Academy’s Genius Mage

It was the news he had been waiting for.

It was well known that the principal offenders, Hamel and Felix, could not avoid severe punishment.

It was either immediate execution or spending a lifetime rotting in prison.

There had been many remarks suggesting that even a passing kid would deliver a straightforward verdict during the trial.

However, Lumiere’s expression was ambiguous.

‘What’s going on?’

There was a sense of hesitation.

He had been the most delighted about being able to punish the Hamel Trading Company.

He had never concealed his dissatisfaction with the crimes of large trading companies.

His family had also been victimized by a large trading company a long time ago.

But instead of continuing to speak, he looked down at the teacup in his hand.

‘Did something go wrong?’

It was inevitable to think so.

Ian calmly waited for him to speak.

“Well, to get to the point, Hamel received a 30-year sentence, and Felix received a life sentence.”

“A 30-year sentence?”

An unpleasant feeling rose to his throat.

He had expected at least a life sentence, but 30 years seemed too lenient.

‘Felix’s punishment seems heavier in comparison.’

Felix was promised a reduced sentence in exchange for cooperating with the investigation of this incident. Yet, he received a life sentence, indicating no leniency was considered.

It was an incomprehensible outcome that the source of all evil, Hamel, received a 30-year sentence.

Something was definitely happening that he was not aware of.

“Well, it seems you’re not satisfied.”

“I expected at least a life sentence, but it ended with 30 years… Of course, considering Hamel’s age, that could also be a life sentence.”

“Indeed. There were varying interpretations among several judges on that point.”

“How did they differ?”

“No matter how clear the evidence was, they couldn’t ignore his contributions to the kingdom’s development. A considerable number of judges and nobles argued for leniency due to Hamel’s accomplishments.”

“As expected.”

It was a realization of why Hamel lived so brazenly.

There was a high likelihood that he had been bribing officials and high-ranking figures from a long time ago.

Just as there were those who wanted to punish him, there were also those who wished to save him.

In all matters, especially those involving money, conflict of interest is inevitable.

‘At the beginning of the trial, many nobles insisted on harsh punishment, but the situation seems to have reversed.’

The Hamel Trading Company was already in a situation where recovery was impossible.

After paying all the fines and compensation, nothing was left.

They had liquidated all their assets, including cash, completely.

However, the fact that the leader received a lenient sentence left a lingering unease.

“Phew… Honestly, I hoped that Hamel scoundrel would receive severe punishment. It’s truly disgusting how people like that are ruthless to the weak and weak to the strong.”

“I understand.”

“More than twenty families were destroyed by their hands. More than half of them vanished without a trace. They aren’t human. They’re demons in human disguise.”

The restitution process was underway for noble families harmed by the Hamel Trading Company. However, no compensation could be given if there was no news.

This could be the case if they were sold as slaves to another continent or were murdered.

‘Why can’t the criminals be properly punished? What is the reason?’

The evidence was clear. The truth was revealed.

Yet, reality was not so accommodating.

This verdict proved that there were more people who didn’t call for justice than those who did.

It was also a testament to how corrupt the kingdom was.

Ian was lost in thought.

He suddenly recalled the appearance of the king who had briefly appeared at the academy’s induction ceremony.

‘A weak, old, and sickly king…’

And the conflict between the first prince and the second prince. Though Helios, the second prince, had been pushed to the academy and the crown prince was decided, he seemed not to have given up the throne yet.

‘Is it too much to hope for a normal situation?’

A sigh escaped from Ian as well.

Lumiere, who had been observing the situation, slightly bowed his head.

“Anyway, I am sorry for the disappointing outcome.”

A surprised Ian waved both his hands.

“No, it’s not something you should apologize for, your honor. I appreciate you coming here and telling me in person.”

“Even so, I feel that we haven’t fully considered your position as the victim, Ian. As a judge, I sense a lack in my duty.”

“I know about magic, but not much about the law. I want to believe that the verdict you reached is the best possible result.”

Lumiere bowed his head once more.

It was a meaningful remark.

On the surface, it seemed like he was expressing trust, but in reality, it was a subtle criticism of the judges’ actions.

He was questioning whether this was truly the best they could do.

’30 years.’

That number kept swirling in Ian’s mind.

He pondered over what exactly was causing his unease.

Then suddenly, a possibility flashed across his mind.

“Lumiere.”

“Yes.”

“As I mentioned earlier, considering Hamel is over sixty, a 30-year sentence is practically a life sentence for him.”

“That is true.”

“But might there be an exception?”

Lumiere could not respond to the word ‘exception.’

Instead, Ian continued speaking.

“When the crown prince ascends to the throne, a unique tradition in the kingdom is to issue a grand amnesty. Is that correct?”

Grand amnesty.

It was a distinctive system in the kingdom of Sonokin where criminals could be forgiven, and their sentences exempted.

It is a much more extensive amnesty than special pardon.

Typically, this grand amnesty is granted to commemorate the coronation of a new king.

Even those who have committed serious crimes could be released if they pleased the new king or seized the right opportunity.

