Volume 3 Chapter 10 Part 4 (2/2)

「Don’t worry about it. I managed to close it up.」

The man drew back his hand to show me that the bleeding had stopped. There wasn’t even a scar left and his skin was as smooth and white as a porcelain.

We stood there for a moment as the man cleaned his glove and put it back on, and then Klanven walked towards us.

「Really now, thank you for saving me. If it wasn’t for you, I would have surely gotten stabbed out there.」

「I wasn’t really trying to save you. I was only trying to help Filmina, so thank her for not stabbing you repeatedly to the gut. If it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t even bother with you.」

「My, my, what passionate words.」

The two men just stand there for a moment, looking at one another. That man’s stare was as relentless as ever, but even to that Klanven did not falter, looking as laid back as ever and showing us his usual warm smile.

That man speaks in a low voice, his voice teeming with anger.

「Would it really kill you to say a proper “Thank you” for once? Even Heathrow was able to apologize properly, so you should try it as well.」

「Let’s stop this for now. It’s neither place not time for that.」

「Edi? Your Highness?」

I still wasn’t able to understand why the two of them were acting with such animosity towards one another. Was it something that all men do?

Looking up at their faces, there was also a certain kind of beauty to that man’s anger.

「Yes, let’s. What’s important is that both Your Highness and Heathrow are here, so maybe they can work out their differences.」

「Eh……?」

「Your Highness, since Heathrow-sama is already here, why won’t you do just that?」

Both Klanven and Heathrow look at that man, his face looking as though he was telling them “You’d better do just that”.

…… Though it was obvious that it would be easier said than done. Both of them kept on glaring at one another, their gazes almost ice cold. Finally, it was Heathrow who opened his mouth first.

「I admit that this situation is entirely my fault. I just didn’t think that there were people amongst my faction that would commit such vile extremities in my name. I assure you that this man shall pay for all that he has done.」

「I was appointed to be the Executive Organizer of the Festival by the former High Priest. It was only natural that those who would oppose that decision would start to conspire against me upon hearing that.」

「For now we only know for certain that Galeus was involved in this incident, but there are surely others like him out there. We shall do everything that is within our power to root them out and make them face judgement.」

「So, well, does that mean we’ve come to an understanding?」

With that, the two of them gently bowed their heads to one another. It was the only real thing they could do in this situation.

I looked at the man’s face, who looked somewhat stunned upon seeing this situation. Before I could stop him, he had already opened his mouth to speak.

「…… If that’s how it’s going to be, then I demand to take Filmina back with me. Doesn’t it look like a perfectly executed plan, Your Highness? Filmina’s bracelet getting broken so that I wouldn’t be able to come to her side, using this room that only a handful of people know about, and the fact that Heathrow suddenly appears right now, when the whole plan went to hell? Isn’t that suspicious to you at all?」

「Hoho, now them’s some really stinging words. You shouldn’t throw them like that around elderly men like myself, lad, for I might die from them.」

「I would never have thought that Galeus would use Filmina like that in his dirty schemes. Personally, I thought that as a priest he would have a little bit more integrity than that. It was a misconception on my side, that’s for sure. No wonder we were never able to get along.」

「But still, those are just baseless accusations. A mere theory without evidence to back it up.」

I had a really hard time following the flow of their discussion. However, accusing someone of taking part in an assassination attempt was a serious matter. It would lay heavily upon the temple’s reputation. Not to mention that he was trying to kill Klanven in lots of different ways for almost a month before eventually turning towards good old stabbing with a knife. I look at that man’s stomach again and swallow hard. The sensation of a knife going into his flesh, it was still vividly present in my hands. I was afraid I might not be able to forget this feeling, no matter how much time passed.

And despite his words that everything was fine, I could tell from his expression alone that it was rather painful for him.

Klanven smiled gently at us again, probably not aware of the fact that for that man such gesture was more than infuriating. Me, I was just a little bit sad.

「When it comes to leading the festivities tomorrow, I think I’ll let Mister Heathrow here take care of that. Personally, I think it is too much of a bother for someone like me to do.」

「Your Highness, please don’t even joke like that. It would be simply too much for someone as old as me.」

「Trust me, someone as old and cunning as you will do just fine. I vouch for it.」

「Hohoho, I see that both your mind and mouth as sharp as ever.」

…… Now I was completely lost in that conversation of theirs. And it seems that Klanven was aware of the fact, because he turned towards me with his usual “Oh, that’s right!” kind of expression.

「This here Mister Heathrow used to serve here in this very temple before I came and took over.」

「It may have been a while, but I am still perfectly aware when it comes to the matters of the Temple.」

「Is-is that right?」

Looking at them right now, I felt that there was no use in trying to comment on any of those revelations right now, instead I left them to figure it out all on their own. But still, there was still some anger in me that a priest from the Temple was trying to manipulate me.

I suddenly felt very tired and felt as though I was about to collapse, but the man’s arm supported me yet again.

「Edi……」

「Your Highness, Heathrow-sama. No matter the reason or circumstance, I am not going to forgive you for dragging Filmina into your childish quarrels. You’d do best to remember that.」

Even though the stare he sent the two was at absolute zero levels of cold, the two of them just smiled warmly at us, their gentle expressions never fading from their lips. It was at that moment, feeling the warmth of that man’s arms, that I realized that my consciousness was slipping into blackness yet again.