Chapter 117: The Annex

‘I knew he was waiting.”

As soon as Ian faced Gale, this thought crossed his mind. After all, they could not have met unless his movements were being closely watched, especially near the Ministry of Magic. There was definitely surveillance that had started from the fellowship.

“I am called Ian. It is an honor to meet you.”

“Oh? You know of me, I see?”

“Just as Your Highness Gale knows of me, I too am aware of you.”

As he slightly bowed his head, the wind blew even more fiercely. The sound of leaves crunching underfoot matched the slow approach of Gale’s footsteps.

“How did you come this way? The exit from the palace is in the complete opposite direction.”

Gale murmured as he scrutinized Ian from head to toe. A small pebble thrown into the calm progress of his ambitions—that was Ian. Small, yet the ripples he created seemed to never cease, continuously making waves.

“Why? Did Mariv tell you this was the way out?”

Ian quietly lowered his head and glanced at the tips of Gale’s fingers. Unlike Mariv’s, they were rough with calluses.

“No, I simply took the wrong path.”

“For someone who took a wrong path, your steps seemed certain. As if you’ve been here before.”

It seemed Gale had been watching him all along. It would be one thing if he were outside, but in the palace, especially near the Ministry of Magic, it seemed impossible to evade his surveillance. He would need to be extremely cautious in his actions.

“I apologize. Today is my first time entering the palace.”

“Is that so? Then let me ask you. How do you find the scenery here?”

“…Pardon?”

Gale lightly circled around Ian. In that moment, the lights of the Ministry of Magic’s main building began to turn on one by one, signaling the onset of full night.

“In my opinion, if we clear all these trees and erect a splendid building of coral hue, it would look quite magnificent.”

“Ah.”

Ian hesitated at the mention of a splendid building of coral hue. The image of the Ministry of Magic’s annex naturally came to mind. Gale smirked slyly, observing Ian’s expression.

“However, it greatly distresses me that your master insists on not cutting down any trees, contrary to his nature.”

Fragmented pieces of information tangled complexly in Ian’s mind. A hundred years ago, a time before the annex of the Ministry of Magic was constructed. Using Gale’s words as a clue…

“It seems Mariv and Gale are in conflict over the construction of the Ministry of Magic’s annex!”

Naturally, Gale would be in favor of the construction for the sake of the Ministry of Magic, while Mariv, fearing the threatening expansion of the Ministry of Magic’s influence, would stand firmly against it.

“Do you share that view?”

It was a question asking if Ian aligned with Mariv’s stance. It was an absurd situation. Without realizing, Ian swallowed a hollow laugh and responded.

“Your Highness, I may not grasp the full extent of your words, but I serve only one master, His Majesty the Emperor. The path I must follow is solely for the glory of Bariel. If cutting down trees signifies a better tomorrow, then it must be done.”

Apart from knights sworn in fealty, everyone residing in Bariel ought to serve the Emperor as their master. Mariv and Gale were no exceptions. Of course, Ian knew all too well that this was an impossible ideal.

“Hmm. I thought a fresh arrival from the frontier would be unsophisticated in speech, but it seems you might fit in well with the nobility.”

It was unclear whether Gale’s words were an insult or a compliment, but given the amiable tone, it appeared to lean more towards the latter.

Ian’s mention of the Emperor had created an opening, signaling that he was not fully aligned with Mariv. Gale was more than willing to delve into that opening.

“Ian. My expectations for you are high.”

Whether this opening was meant for Ian to play the role of a spy within the Ministry of Magic was uncertain, but at that moment, it was not his main concern.

“I expect you to discern the essence well. Remember, before being a lord, you are Ian, and before being Ian, you are a mage.”

Away from the manpower of the Ministry of Magic, the number of mages in the world was as scarce as dust. For the sake of progress, they inevitably had to rely on each other, and Gale’s words carried a warning that siding with Mariv could isolate Ian for a lifetime.

“I will bear that in mind.”

“Good. We shall meet again.”

There seemed to be a desire for further conversation, but the time and place were not suitable. Gale turned his back and vanished like the wind.

“Sigh.”

Left alone, Ian incredulously touched his forehead.

To oppose Gale’s rebellion and reduce his influence, Ian naturally had to side with Mariv against the construction of the annex. However, this situation might force him to inadvertently support Gale.

“If the annex is built, Naum’s magic could manifest.”

Whoosh.

Ziiing. Ziiiing.

With a sense of curiosity, Ian dispersed his magical energy. The power of magic rose differently, riding on the wind. His golden eyes shone like stars in the darkness, but he could sense nothing.

“Ian!”

Then, from the entrance, Romandro’s call came. Holding a lantern, he hurried over and looked around anxiously.

“Ian! Are you alright?”

“What is it?”

“I just saw His Highness Gale’s carriage leaving from behind the Ministry of Magic. It would be troublesome if you encountered him, so let’s hurry out. It’s better to explore more during the day.”

“Ah, I’ve already met him.”

“Wha-?!”

Romandro froze like a statue at Ian’s calm admission, his mouth opening and closing in confusion, clearly at a loss for how to respond. Ian took the lantern from Romandro’s hand and led the way.

“Let’s head out. It seems we’ll have to visit the commercial district tomorrow. I didn’t expect it to get this late.”

“Wait! What did he say?”

“Nothing of particular importance. Let’s just leave the palace for now.”

