Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 499

Squeak.

Ian slowly opened the door to the Minister’s office.

Neatly arranged documents, pens aligned perfectly, and a fireplace still burning even without anyone present. It was unbelievably well-maintained, considering ten years had passed.

As Ian chuckled and lightly touched the desk, Romandro burst into tears again.

“Waaah, even just yesterday, hic, I never thought I’d see this, cough, ever, ugh!”

“What are you saying? Do one thing at a time. Either cry or talk.”

“I’ll cry. So let me cry. Waaah.”

As Romandro sobbed, dabbing his tears with a handkerchief, Beric covered his ears, clearly disgusted. He had cried when he first met Ian too, but he must have forgotten in the meantime.

Then-

“There’s nothing better than seeing someone back in their place.”

Jin leaned against the door of the Minister’s office, carefully observing the interior. Since it had been without an owner, he had rarely come here either. Like Ian, it was a place that felt like a distant memory to Jin.

“Your Highness, you’ve arrived? Siao, you’re here too.”

“…Ian.”

“Have you been well?”

Siao awkwardly nodded and took Ian’s hand. Then, without letting go, he stared at Ian for a long time.

When he had heard that the vanished Minister of Magic had reappeared in his original form, he had thought it was nonsense, but now, seeing it with his own eyes, it was unbelievable.

Beric patted Siao’s hand and said,

“Ian’s hand is going to fall off. Sit down. We have a lot to talk about.”

“Hic, first, I’ll prepare to write the report. Hicc!”

“Romandro, please stop it!”

“How can I help it if I’m crying? You heartless brute!”

Romandro grabbed Beric by the collar and buried his face in it, while Beric yelled that he was disgusted by Romandro. Jin and Siao, seemingly uninterested, continued to stare at Ian. Then, they heard footsteps outside the door. It was the sound of wizards hovering, wanting to come in.

It was a complete mess, and Ian couldn’t help but chuckle. The surroundings naturally quieted down, and everyone looked a little surprised, awkwardly smiling along with Ian. Was he someone who could laugh like that? Ian?

“I, Ian?”

“I apologize. It’s been a long time, but to me, it still feels the same. Especially with Romandro.”

“W, well, yes. People don’t change easily, haha.”

“Is that so?”

‘But Ian, you seem to have changed a bit,’ Romandro thought, dabbing the last of his tears with his handkerchief.

“So, where should we start?”

“First, about Rutherford. I heard about it through the messenger bird, but the information was too brief to understand. It was said that Rutherford is serving the shadow of a god, but what exactly is it?”

“It is a being that exists because a god exists. It lives in the rift and is essentially no different from a monster. The thing that Rutherford believes in and follows is called the ‘Underground God’ in Gaia.”

Thud.

Romandro’s handkerchief fell to the floor. Why was the Underground God coming up now? He was frozen, perhaps from shock at the unbelievable news.

Ian bent down to pick up the cloth and added,

“Rutherford’s attempt to stimulate the rift is probably aimed at manifesting the Underground God outside of Gaia.”

“Wait, are you talking about the Underground God of the Tolun Kingdom?”

“Yes. It was said that the shadow of a god feeds on human belief. Burgos is a kind of passage that the Underground God uses to approach Bariel.”

“So that’s why Rutherford was said to be in Burgos.”

“To reach Tolun, we have no choice but to clear Burgos first. I heard that Bariel is preparing for war. The timing is surprisingly perfect.”

A perfect time for war.

Jin pondered, tapping the edge of the sofa with his fingertips. If Bariel’s ultimate goal was not Burgos but Tolun, they needed to establish a new cause.

“Your Highness, have you dispatched an investigation team to Mount Laja?”

“Yes. Immediately after receiving the messenger bird.”

“Among the beastmen who are based in Mount Laja, there is a tribe called the Dera. They are people who create things in underground tunnels, and their weapons seem to be particularly effective against other races. If we mass-produce them, it will greatly help Bariel’s forces.”

If Rutherford succeeded in stimulating the rift, countless monsters would pour out. At that time, the Dera tribe’s weapons would enable ordinary soldiers to fight against the monsters.

“If the Dera tribe comes to the center, please let me know. I have something to trade with them.”

“I’ll make sure the report goes to the Ministry of Magic.”

“Thank you.”

At Jin’s instruction, Siao nodded in understanding. Now, all that was left was-

“It’s about me, isn’t it?”

Ian said, taking a sip of tea.

“But before that, do you all remember the ‘Secret-Eating Gypsy’?”

“That strange gypsy? I remember.”

“Of course, I remember too.”

“I know, I know! That old hag!”

It was a name they hadn’t heard in a long time. They had searched for her in Bariel in connection with the King of Burgos, but ultimately failed. She had faded into the background of their memories.

“I met her in the abyss. In the process, some of my secrets disappeared. Unless I find her, I won’t be able to reveal everything as clearly as before.”

“W, what secrets? What did she eat?”

“If it was eaten, how can I say?”

Romandro scolded Beric with a pathetic look. Ian had always vaguely explained his royal bloodline and his relationship with Rutherford. But even now, after all this time, nothing had changed.

Romandro pondered for a moment, then came up with an indirect method.

