Chapter 188

“I am Ian Hielo, the Minister of the Ministry of Magic. Are you Duke Gaudino Hayman?”

At Ian’s call, Hayman’s head slowly turned. Upon facing each other, Ian could be certain that he had never seen him at the New Year’s banquet. It was an appearance that one could never forget if seen once.

“You are Minister Ian Hielo. I am Duke Gaudino Hayman.”

He was a strange middle-aged man. Beneath his neatly swept-back hair, his forehead extended coolly, his eyebrows were angular, and his nose bridge was sharp, but what was even more unusual were his eyes in which the whites were barely visible. The overwhelming aura seemed to come not from the name of the Hayman family, but from his gaze.

“Have you been waiting long?”

Ian didn’t initiate a handshake first. Although in terms of title, it was a status that couldn’t be looked down upon, in the current situation, the Haymans were those who had harmed the palace, and Ian was the one responsible for cleaning up the mess. Realizing this, Hayman smiled gently while maintaining etiquette.

“It’s nothing compared to the hard work of Minister Hielo. Ah, this is my youngest daughter, Melania. I believe it’s your first time meeting her. Please take good care of her.”

Hayman already knew that Melania and Ian had met before. However, introducing them as if it were their first meeting was an act of lightly denying the connection between Melania and Ian, which was Gale.

Normally, even if there was an acquaintance in social circles, it was the epitome of modesty to act as if it were the first meeting in formal encounters.

“Nice to meet you for the first time.”

Lady Melania greeted while lightly grasping her green-tinted dress. The eyes that met slightly were smiling. Her attitude of cunningly matching her father’s tune was not just natural.

“Although it may be the first time for you, Lady Melania, I have actually seen you before. When I went to report to His Highness Gale, from a distance.”

Ian pressed his lips to the back of Melania’s hand and smiled. It was a remark that maintained propriety but immediately pointed out the connection with Gale. As if they had anticipated Ian’s response, the Hayman father and daughter simultaneously showed an unnatural reluctance.

“Lord Hielo. Actually, that’s why I urgently sought the palace. I heard that Their Highnesses Mariv and Gale had caused a very unpleasant incident. As a result, my position has also become awkward. I would like to directly plead my case to His Majesty the Emperor, but your magicians won’t make way for me.”

It was a request to meet the Emperor directly. Instead of answering, Ian looked into Hayman’s black eyes. Since the whites weren’t visible, it was impossible to immediately discern where he was looking.

‘How much does he know?’

If he hadn’t made contact with Dilaina yet, he wouldn’t know that the Emperor was frozen. Since no one had left the palace, he wouldn’t know that Mariv had stabbed the Emperor.

The answer Ian gave now was information to him and would become his course of action the moment he stepped out the door.

“There has never been a history of a criminal of treason having an audience with His Majesty the Emperor, and there never will be in the future.”

At Ian’s answer, Hayman’s jaw stiffened. While not revealing information about the Emperor’s well-being, he let him know that the charges for the disturbance within the palace had been confirmed.

“So if you have something to say, please say it to me.”

It was a remark subtly revealing that he was the one in charge of the current palace. Hayman raised his head stiffly and asked.

“Are both Their Highnesses Mariv and Gale safe?”

“I cannot tell you.”

It was a matter of course that if Gale was alive, the Hayman family’s excuse would lose its validity. Due to Ian not revealing any information, Duke Hayman’s eyes narrowed. He then cautiously brought up a topic.

“…It’s a misunderstanding. It’s true that Melania had a brief relationship with His Highness Gale, but providing the mana stone armor was to assist in the research of the Imperial Army’s forces. I never anticipated it would be used like this.”

It could have been countered by saying that the Imperial Defense Department sided with Mariv, but saying that now would be equivalent to informing Hayman of the absence of palace forces. Sometimes silence could pierce the opponent’s vitals deeper than rebuttal, and now was that moment.

“So soon, upon sensing suspicion, I took measures by retrieving half of it. I would like to directly inform His Majesty the Emperor about this.”

“As I said, it’s not possible.”

