Chapter 216

An awkward silence fell. If not for the chirping of birds from somewhere, one might have thought time had stopped.

Sereau looked at Jin and Romandro in confusion. While Ian, the person in question, remained calm, why were these two reacting so strongly? Romandro, coming to his senses, cleared his throat and apologized politely.

“I apologize for my rudeness. I was just too surprised for a moment.”

“Me too, I was just too shocked.”

“No, it’s alright.”

Sereau bowed his head at the prince’s apology. In response, Ian elegantly set down his teacup. The clinking sound seemed especially loud at that moment.

“…When you say your sister, do you mean the lady I met at the New Year’s party? I believe her name was Alenara.”

“Oh, that’s right! You remember!”

“Of course. Like Lord Sereau, she was the first lady I conversed with in the palace.”

Ian remembers his sister!

Sereau couldn’t hide his excitement at this unexpected turn. Although Alenara was a bit scatterbrained, it was fortunate that her beauty was second to none. He tried to maintain his composure, smoothing his collar.

“Do you know? Your name, Lord Ian, is mentioned very frequently among the nobles.”

“Because I’m at the center of the storm in the palace.”

“No, that’s not it-“

Sereau glanced at Ian. His expression hadn’t changed since earlier, making it impossible to guess what he was thinking. Instead of continuing, he just took a large sip of tea.

‘Except for his commoner origins, he’s a perfect marriage candidate. Handsome appearance, magician, wealth, and so on. It’s a shame he’s only a viscount, but if he serves His Highness Jin closely, a promotion is just a matter of time.’

At that moment, Jin and Romandro’s gazes met. What should we do? Jin’s silent question was met with Romandro’s nostrils flaring. We should stop this. Jin furrowed his brows again. How? Romandro briefly rolled his eyes, sending an indecipherable signal.

Finally, Jin summoned the courage to raise his hand.

“…Lord Sereau, there’s something I’d like to ask.”

“Yes, Your Highness. Please inquire.”

Sereau hastily put down his teacup and bowed his head respectfully. The prince, as if having made a decision, set his lips in a firm line and declared:

“Don’t you know? Lord Ian hasn’t had his coming-of-age ceremony yet. He’s still, still too young for this!”

“Pardon…?”

“He, he’s too young!”

“Ah…”

Sereau blinked blankly. It didn’t seem like something a ten-year-old prince should say, but he couldn’t respond disrespectfully. Sereau calmly cleared his throat to steady his voice.

“Yes, Your Highness. I’m aware. That’s why I proposed an engagement. Among nobles, it’s common for engagements to be arranged even for infants.”

“W-well, that may be true, but…”

“Actions speak louder than words. This is the best choice to show that Lord Ian is supporting the Sereau family. Even a time-limited engagement would be fine.”

His intention was to bind Ian to the Sereau family name for now. By the time the contract was terminated, whenever that might be, Ian and his sister’s relationship would already be established as fact in high society. And by then, they would have become a prestigious family surpassing Hayman.

Where else could there be such a perfect plan? It was entirely Sereau’s delusion, but it wasn’t entirely impossible.

“Time-limited?”

“Yes. Until Hayman’s influence has diminished as much as we desire. Even just until then would be fine. Of course, if I may speak from the heart, I truly wish for us to become family.”

Jin glanced at Romandro as if asking for help. He just fiddled with his beard, groaning. He wanted to politely refuse right away, but there was no justification. No justification.

Swish.

Ian smiled and made a light gesture. He was ordering Romandro to stop groaning.

“Lord Sereau. This is truly an honorable proposal for me. As an older brother, I understand the difficulty of easily parting with a sister raised with love.”

Raised with love? That scatterbrain? Isn’t that something out of a fairy tale? Sereau hesitated for a moment but quickly composed his expression.

“However, I’m concerned that Lady Alenara might be heartbroken when the contract is terminated.”

A union between families based on a contract was essentially a kind of business. Whether it flourished or failed, there would surely be gossip in high society, so Ian pretended to worry about this, indirectly expressing his reluctance.

“That’s something we all must endure, being born as nobles. By the way, I heard that Lord Ian’s parents are also in the central region. If possible, I’d like to arrange a meeting and offer a small welcome.”

“Yes. I understand. I’ll convey your message to my parents. I’ll consider it deeply.”

It’s a refusal. Although he said he would consider it, Sereau instinctively understood Ian’s answer. But with both sides facing important matters, it was more beneficial to leave some room for ambiguity rather than explicitly confirming it. He didn’t expect it to be settled in one go anyway.

Sereau placed his hand on his chest, expressing his gratitude.

“With the trust Lord Ian has shown, we will rebuild the Sereau family anew.”

Though the family’s survival was at stake, this was undoubtedly an opportunity for Sereau. He was answering that he would accept the proposal naturally and without desperation. It was a dignified way to bridge the gap between viscount and count, between the powerful and their followers.

“I look forward to it.”

“I heard rumors that a grand council will be held soon.”

“That’s right. It starts when the indictment is passed to Hayman. I’ll send an attendant to Sereau today or tomorrow, so please prepare the requested documents well.”

Ian briefly explained the situations that would unfold and the corresponding countermeasures. Sereau’s fountain pen moved ceaselessly across the paper, as if recording a prophecy.

Scribble scribble.

