that you cannot tell what kind of fruit it tastes like until you put it in your mouth. Even though he made it himself, the candies were all mixed up, so Slayman had to taste it with his own mouth to know what it tasted like. And the pink candy I just ate tastes like sour lemon.
Lemain, who was looking at the behavior whose intention was completely unknown, spoke again.
âI think I should have sent it to your mansion, not my office.â
âI already sent it to the mansion, and Iâm not giving this to you. Itâs mine. I received it from Seri, whom I respect and love.â
I didnât say that I collected bad candies with minor scratches and gave them to him to just eat Slay.
This time, Slayman took out a light green candy and put it in his mouth. The sweet mango scent spreads in your mouth.
âI sent only almond cookies to the mansion all winter long to give to the child, and Serie scolded me for continuing to send the same ones. So, after thinking about it with Serie, I made something that the child would like and eat. Isnât it fun? âItâs a candy that you canât tell what it tastes like unless you try it.â
Lemain nodded appropriately and responded.
âSo. Youâre not going to tell me what brought you here.â
âI told you. I came to show you the candy. Itâs the first candy I made, so itâs very precious.â
A long sigh flowed from Lemainâs mouth.
Soon Lemain put his glasses back on. And then he lifted the document.
Slayman decided to just ignore whether he ate all the candy in that luxurious tin box or not.
âBy the way, Lemain. Where is the Marquis de Manasil?â
âIn the office.â
Allenâs office is just a stoneâs throw away from Lemainâs office.
âThe Duke has come, but the Marquis is not even showing his nose.â
âWhat are you going to say?â
Slayman let out a refreshing laugh in response to the duke, Naburangi, who called the king by his own name.
âWhile I was here, I thought I would congratulate you on expanding your circle.â
âI guess I donât think your congratulations are necessary.â
âThen my future son-in-law. Hasnât he arrived yet?â
Of course, Kalian is the name.
Lemainâs frown frowned at the mention of his son-in-law, which he had momentarily forgotten. I heard that Duke Siegfriedâs name was something to behold, but it made me very worried to the core.
âStill in Secretia.â
âIsnât it too long? Two out of three have to leave.â
The second son said he would go on a winter trip and took the youngest to another country. Not only did he take the crown princeâs seat, but he also got married. After that, the king of the country changed and the year also changed, but he never thought of coming home.
âDid I tell you to come back quickly?â
Lemain shook his head.
Not a word was said to Plantz. All I did was tell Needlen to be careful while walking. He didnât say anything about receiving the crown princeâs title, being betrothed, or continuing to wander around without any intention of coming in.
âThey say itâs hard to survive the winter here.â
âItâs been a long time since winter, Lemain.â
âI wonder when else Iâll go around like that if not now.â
âLemain.â
Slayman, who put the orange candy in his mouth and savored the cherry flavor, opened his mouth.
âHow many mistakes do you think we made while making this candy?â
âIt wonât be much.â
âNo matter how many times Iâve made soup, this is my first time making candy. Even more so at Serie. Our beautiful Serie, who knows how to spar with me while wielding a long spear, must have made something like that before. How many times did the chef scold us? âYou never know. Iâll be scolded for the rest of my life, but I got scolded last winter. Still, I made it like this.â
I had already done a lot of drying and extracting bitter herbs myself for my eldest son. However, it was my first time making something sweet by extracting fruit juice, adding color, and adding sugar.
Slaymando Serie too.
Lemain, remembering that Slayman and Serie getting scolded by someone, smiled without even realizing it. Slayman smiled and opened his mouth again.
âI canât see his face, so I have to show him that way. How much we spent the winter wondering and thinking about him. Thatâs how the kids know. If you donât tell them and show them, they wonât be able to properly tell whether that person is interested in you or not. âThey donât know and they feel sad and scared. All children are like that. They are young.â
LeMaine looked up from his papers.
âPrince Randel has already grown up. Itâs too late. So, I agree with the Marquis Manasil who said that it is poisonous to be hastily interested in Prince Randel. As for Prince Calian⦠there is nothing I can say. âBut heâs not Crown Prince Plants. Even though heâs already grown up and will look down on his father soon, havenât you forgotten that heâs younger than you? Heâs scared of even the scent of flowers, so maybe itâs different because it smells like his father?â
Slayman shook the candy container a few times.
The sound of the candies rolling against the tin is quite pleasant.
âThere are some things that need to be made loud like this to be known. Iâm worried, so itâs not difficult to tell them to come back quickly.â
Lemain, who was lost in thought for a while, nodded.
âListen carefully.â
âokay.â
In the meantime, Slayman opened the lid again, thinking about eating one more candy to replace the candy that had all melted in his mouth. Then, he took out a light blue candy and held it out to Lemain instead of trying to eat it.
âDo you want to eat it?â
Lemain, who was looking at the candy filled with the Duke and Duchessâ hands, held out his hand. Slayman, smiling cheerfully, walked directly to the desk and handed over a piece of candy.
The light blue candy tasted like my favorite grapefruit.
* * *
I have seen the forest north of Kairis Palace.
A forest that is completely burned down and ruined. Plantz did not forget that sight either. I didnât even know why it was like that.
â Kwaaaaang!
And I knew that Brigitte Woods would soon be like that too.
