Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 539

“Ugh! Hrrk!”

Repin gasped for breath, as if having a seizure, and then became aware of the unfamiliar ceiling. Where am I? Who am I? He rolled his eyes, feeling a splitting headache.

The hazy last memories gradually became clearer. Suddenly, three or four faces popped into view.

“Aaaah!”

“Oh my, that’s loud. My ears are going to fall off.”

“Akordi, no, Captain Akorella?”

“Yes. I’m Akorella from the Magic Department. These are the imperial doctors. They were monitoring Repin because he’d been drinking and hadn’t woken up for days. It’s a relief you’ve come to your senses. We almost had a funeral on a good day.”

He hadn’t woken up for days?

Repin barely managed to calm his racing heart and looked around. It seemed to be the Luswena Guest Palace, but there wasn’t a single member of the delegation in sight.

“Wait a minute. You’re holding your chest. Does your heart hurt? And do you usually wake up like that, ‘Ugh!’? Were you having trouble breathing?”

“No, I’m-”

“How do you feel right now? What’s your physical condition?”

Akorella tapped her glasses with the end of her pen. Since there had never been a case of mixing Siltham potion and alcohol, Repin was a valuable test subject. The fact that he was a body that didn’t matter if it died was a bit of a unique point, though.

“How, how many days have I been like this?”

“I don’t know about days. It seems like it’s been a little less than 90 hours.”

“…That’s absurd!”

“Why is it absurd? What’s absurd is your attitude of coming to someone else’s celebration and drinking yourself to death. How can you not know your own limits at your age?”

“Surely, surely they gave me sleeping pills again! You, you treacherous lot! Do you think I wouldn’t know? You colluded with the Clifford King and gave me something strange! Siltham potion! Yes, that’s it!”

Repin jumped up and started to rant, but the doctors forced him back down. He wouldn’t have been able to move a step anyway, since he had no energy.

Akorella shrugged, carefully checking Repin’s condition.

“Do you have any proof?”

“Wh, what did you say?”

“And who forced it into your mouth? Why are you picking a fight after drinking it yourself, Repin? You said all sorts of things to the Clifford King. Are you going to be okay? If you want to send a message to Luswena, I’ll help you write it.”

What did I say? Repin blinked, then suddenly recalled the past and his face turned pale. The dragon!

“Hmm. Your memory seems better than I thought.”

“No, th, that’s not it! Whatever it was, I was just talking nonsense while drunk. Where is the King of Clifford right now?”

“Oh. So you admit you made a mistake while drunk?”

Repin paused at Akorella’s question. He realized there was no easy way out.

If he strongly raised the issue of being forced to drink the Siltham potion, it would be admitting that everything he had said was true. If he said he had spoken carelessly while drunk, he wouldn’t be able to criticize Bariel’s reckless behavior.

Repin gritted his teeth, and Akorella patiently waited for his answer.

‘Dirty mustache.’

‘Like a crazy wizard!’

The doctors subtly stepped back and lowered their heads, as the gazes they exchanged were full of hostility.

“I wish to see the King of Clifford first.”

“Ah, yes, yes. If you want to see him, you should.”

Rather than hastily taking a stance, he wanted to grasp the overall situation. Akorella roughly pulled back the curtains, as if she had expected it.

*Whoosh!*

The sunlight poured in brightly. And the imperial palace was filled with crowds, with no room to step. Repin walked towards the window as if he were in a daze.

“But what should we do? Both the Clifford and Luswena delegations have entered the main palace to attend the coronation. There are so many people that it’s not easy to get out, so it would be best for you to stay here with me until the ceremony is over.”

“What kind of nonsense is that?”

“Nonsense? Then try to get out on your own. Bariel isn’t responsible if you get trampled to death, you know?”

They can fly in the sky, yet they’re pulling this kind of trick! Repin clenched his mouth, his mustache trembling. Akorella pulled up a chair and sat down, and then began what was more of an interrogation than a conversation.

“Does your stomach hurt a lot? Are you nauseous?”

“It would be stranger if I wasn’t!”

“Okay. How about your head?”

“It’s very clear, so there’s no problem with my judgment!”

“What about the issue with the dragon you presented?”

“Of course-!”

Repin, who had been shouting confidently, froze. Regardless, Akorella calmly continued, scribbling with her pen.

“The condition of the scales of the dragon presented as a tribute was the worst. This was a serious matter that could affect its lifespan. And that’s not all.”

*Clack.*

A water bottle naturally appeared on the side table. Repin instinctively knew that it was the Siltham potion. He pressed his body tightly against the wall to protect himself and slowly moved towards the door.

“Wh, why are you doing this! I am Repin, the representative of the Luswena delegation! Threatening me is the same as declaring war on Luswena, don’t you know that?”

“I know. I know very well. But I don’t know why you’re having such a fit.”

*Click!* Repin’s heart sank. It was the sound of the door being locked from the outside. Akorella smiled, resting her chin on her hand, and then gestured for him to come closer, saying it would be better if he did.

“Even if you do this! Do you think you can subdue Luswena!”

“Oh my god, what a great patriot, I’m almost moved to tears. Do you think we don’t have a country? I love our Bariel too, you know? So if we get hit first, it makes me feel bad, you know?”

When Repin showed no sign of moving, Akorella walked over to him herself.

“I’m going to ask you a few questions, and how well you cooperate will determine how fully you can return to Luswena. The list of expected questions is-”

“Don’t, do, don’t!”

“Is the dragon you presented a hybrid species?”

“……!”

“How many sets of black armor are prepared?”

