Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 108

Wesley sat with her legs crossed, staring at the ceiling.

In the high dome, hundreds of spirits moved, emitting light. Combined with the dark background, it looked like a small universe. She stroked her long nails and called for her aide.

“Bareto.”

“Yes, Lady Wesley.”

“Why don’t you put those reports away?”

Despite her words, the aide stood still, holding the documents. Instead, with an expression as if he had heard an amusing joke, he approached her.

“Weren’t you waiting for them?”

Superficially, it was a report on inviting necromancers from various countries to conduct various academic experiments. It also included the aim of creating a peaceful negotiation table, as countries with developed necromancy were not on good terms with each other.

“The sorcerers are quite funny. When they’re in their home countries, they’re eager to kill each other, but when they’re gathered together, the research results steadily increase.”

“This is the Great Bariel Empire. They know that causing a disturbance in a place that creates peace would be a problem.”

Wesley muttered indifferently, flipping through the report carelessly.

“Besides, aren’t they the kind of people who would sell their souls for academic exploration? They must be quite happy gathering among themselves.”

She said that, pointing to the title of the report with her finger. It was the research section on necromancy. The results of necromancy performed on plants, dead animals, and live animals were densely described. It spanned hundreds of pages.

The aide, who had been watching quietly, added an explanation.

“Necromancy also has its strengths and weaknesses depending on the race, so if cooperation is achieved, it seems that a higher level of magic can be created. It doesn’t seem like it will take long, should we submit an official report to the general assembly?”

“Yes. The old folks must be getting curious.”

It was, after all, an official project conducted by the Magic Department. When Wesley stamped her seal, meaning she approved, another document was placed on the desk.

“Additionally, here are the research results on living subjects.”

Clatter.

It was a document treated as a top secret even within the Magic Department. It was Wesley’s personal matter, after all. She moved the seal aside and reverently flipped through the documents one by one. Disappointment filled Wesley’s eyes as she quickly read through the sentences.

Thud!

“Why is it no different from a few years ago?”

“I apologize. There is a clear difference between the dead and the living, and the spell formula goes awry the moment the magic is applied.”

“Isn’t that what I’m pouring money into to figure out?”

As Wesley threw the report down in annoyance, the aide cautiously suggested. Instead of pouring water into a bottomless pit, it might be better to change the pit itself.

“Lady Wesley. How about delving more into mind control magic than necromancy? Even if it’s His Highness Gail, he wouldn’t have received the full blessing of the Imperial Palace. He is the son of a concubine, not the empress.”

“Bareto! Realize what you have just said.”

The blessing of the Imperial Palace. It was a mysterious power that originated from the founding of Bariel. It was recorded in the founding myth, and there were historical accounts of those who had actually shown its effects.

‘Those who carry on the glory of the Imperial Family are immune to mind control through magic.’

It was a blessing given to Bariel by the gods to prevent the fate of the nation from being swayed by magical manipulations. There were many interpretations of the phrase ‘glory of the Imperial Family,’ but most considered it to refer to the Emperor and the Imperial Family.

“And do you not know Gail?”

“I apologize.”

Wesley knew. She was in love with Gail, but the depth of their feelings was quite different. She had felt very acutely that Gail did not think of her as much as she believed in, followed, and loved him.

Wesley’s sharp intuition had once said this:

‘If Gail ascends the throne, will he really marry me?’

“He’s a meticulous man who doesn’t even take off the mana sealing stone from his body in the bedroom. He must have put up a shield to avoid mind control magic in a different way.”

Not only Gail, but also Marib, and even the aging Emperor would be immune to mind control magic.

That’s why she had searched for roundabout methods and eventually reached necromancy. It was very similar to mind control, but in a way, it could be seen as more suitable for a blind relationship.

“Anyway, stop talking nonsense and push the sorcerers harder. The big event is approaching, but there’s no progress at all.”

“I will correct myself.”

“If I tell them to cough up money, they’ll come to their senses and work harder. Tsk. Pathetic things.”

Wesley took out a cigarette to soothe her frustrated heart. Then, the spirits floating in the ceiling approached and created a small spark.

“Hoo.”

She gently stroked the spirit as if to thank it and turned her head. She felt ridiculous for trying so hard to hold onto Gail, and she hated Gail for making her this way.

“Where is Gail?”

“I will contact him.”

“…No. It’s okay.”

Unless she contacted him first, he rarely called her. Wesley tapped the cigarette ash into the ashtray and casually flipped through the remaining reports.

“By the way, this guy named Ian.”

“Yes, Lady Wesley.”

“He’ll be arriving in the center soon, right?”

“Since his attendance at the New Year’s party is confirmed, yes.”

“To come up here from Bratz, wouldn’t he pass through the Karenna region?”

Karenna. It was where the people of Astana, who had refused her experiment proposal and fled, had hidden. Since necromancers were inherently dark and sinister, they had all readily accepted her proposal and had been conducting research, but they alone had opposed her to the end.

So, she had made it impossible for them to return to their hometown.

“The King of Astana is also pathetic. To believe that they secretly defected.”

“There was a major earthquake at the time, so they probably didn’t have the time to pay attention.”

