Chapter 231

The grand main gate of the imperial palace opened wider and taller than usual. Normally, when people or carriages passed through, only the first locking mechanism needed to be released. But when bringing in something as large and delicate as the Light of Prophecy, the second lock had to be undone as well.

“Step aside up front! You’ll get hurt!”

“Slow down the horses. Even slower, please.”

“Wow, the Carbo Temple’s gate is way bigger than the others.”

“Wasn’t it smaller during the New Year’s ceremony?”

“Of course it’s Carbo. It’s the temple that’s been with us since the founding of the empire. The name suits it well. Just keep pushing straight ahead! Wizard, you’re leaning to the left. Distribute your strength evenly.”

With a soft rustle, the heavily wrapped and rope-bound carriage crawled into the palace. Surrounding it were the white-robed priests standing guard. Despite the arduous journey, not a speck of dust marred their pristine robes. They moved with such precision beneath their veils that it was hard to believe there were people underneath.

“Those must be the priests. From Carbo, right?”

“Carbo Temple? That’s Lady Dilaina’s family home, isn’t it?”

“I’d like to ask for their prayers. I wonder how long they’ll stay in the capital?”

“Lucky us, getting to see the priest procession.”

The gathered citizens whispered excitedly as they stepped back. Such a sight was rare indeed. Most temples were located far from the city, and without war or disaster, access was strictly forbidden.

Screech.

“Everyone waiting to enter, please step back and wait.”

“Please move back and be patient!”

“Oh no, forget about being lucky. It’s all blown now! If I’d known, I would’ve come earlier.”

“How long do we have to wait?”

“Until the Ministry of Magic takes custody of the Light of Prophecy. They’ll be here soon, so don’t worry. It won’t take long.”

Boom! Screech!

The gatekeepers said this and shut the main gate completely. Then, one by one, they verified the identities of the priests and recorded their names.

Dilaina’s subordinates and the wizards did the same, handing over their IDs with tired gestures to announce their return.

Clatter, clatter!

From afar, the sound of hooves echoed. Sure enough, it was the Ministry of Magic’s banner. At the front, a blond boy skillfully pulled the reins, peering down from his horse.

Snap!

“Ian.”

“…My apologies.”

The wizards nearby whispered quietly. They had tried to delay the arrival until after the tournament, but had failed.

There was only so much they could do to sabotage the carriage wheels, and above all, if the Light of Prophecy had been damaged, it would have been a disaster. Dilaina’s men had held their ground firmly.

“That’s enough. You’ve done well. It must have been tough coming all the way from the Stone Mountain. Wizards who went out to assist, rest now. From here on, we’ll handle the transport.”

Ian patted their shoulders as if to say it was no problem. The carriage, which had been hovering about three centimeters above the ground, slowly settled down. This was to ease the burden of pulling and to prevent shaking or impact.

“Ian, how high should we lift it? Keep it at three centimeters?”

“Yes. Too high is dangerous. Four of you, focus your strength evenly from all sides.”

Whirr, whirr.

At Ian’s command, the wizards moved in perfect unison.

Approaching them was a priest. Like Avidel and Makael, not a fingertip was visible, but his bent back betrayed his age.

“Greetings. I am Lilie, the chief priest of Carbo Temple. It’s a pleasure to meet you. May the blessings of the gods be upon you.”

“Likewise. I am Ian Hieloil, Minister of Magic. You must have had a hard journey. May the gods bless you.”

Ian placed his hand over his chest, and the chief priest bowed lightly. The priests standing behind him did the same.

“But if the Light of Prophecy is in the carriage, why do you have no carriage of your own?”

“We were waiting at Stone Mountain and considered moving by carriage, but the wheels were all damaged. Without Lady Dilaina and the Ministry’s swift help, it would have been a real problem. Thank you.”

“No need to mention it. It was our duty since you requested it. Avidel and Makael, who arrived earlier, are currently waiting at the Ministry. But tell me, which priest here received the prophecy?”

There had been two prophecies between Avidel and Makael. One stayed at the temple, the other came with them, so it had to be one of these.

The chief priest asked, puzzled.

“Why do you ask?”

“There are things to confirm with Avidel, Makael, and the one who came with them. Chief priest, you must come as well. The others can rest at the prepared quarters.”

…Though puzzled, there was no reason to hide it. When the chief priest glanced back, the one standing in the middle stepped forward.

“I am Ranko. I received the prophecy before Priest Makael. It concerned an earthquake in a nearby village.”

“Good to meet you. We have no time to waste. Let’s move.”

No one knew what was going on. Why hadn’t Avidel and Makael come to greet them? There were many questions, but the chief priest and Ranko decided to follow Ian for now.

“Load the priests’ luggage onto the carriage and move it to the Ministry.”

“Please enter the carriage. Priests, this way.”

Aside from the wizards responsible for the Light of Prophecy, others welcomed the priests. They hurriedly cleared the area so the palace gates could open again and the citizens could come and go. The scene was chaotic as everyone scrambled to tidy up.

Clatter, clatter!

Whirr!

Splendid carriages came rushing toward them, the whip cracking sharply. The owner inside was clearly urging the coachman on.

“That must be Lady Dilaina.”

“Indeed. She’s quite diligent.”

Romandro whispered awkwardly, and Ian just smiled. The Ministry naturally handled palace security, so they knew quickly—but what about the others?

