Episode 574

“How remarkably composed. Not a single tear.”

Everyone attending the funeral echoed the same praise for Ian. Yet the child simply hadn’t grasped the concept of death.

Quietly standing with his nanny’s hand firmly in his own, Ian’s eyes met those of a man mingling among the guests. The man’s gaze was relentless. Even as everyone bowed their heads in prayer, he whispered to someone beside him while staring at the boy.

“But the child is so young. What will become of him?”

“How old did you say he was? Five? Six?”

“There’s a nanny, but entrusting him to a commoner is out of the question. There must be a relative responsible for him.”

“Though he’s a collateral member of the royal family, I doubt the palace will take him in under current circumstances.”

“He must have a considerable inheritance, right?”

“Now, now, let’s keep such talk to ourselves. This isn’t the time. The coffin hasn’t even been covered with earth yet.”

“What’s the harm? It’s a matter that needs discussing anyway.”

“I heard the will states whoever takes Ian will also manage the estate. It’s quite large, isn’t it? I believe the quarterly taxes alone amount to a hundred gold coins. Strictly estate-related, of course.”

The nanny gently pulled Ian closer into her arms. She couldn’t outright block out the crude conversation, but this was her way of shielding him from it.

Ian instinctively glanced up at his mother’s portrait. Looking at it made him feel as if he were still in her embrace.

“…Nanny.”

“Yes, young master.”

“Will I never be able to hold Mother again?”

Ian was sharp. Though he didn’t fully understand death, he sensed its weight.

The nanny was at a loss for words. The marriage, bound by contract and devoid of love, was dry, tragic, and meaningless. They had thought it a rational arrangement for mutual benefit, but from her perspective, it was a complete failure.

A failure that not only rendered life meaningless but also inflicted terrible harm on Ian.

“Everyone, please be quiet.”

At that moment, the man who had been locking eyes with Ian spoke softly but with authority. His voice instantly commanded the room’s attention. Whether it was the strength in his tone or the power behind it, Ian couldn’t tell.

What Ian remembered most clearly was just one thing—

“Ian will be taken into our care.”

The moment his new home was decided.

That man was Crony.

Swish!

“Again.”

It had been a week since Ian arrived at Crony’s mansion.

His heart pounded wildly as he froze in place. The piano teacher cracked a whip behind him. Already nervous in this unfamiliar place, the teacher’s harsh tone and threatening gestures only heightened Ian’s anxiety.

The teacher placed his hands on his hips and roughly flipped through Ian’s sheet music.

“Start over from the beginning. Don’t you know where you went wrong?”

“…Yes, sir. I don’t know.”

“Real learning is realizing your mistakes. Look carefully. Keep your posture straight. You must play with feeling, but your focus is scattered, so it’s impossible to play correctly. Young Master Ian, I’ve taught the children of many noble families over decades, but I’ve never seen such a bewildering case.”

Ian said nothing, only fidgeting with his fingers. Where had he gone wrong? He truly didn’t know. Trembling, he placed his hands back on the keys and began to play unconsciously.

The teacher’s sharp gaze never wavered. Then, with a crack, the whip struck the piano’s edge.

Swish!

“Again!”

Swish!

“Again!”

The whip came closer and closer, and Ian was completely terrified. Just as he was about to beg for the lesson to stop, a sound came from outside.

Knock, knock.

“Pardon the interruption during your lesson.”

“No, it’s fine, Lord Crony.”

“My father has briefly awakened. I need to take Young Master Ian to see him. Is that alright?”

“Of course. We’ll end the lesson here for today.”

Crony gestured for Ian to come, and the boy quickly jumped down from the piano bench and ran to him.

“How was your lesson?”

“…I don’t know.”

“Don’t know? What do you mean?”

Ian only shook his head in response.

“And the nanny? What happened to her?”

“Since she has family elsewhere, she couldn’t come here. It’s unfortunate.”

Something churned deep in Ian’s chest again. They had promised she would come with him even if he moved, but was that a lie? Was there no one left to hold him now?

Crony looked down at the boy and continued.

“My father is the official guardian, but he’s very ill and won’t be able to see you often. It will be my responsibility to help you adjust and grow well here. If you ever feel uncomfortable or want to talk, please don’t hesitate to come to me.”

“Yes, understood.”

“This afternoon, you have math and writing lessons. Are the lessons too much? It seemed you managed fine at your previous home.”

“…No, it’s fine.”

“That’s good to hear. I have high expectations.”

Crony smiled warmly and patted Ian’s head.

At that moment, Ian thought maybe this warmth could replace the comfort of his nanny’s arms.

“Oh, Ian, after your lessons today, come to my study for a moment.”

When Ian looked at him questioningly, Crony waved it off casually.

“There’s something regarding estate management I need to delegate to you. You’ll just need to sign where I indicate. Oh, you haven’t signed anything yet?”

