Chapter 191

“My goodness, did I just hear that correctly?”

“You’re saying Lady Delaina handed over Prince Jin to His Highness Marib? In exchange for sparing his life?”

“This is disgraceful. It can’t be true.”

“And the wound? Did His Highness Marib inflict it himself?”

“This is madness. This cannot be overlooked.”

The atmosphere, which had quieted during the prolonged meeting, suddenly ignited. No matter how low in rank or young he was, Jin was a child of the emperor’s bloodline. And wasn’t Marib and Gale the masterminds behind the disaster? The twin princes were next in line to bear responsibility for Bariel.

“Calm yourselves. Let’s hear Lady Delaina’s side before passing judgment. It seems she was concerned about the prophecy.”

“Everyone knows, don’t they? That His Highness Arsen is bound by a prophecy concerning the fate of the royal family.”

Those sympathetic to Delaina subtly chimed in. While a life could never be weighed on a scale, the weight of a prophecy could be measured. If forced to choose between the two, naturally, Arsen would be favored. Some officials quietly supported Delaina in their hearts, though none dared voice it openly with Ian standing beside Jin.

“And you call that an excuse? If that’s the case, you should have offered yourself instead of Prince Jin. Isn’t that the duty of a guardian?”

Quintana snapped sharply, as if to silence the nonsense. As the meeting grew more chaotic, Jin clenched his knees tightly without realizing it. He had thought he could endure this, but perhaps that was arrogance. The whispers flying around him struck his heart like a hammer.

“Lady Delaina abandoned Prince Jin?”

“So she only took His Highness Arsen…”

“Now I understand. Sir Ian is siding with Prince Jin…”

The officials nodded, their doubts cleared. Why Delaina had supported Arsen without hesitation, and why Ian had taken a stand against her—it was because the rift between Delaina and Jin created an opening Ian had seized.

A soft tug.

Without thinking, Jin grabbed Ian’s sleeve. Ian had promised to stand by him whenever needed—now was the time to ask for help.

Seeing the turmoil in Jin’s eyes, Ian smiled gently and grasped Jin’s hand firmly. It didn’t hurt, but it steadied him completely.

“I understand. But hold on.”

As Ian whispered this, he recalled Naum’s words from the night the wizard became emperor—the last night as a close friend. Naum had said:

“Child, you are destined to be emperor. This is a hardship you must endure. But remember, though it hurts now, it will pass and never return. And if it does, you will not be defeated.”

Naum’s comfort transcended time, passed from Ian to Jin, and someday, Jin would pass it to his own child.

“If you endure and get through this, it won’t come back. And if it does, Your Highness will overcome it.”

Jin’s grip on Ian’s hand tightened.

He knew the truth. From the moment he chose a different path than his mother, he understood. The more the officials clamored, the more Delaina’s position would weaken—and that would ultimately benefit him.

“Silence!”

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The prime minister slammed his staff down, quelling the uproar.

“Sir Ian Hielo, your words carry great weight.”

No one dared ask if he could truly bear the responsibility—Prince Jin himself was living proof and witness.

Some wondered if mind control magic was at play, but with the royal blessing, such fears seemed unfounded.

“Your Highness’s pain must be lighter than that of Prince Jin.”

Ian’s reply drew a sigh from the prime minister. Yes, no one was suffering more than the one involved. The prime minister decided it was best to wrap up the meeting quickly.

“Your Highness, may I ask—are you choosing to be accompanied solely by Sir Ian Hielo? As the prince and next in line after His Majesty, you may reside elsewhere if you wish, not necessarily within the Magic Department.”

“No. It is my will.”

His voice was firm and resolute. The prime minister swallowed hard, and the officials exchanged quiet murmurs.

By now, the outline of the unfolding situation was becoming clear. Once the meeting ended, choices would have to be made—between Delaina and Arsen, and between Ian and Jin.

“Prime Minister, on behalf of His Majesty the Emperor, I request that Lady Delaina’s parental rights be partially restricted. This is for the safety of Prince Jin.”

Ian made the request openly before everyone. Partial restrictions on guardianship, property management, and authority to issue orders were among the key points. Knowing the emperor was incapacitated, the prime minister hesitated.

“Taking away is always harder than giving.”

What if problems arose after imposing restrictions? Could the prime minister, as head of the Magic Department and the current power in the palace, override the emperor’s proxy and reclaim authority?

If the emperor himself intervened, it would be different—his orders were absolute. But the prime minister was only a proxy.

“Prime Minister?”

As his hesitation deepened, the murmurs grew louder. Those unaware of the emperor’s condition voiced their opinions.

“What are you hesitating for? The prince was handed over to a traitor. Temporarily restricting parental rights is appropriate until His Majesty recovers and can hold a proper trial.”

“Exactly. For safety’s sake, impose the restrictions.”

“Until His Majesty decides on the prince’s safety, that seems right. Prince Jin also seems to trust Sir Ian deeply.”

“Ahem! One might think Lady Delaina is trying to kill Prince Jin. It’s embarrassing and painful to hear.”

“Isn’t it basically the same thing?”

“What did you just say? How reckless!”

“Support what deserves support! If His Majesty finds out, he’ll be furious!”

Those unaware of the emperor’s frozen state unknowingly pressured the prime minister. Since the emperor was said to be in good health, he would soon awaken. So what was the problem?

“Quiet, quiet!”

Bang! Bang! Crash!

The prime minister slammed his staff down irritably. Ian watched silently as the prime minister stroked his graying beard, frowning.

