Episode 903

It had been a month since Crony left for the North.

Ian rested his chin on his hand, watching the clouds drift lazily outside the window. The scene was so peaceful it felt like living inside a painting—unreal, yet vivid enough that he couldn’t help but accept it.

“Is this really okay?”

Since that day—when Crony had come to the Ministry of Magic—Ian hadn’t faced him again.

Or rather, he hadn’t been able to. The send-off ceremony took place on a weekday morning while Ian was in class, and by the time school ended, the northern expedition had already departed from the capital.

“He told me to come to the manor, but when I didn’t, there was barely any reaction.”

Only twice had letters arrived from Count Jacques’s estate. Both contained the same message Crony had relayed: his father was preparing for the end and requested Ian’s presence. The first letter was written by Crony himself in advance; the second, judging by the handwriting, seemed penned by a butler.

“Hey.”

Hans, sitting beside him, poked Ian’s side, as if to ask what he was daydreaming about during class. At the same moment, the professor lightly tapped the blackboard and called Ian’s name.

“Ian Hadel.”

“Yes, Professor.”

Though distracted, Ian’s reply was smooth and natural. The professor must have thought so too, because without any warning, he moved straight to a question.

“What do you think about the question I just raised?”

Ian quickly glanced at the board and answered without hesitation.

“War is a storm fueled by conflicting interests. Once it begins, it destroys everything until it ends. Therefore, I oppose the Empire’s Northern Expedition. Although there have been disputes with the northern minorities, they have so far been limited to escalating tensions without major casualties. I believe there’s no need to provoke them by sending troops.”

Hans smirked. Does he keep one ear open even when lost in thought? He diligently took notes on Ian’s opinion, focusing on the professor and the board.

Today’s discussion topic was the “Bariel Northern Expedition”—the hottest issue in Bariel, centered around Crony, whom Ian had met at the Ministry of Magic.

“Then why do you think the Empire’s Defense Department pushed ahead with the expedition despite this?”

“Because it benefits them.”

Just as magic is the core of the Ministry of Magic, war is the core of the Empire’s Defense Department. War with other nations, victory, gain—all interconnected, breathing life into this power.

The professor adjusted his glasses and asked,

“By ‘their benefit,’ do you mean personal gain? Are you opposing the Defense Department’s decision on that basis?”

“No, not exactly. The Defense Department’s gain is also Bariel’s gain. If they win the war, Bariel will undoubtedly gain much. But whether it’s worth breaking the balance with the northern forces and losing Bariel’s soldiers in the process—that remains to be seen.”

Hmm. The professor raised his eyebrows and circled a mark on the grading sheet. Ian’s attitude, consistent argument, and logical support were all excellent. As for his attitude in class… well, everyone has off days.

The professor shifted his gaze to the next student and continued.

“Alright, next… you, in the back—”

Ian sat calmly, pen in hand, while Hans glanced at him a few times. Ian seemed tired of thinking about Crony, especially since everyone inside and outside school was buzzing about it.

“That’s all for today’s lecture.”

“Thank you, Professor.”

As class ended, Hans packed his bag and asked,

“Heading straight to the Ministry?”

“Yeah. Why? Want to come along?”

“I brought some of your clothes. Seriously, what kind of company doesn’t let you go home? I haven’t seen your face in a week!”

At first, Ian had been thrilled by the sudden windfall of money, but as days passed, he faced the grim, brutal reality of the Ministry.

Working over 18 hours a day was standard, and overtime was practically mandatory. Explosions happened so often that clothes frequently caught fire. It was worse than Enerjes.

“At least they feed us regularly. Otherwise, you’d have collapsed by now.”

“Lately it’s gotten even busier. Thanksgiving is coming up, and I didn’t know the Ministry was handling the event prep. Everyone’s popping pills like water.”

“High pay comes with a price. Poor you, brother.”

The two slung their bags over their shoulders and headed toward the main gate. In the distance, the coachman waiting for Ian waved.

“Hans, when’s the move?”

“Next week. The place near Central Avenue was crazy expensive, but since you’re a mage, the loan went through smoothly. It even has a small garden. The neighborhood’s safe, lots of people walk in the park at night. It’s a bit farther from school, but you said you’d rent a carriage by then.”

“Sounds great!”

Ian gave a thumbs-up, and Hans chuckled, clasping his hand. “I should be the one thanking you, dummy.”

“Ian, you worked hard today. Hans is with you too.”

“Hans?!” Hans was dizzy hearing that title for the first time. The status of mages was truly impressive. Just having a mage in the family earned such respectful treatment. Was this really right?

“But today, you’ll have to go to the manor instead of the Ministry.”

“Huh? Why?”

Ian handed his bag to the coachman and asked. The coachman glanced around nervously, then crouched down to whisper. Hans perked up to listen as well.

“I don’t know the details, but I heard there’s chaos at the palace right now. Everyone’s in a frenzy, and the Minister ordered you not to come to work.”

“What?”

Chaos at the palace? Just yesterday, or even this morning when Ian left Count Jacques’s estate, there was no word of anything unusual. Captain Hertzi had also gone to work as usual.

The coachman lowered his voice further.

“The Empire’s Defense Minister was assassinated.”

“……?!”

