Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 528

“Ian, could you take a look at this formula?”

“Yeah, even I can tell that’s not quite right.”

“Shut up and get out of the way. You should focus on your own work.”

“Ian! I’ve finished drawing this one too.”

At the back of the Magic Department’s vast garden,

Mages were scattered, each engrossed in drawing portal formulas. Most of them were being refined into new spells under Ian’s guidance.

Ian squatted in one spot, meticulously inscribing strange, unknown patterns with neat handwriting.

Behind him, mages gathered, craning their necks. They had never seen, heard of, or even imagined simultaneous portals, so they all watched Ian with curious expressions.

“Will this even work?”

“Hmm. I don’t know. It looks like Ian is trying this for the first time too.”

“Is the coordinate fixation complete?”

Ian, who was examining the overall formula, asked, and a mage flipped through papers, reporting.

“Ah, yes! One in the northern monster zone, one in Luswena, one in Hawan, and one in Clifford are set.”

“Good work. Everyone, please step back.”

“Ian, are you sure you have enough mana?”

When Ian smiled at someone’s concern, his colleagues dragged him around, scolding him. They told him to worry about themselves, who were more likely to run out of mana just from preparing for the coronation, rather than worrying about him and the portals.

Ian stood in the middle of the vast garden, staring at the chaotic magic circle beneath his feet.

Swoosh-

As the wind blew and the grass lay down, the magic circle began to ripple as if it were alive. Ian’s eyes gradually changed from a deep green to gold. Then, a black moon rose from his fingertips.

The mages munched on jerky, watching the scene. Even though they were mages, this was not something they could easily witness.

“One appeared.”

“Oh, there! Another one is appearing behind it.”

“Wow, this is crazy. Seriously.”

Swoosh!

They were a bit small, but they were definitely portals. Ian frowned slightly as if he was a bit dizzy, but it was only for a moment. After creating four black moons, Ian gestured for the mages to come closer.

“I’ll hold the central axis, so take turns watching it. If the size decreases or it tilts, inject mana.”

“Yes, Ian. But are you really okay? We have to keep them open like this until the honored guests arrive, right?”

“It’s just for a day. I’m fine.”

“A day…”

The mages rolled their eyes and pursed their lips. Hey, Ian. We can barely maintain one portal for a few tens of minutes, even when we all work together. Does he even know the sorrow of us mediocre mages? Hmm.

“Huh? Ian!”

“There’s movement in the second portal on the left!”

At one mage’s shout, everyone looked up at the same time. The second portal on the left was connected to the northern region. Which meant-

“Hasha-!”

Romandro shouted with joy. The front of a carriage slowly appeared from the darkness. The mages moved quickly and flew into the sky.

Thud!

Whirr! Whirr!

As the mages defied gravity, the carriage, which seemed like it would fall vertically, slowly found its angle. Soon, it landed safely in the imperial palace as if walking on the sky.

A procession of dozens of carriages. Imperial palace staff who were watching from various places waved their hands in welcome.

Neigh!

“Oh, there, there. This one got startled. It’s okay. Whoa, whoa!”

“Greetings, we are the Astanian delegation!”

“Welcome. Please come in!”

“I thought I was going to fall to my death. Haha!”

The delegation, patting the horses that were snorting in surprise, showed bright smiles. They all had blue hair and pointy ears.

Soon, the door of the middle carriage opened, and someone appeared.

“Sir Ian!”

“Hasha?”

It was Hasha, an old man with white hair.

He hugged Ian tightly and sobbed, and Ian looked at him with a puzzled expression.

“My goodness, it’s real. It’s true that you’re alive! I heard rumors, but I couldn’t believe half of it!”

“Wh-who are you?”

Romandro hesitantly spoke, and Hasha grabbed Romandro’s hand and shook it vigorously. He was a weak old man, so it was more like his arm was flapping in the wind.

“Romandro! You look the same as ever!”

“Ha, Hasha?”

“My previous body was beyond repair even with embalming, so I got a new one. This person is my uncle, who passed away not too long ago.”

“Ah, um. I see.”

He was a dog when they met in Karenna, a young man on the battlefield, and now an old man again. He was free from the flow of time, but he still seemed to be following its order in his own way.

The old man showed a toothless smile and took out a necklace. A red mana brooch. It was Ian’s.

“I have waited and wished for this for a long time. To be able to meet you again.”

Ian smiled and nodded, and Hasha asked for another deep hug. After a brief greeting, Ian bowed to Hasha in the imperial palace style.

“King of Astan, thank you for your hard journey. Your precious visit is a blessing to the Empire, and I hope the same glory will be bestowed upon Astan. As a member of the imperial palace, I thank you and will guide you to the palace where you will stay before meeting His Highness the Crown Prince.”

Oh, right! Romandro also straightened his posture and followed Ian, giving the imperial palace greeting. He was an old friend, but he was the king of a nation. Especially now, when everyone had turned their backs, he was almost the only king in the north who sided with Bariel.

Hasha smiled warmly and returned the greeting, then nodded to his subordinates.

“We have a small gift prepared by the kingdom.”

“Oh, His Highness the Crown Prince will be delighted. I will have the Magic Department take care of it.”

“I would appreciate that. Thanks to that black moon, we came a long distance in an instant. I’m not tired at all. Thank you.”

