Episode 139

Romandro kept nervously peering out from the carriage. Darkness had fully settled in, and there was still no sign of Ian. It had already been hours since he went inside.

Tap, tap, tap!

Then, in the distance, a boy with golden hair descended the grand staircase. The surroundings were so quiet that even the faint sound of his footsteps could be heard. Romandro roused the dozing coachman and urged him to drive the carriage forward.

“Ian, hurry and get in—ugh!”

“Thank you for waiting, Lord Romandro.”

“Good heavens, good heavens! Iaaan!”

“Shh, it’s nothing serious.”

“N-nothing serious? It doesn’t look that way!”

Though the blood on his jaw and neck had been wiped away, stains still remained, and his clothes were a complete mess. What on earth had happened inside? Romandro’s face was a mix of shock and worry, unable to either grab Ian or let him go, pacing anxiously.

Meanwhile, Ian casually adjusted his collar and gave the coachman a nonchalant order.

“Let’s depart.”

“Sh-should we find a medic?”

“No. To Lady Marib’s palace.”

“Y-yes, understood.”

The coachman stammered, clearly startled. Romandro, mouth agape, kept checking Ian’s condition before realizing there was no serious injury.

“Ian, is that your blood?”

“Yes, it is. I took the Siltham potion inside. There’s no physical pain, but the side effects are quite severe. That’s why everyone’s so quick to oppose it.”

Ian smiled faintly, and Romandro managed a weak smile in return, finally feeling a bit relieved. Then he noticed the Luron box Ian had carried was missing.

“Can you tell me what happened? And why come here to Lady Marib’s palace at this hour?”

“I can tell you, but it’s better for your safety not to know all the details, Lord Romandro. A great storm is about to hit.”

“A st-storm?”

“No need to worry. Wherever we are, it’s always at the center of the storm. Things went more smoothly than expected.”

When Romandro tried to wipe Ian’s face with a handkerchief, Ian stopped him with the back of his hand. Coming here in this state was meant to show Lady Marib exactly how things stood.

‘Stop going back and forth. After confirming whether Wesley truly researched the forbidden necromancy, I will send you a message.’

Even if it was top secret within the Magic Department, it wouldn’t be hard for the prince to find out. If everything was true, Wesley would surely be dismissed at next week’s high-ranking appointment meeting.

‘Then I must make a move with Lady Marib this time.’

Going here and there under the moonlight—what on earth was this all about? But it was something that had to be done eventually. Power was always harder to maintain in balance than to push from one side.

“How does the administration currently view the Siltham potion issue?”

“Well, the emperor holds the real power, so we must follow his will. But there’s growing concern below. It’s an ideal potion, but the Magic Department is… less than ideal.”

Ian counted the departments within the palace in his mind. If things hadn’t changed much in a hundred years, there would be about twenty departments, with roughly ten holding real power.

“But Ian, isn’t it a bit odd to visit Lady Marib right after seeing Lord Gale?”

“It’s fine. Lord Gale already knows.”

“He knows?”

Ian was a kind of double agent. Approaching both sides wouldn’t raise suspicion. Romandro, unable to grasp the situation, tore at his thinning hair in frustration.

Just then—

Thud!

“We’ve arrived, Your Grace.”

“Ah, yes. Lord Romandro, please wait a moment.”

Since it was late at night with no traffic, they arrived quickly. Ian checked once more to see if the blood was still visible before opening the carriage door. The guard who approached flinched at Ian’s condition.

“Did you take a wrong turn? This is Lady Marib’s palace. We have no orders to admit visitors at this hour.”

“That’s right. It’s urgent, so please inform her quickly. Lord Ian Hielo requests an audience.”

“Please wait a moment.”

The guard glanced at Ian’s blood-soaked clothes before entering. Unlike the Gale side, their attitude toward Ian and Romandro was gentle.

“My goodness, Your Grace. Are you alright?”

“I’m fine.”

The steward who came to greet them looked grim. Having lived his whole life in the palace, he sensed something serious was happening. He hurriedly led Ian to Lady Marib’s office.

Knock, knock.

“Your Highness.”

“Enter.”

Lady Marib looked the same day or night—hair neatly tied back, glasses perched on her nose, buried in a mountain of reports. She frowned as she turned to see Ian.

“Lord Ian Hielo, what on earth is going on?”

“Your Highness, I apologize for the late hour, but I have urgent news. I just left Lord Gale’s palace.”

At the mention of Gale, the steward quickly left. The door closed, leaving only Lady Marib and Ian.

“First, forgive me for seeing Lord Gale without informing you. I suspected they would use the Siltham potion, so I needed to create the illusion that you were unaware of my movements.”

