Margrave’s Bastard Son Was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 481

What the hell is this crazy magic swordsman talking about?

Landre’s pupils shook. He was reminded of the blonde, green-eyed child who had declared himself the Minister of Magic.

But a magic swordsman from the Imperial Guard is looking for the Minister? In this quiet and secluded area, it was too much to see it as a mere coincidence.

Landre felt a chill down his spine and swallowed hard. It was important to figure out exactly what was going on, wasn’t it?

‘He could be a fraud impersonating the Minister, being chased by the Imperial Palace, or he could really be the Minister of Magic. If it’s the former, I can guide him right away, but if it’s the latter, I’m dead. I absolutely won’t be safe.’

Berik, growing impatient with Landre’s delayed response, shook his collar roughly. His patience was reaching its limit. From the moment he detected Ian’s faint scent in the blood, the past 10 years had been crashing over him like a wave.

Every day he had repeated to himself that he would soon meet Ian, and it was as if those days were whispering to him. Just a little more, just a little further, and he would be able to face Ian.

Squeeze.

“H, heok!”

“Where did you get the clothes? You’re not going to talk? Should I cut your tongue off?”

“Th, that is, my subordinate found it in the mountains where he discovered you, Magic Swordsman. I swear, I didn’t steal it! I’ve never even seen the owner of the clothes!”

First, shift the blame to someone else. Landre said that it was his subordinate who had brought it, not him. That way, even if he didn’t know the details, he wouldn’t be suspected.

“You found it in the mountains?”

“It was such high-quality fabric, so he brought it to me. Th, that’s why I led my subordinates up the mountain this time. In case we might find something else.”

Berik roughly threw Landre’s collar away and frowned. Ian’s trace was found in the mountains. Was it related to the mole people? Did those bastards hurt Ian?

While Berik was clenching his teeth and calming the rising unspoken emotions, Landre was just gasping for breath, clutching his neck. That crazy magic swordsman!

Berik seemed to be deep in thought for a moment, then he ordered.

“Bring him here.”

“Cough, heok, wh, who?”

“Your subordinate who found the clothes. I have something to ask him, so bring him here.”

“…O, outside!”

Squeak.

“Did you call, Master?”

Landre swallowed hard a few times, then called the servant standing outside. Among these idiots, who was the least likely to mess things up? While Landre was pondering, Berik interrupted.

“Hey, you, the clothes your master is wearing? Bring the guy who brought this.”

“Ah, Hott?”

“Hott or whatever.”

“D, do you mean bring the corpse?”

“What?”

The servant just blinked, confused. Judging by the fact that his master was sprawled on the floor, the situation seemed serious, but he had no idea what was going on.

Landre, looking pale, kept sending silent signals with his eyes.

‘Shut up! Please, shut your mouth!’

“Corpse?”

“Hott was supposed to be disposed of by the master…”

Oh, look at this?

It was clear that something was going strangely. Berik looked back and forth between Landre and the servant, then picked up his sword.

If it were Ian, he would have resolved the situation with a more elegant method, but he didn’t have the talent or the patience for that. What does it matter how you get there, as long as you achieve your goal?

Berik scratched his nose and then snapped his fingers. It was a signal to lock the door and come closer.

“Both of you, you better start talking now.”

“Oh my, Magic Swordsman. Why are you doing this? Really.”

“If I don’t understand something, or if I have any questions, neither of you will leave here alive. Today is your last day. Do you understand?”

“Please, spare us, s, spare us.”

“Okay. Here comes the question.”

Berik slightly lifted Landre’s shirt with the tip of his sword and asked.

“Did you see the owner of the clothes?”

* * *

It’s noisy.

Ian, who had barely fallen asleep after overcoming his hunger, woke up with a frown. There were always servants working until night, so it wasn’t usually quiet, but today was different.

Has it ever been this loud? Ian peeked through the cracks in the wood, wondering if something had happened. Other than all the lights in the mansion being lit, there didn’t seem to be anything special.

“Haa.”

Now, a sigh comes out automatically. Being hungry was this difficult.

Since he couldn’t stabilize his physical condition, his mana recovery was also very slow. He was probably in a state not much different from when he first opened his eyes.

‘It seems like they’ll go to the market soon since it’s the weekend, is that the only way?’

This powerlessness, where he couldn’t move and had to entrust himself to the flow of time. When did he feel this way? When the war went differently than expected? Or when he was imprisoned by Cronier?

No. It felt different. Back then, both his body and mind were withered and desolate, but now it was purely physical powerlessness. A life with faith is so different. Knowing that the path ahead is clear, his heart is light.

It was the moment Ian smiled faintly.

Clang!

The sound of a window breaking was heard. Something must be happening. Ian just turned his head to check if there was a fire. If it was anything else, it wouldn’t matter, but a fire would be a serious problem.

Thud, thud.

Then came the heavy footsteps. Unlike the noisy situation in the mansion, no one was coming outside. Only one person. There was only one presence.

Click.

…Is he unlocking the lock? Who is it?

Thwack! Bang!

The stranger fiddled with the lock a few times, then, unable to control his temper, kicked it. The door shook violently, and Ian was surprised and raised his upper body. He was incredibly strong. It seemed like the latch had been torn off in just three or four kicks.

Squeak.

The door gaped open, and bright moonlight seeped into the warehouse. The beam of light illuminated Ian’s blonde hair and green eyes in turn, and only silence surrounded them.

“……”

The two looked at each other.

