Episode 204

The imperial palace was bathed in the deep hues of sunset. Lights flickered on here and there, and the hurried footsteps that had filled the halls gradually softened into a calm rhythm.

But they never truly stopped. For these people, the distinction between day and night had lost all meaning for the time being. Opening the palace gates was just one step in the long process of returning to normalcy. They had only just crossed the first threshold.

Ian was no different.

Click.

“Next item?”

“This is a list of policy measures to regulate the Haiman family. Vice Minister Quintana of the administration and his subordinate departments have actively collaborated to revise it. They’re imposing more taxes—well, actually, more levies overall—so the Haiman side is welcoming it with open arms.”

“And the other departments?”

“Surprisingly, the Ministry of Culture is also quite determined. Apparently, the Haiman family owns a significant number of artifacts.”

“Have points four and five been supplemented as well?”

Ian pressed down on the bridge of his nose and flipped through Romandro’s report. In the corner of the large round table, Akorella lay sprawled out, asleep as if she’d fainted. Beside her, Hale mechanically nibbled on a sandwich, his expression betraying no appetite but a desperate need to keep going.

Ian glanced at them both, then habitually tapped his leather-bound folder—a silent reminder to himself to stay focused.

“Ah, ugh. Ssshh.”

“Here, eat this and pull yourself together.”

As Akorella wiped the drool from her mouth with her eyes closed, Hale shoved a sandwich into her mouth. They both looked utterly drained.

“After Prince Marib’s execution, we’ll formally propose this at the assembly. Prepare and send the summons for the Haiman family’s attendance. And what about the list of central nobles who didn’t participate in this incident?”

“Here it is.”

The Haiman family’s financial lifeline was like a river flowing through Bariel. No matter how much you tried to check them, you couldn’t just dam up the river. The first and most effective step was to change the owner.

Ian muttered as he carefully examined the list of nobles.

“Serro…”

The Serro family. Ian recalled meeting Youngsik Serro at the New Year’s gathering. He was the first noble Ian had spoken with, and he had been present when Beric and Jerat’s duel erupted.

The family itself wasn’t particularly powerful, but as far as Ian remembered, they had maintained their position quietly and without scandal for over a century.

“Just the right size to use.”

How many families had been pushed from the center to the provinces? The fact that they’d held their ground for a hundred years was proof of a certain level of trust.

They either had a keen sense of political tides or were steady enough not to be swept away by them. Ian judged the Serro family to be the former—their power was too weak to hold the center.

“Captain Akorella.”

“Huff, yes, yes, I’m not asleep.”

“Prepare five samples of the practical antidote potion by tomorrow.”

“F-five? That’s the maximum I can manage.”

“That should be enough.”

Romandro nodded as he meticulously recorded Ian’s orders. It seemed they planned to bring Serro in as a temporary shield against Haiman.

Hale scratched his head and asked,

“…A human shield?”

“You could put it that way.”

Ian smiled faintly and closed the folder. No matter how skilled, Haiman was still a noble. To confront a noble, you needed a faction of equal standing.

“Essentially, this is a showdown between the Jin and Arsen factions. But if the palace directly pressures Haiman, it risks escalating into a power struggle between the royal family and the nobility. This is to prevent other nobles, who have so far remained indifferent, from supporting Haiman simply because they share the noble title.”

Arsen and Dilaina were holding their ground, but it was clear Ian now held the real power in the palace. Oppressing Haiman meant signaling to other nobles that they could be next.

Hence, they inserted Serro in place of the palace itself.

“What if Serro refuses?”

“Then we move on to Hyscanen, then Deben.”

Though he had backup plans, Ian was confident Serro would accept. To oppose someone implied having comparable strength. With the palace’s backing, it was an opportunity to expand their family. They wouldn’t pass it up.

At that moment, footsteps sounded outside.

Knock, knock.

“Ian, the doctor has arrived.”

“The doctor? Has Beric woken?”

Ian stood and asked, but Romandro waved his hand.

“No, it’s the doctor who assisted with the twin births. The one who just came in, right?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“He’s been running a small clinic since leaving the palace. Seems he came as soon as he heard the summons. Faster than expected.”

“Send him in.”

Creaaak.

With Ian’s permission, the door opened. The doctor entered, supported by an apprentice, clearly unwell. Ian rose to greet him, and the man bowed with effort.

“Greetings. I am Doctor Gabid.”

“Welcome. Thank you for coming. I am Ian Hiel, Minister of Magic. Please, have a seat.”

“Ian, we’ll take our leave now.”

“We’ll review the documents again. Call me if needed.”

Sensing the arrival of a guest, Hale and Akorella quietly gathered their papers and left. They looked relieved to finally lie down.

Ian signaled to close the door firmly and looked at the doctor.

“Gabid?”

“Yes, Minister.”

“Did you oversee Lady Dilaina’s delivery? I’m asking if you were the one who delivered the twins, Jin and Arsen. This is a serious matter. If there’s even the slightest doubt, we will use the antidote potion. Understand and answer honestly.”

