Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 119

When the flower petals announcing the start of the New Year’s party covered all of Bariel, Barsabe returned to the Imperial Palace, covered in blood. The small mansion in the city center, where her father was no longer, had lost its meaning, so now her only residence was the lodging prepared for the soldiers next to the training grounds.

Clang!

“Barsabe, good heavens!”

“It’s noisy. Be quiet.”

“Did you get into some kind of accident?”

“No. Mind your own business.”

Barsabe threw off her tattered clothes and found her uniform. The tattoo of the Imperial Guard on her left shoulder. Her body was covered in heat rash from misusing her magic, but the area around the tattoo was clear and intact.

“I don’t have gloves. Lend me some.”

“Uniform? Why are you suddenly taking out your uniform? The New Year’s party hasn’t started yet. The flower petal signal has gone off, but…”

She didn’t know what Ian’s intentions were, but there was only one thing she could do now.

To play along with him.

He said he would hand over her father’s belongings if she came formally dressed, so she had no choice. With her father’s body not even recovered, it was truly the last trace of him.

“You, don’t tell me you went to see that Ian guy?”

“I did. And I came back all beat up.”

At her answer, her colleague facepalmed. Petreio’s death was widely known within the Imperial Guard. Although he was a retired senior, Barsabe had joined the guard, continuing the family tradition, and since the members of the guard actively interacted with each other, it was natural for everyone to know.

Perhaps the exact moment was when Molin returned to the administration in a near-death state. It was said that Ian had cut off Molin’s arms and legs in the process of usurping the lordship.

Of course, those who gossiped often mentioned Erica, but Petreio’s name was also clearly included in that.

‘What about my father?’

‘I’m sorry, Barsabe. Petreio fulfilled his duty as a knight to protect me from Ian.’

‘Why? Surely, Lord Molin is an administrator of the Imperial Palace…’

‘It didn’t matter to that barbaric man from the border. Barsabe, when I was locked in the dungeon, I heard your father’s painful groans day and night.’

Barsabe frowned as she recalled her conversation with Molin. Molin had clearly said that Ian had killed her father painfully. But when she actually met him, he didn’t seem like that kind of person at all, which was the problem.

‘You shouldn’t judge a person by their appearance, but still, there’s a feeling…’

“Barsabe! Are you listening to me?”

The train of thought came to a sudden halt. Her colleague was holding her arm with a worried look. More precisely, her left shoulder where the tattoo was.

“If you cause an accident during the cleanup, you’ll be dismissed without warning. You know that, right? I understand how you feel, but that man is going to become a noble by the Emperor’s order. That means he’s not someone we can draw our swords against.”

In the Imperial Palace, except for Marib’s faction, everyone naturally disliked Ian. Even the direct guards, who were in a neutral position, had a negative first impression of Ian because of Petreio’s death.

“I know. But, I don’t have a father to scold me even if I get dismissed, do I?”

“Th-that’s not important! And how dare you attack a magic user? They say he’s a man who pacified the barbarians in the borderlands! Lord Molin and Erica’s central army were defeated like that, what were you thinking?”

The Imperial Palace was full of rumors. Those who heard of Ian’s exploits had different priorities depending on their own perspectives. The magic department focused on the fact that Ian was a magic user, and the direct guards focused on the fact that Ian had driven out the central army.

“Yeah. There’s a guard that Ian takes with him, a crazy guy. Is the food different in the borderlands? He’s just mindlessly strong.”

Barsabe muttered nonchalantly, but she was serious. The fact that she had unconsciously released her magic was proof of that. Even setting aside the tension of avenging her father, it was definitely a mistake.

‘I’ll let it slide for now. I’ll let it slide, and then I’ll see properly.’

Whether Ian was responsible for her father’s death or not. Since she had already faced him once, she would be able to engage in combat more calmly next time. It was the moment Barsabe picked up her uniform sword scabbard.

Wee-ing.

A noisy assembly order rang out from outside. It was a signal for all the knights in the lodging, except for those who were out, to put on their uniforms and come out.

Her colleague looked outside and then glanced back at Barsabe. The knights who had remained in the Imperial Palace were slowly entering their rooms.

“Take off your gloves.”

“Ah…”

“I only have one pair too.”

If she had known this would happen, she would have just grabbed her clothes and left. Barsabe frowned and put down the scabbard.

* * *

“Wow.”

Berik exclaimed as he looked around the ruined blacksmith. It was already a mess with dirty dust and ashes, but the floor was now charred black due to some kind of explosion. The blacksmith’s long beard also looked curled and properly singed.

“Sir! You didn’t say anything about this!”

“Calm down, and explain the situation.”

“No, how can you not tell me when you’re entrusting me with something like this? Even if it’s a special sword, it’s only worth one silver coin. It’s much cheaper than the compensation!”

It seemed that things were worse than expected. He had come just in case, and it was as he had feared. Ian kept adding that he should calm down, but the blacksmith did not lower his voice easily.

That was because the sword had exploded!

To be precise…

“I heated it, but the heat wouldn’t cool down.”

