Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 339

King Clifford’s words were true. From where I stood, overlooking the royal palace entrance, I could see the crowd gathered below at a glance.

It’s the same everywhere people live. In Bariel, when the imperial palace was closed, it looked just like this. The people here are no different. With the black moon appearing and disappearing in the sky and the unidentified object that fell into the royal palace, everyone was worried and whispering.

An old man was praying, adults were having passionate discussions while smoking water pipes, and cats and children ran around their feet, oblivious to the situation. A soldier from the royal palace seemed to be giving guidance, but they showed no sign of easily backing down.

Ian placed his hand on the window frame and looked down at them. The sunset was thick, and his pale cheeks seemed to have a bit of color in them.

“Want one?”

“Ah.”

Acorella took the cigarette that Hale offered and lit it. He glanced at Ian as he tried to light it. *Are you going to smoke this time?* Perhaps because he remembered being rejected last time, his movements were very cautious.

Ian smiled and gestured with his palm to refuse.

“No, thank you. The breeze is cool, so I’ll just breathe that in.”

“So, what do you have to say? Ian, you know something about Idgal, right? You should have told us in advance. It would have been easier when we were researching.”

Acorella blew out smoke and complained, and Hale gestured for her to be quiet. But the two of them knew. This was Acorella’s way of making a joke to break the awkward atmosphere.

The small, swirling crowd was a perfect scene to gaze at without thinking. Ian looked in that direction and began to speak.

“You know that I am Hielo’s, that is, the former Count Bratz’s illegitimate child.”

“Is there anyone in the royal palace who doesn’t know that?”

“Acorella, be quiet.”

“This is called a ‘matjanggu’ [a Korean term for ‘call and response’ or ‘agreeing with someone’], Hale.”

The sight of the two bickering was definitely reassuring. If the illegitimate child Ian or Emperor Ian were not here, the positions of the head of the magic department and those below would surely have been taken by them.

“This body…”

The way he referred to himself in the third person was a typical way of speaking for the privileged. Ian couldn’t reveal that he was from the future and was a member of the royal family, so he chose these words as a roundabout way, but Hale and Acorella didn’t feel any sense of incongruity. To them, Ian was someone who had already crossed a line.

“When I was young, the Rutherford Trading Company seems to have entered Bratz through Hawan.”

“Rutherford?”

“Prince Marib also testified about this. At the time, it was considered unreliable, but when I put the pieces together, it made sense.”

Hale realized that something was strange about Ian’s claim. It didn’t take long for him to figure out what it was.

“There, I met the Rutherford Trading Company, and although I don’t know well, it seems that I also formed a relationship with Marib and Melanie, the youngest daughter of Duke Hyman.”

“‘Seems’ means…”

“I don’t remember.”

“Wow.”

Acorella dropped her cigarette with a thud.

She stared blankly at the one that had been blown away by the wind, then rummaged through Hale’s pocket again and took out a new one. Hale was a little embarrassed, and whether Acorella was rummaging or not, he was awkwardly frozen, looking at Ian.

Rutherford Trading Company, Marib, Melanie. Just these three words were clearly related to something huge, but he didn’t remember. Where else could there be a situation as irresponsible, absurd, and unfortunate as this?

Ian tilted his head to his shoulder and smiled slightly.

“According to Miss Melanie, I made some kind of oath with Rutherford. But I didn’t know it was a contract magic.”

“Wait a minute. So now, is there a contract magic between Ian and Rutherford?”

“I guess so.”

And it was even set up with a double prohibition clause so that he couldn’t be involved with anyone else. Now, there was only one question that could be raised.

“Why?”

Why, what for?

At Hale’s question, Acorella flicked her new cigarette and muttered. *Isn’t the answer obvious?* Idgal is not something that came from nature like a mana sealing stone, but a product of alchemy. And to have power related to mana, you need the appropriate materials.

It was impossible that the merchants who roamed the world wouldn’t have recognized the potential of the illegitimate child Ian. Whether it was hidden under a pile of dust or thrown into a sewer, they were the kind of people who would find and use anything of value like ghosts.

“Idgal, did you make it, Ian?”

“Acorella, what are you talking about-”

“It’s a question that fits the context, isn’t it? Put yourself in my shoes. Let’s say you’re a merchant from Rutherford. You came to the border of Bariel, and there’s a dirty but pretty kid who’s a mana user? At that time, Count Bratz didn’t care about you, right? That’s why you lived with Philia, suffering like that. So, what would the head of the trading company think? Huh?”

*Let’s take him.*

It was not uncommon for parents who were struggling to make ends meet to sell their children to trading companies. Especially in the past, in rural areas outside the center. Of course, given Philia’s personality, that wouldn’t have happened, but she didn’t even seem to remember being offered such a deal by the trading company.

Ian suddenly recalled Acorella’s words and found a missing piece of the puzzle.

“Isn’t it right to kidnap him? But Ian survived so well and is standing in front of us. Would the merchants have just let him go? Wouldn’t they have gotten something in return?”

“Don’t think so naively,” Acorella lightly tapped Hale’s shoulder.

Since no one knows the answer, it’s impossible to be sure that it’s correct. But because it was a story that fit perfectly, Ian simply looked at the two of them without denying it.

Melanie’s hint that Rutherford Trading Company and Ian would meet around autumn. Perhaps even that was part of the contract, a shackle placed on the child’s feet? To release him but leave a mark, to send him back but hold onto his lifeline until the end.

