Margrave’s Bastard Son was The Emperor [EN]: Chapter 595

Near Calamat, the capital of Burgos.

A long line of massive wagons slowly climbed the hill. The old crates creaked as the soldiers hanging onto the sides of the wagons pulled the ropes taut to secure the cargo.

‘How much further?’

‘It’s right there!’

‘Please hurry a little more! We’re late.’

‘It’ll be harder if it rattles, won’t it? Just hold on!’

The drivers chuckled but whipped their horses hard, and the horses quickened their pace. In the distance, the outer armory gate, which served as a mid-supply point, was wide open.

People were waving the royalist flag high in front of it. As the wagons arrived, they all welcomed them and secured supports under the wheels.

‘Who is the supply officer this time?’

Then, a woman with her long hair tied up called out to the driver. It was Kayla, the young lady of the Holin Duchy. Her attire was neat and perfect, which seemed out of place in the desolate surroundings.

‘…Who are you?’

The supply officer, with a cheap cigarette in his mouth, scanned her up and down. He was puzzled that a young woman he had never seen before was acting like his superior.

However, he instinctively felt the difference in their inherent social class. Even though he was annoyed, he naturally spoke respectfully. The drivers also sensed the unusual atmosphere and quietly hid behind the wagons.

‘I am Kayla Holin. I am in charge of checking and inspecting the goods you received from the Bael border.’

‘Ah. Kayla Holin?’

So, she was the daughter of the Holin family. The supply officer smirked and untied the ropes. Some people have it good. Thanks to being born to the right parents, they get to act like they’re in charge.

‘But why is that?’

‘The delivery is a day later than the expected date.’

‘So?’

He spat out the cigarette and continued to untie the ropes.

He knew, of course, that the royalists were friendly with Bael and were receiving weapons from them to fight the war. He also knew that if it weren’t for the weapons supplied by the Holin family, they would have suffered a significant loss in military power.

However, fundamentally, wasn’t it all Bael’s fault?

‘And yet, they act as if they’re doing us a favor. And now, they’ve put some young thing who looks like she’d be sipping tea in charge? Are they kidding me?’

He had driven the wagons for three days to bring the goods, but he was annoyed that he had to report the situation to someone he had never heard of.

Kayla frowned and approached him, muttering.

‘…Did you just say, ‘So’?’

‘Are you not familiar with the Burgos language because you’re from Bael?’

It was blatant disregard. She wanted to cut his throat right away, but this was Burgos in the middle of a civil war. She knew very well why he was being rude to her.

Kayla cooled her rising emotions and whispered to the man, speaking in perfect Burgos.

‘Since there is no reason or excuse for the delay, you will have to pay the price for neglecting your duties. I will cut half of your promised pay. Why don’t you pick up the cigarette you dropped and smoke it? It seems like you’ll be needing it for a while.’

‘What did you just…!’

Thwack!

As the man tried to strike Kayla, she also took a defensive stance.

However, a fan instantly blocked them. A decorative black feather fluttered in the air. The woman swept the fan away with a firm gesture and smiled.

‘You’ve worked hard to get here.’

‘…Mother.’

Her violet eyes, filled with a smile, looked back and forth between Kayla and the man, as if to say that a commotion was troublesome.

‘But the reason Kayla wasn’t introduced to you on time is because you were late. The goods produced by the Holin family are precious weapons used for the safety of Burgos, so isn’t it right to keep the agreed-upon time for the sake of the esteemed people who are waiting for them?’

It was Danit Holin, the second wife of the Holin Duke and the one in charge of business in Burgos. Her refreshing smile, white teeth, and powerful gaze were extraordinary.

The man bowed his head apologetically.

‘I’m sorry. Just as we were about to leave, there was a sudden heavy downpour… We were late.’

‘Make sure to inform the higher-ups. Kayla.’

‘Yes, Mother.’

Following her mother’s instructions, Kayla opened the crates herself. She checked each of the refined metal pieces, swords, and protective gear, confirming that there were no problems with the goods.

Danit nodded repeatedly, seemingly satisfied, and patted the soldiers on their shoulders.

‘Alright, hurry and move it and rest from your journey.’

‘Yes, thank you.’

‘Kayla, let’s go.’

The woman gestured for Kayla to follow her. As they entered the building, she looked at her daughter’s face and asked.

‘Are you okay?’

‘I’m sorry. I didn’t handle it well.’

‘No, it’s okay. I was like that at first too. We are ‘nobles’ and ‘women’ of ‘Bael,’ and they are ‘customers’ who buy goods.’

It was a business officially permitted by Bael, but that was it. It was up to the Holin family to develop a market in a country in the midst of a civil war. The woman straightened her daughter’s disheveled hair.

‘All the weapons supplies in Burgos have to rely on the help of the royalists. Why?’

‘…Because it’s cheaper and more profitable to trade with them than to bring people from Bael. And above all, if a Bael person crosses the border with weapons during a special situation like a civil war, even the royalists wouldn’t like it.’

‘You know it well, my daughter. Who did you take after to be so smart?’

Kiss.

The woman kissed Kayla’s forehead and smiled.

‘Especially that man is the third most senior among the supply officers. He sometimes stubbornly insists on things, but it’s hard to cut him off rashly. Well, that won’t matter later.’

