Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 18

“I know you don’t have a place to sleep or anything to eat right now.”

It was obvious that the wages he had received were confiscated as compensation for damages. Berric was, in the truest sense, penniless.

He had managed to get some gruel at the tavern he used to beg at, but he couldn’t live like this for days on end. Berric frowned and glared at Ian.

“Damn it, did you use some kind of drug on me?”

“It seems it was that potent.”

“Come to think of it, my body has been like that every time I’ve met you. I don’t know what it is, but it’d be better for you to tell me the truth. I don’t fight like that.”

A feeling of fighting spirit surged through his veins. When he landed a punch, he almost lost his mind from the pleasure. No matter how he thought about it, it wasn’t a normal reaction. The only common factor in his two experiences was that blond-haired bastard.

“Hmm.”

Ian smiled leisurely and shook his head. He seemed a little disappointed.

“Your posture is good, but you’re more obtuse than I thought.”

“What?”

Berric was dumbfounded by the sudden remark and paused. Ian leaned against the door with his arms crossed. Then, as if telling him to think carefully, he tapped his temple.

“The water I poured for you when we first met wasn’t mine, but one of the trainees’. Also, didn’t you refuse the jerky?”

He hadn’t even taken a sip of water besides that. Berric’s face grew increasingly confused. He had come here half-convinced, after all.

“I can tell you what you’re curious about. But first, you have to promise me something.”

Saaak.

Ian’s eyes turned golden.

However, he didn’t release his magic power to Berric like before. If he acted like a wild colt here, things could go wrong.

“First, keep the golden eyes a secret.”

“No, that’s it! This!”

Berric jumped up and shouted, causing the guards behind him to look back in confusion. Ian was facing away, so they couldn’t see his face.

“And don’t be disrespectful.”

Ian calmly looked at Berric and warned him. He had been lenient because he needed the power of a magic swordsman, but Berric had gone too far. Given his personality, he would probably act the same way in front of Derga.

‘Is that why magic swordsmen are so rare?’

A temperament that hastened his own demise, even sticking his neck out to be killed. The whip marks that hadn’t yet healed were proof of that. Berric bit his lower lip and muttered.

“…That’s it?”

“Lastly. I want you to protect me from all kinds of dangers. If you do, I’ll make that power from that day completely yours. Just so there’s no misunderstanding, I only drew out the power that was hidden within you.”

He seemed to hate relying on external forces, so it seemed best to make that clear. Berric blinked in surprise.

“My power?”

“That’s my offer. If you say you’ll do it-”

“I’ll do it!”

“Please lower your voice.”

At Berric’s outburst, as if he didn’t need to think any further, the guards began to look suspicious. They whispered to each other, discussing something.

“Being with me also includes crossing the border. I don’t know if I’ll need you when we return.”

“Return? Here?”

How could a tribute sold off in a peace treaty return to Bratz? Even Berric knew that was impossible. But regardless, his answer was clear.

“What’s so great about crossing the border? I don’t have a home or family anyway.”

“Keep in mind that you could die.”

“I’ll starve to death if I stay here.”

Right. He still wouldn’t use honorifics even if he was about to die. Ian laughed in disbelief as he looked up at him. He was about to add something but stopped himself. He had heard him curse several times, so he figured this was an improvement.

“So, tell me clearly now.”

Berric’s eyes burned fiercely. It was a simple gaze that sought strength. Ian paused for a moment to choose his words carefully before asking.

“Have you ever heard of a magic swordsman?”

“No.”

“Then, what about magic power?”

“That too.”

“……”

They stared at each other strangely in silence.

Even in the era when Ian was emperor, it was possible to be uneducated. Moreover, this was a rural border region from 100 years ago. It was natural that Berric, who had wandered the streets as an orphan, wouldn’t know.

“Ian-nim. You’re taking too long.”

“It’s time for our shift change.”

When the two stopped talking, the guards seized the opportunity to intervene. Ian stroked his chin and instructed Berric.

“Wait, I’ll call you soon.”

“Huh? Over there? Wait a minute.”

“Behave yourself.”

The last words were almost a plea. As the guards slowly began to close the massive gate, Berric rushed forward as if to follow. He was blocked by a long spear, however.

‘I told him to wait, clearly.’

How could he disobey an order the moment it was given? He already had a lot to do, and now he had one more thing to worry about.

Ian clicked his tongue and moved towards the detached building. Perhaps because it was an awkward time, there wasn’t a single servant in the hallway. It seemed they had all gone to rest after cleaning.

Knock knock.

“It’s Ian.”

Ian opened the door without waiting for a response.

He had expected the tutor to be waiting, but the room was empty. Judging by the coat, bag, and half-cooled teacup, it didn’t seem like he had left.

“…Where did he go? Teacher?”

He wondered if he had gone to the bathroom, but there was no sign of anyone. Ian leaned back on the sofa and then suddenly looked up at the tutor’s bag.

