Chapter 125
Chapter 125
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 125
Chapter Title: The First Noble Mage
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Dillaina and the other women of the imperial family simultaneously pulled out their opera glasses. Even though the Mana Confirmation Ritual was a rare event, they were people who always kept the Magic Department close by. They had filled their eyes with the spectacles of great mages like Wesley at every major event...
"Look at that."
"It's impossible. My goodness, it's so beautiful."
"That's the true light of the oracle!"
They all forgot their composure, their mouths half-open, unable to tear their gazes away from Ian's hand movements. With every circle his right hand traced, light piled up in all directions as if blessings were raining down.
"...Truly divine."
Dillaina murmured unconsciously. Everyone there could feel it. That this was an illusion they would never witness again in their lifetime. And thus, they had encountered a true illusion.
Saaaaah!
Ian calmly continued producing the light of the oracle. It overflowed from the platform down to where the nobles stood, and even seemed to encroach upon the palace itself.
Thung! Tung!
"Recolletio!"
At that moment, the conductor of the imperial orchestra, who had stopped in astonishment, flicked his baton to signal them to snap out of it. The pianist reflexively pressed the keys to resume playing, and the cellists and violinists quickly joined in the ensemble.
Was the sound drifting along Ian's mana waves, or was the mana coming alive in response to the sound? It was impossible to tell.
Shiiik!
Kugung! Thud!
"Reco-! -letio!"
Due to the visual stimulation, the conductor led the music more passionately than usual, and the performers felt their minds drifting in ecstasy they hadn't experienced in a long time. The banquet hall seemed to embody perfectly what a "flawlessly beautiful moment" truly was.
"Ohoho!"
"...Impossible."
"This is mana! Astonishing, truly astonishing!"
The nobles reached out toward the mana seeping between them, lightly dodged it, or turned their heads as if entranced. As the orchestra's music swelled, deep flushes rose on their faces.
"Your Highness, can you see well?"
"Mmm..."
Dillaina suddenly came to her senses and steadied the opera glasses for the Emperor. The Emperor, apparently having trouble seeing, just kept working his mouth without responding. As she held the glasses, Dillaina glanced at the princes beside her.
"Ha."
Marib's reaction was no different from the nobles below. He had even placed his hands on the railing, unable to look away from the light of the oracle and its beauty. Meanwhile, Gail...
'...Wesley.'
His gaze was fixed on Wesley, who stood beside Ian in bewilderment. Dillaina lightly covered her face with her fan and kept stealing glances at Gail.
'Why does he look at her like she's his lover?'
It might not be her place to say, given that she had the Emperor as her husband, but Dillaina always marveled at Gail's ferocity. Sometimes, his sharp aura made her anxious that it might harm her sons.
"Mother."
"Yes?"
At that moment, the Fifth Prince Zhen, seated behind on the opposite side, lightly tugged at his mother's arm. His silver hair sparkled purely white under the mana light of the banquet hall.
"Arsen's opera glasses aren't giving a good view."
Dillaina glanced back. The Fourth Prince Arsen was peering down at the first floor through Zhen's glasses. She gently stroked Zhen's hair and smiled.
"I see. You yielded to Arsen. How kind of you."
Then she turned back to focus on attending to the Emperor. That wasn't what he meant, but as always, his mother ended the conversation by praising her younger son Zhen's sacrifice.
"That Ian fellow is truly remarkable."
While Arsen kept murmuring exclamations of admiration, Zhen stared blankly into space. It felt as if he alone were in another world.
* * *
Meanwhile, Ian felt a trickle of sweat down his back. Opening his mana was like unleashing the energy of his entire body. He slowly withdrew his mana while glancing at Wesley.
"Th...this..."
Her expression of utter incomprehension was truly a sight to behold. Flustered and embarrassed, raw and unfiltered. Ian brushed back his slightly damp hair and gave her a bright smile, as if to say this should suffice.
Swish.
Ian detached his hand from the surface of the light and stood the oracle's light upright. The mana lost its power but lingered like slowly dissipating mist. Seeing this, the conductor matched the tempo and gradually brought the music to a close.
Boom!
As the impassioned pianist slammed the keys, Ian intoned.
"For the glory of Bariel."
"For the glory of Bariel!"
Ian placed his hand on his chest and bowed, and the nobles erupted in cheers and applause without anyone leading. For such exalted personages, the reception was fervently warm. It was praise infused with soul, incomparable to the tepid response Wesley had coaxed earlier.
Clap clap clap!
Ian approached Wesley and extended his hand. She bit her lip hard, barely suppressing the urge to grab him by the collar and demand how he had undone the magic circle's formula, to berate him...
"...Viscount Ian Hielo. That was truly splendid mana."
What could she do? The Emperor and everyone in the banquet hall were watching them. She extended her hand to him.
"I await your application to join the Magic Department."
Ian kissed the back of her hand and descended the platform without lingering. As soon as he did, young nobles surrounded him, unable to hide their excitement.
"Viscount Hielo! That was a truly magnificent illusion!"
"Let's shake hands first, yeah? You're not a mage yet, right?"
