Chapter 504

Raw, unfiltered questions failed to draw out any answers. If Ian and the Ministry of Magic hadn’t returned, Bariel’s only option would have been clear.

“A war waged by force.”

They could all imagine the enormous drain on resources and the countless lives that would be lost in such a conflict, but to the bureaucrats, that wasn’t much of a concern. The glory that victory would bring far outweighed the cost.

Jin glanced around the silent meeting room before speaking.

“It seems we’ve reached some consensus on reinstating the Minister of Magic. Does anyone else wish to speak?”

His gentle smile invited comments, but no one dared to step forward. Hadn’t the Ministry of Culture set an example? Anyone who made a misstep here risked losing everything.

Someone tried to lighten the mood with a hearty laugh.

“Anyone else? Ha ha! From what I see, there’s no doubt that Sir Ian Hiel is the rightful Minister.”

“Yes, it may have been only ten days for Sir Ian, but for us, it’s been ten years. Though seeing him in person now feels so vivid.”

“Ha ha! Indeed. Congratulations to Sir Ian for returning alive from the abyss. Truly, a great feat.”

“If it weren’t for Sir Ian, who knows what disaster might have befallen the palace back then! Recognition is well deserved.”

“Exactly. Verification is necessary, but praise is also due. Shall we wrap this up here?”

Though a few had shifted their stance, most were simply exchanging warm words welcoming the Ministry’s unity and Ian’s return.

If the Ministry of Magic grew stronger, they would hold overwhelming advantage not only in war but in any diplomatic matter. A blessing for Bariel.

“Any objections?”

When Jin asked one last time, a hand timidly rose. The crown prince nodded, and all eyes turned to the newcomer.

The woman looked freshly appointed—somewhat plain, visibly nervous. Suddenly, someone stood up and called out her name.

“Rashida!”

“T-Technical Development Department’s R-R-Rashida!”

The man who stood was Rashida’s superior, the Minister of Technical Development. He tried to stop her, but Jin motioned him down. Rashida’s whole body trembled as if vibrating, yet she had the courage to speak.

“Ah, I have a question about the earlier answer regarding Idgal. May I ask an additional question?”

“Please, go ahead.”

Ian nodded calmly and picked up his pen again.

“You mentioned that you once manufactured Idgal with Rutherford. Is that still possible? And does Rutherford still possess the manufacturing knowledge? Thank you!”

Even after finishing, Rashida’s teeth chattered, while the Technical Development Minister pinched his forehead and added an explanation.

“Since Sir Ian disappeared, no new Idgal has circulated in Bariel or neighboring countries. We believe Rutherford holds the key to its manufacture, so with his return, we have questions. More importantly, as you said, Idgal is a crucial device for controlling the rift. It’s a double-edged sword, but better to have more than the enemy. Sir Ian, can you make Idgal?”

Rashida nodded enthusiastically, as if this was the question she’d been dying to ask.

Ian set down his pen, smiling faintly in surprise. He had hoped to avoid mentioning this in an official setting, but he’d been caught.

“I have no memory of the manufacturing process. I cannot confirm whether Rutherford still retains the knowledge. However, I do know how to recover those memories, so please wait.”

“How do you intend to recover those memories?”

“That is information I cannot disclose at this time.”

“…Understood.”

Though doubts remained, it was unavoidable. Judging by the crown prince’s reaction, he had likely already been briefed. The Technical Development Minister raised his hands lightly to signal the end of questions.

“Any further inquiries?”

Ian scanned the officials, and only a few awkward coughs answered. He looked at Jin, who nodded and signaled to conclude the discussion.

“As of this moment, Ian Hiel is officially reinstated as Minister of Magic.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. We will carry out your will.”

The wizards all simultaneously grasped the hands of those beside them, sharing glances. How long had they waited for this moment? Without words, their eyes comforted one another, brimming with emotion. Their joined hands tightened, refusing to let go.

“That’s settled. You’ve all worked hard.”

“Thank you for your efforts.”

“Ian, welcome back. We truly waited for you.”

Hearing the greetings from behind, Ian smiled softly and turned his head—a light reprimand that the meeting wasn’t over yet. The wizards nodded vigorously and refocused.

Jin watched them quietly before speaking slowly.

“There is one small matter.”

“Your Majesty, what kind of matter?”

“I received a vision that I cannot decipher. I would like everyone to put their heads together and interpret it.”

Jin gestured, and documents were distributed by department.

—The sunset is deep, with black spears rising here and there. On the side where the sun sets, there is a low hill with blood-stained flowers. People in black armor are burying corpses.

“What on earth does this mean?”

“Hmm. Black spears—are they windows or weapons?”

“Since black armor is mentioned, it’s probably weapons. Could it refer to the black armor mixed with mana stones we saw before?”

“It might simply mean the color black. It reminds me of Burgos. The royalist faction’s weapons and armor are black, as I understand.”

