Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 200

‘…Mother?’

Philia sat there, stunned, her hair plastered to her cheeks with sweat and tears, her palms slick with blood.

Nershaln, who had followed her in, rushed to her side, his face etched with alarm.

‘Philia!’

The warriors’ efforts to find and subdue the intruders were swift. But in that brief time, what on earth had transpired?

Philia looked up at Ian, tears streaming down her face. She knew it wasn’t her fault, but she was terrified of the repercussions this might have for Ian.

‘Ian, I—’

‘Are you alright?’

Ian knelt before her, his gaze searching her face. He noticed the split at the corner of her mouth. Either Gail or Arsen had struck her cheek.

Nershaln, seeing this, couldn’t suppress his murderous aura. His sharp jawline became even more pronounced, and veins pulsed at his temples. He glared at the two princes and rose to his feet. His beloved, whom he cherished like a delicate wildflower, afraid she might be swept away by even a gentle breeze—how dare they….

‘Wait, just wait a moment.’

Philia grabbed Ian and Nershaln with both hands. The events that had just unfolded were so shocking that she hadn’t even registered the pain of her injuries.

‘I understand… or rather, I don’t understand, but His Highness Arsen ordered me to mark his face. Just like His Highness Jin’s wound.’

Nershaln frowned in disgust, but Ian quickly checked on Arsen. It wasn’t an ordinary wound. Wasn’t it a mark that symbolized him as the next emperor? The child was slowly getting up, using the table for support.

‘It’s not there.’

Fortunately, his face was unmarked. His earlobe was slightly torn from Gail’s attack, but his fair face was untouched.

‘Ah, I didn’t mean to, but my mind went blank and I couldn’t resist. If I had been a little later, I don’t know… Ian. Ian, I’m sorry.’

Philia trembled, clutching Ian’s arm. Her eyes pleaded, hoping this wouldn’t cause him any trouble.

‘Please don’t apologize. You did nothing wrong. And Mother, my mother’s son is the Minister of Magic of the great Bariel Empire. Even if he is a prince, he cannot be treated carelessly. Raise your head.’

Her mind went blank and she couldn’t resist. Ian pondered Philia’s words and stood up.

He had initially thought that Arsen’s intrusion into Gail’s residence was due to an accomplice. But Philia’s testimony suggested that Arsen had used some kind of power.

‘Arsen was already in the room. Even though he couldn’t have entered the residence without passing through the guards.’

Slap!

At that moment, a sharp slapping sound echoed, halting Ian’s thoughts. Gail had slapped Arsen’s cheek. The child, who had barely managed to stand, fell backward again.

‘H-His Highness!’

‘Your Highness Gail! You mustn’t!’

The guards, unable to watch any longer, rushed forward in alarm, but Gail ignored them and grabbed Arsen’s hair. He was a prisoner, but what did that matter?

Squeeze.

‘I always thought you were arrogant and presumptuous, but I thought you knew your place. Now I see that’s not the case. The filth inside you is overflowing.’

‘Your Highness! Let him go!’

‘This is my last warning! You mustn’t!’

‘Please don’t do this! Please!’

Arsen’s body shook under Gail’s rough hands. The guards had no choice but to draw their swords and shout. Regardless of right or wrong, Arsen was the closest to being the next successor. They couldn’t allow him to be beaten like that by the traitor Gail.

Arsen, his hair still gripped, giggled and opened his eyes wide.

‘You should know your place, brother. You’ve lived in Marib’s shadow your whole life! You can’t even escape that and you’re about to die! Who are you to lecture me!’

Slap!

Clang!

Gail slapped his cheek again, and the guards pointed their swords at him. That was the limit. Gail released Arsen’s hair and sat on the bed. He felt pain in his neck and waist from the sudden movement.

‘Hehe, heh…’

‘Y-Your Highness, are you alright?’

‘Call a physician! A physician!’

As Gail rummaged through the table looking for a cigarette, a warrior approached and handed him a rolled-up leaf. What he needed now was a sedative, but no one realized it. It was because Arsen, with blood on his mouth, was screaming.

‘The kid’s gone crazy. If that’s the emperor, then I’m the emperor’s grandfather.’

‘Shut your mouth.’

‘What does it matter? They don’t understand the common tongue anyway.’

‘Look at him, his head’s gone. He keeps laughing.’

‘That kid hit Lady Philia, right? I want to smash his head. He’s only learned bad things.’

The warriors were openly gossiping in the common tongue. The fact that the princes of the great Bariel Empire were all in such a state was frankly disappointing.

Nershaln gestured for them to be quiet, but he didn’t actively stop them. He too was upset by Philia’s injury.

‘Your Highness Arsen.’

‘…’

Ian pushed away the smoke from the leaf and approached Arsen. The child blinked and stared up at him.

‘Is it true that you laid a hand on my mother?’

‘Yes. She spoke presumptuously for a commoner, so I did.’

What’s the problem? Arsen smiled, but Ian’s gaze was cold. He had seen the wickedness hidden behind the child’s innocence several times.

‘Arsen has a power. Judging by the fact that he hasn’t revealed it until now, it’s not a card that’s entirely beneficial to him. But if I leave him be, he’ll become a nuisance, so let’s get rid of him.’

‘There is no one who stands alone in the world. Your Highness Arsen, you have made a mistake.’

Swoosh.

