Chapter 202

“Big trouble, big trouble!”

Bang!

The assistant, rushing into the Prime Minister’s office, slipped and fell sideways. How could someone who usually didn’t even breathe loudly make such a fuss?

Not only the Prime Minister but also all the high-ranking officials gathered for the report turned their heads in astonishment. Among them was Quintana.

“Compose yourself.”

The Prime Minister took off his glasses and reprimanded him. The documents were already in a mess, and his mind was in turmoil. Unless the Imperial Palace had collapsed, decorum had to be maintained. Those gathered here were the elite among the elite.

“Gale, His Highness Gale has harmed His Highness Arsen. Fortunately, his life is not in danger, but he is currently unconscious and has been carried away.”

“What? His Highness Gale harmed His Highness Arsen?”

“How? Isn’t His Highness Gale currently undergoing treatment in his residence? Did he go outside?”

Treatment disguised as confinement, not confinement. Even they couldn’t approach him on Ian’s orders, so they didn’t know how Gale and Arsen had met.

In response to Quintana’s question, the assistant shook his head.

“No. It seems that His Highness Arsen entered His Highness Gale’s palace. The request for medical personnel came from there.”

“Ahem. Oh my. Haha. Why would he do that?”

“Indeed. Well, let’s wrap up the meeting and go check on them.”

Some officials rolled their eyes and cleared their throats. They supported Arsen. Since Arsen had allied with Hayman, it was clear that he had tried to eliminate Gale for his sake. It was an incident with a clear cause and effect.

As they were organizing their documents, the assistant stammered and delivered the most important matter.

“His Highness Arsen is a mana user.”

Everyone froze.

As if time had frozen, someone was bent over, someone had half-worn their coat. Clatter, someone’s teacup overflowed as they were lost in thought.

“What, what did you just say?”

“His Highness Arsen used mana!”

“His Highness Arsen……”

“Used mana……”

It was indeed a rare sight to see the Empire’s leading figures with the same expression simultaneously. They muttered over and over that they couldn’t understand, and then fell silent.

But only for a moment.

Bang! Clatter clatter!

“Ouch, it hurts.”

“Excuse me, excuse me. Just a moment.”

“I’ll go out first. Take your time coming.”

“Prime Minister. Let’s discuss this matter again later.”

“Outside! The carriage! Have the carriage ready! Hurry!”

Those who had grasped the situation quickly got up.

If Arsen was a mana user, it was a sure victory without even competing with Jin. In a situation where the authority of the Minister of Magic had already become excessive, this was like the sound of a trumpet on the battlefield. A trumpet heralding victory.

“If His Highness Arsen is a mage, this is!”

“It’s God’s will. It couldn’t be more perfect. It will simultaneously keep the Ministry of Magic in check, so we’re saved.”

“Go to Lady Dilaina right away. It’s not His Highness Jin but His Highness Arsen who is the successor. Damn it, damn it!”

Those who had pledged their loyalty to Jin rushed to Dilaina, while those who had rallied around Hayman put their heads together and discussed their future path.

“Since they tried to harm His Highness Arsen, let’s execute Gale immediately. There’s no need to go to trial like Mariv. This is our opportunity.”

“Yes, yes. That would be best.”

“Let’s go! Hurry!”

Somehow, they all seemed to be moving more urgently than when the rebellion broke out. Quintana swallowed a sigh and organized his documents.

“You’re not going?”

“I am a person who calculates taxes. Even if His Highness Arsen is injured, what can I do?”

“You may not be able to do anything, but you can think about it. What do you think about His Highness Arsen being a mana user?”

At the Prime Minister’s question, Quintana let out a small sigh. She thought of Jin, who had attended the grand council. It was heartbreaking to think that the child who had been abandoned by his mother would now be abandoned by the officials.

“…If His Highness Arsen is a mana user, it is a blessing for the Empire and a joyous occasion.”

“I don’t understand well.”

“You don’t understand?”

Creak.

The Prime Minister answered with silence and also left the office. He would go to Ian to grasp the exact situation.

