Chapter 819
“We’ve continued the investigation, but there’s no evidence of any wrongdoing.”
Jin flipped through the papers as the report was delivered.
It wasn’t just once, but twice now. There had been an accusation from Tweller that Minister Ian was the source of the strange rumors spreading in Toorun, and now, the name ‘Verosion’ had come up again—this time from the prisoner Rutherford, under the Ministry of Magic’s jurisdiction. It wasn’t a coincidence.
There was definitely something going on… but no one knew what.
“If it’s connected, I can’t fathom Ian’s intentions. If it’s not, then why do these incidents keep happening?”
Jin sighed deeply, pressing his fingers against his furrowed brow. Where should he even begin? All the magicians had left the palace, and Ian and Romandro were still in the interrogation room.
“How far has the investigation progressed?”
“We’ve secured testimonies from those who entered the Mage Tower, as well as the work logs of the magicians who handled Rutherford. But there are still many aspects we can’t verify with just this.”
“So?”
“We need external assistance to determine whether magic was used on Rutherford’s corpse.”
If it were another department, the palace could conduct an internal audit, but the Ministry of Magic was a different matter. Ordinary people could never glimpse into the world of magic.
Anyone who could sense the flow or traces of magical power was already on the path of a magic user.
“External help, huh.”
Jin tapped the table lightly with his fingertips.
It was a reasonable request. No wonder the officials were sharpening their knives and pressing harder. There was no one capable of handling the fallout if things went wrong.
The only way to check the Ministry’s power was through magical sealing stones that could neutralize their abilities. Suddenly, Jin realized just how loose the palace’s grip on the Ministry of Magic really was.
“It was all just a sandcastle built on trust.”
More precisely, a sandcastle held up by his relationship with Lord Ian. The reason it hadn’t collapsed until now was simply because their relationship remained intact. The moment even a crack appeared between them, no one knew when it would all come crashing down.
As Jin fell silent, pondering, one of the ministers spoke up.
“Your Majesty, what if we seek assistance from the Eastern magicians imprisoned in the Ministry’s underground cells?”
“Those ones? Are you serious?”
Everyone knew the Eastern magicians harbored hostility toward Ian. They had even gone so far as to attack ministers directly, trying to throw Bariel into chaos.
And now, you want to ask them for help? It would be safer to stick your head in a tiger’s mouth and pull it out again.
“We only need them to check for traces of magic on Rutherford’s body. If we administer a truth serum potion to reveal the facts, it should suffice.”
“Yes, I agree. We can’t just summon magicians from elsewhere on short notice, and there are many pending matters. It’s best to resolve this quickly. After all, this is the first time all magicians have been ordered out of the palace…”
“It was a formal procedure. Even magicians can’t expect special treatment. This is a special investigation.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
Officials hostile to the Ministry clashed fiercely with those sympathetic to it. As voices grew louder, Jin raised his hand to quiet them.
“We will hear the Eastern magicians’ testimony. But keep in mind, they are inherently untrustworthy, and there’s a chance they could circumvent the truth serum with magic.”
“With the magical sealing stones in place, Your Majesty, you needn’t worry.”
“That’s just a precaution. Do you truly understand the nature of magic? The only official case of a magician using truth serum was Lord Ian’s, ten years ago. If you know so much, then you should lead the investigation yourself.”
“…My apologies, Your Majesty.”
The minister bowed immediately at the emperor’s cold retort. Minister Raven, who had been quietly listening, raised his hand to speak.
“Your Majesty, while we are investigating the possibility of mind-control magic in Rutherford’s case, it’s quite possible the cause was non-magical, just like in Toorun.”
He was suggesting that the whole thing might have escalated simply because of rumors or false information.
Jin remained silent, indicating he was aware of that possibility as well. Then—
“Your Majesty, during the investigation of the Ministry of Magic, we discovered information about Laromedia. Could this be related?”
“Laromedia?”
Laromedia—the fairies who tended the Silask. According to Ministry records, contact with them caused hallucinations, eventually leading to mental disorders where victims believed illusions to be reality.
Jin was well aware of this. Perhaps the last place Rutherford had resisted was…
“Wasn’t it the Laromedia habitat? I recall Beric and Hale captured him there.”
“That’s correct, Your Majesty.”
“Since he was frozen afterward, it could be attributed to Laromedia’s hallucinogenic effects!”
A voice from the pro-Ministry faction brightened.
In truth, there was no clear answer to this matter. Whatever approach they took, implicating the Ministry would be difficult. It was a trap and a quagmire.
But if Rutherford was proven to have a problem, the accusations could be dismissed for now. Of course, Minister Ian would still have to explain the Toorun rumors.
“Is this certain?”
“Absolutely. The records are not only in the Ministry of Magic but also in the Imperial Defense Department. Your Majesty will remember.”
“Yes. I do.”
Raven and his faction frowned subtly. Were they fools? Did they not realize what an opportunity this was? If they kept siding with the Ministry, they’d better cut off at least one limb before returning to finish the job.
“Bring me all the materials on Laromedia, and obtain testimony from the Eastern magicians imprisoned in the Ministry’s underground cells.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The officials rose en masse and left the chamber.
