Chapter 264
As darkness settled in, the shoulders of the officials sagged even more. The grand assembly had been going on for five hours straight. Those without proposals had been quietly slipping out to rest and then returning, but the Prime Minister, Jin, Ian, and other key figures remained glued to their seats, tirelessly working through the agenda.
Jin didn’t even realize his body was leaning toward Ian’s side. The boy looked exhausted, rubbing his forehead and fiddling with the edge of some documents.
“Your Highness, are you feeling alright? It’s been a long day.”
“No, I’m managing so far.”
Ian noticed Jin’s condition and whispered softly. Five hours of constant awareness, judgment, and decision-making through the child’s body—how heavy a burden that must have been.
Ian himself knew the feeling all too well. He’d been there when he first ascended the throne.
Swish! Swish!
Meanwhile, at the back of the conference room, Beric stood with one leg cocked, alongside Romandro. The moment his eyes met Ian’s, he silently drew an ‘X’ with his hand, shouting a wordless plea: “Enough already. Let’s wrap this up and get out of here.” They’d come to fetch them because no one was showing up, only to find everyone half-dead, still stuck in this endless meeting. “We’re all just trying to make a living here, but we can’t even eat properly!”
“Prime Minister, how about we finish after this last item?” Ian suggested gently, glancing at Beric.
Suddenly, the eyes of the officials around them brightened.
“Yeah! Let’s call it! It’s not like today’s a special day—why drag this meeting on for five hours?”
“Hmm. Very well. Time has flown by. The final agenda concerns the reinforcement of personnel for the Imperial Palace Guard and the Imperial Defense Department. Captain Jaret?”
At the Prime Minister’s call, Jaret stood up, dressed properly in his uniform. It was rare for him to attend such assemblies, so he made sure to show proper respect.
“I am Jaret, Captain of the Imperial Palace Guard. Currently, two captain positions among the three are vacant due to unfortunate circumstances. We intend to select two new captains and recruit new members.”
“What’s the selection process?”
As Jaret stepped forward, Beric relaxed his stance and leaned in. Romandro grabbed his collar, signaling him to hold back, but Beric ignored him.
“We will determine the two best candidates based half on dueling results and half on peer evaluations.”
“Peer evaluations? Was that always part of the process?”
“No. While protecting His Majesty the Emperor is our top priority, we recognized that without loyalty, morality, and integrity, even the strongest could become a threat. This is our solution to that problem.”
“Hmm. The title of ‘Captain of the Three’ signifies the empire’s top warriors. Introducing external evaluations might tarnish that honor.”
“Skill is important, yes. But without basic character, they’re no better than beasts.”
Jaret’s gaze fixed on Beric as he spoke, clearly a warning directed at him. Beric, caught off guard, pointed at himself with a bewildered expression.
‘Me? Are you talking to me?’
Ian silently gestured for him to keep quiet. Jaret ignored Beric’s reaction and continued.
“Since this concerns selecting captains for the Palace Guard, please allow us autonomy in the process.”
“Hmm. Autonomy is important, indeed.”
“I have no objections. I agree.”
“Me too. I’m in favor.”
The exhausted officials quickly voiced their approval. The Prime Minister adjusted his glasses and asked again.
“What about recruiting regular soldiers? Are we looking for magic swordsmen?”
“Ah, about that—”
“May I speak on that matter?”
Someone cut in, interrupting Jaret. It was Volb, the acting Minister of the Imperial Defense Department.
The previous minister had been removed for involvement in the rebellion alongside Marib, and Volb had been temporarily appointed. Unless something drastic happened, he was expected to take the position officially.
Though, considering the Melania incident, that was hardly a sure thing.
“Captain Jaret?”
“Yes, that’s fine.”
Jaret gestured lightly, indicating he was willing to yield the floor.
“Thank you. The Imperial Palace Guard is the elite unit closest to His Majesty the Emperor. The difference between regular soldiers and magic swordsmen needs no explanation. However, it’s important to note that the Palace Guard never specifically sought magic swordsmen; rather, they selected the strongest candidates, which naturally included many magic swordsmen. Isn’t that right, Captain Jaret?”
“Yes. There is no magic swordsman requirement in the enlistment criteria.”
“Due to several disturbances, the Imperial Defense Department is also severely understaffed. Therefore, I boldly propose this: let the Palace Guard conduct the trials, rank the candidates, and then distribute them in order. Once the Palace Guard’s slots are filled, the rest would be assigned to us.”
Ian tapped the documents with his pen, apparently trying to break the tense atmosphere, just as Quintana had advised. The Defense Department sought to ride on the prestige of the Palace Guard, which, like the Magic Department, held a strong position within the palace.
“What do you mean by ‘distribution’?”
“We simply decide whether the top candidates go to the Palace Guard or the Defense Department. Since the Palace Guard has fewer positions but greater prestige, this would save us the trouble and cost of holding two separate recruitment drives.”
Publicly, the Palace Guard’s reputation and treatment far exceeded that of the Defense Department. There was no real risk of losing talent to them. Quintana, calculating in her head, was the first to voice support.
“I strongly agree. Cost reduction over time is the priority in any event. We can cut the palace’s expenses during the selection period by up to 30%, aside from recruitment announcement costs.”
“If the Palace Guard consents, I would be happy to proceed. Naturally, since we have more positions, we will take full responsibility for the process.”
Though trying to ride the Palace Guard’s image, the Defense Department was determined not to lose control over troop recruitment.
All eyes turned to Jaret. Would he agree? Even if it wasn’t a loss, surely he expected some benefit from this arrangement. Everyone waited eagerly for his answer.
“Yes. I accept. If it reduces the palace’s burden, then so be it.”
