Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 545

It seems there’s trouble either in the northern region or Clifford.

Jin looked down at the map, pondering for a moment. How long would it take to get from the center to Clifford? The carriage was relatively light, so it wouldn’t take too long.

“If something happened in Clifford, they would have sent word. The royal family is on their way, so we’ll leave the initial response to them. We’ll send a messenger bird and quickly dispatch a reconnaissance team to the north.”

Ian nodded, acknowledging the order, while cautiously reminding him of the Magic Division’s situation.

“That’s a good decision, but I’m sorry, Your Majesty. Currently, there are no mages in the Magic Division to send. If you command it, I can go myself, but I’m concerned about leaving Your Majesty’s side.”

“If it’s just to assess the situation, I can go.”

“Zaira. That’s reckless.”

Ian firmly cut off Zaira’s offer.

Why else would Zaira, unlike other mages, be unable to sleep? She had been surviving on catnaps throughout the coronation. The mental shock she had suffered from the incident with the Luswena mages was considerable, to the point where she couldn’t take care of herself.

Zaira couldn’t argue back and merely adjusted her glasses lightly.

“The Imperial Defense Force can also organize a reconnaissance team. However, if it’s related to the rift, we must prepare for the appearance of monsters, which ordinary soldiers cannot handle.”

“How is the supply of weapons to the Dera tribe progressing?”

“We are focusing on supplying spears. Spears, especially short spears, take less time to produce than swords. We are hurrying, but we need more time.”

Then there was only one option left.

Commander Jayrut, understanding the implication, acknowledged it.

“The Imperial Guard will go. With their mobility, they can quickly assess the situation, just like sending and receiving messenger birds.”

“Good. You shall go first. If there are any monsters or anything else blocking the path of the Bariel, eliminate them decisively to ensure there are no problems with the advance.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. I will obey your command.”

“Commander Jayrut.”

As Jayrut gave the imperial salute, Ian called out to him.

“Take the Dera tribe’s weapons with you. They will be helpful, both to the Imperial Guard and to the other soldiers.”

The advance party was, in essence, a group sent to scout the enemy’s terrain and movements. Since mobility was the priority, the number of spearmen was quite small, so this was an order to compensate for that.

“Understood.”

It was not expected that a problem would arise within the Bariel border. This was certainly not a natural phenomenon. It was highly likely that Burgos, or rather Rutherford, had activated it through some kind of scheme in anticipation of the Bariel advance.

Jin made a light gesture, as if to urge them to hurry.

“Commander Jayrut, you should leave first.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Swoosh.

As Jayrut stepped out of the meeting tent, the other two commanders, Simon and Bonita, who had been waiting outside, approached with serious expressions. Their eyes questioned what was going on.

“What is it?”

“By order of His Majesty, the Emperor, we are forming a reconnaissance team to explore the rift. The destination is the northern region. Simon and his men will remain here to protect His Majesty, and the rest will go with me.”

“For reconnaissance, that many?”

Although they held the same rank of commander, their experiences differed. Jayrut had lived in the same era as the previous commanders, while Simon and Bonita had been promoted to fill the vacancies of the three commanders who had died during the civil war. In a way, Jayrut was like a teacher and superior to them.

“Since the appearance of monsters is suspected, the purpose will be to subjugate them. It won’t take long to travel from here to the north, so if there are no problems, we will return immediately.”

“Understood. Then, we will prepare immediately.”

“Everyone, assemble! It’s an emergency!”

Bonita’s shout made the Imperial Guard, who had been resting, turn their heads one by one. An emergency? They didn’t know what it was, but they reflexively put on their armor again.

Berik was the same. He grumbled as he trudged over.

“You told us to rest, and now you’re changing your mind!”

“Shut up. Didn’t you hear it’s an emergency?”

“That’s why I came crawling here. Why?”

“There’s a problem in the north, so we’re going to scout. Everyone, release your magic power. And Bersabe!”

“Yes, Commander.”

