ETHTKE chapter 49

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“I can’t believe how unfamiliar my room feels.”

It had been a while since I returned to my own room.

Maybe because I always had my meals in Baek Yigang’s office, today the table set for one felt strangely foreign.

“Anna.”

“Yes, Dowoon-nim?”

“What do the royal Wizards usually do during festivals like this?”

Anna’s eyes softened at my question. As she poured warm tea into my empty cup, she began to speak slowly.

“Come to think of it, this is your first festival, isn’t it? Normally, the Wizards set up barriers to protect the guests or use their skills to assist with manpower shortages. …Sometimes, they also perform feats of magic.”

Listening to her, I thought they did quite a range of things.

But her last comment bothered me.

Feats of magic?

The Wizards?

Those high-level specialists?

“Perform feats of magic?”

“Yes, ah! There it is, look. I’ve heard you can only see it at times like this.”

I turned my head in the direction Anna pointed to and saw the red glow of the setting sun outside the window.

And beyond that crimson sky, there was…

“What… is that?”

It looked like fireworks, no matter how I saw it.

The colors were so vivid, like actual fireworks.

“It’s magic… um, what was it called again? A flash bomb? Anyway, it’s a magic that dazzles people’s eyes using light.”

“So, like fireworks?”

“It’s a little different. Fireworks can’t be seen during the day, but this can be clearly seen even in broad daylight.”

Now that she mentioned it, it was true.

Fireworks are best seen at night, whereas this magic was shining brightly, even though it wasn’t dark yet.

“Wait, so is it Reggie and Blue who are doing that?”

“With Lord Cedric, the head of the Magic Department, absent, it’s probably them.”

I suddenly realized I’d made the right choice sticking close to Baek Yigang.

I almost ended up out there, forced to put on a magic light show as some sort of entertainment slave.

“Do they do that all the time? The Magic Department sure…”

Just as I was about to add that they didn’t seem to be in a great place, Anna’s expression suddenly turned ominous.

“This is by the order of the Crown Prince. They’ve never done this before. His Highness has long questioned the existence of the Magic Department…”

“…Who?”

I knew Baek Yigang didn’t think highly of the Magic Department, but I never imagined he was tormenting them like this.

I’m sure even Baek Yigang knows the Magic Department will never be dissolved…

So, this is just him harassing them.

Since it won’t happen, he’s taking full advantage of the opportunity to push them to the limit.

There’s no demon worse than him!

The reasons Reggie and Blue feared Baek Yigang kept piling up, growing clearer.

The more I thought about it, the more impressed I was with how the Magic Department had managed to survive his harassment for so long.

It also made perfect sense why, in the original story, Reggie and Blue helped Piel create the black magic detection stones.

They wanted to overthrow Baek Yigang! If I were in their shoes, I’d put all my energy into it too.

“But why make them do that? It’s not like the Magic Department has nothing to do.”

“His Highness said, ‘Shouldn’t the Magic Department do something for the guests as well?’”

Anna awkwardly laughed as she explained the situation.

“Is that really all he said?”

Baek Yigang saying something like that? I highly doubt it.

Anna, after a moment of hesitation, bit her lip before finally speaking again.

“……Hmm. He also said something like, ‘They’re utterly useless, so we might as well give them something to do.'”

I knew it.

There’s no way Baek Yigang would have said something that nicely.

“By now, they should be hearing about the royal wedding, right?”

“They likely are.”

As I swallowed a bite of the warm bread, steam still rising from it, Anna nodded slightly, casually placing another piece of bread in front of me.

“Even though the whole family is there, I don’t think he’d flip the table.”

“……He probably won’t.”

There were no more words, but I could sense that Anna and I shared the same unease.

By the time we finished eating, the once-bright red sunset had faded, and night had fallen quietly.

The crescent moon in the sky appeared sharp and thin.

“Is that it for the founding festival?”

“The most important event ended on the first day, but the festival itself will continue for a few more days. The imperial city will remain open until the festival ends as well.”

For such a highly anticipated event, it felt strangely underwhelming.

If things had followed the original story, by now the place would have been chaotic with various incidents, big and small.

But with the way things have changed, there hadn’t been a single event worth mentioning.

“Is something on your mind?”

