Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 472

Emperor Ian Verosian swore an oath to Bariel.

Before the window where dawn broke, under the fresh leaves, on the platform where the day’s heat cooled, he vowed to give everything for Bariel alone.

He would offer a breath, a fading happiness, and silent tears, so that Bariel would look upon his devotion and remain whole, standing firm like eternity.

Emperor Ian Verosian wished to be the will of God. He wished to be the messenger of God, not those who cried out that he was insufficient and should not ascend the throne. Thus, he wished that everything he did would be the path willed by Bariel.

*Whack!*

The heads of those who had stayed by his side until the end rolled mercilessly.

Blood soaked into the red carpet, and Emperor Ian Verosian, weakened, resisted fiercely and shouted.

“Stop it, stop it.”

“Why are you doing this? Stop it.”

The more he did, the more the empowered rebels gleefully cut off Emperor Ian Verosian’s limbs.

It was the pain of having his hands and feet severed. Some died shouting Emperor Ian Verosian’s name, while others died with only a desperate scream.

Those who wept and those who were indifferent could not escape death. Only he was spared. The death that Emperor Ian Verosian brought stained everything around him with blood, except for himself.

“Your Majesty.”

A familiar voice. Ian Verosian stared blankly at Naum, who had suddenly appeared before him. He had his soft brown hair neatly tied back and was looking at him.

Was it all a dream? The rebellion of Crony, the death of Naum, and going to Bariel a hundred years ago? Naum, who had been staring at him, smiled and shook his head.

“Your Majesty. It is not a dream. Your Majesty has been abandoned by Bariel. Because of that, everyone died, I died, and Your Majesty is dying like this.”

Naum slowly reached out and strangled Ian Verosian’s neck. As the force gradually tightened, Ian Verosian briefly struggled, but then stopped when he saw Naum crying.

*Yes, he resents me after all. I took his life because of my inadequacy, so his tears are heavy. If killing me will ease your sorrow even a little, I will gladly do it.*

“Die! Die! Disappear as if you never existed! Only that is what Your Majesty can do for Bariel—!”

*For Bariel, and for you.*

*My friend, just as you died for me, I will die for you.* Ian Verosian nodded and released all the strength in his body.

At that moment—

*Whack!*

He felt something tug at his collar, and his body floated up. Naum, who was crying and trying to kill him, followed. His platinum blonde hair turned blonde, and the eyes that looked back changed from blue to green.

Ian realized that the one pulling him was somehow familiar.

“Young Emperor.”

“You are…”

It was the gypsy who eats secrets. The gills on the old woman’s cheeks flickered, and the cloth that fluttered without legs resembled fins.

Suddenly, Ian realized that he was in a very strange place. It was similar to being underwater, with buoyancy but no difficulty breathing, and it was dark all around. Only he and the faintly glowing gypsy could be seen flickering.

The gypsy smiled as she swam gently.

“Welcome to the abyss sea.”

Another world beneath the rift. A hell where the secrets of the universe are asleep, and those who have recklessly used the power of God are imprisoned.

Ian slowly looked around. There was no path. The top and bottom were ambiguous, and it was an unknown space where left and right were mixed.

“How did you come here?”

“Then how are you here?”

“As one who lives by eating secrets, I cannot help but seek this place where the secrets of the universe sleep.”

*Whoosh.*

As the gypsy went ahead, a cool breeze brushed past Ian’s hair.

Just a moment ago, he was Ian Verosian, but now he was in the form of the illegitimate son, Ian. It was a place where not only the concept of space but also the concept of existence itself was ambiguous.

“Then you too, that form may not be real.”

The old woman only smiled and did not answer. Silence was affirmation. Ian knew that was her answer.

“So, what will you do now?”

“…There is someone I must meet.”

“Meeting in the abyss.”

“And we will go out together.”

As Ian declared resolutely, the old woman paused and then burst into laughter. Bubbles rose from her gills and scattered in all directions.

“Wasn’t that him just now? The brown-haired man who tried to kill you.”

“Naum Ovia.”

“Yes, that one. It seems he is someone who is submerged in the abyss by forbidden magic, but the circumstances are different. Ian, you walked in here yourself, while Naum fell. Taking him out means pulling the abyss into Gaia [the world].”

Ian’s heart thumped, a small tremor. He wanted to say confidently that he could do it, that it was possible to save Naum in his world, but somehow his throat was blocked, and he could not answer.

The old woman circled around Ian and warned him.

“Everything is in the abyss sea. Your anger, fear, pain, despair, loss. All the negativity created by every moment that existed will overwhelm you. Just like before.”

She was speaking of the inner fear that Naum would resent him and even curse him. The Naum from just now was an illusion and a self that Ian had created.

