Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 35

Su traveled day and night, finally reaching the Bratz territory. At dawn, under the cover of darkness, she infiltrated the mansion. She climbed a tree and carefully observed the guards.

‘Those must be the imperial investigation team. They seem to be using the main building as their quarters, and the annex is heavily guarded. Isn’t that the building Ian and we used?’

Soon, she spotted Derga’s figure flickering by the window. Finally, it was time to put down the unpleasant corpse head she had been carrying. Su quickly climbed down the tree and went around to the back of the annex.

Swoosh!

Just like the day she fought Beric.

She easily climbed up to the window of the floor where Derga was staying. The latch was firmly locked. It wasn’t locked from the inside, but hammered shut from the outside. Su took out a dagger and smashed the wooden plank.

Crack!

“Oh my!”

Mrs. Mary, who had come to check the noise, was startled and stepped back as she was drawing the curtains. Count Derga came running. He looked terrible after being confined for days.

Click.

Su easily opened the window. Derga gestured frantically for her to come inside, but she just hung precariously on the railing.

“Aren’t you the subordinate who came with Nersarn?”

“Where’s the knight? Where’s Knight Bell…”

“You look terrible. They won’t even let you open the window?”

Su chewed on jerky and unpacked her bundle. The investigation team had nailed the window shut after learning about the butler’s escape. Derga, not knowing what it was, accepted the small box Su handed him.

“Please take this too. It’s Kakantir’s reply.”

“What did the chieftain say? What about Ian? He must have killed Ian, right?”

But Su didn’t answer. She glanced at Chel, who was trembling in the corner, nodded, and then dropped down below.

“Eek!”

Mrs. Mary squeezed her eyes shut and screamed, but that was it. There was no sound or vibration of a fall. Su, who had come like the wind, disappeared like the wind.

“What is this…”

“Honey, hurry and read the reply. I’ll open the box.”

“Mom, the Thousand-Eyed Clan is helping us, right? They are, right?”

“Shhh, Chel. There’s nothing to worry about.”

Something must have happened to Bell, but the messenger from the Thousand-Eyed Clan had come in person. Even tearing open the window for them.

Mary held her son’s head and offered a prayer of thanks to God. It would have continued if Derga hadn’t thrown the bowl.

Clang!

“Kill, kill them!”

“Honey?”

“Father, why, why are you doing this?”

“Kill! I’ll kill them all! I’ll break their necks with my own hands! Uwaaaah!”

Derga swept the table roughly. Chel, who had hurriedly hidden in Mary’s arms, began to cry in fear. The count threw a chair against the wall and began to smash everything he could get his hands on.

“Break the alliance? Break it? You filthy, disgusting barbarian bastards. The stench of your cheap blood is vibrating all the way here! You only know how to take, you’re no different from dogs. Fine. Let’s do this! Once this place is settled, I’ll start a war right away-! I’ll tear you apart and throw you to the beasts!”

“Honey!”

Blood was flowing from Derga’s hands. Mary finally stopped her husband with her body, amidst his incoherent shouts. The wounds were bad, but any more loud noises could raise suspicion from the investigation team.

“Calm down. Breaking the alliance? That can’t be. If they act like this, won’t their position become difficult later? Even I know that much, so why would the chieftain make such a decision…”

There was no justification. No justification.

This kind of behavior was no different from declaring themselves barbarians. Mary checked the torn reply with trembling hands. And then, she gasped in shock and covered her mouth.

“Is this true? Gurut leaf smuggling?”

“Damn it! Damn it!”

Bang!

Two reasons were cited for breaking the alliance.

Ian’s non-registration and the attempted smuggling of gurut leaves [a type of prohibited plant].

The latter was treated as a major issue. The count himself had instigated Ian, who was the target of the peace treaty, to smuggle prohibited goods, which was a serious breach of trust and made it impossible to continue the alliance.

“That bastard Ian…”

How did this happen? He was clearly thinking that it was instigated by his mother, Philia, wasn’t he? He had taken measures to cut off the tail even if he was caught, so how did they know he was behind it?

Derga gnashed his teeth and cursed.

“Open that box.”

“Oh, right!”

At Derga’s command, Mary quickly untied the string. Hope was shattered, but still, with a glimmer of hope.

“Kyaaaaak!”

“Uwaaaah!”

But what was inside was the head of the knight, Bell, who had been brutally killed. Whether it was opened upside down, the horribly severed neck was facing up.

Knock knock.

“Count. Is there a problem?”

At that moment, an investigator knocked on the door from outside. The tension suddenly snapped. If it became known that he had contacted the Thousand-Eyed Clan to overthrow them, he could be summarily executed. He would be in a position to beg for his life by appealing to the commander’s generosity.

“…N-no, it’s nothing.”

“May I come in?”

At the investigator’s words, Mary turned her head sharply. The traces of the torn window were clear. She screamed and refused.

“N-no, no! I’m undressing right now!”

“…Yes?”

“If you don’t intend to insult me, never, never open the door!”

“Madam. I’ll give you some time.”

“Wait! Wait! Please!”

