Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 260

‘Ahem.’ Romandro cleared his throat, trying to shake off the awkwardness. Why was he so nervous and embarrassed? He stood before the chalkboard, fidgeting with his pen. When dispatched to disaster sites, he’d recite reports in front of dozens of people a couple of times a day, but strangely, he felt more nervous now than back then. Just four people. And they were people he knew. ‘Romandro, I’m counting on you.’ Was it because Jin, the next emperor of Bariel and the current sole heir to the imperial family, was looking at him with sparkling eyes full of anticipation? ‘Romandro, please begin.’ Or maybe it was because he was standing before a boy who had risen to fourth in the empire’s ranks with his bare hands, and who was also the Minister of Magic. Come to think of it, wasn’t this the first time he was presenting information in this lecture-like format in front of Ian? He was a sharp and meticulous superior. If he made even one mistake, he’d likely be corrected immediately. ‘Come on, hurry up and let’s go eat!’ ‘…….’ Jin and Ian were sitting side by side at a desk, but Beric was sprawled on the sofa, and Siao Shi was standing near the door. Romandro cleared his throat again and picked up the chalk. These were the two people who would lead the Bariel Empire. He had been tasked with informing them about the foreign political landscape, which they knew nothing about. How important was this mission? Setting aside personal feelings, his primary goal was to deliver the facts plainly. He was about to start, flipping through the map he had prepared in advance. ‘The Great Bariel Empire!’ ‘Wow, you’ve got a great voice, Romandro.’ ‘Located in the center of Gaia [the world], it’s hard to see the sea except for the southernmost tip. Instead, it has achieved stable development due to its vast territory, abundant resources, and the mountain ranges that surround its borders. Look at the mountains. They look like they’re cradled in the hands of God, don’t they? This is proof that Bariel is blessed by God.’ ‘Oh! Here! Ian, this is Hielo. Hielo.’ Beric squinted at the map, then quickly ran over and pointed to the Hielo territory when he found it. Nearby, the Monne Mountains, where Luron stones had been discovered, were marked in a dark color. Romandro waved his hand, telling him to go away, but Beric just kept looking back and forth between the center and Hielo, marveling. ‘Wow, it’s really far from here to there.’ ‘It took two weeks by carriage.’ ‘Right. And here’s Karenna! Where I met Hasha!’ Who was Hasha? Jin tilted his head, and Ian pointed to the northwest of Bariel, explaining. ‘The northwest border is currently in chaos due to civil wars and natural disasters. The country is divided into many community units close to tribes, and even if not, the internal conflicts between factions are severe. Hasha is a necromancer from a country called Astana among them.’ ‘I’ve heard of it. Former Minister Wesley invited necromancers from various places for cultural and academic exchange. But beneath the surface, there was an intention to create a peace forum among the warring nations and increase influence.’ It was a kind of self-proclaimed mediator role. Setting aside the cause of resolving conflicts, there were many intentions and desires hidden beneath it. In particular, Wesley’s misguided love was a major foundation for the project. ‘Yes, Your Highness. That’s correct. You’re well-informed.’ ‘Well, to some extent.’ Jin smiled shyly. Ian briefly drew a central map on the edge of his notebook, then roughly pointed out the outer regions. ‘The necromancers are currently continuing their academic research on the outskirts of the center. Most of them returned to their countries when Wesley died, but some are still fulfilling their agreed-upon study period.’ Since their research required corpses, they had to do it as secretly as possible. Jin listened carefully to Ian’s words, nodding repeatedly. Seeing this, Romandro pushed Beric aside and approached, teary-eyed. He was going to tell him! He had been preempted by that damned Beric. ‘Your Highness, please! I’ll tell you after that.’ The information and knowledge he was gaining now would form Jin and complete Bariel in the future. Romandro, thinking he couldn’t be deprived of that glorious starting point, pointed at the map passionately. Thump! ‘To the east of the country is the Hielo territory, and adjacent to that is the Hawan Kingdom. The Hawan Kingdom shares borders with Bariel and Luswena. The northwestern countries are weak, and their national affairs are chaotic, so you don’t need to pay much attention to them. Your Highness, you only need to keep an eye on three countries. Three countries. I’ll tell you in a clockwise direction.’ Luswena to the northeast. Clifford to the south. Burgos to the west. ‘Oh…….’ Jin murmured softly. He had learned about them during his imperial education, but hearing about them again like this felt unfamiliar. Ian also raised his eyebrows as if pleased to hear the names of the countries after a long time. ‘You’ll know Luswena well. It has a long history, excellent granaries, and is a place where black gemstones are found. Queen Eriponi currently rules, and her cousin came as an envoy.’ ‘What kind of person is this Eriponi?’ Whoosh! He had been waiting for that question! Romandro flipped the map to reveal a crude portrait. She had long turquoise hair, white skin, and sharp, slanted eyes. In particular, her sanpaku eyes [eyes where the white is visible below the iris] stood out. Overall, she was a woman with bold features. ‘While judgment is for posterity, her reputation is not bad both internally and externally. I don’t know if you saw the Eldert envoy who came to the palace.’ ‘Yes. I saw him. With Sir Ian. He was handsome.’ ‘Blood doesn’t lie, they look exactly alike. You could say they’re almost the same, just different genders. Oh, I heard she enjoys hunting. They say she’s an amazing archer, but well, rumors about leaders are always exaggerated. Ahem.’ ‘Will the king come to the inauguration ceremony in person?’ ‘Since the letters haven’t been sent yet, it’s hard to gauge the reaction. It’s most likely that Eldert will come again.’ Ian, who had been listening quietly to Romandro’s explanation, crossed his arms and stared intently at the portrait of the Queen of Luswena. No matter how strong the power of blood was, could they really look that similar to the Eldert envoy? It was truly strange. ‘Next is Clifford. The first prince has been confirmed as the successor. Since the successors have traditionally served as foreign envoys, it will likely be the same this time. The first prince, Noah.’ This was similar to Marib. Marib, as the first prince, had also led the reception of foreign envoys. As he became an adult, he intentionally visited foreign countries. In that process, he met the Rutherford Trading Company, the source of amber gemstones. Ian was examining the portrait when Beric raised his hand, looking dissatisfied. ‘Ah, but Romandro, who drew that?’ ‘…Why?’ ‘I could draw better than that with my feet. They drew the eyes like a beggar. Isn’t it just a line?’ ‘That’s, uh, because she’s smiling, so it’s folded like that…….’ Romandro bit his lip, looking hurt. It was clear that he had drawn it. Jin, flustered, comforted Romandro. ‘It looks very, very well drawn.’ ‘R-Really?’ ‘Yes. I think I’ll be able to recognize them easily even if I meet them at the inauguration ceremony. Thank you, Romandro.’ Prince Noah had tanned skin and orange hair. Unlike the King of Luswena, he had smiling, squinting eyes. If Romandro had drawn him like that in the portrait, he must be someone who always had a smile on his face. He had a rough idea of what his personality would be like. ‘Clifford values music and dance. It’s not just Prince Noah, but a cultural phenomenon. It’s related to their founding myth, which, um. Simply put, it’s the story of how God was impressed by the sight of a red bat-eared fox dancing and gave it a human body.’ ‘Your Highness. What can you infer from hearing that myth?’ At Ian’s sudden question, Jin’s eyes widened. But soon, he stammered, folding his fingers as he listed what came to mind. ‘They like music and dance, and their symbolic animal is a fox? Like Bariel, they must have temples. Um, ah! And they must also have a long history of founding.’ ‘Yes. That’s correct. Having a founding myth means they have existed for a long time, so long that it’s hard to estimate their origin. It’s also a common point among the three countries Romandro pointed out.’ It meant that they were not forces that were born and disappeared amidst large and small wars and conflicts, but that they had protected a part of the continent for a long time along with Bariel. Beric flipped to the last page, looking annoyed. Clatter! ‘Huh?’ The last one, Burgos in the west. Unlike the previously explained Queen Eriponi of Luswena and Prince Noah, the paper was filled with a drawing. As soon as Beric saw it, he muttered as if he had realized something. ‘…This, this, they’re all that.’ ‘What do you mean by that?’ What nonsense was he going to say now! Romandro raised his hand, looking tense. If necessary, he would slam his forehead down. But Beric didn’t even blink, just scratching his ear. ‘Eriponi is a turquoise snake, Noah is a red fox, and this guy is a black bear.’ Ah, how could he deal with this ignorant, reckless person? Romandro shook his head, pitifully touching his forehead. ‘Beric, you idiot, I think it’s clear that God is watching over you. It was the same in Hielo. Your lifespan is too long for your behavior. You should go outside and pray instead of lazing around.’ ‘Huh? Did I say something wrong? Refute me.’ ‘Don’t ever say that in front of others! You’ll really be punished!’ Beric protested, yelling, and Romandro yelled back, telling him to be quiet. While the two were making a fuss, Jin quietly looked up at the portrait. Because it was low-quality, it was smudged here and there due to fingerprints. ‘…He’s amazing. I can feel his spirit even in the drawing.’ The scars that filled his face, his left ear half-cut off with an ornament taking its place, and his rough, angular jaw looked firm and steadfast. He was truly an amazing man. The moment Jin let out an exclamation of admiration. ‘…Timothy.’ ‘Do you know this person? Sir Ian?’ ‘Yes. I think I overheard it somewhere. Romandro, is this person’s name Timothy?’ ‘Uh-huh! That’s right, Timothy!’ Ian’s expression, as he crossed his arms and stared straight ahead, was somewhat subtle. He was silent for a long time, even frowning as if trying to recall something. Jin waited patiently, but Ian didn’t say anything in the end, just smiled. ‘Your Highness. You must be well aware of these portraits and do a great job of welcoming guests at the inauguration ceremony.’ ‘Don’t worry!’ ‘Yes. I’m not worried. I’m sure you’ll do well, Your Highness.’ Ian replied and got up from his seat. Seeing him take out his pen nib and put it down, it seemed like he was about to go outside. ‘Ian! Where are you going?’ ‘I said I’m going to take care of something.’ ‘Let’s go together! Let’s stop by the restaurant on the way back.’ Thump! Beric, who had been grabbing Romandro’s collar, immediately followed Ian out. Jin, flustered by the sudden action, just stared at the half-open door. Squeak. Until Siao Shi completely closed the door. Jin lightly shrugged his shoulders and picked up the pen that Ian had left behind. Then, he looked at Romandro, giving him a look that said to hurry up and tell him. ‘Ahem. Your Highness, then let’s continue just the two of us.’ ‘Yes, yes. Let’s do that. I’ll have many questions!’ ‘You’re welcome. Um, ah, and Your Highness. It’s just my concern, but may I say something…….’ What was it? Jin smiled and gave his permission. ‘When foreigners are here, you must never, ever talk about the secrets of the imperial family. Even if you become close later. Sir Ian is trustworthy, but in the future, you shouldn’t even tell Sir Ian. A true retainer, upon hearing the secrets of the imperial family, should voluntarily cover their ears.’ The smile slowly faded from Jin’s face. As if he didn’t understand what he meant at all. ‘Ah, of course, it’s not that Sir Ian did anything wrong. But for mutual trust and a better relationship, it’s better to keep what needs to be kept, um. It’s just my small request.’ Romandro gave an awkward smile and picked up the chalk again. ‘Then, let’s continue!’