Chapter 199
Bariel bore countless rings of time. Some faded with the years, while others stood out in deep, vivid hues. The history tied to the Atan tribe belonged to the latter.
“The Great Monster Assault.”
It was a shocking event that shattered Bariel’s claim of being a safe haven, blessed by the gods and immune to monster attacks compared to other nations.
The upheaval in the north had allowed the Atan tribe to rise, and it was said that the empire’s soldiers, including the royal guard, had been dispatched to quell them.
“You know about the Atan tribe, don’t you?”
Ian lowered his voice as he moved to the end of the corridor with Jerat.
Servants hurriedly replaced the soiled cloths, and summoned medics rushed into Beric’s room. Watching this, Ian muttered calmly to himself.
“But why bring up the Atan tribe now? Beric lost his family, yes, but he’s a Bariel native from the frontier. If it’s because of the Black Sword, that’s a misunderstanding. He came across it by chance on his way to the capital.”
He held a letter sent from the market of Karenna. It was practically a report from interrogating a bandit leader, proving that the Black Sword was never originally Beric’s. Ian could clearly recall the words written in that letter:
—Regardless of the truth, please understand this is a report based on what we were told. The Atan tribe are said to sustain themselves by drinking monster blood, so whether they are truly human is questionable.
The rumors had always been wild, but this explained why they had risen during the upheaval. They were beings who consumed monsters, and the Atan sought greater chaos, while the empire’s forces aimed to suppress and eradicate them.
According to history, the empire claimed victory. Whether the Atan caused the upheaval remained unknown, but it was undeniably a bold mark etched into Bariel’s rings of time.
“Minister.”
Jerat swallowed nervously.
“They say the Atan are an awakened tribe. They don’t reproduce by breeding but suddenly awaken and realize their identity.”
“…!”
“If Beric carries Atan traits, then where he was born or who his parents were is irrelevant. Even his species might not matter.”
“List their traits.”
“They exhibit madness beyond mere aggression, an obsession with victory or defeat, a ruthless disregard for life, raw morality. They possess extraordinary resilience and astonishing vitality that defy common sense.”
From start to finish, it sounded exactly like Beric. Ian opened a window to clear his cluttered mind. The cool breeze seemed to dissipate the scent of blood.
“Awakening, huh? Then that would explain why the Atan rose when monsters appeared in Bariel during the upheaval. Contact with monsters must have been the trigger.”
“I can’t be certain, but it’s a strong suspicion. Please keep this in mind. This isn’t just anywhere—it’s the palace. No one knows when they might awaken and turn. I recommend removing him as soon as possible.”
“Captain Jerat, that’s premature.”
“Minister.”
“He’s my subordinate. I’ll handle it.”
Jerat was unaware that the upheaval was imminent. Monsters would flood the land, the Atan would rise, and if Beric stayed by the empire’s side then—
‘If Beric is absorbed by the Atan, that would be a problem. He’s strong enough to trouble Captain Jerat. It’s better to coax him into monopolizing the monsters on the empire’s side. And above all—’
Ian glanced back at Beric’s room without realizing it. Faint groans came from within—the unconscious man’s involuntary moans of pain.
It was only natural to give trust to someone who had lost their form under one’s command.
“…I’ll keep an eye on this.”
“I am the one who protects the palace’s safety.”
“I care for the palace just as much as you do.”
Don’t get cocky. Ian’s light rebuke made Jerat bow his head. While Jerat wandered outside the palace clueless, Ian had saved the emperor and crushed the rebellion. He led the recovery efforts to restore normalcy.
Jerat quickly admitted his mistake.
“My apologies.”
“I’ll think deeply on this. You needn’t worry so much. For now, finding Barsabe is the priority.”
Whether Atan or not, Beric lay torn and Barsabe was missing. The priorities were clear, and Jerat saluted before leaving.
“By the way, the Atan have a fate to return to their strongholds. They’re scattered everywhere, so it might be instinct. They say you’ll encounter traces of the Atan wherever you go. So whether Beric’s rise to the palace and possession of the Atan Black Sword is coincidence—I don’t know.”
That was almost a confirmation that Beric was Atan. Ian returned the salute and went back to Beric’s room.
The air was thick with the heat of mages. Ian approached the bed and made his presence known.
“Ah, Ian.”
“You’ve worked hard. Let’s switch shifts.”
“I’m fine. I slept a lot last night.”
“Same here.”
Buzzing sounds filled the room.
Ian dismissed the mage who had been channeling magic into Beric and took the seat himself. The torn flesh had been roughly stitched. His golden eyes never left Beric.
‘Atan, huh.’
Beric, what did you do in the original timeline? Did you die rolling around in Derga Bratz’s mercenary band? Or did you follow the Atan’s fate north and perish there?
‘Either way, you must have died with Bariel’s rings of time etched into you.’
Ian patted Beric’s hand, but the man moaned on without regaining consciousness.
Some time passed. The mages had all collapsed, and the doctors were packing up their needles.