“Good grief, how did things get so complicated?”

It was a dilemma. The justification for refusal was clear, and the observers wouldn’t understand. Yet accepting meant the Magic Department’s power would grow, and Ian’s true intentions remained uncertain.

“This doesn’t seem like a matter to decide here.”

“Once we leave this room, someone will rush to Lady Delaina and inform her of the attempt to restrict her parental rights.”

Ian muttered as he scanned those who had supported Delaina. Officials who met his gaze quickly looked away, clearing their throats.

“If that happens, I too will be unable to protect Prince Jin.”

The prime minister wanted to silence Ian, but every word he spoke was reasonable. Though the decision rested with him, it hardly felt that way.

Jin spoke sincerely to the prime minister once more.

“Prime Minister, I swear on my father, His Majesty the Emperor, that this is my own decision. If you respect me, if I am truly valued in the palace, then protect me by following Sir Ian.”

“Your Highness.”

“Please.”

The last plea was barely audible, a whisper meant only for the prime minister. The desperate tone reached him. He closed his eyes, still gripping his staff. But the decision was not easy. Quintana, unable to bear the tension, added her voice.

“Prime Minister, you must remain neutral above all. It’s only been two days since the disaster; we must not worsen the chaos.”

“Quintana, that’s a contradiction!”

“There is reason to restrict parental rights now, and no reason not to! If anyone disagrees, speak up!”

With the justification clear, refusing would be tantamount to siding with Delaina. Those supporting Ian and sympathizing with the situation shouted in unison.

Tat-tang! Tang-tang!

Finally, the staff struck the floor.

Light but decisive, with a hint of resignation.

“Following the wishes of Sir Ian Hielo and Prince Jin, Lady Delaina’s parental rights shall be partially restricted. But keep in mind, this may be reversed at any time, Sir Hielo.”

Having handed over the initiative once, it wouldn’t be easy to regain. It was a warning that any misstep would be checked.

Ian smiled lightly and placed a hand over his heart—a heartfelt gesture of gratitude.

“Of course. I will serve Prince Jin with all my heart. I swear this before everyone.”

“Sir Ian Hielo, you are requested to accompany Prince Jin regularly at official events to ensure his safety.”

At someone’s suggestion, Ian turned as if it were natural. That was exactly what he wanted—to bring Jin everywhere he could wield influence, including the grand assembly.

“I accept.”

“Your Highness, if you have any messages, please feel free to share them. I am Quintana of the Executive Department.”

“Thank you, Quintana.”

“I am Griffith of the Executive Department.”

“Mattingly of the Judiciary, Cyril Polson, and Harvey Bodkin.”

Each named themselves before Jin. Some genuinely worried for him, others signaling political support. More precisely, they were sending messages to Ian behind Jin’s back. At this point, the line between Ian and Jin was practically blurred.

“Oh, and the palace has finished clearing the bodies. The gates will reopen tomorrow. Severely damaged areas will remain off-limits, but the rest should be shown to the citizens to restore normalcy. That is all.”

“…Let’s get you up.”

“Thank you for your hard work. We’ll see you at the next meeting.”

“Yes, everyone did well. The sun’s already about to rise.”

With Ian’s final report, the meeting was officially adjourned. The Prime Minister shot Ian a sharp glance, and Ian responded with a bright smile.

“Sir Hielo, you’re making this difficult.”

The Emperor’s freezing was a top-secret matter known only to Beols, Dilaina, the Prime Minister, and Ian. Yet here he was, using it to sway public opinion like this.

“My apologies. But I had no other choice.”

“Take good care of His Majesty. I’ll be watching closely.”

The Prime Minister muttered as he looked at Jin, surrounded by officials. The wounds on Jin’s face stood out more than ever—the very reason he had hesitated until the last moment, and what had driven him to strike the seal.

“Please, come inside.”

Ian bowed respectfully and saw the Prime Minister off, then turned to Jin. Quintana was holding Jin’s hand tightly, whispering something urgently.

“If Sir Ian says anything harsh or even slightly offends His Majesty, come straight to the administration office. My chambers are on the fifth floor, right corridor.”

“Quintana.”

“…”

Ian called out, but Quintana turned away without a word. An awkward silence hung between them, but neither looked away. Then, with a formal nod, Quintana stepped back.

“Well then.”

“Take care, Quintana!”

“Yes, Your Majesty. Sir Ian, please get some rest as well.”

Creak.

As the meeting room emptied, Romandro hurried over and draped a coat over Jin’s shoulders. Ian buttoned it up himself, smiling.

“Congratulations, Your Majesty. Your first will has reached everyone. And you did very well at the assembly.”

“Thank you.”

Jin’s smile grew wider, showing his teeth clearly.

“It seems more people care about me than I expected. I never thought it would be like this.”

Until now, the only people Jin had met in the palace were members of the royal family, his tutor, and servants. The officials had always felt like strangers from another land.

Ian adjusted Jin’s collar one last time and replied,

“Didn’t I tell you? You are a person of great importance.”

In the distance, Beric and Xiaoxi stood by the carriage. Jin waved energetically to them. His steps down the stairs were unusually lively. Watching him, Ian asked Romandro,

“What about Dilaina’s side?”

“She’s still meeting with Hayman.”

“More to say than at the officials’ meeting? Impressive.”

Soon, news of the restriction of Dilaina’s parental rights would reach her. Ian smiled warmly as he watched Jin climb into the carriage and wave goodbye.