Prelude to the Game 5

The sorcerer who started it all—he was a man dispatched by Lord Playstead. He attended to the King’s treatment and discovered that His Majesty’s long-standing illness was the result of a curse. But that was not the only truth he brought to light.

Riley met the gazes of the three men before him and spoke calmly.

“It took a little while, but we’ve also figured out who placed the curse on His Majesty.”

“You know who the culprit is?”

“I do.”

Riley gave a simple nod to Clyde’s question. As Clyde and the others stared, silently asking who it could be, Riley offered a meaningful smile.

“I imagine it’s who you’d all expect. That’s why I want to take this opportunity to completely overhaul the personnel at the Ministry of Magic.”

The culprit was a sorcerer. And without a doubt, that person belonged to the Ministry of Magic. Riley’s words implied as much, and not only Clyde but also Lucian wore a grim expression. Only Ben Draco, who had likely already foreseen this, showed no change in his features. He simply watched Riley in silence.

To curse the king was the highest form of treason. No reason could ever excuse such an act; the perpetrator, as well as anyone who ordered it, would face the death penalty. And the Ministry of Magic would surely bear the responsibility for its insufficient oversight.

“Once the Ministry’s personnel has been reformed—when we have what you might call a new Ministry of Magic—I intend to appoint a person worthy of the position of Director.”

Riley spun his words with a placid smile. Grasping the gist of the situation from that line, Clyde’s eyes filled with admiration, while Lucian let slip an amused grin and glanced at Ben Draco. Ben, for his part, scowled uncomfortably but offered no open objection.

“I was thinking Lord Ben Draco would be an excellent choice. With you, there would be little opposition, save for a select few. And that ‘select few’ is scheduled to be purged in this personnel shake-up, so there will be no issue. In the end, you’ll take the Director’s seat by unanimous consent.”

Naturally, both Clyde and Lucian were in favor of Ben becoming the Director of the Ministry of Magic. But even if the culprit were punished as a traitor for harming the king, obstacles to Ben’s appointment remained. Clyde furrowed his brow and offered his counsel to Riley.

“Lord Ben Draco is indeed more than qualified to be Director of the Ministry of Magic. However, he was punished for tampering with the teleportation circle during the monster attack four years ago. I imagine some will attempt to use that point to obstruct his appointment.”

“Clyde, do you truly believe Lord Ben Draco tampered with the teleportation circle?”

“No, I believe that is impossible. However, there is also no proof of his innocence.”

The problem was exactly as Clyde had pointed out. Anyone who knew Ben Draco, unless they bore him ill will, believed he was framed. However, just as there was no evidence he had tampered with the circle, there was also no evidence he hadn’t.

Riley nodded gravely.

“That is precisely why I have summoned you all here today. The culprit has been identified, but I have no intention of making that public just yet. We will corner him only after all preparations are complete.”

Clyde drew a sharp breath. Lucian, too, had lost his usual mocking smirk, his expression now serious. Only the man at the center of it all, Ben Draco, remained silent, his mouth twisted into a firm line as if to say, What a pain.

Riley glanced at Ben with a wry smile. “Are you displeased?” he asked. Ben remained silent for a moment before slowly opening his mouth.

“With all due respect, it’s less displeasure and more of a hassle. It’s not as if I ever wanted to be the Director in the first place. Truth be told, I would be far more grateful if you could just nullify the pact between my family and the crown that requires at least one of us to serve in the Ministry.”

Riley’s wry smile deepened at Ben’s audacious statement. He had suspected the man was thinking something along those lines, but hearing it said aloud, all he could do was laugh bitterly.

“I’m sure this is disappointing for you, but that’s not something I can do.”

“Just thought I’d ask. Nothing to lose.”

It was likely half-serious, but the other half must have been a joke, as Ben gave a nonchalant shrug. Riley nodded and returned to the topic at hand.

