Episode 973

“Lord Crony!”

Crony, who had been reading a letter on the sofa, turned around at the sound of footsteps. The officials rushing into the reception room looked grim.

He neatly folded the letter and tucked it away before greeting them.

“Welcome. Is there something urgent?”

“You haven’t heard yet? That’s why we came running here as soon as you left the palace.”

“I don’t think it’s time to leave the palace.”

“Don’t even mention it. That’s not the issue right now.”

The officials gulped down cold water and panted heavily, but Crony remained calm, still leaning back on the sofa.

“The Ministry of Magic has officially declared that they do not recognize you as a mage, Lord Crony.”

“Oh dear.”

“Can you believe it? Their reasoning is that they don’t sense any bond with other mages.”

“That’s absurd.”

“Exactly! They’re excluding you without any proper verification. And—”

The official who had been firing off words suddenly hesitated, as if the next statement was too grave to say.

“They’ve accused you of being involved in the assassination of His Majesty the Emperor!”

“Do you know a man named Soif? He’s the assassin, and they claim you’re behind him. They’re basically declaring war.”

“On top of that, they’re accusing you of involvement in the deaths of Lord and Lady Hadel.”

Crony raised an eyebrow, as if surprised that Ian would go this far. The officials studied his expression carefully.

“All of this is false, isn’t it, Lord Crony?”

“Of course. Lord Hadel was ill, and his wife’s death was a tragic act born of grief. Uncle Ian witnessed it all—how could he say otherwise?”

“They say they have evidence, though…”

“Evidence? How can there be evidence when I never did any of it?”

Crony’s calm reply seemed to deflate their anger somewhat. So it was all a misunderstanding after all.

“Are you certain, Lord Crony?”

“…It’s both unpleasant and heartbreaking. If I had known this would happen, I wouldn’t have returned to Bariel.”

“No! That’s not what we mean. Please don’t misunderstand.”

When Crony responded coldly, the officials broke into nervous sweat and tried to soothe him.

“To work together going forward, there must be no doubt at all. Don’t worry too much—we came here because we trust you.”

“You’ve never met Soif, right?”

“Not once. I’ve never seen or spoken to him.”

Crony’s firm denial brought a collective sigh of relief. They finally settled down on the sofa, straightening their disheveled collars after rushing over in such a hurry.

“But—”

Crony nodded slightly and muttered to himself.

“If the Ministry of Magic—or rather, Uncle Ian—has made such an official declaration, they must have something prepared. Whether it’s true or false, that remains to be seen.”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying. Ian Hadel is far more dangerous than we thought. The moment he froze the Emperor, he started trying to seize control of the palace without hesitation.”

“Has Soif confessed to anything?”

Crony met each official’s gaze, silently challenging them to say whatever they knew.

“He’s currently detained in the Mage Tower and under investigation. Only a few in the administration have met him, and the proceedings are top secret. We don’t know much.”

“Yes, we were only briefed about this at today’s assembly.”

“There won’t be any official trial until then.”

“…I see.”

Crony trailed off, clearly unsettled. Given Ian’s aggressive stance, there must be some evidence…

‘What on earth could it be?’

He had long since burned all correspondence with Soif, and they hadn’t been in contact when the assassination was attempted. What proof could Ian have? Did Soif really confess everything?

‘That can’t be.’

His hand clenched tightly on his knee, as if grasping an invisible thread.

“Anyway, Lord Crony.”

“Yes, please.”

The officials leaned forward and made a suggestion.

“This is practically a declaration of war from the Ministry of Magic. You can’t just stay here. Now that you’ve been named the mastermind behind the Emperor’s assassination, they could come at any time to arrest you.”

“If only they had solid evidence.”

The problem was, no one knew what that evidence was—or if it even existed.

“You should relocate. How about Minister Freddy’s residence at the Imperial Defense Department?”

“Minister Freddy’s residence?”

“Yes. Even the Ministry of Magic wouldn’t dare raid the home of the current Imperial Defense Minister.”

Freddy’s estate was guarded by private soldiers, and tens of thousands of imperial troops answered to him. If the Ministry crossed that line, they could instantly turn the military against themselves. In the worst case, they could be accused of treason.

“May I impose on you?”

Minister Freddy nodded slightly.

“We’ll prepare thoroughly within the Defense Department for any unforeseen events.”

“That’s reassuring.”

They couldn’t let the Ministry of Magic run the situation unchecked. In matters of national importance, checks and balances were essential. Ian Hadel might act on personal grudges and ambitions to harm Crony, so safeguards were necessary.