Anna tilted her head slightly as she noticed me staring blankly out the window.

“Well, not really…… It just feels like it ended rather simply. I thought they would’ve gone a bit more over the top, especially with it being the first founding festival in four years.”

“The people of the empire saw that the Royal Family is still standing strong, and the nobles likely realized there’s nothing to gain from stirring up trouble. So, in that sense, the event achieved its true purpose.”

Though she didn’t specify, it was clear Anna was referring to the statue incident.

It had indeed been quieter than expected.

I half-expected someone to bring it up, considering how much the nobles love gossip.

There’s no way they’d let go of such a juicy topic.

Yet, as if by some unspoken agreement, everyone had kept their mouths shut.

“Is it because of Baek Yigang that the incident is being quietly overlooked?”

“Strictly speaking…… yes. Everyone fears and respects him in equal measure. They know better than to run their mouths recklessly, unsure of what might happen.”

Of course, I was referring to the nobles. It wasn’t like the matter had been completely forgotten.

Rumors were already spreading among the people, and the nobles knew the truth, so somewhere, there were bound to be whispers.

But gossip that doesn’t surface has no power.

It was fortunate, but still left an odd, uneasy feeling.

I knew the main plot of the original story, but I couldn’t know all the smaller details, which only made me feel more unsettled.

“By the way, there’s still a few bottles of national liquor left. Shall I bring you one?”

“Gasp, are you sure it’s okay to drink it like that? I heard it’s quite rare.”

“His Highness instructed us to prepare it especially for you. He noticed you enjoyed it earlier and set some aside.”

My heart skipped a beat at Anna’s gentle words.

I didn’t think I had shown much of a reaction, but apparently, Baek Yigang had taken note of it.

And once again, it wasn’t me doing unnecessary things— it was Baek Yigang.

He’s so annoyingly attentive in the strangest ways…… honestly.

Though I had already had a drink with Ian earlier, I wouldn’t mind having another if given the chance. The alcohol buzz had pretty much worn off by now.

Besides, it’s a drink that’s only available on special occasions. Why not enjoy it while I can?

Not that I’m drinking just for the sake of drinking, of course. I’m simply not one to miss an opportunity!

“Ahem, well then, I’ll take just a little…….”

“I’ll fetch it right away!”

---

“Your Highness, are you not heading to the office?”

After finishing his meal, Baek Yigang’s steps seemed to be taking him elsewhere, prompting Philip to ask cautiously.

“Not particularly.”

Philip hadn’t expected an answer, but fortunately, Baek Yigang didn’t ignore his words and gave a brief reply.

Though, it didn’t exactly answer the question.

During the chilly, almost hellish, meal just moments ago, Baek Yigang had hardly touched his food.

“Even the little appetite I had is gone.”

In that room, with the Emperor, the Second Prince, and the Third Prince all present, one sharp comment from Baek Yigang had Philip biting his tongue, standing there in silence.

If his lord had caused any trouble, Philip would have been the one to clean up the mess, no question about it.

He had been so on edge that, despite not eating, his stomach felt heavy and bloated.

“Apparently, he’s been spending time with someone lately.”

He’d even snarled at the Emperor’s remark about nurturing talent.

“Your Majesty, it’s been a long time.”

“I see you’re still alive.”

He barely responded to the Third Prince’s greeting after years of not seeing each other.

“Brother, didn’t you bring that Wizard with you?”

“…….”

He outright ignored the Second Prince’s words.

With responses like that, it was no surprise that the atmosphere at the table had soured.

If not for the Third Prince’s attempts to keep the conversation going, the knives on the table might have found their way into someone.

But it was hard to say Baek Yigang was being unreasonable.

The Emperor had dumped all the responsibilities onto him, the Second Prince was eagerly eyeing his position, and the Third Prince was hardly on Baek Yigang’s radar.

Now they were all suddenly gathered, using the empire as an excuse to pressure him into a marriage.

There was no reason for Baek Yigang to treat them kindly.

“What about Cheong Dowoon?”

“According to Anna, he’s drinking. Alone, it seems.”

“Alone?”

“Yes, he apparently wished to be alone. Although, I’m not sure if he’s still drinking now…….”

Philip’s timely report finally loosened the tension in Baek Yigang’s eyes.

“Let’s go there.”

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