Chapter 169

Chapter 169

The moment Ian saw the blood on Gale’s hands, he felt as if time had stopped. The sight of Gale approaching step by step seemed to stretch slowly, and it felt like all his senses were being cut off. But at the same time, his hair stood on end, and his brain was spinning rapidly.

‘Think.’

Gale had been attacked, and he would officially raise the issue to Mariv. Mariv had currently secured the seal, and the Emperor’s well-being could not be confirmed.

If that was the case...

‘It’s as good as the Emperor’s authority having been transferred to Mariv. If Gale officially raises the issue of the assassin to such a person—’

“Gale. So you were alive. I thought you were dead.”

Mariv smiled, not hiding his disappointment. Instead of answering, Gale looked at the Emperor’s seal and then strode forward. Drops of blood dripped from his fingertips.

Ian grabbed Romandro’s arm and stepped back.

“Sir Romandro.”

“Hmm?”

“Go to the Ministry of Magic and order the mages to close all entrances to the Imperial Palace, and maintain a protective magic barrier around the Ministry of Magic building itself.”

At Ian’s whisper, Romandro backpedaled and left the grand conference hall.

As Gale approached without stopping, Mariv’s subordinates drew their swords.

Shing!

“Stop right there, Your Highness Gale.”

“Soldiers had swarmed my residence.”

“Stop!”

“Shut up. How dare you, in front of whom.”

Slash!

Without hesitation, Gale slashed the chest of the person facing him.

It was clear how the blood on his hands had gotten there. It must have been the traces of those who had been stationed near Gale’s palace on Mariv’s orders.

The officials were surprised and covered their mouths, and all of Mariv’s subordinates drew their swords.

Shing! Shing!

“Your Highness Gale! This cannot be done!”

“What are you doing? Everyone, stop him, stop him!”

“Last night, there was an intruder in my residence. Sent by Mariv.”

Gale’s subordinates and Mariv’s subordinates took stances as if they would clash at any moment. The officials were frozen, not knowing what was going on, merely rolling their eyes.

‘This is no ordinary situation.’

He had suspected it from the moment he heard Mariv’s claim to act on behalf of the Emperor’s authority with the seal, but now it was a process of clearly accepting it as reality. Look at the crimson blood flowing on the floor. If that wasn’t reality, then what was?

“I am under a curse that is tied to the existence and demise of the Great Empire of Bariel. Trying to kill me, and even stealing my father’s seal. How should this be interpreted? Hmm?”

Gale laughed grimly and looked around at the trembling officials. There was no room for interpretation. This was treason and, furthermore, a grave crime that would shatter the future of Bariel.

“Tsk, the intruder being the doing of His Highness Mariv?”

“Your Highness Mariv, please speak.”

“The death of His Highness Gale will also spell Your Highness’s death!”

“No, wait! Everyone, calm down. The matter of the intruder can be investigated gradually. The problem is the seal!”

Even with the momentum of the subordinates who seemed ready to rip each other’s throats out at any moment, Mariv was still seated. He leisurely caressed the seal, as if he was detached from this place.

“Gale, wasn’t it you who attempted treason? Did you think I wouldn’t know that you were building up forces by contacting the nobles of each border region? Above all, to even stage a ploy to slander me, this is truly disloyalty to His Majesty. Moreover, I know that your curse is a lie.”

This time, the gazes of the officials poured onto Gale. The situation was divided on the interpretation of who had truly instigated the treason.

At that moment, the man who had been slashed by Gale and was rolling on the floor screamed and stood up. Simultaneously, Gale’s subordinates rushed in, and the place turned into chaos.

Clang! Clang!

“Aaaaargh! Argh!”

“Everyone, outside! Outside!”

“Don’t do this, Your Highness! Your Highness!”

“Find His Majesty the Emperor! We need His Majesty to mediate—”

Zing!

Boom!

Beric, who had been glinting his eyes, contemplating whether to slyly join the fight, came to his senses and stood at attention. Ian had released his mana. His eyes, flashing with golden pupils, were clearly filled with murderous intent.

Slash!

