WeTried Translations

Translator: Coughing Baby

Editor: Coughing Baby

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

Chapter 103: Let's Get Along

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The smile had stiffened, but it had not vanished. The corners of Alero's mouth remained raised.

His eyes did not smile. Calm, sunken eyes stared at Kyle.

The surroundings had gone quiet. Ever since Kyle and Julietta had shaken hands, the distinguished guests' attention had been focused on them.

As Alero had said, today was a party for Kyle. Naturally, the invited guests were interested in him, and if they had the chance, they hoped to speak with him.

"Not a sword, but a swordsman."

Alero murmured softly. He withdrew the hand he had still been holding out and smiled.

"An interesting thing to say. What do you believe is the difference between the two?"

"A sword moves as its master swings it, but a swordsman swings a sword according to his own will."

Kyle maintained his smile as he spoke.

"I am a swordsman of Alastor, not the Empire's new sword. Of course, as long as Alastor stands with the Empire, there may be times when I take up my sword for the Empire. But that is for me to decide."

Alero's eyes narrowed. Silence lingered for a moment. Depending on how one took Kyle's words, they could be interpreted as a declaration that he might defy an imperial command.

Had the family before him been anyone other than Alastor, that interpretation would not have been unreasonable. But Kyle's family was Alastor, the family that had allowed Grandika to remain an empire for five hundred years.

If Ruin Alastor had not ended the Dark Age, the Empire might have fallen five hundred years ago. If Ruin Alastor had spared a different imperial prince, the imperial bloodline itself would have changed.

Even the Imperial Family could not treat Alastor carelessly. Even the Emperor did not issue orders to Alastor's Family Head. He made requests.

"I was rude."

The word rude came from the Crown Prince's mouth. Alero placed a hand over his chest and smiled.

"It seems I mistook you for a sharp, exceptional new sword without realizing it."

"You did not stop at mistaking me for one. You were about to boast about how sharp that new sword was."

"Ha ha, right to the point. Your sword is sharp indeed. No... that is wrong. You said you are not a sword, but a swordsman."

Alero shook his head a few times before continuing.

"But Sir Kyle, Alastor has been called the Empire's sword for five hundred years. The Sword Saint accepted that name, and the current Grand Duke Julius is called the Empire's sword as well."

"I respect the Founding Ancestor, and I respect the Family Head too."

Kyle let out a small laugh and turned his head. His eyes met Julius's, who had been speaking with someone a short distance away. There was no surprise on Julius's face. If anything, his eyes curved with amusement.

"My name is Kyle Alastor, not Ruin Alastor. Nor am I Julius Alastor."

"..."

"If you insist on calling me a sword and wish to wield me like one, you will have to put in a great deal of effort."

"A new sword always needs to be tamed."

Alero said that, then laughed loudly as if they had simply been sharing comfortable jokes.

The Empire's sword was a title attached to Alastor's Family Head.

The current Family Head of Alastor was Julius, and the most likely next Family Heads were his children. Kyle was still too young to be discussed as Family Head, while Julius was far too strong. Even Karthan, his eldest son, could not yet speak of inheriting the position.

The imperial throne was no different.

The Emperor was not simply healthy. He looked unnaturally young.

[The owner of a sword is the one who must tame it.]

Alero's voice sounded in Kyle's mind.

[Of course, you are not yet the Empire's sword, and I am not yet the Empire's master. Sir Kyle, for my sake, let us compromise here and smile for everyone.]

'I have been smiling this entire time.'

[I mean let us smile in a way that looks good to everyone.]

There had been no such ability five hundred years ago. In this era, where everyone awakened their Spirit Roots and sensed mana, those who reached the Will Realm learned to use voice transmission through mana.

Kyle was accustomed to hearing voices this way, but Alero's voice inside his head felt strange. It was different from any voice transmission he had heard before, and different from magic as well. More importantly, it was strange to think Alero had reached the Will Realm at all. Kyle could not sense the Crown Prince as someone who had reached that stage.

'I understand for now. But how are you speaking to me?'

[With a magic tool.]

Alero answered with a smile.

Along with his voice, Alero extended a hand toward Kyle. Kyle looked at it. It was a hand asking for a handshake, but Alero's smiling eyes seemed to want something more.

"I like you, Sir Kyle."

Alero smiled as he spoke.

"I formally apologize for the rudeness I showed you just now. If being called a sword bothers you, then I should not call you one. So what should I call you? I gave it some thought, and I believe it would be best to call you by name. That is what I prefer as well."

"..."

"I do not mean that we should stand on ceremony. I understand that you are uncomfortable with that. Besides, our positions are not yet suited to discussing the relationship between the Imperial Family and Alastor..."

