Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 206

Crash!

The loud noise made Ian and Romandro turn their heads simultaneously. They had parked the carriage next to the corpse and were waiting inside for support from the Imperial Palace. The temporary tent was too small to share with the guards, and besides, Romandro was disgusted by the corpse and couldn’t stand being near it.

Ian pulled back the window curtain towards the sound. The surroundings were still dark.

“It seems to have come from the west.”

“Did they find Barsabe?”

“Whether they found her or the black armor, it’s one of the two. I can feel Captain Jaylott’s magic strongly. It’s a different kind of strength than when we faced Beric.”

Ian muttered, pressing his forehead against the cold window.

It wasn’t just Jaylott. Faintly, but rapidly moving magical powers were converging from all directions. It seemed they were signaling each other to gather.

Romandro looked at Ian, who had a pale complexion, and asked worriedly.

“You should probably return to the Imperial Palace first. You’re exhausted, and you’ve been rained on, so I’m worried about your health.”

“Everyone got rained on. I’ll tell you if I feel unwell, so don’t worry too much.”

Ian smiled and looked out the window again. Two guards were smoking by the corpse’s head. Things that were either their breath or smoke obscured their expressions.

Ian watched them and quietly called out to Romandro.

“…I know that Chetur doesn’t have many people, but is it usually this deserted?”

It was a place lined with large and small factories. There were workers during the day, so there should be some working at night. But Ian had only seen a couple of people in the few hours since they arrived.

Romandro clicked his pocket watch and answered with a puzzled look.

“It doesn’t usually seem this quiet, but the weather is rough. If you’re unlucky, the basement could flood, and the ceiling could leak. This place is a mess of tearing down and rebuilding warehouses every time there’s a contract.”

The goods stored in the warehouses changed frequently with each season. The buildings themselves were built to be easily erected and dismantled, so who would stay behind to work overtime in bad weather? It was a common sight in Chetur to see people scrambling to repair buildings the next day.

“It’s truly inefficient.”

“Well, there’s nothing we can do about it. The area is highly segmented, and it’s essentially the commercial foundation of the center, so those who store things in the warehouses change like crazy every year.”

Tap, tap. Ian was silent for a moment, listening to the rain hitting the window. So, was that why it was so quiet? Even with the loud noise, not a single building had its lights on. Did everyone mistake it for thunder?

Click.

The carriage door opened, and a fierce wind and rain blew in. Romandro covered his face with his collar and grabbed Ian’s sleeve.

“Ian?”

“Romandro, please wait here for the Imperial Guard and then guide them to the west.”

“What about you?”

“I’m going to check out the loud noise.”

“Together! Can’t we go together?”

“…I can’t trust those guards.”

The guards standing under the tent were looking at Ian. As if wondering why he was coming out of the carriage. Romandro frowned and quietly asked back. The sound of the wind and rain would drown it out anyway.

“What do you mean?”

“Not exactly them, but their superiors. Romandro, please stay and hold your position. I’ll be right back.”

Thud!

While Romandro was pondering Ian’s words, Ian stepped out of the carriage without an umbrella. And without hesitation, he turned towards the source of the loud noise. He could feel the strong magic, so finding his way wouldn’t be difficult.

Pat-pat!

Swish-

Watching Ian’s back disappear into the rain, Romandro slowly closed the carriage door. Then, he began to watch the guards through a gap in the window curtain.

If only the rain would stop, but the sky was pouring down a torrential downpour as if it had a hole in it.

* * *

One, two, three…….

Jaylott counted the number of black armors with his eyes. There seemed to be about ten of them. That is, if there was no more support from the other side.

The Imperial Guard members, who had struck once, were on alert, waiting for their captain’s command.

Thump, thump!

‘They’re sturdy enough to withstand five members. If our power is scattered, we have no chance of winning. Did Liam die fighting ten of them alone? Then…….’

Buzz. Buzz.

Magic exploded around Jaylott. The fiercely swirling rain couldn’t reach him and scattered as it collided. A deep silence surrounded him. The enemies hesitated and looked up at him, feeling a sense of alienation as if he were standing in another world.

Jaylott reached his hand towards the sky.

Kugugugung!

Crash!

Thunder roared as if tearing the sky apart. A bright beam of light swirled from Jaylott’s fingertips, and the moment it transformed into the shape of a sword.

Flash!

Lightning struck down. It felt as if the lightning from the sky had entered his grasp.

Jaylott’s eyes, barely visible in the darkness. Filled with determination and fighting spirit, hot steam rose from them.

“Copent.”

It was the agreed-upon tactical name. Since there was no chance of winning in individual combat, they would simultaneously destroy the target, centered around Captain Jaylott. They quickly rearranged their formation and leaped into the air.

Whoosh!

It was instantaneous. The water parted along the path they had run.

Jaylott swung his massive sword with all his might, striking the armor’s neck. To strengthen the central attack, the members put their magic in the same direction and swung their swords together.

Crash! Bang!

Crack!

“Ugh!”

Flash, flash! The wet street reflected the light, shining helplessly. One at a time, but all together. The Imperial Guard members repeated the tactical name, Copent, and struck down with their swords again.