Mary shouted and closed the window. She not only picked up the scattered pieces of wood and threw them under the bed but also neatly arranged the curtains. Meanwhile, Derga was consumed by anger, and Chel was just standing there blankly, overwhelmed by fear.

“…Hic.”

She covered the box with trembling hands and pushed it into the corner of the closet.

“I’ll come in now.”

“W-wait a minute!”

Squeak.

The investigator opened the door, his hand on the hilt of the sword at his side. Two people standing awkwardly and Chel whimpering in the corner.

“What were you doing?”

“What?”

The investigator glanced at the smashed chair and the clutter. It seemed like he had thrown a tantrum out of anger. After slowly looking around the room, he bowed politely.

“Excuse me. Disturbances can cause misunderstandings, so please refrain from doing so.”

“Get lost. You pathetic thing.”

“…Please rest.”

Even at Derga’s blatant insult, the investigator didn’t even blink and smiled. After all, Derga was about to die, and he only had to follow his master to get ahead.

Squeak.

“Damn it.”

Derga gripped the table, desperately wishing that reality was a nightmare. Mary and Chel just sat down, maintaining a heavy silence. Suddenly, Derga gnashed his teeth and muttered.

“Okay, fine.”

Let’s do this.

If they came out like this, there was only one path he could choose. To stand on his own. Regardless of the Thousand-Eyed Clan’s help, he would fully utilize his territory to drive out the investigation team and the central army.

And thus, to become independent from Bariel.

He was already branded as a traitor anyway. What was there to be afraid of?

Rather, if he succeeded, he wouldn’t have to send that awful tax to the center, so how great would that be?

“…Honey?”

“Madam, you stay in the mansion with Chel. You know the secret vault, right? Go and hide, and don’t come out until I come for you.”

“…What about you? Let’s go, let’s go together.”

“Yes, Father.”

“Shut up!”

The calculations in his head were complete.

If he didn’t have the help of the Thousand-Eyed Clan, the only card he had left was ‘time’. He had to deal with the investigation team before the central support army arrived to have a chance to turn things around.

Shwaaaak!

Derga tore down all the curtains and tied them into a rope. The bewildered Mary and Chel stepped back, swallowing hard. He was going to go outside.

“Ah…”

However, the reality hit him as he thought about going out, and he was very nervous. Derga hung the roughly tied curtains down below the window.

“Okay. Go down. Go and hide in the underground vault.”

“What about you…”

“Hurry!”

At Derga’s command, Mary and Chel reluctantly climbed onto the windowsill, crying. And then, they hesitated, not knowing what to do, and grabbed the cloth and hung on. While Mary and Chel were going out, Derga gathered the papers and lit the lantern.

Whoosh.

The flames slowly came to life. Derga even fanned the flames so that they could burn brightly. When the smoke was rising heavily, he looked down below the window.

His wife and Chel were not visible.

They must have moved to the secret vault.

Thump!

“Ugh. Damn it.”

Derga also grabbed the curtains and dropped down. He limped towards the stable, his ankle throbbing. The smoke, which was gradually turning black, mixed with the smoke from the dining hall and filled the sky.

Thump thump thump!

“Something terrible has happened!”

Erica, who was sorting documents in the main building, frowned at the sudden commotion. But as soon as she saw her subordinate’s terrified face, she had no choice but to jump up.

“The count seems to have set fire to the annex and escaped.”

“He’s hastening his own death.”

“Draw your swords!”

“It doesn’t matter if you kill him. Don’t let him escape the mansion.”

“Philip! Inform the central support army of the situation.”

“Yes! I understand!”

“The rest of you move with me.”

Erica tied her hair tightly and ran down the stairs. It was going to be her mansion if everything was settled well.

But how dare he set a fire?

“Aaaah!”

“Save me, please save me! Save me…”

“Fire! Fire!”

“P-pour some water! Sand too!”

“Find Derga! He couldn’t have gone far!”

Shwaaaak!

The lower floor of the annex was the servants’ quarters. They were also confined like Derga, so they couldn’t easily escape even though there was a fire.

“Save me! Please, please!”

“Aaaah! There are people trapped here! Here!”

“I’ll do whatever you say! I’ll say whatever you want me to say!”

Screams were heard from everywhere, but Erica couldn’t easily give orders. Derga had disappeared, and the investigators were scattered. If the rescued servants rioted, it could be difficult to handle.

“W-what should we do? Commander.”

Amidst the subordinates who were dragging water and sand, the flames rose even more fiercely. Erica bit her lip and pondered.

“After all, they’re going to die with Derga.”

They would be sold to the slave market to make up for the missing taxes, but wouldn’t it be the same either way?

Erica turned her head and looked towards the main gate.

“Just put out the fire appropriately. Since it’s the annex, there won’t be any important documents. If there are any forces to spare, catching Derga is the priority.”

“Yes. Commander.”

“Everyone, chase after Derga!”

“Leave a few at the mansion, and the rest go outside!”

“Hurry!”

Erica turned her head coldly. Behind her, hot, sticky, and desperate screams burned along with the fire.