Jin also paid close attention to Ian’s words, focusing intently. He asked Romandro about anything he didn’t understand, firmly imprinting Ian’s prepared countermeasures in his mind.

“If there’s any chance of armed conflict with Hayman, retreat unconditionally.”

“Understood.”

“I think that should be enough.”

“Hmm, yes. We’ll have other opportunities to meet. Let’s end here.”

The sunlight coming through the ceiling was gradually deepening. The sky was thick with sunset. Without a single cloud, it looked like a red sea. As Jin blankly raised his head, Ian gently pulled at his collar.

“…Your Highness.”

“Ah, yes. Right, let’s go together from now on.”

“Yes, Your Highness. I’ll serve you with all my heart.”

When Jin offered a handshake, Sereau took it with both hands and bowed deeply to his waist. Then, guided by attendants, he left the greenhouse. Once he was out of sight, Romandro sat on the sofa and let out a sigh of relief.

“My goodness, today feels especially long.”

“Lord Ian, are you really going to get engaged? If, if you are, I’ll meet her first! I’ll see if she’s a true person, and then it’s not too late to proceed!”

As Jin clenched his small fist determinedly, Ian burst into laughter. Romandro, wiping his forehead with a handkerchief as if he had fallen for Jin, muttered:

“By the way, I didn’t expect Sereau to have such ambitious tendencies. A political marriage to Lord Ian, of all things.”

“Indeed. It was quite surprising.”

He wouldn’t have dared to ask Jin. He was royalty and close to being the next emperor. It wasn’t a position that a mere count like Sereau could aspire to.

But Ian? Although he held the official position of Minister of Magic, he was ultimately a commoner-born viscount. He was approachable, and being the current power player made him all the more suitable.

“It seems he’ll do the job properly.”

Ian turned to look at the two of them and tilted his head slightly. Honestly, he wasn’t keen on the idea, but if he added various conditions, it wasn’t a bad proposal for Ian. Sereau would probably agree to most of them.

“By the way, Romandro. Do you know Lady Alenara?”

“No? I’ve never seen her. Why?”

“You seemed to object strongly earlier. His Highness Jin as well.”

Could there be rumors circulating in high society? If so, it would be good to know. In response to Ian’s question, Romandro snorted and exclaimed:

“I don’t know about rumors, but, ah, isn’t it a bit much? Someone of Ian’s caliber, hm? We should put out an announcement across all of Bariel for someone skilled in both literary and martial arts, diligent, frugal, hm? Wealth, beauty, family background, considering everything, you should meet the best woman, but Sereau is in many ways not good enough for you!!”

As Romandro excitedly tapped the table lightly, Jin also nodded vigorously in agreement.

“That’s right. Someone of Lord Ian’s caliber could even meet a foreign king.”

“Isn’t that so, Your Highness? As expected of Your Highness.”

“I don’t know how suitable Lady Alenara is, but accepting right here and now is out of the question.”

“Correct! Your Highness, I feel so relieved! Unless it’s someone as wonderful as our Viviana, we absolutely, absolutely cannot give him away. No way!”

Romandro and Jin were in perfect sync as they took turns opposing Sereau. It’s rare for a middle-aged man and a child to get along so well, but Ian nodded to Xiaoshi, who was standing quietly behind.

“You sit down too. All the guests have left.”

“…Yes, master.”

Even as the servants brought out refreshments, Romandro and Jin continued to loudly proclaim their opposition to Sereau. Regardless, tap tap, Ian tapped the table, deep in thought about something.

“Master?”

“Hm?”

When Xiaoshi asked worriedly, Ian looked up with a faint smile. He was recalling his past life as Emperor Ian. His fiancée, whom he had never even seen, was said to have died of illness before she could even walk, and after entering the palace, he had exhausted himself fending off attacks from power-hungry officials trying to claim the empty empress’s seat. While acknowledging that marriage was a political tool, still…

“Xiaoshi, do you have any intention to marry?”

“…Even if I did, your permission comes first, master.”

No matter how fine the clothes he wore or how he sat here, a slave was still a slave. The reality was that he couldn’t start a family without his master’s permission. At his answer, Ian seemed to realize something and looked at Romandro.

“Earlier, the officials speculated that Hayman might transfer funds to foreign powers.”

“That’s right. What good is noble blood? It’s all about building relationships for times like these.”

They might not dare to directly intervene in Bariel’s political situation, but if Hayman made an active request, there could be external reactions. It would be good to set up a shield in preparation for that time.

Just as Ian was about to give an order, a servant entered the greenhouse entrance with a message.

Creeak.

“Lord Ian. A messenger bird has arrived from the Carbo Temple.”

“From Carbo? Let me see.”

The servant placed a small note on a golden tray and held it out. It bore the official seal of the temple. Romandro craned his neck curiously, and Jin also looked interested at the news from his maternal family that he hadn’t heard in a while.

“What does it say?”

“It says the light of prophecy has just departed from the Carbo Temple. As requested, the priests who received the prophecy at the time are also accompanying it, but…”

“But?”

Ian neatly folded the paper and passed it to Jin.

“It seems another prophecy came down at Carbo a few days ago. They say they’ll convey that message as well.”

A prophecy has come down. Jin was a child who had never witnessed such glory even once. His expression hardened reflexively. Could it be another curse about him?

Jin carefully opened the note.