The two checked again to make sure no one was in the hallway. Just in case, they were talking in Bael language, but they couldn’t let their guard down.

‘How were the weapons?’

‘They were perfectly low-grade.’

Perfect meant that there were no major problems on the surface.

And this was the very reason why Kayla had come to Burgos to meet her mother. At the suggestion of Bael, specifically the Emperor and Ian, they were supplying substandard weapons to the royalists to weaken the military power of Burgos and gain an advantage in the war.

The woman looked back at her daughter, seemingly lost in thought, as she went upstairs where the royalist officials were waiting.

‘I always thought there would be an end someday, but I never expected it to unfold like this. Kayla, and you being here too.’

‘I’m sorry, Mother. It’s not good news.’

‘No, any news you bring is good news. If this matter is resolved well, the imperial sanctions against the Holin family will be lifted, and then the children left there will be able to manage well.’

Kayla smiled faintly and looked up at her mother. She seemed genuinely happy. She was happy to show her business skills in a foreign country, but her true happiness was elsewhere.

‘Above all, it’s truly, unbelievably good that His Majesty’s marriageable age has come at the right time. And this civil war! Kayla, I promise you. When your mother returns, I will gift you the seat next to His Majesty.’

‘But Mother, he already knows that my blood is from Burgos.’

‘That’s why it’s even better!’

Snap!

The woman’s eyes sparkled as she flicked her fingers. She seemed to have already finished the calculations in her head.

‘Supplying substandard weapons to the royalists, not the anti-royalists, what do you think that means? It means the imperial family is also anticipating it. That the royalists might be a problem in the occupation of Burgos.’

‘…That’s right. And I understand what Mother means.’

If even the royalists were pushed out, the only ones who could fill that position were the mother and daughter. They had the blood of the Burgos royal family and the title equivalent to a Bael Duke.

This was, in fact, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. To ascend to the throne of Burgos and become the Empress of Bael at the same time.

‘Let’s go up first. I’ll introduce you to each of the royalist officials. There are many people you need to know for the future.’

To push away, to drive out, and on the other hand, to keep them under her control, those who are needed when discussing state affairs.

Kayla took a deep breath and followed her mother.

Knock knock.

Creak.

‘Excuse me. Sorry to keep you waiting.’

‘You’ve arrived. How are the goods?’

‘They just arrived. I heard they encountered a sudden heavy downpour. The initial inspection is complete, and after a thorough check, we will move them inside the Calamat camp.’

About half a dozen people sitting around a round table looked at Danit. They exchanged silent signals with their eyes, and the youngest of them took out a couple of papers and a wooden box from the side.

‘Here is the remaining balance.’

‘Thank you.’

They were jewels the size of a person’s fist, Burgos gold coins, and bonds for the Burgos royal family. They were unusable right now because the royal family was nominal, but if the country stabilized under the leadership of the royalists in the future, they would be the envy of all the gold and jewels in the world.

It was a balanced mix of current and future value, and it was a reasonable means of payment for the royalists. By issuing bonds, they could buy weapons cheaply right away.

Just as the woman was about to hand the payment to Kayla.

‘Are you sending it directly to Bael again this time?’

‘…Yes, Lord Allens. As you know, due to the special circumstances of the civil war, it is not easy for us to maintain private soldiers. We do not have the capacity to protect funds. For now, it is safer to operate them in Bael.’

‘Is that so?’

Something about the atmosphere was different from usual.

The woman slowly approached and sat down with a bright smile, while Kayla was on guard, listening at the door, to check if there were any signs of strangers.

However, surprising news came from inside.

‘If that means you are still in contact with Bael, I don’t know if you’ve heard.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘I heard that Bael occupied Agiar and captured Rutherford.’

‘……!’

The woman’s eyes widened slightly. Since they had supplied substandard weapons, shouldn’t they wrap up the business and withdraw before this was discovered?

But if the news that the Bael army had captured Agiar and the core of the anti-royalists had reached this far….

‘I didn’t know. We are sending funds to the Holin family in Bael, so we operate independently of the imperial family.’

‘That could be. But there’s a bit of a problem, would you listen?’

‘If you wish, Lord.’

Sizzle.

The royalist officials took out thick cigarettes and put them in their mouths. It was a kind of power struggle.

The woman was still smiling, but her eyes seemed to say, ‘Look at these guys?’ She also took out a gold case from her pocket and put a cigarette in her mouth.

‘Why are you all being so hesitant? Time is money.’

Meaning, it is especially so for me, though it is for you too.

The officials cleared their throats and added.

‘We requested the right to execute Rutherford from Bael, but it was not granted. It seems they will be heading south to Calamat, so would you help us?’

‘Us?’

‘You said you would return to Bael for resupply after this transaction, but instead, please stay in Calamat with us. If the Duchess of Bael is here, it would be….’

‘Ah, yes….’

The woman trailed off like them, with a smile on her face.

They were planning to supply the weapons and retreat first, but now they were being asked to stay in Calamat and welcome the Bael army? Did they not know what that meant from Bael’s perspective? It was a chance to be mistaken that the Holin family had sided with Burgos.

Then, was it possible to refuse?

‘It’s not easy.’

They might even draw their swords to take them hostage right away.

The woman muttered curses under her breath and readily replied.

‘If that’s what you wish, yes. Of course. I’ll postpone the schedule first.’