Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 469

Bibi stood there, looking serious. She glanced to the side, then back ahead, and then far, far away to the towers.

Wasn’t the Imperial Palace a truly wondrous place? Thanks to the large windows and open gardens, you could see very far, and the four towers seemed to indicate the cardinal directions.

A straight path with no curves. All she had to do was decide whether to go left or right, but strangely, she felt like she was just going around in circles. There weren’t even any guards patrolling.

Oh, dear.

She had to admit it.

“…Heh. I’m lost.”

Bibi’s hands trembled as she straightened her glasses. *Calm down, calm down.* Her dad must be looking for her, so she just needed to grab someone passing by and ask for help.

Ahem. Bibi cleared her throat and took a deep breath. She had learned that when you’re stranded, you should shout as loud as you can! But contrary to her ambition, her voice was as faint as an ant crawling.

“I-Is anyone there…?”

*Hoo-eeng.* The child quickened her pace, looking like she was about to cry. Then, a conversation between her mom and dad flashed through her mind.

‘…Every night, all the meat in the Imperial Palace disappears, it’s like a gluttonous monster.’

‘Is it happening again these days?’

‘There isn’t a day he doesn’t come back covered in blood. He’s been debating whether to go to the Northern Monster Zone.’

“……”

It would be best to get to a safe place before nightfall.

Just then, Bibi spotted a woman walking by, carrying a sword and armor. She had short, navy-blue hair and a sturdy build.

“E-Excuse me!”

Bibi waved her hands from side to side as she ran, but the woman didn’t notice and entered a building.

*Clang! Thud!*

*Whack! Thwack!*

“One more time!”

“Damn it, you wanna try me?”

“If you say you’ll try, can you even do it?”

“You unlucky bastard! You’re dead!”

*Thwack!*

And then, the scene she witnessed. Men with their shirts off or lightly dressed were gathered in a circle, watching a fight. *Ah, it’s the training grounds.* But what was it? The voices sounded very familiar.

“Hey, you gotta aim for Beric’s side! It’s open!”

“Oh, he’s gonna get hit again. I told you, you can’t win like that! Don’t charge at Beric head-on!”

It was Uncle Beric! Bibi was about to run over happily, glad to see someone she knew, when…

Beric, who had been hidden by the crowd, came into view. His upper body was covered in wounds, his hair was soaked with blood and hanging limply, and his red eyes were filled with a murderous intent, unlike usual.

*Clench.*

“Can’t you hear what they’re saying? If you’re a nobody, you should try to sneak around. What kind of confidence makes you keep charging head-on?”

Beric gritted his teeth and lifted his opponent’s neck with one hand. It looked like he was about to crush it. The opponent struggled to break free, but only felt more helpless.

Beric watched with a blank expression. His face would turn red, his eyes would roll back, and eventually, he would foam at the mouth and pass out. It was all predictable, a dull match.

“Beric, stop it.”

And then, Barsave intervened at the right moment. Beric shrugged, throwing the half-fainted opponent to the ground.

*Thud!*

“If the old hag tells me to, I have to.”

“It’s too much. If you keep doing this, going to the Northern Monster Zone won’t be a suggestion, it’ll be an order.”

“Ugh, damn it. I’m tired of the nagging.”

“It’s advice to enjoy the choices you’re given!”

As Beric walked towards the water jugs, the crowd parted to the left and right. His colleagues of ten years yawned, saying, ‘Here we go again,’ while the new recruits nervously wiped the blood off the floor.

“I know you don’t want to leave the Imperial Palace. So-”

“Yeah. I don’t want to leave here. But you know why?”

Beric tossed the empty water jug behind him and picked up his shirt.

“Because the Atan tribe is in the Northern Monster Zone, and that damn Tweller old man suggested I go there. This, damn it. It’s a picture I’ve seen before.”

“…Beric.”

“If I go there again and something happens, I’m really going to kill everyone.”

“Watch your mouth! That’s Minister Tweller!”

“Minister or whatever. Bullshit.”

Barsave sighed and ran a hand through her hair.

Due to the Clifford Rift, Bariel mages were dispatched to suppress and study its power. There was no progress in unraveling the mysteries of the unknown world, but the suppression of the rift was proceeding quite effectively. Paradoxically, through Idgal.

“So, you’re holding off until the magic annex is built? Because Ian might come back?”

“He said he’d come back, so he will.”

“You, you really…”

Believe it? Still, even now?

Beric, realizing Barsave’s unspoken words, glared at her fiercely. She raised both hands in apology, realizing her mistake.

“Sorry.”

“His Highness the Crown Prince said so.”

“Okay, I’m sorry.”

“Damn it, thinking about it makes me mad again. If you hadn’t told me to take on the Atan tribe back then, Ian wouldn’t be-”

“I get it, okay? How many times do I have to say sorry? You’ve been saying sorry for ten years, isn’t that enough!”

“Not yet. Keep apologizing until you die.”

“Where are you going!?”

Beric flipped her off and turned away. He had used up his energy with exercise, so it was time to replenish it with meat.

Eat, fight, sleep, fight again. For the past ten years, Beric had done his job as Ian and Jin had intended. He had heard that the annex would be completed within the year, but was it really true?

‘It took a long time. Really.’