“Is it His Majesty’s will?”

It was a question of whether there was an order from the Emperor. No one could say that something was ordered that the Emperor himself had not directly ordered. Didn’t Ian drive away Chielonia, who had brought the title appointment when he was at the frontier, with that?

“It’s the will of the Imperial family.”

Ian evaded with an ambiguous but definite answer. Hayman covered the back of his daughter’s hand with his leather-gloved hand. Melania looked at Ian with a calm gaze.

“I deeply acknowledge it. Although it was not intentional, I admit that I was involved to a certain extent in this incident. I will respond with the best compensation and do my utmost to follow any path that preserves the honor of the Haymans.”

Compensation, not reparations? Reparations were related to legal punishment, while compensation was paid when taking moral responsibility in other cases.

‘The use of words is cunningly sharp.’

The audacious attitude of believing they would survive even after participating in the rebellion. It was because he was the one who knew the Hayman’s status better than anyone else that he came out like this.

Judging by the trick of trying to push his daughter into the position of empress, there was ample room for him to intervene in the Imperial authority as well.

‘As expected, it would be best to keep him in check along with Arsen.’

Ian frowned conspicuously and muttered.

“Duke, it seems you think you can buy the safety of the empire with money. No matter how abundant your treasury is, it’s just a lump of stone in front of the centuries-old authority of Bariel.”

“Bariel’s authority was built upon that very lump of stone.”

“I apologize, but soon there will be an investigation into the connection between the Hayman family and His Highness Gale. You will have to pay ‘reparations’ commensurate with the results of the investigation, not ‘compensation’.”

Reparations were always accompanied by other punishments. At the least, it could be the revocation of titles or reduction of authority, and at most, it could be imprisonment and execution. At Ian’s words, Duke Hayman flicked his hand. A subordinate approached and handed him a tobacco pipe.

“…Are Lady Dilaina and Their Highnesses the Twin Princes safe?”

The low-voiced question was spat out along with the cigarette smoke. The duke’s black eyes swiftly swept over Ian, trying to gauge the situation.

“They are safe.”

“If I can’t have an audience with His Majesty, I’d at least like to see Lady Dilaina.”

“It’s not permitted.”

“Not permitted?”

At Ian’s words, Hayman’s lips slightly twisted. As if he had caught the passing clue. Saying it was not permitted meant that it was not Dilaina’s will, but entirely Ian’s, didn’t it?

“Why?”

“For the purpose of maintaining order within the palace.”

“Lord Ian. If an outsider were to see this now, they would misunderstand that it was not Prince Mariv and Prince Gale who caused the disturbance, but that you overthrew and took control.”

“Ahem! Hmph!”

At Hayman’s words, Romandro, who was listening from behind, let out a displeased cough. Hayman’s guard knights also frowned, sensing the atmosphere. In the prevailing atmosphere, Hayman leisurely requested again.

“Tell Lady Dilaina. The Duke of Hayman requests an audience.”

Otherwise, it would be regarded as if the misunderstanding was the truth.

“Very well. However, only the Duke will be allowed, excluding Lady Melania, and the palace guards will accompany you. The Duke cannot deny the suspicion of colluding with His Highness Gale.”

Ian stood up from his seat and conveyed the remaining instructions. Coming in was at their discretion, but leaving was not. Even if it were the Emperor, no one could contact the outside until the palace was sorted out.

“Is there a group waiting for the Duke in front of the city gate?”

“That’s right.”

To be precise, it was the knight order waiting with orders to come to the rescue if there was no word even after a day had passed. It was like crawling into the lion’s den while firmly securing a safety device at the waist. Ian continued, as if he had expected it.

“I will complete the initial cleanup within three days. Until then, no one can leave the palace, so have the gatekeeper convey this matter on your behalf. Then.”

Creak.

Ian said that and went outside. The footsteps gradually faded away, and then there was complete silence. Melania leaned against the backrest and let out a sigh.

“What should we do, Father? It seems His Highness Gale is alive. His Highness Mariv is also quite something. During the time he turned the palace into a wasteland, he couldn’t even kill that one person.”

