Chapter 882

“What’s gotten into this one?”

The mages tugged with all their might to pull Kkyu away, but they simply couldn’t handle the dragon’s strength.

Kkyu seemed to understand that Ian was a tiny, fragile creature, so it kept its head close, licking him persistently. Ian, his hair soaked through, pushed Kkyu’s face away with a sullen expression.

“Stop it.”

—Kkyuuu!

“That’s strange. He’s not usually like this.”

“Ian, are you okay? Did you get hurt when you fell?”

“I’m fine.”

The mages helped Ian to his feet and brushed the dirt off his clothes. Feeling like he was done with the fuss, Ian lightly pushed their hands away and offered fruit to the dragon.

“Here, eat this.”

“…!”

Arena flinched at the sight. Surprised as she was, Ian seemed determined to see this initiation through to the end. His stubbornness was impressive. She’d heard that kids could be headstrong, but was this normal? A creeping sense of unease rose within her, but she shook her head to clear it.

“If a child with that much power also has a difficult personality, that could be a real problem.”

Damn. She wasn’t even married yet, and here she was worrying about this. Arena squeezed her eyes shut and denied the situation.

—Kkyu?

Kkyu carefully accepted the fruit Ian offered and ate it, prompting a grateful smile from Ian. The mages crossed their arms, baffled, and protested.

“Hey! Why are you being so nice? He’s not usually like this.”

—Kkyuuu?

The dragon blinked, tilting its head as if it didn’t understand what they were saying. Annoyed by its insolent attitude, the mages swarmed and scratched at Kkyu’s scales.

“Don’t act all cute!”

“Are you seriously going to cut him some slack just because he’s a kid?”

“We’re kids too compared to his age! Why aren’t you giving us a break? Let’s just get this over with.”

“Um, everyone—”

Ian, who had been quietly watching, hesitated before speaking up to stop the mages. For some reason, it felt like they were bullying a voiceless animal.

“Dragons are sacred creatures, aren’t they? I think it would be best to stop.”

“He is sacred, but look at this.”

One mage pulled out some fruit and held it out to the dragon. Unlike before, when Kkyu took it gently—

Crunch!

The dragon bit down hard on the mage’s entire arm.

“This happens every time we feed him or give him snacks.”

“Are you okay?!”

“Ah, don’t worry. Nothing’s broken or torn. It’s just… well, a dragon’s tongue is soft and moist, and it feels pretty gross.”

“…But I just heard a crunch.”

“Yeah? Uh, yeah.”

As the mage struggled in surprise, the others rushed over and pulled the dragon’s lips apart.

Amid the chaos, Arena wrapped an arm around Ian’s shoulder and turned him away.

“Romandro.”

“Yes! Yes, Minister.”

“For now, you’re in charge of Ian Hadel. We’re done with the Ministry of Magic for today, so let’s head out. I’ll give you a detailed schedule later.”

“Understood.”

When Ian turned to look back at the dragon and the mages, Arena smiled and lightly tapped his chin.

“It’s like this every day. It’s really exhausting.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah. So don’t worry. Our Ian Hadel should only see the good things. Don’t let stuff like that bother you.”

Ian smiled at the word “our.” Seeing that, Arena realized he responded very positively to a sense of belonging. Maybe she could use that to her advantage and things would turn out okay.

She opened the carriage door herself and helped Ian inside, then examined him carefully.

“We’ll need to have something custom-made.”

“Huh? What?”

“The mage’s uniform. There’s no version for toddlers.”

“Oh!”

Ian’s cheeks flushed with excitement at the thought of the fancy clothes Arena was wearing. She gave his cheek a gentle tap and signaled to the coachman.

“Romandro, we’ll talk more later.”

“Yes, please go ahead, Minister.”

“See you again, Ian Hadel.”

Whirr!

Arena watched until the carriage disappeared, then muttered as if she’d just realized something.

“Oh, right. Kids grow so fast, don’t they?”

Might as well order several sets in advance.

As she headed back into the Ministry’s main building, the dragon carrying several mages soared into the sky.

“Waaahhh!”

—Kkyuuu!

The mages’ screams echoed and lingered in the air.

Arena watched them with a mix of pity and frustration, frowning deeply. She wasn’t sure if she could really trust these people to raise Ian Hadel “properly.”

---

Ian, pressing his forehead against the carriage window, blinked in confusion.

Hana, tired from the long day, yawned widely as she approached.

“Master Ian, what are you looking at now?”

“Um, the dragon’s carrying the mages away.”

“Excuse me?”

Hana looked out the window skeptically, but the dragon had long since disappeared. Romandro flipped through his notebook and began explaining.

“Master Ian, shall I go over the remaining schedule?”

“Yes, please.”

Ian straightened up at the summons. Remarkably, less than a day had passed since the chaos with the bandits. There was a mountain of things to handle—from finding a residence in the capital to inheritance matters.

“First, we’ll visit Count Jacques’ estate to greet him, then you’ll rest for the day.”

It was already evening anyway, but more importantly, Ian looked a mess. He’d been roughed up by bandits, spent hours in the carriage, exerted himself at the Ministry, and even met a dragon.

Hana carefully brushed his hair, glancing at Romandro.

“Did a cow lick you? Why is your hair so stiff?”

“Is it really that bad?”

“Master Ian, you look fine no matter what.”

“Ahem. Tomorrow, we’ll start with the inheritance matters. There are various financial tasks, including tax payments, so be sure to bring your seal.”

