Episode 500
Screeeech.

Ian slowly opened the door to the Minister’s office.

Neatly stacked documents, pens arranged with precision, and the fireplace still burning warmly despite the absence of anyone inside. It was hard to believe that ten years had passed—the room was impeccably maintained, as if frozen in time.

Ian smiled softly and gently touched the desk. At once, Romandro burst into tears again.

“Ugh, just yesterday, I never imagined—sniff—seeing this again… sob… I never thought—ugh!”

“Cut it out. Just one thing at a time. Either cry or talk.”

“I’m crying. So just let me cry, okay? Waaah!”

As Romandro dabbed his tears with a handkerchief and sobbed uncontrollably, Beric covered his ears, clearly annoyed. He had cried the first time he met Ian, but apparently, he’d forgotten that by now.

At that moment—

“There’s nothing better than seeing things back where they belong.”

Jin leaned against the doorframe, quietly surveying the room. Since the place had been empty for so long, even he rarely came here. It was as much a return for him as it was for Ian.

“Your Majesty, you’ve returned? Xiaoshi, you’re here too.”

“…Ian.”

“How have you been?”

Xiaoshi nodded awkwardly and clasped Ian’s hand. Then, without letting go, he stared at Ian for a long moment.

When they first heard that the long-lost Minister of Magic had reappeared just as he was, it was hard to believe. Even now, standing right in front of them, it felt unreal.

Beric patted Xiaoshi’s hand and said, “Ian’s hand’s gonna fall off. Sit down. There’s a lot to talk about.”

“Sniff, first, I’ll get ready to write the report. Hic!”

“Romandro, enough already!”

“What can I do when tears just come out? You cold-hearted jerk!”

Romandro grabbed Beric by the collar and buried his head in his chest, while Beric shouted in disgust. Jin and Xiaoshi seemed indifferent, their eyes fixed solely on Ian. Outside the door, footsteps approached—mages lingering, eager to come in.

Since it wasn’t a chaotic scene, Ian couldn’t help but chuckle softly. The room fell quiet, and everyone awkwardly smiled, surprised to see Ian laugh like that. Ian, capable of laughing like this?

“I-Ian?”

“Sorry. They say time changes everything, but for me, it’s still the same. Especially with Romandro here.”

“Y-yeah. People don’t change that easily, huh? Ha ha.”

“Is that so?”

But Romandro thought Ian had changed a bit, wiping away his last tears with his handkerchief.

“Well then, where should I start?”

“First, about Rutherford. I heard bits and pieces from the Western Territories, but it was too brief to understand. They say Rutherford worships the Shadow of God, but what exactly is that?”

“It’s an entity that exists because the gods exist. It dwells in the Rift and is essentially no different from a monster. What Rutherford believes in is called the ‘Undergod’ in Gaia.”

Thud.

Romandro dropped his handkerchief. Why bring up the Undergod now? Stunned by the unbelievable news, he froze in place.

Ian bent down and picked up the cloth, adding, “Rutherford’s goal in provoking the Rift seems to be to manifest the Undergod outside Gaia.”

“Wait, you mean the Undergod of the Tolrun Kingdom?”

“Yes. The Shadow of God feeds on human faith. Burgos is a kind of gateway the Undergod uses to approach Bariel.”

“So that’s why Rutherford is said to be in Burgos.”

“To reach Tolrun ourselves, we have no choice but to clear Burgos first. I’ve heard Bariel is preparing for war. The timing is remarkably fitting.”

A perfect time for war.

Jin tapped the edge of the sofa thoughtfully. If Bariel’s ultimate target isn’t Burgos but Tolrun, they’d need a new justification.

“Your Majesty, have you sent an investigation team to Rajasan?”

“Yes. As soon as I received the report from the Western Territories.”

“There’s a beastfolk tribe called the Dera who live in tunnels around Rajasan. They craft weapons that seem especially effective against other species. If we distribute those widely, it would greatly strengthen Bariel’s forces.”

If Rutherford succeeds in provoking the Rift, countless monsters will pour out. Then, the Dera’s weapons would allow ordinary soldiers to stand against them.

“If the Dera come up to the center, be sure to inform me. I have business to discuss with them.”

“Make sure the report reaches the Ministry of Magic.”

“Thank you.”

Xiaoshi nodded in acknowledgment of Jin’s orders. Now, the remaining matter—

“Is about me, isn’t it?”

Ian took a sip of tea and said,

“But before that, does everyone remember the ‘Secret-Eating Gypsy’?”

“That strange gypsy? I remember.”

“Of course, I remember too.”

“Yeah, yeah! That old hag!”

It was a name long forgotten. They had searched for her extensively in Bariel in connection with the Burgos king but ultimately failed. She had faded into the recesses of memory.

“I met her in the Abyss. During that encounter, part of my secret was taken. Unless we find her, I won’t be able to reveal everything clearly as before.”

“What secret? Something got eaten?”

“How do I even explain what got eaten?”

Romandro gave Beric a look of disbelief. Ian had always been vague about his royal bloodline and his ties to Rutherford. And even after all this time, nothing had changed.

After a moment’s thought, Romandro suggested a roundabout approach.

