Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 269

Clang!

The sword blade hit the wall and went tumbling. Just as expected, his skills were extraordinary. The eyes of the thugs followed the sword, and thanks to that, they didn’t immediately notice Ian’s eyes turning golden.

Timothy roughly rolled up his torn sleeve and then tried to pick up the sword that had fallen to the floor.

‘Sh, shit! Don’t you know there’s no match for a gang-up?’

‘Go forward! Push! You bastards, he’s grabbing his sword!’

‘You go first! Go, go!’

‘Hurry!’

A preemptive strike with the gang. In the world of thugs, there’s no greater truth than this. They all rushed at Timothy before he could properly take a stance. To hide their tension and heighten their excitement, screams erupted from all over.

‘Uwaaaah!’

‘Wait, hold on. That sucker’s eyes…’

‘Kill him! Kill himmm!’

In the narrow, long corridor, a closed space without a single window, Timothy and Ian were cornered. Timothy scraped the floor with the tip of his sword, walking forward step by step. Three steps, two steps, one step before the clash…

‘Wait a minute! I’m telling you, that sucker’s eyes are weird!’

‘Uwaaah! Let’s gooo!’

Ian, who was watching from behind, turned his head and widened his eyes. Sucker? For a moment, he thought he had misheard. It was the first time in his life he had been called that. Rather than anger, Ian wore an absurd smile, finding it novel.

Tap tap!

‘Hwaaah!’

The one at the front swung his sword wildly and rushed at Timothy. The area was so large that even if he just swung it haphazardly, it was bound to hit something. It was the moment he thought carelessly and pushed the tip of his sword forward.

‘Huh?’

Clang!

When Timothy blocked it with his sword, he could feel the overwhelming difference in power through the interlocked blades. The man’s arm trembled. He tried to push back, but it was impossible.

Timothy effortlessly put his strength into it and pushed the man against the wall. The blade kept rising towards his neck. He turned his head to ask his comrades for help, but because of that, his strength faltered, and his neck was cut.

Swoosh!

‘Uwaaaah!’

Cut once by his own sword, and then again by Timothy’s sword. The man, cut twice in an instant, clutched his neck with both hands and fell forward.

Timothy raised his sword and warned in a low voice.

‘Clear the way.’

But it was irreversible. Childish bravado had disabled rational judgment, and the presence of people on the stairs fueled the fire even more. It was because the gang members were continuing to come to support them. Those at the front simultaneously lunged at Timothy.

‘Dieeeeee!’

Swoosh! Clang!

Slowly, but surely. Even if Timothy was pushed back, he focused on one strike. As he moved forward little by little, the gang’s momentum also surged.

‘It’s okay! Keep pushing!’

‘Shit! Uwaaaah!’

With five or six swords simultaneously striking in the narrow corridor, Timothy’s breathing gradually became labored. At this rate, even if he cut them all down, the corpses would pile up, making it impossible to get out.

At that moment, an unexpected attack came towards Timothy’s ear.

‘Ah.’

His other ear would be cut off too. The moment Timothy thought that, Ian quickly condensed his magic and released it. The strong impact pushed the enemies standing nearby backward as if they were flying.

Boom! Bang!

Crash!

‘Uwaaak!’

‘Wh, what was that just now?’

‘What’s wrong? What’s happening in front? Augh, I can’t see.’

‘Suddenly pushing and acting up.’

‘Shut up! It, it, it seems like magic!’

The ones at the front stopped all at once. Those in the back, who didn’t understand the situation, were shouting, but they couldn’t move rashly. A magician. Leaving aside the fact that it was hopeless, there was a high possibility that they were related to the Imperial Palace.

Timothy released his lowered stance and turned to look at Ian.

‘…Thank you, but the building is collapsing.’

‘I tried to be gentle, but it’s a bit unsettling. Still, it’s better than the envoy’s ear being cut off. Upon returning home, wouldn’t the king be curious?’

Due to the impact just now, debris powder was falling from the ceiling. If the building collapsed underground, not on the surface, wouldn’t that be quite troublesome?

Thump! Thud!

Sure enough. At the opposite end of the corridor, a loud noise of something collapsing came from the arena. The floor and walls they were standing on shook violently. The thugs flinched and turned their gaze backward.

Crash! Bang! Clang!

Clatter! Thud!

Something had happened inside the arena. Intermittent screams of people were heard, and explosions that were impossible to guess at erupted.

