“Is that him? The one they call the first noble mage?”

Wherever Ian went, the whispers clung to him like wet silk, relentless and suffocating. The sheer novelty of a noble awakening as a mage was scandal enough to draw eyes, yet the shadow looming behind him was far larger than his own talent: Crony. Ian’s legal guardian remained Crony’s father, and the mansion where Ian had resided until the very eve of his entry into the palace belonged to that same formidable family.

“Oh, Uncle Ian. Over here. Come say hello. These are my direct subordinates. You recall seeing them a few times back at the estate, don’t you? Back when you were, oh, about this tall?”

“Haha. I believe I was a bit taller than that.”

Crony paraded Ian around the social circles as if showing off a prize stallion. A child raised by my own hands since he was five, since he stammered through his first words. Every facet of Ian’s existence was packaged and presented as irrefutable proof of Crony’s competence.

“I hear his mana sensitivity is extraordinary.”

“Nonsense, he’s simply young and brimming with vigor. Besides, Bariel is home to many great mages, is it not? He has a mountain of things to learn from them. Isn’t that right, Uncle?”

“Lord Crony, you have raised Lord Ian to be truly upright. Impressive. It could not have been an easy task.”

“You flatter me. It’s embarrassing, really. My uncle here still has a long way to go.”

Crony leaned in, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial, oily purr. “By the way, is the Ministry of Magic still barking like dogs about the Magic Sealing Stones? Since I received no reply, I was considering paying a visit myself.”

“Is that necessary? We have Lord Ian right here. Surely a simple request to him would suffice?”

“Ahem, look at you all. Let us save that business for later. My uncle has yet to adjust to life in the Imperial Palace.”

“My apologies. How rude of us.”

Referring to the Ministry’s protests as barking right in front of a mage, then framing a demand as a favor—Ian instantly understood how little these men thought of him. They saw him not as a person, but as a conduit for their ambitions.

As Ian’s expression stiffened, Crony noticed immediately and signaled him with a sharp look.

“Smooth out that frown, Uncle. You must smile, even if it stings. That is the Imperial Palace. And this was your choice.”

Ian had never realized it back at the estate, but in the palace, Crony was a dangerous man. Through aggressive maneuvering and ruthless politics, he had seized the center of power. He was a man who hungered endlessly, never knowing satisfaction.

Why hadn’t Ian seen it before? Perhaps because Crony had been his entire world. Without knowledge of another world, he had possessed no baseline to judge Crony against.

***

“Ian, did you come from meeting Lord Crony?”

“Naum. Sorry I’m late.”

“I told you, you don’t have to go every time he summons you.”

“Did you find what I asked for?”

“Here.”

Ian slowly read through the documents Naum handed him. His family’s estate had been carved into ten pieces, and the liquid assets had largely evaporated. It didn’t take a genius to guess that everything had been funneled into funding Crony’s political ascent.

Is this the price for the Vice Minister seat at the Ministry of Imperial Defense?

Though Ian had only just stepped into the world, he recognized the signs of a declining era. In less than a century, the throne had changed hands multiple times, and blood winds had swept through the palace repeatedly. The stability of Bariel was an illusion built on shifting sands. He finally understood why he, a mere collateral relative of the Imperial family, had been entrusted to Crony.

They barely have the strength to protect the throne; how could they care for a branch family member? Entrusting me to him was no different than feeding a beast to keep it from biting their own throats.

Naum studied Ian’s pale face and cautiously patted his shoulder.

“How about applying for a change of guardianship?”

“…Do you think the Judiciary would accept it?”

Outwardly, Crony had raised Ian perfectly, without a single lack. In contrast, Ian was a fifteen-year-old child who knew nothing of the world and possessed nothing of his own. In a corrupt state where the position of Vice Minister was openly bought and sold, there was no chance the Judiciary would side with a penniless boy against a powerful politician.

Ian shook his head, folding the documents with a resignation beyond his years.

“By the way, Naum. The Ministry of Defense mentioned something about ‘Magic Sealing Stones.’ What are they?”

Naum’s brow instantly furrowed.