“Thank you, Captain Jaret. While it may not be much of a reward, we would like to offer two of the black armors seized from the Hayman family to the Defense Department. Is that acceptable?”
So that was it.
The officials let out small murmurs of understanding. The black armors confiscated from the Haymans were to be fairly divided between the two departments, and two units would be given as compensation. The Prime Minister tapped his gavel.
“If both departments have agreed, there’s no need for further debate in this assembly. We will conclude this agenda. Please provide detailed reports on recruitment announcements later. That is all.”
Bang! Bang!
The gavel sounded like heavenly trumpets. The officials collapsed forward and sideways, groaning in relief. It was finally over!
Though a mountain of work awaited back in their offices, the important thing was that it was done. Jin stretched out, exhausted.
“Me, me, me!”
Crash! Bang!
As officials began to leave one by one, Beric quickly climbed over the railing and approached. He blocked Captain Jaret’s path with a sly grin. What nonsense was he about to spout now? The captain looked down at him, arms crossed.
“What is it?”
“I’m applying!”
“…”
“My name’s Beric. I’d appreciate a good salary. If not, I’ll reconsider. But I want the captain’s position. No exceptions.”
“Captain’s position? Ha ha ha!”
“Hey, even you’re laughing! What’s so funny?”
Both Ian and Jaret burst out laughing whenever Beric mentioned the captain’s seat. Beric narrowed his eyes and stepped closer to Jaret.
“I’m serious.”
“I’m not laughing as a joke either.”
Jaret said, reaching out to poke Beric’s side. Was he trying to tickle him? Beric, caught off guard, grabbed Jaret’s arm in surprise.
But it was too late.
Jaret gripped Beric’s wound tightly and growled low.
“How dare you talk about the captain’s position in this condition? Do you think the empire’s pinnacle is some joke?”
“Ahhh! It hurts! You bastard!”
“I might consider it, since you’re a magic swordsman. But if you join the Palace Guard, I’ll make sure to fix that rude, arrogant attitude of yours. Be prepared.”
“Let go! Let go!”
Thud!
Beric collapsed, clutching his side. His breath was ragged, but his defiant glare remained. Not quite the survivor you’d expect. Truly a descendant of the Atan tribe. Jaret wiped his hands on a handkerchief and nodded toward Ian.
“You’ll be fine, Minister Ian Hielo. I’ll train him to meet the standards of the Palace Guard.”
“First, you need to rank high enough.”
“Ian! Don’t you know me? I’m Beric! Beric!”
“If you fix your temper, I’ll be the one thanking you.”
“Just wait and see! Jaret, you bastard, you made my wound worse! Now I’m bleeding again! I barely stopped it by stealing meat! If I become captain, I’ll kill you. Seriously!”
“Go ahead and try. Seeing you as captain might be the lesser evil.”
Beric groaned in frustration but left the meeting room without hesitation. Those who had stopped to watch the strange scene resumed their paths as well.
The area quickly quieted down. Ian glanced around as he sorted through the thick stack of documents.
“What about His Highness Jin?”
“His Highness? I think he’s talking with Quintana for a moment,” Romandro replied, nudging Beric’s side.
Outside the conference room, on the adjoining terrace, Quintana knelt on one knee, locking eyes with Jin.
“Your Highness, are you truly all right?”
“Of course. Why do you ask all of a sudden?”
Jin gave a faint smile, tilting his head in mild confusion. Quintana often worried about him, but somehow today felt different. Jin, however, didn’t notice that he himself was acting unusually.
“You seemed distracted at the start of the meeting, and I noticed you kept glancing at Sir Ian. I wondered if perhaps Sir Ian had been disrespectful to you.”
If not, that’s a relief. But if so, please tell me now. Quintana’s gaze was steady and sincere as he looked at Jin.
Ah, so it showed, huh? Jin covered his cheeks with both hands, trying to mask his expression.
“No, that’s absolutely not it. Sir Ian has been nothing but kind to me, as always.”
“…Then, is there some other worry unrelated to Sir Ian, Your Highness? Your concerns are Bariel’s concerns, and by extension, ours as well.”
Jin knew Quintana’s intentions were pure, but he hesitated to speak. Weakness becomes a weakness the moment it’s revealed, and worries only grow heavier when voiced aloud. He shook his head repeatedly.
“No, nothing at all.”
“…I’m glad to hear that. But if you ever need anything, please don’t hesitate to call on me.”
“Thank you, Quintana.”
Honestly, Jin felt confused. According to Romandro, Ian knew about a secret passage only the royal family was supposed to know. But Ian had never been told about it by Jin, so that couldn’t be it.
Then, could it be Marib or Gale? Why would either of them share such a secret with Ian? No reasonable explanation came to mind, leaving Jin unsettled.
On top of that, the words of Arsen—who had shouted that Ian was royal—and the schemes of Hyman echoed in his ears, making it difficult to look at Ian without suspicion.
“But I did grant him rights to the magic seal stones. That wasn’t an easy decision. It’s not a price I’d pay just to deceive myself. Maybe he discovered the secret passage while investigating the palace during the civil war?”
It was a hope he clung to, a quiet expectation. Too afraid to ask Ian directly, Jin built walls of denial like castles made of sand.
Squeak.
“Your Highness, shall we go?”
Ian’s call brought a smile to Jin’s face as he approached. Ian’s usual warm, gentle greeting felt comforting. They exchanged glances with Quintana, bidding him farewell, then stepped out of the conference room together.
“Your Highness, what did Quintana say?”
Jin had resolved, after seeing Ian collapse, to wait a little longer. To ask only when no answer could shake him. When he could finally summon the courage.
Playfully, for the first time, Jin reached out to Ian with a teasing grin.
“Hm? It’s a secret.”