Chapter 487
The pigeon’s journey had clearly been grueling. The moment Xiao Xi gathered the magic stone and the note, the bird stretched its wings as if it had been given new life, then collapsed in exhaustion.
Jin poured water into a teacup, and Romandro took it, gently coaxing the pigeon to drink. Up close, it was clear the bird’s wings and beak were battered—there wasn’t a single unscathed spot. Its condition was dire.
“Tsk, tsk. Beric, you reckless, heartless fool. Sending a creature barely clinging to life all the way here? What if something had gone wrong en route and the message leaked? That could’ve endangered the entire kingdom. Your Highness! When Beric returns, please give him a stern talking-to. He never listens to me, not even a little.”
Romandro grumbled, and Jin let out a small chuckle.
“Does he ever listen to you?”
“Only to Your Highness. Even Captain Jarrett gave up long ago. That colt of a man. If he weren’t a magic swordsman, I doubt he’d be worth a damn.”
“On the surface, yes. But you know how Beric is—he lives by his own rules. Even I find him difficult. I’ve told him countless times how to write reports properly, but he never changes. He must have his own standards.”
Romandro made a face of exasperation, then naturally launched into his usual preamble.
“Beric, here’s the report. This one, right?”
There were a few reports in life one never forgot, and Beric was responsible for most of them. Jin smiled with genuine amusement and gestured to Xiao Xi.
“Yes, that one. Xiao, read it.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
At Jin’s command, Xiao Xi carefully unfolded the note. The paper was old and gave off an unpleasant vibe. He had expected a single sheet, but to his surprise, three or four pages were rolled up and enclosed.
Could this really be from Beric? Xiao Xi examined the magic stone closely, checking for the Imperial Guard’s seal. If it wasn’t genuine, it wouldn’t have been allowed into the palace in the first place, but it never hurt to be cautious.
Rustle.
Xiao Xi opened the top page. Though the writing was crude and he disliked reading it aloud, he did so without changing expression.
“…Beric, here is the report.”
“Oh, you little brat.”
Romandro smacked his forehead as if he’d expected this, while Jin fetched a fresh teacup, eager for what came next. They were full of questions—how far had Beric gone, what had he seen, had he found any clues about Rutherford?
But no more words came. Jin took a sip of tea and glanced at Xiao Xi, who stared blankly at the note as if in a trance.
“Xiao?”
“What’s wrong? Did Beric really only write that? That crazy bastard?”
Pressed by the two, Xiao Xi seemed to snap out of it. Swallowing hard, he muttered:
“He got lost—”
“I knew it! Tsk, tsk.”
“…He met Lord Ian and is heading north.”
“Hm. At least he found the north. He met Ian… what did you say?”
“……”
Jin froze mid-sip. His pupils dilated. Time seemed to stop; the room fell silent, breaths held.
Did Xiao Xi just say what he thought he heard? Ian? That Ian? It felt unreal.
Just as Romandro was about to ask for clarification—
Snap!
Clink!
Jin sprang up from the sofa and snatched the note from Xiao Xi’s hand. A teacup shattered on the floor, but none of the three men noticed.
“Next page, quickly!”
“Here it is, Your Highness.”
—To Crown Prince Jin. Minister of Magic Ian Hielo, submitting a report after a long absence…
The handwriting was familiar—neat, precise, just like its owner. Romandro had often admired how upright it was, a reflection of Ian himself.
It was a strange feeling. Until now, all they’d read were faded relics of the past, but here was Ian’s unmistakably vivid trace. The deep ink shimmered like a starry night sky.
Though, in truth, it was their eyes shining with emotion—those overwhelmed by joy could hardly tell.
—Have you been well this past spring?
Had they been well? They thought so, but reading this, they realized otherwise. The sunlight was so beautiful now—could the past spring really be called spring?
—I apologize. At the time, I had no other choice. I believed it was the best decision I could make. Please understand with a generous heart. Also, do not be angry that it took so long to send news. For me, the Abyss lasted only ten days, but I recently learned that time flows very differently here and there. When I came to my senses, I was near the Raja Mountains. After many twists and turns, I met Beric and we are together now. It’s unbelievable, but I believe it was God’s will. Your Highness, I have much to say, but I think it best to keep this brief.
Rutherford returned from the Abyss with me. However, it is highly likely he is near Burgos, not Tolrun. Though he serves the Shadow of God and bases himself in Tolrun, he has newly made Burgos a strategic point to threaten Bariel. Please keep this in mind when making decisions.
Slave trading is occurring near the Raja Mountains. The guards are unreliable, and security is poor. Please dispatch an investigation team.
I found all the answers to my questions in the Abyss. In the process, I exhausted all my magic and strength. With Beric’s help, I plan to move north first. I will return to the palace with the mages there. It won’t take long, so please wait a little longer.