“Go to the Dera tribe and get the weapons.”

The mages carefully put on their protective gear and received their orders. Rift anomalies, the possibility of monsters, advance party confirmation, protection of the imperial citizens, and so on.

“Ah!”

Berik yawned widely and then raised his hand, as if he had thought of something. Jayrut hesitated whether to allow it or not, but eventually nodded. It meant he could speak.

“Can’t we go on Kkyu?”

“That dragon?”

“Since we’re going by air, it’s obviously faster. Honestly, it’s a pain, so it would be nice to go quickly and come back.”

“You’re speaking informally, I’ll kill you.”

“Isn’t it good? Old man?”

Jayrut pondered for a moment. Even if they used magic power to run, they couldn’t match the speed of a dragon’s flight.

It was a plausible suggestion, but was it because Berik was the one who made it? Something felt off…

“Then, Berik, you go on it.”

“Huh? Me?”

“The person who brought it up should do it. Who else would I make do it?”

“That’s right. You seemed to ride it well back then.”

The Imperial Guard comrades chuckled as they put on their shoes. He had brought it up because he was lazy, but now that he was the one going, his expression was quite a sight.

“Berik.”

“Ah, really.”

If it was just for mobility, the Magic Division would have allowed the use of a dragon. Jayrut ordered firmly.

“Hurry up and prepare. You’re in charge of the dragon.”

* * *

“Hah, hah…”

Aileen frowned, her vision becoming increasingly blurry. Her whole body was damp with what she couldn’t tell was sweat or blood.

She roughly wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and checked her hand, which was soaked in blood. And that wasn’t all. The once lush fields were now filled with red puddles and torn corpses.

Life is so fleeting, those who were alive and moving just moments ago had lost their strength in an instant.

“Spearmen! Forward! Keep moving forward!”

“Let’s go! Damn it, there’s nowhere to retreat!”

“Yeah, if we show our backs, we’re dead!”

“We are-!”

“We are!”

“Soldiers of Bariel! Bearing the will of His Majesty! Look only forward!”

Only after half of the advance party had died were they able to vaguely identify their opponents.

First, the woman who had been acting as the owner of the tavern. She showed bizarre physical abilities, enough to lift a soldier’s corpse with one hand. It was a characteristic of a monster, and everyone thought she was a monster.

The remaining spearmen positioned themselves among the soldiers and prepared to attack.

“Reveal your identity!”

“If I tell you, would you know?”

Swoosh, the woman licked the blood on her arm and smiled bitterly.

And then, in an instant-

Ziiing!

‘Magic!’

Her eyes turned golden.

Aileen shouted in surprise.

“Dodge!”

“Where to!”

The woman lowered her stance and jumped into the middle of the group, like a predator lunging at its prey.

The spearmen closed their eyes tightly and thrust their spears. Countless spear blades grazed the woman’s neck and shoulders, and one of them hit her waist.

Splat!

“Ughhh!”

“…!?”

Even as she quickly retreated, the woman’s sword beheaded a soldier. A head with spurting blood rolled away, but she didn’t care and kept checking her waist.

“Huh, damn it. What was that just now?”

“Kuh, heuk-”

“Don’t cry! Stay calm!”

“The attack worked!”

A small, faint hope.

The soldiers huddled together, protecting each other’s backs, and Aileen looked to the other side. The situation was no different on the front of the advance party, where the first warning about the monsters had come from.

“Stab! Stab!”

“Kill them!”

The monster they were facing was a one-eyed, limbless pig-like creature. It seemed to move with legs attached somewhere on its body, but they were hidden by its fur and couldn’t be seen.

Oink!

They didn’t know how many there were. But with the occasional screams of the monsters, the soldiers shouted and swung their weapons. Fight, fight, keep fighting!

“We can do it!”

“We can survive! Everyone, just a little more, just a little more-!”

“Hey!”

Then, the woman who had been rubbing her side cut in irritably, as if telling them not to be so noisy.

“What’s that?”