Ian turned and looked at Gail. He was sitting on the bed, smoking a rolled leaf and exhaling smoke. Their eyes met. Ian subtly twitched his left eyebrow as a signal.

‘Ha.’

Gail chuckled softly. He immediately understood what Ian wanted. To kill Arsen. The only one who could deal with Arsen without any repercussions in this place was Gail, you.

‘…Sir Ian, didn’t you issue an order prohibiting outsiders from entering my chambers?’

‘That is correct.’

‘Because I am alive, there are those who die. As the person in charge of managing the chaos in the Imperial Palace, it is my duty to eradicate all those conspirators. But I have no idea why Arsen is here.’

Gail skillfully stated his justification. It was their fault for starting it first. It was a ploy to shift the responsibility for the tragedy that would follow entirely onto Arsen.

Ian nodded slightly in agreement.

‘I am also not sure why.’

Clang!

Gail snatched the sword from the guard standing next to him. The warriors whistled inwardly as they watched, while the guards hesitated, glancing around and stepping back. His intention was clear.

‘Arsen, even if you die here, no one will know the reason why.’

Swoosh.

Gail pointed the sword. His physical condition was terrible, but taking down a child was a piece of cake. The tip of the blade traced down the child’s jawline to his neck.

‘Sir Ian.’

Gail suddenly stopped, calling out to Ian. He needed to confirm what he would gain if he killed Arsen here.

First and foremost, what he needed most was a postponement of the revocation of his Imperial surname. Even if he couldn’t stay in the Imperial Palace, it was important to live outside. If he lived, he would have another chance.

‘Second Prince Gail Verosian, please ask your question.’

Ian, having understood his intentions, called out his full name. He was so quick to catch on that it was annoying. Gail smiled irritably and straightened his grip on the sword.

If he killed, he would live.

If he wanted to live, he had to kill.

Swoosh.

‘Sir Ian.’

It was at that moment. Arsen lightly flicked the blade away with his fingertips. Blood welled up from the child’s index and middle fingers.

‘Right now, a traitor is trying to kill me, the Fourth Prince, yet why is there no sign of protection? I am indispensable to Bariel.’

‘Your Highness?’

Ian retorted as if he couldn’t believe it. Where did he get that idea? Even if that one was gone, there would be no problem with Bariel’s centuries of glory. Rather, the future that Jin would advance towards would be even brighter.

Buzz. Buzz.

‘……!’

‘……!’

As Arsen sighed, his blue eyes turned golden. Philia, Nershaln, and even the ordinary guards knew of this change in his eyes.

‘I am destined to be the first mage emperor.’

Beyond surprise, there was shock.

Gail staggered back without realizing it. Nershaln, who was holding Philia, also tightened his grip. He didn’t know what was going on.

‘So, if you kill me, you are killing the Bariel Empire. Ian, you know, don’t you? How profound the endless glory a mage brings is.’

Of course, he knew. Wasn’t it because a bastard from the outskirts was a mage that he had risen to this position? But a prince in the line of succession being a mage? Without a doubt, he was qualified to ascend the throne.

Like Ian had been in his lifetime, a divine ability that surpassed everything.

Arsen chuckled and laughed.

‘Sir Ian, you said I made a mistake? Well. It seems you are the one who made a mistake. To side with the foolish Jin, with me here. Tsk tsk.’

Everyone turned to look at Ian. Even Gail couldn’t hide his bewildered expression. He had seen Arsen since he was born, but he had never guessed that he had the qualities of a mage.

‘…Is it an illusion?’

‘Brother Gail, you seem to have forgotten the blessing of the Imperial family. Mind control magic doesn’t work. If you try to kill me, I will also… Keuk!’

Arsen, who had been speaking fluently, coughed up blood. The clots of blood he vomited instantly stained the floor. As if in pain, Arsen glared with bloodshot eyes and screamed.

Clatter!

‘Your Highness! Are you okay, huh! Are you okay?’

‘Your Highness Arsen! Your Highness!’

The medical staff, who had rushed in after being called by the guards, burst in.

Since Gail was holding a sword and Arsen had collapsed, bleeding, the guards who didn’t know the situation subdued Gail and pinned him to the bed.

Clang!

Gail’s sword clattered to the floor.

He swallowed a painful groan and stared blankly at the door where Arsen had left. If Arsen was truly a mage, then he and Marib could never have taken the throne, no matter what they did. What was fate that it was so cruel? Gail buried his face in the bed as the guards pressed him down.

‘Sir Ian.’

Nershaln cautiously called out to Ian. He was asking what they should do now.

‘…The first mage emperor.’

‘Sir Ian?’

‘Haha! Hahaha!’

Nershaln flinched. Ian was laughing. It was a genuine laugh because it was so absurd.

‘…This is insane.’

To dare mention that position in front of the true first mage emperor.

Several warriors grabbed the doorframe and urgently asked again.

‘Shall we chase after him? If he goes out like that, won’t it be a real problem?’

Ian shook his head. If he had decided to establish the image of a mage emperor, his close aides were likely aware of this situation. If something happened to Arsen’s health, it would be a misstep for Ian. It was fortunate that he hadn’t been killed by Gail.

‘The first mage from the Imperial family. Neither of those premises is correct. History has told me. That first was me.’

Based on the history Ian knew, it was impossible. If what Arsen had just shown was magic in various senses…

‘Which means he is not from the Imperial family.’