Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 281

Kwaaaang! Kwang!

Once again, flashes of light flooded the area. The tremors rising from the floor were even heavier, and the protective barrier began to crack under the barrage of attacks.

The wizards, realizing this, cried out in alarm.

‘The barrier is breaking! Maintain it!’

‘Everyone, it’s dangerous, step back! Now!’

‘Focus on maintaining it! Who’s in charge on the left?’

Unlike the wizards who were moving frantically, most people remained still, watching the match intently.

Especially the Imperial Defense Department officials on the second floor. They were leaning out over the railing.

Wasn’t this a very important moment?

If, just if, Jeyrat were to lose…

Kwaaaang!

At that moment, two figures appeared from within the smoke. Beric and Jeyrat were tumbling, each gripping the other’s neck with their left hand.

Unlike Beric, whose sword was too long to effectively attack, Jeyrat was free. After all, his sword was formless magic itself.

As Jeyrat unleashed magic at his opponent’s temple, Beric’s head snapped back at a right angle and he flew away. It felt like he could finally breathe.

‘…Kuhuk!’

Jeyrat gasped for breath, clutching at his own neck. They were clearly grappling together, but why was he the only one on the verge of death? If he had been just a little slower, his neck might have been broken, Jeyrat thought involuntarily.

It’s been a while. This feeling.

It was bewildering, blood-boiling, and, at the same time, astonishing.

‘…Ha. Hahaha.’

Beric was bleeding from his nose, mouth, and even his ears. The area below his eyes was all red, like a monster that had devoured a person.

‘Ugh, I thought my head was going to fall off.’

The Imperial Guard members covered their mouths in silence. Had they ever seen their commander bleed while sparring with someone? Before that, had they ever seen him struggle so much?

Absolutely not. Maybe the deceased Beols and Liama had experienced it, but at least in the current Imperial Guard, there was no one who could shake Jeyrat like this.

‘Commander!’

‘Beric, do you have no pride as a swordsman?!’

‘This is a foul! Stop the match!’

‘Minister Ian! I’m disappointed. This is unfair!’

The Imperial Guard members raised their voices in protest, but Ian remained calm and relaxed. He passed the complaints directed at him to the person in charge of the execution.

‘Is there any evidence of unfairness in Beric’s actions just now?’

‘Ah, that is…’

It was certainly not fair, but it couldn’t be said to be unfair either. All the rules presented had been followed. There was a clause prohibiting drugs, but magic was not classified as a drug.

The officials rushed to headquarters to confirm the protests from the Imperial Guard and other departments.

Pajijijik! Pajik!

Kwang! Kwaaaang!

At that moment, the continuous explosions suddenly stopped.

Beric’s sword was right against Jeyrat’s throat.

And Jeyrat’s sword, which had been drawing an arc in the air, stopped.

The two, sensing that the match was over, stopped simultaneously. As the noise that had been echoing through the arena subsided, an astonishingly quiet silence fell.

‘What should we do? Continue? Or give up?’

‘……’

Jeyrat sighed and raised his hand. It was a sign of surrender. As he opened his fist, the magic sword disappeared, leaving a faint trace.

‘Waaaaah! I won! I beat the old geezer!’

‘…B-Beric!’

‘Lord Romandro! Did you see that just now? Amazing! Crazy! Uwaaaah! So good! Ian! Did you see? I went like this, and I won! You bastards! I’m the commander!’

Beric ran around wildly, cheering. Then, the silence gradually broke. The crowd applauded and cheered, while the people of the Imperial Palace murmured, sharing their bewilderment. In an instant, chaos surged in.

‘Hey, man, wow, that’s awesome! You beat the commander! Your name is Beric, right? You’re still an unassigned magic swordsman, right? Oh my god!’

‘He was amazing! Pababak, ppaak! Wow, that’s incredible.’

‘Huk. Is your side okay? The wound looks pretty deep.’

‘It’s fine! I got a hole in my side, so I’ll get stronger when it heals. Mwahahahat!’

‘Well, he’s definitely not normal. He’s not in the normal category.’

‘Commander! Commander! Are you alright?’

‘Call a doctor! Commander!’

‘I’ve seen something rare. Someone surpassing the commander in a duel! Today, we absolutely, absolutely have to have a drink!’

