Chapter 176
Chapter 176
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 176
Chapter Title: Mana Sealing Stone
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Riama lay collapsed on the ground, her limbs twisted unnaturally. A hole the size of a head had been punched through her chest. Without even a moment to gasp for breath, one of the Three Great Commanders met her end.
Marib picked up the spear that had pierced through her heart.
Swish.
The Mana Sealing Stone was sharply honed. Just touching it would slice through skin and flesh. Marib personally closed Riama's eyelids, then turned around.
"Cough..."
"Huff, huff!"
"Prince Marib! Are you alright?"
"What the hell was that just now—"
"Ugh, the blood, the blood keeps flowing."
"Your Highness!"
Dillaina's garden had been turned into a complete mess. Not a single blade of grass remained amid the traces of battle, and more than half of the palace had crumbled down.
And there, buried under the debris, were the black-armored figures.
These were the ones Riama had dragged along with her at the cost of her life.
'Gail, it wasn't for nothing that you lived as Wesley's lover.'
The Mana Sealing Stone was the almost singular means of controlling mages. Though managed under the imperial family's lead, most of it had been handled by Gail, Wesley's former lover. It was a kind of unspoken deal. From Wesley's perspective, it was like handing the leash of the Magic Department to the most trustworthy person in the imperial family.
'In the end, that very thing strangled her.'
"Where is Gail?"
"He escaped. Toward the Third Palace."
"The Magic Department keeps blocking access. He won't get out."
Marib wiped his forehead with a handkerchief as he listened to his aide's report. The blood kept flowing without stopping.
"The Third Palace."
"We're pursuing him. Join us."
"No. Half go after Gail, and half head to the Magic Department. In this state, he'll surely try to find Ian. Set up there. I have plenty of business to attend to as well."
He could ask Ian to open access to the imperial palace, or as a last resort, surrender and enter the neutral zone. As long as Marib didn't stop, Ian would have to protect Gail in order to mediate them.
"Minister of Imperial Defense, chase Gail! The rest, to the Magic Department! We're meeting mages, so ready your arrows, all of you!"
Bwooo—
The sound of the water-ox horn blared as if it would shake the entire palace.
Not far away. Gail, fleeing toward the Third Palace, glanced back. Paal, his aide with one arm blown off, grabbed his shoulder.
"Don't look back, Your Highness."
"...Your arm."
"It's fine."
Gail bit his lip hard. He wasn't sure if it was good or bad that Bariel's soldiers were proving more competent than expected.
The initial advantage had gradually tilted as time passed, and the number of mana armors from House Haiman, who had promised support, being less than half turned into a dire crisis.
Clack clack!
"The other half should be outside the palace, so it might be best to meet with Lord Ian."
"Marib will be camped there waiting."
"What if we can't meet His Imperial Majesty?"
"......"
Gail fell silent and quickened his steps. The situation was far from good. He'd tried to stab them in the back with the viscount assassination plot, only to get thoroughly beaten first.
"Your Highness, this way!"
The empty Third Palace. Everyone had evacuated due to the commotion; not even an ant could be seen. Stepping over scattered tools and documents on the floor, Gail slowly walked down the corridor.
Swish.
At the very end of the corridor stood a massive painting taller than a person. It depicted young angels flying in the sky, scattering flower petals. Gail lightly knelt and pressed his forehead to it.
"Father."
A desperate voice calling to the Emperor.
"Father. Are you here? Can you hear me?"
But no answer came. The angels remained trapped in their static world, smiling brightly. Gail called out to the Emperor once more, earnestly.
"Your Highness, it doesn't seem like He's here."
"What about the other paintings?"
"There's one more at the end of the opposite corridor."
"Go there."
The Emperor's secret passages. If it wasn't a physical space handed down through generations but something created in the current era, magic was absolutely necessary. Wesley, who had been in charge, had even sworn a secrecy oath, but love rendered it ineffective.
Clack clack!
Gail rose to search for the Emperor. Then, the eyes of one angel in the painting slowly moved, following his retreating figure. The angel's pupils were a faded blue.
* * *
Meanwhile, at the Magic Department.
Ian ran a hand through his hair and sighed.
Mana Sealing Stone. Wasn't that the mages' Achilles' heel? Even a tiny gem could seal their power, dragging even those close to gods down to the dirt. Even the great Wesley had crumbled to a gem the size of an earring.
"Lord Ian. What should we do?"
"It was probably Prince Gail's side that used the Mana Sealing Stone. Before things spiral out of control, we need to join in. With the goal of recovering the Mana Sealing Stones."
"Agreed. This is a chance to sort out the sealing stones in their possession. They'll use them to slit our throats someday."
"Riama is dead! One of the Three Great Commanders!"
Everyone threw out urgent words one after another, but Ian remained silent. Instead of answering, he murmured while looking down at the mana stone powder map.
"Everyone, stay calm and observe. Riama was the core of Prince Marib's forces. Her death means the battle is nearing its end, which in turn means the two princes' forces have split."
Hail nodded as he lit a new cigarette. He looked flustered too, but Acorella's fussing seemed to be keeping him calm instead.
"I agree. Riama was Bariel's strongest knight, responsible for His Imperial Majesty's safety. The last detected mana was unusual, so her death surely wasn't in vain. Forcing Prince Gail to use a precious Mana Sealing Stone means it's the endgame."
The clock hands pointed to just past noon. In less than a day, so much had changed—and changed again. Ian set down the documents from Romandro and gave orders.
"Captain Acorella."
"Yes?"