At first, the replanted trees turned into ashes and disappeared. The tree behind it had been broken in two a long time ago. Just like that, two trees that could not be hugged even if the plant stretched out its arms disappeared just like that.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
â Claim forest reconstruction costs. Tensilo.
â More than that. Did you call Lord Manasil?
â The bracelet is broken.
This time, Adelia was the first to remove Calianâs bracelet.
Calian, who had no intention of calling Allen in front of Adelia in the first place, did not care whether the bracelet was broken or not.
â Then I will send Lord Castrin.
â I told you in advance because I thought the forest would be noisy, I didnât ask you to help me.
â I know, Crown Prince Planz. But if the bracelet is broken, doesnât that mean you canât call Lord Manasil?
Plantz, who was listening to Chase, looked ahead.
Six red blades, whose direction is difficult to determine, leave a long afterimage.
In an instant, daggers stretched out and attacked Adelia from all directions. Instead of avoiding it by warping to another location, Adelia spread a thick great shield to block the attack.
â Kagang! Kaga River!
Red sparks, like metal rubbing against each other, fly in all directions. When Adelia, standing inside, briefly moved her hand, the red flames twisted around like a long snake and attacked Calian.
â Sigh!
The hand habits I learned from Alan came from Kalian.
A strong wind blows along with the loud sound made by the fingers.
The whirlwind of wind scattered the leaves on the ground in all directions and spread widely. And it stretched into the sky, wrapping around Adeliaâs flames as if embracing them. The flames that seemed to engulf the forest rose into the distant sky and disappeared in vain.
â I jumped at it first because it was worth doing. My brother.
Plantz finished his answer to Chase.
Meanwhile, Calianâs new form disappeared again.
Almost at the same time, the dirt where Calian stepped on caved in. Although gravity was moved, Kalian, who had already left his seat, was not affected by gravity.
â Kaaaaang!
Soon, Adeliaâs shield faltered.
The Calian of the day I encountered Alan in the palace forest was different from the Calian of today. Stamina, magic power, strength, and speed were all different.
Of course, that didnât mean he was strong enough to beat Adelia, who had a close relationship with Alan. Adelia, who devastated the elf village in Brigitteâs Forest with Alan, did not suddenly become weak.
â Kaaaang!
Calian was fighting, increasing his speed to keep out of the range of Adeliaâs magic power.
In the eyes of Adelia, who had lived in the magic tower without encountering a single proper swordsman, there was no way she could see Calianâs sword, which she could not tell when and where it came from. Moreover, Adelia was unable to use her full strength. Because you know very well that if you destroy this place again, the black butterfly will come back. In addition, since he had Arsene behind him to watch over Plants, he was able to fight without worrying about anything else.
To be precise, it was revenge for strangling Kirie for fun.
This time, Plantz, who was standing at a distance so as not to be caught in the magicâs range, but inside the shield that Arsene had placed around several layers, kicked Serzaneâs sword away from him.
âKeep talking.â
Sergein laughed and asked back at the slow words that seemed to indicate that he was no longer interested in the fight taking place far away.
âI guess youâre not worried about your little brother.â
âIâm not the kind of brother you should worry about.â
âYour faith is amazing.â
Plantz, who only nodded his head moderately, brought up the original topic instead of responding to Sergeinâs words.
âWhat did you do when you met Mother Tree?â
âI donât know why Iâm being questioned by them.â
âI guess you forgot that it was me who saved you, not the great wizard fighting my brother over there. If I hadnât come forward, I wonder if that wizard would have saved you. If I had meant to do that, I donât think I would have just watched as all your knights died. What do you think? .â
Sergein did not answer.
Plantz continued his long speech again.
âI said that if everything went according to plan, I would have arrived at the palace on time. That means I stopped here first and planned to go to the palace. Being here at this time means that I was trying to meet Mother Tree, but it was late, or I was looking for her, but failed to meet her. .â
âYes. Like I said, I came to see Mother Tree. I havenât seen her, though.â
âDid you want to meet the mother tree and ask her to open the path to the forest? Kairisro.â
âThat is,â
âThat wizard tells you the location of the Mother Tree, and you find a way to find a way to meet the Mother Tree and sneak into Kairis. It seems you are quite desperate to meet my brother. Letâs put that aside for now. Then, that wizard will tell you the location and receive something from you. I did.â
Serzane pursed his lips.
âIf you let me know, Iâll reconsider. I wonder if I can let the crown prince of Tensil into Kyris. On the condition that you do me one more favor instead. Because thereâs nothing in this world thatâs free.â
One corner of Planzâs mouth curled up.
â Letâs go!
Adeliaâs shield made a screaming sound like it was being torn apart.
I turned my eyes slightly to check, and there was a lot of thin ice on the thick shield.
The blue-haired ice wizard, unable to overcome his boredom while listening to the crown princes of the two countries having an awkward conversation, slightly froze Adeliaâs shield.
â Kwaaaaang!
A sword full of bright red aura was struck directly onto the frozen shield.
â Damn it! Damn it!
The shield, which was extremely sturdy and was able to block Calianâs sword well, cracked. Adelia, who saw this, quickly hid herself and appeared quite far away. And there
â fuck!
A red dagger was being stabbed as if ready to meet its prey.
âAnswer. Serjane.â
Planz, with a drowsy face, looked at Serjane.