Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 141

“Minister Wesley went on a business trip?”

“Yeah. I heard she hasn’t been seen for a few days.”

“Commander Hiel doesn’t usually see Minister Wesley anyway.”

“What’s there to see often?”

Commander Hiel replied indifferently, but Ian couldn’t believe the words ‘business trip.’ Given the timing, she wouldn’t leave the palace so carelessly.

‘The reason it’s been quiet for the past few days is because of that. Gale must be holding her back after confirming the forbidden necromancy, or maybe…’

Escape? Or maybe she went directly to Karenna. To clean up the undead. There was no way to know what Gale was doing, so only assumptions kept popping up in his head.

“So, I’m going to attend today’s personnel meeting in place of Minister Wesley. Everyone, go home early.”

When Wesley was away, her aide would take her place, but this time, the aide had also left, so the heads of each department had to gather. Nakina gathered the documents and asked,

“Is the head of the Magic Support Department not going?”

“All the department heads are going together. We have to sit there without any speaking rights, though.”

It was a kind of courtesy. Since they were all part of the Magic Department, they gathered to show some sincerity at the personnel meeting.

“Then, we should go too.”

“The Magic Support Department guys will follow if their head goes, right? We can’t leave Commander Hiel standing there alone!”

“Go home, you guys.”

“I’m fine. What about you, Nakina?”

“I don’t have anything to do either?”

Tommy and Nakina slowly turned to Ian. It was a look asking what the youngest would do since the commander and all the senior members were going. Ian smiled brightly and nodded.

“I’m also fine with that.”

“Did only his mouth smile?”

“No, his eyes smiled too.”

“Kid, when else would you see a personnel meeting like this? The atmosphere there is quite fun?”

Why wouldn’t Ian know? It was the first step in politics for the year, the starting point for setting the course. The ones who succeeded in solidifying their nominations would be like they were at a festival, and for those who would be fighting tooth and nail at the meeting, it would be no different from a battlefield.

‘Normally, the Magic Department would just be a formality, but…’

This time, it would be different.

And it had to be different.

Because there was bait thrown to Marib.

“Then, let’s hurry. Let’s start heading out.”

Hiel stubbed out his cigarette and checked his watch. It was time for all those who had staked their lives on the meeting to head to the conference hall.

* * *

“Minister! This way!”

“Oh, isn’t that the next Minister of Internal Affairs?”

“Haha, what are you saying? I’m embarrassed.”

“About that painting you showed me last time, a friend of mine…”

“It’s been a while. Why is it so hard to see your face?”

“How much time does that person have left until retirement?”

“Ah, shush. Be careful. I heard they spent a lot of money to get Chilio into the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.”

The front of the conference hall was full of carriages. Although less than half of them would be able to attend the conference hall, everyone was either seeing off their superiors for the last time or waiting to congratulate them as they left the conference hall.

“Ian!”

“Ah, Lord Romandro.”

Romandro was the same. As he belonged to the administrative department, he was wandering around the lobby of the conference hall, getting pushed around by people. He glanced around and whispered.

“Still no contact from Beric?”

“If there was contact, Lord Romandro would have known first.”

“Oh, I’m going crazy. Where the hell is that guy and what is he doing? I haven’t heard from him yet! I hope nothing happened to him?”

He had run out at dawn and hadn’t contacted them for almost a week. They had released dogs to find him, and now they had to release people to find the dogs. Ian patted Romandro’s shoulder and muttered.

“He’s not someone who would die somewhere, and he’s definitely not someone who would run away from home.”

“Well, yeah, he’ll come back to eat his pork. The problem is when. If I had known this would happen, I would have set a specific time. I forgot that Beric only understands one thing at a time.”

Fortunately, there was no news of any incidents happening anywhere in the center. If Beric had swung his black sword even once, there would have been a major incident.

Tap tap!

It was then. A huge carriage entered the front of the conference hall building. The flag of Bariel proudly displayed its dignity.

“It’s His Majesty the Emperor.”

“His Majesty the Emperor is arriving!”

“Everyone, clear the way!”

“Bow your heads!”

The Emperor slowly ascended the stairs on his own two feet, though he was staggering. Ian, Romandro, and all those who received a salary bowed their heads in respect. Following behind him were the two princes, Marib and Gale.

Swoosh.

The two passed by, looking down at the back of Ian’s head. Their faces were not visible, but their gazes were intensely intertwined.

Thud!

As the three royals entered the conference hall, the lobby regained its chaos. With the Emperor and the princes inside, the meeting would begin soon.

Some prayed earnestly with their hands clasped together, while others boasted loudly as if they had already been appointed. The subordinates were also divided by rank depending on the status of their superiors, making it another fierce political arena.

“…?”

Buzz!

It was then. Ian, Nakina, and Tommy simultaneously looked north. Not only them. The other magicians from other departments who had sent their leaders inside also flinched at the same time.

“What was that just now?”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“Tommy, Nakina, did you feel it?”

“Yeah. You too, kid?”

“Hey, I wasn’t the only one who felt it, right?”

“That’s strange, if it’s north from here…”

“No, what is it? Ian, tell me too.”

“Lord Romandro. Just stay close to me for now.”

The magicians continued to be on high alert, but the non-magicians had no idea. Silence in the midst of chaos. Romandro, who didn’t know what was going on, just kept looking around and stuck close to Ian.

Boom!

