Margrave’s Bastard Son Was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 177

The Other Side of the Moon

‘Philia, shall I bring you some tea? Aren’t your hands cold?’

At the servant’s call, Philia, who had been squatting, raised her head. Her roughly tied-up hair and fair skin were covered in dirt. Despite the mess, her bright smile remained as radiant as ever.

‘It’s alright. The soil is cold, but the air is warm, so my whole body feels cozy. I would appreciate it if you could bring me some lemon tea.’

A greenhouse had been built behind the Hielo mansion. It was a space Nershal had personally created for his lover, who spent her days cultivating Gula [a type of plant] while exposed to rain and wind. The servant squatted next to her, peering at the thick Gula stems.

‘Wow, has it grown this much already? You just planted this a little while ago.’

‘Amazing, isn’t it? After removing all the leaves about three or four days ago, it grew so robustly. It seems the nutrients the leaves were consuming are now concentrated in the roots.’

Philia clumsily scribbled something. It was a journal of her observations and care for all the plants in the mansion. Most of it was drawings rather than words, but the recorded information was surprisingly useful, and even the people of the territory occasionally came to her for advice.

‘I’ll bring you a warm towel too. Warm your hands. Nershal will worry if he sees you like this.’

‘Okay. Thank you.’

Nershal was always anxious every night that her delicate hands might get scratched. Philia smiled bashfully and patted the soil. Warriors of the Thousand Rivers passed by outside, bowing respectfully.

‘Philia! Good morning!’

‘Yes. Good morning to you too.’

Philia smiled faintly and clutched her apron tightly. The warriors who had gone to the desert after forming an alliance had returned to Hielo because of a single letter sent by her son.

-When the weather warms up, the thin ice here will break. At that time, could you help me?

What could it mean for the thin ice to break? Since he asked for help, it must be a difficult task. Nershal seemed to suspect something but didn’t tell Philia.

-In the name of the alliance, and in the name of a father.

Philia’s face flushed as she recalled Ian’s last words. Embarrassed and flustered, she just poked at the soil with her trowel.

‘You’re calling the warriors to Hielo?’

‘We must move quickly, as we don’t know when Ian’s request will come.’

‘You might be putting in all this effort for nothing. I would feel so sorry if that happened.’

‘Philia, then shall we have a wedding? So that the warriors’ journey won’t be in vain.’

Again, thump! Philia felt dizzy as she recalled her conversation with Nershal. She had never imagined such happiness would come to her in her life. Above all, it was a love blessed under Ian’s approval, so Philia felt like she had the whole world for the first time.

‘Philia! Philia!’

At that moment, the servant who had gone to get the tea urgently called for Philia. Thinking he might have broken a teacup, she stood up, and she saw the warriors also moving restlessly across the garden.

Taptap!

‘Is it a signal?’

‘Wait, bring Nershal here!’

‘Everyone, just in case, grab as many Gurut leaves as you can!’

Philia opened the greenhouse door and stepped outside.

A black crescent moon hung in the blue sky. It was such an unreal sight that she wondered if she was dreaming with her eyes open.

‘Nershal!’

At his subordinates’ call, Nershal also came outside and looked up at the sky. It was an ominous black moon. He put his arm around Philia’s shoulder and gently pressed his lips to her forehead.

‘Philia. Stop working in the garden today and stay in the mansion. It might be dangerous.’

‘Nershal, what on earth is that?’

‘Well, I’m not sure, but those who make such things in Bariel are usually mages.’

Mages. That meant it was highly likely to be Ian. Philia grabbed Nershal’s sleeve, her face pale.

‘I, I’ll stay here too. If something happens to Ian, I will too…’

‘Calm down, Philia. Ian is strong because he is your son. First, it would be best to find out what that black moon means.’

But how could those on the ground do anything about something in the sky? The warriors sent hawks to circle around it. As dozens of huge hawks decorated the sky, the people of the territory stopped what they were doing and looked up at the sky.

Swoosh!

‘It doesn’t seem to smell of anything alive.’

‘Either something will pour out from there, or we will go in, it seems like one of the two.’