“Only one person actually laid hands on His Majesty to curse him. However, we have confirmed several sorcerers who appear to be his subordinates. If possible, I want to identify everyone involved in corruption and criminal acts, beyond those we have already marked.”

Clyde and Lucian nodded firmly, showing their understanding. Then Lucian spoke.

“‘Identify,’ you say. Does that mean you will not be punishing all of them?”

“I am not considering it at this time. There is no need to punish those who show potential for improvement. Perhaps they will receive a salary cut or a suspension, but that is all.”

“Understood.”

They did not know how many of the sorcerers serving in the Ministry had their hands dirty with corruption and crime. If the number was too large, punishing them all would bring the Ministry’s work to a grinding halt. Striking the right balance would be difficult, but it was a small price to pay if it meant they could purge the Grand Duke’s faction, which had turned the Ministry into a den of vipers.

“Lord Ben Draco, if I recall correctly, when you were serving as Deputy Director, you were investigating corruption among the sorcerers.”

Riley turned his gaze to Ben and asked. Ben’s brow furrowed slightly, but he soon nodded.

It was true. During his time as Deputy Director, Ben Draco had been rooting out sorcerers engaged in embezzlement and the study of forbidden arts. To be fair, it was something he did on the side while focusing on his own research, but he remembered the list had grown quite long.

“Yes, I was.”

“Were all of them punished?”

Ben’s expression was that of a man trying to suppress a sigh as he affirmed Riley’s question.

“No, some cases remained at the level of suspicion, and others were minor infractions. Not all of them were punished, but… do you require the information?”

“I would very much like to have it. A list of suspicious individuals would make the investigation significantly easier. I’m sure Lord Clyde and Lord Lucian will handle the evidence gathering.”

Addressed so suddenly, Lucian and Clyde immediately consented. Riley smiled, pleased. It seemed refusing was not an option, and Ben let out a wry smile of his own. Not that he had any intention of refusing.

Fortunately, he still had the list of individuals suspected of corruption and dabbling in forbidden arts. When Thorn Greed and his cronies had stormed his private residence four years ago to frame him for the monster attack, they had either not known of the list’s existence or had forgotten it, for they made no move to search for it. Not that they would have found it even if they had searched. Still, Ben had never imagined it would see the light of day here and now.

“Very well. I shall bring it to you today.”

“I’m counting on you.”

Riley beamed at Ben’s words. Faced with such an open expression, Ben finally let out a small, weary laugh. Clyde, however, was not yet satisfied. After a moment of thought, he looked up and spoke.

“Your Highness, I believe this handles the matter of the Ministry’s internal investigation. However, will that alone be enough to appoint Lord Ben Draco as Director?”

All they could accomplish with the current plan was to expose and punish the corrupt sorcerers in the Ministry. It wouldn’t clear up the immediate problem: the suspicion cast upon Ben. But Riley was unperturbed. In fact, he answered with calm composure, “It will be fine.”

“It was Director Bergson of the Ministry of Magic who cast suspicion upon Lord Ben Draco. And it was Deputy Director Thorn Greed who brought back the so-called evidence. In other words, if we find a major flaw in both of them, many will begin to doubt whether the suspicions against Lord Ben Draco were ever legitimate in the first place.”

“So, rather than proving his innocence, you intend to turn the focus onto his accusers?”

“You could interpret it that way.”

As Clyde summarized the key point, Riley affirmed it indirectly with a gentle smile. Both Lucian and Clyde nodded; it was indeed the most effective method.

Unfortunately, the tampered teleportation circle had long since been dismantled. The official report from that time could not be trusted to be unaltered, making it useless as a reference.

Riley spoke calmly but clearly.

“Judging from the report Lord Lucian just submitted, there were civil and military officials who seemed to have connections to the Ministry. If we follow those threads, I imagine all sorts of things will come tumbling out, one after another.”

“—I see.”

Lucian, who had been silent until then, grinned and nodded. His eyes gleamed with a thirst for battle. In his mind, the steps to be taken were likely being assembled at a startling speed. Beside him, Clyde lowered his eyes slightly, deep in thought.