Ian grabbed the old woman’s sleeve as if asking for help.

“What should I do?”

“Is there a way for a human to win against the sea? You can only entrust yourself to the currents. Be pushed and pushed by the waves, and hope to reach an island someday.”

The old woman glanced down at Ian’s hand and said. Let go of this and fall into the sea. And swim through the pain, riding the waves that come every moment.

Ian, understanding her meaning, let go of her sleeve.

*Swoosh.*

Slowly, the old woman moved away.

Down, further down, Ian sank toward the bottom of the abyss, and the old woman watched from above.

Thousands of arms stretched out from the darkness, clamoring for Ian. In a fleeting moment, he would experience more than one death. He would be assimilated without knowing that it was just a bubble passing through the abyss, and he would be filled with despair.

“What a pity.”

An emperor who held a very delicious secret. He had meaning just by existing, but he would soon lose himself. The old woman could not leave easily and looked down for a long time.

How long had it been?

*Flash!*

A very small but faint light flickered from where Ian had sunk. The old woman gurgled her gills and tilted her head, and soon, unable to resist her curiosity, she dove down.

* * *

The term ‘abyss sea’ was very fitting.

The pain kept coming like waves, offering no respite. It was physical pain that tore at the flesh and twisted the lungs, and mental pain that made the heart ache as if the world was collapsing.

…How much time had passed?

Ian Verosian had died countless times at the hands of Naum. Beric was torn apart by the black armor and could not rise again, and Jin could not escape Arsen’s machinations and committed suicide.

Thus, the prosperity of the empire was cut short, the land was split, and the imperial citizens insulted themselves as tainted. Romandro and the Magic Department looked at him with resentment, and his parents cried that he was a child who should not have been born.

‘Is it over? Ah, it’s starting again.’

Once the illusion began, he was completely assimilated, and he could not distinguish whether it was reality or not. Only in the fleeting moments between illusions, when he was aware that he had fallen into the abyss, could he exist as the complete Ian Verosian.

But now, he had reached his limit. Only the moment when his mind would be weathered and collapse remained. Ian had no way of knowing that this time, which felt like eons, was actually a short moment when the old woman had not even left.

*Swoosh.*

Then, a soft touch embraced him from behind. The touch, without any murderous intent, was unfamiliar and made him wonder. Ian Verosian carefully turned around, holding the arm.

What he faced was a beautiful boy with golden hair and green eyes, Ian. Ian smiled brightly and hugged him.

“Ian!”

It was the illegitimate son, Ian. He was exactly as he had been when he first saw him at Count Derga’s mansion. A thin body, dark circles under his eyes from exhaustion, and somewhat haggard skin. But the smile, filled with joy, was bright and dazzling.

Ian Verosian was flustered and just looked down at the child’s face.

“Ian, thank you for coming all this way.”

“Is it the illegitimate son Ian? Why are you here?”

Instead of answering, the child buried his face in Ian Verosian’s arms and let out a sigh of relief.

He could not understand at all. He had wondered where the soul of the disappeared illegitimate son Ian had gone, but he had never imagined that it would be here.

Could this also be an illusion?

*But this illusion does not cause me any pain?*

Ian Verosian bent down, taking the child away from his body. The child, seeing Ian Verosian’s surprised expression, smiled and giggled. It was a clear and pure laugh that did not fit the abyss sea.

“…You, you know me.”

Ian Verosian hesitated and muttered. The child seemed to know him. Who he was, that he had entered the child’s body, and all the journey he had gone through to get here.

“Naum Ovia asked me if there was no way to save you. So, I willingly gave my body. Like a river flowing down towards a predetermined end, I was supposed to be the one to guide the flow of history correctly. But I judged that you would be able to do that well enough in my place.”

“I can’t understand what you’re saying.”

“You seemed to keep wondering.”

The child hugged Ian Verosian again. As if he was so lovely that he couldn’t bear it.

Ian Verosian was awkward, but he didn’t feel bad about it. Rather, during that time, he felt as if his body and mind, which had been worn down by pain, were being healed. He was also able to escape the illusion for a moment.

“What do you mean I keep wondering?”

“Whether you are one who exists as the will of God. And whether you are the right choice for Bariel.”

“I am—”

“Don’t worry, just exist. You went back in time by my will, came here, and will only walk the right path from now on.”

*Sparkle.* The child held out his palm. On it, a round amber jewel, Idgal, bloomed. As the child gestured as if to say, ‘Take it,’ Ian Verosian flinched.

“Does that mean…”

The Idgal that touched Ian’s hand began to emit a bright light. The child smiled brightly, saying it looked good. Ian Verosian looked at the child, who was gradually fading away, and asked.

“…Does that mean you are God?”