Chapter 208: Chapter 209

“Excuse me, Lord Ian. We’ve arrived.”

At the coachman’s guidance, Ian opened his eyes. Except for slightly leaning his head against the window, his posture was upright. Seeing the scenery outside the window had changed, he let out a faint sigh. He didn’t even know when he had fallen asleep. There was a reason Romandro had strongly insisted on Ian’s rest.

“Good work.”

“Not at all.”

The coachman, who bowed deeply at the waist, glanced back. In fact, it had been thirty minutes since they arrived at the Ministry of Magic, but they had been waiting due to instructions from the ministry staff. He had been wondering when he could go home, but fortunately, it didn’t take long.

As the carriage door opened, the mages who had been pacing nearby all approached closely.

“Lord Ian. You’re back?”

“What about Mr. Romandro?”

“He’s out on business. Is there an urgent matter?”

“No. I think it can be handled later. The urgent documents are on the office desk. By the way, I heard the Imperial Guard engaged in a fierce battle in the middle of the night. Is it true?”

As Ian climbed the stairs, someone draped a warm robe over him. Those who had quickly escorted Barsabe and the armor legion to the Imperial Palace had informed them. Ian gladly accepted the robe. Even though he had slept for a bit, his whole body was shivering.

“Lord Ian. You’re here.”

“Just in time, Captain Akorella.”

“Huh? Me? Why?”

As he passed through the lobby, Akorella was about to pass by Ian while greeting her subordinates. However, she immediately stopped at his call. Akorella herself didn’t seem to know, but the front of her hair was singed and curly. It was undoubtedly the traces of a failed experiment.

Slap!

“Ooh?”

“Do you know what this is?”

Ian took out a mysterious mana stone from his pocket and tossed it. Akorella caught it lightly with both hands and immediately brought her nose close, examining it deeply. The subordinates standing behind her did the same. They crowded in so close that their breaths touched each other and scrutinized the mana stone.

“This black thing……”

“What in the world……”

“…First time?”

Akorella’s face gradually loosened. Her eyes widened, her jaw dropped, and her nostrils flared uncontrollably, having lost their will. As if her breath was stuck, Akorella couldn’t form proper words.

“Wh-wh-what is this?”

“I’m asking because I don’t know either.”

Akorella doesn’t know. The subordinates don’t know either. Ian says he’s asking because he doesn’t know either. Doesn’t this mean it’s a newly discovered mana stone? Akorella unknowingly screamed.

“…Kyaaaah!! Aaah! Aah!”

“Captain! Captain! Le-let’s go together!”

“You’ll fall. Wait a moment, slowly!”

“Quickly open the lab door! You bastards!”

Bang! Thud! Boom!

As a researcher and a mage, she couldn’t help but be excited. She practically rolled down to the basement, and her subordinates followed.

“The Mana Stone Management Department is okay, right? We don’t need to stop them, right?”

“It’s not just a day or two. Lord Ian, if there are no more samples, it’s better to say it in advance. Captain Akorella always ends up smashing them at the end.”

“It’s fine. Soon, they will come in lines of boxes. When the Imperial Guard arrives, guide them to Captain Akorella.”

“Why is the Imperial Guard bringing mana stones?”

“They were confiscated from the Chatur area. It’s related to the Hayman family. Fragments of the Black Armor will also come in, so everyone should focus on the Mana Stone Management Department and sincerely help.”

“Yes. Understood.”

The Black Armor! The armor that had killed Captain Riama. The mages, who knew about the political relationship between Ian and Hayman, grasped the importance of the situation.

Ian flipped through the incoming reports and asked again.

“What about Beric?”

“Ah! Oh! Right. Beric has woken up.”

“Woken up, but can’t move.”

“If he can move in that state, that’s a bit……”

Ian smiled faintly and turned the corner towards Beric’s quarters. Numerous mages followed behind him. It was to request that he process their reports first after seeing Beric and going to the office.

“Is he speaking well?”