Wesley chewed on her cigarette, recalling the events of a few years ago. It was a hazy memory, but because of the commotion, it still remained.

‘Gail is so perceptive. If he hears that I’m researching on living people, he’ll definitely suspect it.’

So, what could she do?

She had to kill them. Kill them to silence them forever, and dispose of them so that the secret wouldn’t leak out. The aide continued to pile up documents, waking his superior from her thoughts.

“Lady Wesley. And here is the next report.”

“Ah, really, it’s ruining the taste of my cigarette.”

“It can’t be helped. With the New Year’s party approaching, there are many things to approve. This is about the Sildam potion, and this is the Magic Department’s internal meeting report on Ian.”

“Where do they want to take him?”

“The atmosphere is that everyone is reluctant.”

“Yes. It’s obvious that he’s Marib’s leash, so it’s going to be difficult.”

Within the Magic Department, there were many sub-departments. It was a priority to test whether Ian was truly a mana user, but…

“For now, tell them to prepare to accept a new recruit. I don’t know how long it’s been.”

Wesley laughed self-deprecatingly and closed the document. At the same time, the spirits flying in the ceiling also withdrew their light and slowly seeped into the darkness.

* * *

“Huh. You’re saying they were all killed? By Wesley?”

Beric, who had become engrossed, leaned his upper body over the table. Hasha tapped the floor with his tail, replying irritably.

-It wasn’t Wesley, but her subordinates who came and turned everything upside down!

At first, the necromancers who had some acquaintance with them tried to persuade Grandma and Hasha. They said how much money they would give, that the status and authority of necromancers would increase as research progressed, and that such money would be a great help to poor Astana.

The main reason was to get in line with Wesley, who was at the center of power in the Great Bariel Empire.

-Grandma eventually paid the price for refusing, and I paid the price for going against the truth.

‘This guy is still young?’

‘Kid, would you like to come with us?’

‘There aren’t any children among the test subjects yet, right? Should we try necromancy on him? To see if it works well.’

Beric, who had been listening quietly, rummaged through his pocket. Ian looked at him, wondering what it was. It was a piece of bread he had scraped from the warehouse. Beric clicked his tongue and threw the food to Hasha.

Thud!

“You poor mutt. Eat and get some strength.”

-How dare you treat me like a dog!

Arf! As Hasha snapped again, Beric glared at him with a dumbfounded expression. No matter how he thought about it, the two seemed to have the characteristics of water and oil.

Ian broke off pieces of bread and handed them to Hasha.

“Aren’t you hungry?”

“This, this little thing doesn’t know gratitude, doesn’t know manners, doesn’t know anything? Crazy.”

“Beric. It’s truly amazing that you’re talking about manners.”

“Hey! I’m still a human!”

As the bread pieces came closer, Hasha’s nostrils flared. He had been running around the mountains and fields, picking up and eating various things, but it was unlikely to suit Hasha’s taste as a human. When Ian gestured that it was okay, he swallowed it in one gulp without hesitation.

“Was this dog a pet?”

-Yes. The only living thing in the house that day was ‘Rookie,’ but the spell went wrong and it turned out like this. Fortunately, the sorcerers thought I had died without receiving the power. I disappeared into a well with something unknown.

They had killed all those who were with the foreigners from Astana. Since they had caused the incident, it was natural that they would come to investigate. Ian lightly clicked his tongue at the Magic Department’s actions, which were more serious than he had thought.

-My body, which was affected by necromancy, became undead. From the day I dug myself out of the grave, I kept guarding it, but one day I met some bandits in the forest. From then on, my body started moving on its own, regardless of my will.

No matter how much he barked and tugged at their pants, it was futile. It was literally the result of a taboo, so no speculation was allowed. Ian frowned and asked again.

“Did those guys intentionally take your body?”

-I don’t think so. They were also confused at first. If they were discovered in the village, the guards would come. So, they killed me twice.

Hasha’s testimony contained no emotion. He had watched as fists flew at his dead body and swords were stabbed into it.

-After realizing that my body wouldn’t die even if they killed it, they took the corpse. After some time, they somehow figured out how to use the spell through my body. Every time an undead was created, I opened my inner eye.

That’s how he was able to see the situation through the undead that came to the inn. It was more complicated than he thought, and the situation was difficult. Hasha burrowed into Ian’s side with his moist, blunt snout.

-So, I need someone to dispose of my body.

That was why he had spoken to Beric while watching from the forest. Judging by the long line of carriages, they didn’t seem like ordinary people. He also knew that bandits were targeting Ian’s carriage not far away.

-I hope you can help me.

Hasha asked with a determined voice. Beric, who was listening to it, nonchalantly put a piece of bread in his mouth.

“Geez, it seems like I’m the one who’s going to do the work, but look at how I’m being treated.”

Ian smiled faintly and stroked the dog’s head. It was more accurate to say that their interests aligned rather than helping each other.

“Then you know where the bandits are now?”

Hasha needed to find his body, and Ian needed to find his carriage. Besides, wasn’t he the only survivor who had experienced Wesley’s atrocities?

The dog flared his nostrils again and nodded his head.

-Of course. I have a dog’s nose now.