Quintana was left alone, holding his forehead.

“…Damn it.”

For some reason, Jin’s expression as he tightly held her hand was vivid. If Arsen ascended to the position of successor, Jin would naturally become a target for elimination, wouldn’t he? In the power struggle, defeat meant death.

Jin would die by his mother, die by his subjects, and die by the throne.

Quintana had to stay in her seat for quite a long time.

***

“Xiaoshi, this is your name.”

“Xiao, shi.”

“Yes. Try writing it once. You have a calm personality, so your handwriting is straight. I’ll teach Beric too when he wakes up. You should keep your own name close to your heart as you live.”

Jin was teaching Xiaoshi how to write his name. Although Xiaoshi had lived as a slave all his life, he was sharp and quick to grasp whatever he was taught.

As the two were studying together, the outside became noisy. It was as if something had happened, and mages were running around here and there.

Tap tap!

“Did I hear that right just now?”

“I heard Ian is leaving His Highness Gale’s palace right now. Since he’s finishing up there and coming, he told the heads of each department to gather in advance. Get moving. Orders will be given as soon as he arrives.”

“In all my life, I’ve never heard such news, oh!”

“Then what happens now?”

When Ian’s name was mentioned, Jin and Xiaoshi simultaneously pricked up their ears. The sound of mages running down the corridor faded, but the last conversation was clearly heard.

“If His Highness Arsen is a mana user, he will join this side. We can’t be divided among the few mages.”

“Shit, really. Especially Ian will be in the most difficult position.”

Thud, Jin felt his heart drop to the floor.

Did he hear wrong? Arsen is a mana user?

The child looked at Xiaoshi with a greatly shaken gaze. As if begging him to deny it. But Xiaoshi also had a clearly surprised expression.

“………”

“Arsen, a mana user……”

The child muttered as he put down the pen. It was unbelievable. They were twins born on the same day, so how could Arsen have everything?

He took their mother’s love and also took God’s glory. Is that all? Those who supported Jin, Ian’s loyalty would also be taken.

Everything, the brother who takes everything is now terrifying. Jin doesn’t know why Arsen shakes his fate so much.

“Haa.”

Jin covered his face with his hands. His heart ached as it tightened. When you realize that the opponent you have to face is an insurmountable existence, a terrible feeling of helplessness pervades your whole body. And at the end of it, there is sadness.

Jin wept, tears streaming down.

“…Ian told me not to cry.”

What should he do? Arsen might already make Ian doubt Jin’s qualities, and if he sees Jin crying, it would be a disgrace.

Jin kept wiping his eyes with the back of his hand, but his tears were like a never-ending sea.

“I will cover my eyes and ears.”

It was Xiaoshi’s consolation that he wouldn’t look or listen, so Jin could cry as much as he wanted. The child quietly shed tears, staring into the void.

‘Now I want to win, I don’t want anything more taken away from me.’

Only that resolution echoed in Jin’s mind like an echo in the void.

He suddenly jumped up from his seat and ran out the door. Xiaoshi followed right behind him.

Tap tap!

“Oh my, Your Highness Jin?”

“Your Highness, you’ll fall.”

“Be careful!”

Jin ran through the mages. Frantically, he ran only looking at the entrance of the main building of the Ministry of Magic. In the distance, Ian got out of the carriage and was climbing the stairs. He was discussing something with Romandro, no different than usual.

The only difference would be that mages surrounded him, asking about Arsen.

“Ian!”

“Your Highness?”

At Jin’s sudden call, Ian looked up in surprise.

The child seemed to have made up his mind, his mouth tightly shut. He then ran down, almost rolling, and grabbed Ian’s sleeve. The mages standing around reached out their hands, worried that Jin might fall.

Whoosh!

“Oh dear, Your Highness, it’s dangerous!”

“What if you get hurt!”

“Ian, listen carefully.”

But Jin didn’t care and looked straight up into Ian’s eyes. Due to the stairs, their eye levels roughly matched.

“I heard Arsen is a mana user.”