“No, I haven’t.”

“Then it’s about time. I have a few proposals, and you can choose one.”

Ian wanted to ask if something had happened to the estate, but they had reached the end of the hallway, and he held his tongue.

Crony smiled and gently nudged Ian forward.

Sliding a document under the candlelight, Ian muttered the words aloud: “Estate division, sale, delegation agreement…”

He vaguely understood the meaning but not fully.

Ian glanced up and met the eyes of five or six adults watching him from the sofa—Crony and several strangers: lawyers, representatives of local lords, estate managers, government officials. They had introduced themselves, but Ian didn’t know why they had gathered.

“Is there a problem, Young Master Ian?”

“Well, it’s just—”

“Surely you understand what this means?”

A lawyer sitting beside him interrupted arrogantly, crossing his legs. Ian’s cheeks flushed red. Crony noticed and gave the lawyer a warning gesture.

“That’s disrespectful to Young Master Ian, Hiron.”

“Ah, my apologies.”

“Young Master, this contract is to manage the estate more efficiently. It’s understandable if you’re too young to grasp it now. You’ll learn in time. The real issue is that everyone here has taken time out of their busy schedules to gather, all to get your signature.”

Ian swallowed hard and hesitated. The adults fell silent, watching him closely, some sighing or clicking their tongues.

“…I understand. It’s for the estate.”

“Of course.”

“Where do I sign?”

“Here, and here again.”

Crony stood and kindly pointed to the blank spaces.

Ian looked up at Crony with uncertain eyes. “Is this really okay?”

Crony smiled and ruffled Ian’s hair.

“Don’t worry. It’s all for your sake.”

Ian believed him. He had no choice. His entire world now depended on Crony.

In the end, Ian signed—and received a rather sweet reward.

“Well done. You seem worried, so tomorrow, shall we tour the estate together? We’ll skip piano lessons.”

Ian didn’t realize the joy that briefly lit his face. Only Crony noticed the change.

---

“…I only realized it later.”

Ian frowned slightly, as if dredging up a dusty memory. Those listening wore even graver expressions, but he was too busy moistening his dry lips with wine to notice.

“The nanny wanted to come with me to Crony’s mansion, but he turned her away.”

“Why?”

“The excuse sounded reasonable. That if she stayed, I wouldn’t adjust well and would cling to her. Also, he had his own philosophy and insisted on using his own nanny. It all sounded plausible.”

“But you were too young, weren’t you?”

Ian smiled faintly at Jin’s words.

“Yes. I was too young to understand. Back then, I was so desperate to look only at Crony that I couldn’t see myself.”

“So you kept telling on him.”

As Tweller’s glass emptied, his direct officer stood to bring another bottle. It was already the second. Ian muttered, recalling the piano teacher’s stern face.

“The teacher’s harshness was also on Crony’s orders. I only learned that later. After my coronation, when the palace orchestra was reorganized, I met the teacher again.”

To confess that it was Crony’s directive, that the young sovereign’s performance was flawless, what did Ian feel? Anger? Shock?

No. It was sadness. The pitiful, lonely child he had been was so heartbreaking that Ian turned away without a word.

“Anyway, that’s how it was. Crony was quite kind to me. He provided a thorough education and made sure I could live at the same standard as in the previous mansion. On the surface, he fulfilled his role as a guardian faithfully…”

But beneath that facade, there was a shackle binding Ian so tightly he couldn’t break free. Too many things had happened—things I can’t even bring myself to mention here.

“His legal guardian was his father?”

“Yes. But it was a mere formality. Just a safety net to avoid responsibility if something happened to me. That’s how most of the Crony family’s business was handled.”

“Ian, what happened to the estate then?”

Beric, half-lying back with his chin in his hand, asked. While everyone else was nursing one drink, he’d already downed three or four—he must be feeling the alcohol.

Ian raised his glass as if he’d expected the question.

“When I finally got access to the financial records, the estate had been slashed to exactly one-tenth of its original value. The mansion had long been sold off, and the rest of the assets had vanished. All of it was the result of Crony managing the funds under the pretense of child support.”

“What a damn bastard. Fucking hell.”

Beric let out a loud belch, prompting Jarrett to smack his head and scold him to mind his manners.

But Jin, the highest-ranking among them, simply stared at Ian with an unreadable expression, as if something had just come to mind.

“Hilron… you mean the Hilron I know?”

“Yes. That’s right.”

Hmm. Then, tapping his fingers repeatedly on the table, Jin seemed lost in thought.

Minister Tweller drained half his glass in one gulp and asked, “So, what happened next?”

“Those days passed without incident. Days where I stood still, unaware I was sinking deeper into the mud. But everything changed on ‘that day.’”

“That day?”

Ian took a moment to steady his breath.

The moment when his life truly began to move forward with force.

That moment was definitely…

“The first time I used magic.”