Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 594

The messengers from nearby cities stared at the collapsed Agiar wall, awaiting the Emperor’s reply. A chill ran down their spines at the fear that their own cities might soon suffer the same fate.

But that was only for a moment. As the wait grew longer, their tension morphed into boredom.

Was it taking longer than expected? Even if it was a critical matter, all of Bael’s key decision-makers were gathered inside. This meant there shouldn’t be any unnecessary delays in reaching an agreement.

‘…It would be best to leave when the sun is at the edge of the sky.’

‘I think so too. Darkness is always dangerous.’

‘I wish you good fortune.’

‘You as well. May you defend the wall to the end.’

‘Let us uphold justice as Burgos citizens.’

As the messengers exchanged brief greetings, a shadow fell over the wall. Mages had crossed over the wall through the sky.

What were they holding? Nothing. One of the messengers shouted loudly upon seeing this.

‘We are ready to receive the reply!’

It was a clear demand for them to hand over what they wanted.

The mage lowered his altitude and gestured for them to follow.

‘Come inside.’

‘…Inside?’

‘The Minister of Magic will answer you directly. Bael’s situation with Rutherford is complex, so it was decided that it couldn’t be conveyed in writing. Well, if you’re afraid, we won’t force you, but isn’t it your mission to take back Bael’s position?’

Those who wanted to leave could go. But without understanding Bael’s position, it would be difficult for them to survive in the future.

The messengers, understanding the implication, unconsciously tightened their grip on their reins and exchanged glances. The first to step forward and follow the mage was the messenger from Purpato, southeast of Agiar.

‘Ahem.’

The messengers slowly lined up, one by one, and crossed the collapsed Agiar wall, entering the interior.

They thought it was quieter and more peaceful than expected, but that was only for a moment. They soon discovered several heads displayed in the distance.

‘…That is!’

‘It’s a pity.’

‘What do you mean?’

The mage slowly flew towards them and said,

‘It means it’s too late. The Minister will explain the details, so take a good look at the lives of the Agiar residents. Bael is treating them humanely.’

The heads hanging there were truly gruesome. Some had died with their eyes open, some had passed away with faces contorted in screams, and others had met their end peacefully.

Blood dripped from the cut sections of their necks. They had clearly been beheaded not long ago.

‘This way.’

‘Those bastards. They act like they own the place.’

The way they were being guided made it seem as if this place had always belonged to Bael.

The messengers bit their lower lips and entered with heightened vigilance. Bael’s military strength was also useful information to convey to their allies.

‘There aren’t as many injured people as I thought.’

‘They look well. Is there plenty of food?’

‘Gasp! Other mages. There are quite a few mages.’

Knock knock.

‘Minister Ian, I’ve brought the messengers.’

‘Let them in.’

From the moment they entered the wall, the messengers’ expectations had been slightly off. But they had never been as bewildered as they were now. The one who greeted them was a young boy who looked to be only about sixteen years old.

He nodded towards the front and allowed everyone to sit.

‘You are the messengers from Legende, Vieira, Jar, and Purpato, respectively.’

‘Yes, that’s correct.’

‘I have confirmed what you want. But what a pity? It’s too late.’

‘What do you mean by too late…’

‘Rutherford was executed along with the remnants. As you can see from the Agiar residents, we had set this time today for the execution. It is you who are late in replying.’

Negotiations had failed. Bael would not be able to fulfill their proposal. Whether intentional or not, the result was clear.

As the messengers’ faces darkened, Ian snapped his fingers.

‘Do you know Rutherford’s face?’

‘No. We do not know it.’

At those words, Ian frowned and signaled. Then, a mage brought a silver box and stood next to Ian.

‘No one? Oh dear. Then, who will confirm the body?’

‘We will first inform our lord of the current situation.’

‘Very well. Rutherford is already dead, so please convey that Bael wishes to reconcile with you in a different way. And one more thing—’

Swoosh.

Ian poured a glass of water for each of them and added,

‘Bael will soon leave Agiar and head south. Our destination is the capital of Burgos, Kalamat. It’s a long way, and we’d like to make it as easy as possible. Would it be okay if a minor matter like an execution were to delay our progress?’

It was a warning that they would meet the royalists directly, and that other cities should not interfere rashly. It was also a piece of advice to face the giant that was Bael, rather than cleverly calculating to turn to the royalist side. If they didn’t realize this, the heads on the street would be displayed in their cities as well.

There was a stark contrast in reactions between those who understood and those who didn’t. The former concealed their bewilderment with silence and assessed the situation, while the latter tried to engage in conversation to gather information.

‘Is Rutherford really dead?’

‘You don’t believe me. Show them.’

As Ian turned his head to the side and gave the order, the mage opened the lid of the box.

Inside was a gruesome head. It was so damaged that it was hard to recognize the face. The messengers covered their mouths with their sleeves and gagged, and Ian also narrowed his brows as if he was displeased.

‘Now that I’ve shown you the body, you shouldn’t add any more words. Do you understand?’

At Ian’s words, which were spoken with such care, some of the messengers felt as if they had been hit on the back of the head. If they hadn’t been shown, they could have raised questions later, but now that they had seen the head of someone they didn’t even know, Bael had secured their justification.

