Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 445

Squeak.

Enemies and enemies. And enemies.

That was the only way to describe the conference hall. Clifford, Burgos, and Luswena. They had once planned an alliance, but now they were completely separated by the great wall called Bariel.

Whispering, each faction discussed strategies in their native languages, trying their best not to be heard by other countries. King Clifford, Damon of Burgos, and Eriphony of Luswena. Their gazes met and then disappeared in the air repeatedly.

Although they were quite far apart, their sharp gazes showed no signs of dulling. They were aware of each other, yet they skillfully read the atmosphere as if they weren’t.

How long had they been waiting? The envoys were about to take out their pocket watches one by one.

Squeak!

Bariel officials entered in a line, wearing their uniforms.

All of them were old men with their chins held high. No matter how much they represented Bariel’s position, they were just officials. It was absurd for the king to come and wait first. Moreover, they were not the kings of some barbaric tribes on the outskirts, but the kings of great nations that had shared historical records for a long time.

But in war, wasn’t there always a power that made even the absurd possible? Eldert whispered over Eriphony’s shoulder.

“…Your Majesty.”

“…Damn it.”

At Eldert’s urging, Eriphony swallowed a sigh and rose from her seat first.

The only one who could bow down to the officials at this moment was Eriphony of Luswena. Clifford was in a friendly position, and Burgos was already as good as cut off at the waist to bow. It was too late to turn things around with flattering diplomacy, as they had already crossed the line.

Swoosh.

As Eriphony stood up, the Luswena envoys followed suit. Then, the envoys from Burgos. And then, the Clifford envoys stood up and greeted them in the imperial court manner.

King Clifford and Damon sat heavily in their seats. Both of them glanced at Eriphony with disdain, but she had no other choice. The fate of Luswena depended on the outcome of this negotiation. She had to somehow stay in the gray area between black and white.

Eriphony slightly lowered her head, trying to ignore the officials’ gazes.

‘Haa.’

But even so, she couldn’t help but see Ian, who was entering with the mages at the end of the line. A faint smile flickered across Ian’s lips as he entered with a nonchalant expression. It was clear that he was mocking the dignity of the king that had fallen to the floor.

She bit her lip and tried to control her trembling fist under her sleeve.

“Your Majesties. Thank you for respecting Bariel. Please take your seats.”

The Prime Minister, who had taken the seat right next to the head table, adjusted his glasses and nodded. It meant that he was grateful that the kings had put aside their dignity to greet the officials, but that they should stop now.

As Eriphony sat down, the envoys followed her in a rush. The Prime Minister glanced at the thick pile of documents and then checked if all three countries were present.

“Hmm. It doesn’t seem like all the people involved in the war between Clifford and Burgos are here. But there will be no problem proceeding with the negotiations. Let us bring in His Highness the Crown Prince.”

The Prime Minister gestured to a servant to bring in Crown Prince Jin. A sense of tension filled the conference hall, signaling the beginning, and it remained taut until the young Crown Prince entered.

Squeak.

A large scar across his face, silver hair, and blue eyes. Those who saw Crown Prince Jin for the first time thought that the known descriptions of his appearance were accurate, but they realized that the atmosphere he exuded was completely different.

Who would see him as a ten-year-old child? It was hard to believe the story that he had lived like a dead man in the palace before. Every step he took and every way he handled his gaze was filled with dignity. It seemed right to say that he had been immersed in the study of kingship since birth.

When Jin appeared, the King of Clifford was the first to stand up this time. Everyone in the conference hall followed suit, bowing their heads until Jin sat down.

“Everyone, please be seated.”

Clack!

Jin glanced at the Prime Minister. It was an order to proceed with the negotiations. He cleared his throat a few times and then picked up a gavel and struck it down.

Bang! Bang!

“From now on, we will proceed with the armistice negotiations between Clifford and Burgos. As this is a major issue, it will take several days to ensure that each side’s position is fully represented. Do not dare to add any comments to the agreed-upon results, and implement everything under the name of the Great Empire of Bariel. Anyone who does not agree may leave the room. However, they must bear full responsibility for that decision.”

The Prime Minister paused for a moment. As if to say that if anyone wanted to leave, now was the chance. After some time had passed, the Prime Minister forcefully struck the final gavel.

Bang!

“Now, let’s begin. First, Burgos. Damon, you have already confirmed some facts through your interrogation, so answer carefully. If there are any contradictory statements, the negotiation time will inevitably be prolonged. Does Burgos admit to invading Clifford?”

A woman sitting next to Damon rose from her seat. Everyone except the Burgos envoys looked at her with curiosity, wondering who she was.

An ambiguous identity. And someone too young to be the head of the delegation. Of course, age did not guarantee a position, but at least if someone was to be the head of the delegation, Bariel should have had information about them. She wasn’t a star that had fallen from the sky.

“State your identity.”

The Prime Minister, mindful of this, made her state her identity herself. Although she had already done so when passing through the main gate, restating it in an official setting was a different matter. The scribes waited for her statement, focusing their fingertips as much as possible.

“I am Bania, the head of the Burgos delegation.”

“What position do you hold in Burgos?”

When the Prime Minister subtly asked, Bania naturally evaded the question.

“I told you, I am the head of the delegation.”

