Chapter 162

“Hana, a messenger bird has arrived.”

“From where? Merelrof?”

“No, it seems to be from the capital. The seal on the letter matches the one Master sent before.”

Hana took the letter with her gloved hand. Her hair was tightly bound, neat and orderly, and her clothes were clean and proper. The image of the starving child who once lived near the red-light district had long since vanished.

She smiled brightly and gave an order to the servant.

“Give the messenger bird some fresh water and food, and prepare a comfortable place for it.”

“Yes, Lady Hana.”

As the servant bowed and left, she hurried upstairs to her office. She had thought she’d grown more composed, but clearly not yet—her steps quickened with joy at the news from her master, betraying her calm.

“Is Nersarn inside?”

“Yes, but Philia is with him.”

“Send word immediately. I have a letter from Lord Ian.”

The warrior of the Cheonryeo tribe guarding the door nodded.

Who would have guessed that Nersarn and Philia would come this far? Not long after Ian left for the capital, Philia had returned to the forest.

Knock, knock.

“Nersarn, this is Hana. A letter from Lord Ian has arrived.”

But just a few days later, Nersarn—who had only ever walked the desert sands—personally came to the forest to bring her back. He gave her the newly refurbished master’s room, assigned her tasks like tending the garden, and helped her find stability in life. He wanted to anchor her, to keep her from drifting away.

At first, Philia seemed burdened by it all, but before long, she blended perfectly into the mansion, becoming indispensable—to them and to Nersarn.

“Come in.”

“Excuse me.”

Nersarn sat at the desk, flipping through documents with a calm, unshaken demeanor. The contrast with Philia’s flushed face as she sat on the sofa was striking.

“A letter from Lord Ian?”

“Yes. There are quite a few enclosed. There’s also one for Lady Merelrof, but the messenger bird looked tired, so I thought I’d deliver it myself.”

“Nothing serious, I hope.”

Nersarn muttered with concern. This was only the second contact since Ian left for the capital.

The first was to inform them that he had been granted the surname ‘Hielo’ and that the name of his territory had changed. There was no personal message at all, which left Philia and Hana feeling a bit disappointed.

“If it’s about something, what exactly…?”

Philia’s face drained of color, and Hana calmly called her name to soothe her.

“Philia, there’s nothing to worry about. There’s also something from Beric. It’s not a letter, but a drawing, carefully colored. If it were urgent, it wouldn’t be like this.”

“That’s right, Philia. Don’t worry. There’s something addressed to you, too.”

“Me?”

Nersarn naturally called her name and gently pulled her arm, seating her on his lap and reading each word with tender care. Hana stared off into the distance, eyes open but seeing nothing.

“He’s asking if you ever showed any talent for magic as a child—besides your golden eyes.”

“No, I—I never knew if Ian had such talent. I just…”

Philia’s words grew longer as she dredged up memories. The word ‘talent’ had sparked something. Nersarn motioned to Hana to prepare pen and paper.

“When Ian was very young, he once ran an errand for the troupe. He brought back a red flowerpot—”

“Silask.”

“Ah, yes. That’s right. When he brought it back, the person who gave it praised him, saying he had talent. I thought it was just about chores, but now that I think about it, the tone was different.”

She frowned, as if squeezing out a long-dried memory.

“That’s all.”

“That will probably help Lord Ian.”

“Is there anything else? Like greetings?”

“Yes. He says, ‘Philia, please live comfortably in the mansion. Though I’m busy with affairs at the palace and contact is sparse, know that my heart is always close to you.’”

Philia’s face blossomed with a radiant smile at Nersarn’s words.

Every time Nersarn saw that smile, he thought of the desert monsoon—the rare, torrential rains that covered the sand dunes with a breathtaking blanket of white flowers. She was like a wildflower, someone who caught his eye, but now she had become like those flowers, enveloping him completely.

“Would you like to write a reply yourself? I’ll help you.”

“Yes, I’d love that.”

“And I want to let him know about our meeting.”

“…That’s good, too.”

Hana raised her hand as if dazzled by Philia’s beaming smile. Even when she was in the slums, she was beautiful, but love had made her shine like pure light.

“But what if Ian objects?”

Philia asked cautiously, fiddling with the pen. She adored Nersarn, but if her son opposed it, she didn’t think she could stand against him. Nersarn chuckled softly and shook his head immediately.

“That could never happen. Lord Ian is wise.”

Seeing Philia relax, Nersarn felt relief, too.

Yet, he couldn’t shake the worry deep in his heart. Though he said it wouldn’t happen, strictly speaking, this wasn’t about ‘wisdom.’

‘What will Ian think…?’

Feeling a strange emotion for the first time, Nersarn gently clasped Philia’s small hand.

---

“Philia is getting married? To Nersarn?”

Romandro’s mouth hung open, and he didn’t seem to plan on closing it anytime soon. Understandable—this was quite something.

“Why? They suit each other. Philia’s beautiful, and Nersarn’s impressive. Sure, he’s a bit small compared to Kakan, but he’s a warrior among warriors!”

Beric’s words made Romandro’s expression even stranger. ‘Small’? No matter that Nersarn was a strategist, was it fair to call him ‘small’?

“Take care of your own body, you little runt.”

“What’s wrong with me?! These are all battle-hardened muscles!”

“Ian, by the way, how will you write your reply?”

