Chapter 872
Crunch! Crunch!
Romandro kept munching on the stir-fried snails, quietly observing the atmosphere of the mansion. It was so lavish and beautiful that it hardly seemed like a provincial estate, yet perhaps because of the recent tragedy, an unspoken gloom seemed to hang in the air.
From afar, he spotted Ian, Crony, and their retinue returning to the mansion after the coffin burial.
“Ah, it was truly breathtaking.”
Romandro propped his chin on his hand, gazing fondly at Ian. Whenever he closed his eyes, the vivid image of that radiant moment came back clearly.
It was the most magnificent sight he’d ever witnessed. If the Ministry of Magic had seen it, they’d have been in an uproar.
“I really look forward to the future.”
Just as he was about to grin broadly, something odd caught his eye.
“Hm?”
As Crony approached Ian, the servants awkwardly shuffled away. Their movements were stiff, and the mood felt off.
Romandro stuffed the last of his snails into his mouth and watched carefully. It was too far to hear their conversation.
“Uncle Ian, may I have a word with you?”
“Yes, please.”
Crony lowered his posture and looked Ian straight in the eyes. Ian’s eyes were still a bit swollen from crying so hard during the burial.
“Uncle, you must not enter the royal palace.”
His tone was filled with genuine worry and sorrow.
“The palace is a terrifying place. It’s not somewhere a child like you can endure. Do you know why there have been no noble-born magicians there until now?”
“…Because all the palace magicians come from commoner backgrounds.”
“Exactly. It’s full of rough characters, barely educated, almost like street urchins. And that’s not all. The palace is a place blinded by power, full of schemes and intrigues. If you insist on going, it would be safer to wait until you’re older.”
“Safer…”
“I speak from experience, having worked there. And because we’re family by blood, I’m urging you against it.”
Crony gently gripped Ian’s shoulder, his eyes warning: listen to me, or something terrible will happen.
Ian was speechless. Safer? What could be more dangerous than being with the ones who killed his parents? He wanted to argue, but he swallowed his words and shook his head.
“Thank you for your concern, Sir Crony. I appreciate your care.”
“Yes, you’re smart, so I’m sure you understand—”
“But the palace has already sent a visitor, and there are procedures to follow, so I will comply.”
It was useless to say the palace wasn’t scary or that it would be safe. Ian had never seen the palace, and Crony worked there. If he insisted, they might treat him like a clueless child and do who knows what. It was better to follow the visitor with Romandro leading, then decide what to do next.
Crony frowned deeply, clearly dissatisfied.
“Uncle Ian, I don’t think you understand what I’m saying.”
“No, I do. You’re worried about me, aren’t you?”
Ian smiled defiantly.
“If anything happens, I’ll ask for help. Thank you.”
Frustration surged up. Just as Crony grabbed the boy’s arm tightly, about to shout, Romandro suddenly appeared.
“Excuse me, is everything finished?”
Crony turned awkwardly and nodded.
“Thanks to you, all went smoothly.”
“I’m glad it ended without incident.”
“Um, Romandro?”
Crony changed his mind. Since Ian wasn’t likely to listen, it was better to handle the Ministry of Magic side of things. He wrapped a caring arm around Ian’s shoulder.
“It’s truly remarkable that Uncle Ian has magical talent, but he’s still grieving his parents’ death… I worry about him going straight to the palace.”
“What do you mean?”
“There are inheritance procedures, and he’s so young that he might make mistakes unfamiliar with palace etiquette and culture. It would be better to wait, give him proper education before entering.”
Buying time. Before Ian entered the Ministry, they had to settle the inheritance. Why else had Romandro stirred all this up? There were so many places where Lord Hadelga’s wealth needed to be used. If the plan fell apart here, it would be disastrous.
“Hmm.”
Romandro stroked his chin thoughtfully, and Ian’s heart pounded. He wanted to shout that he wanted to go to the palace, but Crony’s fierce gaze stopped him.
“Um—”
“Well, young Master Ian is young, but there’s nothing to fault. He knows manners and protocol, and above all, his magical talent is extraordinary. Don’t misunderstand me—he’s so capable that even a complete illiterate would gladly serve him.”
Romandro grinned at Ian, whose face brightened a little.
“So don’t worry—”
“Romandro, was my point too difficult?”
“Huh?”
Romandro flinched at Crony’s sharp retort.
“There’s a mountain of inheritance matters to handle. The palace’s interests are important, but stabilizing the family situation comes first. You seem to have forgotten it’s only been a week since Lord and Lady Hadelga passed.”
“Ah.”
Romandro finally nodded in understanding. But glancing at Ian’s expression, he replied casually.
“So that’s the issue. Well, Sir Crony must be busy handling things on behalf of the young uncle.”
Snap! Romandro clapped his hands as if struck by a good idea.
“Then the Ministry of Magic will help.”
“…What?”
“Sir Crony, you should attend to your own duties. The Ministry will handle young Master Ian’s inheritance from start to finish, cleanly.”
