How to Live as the Enemy Prince

It wasn’t until morning that Calian returned to the palace and finally managed to sleep for some time. When he woke up, Yan, with bloodshot eyes, was stood right by his bedside, staring at him. Calian jerked up in shock, before leaning backwards, 

“God, you nearly gave me a heart attack! What’s the matter?”

Yan, with bloodshot eyes and huge dark circles, was clearly sleep-deprived.

“I told you to sleep…”

“Your highness.”

Yan asked with a solemn expression,

“Why do you drink morning tea?”

Calian thought for a second. It seems that Yan suspects the tea to be poisoned.

“You gave it to me.”

Those were words of rebuke. Of course, Calian didn’t intend to blame Yan for not noticing, as Calian himself didn’t suspect there was poison either. He was just grumpy from the lack of sleep and a little annoyed at Yan’s diligence that meant that the tea was prepared right on time, without fail every morning. 

Yan, who didn’t receive the answer he wanted, reached out to the coffee table next to Calian’s bed. There lay the morning tea that the prince had yet to drink.

Without hesitating for even a split second, Yan raised the cup to his mouth.

Calian’s gaze towards Yan turned sharp.

He snatched the teacup away from Yan, just before it touched his lips, causing some of the tea to splash on the carpet. As Yan stared at the carpet where the brown tea was being soaked, he balled his hands into fists.

Calian was infuriated at this situation. Threatening him if Calian didn’t tell him what he knew, and also attempting to commit suicide.

Why must everyone be so radical?

Calian shouted angrily at Yan.

“What are you doing!”

He then reached out to inspect Yan’s face.

“Did you swallow it?!” 

Yan pushed Calian’s fingers away. This wasn’t something he would normally do, but there was no time to care about that. Calian, feeling frustrated at the quiet Yan, shouted once again.

“Why did you drink it?!”

“I didn’t!”

Yan shouted back. Calian didn’t hate Yan for doing that. A moment later Yan spoke.

“I gave poison to you with my own hands.”

Without saying anything more, Yan simply stared at Calian, but his face expressed all that he wanted to say– there was rage, resentment, and cursing.

The anger and unsaid curse words weren’t directed towards Calian, but rather, to Yan himself.

“I was wondering why you had bought the knife, knowing that you aren’t skilled in using such a weapon.”

That fucking knife. He regretted buying it. 

“I came to relate it with your current status. I thought of Sir Manasil’s poisoned son when I thought of the medicine he gave.”

Calian looked up at Yan with surprise. He hadn’t known about Alan’s personal issues but it made sense, now that he thought about it, that Alan was able to notice the symptoms and understand the situation so clearly.

“That was why I thought of poison. One thought led to another, then finally, the morning tea came to mind. I suspected it might be that.”

Calian had predicted it to be poisoned already when he snatched the teacup out of Yan’s hands.

Calian thought Yan would cry and blame himself, but that didn’t happen this time.

“Is it Silica?”

Yan usually didn’t call Silica in that way.

If Calian said yes, Yan looked like he would have tried to attack Heisia Palace right away. Calian briefly glanced at Yan and then shook his head.

“Why. You want to get revenge?”

“I wouldn’t say no.”

Yan’s voice was extremely cold and his clenched fist seemed to be drained of blood. Calian shook his head.

“Elephants should stay put. It’s going to create a war.”

Yan was about to say something, but then shut his mouth as thought over what Calian just said. Lost for words, he couldn’t help but stare at Calian.

He uttered in shock,

“…oh-”

In the first place, Yan and Slayman were very similar. Calian spent all his time with Yan, and had no way of not knowing it. He doubted the idea at first, but then he recalled how Rumein didn’t realise he had been outside the palace with Alan. Of course, Alan was the one who taught him that they were called elephants.

Anyways, it was a foolish idea to bring war between Siegfried and Brissen. Therefore, Yan mustn't get involved in this situation.

Calian whispered to the baby elephant in front of him in a serious voice.

“My business. Leave it alone.”

Herbivores should behave like herbivores – lest their pride is hurt. 

“Anyways, it will be resolved by Tuesday.”

A laid-back Calian drank all the tea that was left in the cup.

—

Calian sent for a carriage and brought Alan back to the palace. As Yan predicted, the delegation farewell party and lunch were going to proceed without the princes, which made for some extra time.

Alan, before doing anything else, gave Calian a document. It was a summary of the information that the magicians gathered until now with all of Silica’s deeds outlined. Calian, with a bright face, received the document and said,

“Thank you. Please tell the association my gratitude.”

“You asked for it, so I brought it… but I doubt that it would be of much help, as you can see.”

Calian smiled knowingly. 

“It’s always dependent on what purpose you use the document for. This much information is enough.”

Calian, normally would have placed the documents in the safe but decided to do otherwise after looking at Alan. That’s because he now has to tell Alan what to do next.

“Let’s take a walk.”

The sky was murky and windy, it wasn’t pleasant weather for a walk. To prevent others from eavesdropping, Calian left the room, and Alan followed silently.

“It would be obvious.”

Calian spat out his first words while passing the Sispanian statue that had once angered him greatly.

Right as Calian spoke, a thin, invisible membrane was formed around the two. It was a ‘Silent’, which shields any talk happening inside so that anyone outside couldn’t hear it.