Romandro ignored Beric and glanced at his expression. There was no emotion in the way he flipped through the letters. The atmosphere made Romandro uneasy, as if he had to tread carefully.

“…Ian?”

“…Nersarn.”

“Well, it’s not really my business, but Philia has been through a lot. I hope she finds happiness with a good man. And now that we’re close with the Cheonryeo tribe, well, I think it’s truly a blessing. Of course, some at the palace will look down on it.”

Ian’s father, the Minister of Magic and lord of Hielo territory, was a barbarian. When Ian first stepped into noble society, he was scorned for his low birth.

But if his new father was Nersarn? The rumors would be endless. Ian and Romandro knew they were true warriors, but the nobles in the capital neither knew nor wanted to know.

“It’s awkward, indeed.”

“But Hielo territory is very far from here. If we keep quiet, no one in the capital will know.”

“Romandro, you seem very fond of Philia—your mother.”

“Of course! She’s had a hard life.”

Romandro cleared his throat and added,

“And honestly, I saw this coming.”

“Eh? No way! You were totally shocked earlier.”

“No, when Philia and Nersarn met at the mansion entrance, I sensed something… a strange spark.”

“Ian! That’s a lie. You’re just pretending to know.”

“Hey! It’s true!”

Ian paused, then dipped his pen in ink. He had decided what to write in his reply. Romandro whispered to Beric, then peeked at the letter.

“If the nobles find out, it’ll definitely be gossip. But is that really a problem?”

He was not just ‘Ian,’ newly arrived at court, but ‘Ian Hielo,’ Minister of Magic. No matter what was said behind his back, it would be mere gossip.

“Actually, it’s a good thing. True alliances are sealed by marriage. Especially the Cheonryeo—they’re known for their strong family bonds. It will bring great happiness to your mother, too.”

And not just any warrior, but the tribe chief’s younger brother and strategist, Nersarn. This would forge an unbreakable bond of trust between Hielo and the Cheonryeo tribe. It could even help make up for the losses from the Bratz and central army.

“We should sincerely congratulate them. It’s a joyous occasion.”

“Yes, a celebration! I’ll write a congratulatory message myself.”

“Me too! I want to draw something!”

As soon as Ian gave his positive answer, Romandro clasped Beric’s hand and cheered. Honestly, when Hana had tearfully sent off the warrior, they had expected a union like this to happen someday.

‘Just never thought it would be Philia.’

In any case, it was a good thing. Setting aside political calculations, it was something to celebrate on a human level. Ian knew well how much Philia had suffered. He smiled softly as he looked at the unevenly written letter.

“My son, Ian. I love you. I miss you. Hana, Lord Nersarn, and everyone at the estate are all doing well and happy. Thanks to that, I am happy too. Ian, how are you? Are you happy? Never forget that your mother is always here. Stay healthy and safe—I want to hold you again, my dear child. I love you.”

A mother’s love is truly so profound. Ian found the letter both unfamiliar and strangely fascinating.

‘I was very young when she passed, and the memories I have left are all pretty vague.’

Was it because it was an arranged marriage among nobles? To picture his biological parents’ faces, Ian had to recall the faded family photo hanging in a frame. Beyond that, he had no memories.

“Ian, what’s wrong? Is the ink drying up?”

“No, I’m just trying to find the right words to start with. Also, I find it odd that Mother’s letter didn’t mention anything about marriage. I think she might ask for my permission first before proposing.”

Perhaps Philia only intended to inform him of the relationship? At Ian’s teasing remark, Romandro let out a sheepish laugh.

“Oh ho! Even a warrior becomes adorable when it comes to love.”

“By the way, Lord Romandro, have you heard about this?”

“Ah, you mean the Haiman family?”

Romandro slapped his own cheek a few times to calm his excitement, then nodded in agreement with Ian.

“They’re in the middle of an unofficial engagement with the Haiman family. It’s practically a done deal. Given all the scandals and curses surrounding them, the official ceremony will probably wait until things settle down.”

Romandro twisted his beard and frowned.

“But there’s a strange rumor going around lately.”

“About the Haiman family?”

“They’ve placed an unusually large order for magical armor. Remember that armor the bank guards use? The kind that can take on a hundred enemies at once.”

“I want that so badly!” Beric shouted, pumping his fist. Ian had to hide his shock when he saw Beric casually lifting a heavy chest full of gold coins with one hand. Ian twirled his pen thoughtfully.

“Could this mean they’re expanding their operations?”

“Usually, they only add two or three branches a year, but this order is said to be for a hundred sets. Because of that, the imperial guard’s armor order has been delayed. It’s still just a rumor, though. Probably the same with the magic stones supply. Has Captain Akorella said anything?”

“Lately, it’s been hectic, focusing mainly on Luron stones.”

“The magic stones used in the armor are mid to low grade, but I heard the supply is drying up. You should check it out.”

“I will.”

Ian smiled warmly and thanked them for the information. He had a rough idea of what the Haiman family preparing magical armor might mean.

Finishing the letter to Philia, Ian pulled out a fresh sheet of paper.

Swish.

“Lord Nersarn, I received your letter well. Please take good care of Mother. Just as you vow eternal love, I hope an everlasting alliance will be forged between Hielo and Cheollyeo as well.”

And, just in case, he added a final note.

“When the ice here finally breaks with the coming thaw, will you help me? In the name of our alliance—and in the name of my father.”