Alero lightly shook the hand he had extended.

"Let us be brothers. Let us speak comfortably with each other. I am twenty-seven this year, and you are fifteen. Ha ha! There is quite an age difference, but what of it?"

The Empire's Crown Prince was proposing that he and a boy of Alastor become like brothers. Murmurs rose among the prominent figures watching them.

Kyle understood Alero's intent. His attempt to call Kyle the Empire's new sword had been rejected. His plan to display Kyle as a sword at today's party, and in the future, had failed.

So he was changing methods. Not as a tool, but through a bond. Not as master and servant, but as brothers. On the surface, he was proposing a relationship without barriers, but in truth, he was still trying to keep Kyle within the Imperial Family's fence.

Brothers. Even without shared blood, men of their standing calling each other brother would be powerful propaganda to the outside world.

'Smart little bastard.'

If Kyle disliked being called a sword, Alero would call him younger brother. If he could not grasp Kyle in his hand and wield him, he would stand him at his side and handle him that way. Only the method had changed. The goal was the same.

What made Alero so irritating was that Kyle had no real justification for refusing. The Crown Prince personally proposing that they become brothers was a considerable gesture of goodwill.

If Kyle simply said he did not want to, he would be trampling too harshly on the Crown Prince's dignity after Alero had made the offer first.

"Does Your Highness wish for a relationship like that of true brothers?"

"Ha ha ha! Nothing would please me more if you see it that way."

"I have never had an older brother, so I do not know how I should treat one."

"There is no need to make it difficult. As I said, I do not mean for us to stand on ceremony. If you wish for a relationship like true brothers, then I will sincerely..."

"All right, hyung."

Kyle firmly took Alero's hand.

"Let's get along from now on."

Alero had been the one to say they should not stand on ceremony, and that he would be glad if Kyle treated him like a true older brother.

"..."

Alero could not react immediately and blinked. Kyle gripped Alero's hand tightly and shook it up and down.

"Hyung should exercise harder. You're really weak."

"..."

"Why not work out with me sometime? I train my stamina hard too, not just my swordsmanship."

Kyle said that and released Alero's hand. Alero alternated his gaze between the hand Kyle had just held and Kyle's broadly smiling face, looking dazed.

"Ha ha ha!"

From the guests silenced by shock, Julius burst into laughter.

"I truly apologize. That boy is still young."

Gerhard's face had gone pale, but Julius stroked his chin and spoke with laughter still in his voice.

"I hope everyone will understand. As you know, the boy is only fifteen this year. His swordsmanship is absurdly outstanding, but he is at that turbulent age where he gave himself the epithet Black Sword."

Julius looked around at the guests, chuckling.

"But is he not honest and transparent? Please see it that way as well, Your Highness. Your Highness proposed that they become brothers first, so he simply accepted it with pure sincerity."

"Ha ha ha..."

Alero finally laughed.

"I was honestly a little taken aback, but now that it has come to this, I am happy. It feels as though I have gained a very, very good younger brother."

"He is someone who treats others as well as they treat him. I hope the friendship between Your Highness and my grandson lasts a long time."

"Yes. I too hope that my friendship with Kyle, with my younger brother, lasts for a long time."

As he answered, Alero turned to Kyle.

"Ha ha! I thought I took good care of my body, but compared to my younger brother, it is true that I am weak. Yes, when the chance comes, let us exercise together."

"All right, hyung. Contact me when you feel like working up a sweat."

"Ha ha... I am a little afraid of what kind of exercise you would put me through."

Alero visibly shivered his shoulders, then looked around. Many eyes were watching the conversation between the Crown Prince and Kyle with interest.

"I have kept today's star too long. I will take my leave now, so younger brother, speak comfortably with the guests and enjoy the party."

In truth, Alero wanted to remain by Kyle's side throughout the party and flaunt his bond with Alastor. But he knew that would only breed resentment.

Still, he had succeeded in becoming brothers with Kyle, so Alero had gained something.

Alero believed that Kyle would one day, without question, become Alastor's Family Head.

There was no harm in forming a bond ahead of time. Even if Kyle had accepted their brotherhood with a contrary attitude, once a bond had been formed, it would become a tie someday.

"Wow."

Julietta, who had been watching Alero withdraw, murmured in admiration.

"That was impressive. I cannot believe you spoke to the Crown Prince that way."

"It was not like I said anything I could not say."

"Most people could not say it."

Julietta clenched and unclenched the hand that still felt sore, then grinned.

"I should apologize first. I was rude earlier."

"So you are aware of it. Why did you do that?"

"I could not hold myself back."

