Episode 263
“The blessing of the empire, indeed. The first noble magician! It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Naum Obia. Please, just call me Naum.”
When Ian was fifteen and first entered the imperial palace, Naum was the first person he exchanged names with. Everyone regarded it as a blessing without question—never imagining how that meeting on a midsummer day would come to shape both their lives.
“I’ll call you Ian, then. You have no idea how long we’ve waited for a new colleague in the Magic Department. It’s been years! You haven’t seen the whole department yet, have you? I’ll show you around.”
Naum’s smile was as soft as his short, brown hair. But as he moved, the other magicians averted their gazes, pretending to be busy elsewhere. Most of them were commoners who had endured hardship. They harbored resentment toward the nobility and feared that the Magic Department—once a place without class distinctions—would now be divided. They watched Ian with suspicion, wary that his noble identity might bring harm.
Naum waved them off with a smile.
“Everyone’s just eager to meet Ian. Sorry, but I’m in charge here, so step aside and get back to work. You can greet him properly at the induction ceremony.”
Ian had never met anyone as naturally witty as Naum. Among the usually aloof, dignified nobles, Naum felt like a breath of fresh air—a new world. Then again, the Magic Department itself was unfamiliar to Ian, so the feeling was understandable.
Perhaps that’s why it felt natural to follow him—not just through the halls of the Magic Department, but through life itself.
Naum was undeniably a trustworthy comrade, an excellent mentor, and an indispensable friend. Age differences were just a concept. Absolutely.
“Naum, I’m deeply grateful to you.”
In the modest study inside the Magic Department’s annex, Ian and Naum often came to lose themselves in books whenever they had time. One day, Ian looked up from a book to the window and said quietly. It was the season when the fresh green leaves of summer began to turn golden with autumn.
“What is it?”
“…”
What could he say? Could he possibly list everything?
Faced with an endless answer, Ian fell silent. Naum, too, watched the changing season.
“Ian, did you know? This window in the annex is the largest one here.”
“Why’s that?”
“When the annex was first built, this space didn’t exist. But the ancestor in charge of construction felt it was a shame and added it later. Since it wasn’t planned, they replaced the wall with a window instead.”
“His name was Timothy, right?”
“Yeah. You saw it when you came to my house last time, remember?”
Naum smiled proudly.
Timothy was an immigrant from the Kingdom of Burgos. When he naturalized, the Bariel Empire citizenship certificate he received was treasured by Naum’s family. They honored the gratitude of being allowed to live as citizens of Bariel, not as part of the declining Burgos Kingdom.
“Timothy probably never imagined that you and I would come to cherish this place so much.”
“But we don’t only use this study.”
“Hmm? True. But there’s something special we can only do here.”
Ian pretended not to notice and glanced away.
Had Naum caught him coming here whenever things got tough? Just as Naum smiled silently and reached to turn a page, footsteps echoed loudly from somewhere.
Tap, tap, tap!
This was the innermost room of the rarely visited annex. Since such visits were unusual, Ian and Naum both looked toward the door at once.
The door burst open roughly, a cold gust swept in, pages fluttered, and a flushed magician’s face appeared, his heart pounding strangely.
“Ian! Naum! Damn it, how long have you been hiding!”
“What’s wrong?”
“The Emperor has passed away.”
Ian knew in that instant he would never forget this moment. He felt with every sense what it meant to stand at a turning point in life.
“Ian. You’re being mentioned as the next Emperor.”
“…”
“You expected that, didn’t you?”
It would be a lie to say he didn’t. In truth, from the moment he entered the palace, he had suspected it. The Emperor was old and frail, there was no heir, and Ian was a collateral relative of the royal family and a sacred magician.
On top of that, he was young. For the powerful factions who found it difficult to place someone directly on the throne, Ian was the perfect candidate. Still, because of the gravity of the position, Ian had deliberately tried not to think about it.
“Chroni is looking for you.”
At the mention of Chroni, Naum frowned. Chroni was Ian’s nephew, the Deputy Minister of the Imperial Defense Department, the son of Ian’s guardians who had stood in for his parents—and the one who had urged Ian to hide his magical powers.
As Ian rose, Naum grabbed his arm.
“Just because he’s looking for you doesn’t mean you have to meet him, Ian.”
Naum knew well that whenever Ian met Chroni, he would come here afterward. He swallowed his words and shook his head. Who knew what nonsense would tear at the boy’s heart this time?
“It’s fine. Like I said, I expected this moment. If he needs me now, then I will meet him.”
Ian stood. His pale blue eyes and platinum hair shone even brighter in the sunlight.
Seeing that, Naum thought he would never forget this moment either. It was the moment Ian stepped forward at a crossroads in life—and the beginning of his reign as the next Emperor.
“Naum.”
“…Yes?”
“I tried not to think about it, but I kept thinking. I realized that no matter how much I try to turn away, I can’t ignore what I truly want.”
The Emperor—the pinnacle of Bariel, the one who could uphold and change the world.
The reason the spark of that thought wouldn’t die out was probably because of the smiles and tears of the empire’s people Ian had met while working as a magician.
Ian lightly placed his hand on Naum’s shoulder.
“And the position of Minister of Magic suits you.”
“Ian.”
“Just like now, I hope to count on your help in the future.”
The next minister—if Ian became Emperor, the cabinet was practically set. The magicians bowed their heads and left the room. Ian had no hesitation.
