Chapter 333

The Prime Minister adjusted his glasses and was scanning through the documents, but his aide could tell—he hadn’t turned a single page. Fidgeting with his pen, glancing at his watch, the Prime Minister’s focus was clearly elsewhere.

Tick-tock. With every movement of the minute hand, his gaze drifted toward the office door. No doubt the other high-ranking officials were doing the same.

Knock, knock.

A cautious sound from outside. The Prime Minister suddenly stood up, hope swelling in his chest—please, let this be the good news they’d been desperately waiting for.

“Come in!”

But the expression on the servant’s face was grim. The Prime Minister’s heart sank, and he collapsed back into his seat as if the weight of the world had just fallen on him.

“I’m sorry, no news has come through. Shall I convene an emergency council?”

“…Yes. Immediately. Summon all the mages as well.”

“Yes, sir. Understood. I’ll make the arrangements.”

The door creaked shut, and the Prime Minister rubbed the deep lines around his eyes, lost in thought. It had already been a week since contact was lost with Ian’s group, who had crossed into Klipford. They had sent over ten messenger birds, but not a single one had returned.

What was going on? Why was Klipford silent?

“Prime Minister.”

“Yes?”

At the summons that followed, he rose from his seat. Missing were the Minister of Magic, the accompanying mages, and two members of the Imperial Guard—some of the highest-ranking personnel in the palace. Their disappearance demanded urgent clarification.

Clatter, clatter!

The Prime Minister’s carriage sped toward the main palace, followed by dozens of others heading to the same destination. Officials and mages alike were responding to the emergency summons.

“Romandro.”

“Your Majesty?”

“Shh.”

On the stairs leading to the council chamber, Jin and Xiaoshi grabbed Romandro’s arm.

Aware of the curious glances around them, Jin pulled him behind a corner, biting her lip nervously as she whispered, “What’s really going on? Has the Ministry of Magic any idea? It’s been a week since Lord Ian went silent.”

Her tone was sharp, laced with anxiety. Romandro met her gaze calmly, trying to soothe her.

“Your Majesty, please remain calm. Ian is a survivor. You know him well, don’t you?”

“But, but…”

They had investigated the Klipford carriage, and after crossing the border, no contact. Could there be any other explanation? Everyone at the council likely suspected something terrible had happened in Klipford—everyone except the Ministry of Magic.

“Ian has survived even the harshest deserts. Beric is with him, too. There’s nothing to worry about. Now, please enter the council chamber. There are many eyes watching; I will go in first.”

The distance between Jin and Ian symbolized the gap between the royal family and the Ministry of Magic. Romandro understood Ian’s wish to keep that distance for the sake of an ideal relationship—and it was his duty to respect it. Just as he was about to bow and turn away—

“Wait, Romandro. How far has the investigation into Idgal progressed?”

Jin grabbed him again, whispering even more cautiously.

Xiaoshi glanced around nervously, ensuring no one was nearby. Romandro, sensing the gravity of the matter, knelt once more.

“…The report submitted to the palace is all we have. No progress yet. The person in charge, Akorella, is currently ill, and the limited number of Idgal samples makes analysis slow.”

Romandro had heard about the last note from Ian—an urgent call for a thorough investigation into Idgal. He tilted his head in puzzlement, then suddenly hesitated, as if realizing something.

“Your Majesty, could it be…”

“It will be discussed at the council. Be aware.”

While the Ministry of Magic aimed to track and eradicate Idgal entirely, those who sought to check the Ministry’s power wanted to seize it for themselves.

Romandro sighed, pressing his palm to his forehead. Of all times, why now—when Ian was missing?

“Your Majesty, footsteps approaching.”

“Romandro.”

Xiaoshi alerted Jin to the approaching presence. Jin gripped Romandro’s shoulder, locking eyes with him. No words were spoken, but her steady gaze offered silent reassurance.

She seemed to say: You can do this. I don’t expect more than you can give. But because of the public eye, I regret that I cannot help openly.

With a nod, Jin slipped around the corner and disappeared. Other officials passing by froze at the sight of Romandro kneeling in the middle of the hallway.

“Romandro, is something wrong?”

“Oh, no, I just felt a bit dizzy.”

“Shall I help you?”

“No, no, I’m fine. I’ll be going in now.”

Romandro shook off the dizziness and stood.

Most attendees had already arrived, and the mages gathered on one side, waiting for Romandro. With Ian absent, Romandro was effectively his proxy.

“Now, since everyone is here, let’s begin.”

Bang! Bang!

The Prime Minister struck the gavel, and the doors closed. He rubbed his chin with a sigh, unsure how to start.

Though he had served in government for years, this was unprecedented. The Minister of Magic and his mages—missing without a trace.

“Has the Imperial Defense Department reported anything?”

“Yes. They arrived yesterday and are currently investigating with the guards. Another messenger bird is expected this evening.”

Unlike the mages who had teleported directly to the border, the Defense Department had traveled by horse, arriving late.

In truth, Ian’s discovery at the Klipford carriage had rendered their mission unnecessary, but they continued their investigation nonetheless.

“How many messenger birds have been sent to Klipford so far?”

“Twelve, exactly.”