“And you should prepare to refute the accusations Ian Hadel has made.”

“Proving a negative is like showing something that doesn’t exist.”

“I know it’s difficult. But since they struck first, we have no choice. Lord Crony, do you have anything to counter Ian Hadel with?”

They looked at him expectantly, as if hoping for some dirt on the uncle from the nephew.

Crony hesitated, then gave a faint, reluctant smile, as if unwilling to speak it aloud.

“No. How could I expose my uncle’s flaws with my own hands?”

“Oh, if you don’t, we will. All of us here will!”

“That’s right. This isn’t the time to hesitate. They started this.”

Blood ties mean nothing before honor and power. At the edge of the cliff where only death awaits the defeated, mercy is arrogance.

Persuaded by the officials, Crony cautiously spoke.

“Uncle Ian’s position in the Ministry of Magic rests on two things, doesn’t it?”

“First, his formidable power.”

“And second, his noble lineage.”

“He’s called the first noble mage, but if he hadn’t lost his parents early, we might never have known. The same goes for me. If I’d had a chance to verify my magic before meeting the god in the abyss, who knows what might have happened.”

“That’s true. You’re noble, and Ian Hadel may have carried that potential from childhood.”

“Exactly. Chosen by the gods, his path was arranged long ago.”

The officials’ eyes brightened. They saw a way to shake the prestige of the so-called first noble mage.

“Let’s use that.”

“Whether true or not, it doesn’t matter. If we can just plant the idea among the empire’s people that Ian Hadel might not be the first noble mage, that’s a win.”

Crony took a step back and sipped his tea.

“And actually—”

The officials, who were dividing media responsibilities, perked up at his words.

“Ian’s mother, Lady Jeria.”

“Yes, she was said to be breathtakingly beautiful. The rumors spread as Ian grew up. People wondered who he took after to look so radiant.”

“Actually, I heard Lady Jeria wasn’t of noble birth.”

“What? Really?”

“She was brought in from outside. She married into the Hadel family despite a large age gap. Did you know she was once a disciple of Count Jacques?”

“I think I’ve heard of him.”

“Count Jacques taught martial arts at Bariel University. It’s not a field a noblewoman like Lady Jeria would easily choose.”

“So she might be half common blood.”

They had always thought nobles and imperial relatives were pure and exalted, but in reality, there could be lowborn blood mixed in.

“We should investigate this thoroughly.”

“Once confirmed, we should publicize it quickly. At the very least, we must control public opinion tightly.”

The officials knew well that Crony’s strength came from the people who hailed him as Gaia’s hero. Ian Hadel’s preemptive declaration was meant to disrupt that.

“And Lord Crony, I think you should demonstrate your power publicly to the empire’s citizens, so the Ministry of Magic can’t deny it without backlash.”

“In front of everyone?”

“Yes. If the people all believe you’re a mage, how can the Ministry deny it? Their baseless denials will only hurt them.”

“Good idea. The so-called sixth sense of mages is just their subjective opinion after all.”

“Hmm.”

Crony raised his hand and let out a small groan. Flames flickered at his fingertips. The officials, watching quietly, flinched and stepped back.

Ziiing, ziiing!

“It’s not difficult.”

“Th-then that’s a relief. First, enter the Imperial Defense Minister’s residence and show this to his family and guards. Then, extend it to the Empire’s regular soldiers as well.”

Those who witnessed the magic firsthand would come to believe, and the Empire’s citizens—their families—would be moved as well. It was a small beginning, but surely, everyone at the center would come to acknowledge Crony’s power.

“Then let’s move immediately. We can discuss the details on the way.”

“Ah, I’m sorry, but could you wait outside for a moment? I need to gather some things.”

“Of course. I’ll send for the coachmen and help with the luggage.”

The officials quickly called for their coachmen and hurried out of the reception room.

Left alone, Crony pulled the folded letter from his chest and held it close to the candlelight.

Rustle.

—Lord Crony, this is Soif. Don’t be alarmed; I prepared this letter before entering the palace. I will carry out the plan this morning. It seems that a palace guard named Beric has caught wind of it.

‘So far, this matches the details of the meeting.’

—If you’re reading this, please deal with Beric. As long as he’s around, we won’t be able to conceal the scent of the monsters. Also, destroy all the letters we exchanged, and erase any traces at my residence. There’s a secret compartment inside the fireplace. Hurry before the mages find it.

“…This part feels a bit suspicious.”

Crony read the letter several times with a subtle expression before finally burning the paper in the candle’s flame.