“How about asking Lady Philia to testify? She’s currently in the palace, so it’s convenient. Before, her pregnancy made it impossible, but that’s no longer the case. If it’s proven she’s the child of Philia and Derga, the issue of royal bloodline will be resolved.”

“I partly agree, but there are two concerns. One is the reliability of the truth serum, and the other is His Majesty’s intentions.”

Ian looked to Jin.

In this matter, the most important person wasn’t Ian or Philia—it was Jin. The appearance of another royal was a serious threat to succession. If Jin couldn’t accept it, everything would be meaningless.

Jin slowly raised his head, wearing a look that said he didn’t understand what Ian was getting at.

“Sir Ian, do you think I’ve been idle during your absence?”

He wasn’t someone whose position could be shaken just by claiming royal blood. Moreover, the coming-of-age ceremony had already taken place, and the coronation was next. Nothing could stand in his way.

Ian bowed his head apologetically, smiling faintly.

“My apologies, Your Majesty.”

“There are still parts I don’t understand.”

Why Arsene’s hypnosis didn’t work, and how Ian knew about the royal secret passage.

“But that’s something you explain to me, not others. Swear to me that once you catch the gypsy, you’ll clear up every doubt without exception. I swear it on myself, Bariel, and the gods.”

“I swear it. On Your Majesty, Bariel, and the gods present at this moment.”

Ian’s firm, no-nonsense vow made Jin suddenly recall something he hadn’t considered before. If, by some slim chance, he and Ian were related by blood, wouldn’t that be a different kind of joy? After all, he had no family left.

“Good. And Ian, don’t worry about the truth serum’s reliability. Over the years, it’s become widely used among the nobility. It’s no longer exclusive to the Ministry of Magic, so everyone trusts it.”

“That’s a relief. So much has changed.”

“Indeed. The same goes for Idgal.”

Once a villain who stirred chaos in Bariel by keeping mages in check, it was now an essential mechanism controlling the Rift to ensure safety.

Romandro suddenly thought how fortunate it was that Ian had returned now. All the denials of Ian’s existence had faded or weakened.

When Ian said “the timing is right,” Romandro thought maybe it applied to Ian himself even more than to the war.

“One more thing. Have you completely severed ties with Rutherford?”

“Yes. Absolutely. I endured countless deaths in the Abyss, and all magic connected to Rutherford vanished in the process. You don’t need to worry.”

“Ah, good. But what do you mean by countless deaths?”

Knock knock.

Ian was pondering how to explain when someone knocked on the door. The mages outside had lost patience.

“Ian!”

“Captain Akorella! No, Your Majesty is here!”

“Greetings, Your Majesty. It’s nothing urgent, but this!”

“Ahhh! Please! Captain! Stop this madness!”

“You’re the crazy ones! Why all the fuss? Drink this, and you’ll recover quickly! Hey, let go! Let me go! Ow, my leg!”

“Really?”

“Liar!”

Smack!

Akorella gave the mages trying to drag her away a series of sharp flicks on the forehead, then placed a vial on the table.

It shimmered with a blue glow, an unusual sight. Ian looked at it, silently asking what it was, and Akorella grinned.

“I heard Ian’s condition wasn’t good, so I specially prepared this powerful recovery potion. Drink it all at once. Your depleted mana will come back in no time.”

“No, Ian! I clearly heard it—you said there are side effects!”

“Since when has there ever been a medicine without side effects? It’s nothing serious, so just keep taking it. Hey, put that down!”

“Ian! You mustn’t take it!”

Amid the noisy bickering of the mages, Romandro suddenly stood up, aghast. What on earth are these people doing in front of His Highness?

But Jin seemed unfazed, even appearing comfortable with the atmosphere. This was exactly the kind of Magic Department he had known.

“Um, excuse me…”

At that moment, a voice came from behind. Filia, along with Vivianna and Nersarn, had arrived.

Ian immediately recognized the child clinging to Vivianna’s side—the large glasses and curious eyes made it obvious: Romandro’s daughter.

“That child who was just born back then has already grown so much?”

“Huh? Ah, yes. Vivi! Vivi, come here. This is Sir Ian. Your father’s told you a lot about him, hasn’t he?”

“Wow.”

Vivi hesitated but approached Ian with a look of amazement. When Ian reached out his hand in greeting, Vivi didn’t know what to do and instead grabbed her father’s arm, shaking it.

“Wow! Dad! Is this really the Minister of Magic?”

“Ah, Vivi, you’re going to make my arm fall off.”

“Roel! Come here quickly. You look just like him!”

“Roel?”

At the call of her name, Roel slowly stepped inside. Filia placed a hand on the child’s shoulder and introduced her.

“Ian, this is your younger sibling, Roel.”

“Oh.”

So this was the child who had been in the womb. Blonde hair, green eyes, sun-kissed skin—such delicate, refined features.

Ian and Roel stared at each other intently, and the onlookers held their breath, watching the two who looked so alike. There was an odd tension in the air as their eyes met.

“Ora-beoni.”

Roel was the first to speak. The child approached Ian and whispered calmly.

“Have you seen God?”

“……?!”

“I know. I know where the gypsies who swallowed the secret are.”