Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 314

The silence was as brittle as thin ice. It was clear that Romandro and Timothy were outside, ears pressed against the door.

The office seemed frozen in time until Damon unconsciously scratched the sofa. Ian’s gaze followed Damon’s fingertips. The whitened tips showed how much force he was using.

“It’s fortunate the sofa is sturdy.”

Otherwise, it would have lost its shape like the vase on the floor.

Damon responded to Ian’s joke with a fierce glare. His mind seemed quite complex. It was understandable, as his secret had been revealed, but he had gained nothing from it.

“My departure from the palace is not far off. I will expedite the investigation. Please ensure that no one’s pouches were switched while staying in the Imperial Palace. If there is even a speck of a problem, it will be troublesome for you.”

When high-ranking leaders of nations met, they wouldn’t just laugh and enjoy themselves. There must have been small and large transactions happening under the table, between families or officials.

If it was constructive, the Imperial Palace would commend it, but the problem was that illegal activities were sometimes discovered. Ian was warning him to be careful with the pouches of gold and jewels he had received as payment.

“Did the Gypsy truly make such a prophecy?”

“Are you referring to the prophecy about Vergos’s future?”

Ian tilted his head leisurely. Just as Damon had used the Gypsy’s life and death to get what he wanted, Ian was trying to do the same.

“You can ask the Gypsy before he dies. He is one who consumes secrets, not one who keeps prophecies.”

If he had him, and if the Gypsy’s breath was truly fading, he could just go and ask. Wouldn’t that be the case?

Damon frowned at Ian’s attitude, which suggested he couldn’t verify the truth. Then, he quickly made a decision and admitted it.

“…There is no Gypsy.”

This was the Imperial Palace, and the opponent was a mage. It was something that would be revealed anyway if an investigation was conducted. It was more advantageous to step aside when necessary than to stubbornly resist.

“Are you sure there isn’t one?”

“Yes. And the blood on the dagger was also from someone unrelated to the Gypsy.”

Ian smiled as if disappointed, but inwardly he was relieved.

He knew it. Even though he knew it, it was such an important matter that he couldn’t help it. Even the smallest risk could not be placed on the future of Bariel.

“I see. Then, instead of an investigation, I will conduct a verification.”

It was a similar statement, but the implications were clearly different. He was only going to see if Damon’s testimony was true. The king stared at the water flowing under the carpet and muttered.

“…I don’t know how the Gypsy saw the future, but this time, he was wrong.”

He had already changed many things. And soon, even more things would change. The king and queen, who had died earlier than they should have, were proof of that, and Ian’s existence, who was facing him, was also proof.

“The same as before? You need to be wary of that. Otherwise, your existence and the Crown Prince’s will also sink into doubt.”

“What do you mean?”

Ian asked back.

Was Damon indirectly saying that Jin and Ian didn’t exist in his previous life? But even so, he had clearly seen Jin’s portrait in Emperor Ian’s life.

Damon didn’t seem to have any intention of explaining, as he just turned his head firmly and composed himself.

“Let me make one thing clear. You also acknowledge that I am living a second life. You will regret not following me now.”

“Oh. I already regret it. Is Bariel going to be overthrown in the future?”

That was ridiculous. Bariel would be standing strong even a hundred years from now. It was only Emperor Ian’s existence that had crumbled. When he retorted with a tone of disbelief, Damon openly expressed his contempt.

“They say you are beings close to gods, but you are more foolish than I thought. I will leave the gates of Vergos open. You are welcome to step in anytime, if you change your mind.”

He nudged Ian’s shoulder with his fingertips. His teeth were revealed with a smile, as if warning him. Damon whispered very quietly.

“Even if it’s not this time, I will continue to create the future I want, and I will win someday. I will clearly remember your smiling face now.”

Ian’s eyes sparkled at the ambiguous remark.

What did he mean by ‘this time’?

Did he mean now, when his secret was revealed in the Imperial Palace?

Or, his second life?

If it was the latter, it was hard to guess if he was also considering a third life. Ian lightly brushed off Damon’s fingertips that were tapping his shoulder.

‘…Come to think of it, I was sent back in time by Naum. How was Damon able to regress? The Gypsy said it was just related to his brother’s death. Was he also a mage?’

If Damon knew the secret of regression, he could use it to unravel his own secret as well.

So, let’s leave some room.

Just a tiny bit, just in case.

“I merely placed faith in the Gypsy’s prophecy. Even if Your Majesty knows the future, if the flow doesn’t change, you’ll be no different from an old man reminiscing while looking at his diary in the distant future…”

If the flow changes as he wishes, wouldn’t knowing the future be meaningless?

It was a question that pierced the essence. Damon, who had been hit right on the mark, curled up the corners of his lips.

“…Impressive. Even more so than the rumors.”

“It’s always difficult to surpass rumors. I’ll take it as a compliment.”

As Damon straightened his clothes, his short hair swayed gracefully. He had realized that he had given away too much in his conversation with Ian.

Silence was suitable for evasion, but it left traces. Ian realized that Damon’s true intentions were hidden beneath his sophistry.

A king standing in the gap between the future he wanted to change and the regression information that would become useless if that happened.

“I’ll ask one last thing. As you said, we are bound by fate, so I hope you will answer truthfully.”

“Ask away.”

“Does Timothy know?”

