Chapter 170

Ian and the captains of each department gathered around a massive round table. Outside, the deafening roar of battle and screams continued unabated. The urgency of the situation was so intense that Ian only glanced briefly to confirm everyone was present.

Without even sitting down, they leaned forward on the table, turning their attention to Akorella. She brought out a glass box filled with gray powder and poured it onto the table.

Shhhhhh.

It was a fine dust of magic stones, as soft as grains of sand. These stones reacted to magic like magnets and had the ability to remember shapes.

“Anyone, put some magic into it. We’re in a hurry,” Akorella said, flicking the powder off her hands.

Someone breathed magic into the dust, and the particles began to clump together on their own. Soon, a three-dimensional model of the entire royal palace took shape on the table, as if viewed from a god’s perspective.

Shhhhhh!

But Akorella wasn’t done. She scattered yellow and black powder over the model. The particles writhed and tangled as if alive, crawling over the blueprint. They represented the forces of Marib and Gale, showing their movements in real time through magical resonance.

“Why yellow and black?” someone asked.

“Yellow for the Yellow Prince, black for the Black Prince,” Akorella answered without hesitation. She showed no respect for princes who had turned the palace into a battlefield. A colleague opened his mouth to argue but bit his lip instead.

“Right now, the fighting is centered around the First Palace. It looks like this won’t end until one of the princes dies.”

Among the countless grains of powder, it was clear that Marib and Gale were still alive. Ian scanned the overall situation and muttered to himself.

“No. Princes don’t kill each other.”

“What? But isn’t all this chaos because they’re trying to kill each other?”

“It’s a strategic move to weaken the factions. If victory comes through the death of either Marib or Gale, Bariel can’t be persuaded.”

“Bariel…?”

“I mean me. You all. And the empire’s people.”

Ian was referring to the third force—the central power that hadn’t joined the battle. “You all” meant the talented individuals in the palace outside the central factions. The empire’s people meant the loyalty and support of the common folk.

“Once the palace trial officially convicts the other side of treason, with everyone’s recognition, then executing them will serve as a pardon for the current situation.”

The truth didn’t matter. The victor defines justice and righteousness; the defeated’s protests mean nothing.

“So it’s about legitimizing the record.”

“Exactly.”

“What do we do then? What’s our role?”

All the captains turned to Ian. He stared down at the writhing magic stone particles, each representing a person, a life—soon to become corpses.

“…Do you all remember the ‘Wizard’s Oath’?”

The Wizard’s Oath—a passage from the Great Grimoire that had been passed down for a thousand years. Any mage who studied and sought magic had to memorize it. Akorella pushed up her glasses and began to recite.

“To a wizard, magic is a sense beyond the five senses. See the truth, hear the soul’s voice, and speak of divinity.”

Hail, who had been chewing on a cigarette, took up the oath.

“Beware the burning greed, taste the longing. Remember that the flame within you is a fire—do not let it be extinguished by the winds outside.”

The captains exchanged glances and slowly synchronized their breathing. The words of the sages had transcended countless ages and still lived on through wizards.

“Let the inner flame burn forever. It is the light that illuminates the world—”

“It will keep you warm.”

Naum’s voice echoed in Ian’s memory, as if still alive, whispering in his ear. Strange, isn’t it? According to history, the mages of this era should have been executed for joining Gale’s rebellion.

Yet now, they looked no different from Naum. They were no different from the mages who had supported Ian.

“It’s a matter of leadership.”

The importance of that realization struck Ian anew. He drew a line over the magical blueprint on the table.

“The Magic Department will remain neutral and not get involved in the current conflict.”

“I agree. What good is it to get caught up in a brawl?”

“Akorella, control yourself, okay?”

“Ah, whatever! The magic stones were supposed to arrive today, but the lockdown messed everything up.”

The captains ignored Akorella’s grumbling and turned away. She was more irritable than usual, as expected.

“Build the largest possible defensive perimeter and give space to anyone seeking safety.”

“Even if they’re from Marib or Gale’s faction?”

“Yes, but anyone causing trouble inside will be dealt with without mercy. Some may not even know the Magic Department exists. We’ll leave that to Nakina and Tomi—they have plenty of field experience and are skilled at managing disaster victims.”

Hail nodded in agreement.

“The Magic Support Department will handle the perimeter. Hail will confirm His Majesty the Emperor’s location. It would be good to find out where the palace guard is. If all is well, they should be with His Majesty. Oh, the guard captain Riama betrayed us and defected to Marib.”

“Then we’ll find Jaret or Beols. They’re exceptional magic swordsmen, so no problem.”

“And…”

Ian tapped the table. Arsen and Jin’s palaces were already being invaded by Marib and Gale’s forces.

“Marib will try to kill Arsen and Jin. Dilaina has allied with Gale and won’t recognize the Emperor’s authority. From Marib’s perspective, it’s best to cut the problem off at the root.”

Could Gale protect Dilaina and the twin princes? Probably not. They were too busy trying to save their own skins. Watching the terrifyingly tangled magic stone dust, Ian swallowed hard.

