Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 174

It was a suffocating silence, a distance where breaths could touch. Jin and Arsen glared at each other, sizing each other up. Jin, trying to break free, and Arsen, trying to ensnare.

‘It seems like it’s the first time,’ Arsen said with a wry smile, reaching for Jin’s shoulder again. Surely, the shock of being abandoned by their mother was significant. He was about to dismiss it as a fleeting act of rebellion and say something when Ian called out,

‘Your Highness Jin.’

Jin pushed Arsen away and went to Ian, who smiled kindly and patted his shoulder.

‘How is your wound?’

‘The doctor took good care of me, so I’m fine.’

Blood was still seeping through the bandages. It wasn’t life-threatening, but it would be uncomfortable for a while. Ian praised him quietly.

‘It must be hard, but please bear with it a little longer. If you endure, it will pass.’

The wounds on his face and the wounds in his heart were the same. Time wouldn’t solve everything, but nothing could remain unchanged in the face of time.

If you endure, if you overcome, it will pass.

Just like the tears that had disappeared from the child’s eyes in that short time.

‘Your Highness Arsen.’

Ian called out to Arsen, who was sitting on the bed. The child had forgotten his dignity as a prince, leaning over with his chin resting on his hand, as if he was very displeased with the situation.

‘Let’s talk for a moment.’

‘…I’m tired.’

‘It will be quick. It’s for everyone’s safety.’

It was a request, but it was clearly coercive. It meant that if they were ensuring safety in the Magic Department, they should cooperate properly. Arsen stood up indifferently and straightened his clothes.

‘Jin, take good care of yourself. When Mother wakes up, stay by her side.’

As if trying to fulfill his duty as an older brother to the end, Arsen smiled kindly and left the infirmary. Siao-si followed right behind him, and Ian turned to look at Jin.

‘Why do you call for my brother?’

Perhaps, was it possible that Ian also needed Arsen, not him? Was he pretending to care for him with some trick? Or was all of this genuine?

But had there ever been such a person in the Imperial Palace? He was always pushed to the back even in peaceful times, let alone during a war.

‘Your Highness Jin.’

Ian lowered himself to meet Jin’s eyes. His gaze was firm, showing the strength that came from a solid inner conviction.

‘Get a hold of yourself.’

‘…….’

‘I’m telling you to keep your mind clear so that you won’t be swayed by malicious words. If you waver, Bariel will waver. If you collapse, the lives of the people will collapse. Always remember that, and believe that your destiny is a blessing.’

Listening from behind the door, it was truly absurd. Arsen, how could a child be so cruel?

Due to the nature of the Imperial Palace, there were exceptionally cunning children, but that level was rare, so Ian clicked his tongue inwardly.

Jin looked up at Ian’s furrowed brow.

‘Your words are more suited for His Majesty the Emperor.’

‘…Stay away from His Highness Arsen for the time being. I’ll assign a subordinate to you, so don’t be alone, always be with someone. If you keep listening to nonsense, it will start to sound plausible.’

At that moment, a mage with dry clothes knocked on the door. It was a signal to stop the conversation.

‘Then, continue your treatment.’

‘Thank you!’

Jin shouted at Ian’s back. He was in a hurry, afraid of missing the opportunity. The mage smiled as if the child was cute, and Jin bowed deeply again.

‘…Thank you.’

‘You’re welcome.’

Ian bowed his head lightly and closed the door.

The hallway was quiet. In the distance, the commotion of the refugees could be heard, but it was far away and only sounded like a hum. Ian entered the reception room, not far from the infirmary.

Creak.

Arsen was sitting on the sofa, looking out the window. An expressionless face that gave no hint of his emotions. He wondered what thoughts were going through that small head.

‘What is the reason you wanted to talk to me?’

‘Your Highness Arsen, did you visit His Highness Gail’s residence the night before?’

A direct question. Arsen smiled and immediately denied it.

‘No.’

Siao-si shook his head slightly, looking at Ian. He knew that he couldn’t testify carelessly in front of Arsen. He was the assassin who tried to kill Gail, so it would be a problem that he was now serving Ian as his master.

‘Why would you ask such a thing? Why would I go to Gail’s residence that night? Perhaps, do you think I’m the mastermind behind the assassination?’

The nuance was strange, so Ian immediately noticed. Last night, Arsen remembered meeting Siao-si. Ian sat opposite him and carefully examined the child’s face.

‘By the way, Sir Ian, I’m a little taken aback.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘Earlier, you saved Jin before me, didn’t you?’

It was pure curiosity. Ian was a proven individual, having risen from a commoner to the head of the Magic Department. It was incomprehensible that such a person would weigh him and Jin.

‘I have a divine mandate. If I had been harmed instead of Jin, you would not have escaped criticism. Once this situation is resolved, Mother will gather forces around ‘us’ and take control.’

He called them ‘us,’ but in the end, he meant Arsen himself. If Marib and Gail were gone, he would be the most likely successor, so it was a warning to think carefully about his actions. Not to put ideas into his precious twin brother’s head.

‘Your Highness Arsen.’

Ian looked at the child calmly and smiled.

‘Do you believe you are the one closest to the throne?’

