Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 435

Philia, having exited the office, leaned weakly against the door. She couldn’t understand it at all. Ian not knowing that song, of all things.

When he was a child, his days were always filled with that song. A gentle hum that lingered around him like the scent of warm sunlight. Children often forget their early memories, but Ian had asked her to sing that song to him the day before he was taken by Derga. It hadn’t even been a year…

“Philia, did you see Ian?”

“What did he say? Did he say anything special?”

“Did he mention anything to you, Philia? It’s not that we’re suspicious, but it’s a very important and curious matter for us. If it’s okay, could you tell us everything… Oh? Philia? Are you alright?”

The mages, who had been gathered in small groups at the end of the hallway, surrounded Philia and threw questions at her. Her face was so pale that they eventually fell silent.

“Um, excuse me, mages.”

“Yes? What is it?”

“Is there a side effect of magic that causes memory loss? I heard Ian was very ill on the battlefield.”

“I’ve never heard of any side effects related to memory, but is Ian like that? Does he have a problem with his memory?”

“I knew it! He has a mental problem! Otherwise, he wouldn’t say he’s going into the rift. And for someone who isn’t even an adult yet to give up his position as a minister? It’s like ending his career right after starting it.”

“Um, where is Commander Hale?”

“Commander Hale? He went to support the Imperial Guard. To replenish the magic of the Imperial swordsmen. Ian sent him. Why do you ask?”

“I need someone to discuss things with. It’s impossible to reach Romandro at his mansion, so, please, please let me meet Commander Hale.”

“Wait a moment. Philia, weren’t you told not to leave the Magic Department? The coachman said so. Please wait here for a moment. I’ll send word to Commander Hale.”

“Ah, yes. I would be very, very grateful if you could hurry.”

Philia, with trembling hands, clutched her belly and sank down. The startled mages sat down with her, looking flustered and on the verge of tears.

At that moment, Beric appeared from behind. He was picking at his ear, looking curious about what everyone was doing.

“What are you all doing, playing on the floor?”

“Does this look like playing?”

“Or are you working? Haaahm. Anyway, where’s Ian?”

“Ian is in his office, but don’t go in. Ian isn’t feeling well today.”

“What? Why? Is he sick?”

Beric, who had been scratching his belly nonchalantly, paused. He had looked fine when he saw him in the underground interrogation room. He was so fine that he even stopped Damon’s head from exploding, wasn’t he?

Beric blinked, as if he didn’t understand anything. One of the mages sighed and explained the situation. The rift investigation, the resignation from his ministerial position, and the suspicions of the Imperial family’s involvement and Idgal that were the cause of all this.

“Ah. I know the rumors. So, Ian is going to the rift?”

“…Why do you look so happy?”

“Awesome! Sweet! That’s great!”

Beric punched the air, genuinely cheering. The mages stared at him, dumbfounded. They knew he was crazy, but they didn’t know he was this bad. It was clear that Beric didn’t fully grasp the seriousness of the situation.

One of the mages stammered, asking,

“Y-you, you understood properly, right?”

“Yeah. I understood? The rift is a monster pit, right? If I’m investigating that, there’ll be tons of delicious, crunchy guys there. Ah, my mouth is already watering. The Imperial Palace is nothing special except for the delicious food. It’s a shame I can’t cut anything here. Yahoo! I’m going to have fun!”

‘I see. That guy’s brain function is even worse than I thought.’ The mages simultaneously realized the same truth and sighed.

“Beric. You can’t go, you idiot.”

“Me? Why?”

“You’re part of the Imperial Guard. To go to the rift, you need the orders of the three commanders and His Majesty the Emperor, but would the Imperial family be crazy enough to send a swordsman and lose manpower?”

“Huh?”

Beric paused for a moment, as if he hadn’t thought of that, but that was it. There was a very simple solution.

“I’ll just quit! Anyway, the more I work for the Imperial Guard, the more money I lose, so I’m a beggar. Leaving the Imperial Palace is better for my wallet! Mwahahaha!”

“If you’re not in the Imperial Guard, do you think Ian will include you in the rift investigation team? Someone as reckless as you in such a dangerous place? Huh?”

“Of course! Where Ian goes, I go. It’s always been like that. And, I’m all for Ian quitting his job! He’s just looking at pieces of paper without even sleeping, is that something to do? He doesn’t even have time to eat.”

“…That food, the food you eat several kilograms of a day. Who do you think is paying for it?”

When the mage pointed out the reality, Beric sniffed slightly. He realized that the atmosphere was turning out strangely different from what he had expected. ‘Ugh, this is exactly what I hate.’

“Ian has a lot of money even if he doesn’t work, so it’s okay.”

“Are you really sure he’ll take you to the rift?”

Without any prior notice to the mages, he had caused a huge incident at the conference. No, were they the problem? Commander Hale, Commander Acorella, even his aide Romandro, and even Crown Prince Jin, the center of the Imperial family, had been, to put it crudely, backstabbed. But would Beric really be okay?

Beric slowly backed away towards the office, then shuddered and shouted,

“Iaaaaaaan!”

“Hey, grab him!”

“Uwaaaah! Iaaaaaaan! What is this nonsense!”

“Well, should we really grab him? How about we just let Beric loose and drive Ian crazy? One crazy dog is okay, right? It’s worth a try!”

“Who are you calling a dog! Iaaaaan!”

“You, you bastard. Ugh, how are you so strong?!”