At that moment, a loud explosion was heard. Something exploded from where the ominous magical energy was felt. Only then did the others stop and look up at the sky. Black clouds of smoke rising darkly. It was a scene that was not seen in the imperial palace, so everyone seemed to have trouble grasping the reality.

“…Fire?”

That couldn’t be.

There was never a fire in the imperial palace due to the control of the Magic Department. Maybe if some research department had accidentally blown something up, but all the key personnel in the imperial palace were gathered here in the conference hall lobby. What kind of research could they do without them?

“What is that?”

“It would be best to call the Imperial Guard.”

“Wait a minute, let’s wait.”

The Imperial Guard was solely under the Emperor’s authority, so it was not on the agenda of the personnel meeting. Someone went to call the head of the guard, and soon, Jerritt, one of the three heads, appeared with his subordinates. Among them was Barsabe, though he was a low-ranking member.

“Th-the smoke seems to be getting closer.”

“Everyone, move to your posts and assess the situation.”

“Yes, Commander.”

It wasn’t just a feeling. Something with powerful magic was approaching this way. Jerritt asked the magicians,

“Have all the commanders entered the conference hall?”

“Yes, they have.”

“Everyone, just in case, please put up a barrier.”

“Hey, everyone, don’t dawdle and gather! We’re going to draw a magic circle!”

“Who are you to tell us what to do? Magic Support Department, gather over here! We’ll draw a magic circle around us!”

“Those crazy bastards, seriously.”

Even at times like this, they were fighting over their positions. Nakina was so angry that she raised her middle finger, but Tommy covered it with his palm. As even the magicians moved, the other department members panicked and became flustered.

“Shouldn’t we stop the meeting?”

“Are you kidding? Who do you think you are?”

“His Majesty the Emperor is inside, what if something happens? Can you take responsibility?”

“We all know that your line is going to be ousted this time. Don’t try to use this as an excuse to stop the meeting.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Take a good look! Those who are trying to stop the meeting here, you probably won’t see them in the palace this year! Hahaha!”

“That’s not our intention!”

Once a year, the most important meeting that lays the foundation for politics. Those who were being ousted would try to stop the meeting at all costs, postpone it, or seek a chance in the future. So, those who were being newly appointed could not stop, no matter who died.

“I will not tolerate any more disturbances. Everyone, be quiet and cooperate. The Magic Department will set up a defense, so wait here for now.”

Jerritt spoke with dignity, and everyone calmed down a bit. Unlike the Magic Support Department, who were drawing magic circles on the floor, Tommy and Nakina slowly loosened their arms and legs, looking up at the black smoke.

“What’s in the north? Could something have gone wrong in the Monster Research Department?”

“That’s north based on the Magic Department’s main building. Not from here. Hmm. If you go straight this way… it’s the Administrative Department, the Support Department, the Grand Garden, and then His Highness Gale’s residence.”

“Is the Support Department the closest?”

Buzz. Buzz.

Tommy and Nakina’s eyes glowed gold. They lowered their bodies and lightly rubbed their Achilles tendons and ankle bones. Following their gestures, magic welled up, filling their feet.

“Kid, you stay here and watch carefully.”

“We’ll go take a look.”

Whoosh!

Whoosh!

With a tremendous gust of wind, the two soared into the sky. It was as if they were flying on invisible strings.

Romandro stared at them with his mouth wide open, and Ian blocked the wind with his arm. The streaks of magic light couldn’t keep up with the speed, leaving afterimages. Like a monochrome rainbow.

“Oh, so, they can fly. Magicians can fly in the sky.”

“Haven’t you seen the Magic Operations Department fight in battles?”

“…Ian, those who have seen that are all dead.”

“Ah. That’s right.”

The battles they were deployed in were when the odds were tilted towards the enemy. They were the ones who were deployed to turn the tide back to their allies with the power of magic, something that was impossible without divine power. That was the Magic Operations Department.

‘If Gale’s palace is over there-‘

Ian could easily recognize what the black smoke containing magic was.

‘Is it Wesley?’

He didn’t know what had happened, but if it was Wesley, he had to be on high alert. She was a great magician who had risen to the position of the youngest court count.

Ian approached the magicians and glanced at the floor.

“Don’t get in the way. Noble sir.”

“The formula has been reversed. If you do this on the field, you’ll all die. Senior sir.”

“…What?”

“Ah, that’s right, hey! Who wrote this here?”

“And here and here, it’s more effective to write in Bariel language, not Aleha. Who’s in charge of this when the magic circle is activated?”

“I was going to do it?”

“Then you rewrite it. The formula is like this.”

Ian naturally slipped in among them and began to correct the magic circle. It was a long magic circle that stretched from one end of the wide lobby entrance to the other. While the magicians were all on the ground designing the barrier.

“Get out of the way! We have to stop the meeting right now!”

“Who do you think you are? Oh, this, this is the last struggle. Head of the Imperial Guard, arrest these people for treason!”

“Tell them inside right now!”

“Absolutely not! Not before the seal is stamped inside!”

Those who were trying to stop the meeting and those who were trying to protect it were tangled together at the entrance, fighting physically. Ian clicked his tongue and looked up at the sky, and soon he could see Tommy and Nakina standing blankly in the air.

Whoosh!

Ian shot magic into the air. As if signaling them to tell him what they saw. But the two were blank, as if they had lost their minds after seeing the reality of the smoke.