The Imperial Guard members rushed to Jeyrat and supported him. His arm was cut, and there were deep wounds here and there. Jeyrat limped, refusing the help of his subordinates.

‘I can walk on my own.’

‘Commander. You won this.’

‘Yes. So, please don’t be too disheartened. We are-‘

As his subordinates offered awkward words of comfort, Jeyrat made a face that showed he was genuinely displeased. He roughly wiped the blood flowing down his neck and retorted.

‘What are you all talking about? Have you forgotten the meaning of the match?’

The main purpose of this selection was to choose two commanders. So, naturally, Jeyrat had anticipated a match where he would struggle, and he had hoped for it.

The three commanders were to unite to protect His Majesty the Emperor and lead the Imperial Guard as ‘comrades’. He had never imagined that Beric would rise up like this.

‘Hey, you! I’ll remember your face clearly, okay? When I become commander, don’t forget you’re working for free. Kehahahat!’

Beric stuck out his tongue at the Imperial Guard members, mocking them.

Some of them, feeling a surge of anger, reached for their swords, but their colleagues held them back. There was no need to engage him, right? And even if there was, it was questionable whether they could.

‘That’s enough. Ignore him.’

‘Let’s clean up and finish. Commander, let’s move.’

‘Imperial Guard Commander.’

Ian called out to Jeyrat, leaning against the railing. In contrast to the staff running around behind him, he looked very relaxed. Since his subordinate had defeated the commander, it was easy to imagine how satisfied he must be.

‘You’ve worked hard. I’ll send a healing mage to your department. There are still about nine people left, so focus on managing them. If your physical condition isn’t good, there will be a problem with fairness, won’t there?’

‘Look here, Minister! Are you giving us medicine after giving us the disease?’

Ian raised an eyebrow at someone’s rash retort. His gaze turned cold in an instant. Considering his position and status, it was not a remark that Ian should have heard.

Ian warned with a nod. His tone was dripping with coldness.

‘Be careful. I don’t want to know your name.’

‘I apologize, Minister. I’ll receive treatment for a moment, and then I’ll see you again.’

Jeyrat stepped forward, as if protecting his subordinate, and greeted him instead. Then, he hurried out of the training ground.

The Imperial Guard members followed him, glancing back. More precisely, they were looking at Beric, who was being tossed in the air by the crowd. They all had expressions that showed they were very worried about the future.

‘Let’s get up too.’

‘Yes. Let’s do that. Ahem.’

The Imperial Defense Department officers exchanged glances and rose from their seats. They had formally offered congratulations to Ian, but that was all. The words, devoid of emotion, evaporated and disappeared in an instant.

‘This is driving me crazy.’

‘Shhh. Minister Ian is still visible.’

‘What does it matter if he’s visible? He won’t hear us anyway.’

‘No, I can understand the Imperial Guard members, but a commander position? This is crossing the line. He’s the one who protects the Emperor’s closest side. It doesn’t make sense.’

The officers grumbled their worries and frustrations through their teeth. They couldn’t deny that Ian was a powerful figure, especially since he had a firm grip on Jin, the next emperor. And now, he was extending his influence to the Emperor’s side?

It was as if the Empire was falling into Ian’s grasp. Those who didn’t know that the Emperor had frozen it shook their heads repeatedly, trying to deny reality.

‘This is too dangerous. To be blunt-‘

To be blunt, even if Ian were to assassinate the Emperor and the Prince, who could stop him? The imperial family would be wiped out before anyone realized it.

It was too close. The Emperor’s side was something that could not be tolerated. The officers exchanged glances, warning each other to be careful.

‘Hold your tongue. The mages are still around.’

‘Yes. I know. Haa, but still.’

‘Let’s go see Commander Jeyrat first. Check on his injuries and organize the schedule. That would be best.’

And let’s come up with a plan. Jeyrat was the only one who could stop this situation, wasn’t he? He was the current commander of the Imperial Guard and the one with the authority to make decisions.

The officers’ boots turned in unison towards one place.

Tap tap tap!

The sound of their orderly footsteps echoed through the corridor. Despite the stiff atmosphere of the officers, everyone murmured and made way to the left and right. It was chaotic, but everyone acted in their own way.

‘Oh my, you rascal! You did well! You did well, but stop it and come up here! Your side will burst more! You need treatment! Huh?’