“How about asking Mrs. Philia for testimony? She’s in the Imperial Palace now, so it’s perfect. She couldn’t testify before because of her pregnancy, but not anymore. If it’s proven that she is the child of Philia and Derga, the issue of royal blood will be resolved.”

“I partially agree, but there are two things that bother me. One is the reliability of the Sildam potion, and the other is His Highness’s intentions.”

Ian turned to Jin.

The most important thing in this matter was not Ian or Philia, but Jin. The appearance of another royal family member was a major issue that threatened succession. If Jin couldn’t accept it, everything would be meaningless.

Jin slowly raised his head, looking as if he didn’t understand what they were talking about.

“Ian, do you think I spent the time you were gone carelessly?”

It meant that his position was not so easily shaken by someone who had been absent for so long, just because they claimed royal blood. Moreover, he had also had his coming-of-age ceremony, although it was still in progress. Until the remaining coronation ceremony, there was nothing that could stop him.

Ian lowered his head and smiled, as if he had spoken out of turn.

“I apologize, Your Highness.”

“There are still parts I don’t understand.”

Why Arsen’s hypnosis didn’t work. And how he knew about the royal secret passage.

“But this is a matter for you to explain to me, not to others. After catching the gypsy, swear that you will resolve everything without a single doubt. Swear it on me, Bariel, and God.”

“I swear it on Your Highness, Bariel, and the God who is with us at this moment.”

At the resolute and concise oath, Jin suddenly remembered something he hadn’t thought of before. What if, by a very small chance, he and Ian were related by blood? Wouldn’t that be another kind of joy? For him, there were no family members left.

“Good. And Ian, you don’t have to worry about the reliability of the Sildam potion. Over the past years, it has become commercialized among the nobles. It’s no longer exclusive to the Ministry of Magic, so everyone will believe it.”

“That’s a relief. A lot has changed.”

“Indeed. Even Idgar.”

At first, it was an axis of evil that disrupted Bariel by keeping the wizards in check, but now it was an essential device that controlled the rifts and ensured safety.

Romandro suddenly thought that it was fortunate that Ian had returned now. Everything that had denied Ian’s existence had now disappeared or faded, losing its power.

Ian’s words that ‘the timing is perfect’ might be more applicable to Ian than to the war, Romandro thought.

“And one more question. Has your connection with Rutherford been completely severed?”

“Yes. Definitely. In the abyss, I experienced countless deaths, and in the process, all the magic that connected me to Rutherford disappeared. You don’t have to worry.”

“Oh, okay. But what do you mean by experiencing countless deaths?”

Knock knock.

As Ian pondered how to explain, there was a knock on the door. It was the wizards who couldn’t wait any longer.

“Ian!”

“Captain Acorella! I told you not to! His Highness is here!”

“Hello, Your Highness. It’s nothing much, but this!”

“Aaaah! Please! Captain! Stop doing crazy things!”

“You’re the crazy ones! Why are you like this? If you drink this, you’ll recover quickly! Ah, let go of this! Let go! Aaaah, my leg hurts!”

“Huh, really?”

“I’m lying, you idiot!”

Slap!

Acorella gave the wizards who were trying to drag him away a series of head slaps and then placed a potion on the table.

A blue light flickered, an unusual sight. When Ian looked at him, asking what it was, Acorella grinned.

“I heard that Ian’s condition wasn’t good, so I specially made this special recovery potion. Drink it all at once. Your depleted magic will quickly return.”

“No, Ian! I heard it clearly. It has side effects!”

“Where in the world is there a medicine without side effects? It’s nothing, so just drink it. Ah, let go of this!”

“Ian! You mustn’t drink it!”

Romandro jumped up in alarm at the wizards’ noisy squabble. What were they doing in front of His Highness?

But Jin didn’t seem to care, and rather seemed to find this atmosphere comfortable. This was the Ministry of Magic he knew.

“U, um…”

Then, Philia’s voice was heard from behind. Vivianna and Nersarn were also with her.

Ian immediately recognized the child clinging to Vivianna’s side. Large glasses and curious eyes. It was clearly Romandro’s daughter.

“Has the child who was born then grown up so much?”

“Huh? Ah, yes. It’s Vivi! Vivi, come here. This is Ian. Your dad talked about him a lot, right?”

“Wow.”

Vivi hesitated but approached Ian with a surprised expression. When he held out his hand to greet her, Vivi was flustered and shook her father’s arm.

“Wow! Dad! Is this really the Minister of Magic?”

“Oh my, my arm is going to fall off, Vivi.”

“Roel! Come here. You look exactly like him!”

“Roel?”

At the call of his name, Roel slowly entered. Philia placed her hand on the child’s shoulder and introduced him.

“Ian, this is your younger brother, Roel.”

“Ah.”

So this was the child in the womb. Blonde hair, green eyes, and tanned skin. Truly delicate features.

Ian and Roel stared at each other, and the people held their breath, watching the two. It was a tense feeling, seeing the two who looked so alike facing each other.

“Brother.”

Roel was the first to speak. The child approached Ian and whispered very calmly,

“Have you seen God?”

“……?!”

“I know. I know where the secret-eating gypsy is.”