How to Live as the Enemy Prince

Chapter 32: I Mean No Harm

“Presently, only Prince Chase of Secretia exists. Chase was always the only son, and the Queen didn’t have any children. You might not know about that.”

Calian looked at Alan for a moment, before finally speaking without a waver in his voice.

“Yes, I guessed that it had to be so. I’m here, so there can’t be another Bern. I wondered what had happened, and I suppose it turned out that I was never born.”

It was hard to predict what would happen when an entire life was erased.

“Indeed.”

Alan agreed instead of showing him false sympathy.

“I guess that’s better, after all,” Calian calmly responded.

What can I do? was what Calian thought

Bern had robbed another person’s life.

“Then, is the original Calian dead?” Alan asked, wondering whether the current Calian knew something. The old Calian should have been alive now instead.

Calian shook his head.

“At first I didn’t know.”

Calian pointed at his head and chest.

“He’s still there, but he will disappear when the time comes.”

He had realized that the memories that appeared in response to his words were not just thoughts. The old Calian would have said those exact same things.

“I can’t talk to him, but he does exist. But he won’t tell me how he got into this situation. The old Calian might not know.”

Alan nodded his head thoughtfully. Calian, tapping his knee with his fingers, asked,

“The Axis of Time. How do you know about that?”

“It’s not an event of great importance,” Alan replied.

“I visited Secretia last year. Chase called me in secret, informing me that the Axis of Time had been found and that he needed my opinion on it. I only met Chase, so you wouldn’t have known.”

Calian spoke with a dry mouth.

“He was looking into it.”

“I apologize if I made you anticipate an answer, but sadly, I couldn’t figure out anything.”

“Yes, I thought that as well.”

Bern would have known if Alan had found something.

Alan, after nodding, resumed.

“It seemed impossible that it was man-made, which led us to speculate that it was a divine object from Serenity. That was to the extent we conversed.”

“Then shouldn’t the priests use it? It should be a method to replace for god’s power. I’ve never seen a divine object that has a different property.”

In the outcome of the Battle of the Gods, the gods of evil were put in fetters, while Serenity was now asleep. After that, the priests were not able to use the power of god.

“Only questions remained. But the problem is now we are unable to find answers about the Axis of Time.”

Alan’s hand pointed at Calian.

“A month ago, I received intelligence that the Axis of Time had disappeared. In any case, both you and Chase sought me out because of it. I suppose brothers are brothers.”

Calian laughed as if he had taken a blow. Alan pretended that he didn’t see it, his eyes fixed on the knife on the table instead.

“On the first day you met me, you said that what you wanted wasn’t the throne. Then what is it that you want?”

There was no reason to not answer, and so Calian replied.

“To prevent the war.”

“The Axis of Time, which was the reason the war started in the first place, has now disappeared.”

He was asking whether a war would then happen or not. Calian answered.

“I don’t know why Franz tried to get the Axis of Time, but if there is a problem, I want to solve it.”

“Because of Chase?”

Calian glanced at Alan briefly, trying to figure out if he had an ulterior motive. Alan, realizing that, continued.

“After I met Chase, I was extremely impressed by him. His character, intelligence, skill – he lacked nothing. Chase would be better than all three of the Kailis princes combined.”

That was true. There weren’t any words that could adequately describe Chase.

“Yes, you are correct. Chase was extremely skilled as a leader.”

“Therefore, the three princes of Kailis need not worry about Secretia’s prince.”

“... you are saying not to get hung up in the past.” Calian nodded thoughtfully. “The first day I came here, I had given up any hope of living as Bern. ‘Don’t worry, I’ll live as Calian.’ However, I must find out why Kailis tried to turn back time while even during war. I must know, otherwise, the same event will repeat.”

Alan straightened his back and pointed to the knife.

“There is someone that comes to my mind. Perhaps we can ask. Chase and I cannot meet her, but you will inevitably see her soon.”

Calian, shifted his gaze towards Alan’s hand, then turned his eyes to look at Alan again. It didn’t take him long to come up with an answer.

“Roselita.”

Alan nodded.

A familiar name came to mind.

“Sispanian is here.”

Roselita, the coming-of-age ritual of the princes of Kailis.

It was a ritual in which one ventured to Sispanian’s home and was announced as true royalty. It is also said that a prince who goes through Roselita meets Sispanian’s resolve.

“Therefore, you must solve this problem immediately. Siegfried’s lands are very far. You must prepare.”

Calian slowly nodded.