Chapter 13, Until a Proper Hand is Formed (1)

Translator: Hedge

Editor: Lizzz

 

The Senu River.

 

It was the river that flowed through Cyriesus, the capital of Cyries. This river, which was also used to name a building in the Royal Palace, divided Cyriesus diagonally. The Royal Palace was located in the center of the northeastern region of the river, and the royal road that extended from outside the outer castle’s main gate in the southwest of Cyriesus crossed the Senu River and continued to the Royal Palace of Cyries.

 

After Harts-ara’s death and Syspanian’s departure.

 

It was the royal road construction project that revived the stagnant nation. Thanks to these wide roads that stretched to major cities, the royal road was an extremely important facility in Cyries. So much so it could be said that Cyries experienced a renaissance because of it.

 

*Clop, clop…!*

 

On that royal road, two carriages were heading toward the Royal Palace – one white and one black.

 

Both carriages ran side by side, boasted luxurious exteriors beyond compare. Both had large glass windows attached to sparkling walls mixed with pearl powder.

 

The only difference was that one had gold leaf decorations on a white background, while the other had mother-of-pearl decorations on a black background.

 

It should be said that mother-of-pearls were quite rare in Cyries. Although Cyries occupied a large portion of the continent, the one thing it lacked was access to the sea. While pearls could be cultivated in freshwater and were not difficult to obtain, the golden shells used for mother-of-pearl were not. That was why in Cyries, there was a saying that mother-of-pearls were more expensive than gold.

 

Since such decorations were clearly visible on this massive carriage, it drew constant attention. Consequently, the passenger in the white carriage running parallel on the right side was quite displeased. The person inside the white carriage clicked their tongue while looking at the black carriage, visible through the window.

 

“Look at that. It’s literally a rolling pile of money. Isn’t this luxury too excessive?”

 

The butler sitting in the coachman’s seat heard this through the window connecting to the driver’s seat and thought. [Does he think gold leaf is cheap when he says such things? Besides, is this really the time to discuss luxury while looking at others?]

 

If it were not for the shoes embedded with the highest grade diamonds imported from Tansyll being carried, there would have been no reason to have such thoughts about the carriage’s owner.

 

The white carriage’s exterior wall bore the emblem of a Griffin holding a sharp sword. It belonged to the Beurisen Marquis Family, the house Queen Sillike hailed from. And the person riding in the carriage was Lannen Beurisen, the Second Son of Marquis Beurisen, head of the Beurisen Trader’s Guild.

 

“Is the carriage owner someone from Siegfried? No, those mountain-sized Elephants wouldn’t do something like this.”

 

‘The Elephant of Cyries’. That was a term referring to the Siegfrieds. They were called so because, like herbivores that even beasts of prey would not dare touch, they had never once coveted the throne over a long period despite their overwhelming power.

 

Unable to find an answer since there seemed to be no other family besides Siegfried capable of riding such a carriage, Lannen could not contain his curiosity and spoke again.

 

“Who on earth would spend so much money decorating a carriage like that?”

 

The butler carefully answered through the window.

 

“I saw it coming from the direction of Naeransha Street earlier. However, since the family crest is on the opposite side, I cannot precisely determine which family’s carriage it is…”

 

“Naeransha Street?”

 

“Yes. It’s where the Mages gather.”

 

To the butler’s kind explanation, Lannen frowned and retorted.

 

“Do you think I asked because I didn’t know? Why are you so tactless?”

 

After embarrassing the butler with words that would have made Sillike or Kalian sneer, Lannen once again pulled back the curtain to look at the black carriage. However, thick curtains were drawn on the black carriage’s windows as well, making it impossible to tell who was riding inside.

 

“Was there someone among the Mages who hold such wealth?”

 

“Shall we check the family crest on the opposite side?”

 

“Yes. Do that.”

 

The butler who heard this gave instructions to the coachman.

 

Soon, Lannen’s white carriage reduced their speed to fall behind, then increased speed again to catch up to the opposite side of the black carriage. Lannen quickly moved his hand to open the window curtain.

 

The crest engraved on the wall gradually came into view. Lannen muttered while frowning deeply.

