Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 387

Amidst the clash of mages in the sky, Beric could only stare blankly at the beautiful explosions. Blood splattered from the entangled forces of the Vergos and Clifford sides, but it was not as beautiful as what was happening in the sky.

Beric heard Hasha’s scream the moment Ian and the mages unleashed their magic amplifiers.

“Aaaah!”

It was distinct amidst the many voices. It must be because it was the voice of someone he knew.

Beric reflexively turned and looked towards the synthetic monsters, and soon found those who appeared to be Vergos army officers swinging their swords at Hasha.

As Hasha hurriedly tried to use Tiefe’s tongue [a magical artifact that acts as a flexible, defensive appendage] to protect herself, the officers pushed the necromancer even harder, not wanting to miss the opportunity.

“What are you doing!?”

“You should know better than anyone why we’re doing this! You traitor! You leaked information when you were with Clifford, didn’t you? How else would a mage know the location and information of a necromancer?”

“It’s slander and a misunderstanding! Damn it! You should point your swords at the enemy, why are you doing this?”

“You’re the closest enemy!”

“I’ll tell the King and gift you the annihilation of Astana!”

“Spill what kind of deal you made with that mage!”

Clang! Clang!

‘I’ve been found out.’

Hasha continued to deflect the officers’ swords with Tiefe’s tongue, but it was like throwing herself into a bomb in an instant.

After all, how much effort had been put into deploying soldiers to protect the necromancer? The soldiers who had been surrounding her changed their attack direction at the officers’ command, and all the swords that had been heading towards Clifford were now focused on Hasha.

The Clifford soldiers, while puzzled, did not have the time to stop and assess the situation. If there was a problem in the opposing camp, wouldn’t that be an opportunity?

“Push forward! The left flank of the enemy is collapsing!”

“We’ll clear this side before the synthetic monsters join from the right flank! We’re winning! Keep advancing with strength! Don’t fear death and keep going! Remember that the future of our families depends on our steps!”

“Advance! Advance!”

The front line of the Vergos army, the left flank soldiers armed with shields, retreated little by little, avoiding the increasingly aggressive Clifford soldiers. While they were blocking, there should have been attacks to check them, but the attacks were all diverted due to Hasha.

And Beric was still weaving through them. He pretended not to notice, cutting down enemies as he slowly approached Hasha.

‘I think Ian told me not to make a fuss.’

Beric frowned, recalling Ian’s words.

If this were the final battle of the war, it wouldn’t matter. Vergos would fall, and Astana would no longer be harmed because of it. Rather, Clifford, who had advanced north, might favor Astana, and light might shine on that side.

But the problem was that this was the beginning of the war. Unless all the leaders, including the general, were killed, Hasha’s betrayal would reach Damon’s ears once the battle subsided. If that happened, Astana would be in immediate danger.

And the same went for Hasha’s succession.

‘Ah, crap. What should I do?’

Should I save her, or not?

If possible, it would be best if Hasha could fend for herself and escape, but looking at the situation, it didn’t seem easy.

“Ian-aaaaa!”

Beric shouted, looking at the sky, but it was drowned out by the continuous explosions.

Please give me an order! What should I do!

“Yaaaaa! Ian-aaaaa!”

“You’re crying like you’ve lost your mother!”

“Screw you, I don’t have a mom!”

Swish!

Beric angrily cut down the soldiers.

His magic was restricted, and it wasn’t very effective against the enemy. He had no choice but to keep swinging his sword simply but surely, and a little boringly.

As Beric approached Hasha in that way, a path opened up, and Clifford soldiers were able to enter through that gap.

“There! The ten o’clock direction is open!”

“Break through the gap!”

“Waaaah!”

Clang! Clang!

He got close enough to smell the faint stench of the synthetic monsters. Seeing Hasha fighting fiercely against the Vergos soldiers, Beric shouted to draw their attention.

“Hey! Vergos King’s lackeys!”

“W-what?”

“I’m right here. What are you doing?”

