Chapter 184

Dilaina took a deep breath and looked around the conference room. Her silver hair was disheveled, as if she had rushed over as soon as she regained her senses. Ian stood up from his seat and pulled out a chair for her.

“You came in a hurry, I see.”

As if there was no reason for that.

As if he had figured out Ian’s intention, Dilaina approached him and whispered quietly.

“I heard about His Majesty’s condition from Commander Beols. But why, for what reason did you separate me from my sons?”

Her labored breath trembled faintly at the end. It was a question mixed with doubt and fear.

Romandro was whispering with the magician who had brought her from outside and nodding, then gave Ian a gesture. As if there was no commotion to worry about.

“What reason, you say? That’s a hasty assumption.”

Ian answered in a low voice after receiving Romandro’s signal. At Ian’s audacious act of directly meeting her gaze, Dilaina bit her lips tightly.

“I tried to see Arsen and Jin, but your subordinates blocked the way and refused to let me through. Such an action in this situation… How am I supposed to interpret it?”

“It is to protect the Twin Princes, Your Highnesses. In this chaotic time, I judged that someone might harm them to save their own life.”

With a bright, radiant smile, but the meaning contained within was brutal and cruel. Wasn’t she the mother who had driven her son into danger to beg for her life from Mariv? Having witnessed it with his own eyes, it meant that he could not entrust the princes’ well-being to her.

Dilaina’s face turned pale as she squeezed her voice. As if it was unjust and infuriating, her eyes also became moist.

“I, I did it for Bariel.”

“Aha. Did Bariel tell you to do so?”

“How impertinent!”

“Or I’d like to ask why you stood still when Mariv was luring the child with the mother’s life.”

Jin, who was held in Ian’s arms. Mariv, who threatened to kill Dilaina if the child didn’t return. Dilaina, who screamed while looking at such a child.

Ian frowned as if it was atrocious. In the moment of losing humanity, he didn’t see what expression Jin had made.

“You must know the prophecy that if Arsen dies, the Imperial lineage will be cut off? Arsen is still young. He needs someone to assist him from behind. Before being a mother, I am a member of the Imperial family. Who would blame me for that?”

Dilaina muttered as if she was filled with indignation, emphasizing each syllable. She firmly believed it was an action out of necessity, without any doubt. Ian looked at her and retorted with a calm gaze.

“…You may avoid blame, but it won’t be easy to gain understanding. Isn’t Prince Jin also a member of the Imperial family before being Lady Dilaina’s son?”

At that moment, Quintana approached Dilaina and rudely grabbed her shoulder. Startled, Dilaina turned around, and Quintana let out a faint sigh. A breath with the smell of cigarettes.

“Lady Dilaina. I don’t know what happened, but please calm down and have a seat. We have much to discuss.”

At Quintana’s words, Dilaina came to her senses and took a step back. Then she sat on the chair Ian had pulled out for her and tried to compose herself.

“Are you all right? I’m glad to see you’re not injured.”

“We were just discussing the succession.”

“It seems we have to choose between His Highness Arsen and His Highness Jin. We would like to hear Lady Dilaina’s opinion.”

The officials threw out remarks one by one while looking at Dilaina. She remained silent for a moment, then opened her mouth.

“In terms of seniority and being the firstborn, it seems right for Arsen to ascend to the position of successor.”

“Actually, I also think so…”

“Isn’t he bright in nature and clever? And above all, there is the prophecy. ‘If the one closest to the throne dies, the Imperial lineage will be cut off.’ If Prince Mariv and Prince Gale are expelled from the Imperial family, wouldn’t His Highness Arsen be the one closest to the throne?”

“That’s right. It’s proceeding according to the prophecy.”

“Didn’t Prince Mariv ultimately fail to harm His Highness Arsen because he was mindful of that?”

As high-ranking officials of a department like Ian, everyone was aware of the hidden prophecy. Amidst the opinions supporting Arsen, the moment Ian was about to raise his hand.

“I object.”