Your Highness, I heard the coming-of-age ceremony will soon be held. I also heard news of the Emperor’s passing. I sincerely look forward to the brilliant history you will write. Until the day we meet again, please stay safe.
Next, a message for Romandro and the Ministry of Magic.
Romandro, I’m sorry about the overdue rent. Is your child doing well? You’ve worked hard guarding the minister’s office alone. Please tell your mother and family that Ian Hielo is alive. Thanks to Your Highness’s coming-of-age ceremony, everyone is gathered in the capital, so it’s easy to send news. And…
Romandro wiped tears streaming down his hand. The simple request to let them know Ian Hielo was alive stirred a storm of emotions.
Jin calmly turned the page and read Ian’s brief order.
—All Ministry of Magic personnel, assemble at the palace.
“Good heavens! This… this is…”
Romandro gasped, overwhelmed. Ten long years. Despite the rumors that he was dead, Ian had returned. Ian was back! Tears streamed down Romandro’s face as he struggled to breathe, overcome with emotion.
“Your Highness! Your Highness! It’s Lord Ian! The handwriting—anyone can tell it’s his. I know it. I’ve seen the documents so many times, I’m certain. It’s Lord Ian! Oh, my!”
Romandro double-checked Beric’s note just in case. The messy scrawl and terrible spelling confirmed it—definitely Beric!
If someone suddenly claimed to be Ian, suspicion would be natural, but this was clear. The magic stone bore the Imperial Guard’s seal. And Beric! The mad dog who would leap at anything related to Ian was with him, wasn’t he?
Thud.
Jin handed the magic stone to Romandro with a steady hand.
“…Request handwriting verification. Have Akorella confirm that this is indeed the Imperial Guard’s magic stone, and keep the contents secret until the results come back.”
“Yes, Y-Your Highness! Understood!”
With that, Romandro took the stone with both hands and dashed out. The palace attendants in charge of opening doors were startled, but he saw nothing else—only the path ahead. His short legs moved swiftly as he sprinted down the Crown Prince’s palace corridor.
Soon, a waiting carriage came into view.
“Hey! Carriage! Carriage!!”
“Romandro?”
“To the Ministry of Magic, quickly! Hurry!”
“Not to the assembly hall?”
“Leave now! Please! Ministry of Magic!”
“Y-Yes, yes. Understood.”
Whoosh!
Jin watched Romandro’s carriage depart before turning away. The startled attendants and the bewildered Xiao Xi looked to Jin.
“…The assembly is postponed.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“Give a vague reason. And until I say otherwise, no one is to enter here. Don’t let anyone come near. Xiao Xi, the same goes for you. Only respond if the Ministry contacts us.”
“Y-Yes, Your Highness.”
Jin nodded, and the attendants bowed lightly before leaving. Xiao Xi slowly closed the door, taking in the scattered teacup shards and the somber figure of his lord.
Creak.
Thud.
Alone now.
Jin stood still for a long while, listening for any sign of life. Except for the old pigeon stretching its wings, the surroundings were eerily silent—as if a storm had just passed through.
Only then did Jin, as if he could no longer hold back, roughly yanked the curtains aside.
Swish! Swish!
The bright office gradually sank into darkness. The pigeon looked on in confusion, but Jin kept moving his hands, breathing heavily. His eyes reddened, and he could feel himself nearing his breaking point.
Swish!
At last, when he drew the final curtain, a single tear slipped down his cheek.
He slowly sank down against the wall, watching the faint light seeping in beneath the curtains. The brief relief of having hidden away was quickly overshadowed by the warm sunlight, which only made his tears flow more freely. Jin held his breath, careful not to let even a single sob escape.
‘…Lord Ian has returned. Lord Ian is alive and has come back.’
He mulled over the thought for a long time. The moment he could proudly say that he had grown so much during all those years without him. Yet here he was, in this state. Feeling pathetic and absurd, Jin buried his face in his hands.
He felt the deep scars beneath his fingertips—the marks of survival, the single thread that had connected him to Ian. Ian’s voice, full of unwavering faith that he would become a just emperor, seemed to finally ring true.
Ah, yes. The radiant golden hair, and those matching emerald eyes.
All those fading memories blossomed vividly once more.
Coo. Coo-coo.
Jin glanced up at the pigeon sitting quietly nearby and murmured,
“You must have seen Lord Ian yourself.”
What was he like? Tell me. Share everything you saw. Jin sat there for a long while, tracing Ian’s presence again and again in his mind.
How much time had passed?
By the time the sunlight filtering under the curtains had turned a soft yellow,
Knock. Knock.
Xiaosi’s voice came from beyond the door, without opening it.
“Your Majesty, there’s a message from the Magic Department. They confirm that the mana stone given to Beric of the Imperial Guard is definitely the same one. And the handwriting analysis also matches both Beric’s and Lord Ian’s.”