This wouldn’t do. If they stayed here any longer, they would surely be forced to give up even more.

‘We will take our leave first.’

‘Is that Purpato?’

‘Yes, we are the furthest away, so if we don’t leave now, we will spend the night in the mountains. We cannot leave such important news that affects the fate of many unattended.’

Do as you please. Ian raised his chin, indicating that he didn’t care.

‘I hope Bael won’t have to stay in Purpato.’

‘…Excuse us.’

Instead of answering, the messenger bowed politely and hurriedly left the room. The other messengers, realizing their mistake, quickly followed suit.

After everyone had left, the mages who had been looking at the corpse’s head slammed the lid shut and looked towards the door.

‘Those guys don’t seem like they’ll be easy to deal with. Should we reduce their numbers in advance?’

‘Ugh, close that lid properly. It stinks.’

‘Hey! Get rid of it quickly. It’s bad for Ian’s eyes.’

‘Ian, is it okay to let them go like that? Some of them didn’t seem to understand. It would be better to send them with a warning note.’

Ian slowly examined the map of Burgos, then pointed to Purpato. He then checked the shortest route from Agiar to that location.

‘The other cities don’t need to go. If you see one, you know ten. Purpato will be playing a central role in the vicinity. And the messenger also seems to have good judgment and calm behavior, so we can expect their strength. If we can pass through Purpato safely, it will be quick to reach the capital, Kalamat.’

‘Even if we go to Kalamat and occupy the royal palace, will the royalists surrender so easily?’

‘That’s right. Looking at how those guys are scheming now, it seems like they’re going to unite forces, regardless of whether they’re pro-Bael or not.’

‘Instead of just capturing Purpato, shouldn’t we organize everything thoroughly before going down? It’s a bit unsettling to just capture Agiar and Purpato.’

‘Why is it unsettling?’

‘Wouldn’t it be difficult if they pushed in from both above and below at the same time?’

Why ask the obvious? That’s why the higher-ups concluded in the meeting that we should settle things in Agiar and the surrounding area before moving on, right?

‘…There are allies below the royalists as well.’

‘Huh?’

The royalists were stationed in the south of Burgos.

But there were Bael forces below them? What did that mean? The mages looked at each other as if asking if they understood, but no one had a clear answer.

Instead of answering, Ian got up from the sofa as if to say not to worry, and walked towards the door.

‘It’s a body that suffered for Bael. Dispose of it properly and give it a funeral.’

‘Ah, yes, yes. Of course.’

‘Where are you going?’

Since hearing the news that Philia had disappeared, Ian’s every action had been a cause for concern. Ian shook his head, as if to say he understood their feelings. As if they didn’t need to worry.

‘The underground prison.’

Squeak.

Thud.

As Ian left, the mages stood still for a moment before collapsing onto the sofa and muttering.

‘Ian doesn’t seem to be in a good mood, does he?’

‘Yeah. His eyes are different, his eyes.’

‘By the way, did we send anyone to the royalist side? I don’t understand what he meant earlier. When he said ‘below the royalists,’ does that mean there are actual allies in the south, or that we have spies hidden within the royalists?’

‘Hmm. Has anyone from Bael gone to Burgos?’

‘From Bael to Burgos? Ah, ah!’

One of the mages stood up abruptly, as if he understood, and the other mages gathered around him. He gestured towards the head in the box and suggested,

‘If I tell you, take me off the job of disposing of that.’

‘Wow, this guy isn’t a mage, he’s a merchant.’

‘Yeah. He’s a merchant.’

‘Okay, tell us. What does Ian mean?’

‘A merchant. Someone from Bael who went to Burgos. Especially since they often traded with the royalists, it’s possible.’

The mages blinked, then muttered as they recalled one person.

‘…Lady Kayla?’

* * *

Ian went down to the deepest part of the underground prison.

A cold, chilly, and unpleasant place filled with a fishy smell. The floor was a mess of blood, but it was too dark to see clearly.

‘Ugh, damn it! I left the Luron stone behind!’

‘Captain, I told you we don’t need that, right? Since when have we been using Luron stones?’

‘It’s much more effective, you idiot. A fool should at least know how to shut up, tsk. Go get the Luron stone!’

‘There needs to be a law against arguing. How are we supposed to get it here? Go to Bael by yourself!’

‘Is there a problem?’

Ian approached as Acorella and his subordinates were arguing loudly. They had brought a makeshift desk and turned it into a temporary laboratory, but the materials were so poor that it was crude.

‘Ian, do you have a Luron stone?’

‘Ask something that makes sense, Captain. Please. And you don’t need a Luron stone to make a freezing potion. Oh, really.’

Freezing potion.

A potion that stops the body while it’s still alive. It was something the previous Emperor had possessed, and in fact, it was Acorella’s first time making it, so there was a disagreement.

What had been used before was something the Emperor had secretly ordered from former Minister of Magic Wesley, so it was outside of Acorella’s jurisdiction.

‘I’ve made antidotes before! Listen to me!’

‘You’ve never made a freezing potion before!’

‘Ugh, are we really going to do this?’

‘Bring it on. I’d rather get hit and end it.’

Ian ignored the commotion and looked inside the prison. There, Rutherford, still unconscious, was lying bound hand and foot.