It was Quintana. She tapped the table with an unlit cigarette. As if she wanted to smoke but was holding back because of Dilaina.

“Don’t you know how this situation occurred? It’s a mess caused by those without qualifications coveting power. Seniority no longer holds meaning. And above all, that order was given by a doctor. It’s too trivial a standard to entrust Bariel’s future.”

“Then you mean to support His Highness Jin?”

“No. I mean to elevate the qualified prince. It would be best to take some time to verify.”

“His Majesty is in critical condition. We don’t have much time.”

An official pointed out with concern, unaware that the Emperor was frozen, but Quintana remained unwavering.

“It’s better to be a little late but certain than to hastily make a mistake. If something like this happens again in the palace of all places, next time even attacks from external forces will be mixed in.”

When would there be another suitable time to prey on the Great Empire Bariel like now? The Emperor had collapsed, the princes were imprisoned. The nobles had fallen, and the empire’s military was in disarray.

“Anyway, it’s fortunate that Lord Ian sealed off the entrance. I also found out after entering the palace.”

Ian nodded at Quintana’s words. It was to protect the people, but ultimately, it was to defend Bariel. He continued Quintana’s words and declared.

“I, too, oppose His Highness Arsen.”

Ian’s declaration was worth listening to deeply. He was at the center of the palace’s cleanup, had received the Emperor’s final message, and above all, he was the one who would concentrate power by executing the princes.

“Does Lord Ian also mean to verify the qualifications of the two princes?”

“No. I’m saying that His Highness Jin should ascend to the position of the next emperor.”

It was as if lightning had struck the conference room. At Ian’s declaration of support, everyone murmured and couldn’t hide their bewilderment.

Not Arsen, but Jin. The cursed child who was stigmatized as one who would kill his own brother and thus cut off the Imperial lineage!

“Uh, Lord Ian? Arsen is the older of the twins.”

Someone blurted out an absurd remark. Instead of answering, Ian responded by frowning his elegant brows.

“I agree with the opinion that qualifications should be considered, so I support His Highness Jin.”

Ian’s gaze was fixed on Quintana. In this situation where everyone was calling for Arsen, those who reached the same conclusion, albeit with different purposes, needed to stick together.

“But isn’t there a prophecy?”

“Prophecies are not always right.”

“Still, it’s not something that can be ignored. The place that gave the prophecy about the Twin Princes is none other than the Carbo Temple.”

An official pressed, glancing at Dilaina. The maternal relatives of the current Twin Princes and the sacred family of the founding contributors. How could one deny a prophecy directly given by such a place?

“I will reconfirm that matter.”

“Reconfirm? How?”

Ian was convinced that Jin was the next emperor. The portrait he had passed by every day in the Imperial Palace corridor was vivid before his eyes. The adult Jin still carried wounds, and he had grown so magnificently that it was impossible to recall his young self now.

History doesn’t change, but prophecies circulating through human words can change.

“Isn’t the meaning of ‘close to the throne’ ambiguous? Do you know what it means, my lords? The order determined by a one-minute difference? Or could it possibly be… physical distance?”

The officials didn’t answer. They acknowledged that there was ample room for interpretation. Above all, Ian’s attitude was quite hostile, so they couldn’t rashly refute him.

“Now that you have spoken His Highness Arsen’s name, it is His Highness Arsen who has become close to the throne.”

Everyone fell silent and took a deep breath. The next emperor is one who steps on the backs of his subjects to rise. Saying that the prince chosen by the subjects is the one close to the throne.

Ian lightly put down the list of traitors and refreshed the atmosphere.

“As soon as the palace’s maintenance is roughly finished, I will investigate the prophecy again. Let’s take some time to discuss the next successor. Although His Majesty is preserving his position, he is not in immediate danger.”

Until death is needed, he will not die.

At Ian’s words, the officials stroked their beards and murmured in a disorderly manner. Amidst the confusion, another rift was forming. Dilaina, who supported Arsen, and Ian, who supported Jin.

