Chapter 982
Ziiing! Ziiing!
At that moment, inside the Ministry of Magic.
The wizards, who had been rushing around attending to their duties, suddenly stopped in unison. The emergency communication magic had appeared before their eyes.
“…!”
The alarm blared repeatedly, loud and insistent, but the wizards stood still for a moment, staring up at it. The golden light flashing multiple times meant…
“E-Emergency! Em-ergency signal!”
“The Ian emergency signal! It’s here!”
“Damn it, we’re screwed.”
“Akko, where are you? Hale!”
“Everyone, gather in the office!”
Throwing down what they held, the wizards rushed into the office. On the day Ian inscribed a protective barrier on Herchi’s back, the wizards had also created a new signaling system among themselves. If Herchi’s shield ever activated, every wizard would be instantly alerted.
“One of the three commanders has betrayed us, right?”
“Herchi seems unharmed. The signal rang three times in a row, and it was a long one. It has to be Merni’s doing.”
“There’s no one else. It’s safe to say he’s dead.”
One of the three commanders had tried to kill another. What did that mean? It was the very signal of rebellion. It suggested that Crony’s faction had made a move.
Tap tap tap!
“Outside!”
Bang!
A Ministry staff member, pale-faced, grabbed the door and shouted.
“The Imperial Defense soldiers have occupied the north and south gates of the palace!”
“What?”
The sudden news stunned the wizards. The Imperial Defense was moving soldiers without authorization, aiming to seize the palace.
Panicked, the wizards dashed outside, shouting.
“Strengthen the protective barriers! From now on, all palace entrances are to be sealed!”
“Understood!”
“Bring the magical tools, and the paper Ian wrote—bring that too!”
“God, what the hell is going on?”
“That crazy bastard Crony is really going all the way.”
“Enough chatter, move!”
Ziiing! Ziiing!
The wizards soared into the air, scattering across the dome-shaped protective barrier. They poured their magic into it, thickening and reinforcing the shield.
Meanwhile, Akko grabbed the loudspeaker magic tool, holding a sheet of paper in her other hand.
‘I never thought this day would come.’
The announcement Ian had written earlier. She never imagined she’d actually have to read it aloud.
“Captain Akko! The connection’s live!”
“Ah, yes. Okay.”
Akko carefully checked the sound. Her voice carried through the magical device, reaching every corner of the palace and even the citizens outside. The sudden whisper-like message stirred murmurs everywhere.
[Greetings. I am Captain Akko of the Palace Ministry of Magic. On behalf of Acting Minister Ian Hadel, I deliver this urgent message. Attempts to disrupt the order of Bariel both inside and outside the palace have been confirmed.]
The wizards holding the magical tools glanced at Akko. She seemed calm, but her fingertips trembled, causing the paper to shake.
[Therefore, the Ministry of Magic officially requests the Imperial Defense to immediately cease using Bariel’s soldiers for personal gain. Disband your forces at once and return to the training grounds. Let justice be served through lawful and honorable trials.]
An official declaration.
The palace staff clenched their fists, realizing the gravity of the situation. The Prime Minister quietly clasped her hands in her office, praying for divine salvation.
[If this is not heeded, the Ministry of Magic will use any means necessary to restore order to the palace and Bariel. This is an official announcement: The Under-God still exists, and Crony Alphat, who claims divine power through the process of annihilation, is considered a hostile force. His power is not that of a wizard.]
Outside the palace, the waiting soldiers murmured uneasily. Officers barked harsh warnings.
“This is a unilateral claim by the Ministry of Magic seeking power. How could the soldiers protecting the Bariel Empire be swayed by mere words? Lord Crony demonstrated magic before His Majesty the Emperor.”
The soldiers were confused but took no action. After all, they belonged to the Imperial Defense, and orders came from their superiors. Besides—
[From this moment, the Ministry of Magic declares a state of emergency control. Citizens of the empire are forbidden from going outside to avoid danger and are urged to cooperate actively in restoring order.]
The emergency control order was in effect. Any disobedience or resistance would be met with immediate punishment.
The soldiers, who had long enjoyed peace, swallowed hard, tense.
[Those who do not comply with the control order will be punished. If the soldiers controlling the north and south palace gates do not withdraw immediately, all involved, regardless of rank or affiliation, will be subject to punishment.]
“Can the Ministry of Magic just impose a control order on their own?”
“No way. Not without the palace guard’s consent.”
A few nobles familiar with imperial law muttered quietly. The palace guard’s approval meant the Ministry had effectively taken full control inside the palace. Citizens began to back away slowly, then hurried home.
“Mom! Mom!”
“Come here! Quickly!”
“Close the doors! Everyone, go home!”
Clatter! Click! Click!
Everything on the streets was brought inside shops, windows barred. It felt like a drop of water falling onto an anthill.
“Huh?”
Not just a feeling. A guard wiped the water off his cheek and looked up. Dark clouds were creeping across the once-clear sky. The chaos was about to get worse with rain.
[Repeating: As of now, the Ministry of Magic declares a state of emergency control. Citizens are to remain indoors and maintain order. The Imperial Defense must disband immediately and return to the palace. Crony Alphat is not a wizard but a prime suspect in the murder of the former Imperial Defense commander and the Hadel family. Do not be deceived.]
