Chapter 194
Chapter 194
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 194
Chapter Title: Faith
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Creak.
When Ian opened the door to the Star Tower interrogation room, Prince Marib was gazing out the window. A single ray of light streamed into the dim room. Even as the mages shuffled stacks of documents, he kept his eyes fixed outside, as if he couldn't believe the future he hadn't foreseen had arrived.
"Your Highness, please take a seat. We will begin the interrogation."
Unlike Gail, whose nape had been torn open, he was unscathed, without a single major wound. There was some dirt here and there, but for the main culprit who had plunged the imperial palace into chaos, he cut a dignified figure. After all, most of his key supporters, including his chief aide, had died with their limbs mangled.
"You yourself?"
Prince Marib turned around. His eyes held a calm mix of amusement and disappointment. Ian wondered where he'd seen that look before, then realized it was the same as Gail's when he lay in bed. They were desperate to kill each other, but their blood tied them unmistakably.
"Yes. For the sake of propriety, I ask for your cooperation."
"Interrogation, indeed. What a waste of effort on useless formalities. If it were me, I'd never bother with something so tedious."
The momentum had already shifted. He had stabbed his father the Emperor, stolen the imperial seal, and tried to kill his brothers. With even his imperial title revoked, the end was surely execution. The outcome was clear even without a trial, so why squander time on an interrogation?
But Ian merely flipped through the documents impassively.
"You might, Your Highness, but I will not."
Every procedure for the trial would proceed precisely and accurately. That alone would restore order to the disrupted imperial palace, affirm Jin's legitimacy as the next Emperor, and lay the foundation for centralized authority.
"First, regarding the attempted assassination of His Majesty the Emperor. Records show that for several months, His Majesty experienced breathing difficulties during sleep."
"Ah, yes. He did complain of discomfort in his sleep. Even seeing the dead. But what does that have to do with me?"
Thud.
Ian laid out the documents Gail had handed over. The ones received in exchange for overlooking the Wesley curse and neutralizing the truth serum.
At Ian's gesture to read them, Prince Marib slowly turned the pages. A hollow laugh escaped him, suggesting he had realized something.
"So that's why you and Gail were in cahoots."
He now understood why Ian hadn't firmly chosen a side between him and Gail. All the situational leverage had been in Ian's grasp, and Prince Marib couldn't deny it.
"To think a lowly border bastard like you... ha ha. Ha."
"If you have any defense, speak it."
As he spoke, Ian leisurely scanned other documents. A sign he was prepared to counter any argument.
"These will go straight to trial as evidence, so say as much as you can."
Prince Marib leaned back against the chair and met Ian's gaze. Born a prince, he had vowed and believed he would die an emperor.
Is this the end? Is this truly the end? Prince Marib murmured to himself, staring at the sunlight spilling before him. His momentum was broken, but his neck was still intact.
"Wasn't it all at your instigation, Lord Ian?"
A pause. The mage recording in the corner flinched. The observers did the same. Everyone frowned at Prince Marib's sudden claim.
"Me?"
"Yes. You incited me, Lord Ian."
"Your Highness, I was in Hielo territory at the time."
"You're a mage. You had ways around it."
Ian caught Prince Marib's intent and let out a sardonic smile. It was a ploy to drag out the trial with absurd testimony, and perhaps to give any anti-Ian faction in the palace a hook to grab.
As the scribe set down his pen, Prince Marib barked.
"You're recording history. Don't edit it to suit your taste. Not a single word."
A petty threat that he would cause chaos in the trial if they did.
Ian gestured lightly for the recording to continue. Inconsistencies could be discarded without explanation anyway.
"It's fortunate this mess happened now. If Your Highness had ascended the throne, I suspect not just the palace but the entire Variel Empire would have crumbled."
Beyond lacking ability, it was utterly pathetic, Ian implied.
A vein bulged at Prince Marib's temple, but he only kept smiling. Humiliations were nothing for the sake of opportunity. If he could survive, if he could signal his plight to the gods, he could endure anything.
"Commander Beols of the Three Great Commanders witnessed and testified to you swinging the sword at His Majesty the Emperor. There's no need to interrogate that. The stolen seal is still missing. What did you do with it?"
"I handed it over to the Magic Department. Isn't that why you let me live like this?"
Bang!
"Lord Ian! I can't bear to listen to this!"
A mage who couldn't stand it shouted in protest. Prince Marib smirked, and Ian frowned in a warning to restrain himself. As if there was no need to get worked up over such trivial tricks.
"Do you know Rutherford?"
"Ah, the merchant group?"
"How did you come to do business with them?"
"When was it? Some time ago. On the way back from my Grand Tour, I passed through Hawan Kingdom. That's when I met Rutherford. Weren't you with me, Ian? It must have been in Bratz territory, so about this tall."