‘What?’

‘If the one closest to the throne is safe, Bariel will also be safe. Other than that, does it matter who harms whom? Look outside. Even now, Their Highnesses Marib and Gail are trying to kill each other.’

Arsen frowned. So, he was saying that Jin, not him, was closer to the throne.

‘Is it because you’re from outside? Your opinion is unique.’

‘You flatter me.’

Arsen clenched his teeth silently. Regardless, Ian put down the cold tea.

‘If you remember anything new from last night, please tell me anytime. Siao-si will stay by Your Highness Arsen’s side. As you can see, there are many refugees, so it’s to ensure your safety.’

Perhaps, had he secretly borrowed the Emperor’s secret passage? Or did he have another helper?

‘Marib didn’t know about the secret passage either, so he missed the Emperor. It’s unlikely that Arsen knows about it. It seems he used another method.’

Perhaps sensing that Ian’s mind was in turmoil, Arsen’s eyes narrowed slightly. He looked exactly like Jin, but strangely, when they faced each other, he couldn’t think of that at all. That’s how different the two were.

‘Sir Ian, from what I see now, there’s only one way to resolve this situation as quickly as possible.’

Arsen leaned back on the sofa, muttering. He tapped his fingertips as if he was bored.

‘It’s to find our father who ran away. If His Majesty appears and scolds the person responsible for the seal in front of everyone, then His Highness Marib will lose his legitimacy and be branded a traitor. Then, there will be a reason for the neutral forces to unite. The Magic Department shouldn’t just put up a shield and protect themselves, but jump into the battle and rewrite history.’

He was clever. It was a flow that anyone could read, but the ten-year-old prince didn’t just read it, he applied it.

‘I don’t know what Father will do to Gail, but what’s certain is that the biggest problem is when Marib wins.’

The only thing the Emperor could do immediately to reject Marib’s legitimacy was to declare a new successor. It was a kind of political foundation to resolve the situation.

‘Who do you think Father will choose as his successor, me or Jin? And once a successor is chosen, will it change even if the situation is resolved? Once I’m in the position of successor, the pressure to antagonize Jin will increase because he’s a child who will harm me.’

Smiling, Arsen held out his hand to Ian. He had refused before, but this time, the atmosphere was clear that he wouldn’t allow it. Ian looked at the small child’s hand and chuckled. He didn’t take his hand this time either.

‘Your Highness Arsen, I understand what you’re saying.’

So, he wanted to bring the Magic Department, the center of the third force, to his side. But it wasn’t a proposal that resonated with Ian.

‘But Your Highness, there are two variables in your situation. First, the case where His Highness Gail wins. Second, the case where His Majesty the Emperor chooses His Highness Jin as his successor.’

Of course, Ian didn’t want the first one either. If that happened, there would be no place for Jin. Then, the only thing left was the second one.

‘Do you think Father will put Jin in the position of successor?’

Arsen snorted, as if there was nothing more foolish than imagining an impossible future. Ian just bowed his head and didn’t answer. Did he not know that anything was possible until the future became the present?

Knock knock.

‘Minister Ian, I’ve brought the documents you requested.’

‘Alright, I’ll check them.’

At that moment, Romandro knocked on the door, announcing that he had completed the instructions. He had brought the reports that had been processed during Minister Wesley’s time. If Ian’s guess was correct, there would probably be a clue there.

‘Your Highness Arsen, please rest well. If you need anything, please tell Siao-si. Oh, and for the time being, Lady Delilah and His Highness Jin need absolute rest, so I will prohibit visits.’

Arsen’s face crumpled. It was too much to not let him see Delilah, even if Jin was understandable. But Ian didn’t correct himself and grabbed the doorknob.

‘And be careful of Siao-si. He has a bad temper, and if you bother him, he’ll bite.’

At his master’s playful warning, Siao-si chuckled. He knew it was a request to not let Arsen bother him, but wasn’t the treatment too much? Arsen turned his head away, expressing his dissatisfaction with silence.

Creak.

Thud!

‘Ian, here.’

‘Thank you for your hard work. There are more than I thought.’

‘The commanders are waiting, let’s go together.’

Ian took a step, reading the documents that Romandro had handed him carefully.

It was about the secret passages that could quickly traverse the Imperial Palace. If the operating method was similar to when Ian was the Emperor, then the power of magic must be involved.

For example…….

‘A giant painting or a hidden door. If it’s made of magic stones, the locations can be connected.’

He was about to enter the conference room to share his thoughts with Acorella when her scream greeted him first from inside.

‘That’s impossible! Hale!’

‘Be quiet. I’m still looking at it.’

‘Commander Acorella, calm down.’

‘How can I calm down? Now? Do you know what it means that Liamah is dead?’

Click!

When Ian opened the door, Acorella, who was tearing at her hair, and the mages stopped and looked at him.

There was no need to ask what was going on.

Acorella had screamed in fear.

‘Sir Ian! It seems that Liamah, one of the three commanders, is dead. Do you know what this means?’

Of course, he knew.

Hale put out his cigarette and frowned.

‘If the magic sealing stones are used in battle, we cannot guarantee the safety of this place either.’