Whirr!

Thud!

As the carriage stopped, Dilaina hurriedly stepped down, clutching her dress. Though all the priests wore the same robes and veils, she somehow recognized the chief priest and greeted her warmly.

“Lilie!”

“Oh, Lady Dilaina!”

“Good to see you. It’s been a while. Thank you for coming.”

Dilaina, forgetting her decorum, gave the chief priest a light hug. Lilie had personally cared for Dilaina after childbirth and even held a cherished childhood memory with her.

Though the relationship between Carbo Temple and her family was not what it once was, their roots were undeniable.

“The Light of Prophecy?”

“It was safely handed over to the Ministry. Lady Dilaina, you look so thin.”

“I’ve had a lot on my plate. Arsen!”

“Oh, Your Highness Arsen. You look so gallant. The gods must be pleased. It’s truly a joy to see you.”

Dilaina pulled Arsen beside her and introduced him to the chief priest. Lilie simply bowed, but Arsen smiled brightly and extended his hand.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Arsen.”

He said it proudly. Rumors that he was a monster had spread even to the farthest corners of the palace. The boy wanted to prove his innocence by making contact with the chief priest. The ministers who followed off the carriage watched in silent awe.

“My apologies, Your Highness. As a priest, I cannot make physical contact with others lightly. Please accept this with your heart.”

The chief priest lightly declined, but Arsen’s confident attitude reassured the officials. If he were truly a monster, wouldn’t this be a dangerous provocation? It was clear there was no darkness in him.

“Is that so? What a shame.”

Arsen shrugged and approached the Light of Prophecy. Then, with a clear smile, he placed his hand on it.

Nothing happened. The most sacred object in the temple should have reacted strangely if he were a monster.

But the surroundings remained calm. A gentle breeze stirred, and the whole world seemed peaceful.

“So this is the Light of Prophecy? It’s much bigger than I thought. What Ian used was just a toy, right?”

The boy looked directly at Ian and asked, but Ian didn’t answer. In fact, he ignored him. He wasn’t about to waste time on petty provocations—especially from a so-called ‘monster.’

“Ian.”

Dilaina called out sharply, watching the scene. She was already frustrated by the ridiculous rumors. And now Ian was openly ignoring Arsen?

“Yes, Lady Dilaina.”

“I’ve heard the rumors circulating in the palace.”

“There are always wild rumors in the palace. I don’t know what you mean.”

Dilaina just let out a bitter laugh and didn’t continue. She couldn’t bring herself to say the word ‘monster’ in front of the priests. Even uttering it would be shameful and insulting.

She leaned close to Ian and whispered.

“I want to behead you right now, but I’ll hold back for the sake of our guests who traveled so far. The Light of Prophecy has arrived, so we can no longer delay the magic verification ceremony. It’s best to hold it quickly. And may you choke on the words you spat.”

“I have no feelings toward Lady Dilaina. I only worry whether she can endure once she learns the truth about His Highness Arsen.”

“To the very end—!”

The Grand Minister remained silent, as if he didn’t understand what was going on, merely scanning the room. It wasn’t just Ian and Delaina—mages and unfamiliar ministers alike were all radiating a tense, sharp energy.

‘What on earth is happening?’

If Arsen was truly a magic user, wouldn’t this be a blessing for the empire? One would expect a festival-like atmosphere, with pollen drifting through the air.

But instead, everything was so cold it felt like they might freeze to death. The ice was finally broken by none other than Arsen himself.

“With the light of the oracle shining in, we could start the magic confirmation ceremony right away. I’m ready whenever. What will you do?”

Arsen smiled brightly as he addressed Ian again. Ian looked down at him, his pale blue eyes unusually gleaming.

“I’m drawing the magic circle under the oracle’s light. It’s too soon to complete it today, but if we proceed, it should be ready by tomorrow morning. Arsen ‘Your Highness’?”

The title ‘Your Highness’ was spoken with a hint of doubt, as if questioning whether he truly belonged to the royal bloodline. Yet Arsen showed no offense—he just kept smiling, staring intently into Ian’s eyes.

‘Well then…’

Ian thought, almost tempted to test his abilities. He met Arsen’s gaze without flinching. The strange silence between them stretched on, making their subordinates shift nervously, their pupils darting in confusion.

“Then, if you’ll excuse me. I’ll notify you of the detailed schedule by this afternoon. What’s everyone waiting for? Aren’t you going to move?”

Ian turned his head sharply, as if to dismiss the whole situation as a waste of time. Arsen’s brow immediately furrowed. Didn’t something feel off?

Snap!

Arsen grabbed Ian’s arm. The sudden move startled everyone into silence. Ian was no different—he instinctively tried to brush Arsen’s hand away but stopped when he noticed the strange expression on Arsen’s face.

“…What are you doing?”

“You…?”

Was it because Arsen was a mage, or because he held a ministerial position, that Ian’s power simply didn’t affect him?

But the feeling was different—an odd, overwhelming sense of helplessness, as if Ian couldn’t even attempt to use his power. Arsen stared blankly at him, then cracked a strange smile.

“What are you?”

It was the same feeling Ian had gotten when he’d used his power on a member of the royal family.

Ian bent low, whispering to Arsen in a voice so soft only the two of them could hear.

“…Then what exactly are you?”