Chapter 531
Bang!
“Hashaaah!”
At Beric’s shout, the Astanians all turned their heads simultaneously. Who on earth dared to call out their king’s name so disrespectfully? If he were a scion of the Bariel royal family, it might be understandable—but otherwise, it was unforgivable.
As the attendants and guards bristled, ready to step forward, Hasha raised a hand lightly to stop them.
“That’s enough. He’s an old friend of mine.”
“But, Your Highness—”
“Beric.”
“Hashaaah!”
Beric stood there blankly, even locking eyes with Hasha, yet all he did was shout Hasha’s name at the top of his lungs. Clearly, he didn’t recognize him with this new appearance. Hasha rose slowly and approached, prompting Beric to narrow his eyes and scan him up and down.
“…What the hell?”
“It’s me, Beric. Still as loud as ever.”
“Hasha? You?”
“How rude! You’re speaking of the King of Astana whom we serve! Who exactly are you, and which part of the palace do you belong to? I demand a formal protest!”
The people beside Beric chimed in collectively, and his face twisted in a strange way.
“No, isn’t it a bit much to look so old after ten years? You saw Ian hasn’t changed, right? I should take after him.”
“I figured you’d say that. This is a new body I’ve acquired.”
“Even if you got a new one, it’s still like this? Where did you—”
“From my uncle.”
“…Well, you got it from a good place. For an old man, you’ve taken good care of yourself. Yeah.”
Beric faltered at the mention of “uncle” but quickly changed the subject. Hasha burst out laughing and gestured toward the sofa opposite him, inviting him to sit. The attendants were reluctant but politely stepped back to make room.
“By the way, what’s that? Doesn’t look like a gift.”
“That’s what I want to ask. This was under the Magic Department’s care. It was lying on the floor here.”
Beric dangled a doll by its fingertips, and the attendant who had greeted the mage earlier jumped in surprise, explaining that it had been carefully placed on the table—how it ended up on the floor was a mystery.
“Your Highness, this doll was sent by the Magic Department to investigate whether it’s cursed.”
“Oh, that. Katimako!”
At Hasha’s call, a toddler tottered out slowly—a boy about five or six years old. Beric looked at Hasha in disbelief at the sudden appearance of a child.
“You’re telling me this little kid is the one requesting an investigation?”
“How rude. Does your superior know about your behavior?”
“Huh? Did you just say that?”
“Yes. I did.”
The voice coming from the tiny mouth was not that of a child. It was rough and gruff, like a man who had tasted every bitter and sweet hardship and survived.
Hasha chuckled and lifted his teacup. He didn’t drink, only savoring the aroma before setting it down again.
“Katimako is a prodigy in the art of puppetry. Beric, you can trust him. And here, you’re the youngest one.”
“Seriously, this country never goes by appearances.”
“Because appearances are just what you see on the surface.”
“Bet you’ll end up in a young body again later.”
“Who knows? To minimize the side effects of spirit control magic, it’s best to use a relative’s body. But whether a relative will die at the right time for the corpse to be used, I can’t guarantee.”
“…Then what happens?”
Beric popped a cookie from the table into his mouth and asked, while Hasha smiled deeply, his wrinkles gathering like the bark of an ancient tree.
“I suppose death will be granted to me as well.”
Having already lost his original body, he existed on the boundary between life and death. Hasha spoke of it as if it were a blessing, and Beric silently wiped crumbs from his mouth.
A moment later, Katimako took the doll and without hesitation drew a small knife to slit its belly open.
Shhhhk!
“Sounds like the Magic Department’s going to flip out. They’re so afraid of damage they can’t do anything.”
Beric muttered with satisfaction, but Katimako replied sternly.
“That’s why they couldn’t find anything. Sacrifice is the price of everything.”
“…Judging by the way you talk, you’re definitely an old man. Looks like I really am the youngest here.”
The child fingered a cotton ball, then frowned as if he’d found something. In his hand was a dried twig-like object.
“What’s that?”
“A dried fairy.”
“Huh?”
A fairy? This? Beric rubbed his eyes and examined it closely; it seemed to have human features.
“This is quite important. I think it’s best to explain it directly to the Minister of Magic, Your Highness.”
“Hmm. Right. Our audience is coming up soon. I’ll deliver it myself and arrange a meeting. The sun will set soon.”
Hasha didn’t mention that Beric’s behavior made it unlikely he’d relay the message properly, but he nodded knowingly.
Regardless, Beric kept rummaging through the cotton ball, sniffing for anything else.
The grand banquet hall was filled with elegant melodies.
Nobles, dressed to the nines, had arrived early, holding glasses of champagne. Though it seemed like a leisurely feast, everyone was busy gauging the political climate.
They took note of the delegations from various countries, exchanged whispered gossip, and eavesdropped on rumors drifting through the air.
“Oh my, hello. What a lovely day it is.”
“Lady Chloe Davion, it’s been a while. How have you been? You’ve grown even more beautiful since we last met.”
“Thank you, Count.”
“Oh, here come the foreign envoys. Clifford, is it? They all look quite pleasant, just as I heard.”
“Indeed. I had imagined something else, given the beast curse, but they’re quite different.”
Every time King Clifford laughed heartily, his round cheeks puffed up like a friendly baker rather than a monarch. His children following behind him looked far more dignified.
“Is the support for the Clifford crown still strong back home? Even with the royal family afflicted by the beast curse?”
“The history is deep, and the king has always had a good relationship with his people. There was some initial chaos, but it’s settled. Without them, the country would surely fracture.”
“I see. Well, the capital is practically in ruins, so tightening their leash is just inviting more chaos. By the way, I heard that Luswena won’t be attending today. Is that true?”
