Episode 996
— The first week of the fifth month, Imperial Year 1197.
Recorded by Imperial Secretariat Clerk, Jang Gordina.
Rustle.
— The day the ruined castle wall’s foundation was laid. Suddenly, Beric, a member of the Imperial Palace Guard, burst in and stole wooden floorboards. Soldiers who noticed tried to stop him but failed, and eventually the mages stepped in to subdue him. When Minister of Magic Arena and Ian Hadel arrived after receiving the report, Beric was already badly punished, battered from head to toe. Below is the transcript of their conversation.
“Ian, Helna just caught me and beat me up.”
“I see. But does that justify stealing?”
“I’ll fix that brat’s attitude in the name of the Minister of Magic.”
“Minister, Beric is part of the Imperial Palace Guard.”
“Doesn’t matter.”
“Ian, Helna’s trying to kill me, you know?”
“Understood. Beric, I’ll find you a place to live.”
“Really?”
“But there are conditions.”
— Ian claimed he used palace funds to cover Beric’s housing costs, but administrative inquiries revealed no such request was ever made. Ian handed Beric a contract. Below are some clauses from the contract obtained:
Do not enter the palace food storage without permission.
Show kindness and respect to seniors and juniors alike.
Do not damage property in the palace or other public places.
Do not request salary advances three times in a row.
— There were five more clauses, but their details remain undisclosed.
When Beric held the contract upside down, Minister Arena demanded his suspension. Beric ignored her and stamped it anyway. Rumor has it the biggest beneficiary of this contract was the palace chef.
Rustle.
— One week after the commotion, Beric was caught trying to steal from a food cart entering the palace. He loudly argued it wasn’t a problem since it wasn’t palace storage, but Captain Herchi gave him a good beating.
Rustle.
— The palace chefs’ request for supplies went to the grand council. The budget far exceeded expectations, especially because each chef ordered a sword. The chefs insisted they were for cooking, but no one believed it. The Ministry of Magic led other departments in approving the request, making it the fastest passed agenda in history.
Rustle.
— Beric asked the Bariel Chronicles to erase the record of him getting beaten. When refused, he offered food and asked again. After another refusal, he requested the wording be changed from “got beaten” to “stood his ground.” Still denied, he threw a tantrum.
He shouted, “Are you seriously writing this down?” then loudly complained he was fed up. He asked if these records were kept long-term for future generations to see. When told yes, he begged again to have it erased. Just then, Ian Hadel arrived and stopped the matter.
Rustle.
— The summer was unusually hot. Construction halted during the day so everyone could rest in the shade, while mages dug and cleared debris.
Chief Aco of the Ministry of Magic tricked resting workers into drinking a mysterious potion disguised as cool water. After drinking it, the workers fell asleep and their genders temporarily changed. The palace was thrown into chaos, and Minister Arena personally went searching for Aco. Fortunately, everything returned to normal within an hour.
Rustle.
— Ian Hadel was officially elected first in the imperial succession line at the grand council. Nobles from the capital and across Bariel sent congratulatory letters and gifts, filling the palace entrance. The influx blocked supplies from entering, so mages had to fly them in. The entire empire rejoiced, drinking beer in the streets. Laughter and chatter filled the hot summer nights.
Ian Hadel’s name was changed to Ian Verosion. He was simultaneously transferred from the Ministry of Magic to the Administrative Department.
Rustle.
— News arrived of the death of King Hasharang Tokundai of Astana.
Rustle.
— His Majesty the Emperor succumbed to illness and passed away. The last to stay by his side was His Excellency Ian Verosion. According to reports, the Emperor smiled softly with honey water on his lips in his final moments.
The state funeral was to last a month but was shortened to a week due to circumstances. All construction halted, and black flags flew across Bariel. No music was heard anywhere.
Rustle.
— A bountiful harvest after a long time. This autumn saw unusually little damage from pests and natural disasters, with yields far exceeding expectations. Officials proposed tax increases, but His Excellency denied them, reasoning that expenses were limited to palace outer wall repairs and departmental roof work.
His Excellency ordered completion by Thanksgiving. Gossipmongers claimed it was in preparation for a major reorganization at the New Year’s gathering.
Rustle.
— By imperial order, a portal was opened. It connected to the distant borderlands of the Enlow territory. When His Excellency said he would be away briefly, the Administrative Department was thrown into turmoil. By tradition, over a hundred attendants and guards should accompany him, but His Excellency firmly refused.
“If you can climb through the portal, you may follow.”
— At that, Beric leapt up but missed and crashed through the still-damp castle roof tiles. The mages hurriedly waved tearful farewells, but as soon as their backs were turned, they laughed and ran around the palace.
His Excellency’s absence lasted only two days, but I, Jang Gordina, could not forgo recording the event and later heard the story from Officer Xiaoshi Enlow, who accompanied him.
Below is Xiaoshi Enlow’s account:
“There was a slope in the great desert bordering Enlow. It was the wedding of Filia, an imperial citizen, and Nersarn of the Cheonryeo tribe. Filia has been close to His Excellency since childhood, whom he cherishes like family. We went to witness and celebrate their union. Remarkably, the desert experienced a monsoon, and flowers bloomed abundantly.”
Rustle.
