Chapter 273

Timothy glanced sideways at Ian, who was lost deep in thought. It seemed like something was occupying his mind completely, but Timothy had no way of knowing what it was. Ian’s gaze was locked and distant.

If not Ian himself, maybe his right-hand man, Romandro, could offer some clues? Timothy looked back, but Romandro appeared just as clueless.

A breeze slipped through the quiet air between them. Timothy stared quietly at the garden where he sat, then added,

“…If the construction of the Ministry of Magic’s annex is all but confirmed, I will bring the related contract to the successor’s appointment ceremony. It would be one of the congratulatory gifts from Burgos.”

“There’s no need for that. The details still need to be discussed.”

“But didn’t you say it would be built here? Since the site is the same, the specifics shouldn’t differ much.”

He was referring to the discussions that had supposedly been settled during Minister Wesley’s time.

The palace was the very identity of Bariel, a legacy for the future. Just as during the civil war settlement meetings, even erecting a single building required endless bureaucratic debates.

Even with a new minister, the site remained unchanged, as did the building planned for it. The estimate for the magical stones needed for construction had already been perfectly laid out by Wesley.

The design had to maintain overall harmony, clearly distinguish the main building from the annex, and adhere to standardized floor counts, area, and exterior decorations. Even if they revisited the plans, nothing would differ significantly. So what was there left to discuss?

Ian sipped his tea and shook his head.

“Each party’s position has changed. Especially with the minister replaced. As you, Timothy, found questionable, we have no intention of simply following in Wesley’s footsteps.”

Particularly because of the condition to send a mage, they couldn’t sign the contract under the same terms as before. The Ministry of Magic was suffering severe manpower shortages after the Arsen incident and the purge of traitors. On top of that, with Accorella on sick leave, the limits were becoming increasingly visible.

Ian was the linchpin holding things together; if more people left, the work itself could be jeopardized.

“So you intend to change the terms?”

“Burgos’ magical stones are of such high quality that it’s only right to pay their full price.”

Rather than getting the stones cheaply in exchange for sending a mage, they preferred to keep their mages and pay what was fair. Money was good, but even better were mages wielding divine power.

Timothy stroked his chin, clearly disappointed.

“…I will return home and report first. Honestly, I didn’t expect to discuss this today. It didn’t seem like something I should speak about lightly.”

“Of course, I understand. We have the appointment ceremony, so there’s no rush.”

It wasn’t quite what Timothy had hoped for, but at least the deal wasn’t off. After Wesley’s death, he had thought it was completely scrapped and felt regret. No one dared question the deal’s survival citing the death of a criminal in the palace, and the chaos had left no opportunity.

Before reporting to the king, Timothy double-checked.

“There will be no surprises regarding the annex construction?”

“None. It was already mentioned at the assembly, and as long as I have the will, there will be no problem.”

Since the project was funded by the payment for the Luron stones Ian was to receive, no palace official, including Quintana, would easily oppose it.

“Impressive. Truly a mage.”

Timothy muttered in awe, holding back his admiration. Though not comparable to the empire, Ian was still at the political center of a kingdom. He knew well how remarkable it was to be confident there would be no opposition while expanding one’s influence.

Ian smiled wryly.

“Being a mage doesn’t mean everything goes as planned. Wesley was a mage too.”

It was a complex, fierce process, won through sacrifice. Otherwise, the approval would have been finalized during Wesley’s time.

Timothy realized his slip and hurriedly apologized.

“My apologies.”

“I know you didn’t mean it that way.”

“…I see mages as the driving force behind the community’s progress. Honestly, it’s a shame. The Kingdom of Burgos was eagerly awaiting the dispatch of mages.”

Gypsies and sorcerers were abundant. From a layperson’s perspective, they were extraordinary, but compared to mages, their limits were clear.

Those who occasionally hit the truth?

Those who controlled corpses with spells?

What use were they? Mages flew through the sky, walked on water, and touched flames. Timothy emphasized how desperate they were to secure support.

“You hold magic in high regard.”

“Every country does. Being chosen by the gods, how could it be otherwise? It’s enviable.”

“Who knows? Timothy, you might have magical talent yourself.”

“I know it usually manifests in childhood. Unless it’s my child, I wouldn’t know.”

Ian studied Timothy’s face carefully. That was just a tiny part of it. After a hundred years, passed down to Naum, the image remained.

But that made it all the more vivid. All the deeper. In a place without Naum’s presence, that small thing was pure nostalgia.

“…Anyway, I’ll give it some thought.”

When Ian said that, Romandro, standing behind, widened his eyes. Why? Ian wasn’t the type to be swayed by a simple plea from Timothy.

“If the king of Burgos comes in person.”

Of course. Romandro exhaled sharply, relieved. Timothy awkwardly lifted his teacup and fell silent, and Ian didn’t press further.

For the king of a nation to attend the successor’s appointment ceremony personally was tantamount to declaring their complete subordination to Bariel.