Red hair and red eyes. A grand physique that suggested he was a warrior. Blood was smeared all over him, but his cool eyes and mouth were very familiar. Ian stared blankly at him for a long time, and then he realized.

“…Ah, Berik.”

Berik, it was Berik.

He had heard that 10 years had passed, but he hadn’t really felt it. Seeing Berik, who had grown so much, made it seem real.

Ian looked at Berik with a sense of wonder and slowly got up and approached him. Yes. That’s right. The timeline of you living in Bariel a hundred years ago and me living in Bariel a hundred years later was so different.

“Berik. You’ve changed a lot.”

“You…”

“But I can still recognize you.”

Ian grabbed Berik’s arm and smiled brightly. Just like you’ve changed, everyone else must have changed too? Jin, Romandro, Sia. And everyone in the Ministry of Magic must have lived their own time. How wonderful. It’s truly amazing to live through time.

Ian, who came from the future, already knew their end, but he was reminded of how amazing it was to witness the changes in the process.

And for a moment, a sense of emptiness surged in a corner of his heart. He had unconsciously acknowledged that he couldn’t be with them.

“Can you recognize me?”

“Is that even a question!?”

Berik roughly pushed away Ian’s hand and shouted. It was too small of a shout to express everything he had held back for so long.

“You, you, who told you to leave as you pleased? Huh!?”

“I apologize. There was no other way.”

“Damn it, and why are you here like this?”

His voice trembled severely.

“…Why, why haven’t you grown?”

Berik carefully grabbed Ian’s shoulder. This is crazy. Were you this small back then? The Ian in my memory wasn’t this young.

I don’t know if it’s because I’ve grown too much, or if I remembered you wrong. Whatever it is, I can’t erase this indescribable feeling.

“I didn’t know why I was here either, but seeing you, I think I know now. It seems like I was meant to meet you like this.”

“What are you talking about? You, you. What the hell happened?”

“It hasn’t been a few days since I came out of the abyss. It seems like there was a gap in the flow of time.”

“You crazy bastard, is that something you can say right now…”

Berik paused, looking speechless.

“Then what about your past? Your 10 years?”

“I guess it never existed in the first place.”

While they had experienced ten springs, Ian hadn’t experienced even one.

Is it right to say this is fortunate? Is it right to say that it was fortunate that everything you experienced in the abyss was only a short amount of time?

When there are too many things to say, you can’t say anything at all, Berik sniffled a little.

“…Is it really Ian?”

“It seems like you’re asking too late, Berik.”

“Damn it, it’s him. It’s Ian, judging by the way he talks.”

“You’re Berik, judging by the way you talk. Honestly, it’s a little strange.”

“…I’m not strange.”

“Really? That’s a relief.”

“Relief…”

Berik roughly wiped his reddened eyes and muttered a curse. Relief, my ass. Does he not know that not being strange after 10 years means something? You unlucky master.

“It’s really fucking annoying. Crazy.”

“Oh, time has passed. I even get to see you crying like a child, Berik.”

“Shut up! This isn’t tears, it’s snot!”

“Okay, okay. Is everyone doing well?”

“How could they be doing well? It’s a mess!”

Ian furrowed his brow and asked what was going on.

He had expected there would be changes. First of all, Ian Hielo’s existence had disappeared without resolving the repercussions it had caused in the Imperial Palace, and Rutherford, similar to himself, would have left a void. He couldn’t even guess how the political situation between Vergos and Bariel had become entangled.

But he didn’t think the situation in Bariel would be so unfavorable that Berik would define it as a mess.

“The Ministry of Magic is a disaster. Everyone left the Imperial Palace, the remaining mages are split between the north and south, and Lord Romandro is handling all the practical work alone. Oh, and Lord Romandro’s daughter is ten years old? Bibi… Oh, right. I saw your younger brother recently, and he’s all grown up.”

“…My younger brother?”

“Roel. He looks exactly like you.”

“Ah. How is Lord Jin?”

“…He’s doing well. His coming-of-age ceremony is soon.”

“Oh my, wow.”

Ian smiled for the first time with interest. That little child is about to have his coming-of-age ceremony! He was taking a step forward to a place that even he hadn’t reached, standing tall.

As Ian smiled brightly, Berik narrowed his eyes and muttered.

“It’s funny, you bastard. You don’t even know what people are going through.”

“So you have feelings too. I didn’t know.”

“…Whatever.”

“So, Berik. How did you end up here?”

“I was trying to go to Tolun. I got lost.”

“…Nothing has changed.”

“Who are you to talk!”

Tolun. There was no reason for Berik to go there alone, so it was likely that he was carrying out an order from the Imperial Palace. Rutherford must have also opened his eyes somewhere in Gaia. Maybe it was the aftermath?

Berik stared at Ian, who was deep in thought, then tilted his head back and grumbled.

“Yeah. So what if time stopped a little? If you think about it, it’s a gain to live 10 years more than others, right? Good. It’s good that you’re back. Hey! But suddenly, this is ridiculous. Why the hell are you here?”

“I don’t have any mana. I used it all in the abyss.”

“Oh, really? You’re full of surprises.”

Grumble.

Berik’s eyes widened as he looked at Ian. What was that sound? It wasn’t from my stomach?

“……”

Ian said calmly and seriously.

“…I’m hungry.”

“What? You haven’t eaten!?”

“I was locked up.”

“You son of a XXX! XX XXX! They didn’t give you food!? XXXX!”

Thwack! Bang!

Berik, enraged, dashed out of the door in an instant, then quickly returned. As if he had left something very important behind.