Chapter 17, Aren’t They Being Too Obvious (1)

Translator: Hedge

Editor: Lizzz

 

At the time when Kalian had just begun his lunch.

 

The atmosphere among the nobles gathered in the hall prepared on the first floor of Senu Hall was unusual. Though it was clearly the last day of the festival, the atmosphere was more turbulent than on the first day.

 

After all, on the second day of the festival, Allan Manasil had entered the Arcane Enclave and stayed there all day. The Mages from the Enclace also suddenly began to move. However, the reason was still not yet known.

 

While such news spread quickly, an unbelievable rumour was heard alongside it.

 

The first person Allan Manasil formed a Master-Disciple bond with was none other than Third Prince, Kalian. This rumour was further supported by the fact that Allan Manasil had seen King Rmain, and they talked regarding this matter.

 

The nobles’ confusion over the implications of the meeting spread like an unstoppable wave in all directions.

 

However, there was a place where this news had not yet reached.

 

This was because the person meant to receive the news had not woken from sleep even until late morning.

 

Outside the door of the room where he slept, there was a commotion. At the same time, the door burst open and an urgent voice calling him was heard. It was that of the senior servant who always woke him up.

 

“Prince. Please wake up!”

 

His servant neither spoke in a quiet voice nor rang the bell. Standing outside the bedroom hidden by curtains, he called out loudly.

 

“Prince!”

 

Only after the servant called him once more did his eyelids slightly open to reveal lime-colored eyes. Despite the unusual scene, he merely raised himself slowly as if just an annoying matter had occurred.

 

As though his head hurt, he held his forehead with one hand and opened his mouth with an expression full of irritation.

 

“Why… are you being so annoying?”

 

The servant stood outside the curtain. His clearly visible appearance showed him fidgeting anxiously. The servant opened his mouth urgently once more.

 

“Prince Plants, you must wake up…!”

 

At that moment, another figure appeared behind the servant, stretched out their arm to push the servant aside, and grabbing the curtain.

 

A strong fragrance pervaded the entire room.

 

It was the scent of Reunieri.

 

Plants frowned deeply as he rose from his place.

 

“I’m coming in.”

 

The person was not asking if they could enter.

 

It had always been like this.

 

She was someone who did not know what it meant to ask first, nor was she the type of person to be considerate.

 

White fingers parted the curtain. After that, the hem of a mint-colored dress and pale yellow shoes at its end stepped into Plants’ bedroom.

 

It was Sillike.

 

Behind Sillike, Plants’ servant entered together. It was visible that he was flustered and did not know what to do. Though it was not the first or second time this had happened, it was clear he still had not adapted to it.

 

Plants waved his hand once toward the servant as if telling him to leave. The servant bowed deeply to him before hurriedly going outside.

 

*Click.*

 

With the sound of the door closing, Sillike covered her face with a fan. As she was surely frowning. Meanwhile, Plants did not even bother to look at her face.

 

Sillike slowly looked around the room and spoke.

 

“The smell of alcohol is overwhelming.”

 

However, the alcohol smell was not even noticeable compared to the Reunieri fragrance from her.

 

Instead of mentioning that, Plants silently tapped the wine glass placed beside the bed with his finger. It was an action suggesting that of course there would be a smell since he had drunk.

 

Of course, he was showing an attitude that showed complete disregard for Rmain’s alcohol prohibition.

 

Sillike’s gaze turned sharp.

 

Separate from that gaze, a still calm voice flowed from behind the fan.

 

“You’re only fifteen right now. This isn’t an age to live bound by alcohol. Moreover, you need to go out soon, yet you haven’t even gotten up.”

 

For a moment, Plants felt like he could hear Rmain’s voice hidden behind those documents.

 

Plants had started drinking right after his coming-of-age ceremony at 15. Despite being of age, this was certainly no way to live. Constantly living while reeking of alcohol was simply not something that could be tolerated

 

This time, he had even gone outside the palace in that state.

 

“What disappointing behavior is this?”

 

“Is that all you’ve come to say?”

 

Plants lifted the wine glass containing the remains of what he had been drinking.

