Margrave’s Bastard Son Was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 162

Romandro clicked his tongue, stealing a glance at the letter. ‘The name of the father, really,’ he thought. How foolish he had been to worry about opposition. Given Ian’s pragmatic nature, there was no way he would refuse. Ian finished the letter, properly sealing it with his signet ring.

‘Lord Romandro, I entrust this to you.’

‘Of course. Viviana’s carrier pigeon is quite reliable.’

‘And I have a proposal for you.’

‘What is it?’

Ian rested his chin on his clasped hands, smiling. He had everything as a minister, yet there was one thing lacking. To achieve perfect execution, he needed an aide to assist him.

‘Have you ever considered moving from the Administrative Department to the Magic Department?’

‘To the Magic Department? Me?’

‘Yes. Lord Romandro, you are well-versed in the workings of the Imperial Palace and have served in public office for a long time, so your work processing skills are excellent. I know this well, as I’ve seen it since the border.’

‘Oh, come now. If you say that, I, ha ha! Ah ha ha!’

‘Oh, he’s enjoying it. He’s weak to praise.’

Berik chuckled, and Romandro was about to retort but stopped himself. He didn’t want to interrupt the flow of the conversation.

He cleared his throat and straightened his tie. The most talked-about person in the Imperial Palace was praising him, and he didn’t know how to react.

‘First of all, I am truly grateful for your, uh, recognition of my abilities.’

‘It’s not recognition, it’s just my opinion.’

‘But I am not a mage.’

‘It doesn’t matter. An aide is just for convenience, and you don’t need to be a mage to be helpful to me, Lord Romandro.’

Romandro scratched his head, looking truly perplexed. Ian smiled at this and gave him the choice.

‘Of course, your opinion is important, Lord Romandro. A dispatched consultant has frequent business trips, which must be difficult. You’ll have a child soon, so you can’t always be wandering around.’

‘That’s true.’

‘The salary is also much higher.’

‘Well, uhm.’

‘And it will be safer by my side.’

At the unexpected words, Romandro’s eyes widened. What did that mean? He had mentioned something about thin ice breaking in the letter earlier, was that what he meant?

‘Think it over carefully and make a decision. The convenience and conditions will be set much better than before.’

The Administrative Department was a department that worked under the authority of the Emperor. But even within it, the influence of the princes was gradually seeping in. In Gale’s case, it was Molin and Chielonia. Marib must also have hidden forces. It wasn’t long ago that Romandro was drafted to the border under his orders.

‘If the princes clash, there will be divisions within the Administrative Department. If the Emperor also tries to hold his position, it will be uncontrollable.’

Now that he knew Marib was deeply involved in the Emperor’s health, it wasn’t an unreasonable assumption. Ian looked up at the puzzled Romandro and just nodded. Romandro, who had been carefully observing his expression, suddenly realized something and exclaimed.

‘I’ll do it!’

‘Yes?’

‘Suddenly?’

Berik, who had been listening quietly, also seemed surprised. He stopped chewing his gum and turned to look at Romandro.

‘Hanna told me. Ian, before you went to the desert, you told the servants to quit working at the mansion.’

‘Ah, yes, I did.’

‘Those who listened then all lived, and those who didn’t all died. Now that I see it, I have a hunch. It feels like I’ll die if I don’t listen to you.’

It was the intuition of someone who had lived through the storms of political intrigue his whole life. He had only hinted at it, but he had an uncanny sense of the situation. Even without knowing the true nature of the chaos.

‘That’s an overstatement.’

‘Where is there an overstatement when it comes to life? I have no intention of dying until my child becomes an adult.’

It seemed that having someone to be responsible for made him more careful about protecting himself. Either way, Ian nodded as if he was pleased.

‘Then, please apply for a transfer. I will make sure it is processed immediately. I look forward to your work in the future. As you can see, there’s just too much.’

At Ian’s words, Romandro looked around the office. Except for the chair he was sitting on and the sofa where Berik was lying, the room was filled with documents, leaving no space to step. The Magic Operations Department helped, but they were field workers, so they weren’t very detail-oriented.

Knock knock.

‘Come in.’

‘Lord Ian, a servant of Lord Marib has arrived.’

‘Ah, Lord Marib. Tell him I’ll be there soon.’

He had told him to come to his palace when the meeting was over. Ian looked up at the ceiling, as if annoyed. Rather than believing in Gale’s curse, it would be more beneficial for him to doubt the reliability of the Sildam potion. If he did, he would soon suspect and question him, which was a logical conclusion.

‘And about rescheduling the Magic Department’s schedule. The captains are asking what kind of training they should do.’

Ian changed his coat and pondered for a moment. Those who could be active in combat, such as attack magic users, were limited to the Magic Operations Department. Then what about the others?

‘Are there any mages who can open portals?’

‘Um, I don’t think so. It’s too advanced.’

‘What is a portal?’

‘It connects spaces.’

‘Isn’t it forbidden magic to defy the laws of nature?’

At Romandro’s question, Ian and the Magic Department employee exchanged glances. It was a silence of contemplation on how to explain it.

‘It is true that reversing and twisting space-time goes against the laws of nature. That’s why it’s forbidden magic. But a portal is, in a way, a kind of ‘road’.’