"You're only a mage once you're assigned to a division. Anyway, which division do you think you'll join? With that power, you could choose any."
"Let's bet! Magic Support Division is the best, so I'll go with that! Viscount Ian Hielo, let's see each other often."
"Ah! At this rate, aren't you the first noble mage?"
Ears ringing from the barrage of praise. Ian simply smiled and accepted their cheers. But as the crowd kept swelling, leaving him unable to take a step, he looked around awkwardly.
"Viscount Ian Hielo. I have a message for you."
At that moment, a familiar voice came from the crowd. It was Romandro. Ian seized the opportunity, nodding to excuse himself.
"My apologies. Just a moment."
"Hey! Come back soon!"
Ian held up a wine glass like those carried by the waiters and pushed through the crowd. Holding the glass signaled others to stay back. Thanks to this, the two managed a dramatic reunion, and Romandro quickly cleared a path to lead him outside. Ian took a sip of wine to quench his thirst.
"Lord Romandro. Your summons was perfectly timed."
"Ian, you! Kkh!"
"Haha. Are you crying?"
"Whew, I've never seen such a magnificent sight in my life. Our Vivianna should have seen it too. Truly astounding!"
Romandro trembled with fists clenched, as if unable to believe it. When Ian looked for a handkerchief to wipe his sweat, Romandro handed over his own.
"Oh, thank you."
"By the way! Do you know?"
"Know what?"
"You've become the first noble mage in the history of the Bariel Empire! You'll go down in the history books! Congratulations!"
The first noble mage. The title didn't feel awkward to Ian. It had been the same in his previous life. And that had ultimately seated him on the Emperor's throne.
"...I see."
"Huh? Why the lukewarm reaction?"
"It hasn't sunk in yet."
"The timing is perfect. If you'd entered without the New Year's banquet, it would have been such a shame."
There were many mages who gained court rank—ministerial positions—through recognition of their abilities like Wesley, or received titles for merits, but Ian was the first to be a noble from the moment of entry.
'Of course. Even a hundred years from now, I was still the first.'
He had been the first, and now he was the first again.
As Ian smiled faintly at the odd feeling, Romandro awkwardly scratched his goatee.
"Was I too excited?"
"No. I'm grateful you're so happy for me. By the way, where's Berik?"
"Hm? Berik?"
The two stared at each other blankly. An awkward silence fell. Romandro thought Ian had taken him along, so he should be with Ian; Ian figured he'd gone down before the ritual, so he should be with Romandro.
"Th-this is driving me mad."
Romandro muttered, chattering his teeth in horror. The thought of that crazy rascal alone among such esteemed personages was shocking in itself.
"Hurry, let's find—!"
"Ian~!"
Just as Romandro was about to rush back into the banquet hall, Berik came hopping lightly from the opposite corridor. His face was unusually flushed, perhaps from snagging some wine along the way.
"I'm here!"
"You rascal, how dare you wander off alone in a place like this?"
"Eh? You think I wanted to?"
"You didn't cause any trouble, did you? And what's with your finger?"
"This? It's worth a week's meat side dishes."
Romandro, not understanding, fidgeted anxiously, worrying it might be an injury from some mishap. Berik proudly thrust his index finger at Ian as if to say remember this.
Slap!
"Paying for your meal like this? Not bad."
"I won't forget the meat side dishes. Where were you?"
"They took me through the passage where the light of the oracle came in. I waited there until it ended. And I saw something hilarious?"
"Hilarious?"
He must not have seen the illusion from the back passage. At Ian's question, Berik rolled his eyes and mimicked a shrill woman's voice. With some alcohol in him, the acting was spot-on.
"Drag out everyone who drew the magic circle! I don't know how the hell they did the job! Blah blah blah! They all want to die!?"
"...Are you imitating Minister Wesley by any chance?"
"Haha. Exactly the same, right? She was grabbing her subordinates like rats. Even hiding, my legs went weak."
"Not even close."
"Eh? Really? Should I do it again?"
Romandro glanced around warily and clamped Berik's mouth shut, while Ian sank into thought quietly. Judging by the script of the oracle light magic circle, it was clearly made by multiple mages working together.
'I thought Wesley had secretly tampered with it, but apparently not. That means more people knew about the anomaly in the magic circle than I thought.'
But that Nakina fellow earlier clearly intended to help Ian. If he'd known the magic circle itself was flawed, he wouldn't have done that.
'Which means the Magic Department is divided into factions internally.'
Divisions that Wesley personally led and dominated the work, versus those nominally under her but drifting on the periphery. Of course, every department had its political factions.
'Right. If I weren't who I am, I wouldn't have adapted when I first entered the Magic Department.'
Ian's thoughts chained together, drifting back over a hundred years to the past. At that moment, Romandro and Berik were bickering noisily.
"Viscount Ian Hielo."
The Emperor's chief chamberlain, bowing his head low to address Ian. Ian knew what this meant.
"Please spare a moment. We will escort you to the second floor."
He had earned the honor of a close audience with the Emperor and the imperial family. This indicated that Ian's mana had left a profound impression on them. Ian handed his empty wine glass to Berik and nodded.