Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 14

Seventeen-year-old Berric was a bit of an oddball. Perhaps it was because his temperament was as fiery as his red hair, but his fellow trainees didn’t like him. It had been that way since he first arrived.

When the drill sergeant tried to subdue him, he fought back until his arms and legs were broken, never giving in. In the end, he was knocked out cold.

‘A guy who can’t win but won’t give up.’

That’s what all the trainees called him behind his back.

‘Break time.’

‘Haaah.’

‘Move to the shade.’

In the training grounds, where the hot sun was blazing, everyone was staggering as they moved at the instructor’s command for a break. No one helped Berric up.

Berric didn’t seem to expect it either, as he just closed his eyes and caught his breath. He would move on his own after a while.

‘Berric?’

Berric raised his eyes at the unfamiliar voice calling his name. Golden hair shone brightly, but that was all. His vision was blurry, and he couldn’t see well.

‘Can you get up?’

‘…Who are you?’

‘Ian.’

‘Get lost.’

He knew that Count Bratz had an illegitimate son. But he didn’t know that the young boy in front of him was that very person.

Berric wasn’t interested. It had already been half a year since they started training together, and he didn’t even know the names of his bunkmates. There was no way he would know about the kid who had come to the mansion a month ago and lived like a walking corpse.

‘He’s got a nasty personality.’

On the other hand, Ian was looking down at him, thinking quietly. No matter how he looked at it, he fit the characteristics of a magic swordsman.

It might be a prejudice, but for some reason, all the magic swordsmen he had seen had personalities like that. They were always restless and causing trouble, as if they had to cut down anything they could.

‘Your attitude is quite insolent.’

‘Ah…’

Ian poured water on his face and scolded him. Berric just opened his mouth, his eyes closed, as if he felt refreshed.

Ian glanced back. Chell, Theo, and the other trainees were watching him with puzzled expressions from the shade. They had no idea what the illegitimate son was trying to do.

‘Should I test him out?’

Ian turned his back to them and squatted down. Then, pretending to give him water, he grabbed Berric’s chin. His magic flowed through his fingertips as they touched.

‘…’

Berric’s face, which had been frowning, gradually relaxed. How should he put it? It felt like the lump of blood that had been filling his entire body was slowly melting away.

Just a little more, just a little more….

Perhaps thinking it was the liberation that water gave, he was about to lick up even what had spilled on the ground. Ian scattered the rest and stood up.

‘That’s it.’

Ordinary people cannot receive pure magic. It’s because of the difference in the density of the vessel that holds the power. Magic users have a solid vessel that doesn’t leak magic, but ordinary people are like having holes all over, unable to contain it.

That was why healing and illusion magic were valued. Ordinary attack magic just needed to be poured out at once to break the vessel, no matter who the target was. But healing and illusion, which transformed magic so that the target could receive it, were high-level techniques.

Anyway, what about Berric?

Not only did he receive the magic well, but his reaction was immediate. Even though it was a very faint power, he was desperate, like a newborn baby looking for its mother’s milk.

‘He’s got potential.’

It was an unexpected gain. He never thought there would be a seed of a magic swordsman in a place like this.

Ian released his magic and headed towards Chell and Theo. Chell was sweating profusely and already looked exhausted. He hadn’t done anything, just stood there.

‘Brother, let’s stop here for today and go back.’

It was the words he had been waiting for. Chell’s face brightened and flushed.

‘S-should we?’

‘And starting tomorrow, you can train with me.’

His face darkened again, as if he had been thrown back into the mud. Was it because he was still a child? He didn’t know how his emotions could be so obvious on his face.

‘As the next Count, you should do that.’

Ian added with a bright smile. Still, Berric was lying on the training ground floor, feeling the aftereffects of the magic.

* * *

‘You’re going to the training grounds with Chell?’

Derga asked again. It was just when he had finished perfectly organizing all the words contained in the magic stone brooch. He had clearly called him in when the sun was up, but outside, the sky was already full of stars.

Ian cleared his throat, which had gone hoarse from talking all day.

‘Yes. It’s right in front of the back gate of the mansion, but since we have to go out the gate, I’m asking for Father’s permission.’

Derga took out the magic stone from the glass container and wiped it with a dry cloth. His expression seemed indifferent, or perhaps it was suspicious.

‘There are no other intentions. As I said, just going outside drains a lot of my energy. If both of the family’s young masters are like this, we will be despised by the Chunrye tribe, and more importantly, I don’t think we’ll be able to endure when crossing the Four Seas.’

It was a reasonable point. Derga pushed the pile of documents aside and threw out a word. His tone was very arrogant, as if he was testing him.

‘If you go out often, you’ll get carried away.’

How could he know if you might have other intentions? He was already uneasy about him going to see Molin periodically, but he didn’t like giving him more opportunities.

Ian took out a letter from his pocket.

‘This is the reply to the pouch you gave me earlier.’