The Grand Tour was a journey undertaken by the privileged class's heirs. A few months traveling neighboring countries to learn about culture, economy, and society, broadening their horizons. With dozens of carriages, it was more a procession than a trip.
Prince Marib held his hand at a child's height with exaggerated flair.
"Hmm. Or was it? About this tall?"
"Your acting is superb."
Prince Marib had indeed gone on a Grand Tour, but no one in the interrogation room believed it. To think they'd propped up such a prince all this time. The scribe swallowed a sigh and pressed down each letter firmly.
Swish.
It was then.
Prince Marib glimpsed silver hair passing the window by the door where Ian sat with his back turned. At that height, it had to be a child, but how many silver-haired children could enter the Star Tower in the palace?
'Arsen?'
No, it was Jin. He had clearly seen Jin hugging Ian at Dillaina's palace. And the Magic Department sent to kill Jin had confirmed their bond.
Ian, who had toyed with him and Gail, surely aimed to control the center through Jin.
"But it's strange."
"What is, Your Highness?"
"Ian, I just can't figure out why you sided with Jin over Arsen. I get everything else, but not that."
The mages standing by flinched.
Oh ho, Jin had tugged at his collar. It struck right at the child's doubt. Why Jin over Arsen? Everyone would think the same.
'The card picked up by Dillaina, and the remaining card that could match it.'
"You needn't know."
Ian suppressed his rising irritation and replied. The nonsense was overstepping. With mountains of cleanup ahead, this pointless provocation was interference.
The mages glanced at his lowered voice, biting their lips.
'Please shut up, Your Highness.'
'Lord Ian looks one step from snapping.'
"If you're only supporting Jin on the surface, sure. There might be no reason. Since you played me and Gail like fools, charming one child is no issue. Do you think I can't see through you?"
Thud!
That was it. Ian slammed the documents shut and crossed his arms. How dare he keep prattling so pathetically...
"Prince Marib. Could you please shut up?"
Thud!
At the same moment, something hit the door.
Ian turned to see Jin crouched, rubbing his forehead. He had pulled the handle too hard in tension. Siaoshi paled, checking Jin's forehead.
"Your Highness?"
"Uh, well, I mean, I was supposed to make some noise or something."
Ian stood immediately and signaled the mages. Continue the interrogation of Prince Marib in his stead.
"Your Highness, is your forehead alright?"
"It's fine, but..."
"Jin, that's a deep cut."
Prince Marib stroked his chin and called to his half-brother. The wound he had inflicted ran straight across his face. Unaware it might be the mark of an emperor.
"The blade missed your eyes, so thank me."
"Please leave. This place is filthy."
Creak!
Bang!
The door shut without hesitation. Treating him like something foul. Jin kept rubbing his forehead and looked up at Ian.
"Lord Ian. Sorry for interrupting your work."
"No, I was about to end it anyway. No gains."
"...But, you know."
"Yes, Your Highness."
As they left the Star Tower, Jin stopped.
"I want you to know for sure."
"What?"
Ian knelt to meet Jin's gaze. He had clearly overheard Prince Marib's nonsense. He knew Jin was there. Should have told him to shut up sooner instead of letting him listen.
"Why you follow me."
"Hmm."
Jin clenched his fists. It was something to address eventually. Whether now was the right time was another matter, but anyway.
Why did Ian help him? Why did Ian value him? Was it truly just as a 'card' against Arsen?
If so? What then?
"Your Highness."
Ian smiled faintly. He could see the whirlwind of thoughts in the small head. He explained gently, one by one.
"I know it's confusing. But in times like these, stay calm, read the board, and use it to your advantage."
A place with no eternal enemies or friends.
The imperial palace was such a place.
"Accept the essence as it is, without judging right and wrong."
If Ian took Jin's hand out of sympathy, it was good; if out of ulterior motives, bad? Either way, it profited Jin and was right.
"Knowing the essence makes it easier to prepare for shifting tides later."
"So, no matter what intentions you hold, I should use you first?"
"Yes. And once your authority stabilizes, catch your breath and look at me again. A new perspective will open."
Siaoshi, listening beside them, looked at her master curiously. A mindset to use and discard so readily. She knew Ian's treatment of Jin was genuine, but did Jin?
"...Too difficult."
"It's fine. You'll learn it firsthand."
"You said to know the essence."
Jin gripped Ian's clothes tightly. Then he boldly met Ian's eyes.
"Then answer my earlier question."
"Why I follow you?"
Ian nodded with a smile.
"Because you bear a massive wound."
The emperor's mark.
The oracle's curse.
And the fate of being abandoned by his mother.
All were massive wounds. Ian gently pried away Jin's hand from his clothes and asked.
"What do you think?"
"...I want to believe it's the truth."
"Yes. Then believe it. You are the center of the world, Your Highness. Your faith is the truth."
Dong-! Dang!
Then, the massive clock bell tolled from afar. Signaling that the castle gates would open soon.