‘I get it! Lord Romandro, Sia! Where’s Sia?! Oh, there she is!’

‘……’

‘I did well, right? Huh?’

‘……’

‘She never talks even at times like this. I feel like biting her.’

Beric playfully teased, showing his fangs, and Siaoshi just nodded briefly. Beric was hanging on his back, making a fuss. Romandro, realizing that this wouldn’t do, stepped forward to take him away.

‘Your Highness. Please wait a moment.’

‘I will.’

Jin, who had been waving goodbye to Beric, suddenly turned to look at Ian. He had expected him to be enjoying himself, or at least smiling…

‘Minister Ian?’

His calm gaze and lips were particularly strange. Perhaps it was because the surroundings were so noisy, but the way he stood alone was even more eye-catching.

Ian was staring straight ahead.

I don’t know what he’s thinking, but-

Tap tap tap!

‘Minister Ian?’

‘Ah, Your Highness.’

Jin approached and tugged at Ian’s sleeve. As if the thoughts that had been firmly freezing him were shattered at once, Ian smiled.

Ah, that’s a relief. I’m glad I cut off Ian’s thoughts, whatever they were. Jin urged him, pretending to be nonchalant.

‘Let’s get Beric’s wounds treated, and then let’s go back early today.’

‘Yes. That would be best. I’m a bit out of it.’

‘It will be chaotic both inside and out. Because Commander Jeyrat lost to a newcomer.’

Ian agreed and took Jin’s hand. Then, he looked him in the eye and said.

‘Yes. There will probably be a lot of talk. Your Highness. It will be noisy for you too, so it would be good to be strong.’

It was ambiguous what he meant, but Jin answered that he understood for now. Perhaps it was because he was impressed, Ian playfully wrinkled his nose. Jin also wrinkled his nose, following him.

* * *

‘Aha, it’s true that people should earn their keep! This, this, the table is going to break? Huh? Eat before it breaks! I’ll eat well! Yes, eat well!’

Beric sat on the bed, stuffing meat into his mouth with both hands.

The doctor, who was wrapping bandages next to him, frowned in bewilderment, but Beric was not one to consider such things. How could he stop someone who was playing the drum and the flute all by himself, and greeting himself?

Romandro picked up the clothes scattered on the floor and scolded him.

‘If you know you have to earn your keep, why didn’t you do it sooner?’

‘Lord Romandro. Come on, you never know what life will bring, right? I just beat the commander, you know. If I become commander, huh? It’s good for me, good for Ian, and good for Lord Romandro too?!’

‘How is your way of speaking becoming more like a commoner as time goes on…’

‘Kuaaak. This is delicious! Ooh!’

Ian sat at the opposite table, watching him. Fortunately, the wounds didn’t seem deep.

‘You’ve worked hard, Beric. Congratulations on your victory in advance.’

‘Yeah. I worked a bit hard. But if you’re going to congratulate me, can you congratulate me on becoming commander?’

Beric corrected him, tearing into the meat. But Ian smiled and refused.

‘I’m sorry, but I don’t think I can do that.’

‘Why?’

‘Didn’t you hear? This time, the selection for commander also includes an internal evaluation by the Imperial Guard.’

Thud.

Beric dropped the meat he was eating. Romandro, remembering Jeyrat’s remarks at the conference, also let out a small gasp.

Taking Liama’s betrayal as a lesson, they said they would conduct an internal character evaluation of the Imperial Guard itself.

‘Wha, what did you say?’

‘Originally, it was based on meritocracy, but this time it’s a bit different. There were concerns at the time, but now everyone must be relieved. It can be said to be Commander Jeyrat’s foresight.’

‘No, damn it. How can there be such a thing?’

Beric slammed the table with the meat in his hand. The doctor pinched his side, telling him to please stay still. But Beric, regardless, clutched his head in a fit.

‘Please, stay still!’

‘Ugh, if I had known this would happen, I wouldn’t have said I’d confiscate the salary!’

‘That doesn’t seem to be the problem, Beric.’

‘Damn it. I shouldn’t have stuck out my tongue!’

‘…Doctor, continue the treatment.’

‘Aaaaaaak!’

The doctor swatted away Beric’s arms, which were flying over his head, and tightly tied the bandage. He had an expression that showed he didn’t know if he was treating a person or a beast.