Chapter 241
“…Any reason to oppose?”
Jin still remembered how Duke Haiman had looked at him earlier. Now it was his turn to come up with a proper reason.
So, with a calm confidence, he faced the duke once more. A faint smile played on his lips, as if to say, “If you can’t find a reason, then admit your own ignorance.” The subtle nod urging him on brought to mind Ian’s familiar presence.
“The reason depends on Your Highness to provide,” Jin replied.
“So, you throw out the topic, and I’m supposed to supply the reason?”
The more power the Magic Department gained, the more it benefited Jin. With no family to rely on—no father, no mother, no kin—Ian had firmly taken on the role of protector. As long as Ian remained Minister of Magic, the department’s strength directly bolstered Jin’s position.
Unless it ever threatened the throne itself—which Jin doubted, given Ian’s sharp mind—there was no cause for concern.
“I’m not truly asking you to oppose it. I’m merely curious about what kind of fish swim in these waters. Think of it as a gentle warning, like stirring the water with a stick. You’re still young, Your Highness, and may not realize it yet, but there’s nothing murkier than the human heart.”
Jin wiped the smile off his face and glared at Haiman. A creeping, all-too-familiar feeling settled over him. It was strikingly similar to the biting sarcasm Arsène had used for ten years to break his spirit.
“I agree. It’s not just murky—it’s rotten.”
He wouldn’t be fooled again. He’d heard those words until his ears bled and carved them into his heart. It was nonsense disguised as concern, meant to control his potential and suppress his will.
‘Your Highness is the center of the world; your beliefs are the truth.’
Following Ian’s voice ringing in his ears, Jin turned and sat firmly in his chair, waiting for the meeting to resume.
His unyielding stance left no room for argument. Haiman’s expression shifted subtly as he retreated back into the circle of his supporters.
“…Xia.”
From behind, Xiaoshi, who had been silently waiting, stepped forward. Jin covered his mouth with a report and quietly ordered,
“Go to the Magic Department and bring the complaint Romandro filed. Can you do that?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“Good. Hurry. If there’s any trouble, ask Vivianna for help.”
Jin watched Xiaoshi leave, smoothing the thick report’s edge. If Ian were here now, what would he have uncovered? The more he thought, the clearer the answer became.
Creak!
An hour later, the Prime Minister entered the hall as usual. Jin’s glance silently asked for news, and the minister nodded, signaling to wait a moment.
“Apologies for the interruption. Let us continue the meeting. Please be seated. The Magic Department has sent word that they will prioritize the use of silence magic…”
The minister nervously stroked his beard, trailing off. His pale eyes flicked briefly toward Duke Haiman.
‘Dragging Luswena into this… Does he even realize he’s a Bariel noble? Even if there’s a marriage alliance…’
No one could guess how much information Haiman had leaked to Luswena. The wild card was Delaina. Had she told Haiman about the emperor’s incapacitation?
No, that seemed unlikely. Delaina wouldn’t share something so dangerous—it could threaten both herself and Arsène. The minister pressed his temples and continued.
“There are no specialists in silence magic, and it consumes a great deal of mana. So, at most, only five mages can be dispatched tonight.”
Only five could leave the palace tonight. The nobles instinctively glanced at each other, hesitating. It seemed as if Haiman and his faction were signaling not to intervene. Haiman raised a hand with dignified composure and spoke.
“Prime Minister, as you know, the Haiman family runs banks and various enterprises. If I cannot leave today, the damage will not be limited to my family alone.”
He controlled the empire’s financial flow. His argument made sense, but no one agreed.
The minister gripped his staff, pondering. Given Luswena’s involvement and the charges of rebellion and collusion with Arsène, it might be best to keep Haiman under palace custody.
But…
‘Is that wise?’
Haiman was the linchpin of the central nobles. If he were shaken, who knew what others might do? Though private armies were limited, what if they united? And this was Haiman, owner of the black armor.
Could the palace handle that? Without the emperor, without Marib and Gale, and with the two princes’ rebellion scattering forces, the Magic Department and the royal guard were understaffed after the Arsène incident.
The minister felt the palace was at its worst. The justification was clear, but the dilemma was real.
“I oppose it.”
Just as the minister wrestled with his decision, Jin’s firm voice cut through.
“Duke Haiman, you are accused of colluding with Gale to participate in rebellion. Then, you attempted to place the monster Arsène on the throne. Whether intentional or not, your actions continue to threaten Bariel. It would be best for you to remain in the palace for further investigation.”
“Your Highness, I have already provided my defense.”
“Do you believe your defense can replace judgment? A few days ago, the Magic Department filed a complaint against Duke Haiman. But the grand council failed to convene a trial because most members were absent.”
They needed a majority, but not enough had shown up.
Jin smiled faintly and looked around at the officials. They averted their gazes, hoping to avoid being caught in the crossfire.
“I suspect this was Arsène’s doing. Otherwise, how could so many be absent at once? Don’t you agree?”
“Y-Your Highness…”
“Fortunately, we are gathered under the name of the grand council. Though there is no secretary, all necessary members are present. Shall we discuss the trial of Duke Haiman?”
At that moment, Xiaoshi handed over the original complaint from behind. Jin tossed it onto the round table, signaling that anyone could verify it. The cover bore a large official seal marking it as a formal complaint.
“The matter concerning Arsène is to remain confidential, but this is separate. When Sir Ian rises, I will personally deliver the results.”
If anyone opposed here, Jin would remember their names. As the empire’s sole heir and the center of the political stage, neither he nor Ian would let them off easily. The boy smiled gently, issuing that warning.
“Officials, remember this well.”
