Margrave’s Bastard Son Was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 168

Ian felt as if time had stopped the moment he saw the blood on Gale’s hands. His approaching figure seemed to stretch out slowly, and all his senses felt blocked. But at the same time, his hair stood on end, and his brain felt like it was spinning rapidly.

‘Think.’

Gale had been attacked, and he would officially bring it up to Marib. Marib currently held the seal, and the Emperor’s safety couldn’t be confirmed.

Then…

‘The Emperor’s authority is practically in Marib’s hands. If Gale officially raises the issue of the assassin to such a person—’

‘Gale. You’re alive. I thought you were dead.’

Marib smiled, unable to hide his disappointment. Instead of answering, Gale stared at the Emperor’s seal, then strode forward. Blood dripped from his fingertips.

Ian grabbed Romandro’s arm and stepped back.

‘Lord Romandro.’

‘Hmm?’

‘Go to the Ministry of Magic and order the mages to close all entrances to the Imperial Palace, and maintain a protective barrier around the Ministry building itself.’

At Ian’s whisper, Romandro backed away and left the main hall.

As Gale approached without stopping, Marib’s men drew their swords.

Clang-!

‘Stop, Your Highness Gale.’

‘Soldiers have swarmed my residence.’

‘Stop!’

‘Shut up. Who do you think you’re talking to?’

Slash!

Gale unhesitatingly slashed the chest of the man in front of him.

Now he knew how the blood had gotten on his hands. It was the trace of those who had been stationed near Gale’s palace under Marib’s orders.

Officials gasped in shock, and Marib’s men all drew their swords.

Clang! Clang!

‘Your Highness Gale! This is not right!’

‘How can you do this? Everyone, hold your positions!’

‘There was an intruder in my residence last night. Marib sent them.’

Gale’s men and Marib’s men took stances as if they were about to pounce on each other. The officials, as if they didn’t understand what was going on, froze and rolled their eyes.

‘This is not a normal situation.’

He had guessed it when he heard Marib’s claim to represent the Emperor’s authority with the seal, but now he was clearly accepting it as reality. Look at the crimson blood flowing on the floor. If that wasn’t reality, then what was?

‘I am cursed with the fate of the great Bariel Empire. You tried to kill me, and even stole my father’s seal. How should I interpret this? Huh?’

Gale smiled bitterly and looked at the trembling officials. There was no room for interpretation. This was treason, and furthermore, a grave crime that would shatter Bariel’s future.

‘H-How can an intruder be the work of His Highness Marib?’

‘Your Highness Marib, please say something.’

‘Your Highness Gale’s death is also your death!’

‘No, wait! Everyone calm down. The matter of the intruder can be investigated later. The problem is the seal!’

Even with the fierce momentum of his men, who looked like they were about to tear each other’s throats out, Marib remained seated. He leisurely stroked the seal, as if he were detached from the situation.

‘Gale, wasn’t it you who attempted treason? Did you think I wouldn’t know you were contacting the border nobles to build your power? Above all, you even staged a farce to frame me. This is disloyalty to His Majesty. Moreover, I know your curse is a lie.’

This time, the officials’ gazes turned to Gale. The situation was becoming confusing as to who was the real traitor.

At that moment, the man who had been slashed by Gale and was rolling on the floor screamed and got up. At the same time, Gale’s men rushed in, and the surroundings turned into chaos.

Clang! Clang!

‘Ugh! Ugh!’

‘Everyone, get out! Get out!’

‘Please don’t do this, Your Highness! Your Highness!’

‘Find the Emperor! There must be mediation—’

Ziiing!

Thump!

Berik, who had been subtly considering joining the fight, snapped to attention and stood straight. Ian had released his magic power. His golden eyes flashed with clear murderous intent.

‘…Everyone, calm down.’

‘Don’t interfere! I’m in the middle of completing a great task!’

Clang!

Someone in a fit of excitement swung a sword at Ian. Berik instinctively blocked the attack and counterattacked with a fluid, natural motion.

‘You shouldn’t interfere either. My master is talking.’

‘You, you impudent—!’

Smack!

Berik grabbed the man by the hair and slammed him onto the table. There was a tremendous sound, as if his skull had been shattered on the marble slab. Without stopping, continuously.

‘Stop it.’

‘Who are you?’

‘Liam. You’re the mad dog who fought with Jeyrut.’

‘Friends with Jeyrut?’

Liam, one of the three commanders. If he’s friends with Jeyrut, then he must be strong! As Berik’s eyes flashed and he tried to rush in, Ian released his magic power again.

Thump!

‘…I won’t say it twice. From now on, anyone who causes a disturbance will face consequences.’

A low warning voice. It was so dignified that it was impossible to think it was coming from a child. Those who had been shouting to bring the Emperor all shrank back and covered their mouths. Who would know that the Emperor had come as they wished?

‘Lord Ian Hielo. I’m curious about your opinion. Who do you think is the one who is plotting treason and causing chaos in the Imperial Palace?’

Marib asked, tapping the seal as if to say, ‘Decide your path now.’ It was as if he was saying he was tired of tightrope walking and wanted them to take a clear stance.

‘What a mess.’

Nothing was right. It was so tangled that it was impossible to know who was tied up first and who was being released. Ian looked at Marib and Gale with a detached gaze.

‘Both of you—’

If it was like this, there was no need to try to untangle the mess.

‘Will not be recorded in history.’

Because it could just be cut off and discarded.

At Ian’s words, Marib and Gale’s eyebrows twitched simultaneously.

‘I cannot acknowledge His Highness Marib’s authority until I confirm the Emperor’s safety with my own eyes. Stealing the seal is clear treason. If you tried to harm His Highness Gale, that is also something that will lead to the decline of Bariel.’