Julietta smiled, showing her teeth.

"The man who fought Lizet Beliar, the man who supposedly defeated Lizet Beliar, was standing right in front of me. It would have been a shame to end things after only shaking hands."

"I keep telling you, I did not defeat her."

"But you seriously injured her, right? That alone is impressive. Honestly, if this were not the Imperial Family's banquet hall, I would want to ask for a spar."

"I would win."

Julietta's shoulders trembled at that answer, but she did not look insulted. Instead, her smile deepened, and heat filled her eyes.

"You really think so?"

"Yeah."

"Sincerely?"

"Yeah."

"Ahaha!"

Julietta, whose shoulders had been shaking, burst into loud laughter. After laughing for a while, she extended her hand to Kyle again.

It was not the sort of handshake that challenged him to another contest of strength. It was an ordinary handshake. After withdrawing her hand, Julietta grinned and whispered.

"I think so too. You never know until you fight... but the difference I felt earlier was something I could understand without fighting. If I fight you, I will lose."

Julietta nodded as she calmed her boiling excitement.

"But losing would be exciting too. I could go with you to Gladiheim and challenge you to a match..."

"W-wait!"

Arec, who had been listening anxiously, cut in. He spoke with a troubled expression.

"Julietta. Before you are a knight, you are a Princess of Ransel. If you challenge Sir Kyle and lose, Ransel's dignity..."

"Are you not lacking in spirit, brother?"

Julietta clicked her tongue and shot Arec a look.

"It is not a duel of life and death. We would only spar once for friendship and harmony... something like that. Why bring Ransel's dignity into it?"

"That is because you are Ransel's royal family...!"

Arec replied, the corners of his mouth twisting.

"If you were not royalty, I would not care what you did! But you are royalty. On top of that... you have been chosen as the next Queen. It is unacceptable for you to engage in private duels...!"

Arec had no intention of backing down on this. Ransel was a kingdom of knights, and its ruler had to be a strong and exceptional knight. Since Julietta had been chosen as the next Queen, her sword no longer belonged to Julietta alone. If the next Queen's sword broke in a foreign land, it would not be merely a personal defeat.

"When you defeated me and won the martial tournament, your sword became Ransel's sword. Because of you, I was stripped of my duty, and that duty passed to you."

Arec's voice lowered. He did not hold great resentment toward his younger sister for that. Her victory simply meant that Julietta was better than him. But he could not permit everything his younger sister wanted to do. At that moment, Arec was not speaking as Julietta's brother, but as a Prince of Ransel.

"To say you will spar in Alastor's Gladiheim means that Ransel's sword will be tested by Alastor. Do you truly not understand the weight of that?"

"It is not some grand sparring match..."

Julietta muttered, pouting.

They would simply cross swords once. It was not a spar with any grand meaning attached to it.

But Julietta was royalty. She had a competitive and bold personality, yet she was not so irresponsible that she would directly defy the responsibilities of a royal.

"..."

In the end, Julietta pressed her lips together, then opened them with a sigh.

"All right."

Arec was not wrong. She could be rude to her brother at times, but she could not ignore those words. Only when Julietta's shoulders drooped did Arec relax his stern expression.

"Thank you for understanding."

"Because you are right..."

Julietta grumbled and tapped the hilt at her waist with a finger. She had accepted it, but disappointment remained.

"Sir Kyle."

Arec turned to Kyle.

"I apologize once more for my sister's rudeness. Even if not for the purpose of sparring, please visit Ransel someday."

"I imagine I will have cause to visit Ransel someday."

Unlike Julietta, Arec was speaking courteously, so Kyle returned the same courtesy. As he answered, Kyle's gaze moved toward the Sword Wolf Knights members standing a short distance away. Noticing it, Arec gave a slight nod.

Jade Krase. The Ransel royal family was aware of him. It was not particularly rare for an illegitimate child to be born into a noble family, but it was surprising for that child to join the knight order of the famous Alastor Family. On top of that, Krase's illegitimate son had received the Crescent Moon Medal this time.

"Then I look forward to seeing you in Ransel next time."

Arec did not ask about Jade. Illegitimate children were not rare, but neither were they a source of pride. This matter concerned Krase, a Round Table house, not a Prince of Ransel.

"Wait."

Julietta, who had been withdrawing alongside Arec, approached Kyle with quick steps. Arec called her name in surprise, but she stubbornly came right up to Kyle and brought her lips close to his ear.

"Someday, let us fight. Secretly, without any grand meaning attached."

Kyle let out a small laugh at that.

"Fine. But do not cry after you lose."

"Cry...? Me?"

"Seeing how your hand was shaking earlier, I think you will cry if you lose."