Ian’s eyes widened in shock. Then, naturally, Crony’s smile came to mind.

He didn’t know why, but it was clear that smile was the prelude to something.

---

“The Empire’s Defense Minister, Sharto, is dead?”

The news broke just after lunch. Arena, who had been stamping documents mechanically, jumped up in surprise.

“Yes, that’s the latest report.”

“How did it happen? Did he have an illness? That guy looked tough, even if he was a bit heavy. He yelled all day like he’d live to a hundred.”

“We don’t know the details yet, but it seems to be murder.”

“Ah.”

Damn.

Arena muttered a curse without realizing it. She couldn’t predict how far the fallout from the minister’s death would reach within the palace.

“What happened exactly?”

“They say a servant found him collapsed in the bathtub, with a deep cut on his neck.”

“Wow, this is getting weird.”

The minister’s death was one thing, but murder? And the killer had the audacity to display the body openly.

Not disguising the death as suicide or an accident was a clear message: someone was involved, and they wanted it known. Boldly.

“So?”

“The guards are investigating the manor, but no reports have come in yet. For now, we should head to the emergency meeting.”

“Damn it, that old bastard went out in style.”

Muttering, Arena put on her uniform jacket. Though she spoke lightly, a dark premonition lingered. She relayed the situation to the mages and rushed out.

“Everyone, guard the office well. Strengthen the protective wards, and keep a close watch on the outer posts—just in case.”

The Defense Minister was dead. The culprit was surely someone who benefited from his death. That made it likely an inside job. If soldiers moved amid the chaos, it would be a national emergency.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“And about Ian Hadel—tell him not to enter the palace until I say otherwise. Don’t want him stumbling into something bad.”

“Y-Yes! Understood.”

“Alright.”

Thud!

The carriage carrying Arena sped toward the palace’s main building. Inside, she pressed her brows together, frowning.

“This isn’t just a minor incident. It’s deliberate, with something clear behind it. Why couldn’t His Majesty remove Sharto even though he opposed the northern expedition?”

Because of the Defense Department’s unity. Whoever sat in that seat was no different from Sharto.

“But now Sharto’s dead by someone’s hand.”

She needed more information.

Already, ministers and officials from other departments had gathered in front of the main palace upon hearing the news. As Arena climbed the steps, they swarmed her.

“Minister Arena, have you heard?”

“I came because I did.”

“Wow, what’s going on all of a sudden?”

“Sharto himself must be more shocked than anyone.”

The guards would handle the investigation, but it was the officials’ job to gauge the impact on the palace.

“And His Majesty? Will he attend the council meeting?”

“He’s unwell, so I don’t know. But given the situation, he should come. If he doesn’t show up in times like these…”

[The scene ends here.]

The rumors that the emperor was little more than a living corpse were about to gain traction. Things were looking grim from every angle.

The prime minister, who had arrived first, stood up to greet the officials.

“Please, have a seat.”

“And His Majesty?”

“I’ve been in contact. He sent word for us to handle this matter among ourselves for now.”

So the emperor couldn’t get up. The officials exchanged uneasy glances, shaking their heads slightly.

“Minister Sharto of the Imperial Defense Department was murdered. This must be thoroughly investigated.”

“The culprit is likely someone who benefits from Minister Sharto’s death. To be frank, shouldn’t we first suspect someone within the Defense Department itself?”

“That’s a fair point. But regardless, we can’t leave the position vacant for long—especially not such a crucial post as the Defense Minister.”

“We can’t rush to appoint a new minister before the full truth comes out. What if the new appointee is the murderer?”

The unprecedented situation quickly stirred unrest in the room. The prime minister slammed his fist on the table, commanding everyone’s attention.

“What’s the current atmosphere within the Defense Department?”

One official stepped forward to report.

“It’s chaotic. Some are outraged, others are trying to stay composed. There are those frantically hunting for the culprit, and some just watching silently… The department’s operations are nearly paralyzed.”

The officials scratched their heads, clearly troubled, and fell silent. Then someone cautiously asked,

“…What about the deputy minister?”

At this point, suspicion naturally fell on the deputy minister. He stood to gain the most from the minister’s death.

There were even rumors that he had recently clashed with the minister over the northern expedition. Some said the deputy position originally belonged to Crony.

“We haven’t heard from him.”

“Oh dear.”

As everyone sighed, Arena folded her arms and quietly surveyed the scene. Something felt off. An unsettling sense that everything was too neatly aligned, as if orchestrated.

“In that case, how about appointing someone other than the deputy minister as an interim? I’d like to cautiously suggest that.”

“Yes, yes, that sounds safer… I don’t think that’s a bad idea.”

“Captain Soren was close to the minister. I heard they’re related by marriage.”

“Is that so?”

Arena half-listened to the officials’ chatter, but her eyes suddenly widened at a particular comment.

“…And, well, Captain Crony is definitely uninvolved. He was a close aide to Minister Sharto but is currently away in the north.”

That was it.

The vague discomfort Arena had been feeling.

Bang!

Without realizing it, she suddenly stood and slammed her hand down on the table. All eyes turned to her.

“…?!”

“…?”

What on earth was she about to say—

Their faces were a mix of anticipation and apprehension.