Episode 507
Hollin and Davion.
If you asked anyone which noble families currently represent Bariel, two names would come up without hesitation.
Hollin, who owns all the prime land near the palace and has built immense wealth, and Davion, who has secured key positions within the palace itself. It was hard to say which was superior, and opinions varied, but the sharpest rivalry was between the young ladies of marriageable age from each family.
“Chloe, are you alright?”
“Yes, Father.”
“You look tired.”
“Do I? I shouldn’t be.”
Count Regleid Davion sighed softly as he looked at his daughter sitting upright in the carriage. She was on her way out of the palace after the coming-of-age ceremony, having barely exchanged a word with the Crown Prince who had just won. The heavy dress and elaborate headpiece could have worn her out, but Chloe calmly adjusted her reflection in the mirror.
“Did you see the young lady from Hollin earlier?”
“Yes.”
He was just realizing that the other daughter was no less formidable than his own. With a steely gaze and not even a flick of a finger, she left him speechless.
“We are admittedly a bit lacking,” Chloe said.
“Chloe.”
“You know well, Father. Hollin is a ducal family, but we are only counts. Just one rank apart, yet we haven’t been able to surpass them for decades. And soon, there will be war with Burgos. Hollin supplies weapons to Burgos, so naturally, they will draw more of His Majesty’s attention. It’s only to be expected.”
Chloe brushed back her long red hair and looked out the window. Dawn was breaking, and those who rose early were bustling about. Her sharp yellow eyes took it all in without missing a thing.
“If only God would help and shoot an arrow the moment His Majesty and I lock eyes. But otherwise, there’s no chance of winning head-on.”
“Chloe, don’t worry. I’ll tell your brothers to arrange a private meeting with His Majesty—before the Hollin family.”
Her father’s gentle reassurance brought a small smile to Chloe’s lips.
“Thank you, Father. But what’s more important is that His Majesty sees me as someone valuable. That meeting with me will benefit Bariel more than any other.”
“Hmm. I’ll see what I can do. The judiciary and administration will naturally recommend us. The other departments are still in talks.”
“The Ministry of Magic.”
“The Ministry of Magic?”
“Yes. Minister Ian Hielo has returned, hasn’t he? I hear His Majesty trusts him deeply.”
“That’s right. Their bond is special. Even without the minister, he oversaw the construction of the annex. I can’t explain fully, but incredible things happened in the palace before.”
“Even the once-in-a-lifetime coming-of-age ceremony was neglected, so I understand the significance. So, why not push the Ministry of Magic more than the others?”
“Hmm?”
“If Ian Hielo recommends me as a candidate for Empress, I think His Majesty will take it seriously.”
Regleid nodded at Chloe’s words.
She wasn’t wrong. Word was that the minister had made a huge impression at the midnight conference, organizing the situation clearly and leading with an information network that made the previous gap seem unbelievable.
His Majesty’s unwavering trust made it clear the palace would revolve around the Ministry of Magic going forward.
“Alright. I’ll look into it.”
“The annex construction.”
Chloe tilted her head toward her father.
“How about we take charge of that? It’s something His Majesty has been concerned about, isn’t it? He seemed uncomfortable whenever it came up in meetings.”
“That’s true, but we’ve been supporting His Majesty’s opinion all along. I’m not sure if it would make a difference.”
“Isn’t it the duty of loyal subjects to persuade the opposition and seek cooperation on His Majesty’s behalf? Father, let us handle the annex construction. Honestly, if not us, then who? Don’t you agree?”
Regleid understood her intent. The slow progress so far was thanks to Davion officials supporting Jin. So if the Ministry of Magic doesn’t back Davion, they wouldn’t feel obliged to accommodate the ministry either. Even if Jin is displeased, without the Empress title, it’s not something to worry about.
“Alright. I’ll look into it.”
“Yes, Father. Also, I noticed the Hollin duke’s daughter’s headpiece earlier—it was quite unique. I wonder if it’s from Burgos. Please check if it was officially imported. If so, I’d like to get one too.”
The count replied with a kiss on the back of her hand. Only then did Chloe relax, letting out a small yawn as she leaned back.
A glint. Ian opened his eyes to sunlight streaming through the window.
The first thing he saw was the clear blue sky. Then the gently swaying curtains. And on the sofa beside him, Hale was asleep with legs crossed.
Ian looked up at the ceiling again and wiggled his fingers. It had been a long time since he’d had such a deep sleep. His whole body felt so refreshed it was almost melting.
He savored the soft texture of the blanket at his fingertips and closed his eyes again. Ah, I want to sleep more.
Bang!
“Beric, stop causing trouble!”
“Don’t tell me what to do.”
“Seriously, I’m the idiot here. Drop that and get out!”
But then the commotion outside. Ian almost opened his eyes but stayed still, thinking he might fall back asleep.
Creak.
“Ugh, how do I get this approved?”
“Take it to Lord Romandro.”
“It came from there.”
“What? Why would it come from there?”
