Margrave’s Bastard Son Was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 484

Somewhere on Mount Laja, where the dense, lush foliage blocked out the sunlight, Berik, with his backpack slung in front, had been carrying Ian on his back for nearly an hour.

It was a difficult mountain to climb even without a load, yet Berik moved so lightly that Ian, riding on his back, felt no discomfort. His breathing was steady, and his pace didn’t slow. It was clear that training with ten backpacks wasn’t just for show.

Ian, watching his feet bob up and down, asked,

“Berik, are we going the right way?”

“Yeah, we are. White tree with dark leaves.”

“…Everything around here looks like that.”

“No, no, you can tell when you’ve seen it before. Why? Are you hungry? Want some jerky?”

In that moment, Ian had overlooked something. Berik was terrible with directions.

The way Berik had confidently dashed off to kill all the mole people as soon as they reached the mountain entrance had been so convincing. Ian had naturally assumed that Berik knew the way.

Of course, Berik still seemed to think he knew where he was going, but from Ian’s perspective, it was hopeless. Ian tapped Berik on the shoulder and said,

“I think it would be better to go back to the mansion and get a guide.”

“We’re almost there, really.”

“It’ll be harder to go down if the sun sets.”

Just then, Berik stopped, his gaze fixed on something in the distance as if he had found something.

Ian also looked ahead, but the scenery was no different from what he had seen so far. Trees, bushes, and winding dirt paths. There was no sign of the giant hole or the traces of battle that Berik had mentioned.

“We’re here.”

“What is?”

“The mole brats’ gaze. I can feel it.”

Berik put Ian down and whispered quietly. He didn’t know the exact location, but it was clear that they were being watched from not too far away.

Moles were known for their appearance and their burrows. They might be underground. Berik stomped his feet loudly and shouted,

“I know you’re there, you mole bastards! I’m here to pay you back for getting your heads smashed! This time, I’ll hit you first, fair and square!”

“Berik. Not fair and square, but fairly.”

“Fairly! I get the first hit!”

Ian gestured for Berik to calm down. It seemed like Berik had sensed their presence with his magic swordsman abilities, but Ian couldn’t even feel the presence of any wild animals. His magical and physical abilities were at their lowest.

Ian cautiously looked in the same direction as Berik and announced,

“Are the masters of Mount Laja, the Dera people, there?”

“Mole bastards!”

“We are messengers sent by the Imperial Palace. There seems to be some misunderstanding. We wish to speak with you.”

“Come out! Are you going to be cowards and attack from behind again?”

“Berik, be quiet.”

“…Come out, you bastards.”

Berik, warned by Ian, muttered curses under his breath. But there was no response. Even if they were a reclusive race, it would be difficult to ignore the existence of the Imperial Palace in Bariel. Berik was waving his identification as if to show off, but the surroundings remained silent.

“Berik. Are you sure you sensed the Dera people?”

“Of course. I can still see them.”

Hmm. What could it be? Ian was pondering for a moment, stroking his chin.

Suddenly, something flickered in front of him. Before he could even recognize its shape, something hard roughly grabbed Ian’s wrist.

Whack!

“Ian!”

“Ah.”

And then, a strong pulling force. Ian reflexively twisted his body and faced the face of a woman carved into the tree trunk.

‘A Dryad!’ [A tree spirit, bound to a tree.]

The tree spirit, those who shared their fate with the trees. They were known to be quite aggressive in order to protect themselves. Ian tried to resist, but his body was helplessly dragged away.

“You son of a bitch!”

Ziiing! Ziiing!

Berik reflexively released his magic and drew his black sword. Dragging around someone who looked like they could break at any moment? This was insane!

The flow of air around him changed rapidly. With a light step, dirt, pebbles, and leaves were violently swept away.

“Let go of him!”

He would cut down this insignificant branch in an instant. As Berik was about to swing his sword without hesitation, a hammer flew from somewhere. It was from the Dera people.

Whoosh!

Clang!

This time, he didn’t expose his back. Berik immediately twisted his sword to deflect the incoming hammer and gritted his teeth. The mole bastards, attacking now of all times!

“Berik!”

“Ian, just a moment!”

Ian, who had fallen to the ground, was barely holding on to a rock. He could feel the strength draining from his body. What had Mrs. Rien said back then?

“How terrible it is to have to devour the body of a loved one and live rooted in one place for the rest of your life,”

They absorb living things. Whether it was a wild animal or a human. That was the Dryad’s way of survival.

The moment Ian’s left hand slipped and lost its grip on the rock, a vine wrapped around Berik’s ankle.

“Damn it.”

Another Dryad. The gazes they had felt from all directions weren’t from the Dera people, but from these things. Berik met the gaze of the Dryad staring at him and flipped it off.

“Can’t you tell what you can and can’t eat!?”

Then, he immediately lowered his stance, shifted his center of gravity in the opposite direction, and tried to swing his sword. They were just insignificant vines. There was no need for Ian to be suffering like this!

But then, the hammer flew again.

Whoosh!

Clang!

“Ugh!”

This time, it hit him squarely on the temple. With a ringing in his head, Berik’s vision went dark. If he got hit twice, he would pass out, and then there would be no chance.

It was the moment when Berik focused his mind and amplified his magic even further.

“Squid. Trying to cut without knowing anything.”

“Mo, mole!”

“Shut up. Before you just go back.”

“What are you-”

The Dera people revealed themselves.