“The news reaches you very quickly, Your Highness.”

Ian nodded slightly with a faint smile. He realized what Jin was trying to do.

“Arsen and I are twins who share everything. If that child is a mana user, I may also awaken at any time. So don’t judge hastily.”

It was a strategy of persuasion, enticement, and maintaining power. Although clumsy and crude, Jin’s intention was clearly that. Ian held the child’s hand as if telling him to keep trying.

“Mo-moreover, if Arsen joins the Ministry of Magic, your position will naturally become difficult. So, so……”

“So?”

“It would be better to stick with me than Arsen.”

“Is that so? If His Highness Arsen is a mana user, it’s a joyous occasion for the Empire. Doesn’t it mean God’s will dwells in the Imperial Family?”

At Ian’s retort, Jin bit his lip hard. By then, Romandro and his subordinates also stepped back and observed Jin.

Isn’t the little Emperor now fighting for his position for the first time?

“That doesn’t necessarily guarantee the best future. The former Emperors who led the Great Revival of Variel were not mages. And if Arsen is a mage, you will be as disappointed as I am.”

“It seems you have a way.”

At Ian’s question, Jin glanced at the people around him. Then they all deliberately stepped back and lowered their heads. They wouldn’t listen, so he could unfold his plan as much as he wanted.

Jin whispered softly so that only Ian could hear.

“Falsely announce that I am also a mana user. Since we are twins, everyone will easily believe it. As a result, I can rival Arsen, and you gain a weakness of mine, so no one loses.”

Bold. That’s why it seemed even more clear how desperate Jin was. Ian patted the child’s shoulder and laughed brightly.

“Excellent.”

It was rough, immature, and still had a long way to go, but for a first attempt, it was a very high-level move. Jin blinked at Ian’s praise.

“However, lies breed lies. If it becomes too much to handle, it will strangle your own neck. It’s better to deal with lies indirectly rather than directly.”

“…Ian?”

“It’s better to see for yourself than to hear it. His Highness Arsen will probably show you personally. What is the end of those who evade with lies. For now, shall we go in? Your Highness. The wind is cold.”

Ian held Jin’s hand and jerked his head towards the top of the stairs. Arsen will show the end of those who evade with lies?

That means……

‘Arsen is lying?’

Jin looked up at Ian in confusion but couldn’t meet his gaze again.

Arriving at the main building, they immediately entered the conference room. The heads of each department, including Akorella and Captain Hale, were all waiting. Given the gravity of the matter, the atmosphere was heavy.

Creak.

“Minister. You’re here?”

“Everyone, sit down.”

“I heard His Highness Arsen used mana, is it true?”

“Well, aha, oh my. How did this happen……”

Everyone couldn’t hold back and poured out questions, and Ian calmly took off his robe and nodded.

“His Highness Arsen did use mana.”

“Damn it, shit!”

“We will hold a mana confirmation ceremony soon, so prepare quickly. The Light of the Oracle? Is it currently in the Imperial Palace?”

“Ah. No. We returned it to the Neanil Temple after using it at the New Year’s party. We will request it again.”

“No. This time, have it brought from the Carbo Temple.”

“What? Carbo?”

The Carbo Temple was the temple on Jin and Arsen’s maternal side. They didn’t understand why he wanted it brought from there when there was a nearby temple.

“And order the priests who received the oracle when the twin Highnesses were born to bring it themselves. This is an official order from the Ministry of Magic.”

“Ah, yes. Understood.”

“And the doctor who was in charge of the delivery.”

He probably resided in the center of Variel. A series of unrelated investigation orders were given, completely unrelated to Arsen’s display of mana.

“Bring that doctor to me as well.”

“…Yes. Minister.”

Ian smiled brightly at Jin, who looked puzzled. If Arsen’s mana is real, he is destined to completely disappear from the Imperial Family’s history.

‘Please endure a little, Your Highness Jin. You can regain everything Arsen took away from you.’

If the mana isn’t real, he’ll have to explain what he showed. Since most mana, not magic, has an unknown origin, it will collapse in an instant.