“Hah! Look at this—”
“Now, now, don’t be like that. It’s my job to assist magicians. As long as the inheritance tax is paid, there’s no hassle, right? Young Master Ian, is that alright with you?”
Having the Ministry take care of the Hadelga estate instead of Crony.
Ian nodded desperately. Who could be worse than the man who killed his parents, whom he’d met only days ago? When Ian agreed, Crony snapped angrily.
“What are you saying! Hand over the family’s inheritance procedures to an outsider?”
“He’s not an outsider. It’s the Ministry, not just Romandro. Sir Crony, do you not trust the Ministry?”
Crony hesitated. The Ministry was one of the palace’s core departments, the heart of central power. Denying them was like denying the emperor.
“From the moment young Master Ian was identified as a magic user, he became the Ministry’s asset. His affairs are the Ministry’s affairs, so it’s right to make things as easy as possible. We’ll hire the best experts to ensure no problems with the inheritance. Sir Crony, please don’t worry. If you have pressing matters, you may go ahead.”
Wow. Ian’s eyes sparkled. He had just witnessed the power of words alone, without violence, to dominate an opponent. Truly amazing. To stand silently and fend off the one who killed his parents and seized his life like this.
Crony realized too late he’d shot himself in the foot and bit his lip.
“Young Master Ian?”
“Yes, Romandro.”
“If your schedule is done, would you like to have some tea with me? We can also talk about the palace, as Sir Crony suggested.”
It was only a four or five-hour carriage ride to the capital. The Ministry’s reply would probably come by tomorrow afternoon, so it would be good to pass on some precautions beforehand.
Ian cautiously glanced at Crony, then followed Romandro with quick steps. Crony’s glare stabbed at his back, but it no longer stung.
Ian called out toward the mansion.
“Come inside, Hana!”
“Hana? She hasn’t been seen since earlier.”
“Oh.”
Right. She disappeared right after bringing the magic stone. Ian looked around in confusion and told another servant to prepare tea cups.
“…”
Crony watched Ian’s retreating figure for a long moment before returning to the group. This wasn’t part of the plan. Things had gone seriously awry.
“Damn it.”
“That Romandro, clueless as always…”
“What should we do, Sir Crony?”
“Since he’s been identified as a magic user, we can’t hide him. A magician is a valuable asset, and if things go wrong, the entire Ministry could turn against us.”
“Good grief… this is a disaster.”
Crony lit a cigarette and took in the dazzling mansion. They’d come this far; they couldn’t just leave things as they were. If they couldn’t use Ian Hadel, the boy was worthless—more a liability than anything.
Better—
“Time to clean up.”
Better to get rid of the boy and set things up in advance for the next heir.
There wasn’t much time. Once the child entered the royal palace and awakened as a mage, things would only get more complicated. They had to act before that happened.
“At the entrance to the palace,”
they would send assassins disguised as bandits. There were officials from the Mage Department, but they were all civilians—easy enough to handle with a little force.
“Understood. We’ll prepare.”
“Damn it, this just got complicated.”
“Let’s hurry!”
“Yes, let’s go.”
The group exchanged signals and dashed out of the mansion. Crony stood still for a while, smoking a cigarette, then followed Ian and Romandro inside at a leisurely pace.
Meanwhile, in the royal palace.
The Mage Department was in turmoil after hearing Romandro’s report. Around Minister Arena, mages gathered for a meeting, frowning deeply as they read the report, clearly finding it unbelievable.
“Ian Hadel? The Hadel family is a branch of the royal family, isn’t it? And the lord and lady there just died?”
“That’s what I heard. The lord had a long-standing illness, and the lady hanged herself the day after he died.”
“Wow. That’s insane.”
“Well, rumors say there’s more to the story, but that’s not the point. What matters is this is the first case under the ‘Special Protection Act for Mana Users.’ Ian Hadel, five years old.”
“Five years old? Wow, that’s so young.”
“This isn’t something to celebrate. If he’s going to join the department like any other mage, there are a lot of issues to sort out.”
Joining the department was one thing, but what came after was an even bigger problem. Work? What a joke. They probably couldn’t even keep track of the numbers.
Other mages chimed in with disgruntled expressions.
“This is ridiculous. We’re already swamped with work, and now we have to look after a kid?”
“And he’s nobility, right? I can already tell this little brat’s going to be stubborn as hell.”
“Just so you know, I’m not doing it.”
“Me neither. Find a nanny somewhere else.”
“Why don’t we just confirm he’s a mana user for now and bring him in later? Even if his parents are gone, he must have a guardian.”
“Well, that’s true, but…”
The minister shuffled through the papers, trailing off. According to the law, the department was responsible for raising the child until adulthood. It was a huge hassle. She clicked her tongue and pushed the report aside.
“Let’s take our time to think this through. He’ll be coming to the capital anyway. We’ll decide after we see the kid. I’m not about to waste my time catering to a stubborn little child.”
“Yes, understood.”
A noble-born, five-year-old child. Just those two facts were enough to predict exactly what kind of temperament he’d have.
The mages shook their heads and sighed deeply.