Ian deliberately adopted a slightly forceful tone. For some reason, the doctor seemed too composed. It was as if he had anticipated this, even the fact that he’d be summoned back to the palace after ten years.

Ian watched the doctor’s expression carefully.

“Yes. I will answer sincerely. You may use the antidote potion if you wish. I have but one memory, and thus one story to tell. I delivered Arsen and Jin. Please inquire.”

“You know about the prophecy.”

“Of course.”

“Of course, it’s not always accurate, but it holds some weight. Lately, though, things seem off. Was Arsen truly the first to be born? I’m asking if the one you called the elder brother, Arsen, is correct. Tell me what you remember.”

The doctor paused, searching his memory. Then, slowly, he began recounting that day. Though ten years had passed, he seemed to recall the weather, the atmosphere, even the smallest details.

“I was suddenly called in the middle of the night. The midwife requested help. The baby wasn’t coming out properly.”

It was raining. Wheels splashed through muddy puddles, raindrops pounded the windows, servants bustled noisily outside the chamber, and Dilaina’s agonized screams echoed…

Ian sipped his tea, painting each image in his mind.

“When I arrived, the situation was dire. Lady Dilaina’s face was pale, and she was losing strength, nearly fainting. Leaving things as they were would have endangered both mother and child, so we decided to operate. At that moment, a priest spoke.”

“A priest?”

“A priest dispatched from the Carbo Temple to assist Lady Dilaina. He said a prophecy had come down—that the younger would kill the elder, so we must hurry to deliver the babies.”

The mother’s condition was critical, so they had no choice. The surgery proceeded, and the doctor never forgot the moment he first saw the baby’s head.

“One twin was gripping the other’s neck tightly. This is recorded in the documents.”

“I saw that too. But is that even possible?”

“It was my first time seeing it as well. It’s called a single amniotic sac birth. Rare, with almost no cases abroad. But…”

That alone was astonishing, yet the doctor had an even more shocking experience.

“The baby whose neck was held opened his eyes.”

Usually, babies open their eyes after about two days, but this one stared at the doctor with clear, unblinking eyes. The expression was so eerie that the doctor shook his head and muttered,

“He didn’t cry, just kept staring at me like that. Only after we delivered the second baby did he finally cry—loudly, as if to say, ‘Look at me.’ It was a cry unlike any other…”

The thought that the child seemed less than human almost escaped the doctor’s lips, but he restrained himself and continued.

“All of this is exactly as recorded. Though their lives were at risk, both were born safely, and Lady Dilaina recovered quickly.”

“Do you remember the name of the priest from Carbo Temple who delivered the prophecy?”

“No name, but she was a freckled woman.”

What reason would the doctor have to know the priest’s name? It was unfortunate, but at least Ian now had a description. If Carbo sent someone else, they might recognize her.

As Ian raised his tea, the doctor added,

“And that day, I nearly made a grave mistake.”

“What kind?”

“After delivering the first baby and preparing for the second, I felt dizzy. It was humid and hot that day, but this was abnormal. I almost burned the second baby’s face by accident.”

“…!”

The doctor confessed with a repentant heart.

Luckily, the assistant grabbed his hand in time. Otherwise, it could have been a disaster.

It was so quiet that the sudden burst of a child’s cry almost made me mishandle the knife.

If it hadn’t ended with just a wound, it would have meant death for the child.

‘Could this be Jin’s fate?’

A destiny that inevitably carries the mark of the emperor.

It seemed like Arsen’s cries had broken the curse, but in truth, it was a fate that would only carve new wounds again.

Ian tapped the table lightly.

“An abnormal reaction, huh…”

Could it have started back then with Arsen? Philia had also said she felt dizzy and lightheaded.

The doctor sighed deeply, clenching his hands tightly.

“That incident was quite traumatic. I’ve since left the palace and am overseeing other treatments. I won’t be attending any more births.”

His words hung in the air, heavy with silence.

Tap, tap. Ian caught the faint sound of raindrops somewhere. Just like the day Jin and Arsen were born.

Boom, boom! Thud!

“Ian!”

A frantic voice echoed down the hallway. Someone knocked urgently, and Romandro opened the door. It was someone from the Imperial Guard. His face was drenched—whether from tears or rain, Ian couldn’t tell.

“Th-there’s been a body found on the outskirts of the central district.”

“A body?”

“They want us to identify it. Captain Jarrett has already gone ahead. They said to inform you first, just in case…”

Jarrett had gone? Then that meant…

“Are you saying Barsabe is dead?”

“I-I don’t know if it’s Barsabe. The body’s too badly mutilated. What do you want to do? I heard you were looking for evidence related to the black armor…”

“I’m going immediately.”

Ian stood up, gathering his clothes.

Barsabe dead? It was hard to believe, but he needed to see it with his own eyes.