The Magic Sealing Stones were, in effect, the only means to check the power of the Ministry of Magic. Consequently, the Ministry of Defense and various other departments were constantly proposing new ways to redistribute the stones, challenging the mages’ monopoly on them constantly.

“The Emperor keeps the Ministry of Magic close as his personal guard. That’s why the other factions are making a fuss, demanding they manage the stones. It’s a mess, especially with the number of mages steadily declining.”

The political web was tangled and dizzying.

Though the intrigue concerned him, Ian prioritized adapting to the Ministry of Magic. It was a world vastly different from the dry academics he had known—distant, wondrous, and brilliant. Drawing magic circles, deciphering activation methods, training, and understanding the flow of mana consumed his days.

Thud.

“Ian. Have this done by tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow? All of it?”

“Why? Can’t handle it? Then maybe you should go ask your friends at the Ministry of Defense for a hand.”

The wariness that had started due to his noble status morphed into open exclusion as Crony’s power in the palace grew.

A mage with ties to the Ministry of Defense.

Because the hostility was so blatant, Ian had no idea where to begin mending the relationships. He had spent his life learning how to deal with Crony, but he had never learned how to deal with people.

“Make him do something he can actually handle.”

“…Naum.”

“How is a rookie supposed to do this when even you can’t? Either we do it together, or forget it. Hey, Ian, you’re off duty today, right? Good. Let’s grab something delicious after we finish this. I’ll help.”

If Naum hadn’t intervened during those moments, Ian would never have survived the palace.

Gradually, his time with others increased, and his days were filled with the discovery of his identity as a mage. Looking back, those were the days he laughed the most in his entire life. It meant he had been happy.

“His Imperial Majesty has passed away.”

But the storm arrived all too soon.

Ian was nominated as the next Emperor with the full support of the Pro-Imperial faction. He was a collateral descendant of Verocion, a divine mage, and—crucially for the power brokers—a young boy who could be easily swayed. Most importantly, everyone in the palace now knew there was a crack in the relationship between Ian and Crony.

“Emperor? Uncle, that is absurd. You are too young; do you not understand the weight of that crown? Beware those who whisper sweet nothings in your ear. They will lead you to ruin. Uncle, I raised you with my own heart.”

For the first time, Crony came to the Ministry of Magic to persuade Ian. He looked desperate. He, better than anyone, knew Ian’s potential.

Was Ian not the child he had raised? A being more intelligent and brilliant than anyone else, a boy bestowed with God’s full love.

“I know our relationship isn’t what it used to be. Look, Uncle. This is exactly what I feared. If we had stayed at the mansion, we would still cherish each other like father and son. But since you entered the palace, we have suffered so many changes. Surely you don’t claim ignorance of what it means to ascend to the throne with the backing of the Pro-Imperial faction.”

It meant he would have to clash head-on with Crony.

Ian’s face remained impassive, but inside, waves of emotion crashed against his heart. Crony was… yes, he was his father in every way that mattered. The father he had followed with his heart since he was a toddler. Their bond had fractured, but there was still an unbreakable tether between them.

“Crony. I…”

But the path was already set. Ian shook his head, his voice heavy.

“I have come to love Bariel.”

I will become Emperor. I will raise the falling sky of Bariel and steady the shaking earth. If I can do that, perhaps I can find the meaning of my birth.

When Ian spoke those words, the look in Crony’s eyes shifted. He realized persuasion was no longer an option.

“…I understand, Uncle.”

Pushing when a resolve is firm only invites backlash. Crony decided it was strategically better to retreat and maintain his connection to Ian.

“If that is your will, Uncle, then I shall add my support to it.”

And that was a calculated, precise judgment.

When Ian Verocion ascended to the throne, those ignorant of the inner workings expected stability. After all, here was a ruler supported by both the Pro-Imperial and Anti-Imperial factions.

But the problem was that Ian lacked the power to mediate their conflicts of interest. Instead, his existence provided an excuse for both sides to escalate.

“The Emperor is a mage, yet you suggest the Magic Sealing Stones—the only check against him—should be managed by the mages? Dangerous talk. It is only right that Lord Crony, his guardian and blood relative, handle them through the Ministry of Defense.”

