Chapter 952
There was one figure who caught the attention of the Imperial Defense Bureau officials. Gray hair, handsome features, formidable strength balanced by impeccable coordination. Not only was his swordsmanship elegant, but he also showed humility by politely bowing to his opponent after sparring.
The officials flipped through their papers, repeatedly mentioning Xiao Xi’s name.
“Ah, so he’s the second son of the Enrou family?”
“Yes, that’s right. Cousin to the Davion family.”
“The rumors were widespread, but he exceeds expectations. Undefeated so far, isn’t he?”
“Yes, well, he’s been unparalleled up to now.”
“Any issues?”
“Are you pretending not to know, or do you really not know?”
The sharp remark from one official cast a slight chill over the room. Though his background and skills were exceptional in every way, the Imperial Defense Bureau officials saw one flaw.
“It’s frustrating. That history of relying on Ian Hadel and Count Jacques.”
“Oh, I’ve heard of it. But it’s not like they’ve been connected for a long time. It’s just a tie through the Enrou family and the Great Desert’s Cheonryeo, isn’t it?”
“Do you think a bond once formed will easily unravel?”
That single flaw—his ties to key figures in the Magic Department and the Imperial Palace Guard—was a mark against him.
It couldn’t be officially documented, but it was a fatal detail etched firmly in their minds. The officials tapped the ends of their pens, repeatedly scoring and erasing.
“You’re worrying too much. Once he joins the Imperial Defense Bureau, he’ll naturally wear the appropriate colors.”
“Ahem. Let’s not fan unnecessary flames in this already tense situation.”
“I understand, but…”
As the officials exchanged opinions, a man approached—the Minister of the Imperial Defense Bureau, Freddy. The current power behind the bureau and the one who most welcomed checks on the Magic Department. As he neared, the officials bowed respectfully.
“Minister, you’ve arrived.”
“Anyone stand out?”
“This year’s candidates are exceptionally skilled. You can look forward to it.”
“Is that so? That’s good to hear.”
Freddy took the evaluation sheet from the nearest official and glanced it over before turning his gaze toward Xiao Xi. The sparring had just ended, and Xiao Xi sat on a waiting chair, breathing heavily.
“Minister, that one is the second son of the Enrou family—”
“I know. He’s quite the talk of the town.”
Freddy was also aware of Ian and Count Jacques’ presence beside Xiao Xi, and like the others, it made him uneasy.
Rustle.
“…Impressive.”
From a purely skill-based perspective, his admission was practically guaranteed. So wouldn’t it be more valuable to accept and utilize him rather than reject him out of caution? For the sake of the Imperial Defense Bureau—or perhaps for something else.
“Once again, I say this: grade fairly. Use the standards as a baseline and rank accordingly.”
Though his words sounded polished, the officials sensed there was more beneath Freddy’s surface.
“Understood, Minister.”
“Proceed as planned.”
Freddy glanced toward the approaching Magic Department officials and left to personally encourage the candidates and oversee the proceedings.
Meanwhile, Ian slowly surveyed the testing grounds, focusing his senses.
Swish.
He lightly scattered his mana, but there was no response anywhere. With thousands gathered, it wasn’t conclusive, but still.
Then—
“Ah, Ian.”
Xiao Xi, sitting and waiting, lifted his head and looked up toward the second floor. It wasn’t a reaction to mana, but he sensed a presence. A few other candidates also paused. Those who had reached a certain level seemed to instinctively sense the arrival of a mage.
“Look straight ahead.”
Ian whispered, gripping the railing. But Xiao Xi only raised an eyebrow in confusion, still turning his head to look at Ian on the second floor.
“Why?”
“You must have seen the Imperial Defense Bureau people across the way.”
Rumors about Xiao Xi had surely spread among them. If they saw him talking with Ian here in the testing grounds, who knew what influence it might have on Xiao Xi?
Of course, they wouldn’t disqualify him. His skill was flawless in anyone’s eyes here. But—
“Someone who should enter as the top candidate might be admitted as second, and someone who should be second might start even lower. For a talent of your caliber, it’s not an immediate problem, but in the long run, it’s something to watch. Xiao Xi, if you want to achieve something in the Imperial Defense Bureau, you’d better watch your conduct.”