— Two days before Thanksgiving, palace reconstruction was completed. Fireworks exploded, and people encouraged one another. The grass on the roof broken by Beric’s fall was still damp, but everyone kept quiet to cover it up. His Excellency seemed aware but chose not to mention it, thinking of the upcoming festivities.
Rustle.
— On Thanksgiving, the Imperial Joint Recruitment Exam was held. To restore imperial discipline, both the Imperial Defense Department and the Palace Guard specially organized and participated.
Beric attacked Captain Herchi from behind as he entered the palace but was severely reprimanded by soldier Barsabe. Fortunately, no one was hurt, but the gatekeeper reported the palace gate creaked. The Administrative Department responded to the complaint and rushed to Beric. This time, they were ready to punish him, but Deputy Minister Hans Ovia’s intervention calmed the situation.
To ensure fairness, separate matches were held for Imperial Defense officers and palace guards. Barsabe, determined to finally defeat Beric, fought fiercely and suffered injuries. Everyone hoped Barsabe, not Beric, would claim the last captain’s position in the palace guard.
Rustle.
— Captain Herchi took first place, Captain Alokson second, and Beric third. Everyone was shocked and refused to accept the results, but Beric proudly climbed the stage and roared. Unlike before, he accepted the award properly. Count Jacques comforted the despondent Barsabe.
Barsabe applied for a long leave. Rumor has it he went into a deep forest with the Count for special training. Beric scoffed daily, muttering:
“So you should’ve done that before losing.”
— Rumors spread that Captain Herchi was quietly assigning more tasks to Beric. Inspection of palace guard duty records confirmed this was true.
The Imperial Defense Department’s top scorer was Xiaoshi Enlow. Though not yet officially appointed, there was no doubt he would become the next minister. His skill, appearance, character, and the Emperor’s deep trust made him the favorite. He also topped the “Empire’s Greatest Man” popularity poll conducted inside and outside the palace.
Minister Arena objected, but the magazine responded that mentioning His Excellency Ian Verosion could be considered sacrilege, so they accepted it.
Beric objected again. The magazine pointed out he hadn’t made the finals, which enraged Beric, who smashed all their windows. The palace received a damage claim. Captain Herchi looked into invalidating Beric’s captain appointment but found no way.
Beric asked that these events not be recorded in the Bariel Chronicles. If impossible, he threatened to have himself recorded as a dashing, handsome rogue. I, Jang Gordina, pretended to comply and luckily fooled him.
Meanwhile, Beric asked me who I voted for. I said it was secret, so he let it go. For the record, I voted for Romandro of the Ministry of Magic, who resembles Beric somewhat. Romandro received three votes centrally.
Rustle.
— On the first snowfall, the Prime Minister tendered his resignation. Gossipmongers said the timing was perfect. With a major reorganization coming at the New Year’s gathering, stepping down beforehand preserved his honor.
The leading candidate for the next Prime Minister is Deputy Minister Hans of the Administrative Department. He is a close friend of His Excellency, top graduate of Enerjes and the palace administration, and elder brother of Naum Ovia, the rumored next Minister of Magic.
Rustle.
—As the year drew to a close, a competition was held in the Ministry of Magic’s backyard to select the new minister. Arena, the current minister, served as the judge. Captain Ako, a leading candidate, had to forfeit after falling ill from tasting a potion he had brewed himself. Captain Hale was traveling outside the capital with the so-called “Perry Performance Ray Dragon” (nicknamed Kkyu) during the application period and thus couldn’t participate.
The palace trembled violently from the wizards’ battle. Those who remembered the war against the underground god rushed outside in alarm, but the sky remained unusually clear. The shaking and thunderous roars continued throughout the afternoon.
In the end, Naum was chosen as the next minister. Minister Arena was deeply satisfied with the outcome and breathed a sigh of relief. Considering his approach to work and his usual conduct, she judged Naum to be the most suitable candidate.
Rustle.
—His Majesty also smiled warmly, clearly pleased with Naum’s appointment as the next minister.
Rustle.
—A letter arrived from the East. The Grand Mage of the East sent early congratulations on His Majesty’s ascension. The Eastern wizards had also achieved an unprecedented victory against the monsters. They expressed a desire for regular exchanges to prepare for the underground god’s recurring resurrections.
Rustle.
—The first week of the first month, Imperial Year 1198.
Royal Secretary, Jang Gordina, continuing the report.
Rustle.
—A New Year’s banquet was held. All the central nobles attended, and His Majesty introduced the new officials to the aristocracy in the banquet hall. Since the outcome was already expected, no one showed surprise. A few seemed startled only by the sight of a drunken Beric.
Rustle.
—Former Minister Arena resigned from her post at the Ministry of Magic. However, due to her busy schedule, she hadn’t settled on a residence and was forced to remain in the capital. Arena claimed she had asked Romandro several times to find her a villa, but Romandro feigned ignorance, saying he didn’t recall any such request. The entire ministry had ignored her appeals.
Rustle.
—Guests began gathering from across Gaia—Clifford, Luswena, Burgos, and others. The palace gates were thrown wide open. Gifts arrived daily. Upon hearing that the finest wines had come in, Beric worked with unusual enthusiasm.
Rustle.
—The emperor’s coronation ceremony was now just four days away.