Hearing this, Ian sighed and got up. He covered the completely passed-out Hale with a blanket and opened the door to his office, which was a mess. Everyone buried in piles of papers looked up at him with startled eyes.
“Ian! Did you sleep well?”
“You’re awake?”
“…How long did you sleep?”
His voice was hoarse. Ian guessed maybe a day at most, but the answer shocked him.
“A week.”
“…What?”
“Exactly a week and nine hours.”
“That’s troublesome.”
“It’s fine. At that age, you grow while you sleep.”
“Hale’s still lying inside.”
“Yesterday or the day before? He wouldn’t get up, so they tried to boost his magic a bit, and he passed out. Tsk tsk. Ian, there are logs and reports on your desk. You can catch up on work by reading those. I’m heading to the administration now. Oh!”
Acorella hurried to leave but turned back.
“Prince Cliffford, Prince Noah—they stayed until you woke up. You should call them later. The mages stationed in Cliffford still haven’t arrived. We checked the regular letters; they’re not detained. Trouble keeps happening—coincidence or fate, who knows. Anyway, I’m off!”
“Me too! Guys, Ian’s awake!”
“Oh, really? Ian, did you sleep well?”
“Yes, thanks to you.”
Mages passing by the door peeked in and greeted him, and Ian smiled lightly as he flipped through the papers. A whole week asleep—he could hardly believe it. So many things must have happened in the palace during that time.
As Ian threw on a coat, Beric raised an eyebrow.
“Huh?”
“What?”
“Your sleeves got shorter. The hem too. Did you grow while you were sleeping?”
“Really? I don’t know,” Ian shrugged and checked the logs. Fortunately, nothing major had happened since the coming-of-age ceremony. Most of the work focused on preparing for war with Burgos.
Those were the main points. The rest were minor details helpful for handling affairs.
Ian had two meeting requests: one from Cliffford, as Acorella mentioned, and the other from Count Davion.
“…Count Davion?”
Ian’s eyes sharpened as he recalled the name. Whether it was a ploy or a genuine matter, he wanted to understand their intentions. He tapped the name lightly with his finger and closed the documents.
“Beric, tell Lord Romandro to come in.”
“You really start working as soon as you wake up? How’s your strength? Let me see.”
Beric hovered annoyingly, but Ian ignored him and picked up his pen.
“Very good.”
“That’s it? Tell me more. Acorella’s a quack. She probably just put you to sleep.”
“Want me to be honest? I feel so good.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
Ian ran a hand through his hair and then teased.
“It’s good enough that I could go into Burgos alone and cut off Rutherford’s head.”
“…That’s a brutal way to put it. Enough. Lord Romandro! Romandro, get in here!”
Bang!
The door flew open as Romandro rushed in, sweating heavily. He must have been running even before Beric called.
“Hey! Ian’s awake?”
“How did you know?”
“I overheard the wizards talking as they came and went. How are you feeling? Are you alright?”
“Yes, I’m fine. Actually, there’s something I wanted to mention. The Dera tribe is expected to arrive at the capital soon.”
“Ah, they’re probably aiming for either today or tomorrow.”
“I’d like you to bring some of my belongings from Lord Romandro’s estate. They’re things I brought from Hielo—do you remember the Dripper? It’s a small mechanical device made of metal.”
“Dripper? Ohhh! Yeah, I know it. That scrap heap that no one has the slightest idea what it’s for.”
At Romandro’s remark, Beric clicked his tongue and flicked his fingers dismissively. Suddenly wearing a smug expression, Beric didn’t notice Romandro’s eyes narrowing as he cleared his throat and put on an air of superiority.
“Hmm. Romandro, you might want to watch what you say around the mole, or you’ll end up with a hammer to the head.”
“What are you talking about? Anyway, fine. I’ll send someone to fetch it.”
“Oh, and one more thing.”
Ian carefully sorted through some documents and pulled out a few.
“Duke Davion has requested a meeting. Have you heard anything about it?”
“No, he just said he wanted to congratulate the Minister of Magic on his return. You can decline if you want. Since when have we been close? I’m already swamped.”
It seemed related to the Empress’s endorsement, but Ian wasn’t certain. He nodded and moved the Davion matter to the bottom of the pile.
“I see. When the Dera tribe enters the palace, there will be discussions about weapons production. Currently, that business is controlled by Duke Hollin, right? It would be better to meet with Hollin before Davion. Please contact him and arrange a meeting.”
“Hmm. Understood. But even the Crown Prince has tried to push him before, and he won’t budge. It won’t be easy.”
“How would the nobles who refuse to cooperate with the kingdom before a war be seen? I’ll meet with him. If it doesn’t work out, then there’s nothing more to be done.”
Tap, tap.
Perhaps from a good night’s sleep, Ian’s complexion seemed brighter, his smile radiant.
Beric scratched his head and asked, “If there’s nothing you can do, then what happens?”
“Beric, have you forgotten what happened to the nobles who opposed the royal family in the past?”
“…Their heads rolled?”
“More or less, yes.”
With a graceful gesture, Ian unfolded a letter—one he intended to send to Duke Hollin.