Chapter 955
Minister Freddy didn’t bother hiding his scowl. Crony’s back? Not dead, but alive?
“…Are you out of your mind?”
Faced with his superior’s blunt reaction, the aide was at a loss for words. He had agonized over whether to report the rumor at all, but the tense atmosphere left him no choice.
In fact, it was already late—by now, the entire palace must be buzzing with talk.
“My apologies.”
“Where on earth did this nonsense start?”
“According to the report, it began with strange movements detected at the Alpart estate.”
“The Alpart estate?”
Freddy’s eyebrows twitched. Isn’t Ian Hadel, from the Ministry of Magic, the caretaker there? Could Ian Hadel be behind this rumor?
Freddy twisted his pointed beard thoughtfully.
‘If Ian Hadel intended this, there’s nothing to gain on his end.’
Gain? No, quite the opposite. Who better than Ian knows what lengths Crony went to in order to seize power? The tragedy of the Hadel family may have faded with time, but the bitter grudge still burns deep in Ian’s heart.
‘The very idea of Crony coming back alive is something no one wants to even whisper about. Ian Hadel isn’t the culprit. There’s no benefit worth risking this.’
Crossing his arms, Freddy pondered deeply. Then who? Where? And why?
At that moment, the aide ventured a cautious guess.
“Perhaps someone inside the Imperial Defense Department?”
Silence was agreement. Freddy said nothing but stared off into the distance, signaling his concurrence.
It was a plausible theory. Who would be most troubled if Crony returned? Himself, of course.
‘This position was gained during Crony’s absence. If he comes back, I’ll naturally lose it.’
No matter how much he’d built his standing over the past decade, he could never outshine Crony’s heroic image. After all, Crony was the warrior who saved them from crisis. Who wouldn’t welcome the man who faced the underground god and lived to tell the tale?
If Crony wanted this seat, he could take it anytime. And knowing Crony, he’d sit in it as if it were his right the moment he returned.
Gripping the armrests tightly, Freddy trembled with an inexplicable fear. His reason dismissed the rumor as nonsense, but part of him thought it might be true. After all, Crony was the embodiment of ambition—if anyone could claw his way out of that hellfire pit and step back into the palace, it would be him.
“Make sure to clamp down on loose talk within the Imperial Defense Department.”
“Yes, understood.”
“Also, monitor how the officers react to this rumor. Focus on Kerdin, Shan, and Enon.”
The trio Freddy mentioned were recent targets of his scrutiny—those expanding their influence suspiciously, those with excessive ambition, or those who prioritized others over him.
“Judging by personality, Shan is the most likely to spread whispers like this.”
“Enon’s no pushover either. Keep a close eye on them both. And make sure to keep the peace—handle those who can stabilize the situation. You know who I mean?”
“Yes, of course.”
As the aide acknowledged, Freddy pulled out a cigarette and gestured for him to leave quickly.
Creak.
The moment the aide stepped outside, the first person he encountered was Xiaoshi. As usual, Xiaoshi was heading out for training after finishing paperwork.
“What’s the matter?”
“Come here for a moment.”
Xiaoshi saluted respectfully and approached.
“Nothing difficult, right? It must be tough adjusting.”
“Not at all. I find it rewarding just to serve His Majesty in the palace.”
The “stabilizing force” Freddy referred to was someone who would remain loyal despite the chaos Crony’s return might bring.
And foremost among them was Xiaoshi Enrou. The top recruit, undeniably skilled, a noble from the frontier with ties to Ian Hadel of the Ministry of Magic.
“You know there’s been strange rumors circulating in the palace lately?”
“Yes, I’m aware.”
“Don’t add fuel to the fire with nonsense. Keep your comrades in line. This is an order from the Minister.”
Xiaoshi hesitated briefly. He’d heard the rumor about Crony’s return but had dismissed it as absurd. Yet now, the Minister himself was giving orders?
“…Understood.”
Though puzzled, Xiaoshi showed only his willingness to comply. The aide patted his shoulder and asked,
“What are your plans for the weekend? If you’re free, how about dinner?”
Now that he was in the Imperial Defense Department, it was time to start building connections.
Xiaoshi knew better than anyone that who you spent time with on weekends could shape your future in the palace. Serving right beside Minister Freddy, and being the highest-ranking officer among the newcomers, it was crucial to align himself well…
“Ah, sorry. I have training with the palace guard all week. If it were regular sparring, I’d be free, but you know how it is with the magic swordsmen.”
After training with Beric and Varsabe, he felt utterly broken and couldn’t move.
The aide sighed in disappointment but couldn’t argue with training as an excuse.
“How about next week?”
“Next week, I’m attending a wedding.”
“A wedding? Whose? You remember you can’t leave the capital during your probation, right?”
“Viviana from the Administration and Romandro from the Ministry of Magic.”
