Chapter 261

“Ahem.”

Romandro cleared his throat awkwardly, trying to shake off the tension. Why was he so nervous and embarrassed? Standing in front of the chalkboard, he kept fiddling with his pen.

He’d reported dozens of times in front of dozens of people during disaster relief missions—sometimes twice a day. Yet, strangely, this moment felt far more nerve-wracking.

And it was just four people.

And they were all acquaintances.

“Romandro, I’m counting on you.”

Perhaps it was because Prince Jin, the heir apparent to the Bariel Empire and the only royal successor, was watching him with bright, expectant eyes.

“Romandro, please begin.”

Or maybe it was because he was standing before Ian—the young boy who had risen to fourth in the empire’s hierarchy without any noble blood, now Minister of Magic.

Come to think of it, this was the first time Romandro was delivering a presentation like this in front of Ian. Ian was sharp and meticulous; one slip-up and he’d be called out immediately.

“Come on, hurry up so we can eat!”

“…”

Jin and Ian sat side by side at the table, while Beric sprawled on the sofa, and Xiaosi stood near the door.

Romandro cleared his throat again and grabbed the chalk. These two—Jin and Ian—were the ones leading the Bariel Empire. He was entrusted with the grave responsibility of briefing them on foreign affairs, which were completely unknown to them. Setting aside personal feelings, his primary goal was to deliver the facts plainly and clearly.

He flipped to the map he had prepared and began.

“The Bariel Empire!”

“Wow, your voice is strong, Romandro.”

“It’s located on the central continent of Gaia, and except for the southernmost tip, it’s hard to see the sea. Instead, it boasts vast territory, abundant resources, and mountain ranges along its borders that have allowed for stable development. Look at these mountains—they almost look like they’re cradled by the hand of a god. This is proof that Bariel has been blessed by the divine.”

“Oh? Here! Ian, this is Hielo. Hielo.”

Beric frowned, glaring at the map until he spotted the Hielo territory, then dashed over to point it out. Nearby, the Monne Mountains—where the Luron Stone was found—were shaded in a darker color.

Romandro waved him off, but Beric just kept alternating his gaze between the center and Hielo, clearly impressed.

“Wow, it’s really far from here to there.”

“Took a full two weeks by carriage.”

“Right. This is Karenna! The place where Hasha was met!”

“Who’s Hasha?” Jin tilted his head in confusion. Ian pointed to the northwest of Bariel and explained.

“The northwest border is currently in turmoil due to civil war and natural disasters. The country is fragmented into many tribal-like communities, and even where it’s not, internal factional conflicts run deep. Hasha is a necromancer from a country called Astana among them.”

“I’ve heard of that. Former Minister Wesley invited necromancers from various regions for cultural and academic exchange. But beneath that, the real intent was to create a peace forum among the warring nations to increase influence.”

It was a kind of self-appointed mediator role. The noble cause of resolving conflicts aside, there were countless hidden agendas and ambitions. Especially, Wesley’s misguided affection was a major driving force behind the project.

“Yes, Your Highness. You know this well.”

“Hmm. I know a bit.”

Jin smiled sheepishly.

Ian quickly sketched a simple map of the central region on the edge of his notebook and roughly pointed out the outskirts.

“The necromancers are currently continuing their academic research on the outskirts of the center. Most returned home after Wesley’s death, but a few remain to complete their agreed study period.”

Since their research required corpses, they had to work as discreetly as possible. Jin listened carefully, nodding repeatedly.

Seeing this, Romandro pushed past Beric, his voice trembling as he stepped closer. He had wanted to explain this himself! Damn Beric for stealing his thunder.

“Your Highness, please! I’ll explain everything after this.”

The knowledge they gained now would shape Jin and, in time, the future of Bariel. Romandro couldn’t let this glorious starting point slip away, so he pointed passionately at the map.

“On the east side of the country is the Hielo territory, adjacent to the Kingdom of Hawan. Hawan shares borders with Bariel and Luswena. The countries in the northwest are weak and politically unstable, so you needn’t worry much about them. Your Highness, you only need to focus on three countries for now. I’ll explain them clockwise.”

Northeast: Luswena.

South: Clifoford.

West: Burgos.

“Oh…”

Jin murmured softly. He’d learned about these in his royal education, but hearing it again like this felt unfamiliar. Ian also raised his eyebrows, pleased to hear the names after a long time.

“You’re probably familiar with Luswena. It has a long history, fertile farmlands, and is known for its black gemstones. Queen Eriphoni currently rules, and her cousin recently visited as part of a delegation.”

“What kind of person is this Eriphoni?”

Whoosh!

Romandro had been waiting for that question!

He flipped the map to reveal a crude portrait. Long teal hair, pale skin, sharp eyes slanting outward, and especially the distinctive sanpaku eyes that caught your attention. Overall, a striking woman.

“Judgment is for future generations, but her reputation inside and out isn’t bad. Have you seen the Eldert delegation that visited the palace?”

“Yes, with Sir Ian. They were handsome.”

“Blood doesn’t lie—they look almost identical. Just different genders. I’ve heard she enjoys hunting and is an excellent archer, though, as with any leader, rumors tend to be exaggerated. Ahem.”

“Will the king attend the appointment ceremony in person?”

“No official letter has been sent yet, so it’s hard to gauge their reaction. The Eldert delegation returning is the most likely scenario.”

Ian listened quietly to Romandro’s explanation, arms crossed as he studied Luswena’s queen’s portrait. No matter how strong blood ties were, could she really look so much like the Eldert envoy? It was truly strange.