 

It was difficult to distinguish whether his half-opened eyes were from being not fully awake or not fully sober. The only thing clear right now was that he had no intention of holding a conversation with his Mother.

 

“Why are you here?”

 

Sillike’s hand holding the fan tensed. Though it was an action to suppress her anger, Plants did not care either way. Not like he even bothered to take notice.

 

“What will Your Highness think if you keep showing this kind of behavior? No matter how much your Mother tries to…”

 

“I don’t want to hear… that kind of nonsense.”

 

It was a truly languid voice.

 

Sillike’s eyes trembled. Soon she composed her voice once more and spoke.

 

“You’re becoming more and more ill-mannered. Surely, you didn’t act like this when speaking with Your Highness?”

 

[Speaking with him, you say? Me?] Plants, opening his eyes slightly, showed a sneer.

 

“Why are you even here? Just say what you want and go.”

 

Instead of answering his Mother, Plants stood up unsteadily from his place and asked instead. He did not even pay attention to his disheveled clothes. His expression was only full of , ‘I don’t want to continue this conversation’.

 

“Kalian has gotten a Mage on his side, and not just any Mage. Allan Manasil, He has taken Kalian as his Disciple, and the nobles are already stirring because of it.”

 

[Mage?]

 

Plants’ feet, which were passing by Sillike on the way to the sofa, momentarily halted. Plants looked down at the wine glass in his hand. The alcohol in the glass was swirling.

 

But that was all; Plants showed no other reaction.

 

“… So what?”

 

Sillike turned toward Plants.

 

She knew Plants was not someone who would not understand what this meant, why she had rushed here like this. Therefore, instead of explaining further, Sillike asked.

 

“Will you continue to disappoint me like this?”

 

“’Stop, don’t bother yourself’.”

 

Plants did not answer Sillike’s question. Instead, he brought up words that had been said to him countless times before.

 

Sillike tried to say something again, but Plants cut her off.

 

“How annoying.”

 

Soon Plants raised the hand holding the wine glass to point at the door. Sillike stood there for a long while looking at Plants like this. But even as time passed, Plants’ hand did not come down.

 

“… Don’t be late to where you need to go today, likewise for any future appointments.”

 

The fan closed, and Sillike looked at Plants’ face once more.

 

“I’ll make sure nothing hinders your path.”

 

Sillike sharply turned her body and went outside.

 

Soon, with a bang, the door closed. Plants lowered his hand that had been pointing at the door.

 

After blankly staring at the wine glass he was holding for a while, Plants gritted his teeth and threw it at the wall.

 

*Crash!*

 

The shattered wine glass scattered in all directions. Blood flowed from where a flying glass shard had cut the back of his hand.

 

The servant and maids who had been watching from outside rushed in after hearing the sound of glass breaking. Plants, who had been slouching his shoulders, looked at the drops of blood falling from his fingertips and said.

 

“Get out.”

 

“Prince, you’re bleeding. We need to treat…”

 

“Get out! I said get out! Leave!”

 

[…Kalian!]

 

…

 

Having finished his meal, Kalian changed into his Prince’s formal attire.

 

Perhaps because the antidote has already taken effect, his breathing had become a bit easier. Not having morning tea thanks to Allan’s urgent visit was probably also a reason.

 

While the maids combed Kalian’s hair and did the final checks, Ian standing beside him explained the festival’s final schedule.

 

“Soon you’ll be going to watch the equestrian performance. But since it’s outside the Royal Palace, it will take about an hour to travel there. After that, from 8 o’clock there will be a ball.”

 

The Princes receiving horse riding lessons and watching equestrian performances on the King’s birthday was because Rmain liked horses. There actually was no other special reason. Anyway, being with Raven was something Kalian also enjoyed, so he had no complaints.

 

“Is this the performance that the Beurisen Trader’s Guild had canceled?”

 

“Yes, that’s right. Because of that incident, the Viscount Beurisen personally came and had dinner with the Princes, didn’t he?”

 

Performances large enough for the King to attend were usually hosted by major merchant guilds. This was because there were not many performance groups of that size, and most large performance venues were owned by the major merchant guilds.