“Don’t worry. Dilaina is the answer.”

“Lady Dilaina?”

Hayman slowly reviewed his conversation with Ian and muttered.

“Think about it. If Mariv and Gale are expelled for treason, the next successors are the Twin Princes. They will be strong enough to be called the next emperor. But they are still too young.”

“Lady Dilaina will step up as a proxy.”

“Yes. In that case, the real power in the palace will naturally be Dilaina. But judging from Ian’s behavior, it’s clear that the tide is leaning towards that side. For now, Dilaina will step back, saying it’s for cleanup and whatnot, but if this momentum continues, it will inevitably be burdensome.”

Above all, Ian’s attitude towards Hayman was hostile. Some of the loose-minded officials in the palace would surely want to continue to draw on Hayman’s value.

‘Hayman is the perfect one to keep in check the person who subdued Mariv and Gale. It would be best to push in that direction and seek an opportunity.’

He didn’t know that Arsen and Jin had been separated, but Hayman successfully drew a rough situational inference. Everything would become even more clear once he met Dilaina.

“Sigh. By the way, what kind of situation is this? Both Prince Mariv and Prince Gale ended up like this. It’s a failed investment.”

Melania sipped her tea with a tired nuance.

“Would it have been a little different if we had known earlier that Prince Mariv was connected to the Rutherford Guild?”

Rutherford, a mysterious guild consisting of alchemists. It was where Mariv had received the amber gemstone from, and it was also a place that had long been dealing with Hayman. It was such an elusive and secretive organization that they had no idea it was even connected to the prince.

“No. Daughter, the process might have been different, but the outcome would have been the same. The choice of history is absolute.”

They found out too late. After colluding with Gale, they recognized the flow of Rutherford’s processed gemstones. Upon tracking it, it was connected to Mariv, and Hayman could soon guess that Mariv was preparing something equivalent to the magic sealing stone.

‘If Gale won, it would have been good either way, and if Mariv won, we could have joined that side through Rutherford as the medium. That’s why we only sent half of the mana stone armor.’

They had walked a tightrope, but it ended up being cut. Fortunately, the act of betraying Gale would bring them another opportunity.

“Go out and find out the schedule for a private meeting with Dilaina.”

“Yes. your Grace.”

Thud.

Along with the name Rutherford, Melania recalled the child she had seen at the frontier. Ian Hielo’s face was overlaid on the fading memory. Since she found them similar, it didn’t easily disappear.

***

Meanwhile, Ian’s group, who had come outside. Romandro opened the carriage door and asked worriedly. No matter what, he seemed really concerned about letting the Hayman family and Dilaina meet.

“I don’t know if we should really let them meet in this situation. Aren’t they troublesome individuals to deal with separately?”

“Boarding the same boat means sharing will and weakness. There’s nothing to fear even if the size grows. The bigger it gets, the more it will be hit by an attack no matter where it’s thrown. To create a pretext for checks and balances, we need to attach those who have it.”

“That may be true, but…”

“And the earlier conversation was quite fruitful.”

“Huh? Was it fruitful? Really?”

Romandro seemed to have no idea. That was natural since they were outsiders who had entered with a blank slate. Ian was the one holding the information.

No matter what conversation they had, it was natural to think that the Haymans were the ones benefiting from that imbalance, wasn’t it?

“They directly revealed it themselves.”

“That’s strange. I didn’t leave my seat at all.”

“Didn’t he say that if seen from the outside, it would appear as if I had overthrown and taken control? The mere expression of thoughts. It means they have that in mind as a way to reverse the situation.”

Romandro’s mouth gaped open. It didn’t make sense, but it made sense! If the imperial citizens outside who were unaware of the situation heard fabricated rumors, there would surely be an impact. Especially on Jin’s succession as the heir.

“Smile, Lord Romandro. The situation is not bad.”

Ian leaned his head against the window and smiled brightly. Accordingly, Romandro also awkwardly raised the corners of his mouth. Clatter-clatter, the carriage carrying the two of them rushed towards the Ministry of Magic.