Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 20

“What…”

Ian, who rarely lost his composure, even stuttered. Berric, whistling, strode right in, his actions as natural as flowing water.

“Hey, I told you to wait, didn’t I?”

“I was waiting patiently. I came because I was called.”

“Called by whom?”

“The butler, I think.”

“What?”

“He came to the tavern and said I could enter the mansion anytime. As soon as I heard that, I rushed right over. Is there a problem?”

Ian’s expression turned a bit complicated. It didn’t seem like Berric was simply lying. Given his temperament, he wouldn’t have sneaked in. The fact that he passed through the main gate without issue was proof of that.

Berric stood still, looking down at Ian.

“…”

His gaze subtly shifted to the left. Berric glanced at the fruit and bread on the table. Ian sighed and nodded.

“Eat.”

“Awesome. Don’t mind if I do.”

Berric ravenously stuffed food into his mouth with both hands. Watching him, Ian realized how things were unfolding.

“Was that all he said?”

“He said to stay with you and report back.”

“You’re not planning on doing that faithfully, are you?”

Crunch, crunch.

Berric chewed on the fruit, staring intently at Ian. What did he take him for? A swordsman never went back on his word, and his sword always pointed in one direction.

“Enough, tell me quickly. What was that thing that day?”

“Ah. Right.”

He was dying of curiosity about the magic or whatever it was. But what could he do? Ian had told him to keep quiet, so he had been as silent as the dead. Of course, it was also because there was no one around who would know.

“Okay. Listen carefully.”

Ian faced Berric and explained the wondrous power he possessed.

A mysterious energy that was the source of the world and hinted at the existence of a god. Berric’s red eyes sparkled like the sun.

“…No way.”

“Therefore, since magic was blocking your body’s energy, it was inevitable that you were lagging behind others. No matter how much you trained, you would have stayed in the same place.”

“And you’re going to break through that for me.”

“…Do you not know what honorifics are?”

“Wow, that’s seriously amazing…”

Berric paced back and forth, clenching and unclenching his fists. His face was a mix of joy and excitement. The strange power he had felt in the training ground was truly his. He banged his head against the wall and burst out laughing.

“He’s impossible to talk to.”

“Should we start right away? Tell me what I need to do.”

Ian stared at him silently. He wanted to infuse him with magic right away, but if he caused a ruckus here, it would be a problem.

As if knowing his worries, Berric tapped his foot impatiently.

“Hand.”

“Hand!”

Berric’s hand was placed in Ian’s palm. He held it firmly and warned.

“Learn to control yourself. Otherwise, I’ll make you do nothing but physical training for days.”

“Don’t worry, just hurry!”

Zzzing.

As soon as he heard Berric’s reply, Ian activated his magic. His green eyes turned gold, and his hair fluttered softly. Magic flowed through the point where they touched.

And a moment later.

Thump! Thud!

“Oh my.”

“What is that noise?”

The servants on the lower floor, who were going about their business, paused at the strange booming sound. It seemed to be coming from Ian’s room…

Knock knock.

“Master Ian? Is everything alright?”

The reply was a bit late. Just as the servant was about to turn the doorknob, Ian’s irritated voice was heard.

“It’s fine. The table broke.”

“Yes? How did that happen?”

How could a perfectly good table break?

Bang!

The servant, startled, opened the door, and the sight was spectacular. Shattered furniture, an exasperated Ian, and a red-haired man in a push-up position. Though his face was upside down, he was clearly smiling.

“…Um.”

“It’s fine. Just clean it up later.”

What on earth was going on?

Ian gestured for him to leave, and the servant backed away like a broken machine.

* * *

“Ian.”

The next morning at breakfast.

Ian stopped cutting his food and looked at Derga. At the same time, the Countess and Ciel also watched them.

“It seems you’ve made a new friend.”

What was the point of asking again when they all knew? Ian put his knife aside and smiled.

“Yes, Father. His name is Berric. I met him at the training ground, and we get along well. I think Ciel will recognize him if he sees him.”

He was curious about how detailed and transparent his answer would be. Derga raised an eyebrow as if to say, ‘Keep going.’

“I thought I wouldn’t see him again after he was kicked out of the training ground. Thanks to you, Father, I had a good time.”

“Kicked out? Why?”

Mary, the Countess, who had been listening quietly, asked. Unlike Derga, she didn’t seem to know that Berric had entered the mansion yesterday.

“He assaulted a fellow trainee.”

“Goodness. How awful. To keep such a person close. You’re quite something. Do you really get along?”

Ian just smiled at the sarcastic tone. Either way, he had succeeded in keeping Berric by his side. When things went wrong in the future, it would be that child who would cut their throats.

“If you don’t learn to read within a month, I’ll assume you were playing with that boy and wring your neck.”

“…Yes, Father.”

He was planning to use him thoroughly in many ways. It seemed he intended to use him as a whip, not just a shackle. Ian lowered his gaze as a sign of obedience. Only Derga’s thick fingers were visible.

‘Luckily, he doesn’t know about the broken furniture.’

It seemed the servant had kept it a secret. Just like sharing food, Ian’s position among the lower staff wasn’t too bad, thanks to his closeness with Hana.

‘Hmm?’

Then, his gaze fell upon the diamond ring shining on his finger. A thick stone and a flashy gold design. Derga, whom he had seen so far, didn’t seem interested in jewelry, but strangely, he wore that one every day.

‘Is it a wedding ring?’

Ian checked the Countess’s hand. But there was no diamond on her left hand. There were opals, pearls, and rubies, but no diamond.

