Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 494

Not too far away, at the peak of a mountain. The height was so dizzying that the clouds seemed to be beneath them.

The mages had chosen a suitable flat area, spread out a mat, and soon began unpacking the items they had brought in their picnic basket. Sandwiches, pretty dishes and teacups, parasols, and so on.

While the mages carefully brewed tea, Ian sat in a comfortable spot, enjoying the breeze. The view was clear, refreshing, and beautiful. Even if the north was chaotic due to the rift, Bariel was still Bariel.

“Ian, please have some warm tea. How is your body? Is the recovery potion working?”

“Hmm, I think it is.”

“But it’s not making a big difference, is it? It’s even worse if you take it too often. Would you like a sandwich with it?”

“No, thank you. I already ate a lot for breakfast.”

“Still, please have something. Or maybe a candy…?”

The mage’s eyes sparkled as they cautiously offered. Their intention was so earnest, begging him to have just one, that Ian smiled and accepted the candy. It was a sweet strawberry flavor.

As Ian rolled the candy around in his cheek and picked up the telescope, the mages lowered themselves and pointed out the direction. Following their fingertips, Ian’s head slowly moved.

“Over there, do you see the tree with the unusually green leaves?”

“The color is so unique, it’s easy to see.”

“That’s why we chose it. Captain Hale and the others should be preparing there, based on that.”

Hale and the mages were visible in the distance. They must have taken Berik to the Atan tribe’s base. They had spotted Ian and were waving their hands enthusiastically. Ian also responded, waving his hand slightly.

“By the way, Ian. Do you think Berik will be okay?”

“It’s Berik, of all people, so I’m worried about the variables. You never know where that guy will bounce.”

“It’s fine. I gave him a very suitable mission, so he’ll do well. Berik is, well, how should I put it? The process might be a mess, but he always gets the job done.”

Unexpected problems don’t arise because of Berik, but because they were going to happen anyway. Like an accident.

And even if something like that happens, so what? It’s something that can be fixed. It was entirely possible, and he was confident. That’s what he’d been doing all along.

“Oh? Captain Hale sent a signal.”

At the mage’s murmur, Ian looked through the telescope again. Hale was stretching his arm out wide, sending a silent signal. It seemed like the Atan tribe’s base was visible from over there, but it wasn’t visible from this angle.

KWA-BANG!

POW!

Following that, a faint explosion was heard.

It’s starting. Ian, with a mouthful of candy, focused and observed the situation. The earth shook, and the sound of explosions that made the mountain tremble continued to be heard.

CRACKLE!

KWA-BANG!

“Whoa, is Berik okay?”

“The sound is terrifying, terrifying. He was only supposed to have a brief scuffle.”

“Can he even do that with his personality? Looks like he’s really stirred things up.”

The mages waited anxiously for Berik to appear. And after a while.

“Nyahahaha!”

SWISH!

Berik’s hearty laughter echoed from somewhere. The mages were startled and turned their heads, and Berik came bursting out of the bushes in a completely different direction from where they were watching.

“Try and catch me, you idiots!”

He had come from a completely different place than the path he had agreed upon with Hale.

The mages smacked their foreheads as if they were going crazy, and Hale urgently led his subordinates towards Berik.

Berik, as if he was having a lot of fun, slid down the slope covered in leaves. Following him, the sound of pursuit was heard.

“Catch that bastard!”

“Kill him, beat him to a pulp!”

“Aaaargh!”

SWISH!

Dozens of warriors came leaping out of the bushes after Berik. They were the Atan tribe. Leading the charge was Beno, Efdram’s right-hand man. He released his magic power and soared into the air like a whirlwind.

“… !”

Berik, who had been running with his back turned, sensed the presence and immediately turned his body, and the two men’s swords clashed violently.

KWA-BANG!

Another strong explosion occurred. The mages covered their faces with their sleeves, and Ian lightly lowered his parasol to block the aftershock.

“Is it because he’s a blockhead subordinate? His eyes are gone.”

“I never liked you from the start.”

“Really? Me too! Wow, we have something in common!”

CLANG! CLINK!

WHOOSH! POW!

The aftermath of the brief exchange was tremendous. It was a force strong enough to shake the earth, but the speed was too fast to follow with the eyes. Ian watched the scene and smiled contentedly.

“It seems Berik hasn’t been neglecting his training.”

“You, you little rascal-! You punk!”

It was Efdram’s roar. Half of her voluminous curly hair was torn off as if it had been burned. Her face was flushed with anger.

Regardless, Berik blocked Beno while glancing at Efdram.

“Still not balanced, huh? Should I cut the other side too?”

“I’m going to kill you! For real!”

“Eeeh? Scary-”

WHOOSH! WHOOSH!

Efdram opened her golden eyes. Leaves gathered around her, creating a steady flow following her magic power.

Beno, understanding her intention, sheathed his sword and moved away from Berik. It was time to tear him apart.

「Rend」.

“You son of a bitch!”

The wind transformed into the shape of a wolf and rushed towards Berik. It opened its jaws wide, intending to tear its prey to pieces in one go.

Berik gripped his sword tightly, preparing to face the magical entity flying towards him. The moment the wolves leaped into the air.

SWISH!

Hale rushed in and sliced off their heads. The wind lost its form and dissipated, leaving minor scratches on Hale’s cheek, but that was all. The mages who followed Hale each took charge and eliminated one wolf at a time.

“Whoa, late. Late. I almost died.”

“Are you kidding me?”

You came a different way! At Berik’s grumbling, the furious mages simultaneously grabbed his collar and shook him.

The Atan tribe watched with bewildered faces. Efdram brushed back her half-cut hair and chuckled in disbelief.

