Chapter 967

“Have all the guests arrived?”

“Yes, Master.”

At the butler’s words, Freddy adjusted his attire neatly while gazing into the mirror.

After his unofficial deal with the Ministry of Magic—or rather, with Ian—Freddy immediately summoned the high-ranking officials from each department.

‘First, I’ll casually leak that Crony is connected to the assassination of the former Minister of Imperial Defense.’

If Crony found out, he might grab Freddy by the collar and drag him down together. After all, Crony’s subordinate back then was Freddy himself. Freddy had been deeply involved in every one of Crony’s actions.

“Let’s go.”

Therefore, Freddy needed to be careful in how he conveyed the information, using a bit of exaggeration and understatement. Excluding himself and the current core of the Imperial Defense Ministry, he planned to tie the opposition faction to the scandal and push them out of the palace. To do that, it was crucial to spread the word quickly.

‘That’s how rumors work.’

Trying to prove or disprove them only makes things messier. So Freddy gathered the officials faster than anyone else and prepared a meeting at his residence.

Squeak!

Bang!

“Welcome, everyone.”

“Oh, Minister Freddy, thank you for inviting us.”

“Is the tea to your liking? I thought Your Excellency preferred alcohol.”

“Well, drinking alcohol in broad daylight is a bit much. Ha ha ha!”

“Why not? No one’s watching.”

“Still, the atmosphere in the palace has been tense lately. I’m trying to be cautious.”

Freddy exchanged light greetings with the officials and took the seat of honor on the sofa. Judging by the half-empty tea and snacks, they had already been talking before he arrived. He signaled the butler to refill the cups.

“So, what’s the reason for this sudden gathering…?”

Would the Minister of Imperial Defense summon everyone just out of boredom? Especially high-ranking officials? Of course not. Everyone’s faces showed a hint of tension as they focused on Freddy’s words. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully, then smiled as if having made a difficult decision.

“It’s nothing else but the recent return of Sir Crony causing some unrest within the palace.”

“Yes, indeed. It’s not just the palace. Whenever three or more people gather in the capital, talk of Sir Crony inevitably comes up. The public’s interest is quite clear.”

“The people of the empire are enthusiastic. They say he defeated the underground god, that he’s Gaia’s hero—praise without end.”

Freddy nodded slowly, as if he already had a rough idea.

“Sir Crony seems intent on returning to the palace. I wanted to hold back my words, but as Minister of Imperial Defense, I feel it’s my duty to seek your wisdom on this matter.”

“Is there a problem…?”

“It concerns the death of former Minister Sir Sharto.”

“Excuse me?”

The so-called Sharto assassination case. He was murdered in his own bathtub, and the culprit was caught, closing the case.

They exchanged confused glances. Why bring this up now?

“I have information that the main culprit behind Sir Sharto’s assassination is Sir Crony.”

“What did you say?”

“At the time, Sir Crony was drafted to the northern war front, so he was off the suspect list. Besides, the culprit was quickly arrested, and the case was considered closed.”

“You’re saying Sir Crony assassinated former Minister Sharto? Am I hearing this correctly?”

“You heard right.”

“Do you have proof? That’s an explosive claim.”

At someone’s question, Freddy shrugged confidently.

“There is evidence. It can be presented once the case is made public.”

“Well, well.”

He was the Minister of Imperial Defense and had served closely with Crony at the time. There had to be proof.

‘Though it might need some editing.’

Freddy raised an eyebrow and sipped his tea. It would take time to isolate Crony and remove him from the picture, but it was doable.

“I’ve also discussed this with the Ministry of Magic. Since their minister is currently away, I shared the information with Sir Ian Hadel, who expressed serious concerns.”

At the mention of Ian Hadel, the officials’ expressions grew even more serious. They realized this was a storm on the horizon.

“The Ministry of Magic currently refuses to recognize Sir Crony as a mage. We, as ordinary people, can’t say for sure, but it seems they have their own standards.”

“But didn’t Sir Crony demonstrate magic himself? In front of His Majesty, no less.”

“Yes, that’s true. Everyone here witnessed it.”

“They seem to think it was an illusion. Or that his power is fundamentally different from magic.”

“What does that mean…?”

“I don’t know the details either. But one thing is clear: the Ministry of Magic also opposes Sir Crony’s return to the palace.”

An ex-Minister of Imperial Defense who assassinated a predecessor, wielding some mysterious power—and yet enjoying explosive popular support?

“His Majesty hasn’t spoken on the matter, but would he truly welcome Sir Crony’s return?”