“The sunset is in the west, right? Given the blood-stained flowers, it likely refers to Burgos, which is in civil war.”

Though most favored the Burgos interpretation, opposing views surfaced.

“Sunset and hills are typical features of the southeast region. Could it be the border between Clipford and Luswena?”

“Clipford is famous for sunsets, and Luswena for hills. I’ll cast my vote there.”

“The black armor came from the Haiman family, linked to Luswena. Also, Burgos is barren—hardly a place for blooming fields.”

“Luswena recently suffered greatly from a royal power struggle. The ‘blood-stained’ part might refer to that.”

Many voices spoke up, and Jin raised his hand to signal enough.

“Each department should compile their best guesses and submit them.”

“Your Majesty, what is this vision about?”

“You’ll know when you find the answer.”

“…I will do my best.”

This, too, was a secret.

The officials, still puzzled, carefully stored the documents. Next on the agenda was the matter of Rutherford, who had returned with Ian to Gaia.

“Rutherford is believed to be in Burgos. We don’t know if he’s regrouping forces. There’s no unusual activity yet, but it won’t last. After my coming-of-age ceremony, I intend to make ending the Burgos civil war my first great achievement. Quite fitting, isn’t it?”

Jin Verosion’s historical record would begin with Burgos. The royalists had already sided with Bariel, so the faction was like a sandcastle waiting to be knocked down.

The key was justification. They had planned to use various reasons, but Rutherford’s return might make things easier.

“Anyway, I’m thinking of sending an official delegation from Bariel to Burgos. What are your thoughts?”

“That seems right. Rutherford was anti-royalist, so this is a good chance to increase support for the royalists and expand our influence.”

“I agree. Supporting the royalists to end the civil war quickly is best.”

“But, Your Majesty, the royalists might feel differently. Though pro-Bariel, they are still Burgos natives fighting for their land. If they sense Bariel’s interference, they might unite against us.”

“That’s why we send a delegation.”

“The delegation will gauge their intentions, and naturally reveal ours. It’s better to nip any unification in the bud. We should push forward.”

“The justification is weak for that.”

Bariel’s justifications were few: refugees, recovering lost treasures, unpaid reparations after the Clipford-Burgos war. Mostly diplomatic issues, not outright war.

One official laughed and waved a hand dismissively.

“All wars are justified by words. No need to fuss. Ha ha.”

“Everyone knows Burgos and Luswena are tense since Your Majesty’s coming-of-age. Internal movements are underway.”

“Royalists and anti-royalists uniting? Evidence?”

“No evidence yet, which is why we send the delegation to find out. Ah, such impatience.”

“Impatience? What did you say?”

Bang!

This is a complete mess. How can the factions keep shifting with every single topic? Just moments ago, those who had united around Ian were now pointing fingers and raising their voices at each other.

“Enough,” Jin said, frowning.

The officials, their tempers flaring, bit back their words and held themselves in check.

The meeting hall, now heated in a different way than before, seemed on the verge of chaos. Just as Jin decided it would be best to take a break and stood up—

“Your Majesty.”

It was Ian. He raised his small, pale hand gently, signaling he wished to speak. The officials, who had been exchanging opinions here and there, fell silent and turned their attention to him.

“Personally, I believe it would be more efficient to root out the anti-royalist faction rather than digging into the royalists.”

“Sir Ian,” one official countered, “you’ve only recently come up from the Abyss and might not fully grasp the situation. The royalists are the ones loyal to Bariel. Isn’t it standard procedure to open the path through them if you want to infiltrate Vergos without raising suspicion?”

Ian twirled his pen thoughtfully.

“Have you ever seen a war go according to the standard playbook?”

“What did you say? Ha! Listen here, I’ve witnessed twice as many wars as you have.”

“And which department are you from, exactly?”

“Oh? Is that so?” Ian asked, raising an eyebrow. The official laughed awkwardly and glanced around. Between the seasoned veteran and the fresh-faced youth, who do you think has seen more battles?

Without waiting for an answer, Ian continued.

“First, by targeting the anti-royalist faction, we can more efficiently secure Rutherford. If luck is on our side, we might even uncover decisive clues. Second, it completely cuts off suspicion from the royalists. As someone mentioned earlier, they are Vergos natives before they are Bariel loyalists. Let me be clear: are we certain the royalists are truly loyal to Bariel?”

“Yes. It’s unofficial, but everyone knows it.”

“Then it’s only right to use that to our advantage. When this civil war and the larger conflict end, the royalists will play a crucial role in preventing hatred from flaring when Vergos citizens encounter Bariel soldiers. It’s more important to gain support than suspicion.”

“I understand. But what we’re arguing for now is the beginning—the start of the war. The anti-royalist faction has no ties to Bariel and no justification. The only way forward is through the royalists.”

“There is a justification,” Ian said, frowning but smiling wryly. “A justification for going straight into the anti-royalist faction.”