Urged by Ian, Romandro hurriedly scrambled to the carriage. As soon as he squeezed himself in, he drew the curtains and whispered urgently.

“Come on, tell me what he said!”

“There was no mention of you, Lord Romandro, so there’s no need to worry.”

Had he hit a sore spot?

Given Romandro had executed Mariv’s orders against Erica and Molrin with precision, it was natural for him as a family man to fear retribution. He cleared his throat with a forced cough, trailing off his words.

“Do you think I’m curious because of that?”

“What about the garden? Is the construction of the annex underway?”

“Eh? Oh, so he mentioned that. The proposal has been around for quite some time. I don’t understand why the Ministry of Magic, with its few members, insists on expanding the annex. They should rather expand the accommodations for the palace staff!”

“His Highness Mariv opposes it, doesn’t he?”

“Of course. The trees in the garden are ancient. It’s not officially recorded, but it’s believed they are imbued with fairy blessings, so they’ve been left untouched.”

This was one among many reasons for opposition. The trees, blessed and not in any urgent need to be cleared, couldn’t be sacrificed just for the expansion of the Ministry of Magic. Of course, the Ministry of Magic argued that it was just a rumor without any proof.

“It was proposed last year, or the year before… It’s been quite a while. In fact, there’s a lot of power struggles between both His Highnesses, Mariv and Gale beyond just this issue. If we were to count them all, we’d run out of fingers and toes. Tsk.”

Romandro kept peeking out, opening and closing the curtain to check their progress. Once they had completely left the palace, he breathed a sigh of relief and relaxed completely.

“Phew. Safe for another day.”

“…How do you manage your daily commute?”

“I’m more field-based, so I don’t come in unless I have to report something. Every time I do, I feel like I’m suffocating, ugh.”

Romandro laughed and loosened his outer garment for comfort. It wasn’t just about physical stamina; there were countless concerns to manage. As they neared the mansion, Romandro’s face began to brighten.

Creak.

“We’ve arrived.”

“Oh! Thank you! Viviana!”

As Romandro hurriedly alighted, Ian followed, turning towards the mansion. In the distance, Hasha ran to greet him. And then…

Clatter!

“Little rascal! Catch him!”

“Ian! Iaaann!”

Hasha trembled in Ian’s arms, seemingly more scared than excited to greet him. It appeared it wasn’t a welcoming party. Beric, brandishing a skewer, was fuming with anger.

“Ian! That Hasha, he’s a complete scoundrel!”

-I am a person!

“If you’re a person, act like one and eat your own food, why steal others’!”

“Alright, alright. Let’s go inside.”

“Ian! You must scold him!”

“Hasha, I’m sorry, but I couldn’t look into going to Astana today. Work ended late, and more importantly, it seems we’ll need to keep a watch on the situation from the mansion for a while.”

Knowing that Gale was keeping an eye on Ian in the palace, they needed to cautiously check if the same was happening outside. Moreover, Hasha was evidence of the crimes committed by Wesley, and revealing his existence could be significantly dangerous.

-I get it, but please do something about that brute!

Crack. Beric’s eyes flipped at being called a brute. Amidst the noisy commotion, they entered the mansion. Viviana, who was taking their coats, asked curiously.

“Are you planning to go to the commercial district tomorrow?”

“Yes, madam.”

“Then, may I join you? It would be nice to shop together while you’re out.”

Ian had intended to ask for her company. Despite being familiar with the area, the changes brought by a century and, more importantly, selecting attire for the New Year’s gathering were challenging.

“I would be grateful. I’m not familiar with the current trends in the capital, so I’d appreciate it if you could help me choose suitable attire.”

“Leave that to me! With your grace, anything you wear will look splendid. Has the schedule for the New Year’s gathering been released?”

At the lady’s question, Ian pulled out a small note tucked between the magic stone reports. The New Year’s gathering was set to start in four days, with the title appointment ceremony and magic verification ceremony Ian needed to attend scheduled consecutively a week later.

The lady, glancing over the note with him, frowned slightly.

“It might be a bit tight to tailor the attire, especially since there are many orders around the New Year. I’ll introduce you to the tailor I frequently visit.”

“Me too? Can I come too?”

Beric interjected with sparkling eyes, excited at the thought of getting tailored clothes for the first time instead of his usual dirt-stained attire.

 “Yes. Let’s rest early today and start early tomorrow. We’ll visit the tailor and also, let’s leave the sword with the blacksmith.”

“Yay! Awesome! I love it!”

Suddenly, Hasha, who had settled on the floor, started sniffing around. It seemed like a familiar scent was wafting in from outside.

“Hasha? What’s wrong?”

-It’s nothing. Being in a dog’s body has made my nose too sensitive; sometimes, the smells blend and become overwhelming. Don’t mind it.

Ian glanced at Hasha, then peered outside the window. Only the lit buildings nearby were visible. Ian murmured towards Beric, who was jumping around in excitement.

“Beric. It’s nice to see you so happy. Did you have a good nap earlier?”

“Huh? Oh, yeah. Super refreshing-!”

“Then you can stand guard tonight.”

“Eh?”

How did the conversation turn to this?

Beric, who had been frolicking, abruptly stopped and looked back at Ian, but Ian’s gaze was still fixed outside the window. He smiled and added firmly.

“Just until sunrise. Okay? I’m counting on you.”