Akko lowered the paper and bit the magical device. While the wizards cleaned up, she entered the conference room where the commanders had gathered.
“Good work.”
“The work’s just beginning.”
“Well, Ian—or rather, the Minister—is currently heading toward Beric and Barsabe. We just wait until the assassin is caught.”
The assassin was living proof. Clear evidence that Crony Alphat had tried to kill a palace guard. This would prove the rebellion within the palace itself.
“The problem is the Imperial Defense soldiers.”
They weren’t a huge threat. Armed, yes, but ordinary humans who couldn’t break through a wizard’s protective barrier. They wouldn’t be able to storm the palace…
“What if they refuse to disband?”
We might have to confront them. It would be like a fight between adults and children. The Ministry couldn’t lay a hand on the soldiers, and the standoff could drag on.
“Standoff would be the best-case scenario. They can hit us, but we can’t hit back. Even a light jab to a vital spot from their small hands could knock us down.”
“Arresting officers all day won’t change anything. Unless we replace the top brass.”
Everyone froze at the word “replace.”
But they quickly snapped back to reality. They couldn’t let Crony inside the palace.
So, naturally—
“We have to kill him, right?”
“At this point, dying wouldn’t be surprising.”
The difficulty was extreme. Half the empire’s citizens supported him, and thousands of palace soldiers guarded him. Handling Crony and his followers without casualties was nearly impossible.
“It’s overwhelming. I just want to keep the army out of this as much as possible.”
“No choice. If the two sides clash, it’s a full-blown civil war. Ian said that’s absolutely unacceptable.”
“Yeah, the people don’t deserve this.”
“Besides, that might be exactly what Crony wants.”
He was the one carrying the will of the Under-God. For Bariel’s decline, civil war was a perfectly acceptable option.
“Okay. Fine. Let’s do this.”
Akko stood up abruptly and extended her hand. Hale placed his hand on hers, and the other commanders joined in.
“Hey, you guys, come here too.”
Akko called over the wizards watching from a distance. Naum was the first to rush over and place his hand on hers.
“Gather up! Damn it, united we stand!”
“Let’s go! This is the last war for our generation!”
“Hey! It’s not a war, it’s restoring order! Soldiers or not, no one gets hurt! Got it? Safety first, always.”
For a moment, they thought of Minister Arena. How good it would be to have her here now. The wizards who had gone north and disappeared were suddenly deeply missed.
Akko took a deep breath and shouted with all her might.
“Uaaah! Let’s go!”
“Let’s go!”
The wizards swung their hands down, then punched the air.
“For Bariel!”
“Haa, haa…”
Beric and Barsabe, both bloodied and battered, gasped for breath. It didn’t seem like they’d exchanged more than thirty blows with the old woman, yet their bodies were torn and swollen all over.
Meanwhile, the old woman looked as lively as ever, stretching her muscles with strange movements and growling fiercely.
“This is a complete mess,” Beric muttered.
The control order declared by the Ministry of Magic applied to Beric, Barsabe, and even the old woman without exception. She lifted her shirt and clicked her tongue in frustration. Unaware that she was the cause of this entire situation, her gaze shifted toward the palace.
“If it comes to this, Sir Crony will have to step in himself, won’t he? Maybe it’s best to kill them all and join up on that side.”
“Enough!”
At that moment, the old woman’s comrades erupted in cheers. They were in the middle of extending the tunnel Beric had been digging to bypass the magical barrier. Finally, escape was within reach.
They emerged from outside the mage’s protective shield and shouted toward the old woman.
“We’ll go ahead!”
“Y-yeah, just in case, please send support!”
Normally, they wouldn’t count on Crony’s help, but with everything in chaos like this, who knew? Either way, this was their chance to take out the two magic swordsmen and the mage waiting outside the palace.
Thwack!
Just as the men turned to run—
KRAAAASH!
A massive force slammed into the ground before them, gouging a hole as tall as an adult.
Startled, the men tried to retreat, but an unknown golden beam wrapped around their bodies, yanking them back inside the protective barrier.
Whoosh!
“Aaah! Ugh!”
Thud!
As the men crashed through the roof, Beric seemed to give up entirely, turning his gaze away.
“…?”
A faint silhouette appeared through the dust.
It was clearly reinforcements from the palace. Now it was do or die. As soon as the figure stepped inside the barrier, the old woman charged with all her might, delivering a powerful kick.
Swoosh!
Smack!
But—
Thud.
Her attack was effortlessly blocked. The flying ankle was caught mid-air.
“?”
With her ankle held fast, the old woman faced the mysterious figure emerging from the smoke. Who was this? She’d never felt power like this before. Then—
Tap.
A gloved hand broke through the smoke, fingers touching her forehead. Slowly, platinum hair and beast-like golden eyes came into view.
Ian growled lowly.
“This is a control order. Didn’t you hear?”
“…!”
Boom!
An explosion burst from his fingertips, sending the old woman flying into the opposite side of the protective barrier.
Ian stepped into the courtyard and added coldly,
“I told you not to come outside. You don’t know what’ll happen if you do.”