Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 373

Meanwhile, Timothy was running through the steep forest path, gasping for breath. The taste of blood rose in his throat, but he didn’t stop. How had he, who had confidently passed through checkpoints as a diplomat, ended up sneaking into his own country like this?

“Haa, haa…”

After running for a while, he finally leaned against a tree, panting. He still felt like he was being torn apart in the midst of chaos.

When he escaped the Vergos camp, he remembered that, whether by coincidence or not, the commotion caused by the synthetic monsters at the rear had somewhat diverted attention.

Hasha, was it him? Did he help him? If so, was it a trap?

“Damn it.”

But now, there was no turning back. Disobeying the general’s orders and escaping the camp was a violation of military law, punishable by immediate execution.

First, he needed to return home, confirm his family was safe, and then seek help from those around him to decide what to do next. If his family was safe, nothing else mattered.

Although he had mistakenly fled the battlefield, he had lived his entire life for Vergos. The King was cold but intelligent. He wouldn’t demand death for a single mistake. Perhaps he would be removed from his position, or maybe he would live with the loss of a limb.

That was okay. As long as his family was alive.

Tap tap!

Whoosh!

As he descended the forest slope, he saw a park adjacent to the residential area. It was dusk. Unlike the Clifford, which received the sunset through its leaves, the night in Vergos was cold, desolate, and lonely.

He pulled up his hood and entered a familiar alleyway. Was it his imagination, or did the atmosphere feel strange as he got closer to his mansion? He checked the half-open gate of the mansion and slowly stepped inside.

“…Honey?”

Creak.

There was no sign of anyone. Flowerpots and clutter were scattered on the porch. Dozens of footprints were on the floor, and carpets and sofas were overturned.

Timothy’s breath caught in his throat.

This couldn’t be happening. What on earth…

Swoosh.

Then, he sensed a presence. Timothy immediately grabbed his sword and snatched the person entering the living room with his left hand. The well-sharpened sword was pressed against the intruder’s neck.

Clang! Thud!

“Agh!”

“Who are you!”

“Sir Timothy! It’s me, it’s me!”

Timothy was facing one of his subordinates.

Blood trickled down his subordinate’s neck. Timothy stared at him, dumbfounded, stammering. Even so, he didn’t loosen his grip on the sword.

“What, what on earth happened…”

“That’s what I want to ask. Sir Timothy. What on earth happened? Prince Damon declared you a traitor and searched the mansion. At the same time, your entire family was taken to the palace.”

“What?”

Only then did Timothy’s hand lose its strength. The subordinate touched his neck, wiping away the blood. He sighed, but there was something more urgent now.

“Last time, when you went to Clifford undercover, didn’t Nakasta go with you?”

“Nakasta? Yes, he did.”

“I think he’s the one who reported you. He’s currently taking your place in the palace. Did anything happen when you went to Clifford?”

“What do you mean, anything? No. Nothing at all.”

“I don’t understand. How could they cause such a commotion based solely on Nakasta’s words without any evidence? You’ve been working in the palace for years, Sir Timothy, haven’t you?”

“My wife? And my son?”

In the midst of the confusion, Timothy first asked about his family’s safety. He didn’t know what kind of plot Nakasta had concocted for the King to accept, but what mattered was his family’s life or death.

The subordinate hesitated, running a hand through his hair.

“Tell me!”

Thud!

“Sir Timothy. There’s no time for this. It’s been reported to the palace that you deserted. His Highness will send soldiers to the mansion again. You can’t get caught. You know better than anyone what the end of treason is.”

“I can’t leave my wife and son behind. I’ll see His Highness. This is, this is a misunderstanding. I swear I have never betrayed Vergos.”

Timothy’s voice was rough, like he had swallowed sand.

The subordinate kept looking outside, grabbing his shoulder. He had come to the mansion first as soon as he heard the news that the palace was mobilizing forces. He would also be in trouble if it was discovered that he was helping Timothy.

“Sir Timothy. I’m sorry to say this, but it’s already too late to clear up the misunderstanding.”

Timothy slowly shook his head. Please, please don’t say those words.

“Both your wife and son are dead.”

“…”

“There was no interrogation. They were tortured and executed immediately after being taken to the palace. There’s no official evidence, but His Highness is certain. Of your betrayal, Sir Timothy. So, you need to evacuate quickly and save your life first-”

Timothy finally fell to his knees. He was too dizzy to stand. How could King Damon do this? Without listening to a single word he had to say? Above all, he had never betrayed his country, so what made him believe that? He thought he was intelligent, but was he not? Was he foolish, hasty, and so cruel?

“Sir Timothy!”

The subordinate stamped his feet, trying to lift him up. As time passed, the security within Vergos would become stricter. Not only because of the war, but also to find Timothy’s whereabouts. So, there was no time to delay.