“I thought there was no one like him.”

“Haha. I see.”

It seems he caused a bit of a commotion. As the mage’s expression frowned, Ian couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

Something like this had happened before. When returning from the Great Desert to Bratz, he couldn’t even walk, but his temper remained the same, so he was carried tied up like luggage behind Kusile.

Tap tap.

The door to the quarters was slightly open. What leaked through the gap wasn’t just the sound of voices. There was a distinct smell of meat.

“No, this is really too much! Your Highness Jin!”

“Beric. Calm down. The stitches will all burst. The doctor said if you eat anything now, you’ll really die.”

“I’ll die like this too!”

“It’s okay. You won’t die.”

“Wow, I’m going crazy. Sia! Try persuading His Highness Jin!”

“………”

“That, that bastard, he’s eating meat without even answering?”

“Now now, Beric. Just keep smelling it.”

“Aaaah! Ian!”

Creak.

It was quite a spectacle. Next to Beric, who was lying on the bed unable to move, were Xiaoshi and Jin, eating grilled meat. High-quality, scarlet beef was piled up on one side. When Beric wailed and called for Ian, Xiaoshi noticed him first.

“You’re here.”

“Oh! Sir Ian! You’re here?”

“Ian? Ian!”

Greetings poured out simultaneously. Ian closed the door, pushing the mages behind him. Beric couldn’t move at all below his neck, so he just blinked his eyes frantically to express his joy.

“Your Highness. Why are you having a meal here? Why not go to the dining hall? Although it’s a bit chilly, the afternoon sun is warm, so it would be nice to have it in the garden.”

“Sir Ian! Listen to me. As soon as Beric woke up, he urged the attendants to eat meat, you know? Even though his intestines were all injured and I strictly ordered him to fast.”

“Is that so?”

“He even threw a fit at the doctor, so it finally reached my ears. I ran right over and stopped Beric!”

Jin looked up at Ian, his eyes sparkling. At the gaze asking for praise, Ian lightly patted Jin’s shoulder.

“Well done.”

“Well done? Huh? If you eat meat next to me, that’s cheating! It’s torture! Your Highness Jin! You’re really too much!”

“Didn’t you ask to at least smell the meat?”

“No…. Ha, really. Ian. You understand my heart, right?”

To at least let him smell it, he probably intended to snatch it as soon as it was brought close to his nose. Jin doesn’t even know how to use a fan. Ian sat on the edge of the bed and carefully examined Beric’s condition.

“…Your body.”

“I’m fine. So just one bite.”

“Endure a little more. It’s burdensome even for a healthy person to eat meat right after waking up, so how can you?”

As soon as Ian spoke, Jin approached and kept nodding. Regardless, Xiaoshi just chewed indifferently with his mouth, but still.

“Ah. I, really. Ha.”

“Barsabe also returned alive.”

“What? Molar is alive?”

Ian smiled as he changed the subject. How simple, the guy who was crying just a moment ago changed his mood as soon as Barsabe’s survival was announced.

In fact, I don’t know if Barsabe considers Beric a close friend, but to Beric, she would be one of the few intimate acquaintances. Ian nodded.

“She’s a bit injured, but she’ll recover soon. So Beric, you also focus on treatment. Then I’ll let you eat as much as you want.”

“Ah! Okay okay! Call the doctor! Tell them to treat me quickly! Apply the medicine!! Keep applying it!”

As a form of consolation, Jin kept fanning and wafting the smell of meat. Fortunately, he seems fine even though he can’t move. Ian looked at the black sword placed next to the bed and asked.

“Beric.”

“There was no choice! If I hadn’t used mana, I would have really died.”

Beric preemptively jumped to conclusions. He was told not to put mana into the black sword, but he had properly released it and faced the enemy. It’s a sword that summons demons, so it’s fortunate there were no demons nearby, otherwise there would have been great secondary damage.

“That’s not what I’m scolding you for.”

“Huh? Really? Never mind then.”