"During former Minister Wesley's time, high-grade lique stones were exported. Do you know anything about that?"
"Lique stones? Hold on. Let me check."
Acorella adjusted her glasses and furrowed her brow. She knew even the smallest details about mana stone exports, but nothing came to mind. Only after flipping through the reports did she let out an exclamation.
"Ahhh. Now I remember. That's right. The imperial family bought them. They gave to the palace painters, and it pissed me off a bit. Smearing precious stones on paintings."
Palace painters.
Ian snapped his fingers as if he'd caught the clue.
"And you? Nothing?"
"Me? I'm clueless about art."
"I'm asking if Wesley was in charge back then."
"Yes, yes. He was."
Why would the Minister be curious about lique stones? Acorella groaned, rubbing her temples.
But only for a moment. She soon recalled that one key trait of lique stones was their 'absorptivity.'
"Hail, where was the last place Beols's presence was detected?"
"The Third Palace."
"Captain Acorella, take Berik and go to the Third Palace. Collect all the paintings made with lique stones."
"Me? With that guy Berik, like some boast?"
"He's reliable in skill."
"That's because you don't trust his looks!"
The mages listening quietly bit their lips. The Magic Department's mad dog and Ian's mad dog heading out together on a mission. Would it really be okay? But Ian closed the documents, signaling no second thoughts.
"If collecting them all is hard, just bring one."
"Ha, no. Just in case, assign a few more people. With Mana Sealing Stones in combat, we're already short-handed."
As Acorella clasped her hands and pleaded earnestly, Ian nodded. Who knew what trouble two alone might cause.
"Fine. Have Tommy escort you."
"Haa. Understood. What about Berik?"
"He's at the cafeteria, still shoveling—er, eating food."
"Let's go. Yeah. Let's go."
Acorella straightened her glasses and grabbed her jacket. Better to rip the iron horns off while they're hot and get it done quickly. It was just bringing back one painting anyway.
"Huh?"
Then, someone let out a puzzled sound. Acorella, nerves on edge, drew an X in the air with her hand and shouted.
"No 'huh?' like something's happened!"
"No, look at this."
"What? Gasp!"
"Prince Marib seems to be heading this way? His forces split. One group is going to the Third Palace."
The mage was right. It was unclear which group Marib led, but the odds were much higher he was coming to the Magic Department rather than the Third Palace.
Acorella gaped at Ian, but Hail blocked her view with his hand.
"What are you doing? Not going?"
"Marib's soldiers are heading to the Third Palace right now?"
"Two mages and one sword-mage. You think they'll die?"
"What the f—"
"The later you go, the more it costs you."
"Damn it! Berik! Berik! Tommy!"
Bang!
Acorella bolted out, calling for Berik. Seeing the banners approaching in the distance, the mages gathered in the lobby grew restless.
Ian straightened his collar and gestured with his chin.
"The remaining captains, all follow me. Every division, not a single one left out—join in building the barrier."
"Yes. Understood."
Ta-at!
They rushed outside to maintain order and manage the situation. Civilians were evacuated deep into the buildings, while mages stepped forward, pooling their mana. The barrier's color grew denser.
Bwooo—
"Lord Ian!"
Soon after, a voice calling for Ian. It was Marib's aide. Ian looked down at them from the top of the stairs, mages at his side. Marib looked up, bow at the ready.
"...You don't look well at all, Prince Marib."
"Thanks to whom, exactly."
"If you intend to end this chaos and restore the palace's dignity, you've come to the right place. Have everyone drop their weapons and apologize to His Imperial Majesty."
The corner of Marib's mouth twitched up. As if he'd heard a truly amusing joke.
"The palace's dignity—I shall certainly restore it. So, hand over Dillaina and the twin princes you took with you. They're accomplices to the traitor Gail and have shamed me, so I'll repay it in blood."
Was failing to finish off Jin's breath earlier the shame? Ian elegantly lifted his head to look down at them. With no reply, Marib's face twisted in fury.
"...I say it again, this is a neutral zone. Safety first, and we will uphold the order Your Highness has trampled. Therefore, I refuse."
"Don't hide behind 'neutral'! Anyone not siding with me is my enemy! Even if you hold out here, I'll make you pay eventually!"
It sounded like black-and-white logic, but there was truth to it. Once this was over, whoever the victor, Ian planned to clean house entirely. Marib nocked an arrow aimed at Ian's head.
Creak.
"Ian. I truly liked you."
A mere arrow couldn't pierce the magic barrier. But the murderous intent was so fierce that the mages gathered their mana. Marib shouted his final warning.
"If you're not cooperating, I'll raze this place too."
"Once more, I refuse."
Twang!
Marib released the bowstring. The arrow flew straight, halting right before Ian's nose. The arrowhead touching the barrier sparked and began to burn.
Crackle! Zap!
"......?"
The mages flinched in confusion. It should have simply bounced off physically, but the arrowhead felt like it was slowly piercing the barrier.
"Get away, Ian."
Swoosh!
Boom!
Hail slashed the halted arrow with his sword, unleashing a massive explosion. Mana swirled around the arrowhead—it was the mages' mana from the barrier.
"Huh? Huh?"
"Wait, the mana is draining!"
"Hold it! Keep pouring in power!"
Crack—
But cracks formed in the barrier. As the mages gasped in shock, Ian unconsciously reached out.
"This..."
The arrowhead, having absorbed mana, had turned amber.
A color brilliantly capturing the sunlight. Just like the mysterious gem Ian had found in the flowerpot.