“Okay, Representative Bania. Does Burgos admit to invading Clifford?”

It seemed she had no intention of speaking. The officials all turned their gazes to their documents and scribbled various notes. Until an unexpected word came from her mouth.

“No.”

“……?”

“Initially, it was a request for entry. Burgos believed there was a problem with the safety of its envoys and requested entry to confirm this, but Clifford refused. There seems to have been a misunderstanding in the process, as it was a border with many disputes. As a result, war broke out, and it is true that Burgos lost, but I want to make it clear that there was no intention of invasion at the beginning.”

“Are you kidding me? What is this from the start?”

“Everyone saw, heard, and experienced it! Burgos isn’t even trying to cover the sky with their palm. They’re just closing their eyes!”

“King Damon already admitted it in the first question of the interrogation. But how can you deny it now? Oh, my.”

The Clifford side was the first to protest. They jumped up and vented their anger as soon as Bania finished speaking. Not just anything, but to deny the intention of war from the start!

As the envoys huffed and puffed, King Clifford lightly gestured for them to calm down. The Prime Minister also struck the gavel, demanding silence. As if to say that they could not allow such disrespectful behavior in front of His Highness Crown Prince Jin.

Of course, that applied to Burgos as well.

“Damn it, they’re being a pain in the ass from the start.”

“Shhh. Berik. You’re too loud.”

Berik also muttered, reciting as if he were doing ventriloquism without moving his lips. The mages poked him in the side, but he had to say what he had to say, right?

“That’s right. What is that, a fart?”

“Uh-huh. It looks like a fart, but it’s a word in its own way.”

And the Luswena side, reacting as quickly as Clifford. They were confused by Burgos’s unexpected response. It was a fact that would not change even if the sky split in two, so why were they making such reckless statements?

Moreover, they were currently in the position of a defeated nation. If Bariel and Clifford were of a mind, they could swallow the entire country whole. What could be more chaotic and tempting than a country without a leader?

“What’s their intention?”

“I’m not sure yet. Judging by the fact that the envoys are staying still, it seems to be an agreed-upon statement…”

“Isn’t that quite dangerous and reckless?”

“That’s right. I wonder how Bariel will react…”

Eriphony was whispering to Eldert, who was sitting right next to her, but she didn’t take her eyes off Bania. She was resolutely staring straight ahead, but her hand on the table seemed to be trembling slightly.

Eriphony frowned and then noticed the movements of the Bariel officials. They were whispering to each other, just like they were. It seemed that the hardliners were welcoming it, as they could use their arrogant attitude as an excuse, while the moderates seemed to be discussing how to resolve the situation, feeling perplexed.

…Then, what about Ian?

“…to…do…”

He was covering his mouth with his hand and giving instructions to a mage. The one who received Ian’s order immediately left the conference room, and Ian straightened his posture as if nothing had happened.

The Prime Minister lightly struck the gavel to quell the commotion.

Bang!

“Everyone, please be quiet. Representative Bania of Burgos, you are making conflicting statements even though King Damon’s interrogation was mentioned in advance. How should we interpret this?”

“Since the representative and King Damon have different opinions, can we say that her words represent the will of Burgos? There is no need for respect for the royal family, let’s make them kneel down right now.”

“Oh, come on, calm down. It’s just the beginning, everyone is too excited.”

“Is that the opinion of the entire Burgos delegation? King Damon, speak up. The testimony from the interrogation and the testimony from the delegation are different, so it would be right to hear your opinion again.”

Damon, who had been quietly watching the situation. When he was mentioned, he raised his eyebrows and curled up the corners of his mouth. Then, as if to show off, he showed his severed tongue again and shrugged his shoulders. Even if he wanted to add something, his tongue was cut off, so what could he do?

An official got angry and stood up from his seat.

“You, you, rude! In front of His Highness Crown Prince Jin! Even if your tongue is cut off, are your hands cut off too? State your position in writing!”

Squeak.

At that moment, the mage who had gone outside quietly entered the conference hall. Because it was so noisy, no one paid close attention to him coming and going. Except for the Burgos side.

Then, Damon’s face, which had been relaxed all along, hardened noticeably, because he saw the person following the mage.

“Have you come, Timothy?”

“Yes, Ian.”

“Over there, that way.”

Timothy knelt down diagonally behind Ian and slowly scanned Bania, following his nod. Then, a whispering voice.

“She is King Damon’s half-sister.”

“Are you sure?”

“I can’t say for sure, but it’s almost certain. Quite a long time ago, a few years ago, we ‘secured’ a child similar to her and sent her to Rutherford.”

“Is that so?”

Ian stroked his chin as if he understood the situation. Damon must have known as soon as he saw Bania. That his half-blood relative he had sent to Rutherford had come. So, he could have guessed the meaning without any signals.

‘The one who was sent to Rutherford became the head of the Burgos delegation? It can be inferred that the coordination of opinions among the nobles within Burgos is being influenced by Rutherford. The fact that they sent her as a representative, even at the risk of being noticed, must have been unavoidable for the meeting. Hmm.’

Ian’s eyes narrowed. Rutherford, Damon, and Bania. From the beginning of the negotiations to the squeaky statements.

‘Is it an attempt to delay the negotiations?’

Why? What value is there in delaying?

‘…Is Rutherford coming this way?’