“What!”

“The thing on the spear tip, it doesn’t look like metal?”

“W-w-would you know if I told you?”

“…Oh?”

When she received back what she had given, the woman smiled menacingly.

One side was in a state of high tension, while the other was in a relaxed lull. Of course, since the soldiers were the former, they were all trembling with their weapons in their hands.

Aileen’s head was spinning. All her senses were heightened. The fishy smell of blood, the cool breeze, someone’s dying groans, and the shaking of the ground…

‘Shaking?’

Kugugung-

“E-earthquake…”

“It’s an earthquake! Everyone, are you okay! There are no buildings here!”

A loud rumble erupted from the north. Then, the woman whistled and shielded her eyes with her hand, staring into the distance. Aileen naturally turned her head in that direction as well.

“… !”

“W-what is that?”

“Black, black things…”

“What a sight.”

Monsters. Monsters were pouring out from the north.

Sweeping down the hill, they resembled a black storm. Everything visible was a monster, and everything felt was despair.

The soldiers unknowingly lowered their weapons and stared at the north with listless eyes.

“Ah.”

Should they run? No, could they even run? They were pouring down like a landslide on the open field.

The soldiers were completely overwhelmed and took a step back, eventually turning their backs.

“R-run away! Run!”

“Ughhh!”

Splat!

But the reality that faced those who ran was the woman’s sword.

Aileen watched the scene blankly. So this is what it feels like to have your heart collapse. Her breath was getting faster, but what could she do? There was only one option.

Swoosh.

Aileen drew a cross on her left arm with her dagger. It was a prayer, asking for a honorable death, as she was a child of God and a citizen of Bariel.

Soon, she picked up a broken spear and ran forward.

Tap tap!

“Ughhh!”

Towards the thousands, tens of thousands of monsters.

One person alone cutting through the endless expanse of land. And a black wave crashing down like a tide. Some of the soldiers also came to their senses and marked crosses on their bodies like Aileen.

And-

“Let’s goooo!”

“Let’s go!”

They ran after Aileen.

The woman held a corpse’s head and stared at their backs. They were the ones who had chosen death, so there was no need to follow them and finish them off.

‘Well, anyway, it’s not too late. That bastard Rutherford, he has a knack for timing these things.’

To effectively stop the Bariel advance, the only way was to use the northern monster zone before the Bariel army crossed the border.

The woman wiped her mouth and swallowed. Ah, how ecstatic. All of them will become my blood and flesh…

-Kkyuuuuu!

Swoosh!

At that moment, something flew in close to the ground at an incredible speed. The short grass swayed as if it would be uprooted in its wake, and the woman shielded her face with her arm to block the wind.

“… !”

Red, long wings and tail.

A gaping, ferocious maw.

It was a dragon.

And on top of it, a man with red hair.

“Dieeeee!”

“Hey!”

Taat!

It was the moment Aileen clenched her teeth and swung her spear, just before facing the monsters.

Berik snatched her arm, and the monsters tumbled down in that spot. Berik also snatched the other soldiers and put them on the dragon’s back.

“Hold the rope tight, or you’ll die.”

“Hah, hah…”

The soldiers who had survived the brink of death gasped for breath and trembled. Berik patted Kkyu’s head and said.

“You, return. Okay?”

-Kkyuuu!

As Kkyu lowered his altitude again, Berik jumped down without hesitation. Aileen, surprised, reached out her hand, but soon realized it was a futile worry.

Kwaaaang!

Berik landed stably and then pointed his black sword towards the woman.

“You, you crazy bitch. You’ve done a lot of work? How did you do it?”

“Why? Does it look like a buffet? Is your mouth watering?”

“Seriously, you have nothing else to eat, so you eat that kind of thing. You’re a moron.”

“I should be the one saying that. You’re a fool who doesn’t know your place.”

The blood-soaked woman, Efdiram, released her magic power, and Berik also lowered his stance and focused his gaze.

Today, finally, one of them would die here.