“Ian, you should see this report.”
Romandro brought the documents, his eyes swollen from crying over Beric’s pitiful state.
“The trial for His Highness Marib has been scheduled. Four days from now. The judiciary has requested all related evidence be submitted. May I include the interrogation results?”
Marib’s ramblings were vividly recorded, so Ian was cautious. He worried Marib might have blamed Ian or claimed Ian was behind everything.
But he couldn’t just cut out the necessary parts. Ian nodded and gave permission.
“Four days, huh. The trial will be over in about a week at the earliest.”
If the trial ended and Marib was executed within a week, that meant his life expectancy was no more than seven days.
“By law, it will be a public execution. Prepare the palace accordingly. How many are involved?”
“Six key figures, including His Highness. Marib will be beheaded, and the others hanged. Even if stripped of royal status, they are still sons of His Majesty the Emperor.”
‘Derga was hanged too.’
There was no greater disgrace than struggling on the gallows before spectators. Beheading was a mercy, a final gift from the palace to Marib.
“What about Prince Gale?”
“A postponement was requested. There’s no precedent for trying two princes simultaneously. His health is poor, so even if he stood trial, could he answer properly? And, well, there are various political interests involved. Haha. Ahem.”
Romandro swallowed his words awkwardly. Only battered mages surrounded them, but he was cautious nonetheless.
If Gale lived, it would be easier to root out the Haiman faction, so those opposing Haiman had united to delay Gale’s trial.
“Understood.”
Ian signed the report and handed it back. As Romandro took the paper, Ian suddenly asked firmly.
“How’s the security at Prince Gale’s quarters?”
“Huh? We’ve secured it as you instructed.”
“Didn’t two mages leave to heal Beric?”
Unexpectedly, some mages had left to tend to Beric. Guards were posted, but the opponents were Arsen and Haiman. Especially from Xiaoshi’s experience, Arsen was a particular threat.
‘They easily entered Gale’s quarters overnight. I don’t know how. They’re definitely hiding something.’
Magic? No, if it were magic, Ian would have sensed it first.
In his previous life, Ian was called the “First Noble Mage,” implying no one in the royal family possessed magic.
‘It can’t be magic.’
Buzzing.
Whether from exertion or worry, Ian’s brow furrowed slightly. Romandro quickly hugged the documents to his chest and confidently declared,
“Don’t worry! Gale’s safety is our safety!”
His boast sounded quite assured.
Beric grumbled irritably.
“Ah, shut up…”
“Ah! Sorry, sorry, Beric. Are you awake now?”
Romandro grabbed his hand, but Beric squirmed and pulled away. Though unconscious, the gesture seemed to hurt Romandro, who teared up again.
Ian wiped the blood away with a handkerchief and stood.
“Let’s go see how solid this security really is.”
Guards stood before Gale’s quarters, but even a short distance away, it was hard to detect any sign of life. The palace was still busy with recovery efforts, so only minimal personnel had been assigned.
A soft, sliding sound.
Arsène strode into the palace flanked by half a dozen burly men. His steps were confident and unwavering, as if he had passed through these halls countless times before. His silver hair billowed behind him as he issued orders to his loyal followers.
“No one is to enter while I’m inside my brother’s bedchamber.”
“Yes, Your Highness. But Lord Ian has forbidden anyone from approaching Lord Gale’s quarters. Even you entering might be… problematic.”
Arsène stopped and turned at the hesitant remark. Could a child’s gaze be so sharp and piercing? The subordinate fell silent awkwardly, eyes cast downward.
“Speak only when I ask. No unnecessary words.”
“Apologies, Your Highness.”
Click, click.
As they turned down the corridor, their footsteps echoed louder against the marble floor. The closer they got to the chamber, the more the men crouched low in tension, but Arsène remained upright and unshaken.
Strangely, there was no one anywhere along the way. Even though they should have encountered someone by now.
“Wait here.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
With a subtle nod to his men, Arsène moved forward alone. As soon as he rounded the corner, he found himself before Gale’s quarters—but there was no sign of life. One of the men peeked out suspiciously, but the two guards posted at the door stared straight ahead, calm and unbothered.
Tap.
Curious and surprised, the men hid themselves, waiting for Arsène’s return. Then, from a distance, unfamiliar voices drifted through the corridor.
“No, I’m telling you, I carried it like this.”
“Yeah, it wasn’t heavy at all.”
“Wanna try? For real this time?”
“Come on in. Yeah, let’s do it!”
Barbarian warriors clad in rags—these were the soldiers of Cheollyeo. They immediately hushed, holding their breath and lowering their presence. Why they were here, in Gale’s quarters, was a mystery.
“I’m starving. Let’s just stop and eat already.”
“By the way, where’s Berrick? Haven’t seen him around. Probably slipped away.”
“Wait a sec.”
The warriors chattered among themselves, then suddenly fell silent. Their beast-like senses had picked up on something strange.
They exchanged glances, lowered their bodies, and moved quietly.
“…Smells like rat shit.”