Chapter 129
By the window bathed in moonlight, Wesley stood frozen like a statue, pressing his palm to his forehead. The crucial plans for the New Year’s gathering had all fallen apart. They should have suppressed Ian’s magic to the fullest and broken his momentum… but they hadn’t.
“Wesley.”
“Baretto.”
At the sound of his aide’s voice, Wesley turned his head. After dispelling the oracle’s light and checking the magic circle, he had noticed bloodstains on it. That was likely the cause of the error, but with the banquet in full swing, a thorough inspection was impossible. They had no choice but to wait, wide awake, until the nobles, exhausted from their revelry, finally went home.
“The banquet hall has been cleared. The remaining nobles have moved to other party rooms.”
“Good. And Gale?”
“…His Highness Gale has also joined the party.”
With the imperial family’s gathering over, Gale had immediately joined the social hall. Unlike the first prince, Marib, who directly confronted the nobles, Gale could approach them more naturally. That would only strengthen his influence and foundation.
“Any other messages?”
“None.”
“Even after reporting the bloodstains?”
“Yes, none.”
Wesley frowned deeply, biting his nails anxiously. He had expected some reprimand or instructions, but there was no response. Each time his footsteps echoed sharply, his black hair whipped wildly around him.
Bang! Thud!
Opening the back door of the banquet hall, the cleaning servants startled and turned around. But upon seeing Wesley’s grim expression, they bowed their heads without a word.
Ziiing. Ziiing.
Wesley placed his palm on the magic circle where the oracle’s light had been and released his mana. Sparks flew from the purple aura enveloping him every time he blinked. A servant, seeing magic for the first time, stood frozen, watching. The aide quickly stepped in front, signaling him to get back to work.
“Carry on with your duties.”
“Y-yes, sorry.”
Ziiing!
Wesley’s gaze relentlessly traced each formula in the magic circle.
“No matter how I look at it, the placement of the bloodstain is too precise.”
Without fiddling with this or that, it covered only the core part of the control. The aide watching beside him cautiously added, “But Ian is just a newcomer from the borderlands, isn’t he? He lives and eats outside the palace, and this was his first time seeing the magic circle since entering. It’s impossible he could have fixed it immediately after seeing the one you and the support division created.”
“Then you think this was a coincidence?”
The aide shook his head. It couldn’t be. After all, the correction was perfect, and the outcome flawless.
“Someone reported seeing Nakina in contact with Ian.”
“Nakina?”
Wesley’s eyes narrowed further. Nakina was a mage under Captain Hail of the Magic Operations Division. Unlike the mostly desk-bound Magic Support Division, the Operations Division was out in the field.
“There shouldn’t be any connection.”
Perhaps that was why there was a subtle power struggle between the two departments. As the Minister of Magic, Wesley was their superior, but since he controlled the Support Division as his right hand, the balance of power inevitably tilted.
“…Keep someone on that side under watch.”
“Yes, understood.”
Could it be that Nakina was helping Ian to check on the Support Division—or even Wesley himself? The tangled web of misunderstandings from Nakina’s meaningless goodwill gnawed at Wesley’s mind.
Swish.
“I’m going to see Gale.”
“Minister, that’s not a good idea.”
“As soon as the sun rises tomorrow, we have to send Ian the application to join the division. We need to discuss it and plan our next steps.”
Without hesitation, Wesley cut through the cleaning servants and moved toward the southern annex where the royal villa stood, brightly lit. The laughter of nobles, partying as if there were no tomorrow, echoed with music, dance, and wine.
“Oh my, Your Highness Gale, what do you mean by that?”
“Does it sound like a joke?”
“Of course! Everyone here will think it’s a joke!”
“Your Highness, you truly adore Lady Melania. Ha ha.”
Gale smiled broadly, mingling at the center of the nobles’ chatter. When his aide whispered cautiously in his ear, Gale’s eyes softened as he looked for Wesley.
“Excuse me for a moment.”
“Oh, where are you going? You have to come back soon.”
“I’m bringing the wine I saved for later.”
Click.
On the terrace, they both reached for their cigarettes simultaneously. The boisterous grin from the party vanished from Gale’s face, replaced by a bored expression as he rubbed his chin and lit Wesley’s cigarette.
“The magic circle?”
“I just checked it again on the way here. The bloodstain caused the issue, and someone deliberately altered it. It seems Ian has an ally.”
Gale frowned. The cool night air felt refreshing, clearing his mind.
“I doubt that’s likely.”
“Why not?”
“Because of Marib.”
If Marib was loudly backing Ian, it would undermine the meaning of that support.
“If someone in the Magic Department helped Ian, it would either be a personal favor or Marib’s orders. The former can be overlooked as a bad situation, but the latter…”
Wesley exhaled sharply and brushed his hair back. He understood Gale’s point.
“True. If there’s a mage aligned with Marib, they’d be ordered not to get involved with Ian.”
They’d want to keep their hidden cards safe. Publicly, Ian would be a decoy, while behind the scenes, other mages would be maneuvered. That was the safer approach.
Otherwise, why would they care if Ian was humiliated by magic? The best strategy was to avoid raising suspicion from Gale and Wesley.
