Chapter 877

“Master Ian?”

The man who stepped out of the Count Jacques’ estate immediately recognized Ian. He was an elderly gentleman with a full head of white hair, neatly combed back, dressed impeccably in a suit that fit him perfectly without a single wrinkle.

Ian sensed this was no mere errand runner. Most likely, he was the butler.

“Greetings. I am Alexer, the butler serving Count Jacques. First, please allow me to apologize for not being able to attend Lord and Lady Hadel’s funeral.”

Ian spotted Crony emerging from the guard office. He, too, was watching Ian and Alexer with curious eyes, clearly wondering what was going on.

“At the time, the Count was not in the capital, so the message was delayed. His children each had their own circumstances and couldn’t send a representative. Above all, the Count wished to visit the Hadel family personally—”

It was a long-winded explanation.

Ian focused intently, trying to discern whether this was an excuse or a flat-out lie. The only way to tell if this man was friend or foe was to catch the true meaning behind his smoothly spoken words.

“So, Master Ian,” the butler smiled gently and paused.

“If you need a carriage or a driver, we have one ready for you. If you permit, I will also take care of the aftermath. It’s only a couple of hours to the capital—wouldn’t it be more comfortable to stay at the Count’s estate than in a small village?”

That was why the butler had come all this way—to check on Ian’s safety.

The child glanced at Romandro, as if silently asking what to do.

“Excuse me for a moment,” Romandro said, noticing Ian’s signal. He pulled the child aside and whispered, “What do you want to do, Ian?”

“On the surface, there’s no reason to refuse the offer. But I don’t know if this man has any connection to Crony. I worry that if I entrust him with the cleanup, the evidence might be destroyed.”

Romandro nodded in understanding. If this man was on Ian’s side, the offer was invaluable. But if not, it would be like handing over the evidence directly to the enemy.

“That’s a valid concern. But in my opinion, since Crony is here in this village, it’s better to head to the capital. There, no one can harm you recklessly.”

He meant to move to a safe zone before anyone discovered Ian was in possession of the evidence.

“How about testing them?”

“Testing?”

“If the Count’s household handles this matter well, they’re on your side. If not, they’re with Crony. It’s better to identify the enemy and respond accordingly than to keep suspecting an unknown party.”

That made sense. Vaguely associating with someone could lead to disaster. It was best to know exactly who you were dealing with from the start.

Ian turned to Romandro.

“If we do this, please investigate the bandits and identify the guards in charge, just in case they try to destroy the evidence.”

“Understood,” Romandro replied with a smile. Crony was still watching from a distance. Ian averted his gaze and approached Butler Alexer.

“So, you’re offering a carriage and driver?”

“Just step right in.”

“I see. May I organize my belongings first?”

“Of course. Count Jacques was very surprised and pleased to hear that Master Ian is a magic user. He instructed us to offer every possible assistance.”

The news had clearly spread far and wide in the capital—that the five-year-old son of Lord Hadel was a mage. Being the first and youngest, it was natural that people were so interested.

“Ian, please get in first.”

Romandro said he would fetch the luggage from the inn, including any evidence that could prove the situation later.

“Hana!”

“Yes, Master Ian!”

Hana busied herself, and the area quickly grew noisy. Amid the bustle, Nersarn glanced toward Filia.

“……”

She seemed intent on staying behind to care for the injured. Unlike Ian, who had business at the palace, she was free to remain. Filia approached Ian.

“Master Ian.”

“Filia, you’re staying?”

“I can’t leave the wounded behind. And more importantly—”

Wouldn’t it be right for at least one person to stay and keep watch? Knowing what Ian worried about, Filia planned to keep a close eye on Butler Alexer and Crony.

Ian felt a bit relieved and took her hand.

“Thank you. I’ll see you in the capital.”

“Yes. I’ll come find you.”

“Promise me.”

“Of course.”

They shared a brief, light embrace.

Nersarn, watching quietly, extended his hand. Though the imperial-style greeting felt awkward, a strange wave of regret swept over him, compelling him to do it. Filia smiled softly and returned the gesture.

“Until we meet again, Warrior of the Desert.”

“……”

Ian glanced at the stiff Nersarn with curiosity. What was that about? The child’s eyes showed puzzlement. His expression remained stern, but oddly, his earlobes seemed flushed.

“Uncle.”

“Ah, Sir Crony.”

“Are you leaving now?”

Crony smiled as if it was sudden. Come to think of it, Crony hadn’t brought a carriage or driver after hearing the news from Hadel. It was almost as if he hoped the journey to the capital would be delayed.

Ian turned toward the carriage.

“Yes. Since Count Jacques is so concerned, it would be rude to refuse. They say it’s only about two hours, so I’ll hurry.”

“…Understood. I’ll finish up at Hadel and head up soon. Make a good impression at the palace. Your uncle’s dignity will reflect on Hadel’s.”

“Yes. I’ll do my best.”

Ian’s sharp gaze promised he would make sure their worries were unfounded.

As Ian climbed into the carriage, Romandro and Hana hurried over carrying luggage.

“Butler, is there only one carriage?”

