Chapter 136
By any objective measure, Wesley was truly remarkable.
No one knew her real name or age, which suggested she came from the very bottom of society. Yet, she had risen to become the youngest minister ever, the head of the Ministry of Magic, and the lover of Gale, the empire’s second most powerful figure and second prince. Few in the empire had climbed the ladder as far as she had.
“Wait, no way… Ian, surely you don’t mean that? Wesley, the minister, is trying to turn Prince Gale into an undead?”
Romandro’s face twisted in disbelief at Ian’s words. Even in his own home, he lowered his voice to a whisper, wary of being overheard.
“But given the circumstances, there’s no other plausible theory. It seems she’s trying to find a loophole through the palace’s blessing.”
“The palace’s blessing? You mean the one that makes the royal family immune to mind control magic?”
Romandro’s eyes widened in surprise. They’d been together all day, yet Ian somehow knew things like this. Magic users really were different, he thought, letting out a small breath of awe.
“That’s right. Undead magic is similar in effect to mind control—it lets you manipulate the target at will. But the method is different; it’s closer to a form of shamanism than conventional magic.”
“Sorry, but I’m clueless about that stuff.”
“Magic requires mana to work, but shamanism doesn’t. It draws on mysterious forces through bloodlines, personal training, or enchanted objects.”
Hasha was a perfect example. She had no mana but came from a long line of shamans and had her own secret method for creating undead. The more Ian explained, the more he felt he was uncovering Wesley’s hidden motives.
“So, if someone wanted to control a royal, they’d have to find a method other than magic. It’s clear that Wesley is the one trying to turn a living person into an undead, and her only motive would be Gale, right?”
“Wh-what if Prince Gale ordered her to do it?”
That was certainly possible. As a rebel, he would naturally target the emperor or Marib. But…
“No, it’s more likely Gale doesn’t know.”
Historical records showed that necromancy wasn’t used during the rebellion, which gave Ian confidence. If Gale had known, he would have used necromancy without hesitation. History would have changed.
“So, what’s the plan now? Wesley is a great asset to Prince Gale, which means a threat to Prince Marib. This could be a huge opportunity.”
“I think the same.”
“Wesley…”
Romandro suddenly clamped his mouth shut. The words were too heavy to say aloud, but Ian smiled lightly and replied.
“We have to cut her out.”
The Ministry of Magic was rotten to the core. Change the leadership, and the whole system would be renewed. That meant a better future for Bariel. It would also effectively block Gale’s plan to stage a rebellion with the Ministry’s support.
“But there’s a catch. Wesley is currently Gale’s greatest strength. Could Gale simply dispose of her? He might use the excuse of love to keep her close, persuading her in other ways.”
To take down Gale, they had to deal with Wesley. To remove Wesley, they had to use Gale. So Ian thought of giving Gale a choice.
“If the Ministry can function without Wesley, and the rebellion can be stopped without her, then we can cut her out. In other words, we need a magician to replace her.”
Was there anyone in the Ministry capable of that? Not that Ian knew. Hale from the Magic Operations Department seemed reliable but was still unproven. And since he was at odds with Wesley, he probably didn’t get along with Gale either.
“Then I’ll have to do it. In terms of raw magical power, I’m the only one who can stand against her.”
The tangled threads in Ian’s mind began to unravel. As silence fell, the child’s eyes kept shining brightly, and Romandro simply watched quietly beside him.
“Ian, what are you thinking about?”
“Oh, Romandro, you should hurry up and go greet Lady Viviana.”
“Viviana? Why?”
“It looks like you won’t be able to return home for a while.”
Romandro’s face froze in shock at the sudden announcement.
“W-why?”
“If Wesley has received the letter from Mayor Karenna, she’ll know we’re onto the undead matter. It’s only a matter of time—at most three days, I’d say.”
“So that means…”
“They’ll definitely try to eliminate us.”
Boom! It felt like his heart dropped. Then they had to run—but where? He couldn’t just run off with his pregnant wife.
“I-I have to ask Prince Marib for help!”
“No. I’ll inform His Highness myself at the right time.”
“Are you sure that’s wise?”
“Absolutely. It has to be that way.”
As Ian gave instructions to Romandro, he kept flicking his fingers lightly—a habit he had when sorting through complicated thoughts.
“Oh, before you enter the palace, make sure to bring some of the Luron mana stones you left behind. One chunk should be enough. And as you said, after handling your business at the administration, come to where I am.”
“Where? The Ministry of Magic?”
“No, Prince Gale’s palace.”
“What? Are you serious?”
“Completely serious. By the way, do you know when the high-ranking officials’ appointments will be announced during the New Year?”
“Hmm, let me see.”
Romandro checked the calendar, recalling the upcoming meeting where the emperor and key officials would reorganize the government. The appointment ceremony would follow shortly after.
“Probably next week.”
“Perfect timing.”
