Chapter 183
Chapter 183
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 183
Chapter Title: Cleanup Meeting
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The Emperor's personal physician carefully placed the stethoscope on his chest. A body so cold it couldn't be mistaken for human flesh. Even after being wrapped in warm wet cloths, the lingering bloodstains made the Emperor's condition look all the more wretched.
He slid his hand under the Emperor's nose. Faintly, ever so faintly, a breath escaped. The thick cotton blanket was filled with warmth, yet the Emperor's breath was frigid.
Ian and Beols stood at a distance, watching the scene.
"How is he?"
"He is alive, that's certain."
"If we undo the freeze, can he be treated?"
"That's..."
The wound on his side stood out prominently. It would be no issue for a young, healthy person, but the Emperor was already frail, to the point where even a winter cold could be fatal.
The physician wiped away cold sweat and shook his head.
"I cannot guarantee it. My apologies."
Tears welled in the physician's eyes as he gazed at the sleeping Emperor. Magic would likely be the same. The Emperor was in a state where he couldn't even receive healing magic.
Ian swallowed a sigh and nodded.
"Keep the Emperor's condition absolutely secret. If rumors spread, you'll be held responsible."
"Do not worry. If this is His Majesty's will, I will uphold it to the end."
The Emperor could no longer appear in public. With things so chaotic, they had brought in the physician to preempt any questions about the Emperor's well-being. His testimony would quell the anxieties in the palace.
Click.
As the physician left, Beols placed a familiar seal in front of Ian. It was the one the Emperor had stamped on his final decree. It was also the seal that remained in Ian's memory from the future.
"You'll handle affairs with the personal seal for the time being. Please deliver it to the Prime Minister, Lord Ian."
The one Ian had been using was scratched in places, but this one gleamed smoothly as if newly made. It was the very one he had used for three years in the past, yet holding it now felt awkward.
'I'll be using this from now on.'
Until the Emperor officially passed, he would use the seal for quite a long time. Even if a new Emperor ascended, inheriting the previous Emperor's seal was more legitimate than forging a new one. That was clearly how it had been passed down through generations to the Ian of the future.
"Beols, what about you?"
"I will guard His Majesty here today."
Not a single step away. The captain's self-reproach for failing to protect his lord was palpable.
"Unlike yesterday, today for sure."
"...I'll inform you once the successor discussion date is set."
Night had already fallen.
The darkness was thick, but the mages' lights illuminated the surroundings. Lights burning corpses. Without the foul smell, the traces of those who had joined the rebellion were vanishing from Bariel, as if they had never existed.
"Wipe up the blood here! Send more people over."
"Sorry, we're short-handed too."
"Berik, mind helping? Let's move this together!"
"Nakina! Escort spell, please!"
The mages worked efficiently under their division captains, handling the cleanup. Romandro, waving reports around and shouting something, spotted Ian emerging and ran over.
"The Imperial Guard Captain Jayrot, the Prime Minister, the Legislative Deputy Minister, the Administrative Chief Supervisor, the Judiciary Chief Judge representative, and others have entered the palace. You can head straight to the conference hall."
As Ian passed, mages and palace servants bowed their heads in greeting. Cleaning up after the day's events would take at least three or four months. Above all, the damaged buildings were the problem.
"Is palace access still controlled?"
"Yes, yes. Only high-ranking officials are allowed in. Supplies like food, medical goods, and materials are fine until tomorrow, so we can receive deliveries after that."
"Notify them when delivering. Once they enter, they can't leave. Or conscript personnel to transport directly from the gates. Leave escort to Nakina."
"But Nakina's too busy running around. We'll check the situation again tomorrow."
The gates had opened, but only officials were allowed in for now, with imperial citizens' access still restricted. The palace symbolized Bariel itself. In the people's memories, it had to remain perfect and noble, not a place with blood flowing and corpses strewn about.
"Keep it tight. Even those who survived here can't leave until the palace is sorted."
"Of course. I've informed them."
"...Will you send a messenger bird to Vivianna?"
Clop clop.
Ian asked casually as he descended the stairs. The woman waiting for him, pregnant. With contact cut off after entering the palace, she would naturally be worried. Romandro hesitated briefly but soon squeezed his eyes shut and refused.
"No. No exceptions. Not even a single bird can leave the palace."
A satisfied smile flickered across Ian's lips as he walked ahead. No one saw it in the darkness.
"And Gail?"
"Still searching."
Gail had hidden somewhere in the palace. With the Emperor's decree issued and Marib captured alive, there was nothing more he could do. Akorella was verifying Gail's faction using the mana stone powder map, so they would catch him before dawn at the latest.
Neigh!
Ian mounted a horse and galloped to the conference hall. The very place where the first conflict between Marib and Gail had erupted. Makeshift carriages prepared by officials were tangled messily.
"Oh, Lord Ian!"
"Lord Ian!"
"What in the world happened?"