Swish!

Hasha also noticed Beric approaching. But for the same reason, she couldn’t easily ask him to help her.

She continued to dodge the incoming swords and focused her mind, then warned the officer.

“I, I am a successor from Astana, helping King Damon! If you slander and threaten me like this, I will formally protest to King Damon, and this will have a significant impact on other necromancers!”

“Shut up! Traitor!”

“You call me a traitor, but you can’t even produce a single piece of evidence!”

Beric kept swinging his sword, listening intently to how the situation was unfolding. Hasha, who met his eyes, urgently moved her pupils left and right. It meant not to move until she gave the signal.

‘She’s good at understanding that kind of thing.’ Beric winked, and the soldier who met his gaze moved his head, following his gaze in bewilderment. Before he could realize who Beric’s wink was for, his head fell off.

“If you keep attacking, I will seek refuge with Clifford!”

“Hahaha! Look at this, look at this! Where did you learn to scheme!”

“I will seek refuge and formally protest to King Damon. The northern countries are small, but they are not vassals, and they are greatly contributing to Vergos in many places. But this treatment and this attitude! My protest will move other necromancers, and everyone will turn their backs on Vergos!”

Step by step, Hasha created a justification while moving the synthetic monsters. But six or seven Vergos soldiers attacked in succession.

Tiefe’s tongue calmly deflected them. Since they also had weapons tempered with Idgal [a special metal], it had been cut off a lot and had become shorter.

Hasha looked towards Beric and shouted.

“There! You, the warrior of Clifford!”

“Me? I’m from Bariel.”

“Anyway! I declare surrender! Can you help me?”

“Ah, okay, okay. That kind of thing? Eh.”

A direct request for help had come. This was it!

Thinking about what to do was not his forte. It was much easier and less complicated to move under a decision that had been made, and above all, Ian wouldn’t have to worry because of his mistakes.

“I’ve been waiting for that! Ha-”

“Hasha! My name is Hasha!”

“Ah, right. We’re meeting for the first time, right? Um. Okay. Hasha! I’ll make a path, so run straight that way. I’ll cover you!”

“Okay, thank you, Be-”

“Beric! My name is Beric!”

“I know! I heard the mages calling you!”

“Ah, you did? I didn’t know!”

They were awkwardly pretending not to know each other, even sharing their names.

Beric took a moment to catch his breath and then unleashed his magic. A flashing light swirled around his black sword, and his red hair fluttered. The soldiers quickly planted their shields on the ground and tried to brace themselves, but this time Beric had also learned.

“I’m not going that way!”

Ziiing! Boom!

Rather than breaking the shields, he sent power above them, making everyone falter.

Hasha used the synthetic monsters as shields and moved towards Beric, and Beric moved as if escorting her.

“Look at them! Now they’re openly defecting!”

“I’m not defecting, you moron! Didn’t you see us exchanging names just now? Are your eyes blind? Are you deaf?”

“You, you vulgar! Kill him! He’s a major force of Clifford! I’ll give a great reward to whoever brings me that guy’s head!”

“I’m from Bariel! You’re really a moron! If you take my head, I’ll give you a reward too! Try it!”

Swish!

Clang! Clang!

“The necromancer is escaping! Catch her!”

“H-how do we catch that?”

“Catch the necromancer, not the monster, you idiot!”

The surroundings became chaotic due to Hasha’s sudden change of direction.

Prince Noah, watching the scene through a telescope from his horse, didn’t know exactly what was going on, but it seemed that Hasha was trying to officially surrender to their side. Noah ordered his subordinate.

“Help Beric! If the synthetic monsters get close, don’t attack them, only engage the Vergos soldiers!”

“Yes, I understand!”

“Clear the way! The synthetic monsters and the necromancer have turned to our side! Look! The flag of victory is moving!”

“Waaaah! Let’s go!”

A sudden situation arose centered around Hasha. Other necromancers watched her with suspicion, and soon followed the general’s orders and moved to attack Hasha.