 

“That crest is quite complex. What is that, a flower? One flower, two…”

 

The carriage moved a bit further forward to allow a clear view of the crest, and only then did Lannen, who had confirmed the crest accurately, rub his eyes hard. Then he mumbled in disbelief.

 

“Did I just see something wrong…?”

 

“It’s seven red flowers and a silver staff, Viscount Beurisen.”

 

“Do you think I don’t know that? Shut your mouth!”

 

[So, seven red flowers, a silver staff!]

 

“What is this all about? Huh… This is maddening! How can that person be here in Cyries or all palaces? And why are they going to the Royal Palace?”

 

Since he did not know whose crest it was and had been told to shut his mouth, the butler just blinked his eyes and looked ahead.

 

The two carriages passed through Einansha Street where the nobles resided. Because of this, nobles other than Lannen could also receive news about this expensive black mother-of-pearl carriage heading to the Royal Palace.

 

“You say the pattern showed red flower vines wrapping around a silver staff in various ways?”

 

“Yes. Such a pattern was engraved.”

 

After hearing about the pattern engraved on the carriage’s exterior, each noble asked their servants like this. Afterward, they would clearly receive confident answers confirming that it was indeed such a crest.

 

The nobles would wave their hands dismissively and all say the same thing.

 

“They must have seen wrong.”

 

After all, in their mind, it was impossible.

 

“There’s no way that Allan Manasil would have come here.”

 

Afterward, they showed relaxed smiles and completely dropped whatever they were doing to prepare to go to the Royal Palace.

 

…

 

The third day of the festival. 9:30 AM.

 

Under the attention and interest of many, Allan arrived at the Royal Palace and entered proudly through the open door while showing the invitation received from the King. There was no longer any need to check whether ‘the threshold of a closed door was high or low’.

 

Allan’s crest engraved on the black mother-of-pearl carriage’s exterior was clearly visible even from afar. Thus, after meeting with nobles who had come to pay their morning respects, the Grand Chamberlain hurriedly informed Rmain, who was heading to his office, about who had just arrived at the Royal Palace.

 

“Your Highness. I’m told that Allan Manasil has just arrived at the Royal Palace.”

 

Rmain stopped in his tracks.

 

Allan Manasil. One of only three Seventh Circle Mages on the continent. But unlike the other two, he was a proud Master of Magic who had not settled in any country.

 

Rmain also knew well what power his name carried. Kalian’s words that obtaining Allan would put one in line for the throne succession were certainly not an exaggeration.

 

Rmain, who barely had enough time in a day to run this massive country, which occupied half the continent, and thus would not waste even five minutes on the Princes, immediately answered like this.

 

“Guide him directly to my office.”

 

Thanks to this, Allan could come straight to Arpia Palace where Rmain was, riding in his splendid carriage without needing to transfer to a smaller palace carriage.

 

His visit seemed intentional at 9:30 AM.

 

Coincidentally, there were quite a lot of nobles out in front of Arpia Palace at that time.

 

Royal affairs officials heading to Narcil Hall at a leisurely pace due to the delayed schedule during the festival period, envoys returning to Rubia Hall after finishing lunch with foreign affairs officials, and nobles coming out after finishing their audience with the King.

 

“Isn’t that Allan Manasil’s crest?”

 

“Oh… I heard his contract with Liberen had ended.”

 

Thus, the many gathered nobles got to witness with their own eyes the silent stopping of the black mother-of-pearl carriage that would bring an upheaval to Cyries.

 

“But why would he come to Cyries? It would be more comfortable for both body and mind to stay in Liberen, no?”

 

“How could he be comfortable there? If it weren’t for his relationship with the King of Liberen, he probably would have left long ago.”

 

“Hmm? Ah, yes. I hadn’t thought of that…”

 

The carriage door opened.

 

Those who had been discussing Allan’s purpose for visiting Cyries from behind suddenly fell silent.

 

As if waiting for everyone to become quiet, one Mage slowly came out. When his characteristic hair color, that started silver and ended in red, was revealed under the sunlight, the nobles’ jaws dropped as they confirmed that it really was Allan Manasil.

 

Allan, who had gotten out of the carriage, leisurely looked around.