At the whispered words mixed with laughter, Julietta's face flushed red. Soon, she furrowed her brows and tried to snap back, but when Arec's eyes flared, she hurriedly turned away.

Crown Prince Alero had left, and so had Ransel's royals. Kyle turned his head. Ludmia was seated in a nearby chair, with Epor standing beside her in an Imperial Guard candidate's uniform, their face stiff.

"Are you all right?"

Ludmia's complexion looked worse than before. When Kyle approached, she flinched and tried to rise from her seat, but seemed to feel dizzy. She swayed and sat back down.

"I-I'm fine. I am not like this because I am sick... It has been a long time since I was in a place with so many people."

Ludmia wore a faint smile.

"Sir Kyle, you are truly amazing."

Ludmia looked up at Kyle as she spoke. Kyle knelt on one knee and met her eyes. Alero was the Crown Prince and all, but Kyle had confronted him because he was acting irritatingly. Ludmia was different, so Kyle could easily lower himself to her eye level.

"You were not intimidated by my brother, and even with Julietta... I could never do something like that."

"Everyone has their own way of dealing with people. If Your Highness acted like I did, it would look very strange."

"Dealing with people... Was what Sir Kyle did just now really dealing with people?"

"More or less. How did it look to Your Highness?"

"May I say this...? It looked a little aggressive."

"Your Highness saw it correctly. Still, even if I was aggressive, I was not being uncouth."

"I-I did not say Sir Kyle was uncouth even once."

"I know. I only said it in case Sir Epor may have thought so."

At that, Epor hurriedly composed their expression. Ludmia laughed quietly and fidgeted with her fingers.

"I would like to speak with Sir Kyle longer, but... this party is for you. Brother Alero will probably be satisfied that we entered together."

Ludmia cautiously glanced toward Alero. He was currently speaking with foreign royalty, smiling.

"So, Sir Kyle, you do not need to worry about me any longer. You may enjoy the party."

Kyle looked at Ludmia for a moment.

More precisely, at the thread flowing from Ludmia's chest. The thread flowing from Alero's chest was heading in the same direction as Ludmia's.

Was the place where those threads led the audience chamber in the Imperial Palace? Or somewhere else within the palace? He wanted to search every corner of the place, but he could not do that yet.

'Will I be able to see the Emperor once more before leaving the Imperial Palace?'

If the Emperor did not arrange a meeting, Kyle could ask Julius and force one to happen. Even seeing the audience chamber would ease some of his frustration.

"Well, it is not as though today is the only day. If Your Highness wishes, we can meet another time."

Kyle spoke while still kneeling.

"We can continue the conversations we did not finish this time, next time."

"Next time...?"

Ludmia blinked.

"Once I return to Gladiheim, I will be buried in training again. Then I will receive a new mission, leave, and return with new tales of valor. I will tell Your Highness about them every time."

"D-does that mean... Sir Kyle will come personally?"

"It would be possible by letter, but writing lacks warmth. Would Your Highness not prefer to meet and speak in person?"

"That is... true, but..."

Ludmia lowered her gaze, her face turning red. The fidgeting of her fingers in her lap was growing faster.

"Would Sir Kyle... really be all right with that? I worry that coming to see me would be troublesome..."

"It is not troublesome at all. The trip here was comfortable too. Besides, Crown Prince Alero and I have become brothers... and Your Highness said you hoped for friendship with me as well. Friendships are built by meeting often."

Kyle had no real desire to become close to Alero, but it was a plausible justification. His relationship as the Crown Prince's younger brother, and his bond with Ludmia. All of it would make it easier for Kyle to move around the Imperial Palace.

"I-if Sir Kyle is all right with it, then I... I am naturally all right with it too."

Ludmia's face, which had held a trace of disappointment, brightened.

"As Sir Kyle said, today is not the only day... Ahem, Sir Kyle should go enjoy the party now. I will sit and rest..."

"Yes, thank you for your consideration."

Kyle rose with a smile and moved away from Ludmia's seat.

He looked around the hall. The Sword Wolf Knights members, each wearing a Crescent Moon Medal on their chest, were speaking with the other guests.

'Who will come first?'

As Kyle moved away from Ludmia, many gazes once again focused on him.

Then, while looking around, his eyes met someone's.

They were not in a position to enjoy the party, but stood with their backs against the wall.

'Izelion.'

The two people in distinctive formalwear, unlike the other guests, stood out amid the splendor of the banquet hall. Yet no one approached them. Had the closed nature of their family become a wall even in a place like this? Kyle smiled as he looked at the father and daughter of Izelion.

At that smile, Izelion's Family Head moved.

Footnotes:

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