‘It’s dangerous to jump to conclusions. First, let’s keep watching.’

The warriors of the Thousand Rivers, the people of the mansion, and all those under Hielo’s protection waited in silence for the moon to change. They didn’t know how long they waited.

‘There!’

At Hae-na’s shout, the warriors who had been lying on the grass raised their upper bodies. The moon was gradually filling up. It was slowly, very slowly, forming a perfect circle and falling to the ground.

Philia took off her apron and ran towards it.

In case Ian might come.

‘Ian!’

‘Philia, get back! Warriors, hold me!’

‘I will!’

‘Enough. It is the leader’s duty to be the first to set foot on new ground.’

Nershal pushed Philia back and approached the huge darkness. He cautiously put his hand in, and a cool sensation spread. It didn’t seem particularly dangerous. He took a deep, tense breath and stepped inside.

‘Hold Nershal tightly!’

‘D-don’t let go!’

Philia also added her meager strength and held his left hand tightly. After a moment, Nershal came out of the darkness and told the warriors.

‘It seems to be connected to the Imperial Palace.’

‘What? Where? Are you talking about the central Imperial Palace?’

‘I can see a very small light in the distance. It’s not certain, but it looks like the dome of the Bariel Imperial Palace. Warriors, take your weapons and follow me.’

‘Demosha!’

At that moment, Philia grabbed Nershal’s arm and pleaded.

‘I, I want to go too!’

‘Philia.’

‘Please, please take me with you. I miss Ian so much. And, and if you go to the Imperial Palace, I won’t see you for at least a month, and that month will feel like decades to me.’

It was a beautiful love confession from his lover. The warriors tried to cover their ears as they prepared for departure, and Nershal smiled awkwardly. Then, Hae-na draped a thick coat over Philia’s shoulders and persuaded him.

‘Nershal. Wouldn’t it be awkward if you saw Ian? And we don’t know what’s happening at the Imperial Palace, but they’ll be flustered if the border tribes suddenly invade. There should be an imperial citizen among them. Philia is Ian’s mother, so her identity is clear.’

Philia fastened her coat and nodded repeatedly. Nershal laughed as if he couldn’t resist and lifted her up.

‘Alright. But you must stay right next to me.’

‘Yes, yes! Absolutely! Hae-na!’

‘Please be careful. I miss Ian too, but if I go, who will manage the mansion? Please send my regards and send a messenger hawk! Please, be safe.’

Philia kissed Hae-na on the cheek and grabbed Nershal’s neck tightly. As if to soothe her fear, Nershal gently patted her back.

‘I’m here.’

‘I’m not scared. Just a little nervous.’

With Nershal and Philia in the lead, the warriors also jumped into the darkness.

‘Woooaaah! Let’s go!’

‘The one who takes courage first is the true warrior!’

‘Let’s go! Anywhere, a warrior will survive!’

‘It’s been a while since I smelled blood.’

‘I’ll be back! My friend!’

Hae-na waved her hand, seeing the warriors off.

As they all disappeared into the darkness, the surroundings became surprisingly quiet. Hae-na and the mansion staff put their hands together and prayed in front of it.

Hoping that their precious people would return safely.

* * *

‘Demosha!’

The sudden appearance of the warriors caused the Imperial Palace soldiers to panic and step back. The mages were the same. They unconsciously released their magic and looked up at the sky in bewilderment. It was such a strange spectacle that everyone forgot they were in the middle of a battle.

‘Iaaan!’

At that moment, Ian immediately recognized the woman with long, flowing golden hair.

He was so surprised that he reached out his hands.

Philia also reached out her hands.

The brilliantly shining golden-haired mother and son touched each other like a painting.

Squeeze!

It felt like they were falling against gravity, but when they hugged, it seemed like an illusion. He had never imagined that he would see Philia and the warriors in this Imperial Palace.

Philia hugged Ian’s neck and whispered pitifully.

‘My son, I missed you so much.’

‘Mother. It’s been a while.’

‘…M-Mother!?’

‘Did he just say mother?’

At Ian’s answer, the mages opened their mouths wide and paused.