“Well…”

With no heir and an aging, ailing emperor, Sir Crony’s presence is effectively a rival. If they were close, it might be different, but their relationship was strictly ruler and subject—no special bond.

“Sir Crony carries a burning flame in his heart. Don’t forget, though time has passed for us, it’s but a fleeting moment for him.”

“So, Minister Freddy, are you saying—”

The officials cautiously repeated.

“That we should prevent Sir Crony from entering the palace?”

He’s opposed by the emperor, the Ministry of Magic, and even the Imperial Defense Ministry. Who on earth would want him inside?

“What power do we have? But what I want to clarify is this: the public is excessively idolizing him. We need to bring some balance, at least from our side.”

Freddy’s choice of words was excellent. The officials, who had been somewhat uneasy, nodded in agreement. They weren’t calling for action against him, just for clarity and balance in public opinion.

“Exactly. The media tends to overreport. There’s no concrete evidence of the underground god’s destruction—only Sir Crony’s testimony.”

“Yes, I agree. It’s not about denying Sir Crony, but about exercising caution. If the underground god’s destruction is later proven false, it would damage the palace’s credibility.”

Though Crony stirred the public, the palace might bear the backlash. The greater the hope, the greater the disappointment.

“Then it’s all the more reason to keep distance from the palace. If Sir Crony’s claims are true, the palace won’t matter anymore.”

A new dynasty might rise—not under the name of Verosion, but something else entirely. This was not just Bariel’s problem, but a monumental event across Gaia.

“Yes, it’s best to observe the situation separately. Sir Crony would understand, if he truly cares for the palace.”

“And if he truly destroyed the underground god.”

“Exactly.”

Freddy smiled faintly as he looked around at the officials who had fallen in line with his plan. Ian Hadel—whether by design or luck—was a valuable ally. He’d be grateful for their alliance with the Imperial Defense Ministry for a long time.

“So, what should we do?”

At the officials’ question, Freddy composed himself and set down his teacup. The question implied their willingness to cooperate.

“Let’s unite in proposing the reopening of the Sharto assassination case at the upcoming assembly. Once that happens, the media will naturally shift focus, balancing the public mood.”

“Yes, let’s do that. How about the assembly tomorrow?”

“Sounds good.”

“Ah, but—”

At that moment, someone raised a hand to ask.

“Isn’t Mage Ian Hadel related to Sir Crony by blood?”

“That’s correct, but…?”

“I’ve heard rumors that Sir Crony was involved in the death of Ian Hadel’s parents. Regardless of the truth, could Ian’s grudge be driving him to slander Sir Crony and block his acceptance into the Ministry of Magic?”

“Excuse me?”

“Could we be pawns in Ian’s personal vendetta?”

What nonsense was this? It was a buzzkill to the good mood. Freddy pulled out a cigarette and glanced back as the man stammered on.

“No, I just mean we should be certain. If that’s true, wouldn’t it complicate things? If Sir Crony is later proven a true mage, wouldn’t that put us all in trouble?”

“Listen, we have evidence of Sir Sharto’s assassination, don’t we?”

“Can you share it with us now?”

All eyes turned to Freddy.

This was awkward. Revealing everything would implicate himself and his associates. Freddy answered confidently.

“It’s possible, but not now. The evidence is currently with the Ministry of Magic for verification. We’ll receive it at the assembly.”

At times like this, there’s only one way: bring the Ministry of Magic into the fold. After all, allies in the same boat should help each other.

As soon as the Ministry of Magic came up again, the officials fell silent for a moment. They wondered if their relationship was really close enough to exchange such precious evidence directly. If that Ministry of Magic was truly allied with Minister Freddy, then there had to be something going on.

“Well, if you put it that way…”

The momentum briefly faltered.

Knock, knock.

“Master.”

At the butler’s call, Freddy turned around with a bright smile. Perfect timing, wasn’t it?

“What is it?”

“A guest has arrived.”

“A guest? Who?”

Freddy glanced around the room as he spoke. Everyone he had invited was already seated before him, not a single person missing.

The butler hesitated for a moment, and sensing something was off, Freddy excused himself from the guests and stood up.

“Everyone, just a moment—”

“Is this the place?”

At that moment, a familiar voice slipped in from outside. Freddy froze as the so-called guest pushed the door open and stepped inside. Unlike usual, the butler didn’t stop him; he just watched silently.

“Ah…”

Strange. Normally, the butler wouldn’t let anyone near the parlor without permission. Freddy’s body stiffened as he caught sight of the face slowly appearing through the door.

“Of course. So you were all here.”

It was Crony.

With a smile, he stepped into the parlor as if it were his own home, moving with complete ease.