“Oh, those two.”
The aide muttered, recalling hearing about their upcoming wedding. After two polite refusals, he seemed reluctant to press further. It would be nice if Xiaoshi could at least agree to a casual meeting…
“…Alright then. Have a good weekend.”
“Yes. I’ll head to training now.”
Without hesitation, Xiaoshi turned and left.
As he walked, he straightened his crooked sword sheath, recalling Ian’s earlier warning.
“Sir Xiaoshi, strange rumors have been spreading inside and outside the palace. Observe the Imperial Defense Department’s reaction carefully. Minister Freddy’s response will reveal the true state of your department.”
At first, Xiaoshi hadn’t understood. But after today’s orders, he sensed a storm brewing within the department.
“And if possible, keep me informed of the situation, alright?”
It wasn’t betrayal or leaking secrets, so Xiaoshi nodded willingly. After all, it seemed Ian and Crony were at the heart of this unsettling matter.
“Come on, get to work! If you want to attend Romandro’s wedding in two weeks, you better be stamping those papers day and night!”
Voices drifted through the Ministry of Magic’s windows. Amid the chatter, faint sounds of whipping echoed—surely just his imagination, Hans thought, sniffing and turning away.
“Why?”
A rare lunch with Naum, Ian, and Hans.
The palace was beautiful, the food delicious, and overall, life was good…
“But sometimes, when I’m at the Ministry of Magic, I swear I hear things—like whips cracking.”
“Hallucinations?”
“No, it’s real.”
Naum bit into his sandwich casually, prompting Hans to roll up his sleeve and check for whip marks.
“Just kidding, just kidding, little brother.”
Naum laughed and flicked Hans on the forehead.
Only then did Hans relax and glance at Ian sitting beside him, holding a piece of bread in one hand and documents in the other. Even at lunch, Ian was working—just looking at him gave Hans a headache.
“The Administration isn’t like that, right?”
“Nope. They say things will be pretty quiet until the end of the year.”
“Lucky them.”
“How about your Minister?”
“Zenshogu just arrived there, so we’re waiting to hear from him. Romandro’s praying he’ll make it to the wedding.”
“Hmm.”
Hans snorted in response. Viviana had been worried about whether the Ministry of Magic would attend the wedding. It wasn’t just the ceremony—she was concerned Romandro might feel hurt if few showed up.
“Ahhh.”
Naum closed his eyes, basking in the rare sunlight. The three sat in peaceful silence, surrounded by distant voices, birdsong, and the breeze…
“By the way, Ian, about that thing I mentioned last time.”
“Last time?”
“You know, when I asked you to check the Administration’s records on the Enrou side.”
“Oh, right.”
Ian had forgotten amid the busyness. Plus, he’d already received a reply from the Enrou viscount, so he was about to say it was all clear.
But before he could, Hans spoke up.
“Looks clean. The frontier area is well managed by the Administration because of taxes. There were some issues back when it was called ‘Bratz,’ but nothing recorded since then.”
“Bratz?”
“Bratz came first, then Hielo, and after that, Enlow. That’s the sequence.”
Ian chewed on his bread thoughtfully, hesitating for a moment. So, if the tax issues started during Bratz’s time, does that mean Hielo took over the estate afterward?
“I think there’s more information inside, but I don’t have the clearance yet… But does it have to be official records? Maybe we could try looking elsewhere.”
“Elsewhere?”
“Well, unofficial sources are always easier to find. Besides, there’s that collection of novels in the Magic Department annex. Have you checked it out?”
Ian’s eyes lit up. As he looked up, he spotted the annex building right there. Hans, gathering his empty lunchbox, added,
“Remember when I told you about that? Back when that bastard Crony showed up and I couldn’t really look properly. The title was something like The Chronicles of Hielo, wasn’t it? And your name was mentioned in it too.”
If they read that, maybe they could uncover more details. The author was from that era, and given the name Hielo, there had to be some connection.
“A wizard…”
Hielo—the golden wizard, perhaps.
The novel collection in the Magic Department annex.
And Ian’s own name.
Ian nodded toward Hans and asked,
“Do you remember where exactly you saw it?”
“Yeah. Go in, fifth room on the right. You have to climb a ladder, and I’m not sure which shelf exactly, but once you’re there, it should ring a bell.”
“Come on, let’s go.”
“Wait a sec!”
I haven’t finished tidying up yet! Hans said, holding the empty container as Ian led him into the annex.
Creak.
The place was still quiet, like a library asleep in time. Following Hans’s lead, Ian entered the fifth room on the right.
“Hmm, it should be around here…”
As Hans tapped the spines with his fingertips, searching for the book, Ian stepped back and scanned the entire bookshelf.
Then—
“…?”
Drawn by something, Ian reached out his hand.