Chapter 186
Chapter 186
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 186
Chapter Title: Beware of Sleep-Talking
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Two people were running across a vast grassy field. Ian couldn't help laughing as he approached them, drawn by whatever was so amusing. Short silver hair. Ian easily recognized him as Roberside.
And in front of him—
“Lord Ian!”
Jin? Ian dropped to one knee and met the eyes of the child who threw himself into his arms. His face was full of life. Roberside, running up from afar, was shouting something, but it wasn't clear.
“You look happy.”
“Happy. So happy.”
“What’s making you so glad?”
Jin grinned widely but didn’t answer. Then, suddenly, Ian realized there were no dimples on the child’s cheeks. Not only that—the scar on his face, thought to be proof of his imperial blood, was also gone.
Rumble!
At that moment, the heavens split open, and a foul stench filled the air. Magical beasts appeared in the once-peaceful field, and darkness came crashing down like it would swallow the world. Roberside, now close by, screamed a shrill warning.
“Kill him!”
The child stabbed Ian’s heart with a dagger. There was no pain. Was he too shocked? Roberside, right behind, slashed the child’s back with his sword and bellowed.
“You should never have been born! Die!”
Slash!
The child, back sliced open, died in Ian’s arms. Even so, his hysterical laughter didn’t stop. As Ian looked down at him in confusion, the boy roughly grabbed Ian’s hair and pulled his ear close.
“Wasn’t it you who should never have been born?”
* * *
“Lord Ian?”
Ian jolted awake, breathing heavily without realizing it. His whole body trembled from his pounding heart. The Magic Department staffer watching over him asked worriedly.
“Lord Ian. Did you have a nightmare?”
“…….”
“You were in such bad shape, we were worried.”
“You pushed yourself too hard yesterday, so catching a cold is no surprise.”
“…Did I say anything?”
“Pardon? No, you just groaned.”
Ian brushed back his damp hair and let out a sigh of relief. His dreams had been so restless lately—if he’d let slip some sleep-talking, it would’ve been awkward.
“What’s wrong?”
“Oh, this won’t do. Please rest more. I’ll call a doctor.”
The Magic Department subordinates backed away with concerned tones, but Ian straightened his clothes and stood.
The duty room was just as he last remembered—no changes. Romandro, Xiao Shi, Jin. Everyone was in a deep sleep, hovering on the brink of death. Except for Berik, who had paper in his mouth.
“Does anyone know why Berik’s like that?”
“No idea. He mumbled something about bananas, bit the paper, and went back to sleep.”
“…Let’s head out quietly.”
Ian soothed his subordinates and stepped outside. The sun was already high in the sky. Even a few hours of sleep had refreshed his body. He perched on the edge of the round table and took reports from his subordinates one by one.
“The Cheonryeo Tribe—er, your father, Lord Ian—is working with the warriors to aid the reconstruction.”
“What kind of people are they? They don’t even sleep; they’re full of energy.”
Just like with the Bratz reconstruction, now the warriors were swarming the imperial palace. Without needing orders, they spread out, rescuing people buried under debris, clearing shattered stone walls, and gathering scattered body parts.
Ian smiled and urged them.
“Treat them with respect and care. They’re purely here to help us. And my mother?”
“W-well, your mother’s the same. She’s moving with the warriors. Some of them don’t speak our language, so she’s interpreting and such.”
No wonder he hadn’t seen her. But Ian knew this was Philia’s way of helping him.
“Captain Akorella says she’ll submit an interim report on the amber stones this afternoon. For now, here’s a rough summary. First, we’ve named the amber stones ‘Idgal.’”
“The reason?”
Idgal. It sounded almost like a person’s name. Ian thought so as he asked.
“Because they’re artificial. When cut in half, geometric patterns appear—that’s the mark of an alchemist.”
Ian lowered the report slightly and raised an eyebrow. Come to think of it, things had been so hectic he’d forgotten to mention it might be alchemist-related.
“…Better skill than expected.”
In just one night—no, less than ten hours exactly. Captain Akorella had detected alchemical traces in the stone. The subordinate sniffled proudly.
“That’s why everyone’s holding back their tempers. Oh, keep this between us, Lord Ian.”
“Continue.”
“You know this well, but whether mage, shaman, or alchemist, supernatural powers always leave traces. Especially for those involved in creation—the patterns are distinct. Analyzing the geometry, it reads ‘Idgal’ in Variel common tongue.”
“Could that be the alchemist’s name?”
“Highly likely. Alchemists know their own unique geometric designs and often use them as aliases with meaning.”
Ian nodded and ordered.