“Are we going back to the palace?”

“No, we’ll be handling things at Heyman Bank.”

“Oh, that’s where. There’s a branch in Hadel, too.”

Heyman Bank had dominated Bariel’s financial market for centuries. It started as a family business but now operated more like a guild.

Rumor had it that the real power lay with a family descended from the Heymans, but no one knew the truth. Nothing had been made public.

Romandro jotted down the necessary documents for inheritance and added,

“We’ll also stop by some real estate offices to find a suitable home. Oh, and Ian, are you aware of the school you’ll be attending?”

“School?”

“Arena didn’t mention it, probably because of the dragon incident. It’s the Central Enerjes Academy, the most prestigious school for special education.”

“But I’m only five years old.”

“You have to wait three more years to start school, don’t you?” Ian asked.

Romandro smiled.

“Enerjes Academy has no age limit. Any minor can enroll. Of course, admission decisions are made by the principal and board, so only children capable of some level of education attend.”

Ian was about to say, “So no infants,” but Romandro stopped himself. This was a world of supernatural abilities. Ordinary people couldn’t even begin to understand it, so even he couldn’t be certain.

“It would be best to find a residence that allows for both commuting to school and going to the Ministry.”

“Yes, thank you.”

“Not at all. Oh, looks like we’ve arrived.”

Clatter!

The carriage jolted slightly as it crossed the threshold marking the Count Jacques estate. Romandro tucked his notebook away and looked around. The view was so lush it felt like they’d entered a forest.

Whirr!

“We’ve arrived.”

The coachman opened the door, and a servant from the Jacques household was already waiting. She greeted them politely and began unloading the luggage.

“Hello. You must be Ian Hadel.”

“Yes.”

“Thank you for traveling so far. Welcome to Count Jacques’ estate. As you know, the butler is currently at Onryhall handling matters on your behalf, so I’ve come to greet you.”

At her signal, the porters efficiently moved the luggage.

“The Count is waiting for you. Please, come inside.”

Ding dong.

A pleasant chime echoed from the front gate. Inside, the estate was a blend of old-world charm and spacious, tasteful decor. As a warrior family, polished weapons were displayed throughout.

Ian stepped into the parlor, a bit nervous.

“Count, Ian Hadel has arrived.”

“Bring him in.”

Creaaak.

A deep, calm voice. Ian hesitated when he caught sight of the white-haired old man through the door. He’d expected a middle-aged man from the voice, but this was clearly an elder.

Well, it made sense. As the father of Herchi Jacques, one of the palace guard’s three commanders, he had to be old.

“Oh ho.”

The count rose from his seat, clearly intrigued. Despite his age, his posture was firm and full of spirit. He approached Ian, bowed, and carefully examined the child’s face.

“You’re a spitting image of Jeria.”

“Good day. I’m Ian Hadel.”

“…Especially those eyes. So sharp and steady—they remind me so much of Jeria.”

The old man gestured toward the sofa with a look of renewed interest.

“I’ve heard you were my mother’s teacher.”

“That was long ago. After all, I didn’t even make it to her funeral. What right do I have to call myself her teacher?”

“One who’s once been a teacher is always a teacher. Since there were circumstances, I’m sure your daughter would understand.”

He chuckled softly and nodded.

“True enough. I’m not one to dwell on the past, so I won’t say more. But know this—I am deeply saddened by Jeria’s death, and by the fact that you’re left all alone.”

His heartfelt sympathy nearly brought tears to Ian’s eyes again, but he clenched them tight and steadied himself.

“…Thank you for your kind words.”

“If there’s anything I can do to help, I will, with all my heart. Just say the word.”

Ian hesitated for a moment. What the child needed most right now was one thing: safety. To escape from Crony, who was hunting him, and eventually to take revenge by putting an end to him.

But…

‘…Can I really trust him?’

He was a stranger, after all.

Seeing Ian’s hesitation, Jacques nodded approvingly.

“Ian Hadel.”

“Yes, Count Jacques.”

“Desire is a mirror of lack, and it will one day reveal your weaknesses. It’s wise not to speak too freely to others.”

He took a sip of tea and added,

“I won’t lie—it stings a bit. But it’s better than getting burned later. Jeria probably didn’t say much about me either.”

“I’m sorry, but I don’t quite understand.”

“I mean I’ll do my best to earn your trust.”

“I see.”

So, he was suggesting they take their time and observe each other carefully. Just as Ian was about to respond—

Knock knock.

“Grandfather.”

A young girl’s voice came from outside. Count Jacques snapped his fingers as if on cue and signaled Ian.

“I have a granddaughter your age. Let me introduce you. Come in.”

Creaaak.

A little girl with dark blue bobbed hair stepped inside. Her eyes sparkled with a calm yet lively gleam. She looked every bit the noble child—if only she weren’t covered head to toe in dirt and dust.

“Barsabeda. Barsabe, this is Ian Hadel. He’s your new friend.”

“Friend? Grandfather, I’m only nine years old.”

“Isn’t that enough to be friends?”

Barsabe stared at Ian for a moment, then pouted slightly. What was that about? I’ve lived way longer than she has!

With a little snort, Ian stepped closer and held out his hand.

“Big sister, nice to meet you.”

“……?!”

Barsabe glanced down at his small hand and reluctantly took it. Otherwise, she was pretty sure her grandfather would have made her run thirty laps around the training ground.

…Not that Ian was calling her “big sister” because he thought it was cute or anything.