*’When the illegitimate child Ian met Rutherford and returned, he brought a Silask flowerpot. According to Philia, he seemed to be in a good mood. He said he did a very good job.’*

Melanie also said something similar. That he smiled brightly after making Idgal.

When the illegitimate child Ian helped Idgal with his mana, what did Rutherford promise the child? It seemed that the child must have felt that there was something in it for him, so he cooperated…

“Ian? Are you okay?”

As Ian was silent and pondering, Hale asked cautiously. Acorella was just exhaling faint smoke between her lips.

“Ian. Please give me a clear answer. Did you make Idgal?”

For a researcher, an ambiguous answer is worse than no answer at all. At her urging question, Ian readily nodded.

“I guess so.”

“Holy moly, that’s crazy. Really! Amazing! How? Tell me too. Do you know what this means? It’s like a magician created a mana sealing stone. What’s the difference between a doctor cutting open his own stomach and performing surgery on himself? Huh? Wow!”

*Clap, clap, clap!* Acorella even clapped her hands and expressed her respect as if possessed. That wasn’t the important point. Hale quietly put his hand between her claps to stop her.

“Acorella. Do you know what it means that Ian made Idgal?”

“It means it’s freaking awesome, what other modifier do you need?”

“A traitor to magicians.”

*Whoosh.*

A gust of wind blew and ruffled Ian’s hair. It was a moment when the sunset light shining through the window looked like a crimson flame. Ian continued, watching Acorella’s paused expression.

“And furthermore, the one who put Bariel in danger.”

“…Oh. That’s right. Come to think of it, that’s right too.”

“I haven’t known for long either. The royal palace is constantly keeping a close eye on the magic department and will try to find even the smallest gap. I know that I can’t hide it for long. If Idgal is commercialized in neighboring countries, there will be talk about its origins.”

If the magic department is harmed because of Idgal, and this causes problems in Bariel, it is a matter of course that Ian cannot remain in his position as the head of the department. Hale realized that things were going more seriously than he had thought.

“But why are you telling us that?”

“Before coming here, didn’t you investigate Philic? I thought you would have found traces.”

“We did investigate, but-”

Since they didn’t know that Romandro had intercepted the note in the middle, the two just looked at each other in confusion. Well, it doesn’t matter. Either way, this conversation would have taken place.

“If I leave the magic department, I would like Hale and Acorella to take over. When I looked at it, there were no better candidates.”

“Ian. You have a good eye for people. But you know, I don’t want to?”

“You don’t want to? Why?”

Ian smiled and asked back at the firm refusal. It seemed like there was a playfulness in it, and somehow his tone was strangely calm.

“I joined the magic department to embezzle the royal palace budget while doing research, I don’t have any grand sense of mission. And-”

Acorella’s eyes flashed. The person who created Idgal is right in front of her, so where would she go? Even if she stuck with him until she died, there would be plenty to research.

Ian waved his hand as if he was in trouble.

“I’m saying again, I don’t remember. So I don’t know how to make Idgal.”

“It’s hard to make it once, but it’s easy the second time. Ian, shall we do something fun when we go back? Huh? Hehehe.”

It’s impossible to know what she’s thinking in her head. She was muttering to herself while bursting into a bizarre laugh. Judging by the fact that she was even folding her fingers, it seemed that she had a mountain of plans.

“Ian. I will also refuse.”

“Hale, why you?”

“I also hate troublesome things. I break all the pens I hold. If I stamp a seal, the paper tears, yes. I don’t know how to talk to superiors either. So I’ll refuse.”

It was unexpected. At least in front of him, he thought they would say they understood. As Ian raised his eyebrows, Hale muttered with a cigarette in his mouth.

“It’s certainly a bit surprising. That the connection to Idgal that we were tracking was so close.”

“…”

“But I believe you.”

The moment Ian was about to say something, Hale cut him off.

It was already difficult to overcome things by working together, so why did he keep giving off the nuance that he was trying to shoulder everything alone? Even if he did shoulder it, would it all fit on Ian’s back? On that small back?

“I believe in how sincere Ian is about Bariel, including the pursuit of the Rutherford Trading Company that Ian ordered the magic department to do.”

“…You believe in what you can’t see.”

“I believe because I can’t see it. If I could see it, what would there be to believe or not? I would just have to accept it.”

He had seen the blood and sweat that Ian had shed in the magic department. The way he burned his whole body as if his breath was given for Bariel. He had seen him dedicate himself more thoroughly and perfectly than anyone else, so how could he have any other thoughts?

Besides, he had heard that the blood he coughed up due to the side effects of the contract magic had overflowed to the outside of the door. Could he have done that without knowing? With his life on the line?

“So, I think it would be good to go back and discuss the matter with Romandro. Since the matter of Idgal is entirely related to magicians, even the royal palace…”

He was about to say that if the magic department took a strong stance, the royal palace would not be able to easily add comments. Until he saw the familiar flag fluttering and rushing from afar.

Ian and Acorella turned their heads to the window, following Hale’s gaze, and soon realized what it was.

“…Burgos.”

The envoy of Burgos had come to Clifford.

Soldiers were rushing through the crowd, which was splitting to the left and right. Ian sighed with his hand on the window.

“It seems it has already begun.”