“I have never witnessed a grand amnesty during the reign of the current king, as I was born and raised under his rule. But there have been such amnesties in the past, haven’t there?”

“There have been. Every time a new king ascends the throne, there has been a grand amnesty.”

Ian read Lumiere’s expression.

It was clear that he, too, was concerned about the grand amnesty.

“If Crown Prince Medeb were to inherit the throne, there’s a possibility that Hamel’s sentence could be reduced or he could be released. What is your opinion, your honor?”

“As you mentioned, that possibility cannot be ruled out. However, Hamel made a significant miscalculation in this area.”

“And what might that be?”

“Several years ago, Medeb and Prince Helios competed for the position of crown prince. The process was complex, so I will skip the details. To summarize, Hamel supported Prince Helios.”

“He supported Prince Helios?”

It was an unexpected revelation.

‘Someone like Hamel, who is adept at reading the tide and focusing on immediate gains, would have bet on the likelier side, wouldn’t he?’

The reason that the eldest son often had the higher chance of inheriting the throne is due to historical precedent.

Metaphorically, it was a safe investment.

In the end, the position of crown prince went to Medeb.

Because of his prior support, when Medeb ascends to the throne, Hamel would fall out of favor.

‘Zickhardt, too, was associated with that scoundrel Hamel and the Empire… wait, the Empire?’

Ian’s eyes widened.

Completely disparate elements connected into a massive possibility.

“Ian? Why are you suddenly like this? Is there a problem?”

“No. I was just thinking about something else.”

According to Zickhardt, Hamel and his trade company were connected with the Empire.

Moreover, Hamel had supported Prince Helios.

Even now, Hamel continued to express his ambition to pursue the succession battle.

‘The Empire manipulates Hamel, and Hamel supports Helios… doesn’t that mean the Empire is trying to influence the next king of Sonokin?’

Ian’s mind grew troubled.

If Medeb succeeded to the throne as planned, there would be no issue, but if anything were to change, and Helios ascended instead, the kingdom could be thrown into utter chaos.

“Anyway, even if there is a general amnesty, it is highly likely that Hamel will not be included. Medeb is very wise.”

“Well, that’s a relief.”

“The faction that strongly insisted on punishing Hamel this time was led by His Majesty Medeb as well. Without His Majesty’s intervention, he might not have received even half of the 30-year sentence.”

“I apologize if this question is out of line, Lumiere.”

“Please, feel free to ask.”

“Which noble is supporting His Majesty Medeb?”

Ian’s question surprised Lumiere a little, as it was unlike him.

Ian continued, “I’m curious since you mentioned a faction. You don’t have to tell me everything. Just one representative name would do.”

“Hmm.”

Lumiere pondered for a moment.

Discussing faction was naturally sensitive because a judge must always aim for neutrality.

“If I had to name one representative, it would likely be the head of the Drias Marquisate household.”

“You mean Marquis Hunka.”

“You know well.”

“I met him once before.”

Marquis Hunka is one of the Marquis of Sonokin and also Ophelia’s father.

Thanks to resolving the incident involving Ophelia’s magical rampage skillfully, Ian had formed a connection with Marquis Hunka.

Nominally, he was considered a benefactor of the family. Hence, if he desired, meeting him was possible.

“But why do you ask?”

“I have some concerns.”

“When you say concerns…”

“It’s still a hypothesis, so I’m hesitant to explain now. I’ll definitely tell you once I gather more clues.”

Lumiere nodded in understanding.

“Alright, then I will gather some information as well. Once the standard exams are over, I will invite you to the court.”

“Thank you.”

Having completed one task after the exams, Ian reflected.

‘Now I have a reason to meet with Lord Hunka.’

Ian quietly sipped his tea, planning his next steps.

* * *

All the standard exams had come to an end.

The first-year students only had to take common subject exams, so all exams were finished by the morning.

‘Surprisingly, it wasn’t that difficult.’

Though Ian had taken several spot tests, this was his first formal exam.

He navigated through the dense questions with ease.

Of course, not everyone performed as well as Ian.

Most students slumped their shoulders as they exited the exam hall.

Milo was no exception.

“I burned out completely…”

“Does that mean you did well or messed up?”

Ian asked, and Milo chose to remain silent. It was an answer in itself.

“You bombed it, huh?”

“It’s okay! Hahaha! There’s still the final exams! Hahahahaha!”

“Your overall GPA will be calculated by combining the midterms and finals. No matter how well you do in the finals, if you bombed the midterms, it won’t help much, would it?”

Milo wanted to give Ian a thump on the back of his head but refrained.

He always believed violence was the last refuge of incompetent men when they had nothing else to say.

The battle was far from over.

“In such a case, I’ll beat you in the mana measurement, Ian Oracle. Last time, it was nearly a 900-point difference, wasn’t it? Hehehe.”

“Oh, that?”

Ian thought about explaining how the situation had changed but chose not to.

That wouldn’t be fun at all.

Ian wanted to offer not just happiness but also a sense of drama.

That was the proper etiquette for a friend.

“Alright, give it your best shot.”