“I’m not sure how the Sil Dam potion issue will affect things. I’ll look into it. There’s a lot of infighting between departments these days… ugh, it’s a mess.”
“That works in our favor.”
“Hm? Why’s that?”
“Because the one who wins in chaos proves their ability.”
Ian lightly shook his hand and stood up. It was time to move.
“I’ll stop by the Ministry of Magic, then head to Prince Gale’s palace. See you after sunset.”
“Y-yeah, sounds good. But what about this guy?”
“Ughhh.”
Beric, who was sound asleep, scratched his chin lazily. They needed someone alert to protect Viviana and Mini against Wesley, but their guard was so careless…
“Leave him be. Days like this, when he’s out cold, are rare. The key is to act before Wesley does. Let’s move.”
“Alright.”
With that, Ian tucked the letter into his chest and hurried to prepare for departure. Romandro did the same. They shared a glance, agreeing to meet inside the palace.
“Where to, gentlemen?”
“We’re going separate ways. I’m heading to the Ministry of Magic.”
“We’re going to the commercial district.”
“Ah, yes. Understood!”
Their carriages sped straight ahead before splitting at a fork. Ian went toward the palace, Romandro toward the Luron mana stone hiding place.
Wheee!
Tap tap tap!
Romandro kept glancing back anxiously at Ian’s carriage as it disappeared into the distance. Ian, however, kept his head held high, busy calculating strategies in his mind.
Sigh.
The palace is such a mess. Romandro vowed again and again that he’d retire someday and live quietly in the countryside with Viviana.
“But where on earth did Hasha go?”
Meanwhile, Hasha was sprinting mercilessly through the muddy back alleys, where melting snow made the ground slick. What had started as a simple walk around the neighborhood had turned into this frantic dash.
Arf! Arf arf!
The familiar scent of home lingered in the air. It was so faint it might vanish with the slightest breeze, and her heart tightened. Hasha hurried on, following the faint traces.
‘It’s the scent of Astana!’
More precisely, the smell of the spices commonly used in Astana. The tangy yet sweet aroma was a long-lost memory, but etched clearly in Hasha’s mind.
Thud!
If it was someone from her hometown, or perhaps a faction aligned with the heavens, they might take her all the way to Astana. While necromancy was dominant there, a few sects still revered various shamanistic traditions. Maybe, even if she wasn’t herself anymore, she could find a way back to being human.
All of this hope stemmed from that faint whiff of spice.
‘Is this the place? No, I need to go further! Just a little slower, please! Fellow townsfolk!’
“Oh my, what’s this dog doing here…?”
“Get out of the way, mutt!”
“Hey, why are you suddenly attacking me?”
Using her small body, Hasha chased the scent as fast and close as she could. She darted through piles of crates, wove between old men drinking on the street, and didn’t hesitate to step into cold puddles.
Thud!
Before long, she was no longer chasing the scent—she was inside it. She crouched low, hiding her presence, and looked around. The dark, filthy alley was deserted.
“Hahaha! So what?”
“Don’t even mention it. The moment I grabbed him by the collar, he started bawling like a baby. I’ve never seen anyone cry like that before.”
“Such a tall tale. You just keep getting better at this, huh? Mm, better and better.”
“No, I’m serious!”
Just then, the sound of rough men stepping out of the building reached their ears. Judging by the cigarettes in their hands, it seemed they were taking a break from whatever they were doing inside.
“Huh? What’s going on?”
They looked downright menacing—scarred skin here and there, greasy, unkempt hair, and eyes that were half-crazed. Dangerous, through and through.
“Those guys?”
“Yeah, those dogs.”
Hasha froze on the spot, unable to find a chance to slip away. His throat felt dry, and he swallowed hard, but they just kept puffing on their cigarettes, treating him like an ordinary mutt.
“What’re you staring at, you mangy mutt?”
“Thinking about tearing you apart, haha!”
“Speaking of which, I’m actually getting hungry. When’s Pakens coming back? We need him to sort out the crew before we hit the tavern. Man, seriously.”
Pakens? Hasha’s ears perked up.
That name sounded familiar. He kept sniffing the ground, pretending not to understand, but his white eyes never left them.
“So, this time the haul’s supposed to be pretty sweet, right? What was it again? Uh, uh, un—”
“Undead, man! How many times do I have to say it before you get it?”
“Right. Anyway, don’t you think we’ll get paid a lot for that?”
“Gasp!”
Before he knew it, Hasha let out a small gasp. Pakens—that was it! The slave trader from Karennah who made undead with his sorcery and sold them! The slave trader’s name was Pakens!
“Huh?”
“Did you just say something?”
“No, I didn’t say a word.”
Pant, pant!
The men flicked their cigarette ash and slowly turned their heads. There was nothing here but a white dog.
Hasha drooled as much as he could, plastering on a look that screamed, “I don’t know anything.” Damn it.