The thugs looked back and forth, not knowing what to do. Soon, the arena door was flung open to the left and right, and something popped out.

‘Iaaaaaaan!’

‘Cough!’

Thump!

With his legs sticking out through the bars, he was running. He was holding up the bars with both hands raised high. One of the staff tried to stop him, but he was too weak, and he bounced off and rolled down the corridor. Beric roared like a beast.

‘You bastards! Ian left me because of you! How am I supposed to go alone! Give me my carriage fare! How many times do I have to say to unlock this-!’

‘…Beric?’

‘Huh? You didn’t leave?’

Ian stared at him in bewilderment. The source of the loud noise from inside must have been the sound of that falling from the ceiling. He hadn’t even fully recovered from his injuries, so how was he holding that up?

Beric waved his hand happily when he found Ian. As soon as he let go of one side, the bars quickly tilted and fell to the floor.

Thump!

‘Ugh, it’s damn heavy.’

‘Beric, how did you get down?’

‘I shook it while jumping around, and it came off with the ceiling. But if I had known you weren’t gone, I would have stayed still. My tailbone hurts like hell.’

He had moved to talk to Timothy, but Beric must have misunderstood that he had been left behind. It hadn’t been that long. How could his personality be so hasty?

‘But what are you all doing? Looks fun?’

‘Well, it is kind of fun.’

‘I want to do it too. Anyone want to lend me a sword! You there! You look weak, like you’re just there to be a stepping stone. A sword is a luxury for you! Hand it over to me! Or bring my black sword!’

The man pointed out by Beric was flustered and retorted. It was something he did every day in the back alleys, so it was almost a reflexive response.

‘Who are you calling a stepping stone? You’re the one who’s going to be stepped on!’

‘Huh? This bastard?’

‘You’re trapped in a cage! Hwaaah!’

Thwack!

The man thrust his sword through the bars, but Beric quickly grabbed the bars and twisted them. The sword broke and bounced off, and at the same time, the edge hit the man’s jaw. He clutched his torn mouth and fell forward. Teeth fell out along with the blood. Beric shouted triumphantly.

‘I’m not trapped, I just can’t get out!’

…Isn’t that the same thing? The thugs paused for a moment and looked around. In front of them was a person with outstanding skills and someone presumed to be a magician. And behind them was a red-haired madman.

It would be better to run away first. If the blond boy was really a magician, there was no way they could survive. Physically or legally.

‘Get out of the way! Damn it!’

‘Uwaaah! Get out! Get out!’

As they turned their backs and ran up the stairs, Ian instructed Beric.

‘Beric. Block the stairs. Don’t let anyone out.’

‘Huh? Hey, hey, hey! Ian said not to let them out! Stop!’

‘Run quickly, you bastards!’

‘I said don’t go out! Are your ears blocked?!’

Beric lifted the bars with both hands and ran. Then, before the thugs, he stood firmly at the entrance of the stairs. They tried to push the bars away, but they couldn’t budge because Beric was holding them back.

‘Stab him! Kill this crazy bastard!’

‘Eeeh? Anyone want to put their hand in? I’ll bite it off for you.’

‘Kill himmm!’

Crunch!

‘Uwaaak!’

‘Oh, a sword! I don’t know whose it is, but thanks! Anyone want to put their hand in? I’ll cut it off for you!’

Swoosh! Thwack!

Beric grabbed a sword and swung it wildly. While he was dodging the swords and punches that were pouring down on him, Timothy also took his stance and jumped in. Since they were back alley thugs, there was already an overwhelming difference in skill. Now they were even showing their backs.

Timothy easily cut down the enemies as he advanced. Even in the darkness, the blood splashed, and the smell of mold and fishiness became stronger.

And finally.

Swoosh!

A man fell to Timothy’s strike, and soon he was able to face the bars. Beric, looking up at Timothy, covered in blood. He grinned and reached out his hand.

‘Oh, mister. You look even dirtier in person! Wanna have a round after we get out of here?’

‘…Ian-nim.’

Timothy looked up and down at Beric and turned to look at Ian. Ian was approaching them, stepping over the corpses.

‘Yes. What is it? Envoy Timothy.’

‘…Is this really your friend?’

Didn’t he call Beric his friend earlier? No matter how he thought about it, he couldn’t believe it. Leaving aside the issue of status, the worlds the two lived in seemed completely different.