“…Beric.”

There was no choice.

“Here! Beric, over here!”

Pressing his temples, Ian called out. As if waiting, Beric poked his head through the door crack. His eyes sparkled brightly, almost flashing with light. It was clear he wanted to jump into the chaos outside. There was fresh blood waiting like a cool puddle.

“…Prepare the escort. We’re going to retrieve Arsen and Jin.”

“Yessss! That’s it! Let’s go!”

“Calm down, I told you.”

“How can I fight calmly? Come on! I’m great at finding paths. Ha! Minister, your judgment is amazing as always.”

He swung his sword around, acting like a wild child. Could they really entrust the escort to him? No, the mages shook their heads and stood up before Ian could leave. They wanted to stop him.

“The minister is going himself?”

“Isn’t it too dangerous? Let us go instead.”

“Exactly. If anything happens, it’ll be a disaster—not just for the Magic Department, but the entire palace.”

Ian put on his coat and looked at them. A faint, almost invisible smile flickered across his face.

“Is there anyone safer than me to go to the palace?”

His words had a double meaning—was there anyone stronger in magic than him, and did anyone have the political standing? No matter how fierce the battle, no one would dare harm the Magic Department minister who declared neutrality.

“Killing those who declared neutrality would destroy the justification for rising against the rebellion. Mages might just be unlucky and get caught in the crossfire, but as minister, it would become a huge problem.”

“A moving Hyman Bank, huh?”

“Oh, Beric, nice metaphor.”

“Hehe. I’m always sniffing books next to you!”

Ian patted Beric’s shoulder and laughed. As he adjusted his clothes, he looked each captain in the eye and reminded them of their duties.

“Everyone except the department building the defense shield, create and maintain portals. Make them visible to everyone in the palace, and place them high.”

“Understood.”

“We’ll follow your orders.”

“Alright, let’s hurry. It’s been intense since morning!”

“Akorella, you look excited.”

No one knew exactly why they were making portals. If it was just to signal that this was a safe zone, they could have done it with less magic. But the mages trusted the minister’s intentions and followed his lead.

As the meeting room door opened, everyone gathered in the lobby turned to look at them.

“Minister Ian, what do we do now? The princes have clearly lost their minds. His Majesty the Emperor is missing, and the imperial seal is caught up in all this chaos!”

“This is a disgrace to Bariel. How could Marib and Gale act like this?”

“They’re accusing each other of treason, but who’s really guilty?”

“Does that even matter now? In this situation?!”

“Please, let us through. If we stay here, something terrible will happen.”

The crowd expressed their anxiety loudly. They instinctively knew that the palace was on the brink of a world-changing moment. Ian raised his hand lightly to quiet them.

“The Imperial Defense Department has joined the battle, so if danger leaks outside the palace, we won’t be able to stop it. Therefore, the palace gates will be sealed tightly. Stay calm and remain here; the mages will guarantee your safety. Trust us and wait. Romandro!”

Romandro was talking with colleagues from the administration about the current crisis and the Emperor’s whereabouts.

“We’re going to bring back Princes Arsen and Jin.”

“Oh, I just heard—Jaret is on duty and not in the palace. Last night, Captain Beols was guarding His Majesty’s quarters.”

Ian glanced back at Hale and nodded. The task just got a lot easier—he only needed to detect the magical energy of one Veols. Patting him on the shoulder, Ian made his request.

“Take care of this place. I’ll be back soon.”

“Ah, yes, yes. Be safe.”

Romandro shot Beric a sharp look—a silent command to stay alert and protect Ian at all costs. Beric grinned broadly, raising his sword.

“Of course! I’ve got Ian’s back!”

Beric’s booming voice echoed through the hall, causing the officials to widen their eyes in surprise. The mages were equally taken aback. Hale chuckled, flicking his cigarette ash.

“Ah, well then. Our minister has our full support.”

“Minister Ian, we stand with you. In times like these, we must unite our strength and resolve. If you need my name, use it freely. Ashbuster of the Foreign Ministry!”

“I’m Wyvern!”

“Marbe! Wellinger Marbe!”

One by one, the officials declared their names, pledging their allegiance to Ian. Beric waved his sword excitedly, while the mages placed their hands over their hearts.

Without a word, Ian stepped beyond the protective barrier, with Beric right behind him.

“See you! I’ll be back soon!”

“Nakina, Tommy! Guide the nearby civilians to the safe zone.”

“Okay, let’s go!”

Ziiing! Ziiing!

Nakina and Tommy took to the sky once more, soaring freely as they led the fleeing people toward the Ministry of Magic. Following Ian’s orders, the mages began conjuring portals.

Swoooosh!

It was as if the sky itself was being torn apart. A jagged wound appeared in the blue expanse, like dragging the night hidden within the bright daylight into the open. A black void where only darkness existed.

“Wow, Ian, look! A black crescent moon has appeared!”

“That’s the framework of the portal.”

Beric, awestruck, sliced through the neck of an attacking soldier. Blood spurted, screams echoed. Ian and Beric dashed toward the palace, where Arsen and Jin awaited.