The left flank of the Vergos army was completely broken by the Clifford forces pushing from the front. If the right flank didn’t provide support, this battle would only end in complete defeat.

But fortunately or unfortunately, the woman with the navy blue hair who had been stirring up the Vergos army’s right flank disappeared. She also seemed to be a magic swordsman, but since the pressure on the right flank had disappeared, support became relatively possible.

“The left flank must not collapse! Those with shields, keep your formation! Don’t be afraid even if Clifford pushes in! It’s like throwing yourself into the water! You can cut them down one by one slowly!”

“General! Hasha keeps moving. It seems Clifford is also trying to open a path.”

“Look at that. She was a traitor after all. Tsk tsk. Change the plan! All the rear units of the right flank, move to the left flank! I repeat! We will decide the battle on the left flank! Leave only a minimum of troops on the right flank, and enter Clifford’s firing line!”

Since the Vergos army’s left flank and Clifford were colliding head-on, the right flank would strike Clifford’s side through that gap. Then it would be like surrounding the enemy. They could create variables in the war situation.

And even if Hasha had defected, they still had necromancers left.

‘It’s okay.’ The general muttered, wiping the blood that was splattering from all directions.

“Hasha! How about abandoning the monsters? Then I can pick you up and run!”

“Abandon this?”

“Anyway, no one but you can move them. Leave them and come back for them later!”

Hasha hesitated for a moment, but decided that Beric’s suggestion was better. If they were left standing like a wall, it would be like Vergos had an unmoving barrier, and above all, it would speed up their escape.

Hasha reached out her hand to Beric, and Beric grabbed her and lifted her up in one swift motion.

“Heave-ho! Let’s go!”

“Beric! You’re holding me upside down!”

“So what? You don’t have any blood!”

“Still, uh-huh!”

“Uh-huh! Shut up! I’m in the middle of a sword fight!”

Clang! Clang!

Hasha clung to Beric while half-hanging upside down, and Beric lightly jumped up, stepped on a shield, and ran.

And at that moment.

Boom! Boom!

Kwaaang!

A tremendous roar erupted from the sky. It was such a strong explosion that those who were killing and being killed reflexively crouched down.

Beric paused and looked up. Ian’s Flame God was flailing to grab something black, but it didn’t look easy.

“…Ian?”

Ian was bleeding. He was frowning in pain, bleeding as he had before.

Beric stopped in shock, and Hasha straightened her posture and raised her head.

“Sir Ian? Why is he like that?”

“Ian! Ian-aaaaa!”

Why is his left sleeve like that, and why is he coughing up blood again? What are the mages with him doing? Ian is fighting against something black alone, why is he like that? All sorts of words swirled on the tip of Beric’s tongue, but they didn’t come out easily.

Hasha barely deflected the swords that were pouring down on them and shook Beric.

“Beric! Let’s go to the Clifford camp first! It’s dangerous here!”

“No, damn it, really.”

“Beric! Move!”

“You magic department bastards, what are you doing!”

“Beric!”

“XXX, you’re all dead.”

Acorella placed his hand on Ian’s back. At the same time, other mages seemed to be adding their strength as well.

Beric saw Ian smile slightly. He was smiling, but he didn’t know why he felt so uneasy.

Beric thought it would be best to drop Hasha off at the Clifford camp first and then join them over there. It was a war in the sky, so he didn’t know if he could reach them.

“Ian-aaaaa! Wait for me! I’ll be right there!”

“Beric! Run!”

Hasha shook Beric’s shoulder, and Beric sighed once and started running. The Clifford soldiers recognized Beric and cleared a path for him. He saw Prince Noah gesturing for him to come over.

The moment Beric stepped towards that side.

Boom! Kwaaang!

A blast that was incomparable to the previous roar erupted. The earth shook, the sky trembled, and it was an explosion that felt like the hearts of the living would fall out.

Beric stared blankly at the sky, where he couldn’t see anything. It must be because of the light. Nothing, he couldn’t see anything.