‘Ah, why! You don’t know, mister, but I’m, huh? Kind of like that!’

He wanted to say something, but there was nothing to say. That he eats well? That he sleeps well? He was amazing at fighting, but he wasn’t the best yet. He had lost to Jaylot and been defeated by the black armor.

Instead of Beric, who was at a loss for words, Ian smiled brightly.

‘I want to deny it too.’

* * *

‘Why are there so many people? Was it like this before?’

Jin, Romandro, and Siao Shi sensed a different atmosphere in the streets. When they had parted with Ian, there weren’t this many people, and most of all, everyone was half out of their minds.

But now, it was so chaotic that they instinctively felt that something had happened.

‘That’s right. There are so many carriages…’

‘It’s the guard.’

‘Isn’t that the alley where Ian-hyung went in?’

‘Let’s go. Siao, hold on tight.’

‘Yes. I understand.’

‘Please move aside for a moment. I’m going forward. Ah, thank you.’

As Romandro pushed through the crowd, Siao Shi followed behind, holding Jin in his arms. The further they went inside, the more chaotic the commotion became.

The center of it was a shabby building. Guards were gathered, carrying out the injured. Jin, sitting on Siao Shi’s shoulder, found Ian.

‘Ian-hyung!’

Ian, who was talking to the captain of the guard, heard Jin’s voice and turned his head. At Ian’s instruction, the guards controlled the people and cleared a path.

‘Jin, did you look around the park well?’

‘Yes, hyung. It’s time, so I came to pick you up. But what is all this…’

‘Jin-nim! Do you have any bread left? I’m hungry!’

‘Beric?’

Jin was startled to find Beric, covered in blood, trapped in a cage. What on earth was going on? As if he understood his concern, Beric smiled and waved his hand.

‘It’s okay, it’s okay. This isn’t my blood.’

‘Beric, you idiot! The hole in your stomach hasn’t healed yet! What kind of accident did you cause!’

‘I didn’t cause an accident! Wow, that’s unfair. Do you have any bread?’

Romandro rubbed his forehead as if he was dizzy at Beric’s words. Ian whispered something to the captain of the guard, who saluted sharply and returned to the scene of the incident. To retrieve Beric’s cage key and black sword.

‘There are too many eyes and ears here, so I’ll tell you when we get back. And…’

‘Greetings.’

It was Timothy. Jin slowly opened his mouth and looked up at him. Seeing him up close, he was an even more imposing figure.

Timothy knelt on one knee and met Jin’s gaze. Among Ian’s group, the silver-haired, blue-eyed child was the only one who came to mind.

‘I am Timothy Obia. I am truly ashamed to meet you like this. If you allow it, I will formally greet you at an early date.’

Jin nodded without realizing it. It was a brief greeting, but it was the best courtesy he could offer in the current situation where everyone’s attention was focused.

Ian took Jin’s hand and said to Timothy.

‘Then, Envoy Timothy. I’ll see you again.’

‘Yes. Ian-nim.’

Ian gestured as if to tell him to hurry. He had made arrangements so that he wouldn’t be investigated by the guards.

Timothy put on his robe and disappeared into the crowd. Ian watched his back until the end, and Jin watched Ian.

‘Ian-hyung.’

Ian turned his head with a smile as if asking why. Then, Jin’s subtle senses rustled. Had Ian ever smiled like that at someone he was meeting for the first time? He wasn’t sure.

‘Have you met Timothy before?’

‘…No. Why do you ask?’

Ian was born and raised in the borderlands and had not been in the center for long. Even the prince, Jin, was seeing him for the first time, so how could Ian have met Timothy? Ian denied it, but Jin somehow felt uneasy.

‘Just. He seemed familiar.’

‘It seems like you saw his portrait.’

‘…I see.’

‘Let’s go back first. I’ll explain when we get back.’

Ian patted Jin’s shoulder and got up, and Jin nodded in agreement. Then, suddenly, the child grabbed Ian’s hand.

‘Oh! Are you hurt anywhere? Beric was covered in blood…’

What was suspicious was suspicious, and what needed to be worried about had to be worried about. At Jin’s question, Ian’s smile deepened even more.

Ah, was it a misunderstanding after all? It wasn’t goodwill towards Timothy, but just that he was in a good mood? Jin smiled slightly, dimpling his cheek, and followed him.