Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 403

Lusweena’s camp used the hill as a barrier.

Clifford’s soldiers frowned, looking up at the hillside, displeased that their own land was being used in such a way. Lusweena’s flags were planted here and there, fluttering and turning their stomachs.

After a while, moving flags could be seen. It was Lusweena’s camp coming down for the prisoner exchange.

Ian turned his head to the left, glancing at the far end of the land. *Does Burgos know that Bariel and Lusweena are meeting?* That also seems like a variable…

“Sir Ian. They’re coming.”

“It’s Queen Eriphony.”

“What about Jang? Can you see him?”

“Soldiers, gather and prepare for a surprise attack! Don’t let your guard down. They are like snakes!”

Eriphony rode down on horseback. She raised her bow high, greeting them as if she were meeting an old friend. The queen continued her dignified walk with her escort.

The prisoner exchange took place on an open plain. The mages flew slightly into the sky and took out their telescopes.

Thud!

“There is a carriage.”

“Can you feel Commander Jang’s energy?”

“Well, I’m not sure. It seems like Lusweena’s mages are also there. Or maybe Jang’s magic is too faint for us to detect.”

As Zaira touched her wrist, bound by the magic sealing stone, Ian placed his hand on the child’s shoulder. Ian’s gaze was fixed on the approaching Eriphony.

“Zaira. Recite once more what path you must take.”

“To bring back the safety of my family in the palace and the magic research records.”

“If you return immediately, Eriphony will ask you many things about what happened inside the Clifford barrier. She will want to know everything in detail.”

“I can do it. I will swear to keep silent.”

“Lusweena is in a difficult position without her mages, besides the black armor. And always remember this.”

Zaira rubbed her swollen cheek with her shoulder and bit her lip. She would never forget being hit by that so-called general.

“Those who know their own worth cannot be treated carelessly by anyone.”

Clatter, clatter!

Neigh!

Eriphony rode her horse to a very close distance. Beside her were not ordinary soldiers, but mages. They recognized Zaira and waved their hands with a welcoming look.

“Oh, Sir Ian. I wondered, but you’re alive and well. You fell from that height and don’t seem to have a single scratch. Should I say I’m relieved?”

“Indeed. It’s as if all the arrows were blind and couldn’t pierce me. I suppose it’s right for us to say we’re fortunate.”

She had shot so many arrows, yet she hadn’t achieved a single thing she wanted. It was a sarcastic remark. Eriphony frowned and held up the arrow in her hand.

“Thanks to someone, my personal bow is broken. It was a Bariel swordsman, I wonder if I can hold him responsible for that.”

“Hold him responsible. Let’s go over every single detail. Then Lusweena will have to pay compensation, even stripping the skin off her people.”

Welcome. Ian smiled, slightly spreading his hands.

*Is that really someone who came back from the dead?* Eriphony looked at Zaira with a displeased face. Her hands were bound by magic sealing stones.

‘Honestly.’

As expected, the child was still a child. Eriphony tossed her long turquoise hair back and nodded.

“Send Lusweena’s mages over here. Then we will also send Bariel’s mages.”

“I will check their condition first.”

“Eldert!”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Eldert approached the carriage and soon came back carrying a tightly bound adult man on his shoulder. His curly hair was hanging down limply. He looked so pale and unwell that it was questionable whether his heart was functioning properly.

The mages were surprised and called out Jang’s name.

“Commander Jang! Please come to your senses!”

“Jang! Jang! Are you okay? Open your eyes!”

Swoosh.

Eriphony said that was enough and covered his face with a fan. They had confirmed each other’s prisoners, so shall they proceed now?

Ian first threw the magic sealing stone key to the Lusweena side, then nudged Zaira’s shoulder.

‘Go.’

Zaira looked up at Ian one last time. Then, she nodded slightly and walked slowly.

Jang was the same. He untied the ropes and stumbled towards the Bariel camp as if he would collapse. It was a mindless, instinctive movement.

As Zaira and Jang got closer, Eriphony shouted as if to show off.

“Be sure to tell the little emperor of Bariel. I spared your mages and sent them back out of respect.”

In Burgos, they sent back severed heads, didn’t they? Eriphony was creating an escape route in case the war turned unfavorable. Although they were allied with Burgos, their attitude towards Bariel was different.

Ian looked at Jang approaching him and replied.

“Yes. I will personally tell him. His Highness the Crown Prince will surely give you something in return.”

“I have a few questions.”

“Please know that I have no obligation to answer.”

“By any chance, did the envoy Timothy defect to Bariel?”

When Ian reacted with a cold look, Eriphony’s eyes narrowed. The man who was always by King Damon’s side had suddenly disappeared, so Eriphony had made inquiries. In the process, she heard rumors that Timothy had deserted the battlefield.

If he had defected to Bariel, it would be quite burdensome for Burgos.

“It’s not worth answering.”

“The king’s question is not worth it. It seems like it’s truly wartime! Hahaha! Then one more. Does Bariel really have no intention of withdrawing from this war? Clifford and Burgos have had bad blood for a long time. This isn’t a particularly special situation. If Bariel withdraws, Lusweena also intends to withdraw.”

