Episode 97
The path was set.

Romandro kept scratching his pen across the paper until the last candle melted away. He was painstakingly drafting an honest yet strategically favorable report on the entire incident, including the usual behavior of Count Merellof, to the point his eyes nearly popped out.

Rustle.

“Sir Romandro, should I leave this here?”

“Oh, Hana. Yes, please.”

It was the testimony from the servants of the Merellof estate. Most were illiterate and had only stamped their seals, but these documents would serve as proof of the lady’s innocence and Dive’s pilgrimage.

“By the way, I think the central government will be quite surprised.”

“Of course. The count was killed by a slave overnight, and his only heir, the younger brother, is a heretic who worships the underground god.”

“That’s true, but they’ll also be shocked that you sold Gula seeds to Merellof. The reports we received haven’t even mentioned Gula’s public acceptance yet.”

“Has the central office replied?”

Ian’s question made Romandro hesitate briefly. His demeanor suggested the answer wasn’t exactly positive.

“Well, they said to send Lord Morin to the capital first.”

“Lady Marib?”

“Yes.”

“Damn.”

Ian clicked his tongue in genuine frustration. This was the moment when the power struggle between Marib and Gale became clear—who was the winner and who the loser.

“It’s unfortunate, but it’s not too difficult. They’re not exactly precious guests, so I’ll have a carriage ready immediately.”

“Are you sure? You’ll be meeting them again in the capital.”

“What choice do we have? When we meet again, our positions will be clear.”

Ian was both a noble and a mage. Morin was an administrative official.

The difference was stark.

“Anyway, the central office says Gula hasn’t been domesticated for food yet. Many will struggle through this winter.”

“By the way, what about the seeds Merellof started cultivating?”

The count had purchased seeds aiming to distribute Gula, but they were still piled up in the warehouse. To put it bluntly, the trouble started before the ink on the contract even dried.

“Well, since we’ve already been paid, I think it’s best to follow the lady’s wishes.”

“She seemed eager to distribute and cultivate them quickly to ensure plenty of food.”

“Then so be it. We’ll fully liberalize Gula sales among our people.”

That meant not only roasted Gula but also live Gula suitable for cultivation would be allowed for trade. Romandro put down his pen and glanced at the crates stacked in the corner of his office.

“We’ve already received two crates. Looks like I’ll have to visit the bank again soon. How much do you think they’re worth? Maybe 200 gold coins per box?”

Hearing Romandro’s muttering, Ian began calculating as well. With such small income, plus the 3,500 coins from Gula sales and the 5,000 coins reward from the lady, they had practically gathered most of the tribute already.

“Congratulations. At this rate, you should be able to pay off the tribute in full before next summer. Then you’ll truly become a noble. Ah, I’ll be sure to mind my manners then.”

“Please, keep it casual. I’m already deeply grateful for your help.”

Ian’s sincere praise brought a faint smile to Romandro’s lips. He carefully crafted the report to send to the royal palace, word by word.

“By the way, once things settle with Merellof, we should start packing. If we leave in two weeks, we’ll have plenty of time to reach the capital.”

“Agreed. We don’t have much to pack anyway, and not many people to bring along.”

It wasn’t a full move—just Ian and a few companions traveling. All his belongings would fit in a single carriage. In the capital, they planned to stay at Romandro’s estate, so there was no need to bring much. The only family member coming along was Beric.

“Let’s see, is that everything to organize?”

Romandro asked as he sorted through the thick stack of documents. Judging by the volume, one messenger pigeon wouldn’t be enough.

“By the way, what about your mother?”

“My mother?”

“Philia, right? She still lives in the forest?”

“Yes. I told her to come down to the village, but she seems reluctant. She only comes down when the cold is unbearable. For now, I plan to ask the village’s woodkeepers to keep an eye on her when they come and go.”

The name Bratz had disappeared, and the village had changed a lot from the scars of battle. But for Philia, it wasn’t a happy or nostalgic home—she seemed fully immersed in her forest life.

“You won’t see her much once you go to the capital.”

“Even if I go with her, we won’t see each other often.”

“True. The Ministry of Magic won’t leave you alone, will they? Ah, sorry—that’s just my personal guess.”

Romandro chuckled awkwardly, muttering without much thought. Ian immediately understood the implication.

“I think so too. Was it Minister Wesley? Whether friend or foe, he’s going to be on my case. I might get completely worn down.”

“Right. Those mages who say they go out at dawn and come back under the stars. Even if you bring your mother, you won’t be able to take proper care of her.”

That meant the training and workload were intense. But Ian had been through it before, so he didn’t dwell on it. Before being assigned to the Ministry of Magic, he could always return to his previous post.

“But Beric still hasn’t come back. I wonder what he’s doing.”

Romandro muttered, looking out at the darkening sky. It had been half a day since Beric went after Poululu, who seemed to be the leader among Merellof’s three knights. Naturally, he was worried since there was no sign of his return.

“The warriors are with him, right?”

“Yes. If anything happened, a hawk would have flown in. Let’s wait until tonight. Romandro, once you finish the report, please check on the Hawan Kingdom’s trade guild.”

“Oh, right. Got it.”