He had heated it to straighten the bent blade. He thought he had heated it enough, so he started hammering it, but the temperature wouldn’t go down over time. He was perplexed, so he quenched it, and then a huge heat burst out, making a mess of everything.

“Hehe, it’s my sword. It’s super sharp!”

“That, that thing almost blew us all away!”

Still, a craftsman is a craftsman. Even though that incident happened, he had finished it perfectly, albeit reluctantly. The client was at fault, but the sword was not. Berik quickly ran over, grabbed the sword, and swung it around. His eyes widened, and he smiled with satisfaction.

“It’s lighter now. This is crazy! The edge is straight too!”

“You need to give me compensation and hazard pay for this! Geez, how can you carry something like this around without knowing what it is? Excuse me, but did you perhaps pick it up?”

“Picked it up, wha-!”

“I’m sorry. It’s not something I picked up, it’s actually something my family secretly bestowed upon me. Please understand the situation.”

Romandro quickly covered Berik’s mouth, and Ian gestured for a check to be brought. It was a situation that was more than understandable.

“How much do you want?”

“You should give me one gold coin.”

“That’s too little for hazard pay. I heard from Mrs. Vivianna that you are the best blacksmith in the central region.”

Ian asked nonchalantly as he picked up a pen. The blacksmith’s eyebrows, which had been raised high, relaxed somewhat. The craftsmen of the rough blacksmiths were very proud. Ian’s praise seemed to have hit the mark quite well.

“I’ll give you two gold coins. Consider this compensation for a result that is better than expected.”

“Ahem. Well, if you put it that way, I’ll gratefully accept it. I’m glad that nothing was seriously damaged or broken.”

“I’m grateful that you say so. Berik. Do you like it?”

“Totally! I love it! It’s the best!”

Berik kept swinging the sword around as a test. Romandro clicked his tongue as he watched.

“Tsk tsk. That means there’s no dinner for you tonight, you rascal!”

“Huh? What are you saying? Ian said he’d buy me meat.”

“That, that! He’s a money-eating pig.”

Romandro whispered to Ian, but his voice was too loud. Berik, who had overheard, went wild and rushed at Romandro, and Ian calmly finished the calculation.

“Thank you for your hard work.”

“Yes. Next time, please entrust me with something normal. I’ll do a better job.”

“Berik! Stop bothering Romandro and come out.”

Squeak.

When they came outside, Vivianna, who had been waiting in the carriage, leaned out worriedly.

“What happened? Are you alright?”

“Yes, Madam. It’s nothing. It’s cold, so please stay inside. It would be best to finish up and go in today.”

Ian said that as he looked around again. He didn’t know if it was because he knew that the pursuer was Barsabe, or if it was just his imagination, but he could no longer feel any strange energy around him.

“Berik. It seems like it explodes when it gets hot, so handle it carefully. Okay? Don’t put it in a furnace or anything.”

Romandro separated Berik and urged him again and again. This was not the border where Ian was a powerful figure, but the central region. It was difficult to predict the consequences of a single incident.

“Am I a fool? Why would I put this in a furnace? You put food in a furnace!”

Ian glanced at the refined sword.

It was definitely not a normal sword. Whether it was made of magic stones, a dragon’s tooth, or even a meteorite fragment. There were too many possibilities, but it was definitely an unusual object.

“Berik. Swear that you will take good care of it. Otherwise, I will have no choice but to confiscate the sword for everyone’s safety.”

“Master? What are you talking about? We came all the way from Karenna without any problems. It’s fine as long as it doesn’t get hot. Really!”

It’s fine as long as it doesn’t get hot?

Ian’s gaze suddenly stopped at Berik’s red hair and eyes.

‘Come to think of it, magic is also a kind of heat and energy.’

What if he released magic through the sword?

It would be the same as applying heat.

“Berik, when you are holding the sword, you must not let your magic flow either.”

“Okay, okay. I’ll do as you say. I listen well, don’t I?”

It was a situation that was worth trying sometime, but not now. The place was not right, and there was no room to handle it if something went wrong.

“Ian. What are you thinking about?”

When Ian didn’t answer, Berik asked cautiously. Ian got into the carriage and jokingly threw out a joke. It wouldn’t feel like a joke to Berik at all.

“…I was calculating how many pounds of meat I could buy with two gold coins.”

“No, is this my fault?”

“You rascal, would this have happened if you hadn’t picked that up? And what were you thinking, saying you picked it up? Do you want to be investigated?”

Romandro also threw in a word and got into the carriage. Berik, who was feeling wronged, also hurried up the steps, and their noisy outing came to an end.

* * *

And finally.

Ian woke up earlier than usual and watched the sunrise. The luxurious uniform and new shoes were hanging on the wall. Everything, including the gloves and accessories, was perfectly set up. Mini, the servant, had finished preparing everything since dawn.

Knock knock.

“Sir Ian. Are you awake?”

“Yes. Just now.”

“There are many things to prepare. Please hurry up and change and come out.”

At Mini’s urging, Ian got out of bed. Today was a special day, and the day when the flower petals covering Bariel were in full bloom.

“Because today is the day to attend the New Year’s party.”

It was the day Ian would meet the Emperor of this era.

And the day he would establish a new family and stand as its head.