“Animals are usually stronger than their size. Don’t provoke Ian until Commander Hale arrives! He’s already unpredictable, and Beric will make him even stranger!”

Philia quietly watched the mages and Beric tumbling around in the hallway. A huge commotion was happening, but the office door remained firmly closed. As if no one was inside.

“What’s going on here?”

At that moment, a low, resonant voice that easily erased the noise. The mages and Philia turned their heads at the same time. Hale, wearing a robe haphazardly, was looking down at them with a dry cigarette in his mouth.

“Commander? Why are you here? We were about to go get you.”

“Is it strange for a mage to be in the Magic Department?”

“No, it’s not that.”

“The rumors around me were so bad that I couldn’t stay outside.”

Hale bit the end of his cigarette and muttered. What he had initially thought were low-quality rumors had spread uncontrollably since the time of the conference.

Since the Imperial Guard moved immediately in response to Crown Prince Jin’s actions, Hale had naturally realized the seriousness of the situation. He reached out his hand to help Philia up.

“Madam. The floor is cold.”

“Um, Hale. I have something to discuss with you.”

“If my guess is correct, you want me to stop Ian from going to the rift investigation, right?”

“Yes?”

Hale casually adjusted Philia’s collar and muttered.

“You don’t have to worry about that. He keeps trying to pass his work onto me, but I have no intention of accepting it.”

Unlike his usual calm demeanor, Hale’s tone was a bit sharp. As if he was dissatisfied with Ian’s arbitrary actions. He turned to the mages and said,

“Everyone, you all know that Ian is acting strange now, even if you don’t say it.”

“Yes. I’m starting to wonder if we should have returned to Bariel. Really.”

“He wasn’t like this when he was in Clifford.”

“…A-are we going to confine him?”

“Are you confident? I can’t beat Ian.”

“M-me neither.”

“You crazy bastards! Are the empire’s top talents suggesting that as a solution?”

“Shhh.”

Hale snapped his fingers, demanding silence from everyone. With a gesture that seemed to suggest he had a solution. The mages looked up at him with sparkling eyes.

“I’m going too.”

“Huh?”

“I will also apply to join the rift investigation. He said he would recruit personnel from the applicants, right? So, I will gladly join Ian.”

‘…This is crazy, we’re screwed.’

The mages all thought the same curse at the same time, but soon realized that Hale’s response was better than they had thought.

If Ian left, Hale would be the most likely candidate for the next minister, so his absence would disrupt Ian’s plans.

“…Not bad?”

“And all of you are going too.”

“Eeeeeh?!”

“I don’t know exactly what Ian is thinking, but one thing is certain. He prioritizes the safety of Bariel. But what would happen if all the mages said they would follow Ian to the rift?”

“A-another hole will open up.”

“I feel sorry for Romandro.”

A kind of strike. A way to express their dissatisfaction with Ian through action.

Hale shrugged and turned his body naturally. And one by one, he slowly made eye contact with the mages and urged them.

“To beat Ian, it’s important that we all work together. Everyone should keep that in mind.”

“Ah, yes. I understand what you mean. No matter how much it is Ian, what can he do if we all go on strike?”

“Yeah, yeah. If Ian says he’s going to the rift, let’s all say we’re going too. Then he’ll reconsider.”

“Okay. Good! Let’s write a petition!”

The mages were excited at the thought of getting back at Ian, their eyes sparkling. Beric was also jumping up and down in agreement. He must have decided that it was better to maintain this daily life than for Ian to leave him behind.

Philia gently held her belly and looked at Hale standing among the mages. Did Hale know? That every time he led the mages, he was proving Ian’s insight.

“Hale, that’s not it.”

“Ah, yes?”

“I have something else to discuss with you. Please spare me some time.”

Philia asked Hale for an interview to ask about memory loss as a side effect of magic. Hale nodded and led her to his office, then locked the door.

Squeak.

Thud!

* * *

“How about postponing the meeting until King Damon recovers? The mages and the Imperial doctors are treating him, so he will regain consciousness soon.”

“I agree. We can have Luswena and other countries’ representatives enter the palace at that time. Let’s say about ten days.”

“Clifford, Luswena, Vergos. And even the participating forces from the north. They should all be waiting for Bariel’s call and be ready. It doesn’t seem like it will take ten days.”

“Yes, yes. I think so too.”

The ministers and high-ranking officials gathered in Jin’s office continued to wrap up the meeting, sharing the schedule for the next conference. They were pretending to be calm, but their pupils kept moving towards Jin.

“Your Highness? What do you think? Do you agree?”

“Well, you know.”

“Yes?”

He seemed to be lost in thought rather than in a meeting. The child seemed to have remembered something, and he took his hand off his chin and looked at the prime minister.

“The rift occurred within Clifford’s territory, so it is considered that the rift investigation is not possible without Clifford’s permission, is that correct?”

“In principle, that is correct, but there is no reason why Clifford would not allow it…”

The prime minister chuckled and looked at the officials. He didn’t know what Jin was talking about. Sending Ian to the rift was an opportunity to overcome the complex current situation. It would allow them to break Ian, who was suspected of being of Imperial blood, and stand completely alone.

But Jin got up from his seat as if he had thought of a good idea.

“Yes. That’s how it should be.”

Jin made a deep dimple and said to the prime minister,

“Ten days is too long. Tell everyone to come to the Imperial Palace within a week. Everyone who is related to this war, who must take responsibility, and who must be compensated.”