Chapter 832

Ian studied the hotel lounge menu with an unusually serious expression. Anyone watching might have thought he was poring over secret imperial documents.

After a long moment of deliberation, Ian raised his hand to call a staff member.

“Minister Ian, did you call?”

“One slice of Sachertorte and a cup of Mrood black tea, please.”

“Would you like whipped cream on the cake?”

“Do you recommend it?”

The staff barely suppressed a smile. This wasn’t the kind of conversation one would expect over whether or not to add whipped cream to a cake. It was clear how Ian usually handled Ministry of Magic affairs.

Composing himself, the staff nodded politely.

“Of course. Especially if you have a sweet tooth.”

“I’m not really fond of sweets.”

“Then I’ll serve the whipped cream on the side. You can adjust it to your taste. Is there anything else you need?”

“No.”

“Thank you. I’ll prepare it right away.”

Ian closed the menu and leaned back into the sofa. The sensation against his back was pleasant, as if the tension in his muscles was slowly melting away.

‘Did everything go well?’

After visiting the Daily Mail and sending the president off to the palace, he had returned to the hotel quickly—before the world got any noisier.

“Extra! Extra! Don’t miss out!”

“Minister Ian of the Ministry of Magic secretly saved the heiress of the Haiman family! The Haiman clan has not been wiped out!”

As expected, the sound of newspapers fluttering outside the window continued unabated.

The staff pretended not to hear and closed windows throughout the lounge. Even though Ian was at the center of controversy, as a guest staying at the hotel, they intended to treat him with full respect. Ian thought it was an excellent management philosophy and picked up a newspaper with satisfaction.

Rustle!

He carefully reread the breaking news and felt a wave of relief. It was done. This would limit the actions the palace could take.

‘They’ll have no choice but to dismiss me, but if they do, they won’t be able to control the Ministry of Magic. That’s a problem for them. If Acorella rises quickly as the next minister, it’ll ease the pressure, and naturally, they’ll choose her.’

If that happened, everything would be perfect.

With Acorella as minister, the Ministry would be freed from all constraints. Ian’s path would diverge completely from theirs, and the attacks against him would cease.

Besides, he could leave the Ministry on his own terms. There was no better outcome. Sure, it might look unfair publicly, but that was of no concern to Ian.

‘Now, I just need to find those with ill intentions.’

“Minister Ian, here is your Sachertorte. Please let the tea steep a little before drinking. Thank you.”

Clink.

Ian stared quietly at the chocolate cake on the table. Once he started the rebellion in earnest, he wouldn’t enjoy such luxuries again. It was a food he might never taste until his death.

Determined to make the most of his remaining time by indulging in what he wanted to eat and do, Ian picked up his fork and took a bite of the chocolate cake.

“…”

He savored it for a long moment, then furrowed his brow sharply. The chef, watching Ian’s reaction from outside, muttered with concern.

“Is it not to your taste? You did say you don’t enjoy sweets.”

“No, I think he likes it,” the staff member replied.

This time, Ian added a bit of whipped cream and took another bite. His brow immediately scrunched up again.

But the staff recognized that this was the ‘truthful frown’—the kind that only appears when someone is truly tasting something delicious. So much for disliking sweets.

Ding.

“Welcome.”

At that moment, another guest entered the lounge and looked around. Not only was he dressed elegantly, but there was something familiar about him. When the staff moved to guide him, he raised a hand to decline, then pointed toward Ian with a smile.

“Companion.”

“Oh.”

Though no one had mentioned a companion arriving, the staff didn’t stop him. Coming up to the lounge meant he had already passed identity verification in the lobby.

“Good day, Minister Ian.”

The man approached and greeted Ian. The cake was half-eaten. Ian wiped his mouth with a napkin and looked up at the man. Where had he seen him before?

“Charlotte?”

“That’s right. I’m honored you recognize me. May I sit for a moment?”

It was Lambert Charlotte, the second son of the Charlotte count family. Ian gestured to the sofa to indicate permission, and Lambert adjusted his jacket before sitting opposite him.

“Am I interrupting your personal time?”

“That depends on your purpose for visiting, Lord Charlotte. Would you like some tea?”

“Yes, thank you.”

As Ian poured the tea himself, he recalled what he knew about the Charlotte family. The eldest son had military experience, and the second son had once courted Lady Chloe. Though the rumor had quickly faded from society.

“So, what brings you here?”

Ian already suspected Lambert’s intent. In times like these, there were only two reasons a noble would seek him out.

One: to offer condolences. Two: to seize an opportunity.

The first was mockery disguised as sympathy; the second was what Ian had been waiting for.

“I saw the breaking news. Honestly, I have a personal respect for Minister Ian, so I couldn’t just stand by quietly in this situation.”

Was it the first? Ian sipped his tea thoughtfully.

“Thank you for your concern, but I’m fine. The facts speak for themselves.”

“Is that so? The current political climate is certainly unstable. If you ever need assistance, please don’t hesitate to ask. I will help you wholeheartedly.”

“Help wholeheartedly, huh?”

Just as Ian was about to set down his cup, Lambert quietly shared some information.