“Next is Clifoford. Their eldest prince has secured succession. Traditionally, the heir serves as the foreign envoy, so it will likely be the same this time. The eldest prince is Noah.”

This was similar to Marib. Marib’s first prince also led foreign envoys and even made deliberate visits abroad after coming of age. During that time, he encountered the Rutherford Trading Company, source of the amber gemstones.

As Ian examined the portrait, Beric raised his hand, clearly displeased.

“Hey, Romandro, who on earth drew this?”

“…Why?”

“I could draw better with my foot. The eyes look like garbage. Did they just scribble some lines?”

“That’s because, uh, he’s smiling, so the eyes fold like that…”

Romandro bit his lip, hurt by the criticism. It was obvious he had drawn it himself. Jin, flustered, tried to comfort him.

“I think it’s very, very well done.”

“R-Really?”

“Yes. I think we’d recognize him easily at the ceremony. Thanks, Romandro.”

Prince Noah had tanned skin and orange hair. Unlike Luswena’s queen, he had a squinting smile. Since Romandro drew him that way, he must be someone who usually wore a smile. Romandro had a rough idea of his personality.

“Clifoford values music and dance. Not just Prince Noah, but culturally it’s significant. Their founding myth involves a god who was moved by the sight of a red bat-fox dancing and granted it a human body.”

“Your Highness, what can you infer from that myth?”

Ian’s sudden question made Jin’s eyes widen. After a moment, he fumbled and answered, counting on his fingers.

“They like music and dance, their symbol animal is a fox, and like Bariel, they probably have temples. Also, their founding history must be long.”

“Yes, exactly. Having a founding myth means they’ve existed for a very long time, so long their origins are hard to trace. This is a common trait among the three countries Romandro mentioned.”

They weren’t factions born and lost amid countless wars and conflicts, but had stood alongside Bariel, guarding a part of the continent for ages.

Beric, clearly bored, flipped to the last page.

Flip!

“Huh?”

The last one: Burgos, to the west.

Unlike Luswena’s Queen Eriphoni and Prince Noah, the page was filled with a detailed drawing. Beric muttered as if he’d just realized something.

“…They’re all ‘that,’ aren’t they?”

“What do you mean ‘that’?”

Romandro tensed, raising his hand in warning. He was ready to bring his palm down on Beric’s forehead if needed. But Beric didn’t flinch, just scratched his ear.

“Eriphoni’s a teal snake, Noah’s a red fox, and this one’s a black bear.”

Ah, what to do with this ignorant troublemaker. Romandro sighed, pressing his palm to his forehead.

“Beric, I think the gods are definitely watching over you. Just like in Hielo, your lifespan is way too long for your behavior. Stop lazing around and go pray outside or something.”

“Huh? Did I say something wrong? Try to argue with me.”

“Never talk about that in front of others! I’ll really have to give you a scolding!”

Beric protested loudly, clearly feeling wronged, while Romandro snapped at him to be quiet. Amid their commotion, Jin quietly gazed up at the portrait.

It was crude, smudged here and there with fingerprints.

“…Impressive. You can feel the spirit just from the painting.”

The face was marred by scars, haphazardly covering it. The left ear was half gone, replaced by an ornament. The rough, angular jaw looked solid and unyielding.

Truly a formidable man.

Just as Jin let out a breath of admiration—

“…Timothy.”

“Do you know him? Lord Ian?”

“Yes. I think I’ve heard the name somewhere. Romandro, is the artist really named Timothy?”

“Yeah! That’s right, Timothy!”

Ian’s expression as he stared straight ahead with his arms crossed was oddly subtle. He frowned, as if trying to recall something, falling into a long silence.

Jin waited patiently, but Ian never said a word—only smiled quietly.

“Your Highness, you should familiarize yourself well with these portraits so you can greet guests properly at the investiture ceremony.”

“Don’t worry about that!”

“Yes, I have no doubt Your Highness will handle it perfectly.”

Ian answered and stood up. Jin noticed him even removing the pen nib and setting it down, clearly preparing to leave.

“Romandro, please continue explaining to His Highness. I have some unfinished business to attend to but will be back shortly.”

“Ian! Where are you going?”

“I told you, I’m going on an errand.”

“Come with me! We can stop by a restaurant on the way.”

Bang!

Beric, who had been holding onto Romandro’s collar, immediately followed Ian out. Jin was caught off guard, staring at the half-open door.

Creak.

Until Xiaosi fully closed it behind them, Jin gave a slight shrug and steadied the pen Ian had left behind. Then he looked at Romandro, silently urging him to continue.

“Ahem. Your Highness, then we shall proceed on our own.”

“Alright, alright. I’ll have plenty of questions!”

“You’re welcome. Um, oh, and Your Highness, if I may share a concern…”

“What is it?” Jin smiled and nodded.

“When foreigners are present, you must never, ever speak of the royal family’s secrets. Even if you grow close to them later. Lord Ian is trustworthy enough, but from now on, you mustn’t reveal such things to him either. A true subject, upon hearing royal secrets, would voluntarily cover their ears.”

Jin’s smile slowly faded, as if he couldn’t quite grasp the meaning behind those words.

“Ah, of course, I’m not saying Lord Ian has done anything wrong. But for mutual trust and a better relationship, it’s best to keep certain things guarded. That’s my humble request.”

Romandro gave an awkward smile and picked up the chalk again.

“Well then, let’s continue!”