Xiao Xi kept looking up at Ian without answering. Sweat trickled down his jaw and neck.
“Ian.”
In the noisy testing grounds, Xiao Xi’s voice rang out clearly. Ian still avoided his gaze, staring straight ahead as if checking for anyone reacting to mana.
“Do you think the Imperial Defense Bureau of the Great Empire Bariel is a place that judges truth by such trivial matters?”
“The Imperial Palace sometimes hides not only the truth but everything else as well.”
“I understand your concerns, but after sparring five times in a row, that advice doesn’t really resonate with me. Forgive my rudeness—I’m too tired to filter my words even with a close friend.”
Ian looked down in disbelief and met Xiao Xi’s gaze. Those mysterious odd eyes, deep and wolf-like.
“I aim to become the sword of the empire, not just an official of the Imperial Defense Bureau.”
“…Did I offend you?”
“No. I appreciate the advice. But it’s too much for me, so I won’t accept it.”
If one claimed that ‘politicking’ was a virtue of palace officials, there’d be nothing to say. Ian had worked in the palace longer than Xiao Xi and knew its ways well.
But—
“I want to face the exam with pride. Without hiding or revealing anything, I want to speak only through my skill. If that causes problems, I’ll accept it. That’s my way.”
“If Hans heard that, he’d be shocked.”
“Well, the sword wielder and the pen wielder can’t be the same, can they?”
Xiao Xi rummaged through his pocket and pulled out a neatly folded note, flicking it up to the second floor. Ian caught it without thinking.
“A letter from my father.”
“Oh.”
“You were curious about Hielo, weren’t you? He never came to the mansion, so I kept it.”
Ian was about to express thanks, but Xiao Xi’s gaze had already drifted elsewhere.
“……”
Ian turned his head to look toward the Imperial Defense Bureau. Far off, the officials were busily taking notes. Soon, a whistle blew, and Xiao Xi along with a few others were called.
“Next, the physical test. Candidates with numbers in the 1000s, please stand!”
“Well then, I’ll be going, Ian.”
Xiao Xi gave a brief nod and stood. Ian frowned slightly, resigned.
Just then, as if waiting for the moment, Beric dragged a dazed Barsabe over, causing a ruckus.
“Hey! Xiao! You’re looking fine! You should be all torn up and bleeding! See this? These are my glorious battle wounds!”
“Beric, judging by the noise, you passed.”
“Of course! For me, this test is a piece of cake.”
“…Piece of cake.”
Barsabe muttered and corrected him, and Ian unfolded the note, quietly fixing the phrase.
“It’s ‘a piece of cake.’”
“Ah! I must really be an idiot! What if I’m worse than Beric? Ian, do something about me!”
“Ha ha ha! Idiots never change, Ian says.”
“Ahhh! This is the worst, the absolute worst!”
Xiao Xi smiled faintly at the noisy trio—well, Beric and Barsabe—and left the testing grounds.
Swish.
While Beric twisted Barsabe’s half-conscious arms and legs playfully, Ian read the note Xiao Xi had given him.
—Dear Ian,
First, thank you for accepting our Xiao Xi. I will send my thanks separately to Count Jacques.
By the way, I heard you received the payment for the sale from Enrou. I searched the records but found no transaction with the Hadels. In the past hundred years, the only record of our Enrou family selling land is the one with ‘Hielo’…
Is it just my imagination, or is there hesitation in the Count’s words? Ian paused at the next lines.
—…As you well know, Hielo is a name spoken with caution. It’s a family that was erased from the records. But how can you cut the threads of history? Each one is tightly woven, existing as it is. The existence of Enrou is one such proof.
Ian, this is all I can tell you. Hielo was a golden mage. Perhaps you’ve seen it yourself. There’s a flower grave in the central square…
Mage. Golden mage.