“I don’t know! I don’t know! I’d rather bite my tongue!”

As Repin tried to bite his tongue, the attendants quickly rushed in and stuffed a cloth into his mouth.

“And lastly. Do you know the dragon’s abilities?”

“Ugh! Ugh!”

*Pop!* Akorella opened the lid of the Siltham potion and slowly shook it in front of Repin’s struggling eyes.

“Aren’t you afraid of Luswena?”

“Ugh!”

“Aren’t you afraid of Bariel?”

“Waaah! Waaah!”

“It’s starting! It’s finally starting!”

As Akorella whispered, the cheers of the crowd outside swept in like a storm. The coronation was about to begin. She winked at Repin and asked.

“You know that the coronation and the departure ceremony are happening together, right?”

“Ugh-”

The departure ceremony.

When war was declared, the brave Bariel soldiers would line up and leave for Vergos to cut down the enemy.

This meant that only allies and enemies would exist for Bariel, and Luswena, which had long been on a different path, would absolutely become an opponent to be destroyed.

And Repin was the representative of Luswena.

In other words, he would become the representative of the enemy.

“Okay, okay. Let’s start too. Try this to cure your hangover. Until you throw up everything inside! Okay!”

From the moment a representative, not a king, arrived, this was a somewhat predetermined fate. Like the Prime Minister of Shatima in Hawan, either cooperate with Bariel to take the lead in your home country, or fulfill your duty as a prisoner.

Repin struggled, shaking his head from side to side, but because of the noise in the imperial palace, no one helped him. Even if they had heard, nothing would have changed.

* * *

The main palace had a solemn atmosphere. Even the nobles, who were more flamboyant than anyone else, wore almost no jewelry, and the fabrics of their clothes were not shiny. On this day, the only thing that could shine was the crown.

The Clifford side looked half-dead due to the drinking sessions that had lasted for days, and Astana and Hawan were waiting for the coronation without any particular problems.

The problem was the Luswena side.

“Are we going to be okay?”

“Shhh. Act calmly.”

When Repin passed out from drinking, they thought it was just another day. It was a common occurrence, after all. But there was no response even now that the coronation was starting? They couldn’t believe that the imperial palace had assigned a doctor to him.

They had naturally considered that their status could be reduced from honored guests to prisoners now that war was imminent, but this process was completely unexpected. Bariel still treated them as state guests, and the only problem was that Repin was unable to wake up.

‘Kayla isn’t here. Did she really go to Vergos first? What a tough one.’

Chloe covered her lower face with a fan and looked around. Only the calm sound of a music box was flowing quietly, so the nobles were careful not to move rashly.

“Mommy, Mommy! Where’s Daddy?”

“Shhh. Vivi. Daddy is with His Majesty. He has a lot of things to do until the end. Mrs. Philia, can you see well from there? Come closer to this side.”

“Thank you, but I’m fine. I can see well. But only Roel a little.”

“Yes, yes. This way, Roel. Come up here. There’s a platform for the children.”

Thanks to Vivianna’s consideration, Roel and Vivi were able to stand together on the small steps. Vivi hugged Roel tightly and whispered.

“It’s a coronation! Awesome!”

“……”

“Roel, we’re about to witness an incredible moment!”

“Vivi! Mom told you to shush!”

Although they were a little far away, Vivianna and Philia were also seated with their daughters. As the only commoners among the nobles, Vivianna awkwardly smiled and looked at the people around her.

“Your Majesty.”

And inside the main palace.

Jin turned his gaze at Ian’s call. He was wearing a neatly styled hairstyle and a black uniform. On one side of his chest were five badges symbolizing the imperial family.

“Yes. Is it soon?”

“Yes. Whenever you are ready.”

“I’ve waited a long time. The preparations are complete.”

Even as he said that, Jin kept touching his badge to make sure it wasn’t crooked. Seeing this, Ian approached and straightened it for him.

“Is Akorella in charge of Repin?”

“Yes. That is correct. I have adjusted the sleeping pills so that he will wake up around this time, so there will be no problems.”

“A very interesting report will come up after the coronation.”

“But that’s when it starts. What Repin said may be the truth for him, but it needs to be investigated to see if it’s true.”

“If he has the blood of a snake, he must have been up to something.”

He was saying that Elderte might have given Repin false information to confuse the Bariel side. No matter how you looked at it, he was a disposable piece, and those who had met Repin all said the same thing, so there was a good chance.

“Sir Ian.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“There have been so many things that have happened to get here.”

“That’s right.”

“So I thought it took a long time, that it was a very difficult path, but when I look at your face, it doesn’t seem like that. It’s like I’m seeing myself from ten years ago standing here.”

It was because of Ian’s appearance, which didn’t show the passage of time.

Ian smiled softly, took a step back, and looked at Jin as a whole.

“You are incomparable to what you were back then. You are now, Your Majesty.”

“Thank you.”

“……”

“I feel like I’ve never said this, so I’ll say it now. Thank you for holding me even when blood was flowing from my wounds, and thank you for not persuading me with sweet words. Thank you for being with me when I took my first step into the assembly hall, and thank you for assuring me that I am precious.”

Ian just smiled. He suddenly realized how precious the bond that had been etched in time was.

“Most of all, thank you for coming back. And I sincerely thank God for being here with me.”

At Jin’s words, Ian silently placed his hand on his chest and bowed. He also thought that he was thanking God. And then, he gestured to the attendants and gave instructions.

“We will go out now-”

The attendants draped a lavishly embroidered cloak over Jin’s shoulders. Ian watched the scene with joyful eyes, and then added.

“Your Majesty.”