‘Derga assigned him to watch me. There might be some useful information.’

Ian rummaged through his bag and checked the stack of papers. Most of them were reference materials for lessons.

The rest was a thesis, and there was also an academic journal published last year. Surprisingly, it was published by Bariel University.

‘He said he graduated from university, and it was Bariel.’

He could guess why a genius among geniuses was in the Bratz border region. The ‘Great Desert’ referred to the Cheonryeo tribe’s base. And the ‘Blaster Sea’ was the sea at the edge of the desert, bordering the East.

Swoosh.

He searched the bottom of the bag, but there was nothing special. Ian neatly put the materials back and then rummaged through the old coat. It was clean except for some trash in the pockets.

“Hmm?”

Deep inside the sleeve. There was a label from a clothing store. It was the name of the person who designed and made the clothes, and the seal next to it looked familiar.

‘…It looks similar to the seal Lord Molin used.’

He traced the lines one by one with his fingertips. It was very similar to Molin’s gestures in his memory.

At that moment, the academic journal from ‘Bariel University’ caught his eye again. Since Bariel University was a state-run institution, wouldn’t there be many opportunities to connect with government officials? Ian couldn’t help but laugh.

‘Lord Molin’s eyes and ears were the tutor.’

Thinking about it that way, it made sense. The servants wouldn’t know about information like sending letters to the Cheonryeo tribe. Ian straightened his coat and sat on the sofa as if nothing had happened.

‘Does the tutor know? That I’ve joined hands with Lord Molin?’

If he was just an information source, there would be no need to tell him that far, and if he was more than that, he would be secretly monitoring Ian from behind.

It was then.

Creak.

“Ian-nim?”

The tutor, who had rushed in, was startled when he saw Ian. A slight sheen of sweat and a flushed face. It seemed he had been doing something very risky.

In such cases, it was usually either a secret rendezvous, spying, or theft. Judging by the fact that he was empty-handed, it was more likely spying.

“I was a bit late because I had some business. Where are you coming from?”

“T-the bathroom.”

“There’s a bathroom in the room, though.”

“That is, um…”

His eyes darted around. Ian waved his hand as if to say it was okay and sat at the desk.

“I have to write a letter today. Did you hear from my father?”

“Yes. That’s right. I received the content, and I’ve already written it. Ian-nim, you just need to copy it.”

A sigh of relief could be heard from here. He seemed relieved that Ian wasn’t paying much attention.

How could he be so clumsy? It seemed more plausible that the tutor was a distant relative who turned out to be an information source, rather than being planted as one.

“Teacher. It seems like it will be late today, should I have them contact your home? It’s an awkward time, so why don’t you have dinner before you go?”

Ian asked to test him. The tutor wiped away his sweat and looked troubled.

“It’s okay. There’s no one waiting for me. I’ll have dinner at home.”

Single. He was in his late thirties, a poor nobleman struggling in a foreign land alone. He could clearly see the life he had led, driven by his research.

When he was in the Imperial Palace, those kinds of people would occasionally show remarkable results.

‘I understand why he wasn’t enthusiastic about the lessons.’

He wanted to finish quickly and go back to his research.

Ian copied the letters while closely watching the tutor. He definitely seemed to be hiding something, and his atmosphere was also strangely tense.

Scratch scratch.

The sound of parchment being scratched echoed quietly in the room. Ian thought quietly.

‘It seems he was trying to do something on Molin’s orders. But there wouldn’t have been enough time to go to Derga’s office.’

Ian’s room was on the third floor of the detached building, and Derga’s office was at the top of the main building. He couldn’t have gone there when he didn’t know when his student would arrive. That meant he must have taken care of his business somewhere in the detached building.

The first floor had a small kitchen, a bathroom for the servants, and a storage room. The second floor had the butler’s and the lower servants’ quarters. The third floor and above were all guest rooms and empty rooms.

“The butler…”

Did he go to the butler’s room? Ian deliberately let the words slip and looked at the tutor. He seemed to have a knack for answering silently. His face turned dark and stiff.

“The butler isn’t bringing snacks today. Aren’t you hungry?”

“I-I’m fine.”

Ian chuckled and continued writing the rest of the letter. From Molin’s perspective, it was naturally safer to keep multiple possibilities open.

If Ian failed, or if Derga found out and it all fell apart, how would he handle the aftermath? Perhaps the tutor had also received some kind of instruction.

‘He seems to have business with the butler.’

A master key? But there were hardly any cases where the head of the family would grant the butler access to the seal. It might be different if he was entrusted with the right to handle finances. Given Derga’s personality, that didn’t seem likely.

‘Then…’

There was no other way but to find out himself.

Ian skillfully copied the letters while looking at the tutor. For now, he didn’t seem to know that he had joined hands with Molin. He was so restless and sweating.

If that was the case, there was no reason for Ian to reveal it either. The tutor gave an awkward smile at the smiling child’s face, as if relieved.