About the secrets of the Gypsy, Damon, and Ian.

The truth was undoubtedly one, but in the current situation, it was not an easy question to answer.

‘No matter what I say, Timothy will be in trouble.’

If he said he knew? He would become someone who colluded with Ian to betray and mock his lord. But if he told the truth, that would also be a problem…

‘I took a hostile stance against Damon on Bariel’s side. When I receive such a question, the natural attack is to say that Timothy also knows. That way, it’s easy to ruin the relationship. But what if I say no? If I say Timothy doesn’t know the secret, that he’s not involved?’

He would also suspect that. He might misunderstand that I’m protecting Timothy. It was a true dilemma; no matter how he answered, Timothy would lose Damon’s trust.

But it was because he already harbored distrust that he was asking such a question.

“No. He doesn’t know.”

“He doesn’t know?”

“It would be more accurate to say he’s not involved.”

If it was a problem either way, it was right to tell the truth. He hoped that his worries were excessive.

Ian bowed his head and answered sincerely, and Damon looked down at the back of his head with violet eyes.

Clink.

Damon went directly to the desk and shook the bell. As if waiting, the office door burst open. Romandro and Timothy entered at the same time and shouted.

“Did you call for me, Ian!”

“Your Highness, are you alright?”

Oh dear. How could such a cold air flow in the dark office? Romandro paused and looked at the broken glass on the floor, then turned to Ian. He looked quite funny, his mouth moving as he asked if he was hurt.

“I broke it by mistake. Please have a servant clean it up. His Highness Damon says he is leaving.”

“Ah, is that so? Ian broke it by mistake. I see. A person who perfectly handles hundreds of reports makes a mistake, huh. And in front of His Highness Damon. Hmm.”

Muttering, Romandro glanced at Damon and kept grumbling. He didn’t seem to believe it at all.

Even if he was a king, such behavior in the office of a Bariel minister! And a minister of the Magic Department at that! It was unprecedented and unheard of!

“Your Highness. Shall I call for the carriage?”

“Yes. Minister Ian. I enjoyed our pleasant conversation.”

Clatter.

Damon crushed the glass shards as if showing off and left the office. His subordinates, who had been waiting in the reception room, poured out and followed him, soon disappearing around the corner.

As if waiting, Romandro shouted loudly.

“This, crazy!”

“It’s alright, Romandro. I truly broke it.”

“If it was Beric, maybe, but are you telling me to believe that? Where did you throw the vase? If your precious face gets a scratch, this is something the nation can’t ignore!”

Ian found Romandro’s exaggerated outburst amusing and just laughed. Since it was a result of making the other party angry, he must have some credit, right? Ian sat back at his desk and asked.

“Was the pass given without any problems?”

“Yeah. He seemed clueless, but he put it safely in his pocket.”

“Good. That’s a relief.”

“By the way, why did you give him that? Sir Timothy is a diplomat, so it wouldn’t be of much use. If there’s another meaning, tell me. I’ll look for a good gift.”

He was asking if there was anything special to contact the delegation about. Timothy didn’t seem like the type to be swayed by bribes, but the Magic Department could try something anyway.

But Ian shook his head, telling him not to.

“It’s truly a pure gift from me.”

A small consideration that he could give to the ancestor who had brought Naum into existence. He had worried a lot before giving it, but if it was something he couldn’t avoid anyway, he wanted to make it a comfort.

“…Judging by King Damon, it doesn’t seem like it will take long for him to use it.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s nothing. Romandro. It seems the Gypsy is still in the center. It would be best if I take care of it myself, so please gather some people. And…”

He knew that if the Gypsy roamed freely around the world as she did now, it would be fine, but if she fell into Damon’s hands, it would be troublesome. Jin’s secret was still in her belly. So, it would be better for Ian to catch her before Damon did.

“The Gypsy is still in the center? That’s amazing. I see. This time, I’ll form an investigation team in cooperation with the Imperial Guard. And?”

“I will send someone to Vergos.”

Romandro stopped writing and looked puzzled. Vergos was coming here to find the Gypsy, and they were going to Vergos? What was going on?

“Someone? Who should I select?”

“Someone who is quick and good at gathering information would be good.”

“What’s the mission?”

Since Damon was hiding something beneath his sophistry, he had no choice but to dig it out himself. He would start by looking into the biggest gap between his past and present lives.

“I want to find out about King Damon’s siblings.”

“Siblings?”

The many half-siblings who had caused discord between the couple. If he wanted to prevent the birth of the younger sibling who had led him to ruin in his previous life, it would have been enough to just distance the couple.

“Did he have siblings? I don’t think there were that many.”

“Include the dead ones. Even rumors are fine. If it’s information about those who have the name of siblings, tell them to find out anything.”

The more he worked, the less he could understand Ian’s intentions. Romandro sighed but diligently wrote down what he needed to do.

“I understand. I’ll select a suitable person and submit a report. But before that, don’t forget to keep your schedule flexible for next week.”

“Next week? Ah.”

Ian checked the calendar on his desk and nodded. The festival period was over, and finally, the engagement ceremony between Philia and Nersarn was about to take place.

He hadn’t forgotten, had he? When Romandro put his hand on his hip and glared at him, Ian chuckled. It was a warm smile that melted the icy atmosphere in an instant.

“I understand. I will definitely attend.”