‘A road?’

‘It connects spaces and opens a path. But the further the distance, the more exponentially the magic power required to maintain it increases, and if the portal breaks in the middle, the target can be in danger, so it’s rarely attempted.’

Ian stopped giving further explanations, saying they would understand when they saw it. He then ordered them to proceed with portal training and left the room.

A carriage was waiting in front of the building. Perhaps because of Marib’s message to bring Ian quickly, the servant was fidgeting as he guided him.

‘I’ll hurry, Minister.’

‘Ian, Ian! Shall we go together?’

‘No, I’ll be back, so stay put.’

Ian gestured, stopping Berik who was running towards him. Marib, who had been defeated by Gale, must be furious. He didn’t want to bring him along and risk any trouble. The carriage left the Magic Department’s garden, saying they couldn’t delay any longer, and Ian closed the window curtain.

Shhh!

* * *

At sunset, Marib’s palace was, as always, bathed in a deep crimson glow. Unlike the warm colors, the atmosphere was somehow cold and precarious. Ian realized that the servant guiding him was even holding his breath.

‘There must have been a commotion.’

It was a mess. Marib must have thought he could get rid of Gale from the palace today. But he had survived and even dared to mention ‘merchandise’ to him. He could imagine how he felt. And how Marib had vented his anger on his servants.

A quiet signal, like an ant crawling, announced Ian’s arrival.

‘Lord Marib, Minister Ian Hielo has arrived.’

‘…Let him in.’

Creak.

The door opened, and Marib, with his hair disheveled, turned to look at Ian. He was a raw, unrefined figure, devoid of any princely dignity.

The state of the room was even worse. All the glass ornaments were shattered, and the servants were prostrate, enduring their master’s wrath. Their clothes were torn, and their skin was bruised.

‘Lord Ian, please sit down.’

‘Your Highness, are you alright?’

‘Sit, sit.’

He smiled and pointed to the sofa. Marib tied his hair up in a single knot and leaned back on the opposite side. His eyes narrowed thinly, and though he was clearly smiling, no emotion could be felt.

‘At the meeting, I was the one who had to make the apologetic remarks.’

‘No, Your Highness, I was also surprised.’

‘You can understand me, right? Gale’s trickery is obvious, yet the Sildam potion I expected failed to detect it.’

Ian sat up straight and looked only ahead. He had realized that no matter what answer he gave now, he could not satisfy his desires. Now, yes. Now.

‘There was no problem with the potion, so I was able to prove it by drinking it myself. If you wish, I can bring a new potion now and prove it.’

‘Hahaha! Haha!’

Marib burst into laughter. It was a clear, ringing sound, but the prostrate servants trembled even more in fear.

‘Lord Ian. I trust you. There must be no problem with the potion. But Gale clearly evaded the effects of the Sildam potion, didn’t he?’

There was a contradiction. He said he trusted Ian, but the fact that Gale had evaded the effects of the Sildam potion meant that he believed Ian was involved.

‘I will investigate that matter again.’

‘No. There’s no need. Gale has already been recognized for his curse, and he evaded the Sildam potion. How can we use a net with a hole in it again?’

He was saying that he would not trust the Sildam potion in the future. But there was no change in Ian’s expression. It was time for him to slowly reveal what he wanted, and he was waiting to hear it.

‘Therefore, I will use something else to test your sincerity.’

‘Your sincerity?’

Ah. Ian chuckled inwardly. He was reminded of the humiliation Marib had suffered at the meeting. He had called his subordinates to prove the reliability of the Sildam potion, but no one had come forward. It must have been quite embarrassing in front of Gale.

‘Give your orders.’

‘Minister Ian Hielo. You are the head of the current Magic Department and have been appointed by His Majesty the Emperor as the chief of the situation.’

‘That is correct.’

‘Therefore, resolve Gale’s curse as soon as possible. It doesn’t matter whether it’s real or fake.’

Marib did not believe in Gale’s curse. So, he didn’t care whether it was truly resolved or not. Ian was the same, but if Marib said so, he could guess what orders would follow.

‘Ah. He’s finally showing his teeth.’

‘The process of lifting the curse will be quite dangerous and complex. Even if Gale dies as a result of that process, who would mourn him?’

‘Lord Marib.’

‘They would be sorry. But if the one who used the existence of Bariel as a shackle dies, everyone will surely be relieved.’

Kill Gale.

In any way, announce that the curse has been lifted and get rid of Gale. Then he would not doubt his loyalty regarding the Sildam potion.

That was what Marib was saying.

‘Lord Marib. But if the curse is real, what will you do about the aftermath? Not only Bariel but also you will have problems.’

‘No. Absolutely, I don’t believe it. Wesley cast such a curse while dying of a love affair? And it works to Gale’s advantage?’

Marib slowly lowered his head to Ian. And he warned him, grinding his teeth. His belief was wavering, so it would be better to quickly hold on to it.

‘You better clean up well, Ian. Just because you have it in your hand doesn’t mean it’s all yours. Who made you like this?’

He seemed to think he had made him, but he was clearly wrong. Perhaps he would never know until he died.