“For now, let’s put aside the matter of the successor’s position and discuss the urgent cleanup. The minister of the Imperial Defense Department sided with Mariv and died. We need to quickly establish discipline, assess the remaining troops, and restore order.”

“Ahem, ah, let’s do that. Yes.”

“There’s an order to things. Hmm.”

“What about Moreno, who was the vice minister?”

“I heard he left the capital on a business trip. Although a minority compared to the whole, there are many disciplined soldiers, so let’s order them to return quickly.”

Depending on who becomes the successor, the power structure of the palace will be overturned once again. The officials were busy calculating and grasping the situation while holding the meeting. Dilaina was the same.

‘Lord Ian, why on earth does he…?’

She couldn’t understand why he supported Jin. Regardless of which twin becomes the emperor, Dilaina would stand at the center of power.

But since he saw that she had abandoned Jin, could it be that he was pushing for Jin to use it as a pretext to keep her in check?

‘Using the fact that Jin was abandoned, he intends to challenge the Imperial authority. With Mariv and Gale’s downfall, a new one is trying to pounce.’

Dilaina unconsciously chewed her lips and stared into the void. The thought of protecting Arsen was the only thing swirling in her mind.

Ian continued the meeting, pretending not to notice, but he took in all of Dilaina’s actions with his gaze.

“…Then, let’s adjourn the meeting for now.”

How many hours had passed? The sun was rising outside. The officials stood up from their seats, pressing their aching eyelids.

“When the Executive Department delivers the instructions, please send the personnel right away. To ensure there’s no disruption in receiving the supplies.”

“The trial preparation will be led by the Judiciary Department, and all departments will share their information.”

“Let’s each clean up the buildings and gather again in the afternoon.”

“Yes. Let’s do that. We’ll report the necessary materials.”

Thud thud!

The officials returned to their respective departments and scheduled the afternoon meeting. It was the moment Ian also got up from his chair. He staggered and grabbed his nose. It ached as if blood would flow at any moment.

“Are you all right? You kept using mana and couldn’t sleep, that’s why. For now, get some rest until lunch. I’ll wrap things up.”

Romandro worriedly supported Ian and stepped out of the building. Dilaina blocked their way. Ian frowned as if he was tired, but she didn’t back down.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

“Return Arsen and Jin to me.”

“If someone hears, they might think I did something terrible.”

“I couldn’t even see them once after coming to my senses!”

Ian passed by Dilaina and boarded the carriage. And before the door closed, he permitted.

“All right. But I won’t remove the subordinate by His Highness Arsen’s side, and you can see His Highness Jin when His Highness allows it.”

“Are you saying that Jin is rejecting me now?”

“I didn’t say that though.”

Ian closed the carriage door, trailing off his words. Then he waved his hand as if he was tired.

Neigh!

Thud thud!

Romandro muttered while looking at Dilaina getting farther away through the rear window of the carriage.

“She keeps glaring at us.”

“I must be getting on her nerves. Naturally.”

“But, but what can Lady Dilaina do? Huh? Isn’t, isn’t that right? There’s no one as important as Ian in the palace right now.”

Romandro kept glancing back and wiping his cold sweat, perhaps out of fear. Ian didn’t answer, with the back of his hand resting on his eyes.

“Who knows.”

“Who, who knows, you say?”

“If I were Lady Dilaina, there is one way to resolve the situation… But I don’t know if she will do it.”

Romandro blinked at Ian’s cryptic words. It was surprising that Dilaina had a way to resolve it, but it also sounded like he hoped she would do it.

“Ian?”

“Let’s go to where His Highness Jin is.”

“Tell me too.”

“…I’m going to sleep.”

“Ugh.”

The moment Ian said he was going to sleep, Romandro shut his mouth tightly and scratched his head. Soon, the sound of heavy breathing was heard, and he poked his head out the window and told the coachman.

“Let’s go a little slower.”

“Pardon?”

Slower, so Ian could sleep a little more.

The coachman slowly loosened the reins and slowed down the carriage. Following the movement of the swaying carriage, Ian’s head also lightly nodded.