“What are you guys doing?”

Can someone explain what’s going on?

Then Hale, with a cigarette in his mouth, took out a small magic stone. It was a low-grade magic stone with a recording function.

“The Atan tribe attacked the Imperial Guard, and the magic division stationed nearby came to support them. Lower your weapons and surrender. I thought you said you were leaving Bariel yesterday, Efdram.”

“Who attacked who? That bastard started it first!”

“Since they said they were going to side with Burgos instead of Bariel, yeah, I took care of them first with the intention of cutting them off completely. They’re colluding with Burgos to ruin Bariel, they said. If I heard that and did nothing, huh? Does that even make sense?”

Berik gestured as if to say, ‘Record everything, bring me a magic stone,’ and Efdram’s eyebrows twitched. Something was going strangely. Could it be that Bariel had set this up to subdue the Atan tribe?

“Efdram, what should we do?”

“Shhh. I don’t know what those bastards are up to.”

They might be trying to annihilate them under the guise of conflict. But to do so would be a waste of the Imperial mages who would be lost in battle, and more importantly, the rift lurking nearby was a problem.

And that wasn’t all. The Atan tribe was a manifested race [a race that appears spontaneously from the world’s magic]. Even if they were annihilated now, they would appear again in the world someday.

‘It’s just a short-term gain. The Atan tribe won’t disappear, so if the next generation appears someday, they will start their history with deep animosity.’

It wasn’t a national choice. It was an uncharacteristic act for Bariel. Efdram gestured for the Atan tribe to step back and then looked at Hale.

“Are you trying to have a proper go at it?”

“You’re not listening properly. I said lower your weapons and surrender. We won’t tolerate any more disturbances. The rift, and us.”

It was an implication that if they stopped here, they would make everything as if it never happened.

Efdram narrowed her eyes and nodded to her subordinates. They all moved their weapons to their waists while remaining vigilant.

“It wasn’t nice meeting you, blockhead. Go to Burgos quickly.”

“Go to Burgos?”

“Yeah, get lost.”

Go to Burgos.

The moment Efdram heard those words, she felt like she had woken up. These guys, if the Atan tribe went into Burgos, they would follow under the pretext of chasing a hostile force.

Beno, who had realized this, also whispered to Efdram.

“Is it okay to go into Burgos? It would be cleaner to settle things properly before going in.”

“There’s only one way to settle things. Either Bariel or us has to give up the rift.”

“Then, let’s just cut them off completely and go.”

If problems were going to arise in Burgos anyway, fighting here wasn’t a bad option. Cut off Bariel’s forces, activate the rift, and then leave Bariel.

There were only three mages and one swordsman in front of them. It would be a bit tough, but it seemed possible.

But….

‘Is this really all there is?’

What about the other forces? Efdram glanced around and easily spotted a group watching them from afar. Judging by the number, it was all the barrier mages gathered.

“It’s disadvantageous.”

“What should we do then?”

“We have no choice but to go to Burgos first and find a way. If Rutherford-”

The moment she mentioned Rutherford, Efdram spotted a parasol mixed among the mages. She couldn’t see the face because it was covered, but she could instinctively sense it. If he had returned, then ‘he’ would have returned as well.

Ian Hiel, the boy mage with overwhelming talent, and the guide of the mages.

“Ha.”

They had fallen right into the trap. She had thought it was strange that the mad dog was moving according to a set script. Efdram glared at Berik and growled.

“Your master is quite something, huh?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, but our master is always amazing.”

“Next time we meet, I’ll cut your head off the same way.”

CHOP.

Berik politely raised his middle finger in greeting.

Efdram ordered a retreat, and the Atan tribe backed away, keeping a close watch on the mages until the end. Once their presence had completely disappeared, the mages let out a sigh of relief and relaxed.

“Ian, the Atan tribe has disappeared. I’ll go and scout right away.”

“Just confirm that they’re leaving Bariel.”

“Yes, I understand. But Efdram kept glancing this way, do you think she recognized you, Ian?”

Probably. The flamboyant parasol, which didn’t fit the situation, would have looked suspicious to anyone. Ian folded the parasol and smiled as if to say it was okay.

“Since Rutherford has returned, it’s natural to assume that I have returned as well. But the fact that she didn’t see me directly is important for now.”

“Why is that?”

“Because she can be certain, but she can’t say for sure.”

“Hmm, I don’t really understand.”

“You’ll find out soon enough. Hurry up and scout, then come back.”

TAP TAP.

Ian patted the mage’s back and checked his watch. It was impossible right now, but he would probably be able to try opening the portal sometime tonight or early tomorrow morning.

“Now that my magic power has returned.”

“Ah, yes, yes! I’ll be right back!”

WHOOSH!

The mages, understanding Ian’s words, rejoiced and soared into the sky, crossing the sky path where the Atan tribe had disappeared. Ian savored the appropriately cooled teacup and let out a satisfied sigh.

“Hmm.”

“Ian!”

Following that, Berik’s voice echoed loudly. The mages told him to shut up and grabbed his mouth, then grabbed his collar and lifted him into the sky.

Berik’s limbs were dangling. His face was full of pride.

“Ian! Did I do well?”

“Yes. Did you get hit a lot?”

“No! It turned out that getting hit wasn’t working out. So I almost beat them all up.”

“Good job.”

At the short but definite praise, Berik burst into a bright smile.

“Everyone worked hard.”

“No, we didn’t do much.”

“That’s right! I did it all! Hehehe!”

“Well then-”

Ian got up from his seat and looked towards the barrier. A cool breeze gently brushed the child’s hair.

“Let’s go to the Imperial Palace now.”