Ian also gestured to the mages and imperial palace staff to start guiding the guests. Hasha got back into the carriage and headed to the main palace, and the mages cleaned up the surroundings and asked Ian.

“Ian, shouldn’t we close the northern portal now? It must be taking a lot of your energy to maintain it.”

“Hmm. Just a moment.”

Concentric circles endlessly bloomed from the center of Ian’s palm. It was a dense magic circle with gears meshing together, without a single gap. Ian read it several times, but then shrugged his shoulders as if giving up.

“Since they were opened simultaneously, there’s a problem with closing just one. If I try and accidentally close the others, it’ll be troublesome, so I’ll keep them open until this time tomorrow.”

“Oh, I understand. We’ll help too.”

“I don’t know if it’ll make a difference, ahem.”

“But about the other guests, aren’t they deliberately coming late? You said you’d keep the portals open within the time limit, so they’re trying to drain Ian’s energy.”

Ian just laughed at one mage’s grumbling. It was a bit of a stretch, but it was a valid suspicion. The other mages also grumbled, looking up at the portals that were still silent.

“Honestly, it’s possible. If they were given a time, they should have waited in advance and boarded as soon as the portal opened. Isn’t that the proper etiquette? Like Astan!”

“Everyone should know that this isn’t an ordinary task, but people are so ill-mannered.”

“There must be some who don’t want to leave their home countries, so they might be reluctant to come.”

“Well, that’s true, but, ahem. Still, they don’t have basic manners. Ian, why don’t you narrow the entrance! Or should we leave them and catch them when they’re halfway falling?!”

Just as the mages were adding their own comments, Ian exclaimed ‘Ah’ softly. The end of another carriage had appeared from the portal. This time-

“It’s Clifford!”

“Honored guests from Clifford have arrived!”

“Oh my, that carriage is sturdy. Let’s go!”

“Yes, I’ll go too!”

Whirr! Thud!

The mages flew up to catch the carriage as before. However, there was a problem. Unlike Astan, the roof of the Clifford king’s carriage was wide open.

“Huh.”

Akorella narrowed her eyes and stared at something that had separated from the carriage. A plump body spinning wildly in the air. Akorella calmly reported to Ian.

“Ian, I think that’s the King of Clifford.”

Ahhh-

A clear yet mournful scream echoed from the sky. There was no risk of falling because the mages were there, but the person himself seemed completely unaware.

The king slowly descended to the ground, trembling and with his eyes tightly closed.

Thud.

The King of Clifford landed softly. Even though his feet were on the ground, he still had his eyes tightly closed and his teeth clenched. He was as plump and comfortable as before.

“…Have you arrived?”

“…Huk!”

The King of Clifford, barely regaining his senses at Ian’s greeting, looked around. After a moment of being pale, he wiped away his cold sweat and gave an awkward smile.

“I, I thought I was going to die.”

“I apologize. I should have given you more detailed instructions.”

“No, no, it’s my fault for letting go in surprise. Anyway, Sir Ian. It’s been a while. I heard from Noah, haha! You have an appearance that defies time!”

“It’s been a while. Thank you for your hard journey.”

“Father!”

“Father! Are you okay?”

“Your Highness!”

Thud thud!

As the carriage also landed safely, Prince Noah, his siblings, and his subordinates rushed to check on the king’s safety.

“I’m okay, I’m okay.”

“Uwaaah. Why did you say you’d sit on top of the carriage!”

“You had no dignity at all!”

“No, ahem, I didn’t know it would be this kind of route…”

Noah’s younger siblings, who used to toddle around, had grown up and were now as big as Bibi and Roel. The children seemed unfamiliar with Ian, so they stuck close to Noah, only giving him wary looks.

“Greetings, Princess. Prince. I hope you weren’t too surprised?”

“Ah, I wasn’t surprised…”

“Only Father was surprised…”

Swoosh. But it was Ian who greeted them kindly with a refreshing breeze. The princess and prince unknowingly grabbed Ian’s hand and stared blankly up at him.

In response, Noah disciplined his siblings and ordered the carriage to be reorganized.

“Should we move to the main palace?”

“Yes, Your Highness. Please rest and unpack first. Then, you will meet His Highness the Crown Prince. You arrived after Astan, so you will be the second to have an audience.”

“I hurried as much as I could, but I was a little late. I understand.”

“Yes, then.”

Neigh!

The carriages of Clifford also lined up and headed to the main palace.

Since all the guests who were supposed to come early had arrived, the mages sighed in relief and sprawled out on the lawn. They had only received carriages and luggage in the air, but they were already this tired. How on earth was Ian maintaining those portals?

“And he’s going to lead the ceremony at the main event too.”

“Right. I want to believe he’s doing that because he’s young, really. Otherwise, my pathetic body is just too sad.”

“Want a cigarette?”

“Ah, Captain Hale! I told you I quit?!”

“Why do you keep giving me that when you have nothing else to give?”

Hale was about to sit down and put a cigarette in his mouth when Ian gestured for everyone to get up and spoke.

“One more guest is coming.”

“Yes? Where?”

“Their mind is in the right place, but, ah, the timing is terrible. I’m so tired.”

Ugh! The mages jumped up from their spots and followed Ian’s fingertips with their eyes. Which country was it this time?

“…Is it Hawan?”