The ladies of the royal family, including Dilaina, simultaneously took out their opera glasses. Although the magic confirmation ceremony was a rare event, they were always the ones who kept the Ministry of Magic close. They were the ones who had always seen the sights of great magicians like Wesleigh at important events
Look at that.
Its ridiculous. My goodness, its so beautiful.
Thats the real light of the oracle!
Everyone, forgetting their manners, stared at Ians gestures with their mouths half open. Every ti his right hand traced a path, light filled the surroundings as if blessings were descending.
Its truly sacred.
Dilaina muttered unknowingly. Everyone there could feel it. That it was a fantasy that would never happen twice in a lifeti. And so they knew they had t a true fantasy.
Swoosh!
Ian calmly continued to create the light of the oracle. From the podium, it overflowed and reached the ground where the nobles stood, and then it seed to engulf the palace.
Boom! Bang!
Recoretio!
At that mont, the surprised conductor of the palace orchestra, who had stopped, snapped his baton and gave the signal to co to his senses. The pianist reflexively pressed the keys and resud playing, and the cellist and violinist imdiately focused on the ensemble.
It was unclear whether the music followed Ians waves or whether the magic ca to life in response to the music.
Whoosh!
Cuckoong! Boom!
Recore-ti-o!
The conductor led the music more passionately than usual due to the visual stimulation, and the musicians were also feeling ecstatic for the first ti in a long ti. The banquet hall seed to be showing exactly what a perfectly beautiful mont was.
Oh ho!
This is ridiculous.
This is magic! Its amazing, amazing!
The nobles reacted to the magic perating their midst in various ways. So reached out their hands to touch it, others moved lightly to avoid it, and still others turned their heads around in wonder. As the music from the orchestra swelled, a deep flush appeared on peoples faces.
Your Majesty, can you see well?
Hmm.
Dilaina suddenly ca to her senses and handed the opera glasses to the emperor. The emperor didnt seem to be able to see well, and he kept mumbling without responding. Dilaina took back the glasses and glanced at the princes next to her.
Sigh.
Marivs reaction was no different from that of the nobles below. He had his hands on the railing and couldnt take his eyes off the light of the oracle and its beauty. On the other hand, Gale.
Wesleigh.
His gaze was fixed on Wesleigh, who was standing next to Ian, looking embarrassed. Dilaina just covered her face with a fan and kept glancing at Gale.
How can that be the look of a man looking at his lover?
Although it was not her place to say so, as she was the wife of the emperor, Dilaina always found herself tongue-tied at Gales ruthlessness. Sotis, she was even overwheld by the anxiety that his sharp aura might harm her own sons.
Mother.
Yes?
Just then, the fifth prince, Jin, who was sitting on the opposite side, tugged lightly on his mothers arm. His silver hair sparkled white in the light of the magic in the banquet hall.
Arsens opera glasses dont work well.
Dilaina turned around briefly. The fourth prince, Arsen, was using Jins glasses to get a good view of the first floor. She smiled as she gently stroked Jins hair.
I see. You gave it to Arsen. Thats very kind of you.
And then he turned back to focus on supporting the emperor.
That was not what he ant to say, but his mother ended the conversation by praising his younger brother Jins sacrifice, as always.
This Ian fellow is really amazing.
While Arsen kept muttering admiring exclamations, Jin stared blankly into space. He felt like he was in a different world all by himself.
***
anwhile, Ian felt a slight sweat running down his back. Opening his magic was like opening up all the energy in his body. He slowly closed his magic and glanced at Wesleigh.
This.
The look on her face that said she didnt know what was going on was really good to see. Her bewildered and confused expression was truly raw. Ian smiled as he pushed his slightly sweaty hair back. As if to say, this should be enough.
Swoosh.
Ian took his hand off the surface of the light and straightened out the light of the oracle. The magic lost its power, but it left traces behind like a slowly disappearing fog. Seeing this, the conductor slowed down the music to match the beat.
Boom!
The mont the excited pianist struck the keys, Ian began to sing.
For the glory of Bariel.
For the glory of Bariel!
As Ian raised his hand to his chest in salute, the nobles cheered and applauded without waiting for anyone else. The hospitality was warm, even for the nobles. It was praise that was filled with soul, incomparable to what Wesleigh had led earlier.
Clap, clap, clap!
Ian approached Wesleigh and held out his hand. She pressed her lips tightly together and barely suppressed the urge to grab Ian by the collar right then and there. She wanted to scream and ask him how he was able to break the magic circles spell, but
Baron, Ian Hielo. It was truly a magnificent magic.
What could she do? Everyone in the banquet hall, including the emperor, was watching them. She held out the back of her hand to Ian.
I will be waiting for your application to join the Ministry of Magic.
Ian kissed her hand and descended from the podium without hesitation. As soon as he ca down, the young nobles surrounded Ian and could not hide their excitent.
Baron Hielo. That was a truly amazing illusion!
Lets shake hands first, okay? Youre not a magician yet, are you?