‘Damn, there really is a bloodline. You can’t hide it.’

‘I thought an angel was descending. Seriously.’

‘Ian’s mother? Damn, what should I do? I think I just fell in love.’

He didn’t know what they were thinking, but Ian smiled faintly and pulled away from her. Prince Jin looked at the two of them alternately, his eyes wide with surprise.

‘Wow…’

A short exclamation. Ian realized what the situation was from that exclamation. There was no time to waste if he wanted to evacuate Prince Jin.

Saaak.

‘The portal is closing!’

‘Ah, damn it.’

The portal disappeared as if it had done its job. Then, the soldiers came to their senses and gripped their swords and spears.

‘Hey, barbarians? Why are they dressed like that?’

‘Hielo! Did you summon barbarians with magic?’

‘This is a deception of the great Bariel Empire and a disgrace to the Imperial Palace!’

Seeing that the weapons were aimed at Ian and the mages, the warriors lowered their bodies and took an offensive stance. They all had a sinister smile, clearly enjoying the situation.

When else could they crush the arrogant imperial soldiers? They had formed an alliance with Hielo, but the oppression of the empire that had continued since their ancestors still pulsed in the hearts of the warriors.

‘Unbelievable.’

Marib chuckled and picked up an arrow. As the mages screamed and stepped back, the warriors drew their swords.

‘Arrows, if you get hit by an arrow-!’

Thwack!

The arrow pierced the forearm of the warrior at the front. But he casually pulled it out, then snapped the shaft. Since they were not magic users, the amber gemstones were useless.

‘Ian, it’s been a while! What should we do?’

‘Should we just take all their heads?’

‘I’ve got my eye on the bastard who called us barbarians. Your face looks more like a beast, you son of a bitch.’

This was not a street brawl. It was a battle that would be written in history, moving under thorough justification and justice. There was an order to follow, but the warriors seemed unable to contain their boiling blood. Just as Ian was about to shout for them to wait.

‘Everyone, restrain yourselves.’

It was Nershal. He put his arm around Philia’s shoulder and gestured to Ian. He didn’t know what the situation was, but it was as if he was telling him to quickly give the appropriate instructions.

Ian stepped forward and kissed the back of Philia’s hand.

‘This is my mother, Philia, and this is-‘

The first thing to do was to make it clear to everyone that there was no problem with her entering the Imperial Palace.

‘My new father, Nershal. The warriors are Nershal’s family, so they are not enemies of the Imperial Palace.’

‘F-Father?!’

The mages were horrified, as if they had received too much of a shock at once. The mother was an angel, but the father was a border tribe. What kind of combination was this?

‘What a dog-like family tree.’

Marib sneered and drew his sword, and the soldiers reorganized and shouted. Ian was the same. He shouted with all his might and released his magic.

Ziiing! Ziiing!

‘Make way for those who try to harm the mages!’

‘Demosha!’

Crack! Kwaaang!

Thud!

The warriors jumped into the enemy lines and swung their weapons like madmen. The soldiers’ neck bones were crushed helplessly in the warriors’ grips, and their limbs were bent like discarded dolls.

Swords and spears stood in the way of the warriors, but to those who had lived their whole lives competing with the greatness of nature, they were attacks less than the thorns of a vine.

‘Aaaah! Aaaah!’

‘W-what are these guys?’

‘Wait! Save, save-!’

‘Aaaah! XXX!’

Thump! Thump!

The soldiers who had pushed in were gradually retreating. In that gap, the mages regenerated their shields using the warriors as shields, and soon they gave them strength.

Ziiing. Ziiing.

‘Push!’

‘Eliminate Marib!’

‘Kill! Kill all those bastards!’

‘You guys! Mages, huh!? How much have we been-!’

‘If we don’t kill them, we’ll die! Open up to the maximum!’

Kwaaang! Bang!

The tangled battle broke out again. Ian let go of Philia’s hand and gritted his teeth. His gaze was fixed on Marib.

‘Mother. Please take care of Prince Jin for a moment.’

‘Ian!’

Taat!

A fierce surge of magic.