“Your Highness, but…”
“Ah, is your memory foggy from the brainwashing? Shall I read it aloud for you?”
“No, it’s not that.”
Those with voting rights glanced nervously at Haiman. There was no ground to counter such a direct approach.
Jin gestured to the minister to proceed. The minister exhaled in relief and gripped his staff. Though he was the emperor’s proxy, he was still just the prime minister. With Prince Jin taking the lead, things would be much easier.
“Very well. Though sudden, this concerns Duke Haiman’s departure from the palace, so we shall address it first. Complaint number 52398.”
Slide.
Quintana confirmed the complaint’s authenticity. The nobles’ murmurs grew louder.
“When will the trial be scheduled?”
“Prince Gale is absent.”
“One missing witness won’t be a problem. I heard from a friend in the judiciary that there are many charges beyond rebellion. Even for Duke Haiman, this won’t be an easy pass.”
“What will happen if the Haiman family falls?”
“Overall, they will be demoted, but some will take their place. Is there a family Sir Ian favors? I’ve heard no rumors.”
“I heard the Serro family has made a proposal.”
“Oh my, really?”
Haiman clenched his jaw and gripped the railing tightly. Without an official position, he had no vote. His fierce gaze swept over the officials who had embezzled his funds—a warning that betrayal here would bring hell.
“…The complaint, the claims, and the evidence have already passed muster by Investigator Erikse. Please cast your votes. Those in favor of sending complaint number 52398 to trial, please show your support.”
Bang! Bang!
Jin raised his hand first, followed by Quintana. The soft rustle of fabric whispered as others joined in. Still, they were far from a majority. Jin slowly called out the names of those who had voted.
“Those who have raised their hands are Quintana from the executive branch; Mattingly, Cyril Polson, and Harvey Bordkin from the judiciary; and Ashbuster and Wyvern from the diplomatic corps. Is that correct?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“I was worried you might not remember their names, since you’ve only recently joined this meeting. But that was needless concern.”
Calling out names carried great weight. It showed he remembered who supported and who did not. Reluctantly, more hands rose here and there.
“Oh, Wellinger Mabe.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“Right, you’re from the diplomatic corps as well.”
Swish.
Pushing a massive stone was tough at first, but once it started rolling, inertia would carry it forward. As the votes neared a majority, the likelihood of a decision grew, and those opposed snapped their fingers sharply in frustration. If they held out until the trial was set, wouldn’t they be tied to Hyman and doomed to hell?
“Even now?”
“If the author agrees too…”
“There are three of them, three…”
“I—I also agree.”
“Good. Bayes. It’s the first time we’re facing each other like this. Have we reached a majority?”
The prime minister nodded thoughtfully, and the remaining members all voted in favor, cutting off any opposition. Every single person with voting rights was in agreement. The prime minister clicked his tongue in dismay at the sight.
“By majority vote, complaint number 52398 is deemed valid. The judiciary shall prepare for trial.”
Bang! Bang bang!
As the prime minister struck his staff down, the nobles beyond the railing erupted into chaos. Even those unconnected to Hyman reacted, and those involved responded even more vehemently.
“Hey! This is supposed to be an emergency assembly about the Arsen incident! What kind of nonsense is this?”
“Yeah! This is invalid!”
“Damn it, no! You! Bayes! You can’t do this!”
“Calm yourselves! Watch your tone!”
“This is absurd. This is a complete sham!”
Though everyone was furious, no one dared cross the railing. The palace guards brandished their spears, blocking any advance. If this were a noble’s mansion and only mercenaries were involved, they might have already overturned the whole thing.
The prime minister kept pounding his staff, shouting.
“How dare you! The prince is present—how can you speak so disrespectfully? Do you want summary execution?”
Crash! Bang!
But these were men who might soon lose their heads. Such warnings fell on deaf ears. As tensions escalated, Quintana motioned to Xiaosi to protect Jin.
“Your Highness, I will contact you again once things have settled. Please wait at the Ministry of Magic for now.”
There were many details to sort out, starting with selecting who would be allowed to leave the palace, but with the current chaos, nothing could proceed. Jin nodded in understanding and climbed into the carriage, soon returning briefly to the Ministry of Magic.
Tap tap tap!
“Your Highness?”
“Your Highness, please don’t run—you might hurt yourself.”
Jin had jumped down from the carriage and was running, face flushed with excitement. Not a single glance was wasted on anything else; he ran with a single purpose—to Ian’s office.
Creak!
Bang!
Ian lay as straight as when he left, and Jin approached, resting his head beside the bed.
I hope Ian wakes up soon. I want to tell him what happened in the meeting. He’d praise me, smile, and say I did well.
The boy whispered softly, trying to soothe his disappointment.
“Sir Ian, you know… I think I did pretty well in the meeting today.”
“…”
“Maybe not, but that’s how I feel. So please, get up and tell me if I did well or not.”
“…What did you do?”
“Eh!?”
Ian responded quietly. His eyes remained closed, but the slight twitch of his mouth showed he was speaking.
“Sir Ian! You’re awake?”
“…Beric, it’s been noisy all the time…”
“Ah, now that you mention it, Beric’s not here!”
“…”
He had regained consciousness but still seemed too tired to do more than mumble. Jin watched Ian quietly for a moment, then asked softly.
“…By the way, Sir Ian.”
“…”
For some reason, Hyman’s words came to mind. Jin wanted to ask what would happen if he opposed the construction of the Ministry of Magic annex.
But he shook his head and smiled.
“No. Have a good dream.”
Later, when he could hear any answer without worry, that would be the time to ask. For now, the boy put the thought aside.