‘The cutting is too crude.’

As he continued to observe, he realized that the diamond cutting was strange. The purpose of a jewel was to maximize the reflection of light to make it look flashy, but Derga’s was cut round, far from that.

As if it was easier to put somewhere rather than show it off…

Clink.

“Tsk, tsk.”

“How can you still make such mistakes?”

“Ah. I’m sorry.”

Ian unknowingly dropped his fork. He quickly apologized to the Count and Countess’s sharp glares and turned his head.

Soon, the icy mealtime ended, and everyone left the dining hall, but Ian didn’t move. The servants approached hesitantly and asked.

“Master Ian. Are you still hungry?”

“The tutor will be here soon, so we’ll bring you a hearty snack.”

They needed to clear the dishes, but they couldn’t move with Ian still there. He stared out the window and muttered.

“The ring my father is wearing, it’s not a wedding ring, is it?”

What a sudden, random question. But the servants answered as much as they knew.

“I don’t think so. They say the ruby that the Madam wears is the wedding ring.”

That was why the magic brooch was red. Ian rested his chin on his hand and tapped the table. The more he thought about it, the more his conviction grew.

‘The gesture of reaching under the desk, the butler’s mysterious key, and that diamond ring that looks very similar to that head.’

It seemed that it wasn’t a matter of inserting and turning, but just pressing something. Did the safe only react to diamonds? No, if that were the case, the butler’s key would also have a jewel embedded in it.

The difference between the two was…

‘Material.’

Derga was not the type to entrust a master key to anyone else. What the butler held was not proof of trust, but rather a piece of a test.

When thinking about it in terms of security, there was only one thing that came to mind. The possibility that electricity was flowing inside.

“Ha.”

What a nasty and clever lock.

The servants glanced at Ian, exchanging nervous looks, but he didn’t budge. After a long time, it was time for the tutor to arrive that he finally moved.

Squeak.

Ian opened the door and instructed Berric.

“Get out.”

“Huh? Why?”

Thud!

Berric, who was doing push-ups while doing a handstand, fell forward. Ian, regardless, tidied up the desk.

“The tutor will be here soon.”

“So what? Can’t I stay a little longer? The room is so big.”

“I have something important to talk about. When the servant brings the snack, you take it and send him away.”

“If that’s the case, then it’s different. Okay!”

Berric, who was hungry, picked up his shirt and left.

Soon after, the tutor arrived on time. He glanced at the door and asked Ian.

“Young Master. Who is that person outside?”

“Please, have a seat. I have something important to tell you.”

Ian, who was unusually serious, was unfamiliar. The tutor sat on the sofa without even taking off his coat.

‘Now that I’ve figured out the key to the safe, all that’s left is the plan.’

Following Hana and Berric, he needed more people to help him. Someone who could be close to Derga and face him for a long time.

“What is it?”

“Teacher. Are you acquainted with Lord Molin?”

The tutor’s body stiffened at the sudden question.

“N-no?”

“Just the fact that you graduated from Bariel University would have given you some connection, and it seems you’re from the same hometown.”

He never thought that a person who was always indifferent could make such an expression. Ian smiled slightly inwardly and leaned back on the backrest.

“T-that can’t be! What a coincidence!”

“Then, would it be okay if I reported it to my father?”

“Wait! That’s, no!”

A strong denial was a sign of affirmation. The tutor chewed on his lip, frowning. It would be truly troublesome if Derga found out about this. He wouldn’t be beheaded, but he would lose his job and be kicked out of the Bratz territory soon. There was no better place to study the Great Desert.

“…Young Master, it seems you have some misunderstanding.”

“No. It’s almost certain that my father is monitoring me through you and that you’re secretly communicating with Lord Molin.”

Was this the same Ian who was usually slow and indifferent to everything? The tutor was so surprised that he experienced what it meant to be speechless.

“Besides, you tried to break into the butler’s room under Lord Molin’s orders.”

“Wait! That’s not true! I’ll tell you everything one by one, so calm down, calm down.”

“Teacher. You’re the one who needs to calm down.”

Ian smiled, holding up his teacup. The tutor stammered, carefully choosing his words to defend himself. It started from the very first time he met Molin in Bratz.

“It’s true that I talked about Lord Derga and the Young Master. But that’s a normal process for any parent. When I was in charge of Young Master Ciel, I used to talk about Young Master Ciel.”

“Hmm. Is that so?”

Let’s not talk about the letters. There’s no need to reveal that.

“Then, I was put in charge of Master Ian as well, and I found out that there would be an inspection from the central government. I really didn’t expect Lord Molin to come. He’s my uncle, but it was actually the first time I’ve seen him since I left the main family.”

“It’s been a long time.”

“It’s been almost 10 years.”

That was the same as saying he had devoted himself to his studies for 10 years. He grabbed his head as if something was wrong.

“So, while exchanging greetings, this was inevitable. Research requires more money than you think… They said they would give me living expenses if I just told them what was going on in the mansion. I had no way to refuse, and I didn’t say anything that important.”

“If it wasn’t important, it wouldn’t matter if my father knew.”

“Y-Young Master!”

He looked like he was about to have a stroke. It was just a way to take the lead, but the reaction was more intense than expected. It must be because his life’s work was at stake.

Ian sighed and smiled.

“I think you’ll collapse if I say one more word.”

“Please. Please keep it a secret from the Count.”

“Teacher. Why do you think I brought this up with you instead of telling my father directly…”

The tutor’s faded pupils trembled. He was not quick-witted in this area.

“Do you still not know?”