“We have already come too far. And I think you’re mistaken, Lusweena was the last to join the war. You should have known your place. How dare you comment on Bariel’s actions?”

When Ian spoke firmly, Eldert and the Lusweena soldiers put their hands on their swords. The Clifford soldiers did the same.

“Since the queen asked a question, I will ask one as well. What do you expect to gain by loitering around here? Did King Damon say he would divide Clifford in half with you?”

“Those who win in war always get more than they expect.”

“I’m saying this out of concern, so please take it to heart. If Clifford is overrun by monsters, it won’t end as just Clifford’s problem. Bariel will safely defend its borders, and the monsters that cannot advance north will surely leak to the side and flow towards Lusweena.”

“Wait, what does that mean?”

Ian inwardly exclaimed at Eriphony’s question. The mages also exchanged glances and fell silent as if they had found a small crack in the situation.

*They really don’t know.* Well, from Damon’s point of view, the only thing he could give to Lusweena right now was the territory of Clifford.

Zaira and Jang passed each other.

“Jang.”

Ian ignored Eriphony and called out to Jang, who barely raised his head in response. His whole body was swollen. It was hard to tell which wound was threatening his life.

As Jang staggered and was about to fall forward, Ian rushed forward.

“Sir Ian!”

“Commander Jang!”

The mages moved with him. Ian caught Jang and hugged him tightly, just as Berik had done for him. The sudden movement made the Lusweena soldiers flinch and become wary, and the Clifford soldiers also pointed their swords as if to say not to act rashly.

Buzz. Buzz.

As soon as Ian grabbed Jang, he poured magic into him. One part was cold, and the other was too hot, making it hard to believe that this was the body of a living person. Ian brushed Jang’s hair back and held onto his consciousness.

“Jang. Can you hear me?”

“…Yes. Sir Ian.”

“Even if it’s hard, keep receiving the magic. I will move you inside the barrier. Hale!”

“Sir Ian. It would be better to pour magic here first. Commander Jang’s condition is too bad. It’s urgent.”

Buzz. Buzz.

Jang leaned on Hale’s shoulder and took a deep, low breath. As magic entered him, he felt like he could breathe a little easier.

Ian wiped the cold sweat from his face and asked.

“Jang. Do you feel alive?”

“Yes. Sir Ian. Ah, my head is spinning. Those bastards, if it weren’t for the magic sealing stone, I could have taken them all down with one punch. They were so stingy, not giving me any magic…”

“You talk too much. Sir Ian, you don’t have to worry about Commander Jang.”

“…They kept me gagged.”

“I know, so shut up.”

Buzz. Buzz.

Light was rising from the middle of the earth. It was the magic emitted to save a fellow mage, but to the soldiers, it looked like the fallen moon had fallen on them.

While they were watching in a daze, Eriphony shouted.

“Ian! I asked what you meant by monsters!”

It was a shrill command to answer. Ian didn’t even glance at her and looked down at Jang.

He had returned alive. Selena had returned as a corpse, but Jang, one of the survivors, had returned alive. Jang smiled awkwardly as if he was ashamed and closed his eyes.

“I’m sorry. Sir Ian. I went inside the camp, but I didn’t do anything.”

“No. It’s enough. Jang, you have done your part just by returning alive. I am truly grateful. Just by you being alive, I can endure a little longer.”

“What are you talking about? Did something happen while I was gone?”

“Commander Jang. Stay still. Sir Ian, keep smiling nicely. Yes. Good job.”

As Eriphony, openly ignored, picked up an arrow, the Clifford soldiers immediately raised their shields and stepped forward. In the midst of the tense atmosphere, the Lusweena mages also greeted Zaira and hugged her tightly.

“Zaira. Are you okay? Are you hurt?”

“I’m okay. I’m sorry. I thought I could do it.”

“No, no. We’re just grateful that you’re safe. It’s our fault for sending a child like you.”

While Zaira was enjoying the welcome of her family, Eriphony irritably lowered her bow.

It was beneath her dignity as a queen to keep asking unanswered questions. She couldn’t be more humiliated here, so Eriphony’s gaze quickly turned to Zaira.

“Zaira.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“You’re quite impressive. Thanks to you, we lost a Bariel mage hostage. Prove it. Prove that you are worth that much, and that my choice was not wrong.”

*Report everything you heard and saw inside that barrier. And what exactly is the ‘monster’ that Ian mentioned.*

Zaira innocently rolled her eyes and replied.

“Yes, Your Majesty. I will tell you everything in my memory.”

“You answer well. It seems that dying and coming back to life helps with rehabilitation. Eldert! Let’s withdraw!”

Zaira got on her horse with the mages and looked back at those who were still laughing and crying around Jang. Soon, someday, she and her family would be like that too. A relationship that finds comfort even in the backdrop of war.

Zaira hugged the mage she was with tightly and reviewed Ian’s instructions.

*’To save the family held captive in the palace and do everything as you wish, you must induce division in the current camp. Make sure that troops continue to be drawn from the palace. Then the palace will be empty. Naturally, the eyes watching your family will also decrease. It’s a burdensome strategy for us in war, but there is nothing better for your goal, Zaira.’*