The subordinate shook his shoulder and shouted.

“Get a hold of yourself!”

“I need to see the bodies, the bodies.”

“I saw them! And-”

The subordinate bit his lip and pulled something out of his pocket. It was his wife and son’s hair. It was stained with blood. He had tried to cut off the cleanest parts, but he had to hurry because of the onlookers.

“I’m sorry. There were too many guards protecting the bodies, so I couldn’t do it easily. Please keep this close to your heart. I know you didn’t betray Vergos, Sir Timothy. But the situation is unavoidable. I’ll try my best to recover your family’s bodies. As much as I can.”

If executed for treason, the remains would be torn apart so badly that it would be difficult to find any trace. Even if their souls returned, they would not be able to revive, scattered everywhere, and would be recorded as eternal traitors in the history of Vergos.

“Contact me if you find a place to rely on. I’ll deliver at least some of the remains. If there’s anything you need to take, hurry and get it. I have a horse, so there won’t be any problem leaving the capital.”

Although it was dark, the number of people had not decreased. It was proof that there were more guards patrolling the streets.

He kept looking left and right, urging Timothy, and Timothy moved reflexively. He grabbed his wife’s portrait and his son’s toy from the table. And then…

Slide.

The Bariel pass he had kept deep in the drawer.

Vergos would surely put out a warrant for his arrest in other countries as well. There were only two places free from that. Clifford and Bariel. Clifford was at war, so naturally, there was only one place to go.

‘Did Sir Ian know all of this?’

Did he give him the pass knowing this would happen?

A complex feeling of not being able to thank him or resent him. He carefully took the pass and slowly looked around the house. It hadn’t been clear when he had rushed here from Clifford, but seeing it now, it was obvious.

He would take it all in vividly.

He would go and never forget it.

“Sir Timothy!”

Tap tap!

At the subordinate’s urging, Timothy moved again. He went up to the study on the second floor and rummaged through the bookshelves. Having worked for Vergos for so long meant that he knew the country well.

In the current wartime situation, even if Sir Ian had given him a pass, he was not currently in the Bariel Imperial Palace. He needed to prove his worth to secure a position there after entering the country.

Thud!

“What brings you here?”

“Wh-what do you mean? I heard Timothy deserted, so I came to find him. He doesn’t seem to be at his house. What about the palace?”

There was a commotion downstairs. The guards had arrived. The subordinate deliberately made a loud noise, and Timothy tied the main documents to his body and jumped out of the window.

Thud!

“Huh?”

“What was that sound?”

“Where did it come from?”

Timothy immediately recognized the horse that the subordinate had ridden. It had a saddle that the Foreign Ministry mainly used. He immediately mounted the horse and pulled the reins.

Neigh!

Clatter!

“It’s Timothy! Hey! There!”

The familiar streets flashed through Timothy’s vision. A place he thought he would live and die in. Now, it was a place he could never return to, and didn’t want to return to.

Timothy hunched down, pulling his hood deeper. He had to hurry, before his family’s bodies were desecrated, he had to hurry and ask for help from Bariel.

‘Prince Damon. How could you do this to me? Didn’t you know the weight of the life I gave to you? What did my woman do, what did my child know to take their lives like that? Without listening to a single word I had to say.’

His sadness turned into resentment, and his resentment turned into anger. It felt like his life had evaporated, leaving only traces behind.

His wife’s portrait and his son’s worn toy. They seemed to prove that Timothy had lived and was alive.

Clatter!

Thanks to the efforts of other subordinates in the Foreign Ministry, he was able to move to the border more easily than he had expected. He could feel the horse’s strength waning, but he couldn’t stop. In the distance, he could see the Bariel border checkpoint.

“Stop! Slow down!”

The Bariel flag waved grandly, slowing Timothy’s pace. Looking back, there was no one chasing him. It was a relief, but it also felt so futile. Was this the country he would abandon if he was abandoned?

“Are you from Vergos? As you know, the border checks are a bit strict these days due to the war between Vergos and Clifford. First, get off your horse, then take off all your outerwear and turn around. Your ID?”

Timothy obediently dismounted and took off his hood. The border guards flinched at the same time. The man’s face was covered in tears. It seemed like he didn’t even know he was crying.

Swoosh.

Timothy silently showed the pass that Ian had given him. The guards checked the magic department’s seal, determined its authenticity, and asked a question.

“Oh my, the Minister of Magic gave this. Are you a noble? I didn’t recognize you. You don’t need to show your ID or fill out any paperwork. You can go right in.”

“The pass is for three people, are there any others with you?”

Thud!

Before he could answer, the pass was stamped with an entry permit. Was the path this easy? Timothy took it back with a weak hand and stood there for a long time. Once he crossed this border, he could never return to Vergos.

Timothy answered, tears streaming down his face.

“…Alone.”