 

“So this time, the Pollun Trader’s Guild is hosting instead. It’s the first time a place other than Beurisen is hosting the performance.”

 

“Pollun?”

 

[This feels familiar. Just what is it?] Kalian furrowed his brows.

 

Lost in thought for a moment, Kalian’s eyes suddenly widened.

 

“Baron Pollun.”

 

Ian nodded and explained.

 

“Yes. He’s a young Baron named Melpir Pollun, and they say he’s quite intelligent and skillful. Though I don’t know what the circumstances were behind the scenes, this time, Beurisen yielded the performance to them.”

 

Kalian gave a small laugh.

 

[They probably didn’t want to be hanged, so they had no choice but to yield.]

 

Kalian’s eyes gleamed as he recalled their circumstances that he could not speak aloud. The reason Kalian remembered Melpir Pollun was because of a famous incident that was known even in Secritia.

 

An accident where no less than royalty, and the First Prince at that, was injured.

 

After an equestrian performance, when the Royal Family was leaving, a temporarily installed structure for the performance collapsed. At that time, Randel, who happened to be on the stairs, was hit by the collapsing structure and fell down one floor in an accident.

 

Though there was no danger to his life, he broke his leg and had to reportedly spent about a month recuperating in Tansyll.

 

[So that was today. Since Rmain watches so many equestrian performances, I didn’t think that incident would happen at today’s performance.]

 

After recalling that far, Kalian tapped his knee with his finger.

 

[I recall that was no simple accident.]

 

Traces were found showing that the rope securing the structure had been cut with something sharp. Though that was not enough evidence to prove Melpir had tried to harm Randel, the one who happened to get hurt was nevertheless the Grandson of the King of Tansyll. Therefore, there was much dissatisfaction from Tansyll. In the end, due to the pressure, Rmain had to send Melpir to the gallows.

 

Upon hearing about this, he had discussed with Chase whether it was not too hasty a measure, given how sloppy this attempt at the Prince’s life was. Chase seemed to have figured something out but did not tell Bern at the time. So, Bern had pondered over this matter for not a short amount of time. Thanks to that, he still remembered this incident.

 

[The probability that Baron Pollun was the real culprit could be considered zero. Unless he was a true fool, who would create such obvious evidence at their own performance venue and target royalty? As Ian said, if they were quite intelligent and skillful, they would not think to use this performance as a stepping stone. It would be a quick way to the gallows rather than an opportunity.]

 

[Beurisen is still the most suspicious… But, why did they target Randel? And just enough to get moderately injured. Or did they simply target the Pollun Trader’s Guild? But, how is Pollun threatening enough to get the royal families of both Tansyll and Cyries involved into this?]

 

Neither Bern nor the old Kalian remembered much content related to the merchant guilds. Kalian’s brow furrowed more and more.

 

“Prince…?”

 

At Ian’s voice from beside him, Kalian stopped thinking and turned his head. Then Ian carefully asked.

 

“Is there something making you uncomfortable?”

 

“Hm?”

 

It seemed Ian had been watching nervously since Kalian was frowning and not speaking while looking at the mirror. Kalian smiled and shook his head.

 

“No. Just thinking about something.”

 

[Come to think of it, Ian always gets anxious when I spent time in front of mirrors. Just how many mirrors did the old Kalian break to make him act like that?]

 

Kalian stood up from his seat and spoke in a calm voice.

 

“Don’t worry about the mirrors anymore.”

 

“Yes, Prince.”

 

Ian made an embarrassed face at having his thoughts discovered. Pretending not to have seen that, Kalian asked a different question.

 

“Will Baron Pollun come to greet us during today’s performance?”

 

“Usually during performances, the host sits beside Your Highness, so he will probably give his greetings before the performance starts.”

 

“I see.”

 

The reason for Beurisen’s involvement still did not seem right.

 

Something reeked strongly of suspicion.

 

[I should keep him alive for now and check things out.]

 

And so, he decided to first keep Melpir Pollun alive and assess the situation.