Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 234

KWAANG!

The explosion turned the hall into chaos. People rushed towards the exits to evacuate, while mages entered in the opposite direction. The intertwined flow of the massive crowd made the surroundings dizzyingly chaotic.

“Kyaaaaak!”

“Hurry and clear the way! Damn it!”

“It’s alright. Calm down and exit slowly.”

“It’s dangerous. One at a time, please!”

“Uwaaaak! It hurts! It hurts!”

“Be careful, please be careful, eugh!”

Many people fell helplessly, and screams echoed from everywhere. The chaos was extraordinary, and the reactions of the high-ranking individuals were too raw to be considered dignified.

Romandro sighed deeply and shouted.

“The Magic Department will subdue it. Maintain your composure and dignity!”

“Isn’t it a demon, a demon!”

“Everyone move aside! Evacuate in order of rank!”

It was understandable, as this was the Bariel Empire. Compared to other countries, it had almost no demon damage, and these people were those who enjoyed the best lives in peace.

It meant they had consumed demons as mere gossip. Some might have even secretly doubted the existence of demons.

CHWAAAAAAK!

KWANG! KWAANG!

Ian’s attack, aimed precisely at Arsen’s heart.

However, the child nullified it with a small gesture. The two opposing forces repelled each other and faded away, like golden sand scattering in the air. Arsen watched it and smiled meaningfully.

‘What is it?’

Did he control his power? Because of the light of the oracle beside him? Or the priests? The priests are still breathing. Ian might have hidden other intentions. Or perhaps, he was truly out of strength. Whatever it was, wasn’t it advantageous for him?

Ian looked at the demon’s face and smiled along.

“How foolish. You’re thinking of surviving.”

At Ian’s signal, the mages began to draw magic circles. Spell formations were drawn in front of all the exits, including windows and main doors. It was as if they were erecting an invisible wall.

“I have told you many times. If you are a demon, I will kill you. This place will be the last place you step on in a human body.”

ZIIIIII! ZIING!

The mages activated the magic circles, and the priests joined in, adding divine power. It was a demon that had been recorded since the founding of the empire. Simply piercing the heart was not enough.

More than anything, what if that thing left a curse again when it died? It was possible for a demon to infiltrate the imperial family again at any time. Completely cutting out and burning the rotten wood was the best option for now.

“Ah!”

Each time light settled in the spell formation, Arsen felt his breath catch. When the demon tried to run away in surprise, Ian quickly created dozens of concentric circles.

「Restraint」

The activation formula flashed, and the floor cracked. Magic power surged through the shattered gaps, and soon, it targeted Arsen’s position from the ceiling and confined him.

KWAANG! KWANG!

When Arsen tried to extinguish the light, Ian relentlessly poured attacks. As if to distract him, moderately and slowly.

Arsen quickly looked around and soon found Delilah, who had fainted and was being supported by her guards. They were about to leave the hall.

“Mother!”

A sharp ringing echoed in the back of her head. Delilah’s head snapped back. When Jin turned around in surprise, Arsen was looking at them, sobbing. The guards were flustered and tried to pull her away, but they didn’t move as if they were bound by something.

“Mother. Are you going to abandon me? Just like you did to Jin, are you going to do the same to me?”

“Aaaah……”

“Arsen! Please, stop!”

When Delilah was in pain, Jin rebuked him with anger. It was an anger that had been suppressed and festered for a lifetime. Ah, that’s it! Arsen shouted with joy, as if he had found his prey.

“Jin! Shall I tell you something fun?”

SHWAAAAAAK!

CHWAAK!

Arsen’s gaze was fixed on Jin. It was the moment Ian was about to condense his magic power to block the demon’s whisper.

From somewhere, the Third Commander, Beols, who had flown in quickly, slashed his sword across Arsen’s face. Arsen dodged by tilting his head, but his right ear was torn off.

“Aaaak!”

“You lowly creature, where do you think you are! Disturbing the imperial palace and His Majesty the Emperor-!”

“Commander Beols! Step back! No!”

Beols tried to stab Arsen with his sword, chasing after him as he tumbled backward. But the attack stopped in mid-air. Arsen was holding his right ear, panting and shedding tears.

‘Black tears?’

“How dare you! How dare you! This, this-! Uwaaaak!”

ZIIING!

The demon’s scream, a shriek of rage, burst out in an instant. Beols’s whole body convulsed. It was a vibration created by his body moving on its own and his will trying to stop it.

“Beols!”

Brainwashing is when one’s ego is being consumed. Therefore, it was one of the things Ian was most wary of.

Fortunately, because it was the body of a child and not an adult, the level of struggle was limited. Before it could breathe out, it wouldn’t be able to brainwash many people at once.

That’s why he tried to restrain it without deliberately provoking it…

SWOOK.

The sword that had been aimed at Arsen was now turned towards Beols’s neck. The child showed the whites of his eyes, pouring out a curse full of malice.

“I’ll tear you to pieces!”

KWAJIK!

Beols stabbed himself in the neck.

Arsen, who was covered in the gushing blood, laughed as if he was out of breath. It was a gruesome and terrible sight, but somehow, his voice was too melodious, creating a sense of incongruity.

“L, Lord Ian. What should we do?”

“…Everyone, don’t stop and continue drawing the spell formations. Guards, escort Jin away.”

“Your Highness, you must go. Let go of Lady Delilah.”

“L, listen, listen to your mother. You can do that.”

“You are bound by an unknown force. Come this way!”