Beric shouted constantly while clearing the way for Ian. The banners of each family that had been fluttering gloriously began to be driven into the ground one by one. Even though they were the most prominent figures in the central region, perhaps from today onward, only a very few families would be able to continue their lineage.

“Ian! This way!”

Slash!

Beric effortlessly deflected the blind attacks and escorted Ian. Officials who had come to work without knowing anything and were humiliated trembled and followed behind Ian. With the words “seek safety at the Ministry of Magic” ringing in their ears, it was like a survival instinct.

“L-L-Lord Ian, what should we do now?”

“We need to find the ministers who have not yet been involved in the power struggle between His Highness Mariv and His Highness Gale. And also the whereabouts of His Majesty the Emperor. Since the Imperial Palace will be sealed off, he must be inside.”

“Hik! Hiiik!”

Clang! Clang!

From dawn until morning. It was a short time for the Emperor to go outside. Regardless of what Mariv had done, if they wanted to find him, they had to search inside.

“Kill them! Kill anyone carrying a red flag!”

“The fate of Bariel is in our hands! Will you hand over the future to someone who isn’t even the legitimate heir?!”

“Shut your mouth!”

As they left the First Imperial Palace, Ian suddenly looked back. The scenery felt familiar.

‘Find the Emperor!’

‘Kill! Only death awaits those who stand in our way!’

‘Your Majesty, you must flee. Chrony is now—!’

‘Slash!’

‘Aaargh! Your Majesty! Your Majesty!’

‘Set your sights straight. Will you pledge the future to that child who descended from the throne, or will you pledge the future to me, who will ascend to the throne? I, Chrony, oppose my uncle, no, Emperor Ian.’

The shouts of the opposing forces that had similarly engulfed the Imperial Palace when he was the Emperor. The sight of chaos descending upon the Imperial Palace, which was always solemn, peaceful, and maintaining its center, evoked a truly strange sense of unfamiliarity. Even for the second time, it was so difficult to get used to.

“Lord Ian! Lord Ian has arrived!”

“What exactly happened?”

At the Ministry of Magic building, all the mages had come out. Following the orders conveyed by Romandro, they had drawn magic circles at the entrance and nearby areas to create a protective barrier. It was the same defensive formation they had used to block Wesleigh.

Zing. Zing!

“Lower the strength of the mana to its minimum value and instead expand the area. More and more people will likely seek this place.”

Ian placed his hand on the translucent glowing wall, gauging its sturdiness. It wasn’t meant to block Wesleigh or magical beasts, but merely to deflect the swords and spears of humans. It didn’t need to be this sturdy.

“I-Is it true that all the entrances to the Imperial Palace are being sealed off? We have temporarily prohibited passage, but...”

The magic falling like an aurora at each entrance of the Imperial Palace. It was a device of the Ministry of Magic to identify individuals and filter out outsiders. As it stopped, the guards in charge of access control also had their work paralyzed, so they locked the gates completely.

“Even a short distance outside the Imperial Palace is the citizens’ territory. Should the filth of a mud fight splatter there? Strictly control it.”

“Understood.”

In the distance, smoke began to rise from the place where the grand conference hall had been. As if they were truly going to burn each other. When the chaos subsided, it would be known who would be standing on the blood. Whoever it was, they would clean the floor together.

“...Portal.”

“Pardon?”

Ian muttered to himself and entered the main building of the Ministry of Magic. And he was about to order Beric but hesitated.

‘I need to check on Arsen and Jin’s well-being, but Beric has no sense of direction, so it would be difficult for him.’

“Why, why? Why are you looking at me like that? You have something to order me to do?”

“No. Just protect the people here.”

“Huh? There is? There definitely is?”

“In a moment, go to Dilaina’s palace. Bring Prince Arsen and Jin.”

Ian remembered that near that area, there was a prison where Xiaoshi was being held. Boom! Another roar of unknown origin echoed, and smoke rose.

“Huh? Take a look at that. What the hell is that...?”

“What’s going on inside the palace?”

“I heard His Highness Gale was also injured.”

“They said entry is prohibited in the morning? Did the Ministry of Magic blow something up during an experiment?”

The citizens of the Empire living near the Imperial Palace also saw the smoke. No one could guess what was happening inside.