Watching the two dependable men with satisfaction, Riley declared the meeting concluded.

＊＊＊＊＊

Though the meeting with Clyde, Lucian, and Ben was over, Riley asked only Ben Draco to stay behind. Ben looked puzzled, but he seemed to recall Riley’s initial request to be “taught about magic” and gave a brief nod of assent.

Riley sat down across from Ben. He hesitated for a moment, wondering where to begin, but then he remembered that Ben Draco and Liliana had a connection. With that in mind, he decided it would be easiest to start from the beginning.

“If I recall, you were close with Lady Liliana, were you not?”

“Lady Liliana… Ah, from the Clark duchy. Yes, we have a relationship of sorts.”

Ben paused for a moment to think before nodding. Riley inferred from his reaction that their association was casual enough that he didn’t immediately recall her by name alone.

“Of sorts? To what extent?”

Ben considered Riley’s question for a moment.

“Strictly speaking, it is not I but Muirulainen who is close with her. I am merely an accessory. Though the years we have known each other are quite long.”

“—I see.”

Riley gave a vague hum, his brow furrowing slightly. He felt a rare pang of regret, thinking he may have started the conversation on the wrong foot. But what was said could not be unsaid. Resigning himself to it, Riley decided to get straight to the point.

“The fact is, something written in a letter from Lady Liliana has been bothering me. I wanted to hear your opinion.”

“Something bothering you?”

Ben blinked. A complex mix of emotions colored his eyes, but Riley could not grasp their true meaning. Instead, he simply nodded and continued.

“It seems she fell ill just yesterday. Apparently, she was on the verge of a magical overload. Her mana was swirling inside her, causing symptoms like fatigue and fever. She’s stable now, but I can’t shake my doubts.”

As Riley explained, Ben’s expression grew serious. He furrowed his brow, a rare sight for him, as if deep in thought. Riley, carefully observing the change in Ben’s face, voiced the question that troubled him.

“She is twelve years old. It’s true that on rare occasions, those unaccustomed to magic might experience a magical overload even at twelve. But by that age, most have learned to control their mana. And Lady Liliana, as one would expect, is perfectly capable of controlling her mana.”

“Yes, your understanding is correct.”

Ben nodded gravely. Feeling a strange dryness in his throat, Riley stood and asked an attendant outside to prepare some tea. A silence fell between them, lasting until the attendant brought the tea and departed.

After taking a sip of the freshly brewed tea to soothe his throat, Riley continued.

“I have also never heard of a person’s mana increasing so sharply at Lady Liliana’s age. And yet, she experienced a state similar to a magical overload. Is such a thing even possible?”

Riley’s question was clear and concise. Ben narrowed his eyes. After a moment of thought, he finally spoke.

“It is not impossible. The probability is exceedingly low, but… there are similar reports in ancient literature.”

“Ancient literature…? You mean there are no recent cases?”

“Correct. In recent reports, the only cases are those of children who were not skilled at mana control to begin with and went to the brink of an overload, or a few instances of two- or three-year-olds whose mana increased dramatically.”

Even those were from the last few years, with reports coming in at a rate of one a year, if that. But for the most part, people did not experience magical overloads, nor did their mana levels surge.

Ben explained this dispassionately.

“When mana increases too rapidly, neither the body nor the mind can withstand it. In a child’s case, the body is more fragile than the mind, so a rapid increase in mana is fatal.”

“Then what about the cases in the old literature?”

Despite a growing sense of dread, Riley asked calmly. Ben Draco blinked, his gaze meeting Riley’s. His eyes were deep and sunken, and a sense of unease settled in Riley’s chest.

Ben Draco stated quietly, but clearly:

“They are reports on forbidden arts.”

Silence fell. The dread had been a premonition, and Riley let out a low growl from the back of his throat.

---

Toc

Chapter 198