"What about His Highness—no, His Majesty?"
The atmosphere was far from refined. Perhaps because the traces of Marib and Gail's clash remained intact. Officials sat on tables instead of chairs, puffing densely on mana cigarettes. It was a major meeting, yet no reports in sight.
"Please be seated, everyone."
"Um, Lord Ian."
"They say Second Prince Gail hasn't been caught yet."
"Maintain decorum and sit. This will be a long discussion. The more chaotic it gets, the more we must stay calm and collected. Isn't that why His Majesty placed you in those positions?"
Earn your keep. If you lounged comfortably on your salaries before, now's the time to prove your worth.
As Ian sternly scolded and sat first, the officials cleared their throats and stroked their beards.
"Sit."
At that moment, someone pulled out a chair ahead of the others. It was Quintana, the deputy minister handling finances in the administration. With her brown hair tied up in one, she swept the room with sharp eyes.
"Sit, I said."
"Ahem. Yes, sitting."
"Sit down. Sit. He said it'll be long."
The administration was headed by the Emperor, but Quintana's authority over finances—annual budgets and taxes alike—was as absolute as any minister's.
"I assume you can guess the situation, so I'll just share the results. First, the Emperor is safe."
At Ian's words, several officials sighed in relief. Quintana too. A flicker of relief passed over her stern, icy expression.
"But the shock was too great, and he collapsed. He can't be seen directly, so the Prime Minister will handle affairs for the time being."
Slide.
Ian handed the seal Beols had given him to the Prime Minister. He looked down at it quizzically.
"What about your official seal?"
"Missing due to Prince Marib's usurpation attempt. Prince Marib is currently confined in the Magic Department's underground prison. He's unharmed, so no issue opening his trial swiftly. Palace Judiciary Chief."
At Ian's call, an elderly man slightly raised his head.
"Prepare the trial for stripping the prince's status as quickly as possible. Aside from the half-destroyed buildings, the mages will handle corpse cleanup before dawn. Romandro."
Romandro, standing behind, handed Ian a sheet of paper. It was densely packed with long names. Ian wet his throat briefly, then read them slowly.
"Judiciary's Kasper, Rayners, Aberkin; Legislature's Castesro Minister, Lennart, Michiel; Imperial Defense's Taiha Minister, Serano, Klein, Clemens..."
It was the list of those who had sided with Marib or Gail to sow chaos in the palace. The names of participating nobles followed in a line.
Thud.
"This is the complete list of palace traitors."
A long silence fell. It was tantamount to carving out nearly half of Bariel's power. Ian lightly set the paper down and swallowed a sigh.
"The numbers are too great for individual investigations and trials, so each department handle identifying and executing the traitors. Lower ranks inherit vacant posts to prevent disruptions, and for key positions like ministers, temporary authority is granted."
"But Lord Ian, even so, the numbers are too many, aren't they? This will paralyze operations."
"Y-yes. With crises like this ongoing, executing them all..."
Bang!
It was Quintana. She slammed the ashtray down roughly, furrowing her brow deeply.
"Sparing traitors is like letting vermin rot the nation. Spare a traitor, and you become one yourselves."
The officials shut their mouths at the chilling warning. The smell of blood still lingered outside. Who would care if their own blood mixed in there?
Ian nodded and tapped the documents on the table.
"I agree. Prince Marib directly harmed His Majesty, and Prince Gail gathered unauthorized forces with nobles. No excuses."
"B-but then our department will be short-staffed."
"Lord Ian's aide. Can you provide more lists?"
"Yes. Here. I've prepared extras, so please divide them."
Romandro quickly distributed the documents and nodded. Quintana stubbed out her mana cigarette and raised her hand.
"The palace will handle its own structure, but what about the outside? If nobles fall, next year's taxes won't be met. And I hear the Haiman family was involved too."
Haiman family. The ones handling Bariel's finances. Without them, all transactions in Bariel could halt immediately. Unlike deaths inside the palace, this would bring another massive upheaval.
But Ian was firm.
"No exceptions. It was treason at the cost of their lives, so they pay the price. However, considering the importance, I'll handle it personally."
"Personally?"
Quintana's eyebrows arched in surprise. If he was taking on the troublesome ones himself, she welcomed it with open arms. The officials awkwardly smiled and nodded vigorously.
"L-Lord Ian is reliable. Of course."
"Yes. He's the Magic Department Minister, after all."
Tricky, but resolving it would solidify his position like nothing else. For Jin's future, for the peaceful Bariel a just and strong Emperor would bring. It was Ian's duty too.
"Then, trials are no issue, but what about the next successor? With His Majesty recovering in bed, filling the position quickly would stabilize things."
At one official's question, eyes rolled about. Options were slim. Jin and Arsen, Arsen and Jin. No one spoke rashly, and an odd silence hung. Their gazes naturally turned to Ian.
Creeeak!
A woman flung open the conference hall doors urgently. It was Dillaina.