Youre not a magician until youre assigned to a departnt. So, where are you going to go? With that kind of power, you should be able to choose. Lets make a bet! The Magic Support Departnt is the best, so Ill bet on that! Baron Ian Hielo, lets see each other often in the future!
Aha! If this goes on, wont you be the first noble magician?
The complints poured in like a wave. Ian just smiled and accepted their cheers. However, when the crowd continued to gather and he couldnt even take a step, he looked around in embarrassnt.
Baron Ian Hielo. I have a ssage for you.
Just then, a familiar voice ca from the crowd. It was Romandro. Ian nodded, knowing that this was his chance.
Excuse . Ill be right back.
Oh! You have to co back soon!
Ian held up a glass of wine that a waiter was carrying and walked through the crowd. By holding the glass, he showed his intention that people should not co close. Thanks to this, the two were able to et dramatically, and Romandro quickly led the way out. Ian sighed and took a sip of wine to quench his thirst.
Sir Romandro. That was a tily call.
Ian, you! Sob!
Haha. Are you crying?
Wow, Ive never seen such a magnificent sight in my life. My Vivian should have seen that too, sigh. It was truly amazing!
Romandro shook his fist, unable to believe it. When Ian looked for a handkerchief to wipe his sweat, Romandro handed him his own instead.
Oh, thank you.
Oh! And do you know that?
What is it?
You have beco the first noble magician of the Bariel Empire! You will go down in history! Congratulations!
The first noble magician. Ian didnt find the title awkward. Because it was the sa in his previous life. And it was that which eventually put Ian on the throne of the emperor.
I see.
Huh? Why are you reacting like this?
I cant believe it.
The timing was perfect. I would have been very sorry if I had co in without the New Years party.
There were many magicians who were recognized for their magical abilities and rose to the position of court mage, or minister, like Wesleigh, or received titles for their rits, but Ian was the first to be a noble from the ti of admission.
Of course, I was the first even 100 years later.
He was the first, and now he was the first again.
As Ian smiled faintly at the strange feeling, Romandro scratched his beard awkwardly.
Was I too excited?
No. Its a good thing youre so happy for . By the way, what about Beric?
Huh? Beric?
The two n stared at each other blankly. An awkward silence filled the air. Romandro thought that Ian had taken him with him, so he would naturally be with him, and Ian thought that he would be with Romandro since he had gone down before the verification ceremony.
Im going crazy.
Romandro muttered, chattering his teeth as if he were terrified. The re fact that a madman was alone among those noble people was terrifying in itself.
Co on, lets find him-!
Ian~!
Just as Romandro was about to run into the banquet hall. Beric ca running lightly from the opposite corridor. His face was unusually red, as if he had been drinking wine.
Im right here!
Hey, where do you think you are, wandering around by yourself?
Eh? Did I do that because I wanted to?
Did you get into any trouble? And whats with your finger?
This? Its worth a weeks worth of at side dishes.
Romandro, not understanding the context, fidgeted anxiously, worried that it might be an injury from so trouble caused. Beric boldly extended his index finger to Ian as if to make him rember.
Snap!
So earning ones keep is like this? Not bad at all.
I wont forget the at side dish. Where have you been?
They took through the corridor where the light of the oracle shone. I waited there until it was over. And guess what? I saw sothing really fun.
Sothing fun?
It seed that Ian, being in the back passage, had missed the illusion. At Ians question, Beric flipped his eyes and imitated the voice of a frustrated lady with surprising naturalness, perhaps helped by the alcohol.
Call out all those who have inscribed the magic circle! I have no idea what theyve done! This and that, blah blah blah! They all want to die!?
Are you imitating Minister Wesleigh?
Ahaha. Exactly alike, right? She was catching her subordinates like mice. Even watching from hiding made my skin crawl.
Not alike at all.
Eh? Really? Should I try again?
Romandro, just in case, looked around and covered Berics mouth, while Ian fell silent in thought. Judging by the style of the letters in the magic circle of the oracles light, it was clear that it was created by several mages working together.
It seems I thought Wesleigh had secretly interfered, but maybe not. It ans more people than I thought are aware of the irregularities in the magic circle.
However, the person nad Nakina clearly intended to help Ian. If he had known there was a problem with the magic circle itself, he wouldnt have acted that way.
This ans, there are factions within the Ministry of Magic itself.
There are those whom Wesleigh leads directly and assigns tasks, and those who, although affiliated, are rely coasting along. After all, its natural for any departnt to have political factions divided.
Indeed. If it werent for Naum, I too would have struggled to adapt when I first entered the Ministry of Magic.
Ians thoughts spiraled, taking him back to the past, over 100 years ago. It was a mont when Romandro and Beric were making a fuss.
Baron Ian Hielo.
The emperors chamberlain, bowing his head deeply, called out to Ian. Ian knew what his appearance ant.
Could you spare us a mont? I will escort you to the second floor.
It was an honor to be able to et the emperor and his family up close. It suggested that Ians magic had made a great impression on them. Ian nodded, handing the empty wine glass to Beric.
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