“Yes, that’s correct. Is the luggage insufficient?”

“No, it’s not that. I’m just worried we might run into bandits again.”

“Ah, please don’t worry about that.”

Alexer smiled kindly and closed the door.

“The Count would never allow that.”

Snap.

At the butler’s signal, the driver cracked his whip sharply. The carriage started slowly, then picked up speed as the scenery blurred past.

The whirlwind of events left Ian unable to look away from the window. Outside, Crony and Filia passed by, and behind them, the thunder of Nersarn’s horse hooves echoed loudly.

Hana noticed Nersarn nearby and glanced at Romandro with a puzzled expression. Why did he look so troubled? His face didn’t look well.

“Romandro, don’t worry. You saw Nersarn fight earlier with your own eyes. What’s there to be concerned about?”

“Well… just in case. No matter how fierce a desert warrior he is, it’s hard to beat a magic swordsman.”

“Magic swordsman?”

“Oh, you don’t know? Ian, have you heard of Count Jacques?”

Ian straightened up. Other than knowing he was his mother’s teacher, he had no information. The child had heard little about the nobles of the capital, as he was not yet old enough to be involved in public affairs.

“No, I haven’t met him.”

“Hmm, let me explain. The Jacques family isn’t very old—about a hundred years or so. For such a young family, they hold a very high position in the capital, especially among the warrior clans. Their founder was a magic swordsman from the palace guard.”

Ian’s eyes widened. How could such a prestigious warrior clan leader have been his mother’s teacher? He had never heard that his mother trained in martial arts.

“Ah, magic swordsmen are similar to mages but somewhat different. They’re rarer than mages and mostly serve as elite palace guards.”

“Almost as rare as mages, then.”

“Exactly. The Jacques family has produced magic swordsmen for generations, usually one or two per generation.”

“That’s impressive.”

“Indeed. It’s almost unbelievable. Count Jacques himself isn’t a magic swordsman but once served in the Bariel University order. Perhaps that’s when he met your mother.”

Ian thought he’d find out soon enough.

The carriage tilted sharply as it climbed a hill. Romandro raised a hand to calm them.

“Once we get over this hill, the capital will come into view.”

“Closer than I thought. We could have walked.”

“Ha! The pack animals would disagree. Look at this slope. You’d be out of breath climbing it on foot.”

Ian laughed at Romandro’s joke. Then, just as he said, the view opened up, revealing the capital in a single glance.

Tall walls surrounded beautiful buildings. Ian’s blue eyes sparkled under the clear sky.

“How do you like it?”

“It’s… it’s so beautiful.”

“Yes, the heart of Gaia. Welcome to the capital, Master Ian.”

“Wow…”

As the capital drew nearer, Ian’s heart pounded fiercely. His excitement peaked, but as a noble’s son, his posture remained composed. Only his feet tapped nervously beneath the carriage.

Tap, tap, tap!

Hiiing!

Compared to other regional territories, Hadel wasn’t exactly small or backward, but it still couldn’t hold a candle to the capital.

Is this what they call a wonderland? Strange outfits everywhere, foreigners, unfamiliar animals, massive boulevards, endless lines of mail carriers connecting building to building, enormous carriages, people flying through the air…?

“Huh?”

“What is it, young master?”

“Just now, someone flew by.”

“Oh, that must be a mage. Who else would be out at this hour?”

“Then can I—?”

Ian jumped up in surprise.

“Can I fly too?”

He only knew that Romandro was a divine wielder of power, but he didn’t really understand what abilities he had or what exactly he did.

Romandro chuckled, clearly amused by the boy’s reaction, and nodded.

“Of course! Flying is just the beginning. I can move mountains and turn rivers upside down. See how Kroni’s sharpening his blades? Once you grow a bit, Ian, no one will be able to harm you.”

Wow. I can fly too. Clenching his fists tightly, Ian turned to Romandro with a hopeful look.

“We’re heading to the palace first, right? I want to stop by the Magic Department first!”

“Absolutely. Reporting to the palace comes first. We’ll visit Count Jacques’ place after we finish our business.”

At Romandro’s words, Ian sat back down quietly, looking a little embarrassed for making a fuss. The boy resumed his slow observation of the outside scenery, and soon something caught his eye.

“Is that a grave?”

In the center of the main square was a mound of flowers, clearly a grave, yet people passed by it as if it were just part of their daily routine. Some even tossed fresh flowers onto it. A carriage had just stopped nearby, giving Ian a clear view of the scene.

“Ah, yes. That’s the flower grave in the square.”

“Whose grave is it?”

“No one knows.”

“You don’t know?”

Romandro put a finger to his lips and whispered as if sharing a secret.

“It’s said to be the tomb honoring the ‘Golden Mage’—a divine being sent by the gods long ago for Bariel and Gaia.”

“Is that a legend?”

“Well, there’s no official record, but calling it a legend doesn’t quite fit either. The traces haven’t completely vanished.”

Romandro fell silent for a moment, then muttered to himself. It’s just something like that. No one really knows, but everyone knows about it—a part of history long past.

“You’ll learn the details once you start school, young master Ian.”