“Ridiculous, and frankly embarrassing. How little they must think of the Bariel Empire.”
“Exactly. When the Crown Prince ascends, he’ll have to govern well. So Luswena doesn’t get any ideas.”
“I’m sure he will. Ian Hielo is by his side, after all.”
Chloe kept one ear open, sipping her champagne cautiously, her gaze drifting around rather than meeting anyone directly. The nobles quickly caught on to the meaning behind her glances.
“Duke Holin is here as well.”
The nobles who had gathered near Chloe glanced briefly at the scar on her lip before pretending not to notice and mentioning Holin. The rumor that the heirs of two prestigious families had come to blows had already spread widely in social circles.
“Oh, if I caused any discomfort, I apologize, Lady Chloe.”
“No, of course Duke Holin should be here. This is an important occasion. I don’t know what discomfort you mean.”
If anyone wanted to say it outright, they were welcome to try. Chloe smiled slyly and made room, while the nobles responded with exaggerated smiles and fanned themselves. If asked, they could certainly do it.
“Yes, indeed. Nothing to be uncomfortable about. Then, Lady Kyla, may I invite you to have some champagne here?”
Look at that. Chloe’s smile stiffened, still tinged with amusement. Another noble, sensing the tension, quickly stepped in to mediate.
“Lady Kyla won’t be attending the banquet.”
“Oh? Why not?”
“There’s a rumor she’s already gone to Burgos.”
“Already? Why?”
“Well, didn’t His Highness say what kind of woman he wants as Empress?”
“Ah, my goodness. Truly remarkable, in many ways.”
By now, the outline was almost clear. The shocking rumor that the Holin family had Burgos bloodlines had originated from none other than Lady Chloe Davion herself.
And since there was no opposition or prevention, and they were openly participating, it was easy to guess the Crown Prince’s intentions. Chloe maintained her smile and said simply,
“I’m going too. It’s war.”
“What? You, my lady?”
“Of course. As a member of the Empire, it’s an honor. I must do my part to help.”
Among the nobles, confusion, disbelief, and even disgust mingled on their faces.
King Clifford took his seat and observed the scene, immediately sensing the tense atmosphere in the hall.
“Did something happen?”
“I hear there’s a lot going on among the nobles these days.”
“Oh? What kind of things?”
“Look, Astana and Havan are arriving, Father.”
Noah whispered that there was no time to explain, and the king rose reflexively to greet them. After the formal salutations, the three leaders faced each other.
Three pairs of glances, each heavy with meaning. Among them, the look in Representative Hawan’s eyes was especially intriguing. From Shatima’s perspective—that is, from Hawan’s point of view—he had just witnessed with his own eyes that Clifford and Astana were siding with Bariel in the impending war.
In other words, everyone in Gaia except for those three nations was now turning their blades against Bariel.
“So, the Prime Minister of Hawan has come.”
“Yes, Your Majesty. His Highness is unable to travel far at this time.”
“Ah, I hope there are no troubles. Please convey my wishes. Now that I think about it, Hawan isn’t that far away, yet we’ve had almost no contact.”
“Yes. The geographical distance has been a major barrier. We can only blame Luswena, the Great Desert, and the eastern mountain ranges of Bariel.”
King Clifford’s polite small talk was met with a respectful nod from Shatima.
“In fact, it’s not just Clifford—we’ve had little interaction with Bariel as well. Merelrof, a small border territory, was all Bariel meant to us. So, it is truly an honor to be invited to the imperial palace for the first time.”
What reason would foreign leaders have to gather in the imperial palace? Usually only for events like today’s—an enthronement ceremony held once every generation—or perhaps to sign a treaty after a defeat.
King Clifford smiled subtly and waved his hand dismissively. Shatima glanced around and asked,
“Yet, the atmosphere of the banquet hall is surprisingly subdued and orderly.”
Is it always like this?
This was no ordinary gathering, but the enthronement banquet of Bariel—the great empire at the heart of Gaia. Compared to its reputation, everything felt rather conventional, almost underwhelming.
The grand hall, the orchestra, the nobles, the wine. The mages’ portals made travel convenient, but was that all there was?
King Clifford and Hasha exchanged knowing looks and simply smiled.
“This is just the beginning. Enjoy it.”
At Clifford’s gesture, the music swelled. It was the signal that Crown Prince Jin was about to enter.
Shatima took a seat, sipped his wine, and scanned the hall with a detached gaze. Mages were stationed here and there, but nothing about them left a strong impression.
Whoosh—
Creak—
“His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince!”
The grand doors swung wide open, revealing Jin Verosion clad in his ceremonial robes. With each step he took, the surroundings brightened in time with his pace. Shatima’s eyes widened involuntarily—one by one, the hall’s lights were going out.
“Oh my, what is that?”
“Outside…”
He thought it was just light spilling in from outside. Though it was deep night, the pale blue-white glow carried the unmistakable chill of dawn. As if compressing every moment of the coming daybreak, the sky’s color shifted rapidly.
Zzzzz! Zing!
Whoooosh—
And everywhere, mages with golden eyes appeared.
Some nobles, confused, leaned toward the windows—and then realized. This was no mere illusion cast on the glass. The world itself, the sky, was changing.
“This is…”
The White Night.
Light had come to the entire world—and stayed. Though the clock’s hands pointed to night, there was no darkness in Bariel, where Jin was being crowned. This was the power Bariel would wield throughout the festival.
Jin crossed the banquet hall, where only a gentle melody played, and ascended the dais. He raised his glass.
“This is Bariel’s time—the dawn of a new era. Look upon the unsetting sun—where is the darkness here?”
At Jin’s toast, the conductor stretched out his hand and swept it through the air. A powerful, heart-stirring melody burst forth. The brilliant beginning of a glorious history.