Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 471

The meeting was adjourned.

Leaving the murmuring officials behind, Jin nodded to Siao Shi, signaling to postpone the announcement of the Emperor’s death, which he had ordered to be delivered in the middle of the meeting. Siao Shi carefully tucked the letter into his breast pocket and led the way, opening the door.

Taptaptap!

Siao Shi couldn’t tell Jin, who was running, to maintain his composure.

It had been a full ten years. Ten springs had passed without a trace of the two who had disappeared, a time that felt lonely, doubtful, and like a dream. Jin was now, in effect, going against that time.

“Where is Minister Tweller?”

“He said he is finishing the joint military training with the Imperial Guard and is entering the palace. He will come to your office as soon as he enters, so he will be waiting.”

“Tell Romandro and Beric to come as well.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Haile is not in the palace right now, is he?”

“He has been dispatched to the northern monster zone for investigation.”

“Bring in Acorella.”

Siao Shi gave a brief nod and signaled to his subordinates.

The crowd parted in three directions at the command. Jin didn’t stop running until he reached his office, where he encountered Tweller, who was just getting out of his carriage.

“Your Highness.”

“Haa, haa…”

While Jin had grown into a young man, for Tweller, that time was just a part of his continuous life. He looked the same as ever, an old general with not a single hair or wrinkle changed.

Tweller was slightly surprised, his eyes widening, but he quickly bowed.

“I apologize for being late. I have grown old and my body has become slow.”

“Nonsense. There is no one as swift as you in the Imperial Defense Department. Come inside.”

Jin barely managed to tear his gaze away from the pile of documents Tweller was carrying. A person using the name Rutherford had appeared.

Was it an imposter? Or was it really that guy from back then? If the guy who fell into the rift with Sir Ian had reappeared, then what about Sir Ian? Wouldn’t Sir Ian have returned as well? If he had, he would have come to the Imperial Palace.

*Swoosh.*

“This is a report from Burgos. It seems that the anti-royalist faction has a new source of material support, and they have found the root of that material. It is uncertain, but for now, Toolun is the most likely.”

“Toolun?”

“It is adjacent to the place where Rutherford’s group used to be based. According to the royalists, military supplies crossed the northern border into the opposing camp about fifteen days ago.”

“It seems it wasn’t certain. Considering that the matter from fifteen days ago is only reaching me now.”

“That’s right. It seems that at the time, there were issues with the accuracy to submit it as a report. But now-”

*Clatter.*

Tweller placed a very familiar gem on Jin’s desk. It was an amber-colored Idgal [a type of magical mineral], stained with someone’s blood.

Jin paused, frowning.

“It’s Idgal.”

“We will have to get it appraised, but it is presumed to be the same material as the one Rutherford’s group circulated ten years ago.”

Jin picked up the gem and turned it over in his hands. It didn’t possess any magic, but he had handled and observed it for so long that he could roughly identify it.

“Idgal is being newly introduced? Is there a possibility that it’s from another country, not Toolun?”

“Currently, all the Idgal that Rutherford circulated in Bariel, Clifford, and Lusweena is being used to suppress the rifts.”

Idgal was one of the items of compensation that Bariel had demanded from Lusweena. Since calming the Clifford rift was the priority, Lusweena was to hand over all the Idgal they possessed.

However, the Lusweena royal palace had been trying to smuggle out Idgal little by little, and Bariel had been sending regular inspections in response.

“Maybe. Maybe what the Lusweena royal palace had secretly kept was leaked. If Bariel absorbs Burgos, wouldn’t the next most troubled people be Lusweena?”

Especially as Jin’s coming-of-age ceremony approached, both Burgos and Lusweena were on edge about the changing political landscape.

Therefore, they had no choice but to use the ‘Idgal support’ card, which was the most effective way to strengthen Burgos. Idgal could limit magic, and it was a resource that was difficult for Bariel to track.

“I will put pressure on Lusweena.”

Siao Shi, understanding Jin’s intention, began preparing to draft a letter.

Tweller also knew that it was not something to be decided hastily. Although the royalists were pro-Bariel, they were still Burgos people. They couldn’t rely solely on the scraps of paper that came in as reports.

“If it’s Idgal from Burgos that we haven’t identified… If the Lusweena royal palace is secretly supporting them… And-”

Jin, who was counting the possibilities, paused.

“…If Rutherford manufactured new Idgal in Toolun.”

Please, please, appear before me again. So that I may personally repay the humiliation. Let me know where Sir Ian is, what happened to him, in detail.

After hearing all the answers, I will cut out your tongue, just like that king who is trapped in the tower, counting the years.

*Knock knock!* *Bang!*

At that moment, a commotion was heard from outside. No sooner had he said to come in than Beric, Romandro, and Acorella burst in.

Leading the way was Beric, drenched in sweat. He pointed at Minister Tweller, annoyed.

“Hey, you. If something like this happens, we should go together. Why did you go alone in a carriage? I ran all the way here!”

“…I didn’t know that His Highness the Crown Prince would be looking for you. Beric, is the training finished?”

“Yeah, thanks to you, it was freaking hard.”

“Hey, Beric, you rascal. You’re in front of His Highness. Show some respect!”

“Your Highness. I heard that new Idgal has come in? Is it new? Ugh, they all went back to Clifford, and now I’m dying from a lack of samples.”

“Acorella, please restrain yourself!”

They were as eager and anticipating as he was, for Ian’s existence. Jin tapped the report that Tweller had given him and said,

“Traces of Rutherford have been found.”

“Huh? Ru, Rutherford?”