Stomp, stomp. A mole wearing overalls loosely looked around and picked up the hammer that had fallen on the ground. Then, he walked past Ian and approached the Dryad.

“Hup!”

Once again, the muscles in his short, chubby arms bulged. With all his might, the Dera person hammered the Dryad’s face.

Clang, clang. After a few clear sounds, the Dryad’s vines began to droop as if they had lost their strength.

“Ah.”

It was released. Ian, clutching his bruised wrist, barely managed to stand up. Even while he was doing that, the Dera person continued to jump and strike the Dryad’s face.

“You see, whether you’re cutting something or picking fruit, you have to knock them out first. Otherwise, your eardrums will burst. Your ears will be torn. I’m not exaggerating, if your body is a bit weak, you’ll bleed from your eyes, nose, and mouth.”

Clang!

The Dera person seemed satisfied and turned towards Berik. The squid was lying face down on the ground, glaring. Should he help him or not? He seemed to be contemplating, but it didn’t last long.

“Since you said you’re from the Imperial Palace, I’ll let you live. Huh?”

If a problem arose here, he would surely get caught up in something troublesome.

The Dera person deliberately stepped on Berik’s head and then struck another Dryad’s face.

Clang!

Berik’s ankle was also released.

Berik roughly stepped on a branch, crushing it, and then ran to Ian. His wrist was a mess, and he was covered in scratches from being dragged around.

“Ian, are you okay? Damn, you look like a beggar.”

“It’s fine, Berik. I’m okay.”

“Hey, you guys. You said you’re from the Imperial Palace?”

The Dera person pointed at the two of them with his hammer, sending a sharp warning.

“Whatever it is, we’ve been here since the beginning of Bariel. We won’t tolerate anyone disturbing our lives. Above all, we are the victims of what happened in the past.”

It seemed they were even more wary because they were beastmen. It was one of the reasons why they had let humans make noise on Mount Laja and sometimes steal things without taking any action.

Even if they officially raised the issue, who would listen to the claims of a mole person? Wasn’t it a blessing that they weren’t being driven out just for being monsters?

“Victims? The real victim is my subordinate who got lost in the mountains and got hit by your hammer.”

Ian immediately grasped the Dera people’s position and situation, but he pretended not to know and tried to deny it first.

“…Subordinate?”

The Dera person’s button-like eyes narrowed. Then, he looked at Ian and then at Berik in succession.

No matter how you looked at it, it was a combination of a boy who hadn’t gone through his coming-of-age ceremony and a burly man with a bad temper. The superior was the blonde one?

“…Well, judging by the way he talks, it seems right. If a thug like him is affiliated with the Imperial Palace, I guess the country is going to ruin.”

“What? Did you just say that?!”

As Berik was about to rush at him, the Dera person took a stance as if to say, ‘Come at me.’ Ian lightly stepped between them.

“Do you know someone named Rien?”

“Who?”

The Dera person paused. It was as if he was wondering what he was talking about.

To gain the trust of a reclusive and wary opponent, appropriate external help was needed. Ian smiled and continued,

“Rien. The name might have changed, but the Dera people will surely remember her. She was a descendant of the Dryads, and she was the one who cut down her own mother and ran away. I heard she was close to you guys?”

And finally, the name of that piece of junk that no one unrelated would ever know.

“I also received the Dripper.”

“……!”

“Don’t be upset. Mrs. Rien owed me a favor, and I received it as repayment. Anyway, it’s nice to meet the famous masters of Mount Laja. Let’s introduce ourselves.”

Ian extended his hand and introduced himself.

“I am Ian Hielo, the Minister of Magic of Bariel. The one over there, the one who got hit by your hammer, is Berik, a magic swordsman of the Imperial Guard.”

You’re dead, Berik mouthed, sending curses with both hands. The Dera person frowned at the sight, but without saying anything, he shook Ian’s hand.

“…Pim.”

“That’s a really weird name.”

“Your face is weirder.”

“Huh? Hey, now. You’re not one to talk!”

Pim easily ignored Berik and clicked his tongue. He wanted to hear about Rien, and more importantly, about the Dripper.

“Do you have anything to treat injuries?”

“Of cour-! Ugh!”

Berik was about to shout that they had plenty of first-aid supplies in their huge backpack, as if to ask what they took them for. But Ian immediately shut his mouth, so he failed.

“We would be grateful if you could help.”

“This way.”

Swoosh.

Pim led the way through the bushes, and Ian gestured for Berik to carry the backpack. They lived the same day every day, but the Dera people were creating a different future. They had been invited into their burrows.

* * *

Romandro, who was frantically organizing documents, suddenly looked up. The view outside the window was unusually bright today. The gentle swaying of the tree branches suggested a warm breeze.

The midday sun was shining directly on Ian’s empty seat, and the faint dust was clearly visible. No matter how much he cleaned, it was like that when no one was sitting there.

Just as Romandro was looking for something to wipe, there was a knock.

Knock knock.

“Lord Romandro. Are you busy?”

“Huh? No, I’m not.”

“I’m here to inform you that the tournament is about to begin.”

“Okay. Thank you. Let’s go together.”

“Ah, and…”

Romandro tucked the documents under his arm and looked puzzled. Something had happened.

“What is it?”

“A rather strange messenger pigeon has arrived.”

“Strange?”

“Yes. I think it would be best if you checked it first before reporting to His Highness.”