“And not a single reply? That alone confirms something serious has happened. We must suspect foul play.”

“But Lord Ian—the Minister of Magic himself—and the mages with him, not to mention two Imperial Guards. Even if something happened in Klipford, they would have found a way out.”

Officially, there were no mages in Klipford. If they wished, they could have escaped unnoticed—or even stirred chaos in the kingdom.

Yet reports from the border claimed no incidents on Klipford’s side.

“Idgal.”

Someone cut through the murmurs to speak.

“Idgal is a substance with effects similar to magic-sealing stones, isn’t it? Ian’s report mentioned it. Klipford must have secured some. That explains everything.”

“Exactly. We’ve ordered Vargas and Luswena to keep watch. This is the quiet formation of a three-nation alliance.”

“If the palace has secured Idgal… hmm. That clears up the mystery. Ian is just a boy, aside from his magic.”

“What about the magic swordsmen? Does Idgal affect them too?”

All eyes turned to Jeret. He took a sip of water, pursed his lips, and answered cautiously.

“The magic swordsmen’s power is closely linked to that of mages. Yes, it affects them.”

“Incredible. There’s nothing more to discuss.”

“We must mobilize the army. Before the three-nation alliance acts, we must move first. The justification is clear.”

“This is no simple matter. What you’re suggesting is war. If Bariel attacks Klipford, will Vargas and Luswena stand by? Especially if they have Idgal, as Ian said? Mages would be useless. Do we have any special countermeasures?”

The attitude treating mages as mere weapons drew a grimace from Nakina, who clicked her tongue. Hale felt the same, suddenly craving a cigarette.

“Everyone, please calm down.”

Bang! Bang!

The Prime Minister called for order, scanning the room. Jin and Romandro had yet to speak. He cautiously proposed:

“Since messenger birds have failed, there’s no doubt we must send people directly. Ministry of Magic?”

“Yes, Prime Minister.”

“Can you activate the same transport method Ian used—the Black Moon?”

Romandro’s face fell. He wasn’t a mage, after all. Hale, seated behind, raised his hand to answer.

“Apologies, but it’s impossible. The spell consumes immense magic power, and without Ian, the precision of location adjustment is severely compromised.”

“Then there’s no choice. The Imperial Defense Department will organize and dispatch troops to Klipford.”

“Prime Minister, the Ministry of Magic—”

“You are excluded from this matter.”

“…What?”

Romandro and the mages stared in disbelief. Their superior and comrades were missing, yet the Ministry was told not to accompany the mission?

“If Lord Ian’s safety is compromised, it means the mages’ power is neutralized. The Ministry is to be excluded.”

“Wait a moment!”

Nakina raised her hand to protest, but Romandro calmly stopped her.

“But Prime Minister, if Lord Ian and the mages are still alive but injured, someone will need to share their magical power. It’s only right to have mages accompany us. Even if Idgal poses a threat, it could just as well be a help rather than a hindrance. Surely you understand?”

The Prime Minister’s eyes narrowed. Seeing this, Jin, who sat across from him, shook his head subtly and signaled Romandro, as if sensing something was wrong.

“Hmm. You make a valid point. In that case, have the Ministry of Magic send along at least a minimal contingent. But investigations into Idgal must continue in the meantime. The palace will dispatch reinforcements to the Ministry.”

Ironically, controlling Idgal required the very power of the Ministry of Magic. Since ordinary people couldn’t approach it, the first step was to embed Ministry personnel within Bariel’s jurisdiction over Idgal.

So, as they followed and assisted, holding authority over Idgal within Bariel, just as the Ministry prepared to eliminate it—

‘We can call them back.’

“Let’s send the envoy one last time. If there’s no reply by tomorrow, we move out immediately. The Ministry must prepare thoroughly.”

Bang! Bang!

The drums of war sounded.

Each department, anticipating a surge of work, quickly rose from their seats. Perhaps expecting objections from the Ministry, everyone vanished without a trace.

“Prime Minister!”

“Romandro, sorry, but we’ll talk later.”

Romandro grabbed the Prime Minister, but it was no use. The mages left behind exchanged bitter, incredulous laughs.

“This is maddening. Is this really how they see us now?”

“I never thought they’d act this way just because Lord Ian’s gone. Wow. This is harsh. After all we’ve done.”

“Exactly. Damn it, I’m about ready to flip the whole thing over.”

“Is this some kind of disguised meeting to completely crush us? Did we suffer this much just to be treated like this? Hah.”

“…Everyone, keep your voices down.”

Hale muttered, lighting a cigarette. The already small group of mages had shrunk even further after Ian took five or six with him.

“If only we could get the portal working somehow, we could rush to Clifford and back…”

“Then, if there really is trouble with Lord Ian and the others, we could rescue them immediately.”

“But there’s no way we can manage that.”

They all sighed, sharing the same thought: the magical power amplifier. If only it had no side effects, maybe they could use it to do something…

Knock! Knock!

Just then, a cheerful knock came at the door. Everyone looked up in surprise to see a familiar figure standing there. Though pale and worn, her eyes still gleamed with wild intensity.

She waved her hand in greeting.

“Ta-da! The knock-knock is Acorella’s grand entrance!”