“What are you saying! We can never hand over the Sealing Stones. This is a matter of survival for all mages!”

“Your Majesty! The Ministry of Defense’s authority is already too absolute. We need a bill to check them!”

“Lord Crony is the Emperor’s godfather! The power of the Ministry of Defense is the power of His Majesty. Tsk, tsk. Such disloyalty!”

“Do you call that logic? The outcry against the Ministry of Defense is deafening outside the palace! Why was the investigation into the civilian deaths in the Chetur District so sloppy? Your Majesty, some suspect the perpetrator received special treatment because he was a direct subordinate of Lord Crony. This will stain your honor!”

“Don’t be ridiculous. Who has benefited most from having a mage Emperor? The Ministry of Magic! There hasn’t even been a proper audit regarding your massively increased budget!”

“Your Majesty!”

“Your Majesty!”

Bang!

Ian slammed his hand down on the desk, desperate for silence. His gaze sought out Naum.

Naum, help me.

Replacing the corrupt current Minister of Magic with Naum seemed the only solution. It felt like the only way he could breathe.

It was a logical and appropriate political maneuver, but reality always deviates from expectation.

“Naum seeks the position of Magic Minister. Help him.”

“It seems His Majesty has made up his mind, Minister. Besides, isn’t the Ministry of Magic an internally elected position? Instead of appealing to us, wouldn’t it be faster to handle matters within your own department?”

“Lord Crony! Doesn’t the Emperor listen closely to your counsel? We will transfer partial authority over the Magic Sealing Stones. Please, persuade His Majesty.”

Crony smiled. Brighter than ever before.

“Yes, well. I will try my best.”

When Naum Ovia seized the Ministry of Magic and ascended to the position of Minister, the management of the Magic Sealing Stones was simultaneously transferred to the Ministry of Defense. In one stroke, the Pro-Imperial faction lost key figures and their power base disintegrated.

It happened so fast Ian couldn’t withstand the tide. Promoting Naum had been the right judgment, rational, and the only choice available. Yet, changing the master of the Ministry of Magic caused a fatal hemorrhage. The balance collapsed.

“Your Majesty. It is fine. We can reclaim the authority later. I, Naum Ovia, stake my name on it.”

Ian thought he still had time. The scales were tipping, but he believed they could be righted. He was young, his potential infinite, and he was improving every day. It was a time when Ian’s governance was just beginning to shine like the rising sun.

“Your Majesty. We must go to war.”

Crony cast his shadow over Ian once again.

The Ministry of Defense chose war as the means to expand their power and simultaneously drive Ian and his aides out of the palace. The justification was impeccable.

“For the people of the Empire to truly look up to an Emperor raised outside the palace, you need an achievement that befits the title. Nothing shines brighter than a monument written in blood. Why not lightly organize the border lines in the frontier? If you re-establish Bariel’s prestige with powerful magic, morale will pierce the heavens. You have never left the capital, so this is a golden opportunity. In many ways.”

Except for the Ministry of Magic, every department voted for war. Even among the mages, there were those who clamored for battle. It was a sign of betrayal, but Ian could not avoid it.

“The Minister of Defense will accompany you. I shall remain to guard the palace.”

Crony, who had lived his life pushing others to the front, seized the opportunity of a lifetime. To be left alone in a palace without a master.

And so, Ian’s downfall had, in fact, begun when he was very young. From that tender age of five.

***

“It was my negligence, and my mistake.”

Ian murmured, replaying the errors of that day like analyzing a lost game of chess. If it were now, he wouldn’t have done that. If it were now, he could have handled it with more flexibility.

“Your Majesty.”

Ian smiled whitely as he looked at Jin. Jin’s expression was so wretched that his heart was laid bare for all to see. In truth, everyone present felt the same.

“It is regrettable, but it is fine. For I have finally rediscovered the value of failure.”

Because through this failure, I am with you in the name of Verocion.

There were countless things he could teach Jin based on his own ruin, so how could he not be glad? Because Ian existed, Jin could exist, and through him, his history would continue another hundred years. This was not a failure, but a process.

The history of Verocion had never stopped, not for a single moment.