“There are reports that Lady Melania has entered the palace. I don’t know the details, but she is said to have had an audience with His Majesty the Emperor.”

“Lady Melania?” Ian repeated, surprised. Then he immediately understood what was unfolding. Melania had seized her chance.

He didn’t know what had been said between Jin and Melania, but the outcome was clear.

‘A sudden pardon for the Haiman family.’

The palace would grant legitimacy to the last bloodline of the Haiman clan by freeing Melania from the shackles of treason, and in doing so, Ian himself would be exonerated.

“Yes, so don’t be too disheartened. These kinds of slanders will end now.”

Ian understood why Lambert had come to see him. The palace would clear up the charges of treason concealment against Ian under their own initiative, so his reputation and honor would remain intact. Now was the perfect time to establish connections.

“Well, I suppose that’s true for now.”

Ian muttered, staring at the whipped cream that had gone limp. The disappointment was clear.

‘Well, whatever happens, it’s for the best. It’s about time I met with some nobles. Count Charlotte has enough influence to be suitable.’

Ian let out a deliberate sigh, and Lambert cautiously asked, eager to clear up lingering questions.

“How is your health? There are rumors you’re not as strong as before.”

“Yes, it’s absurd. People have been gossiping because I pushed myself too hard during the war. Even ordinary people get sick for days after intense exercise, but I spent months touring the Gaia battlefield, facing the underground god.”

“Ah, yes, that’s true.”

“The palace is indifferent. I don’t understand why they treat me this way. Ian Verosion—”

Ian mentioned the name Verosion, and Lambert flinched, quickly scanning the surroundings to see if anyone was listening. It was almost a reflex.

“—I’m tired of being pushed around like that. His Majesty knows better than anyone who my parents are.”

“Then why did that Rutherford fellow make such outrageous claims?”

“He was probably trying to confuse Bariel until the very end. Even with such blatant schemes, His Majesty can’t keep his balance. It’s frustrating.”

Lambert clicked his tongue openly.

He smiled awkwardly and took a sip of tea. He had expected tension between the palace and the Ministry, but the rift seemed deeper than he thought.

“The palace calls me a dangerous element, but I think they’re the fools. As you can see, I’m the victim here.”

Ian gave a cold smile. He was a war hero who deserved admiration, yet he was treated so poorly.

“You saw the breaking news too. The decision to secretly save the Haiman heiress was made together with His Majesty, yet they slander me like this.”

“But the palace issued a statement immediately, saying it was false news.”

“They tried to pin it all on me at first, but when they realized the Emperor was involved, they backed off. I wouldn’t have stayed silent otherwise.”

Ian spun a plausible lie. He didn’t know how far Lambert’s network reached, but since it wasn’t entirely false, it didn’t matter.

“…There are rumors that all the Idgal stock was destroyed.”

“Yes. Everything circulating in central Bariel has been disposed of. The Ministry is being strangled with magic-sealing stones, so we couldn’t leave Idgal untouched. Besides, I made all of it, so there’s no room for argument.”

“That’s true, haha.”

Ian watched Lambert’s reaction and pressed on. He wanted to give the impression that he was furious with the palace and might make unpredictable choices if pushed further.

“Especially those who dare to advise His Majesty by his side—I intend to make an example of them this time.”

Ian’s fierce resolve hung in the air, but Charlotte only smiled quietly, saying nothing. The situation was far graver than she had anticipated.

Seizing the moment, Ian turned to her with a hopeful look.

“Lady Charlotte, if you believe in my innocence, please spread the word among the nobles. I need supporters. I’m backed into a corner, but I will use every means at my disposal to restore the honor of the Magic Department.”

The phrase “every means” was dangerously ambiguous. Yet Charlotte made no effort to correct him. Ian Hiel’s power remained intact, and if it became known that a war hero was being framed, public support for him would only grow.

“If anyone is willing to back you, please have them contact me. Letters are fine, or they can come see me in person.”

“Of course. Who would stand idly by when Minister Ian, who has devoted himself to the country, is wronged?”

“Thank you, Lady Charlotte. They say even shadows abandon you in the darkest times, but the light of a lamp never truly goes out. If you help me, I won’t forget it.”

Despite asking for help, Ian’s tone was proud, almost as if he didn’t care whether the nobles lent their support or not.

And why should he? Ian alone wielded power that overshadowed the entire Magic Department. If anyone sought to overthrow him…

‘I must be crazy,’ Charlotte thought, shaking her head lightly as she rose.

“Are you leaving?”

“Yes. I can’t disturb Minister Ian’s rest. Besides, with your situation so urgent, I doubt you’ll have much time to relax.”

Ian smiled gratefully.

People often act like allies in person but can change once out of sight. Ian hoped Charlotte would keep her distance and run far away.

“Well then, I enjoyed our time.”

“Safe travels.”

But now that Charlotte had planted the seed among the nobles, some kind of response was inevitable.

Watching her leave, Ian picked up his fork again. The cake was ruined—the whipped cream had melted into a mess.

He took another bite, but it wasn’t as good as before. A bitter taste lingered, and Ian frowned.