Ian recalled the flower grave he first saw as a child in the square. It had bloomed continuously through spring, summer, autumn, and even the harshest winter cold.
—Anyway, we handed over the sale proceeds to Hielo, but how it ended up in your hands, I have no idea. Whether that’s good news for you or not, I can’t say.
But one thing’s certain: no one knows the meaning of the Flower Tomb better than the empire’s own people, who have preserved it for the past hundred years.
This confirms it. The golden mage Hielo, sentenced to erasure from all records, was connected to the Hadel family.
“…”
The sentence of record erasure is usually reserved for traitors or those guilty of comparable crimes.
‘If he and I are related by blood, then I can’t be the first noble mage. Worse, the Hadel family would be tied to a grave criminal.’
Officially, there’s nothing to gain from this. Still, the last line from Marquis Enlow stuck with me—the idea that the empire’s citizens understand the Flower Tomb’s significance better than anyone.
Leaving the Flower Tomb untouched means the imperial palace tacitly permits it…
Whoosh!
That’s enough for now. Ian burned the note with magic. Didn’t Ako teach me to handle personal curiosities carefully? Even if it causes trouble later, that’s a problem for another time. For now, it’s best buried in the past.
“Ian?”
Startled, Beric and Barsabe stared wide-eyed as flames flickered at Ian’s fingertips. Ian smiled, holding a pen and some documents.
“Got time to waste? Hurry up and prepare for the next exam.”
A month later, the long-awaited Imperial Joint Recruitment Exam finally ended, and the results were announced. Crowds swarmed in front of the city gates.
When soldiers appeared holding large posters front and back, the crowd erupted in cheers. Among them were Beric, Barsabe, and Xiaoshi.
“See? I’m definitely number one. Number one.”
“Please, please, please… just let Beric win.”
“Wait, they’re posting it over there, not here. We’ll have to move.”
“Ugh, why won’t Ian just tell us the results? Let’s check quickly and then grab a beer. Of course, Barsabe’s buying since he’s richer and weaker than me.”
“Shut up! And don’t badmouth Ian. The exam’s run by the Imperial Defense Department. What if something happens because Ian leaked info?”
“What about Hans? He always got the scoop early!”
“The administration and the Imperial Defense Department aren’t the same. You’d be a problem even if you started palace life.”
While Beric and Barsabe bickered, Xiaoshi craned his neck to read the poster.
“Ah.”
A smile spread across his face in an instant.
—Top scorer, Imperial Defense Department: Xiaoshi Enlow.
His name was right there at the top. A quiet pride swelled inside him.
He then glanced at the poster for the Imperial Palace Guard. Since only a handful were selected, it was posted separately. Only thirty passed, all as trainees.
“Barsabe.”
“Hm?”
“Look over there. Top scorer.”
“What? Really?!”
“Yeah.”
Barsabe pushed through the crowd to the poster.
—Top scorer, Imperial Palace Guard: Barsabe Zack.
“Yes! Yes, yes, yes!”
Barsabe cheered, while Beric rubbed his eyes in disbelief. Black ink on white paper… and now Beric could read and write. Where was his name…?
“Huh?”
At the very bottom, Beric found his name. But there was a sentence next to it.
“What? Why am I at the bottom? And what’s this? Barsabe, Xiaoshi! What does it say here?”
“Uh…”
They both read the condition next to Beric’s name.
—Conditional pass: Failure to submit self-introduction within 90 days will result in disqualification.
“What does that mean?”
“It means you need to study your writing.”
“Beric, did you properly submit your self-introduction for the second exam?”
“I did!”
“…Did you submit it ‘properly’?”
“…”
Beric thought for a moment, then, as if giving up, tore the poster down. That idiot probably just scribbled his name.
“Ahhh! I don’t know! I don’t know!”
“Oh dear, is he crazy?”
“Looks like he failed. But still, don’t destroy the posters!”
“Hey, guards! Get this guy!”
As the crowd murmured and stared at Beric, Xiaoshi and Barsabe quietly slipped away into the crowd. Then, sharing their joy over the top scores, they clapped quietly but with firm enthusiasm.