Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 437

“It seems Ian has woken up.”

Hale, sitting on the lawn, was working on a wooden plank, while Acorella watched him from across. She chewed on a cigarette, glancing towards the window. It wasn’t easy to see from here. She wanted to check if the mages were doing their jobs properly.

“What? You got something to say?”

“Yeah. About what Philea said yesterday. Ian’s amnesia.”

Crack!

The plank split in half the moment Acorella mentioned ‘amnesia.’ The inside was rotten black. Hale frowned, nodding for her to continue.

“I looked it up, and there’s nothing among the side effects Ian experienced that’s related to amnesia. The worst he had was the Bitter River [a magical affliction], right? But that’s a clear side effect, and there’s nothing to add. The magic itself is the purpose, and that’s the side effect.”

“So, Philea was mistaken about something?”

“Hey, you can’t underestimate a mother’s intuition. A hunch might not be provable, but it’s pretty reliable. If Philea felt that way, I think there’s something underlying.”

Philea had raised the possibility of Ian having amnesia to Hale. She was bewildered how he couldn’t remember that song, no matter how much had happened. It was as if he didn’t recognize her, and Philea firmly added that it wasn’t just a simple song.

“So?”

“It might not be a side effect of magic, but a side effect from something else.”

“Like, what you made?”

“I don’t really want to admit it, and I want to argue against it like crazy, but that’s the most reasonable suspicion, so I’ll shut my mouth. To be more specific, remember when I almost died because of the dragon scales?”

“Why can’t I remember that?”

“Back then, one of my symptoms, combined with the side effects of the mana amplifier, was memory loss. If there’s a connection, it’s worth checking that side. Honestly, it was a long time ago, and I’ve had side effects removed and tested, so I think the possibility is low.”

“The problem is how to talk to Ian about it.”

“So, I’m thinking of researching the connection between side effects and memory. It’s fine if those idiots mess with Ian, but send some of our guys down. It’s a bit tough for me alone. I need hands.”

“As many as you want. But I don’t know if they’ll go.”

“They’ll do it if they’re told. What else can they do?”

Acorella lit a cigarette and took a deep drag.

Was it because she had only heard about it from Philea? It didn’t feel real that Ian was suffering from partial amnesia. Honestly, what’s the big deal about forgetting a song or two? As long as it doesn’t interfere with work and daily life, isn’t that enough?

Just as Acorella was getting up with a groan,

“Huh?”

Ian was walking out of the main building, followed by Beric. Acorella rubbed her eyes as if she had seen something wrong.

“What’s going on? Why did Ian come out? No, how did he come out?”

“Ian came out?”

“Look at those idiots. They can’t do anything right.”

The stablemen, who had been leisurely, rushed to grab the reins as soon as Ian appeared, and they left the magic department somewhat despondently.

Acorella picked up a long piece of wood and immediately ran up the stairs. It seemed like they weren’t paying attention, so she would help.

“Hey! Ian went out-”

“Captain Acorella!”

“Please help us! How do we solve this?”

“I think there was a separate formula for releasing it, but I can’t use it in this position. Ugh.”

“Come on! I told you to wash up, didn’t I? That smell is really strong. Get away!”

“How can I when I can’t move?”

“Damn it, at least pretend to!”

Acorella put the wooden stick on her shoulder, looking pathetic. The mages were trapped, rolled up with their arms crossed. They were helpless against Ian’s binding magic.

“What a mess. What a mess.”

“Help us!”

“Where did Ian go?”

“He was talking about the envoys, so he probably went to check on that. To the administration!”

“Okay.”

“Ah, Captain Acorella? What about us?”

“Figure it out yourselves. It’ll fade after some time.”

“How long?”

“A few hours. Ah. Since it’s Ian, maybe a few days?”

The mages looked like the world had collapsed at her words, which were hard to tell if they were a joke or not. Acorella turned her back without regret and grabbed Hale, who was following her, to go back down the stairs.

“What’s wrong? What about the kids?”

“It’s less embarrassing to be stuck like that than to not go back because they’re on strike. If you don’t have the skills, you have to use your body. Leave them alone. Yeah, yeah.”

* * *

A week later.

Prince Noah looked at the central walls of Bariel’s capital in the distance, feeling strange. He never thought he would be involved with Bariel like this when he first visited. The world was truly unpredictable.

Clatter, clatter!

He didn’t slow down, even on the steep downhill, shaking the reins hard. It had been like that since he received Jin’s handwritten letter by carrier pigeon. Prince Noah and May had been running non-stop, arriving at the capital in just a few days.

How could he be leisurely when the only prince and crown prince of Bariel, no less, was urging the Clifford royal family to visit quickly?

“Your Highness. Shall we go to the center and change horses? They seem a bit tired.”

It wasn’t just the animals that were tired. May glanced at Noah worriedly and called out.

Noah had been struggling to deal with the aftermath of the rift, not eating or sleeping properly. And as soon as the call came from Bariel, he had rushed here, so he must be exhausted.

And above all, the curse cycle was returning.

“Why waste time? Keep going!”

“Yes! Understood! Your Highness, are you alright?”

“I’m fine! May, take care of yourself first!”

“That’s enough. We can’t accurately calculate the curse cycle in the half-destroyed palace, so more than anything, Your Highness must be aware of your own body’s changes. Do you understand? In this time when Clifford’s fate is at stake, faith in the royal family is faith in Clifford.”