“I’ll give you a ring later. Cut that open too.”
“A ring?”
The one Lady Rien had given him along with the narcotics as thanks when heading from the border to the capital. If her jewels were also Idgal, it would narrow down the merchant group the alchemist belonged to.
“And the most important part.”
“Yes. Fortunately, including Nakina, some mages’ mana is starting to return, little by little. It’s faint, but not completely gone.”
That was a relief midway through. The Magic Department was already short-staffed; losing talent in this situation would be trouble. These were fresh recruits after years— who knew how long until the next mage.
The subordinates fell silent for a moment, then cautiously offered an opinion.
“Um, Lord Ian. Idgal and mana sealing stones are different, but their effects are similar, right?”
“We felt it this time too. Magic isn’t always absolute.”
Ian closed the report and nodded. Meaning, go on.
“For our mages’ future and safety, we should eliminate one: mana sealing stones or Idgal.”
“The mana sealing stones are natural, so how about tracking and dealing with the alchemist?”
They’d thought it was divine power, but one arrow from Marib shattered it helplessly. Arrogant, yet fortunate—they’d survived the ordeal.
“Killing one alchemist is easier than killing nature.”
Ian tapped the end of the report and fell silent briefly. He understood their concerns.
“I agree. Mana sealing stones are the will of the gods, but Idgal is the will of an alchemist.”
Checks and threats were on entirely different levels. Ian handed back the report to signal no worries.
“It’s unreasonable for mages to be endangered by one person’s will. Investigate Marib thoroughly. Once the situation stabilizes, we’ll pursue the alchemist and handle it.”
Perhaps the mages who survived the original era made the same call. Was that why Idgal never reached Ian’s time?
The mages, satisfied with their leader’s words, placed hands over their hearts.
“Next.”
“Second Prince Gail was found in the secondary palace.”
“Found?”
Ian paused momentarily. The phrasing felt off. Sure enough, the mage reported cautiously in a lower voice.
“In a self-inflicted state. No danger to his life.”
While Marib surrendered and begged for mercy, Gail tried to end it with suicide. As always, their choices diverged. Who was right? Hard to say.
Ian rubbed his chin and frowned.
“Is he conscious yet?”
“Yes. But three healing mages were dispatched with doctors. He should wake soon.”
Ian turned at the footsteps from behind. Lower officials from other departments and unidentified people were approaching with stacks of reports.
“Understood. Monitor Prince Gail’s location strictly. If he tries suicide again, bind him and lock him up.”
“Yes, sir.”
“He should die in the courtroom if at all.”
That way, there’d be no burden on future Jin. As not the empress’s son, he’d face legitimacy challenges from opposing factions someday. Better to erase Marib and Gail from imperial history altogether.
Clack clack!
“Lord Ian. Duke Haiman has arrived at the central gate.”
A mage who’d been managing the sealed entrance ran up calling for Ian. At the unexpected name, everyone froze and looked to him.
“He wishes an audience with His Imperial Majesty. If not, he wants to attend the Grand Council to clear up the misunderstanding.”
“Misunderstanding.”
The mages gulped at Ian’s sardonic smile. So bold and brazen. The faction that tried to overthrow the palace using Gail as a shield now walked right in to make excuses.
“Lord Ian, what should we do?”
“I’d love to kill him.”
“No, I have money with him.”
The murmurs grew louder. Ian twirled his pen, pondering.
Letting him in would reveal the emperor had collapsed. Duke Haiman’s reaction would be unpredictable.
“Lady Melania is with him.”
“…Permit entry, but detain and escort them immediately. No contact with others. I’ll meet them alone.”
Could ‘detain’ and ‘escort’ coexist? But the mages answered affirmatively and ran off.
Ian meticulously reviewed the remaining documents and continued work. Meeting Duke Haiman seemed best saved for last, after urgent matters.
‘A battle of wills.’
Making the noble duke wait hours unannounced was like seizing the high ground for Ian.
“Next report.”
“Yes. Here.”
As expected, not ordinary. House Haiman aside, Ian handling it so calmly was extraordinary too. The mages pressed their lips tight and kept passing reports.
“Oh, and about Second Prince Gail’s curse.”
Even at the mage’s words, Ian didn’t stop signing. The scratch of the pen nib was satisfying.
“Is the curse truly lifted?”
“Why ask that?”
Ian had declared he lifted it, but the mages didn’t believe. They’d been together all day; all he did was pour mana to save people and subdue Marib.
“W-well, um, they say Prince Gail is mumbling something nonstop despite being unconscious. We wonder if it’s curse-related.”