He thought building a building was nothing, but nothing in life went as planned. Well, if it had, Ian wouldn’t have disappeared. Or at least, he would have gone into the abyss with him.

*Creak.*

“Huh.”

As he opened the door, something bumped into him. Beric glanced down and saw Bibi, frozen like a stone, her eyes wide.

“What’s this? Bibi, why are you here?”

“H-Hic.”

“Huh? Why, why are you crying?”

“Waaaaah!”

Bibi clung to Beric’s waist, tears streaming down her face, saying that he wasn’t the Uncle Beric she knew, how could he hit people like that, and that he would get in trouble for using bad words.

Beric looked around, at a loss, and everyone watched, amused by how flustered he was by a little kid.

“Hey, stop crying. Where’s Romandro?”

“Hic, hic…”

“Bi~bi!”

*He’s a ghost, a ghost.* Beric waved his shirt at Romandro, who was running towards them from afar. Romandro, who was getting closer, was shocked to see his daughter crying.

“Bibi! Why are you crying?!”

“Beric, Uncle Beric…”

“Beric? You, what did you do to Bibi?!”

“I didn’t do anything? Huh? Bibi! You have to speak clearly to the end.”

“U-Uncle… Waaah!”

“You rascal, my daughter!”

“Ouch!”

*Thwack!*

Romandro flicked Beric’s forehead, and Beric rubbed his swollen forehead, annoyed. And the child was crying her eyes out. It was quite a sight.

Barsave rested her chin on her hand and shook her head. Some things change over time, while others remain the same, and that was strangely comforting.

* * *

“You’ve arrived, Your Highness.”

As Jin entered the Emperor’s chambers, the Prime Minister and Jayrut, who had arrived earlier, greeted him. Unlike Jin, who was blooming with the flower of youth, the Prime Minister was old, like a tree branch facing a long winter.

“Have you been waiting long?”

“No, Your Highness. Even waiting is precious now.”

“…Let’s go in. Sia, you wait here.”

The Prime Minister and Jayrut followed Jin into the inner chambers. It was a cold and desolate space, as always. Knowing that the end was near made it feel even more so.

“Jayrut.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“When I ascend the throne, the reactions of the neighboring countries of Bariel will be unusual. Unlike those who welcome a new era, there will be many who fear change.”

Especially Vergos. The royalists and anti-royalists were glaring at each other in what was called a civil war, but when the Emperor passed away and Jin ascended the throne, they would all look this way at the same time.

What would a passionate Emperor do first to achieve great things? Conquest, of course. Vergos, weakened by civil war, was a perfect target.

Therefore, the order was to closely monitor the movements of Vergos as soon as the Emperor’s death was announced. Jayrut nodded, accepting the order.

*Creak.*

As the chamber door opened, the scent of peaches wafted in. It was completely out of place with the atmosphere. Jin looked at the peach tree standing upright in the garden and thought of Ian. *Keep that at least, it’s a promise with Gale,* he recalled the voice saying.

‘Ah, it’s still faint.’

Thinking that, Jin knelt beside the Emperor, who was lying straight. He had been like this when he first saw his father frozen, in his younger days.

“Father.”

His body was still cold. The unhealed wound on his side was still bleeding as if it had just been cut. A wound that couldn’t heal to prevent decay. Jin carefully took his hand and spoke.

“I am finally about to have my coming-of-age ceremony.”

I am no longer Jin Verosian, who hid behind the Emperor’s shadow. Now it is time for me to step into the sunlight and build my own Bariel. Just as my father’s father did, and his father before him, you too, Father, must now be submerged in history. Become the wall of Bariel in the name of Verosian.

*Swish.*

Jin poured the thawing potion into the Emperor’s mouth.

It was time to live and die at the same time. The Emperor’s body gradually warmed, and his faint breath became a little more rapid. The Prime Minister and Jayrut prostrated themselves, their foreheads touching the floor.

“Your Majesty, this is the Prime Minister. It is time for a new history to dawn in Bariel.”

“In the name of the Imperial Guard, we will protect the Imperial Family. I swear it. So please, rest in peace.”

It was their final farewell. A relationship of lord and vassal, and perhaps even comrades, who had led the palace together for many years. The Emperor’s white eyelashes fluttered, and a tear rolled down his cheek.

Jin also embraced his father and whispered.

“Father. My father before you were the Emperor. Thank you for everything. I will carry on your will and walk the next path. I will see you again in the future.”

“…Ah.”

“Yes, Father.”

Blood finally soaked into the bed. It was because the frozen wound and blood had melted. Jin put his ear close to the Emperor’s lips. The late Emperor’s last words flowed out.

“You did well. Just as I am dying, you too, for the sake of Bariel… must die.”

“Do not worry.”

“And with your own hands, just as you ended your father’s breath, whatever it may be, for the sake of Bariel, without hesitation, cut it down…”

*Swoosh.*

A strong wind blew, shaking the peach tree.

‘Cut it down, whatever it may be.’

Jin stared at the sunlight pouring through the leaves. Golden hair. And fresh green eyes. He hugged his father’s body, which was getting warmer and then colder again, and murmured.

“I swear it, Father. In the name of Verosian, for my Bariel, I will do anything.”