A letter to Ian’s mother. He used it as an answer. As long as his mother was there, he wouldn’t do anything foolish, and Derga knew that better than anyone.

Derga slightly unfolded the neatly folded paper.

‘Please add that my writing is still immature to my mother.’

That much was fine. Derga had already heard from the butler that the tutor had written the reply during class.

Rustle.

He unfolded the letter. The handwriting was messy, but the affection within was clear.

-Mother. Don’t worry. I’m doing well here. The Count, the Countess, and the young masters are all taking good care of me. I will definitely find what you asked for. I hope you are safe until the day I return. I send my longing with a short song. When the moon falls from the sky, the sun will rise. There is no eternal darkness.

The last line seemed to be a code between mother and son.

Derga stroked his beard, seeing the sentence where Ian had vowed to bring back the guruts leaf. It was an action to hide the subtle smile that was rising.

‘What did your mother ask for?’

‘Father… didn’t you see the pouch?’

It was a question asked as a test, but an unexpected answer came back.

Derga raised his head and looked at Ian’s face. It was unusually sharp, and it was clear that he was worried about his mother’s message to keep it a secret from Derga. An unmistakable smile spread across Derga’s lips.

‘Do I look that free to you?’

‘…No. I don’t know, but it’s a hair ornament that the Chunrye women mainly use.’

But all of this was also part of Ian’s calculation.

In a situation where he had to hide his mother’s request, he was acting as if he doubted whether Derga had checked the letter. He even lowered his eyes and voice on purpose, as if he was wary….

Ah. He couldn’t do it. Acting was really not his thing, and he didn’t even have the talent for it.

And how foolish was Derga to be so easily fooled by Ian?

‘If you allow it, I will go to the training grounds starting tomorrow.’

Ian tried to change the subject. He had already pestered Chell to get Derga’s permission, but he wanted to make sure it was settled.

Derga stroked his beard and nodded.

‘Don’t even think about harming Chell under the guise of training. If you do, Theo will cut your throat on the spot.’

He was casually saying terrible things to a child. Ian nodded and bowed. He didn’t forget to say thank you.

‘Oh, and when are you meeting Sir Molin again?’

‘The day after tomorrow.’

He would go out to meet them again the day after tomorrow.

At Ian’s words, Derga frowned as if he was thinking about something. Perhaps because of the Countess’s opposition, he wouldn’t be able to bring Chell with him that time.

‘I understand.’

Derga waved his hand, telling him to go. Even as he turned around, Ian didn’t forget to look at his desk.

There must be something related to taxes among those things….

Click.

Ian stood in the dark hallway and thought of Molin. What was Ian’s value to them?

He didn’t know the details, but it seemed clear that they were trying to bring Derga down. Even the fact that they were putting Ian forward instead of Chell was roughly the same.

‘Then the tax issue is the most likely. They also suspect Derga of tax evasion.’

But it was also dangerous. Tax evasion against the Imperial Palace was a serious crime. If he was unlucky, everyone with the Bratz surname could be executed on charges of treason.

If Ian didn’t register… he would be punished by being reduced to a slave.

‘Whatever it is, it’s dangerous.’

If the Bratz surname disappeared, the family would also disappear, and Ian’s value would also disappear. It meant that his future survival was at risk.

A tightrope walk with his life on the line.

Derga was trying to sell Ian to the desert, and Molin was trying to devour Bratz. He had to keep his wits about him between the two.

‘But looking at it, it seems like they’ve planted eyes and ears in the mansion. Especially about the letter, they seemed to know for sure.’

‘Sir Ian?’

A servant called him, holding a lantern. It was a call to return to his bedroom. Ian followed him down the hallway. Perhaps because it was the highest point of the mansion, he could still see the flickering lights of the training grounds through the window.

‘Everyone is working hard until late.’

At Ian’s warm murmur, the servant who was walking ahead smiled slightly. Wasn’t Ian the one who had been held in Derga’s office all day and had the hardest time? The servant felt a sense of familiarity with the boy who gave him clean food every day in the dining hall.

‘I have prepared workout clothes in your bedroom separately.’

‘Okay. Thank you.’

‘Have a peaceful night, Sir Ian.’

Meanwhile, in the training grounds, men whose bodies were still burning were wielding swords and spears, and the most noticeable among them was Berric with his red hair.

‘Did that bastard eat something wrong today?’

‘I know. He’s full of energy.’

‘He was dying just in the daytime.’

Berric was someone whose energy would fade away like a candle when the sun went down. But for some reason, even after everyone had returned to their quarters, he didn’t stop swinging his sword.

Swoosh!

Clang!

Berric cut off the scarecrow’s head with all his might. It was the first time he felt like the sword was moving as he wanted. His rough breaths were filled with joy and pleasure.

‘Haha… this is it, you bastard.’

What was it? Was it the result of training finally showing? Or was it because he had been collapsing all day? He didn’t know why the golden-haired boy under the sunlight came to mind, but Berric grabbed his sword again.