Clang! Clang!

Eventually, the helmet shattered.

The knight inside, with a shocked expression, faced Jaylott. The knight, stripped of his shell, was nothing more than an ant in front of the magic swordsmen.

Without hesitation, Jaylott beheaded him.

Thud.

The head rolled and landed at the feet of the others. The blood that had been gushing like a fountain was also diluted by the rain and gradually faded. Soon, your blood will disappear like that too. Jaylott lifted his sword and warned them in silence.

Swoosh!

‘If I and six members attack twice simultaneously, the helmet will break.’

Information was gathered through experience. He had been a little nervous because he had defeated the Three Great Generals, Liam, but it might not be as difficult as he thought.

It was threatening, but Liam had no awareness of the enemy, and Jaylott could grasp the opponent’s power as they fought together.

‘We need at least six people per armor when facing them. To wipe them out, the entire Imperial Guard would have to be mobilized, but if we take them down one by one, we’ll be enough.’

“Stick together! Don’t let those guys attack all at once!”

“Watch each other’s front and back!”

“Damn it, it’s the captain! Be careful of him!”

“Grab an arm or a leg, anything! If we grab them, we’ll have the advantage!”

But the opponents were also people facing life and death, so they found a way to overcome the situation. The flow had completely changed. Now, it was a matter of which side’s teamwork would fall apart first in this group versus group battle.

Jaylott shouted again and charged in.

“Ugh!”

“Protect the captain!”

“Protect him! Copent!”

“Three on the left, two on the right!”

“Stick together! We’ll win if we stick together!”

Clang! Clang!

As Jaylott charged, numerous attacks tangled, piercing and repelling each other. If someone took a sword for Jaylott, the armor would break through the gap, and then an Imperial Guard comrade would push them back. They were interlocked and balanced in a situation where they couldn’t see an inch ahead.

Whoosh!

“Ah, damn it.”

“Damn it. Captain!”

“Don’t back down!”

“Keep pouring it on!”

Kugugugung.

The thunder swallowed their commotion. Screams, roars, and cries were rampant, but all that could be heard was the sky’s wail.

The Imperial Guard members who had been protecting Barsabe also ran to join the battle, and she watched it while lying down. Every time lightning flashed, she could intermittently see the backs of her comrades. The fierce and intense scenes appeared like photos, then disappeared.

‘If only I could move—’

If only she could move, she would jump in there and shed blood with them. It was frustrating to be lying here alone.

‘If only I could bind those guys—’

She could subdue them faster than the wind and rain. Barsabe clenched her fist with longing.

Then, someone’s calm voice echoed.

「Many Leaves」

It was Ian’s voice, clear even amidst the chaos, as it was concentrated with magical power. It was one of the binding magic spells he had used to subdue Marib in the Imperial Palace.

Kugugugung!

Swish.

The magical tree from another world quickly entangled the armor corps. At the sudden intervention, everyone turned their heads towards the branches of the old tree.

Ian smiled as he lifted Barsabe with one hand.

“Why isn’t there anyone in the Imperial Guard who can use binding magic? Unless you all enjoy fighting in the rain.”

“That’s, Captain Liam is the main one.”

“Does that mean no one else can use it if they’re not the main one?”

“Ian, you’re the Minister of Magic.”

Barsabe squeezed out a reply. Wasn’t it the same as a scholar lecturing a student? They were magic swordsmen, not magicians. It was absurd for the Minister of Magic, the highest authority in Bariel, to say such a thing, and she was speechless.

Ian scanned her wounds and then instructed Jaylott.

“I can’t hold them for long. As you can see, I haven’t slept for days either. It would be best to finish this quickly.”

Buzz!

Ian’s golden eyes grew even darker. It was proof that he was pouring magic into maintaining the magic tree.

The armor corps moved back and forth to escape the tree, but it wasn’t easy. Jaylott and the Imperial Guard members stepped back to secure some distance.

Thud!

“Oh, and is there anyone among you who fought a red-haired swordsman in the past?”

It was a sudden question. The armor corps cut down the magic tree with fierce resistance instead of answering.

Crack!

“That’s a shame. I would have spared them if there were.”

Barsabe frowned, holding her side. As if asking what he meant. Ian made eye contact with her and smiled.

“Beric is the type to return what he’s been given.”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“He’ll be making a fuss about finding armor as soon as he wakes up. There’s no growth as certain as winning against someone you’ve lost to.”

“…He’s not dead?”

“Unfortunately, he barely survived.”

“What about the extra edition?”

“That, fortunately, was a success. Thanks to you.”

Barsabe felt relieved and relaxed her body. Now, if she could return alive with her comrades, everything would be over. Her role was, up to this point.

“…Haa. Haha.”

“Jaylott. Subdue them all. It doesn’t matter if some of them die.”

Swoosh!

The opponents were bound. Jaylott and the Imperial Guard members made a vow towards the sky and then simultaneously unleashed their attacks.

Crash! Bang!

Flash!

“Huh. What is it?”

Romandro, who was watching the west from the carriage, noticed that the sky had suddenly brightened. Like a sun rising and exploding in the dark night sky to the west.

It was an explosion that drove away the long night.