“It seems that his name is being used at the end of the trail of Idgal newly supplied to Burgos. It is unknown whether it is an imposter or not.”

Beric paused and froze, while Acorella’s eyes widened. Romandro was the first to speak. He stroked his beard, as if trying to think quickly.

“Why would he suddenly do that after ten years? If it’s to gather his scattered forces, it’s certainly possible.”

“Right? That’s why I will send the Imperial Defense Department to Burgos to investigate the matter. And I also want to send someone to Toolun.”

*Swoosh.*

As Jin picked up the Idgal, Acorella respectfully received it with both hands. Once, it was so common that it threatened the safety of mages, but now it was a precious item, all being used to fill the rifts.

Acorella, after confirming the safety of the Idgal, snorted and refused.

“I can’t go. My legs aren’t in good condition. They’ve been throbbing more lately, ugh. Toolun is too far.”

“Funny. You run around just fine usually. Just say you want to do research. Seriously, you’re always lying.”

“Yeah. Right. I’m going to research this and stick it in Beric’s head. Maybe then his gaping mouth will shut a little?”

“Hey, hey, hey! Everyone!”

Romandro exclaimed in alarm, then raised his hand slightly and smiled.

“Your Highness. I, uh-”

The words ‘I have a daughter who is only ten years old at home’ rose to his throat, but he couldn’t easily say them. How could he compare his family matters to the great cause in front of the Crown Prince?

Jin shook his head, as if to say he understood. The right person had already been decided.

“Beric. You go. Go, and on your way back, meet the Atan tribe, join up with Commander Haile, and return.”

Acorella and Romandro both looked at Beric. He was the one who didn’t want to leave the Imperial Palace even a single step. Because of the thought that Ian might return at any moment.

“If Rutherford is there, there’s a high possibility that Ian is there as well.”

Unlike ordinary people, Beric could move much faster using magic. Moreover, he was also suitable for tasks related to the Atan tribe.

Beric ran a hand through his hair and pondered for a moment.

“You’re saying Ian might be there?”

“Yes. So go and thoroughly investigate and report back. If you find Rutherford, capture him alive, but it doesn’t matter if you kill him. Just bring his head. However, if you find Sir Ian-”

As Jin paused, Beric continued.

“I’ll bring him back.”

“…No matter what.”

Beric cracked his neck from side to side, glancing at the dumbfounded faces of Romandro and Acorella. It was a ‘What are you looking at?’ kind of expression. It was a bit different when Minister Tweller sent him versus when His Highness Jin sent him. Of course.

“I can write a report, but my handwriting is terrible. Is that okay?”

“Of course. Since when have you cared about that?”

“When should I leave?”

“Right now, if possible.”

“Okay. I’ll leave after dinner.”

It wasn’t like he was just going to the next village, but to Toolun, why was he in such a hurry? Romandro quietly grabbed Beric’s sleeve and whispered.

“Beric, guests from Hielo Territory will be arriving soon, at least see them before you go.”

“I’ll be back soon, right? Tell them to stay here until I get back.”

“You, you don’t know where Toolun is, do you?”

“I do? It’s above the Hasha country. Ah, Your Highness. I’ll be back within this year. They said the annex construction will be done by then.”

“Beric! I’ll give you a boost with the kids and open a portal. I can’t go far, but I can drop you off around the northern border of Bariel.”

“Oh, for once, you’re actually being helpful.”

Beric stretched and left the office, and Romandro added worriedly,

“Your Highness, is it okay to send Beric alone? Shouldn’t you send Barsabera with him?”

“Now that Rutherford has surfaced, we cannot spare two members of the Imperial Guard.”

Rutherford was the one who had a history of infiltrating the Imperial Palace. Jin lightly closed the report and nodded, as if telling them to leave.

“And other than Beric, no one else has any special significance.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“The one who believes most strongly that he will return, will eventually find him.”

So, there was no need to send anyone else besides those gathered here.

Romandro said, “Ah,” and nodded briefly, then accepted the report without further comment.

* * *

*Creak.*

The door to the dark side room opened, and a sweet scent flowed out, along with a ray of light.

The subordinates sent by the anti-royalist faction paused, looking inside. They had been told they could enter when the door opened, but the darkness was so thick that they couldn’t easily dare to approach.

“A cold wind is coming in.”

Then, a low voice was heard from inside. A man leaning against the bed, with a pipe in his mouth, had spoken.

The subordinates cautiously entered, and as their eyes adjusted to the darkness, they could make out a figure.

“Ru, Rutherford-nim, is that you?”

One of them, who had met with Rutherford in the past, asked in disbelief. Ten years had passed, but his appearance and aura were unchanged. Even the way he greeted them was the same as before.

Rutherford chewed on the end of his pipe and rummaged through his pocket.

*Thud.*

What was thrown at the subordinates’ feet was Idgal. A simple yet certain proof that it was Rutherford.

“I’m catching up on what I couldn’t smoke, so understand.”

“H, how did this happen? What on earth happened…?”

“We heard you went into the rift.”

“Did you come back alive? What about the mages? What happened to them?”

*Whoosh.* Rutherford just stared blankly into the air, savoring the smoke. Ten years had passed in the sea of rifts, according to Gaia’s time. But for him, it had only been ten days. Ten days.

“We heard that the head of Bariel’s magic department was with you. Did, did you take care of him?”

“Ah. Ian?”

*Tsk.*

Rutherford chuckled and flicked off the ashes from his pipe. As if to say, ‘Don’t even mention it.’ He never knew that there could be an obsession that transcended eons of time. Rutherford shook his head slightly and muttered,

“He must have awakened with me. I don’t know where, but. So, now is the chance.”