Should he tell him that Beric might be an Atan? While Ian was contemplating for a moment, a piece of meat was suddenly presented in front of him. It was Jin who offered it.

“Sir Ian. It’s not lunchtime yet, right?”

“That’s right, Your Highness.”

“Have some. Beric ordered too much meat. I don’t know why he did this to eat alone.”

“Ha! Your Highness Jin. I can eat all of that in one meal, you know?”

“Lies. How can a person eat meat larger than this? You’re making fun of me, Beric.”

“I’ll show you. Put it in my mouth.”

Jin firmly closed his mouth and shook his head. Absolutely, absolutely, he couldn’t give the meat, it was a firm attitude. Ian supported his hand and ate the meat Jin handed over.

“It’s delicious, right?”

“…Beric. You ordered the expensive one.”

“Of course! Ian is rich! Premium grade! The most expensive one!”

Ian called an attendant and pulled up a chair to sit. The moment he ate a piece of meat, it dawned on him. He couldn’t remember the last time he had a meal. In between, he only satisfied his hunger with things like Gulla, but it had been a long time since a proper meal like this had disappeared from his memory.

Swish.

As Xiaoshi got up from his seat, Ian gestured for him to sit down.

“The bedroom is small. It’s fine, sit down.”

“Yes. Master.”

“Xiaoshi, try this again. It’s very tender. Do I have to keep telling you to eat?”

“No. Your Highness.”

Xiaoshi looked down at the meat Jin put on his plate with a troubled expression. He had no choice but to eat it earlier, but he wondered if this was really right. A slave sharing a table with the master? And with a member of the imperial family? As he hesitantly grabbed the fork, Ian pointed out.

“Xiaoshi. When cutting meat, hold the knife in your right hand and the fork in your left. Lift your elbows to match the table so the blade doesn’t get too sharp.”

Jin follows Xiaoshi well. Since his personality is trustworthy, unless something special happens, Xiaoshi will continue to serve Jin in the future. So it’s good to learn basic table manners.

“Aaah! Xiaoshi! Even you!”

“………”

Beric wailed in his own way, looking at the three people eating. It sounded even more pitiful because no one paid attention to him.

“Sir Ian, did you see the drawing?”

“Are you referring to the ox? The one Your Highness drew?”

“I drew it because Beric asked me to.”

“Your skills are improving day by day, it’s amazing.”

With a pleasant conversation and the delightful sound of clinking tableware, it was a good listen. Suddenly it became quiet, and when they looked back, Beric was sleeping with his mouth wide open. Even though he looked energetic, his condition was so bad that he quickly lost consciousness.

“By the way, Sir Ian. You know that tomorrow is my brother Mariv’s trial, right?”

“Of course. The Ministry of Magic is thoroughly preparing for it. He will surely pay the price for trying to harm Your Highness Jin.”

“Mother and Arsen will also come.”

“That’s right. If you haven’t made up your mind yet, you don’t have to attend.”

It was about the determination to face his mother. Jin shook his head vigorously after putting a piece of meat in his mouth at once. Instead of answering, he gave a short nod, in line with table manners.

“No. I realized one thing. Determination is not made in a moment, but built day by day. So I will also go to the trial.”

Ian smiled and placed a piece of meat on Jin’s plate. If he had seen the succession in his previous life and had a child, he would want a child like Jin.

“I understand. I will prepare without any issues.”

“Yes. I will do the same.”

“Have some more.”

Clatter clatter. Ian smiled as he watched Jin vigorously devour the meat. In between, Beric woke up and mumbled, but even that felt like a peaceful noise. The day after it rains is so cozy and warm. Without realizing it, Ian fell asleep after finishing his meal.

Creak.

“Gasp. He’s asleep.”

“Oh my, what to do?”

“Let’s stay for one more hour and then go.”

The bedroom, which had been filled with the smell of blood with Jin, Xiaoshi, and Beric, was now filled only with the smell of meat and the sound of snoring.