“My guess is it’s the former—or Ian himself who fixed it.”
Gale chuckled, chewing his cigarette lightly. He recalled Ian’s demeanor at the second-floor banquet. The more he saw, the more he thought Ian was bold and cheeky—definitely not an ordinary guy.
“That’s impossible. Someone fresh from the borderlands?”
“Even you would find that difficult, right?”
“…”
To be honest, even Wesley found it hard to instantly understand and fix a magic circle layered with many mages’ spells, like the oracle’s light. But he quickly straightened his gaze and shook his head.
“Your Highness, I am Wesley.”
“Ha ha. Right. My mistake.”
Gale smiled gently, not wanting his own worth diminished. He softly stroked Wesley’s neck and asked,
“The oracle’s light Ian showed—how strong would you say his magic is?”
“…For someone so young, it’s quite good. Better than expected.”
Wesley avoided Gale’s gaze as he answered. Like all departments in the palace, especially the Magic Department and the Royal Guard, which judged solely on skill, there was fierce scrutiny of newcomers.
“Is that so?”
Gale replied without further comment, lowering his hand. The faint music from the inner party room drifted through the silence.
‘If Ian really fixed the magic circle and his power is that strong, he’s a card Marib must never get.’
At that moment, a woman appeared at the window. It was Melania, the noblewoman who had been laughing and chatting with Gale earlier. The youngest and only daughter of the famous Heyman banking family, with royal blood from a neighboring country bordering Bariel.
“We have to send Ian the application to join as soon as the sun rises.”
“I heard earlier. You said you’d follow the Minister of Magic’s wishes. But even if you say that, once it’s confirmed and delivered, who knows what Marib might say behind the scenes? We should include a few departments, like the Magic Support Division, to gauge reactions.”
Gale said this as he stubbed out his cigarette on the railing. Then, he left a light kiss on Wesley’s cheek and nodded, signaling he was heading back to the party.
“Gale.”
Wesley called after him, but Gale only furrowed his brow and looked back, as if to say, “Use the proper title.”
“…Your Highness Gale. Until we meet again.”
“Take care.”
Bang!
The terrace door closed, and their shadows vanished completely. Wesley leaned on the railing, clutching his head. The throbbing pain was almost dizzying.
“…Sigh.”
“Want me to light another one for you?”
The aide standing nearby pulled out a fresh cigarette. Wesley only turned his head silently and put it to his lips. As the flame flickered, it seemed like sparks ignited in his dark eyes as well.
“Good day, Viscount Ian Hielo.”
A government official from the Magic Department greeted him politely. Ian noticed the parchment in his hand was quite thick.
“Your demonstration of magical power at yesterday’s New Year’s gathering was truly impressive. Thank you for the beautiful spectacle. Now, on behalf of the Magic Department, I bring you this application to formally join, hoping you will use your power for the great empire of Bariel and His Majesty the Emperor.”
With confidence, the official unfurled the parchment and read the preface in an elegant tone. It mostly covered the history and introduction of the Magic Department. Nearby, Beric listened with mild interest, yawning widely by the time the reading finally ended.
“…As I mentioned, the Department of Magic is the most prestigious division within the current royal palace. This offer is the employment terms extended to Viscount Ian Hielo, and below are the departments Minister Wesley has selected and recommended. Please consider carefully and respond at your earliest convenience.”
“Alright. Thanks for your efforts this morning.”
“Not at all. Ah, if it’s not too much trouble, may I request a handshake?”
Before officially joining the Department of Magic, this was Ian’s last chance. He readily shook the official’s hand, who then bowed politely once more.
“We look forward to your favorable reply. Thank you.”
Clack!
With purposeful steps, Ian boarded the palace carriage and left the street behind. Unfolding the parchment, he let out a slight smile at the unexpected contents.
“They’re friendlier than I thought.”
“No matter how much they want to keep an eye on you, it’s been ages since a newcomer joined the Department of Magic. They owe you at least this much courtesy. Besides, I doubt the Magic Support Division handles these kinds of formalities.”
First, the document detailed Ian’s salary and benefits. Ten gold coins a month. Compared to commoners, it was a fortune, but among other department members, it was barely above entry-level.
“Putting that aside, the departments Wesley recommended are as follows: Magic Support, Magic Operations, Magic Research…”
Not much different from the structure Ian was familiar with.
‘Yesterday, at the second-floor banquet hall, Wesley said he’d leave the choice to me. Gale heard it too, so Wesley must know. Yet here he is, sending back a fixed list?’
Wasn’t that a bit odd? He’d been given the choice, but now it was being handed back to him? It was the exact opposite of the move to seize the initiative during the mana verification ceremony.
‘So, he wants to see what I pick… But what’s he really after?’
“Ian? What’s on your mind?”
“I’m just trying to figure out what this all means.”
“Oh, right. You probably don’t know much about the Magic Support Division…”
While Romandro explained enthusiastically, Ian tapped the edge of the parchment thoughtfully. By the time Romandro finished, a faint smile had settled on Ian’s lips.
A smile that said, I think I’ve got a rough idea.