“It feels like this every time I enter Bariel!”

“It wasn’t intentional, but it seems so! The margin of error is about three days, so if there’s a problem, it would be good to ask Sir Ian for help!”

“Ask Sir Ian for help? I doubt if he even offers help that isn’t in his own interest.”

When Noah laughed heartily, May added,

“His interests are clear! That’s why he risked his life to help Clifford, isn’t it? It’s also a skill to boldly ask first when there’s something you want.”

“I understand! Anyway, I’ll make sure I don’t give them any reason to criticize me!”

“Please do!”

With that, the two focused on urging their horses on.

And soon after, soldiers at the outer central wall, who had been notified in advance, waved flags to show their welcome, and they were able to enter the center without stopping. They ran along the royal road and quickly approached the palace.

Clatter, clatter!

Hee-hee!

“Are you the envoys from Clifford?”

“I am Prince Noah of Clifford. Our king, His Majesty, is currently traveling by carriage, so I am entering the palace first by order of His Highness the Crown Prince.”

“Yes. Please come this way.”

The gatekeeper briefly checked the documents and then nodded, pulling their horses. He was trying to move them to the side gate, not the main gate.

May was flustered and stopped the gatekeeper.

“This is a prince of Clifford! Why are you guiding him through such a small gate?”

“Ah, I apologize, but due to the current strike by the magic department, the criteria for opening the main gate have changed a bit. All vehicles smaller than commercial carriages have to enter through the side gate.”

“A strike?”

“As you know, opening and closing that big gate is the responsibility of the mages. If you insist, I’ll ask them. Please wait a moment.”

Noah and May looked at each other at the same time and chuckled in disbelief. What were the mages of Bariel lacking? And for what? Moreover, in the palace? Was ‘that’ Sir Ian behind it? What on earth was going on?

Unlike the two who were bewildered, the gatekeepers seemed quite used to the current situation.

“Mages!”

“Yes! Yes!”

“Prince Noah of the Clifford envoys has arrived first! Can we open the middle gate?”

When the gatekeeper shouted, looking upwards, two mages peeked out. They had red headbands tied tightly on their heads. They recognized each other at once, as they had met before.

“Oh my, Prince Noah, you’ve arrived first?”

“What are those two doing…?”

“You must be tired from your journey. We’ll open it, so please come through the big gate. But it’s a secret from Sir Ian!”

“What?”

Squeak!

Thump, thump! Thud!

At the same time, the main gate opened wide. Noah and May looked at the gatekeeper in confusion, but the gatekeeper just shrugged and smiled.

“Now, please come inside.”

“Do you know why they’re acting like that?”

“Of course. How could we not? They say it’s a protest against Sir Ian’s resignation as a minister.”

“Sir Ian, resign?”

That combination of words was even more surprising than the mages’ strike.

Ian stepping down from a key position would be a pity in his personal life, but it would be a huge loss on a national level. If Ian were a Cliffordian, they would never, ever accept his resignation. Noah thought so.

“I didn’t think Sir Ian was the type to step down so easily.”

“Is it because he got everything at a young age?”

“No, it’s more accurate to say that he knows his own worth. Sir Ian knows how good he is. He knows the cost of the loss Bariel will suffer if he resigns. Something must have happened after they returned home.”

There had been no mention of this when they returned to Bariel. Or, had they not told him? As Noah pondered and moved inside the palace, he saw a familiar figure in the distance.

“Noaah! Your Highness! You’ve arrived! Yippee!”

“I can’t tell if that’s informal or formal…”

“Envoy May, hello! Do!”

“Beric. It’s been a while, but it doesn’t feel like it’s been that long.”

Beric shook hands with the two briefly, then looked around and whispered. He seemed to be wary of someone, but it was hard to tell. Was there someone in the palace that he had to be so careful of?

“Before going to the First Palace, should Ian see you first?”

“Sir Ian? Is there something to tell him?”

“I don’t know. Ian said it would be good for the Clifford envoys to meet him briefly before meeting His Highness Crown Prince Jin. Otherwise, he can’t help with the rift recovery.”

“If Sir Ian doesn’t help with the rift recovery, who will? I don’t know how the palace is working since earlier, so Beric, please explain it simply.”

“Uh, well…”

Noah listened to Beric’s messy explanation and sorted out the situation.

During Damon’s interrogation process, which took place as soon as they returned home, a statement was made that could shake Ian’s position?

“So, the magic department is now split in half. The Ian faction and the anti-Ian faction. That’s what people are calling them.”

“The anti-Ian faction must be the Crown Prince’s people.”

“Huh? Is that how it works?”

“How many are there?”

“Not many. Me, Ian, and Lord Romandro.”

“…Huh?”

How could Ian be in the anti-Ian faction?

“If you help Ian with his work, you’re in the anti-Ian faction. If you interfere with his work and threaten him, you’re in the Ian faction!”

“…Lead the way. It would be better to meet Sir Ian directly.”

“Wait!”

As Noah waved his hand and tried to hurry his steps, May grabbed the prince’s sleeve impolitely. The situation was progressing playfully, but she had realized the essence of it. Why had they asked Clifford to enter the palace so quickly?

“Beric, so Sir Ian is on the side of resigning and participating in the rift recovery, and the rest are against his resignation and rift recovery? Is that how I should understand it?”