At that moment, a subordinate waiting outside hurriedly signaled to Minister Raven, holding a thick bundle of papers under his arm.
“Your Majesty.”
With everyone else gone, Raven and his colleagues approached Jin, as if they had something to say.
“What is it?”
“It’s a petition from Davionka. It bears the signatures of myself and other officials.”
Jin narrowed his eyes. A petition amid the Ministry’s turmoil? From Raven’s side? He already knew what it would say.
He didn’t want to hear it, but he had no choice. A petition from his subjects was their right. Since they were speaking frankly to the emperor, he was obliged to listen.
“Show me.”
Raven bowed politely and began reading.
“Since the war’s end, Bariel should have flourished under infinite glory, yet persistent disturbances continue. This is clearly an ominous sign. We urge you to identify the source of the rumors linked to Minister Ian Hielo of the Ministry of Magic and restore order within the royal court…”
Jin listened carefully, scrutinizing the names of the signatories. This confirmed the factions within the palace had fully split.
“…It is only right to restore the Ministry’s dignity. While the Ministry was undeniably a key contributor to the war effort, that cannot serve as a free pass to undermine the palace’s authority. The balance is clearly shaken. Your Majesty, we implore you to take decisive action and restore discipline within the Ministry.”
They were demanding the tightening of the Ministry’s leash under the guise of investigation. If this opportunity was missed, the chance to curb the Ministry would never come again. At least this much was true.
“Your Majesty.”
Jin took a long moment to choose his words. He couldn’t simply dismiss them or order them out—the petition bore too many influential names.
With Davionka as the core, these were powerful figures who could not be ignored. If they turned their backs on the palace while the Ministry was under investigation, chaos would be uncontrollable.
“I will take your words to heart.”
He gave a vague response to defuse the situation. But Raven didn’t back down. He looked the emperor squarely in the eye and laid out concrete proposals.
“Bring the exclusive rights to distribute magical stones under the palace’s control, and have the palace manage Idgal as well. There are reports the Ministry is buying up all Idgal to destroy it.”
“Request budget cuts for the Ministry and regular audits. Also, establish a new department to research and develop institutional measures to monitor the Ministry’s reckless use of magic. We ask for your full support.”
Jin tapped the edge of the petition thoughtfully. Rationally, these were all reasonable proposals—things that needed to be done eventually.
“…Very well. For now, you may withdraw.”
The emperor gave a nod indicating he would consider the requests positively and stood. Dawn was breaking. Though he hadn’t slept, the whirlwind of events left no time to feel tired.
“To the Ministry of Magic!”
Whoosh!
The investigation team’s carriages lined up and sped toward the Ministry, ready to enlist the Eastern magicians’ help.
“Grrrkk.”
Romandro sat in his chair, head tilted back, snoring loudly. There was no proper place to lie down, nor time to do so.
As his snoring grew louder, Ian gently tugged his sleeve to wake him.
“Romandro, if you’re tired, you should leave the palace.”
“Ugh! No, I’m not sleepy.”
“Yes, you’re not. You’re completely out cold.”
At Ian’s reply, Romandro gave an awkward chuckle and wiped his mouth.
Romandro had been released from questioning, but Ian was still being held. It seemed likely Ian would remain confined in the interrogation building until the whole matter was settled. In a situation like this, how could an aide just walk out alone? Romandro slapped his cheeks briskly, trying to shake off his drowsiness.
“When’s the next round of questioning?”
“In five hours, in the morning.”
“Ian, are you really going to stay cooped up like this the whole time?”
Ian, sipping his tea, glanced over at Romandro. He was suggesting it might be better to do something—take some kind of action.
“The faction’s split around Minister Rayburn. Those guys have never sat right with me. I wish Akorella had smashed their estate to the ground—turned the whole place upside down. Ahem.”
Romandro kept glancing outside, making sure no one was eavesdropping as he muttered to himself. Ian listened calmly, absorbing the information.
“Anyway, they’re banding together, probably planning to submit a petition. When they speak as one, their voices grow louder, and then His Majesty won’t be able to just brush them off. This will only lead to more attempts to undermine us.”
Ian nodded in agreement. It was true—now that the Ministry of Magic was in disarray, if the palace officials united, even the emperor wouldn’t be able to ignore them easily.
But Ian remained composed.
“You don’t need to worry about them.”
“Don’t need to worry? What do you mean?”
“The ones gathered around Rayburn. Breaking them up is actually quite simple.”
Since they’d come together for their own gain, all we have to do is toss a bigger prize right into the middle of their group. They’ll turn on each other before long—even those standing side by side will start biting.
Romandro tilted his head, puzzled.
“Want me to explain?”
“Yeah, I do. Show me. And please, get the Ministry back on track soon—I’m worried sick about the kids.”
“The nobles are still gathered in the banquet hall, right?”
“Probably. Some of them are deliberately staying put. It’s the fastest and surest way to see what’s going on—right here in the palace.”
The faction rallying around Rayburn was practically an extension of the emperor’s power—especially since they were now targeting Ian. Letting their influence loose would mean the emperor’s own power would weaken.
Ian stood up, thinking about how Jin might react.
“I need to stop by the banquet hall. It’ll only take a moment.”