At Ian’s command, the guards lifted Jin up. The hem of the dress she had been holding tightly finally fell from Jin’s hand. It was when Jin was shedding tears, trying to capture her mother’s image until the very end.

ZIING!

The guards’ steps also stopped. They staggered and fell forward, and Jin also tumbled and fell to the floor.

“Jin! Listen carefully to what I’m about to say! I have never used my power on your mother!”

Jin, who was getting up, flinched. Fear was faintly visible on her face. What was the demon with my face saying now?

“Your mother abandoning you was entirely her choice. Even if it wasn’t me, you would have been abandoned, so don’t blame me for nothing. My poor sibling.”

“…That’s a lie.”

“It’s not a lie. Have you heard about Ian’s mother, Philia? I used the same power, but Philia resisted until the end and failed. If Delilah had even a little love for you, she wouldn’t have treated you like that.”

KWAANG!

Ian shot a beam of light into his crown, as if telling him to shut up. But Arsen, who had gained momentum, forcefully deflected it and shouted again. His pure expression, as if there was not a single lie, was a bonus.

“One more!”

“Your Highness. It’s a lie. Cover your ears and leave.”

“Ian, that’s a royal! Hahaha!”

“……!”

Wasn’t that too sudden and unfounded? Everyone knew that Ian’s father was Derga and his mother was Philia. Even the mages who were endlessly drawing spell formations stopped in surprise.

Ian was condensing his magic power as much as possible with a nonchalant gaze. As if it would be better to blow that thing’s head off.

“Jin. You didn’t know, did you? Why would Ian help someone like you? It’s all because he has his own intentions! If I die and only you remain, he will surely reveal it! He’s more dangerous than me, so be careful! Ahahahaha!”

KWAANG!

Ian’s attack pierced Arsen’s neck. The child lowered his body and spilled black blood, but he didn’t stop laughing. Surprisingly, his voice was still clear.

“If you don’t believe me, shall I show you?”

“Huk! Ugh!”

“Uwaaaak!”

“L, Lord Ian. This, uuuuk.”

“Wait, step back! Keuh!”

Arsen melted away. It was because he had used all the power he had to maintain his human form. Only a wriggling liquid, a head, and a throbbing heart remained.

“Only royals are blessed and not affected by mind control! Look! Jin, my sibling! Who is standing here unharmed!”

The mages all fell forward, groaning in pain. The priests, who were covered in divinity, reacted even faster and had long since fainted.

Jin stepped back and looked around. Only Jin and Ian. Only the two of them were breathing in front of that demon’s breath.

“Lord Ian?”

“…Your Highness.”

Instead of answering, Ian grabbed Jin’s shoulder and pushed her back. Jin, who was slowly stepping back, realized that she was already outside the door.

“Lord Ian!”

“I’ll see you later. Is anyone there!”

“Your Highness, this way!”

“Lord Ian! Just a moment!”

KIIIIIIK.

KUNG!

Jin tried to approach Ian, pushing away the guards, but she couldn’t. Because of the coldly closed door. Or because of Ian’s gaze, which she couldn’t fathom.

“Hahaha!”

Every time Arsen’s head laughed, his heart throbbed loudly.

Ian walked through the fallen people. Each step created a wave, and new spell formations were drawn. Unlike the ones the mages had drawn one by one, he was creating new ones just by being aware of them.

ZIIING.

“As expected of a demon, you’re ugly until the end. I can’t let you go peacefully. Feel all the pain you can feel and go.”

“Ha, hahaha!”

Arsen began to pant. When Ian picked up a sword lying on the floor, even his face began to melt. He was preparing for his last stand in his own way.

“I thought I was very fortunate to meet you now. As time passed, your evil would have become more severe and troublesome. But no. You should have died ten years ago, as soon as you were born. No. Before that, you should have never been born.”

“…Ian. I have something to tell you too.”

Poisonous gas rose from the melting liquid. Ian frowned at the increasingly dense energy. It was unbearably disgusting.

“You will never get what you want. I know. The next Bariel is calling for Jin.”

That was why he was born as Jin’s brother. It was a warning that if you were greedy for the throne, it would not go as you wished.

Ian gripped his sword again as if it was natural and walked forward.

“That’s good. I also think that Jin should be in the future Bariel.”

“……!”

Then, Arsen shouted urgently and wrapped himself in more poison. It was so toxic that it couldn’t be repelled by magic. It was the source of Arsen. The bottom of the curse that had continued since the founding of the empire.

“O, oh, try stabbing me! If you kill me, you will die too. If you die, Jin will die soon after!”

Ian looked down at the throbbing heart and remained silent. If he died, he could guess what Jin’s position would be in the imperial palace later. Hyman and other hyena-like people would try to devour the young prince.

But, what if he couldn’t deal with Arsen here?

‘Time is on Arsen’s side.’

It would regenerate and bind Jin again. Furthermore, it would lead to the decline of Bariel. Beyond Arsen, another demon would infiltrate the imperial palace.

“…Demon. That’s not even a choice.”

ZIIING. ZIING!

Ian drew out all the power in his body. Then, the magic circles drawn throughout the hall ignited simultaneously and rushed towards Ian’s sword. Like the flow of the universe, countless lights moved endlessly and enveloped Ian.

“I……!”

It was the moment when Arsen’s poison surged up as if rejecting its end.

KIIIIIIK.

KUNG.

The door of the hall opened. Ian turned around with his sword raised in the air.

“The party is quite hot from midday.”

It was Gale. Arsen’s demonic energy was rampant in the hall, but he walked in without any problems. He flicked his cigarette and greeted them.

“Can I join in?”