‘That’s right! If you did that before lifting the curse, it can only be seen as being instigated by the devil!’

‘As for His Highness Gale…’

Ian scanned Gale and sighed. There was nothing more to say about this one. He had known he was the instigator of the rebellion since he was in the border region.

Thump!

It was at that moment. A loud noise came from outside. It was because the forces that had been confronting each other in front of the main hall had clashed. Even though no one had given the order to attack, they were screaming with their blood vessels bulging.

‘Kill them all!’

‘Ugh!’

Like oil that had caught fire from a tiny spark. No one knew what had started the battle. There had already been a sword fight inside, so there was no guarantee that it wouldn’t happen outside.

Clang! Clang!

‘Hand over the seal! Prince Marib!’

‘How dare you! How dare you speak the name of Lord Marib!’

‘Oh my, get out of the way! Get out of the way!’

Again, without anyone starting it, they began to clash swords. The officials, judging that they couldn’t stay there, all ducked and fled.

‘Ian, what do we do?’

‘Let’s go too. It’s just a headache to stay here.’

The last thing Ian saw as he left the main hall was Gale attacking Marib. As the soldiers, caught up in the excitement, swung their swords without distinguishing between friend and foe, screams erupted from everywhere.

Clang! Clang!

‘Ugh! It wasn’t me! I’m an innocent bystander!’

‘Everyone, go to the Ministry of Magic building! To ensure the safety of the citizens and prevent confusion, all entrances to the Imperial Palace have been blocked. Those who want to ensure their safety, go to the Ministry of Magic building!’

‘Come to the Ministry of Magic! Ahahaha!’

Slash!

Berik cleared the way for Ian, shouting continuously. The banners of each family, which had been fluttering brilliantly, began to droop little by little. They were the most prominent figures in the center, but perhaps only a few families would continue their lineage after today.

‘Ian! This way!’

Slash!

Berik lightly deflected the blind attacks and escorted Ian. The officials, who had been caught in the chaos after coming to work without knowing anything, trembled and followed behind Ian. The words ‘go to the Ministry of Magic to ensure safety’ were echoing in their ears, a kind of survival instinct.

‘L-Lord Ian, what should we do now?’

‘We must immediately find the ministers who have not joined the power struggle between His Highness Marib and His Highness Gale. And also the whereabouts of His Majesty the Emperor. Since the Imperial Palace will be closed, he must be inside.’

‘H-Hic! Hic!’

Clang! Clang!

From dawn to morning. It was too short a time for the Emperor to go outside. He didn’t know what Marib had done, but if they were to find him, they had to look inside.

‘Kill them! Kill all those with red flags!’

‘The fate of Bariel is in our hands! Are we going to hand over the future to someone who is not even of the direct line!?’

‘Shut your mouth!’

As they were leaving the First Imperial Palace, Ian suddenly looked back. It was a scene that felt familiar.

‘Find the Emperor!’

‘Kill! Only death to those who stand in our way!’

‘Your Majesty, you must flee. Chroni is now—!’

‘Slash!’

‘Ugh! Your Majesty! Your Majesty!’

‘Focus your gaze. Are you going to entrust the future to that child who has descended from the throne, or to me, who will ascend the throne? I, Chroni, oppose my uncle, no, Emperor Ian.’

The shouts of the opposing forces that had covered the Imperial Palace when he was the Emperor. It was a strange sense of incongruity to see chaos in the Imperial Palace, which was always dignified, peaceful, and centered. Even though it was the second time, it was still not something he could get used to.

‘Lord Ian! Lord Ian is coming!’

‘What on earth is going on?’

The mages were all out at the Ministry of Magic building. Following Romandro’s orders, they had drawn magic circles around the entrance and nearby areas to create a protective barrier. It was the same defense that had been used to stop Wesley.

Ziiing. Ziiing!

‘Lower the intensity of the magic power to the minimum, and expand the area instead. More and more people will probably come here.’

Ian put his hand on the translucent, glowing wall and gauged its sturdiness. It wasn’t meant to stop Wesley or monsters, but simply to deflect human swords and spears. It didn’t need to be this strong.

‘Is it true that all entrances to the Imperial Palace are closed? We have banned passage for now…’

The magic that fell like an aurora at each entrance of the Imperial Palace. It was a device of the Ministry of Magic to identify and filter out outsiders. When it stopped, the Imperial Guard in charge of entry control was paralyzed, and they simply locked the gates.

‘There are the homes of the citizens of the Empire just outside the Imperial Palace. Do you want the mud of a dogfight to splatter on them? Enforce it thoroughly.’

‘Understood.’

In the distance, smoke began to rise from where the main hall had been. As if they were going to burn each other to the ground. When the chaos passed, they would know who was standing on the blood. Whoever it was, they would clean the floor together.

‘…Portal.’

‘Yes?’

Ian muttered as he entered the main building of the Ministry of Magic. And he stopped, about to order Berik.

‘I need to check on Arsen and Jin’s safety, but Berik is terrible with directions, so it would be impossible.’

‘Why, why? Why are you looking at me like that? You have something to order, right?’

‘No. Just stay here and protect the people.’

‘Ehh? You do? You definitely do?’

‘I’m going to Dilaina’s palace soon. I’ll bring Arsen and Prince Jin.’

Ian remembered that there was a prison where Siao Shi was being held nearby. Thump! Again, smoke rose with an unknown loud noise.

‘Huh? Look at that. What is it…’

‘What’s going on inside the palace?’

‘I heard His Highness Gale was also injured.’