The aftermath of Dive’s case, which Lady Rien had worried about, was to be handled by the Hawan Kingdom—specifically, the trade guild traveling from Hawan to Toalrun.

“I wonder if there’s a suitable group.”

“Cost isn’t a concern, but I’d prefer someone diligent and responsible. Probably best to look at the older guilds.”

“How will they travel?”

Romandro’s eyes narrowed. There were many ways to entrust someone. They could travel alongside the guild, like Suga did during his stealth mission, or move under heavy guard, or even…

“Something reliable would be best.”

“I agree.”

Like prisoners under tight escort.

That seemed the most fitting for Dive.

“A pilgrim must endure pain and hardship, after all.”

Ian joked, and Romandro laughed heartily for the first time in a while.

“What about funding?”

“They said they’d sell Dive’s estate in Merellof to cover the costs. It’d be best to finalize it soon—before we leave. I’ll decide with my subordinates tomorrow.”

“Tell Lady Rien to appoint someone responsible for escorting Dive to Hawan and then to Toalrun.”

“Hm. It’d be good to have an extra safeguard.”

‘Personally, I think Clark would be ideal, but that’s the lady’s choice.’

Many soldiers were stationed along the route to Hawan. The misunderstanding that they were bandits hadn’t been cleared up yet, thanks to Erika’s sudden appearance. Erika and the investigation team had vanished amidst the chaos, and no news had come.

“And Hana.”

“Yes?”

Hana had been moving various supplies around, eavesdropping on their conversation. Ian gestured lightly for her to come closer.

“Did you hear everything clearly?”

“Uh… It wasn’t exactly a secret, was it?”

“No. But I want you to remember it well. Over the next two weeks, learn everything thoroughly as we organize these matters.”

“Learn thoroughly?”

“Starting tomorrow, go back and forth to Merellof and ask the butler to teach you the duties.”

Hana looked puzzled, blinking and tilting her head. Romandro, watching from the side, chuckled softly.

“Me, the butler?”

“Yes.”

“Me? Me? I’m the butler now?”

“You’re really slow on the uptake.”

Hana covered her mouth with both hands, but her wide-open mouth was still visible. She had never even considered it before.

A butler was supposed to be well-versed in noble etiquette and systems, literate, and fully responsible for the estate in the master’s absence.

“I don’t think I can do it.”

“Why not?”

“I haven’t learned anything…”

“That’s why you’ll learn. Saman is competent—you’ll learn a lot. Any other questions?”

Romandro’s tone was firm: accept it unless you have a better reason. Hana stood there blankly for a moment, then muttered,

“May I run down the hallway a bit?”

“Sure. No one’s asleep yet.”

“Excuse me.”

Click.

Hana gave a polite bow she rarely did and left the office. The sound of her running down the hall came immediately after—her joy bursting forth as she dashed along.

Romandro shook off his smile.

“Honestly, I wonder if she can really handle it.”

“Hana is trustworthy. There are plenty of people to cover for her shortcomings. There’s Nersarn, and didn’t you say two of Romandro’s subordinates would stay behind?”

“We originally planned for only one to stay, but with what happened at Merellof, the palace will surely send various orders to check things out. I left them ready to come up once they get the instructions.”

“I heard the ones staying behind are unmarried.”

“That’s their own business. Who’s stopping them from getting married?”

Ian let out a soft laugh at Romandro’s playful retort. After that, the only sounds filling the study were the gentle scratching of pen on paper, a soothing rhythm in the quiet room.

Tap. Tap.

As the night deepened, something lightly tapped against the window. A black hawk, as dark as the shadows outside, fixed its golden eyes on Ian, calling to him.

“Well, well.”

“Is that the warrior’s hawk?”

They’d joked that if there was trouble with Beric, the hawk would come. Now, it seemed the joke wasn’t so funny after all. Ian opened the window and let the bird inside. Tied to its ankle was a small note.

Rustle.

“What does it say? That Beric isn’t dead, I hope?”

Romandro stood up, concern in his voice, but Ian only gave a strange smile. He then showed the note, shrugging.

“Seems the warriors who went with him don’t speak Bariel.”

The note was just a string of words:

“Beric. Knight. Monne. Pursuit. Forever.”

With only a list of words, it was impossible to grasp the full meaning. Even the two sharp minds together couldn’t piece it together.

“Whatever it means, it’s definitely trouble.”

“At least we can confirm one thing.”

“Monne… isn’t that the name of the mine?”

“That’s right. Looks like the chase led there.”

The mine wasn’t within their lands but deep in the mountain range between Merelrof and their territory.

“We have to go, then?”

Romandro asked in a low, hesitant voice. Beside him, a mountain of parchment lay stacked, the scent of ink overpowering even the fireplace’s smoke.

Ian shook his head as he gathered his heavy cloak.

“Romandro, you stay and handle things here. We only have two weeks left; we need to keep busy. I’ll go to Beric. Is anyone outside?”

“Yes, Lord Ian. Did you call?”

“Prepare the carriage and guards.”

“At this hour? Where are you going?”

The servant blinked in surprise, but Ian just smiled gently and adjusted his cloak.

“To Monne. To fetch Beric.”