‘And above all, Bariel is undeniably weak externally right now. The emperor is frozen, the grown princes are all dead, and the only heir is a ten-year-old child. If three countries ally to check Bariel, it will be troublesome. It’s best to meet the king or his entourage in advance to prepare countermeasures. And—’

Ian raised an eyebrow, eyeing Timothy.

‘Meeting the king directly might reveal something.’

Though it was almost impossible now, what if they set a trap?

“The invitation has already been sent. If the king visits, the relationship between Bariel and Burgos will strengthen.”

“…I will be sure to convey that.”

“Burgos will prepare a gift. We will also prepare something sincerely. The gypsy the king desires, the one Timothy has long sought—”

A trap to find that person.

If they found the gypsy, there was at least a slight chance the king of Burgos would come personally. Probably proportional to their desperation. Curious. Timothy’s reaction would reveal the gravity of the situation.

“Should we issue a wanted order across Bariel’s borders and territory?”

“Th-that’s exceedingly kind of you.”

“Not at all. It’s nothing.”

Literally, it was nothing special. That was the border guards’ usual duty.

“By the way, Your Highness is a bit late.”

He hadn’t appeared while they finished their tea. The distance from the main building to the Ministry of Magic was short.

“Waiting for Your Highness is an honor itself, so I’ll keep waiting. But is that Beric truly unharmed? Even if the bars protected him, he must have some injuries.”

“Oh, Beric?”

Ian laughed dryly. He seemed a bit hurt, but he couldn’t tell if it was from this time or before.

“He’s perfectly fine. When he heard Timothy was coming, he was so eager he almost skipped training. That would have been quite troublesome.”

So he really was a close friend! And one who lived in the palace! Timothy blinked in surprise and cleared his throat.

“He’s quite aggressive. Rumors are spreading. The palace guard and imperial defense department are selecting talent. Did he go to prepare for that?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Pardon me, but I thought so. I couldn’t imagine him just living off a salary…”

He’s going to earn it from now on, ahem. Timothy usually avoided such talk, but Beric was an exception. He was curious how such a wild colt had even made it to the palace.

As Ian and Timothy chatted casually, Jin’s carriage arrived at the Ministry of Magic.

Screech!

Clatter!

“Your Highness, you’re about to fall.”

“If I fall, Sia, catch me.”

Thanks to Timothy’s visit, the scholarly debate had ended early. Jin happily climbed the Ministry’s stairs but changed course when told they were in the garden. Far off, Ian and Timothy were visible.

“Your Highness.”

Meeting Ian’s eyes, Jin stopped running and walked slowly. A glance reminded him to keep his composure.

Still, he entered the garden a bit faster than usual, wearing a broad smile. Timothy stood abruptly, placing a hand over his chest in greeting.

“Greetings, Your Highness. I am Timothy Obia of the Kingdom of Burgos, whom you met before.”

“Yes. Last time, the circumstances didn’t allow for a deep conversation. Please, have a seat.”

Ian pulled out a chair for Jin with a smirk. The boy seemed in good spirits—perhaps the scholarly debate had been dull.

They sat together under the sun, continuing their conversation. The official matters had already been settled between Ian and Jin. Most of the talk centered on what Jin had learned from the debate and Timothy’s praise.

“By the way, Timothy, do you have a family?”

“I have one son, Your Highness.”

“…You have a son?”

“Yes, he just turned five.”

Ian, who had been quietly listening, blinked in surprise. Romandro’s face was outright shocked. He had a family! And a five-year-old son at that! To think he’d been wandering outside for months on end—King Burgos really was something else.

But Ian’s surprise took a different turn. Naum’s teasing pride echoed in his mind.

“Lord Timothy came over to Bariel alone and single-handedly steadied the family’s foundation. Isn’t that incredible? Plenty of people ruin perfectly good houses. Ah, of course, he did get a lot of help from someone he met back then.”

As far as Ian remembered, Timothy had naturalized all alone—no family, just by himself. What on earth had happened?

Romandro kept empathizing, letting out nothing but heartfelt sighs.

“Your wife must be feeling hurt. Five years old—that’s such a lovely age. Oh, by the way, I don’t have children yet, but my wife is pregnant. Everyone around me says that five is when kids are truly angels.”

“There’s nothing I can do. This is the nature of my work.”

“Oh dear, still…”

So he does have a wife—at least for now. Illness? An accident? Or something else entirely? With only these fragments of information, Ian couldn’t piece it together. All he could say was something equally fragmented, trying to keep his tone steady.

“…If he passes, make sure to spend as much time as you can with your family.”

Humans live on memories. Even if you lose two people, may you have spent enough time together to bear the pain and find happiness.

Timothy looked surprised by Ian’s advice, but then his face blossomed into a full smile. They hadn’t known each other long, but this was probably the first time Ian had seen Timothy smile like that.

“I will. Once I return, I’ll stay with them until I’m sent out as an envoy again. There’s so much I haven’t done for them.”