“So that blood is from the side effects of the Siltham potion.”

“Exactly.”

She had said the research was incomplete, but this was truly something else. And yet they were pushing for commercialization? Madness.

“While investigating the Luron stone, I discovered its likely deposit site is within the Hielo territory.”

Lady Marib inwardly gasped. So that was why Gale coveted it so fiercely, and why he had been so troublesome about the Siltham potion issue. Ian watched her expression carefully and continued.

“Lord Gale ordered me to supply the Luron stone to the Magic Department. It seems difficult to refuse.”

“That cannot be allowed. Supplying the Luron stone would give a pretext to oppose the Siltham potion.”

“Your Highness, isn’t the biggest opposition to the Siltham potion the Magic Department itself? Its head, Wesley, is Gale’s man, so there’s no trust in the potion.”

Even if Ian spoke the truth, he might be forced to lie—and no one knew when or how they might die from some mysterious liquid.

Lady Marib adjusted her glasses and calmly asked,

“And?”

“If Minister Wesley falls, and the Magic Department’s leadership changes, then there would be no problem.”

Minister Wesley’s downfall?

It was unthinkable, but if it happened, it would be a huge boon for Lady Marib. Gale’s core faction would be effectively dismantled.

‘But how? Wesley wouldn’t step down willingly, and the only way is for Gale to remove him. But why would Gale betray Wesley?’

At that moment, Lady Marib suddenly thought of the youngest daughter of the Hyman family. Gale had been paying her a lot of attention lately—could there have been a quarrel between her and Wesley?

The youngest daughter of a powerful banking family in Bariel, with royal blood from a neighboring kingdom, and renowned for her beauty in high society. Rumors were rampant that she had spent the New Year’s party closely attached to Gale.

Ian studied Lady Marib’s expression and continued.

“Pardon me, but if the minister’s seat becomes vacant, do you know how the Magic Department selects a successor?”

“The Magic Department values ability above all else, so surely…”

Lady Marib’s voice trailed off, and Ian nodded solemnly. He had been impressive during the magic power assessment, but this was on another level.

“Lord Gale seemed greatly impressed by my magic during the assessment.”

Lady Marib had found Ian beautiful but hadn’t realized how he compared to Wesley. She had just thought he was a capable noble from the borderlands.

“It seems he is currently scouting candidates for the next minister. That’s why I expect Gale will remove Minister Wesley.”

“There must be some hidden motive. Gale would never, ever abandon Wesley so easily.”

“I’m not sure about that, Your Highness. But if the minister falls and an opportunity comes to me…”

What was he saying? A newly inducted magician talking about the minister’s position? Yet Ian spoke without hesitation.

“You may proceed with the Siltham potion issue. To gather support internally, external cooperation is necessary. If you approve the potion, I can rally people around it.”

Several departments were involved with the Siltham potion—the Magic Stone Management, Potion Research, Magic Experimentation…

“Can you do it?”

“I will. With your help, it will be much easier.”

Lady Marib thought to herself.

If Gale did remove Wesley, he must have a chosen successor in the Magic Department. But opportunities would be fairly distributed. Ian was a newcomer, but still a magician of the department. It was impossible to be certain.

“Ian, all of this sounds good. But I still can’t believe Gale and Wesley will part ways. It feels like nonsense from a dream.”

Could Gale really be planning to abandon Wesley? No, was Wesley ever someone to be simply discarded? Marib narrowed his gentle eyes and glared at Ian.

‘Pushing so hard for the truth serum potion… could it be that he’s siding with Gale?’

Ian caught the look and lowered his head. It’s exhausting dealing with people who are this perceptive.

“The reason I brought up the truth serum potion is because I intend to become the primary supplier of Luron stones. Right now, that’s the biggest issue on the table, and since every department except the Magic Bureau opposes it, if the proposal passes, I believe it will greatly strengthen the Bureau’s standing.”

It wasn’t an illogical argument. Marib tapped Ian’s chin with his pen, signaling him to lift his head.

The younger brother threatens with a knife, and the older brother counters with a pen.

“I understand. But first, Wesley has to be removed from his position. Only then can you prove your worth within the Magic Bureau.”

“Don’t worry, Your Highness.”

Ian opened his magical power confidently. His green eyes shifted to gold, and a radiant glow of magic shimmered around him. At least in this, no one could rival him.

“I swear, this light will shine solely for Your Highness.”

“Good. I’ll be looking forward to it.”

Marib gently pushed Ian’s chin aside and stood up. Whether it was a scheme or not, removing Wesley from his post was significant in itself.

Ian brushed the back of his neck lightly, a faint smile playing on his lips.