 

In place of the rags he had worn on the first day, he now wore a red robe with the symbol of his Seventh Circle elaborately embroidered in gold thread. It was as if to show off. His sharp eyes gleamed coldly, and his thin lips held a haughty smile.

 

A middle-aged man approached him and gave a respectful greeting.

 

“Welcome, Lord Manasil. I am Raul Hart, the Grand Chamberlain serving His Highness, the King. His Highness is waiting, so I shall escort you right away.”

 

The nobles stirred again. Rmain’s intention in sending the Grand Chamberlain himself was clear. Of course, Allan was used to receiving this level of welcome wherever he went, so he nodded with an expression suggesting this was a familiar situation before entering the palace.

 

“Is he really thinking of coming to Cyries?”

 

“What else could be the reason? Surely the great Allan Manasil didn’t come here just to congratulate His Highness on his birthday and leave.”

 

All sorts of thoughts filled the nobles’ minds.

 

It was natural.

 

They were on edge about what would happen now that Allan Manasil had come to visit Rmain, who lived under Sillike’s thumb.

 

“This way, please.”

 

Meanwhile, after entering the corridor where there were no more people to encounter. A small twitch appeared at the corners of Allan’s mouth as he stared at the back of Raul’s head.

 

It was because he recalled the image of his new pupil with his bright smile.

 

[‘At 9:30 AM. Come at exactly that time. Of course, this time, you must come through the ‘open door’.’]

 

Thanks to this, Allan had put on the burdensome clothes that the Arcane Enclave (Mage Association) had made for him but he had never worn, and boarded the massive carriage that the King of Liberen had given as a farewell gift. Thus, he had visited the Royal Palace through the ‘wide open door’.

 

Allan smiled silently, having arrived at the time when numerous nobles were gathered near Arpia Palace, just as Kalian had intended.

 

[My Disciple seems to have thought about widely advertising that he has drawn me in.]

 

Soon the door to Rmain’s office opened and Allan entered.

 

Rmain was sitting on a reception sofa in the office, holding nothing in his hands. Allan greeted Rmain with the same expression and voice he had shown to Kalian.

 

“I am Allan Manasil.”

 

Rmain nodded slightly to acknowledge Allan’s greeting.

 

Since he already knew that although Allan looked incredibly young, he was actually much older than Rmain himself. Thus, he did not show surprise like Kalian had.

 

“Yes. Come, do take a sit.”

 

Rmain slightly raised his hand to indicate the sofa opposite him, and Allan walked over without hesitation and sat down across from Rmain. While Rmain looked at Allan with deep eyes and took a moment to organize what he needed to say, Allan took a sip of the tea that had been served to him.

 

“I heard about what happened on the first day. I apologize on their behalf.”

 

“The first day…”

 

Allan, who had been mumbling as if talking to himself, smiled gently and asked.

 

“What exactly are you apologizing for?”

 

Rmain narrowed his eyes.

 

Because the meaning behind Allan’s words was not as gentle as they seemed.

 

The only incident at the Royal Palace had been the guard’s rudeness. So naturally, Rmain thought Allan would understand it was an apology for that. Yet Allan was still asking for the context of the apology. In short, Allan was curious about how much Rmain knew about the whole incident.

 

“I only heard enough to know that I don’t know the reason for your visit. I haven’t heard anything separately from the Third Prince.”

 

As Duke Sleiman had predicted, Rmain had not asked Kalian anything. No, to be precise, he had not been able to ask anything. So, Rmain knew nothing except that Kalian had chased after Allan when he angrily left because of the Palace Guards.

 

“Then I should tell you there’s nothing to apologize for. The conversation was enjoyable, and I received an explanation about the incident at the main gate. Though, rather than describing it as me received an explanation, it would be more accurate to say I was scolded not to nitpick needlessly. Regardless of the case, it was resolved well.”

 

Questions arose in Rmain’s eyes.

 

He was wondering if he had heard correctly – that Kalian had just scolded Allan. Before Rmain could ask anything about this, Allan continued speaking.

 

“Your Highness. Is there a suitable house for me to stay in Cyries?”

 

Rmain’s mind raced at this straightforward question, which came without any explanation.