Left alone, Naum pressed his forehead and closed the book Ian had opened. Of course, if he could, he would always stay by Ian’s side.
To close a book like this, to take care of what comes next, and to lead the empire’s brilliant future together—that was an honor like no other.
But before that—
“Ian, becoming Emperor means giving up yourself.”
It was nothing but heartbreaking.
What kind of place was the imperial palace? A place where bloodshed lurked silently, where countless desires gathered to form a deep abyss.
Could a lone child truly endure it?
He probably could. Though he might break.
“Sigh.”
With a soft sound, Naum closed his own book and stood. It would be better if he wasn’t here when Ian returned after meeting Chroni.
If Ian had decided to dedicate his life to Bariel, Naum had no choice but to stand with him. Even a single bond was a miracle, yet these two had formed ties as mentor, friend, and comrade.
“May the gods’ blessing be with you.”
Unconsciously, Naum traced a small protective rune on the window. Hoping that when Ian came here to release his sorrow, it wouldn’t be too painful.
At the grand council, the ministers and officials from each department exchanged awkward glances. With mountains of issues to discuss, piles of documents were stacked at the back of the spacious meeting room. Time was tight, yet two key figures seemed lost in thought.
“Now, onto the next matter. This comes from the Ministry of Culture. Of the 105 paintings received from the Haiman family, 30 are to be displayed at the Imperial National Art Museum, 17 will be kept in the royal collection, and the rest are to be auctioned. Your Highness Jin, have you reviewed the list?”
“Hmm? Ah, yes. I have.”
One was Jin—
“Do you agree?”
“…I believe the official appraisals are not all in yet.”
The other was Ian.
As Jin fumbled his answer, Ian rifled through the documents and added a comment. On the surface, he appeared as usual, but Romandro and several officials knew Ian was lost in silent thoughts. Normally, Ian would have whispered a reminder before Jin answered like that.
The Minister of Culture, sensing their unease, continued.
“The Haiman family conducts their own annual appraisals. We intend to use those in place of official reports. However, due to the volume, it will take time.”
“I object. We cannot trust the Haiman family’s appraisals. Some values may have been deliberately lowered to avoid taxes, while others inflated for profit.”
“Hmm, well… the appraiser in question worked at the palace until two years ago. We considered him trustworthy.”
“Then it seems easier to appraise the appraisal report than the artworks themselves. What do you think, Your Highness?”
Ian turned his head toward Jin, seeking his opinion. Jin, who had been staring blankly, suddenly snapped out of it and looked away.
“Oh, I think that’s right.”
“Then let’s proceed that way.”
What was that?
Quintana fiddled with a dry cigarette, frowning. Jin’s attitude was definitely strange. Normally, he would watch Ian closely, his eyes sparkling, following every word.
But now, he seemed uncomfortable, awkward.
As if he were silently struggling alone…
‘Ian is definitely different too.’
The author’s intuition was sharp. It was a mistake not to notice how different Jin’s attitude was.
“Very well. We’ll handle the appraisal matter accordingly. Next item.”
Bang! Bang!
Without hesitation, the Prime Minister tapped his baton to steer the meeting forward. He figured that swiftly resolving the less critical matters would help cut down the overall meeting time.
If Ian and Jin stayed in their current states, this meeting might drag on until the next day.
“Regarding the allocation of authority over the Mana Sealing Stones,” the Prime Minister announced, “this falls under the jurisdiction of the Magic Department. We propose the following distribution based on the total quantity identified: 50% to His Majesty the Emperor, 30% to the other members of the royal family, and 20% to the Magic Department.”
At his words, Jin’s eyes widened in surprise as she glanced down at the documents. The other officials from various departments shared her reaction. After all, the Mana Sealing Stones were the only means to keep mages in check.
It was a method to bring those wielding godlike power back down to human level—and yet, more than half of the authority was being handed over to the royal family. Even Wesley, who had close ties with Gale, had never dared to propose such a thing.
“Is this ratio correct, Minister Ian Hielo?” the Prime Minister asked.
“That’s right,” Ian replied. “As Minister of Magic, having witnessed the civil war, I’ve come to understand many things. First, a comprehensive survey and strict management of all Mana Sealing Stones is essential. But more importantly, absolute power must always be balanced. For the stability and unshakable center of the royal family, this distribution is appropriate. Currently, aside from His Majesty, the only other royal family member is Her Highness Jin, so it’s fitting to grant her 30% authority over the Mana Sealing Stones.”
Jin’s eyes grew even wider. It was tantamount to handing a knife to the Magic Department, with the sharp edge pointed directly at them.
“And what about Idgal?”
“The Magic Department is conducting its own investigation. We believe that tracking down and eliminating it is the best way to minimize chaos,” Ian answered.
“I see. Her Highness Jin, what is your opinion?”
“Me?” Jin murmured.
Between Arsen’s whispered words, Hyman’s scheming, and Ian’s knowledge of secret passages known only to the royal family, her mind was a tangled mess. Yet, surprisingly, she felt a clear calmness. She nodded, somewhat dazed.
“…I agree.”
Ian met her gaze and raised an eyebrow with a smile, as if to say, Finally, I see something’s off about you. Jin returned a faint smile, signaling it was nothing.
Quintana watched the two quietly for a moment before slipping his cigarette back into his pocket. This was a matter that definitely warranted deeper investigation.